Twilight Sparkle was just waking up as the first rays of sun smiled over the horizon.
It was quiet, save for Spike's snoring. She couldn't help but chuckle softly to herself at the sight of Spike sprawled out on his little bed.
She went downstairs to check the mail, as she did every morning. She sifted through the bills she had already paid.
One lone package stopped her in her tracks. It was a tiny cardboard box. Nothing special, but she was still curious as to what it was.
"What the hay is this?" Twilight asked herself as a small cube fell out of the opened box.
She sat down, studying the black and gold box intently.
"I wonder what happens when I do this?" she says as she twists the top.
"Oh, so it's a puzzle! I love puzzles!" she laughs. She must have awoken Spike, because he came downstairs.
"Good morning, Twilight," he yawned.
"Hey, Spike. Did you sleep well?" Twilight replied.
"Like a baby. Wait a second," Spike laughed at the irony behind his statement.
Twilight rolled her eyes and smiled.
"What's that?" Spike asked, pointing at the box.
"Something I got in the mail. I believe it's some sort of puzzle," Twilight answered.
"Do you know who sent it?" her number one assistant was full of questions.
"No, now that you mention it," Twilight answered, you'd think the slough of questions would bother her.
"Well, maybe we should tell Princess Celestia about the box," Spike suggested. If only Twilight had listened to him.
"Don't be silly, Spike. It's just a puzzle," Twilight retorted, and she began solving it.
"What if it's a trap?" Spike asked.
"I highly doubt a puzzle box could be dangerous," Twilight said. She was noticeably annoyed by Spike's worrying.
CLICK!
"I solved it!" Twilight shouted, punching the air triumphantly. Little did she know, all Tartarus had broken loose.
The box began to smoke, and it fogged the Library. Twilight coughed as it burned her throat.
"I... told... you so!" Spike coughed.
A strange black pillar raised out of the floor. Out of the pillar, came none other than Tirek.
"Tirek?! What are you doing here?" Twilight asked in complete bewilderment.
"You solved the box. You have summoned me to take you," he said in a monotone.
"T-take me where?", Twilight stuttered.
"To Tartarus, of course," Tirek smirked, and as if by unheard command, chains came from the pillar.
Twilight squealed in pain as the ghostly chains dug into her lavender coat.
"Please don't do this!" she begged.
"You solved the box," Tirek repeated.
Tears formed in Twilight's eyes as the chains began to pull her into Tartarus.
"Save your tears. It's a waste of good suffering," Tirek replied as they disappeared into the pillar.
Twilight was gone before Spike could react.
"I TOLD YOU, TWILIGHT!" Spike shouted, tears in his eyes. Blood was splattered everywhere.
Spike scribbled a note to Princess Celestia.
Dear Princess Celestia,
Tirek has kidnapped Twilight and taken her to Tartarus. I don't know what to do, and I need your help!
Sincerely,
Spike
Celestia had just gotten done saying 'Good morning.' to her sister when Spike's letter came in.
"Luna, I'm going to Ponyville. I need you to hold the fort down until I return," Celestia said.
"What happened?" Luna asked.
Celestia shook her head and answered, "Twilight has been kidnapped."
"The f--How?" Luna asked, barely stopping herself from cursing.
"Not sure, but I intend to find out," Celestia said, and off she went.
Back in Ponyville, Spike was cleaning Twilight's blood off the floor.
"Why me?" he wondered.
When he was done, a knock on the door startled him. He wasn't expecting Tia to get there so quickly.
"Princess! Glad you could make it on such short notice," Spike greeted with a bow.
"What was Twilight doing before she disappeared?" Celestia asked, getting down to business.
"Solving this puzzle box," Spike said handing Celestia the onyx cube, trimmed with gold.
The sight of it almost made Celestia jump out of her pearly white coat.
"WHERE DID SHE GET THAT?!" Celestia asked loudly.
"I-in the mail," Spike stammered.
"Who sent it?", Celestia asked in almost a whisper.
"No clue. The box didn't have a return address," Spike replied.
"Very peculiar," the raiser of the Sun said.
"You're telling me!" Spike retorted.
"Well, I have a plan. It might be kind of stupid," Celestia said.
"What do you have in mind?" Spike asked, not sure if he wanted to find out.
"My plan is to solve the box, get to Tartarus, and get the hay out of there," Celestia answered matter-of-factly.
"That really is stupid. Well, hey, it's not like we have many other options," Spike sighed.
"You make a valid point," Celestia agreed as she solved the box.
An all too familiar click rang throughout the room.
"Here's the pillar. Out of the pillar, comes Tirek," Spike briefed.
Just as he said, Tirek exited the pillar.
"You solved the box," Tirek said.
"Yeah, I know. Where is Twilight Sparkle?" Celestia interrogated.
"In Tartarus, where she will stay," Tirek replied.
"Return her to Equestria," Celestia requested.
"She solved the box," Tirek repeated nonchalantly.
"NOW, TIREK!" she demanded.
"SHE SOLVED THE BOX; SHE SUMMONED ME! SHE STAYS!" Tirek boomed.
"So, you want to play rough?" Celestia threatened.
"By all means," Tirek sneered.
They blasted each other with their magic. Tirek was too strong.
"I have a proposition, Tirek," Celestia said.
"What might that be?" she seemed to have piqued his interest.
"If you take me to Tartarus, will I be able to find Twilight and escape?" she asked.
"If you can do that, you'll be recognized as a Goddess! Nopony has ever done that before!" Tirek scoffed.
"Is that a no?" Celestia asked.
"You beg for eternal suffering, I bring it. I will enjoy listening to your screams," Tirek laughed as chains dug into Celestia's coat.
Celestia didn't scream. Tirek wanted her to scream. He was gone just as quickly as he appeared.