The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Link's Awakening.

by Ganondorf8

Chapter 4: Power of the Roc.

Author's Note:

Disclaimer: I do not own anything regarding the Legend of Zelda, the Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, and My Little Pony: Equestria Girls. These are the properties of Nintendo and Hasbro respectively.

Time for Sunset to begin the first dungeon and learn how to jump... wait, what?

Cast of characters appearing in this chapter:

Sunset Shimmer: Link
Princess Twilight Sparkle: Fairy Partner
Wallflower Blush: Madam MeowMeow
Ember: Trendy Game Shop Owner
Scootaloo: Suhni
Juniper Montage: Mamasha
Chancellor Neighsay: Papahl

The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Link's Awakening.
By Ganondorf8.
November 6, 2019
Chapter 4: Power of the Roc.

The well looked like a typical well one would find on a farm at first glance, but once I got closer, I saw that it was lacking certain features. For one thing, there was no bucket for people to scoop out water. Actually, this made sense since there was no water in the well to begin with. Why would a village build a well without any water in it? Another odd thing I noticed were some stairs that back to the surface but again why have such a feature? Did anyone even know this well existed? The more I thought about it, the more my head ached over such sheer stupidity, but perhaps there was more to it than that?

Peering down into the well for a closer look, it looked like something sparkly was down there but I couldn't quite see it. I then thought I could simply climb into the well and use the stairs to reach the object but wooden stakes prevented me from doing so (Was there anything on this island that wasn't beyond the most basic of human functions!?). Fortunately, there was another way in and that involved jumping down from a high-up ledge. A time waster? Definitely. Impractical? Obviously. No other options? None whatsoever. Grumbling under my breath, I walked up to the high-up ledge, cut down a couple of bushes, and jumped down into the well.

THUD!

SPLASH!

That wasn't the most graceful landing since I landed on my butt but I didn't sustain any injuries despite how long of a drop it was. The bottom of the well was completely empty aside from a tiny pool of water that served as a decorative piece. Why doesn't anyone from the village fill this well up with water? There's no excuse for it! At least my plunge wasn't a total loss. The sparkly object from before was one of those giant hearts that I'd seen in the forest. Grabbing it, I felt a familiar warmth that made me feel like I had forgotten about an old friend who I hadn't seen in years. I needed to collect as many of these as possible.

With that task done, I walked up the stairs and was back outside. I had every mind to tell someone about the lack of water but I doubted anyone would listen to me. If they hadn't noticed the well was empty before, they weren't going to notice it now. Walking eastward, I walked up to the house where that strange bowling-ball like creature resided out front and almost got scared to death by it when it suddenly lunged at me only for the chain to stop it mere inches from me. Why did it try to attack me? Was this its means of communication? If so then I couldn't understand since I could talk with horses and not whatever this thing was.

A familiar voice then came from within the house. "BowWow! You know better than to scare someone!" Coming out from the house was a young girl who I recognized because of our history, and when I say it like that, said history isn't entirely inaccurate due to magical interference.

"Isn't that Wallflower Blush?" Princess Twilight asked.

Sure enough, the owner of this creature was Wallflower, the one who used the Memory Stone in order to make everyone at Canterlot High hate me again back when I first enrolled there. Though I did forgive her for what she did to me all because of feeling like an outside, a small part of me couldn't accept her apology as she almost cost me and my friends everything. She chose me specifically because I had everything while she didn't and she believed I had placed everyone under my power. It was an experience I hoped to never have to go through again in my entire life.

"It is." I answered in a soft voice.

"I still can't believe that she was the one who found the Memory Stone."

"Well, it wasn't entirely her fault you know."

"How do you figure that?"

"Clover the Clever buried the Memory Stone in an area of forest." I answered. "Since Wallflower was the only member of the school's Flower Club, it made sense that she would eventually stumble onto it. I know that Clover was a brilliant pony since he was Starswirl's apprentice but maybe leaving behind instructions on how to use the stone wasn't one of his brightest moments."

"If only I had been there with you." Princess Twilight said, her expression turning into sorrow. "I could've talked to her much sooner and maybe prevented you from having to go through all that anguish. I know it's been some time since it happened but the scars don't heal up straight away. What you went through is something no one should endure. You've become a better person, Sunset, and hopefully Wallflower will never forget it." Her Highness then looked at Wallflower who was busy looking at her pet. "Maybe we ought to pass a law preventing magical artefacts from being sent to another world."

"You will be the next ruler of Equestria so you would have the authority to do that."

"Good point."

Wallflower finally noticed I was standing there and bowed slightly. "I am so, so sorry that my precious Bow-wow frightened you so much. He usually is very peaceful and loves nothing more than to sleep outside in the warm sunlight. I guess all those monsters outside of the village have put him on edge." She took a closer look at me which made me feel uneasy but I refrained from saying anything to offend her. "You must be that girl Marin and Tarin brought back several hours ago. Everyone was wondering as to whether you would pull through seeing as you were unconscious."

"This might sound strange, but what kind of creature is BowWow?"

"He's a dog."

This thing is a dog!? It doesn't even closely resemble a dog in any way shape or form. I was about to correct her when I quickly remembered that this island was filled with strange creatures. Her pet was just one of them. Now that I could get a better look at this 'dog' of hers, I must admit that it was pretty fearsome despite it having a simplistic appearance. Its teeth were large so I doubted anyone would try to attack it otherwise they would regret it. The chain was bolted to a wooden stake to keep it from running away but I figured it was too loyal to Wallflower to want to run off.

"Is he the only one of his kind?"

"Oh no." Wallflower answered while shaking her head. "I have two more like him though they are much smaller in size." She pointed to her house. "One lives there with me since he's too small to be out here on his own." She then pointed to a small house that was an extension of her own. "The other prefers her own place though she is very fickle. I don't know why but she loves any and all cosmetics."

"Like... a ribbon?"

Wallflower nodded. "Why yes! She's been yammering on about wanting all manner of accessories but I just can't get her any. I know that Mamasha, who lives in the house that's next to the Dream Shrine, has a ribbon that my precious pup would love, but that would involve me winning that Yoshi Doll in the Trendy Game Shop. I'm no lover of games so you can see that I'm in quite a bind."

"And BowWow?"

"I'll be leaving to take him on his daily walk once I've finished with my errands."

