Adventures of the Everyday Sort
The next day dawned gray and cloudy.
At least, that’s what Link assumed it was. He couldn’t see anything outside, other than the thin streams of light filtering into the dark room between the curtains.
He bit back a yawn, sitting up in the bed. It seemed he’d woken up before the rest of his friends—or, at least, the two that were currently in the room. Both Saria and Ruto were fast asleep, sprawled on the makeshift beds of pillows and blankets they’d made on the floor.
The night before, Bon Bon had apologized over and over again for only having one guest room. It had taken numerous repetitions of “it’s okay” and “it’s fine” in order to get her to stop. The others had insisted that Link take the bed, as he had been the one that was most injured during the battle with Morpha.
He had tried to insist that he was fine, because the Minuet of Forest had healed him, but…
It seemed that all of his friends could be extremely stubborn when they wanted.
And so, he’d gotten to sleep on the soft mattress, while the others camped out on pillows and blankets on the floor. Saria was currently curled up in a ball, buried mostly by a blanket, which covered all of her body but her nose. It was oddly cute.
Ruto was sprawled out as far as her limbs could reach, drooling on a pillow. Link clapped a hoof to his mouth just in time to muffle the laugh threatening to emerge—the Zora didn’t look anything close to a princess now.
Epona, however, was nowhere to be seen—something that surprised Link. Maybe she’d woken up earlier, and was now downstairs with Darunia.
As for the Goron, he’d been too large to fit up the stairs—at least, without Unicorn assistance. Considering that the only one who’d known the teleportation spell was Lyra, the only option was for him to stay downstairs and sleep in the living room.
I hope Bon Bon is asleep, Link thought. He was a light sleeper—which came from spending multiple nights outside in the wilderness—and had woken up numerous times to the sound of her crying softly in the next room. If he had been even a slightly heavier sleeper, he wouldn’t have heard her at all.
The pale, cold light blinked out of existence for a moment and Link raised himself higher to see a shadow moving beyond the curtains. He knew a balcony lay directly outside of the room…someone must be on it.
Hmm. Maybe Bon Bon wasn’t asleep after all.
Link slid out of the bed, landing softly on the carpet. He winced as the floor gave a loud creak, but aside from Ruto twitching in her sleep, the two didn’t respond.
The stallion tiptoed over the sleeping forms of his friends, slipping quietly passed them. He paused at the sliding door—a new concept for him, in Hyrule doors didn’t slide—and looked over the room. He was instantly transported back to his childhood in Kokiri Village, the race of children had constantly had large sleepovers, most often around the roots of the Deku Tree. He could still remember them staying up late into the night, inventing stories about what the outside world was like…
Link shook his head, freeing himself from the nostalgic thoughts. He eased open the sliding door, slipping through and onto the wooden deck.
“Good morning, Link.”
“Oh,” Link said, surprised. “Good morning, Epona.”
The toffee-colored Earth Pony gave a nod of recognition, then returned to staring out over the town. It was mostly still so far, but Link could feel rather than see or hear the flurries of activity starting up as ponies began the day.
The stallion took a seat beside Epona, noting the dark circles beneath her eyes, like bruises.
“Did you sleep at all?” he asked.
“I slept enough,” Epona responded, which wasn’t much of an answer, but Link supposed he had to take it.
They sat in silence for a few seconds.
“So…” Link said, “how are you doing? A lot of crazy stuff happened yesterday, and…well…”
“I’m…still figuring it out,” Epona sighed, rubbing a hoof against her face. “Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize,” Link said. “It’s fine. Do…you want to talk about it? I don’t know, maybe it’ll help.”
“It…well, it might,” Epona admitted quietly. “Okay, then. It’s…well…I just don’t know what to do. I…don’t want to go back to Hyrule.”
Link glanced at her in surprise.
“I don’t want to lose my intelligence,” Epona clarified. “I mean, a part of me knows I won’t entirely lose my intelligence, because Navi will still exist, and she’ll have m—um, our memories, but she as Epona won’t—I mean, me as Epona won’t, and…ugh, this is making my head hurt.”
“I know,” Link sighed. “This whole thing is a huge mess.”
Epona hesitated a second, then spoke up again,
“I’m…sorry for breaking down the other day,” she said quietly. Link looked up at her, surprised, but she was staring at the wooden deck beneath her hooves. “I just didn’t want to accept the truth. Some part of me always knew I was Navi…perhaps the part that also wondered how I knew so much about everything. But the part of me that wanted desperately to believe this was permanent was stronger and wrote it off as you just telling me about a lot of things.
“I’m honestly…really embarrassed. You had to hold me down.” she buried her face in her hooves. “What if the others see me differently after that? What if they don’t see me as strong anymore?”
Link…didn’t know what to say. He could help Saria, he could help Ruto, but somehow…with Epona he felt lost.
“…I don’t know what the others will think,” he admitted. “But I can tell you this: My opinion of you won’t change.”
“But what is that?” Epona asked, looking at him.
“You’re strong,” Link said, “but you’re also human—er, pony. Or…whatever. But you’re my closest companion—both of my closest companions, in fact. And you’re the one who’s been supporting me since the start. This is going to sound like the cheesiest thing I’ve ever said, but…you believe in me.” He smacked a hoof against his face. “Wow, that was cheesy. But you get the point. The least I can do is believe in you too.”
A small smile flickered over Epona’s face, holding for a few seconds before fading away.
“Thanks,” she said quietly. “That makes me feel better.”
“I’m glad,” Link said, letting out a breath he hadn’t even known he was holding. “This thing is really complicated.”
“I know,” Epona sighed. “My memories are all mixed up—it’s like having two lives overlapping each other in my head, and each time a sensation triggers a memory…it’s like they both instantly fight to be the first to relay. Seeing myself from Navi’s perspective, it’s…well, I feel strong. I’m tall and powerful, and I can literately crush enemies beneath my hooves. It’s…awe-inspiring. I’m in awe of myself.”
She gave a small, humorless chuckle.
“That does make me sound narcissistic. But as Navi, I’m…small. And weak. And helpless. The mere thought of having to enter combat terrifies me. There are two completely different personalities inside me, and I’m torn between them, hovering on the edge of both consciousness. If I tried hard enough, I wonder, could I slip entirely into one? Could I become just Navi if I tried? What would happen to Epona? Ugh.” she pressed a hoof to her head. “I need to stop.”
“I’m sorry,” Link said, because it felt like the right thing to say at the moment.
“It’s not your fault,” Epona said.
“It kind of is,” Link pointed out. “You were with me when we got transported here…or, whatever happened. But if you hadn’t been there, then you wouldn’t have come here or gotten turned into Navi.”
“It’s still not your fault,” Epona insisted. “You didn’t know it was going to happen, you couldn’t control it. And…besides, I’m glad I got to experience the world with such clarity. Even if…I’m going to lose it.”
“I wish you could stay like that,” Link admitted.
“Yeah,” Epona sighed.
There was another longer period of silence, stretching on long enough to be awkward. But then, with a faint screech, the door slid open behind them.
