private Ripped to Shreds,Tears of Sorrow

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@@Aurora Lights,@,

 

Dreamless was still unconscious, although his clone wasn't. It tried to move into light but felt it's hoof burn as it got near. When it saw the kid casting a spell it ran deep into the shadows, and it was glad that it had. It watched as countless spirits were torn apart by what looked like a foal.

 

"... Armatures..." The other two weren't his target, but they were starting to get in his way. "Fine..." He started to begin casting a spell that would bring them all closer into the dark; but as he started charging his mana, the energy that was fired at the spirits started to surround him. "!" He quickly stopped casting, noticing that it was drawn to the dark magic. He was lucky he had obtained Dreamless' awareness of his surrounds and attention fine detail.

 

Suddenly this kid became more interesting. "... I wonder... If I make him bleed enough, will he teach me that trick?" With an evil smirk, he teleported onto a nearby roof top and watched the group. He made a small chair using his dark magic, and and laid back as the group passed. "I've got six hours till my dead line, and I won't even need to worry about time when he's dead. Just sleep Dreamless, just sleep..." If only he had Dreamless' diligence and precautions nature, maybe he would have acted sooner; but for now, the clone gazed up at the night sky.

~

 

Dreamless was still unconsciousness. He could feel something warm trickling down the side of his face, but he couldn't move his hooves to wipe it. Maybe unconscious wasn't the right word. His eyes were open, he saw some sort of flash, but he still couldn't move. Whatever that thing was, it still held a firm grip on his mind. After a while, the feeling of immobilization started to fade. Was it gone?

 

He slowly started to pick himself up off the ground... He stumbled and fell.

Edited December 29, 2013 by Dreamless

[Aurora Lights 206]

Glade looked around and he saw two spirits float around him,one red,one blue,both were quiet,meaning nothing was about to attack them,he looked at Dreamless and helped him stand and murmured "It's ok..."he muttered softly,he then looked at the fire and said ever so softly "Why is that fire not out yet? " he wondered as he started to look at the Hotel,so close...he had a small pocket of time,so he made the best of it.

 

He was not strong by any means...but his spirits were...he made them lift Dreamless up and rested him on his back,he didn't like the feel of this pony being on him,so that gave him more motivation to move,he looked at Ariel and possessed her,making her gallop beside him,he didn't want to,but she didn't seem like she would move fast now,he made extra sure he didn't damage her mind though,taking absolutely sure she was safe on the inside,he did gather some information about her though,not by his own will,it just sort of...happened...

 

They finally reached the hotel and he checked them in,paying the cashier whatever was needed,he let Ariel go and he put Dreamless down,the cute cashier then asked "Why were you carrying that stallion?" she asked him softly,Glade blushed and just stared at her a minute before looking away,"Ooook? Well,cutey,your room is on the second level." she stated,Glade blushing more as he nodded slightly and continued up the stairs.

 

@,@@Miss Reaper,  

[ReverieRiver 526]

@@Aurora Lights, @,

 

Ariel sat quietly for a few moments, listening to the flames crackle as she tried to grasp some form of peace. Of course, it didn't last long.

 

Everything that happened next was a whirlwind to her; it all happened before she even had the chance to react. The witching hour... that was when everything went to Tartarus. Even now, images were constantly flashing in her head, a storm of visions and feelings as her mind went wild trying to predict the chaotic series of events that was unfolding before her very eyes.

 

Dreamless was attacked by... a clone of himself? And Glade summoned all the power he could muster in order to fight back the spirits that dominated this dark hour. All the while she could only watch. Again, unable to help, unable to make enough sense of what was going on in order to do anything at all. She was frozen again.

 

That is, until she was possessed. The mare was startled when her legs started to move on their own accord, compelling her to run alongside Glade. She panicked, her mind struggling against the foreign influence, only to be gently pushed back to a safe corner of her own consciousness.