"How interesting."

"To be honest, the place that I like to take BowWow has become very dangerous what with those monsters." Wallflower said. She patted BowWow on the head and he purred like a kitten which surprised me. She reminded me of Fluttershy as she could tame any beast. "If those horrible Moblins weren't hanging around, I would take my precious little BowWow to his favourite spot with no problems. But, as long as they are around, I can't risk his safety. Anyway, I'm sorry again for BowWow scaring you earlier. I'll be sure to remind him to not do that whenever you come around."

Turning around, Wallflower went back into her house. Despite talking about her pets as though they were the most precious things in the world (I had no problem with this since I felt the same way towards my own pet, Ray), she did provide me with some valuable information. The most important one involved her one pet that desired a ribbon. Discord mentioned in his phone call about how I could get one but it involved getting the Yoshi Doll and giving it to someone else. I was planning on getting the doll anyway if not for the mission but because I wanted to prove to myself that I could play and win such a simple game.

Unlike most of the buildings in Mabe Village, the Trendy Game Shop featured a sign above the entrance with a drawing of a crane on it. Before going inside, I couldn't help but notice a large assortment of bushes behind the place. Though cutting them down could be seen as being environmentally insensitive, I could earn some extra rupees in the process since they were needed in order to play (I never knew anyone who offered a chance to play a game for free). I began cutting the bushes by going across the top row though I was only earning rupees once every four or five bushes, but then one bush gave me something else entirely.

"What is this?" I asked. The bush I had just cut left behind what looked like a seashell.

"This is called a Secret Seashell." Princess Twilight answered.

"And you know this how?"

"Never underestimate my ability to dispense wisdom upon you, Sunset." Princess Twilight answered as she stuck out her tongue in a playful manner. "Now, I don't exactly know what these are for, but you should collect as many of them as possible. Some are going to be hidden out in the open while others are going to require some careful thinking. If I'm correct, there are roughly fifty of these seashells scattered across Koholint Island." My jaw dropped in response causing Her Highness to giggle. "I don't think you'll need that many otherwise we'd be spending days if not weeks trying to find them all."

"How many do you suggest?"

"I'd say twenty-five might be enough."

"Will you keep a record of how many I have?"

"Of course I will."

It was then my turn to giggle. "You always were good at managing so many numbers at once." Checking my wallet, I only had about eighty rupees so hopefully that would be enough to get that doll. Walking inside the shop, I was surprised to see a massive system built into the floor. There was a conveyor belt at the back along with one to my left with the former having items on platforms that slid back and forth to give of the impression that there was a challenge. I could see several items of interest including another giant heart (Princess Twilight said it was called a Piece of Heart, a name that I had forgotten until now), a shield that was just like what I had, and two different rupees.

My eyes were on the Yoshi Doll which actually looked adorable. It reminded me of the parakeet I tried to win at that crooked game the Flim-Flam Brothers operated. I then looked up and saw the eponymous crane itself. In front of me were two buttons which most likely controlled where the crane would move. It looked simple enough but surely there was more to it than that in addition to some trickery from the owner. Looking back up at the crane, it had been used quite a lot as it looked pretty worn. If I weren't careful, those eighty rupees weren't going to last very long.

Speaking of the owner, they turned out to be Ember, ruler of the Dragon Lands--essentially the Dragon Lord. According to Princess Twilight, Ember had greatly improved relations between dragons and ponies. Sure, there was still some awkward moments but the two sides were stronger than they had ever been prior. Seeing her in a place like this felt weird as she commanded respect amongst her subjects (Also fear despite her size) and had a short temper, but she was here and I needed to win that Yoshi Doll and perhaps other things depending on time and money.

It was Ember who chose to speak up first. "Welcome to the Trendy Game..."

"You sound less than enthusiastic."

"You'd be too if you didn't have customers coming through your door." Ember said in a sarcastic tone. "I used to get everyone in the village in here all the time to play this game and rake in the cash but things have gotten slow in the past several months. The villagers complain that my game is rigged on account that my crane has seen better days. It's vintage! Why replace something I've had for years!? On top of that, they're more interested in saving their rupees for whatever the Item Shop next door brings in. If this keeps up, I'm going to go out of business!" Her cheeks began turning red before she looked away from me.

Even in this world, Ember was still prideful. I made sure to play that to my advantage. "Well... I came here with some rupees to spend so perhaps I could take a crack at this game... unless you don't want my business."

"What was that?"

"I've got money for you."

Ember's face lit up like a big red apple. "Well why didn't you say so!? First, I need to see if you actually do have the money. I'm not doubting you or anything but I need to make sure you aren't trying to con me." Wow! She was accusing me of being a con artist when she was doing that herself. Opening up my wallet and dropping some rupees on the table, her eyes widened and she had a grin smeared over her face. "Okay, now we're talking business. One game is only ten rupees to play."

As I gave her the money, I couldn't help but notice what she was wearing. Her outfit reminded me of those barkers one would find at a carnival only without the hat; striped shirt, black pants, a bow-tie, and maybe suspenders. If this were Equestria, Ember would've died from embarrassment over wearing such an outfit. I was still surprised at one other thing about her, namely, the fact that she was a human instead of a dog like Spike was (Princess Twilight's assistant Spike and not the pet of Twilight Sparkle) Why did this happen? I don't know. Mirrors to different worlds always were fickle in how they operated.

"So how does this game work?"

"See those buttons over there?" Ember asked as she pointed to the two purple buttons I saw earlier.

I nodded. "Are those the controls?"

"I'd have berated you for wasting my time, but I'll let it slide since you did pay me money." Ember answered. No wonder few people ever came in here. With an attitude like hers, she was practically the worse kind of company you'd want to have. "Those buttons move the crane according to the direction labelled on them. The rest is just timing. Will you walk out of here with a prize or with an empty wallet? Either way, this should be good."

Walking up to the buttons, Ember called out good luck with that sarcastic voice of hers. I decided to tone her out and focus on what was before me. Judging from the basic set-up of this game, I was basically playing a video game (Yes, I knew what I said would make me roll my eyes in response) but a really basic one. The Yoshi Doll was what I definitely needed but that Piece of Heart also proved tempting. Thinking it over for a few seconds, the doll was the priority since someone really wanted it. It was right next to where the crane dropped off the prizes so why did people have trouble?

