Legend of Zelda: Twilight's Moonfall

Chapters

Prologue: Fallen
Chapter 1: New World, Same Faces
Chapter 2: New World, New Problems
Chapter 3: New World, New Threats
Chapter 4: Where we came in?

Prologue: Fallen

Prologue: Fallen

Twilight Sparkle sighed as she traveled through the dense wood of what she believed to be the Everfree Forest. Each crunching leaf, every snapping twig under her black hoof only proved to remind her of what she had just lost...

Flashback

Twilight couldn't believe it. Here she was, standing before her mentor, her friends and her brother, claiming that the Cadence that stood before was a fake, and they outright abandoned her! Her friends turned their backs, her teacher dropped her where she stood, and worst of all...

Her brother. Her B.B.B.F.F...just told her to not even show up at his wedding.

And the only one left...was the very mare she accused. All she did was stand there, looking concerned.

Perhaps...Twilight was wrong?

The thought of her potentially destroying everything she had worked hard on caught up to her, causing her to stumble on the stairs and cry. “I'm sorry!” Twilight sobbed, falling to the floor. “I-I-I didn't mean to-” As her hot tears fell across her face, a set of soft hoof steps made their way to her, and pulled her into a gentle hug.

Looking up, Twilight saw the face of her old foal-sitter looking down at her, a soft smile on her face. “Don't worry about it Twilight,” the older mare said, nuzzling her neck. As Twilight returned the affectionate gesture, Cadence continued, whispering in her ear. “You will be!”

As the purple mare's eyes shot up in realization, Twilight felt a sharp pain on her neck for an instant, before being roughly pushed away.

Then Cadence began to scream.

“GUARDS!” she cried, pointing at Twilight, who looked around in confusion as guards started to pour into the room. “SHE'S A CHANGELING!”

Just as Twilight raised her hoof to call them off, a small green flame caught her eye. It started small, but then started to grow at an alarming rate, more small flames appearing all over her body. Panicking, she tried calling out in help, but her voice was slowly being choked out and replaced with a whistling and clicking sound. The entire time, Twilight felt as if she were being dragged through a burning forest, by a company of soldiers in full sprint.

To make matters even worse, the other members of the Elements of Harmony, her brother, and Celestia had returned.

“What the hay!?” Rainbow Dash cried. “What the heck happened to Twilight!?”

“That thing isn't Twilight!” Cadence cried, a fresh wave of tears and hysterics coming from her. “That monster must have taken her place!”

“GET IT!” Shining Armor ordered, just as his soldiers finally decided to take initiative and attack.

In desperation (and confusion), Twilight ducked and weaved underneath the swings, tearing her way through the ranks with uncontrollable bursts of speed. Before she left chapel, she could see a clearly distraught Cadence crying on the shoulders of her brother. As their eyes met, Twilight saw a small flash of green.

That was the last thing Twilight saw before running for her life.

-End Flashback-

Somehow, she had made it out of Canterlot, alive and relatively (or rather, physically speaking) undamaged. Twilight looked around and sighed, the sound coming out like a whistle between her two fangs.

The sound of wheels turning made her ears perk up, and she slowly stalked her way over. Ducking through the mists, she found a small cart being pulled by a zebra dressed in a purple and white dress like robe, with golden strands of cloth adorning his chest and back in a triangle like design. The zebra (a male if Twilight were to guess), sighed and looked over his cart, blowing his straight black and white hair out of his eyes.

“I do so hope this trip was worth it,” Twilight heard the zebra mumble, as he pulled out a sleeping bag of some kind. “This marriage festival thing better sell well or else I'm done for!” Going back to his cart, he ruffled through it, before his eyes widened , screaming, “OH NO, NOT AGAIN! WHAT BLOODY BRAT STOLE THAT MASK FROM ME!?”

Her ears perking up at the zebra's cries of worry and fear, Twilight slowly made her way to said zebra, careful to not make a sound. Unfortunately, her black insect like hoof snapped a dead branch, causing the stalkee to get up and look around.

“Who's there!” the Zebra cried, pulling out a dagger from his card. “'m 'armed! 'Ome ou' 'ow!”

Silently cursing her luck, Twilight stepped into the light, her blue and green eyes flinching slightly at the bright light of the fire. Before she could even do anything the mysterious Zebra just stood there in silent shock, letting the dagger fall from his mouth.

As the metal hit the earth with small 'clanging' noise, Twilight found herself facing fire, the Zebra having ditched the dagger in favor of burning tinder from his makeshift camp. Just as Twilight came dangerously close to having her eyes burned out, her back hooves found nothing solid to stand on, and she fell backwards, screeching all the while.

While she fell, Twilight's eyes widened at the sight of the bright, neon lights that resembled the various ponies she had seen before fly past her. Before she could see anymore, her muzzle rammed face first into a hard bark, sending her tumbling into an oversized flower. Not recognizing this particular flora, she got back up on her hooves, looking around.

If she had fur, the hairs on the back of her neck would shoot straight up as the sound of a chilling, foal-like laugh began to fill the room. A bright light flashed over the scene before her, revealing a small floating filly (or was it a colt?) wearing raggedly old oversized clothing over its tiny body and a heart shaped technicolor heart-shaped mask adorned with three spikes on each side with, two more on the top. To add the finishing touches, the yellow eyes seemed to pierce the darkness with a strange ethereal glow.

“Hello,” the floating creature said, apparently lying down on thin air as if it were a bench of some kind. “You look funny, kinda like a thrown out toy that has no use.” Twilight, for whatever reason, felt her ire spike and she got low, pawing at the flower and hissing.

“Oh, come on. Really? It was only an honest joke,” the floating foal continued, tilting its head from side to side. “Or does it hurt that your owners are no longer loyal to you? That they felt it was in their best interests of their kind and generous heart to throw you away?”

Twilight started growling. Who did this filly think it was, talking down on her!? She wasn't some kind of pet! She'd show her a lesson it'd never forget!

“Do you really think you can beat me?” the filly asked, getting up slightly. “Don't make me laugh! As I am now, you can't even touch me! Here, let me show you!”

The small foal stood up, the eyes of the mask glowing with a disturbing yellow light as laughter bounced all around the room and into Twilight's overly sensitive ears. Waves of energy began to pour off of the mask, and the eyes seem to tunnel their way into her very soul.

When she was able to find herself once more, Twilight found herself in a black dark forest, the ground covered in the flowers that she was just standing on. A slight rustling came from beneath them, as one by one they emerged from the earth, ponies of varying shades of earthen green and brown yet all sporting a flower on their heads. Soon, she found herself surrounded, as all of these strange ponies shuffled from side to side, shoving her around with their bodies.

As the a sweet scent started to come from their flowers, Twilight broke from the surrounding bodies and made a run for it, her ears folding in to cut out the rustling of leaves, yet it got louder with each passing second. When Twilight allowed herself a chance to look back, she saw a giant version of the plant like ponies, towering over her. With a mighty roar, it stamped its hoof on Twilight, slamming her face into the ground. She slowly pushed herself up, feeling an alien sensation slowly spreading over body.

At that moment, the former unicorn-turned-changeling felt as if something was forcefully attaching itself to her face. She tried to scream, but it continued to push its way down her throat and spread all over her body, covering her black exo-skeleton with some muddy like substance. Pressure built up on the back of her skull, making her whimper with each passing second.

With a scream, Twilight felt the back of skull burst, releasing all the pressure behind her. She collapsed on the flower in front of her, her tears staining her face as she took in labored breaths.

“Huh?” she heard the small mask wearing foal grunt in confusion, before bursting out into raucous laughter. “That’s a more fitting look for you!” it laughed, pointing at Twilight with one hoof as it used the other to keep the mask in place. “Much prettier than that scary bug face you were wearing earlier!”

Groaning, Twilight looked up in confusion, only to see the small foal laughing as it floated deeper into the cave system. Getting up, she rubbed the back of her head, only to feel this strange flowery protrusion there. Panic rising in her stomach, she gazed into the reflection on the water's surface, and nearly fainted on the spot. Staring back at her was a small, green earth pony with streaks of brown adorning her face right underneath her red and yellow eyes in the form of tears, as well as brown streaks stretching across her neck. Her mane was a dark forest green, reaching to her shoulders, but was just topped off with a large flower bud resting at the back of her head, with various other vegetation growing from it. Turning around, her tail had become an intertwined layer of green vines, topped with a long green leave, and her flack bore the mark of bright pink flower, with her original star cutie mark adorning one of its petals.

Biting back a scream of frustration, Twilight ran after the mask-wearing foal, stumbling several times over her tiny legs, not being used to suddenly becoming a tiny filly once more. Eventually, she found herself in a tunnel of sorts, the sides just barely lit with torches and ending at a door.

With a gulp, she pushed the door open, only to be greeted by darkness.

She heard a familiar voice chuckle from before her, and looking up, she found the zebra that had pushed her into this whole mess, smiling at her.

“You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?”

Author's Note

Hooray for insomnia and inspiration, a wonderful combination when trying to pass the time.

So begins an actual shot at fanfiction, and not just a random one-shot.

Please leave your positive and/or negative comments on the box below! I'd love to hear your feeback!

Chapter 1: New World, Same Faces

Chapter 1: New World, Same Face.

“You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?”

Twilight whinnied in surprise, jumping a few feet in the air and turned around, nearly falling over due to the weight of the flower bud on the back of her head.

“Now, now, there's no need for alarm,” the zebra said, holding up a placating hoof, trying to calm the nearly hyperventilating filly down. When Twilight felt her heart beat slow down to safer levels, the zebra continued, “Now, if I may, I'd like to apologize for shoving you rather roughly earlier. I was in dire straits you see, and seeing a creature such as yourself wasn't good on my heart.”

“Oh,” Twilight muttered, looking down. “Its fine.”

“Thank you,” the zebra said, smiling as he bowed his head. “To make it up to you, I suggest a trade agreement of sorts.”

“A what?” the small filly asked, confused.

“Quite simple really,” the zebra said, blowing a pinch of blue dust from his hoof. As it coated over Twilight, he continued, “I will teach you of a way to remove your curse, but I ask that you recover my precious mask that little imp stole. This herb will help you along your way.”

“What mask?” Twilight asked, her nose scrunching up as she sneezed. “What imp? And how will this dust help me?”

“You saw a small foal wearing a mask, correct?” the zebra asked. At Twilight's nod, he continued, “That mask was a special possession of mine, but it seems that foal's sticky hooves must have swiped it from me.”

“Thats it?” Twilight asked. Surely this was too easy, she thought.

“Unfortunately,” the zebra said sadly, looking to the floor. “I must ask that you return in three days. I must be gone from this land before the third day expires.”

“Why?” Twilight asked, suspicious. “And who are you?”

“All will be revealed in due time, my little pony,” the zebra said. “As for my name, I have had many in the past. But for now, you may call me Muuzaji.” With that said, Twilight made her way to the door, only for him to stop her and continue, “However, before you go, a warning. This world has many familiar faces, but they are not the same as you know. Keep that in mind.”

“What?” came the confused reply.

The zebra only chuckled, nodding his head to her as he tossed her a small satchel. “You will see, young one. You will see.”

Twilight caught the incoming bag and looked at him strangely, but sighed and made her way to the door. Taking a deep breath, she pushed it open, eyes wincing at the bright sunlight leaking through the cracks.

-DAWN OF THE FIRST DAY, 72 HOURS REMAIN-

“Hurry it up! We're gonna late for the Festival at this rate Blitz!”

“YEAH!”

“C'mon keep it moving! We've almost got this!”

“YEAH!”

“Hey, Snow? Do us a favor and stop that, will ya?”

“YEAH!”

“Err…”

“YEAH!”

“…I’m just going to lea-“

“YEAH”

“…yeah…”

The sound of hustle and bustle was the first thing that greeted Twilight as she stepped out into the warm summer sun. Ponies of various shapes, sizes and types were running about, all of them dressed in either a dark blue, a dark gray, or a dark green vest, calling out to each other as they rushed to finish their structures.

Awed, Twilight walked into the town square, her hooves lightly tapping the paved stone streets of whatever town she was in. Some of the work ponies gave her an odd look as she passed, but most didn't spare her a second glance. As she continued to make her way into town, she couldn't help but feel as if some of these ponies were familiar to her.

A loud growling interrupted her thoughts. Turning around, she found a large Saint Bernard, nearly twice as tall as she was (not including the flower), looking down at her and growling.

“Uh, nice doggy?” Twilight gulped out, slowly backing away. It gave a loud, bellowing bark, causing the small filly to immediately turn tail and run for it, running towards a guard.

The guard stood in front of her, yelling, “Hold there! I can't let an unsupervised Mare-Dragora foal like yourself run out there on alone! Its dangerous out on the Field!”

“TELL THAT TO THE DOG!” Twilight snapped back, hiding behind the guard

“Huh?” the earth pony guard stammered, his attention turning to the rushing giant ball of fur coming in their direction. “Oh, not again,” the guard groaned, going into his saddle bag and producing a dark orange-reddish nut. Just as the dog was about to pounce, the guard threw the nut on the ground, causing the dog to yelp back in surprise, running where it came from.

“What was that?” Twilight asked, rubbing the light away from her eyes.

Sighing, the guard went back into his saddle and produced a few more the nuts, giving them to her and saying, “You'll have to forgive old Nassy. She looks at everything as a chew tow, especially to Mare-Dragorae like yourself. These nuts here are called Spark Nuts; all you have to do is just throw them on the ground and you'll be able to stun and shock her away.”

[Twilight Got Spark Nuts! These special kind of nuts aren't edible, but they are useful for distracting or stunning enemies. She can either throw them directly at her target or in the ground immediately before them.]

“Thanks,” Twilight mumbled, pocketing the nuts in her bag. Looking back up at the guard, she asked “Um, why is everypony so busy?”

“Oh, are you new around here?” the guard asked, looking surprised. At Twilight's nod, he continued, “Well, its the Centennial of the Great Festival of Time. Preparations were severely pushed back when a sudden string of accidents struck, so most of us have been working triple-shifts ever since.”

“What kind of accidents?” the little filly asked.

