Brain awoke to a loud banging on the door of the house.  He tried to ignore it and nod back off to sleep, but the sound persisted for about a minute.  He stretched and yawned, rolling out of the bed onto his hooves.  He looked back at the bed to find Fluttershy was not there.  He assumed she had woken up earlier and left, explaining why she hadn’t answered the door.

He walked over to the door and opened it, and was immediately greeted with what one can only describe as an otaku-glomp from an overly-excited Pinkie Pie.  Her friends followed her into the house, carefully stepping around the stallion now sprawled out on the floor.  He rubbed his head in confusion, and then looked outside to see the sun rising in the sky.  It couldn’t have been later than six in the morning.

“Well, that’s definitely one way to wake up…” he muttered in irritation.

Pinkie bounced around the room.  “Well, you should be awake anyway!  Doctor Whooves and Big Mac are on their way!”

Brain’s eyes jolted open, suddenly remembering their agreement to set out on their quest this morning.  He walked over to his bed, picked up his pouch, and strapped it over his shoulder.  He yawned, “I can’t say I slept at all last night…  Doesn’t feel like it, anyway…”  Suddenly, the entire group of ponies shot him a funny smile and stifled laughter.

Applejack said, “Well no matter how much sleep you got, y’all are headin’ out this morning, right?  You oughta get you some food before it’s time to leave.”

Brain felt like the subject of a really bad joke.  He couldn’t place his finger on it, but for some reason he felt as if he was being left out of some really important loop.  He decided to cast the feeling off as paranoia, and decided it best to focus on the present in front of him.

He sighed, “I think food is the last thing on my mind right now.”

Twilight laughed, “Yeah, well you might eat those words in a few hours!”

Brain laughed at her pun, whereas the other ponies didn’t even seem to notice it.  “Uh…you guys didn’t catch that?  She said I ‘might eat those words’.  It’s a pun!”  He sighed, bowing his head in disappointment as none of the other ponies got the pun.

This place will be the death of me.  Where the hell are Big Mac and Doctor?  The sooner I get out of this place, the better.  I can’t let myself get dragged into any more random crap while I’m here.  I have to stay focused and keep my thoughts on getting to that damned temple…  I have to get home.

“So, at any rate, why are all you ponies awake so early?”  He raised an eyebrow, trying to cast aside the pun business.

Rarity said simply, “We just couldn’t let you three leave without saying goodbye first.  Besides, there’s a good chance we won’t see any of you again.”

Rainbow Dash gave Rarity a slight shove in irritation.  Those were definitely not words of encouragement.  “I think she meant to say that we may not see you again.  Big Mac and Doctor will definitely be back, right Rarity?”

Rarity blushed, turning her head away as if to avoid the question.  “Right, of course that’s what I meant.”

Brain couldn’t hold back a laugh, “Your faith in our endeavor is astounding, Rarity.  I feel much better knowing you believe in us!”

Suddenly there was a knocking at the door.  Twilight opened it with her magic, and in walked Big Mac and Doctor, suited up and ready to go.  Of course, by ‘suited up’, I meant they had pouches on just like Brain.  They both carried different essentials.  Doctor was carrying rope, among a plethora of other tools they may need on their journey.  Big Mac was loaded down with non-spoilable foods and drinks.

Brain opened his pouch and pulled the Everfree Forest map from it.  He handed it to Doctor.  “Since you used to be a cartographer, I’ll let you handle the map.  I took the liberty of marking exactly where the golden tree mentioned in the book is.”

Doctor studied the map carefully.  “So…the golden tree was here in Ponyville at some point in time?”  He turned the map every which way, but the mark didn’t move.

“Trust me, it’s accurate.  I don’t make maps for a living, but I know how to read them.  Based off of a modern map, and the map at the back of the book, that mark is pretty damn accurate.”  Brain had a smug smile on his face.  Doctor rolled the map up, and placed it in his pouch.

Big Mac laughed, “I guess you’re on the ball, this mornin’.  We oughta get going.  We need to at least reach the waterfall before it gets too late.”

“Still going through with this, Brain?”  A voice called from the other side of the doorway.  Everypony’s head snapped in its direction, a shiver running down their spines.

Brain turned to look at the familiar voice.  “You bet your ass I am!  I’m going home, with or without you.”  He smile as Chance walked into the doorway, showing himself to the other ponies.

Big Mac stamped his hoof, “Uh…Brain, who’s this fella?”

Chance chuckled, “The name’s Chance.  I’m a friend of Brain’s.  You know, a human friend.”  The crowd of ponies gasped in shock as he stressed the word ‘human’.

Brain sighed, “Yep.  My best friend.  And a complete and total asshole.”  He placed a hoof on Chance’s shoulder, smiling widely.

Chance shrugged, “I am who I am.  And I am a human.  I’m coming with you guys.”  Brain’s hoof dropped upon hearing this.

“What about last night?  You told me ‘I don’t think I wanna leave.’  What happened to that?”  Brain almost seemed upset.

Chance stamped his hoof, “As much as I love the peace and quiet, sometimes it just gets boring.  I mean, I honestly don’t think anything interesting happened yesterday…  I’d go crazy from boredom.”

Brain sighed, “You never can make up your mind, you mule!”

Chance glanced at the duo of stallions.  “You don’t mind another set of hooves tagging along, do you?”

Big Mac and Doctor exchanged uneasy looks.  Big Mac replied, “Nope.  A friend of Brain’s is always welcome.”

Doctor, on the other hand, seemed a bit apprehensive.  “Just don’t try anything funny.”

Brain laughed, “Oh, the worst this guy’ll do is push you off a cliff into a bottomless pit.”  He slapped Chance on the back.  “Don’t worry fellas; he’s not a bad guy.”

Chance chuckled, “Thank you, Brain.  Reassuring, I’m sure.”

Stepping out into the bright morning sun of Equestria, the quartet of stallions decided it best to set out on their journey as soon as possible.  The group said their goodbyes to everyone, and started their trek into Everfree Forest….

…………

With a glint in his eye, Chance stared into the water of Ponyville’s fountain.  He smiled to himself as he thought about the temple that supposedly housed his way home.  He had done his own research into the subject.  According to the texts he read, the temple’s glowing aura grew smaller and weaker every time another human exited through it back to their world.  To him, this meant that if it did exist, the aura would be weak.  There was no guarantee how much the aura diminished in the thousands of years it had been open.

He decided then and there that if it came down to it, and the aura was open, he would be the first to pass through.  Brain could stay stuck in Equestria forever, for all he cared.  With a pouch full of food, drinks, and tools at his side, he started his trot to Fluttershy’s house.  He was going to go with the trio of stallions on their adventure to the temple.  And when the time came, he would forsake his friend for freedom back home.  He was fully prepared to abandon Brain on this side.

“Chance, my dear, you are an asshole.  I like it…” he muttered to himself in a calm, loving voice.  

“Let’s start this little adventure, shall we?”