Pressing the button, the crane moved forward until I let go where it stopped. I then pressed the other button until I let it go when the crane was right above the Yoshi Doll. I couldn't tell if I had calculated everything correctly so hopefully this would work out in my favour. With a loud creak, the crane lowered down, opened up its claws, and clamped onto the doll before pulling itself back up. It looked like I was going to win when the doll slipped through the claws and fell back down. Just like that, my heart broke upon me failing. Oh no! It was the parakeet fiasco all over again.

"That didn't work." Princess Twilight said.

"The crane is too slow not to mention it's pretty old." I whispered.

Princess Twilight was surprised when I motioned to keep her voice but she quickly figured out that we needed to make sure Ember didn't hear us. "I agree, Sunset. Because of its slow descent and poor maintenance, getting any prizes from this game is going to come down to luck. Luck is already on your side. The Yoshi Doll is now a bit closer to where you need to drop it to pick it up, but it also landed on its side so that could be problematic."

"What if I run out of money?"

"On the one hand, you could grind for some though that would take some time." Princess Twilight answered. "Or, you could attempt to win either the red rupee or the purple rupee in order to get more money and offset what you've already spent. Remember that the purple rupee is worth fifty, the red one is worth only twenty. It really all depends on how far you want to go with this until you've finally had enough."

"No... I don't want a repeat of the parakeet incident."

"From what you told me, that was a very embarrassing moment for you."

"I need to play smart... and play fair."

Ember then called out from where she was standing. "Looks like you blew it!" She then reached out with her hand and I immediately knew what that gesture was. "If you want to play again, just toss me another ten rupees."

"Fine!" I said as I reached into my wallet and tossed her enough rupees.

"I can watch you do this all day!"

"Are you enjoying me suffer?"

Shaking her head, Ember sighed. "No... I can see the look you've got in your eyes. I used to see it so many times when people frequented this place. They were so determined to win one of those prizes that they ended up bleeding away all their rupees. I enjoy it when patrons pay me but even I know that some have a tendency to go completely overboard. Just cause I act like a jerk doesn't make me one. I'm just surly because of not having any customers for so long. I can only keep myself amused for so long with my own thoughts before I have to take it out on someone."

I was surprised by her sincerity on the subject though she didn't acknowledge that the crane's poor condition was an issue. "Well... Since I don't plan on stopping until I get my hands on that Yoshi Doll, expect me to keep paying in order to keep playing."

"Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you."

I could tell that she was trying to save face but it wasn't really working. Not only did she need to make the equipment better, she also needed to ditch the attitude and make this place feel more welcoming for the other villagers. Ember was right about one thing though. I had that competitive look in my eyes according to her. Whenever I had such a look. my temper would consume me since I desired victory above everything else, and I become quite possibly the biggest jerk of all time. My friends were understanding about it but deep down in my heart I knew they hated it. Winning was fine but not if it consumed me.

Pressing the two buttons again in the right order, I attempted to go for the Yoshi Doll even though Princess Twilight did warn me that it would be difficult for the crane to grab since the doll was now laying down on its side. Moments later (More like minutes later due to how slow the crane moved), the crane moved back into position, the doll still remained where it was, and I felt dejected knowing I failed. Ember reached out with her hand and asked if I wanted another go and without saying another word, I tossed her ten rupees and tried again. The crane moved like before, grabbed the doll, lifted it up, and again the doll slipped out and landed back where it was.

Again, Ember asked if I wanted to have another attempt whilst reaching out with her hand, and again, I tossed over ten rupees and was prepared to press the button when a thought crossed my mind. Since Princess Twilight was with me, I could have her try and fix the crane to make it work better, but I knew that would be cheating. Sure, I was beginning to get desperate at that point but if I were to resort to cheating, I'd be betraying my own oath as someone who had changed from her past misdeeds. Even Princess Celestia would be ashamed and seeing her cry would just be devastating.

No... I had to do this legitimately! Pressing the button, the crane moved forward and upon pressing the other one, it moved until it stopped above the Yoshi Doll. It then dropped down, opened its claws, clasped onto the doll, and began lifting it up. I could immediately see the doll slipping but I hoped I was going to be lucky this time around. As the crane moved back into place, the doll still being held in its grip, it stopped above the small conveyor belt and dropped its prize. Whew... For a moment there, it looked like I would fail again but luck ended up being on my side this time.

"You did it, Sunset!" Princess Twilight exclaimed.

"Wow... Didn't think you'd win." Ember said in shock.

"Surprised?" I asked.

Ember nodded. "It means I can finally put something else up as a prize for once! Geez! I've been waiting for someone to win of these prizes. It also means all those complaints about my game being rigged don't mean a thing now."

I was going to say something about that but chose not to. I knew it meant getting into an argument with Ember over ethics and while I could've totally won (I wasn't bragging here as personal experience was on my side) I decided it wasn't important in the grand scheme. She then asked me if I wanted to play again for ten more rupees. Shaking my head, she shrugged but wasn't upset about it. In her mind, someone had finally won a prize and now a new prize could be obtained. She did say that something new would be on display the next time I came by. That Piece of Heart would have to wait until I got more rupees.

Picking up the Yoshi Doll, I immediately squeed but not loud enough for Ember to hear me. If not for the fact that I had to give this to someone else, I'd have seriously considered keeping it for myself. Did I really need a plushie? They are oh so adorable and so squeezable but I was trying to compensate for the fact that I couldn't win that crooked game. I did actually win the parakeet only to end up throwing it away because I was too angry to care. (I believe a young child ended up getting it so it wasn't a complete waste) Like I said, my competitive nature can be a serious problem for me.

Leaving the Trendy Game Shop (I had every intention of coming back), I was immediately surprised by the sound of: "Whoa! You won the Yoshi Doll!" I knew it was Scootaloo and not because it was voice. The other two Cutie Mark Crusaders were over by the library and the three of them were always hanging out together so having two around and not the third would've just been plain ridiculous. Like Applebloom and Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo was wearing casual clothing typical of children yet why was she over there instead of playing with her friends? Also, how did she know about the Yoshi Doll?

I had to know. "You know about the doll?" I asked.

