A New Impetus

by Zykov

23. Rampage Inside

Author's Note:

Just if you're getting a bit numb with the castle chapters, good news: There's only one chapter left for the castle episode.

Deep within the labyrinth that is the castle, Noble and Soul walked through the halls, trying to find their way back to Fluttershy and Rarity, who they had to leave in the throne room. The moon was rising higher into the sky and anxiety and fear drove the stallions onward.

Noble’s eyes scoured the hall as they walked while he remained vigilant for any kind of traps. Even while he lead the path and continued his attempts to map out the castle and search for the white rabbit, within his head his mind buzzed with questions for Soul. After minutes of walking and some silence he stopped and forced the unicorn to stop with him.

Noble turned his head only slightly so that Soul could hear his low mournful voice. “Soul… Did I do the right thing, when I agreed to let Fluttershy stay? Do you think I should’ve been more… assertive and demanded she leave?”

Soul sighed and shook his head, he pushed Noble’s flank to the side and walked beside him. He scratched under his chin then his back but stopped long enough to look out of the corner of his eyes at his friend. “I don’t think you could’ve done anything to change her mind even if you brought an army here.”

“I just felt like I should’ve done more… I mean I barely did anything...” Noble sighed, half of his mouth sulked while he watched the floor replaying the events earlier in his head.

“It’s irrelevant now, you need to focus on navigation and traps. I just want this whole trip to end already,” Soul said as he started to grow impatient as he looked up at the rising moon, thinking about all he could be doing tonight right now instead. “Are you sure this is really the right way after all? I mean, I trust you and all, but we’ve been walking this hallway forever and everything looks the same.”

Noble looked up and around at windows, holes, suits of armor and displays to verify along with rethinking of the basic paths they took and shape of the castle. “Yes... Most likely. If i’m correct, above us should be the crossroad we’ve gone through before.”

Soul shook his head, he still almost couldn’t believe that Noble seemed to know where to go. “You’re impossible, you know that…?”

After a while of walking again, they finally came across the crossroad. Noble tried to figure out where they were and what way they should take, but before he finished his analysis, his thoughts were interrupted by horrified screams coming from the both sides of the crossroad. They both winced at first and got back to back, but when they listened as the screams grew more focused, they could actually recognize the voices and what they were saying.

“Applejack!! Applejack stop fooling around already, this isn’t fun anymore!” the yelling from the right echoed as hooves galloped closer.

“Rainbow, I can hear ya!! Where are ya?!” the other voice echoed through the other hallway. The horrified mare's hooves echoed through the hallway as they both grew closer to the stallions at the ready.

A second later Soul and Noble saw Applejack and Rainbow galloping from the shadows toward them from opposite directions. The two scared mares were running aimlessly, their eyes closed and just yelling each other's name.

The stallions were clearly in their collision course and Soul was already moving out of the way, as Noble turned seeing both and braced himself, ready to try to stop both mares.

The mares continued their blind charge, seeing figures in the dark they leapt toward the stallions with open forelegs. They gripped the stallions tight believing it to be one another.

Rainbow rubbed her cheek on Souls chest and was gasping. “Applejack! I-I’m not scared or anything but I thought you left and I didn’t want a forfeit!”

“T-That’s right, it’s the same for me! A-Ah want ya to say it right to my face w-when you give up!” Applejack replied trying to keep her confidence but not being able to control the trimmer in her voice as she squeezed Noble tight in a cheek to cheek embrace.

Soul grunted and his eyebrows drew flat. “Somepony kill me now…” He pushed at Rainbow’s chest trying to get away. “WHY IN THE WORLD ARE YOU PONYVILLE FOLKS SO CLINGY?!”

Rainbow’s jaw dropped as she opened her eyes and realized who it actually was. "Wild?!”

As Applejack heard the commotion, she realized she couldn’t be hugging Rainbow. “Wait what?” She opened her eyes and pulled back her head as she spoke in a nervous tone still holding on while her entire body hovered above the ground by Noble’s neck.

Noble stood there with a his face bright red and ears pinned behind his head, his heart throbbed rapidly. “H-Hi boss…”

“Noble?!” Applejack quickly hopped down getting back on her hooves, not liking to be seen in such a helpless light, especially by a pony like Noble. “Don’t get any funny ideas, pal!”

