Like most days, Link and Navi rose with the morning sun. Unlike most days however, the pair were going though a checklist of things to bring with them. Naturally, sustenance held priority over all else. Since the two were going to the inside of a mountain, Link decided against bringing his warming underclothes.

Down the stairs, the two of them had piled their materials near the table, and a few on it as well. "10 apples, 2 bottles of water, a bottle of milk, and 3 sandwiches special made." Link made several checks on the scroll. "Boomerang, whetstone, cloth, field first-aid kit, notepad, oh, and my journal and writing supplies." Link quietly ran up the stairs, got his journal and came back down. "You'd never let me hear the end of it if I left it here."

"You're right," Epona replied, checking her own bags. "I want to hear all about your trip, like I was there myself." She placed her framed picture on the top of one of her bags. "But, don't break any laws, alright?"

"I'll be the acting law there, so that's unlikely." Link began putting his stuff in his pocket pouch and continued talking, "It's not like I'm making any decisions on my own. Navi'll be there too. Right?" The fairy nodded on his head. "See? I'm never really alone."

"I'll feel alone. How long will you be gone, you think?"

"I'm not entirely sure. Might take a couple days, might take a month. I don't know for sure." Link adjusted the sword and shield on his back and knelt to fix his shoes. "But I can't come back unless I've solved their problem. If that takes any longer than a month, I'll send you a letter saying as such." Done, he rose to his feet and put a hand on Epona's forelock. "I'll be fine. You'll be fine. We'll be fine."

Epona was silent, for she heard a knock on the door. Quickly, she turned to see two guards in the opened archway. "A fair morning to the three of you," a mare introduced, stepping in without permission. "Are your things ready?"

"They are. However, I wish to make an amendment to your order." He walked toward the two of them. "Epona here is to accompany me to the castle. Are there objections?"

The two pegasi looked between each other, then the mare returned her glance to Link. "I have none, but... Princess Celestia said nothing of a ... third pony... All the same, it's not up to me. So I guess you can come along." The mare watched at Epona strapped her bags on and headed for the door. "Uhh... I have to warn you, I've never been a great flier."

"Is that supposed to be reassuring?" Link asked. "I joke. I'm sure you'll do fine." Link, Navi, and Epona climbed aboard. "Just ..." he leaned over to her and suggested, "try to match his wing-beats."

With that, they took off toward the castle. Twilight saw them leave from her bedroom window. "... be safe, Link..."

"It's not as bad as she said it was," Link commented, holding the side of the chariot. "How're you holding up over there?"

"I'm fine," Epona said. "The view is amazing!" She had been watching the skyline since they departed. "What's over that way?"

Link watched her point to the east. "A big fancy city. 'Manehattan' I think the name was?" He turned and saw the castle quickly approaching. "We're here."

"Alright you two!" the mare warned, "Brace yourselves!" Link increased his grip on the side. Hastily, the transport descended to the landing platform. Incorrectly. All the way down, it lurched, halted, and turned. Finally, it skidded to a stop well beyond where it should have. "Well..." she began, "any landing you can walk away from is a good landing... eh heh..."

"My dear pegasus..." Celestia began, then sighed. "I want you and your flight partner to do 10 laps around the castle's bordering wall." Luna watched as the two flew off without rebuttal or argument. "Link, and... who's this?"

"Your Highnesses, meet Epona. Epona, meet the princesses of Equestria."

Epona knelt very low, almost shaking from nervous feelings. "Put at ease your worries, Epona. We are not all the rumors make us out to be. If that is the issue."

"No no, that's not it... It's... I've never even seen the princesses. Barely heard a thing about them, even as a filly." The sisters looked between them. "So I'm sorry, if I come across as... unknowledgeable."

Link stayed at his full height before the princesses, earning a glance from Epona. "Princess Celestia? I have also come with a request. My companion is trying to move in with my sister and me at the library. But her belongings are elsewhere. I come to ask if you may lend her a pair of pegasi and a container to move her things from where she lived, back to the library in Ponyville."

