Author's Notes: This four part story is a cross-over with another story, which you can find here. story/488042/the-legend-of-equestria-a-displaced-hero
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.[i] "Pristine and beautiful"[/i] 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.
[i]"So even King Zora exists in this world.."[/i] 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. [i]"Better this than alone, so casualties should be minimal." [/i] 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 [i]like [/i]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.
[i]"[/i][i]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[/i][i],"[/i]
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 debrief 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 [i]*cough cough* [/i]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 [i]softly [/i]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 [i]grunt [/i]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, butJeff 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.