My Life on a Cassette Tape

"So that's the plan, huh?" Berry asked, looking over my scrawlings on the dirt. Quite the jumbled mess, but intelligible if you had been there to watch it be scratched out in the loose soil.

"Yeah, Double and I worked on it during the afternoon while you ladies were off getting supplies." I said scratching the back of my neck as I looked it over once more. Plans only survived as long as they didn't meet the enemy, but even so, planning was an indispensable part of success.

"Looks good to me." Periwinkle commented, looking over the etchings of a plan we had. "When are we pulling this off?"

"Tonight." Double said, gaining a few looks of concern. "We have ponies in there that need help, we can't exactly leave then there. There's no telling what those things will get up to with them." The group was silent for a few long moments as each looked at either another pony or at the plan scrawled in the dirt.

"Alright, let's do this." Raven said, getting everypony's attention. Looking up at all of us, I could see the concern that shone behind her eyes. "We need to help them, the sooner the better." I nodded. We'd make it work, we'd have to.

The evening air was chill. Most everypony was indoors, bedding down for a good night's rest from the day's hard labor. Everypony, except a mail pony. Work always seemed to drag on for her, and today was no exception. Yet another delivery to Twilight's castle on short notice - it wasn't even Tuesday! Her being a princess meant that this package got priority, and then the fact it had a seal from Canterlot meant it was doubly hurried. If it had been sent by anypony else to anypony else, it would've gone out first thing tomorrow evening, but circumstances had played their tune just so, and now she was out here, wheeling the large crate through the streets at a brisk pace, thankful she didn't have to do this while also trying to dodge other ponies.

Reaching the castle's front door, she let out a few huffing breaths as she took a moment to steady herself from her run. 'When did she get an Arcano-Wagon?' She thought to herself, looking over the contraption that sat so prominently before the castle, somehow seeming more audacious than the castle it sat in front of. 'Maybe it's just somepony visiting her with one. Yeah, Twilight's not the type to go buying Arcano-Wagons.' Taking a deep breath, she finished steadying herself, walking up to the door and rapping out a quick series of knocks while she fished out her clipboard. Fortunately, the door opened shortly there after.

"Yes?" Twilight's voice echoed out from the darkness that was the inside.

"Hi, Princess, got a package for you!" She said happily. "Straight from Canterlot!" There was silence for a few moments, long enough the mail mare almost dropped her smile.

"Thank you so much!" Twilight replied, sounding chipper as usual. "Do I need to sign for it?"

"Yup, right here." She held out the clipboard towards the door, thoroughly used to Twilight's oddities. Sometimes she wouldn't leave her castle for weeks at a time. A purple - or was it lavender? - arm came out from the doorway and pulled the clipboard back, the sound of the signature being made hastily echoing out, before the arm came back passing the clipboard back.

"Thank you so much, I'll get it in a second!" Twilight called from behind the door.

"Sure thing, Princess, have a nice day! Evening! Night!" The mail mare, flustered by her own stupidity, took wing, flying off. She stopped midair, slapping her forehead. Her cart! "I can't leave that behind! They'll have my job for it!" She turned about and began flying back, only to stop as she saw something she would never care to describe. Needless to say, she turned back around. "She needed the cart and said I could come by to pick it up tomorrow! That's right! She definitely said that! Yup! No need to grab it right now! Nope nope nope!"

It seemed Twilight was at it again with another experiment gone awry, and last time that had happened it required Pinkie bursting in with a party raid. Maybe she should grab the party pony? Or maybe the guard for that matter.

The sound of the crate being roughly dragged into the castle filled the air. Many eyes scanned over its surface, many hands feeling the wood, and even some magic pried at the boards gently. What was it? What was in this box? Maybe he should pry at the purple one's mind a little more to see if she'd give him a clue. Then again, there was no need. He just needed to open it. A hand from his back passed a crowbar to the front. He'd make quick work of this. A label on the side proclaimed 'Fragile' and 'Caution! Arcane Artifact Inside! Caution!' Arcane Artifact? Was this from Master? Only one way to find out then.

Jamming the crowbar under the lid, he pried it away, the nails creaking harshly. Sending the wooden slab flying away, he pulled himself up on the box, looking inside, only to find a metal lid. Blast, this was frustrating! How secure did this thing have to be? Plunging his crowbar in the small groove, he pulled roughly, dislodging the hinged lid, sending it crashing against the wooden box's wall. He growled as he looked inside, yet another lid. This time a safe that had it's locking mechanism pointing straight up at him. WHY?!

We crept quietly through the still open door, careful to not disturb the doctor as he worked at the safe's lock. He had climbed inside the box, with one of his ears pressed against the door as he worked at the combination. Being quiet was decently easy as we walked a few inches above the ground, our feet landing on nothing but a cushion of air as we traversed the room. This was, of course, a dangerous situation, but it was our best chance.

Motioning to the other ponies, they all moved off, setting about their tasks while I turned towards mine. The others needed time to search for the other ponies, and I had to make sure they had that time. The doctor would only be so busy with the series of boxes we had set up for him - I had to make sure the present inside was delivered straight where it was needed.

Pealing away yet another layer of packaging, the doctor huffed, pulling out a small box the size of my forearm. He looked it over carefully, finding the small padlock that already had a key in it. The easiest layer by far. He unlocked it as I moved slowly up behind him. He gingerly opened the lid and pulled out a small rod, considering it carefully. It was blacker that the darkest night, and one end of it was sharpened to a fine point. He ran his hands over it, considering it like it was an ancient relic he did not understand fully. I, however, was fully aware what it was.

Pushing forward off the air, I landed in front of him, floating above the crate. He drew back in surprise as I twisted the rod from his hands and then dove forward with it outstretched. He successfully grabbed the rod, stopping the sharpened point from piercing him despite the strength I poured into it. Pushing me back with his surprising strength, skidded to a halt on the column of air below me. Lifting myself up, I gripped the weapon I held, a rod of pure Dark Stone. This wasn't a fight I'd lose, even if the doctor beat me.