Chapters [Displaced] A Forced Hero Rewrite
With Tempest on Jeff’s shoulders, he continued to walk further through the forest as the trees started to thin out. Jeff stopped in his tracks as he heard a mix of male and female voices calling out Tempest’s name. Walking a little further out, Jeff spotted a small group of pegasi wearing gold armor, calling out and looking for someone, or something. One of the pegasus guards turned to look up at Jeff. Before Jeff knew it, they had surrounded him with their spears drawn, causing him to raise his arms in surrender.
“Don’t hurt him!” Tempest spoke up as tensions were rising.
“Don’t hurt him? Listen foal, we’ve been searching for you for two days straight, your mother has been worried sick!” One of the pegasus guards said as he looked up at Tempest.
“But!” Tempest objected.
“No buts! And besides, we’ve been ordered by Princess Celestia to take this creature back to Canterlot Castle.” The pegasus guard said before looking over at another guard with a nod. Before Tempest could object, one of the pegasi flew down and removed Tempest from Jeff’s shoulders.
“Don’t worry, Tempest… Those guards are just doing their job.” Jeff said with a cautious gentle voice, startling some of the guards that he is capable of speaking their language.
Tempest reached out with her hoof as she struggled and protested in the pegasus’s forearm grip.
Jeff is guided and led away from the Everfree forest whilst looking down at the ground, as Tempest begs and screams out to him. Jeff felt a heavy sense of guilt considering the short time they had bonding, especially since he was the only one who saved her life.
After being taken from what almost seemed like the only normal thing in his life, Jeff begins to feel an unending sense of anxiety swelling up inside him. Only to be interrupted by a small shove from a unicorn guard. Staring upwards he sees a large carriage in front of him, primitive armored plating surrounds it while two pegasi are hooked up to two ropes that lead to the protected vehicle.
“Get in creature.” A voice tells him, not sounding too rough. They actually sound a bit young, but yet still carry a stern tone.
“Alright-alright.” Jeff said as he got into the large carriage. As of now, Jeff would have been scared if the triforce of courage wasn’t fueling him.
The guard hops in after Jeff and slams the door. Their horn lightly glows as he’s a little on edge about the situation. “Try not to do anything too crazy while you’re detained alright?” The guard rhetorically asks. Then after that he telekinetically hits the frame of the door, signaling for the two pegasus guards to take off.
Two whole hours passes by with the guard silently judging Jeff before he actually decides to speak up. “So… You’re a minotaur, right? I’ve been traveling around Equestria, even before I was a guard. But yet I’ve never seen a minotaur so skinny before and survive inside a forest with deadly creatures like Skulltulas waiting around to snatch you up.” The guard darkly jokes but then shakes his head, exuding a passive seriousness to him
“I’m not a minotaur though. No tail or horns or anything like that..” Jeff said with a frown at hearing the words minotaur; just another thing to learn about in this world. “I’m a hylian.” he said, still finding it weird to say.
The guard turns over and glares at Jeff with furrowed brows. “That’s a load of manure if I’ve ever heard it. So why don’t you tell me what you really are because I’ve never heard of a ‘hylian’ once in my three years of being a guard and traveler. So why don’t you cut it out and tell me what you really are.”
"I mean would this explain some things?" Jeff said as he reached up to lower his hood, revealing that his face is flat with no features of a minotaur like the unicorn thought.
“By Faust’s garden… What in the world am I looking at here?” The unicorn questions himself. “Well I guess you weren’t kidding when you said you weren’t a bucking minotaur. Okay then ‘hylian’ why don’t you tell me what you were doing in the Everfree forest, with a small filly, and some cloak wrapped around you that has blood on it, I could practically smell it on you as soon as you walked out of the forest.”
“That was because I had killed Queen Gohma. Tempest Shadow was trapped in her webbing when I found her.” Jeff explained.
The guard raises an eyebrow out of surprise. “Hold on there, Queen Gohma? Now that is the funniest joke I’ve heard this week. Because if that’s true then it’d mean I’d have to owe you something for all the trouble you saved the hunting division. So c’mon, tell me why you really have green blood on that cloak of yours.” The unicorn, relaxing for a little bit around this weird creature who’s probably more nervous than he is, decides to turn away for a moment to look outside the window and back to Jeff, with a neutral expression.
"She bled on me when I stabbed her eye multiple times.” Jeff explained to the unicorn.
Being a bit skeptical of this the unicorn shrugs. “Well hey, I can’t say you did it neither can I say you didn’t do it, so I’ll just leave that matter alone. Anyways besides that, what’s your name? I can’t just keep calling you creature.”
“Jeff.” the hylian said, earning a confused look due to how outlandish it sounds.
“Well Jeff, you better buckle up since we’re headed for a pretty long ride. And you can call me Silver Bullet. Since you gave me your name it was only right I give you mine.” Silver Bullet quietly responds. And he just stayed silent for roughly another thirty or so minutes before Silver Bullet started to try and pry into Jeff’s life, asking him how he got here, where’s the rest of his kind, how he slayed Queen Gohnma so easily, things of that nature. Jeff tried his best to answer all these questions to the best of his abilities but didn’t have any satisfying answers for Silver, so they both had stopped talking to one another for the rest of the ride to Canterlot which only took an additional thirty minutes.
Jeff gazed out the carriages’s window as he watched the landscape fly past him. Jeff had to blink a number of times when he spotted a few things out of this world such as the floating city of rainbows and clouds, especially the castle of canterlot that was built at the side of the mountain. Jeff narrows his eyes toward the far distance as he sees an island that has a strangely familiar volcano with a ring of smoke, reminding the hylian of Death Mountain.
As the carriage lands, a soft rumbling is felt beneath them both. The carriage door opens up revealing one of the pegasus guards that was flying the vehicle. “Okay, up and at ‘em. We need to take this creature to the princess and see what she has to say.” The pegasus tells them both.
“Their name is Jeff.” Silver bullet corrects them, receiving an unapologetic look in return. “Yeah yeah, whatever their name is we still have a mission to carry out so c’mon.”
Silver Bullet climbs out of the carriage with Jeff following soon afterwards. Jeff is led by what appears to be a higher ranking officer who helped pull the carriage along whilst being flanked by Silver Bullet and the other unnamed pegasus. Making their way through the castle’s entrance. The castle is decorated with beautiful paintings, some being abstracted, but most have more profound canvases, suits of golden armor laid in pristine conditioning, accompanied by long spears that near the average ponies’ height, and wonderful colored glass that hold ballads of their own, depicting battles, acts of kindness, as well as diplomatic meetings the two sisters have had over the course of their rule. While Jeff has a sense of admiration of them, the three guards simply look forward to the current destination.
The clopping of hooves slows down and eventually comes to a stop, much to Jeff's confusion until he’s tapped on the shoulder by the high ranking officer. “Okay ‘Jeff’ listen up. You’re about to meet the most important pony in Equestria so know this. If we walk in there and you cause a rude or dare I say physical disruption then none of us will be pleased. Because the last thing we need is for somepony like yourself to get locked up in prison.” The guard said, leaving Jeff is a little confused by the wording ‘somepony’, especially when Jeff isn’t one. Not even waiting for Jeff’s response the pegasus opens the doors, soon revealing one prestigious winged unicorn, her coat is a pure white color as well as having large wings and a larger horn than normal. Actually she was large in every manner possible, she was taller than any other pony Jeff had witnessed so far.
“Silent Susurrations reporting for duty, your highness. We’ve caught this weird creature who was found walking outside the Everfree forest with a small filly who was additionally missing for two days straight. Lance Corporal known as “Silver Bullet” gave me the tidbit of information that this creature is known as ‘Jeff’. So we have brought him here for royal judgment.” After bowing once more, Silver Bullet and the other pegasus both escort Jeff further up, just below the stairs of the princess.
“Oh dear, I hope my guards haven’t been too rough with you, Jeff, was it? I’m surprised that that’s the new name you go by now. But whatever floats your boat I suppose.” The alicorn said
Jeff, surprised by the sudden hospitality that he’s getting from a ruler he’s never met up until now, shakes his head. “No, they haven’t been rough with me. But why am I here though? I know that your guards said it was a direct order from you to capture me… And also, what do you mean by a new name? My name’s always been Jeff… Miss.” Jeff replies with some hesitation as royalty wasn’t something normal in his everyday life.
“There’s no need to be coy with me, Link.” She says with a joking attitude. “Sure you’ve changed a bit but you look like you haven’t aged since all those years ago which is a little strange but knowing those strange magics you hylians use it’s not out of the range of possibilities, and as for why I had my guards capture you? Is it so wrong as to see an old friend?” She responds in a dodging manner.
“Wha?” Jeff said in pure confusion, until it eventually clicked as the words of the golden wolf went through his head. The golden wolf mentioned that some goddess of time had summoned Jeff to have their visage. “I’m sorry, but I think you’re getting me mixed with the original Link.” Jeff said.
Celestia begins chuckling before stopping to stare at Jeff. “What? No you must be joking, there is no ‘original Link’ you are link.” She firmly declares
“The Link you’re talking about is in Everfree Forest, that Golden Wolf with the red eyes.. I’m not him, I mean, isn’t he alot more geared up than I? What with the Master Sword, and the hylian shield or..” Jeff paused as he wasn't sure which version of Link the golden wolf is, and he didn’t want to guess incase the golden wolf isn’t that of the hero of time; the hero’s shade..
Shaking her head she slams a hoof into the armrest of her throne. “Dammit, then did I miss foresee it? Was I mistaken?!” Starting to lose her temper she glares at Jeff. But then her gaze slowly softens after seeing how confused and clueless about the entire situation he is. “... Jeff, I suppose since you are quite possibly the only hylian left alive. I have a request to make of you. Please help my kingdom for what’s to come. I’m not sure who or what will happen but visions have been plaguing my dreams of the destruction of Equestria itself, and only Link can stop it. My guess is, is that you still are Link in some way shape or form, you are his predecessor. And the visions I’ve been having are about you saving us from this terrible calamity.” Her royal mask falters, moving a hoof over to her chest she sighs. “Please Jeff, I know you are not the one I was expecting but you still are the one who can help us.”
“I kind of figured from what I’ve seen and heard, I did promise the gold wo-.” Jeff pauses to clear his throat. “Link, I'd do what I can.” Jeff said, his voice having a mixture of fear and anxiety for the future, in fact the triforce that laid upon the back of his hand was the only reason he was able to fight Gohma without outright running for his life.
Celestia’s once sombered expression brightens up from her new champion’s willingness to help her kingdom. Stomping her hooves in place with mock-applause. “Oh what joy this has brought me Lin- I mean, Jeff. I am sure that with the proper training, weaponry, and resources, there will be a warrior made out of you. The first hylian seen in nearly a thousand years. And already they have proven themself worthy of being Link’s successor.”
The room invites positive energy into it. Allowing all the ponies (and hylian) within to feel a strange warmth inside themselves. Yet this does make questions spark in the uninformed from the situation, one such is Silver Bullet. “Princess, I do not mean to be rude upon my intrusion into the conversation but what exactly is going on here? Who’s Link and what do you mean we need a champion?” A concerned tone is laced under his stone guard attitude.
“Dear Silver, I promise to you that all shall be revealed soon. In fact, everything that has taken place in this conversation shall be revealed to the public once our hero gets himself situated. Now, Silent Susurrations and Stone Core, you are both dismissed.” Celestia turns to Silver Bullet, pointing a hoof at him. “And Silver Bullet, would you please escort our newest resident to a free guest room, one of our maids shall guide you both there. Gentle Hoof, if you please.” The pristine alicorn gestures to a medium sized earth pony mare who has a dark green coat and a soft, light orange mane and tail. She is also wearing standard maid attire that Jeff had seen while traveling through the several corridors of the castle.
“Good evening you two..” Slightly bowing her head she also adds. “It’s a pleasure to serve, now if you’d both just follow me I can lead you two to your destinations.” Gentle Hoof turns around and silently walks towards the exit, leaving both Jeff and Silver Bullet to follow her. Before they leave though Celestia pipes up one more time. “And don’t worry Jeff, I’ll send somepony to help give you directions after you get settled. I can’t wait to meet you at dinner later this evening.”
Jeff, before walking out, waves at his newest friend within this weird world. “See you later this evening Princess.” He confirms back to her. After this encounter, he’s feeling a lot better knowing that he has someone or rather somepony to help guide him through the upcoming trials ahead.
[Displaced] A Forced Hero Rewrite
Chapter Four: Meeting the Solar Guards.
“W-wait, Silver! You didn’t even let me mentally prepare for this one!” Trying to tug against his tour guide’s surprisingly strong grip, Jeff starts moving within the completely opposite direction of the guard.
“I know but grunt c’mon, it would’ve taken you forever to get the guts to go in a real soldier’s area.” Silver Bullet counters, straining his muscles to pull on Jeff a bit harder. Realizing that this will just be a stalemate, Silver Bullet lets go of the biped, causing Jeff to briefly stumble.
Regaining his footing, the hylian stares at Silver Bullet as if he was crazy. “Are you going to tell me why in Din’s name you were so forceful this time around!?”
The guard looks to be disappointed with himself if the repeated instances of him shaking his head were anything to go by. “I’m sorry Sir Je- I mean, Jeff, I only wanted to show you the place that I thought was the de facto thing all warriors would consider one of their favorite spots to hang out. And I was hoping you’d be impressed with all things considered. Based on what I overheard from your talk with the Princess. You’re our last line of defense if things go awry.” The ashamed stallion admits
“..The locker room is a favorite spot??” Jeff asked, looking confused.
“It’s not just a locker room. It’s where you sleep, eat, talk, breathe, heck even exist for most of your day as a solar guard. I guess you haven’t been a warrior for long then if you can’t understand the sentimental value that this place holds to all ranks, from low ranking cadets to high ranking generals. This place will always hold a place here.” Silver Bullet places a hoof on his chest, slightly lowering his posture as if remembering something before rising back up.
“Did that make any sense to you Jeff?” The Lance Corporal asked.
“..No, it did not, it's probably like that for you.. Ponies..” Jeff said as he had to pause and remember what everypony has been calling their species. “But I'm not quite a warrior yet, All I've killed was Queen Gohma and some Wolfos thanks to my knowledge of them..” The hylian explained as he looked at Silver.
Making a small ‘tsking’ sound with his mouth, Silver Bullet stares deep into the biped’s eyes with a fierce perseverance clouding his mind. “Just you wait Jeff, I’ll- no we’ll make a stallion outta you yet. Including learning what it’s like to be a true warrior. So tell me, are you ready to meet your new guardsponies, friends, and most importantly, family?” He inspiredly questions Jeff once more.
Jeff stared long and hard at Silver, finding the Solar Guard’s ways to be odd, as if they dedicated their entire lives for Canterlot, even if they die. Jeff begins to wonder if Silver Bullet has a life outside of guardsmenship. Jeff pushes his blonded hair out of his eyes as he lets out a sigh. “I guess, just don’t pull anything weird.” Jeff said nervously
“Don’t worry, what you’ll perceive to be weird. We’ll perceive it to be normal, so it all checks out.” The solar guard gleefully remarks before kicking the door open and shouting. “HEY EVERYPONY, CHECK WHO I BROUGHT IN!”
Standing or rather sitting. One mare sits on her bed with a book in her hooves, another looks to be sitting next to her, pestering them. While two polar opposite looking stallions are playing cards on the adjacent sides of a wooden table.
The mare who looked to be bored and annoyingly hyperactive instantly gets from her bed to go greet her friend.“Yo Silver Bullet, my stallion!” A mare trots up to both Silver Bullet and Jeff before putting her hoof up high, Silver Bullet immediately meets her half way creating a small ‘clop’ noise with it before she holds it up to Jeff to get as well.
“Sorry no…” Jeff said with a frown as he didn’t want to give a highfive to a hoof. It would most likely hurt his hand.
The mare’s expression is shaken by this. As she slowly puts her hoof back down to the ground “Aw what a buzzkill, well fine then. I’m Smooth Edge” The female Solar guard herself had very simplistic colors, contrary to what Jeff had seen so far. An earth pony who had a brown mane and tail and a beige coat. Her eyes were also a very simplistic brown. One that resembled human eyes to a T. “By the way, I was a big fan of Link when I was a filly, my grandparents always read me stories about him, well, stories that were referencing him. But when I asked the Princess herself she had cleared it up for me. And since you’re basically gonna be filling in for Link, it’s gonna be amazing just having you here… ‘Jeff?’ That is your name, right?” Still being energetic she stays close to Jeff, not enough to be in his personal space but still close enough to be noticeable.
“Uh-yea.. Just Jeff.” Jeff said, not liking how someponies don’t believe him at first of his name.
“Huh… Weird, you’re kinda wimpy looking for the ultimate last resort.” A sharp glare from Silver Bullet is sent Smooth Edge’s way. “What I know you were thinking it too. He looks like he doesn’t have any muscle, and the way he presents himself is just all wrong. Where’s that fighting spirit that makes you not believe that there’s no ending to the path of victory ahead, that you’ve gotta fight until you can’t anymore, and most of all, make you feel like you’ve got something worth fighting for?” She bluntly asks.
Silver Bullet is stuttering at this point, not even sure how to respond while a male’s voice in the back says “You’re better off just answering her Jeff. Smooth gets really annoying whenever she has a question she feels strongly about.”
“..To be honest, when I took care of that spider crab Queen Gohma, I was doing it knowing it could have become a threat to the nearby village, not to say I killed her with flying colors.” Jeff said as he pulled down the neck of his red cloak. “Almost had my head sliced off by her.” the hylian said, revealing what looked to be some kind of pincer strike.
The mare’s head fills with stimuli after seeing his scar. Her hooves begin pumping up and down as if she were applauding. “Oh so I stand corrected! You’re not a total stick in the mud then. Alrighty then, I guess I could introduce you to the stallion that tried to call me out! ” Smooth Edge tells Jeff loud enough to purposely warn their victim.
“Hey wait, I'm supposed to do the tour guide thing.” Silver Bullet interjects.
Smooth Edge shrugs her shoulders and waves her friend off. “You snooze you lose, and besides. I’m pretty sure Jeff here would love for me to show him around some more, isn’t that right?” The earth pony questioned.
“...Where though?” Jeff asked a little nervously. Despite the tour guide and getting a little comfortable, there was still some form of hesitation.
“Do you not see the entire visionary that is held within thy imaginative being? There are still three extremely excited ponies in here that wish to meet the great, the almighty, and slightly questionable, Jeff of Equestria!” Smooth Edge announces as if she were a professional. Although nopony actually does seem to be all that hyperactive from Jeff’s arrival. “Or you could have Silver Bullet keep being your tour guide but he’s weird.” A small ‘hey!’ is heard but other than that, Smooth Edge gets no backlash from this.
“Hey, I-” Jeff pauses to think on how to word this correctly and not get any weird looks. “I may be Link’s descendant, but I don’t have everything he’s had, at least not yet..” Jeff said with a mental nod of satisfaction. Jeff was also trying to dodge answering the mare.
“I guess I’ll take that as an indirect plea that yes you would like me to guide you.” The mare confidently tells Jeff, though she also made it seem like it was directed towards Silver Bullet as well.
“That’s a lie if I’ve ever heard one. You know he didn’t even respond to your question, probably didn’t wanna hurt your feelings for how much of a dumbass you can be sometimes. Ms. ‘I had gotten so shitface drunk on moonshine to the point where I didn’t recognize my own bunkmates arresting me.’” Silver Bullet mockingly says.
“Oh so that’s how we’re gonna be. Since we’re bringing up things in the past, didn’t you tell us how you got beat up so badly in third grade you had pissed yourself? Pathetic if you ask me.” They both lock eyes for a good minute, with a strange intensity surrounding the two of them. Jeff tries to quietly back away from the two. Yet instead of some climatic fight or a boiling point being reached, they both start laughing. Putting a foreleg around one another’s neck.
“Ah you’re too much sometimes Smooth.” Silver Bullet says through his insistent chuckling.
“You know, I still can’t even remember how I got drunk that night. Oh well, some things are just meant to be forgotten.” The fellow Solar guard replies, laughing along with her friend. Jeff looks between Silver and Smooth, looking very confused how an argument changed a full one hundred and eighty degrees, just like that.
“Silver, you really never fail to make a plothole outta yourself. Guess that’s a good thing though, you’re not nearly as uptight as my previous squadron.” Smooth Edge starts patting Silver’s withers in a friendly manner.
“It takes one to know one Smooth.” He shoots back before turning to Jeff. “So what did I say? This place is pretty cool ain’t it? And of course you’ve yet to even talk to the rest of the crew besides that comment that Snow Leap made earlier, we just call him Snowy though.” Being extremely sure of himself, Silver Bullet still has their hoof wrapped around the strange mare, while staring at Jeff expectantly.
Jeff looked confused at the mention of a plothole, not having a clue what Smooth Edge said. “Uh… Do you two always act like this? You’re both being kinda disrespectful for two guards that are under Princess Celestia.” Smooth nearly laughs from hearing Jeff’s concern over their behavior and leans over into Silver Bullet’s ear, whispering several things to the stallion that starts making him laugh as well. Jeff rubs the back of his head, not exactly getting it.
Turning from Smooth’s muzzle, Silver Bullet does his best to calm down. “O-oh Celestia that was funny. D-don’t worry about it Jeff, it was just an insider joke. But c’mon you can meet Elegant Crease next. She’s the one reading the book over there. I’ve got to stay back with this crazy one back here because edges and creases don’t mix.” Getting a slap across the back of his head for that comment, Silver Bullet and Smooth Edge begin having casual conversation.
Jeff looks over at the mentioned mare reading a book. Jeff lets out a mental sigh as he heads on over, better to get to know them since he’ll be training with them.
Looking up from her book, the pony or rather pegasus as she uncramps her wings, with them being a very hard to miss feature. Her mane is a sleek hot pink which is also the same color as her tail. The mare’s coat however is conflicting with her hair's colors, considering they’re a bright teal along with her wings. “You must be Jeff if those two’s idiotic bickering were anything to go by. You may call me Crease, you’ve yet to earn the privilege of calling me by my first name since I’ve only just met you. Since I couldn’t possibly care less about what you’re supposed to do, only what you’ve done.” Her gaze swiftly turns back over to her book, titled “Celsius 233.”
“Uhh.. fair enough. It's just considering I'll need to work with most of the ponies here, I'm kind of pushing myself to get through my discomfort.” Jeff said a little nervously.
Scoffing at this she rolls her eyes. “Emotionally uncomfortable you say? I’ll simply have to whip you into proper shape then through rigorous training. Please, call me if you ever require a training partner.” Speaking in a more bolden tone the pony’s gaze reaches Jeff, swiftly adding. “Oh and if you do not find me, then I will find you.”
“..Is… is it always like that around here?” Jeff asked as he looked around. Receiving no answer at first, but Smooth Edge trots between them both. Silver Bullet smartly decided to stay out of it.
“A prissy whorse like this? Yeah she’ll be like that, but don’t worry Jeff, your favorite mare will always be here for you.”
Jeff looks between the two mares for a second. Elegant Crease’s book snaps to a close in an instant, both of her wings flaring to the side. “Excuse me Smooth, I believe I misheard you. What exactly did you say?” A calm anger fuels this mare’s sudden energy.
Being confused herself, though not of actual confusion and instead one of ignorance. Smooth repeats themself. “I said you’re a prissy whorse, I thought you were one for facts and wouldn’t mind me saying one right there.” A large collective “OOOOOOOOOH!” originating from the squadron is heard from ponies even outside the barrack.
Scrunching up her nose, Elegant Crease slaps Smooth Edge with her wing, releasing a small “hmph” in the process. Which made Smooth instantly devolve it into a cat fight between them. Jeff slowly backs away from the two mares that were now in a frenzy of hooficuffs.
Someone’s voice calls out to Jeff before he can get close enough to the door. “Hey wait dude, this’ll be over in about a minute or two, they do this every other month anyways. So come sit with me and my bro!” The dark colored stallion shouts above the ruckus. Jeff makes his way over to the stallions, however choosing not to sit considering the size of the table as he leans against the wall, waiting for the fight to end.
The same stallion that calls him over talks to his friend for a few seconds before inching around the fight. Jeff, now getting a better look at him, can see that they’re yet another unicorn, having a fiery red mane and tail with one small yellow streak running through the middle of both and a dark red coat too.
“So I’m guessing you’re a little bit nervous from all of this happening on your first day but you’re the legendary successor of Link, or so they tell me. That means that you’re the most courageous pony in the entire world. The name’s FireForge by the way, that’s my twin brother over there too, Snow Leap. Me and him are rookies too, only joined the solar guard a year ago but trust me, you’ll get used to it fast.” Reassuring Jeff, the pony sits against the wall Jeff leans on.
“..Hylian..” Jeff corrected, finally understanding more of the pony lingo. “And I’m only being brave just to do what’s right.” Jeff said, not bothering to talk about the triforce of courage on his hand as he didn’t want that kind of information getting out.
“You’re selling yourself short here. You already got the heroic means down. Now all you need is some action. Actually you know what? I’ll call my bro over here.” Cupping his hooves near his muzzle, FireForge yells. “Snowy! Get over here bro!”
And his brother did come running so fast in fact that he managed to leap over the still fighting mares, who actually took breaks in between their brawl. His snow-white coat slightly glistens in the light shining through the window. His tail even matching, being an off-white color.
“What’s up FireForge, oh and hey Jeff.” Snow Leap asks.
“Okay so dude, listen. You already know who Jeff is since word spreads like wildmagic fire. The thing is, he’s new to all of this too. I’m guessing the princess already knows this though. I basically wanted you over here to tell him that we’ve got his back, as fellow rookies and new brethren, right Jeff?”
Jeff slowly smiled, a little happy to have someone a little more sane than some of the crazier ponies. “Thanks, I’ll need as much help as I can get.” Jeff said as some of his anxiety fades.
“See? We ain’t all so bad, that applies to Smooth Edge and Elegant Crease too so give ‘em a chance will ya?” FireForge eggs on.
The polar opposite of a twin brother nods his head frostily. “Hey my bro knows what he’s talking about dude. Even if we all don’t act like it we’re like one big family. And you know what? Normally I’m the laid back one but I’m willing to convince the guys to bring you to the training hall for some early practice. Somepony like yourself needs to be taught the ropes. And if the princess finds out then we’ll just tell her that it was our bad.” Snow Leap goes to lean against the wall with his brother and Jeff, watching the fight as he speaks.
“As much as I’m gonna hate it, I know I'm gonna need it.” Jeff said as he mentally wishes he had gotten Link’s knowledge than his agility alone.
Putting a hoof on Jeff’s hip and smiling brightly looking directly at Jeff, but somehow the determined stare Snow Leap gave Jeff is felt between the three of them for a brief moment. But Snow Leap quickly retracts his hoof embarrassed about the moment. “Sorry Jeff, I get a little too passionate about some things.” Sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck the solar guard clears his throat before shouting.
“Elegant, Smooth, stop buckin’ fighting and show some manners for our new teammate.” Slightly moving his head to the side he also looks at Silver Bullet. “And Silver, I swear if you don’t stop cheering them on I will physically hurt you!” The normally relaxed stallion leaves the offending stallion and Smooth Edge both surprised at the demands but Elegant Crease merely “hmphs” and turns her head away.
Letting out a sigh of relief, the snow-colored stallion gestures to Jeff with his hoof. “Well Jeff, you’ve got the stage, speak your mind bro.”
Jeff, walking a couple of inches forward, would have had stage fright if the triforce wasn’t fueling him with courage. Jeff mentally curses that sacred relic. Jeff takes a gentle breath as he begins to speak. “E-everyone…” Jeff, hearing his own voice he clenches his fist. “No, I have to try and be more pronounced.” He thinks to himself. “Everyone! I cannot express this enough to you all. But I’m anxious about the entire situation.” The hylian says with some oomph. “I won’t let that stop me from training with you all. Even if Smooth can be really loose-mouthed, or if Crease can be very frightening, among the other things that make me want to simply walk out on all of you.” Taking another breath from how exhausting it was to just give that speech, it did however feel nice for Jeff to get all of that out there. And it felt even nicer when he got a round of applause from the entire team.
“Woo! You tell ‘em Jeff.” FireForge cheers behind him. A multitude of approval is heard from the rest of the solar guards in the room as the cheering slowly starts to die down.
“Phew, okay I was scared for a second there.” Smooth Edge says before continuing. “I’m glad you’ve got some guts after all. But you all heard the stallion! Let's get our flanks down to the training hall so we can show him what we’ve got!” Without even waiting for an answer, the brash Earth Pony kicks open the door and runs out leaving several unamused faces in their small crowd.
“... I guess we should go catch up to her.” Silver Bullet obviously states, still being shocked from Jeff’s bold performance.
Elegant Crease looks between the open door and the group. “Well I’ll be damned if I let that barbaric pony beat me there. I won't wait for you all so don’t wait for me to come back.” And without missing a beat she also runs off, leaving four men in the room to be confused.
“Wait, horseapples, I don’t know my way there without following other ponies. J-Jeff you need to hurry with me.” FireForge and Snow Leap both say at the same time, looking between each other they start saying jinx over and over again before quickly stopping themselves. “Alright last one there’s a rotten tomato!” Snow Leap childishly exclaims before running to catch up with Smooth Edge and Elegant Crease with the rest of the stallions chasing after him.
“H-hold on, wait up for me guys!” Jeff, takes off himself to chase after all five of them.
[Displaced] A Forced Hero Rewrite
All seven of them run down through the corridors of the castle, barely dodging maids and fellow guards. Smooth Edge and Elegant Crease are both competing for first place in this race of speed. Making the group’s males share a single thought.
“Who’s going to make it there first?”
And those thoughts only increased as they all saw the Smooth Edge, being the crass mare that she is. Purposely bumps into Elegant Crease at the last moment, making her tumble to the side, crashing into a nearby cart belonging to a maid.
“Ha, take that prude!” Smooth Edge taunts as she makes her way outside, onto the training grounds.
A noisy “ooooh” out of concern is heard from FireForge as he watches the infuriated Elegant Crease get up from the several blankets, towels, and small cleaning appliances and huffs.
Jeff frowned in disapproval of Smooth Edge's action. "It's no longer a race when someon- I mean somepony tripping somepony." Jeff said with a shake of his head.
Elegant Crease slowly gets back up and checks for any major damage on herself. “While I do appreciate the sentiment I must disagree. Although I also believe in being honorable, I too, see the point in being a cheater.” Trying her best to fix up her mane and coat she wastes no time in moving towards the entrance of the training grounds outside. “Well what are all of you gawking at? Get to trotting.”
FireForge quickly takes his gaze off of the now only slightly annoyed mare and urges his brother, Sliver Bullet, and Jeff to just go along with it. Jeff simply let out a shrug as he ran off to follow the others into the training grounds.
“Ah how I’ve missed this place. It’s like a third home to me, besides my actual house and the barracks, wouldn’t you guys agree?” Silver Bullet asks aloud as he finally steps into the outside, getting a nice breeze across his body and holding a hoof outwards, gesturing to the grand array of different devices like wooden training dummies, several obstacle courses, and stacks of weapons that are neatly arranged on weapon racks. Several of the obstacle courses have sand as their grounds instead of the stone that’s used to support the weapons and dummies.
Everypony else just deadpans at him, with an “are you kidding right now?” stare.
“Anyways, besides the fact that Silver Bullet is clinically insane. Here we are Jeff, the training grounds where cadets transform into real stallions and mares. Now I’m sure we can show you a thing or two here.” Smooth Edge gleefully ignores Silver Bullet, taking controlled breaths to compensate for how far she galloped.
Silver Bullet holds an annoyed face, completely offended that Smooth Edge would say something like that about him. “Hey I’m not insane-”
But before he can say anymore he’s cut off by Snow Leap. “Anywho, like Smooth Edge said, we’re gonna be whippin ya into shape. So to start off Jeff, show us what you’ve got, it’ll be best for us to get a grasp at whatcha got.”
“Uhh.. well..” Jeff began as he rubbed the back of his head. “What i’m capable of in total, or in one general area?” Jeff asked, a little confused.
“Actually… That’s a good question, shows what you know, Snowy.” FireForge cockily responds, happy to get a one-up on his brother. “But to answer your question, let's start off with the basics. We’re gonna have you do…” He trails off, looking towards the selection of choices at hoof. “Ah I know, we’ll test your combative capabilities. It’s sweet, nice, and to the point.”
Elegant Crease and the others nod their heads in approval. “Smart choice, despite being a rookie yourself you and your brother never cease to amaze me.” Silver Bullet replies, although a bit forcefully at that.
“I’m pretty agile on my feet, but my reaction time and swordsmanship definitely needs some fine tuning.” Jeff explained.
“Guess we’ll just have to put that to the test, alright everypony, who’s volunteering to be Jeff’s first match?” Snowy asks the group.
“Oh, oh, I will!” Smooth Edge nominates themself in a foalish manner. “I wanna see if the future-greatest hero of Equestria can take me down when I go full throttle!” Practically skipping her way to the weapon rack she cartoonishly digs into it, pulling out a small dagger. “Wait, wrong thing. “ The mare digs back into the rack before pulling out a battleaxe that’s a foot or two taller than her and all while standing on her hind legs to hold it up-right. “Now we’re talking, Jeff, are you ready to get rocked?” She questions with a near mania-like grin.
Jeff’s eyes look upon Smooth Edge’s battleax, wondering how she’s even holding it so well with her hooves, let alone the fact she’s still able to stand on her hind legs so well despite being a quadruped. “Wait, we’ve fighting with live weapons??” Jeff asked in disbelief.
Cheekily grinning even further, Smooth Edge gives Jeff a nod. “Course we are, I’ve got enough self-control to not accidentally give you any injuries but it still really gives you those realistic instincts and reactions. So I’m just bringing out that side of you.”
“Hey I know Smooth seems insane but trust me, she won’t actually do anything that’ll really harm you. She was my main training partner back in the day too.” Silver Bullet vouches.
“And this is normal here?” Jeff asked in confusion and disbelief. The hylian was honestly expecting wooden swords or magically dulled weapons where you’d feel the force but not the cut of the sword.
“Normal? Buck no.” FireForge crudfully admits. “But hey, while it’s not technically allowed, a lot of us solar guards do it anyways under the right supervision. Tartarus, even Elegant over here turned into what she is because of that training, doesn’t that seem appealing to ya? And c’mon, you know I, or any of us would ever lead you astray, we’re like family, ain’t we?” The fiery stallion questions.
"Din, give me power.." Jeff whispers to himself with a long sigh, mumbling something about crazy ponies. With a little hesitation, Jeff reaches to his side hip and behind his cloak, pulling out the Fighter’s Shield and the Magical Sword.
“Now we’re talking foal! I’ll start our count.” Huffing her giant steel battle axe above her shoulder she begins to count. And the rest of the group starts to back up at a safe distance “3…2…1, GO!”
Moving forward with considerable dexterity, the earth pony swings her battle axe in an easily telegraph-able manner at Jeff. The hylian lets out a surprised yelp as he quickly raises his shield to block the axe.
“Big mistake colt.” Letting out a controlled huff, she exerts even more force into her already connected swing. At this point, Smooth Edge is practically pushing both Jeff and the battle axe to the side before fully pushing him aside.
“Never try to block an attack like that if you can help it. You said you were agile, right? Dodge next time.” She playfully lectures before going in for an overhead strike. Not even allowing for Jeff to gain any breath back. Jeff suddenly backflips out of the way, being reminded so much of how the Iron Knuckles would swing their axe.
“Well shit! Somepony decided to stop playing around and bring out the style in themself, huh? Guess I can let up a bit then.” Yanking her battle axe from the ground, Smooth Edge twirls it for a brief moment before her veins inside her legs start to visibly bulge out, yet she still has that playful expression, and using the extra strength she does a quick double diagonal slash in an ‘X’ formation. The hylian dashes backwards and out of the way, making mental notes to himself that blocking does no good against devastating attacks like that as he lacks the strength to push the axe away. Once a fair distance away, Jeff swings his sword, causing a small crescent shaped wave of light green energy to come flying toward Smooth Edge.
Taking in a deep breath the mare looks to be impressed. “Magic, huh? Never took you for the…” She prepares herself. Placing the battle axe to her side she immediately vertically cuts the energy wave upwards, in half. “Magic type.” She finishes before placing her axe down as the bladed part hits the floor. “Phew, alright that’s enough, anymore and this may get a little too intense for us both. But I’ve gotta say, the princess wasn’t kidding, you really are hero material.”
“WOOOOO!” Three very loud, obnoxious, yet cheerful voices are heard. Belong to Silver Bullet, FireForge, and Snow Leap.
Silver Bullet instantly starts fanfillying over the fight with the successor of his favorite hero. “That was amazing, Jeff, oh my Celestia, that energy attack that you did at the end was spectacular!”
“Hey, the buck did we say huh? We knew you had it in you to fight!” FireForge exclaims with a stupid grin on his face.
“Tartarus yeah we did.” Snowy, keeping the same energy, holds his hoof up for the other two stallions to meet him halfway which they do.
“I still have a long ways to go though, the Beam Sword tech is something I can only do when I’m healthy with no injuries.” Jeff said with a nod.
Elegant Crease’s ear flicks for a moment before turning to Jeff, taking her eyes off of the baby-blue sky. “Excuse me but what exactly is a ‘tech?’”
“Short for technique.” Jeff explained as he places his shield back behind his cloak and the sword into it’s sheath.
“Interesting, well do you feel tired at all? You did have to tussle with Smooth Edge, even though she can give me a run for my money if I’m not careful.” Elegant Crease askes. “If so, you could take five as the rest of us train.”
“No, I can keep going.” Jeff said with confidence in his voice.
Nodding her head, Elegant Crease smiles. “Well since you did so well with Smooth in the first place then you’re with her, Silver Bullet you’re with me this time, and FireForge and Snow Leap, you two are together. Let us waste no time, begin!” They all started to gather their weapons and start training, like real mares and stallions… Oh and hylians too.
Many hours passed and Jeff was quite exhausted, the most he’s ever been, even more so since he forced himself to keep going despite his aching muscles, he wanted to be prepared physically and mentally. But within such a short time frame, he knew that it wouldn’t be possible. Still, he had to keep going, for this new world that he was staying in and for this new colorful cast of teammates he was bestowed upon. Even if they aren’t the most normal group, they were family after all and family always sticks together.
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[Displaced] A Forced Hero Rewrite
Chapter Six: A Fellow Hero's Answer (Part 1 of 4)
Jeff was walking down the canterlot halls. Just wandering around and exploring areas that weren't off limits to him. He liked taking walks, it helped him relax his mind and body. Today was one of those days where he really needed it. His wanderings eventually led him into the canterlot gardens. Despite the snow outside, the garden was well kept by all standards. “Pristine and beautiful” even more so considering the gleaming shimmer barrier keeping the snow at bay.
Staring at the beautiful sight of flowers below him, Jeff’s head rises as he spots something in the corner of his eyes. A very familiar owl statue, he’s seen this before, he knows that much for certain. The hylian made his way over to study it, and sure enough it was the same kind of statue as the one from the everfree forest. With his sword drawn, he strikes it, causing it to release a flash of energy as its stone wings flap open, allowing a new warp point to be created.
“I see you activated the statue Jeff. Wonderful, that saves me the trouble of having to teach you about their purposes then.” Celestia’s voice rings out from behind the hylian, this causes him to spin around in surprise to look at the alicorn princess.
“Don’t do that!” Jeff said with a hand held to his chest trying to calm his rapid beating. The hylian didn’t even hear hoovesteps.
“Apologies dear Jeff, I was merely trying to congratulate you.” The sneaky princess tells him.
“Right so..” Jeff began, pausing to allow Celestia to speak.