 

Once they arrived at the hotel and control was given back to her, she looked around in a daze. The cashier was giving her a strange look, perhaps wondering what her relation might be to Glade and why she seemed so out of sorts. But Ariel didn't care; in fact, she still seemed dazed, apparently in a state of shock, as she slowly followed Glade up the stairs.

[Aurora Lights 206]

@,@@Miss Reaper,  

 

Glade slowly ascended up the stairs,he looked over his shoulder at Ariel for a moment before blushing slightly and continuing.

 

The light...it was so helpful,so safe...he hated the dark,he always had...especially at 12 in the night...he knew that one day though,his might would be tested before the spirits that hunted him,he either would be worthy to keep his abilities...or be lost forever...

 

The feeling of this thought made him shiver once,but he thought to himself 'Why was Ariel cuddling me like that?...It felt...so good...' he thought,remembering when she nuzzled him because he was crying and scared...Did she really care about him? Or was she like the others and just want to get to him to call him names and torture him like the other mares around this city...And Dreamless...he didn't pose a threat at the moment,and he hasn't exactly been mean to him,so he guessed he would kinda trust him,though he had always been more fond of the same sex,for the simple reason of his sister...she hated him,just like his mother and father,she made him suffer,hit him,slap him so hard it left bruises,kicked him...then it escalated one day,and he took a knife,and cut his side...three times...it left scars,but he covered them up with his hoodie that he was wearing even now,'I-If she is really serious about being nice...I-I guess I'll just have to watch her...' he thinks silently,they then enter the room,room 13,he looked at Ariel a moment before hopping onto one of the beds and taking off his hoodie,not even thinking about it,then she saw the scars,he looked at them a moment before looking at Ariel,his ears flat against his head and his eyes wide,he used his short-ish tail to try to cover it,but to no avail.

[Contrast 292]

@@Aurora Lights,@@Miss Reaper,  

 

Dreamless was the last one up the stairs. After the stallion had placed him on the ground, he took a moment to gather himself. The pain he felt inside his mind was almost completely gone, but the pain in his head was still present. 

 

He could see the mare at the desk giving him an odd look as he stood. She must have been looking at his cut. Dreamless hit the ground harder than he had thought. He paid her no mind and looked outside before heading up the stairs, hopefully they were safe here.

~

 

"... Well Fi, and I said. Crazy night." He stopped on the second floor and looked around. He had lagged behind and was now separated from the group. "The kid ran off to eighteen, no, thirteen?" He continued to walk until he reach the door, and peaked his head inside. When he saw that he was right, his face became stern. He had a few questions that needed to be answered. At least, that what he planned; but then he saw the scars.

 

The kid was on the bed bruised and cut in random places. He slowly walked inside the room with his head hanging low. It was all his fault. He had draw whatever that was towards the poor kid, and as if he didn't have enough to deal with already. 

 

Dreamless continued to mentally punish himself over something he didn't do. He was too caught up in his worries to realize that wounds, of these sizes, can't dry that fast. 

 

He stopped only a few feet from Ariel and continued to look down.

[Aurora Lights 206]

@,@@Miss Reaper,  

 

Glade blinked and quickly scrambled to get his hoodie back on,he did and gulped softly,looking to Ariel then to Dreamless and he started shaking again,he looked out the window,and his vision shook slightly...

 

Glade gulped hard as he saw somepony he never wanted to see ever again...his sister...Of course,she,along with her mother and father,abandoned him years and years ago,when he was just a little colt,he knew they would never come back and he was fairly sure they lived in a different country...but...his sister...she had an evil,wicked smile spread across her face,she slowly walked in through the glass,a knife in hoof,she trotted over to him,he was so,so very scared,he was frozen by fear,but somehow,his adrenaline made his muscles jerk and he flung himself off the bed and scrambled to the wall,she kept trotting forward to him,she stopped inches from his face and her eyes lowered to half-way,she let off a distinct giggle and pressed her lips to his,her blade plunging into his stomach,she tore downwards all the way to his privates as Glade's eyes rolled to the back of his head and he felt her tongue softly swirl around his,then her sucking on it for a bit before finally departing,Glade's insides spilling out along with black blood...

