Sealegs

As the sun set unsteadily, the company re-assembled at the inn.
Strangely enough, Shining Armour wasn't there.
Minutes turned to hours as the six ponies waited for his return.
But the moon was well into the sky before it was decided he was missing.
The group had lost its leader, and the conflicts of the past few days were brought back into attention.
The apple, Fluttershy's abuse, even Braeburns distrust towards Sombra.
It all came rushing back as the company began to fight amoungst themselves.

Green Flash and Sea Breeze looked on, dismayed.

"That apple was mine! Ah wasn't obliged to share it with anyone but Gold!"

Sombra roared in disgust.

"You sneaky little whelp! Watch your mouth!"

Gold turned to Fluttershy.

"Really? You had to get intimate when you KNEW we could all hear. What's wrong with you?"

Fluttershy blushed and recoiled in fear and embarassment, prompting Sombra to launch a hoof towards Gold.
It hit its mark squarely, sending Gold crashing back into the Inn counter.

"Ah've had it with you, you creep!"

Braeburn turned and bucked Sombra with strength built up on his days at the orchard.
Sombra was sent careering backwards into a table, giving the couple sitting there a heart attack.
Gold wiped the blood from his muzzle.
Sea Breeze and Green Flash rushed in, with Green restraining Sombra, and Sea restraining Braeburn.
Gold wasn't crash hot on Sea laying a hoof on Braeburn.

"Back off, Map boy!"

Sea Breeze scowled.

"I'm only trying to help you."

Gold rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, just like how you've been crushing after my best pal. He's married, you know."

Sea Breeze was taken aback.

"Crushing after him? I admired his skills! Not that you'd know anything about that. Pegasi are boneheaded! All of em!"

This prompted a hoof to the face by Fluttershy, and a buck to the stomach by Gold.
Sea Breeze staggered back, holding his stomach where Gold's powerful hindlegs had struck.
Green Flash roared in rage, sending Gold flying back into the counter again with a single kick.
Braeburn turned and bucked Green, while Sombra headbutted him, breaking his restraint.
The ponies scrambled up, three separate sides.
Sombra and Fluttershy.
Gold and Braeburn.
Sea and Green.
The inn staff ushered each of them to their rooms, where each pair fumed over the nerve of their newfound foes.

Green tenderly poked at his backside with his hoof.

"I'm getting too old for this."

Sea Breeze chuckled, before trotting to the window and staring out to sea.

"Somethin' on yer mind, laddy?"

Sea Breeze sighed.

"I was just shocked to find that they all hated me so much."

Green Flash trotted over, and whacked Sea Breeze on the back of the head.

"Ye really took a shine to them, eh laddy?"

Sea Breeze nodded slowly.

"BWAHAHAHAH!"

Sea Breeze was startled by the sudden outbreak of laugher.

"Whats so funny?"

Green Flash wiped a tear from his eye, before patting Sea on the back.

"Ye've finally made some friends yer age, boy. Are ye going to let that go so easily?"

Sea Breeze stared out to sea.
It was true. He had found friends in every one of the strange ponies.
He had always tried, but was never able to make friends.
But now he had, and he wasn't about to lose them.
Nodding to Green in thanks, he left the room quickly.

Braeburn stared into the mirror, his eyes lit up with rage.

"Ah swear, when ah get mah hands on that creep stallion, ah'll wring his neck!"

Gold couldn't help but find Braeburn's protective rage alluring.

"Relax Brae. It'll pass. We can all talk this over in the morning."

The words had little effect.

"Ah ain't gonna talk anything out, Ah'm gonna put that blockhead back in the ice!"

Gold walked up to Braeburn, and nudged against him gently.

"You're cute when you're angry."

Braeburn immediately snapped out of his rage, going from fuming to seductive in mere seconds.

"Ah'm pretty sure ah'm the stallion in this relationship. Ah'm the one who's supposed to find YOU cute."

Gold raised an eyebrow, a mischievous grin playing along his muzzle.

"How sure of that are you?"

Braeburn pushed Gold back onto the bed, leaning down over him.

"Real sure."

Sea Breeze burst through the door, and was quickly taken aback by the scene he was met with.
Gold made several attempts at speaking, before finally giving up.

"This is exactly what it looks like."

Braeburn and Gold sat in mild irritation while Sea Breeze explained and apologized.
As he finished, Gold perked up.

"Oh I get it. You were admiring his spells, not him. I'm sorry for thinking the worst of you."

Sea Breeze smiled.

"I'm sorry for everything I said."

Gold beamed.

"We are too."

Braeburn nodded grudgingly.

"Ah dun mean to be rude, but ah was in the middle of something here."

Sea Breeze gave a vacant stare.

"Yeeaah... I'm just gonna pretend I never saw anything."

