The CMC go in search of the Spirit of the Desert after hearing about it from a visiting pony. Apple Bloom gets seperated from the others and is in serious trouble until she is rescued by the spirit itself.

When yet another unsuccessful attempt at getting Cutie Marks results in Apple Bloom having too much time on her hooves, she turns to books in the hope of hatching a plan that definitely cannot possibly fail. However, one book in particular—an inconspicuous little thing concerning old history and something called a "golem"—catches her attention and becomes the object for her boundless energy, much to her sister's concern.

Meanwhile, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo have their own problems to deal with, consisting of a fussy, overbearing older sister and an undeniably awesome yet slightly oblivious role model. On top of that, they soon have to contend with their best friend's zealous conviction that the answer to their troubles lies well beyond the safety of home.