Rainbow Dash got up after being pushed off of Soul and dusted herself off regaining her cool and calm composure. “Uhh…” She cleared her throat. “What are you guys doing here?! You have totally ruined our competition now!” she scoffed, not being able to come up with a good excuse as to why she grabbed him.

Rainbow’s voice registered again in Applejack’s head, while she held her mouth tight with wide eyes looking at Noble. She jumped at the distraction. “Oh Rainbow, you are still here after all. Good. I, uhh.. didn’t want ta win by disqualification after all.”

“Well that doesn’t matter much anymore!” Rainbow said and looked at the stallions with narrow glaring eyes but also looked off to the side tensing up as she thought about being in the castle alone again.

Soul groaned and rubbed his eyes. “If you would’ve listened to what I had to say back at the farm, you would not be wasting your time here in the first place. You would’ve bumped into Rarity or Fluttershy sooner or later.”

“What was that?” Applejack said, her eyes bulging while her ears twitched. “Yer tellin me Rarity and... Fluttershy are here too...?”

Soul nodded, placing his hoof back on the ground with a dull fed up look. “Rarity’s got a job to gather tapestries from this castle for a customer and restore them.”

Applejack and Rainbow winced and looked away as not to allow Soul to look them eyes at their mistake, they both sat and wished they had listened to him now.

Pushing her hat back to rub a hoof through her mane Applejack scoped over the ground then looked up at the stallions, still mighty embarrassed before them. “But, uh… That explains why they would be here, but what are y’all doin here? You two are some ah the last ponies I reckoned I’d find here.”

Soul and Noble looked at each other knowing it would take far too long to explain everything to the mares in detail. Soul was clearly not willing to go into any long story and tried to push everypony along but the mares refused to take another step without an explanation.

The stallions looked at one another, Noble stricken with the decision and Soul fed up with the castle. They plopped their flanks on the floor and took a breath to begin their explanation. They tried to make everything as short and quick as possible, especially Soul who would tap his hoof on the floor when Noble began going off on his long winded explanations. The stallions only stated the most important details like how they decided to come to the castle and why, how they found their way there in the first place.

When they got to the part where they described Noble’s tracking and navigation, Applejack and Rainbow immediately tried to inquire as to how in Equestria Noble has such skills, but the conversation was dismissed before it even began.

The stallions continued and got to the point where they found Rarity and Fluttershy, told them about Fluttershy’s condition and how Noble treated Fluttershy as soon as he got to them. They also mentioned how they may have unknowingly collided previously too and all the unexplained situation were caused by Rarity and Fluttershy bumping into traps or passageways.

The mares were shocked to hear that their friend was injured and began to realize that although they were still worried about the ghost, they both recognized that they had to focus on the dangers hidden within the castle’s walls. The stallions concluded their explanation by stating how they fell threw another trap and were attempting to reunite with the others when they met the two in the hall.

The mares let the information sink in for a minute and looked at one another before Applejack broke the silence. "Oh, uh… Well I feel pretty silly now… we’re just lucky we didn’t get hurt runnin around, going all haywire on account of a old ghost story.”

Rainbow scoffed. “Don’t worry. I’m sure if there was any danger I could have gotten us out of it. Also I never believed in the shadow pony for even a second.” She puffed out her chest putting her hooves on her hips as she smiled and a drip of sweat formed on her head as she worried about being found out in her lie.

Applejack frowned. “Sure ya weren’t and we just gotta hope we didn’t hurt no pony runnin around. Anyway… We gotta find the others and get outta here.” Applejack raised a hoof, pointing at Rainbow Dash, speaking in a glum concerned tone. “But that means we have to drop the competition…”

The pegasus lifted off the ground flapping slowly above the others, stretching her arms out. “Bah, who cares about that, it’s ruined already! Our friends are out there in danger at the mercy of this castle! We have to go and save them!”

“Right, we can settle it some other time.” Applejack nodded and looked around at the four possible paths then scratched her mane under her hat. “So uh… does anypony know where ta go?”

“Give me a minute...” Noble turned to the direction that he and Soul were headed toward when Applejack and Rainbow showed up. Noble put the tip of his hoof between his eyes as he focused and scoured the room looking for markers to remind him where to go. When his eyes transfixed to a one certain tapestries, it clicked to him. “Wait! We’ve passed that tapestry before!” He rushed over to a slightly torn tapestry to verify that it was one he had noticed earlier as a marker. He closed his eyes for a moment then opened them with intense eyes. “I know how to get to the throne room from here. Follow me everypony.”