Sea Breeze turned to leave, but was stopped by a murmur from Gold to Braeburn.

"We need to find Shiny first. Then we can have a tropical vacation."

Sea Breeze turned around, trotting towards Gold and Braeburn.

"I want to help. Green will help too."

Braeburn and Gold looked to each other, considering the option.

"Alright. We could use your talent with maps. The jungle's going to be difficult to get through, and If we get lost, we could be in real trouble."

Sea Breeze beamed, and rushed back to his room to alert Green and gather his things.

Within minutes, the four ponies were searching through the jungle undergrowth.

"Ah dun think we're gonna find anything like this."

Gold shook his head.

"You're probably right. I could try fly up for a clear view, but the canopy is blocking most of the jungle from view."

Sea Breeze checked a map curiously.

"Try flying up and looking towards the mountain on the far side of this island. See if you can find any signs of life there."

Not keen on following orders, but determined to find his friend, Gold flew up above the jungle canopy.
He squinted his eyes, making out a small line of yellow lights, marching along the side of the mountain.
They assembled near the top, and a sickly green glow began to envelop the mountain top.
All four perked their ears up, as they heard something floating on the wind.
Screams.
Shining Armour's screams.
A shudder went up the spines of the four as they heard the agony floating in the wind.
Gold made a start, flying towards the mountain, but was stopped by a yell from below.

"Laddy, ye won't be able to do much on yer own. We can make it there under the cover of the jungle."

With every ounce of his willpower, Gold descended back down into the thick jungle, and traipsing alongside Braeburn towards the large mountain.

The four put all of their strength into pressing forward, and it paid off.
Within the hour, they had reached the bottom of the mountain.
Now all that was left to do is climb it.
And not be detected.
The four slipped out under the edge of the jungle, making a beeline for the foot of the mountain.
All the while, praying to Celestia they weren't caught.
It was a long trek up the side of the mountain, a largely uneventful one.
Eventually, they made it to a rock formation along the side of the peak.
Strange chanting could be heard.
The four peered around the corner.
Gold was puzzled.
He was almost sure that it would have been changelings, but it seemed to be a group of Zebras in cloaks.
He peered towards Shining, and spotted a thin trail of magic emanating from his horn, being drawn into a pot at his feet.
Sea Breeze was the first to speak.

"This is terrible..."

All of the Zebras turned towards them at once, with disturbing single-mindedness.
Their eyes seemed to glow.
Gold retreated behind the rocks, whispering to the others.

"We have no choice. We've gotta fight them to get Shiny back."

Braeburn, Green, And Sea nodded in agreement, before rushing out from behind the rocks to engage their Zebra foes.

The four rushed out, to find several Zebras looking at them in an awkward fashion.
Shining was doing the same.
Gold looked around, flustered.
One of the Zebras was giving Shining a massage.
Two more were sitting around him, lighting incense.
Gold finally got up the courage to speak.

"W... What are you doing?"

Shining raised an eyebrow.

"Getting a massage, what does it look like?"

Gold looked around.
There were several other ponies around, all receiving massages, all staring them down awkwardly.

"Is this some sort of changeling trap?"

Shining chuckled, before raising a hoof and pointing.

"No. It's a natural spa. See? There's a hotspring over there."

Gold's mind raced.

"But... You were screaming!"

Shining buried his head in his hoof.

"Yeah, because I haven't had a massage in so long."

Gold continued to grasp at straws.

"But... I saw this green light!"

An elderly Zebra stepped forward.

"That light will have been from that large lantern, hung above us. It's a traditional incense lantern, It burns with a magical flame."

Gold hung his head, defeated.
He turned to the three ponies behind him.

"Uh... Oops. Sorry guys."

Braeburn trotted over, putting an arm around Gold.

"Aw shucks, it ain't a problem. We may as well unwind and relax a little now that we're here."

The four sighed in unison, before going to check out the various treatments.

The evening went by with little incident.
The group finally shed some of the burden that had been on their shoulders since day one.
They headed back along the Seashore, admiring the moon.
And remembering that should they fail - That the moon and sun would cease to exist.
Gold and Braeburn and Shining joked and laughed, Whilst Sea and Green hung back.

"Ye alright laddy?"

Sea nodded.

"Yeah, I was just shocked."

Green winked.

"Aye, but that shock was good for us all. Don't ye feel more awake, now?"

Sea tilted his head, curious as to what Green could have meant.

"Ah, nevermind boy. Ye'll understand eventually."

Sombra and Fluttershy were awake in the Inn's lobby when the company returned.
Sombra nodded, a snarl playing across his muzzle.

"So you've found him."

Braeburn just about stepped forward, but was stopped by Gold.
Shining took Sombra and Fluttershy to the side and began to speak with them, whilst the exhausted four trotted up to bed.