A New Impetus

by Zykov

22. Shadow Passages

In the halls of the Castle of Two Sisters, Noble Poet slowly made his way down the stair passage. He walked slowly, keeping his eyes open and ears perked, listening for any further traps that may be hidden within the castle walls. His only goal at this point was to get to the others and get them out of the castle as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile Rarity tried to examine Fluttershy’s hurt wing, but all she could do was look and glance it awkwardly and try to reassure Fluttershy that everything would be fine. "I’m sorry darling… but I only know the basics of first aid, like how to act when one's ankle is twisted or if somepony is unconscious, but...“ Rarity gently stroked Fluttershy’s wing that she had lift upwards with her magic and quickly placed it back down at Fluttershy’s shutter. “Pegasus anatomy isn’t something I happen to know much about, so I’m completely helpless here…” she said with an empathetic look on her face.

With a grimace and an eye closed the pegasus held her wing while laying on the ground but still found the strength to reply. "No, Rarity, it’s fine… I’m more concerned about Angel… Oh he’s probably lost and not to mention scared… He’s all alone in this big scary castle without a single friend around to help him...!” Fluttershy couldn’t stop thinking of Angel for even a second. She even tried to start walking again to go search for Angel regardless of her injury.

Rarity didn’t allow her to do more than stand before using her magic to lower her back down. “Please dear, you can’t find Angle in the state you are in; let Noble come back and us figure out a way to get you the help you need first.”

While Rarity and Fluttershy discussed what they wished to do Soul stood to the side focusing on keeping a light going and tapping his hoof to make it easier for Noble to find them.

After a few short minutes Noble arrived at the group without seeing any further traps along the way. “Thanks buddy, the light and hoof tap were good ideas.” He looked over at Rarity who was hunkered down next to Fluttershy. He went over tapped her on the shoulder, “Rarity, may I?”

Rarity blank and got up and backed up to stand on the other side of Fluttershy. “Do you know first aid somehow? Please tell me if there is anything at all I can do,” she said and lit up her horn for extra lighting as she bit her bottom lip watching them.

Noble nodded in agreement and sat down next to the pegasus. “Fluttershy, how bad is it? Can you feel your wing?” He placed a hoof against her wing patting down it gently and watched the mare’s face.

A sharp squeak escaped from Fluttershy as she tried to slide back grabbing her wing while her face was flushed in pain. “Y-Yes, somehow… b-but it still hurts very much! I don’t know how well I can support it right now.”

After taking a closer look Noble nodded and gave a half face frown. “Well it does seem like it has swollen up quite a bit..." Noble turned to look at Rarity with a raise of his head and made eye contact. "Could you cast some kind of cooling spell on Fluttershy’s wing? We have to prevent it from swelling more.”

Rarity’s cheeks grew rosy and she looked away, rubbing her neck "Oh, um… uh, well… This is really embarrassing, but finding gems is the only ‘special’ spell I capable of performing...” she chuckled awkwardly and darted her eyes from Soul to Fluttershy attempting to get him to step in but had to move toward nudging her head for Soul to notice her hints.

Soul blank and shook his head, clearing it then stepped forward. "No worries, I’ll do it.” He walked next to Fluttershy and his horn started to glow orange, that was followed by an orange aura forming around Fluttershy’s wing. Small hits of blue and white waves crossed over the yellow feathers.

The pegasus shook and squeaked closing her eyes and laying her head down on the ground as she attempted to limit her movement. "Oww! Cold…”

"Don’t worry, this shouldn’t take long. It’s probably just a ligament injury…” Noble waved a hoof for Soul to stop and leaned in taking a better look at the wing and thought for a moment. He turned to look at Rarity and Soul again. “We need at least two light, clean objects we can use as braces, and then something clean and soft we can use as a bandage.”

Jumping to action Rarity and Soul both nodded and ran in different directions. Rarity galloped over to a weak looking fabric that would be strong enough to hold Fluttershy’s wing, but weak enough to rip into smaller piece. On the other side of the hallway, Soul managed to find two sticks that seemed sturdy enough to work as braces. They both hurried back to show Noble what they found.

Taking the materials Noble examined them in the light and attempted to move them away from everypony when he shook the cloth to dust it and wiped the sticks to be sure. "Yes, these will do. Now, Fluttershy, stay still and relaxed, I’ll try to be gentle.”

“I’ll try…” Fluttershy said and looked away as she laid her head down.

Noble asked Soul to hold the sticks on both sides of Fluttershy’s wing as he folded the cloth and began wrapping it in strips around the broken wing. With each pass Noble made around her wing he would look up at the mare’s face that for once was not covered by her long flowing pink mane. He watched her face for shutters or signs of pain but rarely saw any.