 

Glade's eyes widened as his pupils did to saucers as he let out a pain-inspiring yell of agony,an agony from the inside,one that he couldn't really feel,but now,his scars were burning like they were on fire,he had tears streaming down his eyes as he tried to stop shaking and having a panic attack,he was also hyperventilating,his breathing not of his control,and his heartbeat was through the roof.

[ReverieRiver 526]

@@Aurora Lights, @,

 

Once they were in the hotel room, Ariel found herself pacing back and forth restlessly. They were safe now, yes, but her anxiety was beginning to rise again as she tried to piece together what had just taken place; feeling frustrated that she couldn't figure it out, that she was of little help in that situation. She took several deep breaths, trying to calm down before she herself went into an anxiety attack.

 

Finally, she forced herself to sit down, finding it pointless in tiring herself further with the endless pacing. Her gaze drifted to Glade, and that was when she noticed the scars. The mare quickly stood, her eyes widening slightly as she began to ask about those scars... but the words died in her throat as Dreamless entered the room.

 

She glanced at Dreamless, but quickly turned back to Glade when she noticed the younger pony suddenly throw himself off the bed and scramble over to the near wall. Again, she opened her mouth to speak, only to be cut off again when Glade screamed in agony. The skittish mare was startled by the sound and jerked backwards in response, bumping against the bed in the process.

 

It only took her a few moments to recover when she noticed Glade's obvious distress afterwards. She moved towards him, slowly and hesitantly at first, then with more confidence. She knew all too well what a panic attack was like, and she felt in her experience that the best way to deal with the one afflicted was comfort from another.

 

Once she was next to Glade, she reached out and gingerly hugged him, her movements slow and deliberate. "It's okay," she said softly. "We're here... We're safe." She tried to reassure him, hoping that her words and her gesture would help to calm him.

[Aurora Lights 206]

Glade's eyes were wide,he was holding himself tight before he moved his hooves over his chest to feel his heart nearly explode,he couldn't help but to push away Ariel,he wasn't used to it and her words weren't loud enough for him to hear,he tried to move but his muscles locked up,he was so scared now,but he knew he had to calm down,for if he didn't,his weak heart would literally explode from overwork.

 

He looked at Ariel for a moment before knowing that he couldn't get himself to calm down or stop himself from hyperventilating,so,he did the only thing his body would allow...he grabbed Ariel and hugged her so tight it was almost crushing,he cried into her so hard,she could almost feel his pain,and she could defiantly feel his heart beat,even though he was a weak-ish stallion,this hug he had her in was almost like a crushing vice,just goes to show how much energy and power his fear gives him,he just has to figure out how to manage and use it properly...

 

@,@@Miss Reaper,  

Edited December 30, 2013 by Aurora Lights

[ReverieRiver 526]

@@Aurora Lights, @,

 

Ariel was hurt at first when Glade pushed her away; and then startled when he pulled her back into a vice-grip hug. She wasn't sure how she had really expected him to react, but this hadn't been included in her list of possibilities.

 

Her initial reaction was to simply bear with it and continue trying to comfort him. However, her mind seemed to not want to allow that as it went into overdrive. She started to have another premonition.

 

She felt Glade's embrace grow tighter and tighter, painfully so. She felt her ribs starting to crack from the increasing pressure, until they fractured. The splintered bones dug into her internal organs; puncturing her lungs, slicing across her diaphragm, and nicking her stomach. She started bleeding internally, and was quickly choking from the fluid filling up her lungs...

 

And then suddenly, everything was back to normal, leaving Ariel to try and cope with her so-called premonition. It wasn't a true premonition; under stress, she sometimes had delusions that were confused for premonitions, imagined scenarios that weren't actually going to happen. But Ariel, believing it to be real, was no less frightened.

