As they entered the Everfree Forest Pinkie, Rarity, and Spike all felt tension in the air. Pinkie was concerned with the unhappiness of the poor trapped pony, whilst Rarity was all strung up about how filthy said pony must be, however spike was just loaded down with a clearly overfilled bag. Every few steps he nearly collapsed under the bags weight, and the only thing on his mind was how long it would take before he could set down his load and rest. After some time wandering about in the forest the scenery began to make all but Pinkie feel uneasy.
“Are you sure you know where we are going?” Rarity asked. “I think we have been walking in circles.”
“Of course I know where I am going silly!” Pinkie exclaimed. Just as a sudden series of shudders made their way down her back. “Besides with my Pinkie sense I know that we are getting close!”
“About time!” Bellowed the baby dragon. Rarity glanced back at him, and that's all it took to change the Spike's tune. “I mean.... ummm its about time for us to stop already? I was just getting warmed up” He barely managed to wheeze. Just then his muscles gave out, and he collapsed like a picture in a pop up book beneath the behemoth of a bag.
“We're here!” Pinkie announced.
“I knew that.” Came a muffled voice of a crushed dragon. “You girls go on I'll stay here and guard the bag.” The two mares exchanged glances and their eyes fell back upon the Spike, or at least the bits of him that were not beneath the bag. “You know... to make sure that its not eaten by Parasprites.” he barely managed to push from his smothered face.
“Oh thank you my brave brave little dragon” Rarity barely managed to say without laughing. “I just would not know what to do without you.”
“It's... no... it's no problem.......” Spike managed to mumble in a barely audible tone, and just a moment later snoring could be heard coming from somewhere beneath Rarity's well guarded purse. Together the two Ponies shared a laugh at the sheer irony of the scene before them. The poor baby dragon had collapsed right at the base of the boulder lodged in the entrance of the Mirror Pool Cavern.
The time had come to lift the boulder out of the way. Second thoughts began to rise in Rarity's, mind. She gave a glance to Pinkie and wondered aloud.
“What if there is a swarm of... well... you know... you down there?”
“Your right!” Pinkie exclaimed. “We will need a way to tell me apart from the fakes if there are any down there!”
Rarity thought for a moment and came up with am idea. She rummaged through her bag, and found a pink velvety scarf. She quickly used a sewing needle and some thread she had packed to sew her friends name into it, and she carefully wrapped it around Pinkies neck.
“There.” Rarity said as she stepped back to observe her work. “Now I doubt any pony down there in that cave has a scarf like that! As long as you don't take it off we can make sure that you don't get mixed up.”
Satisfied that the two had solved the problem Rarity began to use her magic in an attempt to levitate the boulder. At first nothing appeared to change, however soon the rock began to shake. It was bigger than most objects Rarity was used to moving, and she had to strain herself in order to make any progress. It seemed that she was going to just barely manage to do it when suddenly her magic gave out, and the boulder fell back into the hole, successfully resealing it again. The shock wave resulting from the sudden blow to the earth startled the sleeping Spike back to life scrambling his way out from under the beauty bag and diving into it for security in stead.
“I can't do it” Rarity said as she fell backwards into the soft grass. “The boulders far to large for me to move.” She stated between deep breathes. Pinkie drooped down to the ground knowing whoever was down there was going to remain where they were even longer.
Spike had now climbed out of the bowels of Rarity's bag and asked "Maybe Twilight can help?" Pinkie, however already knew that Twilight had made it abundantly clear that there was not going to be any involvement on her part in this rescue. "After all she is the one who put the rock hear in the first place." Spike continued. Just then they heard a familiar voice shout out.
"Spike!" Twilight called out. She had been searching for him all afternoon. He was supposed to bring the books that Princes Celestia herself had sent Twilight back to the library so they could be properly shelved, however he never came back. She had found the books just strewn across the ground when she went out searching for him and followed a hunch that the unusually deep baby dragon tracks she found nearby belonged to him. Naturally she followed the trail and now she had caught up and she was not pleased to find her friends attempting to undo the work she had done to keep Ponyville safe.