My Little Paper Mario

by Codex92

...and Through the Desert

Beginning their long trek through the Dry Dry Desert, the heat was already bearing down on the heroes. Sand went on for miles and miles, burning hot from the sun's rays shining down upon the dry and arid land, barely any signs of plant life as they can see. There were rocks of varying sizes, a few palm trees for some decent shade, and some cacti in the distance, but the desert was practically deserted of any chance of survival unless you ran into an oasis.

Mario was relatively fine, even though he wore a long-sleeved shirt and gloves, which would not be ideal for a climate such as this. Even without his trademark red cap on, he could take the heat as he's been around lava pools in Bowser's many fortresses and caves that were hotter than the desert sun. Getting a sunburn isn't as big a deal if he wasn't always getting attacked by flames, whether from Bowser himself or fireballs jumping out of those lakes of lava in the past. Goombario was fine as well, his blue cap shading his face enough. Bombette was used to blowing up, used to the powerful heat of her explosions for hot temperatures to bother her. Kooper and Parakarry were Koopas, both of them not even bothered by the heat, the latter used to flying through all sorts of weather conditions when making deliveries.

Twilight, unfortunately, felt the worst of it. Even with the cloak keeping her body free of the sun's rays beaming down on her, she still felt the intense heat underneath. Already, her mane under the hood of her cloak was already matted, feeling sweat dripping down every part of her body. She resisted the urge to drink already, only needing water when she's close to passing out from dehydration. Maybe she should have at least trimmed her fur coat a bit, or shave it all off, even if it meant getting a sunburn just to bear with the desert climate.

"Ugh," Twilight groaned. "Hot...desert...How far is the town again?"

Kooper pulled out the map as he made an estimated guess from the outpost to where they entered. "It's probably less than a mile walk across the desert. We just need to follow the path straight forward and not veer too far off, then we'll see the walls protecting Dry Dry Outpost from sandstorms." As the Koopa looked up, the group began approaching a set up tent not too far from the entrance to the desert from Mt. Rugged. His jaw dropped as he dropped the map, spotting three Koopas fitted with archaeological gear. One Koopa in particular stood out from the other two, his shell brown, sporting a black mustache on his upper lip, and along with the gray pith helmet on his head, he had a compass secured around his neck, and the sight of the Koopa made Kooper squeal excitedly. "Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh! Professor Kolorado! It's him!"

"Looks like he's setting up for another expedition," Parakarry said.

"You know him?" Twilight asked.

"I deliver letters to him from his wife," Parakarry answered, shaking his head as he let out a sigh. "He may be famous, but he always sneaks away from her to go on a reckless adventure and worry her to death."

"He doesn't even take a break from exploring and avoids telling his wife where he's going?...I have a feeling he's having a mid-life crisis," the alicorn grumbled, wiping more sweat off her forehead. "And I'm going to die of heat exhaustion and dehydration. Let's get to the outpost before I drink all the-"

"PROFESSOR KOLORADO!" Kooper shouted, running off ahead of the group, leading Twilight to sigh as the blue-shelled Koopa Troopa behaved like Rainbow Dash with her idols, the Wonderbolts.

Kolorado turned to the running Koopa as he heard his name, recognizing Kooper immediately. "Ah! Kooper, old boy! What a surprise to see you here!" Kooper skid to a halt, kicking up sand as he stood before his idol. The explorer brushed off the sand his excited fan and neighbor accidentally sprayed on him with a lighthearted chuckle, always amused by his eagerness. "Whatever are you doing here?"

"You're not going to believe this, but I'm actually joining Mario on an adventure to save Princess Peach!" Kooper excitedly said, the rest of his friends catching up to him, Twilight lagging behind as she began to take a drink of water.

"Ah, I see," Kolorado said. "That's a pretty big responsibility to hold. And a lot more dangerous than simple expeditions through hidden ruins, eh wot?"

"I know, so, if there are any future expeditions you want me to finally come with you on, that's going to have to wait until the kingdom is safe," Kooper said.

"I may consider inviting you one day, but you do have a duty to uphold, so I won't pester you or Mario on your endeavors." The archaeologist looked over at Kooper's other friends, his jaw dropping when he looked at Twilight. The alicorn sated her thirst after drinking nearly a third of one of the canteens already, her levitating the flask with her magic immediately peaking Kolorado's interest. "I say, what manner of creature is that!?"

"Oh, that's my friend Twilight," Kooper said. "She appeared around my backyard a few days ago, and she's actually from a different world. But there's also five others that are like her, and we're trying to find them along with the Star Spirits we need to rescue along with Princess Peach."

Kolorado approached the alicorn, already getting irritated from all the sweat seeping from her pores. "Goodness...such odd appendages coming from it. A horn on the forehead and wings on the side, a cross-breed between the mythological equines of old tales: unicorn and pegasus...This species shall henceforth be known as a pegacorn!"

"I'm actually called an alicorn," Twilight grumbled.

"And it talks! Spectacular!" Kolorado's excitement soon turned to full on concentration, grabbing Twilight's cheeks as he took a thorough examination of her features. "Hmm...Pretty big eyes, unlike the illustrations depicted of such a creature."

"Please stop touching my face," Twilight muttered. She soon yelped when he flicked her horn, quickly swatting his hands away. "Hey! That hurts! And I'm not a petting zoo animal! Personal space, please!"

"The horn is a bit smooth in texture, yet solid like bone," Kolorado mumbled to himself, completely ignorant of invading the alicorn's space as he studied her further. Lifting the cloak off her a little, he examined her cutie marks on her flanks. "Oddly placed tattoo markings on both sides of the rump. Obviously female from the body size."

The Koopa yelped as Twilight yanked him by the shell away from her behind with her magic, glaring angrily in irritation. "You couldn't tell I was a mare just from the sound of my voice!?"

"...Magical power depicted in use of the majestic unicorn. Intriguing. Now, let's feel the texture of the wings." Twilight growled, her face turning red in anger due to Kolorado's constant pestering, ignorance to her little bubble of privacy, and the sweltering heat raging down on her.

