Seriously, what the hell am I going to do with my life? Yet again, I have started a new story before finishing the other ones. I'm a terrible person. Oh well. I like My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. I like Legend of Zelda. I like crossovers. Put two and two together and you have another byproduct of my weird fantasies. So enjoy this new story!

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Chapter One: The Dark Heart Cometh

He was a strange man in a strange land. Not that this wasn't something he was used to, but this was ridiculous. A world of talking ponies. How quaint. He had yet to make contact with these strange animals, for at the moment he was focused on something else entirely as he wandered through the cavern with torch in hand. He had come to this land in search of a particularly interesting mask a mysterious lead had clued him to. And now, the Happy Mask Salesman briskly made his way through the jewel-ridden cave, a massive sack covered with various masks slung over his back. A somewhat disturbingly-cheerful smile was plastered on his face as he walked through the darkness. The salesman looked at his surroundings as he traveled.

Hmm…it seems this was once a mining operation, he thought to himself, taking note of a few mining tools lying around as well as the gem-laden walls. I wonder what caused them to abandon this place. Their works seems to be unfinished.

Something about this place made the salesman's spine tingle, but he ignored what he dismissed as irrational paranoia and kept walking. A few minutes later, he heard a strange sound, almost like the sound of running water, but different somehow, thicker. Curious, the salesman picked up his pace and soon arrived in a huge room, where the culprit of the strange noise was discovered.

It was a river of some kind, a gelatinous, pitch-black substance oozing past him into an unseen abyss. The salesman had no idea why, but the odd substance made him feel extremely uneasy. This must be the river my strange benefactor mentioned, the salesman pondered. Am I getting close?

Suddenly the salesman thought he heard a noise off to his right, and waved his torch threateningly at the shadows. Nothing there. If the salesman had turned around, he would have seen the large pair of burning, pupil-less eyes glaring menacingly at him from behind. Without warning, a sound of someone blowing air was heard, and the salesman's torch suddenly went out.

"Oh!" the salesman started before he was suddenly slammed from behind and knocked to the ground.

"Eh hehe heh heheh heh! Oh, you are so easily fooled, salesman!" a menacing, distorted voice cackled from the shadows. "We knew you couldn't resist searching for a new mask for your collection. And now you have fallen right into our trap!"

It was at this moment when the salesman realized he had been had. But instead of crying out and begging for mercy, he simply kept smiling and looked up, hoping to see his attacker. "Oh, dear me! That was rude of you to lead me on like this, don't you think?"

"Oh, please. You make it seem like we care. We led you here for a specific reason, salesman. Perhaps you've noticed the river of black fluid before you?"

"Why yes, what about it?"

"We studied this world for a little while before leading you here. This river is filled with a substance known here as the Smooze. It is the source of all evil in this land. To merely touch it is to have unspeakable evil powers flood through your veins."

The salesman didn't like where this was going. "And you mean to drop me in this river of wickedness?"

The voice laughed like the salesman had just told him the world's funniest joke. "GAH HAHA HA HA HAHAHA! Oh, that's rich! You really are stupid! No, we're not here to drop you in the Smooze. We're here to drop HIM."

The salesman's smile immediately left his face at the implications. Suddenly he felt the figure ruffle through his pack and quickly withdraw something from within. He didn't need to see it to know which one the figure had taken. All sense of geniality left the salesman's demeanor.

"Ah, Lord Majora. It's been a long time since we last saw you. Time to wake up, God of Evil, heh heh."

"N-no, wait! You mustn't!" the salesman yelped, unable to move since his pack was so heavy.

"How fitting it is for one source of evil to be revitalized by another!"

Suddenly the salesman heard a splash, and his heart sank. It was happening again. The madness was set to reoccur. The Heart of Darkness was about to be revived. The sound of bubbling graced the salesman's ears as a few torches blazed to life on the walls, illuminating the room again. The salesman was now able to see who had attacked him and gulped. "I should have known," he said to the pitch-black, bipedal creature that stood across from him, its shape mimicking the legendary King of Evil's. "Dethl, the Demon Lord of Nightmares. You've returned, I see."

"Shh, it's starting," Dethl hissed excitedly as something began to rise out of the Smooze.

The salesman immediately recognized Majora's Mask, but it now had a body to match, a body as black as the Smooze. He stood well over seven feet tall, his hands bearing fingernails filed to claws. A pair of red-membraned wings sprouted from his back. His new body seemed to lack reproductive organs, which was good, considering he wasn't wearing any clothes. Majora looked his body over before stepping out of the Smooze river onto dry land.

"About time, Dethl," Majora said.

"We searched many worlds for a fine place to revive you, and here we are," Dethl replied. "This world is called Equestria."

"Equestria?" Majora responded, cocking his head/mask in surprise. "What kind of fool name is that? Are all the inhabitants talking horses or something?"

"Yes, actually. And better yet, this land preaches love and tolerance like you wouldn't believe."

Majora rubbed his hands together and snickered. "Oh, we simply have to put a stop to that! Should we start a war or drop the moon? Oh, the choices, heh heh heh!"