Rainbow and Applejack looked at Noble confused, wondering how in Equestria he could possibly know the way by just seeing a single tapestry. Applejack especially was surprised to see Noble being so assertive. She hasn’t known him for long, but long enough to notice Noble’s timidness. At this point, they just wanted to find their friends as quickly and possible and get out of the castle, so they bottled all of their questions for now and followed behind the stallion.

As the group began to progress again, almost everypony started to relax as the larger group brought a sense of comfort and stability to the mares. While Noble kept his guard up because he was leading, Soul could not find a bit of relief and only grew more anxious and annoyed the longer they stayed. He trailed the group as he scratched all over and huffed at the situation he allowed himself to be dragged into.

During the walk, Applejack and Rainbow went into detail about everything they experienced in the castle so far. They talked about tapestries moving on their own, creepy legs touching them and trapdoors. The stallions were almost positive that all the mares had to have been accidentally scaring one another all night.

Noble in turn described what happened to them on their journey in the detail he wanted to give earlier. Rainbow bursted out laughing when Noble described how he convinced Soul to come to the castle with him.

Applejack was still having hard time processing the fact that Noble was in the lead. The country mare wasn’t one to ponder questions she had for long and quickly asked the stallion straight where he learned to keep such a cool head and handle in the situations they had been in.

Once again Noble deflected the question quickly stopping the group, lying about a trap and informed them that he should stay focused on being a lookout. “We are almost there everypony,” Noble said looking back at the group behind him as they were mere meters away from the entrance.

As the entered the room, Soul couldn’t believe his eyes. “Noble, you deserve a medal…”

“Ah can’t believe it! Ya were actually right!” Applejack replied as her eyes were greeted by natural moon light and the opening into a larger room that made her gleam with hope that they could get out.

The group entered further into the room but froze as they noticed a shadowy figure in the corner at the opposite side of the room which made the group slow down and stare, but suddenly they heard the familiar voice.

“Ra-Rarity… Noble… anypony?!” the small voice squeaked into the darkness.

The group instantly knew who the voice belonged to and a spark of positive energy flashed through them all.

“Fluttershy!” Rainbow flew through the opening almost glomping the pegasus but managed to stop right in front of her muzzle.

Fluttershy let out a squeak and almost fell, but calmed down immediately as she realized who it was. She was so delighted to see her multicolored friend there in front of her that she jumped at her, throwing her forelegs around the mare’s neck. The other three ponies galloped through the entrance greeting Fluttershy who was relieved to see that it was her friends and not somepony or something else.

Applejack mosied over to hug Fluttershy as the stallions remained behind and allowed the mares to finish their moment. As Applejack pulled back, she noticed Fluttershy’s eyes were damp and gloomy. “Sugercube, have ya been cryin?”

The group went silent and took another look at Fluttershy, them also noticing the damp, red, puffy eyes that had to be from fresh tears.

Soul flinched and quickly looked over the group to the throne room, not seeing his tutor anywhere. “Don’t tell me your current mood has something to do with Rarity not being here…”

Sinking into the ground with every passing second, Fluttershy nodded slowly as if expecting to be scolded. “I-I heard this loud noise from an organ echoing through the room; a-and suddenly that throne on the left just flipped and took Rarity with it! It was awful, just awful!”

The entire group was caught paralyzed by this.

“An organ that… activated a trap...?” Soul restated his muscles growing more tense. “Are you fricking kidding me?!” he barked and stomped his hoof as hard he could and approached Fluttershy with clenched teeth, his gaze practically pinned her against the floor. “We have to head out once again for ANOTHER fricking search quest and roam this damn castle ALL OVER AGAIN?!”

The group froze again, this time due to Soul’s outburst. Mixes of anger and loss filled the other’s faces.

Rainbow’s eyes widened. “Wild! What in Equestria?!” With a scowl she tried to race at the stallion ready to give him a piece of her mind but was stopped by Applejack that knew how close the pegasi are.

