It was about two o'clock when Spike notice his claws were not clean and sharp like they were supposed to be. He went to the spa only to find it closed.
"Why does it have to be closed when I most need it?" Spike groaned.
"Maybe Twilight knows how to clean dragon claws," Spike thought to himself walking towards the Golden Oak Library.
He silently opened the library door to see a lavender alicorn reading like always.
"Hey.. uh.. Twilight? Do you know how to clean dragon claws?" Spike asked.
"Unfortunately, no. I don't know how to clean dragon claws. But I think Rarity know how. Maybe you should go to her boutique," Twilight suggested.
"A-Are you sure? What if she doesn't know how to and she thinks I'm treating her like a maid and then she gets mad at me and says I could never look at her or be by her so I run away in shame and I have to live with the Timberwolves but everypo-" Spike was rambling on about how things would go bad until Twilight put her hoof to his mouth to stop the nonsense.
"Spike, that will never happen. She is your friend. She isn't going to think that you are treating her like a maid," Twilight said with a comforting smlie.
"Ok, I am going now. Right this minute. This veery second. This veeeeeery nanosec-" Again Spike was interrupted by Twilight as he stalled.
"Spike! Just go, she isn't going to turn you into a dress or something!" Twilight said with an angry tone in her voice giving Spike a clue to go now or face the wrath of Twilight when she doesn't read.
"Ok ok! Fine, bye Twilight," Spike walked outside and jogged to the boutique.
At the Boutique
Spike finally arrived at the boutique tired then ever and knocked on the door
"I should really work out more if I want Rarity to love me," Spike mumbled to himself.
"What was that Spike?" Asked an ivory unicorn.
"Oh uh nothing! Nothing at all! I just came here to ask if you know how to clean dragon claws, not that you have to," Spike said nervously.
"You came to the right pony, Spike! And right timing because the boutique isn't really busy at the moment," Rarity gestured Spike to come in with her hooves.
"May I see your claws please?" Rarity asked as they sat down.
"Oh, yeah here. I usually go to the spa but it is closed, so I asked Twilight. But she said you might know how to do it," Spike explained giving his claws to Rarity.
"Well, she guessed right. I started a few months ago when Applejack hooves were dirty. Sometimes that mare just doesn't know when to stop working and take care of her hooves!" Rarity walked to a cabinet and got all the supplies she needed and sat next to Spike.
"When was the last time you cleaned your claws," Rarity observed.
"Uhh... last month, hehe," Spike scratch the back of his head with his other claw nervously.
Rarity stopped immediately when does words went threw her ears. Spike noticed and look up slowly. Her pupils were nearly invisible as she looked at Spike with her jaw wide open.
"LAST MONTH?!" Rarity yelled.
"Yeah I kind of forgot," Spike added.
"This is an emergency! Quick! Put your claws in there!" Rarity pointed to the warm water right across the room while getting some towels.
"Ok?" Spike said walking to the water.
30 Minutes Later...
"Wow! My claws look amazing! Oh and Rarity? Thanks for doing my feet, too," Spike awed.
"I'm never going to get these dirty ever again," Spike whispered under his breath.
"Your welcome darling. It was really nothing. Once you get the hang of it, you could do it to every pony in Equestria!" Rarity exclaimed.
After Spike left the boutique, he made sure he didn't step in something too dirty to ruin his feet. He was now going to Zecora's house for a protection potion. But he couldn't go alone so he asked Twilight and her friends. But they were to busy. The only other close friends he had were the CMC. Spike knocked on the clubhouse door until a yellow filly with a large pink bow and red mane opened the door.
"Howdy Spike! What brings you here?" Apple Bloom greeted.
"I was wondering if you could come with me to Zecora's hut," Spike said.
"Ha, that's funny. We were goin' too but we had no pony to go with. Maybe we can all go together," Apple Bloom suggested.
"Yeah!" Sweetiebelle and Scootaloo yelled in union.
The CMC and Spike packed up and marched towards the Everfree Forest. Spike didn't want to get anything dirty so he faked an injury. He pretended to trip over a rock and sat on the floor holding his ankle and wailing in (fake) pain.
"Ouch! Oh will somepony help me!" Spike cried holding his arm on his forehead.
"Stop being dramatic Spike. You remind me of my sister," Sweetiebelle said.
"I don't think I can get up. Maybe I can possibly go on one of your backs?" Spike said with a pouty face.
The three fillies look at each other and called out "not it!". Unfortunately Apple Bloom said it last so Spike had to go on her back. She groaned and walked over to Spike. Spike hopped on causing Apple Bloom to almost collapse. She struggled ever move to just catch up to her friends who were walking.
"Why do Ah always have to do the hard work," Apple Bloom said.
"You never do the hard work! Remember when we went camping and I had to carry all the luggage? I always do the hard work!" Sweetiebelle argued.
"Nu-uh! I always do the hard work! I had to carry the luggage after you got tired!" Scootaloo argued back.
The CMC argued back and forth for who did the most work out of all of them. Little did they know they walked right in Poison Joke. After about ten minutes Spike grew annoyed.
"Hey! Can you stop arguing!? Your giving me nuts!" Spike yelled.
It went quiet until a question popped into Scootaloos mind.
"Hey Spike why did you even need to Zecora's house anyway?".
"Because I needed a protection potion on my feet and claws," Spike answered.
"Couldn't Twilght do a protection spell on you?" Sweetiebelle said.
"No she was really busy," Spike said.
"Why do you need a protection potion on you?" Scootaloo asked again.
"That's none of your business!" Spike said annoyed of the questions.
After about a minute they finally reached Zecora's house and knocked. Zecora opened the door and greeted them with a rhyme. She gave them what they needed and they headed out. Spike hopped back on Apple Bloom making her bend.
"Not to be rude Spike, but how many pounds do ya weigh?!" Apple bloom said through struggling each step.
"I'm not answering that," Spike said crossing his arm.
After a while they came to the patch of Poison Joke again but this time they noticed.
"Come on girls lets go around it," Apple Bloom said.
"Hurry! It's getting late!" Scootaloo said running out of the forest.
As Sweetiebelle and Scootaloo ran out, Apple Bloom was still behind sweating and panting.
"Wait Pant for Pant me!" Apple Bloom called out.
After Apple Bloom dropped off Spike at the library, she went home to sleepand so did the other CMC. Applejack did lecture Apple Bloom a little but saw she was tired and sent her to bed. Scootaloo went straight to her be and flopped down sleeping instantly. Sweetiebelle snuck in and ran to her bed so Rarity wouldn't have to yell at her for going in the Everfree Forest.
Spike on the other hand didn't go to sleep right away. He first put the protective potion on his claws and feet and helped Twilight.
"Where were you the whole day?" Twilight asked.
"I went to the boutique and Rarity did my claws and feet, see?" Spike held up him hands and then pointed to his feet.
"Oh ok. And Spike, you could go to sleep if you want," twilght said levitating him in his bed and tucking him in.
"Thank Twilight," Spike thanked.
"Your welc-" Twilght looked behind her and saw he was already sleeping and snoring.
"He must have done a lot of walking," Twilight giggled.
The Next Day...