“Oh yes, I’ve sought you out because of something that’s come to my attention very recently. Something that I believe may benefit two parties involved. That something is a letter I’ve received from an ally of mine, King Zora. Apparently there’s a threat that’s happening within the area of Seaqustria because somepony he’d sent there has yet to travel back and it’s quite concerning. Which is why I declared to have sent you and your new squadron over to aid him in his trying times.” The mover of celestial bodies trots closer to Jeff, a faithful look travels across her face.
“So even King Zora exists in this world..” Jeff mentally thought to himself. “Was there anything else in the letter?” the hylian asked curiously.
Princess Celestia briefly thinks for a moment before answering. “The details were minuscule in nature, however he did leave the tidbit that there was something wrong with the tides. At least, that’s what Queen Novo told him.”
“Alright, who is in the squadron that’ll be coming with me?” Jeff asked next.
“Who else do you think? The very same ponies you’ve been bonding with since you’ve gotten here. This will prove vital to your abilities to work as a team.” She emphasizes the word ‘team’ with a large, but still gentle, stomp of her hoof.
Jeff rubs the back of his head as he thought about it. “Better this than alone, so casualties should be minimal.” Jeff thought to himself. Jeff looks toward the sky, trying to judge the time of day, however Celestia spoke up before he could figure it out.
“If you’re trying to determine what time of day it is, currently it’s two in the afternoon. Which is why I was confused about why I couldn’t find you anywhere. Thankfully I found you here of all places. Speaking of which, I can understand if you’d need a bit of time to prepare but it’d be best to go during the earlier afternoon so it may be the evening during your arrival.”
Jeff blinked at the words and the lucky timing of it all. “Actually yea, there is somewhere I need to check real quick, it’ll take ten, maybe twenty minutes, less if Everfree helps me, I mean the wolf, not the forest.” Jeff corrected himself.
“Hm? Well it is none of my business to hear about what you have to do with Everfree. Please, take all the time you need sir Jeff- I mean, Jeff.” The solar monarch briefly stumbles over her wording before speaking again.
Jeff reaches in his pocket, soon taking out the fabled ocarina of time. Placing the windway in his mouth, Jeff begins to play the song of soaring, causing the ocarina to glitter with magic. After the last note is played, a pair of silvery, feathery, wings sprout out from behind Jeff’s back, wrapping around him before spinning around, soon turning into a flurry of wind and feathers. Jeff vanishes from Celestia’s sights, leaving nothing but fluttering feathers.
“There he goes, what a strange magical ability…” Celestia looks up at the sky where Jeff disappeared. “Jeff, please be safe within the Everfree forest and allow its guardian to guide you.”
A ball of swirling energy flies down from the sky, soon dropping Jeff at the owl statue he came across in the past. It was still as cold as last time he was here as he treks through the Everfree, however now during the day rather than close at night.
“Back so soon, hero?” A voice called out from within the bushes and soon out came a Timberwolf, also known as Everfree, the guardian of the same namesake. “Glad to know you haven’t forgotten about me, but now is best to follow.” Everfree said as she ran, Jeff followed behind her, running through big hollowed logs and thick bush brushes. From out of the forest and into an open area revealing what looks to be a fountain with statues of winged maidens pouring water into a small lake. There was no fairy, but there was what looked to be a symbol of the triforce. Without Everfree having to say anything, Jeff takes out his ocarina once again to place upon his lips. Taking a moment to remember, Jeff plays a song of the hyrule family, also known as Zelda’s lullaby. As the last note played, a moment of silence followed suit before the winds of the everfree twirled and blew. Slowly, a Great Fairy with many translucent wings walked up and out of the lake, causing the waters to glow an ethereal serene green. It took Jeff a moment to remember that she looked much like the one from Twilight Princess, but much older. Her hair was wavy and well-kept, the lower half of her long hair was a dark sea-green, and the upper portion nears a blondish color. Their eyes were a soft color of blue, and while she was barely clothed she still had a few accessories on the lower parts of her shoulder and a small toga-like cloth was around her waist.
“Welcome, Hero, to my fountain. I am the Great Fairy of Courage. I reign over all fairies of this lake as their queen. What is it that you seek?” The Great fairy said with a surprisingly calm and youthful voice. Jeff averted his eyes, trying not to stare too much at her.
“Y-yea, I’d like to know how to use magic from this?” Jeff asked as he took out a hand sized green orb.
The Great Fairy of Courage looks at Jeff with a curious expression, searching for something inside him before cracking a small smile. “Ah yes, I can feel it within you. The dormancy of courage that activates when needed. To use that artifact of which you hold, you need to utilize such bravery into a weapon dear Hero. And that I can indeed teach you.”
“Please do, Great Fairy, I want to know all that you can teach me.” Jeff said as he bowed his head in gratitude.
“Good, with your presumed aptitude for the courageous magicks, all you need to do is allow it to flow through you. It is different for all to have learnt and it shall be different for you as well. Yet it shall still be similar.” The Great Fairy cryptically answered. “First thing’s first, you must use a focus. For some that is their fists, for others it is a staff. You must choose your specialized focus or focuses.”
“So..” Jeff began as he pulled out his silver sword with his right hand. “Like this?” Jeff asked curiously.
The Great Fairy’s stare is unblinking, not from anything that was done or said but rather what wasn’t. “I don’t know, you tell me. Would you like for a blade to be your focus?”
“Then yes, how do I focus the orb into my blade?” Jeff asked with a soft frown, unsure if the fairy was being sarcastic, annoyed, or disbelief.
“Simple, think of something that makes you feel brave, strong, diligent, and most of all courageous and channel that into your focus.” The Great Fairy sagely responds.
Jeff gave it some thought, but eventually chose the thoughts of wanting to do the right thing, focusing on that feeling of drive thinking about what could happen if he didn’t do anything about it and the feelings of regret of not doing it. Slowly, Jeff’s blade sparked to life, crackling with green and yellow electricity. Open his eyes, he is surprised of his sword glowing with fierce energy, however it vanishes as the feeling of tiredness hits him hard.
“Your first taste of the artifact’s magic…” The Great Fairy pauses for a moment before narrowing her eyes. “Wait, are you out of mana dear Hero? I truly expected you to have come here more prepared. However, because I am so benevolent, I will refuel your magical reserves.” The magic of the Great Fairy wraps around Jeff’s exhausted body and revitalizes it. Making him feel energized for this moment of time.
Jeff let out a very surprised sigh as he felt his wariness vanish. The hylian looked down at his hand to flex his wrist, feeling as if he didn’t spend all those hours training with the Solar Guards. “Thank you.” Jeff said with a grateful sigh.
“It is of no problem dear Hero. But if that’s the only reason you’ve come here then I must shoo you away to become dormant once more to await those who arrive next.” The Great Fairy tells Jeff with a small amount of sadness.
“I mean..” Jeff pauses to frown as he notices how her voice sounded sorrowful. “I can visit here again if you’d like?” Jeff said as he couldn’t ignore it.
“R-really- I mean, if you’d like dear Hero. I will not stop you if you so choose to do so.” The Great Fairy tries to hide her happiness the best that they can but it’s absurdly obvious in Jeff’s eyes.
“It's the least I can do, Great Fairy.” Jeff said with a smile as he put the green orb away into his pouches.
“Then I shall be waiting here for you Hero, please keep true to your promise.” The Great Fairy slowly disappears from Jeff's view in a flash of bluish small dancing orbs. With Jeff’s task finished, he heads on out with Everfree the timberwolf being his guide.
Half way through the exit of the Everfree forest, Jeff had to pause as he noticed a familiar wooden ocarina on the ground. Kneeling down, he picks it up into his hand as he brushes the dirt and leaves covering it, off. “..The fairy ocarina?” Jeff asked in confusion.
“ To the one that finds my token, I am Michael, Displaced as Link the Hero of Time. No matter where or when I am, I will always fight to help the innocent. If you need anything I may be able to help with or just want a sparring partner just say the phrase. ‘I call forth the Hero of time to aid me in my time of need,’ then play any note on this Ocarina to summon me ,”
An almost identical voice of Link spoke out from the wooden instrument, causing Jeff to spin around in startlement, he’s been doing that alot lately.
“...What in Farore’s name?” Jeff asked in pure confusion as he ran the voice in his head.
“Why did you stop?” Everfree asked as she turned around to face Jeff.
“You didn’t hear that voice?” Jeff asked as he looked down at Everfree.
“..What voice? All I hear are the animals and the sound of my timberbody.” Everfree asked with a tilt of her head.
“..Nothing at all?” Jeff asked in disbelief, earning him a head shake from the guardian. Jeff repeats the phrase the ocarina spoke of, then leaning in to give a blow to play a soft note.
A blue pillar of semi-transparent light shines down from above. After a few seconds, a humanoid figure floats down to the ground from above.
“Where the…” The figure says as the light vanishes revealing the figure to be another Hylian wearing a white tunic and hat facing away from Jeff. “Is this the Everfree Forest… Wasn’t I just in the Library?” The Hylian says confused.
“...Alright, start talking.” Jeff demanded as this was the weirdest thing he’s ever experienced, even Everfree is confused from seeing someone looking similar to Jeff.
“Woah!” The Hylian shouted as he quickly turned to face Jeff, startled at the sudden order. “Jeeze, don’t sneak up on a guy like…” The Hylian stops talking and focuses on Jeff’s features. “Another Link?” The Hylian smiles and reaches out a hand. “Sup, my name’s Michael, but most ponies call me Link, how are ya?”
“Jeff, I suppose it’s nice to meet you.” Jeff said as he took Michael’s hand to give it a firm shake, as the two hands meet, their respectable pieces of the triforce resonating with each other. “Mind explaining why you almost look like another me? I mean I can handle the weirdness of what I’ve witnessed so far but this is ridiculous.” Jeff asked with a frown as he let go of Michael’s hand. Everfree the timberwolf makes her way over to sniff at Michael’s boots.
“...Same appearance, yet different smells, interesting..” her voice projected all around the two Link-a-likes.
“Woah, talking timberwolf… not attacking on sight though…” Michael notes. “On to your question of why I look like you,” He clears his throat and begins explaining. “I was going to a convention on earth and bought an ocarina of time from a jerk called the merchant.” Michael quickly reaches under his shield and pulls said Ocarina of time from his inventory and holds it up.
“Ah.. Right-right-right.” Jeff said with a groan as he rubbed the back of his head, remembering the rumors back home and how it led to his current situation. Everfree looked in confusion, wondering what the two were talking about.
“None of my children have mentioned, let alone attacked anyone of your appearance..” Everfree said with a snort, causing wooden dust to escape her snout.
“Sorry miss… uh… timberwolf…” Michael looks at Everfree. “I’ll explain more, I’m from another Equestria, one where timberwolves aren’t the nicest animals in the Everfree Forest.” He explained. “And back to you Jeff, We are what is known as ‘Displaced’, beings from another world forcefully transported to Equestria by many methods, most of which involve collecting an item like me.” He puts the Ocarina of time away.
“The names Everfree, and you will address me as such.” Everfree said with a minor grunt of annoyance
“Oh, I'm sorry, Everfree, I’m just not used to talking to animals in my human form.” Michael apologizes with a bow. “Please forgive me, I didn't mean to offend you.”
“At least you're polite.” Everfree said with a nod.
“Sounds exactly like what happened to me, in my case.” Jeff pauses to hold up his hand as the triforce of courage glows due to the presence of Michael’s triforce of courage. “I picked this thing up in a treasure chest.” Jeff explained.
“Let me guess,” Michael started as he stopped bowing. “After picking up the Triforce, a few seconds later you passed out, am I right?” Michael asked.
“Exactly.” Jeff said with a snap of his fingers. “What about this?” Jeff pauses to hold up Michael’s copy of his Fairy Ocarina.
“Oh, that is my token, a way for Displaced like us to travel to different Equestrias to help each other out,” Michael explained. “It’s not exactly hard to make a token, but when I did it took a ton of my energy, thank Celestia I was on my bed when I did it.”
Meanwhile back in Canterlot, Celestia’s head rose in confusion as if someone said her name. Returning back to the Linked duos.
“From how you’re talking, I guess there’s a multiverse of Equestrias?” Jeff asked as he crossed his arms, while Everfree sat down to listen.
“Yep as Perfect Cell put it in Dragon Ball Abridged, Multiverse theory is a bitch.” Michael said with a chuckle. “So question about your Equestria… anthro ponies or normal?” He asked curiously.
“Normal, most of them come up to my knees while Celestia is taller than me.” Jeff explained.
“Alright, just had to know so I know what to expect when or if we run into any ponies.” Michael says with a yawn.
“..Did I summon you in the middle of your night or something?” Jeff asked with a look of as if he felt bad.
“No, I just woke up, and I’m not the best morning person.” Michael said with a few arm stretches. “In fact, you called me here right before my morning workout with Spike and my twin brother.” He said casually.
“Ah- wait, Twin brother?” Jeff asked with a few blinks of his eyes.
“It’s a long and convoluted story…” Michael said while doing some standing leg stretches with his eyes closed. “I can shorten it if you want.”
“It’ll have to wait, I promise Celestia I was gonna be out here for ten or so minutes, plus before I left, she asked me to go visit King Zora for something urgent.” Jeff explained as he resumed his trek with Everfree continuing as the guide.
“You mind if I come with?” Michael asked starting to walk behind them. “I’m not too keen on being in the Everfree Forest alone.”
“My home is only dangerous to visitors I don’t approve of.” Everfree said as she looked at Michael for a moment with those glowing eyes of hers.
“Go ahead, infact I’ll be needing your help- ah, wait. Do you have any means to make yourself different? I don’t need anyponies asking questions.” Jeff asked as he continued to follow everfree.
“I have an earth pony mask but I’m not sure if it will conform to your Equestria’s rules,” Michael says with a hum. “I guess I could turn into a wolf, though I doubt you will be able to understand me while in the form.” He said reaching under his shield and pulling out a necklace.
“...That looks alot like the Howling Stone, I thought your token said you were of ocarina of time?” Jeff asked in confusion.
“I got it from another Displaced Link, wasn’t too long of an encounter but this is his token, A howling Stone necklace filled with twili magic.” Michael puts the necklace around his neck. “So what do you think, Pony, Wolf, or Hylian?” He asked.
“Pony. The Wolf form might put the ponies on edge, especially the Solar Guards.” Jeff explained as the forest began to thin out the further they went.
“Aight, you the boss.” Michael said quickly reaching under his shield and pulling out a green earth pony mask with yellow hair. “Haven’t used this yet, but what’s the worst that could happen.” He puts the mask up to his face and it latches on, Michael hunches over gasping for air then screams at the top of his lungs looking towards the sky as light fills the area around them. As the light fades where Michael was walking is an emerald green earth pony with blue eyes, a golden blonde ponytail mane and short tail, and blue earrings, with the Mirror Shield and Master Sword as his cutiemark.
“Nayru’s embrace..” Jeff said in shock. Despite being familiar with the transformation, witnessing it like this looked alot more grotesque.
“Wow, that was an experience…” Michael said, rubbing his muzzle. “That actually hurt a bit…” Michael looks himself over. “Seems my Earth Pony mask does conform to other Equestrias, neat.”
The group eventually return to the Owl Statue with its stone wings spread out. “I”m gonna assume you know the Song Of Soaring, if not, you might need to grab my tunic then.” Jeff said as he pulled out his ocarina of time.
“Nope, nothing from Majora’s Mask is on my person, not even any songs.” Michael grabs Jeff’s tunic. “Hope this works.”
Like the other two times of playing the song, a pair of white silvery wings wraps around the two, twirling around and warping the two hylians over.
The two arrive back at the Canterlot Garden with Celestia waiting patiently.
“Oh Jeff! You sure are back soon- wait a minute, who’s this that you have with you? I’ve yet to see anypony that’s hung around you that looks as he does. Are you already making friends outside the castle?” The princess joyfully questions.
“This is-..” Jeff pauses to look down at Michael, unsure if he should use the human name, or a pony name.
“Emerald Sword’s the name, it is nice to meet you, your highness.” Michael bows.
The princess nearly stomps her hooves in excitement but refrains from doing so. “Well it’s a pleasure to meet you Mr. Sword. I must ask, how did the two of you meet? I never thought Jeff would be making friends this quickly from outside his own unit.”
“We uh…” Michael stutters trying to think of a believable story about how they met. “Well, you see…” He starts sweating bullets failing to think of a good answer.
“Yessssss?” She leans in closer to Emerald Sword. Still excited about the prospect of a new companion for Jeff.
“We met just outside of the Everfree Forest, I was intrigued by how brave it was for him to venture into the forest and I shot up a conversation.” Michael spun a lie with a nervous smile.
“So you’re a resident of Ponyville? How wonderful, I’ll make sure to come and visit you then to see how Jeff’s first friend is doing. If you don’t mind of course.” The lone monarch comments before switching gears. “But currently? There are more pressing matters that Jeff has to take care of. And I’m sorry but because of the fact that you are a civilian you can not join him to where he is traveling to Mr. Sword.” Leaning away from Emerald Sword’s space, princess Celestia goes back to facing Jeff.
“Jeff, I presume that the business you’ve had to take care of is finished, was it not?” She askes him.
“Yes, Also Emerald will be coming with me as he is a capable fighter.” Jeff said with confidence.
A serious stare immediately whips around to Jeff, not to be threatening but rather for concern instead. “Sir Je- I mean Jeff, are you completely sure about this? The legality of having a civilian potentially fight that isn’t in a military branch is nearly unheard of. I know it is not one hundred percent know of why exactly they’ve called you into Seaquestria but I am merely making sure.”
“Yes, I am completely sure, Celestia.” Jeff said with a nod as he looks over at Michael who was going under the guise Emerald Sword.
“Don’t worry, your highness, I’m trained in swordsponyship I can handle any threat that’s given to me, honest.” Michael said, still carrying the nervous smile on his muzzle.
Princess Celestia looks between Jeff and Emerald Sword before slowly nodding her head. “...Jeff, because of the fact that I trust you, I shall allow you to bring him along. Please try to allow no harm to come to one of my little ponies, although I’m sure you already were going to protect them considering you’re both friends.”
“Of course, plus I am going with a squadron, speaking of which, where are they waiting at?” Jeff asked curiously.
The princess silently chuckles to herself before lighting her horn and making a snapping noise with her magic. And subsequently five other ponies appear from the bushes.
“Surprise!!” They all shout in unison, except for Elegant Crease since she doesn’t handle tomfoolery well.
“Hey Jeff, my stallion, what's up? And we heard your new friend’s name when we were hiding in the bushes, nice to meet you Emerald Sword.” FireForge, the ever-friendly stallion, is the first one to greet them both, besides the princess herself.
“Nice to meet you too…” Michael’s smile falters as his cheeks get tired from smiling.
Silver Bullet butts in, just to remain important- I mean to allow himself to make a good first impression. “So uh, did we scare you? I mean this was my idea in the first place so I was wondering if it’d work. Also to save you the trouble, that over there.” He points his hoof to the stallion who was talking a minute ago. “That’s FireForge.” He then proceeds to point at the other stallion in the group. “That over there is Snow Leap. And the rest of the mares are Elegant Crease, the prude who wouldn’t go past jumping out of the bushes, and the crazy one is Smooth Edge. I, myself, am Silver Bullet. Unanimously we all agree that it's nice to meet a fellow friend of Jeff’s.” The Solar guard compacts an entire introduction in a mere few sentences, but quickly catches their breath afterwards.
“Hello Solar Guards, I’m always happy to meet the brave ponies that protect our beautiful land of Equestria.” Michael says with a genuine smile.
Snow Leap snickers for a moment before speaking up. “Dude, brave is a bit much, Silver Bullet over here-” But princess Celestia clears her throat before the entire unit straightens up and silences themselves.
“Apologizes for their unorthodox behavior but this is how they normally act, even around me. Now then I expect you all to brief Mr. Sword here on your mission and get him back home to Ponyville safely, understood?”
They all salute with their hooves, replying “Yes ma’am!”
“Great, now your ten-pony carriage, capable of flight, is over there with supplies for seven, however one of the supplies boxes are for the pegasus driver to accompany you to help Elegant Crease pull you all. But I trust you all will accommodate for Mr. Sword, so get a move on.” The princess motions over to her far right which indeed is an ten-pony carriage along with a pegasus guard waiting there. Jeff makes his way inside, soon sitting down onto the cushion soft seats. Michael quickly follows Jeff into the carriage though has a bit of trouble sitting, not being used to his new pony shaped body.
Smooth Edge sees the stallion having trouble sitting in and decides to do nothing about it, merely getting into the carriage with a satisfied grin on her muzzle, followed by Silver Bullet, FireForge, and Snow Leap while Elegant Crease goes to get herself locked into the bucking strap of the carriage, spreading her wings out and becoming ready for flight.
Snow Leap reaches through a window and bangs on the outside of the carriage, signifying that they’re ready. Thus, they finally take off towards Zora’s domain.
The carriage soars through the sky, moving gracefully even though it’s blocky in nature. The solar guards and the odd-one out being Emerald Sword, all see many things as they look out. Passing by train-tracks that branched out pass Rambling Rock Ridge. The mountains that they just barely fly past elect the clouds to flow through them and the carriage all the same. And as they took a right turn they all saw Baltimare and some even waved to it before then finally began to slow down and land past Horeshoe Bay, and landing at the entrance of King Zora’s domain.
After Jeff got off, there was a triforce symbol on the ground, making the hylian frown how this was the second time he’s seen it. Like before, Jeff plays Zelda’s Lullaby, causing the huge partly frozen waterfall to split apart and reveal a hidden entrance.
“Huh, you actually have a use for that song.” Michael says quietly to himself as he jumps out of the carriage, forgetting who he’s with.
“Hm, what an interesting use of magic. If I can recall that was one of the old heroes’ magical songs, was it not?” Elegant Crease curiously asked as she detached herself from the bucking straw.
“One of many, and I’m still recalling much more.” Jeff said as he put away his ocarina. Jeff heads on through leading the group down a cavern where several shells glow in bio-lumscience. The cavern, at first is dim, the shells don’t provide that light. Yet the farther they all went down the seemingly endless and dingy cavern they all noticed that the lights got brighter and brighter until they all saw it, the King Zora’s true domain.
Large waterfalls pool down to the waters below the seven of them as they all trek down this path, small spikes of earth stand up from the ground while small waves are made within those small waters from seemingly nothing. Large clams were rarely seen between the large group. Most of all there was the populace, they were made up entirely of Zoras, some were walking along the earthy pathways while others were running small businesses but most just seemed to be talking amongst themselves, out and in water. Overall though? The place looked as if it could use a little bit of decoration from somepony or three.
Jeff noticed the walls looked rather beautiful, almost like looking at the shell of a conch, infact the pathway down stepped like the same material. As they eventually got to the bottom, it opened up into a fairly large cavern. Off on the other side, Michael would see a rather familiar waterfall with two torches behind it.
“Huh… even though this place looks bigger and more realistic they still have those two torches hiding a piece of heart behind that waterfall.” He says to himself, completely forgetting he’s supposed to be a normal pony from Ponyville. “Man, my brain really wants me to go light those torches…” He again says to himself.
“Or a heart bead from how this world has been so far to me.” Jeff said in a lower volume only Michael could heard.
Snow Leap, catching a bit of Emerald Sword’s sentence, decides to act on it. “Whatever you two are talking about, please try not to do anything that gets us in trouble. I’m looking at you Emerald, but mostly you, Smooth.”
As they walked past a large pool room, they eventually arrive at a long staircase leading upwards, although looking a little dramatic with how the iron torches were standing near the wall with blue flames that’d remind Michael of a certain bottled fire. Two Zora guards hold spears would nod to the seven.
“We’ve been expecting you.” The Zora guard to the right would say before heading up to the Zora King to announce their arrival.
“We sure hope so…” Silver Bullet mutters under his breath.
Smooth Edge turns over to look at the group while also watching the Zora guard go up to the king. “So does anypony else feel kinda outta place here? Like they’re just not even supposed to be in this place?” The mare concernedly asks.
“No kiddin Smooth, this feels worse than trying to wake my brother up during one of his bad hangovers.” FireForge admits.
“I’m not surprised considering what I heard in the Canterlot Library, alot of Hyrule and its races are forgotten history. The creatures you see here are called Zora, think of them like Dolphins but more bipedal like I am.” Jeff explained to the best of his abilities.
“Zora are some of the coolest races from Hyrule, they can breathe water AND air, it’s so cool!” Michael says nerding out about the Zora with a huge smile on his muzzle.
Smooth Edge of all ponies is the first to raise their head. “How do both of you know so much about ‘em, what are you? Both book worms like Elegant Crease over here?” She teasingly questions.
“Yeah, my special somepony and I live in a Library so we read a lot.” Michael admits casually.
“Like I said, forgotten history, so you will be seeing alot of strange things only I and Emerald Sword know.” Jeff explained as the Zora returned.
“Follow me.” The zora guard said as they made their way upstairs. As they all walk up the stairs they slowly arrive at a large open space. To the left and right of them are these mystic patterns that are on the walls next to pillars. The overhead of it all carries similar designs that are far better than the ones down below. They all continue walking through, seeing molded stone formed into wide stairs in front of them. Their eyes travel upwards, which is when they see the King Zora and the Queen Zora, yet there was something noticeable about the Queen Zora, she had a small bulge in her stomach that appeared to be one of pregnancy, still both of them are sitting upon their respective thrones. Jeff held his fist to his chest, giving a respectable bow to the two. Michael quickly bowed as well trying to be cordial.
All of the solar guards bow before the king and queen before one shakily rises their head in nervousness. “U-um, hello King and Queen Zora, I’m Silver Bullet. I’m a part of the solar guard and all of us were sent to investigate because of the message that you’d both sent Princess Celestia.”
“Oh please rise. And dears, call me Queen Rutela. This grump over here told me not to tell you his name though. But don’t worry, he’s glad to have you all here to respond to our call for aid.” Queen Rutela gives a soft smile to the entire group.
The King Zora has a very gruff attitude but not one of direct rudeness. “I’m sure you’ve all been informed but to be clear, a very popular and hope inspiring band has gone missing inside the borders of Seaquestria. We need you all to investigate and bring them all back, safe and sound. Do you all have any questions?” The King askes.
“Wait, the Indigo-gos are missing?” Michael asked, shocked from the news.
“Hm? You know about them? But yes you are correct in that assumption little pony.” The Zora King replies.
“When did they leave Zora’s Domain and how long have they been missing?” Jeff asked curiously.
The Zora King turns and looks at Jeff before answering. “They’ve been gone for nearly a week and a half and haven’t returned within seven days, therefore they’ve been declared missing.”
“And have you sent any Zora Guard?” Jeff asked next.
“Several but they’ve all reported to have been pushed away by powerful currents and whirlpools that inexplicably form to do the same, like something is controlling them.” The Zora King darkly tells them. “Which is why I need your help, hopefully with a new and different perspective combined with your magic, you all can finally make a way to solve this once and for all.”
“Just one question, none of us can breathe underwater, so will you be giving us some kind of enchanted gear to help with that?” Jeff asked.
“Not gonna lie, I was wondering that too.” FireForge adds on.
The King Zora snaps his fingers before several servants come out and hold Zora tunics in one row and Mermaid suits within the other. “This is how, wear those and you shall be given the ability to breathe underwater.”
Without fail, the males of the group proceed to pick up their items one after the other with Emerald Sword going last. The moment he touches the outfit it vanishes and Michael’s body moves on its own. He turns around and holds his hooves up with the Outfit floating above his hooves as a familiar jingle plays out loud. DA DA DA DAAAAA! He blinks and the Outfit falls to his hooves and he regains control of his body.
“It happens when I’m a pony as well?” He says quietly mentally cursing. He quickly whistles trying to play off the music, badly.
“..Why did you just…” Jeff fell silent in confusion.
Everybody silently turns their head, as if it were clock-work and give Emerald Sword the weirdest possible stares they could muster.
Silver Bullet, takes a singular step to the side, just to inch away from what Emerald Sword did. “...So are we all just going to ignore the fact that he somehow made music out of nowhere? I’m willing to accept a lotta the weird thing that goes on whenever the six of us are together but uh… Jeff, are you like a weirdness magnet? Where’d you pick this guy up at anyways?”
“Met him in the Everfree forest, but trust me when I say that his oddity will be of help, trust me.” Jeff said with a nod.
Snow Leap slowly nods along with Jeff. Still a bit unsure but ultimately trusting of Jeff. “Well, this is Jeff we’re talking about. The dude is like the nicest guy we all know.” A small whisper of ‘debatable’ comes from Smooth Edge but Snow Leap continues. “We can trust what he says, and besides that little… Thing that Emerald did, everything’s been fine and dandy thus far.”
Clearing her throat the mare twists her hoof around as if she’s trying to move things along. “Anyways, back to the less weird topic at hoof. The organization skills you all must have are wonderful, color me impressed.” Elegant Crease compliments. “However, you cannot expect me to wear this ridiculous thing.”
“Yes listen I’m sorry dude but this just ain’t gonna cut it, I ain’t wearing no mermare fins.” Smooth Edge agrees.
Raising his Eyebrow the King Zora looks at the mares with disbelief. “So are you saying that you both could push through the tides of water with your own strength? The earth pony, maybe but you there, pegasus, would be lifted off of your hooves in mere seconds. However with the Mermaid suit you shall have your lower half become aquatic in nature to help you.”
The two mares individually grumble before taking the mermaid suits and putting them on, temporarily becoming mermares.
“What the bu- I mean what the heck?” Smooth Edge catches herself mid-comment as she flops on the floor with nobody bothering to pick her up. Elegant Crease however, uses her wings to hover in the air while remaining silent to contemplate what had just happened to her.
“Girls, please don’t be like that.” Queen Rutela silently pleads to them both, they however say nothing in return besides a small nod.
“Uh.. King Zora? All of them look pony sized..” Jeff said with a frown.
“That is because they are pony sized. Do not fret because of this revelation. For I have a gift for you from the old hero. Hopefully you can still fit it.” King Zora snaps his fingers once again. Which summons a lone servant who moves past Jeff before holding a peculiar set of armor out in front of Jeff. “This is the Zora armor, it should be kind to your bipedal stature, allowing you to wear it.”
Jeff instantly recognised its design to be that of Twilight Princess. Jeff reaches out and scoops his arms around the armor to take it from the lone servant. “I’m surprised you had this available..” Jeff said as he studied the armor’s much more detailed design.
“It was originally outfitted for the old hero of courage.” King Zora began. “And there were multiple pieces made specifically for him. A mere stroke of luck that you two are so similar, or perhaps it was fate. So is there anything else that could possibly be done for you all before you all embark on your travels? That is within my power of course.” The king finished
FireForge tries to raise his hoof but his brother immediately slaps his hoof away with a small shake of the head.
“Very well then, it is settled. You all shall be off and by the grace of the gods, bring back the Indigo-gos. Farewell and good luck soldiers.” The Zora King nods his head once more. Signaling for all the servants to return back from whence they and leaving the room with an uneven silence.
The group is about to go back towards the entrance when a guard stops them in their tracks.
“Uh, dude, move out the way so that we can go.” Snow Leap looks at the guard and back at the narrow stairway they came from, an impatient aura surrounding him.
The guard is unmoving. “I have been tasked with guiding you all to where the currents themselves are. Please, follow me.” He responds in a neutral tone.
“Well this seems legit.” Silver Bullet says with the straightest face imaginable. “Yeah, let's go follow him.”
Elegant Crease rolls her eyes before actually nodding her head. “As much as I would like to point out how unintelligent that sounded, I must concur.” She said as she hovered in the air with her wings.
A voice in the back is heard however. “Dammit, don't leave me here you guys. Jeff, Snowy, any of you come and pick me up!” That voice belonged to Smooth Edge, the same mare who was still flopping towards them at a snail’s pace. Michael lifts Smooth Edge onto him since with the Mermaid Suit on, it has transformed the Earth pony’s legs into a tail with fins.
“Not too used to this tail but my strength should make carrying you a piece of cake, hold on tight but don’t choke me please.” He said with a chuckle.
She wraps her hooves around Elemrald’s neck with a surprising amount of strength. “Awww, my hero.” The crude mare replies. “You know I really wished that SOMEPONY *cough cough* Silver Bullet had gotten me but all is fine.”
Jeff couldn’t help but chuckle under his breath while putting on Zora's Armor piece by piece.
As Jeff puts on his armor, Silver Bullet and Smooth Edge can’t help but share death glares with each other as the Zora guard chooses to not make it any of his business. “Alright ponies… And hylians, let's get a move on already, yeah?” Snow Leap decides to take initiative and help herd the ponies along to follow the Zora guard, which they do. Until they reach the pool room that they were previously at.
“This is where you all shall be diving through, I shall go along with you but on the other side is where another group shall take yours to the anomalous happening.” The Zora guard steps to the edge, waiting for the others to go through. Jeff adjusts his helmet and slips the mouth cover up as he gets into the waters.
“Off we go!” Michael says with a loud laugh as he turns away from the pool and jumps backward into the water dunking Smooth Edge head first. A loud and then slightly gurgled “Oh buck you!” Is heard but was expected of everyone there.
Silver Bullet decides to try and impress the others. Holding on hoof up, he goes to do a full back hoof spring into the pool… And somehow succeeds, managing to even drop Elegant Crease’s jaw.
“And that’s where I draw the line, I’ll be Celestia damned if I let that imbecile out do me.” Using her wings she flies up before doing a series of, well elegant twists and turns in the sky before using her hooves to safely enter the waters.
FireForge, Snow Leap, and Jeff all look at each other before FireForge nods his head to his brother. “Well rookies together, right?” He asks them both.
“Rookies together.” Jeff said as he held out his hand.
The twin brothers stop for a second and look at Jeff before loudly stomping their hooves together and softly meeting his hand with their hooves. “Oh buck yeah baby!” The two brothers step back some and jump into the pool. With Jeff close behind. The Zora guard takes a moment to himself. Simply to wonder what he’s gotten into before taking a single step off to plummet into the watery depths below.
And as he went down below he saw the not so pretty sight of Smooth Edge trying to pick a fight with Emerald Sword for dunking her in such an unexpected way, with two stallions cheering her on, those being FireForge and Silver Bullet. While Snow Leap tries to hold her back. “Just let me kick his sorry flank!” She growls out. Michael was laughing his flank off a safe distance away.
“Oh for Nayru’s sake, there’s no time for this!” Jeff said in annoyance, then surprise that he was talking underwater and heard everyone clearly.
“He’s grunt right, so stop elbowing me in the damn sides.” Snowy does his best to calm the raging mare down before she finally stops and takes a deep breath.
“Yeah… You’re right, also FireForge and Silver, I’m putting you both on my manure list so watch out.” Turning over to Emerald Sword she holds out a hoof to him. “No hard feelings dude?” She says with a near-genuine smile.
“Sorry, haven’t had someone to do that in about a month and a half, couldn’t help myself.” Michael said, stopping his laughing and smiling. “No hard feelings grill.” Putting her hoof away she takes note of his terminology but decides to accept it of one from positivity instead of negativity.
A very sharp snap is heard from everyone from the back before they remember why they’re here. “O-oh buck, almost forgot, lead the way dude.” FireForge says with a look of self-disappointment. And that he does, leading them deep through the underground caverns that noticeably got colder and colder until they get to an area leads out to a vast expanse of sea and a lone three group of guards waiting for them all.
“This is the drop off area, where these Zora shall lead you. Take care of yourselves during this journey.” The guard says before swimming back from where they came.
“As he said to you all, we shall be guiding you through this long travel, do well to behave and do not stray from us.” One of the three guards told the four shivering ponies.
“You know, I don’t understand why you all are shivering. It’s actually kinda warm.” Snowy said with a satisfied gaze on his eyes.
“I’m good, could be even colder.” Michael says nonchalantly.
“Northern pony.” Jeff said with a shake of his head as he never did understand how people or ponies can stand that kind of temperature.
“L-listen, y-y-you all can measure dicks about how c-c-cold resistant you both are but I-I want this done and over with. S-Snowy, you of all ponies know I-I don’t handle the cold well.” Smooth Edge, the shivering pony is already slowly moving forward.
“Let’s do this quick then.” Jeff said as he turns to look at the group of Zora’s, giving them a nod to lead the way.
“Unlike the rest of you, I know how to keep my mind and body balanced.” Elegant Crease cockily admits before following along with the herd of ponies, Hylian(s), and Zoras.
Their journey was one that was not extremely long. However due to the underwater wintery weather, the group, besides a select few, had mentally thought out to have had the travel take even longer. Passing by the now almost dead forests of Hayseed Swamps. And the rocky Black Skull Island they passed was quietly keeping to itself, drooling out small amounts of lava from time to time. And the aquatic life itself were made of what looked like an immeasurable amount of creatures ranging from friendly hammerhead sharks to singing kelpies that kept themselves to the lower layers of the water with their water sprite pals.
After another ten minutes of traveling, they all finally reached the mysterious area. Several sharp and violent waves acting as barriers to keep them all at bay. “This is where the anomalous happenings have stopped us from proceeding any further. Which is of course why you all are here.” The three guards move to the side to open up more space for them all. “Do as you must to solve this, it’d be of great help.” Another of them says before going silent.
Jeff approached the wall-like water currents but kept a fair distance so as to not get swept up. The hylian’s mind rushes through memories of all the games, but nothing came to mind, well either finding a switch to change the current’s direction, but Jeff knows it wouldn’t be that simple. Jeff soon looks at the others, mostly the unicorns of the groups for suggestions. Eventually, Jeff remembers something from Majora’s Mask. Following the wall, Jeff manages to find a gap in the wall of water currents. “..You might find this hard to believe but its not just one wall, but multiple. For some reason it's forming a strange maze around the area.” Jeff explained as he looked off in the distance, barely making out an outline of Seaquestria.
“Like pinnacle rock?” Michael said then quickly covered his mouth and hit himself for forgetting who he was with again.
“Pinnacle who now?” Silver Bullet asked?
Elegant Crease uses her wings and tail to gently glide closer to them both and shakes her head. “I believe that he’s mentioning the rock formation that is known as “Pinnacle rock” because of its mountainous-like appearance yet still being geologically considered a mere spike of earth by most.”
“Whatever you guys are talking about it’s still not addressing the elephant in the room. How exactly do you get through this multi-layered maze?” Smooth Edge asked before thinking for a second and disappearing off somewhere else.
“Hm… Yes it is most perplexing, and if it is like Jeff said then it’s going to be difficult to even enter the maze in the first place.” Elegant Crease concludes.
“And it's gonna be an annoying trial and error if none of the unicorns here knows any spells that can get through it.” Jeff said with a soft sigh, mentally wishing he had the Lens Of Truth to see the currents better, or some kind of underwater wolf form that could follow the scent of seaponies that came from where they needed to go..
A small chuckle is heard from everyone as a lone hoof gestures to itself. “I believe I can be of help.” Snow Leap. “I specialize in Cryomancy and dabble in a bit of water manipulation, maybe I can just help freeze some of the the barriers in place at random times until one of them gives us an opening.” He cockily finishes
“That’s a good way to go about it, go for it.” Jeff said with a nod.
“You got it bro.” A baby blue aura surrounds his horn before he casts a spell. Several tendrils lash out from his horn before touching the currents in front of them and freezing them solid. As a result this also creates an opening within the maze.
“Ha, let’s go, first try too!” Snowy congratulates himself before heading through his opening and urging everyone else to come through. “C’mon this won’t hold forever- where’s Smooth?” Looking between them all he can’t actually find Smooth Edge anywhere until he looks up at an angle stopping right in front of the water maze, finding her swimming just above before softly landing on Emerald Sword’s back. “Carry me the rest of the way.” She requests, but it almost comes out as more of a demand.
