It was an early morning for Pinkie. The first thing she realized was that the sun was barely even awake yet; it was still a pretty early dawn. She stayed in her relaxed position, despite knowing she wouldn't get back to sleep.

How could one sleep when they were on an adventure with a friend? Her eyes made their way over Twilight's peaceful form, cautiously scanning over it, as if they were afraid they might wake her up. The truth was, she had been terrified of going on this journey. But if she had known Twilight was going to tag along, she would have left days ago!

Her eyes glazed over as she observed her friend consistently inhale, then exhale. She wasn't positive what Twilight's true motives were for coming along with her—the filly didn't seem to have much stock in the whole reverstone thing, after all—but whatever they were, words could never express how glad she was that a friend was by her side.

In fact, she was so grateful, she needed to show it. A nice breakfast should be waiting for Twilight when she woke up. Not just yucky grass that could be found anywhere. Something more special than that.

Her nature-made bed wasn't doing her any favors while she stood up. The crinkled weeds that had been underneath her began to spring up, making an obnoxious rustling sound while they did so. Twilight's reaction: she rolled into a slightly tighter ball. Pinkie, glad her side-quest wasn't over before it started, saved her sigh of relief until after she had quietly cantered away in search of food.

Their eyes had deceived them the night before. Thanks to the very beginnings of daylight, a few tall trees could be spotted in the not-too-far-off distance. There had to at least be a shot that one of them had fruit on them, right? Feeling confident in her tree-guessing talents, Pinkie made a quick beeline for them.

The run shifted to a trot, which changed closer to a crawl as she neared the woody perennial. She thought she saw... something behind the first tree on the left over there. An eyebrow of hers rose upward when she confirmed the suspicion.

Leaning against that very tree was a bipedal... thing. It was pretty big in girth, and standing up like that, it was definitely taller than Pinkie was. Other details about it were scarce, as it was wrapped in a long, thick overcoat and cowl. She could make out some sort of muzzle, but couldn't place it to a species. She would have thought it was a minotaur if it was about a pony head-and-a-half taller.

Intimidating appearances tended to not be very effective against the party pony. After all, a few strange fashion choices was a silly reason to not make a friend. A few bounces was plenty to take her into earshot of the creature. "Hiya, Mister!"

The high pitched noise must have startled him; he froze for a second before coolly turning around to face her. She was definitely right about the muzzle, but that cowl was so long, she still couldn't make out anything on his face even though she was looking right at it. How did he even see out of that thing?

After accepting that he had company, the beast-thing left his two-footed perch, crashing down to the earth with his other two appendages (paws? hooves? The cloak was getting in the way from telling). He turned around fully to face Pinkie Pie and spoke using a suave, almost pleased-sounding voice. "Well, hello there, pony folk." His mouth moved. Definitely sharp teeth in there. Still, a new friend is a new friend. "And what brings you out to these parts?"

Pinkie donned her determination expression. She had spent awhile practicing that expression some time ago, for a quest that may or may not have involved color markers. "I'm searching for a legendary stone! But, right now, I'm actually just looking for breakfast."

"A legendary stone, eh?" Her new friend coughed. Or maybe it was supposed to be a laugh. "That's funny you should mention that. I happen to be pretty good with artifacts."

"Ooohh," Pinkie hummed, amazed, "So you're like an artifactiologist! Right?"

The creature stood still for a moment. It was hard to tell if he was just staring at her blankly, with that cowl over his eyes and all. "You're a vivid one, aren't you? So now, what's this stone you're after?"

A little of her heart was lost at that question. She had barely done a good enough job of convincing her best friend that their target was real, so a new friend would probably just call her nuts. "It's, er... called the reverstone, and it lets you go back in time." Her neck craned halfway back to the campsite. "Twilight doesn't really believe it's real, but..."

"The reverstone, you say? Well, I might have heard of that one before. Let's just take a look now."

