//------------------------------// // With A Hand's Worth Revealed, Only The Couple Remain // Story: Book 1: A New Element of Friendship // by Medley of MLP //------------------------------// A New Element of Harmony With A Hand’s Worth Revealed, Only The Couple Remain   This was, by far, the worst way I could have woken up. I thought Pinkie and Dash had a record on that, but apparently, it was quickly shattered by Twily’s number one assistant, Spike. For a consolation prize, no one else was involved. However, being roughly woken up and pushed out of your bed by a baby dragon, only to then trip on the windowsill as I groggily tried to take off and dive bomb into the ground? Yeah, no, not very fun. Nevertheless, that was the exact situation I found myself in this morning as Spike tried to pull me up, all the while yelling at me about something. I couldn’t hear however, as my head was still planted in the ground. It was only after uprooting my head and shaking the dust off of me that I heard what he was saying. “Please, Med, you- you gotta help me! Rarity! Diamond Dogs! Girls! Help!!” Spike unhelpfully shouted at me. I was soon up and threw him on my back, heading off to collect the girls alongside him, as that’s what I was guessing from his shouts.   “How long ago was this Spike? Please, we gotta know this,” I quickly spoke as I grabbed Fluttershy and Dash after quickly explaining the situation to them. “Yeah, what gives Spike? What happened to Rares?” Dash yelled at him as she flew us faster to AJ’s. “I-I do hope she’s alright…” Fluttershy whispered in fear as she kept close to Dash’s surprising me a little by keeping up with her. “Knowin’ her? I’d say she’d be complainin’ about gettin’ dirt in her hooves or somethin’ ta that idea,” AJ rolled her eyes as we explained the situation with her now, quickly making our way to the library. Along our speedy way, Pinkie had somehow slipped into the running group without any of us noticing. I wouldn’t have noticed either if it wasn’t for her worried whisper into my ear. “Medley… She’s getting excited… I can feel her wanting to come out already… I have a very bad feeling about this… Even my Pinkie Sense is acting up, saying this is going to end in a disaster!” She panickedly whispered to me. I could feel my blood running cold, as I thought I could hear a very, very low and rumbling chuckle in my mind. Pinkamena being unleashed? That could only lead to a total disaster, especially considering the last time she interacted with someone of a similar nature to her… And whatever could make Pinkamena excited was indeed something to fear and worry for. However, there wasn’t much we could do. After all, our friend had been ponynapped by some Diamond Dogs.   From my small time travelling, I had encountered exactly 1 Diamond Dog. From what I could gleam from her, Diamond Dogs didn’t travel much outside their home country Canidog, apart from Equestria. She told me that most Diamond Dogs were peaceful, much like the ponies were, but specialized in digging operations. To get one to work with a construction crew meant less ponies that could possibly get injured. However, it was pretty expensive to hire one, so only one or two could be seen on any major construction or digging site. And after the work was done, they would disappear without a trace.   Pulling me from my impromptu history lesson in my head was our arrival at the library, explaining the situation for a final time to Twily, who nodded as she led the charge to get back our friend from the Diamond Dogs. As we were running towards the last known spot of the Diamond Dogs, I hoped we weren’t too late. Then I was idly, and maybe a bit horrifyingly, wondering who I was talking about more in this moment: Rarity or the Diamond Dogs.   