Scootaloo nodded. "Of course I know about it. My sisters and I have been trying to win that doll forever! We kept on going into the Trendy Game Shop in the hopes of winning it but we always ended up a bit short and out of rupees. How did you manage to pull it off?"

"It took perseverance." I answered. It then occurred to me that the Crusaders in this world were all siblings. Huh... This was actually pleasing. Because of their strong friendship, I always believed they could've been sisters in another life time. It was nice to see it actually happen.

"Wow! You're so cool!"

"I wouldn't go that far."

"Our mom has been desperate to find one!"

"Your mom?"

"Yeah!" Scootaloo answered, nodding her head. "She's been wanting to get a Yoshi Doll for our youngest sister for a long time but never could afford to buy one. Then, when we heard that the Trendy Game Shop had one, my sisters and I decided we could win it for her. If you could give that doll to our mom, I'm sure she would be eternally grateful."

"Well... I was planning on giving it to her."

"Really!?" Scootaloo then began jumping for joy. "You're the best, ma'am! I know my little sister will love that doll to pieces. I'm certain you're a little bit upset over having to give up on something you spent all your hard-earned rupees on winning, but I can tell that you're doing the right thing. You might not know this but our mom can be jealous when someone has what she wants, but don't let that be a form of discouragement. She'll understand once she gets a proper explanation."

"And where does she live?"

"Back at our house, the one up north with the two doors." Scootaloo answered, pointed her finger in that direction. "Why do we have a house with two doors? You know, our papa never really did explain that. I guess he just really liked having that feature and we all went with it. Speaking of my papa, you might want to listen to what he has to say. It could prove to be very useful. He always keeps on saying that to prove a point."

Thanking Scootaloo for the advice, I made my way up to where her house was passing by Starlight as she continued to sing by the statue of the Flying Rooster. That's when I noticed another building but whose entrance was being blocked by three heavy boulders. Methinks I needed to come back here once I possessed more strength but for now, my focus was on giving this doll over to someone who truly needed it. The house itself looked like every other house in the village and upon going inside, it was very roomy, to the point where it looked like it could house more than dozen people as opposed to simply six.

I immediately recognized the mother as Juniper Montage. She had come a long way since getting jealous over not being cast to play Daring Do. Her uncle, Canter Zoom, had been so impressed with how much she had changed since her movie studio ban, he rescinded it though she insisted on remaining at her job since it gave her the chance to earn some money on the side and talk with many different people. Who knows? Maybe one day, Juniper will finally get that big break and star in a movie that was designed specifically for her. She definitely had charisma on her side and she did show signs of being a good actress.

Juniper's husband was a much older character, who Princess Twilight recognized as Chancellor Neighsay. He was the head of the Equestrian Education Association and was essentially the one who decided which school in Equestria was accredited and therefore given a huge advantage in many different fields. He used to hold a huge hatred of non-ponies to the point of racism but he changed his opinion when six students, five of whom were non-ponies, saved his life when Cozy Clow attempted to take over Her Highness' school. I was curious as to what Scootaloo meant about him having something important to say.

It made sense to talk to Juniper first so I did. "Hello there."

"Oh my, hello." Juniper said. "It's not everyday that we get visitors around here."

"You have a quaint little home here."

"Why thank you." Juniper said, smiling. "My four children can be quite a handful you know. Some say that because they all look alike, I have trouble trying to determine which one is which, but I personally don't think so. Each of them have their own distinct likenesses which make them oh so precious. I take it you've talked to Suhni, my daughter who likes to hang out by the Trendy Game Shop. Of course you did as she often tells people to come up here to our home."

"I heard that you were looking for something from that place."

"My baby has been wanting a Yoshi Doll for some time now."

"How can you even tell?"

Juniper smiled as she nuzzled her baby with her nose. "A mother always knows what her children want. I tried to buy one from someone who had one but to no avail, but then I heard that there was one at the Trendy Game Shop as a prize, but I couldn't get it there either." That's when she noticed what was in my hands. "Is that... It is! It's the Yoshi Doll! You were able to win it? Oh my! I mean... I'm impressed that you managed to do what so many weren't able to. I'm very happy for you." She tried to grab it from my hand only to pull back knowing that she'd be setting a bad example for her child.

"Do you want it?"

"What!?"

"Do you want this Yoshi Doll?"

"Are you giving it to me?" Juniper asked. I nodded and handed it over when tears began trickling down her face. "Oh thank you! Thank you! You are indeed a generous person! I know my baby will be so happy with her new doll. When she grows up, I'll tell her that she had a guardian angel in the form of a young girl with flaming hair. And now I give you something in return as it's the polite thing to do. My baby has outgrown this ribbon so you may have it. I hear that Madame MeowMeow's smallest pet is fascinated with ribbons so perhaps this might be something to consider."

Juniper then handed over the ribbon to me and I took a good look at it. It wasn't anything fancy but was straight to the point. At least it wasn't damaged or anything otherwise she'd have been embarrassed at ripping me off. Still, I knew where this was going but first I needed to have a word with Chancellor Neighsay, who had been watching the entire time. He certainly didn't look the part as his facial features clashed with his clothes yet it couldn't be helped. As I approached, he began looking around and acted all fidgety but perhaps it was simply nerves because of having so many children in his life.

"You must be the proud father."

"Yes, I suppose you could say that." Chancellor Neighsay said. His voice didn't match the part either. He sounded like someone who had lost all the joy in his life and was trying real hard to make it work only it wasn't well... working out. "I saw that you gave my wife that Yoshi Doll. I appreciate you wanting to give that up to make my littlest one so happy. I knew there were still good people out there in the end. Anyway, let me introduce myself. I am Papahl. My wife over there is named Mamasha. And you are?"

"I'm Sunset Shimmer."

"And I'm Princess Twilight Sparkle." Princess Twilight added.

Chancellor Neighsay looked at us both with a confused look. "Princess!? Your fairy is a princess? Will wonders never cease. On a similar note, I've never seen a fairy up close before nor has anyone in the village. In fact, fairies are very rare creatures on Koholint Island so seeing one hover around you means you're someone very special. By the way, you should know that later on, I'm going to be lost somewhere on the Tal Tal Mountain range."

"I'm sorry, what!?" I exclaimed.

"Later on, I'm going to be lost somewhere on the Tal Tal Mountain range."

"I heard you say that, but why?"

