Hunt and Be Hunted

The streets are cold and dark just like the night that Crimson Verse had saved my life; my goal was a simple one; grab Dr. Whooves so that we could all have a meeting.

The door was wide open when I got there; signs of struggle were everywhere.

I started to search for clues in hopes of finding out where he could have gone to; the only thing I found of use was a black leather bound book.

I opened the cover and a receipt fell to the ground; I looked down to it and read.

It was to an antique store that I remembered from my childhood.

I galloped as fast as my legs could take me; my destination being home.

I ran inside and grabbed Vinyl "come with me" I locked the door but before I could run off Vinyl stopped me.

"What do you need me to come with you for Bonnie?" -I smacked her- "ow! what was that for?!"

"Only Lyra can call me that Vinyl" I looked around and started to question if I should really leave Lyra and Octavia along? sure Lyra was in decent condition but still…

I drag Vinyl along and she finally just goes along with it; I can see the shop ahead and look back to Vinyl "that's why" I can see the smile; she had nothing but happy memories about this place.

"I haven't been here since that night before I was adopted" -she had relaxed; probably just surrounded by her memories- "I wonder if'n old Ink Jot is still here?"

I pushed through the door and a familiar voice rang out from the back "I'll be out in a moment!"

I sat down and pulled the receipt from my saddle bag so I could look it over- "One leather bound book; 2 bits" -she had always sold the things she had here for cheep when we were fillies.

When she saw use she nearly ran "Vinyl? Bon Bon?! It's been ages!" Vinyl did run to her and they embraced each other in a hug; I kind of just stand here and watch.

After a while they both looked at me "might I ask the reason you guys here?" her speech hasn't improved that much…

"I'm looking for a friend and all I have to point in the direction of where he has gone is a receipt in a book he got here" -the both looked at me with the same confused look- "his room was a mess, there must have been a struggle."

You not change much Bon Bon, still serious" -she started to pace around- "he and his friend came by, he got the book before leaving and seemed excited" -I tried to speak up but was just interrupted- "gave his friend a necklace, as gife" -again I tried to speak but was interrupted- "learn many things from Crimson Ink when he work here, he gave me something case I needed to find somepony" -I was struggling to understand what she was saying but she spoke so fast and her sentences were always so choppy.

She disappeared quickly and Vinyl turned to me "she said that Crimson Ink had showed her a few things and that she had given a necklace to Derpy and that she thinks it might be able to help us find Derpy and hopefully Dr. Whooves" I nodded; she was always good at understanding what anypony was saying.

Ink Jot came out and was holding a necklace with an odd looking pendant on the end "this help, Crimson Ink show, it glow when near other" I smiled softly as I took it, even gave her a short hug "still glad you came."

I walked out so that Vinyl could give here own goodbyes; I examined the pendant; it was a platinum locket with elegant white markings in the center of an upside down V; I turned hearing Vinyl come and the V faced the way you expect a V to point.

I looked at Vinyl and smiled "it looks like it gives you rough directions" I started to turn in a circle and watched as the V changed directions.

I was struggling to walk with it so Vinyl levitated it with her magic.

In a few moments we had ended up on the front stairs of a ran down salon that we both had to stop because of something off in the air; I turned to her "I need you to go and get Octavia, I think that we will need her if she isn't to the point that she can't."

"But what is she can't? and if she can we can't just Lyra unprotected in Manehattan" as she spoke my mind started to work.

"Is there anyone that you can trust here?" she nodded slightly "who is it?"

"Neon Lights should be able to, his gig gets over in a few minutes" -I was about to ask her a question but she just continued to talk- "he'll understand, he's a lot like us but a bit different."

She left before I could ask anything else.

With that I turned to the salon and took my first hoof step forward.

The door looks like it was broken in.

I take a few more steps inside.

Crack!

And my world goes black.