Coda
Princess Celestia was enjoying a cup of tea and a moment of solace on her balcony as her sister Luna approached, wearing an amused expression and bringing with her a thick book bound in red and gold. Celestia instantly recognized it as being from the royal library; it was a book that she herself had been reading not too long ago.
The title inscribed on the cover in gold read An Anthology of Equestrian Myths and Legends. Celestia raised an eyebrow when she saw it, lifting her teacup to hide the slight smile that quirked at the corners of her mouth when she realized what Luna must have seen.
"Sister," Luna said as she approached Celestia's elegant little table. "I found this abandoned on a table in the library, and - "
"Twilight Sparkle must have left it there," Celestia answered calmly, cutting her off. "She was in here earlier. She wanted some books on Equestrian history that I was happy to provide."
"This isn't exactly a history book, I'd say. In fact, these are little more than fairytales."
"Which is presumably why she left it behind. Twilight never did care much for fables and stories, you know. She's always preferred her textbooks. Even when she decides to read for fun, she tends to prefer complex literature than can be analyzed into submission for her self-assigned book reports."
"Those are self-assigned?" Luna asked curiously, then shook her head, pursing her lips. Her sister had always been excellent at diverting the natural flow of a conversation to matters she considered more suitable or entertaining. "That may be so, but I didn't come to ask you about your student's reading habits. I found this in the library and became curious, so I began to flip through it, only to find one particular story had been bookmarked. It caught my attention, so I read it myself. Page 289."
"Ah, yes, that old story," Celestia replied lightly after setting down her teacup and taking the book that Luna had presented to her, magically opening it to the page in question. Although she flipped for a bit to find the specific page, the book almost seemed to want to fall open on it, as though it had been opened to this particular story many times in the past. "Historians never do get things completely accurate, you know. I guess they'd have had to have been there to know all the details."
"I don't seem to recall the language back then being quite so obvious or repetitive," retorted Luna, taking a seat to join her sister. Without looking up from the book, Celestia magially took hold of the teapot and poured her companion a cup of the fragrant amber liquid. Luna accepted it with a quick "thank you" before taking a sip herself. "The tribe leaders come across as little more than simpletons. As do we!"
"Well, keep in mind that stories like these are meant to be read by modern audiences of little ponies who aren't familiar with the archaic language used back then," answered her sister, despite the twinkle in her eye as she skimmed the tale. "One has to make allowances for the writers. They had noble enough intentions."
Celestia paused. "As for myself, I do seem to recall quite a bit more usage of the Royal Canterlot Voice back in the day. It's disappointing to see it forgotten. And if I'm remembering correctly, there should've been more swearing on Commander Hurricane's part."
Luna grinned, the expression in her eyes growing distant as the memory came over her. "It's no surprise that Princess Platinum used to believe all pegasi were brutes, if he was the only one that she'd ever had any dealings with before," she said with something like a chuckle, before taking on a more serious air. "But I wanted to ask you something."
"Mmm? Ask me what, sister?"
"Is it ... true?"
Celestia didn't look up. A slight smile still touched her mouth as she read. A feeling of something like nostalgia was coming over her, just as it had come over Luna. "The sun and moon and stars are your crowns and jewels ... I remember that," she said in an almost dreamy voice, so different from the dignified manner she usually bore herself with in public. "We were so young and silly then; and they were so much younger and sillier, always squabbling and making up moments later. Yet they seemed to be so old and wise back then."
"Don't evade the question!" Luna said shortly, setting down her cup with more ferocity than was called for, creating a sharp chink sound as porcelain hit porcelain. "I want to know how accurate this little collection of inaccuracies is."
"In which way?"
Luna paused.
" ... did you really go into hiding afterwards?"
And then, Celestia did look up from the book.
Her eyes shone, though whether from suppressed laughter or something more, Luna couldn't have said.
"I may have spent a few days sulking on my own afterwards, and they may have had to drag me back outside and give me a good scolding," she said mildly. "But I'd hardly call it going into hiding."
There was a moment of shared silence between them while Luna drank her tea and Celestia finished reading.
At last she closed the book and set it back down on the table. "That brings back memories," she sighed happily. "Whether or not it's completely accurate, stories like that can't help but make you think of the way things used to be. Right?"
"Even if the stories aren't especially happy ones?"
