Spike held the phoenix egg high, ready to smash it into the ground. He wasn't completely sure he wanted to do this, but with Garble, Lorkin, and Gronkle cheering him on he couldn't just quit. Just as he was about to smash it they heard the flapping of wings, and Spike instinctively pulled the egg to his body protectively.

They turned, and saw that two angry looking phoenixes had returned for their egg. "Quick Spike, smash it!" Garble told him. Spike reluctantly started to raise the egg into the air again, but stopped. Suddenly a shadow fell across his mind, and he had a dark idea. Spike then turned towards the phoenixes. "Hurry Spike. What are you waiting for?" Garble said.

Spike, ignoring the chanting of the other dragons to smash it, and raised the egg fully above his head. He then addressed the phoenixes in a menacing voice, "If you don't want to see your egg scrambled then you'll bring us some gems."

The mother looked ready to attack, but the father stopped her with a wing, and shook his head. He then flew off leaving the others there. After a little while he came back with his talons full of gemstones. The mother joined him, and this went on for a little while until there was a small pile of gems.

Spike then held out the egg, and the phoenix quickly flew towards him, and snatched it up. Then he and the others flew off. The other dragons looked at Spike as their jaws dropped. "That. Was. AWESOME!" Larkin exclaimed.

"Yeah." agreed Garble, "How did you think of that?" Spike just shrugged.

"So how did your first raid feel?" asked Garble having found a new respect for the little dragon. Spike felt that shadow cross his mind again.

"To tell you the truth." he said, "It felt good. No better than good, actually, great. I think I've found where I belong." Twilight, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash, who had been watching from the bushes, were horrified at this new development. They knew they had to step in before it was too late. They threw off their costume, and jumped out in front of them.

Spike was surprised to say the least. "What are you guys doing here?" he asked them.

"We followed you to make sure you were okay. Plus it was a good chance to get to study dragons more up close." Twilight told him, and Spike became mad upon hearing this.

"Study us? Is that what we are to you? Some kind of animal that can be caged?" he asked, and Twilight's eyes widened.

"Of course not! I would never think that." Twilight objected.

"Just leave. I see how it is now. I've just been one big project to you. All I've ever been to you is a lab rat to be kept caged." Spike said his anger rising. Twilight was completely stunned into silence."I'm right aren't I? Just leave. I don't need you any more. I've found where I truly belong." Spike told them.

"That isn't how we see you at all darling." Rarity spoke up.

"Yes it is. Now leave. I'm staying here." Spike said, an icy tone in his voice.

"You can't seriously be thinking of staying with these monsters can you?" Rarity asked. It was probably the worst possible thing that she could have said, and Spikes rage boiled over.

"MONSTERS! Now we're monsters are we? And to think I had a crush on you. Now I understand how you truly feel. Just leave now." Spike yelled at her.

"That isn't what I meant. Spike please reconsider." she stuttered, surprised at the force of his anger.

"Leave. Now." he said coldly.

"But Spike-" she started to say, but was cut off as Spike blew a flame, almost as big as the one Gronkle made during the belching contest, at them. They had just enough time to jump out of the way before they were burnt to a crisp.Twilight was unable to hold in her emotions any longer, and fell to the ground sobbing, and Rarity, and Rainbow Dash trotted over to her side.

"Fine. We'll leave." Rarity spat at them.

"I thought you were cool Spike." said a disappointed Rainbow Dash. With that they helped Twilight to her hooves, and walked off.Spike watched them leave until they got out of sight. Just then he felt a claw tapping his shoulder. He turned to see the owner of said claw was Garble.

"What?" he asked Garble, still in a bad mood.

"You had a crush on a pony?" Garble asked.

"Used to." Spike answered coldly.

"Let's get these gems back." said Lorkin.Spike just nodded, only now realizing how tired he felt. They all grabbed some gems, and flew back, except for Spike, planning to get the rest the next day. As they came to a stop Spike stumbled off of Gronkle's back and yawned.

"Oh yeah. You don't have a nest do you?" asked Garble. Spike just shook his head. Garble pointed towards a particularly comfortable looking nest lined with a few gems to be used as midnight snacks, and said, "You can sleep there."

"Hey. That's my nest." Fizzle complained.

"Not any more." Garble said picking up the white dragon, and casually tossing him off the cliff into the lava pool. "Anyways you should get some rest for your ceremony tomorrow." Garble said.

"Ceremony?" asked Spike.

"Yeah. You're being promoted to a junior dragon." Garble said, and there were cheers from the other dragons.

"Is that good?" asked Spike.

"Good? It's better than good. I had to wait a whole year to be promoted to junior, and you're already promoted on your second day." said Phicker, the large purple dragon.There was another round of cheers for Spike. Spike nodded sleepily, and walked over to his new nest, and flopped down. He was asleep before he even hit it.

"What happened on the raid?" asked Baff wanting to know. So Garble explained everything.