//------------------------------//
// Shiny Things 
// Story: The Final Crusade 
// by Enfield 
//------------------------------//

The look on the Crusaders’ faces sealed the deal. The next day after they got breakfast at the administration building with the ranch owners, the family was soon driving down to the goldmine. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Bell couldn’t believe that they might get real gold after they try and pan for it, Scootaloo couldn’t care less for the gold but rather wanted to see if her special talent was mining or panning. The gold mine soon came into sight, it was rather concealed behind the hill and bushes but it was obvious that it was a mine at one point. 
“So what do we do now?” Apple Bloom asked once they entered the museum.
“Look around, learn something, then pan for gold,” James said as he jumped out of the car, “See if I can actually get something this year.” 
The owners of the museum were a cheery lot, they gave a guided tour of the various areas of the mine and showed them some old machinery. The Crusaders enjoyed using the old mining tools, experiencing how simple machinery could make moving heavy carts easier and seeing actual gold dug up on display. But what they had been looking forward to the most was the gold panning. 
“Okay then,” the tour guide said, “Now you get to pan for gold yourself.” 
“I wonder if this’ll be the day I got something,” James said. 
“Three years and still you get nothin’,” the tour guide said. 
James nodded, and looked down at the stream that was used for gold panning.
“Since you’ve been here more than these girls you can get started,” said the tour guide. 
James was handed a pan and a small shovel and he headed off behind the mineshaft out of view. The Crusaders were taken to a large gazebo made of wood and sheet metal, Dave and Katherine left the Crusaders with the tour guide and one of the panning instructors. The Crusaders listened closely and watched carefully as the instructor showed them how to pan, after they got the hang of it the Crusaders were given pans and told to dig in the dirt pile and put some in the pan. Once they did that they carried the dirt filled pans to the stream where they could here the irritated shouts of James, they soon saw him sitting in the stream talking to another tour guide. As Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo neared the river James and the tour guide saw them approach. 
“You took your time,” said James.
“New comers eh?” the tour guide said, “Alrighty then, you kids take your shoes off and come on down.” 
“It’s not that bad,” said James, “The water’s fine.” 
The Crusaders took their shoes and socks off and stepped into the stream, but Sweetie Bell squealed and they jumped back out.
“You lied James, the water’s freezing!” Sweetie Bell said. James cackled a little.
“Yeah but it’s fine once you get used to it,” he said while he examined the pebbles in his pan. 
Apple Bloom stepped in again and sat down next to James.
“I really hope this pays off,” she said.
“We may never know,” said James.

The next twenty minutes consisted of a mix of questions asked by the Crusaders and annoyed shouts that came from James. The tour guide mostly made small talk with Dave and Katherine at a bench overlooking the stream as the panning instructor checked James and the Crusaders. After some time, James’ efforts and patience had paid off.
“Hey hey!” he said, “I think I got something!” 
The instructor looked at the small flake of gold on James’ finger, it wasn’t bigger than a grain of sand but it was clear that James had managed to get real gold after three years of panning here. 
“It’s not too big but it’s bigger than most I’ve seen,” said the instructor. He gave James a small tube shaped like a pill container and James dropped the gold in it.
“I see that you still give people a little gold to take with them,” James said as he examined it. 
“I’m guessing that you have about three of these now?” the instructor asked. James nodded and gave the tube back to him and continued panning. 
“I’ve got some gold too!” Sweetie Bell said.
“How big?” James asked, not looking up from the water filled pan. 
Sweetie Bell plucked the gold nugget out of the pan and held it up to the sun.
“Sweet Jesus,” the instructor said. James looked up and saw the gold the Sweetie Bell had.
“Bloody hell,” James said getting up and wading over to Sweetie Bell, “How did you get a piece that big?” 
The gold nugget was the size of a small stone, James had never seen anything like it before. The instructor was agape from what he was looking at. 
“That’s bigger than any piece of gold I’ve seen recovered in this stream,” he said.
“Nice going Samantha!” Scootaloo said giving Sweetie Bell a playful punch on the arm. 
“You really have a gift with stuff like this,” said Apple Bloom.
“I can’t wait to show my sister this,” said Sweetie Bell, dropping the gold in a tube. 
“Why can’t this stuff happen to me?” James said jokingly as he messed up Sweetie Bell’s hair. 

After the panning James took the Crusaders back to the car with Sweetie Bell’s gold nugget in Katherine’s bag. James had one hell of a time trying to tell the tour guide that the gold nugget was Sweetie Bell’s and that she wanted to use it. 
“So how was it?” James asked the Crusaders.
“Real fun,” said Scootaloo.
“I liked it a lot,” said Sweetie Bell.
“Me too, I should of picked a dryer place to pan though,” said Apple Bloom. James could see what she meant, her pants were wet around the ankles but drying fast. 
“Well at least I got something this time,” said James. 
“Overshadowed by the gold I got,” said Sweetie Bell. James could only laugh along with the Crusaders, he was impressed by the gold nugget Sweetie Bell had managed to get from gold panning but he chose to forget about it.