//------------------------------// // Prologue: Twilight's Blunder // Story: Okami: Equestrian Legend // by Shaq-of-All-Trades //------------------------------// Twilight carefully finished placing the last of the books on the floor. She looked around at the collection of knowledge, which she had personally read over several times. Though she usually just reordered them, this time she looked at each of the shelves closely. When she found the hidden book of legends (thanks to Pinkie's shenanigans), she had had a new book to add to the list. If one book had been hidden, then what was to keep more from being hidden as well? She couldn't allow herself to not know what each piece of literature was, and where it was located. "Ok... so we've found how many new books, Spike?" she asked the purple dragon, who was busy taking log of all the books. "According to last inspection, we have found three new books hidden in the library, including the legend book." Spike looked over the books once more, to verify that he was correct. Satisfied, he nodded at Twilight. "Great! Now, there's only one section left to look over, and we can get back to reorganizing!" Spike groaned, and Twilight shook her head. "You know, as soon as we're done, I could get a certain dragon I know a nice shiny emerald..." Spike immediately perked up. "Ooh! can it be starburst emerald?!" "Of course, as soon as we finish up here." With renewed vigor, Spike finished listing all the books, and began to organize them on the shelves Twilight had already looked over. Twilight started looking over the last shelf, and found a small indent. Placing her hoof against it, she found that it moved away and revealed a small hole. Her hoof couldn't exactly fit, and it was too dark to risk asking Spike to put his hand in. An idea came to her. Casting as simple Light Orb spell, she looked around inside the hole. At the bottom was a simple scroll, quite long by the looks of it. "Huh, I wonder why this scroll was hidden?" Twilight tried to pick it up with her magic, but was instead given a painful shock. "OW! What the hay?" Twilight tried again, only to feel the same shock. This time however, a message appeared before her. The words looked as if they had been painted by a brush. Oh Ye What Dares Read This Scroll, Bear Witness, Then Decide Thy Fate: Within This Scroll Is That Which Should Never Be Read. Ancient Magic Taketh Root In Its Ink, And A Curse Shall Fall On All. If Thou Believeth That Light Shall Prevail, Then Set Forth In Thy Foolish Endeavor. But Heed That Tempting The Dark Is Not The Wisest OF Decisions. Take Now What Thee Seeks, And May The Stars Forever Give Thee Strength. "Well," Twilight said as the writing vanished, "That was interesting. Now, I've got to see what's in that scroll! Magic powerful enough to last this long should be studied intensely and thoroughly!" Twilight tried once more to pick up the scroll with her magic, and this time succeeded. She carefully pulled it out, and placed it on a table. "Spike, I'm about to study this scroll I've found. Need any help finishing up?" "N'aww, I got it Twi!" Spike was nearly halfway done already. Twilight smiled, and turned back to the scroll. She'd have to get him an extra large emerald when she was done. She carefully took off the string that held the scroll wrapped, and heard a strange hissing sound. She looked left and right, then back to the scroll. It was rather unsettling. She shook away the thought, and started to unroll the scroll. As she did, her sense of dread grew. Something wasn't right. The scroll was finally unrolled enough for her to see the first image, and she let out a gasp. The picture had moved. The picture had just moved. It was a picture of a large eight -headed serpent, and it had turned all its heads to face her. Slowly, she watched as it began to peel off of the paper. One of the growing heads moved close to her, and it spoke with a cold voice directly into her mind. "Thank you for releasssing me, little one," it hissed. "Now, it isss time, for me to rule once more!" Twilight prepared to close the scroll, when the serpent breathed a noxious breath on her. Her head began to spin. "Ugh, wha-?" Twilight heard Spike say something, and heard him collapse. As she fell into unconsciousness, she heard one final sentence. "What a wonderful land... and none with the power to oppose me. Not even a god." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Whoa, what happened Ammy?" Amaterasu looked up. Where was she? And why was she in a male body again? She slowly got up and looked herself over. ... She was a pony. SHE WAS A MALE PONY. Before she could properly panic, Amaterasu's attention was captured by her companion, Issun. The tiny creature leaped onto her head. "Yo, Ammy! What is going on? I'm a pony now, and so are you! This is really freaking me out... how can I create masterpieces with hooves? HOW CAN I HIT ON THE LADIES?!" Amaterasu let out a sigh. This was what she was going to have to deal with again. She tried to move around, and found her body moved similarly in this form. But why was she a pony in the first place? And why couldn't she change her form back to that of a wolf? After the initial shock wore off, the duo looked around. This wasn't her cozy little spot on the hillside. She doubted she was even in Nippon any longer. It looked like she was in a weird tree. Amaterasu spotted a door, and walked over to it. After some tough negotiating, she managed to get it open. This form was going to take some serious getting used to. When she managed to get out, her jaw dropped. "Uh, Ammy? I think something bad is going on." Issun was wording this worse than Waka's predictions. Things were bad. The entire area appeared to be cursed. Black clouds spread like a plague over the land, and large (slightly outrageous) buildings appeared depressed. "Man, Ammy, this is weird. Weren't we just in Nippon? Why are we here all of a sudden, and why is Orochi's curse all over the place? We're going to need some answers, and quick!" They set off, looking for answers in the strange world they now found themselves in.