To Pinkie Pie's expanding excitement, her new friend started to reach for a pocket inside of his heavy coat. His sleeve had rolled back just enough to reveal what she most certainly identified as a paw. It was okay he wasn't a pony. He'd be one big pony, anyway. She wasn't left with much time to celebrate the discovery before a second one was made.

From inside his cloak came an old-looking book. Almost like one Twilight would have. It was a hardcover book with a large diamond stretching from top to bottom on the book's brown covers. It was somewhat strange that there wasn't a title on the book; even just a Rocks for Dummies would have made sense. She paid it little mind, however, and even less when her pawed friend spoke up again.

"Ah, here it is. Thought so. You're a dreamer, aren't you?"

Pinkie couldn't stop herself from issuing a loud, sudden gasp. Her conversation partner cringed a little, probably not expecting it, but that was okay. "There's information about it?! There? In that book?! Can I see?! Ooh, if Twilight saw that it was written about in a book—"

"Maybe next time," her friend interrupted, setting the book away. It almost seemed like he had been ready to say something to that effect, but immediately afterward, he carried on, "For now, go back and tell your friend this: If you keep heading west, you'll come to a cute little desert. Cross that desert, and you'll find a cave not far at all after it. Head in there, and you may like what you find."

"Eeek!" Pinkie screeched, again to the chagrin of her friend. "The reverstone is right here! So close to Ponyville! Oh, wait until Twilight hears this!"

Shaking off the latest outburst, his muzzle twisted upward into a grin. "You can go ahead and take these, too."

He reached into a different pocket—an outside one this time—and grabbed something in it. His claw reappeared, and with it, two delicious looking apples. He rolled them on the ground toward the pony, then turned around. "You take care of yourself."

Pinkie Pie was bouncing up and down where she stood by this point. If she hadn't woken up so early, she would never have found out that information about the reverstone, would never have gotten those giant red apples for breakfast, and would never have made a new friend! The good feeling she had last night wasn't a fluke without a doubt.

As her new friend slowly moved away, his coat trailing behind him, Pinkie came to a sudden halt in her hopping. "Hey, wait! I never got your name!"

He stopped and turned his head halfway to see her. His cowl completely blocked their view of each other, but that didn't seem to bother him. "Hmm," he growled, "Call me Sam." With no more than that, he started once again on his way.

"Don't you want to know my name?"

That question didn't even get him to slow down this time. He coughed again. Or maybe it was another laugh. "Don't worry. I'll remember you, my pony friend. I'll be seeing you around."

She was his friend too! Pinkie felt like she was going to explode out of her own skin, that's how happy she was. She didn't, though. Why would she even try doing that? Instead, she merrily watched Sam's backside wag side to side as he took each step. After only a couple seconds of that, she snatched both of the fruits with her mouth and darted back to where she came from. "Tw'l'ght! Tw'l'ght!" she chirped along the way, even with her mouth half-full.

Upon reaching her friend, Pinkie wasn't fazed much at all by her co-adventurer having not even stirred yet. Obviously the only way forward was to scream her name louder. "Tw'l'ght! Puh!" That was the apples being spit out, leaving them to roll across the ground a short distance. "Twilight, Twilight! Guess what!"

"Can it wait fifteen more minutes, Spike?..."

"Spike?" Pinkie's enthusiasm calmed for a moment, just long enough for her to figure out what Twilight was talking about. "Oh, you silly filly! You need to wake up and smell the decaying plant life!"

It looked like a crowbar would have an easier time opening Twilight's eyes than her body did. When she was finally able to tell where she was, she mumbled a quiet, "Oh." Steadily, the pony rose to her haunches, rubbing her eye with a hoof. "That would at least explain why all my dreams had loud buzzing in them."

She swatted at a few insects that had apparently been circling her. Pinkie ignored it; there was far bigger news to share. "Twilight, you'll never believe what just happened! I met this guy, and he had this thing, and it had the reverstone in it! I mean, not the actual reverstone, but like a description or something. He told me exactly where to go, and I remember it all!"

