A few days passed with no major incidents, also making them feel better. They actually expected to deal with at least one major danger each day. But they didn't, just a few wild beasts that Fluttershy was able to tame with no problem. Then, during the sixth day, they came across a major danger. A wild chimera! It had the body of a lion, as well as the head, but on either side of the lion head was a snake head and a goat head. It also had the tail of a scorpion!
"A wild chimera!" Twilight gasped, frightened. "Don't let the tail hit you, the tip is poisonous!"
A.N. Discord from the second season pilot is a draconequis, not a chimera. I found out watching a clip on The Hub, that's what the teacher Cheerilee called it.
For once, Fluttershy was too scared to try to tame the chimera - like she did with the manticore and other wild beasts - so she just ducked behind some rocks. No one blamed her.
"Pinkie, stay with Fluttershy." Twilight ordered, knowing that Pinkie Pie wasn't the battle type.
"Okey-doke artichoke!" Pinkie Pie skipped over to Fluttershy.
Rainbow Dash took to the air and tried to distract the chimera so that the others could make it past him, but she got hit with a blast of fire and ended up crashing to the ground, slightly scorched and dazed.
"At least it didn't use it's tail." Rainbow Dash tried to make light of her crash.
Applejack grabbed the chimera's tail with her lasso, but the chimera spun his tail and flung her to the ground.
"Whoa nelly." Applejack said, dazed. "That is one tough doggie."
Twilight went off to the side to find a spell to use on the chimera, while Rarity gracefully pranced and dodged around the chimera to distract it. Unfortunately, she didn't notice a rock and tripped on it! She froze in horror as the chimera swung his tail towards her!
"Rarity!" Fluttershy gasped, getting the other ponies' attentions.
Rainbow Dash and Applejack cringed with horror, while Pinkie Pie's eyes bugged out as she put her hooves to her mouth, and Twilight dropped her mouth open, wide-eyed.
"Rarity!" Spike cried, suddenly pushing her aside!
The chimera's tail got Spike instead!
"Spike!" Twilight cried.
Spike sailed through the air until he hit a rocky wall that was behind Twilight. He fell to the ground, and a bunch of small rocks landed on top of him.
The ponies looked at Spike with horror, but no more than Rarity or Twilight did. Suddenly, Twilight's hair caught on fire as she glowed white with anger.
"You..." She said to the chimera angrily.
Then, with an angry cry, she let out a burst of magic that caused the chimera to soar through the air and out of sight. The other ponies stared at her as her angry look went back to her normal look.
"Wow, that was awesome!" Rainbow Dash smiled.
Instead of answering, Twilight went over to Spike, Rarity not far behind. The rest of the ponies followed. Twilight and Rarity used their magic to removed the rocks covering Spike.
"Spike?" Twilight said worriedly.
Spike coughed and slightly woke up.
"Hey guys, I'm okay, just badly bruised." Spike said weakly. "The poison tip missed me." He then saw Rarity. "Rarity, are you okay?"
"Thanks to you...oh Spike that was the most selfless act anyone every did for me." Rarity said emotionally.
"Well, I would have felt horrible if you had gotten hurt." Spike smiled. "I'd do anything for you."
"Really?" Rarity was slightly surprised.
"Yes...you see...I love you Rarity." Spike finally admitted.
Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy dropped their mouths open since they had no idea of Spike's love for Rarity. Sometimes when something isn't generally obvious - like a dragon falling in love with a pony - it becomes unnoticeable when it does happen. Applejack knew, but was surprised that he admitted it; she thought that he would eventually grow out of it. Pinkie Pie smiled, glad that Spike found the courage to admit his feelings. Twilight was a little worried that Spike admitting his feelings could mean that he was mortally wounded, but otherwise was proud of him for being so brave and selfless.
Rarity didn't know what to say, she just had her mouth open slightly, still looking at him. She had time to figure out what to say though, as Spike fell unconscious.
"We had better find someplace to rest and care for his injuries." Twilight finally said, using her magic to place Spike on her back.
"Um, Twilight, dear, considering that Spike saved my life and all..." Rarity hesitated.