"Oh, it was happy enough. It ended with everypony involved learning an important lesson. And now we know that it's happy, for we've seen the end, even if it's not recorded on the page."
"If anypony were to hear you speak now, sister, I'm sure any heartwarming effect the story may have had would be greatly diminished. You sound on the verge of laughter."
"Because it's all so silly! As if any of this even matters."
"Well, it mattered back then. Even if it doesn't any longer."
Another silence.
A minute went by.
And another one.
"Yes, Luna, I missed you dearly." Celestia said softly, meeting her sister's eyes over the table, reaching out to touch her hoof with her own. The expression on her face was a strange blend of gentle sadness and humor. It had been a long time, after all, and to continue mourning a thousand year-old tragedy was foalish. All you could really do when confronted with such a need was laugh. "Every day afterwards, I regretted it. And so I devoted my life to finding a way to atone by becoming better than I ever was before. As funny as these old fairytales can be, that part was true,"
"I missed you as well," Luna replied after a moment, looking almost shy. "I was so lonely before ... I'd thought that you'd forgotten all about me, since you'd grown to be so beloved by everypony else. But I understand now. Love ... isn't something that can simply be used up or run out. If only I'd known that. Before."
"Like I said," came Celestia's playfully serene response. "A very important lesson was learned. Loving many doesn't mean loving others any less."
"I don't really feel that came through very well in the story, to be honest. A fault with the writer, I imagine."
Celestia smiled, giving a little dismissive shrug of her shoulders, and drank her tea. "It's still a lesson we learned, isn't it? What does it matter if it came through well or not?
Luna struggled to think of a response, but couldn't. After a moment, she smiled and shrugged as well before taking another sip.
The book of mistaken pasts was left forgotten, and the two royal sisters decided to leave behind their shared memories, looking instead towards their shared present and eventual future.
Knowing, even if they didn't have a book to tell them so, that they were going to end up happily ever after.
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Wuut.. I will reaad!
This is so good, it deserves my custom stamp of aproval.
i.imgur.com/DKwQD.jpg
But no matter how good this is. You have to let more ponies that just you have the featured box. There needs to be a rule that you can't have all the spaces on the little bar of fun at the top of the screen.
Good God, how quickly can you turn these out?
Goddammit AA, do you want anyone else to get featured!
I'm waiting for the day that you have all five slots on the feature box to yourself. Is that what you want?
You evil mastermind!
596547
I know you mean this as a compliment, but speaking for myself, it's deeply insulting. It suggests I, as a popular author, am actually trying to crowd other people out, which is far from the case.
Just sayin', man, you know.
I think AA should write 5 stories, and then upload them all at the same time, and see if all 5 get featured.
596565 What with the new updated feature box, all she has to do is save up 3 stories, release them all at once and update "The Games We Play" and "Pinkie Watches Paint Dry".
Pony sisters save us all...
596575
I am just saying, that at the rate you two are going, The featured box is going to be held up for quite a while.
But, i see where you are getting at, so I apologize
An AA story, and about Amaterasu? *sigh* Looks like I'm going to have another unproductive day. *gets to reading*
596537
You do realize that she has no control over whether or not her stories get featured, right?
This was certainly worth reading, a nice background story for Celestia and Luna.
596547 heh heh you don't read journals do you?
596848
I unsubbed a while ago for various reasons.
I see you adapted this from the old Japanese myth of Amaterasu-Omikami going into hiding before being drawn out again by Ame-no-Uzume. I like how well you did in repurposing the myth to work into the backstory of the series.
596870 aww c'mon now, that's not the way we do things around here. This is a right friendly place, makes me happy to be here. We're all a family, I'm sure whatever your grievence with AA it can be worked out.
596913
Hey I tried, she ain't havin none of it.
But, she is right in her respect to do so, and that is fine by me.
The only thing I know of the Amaterasu (how does spellchecker know this word already but not teleport) myth is a really cool videogame. You know the one. The one that was cool. Anyway, gonna read this.
A most enjoyable and heartwarming read. I love fantastic mythology (that is, the mythology of an already fictional universe,) and this was a great take on the classic Japanese story.
Also, Commander Hurricane being a foul-mouthed ass is several kinds of fantastic.
Well done!
If I had a child into ponies, I would read this to them.
love the rate a which you release stories AA but I think I'll save my thumbs and favs for the truly spectacular ones
Another one? Really?