Even in her condition and knowing next to nothing about her, Noble couldn’t help but get caught up in watching her. He would look down at the soft gentle feathered wings, her bright yellow fur that shined in the light and that extravagant mane. She was clearly among the most beautiful mare’s he has ever encountered and his heart beat rapidly while he tended to her.

The pegasus laid relaxed through the bandaging and was surprised at how gentle and professional Noble was, she was able to close her eyes and relax in his care as if she was being treated by an actual nurse. She sat in silence, trusting herself over to the stallion remaining almost completely relaxed.

Finally Noble finished with the wing and wrapped supports around her waist. He then wrapped the last layer around Fluttershy’s waist and tied it up. "There… That should be enough, it’s not hurting you is it?” he asked politely as he moved his gaze upward meeting Fluttershy’s eyes and pulled on them with a hoof to ensure they were tight enough. Noble slowly moved the hoof up, extending it to Fluttershy in order to help her up.

“...It… it feels much better now… Th-thank you.” Fluttershy placed her hoof on his allowing him to help her get back on her hooves and after another glance at him looked down and back at her wing to examine it.

Rarity cleared her throat, stepping forward. “Thank you so much for tending to Fluttershy’s wing ever so gracefully Noble. I’m simply amazed by your abilities… How ever did you know to look for a switch in that dusty old trap?”

Noble’s heart jumped to his throat and he began to sweat and draw back from the inquisitive mare. “I-I, uhh… T-That’s the only thing I could think of, that’s all…”

Before Rarity managed to inquire further Soul stepped forward, scratching his neck and keeping his eyes down with a pink color to his face. “You know, I’m surprised you’re still able to walk even after I crashed right on your back…”

Rarity couldn’t help but give out a chuckle, covering her mouth. “No worries darling, I’m a tougher lady than you might think.”

The pale stallion nodded. “Apparently.” He sat up straight and looked Rarity in the eyes as he continued with the pink now completely erased from his expression. “How the hay did you two end up in that trap anyway? The switch was located after the trap door.”

Rarity blushed, her eyes hovered towards Fluttershy for a moment but quickly rose to the ceiling as she took a deep breath. “Wellll… I hate to jump to conclusions but, Angel must’ve stepped on it…”

The horned stallion nodded maintaining eye contact with Rarity the entire time. “Ah… of course.”

Fluttershy quickly lept up. “I-It wasn’t his fault! He couldn’t’ve know it was there…”

“No no, darling of course not,” Rarity said and rubbed Fluttershy’s back and then turned to look at the stallions. “Now, I’d like to know how in Equestria you found your way here and why?” Rarity’s chin and eyebrows were raised though she realized it may not be the best angle and quickly whipped her hair turning her head with perked ears. “Not that i’m not glad or grateful you are here, but this castle is hidden deep within the Everfree Forest after all.”

Soul nodded and pointed a hoof at his tan friend. “Well you have Noble to thank for that. I wanted sushi but he pushed us here. Though now seeing the situation I’m actually happy he did…” he said and lowered his head, bringing the hoof up and scratched his neck.

The earth pony nodded and rubbed his other leg while watching the floor. “Y-Yeah, I suppose… I happen to have some small tracking skills, so I managed to track you and such…” He rubbed his foreleg more and clammed up.

Eyes beaming Rarity stepped forward gazing at the stallion in a new found admiration. “You tracked us all the way out here? Wow… That is highly impressive, but… why? If you wanted to come with us, you could’ve simply asked and you wouldn’t have to go through all that effort.”

Noble lifted his head up and looked at the artisan, shaking his head. “It-it’s not that, we came because I wanted to warn you about a Shadow Pony.”

Rarity exchanged a glance with Fluttershy who raised a hoof puzzled but sunk her head down letting her hair blanket half of her face again. Rarity stepped forward and waved a hoof in small circles towards the stallions. “A Shadow Pony? What?”

Soul looked at his teacher out of the corner of his eyes then looked back at Noble and gave a slow nod when their eyes met, urging him to continue.

Eyes still scanning the room Noble paced slowly. “R-Right, that, um… It’s a story we heard from Applejack, that this castle is still haunted by Nightmare Moon’s old magic; and that at night it takes the form of a Shadow Pony. It is known as the Pony of Shadows apparently.” He stopped his story sitting down and looking up at the light peeking through cracks in the ceiling.

Fluttershy shook and hunkered down, calling out with clattering teeth. “W-What?!!”

A loud hoof stop came from Rarity with a huff as she put a hoof on Fluttershy’s back, rubbing it to calm her. “Wait, honestly? You came all the way through the Everfree Forest to warn us about a ghost? With all due respect, that must be the silliest thing I’ve heard all day.”