“Well,” the guards pony said, “I don't know but the other areas, but Ponyville-”

“Wait, what!?” Twilight screeched, looking around. “This is Ponyville!? But I-!”

“However, before you go, a warning. This world has many familiar faces, but they are not the same as you know. Keep that in mind.”

“Are you alright, miss?”

Twilight stopped, recalling the crazy zebra's words as she looked up to the guard. “No, I'm sorry for the outburst,” she said, “You were saying about the-” A loud explosion cut her off, as the guard stood in between her and several smaller other small shapes, conjuring up a shield. The shapes turned out to be three other fillies, a pegasus, a unicorn and an earth pony, all wearing eerily familiar maroon tunics on their backs, but all sported the same red bandannas around their necks.

“Ow,” groaned the orange earth pony, rubbing her the back of her head as she got up. “I guess that wasn't the right amount of gun-powder.”

“I'll say,” the yellow unicorn pony said, getting up while helping the white pegasus.

“Yeah, I think we added too much,” finished the white pegasus, flapping her wings and blowing off the black dust that remained on her coat.

“C'mon!” the unicorn filly said, running off. “If we hurry, we could use what we have left with Silver and Diamond!”

As the three fillies ran off, the guard lowered his shield and sighed. “Those Bombers,” he grumbled. Turning to a rather still Twilight, he continued, “Don't mind them. They're just the town's local troublemakers. They mean well, but they need to learn that explosions don't solve everypony's problems.”

After shaking her confusion away, Twilight thanked the guard for his protection and made her way North, but not before finding an old, beaten up book on the ground. Picking it up, she flipped through it, recognizing it as a dossier of sorts, detailing just about everyone that lived in this version of Ponyville, as well as their jobs, their marital status, and a collective summary of their problems.

[Twilight found the Bomber's Notebook! This notebook seems to be a complete list of everypony living in Ponyville, and then some! ... why do they this anyways?]

Somewhat perturbed by her sudden finding, Twilight pocked her new reading material and proceeded to go through the rest of town, making small mental notes at the changes. As she continued down her path, she found herself in front of a stone structure roughly two stories high, and two small mirrors sticking out of them, just outside the wall. As she moved around she could see into the top of the building. Her mouth went agape as she saw two immense parabolic mirrors.

“A telescope?...what is a telescope doing here?” she wondered, going through the open door way. The inside was well lit, torches adorning every wall, and standing in the center was an older unicorn pony, clad in a star studded cloak as well as a pointed hat, mumbling to themselves as a nearby quill took notes and a chalkboard, filled with equations, worked itself out.

“Um, excuse me?” Twilight spoke, up, trying to get the elder pony's attention. Upon failing to do so, she continued, “Hello?”

The elder pony grumbled, the quill scratching furiously as it tried to catch up with the rapid mumblings of its owner. Twilight, a little miffed at being ignored, walked up and continued, “Hey! Listen! Hey!”

“Do you mind?” the older unicorn asked, turning to the small filly, the cacophony of bells tied to her braided hair ringing as she did. “I'm trying to calculate when the moon will fall onto the earth!”

Twilight stared at the mare, her head cocked to the side. "Huh?" Shaking her head, she took a look at the board, and then back at the mare. “Well,” she started, not trying to sound at all insulting. “that seems scientifically impossible, but you're kind of doing it wrong.”

The older mare's nose scrunching in confusion, she and Twilight trotted over to the board. She looked over the various calculations being worked out and said, “What do you mean? I've done everything right so far.” The elder mare just sat there, and then realized, saying, “Speaking of which, how does a filly as young as yourself even know what I'm doing?”

Twilight merely looked over the board and, once realizing she didn't have a horn to lift the chalk, pushed a nearby stack of books and a chair, saying, “Well, you derived wrong here, when you should have done it here instead,” From her new vantage point, she grabbed a piece and started on her corrections. “This integration here is done wrong too.” As she tried to move to her next correction, she fell over and hit the floor, not having realized her size.

The older mare just sat there, her hoof under her chin. Going over to where Twilight fell, she lifted the smaller filly on her back and said, “I knew that! I was just...”

Twilight interrupted her, adjusting herself on the older mare’s back as she continued, “And this cross product here shouldn't all be cross products. Here it should be a dot product of these two, crossed by the dot product of these two.”

“Alright, alright!” the older mare groaned, taking off her hat and tossing it onto a nearby rack, revealing a youthful periwinkle blue face with magenta, pink and violet hair falling down to her back, with two braids hanging from her sides. Blowing away a few strands of hair, she rubbed her temple and continued. “So my math is a little off. Sue me.”

“A little off?” Twilight asked, amazed.

“Keep it up and I'll throw you to the moon myself,” the mare snapped, lightly glaring at Twilight.

“Fine fine,” Twilight said. After a few seconds, a sudden realization came to her, and she asked, “Wait a minute. What did you mean when you said you were calculating how fast the moon was falling to the earth?”

The periwinkle mare raised an eyebrow, asking, “You haven't looked up, have you?” At the small filly's shake of her head, the older mare sighed and moved towards the gaping aperture in the building. “Here, take a look.”

What Twilight saw not only shocked her, but disturbed her as well.

Firstly, the moon was out during the daytime. That in itself wasn't too horribly bad, but the fact that it was adorned with some kind of disturbing maniacal grinning face and was moving closer made it rather disturbing. Also, that masked filly that cursed her was standing on top of a clock tower of sorts, dancing on the building's roof as if calling it down. Ignoring the fact that the moon's gravity should have just torn the town apart, she pulled back and stared blankly at the older mare.

“Speaking of which,” the elder mare said. “You're not from here, aren't you? And by here, I meant this world.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked, her eyes looking to side.

“Don't be coy, kid,” the elder mare said. “I may be old, but I'm not senile. (Yet, anyways.) You're from Equestria, aren't you?”

“Bwhu?' Twilight started, before shaking her head. “How did you know?”

“Well, for starters, the wards tipped me off,” came the reply. “Second, I'm from Equestria myself! My name is Star Swirl.”

Twilight just sat there, silent for a few seconds.

“You alright in there?” the newly dubbed Star Swirl asked, waving a hoof in front of the small filly. “Hello?”

“But Star Swirl was a stallion!” Twilight suddenly shouted out. “You know, as in Star Swirl the Bearded!”

Star Swirl whacked her face with her forehead in aggravation before crying out, “Oh, is that what they're calling me now?! My title is Star Swirl the Braided! You know, after these braids? The ones with bells on them?” She lightly tapped said braids adorned with said bells, causing a light ringing to echo in the building. When Twilight didn't answer, she groaned, “Faust-dammit all! Of all things for Clover to misspell, why THAT!?”

“Wait, what?” Twilight squeaked, uneasily, “Clover, as in Clover the Clever?”

Star Swirl the Braided snorted. “Yes. She was little my cousin and my student. She was an incredibly brilliant mare for her age, but she couldn't spell worth a damn! She's was a genius when it came to magical theory and practice, but she wasn't exactly what ponies of your era would call clever.”

“But,” Twilight squeaked, her mind slowly cracking. “All the books she wrote?”

The 'legendary' unicorn rolled her eyes, and replied, “She dictated. I was the one who actually wrote and edited them.”

Unable to comprehend the fact that the paradigms of her personal heroes were taken from her, thrown to the ground, stomped on, set on fire, and then messily glued back together, Twilight fainted away.

When she came too, the sun light was long gone, and Star Swirl was back at her telescope.

“Oh, you alive?” the older mare asked, tearing her eyes away from her instrument. Before Twilight could even answer, a loud rumble, followed by a whistling screech, and then a loud crash . The crash was a result of an odd tear shaped stone coming straight through one of the building's walls and crashing on the floor right in front of Twilight.

Yelping in fear, Twilight quickly stepped back, unsure if what had just fallen was dangerous or not.

“Take that and get going,” Star Swirl ordered, giving her a saddlebag. “Those Bombers are sure to come running after seeing THAT fly through my window. And they don't take nicely to Mare-Dragorae like yourself.”

[Twilight obtained a Small Saddle Bag! With it, she can store various important items that she's collected on her journey. It could do with being bigger though...]

[Twilight obtained a Tear of the Moon! With a strange an ethereal power, its glow promises peace and protection. But can you do with a shiny rock?]

Nodding dumbly, Twilight took the stone and ran out.

As the warm night sky washed over her small plant-like body, Twilight made her way to a park, stopping at a nearby bench to catch her breath. Deciding that the bench was the best place for the night, she made herself comfortable, noting an elderly earth mare carrying a heavy sack on her back. The guard nearby merely nodded to the old woman, although he looked as if he was merely sleeping standing up.

Just as Twilight was about to nod off herself, the elderly mare was suddenly shoved to the side by a young whitish-gray pegasus, who grabbed her sack in the process.

“HELP!” the elderly mare cried, trying to get up. “STOP THAT THIEF!”

“See ya later, suckers!” the pegasus crowed, getting ready to fly away.

Twilight, not thinking straight for several reasons, jumped off bench and leaped at the pegasus, the stone glowing in her bag. Twilight grimaced as she felt a several small bumps appearing around her neck, and screamed when two vines burst from them, grabbing the pegasus by one of his legs, pulling herself up to bring her teeth clenching down on his tail as tried to fly away.

“OI! GET OFF ME YA STUPID BRAT!” the pegasus yelled, spinning around and trying his hardest to get the filly off. Twilight refused, using her tiny hooves to climb his body and hit the bag, causing him drop it.

The package started hissing and smoking once it hit the ground. In his aggravation, the pegasus thief spun, kicking the vines with his other leg to cause them to retract and knock Twilight off of his tail. Just before she hit, Twilight felt a strong yet gentle hoof catch her, before pulling her behind a cloak of some kind.

“Hit the deck, young'n!” the older mare cried out, holding her clock in front of Twilight and her own body. The bag started to smoke and after a few seconds, it exploded, sending shrapnel everywhere.

When the explosions stopped, all that was left of the bag was just ragged, burned and foul smelling piece of fabric.

“Well, that coulda gone a mite better,” the elderly mare grumbled, releasing her cloak, revealing an aged lime green earth mare with silverish-white mane. Turning to Twilight she said, “Thank you kindly for trying though. But whats a little filly like yerself doin' out at this time of night? Ain't yer parents worried?”

When Twilight looked down, the older mare sighed and said, “Well don' you worry none sugah. You're more than welcome to stay at my place for now. Its a bit dusty, but it beats sleepin' outside. Heck, it’s the least Ah could do for yer help.”

Smiling, Twilight hugged the older mare's foreleg and said, “Thank you miss...um...”

Chuckling, the lime green mare said, “Call me Smith. Or Granny Smith, if you want. Just about every other pony in this town calls me that anyways.”

Leading her to another point in town, Smith stopped in front of a shop built into a wall made of cobblestone. A small sign with a red apple-shape adorned the side, and the words, “Apple Explosives” were left out on display.

Twilight could only stare. This world's version of the Apple Family were...explosive manufacturers?

As they stepped inside, the rustic of smell of soot and ashes hit Twilight's nose. Snorting, she looked around, and noticed that, despite the poorly lit nature of the shop, it still had that same homely feeling that the Apples from her family still had. As she looked around, she noticed a dark brown griffon curled up next the wall closest to door.

“Granny!” she heard a concerned voice call out. Looking back to the counter, Twilight saw the familiar face of Big Macintosh, but instead of his expressionless drawl, he actually portrayed emotion. It was somewhat jarring, if she were honest.

“Ah'm fine Mac,” Smith said, raising a placating hoof. “Our shipment was wrecked though.”

With a sigh, Macintosh said, “Ah don't care much for the shipment. Ah'm just glad that you're alrigh'. An' whose this one?”

Grinning, Smith put her hoof on Twilight's back and said, “This here little filly's the one that tried to save our shipment! Tartarus below, she's more competent than them guards that are just standing around!”

“Uh huh,” Mac drawled slowly, raising an eyebrow. Taking a look at the plant-like foal, he looked back up and said, “And would it be correct of me to assume you're lettin' her stay for the night?”

“Of course!” the matriarch said. As Macintosh went off to prepare, Smith led her to the said room, which was probably the cleanest in the store. Turning to the filly, she smiled and said, “Thanks again for helping me, sugah. Now sleep tight, and we'll see ya in the morning, savvy?”

Left a little dumbstruck and still trying to wrap her head around the events that had just happened, Twilight could only nod.

Author's Note

Whelp, here's chapter 2...

SO. MUCH. DIALOGUE. >.<''' It was almost as if I was writing a manga or something...

Not a lot happened, but hey, it picks up...you know, after the Third Day. Really, this was based off my first time playing Majora's Mask, but with a few edits of course. Furthermore, my editor is sick, so that's why the chapter seems a bit unpolished.

...I am so sorry for that impromptu Calculus lesson. My friend and I thought it would be funny...

Chapter 2: New World, New Problems

-DAWN OF THE SECOND DAY, 48 HOURS REMAIN-

Twilight woke at the sound of the morning rooster cawing at the sun. Groaning with a yawn, the small maredragora filly woke to its morning greeting, willing it to burst into flames. Sadly, no such was to be granted that morning.

“G'morning to ya, lil' miss,” she heard Big Macintosh's deep drawl emanating from the hallway. The door opened up to reveal him a messy pair of black overalls, balancing a tray of bread and fruit. “Hope yer hungry an' all, Granny went outta her way ta make this fer ya.”

“Good Morning Mr. Macintosh,” Twilight grumbled, her nose and ears still adjusting to the smell of soot and ash as well as the sound of the rooster.

Nodding, the older rusty red stallion said, “By the way, we never did get yer name last night. Who'd you say you were again?”

“My name is Twilight Spark-” the small filly said, faltering at her last name. Her mind slowly drifted back to that event that had led her hear. The time when she needed her friends and family the most...the time that she needed her teacher the most, yet none came. The Twilight Sparkle of old could easily have those ponies at her side, but could she?

Was she still Twilight Sparkle?

“Lil' Miss?” Big Macintosh asked, concerned when the little filly went silent. Her eyes seemed to have just gone dark, as if lost in a memory of some kind. “Um, ya'll still in there?” he asked, waving a hoof in front of her face.

