Spike entered the Golden Oak Library as silently as he could. It didn't do him any good since Twilight was waiting for him to arrive.

And she was angry.

"Spike!" She shouted "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!"

The baby dragon didn't answer, he just looked up at the angry Alicorn. She had a small candle near her face so he could see her, but the light didn't reach the baby dragon. Twilight couldn't see the red eyes of un-shed tears he had.

"Sugercube." Applejack spoke, only to be ignored.

"Do you even know how worried I was?" She continued "Plus it's raining out there! You know you could have gotten sick!"

"Sugercube." She tried again, ignored.

"Not only that..."

"SUGERCUBE!" Applejack shouted, that brought on needed silence.

"I'm sorry." Spike spoke in a small voice.

Twilight heard how small he sounded when he answered. Hid tone was so...broken, not what she would have exspected from Spike. Not after a day with Rarity.

She took a look at Applejack for the first time. The orange mare simply shook her head.

"Spike." Twilight spoke hesitantly "Come into the light."

Spike hesitated for a moment before doing as asked. Twilight took one look at him and almost burst into tears herself.

"What happened?" She asked.

Spike slowly opened his mouth but closed it, it became apparent he didn't want to answer. Twilight knew it was bad, she had never known Spike to not want to talk about Rarity.

The mare looked around for help, the book on consolation. She grabbed it in her aura and brought it to them. Before she could open it she caught a look from Applejack. She looked at the book then back at the dragon, the baby.

This is no time for books. Twilight pulled Spike into a hug. He needed consolation from the heart, not paper.

Like that the dam burst. Spike wrapped his small arms around the Alicorn that raised him and cried. He let out all of the betrayal he felt in his body. They poured themselves onto Twilight's coat, not that she minded. A few of her tears fell onto the baby dragon.

"Twilight, she...Rarity...she..." He wailed.

Twilight watched as Spike tried to make coherent words through his tears and failed. He was trying but he was too hurt to speak.

"It's okay Spike." She soothed "Momma's hear. Tell me when you're ready."

So the baby dragon continued to cry until he had no more tears to cry. When he was done he sat with Twilight.

"Feel better?" She asked.

"No." He weakly answered.

"You want to talk about it?"

Spike was going to say 'No', but decided against it.

"I waited for Rarity to show up for our date." Spike spoke "But she never did."

"She stood you up?!" Twilight asked appalled.

"...Yes." Spike answered uncomfortably "I thought it was my fault."

If she wasn't absolutely sure it would have sent Spike into another crying fit, she would have called him an idiot. Instead, she just settled on pulling him into a hug.

"Spike, you should know something like that isn't your fault." She assured.

"I went to find her, to apologize." Spike explained "But when I got there...when I got there..." His voice began breaking "She was...rutting with a stallion!"

Twilight watched as he broke down in her arms again. The Alicorn was torn inside at the Rarity-hurt Spike

Did she even intend to go on that picnic? She asked herself Does she even know what she's done?

Twilight would get answers, but for now she needed to comfort Spike.

An hour passed and now Spike was asleep. He had cried himself into unconsciousness. Using her magic, she was able to put him in his basket without much disturbance.

She turned her attention back to Applejack.

"That little feller is in for a heaping heartbreak when he awakens." Applejack stated sadly.

"Yeah, it's a shame."

"It ain't right!" Applejack corrected. "She's been leading him on since he arrived." The Earth mare began pacing "Using his affection to get free labor from him."

"I know." Twilight agreed.

"Ooh, ah just want to go give her a good buck to the face!" Applejack said, doing her best to keep from yelling.

"What happened?" Twilight asked "From your perspective."

"He came to the farm for the patch of land he rented." Applejack began.

"Wait, rented!?" Twilight cut in "How?"

"He gave me a gem." Applejack answered "It's worth quite a few Bits, or it would have been."

"What do you mean 'would have be'?"

"Spike rented the land for a date." Applejack spoke "No date, no pay."

"I'm sure Spike would let you keep."

"I'd chuck it back to him." The orange mare stated "An Apple earns their money."

The Alicorn would have spoke against it, but decided not to. She knew of the the families stubborn pride, it's caused as many disasters as it's helped fix.

"After he came, he sat and waited." She continued "I came to visit twice, it wasn't until after sundown that I brought him in."

"Oh Spike." Twilight sighed.

"I best be heading in." Applejack spoke.

"You sure you don't want to stay, the storm's still going."

"I'll be fine."

"Before you go, promise me you won't do anything drastic."

"Promise."

"Pinkie promise?"

"I'm still in trouble for the last one!"

Spike had awakened from his sleep without feeling the slightest bit rested. He hadn't actually slept that long, just long enough for Twilight to get into bed.

He sat up and saw said mare was watching him from her bed.

"Feeling better now?" Twilight asked.

"A little." He answered.

Twilight looked at him before pulling out the book on consoling. When she saw Spike roll his eyes she knew he was feeling better.

"There are more fish in the sea Spike." She read.