Noble’s head reared back, his eyes narrowed towards the artisan and his voice grew deeper as he spoke to his and Soul’s defense. “It wasn’t just that… I was really worried about this castle and that something might have happened to you two. And seeing that something really did happen, I’m more than happy that we came.”

Soul nodded and slid off his saddlebag. “There is one more reason though…” He rummaged through the bag until he pulled out the light blue purse and held it up in the light so Rarity could see it. “You might’ve missed this.”

Jumping up Rarity clapped her hooves together. “My bag! Oh goodness, yes!” She immediately grabbed it with her magic and made sure not a single thing was missing from it and after rummaging gave a nod indicating that nothing was. “Thank you… for everything you’ve done so far. I might actually want to thank Applejack for telling you that silly little ghost story.”

Fluttershy nudged the mare’s shoulder while staying close as she looked down the hallway in each directions. “B-but Rarity, what if it’s true! What about those screams I heard when I tried to get the tapestry down and the wall flipped?”

Rarity patted Fluttershy’s hoof and set it down. “Darling, I already explained, that was most likely just an old security spell to scare away intruders.”

Soul’s ears twitched and he leaned forward. “Wait, what screams?”

The unicorn rubbed the back of her head gritting her teeth as she looked at the ground. “Oh, well you see... When we were trying to get this one tapestry down, it turned out to be some kind of secret passageway and it took Fluttershy with it, and while she was on the other side she claimed to hear some kind of screams there.”

Nodding Noble lifted a hoof mid way in the air in order to interject. “I might actually have an explanation for that.”

Rarity looked at him putting her hooves down with raised eyebrows. “Oh, what might that be?”

While he spoke Noble moved his hooves, tapping them together and pointing around. “We… aren’t the only ones in here. Applejack and Rainbow kind of headed here shortly after you two left the farm in order to settle their ‘the most daring pony’ competition.”

At the sound of the news the pale mare’s eyes widened and she drew back. “Applejack and Rainbow are here too?” Containing herself she lowered back and held her chin while speaking to herself, “Well, that explains a lot I presume.”

The earth pony’s eyes opened wide and he snapped to attention. “Oh right! We need to find them and get out of this castle as quickly as possible so nopony else will get hurt.” He looked at Fluttershy disheartened then looked down the hall behind him and around the room thinking about all the other traps and problems the castle could hold.

Rarity’s eyes grew wide and she took a moment to think then shook her head. “No, those two know how to take care of themselves. We need to get Fluttershy out of this place and to the hospital as soon as possible. And my client… well she will need to wait.”

“What? No! Rarity, I’m not going to leave without Angel. I’m sorry but I absolutely refuse!” Fluttershy cried and sat down turning her nose up with closed eyes.

Rarity leaned in wide eyed. She placed her hooves on the pegasi’s shoulders looking her in the eyes. “Fluttershy, you cannot intend to keep going around this castle in that condition. What if we come across another trap and your break your leg next? I can’t let that happen, it’s my fault I dragged you here in the first place.”

With a loud gasp Fluttershy stepped back getting away from the mare’s hooves. “A-Are you really suggesting that I should abandon Angel?!”

Rarity let out a loud gasp. “No, of course not darling! I simply want you out of here and to get that wing examined. I can stay here with…” she glanced back and forth between the stallions. “With Noble, and Soul can take you to doctor.”

Soul’s mouth narrowed, pulling his head back and he just kept staring at Rarity for a moment. “Well that’s dominant.”

Rarity flicked a hoof at her pupil. “I’m just trying to think of the best solution darling. For one reason or another Noble clearly knows what he is doing so it would be safer if he accompanied me here while we look for Angel.”

As the group sat there Noble grew ever more restless darting his eyes around the hall with a hoof elevated to move. “I think that sounds reasonable. Whatever we are doing we should get going.”

Fluttershy crossed her hooves as she planted her flank firmly on the ground. “I-I am not! I would never forgive myself if I left. Angel would think I abandoned him and what if he was hurt? I’m the only one he knows well enough to trust.”

Rarity stammered and looked between the stallions with pleading eyes and could only get out a single word, “Fluttershy---”

Soul sighed and smacked his face. He stepped between the mares holding up hooves to both of them, cutting their conversation short. “We are just wasting time here. Fluttershy isn’t willing to leave and that’s it, so let me sum up this conversation for you.” He pointed towards Fluttershy. “‘I want to come.’” He then pointed at Rarity. “‘No!’” He shifted back to Fluttershy. “‘I won’t leave without Angel; Period.’” He faced Rarity again with a dull expression. “So now your only option to save time is to say ‘okay’.”

