Night of the first day:
60 hours remaining
Hero and Pinkie had returned, and it was now six o'clock. They wasted no time and went straight in to claim the prize. "Let's go, buddy! It's time to win this. I know you have a good reason for wanting that, so I'll help you get it. You saved my life in those tunnels. It's the least I could do." Hero nodded in gratitude as they opened the door to reveal a room resembling a dance party with an eye-catching carnival.
"Hello and welcome to the Treasure House Room! So, you two want to try for this prize: a mystery instrument? What is it? Well, that's what makes it a mystery." The stallion then made a gesture of showing off. "Let's see what you two got; if you can make it through this maze and claim what's in that chest near the back, it's yours. But this isn't your typical maze."
"Oh, we've dealt with mazes, even Discord's maze. This maze is a snap." Pinkie was eager to begin as the horn blared for them to start. Hero and Pinkie then made it to the first square of what appeared to be a checkerboard-like maze. The walls were invisible, even though the chest was in clear view.
So it was going to be that kind of challenge, huh? Well, Hero didn't have time to fail. He needed to get moving. They both bumped into a few walls. Then Pinkie started sniffing the ground like a bloodhound and dashing around the maze. How did she do this? It was probably best not for Hero to question this as she made it to the chest, and the stallion blew the whistle, marking its finish.
"Well, now. I'll be. You two were the first ones to figure this out. How did you do it?"
"Aww, that was easy. There was a trail of cookie crumbs along the way. Small, yes, but not too small for this nose," Pinkie giggled as they saw that the stallion who had the game going also had a small box of oatmeal raisin cookies next to him.
Pinkie snatched the victory, and Hero got the unique instrument. "Oohh... It's an ocarina. It's so shiny." Hero felt satisfied. He could now return to the clock tower to see that sales pony. "Aww, you look so happy, buddy, so then, you lead the way!"
Pinkie followed behind Hero as they left the Treasure House and went West to South Clock Town. He pushed open the doors that led inside of the Clock Tower.
"Well, well, look who's back. You've brought your instrument, haven't you? Excellent, my friend," the sales pony Flam exclaimed as he gestured towards the organ set in the corner and sat to play the keys. "It's important that you remember this tune, as it will be crucial for your journey here." As Hero began to play the new ocarina, it transformed into a shape reminiscent of a changeling. "Ah, the hive horns. Any form will suffice as long as it can channel magic."
"Now, if you could please follow along," Flam said, preparing to play the tune.
Left, right, bottom, left, right, and bottom. Hero played the song on his horn, and as the music echoed, a swirling volley of pink magic surrounded his body. He felt woozy as the magic fought against the evils within him.
For a brief moment, Hero's vision was engulfed in a blinding white light, and he felt a sense of euphoria wash over him. As this fever dream played, he saw a magnificent, colorful changeling mirage floating away in the distance. The mirage appeared to be at peace, its once-tortured features now relaxed and serene.
It gave Hero a last, grateful glance as if to thank him for freeing it from the curse that had plagued it. Hero, with a smile, waved goodbye to the mirage that drifted further and further away until it was eventually out of sight. Though the experience was surreal, he felt a sense of satisfaction knowing that he had played a part in healing the wounded mirage and setting it free.
After Hero's eyes opened and his vision cleared, the wooden mask fell from his face onto the tower floor. With a feeling of utmost joy, he looked at himself and saw that he was back to his original form. Pinkie gasped in shock. "Wowie... It was you, Hero! I'm sorry I didn't believe you before. I guess all that bravery did make sense. This world was so wild that I didn't know what to believe. How did you turn into that changeling?"
Hero explained to her what had happened. "Oh, after we disappeared, that mask possessing Luna cursed you to look like that. Aww... that's so mean." Pinkie hugged Hero, and he returned the hug with happiness.
"That song that you played is called the Song of Healing. It's used to heal and soothe broken and wounded souls and ease their grievances. It is a very powerful song. You can use it whenever you see someone or a creature that looks too far gone from conventional saving. All it takes to find happiness is to make the right choices for yourself and be good to others."
"That's awesome, Hero. So now, we need to go and find everyone else and save Luna."
"There is still time for you to save this world and retrieve the mask that possesses that poor mare. I have faith in you." The sales pony bid them farewell. "If you need a moment of reprieve, you can come here. Time doesn't operate in here the same way it does out there."
Hero looked at the changeling mask, slightly melancholy, unsure what to do with it. "Don't worry, my lad. The evils were healed from your soul and sealed in that mask. If you need it, wear the mask to become a changeling again. Take it off your face when you want to remove it, and you'll be a unicorn again."
While inspecting the changeling mask, Hero couldn't help but notice how sad it looked. Its features were etched with a forlorn look of despair and horror. He and Pinkie shared a mutual look of understanding and sympathy for the relic that Hero was holding onto. They then expressed their gratitude and left the clock tower, reaching South Clock Town to find that the night was nearly over.