Link glanced over his shoulder. Saria trotted into the light, looking groggy and confused. Her mane looked like a nest for small animals, and a small trickle of drool was on her chin.
“What’re you doing?” she yawned.
“Good morning, sleepyhead,” Link chuckled. “We’re talking. How are you doing?”
“It’s too early to tell,” Saria sighed, plopping down next to Link and rubbing her eyes with a hoof. A small pout appeared on her face.
“It’s so cloudy,” she complained. “I was hoping today would be sunny, at least. But it’s gray and cold…I don’t want to go anywhere…” She sighed.
“I was thinking about that,” Link said. “Maybe we don’t have to go anywhere just yet. After everything that happened yesterday, it’d be great to just lay low for a day or two. Take a break from adventuring. It tired even me out, and I’m used to this sort of thing.”
“Does that mean we can stay in Ponyville for a day?” Saria asked.
“That’s the plan,” Link informed her.
“Yay!” the Kokiri cheered. Epona smiled and gave a nod of agreement.
“Now if only the sun would come out,” Saria sighed, seemingly suppressing a small shiver. “I wish we could make the clouds go away.”
“You know…” Link said, a smile spreading over his face, “I think we can.” He fished the Ocarina out of his ever-present inventory, playing the lively tune of the Song of Storms. The clouds melted away like smoke in the wind, and a warm, golden light flooded the sleepily-stirring town.
“Now today will be perfect,” Saria smiled, stretching out her forelegs to welcome the heartening glow.
“We’ll still need to visit Princess Twilight today,” Link informed her. “But after that…well, we can do whatever we choose too.”
Today will be great, he thought. But…we should probably get it started now.
-------------
The glittering, crystal castle loomed at the edge of the path.
Bon Bon had provided everyone with handy pairs of blacked-out glasses, apparently called “sunglasses”, that allowed them all to brave the glaring light that was refracted off the star-shaped tower.
The early morning hours had passed without much event—that is, unless one counted Bon Bon having to remove part of a wall to let Darunia out of her house. Before that, the Earth Pony had treated them all to a simple breakfast before Octavia and Vinyl had arrived, and the whole group had set off towards the castle.
By now, other ponies were out and about, filling the streets with friendly chatter. A couple were commenting on the “surprising change of weather”, which Link didn’t entirely understand. But he assumed that they’d been awake earlier, and had seen when he’d cleared the clouds.
The group of Hyruleans and Equestrians came up to the door of Princess Twilight’s castle and Bon Bon knocked. The Princess answered the door almost immediately, surprising Link.
“Oh, hello!” she said brightly. “There you all are! I was wondering where you’d gone. I was starting to get worried, even.’
“We spent the night at my house,” Bon Bon explained. “It was late by the time we got back, and we didn’t…want to bother you.”
Among other things, Link added internally.
“Well, come in!” Princess Twilight ushered the group into the palace. Link let out a sigh of relief, finally able to take off his sunglasses.
They were lead into the familiar map room—or, at least, there was usually a map there. Now it was simply a table, surrounded by six chairs.
“Okay, tell me what happened.” The Princess slid into one of the chairs—a tall white throne with the mark of a magenta star at the top of it; a star, Link realized, that was also her cutie mark. She gestured for the others to take seats, which they did—all except for Darunia, who was once again too large to fit into one of the seats.
“We made it through the forest without difficulty,” Bon Bon started, “and arrived at the Tree of Harmony like you suggested.” She looked to Link.
“There,” Link said, taking up the thread of the story, “we found an object from my world called the Master Sword. It’s a weapon of immense power that I lost when I first woke up in Equestria.”
There was a scratching of pen on paper.
Link glanced over at Princess Twilight, where the sound seemed to be coming from. She noticed him watching, and the scroll and quill hovering in front of her face disappeared in a flash of magenta. She grinned sheepishly.
“Well, um…” Link said, somewhat confused. “After that a creature who was originally from Hyrule came over to us. I believe he’s a guardian spirit, of sorts? But he answered a few questions about what’s happened to us. After that we returned.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, what were the questions he answered?” the Princess asked curiously.
“One, how the sword got to the tree,” Link explained. “And also what happened to a good friend of mine who went missing when we arrived. Turns out…she’s actually Epona.”
The Earth Pony in question winced a bit as he gestured towards her. Twilight raised an eyebrow at the oddity of that statement.
Link didn’t blame her.
“TWILIGHT!”
The entire group leapt in unison as the door to the room slammed open with enough force to send bits of crystal raining from the ceiling. A Pegasus raced inside—or at least, Link supposed that he (she?) was a Pegasus. All he could really see was a suspended blur of blue and rainbow.
“What is it, Rainbow?” Princess Twilight said, and it took Link a second to realize she was addressing the Pegasus, who proved herself to be a girl. The apparently-named “Rainbow” screeched a stop inches from the Princess’s head, and Link had to admire her agility.
“Something really weird happened with the weather,” Rainbow said conversationally, as if she hadn’t just crashed through the door with the speed of a rolling Dodongo. “There was a rainstorm scheduled for today, but the sky is somehow totally clear!”
“Really?” the purple Alicorn raised an eyebrow. “Did Sunshower misplace a breeze again?”
“Nah, we checked that already,” Rainbow shook her head, finally landing. “Apparently she wasn’t on duty today. And even if that did happen again, we could find the clouds. But…they’re just gone.”
Epona and Link exchanged looks. Epona shrugged helplessly.
“Huh, weird,” Princess Twilight commented. A frown crossed her face. “There were clouds scheduled for today, right?”
“Yup,” Rainbow bobbed her head in a nod.
“So, uh…” Link spoke up, “I think I may know what happened to your clouds.”
“Really?” the Princess sounded surprised. “How?”
“No, not how,” the Pegasus said. “Who. Who are you ponies? Or…” her eyes roved over the odd statures of Ruto and Darunia. “…are you ponies?”
“Rainbow!” the Princess hissed. “Don’t be rude!”
“No, it’s fine,” Link assured her. “We are ponies. For now—but that’s a completely different matter.”
“Uh…okay,” Rainbow said, sounding way less surprised and suspicious than Link thought she’d be. “Where are you guys from?”
“A…different land?” Link offered, not sure if he should tell her the truth or not. Would they panic?
“Cool,” the blue Pegasus definitely didn’t sound all that interested in their ethnicity. “But how do you know what happened to the weather? And what happened to it?”
“I accidentally got rid of it,” Link admitted. “I had no idea weather here was ‘scheduled’. And…I don’t know exactly what happened to it. But it’s gone now.”
“How’d you get rid of it?” the Princess asked.
For an answer, Link pulled out the Ocarina of Time and shrugged.
“Ah,” Princess Twilight said. It seemed she understood enough about the magical instrument to know it was capable of unusual things.
“So…I’m lost,” the blue Pegasus spoke up. “What is that and how did it get rid of the weather?”
“It’s a foreign magic,” the Princess offered, then turned back to Link. “Any way you can bring back the clouds?”