Choosing to ignore her antics, the rest of the group continues on, repeating the same method of freezing parts of the maze and traveling through them before the ice breaks behind them. A multitude of twists and turns are only met with tenacity and determination before they finally reach the other side of it, revealing Seaquestria.
“Finally…” A mana-depleted Snow Leap says. “We’re here, somepony carry me dammit.” And surprisingly it isn’t FireForge who does so, instead it’s Elegant Crease.
“Consider this a thank you.” She softly tells him before moving forward, taking in the view before her ears briefly flicker, making her back away.
Jeff's attention is drawn as he hears a familiar crackle of electricity. "...SON OF A DINS-GET DOWN!" Jeff said in a panic as a beam of electricity was flying straight at the group. Jeff dive out of the way, using his dodging instincts and his training to get out of the way.
“Shit!” Michael shouts and quickly throws Smooth out of the way of the zap but he doesn’t get a chance to dodge himself due to spinning in place after his throw and is zapped by the attack Screaming at the top of his lungs in pain.
Silver Bullet hurriedly elects a small silver magical barrier out of panic below his hooves before pushing off of it to slowly jump out of the way while FireForge quickly flails his limbs around, only barely managing to swim out of the way from the blast. Snowy and Elegant aren’t so lucky. And Elegant Crease realizes that so she does her best to push Snow Leap away and gets struck by the electricity, with only a small amount of it bouncing on Snow Leap. Thankfully due to being a pegasus it doesn’t have the major effects of completely frying her alive.
Gazing toward the attacker, what Jeff said made him shudder in disgust. What floated before them was a large red fleshy ball. Several bluish protrusions come from its body looking as if they’re ready to detach at any time. And a multitude of tiny tendrils are at its bottom acting like legs. The weirdest feature it has is the six larger tendrils coming from the top of it, three of them were a deep veiny red and the other three were also just as grotesque as the red ones, sharing the same pulsating veins but with the added addition of having dish-like formations from around the end of them.
“Barinade, Bio-electric Anemone.." Jeff said in recognition as he pulled his sword and shield.
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[Displaced] A Forced Hero Rewrite
Chapter Seven: A Fellow Hero's Answer (Part 2 of 4)
What creeped him was the detail of it all, especially when it was MUCH bigger than he remembers it. The jellyfish that formed a symbiotic relationship with Barinade were bigger than the ponies with him, while the host was the biggest, easily towering by twelve feet in height. “Quick lesson, avoid the electricity it blasts, DON’T attack the jellyfish until we stun Barinade. The thing is gonna be rapidly spinning so keep your distance!” Jeff quickly explained just as it started doing just that; spinning around with electric tathers between it and its host like it was a helicopter.
“Alright you guys heard the damn stallion. That means no idle hooves either, draw your weapons and get to stepping.” FireForge shouts as he started to move to match the spinning jellyfishes’ rhythm.
“You need not to tell me t-twice.” The pained Elegant Crease grunts out.
“I need a moment to recover, you all just do your things, I’ll be with you guys shortly.” Snow Leap replies as he gets back up. And out of its range.
Silver Bullet looks over to Smooth, drawing a sword with his hoof from his scabbard, he nods his head to her as the mare unlocks a battle axe from her withers before nodding back. Both of them get into battle ready stances before slowly advancing towards the Barinade on two sides, careful not to hit any of the electrical jelly fish while not yet making a move.
“Oww…” Michael coughs out before shaking his head and regaining his composure. “Anybody got a boomerang?” He shouts as he starts swimming toward the others.
Elegant Crease slowly rises upwards in the sky, using her wings as makeshift fins. “Now’s not the time for jokes Emerald.” Pulling a whip from her waist she proceeds to unfurl it and floats at an angle from the Barinade to not get close to the originating part of the electrical current
“Plus it's not connected to anything, so boomerang is out of the question.” Jeff said as he swam around Barinade trying to find an opening, especially since his Hero’s Bow would be useless underwater.
“C-can’t we just shred the damn thing until it decides to die?” Snow Leap tiredly asks, being helped up by his brother as they both draw standardized swords.
"Physical contact with it will get you electrocuted, there's a reason why I mention stunning it. Anyone of you knows range magic, aim for the main body, the pulsing red part." Jeff explained to his squadron.
“Well I’m shit outta luck, fire magic won’t work down here… Unless, everypony I need you all to buy me some time to try something out. If you’re given the opportunity though, then strike this thing down.” FireForge tells them before charging up his magic.
Snow Leap nods his head. “You got it bro.” Shakily getting into a more refined stance, the snowy stallion points out his blade and summons two small sized icicles before firing them at a random Jellyfish.
Jeff stomped and pushed off the ocean floor to get out of the way as a Jellyfish, narrowly hit his face, the hylian even felt a small wave of energy pass by him from how close it was.
Michael reaches a hoof behind himself trying to pull anything out of his inventory to no avail. “Damn, I can’t use my items in this form…” Thinking quickly he swims in between Barinade and FireForge. “Right now, best I can do is body block. If shit hits the fan I’m gonna have to unmask though.” He said quietly becoming a Pony shaped shield to stop electric shocks.
“Alright I let a lotta things slide and if it were for the fact that this was a hnng life or death situation I’d be interrogating you right now. So get outta the bucking way.” Michael nodded and swam out of the way. A large light emits from FireForge’s horn as bubbles rapidly form around his entire body, the red aura that surrounds his horn flares up before releasing an almost invisible jet stream of heating magic at the Barinade and striking it, causing the monster to jolt uncontrollably and its jellyfish brethren to lose their shock.
“N-now, strike it everypony!” FireForge calls out before he collapses into one of his brother’s open forelegs.
Jeff quickly swam straight at Barinade with his sword posed, making swimming fierce stab at the boss’s body, causing it to let out low gurgle as blueish blood bled into the waters around them.
Michael Swam as fast as he could. “Falcon punch!” He yelled as he used all his energy to slam his right hoof into Barinade leaving a sizable welt in the monster’s massive body.
“..Falcon Punch?” Jeff asked in skeptical disbelief at Michael, the hylian makes another stab at Barinade’s body while waiting for Michael’s explanation.
“It worked didn’t it?” Michael said as he started rapidly jabbing Barinade in the same spot. “It’s all I got right now.”
Smooth Edge almost drops her battle axe after hearing that ridiculous name of a move. “Oh so now we’re using style on this beast?” She jokingly asks before grabbing her axe handle, swiftly chucking it upwards towards Elegant Crease while Silver Bullet creates a few dozen small magical barriers to use as platforms and travel over to the monstrosity with his slow underwater leaps, finally reaching it and delivering a few cuts to it before promptly swimming backwards as he sees Elegant Crease’s whip wrap around Smooth Edge’s slow moving battle axe and slowly twirling around with it, but due to the water’s resistance, it isn’t until she gets a very tiny but still slightly noticeable current going with her momentum before using the side of the axe to bat the Barinade in the side, still not knocking it down however.
“Now that’s bucking style!” The weaponless mare says before swimming over to Elegant Crease and retrieving her weapon back.
Jeff rapidly swam away just as Barinade rose up off the ocean floor. “Get away from it!” Jeff warned as Barinade’s body started to crackle with energy anew.
“Whoa!” Michael yelled as he swam away trying to avoid getting another zap.
Snowy uses some of the last of their magic to form a small ice wall to shield both himself and his brother as Silver continues to swim away and out of harm’s reach.
“Oh by Celestia’s flank, if I survive this, I’ve gotta go out and get drinks with Elegant Crease.” Smooth Edge quietly mumbles, realizing she won’t be able to muster the agility needed to get out of its radius while Elegant Crease is long gone in the other direction. The earth pony braced for electrical impact as everyone else was ducking and swimming out of the way of stray electricity coming from outside the blast radius.
Noticing Smooth Edge not escaping the zap radius of Barinade, Michael mentally cursed and swam back to push her out harms way. “Move damn it!” He pretty much tackles her pushing her away from Barinade, but putting himself back in zapping distance.The mare wildly flings through the water in a very slow manner before realizing what just happened. But before she could swim back over to help Emerald, he was already in the process of getting shocked by the Barinade screaming his lungs out in agony.
With its attackers rebelled from its body, Barinade rose higher toward the ocean's surface with its spinning jellyfish. Suddenly Barinade aimed all of its satellite shaped tentacles at Jeff as it's body started charging up a large amount of electricity. The hylian frantically swam to his right, however despite the hylian's best efforts, it fired off many electric beams at him, earning a direct hit and causing Jeff to let out a loud scream of pain as his body spasmed and shook. One of the glowing heart beads around his necklace slowly lost its light.
Elegant Crease stops swimming away, turning around only to realize what just happened and rapidly shake her head. “Please, mother of Celestia, give me strength.” Instead of being analytical she beelines in front of the Barinade without thinking.
Due to Elegant’s Crease beelining, it distracts Barinade from it’s beam onslaught, allowing Jeff to gain some ground away from Barinade and bring back some of his senses. Barinade swings one of its tethered jellyfish straight at her. Which was the final straw, all of the electricity running through her was more than a pegasus could handle so she went unconscious from it.
“Goddess-damn it that hurt..” Jeff said as he gritted his teeth, waiting for the volts to stop rippling through him.
Smooth Edge goes over to help aid Emerald Sword, Silver Bullet gives Jeff some physical support by helping him up, FireForge immediately swims to carry Elegant Crease on his back while Snow Leap is too exhausted to even move at this point.
“Tartarus, what do we do now? This thing looks like it’s about to flake on us at any moment yet it isn’t giving in. Doesn’t anypony else have a surefire way to beat this thing?” Silver Bullet asks.
“Just keep stunning it with spells from a range and striking it close when its connection with its jellyfish is interrupted...” Jeff said as he forced himself to swim up he raised his sword arm up, prepared to strike.
“A-alright, everypony who’s too injured to fight, stay back. Everypony else, fight till your last breath.” An out of breath FireForge adds on.
Silver Bullet, done with helping Jeff up, swims up some to gain a tactical advantage. “I trust you’ll be alright Jeff, make sure to not get shocked like everypony else.” He half-jokingly says. Charging up some of the mana into his horn to get ready for another strike towards the spinning Barinade
At the same time Smooth Edge is attempting to slap Emerald Sword back into full consciousness and doing some wishful thinking to jump start his muscle’s again to wear off the shock. “Get slap the buck slap backup!” Punctuating every few words with physical violence.
“Now! Aim for the red fleshy part.” Jeff signaled just as Barinade’s satellite tentacles started charging up another beam.
Sharply nodding his head, Silver Bullet sends out a disc shaped construct of magic towards that exact spot, the disc itself has several blunted out edges to it for more concussive form. Getting a direct hit on the Barinade’s weak spot and only opening. Like before, it interrupts the boss’s telepathic link to its jellyfish, allowing Jeff to rush in and strike true to the base of the beast’s real body. Which was the straw that broke the camel’s back. The Barinade flails all of its tendrils in crazed directions before deciding to spin faster and faster before it ends up creating a small whirlpool that disorients everyone. Just as the whirlpool cleared, it was gone, it managed to escape to a different part of the ocean.
Everyone is nigh exhausted from the fight, Snow Leap is collapsed on the sea floor, FireForge is trying to pick up his exhausted brain into becoming functional again, Silver Bullet is massaging his head along with his horn, and Elegant Crease is still on FireForge’s back, and Smooth Edge is still trying to slap Emerald awake.
“H-huh…” Michael starts to regain consciousness as Smooth edge continues to slap him. “Oww, hey stop, Owww, I’m up!” He shouts.
Her hoof immediately stops before her eyes go wide with surprise, and then proceeds to smack him one more time before letting go of him. “Geez you almost had me worried. I mean what in Celestia’s name were you thinking when you took that blast head on for me?”
“I don’t think I can tell you, you wouldn’t believe me, Man my face hurts…” Michael starts rubbing his cheeks trying to stop the pain.
“Hylia dammit. I wasn’t expecting it to fly off like that.” Jeff said as he sheaths his sword and slide his shield onto his back.
As Smooth Edge and Emerald Sword still go back and forth, Silver Bullet pats Jeff on the shoulder. “Hey, it’s okay all that matters is that we all made it out alive because my bucking Celestia that was a tough battle. I’ve got a damn migraine from summoning that many constructs and it looks like FireForge is about to have an aneurysm because of how bucking hot you’ve gotta get freezing water to be under water. In an instant. So yeah… And if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go get Snowy.” Silver Bullet swims over and throws Snow Leap over his shoulders before swimming forward towards Seaquestria with FireForge following him.
“It was a gambit I will admit, but I couldn’t think of how else we could stun it without getting electrocuted by its jellyfish.” Jeff said to himself with a sigh, causing bubbles to escape his mouth mask, going after the four ponies with a tired look on his face.
“You know Emerald, I still can’t say that was the easiest thing I’ve done but-” Smooth looks behind herself briefly and notices everypony already swimming off. “Shit. We’ve gotta get going.” The mare leaves a confused disguised human behind while she too, swims away.
“Wait, don’t leave me behind damn it!” Michael quickly swims behind Smooth Edge. “Man, I feel like I was pretty much useless in that fight… This damn pony disguise is holding me back.” He said quietly slowly catching up to the others. “Gotta stick with it for as long as I can…” He said with a sigh.
The group finally makes it into Seaquestria. After the painstaking fight and having some ponies near collapsion, they’re trying their very hardest to remain diligent. Looking around they do find some things that lighten up their days. The beautiful and unique structures of this underwater kingdom are something to marvel. Their coral houses decorated with several sea-shell lanterns of varying colors, resembling a kaleidoscope of sorts. The wonderful statues that have been carved of hardened minerals are found scattered everywhere.
Residents however are nowhere to be found, they’re all within their shops, homes, or hiding out of sight from them. As if these ponies were the plague of sorts. Some out of curiosity while others are more-so out of fear.
“Man… Now I know how Zecora felt when she visited Ponyville at first…” Michael said looking around at the hiding citizens.
“...I’m guessing Barinades gotten them spooked, I wouldn’t blame them. That, or they haven’t had pony visitors in a long time..” Jeff said judging from the sea-citizens’s gazes.
The group still trudges along through the waters, swimming from street to street until they find something of importance which doesn’t take long. After a few more blocks they all see it, that towering castle that nearly reaches the surface itself. Several decorative barnacles are scattered around with the detail-level that’d rival any good designer for years to come, natural coatings of moss and algae that have grown on it due to age is also found plentiful.
“Uh… Guess we should go see if the royalty of this place has anything important to let us know?” Silver Bullet awkwardly asks. No pony was in the mood for witty banter though and instead left for the castle, the silence hanging over them like the cold weather.
The squadron did their best to make efficient use of their time and finally made it to the presumed royalties’ residence. There was a problem though, two seaponies are blocking their path with serrated spears.
A intensely aggravated FireForge gives them both death glares. “What do you mean you “can’t let us through” we traveled all this way from King Zora’s domain and nearly got our flanks kicked by it. You guys gotta let us through, tell ‘em Jeff.”
“By Celestia and King Zora’s orders no doubt, we’re here because of a missing band.” Jeff explained to the two seaguardsmen.
They both stare at each other for a moment before staring back at the solar guards (and Emerald Sword) before their expressions turn apologetic. “Please forgive us, we didn’t know you were here under two royal’s order. Please allow us to guide you all to our queen.” Both of them take their serrated spears away from the entrance and enter the castle, allowing the group entry through the queen’s palace.
“Again, we’re sorry for our ignorance.” The first guard says for the third time the small trip.
“And again, we don’t care.” Smooth Edge truthfully comments. Jeff reached over and slapped upside Smooth Edge’s head. A soft “owww” is heard but she merely nurses her injury before grumbling a few obscenities at Jeff.
The second guard is about to say something but that’s when they all arrive in an open area that’s been carved like a dome. A royal gold is basically the entire room’s personality. Many sculptures are behind the throne and the throne itself has barred like golden minerals spiking away from it, a nice contrasting red velvety cushion is on the back-rest of it while at the bottom, the cushion is an ironic sea green. Upon the throne itself lies a bigger seapony than anyone else they’ve seen thus far, which isn’t many but still. Her fins are huge and the crown she wears is simple in nature, it’s ‘V’ shaped and has three lone blue feathers on it.
Jeff took notice of the glowing orange orbs that floated above them, keeping the room warm and not as frosty as the outside.
“Who are you all? Why have you come to my kingdom?” The royal seapony asks.
“By King Zora’s and Celestia’s orders to investigate some kind of anomaly and the missing band, he said they were heading here last?” Jeff asked curiously
The queen squints her eyes at the group distrustfully. “If you’re referring to the Indigo-gos then they’re fine. It’s actually thanks to their guitarist that we’re fine now, sadly he’s currently resting from tiring himself out. Tell me, how did you all get here in the first place?” She asks with some skepticism
“Wasn’t easy getting through the maze of water currents at first till Snow Leap made it visible by freezing parts of it.” Jeff explains.
“Barinade didn’t help either…” Michael said with an annoyed tone of voice.
“No… No kidding, hey where are we anyways?” A now slightly awake Snow Leap questioned.
“We’re in the underworld colt, we all died and this is Tartarus.” Smooth Edge replies, completely stone faced.
FireForge almost slaps Smooth Edge for that but can’t muster up the strength for it. “Don’t lie to my little bro like that. And hey, what’s your name miss?”
“You all may refer to me as Queen Novo.” She swiftly answers.
“Well then Queen Novo, can we get a place to sleep…” Michael’s stomach grumbles loudly, cutting off FireForge.
“Crap, I forgot I didn’t get to eat breakfast…” He shamefully holds his belly and hangs his head.
“…And eat around here before another one of us collapses?” FireForge almost forcefully uses a pleasant tone in order to not be rude.
“Please forgive their attitude, Barinade did a number on all of us, I doubt they can survive round three with him in their current condition, and before you ask yes, that is the name of the monster.” Jeff explained.
Raising an eyebrow, Queen Novo gives Jeff a weird stare. “You all fought the ‘Barinade?’ As you call it. Did you all kill it, perhaps?”
“Sadly no, it manipulated the water currents and blinded us before we could.” Jeff said, still feeling ashamed about it.
“Yeah it was a real pain in the flank, but at least we got a few good blows in.” Smooth Edge comments with a tiny bit of cheer.
Queen Novo shakes her head. “How disappointing. This beast has been attacking us on and off for the past few weeks. And it seems to be going after our goddess orb that we have been long protecting for many years by one of the great goddesses above but it has been stolen now.”
“Wait, goddess orb?” Jeff’s pointed ears rose up with interest.
“Yes, a goddess orb, what is it to you? Why do you require such information?” She asks with some suspicion.
“I’m gonna take a guess and say you got it from Nayru, or perhaps a hylian of my description?” Jeff asked curiously.
Queen Novo starts sputtering before managing to gain a proper line of thought. “What is it that you’re planning, answer my questions, or you may be detained and brought into custody.” At that, several guards take stance, getting ready for a fight if need be.
Jeff quickly dug into his pouches and pulled out the goddess orb of Farore. “Celestia told they were given by the goddess to protect them. This orb here, I found in the everfree held by Gohma.” Jeff explained.
“Oh that’s pretty, I wonder if i’m gonna collect any of those in my equestria?” Michael says looking up, delirious from low energy and lack of food.
The queen of Seaquestria is even more confused from both of these statements. “You’ve collected one already and either your friend there is insane or from an entirely different universe…” Now more out of concern for the delirious pony that’s looking woozy, Queen Novo places a fin upwards letting the guards drop their combat ready positions.
“Please do not laugh when I say this but…” The queen leads off. “There once was a prophecy from the olden days where it was told by Nayru herself, told of a warrior who wore red and green for travel and would one day be given onto him our orb. It had been years since we-I was told this and no one matched this description, besides you. Although she must’ve been going into the deep end when she told this because you’re nothing of the hero sort.” She harshly declared.
“I get that alot.” Jeff said as he placed the green orb back into his pouch. “I’ve done a little heroing but that’s about it.” Jeff said as he knew he wasn’t on the same level as the original Link.. yet.
Taking a moment to stare at them all, the queen slowly shakes her head. “Very well then. In any case I shall provide you all with temporary rooming within my castle. Allow my guards to escort you all and continue this conversation tomorrow when you are all better.” She claps her fins together making a resounding noise that echos through the entire room. Several servants come swimming out and begin escorting them all to different guest rooms in the castle.
The entire group is nearly shambling through the waters, with each of them crashing into their respective beds. Emerald and Jeff are coincidently bunked together while the rest of the solar guards already fell asleep as soon as they hit the bed. Before the servant left them both he told them that dinner would be in a few minutes, leaving them both to their devices.
“While we are by ourselves, want to know anything about me or my equestria, bud?” Michael asked.
“Hours ago you mentioned tokens, do are… Displaced, was it? Do they all have them?” Jeff asked as he adjusted his zora armor since he won’t be able to take them off to sleep.
“I had to make mine, I poured all of my energy into my Fairy Ocarina and it copied itself, so I assume you’ll need to do it as well if you want to help others out too.” Michael explained. “Though, I’m not sure if it’s a flawless plan, I mean I was kinda forced here.”
“And who taught you about this?” Jeff asked as he sat down onto the bed, which for some reason the seaponies called it a seabed.
“Uh… Another link displaced, I think his name was…” Michael puts his hooves on his head trying to think. “Wait… If I remember right his name… was Jeff i think?” He said confused. “You know, you kinda look like him… just less battle damaged… Huh, what a coincidence.” He chuckled, causing Jeff to give a confused look at Michael.
Michael blinked a few times. “You know what, My memory isn’t the best, disregard what I said about my teacher, their name’s not Jeff, I think it was Jason or maybe Jack, curse my bad memory.” He tactfully fibbed. “Anything else you wanna know?”
“Makes me wonder why there’s more than one version.. Are heroes not all that common in those Equestrias?” Jeff asked with a tilt of his head.
“Honestly… I’m not sure, yer the first displaced i’ve ever been summoned to.” Michael said looking up at the ceiling at nothing in particular. “So, any non displaced questions in that head of yers?” He asked, laying down on his designated bed.
“Where did you get the mask? It works much like those of Majora’s Mask.” Jeff asked as he studied Mike’s pony form face.
“My displaced teacher gave it to me, along with a fairy companion, too bad she wasn’t with me when I was teleported here.” Michael said, reaching up and running a hoof across his pony muzzle. “This form isn’t to different from my wolf form, it is a bit weird that I actually have a cutiemark, I was worried about that when I got the mask.” He admitted.
“A what?” Jeff asked, confused.
“Guess you forgot, when I asked you in the Everfree, I asked ‘Hylian, wolf, or pony’ what’d you think i meant?” Michael said, raising an eyebrow.
“I mean the cutie mark thing..” Jeff corrected himself.
“Oh that… yeah look.” Michael points to the mark on his flank of the Master Sword and Mirror Shield. “Wasn’t sure that would be there since technically I never found my calling like normal ponies.”
“Ah, I thought it was some sort of tattoo those ponies have, like tribe members sort of thing.” Jeff said with a nod to Mike’s words.
“Cutie marks are a ponie’s life’s calling, what they are destined to do and what they are the best at doing.” He half heartedly explained. “I’m sure Celestia could tell you more if you asked her.” Michael hums in thought. “I wonder if Cole would have a CutieMark if I let him use this mask?”
“I didn’t want to be rude though asking about someone’s butt tattoo….” Jeff said as he rubs the back of his head.
“I’m not one hundred percent sure about your Equestria, but back in mine they’re not that taboo to ask about, most ponies will gladly tell you about them without hesitation.” Mike said with a yawn.
“Ah, well, so far of what I’ve learned about this world, alot of things from the zelda games exists in this one, except with alot more detail.”
“Yeah I kinda noticed that at Zora’s Domain, I wonder if my Equestria has zelda locations in it, it definitely has its monsters for sure.” Michael said with some venom in his tone at the end.
“Judging from your surprisingly not polygonish ocarina of time appearance, I’d have to assume it’d be alot of that.” Jeff said with a nod.
“Already got an extended Everfree forest, has a bit of lost woods vibe goin’ on now.” Michael said.
Jeff let out a soft yawn as he placed his hand over his mouth. “As much as i’d like to hear your whole world, we’d best get to sleep.” Jeff said tiredly.
“I guess that would be smart, gonna be weird to sleep as a pony but… can’t break disguise.” Michael said closing his eyes. “I’ll eat in the mornin’ Barinade shock my body to the core.”
“Just think of how cats sleep, it's kind of the same way if I’m remembering correctly.” Jeff said as he laid across the seabed, pulling the strange sea weed silk blankets over him.
“Whatever you say, bud.” Michael puts his hooves under his head as a makeshift pillow not really paying attention. “Night, Fellow Hero of Legend.” He said with a smile. It takes Michael but a few moments to fall asleep, due to experience falling asleep in water before as a kid.
“Night, hero of time.” Jeff said as he closed his eyes. It took the hylian a long while to fall asleep since this is the first time he’s sleeping underwater.
Their impervious slumber was uninterrupted. The water wasn’t the most unpleasant thing to sleep around but it certainly was not the most comfortable feeling for the land-living ponies and Hylians. Small bits of light from the morning sun did fall through the window-like constructions in the wall yet none of the ponies noticed due to it blending in with the other light refractions of Seaquestria.
Our two heroes of their individual Equestrias are sound asleep until they aren’t anymore.
A *Knock knock* is heard from the door of their temporary room. It isn’t fierce nor is it soft. A simple firmness of several knocks is heard resounding through the room.
“Mlrlrlrrl..” Jeff said in a mumble in a almost murloc-like tone. “Wha..” Jeff said as he opened his eyes in confusion.
Several more knocks are heard coming through the door, this time having a harder thump to each of them.
“Five more minutes, Spike…” Michael said with a soft snore directly after. “Make some bacon for us…” He rolls in his sleep.
Someone from the other side does an extremely over exaggerated sigh before pounding on the door non-stop, fed up with the lack of response.
“Alright-alright-alright-I’m up!” Jeff said as he pushed the sea blanket off of him, swinging his legs out of bed.
“Why yes, Twilight…” Michael mumbled. “I would love to eat that huge chocolate book…” He rolls back onto his back.
The knocking finally subsides as Jeff opens the door, almost looking hung over in some aspect. “Finally you’ve opened the door…” Looking over to the side he sees the other pony still asleep. “Why has your other friend not awoken? Are they in a medical induced slumber?” The seapony asked.
“...I’d dump cold water on him if that was possible..” Jeff said half jokingly as he made his way over to Mike, giving him a firm shake.
A loud snort sounds from Michael as his eyes shoot open. “Huh, where am I?” He looks around the room. “Oh right… Hell…” He said jokingly as he pushed off the bed and lazily floated towards the door. “What I wouldn’t do for some fish right about now. Where’s Fluttershy when you need her…” He says rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
The seapony rolls his eyes, only the smallest amount of sympathy locked behind them. “Yes, yes, we’d all like something early in the morning after being woken up at ten thirty but we all can’t have that luxury. Queen Novo does have something to make up for this. If you’d all follow me then I shall direct you to our dining hall as promised last night.” The seapony moves to the side and allows them both to get past him. Swiftly swimming down the halls, leading the two into a large area.
Fancy silverware are on these long rectangular tables that stretch on longer than normal tables do. And seated at them are five ponies, one seapony, and a zora attempting to comfort said pony.
“Oh hey dudes, bout time you guys got awake. We’ve been waiting for hours here.” Smooth Edge impatiently says.
A small tap on her hoof comes from none other than Elegant Crease. “Don’t listen to this fool, we only had gotten up minutes ago. We’re glad you two could join us. Maybe one of you could even calm down Queen Novo. She’s been acting strange ever since we got here.”
“Eh it’s probably nothing big, she’s probably just got something on her mind.” Silver Bullet counters.
Snow Leap shakes his head. “Nah I know that type of panic. She’s stressin over something bad dude. Like if you lost something really important levels of bad.”
Not wasting anymore time the two displaced both take a seat right next to each other.
“Need food to function, no hay please…” Michael said as he rested his head on the table, still a little tired from being woken up.
“This stallion doesn’t like hay? Something else I can add onto the weird board for you. I’m hungry too though, lemme try and get her attention.” Smooth Edge gets up from her seat but is immediately sat back down by Elegant Crease.
“It’d be best if you of all ponies didn’t go. Why not anypony else?” Elegant Crease takes a look around for any volunteers.
Jeff rose up from his seat and makes his way over to the Zora and Novo. Jeff stopped in mid-step as he got closer, reconising the zora to been none other than the Guitarist Mikau. A moment of silence passed before Jeff finally spoke. “A rupee for your thoughts?” Jeff asked as he looked between the two.
Queen Novo stops her incessant arguing with Mikau for a moment. Cautiously moving her head over to put her gaze on Jeff. “Come again?” She confusedly asks.
“Its an expression meaning would you like to share your thoughts?” Jeff explained in concerned.
“That’s what I thought you meant.” Seaquestria’s queen began. “What I truly meant was why would you wish to know about such business?” She states.
“Because I can’t ignore someone looking troubled, so please tell me? I’m here to help afterall.” Jeff with a soft smile.
“Any other person wouldn’t have asked me with such a simple agenda like that.” She softly comments. “Mikau, if you’d please, tell him why. I’m much too distressed to tell him myself.”
Mikau gently nods his head. “Of course your majesty. Jeff, right? It’s a pleasure to meet you. As you heard from Queen Novo I am Mikau. Currently we’re both discussing the matter of Queen Novo’s stolen goddess orb of Nayru and her kidnapped child, Princess Skystar.” He tells Jeff.
“When did this happen?” Jeff asked in worry.
Mikau shakes his head while rubbing Queen Novo’s back. “It happened last night when both the orb and Skylar went missing. From what the Seaquestrian scouts can tell us, they found a trail of disturbed sand leading to the south. After we eat, I plan to go with you six and I know what it's like to lose children.”
“..So nothing knocked down? A sign of a struggle? Anything?” Jeff asked with a frown.
“No, despite how hard we tried to look. There was no real break in attempts from the monster, no signs of mind control, and the Barinade’s regular nesting time was about then so there was no chance that it just up and swam here to kidnap the princess. Which is what’s stumping us.” Mikau answers Jeff before continuing. “We’ll talk more about it once everyone here has a full stomach and gets to the waters outside.”
“Amen, Mikau bring on the grub!” Michael shouts still starving. “Lord knows I really need it…” He says quietly.
Smooth Edge leans to the right and repeatedly nods her head while banging her hooves on the table. “Yeah, you need to feed us. We’re starving and I might just eat up that tasty lookin colt over there.” She stares at Emerald Sword with the eyes of a predator but Snow Leap quickly nudges Smooth’s shoulder. Which doesn’t completely tear her gaze away but still gets her to tone down on the hunger in her eyes.
‘Be patient and respectful, yes, I know everyone’s hungry since last night but please.” Jeff shouted over the air.
“Colt?” Michael frowns. “Bitch I’m twenty three.” He says offended by being called a colt.
Her head fully snaps back onto him. “Doesn’t matter how old you are, I could still gobble you up in seconds-”
“Okay that’s enough of that.” Snow Leap jumps in before catching Queen Novo’s attention.
“Huh… Oh yes, servants, please bring these guests their well deserved meals.” She orders. Several servers come and place down covered silver platters before opening them to reveal a multitude in species of fish, several different berries, mostly being between red and blue with few green ones scattered around, flavorful algaes and a very noodly looking type of hay.
“Ah so this is what Seaquestrians eat then, fascinating.” Elegant Crease observes before taking a plate. Meanwhile, Mike is essentially inhaling the fish he got.
“More please…” Michael says holding up his plate with nothing but the bones of his fish left. “I’m at about a half a tank of gas.” His head still resting on the table.
Smooth Edge immediately raises an eyebrow. “Damn did you never get fed when you left from Ponyville or something? Maybe I shouldn’t eat you then, wouldn’t have any protein on you anyhow.” The earth pony smiles before pompously moving her chin up to the air while graciously taking bites of her hay noodles. “Basically colt I am your superior, therefore I must act like it from here on out as well.” His anger rising Mike decides to leave and calm himself down.
“Yo, Jeff, mind if I run back to our room real quick?” Michael says while looking directly at Smooth Edge with a sour look on his muzzle. “I gotta do somethin’ important.”
“Huh? Ok, sure.” Jeff said as he took a plate, not looking all that eager to eat considering the choices but better than starving.
“Cool, i’ll be a little while.” Michael gets up and swims away back to the hall exiting the room.
“Celestia dammit Smooth Edge ya scared him off.” FireForge shamefully shakes his head as Emerald Sword leaves.
“Hey this is Smooth we’re talking about, she’s a little weird but that’s in her nature.” Silver Bullet inadvertently defends her actions as he takes a chunk out of the berries on his plate.
“In any case she still shouldn’t have said that Emerald in the first place. He’s not used to our type of humor so he might be a bit…. Softer. You agree, right Elegant?” Snow Leap questioned.
She lets out a small sigh. “You all know I don’t care for such trivial happenings, leave me out of this.” And she goes back to eating her salmon.
FireForge stared directly at Smooth Edge with a disciplinary glare which had no effect. “Not my fault he was a little too soft… Then again he did save my flank from that Barinade thing so I guess I can cut him a little slack.” The mare thought about it for a moment before quieting eating.
Everypony silently nodded, still waking up in their own tired ways. It was a near unanimous decision for them all the eat the rest of their breakfast in peace and quiet.
A few minutes goes by and still nobody says anything. Until Queen Novo starts speaking. “You there, the earth pony.” Smooth Edge questioning points to herself. “Yes, you, I won’t have any in fighting on a team that could potentially bring my daughter back, go make up with the one you just tried to embarrass. And the pegasus, you go with her. You seem leveled headed enough to bring her to make rational decisions.”
“Your majesty if I may. I will not, under any circumstances will be working with somepony so destructive with their words and feelings even if it’s a basic apology. So with all due respect-” Elegant Crease was immediately cut off.
“No… No to whatever you thought you were going to say and no to trying to dodge your way out of this. I’ve seen entire groups become dead because of a little discord between each other. I, under no circumstances, will have that happen to you all. Especially if Mikau will be participating with you all as well. So I shall only tell you this once more. Go.” A deafening silence is scattered throughout the entire dining hall, save for two chairs being scooted out and two swimming mares to pursue the angered guest.
Jeff finishes his meal, then decides to excuse himself from the table. “Sorry to cut this dinner short but I’m gonna check on Emerald Sword as well.” Jeff said
Queen Novo glances at Jeff, not yet having touched her own food. “Are you sure you’d like to do that? How can you assure that you won’t further complicate things?” Queen Novo asked the Hylian.
“Hey, I gotta make sure it doesn't escalate any further, I don’t need the team to be uncoordinated when we go to rescue your daughter and take care of Barinade.” Jeff said with a nod.
“Fine, but do well to not get in the way of miss Edge’s apology unless it is needed. I shall see that you are off as well. The rest of us shall eat and wait at the main-entrance to send you all off.” Queen Novo finally gets to take graceful bites of the salmon in front of her.
Jeff makes his way over to the room that he and Mike shared, however he pauses. Seeing both Elegant Crease and Smooth Edge at the door while there’s a muffled song on the other end of the door.
“Listen dude I said I was sorry…” Smooth Edge lazily says.
Elegant Crease is looking extremely aggravated at this point. “It’s obvious that he cannot hear you Smooth, I’ve been saying this for the past minute. You need to face him head on.”
“That’d take so much effort though. And talking about feelings is… Bleh .” Staring directly at the door it isn’t until Smooth Edge looks to her right to finally see Jeff staring at them both.
“Oh thank Celestia you’re here. Dude I need you to go talk some sense into your friend. He sounds like a few stages away from actually going on tour.” Smooth Edge humorously replies.
“A what and a who?” Jeff asked in confusion, not understanding the last thing Smooth Edge said.
Elegant Crease sighs and puts a hoof up to her snout. “She’s asking if you could go in there and help her apologize to Emerald Sword.”
Jeff looks at the earth pony mare who’s trying to give her best puppy dog eyed look to him can only do so much in the face of someone this serious. “Smooth, you can’t escape a situation like this, trust me I’ve tried before and it only leads in failure.” Crouching down he puts a hand on her head. “I’ll be there to help you but only as support. You’re gonna have to apologize all on your own.”
Smooth Edge frowns, kicking at the water around them while Elegant Crease nods. “He is right, I wish that I could have the tolerance needed to actually say that to you without getting so… Un-lady like but alas that’s neither here nor there.” She gently floats over to Smooth Edge with a gracious smile. “Now open the damn door.”
“♪ C.C. pick up that guitar and talk to me! ♪ ” Michael shouts in the room barely audible to the three outside the room.
Elegant Crease almost shudders from the singing, getting flashbacks of her college days. “Yes, please hurry Smooth. For all our sakes.” Smooth Edge almost contemplates on going back but decides against it, opening the door and slipping herself in along with Jeff and Elegant Crease.
“Hey col- I mean, hey Emerald. Listen I’m sorry about earlier. You gotta believe me when I say that I didn’t mean to piss you off.” She looks down at the floor before looking back at Emerald sword… Or rather Michael. “Aw what the buck?
Michael, in his Hylian form wearing a Zora Tunic and Iron Boots is jamming out before hearing somepony talk behind himself. He quickly turns around and the music cuts out like a scratch on a record. “Oh shit…” He stands there like a deer in headlights.
“..Whelp, the Remlits out of the bag.” Jeff said with a sigh and a shake of his head.
“How’d a damn changeling get under water? Jeff do you really know this guy?” Smooth Edge silently questions to herself before unhooking her battle axe. “Elegant.” She signals to her fellow solar guard.
“Right, changeling you shall answer here and now. Else you be detained, then imprisoned by the local’s law enforcement.” She quickly follows up.
“Woah, Woah, Woah!” Mike shouts as he backs away from Smooth and Elegant. “Hold on a sec, it’s not what yer thinkin’.” He quickly states. He closes his eys for a second and in the blink of an eye he has Golden Gauntlets on his arms.
“That’s what all shapeshifters say. So put away those soul-bound gauntlets that you just summoned and come with us.” Elegant Crease surprisingly announces.
Jeff held out his arm, blocking the two aggressive ponies. “Not a changeling, this is actually Emerald Sword, the truth is he’s alot like me…” Jeff pauses to look at Mike, wondering if they’d believe the whole multiversal bit.
“Yes, Listen to Jeff, he tells the truth, and these aren’t soul bound Gauntlets, they’re here to protect my arms from attacks.” He said.
Elegant crease almost looks as if she’s about to drop her guard but Smooth Edge still doesn’t seem convinced. “How can we be so sure that you didn’t mind control Jeff? Do something that only a real Hylian would do.”
“Alright I’ll compromise, Take my gear.” He took the leather belt holding his Sword and Shield and tossed them over as a sign of good faith. He stands with his hands up surrendering as his gear slowly lands in front of them.
Smooth Edge looks at the gear and back at Michael. “Oh… So then you’re dumb, okay then come along with us-” Elegant crease glides over before putting a hoof on Smooth Edge’s shoulder.
“Don’t do that, I know you’re just screwing around now. It’s pretty obvious because of how you just handled the procedure.” Turning from Smooth Edge Elegant Crease faces Michael. “Yeah alright, we have a little trust in you now, take back your gear but don’t pull anything funny, we’re all gonna need an explanation for this.”
“Ok, just gonna slowly…” Michael inches forward and starts to bend down keeping his eyes on the two solar guards. “Grab these and…” He picks up his gear and swiftly puts it back on. “Done.” His hands shoot up again.
“Alright, now do the hokey pokey and Luna walk at the same time.” Smooth Edge demands.
