Equestria Warriors: Displacement of a Hero

I walked around in a daze, still processing what had happened. My friends, my fiancé's, were gone. Taken by Ganondorf and scattered across the land. And now I had one of the worst responsibilities imaginable. I had to go to their families. I had to tell them that their children were gone. Princess Luna had told me to go home and rest before undertaking this task, but I hadn't even made it to the station in Canterlot. I didn't even know where to begin, let alone what I would even say. I mean really, how the hell do you tell someone that their kid is missing and might never be found?

“What am I gonna fucking do…” I grumbled as I trudged down the street, not paying attention to where I was going until I bumped into somepony. We both fell down and I began profusely apologizing before freezing up when I saw their face.

“Oh Link, it's you!” Cookie Crumbles giggled as she stood back up, dusting her dress off as I sat there. She tilted her head slightly before crouching down to my level.
“Is something the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost.”

“I…” I swallowed, “I have… something to tell you.” I said quietly as Cookie frowned at me in concern.

“What is it dear?” She asked as I tried not to cry.

“It… it's Rarity. She….” I choked, a tear rolling down my cheek as Cookie pulled me into a hug. As she did I broke down, crying like a child in the middle of the road as ponies passed by, throwing disgusted looks our way.

“Pay them no mind…” Cookie said calmly as I sucked in one ragged breath after another. As I calmed down, she pulled back and looked at me.
“Now, tell me what happened to my daughter.”

I slowly began telling her what happened, her face betraying no emotion as I explained how I had failed to stop Ganondorf from taking her away. As I finished she put a hand on my shoulder

“It sounds to me like you are putting all the blame squarely on your shoulders, Link. I can tell from how you're speaking that you put up as good of a fight as you could. But to me, it also sounds like there is still a chance you can save her. Correct?” She asked as I nodded slowly.

“If I can locate the dungeon holding her and clear it, yes. But.. I don't know where it is, or how long it'll take. It could be weeks, months or even years!” I said in exasperation.

“I have faith in you.” Cookie smiled as we stood up.

“Thanks Miss Cookie. I'll save your daughter. I promise.” I nodded with a weak smile. Little did I know, that was going to be tougher than I thought.

My friends were missing and a war brewing and here I sat, alone on the floor in my empty house, not even a couch to sit on. It had been only a week since The Gala incident, when the sorry sack of shit Ganondorf showed his ugly mug. I had been painfully reliving that moment over and over, not being able to sleep as I grieved. Spike was staying with Luna at Canterlot for the time being, since I didn't want him to be living alone in the Golden Oak. That was only a temporary thing, I had been trying to fix my mess of a cabin so he could stay with me for a couple days. And it was going as poorly as one would expect.

“Ugh…. I can't fix this….” I sighed in despair as I threw my hammer across the room, hanging my head in defeat.

“Well now… I have yet to see you in such a state as this…” A voice called from my front door. I looked up to see Luna standing there, looking at me as a worried look was on her face. I sniffed and stood up, turning to the dark Alicorn with a bow.

“Princess. I assume I am asleep?” I asked as she shook her head.

“Not this time, Johnny. I came to check on you, for Spike has been worried about you. As have I.” She walked slowly towards me as I looked at the floor.

“I.. I'm sorry Luna… I wasn't… I wasn't strong enough…” I choked out as I began breaking down once again. She pulled me into a comforting embrace as she let me cry, letting all my pain wash away as I kept bawling. After a few minutes I managed to calm down and sniff.

“Thank… thank you…” I bowed weakly as she smiled softly.

“I know your heart aches Johnny. As does mine…” She closed her eyes sadly, “but we know our loved ones would not want us to fall into such despair. So please, for them, stand tall.”

“You're right…” I nodded as I smiled weakly at her.
“I know I'll save them. It's just… when…” I frowned sadly, only to be startled as my pocket beeped at me.

“What was that?” Luna asked as I pulled the Sheikah Slate from my inventory. As soon as I did, the screen lit up and a beacon lit up at the top of Mount Hebra.