The whole group froze in silence for a few moments, just staring at the unicorn stallion with no idea how to react to the mild but sudden outburst.

“Wow, Soul...” Noble eventually said, blinking while he stood on the edge of the group.

“H-Harsh, but... I think he does have a point...” Fluttershy said crossing her hooves and looked to Rarity again giving a flip of her hair and huff. “What if it was Opal out there instead of Angel? Would you really want to leave and let other ponies look for her while you lie in your bed worrying about every single possible thing that could’ve happened to her?”

With a wrinkled nose Rarity hemmed and hawed to herself. “...I see your point.” She dropped her head and sighed. “Alright, we look for him together.” She turned to the stallions and pointed to each of them. “What about you two? I would really appreciate it if you would stay with us, just in case something happens again. Please?” Her eyes grew wide and damp and she lifted up her bottom lip trying to beg.

Noble looked at Soul. He knew the promise he made but he felt pulled toward Rarity by his heart strings. He turned his head further away from Rarity, trying to prevent eye contact. He connected with soul and shifted his eyes, pointing to the mares. He tried to keep a flat expression but his eyebrows were still sulking.

The unicorn stallion thought about how late it was getting and shook his head with a shrug. “I’m not sure how much use I can be, but I can’t leave all by myself either. So I guess it would be best if we stay.”

The earth pony let out a breath of air and nodded, standing slightly taller. “No pony or animal left behind after all.”

“Perfect! Thank you so much.” Rarity had jumped back to her usual charming self and hovered over the pegasus a bit. “Fluttershy, I do have one condition please, I’d like you to stay close to Noble for your own safety.”

“Alright, I guess that would be best…” Fluttershy agreed as she stood up and walked over to Noble slowly and turned her head away from him when she was beside him, still embarrassed by their introduction.

Rarity nodded approving of Fluttershy and Noble standing by one another’s side. She then pointed at her pupil. “And Soul, somepony needs to keep you safe too so you can stay close to me.”

Soul sighed and nodded in agreement, getting up and moving closer to his teacher. “Again, dominant…”

With everyone straightened away, Rarity took the lead but as she took her first step Noble cleared his throat. “Umm, Rarity, no offense but I feel like I should take command here. I have already noticed some other traps, like one on the stairs and got around it safely.”

Rarity blank rapidly and looked down the hall then back at the stallion. “Oh, well… you did know best with that trap. Yes, if you would lead that could be magnificent.”

The group nodded once more and Noble walked past and stopped up front to allow Fluttershy to get close to him so she could walk two steps behind and beside him while Soul and Rarity stayed close, taking up the rear.

As Noble lead the group through the halls, his senses alert as he scanned the corridors while they traveled. Rarity kept a creative eye out for art pieces she could gather for her client, as through all the commotion she decided that if she were to stay she must fulfill her job.

While attempting not to interrupt Noble’s obvious concentration, Rarity leaned in to whisper to Soul, “Could you help me keep an eye out for some creative tapestries, dear? I desperately need some that are in good taste for my client.” Her eyes cut back to Noble and she furrowed her brow. “Soul, does Noble seem… different to you?”

Soul looked at the tan stallion raising an eyebrow, he took a moment to look but he knew what Rarity was talking about and there was no hiding it. “Well yes, I don’t want to discourage him though. This could be a good situation for him after all.”

While Rarity and Soul talked behind her, Fluttershy couldn’t resist watching Noble as they walked. She of course watched where she was going but looked at the stallion puzzled by how different he seemed as opposed to earlier. She would open her lips to speak but fell silent, not allowing herself to interrupt his focus.

Without another word as they all kept their eyes peeled for first and most important Angel as well as a second for artwork that Rarity could take with her they walked through another passageway into yet another voluminous room.

The group stayed together, there was not much furniture throughout the room except for old carpets, dusty tables and minor tapestries bordering the walls and hanging from the remains of the ceiling. Even though the ceiling had holes and the entire castle was rotting away the stone held firm. In the moonlight the ponies all noticed the centerpieces of the room. Two large thrones with large dark tapestries hanging above them.

Everypony sat in awe, the light seemed to gleam off the thrones as if beckoning the group closer. Noble looked over the floor and around the room. “It seems safe enough, just of course be on your guard. We don’t need any more surprises.”

As they separated Rarity rushed to the tapestries. Her eyes twinkled in joy as she saw through the dust and tares that accumulated over the years. “Oh the things these tapestries could say if they could speak.”

“Umm, is this really the best time to be thinking about tapestries…?” Fluttershy asked with a light groan, her eyebrows dropping flat and ears falling back. “We still haven’t seen a single sign of Angel or the others.”

