Chaptderp 1

	In Ponyville’s library, a purple unicorn was in a panic. She only had about one hour left to pack, and there were still a multitude of things she hadn’t put in her bags yet.
	Despite the fact that she had already packed her hairbrush, toothbrush, clothes for formal occasions, and other essentials in a single saddlebag, three more still sat empty, all of them reserved for books.
	Twilight had been reading around fifteen different books when she received word of the somewhat sudden arrangement that she was currently packing for.
	“Spike? Can you help me here?”
	A purple dragon, who had just finished packing his bags, came down the staircase.
	“Sure, Twilight; what do you need?”
	She levitated a parchment a list of book titles written on it in front of him.
	“That’s half of them; if you find all of them and I’m not finished, I may need you to help me find the other ones, too.”
	“Okay, sure thing, Twilight.”
	Spike glanced at the list and went to work looking for the books. From his years of experience as Twilight’s assistant, he knew that many of the texts she was requesting were of a massive length; about nine hundred to a thousand pages each. However, Spike also knew from his years as Twilight’s assistant that she could breeze through all of these books in less than two days, if she devoted all of her attention to it.
	The two had found all but one of the books when the library door opened and another pony walked in.
	“Are you ready, Twilight?” Rarity asked.
	“Almost, Rarity. Don’t tell me everypony is waiting outside for us.” Twilight responded.
	“How I wish that was the case! I was, of course, prepared hours ago. Fluttershy is ready, but still giving her animal-sitter instructions. Pinkie Pie; I have no clue. And Applejack, who hasn’t packed her own things, only recently found Rainbow Dash in one of her barns, sleeping in and completely unprepared! It would be nice if some ponies would take into account that their disorganization holds back the rest of us as well! Don’t you agree?”
	“Here it is!” Twilight exclaimed, having ignored much of Rarity’s speech, levitated the final book on her list into her bag. “Now I’m ready.”
	“Uh, yeah, me too! I was ready a while ago, you know, so I was ready to go whenever.” Spike nervously forced.
	“Wonderful! We are to meet outside the library, right, darling? I wonder if anypony else is ready.” Rarity said to the two of them.
	The three turned to the door, but it opened before they could reach it.
	“Hi Twilight and Spike and Rarity! Are all of you ready to go? This trip is going to be super extra fun! I can feel it!” Pinkie Pie bounced into the library, sporting her rainbow-colored umbrella hat and a single, over-packed saddlebag.
	“Hey, Pinkie. We were just about to go wait outside for the rest of the group. Was anypony else out there?” Twilight asked.
	Pinkie Pie rubbed her chin. “Hmmmmm-oh! I passed Fluttershy on my way here, so she should be here soon.”
	“Which leaves Dash and Applejack.” Twilight said to herself.
	“Unbelievable! For two fillies who can’t stop competing, you’d think they’d be here earlier than any of us!” Rarity complained.
	Twilight was slightly surprised at how eager Rarity was to leave, given where they were going.
	Princess Celestia had sent Twilight a letter yesterday telling her that she and Luna would be leaving the palace in Canterlot for a few days to attend an important event somewhere outside of Equestria’s borders.
	Celestia had invited Twilight and her friends to stay in the palace during the princesses’ absence.
	Twilight knew that Celestia did not need to be within Equestria in order to raise the sun, but she was still somewhat nervous, as she could never remember Celestia actually leaving Equestria’s boundaries.
	“I’m surprised, Rarity. I didn’t think you would be so happy to return to Canterlot after what happened with Prince Blueblood.” Twilight regretted bringing up the Princess’ nephew as soon as she said his name. She still needed to work on keeping her thoughts and questions to herself; she could come off as insensitive at times.
	Thankfully, Rarity simply raised her chin and put on a dignified face. “I will not allow my dreams of a glamorous and high society lifestyle to be trounced by a lout who has no sense of chivalry. I am going to enjoy myself in Canterlot the way a mare truly should. Besides, darling, I can always find somepony else who actually HAS class, even if it may not appear so at first.”
