My Life on a Cassette Tape

I walked back to the house. There was nothing more for me to do in this situation. Twilight assured me that she'd be working nonstop to find an answer to our conundrum. Firstly she'd figure out what that modified resurrection spell entailed. Knowing what it really was and what it actually did would allow for a better plan. Then again, it was also likely that it was just a complicated spell to achieve another restructuring sort of effect. I had memories from Gunther and Brass that told me that there was a category of artifacts known as the 'reforged'. I could recall, through their memories, a conversation in which Gunther had even referred to the Straight Record as likely having been one of them. Perhaps this spell string was that?

Either way, there was no way I'd be much of any help. I had barely passed the basic magic course I had been assigned in high school, and this was well beyond that. I sighed as I tried to sort out my thoughts and the confusing times that I found myself in. All of this was just one gigantic, convoluted situation. In the very least there was something I could look forward to.

Entering the house, I looked around, feeling somehow out of place. This was the same home, and yet entering it without having to worry about some random bad guy jumping out and attacking me felt... odd. I shook my head with a smirk. Once this situation resolved there'd be nothing but smooth sailing. At least by comparison. Sure, there'd be problems - no road only had flowers, there was always going to be a pothole. In the very least I wouldn't have to worry about something as powerful and organized as the Empire coming back - especially since we had the artifacts.

I plopped down on the sofa, looking over to the seat beside me and raised an eyebrow at the newspaper. More so the headline as I understood that newspapers were a thing that indeed existed. Grabbing it, I looked over the front page.

Night Terrorist Caught!

For the last several weeks, the inhabitants of Equestria and beyond have had to contend with far more frequent nightly interruptions. Nightmares, of the most horrific sort, have struck the upper crust as well as those with barely a crust on their plate. Princess Luna had told our reporters that she had been investigating the occurrences and had been searching for the force that had been causing this most disturbing of situations. Not two days later, Princess Luna has returned with an update.

It appears a pony, whose identity is to not be revealed pending their trial, had been using a special magic to inflict nightmares and night terrors upon ponies as some demented scheme for power. The exact mechanism is unknown, however, Princess Luna has assured us all that we may rest in peace knowing the perpetrator has been put away. (More on Page 9)

I regarded the story with a bit of interest, a small memory pricking at the back of my mind of some pony in the Empire with an artifact that held power over dreams. It gave me pause that even now ponies from the Empire were being found. I took a breath in, putting the paper down. I had something I needed to do. I turned my gaze to the stairs, unsure if anypony would be home.

The jostling of the Arcano-Wagon over the rough road wasn't the most welcome experience, but it had a cause behind it. I had, after a short search, found the ponies I was looking for.

"How about we go on a shopping day?" I had said. "Have a bit of fun. A bit of rest and recovery and such after all the Empire business." It had been easy to convince them all. We really deserved a day of good fun that wasn't necessarily raunchy. We didn't exactly say that it wouldn't be raunchy. Knowing us, we'd manage it somehow. With or without artifacts involved. Berry would in the very least.

Now we were driving away down the road towards a city with a bit more shops than just the mom and pop variety. That and the city that held the restaurant in which I had made reservations for our night out - well, Raven had made the reservations, I had just asked her to do it since she could actually afford the place. Especially considering a certain large purchase I was about to make.

I watched the road fly past, letting myself just lay back into the cushions of the Arcano-Wagon, letting the wind sing to me as it whipped past. I could hear the voices of the mares behind me, the wind doing a good bit to cover up what was being said. It was nice that Double and Thyme had also agree to come along, I did need to talk to Double as well after all. I was getting to take so many birds out in one go that I was likely setting a new benchmark in terms of my own efficiency.

I leaned over, throwing an arm around Periwinkle as she continued to drive, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. "I love you." She gave me a quick glance and smirk before returning her eyes to the road. "I don't say it often enough."

