Always Be There for You (A SoarinDash fanfiction)

Chapter 4: Restless Sleep

    I knew that I should eventually get out of the bathroom, but I didn't want to. In here I was alone and separated and could cry in secret without anyone ever having to see the awesome Rainbow Dash bawling her eyes out. I was wrapped in nothing but a towel and my wet hair was making a wet puddle on the tile floor.

    But it couldn't last. There was a timid knock on the door. "Dashie?" Fluttershy's soft voice inquired worriedly. "Are you okay in there?"

    "Better than ever," I answered, giving a wry chuckle at the inside joke. It would have sounded okay if a sob didn't cut me off at the end. 

    Fluttershy paused for a moment, and when she spoke again she didn't sound amused. "Look, Dashie," she said gently. "I know who you want to be with you right now. I can get him if you want."

    "DON'T get Mr. Snuggles!" I practically whisper-screamed in alarm. My whole reputation would be ruined if the school knew that I still slept with a stuffed animal. He was currently buried under my pillow in my room. 

    "Not Mr. Snuggles. Soarin."

    Ah. Him. I exhaled through my nose and leaned my head on the wall. That option wasn't much better. 

    Fluttershy was silent again. I felt awkward and weird and nothing like myself as I heard the automatic ventilator thing built into the ceiling turn on from the humidity. I was nothing like myself. What was going on with me? I rested my chin on my bare knees as I heard Fluttershy sigh on the other side of the locked door. "Just come out soon, Dashie. Everyone's worried about you, and it would be nice to let others shower too, right?"

    Oh, yeah. Heh. I completely forgot about that. Sheepishly I dried myself quickly and pulled on my PJs. I rubbed my wet hair with my towel about five times then slung it over my shoulder; I'd let my hair air-dry. I didn't care anymore. 

    I exited the bathroom, hoping my eyes weren't as red as before, and made a beeline for my room. But once I opened the door, I was faced with the sight of six other sleeping bags of different colors spread out on the floor. I stared at my best friends, color draining from my face. "What are you all doing here?" I blurted out.

    Twi glanced up. "This was the only guest room, and your aunt figured that you'd want to be with your friends..." She gave me a wry smile. "We can go if you want."

    I felt like giving in, even though I didn't want to. This was wrong! I was Rainbow Dash, for the very last time! Rainbow Dash didn't give in. She didn't stop fighting. She didn't give up.

    But looking across the kind faces of my friends, I found myself relenting. I sighed in defeat. "Okay. You can stay." The big smiles on their faces made me feel only a little better.

    My Dad was in the hospital, I was breaking down, and now I was going soft. What was going on with me?

    Was I still Rainbow "Danger" Dash, or did I turn into something that I don't recognize?

(A/N: Lots of apologies for getting Rainbow out of character. I'm writing this as a practice for switching character views and keeping their personalities distinct, which is something that I am obviously not good at. Please bear with me.)