That seemed to have done the trick, as the little maredragora snapped back into reality, taking a huge bite out of the apple she grabbed. “My name is Twilight,” the filly said, almost angrily as she tore away at the fruit with such zeal that made Macintosh step back a bit.

“Well,” the older red stallion said, looking a bit perturbed. “Granny and I are gonna be a busy all day making fireworks, and I highly doubt the smoke will sit well with you.” When the small filly didn't say anything, he continued, “So, I wanted to give you this.” Producing a small bag from his chest pocket, he gave it to her, saying, “Its not much, but its a Child Wallet with a few bits in it. Consider it a gift from me for helping out Granny when I couldn't.”

[Twilight obtained the Child's Wallet! Its not that big, perfect for any filly learning how to deal with money! (Max amount: 99 Bits)]

Twilight just sat there, looking at the wallet. “Are,” she said, looking up. “Are you sure? I mean, it seemed as if your shop needs it more than me.”

Macintosh merely waved her off, saying, “Its only pocket change really. We make more than enough during the Carnival anyways.”

Twilight sat there, slowly finishing up her breakfast, but merely nodded.

Left a little dumbstruck and still trying to wrap her head around the events that had just happened, Twilight could only nod. After a quick send off, Twilight made her way to the town laundry pool, at the Apple's insistence.

When she got there, all she found was the cleanest wash river she had seen in her life, a drawbridge of sorts, and a small glowing ball of dark blue-gray light that hovered over the water.

“Hey, you!” the ball of light cried. “Help me out, will ya?”

Twilight looked at the ball, eyebrow raised in disbelief. “Um,” she started, watching the ball bounce around the water. “What do you need help with?

“Get me outta the water!” the ball yelled. “I can't take it here anymore!”

“How, exactly?” Twilight asked, confused. “I mean, can't you just fly away?”

“I would if I could!” the ball snapped. “Some brat cursed me here and the only way for me to get out is for someone to just grab me!”

“That doesn't even make any sense!” Twilight yelled back.

“I know it doesn't!” the ball of light yelled. “Just help me!”

Not knowing what to do, Twilight took a looked down at the water and put hoof on the water, yelping when a small lily pad formed underneath said hoof. Pulling back, the lily pad floated away, before slowly shrinking and disappearing. Blinking, she took another step on the water, forming another lily pad, but held it there. This time, the lily pad seemed to grow rather quickly, but it disintegrated as quick as the first when she let go. Looking up, she jumped on the water's surface, nearly losing her footing when the lily pad moved with her.

Now underneath the glowing ball of light, she tapped it, causing it a white lock to appear on its body. A second later, the lock broke, revealing the ball of light to a creature Twilight had only thought to be in fairy tales, a pony-sprite, a pony-shaped fairy with small pointy butterfly wings and a horn.

“Oh thank the Goddess!” the little sprite exclaimed, falling down onto Twilight's nose. “I didn't know how much more of that I could take.”

“What happened to you?” Twilight asked the small sprite, jumping off her lily pad and landing on the opposite side of the small moat.

“Heck if I know!” the small sprite said, her little wings fluttering in agitation. “All I was doing was just relaxing in my shrine and BAM! I'm torn right out of my body and then locked in here!”

“You're own shrine?” Twilight prompted, confused.

“Yeah, my- OH CRAP!” the sprite yelled, jumping off of Twilight's nose and bobbing up and done uncontrollably. “MY SHRINE! WE NEED TO CHECK ON IT!” Before she could fly off, she fell over, Twilight barely catching her again. “No,” she mumbled weakly. “Been gone for too long...too weak...”

Frowning, Twilight placed the small sprite on the top of the flowerbud on her head and said, “Don't worry. I'll help you.”

“Thanks…” the small fairy said weakly. “Just head up…northern part of town. … can't miss.”

Nodding, Twilight made her way from the pool, and walked through town, noticing that the workers having constructed more than half of the carnival grounds in less than a day. Noticing that most of the stalls were for food and games, she wondered just what kind of carnival this was.

Making her way to the northern part of town, she found a rather jarring hole in the stone wall. “Is this it?” she asked the fairy.

“Yes…hurry…inside!” the fairy yelled. With little to lose, Twilight trotted in, only to be swarmed with multiple gray-blue lights. The fairy on her flower was picked up in the swarm, and almost immediately they came together and formed a drop, before falling into the pool of water beneath it.

After a few seconds, Twilight a great raucous laughter, followed by a burst of light that nearly blinded her. When the maredragora could open her eyes again, she found herself before a larger version of the sprite she had helped (even larger than Celestia, if she were to hazard an assumption), although this one was clad in a semi-transparent golden silk like material that covered her flank waist, with a golden tear shaped pendant tying it to her back. She stood majestically over the small filly, her golden mane flowing in an unknown breeze as her pure white eyes stared down at Twilight, with her mouth in a bright smile.

“Thank you, young off-worlder,” the being said, floating daintily over the water. “You have aided me in my time of need, and for that, I offer thee a blessing.” She raised one of her hooves, where a golden sphere formed, illuminating the cave with a soft golden glow. “Oh she who is wrapped in darkness, please accept a gift of light. May it guide you from your despair!” With those words, she kissed the small orb, sending it spiraling towards Twilight, who had just sat there in fascination.

Without any warning, it entered her chest, creating a surge of power that Twilight had only felt once before. Gasping, her eyes started to radiate with the golden as she floated several feet in the air. The power coursed through her very core, making her whimper slightly as it pulsed through her tiny body. With a yelp, the flower bud on top of her head grew twice its original size (which was not really that big to begin with) and bloomed, releasing a orange-gold tinted beam of light.

“What was that!?' Twilight screamed, looking over the wall she had fired at. It was surprisingly still intact, but the very fact she had released a beam of concentrated sunlight had surprised her beyond anything else.

[Twilight obtained the Blessing of Light! With it, she use her magic to focus light energy into various beams of energy. Be careful, as it does consume a lot of MP, and requires a source of light to fully utilize.]

The great fairy pony smiled, replying, “That was the culmination of your inner light, given form. Despite the darkness that surrounds you, your power can pierce through. Unfortunately, I lack the power to completely remove the curse that binds you to your form. The…Masked Filly...stole something important from me.” When Twilight nodded, she continued, “Please, oh hero of Another World,” the great fairy pony started, nodding its head towards the smaller filly. “I ask yet another task.”

“What is it?” Twilight asked back, sitting and watching the great fairy pony before her.

“This land is protected by six other beings like myself,” the ethereal pony explained. “Six other lights have been shrouded in darkness...Would you do me the honor of helping them?”

Twilight nodded in response, making the Great Fairy smile again. “Then as you leave, please accept this as a token of my thanks.” Closing her eyes, the Great Fairy's body shimmered as it released a silverish-blue orb, gossamer wings keeping it afloat.

“Wait, isn't she part of what's keeping you whole?” Twilight asked.

“Nah, don't mind it!” the orb said, bobbing up and down as it circled Twilight. “When I joined the main body, I restored what was lost due to us being separated. Now that our power is whole once more, I can leave the main body at my leisure!”

“Do not mind her, young one,” Twilight heard the Great Fairy say. “She will be your guide in this world, so heed her advice when she offers it. Now go! This world's fate rests in your very hooves!”

“Right!” the sprite said, floating towards the exit of the cave. Twilight followed at a slower pace, still trying to process what just occurred.

As they exited the cave, Twilight turned toward the small sprite and asked, “So, where exactly am I?”

“Huh?” the small sprite questioned, sounding confused. “This here is the town of Ponyville! Didn't the townsfolk tell you that much?”

“I got that much,” Twilight drawled, deadpanning. “It’s just…it shares the exact same name with the town that I come from, and the ponies here look…rather disturbingly familiar to the ones back home.”

“Really?” the sprite asked, tilting over to the side. “That's weird! This world is called Equis, mainly due to the equine nature of its inhabitants.”

“So,” Twilight started slowly. “Only ponies populate this world?”

“No no!” the sprite said. “I said equine-nature, meaning that everything here looks like a pony, or at least quadrupedal, but aren't exactly ponies, get me?”

“Oh, I get it,” Twilight said, thinking about it. “So, what races live here?”

“Oh, well,” the sprite said, looking as if she was thinking. “So, lets see, in the South we've got the Great Rainforest, where the maredragoras, a race of plant-like ponies like yourself, reside and provide fresh water to all other races. To the North we've got the griffons in Great Frozen Tundra, who provide a wide assortment of exotic foods and spices despite the harsh weather. To the West of here we have the Great Ocean of Rinoco, where the aquatic sea-pony race resides, who provide the best in terms of entertainment as well as fresh seafood for the griffons and dragons. (who need that fish for survival; they are omnivores). To the East is Raven Perch Canyon... and no one really goes there anymore.”

“Why?” Twilight asked, confused.

“Well,” the sprite started, faltering on, “It’s just that Raven Perch has been populated with all sorts of dark and evil creatures, like undead beings and lycans.”

“Those don't exist!” Twilight yelled, exasperated.

The sprite just laughed at her, saying, “Well, hopefully we'll never have to go there. If we do though, you're on your own!”

“Oh goodie,” Twilight drawled as she rolled her eyes, looking forward as they made their way through town.

“Now,” the little fairy continued, “up in the sky to the north east is Drakeroost, home of the dragons. It’s a cloud city, so…it’ll be a bit tough for us to get there. The dragons are enchanting specialists, and help to manufacture weapons and arms along with enchanted gems. And to the southwest is the Burning Plains. There, the Diamond Dogs dig up, refine, and produce raw materials for the rest of the world.”

"So Ponyville is the central hub where everyone comes to trade?" Twilight asked.

"For the most, part, yeah!" the fairy replied, nodding happily.

Along their travels, they passed by the main clock tower again, passing the various stalls. Once again, the workers paid her no heed.

“LOOK OUT BELOW!” a voice from above all of them yelled. Twilight looked up, only to see a smoldering brown pegasus, its wings and lower half trailing with fire and smoke, crash into the pool area she had just found the sprite in. Every one there winced sympathetically, only to just go back to work.

“That poor mare did it again,” one of the workers mumbled to his friend, shaking his head.

“Yeah, you'd think she'd learn by now to stop diving like that!” his friend replied.

“I'm surprised she hasn't died yet!” another spoke up.

“Hmm,” the sprite said, holding her tiny chin. “Maybe we should go check if she's okay?”

“Let’s go,” Twilight nodded, trotting over there.

When they arrived, nearly all the water had been displaced, leaving a slightly singed dark brown pegasus pony in the water, her face down. Jumping on her lily pads, Twilight jumped over to said pegasus pony and poked her, trying to get a response. After a few seconds, the mare's head shot up, surprising Twilight off of her own floatation vegetation and into the water.

Gasping, the pegasus said, “Well, lesson learned. Never activate Striker Units when flying through a thunder cloud. They tend to explode.” Turning, she found Twilight helping herself onto another lily pad and said, “Oh, hello there Twilight Sparkle! Lovely weather we're having, isn't it?”

Twilight froze up when she heard her name mentioned. Looking up, her eyes came across a dark-brown pegasus mare, her wings glowing with a soft green light and her mane slightly burned. The pegasus' dark blue eyes were seemingly glowing with happiness, despite the fact she had just landed face first into a pool of water while on fire.

“Do,” Twilight started. “Do I know you?”

“Oh, Twilight, I'm hurt!” the mare said melodramatically, climbing onto the bank and throwing off some kind of silvery metal horse-shoes from her hooves. Turning to face her, she continued, “Its me, the Doctor!”

Twilight blinked and deadpanned. “Oh...kay? But…the…Doctor from my world is a stallion, not a mare.”

“Oh, this?” the supposed Doctor said, turning her body around, revealing a familiar blue telephone booth shaped Cutie Mark on her flank. “This is a result of regeneration. A forced regeneration, mind you, but a regeneration nonetheless.”

“Wait, 'forced regeneration'?” Twilight asked, confused. “What do you mean by that?”

“Exactly how it sounds,” the Doctor said, shaking off the excess water from her dark brown coat. “You see, I was merely on a vacation, but then somepony attacked the TARDIS in mid-flight, causing the poor girl to fatally malfunction and crash here. Granted, because of my status, I was able to survive, but...” she trailed off, looking down, pain and despair flashing in her eyes. Sniffling and looking back up, gulping for air, she continued, “But my companions did not. I am led to believe that their souls and their presence is what caused me to regenerate in this fashion.”

Twilight said nothing at first, but trotted over to her and sat down. When the Doctor gave the small filly a perplexed look, said filly gave the older mare a hug. Surprised, the Doctor allowed herself a small smile and said, “Thank you for that, Twilight Sparkle.” Chuckling, she continued, “Even so far from home, you still look for ways to make others happy.”

Twilight said nothing, but slowly backed away. “So,” she started, “I'm assuming the masked filly did this to you?”

“Indeed,” the Doctor said, her face looking grim. “And, even though I have an inkling of just who is behind the mask, I am relatively useless in terms of finding her! Alas, all isn't truly gone, for I have,” she paused dramatically, going into her saddle bag. After a few minutes, she pulled her saddle bag from her side and started throwing a few items out of it. “Er...One moment please.”

Twilight deadpanned again, but her eyes widened in surprise as the Doctor threw out a multitude of items, such a bowling ball, a towel, a whistle of some kind, some kind of boomerang, a brick, to even a live cat. “Wha-! Just what do you have in there!?” the sprite besides her shouted.

“Oh, just a few nick-nacks that seem to be useful,” the female Doctor explained, not looking up from her search as she continued tossing out a glass bottle, a familiar shaped boulder, and even a barrel wearing sunglasses. “Ah, here we are!” she exclaimed, pulling out a golden stopwatch, passing it on to Twilight.

[Twilight obtained the Teleportation Charm! With it, Twilight can teleport anywhere in this world!]

Looking at it, Twilight opened it, and much to her surprise, instead of the regular numerals that told time, there were precious gemstones in their places. Oddly enough, they all seemed to be dull and lackluster, not even giving of a small shine. “What is it?” Twilight asked.