 

At once, she tried to pry Glade's front legs away from her, trying to prevent what she thought was going to happen. Her breathing was beginning to grow shallow, her own heart taking off as she now struggled to keep from having an anxiety attack herself. One pony in a panic was quite enough; and even though she, too, was afraid, she at least would try to keep some of her composure.

[Aurora Lights 206]

@@Miss Reaper,@,

 

Glades heart started to slow down as he breathed in Ariel's sweet,warm scent,but he soon smelt fear come off of her,he then realised something,the look in her eyes...it had some sort of fear in them and he could hear her heartbeat speed increase,he almost couldn't let go,but with much self convincing,he slowly let her go from the tight grip he had,to a softer one,yet,he was still holding her,for some reason,he felt anchored to this world by her...he had never felt this way before and he couldn't explain why he couldn't let her go for the life of him!

 

He slowly started to close his eyes,finally letting the exhaustion and soft,soothing wave of sleep flow over him,his hyperventilation stopped as he slowly went to sleep in Ariel's hooves,he softly snored as he slept,he never thought he would ever do this in his entire life...fall asleep in somepony's hooves...he had never trusted any two ponies in his life! He felt the warmth of Ariel's chest and body in his sleep,so,the natural instinct took over and made him snuggle into her...for some reason...he looked very peaceful when he slept,and not to mention cute because of his youth. (he's 16 BTW)

[Contrast 292]

@@Aurora Lights,@@Miss Reaper, (Had a hard time thinking of what to say.)

 

The clone's eye opened. It had fallen asleep, but awoke when it felt others slowly drifting off. "... That's one."

~

 

Dreamless looked up and saw the two ponies start to panic. He had fallen into some sort of daze. He was about to act, but the kid suddenly fell asleep. He looked over to mare and decided to trot a little closer. The kid was now asleep, maybe they could put him to bed, but if she was still panicking like she was a moment ago...

 

Dreamless started to fear for the pony in her hooves. "Miss... are you alright?"

[ReverieRiver 526]

@@Aurora Lights, @,

 

Ariel was trying to take deep breaths, attempting to calm her fear. Eventually, as Glade drifted off to sleep, her own breathing and heartbeat began to slow into a more normal pace. The premonition had frightened her, but she realized now that it hadn't come to be, and that she along with the others were safe. With that realization, her own fear slowly faded.

 

In a calmer state now, the mare found herself smiling a genuine smile, the first she'd given in a long time, as she gently held Glade close. She felt glad that he was resting peacefully now, relieved that he wasn't panicking anymore, and happy to have helped him.

 

So when Dreamless approached asking if she was alright, she looked up at him, still smiling as she said, "Yes, I'm fine now... Sorry for, uh... freaking out like that. I just... see things sometimes." She was trying to explain the reasoning for the little episode she exhibited just moments ago, though she knew it probably sounded a little far-fetched that she "saw" things. Either that, or it sounded like she was crazy, which she also knew she was to some extent.

Edited December 30, 2013 by Miss Reaper

[Aurora Lights 206]

As usual,Glade's dreams were plagued of thoughts of the past,he remembered his mother slapping him in the face so hard,he couldnt get up for a minute while she insulted him,he remembered his fathers punches,and his sisters cuts...he was jolted awake by a scream of his imagination,he looked around a moment at Ariel and Dreamless before slowly letting go of Ariel and walking away,he sat on the bed and said in a soft voice "I-I'm sorry I'm such a burden...I know I scream a lot...and I know I seem weird...but...I have these delusions,they haunt me,they have haunted me since I was a colt...and they got scarier and scarier..."he murmurs,knowing he owed them at least an explanation.

 

@, @@Miss Reaper, 

[ReverieRiver 526]

@@Aurora Lights, @,

 

Ariel tensed slightly when she felt Glade jerk awake, presumably from a nightmare. Her ears drooped slightly when he let go and moved away from her; she seemed almost hurt or disappointed that she didn't get to hold him anymore.

