//------------------------------// // Sleepover // Story: Maybe You're the One Who Needs Saving // by Manes //------------------------------//                         Maybe You’re The One Who Needs Saving  It was happening. Excitement filled the purple maned filly’s heart up. She was going to spend a night with her Idol, and nothing could be better than that! Bags that she was bringing to the sleepover were strapped onto her back as she climbed up the ladder.  Finally, she was inside the clubhouse, and was met with her two best friends. Sweetie Belle tossed a red rubber ball to  Apple bloom  as they played a good game of toss the ball. Scootaloo waved at them and shouted. “Hey guys!” before sitting down and joining in on the game. “Hey, Scootaloo!” Both shouted in unison. “I’m so excited for the sleepover tonight!” Scootaloo exclaimed, rocking back and forth.  Her excitement nearly making her pass out.“I get to spend the night with Rainbow Dash!” Her smile grew ear to ear. “Ah’m happy for ya, Scoots.” “Me, too.” Sweetie Belle smiled. “So any plans of what you’re going to do with her? Like talking, brushing each other manes, or—” “We’re not doing what you and Rarity do at sleepovers.” Scootaloo deadpanned. “We’re going to be awesome and do cool things!” Sweetie Belle gulped, feeling a lump formed in her throat. Apple bloom looked worried, rubbing the back of her neck nervously as she avoided Scootaloo’s gaze. Scootaloo looked at both of them, confusion plastered on her face as she asked, “What? Is there something wrong?” “Well, it’s just that every time ya say that,” Apple bloom chuckle nervously before continuing. “It kinda ends with you hurting yourself.” Suddenly, Scootaloo flopped to the floor, and began to roll around in a laughing fit. She held her stomach, still laughing. After a while, she got back up, and wiped a tear from her eye. “You guys are too funny,” she said. Apple bloom scratched her neck, looking at Scootaloo, confused. She then asked, “Ah was being funny?” She turned to look at Sweetie Belle and then asked, “I don’t get it.  Did Ah say something funny?” Scootaloo chuckled, shaking her head. She then exclaimed proudly, “No, silly! Rainbow Dash is going to teach me how to fly and after that; she’s gonna teach me some of her moves!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “It’s going to be awesome and cool!” “Well, again, Ah’m happy for ya.” said Applebloom. Scootaloo turned to the clock to see what time was it and gasped. “I gotta go!” She yelled as she jumped up and ran to the ladder. “I’ll catch you guys later!” She then added before climbing down. Sweetie Belle picked the red rubber ball back up from the floor, waving it in the air. “Wanna go another round?” She asked, smirking. Apple bloom smiled as she said, “Get ready to lose again!” Scootaloo trotted inside the hallway of her idol’s house. She gazed at the golden trophies and pictures of Rainbow Dash with her family that were on the wall in awe. She stopped, staring with mouth left agape. She was standing in front of  Rainbow Dash’s Wonderbolt suit. It was placed inside a plastic case, hanging on the wall for all to see. “Wow.” She said breathlessly. “You like it?” Scootaloo quickly turned around, and was relieved when it was Rainbow Dash who said it.  “They let me keep it when I left the academy.” She  unlocked the case, and held it in her hooves as she gazed at it. “Good memories.” She turned to Scootaloo and smiled. “Wanna try it on?” Scootaloo looked at Rainbow Dash, shock all over her face. “Are you serious?” Her smile almost taking over her face as her eyes beamed with excitement. “I can wear it!?” Rainbow Dash chuckled. “What the hay! You are my guest.” She tossed the suit to Scootaloo, who caught it with her two hooves. “Go ahead squirt.” She watched as Scootaloo struggled to try on the suit, and chuckled, shaking her head as she trotted to the tangled up filly. “Here let me help you out.” She placed her hooves around the forelegs of the suit, and untangled it from Scootaloo’s waist. “You had the legs wrapped around your waist.” Rainbow Dash chuckled, shaking her head. “How in Equestria did you do that?” Scootaloo giggled, rubbing the back of her neck nervously as she avoided her idol’s gaze, “Maybe I was a little too excited to put it on.” Rainbow Dash shook her head. “Here, let me put it on.” She laid Scootaloo on the floor, placed the suit’s leg sockets onto Scootaloo’s hind legs, and zipped it only until it reached Scootaloo’s neck. She took a step back and examined the filly wearing the baggy suit on her body. Dash couldn’t help but chuckle. “Do I look stupid?” Scootaloo asked, looking up and down. “Be honest.” She noticed Rainbow was giggling behind a hoof she held close to her mouth. “Dash!” Rainbow Dash shook her head. “No, no. You look awe—” She couldn’t finished the sentence as burst out in a laughing fit. Scootaloo blushed. “It’s not funny, Dash!” She yelled before tackling Dash onto the ground. They rolled around laughing as they did. Finally Scootaloo won and pinned Dash down. “Ha, Guess I won and you lost!”  “Hehe,  I guess you did.” Rainbow Dash said as she wrapped her hooves around Scootaloo and quickly turned her over. Now Scootaloo was pinned down on the floor and Rainbow Dash on top. “But I always win, Scoots” She got off Scootaloo and smirked. “Nice try, though.” Scootaloo chuckled as she said. “Yeah, I almost had you!” She noticed Dash was lending out a hoof for her to grab. She gripped on, and she was pulled up by Dash’s hoof. “So what’s next? Flying? Pranking somepony?” She asked as she bounced up and down excitedly. Rainbow Dash chuckled, shaking her head.  “Settle down there, Scootaloo.” She turned and glanced at the clock. “Wow, looks like it’s bedtime, squirt! Come and let’s get you ready.” Scootaloo’s smile fell. “Really?” Rainbow Dash nodded. “I’m beat from all that playing.” She frowned as she noticed Scootaloo’s mood changed from happy to disappointed. “Tomorrow, Scootaloo, I’ll teach you how to fly. How’s that sound?” Scootaloo’s wings buzzed out of excitement as she squealed at the top of her lungs “Yeah! I would love to do that with you, Rainbow Dash!” She  ran up to her idol and hugged on her hind legs kept shouting. “Thank you! Thank you! THANK YOU!” Rainbow Dash chuckled as she ruffled the filly’s mane into a frizzle. She then said “But first we gotta get you well rested! I promised your mother I would take good care of you, and that’s what I’m going to do.”She placed Scootaloo on her back, turned to Scootaloo and said “Hold tight!” Scootaloo did what she was told and held tight on Dash’s waist. Rainbow Dash unfurled her wings until they reached their full length and arched her back. Once she was in position. She zoomed from the hallway then into the her room, leaving a rainbow trail in her wake.  “Since I only have one room, I’ll sleep on the floor and you’ll sleep on my bed.” Scootaloo hopped off Rainbow Dash’s back as she gazed in awe at Dash’s wonderbolt posters, pictures taken with the captain, another one with her friends. “Wow, this is so cool!” She ran to the picture with Spitfire and held it in her hooves. “How did you get this, Rainbow Dash?” Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Oh that? Well after I did awesome as always.” She said, earning a giggle from Scootaloo. “I asked for a picture and she said ye—” She was cut off by a yawn that came from her mouth. “Scootaloo, we better get some rest. Go put your night gown on and we’ll go to bed.” Scootaloo nodded, yelling “Okay!” as she ran out the room to go get the bag she brought with her. Scootaloo woke up to the sound of something moving on the floor. “Dash, is that you?” She asked, as she leaned over the bed to check on her idol.  Indeed it was Rainbow Dash  making the noise. She was sweating and her eyes were closed tightly. By the looks of it, She was having a nightmare, but what about? “No, Scootaloo. Don’t go over that cloud.” Rainbow Dash mumbled through snores."No... Don't... Hurt yourself..​.Danger... Scootaloo.​.. No..." “Rainbow Dash, are you okay?” Scootaloo nudged Rainbow Dash’s shoulder, but she responded with her hoof swatting her away. Scootaloo decided to let Dash be and go to sleep until Rainbow Dash mumbled again, but something more audible. “Scootaloo, no. Don’t jump!” Rainbow Dash shouted, her breathing became faster and her forehead was streaked with sweat. “Sweet Celestia! Scootaloo!” “Rainbow Dash?” Scootaloo jumped from her bed, and rushed to her idol’s side. “Wake up, Rainbow! Come on, Dash you’re having a nightmare. Please wake up.” She said, as she shook Rainbow’s head back and forth, but to no avail she remained asleep.  