Chapter 17

                                    

                                          
Carousel Boutique, Ponyville, 7:45 am
                          
"So, what you're saying," Link started, "is that the Triforce is testing is to see if we're still worthy of wielding the fragments?"
                          
"That seems to be the most likely explanation," Lana replied. "You bear Courage, Zelda bears Wisdom, and Ghirahim was bearing Power." 
                          
"Speaking of Ghirahim," Midna said, "what did you mean by it wasn't the first time that Link had worn that green outfit?"
                          
"I'm not too sure about it," he started while sewing a hole closed in Link's new hat. "I think that Link is a reincarnation of previous heroes of a land far from Equestria."
                          
"Did you hit your head on a barrel of cider?" Link asked. "I've lived in Ponyville my whole life!"
                          
"So we think," Lana spoke. "What do you mean reincarnation?"
                          
Ghirahim answered, "As in that he is a spirit reborn through time. He would be the most recent."
                          
Fi asked, "How do you figure that?"
                          
"When I saw the tunic on Link, I immediately saw, in my head, what I believe to be a flashback. I saw a creature on two legs with the same tunic and the same bright blue eyes that Link has. He was holding his sword, and posed as if ready to fight. He didn't look too happy." 
                          
"What was the main difference, other than not being a pony?" Zelda asked. "Can you remember?"
                          
"He had golden brown hair rather than Link's bright blonde, and had a very fluffy hairstyle, which mostly fell to the right of his face-" he quickly grabbed a sketchpad and sketched it out, showing the others. "-like this."
                          
"That hairstyle is very familiar," Fi noted. 
                          
"We don't know what's going on right now," Lana said. "For all we know, one of us nearly destroyed the world for some dumb reason."
                          
"Probably me, to be honest," Ghirahim joked as he placed the fixed hat on Link's head and proceeded to fix the rest of the tunic. 
                          
Volga ran in suddenly with a package. "Lana! This package just came in from Princess Hylia!" 
                          
"Oh, thank you, Volga!" Lana praised as she took it and opened it up. It was an old book, with a note. She read aloud,
                          
"Dear Lana and friends, 
                          
Upon your request, I have been searching the libraries and archives all throughout Canterlot. Everything I find is of our own history, with no mention of anything outside of what we know. That was, until I decided to search the abandoned mines underneath Canterlot. I found this book trapped underneath a flipped mine cart that was surrounded on all sides by heavy rocks. When I skimmed the pages, I read of places and names and events that I have never heard of. I believe that this book may be useful in your search.
                          
Sincerely,
Princess Hylia."
                          
Lana opened the book and skimmed through it, gasping. "This book is about Equestria, but the facts are all wrong! The first names I see are Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, the supposed rulers of Equestria."
                          
"Well, keep going!" Link commanded. "What else does it say?
                          
Lana flipped the page and read, "Equestria is known well beyond it's borders for stressing love, compassion, and friendship. This expression of kindness throughout the ponies of the kingdom was not always so."
                          
"You mean the legend of the ancient tribes that came together and beat back the windigos?" Midna asked. 
                          
Lana continued, "Thousands of years ago, before the peaceful rule of Celestia, harmony among the races of ponies was a foreign concept. The tribe of the earth ponies were farmers, known for their tradition of growing all of the food in the land. The unicorn kingdom of Unicornia was known for their elegance and riches, holding all of the finest gemstones. The pegasus empire of Pegasopolis was known for their fierce warriors, instilling fear into the hearts of all. Both the unicorns and the pegasi controlled their environment to sustain a stable world, but only in return for food that was grown by the earth ponies."