"We did a little searching in a dark forest known as Everfree and found some interesting things there that could help with a war. The rulers of this land also are responsible for moving the sun and moon through the sky to usher in day and night. They do not move on their own."

The salesman stayed silent out of fear.

"What kind of world have you brought me into, Dethl?" Majora laughed. "You're making it more difficult than usual to choose an appropriate fate for it!"

"War sounds good to us," Dethl suggested. "But there are some we should be wary of."

Majora glared directly at Dethl. "Oh?"

"There seems to be an equivalent to the Triforce in this world called the Elements of Harmony. Six in total, all represented by six of the natives."

"I see. Dethl, tonight I want you to visit their dreams and do what you do best." Majora suddenly looked down at the salesman, who smiled nervously. "As for you, salesman, why don't you be a good boy and spread some rumors? Scare them a little, make them fear our coming. Go on, now, get!"

The salesman didn't need to be told twice, struggling to his feet and fleeing the cavern. "Now that he's gone, we found an abandoned fortress in Everfree Forest we can use as a base of operations," Dethl said.

"Good. So war it is then! How fun! It's been a long time since I started a war."

The two demons laughed together before leaving the Smooze cavern to bring their plans to fruition.

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Two hours later…

"Alright, everything's on schedule so far," a purple unicorn said to her baby dragon associate as they walked down the streets of Ponyville. "Decorations, food…"

"C'mon, Twilight!" the baby dragon complained. "Everybody's got everything covered! We gotta go get our costumes ready!"

"In a little bit, Spike," Twilight answered. "I just need to check over everything one more time."

"But you've checked everything three times already!"

"There's nothing wrong with making sure every detail is…oh!"

Spike belched up a cloud of green smoke, which transformed into a letter. "A letter from the Princess?" Twilight wondered aloud as she grabbed the scroll with her magic and read it.

My faithful student,

An urgent matter has come up in Canterlot, and I need you and your friends to come here immediately. Everything will be explained when you arrive.

Sincerely, Your Mentor

Princess Celestia

"Well, what does it say?" Spike asked.

"Princess Celestia's summoned me and my friends to Canterlot for some reason," Twilight answered, concern flashing across her face. "She says it's really urgent!"

Spike sighed audibly. "Well, so much for free candy."

"C'mon, Spike." Twilight turned around and headed off to Carousel Boutique to round up Rarity, Spike falling into step behind her.

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"Ah can't believe the Princess summoned us right when we were just about ready!" Applejack complained as she sat in one of the passenger seats as the train to Canterlot thundered along the tracks.

"Think of it this way, girls," Twilight answered from the front. "Hopefully this won't take too long and we'll be back in Ponyville before nightfall. Everypony else can pick up where we left off."

"Except for my dress order," Rarity sighed. "I still have the costume for Sweetie Belle to finish."

"I'm sure everything'll turn out perfect!" Pinkie Pie chirped as she leaned her head out the window. "All the decorations were already up before we left, and the mayor said she could handle the rest!"

"Still, ya gotta wonder," Rainbow Dash said. "What could Princess Celestia want that requires us being there?"

"I hope it's not anything…bad," Fluttershy stated in her usual quiet voice.

The other ponies and dragon found themselves thinking the same as the train approached its destination.

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The group of friends made their way through Canterlot Castle towards the Throne Room, their minds racing about what could possibly be the matter. Finally they reached the huge gold doors flanked on either side by golden-armored guards, who opened the doors for them without even blinking. Offering a quick word of thanks, the ponies and baby dragon entered the Throne Room, where Celestia and Luna were patiently waiting for them. To their surprise, though, someone else was standing beside Celestia, something none of the visitors had ever seen before.

The strange creature was bipedal, with peach-colored, hairless skin and purple clothes. A huge sack adorned with various masks was strapped to his back. He had red hair parted neatly in the center of his head. His hands were clasped together, and he smiled genially at the guests. The ponies stared at him for a moment before remembering to bow. "Rise, my faithful subjects," Celestia began, a ghost of a smile on her lips.

As they rose, Twilight asked, "Princess Celestia, what's going on? I hope I'm not being rude, but who is that standing next to you?"

Celestia turned to the strange creature, prompting him to answer the question. "Greetings, little ponies," the creature introduced himself, bowing grandly. "I am the Happy Mask Salesman. I travel far and wide, all over various worlds in search of mysterious and magical masks. It was by chance that I was lured into this world under false promises of a particular mask of interest and was robbed."

In the blink of an eye, the salesman covered his face with one hand and raised another dramatically towards the heavens. "Oh, it is simply dreadful! To think that not only was it stolen again, but that its occupant has been revived by one of his old subjects!"

"What're you talking about?" Rainbow Dash demanded, a little disturbed by the salesman lamenting before them.

"I waited for you to arrive before I would be told the full story," Celestia answered, "but from what he has told me so far, he was tricked into coming into this world by an evil monster that stole a dangerous mask from him and reawakened its power."

With lightning fast reflexes that made Rainbow Dash blink in surprise, the salesman snapped back to his original position. "Now that your guests are here, it's time for you all to hear the full story. Everything, the legend, the danger, and the events of my coming here. Listen carefully, my little ponies, as I tell you the legend of Majora's Mask."