"Uhh, Professor Kolorado, I think you should stop," Kooper quickly said, dragging his idol away from the enraged and embarrassed alicorn. The others tried to calm Twilight down, Mario gently patting her head as she finally dropped her hold on the archaeologist's body. "Uhh, she's not an animal. She's a sentient being, and incredibly smart, so..."

"Oh. Oh! Right!" Kolorado cleared his throat, realizing his mistakes. "Forgive me. You are just a new and unknown creature that I just had to study every single part of you thoroughly." Twilight grunted, too hot to bother with the touchy Koopa and trying to limit her speaking to save what liquids were left in her system. "...I'll take that as an acceptance in my apology. But! I have an expedition to make!" He turned back to the tent where his other two assistants had already laid out the map of Dry Dry Desert on the fold-able table and began setting up their other devices. "Now, in order to explore the ruins of this desert, we're going to need to find where it is located."

The traveling party walked under the shade of the tent, Kooper and Mario looking down at the map of the area while the others rested. Parakarry helped fan Twilight by flapping his wings, helping cool her down a little more. From the look of Dry Dry Desert, there were a couple landmarks that were marked in separate sections of the seven-by-seven grid layout of sand. Far to the right in the center row on the path was Dry Dry Outpost, a square between the town was the oasis, and in a few locations were different colored marks with a description of the object that was also colored the same as their mark out in the desert.

"Have you asked anyone from Dry Dry Outpost about the ruins?" Kooper asked.

"I've gotten as much information as I could, but not much of a lead," Kolorado said. "So far, all we know of are a few landmarks to help us should we get lost, but other than that, nothing on the Dry Dry Ruins...Why are you interested in the ruins anyway?"

"That's the reason why we're here," Goombario answered, jumping up onto the table and looked down at the map. "One of the Star Spirits Bowser imprisoned has some of his minions already invading the ruins and are hiding one of the seven powerful Stars deep inside."

"Hmm...But that begs the question of how they found those ruins." Kolorado pondered how Bowser's troops managed to find Dry Dry Ruins when it was considered lost to the region for centuries. Mario, Kooper, and Goombario looked at each other, knowing exactly how with the power the Koopa King has on him. "Ah well. All we can do is find where it is, avoid the baddies, and see if there are any artifacts still left in one piece after many years of being lost to the world today. We'll start our search when night falls. Best time to ever travel across a desert, Kooper, old chap."

"But we can't wait until nightfall," Kooper said, Mario nodding his head in agreement. "We need to find the Star Spirits now."

"Well, the only oasis in this desert is the one close to Dry Dry Outpost. You can try to search all you want, but it helps not to go out there and risk suffering the effects of dehydration," Kolorado warned.

"I'm already way ahead of everypony," Twilight groaned. "I've got us fully prepared with several canteens filled with water, but sadly, I'm going to end up drinking it all because fur and walking in this oven of a desert do not mix."

"Hmm. Yes. Fur covering the body is not wise," Kolorado said.

"It looks like we're going to have to see if someone actually knows where the ruins are and find it on our own," Goombario said as he memorized the mapped out grids of Dry Dry Desert. "And, assuming you have never seen anything like Twilight before, I'm taking a guess in saying you've never seen any of her friends at Dry Dry Outpost either."

"Nope, the alicorn was the first," one of Kolorado's assistants said, overhearing their expedition leader speaking with their guests and being mindful of treating Twilight like an individual like them. "Just a few native Toads and Nomadimouses inhabiting the town."

"Although, something weird did happen while we were there to pick up supplies before setting up base," the other Koopa said. "Along with our supplies, someone actually put some pastries and candies along with our rations. No idea who it was, and it wasn't the shopkeeper in town, so someone must be sneaking sweets around to everyone."

"Well, whether or not they were part of our supplies, these lemon-lime cupcakes are exquisite!" Kolorado said, grabbing one of the many cupcakes from a container by their food storage. The icing on top was yellow with green and yellow sprinkles, though the baked batter was green. He took a bite, munching on the flaky pastry with a delighted moan. "I don't understand why anyone would want to hide such baking talents, yet give them away to random strangers for free. And quite sneakily too, might I add."

"Cupcakes?" Twilight looked over at the famous archaeologist and his team's food supply, levitating one of the three dozen cupcakes out from an open container. There were also similar ones along with the kind Kolorado ate, only for the icing and cupcake to swap colors. "...Why do I have a feeling these are the kinds of cupcakes Pinkie would make?" Seeing there was plenty of cupcakes for the trio of exploring Koopas, she took a nibble of the pastry, her taste buds catching a sweet and tangy flavor of lemons and limes. "Mmm...It is a lemon-lime cupcake. Weird combination."

The rest of the group took a cupcake, Kolorado not minding sharing the sweets they mysteriously recieved as they took a bite. "Mmm! Wow! I've never had anything this delicious!"

"I've tasted the cuisine that's made in Dry Dry Outpost when I take a breather from my routes," Parakarry said. "Though, sweets like cupcakes aren't one of its native delicacies. But it sure is tasty!"

"You all might be lucky to end up having more of these delightful goodies if you reach Dry Dry Outpost," Kolorado said after eating his snack. "They're one of a kind, and could rival that of Mushroom Kingdom's greatest chef's own baked goods, who's known as Taste T."

Twilight wasn't entirely sure if her guess was one hundred percent accurate, but if Pinkie Pie had made these cupcakes, there was a possibility that she might have ended up in Dry Dry Outpost. Taking that chance, she clung onto the hope of reuniting with her bubbly, kooky, and party-loving friend. After everyone finished a cupcake, Mario and company set off to Dry Dry Outpost, saying their goodbyes to Kolorado and his assistants as they began heading down the lighter sands that served as the central road through Dry Dry Desert.

The walk through the sands was a bit long due to Twilight lagging behind as she suffered from the heat. Most of the areas were devoid of any life on the road, aside from the Pokeys that slowly tried to shuffle their way over to the group when spotted, strange yellow cactus creatures that were made up of four spiked spheres where the top held its eyes and sharp teeth. Unfortunately, Goombario and Parakarry were unable to deal with them due to their spiky heads, though what made them a nuisance was how they're able to fling their body parts at them to hurt them. But the foes they had to be careful with were the Bandits.