"You could stand to say it a bit more often." Spry admitted with a shrug and a smile. "I love you, too. I'm glad we met that fateful day." I smiled at this. It felt like it was so long ago. Life, circumstances, and a healthy helping of artifact meddling had ensured that we had been pushed together - all of us. Some of us closer than others, admittedly. My mares and I were far closer now after what we had been through than I had been to anypony else. I loved them all. I could only hope that today was a good day. I could work with tomorrow, overmorrow, and beyond; but today... today was just a tad closer - harder to see the day's forest for all the trees in front of me. I'd certainly do my best to make the day a good one, if for no other reason than to off set the Empire's evil. And because I loved them. Celestia have mercy on anypony who did them wrong.

The mall was certainly a change of pace. After having lived in Ponyville for even a short while, the mall felt like a city of its own right. Massive, sprawling, and filled to the brim with creatures of every sort selling and buying goods of equal variety. All of the mares, Thyme included, scampered off for their own time together, leaving me pretty much alone with Double as we walked through the various stores. It took me a good few moments, but I broke the silence between us as we left yet another store.

"How goes the planning for the wedding?" I asked, looking at yet another poster for some film that I had still no interest in seeing. "You got a venue yet or are you still looking into that?"

"Oh yeah! Forgot to tell you!" Double perked up. "Yeah, we talked with Twilight. Seeing as she's a princess she has the authority to do wedding proceedings. That and she agreed to do it after we asked and we really hadn't taken the time to ask anypony else. We're actually gonna have it in the Ponyville townhall."

"Really? You got the Princess of Friendship to officiate your wedding?" I said with a hint of surprise. Sure, I knew she could technically do it, but the question of if she would was one that I hadn't had answered until just now. "Some ponies have all the luck it seems." I joked.

"Yeah, I guess somepony has to have the luck you all seem to lack with all this Empire business. I only had to go through a bit of it and I was already thoroughly done with them before it was over." Double said, leaning his head back to give a sigh. "Honestly, I'm just glad it's over and that we can at least have some sense of normalcy come back."

"Times are changing fast." I nodded in affirmation. "About changing times, I got something I need to ask you, something very important." Double looked over at me with a raised eyebrow. Not my smoothest transition, even I'd admit it.

"Alright then, shoot."

I walked out of the mall with my mares, Double, and Thyme - substantially lighter on bits. Celestia's sun slowly made its way behind the line of the horizon as Luna's moon ascended to bring night upon the face of Equestria. Even with this, the city didn't quiet down. I was more than used to this type of life in Manehatten, but even so it was a definite change from what I had experienced during my time in Ponyville. It was equal parts surprise and refreshing return to what I had been accustomed to during my childhood.

The buzz of the streets, the blaring lights of the city, and the sounds of life continuing beyond the hand of day filled me with energy. Our walk away from the mall wasn't too long of course, the restaurant was just across the way. I was frankly surprised when Raven had said she had nabbed a reservation. It was one of the finer places in the city, and as such necessitated us coming dressed for the occasion in the threads we had used on that ill fated double date that wasn't so long ago.

It didn't take much time for us to get taken to our seats, a benefit of planning I supposed. I wouldn't know, I barely got to do it any. Our seat was a wonderful table on the balcony that overlooked the city streets, the auspicious location of the restaurant giving a direct view down the main thoroughfare out towards the city limits. It was a stunning sight to be sure.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news," Thyme began, looking at the menu, "but this is one of those places that doesn't tell you the price on the menu." I looked at the menu and found that her observation was indeed accurate. The menu spared language on describing the listed items - preferring to draw and quarter them and then display their mangled corpses for all to see - but the prices had somehow escaped the massacre and were no doubt off someplace counting their blessings. That boded well.

"Don't worry, I have it covered." Raven said with a smile. We all gave her a look of surprise. She was loaded, that I knew, but... loaded enough to pay for the service at a restaurant at which they didn't list prices? Not listing prices was just a kind way of telling everypony 'We have no cheap options. We serve quality food. If you wanted the cheap option, you should've payed more attention to the burger joint further down the street.'

"You sure? I'd hate to impose on your generosity that much." Double said with no little surprise at my mare.

"No worries, I have it covered." Raven replied with a grin.

"I don't think this place accepts blowies as adequate payment." Berry noted in her own way. "This is the kind of place that doesn't have napkins - they have serviettes."