“Not without making it pour down rain and lightning as well,” Link said, replacing the ocarina in his inventory.
“Oh well,” Princess Twilight sighed. “Rainbow, I think you’ll just have to tell the Weather Captain—what was her name again? Clear Skies?—that the light showers will need to be postponed to another day. Not tomorrow, tomorrow we need sunshine, but maybe the day after that?”
“Yeah, sure,” Rainbow nodded. She turned around, then paused when she saw the group of others. “Guess I’ll…um, see you around?” she offered. Before the others had a chance to respond, she vanished in a rainbow blur.
“All right, now that’s resolved,” the purple Alicorn said. “What are you planning on doing next?”
“Well, none of us are ready to jump right back into another adventure,” Link said. “I think the decision is unanimous that we need a day or two to relax before the next step of our quest?” He glanced at the others in the group. They nodded.
“Well, I’d be perfectly happy to offer you all a place to stay while you’re here,” the Princess smiled. “As I’m sure you’re aware, the palace has lots of room.”
“Yeah,” Link chuckled. “Thanks a lot!”
“Well, if you’re taking a break from adventures, what are you planning on doing today?” Princess Twilight asked. “If you don’t mind me asking, that is.”
“I’m not entirely sure,” Link admitted, glancing around at the others. “Any ideas, guys?”
“Well, I need to tend to my business,” Bon Bon spoke up. “Even if it’s only open for today.”
“I have tons of stuff I could work on!” Vinyl said. “You know, songs and all that crap.”
“I…could visit an old friend,” Octavia said quietly. Both Vinyl and Saria shot curious glances at her, but she avoided their eye.
“And what about you guys?” the Princess gestured at the Hyruleans. “Our town has a lot of cool places you could visit. Sugarcube Corner, Carousal Boutique, the Gem Caverns…”
“Gem Caverns?” Darunia perked up, looking interested.
“That sounds like fun,” Link said. “But now that I think about it, is there a seamstress or tailor in this town? I have a tunic that needs mending.”
“There is one indeed!” Princess Twilight smiled. “I can show you guys where she is, if you want.”
“Thanks,” Link said again. “Thank you so much for your hospitality, Princess. It’s so kind of you.”
“Of course!” the Princess laughed a bit. “I’d be some ‘Princess of Friendship’ if I turned away anypony, let alone visitors from another dimension! I must admit I’m a bit of a scholar, so your journey fascinates me as well.” She sighed.
“I wish I could go with you…but I have duties that hold me here.”
After a second, she shook her head and smiled again.
“But it’s okay,” she said. “Shall we go?”
“Yes,” Link confirmed, nodding. “Let’s go.”
The group trotted out of the castle, waving goodbye to each other before splitting up and heading off towards their separate designations.
Link and the others trotted along the road, listening to a running commentary from the Princess. She chattered on about Ponyville’s history, the events that took place, and the ponies there. She occasionally stopped to wave to friendly passers-by or greet friends.
She’s nothing like you’d imagine royalty to be, Link thought. She’s a Princess for the people—one who knows almost each by name. It’s incredible.
“HELLOOOOOOOOO!”
Link flinched at the sudden, high-pitched scream that greeted them. Ruto let out a startled yelp, diving to hide behind him. Saria winced, flattening her ears against her head. The only one’s who greeted the pink Earth Pony with smiles were Princess Twilight and Darunia.
Pinkie Pie gave Princess Twilight and Darunia enthusiastic hugs.
“Hi, Twilight!” she chirped, bouncing up and down. “Whatcha doing?”
“Hi, Pinkie,” the Princess smiled at her enthusiastic friend. “We’re going to Rarity’s. What about you?”
“I’m just bouncing around, looking for purpose in life,” Pinkie said. “And the fourth wall. It hasn’t been broken yet today, and I need to fix that!”
Link raised an eyebrow, but Princess Twilight just gave a smile.
“Never mind,” Pinkie said. “Just broke it!”
“You’ve met Link and the others before, right?” the Princess asked, gesturing around. “I mean, I’m assuming you have.”
“Yepperdoodles!” Pinkie grinned. “Are they staying? Please tell me they’re staying!”
“We are,” Link confirmed. “For two days only, though.”
“Yay!” the vibrant Earth Pony leapt into the air, spawning hooffuls of confetti that shot out from her like they were being ejected from a cannon. “Now we can finally have a party! But first, I have a really super-awesome idea.” she turned to Darunia. “Have you seen the Gem Caves yet?”
“No, I haven’t,” the Goron answered. “I’m heard of them, though. I’d like ta see ‘em before we leave again.”
“I have to take you, then!” Pinkie chirped. “It’s a must-see for rock lovers!”
“Well, if my friends can spare me,” Darunia chuckled.
“Sure we can!” Link nodded, smiling. “We’re not really going anywhere important, so unless we’re ambushed by Dodongos, I think we’re good.”
“Alrighty then,” Darunia chuckled. “Count me in!”
“Let’s go!” Pinkie bounced away, leading the Goron off on a different path. Princess Twilight gestured for the rest to follow her, and they continued on down the path.
After some time, they arrived at a tall, elaborate building. The Princess pushed the door open, trotting inside as a bell jingled somewhere.
“Welcome to the Carousal Boutique!” a white Unicorn trilled, trotting into the round room that greeted them as they entered, “Where every garment is chic, unique, and magnif—oh! Twilight!” She gave the Princess a hug. “Well, what brings you here? Do you need a gown for some formal event?”
“Hi, Rarity,” the Alicorn smiled. “I’m actually not here for me.” She gestured to the Hyruleans who stood behind her. “I’m here for them.”
“Oh!” Rarity said, noticing the group. “How can I help you?”
“Um, hi,” Link said. “My name is Link. I have a tunic that needs mending.” He pulled out the blue folds of the Zora tunic, which had a long rip in the side left over from the battle with Morpha. A generous portion of it was also stained deep red, though it appeared purple on the blue fabric.
“What a unique design!” Rarity said, taking hold of it in her shimmering, blue magic aura. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a piece of clothing like this. Oh dear, but what’s this stain?”
Link opened his mouth to say “blood”, but then hesitated. These ponies didn’t seem like they’d react very well to copious amounts of blood, such as was staining the tunic.
“….juice,” he finished lamely. “Fruit juice.”
Epona shot him an amused look.
“What a shame,” Rarity sighed.“This really is a fine piece of fabric. Well, let me see what can be done!”
“Thanks,” Link said. “Do you accept gems as payment?”
Without warning, Ruto spoke up, startling Link.
“Did you make that?” She asked, pointing to a long, elegant gown stationed on a rack that lined one of the walls. It was made of blue silk and had a long, trailing train.
“Oh, yes, darling!” Rarity laughed. “I’m a dressmaker—it’s what I do!”
“It’s stunning!” the Zora smiled, amazed. Link blinked in surprise. He’d never seen Ruto like this—starry-eyed over a piece of clothing.
“Why, thank you!” Rarity beamed. “What’s your name, darling?”
“I’m Ruto,” the Zora replied.