Three sentences too late, she finally took a breath, giving Twilight an opportunity to get a word in. Her voice made her sound pretty tired still. "Pinkie, slow down... Where do you get all that energy so early? Now, start from the beginning. What happened?"

All right. A few more details couldn't hurt, probably. That didn't mean there wasn't excitement to be had here, though. "Okay. I got up to find a tasty breakfast, when I found a... somebody. He had a big coat on, but I did see a furry paw! Anyway, he said that he was a legendary rock master, and that he knew just where the reverstone was! I couldn't believe my luck!"

"I'm having a hard time believing it, too," Twilight said, using that I-think-you're-nuts tone. At least she seemed to be waking up. "Pinkie, are you sure you weren't dreaming this?"

It was almost like she didn't believe her! No matter. This time, Pinkie had the proof pudding ready. "Well, if I dreamed it, where did those come from?" she wondered, pointing a hoof at the pair of apples with a large grin on her face.

Twilight traced the invisible line connecting Pinkie's leg to the fruit. When her gaze reached the objects, her face scrunched up in thought. Pinkie was half-expecting Miss Logicpants to have some sort of explanation for it, but if she did, she didn't bother voicing it. Checkmate, Logicpants.

"Sam gave them to me, that's where they came from!" Pinkie explained. "He gave me directions straight to the reverstone, too!"

"Sam?" Twilight echoed.

A quick nod was her only reply to that. She stretched her body for the apples, grabbing both and handing one of them to her friend. "So eat up!" A solid chomp down one side of the fruit; so, so juicy. "We got a journey ahead of us! A short journey!"

Twilight Sparkle rotated the apple in her hooves. She didn't seem to be inspecting it as much as using it as an object of focus. She was probably too busy thinking again. "I don't know how comfortable I am with this, Pinkie. It doesn't sound like you got a good look at this 'Sam.' And it's just too convenient for me that he knew everything about this reverstone off the top of his head."

"He used a book, Twilight. Geez. He's not that good."

The unicorn groaned, "Ugh, does it matter? My point is... doesn't this sound a little strange to you?"

"You worry too much, Twilight." There was another satisfying crunch as Pinkie took a second bite of the apple. Mr. and Mrs. Cake weren't around, so she deemed it all right to continue talking, even with her mouth full. "I said I 'ad a good feeling, din't I?" Gulp. "And I was right!"

A sigh escaped from Twilight. It sounded almost blissful, but maybe she was just thinking about how wrong she had been. "I guess it's pointless trying to convince you otherwise..." she mumbled, taking a small nibble out of the apple's skin.

"Ab-so-lutely!" Pinkie agreed with overflowing happiness and another bite of apple.

Twilight skipped the verbal response, moving straight to a shake of her head. With a more subtle rrmp, Twilight started on her breakfast as well.

-TRS-

There wasn't much of intrigue in the following few hours, or at least in Twilight's mind. After their small, but admittedly refreshing meal, they had simply continued onwards. Twilight tried getting more details out of Pinkie Pie about this Sam character, but the information well was pretty dry. He was on the larger side of life, she had gathered, and he also had teeth distinct enough for Pinkie to notice them. He was sounding a bit like a... well, a monster to Twilight. It wasn't Pinkie's fault that she couldn't describe him well, of course. If he was secretive, then he was secretive. For now, she couldn't do anything but listen to her instincts. They were telling her to stay as far away from that cave as possible.

Unfortunately for her instincts, Pinkie Pie was in charge.

That pony wouldn't even hear of another direction besides west. Even worse, Pinkie now believed in the reverstone more than ever before. Until they went into that cave and found nothing, she would never be satisfied.

It was still going to be a few minutes before they officially stepped out of Mid-Great Plains. Since she couldn't get the hopping, humming, bundle of pink out of the corner of her eye, she decided to start a conversation that might take her mind off things. "Some fresh air and sleep must have done you wonders, Pinkie Pie. I haven't seen you this happy in weeks."