	They opened the door to find Applejack waiting outside, talking with two ponies amongst the everyday commotion in Ponyville. Fluttershy was much closer to the library, still uncomfortable with speaking to ponies other than her friends.
	As Twilight was about to greet the yellow pegasus, she was interrupted by an exaggerated gasp from Pinkie Pie.
	“Twilight! Do you see the ponies Applejack is talking to? I’ve never met them before! And if I’ve never met them before that means they’re new to Ponyville which means that I have to throw them a welcome party!”
	“Pinkie, we really don’t have time. You can throw them a party when we get back, for now we need to get going.”
	“I agree. It would be rude to be late when one has received such a prestigious invitation.” Rarity added to Twilight’s response.
	“But Twilight! I could throw a super duper double pony party! It would be so fun and awesome and big and-”
	“Hey y’all!” Applejack interrupted Pinkie, no longer talking to the other ponies.
	“Hi, Applejack. Who were you talking to over there?” Twilight asked.
	“Oh, them?” Applejack turned to look at the two ponies.
	“The hay? Where in tarnation did they run to so fast?” Applejack said, the two ponies gone.
	She shrugged. “Ah’d they were just some outta towners. Askin’ fer directions and whatnot. Hey, any y’all seen Dash yet?”
	When none of them answered, Applejack stomped the ground.
	“Ah tell ya, sometimes Ah feel like Ah gotta teach that filly the what it really means ta work. She should be here-”
	“Any second now!” Rainbow Dash triumphantly cut in as she landed beside her friends.
	“You were almost late, Dash.” Twilight said flatly, unenthused.
	“Heh heh, just in the nick a’ time, right?” Dash attempted to get a positive reaction.
	“It doesn’t matter; Twilight, dear, where is the chariot that will take us to the palace?” Rarity asked.
	“It’ll be here soon; probably within the next minute.”
	“Ah see it!” Applejack announced.
	A team of four pegasi in the armor of the Equestrian Royal Guard pulled a long, four-wheeled chariot that was pearl white and decorated with intricate patterns of gold.
	The team stopped above the library, and carefully descended with the carriage.
	Twilight approached them. “I’m Twilight Sparkle, pupil of Princess Celestia and carrier of the element of magic.” She motioned to her friends. “This is my assistant, Spike. This is Pinkie Pie, carrier of the element of laughter; Rarity, carrier of the element of generosity; Fluttershy, carrier of the element of kindness; Applejack, carrier of the element of honesty; and Rainbow Dash, carrier of the element of loyalty.”
	The leader of the pegasi looked the six fillies and the small dragon over. “You may board.” He said simply.
	The group climbed into the chariot and took their seats; Twilight, Spike, Rarity, and Fluttershy in the front, and Dash, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie in the back.
	The pegasi slowly lifted the chariot and started gaining speed in the direction of Canterlot, keeping the chariot as level as possible. Canterlot was a fairly great distance away, but with a team of professionally trained pegasi, it would take no longer than three hours.
	Three young fillies who were exploring an open field on the outskirts of town watched the chariot fly off to Canterlot.
	“There they go.” Sweetie Belle said.
	Scootaloo sighed. “I wish WE could go to the palace and hang out with Rainbow Dash.”
	“Hey, lookit this!” Apple Bloom said.
	She was pointing to a rusty, twisted utensil in the ground.
	“Is that a fork?” Scootaloo asked.
	Apple Bloom crouched to look closer, and then stood up and nodded.
	Sweetie Belle gave Apple Bloom an inquisitive look. “But what’s a fork doing out here in the ground?”
	Scootaloo thought for a moment before an idea came to her. She picked up the fork between her two hooves and held it in front of the other two foals.
	“I know what we can do next! Cutie Mark Crusaders treasure hunters!”