“Welcome to Carousal Boutique, Ruto!” Rarity said. “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pony quite like you before.” She eyed Ruto’s split-toed back hooves, slick blue skin, and shimmering webs.
“That’s because, um…” the Zora said uncertainly, “I’m not quite from around here.”
“Where are you from?” Rarity asked curiously.
Ruto looked to Link. Link looked to the Princess.
Princess Twilight sighed.
“Don’t tell anyone,” she said, “but they’re actually all from a different dimension. We don’t know why or how they’re here, but they are. They’ve been off on a…quest, I guess? for about a week now, only occasionally coming back here.”
“In my world,” Ruto spoke up proudly, startling Link yet again, “I’m the princess of an an aquatic race known as the Zora. My father is the King.” With those words, she seemed to straighten up, an odd expression crossing her face—something like a gentle smile and a proud smirk mixed together.
“Oh, my,” Rarity said. “That sounds simply delightful! Well, not the fact that you’re stuck in our world. But please, tell me more about the Z…Zroa? Zora! I’m sorry.”
Link blinked. The Unicorn seemed way less surprised than he thought she would be—like Rainbow earlier, but more interested. He glanced at the Princess.
“This isn’t the first time this has happened,” Princess Twilight chuckled in response. “Our world crossing with another.”
“Would you…perhaps mind staying for a cup of tea?” Rarity asked Ruto. “I’d love to hear more about your world and your race. But only as long as you want too!”
Ruto looked to Link, unsure. He gave her an encouraging smile.
“We have nothing else planned,” he said. “You might as well. I think you’ll enjoy it.”
The Zora nodded, a smile spreading over her face.
The remainder of the group waved goodbye to the two, trotting out of the boutique.
I’m glad Ruto found someone to talk to, Link thought. They seem like they’d get along very well.
“Watch out!” A voice squealed at them almost as soon as they’d emerged. Before Link had time to react, something crashed into him from the side, sending all four ponies sprawling in a tangle of limbs. Link looked down, startled, and caught sight of a white Unicorn filly struggling to her feet, looking apologetic.
“I’m so sorry!” she squeaked, looking over those who were still on the ground. “Sorry, Twilight! Sorry, strangers!”
Two other fillies leapt up and joined the Unicorn—a yellow Earth Pony, and an orange Pegasus who was lugging a scooter behind her. They began brushing the dirt of each other as Link, Saria, Epona, and Twilight stood again.
“Girls, how many times have I told you to watch out?” Princess Twilight sighed. “Somepony could have been seriously hurt! Please look where you’re going.”
“Ah’m so sorry!” the Earth Pony wailed in a distinctive accent. The other two nodded furiously, righting a dented wagon from where it lay on it’s side, wheels spinning.
“Are you okay?” Link asked Saria, who was brushing dirt out of her mane. She nodded, and this was when the others seemed to catch sight of her.
“Oh, hiya!” the yellow-coated filly chirped. “You’re new here!”
“Yes…?” Saria raised an eyebrow, looking over the group. They all smiled brightly at her.
“Ah’m Apple Bloom,” the Earth Pony said, “and this is Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo!” She gestured to the other two fillies, who waved and called cheery greetings. “Nice t’ meetcha! What’s your name?”
“I’m Saria,” the Kokiri said hesitantly. “Nice to meet you too, I guess?”
“What were you doing, girls?” the Princess asked. “On another adventure?”
“In a way,” the Pegasus, Scootaloo, said. “We’re going to get our cutie marks in caring for animals! Fluttershy said she’d help us.”
“Hey!” Sweetie Belle chirped, turning to Saria. “Do you have a cutie mark?”
“And those are…what again?” Saria asked, blinking.
“Ya don’t know what a cutie mark is?” Apple Bloom frowned. “Huh. Now that’s the strangest thing Ah’ve ever heard.”
“A cutie mark is something that appears when a pony discovers their true talent,” Princess Twilight explained. “It’s the basis of who they are and what they’re meant to be.”
“Oh,” Saria realized. “That doesn’t help.”
“Twilight’s cutie mark is a star,” Apple Bloom explained, pointing at the Princess. “It means tha’ she’s really good at magic and can do a lot of spells. We’ve been trying ta get our cutie marks for ages now.”
“I…um, like nature,” Saria offered. “So like…animals and plants. And music. Does that count?”
“Hey, tha’ means ya could totally help us!” Apple Bloom cheered. “If ya like animals and nature, that is. You already have your cutie mark, but we can still be friends!”
“Um…” Saria looked hesitant.
“I think you’d have fun,” Link said, giving her a small nudge. “C’mon. If Ruto and Darunia are finding peo—ponies to spend the day with, there’s no reason you can’t too.”
“Okay, then,” Saria said. “I’ll go with you, I guess.”
“Yay!” the three cheered. “Cutie Mark Animal Caretakers! Let’s go!” They raised their hooves in the air, bumping them together in a three-way high-five. They looked at Saria.
A small smile flickered over her face, and she reached up to join the high-five.
The three fillies ran off, practically dragging Saria with them and chattering to her excitedly.
“I’m glad she can find some friends,” Link commented, watching them run away.
“Well, as long as everypony else is finding something to do, is there anything I can do?” Epona asked, turning to the Princess. “Anypony who could use my help, or…I don’t know. Something I can help with.”
“You know, actually…” a smile spread over Princess Twilight’s face, “I think I know the perfect pony.”
------------------
“That’s…a lot of apples,” Link said.
“Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres!” Princess Twilight cheered, spreading a hoof to indicate the rolling hills of fruitful trees surrounding them. “Run by the Apple family, home of the famous zap apple jam!”
“Sounds…neat,” Link said. He wasn’t sure what else to say.
It was a lot of apples.
The Princess lead them down the crest of the hill they stood on, into a large, fenced-in yard. A tall red barn stood in front of them, and a clucking bird strutted through the sparse clumps of grass poking up here and there in the hard-packed dirt. Link couldn’t help but automatically scoot a few inches away from the bird.
“A.J.?” Princess Twilight called. “Applejack?”
“Ah’m here, sugarcube!” an orange Earth Pony with a straw-colored mane trotted around the corner of the barn, pulling a wooden cart loaded with barrels behind her. On closer inspection, the barrels proved to be full of round, glistening red fruit. “Well, now! Great to see ya, Twi. What’re you here for?”
“Meet Epona,” the Princess smiled, gesturing to the much taller Earth Pony standing behind her. “If it’s okay with you, she’d like to help out at the farm for the day!”
“Well, Ah have no problem with that,” Applejack said cheerfully. “Nice t’ meet ya, Epona!”
Link wondered if maybe Applejack and Apple Bloom were related. Their manner of speech sounded extremely similar.
“It’s great to meet you too,” Epona said, sounding more cheerful then she had all morning. Even with just the farm-like aesthetic surrounding them, she seemed to be gaining more energy. “I’m glad to have this opportunity to work with you.”
“Aw, no need ta be so formal,” Applejack chuckled. “It’s a bit unusual to have somepony just come along and volunteer, but Ah’m happy t’ have ya! Never seen a mare as tall as you are, and I think ya’d do great here! Makes me think Ah’ll have t’ make sure ya don’t buck over the tree while applebucking!”