“Oh Fluttershy, I know you are worried sick, but it will just take me a second to get those tapestries down,” Rarity said as she turned to look at her pegasus friend and smiled, drawing in a little and tightening her lips, feeling slightly uncomfortable then cut her gaze as she proceeded over to the over to the left throne.

Noble took this opportunity and stepped toward Fluttershy. “How is the wing? Has the pain decreased?” He reached up with his hoof and gently touched her injured wing still watching her to gage the pain. He was worried about her both as a possible future friend and as the injured member of their group knowing she should get the most attention.

Fluttershy winced as Noble touched her wing; while the regular pain had stopped it was still very tender and delicate. “Oww…!” She cringed with a shake down her spine but didn’t pull away. “I’m sorry, it wasn’t you… or it was you,… it’s still just a little tender. It is better thanks to you though.” She put her hoof on Nobles and gently moved it down giving a small smile. “Thank you Noble.”

Noble nodded. “Of course... Um… Just tell me immediately if you feel like the bandages are getting loose or... W-Well if something else comes up...” He stammered all the way through barely able to put his words together but finishing his sentence. He gulped and shook his head trying to clear it before he continued. “I’m sorry for your pet Fluttershy... I really have to admire your care and determination for him, you clearly care about him a lot.”

Fluttershy nodded back looking slightly more pleased but the hint of happiness disintegrated as the conversation shifted. “Thank you… I’m sure no pony would leave their pet behind.”

The stallion turned and sat next to the mare facing away from the others. “Yeah… I can imagine how you feel, I would probably be just as worried as you if my cats were in the same situation.”

Fluttershy’s interest peaked and she looked Noble in the eyes as she spoke more quickly. “Oh… You have cats?”

“Yes, I do. Back at my dad’s place. I have two, one boy and one girl, Threads and Fangs.” He chuckled at the memory, looking up. “They are like my children and are so loving and loyal. My dad of course takes care of them while I’m away but they are right there when I get back. I just can’t bring them with me since they hate traveling and no apartment I’ve been in accepts animals. Also I couldn’t stand separating them from my dad. I know he likes having them around too.”

“Aww, They sound lovely… Cat’s are such wonderful creatures and it’s sweet that you feel like they are your babies,” Fluttershy said turning her head with a wide charmed smile.

Soul, who was sitting listening to the conversation had found his moment to interject. “Cat’s are the best creatures in this whole land. Period.”

Fluttershy nodded. “Oh yes, well I actually love all animals, but well I understand your thought too.” She then turned back to Noble. “S-So… I heard you are from Canterlot too?”

Noble leaned back, looking over the newly curious mare. “Yep, that’s right.”

Fluttershy scraped her hoof on the ground. “Well… Y-You really don’t seem like a Canterlot pony at all… No offense of course.”

The earth pony chuckled through his nose. “I might actually take that as a compliment, thank you... Yeah, I’m not born or raised in Canterlot. I was born in Horseshoe Bay and later moved to Appleloosa with my parents. I didn’t move to Canterlot till much later age.”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened and she became more at ease. “O-Oh! I see. Appleloosa sure is a nice and small town, one of the most ideal places a pony could live in my opinion… So quaint.”

Noble chuckled, and still looked out the corners of his eyes to see Rarity and then over to Soul before looking back. “I can agree with that. After living on multiple places, I have to say Canterlot certainly wasn’t the right place for me.”

“Y-Yes, I wouldn’t like to live there either.” Fluttershy fiddled with her hooves and made another push in, looking up with big eyes. “M-May I… ask what made you to move out of there?”

The stallion became more rigid and focused on the conversation. “I-I uh… Well it was because I happened to get a job from Canterlot, and it was the kind of job I had been preparing for for quite a while so I immediately took the chance.”

“Oh, so it wasn’t the kind of job you would’ve gotten elsewhere?” Her eyebrows lifted and she tried to back up after seeing Noble straighten up, allowing him to have more room.

Wrinkling his mouth Noble rubbed the side of his head. “Not really, it was a special kind of job that only Canterlot could’ve offered… Um, look it’s a subject I would rather not talk about.”

“Sorry Noble! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to come off as rude...” The pegasus quickly waved her hooves, scared she crossed some line and she didn’t want to start off on the wrong hoof any more than she already had.

As Fluttershy apologized Noble was able to relax his muscles and could return to looking about the room and thinking of the paths they took so far without the worry of further questioning for now. “N-No it’s fine, you didn’t!”

Soul, who felt out of place near Fluttershy and Noble’s conversation, walked over to Rarity who was just staring at the tapestry. “You think that thing will come down?”