The Bandits all wore pink cloaks and had mask-like faces, and they were quick on their feet like the thieves they were. They could mug anyone if they weren't careful, swiping away money or even any supplies they had. Once they grabbed anything their grubby little hands could snatch, they'd immediately flee with the items or coins held high above them as they mocked them. Luckily, Twilight flicked them away with a burst of magic, already irritated from the desert air alone and didn't need to lose anything of importance, especially their water.

Halfway across the desert, they managed to spot an odd looking cactus made out of stone. Whether it was a petrified cactus or a tower of stones made to look like a cactus was a mystery, but it was helpful sign, telling them they were getting closer to their goal. There was also a moving tornado that slowly wandered about that had a face, which surprised Twilight. Goombario warned Twilight not to get too close to the animated twister, ironically called a Tweester, which could fling anyone off the path and in some part of Dry Dry Desert if they get sucked in. She made sure to steer clear enough away from the moving unnatural disasters, which was almost as scary as walking through the Everfree Forest in the dead of night.

Twilight took another swig of water, downing the second of many canteens in her saddlebags. "And I looked up to Celestia and her sun as a filly during the Summer Sun Celebration," the alicorn groaned in heat exhausted agony. "I'm glad she's not here to hear me say this, but I'm starting to hate the sun!"

"What's a 'Summer Sun Celebration'?" Bombette asked. "Some kind of holiday in Equestria?"

"It's celebrated as the longest day of the year," Twilight answered. "Back in Equestria, instead of day and night just coming and going as time passes, she raises and lowers the sun with her magic, and her sister, Princess Luna, does the same with the moon."

"Wow," Parakarry uttered in awe. "And they're alicorns, too?" Twilight nodded her head as she wiped off more sweat drenching her face. "That's incredible. Being able to move a star and large mass of space rock that orbits the planet...Alicorns must be really powerful."

"Yup. And for a thousand years, Celestia had to perform both tasks when she banished Luna to the moon when her anger and jealousy turned her into a villainess called Nightmare Moon." The Mushroom Kingdom residents nearly tripped over their feet, or flopped to the ground in Parakarry's case, quickly turning back to Twilight in shock.

"A thousand years!?" the partners all exclaimed simultaneously.

"How old are you supposed to be!?" Kooper asked.

"I'm in my twenties," Twilight said. "I was a unicorn before I ascended, so I'm not really that old. The only naturally born alicorn in all of our history was my niece, Flurry Heart, and...she was a bit of a wild little baby when I first saw her. Far stronger than any normal infant earth pony, pegasus, or unicorn."

"...The...only one?" Goombario asked. "So, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna weren't born alicorns, and they're over a millennia old?"

"Oddly enough, they ascended as alicorns, too. And so was my sister-in-law, Cadence...At least Flurry's magic is under control now, though we had a close call when she accidentally destroyed an artifact called the Crystal Heart in a kingdom called the Crystal Empire, which protected the kingdom from the weather of the frozen north." The others' jaws dropped in utter disbelief, never knowing a baby alicorn could have caused so much damage. "Yeah. That's the same reactions we all had when she cried so loud it created a sonic wave that shattered the Crystal Heart to pieces."

"...Cute and deadly little alicorn baby...I don't know whether I want to see her or run far away from it," Bombette spoke amongst the silence. "But I'm steering toward the former...You have any pictures of your niece?"

"We didn't bring anything with us when I accidentally transported us to your world. Sorry," Twilight apologized. Her throat suddenly became dry, grumbling in irritation as she pulled out another full canteen and took a drink. "How about I tell you stories when we're in shade, or in town? I feel like I need a shower and wash my cloak. I'm sweating up a storm."

"Uhh, right. Sorry. We shouldn't be too far from Dry Dry Outpost." Looking down the road, they could already see the outer walls of the desert town in the distance.

The party walked the last bit of distance toward the outpost, the light shade from the trees planted on the path offering a little bit of relief from the burning rays of the sun. They finally arrived in Dry Dry Outpost, out of the dangerous desert, though the hot temperature still lingered, the only saving grace for Twilight was the shade given from the buildings and trees inside of the tall stone walls. There were Toads that inhabited the land, wearing turbans on their mushroom heads, a scarf to cover their faces from the sand, and loose cloaks to avoid sweating too much. There were also some Nomadimice going about their day, bearing different colored fur with black masks over their eyes, though the alicorn was unsure if these mice were possibly thieves or were a cosmetic appearance for them.

"I hope somepony around here won't mind if I borrow any of their showers," Twilight muttered, letting out a groan of disgust. "I'm drenched in sweat and I need cold water blasting me. I don't care wherever or if it's as cold as ice, I need one badly."

"Maybe someone might be kind enough to do that once we figure out where we can start our search for the Dry Dry Ruins." While the group began walking around the outpost, they didn't notice a robed figure watching them from the roof of one of the buildings, quickly escaping down the back alleys to avoid being seen.

As they looked around, they passed by the shop, where they spotted the owner poke his head out of the doorway, looking around shiftily. It was a purple-furred Nomadimouse, slowly closing his door as he exited, then sped off as fast as lightning deeper into the town. Seeing as they weren't going to get any shopping done for the time being for anything they might need, they continued walking through Dry Dry Outpost, asking anyone about the ruins and where they might be.

Unfortunately, like with Kolorado, their search for information came up empty. Many of the townspeople have heard of the ruins, though none dared risking their lives trying to find it. Some have even claimed that Dry Dry Ruins was buried under the desert sand, and the only way inside would be trying to dig a big enough pit to reach the roof of the ancient temple, which could take several months. The group headed deeper in Dry Dry Outpost to check into a Toad House to rest after their climb over Mt. Rugged and trekking Dry Dry Desert.

"Excusemepardonmecomingthrough!" The same Nomadimouse that ran out of the shop sped past them, nearly tripping Twilight over as he brushed past her.

"Ok, these guys are pretty speedy," she noted. "The hay was he in a hurry for?"

"Maybe he forgot something or delivered an order to someone," Kooper guessed.

Entering the tall building of the Toad House, the Toad working the inn heard them come in from behind the counter. "Hello! Welcome to the Toad House!"

"You got a couple rooms available?" Goombario asked.