Though it was clear Epona had barely understood a word, she chuckled anyway.
“Well, we might as well get t’ it,” Applejack said, unhitching herself from the wagon and stepping over to another one—this time it was empty. “Follow me, Epona! Ah’ll make an apple farmer of ya in no time.”
Epona nodded, shooting Link and Princes Twilight a smile and a wave before following the Earth Pony around the edge of the barn and disappearing.
“It always makes me so happy to see other ponies making friends,” the Princess mused once they’d gone. “With everypony else occupied…do you have an idea for anything you want to do?”
“I was thinking about that,” Link admitted. “Does this place have a library?”
-----------------
“Does this place have a library?” Princess Twilight snorted.
Link stared. He didn’t have many other libraries to compare this one too, but he could bet that it was still impressive, even when put into a comparison.
It stretched on for rows and rows of shelves positively overflowing with books—no surprise there—only broken up by occasional cluster of tables nearly hidden under piles of loose paper and scrolls.
“I’ve spent a long time collecting valuable books and artifacts,” the Princess said proudly, spreading a wing to indicate the room as a whole. “We have the largest collection of ancient tomes found anywhere—well, except maybe the Canterlot Library. Call me or Spike if you need anything, okay? Feel free to read whatever! Just be careful…because if you break my books I WILL hurt you.”
“W-what?” Link stuttered, jerking away from Princess Twilight in alarm.
“Nothing important,” the Princess smiled disarmingly. “Just be careful.”
“Oh…kay…” Link said, very nervously directing his gaze away from the Princess and back over the room. “Thank you, Princess.”
“Please, call me Twilight,” the other pony said with a smile. “All my friends do. Enjoy yourself!” She trotted out of the room.
Link trotted forwards into the library, eyes roving over the tall shelves.
There was a lot he wanted to know.
He had a lot of work to do.
-------------
As it turned out, he spent the rest of the day reading.
It didn’t take him long to find the history and geography section, and he spent almost the entire time researching Equestria and its different customs. Once again, he was struck by just how large the world was—and how rarely diverse the species were. Sure, there were different types of ponies…but in the end, they were all ponies.
In Hyrule, they had not only the Hylians, but also the Gorons, Zora, and Shiekah—though it was admittedly rare to see any of the shadow-folk walking about in broad daylight, or even in their home, Kakariko village. Some had even begun to theorize that they were nearly extinct, and Impa was the only one left; though the existence of Sheik seemed to disprove that fact.
But in the end, they were all vastly different species, while the ponies seemed to share more common customs and happenings than in Hyrule. It was a fascinating point of view.
Link himself wasn’t very interested in history or geography, but something about this world had managed to capture his interest. Maybe it was the fact that they’d be stuck there for Hylia-knows how long, or maybe it was the fact that it was so vastly different from Hyrule, and yet…very much the same.
Link let out a sigh, shoving away the heavy tome he’d been reading. He leaned back on his chair, trying to turn his thoughts to other things.
Thinking about Hyrule made him homesick.
“Link!”
The stallion turned his head as his name was called, catching sight of Vinyl standing just inside the door. She was staring at the bookshelves with a face akin to what Link thought his must have been upon entry.
“Hey, Vinyl,” he said, pushing his chair back and trotting over to her. “What’s up?”
“I’m bored,” Vinyl sighed, temporarily making eye contact with him, but only to break it almost immediately. “This library is huge!”
“I know, right?” Link agreed.
“I’ve never actually seen it before,” Vinyl admitted, “but…wow. It’s huge. So many stories, just waiting to be read…” She grabbed a book from where it lay on a nearby table, staring at the cover with fascination.
“I didn’t know you liked books,” Link said, surprised. “You didn’t strike me as a…very bookish pony.”
“It’s a well-kept secret,” Vinyl admitted. “Wouldn’t really fit with the image, you know? ‘Wild DJ’ would definitely clash with ‘mare who likes curling up with a good book in her spare time’.”
Link didn’t bother to ask what “DJ” meant.
“I’m…actually writing a story about our adventure,” the Unicorn said shyly, looking embarrassed. “It’s from my P.O.V., but…you know…I’m having a lot of fun with it.”
“That’s amazing!” Link praised, smiling. The idea of having a story written about him felt…odd. “What’s it called?”
“Oh, oh!” Vinyl bounced slightly. “It’s an EPIC title. You’re going to love it. It’s called…wait for it…druuuuumroll…THE LEGEND OF LINK!”
“Wow,” Link chuckled. “That…makes me sound a lot cooler than I am.”
“What do you mean?” Vinyl snorted. “You’re awesome, dude.”
“I’m not exactly a legend,” Link pointed out.
“Eh,” the Unicorn shrugged, seeming to sense there was no use arguing about it. “I’ll sleep on it, I guess. Do you know where the others are?”
“They’re off doing…stuff,” Link said, realizing he had no idea what they were all doing. “I haven’t seen them since this morning.” He glanced up to the windows, noting the orange tint of the light that streamed through them.
“We should probably go find them,” Vinyl said. “The sun’s beginning to set and stuff.”
“Yeah, I agree,” Link said, marveling at the abrupt passage of time. It barely felt like it’d been an hour, let alone an entire day.
Vinyl replaced the book and they both trotted away.
----------------
For some reason, Link’s instinct was to head for Sweet Apple Acres first. Maybe it was because he wasn’t entirely sure where everyone else was at the moment, but he knew for sure that Epona would be somewhere in this orchard.
It didn’t take long for Link and Vinyl to reach the barnyard, what seemed to be the hub of the entire orchard. As they stood in the lot, trying to figure out where to go, a dark red stallion appeared from around the corner of the barn.
“Oh, hey Big Mac!” Vinyl greeted him. “Is Applejack working?”
“Eeyup,” the stallion said by way of response, pointing a hoof towards a path that lead out of the yard.
“Thanks!” Vinyl gave him a wave, trotting away. Link followed aftergiving a small nod of recognition to the stallion.
“Eeyup,” Big Mac shrugged, turning away to do other things.
The two followed the path, which wound between uncountable rows of apple trees. As they went, the trees steadily lost their fruit, eventually becoming nothing but large shapes made from fluffy green leaves. There were no ladders, how did these ponies pick the fruit?
Eventually, a loud sound penetrated the serene quiet of the path. A heavy thud permeated the air, and Link nearly jumped at its suddenness. It was followed by faint voices, carrying on a conversation that was indecipherable from their current distance.
“Um, hey?” Vinyl called. “Anypony?”
“Over here!” a warm country voice called to them, a voice Link assumed was Applejack’s.They followed her voice, which was closer than they thought, stepping off the path and trotting through the trees.
Another thud filled the air, much closer, and the two rounded a corner just in time to see a whole tree-load of fruit drop neatly off the branches and pile into wooden buckets beneath.
Link raised an eyebrow. This was magic he hadn’t seen yet.
