Sunstroke

Dawn over appleoosa
Sombra and Fluttershy awoke, still embracing as they had the previous night
Sombra sat up, and rubbed sleep from his eyes
he looked around the room, and then out the window
a quick shower and he was ready to search
Fluttershy hadn't woken yet
he figured he would let her sleep in, she had been deprived of sleep for the past few days
Sombra closed and locked the door quietly, sliding the key under the door so that Fluttershy could get out
after a quick breakfast in the lounge, he was out in the dusty streets of appleoosa, searching for the runt
it was hardly his idea of a vacation
he had definately overestimated the sweetness of shining armours deal
how could that damn runt elude him in such a small settlement?
sombras thoughts were cut short by the scuttling of a shadow down one of the alleyways
curiousity having gotten the better of him, he peered down the alleyway, shocked by what he saw
it was some giant insect
but it looked like a pony
it was some sort of horrendously ugly pony insect
the thing flew away before he could get a good look
just what was it that he had seen?
Sombra turned and continued his search, heading for the apple orchard
surely if he returned to the apple orchard, he would find the two again
it seemed as if the runt and himself were the only ponies in appleoosa who didnt wear ridiculous hats
Sombra found the same area that he had saw the two stallions the day before, and waited
and waited
and waited
but they didn't pass by
the orchard seemed deserted
Sombra heard a rustling behind him
and the screech that haunted his thoughts
for the second time that week, Sombra was knocked unconscious by a blow to the back of the head

Fluttershy had been dozing for several hours when she finally decided to get up
Sombra had left to search several hours ago without waking her
he must have thought she was asleep
looking around, Fluttershy sat up and got ready
within half an hour, she was preened and ready to search again
She decided to find and ask the sheriff.
he would know if there were any outsider ponies about, especially ones from equestria's capital
thankfully, this time, Fluttershy didnt get lost
she was at the sheriff's shack by midday

"Um, hello there?"

the sheriff didn't LOOK like a nasty pony, but she still couldn't bring herself to relax

"What can ah do ya for, missy?"

the sheriff smiled warmly, and Fluttershy was able to speak slightly easier

"Um, I'm looking for a friend... yellow-Gold coat, smaller than most stallions... came here from canterlot?"

"Oh, yeh mean the one thats spendin' all his time with Braeburn? They took the day off. Said somethin' 'bout a 'thread to equestria'. Heh, young ponies like you can get the strangest ideas in their heads."

Fluttershy sighed
this meant that Gold was in fact, doing exactly what shining had sent him to do
so nothing bad had happened

"Um, Do you know where they might have gone?"

the sheriff looked down from the veranda to Fluttershy

"Ah think they're lookin' round town for any "suspicious folk", not that they'll find any. Our law enforcement's as good as they come."

Fluttershy sighed
it'd be difficult to find them if they were moving about
she decided to try the orchard, maybe they were working there

Gold and Braeburn had been looking about all day, but had found nothing suspicious at all
The whole town seemed to be in perfectly innocent order

"This is hopeless. We're never going to find any leads."

"Hang on now, we dun' know that yet."

Braeburn was maintaining his optimism, even after several hours of searching appleoosa
Braeburn wrapped an arm around Gold, pulling him close

"Now, there's gotta be SOMETHIN'. Maybe we just ain't lookin' in the right places."

"Well then what ARE the right places?"

Braeburn paused to think

"Y'know, maybe this "threat to equestria" and the salt block becomin' rowdier lately are connected!"

Gold pondered on it a moment

"I suppose it's worth a shot. We can ask the barkeep, he seems like a pretty cool pony."

Braeburn beamed

"Thats the spirit. Let's go."

Fluttershy stopped

"That's strange..."

there was blood in the dust
and it looked like somepony had been dragged away from here
Fluttershy looked around cautiously

"Oh goodness... Oh goodness... Should I follow this trail?"

she just couldn't decide
whoever it was, somepony could be seriously hurt
if she went back to town to get help, it might be too late
she resolved to help whoever it was that had been hurt, and began to follow the trail through the trees

Gold and Braeburn arrived at the salt block without incident
most ponies were still working the fields, or the mines
the barkeep was alone, cleaning the place up for another night of rowdy drinking
he briefly looked up at Gold and Braeburn as they entered, before returning to the bar

"What can I do for you fellers?"

Braeburn stepped forward, taking a seat at the bar, while signalling Gold to follow

"Hey there Salty, we needa catch up on some of the talk o' the town."

the barkeep raised an eyebrow

"Just what is it yeh wanna know?"

Gold stepped in, putting on his friendliest voice

"We just needa know if you've noticed anything suspicious about your customers."

salty took a moment to think, before speaking up

"The ponies from the mines have been actin' real strange lately."

Braeburn tilted his head

"Y'mean the mine near the orchard?"

Salty nodded

"One in the same."

Gold, satisfied, tipped the barkeep and left

"Thanks for the info. I think I know everything I need to."

Fluttershy arrived at what looked like a mineshaft
the dirt trail ended here
whoever had gotten hurt had to be in there
the mine was well illuminated, torches strewn across the walls
Fluttershy took a deep breath and began to decend
the mineshaft was long, and just kept going down
she walked for several minutes, but they seemed like hours
eventually, she came to a large cavern
muddy puddles made up most of the floor
Sombra was in the middle of the cavern
Fluttershy screamed
anon was atop him
biting and scratching at him
Fluttershy, acting on a protecting impulse, rushed forward and leapt at anon
a primal rage fueling her assault, Fluttershy knocked him back into the mud
anon looked up at her, with just a glimmer of fear and remorse in his eyes, before scurrying further into the mines
Fluttershy trotted through the mud back to Sombra
he was pretty badly injured
with every ounce of her strength, she lifted him up onto her back, and started climbing out of the mineshaft

Sombra awoke in a hospital bed, with Fluttershy at his side
he had taken quite a beating, but would ultimately be alright
Fluttershy explained that she had found him unconscious in a mineshaft, with anon tearing into him viciously
Sombra couldn't help but feel that he deserved it
It would be a day or two before he would be able to continue his search for the runt
Vacation ruined
Oh well. It's probably just what he got for trying to vacation in the desert.
the nurses attempted several times to remove Fluttershy from his room, but she refused to leave his side
eventually, they allowed her to stay
they even wheeled in an extra bed for her
the two talked about their situation for a while, before falling asleep...

"Is the rifle really neccesary?"

"It was passed down from my pa. Ah assure yeh, this baby won't let us down."

"That's not what I meant. Do we really need a gun to visit a mineshaft?"

Braeburn gave a loving, but almost teasing smile

"Well, Salty did say that the stallions have been rowdy the past few days. Who knows what we could run into."

Gold rolled his eyes

"I dunno about you, but I'd prefer not to murder anypony while we check out these mines."

Braeburn did the same

"Ah dunno about you, but Ah'd rather not be murdered while checkin' out these mines."

Gold couldn't top that

"Buck it, you win. Let's just go"

Braeburn couldn't help a satisfied smile as the two decended into the mineshaft
the two came to a muddy cavern
Braeburn pulled Gold back and spied from around the corner
Gold had to stifle a gasp when he saw what was happening
Anon had just strangled some kind of bug pony to death, and was screeching and laying into its friend.
With both of the strange bugponies dead, anon scuttled further into the mines

"What was that."

"Ah dun think ah wanna know."