"Sure do," the Toad said. "Been a while since we've had any travelers come to Dry Dry Outpost. The train station must be running again." He then pulled out a tray of cupcakes, similar to the ones Kolorado and his assistants had back at their tent. "Complimentary cupcake? I've been getting these out of nowhere from someone. No idea who it is, but I can't turn down anything as delicious as these."

"Those same cupcakes," Twilight noted. "...Wait, that mouse ran by us earlier...Did he drop them off?"

"I don't think it was Little Mouser," the Toad said with a shake of his head. "Though he does run off to the abandoned building that's guarded by a Nomadimouse covering his body with a brown cloak. I guess they must be business buddies or something, seeing them chat with each other for a brief moment before he ran back to his shop. He's not much of a baker, anyway." He then pulled out a slip of paper from behind the counter. "And this batch is brand new and just appeared on the counter when I left for a few minutes to use the restroom. Along with this note for someone named 'Twilight Sparkle'."

"That's me." The alicorn took the note and read it aloud, all the words in the message cut out letters from newspapers and glued onto the page, keeping the writer anonymous. "'Twilight Sparkle, meet me by the oasis south of Dry Dry Outpost. You'll be in for quite a surprise.'"

"By the oasis?" Parakarry asked.

"You think this might be a trap?" Goombario asked curiously.

"I don't think anypony else aside from you guys know my name, and we didn't give our names to Bowser..." Whoever sent Twilight this message, she was sure this had to be one of her friends, if it was. The cupcakes and mentioning a surprise for her could be a giveaway that it might be Pinkie Pie, but the only way to find out was to meet with the mysterious messenger. "Let's find the oasis. I'll bear the heat a while longer if this is who I think it must be from. And those cupcakes."

---

Quickly making their way back to the entrance of Dry Dry Outpost, Twilight lead the way as they stepped back out into Dry Dry Desert. She ignored the heat, to her dismay, hoping that whoever wants to see her was who she expected it to be. Thankfully, the oasis wasn't all that far away as they spotted grass and healthier palm trees up ahead. Being the only source of water here, the only kinds of fruit that were grown around here were lemon and lime trees, which must have been what those cupcakes were made of. Unfortunately, whoever wanted to meet them was nowhere to be seen.

"Hello!?" Twilight called out, seeing no signs of Bandits in the area. "Is anypony here!?"

"Just a minute!" a feminine voice called out from one of the fruit trees nearby. Twilight's ears twitched, recognizing the bubbly and hyper voice. "Just got to get a few more-WAH!"

One of the branches of the tree cracked, sending the flailing female falling to the ground on her head. Twilight gasped as she saw who was under that cloak by the poofy mane and tail sticking out from both ends. She fell on her side, her pink face revealed as she stood up, her eyes spinning like spirals. Pinkie shook her head of the daze she was in, only for the lemons she was trying to pick to fall on her head and plop to the ground.

"Pinkie Pie!" Twilight exclaimed.

"Hmm?" Pinkie gasped and leapt in the air with a wide smile on her muzzle. "Twilight!" Both mares ran toward each other, Pinkie ramming into Twilight too hard, tackling the two of them over the ground until the alicorn was on her back. "You're ok! And here!"

"Oh, Pinkie!" The two mares hugged, finally reunited, the rest of Twilight's group watching from a distance, all but Mario surprised by her sudden ability to manipulate her own gravity for a few seconds before landing and running toward her friend. "I'm so glad you're ok! I can't believe you wound up out here in this desert!" They pulled back and sat up, Twilight noticing a slight difference to Pinkie's appearance. Her mane and tail were a bit shorter and smaller, along with her fur coat being less fuzzy than usual. "Wow. You've got a...different look."

"I know! It's always hot out here in Dry Dry Desert!" Pinkie patted her shorter mane, still holding its floofy, curly style after the manecut she gave herself. "It got a little bit cooler after my coat got a trim and I cut my hair a little! Makes going out here and get these juicy lemons and limes for my special lemon-lime cupcakes a whole lot better! But I like giving them all in secret since I'm staying with somepony who likes being all sneaky and stealthy, and he found me after I ended up out here at the oasis a few days ago!"

"I figured those cupcakes had you written all over them," Twilight said. "And so was that message back at the Toad House."

"Message?" Pinkie asked, cocking her head in confusion. "What message?"

"...You delivered a tray of cupcakes to the Toad working there along with a message for me," Twilight explained.

"I didn't leave a message. I just left the cupcakes earlier today, but then I ran out of lemons for more cupcakes for everypony and came out here to pick some more." Twilight scratched her head, wondering who gave her that message. Maybe it was the friend who had helped Pinkie if she told him or her everything about her. "So, how exactly did you get here? Can't be easy walking through the desert in this crazy heat."

"No, and I'm also a sweaty mess," Twilight groaned, wiping her forehead of sweat for the umpteenth time. "I also didn't come alone."

She pointed over to her friends. Pinkie finally noticed them, but when she spotted Mario, she was surprised to see he was alive and managed to recover after getting his hide beaten by Bowser.

"MARIO!" Pinkie squealed, running straight at him like a bullet. Mario yelped, shaking his head and waving his arms back and forth, unable to stop the mare as she rammed straight into him, hugging him tightly and shaking him around. "You're alive! You're alive! I thought you were hurt, and fell to your death, but you're alive!"

As glad as Mario was to see Pinkie was ok, his spine surely didn't with the death grip her hooves had around his torso. He gave her a weak pat on the shoulder before she finally let go, the hero crumbling to the ground, his eyes spinning in his head as he tried to regain feeling in his limbs.

"Whoa. You alright, Mario?" Goombario asked, the plumber giving them a weak thumbs up as he groaned.

"Hello, everypony!" Pinkie greeted, shocking the Goomba, Koopa, Parakoopa, and Bob-omb as she suddenly appeared behind them. "I'm Pinkie Pie! Who are you guys!?"

"H-How did she do that!?" Parakarry questioned.

"She was just by Mario, and now she's behind us!" Bombette added.

"Guys, just a warning about Pinkie Pie: don't question Pinkie Pie," Twilight said with a giggle. "Trust me. Anyway, Pinkie, this is Goombario, Kooper, Bombette, and Parakarry."