"Boy, we do not run a cab service. Nor do we open our services to the public," Luna replied. "But..." she looked at her sister, "you seem to have a good reason, so we will at the very least hear you out." They turned and walked in the castle. Link and Navi followed silently to the throne room, where two guards stood by the two thrones. Epona was escorted separately to Link's old room to wait for him.

As Link looked at the two guards, he took note that they were two he'd never seen before. The mare to his right was a little nervous, and kept making eye contact with him. The stallion on his left stood at attention, as a guard should. "In your letter, you said there was 'much and more' to talk about?"

"Yes. As I said, the mines are a restricted location. Why do you think that is?" Celestia asked.

"Ore is mined from the tunnels. The armorers and blacksmiths smelt the ores into metal, which is then used to supply the royal guard with an assortment of weapons." Link looked at his bracelet. "Stuff like this."

"And what is that? A bracelet?"

"In simplest terms, yes. The extended version calls it a weight-bearing enhancer. This one allows for 4x the weight. A gift, from a Ponyvillian." He put his arm down as the bracelet clanked against the corner of his shield.

"Then tell me, how did you come to know of the mine, if I never brought it up?" Celestia leaned in, a bit eager to hear his response.

Link took a breath, and decided to word it plainly, taking out his ocarina. "I was given a string of notes from somepony. I played them on this, and found it let me talk with said pony with thoughts. It also seems to not have any defined range."

"And this pony..."

"This pony was caught in the mine which I need to go to."

Celestia thought for a moment, then produced a scroll. "Would this pony be by any chance, 'Emerald Storm'?"

"That's the one. Already received the report, have you?" Celestia nodded. "I see. Then, since you already know of her, this'll make it a bit more difficult."

"What do you mean?" Luna asked him.

"First off, don't punish her too bad. She didn't know they were restricted. Secondly, I believe she is in possession of one of the three keys I need. While this one trip may not bring it to me, if she was punished, it may make it that much harder to get it from her," Link explained. "Aside from that, I also believe there's the last one in the mine, or at least close to it. With her help, it'll be easier to obtain."

"So, if I have this right, you ask if I can allow access of a government controlled operation to a civilian?" Celestia questioned plainly.

That left Link stunned for a moment, at what she asked. "Well... yes." He hoped for the best.

And got it. "As you wish." Princess Celestia quickly wrote a letter of admission and gave it to Link. "I'll have a letter written before you go. Now, what of this, Epona?"

With the blue instrument in hand, he replied, "This ocarina brought her to me. I don't know the specifics, but whatever this world has in store for her, I play some part of it. I would be very grateful if you could provide a service to her. Her belongings are in a town to the north of here. As I said earlier, she's moving in with Twilight, Spike, Navi and myself at the library in Ponyville."

The princesses looked between themselves, then back to Link, who looked a bit nervous. "Very well. If it is important to you, I'll see it done." Celestia turned to the guards at their side. "Would you kindly inform the flight pegasi to ready a carrier? In addition to Link's original transport."

"I-Immediately, your Highness," the mare replied. She ran past Link, making eye contact as she did. The stallion remained.

"Pray forgive our recruit's lack of discipline. She is... new, to our guard," Luna provided. Celestia looked cautiously at her. "A transfer, from another unit. Their's is a bit more... lax when it comes to rules. We're still breaking her in."

"Don't break her too much. Good guards are few and far between. With all that's said, may I retreat to my room? There is news I must share with Epona before departure." With Celestia's and Luna's approval, Link walked back to his room, where Epona waited patiently.

"So..." Epona started as Link shut the door behind him, "what did they say?"

"They said yes. They'll help. There'll be a transport and carrier waiting for you on the flight deck, next to mine." With gratitude intended, a bit too strongly, Epona tackled Link to the ground in a very firm embrace. "Alright, alright, get offa me," he barely managed to say. As she stood up, she backed away and let him stand. "I'll reiterate: they agreed to assist in your endeavor, however, as I'm on a different route, you'll be alone in this."

"R-right. How long are you going to be gone?" she asked, sitting before him.