“That is a Teleportation Charm,” the Doctor explained, smiling as she righted her bag. “Its a small little thing I've been fiddling with ever since I got here. For the most part, its kind of like my old TARDIS, but its limited to this region. Right now though, it doesn't have any locations saved in its memory, and even then, its very picky as to what it'll choose to save and it won't.”

“And am I right in assuming it only has 12 slots?” Twilight asked.

“Nope. 24,” the Doctor replied.

“24?” Twilight asked, confused.

“Yes, 24. Is that a problematic number?"

“No…but…it just never seen a clock with 24 spots.”

“well, I suppose it’s a good thing this isn’t a clock then,” the doctor lightly prodded back, “There is another function within it, but it’s not quite ready yet.” Upon seeing the smaller filly's questioning gaze, she sighed and continued, “It makes little sense to tell you now, as I'm not even sure if I can even implement them.”

“So what do you do here Doctor?” Twilight asked, placing the watch into her saddle bag.

“Well,” the Doctor started, looking up. “Let’s see. I'm the town’s mail-mare, their weather manager, their resident mad-inventor, and their part-time night guard. Speaking of which, I'm about to be late for a delivery! Until then Twilight Sparkle!” With a smile and a nod, the Doctor jumped up and took off, her wings bursting from her back as she flew into the distance.

“...how is she able to do that all at once?” the small sprite asked, looking back at Twilight.

“Because she's the Doctor,” Twilight explained, making her way to the exit.

“Wait, what?” the small sprite asked, following her.

“Its exactly like she said,” came the Doctor's voice from behind them. As Twilight and the sprite shrieked in surprise, they turned around to see a smiling Doctor.

“HOW IN TARTARUS DID YOU DO THAT!?” the sprite screamed. “YOU WERE JUST FLYING OVER THE HORIZON!”

“Oh, that?” the Doctor asked, tilting her head. “Oh, well, I had merely forgotten something, so I popped back over here to tell you!”

“What is it?” Twilight asked, just as she calmed her heartbeat.

“If you want to see something interesting, I’d pop by the Mayor’s residence,” the Doctor said with a grin. “Whelp, that was it really. Until next time!” At that, the eccentric mare took off again, flying in the opposite direction she was flying previously.

“…is that Doctor fellow always weird?” the sprite asked after a moment of silence.

“Yes, actually,” Twilight responded. “Although, in my world, he’s a stallion who could travel across dimensions, so I guess being strange comes with what he does.”

“Right,” the sprite said, bobbing from side to side. After a few moments of travel, she stopped, as if to remembering something. “Hey, you know what I just realized?”

“What?” Twilight asked, looking up at her companion.

“We never told each other our names!” the sprite exclaimed, falling lightly on the maredragora’s nose. “You can call me Blink!”

Smiling, Twilight swiftly moved her nose upwards, sending the newly revealed Blink in the air. “Pleasure to meet you Blink. My name is Twilight Sparkle.”

“The start of a wondrous partnership!” Blink said happily, bobbing along in the air. “Now c’mon! I’ll show you the mayor’s office!”

After passing a few more frantic workers, the two finally stopped in front of a large wooden building at the eastern section of town, where there was already a collection of what looked like guards and workers arguing (in a rather civil manner) on the benches, seemingly waiting for something.

“Um, excuse me,” Twilight asked a group of workers and guards. “What are you all waiting for?”

“The Mayor’s official decision,” a guards-mare said, sighing as she took a swig from hip-flask. At the small filly’s confused look, she continued, “The Captain of the Guard went missing a few days ago before he could make an official decision on whether or not we should evacuate before that thing falls.” She took another swig, gesturing to the moon.

“Oh come on,” a nearby stallion said, dusting off his blue vest from the mess he made. “We all know that that’s just an old mare’s tale! The moon’s not gonna fall!”

“I dunno,” the mare replied to her older companion. “Still, I would have liked to see the Carnival go on at the very least. If the Vice-Captain gets his way, the Carnival is cancelled.”

“Well, lets just hope ol’ Rosh can talk sense into them both, right?” the stallion asked, just as Twilight left them and continued into the building.

Despite the crowd outside the building, the inside was relatively empty, save for the two ponies seated on couches nearby. On one end was a rather large, rotund looking pony, using a cane to keep himself upright. His furless skin was a light pale blue, with dark blue flecks coloring dotting his flank and hooves. What should have been his mane was instead just a tiny little fish fin that flapped from side to side.

“That’s a sea-pony, but not just any sea-pony,” Blink whispered into Twilight’s ear. “That’s Oto, the manager of the Aqua-Blues, the most popular band in these parts!”

On the other end was an even greater surprise to Twilight. Seated there, looking at several documents, was a pale white unicorn mare, her soft blue bespectacled eyes swiftly reading every line in a speed Twilight could only hope to match. With a sigh, she moved a strand of white and velvet hair from eyes with a hoof and said, “Is there really no way we can help her Oto? I was hoping to see the Aqua-Blues perform this year.”

“That’s the Mayor’s wife, Lavender Sunset,” Blink explained. “She mainly handles the administrative work in town, while the Mayor tends to all the big decisions.”

“Alas, I wish we could, Lady Sunset,” Oto replied, looking glum. “The band has tried all they could, but our lead singer’s voice just would not return to her. I suspect it has something to do with a recent theft by the local pirates.”

“We could send some guards to help with your pirate problem” Sunset said, putting the document down. “Surely, that could-“

“If only it could be that simple,” Oto said, shaking his head. “Those pirates are a crafty bunch; trying to send guards after them would be trying to find a lone fire-fish in the ocean. It’s just impossible.”

“Then, that’s it?” the elder mare asked, looking forlorn.

“There is nothing we can do,” the large sea-pony said, standing up, giving the mare a bow. “Until we meet for next year’s Carnival, Lady Sunset.”

“Take care, Oto,” the wife of the mayor said, taking off her glasses. As the sea-pony left, her eyes came upon the smaller mare. “Oh, hello there. Can I help you?”

“Oh, no, um, we were just here to see the Mayor!” Twilight stammered out. This mare, Lady Sunset, looked so much like her mother, Twilight Twinkle, that it was almost terrifying.

“Is that so?” Lady Sunset asked, fixing the two with a small stare. When the two nodded, she sighed and said, “You are welcome to go into the room, but I highly doubt you will be able to get a word in. The Vice Captain of the Town Guard and the Head of the Worker’s guild have been arguing nonstop about the decision regarding the Carnival’s fate.” With a sigh, she organized her papers with her magic and continued, “To be honest, with all the problems we’ve been having, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Carnival did end up cancelled this year.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked the analogue of her mother.

“Well, you just saw our entertainment tell me that they can no longer perform,” Sunset said, putting the papers in a nearby bin. “Then, my son, the Captain of the Town Guard, had disappeared a few days ago, just when he and his fiancé had already set the date of their wedding to be the day of the Carnival itself! And to top it all off, we have that giant hunk of rock constantly smiling down on us!” After a taking a deep breath, she sighed and continued, “I’m sorry for yelling dear. The stress has been getting to me.”

“Its alright!” Blink yelled, bobbing up and down. “Don’t worry about it! The Carnival of Time will go off without a hitch, you’ll see!”

Blink’s declaration brought a small smile to Sunset’s face. Chuckling, she waved them over, saying, “It does my heart well to see young ones as spirited as you. Here, take this. It’ll let you into the Mayor’s office.” She handed Twilight a small key the shape of a quarter moon, smiling all the while.

[Twilight obtained the Mayor’s Key! With it, she can open the door to the Mayor’s office!]

“Do keep in mind, my dear spouse can be a little scatter brained, even more so with those two idiots always arguing in her office,” Sunset said with a smile, patting Twilight lightly on her back. “Just go in the door through the left there.” As Twilight made her way to the door, she could hear Sunset mutter, “She seems so familiar to me…why?”

Shaking away the feeling of doubt growing in her heart, Twilight opened the door, bracing herself for whatever she may find. Inside, she found two groups of ponies, one clad in the garb she had seen the various workers around town dressed in, and the other in armor. In the center was a large oaken desk, and a familiar wall-eyed gray mare sitting behind it.

“We can’t allow the Carnival to continue, Roshan!” the guards to the left said. The spokes-pony was another familiar blonde-maned white unicorn, his face contorted in a mix of rage, concern and disgust at the group before him, the look amplified by the dark blue plate armor he wore around his body and the helmet over his head. “Can’t you remove the wool from your eyes for even a minute and even see the moon above you!? Everyday it draws closer! We need to evacuate!”

“Quit yer bellyachin’ ya little coward!” yelled an enormous dark brown earth stallion in a dark green worker's tunic, clearly not intimidated by the smaller unicorn, his white hair covering his eyes. “That’s just an old mares tale! The moon ain’t fallin’ anytime soon!”

“Are you even listening to yourself!?” the unicorn yelled back. “I know you and your stallions have been working day in and day out for weeks, and for that we are all grateful, but we cannot allow the Carnival to go on in this current environment!”

“What current environment!?” the earth pony yelled back. “Ponyville is fine! We’re running a little behind schedule, sure, but we’ve got everything else up and ready to go!”

“Yes, Ponyville is fine!” the Vice-Captain snapped back. “But what of the other races who were supposed to be in attendance? The maredragoras, griffons, sea-ponies, diamond dogs, and even the dragons have all canceled! The Carnival was meant to be a celebration of all races, not just us ponies!”

“Then tha’s jus too bad for them, now ain’t it!” the Head of the Workers Guild snapped back. “Look Azure, ah have no idea just what tha hell Captain Spark was thinkin when he choose ya as his Vice-Captain, but you two are nothing alike! He would have charged straight forward and gone on with this!”

Twilight could only blink at the copycat of Prince Blueblood argue for the safety and wellbeing of the townsfolk, but made her way to the Mayor, whose wall-eyed expression made it look as if she were watching both at the same time.

Actually, when she looked more into it, Twilight realized that was exactly what she was doing! Trotting up to her, the small maredragora poked the older pegasus, making her look down.

“Oh, hello!” the gray wall-eyed mare said, turning her seat to look down at her and ignore the two bickering ponies on the other side of her desk. “I’m Ditzy Hooves, mayor of Ponyville! How can I help you?”

“Um,” Twilight started, only to get cut off by Blink cutting her off and continuing, “We were told that we’d find something interesting if we came by your office today Miss! Any idea what that could be about?”

Ditzy sighed and looked down, catching her small rimmed glasses in before they hit the floor. “That crazy mail mare again,” she groaned. Looking up, she asked, “I take it she sent you here?” When Twilight nodded, Ditzy sighed again and said, “Well, if you find watching other ponies argue to be interesting, then by all means, stick around. They’ve been going at this for days now…and they never seem to stop.” Looking at the reports on her desk, she put her glasses back on and continued, “For me, I would personally want every-pony to evacuate. But that does mean that my Worker’s Guild will have spent all their resources for nothing though.” Putting her head on the desk, she grumbled, “I could do with a muffin though. For some reason, hearing these two go at it is more draining than actually doing paperwork.”

“I can help you with that,” Twilight said, speaking up before Blink could.

Turning to the small filly, Ditzy asked, “Could you really?” When Twilight nodded, Ditzy’s smile got a bit wider as she went into her desk, producing a bag of bits, handing some to the maredragora. “The bakery is just a few buildings away from here. It’s the one that has a giant pink cupcake as a door. Just tell them the Mayor’s usual and this should be enough to cover it.”

[Twilight got a Bakery Voucher! Use it at the Creamy Cupcake Carousel to get some food.]

Nodding to the mayor, Twilight and Blink walked past the arguing couple and out back onto the streets, where, just as the Mayor claimed it would be, sat a large wooden building with a double door resembling that of a cupcake. Sighing, Twilight walked through, and was greeted by a familiar looking unicorn with an orange mane, a creamy yellow coat and a pie shaped cutie mark. She looked up from her magazine, eyes widening in joy as she leapt forward, scooping up the small filly in her hooves.

“Hey! Wha-!” Twilight started, only to be snuggled by the older unicorn.

“OhmygohIcantbelieveIactuallygettoseeyoulikethisitssoamazingtoseeyousotinyyou’resocuteican’tbeliveyou’resocuteitssounfairiwishiwasthiscuteasafilly!Andtotopitalloffyou’reonsomelittlefetchquestwhichmakesyoulookallthemoreadorable!” the unicorn all but squee’d, swinging from side to side on her two hind legs.

Blink was smirking at the sight, but knew Twilight had had just about enough when she started to look green. Clearing her throat, she said, “As funny as it is to see her being hugged like a plushy, can you put her down? We kinda have an order to fill.”

“Oh of course!” the mare said, putting Twilight down. “Sorry about that; I get sort of excited when I see someone I missed again!”

Her breathing calmed down, Twilight handed her the voucher and said, “But, I don’t even know you! How could you have known me?”

Suddenly pouting, the older mare walked behind the bar and said, “Of course I know you Twilight Sparkle! Don’t you remember all the times you babysat my brother and I when my older cousin couldn’t make it?”

“Eh?” Twilight asked intelligently. Thinking on it, Twilight merely tilted her head in confusion.

Groaning, the unicorn mare said, “Its me, Pumpkin Cake! Sure, I’m older here on Equis, but you should know me all the same!”

Twilight only stood there, letting the information slowly sink in.

“WHAT!?” Twilight yelled. “But, wait, how do you even know who I am!? The Pumpkin Cake on my world is just a foal!”

“I know,” Pumpkin said, smiling.

“That doesn’t explain anything!” Twilight answered back.

“Of course it does!” Pumpkin answered back. “You see, you may not realize it, but we’re all linked. So whatever that Pumpkin Cake knows, so do I. It’s not that hard to understand when you think about it.”

“What?” Twilight asked again, holding her head to stymie an oncoming headache. “That doesn’t answer my-!”

She was cut off when a familiar looking pegasus with a mop of brown hair styled in a cowlick, as well as a creamy white coat and a brown cube shaped block of cake as a cutie mark, flew in, looking agitated. “Pumpkin,” he started, sounding as agitated as he looked. “What did I say about bothering our customers?”

“But I’m not, Pound!” Pumpkin said, pouting. “I just thought I recognized this little filly here!”