"Yay! New friends! Group hug!" The partners yelled out in fear, but they were unable to escape as the earth pony grabbed them in her hooves and pulled them into a tight group hug. Kooper and Parakarry didn't struggle as much as Bombette or Goombario with their hard shells, the latter two flailing their legs as they were crushed between the Koopas. "I know we're all gonna be the bestest of best friends!"

"C-Can't breathe!" Goombario wheezed, already feeling like his body was going to be squished like a pancake between the Koopa and Paratroopa's shells.

Pinkie finally let go, the Goomba gasping for breath while the other three groaned as they fell on their behinds. After everyone who suffered from Pinkie's hugs of death recovered, they sat underneath the shade of one of the trees to get out of the sun.

"So, where's everypony else, Twilight?" Pinkie asked. "Are they in the outpost?"

"Sadly, no," Twilight said. "They must be somewhere out in different parts of the Mushroom Kingdom."

"Oh...I thought so...But, how did we get separated? And how is Mario still ok?" Mario explained what had happened to him, how he was revived, and what they all needed to do before they could try to save Princess Peach from Bowser's clutches. "Ohhhhh. That's so weird that stars in this world can actually do stuff like us. Princess Luna would love to see one of them one day. And one of the Star Spirits you guys were looking for is here?"

"Yes, but we haven't gotten any leads on where Dry Dry Ruins might be," Twilight said.

"Hmmm..." Pinkie tapped a hoof to her chin, thinking of a solution to finding the ruins. "Maybe Sheeky might know!"

"Who's 'Sheeky'?" Parakarry asked.

"He a little mousy friend who found me when I woke up out here!" Pinkie explained. "But his real name is a secret, and I can't tell you anything about him or what he does because I made a Pinkie Promise not to say anything."

"'Pinkie Promise?'" Bombette questioned with a squinted eye.

"It's something Pinkie made up, but my friends and I follow the code she made up for it," Twilight explained. "You make a Pinkie Promise when you intend on keeping a secret without blurting it out. Break it, and you'll lose the trust in the friend you made that promise, too."

"Forever!" Pinkie shouted.

"Right. Forever." Goombario, Bombette, Kooper, and Parakarry looked at each other, so many questions to ask on the silly earth pony they just met. "Anyway, Pinkie, if this 'Sheeky' can tell us where those ruins are, we can find one of the Star Spirits and be a step closer to stopping Bowser and the Star Rod he's using."

"Well, I can't exactly bring you to where he's staying to meet with him," Pinkie said. "He likes being all secretive, and only those who are able to figure out his special code showing you are worthy of meeting with him."

"So, you can't break your promise?" Twilight asked. "Not even for us?"

"Actually, I won't be breaking it!" the earth pony replied happily. "He told me if I saw any of my friends or Mario, I'm supposed to give you a hint on how to crack the code, giving you permission to meet Sheeky and find where he lives!"

"Well, don't hold out on us!" Kooper said. "How do we meet him!?"

Pinkie looked around them, keeping a careful eye out for any wandering ears out in the desert. She twirled her hoof, ushering everyone to lean closer. The group waited with bated breath as the mare looked around them again before she told them.

"The code is in the store run by a purple mousy named Little Mouser back in Dry Dry Outpost," she whispered. "Of the items he sells, buy the items with the initials D. S. and D. H., in that exact order. You'll know about Sheeky and where he lives when Little Mouser sees you buy them."

As Pinkie pulled away after giving them their hint, the others looked at each other, then back at Pinkie. "...That's it?"

"That's it," she said.

"...That's...really vague," Goombario said. "And buying certain items in a specific order in a public store? What if someone actually buys them like that and figure out the code by mistake?"

"Oh, trust me. You'll figure out what they are since they're really something nopony would be crazy enough to buy there." Pinkie's reason why didn't really help them all that much, being cryptic, but for good reason. She picked up the lemons that fell on her head earlier and stood up. "Well, I'll see you guys at Sheeky's place! I'll tell him in advance that you're coming! But only if you figure out the code...Bye!"

The pink party pony pulled her hood over her head and began bouncing off back to Dry Dry Outpost. Mario, Goombario, Bombette, Kooper, and Parakarry looked at Twilight hoping she could come up with an answer to the riddle.

"...Well, I guess we'll have to figure it out when we get to that shop," the alicorn said.

"...Is your friend really that kooky all the time?" Kooper asked with curiosity and fear.

"Yes. Yes she is. Pinkie's the Element of Laughter for a reason, and her smiling, party-throwing, and wild antics are one of the many reasons my friends and I love Pinkie for." The partners were bewildered, the only answer they'll ever get on Pinkie Pie's behavior just a vague response that only made them want to question her all the more. Twilight giggled at their expressions, Mario being the only one not to question Pinkie after first meeting her back in Peach's castle. "Just believe me when I say not to ask how she functions. She's just being herself. Now, let's get back into town and figure out what we need to buy...and a quick bath for me." Twilight stood up, her cloak nearly drenched in her sweat, even while under the shade of a lemon tree and a slightly cooler air from the oasis in the middle of the area. "Ugh. Bath first, definitely."

---

After returning back to Dry Dry Outpost, Twilight headed back to the Toad House and gave herself a nice, cool, relaxing shower. It was the right temperature as it cooled her down substantially, her mane no longer matted down to her neck by her perspiration and smelling a little cleaner. It was a shame there weren't any soaps or shampoos, but luxury wasn't a necessity as the Mushroom Kingdom needed to be saved, which meant no time for many breaks. She met up back with the rest of her friends outside, the sun thankfully sinking down along the horizon as the desert started to cool down a little as she left her wet cloak behind to get washed.

When they arrived at the shop, they walked inside, spotting the Nomadimouse named Little Mouser manning the counter. He acknowledged their presence with a nod, wondering what his customers were interested in buying. Looking at the wares on sale, the prices were surprisingly cheap, even though something like a Thunder Bolt should be more than just a few coins if it can instantly summon a bolt of lightning down on a foe.

"Ok, so we pick two items in the right order," Goombario muttered. "The initials D. S. and D. H. are what we need to buy..."

