//------------------------------//
// Ponies and Packages: Crusaders 
// Story: The Box 
// by lunabrony 
//------------------------------//

	Gathered around the box which had so suddenly flown through the window, the trio of children were gathered around the center of the clubhouse.
"What is it?"
"It's a box, Scootaloo."
"I know that, but what's in it?"
"You open it, Sweetie Belle."
"Why me?"
"Because you have the box opener on your head."
"That's not what my horn is for!"
"It's not like you're using it for magic..."
"Apple Bloom!"
The three fillies were gathered around the strange sealed box, mystified and enchanted by its unknown properties. They had called a meeting to discuss what to do with it, and finding no markings regarding who it was supposed to be delivered to other than a label for the Library, had elected to open it.
"I really don't know if we should, though," Sweetie said. "I mean, it's not ours."
"So we'll open it, peek at what's inside, and close it up again. What if it's something we can use?"
"The only thing we can use is a new window," the unicorn replied. "And I'd really rather not get in trouble for this."
"Yeah, me either," Apple Bloom said, changing her mind.
"Alright, fine, I'll do it," Scootaloo said at last. "You girls are sissies." She proceeded to push, pull, slam, bounce, rip, tear, and yank at the box in all manner of directions.
"I think it's resisting," Sweetie Belle observed.
"You think?" Scootaloo asked.
"Can we catapult it?" 
Apple Bloom sighed. "Nah, my big sister took the catpult away after I smashed a window. She said it was destructive."
"It isn't destructive!"
"It is when Apple Bloom uses it," Sweetie Belle said. 
"Alright! So if Scootaloo can't open it, maybe we're just not meant to open it," she said.
"Having fun, children?" A voice asked.
"Who's that?" Scootaloo asked.
"I'm not sure," Apple Bloom said.
Their attention was directed towards the side of the room, where one of Sweetie Belle's drawings hung on the wall. A crudely drawn crayon figure emerged within the drawing, bowing to the three of them.
"I heard arguing, and it sounded quite engaging," the figure said.
"Discord!" Apple Bloom hissed. "Applejack says I'm not supposed to talk to you." The Crusaders hadn't much experience with him outside of accidentally releasing him from prison the first time, and since then, understandably, they'd been asked to distance themselves from the draconequus.
"I'm hurt," Discord said, stepping out of the drawing into the clubhouse. "And to think you'd say such things to me on my birthday." He swooned a bit. "Oh, what a pity it is to be me, when even children find your voice filled with lies and your presence filled with dishonor."
"Is it your birthday?" Sweetie asked.
"No, but to think you could have just makes it all the worse," Discord said. "I lied. But I don't lie all the time, only sometimes. For instance, the next sentence I'm about to say is completely and honestly true, I promise you that."
Scootaloo leaned in closer.
"The last sentence I said was false."
"...My head hurts," Sweetie said.
Discord just grinned. "Whatever are you three doing?"
"Trying to open a box."
"Oh. That's... fun," Discord said, picking it up and shaking it. "It's empty."
"You don't know that. Can you open it?" Scootaloo asked.
"Of course I can," Discord said, and flicked his wrist. Sparks flew out of his talons...and the box remained closed.
"I said, of course I can," Discord said again. Same motion, same result.
"That's odd," he said, examining the box.
"Well if he can't open it, nopony can..."
"Correction. Two ponies can. The one who cast the enchantment and the one for whom it is meant to be delivered. It's very strong magic, I'm afraid I can do nothing about it," he said, giving the box back to them.
"Awww..." Apple Bloom sighed.
"Take it back to Twilight, I'm sure she's looking for it," Discord said, putting on a large woolen coat.
"How do you know that?"
"Because it's addressed to the Library, and Twilight lives at the Library, thus, it must be for Twilight."
"What's with the coat?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Oh, this? I've invited the crew of the reality show 'So You Married A Changeling' to the Crystal Empire. I'm going to see if I can't have some fun. Ta!" He vanished as quickly as he had come, his laughter echoing behind.
"I really don't like him," Scootaloo said.
"Well, we're not gonnna have any luck with this," Sweetie Belle said. "But at least we have a lead. It can only be opened by one certain pony, and whoever sent it must have magic to have enchanted it. We can be detectives!"
"Didn't we try to be detectives already?"
"Yes, and Applejack said we lost our marbles, which didn't make any sense because I've never owned marbles."
"She's crazy."
"Hey, that's my crazy sister you're talking about! But come on, let's go see Twilight!" They had only been in possession of the box for an hour, but time seemed to move extraordinarily rapidly around them, and the three bounced from one task to the next faster than Rainbow Dash at a flying competition.
The three raced off, completely unaware of a pair of eyes watching them from the bushes.