“Oh for Nayru’s sake..” Jeff said as he placed his palm onto his face.
“Don’t remember the first one but…” Michael quickly starts moon walking and spinning like Michael jackson. “I know yer fucking with me but i’m still not sure if I’m able to diss obey you.”
Smooth Edge is on the verge of tears while simultaneously cheering and laughing at the same time. “Aye, aye, aye! Just like Micheal Coltson!” Elegant Crease can only groan at her comrade’s foalishness.
“...I will admit, those are some amazing moves.” Elegant Crease shyly comments.
Michael starts to tier as the iron boots make it a bit hard to dance. “Can I stop now?” He says as he does the smooth criminal lean.
Smooth Edge almost goes ballistic from the smooth criminal lean. “O-oh, oh Celestia that was good, yeah you can stop… I wish Jeff would do stuff like that for us.”
“Alright, alright, that’s enough tomfoolery..” Jeff said with a snort, causing bubbles to escape his face mask.
“Thank god…” Mike falls face first out of the Smooth criminal pose onto the sand floor. “Oww.” He quickly gets back on his feet.
“Oof, that ain’t good.” Smooth Edge quietly mutters. “Well it seems like all’s well that ends well, guess we can head out now.” Whistling a small tune, Smooth Edge quickly tries to leave the room. Only to be stopped by Elegant Crease who wags their hoof back and forth.
“You’re not getting out of what we came here to do, so go do it.” Pushing Smooth Edge back, Elegant Crease proceeds to block the door.
Smooth Edge quietly nods their head before slowly swimming in front of Michael’s face and uncharacteristically says some words of wisdom.. “Dude… I’m sorry, really I am. I shouldn’t have called you a colt. You actually seem like an alright guy, maybe one of these days I could even treat you to a drink if you’d be up for it. But ultimately that shit wasn’t right and because of that, I apologize.”
“That’s what you guys were here for?” Michael says confused for a moment. “Apology accepted, and Drinks? You mean alcohol?” He questioned.
“Unfortunately that seems like the only type of drink she knows of.” Elegant Crease answers for her.
“Oh, then no can do, I’ve not gotten drunk yet so I’m not sure how I'll act. And I’m in a committed relationship and don’t want the small chance of something ‘funny’ to happen, if you catch my drift.” He said flatly.
A very soft, and nigh-inaudible “Damn.” Exits from Smooth Edge’s lips. “That’s two no’s in a row… Hey that manure rhymes, nice.” Her hyperactive mind quickly moves onto something else before floating upside down like a reverse buoyant fish-hook.
Elegant Crease stretches her forelegs over her head and smiles. “Ah I’m so gladthat it’s finally over with… But Smooth does raise a surprisingly good question. When will you dance for us Jeff? I’d like a comparison of two Hylians doing the same dance side-by-side.”
“...I don’t do dancing…” Jeff said with a frown. “..I’ll probably end up eating those words if Kamaro's Mask exists..” Jeff thought to himself.
“Oh my god, what the hell did I just accidentally start…” Michael says putting a hand over his face instantly regretting following orders.
“Beats the Flying Pot out of me.” Jeff said with a shrug of his arms.
“No no, that’s something I would probably have asked later but sooner is just as fine. One of these days I shall need those results of you both dancing at the same time. But mark my words. If I don’t get those results within the next year. I will hunt you both down and force you to.” Elegant Crease threateningly states. “Now come along the both of you, we shouldn’t keep the group waiting.” Wrapping her wing around one of Smooth Edge’s dangling legs she brings her out of the room like a balloon.
“I still suggest putting on the mask back on, Mike, or the seapony guards might freak out asking how you got in here or why there’s a second ‘hero’” Jeff said as he makes his way outside of the room.
Michael nodded. “Right, hope those two can keep a secret…” Michael says quietly as he reaches under his shield and pulls the Earth Pony Mask back out. “Please don’t hurt the second time…” He puts the mask up to his face and it latches on again, hunching over and gasping for air with another scream and flash of light Michael is swimming around as Emerald Sword again. He quickly puts on the Pony Zora Tunic that was floating next to his bed, and swims out of the room. “Still hurts…” He said with a pained sigh.
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[Displaced] A Forced Hero Rewrite
Chapter Eight: A Fellow Hero's Answer (Part 3 of 4)
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[Displaced] A Forced Hero Rewrite
Chapter Nine: A Fellow Hero's Answer (Part 4 of 4)
With Big Key in hands, he inserts it into the big door, gives it a twist, causing the lock to fall off and its chains crumbling into dust. With the combined effect of two and a half hylians and six ponies, they force the door open. What they found inside greatly disturbed them. The walls were made of flesh, alive and pulsing. In the middle of the room floated the boss Barinade with some of its wounds healed up. There binded against the wall, was Princess Skystar, looking weak and paler in color. Seeing her in this condition made his heart drop as a memory of Tempest in the same position flashed across his mind, both were in a weaken state and bounded.
“...I’m going to kill it.” A gentle, ice cold fury coats Smooth Edge’s mental state and body all the same. Unbuckling her battle axe her muscles seem to start passively bulge out as she walks over to the boss in the middle of the room.
“Guess this fight’s gonna get messy, Least there’s no water to slow down our weapons.” Michael said, popping his neck and forelegs ready to punch the hell out of Barinade. “Seeing the Princess like that kinda makes me want to try out a possession of mine.” He states.
“Try whatever you must, as long as this monstrosity goes down for harming the youth.” Elegant Crease starts unraveling her new whip with a strangely neutral demeanor.
“I’m glad we came to the unanimous agreement on killing this thing for what it did to the princess.” Mikau, without fail, starts walking behind Smooth Edge, as do Elegant Crease, FireForge, and Snow Leap do as well.
Jeff drew out his bow, however something was different about him, especially his stance and the way he was carrying himself, his courage was channeling Farore’s orb into his arrow; filling it with crackling energy. Jeff lets it loose as it lands true, causing Barinade to light up in green electricity being shocked by a magic power that wasn’t its own.
Both twin brothers are silent the entire time as they walk towards the now injured Barinade, both horns crackling with dark red and silvery white auras. The Barinade’s tentacles now start to go lose, in an angle directed to its intruders with an invisible glare of hatred. Immediately it releases its Jellyfish which begin to spin like a carousel around it, linking to the Barniade itself with electricity. The tendrils start firing off raw blasts of now-plasma, at the group, causing everyone to move out the way.
“I’ll kill this thing…” Smooth Edge mumbles, still unconsciously dodging the blasts of lightning and near-thunderous like blasts.
“Emerald, you’re with me, Jeff… Sorry but you’ll probably be with Elegant this time.” Silver Bullet says as he readies his sword in his magical grasp as he leaps backwards from a stray Jellyfish spinning at him.
“On your word, I’ll destroy every last jellyfish so it doesn’t have any defenses.” Michael said ready to rush in.
“Good, lets bucking kill this son of a diamond dog.” Loosening his joints, Silver Bullet creates a small pathway with only two feet long squared barriers above the Jellyfish and putting his hooves together, ready to boost Emerald up. “Now, reck these things so that they won’t even be able to cry about it later!” He shouts out. And as he does, Mikau sends out three boomerang fins towards a Jellyfish that was about to hit Silver Bullet, knocking it off course.
“He he, this’ll be fun.” Michael said slamming both forelegs down on a jellyfish making it explode into mush.
Laughing maniacally, Silver Bullet stares up at the still standing barriers and looks directly at Emerald as he does it. “Now this is fun.” Putting some strain on his mind, Silver Bullet forces all of the barriers to turn into tiny spikes which fall on two unsuspecting Jellyfish who get pincushioned underneath the pressure.
Jeff decides to try out his hookclaw shots, taking one out and using it to quickly zip off to the left as Barinade tried to shock him with its electricity. When his claw clang onto the fleshy wall, the whole room vibrated, letting out an inhuman yet bubbly screech. The sound was also coming from the jellyfish host, as if this thing had bonded itself with the whole cavern. With a height advantage, Jeff aims his other clawhook shot, allowing it to grip Barinade’s tentacle limb, Elegant Crease smirks and flies near Jeff’s position and wraps her new whip into another tendril to pull it into a different direction, yanking them both away and preventing it from shooting at Emerald. With the claw still attached, Jeff channels Farore’s orb, unleashing an electric shock of Farore’s power through the chain and into Barinade.
As Jeff does that a small *boom* is heard from them all. Turning over to see the source of the noise, they all see Mikau and Smooth Edge standing on a ice platform from the ground up. Mikau and Smooth Edge sled down from it going separate ways as the Barinade fired a plasmic-like blast at the ice-manifestation, leaping from the ice platform and twirling from it, sending out five fin blades from his blurred state, two at a Jellyfish and three at the Barinade with scary accuracy. While Smooth Edge also creates a gigantic shockwave on the ground to disrupt the Barinade’s coordination. Snow Leap is standing on a freshly made ice pillar he made himself, huffing and puffing before firing two medium sized icicles at the two remaining Jellyfish.
No words are exchanged from the brothers but yet they still have an understanding, FireForge charges up his horn before releasing a constant torrent of flames at the Barinade, electing a large shriek from it.
“You’re seeing this right? It’s not just me who thinks this battle is a Tartarus crazy dance, right?” Silver Bullet asks as he watches Elegant Crease tear her whip away, ripping off some of the skin of the Barinade and causing the wound to gush blood.
“Time for the coup de grâce!” Michael shouts.
“It’s showtime then! I’ll support your move!” Silver Bullet says with a bout of excitement, his horn continuously glowing and surrounding Emerald Sword’s hooves in a silvery aura, small but sharp bumps appear on them like gauntlets.
Michael quickly speeds up next to Barinade and with a swift motion punches two medium sized holes into its body earning a loud screech. The Barinade starts trying to zap everything with its still grappled, damaged, and free tendril, making more blood come from the damaged one and shocking Elegant Crease out of the air, who quickly rolls backwards to soft the blow to the ground. And even manages to hit Mikau with the undamaged one, making him stumble backwards. The torching fire that’s continuously hitting, flaking away some of its skin is dying down as FireForge shakily backs away in exhaustion.
“Jeff! Finish it with one clean slash dude!” Michael shouts as he backs away from barinade forelegs covered in blood.
“P-please finish this sir Jeff, We’re starting to run out of fuel!” Elegant Crease grunts.
“Right! Bucking finish this by the goddesses strength!” Silver Bullet adds on.
With a mighty yell, leaps off of the wall and comes plunged toward Barinade; his red cloak flapping wildly. With a powerful thrust, Jeff pushes his silver sword deep into Barinade's body. Suddenly, the boss's body starts to rapidly swell up, causing Jeff to leap away. Its whole body explodes in a gorey mess, flinging jelly meat all around the room. With its death, Jeff slices the air, flinging the green blood off before twirling it around and sheathing it with a mighty ‘shing’.
Michael walks up to the main pile of ‘meat’ and chuckles. “Oh they’re gonna hafta glue you back together, IN HELL!” He smashes a large chunk of ‘meat’ and starts laughing. “Oh man, I’ve wanted to use that line since the first time I heard it.”
“Damn… *cough* Horseapples that was brutal.” Silver Bullet comments as he dusts himself off.
Among the messy remains of the boss, Jeff sees both a Heart Bead and a Blue Orb, which Jeff assumes is Nayru’s Orb. Quickly, Jeff eagerly takes the bead and slides it into his necklace. All five hearts beads flash brightly, quickly restore its red glow and healing all injuries, Jeff reaches over and grabs the orb, placing it into his pouch. The other three silently ponies start to walk back over, sheathing their weapons once more.
“So heart beads, nice collectable.” Michael said, trying to shake off the blood in his coat.
The rest of the room rumbles loudly as the flesh walls start to peel off and burn away. Jeff lets out a yelp as he comes running to catch Princess Skystar into his arms as the wall lets go of her. “...We need to get her back as soon as possible, she’s breathing faintly.” Jeff said as he began walking out of the room before anypony can respond.
“Get yer suits on girls, we gotta evac ASAP!” Michael said quickly following Jeff.
“Ah, hopefully this will be the last time I have to put this damn thing on.” Elegant Crease comments as she puts on the Mermaid suit. Smooth Edge says nothing in response, only putting on her Mermaid suit.
The Solar Six, a disguised hylian, the accompanied zora, and a weakened princess rush into the throne room. “Is there a room for healing?!” Jeff asked in desperation and urgency.
“Y-you’re all back already? Wait Skystar! Dammit, there’s an emergency medical block a few rooms down.” A panicking seapony swims through and takes Princess Skystar out of Jeff’s hands and rushes out of the throne room to the right.
The Queen’s fear is replaced with a strange anger. “Did you kill it… The thing that did this, did you kill it?”
“Yes Queen Novo. The Barinade has been slain. Righteously so.” Elegant Crease answers.
Smooth Edge nods her head. “Yeah, the damn thing is deader than a doornail. Wish I could’ve done more but what’s done is done.”
Mikau places a hand on his chest in slight despair. “We apologize, your majesty, we couldn’t have gotten there any faster.”
“Thank you heroes.” The Queen wipes away at their face, despite being under water she can still feel those tears streaming down her face. “Please, enjoy yourselves for the coming Full Moon Celebration as a reward. This shall truly be a day to commemorate!”
“That sounds like a relaxing idea, Thank you, Queen Novo.” Michael said with a bow still holding his nearly healed wound.
“The Full Moon Celebration?” Jeff asked curiously.
“Yes. The Full Moon Celebration. When tides are the highest and protected our ancestors from other sea creatures that would attempt to invade our land. The great goddess Nayru blessed us with such aquatic occasions.” The Queen explained.
“We’d be thankful to join Queen Novo. My team will gladly accept this offer.” Snow Leap said, weakly smiling.
Silver Bullet almost collapses on the floor after hearing this. “Oh thank Celestia. A break from all this crazy stuff that’s been going on. Hope they’ve got a bar or something like that going on.”
“Well if they do then I’m not going with Smooth. Every single time we all go out together some crazy thing happens and we all end up in ridiculous positions.” FireForge told no-pony in particular while nursing his horn.
“So, Mikau, you an’ the Indiego-gos gonna play somethin’ for the celebration?” Michael asked the zora.
“You’re a fan too? Well to answer your question yea, we actually will be. And with this new heroic feeling and mission we’ve had, I’ll make sure to give it two hundred percent!” Mikau grinned, putting both his hands on his hips.
“Sweet, it’s gonna be a blast.” Michael said with an enthusiastic smile.
“If you play as good as you fight then I’m definitely coming.” Smooth Edge chuckles, putting a hoof in the air.
“Oh, trust me, this guys pretty good at it, especially the main singer.” Jeff said as he points with a thumb toward Mikau.
“We might have to restrain Smooth then if she ends up going. She does act like a mad beast most of the time.” Elegant Crease comments.
“No the buck I don’t.” Smooth Edge silently responds.
“Whatever, I’m gonna go check out this festival when it pops off.” Snow Leap finally cools down and starts to chill.
“Oh, that reminds me..” Jeff began as he pulled out Nayru’s orb, however Novo raises her fin to object.
“No… Jeff I believe you should keep it. You and your companions have proven to be more than worthy enough to keep Nayru’s orb.”
“Are you sure?” Jeff said, earning a gentle nod from Novo. With that confirmation, Jeff puts the orb into his pouches.
“Yes, so please do not make me regret this decision, self-proclaimed hero. Never lose sight of your true ideals.” Queen Novo firmly answers.
“Sweet, you’ve got another orb. What exactly does that one do anyways?” Silver Bullet curiously asks.
“Since it’s related to the goddess of water I can only imagine it has some type of defensive capabilities.” Elegant Crease assumed.
“I’ll need to seek out another Great Fairy then.” Jeff said with a nod.
“A Great Fairy hm? Sadly I don’t actually know where any are. Sorry bro.” Mikau apologetically answers. “And as much as I’d love to sit and chit-chat, I’ve got a whole band to get back to, the guy’s have been waiting for me and I won’t let ‘em wait any longer.”
“Alright, Mikau see ya later dude, so when is this celebration happenin’?” Michael asked.
“The celebration will be taking place within ten minutes from now. I had it postponed because I wanted to wait for you all a little while longer so I could know my sweet angel would be safe.” Queen Novo says.
‘Alright, cool… you got like a rag or something’ I couldn’t get this gross blood outta my coat on the way here.” Michael said, his forelegs were still covered in a bit of monster blood.
“Actually I have a trick for that, here just get close to me.” Silver Bullet says. “My little cousin would always play in mud and hurt himself from time to time. So I took a magic course for cleaning.” Trotting closer to Emerald Sword, Silver Bullet leans down and uses his magic to make small bubbles that encase Emerald Sword’s forelegs and begins sanitizing them, flaking the blood off until it all disappears.
“I’d kill for magic like that Silver, never forget that blessing you have.” Smooth Edge sarcastically says.
Jeff heads on over to one of the many glowing orbs that gives warmth to the palace, raising his hands to get them warmed. “I have a feeling you five and the rest will be seeing alot of this sort of stuff as I have. Monsters you didn’t expect, weird races, weird magic..” Jeff pauses to replay what he’s seen since arriving in Equestria.
“And if we do face ‘em? We’ll be ready to kick major flank then, for friendship!” FireForge happily says.
“For protecting the world we love!” Silver Bullet shouts.
“For comedic effect!” Smooth Edge jokingly says.
“For the sake of knowledge.” Elegant Crease adds.
“For family and those we care about.” Snow Leap, seemingly going with the flow.
Jeff couldn’t help but burst out laughing at the things they were exclaiming. “You’re all goofs, but lovely goofs.” Jeff said as he goes to ruffle up their manes, some of them approving it, others not so much.
“You guys do work well together I’ll admit.” Michael said with a nod. “Keep up the good work.” He said as he swam past the group and up to a glowing orb.
“Did you really have to muss up our manes like that when we’re in front of royalty?” Elegant Crease questioned with a scrunched up snout.
“Don’t let me get in the way of you all acting as if you’d normally act.” Queen Novo cheekily says. Much to Elegant Crease’s slight displeasure.
“I’m glad we’re all like family now. And as a family, we’re all gonna go see that celebration and make it one Tartarus of a time.” Snow Leap softly announces.
“This cultural experience will be something to take note of for later. Sure, and perhaps it shall be normal for once?” Elegant Crease seemingly asks the universe.
“Elegant… C’mon you know that’s never happening.” Silver Bullet plainly told her.
“Consider this a time to relax and have fun, I just hope the celebration isn’t hard to celebrate for us non-seaponies.” Jeff said as he rubs his hands together now that his body is all warmed up.
“Here’s to hoping big guy, here’s to hoping.” Smooth Edge said as she swim upwards out of the group huddle with her forelegs crossed. “Let's go and hang out till this festival, celebration or whatever it was called, starts up. We’re gonna be having lots of fun tonight everypony!” Pumping a hoof in the air she manages to get a cheer out of the group.
“If there’s games I need to get somethin’ for Twilight.” Michael says thinking of what would be good. “And maybe Spike too…” He says lost in thought.
“Hold up, do you have enough rupees though?” Jeff asked in concern.
Michael snaps back to reality as he nonchalantly reaches behind himself and pulls a Child Rupee wallet out of thin air. “Hang on…” He reaches into the wallet and after rummaging around a bit, he sighs. “Thirteen rupees… damn…”
“What… That’s about the fifth or fourth time today where you’ve made me question reality. How exactly did you do that?” FireForge asks.
“Hmm?” Michael looks at the five solar guards and nervously laughed. “How’d you like my magic trick, been practicing my sleight of hand…” He said with a fake smile.
“Nah don’t… Don’t do that, I know how you did that, I know what you are on the inside!” Smooth Edge shouts from above. “Plus I was floating up here, how’d you expect anypony to not notice that?”
At a loss for words Michael just continues staring back at the solar guards figuratively sweating bullets.
Snow Leap swims an inch forward. “You know, originally I was going to wait until we arrived back at Canterlot but my brother and Smooth make a good point. Ever since you, Smooth, Elegant, and Jeff left that room together, Smooth seemed like she was stooped out of her mind, like the time she saw an new battle airship for the first time. Why is that?”
“...I mean why question this when you’ve seen me kind of do the same thing?” Jeff asked as he reached into his pouch, soon pulling out his Hero’s Bow, which grew to its full size.
“But that’s the thing… Only a Hylian like you could do something like that, which can only make me assume one thing…” Snow Leap says with a squint of his eyes.
“That he’s incredibly homosexual-” Silver Bullet slaps Smooth Edge over the head.
“Wha- no, that he’s also a Hylian. Smooth what the buck did you think I was going to- you know what it’s best not to even ask.” Snow Leap tiredly says. “So am I at least a little close?” The snow white stallion asks.
“Ok… Can we do this… somewhere else… enough figurative weapons are being pointed at me and I’d like privacy to explain i guess…” He says looking around at the multitude of seapony guards and Queen Novo herself who all are staring curiously at the group.
“That might be for the best…” Elegant Crease said with some doubt.
“Ah.. Right! Let’s go see what the Full Moon Celebration has to offer.” Jeff said as he starts walking out, feeling awkward how he got a little caught up in the moment.
“Yeah, yeah, Full Moon Celebration, let’s a go.” Michael quickly pulled his rupee savings out of his wallet and put it away then followed Jeff.
All of the pony, and hylian(s) left the throne room, swimming out with a small lurking question in their heads except for a select few. But one thing was for certain. Jeff’s first days with his new family were and already are, weird.
With twenty one rupees in hand, Jeff wonders the town of Seaquestria. Many of the celebrators had set up their stands, ranging between mini games, shops, and places to eat. There were quite a array of colorful seaponies swimming to and fro the streets. To Jeff's curiosity, many of the zora's sporting their whites and blue, not one red among them much like the queen.
"Come stand right up! Try your luck at the diving mini game! Rush through the thicker waters, collect the rupees, and win a special prize!" A voice shouted out, drawing Jeff's attention. "Five rupees per play!" the voice shouted as Jeff got near. What the hylian saw, was some kind of pool, except inside was a much deeper and thicker shade of blue despite they were under the ocean.
"Hiya hylian! Been years since I last your kind, what do you say, wanna give it a try?" The Zora asked.
"Sure." Jeff said as he handed the Zora his red rupee, and got a Yellow rupee and a Blue rupee as change.
"Three two one, go!" The Zora announced as Jeff dove into the deep blue of the pool. At first, Jeff had a hard time seeing everything, that is untill he saw the gleaming of the rupees shining through. One push at a time from the pool's floor as the Zora watched his Stop Watch counting down, the hylian went for the closest Green ones first, earning him extra seconds to get the rest, each step he took pushing him through the dark blue waters. At the last second, Jeff managed to grab the very last rupee, much to his relief.
"...I'll be a son of a Nayru.. You're the first to dive so well! here's your prize!" The Zora said as he held out his hands. Jeff blinked in surprise as he was handed a beautiful silver zora scale, with it in hand, he felt the pressure of the ocean somewhat lift itself over him, allowing him to walk a little smoother, Jeff puts the Zora Scale into his pouches.
"Wanna go again and see if you can set a record? Fastest time is four seconds by Mikau!" The Zora said, earning a surprised look from Jeff.
"A-ah, no, that's ok.. i'm good." Jeff said as he held up his hands.
"Suit yourself." The Zora said with a shrug of his arms. With a wave of his hand, Jeff resumes walking through Seaquestria. Alot of the food stands didn't look all that appealing due to how weird the foods looked. "..Wait, is that an Octorok?" Jeff mentally said as he saw what looked to be a fried octoroc on a stick. Jeff snorted in amusement as he remembered CDi Link's words of being so hungry they'd eat an octorok.
After a bit more wondering, Jeff's pointed ears caught someone telling a story. Out of curiousity, Jeff found what looked to be an elder seapony talking to a group of kid seaponies about the Full Moon Celebration.
"Long ago, a goddess in seapony form descend from the heavens known as Nayru, over the years when she used to live among us, she became revered for her grace and wisdom. She was known for her kindness and love for the creatures of the sea, especially when she gave the moon its power to protect the underwater kingdom of Seaquestria from all danger. With the monsters kept at bay, she returned to the heavens.,
Once a year during a full moon, the inhabitants of Seaquestria would gather to celebrate the beauty and power of the goddess, who had blessed them with a symbol of her protection. Over the years, the full moon celebration has become a staple event in the kingdom, and it is still celebrated today." The elder pony said
"But why didn't it save us this time?" a young seapony asked
"Ah, but it did by sending a hero. As you can see, Barinade was slain by a Jeff and his friends, and tonight is the full moon celebration, just in time." the elder seapony explained.
Not wanting to disrupt the group, Jeff quiet walked away to check out the rest of the celebration. After many hours of excitement, Jeff is heading back up to his room for one final moment of peace.
Michael is spotted exiting Jeff and his shared room with a fearful look on his muzzle. “How am I gonna do this…” He says deep in thought.
“Oh hey, Mike, thought you were still out enjoying yourself.” Jeff said with surprise.
“Oh… Hey, Jeff… I was out there but I had to put the thing I got from winning a game… figured I might do it away from others… for once…” He said with a sigh.
“Ah, well, before you head back out, there’s something I need to discuss with you.” Jeff said as he pats Mike’s pony shoulder, then walks past him into the room.
“Oh yeah? What’s eating at your mind?” Michael asked as he followed Jeff into the room.
“About this token business, remind me again how you do it?” Jeff asked curiously as he sat down onto the seabed.
“As I said yesterday, Find your token, I could be anything significant, and prepare to be exhausted.” Michael started explaining. “I made my token by concentrating on my Fairy Ocarina as I held it in my hands. I poured all of my energy into the Ocarina and it cloned itself, I said my summoning message and it disappeared into the void between realms.”
“But how do you pour your energy into it? Is it done by mental focus or…” Jeff pauses to allow Mike to answer.
“Honest to whatever deity watches over us, I just closed my eyes and thought really hard about making a token and It happened.” He said honestly.
Jeff blinked in confusion of how simple it was to do in comparison to everything he’s learned that required something to make it happen, like the orb of Farore requiring him to have Courage. The hylian raises his hand and stares at it, then closes his eyes to mentally think about it. At first, the green energy of Farore started to manifest into his hands, but then his mind drifts off think about the Twili magic that Midna used, then slowly his mind drifted off to the Pirate’s Charm from Windwaker. After much focus, out of no where Twili magic energy started to fly in all directions as if he had found a fused shadow. Within the palm of his hand was a black and green floating Howling Stone on a tied piece of string being very close to his previous time incarnation’s token. Jeff opened his eyes as he stared down in surprise at his token.
“Holy crap… you did it!” Michael said with excitement. “Now speak your summon message, if you want one of course, not sure if it’s required.” Michael says, scratching his head.
“I am Jeff, the hero incarnation of Link. Repeat this song that resonates from the stone’s eye as it will be a reflection of your heart. Afterwards you will be brought into a plain of existence to speak in private with me, I need to make sure you are of a pure heart and not that of a wicked one.” Jeff said, and with those words spoken, a twili portal manifested out of thin air, pulled his token in and soon vanished, however moments later it returned his Howling Stone, then vanished quickly. “..What exactly happened?” Jeff asked in confusion.
“That's different from what happened to mine but I assume it was just transported to other Equestrias.” Michael said with an ounce of skepticism. “Though it might be a while before it gets to any other Equestrias, mine took nearly a month.” He said with a shrug. Suddenly, Mike feels a sudden vibration around his neck.
“..What just happened? Felt like everything paused for a split second..” Jeff said as he shook his head. Michael quickly closed his eyes and a split second later the Howling stone necklace was gone from around his neck.
“You did it, you made a token.” Michael said playing off the time jump. “Good job, you might wanna eat somethin’ to recover stamina.”
“Feels like I went swimming in the pool for two hours and I feel like I still am.. You know that feeling right where your limbs are moving but they’re not?” Jeff explained.
“Oh yeah bud, I passed out when I made my token, thank god I was on my bed when I did it.” Michael admits.
Jeff quickly shakes his body to get rid of the weird feeling. “I just hope I placed enough safeguards.” Jeff said with a nod. The hylian looks out the window and gazes at the flickering of moonlight of the ocean surface in a attempt to judge the time of night.
“So we leaving for canterlot or we gonna stay one final night?” Michael asked, turning back to the door to the room. “I’ll tell the squad whichever one you choose.”
“...Think i’ll take a shortcut with them, come on.” Jeff said as he got up off the bed and started head out of the castle; his eyes flicking around looking for something. Upon leaving the entrance, he spots an Owl Statue overgrown with seaweed. “Perfect.” Jeff said as he gives its a strike with his sword, causing it to glow a bright white before causing its stone wings to spread out with a flourish.
“You know… I saw that earlier and was wrackin my brain trying to remember what it was.” Michael said.
“..The Owl Stone, you know? Majora’s Mask?” Jeff said as he gesture with his hand toward it.
“OH! Yeah, you’re right I guess all that seaweed confused me, I guess I was tired.” Mike shrugged.
“That’s one way to get high on seaweed.” Jeff said jokingly with a playful smirk.
“... I’ll let that one slide… Just know it wasn’t very good, and I’m still stressing about the guards.” Michael said with a sigh.
“It was worth a shot though.” Jeff said with a shrug as he sat down, waiting for the rest of the crew to get back from the festitive.
And right on cue, five different ponys walked in, noticeably two of them were bruised. Smooth Edge and Silver Bullet refused to acknowledge their injuries however and instead admired their hard faucet Seaquestrian drip.
“..What in the name of the Dark Sacred Realms did you guys get into? Some kind of contest of who can beat someone in a ring?” Jeff asked with a frown.
“Huh?” Smooth Edge looks up from one of their bracelets made of seashells. “I’ve got no idea what you’re talking about dude.”
FireForge can only pinch their snout in disappointment. “These two had drank too much hard cider together, decided that since seaponies have no hooves they could take a group in a fight since they were escalating a situation and both nearly lost instead of deescalating it themselves. Which we then had to pull them out of the cold ocean water and then dunk them both back in to sober them up. That being said we all need to leave because we have some local authority coming for us.”
“...Hylia damnit.” Jeff said as he pulled out his ocarina. “I”m doing this once, but you’d best report to Celestia, because no doubt Novo will tell her, grab onto my cloak.” Jeff said as he quickly placed the mouth piece to his lips.
Everypony puts a hoof on Jeff in preparation, silently making prayers in their heads. Each of them being something different.
Playing the song of soaring, a pair of silver white wings sprout behind Jeff, wrapped around the whole group, and with a flurry of feathers, teleported them out of Seaquestria.
A ball of energy flies out from above the sky, soon placing the group onto the grounds of the Canterlot Gardens.
“Phew, we’re all safe now and back at home, now I can permanently take this sucka off.” Smooth Edge happily throws off their Mermaid suit with a dopey smile before dry huffing.
“I guess that teleportation takes a little to get used to.” Michael says holding his head dizzy from the spinning.
“Jeez, now I’ve got a killer headache… Buck I’m probably gonna go to sleep.” Silver Bullet says, swaying from side to side.
“And that’s what you two get for drinking while still technically being on the job.” Elegant Crease holds up their snout, feeling superior in a way to them both.
“I’ll allow you all to go to our barrack. I’ll go… Report to Celestia myself.” Snow Leap says.
Jeff raises a hand. “Actually if you don’t mind, Emerald and I will go report to Celestia.”
“Why would you wanna do that exactly? And you both still haven’t really explained what Emerald really is to the others. Not that I actually care.” Smooth Edge told Jeff.
“Actually… I think revealing myself to everyone would be the right thing to do, especially with Celestia here as well.” Michael said with a sigh. “I don’t want her freaking out when she doesn’t find an ‘Emerald Sword’ in Ponyville.”
“Why are you choosing to reveal yourself now all of a sudden? You could’ve left and nopony would really be indifferent… Unless we were sent by Princess Celestia herself to investigate you.” FireForge asked.
“That’s exactly why, so Celestia doesn't burden anypony with trying to find ‘Jeff’s first friend outside canterlot’,” Mike answered.
“Mike has a point though, something tells me she’d keep asking me how Emerald Sword is doing.” Jeff pointed out.
“Suit yourself, Smooth I can already see it on your muzzle and Elegant is physically holding you back right now, so just do whatever it was that you were going to do.” In the background, Elegant Crease is or rather was holding onto Smooth Edge who seemed to be going berserk, akin to a spoiled child that some person would find in a mall. As she was let go she happily trots up to Emerald Sword and with no amount of enthusiasm spared said this.
“Finally, I’ll get to reveal who you really are on the inside!” Putting her hoof onto his face she yanks back with her grip… And only accomplishes tugging on Emerald Sword’s snout. “Ah why won’t this bucking thing come off?” She yanks even harder on Emerald’s muzzle.
“Ahh, stop that hurts!” Michael yelped as tears started forming in his eyes. “I’ll do it myself, STOP!” He tries to push Smooth away.
“Okay this is going too far, bro help me get her off of him!” Snow Leap uses his magic to try and pull Smooth Edge off of Emerald Sword’s face which only causes more surface tension for him. Her earth pony strength seems unwaivering until FireForge uses his magic to yank Smooth Edge way, tossing her backwards and crashing into the both of them.
“Could you ponies shut up for like three seconds.” Silver Bullet says while sprawled out on the ground and nursing their raging headache. “Sometimes I wonder how we all haven’t been kicked out of every library imaginable.”
“Its a magical mask, damnit, not costume.” Jeff said as he goes to slap Smooth Edge’s wrist.
“Owie, you guys always bully me for no reason. I’m nothing but a perfect angel and you all treat me like this.” Smooth Edge says in a childish tone of voice.
Elegant Crease looks at Smooth Edge, on the verge of an aneurysm. “I will strangle you Smooth if you ever say something as stupid as that ever again.”
“You know… with all this noise, I’m surprised Celestia ain’t out here already.” Michael says rubbing his muzzle trying to make the pain go away.
“Oh I am my little pony, but you all are far too entertaining for me to butt in so soon.” A silky voice says from above.
“How the Flying Pot are you so silent?” Jeff asked with a frown.
“Silencing spell, quite nifty when you had a little sis- I mean, several students in the past who would try and sneak around.” The monarch responded with a smile. “So I assume your mission was successful?”
“For the most part, a couple of close calls, and there were moments we had some disagreements.” Jeff explained.
“Excellent, that sounds simply excellent Jeff! Oh how I’m glad to hear that everything went as good as it could get for you all. However I can only hope that in the future none of you will be bruised like Lance Corporal Silver Bullet and Sergeant Smooth Edge… Oh and you there, poor Emerald, you seem to have a cut on yourself. Let me take care of it.” Flying down to their level, Celestia puts her horn on Emerald Sword’s injury and mends it. “All better now.”
“Oh right, thank you, Princess, but there’s actually something I need to talk to you about, along with the solar guards here.” Michael said.
“It’s the fact that you aren’t a pony, right?” The princess asked. “That arguing about showing everypony here and I quote “who you really are” while trying to take away your face only for Jeff to say it’s a magical mask really tells it all. So then, tell me and everypony else. Who are you?”
Michael clears his throat. “Here goes nothin’...” He reaches up his forelegs to the side of his muzzle and a bright light fills the area. The light fades and there before everypony is Michael’s true form, a hylian just like Jeff. “This is who I truly am, I am a hylian, specifically i’m an incarnation of the hero Link, but of a different age.” He said with a bow. “Please forgive me for lying to you all about my identity.” He apologized.
“You’re… You’re Link then? I… I’m at a loss for words, it’s no wonder why your cutiemark was so peculiar, how ready you were to do militaristic tasks, and make friends with Jeff who has been a little reclusive in his first days of Canterlot.”
“To be more specific, Celestia, he’s from a whole different world separate from our own.” Jeff said to clear up some confusion. The hylian then pulls out Mike’s Fairy Ocarina. “I summoned him to our world, it's a long story.” Jeff said with a nod.
“Jeff and I are what is known as Displaced, People ripped from our home world, forced into a multitude of possible Equestrias, and changed by the one that forced us here.” Michael said standing up straight again. “What Jeff holds now is a token, a means of summoning other Displaced to your Equestria to help.”
“In my case, some goddess ripped me from my world and made me what I am now, or at least from what the Golden Wolf told me back in the Everfree, not to be confused with the timberwolf named Everfree.” Jeff explained.
“I bought an item from an evil entity known as the merchant, and was thrown into my own Equestria, though my world is not as yours is, there are major differences, too many to explain within’ a reasonable time frame though.” Michael said.
“The… merchant? World differences? So you’re from both an alternate universe and perhaps even an alternate timeline as well?” Princess Celestia questioned.
“You can think of it like that.” Michael chuckled.
“Dudddde, when I first saw you like this I thought there were just more hylians out there. But you’re basically a whole alien?! Ah that’s sick!” Smooth Edge gets up closer to Michael, even more curious than before.
“Alien… I don’t like that but it’s more true than I would like…” Michael said with a frown. “OH!” Michael reached under his shield and pulled out his Rupee wallet. “That thing you saw me do before was how my inventory works, like Jeff's pouches but invisible.” He smiled. “Come in real handy, though I couldn’t use all my items as a pony, I’m kinda surprised no one noticed that ‘Emerald Sword’ didn’t carry a sword…” He said with air quotes.
A large thump is heard on the ground as Silver Bullet’s head could no longer be supported and he fully falls asleep. “Well then that sports a few questions. Number one, you’ve showcased this inventory ability in the past which basically allows you to pull something from nothing, is that some sort of spacial magic? Number two, these ‘displaced’ as you call them, are they all just incarnations of Link? If not then give out some examples of what a displaced person could be?” Elegant Crease inquired, moving over to pick up Silver Bullet on her withers.
“...Come to think of it, what exactly is restricting you from using your stuff?” Jeff asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Welp, you might not believe or understand but, I have game mechanics… Jeff you would know about them but the ponies in the area are probably thinking board games.” Michael starts explaining. “I can only use items that the hylian or pony would be able to use without changing things, take my bow for example.” He quickly puts away his wallet and retrieves his bow. “It’s made for my true form, pretty hard to use a full size bow as a pony.”
“Sounds like a pain..” Jeff said with a shake of his head.
“Worst part is I have hearts.” He removes his left gauntlet and shows a small HUD on his wrist like a tattoo.
“That’s even worse, three hits and you’d be out..” Jeff said as he felt sorry for Mike
“So this boon does not come without flaws then? And these ‘game mechanics’ are the source of this strange magic.” Elegant Crease said.
“There’s definitely flaws, I can’t take very much damage without dying, for a lack of a better term. That spear that pierced my arm, nearly killed me.” Michael explained putting his gauntlet back on. “If you noticed after that hit I started to look exhausted suddenly.”
“That sounds so very tempting to have as a power. But it’s not for me, and I can say that with certainy. But you still didn’t answer Elegant’s question, are all displaced simply Links from different eras and incarnations?” Snow Leap pressed.
“Oh right, Displaced are most definitely not just more Links, not everyone on my home world are like him, they would probably be forced here as other heroes from other worlds, or maybe even some villains…” Michael says with a bit of uncertainty.
“I apologize for interjecting my litt- I mean Michael. But have you encountered any other displaced besides Jeff that could be used as examples?” The solar monarch asked.
“Sadly I’ve only encountered another Link, so I can’t give another example, sorry.” Michael said with a frown.
“Well other than me, of course.” Jeff said with a shrug as he leaned against the nearby pillar.
“Now, I feel my time here is coming to an end, Jeff remember, call me anytime bud, I’ll always help if you need it, ready to send me back home?” Mike said with a smile. Jeff raises his leather gauntlet covered fist up in a gesture of an offered fist bump. “See you again sometime bro,” Mike said with a chuckle as he put his fist up and they bumped, making their triforce pieces glow for a moment.
