“Hurt him? I have never harmed a scale on his precious little head!” protested Rarity in anger. She felt insulted that somepony would think that she would harm her Spikey-wikey. Discord gave her a sideways glance.
“Sure you haven’t,” said Discord sarcastically. His time spell was starting to wear out and they appeared at their next destination, Carousel Boutique. They found past Rarity trying to help Fluttershy get ready for her photo-shoot with Photo Finish, while Pinkie Pie, Twilight, and Spike were helping Rarity finish her dress for Fluttershy. “So you think you’ve never hurt him?” Discord asked.
“I know I haven’t, and how dare you think otherwise!” said Rarity. “Show me one time I have hurt him.”
“Why do you think we’re here? There’s proof number one,” said Discord as he pointed to Spike, who was being used as a living pincushion. Spike had several pins sticking out of his back and had a look of discomfort on his face, but a dopey, contented grin showed itself every now and then as he walked on all fours to Rarity. “Really, you couldn't use a regular pincushion? You had to use him as one?”
“I did not ask him to do that. He did so willingly,” answered Rarity.
“Still you could have told him not to and get you a regular one.”
“I was busy getting Fluttershy ready. Besides, he’s a dragon: he has thick scales,” said Rarity.
“He’s a baby dragon Rarity, his scales are not as thick as you all think. He can still get hurt, just listen,” said Discord as he cast a spell that would allow them to hear what Spike was thinking.
“This really hurts, but it’s worth it. Anything for Rarity,” thought Spike as Rarity took some of the pins off of his back and placed more of them back on him. Discord gave Rarity a stern look.
“I…I didn't know it was hurting him. I would have told him to stop if he had just said I was hurting him,” said Rarity.
“He should not have to tell you in the first place. How would you like it if somepony stuck pins in your back?” asked Discord as he made several large pins appear and began to stick them on Rarity back.
“OW!” yelled Rarity in pain as he started to stick them harder on her back. “OK, I see what you mean, but I promise you if he would have told me it was hurting him I would have stopped.”
“I am sure you would have. Quick question, do you know what happens to a baby dragon when its scales are punctured?” asked Discord. Rarity shook her head no in response. Discord transported them to Spike and Twilight’s bedroom the day after Fluttershy’s photo-shoot. Twilight had just started to wake up as the light from Celestia’s sun peeked through the window. Twilight climbed out of her bed and started to walk over to Spike’s.
“Spike, it’s time to get up,” whispered Twilight as she got closer to his bed, but Spike did not respond, he just rolled over on his side. “Spike, you need to get up. We have a big day today.”
“Just five more minutes Twilight,” said Spike. A small frown appeared on Twilight’s face, and she decided to pull his covers off of him.
“No, Spike, you need to—” Twilight stopped when she saw the scales on his back. Some of them had fallen off of his back, and those that remained were either about to fall off or had holes and tears in them. Rarity and Twilight both screamed at the sight before them. Spike jumped out of his bed in alarm.
“Twilight, what’s wrong?” asked Spike. Twilight just stood there shaking in fear. She raised his blanket with her magic and showed him the scales that littered it and pointed to him.
“Your… Your scales,” said Twilight nervously. Spike took the blanket and looked at the scales stuck to it.
“It’s just a couple of scales, Twilight. No big deal,” said Spike as he knocked the scales of the blanket.
“Your back,” said Twilight as she pulled a mirror out to show him his back.
Spike took a look in the mirror, getting the first clear look at his back. “AHHHH! Twilight what’s happening to me?!”
“I don’t know. Just hold on a second and let me write a letter to the Princess. Maybe she knows what’s wrong with you,” said Twilight as levitated her quill and parchment over to herself and began to write down a letter. “Spike, do you think you can send this?”
“I…I think so,” said Spike nervously as he took the letter with his claw. He breathed his dragon’s breath and sent the letter. A few minutes of anxious waiting and hoof biting later he burped up Celestia’s reply. Twilight began to read the letter out loud.
Dear Twilight Sparkle,
I am happy to say that you do not have to worry about Spike. His scales will grow back in time. Just help him remove the remaining scales that can be pulled off and have him bathe in cold water for a couple hours and he should be fine. I am quite curious to know how his scales became damaged in the first place. I would advise you to keep him away from whatever harmed them in the first place. Further damage could be very hazardous to his health.
Your caring teacher,
Princess Celestia.
“Well, that’s a relief,” said Spike as he started to pull the scales off his back.
“Yes it is, but Spike think back to yesterday. Do you remember doing anything that might have caused this?” asked Twilight as she started to help him.
“No, not really. We spent all day helping Rarity,” said Spike.
