Some years ago…

Argyle Starshine wiped the sweat from his brow as he pulled the last of the vines down which had obstructed the large archway and double doors built into the crystalline tree before him. He took a step back, and looked over his work, before he glanced over to his expecting wife.

“Not tiring yourself out too much, are you?” Velvet Starscout asked, in an undeniably teasing tone, as she sat on her sleeping bag.

Argyle smiled softly at her.

“I’ll gladly tire myself out if it means you and our little one aren’t overworked or stressed,” he said, coming in for a kiss.

“Luckily our little one isn’t due for a few more months, which is why I was even able to make this trip in the first place. Good thing, because if this is what we think it is, I wouldn’t want to miss this.”

“I think it most certainly is what we think it is, dearest. It matches the description, it’s the right distance from Canterlot… Years of searching, and we might have finally found it!”

“Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s get those doors open!” Velvet told him excitedly, getting up from her sitting position. She walked up the stairs, joining her husband as they pushed together. Untold years of growth, rust, and dust gave way to the strength of the two earth ponies, and slowly, the doors creaked open, revealing the dark, cavernous foyer.

“Oh my stars… This is it. I just know it! We actually found it!” Velvet exclaimed, nearly diving into Argyle as she hugged him.

“Good thing we’ve got plenty of food for this trip; looking through this place could take days. I wonder how much is intact,” Argyle commented.

Both ponies reached into their saddlebags and placed elastic bands on their heads with flashlights, and immediately switched them on.

There was considerably less growth inside the structure. Nothing had broken through the windows or doors, and had merely grown over the exterior of the structure, which, according to ancient manuscripts they had collected, had resembled a tree in the first place. No wonder this place easily blended into the surrounding forest.

“Where do you want to start?” Velvet asked.

“The throne room. I’ve heard stories of how stunning it was,” Argyle replied.

“I’d keep those expectations in check, sweetheart. Remember what Canterlot looked like when we were up on the mountain?” Velvet asked him.

“I know. Maybe this place will be in better condition with all the growth around that kept it hidden,” Argyle hoped.

The pair of ponies headed up the stairs, the vast majority of illumination coming from their flashlight headbands; almost no sunlight made it through the overgrown windows this deep in the surrounding forest. The light beams from their headbands were also being expanded due to most of the crystal surfaces in the interior being reflective, casting the light further down the halls. After ascending the stairs, Argyle and Velvet turned right down the hall, which slowly curved outward and around; which they silently hoped was the throne room.

Indeed, the hall rounded all the way towards the back of the tree-castle, and an open arched doorway was built into the inner wall.

“Oh my goodness, there it is!” Velvet exclaimed.

The doors were found inside the room, flat on the floor, clearly blown off the hinges. But the centerpiece of the large chamber was the large, round table in the center of the room, with seven thrones surrounding it, six tall with a shorter one next to the throne on the other side of the table.

Scattered all around the surface of the table, and even the surrounding floor, were dozens upon dozens of diamond-shaped gemstones. Velvet reached down and picked one of the gems up, looking it over in her hooves. For a moment, she thought she saw an image embedded inside the facets, but upon looking at it from another angle, couldn’t quite make anything out. She had heard of so-called ‘memory gems’ before, but wasn’t sure how long that enchantment lasted. Especially since nopony really remembered what happened to Ancient Equestria, and the magic it had.

“Hun, come take a look at this,” she heard Argyle say, pulling her attention to the front of the table, where a large, disc-shaped brass pedestal rested.

“Is that a… Compass?” Velvet asked, as her husband gently ran his leg across the surface, wiping away the dust. Upon first inspection, it certainly looked like one; fifty notches on the outer edges, with a triangle, diamond, circle, and square every ninety degrees. In the center was an emblem of some sort, looking like spread wings and a point at the top, surrounding a center circle.

Argyle reached into his saddlebags and produced a tape measure, extending it, and got a measurement of the brass disc from top to bottom.

“I thought so,” the stallion stated.

“What are you onto, hun?” Velvet asked.

“The light chamber at the top of the lighthouse back home? This compass would fit perfectly below the projector globe,” her husband answered.

Velvet took another look, and her eyes widened at the realization.

“How did this get from Maretime Bay to here? Or… Or was the lighthouse in Maretime Bay made for this?” Velvet asked.

“Now you’re talking, sweetheart,” Argyle said, before getting his hooves underneath the disc to begin to figure the weight. “If we go slow and steady, I’m pretty sure we can get this down to the wagon. I think it will fit in back when we’re ready to head home.”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, love. We’ve got this whole place to get through.”

Author's Note

The story is marked as complete, but if I get seriously motivated, and if you folks want it, I can cook up a little alternate ending I thought of months ago. Let me know if that's something you'd like to see!

Thanks for reading!