Rarity nodded. “Most certainly! At least I think so. This one doesn’t seem as thick as the other one’s Fluttershy and I have come across. I’ll get it down in no time!” A blue aura appeared around the blue fabric. But as she tried to pull it down, she met resistance and after trying to lift her head to help she had to dig in her hooves pushing with them trying to strengthen her magic. Rarity stopped and coughed. "Huh… This might take a second or two... “

Soul triggered his magic and pointed his horn to the tapestry. "I could help.”

Rarity raised a foreleg in front of Soul. “Oh, no you don’t have to! I shall figure this out. Besides, old fabrics like this must be handled with care and finesse so as it does not rip.”

“You are the expert,” Soul replied, dissipating his glow and feverishly scratched his joints.

Rarity couldn’t help but notice how Soul had been walking funny and would rub his sides as he walked earlier. “You’ve... been scratching yourself for a while now there darling... “ She leaned to the side to see his ruffled fur and red skin underneath better. “It’s starting to look pretty ugly.”

Speaking through gritted teeth Soul put his hooves down which shook. “I can’t help it, this place is like poison to my skin.”

“Goodness, wait a moment.” Rarity opened her purse and started digging until she pulled out a small tube. “Here, this should be helpful.”

“Oh, thanks…” He turned it to look at the label and noticed it was the same cream he had at his apartment. “How come you’re carrying salve with you?”

The mare looked around and only seeing Noble and Fluttershy a distance away she leaned in. “Well, don’t tell anypony about this, but…” She moved mane away from her neck, revealing a bright red spot.

Soul’s head jumped and he blunk a few times not believing his eyes but a smile formed on his lips as he recognized how he found another that shared his problem. “You have atopia too?”

Rarity nodded and shielded her lips from the others, “I do. Well, that and a dust allergy. A simply dreadful thing to have, isn’t it?”

“You can say that again.” He nodded, keeping his voice low for the mare and stayed close. “It’s robbed me of many good night sleeps.”

The mare sighed and sat down after inspecting the ground below her and finding it acceptable. “I don’t know about you but for me having such a unsightly allergy is an extremely good motivator to avoid any kind of dirt, don’t you think?”

“Ah, I’m extremely bad at that…” He squeezed out a dab of the ointment and began rubbing it against his fur. “I tend to keep it under control with creams and ointments.”

Rarity took the tube back with her magic and after she turned away from the others applied some herself. “That sounds really expensive though.”

The stallion let out a relieved sigh as the cream began working rapidly. “No, my mother works at a pharmacy back in Manehattan so I get them from her.”

The cream send a shiver through Rarity’s back and she nodded. “Oh well that is handy.”

Soul nodded as response and started walking away. "Anyway, try to manage, I will see if this room contains anything else interesting. ”

Rarity nodded and waved a hoof dismissively. “Yes, you do that. I’ll call for you all when I’m done.”

As Soul went down the short stairs, he tried to search for something that would actually be useful for something, but all he saw were pony head statues. Though one statue caught Souls attention. He walked over to it and turned his head and craned it in, rather impressed by the sight. It was a regular pony head statue but with a gorgeous, sparkling, grand emerald necklace that glimmered in the moonlight.

He sat there for a moment, as he watched and examined the stone leaning in and looking around it for imperfections. If it really had remained in the castle for this long, it surely had lasted almost unrealistically well. Not a single scratch could be seen on it and the only thing taking away from the look was the dust it had acquired. Soul frowned and then looked down at the medallion hanging around his neck. Even if it was a gift, he never would be able to shake off the feeling that he should do or get something for her in return. He thought that now he might’ve found just the right thing. He grinned and reached up at the gem.

Rarity’s eyes darted from the tapestries and noticed Soul about to take the emerald. She looked up at her horn and noticed that it had no reaction even at the short distance between her and the gem. “Soul! No, something is wrong with that gem!”

Noble caught wind of Soul reaching for the fixated orb and lunged toward him though he and Rarity were both too late. Soul took the gem and a door unlatched below him, Soul fell through along with Noble whose hooves had just reached the ground the moment the trapdoor opened.

The stallions laid on the ground and slowly rose to their hooves again as they regained their composure, checked for injuries and noticed their situation, being on the other side of the trap this time.

Soul resided over to Noble. “Uh… W-What happened just now…?” he glanced around himself, but the room around him was twisting like a funhouse from his perspective. He looked at Noble whose forehead was scrunched up and huffed as he brushed himself off.

Noble puffed his cheek slightly. “Soul… I thought we already learned that this castle is full of traps…” He sighed, releasing tension after thinking about how Soul must feel then looked up.

Soul flinched as his heart sank and he looked up. “Wait, a trap door, again?! Ugh, yes, great, lovely…” He let out a groan and ran a hoof through his mane.