On the shelf, the only two items that had those initials were the Dried Shroom, which used to be a normal Mushroom before it shriveled to a disgusting, wilted piece of food, and a Dusty Hammer, a poor quality hammer that could break with just one swing. Twilight found this odd code a bit ridiculous needing to buy something not even worth selling when they're either past their expiration or ready to be scrapped with no chance of repair. Using her magic, she took a Dried Shroom, then a Dusty Hammer, bringing them to Little Mouser.

"I'd like to buy the Dried Shroom and Dusty Hammer, please," Twilight said with a bland expression and lack of emotion.

"Ah. So you must be a friend of the pink one and Moustafa," Little Mouser said.

"Moustafa?" Kooper asked. "I thought you worked for a Nomadimouse named Sheeky."

"The pink one calls him that, and Sheek is his alias," the mouse explained. "Moustafa is his true name, but you must not reveal that name to the rest of the outpost."

"Right. Secrets." Twilight pulled out the coins from her bags to purchase the useless items. "I don't understand how buying something from a shop is considered a good idea for a password to get information. Especially when it comes to something as dried out as this mushroom and a poor excuse of a hammer, both of them belonging in a trash can."

"Hmhmhmhm. Then answer this, winged and horned one; would any customer want to buy anything that looks useless or disgusting than something else that is better in quality?" Twilight was about to retort with the obvious answer, but she paused, seeing Little Mouser grin as he saw the realization in her expression. "Exactly. That is the reason why the Dried Shrooms and Dusty Hammers are on display. They may be cheap and never bought due to their quality, but that is the secret code proving your close relations to Moustafa, whether you are friends or were given a clue. Normal customers are none the wiser, but those in Moustafa's organization know the meaning behind the items than their worth by sight alone."

"...That's actually pretty smart," Kooper pointed out. "And sneaky...No wonder Nomadimouse are considered crafty."

"Sometimes, you need to think outside the box...Although, the pink one seems to do that quite literally. First day Moustafa introduced me to her, she poked her head out of a small pot, out of nowhere, and then reappeared from behind the counter in this store after sinking back in the pot." Little Mouser shuddered, already getting a headache from recalling meeting Pinkie Pie. "She is a strange one, and Moustafa seems to be taking a liking to her...

"Anywho, you are given permission to know the whereabouts of my leader," the mouse said. "To find him, far in the back of the town, you must enter the abandoned two-story building, climb up onto the rooftops, and make your way across to an apartment that can only be accessed up high. You will meet Moustafa and the pink one there."

"Thanks." Now knowing where Sheek, or Moustafa, was, the group left the shop and began heading back deeper into the town to find the abandoned building.

"Well, that was a waste of four coins," Twilight grumbled, throwing away the dried up mushroom and nearly busted hammer in a nearby trash can. "That is kind of smart going by a customer's perspective on what they prefer buying rather than just selling everything, but there is still a slim chance someone will actually want to buy something nopony in their right mind would want to have at all."

"They probably keep a close eye on everyone who has Moustafa's eye," Goombario guessed.

"And I'm sure they would have allowed us to see him because of you and Mario, regardless," Parakarry added. "You and Pinkie are...well, not exactly from our world, and seeing someone else like her wandering around with a hero like Mario, they could have a higher interest in speaking with you."

"Then why stay hidden?" Twilight asked rhetorically. "What kind of organization do they run aside from selling terrible items that are a waste of money, both to buy and sell?"

Seeing as the only way they'll figure out what Moustafa had in store for them, they finally reached the building Little Mouser informed them of. As he said, it was abandoned, the door slightly ajar and no lights on inside from the windows. Opening the door, they saw the front entrance didn't lead to a room, but more of an opening leading back out, piles of boxes stacked up to reach the roof of the building. From the angle they walked in and the fence blocking them from exploring further, it was a pretty smart way to hide a secret passage since the opening couldn't be seen, even when approaching the front door.

Twilight and Parakarry flew up to the roof while the others climbed up with the boxes. Making their way across the rooftop, the only apartment they saw was one on a building next door to the Toad House. After a small walk across the roofs between the abandoned building and inn, then a hop across the next building, the party stood before the door of the person Pinkie believed could help them on their hunt for Dry Dry Ruins. Mario knocked on the door, not wanting to barge in on the leader's abode.

"Enter," a male voice called out, granting them permission to enter. Mario opened the door, finding the leader Nomadimouse, Moustafa, sitting in a chair, along with Pinkie as she seemed to be baking more lemon-lime cupcakes she spread around Dry Dry Outpost. Hearing them come in, the pink pony turned and waved at them. "So, you have figured out my code."

"It wasn't that hard of a hint with those initials Pinkie gave us," Twilight said monotonously, still a little irritated by the odd shopping code they used.

"I am sure you were quite surprised when you made your way to the oasis to reunite with your friend, Twilight Sparkle," Moustafa said as he stood up on his seat. "Pinkie is in better spirits, though it can be hard to tell with her upbeat and cheery demeanor."

"...I-I was...but, how did-?" It then hit Twilight as she grew confused by what the green Nomadimouse said. Pinkie didn't leave a message for Twilight back in the Toad House when she had no clue about it; it was Moustafa. "Wait. You left that message for me?"

"It is not hard to see that you are a long-time friend of Pinkie Pie as the description she gave me of you and your other companions from Equestria were quite unique," Moustafa explained. "Hard to spot a four legged creature with a horn and wings walking into the outpost after trekking through the heat of the desert, either. So, I decided to leave you two a little surprise."

"And I didn't expect it!" Pinkie added, a timer dinging behind her over by the counter. "Ooh! Next batch of cupcakes are done!"

Moustafa chuckled in amusement as Pinkie pulled the next dozen cupcakes before turning back to the baffled alicorn. "So, you're Moustafa?"

"Indeed, I am." The mouse removed his cloak, revealing his green fur and face, leaving his keffiyeh on. "I am Moustafa, but out in public, I call myself Sheek." He leapt off his chair and onto a small closed box, surprisingly swift as he moved in nearly a millisecond. "I knew of Mario coming to me from a vision from the stars above one night, and I see it will come true."

