The Lost Friend

by Solaris Night


Farewells

Twilight was lying on her belly and using her crayons to draw some pictures of herself and her human friend.

*THUD*

She was already done coloring in the humans colors and was about to begin to fill in herself.

*THUD* *THUD* *THUD*

The noise made her loose concentration and she went over the line. The unicorn could only sigh in frustration at the constant distraction Eric provided.

*THUD* *THUD* *THUD*

"Ughhh, seriously what are you doing?" she asked and gave him an annoyed look. The human stopped and looked at her with a questioning face.

"Oh, right." she thought. She grabbed a violet crayon and began scribbling. "What are you doing?" she wrote.

Eric looked at her musingly and replied: "Art."

Twilight knew that her cellmate was, before he was dragged to their world, an artist, with less than favourable popularity. At first she thought that the reason for him being unknown was due to people not appreaciating art, like he told her, but looking at his current creationshe began doubting his claims.

"That is art? It looks nothing like any art I've seen or read about." she said. "You sure you are actually talented."

Even though he didn't understand anything she said he could read in her eyes and her face that she didn't understand his creation. He extended one of his arms and called her towards himself.

Twilight tilted her head, but still got up and came to his side. When she got close Eric alid on his back and prompt Twilight to do the same. She did what he asked her and when she looked at the art, she only gasped. The picture suddenlly gaining sense.

On it was a human locked behind bars, with one extended towards the sky. A little further away from it's hand was, what Twilight discerned a dove wirh a small twig in its beak.

"This is absolutely beautiful. You weren't kidding when you said you were good." she said in amazement.

Eric smiled. "Yes." was his only reply.

Twilight continued to admire the creation, until her mind wandered to other matter. She got up and went to fetch her drawing/communicating equipment. When she got back to Eric she began to write.

"Do you think they got our message?"

Eric took one of her crayons and began to write her back. "I'm certain they did. What makes you think they didn't?"

"Well it's already been a day since we sent it and they still haven't come, so I began to think they didn't get it or they don't care what happens to us." She looked at the ground and began to shed tears.

Eric just snapped his fingers to gain Twilights attention and quickly began to compose his reply. "Don't you even dare to assume such things. You said your family loves you, right?" Twilight nodded and he continued. "So don't be afraid they won't come to get you. If it was my little brother who was kidnapped me and my parents would go to Hell and back to save him."

She gave him a weak smile, but she was still worried. "Then why haven't they come already?"

The human sighed and smiled. "Twilight, this sort of thing can't be done in a matter of a few hours. This kind of rescue takes time and preparation, plus who knows where exactly in your world are we, so it might take them a little while to get here."

At that Twilight stopped to cry and gave a loud reply: "YEAH, THEY WILL GET US, THEY WILL!!!"

She looked at the human who was just nodding along to her and then her eyes fell on his picture again. "What does your art represent anyway?"

He looked between the two, a thoughtfull look on his features, and simply said: "Hope."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eric was awakened by the sounds of rumbling. Still sleepy he decided to write it off as a small earthquake or what not. But the rumbling continued and then a sound of explosion completely woke him up. He couldn't belive his ears so he decided to wake Twilight as well.

He shook her and called her name. "Twilight, Twilight."

Eventually she began to open her eyes: " What is it? It's still the middle of the night."

But he only pressed a finger to his lips and shushed her to be quiet. Twilight just looked at him confused, still groggy from just waking up. Then she heard it. Sounds of explosion, screams and fighting.

"I don't belive it. They came, THEY CAME." she yelled and hopped off of Erics lap. "They came to save us, we're safe." she began to jump around smiling. The human just looked at her himself happy to finally be free from his imprisonment.

Just then they heard a set of hoofsteps come down the stairs. Twilight went to the door and began to scream: "We're here. Please save us."

But out of the shadows didn't come the familiar armor of the royal guard, but something that sent chills through her. There at the bottom stood their warden and torturer, Dark.

"Awww, were you expecting somepony else." he snickered. Twilight looked at him in horror, her words dying in her throat as she froze on spot. Eric looked at the pair with worry and began to call for Twilight. But she didn't hear him, still shocked at the persence of the stallion and the knowledge of what he will probably do to the duo.