“By the way, How do I send you back? Give the ocarina a toot?” Jeff asked.
“All you gotta do is say this phrase, ‘thank you for your help, Hero of Time, you may return to your world’, and play another note of the Fairy Ocarina.” Mike answered.
“I’ll do one better for you. Hero Of Time, you may return to your world.” Jeff said before placing the Fairy Ocarina’s tip to his mouth, however instead of playing one note, he played Zelda’s Lullaby, making a familiar reminder to Mike’s mind.
A blue cylinder of light appeared around Michael lifting him off the ground. “That worked? Alright see ya later dude!” He shouted as the pillar of light flew him into the sky and made him vanish with a flash of light.
With Mike gone from his world, Jeff places the Fairy Ocarina into his pouch. “Good to know I’m not the only one.” Jeff said with relief thanks to Mike clearing up alot of Jeff’s questions.
“Guess you’ve got another brother in your life then, and a brother of Jeff’s is always gonna be a family member of ours. Except maybe for Smooth, she’s weird.” FireForge blatantly pointed out.
“Dammit I’m not weird you guys…” Smooth Edge said in her defense
“..A brother, ha, I suppose that makes sense.” Jeff said as both he and Mike were given bodies of the fabled heroes
Princess Celestia’s wings flap with joy. “My little ponies, you’ve all done something amazing this day. Once you rest I hope to you all that there are only sweet dreams in your minds. Have a goddess blessed night.” The princess smiles as she trots away, back inside and having her mind finally cleared.
Author's Note
A small reminder that despite you read Jeff making his token, I promise you won't be reading anymore cross-overs in this story. I'll be keeping them separated from the main story. Small note, the little story told by the Elder Seapony, I'm not 100% happy with, so it is subjected to change later on.
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[Displaced] A Forced Hero Rewrite
Chapter Ten: Jeff's Nightmare / Visiting Tempest.
Author's Note
WARNING: Jeff's nightmare might be too disturbing for some viewers. If you still wish to read the story and not read Jeff's disturbing nightmare, scroll down till you find the word [Skip], you can also use Ctrl+F, type in the word, then press enter twice.
If you spot any spelling, grammar issues, or story constriction, please point them out.
Chapter Ten: Jeff's Nightmare / Visiting Tempest.
Despite Jeff falling asleep that night due to mental exhaustion, his rest was not going as pleasant.
Jeff finds himself… Running? His head whips back and forth as he sprints through what looks to be a degraded and rusted version of Canterlot. The small cold trickling of what feels like rain is pelting his body, but getting mere glimpses of puddles in this dark and stormy night, he sees something scarlet in them, or rather the puddles themselves are all scarlet.
“...Blood?” Jeff thought as he continued searching for something, wherever his body was taking him. No… He knew, whether it was for instinct or not he knew to search for survivors in this bloodied now-wasted land.
Almost tripping on mud, Jeff finally stops to take a breather, being sure not to hold open his mouth for too long as the fear of the bloodied rain sinks in further. Heavy… That’s the feeling inside his chest right now. It’s as if thousands of pounds were on his entire body. Jeff tries his best to shake it off but he knows it will always be there.
Trying to search in his vicinity, the tired Hylian nearly vomits which subsequently gets him a few drops of blood in his mouth.
Blurriness, and a strong scent of iron. That’s all Jeff could see and smell. His brain is attempting its best to block out the image in front of him yet his mind made it very clear to imprint it into memory. Mangled corpses, mangled pony corpses, are strutted in a crude and gruesome manner in front of him, spelt something, something devastating.
“T-they weren’t there before, this can’t be real, this can’t be real, this can’t be real…” The mantra repeats itself in his mind over and over again. However the blurriness unfortunately becomes cleared and with it, Jeff sees the whole picture.
“You will fail..”
Despite receiving the message, Jeff could only feel, yet he didn’t understand why the message, where it was coming from, and by who. This whole mess was seriously triggering his anxiety and his fight-or-flight instincts. Which was only amplified when the next ‘event’ started.
A loud groan was heard from the pile of mutilated ponies, a small shift was the only non-verbal thing that was noticeable but then an entire foreleg moved from one of the deceased ponies.
“What in the name of Hylia?!” Jeff mentally screamed.
Several of the dead began rising, slowly lifting themselves up as torn ligaments, intensities, and even hanging hearts intertwined with other ponies who were long gone. Jaws were nearly torn from their muzzles, teeth were decayed but they all had one thing in common, they all looked like someone Jeff knew. But their faces… Their faces were like permanent screams that couldn’t be torn away. Bandaged masks appeared sewn into their faces, Silver Bullet, Smooth Edge, Elegant Crease, FireForge, Snow Leap were all there.
Blood poured from their eye sockets as their mouths began opening in unison for a glass-shattering shriek. They then charged at Jeff, but much to Jeff’s relief and horror they tripped over each other due to the entanglement of limbs, organs, and other bodily objects. So they crawled to him. Their bloodied hooves could only move at a snail's pace but they still did it.
“J-JeFf…. Is tHaT yOu?” The one who resembled Smooth Edge asked, still crawling toward him with that same permanently opened mouth and bloodshot eyes. Her body was tangled with Elegant Crease’s. Both bodies dragged themselves across the bloodied dirt, looking directly at their ‘hero.’
Jeff started to back away slowly as fear gripped at his heart, the hylian quickly looks down at his hand, only to find the Triforce of courage’s familiar symbol not glowing like before, and what made this even more so terrifying was when he reached back to pull out his sword, is that he felt empty air where his sheath should have been. Unable to handle it any longer, Jeff turns to run, only to find himself surrounded by many ponies he knew groaning and moving toward him slowly.
‘Snow Leap’ climbs the ground, making extremely miniscule progress towards Jeff. His entire body is tethered to his brother’s. They both slowly crawl as one, making double the pace of the others. Reaching Jeff’s foot ‘Snow Leap’ grapples onto Jeff’s leg while looking up at him.
“WhY cOuLdN’t YoU hEaR mY oRdErS?” The fake growls out in its cobbled voice.
‘Silver Bullet’ is the only pony to have not gone anywhere. Half his torso looks as if it were blown off with both of his forelegs gone as well. But he still uses his voice to initiate another screeching, almost twice as loud as before. And all the other ponies scream out as well. They crawl closer to Jeff until the four of them surround the hylian. Detaching themselves away from each other with sickening noises that nearly make Jeff vomit. Screaming louder and even louder until it all stops. One lone pony crawls behind Jeff, whimpering.
“Jeff… Couldn’t you have saved ME?!” He shakily turns around and sees a singular purple foal behind him. That same damn mask is stitched to her face as well.
“Tempest?!” Jeff shouted in concern and fear.
The small foal resumes the screeching, this time, pushing Jeff to the ground and allowing everyone else to crawl over him. Due to the overwhelming fear of it all, Jeff quickly shut his eyes as it felt as if it wouldn’t be the end, however the sound of silence that followed after making him open his eyes in confusion, noticing that all the zomponies. Suddenly, Jeff hears the sound of a large bell chiming, and the familiar dread sound of rumbling. Looking up, Jeff saw a gigantic moon slowly descending toward Canterlot at a rapid pace.
“This stops immediately. ” A strong flash of golden energy washes over this entire world. Filling Jeff up to the brim with this warm and comforted sensation. The entire world goes white, leaving Jeff standing on nothingness.
Princess Celestia wraps her forelegs around Jeff comfortingly. “I apologize for taking so long with my arrival. I noticed you shaking outside in the real world so I decided to use dream magic to enter your mind. Somepony was blocking me, isn’t that right Nightmare Moon?”
Princess Celestia pulls her head away from Jeff’s shoulder to stare at the one behind it all. “Ah yes, my meddlesome sister-”
The solar monarch blasts at Nightmare Moon with a concentrated beam of light, leaving a sizzling hole in the possessive spirit’s shoulder.
“I won’t allow you to escape again.” Princess Celestia lets go of Jeff before charging up her horn again only to have Nightmare Moon turn into a gaseous state while baring her teeth at her sister and moving backwards.
“I’m not in the mood for some long lengthy fight right now. So I shall simply bid you farewell sister, rest easy while you can.” And then she zooms off into the void, creating a small tear through it and leaving.
Princess Celestia skids to stop and scowls before turning to her champion. “Jeff… I’m sorry this happened to you, but please do not allow this to discourage you. No matter what you saw in that dream, know that you have ponies ready to fight by your side. Now please, have restful dreams tonight and release your burdens.”
“J-just what in the name of the goddesses was that?! What just happened!? Who was that? I-I-I.” Jeff paused to wrap his arms around himself as his anxiety-filled shaking resumed, causing the solarist of the sun to wrap her forelegs around him, including her angelic soft wings, causing the hylian to bury his face into Celestia’s chest to seek out comfort. It took five minutes for Jeff to calm down until his vision slowly faded, allowing him proper sleep.
The next morning arrives as Jeff opens up his eyes, blinking the sleep out of them. The hylian rose up into a sitting position to look around as he tries to make sense of his nightmare. “..It felt so damn real, their gazing eyes, the rumbling of the moon falling toward me.. H-holy Din’s fire..” Jeff said with a shudder. The hylian gazes down at the back of his hand, specifically the one with the triforce of courage. “I couldn’t even feel the Triforce in my dreams, was that thing preventing my mind from feeling it?” Jeff asked himself.
A few knocks are sounded at Jeff’s quarters. They are rapid, almost desperate sounding in nature.
“Come in.” Jeff said, grateful for anybody to take his mind away from that horrid nightmare even if it’s for a second.
The door creaks open, careful steps are placed one after the other. Resembling a caution and careful approach. A large white furred pony enters the room. “Hello Jeff, I can only wish that you slept well last night but I doubt that is true.” Princess Celestia approaches Jeff’s bed, closing the door behind her with magic. “We need to talk, you probably knew that though.”
“I slept a little better after what you did.. At least I think it was you?” Jeff said in confusion as he wasn’t well experienced with dreams.
“As I thought, you remembered. I am thankful that you could actually sleep, yet that is not the main thing I wanted to speak to you about.” Princess Celestia moves a hoof towards Jeff’s bed and climbs up to sit next to him. “That… mare that you saw, did you notice anything different from normal ponies about her?”
“Well, other than she’s as big as you and has a horn and wings like you.” Jeff said with a nod.
The lonely alicorn moves her unkept mane to the side. “There’s a reason for that Jeff, one that I have been trying so difficultly to fix before things go awry. That mare was, no is my sister, and nopony shall ever be able to tell me otherwise. She’s possessed currently by the nightmare force.”
Jeff’s face had a look of discomfort as he remembered a certain Nightmare from Link’s awakening, except it did nothing like the horrifying monstrosity of his last nightmare.
“This alone should have been my number one duty as an older sister and ruler to help my fellow princess. I couldn’t do it, nobles were out of control then and now, no matter what I did it always seemed as though there was little to no chance of ever being able to fully dedicate my time to trying to get her from the moon’s clutches and rid her of this everlasting nightmare.” Princess Celestia starts exposing her vulnerability and in the midst of it, slouches her posture down, trying to relax herself. “Jeff, I need to be able to surround myself with people who are capable of this task that I am to bestow upon you. I ask of you, grow stronger to help push those around you into allowing growth into their lives, to overcome and represent Equestria's harmony to its fullest.”
“...You sound like she’ll return, I mean in the waking world..” Jeff said with a frown.
The celestial’s eyes narrow by a bit. Staring at the door, she bit her lip and sighed. “She will Jeff, she will. In the years to come she shall return, attempting to reclaim what she thinks is hers. The nightmare inside her is in control, so when she returns to our lands once again, do not be afraid to use force.”
Jeff pushes his hair up, letting out a soft groan as his mind races through everything he knew of Zelda lore; his best bet having to be obtaining the Master Sword, but the main question was finding the blade of evil’s bane. “I’ll see what I can do, hopefully we’ve got plenty of time..” Jeff said in concern.
“I knew I could count on you Jeff.” The princess slumps to the side and leans on Jeff’s shoulder, a saddened expression on her muzzle tells it all. “You truly are Equestria’s champion if you are willing to go to such lengths for us all.”
“...How can I not though?” Jeff said with a mental sigh as he can’t just ignore it and stand, or rather sit idly.
The alicorn turns and stares directly into Jeff’s eyes before hugging him, as if seeing an old friend for the first time in a while. “And that’s why Jeff, that’s exactly why…” She trails off for a moment, letting go of the hug and shaking her head. “I apologize, I didn’t mean to become so emotional, do not let me hold you back from completing your daily routine Jeff.” Princess Celestia gets up and opens the door, turning back to look at Jeff one more time, then closes it behind her.
“..Whelp, best get to training.” Jeff said as he got up and out of bed, putting on his tunic and the rest of his gear. Jeff heads out into the hallway and toward the training grounds.
As Jeff and Elegant Crease clash blade and whip, working on their fighting prowess, Elegant Crease was also talking to Jeff about their adventures they had.
“So- grunt.. that ‘Michael’ Hylian that we met, how exactly did you manage to summon him? Such magic is extremely classified and censored to the public.” Elegant Crease weaves and ducks in between Jeff’s blows as if they were both dancing. She somehow manages to maneuver her whip to block at such close range.
“Oh uh.. Some kind of token and playing a song.” Jeff said as he backflipped away from Elegant’s swing.
Elegant Creased flicks her whip back towards her, using her wings to catch it by slowing the moment until the force is suitable enough to be held in her other hoof. “That ocarina, it’s the token? You played it once and it sent Michael on his merry way.” The pegasus begins to circle Jeff, using her wings to keep her body stable. “To think that such abilities would be granted to you as soon as you’re given the boon of the displaced, amazing.” The analytical pegasus furls and unfurls their whip. Finally deciding to leave it unfurled they lash out at Jeff with a single swing. The whip sings through the wind it pushes through and attempts to strike him. “A real shame that training no longer has the same ‘kick’ to it. After Princess Celestia walked in on us using weapons without protective enchants on them she banned live battle. Now there’s never so much as even a lethal blow.”
“But from what Mike taught me, each token is unique to whom they can summon, but I gotta be careful.” Jeff said as he raised his Fighter’s Shield to block a swift whiplash.
“Be careful? I suppose there are the possible threats of someone being less than ideal, however you are Jeff, the chosen Hero of Equestria. You are fated to protect Equestria from the evils ahead. And yes, Princess Celestia did tell us that, so you won’t have to carry such burdens by yourself.” The mare raises her whip back and uses the weight it has to carry her upwards while using her wings to actually fly. She zooms around the room, looking for an opportunity to strike.
“Kind of forced into it.” Jeff mumbled softly.
Heard, she heard him but she didn’t hear him. While she could only guess what was said she knew it was something negative although nothing exact. So she took it as her opportunity and dive bombed Jeff, going downwards before rising up in an attempt to knock him in the chin for an easy K.O. Jeff took this moment to grab onto her hoove, roll back, and with his boot on her chest, monkey flipping her over into the training cushions behind him.
A small thud comes from where she landed, a few hoof steps are sounded shortly afterwards. “To use my own kinetic energy against me.” She rotates a few of her joints, smiling proudly. “You really are learning from this. That’s match Jeff, good job.” She brushes her hooves against each other, cleaning off the dust on them.
“Thanks, your whip is pretty difficult to get around due to the range it has.” Jeff said as he wipes the sweat from his forehead, he reaches his sword and places his shield onto the hook equipped to his back.
The mare calms her breathing down, she reaches towards her own hip and buckles her whip onto it. “That is its purpose. Hopefully you going against me will train you to think outside the box when it comes to fighting opponents with different arsenals.”
“Considering what I’ve fought so far, I'm gonna need it.” Jeff said as he paused to think. “I wonder if I should write a book, then again there’s so many zelda bosses that could potentially appear, I might end up spending the whole day trying to write them all.” Jeff thought to himself.
“And for whatever you can’t cover, know that we’ll be there pushing forward. All of us will have strengths and weaknesses, but… Can’t believe I’m saying this, friendship is what gives ponies power, whether you believe it or not, one day that will apply to you as well.” The mare begins to rotate her joints, making small popping noises. “So then, what will you have planned for today? I can only imagine that you have important business to attend to.”
“Just a little someone I need to check up on- Sorry, I meant somepony I need to check on, Tempest Shadow, a foal I saved back in Gohma’s Nest. It's been two.. Three days?” Jeff said as he tries to remember how long its been.
“Ah as noble as a cause that I expected, more noble than what any of these current nobles have done anyways. That must be what’s worth fighting for. Then I bid you good luck on your plans Jeff. How soon shall you be carrying this out?” Elegant Crease started to stretch her wings out, slightly fluttering them so they could limber up.
“As soon as I learn where she lives, we kind of got separated when the guards took me away in the Everfree Forest.” Jeff said as he rubs the back of his head.
“If it was a matter of legality then I’m sure Princess Celestia could grant you access to her files wherever she may be located.” The intellectual mare replies.
“I mean if she’s not busy with her royal duties.” Jeff said with a nod.
The soft, yet hard clopping of hooves is heard in the midst of all the sparring that is taking place. “What exactly would I be too busy for?” Princess Celestia herself questions. Her presence elects for Elegant Crease to take a gentle bow to the ground before rising again.
“Princess Celestia, we were merely discussing the possibility of Jeff requesting your help for locating the files of a foal that Jeff saved three days ago.”
The princess takes a small glance towards Jeff before lifting a wing up and covering her muzzle. “Jeff! You know that with such things you need not my permission, right?”
“I mean how else can I find her? Knock on every house’s door?” Jeff said jokingly.
Princess Celestia gives Jeff a look, raising an eyebrow. “Yes? That is exactly what I expect you to do. If not you then who will?” The princess then starts laughing. Smiling as if she had no care in the world. “Truthfully Jeff I meant you didn’t need to worry about asking for my permission in searching for one’s files. You are a part of the royal guard now.”
“Ah, alright, I just need files on Tempest Shadow, no doubt she was upset when I got separated back then.” Jeff explained with a nod.
As high in authority as this current monarch is, she still manages to have a sense of humor. “Ah Tempest Shadow? I do remember the full report I got from there. Around a day after you left in fact. If I remember correctly their real name was Fizzlepop Berrytwist but they preferred to be called Tempest Shadow. For me to recall further information I need to go back and retrieve those documents.”
“Please take your time, Celestia.” Jeff said as he went to sit down.
Princess Celestia apologetically stares at Jeff and rubs the side of her face. “No no, I will get this to you Jeff. Follow me, I should have a personal copy archived in my work space.”
Jeff is a happy man today, for multiple reasons. Number one, Princess Celestia did give him access to those files and number two, she even gave him an earlier leave to go visit the once lost filly. Apparently she resided in Canterlot now under the care of parents Which made sense to Jeff yet it still saddened him to no end. Thinking about the loss of her horn. However there is always something bright to look forward to.
The Hylian finally arrived after some time, curiously walking the streets of Canterlot before reaching his finalized destination. Standing outside this large, almost mansion looking building made Jeff feel a little more hope for what’s to come. Jeff raised his hand, giving the door a knock.
“Coming! Give me a sec!” A voice calls from inside. Before long, the doors creak open to reveal a mare with a purple coat, butter yellow eyes, a sky blue mane and tail, who also adorns a silver ring atop her horn. “Hello there, who might you be?”
“I’m Jeff, did Tempest ever tell you what happened three days ago?” Jeff asked as he straightened up his Rok’s cape.
The mare immediately puts a hoof up to her muzzle in disbelief. “No… You’re Jeff?” She takes a step back, her hooves begin trembling. Jeff looks at her, trying to figure out why she’s behaving like this. Next thing Jeff knows, he’s being hugged by the pony without constraint for her strength. “You don’t know what this means to me. Thank you for saving my daughter.” Small sniffling could be heard in between. “Poplight, get out here! The stallion who saved our little girl is here.”
Some more hoofsteps are sounded from within the house. “Twist, what’s got you so worked up? You only yell whenever I do something stupid.” A pegasus stands comes to the door, his light opal eyes, dark gray coat, and unkempt rosy mane and tail are nearly complete opposites of the mare embracing Jeff.
“Yeah mom, what’s got you so worked- Jeff!” Yet another unicorn jumps up and hugs the Hylian, nearly making him tip over.
“Oh sweetie, this is the stallion you meant? He’s a lot different than I pictured.” The pegasus admits.
“Good to see you’re alright, Tempest.” Jeff said as he ruffled her hair.
The little filly chuckle from the affection huddle they’re in. “Me too Jeff, what made you come back?”
“To check up on you, I couldn’t come any earlier as Celestia wanted me to train and find some stuff.” Jeff explained to Tempest.
“Can’t believe it, Jeff, the man who saved our little filly. Basically a living superhero.” The stallion in front of the doors says. Watching his daughter and wife let go of Jeff. “I’m Poplight, but everypony likes to call me Pop. It’s a pleasure to see you for the first time.”
“Likewise.” Jeff said as he raised his hand half way but hesitated as he wasn’t sure if a handshake was a greeting in Equestria.
Poplight takes a step forward, reaching out his hoof and firmly grasps onto Jeff’s hand, shaking it up and down. “You’ve got a pretty good grip there.” His wife wipes tears away from her eyes and goes beside Jeff.
“Well don’t just stand there, aren’t you going to at least come in for tea?” She hums for a moment, before remembering something. “How silly of me, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Twisting Berries, but ponies call me Twist or Berries, whichever one sticks to you is fine.”
Jeff’s long pointed ears perked at the mention of Tea, the last time being was back in his world when his mom would make him some. “Sure, I'd love that.” Jeff said with a smile. The unicorn practically ushers Jeff inside while giggling, her offspring helping her as well. Poplight moves out of their way, allowing them to enter.
Inside this large home, the decorations are rather sparse. It seems the wallpaper is white, the chandelier hanging above their dining area is as ordinary as could be. They do have a wondrous living room though. Practically built for sitting down near their fireplace and reading. The nice comfortable chairs really are the icing on the cake.
“You can stay here. Let me go and prepare your beverages.” Twisting Berries gleefully stepped away for the kitchen area and left Jeff, Tempest Shadow, and Poplight all inside the same room.
Tempest Shadow pulls on Jeff’s Roc cloak, looking up at him. “Hey have you done anything cool while you were away?”
“It's a long story though.” Jeff said as he went to take a seat on the floor as the furniture was too short to properly sit in.
“Awww, please Jeff. Tell me already.” The filly practically begs the protector.
“Now now sweetie, if he doesn’t want to tell you then he doesn’t have to.” Poplight reminded his daughter. “Besides, I’m sure he’s a very busy stallion with plenty of other tales to tell you.”
“There is no need, I was just saying that because I thought you might’ve gotten bored if I told you Tempest. It was nice of you to say that Poplight.” Jeff tried his best to get comfortable in the seating he was in but to no avail. “Why don’t we save that for when your mom gets back?”
Poplight seems to like this idea. “Sure thing, did you know that little Fizzle over here missed you in the days you were gone, she wouldn’t keep quiet about you in fact.”
Tempest Shadow rolls her eyes. “Daddddd, what did I say about calling me that in front of other ponies? I’m Tempest Shadow. And I so wasn’t talking about Jeff.” Tempest denied.
“Oh, so you weren’t making drawings of him in your room to hang up?” Poplight presses on. Tempest Shadow doesn’t try to confirm or deny this, the little filly could only pout in defeat. Jeff blinked in surprise that he had such that kind of influence.
Jeff couldn’t believe what he had heard. “I… Tempest, I didn’t know that it meant so much to you. If I had known then I’d have come back sooner.”
Tempest’s cheeks flushed in embarrassment, looking away. “My parents had heard me call you a hero so many times before, you are like another Princess Celestia to me.” The foal had small twinkles in her eyes from admiration.
Jeff let out a soft chuckle, finding it odd but funny how he’s made a small reputation. “I’m not that big of deal.. Am I?” Jeff asked curiously.
“Are you kidding?” Tempest nearly raised herself from her seat. “I’ve told all my friends about you, you’re gonna be the biggest thing here in Canterlot!”
Poplight pats his daughter on the withers. “We’re not sure if Jeff necessarily wants that kind of attention.”
“You forgive them?” Jeff asked Tempest in surprise as she once claimed they abandoned her back in the Everfree.
The foal fiddles with her front hooves for a second but nods. “Not entirely… Maybe it was because you saved me but not everypony can be brave like you can. So when I grow up, I’m gonna fight bad guys who pick on foals. I’ll be just like you Jeff.”
The father moves from his filly’s back and ruffles up her mane. “Aw, you’re so compassionate Fizzle, I know you’re destined for stardom, and fireworks.” Poplight Jokingly adds.
“Considering everypony’s name, I’m guessing fireworks are your..” Jeff pauses trying to remember Mike’s words. “Special talent?” Jeff finished his sentence.
“You could say that.” Poplight says, lifting his hind leg up to showcase his cutie mark. Yellow sparks are surrounding a light in the center. “Originally I was going to sell fireworks, but then I started using my talents for something else. Bringing light to the truth.” He starts laughing at his own little joke.
“Such as?” Jeff said as Tempest moved her head away from her father’s hoof and sat in Jeff’s lap.
“Y’know, criminal cases, I’m a lawyer for the local law firm. I mostly handle carriage crashes and pegasi mis-flights. You’d be surprised how often these happen.” He nonchalantly responded.
“Are you all getting along? I hope so, because I’m not dealing with another argument breaking out with guests.” Twisting Berries finally exited from the kitchen, a metal tray with four cups of tea is on her back, heating insulated material is below it to protect Twisting from the sheer warmth. Using her magic she levitated the various cups to each person in the room.
“A-ah, no argument here..” Jeff said as he raised his hands, getting his cup of tea. “Oh, I just remembered, how’s your horn doing, Tempest?” Jeff asked in concern.
Tempest Shadow moved one of her hoofs to carefully prod at her horn, feeling the material of the cloak covering it, leaving her mother to rest the mug in front of her. “My horn is okay, it doesn’t hurt as much anymore. I still can feel magic through my horn. By the way, speaking of magic, why is your cloak like this? There’s some type of energy inside it. And I keep feeling it going around my horn.”
“It's due to the cape having feathers of a Roc, a type of bird with enchanted feathers.” Jeff said with a nod as he went by his own theories of making sense.
Twisting Berries tilted her neck in confusion. “So Rocs naturally have enchanted feathers then? Not that I’d be able to confirm or deny, I never paid much attention in magical studies class.”
“I mean ‘Roc’ is the type of bird, their actual species name is Kargaroc.” Jeff explained as he scratched his head, now curious of where exactly they’d live.
Poplight takes a sip of his tea, he thinks of where he could’ve possibly have heard of that name before but his mind comes back blank. “Sorry, never heard of ‘em, but that cloak of yours does sound pretty cool. Here why don’t you finally tell us how your travels have been going. My wife probably wants to hear about it anyways.”
“Yeah yeah, quiet before I go back to reading what I originally was.” Twisting Berries threatens. “However, yes I would be interested in hearing your tales.”
“Ah, right, let’s see uh..” Jeff began as he gathers his thoughts of what’s gone down since that day he appeared in the Temple Of Time, the hylian begins to explain the events, however leaving out what he was before his Displacedment as he really didn’t want to explain his whole planet earth.
“And now I’m here.” Jeff finally finished.
The entire family slowly begins to clap their hooves together until they start stomping on the ground with amazement.
“Bravo Jeff, you really do have hero in your blood. All of this and it’s barely been a week since you arrived in Equestria.” Poplight congratulated.
“See I told you both that Jeff was amazing. Jeff saved an entire princess, just like in the foaltales” Tempest turned back around and hugged Jeff’s abdomen.
“Well this is definitely something I have to tell my coworkers. Jeff, I cannot stress this enough when I say that we definitely appreciate you.” Twisting Berries happily told him.
“I mean not alone mind you, I had five of my solar guard friends and a pony named Emerald Sword with me.” Jeff pointed out as he pats Tempest’s head.
“But still, you were selling yourself short during those stories.” Twisting argued.
“I still need time to gain my confidence.” Jeff said with a nod. Despite the many things he’s done, there are still some lingering doubts in his head that Nightmare Moon’s nightmare planted.
Poplight stares at Jeff for a moment before downing the rest of his, now only lukewarm, tea. “If I had your talents then I’d be trotting everywhere in Canterlot without a care in the world, buying expensive gifts for my Twist.”
Twisting Berries playfully jabs at Poplight’s side. “Please don’t say things like that in front of company. Do you have a death wish or something?”
“Nope, just a love wish.” Twisting Berries almost looks as if she’s about to cut off Poplight’s oxygen supply but instead smiles.
“Besides, you wouldn’t want this kind of burden where you have to fight all sorts of monsters.” Jeff said with a shake of his head.
The filly that’s currently being patted groans. “Ugh they always get so lovey dovey like this. Whenever they do this, they basically tune everything out. I doubt they’re gonna hear you. They might as well have a telepathic link.”
“Ah, then I'd best head on out then.” Jeff said, causing Tempest to hop down from his lap. “Wouldn’t want to get in the way of anything they’d want to do.” Jeff said as he stretched his arms above his head.
Tempest Shadow carefully steps out of Jeff’s lap and snickers. “Well lets hope it doesn’t come to that. See you Jeff, it was really nice catching up with you.” The purple filly said.
“Be safe, Tempest, and please don’t go exploring abandoned place, no matter how adventurous it looks.” Jeff said with a warning.
“I’ll try, I make zero promises though.” She jokingly responded, watching Jeff quaintly finish his cup of tea and made way for the door, exiting the house with a small filly waving goodbye to him.
[Displaced] A Forced Hero Rewrite
Chapter Eleven: Rupees and a dragon.
Jeff continues to walk through Canterlot, taking his time to gaze at the marvel of the city. From what the hylian can see, Canterlot looked to be quite an expensive place to live. So many of the unicorns wore fancy suits and beautiful dresses, although despite the amazement of what they had, this hylian didn’t like what they were saying.
“A true insult to Canterlot’s name, they must be letting just about any creature into what was once pure.”
“What in the Sacred Realms is their problem?” Jeff mentally thinks as he tries his best to ignore their mumbling. Some of the unicorns sounded scared, some sounded upset, and other sounded disgusted by Jeff’s appearance. Quickening his pace, he takes a turn around another street. After walking a bit, Jeff comes across something odd; a pegasus who is using a shovel too long for them to use, and on close inspection Jeff recognizes the shovel to be a much more detailed version of the shovel from a link to the past. “..I wonder where the pegasus got this.” Jeff thought to himself.
The pegasus is old and in grey green colored fur; her mane unleveled as she struggles with the shovel to move the snow out of her house’s surrounding driveway. She pauses as she notices the hylian. “Hey excuse me youngin, could you help an old mare out?” She said as she pulls the shovel out, almost stumbling.
“Oh! Uh, sure.” Jeff said with a smile as he stepped through the fence gate. The hylian takes the shovel from this struggling mare.
“Much appreciate kind stallion, my name is Whirling Noise but I don’t make as much noise as I used to.” The old pegasus started laughing at her own jokes. “Just start from my door to the end of my mailbox. My back ain’t what it used to be.” Whirling Noise said as she sat down on the bottom step.
Nodding his head, Jeff begins to slowly shovel the snow, starting from the beginning, gently shovel and push the snow off to the side.
“Does anybody live with you?” Jeff asked.
Whirling Noise smiled. “I’ve got a family member taking care of me, my son Loudmouth, he’s a great and patient stallion who always hears ponies out.”
A moment of silence passed before Whirling Noise spoke again. “So where are you from youngin? You’re taller than anypony I’ve ever seen before.”
Jeff scratched the top of his head as he shoveled away at the snow. “I’m from somewhere really far away, Miss Noise.”
“So then you’re a traveler? And you can call me Whirling youngin, calling me Miss makes me feel old.” The mare slightly began shivering which didn’t go unnoticed by Jeff.
“Of sorts, not really though.” Tossing some snow to the side, Jeff smiles as he looks up at the mare. “Why don’t you stay inside and I’ll let you know when I’m finished with the snow.”
“Aw you’re a real gentlecolt. I’ll be back in an hour to check up on you.” Whirling Noise waved at Jeff and retreated to the warmth of her home. With no further distractions Jeff begun to work tirelessly on the drive way and around the carriage. By the time he was done a mere thirty minutes has passed. Realizing that he was done earlier than expected, Jeff knocked on Whirling’s door.
The old mare opened the door, blasting Jeff with heat. “Thank you sweetheart, here’s a little something for your troubles, and you can keep the shovel.” Whirling Noise said as she hoofed Jeff a red rupee she was carrying around
“W-wait, a red rupee, and you’re giving me the shovel?” Jeff asked in surprise.
“You did so much for me, youngin. All the snow is gone from my property and then some, all of it was faster than I expected too. You’re a real blessing to help an old lady like me out.” The Elderly Pegasus said.
“Thanks.” Jeff said gratefully as he put away the red rupee. Considering he’s starting to get a good sum of rupees, he’s in the mood to buy a little something, with the main question being what.
Jeff wandered around the streets, soon coming across what looks to be a shopping district. From what the hylian can spot as he passes each store, they ranged from expensive coats, to savory fancy foods, to what looked to be toys and knick·knacks for pony kind. Jeff pauses in mid-step as he gazes through the window, spotting a very familiar looking red serpent. The hylians eyes went wide as he recognizes a young whelp that had a striking similarity to Volvagia
The little whelp is covered in scaly red hide, especially those curved horns, albeit smaller and more delicate. No wings on its back nor a stone mask like its adult counterpart; its head having a small red orange hair on its head. Jeff’s mind wanders off as he thinks about his past, soon remembering an old manga he read as a kid, causing him to deeply frown in worry and concern as he remembers in one part of the ocarina of time comic when Volvagia had to be slain by Link due to Ganondorf’s corruption over the dragon.
“I'm not gonna let that happen.” Jeff whispers to himself as he looks over at the price on the window, showing it to be seventy rupees. The hylian’s voice draws the curiosity of the young Volvagia. “Wait for me just a little longer, little guy.” he said as he places his hand onto the glass window, causing the whelp to do the same as it places its hand in polar opposite.
“Hey! this ain’t no window shopping, either buy it or get out!” A young brown color with his black hair combed slicked out said, screaming from the shop’s entrance, wearing what looked to be a tie. On his flank were three money bags. “..You heard me, stupid scrawny minotaur!” the pony said.
Jeff ignored the pony as he walked off. “..Pompous little Korok Seed..” The hylian mumbled.
A pony walked up behind Jeff, putting a hoof on his shoulder. “Hello there sir…” A stallion’s raspy voice greeted.
Jeff looked over his shoulder, then breathed in relief it wasn’t the brown stallion from before. “Yes?” the hylian said as he kneeled down to his eye-level.
Before Jeff was a cherry red earth pony stallion, his mane and tail were a very static color of magenta. His Cutie Mark was an explosion of springs, bags, lighting, letters, and even wooden planks. Funnily enough he was also holding some wooden planks as well.
“Sorry to bother you like this sir.” His parched voice wasn’t necessarily unpleasant to hear yet it wasn’t nice either. “I need your help with some of my jobs. I sprained my ankle and my bosses all collectively agreed that if I could finish my tasks then I can have the rest of this week off to heal.” His words sounded as though it was scuttling in between every sentence. “I need these jobs sir. It’s hard being an earth pony in Canterlot, you know what I mean, right?”
“Did you get out of bed purely from desperation?” Jeff inspected the poor stallion’s condition with a frown.
The injured stallion slowly scrunched up his muzzle, making the bags in his eyes that much more noticeable. “W-well, yeah. If I didn’t I’d be fired from at least half of my jobs. And ever since I’ve been trying to find somepony to lend a helping hoof, but no dice.”
Jeff glances at the sky to judge the time of day, giving a nod to himself as he looks down at the stallion. “Yea, I’ve got time, I just need you to tell me what I’ll be doing and what times they need to be done.” Jeff said.
Immediately putting both his hooves together holding the planks of wood in his hooves, this once hopeless stallion, now finds himself a beacon full of hope. “Oh thank Celestia , today I’m supposed to be delivering some wood planks to the local construction sight that’s building the newest spa in Canterlot, then I need to deliver some mail to a couple of houses, after that you’ve got to wash dishes in a hayburger, just tell the manager that you’re filling in for Spontaneous, t-that’s my name by the way.”
Jeff blinks a few times at Spontaneous’s words. “Canterlot must be more expensive to live in than I thought.” Jeff mentally thought to himself. “Alright, shouldn’t be too much of an issue, Spontaneous.”
Spontaneous begun rummaging through both sides of his saddle bag trying to search for something, as he did he gave Jeff one good stare, asking him. “S-so what’s your name stranger?”
“Jeff.” The hylian simplistically answered
Spontaneous gave Jeff a funny stare but decided against questioning further and instead pulled out a map of canterlot with a bunch of addresses marked and a bundle of mail, hoofing it to his new helper and gave him a bunch of wood planks, the very same he was holding. “Um… Okay Jeff well here’s a map of Canterlot with markings of every job that I have. Just follow the red, green, and blue dots.”
“And where are we on the map?” Jeff actively scanned the map because he was still new to this place.
The earth pony lifted a hoof and pointed at a store on it. “We’re here in front of ‘Filthy Rich’s Emporium of Trading Goods’ so you aren’t too far from any of my jobs just follow these streets right here which is where we’ll be meeting back up here once you’re done. I’ll be waiting here at 4:30 pm.” He then traced three lines from where they were right now and to the three places where Jeff needs to go.
“...The guy that told me off is this Filthy Rich fellow?” Jeff asked with a frown.
Spontaneous shrugged his shoulders. “He’s still relatively young for his age and hot headed. But he can be forgiving too.”
“Well, as long as he doesn’t give me any lip later on.” Jeff said as he goes to study the map and the three spots he needs to visit, making a mental note on, spa, mailboxes, and washing dishes at the hayburger. The hylian had to keep himself from gagging due to his mind imagining a burger as hay yet he still made a promise to a burden stallion and he’d do it well.
Jeff walked around Canterlot for some time, finally coming to the front of a relatively small construction zone that had a few on sight workers. He readjusted his grip on the wooden boards he had and looked around, confused on what he should actually do. That is until one worker gives him the side eye and walks up to Jeff.
“Are you here to give us the supplies we requested? A mister Spontaneous?” A pegasus mare questioned. Contrary to Spontaneous' voice her’s was quite light and gentle. “I thought you were supposed to be a gosh darn earth pony. But hey they don’t pay me enough to care, long as my crew gets what we need.” She honestly said. “And don’t worry if you’re covering for that poor sucker, we’ll make sure to tell his boss that Spontaneous was here instead.”
“I’m actually filling in for him, he came and asked me to help out as he sprained his ankle earlier.” Jeff explains to the worker.
“Good, just give it ‘ere.” The pegasus moved over in front of Jeff and took the planks from his hands, digging into their saddlebags and pulling out two blue rupee and three green rupees. She hoofed them to Jeff and turned back around to carry the wood on her back over to her fellow co-workers who looked relieved to finally be receiving the supplies their company ordered.
Jeff gave the workers a two-finger salute as pocketed the money he got and went about his business to do what else needed to be done today.
“Time to get started on today’s tasks. Who knew I’d be an errand boy today.” He said to himself in amusement as he remembered the bundle of mail Spontaneous gave him and looked back on his map, seeing the marked addresses for what he presumed was for the mail. And then he ran.
The Hylian wasn’t expecting mail delivery to be something on the agenda today as he jogged at a reasonable pace throughout Canterlot. Repeatedly checking between mail, address, and names for ponies to make sure he had the right houses. This process repeated for far too long, as some may have guessed but it felt rewarding to help someone out. Every so often he’d see a different part of Canterlot that he’d never seen before. The sights, the ponies, no matter how good or rude they were, was another thing entirely, and then there was the feeling.