"I don't want any fish." Spike spoke firmly "I want...I want a diamond."

Twilight was taken back by the statement. Even heartbroken he wants her. She thought. She thought it was sweet until she remembered the situation.

"Spike, I understand that you...love Rarity." She spoke hesitantly. "But you might have to move on."

"I don't want to move on Twilight!" Spike shouted "I want what's mine!"

"Spike?" Twilight was taken back by the statement.

"Spike want Rarity!" He roared.

"Spike!" She shouted.

Twilight was taken back by how primal Spike sounded when he said those words. Spike's eyes were even glowing a neon green and his snake like tongue snuck out. The Alicorn had only seen him like that once, during his greed growth.

When he realized what he had said, he turned from her and looked away.

"I...didn't mean that." He spoke ashamed.

Twilight stuck out a hoof and placed it under the dragon's jaw to raise it. When she saw the fear in regret in his eyes she understood. She smiled warmly at the baby dragon earning a smile in return.

"Spike." She spoke "You meant it, we both know that."

Spike looked away from Twilight in regret. "What am I going to do?" He asked in a whisper.

The Alicorn's horn started to glow as she pulled out a book. It was small, a book for babies really. It was one she was sure would help Spike...cope.

"Twilight, I don't think..." He was silenced when she placed a hoof to his mouth.

Spike then watched Twilight do something that he would have considered the signal to Armageddon. Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Magic and Friendship.

Ripped.

A.

Page.

From a book.

The mare seemed to be in shock of her own action before shaking her head to clear her thoughts. She handed the baby dragon the torn page.

He looked at the title of the page. The Scorpion and the Frog. He looked at the Alicorn in confusion.

"Read it." She ordered "It'll all make sense."

Spike looked at the page one more time. He sighed in defeat, Twilight always gets her book read.

"Okay, I'll read it." He caved "But...can I go for a walk?"

Twilight was torn at the request. Ponyville was usually a place safe of crimes, but there was the odd supernatural events here and there. To let a baby out, even a dragon one, was unwise. But Spike is as smart as an average adult pony. She thought. Usually.

"I promise I'll read the page." He tried.

"Pinkie promise?" Twilight asked a little relieved.

Spike went through the motions. He was also sure that he saw Pinkie out in a mirror.

He was also sure he heard Twilight planing a book funeral.

One day a scorpion arrived at a river bank.

He really needed to cross the river bank, but there was one problem. He couldn't swim.

The scorpion looked around for a solution and found one.

He saw one, a frog sitting on the river bank.

"Hello frog." The scorpion spoke "Would you be so kind as to give me a ride across the river?"

The frog was reluctant. "If I do that, how do I know you will not sting me?"

"If I do, then we both will die."

Satisfied with the answer, the frog agreed to carry the scorpion across.

Midway through the river, the frog felt a stinging sensation. He looked to the scorpion just in time to see him remove his stinger.

The frog felt the paralysis of the poison set in, they begin to sink.

Knowing that they both would die, the frog asked. "Why?"

The scorpion responded "It's in my nature."

Then they died.

Spike was walking around at random, just letting his feet guide him. His thoughts were elsewhere, namely on a lilac Unicorn. His small loss of control on his greed. And the piece of confusing paper.

"How was a paper supposed to help me?" He asked out loud. Well, at least I kept my Pinkie promise.

Spike looked around for a randomly placed bench, only to realize he was near Rarity's boutique. His feet had betrayed him while he was in his daze.

The sight of the boutique brought back the heartbreak the baby dragon felt.

The baby dragon began walking towards a new destination, he didn't care where. he didn't get far before he heard a voice that made him stop in his tracks.

"Are you sure that you don't want to stay a little longer, maybe the night?"

Spike froze. Have I been found out? The thought didn't stop him from launching himself into the bushes.

"No, that's okay." A voice answered.

Spike looked towards the cloths shop, he hadn't been found out. At the door stood Rarity and the stallion she chose over him. He was busy aligning his bag while she was trying to get it off him.

"But it's storming out." Rarity spoke.

"Yeah but...I've got this...thing in the morning." He spoke uncomfortably.

Rarity finally stopped trying to take the bag off the stallion. She gave him a pointed stare that made him take a step back.

"Surely you can come up with a better lie then that!" Rarity snapped.

The stallion sighed at being found out. "It's been fun Rarity." He spoke.

"Fun, is that all I was to you?" She asked offended.

Before the stallion could come up with something to say, probably a lie, she slammed the door on him.

The stallion began a pace going by Spike while mumbling. He made the mistake of mumbling the worse part in ear shot of the dragon.

"Best piece of flank in town but way too clingy." He mumbled.

The words made Spike's mind go fuzzy. The whole broken-realignment sensation returned. This time without the affect of his heart to calm him.

The stallion was in a happy place. His fiasco ending with Rarity had done little to dampen his spirits. He had just rutted with one of the most beautiful mares in ponyville and gotten a side 'score'.

His happy thoughts were taken from him in the blink of an eye.