The two searched-for mares were standing beneath the tree, and as the intruders watched, Epona grabbed the handle of one bucket in her mouth and lifted it straight off the ground. She placed it in the back of a wagon, then moved to grab another one.
At first glance, Link was immediately glad Epona had been able to work with Applejack for the day. She was covered in sweat, dirt, and looked significantly happier than she ever had since last night.
“Hi, Link!” she greeted him cheerfully, apparently unaware that her mane was full of leaves and twigs.
“Hi,” Link smiled, feeling a weight lift off him than he hadn’t even known was there. “How’re you doing?”
“I’m doing great,” Epona said. Applejack chuckled, observing the exchange.
“Epona here is the hardest worker Ah’ve ever seen,” she interjected, “which is high praise from an Apple, I tell you!”
“I’m just glad I could make myself useful,” the caramel-colored mare said, smiling at the farmer. “Solving puzzles is great and all, but…sometimes I just miss getting work done.”
“Er, right,” Applejack said, looking a bit confused. “Lemme tell ya, nothing better than some good honest work!”
Epona nodded fervently, apparently in agreement. Link shrugged, indifferent.
“Sorry to interrupt your hard work,” Vinyl said, “but we’ve gotta head off now. Sun’s setting, and all that.”
“Oh, you’re right,” Applejack glanced up at the sky. “Sometimes ya just get swept up and forget what time of day it is.”
“Right,” Link said, completely understanding. It happened all the time when he was exploring a dungeon.
“Well, its been wonderful to have ya here!” the farmer smiled, shaking Epona’s hoof. “Ah’ll certainly miss ya tomorrow. Unless you’re available…?”
“Afraid not,” Epona sighed, with a quick glance at Link for confirmation. He nodded in agreement. Today had been great, but tomorrow would be different. And after that, it was back to the adventure.
“Ah well.” Applejack sighed. “Ah suppose it was worth a shot.”
“AJ!AJ!AJ!”
Four fillies came dashing over the crest of a nearby hill, one of them shouting in a high-pitched, familiar voice.
“Well, hey there, Apple Bloom.” Applejack turned to face them as they skidded to a stop near her. “How was ya’lls day? What is it?” She gasped, “did ya’ll get your cutie marks?”
“Well…no,” Apple Bloom said. “Not this time. Buuuut we made a new friend!” she gestured to Saria, who was standing in their midst and smiling shyly.
“Howdy,” Applejack said warmly, tipping her hat. “Nice t’ meet ya! What’s your name?”
“I’m Saria,” the Kokiri introduced herself.
“And she’s SO COOL,” Sweetie Belle squeaked out. “She can talk to animals, just like Fluttershy!”
“Really?” Applejack looked surprised. “That’s unusual. Ah’ll be honest, Ah never expected to here that.”
“She’s been in the Everfree Forest twice!” Scootaloo said, “AND hasn’t gotten hurt at all.”
“If she’s been in there, an’ she was okay…why can’t we go?” Apple Bloom whined.
“Now, ya’ll know this,” Applejack said sternly. “The Everfree Forest is a real dangerous place. Ah can’t speak for Saria, but Ah know the dangers of the woods, and Ah’ve told you them many times too.” She began to lecture the three and Link took this opportunity to approach Saria, who stood slightly to the side, looking awkward,
“Hey,” he said, ruffling her mane affectionately. “Had fun today?”
She nodded, beaming.
“Wait, do ya’ll know each other?” Applejack asked, breaking off in the middle of her talk to look at Saria and Link.
“Yeah,” Link nodded. “She’s…well, I guess you could say she’s my sister.”
Without warning, Saria wilted a little, looking put-off. Link didn’t notice.
“That's real sweet,” Applejack smiled. Link nodded in agreement.
“AJ,” Apple Bloom whined, taking this opportunity when her sister had ceased her lecture, “I know why you said we can’t go in the forest, but if Saria’s been in there, it can’t be that bad, right?”
“No, it’s bad,” Link said, causing the fillies to look at him in surprise, as if they hadn’t noticed him till then. “The only reason Saria was in there—and ended up okay—is because she had a group of…” he paused to mentally count, “…eight others who are all older than her, and some of us have combat experience. If it had been just me and her, I would’ve avoided the forest or made her stay behind.”
“…oh.” The fillies wilted slightly.
“Yeah, you three should definitely avoid the forest,” Epona said, brushing dirt out of her mane. “It’s not a place for fillies like you.”
“Aaaw,” they all said simultaneously.
“Well, ya’ll we’re heading off before these three came along, don’t let us keep you!” Applejack said.
“Do we have to go now?” Saria said unhappily. Link nodded gently.
“Bye,” the Kokiri sighed, turning to them. “I had a lot of fun with you tod—oof!” She collapsed onto the ground under the weight of three young fillies all throwing themselves on her at the same time. They locked their forelegs around her, seeming reluctant to let go.
“Bye!” Sweetie Belle squeaked unhappily.
“We don’t want you to go…” Apple Bloom sighed.
“…but we hope that maybe we can see you again!” Scootaloo finished.
In spite of herself, a smile crossed Saria’s face, and she stood up again.
“I hope that maybe I can see all of you too,” she said, giving them one last hug. “Bye.”
“Bye!” they chorused, finally releasing her.
With a parting wave, the group trotted off, making their way along the path out of the orchard.
“Hey.” Link smiled at Saria, who had her head down and looked gloomy. “So, you had fun today?”
Almost instantly, the Kokiri perked up again, nodding furiously.
“I met an amazingly kind and gentle pony named Fluttershy,” she said. “Also, did you know I can talk to animals?”
“No, I didn’t,” Link commented, surprised. “That’s really neat. How’d you find out?”
“Fluttershy has an adorable, fluffy bunny named Angel,” Saria said. “When we first started talking, he started complaining about how the Cutie Mark Crusaders were really loud and usually destroyed a bunch of stuff. I mean, I think they’re really nice, but I started talking to him and asking him why and it turns out that Fluttershy can talk to animals too! This sounds…childish, but…if I ever grew up I’d want to be her.”
“That’s really great,” Link said warmly.
“Yeah,” Saria agreed, sounding slightly embarrassed for sharing so much. “Meeting Fluttershy was the best thing that happened today, and figuring out I could talk to animals was next to that. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were really, really nice to me…and they seemed to think I was amazing.” Another smile flitted over her face. “I wish every day could be like today.”
“Me too,” Link admitted.
“What did you do today?” Saria asked curiously.
“I just read a lot of books,” Link said. “I don’t know if you’d find it very fun, but I learned a lot about Equestria. For instance, did you know there’s a floating city that they use to control the weather?”
“Really?” Saria frowned, looking thoughtful. “That’s kind of weird. Does weather…not happen on its own here?”
“Apparently,” Link informed her. “Except for the Everfree Forest. In there, all the weather happens by itself. It’s considered an oddity to everyone else.”
“Huh.” Saria looked curious. “It kind of makes me want to go back in there now.”
“No,” Link said, so abruptly that Saria giggled. He smiled, but it was tight.