Sighing, Pound turned to Twilight, saying, “Please forgive my twin sister. Pumpkin here is a little bit…eccentric, to say in the least.” Offering a hoof, he continued, “You can call me Pound Cake. My sister and I run the Creamy Cupcake Carousel together. Was there anything you needed?”

“Oh yeah, she had this!” Pumpkin said, showing him the voucher.

Taking it, Pound nodded. “Ah, one of her specials again. Sheesh, Azure and Roshan must really be going at each other’s throats again. Don’t worry, I’ll get these in a flash.”

And as soon as he left, he returned in a blink of light, holding up several boxes of muffins.

“Here we are,” he said. “The Mayor’s Special; 20 pounds worth of muffins and other assorted pastries.” Looking down, he asked. “Can you carry all of this? This might be a bit much for you to carry on your own.”

“No need to worry!” said a familiar voice. Turning around, Twilight found the Doctor, smiling in her usual way. “Mayor Ditzy sent me out to help this little filly out. It shouldn’t be that much trouble Pound.”

“Alright then,” the male pegasus said. Wrapping them up tightly so that the boxes wouldn’t break in case they fell, he bade them farewell and sent them on their way.

Outside the shop, the Doctor turned and looked down at Twilight, who could only carry 2 boxes, and said, “So, did you find anything interesting like I said?”

“Well, I learned that Mayor of the town was Ditzy Do, the mail mare of my world,” Twilight said, as the two continued to walk on, the evening sun rays blinking over the town walls. “And that she uses her eye condition to watch two ponies at once, and still be able to react accordingly.”

“There’s that, yes,” the Doctor agreed. “And what did you think of the Mayor’s wife?”

“The Mayor’s…wife?” Twilight asked slowly. Thinking, Twilight’s eyes slowly widened in slow realization, “Wait, Lady Sunset? The analogue of my own mother, Twilight Velvet? SHE’S DITZY’S WIFE!?”

Smiling, she said, “I told you you’d learn something interesting!” lightly giggling at Twilight’s gobsmacked expression, the larger mare took the smaller filly’s boxes. “You look as if you need a rest, Miss Sparkle. Tell you what, I’ll handle the rest, you just go to the inn a few more blocks away catch some shut eye, okay?”

Twilight could only nod dumbly, much to Blink’s amusement, as the two made their way to another wooden structure called the “Royal Living Inn”. Stepping inside, she blinked at the sight of a familiar light pink pony with magenta, violet and pale white streaks through her hair, as well as coincidentally having not only a horn but a set of wings on her back as well, who was standing dutifully behind the counter.

When the familiar pony turned her way, Twilight gulped and walked forward, her hooves shaking with every step she took, the memories of what her world’s Cadence did to her still fresh in her mind.

If this particular Mi Amore Cadenze knew or recognized Twilight, she didn’t show it. Instead, a look of concern washed over face, as she peered over the desk to take a look at the small filly, asking, “Can I help you dear?”

Gulping, Twilight asked, “Um, I, well, do-do you happen to have any rooms open?” Blink even looked down at the filly, wondering what was going on with her.

“I do believe we’re all booked,” the pink alicorn said slowly, pulling over a book and flipping through its pages. “But we do have a no-show for the premium room. Can I have your name please?”

“Its,” Twilight started, swallowing down the lump in her throat. “My name is Twilight Sparkle.”

“Oh, you are miss Twilight Sparkle?” Cadence asked, looking surprised. “Well, you’re just in time Miss Sparkle! We were about to give your room away if you didn’t show up.”

“Wait, I had a reservation here?” Twilight asked, her confusion over-riding her fear and uncertainty.

“So it would seem,” ‘Cadence’ replied. Pulling off a key and a nearby lantern, she said, “If you would follow me, I will show you to your room.” At Blink’s insistence, Twilight followed the older pink alicorn up a flight of stairs and into a rather large and spacious room, very much reminiscing Twilight’s old bedroom back in Equestrian Canterlot.

“Sleep well, Miss Sparkle,” ‘Cadence’ said, setting the lantern down and giving Twilight the key. “I will return in the morning with breakfast.”

As soon as she left, Twilight tore for the bed and immediately wrapped herself in a make-shift cocoon made of the covers.

“Care to explain what that was all about?” Blink asked, sounding concerned.

“Maybe when I’m not so disoriented or confused,” Twilight groaned, trying to bite back tears that were forming.

“So in the morning then?” Blink asked, landing on the bedside table.

“…maybe,” came the small filly’s reply. “Maybe.”

Author's Note

I apologize for the rather rough looking chapter. My editor and I were both attempting the fabled art of sleep-writing, with little success.

Chapter 3: New World, New Threats

Chapter 3: New World, New Threat

-MORNING OF THE FINAL DAY; 15 HOURS REMAIN-

“And you can forget about being my best mare. In fact, if I were you, I wouldn't show up to the wedding at all!”

“But I-!”

“You have a lot to think about.”

“I was just-!”

The others walked out…all but the imposter…but she wasn’t even quite sure any more. It walked up to her and comforted her with a hug.

“It’s alright Twilight,” it cooed, “You’ve done nothing wrong. I’ve just been stressed, and I’m sorry.”

Maybe she was wrong. Maybe it was just Cadence, jittery from all the stre-

“But you were right.”

She felt a flash of heat. She backed off, as she suddenly felt a searing pain in her back legs. She began to panic.

“E-eh?”

She looked back…and her eyes went wide, with the gleaming green that met her. She screamed. She panicked. She ran. Her back legs were engulfed. Her panicked screams were only outdone by the cackling changeling.

“AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! H-HEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLPPPP!”

She continued to gallop until she felt something smack into her face and shatter. And then the ground disappeared beneath her. Her blood was dripping around her eye, her mouth was filled with the rusty taste of it. And was soon replaced by her own stomach condense as she picked up speed. And before she knew it, she saw the ground, rushing up to meet her. She screamed, as helpless as she was, doing the only thing she could.

“Hey, Twilight! Wake up!”

Twilight woke up with a gasp, her face moist with tears. “Wha-?” she asked, unintelligibly.

“Are you alright?” she heard another familiar voice ask, from above her. Looking up, she found the doppelganger of Cadence looking down at her, Blink by her side, both of them looking down at her with the exact same expressions of concern.

She screamed in surprise, backing away from not-Cadence, getting to the other side of the bed and slipping off, landing on her back.

“Wow, easy there!” Blink’s voice ran out, as the sprite flew over to her pony companion. “Calm down Twilight! Melody here was just checking up on you!”

As Twilight groaned, the pink pony in question made her way over to the fallen mare-dragora and helped her on her feet. “Are you alright? Did you hurt yourself?” she asked, worry gracing her features.

“I-I-!” Twilight could only stammer as the familiar looking face of her condemner looked back down on her, with the exact same look of care as before. Her face scrunching up, she lashed back, vines painfully erupting out of her neck, snaking around her tiny form, as she snarled, “HOW CAN I TRUST YOU AGAIN!? YOU BETRAYED ME!”

“Twilight!” Blink yelled in surprise. “What the heck is wrong with you!?”

Frowning, the newly dubbed Melody walked forward, making small, slow steps towards the young filly. “I don’t know exactly what happened,” she started, looking straight into the filly’s eyes. “But I can assure you this; I have never met you before, save for last night, when I took you to this room.” Sighing, she continued, “Now, will you please calm yourself?”

Breathing heavily as her heart pounded painfully in her little body, Twilight stared back defiantly, her vines still waving in the air threateningly. The older pink pony stared on impassively, keeping her eyes on the filly instead of the vines. Blink just sat in between them, unsure of what was going to happen next.

Eventually, after what seemed like several tense days, Twilight looked down and let her vines drop, realizing that the exact same foolish behavior was what had gotten her into this situation to begin with. “I-I’m sorry,” she mumbled quietly, feeling quite ashamed as the vines retracted into her neck.

“Its fine,” Melody said, sighing in relief herself as she made her way to the small filly. Upon closer inspection, the only similarity that this not-Cadence had with her own was that she was pink, and that was about it. Even then, Melody was several shades paler, and instead of the multicolored streaks of dark violet, light magenta and gold in her mane, it was just a solid dark violet with flecks of gold through it, held back with a rose-colored hair-tie. Finally, instead of the Cutie Mark that resembled a diamond heart, Melody’s flank sported a red crystal pineapple of all things, its green leaves stretched out over the top.

“Now then,” Melody continued, laying down next to the distraught filly, sitting close to her. “Care to tell me what happened?”

“Yeah, I’m curious about that too!” Blink said, flying up to her.

Taking a calming breath for her nerves, Twilight started her spilled everything that had happened. She started with the sudden invitations, to making preparations, and even to the final confrontation with its aftermath. Throughout it all, Blink and Melody stayed silent, not asking questions, but just listening.

“…and that’s all that happened,” Twilight finished, her head down. She looked up slightly, and saw that Melody has sat next to her, using her foreleg to pull her into a hug of so. Feeling a small tear on fall on her head, she looked up, and found the older pink mare crying.

“You poor dear,” Melody said, resting Twilight’s head against her neck right below her head. “I…I am truly at a loss for words, but…”

“Its fine,” Twilight said, cutting her off. “I-“

“Just how the hell is any of that ‘fine’!?” Blink snapped, bobbing furiously. “Your friends just abandoned you on the spot! You’d think that this Applejack or Rainbow Dash character would at least try to see your reasoning!”

“I had merely gone about it the wrong way,” Twilight sighed, sitting in the older pink mare’s hooves. “Maybe if I had merely waited until after the practice was over, it could have gone differently. But, as it stands, I was just too rash…and I paid for it.”

“So that’s it? You’re just going to let them get away with that!?” Blink asked, clearly agitated.

“There’s nothing I can do to them now, Blink,” Twilight said, getting up and looking out the window, where the moon’s ever growing figure looked even more ominous as it drew closer. “For now, all I can do is just do what Muuzaji asked and hope he can change me back.”

Melody said nothing at first, watching at the small filly wear a grim look of determination more fit for a mare who had known despair. Sighing, she got up and produced a small red bell from her hair and gave surprised Twilight by tying it around her small saddlebag.

“Eh? What’s this for?” Twilight asked, prodding the bell a few times.

[Twilight obtained the Heart Bell! Ring it if you’re ever in trouble and need some quick assistance!]

“It’s a small protection charm I’ve carried around for a while,” Melody said, tying the final knot. “but my guess is that it’ll serve you better.”

“Thank you,” Twilight said, smiling, her face hidden by the flower on her head.

After a quick breakfast of some simple toast and assorted fruits, Twilight and Blink bade their goodbyes and continued to explore town, which was noticeably emptier than before. The only ones left in town were the few foals she had come across (the ‘Bombers’ if she remembered correctly) and a few of the carnival construction workers. Without its townsfolk, the town felt like a ghost town.

“Is the moon really going to fall?” she heard an older mare whisper to another.

“I’d be hard pressed to believe otherwise!” the other mare said, looking up. “Look at it! It’s been drawing closer every day now and looks as if it could fall any minute now!”

“But it’s just a fairy tale! How could it possibly be real!” the first said, now looking distressed.

“You do realize that every fairy tale had to stem from some truth, right?” the second asked, looking at her friend. “You know, in that one story?”

“You can’t possibly think that-!” the first started, her eyes widening

“Of course not! That’s why my family and I are leaving town before nightfall!” the second cut her off, picking up her saddle bags and hurrying away.

As she watched the two older mares walk away, Twilight turned to Blink and asked, “What were they talking about?”

Shrugging her tiny shoulders, Blink replied, “I couldn’t really tell you, but supposedly, the moon nearly fell on the earth before. During that time, a hero had arrived, and in a measly three days, he and his companion managed to not only free the deities of this land, but freeing the land of its curse by destroying the various demons that had cast them.”

“In just three days?” Twilight asked, amazed. “So what happened to him afterwards?”

“I don’t know,” Blink replied. At Twilight’s annoyed look, Blink continued, “Oh don’t look at me like that! The various accounts constantly switch from saying he left the land to continue his journey, to the last demon managed to corrupt him, and to him dying of his wounds from the final battle! Everypony here knows the hero’s journey to save Equis, but no one really knows how it ended.”

“Huh,” Twilight said, thinking. Then her eyes widened, as she recalled a particular memory.

“I do so hope this trip was worth it,” Twilight heard the Zebra mumble, as he pulled out a sleeping bag of some kind. “This marriage festival better sell well or else I'm done for!” Going back to his cart, he ruffled through it, before his eyes widened. “OH NOT AGAIN! WHAT BLOODY BRAT STOLE THAT MASK!?”

“Blink,” Twilight started slowly, looking up at the Moon’s constant grinning face. “You said this happened before right? How long ago? And what exactly was the demon the hero faced?”

“Huh?” Blink asked, looking confused at Twilight. “Well, according to the story, this whole thing with the moon falling happened nearly thirteen years ago. Only problem here is that nopony actually interacted, let alone spoke with said hero, so nopony really knows just what the while evil thing was in the first place.”

“Wait, what!?” Twilight yelled. “If this happened nearly thirteen years ago, then it would be nearly impossible for somepony in this town, let alone this world, to not have met this so called hero at least once! That makes no sense!”

“I know it doesn’t make any sense!” Blink snapped back. “That’s just how its told! As for what exactly this demon was, well, again, everypony has a different answer to that. Some say that it was an actual demon that was woken from its slumber, and some say it was a possessed child that wielded dark magical powers. Again, with so many conflicting stories, no one really knows for sure.”

“Could it have been a mask?” Twilight asked.

“Eh? A mask?” Blink asked back, looking at the small mare-dragora. “Well, I guess it could be, as it follows the ‘possessed child’ theory, but I don’t really know for sure. Afterall-!”

WHAM!

Before Blink could finish her thought, an older unicorn mare with ran into them, sending the two groups into a tumble, eventually crashing into a nearby pile of clay pottery.

Groaning, the older mare rubbed the side of her head, picking up a pair of black and red shades before slipping them on. Looking up, she snorted in disgust, mumbling, “Dammit...he got away from me again.” Turning to the tiny filly she had knocked over, she asked, “You okay kid? Sorry about that.”

