//------------------------------//
// Prompt #418: An Age Long Passed 
// Story: Ponywatching 
// by ThunderTempest 
//------------------------------//

"While I'm happy that you're not being such a scaredy-cat, Sun, did you really have to bring us this deep into the Everfree?" asked Apple Blossom, looking around at the rapidly darkening forest as the canopy became more and more dense.

"Yeah," added Rock Slide, "All you said was that you needed our help with something that you found in here."

"Well, it isn't actually me that needs help," said Sun Shade, "But I said that I would help her, and she said that if I had any friends that they could help as well."

Apple Blossom and Rock Slide exchanged glances as Sun Shade trotted ahead.

"You don't think...?"

"Who else lives in this forest, Rock? She's using Sun to lure us in and then she's gonna eat us!" Apple Blossom whispered

"Sun Shade is occasionally terrified to go out of her room, Blossom. If she's not scared of the Old Witch, then I don't see what you're worried about. Besides, have you ever actually known anyone who's been 'eaten' by the Witch?"

"Well, my granny said..."

"Screw your granny," said Rock Slide, "Who do you trust more, your granny or your best friends?"

"We're here!" called Sun Shade, as the three emerged into a more open space, and were confronted with a partially overgrown castle. As They were about to cross the bridge, the air sparkled and burst, and Twilight appeared.

Both Apple Blossom and Rock Slide broke out into a scream, but were prevented from bolting back the way they came because Sun Shade put a hoof on each of their tails.

"Guys, I'd like you to meet Twilight Sparkle, and she's really not as bad as the fairy tales make her out to be," said Sun Shade.

"You're not a witch?" asked Rock Slide

"Not as the stories say," said Twilight with a smile, "And I certainly don't eat ponies. But I am able to use magic. And though I dislike the name, the 'old' part of Old Witch of the Woods certainly applies."

"How old are you?" said Apple Blossom, "I mean, you really don't look much older than my sister."

"Blossom," hissed Sun Shade, "that's kind of rude."

Twilight, however, laughed.

"You remind me a lot of a friend of mine. Tell me, what do you know about the era of the Four Princesses?"

All three of the young ponies blinked.

"It was just after the Thousand-Year Monarchy, a golden age that lasted for a hundred years, and that's about it." said Rock Slide.

"I remember seeing something in a museum that had the names of the princesses on it, but I can't remember them." said Sun Shade.

Twilight Smiled, and there was a crack and a pop, and suddenly, the four of them were inside the castle, and in front of them was a giant stone relief, depicting four winged and horned ponies sitting on thrones.

"Celestia, Princess of the Sun," said Rock Slide, reading off the carving, "Luna, Princess of the Moon. Cadence, Princess of Love, and Twilight, Princess of Friendship."

"Hello there, my little ponies" said Twilight, with a smile.