"I honestly don't know why." Chancellor Neighsay said, shrugging his shoulders. "No doubt that you are going to end up paying a visit to those mountains so I might as well give you something to look out for. The Tal Tal Mountains can be a treacherous climb especially without a proper means of swimming as well as possessing that fish-like key. But, you don't need to worry about me. I've got everything I need for the journey so it's just a matter of you getting to me."

"When do you plan on leaving on this journey of yours?" Princess Twilight asked.

"Not at the moment as I still need to take care of Mamasha and the kids."

"So then later on?"

"Most likely."

"You also mentioned a key."

"A fish-like key." Chancellor Neighsay said. "I've heard rumours that such a key exists on the island and serves as the way to solve the puzzle of the waterfall. I've never found this key nor do I plan on trying to look for it. If you want to then go ahead. I won't stop you from trying. Now, I need to get prepared for my mountain trek, but I do have one word of advice when it comes to finding me. Bring along some vittles for me."

Since there was nothing else for me to do, I thanked Chancellor Neighsay for his 'words' and took my leave of their house. Why would he choose to get himself lost? That made absolutely no sense at all. Being a heroine sometimes was a strange occupation as it involved dealing with eccentric characters but helping people out was what I did. At least I got some information from him, namely, the fish-like key he said could solve a puzzle involving a waterfall. It sounded like it was something I'd have to deal with later but not right now since going to the mountains wasn't in my current plans.

With the ribbon in hand, I could now give it to Wallflower's pet that was looking for a new accessory. Walking back down and towards her house, I began thinking about whether I should leave Mabe Village and check out the Tail Cave since I had the key to open it up. As much as I wanted to keep checking out the village, I needed to progress with this adventure otherwise I'd never get anywhere or move closer towards going home. Reaching Wallflower's house and entering the other door, I immediately noticed the remains of some kind of animal though what it might have been was a mystery. (Good thing Fluttershy wasn't here to see that.)

In the middle of this house was a small bowling-ball like creature that was half Bow-Wow's size. In hindsight, I should've asked Wallflower as to what kind of 'dogs' her pets were as it'd save me some time trying to figure that out on my own. Walking up to it, it surprised me by speaking instead of barking which was what I expected. "Welcome to my house! Aside from my owner, no one else has ever come in here. I'm CiaoCiao! Can I tell you something?"

I nodded. "Um... sure...?"

"Makeup! Jewels! Dresses! I want it all!"

"But aren't you a 'dog'?"

"Sure, but I can have fantasies like everyone else."

"I guess so."

"Oh, and some new accessories would be nice." The little creature then noticed the ribbon in my hand and began barking. "Oh! That ribbon! That's exactly the kind of accessory I need to make my feel good. Give it to me! If you do, I'll give you my dog food which is in this can."

If not for the fact that she said 'can', I wouldn't have agreed to such a trade. But, she did and that was enough for me to hand over the ribbon. CiaoCiao, as she called herself, placed the ribbon on her head (Or in her case the back of her head) and handed over the canned dog food before she resumed doing whatever it was when I came in. Even though this was dog food, meat was meat regardless so now I had something to give to Bulk Biceps in exchange for some bananas. Hopefully, he'd be okay with this otherwise this trade was a bust. Good thing this can hadn't been opened as the strong smell would've made things awkward.

Now it was time for me to go to the Tail Cave. Turning right, I walked across the village, reached the library, turned left and headed south as though I was going to the beach, but instead of jumping to the lower ledge, I went left and along a line of trees that served as a border. It had been a while since I came this way so I forgot about the Octoroks. Case in point, one pelted me with a rock and I raised my shield to protect myself from further attacks. Swinging my sword, I defeated each Octorok in one hit with one dropping a green rupee that I picked up until I reached a series of holes in the ground.

Since I couldn't jump over them despite actually being able to (Those restrictions again), I had to walk the long way around which meant dealing with a couple more Octoroks, and also cutting some bushes just to see if there were any rupees hidden within them. Walking back past the holes but now from the other side and going south, I turned left and discovered a cave entrance that was sealed shut with iron bars. Three statues were located out in front with each depicting a weird green blob-like creature with a long tail, the same one that was on the key I found in the Mysterious Forest.

"Could this be it, Twilight?"

Princess Twilight nodded. "Those statues have the same tail shape as the Tail Key from the forest."

"That's what I thought." I said as I took out the key from my pocket and looked at it and the statues for comparison. "Guess we might as well open up the cave and find out what's waiting for us inside."

"There should be a keyhole on one of those statues."

A quick search revealed that the keyhole was located on the base of the middle statue. Placing the Tail Key into the lock and turning it before pulling it back out, the keyhole disappeared which was followed by a rumbling sound. I thought it was an earthquake at first but it was actually two iron bars dropping down granting me access to the cave. There was no turning back for me now. I had to go inside and find the instrument Flash Sentry mentioned when I encountered him after getting the Tail Key. Stealing myself, I walked forward and down some stairs into the Tail Cave.

As I entered, a name appeared in my head telling me that this was 'Level 1. - Tail Cave'. "What do you think, Twilight?"

"No doubt about it, Sunset." Princess Twilight answered. "This has the familiarity of a dungeon like the ones we went through before."

I wanted to moan but I knew that Her Highness was right. It also explained why Flash Sentry was so keen on having me come here in the first place. Legend of Zelda games were known for their dungeons as being places players had to go in order to acquire new items, defeat powerful monsters, and obtain key items that were necessary in order to reach the end. They were essentially hurdles that needed to be overcome. I didn't know how many dungeons were on Koholint Island but I knew that I was going to be tested by them. Sighing, I began looking around and seeing what I could do.

The entrance room featured eight statues, four on each side in an L-formation, of one eyed creatures that I couldn't even begin to imagine what they were. Two ways forward presented themselves, one to the north and one to the west. Both ways could be fraught with danger but this was part and parcel with being on this journey. I wished that I had a map of some kind because walking around without was something I'd rather not deal with. Since this was Level 1, it should be an easy dungeon... in theory. Even something easy could become pure disaster if I wasn't careful.

"Which way should we go?" I asked Princess Twilight.

"That's for you to decide. This is your adventure after all."

"You're on it too you know!"