Both the hopping and humming stopped. Pinkie continued to keep pace, however, this time with more of a skip. "It means the world to me that you're here, Twilight. Even if the rest of our friends aren't, this whole thing still takes me back to the good old days, you know?"

"The good old days of three months ago?" Twilight countered, keeping her tone playful.

She got a smirk from the party pony, but not much else. Instead, the pink mare turned to face the ground and slowed down to a trot. "I mean it. Thanks, buddy."

Before she could properly react, Pinkie intercepted her. Two hooves were thrown around her neck in a friendly gesture. Twilight had no reason at all not to smile, close her eyes, and hike a forehoof over her partner's neck in return. "Anytime, buddy."

Mid-hug, Twilight's brain took over. "Wow," she thought. For Pinkie to instantaneously become somber and reveal her feelings like that, she must really value their friendship. It made sense. As things, like friends, disappear, it's only natural to cling tighter to what one has left. In fact, maybe she had done the same thing with Pinkie without even realizing it. If all of their friends were still in Ponyville, would she really have left on this crazy quest with Pinkie? Maybe, or maybe not. The important part is—

Her thoughts were thrown off track when she heard a high-pitched noise—Pinkie's voice. "Hey, lookit that. We're here!"

Twilight opened her eyes back up and turned about face. She was somewhat unprepared for what she found. Ahead of her was three, maybe four blades of grass. Everything past that was nothing but sand. The smallest of grains, absorbing every ounce of sunlight that was given to them, were scattered everywhere in their direction. The other side wasn't even in sight. They'd reached the Haymaker Desert.

It was difficult to beat back a cringe. Twilight began sweating just by looking at the landmark. She was afraid that Pinkie was so enraptured by the cave supposedly across the sea of sand that she didn't take any care in figuring out how they were going to get there alive. Speaking for herself, survival was high on the priority list. "Pinkie, before we start, let me see your map."

"No problem!" Pinkie helpfully lifted the flap to her saddlebag up. The map was waiting for them right on top, just where she had left it last.

With a spark of magic, Twilight grabbed the object, unfurled it, and levitated it over to herself. She stared at the shaggy piece of paper for a moment, and then another. It took her awhile to figure out the problem she was having, but told Pinkie about it the second she did. "How old is this map? Ponyville isn't even on here!"

"I dunno," Pinkie replied with a frustrating amount of perk. "The Cakes gave it to me awhile ago. Actually, I found it in their trash, but that's basically the same thing. It's super cool though, right?"

"Yeah. Wonderful."

Now it was a guessing game. She originally wanted the map in the hopes that it was to a scale—she could figure out how long the desert was going to take with it. Of course, without a sign of Ponyville, it was much harder to tell exactly where they were to begin with. Twilight had studied a few maps of Equestria in her time, but she was no geologist. Between "here" and "there" could be a distance of five miles, or forty. Without confidence in this particular ability, Twilight was forced to roll the paper back up and drop it in front of Pinkie with no information gained.

Well, she did learn something. That map was almost useless.

"So whad'ja come up with, Twilight?" Pinkie inquired while stuffing the map back in its usual spot.

The librarian didn't even feel like answering that question. Instead, she carefully looked at the sun's position. It must be mid-morning by now; the hottest part of the day was just ahead. Still, she knew she didn't have a prayer of convincing Pinkie to wait until night. Gathering some water was a tempting option, but it could take them hours just to find a spring, which would only bring them closer to the afternoon blaze. It was her gut—an unscientific, if not usually correct method—telling her that the stretch of sand wasn't so long that they'd be spending days in it.

"We'd better get going if we want to make it," Twilight said, unintentionally answering Pinkie's question. "We'll need to cross this desert entirely before we even think about sleep or food again."

"Great! Race ya!"

"I—" A pink bullet sped past her, startling her into dropping her sentence. When she finally registered those last two words, Twilight groaned and began galloping somewhat faster. "Pinkie, get back here! Conserve your energy! Heaven knows you have enough of it..." she quietly added to herself.