"Spike, we're leaving now. Are you sure you'll be alright at home by yourself? Do you want me to find somepony to watch over you or call Starlight back?" Twilight asked with some concern, standing at the castle door. She and her five friends had been summoned by the friendship map for a mission in distant Griffonstone, and Starlight was in the Crystal Empire helping Twilight with some research, leaving Spike the only one at home. Twilight felt uneasy about it.

"I'll be fine. I'm old enough to take care of myself. You go on and handle your mission, and don't worry about me," Spike said, waving his hand dismissively, his face full of confidence and ease.

Twilight stepped forward and gave the little dragon a gentle hug. "I hope I can come back soon. Is there anything you want me to bring back for you?"

"Really?! I want the new edition of Giant Dungeons and Dragons released this month! You know, I've told you about it," Spike said excitedly, nestled in Twilight's embrace.

Of course, Twilight knew. Ever since Spike saw the new release of Dungeons and Dragons a week ago, he'd been clamoring for it, but it was quite pricey. Twilight thought it wasn't worth spending so much money on, as those merchants always used various gimmicks to set high prices for their goods.

"Of course I can buy it for you. After all, you're my little dragon," Twilight said helplessly, kissing him on the forehead before reluctantly letting him go.

"I'm off then."

"Yeah, don't worry about the house. Just go quickly, or you'll be late. Your friends are waiting for you."

Spike watched Twilight leave and then closed the castle door.

"Yay!" Spike jumped up excitedly. Now that no one could control him, he could do whatever he wanted at home. "No need to get up early to cook, no need to study with Twilight, I can read comics as late as I want, eat whatever I want. Just thinking about it makes me happy," Spike said, dancing around.

He ran to the kitchen, grabbed a huge tub of ice cream, and placed it in the living room. Then he rummaged through the cabinet for his projector and his long-treasured horror movies that Twilight never let him watch. But now, nothing could stop him. He dragged over the sofa and plugged the projector into the magical power source.

"Everything's ready!" Spike wiped the sweat off his face, jumped onto the sofa, and picked up the ice cream, ready to enjoy his movie.

"Knock, knock, knock." A knocking sound came from downstairs. "Who is it?" Spike was a bit annoyed that somepony interrupted his fun.

"Coming, coming!" Despite his reluctance, Spike ran downstairs to open the door.

As he walked toward the door, he absentmindedly organized his thoughts. His hand lightly pressed on the door handle, and the door slowly opened. Just as he was about to tell the visitor that Princess Twilight wasn't home and they would need to come back in a few days, his eyes fell on the pony standing outside. "Hello! Princess Twilight isn't home. If you're looking for her, you'll have to come back in a few days." His voice lingered in the air, but before he finished speaking, he suddenly realized it was Twilight standing at the door.

"Twilight! Why are you back?" Spike's surprised voice broke the silence of the room. His eyes widened as he looked at Twilight, as if to confirm that this wasn't a hallucination.

"Aren't you supposed to be on a mission?" Spike said with some frustration, knowing that if Twilight stayed, his plans would be ruined.

"Of course, we still need to go, but the train is delayed by half an hour, probably blocked by some animals on the tracks again," Twilight said awkwardly. "I thought I'd come back and check on you."

"Have you eaten any ice cream, reorganized my books? I was about to tell you that the pile of books I used for research yesterday hasn't been put back. Do we still have enough food at home? Maybe I should call Starlight back..." Twilight started to ramble.

Spike found Twilight's incessant worrying both amusing and heartwarming. She was the closest thing he had to family.

"Alright, I promise I'm fine. Trust me," Spike said, giving Twilight a reassuring hug, finally stopping her from her tirade.

"Sorry, Spike, I think I'm Twilighting again," Twilight said with an embarrassed smile.

"Are you really sure you're okay?" Twilight asked again, unwilling to give up.

"Yes, really, I'm fine. It's no big deal," Spike said, pushing Twilight out the door. "Don't worry, Mom," Spike said half-jokingly. "Go on, Twilight, your train will be here soon," he said, closing the door with a bang.

At just over twenty, she already nagged like an old mare, Spike thought, feeling a bit helpless. He knew she was his family, but it was hard to pinpoint exactly what she was. Sometimes she acted like his mother, other times like his sister. But in moments like this, her "mom" side was on full display.

Spike was ready to continue his celebration. He went back upstairs, picked up his ice cream, and just as he was about to start his wonderful day again, there was another knock at the door.

"Unbelievable!" Spike muttered, annoyed, as he rushed downstairs to open the door. "I really don't need you checking on me every two minutes. I'm not a baby!" Spike shouted at the pony knocking on the door.

"Here is your package, sir," Derpy said timidly, frightened by Spike's 'unique' greeting.

"Oh, sorry, sorry!" Spike apologized quickly when he saw who it was. "I thought you were Twilight."

Derpy pointed to the large box behind her, indicating it was for Spike.

"Is this my package?" Spike felt a bit puzzled. He hadn't ordered anything. Could it be something Twilight bought? He noticed that the box was bigger than Derpy herself. Could it be...

Spike's face lit up with a smile. "So fast!" He quickly signed for the package, sent Derpy on her way, and pushed the box into the castle.

"This must be the giant edition of Dungeons and Dragons," Spike thought excitedly, checking the label. It was addressed to Twilight, with the item listed as a "gift." Spike found this a bit odd.

"Could Twilight have bought it for me as a surprise? That must be it," Spike thought. Apart from Dungeons and Dragons, he didn't expect anything else.

The little dragon brought a saw from upstairs and slowly sawed open the side of the wooden box. As he removed the board, the contents inside shocked him.

It was a giant plant, but it looked more like a monster. Its body twisted and coiled like a giant snake curled on the ground. Its thick trunk was covered with mottled green and black spots, and its most terrifying feature was its ability to emit poisonous mist. At the top of the plant was a huge bud that opened occasionally, releasing green smoke. The smoke had a mesmerizing fragrance, but it hid deadly toxins that could put any creature into a deep coma. The monstrous plant writhed and noticed the little dragon who had opened the box.

Spike felt time come to a standstill. It was the first time he realized how close death was to him. Time passed, one second, two seconds... neither Spike nor the monster moved. Just as the thought of escape entered Spike's mind, a green mist sprayed from the bud, filling the castle hall with toxic gas. Spike ran desperately towards the door, though it was only a few steps away. To the little dragon at this moment, it felt like a climb to heaven. The toxins worked too quickly, and Spike was sure this terrifying plant could make any pony within a hundred meters unconscious in an instant.

Spike felt that with each breath, the acrid smoke in the air clung to his lungs like invisible tentacles, making his consciousness fuzzy. His limbs felt like they were made of lead, and each step took all his strength. The terrifying plant watched his struggle silently, as if enjoying the helplessness of its prey before its demise.

"One step, two steps..." Spike counted in his mind, each step feeling like traversing through endless darkness. In the poisonous mist, his will began to waver, the fear of approaching death binding his soul like a giant serpent. But even in such despair, a glimmer of unyielding light remained in Spike's heart.

Just as Spike was about to reach the castle door, thinking he was about to escape, the door suddenly opened. Two figures appeared before him. The mist was too thick for Spike to see them clearly.

"Help! Get me out of here," Spike shouted desperately.

He collapsed to the ground, and the two shadows approached him. When he finally saw them clearly, his hope turned into despair.

They were Changelings. Spike could hold on no longer and fainted.

"This is Team One. Target acquired, but no other targets found."

Author's Note

I always think that Twilight is Spike's 'Big One',like a parent,sister and so on.I love this thought.