"Yes, but I'm your fairy partner who guides you." Princess Twilight answered. "You're the heroine so you have to choose where we go." I wished she didn't have to tell me the truth like that, yet she was once again correct. Ganondorf wanted to put me through this in his bid to make me his servant and he was doing a good job of things so far (Note the sarcasm here in my thought process).

"Might as well go left."

"Alright, but be careful, Sunset."

Entering the room that was to the left, I raised my shield upon seeing two monsters with large shells that covered their entire bodies save for their eyes and feet. "Not even less than five minutes into this place and already we run into monsters." I swung my sword in hopes of defeating them quickly only for it to bounce off. I tried again and the same thing happened. "My sword is completely useless against them."

"These are Hardhat Beetles." Princess Twilight said though she had to speak up to drown out the sound of my shield being banged into repeatedly. "Their thick shells render them immune to most physical attacks. Explosives work exceptionally well against them. Even though your sword can't hurt them, you can use it to push them back under they are either out of your way or pushed into the abyss."

"My sword won't break will it?"

Princess Twilight shook her head. "That sword is pretty sturdy so I doubt it would shatter. Besides, this is the first dungeon. Encountering something that could break your weapon this early in the adventure would be really unfair now wouldn't it?"

With this piece of information, I began swinging my sword against the Hardhat Beetles and sure enough, they got pushed back until they dropped into the abyss. As I watched them plunge into the infinite darkness, my heart started beating quickly. I didn't want to end up like those monsters so I moved away from the edge only to hear something fall from above and landing behind me with a soft clinking sound. Turning around and looking down, I saw a key which must have fallen when those monsters were knocked into the abyss. From what I remember, this key was needed to open up a locked door somewhere.

Entering the next room, the door immediately locked behind me. "We're trapped in here!"

"Calm down, Sunset."

I did some quick breathing to calm my nerves. "Sorry, but the door locking behind us caught me by surprise."

"Something in this room is preventing us from leaving." Princess Twilight then noticed a treasure chest positioned in front of two statues. "That chest could also unlock the door if you open it, but it feels too easy since it's just here without anything guarding it."

"A trap?"

Princess Twilight nodded. "Most definitely. I'm going to say a monster or two are hiding and are waiting for you to move towards the chest. I know it's not an actual trap otherwise we could see some kind of mechanism in place. Better keep your shield raised just in case."

I took several steps forward and several Green Zols popped up from the ground. Sure, they weren't strong on their own but together they were annoying. As I began to cut them down, they bumped into me which was when I realized that the Guardian Acorn I picked up back in the Mysterious Forest had long since worn up. I thought it was still in effect but their attacks proved otherwise. As I defeated the last one, it dropped a green rupee and the door also unlocked. I then opened up the chest and took out a Compass. This could show me certain things on a map but without said map it was useless.

"Better keep this Compass regardless of its lack of functionality right now."

"Ah, but it has a new feature."

"What do you mean?"

"This Compass will make a tone indicating any keys within the rooms we visit." Princess Twilight answered. "It won't reveal their locations but you won't be going around quite as blind as you were before. Also, it reveals the location of the boss monster though that will definitely require a map."

I stand corrected. Pocketing the compass, I walked back to the entrance of the Tail Cave before heading north through the door I didn't originally take. The instant I entered this room, the Compass made a slight dinging sound indicating that there was a key somewhere in this room. Two Red Gels were flanked either side of me and a Hardhat Beetle lurked on the other side of a weirdly shaped hole. I also saw a button which practically begged me to active it and see what happens. I dispatched the Red Gels with ease since they were relatively weak and waited for the Hardhat Beetle to scoot itself around to the other side.

A couple more hits and it was knocked into the abyss where it plunged into the darkness below. With that problem solved, I walked around and pressed the switch which caused a treasure chest to materialize via a dropping twinkling star (A very nice effect in my opinion) up in the top right corner of the room. Opening the chest, I took out another small key. While I was hoping for a map, another key wasn't necessarily bad though I was curious as to how many keys I'd need to unlock every door in this dungeon. From there, I headed east through the door next to where the chest appeared and entered the next room.

This room featured two Keese as well as two sets of bones that suddenly got up and began moving around. "That's something you don't see everyday."

"That is a Stalfos." Princess Twilight said. "When you try to attack them, they like to leap backwards in order to avoid your sword. Aside from that, they will do their best to avoid you and won't ever attack. There are other kinds of Stalfos out there who behave differently so I'll be sure to inform you when we run into them."

About time I faced a monster that didn't want to attack and was more about self survival. One swing took care of both Keese though I had to chase after the two Stalfos as their constant jumping made them annoying to deal with. Luckily, they had basic intelligence and could easily be backed into a corner (I actually did that). One sword swing was enough to defeat each one and another chest appeared as a result which I opened. Inside was a Map which I gladly took before unfurling it and seeing what kind of layout it had. Now I understood why it was called the 'Tail Cave'.

"This map is in the shape of a blob with two eyes and a tail!"

Princess Twilight then looked at it. "Quite an interesting design choice. Sunset, thanks to that Compass, we can now see the locations of all treasure chests." Her Highness pointed to a skull located near the tail's tip. "That must be where the boss monster is lurking. If our previous adventure taught us anything, it's that we'll need a special key in order to access it. I wouldn't be surprised if it was guarding the instrument Flash Sentry mentioned.

"At least this is a small dungeon."

"Yes, but future ones are bound to be much larger."

Sighing, I knew that would be the case. Pocketing the map, I turned my attention to a panel in the door that had an outline of a figure on it. "This looks like one of those revolving doors that you always see in those movies on television." I quickly altered the subject in case Her Highness didn't understand what I meant. "Or rather that you see in ancient ruins."

"Like at the Castle of the Two Sisters!"

"Just like that." I said smiling. "I think with enough pressure, I can get us to the other side, but there was that other pathway in the previous room that could house something useful and maybe bring us back to the other side of this panel by taking the long way around. Let's just say that I want to avoid as much backtracking as possible." Looking at the map again, the panel lead to another room so we weren't going to be trapped or anything. "I'll check out the other room."

Princess Twilight nodded. "Fair enough, Sunset. Just let me use some fairy magic to mark this panel's existence on the map in case you want to check it out later." She concentrated and used a tiny magic burst to create a mark which didn't burn the map. "Were you worried? Don't be! I've used magic like this before on even smaller things and with way less power. I'll tell you more about it sometime if you remember to ask."