“It’s a difficult thing to describe.” Jeff thought to himself. “A constant warmth or even a tingle surrounds me, like it’s magic or something.” Jeff knew what magic felt like though. And this was somehow a little different.
And as Jeff pondered to himself he ended up remembering one crucial detail as he put the last slip of mail he had into a pony’s mailbox. “Spontaneous forgot to tell me when to clock in for him at his job.”
Such a crucial detail left unanswered that only left Jeff with one option. “Now I have to potentially clock in early.” Jeff let out a sigh. Seeing that his arduous errand run has yet to be completed.
There was no words to describe what transpired throughout the past three and a half hours. “It was all going so well.” Jeff had thought. When the hylian arrived at the fast food location he was treated with indifference from Spontaneous’s manager and told to get to work. While some of coworkers didn’t entirely agree with Jeff’s presence, who were they to complain. As long as he didn’t interrupt them they were fine. So he stayed to washing dishes as he was told to do.
That changed when three ponies walked in. And through the back, Jeff could still recognize them. Silver Bullet, Smooth Edge, and Knowing Matter. Although he only saw that stallion a few times in passing he was still recognizable.
He could hear the conversation go down. The pony working the register had that same uninterested expression as always.
“Welcome to Hayburger, how may I take your order?”
Smooth Edge had a hoof up to her chin from what Jeff could see. He momentarily stopped washing dishes to watch the interaction through the door’s window. “Um, yeah lemme get a uhhhhhhhhhhh.” She trailed off, indecisively.
“Ma’am please don’t do this, you’ve done this literally every other week and it’s a miracle you’re not banned from this location.” The cashier blatantly stated.
“This is exactly why I don’t go out with you both together. The only way it’s bearable is through separate outings.” Knowing Matter facehoofed, seeing where this debacle was going from a mile away.
“Smooth, just pick something already, I don’t got all day!" Silver yelled.
“Hold onnnnn. I just wanna get a…. A number twelve, wait no I want a….” For the second time today she was completely indecisive.
“Does this happen often then?” Jeff thought to himself.
“Ma’am if you can’t choose then I’m going to have to ask that you step aside to let other ponies order.” The cashier said.
Smooth hummed to herself in a childish manner. "Hold on Bonded I’m still choosing, jeez!”
Knowing Matter blankly stared at Smooth until he decided to speed the process along. “She’ll be having a hayburger and a side of hayfries.”
“Nuh-uh, stop trying to pick for me Knowing, jerk. I’ll pick when I want to choose.”
Silver Bullet couldn’t believe “Oh so you do, try this on purpose. Alright we’re sorry sir, we’ll be leaving.” Silver Bullet grabbed Smooth Edge by one hoof by wrapping his around hers and tried his best to pull her out.
“And you still try and have bedbugs inside your bed.” She began to yank back with a tremendous amount of force, flinging Silver Bullet throughout the air and landing him into the cashier’s side with a comedic crash.
“What in the Din’s flame is going on with these ponies? Should I step in-” A reaction of other ponies panicking, shouting, and fleeing is heard as Knowing Matter attempts to calm them down, to no avail.
Jeff watches him kick the side of a chair, intensely frowning. “Celestial great damage from above Smooth Edge! Witness what you have started because you shall be finishing it. Please allow us to have the dignity of leaving without you!” Knowing Matter stood on his hind legs and peered over the counter, seeing two stunned stallions.
Smooth Edge exaggeratedly gasps and peers over the counter along with Knowing Matter until she’s leaning on it. “Leave without moi? I’m the fire of the group. If you ever left without me you might as well take away your souls and use a copy spell to mirror yourselves.”
“..Is this how a solar guard is supposed to act off duty?” Jeff mentally thought to himself with a shake of his head.
“Did your parents ever discipline you? Because I’m going to do so right now if you ruin this break that Princess Celestia bestowed upon us. One that, may I remind you, Silver Bullet begged for you to save for this day so we could all go out together?”
Smooth Edge watches the two stallions behind the cash register shake themselves out of their daze as she herself pipes up. “Who needs discipline when you’ve got talent like me? And hey, watch it bub. You aren’t gonna lay a hoof on me.”
“If you had the guts then I would do something but that’s neither here nor there. ” Knowing Matter quietly said. While Jeff didn’t hear what Knowing Matter whispered at the time, all he did know was the after result. Which was of Smooth Edge tackling Knowing Matter to the ground, forcing a brawl between the two.
“Does this Restaurant really not have any security? Back in my world you’d get kicked out for this kind of behavior..” Jeff mentally thought to himself as he focused on cleaning the last of the dishes. He probably wasn’t getting paid enough.
And that’s how the manager then paid Jeff two yellow rupees and four green ones all so that he wouldn’t be inconvenienced by what had happened. In that restaurant. It was around 4:20 pm, (hehe 420), last Jeff had asked someone else for the time which was naught but two minutes ago. So he walked back to where Spontaneous said that they would meet, finding him there, ten minutes early. In front of Filthy Rich’s Emporium of Trading Goods, his tail was nervously swishing back and forth while silently jittering, giving himself weird stares all around.
It wasn’t until Jeff came into his view did he begin to calm down. “Thank Celestia you’re back Jeff. I hope you did not get too overwhelmed with what happened. I really wasn’t thinking straight when I put all of that work on you.” Spontaneous goes up to Jeff, with a small frown, while reaching into his saddle bag and pulling out three blue rupees to give to Jeff. “Here’s your cut. B-but I still kinda, sorta, need half of the money you got.” He nervously says.
“It’s fine, even if it was extremely challenging at times I still did it. Here you are Spontaneous.” Jeff proceeded to take out one blue rupee, and two green rupees to hand over to Spontaneous who cautiously took them out of his hand. After thanks and goodbyes were made, Jeff let out a sigh of relief as he counted his remaining share, leaving him with one yellow rupee, four greens, one blue, and one red rupee in total.
Jeff wiggled his wallet which had a small jingling noise made inside of it from the Rupees clinging against each other.
“I’m coming for you little guy.” With some renewed vigor Jeff had put his eyes up to gaze at the reptilian whelp who was asleep through the window of Filthy Rich’s store. He walked up to the less than pleasant store owner’s door and pushed it wide open, causing the store’s bell to chime to his arrival.
A small jingle is heard as the bell installed at the corner of the door plays, alerting a brown stallion to the newcomer.
Filthy Rich smiles and closes his eyes, giving a comfortable atmosphere. “Welcome to Filthy Rich’s Emporium of Trading Goods where we get you exactly what you need-” The rich stallion actually opens his eyes and realizes who actually came through. “Oh it’s you again. What do you want commoner, there will be real customers to get to.”
Jeff holds up his wallet bag, giving it a shake to signal the pleasant music of rupees, quickly changing the stallion’s attitude.
While this does capture Filthy’s attention he still remains up tight. “And just how many rupees are inside there. I could only imagine that it’s a filly’s worth at best. Probably scrounged together looking for scraps.”
“Eighty one rupees to be exact, I’m just here for the dragon you had in your display cage.” Jeff said, and at the mention of said dragon, a small draconic head poked out from inside the display cage.
“You want no name? Normally I’d charge you double of what it’s worth however in choosing the smartest decision I shall allow you the luxury to purchase one of my goods. It is not worth the trouble and nopony has been willing to take it off my hooves all these years besides those wretched ponies who wish to only teach it to battle.”
Filthy Rich reaches underneath the counter and pulls out a circle of keys, flipping through them all until he finds a key with an oblique shaped head and detaches it. He holds it in his hooves and stares at Jeff. “That will be seventy rupees exactly, and this key is all yours.”
Jeff digs around inside of his bag of rupees, slamming down seventy rupees triumphantly and taking the key from Filthy Rich.
“Pleasure doing business with you even if it isn’t.” Filthy Rich takes the Rupees and began to assort them, no longer paying Jeff any mind.
Jeff immediately got to Volvagia’s cage and used the key he bought to finally unlock it. And as he did Volvgaia leaped out and held onto Jeff’s shoulder, struggling to get up as their tail furiously wagged.
“Hello to you too, little guy.” Jeff said with a chuckle as he pushed the serpent onto his shoulder.
The little scamp had tons of pent up energy built up inside it as it let out a few short bursts of noise while staring outside. Probably trying to signal Jeff that he should go outside so this dragon could get a breath of fresh air. So that’s what he did. Opening the door and letting himself out, Jeff took a huge breath of relief.
“That’s definitely enough adventure for one week-” As our Hylian was about to finish he heard the sweet melody of music playing. Following the music, Jeff finds it was coming from the nearby Park.
“That could probably wait until tomorrow.” Jeff tried to turn in the opposite direction the music was coming from yet he could feel a small tug on his shoulder from his newest companion, Volvagia let out a cute whine as she kept pointing with her small talon in the direction of the park.
“...You want to go play?” Jeff asked, earning a vigorous head nod from her followed by excited squeaks. “I guess one more stop wouldn’t hurt. Okay, first things first, I’m naming you after someone very special, Volvagia. Do you like it?” The small dragon on Jeff’s shoulder expressed a thoughtful look on her scaly face until it vigorously expressed its gratitude with a few high-pitched chirps.
“I’m glad you like the name Volvagia.” Jeff grinned and pet Volvagia gently who welcomed his embrace. “Off to the source of music, little one, our last stop for the day.” They both effortlessly traveled to the source of the noise. Jeff walked the entire time to get to know Volvagia’s personality. After all this is his first time ever seeing a dragon so close and personal, especially one that resembles such familiarity to a dragon who already existed in a story within his home planet.
While Jeff spoke to Volvagia about how he felt for this new day. It left with him a sensation of relief and found it to be therapeutic, even more so as it reminded him of his Cats back home. Jeff wondered to himself in hopes that they’re doing alright. At some point during their walk they came across a small mint green colored unicorn who was plucking at the strings of a lyre with their hooves, sitting on a park bench along with a bigger grass green colored mare from what Jeff could tell based on her muzzle’s shape. The smaller pony had a seafoam green mane and small white streak of white in her hair. Her Cutiemark was that of a golden colored lyre.
Walking closer to the two of them, Jeff noticed that the older mare had an emerald colored mane with a slightly larger streak of yellow going through it in a zigzag pattern. She was a pegasus who had golden yellow eyes and a Cutiemark of a bronze colored harp. She was steadily cheering the child beside her.
“That was amazing Lyra, your practice has really been paying off. I’m sure that with skills like these, you’ll definitely be able to get into Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns in no time!” The Pegasus enthusiastically said.
The small unicorn who Jeff at that point identified as a female had sported a large grin as if she was coming downstairs to find Christmas presents. “You really think so mom? Oh I really do hope to get into their band.”
Jeff softly clapped for the small unicorn. “I think it sounded swell.” he complimented.
Both ponies turned around to search for the source of noise. They laid their eyes upon a tall, bipedal creature who had a dragon on their shoulder. This caused the green pegasus to nod up and down, albeit cautiously.
“And who might you be, wait actually don’t tell me, you are that one pony that my little daughter keeps talking about. You know she’s heard about you from one of her little friends that just returned back to school from the hospital. I know my little heartstring wouldn’t make any friends with ponies that are fibbers or worse yet untrustworthy.”
“Was she by chance with Tempest Shadow in the Everfree Forest?” Jeff asked curiously as Volvagia climbed to the top of his head.
The pony performed an exaggerated gasp until she smiled. “Oh Faust’s Garden up above no, I would never let my Lyra into a place that dangerous, she knows better than to do something like that. What exactly is your name anyways? Mines is Melody.”
“Jeff, and this little whelp here is Volvagia.” Jeff said as he gestures to the red serpent on his head, who let out a greeting of her own.
The small filly seemed to be infatuated with the thought of the equally adorable dragon being held by her. And so, Lyra put her lyre to the side and looked at her mother with the biggest puppy dog eyes she could muster and begged. “Ooooh, mom, he has a little dragon on him. Can I hold it, plweaseeeeee!”
Melody looked at her child and decided to hold her ground the best she could. “I don’t know sweetheart, that’s up to Mr. Jeff to see whether or not you can, after all it is his dragon.”
“Uh…” Jeff began as he looked up at Volvavia, who also looked back down with those emerald eyes. “Alright, but be gentle and try not to scare him..” the Hylian said as he reached up to pick Volvagia off of his head; her size almost like a small iguana. He carefully put Volvagia into Lyra’s hooves.
A spark of light was set off inside of this special unicorn. Lyra began to pet the drake with all of her might. Not allowing even a second for the small reptile to be free from her assault.
Melody tapped her daughter on the back to get her attention. “Um, that’s enough sweety.”
“Y-yea, that’ll be enough.” Jeff said worriedly as he notices Volvagia getting a little annoyed, especially the sparks in her little maw.
Lyra’s mother quickly separated Lyra from the now extremely irritated dragon and hooved her back to Jeff with an extremely apologetic appearance. “I’m so, so, sorry for that, my daughter’s a little hyperactive when it comes to things she enjoys, like her lyre.”
“Am not…” The filly quietly huffed and crossed her forelegs.
Volvagia let out a number of gibberish squeaks and snaps; causing little flames to spit out as she quickly got back to her favorite spot on Jeff’s head.
“Its quite alright, I recently bought her from Filthy Rich’s Emporium of Trading Goods, she was so relieved to get out of that place.” Jeff explains the best he could as he doesn't know Volvagia’s backstory. The hylian makes a mental note to himself to try out his Howling Stone Charm later on to see if it can allow him to understand in wolf form.
Melody didn’t quite seem pleased after hearing that. “That fellow huh. He had always sold top quality items but he isn’t the type of pony you’d want to make friends with. His store is where we got Lyra’s lyre from though.”
“I got the gist of how he is with his attitude toward me.” Jeff said with a shake of his head.
Lyra gave her mother a grumpy look, pulling out her Lyre and pointing to it. “Mommy can I go back to practicing now?”
“Sure thing Lyra, so what song are you going to play next?” Melody asked the filly.
Lyra put a hoof to her chin in thought. “I’m not sure… Hmmmmm.”
“If I may?” Jeff said as he reached into his pouches, soon taking out his ocarina of time.
“What are you doing- oh my gosh is that an ocarina?” Lyra’s confusion soon dispels into intrigue. “I’ve been looking all over for anypony who’s played on a legitimate, hoof-crafted, wooden ocarina so I could hear them play.”
Meloddy sighs and nods, remembering all those weeks spent searching for a pony with such specific requirements. “It’s true, my little Lyra has been dying for somepony to play an ocarina like that for her.”
"This is more clay than wooden though.” Jeff pointed out as he gave it a gentle tap.
A loud resounding ‘Aww’ comes from the disappointed child.
“Could you still play something for me then, it’ll make me feel a lot less disappointed.” Lyra asked the hylian.
“With pleasure.” Jeff thought for a moment before he got ready to blow on the Ocarina and stopped. “Actually I’ll do you one better, repeat each note after me.” Jeff thought of a wonderful song he had immense familiarity with. ‘Great Fairy Mountain,’ a background theme from Legend of Zelda.
He slowly stood there with the child being as patient as he could be, Volvagia was bobbing her head up and down in rhythm with the beat as it slowly picked up, until eventually Lyra was playing the full song ever so beautifully.
“I did it mom! I played the full thing!” Lyra proudly exclaimed as she got out of seat and proudly trotted in circles around Melody and Jeff. It was around late evening when they finally perfected the song for Lyra.
Melody leaned down and stomped her hooves on the ground as an applause. “That's an excellent sweetheart. But we have to get going or I won't have time to make dinner.”
“Mmm, fine. ” Lyra hugged Jeff’s leg while looking up at him. “Thank you so much Jeff, I’ll never forget this!”
“We both give our gratitude Jeff, I know you made my little filly very happy today.” Melody thanked as she grabbed a hold of Lyra’s hoof and walked them off in the opposite direction, leaving Volvagia and Jeff alone.
They both looked at each other, almost as if telepathically communicating. “Yeah, you’re right, it’s about time we head home. I hope nobody did anything crazy while we were gone.” If only they both knew.
[Displaced] A Forced Hero Rewrite
Chapter Twelve: Celestia's Day Off.
Jeff’s eyes fluttered open as tonight as a pleasant rest with no nightmare moon. Looking up, he finds Volvagia’s cute little head poking out from under his cap. “Good morning.” Jeff said with a chuckle, earning a draconic chirp from his pet. The hylian gets out of his bed, sitting up as his back pops, going about his morning routine of getting freshened up with a good brush of his teeth.
With Volvagia on his head, Jeff heads through the Canterlot halls toward the throne room, however stopping before the double doors to place his pointed ear against it and listen carefully. “Eerily quiet, isn’t it unusual alot more noisier than this?” Jeff whispered quietly to himself. Softly pushing the door open, Jeff pokes his out through to see what’s going on.
There, lay Princess Celestia and some pegasus that had on a dark navy blue suit that complimented his black bow he had over it. The cream colored stallion seemed to be patiently listening to his superior’s words and briefly moved his banana yellow mane out of his line of view. Their Cutie Mark detailed a small typewriter that had swivels of words typed into a never ending line of parchment.
“Chancellor I’m sorry to bring you into my troubles like this, Canterlot has been far too much for me as of late. The news circulating around Sir Jeff has been hard to actually identify as ‘news’ and not something to insight mass panic.” Princess Celestia softly spoke.
The stallion, who Jeff had never seen before, nodded in understanding. “It is no problem Princess, your subjects are very sporadic when it comes to nuanced ideas or subjects of other species.”
The Princess sighed in relief, her posture was visibly more relaxed than Jeff had seen previously. “Chancellor Antholo. Your services have been appreciated through and through. You do not need to refer to me as Princess, you allow me to call you by your nickname after all.” One of Princess Celestia’s eyes shut as if premediating something. “Sometimes I wish she was still… Nevermind that. Chancellor, do you know how long it’s been since I have had a break?”
“Far too long for my liking, anypony willing to depend on a figure for generations after generation. All these years of living and it seems wasted on utter dependency. I have no room to speak on the matter however, you are the one who signs my checks after all.” He answered, rousing a chuckle from the Princess.
In the midst of her calmness she ponders on her technical advisor’s words. “Do you truly think that my little ponies are that dependent on me? You may even be right in most cases but they need me, us, everypony who works in the castle, in order to function. You were also right in another way, I have been doing this for far too long. I wish there was still somepony I could ask for help.”
“Dear Princess, you’ve always mentioned that there was indeed somepony you could trust to run Equestria while you were away. Who is this mysterious pony?”
Princess Celestia got down to her haunches to become eye leveled with her trusted and appointed second in command. The alicorn’s mood became distraught yet still retained a manner of controlled enigmatism. “Somepony I hope you meet soon once she is well. Antholo, I cannot lie to you, that being said I also cannot tell you the whole truth.”
Chancellor Antholo shook his head, holding a hoof to his own cheek. “I understand princess. This does leave me skeptical, yet I am to respect your wishes as you do mine.”
Holding a hoof out, Princess Celestia rubs atop the stallion’s mane and eventually hugs him, which came unexpected judging by his reaction. “Chancellor, you have my deepest gratitude. Continue to trust in me because you are one of my deepest confidants. I wish all the nobles had your attitude.”
The praised monarch eventually lets go of the struggling pony who begins taking in deep gasps of oxygen. “Speaking of attitude, I hope Sir Jeff’s bunk mates have been treating him properly. I still cannot believe they were doing something as reckless as to train without blunted weaponry.”
In the middle of slowly regulating his heartbeat to make sure his lungs do not collapse, Chancellor Antholo keeps standing on his wobbly legs and rubs his slightly injured neck. “P-princess, if I m-may make a suggestion, why not leave to do so? I could take over your position for the day. You have been complaining about not having enough time to yourself, your highness.”
A pair of large eyes as big as a baseball, stare at Antholo, who lightly coughs to try and snap his boss out of her trance.
“A b-b-break?!” Celestia’s mask completely breaks, doing her damndest to process what her Chancellor suggested. “Dear Antholo! It’s been…. I can barely remember how long it’s been since I requested a day off from being a princess! This sounds ridiculous, ridiculously tempting at that.” Chancellor Antholo looks blown away, in an actual sense as well. His mane appears to have been through a hurricane based off how messy it got when the Princess raised her voice to a shout.
The alicorn’s face darkens in embarrassment, Chancellor Antholo’s ears are repeatedly flicking back and forth as if they short circuited. “Sorry, sorry, are your ears fine Chancellor?”
“Y-yes, just some ringing but I will probably be fine. Are you okay Princess? Your reaction was very strong for somepony who was offered a break.” The pony who was second, only to the Princess was now having a bit of trouble hearing, yet didn’t let that impede his attempts into caring for his monarch.
Princess Celestia sighed in relief. “You’re right, I overreacted there, my little pony. The idea is so foreign it sparked something inside of me, something that forced me to become volatile.” The alicorn looked around the room, seeing small paintings that became uneven once she shouted. This made her massaged her temples. “I think, despite what my mind is telling me, I should take your suggestion to heart and take a one day leave to appoint you as the temporary leader of Equestria until I return.”
Chancellor Antholo sighed much like his boss did. “Thank you for doing this. Pri- no, Celestia , your health comes first over mine, and everypony else’s health. Doing good for you is doing good for Equestria as a whole. But I would be honored to take your role for the day.”
The Princess rose up to her hooves and lit up her horn. “Then! By the power vested in me as leader of Equestria, I hereby bestow my title to you, Chancellor Anthology Works, in my one day leave of absence. Do you accept this temporary arrangement, Anthology Works?”
Chancellor Anthology narrowed his eyes in determination, taking this seriously as does Princess Celestia, and opened his mouth. “I do.” The stallion simply answered.
A soft bright flash appears, leaving a sun shaped ribbon that continuously glowed while moving its fire shaped waves. “It is done by your words, and our words alone.” Her magic levitates the ribbon and holds itself to Anthology’s chest before sticking to it. “This is The Seal of The Sun. This was invented a long time ago, made by several nobles that would grant anypony the ability to rule Equestria so long as they had it, in hopes of governing over Equestria themselves. An ancient law if you will, yet I never gave it to anypony up until now.”
The nicknamed Chancellor gasps. “I’ve only heard of this in legends and myths from history lessons.” His eyes trail down to the historical artifact that hung from the left side of his chest in amazement. “Is it true that you can tell the authenticity just by sensing your magical presence on the ribbon?”
Princess Celestia’s horn shimmers down as she nods. “Those tales are true, my magical affinity is so deeply entwined that it’s impossible to replicate or facsimile another one. Spread the word to the castle workers and anypony else that you can manage. I have a day for relaxation ahead of me.” The Princess leaves the jaw dropped stallion as she trots for the exit, the same one Jeff was listening in from. Which stops her in her tracks as she notices a Hylian peeking their head out from the door.
“...Jeff? Is that you there?” Her voice is evidently leading Jeff to believe that she was caught off guard.
“Sorry for eavesdropping, I would have spoken up sooner but I didn’t want to interrupt anything, it looked like something important.” Jeff said as he moved from behind the door. Volvagia lets out a loud draconic squeak sounding a little impatient.
The previously starstruck Anthology had become even more bewildered. “You! You’re here?” He points an accusing hoof out at Jeff. His wings flared out, getting into a protective stance.
“..You didn’t tell him about me, Celestia?” Jeff asked with a frown.
The alicorn widened her eyes for the second time today, though not to the same extent as the last one. “No Jeff you misunde-”
“I know exactly who you are, Sir Jeff.” Chancellor Anthology interrupts. “I do, but who are you to eavesdrop on an important conversation without making yourself known? This is the Princess, the one we both serve. Show her more respect than that.”
“Chancellor Anthology, that’s enough.” The alicorn who was now on break, holds a wing out in front of her trusted employee who snorts and holds up his head with superiority. “I apologize for Chancellor Anthology’s behavior Jeff, he’s formal around those who he has yet to personally know. Although that does beg the question, why were you spying on us? That is an intrusion of privacy after all.”
“Originally came to check up on you, and. Well, curiosity got the best of me..” Jeff said as he rubbed the back of his head in shame.
Celestia steps forward, trying her best to appear comforting to her friend. “Throughout my immortal life, I too have been dangerously curious. That has gotten me into trouble more times than I could count. Do not feel ashamed Jeff, next time simply step in and make yourself known.”
A head pokes from beside Celestia’s wing. “I do not know Princess. His feat of saving the Princess of the sea ponies was a great feat in itself.” The new stallion in charge admits until he clears his throat. “Manners are an entirely different subject it seems. Like a speeding unguarded chariot he will crash and burn if he shows every royal mannerism such as this.”
The alicorn nods in agreement. “That will change however. For Jeff and I will spend the day together. I will be teaching him manners in order to be better equipped for future diplomatic missions.” Celestia leans down and gives the two of them an unsure glance. “And between you two and I? I do not trust Smooth Edge to be within five paces of any creature who is royalty or of noble lineage without getting charges pressed against her.”
“Oh boy, you can say that again..” Jeff said with a chuckle, earning a draconic squeak of approval from Volvagia.
A small chuckle emanates from the previously tense Anthology Works. “I’m glad the dragon agrees, ironic how Princess Celestia was telling me about your tale of achieving such a rarity.” He readjusts the bow on his dark suit and smiles. “If you could pick up the slack in certain aspects of your squad members then you, Sir Jeff, have my full respect. I will take it from here.”
“Hey, I'm doing the best I can, those five are a handful, they just need to knock it off with the screwing around and arguing. Sure, we took down Barinade but there were still those moments." Jeff said with a sigh as he began to wonder why those five got the job position in the first place.
A small ‘hmph’ that resonates with Jeff comes from Anthology. “I’ve seen the status reports for myself, I believe I know as well.”
Princess Celestia laughs at the nonbelievers. “They were specifically appointed to you Jeff. Because of their skill set. You six together will become unstoppable in the near future. Do you not see it?” Princess Celestia puts a wing on Jeff’s head which is right next to Volvagia’s. “Tell me you do not trust in every single last one of those ponies with your life Jeff.”
“...Only when they take things seriously, like when Princess Skylar’s life was in danger. Speaking of which, later on I should send a letter to Queen Novo to see how well she’s healing up.” Jeff said as he reached up to pet Volvagia’s small head.
The laxed Princess smirks. “We may think of such things later, currently I have some manners to teach you. And a millennium of breaks to make up for. It won’t be wasted now Anthology and Jeff.”
Her horn charges up a bright yellow shimmer. “Witness the power of the sun!” The golden yellow magical aura warps around Celestia as it nearly blinds the two men in the room. Her silhouette morphs until before them stands
A white furred unicorn, a pink mane that hasn’t even been styled, leaving some of it in front of her field of vision, and sparkling magenta eyes. She gave a little twirl, becoming several feet shorter, showcasing her cutie mark which was a multicolored tile consisting entirely of smaller colorful tiles.
The way Celestia changed reminded the Hylian how Zelda changed into Sheik, earning Celestia a nod of approval from him.
Being disguised as an entirely different mare, Celestia strikes a small pose. “There we go, so what do you boys think of my disguise? Not so bad if I do say so myself.”
Chancellor Anthology stomps his hooves on the floor for applause. “Bravo, a show of magic that I would pay for myself if possible.” The pegasus stallion complimented. “What do we call you in this form?”
“Hm… It was definitely Mosaic, that is what I named myself to be.” The mare, no longer classified as Celestia, explained. “Now nopony will interrupt us when the two of us go out to do things of importance .” Mosaic, clearly not telling the whole truth.
Mosaic continues her speech. “And for the first order of business we must photograph these moments to commemorate them. I heard there was a new shop in time that specializes in photography.”
Anthology Works straightens out his finely done mane. “Then may you two enjoy yourselves. Be careful out there, and Jeff, allow no harm to come of lady Mosaic.”
“Considering how much she’s done for me? Of course, she’s been a very good friend so far.” Jeff said with a smile and a nod.
The disguised unicorn uses her horn which still kept its golden yellow hue. “And not a second more to spare, hold close to me Jeff. I will try my hoof at long distance teleportation for the first time this week.” Not awaiting an answer, Mosaic wrapped a hoof around Jeff and allowed herself to feel the magic flowing through her. “Thank goddess it is not snowing today.” She playfully added.
“wha-” Jeff began to say as Mosaic wrapped a hoof around him, however was cut short as the spell began.
Space warped around the two, twisting and refracting light. Fundamentally being different from the song of soaring. This spell physically ripped through space in order to get them from one spot to the next.
“Is your magical teleporting always this bright or did you do that just for me?” Jeff asked as he blinked rapidly to try and get the spots out of his eyes.
The unicorn shrugged her shoulders. “No, usually it’s brighter. But under other circumstances such as this where the spell requires large amounts of output it is necessary.”
The two of them were transported to what was probably the nicest looking alleyway to have ever existed. The Princess urged Jeff to walk out, which he complied, albeit reluctantly to being somewhere he did not know. After some time walking, they came across a shop with a sign named Memorable Lens’s Camera Shop. They both looked at each other and nodded, the hylian entered the shop with the disguised Celestia behind him.
Looking around, Jeff sees all sorts of cameras on shelves and some even in display cases. Many of them could be comparable to some in Jeff’s world. There, however, were some differences such as their size, plus some looked to be specifically designed to be held by hoof. None of the available selection appealed to him, not even one of perfect size would fit due to their weird hoof handles.
Mosaic grinned and held out her hoof. In front of said hoof was a wooden counter which had a bell right on top of it. “I’ve always wanted to ring a bell at one of these camera stores.” She then proceeded and brought her hoof down, ringing the golden bell several times over.
No sooner than two minutes later a pegasus mare adorning a Cutiemark of a bulky yellow lined camera comes by entering the door from the back room behind the counter. Her golden eyes widened at the sight of customers.
“Good morning! I’m sorry I got to you all as late as I did. I had just gotten my hooves on a package that came in not too long ago and was so excited to unpack. What cou-” she stops to gasp mid-sentence and looks over at Jeff.
The mare’s dark maroon colored fur and wings soon mattens as a bead of sweat rapidly multiplies itself to overtake her face. Those copper eyes of hers dilated to an unnecessary degree “Y-y-you’re him! A hero, the first hero I’ve ever met in real life. And you came here? To my little shop?” Two of the mare’s hooves slam up on the wooden counter. At this point she’s standing on her two hindlegs and leaning over almost ready to leap over it at a moments notice.
Jeff thinks for a moment. “Has news about what happened spread about that quickly? Even a store clerk- wait no, the way she mentioned it was hers, means that she owns this place.” Jeff thought as he reaches up to rub the back of his head as the mare fangirled at him, being reminded of a certain elven fanboy who would often yell 'By Azura'
“That I am, nice to meet you Miss…?” He trails off for a moment, he didn’t want to assume that what was on the store’s sign was her exact name.
“I’m Memorable Lens, but please, call me Lens. I’m such a big fan by the way. You are so cooooool!” She jumped up and down while holding onto the counter, completely ignoring Mosaic.
Said mare was growing concerned about the excitable Memorable Lens. “Excuse me Miss Memorable Lens but are you okay?”
“I’m better than I’ve been in a long time Miss, I’m meeting my hero in person! You must be his companion or one of the solar guards off duty, right?” She asked the disguised Princess Celestia. To which Mosaic steadily shook her head.
“Oh no I’m just a good friend of Jeff here. And please call me Mosaic, miss makes me sound old. We got to know each other when he first arrived. Now he’s decided to treat me by shopping for my own personal camera, I hear they’re all the craze here in Canterlot.”
Memorable stared in awe at Mosaic which was a general turn around for the mare’s specific attitude towards Jeff to be brought over to someone else. “Mosaic, you need to tell me everything from the moment you first laid eyes on him!”
Princess Celestia was used to her subject’s sporadic interests and questions especially towards herself and disputes over the smaller things in life. The disguised alicorn chose to entertain this behavior a little while longer.
“Sure, it all started when…”
Jeff shook his head as the two talked. Despite Jeffs been in Equestria for almost two weeks, he still wasn’t used to being famous all because he was forced to have the body of the body of a fabled hero, and he didn’t even do anything to earn such praise other than saving a foal named Tempest Shadow and a princess of Seaquestria named Skystar.
Allowing those last thoughts to fade away, Jeff went exploring around the shop, finding all sorts of camera models, alot of them old and some looking a little new. Strangely alot of them had weird handles that look like they were designed to be held within hoofs though Jeff supposed they were normal in that regard. Something did catch his eye though as he noticed something in the far back of the store. Blinking in surprise at the camera’s familiarity, the hylian reaches out to pick up what looked like the Deluxe Picto Box, except alot smaller, rectangular, no hoof handles on this one.
As Memorable Lens was listening to Mosaic and slowly getting to the part where Mosaic’s heavily fabricated part in how Jeff would visit her, Jeff’s browsing had peaked her attention. “Ohhh so that’s how he- ah wait a moment! You’re ogling at my Deluxe model ain’tcha? That foal right there is the latest piece of camera technology. Did you know it could use that modern style of magically printing up pictures? If you did then this may come as a shock but it can also do this really cool thing like capturing more than a second’s worth of information, the fancy geniuses like to call it ‘recording’ but I don’t really care. It can save up to three hundred pictures as well.”
The pegasus trots towards the back of the store with Mosaic in tow and brought up a hoof to point at the little strobe light that’s attached to the camera’s lens right in front of Jeff.
“This right here can produce some amazing lumens, over one thousand seven hundred too! Sad thing is, this device is really difficult to hold in a hoof’s TK field and generally speaking is meant for unicorns and non-equines because of magic and fingers for the crank to actually produce the film. I haven’t really had any takers for it so far.” The fan pegasus admitted before smiling brightly.
Mosaic gently stomped her hooves as to not move anything by accident but her applause was not missed. “That sounds really interesting, wonderful presentation, Miss Lens.”
“Quite atheistic about cameras, ain’t she?” Jeff whispers to Mosaic.
Princess Celestia the disguised pony, quaintly nodded in response. “Very much so, but she’s so passionate about her craft, how could you say no to somepony like that?” She questioned.
“..How much?” Jeff asked as he turns it on, inspecting the camera’s clear image.
Memorable Lens did not even give a second to think about it. “Three thousand rupees, on the dot.”
“T-three thousand rupees?!” Jeff asked with a raised voice at the outrageous price. “With that kind of pricing it makes me wish I could just cut grass and find infinite rupees like how Mike does it.” Jeff mentally thought as the hylian deeply frowns in disappointment. Jeff was about to place it back when Mosaic spoke up.
“Just kidding! It’s-”
“I’ll buy it for you Jeff.” Mosaic cut Memorable Len’s off just as she was about to expose her own joke.
“W-wait, are you sure?” Jeff was amazed that anyone would be willing to pay for such blatant robbery of one’s rupees, especially for a mere camera.
The shopkeeper waved her wings back and forth to attempt to fix the situation and clarify her intentions. “Hold on, I was joking about it! Before anypony gets any ideas it was a prank. I like foaling around with customers that are nice. The real price is only three hundred rupees.”
Mosaic chuckled at the notion. “I knew the entire time, Miss Lens. And as being humorous goes, it was very much so. And while we’re at it, what is the true price of this device Jeff holds?”
Memorable Lens blew a sigh of relief, confiding in the solace she was brought. “It’s only three hundred rupees, so which one of you will be paying?”
The Hylian’s companion tapped a hoof to her chin. “Jeff will… Not be paying, this is a gift from me to him. You wouldn’t mind that, right Jeff? I only wanted to visit one of these places myself for the experience but your presence makes it a lot better.”
"I mean I spent all of my rupees on Volvagia here, yesterday." Jeff said as he pointed to the little fire serpent on his shoulder, who proceeded to let out a squeak out a greeting which nearly startled the shop keeper, her selective attention chose to entirely dodge anyone who wasn’t the renown hero known as Jeff unless they garnered attention themselves. Memorable made a note in her head to pay attention to all future references of this baby dragon if they’d be such a close companion to Jeff.
“Then it’s settled, now then let me get out my Rupee bag and we can settle this transaction.” The Princess reached for a bag at one of her sides and promptly began to count out the right amount of Rupees.
After a while the two of them left with a very happy Shopkeeper who had an autograph and an extra one hundred rupee tip from Mosaic and Jeff was staring at the princess with admiration. The hylian holds up his camera as he points it at an angle. Holding a peace sign and a smile, Jeff takes the memorable shot of himself, Volvagia who understood the purpose of the tool and made an everlasting silly expression, and Celestia in her disguise, both hooves out in front of her as if to make sure her picture would be perfect.
The duo wandered around, still conversing bout their experience with the energetic Memorable Lens, with the third member riding shotgun upon Jeff’s shoulder.
Princess Celestia took her fourth glance at the photo that was produced by the magical deluxe model camera. Holding it in one of her hooves as she walked alongside Jeff. “Miss Lens was nice, very into her own hobby. You cannot fault her for that Jeff, also I think that was a major improvement around how ponies normally interact with you. Everypony would rather be adored than become a pariah, wouldn’t you say so?”
“Yea but some of them tend to act like this because of my body having a connection to a past hero, which seems to be known quite well with some ponies.” Jeff said with a nod as he crossed his arms over his chest as he thought about it.
“And that, in some regards is true, if we are held only by legacy then why should we risk it all? Making public appearances, keeping others safe, it wouldn’t matter… This isn’t the case though. Ponies, Griffons, Minotaurs, you know what they all have in common dear Jeff?” Celestia paused for a moment with her rhetorical question until she continued. “They all have someone to look up to, to idolize and keep in the spotlight, these creatures are things you can blame for whenever things go wrong, an entity that you can pin all wrongdoings on, even when they do good.”
Her sobered expression carried itself as she gazed at the picture that was recently taken. Celestia placed it closer to her muzzle, trying to capture the moment. “So everything must be perfect, and the only definition of perfect that these creatures have for those idols are the one that came before them. And if there was nothing before them, well, then you really have trouble on your hooves. Soon Jeff you will feel that weight, carefree times will be behind you and if you can truly never go back home…” The equine trailed off, even Volvagia was affected by the mood, the small dragon tried to avoid meeting the princess’ gaze.
“But that’s you, you’re the princess it’s your royal duty! But me? I’m a pale comparison to Link, I mean the guys took down big monsters, saved the world, and defeated a great evil while I’ve only taken down too bosse, and saved an Equine. Aquatic?” Jeff pauses to shake his head. “Aquine princess while needing another universe’s version of Link to help do it.” the Hylian felt each word become heavier in his heart as he said them aloud, as if pushing himself down.
The princess turned her gaze to Jeff, the world seemed to tune itself down as a response, maybe she even grew a hoof or two in that disguise of hers. “Yet soon the entirety of Equestria and soon Equus as a whole will know of your name.” The mare starts circling Jeff, her muzzle turns into a frown. “How are you going to respond when you are brought in for the press’s constant bombardment of questions, how will you respond when they ask ‘why couldn’t you save them all’, how will you respond when they ask “why couldn’t you save her” right to your face.” Her brows furrow but immediately start to soften themselves. She backs away from Jeff’s form, looking down at the ground, even the photo is damaged in her hoof now.
"The press!? Ok, that might be going a little too far." And then Jeff considered it for a moment, famous people were always hounded by the press and media, why would he be any different? "Funny, that's pretty much my fear and subconscious everyday as I do what's right in my heart, I'm always afraid I either can't do something or I don't have enough power and wisdom, maybe I can’t save them all and that reminder tells me that I have to save who I can in the moment." His hylian ears lowered slightly and Volvaiga let out a small saddened low-pitched chirp as well, especially when her words reminded him of the nightmare he had a few days ago.
Mosaic runs a hoof through her hair and stabilizes herself. “I lost track of myself for a moment and I apologize. Lets just go in there.” She forms a magical arrow and points it at a lone standing building that is run down by some standards but is still in decent conditioning. “I know a good friend who runs that archery shop and I could use the fun and a catch up if it’s all the same to you.”
