Friendship is Recovering

Chapter 19

Perspective: John

I managed to catch up to the ponies who took Midnight as they entered into a cave. I knew I had to follow them in, so I flew as close to the ground as I could possibly go without my hooves touching the floor. I started running as soon as I landed on the ground, and quickly went after them. I was not going to let them get away with doing what they wanted to her. As I followed the masked ponies that carried Midnight with them, I made marks in the cave walls or stalagmites to show the others where to go. Hang on Midnight... I am almost there. I thought, and continued my pursuit.

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Perspective: Chris

"Here are the newspapers that you wanted Chris," My assistant said, plopping another stack of newspapers on my desk.

"Thank you Cliff," I ask, taking a sip out of my cup of coffee as I read through the newspapers.

"It has been years since he disappeared, are you sure that you will ever find him again?" He asks me. I smiled in response.

"I promised that I would find him, and I won't rest until I find him once more," I said, putting the newspaper down and pulling out another one. I read the headline upon this newspaper out loud, "Mysterious Yellow robed man finds an ancient artifact, and graciously donates it to a museum for no charge. More on page A3," I looked at the picture below, and would slam it suddenly to the desk, surprising Cliff.

"I finally found a lead!" I shouted out of happiness.

"Does this mean that I don't have to bring you more newspapers?" He asks with excitement. I knew that he was tired of finding old newspapers for me by now, since he didn't believe that I will ever find a lead. That and his ADD made it hard for him to do the same thing for too long.

"Yes, this article may have been from months ago, but I can still figure out where he has gone," I said.

"And where would that be?" He asks me out of curiosity.

"A place that is not well known, it is known to people as: The Hollow" I said with an eager smile. I knew exactly where the location was because of my travels. I started to pack up my stuff.

"Where are you going?" Cliff asks.

"Out, don't follow me because I need to do this alone for now," I said, and I picked up my bag and walked out of the door.

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Perspective: John

After following the group for a while, I saw them walk through a gate. The gate had a single lookout upon it. As soon as they entered through the gate, I quickly took out a knife from my bag and threw it at the patrolling guard. It landed in his head with a soft thunk and he drops to the floor, dead. I was aware that killing them may not have been the right choice, but they kidnapped Midnight, so I could care less about it. My own morals about killing can come later after saving her. I then entered through the gate myself and surprised four guards upon my entry.

"What the... INTRUDER!" one of the guards shouted. I reached into my bag and pulled out another knife. Three of them charged at me, and the fourth was cowering, scared that I was armed with a knife. I focused on one of the charging guards, and with a swift movement, killed him. After killing one of them, I pulled the knife out of his head as the guards started to back away.

"Oh... Celestia," One of them said in shock. The other guard started backing away from me in fear; they were not trained to fight armed ponies.

"Where did you see that group that had your latest captive?" I asked them in a stern voice.

"To the alter; please don't kill us!" The fourth guard shouted out of fear. I then turned to him with my gaze, and he looked more fearful than before.

"Where is it?" I asked him, pointing the knife at him. He would quickly raise a hoof to point me in the direction of the alter, before fainting out of fear. I ignored the other guards and opened my wings to fly. I figured that it would be faster to fly there, rather than run. While in the air, I noticed a big monument of a pony. I ignored it and started to fly in the direction of the alter. I could tell where it was by the fact that there were many steps leading up what looked to be a huge pyramid. I will kill you all if you lay one hoof on her. I thought angrily as I made my way towards the place that they were taking her too.

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Perspective: Chris

I arrived at the town after a week of traveling. I made entirely sure that Cliff did not follow me by checking the boat I arrived in multiple times before taking off. As soon as I made my way to the gate, a man would walk up to me.

"Welcome to... Hey, yer not a bounty hunter, and you sure don't look like a treasure hunter either!" He exclaimed. I saw that he had experience in battles, so I did not want to make him too angry at me.

"What gave you that idea?" I asked him politely.

"Well, yer clothin' for starters, and the fact that you look like one of them detectives," He said, giving me a toothy grin that was missing the “toothy” part.

"I can say that much is obvious; I don't want to cause trouble, I'm looking for a friend who may be here," I told him.

"Ahh, then yer good to go in then, hope ya find yer friend," He said, and walked away from me to where he normally stood.

Odd, at first he was not happy to see me until I told him that I was searching for a friend here. I thought, but I decided to shrug it off. I have access to this town now, and I don't want to waste it away by standing around the entrance. I decided to search for the nearest bar, as I figured that he would probably be in one of them. Even if he wasn't in it, there would be bound to be information anyways.