The sun would rise soon as they decided to make good on what little time of the night they had left. "Hey, Hero, remember that Moon's Tear that fell from that moon? Now that you're a pony again, they'll have to let you out once they see your sword on your back." Pinkie and Hero then approached the exit of Clock Town at the south gate to see that same guard.
"Halt! This gate leads out to the southern swamps of the Changeling Kingdom at Woodfall. Being so young is perilous for you without... a sword? My apologies, sir. It was wrong of me to treat you both like foals. Please be safe in your travels." The soldier then tapped the bottom of his spear into the ground as the gate opened for them both to leave Clock Town.
"Wee... let's go!" Pinkie cheered as they both left the walled town.
The night sky was vast and expansive, and the cool night air bristled their fur. Pinkie took a deep breath and kept close to Hero. Hero saw the crater where the moon's tear fell and galloped over to it, unsheathing his blade in his magic in case they got ambushed by monsters.
A few smooze blobs went for them, but Hero slashed right through them, cutting them in half and killing them in one overhand blow as they popped like water bubbles. They then approached the crater and saw its glow; this was what that business changeling wanted so badly. The gem looked nice to give to someone you cared for deeply.
"You sure showed them who the boss was, Hero," Pinkie said. Hero nodded in satisfaction as he reached down to pick up the fallen gem and then returned to the walled town to ensure Pinkie's safety. "This will be so much fun, you and me, working together to find our friends again. It's like a whole new adventure for our vacation." They both made it back in as the guard lowered the gate to keep any monsters from sneaking into town.
Hero and Pinkie headed back inside and went over to the pod the business changeling had. That business changeling had recognized Hero as the changeling from before and said, "You're the changeling I met earlier. I recognize your scent. You're quite a unique creature." Hero then presented the moon's tear gem to the changeling, causing the drone's face to light up. "You have a moon's tear?! Please, give it to me. In exchange, I'll give you this pod and its deed. It's a great location for any grub looking to start a business. What do you say?"
Hero agreed and gave the gem to the changeling in exchange for the title deed for the pod. The changeling thanked him and left to head to the swamps. Hero felt happy that he was able to help someone. However, they both realized that time was running out. Pinkie asked Hero if he thought the moon would fall and destroy everything and what would happen to their friends. Hero reassured her that they would get through this and that friendship would prevail.
As they explored the town, they found a few open shops and decided to stock up on supplies. One of the shops was a curiosity shop that sold questionable goods. However, they knew that desperate times called for desperate measures. They then decided to get some sleep at the local inn before the morning arrived.
They spotted three intriguing items for sale: a Hero's Bow, a bomb bag, and magic potions to recharge a unicorn's depleted magic. "This place seems to have some useful stuff, don't you think?" Hero nodded as he approached the counter to see the shady-looking horse, ostensibly in his forties.
"Yo, yo, and hello. Welcome to the Curiosity Shop, where you can find almost everything you need. However, you both seem too young to be perusing these wares."
"Would you be willing to trade for any of these items?" Pinkie asked, surprisingly mature, which caught Hero off guard.
"I won't unless you have something of equal value to offer me," he replied and then scoffed at Pinkie, "Nice try acting like a grown-up kid. It was a good effort." He gestured towards the door, "I have an actual business to attend to, so I'll have to ask you two to leave my shop. Yo, yo, and good night!"
As Pinkie Pie and her best friend Hero decided to end their day, they walked towards the Stock Pot Inn, a cozy and welcoming inn located in the heart of town. As they entered the building, they were greeted by an elegant mare at the reception desk. The mare had a kind, welcoming smile that put them at ease.
"Hello there, you two," she said, "and welcome to the Stock Pot Inn. Do you have a reservation for one of our rooms?"
Pinkie shook her head. "Nope, we were hoping we could get one if it's not too late."
The mare checked her list and confirmed that a room for two was available. "Yes, we have one room left," she said. "It's perfect for two ponies like you. You look adorable together, by the way," she said with a smile.
Pinkie's cheeks turned a light shade of pink. "Oh, we're just good friends," Pinkie said, trying to clarify.
The mare laughed. "Of course, of course. You both still look lovely together. May I get your names please?"
Pinkie and Hero gave their names, and the mare confirmed that there was indeed a room available for them. Pinkie dug into her poofy mane and retrieved her wallet full of bits. She counted the correct amount for one night's stay, as indicated on the price listing for each patron. After counting the bits, she nodded and handed them the key to their room. "Enjoy the night, you two," she said with a bow.
"Thank you so much," Pinkie replied, his voice full of gratitude.
As they made their way to their room, Pinkie couldn't help but feel happy that they had found such a nice place to stay. The room was cozy and warm, with a comfortable bed and fluffy pillows. They both settled in for the night, feeling grateful for the kindness shown to them by the mare at the Stock Pot Inn.