“...Actually, that sounds like a good idea.” Jeff said as he reached behind his cloak to pull out his quiver, taking a moment to count how many arrows he’s got. “Nineteen arrows, it would do me some good to restock as I’ve no idea what I might end up fighting next.” The hylian said with a nod as he placed the quiver back behind his cloak.
Mosaic breathed out a sigh, seeing as she wouldn’t have to completely ruin the mood. Life was finicky at best for her when it came to emotions and she’d already lost one to them, never again. “I’m glad Jeff, stay with me for a little while longer today. It will be worth it when you rarely get time off.” The archery shop being a few paces in front of them was a manageable walk on its lonesome but was somewhat satisfying when done in complete silence. Not accounting the occasional look of wonder and miniature quiz a pony would give Jeff while passing by, making the hylian pull his hood down.
Each step forward made the paces slimmed the destination until they arrived, Mosaic wasted no chance in walking into the maw of the porch type entrance of the building, a small bell also jingled in response to the door swinging ajar. Giving Jeff and Volvagia a chance to enter once she held the door open with magic.
Jeff was not exactly hesitant as he was instead curious about the small place of business. “This place doesn’t match the rest of Canterlot as much as someone would expect. Weathered by the touch of time and it’s obvious the care hasn’t been done on the outside. It’s warm though and if Princess Celestia trusts it then I can too. And she’s not one to let stress cloud her judgment, the mare is a princess for crying out loud!”
The hero turned to his shoulder and stepped forward into the building. “You up for some archery Volvagia?” He watched his small drake companion do a series of small chirps that represented some sort of giggle until she did a small adorable salute.
“That’s the spirit, lets see this old friend Cel- Mosaic was talking about.” Jeff turned his head to face the front of the store and instead saw a medium sized target range, it was painted to clearly be an imitation of nature out in a forest yet had a cartoonish tint to it.
“There’s also metal gaps inside parts of the area, if they are what I think they are then I’ll probably be okay with these surprises. Even as a ‘new comer’ here.” Jeff paused for a moment and heard laughter to the left of him, witnessing a purple shaded stallion behind a desk, his mane was shaved down, almost at Jeff’s own length but a few inches taller, bits of gray were present in it too, and joyful disguised Princess Celestia getting along swimmingly.
“Ah, he finally noticed us talking to each other. Say Mosaic, you really know how to pick your company.” The gruff stallion had a large combat knife over a dark outline of a purple bleeding heart as their Cutiemark that was on his flank.
Jeff raised an eyebrow from the remark, he didn’t sense any mean-spiritedness from the guy. Amusement however? Definitely.
“Hello, my name is Jeff, you seem to know Mosaic pretty well.” The Hylian offered a polite greeting to the stallion who was presumably in charge.
The purple Earth pony with a graying mane nickered and extended a hoof to Jeff, using his sky blue eyes to stare directly into Jeff’s. “First of all, nice dragon, second, not at all kid, she just pushed all my right buttons, and third, the name’s Bleeding Heart, nice meeting you at a time like this.”
“A pleasure to meet you.” Jeff said with a smile as he took and shook Heart’s hoof.
Bleeding Heart shook his head and gestured to Mosaic. “The pleasure’s all hers. You’re both such interesting characters. I could tell the moment y’all walked in. You for obvious reasons and Mosaic because of her intelligence I got commuted to me in the first five seconds of meeting her.”
Mosaic put a hoof up to her muzzle and suppressed a giggle. “Oh there’s no need for that Mr. Heart, we arrived once you were bored, it was merely excellent timing.”
“That’s what you think.” While the pony retracted his hoof back, Jeff saw what could only be described as a giant gash on the right side of Bleeding Heart’s entire body, and although plenty of scar tissue has formed on it, showing its years of healing, it still caused the hylian to let out a soft hiss at the sight due to the grotesque nature of it all.
“How’d you even get that?” Jeff asked in shock, wondering how Heart survived whatever he encountered to have earned that giant gash.
Bleeding Heart shrugged his shoulders before glancing at his cash register beside him. “Hmmm well ain’t that a rude thing to ask?” Bleeding Heart smiled and put a hoof up to the counter. “I’ll tell you if you play a round, any difficulty you want, easy, medium, hard, extreme. Doesn’t matter. I’m curious about that aim of yours.”
“Mr Heart, you told me you were more into the mood of conversing rather than hearing arrows soar for the day.” Mosaic recalled.
“What can I say Mosaic? I’m a picky stallion when it comes to what I want, when I want it.” His relaxed tone swayed the princess just enough to get her to playfully roll her eyes as a retort.
“My aim? Uh… well, I land my shots better toward unmoving targets.” Jeff said as he rubs the back of his head in embarrassment.
Bleeding Heart climbed down from his position and didn’t say a word before entering a door that was labeled “Staff only” and took a few minutes before coming back with three sizable bundles of steel tipped arrows, each in larger quantities than the last.
“I’m putting you up to the intermediate level, which is fifteen rup-” Mosaic wastes zero time before sliding the scarred stallion a full purple rupee. “Guess that covers the arrow fee too, grab whichever your quiver can fit. Stand right in the middle and when I say start, you may fire.”
“Well, it ain’t shooting rupees and octoroks, but at least I don’t have to time my shots as they’re moving. I never did get the hang of it the last time I played.” Jeff mentally thought as he slid his old arrows out, exchanging them for new ones. The stallion chuckled, catching a glimpse at the condition of Jeff’s arrows. They were still sharp however the shaft had some aging and discoloration.
The scarred Earth pony wrapped a hoof around the lever, itching to pull it in order to allow the contraptions and hidden mechanisms fly. “Any advice for your friend here Mosaic?” Bleeding Heart turned his head in order to glance in the unicorn’s direction.
Said, magical unicorn cuffed one of her hooves over her muzzle and spoke in an above average tone to Jeff. “Be sure to steady your breathing Jeff, try not to rush any of your shots. Most of all never panic in the face of failure.”
To this, the Hylian gave a thumbs up, a gesture which almost went over Mosaic’s head until she remembered that this was natural in griffon culture.
“I’m gonna need Volvagia to let me concentrate on this one.” He wanted as much grace as he could get with this one. Archery wasn’t something the Solar Guards taught him, mostly because it was not in their expertise.
“Hey girl, mind hoping down for a bit to let me get a few good shots in?” He softly spoke to the patiently resting dragon who softly shook her head in response. “Please? I promise I’ll treat you after all of this is said and done.” Jeff supposed that was the right button to press, since the baby dragon chirped happily in response and carefully climbed down the side of his shoulder, taking a few steps back until she was at a safe enough distance.
Bleeding Heart’s eyes widened for the first time in a long time. For anycreature to have such a close bond with a pre-adolescent dragon while also being able to command it so easily was no small feat. He cleared his throat, pretending to cough in his unoccupied hoof.
“Countdown starting in… One, two, three, go! ” Bleeding Heart pulled down the contraption’s activation device, also known as the lever. And two targets resembling wooden cutouts of Tektites came up from the front row as one that hung from the ceiling exited from the middle row, extending out the small metal slits.
Equestria’s current Hero of Courage drew his Hero’s Bow. Using the slight reflexes gained from fighting Gohma, Jeff quickly took aim and let loose the arrows onto each target, flying true right though, causing the Tektite targets to shatter.
Seven Tektite cut outs exited from their metal homes, three in a row at the very back, and both sides hosting three in a vertical line. Accurately this made a ‘U’ shape despite its difficulty. Jeff continued at his pace, hitting each target, however a minor slip up on the last one as it slid over the top of the board Tektite wooden head, causing the hylian to silently cuss under his breath.
Despite the clear slip up, Celestia in disguise, cheered Jeff on. “Great job! Keep up the nice tempo!” Nearly after hearing that the Hylian almost turned his head to respond but instead kept a cool composure and continued staring for his next wave of targets which came as quickly as the last one.
Three targets appeared in the last row, all being the identical Tektite cut outs from before. Two more cutouts came out the metal slits in the first and second row of the ceiling in a vertical line.
Taking a gentle breath, Jeff nocks the next arrow, taking aim and shooting the cardboard Tektite in the far back, picking up the pace he shoots the other two with decent aim, shattering the second one and takes a good portion from the third one. "My aim was better when I was fighting Gohma a few days back then." Jeff pauses to look at his hand momentarily. "Or maybe the triforce helped me, and since I'm not in any danger, my fight or flight instincts don't sharpen my focus." Jeff mentally thought as he nocked another arrow to hit the first one on the roof of the building, actually missing for once because of the quick transition, however he makes up for it by destroying it with a readjusted amount of aim, and as he’s about to hit second one it suddenly sinks back from whence it came.
“Phew, that’s it! Nice shooting for a novice. I wasn’t even able to hit shots that good my first few go arounds.” Bleeding Heart cranked the lever back in order to stop the machine. “You nearly got all of ‘em. There’s room for improvement here.”
The humanoid couldn’t agree more with that statement. “I need more practice, I really don’t want my shots missing to be an advantage to an enemy.” Jeff said with a frown as he slid his Hero’s Bow into his pouch; its magic shrinking it down to a size small enough to fit into it. Volvagia noticed and climbed back up his leg and eventually back onto his shoulder to nuzzle into him, lightening his sadness.
“Nice of you to stay humble kid, tell you what. Although you missed a shot I’ll give you the reward of what a perfect score would look like.” Bleeding Heart generously offered.
A small snortle came from Mosaic, some of her magic playing around inside her own mane akin to how a child would do so. “Are you sure it’s not because we’re good friends Mr. Heart?”
And Bleeding Heart, in an equally playful tone, replies. “Lady, I haven’t met you a day in my life. If I did anything for you it would be to teach you how to give me more money. I’ll need a moment to get something in the back for your hairless friend.”
“Well that’s not very nice of you.” Mosaic giggled out.
The stallion shook his head and turned from the lever and entered through the only other door in the building. It wasn’t before long when he returned with a quiver on his back as he diligently balanced it, making a beeline for Jeff.
“I noticed the current quiver size you have could never be fit for somepony who’d defend Equestria, you’ll find this to suit you more in that case.” Bleeding Heart watched as Jeff took the arrow holder in his grasp and unequipped his current quiver to do a side by size comparison. “So you wanted to know about my scar right?”
Jeff nodded curiously. “Of course, you did survive something lethal afterall.” The hylian said excitedly. While waiting for Heart’s story he also opened his mouth once more. “You mind if I… While you talk.” The hero trailed off, waiting for the old stallion to reply. The hylian mentally analyzes the two objects in his mind, figuring out a key difference in the two quivers. “This is at least twice as big as my old quiver. It’s seen some use by the looks of its slight damage.”
He snorted as if in disbelief. “Knock yourself out, free of charge from me too.” Jeff quickly shoved his older quiver into his magic pouch and loaded in the two bundles of arrows from earlier that now found usage in the newer one. He soon found out there was a limit of sixty arrows that could be held in this quiver, the Hylian was right on the money with his guess.
“It happened a long, long, long time ago. Probably before you were born considering how green you are. May’ve been, oh I don’t know five hundred or so years ago. There was a war, a very important war actually and it was when Princess Celestia and the Crystal Empire were at each other’s throats. Their ruler was… King Sombra.” The stallion stopped for a moment to take a deep breath. “He didn’t play be the rules when it came down to being nice. He wanted relations with other countries sure but they would be purely tailored to only benefiting himself, not others. His methods were wicked and cruel. Most of all he wanted complete control over the entirety of the upper north.” Mosaic did not react as one normally would to such knowledge, maybe it was because this was a well known fact, Jeff was unsure however.
“Five hundred years?! Just how long do ponies live for?” Jeff mentally said to him in disbelief; his eyes soon wandered off toward Mosaic, now wondering how old she was. The Hylian wanted to ask, but decided against it as it’s rude to ask for a lady’s age.
“Long story short? I served in this war as a lieutenant, I mainly organized forces rather than be on the front lines myself. But we were low on troops and I was expendable.” Mosaic’s muzzle turned downwards after hearing those words. “I chose to help out during the final push. Newsflash for you, going against a natural born umbramancer while you’re an Earth pony is never a good idea. He got me good on the side, muzzle, face, even my eye. The reason those scars don’t appear was because I got special privileges by Celestia herself in order to have all scars moved to one spot and I choose there.” Bleeding Heart pointed to his side. “It’s the easiest to hide from others.”
"You could teach the solarguards a thing or two then." Jeff said with a chuckle, earning an almost silent snort of humor from the disguised alicorn.
Bleeding Heart swayed his hoof in the air. “Don’t mention it kid, that’s about all you’ll get from me till next time, I got some sleep to catch up on. Although there was the part in the history books where they left out how dirty the Princess fought back then, it was the only way she could’ve stabbed him with that spear…”
The princess in the room teetered back and forth around the idea of telling him who she was, yet couldn’t bring herself to do so. “Then I guess this is goodbye for now Bleeding Heart, may rest find its way back to you.” Mosaic told the wisened stallion.
“Goodbye Bleeding, next time I see you I’ll have improved by then.” Jeff had something else to think about, something that added onto the mountainous pile of things that he didn’t know about until today. History was now one of those things and he’d have to visit a library in order to get that sorted.
“See you kid, see you Sunshine, come back sometime, just not today.” He watched the two walk out of the only exit for the building, enough to witness Princess Celestia’s shock that he saw through such a disguise.
“I’ll always be waiting…” He calmly told himself before slouching back and closing his eyes.
The two left the building, and Jeff turnt to face Mosaic as they trekked on foot and hood. Princess Celestia wasn't the only one who caught the last bit of what Bleeding Heart said. “Sunshine? Did he just.” Jeff paused as Celestia answered.
“You did not hear wrong Jeff, he knew the moment I started conversing with him. I may have misspoke at some point to give myself away but I suppose that does not matter.”
Internally they arose many questions inside the wielder of Courage, he couldn’t help except ask a few questions. “Was what he said true? About the war and that pony, King Sombra?”
She sighed, how could she not? An adversary that she hated to talk about or even remember was now being brought up to her. “To some extent, yes. Most details were obscured by Bleeding Heart’s good will, the war was hard fought and I wish not to speak of it. Imagine if a good friend of yours betrayed you, one that you cared very deeply for, and then lost to complete and utter darkness, not a pleasant thought correct? So then please do not ask any longer, somepony else could direct you on the history of Equus.” Maybe she’s been hurt too much this past month, Jeff understood to some degree but without full context one could only speculate. The hylian makes a mental note to visit the library again.
Jeff allowed himself to think of some good possible locations they could see for a final destination. “Then let's go someplace where we can relax for today. I know you would love the serenity more than I would.”
“That, Sir Jeff, is an idea I could get behind. There’s actually a place I haven’t been to in hundreds of years. The lady of the l-”
“Are you sure sir? You said you live here so that means you must have heard of the Mystic Fountain, the Seamare that lives there.” An almost desperate plea is overheard, right in front of the two friends a seaweed green Pegasus stallion with a cap on top of their large and forested gray mane while a backpack laid rested on their small frame was in front of another, slightly taller Unicorn pony stallion who was disinterested in the conversation, his yellow eyes rolled in the Pegasus’ presence.
“I told you once and I’ll tell you again, not once have I heard of something like that. It sounds like a foal’s tale. I swear, plebeians will do anything in their power to annoy royalty. I saw you bother the other four before me, why not go back to whence you came and stay there.”
In response the smaller pony dropped his head, his nose was pointing directly at the ground as his green eyes stared up at the yellow stallion, and began to walk off. “Sorry for wasting your time.” He mumbled.
“Wait!” Via complete accident or purpose, Mosaic briefly used some of her Royal Canterlot Voice to stop the pony in his tracks. It came out at such a volume that both the tourist, the unicorn, and Jeff were extremely close to covering their ears.
“I knew I shouldn’t have gone outside today.” The unicorn grumbled and then even chose to stomp away like the functioning adult they are.
The Pegasus fluttered its wings for a brief second, turning around, only to become somewhat disappointed as they saw Jeff and Mosaic. “P-princ- hold on you aren’t the Princess. Sorry, who are you?”
“Nevermind that, you were talking about a Mystic Fountain, were you not?” Mosaic hastily reminded.
That was all the pony needed to hear in order for their hopes to be rekindled. “You know about it?!”
“What fountain are the two of you talking about?” Jeff actually had a very good guess in mind already. Much of the previous Legend of Zelda lore is pre-existing in this strange world. He even met Volvagia who seemed to be very complacent as his newest friend.
Mosaic stepped forward, in front of Jeff and the tourist. “Jeff, there are these fey-like creatures called Fairies that exist in Equus. Most used to live here because of Equestria’s forgiving nature.” The stallion sat down on his haunches as he watched the temporarily transformed pony speak. It was akin to how a teacher would to students. “And believe it or not there are even greater beings than Fairies, fittingly named Great Fairies.”
“And what you’re implying is that the Great Fairy of Wisdom truly does live there!” The pony finished which earned him an amused glance from Mosaic. “Ah right you two already know each other. I’m the odd one out here. My name is Spark Hymn, I’m on vacation from Manehattan and came here to Canterlot so I could crack these strange gaps in history books, so I started with fairies. And I of course know of you Jeff the Great, but not you.” He directed the second part towards Mosaic, which was completely expected.
Jeff's Hylian ears twitched of hearing there being a great fairy. "Oh! I can ask her to teach me on how to use Nayru's Orb." Jeff mentally said in excitement, the Hylian then frowned at being called great, which he didn't feel he had earned.
This was now the second enthusiast Mosaic had met today. Life as a royale, she’d tell anyone who’d listen that ponies quarreling to her about anything that was unimportant would absolutely ruin her day. Graciously, the two other ponies were not ignorant and did not give her a mild migraine.
“I am Mosaic, a caretaker of Canterlot Castle. Pleasure to make your acquaintance Mr. Hymn. Tell me, Mr. Hymn, you say that you know of the Great Fairies by history books, correct?”
Spark Hymn eagerly gave his affirmation. “Yes, yes, I’m actually a history major that specializes in extinct, current, or otherwise mythological-type creatures. I need to find this Great Fairy, they are immortal like alicorns if left alone which is thought to be infinite. A simple question or piece of advice, that’s all I need.”
Mentally, Celestia was relieved that she could make good on her earlier claim before being interrupted. “And that is my ticket to tranquility.”
“Jeff, how would you and Mr. Hymn enjoy paying a visit to this Great Fairy? I can take you both to them right now if such is desired.”
“Definitely!” Jeff nodded eagerly, if he could get them to help him with his thing as well then that’s one step closer to being a true hero.
“I’d be honored! I’m going to visit the castle right after this and demand that you get a raise. You’d have to be a fool not to say yes.”
“Oh quite the promotion she’ll get.” Jeff said as he softly used his elbow to bump Mosaic, hinting he was joking considering who Celestia is already.
“Maybe I could cut the journey down to a minimum.” Mosaic widened her hooves, apart from each other as if it were a combative stance. “Time to take all the dissatisfaction out of travel.”
“...Set Ablaze.” The mare mumbled underneath her own breath, making her horn burn with an intense fiery glow that mimicked the sun’s warmth yet no harshnesscould be felt. The three creatures began to lift up from the ground. Spark Hymn spun in the air, giggling at the joyous sensation that felt like small pokes on his body.
With a bright flash that was impossible to not notice, the three disappeared. The brilliance of the light display could only be defined as celestial in nature. Every onlooker couldn’t believe their eyes. No proof was even shown of their existence and if it were to be a teleportation spell then it would have to be short distance. Everypony looked around only to find naught heads nor tails of them, truly a mystery.
The three found themselves in the mouth of a cave looking out to a blinding light that was difficult to see through.
"Don't you think that may have been a bit too much? I mean that spell was as bright as your sun." Jeff whispered to Celestia in concern that she may have dropped too heavy of a hint.
Princess Celestia in disguise chose a moment to catch her bearings and craned her neck next to Jeff. “N-no offense Sir Jeff but my ponies are able to believe anything told to them if it’s believable enough… Wait where’s Mr. Hymn?”
“HAHAHAHAHA! THIS IS BUCKING AWESOME! ” That answered one of their questions. The two took a few steps into the light and allowed their eyes to readjust and the scenery in front of them was breathtaking, a large tropical cascade of beauty for all. The clouds parted themselves to allow Celestia’s sun rays soar down to the tropical earth. Spark Hymn was already soaring in the air, laughing to himself as a child would inside a toystore.
“Talk about trying to be in two places at once-” Jeff stopped his mental track and spoke aloud instead.
“By the three goddesses.” He whispered breathlessly. It was a huge lake with mountains of green with crescending waterfalls. In the center of the lake was a fairy’s fountain just as equally covered with greenery. The best part was the wooden bridge that was at the bottom of their own mountain led straight to the middle.
“No use gawking dear Jeff, you wanted to meet her as well.” With little to no warning, Mosaic scooped up Jeff inside her magical aura and slid down the mountain side they were inside of and proceeded to flip onto the sturdy wooden bridge that Jeff saw before. Somehow inside her aura Jeff was kept completely still, preventing him from getting too dizzy.
Mosaic gently put Jeff down on the wood beside her. “There we go!”
The Hylian needed a moment to collect himself from all the information his brain was receiving if for a moment. “That felt super weird..” Jeff said as his body shuddered. Jumping high he was used thanks to the magic of the roc’s cloak, but to be suspended in the air not on your own accord felt super off. “Jeez Pr- Mosaic, that’s one way to show off. I have a feeling you’re doing this on purpose now.” A giggle was the only thing that he got as a response.
Walking to the center of the lake where the fairy’s fountain laid seemingly floating with Spark Hymn already admiring it. Jeff stood on top of the triforce symbol, soon taking out his ocarina and playing Zelda’s lullaby. All was silent… until an echoing laughter filled the area. Exploding from inside the fountain the Great Fairy Of Wisdom immersed. Jeff’s jaws dropped open as what he saw took his breath away.
The Great Fairy had long beautiful blue hair with light purple flowers in her hair as she sat elegantly in the fountain’s water, radiating a sense of grace and sophistication. Her skin had sploshes of blue scales with her perky chest covered with silk. In her hands is a beautiful blue harp as her fingers rested delicantly, as if she’d were to play it at any time. Her face was young and beautiful, especially the blue makeup that covered her eyelids. She had long beautiful transparent fairy wings that glittered with the sunlight. As Jeff’s eyes traveled down her form, he noticed she had the lower half of a mermaid’s tail. The Hylian couldn’t believe his eyes of what he saw, she looked so unique compared to the fairies in the game.
“Hello, hero.” An echoing voice of serenity filled the air; her voice causing ripples along the waters. Jeff almost choked when he realized he forgot to breathe. The fairy of wisdom giggled softly in amusement. “I apologize, hero, I didn’t mean to leave you so flabbergasted by my beauty. So, what brings you here to my lake?”
Jeff tried to say something although the pony who got here before he could was attempting to get in the first sentence. “Bah- bah- real …” He was physically vibrating in place, his fur was even standing on end.
“Apologies for my friend here, Great Fairy. He’s a major believer in beings such as yourself. Give him but a moment.”
“Great Fairy. I have a question! How many of you are left?!” The pony practically had to shout the last part of it out but at least he proved Mosaic right.
The Great Fairy seemed practically delighted over somecreature fumbling over themselves in such a manner. “Besides myself? Two others, so may I be inclined to have your names before anymore questioning?”
“Ah, I’m Spark Hymn.” He simply answered, his peeked fancoltishness finally wearing down.
Jeff decided to speak up next. “I’m Jeff, the current incarnation, nice to meet you.”
“And I am Mosaic, I work for the royal palace. An honor to meet you Great Fairy or shall I say Lady of the Lake, I hear you change titles every so often.” The sophisticated pony addended to the already influxed answers. (Using that vocabular no one has heard of)
At that moment, Spark Hymn’s pupils re-dilated. “Cameraaa! I need to take a picture!” He unholstered his backpack and started rummaging through its large amount of contents and compartments.
“The honor is all mine, dear Mosaic, it is nice to have met you finally, despite how long it took you to visit me. I am your neighbor afterall.” The great fairy said with a playful smirk, causing Celestia to rub the back of her neck in embarrassment.
“I mean, you know how roy-, I mean tile work is, so many ponies are so needy. Speaking of needs, these two wanted to meet you in person.” Mosaic said with a polite smile.
After Nodding to Mosaic, the great fairy slowly looked over at Jeff knowingly, waiting for his request of wanting to learn magic.
“Uh-right!” Jeff said as he clears his throat, forcing his eyes to look into the great fairy’s eye’s respectfully. “I came here to learn how to use the Nayru’s Orb?” he said as he pulled out a blue crystal orb that had Nayru’s symbol on it.
“Just as I suspected. Call it a Fairy’s intuition but it won’t be as simple to use. While my sister gave you advice on using Farore’s orb with thoughts of bravery, strength, and diligence, what Nayru’s orb requires is wisdom, knowledge, and being calm. You practically need to achieve a sensation close to nothingness while using it. In exchange this great boon known as Nayru’s orb will grant you power of ice, defense, and healing with the love of Nayru.” The Great Fairy explained, making Jeff pause to think about it.
“I do have plenty of wisdom when it comes to beating almost every single monster of the zelda universe, I definitely need more knowledge since alot of them are living and breath, so…” Jeff thought to himself as he pulled out his silvery sword.
“Calmness, right, calmness.” Jeff said aloud as he took a deep breath to calm himself down, clearing his mind of all of his thoughts, especially the big distracting one in front of him as he listened to the soothing sound of water. Slowly with focus, his blade started to glow as ice started to surround it. Jeff momentarily lost his calmness when he got excited. “No , back to calmness, Remember what Elegant Crease told me. Never let emotions control you.” Despite the hypocritical advice said, The Hylian took a long calming breath as the ice returned to his blade.
“A little rough around the edges. And some imbalance here and there, still a good first try.” The Fairy said happily as she softly clapped her hands.
“Thank you so much, Great Fairy, I’ll be returning here again if you permit me to return.” Jeff said as he gazed out toward the sun.
Eventually a soundly “Ah-ha!” comes out of the stallion’s mouth as he digs out a very robust camera and holds it by his own wings. He giddily skips next to the Great Fairy and extends the photography device to fit all four present in the camera.
Spark Hymn held a nervous grin. “Say Great Fairy!”
He goes to take a picture, only to be stopped as his camera is yanked out of his hooves by the great fairy’s hands.
“Ah-ah-ah, no taking pictures of me, you can admire my wisdom while you are here.” The great fairy said as the tourist hopped and leaped at her. The tourist pony lets out a flustered huff as he finally leaps high enough to grab his camera back. “Killjoy.” The pony grumbled before mumbling something about how he’s spent so much money taking a trip here only to have his moment thwarted.
“Do not become disheartened young one, you are free to visit me whenever you would like.” The Great Fairy of Wisdom reconciled.
Spark Hymn seemed to have gained an idea after listening to her offer. “Then I’ll make do with what I have, just scootch over a bit.”
The Great Fairy tilted her head but ended up levitating to the side of the shallow waters, out of sight. Now it was only Jeff, Mosaic, and Spark. He then held up his camera once more, this time facing the three of them in front of the beautiful scenery as he grinned from ear to ear.
“Say Cheese!”
This time going uninterrupted, Jeff, Mosaic, and Volvagia all gave their own smile and position for the photo as a bright light erupted. Leaving a black film to slowly become colored with detail, showing four friends having a grand time.
Celestia and Jeff eventually return to the castle as it was due time for her to resume her royal duties and aftering providing meat for Volvagia to eat to her hearts contents, she returns her true, taller, and more beautifully radiant form, she ignites her horn, aiming it toward the sun as she goes lower, and soon rising the moon into the sky.
The soon to be Ruler of Equestria once more softly chuckled. “Jeff, you’ve reminded me that today and every other day it’s never too late to give yourself a break even if you think you do not deserve one. From the visitation to old and new places you’ve helped me catch up with old acquaintances. Truly I am honored to call you Sir Jeff, please never change.
“It's no problem, Celestia. You needed a whole day for some rest and relaxation.” Jeff said with a nod and a smile.
“I’ll be retiring for tonight, please do enjoy the night, Sir Jeff.” Celestia said before letting out a small yawn, she leaves the balcony, leaving Jeff to be alone.
[Displaced] A Forced Hero Rewrite
Chapter One: A newly hero.
Author's Note
I don't know if I did a good job due a mixture of anxiety, autism, stress, and massive writer's block when writing this chapter. If there are any spelling errors or plot issues, please tell me. If anyone could become my ghost writer and help me fill in the holes, please send me a PM.
EDIT: I've combined two parts into one. I might try to expand the second chapter so I'm spliting a single day into multiple chapters.
Chapter One: A newly hero.
Just as he placed his hand onto the Triforce, reality suddenly shattered into many shards, causing him to look around in confusion and panic. Jeff screamed out in fear as random images flashed before his vision.
"What's going on?! Where am I?! What's happening?" Jeff yelled out as he felt his vision spin around him. Suddenly, a burning pain rushed through his body, causing the hylian to clench his teeth. Jeff lets out a loud scream as the pain becomes too much to bare, eventually Jeff blacks out.
Jeff has no idea how long he was out as his vision returns. No longer was he at his doorstep when he opened the treasure chest containing the triforce; he now sat in what looked to be an endless forest covered in a winter veil. What is more strange is when he looked down, he found himself wearing a familiar green tunic he knew he wasn’t wearing before.
It takes Jeff’s mind a moment to clear, but he eventually remembers what happened. . “..No.. no-no… nonononono.” Jeff said in disbelief as he padded himself down, making sure this was all real. "I shouldn't have touched it, but no, my curiosity got the best of me despite all of my mental planning.” He said, before letting out a long groan. Taking a look around, Jeff finds himself what appears to be a vast forest, almost overgrown and judging from the snow that covered the area, it's currently winter.
Jeff shivered as the bitter cold licked at his face, making him quickly get up and slowly trek through the snow-covered forest in desperation to find a place of warmth; each step he took made the snow crunch below him.
“ok, ok! Mental check, I’m somewhere I'm not supposed to be, I’m dressed up like Link. I don’t know how or why touching the triforce transported me, or why I’m suddenly more fit.' Jeff said to himself as he looked down at his leather gauntlet covered hands.
After getting lost wandering around, Jeff manages to find a temple, looking up; he had to do a double take. “...Why does that look like the Temple of Time?' he asked as he made his way inside. The inside of the temple looked exactly as Jeff remembers it. The stone pillars, the glass stained windows, and the pedestal where the three Spiritual Stones would usually be placed. Walking up to the pedestal, Jeff instead saw a small collection of items. A blue ocarina, a hooded cloak made of beautiful feathers, a silvery sword decorated with gems within its handle, an iron lantern painted red, and lastly, a blue tower shield.
Jeff slowly grew paranoid of the dangers of this world, making him reach down and pick up both the sword and shield, strapping the shield to his back and the sword and its scabbard to his left hip. Following after, Jeff puts on the feathery cloak to help stave off the cold, next he picks up the lantern, causing it to suddenly spark to life, as if triggered by Jeff’s thoughts of warmth. Jeff is perplexed by this notion, as it wasn't something normal. "I'm going to question my sanity later..." Jeff said as he looked over at the ocarina. Slowly reaching out and picking it up, it reminds him of the ocarina of time from one of his favorite games. Jeff's vision is blinded by a flash of blinding light.
After the light clears away from his vision, Jeff is greeted by a beautiful woman with golden skin and long, flowing, shimmering yellow hair. She wore a long silky blue gown with a finger loop cloak, looking almost as if she had silky wings attached to her arms. In her hands, it is a replica of the ocarina.
“My champion: When you feel you do not have enough time, play my song, but please do so with caution." The golden figure said before placing the instrument’s mouthpiece to her lips. Jeff went to speak to her, but no words came out, making him realize this is some sort of flashback. As the golden figure began to play, Jeff could feel magic flowing through the air and all around him. Slowly, the memory of the Song Of Time rings his mind. Just as suddenly as the flashback came, it vanished the same way, returning him back to reality.
“...W-what’s going on?” Jeff asked as he held his head, trying to prevent a dizzy spell that threatened to make him lose his balance. Looking down, he notices a glowing triforce piece on the back of his hand, further confusing him as to what’s going on. “I… I need answers; none of this makes sense.” Jeff said to himself as he shook his head.
Stepping out of the temple and keeping his feathery hood cloak around his body, with a lantern lit and strapped to his hip, Jeff adventures out into the new world, and already he is lost, even more so than before. Everywhere he looked, nothing but trees, trees, oh look! More trees. Eventually finding a partly frozen pond, Jeff looks into it and is taken back by what he saw.
Instead of the look he was familiar with, now a whole different face stared back at him; a youthful, blonde haired, blue eyed face. Turning his head to the side, he sees blue earrings pieced between each pointed ear. Jeff almost looked like a spitting image of Link, including the green tunic and the leather pouches along his hips. The only things missing from this new visage were the green cap. The only thing that remained of Jeff's original self were his goatee and mustache, although now blonde.
Jeff reached up to brush his hair, which was now a blond color instead of the original dark brown. Whatever he did, his reflection would mimic him. “..T-this can’t be right, there’s no way! And yet I can smell, see, and hear everything...' Jeff said as he felt around his face. Before Jeff can go further, vines erupt from the ground blocking his path. Jeff looked on in confusion as he went to swing his sword to try and cut it, only to be met with a firm clang; the vines were too thick. Jeff goes to move to the right, making some progress before the vines popped up again. Moving around the open area, Jeff notices a pattern, as if the vines were trying to guide him somewhere. Having no choice but to follow the path, the thorny vines were forcing him to go.
A small trip later, Jeff arrives at a clearing and what looks to be a strange wolf made of timber standing perfectly still. Jeff is startled back as spiked vines popped up behind him, blocking his only exit out.
Jeff, by some strange muscle memory, pulls out his sword and shield as two Wolfos appear as if by magic. Both begin to circle around Jeff, eyeing him like prey. The first wolf leaps toward Jeff, swinging its claw and hitting him in the back, causing Jeff to let out a cry of pain. The hylian swings his sword around, only for the Wolfos to leap away to dodge the attack.
“Dammit.. I forgot how annoying those things were in the game.' Jeff said, as he ignored the searing pain in his back. Both Wolfos leaped at him, however, relying on his muscle memory, he spun around with his sword held out as he slashes both Wolfos at the same time.
Returning to their circling tactic, Jeff keeps his senses on high alert. One of the Wolfos leaps out, however Jeff rolls over them, getting up and quickly stabs at the Wolfos, causing it to howl in pain.
The Wolfos go back to their circling and whenever they tried to draw close, Jeff would swing his sword, causing them to leap back every time. The hylian crouches down low with sword at the readdy, holding that pose as he relys on the strange knowledge that lingered in his mind, like a phantom of memories he never had. Just as the Wolfos got close, Jeff spins around, hitting the first Wolfos and killing it, causing it to let out a high pitched howl as its body bursts into flames. The second Wolfos leaped away out of the sword’s range. Just as Jeff is taking a step to prepare his Spin Attack again, the Wolfos took this chance to leap into the air and bring its claw down, knocking him to the ground. The Wolfos goes to jump again, preparing to claw Jeff again, however got up into a crouch position, making a mighty leap into the air.
“I can jump higher!?” Jeff yelled out in shock as he glided back down. With determination on his face, Jeff’s eyes locked onto the Wolfos as it followed him around, only to meet with trouble as the hylian turned his body, keeping the Wolfos from getting to attack his back. As the Wolfos got close, it swung its limbering arms, completely missing its target as Jeff backflips away. Making a mighty leap forward, Jeff swings his sword in a wide arc onto the Wolfos’s back, killing it. Like the previous Wolfos, it bursts into flames.
With the battle won, Jeff spun his sword around, sheathing it into its scabbard with a loud ‘shing’. “...How the hell did I even do that?!” he yelled out as he allowed himself to fall onto his back. Jeff reaches around and, sure enough, he felt some blood, and yet somehow his tunic had not been torn to shreds. Jeff goes to check his right arm, no blood other than a scratch. The chain mail under his tunic had taken most of the blow. Getting up, he notices a green rupee on the ground, and what looks to be a piece of heart made of glowing red energy. Reaching down and picking it up, the red energy swirled around, healing up some of his wounds, and luckily stopped the bleeding. The green rupee Jeff placed into one of his leather pouches.
“F-finally... About time somecreature came!" A voice spoke out, making him look behind to find out that the strange wooden wolf is in fact alive, moving toward Jeff. Jeff pulls out his sword with no hesitation. “Now wait a minute, creature! I mean you no harm, you just freed me from a curse. The timberwolf spoke; its green eyes glowing every time it spoke. “I am Everfree, the spirit and guardian of this forest.' It said, and judging from its voice, she is a female.
“...Right, I suppose.” Jeff said as he eased the tension in his muscles, however, kept the sword in his hand.
“Ever since that spider appeared in my forest, I've been finding my strength slowly waning, placing me paralyzed state. I had to use my vines out of desperation to guide you here. Thank you for defeating those strange flesh wolves...' Everfree said.
“Those are called Wolfos..” Jeff corrected her.
“...You know what of those creatures?” Everfree asked curiously.
“Well yea, kind of.” Jeff said before pausing as he thinks about explaining the concept of a video game, he decides against it. “They tend to be around forests, though often traveling in small packs, but that’s all I know...' Jeff explained to the best of his knowledge.
“Hmmm, perhaps you can take care of those foul creatures, it came from the north.” Everfree said as she turned around. “Follow me.” She said as she took off with Jeff following behind.
Arriving in another part of the woods, Jeff froze on the spot in confusion, disbelief, and shock. What he found… were what looked like remains of the Kokiri Forest, now appearing overgrown with tall grass and trees overhanging. Luckily for Jeff, the dirt and gravel pathways were clear, allowing him to travel through. Every little step he took, Jeff could recall old memories of this place from the games he’s played, now made more vivid and detailed.
“Go on without me, this place doesn’t feel natural to my senses. Be safe, young hero.” Everfree suggested earning a nod from Jeff as she took off.
Blade and shield in his hands, Jeff tread carefully through the forest, eventually walking over the wooden stumps across a small lake. Jeff heads to his left to enter a building, the old shop of the kokiri’s. Much like outside, the place is run down, rotten and stained with age.
Hopping over the stall, Jeff checks the shelves, finding ten Deku Nuts and an old quiver. Jeff puts the quiver around his back and the Deku Nuts into one of his pouches.
“...It’s quiet, a bit too quiet.” Jeff said as he searched for what he believed to be Mido’s House. Inside, the condition is much like the shop, with the wooden walls rotting away to reveal the outside. The four chests are open, for two of them broken in half. Jeff manages to find a diary that may shine some light on the fate of the Kokiri Forest. Skimming through the pages, most of them were either unreadable, or damaged in some parts, however Jeff manages to find something.
It's been seven years since Link left on his journey, seven years since the Great Deku died. Where is he?! Not even Saria will tell me!
The Kokiri Forest isn’t safe anymore, the forest has changed, we’re no longer protected, now it's a bunch of weird creatures running around. Wolfos made of wood? Dragons? Weird fairies? And a coocoo that can turn you to stone?!
The rest of the page was torn out..
Jeff was creeped out by now, as he placed the journal back down. “..It’s like someone didn’t want me seeing this. Jeff said as he walked out of the house, heading in the direction of where he remembers the Great Deku Tree. Arriving in a wide open area, he didn’t see the Great Deku Tree. All that remained was a husk of a trunk, the Deku Tree looked almost as if it was burned alive.
“Quite tragic..”
Jeff is startled by the voice, causing him spin around and he drew out his sword at the ready. Jeff is confused that the voice came from some kind of golden wolf.