“What the heck was that for!?” Blink yelled, flying up into the older mare's face. The older mare scratched the back of her head, looking somewhat embarrassed, as she helped Twilight get back on her hooves.

“I didn't see you there kid,” the older mare said, ignoring the sprite. “Call me Resilient Glitter, or just Glitter. I own a gem shoppe in town.”

“I didn't ask who the heck you were!” Blink yelled, agitated at being ignored. “Who the heck just runs forward without looking where they're going anyways!?”

“Blink, calm down,” Twilight said, shaking her head to shoo away the stars that were still orbiting her head. Taking a better look at the mare, she sported an icy-white coat, and a mop of electric blue hair with two streaks of a darker shade on her left for her mane. Finally, her cutie mark was an elongated amethyst heater shield with an inverted trilliant cut diamond that had two swords crossing through the gem stone.

Now that the birds in her head had finally stopped chirping, Twilight asked, “So what were you doing?”

Sighing, Glitter pointed to an overhead pony and asked, “You see that pegasus over there?” When Twilight nodded, Glitter continued, “Well, that stallion stole something important to me, and, well, I was trying to catch him, but ran into you.”

“Well it isn't our fault you didn't look where you were going!” Blink yelled.

Ignoring the still irate sprite, Twilight asked, “Well, what did he take exactly?”

Pausing for a bit, Glitter said, “He took something very important to me.”

“And that is...?” Twilight asked again.

“And its private, not really something I'd pass around,” Glitter replied, walking away.

A little guilty, Twilight trotted after her and asked, “Well, do you want me to help you catch him?”

“And just how exactly is that going to work?” Glitter replied with her own question, looking at the mare-dragora. “I appreciate the sentiment kid, but it’s just not going to work.”

“Oh come on!” Twilight said, getting into the older mare's face. “Of course it'll work! What’s the worse that can happen?”

Glitter rolled her eyes behind her glasses and said, “Oh, I don't know...perhaps I could get thrown in jail for foal endangerment?”

“No you won't!” Twilight said, leading Glitter up a set of stairs of a nearby two story restaurant, leading stopping by the ledge. Jumping on the rail, Twilight turned to the older mare, she said, “Now just throw me at him!”

Glitter paused, staring at the tiny filly in disbelief. “I'm sorry,” she said, rubbing her ear with her hoof. “But I think I misheard you. Did you just ask me to throw you at a fast moving, flying target?”

“Yeah,” Blink added, looking at Twilight oddly. “This seems pretty stupid.”

“How else are we going to catch him?” Twilight asked. “It’s a really good idea! Just throw me!”

“Yeah, not happening,” Glitter said, turning away.

“Come on!” Twilight yelled. “Just do it!”

“No!” Glitter snapped back, turning to look at her. “It’s dangerous and its stupid, therefore dangerously stupid!”

“...are you sure you're okay?” Blink asked, looking at Twilight with concern. “I may not have known you for too long, but this seems a bit idiotic, even for you.”

After a pause, Twilight turned to Blink and asked, “Are you calling me an idiot?” Before Blink could answer, she turned to Glitter and said, “Look, as long as you can throw me as far as an average unicorn using your telekinesis, I can still grab him with my vines.” She extended her vines from her neck to as a small demonstration. “I don't know their maximum range, but I can probably grab him and use the extra weight to bring him down.”

Glitter just stared at the mare-dragora in further disbelief.

“What? Twilight asked, gazing at the older mare. “It could work if you actually threw me at him!” Watching the thief's outline slowly make its way over the town walls, she sighed, “Well, not now, at any rate.”

Before Twilight could say anything else, she heard Glitter sigh as her horn shone with a soft blue light, picking the young mare-dragora from the ground and placing her on her back. “Throwing you would have been a very terrible idea,” the older mare said, making her way off the building. “I mean, maybe if you had wings, I would have probably considered it, but even then, I probably wouldn't have done it anyways.”

Twilight sighed as the older mare proceeded to lecture her about the recklessness of her behavior, and couldn’t help but feel nostalgia wash over her. She felt herself being brought back to the time where she was an actual unicorn filly, riding on her older brother's back as they returned home together. As thoughts of happier times took place in her mind, they were slowly ruined by thoughts of her current situation...of how her brother wanted nothing to do with her anymore...

“Well, here we are!” Glitter said, snapping Twilight out of her reverie. When she looked up, she found herself by the town Laundry Pool, where she had met Blink for the first time. There, three small fillies were huddled together at a nearby table, reading what looked like to be some kind of design.

“Hey there girls!” Glitter called out, getting the three fillies' attention. When they trotted up to her, Twilight recognized them as the infamous Bomber group she had met on the first day. “I brought you three a new friend to play with. Try not to set this one on fire, alright?” With that said, the older mare carefully levitated Twilight off her back and left.

“Howdy there!” the yellow pegasus of the group said, walking up to Twilight and extending a hoof. “Mah name's Apple Blast! Pleasure ta mechya!”

Twilight looked at Apple Blast's offered hoof, and took it, making the other filly smile. “I'm Twilight Sparkle,” she introduced herself.
The orange unicorn came up to her, a wide grin on her soot covered face. “I'm Scooter Burn! Pleasure!”

As Twilight nodded to her, the last of the trio, a silver-ish white earth pony, smiled at her bowed her head slightly, saying. “And I'm Sweet Ignition. It’s nice to meet you, Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight turned to all of them, looking at the alternate versions of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Not only were the races of the Crusaders somewhat mismatched in this world, but they also had their cutie marks! Apple Blasts was an apple but with a lit fuse, Scooter Burn was wheel that was on fire, and Sweet Ignition was, oddly, a musical score with its edges on fire.

“So,” Twilight started, feeling very nervous, seeing as she didn't know if she was extremely flammable in this mare-dragora form, and not very willing to test it. “All of your talents have something to do with flames and explosives?”

“Yeah!” Apple Blast said, her tiny wings fluttering with excitement. Grabbing the other two in her forelegs, she continued, “Together, the three of us make the Bomber Squadron! We help other ponies in need whenever it’s called for...with explosions!”

“And today we were thinking of charming everypony up today by building a giant firework for them to enjoy!” Scooter Burn said. After a few seconds, she just looked down and said, “Well, we would if we could get this thing to work...:”

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked, head cocked to the side in confusion.

“Well, we managed to get lift off in our various test subjects,” Sweet Ignition said, cuffing the ground. “But they've mostly been duds who didn’t go as far as we wanted, nor did it even give us the explosion.”

“I know a fair bit of chemistry,” Twilight said, looking thoughtful. “Would you mind if I helped you girls out?”

“That'd be wonderful!” Sweet Ignition said, doing a little hop with glee.

“Yeah!” Scooter Burn agreed.

“Waitaminnit!” Apple Blast said, stopping the two other fillies and turning to the plant like filly. “Ain't you mare-dragoras super flammable or something? Ah don't wanna accidentally set you on fire or nothing.”

“Oh, that?” Twilight asked, looking surprised and looking at her own hoof. “Well, as long as I don't come into direct contact with the ingredients, I should be fine, right?”

“If'n you say so,” Apple Blast said, sounding worried. After a few seconds, she sighed and said, “Well, let’s get to work girls! We've only got a few hours left before the carnival starts!”

“Bomber Squadron Fire-work Makers, Go!” the three fillies cheered, giving each other a three-way highhoof. Twilight could only wonder just what she had gotten herself into...

(One Practical Application of Chemistry Later)

“We did it!” Apple Blast cheered, rubbing the sweat off her soot covered brow. Looking up at the large red rocket she and her friends had made, they all cheered once more.

“And by the looks of it,” Twilight said, looking up. “We're just in time too.”

Turning back to the group, she noticed the pegasus and the unicorn continued their happy dance around their latest creation, but the only earth pony looked somewhat apprehensive, staring at the face of the moon.

“...are you afraid of the moon?” Twilight asked her, sounding concerned.

“Oh, that?” Apple Blast asked, trotting over to them. “That’s just an old mare's tale! It ain't really gonna fall!” Her wings twitched slightly, as she turned her gaze to the stone satellite, but she kept her happy expression.

“But how do you explain why the moon is so close?” Twilight countered. “Look at it. It looks like it’s been getting closer.”

“Yeah, but then this is about the same set up when the hero is supposed to appear!” Scooter Burn replied. “So even if the moon were to fall, the hero would appear and set it back in its place, just like in the story!” Like her pegasus friend, she was also smiling, but her eyes were glued to the moon.

Frowning, Twilight turned to her and asked, “You don’t really believe that, do you?”

The unicorn turned to her, looking annoyed, retorting, “And what’s that supposed to mean!?”

“Nothing, nothing!” Twilight defended her self. “It’s just that you look worried, that’s all!”

“Well I'm not!” Scooter Burn snapped back.

“Neither ahm ah!” Apple Blast said, her accent dipping into the country like speech she was so accustomed to hearing back in Ponyville. Her feathers ruffled and her wings held out, she continued, “Like ah said, it’s just some old mare's tale! It ain't gonna fall!”
Before her two friends could say more, Sweet Ignition spoke up softly, “I'm afraid.”

Turning to her, taking note of the other two's shocked expressions, she asked, “Then why haven't you or your family left town?”
Sweet Ignition sighed, looking down. “My mom and dad just think it’s some silly superstition. Heck, my Grandpa Roshan, the Head of the Worker's Guild, even wanted us to stay with him...”

Before Twilight could even ask, Big Mac came around, calling out, “You fillies over here? The carnival’s startin' and yer parents are askin' for ya!”

“Coming Mac!” Apple Blast replied back to the source. Turning back to Twilight, she said. “Look, Ah don’care if that piece o’ rock falls or not! Ahm gonna go spend the night with mah big brother and mah granny, and be happy ah did! If that thing does decide to come down, ah'd rather be happy with mah family, than running around scared, ya hear?”

“Yeah!” Scooter Burn said, getting on her two hind legs and kicking the air slightly. “That’s the Bomber way! Going out with a bang!” Sweet only sighed at her friend's antics, but slowly nodded with them.

“Bye Twilight! We'll catch you at the carnival, alright?” Scooter Burn said with a smile. After a few thoughtful seconds, she asked, “Actually, do you think you could set it off when the time comes? You seemed to know a lot more of how to safely set this thing off than we do, so maybe you should have the honors.”

“Apple Blast, doesn't she need some-” Sweet Ignition started to say.

“Oh yeah, Ah nearly fergot!” the pegasus said, extending her left wing and pulling out a circular shaped shiny blue pin in the shape of a bomb. “Here, this is our emblem, making you one of us! Look for us again when the carnival's over, okay?”

Twilight could only watch the three of them run off, and sighing as she turned her gaze back to the moon. Before she could get anywhere, she felt an odd sensation on the back of her head, where the flower had grown. After a few seconds, Blink emerged from the small hole, shaking herself off of any dust pollen she accumulated while in there.

“That's where you've been the entire time?” Twilight asked, surprised.

“Yeah,” Blink said slowly, a little uncertain. “I went in there when that older mare carried you on her back, remember?” When Twilight shook her head, she sighed and said, “Well, anyways...those are some crazy foals, don’t you think?”

Looking down and allowing herself a small smile, Twilight replied, “I have a feeling they'll make it big someday.”

“Right, about that,” Blink replied, looking unsure. The two continued to watch the moon in total silence, waiting for the right time. Soon, fireworks began to fire through the night sky, but there were barely any cheers in celebration.

“I guess that's our cue,” Twilight said, trotting over to the rocket and jumping on it, using her vines to bring herself a piece of fling and steel and then tethering herself to the rocket.

“What are you doing?” Blink asked after an uncomfortable pause.

“What, this?” Twilight asked back, looking down. “Oh, I figured the fastest way to get to the clock tower is to just take this thing up there, seeing as I really didn't find see any doorways going up or anything like that.”

“But this thing is untested!” Blink protested. “And, just so you know, mare-dragorae are, in fact, HIGHLY flammable! This thing could exploded at any time during the flight and you'd be dead! Then what!?”

“But it won't,” Twilight said, allowing a smug grin on her face. “I made it, so I know exactly where it'll burn out!”

Blink's tiny eyes twitched at the logic behind her reasoning, but said nothing as she watched the mare-dragora filly fail numerous times at trying to light the use. After about fifteen attempts, Twilight finally got the spark she needed, and held her vines tightly around the rocket's base.

'Wait a minute,' Twilight thought, recognition slowly creeping onto her face. 'I just lit a rocket...and rockets explode!' As her mind finally finished wrapping itself around that little fact, the rocket took off, with Twilight holding onto dear life as Blink shouted something unintelligible and most likely vulgar in her own native tongue as she the two of them took off across the night sky, unaware of the stares they were getting down below.

Seeing her stop coming up fast, Twilight slowly eased up on her grip, and, once her positioning was right, let go and let herself drop, landing on a large circular clock like platform, bouncing a few times before hitting the a small wall.

“Ow,” Twilight groaned, getting up as the birds in her head stopped chirping. “Blink, are you there?”

“For the record,” Blink said, as she emerged from Twilight's flower bud and floating right besides her. “that was pretty awesome! However,” she continued, floating beside Twilight and cuffing her lightly. “We are never doing that again!”

“Oh come on, its not like we had any other option!” Twilight replied, getting up.

Before Blink could retort, a chilling laughter filled the air around them, as a flash of purple fire caught their attention. Still giggling, the masked filly assumed a relaxed position and said, “You actually made it! I was worried that you would forget our play date, so I made sure to get this big reminder for you. Pretty smart, huh?”

“Yes, smart,” Twilight replied rather snarkily, glaring at the masked filly while scuffing the floor. “Why are you doing this? What do you have against me or these ponies that you'd threaten to drop the moon on them!?”

“Huh? Oh, I have nothing against you,” the masked filly said, circling Twilight and Blink in a lazy fashion. “Actually, you seem like you'd be really fun to play with!” Giggling, she reoriented herself and through her forelegs and hindlegs out, saying, “And as for these ponies? It should be obvious! This world is just too boring, too plain for my liking! I just want to liven it up a little, you know? Disrupt their precious established order, introduce a little anarchy into their lives! Doesn't that seem much more fun?”