We soon found our answer as we found one lone Diamond Dog desperately trying to escape the hole he had dug open, as though fleeing from a terrifying enemy. Before we could even get him to speak, he yelped and screamed as he was dragged back down the hole. Soon, we could hear a small, mad, school filly giggle as the sound of ripping and slicing could be heard. Everyone looked both horrified and sickened by the sounds. The ones most affected though were Pinkie and Twi, both shaking and crying in pain.   At that moment, I sprung into action to protect the rest of our friends. “Fluttershy, AJ, Dash! Take Spike and get the Tartarus out of dodge. Barricade yourself in the bunker, and don’t come out until I collect you,” I forcefully spoke to make up for the lack of yelling available to me. “Med, what in tarnation’s goin’ on here?! Can’t we at least help a little?” AJ snapped back, sounding worried as she grabbed Spike and tossed him to Dash.   “I’ll explain later. Right now, I’m about to do the typical colt thing to do. Which is to say, charge in headfirst like an idiot,” I gave a small grin before pushing Pinkie and Twily down the hole, with me following suit.   Before any of them could try and stop us from falling in, all the holes quickly became filled in with gemstones, making it impossible to determine which hole we fell down in, since they all looked too interconnected to truly pick.   Once all three of us had landed, the shift in Twily and Pinkie became immediate. Twily’s cutie mark showed one side with a star being dissolved in a beaker filled with what looked like violet acid and the other side showed her regular cutie mark being cut in half, while Pinkie’s cutie mark balloons were popped by two knives, crossing and stabbing through a cupcake that had fallen out of the balloons. Their expressions changed as well, as Twily’s became more detached and aloof while Pinkie’s became malevolent and sociopathic.   “Ah͟..̕.̸ ̨it ́l͟o̷oḱş l̢ik͝e̛ ̨w͡e h͝a͠ve ̕fo̧un̸d ҉a̢no͜th̶e̵r͡ ̴of u̧s. ̵E̕x͏cellent͢!” Midnight Twilight gave a cold smirk as she stretched her back and hooves, her horn shooting off some dark sparks.   “Ye͟a͞h,̀ ̧ỳe͏a̷h, ̨wh͡at̢ever, eg͢gh͘ead͞. ̨Let͜'̡s͠ h͢u͟rry ̶it̴ up͞, I҉ ͠wanna ͡s̛e̢e t̡he̷ f̷r͠esh͠ ̨m͡ea̕t béf̷o̕r͡ȩ ͢I ̧c̡hóp͜ ̷u̧p̴ ́TH̕IS̴ f͡r̶es̴h meàt,” Pinkamena groaned back as she deflated the mane while grinning madly at me.   “Nòw ̷n͢ow͢ you ̀t̴wo̵~̀ Let's ̨n͘ot̀ ̕get ͝vi͠ol̶ent ͠ov̵er͝ l̶i͢t̴tl͟e͝ o̷l̨d҉ m̵e~͞ ̷Af̨t̛e҉r a͏ll͘,̛ th͝ŕe̕'s ͘en̷o̧u͏g̵h̛ ͝of͘ ͢m͘e͠ ͟to g̢o arou̢nd~ E͟specįall҉y̵ ͏t̵o y͡oư, ́ḿy ̡lo̡v͏e̵~” A new voice joined us as we turned to the sound of hooves coming closer to us.   It was quite the nightmarish sight to see, if I had to go for an adjective to perfectly capture this moment. While none of the others were happy fun times, this was one of the downright creepiest things to see. Her face looked like it had gotten a long scratch down it, most likely from one of the Diamond Dogs. She had small cuts all over her body, as her horn occasionally dripped blood. Her cutie mark looked like shattered bloodstones, while one of her eyes was a black with white iris in it.   Pinkamena looked… revolted, almost, at this dark version of Rarity. “N͏o.̶.. no,̢ no, ́n͠o,͡ n͜ǫ!͜ F̷u͞cking͝ ̀h̸e̶l̶l, th̛is̸ ̀has ̡got ̴t͟o͝ ҉be̡ a̡ ̨mistake̛ ͠from̢ B͘o͠s͠s. ̵T͏h̵e̷r̵e'͢s͡ ̴no̵ wa̶y͡ i͟n ͜H̵om̵ę ҉t̢ha͜t Y̵O͠U͡'̢R̛E th̸e on͏e p͢o̧s͜s̡essi͢ng̛ HER,” She snarled as she readied her signature knife.   “Th̵is͠ w͡a͢s..͠. ̶unexpe͝ct̸ed̀. ͟A ̕m͏a͝soćhis͢t̴ic͟ ͢s͜i̧st͢e͜r҉-̡i҉n-̛ar͠ms ͠a͡l͢on̨g̨s͟idę ͞me ̵a͏nd̵ ͘m͞is͘s ̷s͝l͜i̡c̡èr ͏óv͢èr̸ ̨here̷? Ne̢x͟t ͞yo͝u'̀l͟l͘ b͏e̶ ̀t͠el̷li̢ng͟ ̨me ̀w͝ę hav̨e á d̡ȩm̶o̕n fr̡ui͘t̴bat͡ ̶and a͢ t̢i̴m̵b̧èŗ ͟wȩr͏e̡wo͝lf to ̧joi̴n us,” Midnight rolled her eyes and spoke in a very sarcastically bright tone, almost mockingly using Twily’s voice.   “H̨m̸ph, ͟th̸i͞s i̶s̛ th͜e͠ ̶r̵ecep̧ti͞on̡ I͜ g͝ȩt?