Tears began to fall from her mentor’s eyes, Scootaloo couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Her idol, mentor, big sister was crying in front of her. It surprised—no it scared her. “I’m going to catch you, Scootaloo. Just reach out to me, please reach out!” Scootaloo tried slapping Rainbow to wake up her, but she still remained asleep. “Really?” She watched as her mentor struggled to save her in the nightmare, but was slowly losing. Scootaloo panicked, she didn’t know what do when somepony’s having a nightmare and couldn’t wake up from it. “Think, think, think!” She repeated, bumping her head with a hoof. Finally she remembered she brought a bottle of water in her bag. She could use that to wake Dash up by pouring it on her. “Rainbow, stay right here. I’ll be right back.” Scootaloo said calmly. “Noooo!” Rainbow Dash reached a hoof out to nopony in particular, maybe she was trying to catch Scootaloo in her nightmare, but was slowly losing her. “Scootaloo...I don’t wanna...lose you!” She mumbled, shaking her head. That made Scootaloo’s heart melt, she knew Rainbow Dash cared about her, but not that much to the point of having nightmares about her death. Quickly Scootaloo ran to her bag, unzipped it, and took out a bottle of water.   She ran back to Rainbow Dash and opened the cap to the bottle of water. “Please don’t hate me for this.” She said as she began to pour the water on her face, making her jolt up from the floor, and spit out some of the water that went in her mouth.  She turned to Scootaloo, panting. She said nothing then hugged her. “Thank Celestia that was a nightmare. I thought I lost you.” Scootaloo hesitated for a while, shocked from Rainbow Dash’s surprising movement. But eventually she hugged her back and smiled. “You were acting all weird, Rainbow.” She waited for a response from her idol, but instead heard a sniffing sound. Scootaloo could feel Dash’s hooves gripped on her, as if she didn’t want to let go.  Water trickled off of Rainbow Dash’s face, dripping onto Scootaloo’s mane, but it didn’t matter to her.  Scootaloo looked up in time to see what looked like a tear roll down her heroes face. “Rainbow?” Rainbow Dash smiled, and wiped the tear from her eye. “Something got in my eye.” She said, between sobs. “But remember Scootaloo, no matter what. I’ll be here when you need me. Never forget that okay?” “Uuuh okay?” Scootaloo said, confused by her mentor’s strange behavior.  “Are you feeling okay Rainbow Dash?” Finally after a long awkward silence. Rainbow Dash broke the hug and ruffled the filly’s mane. “What do you say we blow this joint and go to get some cocoa?” Scootaloo smiled, but then scratched her head. “Where are we going to get some cocoa this early in the morning?” Rainbow Dash chuckled. “I know some type of egghead who loves to be up this time of day.” Rainbow Dash  sat near the fireplace in the library, sipping a good cup of cocoa. Twilight trotted in the room after making another cup and joined in relaxing with her. Rainbow Dash turned to the purple alicorn, dropping a wing over her. “Thanks again for letting us get some cocoa, Twi. I really appreciate it.” Twilight sipped her cocoa before saying. “It was no problem.” She levitated a blanket near the filly curled up in a ball, her head resting on Dash’s lap. “Too bad Scootaloo fell asleep before you got here. I’m sure she’ll love some cocoa.” Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Guess she was still tired.” “Yeah you did take her out early in the morning.” Twilight replied, giggling. She looked down at the sleeping filly, brushing her mane with a slow motion each stroke. “She saved me, Twilight.” She turned to Twilight. “She saved me from a nightmare I was having about not saving her. I couldn’t wake up from it.” Rainbow Dash sighed. “ I tried, but I wasn’t strong enough.” She paused for a long time then chuckled. “It’s funny, how life plays you like that.” “I’m sure when the time comes, you’ll be ready.” Twilight said, nuzzling Rainbow Dash. “She knows it, too.” Rainbow Dash sighed. “And if I don’t?” She asked, turning to Twilight with a frown on her face. “What if I don’t save her when that does happen?” Twilight leaned over and gave Rainbow Dash’s a hug before saying. “You will. You’re her idol and big sister. She looks up to you.” She smiled. “It’s okay sometimes to show her you're afraid of losing her, at least she’ll know you care about her deeply.” Rainbow Dash smiled. “You’re right.” She turned to the filly curled up next to her. She was sleeping peacefully, her tail brushed up against Dash’s hindlegs. “I’ll protect you, no matter what.” The silence was broken by a faint whisper, filled with determination and love. “I promise.”