"Only a week or so. I don't know exactly. I'll have my hands full the moment I arrive. And depending on their situation, it might take less, or even more time than I thought." He looked down, but quickly raised his vision at her once more. "But, at least I won't be bored. Plenty to do an' all."

"Well, if you need me, just call for me. I'll come running." Epona offered, strapping her bags back on. "Though, it might take a while..."

"Promise." He stood his full height, situated his belt and headed for the door. "But yeah, I just came back to get you. Transports won't wait all day for us."

As the three of them left the room, they were escorted to the flight deck by a pair of guards, where another pair waited beside the princesses. The latter two the same as in the throne room.

"Now Link," Celestia began, "this letter will get you past the gate guardian, as well as your would-be-companion. However, you may need more than parchment to see their village's chief. He can be... stubborn, to speak of it lightly."

"We know naught of said stallion's attitude, therefore we can make no judgements, nor offer sound advice. All the same, we wish you and Epona safe travels." Princess Luna lowered her head to Link's level, which wasn't as far as she thought, with his new height atop the chariot.

Link took the letter offered by Celestia, and stowed it in his pocket. "Wait, how will I return when I'm done?"

Celestia thought a moment. Then replied, "In the village, there is a small motel, with a few rooms. The guards who fly you there can take residence there for the time being. Don't forget to use the royal seal for proof of identity." She looked at the two carrying him and nodded.

"Thank you again, Princess. It shouldn't take me more than a week." He saw Epona clamber into her own, between the pegasi and carrier.

Epona leaned forward, and hoofed her pegasi a map. "My town is that yellow circle right there." She pointed. The two looked at it, then nodded, causing Epona to retract her map. Putting it away, she waited for lift-off.

"Epona, the royal carriers are very reliable. You can trust them," the sun princess assured. "Fly swiftly to Link's destination." Then, she looked over to Link. "Stay calm, be safe. And as always, be perceptive."

The princesses watched as their pegasi took flight. Link to the north-east, and Epona just north. "Sister... I must ask... Shouldn't we be helping him find the keys he needs?"

"No, Luna. This is his mission. He alone, must break the seal placed on the door, for he alone, can reap the reward."

Half an hour later, he touched down just inside the village, beside a rather lonely tree. Now off duty, the two pegasi went to the required motel and made their stay known. Link looked back at the entrance to the village and saw the archway over it. "'Kakariko ... Mura'? ... That's an odd name."

"There you are!" a familiar voice called out above him. Strange, he didn't hear her wingbeat until she called out to him. "Glad you made it, Human."

"Hey... Emmy, I-"

Emerald landed in front of him heavily. "You're gonna tell me how you can talk in my head."

"Oh, well..." Link retrieved his ocarina and held it up. "This little thing. Played your song, and that's all there is to say about it." He put it away, as Emmy got a closer look. "But, business first. Where's the way up the mountain?" In silence, Emmy raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I can get you in too."

"Good." She turned to her right and pointed. "It's just over there. Hey... who's your friend?"

"Who? Oh, Navi?" The fairy in question came out and showed her face. "I'm glad she wants to meet you finally."

"What is she?"

Navi came out and flew around. "I'm a fairy, and I've been under his hat for most of the ride here. And, I was under his hat when you two first met. A divine pleasure to finally meet you."

"Much the same."

Link followed Emerald up a set of stairs. "What's up there?" he asked, pointing up at the tall tower.

"He's Rolling Thunderbolt. He's in charge of the weather in this little, er, not-so-little village. Over there," Emmy pointed up another 2 sets of stairs, "is who you talk to to go up the mountain. With me."

"Yes, with you. Don't make me regret this..." With Emmy following behind him, he walked up the stairs to the rather gruff-looking stallion, clad in royal armor and a spear at his side. I sure hope I don't mess this up any...

Really short journey chapter.
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Fun Fact: In Ocarina of Time, the village sign read "Kakariko Mura", lit. "Kakariko Village" in japanese.
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As usual, let me know of any mistakes I made, continuity, spelling, grammar, personality, etc.
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Also, there's a pony who shouldn't be... walking around. Take a guess as to who.