"What the hay?", the second worker asked after witnessing his coworker vanishing into the box.
"THAT THING IS TIREKIST!", he yelled, and galloped away.
"If only he knew.", Tirek said, after the trash pony was out of earshot.
The worker continued his long trot back to the station. The guilt finally hit him.
"I can't believe the last words I said to my best friend were rude and condescending.", he sighed.
He thought for a long while about the death of his co-worker. Knowing he had done wrong, he went and found the box.
"I deserve this, not him.", he said to himself.
After retrieving the evil box, he proceeds to twist.
An all too familiar click echoed off the walls of the buildings.
Out of the box, came the tall, red, Centaur.
"You solved the box.", Tirek sighed.
"YEAH! BRING BACK MY FRIEND IN EXCHANGE FOR ME!", he pleaded.
"So, Cess Pool, you've seen the error of your ways? Very well. I'll bring you to Tartarus, and Septic Tank shall walk free.", Tirek accepted.
A blinding white light emanated from the box, and just like that, Cess Pool and Tirek were gone, leaving Septic Tank in total confusion.
"Where was I?", he asked, in hope that Cess Pool would answer.
Silence. All was quiet. The only sound was Septic's breathing, the ponies playing outside, and the sound of animals in the Everfree Forest going back and forth between Ponyville and their homes.
"I'll have to tell Princess Twilight what happened.", Septic concluded.
The stallion set out for his trot across town. Upon arriving, he noticed that she was still home.
"Princess?", Septic called with a knock on the door.
"Yes, who is it?", the purple Alicorn's voice called from inside.
"My name is Septic Tank. I work with the garbage disposal unit.", he introduced.
"Okay, nice to meet you. What do you need?", Twilight replied.
"Well, it's about that box---", Septic began, but was cut off by an alarmed Princess Twilight.
"DON'T TELL ME YOU SOLVED IT!", she boomed.
"I... I did.", Septic admitted.
"How are you here then?", Twilight retorted.
"My friend, Cess Pool, sacrificed himself by solving the box, and requested that he be taken instead of me.", Septic explained.
"We have to get that box. I'll write a letter to Princess Celestia. You go get the box. Meet me back here as soon as possible.", Twilight ordered.
"Yes, Princess. Right away.", Septic acknowledged and left to retrieve the box.
Upon arriving at his house, he went to find the puzzle. Luckily, it was right where he left it. Septic galloped at full speed back to Twilight's castle.
"Princess! I'm back, and I have the box.", he said between breaths.
"Good, give it to me, please.", Twilight requested.
"Here.", Septic tossed the box to the Princess.
Meanwhile in Canterlot, Celestia was reading the letter Twilight had sent.
Dear Princess Celestia,
It is happening again. I am requesting immediate action. A pony is trapped in Tartarus! Please, come right away.
Sincerely,
Princess Twilight Sparkle
"Luna. I need you to hold the fort down once again. The box is back.", Celestia said.
"Yes, sister. I hope you succeed in stopping Tirek.", Luna encouraged.
"I hope so too. Things could go very wrong if I don't defeat Tirek. If he wins, it's possible that all of Equestria will fall, and that has never happened in our time.", Celestia was getting riled up.
Off she went to meet up with her former student.
Celestia arrived in Ponyville, and was greeted by Twilight and Septic.
"Alright, let's get down to business. Do you have the box?", Celestia asked.
"Yes, we do. Septic Tank found it.", Twilight answered.
"Good. Makes things easier. Septic, who is missing?", Celestia turned toward him.
"My friend, Cess Pool. I solved the Puzzle, Tirek took me, but Cess Pool sacrificed himself to save me by solving the box himself.", he explained.
"You have a very noble friend, Septic. We'll do what we can.", Princess Celestia assured him.
"Good luck, Princesses.", Septic answered.
"We'll need it. Tirek will be expecting us this time.", Twilight said.
"I'll solve that puzzle. Get ready to run in. Once we find Cess Pool, we'll be good to go.", Princess Celestia ordered.
Septic gave her the box, and she began to solve it. Celestia cracked its code rather quickly. The chains exploded from the cube, and they enveloped the tall, white mare.
Tirek showed once the smoke cleared.
"You solved the b---OH, YOU AGAIN! I have been expecting you.", Tirek snorted.
"Well, are you going to take me to Tartarus or not?", Celestia asked.
"Of course.", Tirek said, and that was Twilight's signal to sprint into the portal.
The purple took off like lightning struck her. She vanished, seemingly without a trace.
"You fool! Now you'll both be trapped.", Tirek scoffed.
"Well, we'll have to wait and see.", Celestia replied.
On that note, Tirek and Celestia disappeared, leaving behind hoofprints and a couple drops of blood.
Once they were in Tartarus, the two Princesses devised a plan.
"Alright, here's what were going to do. We never asked Septic what Cess looked like, so we will have to do the old 'CESS POOL!' thing.", Twilight suggested.
"Well, I think I have a slightly better, and hopefully less complicated. And it won't give away our position. You do realize Tirek is trying to kill us, right?", Celestia retorted.
Twilight sighed and replied, "Yeah, you're right. So, what's your idea?".
"It's quite simple, actually. We ask one of thr flying souls what Cess Pool looks like. We can go from there. It'll be quicker. We're kind of in a hurry, Twilight.", Celestia answered.
"Good idea, let's go find a soul.", Twilight said with a smile.
The two Princesses set off to find a soul. They were floating around everywhere, so it wasn't hard for them.
"Cess Pool? He is orange with a black mane and tail. His cutie mark is a toxic waste drum.", a soul answered.
"Thank you.", Celestia said.
"Alright, what does he look like?", Twilight asked.
Celestia looks around. She sees a pony that matched that description. He was standing right behind Twilight.
"Heard my name over here. What's up?", he asked.
"Are you Cess Pool?", Princess Celestia asked.
"Yeah, have you two come to kill me?", the orange stallion gulped.
"No, quite the opposite, actually.", Twilight said.
"You're trying to escape?", he asked.
"Yeah, but the idea I have in mind is energy-consuming.", Twilight said.
"What do you have in mind?", Celestia asked.
"Well, being an Alicorn means we're part Unicorn, so why can't we just use our magic to teleport?", Twilight asked.
"I guess it won't hurt to try. If we succeed, it'll be a rather anticlimactic solution to our predicament.", Celestia laughed.
Cess Pool held on to Twilight's hoof as the two Alicorns tried to activate their magic.
Lo and behold, it worked. The three ponies reappeared in Ponyville unscathed.
Septic Tank ran up to his friend and said, "Thank Celestia you're okay, buddy!".
"Yeah, I'm fine. I learned something from this though.", Cess replied.
"What might that be?", Celestia asked.
"Cherish your friends. Don't be mean to them. Had to learn the hard way, but hey, I learned.", he answered.
"That's a valuable lesson, indeed.", Celestia smiled.
"Well, I'm going home. Long day.", Septic Tank said.
"Yeah, me too.", Cess Pool added.
"My house is right here, so.", Twilight laughed.
"I will see you all soon. Goodbye, everypony.", Celestia flew away back towards Canterlot.
The other ponies retired to their respective homes.
THE END!
Author's Note
It's finally here. The sequel. Sorry it took so long, I had run out of ideas.