“That’s it,” Twilight said as comprehension dawned on her face. “When we were helping Rarity you used your back as a pincushion for her. She must have poked you too hard when she put the pins in you,” said Twilight. She then took a deep breath and prepared herself for what was about to happen next. “Spike, I know you are not going to like this, but you are no longer allowed to help Rarity.”
“WHAT?!” yelled Spike, causing Twilight to accidentally yank one of his good scales off. “But Twilight!”
“No but’s Spike. If this is what happens when you assist her, then no more helping her,”
“What if I promise not to let her use me as a pincushion?”
“No Spike. You will just find a way to harm yourself again,” said Twilight.
“No I won’t. You just don’t want me to be around her!” protested Spike.
“That’s not true, I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“Funny she should say that,” said Discord.
“Why do you say that?” asked Rarity.
“Because, of all the abuse that Twilight put him through,”
“What abuse did Twilight put him through?” asked Rarity. Discord snapped his talons, and a screen appeared that showed the times Twilight had abused Spike, like slamming him against a podium, knocking him off a two story ladder, opening a door on him, and other various clips of abuse. Discord couldn't help but laugh.
“It’s amazing that neither of you have killed him yet,” said Discord as his boisterous laughter died.
“I did not know he went through all this,” said Rarity as she turned back to watch Spike and Twilight, who were still arguing.
“How about this, I just help her make dresses and that’s it. Please Twilight, I just want to spend time with her,” begged Spike.
At the mercy of Spike’s best puppy dog eyes, Twilight finally caved. “Ok, as long as she does not harm you, you can still assist her,” said Twilight. Spike ran up to her and gave her the biggest hug he could.
“Oh thank you Twilight. I promise not to let her hurt me like this anymore. I Pinkie promise!” said Spike as he went through the motions.
“Never break a Pinkie promise!” said Pinkie as she appeared out of Twilight’s ink bottles.
“You’re welcome, Spike. Now let’s finish cleaning you up,” said Twilight. Discord then started his time spell again, but before he took them to their next destination, Rarity took one last look at Spike’s back and at all the scales she had damaged.
“I did that to him?” asked Rarity to herself.
“Yes you did,” answered Discord.
“How did you know?”
“Mind reading spell,” answered Discord.
“I never meant to hurt him,” said Rarity as she looked at the floor.
“I know you didn’t, but do you see the consequences for your thoughtlessness towards him?” asked Discord, hoping that this was it, that Rarity might open her eyes and see what he was trying to show her.
“Yes I have,” answered Rarity. Discord jumped in the air for joy, but his joy was short-lived. “I see that I should not abuse Spike like I have and should find something less harmful for him to do for me,” hearing this made Discord’s head exploded into confetti.
“WHAT!” yelled Discord as his head reappeared. “That’s all you got from this, to find something less harmful for him to do? Do you not see that he doesn’t care what he has to go through as long as he gets to spend time with you?!” Discord was starting to turn a violent red, from his face to his tail.
“This is pointless. Why in Equestria am I still doing this?” asked Discord to himself. “Oh yea, that’s why,” remembering why he had to help Rarity, Discord started to calm down before speaking again. “Ok, let’s try showing you another way you hurt him,”
“What could be more painful to him than that?” asked Rarity pointing to Spike’s broken scales.
“There’s more than just one kind of pain Rarity,” said Discord as his spell started to take them to their next destination.
Yes! Update!
Wow.. Poor Spike rarity u so mean yes u!!
Seriously, Rarity? I just, just, .
If ignorance is bliss, then Rarity is in heaven. Which seems to include Spike's abuse and pain.
After this maybe Discord and or Rarity can get Twilight to ease up on Spike. Really Rarity, after everything you just saw that's what you have to say on the subject? It looks like this is going to be a long fic with Discord either banging his head against the wall or ripping off his goatee in fustration at one point or another.
4837479
Basically what this person said, although i would add that Discord doesn't feel like discord. From the way he acts and talks, it is just like it's the author's stand-in, using discord as an excuse for the time travel plot, rather than being a character in his own right.
Sorry, I hope that made sense. I am very tired and not wording good or stuff.
Okay, there's clueless, and then there is Rarity.
I don't even...
4879048 I'm with you on that...
Aaaaugh, I never imagined that kind of damage for Spike. Well done.
Hmm...
So Discord has to do this for some reason. I wonder what it is?
I get the feeling Rarity is going too be so ignorant this fic may not have a Sparity ending.
4879292 Maybe he looked into the future and Spike went on rampage again and it was all Rarity's fault because she is the most oblivious mare ever when realizing that a guy is deeply infatuated with her?
Interesting story. Waiting for the moment Rarity finally gets a clue-X-4 upside the head. Also waiting for the moment Discord literally swings it.