“..Hmm, for someone with my visage, you are not what I expected to arrive from the temple of time, but I suppose the goddess of time cannot be blamed for yanking someone from another world to bare my piece.” The golden wolf said as he approached, causing Jeff’s body to tense. “...Yet you lack experience. A shame she didn’t place you in the far past, or I'd have trained you.” The golden wolf said as he sat down.
“Wait, SHE’S the reason why I'm here?!” Jeff asked as anger swelled up.
“..Would you rather she didn’t and let this land be doomed? I think not.” The golden wolf said as he bared his teeth.
“But why me? There are thousands of others she could have picked.” Jeff said as he continued to stare.
“When time is short, and desperation rises, she cannot be picky about whom she grabs. And before you ask, no, she cannot simply send you back and pick another.” The golden said, staring back with its red eyes.
Jeff’s grip loosened on his sword as he let out a sigh. “So... even if I were to go home, I'll just be bothered to no end knowing this land may end up doomed. So what exactly is the threat?” Jeff asked curiously.
“For now, there is only one that threatens the safety of this forest, and if not taken care of, it will surely overrun the rest of Equestria,” The golden wolf explained as he gazed at the dead tree trunk of the great Deku Tree. “With the underground below this tree, you will find the Parasitic Armored Arachnid, Queen Gohma.”
Jeff stared in disbelief. “Wait, THAT thing?” Jeff asked, as he would have laughed if this was a video game and not reality. "Right, uh, is there anything you can give me that can help?" Jeff asked, hopefully.
The golden wolf raised his head toward the sky. With a brief flash, a bow appeared before it gently floated down into Jeff’s hands. Jeff recognized this bow as the Hero’s Bow, the same one the hero of twilight used.
“Best of luck to you, Hero.” The wolf said as he leapt into the air, vanishing into black particles.
"Yea, I'm a hero...' Jeff said before letting out a long sigh as he didn’t like what was forced upon him. Gathering what courage he has within his mind, Jeff heads inside the Deku Tree’s trunk.
Jeff enters the Deku Tree’s Trunk as he gazes around the big open space. Everyone looked eerie similiar to the one in the game, except there is no path to go higher. There's alot more webbing than before. As Jeff looks up, he finds the queen itself: Queen Gohma, looking a lot more monstrous than Jeff remembers.
Spinning its eyeball around to look down at Jeff, it suddenly and quickly scuttles across the webbing before flipping upside down to land infront of Jeff. Queen Gohma lets out mighty roar, causing Jeff to pull out his sword.
“You are one ugly motherfucker…” Jeff said in disgust. Gohma had quite the disturbing eye; green in color with red vains along its surface. It also didn’t help that Gohma had legs like that of a spider and a scorpion.
The queen lets out a shriek as if she didn’t like Jeff’s comment. Stomping over to Jeff and raising up onto her deformed tail, she attempts to slam her talons onto Jeff, forcing the hylian to raise his tower shield to block the attack. However, Jeff didn't expect for Gohma to have so much strength, causing Jeff to stumble back.
“FUCKING HELL!” Jeff hissed in pain as the vibrations from the hit travel up his arm.
The armored arachnid came stampeding at Jeff, leaping into the air in an attempt to slam her crab claws onto Jeff. The hylian didn’t have much time as he gets knocked into the nearest wall, causing some blood to shoot out of his mouth.
Jeff’s heart is racing in fear, and yet the cursed triforce of courage is numbing down the fear. Gohma comes charging at Jeff again as he pulls out the Hero’s Bow and nocking an arrow. Jeff aims at Gohma’s eye and releases the arrow. It hits her eye, stunning and causing her to go stumbled. Jeff comes running at her with his sword drawn as he begins madly slashing her eye.
Shrieking in pain, she scuttles back onto her feet, turning around to go up the nearest pillar. Jeff is quickly disturbed as its deformed tail starts to throb, quickly laying her eggs.
“I don’t want to be here anymore..” Jeff said as he looked around to avoid throwing up at the sight. The eggs quickly hatch upon hitting the ground; totaling four baby Gohmas. They quickly surround Jeff, leaping at him at all sides. Jeff flails around trying to get the buggers off of him, he manages to get one of them off of his shoulder by punching it in the eye, then proceeding to smack his fist into the others.
Jeff hisses out in pain as one of the baby Gohma’s takes a bite out of his arm, causing Jeff to scream out in pain. Stabs his sword into the Baby Gohma’s eye, killing it as green blood splatters out from his strike
“Seriously hope they’re not venomous…” Jeff said as he tries his best to ignore the pain in his arm. Pulling back his arm, Jeff spins his body around, performing the spin attack to slice through the remaining Baby Gohmas in half.
Queen Gohma let out an angry screech as she allowed herself to fall from the ceiling, landing behind Jeff, appearing more pissed off than before.
Jeff quickly spun around to face the queen as she comes barreling at him. Jeff didn’t have time to get out of the way as she knocked him onto the ground, pinning him. Jeff raises his tower shield as Queen Gohma goes on a rampage swinging its crab claws as she madly bashes the shield in an attempt to exact her revenge. Jeff swings his blade out and slashes one of her crab claws. It didn’t do much damage but at least caused her enough pain to allow the hylian to get up and get away. Jeff gets up, nocks an arrow and shoots it into Gohma’s eye, causing her to collapse onto the ground, allowing Jeff to come running to slash at her eye in a frenzy. Queen Gohma’s eye is bleeding green as she lets out a loud screen of rage, she charges at Jeff blindly, swinging her crab claws.
Due to her being enraged, her swings keep missing Jeff again and again as the hylian backs away to keep his distance. Nocking one more arrow and stunning her with a well placed shot. Jeff rushes in to impale his sword into her eye. The Queen lets out final cry before collapsing about the ground, her body burning away in glowing green flames.
Jeff goes to inspect his injuries, finding out he was bleeding from his neck and leg. "Why couldn't I have been giving armor than just chain mail covering my chest?" Jeff said as he looks around. Jeff's attention is drawn when he hears the sound of some kind of jewelry being dropped. Looking down at the ground, Jeff notices two new items; some kind of necklace with a crystal heart shaped bead that reminds him of the heart containers, and the other item being a glowing green orb. Jeff picks the heart container bead necklace and places it around his neck, the hylian soon finds his pain fading away and his wounds healed up, however the blood on his tunic and white trousers would remain. Jeff reaches down and picks up the green orb, suddenly causing a fierce wind to blow through hollow deku tree, allowing fresh air to come from the outside. Jeff, seeing as the orb feels to be magical, places the green orb into one of his pouches.
With Gohma gone, Jeff freely explores the rest of the Deku Tree's Trunk. After some exploring, he finds a small dark purple filly wearing a blue scarf who is now caught up in the spider's web. The Hylian quickly checks her pulse, then sighs in relief that she's alive. Jeff uses his sword to cut her down, allowing her body to fall into his arms. Jeff carefully carries her in his arms, being mindful of the tiny sparks that were jumping from her broken horn.
Jeff carries the purple pony outside of the Deku Tree’s Trunks, soon looking around for the golden wolf.
“..Golden wolf guy? Are you around here?” Jeff asked as he looked around the area, finding no trace of him, or hearing any response.
Gazing at the foal’s horn and tilting the foal’s head, Jeff notices a nasty gash across her left eye. Judging from both the horn and angle of the wound, Jeff assumes Gohma is the guise of her broken horn. The question Jeff is wondering about is how this whole mess happened to her, how and why? Reaching behind to grab hold of his Roc’s cloak, Jeff tears off a piece of his Roc’s cloak. Kneeling down, Jeff goes to tie it around the foal’s head, covering both her broken horn and over her left eye. The sparking stopped and the bleeding slowed down. “I hope this’ll be enough till I can find the pony’s home..” Jeff said as he began to walk through the forest.
Nighttime draws near and it is getting more difficult to see, especially when he is starting to get more tired. Jeff finds an old abandoned castle, quickly making his way inside. “I’d best make a campfire, otherwise we’re gonna freeze.” Jeff said to himself as he goes to remove his Roc’s cloak, then wrap the foal with it so she remains warm. Jeff places her down onto the stone floor before heading back outside to gather sticks and dead branches.
Returning back inside with the materials and making his way to the center of the room, Jeff places the sticks around carefully in a pyramid shape, Jeff brings up his lantern, and as if reacting to Jeff’s thoughts, it shoots out a small flame toward the pile, igniting the makeshift campfire.
“It's a small flame, so I'll need to get more to last the night.” Jeff said as he walked off and out of the castle to gather more wood. Jeff returns with an arm full of thick branches and logs he had found around the castle grounds. Just as Jeff places them down, he’s hit by a dizzy spell, causing Jeff to lean against the nearby tree for support. Slowly, the red lantern’s flame flickered out. “..So this is what it feels like to run out of magic..” Jeff said as he sat down on the ground near the campfire.
With arms crossed, Jeff progresses through his thoughts of what he has learned so far. “Alright, a lot of things from the Zelda franchise seem to exist in this world, so, first the goddess of time I met in my vision, whom I suppose is the only one from Majora’s Mask as she looked nothing like the three goddesses, or zelda. Sure, she had golden skin, but, items, even a few monsters. What else does this world have?” Jeff thought to himself as he went through his memories of every single Zelda game he’s played as he wanted to prepare his mind for the worst. “..I am not looking forward to the Redeads..” Jeff thought to himself with a shudder of discomfort as he pushed his blonde hair out of his eyes. Jeff is distracted from his thoughts when he hears the purple foal let out a pained groan. Looking over at her, the foal flutters her eyes open, revealing them to be big, bright, and turquoise color. Her pupils quickly dilated in fear as she looked around in a panic.
“Hey-now, I’m not gonna hurt you.” Jeff said quickly, not wanting her to make a mad dash out of here. The foal turns to look at Jeff, staring with a look of fear and confusion.
“Where am I? Where are my friends?!” The foal asked as she kept staring at Jeff.
“You’re safe now.. As for your friends? I didn’t see any other pony when I rescued you from Gohma’s webbing.” Jeff explained, slowly the foal’s expression went from confused to sad.
“Why did they run off..” The foal asked in disbelief as the sparks on her broken horn started to spark.
“A-ah! Now hold on. You’re injured…” Jeff said in worry as he got up from the log, quickly making his way over to the foal.
“W-what? My horn…” The foal said as she reached up to gently touch it, she quickly pulled her hooves back when she felt a small tinge of pain..“T-that thing broke it off when I went to cast a spell..”
“You could have been in a far worse state than just the broken horn.” Jeff as he brushes his leather gloved hand over the foal’s purple hair.
“..Who.. what are you?” The foal asked as he looked up at Jeff with a wary eye.
“I’m Jeff, a hu-..” Jeff pauses to clear his throat. He couldn’t really tell her he’s a human, plus who knows if there are others like him here.. “A hylian.” Jeff answered.
“What’s a Hylian? I’ve not heard or seen a Hylian before, I’m Tempest Shadow by the way.” Tempest answered as she kept staring.
“EEhh.. It's a long story.” Jeff said with a frown. Tempest gave him the big puppydog eyes, causing Jeff to frown even more. Eventually, Jeff had to give into her cuteness. “Alright..” Jeff said before letting out a long sigh. “A Hylian is a race of magically gifted pointy eared humanoids that came from a kingdom known as Hyrule.
“I’ve never heard of Hyrule either, what’s it like?” Tempest asked as she got closer to Jeff, staring with excitement.
“Uh.. Well, quite a beautiful place.” Jeff said as he rubbed the back of his head.
“Where is it in Equestria? .” Tempest asked curiously.
“I..uh, It's very far away..”” Jeff paused as he felt really unsure if Hyrule even exists in Equestria.
“Oh, like across the sea?” Tempest asked.
“Yea, let’s go with that.” Jeff said in relief, happy he doesn’t have to explain. Sure, he could have said it's a video game, but Jeff feels that there is a chance Hyrule does exist, or at least some form of it.
“What kind of magic can Hylians do?” Tempest asked, causing Jeff to look down at his hand in curiosity.
“Well, quite a lot actually..” Jeff said as he looks up toward the night sky as his mind runs through a list of magic he’s seen in the game.
“Can you show me?” Tempest asked in excitement.
“Sorry, I haven’t learned how.” Jeff said, making Tempest frown. Slowly the purple foal opens her maw wide to let out a big yawn. She still had so many questions, but she was getting tired. Jeff gets up to sit by the fire as Tempest slowly drifts off to sleep.
As Tempest sleeps soundly wrapped in Jeff’s Roc’s Cloak, he pulls out the green orb from his pouches, he gazes and studies it, trying to figure out its purpose. Other than its color, it was baseball sized and had Farore’s symbol inside of it, it also glowed in a mysterious energy. Jeff could feel some kind of force behind the orb. Thinking about it deeply, since magic does exist, there could be Great Fairies somewhere in this world. Jeff frowned deeply at the thought that if they’re anything like the ones in ocarina of time, it would make it difficult to talk to them considering how much their body reveals.
“Hero?” The everfree’s voice rang from all around the forest, causing Jeff to turn around startled. “Sorry for the mental intrusion but I must thank you for taking care of the threats. My timberwolves and those who live in my forest can rest well tonight.”
“You’re welcome, uh.. Question. Do you know of any Great Fairies? You know, big girls with colored hair? They’re humanoid like me and pointed” Jeff asked curiously.
“...There is one, but she hides behind a rock inside a cave, I rarely see her leave and she never talks to me. I think she's been shy or nervous since she moved in.” Everfree voice explained.
“Thanks, I’ll be sure to give her a visit later on once I’ve returned Tempest to safety.” Jeff said as he makes a mental note to ask Tempest tommorow of where she came from.
“Alright, I’ll guide you there when you return, I look forward to your next visit, hero.” Everfree’s voice said before going silent.
The sun’s rays slowly shine through the trees, gently waking up Jeff from his deep slumber. The hylian had trouble sleeping last night due to his mind swimming with worry about the future, managing only three hours. Letting out a groan, Jeff stretches his arms out above his head. Looking down, Jeff notices that Tempest had cuddled up with him while still wrapped up in his cloak.
“..The pony barely knows me and she already trusts me..” Jeff mentally thought to himself as he went to shake her awake.
“..Mmmm, five more minutes mom…” Tempest mumbles in her sleep.
“Uh.. Tempest? Wake up, we can’t get a move on with you sleeping.” Jeff said as he shook her awake.
“AH! Right, right…” Tempest said as she woke up with a snort, quickly remembering what happened last night. Climbing out of Jeff’s lap and out of his Roc’s Cloak, Jeff picks it up and gives it a shake, getting all the pony hair out. Jeff slips the cloak around his neck as it magically equips itself.
“Where exactly is your home?” Jeff asked as he looked down at Tempest.
“It’s… uh,” Tempest pauses for a moment as she looks around looking confused. “Just how deep did that spider crab thing take me? I don’t recognize anything..” Tempest asked as her ears lowered.
“Hey, no worries, I promise I'll get you home, or at least find an adult who can..” Jeff said before pausing to look around.
“Did you get lost in Everfree too?” Tempest asks as Jeff begins to walk out of the castle.
“...Something like that, yea. I just appeared here having no idea why or how.” Jeff asked with a shrug.
As the two walk out, Jeff pauses in his tracks as he spots a familiar owl statue. Walking over and kneeling down, he pushes away the snow reveal some familiar dots arranged in pattern at the base of the statue. “...The song of soaring.” Jeff said in surprise.
“You know what this thing is?” Tempest asked as she turned around to look at Jeff.
“..Yea, it's a song that allows one to warp to other owl statues.” Jeff said as he took out the ocarina of time as he went to repeat each note, slowly recalling the Song Of Soaring. Completing the song suddenly causes his ocarina to sparkle with magical energy.
“If you have left proof of our encounter on any of those stone statues... Then the song carved at my feet will certainly be of some assistance. Remember it well and play it whenever the need arises. " Kaepora Gaebora’s words echoed in his mind.
“Wow, I’ve never heard of songs that can do that..” Tempest said as she watched Jeff’s ocarina glitter.
“Yea well, I suppose now it's ancient forgotten magic..” Jeff guesses as he puts away his ocarina into his pouches, watching it as it shrinks in size to fit inside. Jeff walks alongside Tempest as they head toward Ponyville.
Tempest was getting a little excited hearing there is still a lot of magic she didn’t know about, however some of that excitement died down as she gazed up at her horn. Many thoughts ran through her mind at what her parents will do to her when he returns home. Tempest let out a soft sigh as she didn’t know what to do.
As the two walk through the Everfree Forest, there is an old brown and white owl watching from a branch high above the two. “May he have the courage to change this Equestria’s future.” The owl said before taking off into the sky.
[Displaced] A Forced Hero Rewrite
Chapter Three: Getting Settled.
Once Gentlehooves and Silver Bullet guide him to his room, they both say their goodbyes, leaving him alone with only his thoughts and equipment. Jeff begins removing the sword strapped to his waist, however he stops mid-way as he remembers that parts of his cloak, tunic, and sword are still stained with blood. Heading into the next room where the bathroom is, he resumes removing the sword sheath. Holding it in both hands, he pulls the silvery jewelry sword out its sheath, then places it into the sink as he begins cleaning it. The green blood washes off of his sword and into the sink’s drainage.
With it cleaned off blood, Jeff holds his Sword up to the light generated by a yellow-almost bulb shaped gem. “...I feel like I'm royalty holding this thing...” Jeff said in amusement as he went to sheath the sword into its scabbard. Jeff works on his shield next, cleaning the blood off thoroughly. Despite the battle it was in, the Fighter’s Shield did not have a dent yet. With a satisfied smile, The hylian leans his sword and his tower shield against the bathroom wall before beginning to remove his tunic and slipping his Roc’s Hooded Cloak off.
Standing in nothing but his white tights, Jeff inspects his body, frowning at just how wrong it felt to look at it since it wasn’t even his. His leg and neck now had a scar caused by Gohma. “I’m damn lucky she didn’t slice my head off..” Jeff said with a long sigh.
Removing his tights and placing them folded nearly on the toilet seat, Jeff gets into the bathtub, although needing to duck as the shower head was near his face. Due to the valves not being labeled, it took Jeff a few moments of adjusting to finally get the water at a perfect temperature. Jeff lets out a sigh as it washes away what remains of the blood. Due to the sound of running waters, Jeff did not hear the knock on the door.
“Mr. Jeff?” The maid Gentle Hoof said but received no answer, the maid looked around the room before heading toward the bathroom. “Mr. Jeff?” she repeated as she gently nudged the bathroom open.
“Wha-HEY!” Jeff let out a yelp as he quickly closed the bath curtains.
“AH! I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Gentlehoof said in embarrassment as she pulled her head out of the bathroom. Gentlehooves follows with her magic as she takes Jeff’s clothes, leaving only his pouches, his sword, and his shield.
“For Hylia’s sake please knock!” Jeff said as his anxiety rose. Jeff blinked in confusion, wondering why he said Hylia instead of God. Gentlehooves continues to apologize as she backs away out of the room, almost tumbling. A moment of silence passes by before Jeff lets out a soft sigh of embarrassment.
As Jeff continues to clean himself, his mind wanders off thinking about Tempest, hoping she’s doing ok. “...The way she bonded with me so quickly isn’t natural though, was it out of fear considering what she went through?” Jeff said to himself out of concern. But tried to brush these thoughts aside for now.
Once Jeff cleaned himself up, he gots out of the shower. Blinking out of confusion as he saw his clothing was in a perfect state. It wasn’t that long ago the maid got them. “....Just what did she use to do it so quickly?” Jeff said as he started putting it on. They were definitely clean, but no special scent like clothes usually get when they’ve been in the washing machine. Jeff shrugs his arms as he’ll figure it out later.
Jeff reaches into his pouches as he begins taking out everything he’s collected, laying them neatly onto the nearby table.
-Hero’s Bow
-Red Lantern. [Magic left: 5/48]
-Ten Deku Nuts
-Twentyseven Arrows
-One small Green Orb
-Ocarina Of TimeGuess I’ll have to ask Celestia for a bigger bed.” He thinks to himself. The closet in his guest room just barely went to his forehead. And the small desk he had was laughable, it even came with this cute oak chair that just went to his shins.
Brushing all this aside, Jeff is about to lay down on his small twin sized bed before a knock at his door interrupts him. Being polite Jeff answers the pers- err pony on the other side. “Who is it?” Jeff curiously asks.
“It’s me, Gentle Hoof. Are you done getting yourself accustomed to your room? I’m sorry for bursting in on you like that Mr. Jeff.” A slightly more mellowed toned voice answers. Much to Jeff’s relief.
“Uh… Yeah, yeah I’m done. Whaddya need Gentle Hoof?” Jeff tries to inquire but instead of an answer he just hears another knock.
“I’m sorry but I need you to open the door Jeff. Also it was the princess herself who requested you. Though for why, I do not know.”
Feeling a bit bad about keeping the pony waiting like this, Jeff goes away from his bedside and opens his door. A small sigh is heard as soon as he does this as he looks down upon Gentle Hoof.
“Thanks from being more friendly than I previously thought you’d be Mr. Jeff. And I’d like to keep the chit-chat going for a little longer. However I am not one to make royalty wait.” She sheepishly jokes. Then beckons for Jeff to follow her for the second time today among what feels like endless corridors. As they do this Gentle Hoof makes small talk with Jeff, yet doesn’t miss a singular step.
“So Mr. Jeff, how’s Equestria treating you?” Gentle Hoof asks out of the blue. Leaning in to hear her recipient’s answer.
“Uh.. Fair, I suppose.” Jeff said as he’s only been here for a couple of days now since arriving at the temple of time.
“And did you find anything to be really cool and exciting? I mean when you first walked in with that cloak, I won't lie I was a bit spooked by you.” She answers, adding some shy enthusiasm to her voice.
“I guess you could say that, and I apologize for any scaring I may have done, intentionally or not.” An empathetic tone crosses Jeff’s response, understanding where she’s coming from when it comes to mysterious circumstances.
Gentle Hoof waves her hoof back and forth while smiling. “Oh that’s nothing to worry about Mr. Jeff, I was really only shocked when you let down that hood of yours. Because to be quite honest with you. I’d never seen your species before. But when Celestia said you were the last of your kind. That made a lot more sense.”
“..Does this happen alot with ponies when they see a new species, being scared and kind of on edge?” Jeff asked in concern judging from how the pony guards treated him at first.
Gentle Hoof briefly stumbles as she walks. Completely caught off guard by the question, nervously rubbing her foreleg from dismay. “N-not exactly, but sometimes we just get this instinctive feeling of fear whenever there’s somepony that’s as imposing as you are.”
“So…” Jeff said as he rubbed the back of his head. “So it's kind of something passed down from your ancestors?” Jeff asked curiously.
Gentle Hoof starts to become somewhat unsure of herself as Jeff questions her about this. “I’m not the right mare to ask about things that have to go so far back as to refer to my ancestors but you could possibly be right Mr. Jeff, though it’s not something that I’ve actually thought of before.” Reaching over with her hoof, Gentle Hoof begins to unconsciously massage the nape of her neck. Leaving Jeff to wonder whether or not he made her feel uncomfortable.
Yet before Jeff could address this, Gentle Hoof points to a large double door’s entrance. Having been decorated with gold symbols and mythical creatures Jeff had never seen in person before like manticores and hydras.
“This is your stop Mr. Jeff, please make sure to enjoy yourself while having lunch with the princess, alright?” The earth pony hastily throws it out that last tidbit of information before walking off.
Jeff, pondering on what she said for a second, before calling out. “Wait a second, I thought you didn’t know why Celestia called me here?!”
Gentle Hoof quickly responds with a “I lied!” And swiftly turned around a castle corner, disappearing from sight.
Pinching the bridges of his nose Jeff tries to mentally prepare himself for what will likely be a formal and important meeting, no, no, it’d be the most important meeting of his life. If what all the ponies said in the past was true. Granted he’s only met four ponies and actually held conversations with them so that’s not much, but it’s still something.
Gathering up all his courage he pushes open the doors, revealing a very pleased Celestia digging into and majestically nibbling at some of her salad at the very edge of a long table, having chairs surrounding all of it. It takes the deity in disguise a whole ten seconds before she realizes Jeff’s presence and greets him.
“How wonderful it is to see you again Jeff. Come, sit down next to me, we have much to discuss after all.” She mysteriously says. And yet Jeff complies with this, attempting to suck up any anxiety that may be rising to try and keep a calm composure.
“S-so Celestia- I mean Princess Celestia. What is it you wanted to discuss?” Jeff asked curiously.
The solar monarch quietly chuckles after taking a mere glance in Jeff’s direction, analyzing his behavior in an instant. “Please Jeff there’s no need to be so stiff. I just needed you here to talk about a few things. I can’t just leave you in the dark after all.”
Jeff silently listens to her words, nodding his head. “Well uh, speaking of talking about things, do you know what this is?” Jeff reaches in one of his pouches to reveal a glowing green orb that radiates some type of mystical energy. The alicorn is taken aback by this reveal of Jeff’s and gets excited.
“T-that’s the Orb of Farore! Where'd you get this?” Celestia asked in surprise as her eyes went wide.
“In Gohma’s lair.” Jeff answered as he felt creeped out by Celestia’s look.
“That orb belonged to Farore, deity of courage and wind.. By my mother’s mane, it's been so long since she departed from our world so long ago.” Celestia said as she traced her hoof over the orb, feeling a fragment of Farore’s ancient magic. “Many years ago, this was entrusted to the pegasi to keep it safe until the day the legendary hero came to obtain it. Link did take ownership of this orb, although why it was in Gohma’s lair, let alone not in Link’s hands, is rather concerning. Since it isn’t with him, then chances are, the other two goddess orbs are out there, somewhere..” Celestia said as she gazed at her nearly empty bowl of salad. “The last time I saw him, he was leaving on a journey to pass on his swordsmanship skills to another, one that he’d find worthy of such sacred abilities.”
Jeff kind of stared bewildered after learning this orb belonged to Farore. “So.. what exactly does it do, does it just give wind and courage?” he asked.
“Wind is one of them, but it also lets you cast spells that Farore can, although it is on a lesser scale. The rest you have to apply your own magic in order to make them stronger. Back when Link was around, he could jump higher, use some form of electrokinesis, and lastly, turn into a fairy.”
“...A fairy?” Jeff asked in confusion/
“Yes, a fairy.” Celestia said with a straight face.
Jeff understood some of the orbs' power, mostly as a form of familiarity from some of the games he remembers, but commanding electricity was a new one to him, in fact he doesn’t ever call Farore controlling it.
“..How does one learn to use those spells?” Jeff asked.
“That, my friend, you’ll need to learn on your own, I can’t teach as the way I cast magic isn’t the same as you Hylians.” Celestia said as she gestures with her hoove to the long horn protruding from her forehead.
Jeff nods in understanding. The hylian knows there is a Great Fairy he could visit that the spirit of Everfree mentioned. “What of the two other orbs?”
“Admittingly, I have not seen Link use them, but from what I can remember fondly of the three goddesses, is that Din is the goddess of power, fire and the red earth, meaning our Equestria. Nayru, the goddess of wisdom, law, and water, so their powers might be related in some sort of orbs.”
“Since you know about Goddesses, do you know of the goddess of time?” Jeff asked curiously.
“...Ah, she, hmm. I don’t know, it's been a long time since the portal to the other world has been accessible, not even a letter delivered through dragon fire has come through from her. I can only hope that Nayru’s ok.” Celestia solemnly answered me.
The sad mood lasted for all of three seconds before the alicorn realized that she was being a little too open with her emotions. Deciding to nervously clear her throat she moves her hoof in a circle. “I don’t mean to let the mood down Jeff so if we’re done with questions for right now then I’d love to get to your agenda for today.”
Tilting his head to the side Jeff looks a bit confused about what she means. “No worries, I shall give you further clarification my dear warrior. Firstly you’re going to be escorted by guards to take a tour around the castle. That way you’ll know the layout of the palace, and hopefully not get lost when none else is around. Next you’re going to be meeting with the current captain of the royal guard, he’s already been informed of your new status and shall treat you as such. And finally Jeff, we shall sneak out of this stuffy little castle.” The monarch playful declares before clopping her hooves together.
Catching Jeff off guard he stands there for a moment as if to decide whether or not he heard that correctly. “Sneak out? But you’re a princess, don’t you have royal duties you need to take care of?” Jeff questions in a sure tone of voice.
“That I do, but I think that going in the middle of the night is just the right amount of cover we need so that neither of us gets caught.” The mischievousness inside of the deity’s words is practically spilling out now.
Jeff, now feeling somewhat pressured to comply with Celestia’s little scheme, he agrees. “Okay fine, I’ll join you for your outing but what will we even be doing?”
And to respond to that, the mare simply rubs her hooves together now, sinisterly. “Oh you’ll see Jeff, you’ll see.”
Shaking his head, Jeff knew that this would be a very long long day for him. And that gut feeling only grew as the seconds went on.
Jeff, all and all, was satisfied with that meal he just had. When Celestia was done being trolles- er.. Celestia, Jeff was given a pleasant surprise. The royal chefs had made Cream of Mushroom Soup
“Princess, where exactly are we going?” Jeff questions the current monarch as he looks directly at her, not watching what’s in front of him.
“It’s not where we will be going. It’s where you will be going. And to answer that, I would’ve had to fetch somepony for you but it seems like they came to us instead.” Celestia extends a hoof out to her side, signaling for Jeff to stop for a moment. Glancing forward, Jeff almost jumps at the sudden appearance from the same pony he saw once before.
“I believe you’ve met Silver Bullet, considering he’s the one who helped escort you here. And thus I found that his openness about the entire situation gave him the right to show you around the castle.”
Silver Bullet gives Jeff and Celestia a strong salute, held by an experienced stature. “It’s a pleasure that I get to be the one to guide you Sir Jeff. I apologize for any and all hostilities I’ve shown you earlier and hope you find it in your heart to forgive me.”
Jeff is off-put by the new attention he keeps getting and just shakes his head, especially since those ponies have been overly friendly at times. “It’s… It’s okay Silver, and please don’t start putting Sir in my name, it’s weird.”
Silver Bullet only stares at Jeff for a split second, directly into his eyes as if inspecting for something. Only to nod his head. “I understand new hero, if you wish to be called Jeff then that is what I shall do.”
Jeff silently sighs out of relief, giving the stallion a reassured smile before the semi-awkward moment is cut off by Celestia. “Well then I think we’ve spent enough time with this introduction, why don’t you two get going now? The day won't stay young forever after all.” She tells both of the men.
Rubbing the back of his head, Jeff sheepishly nods and walks next to Silver Bullet. “Yeah, Princess Celestia is right, it’s enough dilly-dallying for right now, so lets get this done and over with, right Silver?”
The unicorn appears to be in mild shock from something that Jeff said but it goes unnoticed by our hylian. “Whatever you say Jeff, now c’mon let's get going.” Trotting past his boss, Silver Bullet turns around and waves a hoof forward. “Well, what’re you waiting for?” He questions.
“Oh! My bad Silver.” Hurrying past Celestia, Jeff catches up with Silver Bullet, both of them walking out of the goddesses’ sight.
Celestia smiles as she watches the pair walk off. Releasing a breath she hadn’t know she was holding in. “I can only hope you can find friendship here Jeff, for the betterment of yourself and others.” Shaking her head she turns around and walks in the opposite direction, back to the throne room.
“Alright Jeff, first stop is the maid quarters by princess Celestia’s request.” Silver Bullet states. His voice, while not sounding tired, is still barely enthused about the situation.
“The maid quarters? Why the maid quarters?” Jeff asked, without knowing the purpose of why he’s being shown this place out of this entire palace.
Silver Bullet puts a hoof up to his face, similar to how one facepalms. “It’s so that they can all memorize how you look and not be as frightened by you.”
“Oh, right…” Jeff as he rubs the back of his head in embarrassment.
The guide and interdimensional creature both walk for a little while longer before stopping in front of a normal looking door. It still had nice decorations surrounding it but it was still average compared to the rest of the palace. The only defining feature was a bronze sign above that said “maid quarters” in bold.
“Here we are, the maid quarters.” Jeff nervously says aloud. Much to Silver Bullet’s impatience.
“Jeff, you can’t be so scared about the unknown, come on.” Silver Bullet tries to encourage Jeff but to no avail, so he does the only thing he can think of and opens the door for him.
“No-wai-” but it was too late, Silver had opened the door, revealing the pony maids inside. Jeff wasn’t scared because of it being pony maids but because he felt so alienated talking to ponies in general as if they’re people.
For a brief moment everyone in the room freezes. Everyone stares at each other with varying looks of worry to estrangement. An entire minute passes before Silver Bullet decides to speak up.
“Um, good afternoon everypony. I’m sure you’ve all heard of our newest guest of the castle. This is Jeff the hylian, Jeff, these are the maids of the castle.” It feels as though he only barely managed to squeeze out that sentence. However despite the tensions of the room being extremely high, one of the maids decides to speak up. A pegasus mare that’s slightly taller than the ones Jeff had seen so far, though no where near Celestia’s height.
“Good afternoon Jeff. I hope you know that it’s going to be a pleasure working with you. I am the head maid, Light Trot. If you need anything at all, do not be afraid to seek one of us out to come and help you with whatever you need.” The pegasus does a small bow, trying to cut down tension between everyone with some friendliness.
Being extremely thankful for Light Trot’s bravery. Jeff walks over to her and introduces himself as well. “”Its nice to m-meet you.” Jeff said as he tries his best to get over his anxiety from the situation.
Light Trot gets up on her hindlegs with some impressive dexterity. Extending her hoof out, she offers it to him. And after a little bit of hesitation Jeff extends his hand out as well. Shaking the head maid’s hoof. This leads to the rest of the maids all taking a sigh of relief, their uneasiness slowly fading away and being replaced with a seed of trust. The meeting with the maidens went fairly well and nothing awkward happened, Jeff always thought it was going to be very different and out of place, but from who he’s interacted with so far, ponies act like human beings despite how they look. Once the introductions are finished, Jeff waves goodbye as he and Silver Bullet head out the door.
“We’re right on schedule. Guess I can thank you for your willingness then, Jeff.” Silver Bullet comments.
“Thanks Silver… This tour hasn’t been as bad as I thought it’d be” The hylian truthfully tells the pony. “From what I’ve been shown so far, I can only assume that the library is up next.” He deducts.
“So Jeff, how do you feel about the castle so far?” Silver Bullet quizzes the humanoid.
“Unique, first time I've been in one.” Jeff said with a nod. Castles were something he’d never expect to see in his life.
“Well I doubt you’ll ever see one as good as this. Canterlot is only for the prestigious after all, and you Jeff are that indeed.” The stallion concludes. He then nudges Jeff’s torso before pointing to the left of him. A ajar door is adjacent to the former human with the label “Castle library” on top of it.
“This is our next stop. If you like reading then trust me, this’ll be the place for you Jeff.” The tour guide tries to charismatically say, and somewhat succeeds to. He does try and brush the awkwardness between the two of them away and instead leads them both through.
“I can already tell, you’re impressed right?” Silver Bullet questions.
“How old would this library be and how far back do the books date?” Jeff asked with curiosity and interest.
“Course you’d ask something like that, it’s what everypony asks. Not that I’m saying it’s a bad thing. Anyhow this library is around 873 years old. With the books themselves going as far as 1,281 years. Some of these books are the favorites of Princess Celestia herself.” Silver Bullet confidently states.
“I asked as I'm thinking of brushing up on the history of Equestria, maybe even finding if there’s any remains of.. Well, anything of my hylian race.” Jeff explained.
“I’m sorry to say but I’ve never even heard of your race until the princess mentioned it an hour or two ago. But you can try your luck, I actually know a really good friend who’s sorta a bookworm. It’s funny how we met. He actually used to be a scholar before he turned to become a guard. And when I saw him on his first day, he was just all over the place lemme tell you. All funniest thing is-” A hoof gets placed over Silver Bullet’s mouth, only small muffles are heard.
This hoof belonged to a semi-scrawny unicorn who didn’t fit the guard aesthetic too well. They had green eyes, a teal blue mane and tail, and a green coat. And while they seemed nonthreatening from a spectator’s point of view. The glare they were giving Silver Bullet was too large to ignore.
“Shut up Silver! Dammit, if you go around telling ponies how I acted my first few months every time you meet somepony new then I’ll promise you that I’ll shove my hoof so far up your plot to the point where your kids will have my hoof imprint as a cutie mark.” The mystery stallion threatened.
“Din’s wrath…” Jeff mentally said to himself at the stallion’s threat to Silver Bullet.
“Now as soon as I let go of your muzzle, you’re gonna tell Sir Jeff that you were joking, right?” They rhetorically requested. To which Silver Bullet safely nodded their head.
“I-I was just joking Jeff, by the way. This is m-my friend I was talking about earlier, Knowing Matter.” He shakenly tells Jeff.
“Don’t mind my dimwitted friend over here, he just makes me… Distaste ignorance a lot more than I already do. Nice to meet you Jeff, I am Knowing Matter, the so-called ‘Book Worm.’ If you need to know anything about books then I’m your stallion.”
“Well, yes actually, but considering what Silver Bullet said? I’m a little discouraged.” Jeff said with a frown.
“Are you going to take the word of a pony who had to drop out of highschool? Over somepony who had elegance and philosophy guide them throughout their entire life?” Knowing matter inquires from Jeff.
“I mean he said-” But before Jeff could finish his sentence, Knowing Matter had given Jeff the same stare that struck fear into Silver Bullet.
“Are you sure you would like to finish that sentence?” A heavy silence hangs over the room as he looks into Jeff’s eyes.
“I just thought there were no books on hylians..” Jeff managed to say despite the heavy silence.
“...Hylians? Ah yes the Princess did say that’s what you were. And you’re correct on that matter there are none here.” The unicorn trails off before picking his sentence back up. “But I’ve heard rumors about the royal library having some type of documentation about a race matching your description. So you’re best off asking Princess Celestia herself.” Nodding to himself, Knowing Matter looks back over to Silver Bullet.
“And you, Get out of here before I lose my cool once more.” His words strike Silver Bullet like a whip.
“Okay sheesh, we were going anyways, no need to be so hostile.” The emotionally hurt Stallion replies. “C’mon Jeff, we’re going.”
“Oh and before you both do, just know Jeff that you are always welcome to ask me for help on anything you may need.” Knowing Matter politely informs the hylian.
“I might later.” Jeff said with a wave of his hand as he went to follow Silver.
While they exit the Canterlot library Silver Bullet looks over to Jeff as they walk. “Despite what you saw in there. Knowing Matter is actually a really good guy, he just acts that way around new ponies for some reason. So please, don’t be discouraged by what you saw, just get to know him.” Small pauses are heard in between the young stallion’s request, however the point gets across just fine.
“I thought for a moment I’d have to walk on broken glass if I ever went to the library, like grabbing a book and he takes offense at how it's supposed to be handled.” Jeff said, relieved that he didn’t have to deal with someone who had a destructive personality.
“That’s what I thought too… Actually I haven’t been to the library in years but you get the point.” Shaking his head he smiles, Silver Bullet seems to pick up his energy by ten fold. “Alright you’re gonna love this next place, it’s my favorite and I know it’ll be yours too. And the cherry on top is that it’s our last stop.”
Galloping around the castle, Jeff chases after the stallion wondering what’s going on. They both dodge maids, on duty guardsmares, and the like. And suddenly Silver Bullet stops in front of a door, a door labeled “Solar guard’s barracks.” This time the plating is on the door itself instead of on top of it or to the side.
“Welcome Jeff.” Silver Bullet starts out of the blue. “Welcome to the place where I reside, the Solar guard’s barracks.” With a childish grin the stallion drags Jeff, well on his way into the unknown.