*sigh*
It's alright, I'll give you that. But do you have to write so many new stories so often?
597561 to keep us busy from finding where he lives.
597638
*she
Canada, apparently.
596736 Well lets put it this way. She knows, if she uploads a story. It will get featured.
What? This story is not rated higher nor in the feature box? what blasphemy is this??
I will definitely make sure to read this 
.......it'll just have to be later, I'm afraid 
We are still waiting for the idiots guide.
Real comment later, but for now let me say I love this and your work continues to amaze me.
now i want to read the Japanese myth of Amaterasu.
Right: A real comment, as promised.
First, I love the way the first chapter of this is written. You captured the language and rhythms of old myths and fairy tales perfectly - I love these kinds of stories, and always have. That made me smile, a lot - and not only that, but even using the simplistic style you managed to make it beautiful. The characters have a lot of individuality and personality, but the flow of the words and story never breaks. I can't say i've read the myth of Amaterasu - not this one, at least. But I can say that this is a story I would read to my niece or nephew in a heartbeat, and one I love myself. And I like the idea of Puddinghead and company being the original Elements of Harmony - it's not something I ever really considered, but it fits really well - if only from what we've seen of them in the show.
The whole mythology you've created here is brilliant because it has so many layers. Even if you never say it outright the way the world changes is evident, and huge chunks of its (potential) history are revealed - it world builds more than almost any other story out there, and yet the focus is never away from the relationships between the ponies. I'm not sure how you managed it, but i'm impressed. A lot.
And the epilogue is amazing too. I love how you write Celestia - i've said that before - and her interactions with Luna here feel perfect to me.
It's an awesome story, boss. You should be proud - i've seen a lot of people try to capture the style, but only two who succeeded.
600982
In the original story, Amaterasu, the sun goddess, got into a fight with her brother and went to sulk in a cave - but since she was a sun goddess, this meant that the sun didn't rise while she was in hiding. So the other gods got together to scheme a way to make her come out, and they ended up throwing a kickass party hosted by Ama-no-Uzume outside her cave to get her attention. That's pretty much it, but it seemed like it'd work perfectly with MLP; just make Amaterasu be Celestia and Uzume be an old-timey Pinkie Pie, and there ya go.
You should make a series of adapted myths and make an actual anthology for Equestria
I think some might even be picked up and kept by the show...
Yes, I think they're that good.
601036 Given that that's all you had to work with, what you ended up with is pretty amazing. And yes, the adaption fits extremely well.
One thing I didn't mention originally is that it's a powerful story, too - somehow, even as simply as it's told, the story of Celestia struggling to keep things working properly in her grief is a heartbreaking one.
I was looking forward to a story of how the elements wound up in the temple and how they became stone spheres.
Yeesh I can't believe it took me this long to read this. That was a very well done story, Anon, and As much as I usually avoid origin stories for Equestria I'm happy I read this. A couple things though: the cycle of elements to convince Celestia to come out was a bit too predictable but it was executed well despite that. The passive narrative made it hard to follow at times but that might just be on me.
The Coda does help considering it's supposed to be a fairy tale for foals. Overall I enjoyed this.
Just... So good. This is just amazing.
Same as the pony above, this is an excellent story.
This story...
dl.dropbox.com/u/5331373/memes/It%27s%20Beautiful.jpg
Japanese myth or not, the way you ponified and presented it deserves framing the story in platinum frames and hanging it on the Royal Canterlot Wall of Fame. I have next to no words on how amazingly accurate you captured the style of a fairy tale in the first chapter. This:
sounds a little like you wanted to justify the use of this style, but without it, the story would lose much (if not all) of its charm.
I feel I have to share something with you. During that half of a year time of hanging here, among such prominent writers like yourself, I've grown to appreciate the art of writing much more. I have been an avid reader since childhood, but never before the ponies have I actually stopped and thought much on any story I had read before, admiring its style, characterization, and what-not. And I feel I have to say it clearly: this very fic is one of the most beautiful stories (if not the most beautifulone ), pony or not, I read in a very, very long time. It certainly deserves its place in my list of top 5 favorites.
Thank you so much for sharing it. I have said it a couple of times now, but let me repeat: it's such a loss to see you go.
Amaterasu Approved
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You can has review!
posted 2012 damn this is an old story