After she pulled Rainbow to the ground with her teeth and held up a hoof to stop her, leaving the blue pegasus crossing her hooves. Applejack took a breath and stepped forward. She wanted to push Soul away too with all her heart but knew it wouldn’t solve anything. She spoke in the calmest voice she could. “Hey pal. What was that for?”

The unicorn glared and as soon as he opened his mouth to respond it was covered by Noble to turned him around to face him away from the group.

Noble looked into Soul’s eyes with lowered concerned eyes, speaking slowly and softly. “Soul… You’re raising your voice at her... I know this is hard, please just hold on for little longer.”

Soul instantly pushed the hoof away and triggered his horn. “DON’T YOU SAY EVEN A---” At that instant when he felt his magic had triggered, the stallion flinched almost as if he was struck. His anger filled eyes faded away and he shook with a cold sweat starting to drip from his head.

Noble let out a big sigh and sat down, he dug out a water bottle from his saddle back giving it to Soul.

The unicorn took deep, long breaths and grabbed the bottle, taking a good sip of the water and swiped the sweat away. He took a moment to recompose himself and when he spoke again it was much softer, almost scared tone. “S-Sorry… I’m just so exhausted I can barely even think straight… I mean we almost got crushed tonight...” His pupils were large and shaking as he looked at Fluttershy. “A-Apologies, I didn’t mean to be so aggressive… It won’t happen again. Forgive me...”

Fluttershy was silent and just nodded timidly; she held her forelegs close in front of her.

Soul hung his head and walked away from the group in silence as the mares watched for a moment then tended to their yellow friend. Noble looked at Soul, he felt like a weight was in his chest and wanted to call out or hug his friend but knew it would be of no use given their current situation.

Applejack walked over to Fluttershy and helped her up and rubbed her back. “S-So there actually is somepony else in this castle…?”

With a turn of his head Noble pulled himself together enough to stand tall to retake command as he looked over the ponies he had before him that made the weight in his chest grow. “Well if it’s somepony that knows the castle and isn’t scared to play an organ here, I don’t want to run into them.”

Everypony nodded and watched Noble rub his chin while he glared at the ground. It was obvious he was thinking intently about something and they looked to him for guidance.

As everypony sat there quietly for a moment Noble’s eyes shot open wide as if in a flash of lightning. He jumped to his hooves and tapped a hoof on the ground with a smile. “I think I have an idea that everypony would be happy with.”

The group looked at the earth pony stallion with hesitant, judging eyes but were ready to listen.

Clearing his throat Noble began, “As a group we make our way back to the main hall searching for any sign of Angel or Rarity along the way. Assuming we don’t find them in that short time, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Soul can all go back home through the woods and get other ponies to come help us search with proper supplies.

Everyone were listening carefully to Noble and nodded as he talked.

Noble continued, “I will stay here with Fluttershy, ensuring her safety and helping navigate the halls in the search for Angel. That will be the most efficient.” As he finished he looked around for reactions, dwelling on Soul the longest. He couldn’t imagine how he must have felt and what he’d need to do to make this night up to him.

The group nodded and Soul piped up. “Can I make one other suggestion?” He waited to see Noble’s head nod before he continued. “I think we should have Rainbow dash fly up to that window over there and maybe even out through a hole in the ceiling if she thinks she could get through safely and look for Rarity from an aerial view. That could save time.”

Noble looked at Rainbow, the window and the ceiling. “Well I guess that would be fine. Needless to say, just be careful Rainbow Dash.”

Applejack nodded too. “Great, then it’s agreed! Rainbow, fly up there and see if ya can see Rarity.” She pointed at the window between the two tapestries.

Rainbow stood up right. “G-Gotcha!” She flew over to the window and wiped the glass clean, then scanned the ground outside. “Well, it seems like she’s not there anymore!” She flew over to the holes in the ceiling and after looking at the stone for a moment decided against trying to get through it and flew back to the group, passed them and flew into the entrance of the hallway they just came from. “Come on everypony! Hurry up!”

The group looked at one another and Noble took the lead walking at a brisk pace through the halls, this time focusing strictly on getting back and feeling much more at ease about traps in this part of the castle. As they walked Fluttershy continued to call out for Angel as others watched for anything out of the ordinary, that could be coming for them.

After minutes of walking the group arrived at the main hall. Just as they entered, the main hall, it was filled with a high pitched yell and horrifying scream that caused everypony to jump together holding one another or looking around for the source of the noise in horror.