"So, you knew we were coming all along?" Bombette asked.

"Correct," Moustafa said, flipping off the box and on Pinkie's head, the mare busy icing the now cooled cupcakes. "And I know why you are here long before telling Pinkie Pie of my own troubles aside from her separation from her friends. You seek the location of Dry Dry Ruins."

"You know where it is!?" Goombario asked.

"Not of the location, but I do have the key necessary to finding it out in Dry Dry Desert. You see, those ruins are sacred ground from my own ancestors, and the ground has been tainted by Bowser's minions roaming about it and making it a base for his schemes." The mouse leapt down off Pinkie's head as she quickly finished icing and sprinkling the new cupcakes. He approached the group, pulling out a pink gem underneath his protective headgear. "I do not know how they managed to raid it while it is buried under the sands, but you can enter as I put my full trust in you to get rid of them. And find the Star Spirit Pinkie mentioned as soon as she returned."

"A jewel as a key?" Twilight asked curiously.

"It is more than just a simple little gem," Moustafa explained as he held it up for them to see. "This is known as a Pulse Stone. It shows the location of where the ruins lie. The closer you approach it, the more it flashes." He then gave the Pulse Stone to Mario, placing it in the plumber's hand. "You will not see the ruins, but there is a stone out there with an indentation made to fit this inside. When you find it, insert the Pulse Stone, and the ruins will rise before you.

"Defeat those heathens from my family's ancient home and kick them out. I do not want anyone to defile the history of what my ancestors had made in this land, not even that archaeologist who was here in Dry Dry Outpost earlier to supply himself and his colleagues in finding the ruins and excavating it for treasures. All of this I have told you, and where Dry Dry Ruins lies, you must not speak a word of it to anyone. Understand?" Despite meeting with Kolorado and sort of promising to find any artifacts for him to study if they found the ruins and any ancient treasures they came across, they did understand that those ruins belong to Moustafa and his ancestors. Mario nodded his head, as well as the others, though Kooper was let down that he won't help his idol discover the mystery behind Dry Dry Ruins. "Good. I wish you all the best of luck traversing the temple ruins."

"Sorry, Mr. Kolorado," Kooper whispered to himself. "Guess I can't really help you out with your excavation..."

Moustafa turned to Pinkie, who had pulled out a present from behind the Nomadimouse's chair he didn't know existed back there. Being with her for the last week, it was no surprise for him to encounter any of her odd shenanigans.

"Well, Pinkie, it seems as though we must part ways," he said. "With Mario, you might be able to find the rest of your friends out in the Mushroom Kingdom. You will always have a place here as a part of my group, so don't be a stranger. Though you are a questionable being, you are quite amusing and entertaining as a companion."

"Aww, Sheeky." Pinkie grabbed Moustafa and pulled him into a hug, the Nomadimouse stiffening in surprise. "I'm gonna miss you and Mousy too. And maybe if Twilight can find a way to make a portal between both our worlds, I'll come and visit Dry Dry Outpost every day and throw a huge party for everypony when I come back! With more lemon-lime cupcakes!"

A little flustered by the platonic embrace as Mario, Twilight, and their companions were watching them, Moustafa awkwardly patted Pinkie's shoulder. "Er, yes. That does sound...exciting." Pinkie let the mouse go as he cleared his throat and turned back to the others. "Anyway, you still have some daylight left, and the sun should be low enough for safer travels through the ruins. The torches inside must have been lit up by Bowser's men as they invaded, which should leave some adequate lighting to see inside."

"Don't worry, Moustafa," Goombario assured. "We'll liberate the Dry Dry Ruins before you know it."

"Ooooh! This is going to be exciting!" Pinkie cheered, bouncing over Moustafa to her friends. "Let's get moving, everypony! We got an ancient temple to explore and a world to save!"

"And the rest of our friends, too," Twilight added.

"Of course! Bye, Sheeky! Hope you like your gift!" With Pinkie joining them, the party set off immediately as they left Moustafa's home, the mouse a little confused as he looked back at the gift that was meant for him.

"Gift?" He was too late to ask Pinkie what she meant as the door closed behind them, already making their way off the roof and heading out to the desert to find Dry Dry Ruins.

Curiousity took hold of the Nomadimouse, his nose twitching as he approached the simple blue and green box. He could smell a sweet fragrance come from it, along with noticing a note on top. He took the paper and read it to himself.

Thank you for taking me in, Sheeky. Hope you like what I made for you. I know you'll love it.
Your best and first ever pony friend, Pinkie Pie

Raising a brow, Moustafa lifted the top of the box off, revealing a cake inside. The frosting covering the delectable dessert was of the same lemon frosting used for the top of some of Pinkie's cupcakes, decorated with darker yellow sprinkles and lemon wedges. In the middle of the cake was an icing drawing of Pinkie Pie and Moustafa in pink and green icing, both of them celebrating in joy. Just from the scent of the wedges and lemon-scented frosting, the cake must have been made with his favorite fruit from the oasis.

The mouse grinned with a light chuckle, swiftly grabbing himself a plate, a fork, and knife, cutting out a slice and taking a bite. "...Mmm...Delicious. A lemon cake made of the sour lemons grown from the oasis." Taking his slice with him outside, he stepped out onto the roof, looking out to the entrance of town, where Pinkie and her friends were already leaving to find the ruins. "...You're welcome, Pinkie Pie. Out of all the people I have encountered in my life, you're by far the friendliest of them. Good luck finding the rest of your friends."

---

With the sun beginning to set on the horizon, the desert seemed a lot more bearable for Twilight now. Unfortunately, that didn't mean it would be easier to trek, seeing as the night in the desert meant a higher possibility of running into Bandits. Mario lead the way, holding the Pulse Stone out as they waited for it to blink while walking along the path. Just as Moustafa had said, it began to blink brightly for a second before the light faded, coming back a moment later as they continued onward. They headed for the central point of Dry Dry Desert, where the Pulse Stone had already begun to blink a little faster.

"Ok. If I were a temple, where would I build it out in a large desert like this?" Twilight questioned as she figured out which way to go, being mindful of the Tweester roaming around the stone cactus nearby.