From a bush to his side, a purple blur jumped out. It literally ripped his satchel off in a single sweep. It also left a few small cuts on the stallion's side.

The blur never stopped, it ran off with the bag.

"Hey, get back here!" He shouted.

The stallion gave chase to the blur.

If he had payed any attention to their direction, the stallion would have stopped. He would have stopped and ran in the other direction. Instead, he followed the blur straight into the Everfree forest.

Spike ran, he had to run. He had to get far enough away.

Spike's grief and rage were unbearable, and yet familiar-- so much like the greed that filled him when he celebrated his birthday a year ago.

And as he ran, he let his fury transform him.

His rage became red-hot sparks erupting from his mouth. His frustration became jagged sharp teeth, meant for rending the flesh from bone. His jealousy pulled his eyes into narrow glaring slits, and his sorrow hardened his purple scales into a shell as hard as steel.

Scaled armor encased him now, his whole body was like the surface of a diamond. Just as smooth and just as hard--but it didn't slow him down. If anything, he became faster then ever. His armored shell thundered with each footfall, setting off seismic ripples in the living forest that no one could account for. And, fully encased in that armored body, he stormed all the way into the heart of the Everfree.

Followed by a foolish stallion.

The stallion had run as fast and as hard as he could. Eventually he lost the blur and came to a stop. As he gathered his breath and looked around, he made a startling discovery.

He was lost.

He was lost and alone inside the Everfree forest. It was like asking for the monsters in the woods to make him a meal.

I've got to get out of here! He thought as he looked for an exit.

As he scanned the area, he saw something that made him stop.

A pair of glowing green eyes. They were focused entirely on him, watching his every movement. They were filled with an unnatural greed.

A closer inspection made him jump back.

There was something else pass the greed, a sense of hate. This beast that he had never met actually hated him. He could sense the beast's desire to hurt him, to kill him. It wasn't out of hunger or defending territory, the beast just wanted to see him hurt.

Not like this! He thought.

"I'M NOT DYING IN THESE WOODS!" He shouted to the beast "I'M NOT GOING TO BE A MEAL!"

The stallion started firing bolts of magic from his horn towards the eyes. He didn't aim, but sent a rapid onslaught towards them.

When he finally stopped his attack, he stopped to examine his work. There was no sign of glowing eyes, there was no sign of anything alive.

He made his way towards the spot, hoping to find the beast's body. He found nothing, the beast was still alive.

It was still watching him. He could feel the eyes watching him. If that wasn't enough, he heard a growling sound from somewhere, but couldn't tell where.

He needed to find his bag. He couldn't leave the forest without it. I won't leave the forest without it.

The dragon looked at the spot that it once stood. It had moved as soon as he saw the Unicorn's horn glow.

Slowly, so slowly and silently, he made his way behind the stallion. The horse was too distracted to notice him anyway. He seemed to be looking for something. Either for a body or the bag.

"Not leaving without bag." The stallion mumbled as he searched.

Spike felt like chuckling at the stallion's statement. That answers that. He felt like chuckling, but he didn't. Instead he growled. It was low, deep and loud.

This action froze the stallion in place, it came from right behind him.

"You actually think you're leaving this forest alive?" He asked mockingly "You're not leaving. Period."

The stallion turned and looked for the beast, only to see a baby dragon. Spike looked different, but he was sure that it was the same baby dragon that he see's working for Rarity. Just a little taller. He reasoned.

"It was you?" He asked in anger "Look kid, just give me the bag and I might not have to rough you up."

To emphasize his statement, the stallion reared himself onto his hind legs.

Spike took full advantage of this.

He took and mere step forward and took a swipe with his claws.

Before his transformation, Spike could easily cut a diamond. He did so for Rarity, time and time again. With this new transformation his, he was stronger and his claws were sharper.

What chance did pony flesh have?

The stallion fell onto his back as one of his legs fell to the ground. Blood soon soaked the ground until it matched the stallion's color. He looked down at it, as if he couldn't believe that it was his. He even tried to levitate them back into place. Tried! Spike put a stop to that by stepping on it.

"Rarity." Spike suddenly spoke. "She's mine."

"What?"

"We dragon take things like gems and make them ours." Spike explained. "Rarity is a gem above all others."

"Then take her!" The stallion screamed in tear "Just take the-AHH!"

He was cut off by a stomp to his stomach.

The force in the baby dragon's leg was greater then the stallion would have guessed. He was sure that it ruptured something inside of him.

"You don't just take a mare-A gem like Rarity!" Spike hissed "Besides, I already said she's mine." He calmed slightly "You are the one trying to take her. From me!"

"P-please!" He begged "Mercy!" There would be no mercy for the sobbing horse. "Please, I'll never have anything to do with her!" He promised "I'll leave Ponyville if I have to!"

"Not good enough."

"WHY?!" He screamed.

The flames in his mouth began to grow and grow before he spoke. "It's in my nature."

Author's Note

The story from 'Aesop Fable' also helped me come up with this story.
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