It was a normal day in Ponyville, Twilight had sent out Spike to collect some books from Zecora in the everfree forest. He had left as soon as she told him. He was the number one assistant, after all. He took his backpack and began his walk to the zebra living in the forest. He walked past the market, looking at all the things ponies had to sell.

'Howdy Spike!' he heard a familiar voice, and looked back at the source. It was Applejack and her sister Applebloom. He knew that Applebloom had a crush on him but he though that it was weird, as he was a dragon and she was a pony.

'Oh, hey AJ and Applebloom!, what are you guys up to?' he asked the orange farmpony.

'We was jus' about ta' open the applestand for today's sales.' She answered, smiling. 'Where are you goin'?'

'Twilight told me to go out to Zecora's and pick up some books...'

'Alone?' Applebloom quickly asked.

'Yup.' He answered just as quickly.

'Can Ah come with ya?' Applebloom grinned.

'Uhh... I don't know...' He started walking backwards slowly. 'I don't think AJ would like you going out in the Everfree with only me.'

At the mention of her name, Applejack walked up to them.

'What's y'all talkin' bout?'

'Can Ah go with Spike to Zecora's? Applebloom asked her older sister.

Applejack looked at Spike, it looked like he was begging her not to come with him, and with big pleading eyes locked at hers. Applejack thought for a moment before answering.

'No way, no how. Ah need your help sellin' apples.' She said, straightening her back and tipping her hat back a little. Spike was relieved when he heard Applejack tell her.

'Aww...' Applebloom muttered.

'Weell... Anyhow, I gotta go. Bye.'

'Bye, Spike!' Applejack waved a hoof.

He turned around and walked away towards the path leading into the forest.

-----

After entering the forest, he walked down the old dirt road and took a right at a spot where Twilight had told him to go. He had been walking for almost half an hour when he saw the small hut. He walked up and knocked on the door. Nopony answered, but there was a note on the door.

'Emergency'

'I will be back in a few days.'

'P.S.

Spike, Twilight Sparkle informed me that you would come and pick up some books, they are on the back of my house in a basket.'

Spike realised that she must've been in a real hurry if she didn't write it like a rhyme like she always did, after placing the note back on the door he went around the small house and looked for a basket of some sort. He picked up a basket and he heard a hissing sound from it. He realised that it would be a good idea not to open that basket. After looking through a few he found the books, it was books about herbs and their effects on ponies in general. Spike wasn't surprised about the choice of books. He placed the books in his backpack and turned around. But he accidentally tripped, shooting out a small burst of green flames into a bush with strange leaves he hadn't seen before. A fire started. When he saw the flames rising he stood up and tried stomping out the fire, when he did he accidentally inhaled alot of smoke from the fire. When the fire had stopped, he was relieved. But something felt different. He didn't know what it was, but he looked down at his claws. They looked strange somehow, he turned them around an inspected is hands.

'Duuuude....' He said to himself. 'My hands are like, scaly and stuff. And my claws are all like... ...Clawy.' After further inspection of his hands, he was thirsty. He walked up to a bucket filled with water. When he saw his reflection, he shrieked a little, and began inspecting his face like he did with his hands earlier. He felt better than he had felt like the entire day.

After walking back to the strange bush and grabbing some more leaves he decided to walk home. He didn't get far before he was really hungry. He saw the Sweet Apple Acres down the road and walked there while inspecting his claws some more. He found a nice, big apple tree, but there was one problem. He needed to find a way to get down the apples to him. He realised that Applejack and her brother kicked the trunk of the tree, and apples fell down. He gave the tree a few kicks and all he got from it was an aching foot. He got agitated and slammed his claws into the trunk and from primal strength, he managed to shake the tree a little, making a few apples fall down. He was satisfied and picked up one.

'Hello little apple.' He actually talked to the apple.

'I know your secrets...'

'I'm going to eat you, and there's nothing you can do to stop me...'

He started chuckling and took a big bite from it.

'You will not live to tell another lie, apple...' He stared at the apple for a couple of seconds.

'OH DEAR CELESTIA WHAT HAVE I DONE? I KILLED AN INNOCENT APPLE!' He shouted, threw the apple at the ground, grabbed his backpack and ran away with his arms flailing. He stopped after a short sprint and looked up at the sky, when a rainbow trail zoomed over the sky, turning around and heading towards him. His eyes widened as he saw the rainbow heading towards him. He screamed and laid down on the ground, grabbing his tail. That's when he heard a sound of hooves landing on the ground. He looked up to see Rainbow Dash.

Uh, Spike? What are you doing down there, and what's that weird smell?' She asked him, looking down at the small purple dragon in front of her. He looked like he had just seen a ghost or something. He stood up and walked towards her.

'Spike, what are yo-' She was interrupted by Spike as he touched her mane with his claws, his eyes as big as ever, but with a small tint of pink.

'Rainbows....' He wispered, while twirling her mane around his claw.

'SPIKE!' He was startled, and immediately dropped her mane, he looked straight in the agitated mares eyes.

'Where've you been? Twi's looking for you right now.' She informed him, but he seemed like he could care less. She watched as he looked down at his claws again.

'Clawy claws...' Was all he said.

'Are you okay Spike?' She was getting concerned about the dragon. He wasn't the same as he used to be, he was... Different somehow.

'Uh, yeah... I'm fine. Twilight, yeah. I'll go to her then.' He walked off slowly, she could swear that she heard him sing ''Winter Wrap Up'' to himself while walking away.

'Well that was weird.' Rainbow said before shooting back up into the sky, forgetting about the situation.

-----

As he walked up to the door to the library, he stopped infront of it and smacked a flower in the bush besides the door.

'Don't look at me like that, you dumb flower...' He said while opening the door leading into the library, he walked in and slammed the door shut behind him. 'Stupid flower...' he mumbled.

'Spike? Is that you?' The lavender unicorn walked into the main room from the kitchen, as soon as she saw Spike she ran up to him and hugged him.

'Where have you been, mister?' She ordered, she had been worried about him. 'It shouldn't have taken you so long to pick up some books!'

'Relax, Twi...' He said slowly.

'Alright, I will relax.' She convinced herself.

'WHOAH TWILIGHT!' He shouted, surprising the mare in front of him.

'What is it?' She was getting nervous.

'There's... There's something strange.' He narrowed his eyes and focused on the unicorn.

'Spike, you're scaring me...'

'Your coat...' He walked up to her and placed a hand on her back.

'WHAT'S WRONG WITH MY COAT?' She was scared now.

'It- It...'

'WHAT?' She was on the edge of breaking down.'

'It feels like purple...' He said slowly, while moving his claws in a circular motion on her back.

'That.. That's it?' She felt relieved, but it was strange how he said that out of the blue.

'Yeah...' He stopped the motion and looked up at her eyes and grinned.

'Spike, what's that smell?' She asked sternly.

'What smell...' He chuckled.

'Spike.'

'Yeah?'

'What have you done?' She had had it with his games, she wanted answers.'

'Stuff.'

'What stuff?' She wanted a complete answer.

'Good stuff...' He chuckled and fell asleep on the spot, still standing.