“That…” I grinned happily, “is one of our friends.” I told her as I pointed to the map. She looked at the glowing silver icon with a raised eyebrow.

“You are certain of this?” She asked as I shook my head with a smile.

“Of course I am. I have to be…” I frowned slightly as I put away the device. I gave Luna a smile as I began walking towards the door.

“Johnny, be practical! The top of Mount Hebra is hundreds of feet above the surrounding peaks! It can get cold enough to freeze you solid! How will you reach it?” She asked as I gave her a grin.

“I have faith I'll find a way, don't you worry Princess.” I grinned with a smile.

I pulled my parka tight as I trudged up the mountain path. Luna had given me an older map from when Equestria had been Hyrule, showing several old bastions and fortifications that now lay ruined. And atop Mount Hebra sat such a structure. As I crested a small peak it came into view.

“Snowpeak Ruins.” I said with a small frown. Back on Earth, when I'd played Twilight Princess, this dungeon had always been a pain for me. From the slick ice that coated many of the floors to the Chilfos and their spears, I could never seem to clear it without dying a few times. As I trekked closer I began to worry that history would repeat itself. I shook my head vigorously, pushing the thought from my mind as I approached the steps to the door.

“You got this. For your friends.” I nodded to myself as I climbed the stairs and opened the door. With a creak it swung open, leading me into a large foyer partially lined with suits of armor, leading to a once grand cascading staircase. Both sides had collapsed at some point, making passage to the upper floor impossible from here. I looked up and saw a couple swinging chandeliers, right where they should be.

“So far it seems like how I remember. Let’s hope it stays that way..” I said as I tried to pep myself up. I moved forward towards the door ahead of me, opening it and moving to the next room. Usually a female Yetti named Yeta sat here, warming herself by the fire while her husband Yeto made her a soup in the kitchen to the left. But the fireplace was as cold and dark as the rest of the structure.

I sighed and sat beside the empty grate, a few charred logs still in the fireplace as I pulled out my field survival kit. Twilight had made one for each of us back when we had thought about going on a camping trip, and now I could finally put it to use. I pulled out a couple pieces of scrap paper and a match, humming as I stuffed the paper between the logs before striking the match. I dropped it onto the paper and watched as a cheery little fire burst to life, throwing light and warmth around the room as I took in my bearings.

The room was just as I remembered, a small rectangular room with four entrances. Two of them were barred off, with one of the open ones being where I'd come in. I turned to the other open door and sighed.

“Let's see what's for dinner.” I chuckled as I walked over and went to the next room. It turned out to be the kitchen, just like the game. A giant empty cauldron sat in the middle of the room, a thick layer of dust and frost coating the rim.

“This place seems… gloomier than I remember..” I muttered to myself as I saw a door to my left.
“Let's just hope this place doesn't kill me like it usually does.”

I progressed through the rooms, solving the various puzzles I encountered as I did. It all followed the game fairly similarly, albeit without the food fetch quests. Instead I found a special key that unlocked one of the doors in the center room, allowing me to progress. Now I found myself outside of the mini-boss room, staring at the door as I tried to shove my anxiety aside. I took a deep breath and pushed it open, stepping into the room behind it. Just as with the rest of the mansion, this room looked just like it did in the game. A round room with barred storage lockers on either side of the walkway down the middle. I stepped around the sets of armor in the middle of the hall, making my way to the door at the end. As I approached it, iron bars dropped and blocked my exit. Then I heard it. The familiar whooshing sound got louder behind me and I turned around, just as the set of armor in front of me was smashed to pieces by a ball and chain.

“Hello ugly…” I grimaced as the armor cladded Darkhammer yanked the ball back to itself, swinging it in a circle above its head. I drew my sword and shield, readying myself as the beast drew closer. With a grunt I rushed forward, rolling behind the ball and chains reach and then around behind the beast, my blade falling on its exposed tail. With a surprised roar, it fell to one knee as I attacked the tail a few more times before it kicked me away. I slid to a stop and grunted, a bruise now forming where the kick had landed.