"Let me guess, the reason why the guards have found our hideout was because of your little stunt two days ago. Isn't that right?" his face slowly began to change from amused to rage. Twilight began to back-off, as Dark continued: "I told the doc that whatever you two did would become troublesome, but did he listen. Nooo, what would I know, I'm just some hired muscle with no brain."

He slowly closed the distance between the two and Eric began to fight against his restraints, hoping that they will brake. No he knew they would brake, because beside the art he also used the stone to loosen the bars that held the shackles to the wall. The real question was if he would be fast enough, before Dark really hurt Twilight.

"Last time the doc stopped me from giving you your proper punishment, but this time" he said licking his lips "no one will stand in my way from breaking you." Saying that, he grabbed the filly by her mane using his magic and pulled her closer. When she was close enough he delivered a powerful blow to her stomach.

Twilight was gasping for air and trying to stand up, but the stallion was already on her. He hit her on her muzzle and used his magic to blast her in the back. That sent her flying a short way away from him nad she immediatelly began to crawl away from him.

Dark however quickly closed the distance and stepped on one of her hind hooves. Twilight screamed and tried to wiggle her hoof from underneath him. Before she succeded the stallion grabbed her by the throat, using his magic and pinned her to the wall.

"I think it's time I finish this, so I can give my attention to the freak, before the guards get here." he said as he began to tighten his grip on the filly. Twilight began to choke and struggle for her breath.

Then all of a sudden they heard a snapping noise and before any of them could react a fist connected to the stallions muzzle. Dark lost his concentration and dropped Twilight, who began to gasp for the precious air.

The stallion rubbed his muzzle and looked at the reason for his pain. There standing was the human fuming and baring his fangs at him. Dark wanted to say something, but before he could say anything Eric began to charge at him.

The unicorn tried to stop the human by blasting powerful spells at him, but Eric just shrugged them off.

"Dammit." muttered the stallion and raised a shield to defend against the assault. But Eric simply destroyed the shield with a single punch, Dark however was prepared for this, he turned around and delivered a strong buck towards the human.

The human took the full brunt of the attack, but didn't falter whatsoever. Before the stallion could retaliate, Eric grabbed him by the horn and snapped it off. Dark began to scream in pain, but the human got hold of his yet again and slammed it into the stone floor. He continued this assault, yelling words in his native language. He didn't stop until Dark seized to move. When he gave him a closer look he noticed his muzzle was all bloody and he stopped breathing.

Dropping the body to the floor, he turned to Twilight who looked at him with a thankfull and scared expression. Eric then went to her, hugged her and began to rub her head to calm her down. Once she stopped shivering he looked in her eyes: "You. OK?"

Twilight rubbed her eyes and nodded. She got on her whooves and the two friends headed towards the stairs and their freedom. When they scaled them they arrived in front of a stone wall. Twilight looked around until she saw what she was looking for. A small stone jutting out of the wall. When she pressed it the wall began to move and when it fully opened the two exited the chamber.

The two progressed slowly due to their injuries and exhaustion.

"C'mon we are almost free." said Twilight.

"Halt who goes there?" sounded off a deep voice.

Twilight and Eric stopped in their tracks and the human got i front of the filly to protect her from their possible assailants. Then from around the corner came three pony figures. One an earth pony and two pegasi. All of them looked the same with white fur, deep blue manes and tails and golden armour that covered their cutie marks.

When the two groups laid eyes on each other the ponies and the human got into battle stances. Then the earth pony shouted: "You, creature. Step away from the filly or we will have to use force."

Eric only tightened his fists and slid his front foot further forward. Twilight the ran in front of him and yelled: "No, wait. He's a friend. Please don't hurt him."

The ponies looked at her unsure what to do. Then she turned to the human and pointed to the ponies: "Friends. Help. Free."

Eric looked at her: "Friends?" he repeated.

Twilight nodded: "Yes. Friends."

At that Eric relaxed and with that also did the Royal Guard.

"I can safely presume you're Twilight Sparkle, daughter of Night Light and Twilight Velvet, student of Princess Celestia." asked the earth pony. Twilight only nodded and the stallion continued: "We received your message and made our way to your rescue as soon as possible. My name is Captain Lance Lunge. Now if I may ask what is that thing?"

Twilight looked to Eric and replied: "This is Eric, he's my friend, he kept me safe while I was here. Also he isn't a thing, he's a human."