I entered into the bar after finding the entrance, the whole building was a bit confusing as it was different from the rest. As soon as I entered, all activity stopped to look at me, before resuming what they were doing. I raised an eyebrow at what their reaction to me was, so I decided to listen around for any information by sitting at the bar. I walked up to the bar and sat down on a stool, but not ordering anything for now. I needed to have my head clear as I listened; even if I don't hear any information, I can easily ask around.

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Perspective: John

I arrived at the base of the place of the giant pyramid as they tied her down to a stone alter. I was tired of flying, so I started to run up the steps. I barreled through some ponies that were walking up the steps.

"Get the hell out of my way!" I shouted as I ran through them. Some of them got surprised and tried to attack me, but I killed those who tried with a knife to the head. I was not in any mood to stop, not while I was this close. A unicorn attempted to block me with magic, but he failed to even cast the spell as my knife sunk into his head.

"I said; get the hell out of my way!" I shouted again, and most of the ponies moved away from me. I charged as fast as I could up the many stairs leading to the stone alter at the top. I took a chance and looked at the altar, to see that they had a knife above Midnight.

"No!" I shouted, and started to run up the stairs faster than what I think was possible for ponies to do. The ponies were quick to get out of my way, but the guards did not want to take a chance to attack an armed pony.

When I was at the final steps, I saw the knife descend. Everything slowed down as I watch the knife move down. I also moved up the last few steps as fast as the time would allow me. By the time I reached the floor of the stone alter; the knife tip had already reached Midnight. I charged at the one who held the knife, but he plunged it into her neck. Blood flowed from the wound as I managed to finally knock him away. I pulled the knife out quickly, and used my hooves in an attempt to stop the blood. But I watched her life drain away before my eyes. She attempted to say something, but all that came out was a gurgling sound.

I was too late to save her... I was too slow.

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Perspective: Chris

I heard nothing that could help me find John in the bar, or from the loud activity nearby, only some really strange stories. None of them came close to helping me to find him. I decided to take a chance and ask the barkeep first.

"Excuse me," I said, getting the bartender's attention.

"Sorry, I don't sell to foreigners," He said to me with a deadpanned voice.

"I wasn't going to ask for a drink," I said, surprising the bartender.

"You’re the first person who has ever walked in here and say that to me, why are you even here anyways?" He asked me, being curious about what I was looking for.

"I'm looking for a yellow robed man, his name is John, if he ever gave his name," I said. For the second time, all activity stopped again and I felt all of their gazes on me.

"You’re looking for John?" He asked me, not minding the sudden silence that happened.

"Yes, are there any problems with that?" I asked him.

"No, you’re just looking for someone who is pretty much famous around here for being able to take down the best bounty hunter with ease, that and he disappeared," The bartender explained to me.

"You’re saying he's missing?" I asked him.

"Yep, ever since he went on his latest treasure hunt, he's been missing," He answered.

"Do you know where he went?" I asked him.

"Yeah, he went to this island," he answered. Activity slowly started to resume.

"And where would this island be?" I asked, finally getting a solid lead on him.

"I don't know, but only that it is around... hang on," He said, and pulled a map out from under the bar.

"Here," He told me, pointing at an island on the map.

"Thank you for your help," I said, and he put the map away.

"No problem, John is my best customer anyways," He said, and went back to selling drinks. I made my way towards the docks. Before I left the bar, a shiver ran down my spine. I wondered why that would happen, but I ignored it and walked out of the bar.

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Perspective: John

As soon as I lowered my hooves, I picked up the knife that was used to kill Midnight. I turned to the one who stabbed her, and he looked at me in absolute fear. Before he could move, I ran to him and stabbed him through the throat with the knife. My vision turned red out of anger.

"Damn you to hell! All of you!" I shouted, and pulled the knife out. He gurgled something before falling to the ground in a pool of blood. I turned to the next pony nearby and stabbed him through the head as well. As I turned to the next one, my vision faded away to black, and I heard nothing.

"John! Oh Celestia, what did he do to them all!" I heard a voice shout in the darkness. I managed to stop myself where I was, and color started to slowly fill my vision again, first the color red, then the normal colors. The sound would then come back in a ringing noise. I looked around, and saw all of the dead ponies lying around in blood that coated the floor. I looked down at my hooves, and they were painted red over my yellow fur.

"Why..." I said softly, my sadness finally catching up with me again. I slowly ascended the steps to where Midnight lay.

By the time I reached the top, I heard soft voices behind me. I did not pay any attention to them, as I was more focused on the body of the one I intended to save. I walked up and used the knife, stained red in blood, to remove the ropes. Earlier, the only thing I felt was anger. Now the only thing I could feel right now, was pure sadness. No, depression. It was as if I was in a whole different world... I looked at Midnight's face one more time, and tears filled my eye for the first time.

All I could do was break down and cry over my love's slowly cooling body... I cried without any intent on stopping, because I have failed to save her.

I wasn't there for her when she needed me.