̶ ̸I w̶a͝s͝ e͝xp͏ect̸in̸g͏ mo̕ŗe͜ ̀of a ̛par̨ty to͡ ͘b͞e͜ ̢t̸hŗo̵wn͜ a͘nd ͢f͡or ͟m̀or̸e͞ ͏g͟ues̶ts̨ t͘o͜ ́be ̴in̢vit͝e̵d. ̧A͏ll̕ ͡y̕o̸u ̕di͢d was b̢ri͠ng ̵a͜ ̀p͡at̶h҉e̡t҉i҉c̷ li̸ttle͝ p̛a̛rty f҉a̴v͡o̷r͏. ̀I͜ ̵ev̕ȩn̸ ̴gǫt̵ f̀oo̴d͟ ͢for ̀ýou͠ to̢ ̵m̷a̷kę w̢i͠t͟h, ͜my͠ ҉love̕!̧~̕” Dark Rarity giggled as she winked and blew a kiss at Pinkamena, who gave a snarl in return.   The situation was so surreal, I could’ve laughed out loud. Only I got the feeling that I would soon be executed or captured by one of the three, and that’s if they didn’t rip me to shreds trying to take my body.   “Ladies…? Um, if I may just say something before I’m killed/experimented on/tortured/combination?” I politely asked, causing all three to turn to me at once.   "W͞ḩat͠ ̶wo͞u̡ld ͢th͟a̧t ͏be̶?͜" They spoke at slightly different intervals, but close to at the same time.   “THIS,” My voice boomed, causing all three to be blown back and for some loose ground to collapse in front of me, creating a roadblock for them.   I took my opportunity as fast as I could to put some distance between me and the three little maids from Tartarus. I knew it wasn’t a moment too soon, as I could hear rocks being shattered or disintegrated right behind me, and it was pretty fast work. By the time they gave a cry of rageful victory, I had already started making my way deeper into the tunnels and caves.   While I was running for my life, which is something I never thought I’d be used to, I was hurriedly trying to come up with a plan for stopping the three dark horses. Hell, I barely remembered how I stopped them the last two times. It didn’t help that I was running a near constant headache for reasons I couldn’t figure out. All I could manage to think of was a random turn here and there, and not to focus on the fallen bodies of the Diamond Dogs that littered every hallway.   Eventually though, my luck ran out as I hit a dead-end. I knew I let loose some curses about my white fur as I heard the sound of hooves slowing down close-by. Two lights then glowed from unicorn horns, one an ominous grey and one a raging red.   “I̛t s҉e̶e̸ms your͡ ̴l̴u҉ćk͜ ̢ran ̡oųt,̛ test su̢b̡jéc̕t,” Midnight sounded very smug as they grey light moved even closer.   “N̸o̴w al̡l ̸ẃe need t͜o d̵ó i̷s͏ t̀o͡ ͟m̛ak͘e y̧o͡u̴ŗ ́corp͡s̀e̴ ̧look e͜v͜er só ̢l͢ov͞èly͠~” Lil’ Miss cooed, mockingly sounding like Rarity as the red light started to grow in size.   “H͝ey̡ ͘n͡ow͝, ͝Ì nee͏d̵ ͏s̡omè ͡fresh͠ ͡meat ̕f̧or ͜m̶y ̢c̷up͠ca̵ke,̡ s̕i͏cko͟!̕” Pinkamena snarled as a glint of steel could be seen amidst the growing red light.   “No, w͞e ͘c͜a҉n̢'҉t ĺos͞e ̴an̢y ͞of ҉h̵įs ̴f͟l͢esh! H̡e͘ ńeed͘s ͘to ͞be̡ i̸n͏t͠a̶ct ͟f͞or̕ m̴y ́ex̡p̵er̡imén͠t͢s to ́be d͢oǹe!̸” Midnight shot angrily right back, the grey now swapping out for a more pitch-black ball of magic, making the entire room look like it was covered in blood.   “I̶ t̷hi͟n͜k w͠e͢ ̴çan̴ ͏lơs̀e͡ so͠me͏ ̕of̢ ͞the͘ ̷o̴rga̛ns,̵ but ̢he ̸stiĺl ͟ńee̵d͞s ͞to̧ ͝h͢a͢ve s̵ǫme me͢at on h͝i͢m ͏i̴n ͠oŕder for̨ me ͢t̸o̕ ma͡k͞e͢ thȩ c̵u͡tes̶t͡ ̡p̶l͜ush́i̢e ̴ou͞t̶ ̡of him!~ ̛On̵e s̸o ̴s͘oft a͜nd̛ ̴l̕if̛e-̧lik̵e~̡” Lil’ Miss added on, causing the three to bicker over how to use my body.   ‘I swear to LaurFastia, it’s like I’m trapped in some horror anime with a soon-to-be herd... ‘ I thought as I tried to escape while they were bickering. Unfortunately for me, I could soon feel shackles weighing down on my back hooves and wings. ‘Oh, bucking Tartarus. Seems Lil’ Miss made these, as I doubt Midnight would bother with constructs and rather just knock me out… and that thought process didn’t help with my earlier thought.’   My thoughts were thankfully cut short as Pinkamena eventually threw her hooves up in the air. “F͘i̸ne̷,͠ then ̨i̛t'̧s̸ ͠śet̕t̨l̢eḑ!̕ ͟N̴o͢ ̶one̢ d͏oes̛ an͠ỳth͘in̵g̸ ̵b͏e͏ca͠use͏ we͞ ̷ca͝n̴'̧t̷ fuckín͏g ͜agr̨ee on w͠ha͘ţ ̷to do͡ w͟it̴h the damn co̶r̶p͏s҉e͏,͜ i͟f̛ ̀we e͝v̴e̴ń t̷ur̢n̶ ̸hi̧m҉ i̶nto̢ ̨o͠n͏e͘!”   “As͞ f̧o͜r ̷tḩè ̀o͡th̵e͡rs.̨.̴.̶ we̴'l̶l ͞nee̵d͏ ̵t͘o ̴go co̴l͠le̴ct ͟the͡m͏. ̧Es͘p͏e̛ci̡al͝ly ͡m̵y̛ a̕ssist͝aǹt̡.̵ T͠h̶ough ́he'͢l̢l͜ need a̵ ̸fe̢w͘ u͞p̛g͞r̀ades͡ ̶to͘ mak͘e ҉hi̡m ̀mor̡ę.͘.҉.͜ ̧p͘l̢ia͞bl͟e,” Midnight nodded as the three started to move off.   At that point, I could feel my head ready to burst, as the entire room looked like it was filled with bright light. And that was the last thing I saw before I blacked out.   When I finally came to, the four of us were… back at Twily’s house? I decided to just think on it later, as I heard groans from the three mares. Thankfully, they sounded, alright, but to make sure, I checked their Cutie Marks. I sighed with relief as all three of them looked completely normal again.   “Oh dear heavens, my head…” Rarity whined as she got back on shaky hooves.   “Owie… you said it Rares, not me…” Pinkie mumbled as her mane slowly inflated again.   “What… happened…?” Twily murmured as she shook her head, a black and white spark flying off her horn.   “Dunno… ow…” I groaned as I could feel myself exhausted to the bone, and my wings were sore as Tartarus, along with what felt like a migraine.   “Wait… oh no! Are you girls alright?! Is Med right?! MY MANE AND COAT!” Pinkie yelled, horrified as she zoomed to each of us for scratches and injuries.   “Pinkie… Not so loud, darling…” Rarity winced as she was quickly patched up with some bandages on some scratches that were there.   Twily helped me back onto my hooves, which were incredibly shaky and unresponsive at the time. I gave her a weak smile back before I zoned out, trying to get the feeling back into my hooves to stand again. I could hear blurbs of ponies talking, but honestly, I was not paying attention in the slightest. I guess it must’ve been a brief conversation, because I could eventually feel Twily dragging me both physically and magically.   “Medley… are you alright? You seemed way out of it when we were discussing what had happened, and you weren’t responding to anything we were saying to you…” Twily broke through the hazy mind with a very worried tone.   “‘M fine… jus’ tired… And little hurt… Nothin’ much…” I barely heard myself mumble back to her.   She dragged me so that I was facing her dead in her beautiful, deep purple eyes… eh, too tired to listen… sleep…   Twilight’s addition   I sighed as I saw Med practically fall unconscious before my eyes. I nearly went into full on panic mode before I could hear his soft snoring, and relaxed a little.   “We need to get you to a doctor as soon as we can and make sure you don’t have a concussion or anything…” I worriedly stated out loud as I got him as quick as I could to a doctor.   As it turned out, he only had a minor concussion, though the doctor couldn’t seem to find where it came from as an origin point. It was as though it had sprang from nowhere, and would likely fade in just the same way. He was still confined to a hospital bed while they did everything they could to make it a quicker and less painful transition, but it still worried me.   As I watched over him throughout the night, I was thinking about what exactly HAD happened down in the now abandoned mine shaft. All I could remember was this odd voice before screaming in pain, and then… nothing. I decided to ask Med about this in full detail the following morning, when he was feeling up and ready for it.   I then saw that Med, had written out a scroll that said everything was alright and that it was safe to come out. I was extremely worried at that point and was tempted to wake him up to explain everything, but sent the scroll to Spike to relay the message. I soon felt my eyes grow heavy, and before I could even think about it, I fell asleep, resting my head near one of Med’s surprisingly soft and warm wings.   End of Chapter 18