“And threatening them with mass extinction is your way of doing it!?” Twilight asked back in disbelief, unable to believe her ears. Even Discord, despite his odd machinations and tendency to destroy friendships with a snap of his claws, never went this far!

“Why not?” the masked filled cackled, gesturing to the town below the tower. “To hear the world cry out in pain and suffering is the symphony of wonders! To watch their world burn is the very paragon of art!” Calming down slightly, her tone became increasingly darker and menacing as she continued, “Besides, they all deserve it.”

“What?” Twilight asked, again not believing what she was hearing.

Her very form coated with purple fire, the masked filly continued, “This world is full of cruelty, the liars, the backstabbers, the thieves, all of them will burn! They think, just because they were called, they can just leave me!? Just because they were chosen, they think they're better than me!?” With the flames pulsing around her, she turned to the moon and cackled, “Well guess what!? They aren't! I'm the best one here! Me! ME! ME! I CURSE THEM! I CURSE THIS WORLD! I CURSE IT ALL!”

Twilight and Blink could only stare, dumbstruck at the masked filly's declaration. “What,” Twilight started, walking to her. “What happened to you?”

Taking a deep breath, the masked filly turned to her and said, “Oh that? Ah, it was nothing! Nothing happened! At all!” At Twilight's unconvinced stare, she continued, “Nothing happened! Really! Nothing at-!” Before she could continue, the mask's piercing yellow eyes and the mask's vibrant colors suddenly dulled, as the little filly's body just hung there, limp and unmoving. Just as Twilight was about to pull the body down, it suddenly came back to life, but its little forearms reached for her non-moving head and pushed against the wood of the mask. A sickening 'squelching' sound was made, as some sort of black, tar like substance stretched from behind the mask to the actual filly's face. The filly had actually managed to pull the mask far enough that Twilight could just barely make out a mouth, but could definitely see a single violet eye looking fearfully down at them.

“What?” Blink asked, looking as confused as she sounded.

“Help,” the little filly behind the masked begged, her eyes teary as she struggled to keep the wood off of her face.

“How? How can I help?” Twilight asked, concentrating as she extended her vines. Just as she was about to grab the mask, it flared back to life, its yellow eyes shining as it released a burst of purple flames, forcing Twilight to retract them as it tried to force itself back on the filly's face.

The little filly struggled, as the gooey substance tried to cover her face, but she was just barely able to keep it off for a few seconds longer. “Help my friends,” she said weakly, as the liquid started to glow, overpowering her. “Go to the Forest, the Mountains, the Oceans, the Canyon,” she continued, as the mask started to regain its color. “Go to the Fields, the Skies...find them,” she begged, as the masked suddenly flared and forced itself onto her face. Twilight could only stare in mute shock as the mask's eyes blinked in confusion, before turning back to the mare-dragora.

“Sorry about that!” the masked filly said, sounding completely different from the pleading voice before.

“Dear Faust,” Twilight said, realization striking her. “That mask is just controlling her!”

“Huh?” the masked filly said, sounding confused. “Oh that? That’s just another of my psychotic breakdowns, don't mind it.” Flying up directly under the moon, she continued, “Anyways, let’s start the fun, shall we?” Without warning, she let out an ear piercing shriek, her cries echoing throughout the land as the mask released waves of purple energy. The moon, as if picking up on her cries, suddenly started to move forward, as flames started to surround its circular body.

As Twilight released her ears, Twilight turned her gaze upwards, noticing the small rocks actually levitating off the structure. “I won't let you!” she shouted, eyes shut as she focused the Blessing of Light the Great Fairy had granted her, taking in the light that was reflected off the moon and collecting with the flower on her head. With a cry, she released the collected energy, but narrowly missed her target.

“Oi, watch it!” the masked filly snapped, turning to her. You could hurt somepony with that thing!”

“That’s the point!” Twilight snapped back, focusing as she collected more light and fired again.

The masked filly could only yelp in surprise as she dodged the beam again and again, crying out “, I’m starting to get the impression that you don't like me very much!”

“Stop the moon from falling then!” Twilight shouted, shooting another beam.

“I don’t wanna!” the masked filly retorted, turning to her. “I just wanna watch this world burn!” With a gesture to the moon, her masked glowed again, this time causing the eyes of the moon to release tear shaped stones, very similar to the one that she had picked up when she had attempted to save Granny Smith from the thief two nights ago. An idea coming to her, she dodged the rest of the falling tears and grabbed the one that hadn't immediately dissolved into dust.

[Twilight obtained a second Moon's Tear! These enchanted stones apparently have the ability to enhance Twilight's current forms permanently, but disappear after each use.]

“Why the heck did you grab another one!?” Blink yelled, following her.

“The first one I grabbed gave me these,” Twilight said, extending her fines as she held the glowing stone in her hooves. As it dissolved into dust and swirled around her, she continued, “Maybe I'll get something better from this!” As the shining blue dust swirled around her, it shifted into a light green color, flying into her flower bud leaving her feeling somewhat light-headed as the plant started to grow even larger, up to the point where it could pass as an ornate looking hat. Without even realizing what she was doing, her plant like tail latched onto the ground beneath her, keeping her two balance as her two neck vines did the same. Grimacing, she felt the flower shift its position from the top of her head to a bit more in front of her eyes, just as a small vine extends from the flower and forms a circle over her right eye.

“What the heck?” Blink mumbled after a pause, looking at the results of taking in a second moon's tear. “What are you even supposed to be!? You look...I dunno, stupid!”

Twilight could only huff, but her eyes widened when realized she couldn't move that much with her tail and her vines keeping her rooted. The masked filly above them stared, but suddenly howled with laughter, creating a purple fireball in her left hoof. “Thanks for making this easy for me!” she said, making the fireball bigger as time went on.

Twilight started panicking, trying to stop whatever the she had started, when Blink suddenly landed on her flower bud, at the spot right before the flower opened up. “This is gonna feel a bit weird,” Blink said, “But this just might work!” Grabbing two flower stalks, she tugged on them, making two smaller flowers emerge from the large center piece. Before Twilight could even process or protest at how strange his felt, the small pony fairy grabbed a third stalk and gave it a hard tug, causing all three flowers to suddenly come to life and shoot seeds, causing the mask filly to yelp in surprise and cancel her fireball, dodging the sudden burst of projectiles.

“What the heck are you doing!?” Twilight screamed at small fairy.

“Calm down!” Blink yelled back, grabbing another stalk. “I've seen some mare-dragora do this before! Just don’t make any sudden movements!” She continued to fire burst after burst of seeds, all while the masked filly continued to dodge, dancing and laughing as she did so.

“Wow, you're really bad at this!” she crowed, flipping as she dodged yet another burst. “Keep it up though! You might just hit me yet!”
Growling in frustration, Blink let up on the pressure on Twilight's flower, giving her time to breath while the small pony fairy dived into her bag. When Twilight looked up again, she found her face being stuffed with the Spark Nuts she had obtained on her first day here. Before Twilight could even protest, Blink flew back to her starting position and grabbed a red stalk, triggering a gag reflex that forced Twilight to swallow them all. As Twilight motioned frantically that she was choking, the small fairy grabbed a second red stalk and both of them a hard pull, which forced the nuts down Twilight's throat and into her stomach, where she could feel them crackling and

building up pressure. Just as Twilight was about to question just what that was all for, Blink grabbed a third stalk on her flower, creating immense pressure Twilight's body, up to the point where she felt as if she would explode at a moment’s notice. After a few seconds of painful pressure, Blink released all three stalks, causing the flower on her head to glow blue as it released a burst of electrified seeds at the masked filly. She shrieked in pain as the sudden blast took her by surprise, causing her to drop an ornate wooden pan flute.

That last burst also took its toll on Twilight, as her tail and head flower shifted back into their original positions, and the vines returned to her neck. Panting and coughing, Twilight crushed Blink under her hoof, screaming, “JUST WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT!?”

Blink, unharmed but squished under hoof, squeaked out, “What!? It worked, didn't it? We got her!”

Twilight looked up, but only saw the masked filly up and about, flying around as the moon continued to fall. Spying the pan flute, she used her vines to grab it and bring it to her, but only stared at it, feeling the power just emanating off of it. “Wow,” she breathed. “This thing is just overflowing with magic!”

“Hey! That's my pan flute!” Blink said, getting up. “So...do something!”

“Like what?” Twilight asked back.

“I don’t know!” the pony fairy snapped back. “Just play it or something!”

Stammering, Twilight played the most basic song she knew could think of, only to get whacked on the back of the head by her fairy companion. As the moon drew ever closer, Twilight could smell the smoke and fire of the burning oxygen above them.

“What do I do with this thing!?” she shouted to no one in particular, crying to night sky “I don't know what to do! Somepony! Anypony! Help me!”

“And because you have called,” a soothing voice replied in her mind, making her stiffen. “I shall answer.”

Twilight could only gasp as a sudden flash of white light obscured her vision, and a feeling of warmth overcoming her. When she could see once more, Twilight blinked in confusion.

She was no longer at the tower, fighting off the masked filly and her control of the moon. Her companion, blink, was nowhere to be seen, and Twilight found herself in a land filled with a bright white and rather thick mist, and the whole area covered with a soft white light. Grimacing, she rubbed her eyes, but noticed something with her hoof.

It was purple again! Sitting down, she took a look at herself, and found herself as her old unicorn self once more!

Before she could let a celebratory cheer, she heard a flute playing a calming, but somewhat forlorn melody. Her ears twitched as she trotted to the source with her eyes closed, using only her hearing to guide her, feeling somewhat comforted as the melody softly grew louder and louder, before it stopped all together.

When she opened her eyes, Twilight found herself before standing before a pony larger than herself, but not by too much. This new mare stood around somewhere around Cadence's height, but taller and much leaner. She wore an ornate purple and white gown, flecks of gold adorning the joints and wings, but the most noticeable where the golden triangles that covered her flanks and a golden pendant around her neck. Finally, there was the golden crown that rested on her head, letting her horn be shown. Finally, this mare was the source of the music, holding an ornate blue and gold potato shaped instrument in her fore hooves.

Twilight immediately bowed, not knowing this particular princess. “Hello,” she said softly, not lifting her eyes.

“Raise your head, Twilight Sparkle,” the alicorn princess said, getting to her hooves. “I have been waiting for you to reach out to me.” As Twilight looked up at her in confusion, she continued explaining as she cantered away, “The light within you had been smothered in darkness, the very same curse that struck this land nearly thirteen years ago.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked, following her. “What is this? Where am I? Am I back to normal?”

Sighing, the alicorn princess could only shake her head, as she said, “This place is the Astral Plane, a place where the soul is laid bare, whether it be pure or corrupted. I brought you here, to weaken the dark curse that had been smothering your inner light...and to make one selfish request.” Seeing Twilight's ears perk up, she continued, “As I have said, the same curse that afflicted you has been cast on the land and her citizens. Another hero before you had tried to free the land, but he had succumbed to his own curse, sending his soul into oblivion.” Turning to her, a look of sadness gracing her features, she said, “I ask of you, will you rid the land of this curse? Will you take arms and fight back in my name, as my Knight?”

“Wait, you want me to be your Knight?” Twilight asked, not believing what she was hearing. “But, but you just met me! I just met you! I don't know anything about you, and vice versa!” Seeing the alicorn princess' neutral expression, she continued, “I mean, I have nothing against you. I am actually very grateful that you've managed to weaken the curse's power over me, but I can't just go into a commitment THIS big without having any information!”

Much to her surprise, the alicorn princess was actually giggling behind her hoof. “It does my heart well that you do not blindly run without thought,” she said. “As for who I am, you may call me Zelda, of the Royal House of Hyrule.”

“So then, Princess Zelda,” Twilight said, looking at the alicorn. “Why did you choose me over the other ponies in that town? There were loads of poniesbetter than me! I'm just a simple unicorn!”

“You are more than a simple unicorn,” Zelda explained, looking down at her potential Knight. “You have endured many trials and tribulations, and you have succeeded in overcoming them. No doubt, this quest will be filled with peril beyond your wildest nightmares, but,” she paused, nodding her head so that their horns were nearly touching. “I have faith that you will overcome, with a courage burning brighter than the stars in the sky. It is for this reason why I have chosen you, Twilight Sparkle.” Pulling her head back, she looked back into Twilight's eyes and extended a hoof, asking, “I ask you once more, Twilight Sparkle, will you accept my selfish request, and become my Knight?”

Twilight could only stare blankly at the offered hoof, trying to wrap her mind around what she was just told. Taking a deep breath, she matched the alicorn's gaze and extended her own hoof, taking the princess' hoof into her own. Almost immediately, she felt a warmth like never before explode from her very core, burning away the doubts and insecurities she once held. “I accept, Princess Zelda,” Twilight said with conviction.

A warm smile gracing her features, Zelda slowly pulled her own hoof back and brought out the flute she was playing earlier. “Thank you, my Knight,” she said, bringing the flute to her lips. “As a token of our new pact, take this melody, and keep it close to your heart. When you play it, I will be there to guide you.” As Twilight suddenly produced her pan flute, Zelda proclaimed, “Learn my Song of Time, and keep its music in your soul!” With that, she started to play.

The tune was hypnotic and powerful, despite it being so short. Twilight watched her new Princess play the tune, lightly swaying from side to side. As Twilight brought her own instrument to her lips, a sense of nostalgia struck her, guiding her lips as she blew from flute to flute, matching her new lady's tune perfectly.

Looking down at her instrument in amazement, she asked, “What...what was that?”

Smiling softly, Zelda replied, “The Lingering Will of the previous hero...he and I will be guiding you along your quest.”

“I'm afraid I don't understand,” Twilight said, frowning.

“Do not worry,” the alicorn replied, closing her eyes. “You will. In Time.” The mist suddenly became thicker, as the she was suddenly obstructed from Twilight's view. “Until we meet again, my little knight.”

Twilight's own eyes closed as the mist washed over, the feeling of warmth slowly fading but still remaining within her. When she opened them again, she found herself as a mare-dragora once more, holding the pan flute in her tiny hooves, as if no time had passed whatsoever.

“Snap out of it already!” Blink screeched. “Do something!”