He didn’t feel safe in that forest.
“Hey, look, guys,” Vinyl grabbed their attention by pointing a hoof at someone trotting through the streets of Ponyville. “It’s Pinkie Pie and Darunia!”
The two ponies were, in fact, approaching the group. The pink Earth Pony was bouncing along happily, and Darunia was carrying too large canvas sacks on his back—Link could only assume they were rocks of some kind.
“Hey.” Link smiled at his Sworn Brother. “How was it?”
“The rocks down there are outstandin’,” the Goron raved excitedly. “The variety was greater than any I’ve ever seen in Hyrule, even in Dodongo’s Cavern!”
“I agree!” Pinkie chirped. “What’s Dodongo’s Cavern?”
“And they were delicious,” Darunia continued, apparently not noticing the small pony’s interruption. “I’m not usually one to like gems all that much, but these were all better than any I’ve ever had!”
“Absolutely,” Pinkie agreed, bobbing her head in an energetic nod.
“Wait a second,” Link said, confused. “You eat rocks?”
“Of course, silly!” the Earth Pony giggled. “How would I know they’re yummy if I haven’t tried them?”
“Ponies eat rocks?” Link asked, looking to Vinyl with a raised eyebrow.
“Pinkie Pie’s…special,” Vinyl said, shrugging helplessly.
“Why am I even surprised anymore?” he sighed.
“Hey, where’s Octavia?” Saria piped up. “I haven’t seen her yet.”
At the mention of the musician’s name, Vinyl seemed to shrink, as if she wished she could disappear.
“I…um, know where,” she stuttered. “I saw her on the way to the castle. She’s…well, I don’t think she’s really ready to hang out with us right now. She’ll come when she’s ready.”
“Okay…?” Link said.
Vinyl looked away. Saria looked worried.
The group continued on, Pinkie Pie included. It didn’t take long for them to reach the boutique—Ponyville was a small town, after all. Though the building was closed, Pinkie Pie shoved the door and bounced right in without knocking; and after a second of hesitation the others followed.
“—and that’s what happened with Lord Jabu-Jabu,” they heard as they came in.
“Oh, how dreadful!” The reply came from what Link guessed was Rarity. “I’m glad you got out of that in one piece. Your Link does sound like a dashing hero.”
“Oh, he is,” Ruto sighed dreamily.
Everyone in the group glanced at Link, who was trying furiously not to turn red.
“Where are they?” he said hurriedly.
“Oh, excuse me,” Rarity said. “I think somepony just walked in. I’ll be right back!”
She appeared in the main area, looking disapproving.
“Excuse me, we are closed—” she said, then noticed them. “Oh! Hello, everypony.”
“H-hi,” Link stuttered, still trying to get over his embarrassment. “We’re…uh, here to pick up Ruto.”
“Very well, darling,” Rarity said. She briefly disappeared back through the door, then came back a few seconds later with the Zora Princess in tow. Ruto was wearing a heavy, pearl necklace that wound in several loops around her slim neck.
“Hello, everyone,” she said, sounding less-than-happy to see them. Link supposed she must have been getting along very well with Rarity, then.
“Hi,” Epona said, when Link didn’t respond. “It’s time to go.”
“Oh well,” she sighed, turning to Rarity. “Goodbye—oh!” her eyes widened as Rarity gave her a hug.
The white Unicorn backed away, smiling.
“It was wonderful to meet you, darling,” she said. “I’m so very glad we had the day to chat.”
“Y-yeah,” Ruto said, still sounding surprised by the display of affection. “Um, thank you for letting me wear your necklace. I assume you want it back now.” She began to take it off.
“No, no, keep it!” Rarity insisted. “It looks simply marvelous on you—and I can never wear pearls anyway, they don’t stand out enough against my coat. But it’s a piece of jewelry fit for a princess.”
A huge smile broke out over Ruto’s face, and it was with great reluctance that she bid Rarity goodbye and retreated from the boutique with the others.
“There you are!”
Link bit back a sigh as a voice greeted them almost immediately and Bon Bon trotted over.
“We seem to have a lucky streak of running into people,” he commented.
“That’s cause the writer’s a lazy hack who doesn’t know how to do transitions,” Pinkie said, out of nowhere.
“What?” Link raised an eyebrow.
“It’s Pinkie Pie,” Vinyl sighed. “Don’t question it.”
“I’ve been looking for you,” Bon Bon said as she reached them. “It wasn’t that hard to find you, all I had to do was ask around for a giant pony made of rocks.”
“That’s me, right?” Darunia asked.
“Who else?” Bon Bon smiled. Link noticed the smile looked forced.
“Anyway,” the candy maker noticed him looking and shook her head slightly, as if to clear it. “I came to tell you that you all should come back to my house for dinner—Pinkie Pie included.”
“Sweet!” the pink Earth Pony cheered. “Free food! Next best thing to free cupcakes!”
“Thanks,” Link said gratefully, just then realizing how starving he was. He hadn’t eaten since the morning.
“Well…c’mon,” Bon Bon turned, beginning to walk away. The others followed.
“Wow, she really is bad at transitions,” Pinkie Pie commented, but no one seemed to hear her this time...except the editor, who gave a snort and a bemused expression the writer's way.
It didn’t take long for conversations to strike up, everyone talking about their different escapades of the day. Link remained quiet, temporarily speeding up his pace to reach Bon Bon, who was slightly ahead of everyone else.
“Hey,” he said, pulling up next to her. “I just wanted to say…um, thank you so much for all your hospitality.”
“It’s nothing,” Bon Bon said, though the reply sounded automatic.
“No, it’s everything,” Link insisted. “We’re all a bunch of strange-looking creatures from another dimension and you basically followed us blindly into peril. Since then you’ve shown us immeasurable kindness and generosity. What made you do it? What made you stick with us in the first place?”
“I…did it mostly for Lyra at first,” the cream-colored mare admitted quietly. “I knew that there was no way I could keep her curious spirit at bay and she was definitely going with you guys, no matter what I said. I figured I might as well tag along and keep her out of harm. But after getting to know you and the others…there’s no way I can leave now. You all are my friends now.”
“…I promise we’ll get Lyra back,” Link said.
“It’s…not really a matter of ‘getting her back’,” Bon Bon pointed out. “It’s a matter of getting her to understand. She doesn’t get why she was kept in the dark for so long. Lyra is…stubborn. I know a lot about her, but…somehow I just don’t know what I can do to convince her now.
“We’ll do whatever it takes,” Link promised.
“You seem…extremely invested in this,” Bon Bon noted. Link didn’t know what to make of her words—her tone was blank and unassuming.
“It’s…well, it’s cause I feel responsible for what happened,” he sighed, deciding to just say what he really felt.
“It’s not your fault,” Bon Bon insisted.
“I still want to help,” Link said firmly. “Just…will you let me help you fix this?”
“Yes,” Bon Bon said. “And thank you. For caring, I mean.”
“Any time.” Link smiled. “We’ll get Lyra to see. I promise.”
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Man , I really want to know what Zelda is up to right now.