Lance chuckeled: "Well any friend of yours is an ally of ours. C'mon we better get you two out of this Tartarus hole ASAP." He turned around and the filly and human followed along. As the went through the corridors Twilight looked at the cells and saw them empty. "What happened to the ponies who were in these?" she asked the captain.

"We got all of those who we could still move out of here already. Belive it or not you two are the last." answered Lance. "As for those who were in charge of this place, we also apprehended them."

Twilight looked relived at that and felt like a weight was lifted off of her back. The captain gave Twilight another look, somthing clearly bothering him: "How did you send that letter if you have that ring on your horn?"

Twilight looked at her forehead and explained: "Eric here is highly resistent to magic so he temporarily removed, just long enough for me to send the message."

Lance nodded and said: "Well that is fortunate and don't worry about the ring as soon as we get you home we will have it removed."

They soon came to another set of stairs and began to ascend them. When they got to the top they saw the exit about three hundred meters away.

"Just a little more and we will be truly free Eric." said Twilight as she looked at her friend.

Their gaze was then directed towards the sound of laughter. When they turned their heads their eyes fell upon the mad doctor and some of his lackeys. The laughter was coming from Gene and he looked like he was about to die from it. At the sight Eric nearly ran to him to beat him to a pulp, just like Dark, but Twilight put a hoof on his leg and gave him a look that begged him not to do whatever he was thinking. At that the human settled down.

"What are you psycho laughing about?" asked a nearby guard with his spear pointed to the doctor.

Gene just continued to laugh when all of sudden achain of loud explosions went off somewhere nearby and far away. Everyone tried to stay on their hoofs and feet as the whole mountain shoke with violent vibrations.

"What did you do?" yelled the captain at the doctor.

"You think I didn't take this scenario into account. For the princess bitch to find my lair, for her lackies to take it over, for you to capture me and my subordinates. No, I knew this would happen eventually and quite frankly I'm not very fond of the jail cells, and I also would hate if the bitch tried to get her hooves on my research to use it for her own purpose." he elaborated. "So I rigged this entire mountain with explosives, which will bury all of us." he finished and began to laugh manaically again.

"EVERYPONY RUN FOR THE EXIT! NOW!" ordered Lance and began to gallop. The others followed soon. No sooner they began to run the ceiling began to collapse and large chunks of rocks fell on the ponies.

Twilight and Eric were dead last due to their exhaustion, but they were still closing the distance between them and the exit.

All of a sudden Twilight felt an exruciating pain in one of her hind hooves. She screamed as she collapsed to the floor. Eric, hearing Twilights cry, stopped and turned around. He quickly ran to her and scooped her up. Carrying the little filly he dashed to their salvation, but more rocks began to fall on them.

They were just several meters away from the others, however Eric realised they won't make it, with his exhaustion and the injuries from the numerous experiments and the fight with Dark. A rock hit him on his shoulder and he stumbled a little. Focusing his gaze on the filly in his arms, his expression turned to that of determination.

With the last of his strength he accelerated and threw Twilight through the air. As he threw her though he lost his footing and he fell to the floor.

Twilight landed on her back on the other side of the entrance and she immediatelly got up on her hooves. She rose just in time to see her friend being buried under a pile of debris.

"ERIC NOOOOO!!!" she screamed as the rocks obstructed her view of Eric.

When the mountain finally settled Twilight ran to the once entrance and began to dig. Lance went up to her: "Miss Sparkle, please stop. This place is still dangerous it could further collapse if you continue."

"I don't care, I have to get him out of there!" twilight yelled as tears began to ran down her cheeks.

"With all due respect, your friend couldn't possibly have sur..."

"SHUT UP!" Twilight screamed stunning everyone in vicinity. "He is still alive, I know it. He wouldn't die just like that. I know it." she cried as she continued her digging.

Lance just looked at the filly with pity filled eyes. "Stallions," he raised his voice "are we just going to let this filly show us up like that, get your flanks over here and put your backs into it, on the double."

"YES, SIR!" came the response of every guard and they moved to help with the digging.

Twilight looked at the captain and smiled: "Thank you."

"Just doing what's right miss." lance replied.

They dug for good ten minutes, all thanks to the unicorn guards, when they stumbled upon one of the humans hands.