Twilight looked up at the moon, and at the cackling masked filly. Closing her eyes, she brought the pan flute to her lips, only for hers to shoot wide open in surprise as it suddenly morphed into a wooden saxophone, forcing her to stand on her hind legs to even play it. Not even listening to Blink's cries, she played the royal melody once more, letting it echo through the night sky. As the final note left with utmost ease, everything froze in place.

Blink, who had grabbed onto Twilight during the time she was playing, looked around, confused. But before she could say anything, a white clock like portal formed underneath the two of them, its hands spinning backwards. Just as she was about to speak up, gravity suddenly kicked in, dropping the two in the portal, sending them falling through a real of pure white, the sound of ticking clocks and melody of the song Twilight had just played echoing all around them

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Twilight found herself in a familiar dark and grubby looking, the sounds of rushing water and a ticking clock echoing all around them.

“Where are we?” she asked, looking around.

A chilling giggle was her only response, as she turned around to see the grinning face of Muuzaji, the mask sales-zebra, stepping out of the shadows and into the light.

“Welcome back.”

Author's Note

Well, it certainly has been a while, hasn't it?

Yeah, I know. To the few of you who actually enjoy reading my scribbles, I apologize for having taken so long. Problems with life, money, and all that fun stuff came into play, and I barely had enough time to myself.

That aside, I do hope you've enjoyed the chapter. Please, tell me what you liked and disliked, if you found any errors, or anything like that.

Also, much thanks to ChaoticYume of DeviantArt for getting me back up and inspiring to write once more! Cheers.

Chapter 4: Where we came in?

Dawn of the First Day
72 Hours Remain

When Twilight opened her eyes, she found herself in a dark, dank, dimly lit room. The tick-tock of a clock and sounds of rushing water echoed in her ears, and it was all disorienting.

“Welcome back.”

Twilight flinched, suddenly awake and alert as she looked to and from, her leafy head shaking with her movements. The sight of the mask sales-zebra, Muuzaji, nearly made her jump out of her skin.

“What? Who? How? Where!?” she stammered, unable to comprehend what she was seeing.

“Um, Twilight?” asked Blink, making herself known by emerging from Twilight’s flowery head. “What…what did you do?”

“I, I don’t-“Twilight started, trying to make sense of what she was seeing.

“Music works in mysterious ways, does it not?” Muuzaji asked, chuckling at the confused maredragora’s expression. “This way please.”

“Wait, what do you mean-?” Twilight started, but was immediately cut off at the sight of a large pipe organ suddenly appearing before her eyes. “When did that get there? That wasn’t there before!”

“Oh? Before? Are you quite sure?” the enigmatic zebra asked, his every present smile still there. “This has always been here.”

“No it wasn’t! That only showed up when you…brought it to my attention…?” Twilight trailed off, unable fathom a way of explaining what just happened.

Muuzaji merely giggled at Twilight’s befuddled expression, and sat himself at the keyboard. “As I have promised, since you have a way to restore yourself, I will show you the method. Now, listen closely, and follow along.” Taking a deep breath, the zebra began to tap the keys, producing a low, resonating, melody. The tone was somber, yet at the same time uplifting. When Muuzaji gestured, she produced the same saxophone from before, and repeated the melody note per note.

As the final note trailed off the instrument, Twilight gasped as she found herself staring at a black void, devoid of all detail save for the dirt covered ground littered with fallen brown, red and gold leaves. Taking a cautious step, she found herself as a unicorn once more!

Before she could celebrate, she heard the sound of ruffling leaves from behind her. Turning, she found a large flower, bigger than any she had seen. Cautiously, she prodded the flower with her hoof, only for it to suddenly spit out a large mass at her face.

As she panicked, she heard a familiar giggle in her ear. Taking a deep breath, she raised her hooves to her face and gently pushed whatever was on her face off of her, and blinked in confusion as she found a tiny giggling maredragora filly in her hooves.

“Who…?” Twilight started, a bit confused.

“I’m you, silly!” the tiny being announced happily.

“Wait, how is that even possible?” Twilight asked, setting the tiny creature down. “Are you-?”

“You!” the tiny filly announced, smiling at Twilight’s lack of comprehension. “Or, at least you were me for a little while.”

“Wait,” Twilight said slowly, realizing what she meant. “I-!”

The little maredragora smiled sadly at Twilight, just as the two heard another rustling behind them. Turning her head, Twilight saw a little changeling hiding in the leaves, nervously sticking its head out to look at them. Swallowing her uncertainty, Twilight approached the little changeling, who squeaked back, hiding back in the leaves.

“Hello?” Twilight asked, walking to the shivering plant, closely followed by the maredragora filly. Taking a deep breath, she moved the bush aside, revealing a terrified looking changeling. It looked up in fear, but then bowed its head in resignation.

“You,” the unicorn started, “you are me too, aren’t you?”

The changeling only chittered in response, as if waiting for something. Twilight shook her head slightly, before walking over to the tiny changeling and pulling it into an embrace.

“I don’t hate you,” Twilight said to the tiny changeling. When it looked up in confusion, she continued, “Sure, I may not like what Chrysalis did to me, but that is far from, your fault. If anything, Chrysalis hurt both of us.” Petting the small changeling behind its ears, she continued, “You are me and I am you. That’s all there is to it.”

“See?” the tiny maredragora said, worming into the hug with the changeling. “I told you she’d still accept you!”

Twilight smiled as she closed her eyes, feeling a warm light envelop them.

“Twilight…?” she heard Blink ask nearby.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself before the Muuzaji, his ever-present grin still on his face, with Blink floating nearby. Blinking, she looked down at herself, and found herself back in her usual unicorn body

“I’m, I’m back to normal?” Twilight asked herself, sitting on her rump as she gazed at her own violet hooves again. Giddiness welling inside her, she let out a small whoop as she examined herself. In the middle of her examination, she found two masks before her. One was an earthy brown color, its color and feel resembling that of soft tree bark. Moving some of the hair-like vines out of the way, a smiling face and a pair of red eyes stared back at her. Turning to the other, it resembled more of a black half mask, some green tloransparent translucent cloth behind the eye holes.

Twilight received the Maredragora Mask! This mask, a remnant of the curse placed on Twilight by the Mysterious Masked Filly, can transform Twilight back into a maredragora at will!

Twilight received the Changeling Mask! This mask, a remnant of the curse placed on Twilight by Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings, can transform Twilight back into a Changeling at will!

“What is this?” Twilight asked, confusion creeping into her voice.

“The curse that has been placed upon you has been broken,” Muuzaji answered, his grin seemingly growing wider as he approached form the organ. “Most curious, however, is that two curses were layered upon another. Odd.” The zebra nodded to himself as he approached Twilight, before extending a hoof. “Now that I have delivered my end of the bargain, so must you do yours, do you not agree?” Twilight stared at the offered hoof, trying to remember just what he was talking about. The image of the heart shaped mask suddenly flashed in her mind, and she hung head down, in regret.

“I’m sorry,” she started. “I couldn’t get your precious mask back and I-URK!?” Twilight was cut off when she suddenly found herself in the elder zebra’s hooves by her neck, and was being shaken rather violently.

“YOU STUPID IDIOT!” Muuzaji screamed, as he continued to shake Twilight. “HOW COULD YOU NOT GET THE MASK BACK!? IT WAS A SIMPLE TASK! ALL YOU NEEDED TO DO WAS GRAB IT!” Not giving her a chance to answer, Muuzaji put her down and started to pace back and forth, continuing, “Now the tragedy that happened thirteen years ago will happen again! This time, there will be no here to save this land! Again!” Turning to Twilight, he was about to scream, only for Blink to swoop in and smack the enraged Zebra across the muzzle.

“How about you CALM DOWN and EXPLAIN why you needed the OBVIOUSLY EVIL MASK in the FIRST PLACE!” Blink shouted, her tiny body quivering with anger.

“That would have been nice to know,” Twilight agreed, coughing lightly as she got to her legs working again.

“Ah! My apologies!” the older zebra said, kowtowing to the angry fairy and the winded unicorn. Twilight and Blink looked at each other, confused and somewhat concerned at how fast Muuzaji’s mood swings were. Coughing lightly, the mask sales-zebra continued, “Well, the power behind the mask is indeed malevolent but…its, it’s difficult to explain.”

“Try us,” Twilight said.

“Very well,” Muuzaji replied, taking a deep breath. “As you can no doubt tell, the mask that filly stole is no ordinary carnival or stage mask. Originally, or at least from what I was told, it was a monster that existed outside the realm of time, outside our very perception of reality. This monster devoured any and all beings that tried to approach it, until an adventurer had arrived in its den completely by accident. Unlike many before him, instead of trying to kill the creature, he attempted to befriend it. In his many attempts, he the adventurer made time flow for the beast with music, and the creature danced for six days in happiness. On the seventh day, the creature died, and from its remains, did the adventurer carve the mask.”

“Wait, so if this mask was made from the remains of a friend, how is it evil?” Blink asked.

“That’s where the details become hazy,” Muuzaji continued. “After the beast had been slain and the mask made, the adventurer from the story seemingly stopped existing. But the mask itself was used to for ancient hexing rituals, and its power was used to curse and destroy.”

“Alright,” Twilight said slowly, nodding a bit. “So, if I’m understanding this, the mask has the power to change things, but whatever civilization found it decided to use for evil purposes? Am I getting this right so far?” Upon Muuzaji’s nod, she continued, “So what did you mean about the events thirteen years ago?”

The old zebra sighed, and said, “Thirteen years ago, this land was nearly destroyed by one who was wearing the mask. The lands were cursed, its heroes were slain, and the people were almost wiped by the moon. But a hero had emerged, and saved everyone in only three days.”

“THREE DAYS!?” Blink exclaimed. “HOW? That’s IMPOSSIBLE! DO YOU KNOW BIG EQUISS IS!?”

Unperturbed, Muuzaji merely shrugged and said, “I am only repeating what I know. Supposedly, the hero of thirteen years past had arrived, and saved everyone three days’ time. I agree, it is almost impossible for a single hero, no matter how skilled, to travel all across Equiss, save its people, undo the curse placed on them, and prevent the moon from falling in only three days, but that is how the story goes."

“So, what now? Twilight asked, her mind still processing all of the information given to her. “The moon is back, the mask is back, but the hero isn’t. What are we supposed to do?”

The zebra and the fairy said nothing.

“But the Hero of the legend hasn’t reappeared,” Twilight said slowly, mulling over her thoughts. After a few short minutes of hard thought, she exclaimed, “I get it! All we have to do now is FIND the Hero, right?”

The zebra and the fairy said nothing, but Muuzaji did rub his snout in small aggravation.
“Sure, Twilight,” Blink drawled, hovering slowly around the unicorn’s head, before resting on the tip of her horn. “So I guess the first thing we’ll need to do is search the six areas that Masked Filly was talking about, right?”

“Right!” Twilight said, nodding to herself. “I guess we can first start at the…um…”

“We can start with the Great Rainforest,” Blink said. “It’s the closest to area to Ponyville.”

“Great!” Twilight said, heading out.

As she moved to the door, Muuzaji called out, “Wait! It’s dangerous for you to go alone!”

“But I have Blink?” Twilight said, turning around to look at the eccentric Zebra.

“That’s not what I meant,” Muuzaji said, rifling through his pack. “Here,” he said, offering. Twilight a satchel. “It’s of no charge, seeing as you are doing this to help me retrieve the mask.”

[Twilight received A Weapon Satchel! What’s inside? Open it and find out!]

Twilight took the satchel curiously, noting the faded sword and shield emblems on the side. Opening it, she pulled out a long spear that was too large for the bag. “Wait, why are you giving me a weapon? I thought we were just going to look for the Hero?”

“You will need to defend yourself out there,” Muuzaji said. “There are wild monsters and all sorts of otherworldly creatures that are resistant to a unicorn’s telekinesis.”

“There’s not only that, but all of them won’t hesitate to attack you,” Blink followed up. At Twilight’s horrified expression, she continued, “What? That’s how things work in this here. I really don’t know what kind of world you lived in, but whatever you knew over there probably won’t be helpful anymore. I’m not saying to just completely forget it, but you’ll need to differentiate them.”

“But, but, but, I don’t, I mean, I-“ Twilight started to stammer, only to suddenly freeze as an unknown, yet oddly familiar presence entered her mind.

‘You need not worry,’ a voice in her mind said. ‘I will teach you how to fight, how to survive. You are Princess Zelda’s chosen Knight; you are not allowed to fall here.’

“-light?” Blink’s voice echoed. “You okay?”

Twilight shook her head quickly, regaining her senses. “I’m fine, I’m fine,” she said slowly, shivering a bit as the unknown presence left her. Looking at the spear again, she sighed and said, “There’s really no other choice?”

“Sadly, none,” Muuzaji said, shaking his head. “Tis the life of the adventurer, after all.”

“But if it helps,” Blink said, hovering over Twilight’s ear. “Think about it this way. It’s either you or them.”

“That surprisingly doesn’t help,” Twilight deadpanned. Strapping the spear to her back, she continued, “Well, no point in just standing around and wasting time. Let’s go.”

Twilight pushed against the door of the clock tower and entered Ponyville proper once more. To her surprise, the city was not a mess of debris, destruction and devastation. The citizens were all abuzz with activity, preparing for some big event known at the…Carnival of Time?

Twilight stood there, jaw dropped at the sight.

“Twilight,” Blink said slowly, “What did you do?”

“I-I-I-,” Twilight stammered, her mind threatening to break. She ran over across town, taking in all the sights and sounds of the town, noting that everything was exactly the same the first time she had come to town as a maredragora. Looking up, the moon was still present, but instead of it being dangerously close where its own gravity should have leveled a few houses (at the very least), it was further back in the sky.

“Hurry it up! We're gonna late for the Festival at this rate, Blitz!"

“YEAH!”

“C'mon keep it moving! We've almost got this!”

“YEAH!”

“Hey, Snow? Do us a favor and stop that, will ya?”
“YEAH!”

“Err…”

“YEAH!”

“…I’m just going to lea-“

“YEAH!"

"WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON IN THIS WORLD!?" Twilight screamed

"...yeah?"