“Damn, that hurt..” I huffed as the Darkhammer approached again, swinging its weapon over its head. With a grin I swapped to my Grappleshot, firing a fist at the swirling chain and grabbing it. The beast roared angrily as I dragged it towards me, only to be silenced as my fist crushed its head. It fell lifelessly to the ground before exploding into purple smoke, leaving the ball and chain behind. I placed a hand on it and it vanished as I lost control of my body once again. I turned and held out my hands as a shrunken version of the weapon floated before me.

You got the BALL AND CHAIN attachment for your GRAPPLESHOT! With the GRAPPLESHOT equipped, press A to switch between fists or the BALL AND CHAIN!

As soon as the item vanished into my inventory I regained control of my body. I rolled my shoulder and frowned as I walked to the end of the hall.

“Never gonna get used to that…” I sighed as I opened the door. Stepping into the next room I was confronted by a wall of ice blocking my way. The Grappleshot fists weren't tough enough to break the ice, but with this new attachment it crumbled easily. I retracted the spiked ball and nearly fell over, the ball being significantly weightier than the fists. Putting them away I saw what I had uncovered. A chest. Usually holding a ring of Ordon goat cheese, it now held a gold key. I held it up automatically as text appeared in my vision.

You got the key to the Right Wing! Use it to unlock the last wing of the dungeon!

I smirked and stowed the key in my inventory as I exited the room.

Back in the central room, I sat by the fire and collected my thoughts. Ahead of me was the final push of this dungeon, and I couldn't have been any more nervous. The usual boss of this dungeon, Blizzetta, used a living host to channel their energy through. And with the Yetti absent, that could only mean I'd have to fight…

“Rarity…” I sighed as I watched the flames.
“Please make it out of this safely…”

After my short rest I pushed through the last few rooms in the mansion, pausing outside the doors to the chapel. This room is what usually got me when I played Twilight Princess in the past. And now the stakes were higher since I could now feel the pain inflicted on me. I closed my eyes and pushed open the doors, stepping inside as they closed behind me. I looked to my right, the altar right where it should be.

“Hold onto your butts…” I chuckled nervously as I walked toward the door to the altar. As I approached, like in the Darkhammer's room, iron bars dropped, sealing the door ahead of me as well as the doors leading out. From the holes in the roof dropped over half a dozen Chilfos, icey guardians weilding wicked sharp spears of clear ice. One dropped right beside me and I scrambled to get clear of it, only to run right into another. I equipped my Grappleshot and switched to the Ball and Chain, firing a fist at the closest enemy. With the sound of rending metal, the beast vanished into a puff of powdered snow.

“Well shit, that wasn't so hard.” I chuckled before an icey blade stabbed into my shoulder. I gasped at how cold it felt, turning and pushing the attacker point blank.

“Fuck! That's cold!” I yelled as I became more aggressive, punching two more at close range. I could feel my shoulder locking up as I fought, and I took a couple more hits because of it. With half of my body locking up, I got angrier and fought harder, taking two more down as I got slower. Only two remained between me and the key to the boss room above, and I went for it. I hobbled forward and sucker punched one of them, shattering it's head as it's partner stabbed my side. With one last heave, I dropped the ball on its head and crushed it, both of us falling to the ground. I laid there for what felt like hours before feeling finally began to return to my limbs. I would later learn that it was a side effect of the Chilfos spear, called Frostbitten.

“Well… at least I'm not dead…” I groaned as I managed to sit up, leaning on one of the remaining pews. As soon as I was able to stand, I opened the door to the altar and opened the chest on it. I picked up the item and held it in front of me.

You got the BEDROOM KEY! Now you can gain access to the bedroom where your friend is being held!

I held the key in my hand and took a breath. This was it. This was what I had worked for. I exited the chapel and headed up the ramp to the bedroom. Inserting the key into the massive heart-shaped lock, it split in half and the door swung open.