Out of nowhere a hole opened in the wall above them and two figures flew in colliding with the group. Everything went momentarily black for everypony as they got back up or scurried away from the figures that landed on top of them. All still in shock they heard laugh coming from a figure that was sitting atop the other.

“See Rarity! I told you I knew this castle like the back of my hoof, didn’t I silly? This is the best playground EVER!!!” She threw her hooves up in the air as she made enough noise to wake the dead.

“Pinkie Pie, I would appreciate it if would be a dear and, PLEASE GET OFF OF ME!” Rarity got to her hooves as Pinkie rolled over the ground landing on all four of hers. “I’ve had quite ENOUGH! I shall claim a war against this ugly, filthy piece of rock!!!”

Soul flinched as he turned and could perceive the ponies better. "R-Rarity…? P-Pinkie Pie?”

“Rarity?! Pinkie?” everyone repeated perking up and turning to see the mares with open mouths.

Rarity looked like like she had been thrown through the Everfree Forest itself. Her mane and tail were frazzled and filled with leaves, sticks and small rocks. Though Pinkie Pie was just smiling and looked more like she’d been through a funhouse.

Everypony began walking back towards the mares and Soul was the first to address the artisan’s looks. “At least you seem to be mostly alright---”

Rarity jolted her head to look at Soul, Soul could see the fire in her eyes and she sent a chill down his spine as she got directly in front of him glaring into his very soul. “I am most certainly not alright!!!”

The pale unicorn cowered and backed up. He held a hoof up in an effort to prevent her from getting any closer. “Well apologies, I sure can relate!”

With a huff Rarity turned around so quickly, her tail almost smacked Soul in the face. She froze and her eye began to twitch. She realized she was face to face with the very first tapestries she saw as she entered the castle. "I am so so so SO DONE WITH THIS CASTLE! I don’t care anymore! Big or small, a tapestry comes with me and that is it! I won’t leave without one! PERIOD!” She charged the tapestry and taking it in her hooves started to pull it down.

Applejack walked towards Rarity and spun her around, holding her shoulders forcing her to stay still and look her in the eyes. “Rarity calm down! You’re acting like a nutcase! Just breath!”

Rarity squirmed in Applejack’s hooves, trying to look back at the artwork and finally exhaled deeply going limp, she was still frazzled but seemed to be coming down but still spoke sarcastically with flat eyes. “Well I’m delighted to see you too darling.”

“Oh Rarity!” Fluttershy lunged and wrapped her forelegs around the unicorn mare. “Thank Celestia you’re alright!! Where in Equestria did you go? I was so worried.”

Rarity sighed again, falling to sit and shook her head. “Oh I don’t even want to know myself...”

Noble walked over to Pinkie Pie with a curious eye. “Well… Seems like we have another story to hear…”

“Noble!!!” Pinkie immediately grabbed the stallion into a hug and startled him. She caught him and they fell to the floor mid leap.

Rainbow looked back and forth between the two new mares and then up at the wall where the passage they fell through was nowhere to be seen now. “You know I’m not even surprised...”

“Surprised? For what? That I’m here?” She giggled and let go of Noble, getting to her hooves again. “I come here to play all the time!!! This place is like a funhouse!!!”

Applejack’s ears twitched as she caught wind of the conversation. “Play…? I thought you were gonna spend the whole day at school ringing a bell?”

“Oh yes, that’s the funny thing! I thought I was going to ring it all week but I only had to ring it for 5 minutes.” She giggled to herself recalling the teacher quickly dismissing her after many minutes of ringing the bell.

Applejack looked away, preventing eye contact and ruffled the back of her mane. “So, have ya been here the whole time...?”

Pinkie nodded. “Yep! Ever since I left the school. It was lucky Rarity bumped into me, I come here to play so often that I know the castle in and out! All the best slides lead to the main hall!”

Something clicked in Rainbow’s mind and she jumped forward piping up. “Whoa whoa whoa, hold on there! Are you saying you’ve been making traps go off just for fun?!”

Pinkie giggled but turned her head at Rainbow’s bitter mood. “What’s the point of leaving them set? That’s no fun.”

As soon as those words left Pinkie’s mouth Rainbow almost exploded at the mare. “Pinkie, you’ve been scaring and endangering all of us with those traps and you’ve been setting them off just like that! You might’ve put all of us in danger by doing that! You even actually hurt Fluttershy! Just look at her wing!”