"As I said, I have it covered." Raven said once more, glossing over Berry's comment. Berry shrugged, even as our waitress walked up, giving a short bow to the table.

"Welcome to the Lavish Chateau, I am Ocean Sapphire and I'll be your waitress for the night. May I start you all off with drinks?" She gave her best customer service smile to us all as she spoke. Giving our orders to her, I got a sense of déjà vu that dated itself back to the last date we had all shared. My hands itched, but instead of folding my left in the way to get access to the artifact, it strayed to the pocket that held my little package. It provided more stress and comfort than any other gesture I could've thought of.

Double gave me a light tap on the leg, breaking me from my moment. He gave me a smile and returned his attention to the table as the waitress took our last few drink orders. It was a comfort to know that Double was still there for me. I knew he would be, but him confirming it was still good for my soul. Raven told the waitress her order, and with that, we were back to just us at the table.

"How did you even get reservations at this place? It's not exactly a burger place that you can just walk in and expect to get service." Thyme asked in low tones, leaning forward so that no other table had to be involved.

"Well, it isn't like I'm short on bits." Raven said. "It also helps to be the owner's niece." I nodded at this as I leaned back. Sure, I could call to mind most any time I needed to that Raven was rich and from a rich family, but I always had trouble remembering the part about the family being rich - or more specifically, its particular relevance when high society was concerned.

"So that's how you intend to get away with tonight." Double commented. "I suppose family discount is probably quite hefty for an only niece."

"I'm not an only niece, but the point is taken and is decently true." Raven nodded.

"I thought you said you were an only child?" Thyme said, a quizzical expression across her features.

"I do have cousins." Raven replied. It was at this point that I just started to chuckle. It was a chuckle that slowly, yet surely, developed into a laughing fit. A laughing fit, it ended up, that was contagious. It wasn't as though anything was particularly funny about this. This little misunderstanding was certainly not that entertaining. It was just the laugh of ponies that had been through far too much and needed something beyond sex to destress. It was relief washing over all of us.

We needed this. Sex and sexy shenanigans were all well and good, but this... this was something better in some ways. There was only so much our debauchery could do for our mental health.

I looked around to all my mares and to my cousin and soon to be cousin-in-law. We were having the time of our lives. It was good to see life back in these ponies, and as the night progressed, I was only happier for the company. I didn't care how the food turned out - it turned out wonderfully all the same - and I didn't care what sort of looks we got from other tables during our stress relief - and there were plenty getting shot at us. We certainly weren't prim and/or proper in the slightest.

I licked my lips, having finished off my meal, much like the rest of the table. I smiled at my mares, taking a breath as I gathered my courage up. I gave a subtle tap to Double's leg as I adjusted how my chair sat at the table. He dabbed his mouth with a serviette before slyly bringing out his phone from his coat. I looked to my mares with the most sincere, yet nerve wracked smile - I had ever given while my left hand slid the little package out from my pocket.

"That was an excellent meal." Raven said, adjusting as she took her serviette off her lap, looking to Berry and Periwinkle with a smile. I gave a nod.

"Yeah... yeah, it certainly was." I gripped the box tightly, taking one more deep breath. Caution to the wind! I moved from my seat slightly, the world seeming to fall silent and still around me as I maneuvered the small package, feeling every sensation grow far more intense yet dim so very much as my body moved on its own.

My knee hit the ground. I lifted the box, opening it to present it to my mares.

"Will you marry me?"

...

...

...

My brain took several moments to finally catch up to the world around me, all the sensory data arriving in one go. My... my mares were out of their chairs... on their knees. I blinked at them, realizing I hadn't been the only one to say those four magic words. Kneeling side by side, they each had a hand on a box of their own in which a ring sat.

I finally breathed, tears already forming. My box and its three rings fell from my hands as I darted forward and hugged my mares. We cried into each other, tears of joy we so desperately needed. Pain was a distant memory, all figments of a life so far from us as we held each other.

Through my tears, I looked at my mares, smiling stupidly. "You... you're all everything I want and more. You each keep my head in the clouds and plant my feet on the floor. Each of you-" I choked back a sob, giving each of them a kiss. "You belong here... right here in my arms. And I will never let you go."