“Let's do this..” I snorted and charged inside.

Inside the bedroom now, I looked around at the ancient furniture. Once very fine drapes now hung in tatters over the windows above. As I reached the center of the room, I looked ahead of me and stopped. A very familiar white unicorn sat, trapped in a dark purple crystal. I took a step towards her and jumped as the windows above us shattered and ice cold winds rushed in. The room began to frost over and when I looked back to Rarity, she had vanished. I looked up as a giant decorative egg made of ice dropped down, slamming into the ground and destroying the meager furnishings as the floor became one big sheet of ice.

FROZEN ELEMENT OF GENEROSITY

BLIZZETTA

“Ohhh, this ain't good…” I sighed as I equipped the Grappleshot with the Ball and Chain. I threw a punch and broke the outer layer of ice, sending the egg sliding across the floor as it bounced off the walls. As it came close again I threw another punch, breaking another layer and sending it flying faster.

“This is way more intense than the game makes it look!” I yelped as I rolled out of the path of the ice egg. Getting back to my feet I cocked back a fist and gave the egg one more punch, launching it against the wall so hard it shattered, leaving the dark crystal behind. I could see Rarity inside, looking like she was in pain. Before I could take a step closer, the crystal floated back into the air as an icey palanquin formed around it, with a ring of ice spikes forming around that.

“Gods, I hate this part!” I groaned as I scrambled to get out from underneath the floating masses. They followed my movements for a short bit before one by one, the spikes slammed down into the floor, lodging themselves. As the last one impacted, I turned around and turned it to powder with a punch from the Grappleshot. Ripping themselves free, The remaining spikes formed a ring over my head, slamming down to create a barrier around me. But since I had destroyed one, there was a gap. I dove through it as the palanquin slammed down where I had just been standing only a moment before. Reacting quickly, I threw another punch, damaging the palanquin as the cycle repeated. It took another two hits, but as the crumbling remains of the icey box shattered, so to did the crystal. The fragments of the dark energy scattered to the wind as Rarity's body floated down. I caught her and waited for her to wake up, praying I hadn't hurt her. After a moment of nothing happening she groaned, slowly opening her eyes and looking at me.

“L-Link…?” She asked weakly. I nodded, smiling softly as she let out a sigh.
“I've had the most horrible nightmare… it was so dark… so cold…” She shivered. I shushed her and gave her a hug.

“It's ok Rares, I got you.” I said comfortingly as she wrapped her arms around me. We held each other for a long while, mostly since she was still getting feeling back in her legs. As we stood the room seemed to glow a soft red. Looking up, we saw a crystalline heart float down from the ceiling, landing only a few feet from where we stood.

“What is that?” Rarity asked as I moved to pick it up.

“This,” I said as I knelt down, “is a heart container.”

As soon as I touched it, my body stood up automatically as I held it in front of me, text appearing at the bottom of my vision as a familiar fanfare played.

You got a HEART CONTAINER! Your life has increased by One and is also now fully replenished!

I breathed out a sigh as I felt new vitality flow through me. I looked at Rarity and smiled.

“They're how I get stronger.” I said as I gave her a smirk. She smiled back as a portal of blue energy appeared in the center of the room.
“And that is our cue to leave.” I nodded as I took Rarity's hand, guiding her to the portal.

“Is it safe?” She asked worriedly. I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

“Course it's safe. And if it works like the others, I know where it'll drop us.” I smiled as we stepped through the blue light, vanishing into thin air.

With a flash of energy we appeared back in the Town Square of Ponyville, startling many ponies going about their daily business.

“Ugh, always leaves an aftertaste…” I mumbled, smacking my lips as the faint taste of orange lingered for a moment.

“Well, that was certainly something..” Rarity said, her voice sounding slightly dizzy.

“Let's get you home Rares, then tomorrow I'll take you to see your folks.” I smiled as I walked with her towards the Boutique.

“Thanks Link, I really appreciate this.” She smiled back. I gave her a smirk.

“Call me Johnny.”