Twilight smiled understandingly and used her magic to move Spike onto Rarity's back. Rarity smiled gratefully.
By evening they found a pleasant clearing near a river where they could turn in for the night. Rarity and Twilight tended to Spike's injuries while the others set up camp and Pinkie Pie got out some food. Twilight then carefully put Spike in his sleeping bag, which was next to Rarity's, and went to get some food for him. Spike woke up again, and happily feasted on the food Twilight brought. The ponies then ate their food and got into their sleeping bags. Before turning in, they did some talking.
"So, you really love me?" Rarity double-checked.
"I have ever since I first saw you, back when you were decorating for the Summer Solstice Celebration in Ponyville." Spike explained.
"Why didn't you say anything before?"
"Because I figured that you wouldn't return my feelings. As for now, well, I realized that if anything happened to me without you knowing my feelings I would regret not telling you."
"So that is why you were so devoted to helping me in the past." Rarity realized. "But, wait, if you really do love me then how come I don't remember you expressing jealousy back when I used to gush about marrying Princess Celestia's nephew?"
"Say that's right, you didn't show any jealousy at all." Twilight remembered.
"Because I already knew what Prince Blueblood was like." Spike explained.
Everypony stared at him.
"As you know I would often run errands in Canterlot, plus I explored the city a lot more than Twilight did back when we lived there." Spike continued. "During a few of my walks through the city I saw Blueblood there, snobbishly taking a walk of his own or sitting outside a fancy restaurant. Many female ponies flirted with him, but he either ignored them or took advantage of them. I found out who he was when he introduced himself to one of the ponies he took advantage of, and boy was I disgusted about him being related to Princess Celestia. I still am actually... Anyway, when I first heard Rarity talk about meeting him I realized that she had heard of him but didn't know about his attitude. Since Blueblood doesn't deserve her, I figured she would dump him as soon as she realized his true nature so I just shrugged it off."
"But why didn't you say anything?" Twilight asked.
"I had a feeling that neither you nor Rarity would have believed me."
"That is probably true." Rarity admitted. "I was very caught up in my fantasy and so I most likely wouldn't have heard you let alone believed you."
"I certainly wouldn't have believed you, I would have just brushed it off as jealousy." Twilight agreed.
Spike yawned.
"It is getting late, we should get some sleep." Twilight said.
She and most of the other ponies fell asleep, but Rarity stayed awake a little longer to think. Spike noticed this.
"Anything wrong?" Spike asked, concerned.
"Not really, I'm just trying to figure things out." Rarity replied.
Twilight, who wasn't that asleep yet, overheard.
"Listen, you don't have to return my feelings if..." Spike looked away.
"No no, I mean..." Rarity thought for a few seconds. "I'll admit you have some qualities that I've been looking for in a guy, plus you are a gentleman with me, it's just...we are different species."
"I know, and I know that there might be problems with us ending up together. Even so, I don't care, I still love you."
Rarity smiled, touched that Spike loved her despite her being a different species.
"Well, we have plenty of time to figure things out. Right now we should get some sleep." Rarity lay down. "Especially you, you've had a hard day."
"I'll say." Spike yawned again before falling asleep.
Twilight woke up; Rarity noticed.
"Is there something wrong?" Rarity asked Twilight.
"No, it's just..." Twilight hesitated, not sure how to put it.
"You want me to end up with Spike?" Rarity guessed.
"More like: I want you to listen to your heart but...I also don't want Spike's heart to be broken." Twilight sighed.
Rarity looked at her, surprised.
"You think he loves me that much?" She asked.
"Well, that time you were pony-napped by the Diamond Dogs he was panicking so much that he hyperventilated. He also sacrificed the gem you gave him to use as bait so that we could make it underground." Twilight said. "So yes."
"He never ate it?" Rarity was surprised.
Twilight shook her head.
"Oh." Rarity became thoughtful again.
"Well, I guess time will tell." Twilight shrugged before lying back down. "Good-night Rarity."
"Good-night Twilight." Rarity said.
Rarity watched Spike sleep for a few minutes. Before she finally fell asleep she gave Spike an affectionate smile.