“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.