The pink mare’s cheer crashed as if it hit a brick wall. She leaned around Rainbow and saw the bandages wrapped around Fluttershy’s abdomen. As her hair deflated she spoke softer with sorrow in her voice. “W-What? I did that…? Fluttershy, I’m sorry!!!!”

“N-No! It’s alright, i’m sure it must’ve been An-” Fluttershy tried to reassure her friend but was cut off mid sentence.

“Sorry?! You’re sorry?!” Rainbow continued to lay into Pinkie Pie about how foolish she was, while Noble frowned as he knew just how Pinkie must be feeling and wanted to say anything he could to distract the pegasi from her rant.

Wild Soul grunted and rubbed his head. A headache was taking over and he didn’t want to be in that castle another moment with all these ponies. He walked for the door already thinking about how well he will sleep that evening. As he reached the door he pushed to no avail, he pressed harder, thrusting his body into the door with no give in sight. “Noble! Come help me with this stupid door.”

Focus on the mares was broken by the command. “Huh? Oh right, door.” Noble walked over and pushed on the door without a bit of give. He stepped back turning his head looking at the door baffled. “This doesn’t have a latch does it?” He noticed a lock and turned it hearing and seeing it lock then turned it to unlocked once more. He tried pulling on the door with no results either. “What’s going on?”

Soul’s vision turned cloudy. “WHAT?!” He shook his head violently side to side as he moved it down then rubbed his temples before jumping up. “Okay, that’s it, I can’t take any gimmicks anymore! Stand aside!” He dragged Noble behind him and ignited his horn and charged a huge energy blast towards the door but it ended up bouncing away almost hitting Rainbow and Pinkie.

Rainbow jumped back then glared at Soul crouched as if she were ready to pounce. “Woah hey, what’s your deal?!”

Soul huffed through his nose and only turned his head slightly to acknowledge the mare as little as possible. “This door is kind of locked!”

“What?! Are you serious?!” Rainbow Dash huffed too and glared at Pinkie standing her ground. “You didn’t lock the door too did you?”

Pinkie Pie slammed her hooves on the ground and puffed out her cheeks before screaming at the top of her lungs, “I DID NOT!”

Getting her mane blown back by the scream Rainbow was rumbled but shook it off and pointed a hoof at the pink mare. “Well then who did?! It definitely wasn’t locked when we got here!”

“Maybe that blasted organ player?” Rarity interjected frazzled and annoyed as she also glared around the room.

Applejack spoke looking at Rarity, “Well it did flip you with that throne!” A lightbulb lit up in Applejack’s head and she stepped up next to Rainbow Dash focused on Pinkie. “Pinkie, I swear if you’ve been playing an organ here, I---”

Pinkie screamed and flailed her forelegs to her sides, she looked for a moment like she herself was about to explode. “Why is everypony yelling at me so angrily?! I haven’t been playing any organs here!”

Rarity joined the group blaming Pinkie. “Well you’ve still been activating those horrible traps!” She turned to Applejack and Rainbow with a hiss in her voice. “And you two! You and your barbaric competition was what got you into danger into first place and maybe even us too!”

The arguments showed no signs of stopping and fatigue and hunger only exacerbated the situation as they lashed at one another’s throats with their shrill sharpened words. They were trapped, the team crumbling and resolve was stretching thin like a rubber band about to snap.

The only pony that showed any sign of calmness and a desire to repair the situation while she cowered was Fluttershy. The feat and slight anger of seeing her friends like this almost paralyzed her, but she knew she couldn’t just stand around and watch. She timidly tried to approach the group and calm her friends but instead was coldly snapped at and her efforts were ignored and rendered futile.

Soul stomped his hooves and screamed over the others. “SHUT UP!!! SHUT UP SHUT UP, JUST SHUT UP FOR A SINGLE MOMENT!! I CAN’T TAKE THIS CRAP ANYMORE!!! YOU ARE ALL UNBEARABLE! I CAN’T BELIEVE I’M STUCK HERE WITH ALL OF YOU FOALS OF A GOAT, WHY CAN’T WE ALL JUST... JUST DIE AND ROT!!”

Everypony froze in their tracks and looked at Soul with wide eyes.

