The boulder continued rolling, picking up speed as the ground began to slope more sharply downwards. The ponies ran,as fast as their hooves could carry them, but it didn't seem to be enough. Applejack and Rainbow Dash, who could out run and out fly anyone in Ponyville, respectively, were hanging back under lesser power in order to ensure the safety of their friends.
"We can't outrun Tom!" Pinkie exclaimed, much to Rarity's annoyance. "It's just a BOULDER." She insisted, clearly having none of that. "But we need to take care of this immediately, if I keep running I'm going to work up a sweat, and ladies do not sweat!" She complained.
"Stop whining, Rarity." Rainbow shot back.
"Dashie, don't!" Twilight warned.
Too late. "Oh, you don't want whining? Whyyyyy didn't you saaaaayyyyy sooooooo." She whimpered in a high pitched whine that made Rainbow's ears ring. And during all this, the boulder continued rolling. The six ponies rounded a corner, Pinkie diving into a small alcove.
"Girls, in here!" Pinkie called, and yanked Twilight and Rarity inside. Regrettably, there was not room for anypony else.
"Rainbow Dash! Get in!" Twilight yelled.
"We can't fit, stay there and stay safe! Loyalty's got this!" her chest swelled, and took off, flanked by Fluttershy and Applejack. The trio ran as the boulder rolled past the other three, Twilight looking at Pinkie Pie in amazement.
"How did you even know this was here in the darkness?" She asked.
"i dunno." She shrugged. "It just smelled like a good place to hide."
"Sme- never mind. I don't want to know." Twilight said, shaking her head. She had long since given up trying to understand Pinkie Pie, some things you simply let happen.
In the meantime, the others ran for their lives. They wound through the darkened tunnels and as they rounded a corner which ended in an impenetrable wall, All three slammed into it, and after a brief bit of head rubbing, looked upon it with dismay.
"We can't get through that!" Rainbow Dash said with horror.
"Ah can't given up yet, gotta be a way out!" Applejack said confidently.
"..." Fluttershy said nothing, tears streaming down her face.
The boulder rolled closer and closer, the three ponies huddled together in defiance. They closed their eyes, expecting to be crushed into oblivion.
But no oblivion came.
"What the huh?!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, opening her eyes. The boulder had come to rest an inch from their faces, as still as a statue. "It... stopped... but how?!"
Four small shadows teleported from behind the rock, and saluted. Fluttershy gasped and tackled two of them nearest to her. "The Changelings!" She squeaked.
From the other side, Twilight's voice called. "Are you girls alright? What happened?!"
Applejack was fanning herself with her hat, and looked pale. "S'alright, the Changelings stopped the rock with their fancy magic! Kin ya get us outta here?"
"The Changelings?!" Twilight sounded surprised. "Alright, hang on, I think if Rarity and I just get hold of this thing with our magic, we can back it up a bit. Pinkie thinks she saw another side tunnel we missed, that MUST be where Spike is."
Rarity and Twilight set their horns to levitate, and soon the boulder was rolling backwards, inch by inch. It was laborious work, however soon the three behind the rock took a detour to the left, just enough to slip inside. The second trio followed, and the ponies were reunited once more. With a final thud, the stone was dropped from its tethers, and continued on its way down the hill, where it ended with a distant crash.
Applejack looked at Fluttershy, who was being hugged by all four Changelings. "Well I'll be dipped, ah guess they aren't so bad after all. But how'd they know we were here?"
"They used to work for Chrysalis, they must have suspected foul play and followed us here." Twilight offered. "Thank you, all of you."
The Changelings chirped.
"Now Spike should be right down this path," Rarity said. "We need to formulate a plan. There could be any numbers of traps lying in wait for us. We need to be careful, and methodical." She said, with a toss of her mane.
"Right! So here's what y'all do. Rarity, Twi, y'all go up ahead with yer fancy magic, an set tah disarm. Fluttershy, you an' Rainbow Dash can watch the ceiling. In case anythin' tries tah sneak up behind us, Pinkie and ah'll..."
"LEEEEEEROYYYYYY JENNNNNKIIIIIIIINS!" Pinkie screamed, charging around the corner.
Twilight blinked. "Or, we can just do that. Come on!"
Rounding the corner at the end of the tunnel, they found themselves in an open cavern. Spike remained in his prison, and looked overjoyed to see them. One in particular. "Rarity!" He sighed. "You came to save me!"
"We helped too, you know." Rainbow Dash said spitefully.
Rarity rushed forward, undeterred, and lit up her horn. "Stand back, Spike!"
The dragon didn't need to be told twice, and though he couldn't quite move from his position, did manage to cover his eyes. Rarity's horn glowed brightly, small cracks appearing in the prison. The cracks widened and expanded, and may very well have done away with the prison on their own had Spike not leaped through them with impatience, glomping into Rarity's neck.
"Oh, Spikey Wikey, it's alright, darling. Let's get you out of this awful place," she said, and planted a kiss upon his forehead before flipping the dragon onto her back.
Spike went wide eyed, twitched, and slumped against the unicorns neck in a dead faint. The rest of the ponies laughed, until Fluttershy brought up a valid point, still surrounded by Changelings.
"What about Chrysalis?"
Twilight frowned. "She's licking her wounds, I don't think we're going to see her again for a while. But let's not tempt fate and get out of here while we can. Let's go home."