//------------------------------// // What a Twist! // Story: Okami: Equestrian Legend // by Shaq-of-All-Trades //------------------------------// As the town began once more to come abuzz with vibrant pony life, a new path opened up for Amaterasu and Issun. It appeared to head into the countryside. "Ammy, I get the feeling that we're about to deal with something overly complicated for no properly explainable reason," Issun muttered. Ammy could only nod. Typically, these kinds of things happened. Especially when things were going pretty well. "Well, nothing to it but to do it!" Amaterasu chose instead of dashing to leisurely stroll through the countryside path. The air was fresher, and the effects of the curse wasn't as strong. In fact, there were large swathes of land unaffected. It was a much needed break from all the difficulties the pair had experienced so far. In fact, it was so relaxing that they nearly missed the barrier. Ammy paused for a moment, sniffing the air. "What is it, furball?" Amaterasu looked around. There, just a little further down. What looked like an empty orchid was in fact coursing with dark magic. A faint outline a barrier could be seen. Ammy pointed with her hoof, and Issun hopped off to investigate. "Whoa! Nice catch, Ammy! This is a really strong barrier! It has to be protecting something important! But I can't think of a way to get through it..." Amaterasu was experiencing the same issue. The barrier was making her nose itch. She scratched at it with her hoof, then noticed a small construct in a nearby tree. She started to move towards it, leaving Issun to investigate the barrier. The construct was only about twenty meters away from the edge of the barrier, but the stench of evil was completely washed by the smell of happiness and friendship. Ammy felt herself smile at the peace. That smile lasted about ten seconds. "I'm talking to the magic earth pony! That weird pegasus gave the gift to me!" said a squeaky voice. "Nuh-uh! He asked me!" said a deeper voice, with a southern lilt to it. "You're both acting completely uncool! He so asked me!" said a voice that reminded Ammy of a chicken for some reason. Figuring that something very bad was about to happen, Amaterasu turned to run away when she heard a three way gasp behind her. She slowly turned, dreading what would be waiting for her. Because of this dread, she was quite caught off-guard to see three small fillies looking up at her with admiration in their oversized eyes. "Y'all must be the magic earth pony that pegasus went on about!" said the red maned filly with the bow. She was the owner of the southern voice. "Yeah! He totally wanted to give you something, but he was all like, 'I can't see this pony again quite yet, I need to work on making my next prophecy sound cool ma cheries." said the purple maned filly with wings. She was the one who reminded Ammy of a chicken, and the goddess felt the sudden urge to take a nibble. She held it in though. Mostly. "He was so sparkly too! And he told us to give it to you if you'd play a game with us!" said the filly with the horn who looked an awful lot like Rarity. She was the one who had the squeaky voice, although it wasn't unpleasant. Almost sing-song. Amaterasu blankly looked at them, until Issun luckily came over and spoke. "Hey there little ponies! Ammy here doesn't talk, but I'm sure if he could, he'd be glad to take your offer! We could use all the help we can get!" Amaterasu prepared to shake her head in a fierce no when the three fillies cheered. "CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS GAME MASTERS!" they cried in unison, and ran off towards the apple orchard. "Those are some spirited kids, huh Ammy?" Issun said with a smile. Meanwhile, Amaterasu was burning with an intense feeling of annoyance. Issun noticed quickly. "Uh... Ammy? You ok? You look really, REALLY mad... I know I didn't ask if you wanted to play, but I figured since you always say yes..." Before he could finish, she lowered him to the ground, and promptly sat on him until the anger ebbed away. He was surprisingly comfy. Once she was satisfied, she got off the Poncle and proceeded on her merry way after the fillies. After all, she was interested in what they had to give her. Besides, playing a game with three younglings couldn't be that bad, could it? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "WE ARE GOING TO DIE!!!" Issun screamed, and Amaterasu couldn't help but agree. The game they had to play was making their way through and obstacle course... a timed obstacle course. A booby-trapped obstacle course. "Where did they even learn how to do this crap?!" At the moment, they were trying to not fall off an apple tree into a pit filled with wolves made out of wood. Amaterasu leaped into the next tree, careful to make sure her hooves touched down on a branch. One of them snapped and fell into the pit, and seemed to make one of the wolves grow larger. Giving them wood=bad, she noted, her heart pumping. She leaped across several more trees, before landing on a crudely painted target. Ammy tried breathing, but was startled by a megaphone in her ear. "ONLY TEN MORE LAPS!" Scootaloo screamed. "TRY TAH GO FASTER!" Applebloom shouted next. "I REALLY LIKE YOUR TAIL!" Sweetie Bell said in a loud voice, to the confusion of the others. "What? It's pretty." Amaterasu breathed heavily, and began the circuit again. It was a tiring ordeal, but she somehow managed. She collapsed onto her stomach and took a nap, while Issun leaped to talk to the fillies. "Ok, we played your stupid game. Now where is this object you promised us?!" "Ah, we was just doing what we were told!" Applebloom said, though she did look a little sad. Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell looked sad too. In fact, they seemed on the verge of tears. "Oh man," Issun said, "I can't bear to see a kid cry. Look, I'm sorry, ok? But me and Ammy here, we really have something important to do. That means we can't just spend all day playing around with you three." Applebloom's eyes widened. "That's right! Mah family and the farm are missing!" She turned to the others, distress in her eyes. "I forgot all about em when that pegasus came! Oh, what'll we do girls?" "Maybe if we give them the thing, they can help?" Sweetie Bell guessed, and Issun bounced up and down his approval. "That's it exactly! It's probably behind that barrier we saw!!! Give us this item quick, so we can break through it!" The three fillies convened, seemingly discussing something, before they all joined back up in front of Ammy and Issun. Working together, they lifted up... a rock. They held it before themselves like it was a sacred object. "A ROCK?!" Issun raged. As he went off though, Ammy noticed a strange scent from the rock. She raises her hoof to touch it, when it falls apart and begins to glow. Everypony takes notice of this new development. The glowing pieces of stone slowly rise, and begin to spin around Amaterasu quickly. The glow begins to burn like the sun, a fiery orange that Ammy can't help but feel resonate within her. Slowly the inferno of light comes closer, and comes into contact with her flesh. For a moment, the goddess' vision is blanked out. Just as quickly, it returns to how it was, though she noticed the fillies were looking at her in awe. "Wow! That looks just like an Element of Harmony!" they cried in unison. Even Issun was stunned. Ammy looked down and noticed that she was now wearing a breastplate of the purest gold, with a red sun symbolically glistening on its front. Energy flowed through her, and she knew now that whatever this object was, it was tied to her and her alone. It was as if it represented and boosted an aspect of herself. "Furball... I think we just found the answer to our prayers. Get it? Prayers!"