“Are you two alright down there?” Rarity’s voice echoed into the room from above as she appeared by the edge shining light down. “Soul what happened up here?”

Soul shook his head and looked up defeated. “My bad! Didn’t think there would be a trap set in such weird spot… I shall take my punishment for my stupidity!”

Suddenly, they felt the floor under them as it started to shake intensely. None of them were sure what was going to happen but they knew it couldn’t be good. Then everypony realized the severity of their situation. The walls in the room had begun moving inward. Rarity instantly screamed and Fluttershy jumped back covering her head with her hooves.

“Oh no… no no no no no NO, I didn’t mean it literally!! This can’t be happening, this can’t be happening!” Soul yelled loud enough to make his throat sore as he trotted back and forth through the small and shrinking room, aimlessly just trying to press against anything that his hooves could reach, his heart pounded like a rock song in his chest. The pressure on his chest made him hyperventilate as his sight grew blurry from the danger of the situation.

“Oh my Celestia!! We have to get you two out of there immediately! Oh, come on Rarity, think, think!!” Rarity scribed her hoofs so quickly in panic that she almost fell into the room herself, but luckily she managed to push back to maintain her balance.

Fluttershy gasped heavily as tears started forming in her eyes. She was unable to say even a single word between her hyperventilating, as she looked back towards the pit hearing the awful scraping.

Panic has clearly start to take over Noble too but he seemed surprisingly calm considering how bad situation they are in. He clearly trembled in fear, but his eyes darted around the room as if he was searching every inch for something. His concentration though was broken by the blue aura that surrounded him and Soul. Rarity was desperately trying to get them out of the pit, no matter what.

“Don’t worry! You’ll be fine! You-will-be-fine!!" She yelled as she tried to lift the stallions, but just barely managed to keep them in place

Souls heart beat faster and faster as the walls threateningly approached them second by second. "Rarity, stop! That’s pointless! Even I don’t have enough strength in my magic to lift one of you that high!"

“Rarity, listen to Soul! There’s a mechanism that will stops the walls, I just have to find it. But the walls will most likely crush us if you don’t let go of us!" Noble commanded as he tried to struggle out of Rarity’s grip.

Rarity immediately released them and fell to the ground, crying hysterically, "Please, just hurry! I can’t watch!" She covered her eyes with a foreleg and turned her head away.

Noble trotted back over to the approaching left wall and started examining it again and thought to himself, "Come on come on… Remember Noble, stay calm that’s what you’ve learned in training… Ugh…. Now i just have to remember exactly what she thought me about traps in there too… think… think…” Noble’s eyes lit up as they widened. “That’s it! Soul look for a button on the walls that are moving in. The reset mechanism has to be on there!” Noble quickly scanned over his wall, sweat beginning to drip off of him as the walls moved ever closer and he knew there were mere seconds left.

Soul shouted back to Noble after in a panic, his voice cracking, “I don’t think it’s on this side!”

Noble scanned moving closer and finally noticed a small square just barely jutting out, it’s sides had been cut so that it blended in with the main wall more and was more difficult to locate. Noble lunged at it pushing it in as far as it would go.

The walls stopped dead in their tracks before finally retracting back to their original locations. The stallions both breathed a sigh of relief, their legs shook but they were relieved to be safe, practically falling over.

A loud metallic bang echoed through the small room sparked Rarity and Fluttershy’s attention making them jump. They looked down into the pit fearing the worst. They saw both Noble and Soul still there unscathed, staring at a newly opened door.

Rarity and Fluttershy, pierced by the sound of the walls retracting looked back down in the pit and collapsed in the throne room letting out big sighs.

Rarity crawled over to the edge and looked down, holding her chest. “I almost had a heart attack!”

"I think I’m going to pass out…” Fluttershy said and held her head while her heart practically was on the edge of stopping.

Soul looked up at Rarity with wide eyes. “We are the ones who almost got crushed!”

Rarity looked at Soul her ears pinned back on her head, glaring down. “We’re the ones who almost lost friends!” she sobbed.

Soul paused for a brief moment, just staring upwards at the mares before giving any kind of respond, his serious look becoming more calm. “But everything’s fine now and we’re alright. That’s what matters in the end.”

Noble whom had been been regulating his breathing stood at the new doorway, opened his eyes and looked up at the mares. “Hey! We will try to find our way back up there!”

Fluttershy crawled to the edge and peaked at Noble. "I’m so glad you are unharmed… P-Please, keep your eyes open for Angel too! I’d really appreciate that…”

Noble nodded and gave a fading timid smile, “Of course we will.” He tapped a hoof to his forehead and raised it as he walked through the door.

