//------------------------------//
// Old Legend, New Recital 
// Story: Okami: Equestrian Legend 
// by Shaq-of-All-Trades 
//------------------------------//

	Amaterasu trotted carefully, watching her step. The cursed zone seemed to extend in every direction, and she had no desire to lose her power now. Issun sat atop her head, looking all around for some clue as to how they had come about this situation. "Ammy, this is really weird. It feels like all of my memories are gone, like somepony turned back the clock... Uh, did I just say somepony?!" Amaterasu ignored him, as she usually did. He'd keep babbling on for a while, then settle down. Right now, she had to figure out a way to dispel this curse zone, so that they could explore further.

Suddenly, as if on cue,  pony-shaped imp appeared. Amaterasu tilted her head. If ponies were going to be the theme here, then she was considering just giving up now. Issun seemed to have a different idea.

"Ok Ammy, here's the deal! We need to find and take out as many of these monsters as we can! If we do, this area might be cleared of its curse!" Amaterasu sighed, and took a combat stance. The imp pulled out a flute, and began to play from beneath its paper mask. "Let's take this small fry out quickly!"

Without need for further encouragement, Amaterasu used her mirror and beat the imp into oblivion. She found a small pile of strange coins, and a few demon fangs. Issun picked them up quickly, and kept them wherever he keeps the things she found. After a moment, a burst of flowers appeared, and a small patch of land suddenly burst with bright pastel colors. Amaterasu watched as the colors spread to form a thin path to a building shaped like a pastry. Amaterasu walked to the building with a sense of apprehension.

"Looks like we're in another weird situation, Ammy! But, this is the only place we can go right now, so let's not worry about! Leap first, think later!" Sighing once more, she opened the door of the strange building. Inside were two strange statues. They were both ponies, one tall-ish and thin, the other shorter and plump. Issun hopped off of Amaterasu's head and looked at them closer. "Ammy, I'm getting a weird feeling of deja vu here. Like something similar to this has happened before. Could this have anything to do with why we're here, or why we can't seem to remember anything?"

Suddenly, the sound of a guitar coursed through the building. It appeared to come from upstairs. Issun hopped back onto Amaterasu's head, and they quickly dashed up the stairs. Ammy paused at the top though, listening for the origin of the sound. Out of nowhere, however, came the sound of two children crying. Issun began hopping frantically.

"Ammy! Those are kids crying! We can't let anything dangerous happen to them; let's go!" Amaterasu let out a snarl (which was strange, coming from a pony body) and rushed into the room where the cries seemed to originate. Busting through the door, the two watched as three imps tossed around two baby ponies, one which had a horn, and the other brandishing a pair of wings. Their cries tugged at the heart strings, and completely had the attention of the imps. Using the distraction, Ammy struck them down.

When their bodies faded away, they walked over to the two small ponies. The one with the horn was chewing on her hoof, and the other was pounding the floor frantically. Issun leaped down before them.

"Hey, hey, hey! No need to be afraid anymore. Me and my pal Ammy here have made all the bad monsters go away! So stop with the sad faces, alright?" The two babies looked at each other, then back to Issun. Suddenly they pounced on him, giving him a very awkward hug. "Hey! Lemme go, will ya? And stop laughing Ammy, this isn't funny!"

Amaterasu stopped snickering, and noticed that the room had begun to glow. Suddenly, color exploded outward, as if spreading from the happiness of the young ponies. Amaterasu shook her head, and listened as the sound of hoofsteps appeared from nowhere. At the door, two ponies appeared, frantic panic lacing their eyes.

"Get away from our children!" said the shorter female one. She bumped Ammy aside and snatched up the kids. The taller male stood glaring at Amaterasu as if she were trouble... which isn't entirely untrue, but it wasn't her fault either. Issun leaped from the kids and landed on Ammy's head, and started to mouth off at the two pony parents.

"Hey! Who do you think you're talking to? We're the ones who just saved your kids from a bunch of monsters! If anything, you should be thanking us, not attacking us!" The ponies gasped.

"You saved our children?" said the tall male. "Please, accept our apologies! We were downstairs working on pastries for an upcoming celebration, when we heard a strange noise. Then, all we could remember was waking up just now." He put his leg around the female pony and pulled her closer. "I'm Mr. Cake, this is my wife Mrs. Cake, and these are our darling children, Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake."

"Well, this here is my main man Amaterasu, and I'm Issun! As you can probably tell, we're not from around here. We're trying to figure out where we are and how we got here. Then, maybe we'll be able to get back home."

"Well," Mrs. Cake started, "We can tell you where you are at least. This is Ponyville, a small town in our fair land of Equestria. Usually, the place is a lot more peaceful. We're not sure how there are monsters just roaming around now."

Ammy and Issun looked at each other. Neither had the heart to explain that whatever had brought them could have brought something else as well. They had children to worry about. "Thanks for telling us that, though it doesn't really help much. Don't worry about the monsters though! We've got it handled. With our Celestial Brush Strokes, there's nothing at all to worry about!"

Suddenly, the room grew dim. Light streamed down from above, and a night sky full of stars appeared. Several of the stars gleamed brighter than the others, and they seemed to form a giggling pony. Issun appeared more shocked than Ammy, as the formation appeared.

"Is that a constellation?! But we found all 13 Celestial Brushes! Well, a new technique is a new technique. Let's get it!" Using her tail, Amaterasu filled in the missing stars of the constellation. When it was complete, the sound of giggles surrounded them. From the constellation came bouncing a pink pony pulsating with positive energy. She hugged Ammy tightly.

"Wowie zowie! That was crazy! I was just minding my business, then there was a crazy snake-like monster, then I went like poof! Next thing I know I'm in the sky, but not the normal sky, oh no, I was in a weird sky and I was all starry! Then you came along and now we're here and are you ok?"

Amaterasu had long since stopped breathing, her lung pipes crushed by the pony's death grip. The pink pony let go, and Ammy collapsed to the ground. Pinkie gasped, then breathed inside of Ammy's mouth. Amaterasu gasped, and started breathing again normally. As the pony apologized, she was enveloped in a strange light. An orb formed, and shot into Amaterasu.

"Hey, Ammy, I think we just got a new technique! Wonder what it does though..." The pony's eyes glowed with a strange light, similar to the glow that had just enveloped her.

"Oh Amaterasu, origin of all that is good in Nippon and mother to them all. Though this is not your world, it needs your help. You will discover that your techniques are of no use here. However, there is a power in this land, which will provide you with new techniques. My power is weak, and I will not be able to speak with you much longer. Find the rest of the Elements of Harmony, and use the techniques their powers give you. From this element, the Element of Laughter, you receive the technique of Healing. Use it, and save this land, Amaterasu and Issun.

Suddenly, the light disappeared from her eyes, and the pink pony returned to normal. Issun looked at her. "Uh, are you feeling ok...?"

"I'm Pinkamena Diane Pie, but everypony calls me Pinkie!" the pony said, "And I feel, just fine considering I was just possessed by an unknown deity!"

"Wait... what did you say?"

"Nothing! Now, I'm gonna help the Cakes out. If ya need anything, just come on by!" With that, Pinkie bounced away to meet up with the Cakes, and they began talking. Issun hopped off of Amaterasu's head and looked at her.

"Well, Ammy, it looks like something pretty bad is going on around here. I don't exactly know how we got dragged into this situation, but if what that pony said is true, then we're needed here! Besides, more brush techniques are always handy! So, ready to do this?" Issun looked into Amaterasu's eyes, and the answer was blatantly clear. "That's what I thought! Let's do it! Let's save Equestria!"