Heading back to the previous room, I continued going west and entered the room beyond that though I had to avoid the Hardhat Beetle which had since respawned. In this next room, four Keese immediately attacked but by quickly raising my shield, I blocked their efforts and managed to take them down with a few sword swings. No... I wasn't being complacent due to how weak the monsters were. I knew that stronger ones would show up sooner or later. What I was facing so far was merely a warm-up for what was to come. Defeating all four Keese unlocked a door (I hadn't noticed until it rose upwards nor the one that locked behind me upon entering) but first I wanted to observe my surroundings.

Apart from the four statues in the middle, the entire outer edge of the room featured cracked floors. I merely ignored it all and entered the next room which was much bigger in scope than the previous room and I was blocked by two dark crystals. This was a blessing since on the other side of the crystals was a long segmented worm like monster bouncing back and forth between four statues via sliding on the floor. Princess Twilight explained that we were looking at a Mini-Moldorm. Unlike bigger versions which had strong shells protecting their bodies, the small version lacked this which made it vulnerable. It was erratic in its behaviour so I had to be cautious.

She also brought up other monsters and obstacles in the room. Ahead of us was a locked door but 'guarding' it was a Blade Trap. According to Her Highness, these traps were placed into the dungeon a long time ago to catch unexpecting adventurers off guard. The blades were sharp and also indestructible so avoiding them was all I could do. Near a treasure chest was a Spark, a monster that clung on walls or other surfaces and moved around rather quickly. Most conventional means didn't work but Her Highness said that a certain item worked well against them, an item I lacked.

Breaking the crystals, I got hit by the Mini-Moldorm before I could block it with my shield. I had no idea how much damage I had taken and was starting to feel weak but I had to keep going despite my pain. Swinging my sword in a fit of desperation, not only did I connect with the Mini-Moldorm, I also connected with a Keese that had flown nearby defeating both at the same time. From there, I decided to unlock the door and take my chances rather than fight off additional monsters with low health. Dodging the Blade Trap, I unlocked the door and entered a room that had a very unique fixture.

"Is that... a statue of an owl?"

"Yes, but it seems to be missing its beak."

"I wonder if that's important?"

"The only way we'll know for sure is to perhaps find where it is and see what happens." Princess Twilight answered. "Because of that hole in the ground, you'll need to walk around if you want to reach that door on the other side."

"But it's sealed shut."

"I'm sure we can figure out how to unseal it." Princess Twilight then noticed my exhaustion and immediately addressed it. "You really need to get some hearts otherwise you're going to die." Going... to die? It had begun sinking in as to one of the bigger drawbacks of being on this adventure. "Okay, those hearts are now top priority!" She began breathing heavily and was mere moments from hyperventilating but she quickly calmed down. "Sorry about that, Sunset. I know you've been in this position before but I can't help but be worried. Maybe defeating those Red Gels will give you some hearts?"

"Let's hope that they do." I'll be honest... I didn't like being on death's doorstep either. It was a reminder that Ganondorf wanted me to suffer to the point where I would swear fealty to him in exchange for ending my pain and succumbing to power's temptation. In addition to the two Red Gels, there were two additional Sparks moving along several blocks acting as obstacles. Hitting any either of them would most likely mean death and I had to avoid that at all costs. Walking along, I waved my sword around and attracted the Red Gels to come closer before attacking. Each dropped a heart which I gladly picked up. Crisis averted!

Avoiding the first Spark and barely avoiding the second, I walked back the way I came until I reached the closed door and the owl statue. Without the beak, it definitely looked weird but why not have it to begin with? "Twilight?" I began. "Does it sound like this statue is trying to say something?" Pressing my ear against it, it sounded like words were trying to be spoken through the hole but I couldn't make anything out.

Princess Twilight then did the same thing and nodded her approval. "This statue could be another means of providing you with advice. Between it and Discord, I feel like my own
usefulness is starting to take a hit."

"I'll always need you, Twilight." I said smiling.

"Thanks, Sunset." Princess Twilight responded by smiling. "But to be fair, I don't know everything so this statue could have information beyond what I know. Again, if we can find a beak for it, we can hear what it's trying to say." She then looked at a few additional blocks by hovering around them. "You know... I think this statue would've told us how to solve this puzzle though honestly, it's easy to figure out."

I looked at them myself and pushed the one that didn't match up resulting in the door unlocking itself. "Guess that could be considered a freebie huh?" In the future, it wasn't going to be quite as easy. Entering the next room, I saw what I thought were Hardhat Beetles but these had spikes on their shells. "What can you tell me about these?"

"Those are Spiked Beetles. Unlike their 'cousins', these ones have even stronger shells so no amount of swordsmanship is going to work." Princess Twilight answered. "But, you can use your shield to flip them over thus leaving them utterly helpless. Don't move towards them. Let them come to you instead."

One of them then suddenly began running towards me so upon raising my shield, it bounced off of it and landed on its back where it flailed about helplessly. On the one hand, I felt bad for taking advantage of this weakness, but on the other hand, I didn't have any other choice. In these fights for survival, such tactics were considered. Slashing it with my sword, it was still flailing about which meant at least two strikes were needed. Hitting it again, the Spiked Beetle disappeared in a puff of smoke (All monsters did this by the way) but then the other one charged at me. I raised my shield just in time where it bounced back, landed onto its back, and flailed as I struck it twice.

This caused a flight of steps to appear. "Guess we have to go down to the next level." I then noticed another owl statue embedded into the wall. "I'm going to take a guess here and say that statue would've told me about flipping those Spiked Beetles over with my shield." Ignoring the holes, I walked downstairs and entered an underground tunnel complete with old rickety ladders, wild vines growing out of control, torches on the wall, and platforms. That's when a familiar enemy appeared from under the platform I was standing on. "Now wait just a minute here! A Goomba!? Seriously!?"

"Is something wrong?"

"Goombas are Mario related enemies, not Legend of Zelda related."