As the two stallions stepped out of the room, Rarity and Fluttershy took their time to put themselves together. Rarity stood up, let out a sneeze, and brushed off her mane and legs since she deplored getting dirt on herself. Fluttershy simply sighed and stood up, she turned toward Rarity seeming more relaxed.

“Well... While we wait…” Rarity looked at the thrones out of the corner of her eye. “I shall try to pull these other tapestries down again,” she said walking toward the moon tapestry once more.

“Umm… are you sure we should still be trying to gather tapestries? I mean after all that has happened that is.” Fluttershy’s voice quivered as she questioned Rarity’s goal, trying to be polite.

“Don’t worry dear, I’ll simply use my magic and won’t have to touch a single thing,” Rarity said as she walked up to the throne and put her front two hooves on it craning her neck up. She triggered her magic and once again tried to figure out how to get the tapestry down.

Fluttershy looked back, putting a hoof to her bottom lip, the hair on her back raised further in this spooky castle. “Rarity, I still have a bad feeling about this. I think we should-”

A loud sparking sound and a grown from Rarity cut Fluttershy off mid sentence, and the tapestry fell back onto the hooks with a loud clank. Hearing what happened to her friend almost made Fluttershy’s heart stop as she flung around in time, and saw the unicorn fly backwards and collapse to the ground.

“Rarity!!!” Fluttershy screamed her throat sore and ran to the side of her friend. “Are you alright?! What happened?!”

“Ohh, my head...!” Rarity held her horn as the magic surrounding her horn slowly dissipated, her eyes were still closed but she lifted her head up toward Fluttershy. “I feel like I fell from Canterlot…”

Fluttershy sat beside Rarity and trembled and rubbed Rarity’s back as she looked around the room wishing somepony would appear to help. “Oh please please please tell me you are alright! Please, Rarity please! Oh; I knew we should’ve just stayed put! I just--- “

“Fluttershy, calm down! I’m alright!” The unicorn shoved a hoof over her friends mouth silencing her and pushed her back forcefully making Fluttershy take a step back while she kept her eyes closed tight and rubbed her temples as she kept a hoof out keeping Fluttershy away.

Rarity’s sudden outburst left Fluttershy completely speechless, but at least she was relieved to see her friend still breathing. Eventually she found the words she was looking for. “Oh thank goodness, Rarity !-I thought something really bad happened again! I don’t know what I would’ve done if something happened to you! I’m glad to see you are---”

Rarity’s voice eased, “Fluttershy, you can calm down, really. I’m alright…” Rarity was still dizzy from the shock, which was clearly visible through her lack of balance and her speech being a bit slurred.

Fluttershy tilted her head “Are you sure…? You don’t… seem alright… And your eyes, I thought I saw---” she said, leaning in toward Rarity reaching out a hoof to comfort her again, reaching for her forehead but Rarity cut her off and turned to look at her.

She shook her head closing her eyes and blank a few times seeing Fluttershy back in focus. She grabbed Fluttershy’s leg that had reached for her head. "Hmm? What about my eyes?”

Fluttershy took a good look at Rarity’s eyes, but she eventually just pulled away and shook her head. “Oh, never mind… I was just seeing things I guess…”

Rarity kept staring at Fluttershy her eyebrow raised. “That shock was undeniably harsh. It must’ve been another spell cast for thieves for real this time… Ugh, I should’ve known better! Valuable pieces of art like these in a throne room must be protected!” Suddenly she let out a sneeze. "Ugh, and my dust allergy doesn’t make this any better… I’ve got too much of it on me already.” She walked over to the left throne and climbed halfway on it, looking up at the piece of fabric.

Fluttershy timidly followed her. “Are you sure you should get near that tapestry again? I mean... umm… never mind,” she mumbled and stepped backwards a few steps, lowering her head.

“Don’t worry darling. I’m sure the danger has passed, after all what else could go wrong? There wouldn’t be two traps for one tapestry now would there?” Rarity sat down and turned around as she attempted to reassure Fluttershy though as soon as she finished speaking, the room filled with the sound of an organ playing. The throne where Rarity sat, flipped backwards casting her into a different room of the castle leaving Fluttershy alone in the throne room.

Fluttershy let out an earth shaking shriek. “Rarity!!!” She leapt forward as the throne span back into the room now empty and almost collided with it. After looking at the throne for a moment and biting her lip she hung her head down and backed up, shaking. When she got to the bottom of the stairs between the thrones she sat and looked back around the empty and decaying room, brushing and holding her tail for comfort. “I need to go after her… wait… no I need to wait until Soul and Noble get back. It would be better to go after her together… Please get back soon...” She shrank into a ball moving down to the base floor between the two thrones, cowering like a mouse in a trap that could only look out at the open sky.