Stammering for words Noble put some together and tried to speak in as calm a voice as he could. “S-Soul! W-What the I-I… That is not how you talk to friends!”

Soul’s blood boiled and he waved an entire leg as he shouted. “FRIENDS?! Are you kidding me?! Excluding you, not a single pony in this room is a friend to me!”

Rarity gasped and flipped her head getting hair out of her eyes as she marched over to Soul looking him dead in the eyes. “I beg your pardon?!”

Soul huffed smoke out of his nostrils. “No Rarity, not even you! Even if you tell me to be your friend, I have never considered you as a friend for a second! That’s just not how it works for me!”

The artisan pulled back covering her mouth. “WHAT---”

Eyes full of fire Soul spat. “That’s not how it works for me Rarity! It’s just not the way it freaking works for me damn it!!! You don’t just come to me and ASK for my friendship!!!”

Just as some of the mares made moves toward Soul, Noble leapt in front and blocked their path. “Everypony, STOP!” he exclaimed boldly glaring darting his eyes around from one pony to the next. “Everypony calm down. You’re all acting like idiots. Soul, please just take a breather, you’re becoming…” He looked Soul in the eyes to show what he was thinking.

Soul’s anger had almost completely overtaken him, every thought he had was pushing him towards destroying the castle down to the last brick. He could barely see anything behind his hazy vision. “I-I…” Soul knew exactly what his friend was getting at, he withered where he stood, his face grew stoic.

He started to feverishly rub his head and screamed at the top of his lungs almost bursting into tears. It was like he was getting torn apart. With that Soul turned and trotted slowly to the door through the group, he sat down then leaned his head down and fell over sliding into a fetal position looking like an infant sent to the corner.

Rarity spoke while she walked toward Noble looking around him at her pupil. “Soul wait just a moment!! I want to hear your explanation-!!!”

“Who cares! He doesn’t need us and we don’t need him. I’ll find my own way out of this castle if somepony doesn’t block it with some trap,” Rainbow said folding her forelegs over one another and turned her nose away from Pinkie.

The pink mare turned red and shook. “FOR THE LAST TIME I DIDN’T LOCK THE DOOR!”

Rainbow, Pinkie and Applejack began screaming at one another once again while Rarity tried to get around Noble who blocked her way and Fluttershy crawled back laying on the ground and began crying out for Angel once again.

“Noble, let me through this instant! I must speak with him he’s my apprentice!” Rarity ordered as she pushed left and right but getting blocked every way by Noble.

“No! Please he just needs time. He’s my friend, I’ll handle this, just try to calm down the others,” Noble pleaded, his eyes looked back at his friend clearly worried but his mind was set. He knew if Soul spoke to anyone in this state it would only end poorly.

Rarity put her hoof down and looked Noble square in the eyes. “I don’t know how you two handle one another but you must know the Canterlot way. When there is an issue as sophisticated ponies we must talk them out, post haste!”

Just hearing her boast about Canterlotians filled Noble with memories of scorn and frustration. His mind swirled with everypony that that tried to take advantage of him, how he struggled while serving ponies that looked down on him, the times he was replaced by ponies that would ‘look better in the public eye’ and worst of all everything he went through with Double Bit. He grew silent and bowed his head.

Even though she saw a chance to pass Rarity noticed the sudden abrupt silence that overcame the stallion.

Noble’s eyes were closed and covered in a shadow of darkness. His mouth was slightly tilted down, he breathed slowly but his heartrate was elevating. His blood began to boil and the veins in his forelegs began to become more pronounced. “You… You don’t know anything about that!” He exclaimed roaring like a dragon then lifted his forehooves and slammed them on the ground as hard as he could sending shots of pain that he was almost too angry to recognize.

The vibrations from Noble’s slam shook some nearby podiums that were already worn. One supporting a large bust shook enough to crumple and smash against the wall and shook the ceiling over their heads. A large piece of rock fell loose and hurtled toward Rarity right below it. Noble saw the piece falling and looked at the mare.

“EVERYPONY! That is enough!” At that moment a magic aura surrounded every last one of them along with the rock pulled the ponies apart forcing their muzzles closed as they all shook in panic as they looked around as best they could to see what held them.

Silence landed upon the hall, rendering it as haunting as it was when everyone arrived there the first time.