... I'd like to know more about these rabid werewolf-monkeys.
I’m pretty sure that I add at least five things my editor mentions in her comments into my chapters. Which can some times be hilarious because she then immediately says “wait, I was joking about that one” about at least one comment that usually makes it into the final draft anyway
I love this chapter, especially how Vinyl is writing a book called the Legend of Link, which is what the game series should have been called in the first place.
It’s nice to see everyone relaxing after everything that’s happened. They definitely deserve it, especially Epona.
10227394
That's what I want to know about too.
First, there should be no apostrophe in "happen on its own".
Second, depending on the fic, it often does happen on its own. Ponies just only notice it over the Everfree Forest, because of all the weather artificing that happens elsewhere.
10254581
10255585
It was really worth the waiting. I always love to see "tragic" characters having a common good time. Like Madoka Magica girls having a tea party or Link reading a book.
Speaking of books, I really liked the idea of Vinyl writing that book, it was unexpected and a way to make their mission live beyond their time in Equestria (Now you can kill all characters).
And last but not least, the comments about the writer and editor were genuinely amusing.
10256166
Glad you enjoyed! It always makes me so happy to see people enjoying my stories. 😊
As for the comments...yeah, those were fun to write as well. I always have trouble with transitions, and I decided to poke a little fun at myself with Pinkie Pie's fourth wall breaking. And then my proofreader just joined in the fun. XD
10249188
As editor in chief of the story, let me say till now that I'v always put this ' in all my it's, so I don't see how that apostrophe is out of place.
Also let me check in with Epona and see what the weather stats are, could be that she didn't go all that deep with the world building and went with the general census of pony meddling.
10228333 10256166
I guess we should do that more often then, maybe put a PM aside just for author - editor comments.
10249188
As for the weather thing, I've read before that in Equestria the weather is always controlled by Pegasi, and that is reinforced when you see them physically changing seasons or "scheduling" rainstorms. In more wild areas, such as San Palomino desert, they may not control it so closely, but in densely populated areas such as Ponyville (it's fairly near Canterlot) then I believe that the weather is closely controlled. However, the Everfree runs wild, as is mentioned a few times.
Huh, don't know how I missed your comment earlier. But anyway.
The apostrophe IS out of place, thanks for pointing that out.
10264424
10264452
Welp, don't be looking to me about catching those, I'm not learned enough to know when or when not to us an apostrophe.
10264518
The way to tell is to remember that "it's" is short for "it is", and you can replace the former with the latter without altering the meaning (EDIT: or with "it has", which is far closer in meaning to "it is" than it is to "its"):
If you see a phrase like "happens on it's own", you can read it as "happens on it is own", which is clearly not correct.
EDIT:
Conversely, you can take a phrase that contains "its", you can mentally substitute "it is" or "it has" and see if it makes more sense, in which case it should have been "it's", if you don't want to just use "it is" or "it has"
10264869
Thank you, I'll try to remember this.
10264452
Yes, but the fact that weather is closely controlled does not mean that natural weather processes stop happening on their own; "evaporation and condensation do not happen naturally in Canterlot" is a much stronger claim than "the weather in Canterlot is closely controlled by the pegasi of the weather patrol".
10265441
True. But that's just how I'm choosing to view it for this story.
10296751
Oh shoot, you're right. My mistake.
10229289
Doesn't have the same nice ring to it.
10319309
True, but it would stop people from calling Link Zelda.
10320148 I guess.
Normally I don't usually like LoZ, but this has my interest. Over all, really good fic.
10326331
Aw, thanks so much! That means a lot for me to hear. 😊
There's something inherently funny about reading the line "We're talking" in reference to a conversation between two usually silent characters.
Also, love that Link's a bookworm. Makes sense that a puzzle master like him would be somewhat well-read.
Yeah after the water temple the battle with the Shadows the new discovery on the owl and also the secret from bon bon being a secret agent yeah we need a break from that
There was supposed to be a schedule for a rain shower whoops 🤭
Yup pretty much case in point the Equestria Girls known as the human world
Ohhh I'm starting to fill up the pieces together that this is during the time between season 4 and 5 because the Cutie Mark Crusaders do not have their cutie marks yet but wait a minute here if the Cutie Mark Crusaders did not have their cutie marks yet and Lyra did not know about Bonbon Secret how the heck did Princess Ember came into the picture and not only that becoming the dragon lord she didn't even appear until season 6 so how is this happening I'm kind of confused what Seasons this takes place 😵😖
it's sort of kind of all over the place and there is some continuity error don't get me wrong your story is great but it's just confusing what takes place
Link will be surprised how many creatures living among with other ponies like the dragons because he saw Spike Griffins yaks the changelings hippogriff the Buffalo the Diamond Dogs the Kirin crystal ponies bat ponies zebra if zecora ever show up the cat people like capper like I said there's a lot of creatures he never thought
Dang it Pinkie Pie stop breaking the fourth wall lol 😆
Well this was a pretty nice chapter after a couple of last chapter was very uneventful one to say at least link and the others decided just to take a break and Epona is still kind of drain after finding out about the truth it's really sad to see her like that but then the others went to Twilight's Castle telling her what is going on and everything and they decide to show them around Ponyville which one at a time they meet up with the other main six like pinkie pie is with Darunia showing him the cave ruto meeting Rarity and garsing about the dresses and everything even the Cutie Mark Crusaders meeting with Saria and hanging out with her and also meeting Fluttershy and Epona work with Applejack in the farm which pretty surprising that the Zelda characters actually getting along with main 6 and Saria with the cmc which it was nice to see and Link was basically learning about the history then vinyl came along to tell link that it's getting late so they picked up the others one at a time and I'm pretty sad to leave them because they look like they were having fun with them then Bonbon showed up and asking down to dinner at her house but she was feeling a little down after Lyra left angry and hopefully their friendship will be fixed including Vinyl and Octavia because it's always sad to see them not being together and hopefully they can amend their friendship and with that I finally caught up to your story and hopefully this will continue because I really am interested how this will go but I'm sure you're taking a break so take your time and hopefully we get the chance to see the rest of your story well until then see you 😊
Well, this was fun... and silly. You're fun. Too bad it's on hiatus.
This has to be one of the best Zelda x MLP crossovers I've read so far on this website, I'm pretty new to reading Fanfic's in general, but this has been an inspiring read, and I love, LOVE how you did the Water Temple arc, it feels like I'm replaying the dungeon again, only with a larger ensemble of characters to go through.
I hope this gets continued someday, I'm eager to see how you will depict the Shadow Temple if it happens.
Oh wow I kind of guess you canceled your story well that's unfortunate I was really liking how the story was going so I guess you ended with a cliffhanger well for what it's worth it was a good story I kind of was it does continue but I guess you're just not into it and that's okay it was fun meeting it
If you have made it this far you might be interested to know that with the authors permission I have begun a continuation of this story.
The story might be canceled, but the quest continues in part 2
https://www.fimfiction.net/story/548961/legend-of-zelda-wielders-of-harmony-part-ii-the-pony-of-hyrule