//------------------------------// // Present Tense // Story: Family Relics: Adventures of the Past and Present // by Paradise Oasis //------------------------------// Present Tense Dream Castle... a lavender-colored fortress, with stone walls and four towered turrets. Standing in the very center of the everfree forest, this castle was home to thousands of ponies who sought safety from the numerous dangers and threats that filled the surrounding countryside. Inside of this ancient citadel, two mares were on their way to a very important meeting "So tell me, North Star." Firefly asked, as the two ponies flew down one of the halls of Dream Castle. "What kinda adventure are you talkin' about us goin' on?" "Oh, quite an extraordinary one!" The first mare exclaimed, simply beaming at the thought of going on another quest. "At least that's what Queen Majesty told me. Her royal 'highness said she'd explain everything when we got to the throne room." "Huh, well I'm always up for some excitement." The other pony replied, smiling smugly as she looked at her companion. "Ya know North, I'm actually kinda shocked you came ta ask me ta work with ya. I hard ya never like another adventurer stealing yer thunder." "What? You, steal my bloomin' thunder?" North Star scoffed, trying to hold back her laughter. "Get serious, Firefly! I've always been the castle's number one adventurin' pony!" "Yeah, you were... until I came along." Firefly bragged, flying in front of the other pony. "Back home in Fort Dash, none of the Pegasus could keep up with me! I was the fastest foal in the whole city!" "Speed an' performin' tricks is nothing like going on an adventure, believe you me!" North Star retorted, proudly putting a hoof on her chest. "Why, I went on me first adventure when I was eight, flyin' with me mum on a trench run through the great galloping gorge. Dodging goblin arrows and runin' from hungry trolls, an we made it out without a single scratch!" "You call that an epic first adventure? Ha!" Firefly laughed arrogantly. "When I was seven, Medley and I slipped away from our parents, and snuck off to the ghost city of Hollow Shades! We got chased by a bunch of bloodthirsty zombie ponies, and barely got away from the headless horse with our lives!" "Hollow Shades? Well, that's an absolute rotter compared to my narrow escapes!" North Star snorted. "Wind Whistler and I once got trapped in the volcano of Gloom, and single hoofedly foiled one of the witches' evil schemes!" "North Star, EVERYONE in Dream Castle has foiled one of the witch's scheme before." Firefly retorted, as the two pink Pegasus trotted into the throne room without even realizing it. "You're gonna have to come up with something better than that, if you want to top-" "If you are both quite done arguing over whose pair of wings are bigger..." An annoyed voice called from the throne above them. "I would like to tell you both the reason I've summoned you before me." A tall and elegant white unicorn, Queen Majesty was a stern figure whose very presence commanded respect. Descended from the great monarch Sunsparkle, first ruler of Ponykind long before the two alicorn princesses, the two braggarts suddenly felt very small before the blue-maned mare with the blue flower cutie mark. "Oh! Your highness!" The two embarrassed mares bowed in unison, finally ceasing their argument long enough to realize where they were. "We are so terribly sorry about-" "Just listen, will you?" The annoyed queen snapped. "I have a most important quest, which only the two of you can undertake." "Of course, great Majesty." Firefly replied politely. "We're here to help with whatever you may need!" "I trust both of you know of the Penna, the shape-shifting bird folk who once lived in Ponyland?"Majesty inquired, quirking an eyebrow. "The who now?" Firefly asked, puzzled. "Why of course!" North Star grinned, elated to finally have an edge over her rival. "The ruins of their temples and cities are all over this continent. Heck, my family built it's reputation as archaeologists on studying the ancient bird folk!" "I'm well aware of that, North Star. Which is exactly why I've chosen the two of you for this quest." The queen replied, getting up from her throne to pace. "You see, the artifact that I wish you to recover is the necklace of King Ruff, the onetime ruler of the penna empire. According to the ancient legends, she could, use it's awesome magic to control the very weather, or shape the mountains and valleys to his will." "Yes, I've read about that necklace!" North Star exclaimed excitedly. "Rainbow and Daring found it in the twenty ninth book, Daring Do and the jewel of the king." "North Star, would you please lay off those fairy tales you love so much!" Firefly snorted in frustration. "Everyone knows that Daring Do isn't real! A.K. Yearling probably just saw Dash find the treasure on an adventure, and wrote one of her self-insert fantasy novels based on the harmony bearer's questadventure!" "Real adventure or not, the necklace was recovered at some point, by Rainbow Dash and A.K. Yearling." The queen snapped, bringing the two ponies back to attention. "We're not quite certain what happened, but the two apparently were forced to use the power of the artifact, and it vanished from history once again." "But now it's turned up again, hasn't it?" North Star asked, having read enough Daring Do novels to know where this conversation was going. "After a thousand years, the necklace has finally resurfaced again. And now you want us to find it for you." "Rumors have surfaced in the land of Screera, a pony archaeologist who has found a dig site where a powerful artifact is supposed to be buried." The queen confirmed, "I wish you to journey to the kingdom of the scree, and discover if this dangerous artifact has indeed been found." "But the screeans are bird folk, even I know that." Firefly pointed out. "Which means they are probably descended from these 'penna' of yours. Are they really gonna be happy with us pickin' through their ancestors grave sites?" "The Screeans are known gamblers, perhaps we can use that to our advantage." North Star noted thoughtfully, her hoof on her mouth in thought. "However you two do it, I am counting on your success." The queen glanced at the compass cutie mark on North Star's flank, and the two lightning bolt cutie mark on Firefly's. "For you two are the most direct descendants of the ponies who found King Ruff necklace the last time, and my court mystics believe your fates may be tied to the artifact." "Thank you for entrusting this important task, your highness." Firefly responded dramatically, bowing a final time to her queen. "And do not fear, I shall not fail you." "I echo my companion's statements, my queen. except that I shall be the one who shall not fail you." North Star bowed as well, before following Firefly out. "What do you mean 'you' won't fail her? I'm going to be the one who finds that necklace!" "You? You couldn't find your way out of a paper bag! It'll be me who finds the necklace, and saves Ponyland!" "Oh please! If Ponyland relied on you, we'd all be Tirek fodder by now! I'll show you what an adventuring pony is like, you little pink prissy pony!" "Me?! What the hay are you talking about! You're bloody pink too!" "We are in so much trouble." Majesty groaned, collapsing back into her throne with a sigh.