//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1: Thirst for Knowlege 
// Story: Purpose of Harmony 
// by Rapthorn2ndform 
//------------------------------//

	The heat of Celestia’s sun faded as it dipped below the horizon.  The dark of the nigh was beginning to creep over the sky as Twilight Sparkle was leading her three friends along the winding path up the mountain. They had been walking for almost the entire day.  Finally, the group reached their destination, a small cliff overlooking Canterlot as the moon rose behind it and the beauty was awe-inspiring.
“Oh, wow.” Gasped Applejack at a complete loss for words
“So pretty, we should TOTALLY bring everypony in Ponyville up here for a PARTY!” shrieked Pinkie Pie.
“Pinkie, I doubt we could get more than, like, ten ponies on this little cliff, the others would end up falling off,” Replied Rainbow Dash “but it is to bad that Rarity and Fluttershy didn’t come. They are missing out.”
“Well Fluttershy said she couldn’t leave her animals for three days on such short notice,” responded Twilight as she began to set up the tent “and Rarity…”
“HONESTLY, do you REALLY think I would WILLINGLY subject my self to all that DIRT” interrupted Rainbow doing her best Rarity impression, putting her hoof to her forehead for emphasis as she continued “PERISH the THOUGHT! Something like that, right?”
The group broke into laughter, Twilight harder than the others. She had been alone when asking Rarity to come with them and her response was almost word for word, what Rainbow Dash had said.  The group calmed and set up camp, Pinkie and Rainbow stayed at camp while Twilight and Applejack searched for fire wood.
“So, Sugarcube, why did ya really wanna come campin’ way up in these here parts” asked Applejack once they were out of earshot of the others
“I-I don’t know what you…” Twilight stammered before she was interrupted.
“Don’ give me that.  Suddenly, the pony who plans ever’thin’ months in advance wants ta go on a camp out, in two days.” stated Applejack “Not ta mention, ya packed half yer library.  Com’on Twi, jus’ tell me”
“Alright, you remember back at the wedding, when the changelings attacked and we couldn’t get to the Elements of Harmony” sighed Twilight “It put everypony in danger and I never want that to happen again.”
“Twi, ya can’t blame yerself fer what those…” Applejack started, but this time she was cut of.
“Oh, nothing like that. I just thought that if I knew more about the elements I could figure out how to…I don’t know…help more maybe?” Twilight said “But the princesses won’t help at all, they just tell me it’s not something I should have to worry about.”
“Well, that’s all well an’ good,” Applejack nodded with a puzzeled look across her face “but what in tar’nation does that have ta do with a campin’ trip?”
“Well, I came across an ancent history book that said this area was covered in gemstone-rich mountains that disappeared out of nowhere. At first, I thought it had to with Discord, but when I read further Almost the entire mountain range disappeared almost 600 years before he rose to power. I asked Princess Celestia…” Twilight paused as a tear came to her eye “I’d never seen the princess angry, truly angry. She yanked the book away and threw it into the fireplace.”
Applejack was stunned. The princess, angry? And angry at Twilight? There was a long silence, finally broken when Twilight continued “She apologized for the outburst, saying it was a painful memory, and I left her. But as I closed the door, I heard the princess crying. So I began to open the door again, I heard her say ‘I know what I did was wrong, but we needed them and you wouldn’t listen, after Discord, we went to give them back but…’”
“WAIT, first angry, now CRYIN!” shouted Applejack in surprise “Are ya SURE we’re talkin’ ‘bout the same princess?”
“I know, but cold you keep it down, I don’t want to spread this around too much.” Twilight snapped “But the weirdest thing is what she said”
“What do ya think it means?” asked Applejack “Sense she said ‘Discord’ an’ ‘give um’ back’, could she be talkin’ ‘bout the Elements o’ Harmony?”
“That’s what I was thinking” replied Twilight, her eyes glinting with pride “I even examined the Elements; the gems have the same geological signature as the stones from this mountain. So I thought that by coming here, I might find something out about the Elements, and I brought you guys so the princess wouldn’t think I’m investigating”
“What, ya don’ think the princess would spect’ me o’ studdin’, Ah’m hurt” joked Applejack
“The princess might suspect you, but Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie are a completely different story” Twilight said with a laugh “We should get back to camp, I bet Pinkie’s set up balloons and streamers for some kind of ‘Friends Camp In Remote Mountains’ party”
“Pro’ly right” replied Applejack as she hoisted her pile of fire wood onto her back “It’s getting’ pretty dark, I bet they could use a fire”
When they arrived at camp, Twilight’s jaw dropped. There were indeed dozens of balloons and streamers decorating the camp site, but what really caught her eye was the banner between the tents saying ‘Remote Mountain Get-away’. Applejack couldn’t help but laugh at how close Twilight was with her earlier.
“But I was joking…” sighed Twilight as she approached the pink mare “Pinkie, when did you set this up?”
“Just a little while ago, my knee got pinchy, so somepony expects me to throw a party! I couldn’t let that pony down, even if we were in the middle of nowhere” giggled pinkie “So I used my emergency party supplies and PARTY”
“Wait…” Twilight paused, thinking back “Didn’t a pinchy knee mean something scary”
“Well yeah, a pinchy right knee means scary, but this was a pinchy LEFT knee” said Pinkie with a smile.
“Yeah Twi, try to keep up” mocked Rainbow, who emerged from the tent with a bag of marshmallows and a 6-pack of cider bottles “Let’s get this party going!”
Pinkie’s “Remote Mountain Getaway” party was a complete success. The girls laughed the night away drinking cider, making s’mores and telling stories by the fire. As the fire died, the girls headed for their tents, except for Twilight. Exausted from the long hike and late-night party, they slept the moment their heads hit their pillows. Twilight, however, sat by the fire and pulled a golden tiara with an amethyst 8-pointed star on top from her saddle bag. She examined it from every angle, looking for the mark she thought she had noticed before. On the back, where the gem star met the golden headpiece was a faint engraving. It appeared to be a hammer striking a sword on an anvil. What could this mean, she wondered to herself as she drifted to sleep by the fire.