4879292
It was said in the first chapter, at least one of his reasons is because the Princesses are making him do good deeds to try and make up for his betrayel.
4879666 Yes but to me the way he phrases it makes it seem like there is something important behind all this. He clearly doesn't want to do this, so why can't he not do this and pick a different good deed to do. I think there is something else behind all this then just "Princess Celestia said I had to do good deeds."
Spike, be a smart dragon and just give up on Rarity. I'm sure there are plenty of nicer and more caring ponies that will treat you way better. Also, I hope Discord gets a hold of Twilight and does this spell on her to show what she's done to Spike.
De~ense!
I enjoy this story, I'm not so sure how I feel about the ret-con of spikes scales aren't actually that hard, for one sewing neediles aren't that sharp and don't go in very far, so if we assume spike has no nerve endings in his scales then he in fact wouldn't feel anything. Basically I think there are better ways to explore the Rarity is clueless about how spike really feels then ret-conning cannon. But that's a nit-pickiy complaint, I like the concept and overall I'm enjoying the execution.
4879380
well, we do have a lot of episodes to go through. if she got it immediately, we'd be done. Otherwise if she got it and Discord kept going on, it'd be kinda viscous to show her all of her misdoings towards Spike even after she understood. But yeah, Rarity isn't the element of insight, that's for sure.
4881590
So true.
awesome
awesome !!
I like this chapter. I have a question: why didn't you put in the clip about Spike confessing his crush like in the real episode?
4886228 I thought it would be a cop out if it did it so soon. That and it would leave me nothing to write for secret of my excess.
Amazing chapter as always, I can't wait for the next one :)
Did this sort of thing happen with Celestia and Discord?
Is that why he's doing it? To make sure it doesn't happen to Spike?
But seriously, why does Twilight always ask Spike to write her letters. She has frickin' magic!
Very nice , Sparity, Thank you.
In season 7. Spike & Rarity are looking through a window, "Hi Spike Hi Rarity, How are you two doing?" Twilight asked
"Spike & I are doing swimmingly darling ,Couldn't be better." Rarity beamed
A flash of green flame erupted behind the glass , Then a burst of blue fire,
Spike looked at Twilight with a big grin " Just like Mr. & Mrs. Cake, Twins!"
The hospital bill for damages was covered by Princess Celestia.
You have something here, nicely done.
4902877 Thank you.
I can't wait for the next chapter
Hmm, well as he grows up, his scales should get harder, like armor, but yet still be able to hold stuff in between the edges....
4893364 We may never know....
4911853 Discord got tired of hearing his mouth, so him and Luna sent him there.
Poor Spike Nicely done, and Rarity just can't see
I'm kind of torn on this situation.
Rarity is ignorant of Spike's scales and that's hardly her fault yet using him as a pincushion? That's a red flag for child abuse here.
Twilight letting him continue doing helping out Rarity but only to 'help' without further pain? Is this really helping if she knows her friend is taking advantage of a child?
Spike kind of did all of this to himself but Rarity is hardly in the clear here, so who carries most of the blame?
4898120
'CAUSE SHE'S A SLAVE DRIVER DUH!!!
4880047
THAT WOULD BE A AWESOME SEQULE. NO WAIT... HOW ABOUT ALL OF THE MANE 6 GET TO GO ON A TIME TRAVELING JORNEY TO SEE HOW THEY ALL ROYALLY FZZZED UP!!!
Eh sorry, I'm a little enthusiastic
Some examples:
Winter Wrap up (left to freeze to death, dragons don't like the cold)
Dragon Migration episode (made fun of, ponies oblivious to his hurt, dash was just a jerk... Gilda level for that matter)
Near every other episode lol
4938781 your idea for the dragon migration one is all ready going to be included for the chapter. And I am actually thinking about making a whole story universe around this if enough people are interested to see more, maybe one involving Twilight. I don't know yet.
4938781 A follow up story of Winter Wrap up would be excellent, because they really made me mad when they did that to poor Spike.
4938895 Already making a list of places to go and that just got added.
4938905 Looking forward to it.
4940305 Thank you.
Can't wait for the next chapter
I actually read a story where the pins did some SERIOUS damage to him, Rarity seemed to catch on much quicker in that instance.
Have you ever entertained the idea for an interlude chapter? Something to tells us what's happening to Spike during this grand journey. Just a thought.
4950727 Yes I have one planed for after the Nightmare Rarity chapter.
Idea: reference Spike being extremely jealous when Tom the boulder shows up and Rarity is swooning over him.
Hey guys, Botaglove (the new editor) here. Just letting you know that two more chapters have been checked and a third one is on the way so be prepared for more fun
Rarity... Your an idiot.