Mario watched the stone carefully as he began walking south a little. The Pulse Stone's blinking began slowing down, prompting him to head back north and try going further up. It blinked just a tiny bit faster than where they stopped, which meant the ruins were somewhere up in the northern half of the desert. The others followed after him, keeping a watchful eye on any Pokeys and Bandits that want to pick a fight.

"So, Pinkie, what exactly did you give Moustafa as a present?" Bombette asked. "And where did you even hide that?"

"A little something delicious I know he can't wait to sink his whiskers into when he opens it," Pinkie answered, ignoring the second question as she bounced alongside the others. "He's probably eating it right now."

"Was it a wheel of cheese?" Parakarry asked.

"Nope!" Pinkie said, shaking her head. "Not cheese! Although, I wonder if he also liked cheese...I never asked him."

"Hey, what about my other question!?" Bombette exclaimed. "I know that gift you left Moustafa wasn't just hiding there if he was in there with you and he didn't even notice it!"

"Of course it was there, silly! I hid it behind his chair after I finished baking it the other day, and pulled it out for him to open as soon as we left!" Bombette's eye twitched, letting out a heavy sigh of defeat, stopping herself from asking anymore before she broke her fuse.

"A giant cupcake!" Parakarry guessed.

"Close, but that's not it," Pinkie singsonged.

As Parakarry continued guessing, the group began getting closer and closer to the where the ruins was located. The Pulse Stone was blinking rapidly as they continued moving north, but as they reached the upper section of Dry Dry Desert, they didn't find any rocks nearby. They headed west first, the gem flashing faster and faster, which was the right direction to go as they seemed to nearly be there. Up ahead, there was a lone stone in the middle of the next estimated grided area from Kolorado's map, no signs of any enemies in sight.

"Wow, that's flashing a lot now," Goombario said. "I think we might be on top of it."

Twilight examined the stone Moustafa told them to find, an indent on the smooth surface carved out to fit the Pulse Gem inside. "I think this is it." Mario stood next to Twilight, the gem in his hand now shining brightly instead of pulsing. "Moustafa said the ruins will appear from the sands when we place the Pulse Gem in here...I hope he's right."

Mario placed the gem in the stone, the Pulse Stone shining brighter and making the stone turn and sink into the sand, causing a powerful earthquake. Everyone yelled in surprise, feeling the sand in front of them shifting as they ran from the slowly rising temple. Dark clouds suddenly appeared and swirled around the desert region, the quake surprising everyone from Dry Dry Outpost and even Kolorado and his two assistants at their base. Moustafa was the only one who was calm as he stood on the roof of his apartment, another slice of his cake on his plate as he watched the clouds, knowing they found the ruins he and his ancestors were sworn to protect.

The temple slowly rose up from the sands, stone walls, columns, and even a platform free of sand fully revealed itself to the surprised group. Eventually, the earthquake finally stopped, the clouds in the sky blocking out the setting sun. The only source of light in the dimly lit desert was inside the temple itself, lit up torches inside of the halls. It was a sight to see the ancient ruins, surprisingly intact with some slight wear and tear to the stone from age.

"Whoa," Kooper gasped. "The Dry Dry Ruins..."

"Amazing," Twilight uttered.

The party walked along the stone floor as they admired the structural build of the ancient temple. One thing they noted were what was carved out at the top of the stone columns; spherical-shaped heads with wide eyes and an open mouth filled with sharp teeth.

"What are those things?" Pinkie asked, pointing at the strange carvings.

The Mushroom Kingdom heroes all shuddered, knowing exactly what the creature was. "Chain Chomps," Goombario answered. "Those are very dangerous."

"Living iron balls with skin tougher than the strongest steel, come in a variety of sizes from my height to gargantuan, and also has a chain behind it that's kind of like a tail," Bombette added.

"So they're giant doggies, but a giant ball?" Pinkie summarized.

"Worse," Parakarry said, trembling slightly as he swallowed a lump of fear. "I've made some deliveries where some owners actually have Chain Chomps as pets. Good thing about their chains is that they're incredibly durable and can hold them back, even reinforcing whatever they're attached to so they don't leave and run off chasing anyone."

"Their chains still stay connected to wherever they are tied to?" Twilight questioned, growing incredibly curious and a little terrified at the information on this type of guard dog in this world.

"Anything: wooden posts, fences, trees, even a single nail hammered into the ground won't even budge if it's shot out of a cannon," Parakarry continued. "So many close calls on my first few weeks as a mail carrier...They are not the friendliest, or the easiest to tame."

"I bet our friend Fluttershy could tame one!" Pinkie exclaimed. "She's tamed a big three-headed doggie named Cerberus, and that's a really, really, REALLY big guard doggie!"

Despite the shock of hearing one of Twilight and Pinkie's friends being able to tame a creature that was considered the guardian of the underworld, Kooper looked up at one of the columns curiously. "Moustafa didn't really mention much about the temple, but carvings of Chain Chomps...Did his ancestors or the inhabitants that built this place worship them? Or were they important to building the temple and once roamed around this desert?"

"I just hope there aren't any of these Chain Chomps waiting for us inside." They stood before the entrance to the temple, some worried about what lies inside, but deep in the ruins was where one of the remaining six Star Spirits were being held captive. There could be traps set up to keep thieves from stealing what treasures they held along with Bowser's minions. Twilight took in a deep breath, looking at her friends before walking inside. "Let's get moving. We've got a Star Spirit to rescue."

Comments

[Joeyjambo122]

8038156 How's the next chapter coming along?

[Codex92]

8080682 Shockingly, I'm going to start the next chapter right now. Kind of a bad idea to have multiple stories to work on, but I thought it would be a good idea to shift between each one if I don't have any ideas or work on one needing a new chapter.

[Skyeheart]

Hang on, didn't Parrakarry have a letter for Kolorado?

[94000130 FFF70000]

Y'know, this is a pretty solid adaptation. I had my doubts, but this is an interesting read.

[Xanatos Speed Chess]

This chapter made me want a lemon-lime cupcake.rs221.pbsrc.com/albums/dd237/got2b408/drooling_homer.gif~c200

[SammyLawrence]

Fun Fact: when I was reading this story I made Moustafa sound like Aladdin