Princess Twilight had no idea what I was talking about so this time I had to be the one to explain a monster. Goombas were the most common enemy in the Super Mario Bros. series of video games. (Some of my favourite video games no less) not to mention the most basic. Seeing them here in this world felt completely out of place. Then it hit me! BowWow... CiaoCiao... they were both Chain Chomps, another Mario enemy. How did I not recognize something so obvious!? Ugh! I slapped my forehead so hard, it left an imprint of my hand on my face. Did that mean other Mario enemies were elsewhere?

Upon finishing my explanation, Princess Twilight comforted me and I smiled back. She always had her way of making me feel better... both versions of her. I couldn't let such a gripe cloud my judgement as it'd cause me to make careless mistakes. I then noticed that the platforms were arranged so that I could jump from platform to platform, but without being able to jump, it felt like an oversight or something. In any case, I dropped down to the ground and stepped on a Goomba, flattening it. It left behind a recovery heart and I collected it even though it wasn't needed since I was at full health.

For the remainder of the room, I climbed up and down ladders, slashed Goombas with one sword strike, and dropped down once or twice before climbing up a ladder which took me to another room. I had no idea where this was on the map so I took it out and glanced at it. According to the map, I was now on the bottom left after coming from the top left. Also, this path was nothing but a dead end so why even bother with such a design? Unless... this was intentional and something of great importance was at that dead end. I might as well have a look since it shouldn't take long.

Walking north, I came upon a recovery heart, but it had wings and was floating above me just out of grabbing range. I ignored it and kept on going and immediately stopped when two Blade Traps from either side collided with each other with a loud clank. As they moved back into position, I walked by them and up to a treasure chest flanked by two torches and surrounded by the endless abyss. Opening it, I was disappointed to find that it contained a feather. Really!? A feather!? Was this some kind of joke!? I had every mind to throw it into the darkness below but then I suddenly felt rather light.

"Were you thinking of throwing that away, Sunset?"

I slowly nodded. "I was but as I continue to hold it in my hand, I feel lighter than I've ever been."

"That's because you've picked up a Roc's Feather." Princess Twilight said. I looked at it and couldn't believe what she said. Rolling her eyes, Her Highness continued. "This feather is from a legendary creature that possessed special powers revolving around flight. If one were to hold one of its feathers, they would feel as light as the air itself and be able to jump great heights when they couldn't before. If combined with speed, you could even jump across the longest gaps with ease. Of course, I don't know where you'd find something capable of providing more speed."

"You mean... I can finally jump?"

"Yes."

"About time."

Princess Twilight chuckled. "And you were going to throw away such a valuable treasure."

I blushed. "Okay, so I didn't think things through there."

Again, Princess Twilight chuckled. "It's one of your many charms that I admire."

"Heh..." I blushed again only to quickly shake my head to regain my composure. "Anyway, I need to try out this Roc's Feather and I know exactly on what." Walking back, I used the feather to jump over the Blade Traps and did so with a flip. Upon landing, I felt absolutely invigorating. "That, was, awesome! The flip makes it extra cool! Good thing I'm used to doing such things otherwise that would've made me sick." Heading back , the flying recovery heart was still there so I jumped and grabbed it. Landing wasn't an issue since the height gained wasn't much but it didn't really need to be.

Going back down the stairs, I simply jumped from platform to platform, flipping each time, and generally enjoying the experience. At the end, I climbed the ladder and back into the room where those Spiked Beetles were (They hadn't respawned) and it was there that I knew not to play around with my new item. I had to be serious now and use it appropriately in order to progress and also reach things I couldn't get to before. Also, I didn't need to constantly hold onto it. I could still fight and do other things whilst having it in my pocket for safe-keeping and use it when needed.

In the next previous room, I jumped over the abyss, skipping the two Sparks and headed back into the large room with the Mini-Moldorm. I jumped over both it and the Blade Trap before turning left and approaching a treasure chest which was being protected by another Mini-Moldorm and a Spark. As soon as I got close enough, the Mini-Moldorn charged at me but I managed to deflect it with my shield but it was persistent. It charged again but I used my sword to defeat it. Since I couldn't defeat the Spark, I waited for an opportunity to open the chest, and when it came via the Spark moving to the other side of the chest, I opened it, took the small key and moved back when it came back around.

Jumping over the second Spark, I walked towards a locked door but there was a Stalfos and two Keese in the way. The Keese went down quickly but the Stalfos jumped backwards to avoid me only to get trapped in a corner by the door. Two hits were enough to defeat it where it dropped a rupee that I picked up. I was then about to press on when another chest materialized behind me where the other one was. It was backtracking but at a very basic level so I could let it slide. Walking back to this other chest and jumping over both Sparks, I opened it and took out a red rupee.

Princess Twilight said it was worth twenty rupees so I made back some of the money I spent at the Trendy Game Shop. Before moving on, I took out the map and looked at it again to see what remaining rooms I hadn't yet explored. Her Highness noticed two locks located in this very room. "It looks like we have a choice. Either we unlock one door or the other. Since you have both keys, it comes down to making a choice."

"Hmmm..."

"Either way, there will be a little bit of backtracking."

"We should unlock this door first." I said, pointing to the lock on the map that was in front of us. "Might as well see what the unexplored rooms contain before coming back and going the other way. There aren't many rooms left to explore in this place so it's safe to say we're almost finished.."

"Don't be too cocky, Sunset. You never know what lurks in those last rooms."

"Agreed."

Walking back the other way again and jumping over the two Sparks again (It may have been repetitive but it was necessary for me to get used to using the Roc's Feather) and unlocking the door, I entered a room with the abyss cutting me off from reaching the next door. But... since I had the Roc's Feather, I could just jump across without worry. There were two more Sparks and a Stalfos present but I ignored and went for the north room since something about it seemed off. Upon a closer look in this room, it was the weird floor that made me suspicious in addition to three weird looking creatures that defied normal convention.

To Be Continued.

Comments

[Madara1442]

Opening it, I was disappointed to find that it contained a feather. Really!? A feather!? Was this some kind of joke!? I had every mind to throw it into the darkness below but then I suddenly felt rather light.

Don't let it discourage you Sunset. Remember the time in Dodongo cavern in Ocarina of Time, when you thought that the pouch you got was a little disappointing? Then all of that changed when Spike/Navi had informed you that is was a bomb bag that can let you use bombs? Sure the Roc's Feather might not seem much, but it will be very helpful as you progress in your journey, cause your going to need everything you can get your hands on to awaken the Wind-Fish.