"Over here!" yelled one of the stallions. Everyone else went to the one who shouted out and they concentrated on that spot. twilight sat in the back and waited until they saved her human friend.

When they dug out his upper half Twilight couldn't take it anymore and forced her way to the front. Her heart dropped at the sight.

Erics face was covered by blood and dirt, his right arm was pierced by a shard or rock bent and his left was missing from the elbow down.

"Is he still alive?" asked the captain.

"We have a weak pulse and shallow breathing." answered one of the unicorns, who scanned the human.

"Get the medical crew over here to heal him stat." barked out another stallion.

"Eric. Eric can you hear me?" Twilight asked the unconscious human.

He slowly opened his eyes and looked at the filly. He gave a small smile: "Twilight." As soon as he said that he began to cough up blood.

"No don't speak, conserve your energy. You're going to be alright." Twilight tried to calm him.

Eric just lifted his pierced hand and laid it on her head and began to rub it. "Twilight." he said again.

"Yes?"

"Twilight. Go. No. Stay." he said.

"What? Are you crazy? I'm not ..." she was silenced when the human shushed her.

"Twilight. Be. Happy. Eric. No. Come." He stopped to take a breath and he continued: "Eric. Free. Happy."

The fillys eyes began to water and she began to shake her head.

"Where is the healing squad we have a ..." a guard trailed off as the captain silenced him.

"This being is immune to our magic. We can't do anything to save him." he said with sorrow in his voice.

"Twilight."

She looked at him with tears already running down her muzzle.

"Goodbye." with those words the humans eyes closed and his arm fell from her head onto the rubble. Twilight just stared at the lifeless body of his friend.

The filly couldn't hold back her grief any longer and she let her tears stain the rocks benath her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
10 years later, Canterlot

The mane six have come to Canterlot to assist Twilight with her new princess duties and be there for moral support, as she was meeting with a few delegates from other countries.

When they arrived to Canterlot, they each went to their room until dinner. As the time grew near they began to gather. Soon they were all gathered, with exception of a lavender mare.

"Hey, has anyone seen egghead. She isn't in her room." asked Rainbow Dash.

They all shook their heads and they began to search for their friend. The mares looked through the entire castle, but found no clue of the alicorn.

"Now, where could that mare be. It isn't just her to not stick to a schedule." said Rarity.

"Yeah, that's like Pinkie not hyping for a party." said Rainbow.

They all nodded at that and began to think where she could of went.

"Why don' we just ask tha princess if she knows where she is?" asked Applejack.

The others agreed to her idea and went to the throne room to ask the Solar Ruler.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Somewhere outside Canterlot

Twilight was lying upside down on a small hill next to large pice of rock which had something inscribed on it. Her ears flicked when she heard her friends call her name.

"Over here." she shouted back to them.

When they all made it to where she was, they surrounded her looked at the rock. "Darling what are you doing here and why are you lying like that next to an ugly rock?" asked Rarity.

Twilight gave her a dirty looked and immediatelly answered: "For your information, this rock is art and was made by a very talented somepony."

"No offense sugarcube, but if that's art then ahm a bone legged weasel." reputed Applejack.

"That's because you're looking at it from the wrong perspective." Twilight replied. "Lay on your backs, like me and then tell me it's ugly."

The mares looked at each other, shrugged and did what Twilight said. Once they did they all gasped.

"Oh my, that is beautiful." awed Rarity.

"Oh, it's gorgeus." whispered Fluttershy.

"Meh, seen better." said Raindow.

All the mares looked at her and all Rainbow could do was shrug and say: "What?"

"But why in tarnation is this thing all the out here and not in some fancy museum?" Applejack asked with curiosity.

"Because this is also a tombstone for the one who is buried here." Twilight elaborated.

They looked at her with wide eyes and gasped. "A-A-A tombstone?" asked Fluttershy. Twilight nodded and pointed to an inscription on the bottom of the rock.

Here Lies
Eric Lyne
A Hero
May his soul rest in peace

Rainbow looked at the name again: "Eric Lyne? That's a weird name."

"Judging from you being here I belive you knew this pony?" asked Rarity.

"I did." she answered. "Though he wasn't a pony."

"Then what was he?" piped in Pinkie.

"A friend."