 

But nonetheless, she listened to him as he explained. And instead of giving him any sort of strange look like a normal pony might, she simply tilted her head as her ears perked. Her expression was at first that of interest, as she initially thought about how she wasn't the only one that saw things.

 

Then her features melted into a look of empathy as she stood and walked towards him. "I... I know how that is..." she said softly. "I... see things, too. Visions. And they end up coming true. Except when they deceive me..." A slight frown appeared on her face; her thoughts drifted towards the delusion she'd experienced just a short while ago, but she shook it off as best as she could.

[Aurora Lights 206]

@@Miss Reaper,@,

 

Glade watched her as his ears flattened slightly when she got close...but he did like her...she was cute and he had never liked any pony before her..."Hey,uhm...Ariel...could you...sleep beside me tonight...I...I feel something off about this place,and I think you and I are gonna be targets...so we need to stick together...and you too D-Dreamless..."he murmurs quietly. 

[ReverieRiver 526]

@@Aurora Lights, @,

 

Ariel paused for a moment before she dropped her gaze to the ground as she began to blush a little. She hesitated at the offer, simply for the implications. But she felt that he also had a point; they weren't safe anymore, not after what happened outside. It was obvious that something was after them.

 

And besides, being close to Glade made her feel... safe somehow. His presence brought a warm, soothing feeling that seemed almost foreign to her; was this her clairvoyant mind somehow telling her that sticking together was indeed the best course of action? Or something else..?

 

"S-Sure," she muttered, slowly climbing up onto the bed. She was certain now - sticking together, helping one another, was the best thing to do. When danger was circling, possibly closing in on them, she knew that cooperation and unity would probably be vital to their survival. Or so she told herself.

[Aurora Lights 206]

@@Miss Reaper,

 

Glade looked at her a moment before he closed his eyes and started to feel good souls start to surround him again,instantly,the air around the two ponies dropped in temperature majorly,so much so that Ariel could see her breath when she breathed!

~
Glade took comfort in this,knowing his souls that he harbored were going to protect him and hopefully,he could protect the other two in the room...for some odd reason,he too felt like sticking together was vital right now,that being alone would now bring certain death to them...

~
Glade's vision shook as his mind started to wander...

~
He saw Dreamless staring at him with huge,scary eyes,they were completely black and had some sort of vile black ooze slowly seeping out of the sockets,he opened his mouth and it too was nothing but a dark hole that had that same ooze slowly pouring out of it,like it were some sort of evil sludge of some sort...Glade gasped and looked at Ariel,she too had the same terrifying features as Dreamless had,she then slowly pinned him down,he tried so desperately to fight back and get out of her clutches,but it felt the harder he struggled,the harder she forced his shoulders into the bed,his rear hooves were held down by Dreamless,he stared up at Ariel as a couple drops of the black sludge dripped onto his face,she slowly leaned in,and pressed her lips to his,she made extra sure to get as much of the ooze in his mouth and throat as she could before separating,their tongues still touching a moment before she pulled back completely,still,a dark strand of the sticky,warm,vile tasting ooze was still connecting their lips,all the while Glade was grabbing his throat with his hooves and chocking on that bile she made go into his mouth,he gurgled and coughed as Ariel hummed and sung a soft,sweet lullaby,"Silent Night" was the name of this lullaby to be exact,Glade's eyes slowly started to shut as he felt the cold,evil grip of death wrap around his body...

~
Glade almost jumped to the ceiling as he came back to reality,he took in a huge gasp of air and stared at the bed,shaking his head ever so slightly before looking back up to Dreamless then to Ariel.

 

@,  

[ReverieRiver 526]

@@Aurora Lights,

 

Ariel started shivering when the temperature suddenly dropped, somewhat shocked by the abrupt change in the air. Instinctively, she edged closer to Glade to hopefully share some body heat and warm up a little; her long tail curled itself around. She didn't know at first what it was that caused the temperature drop, but again she felt that nothing bad would come of it. It was something safe.

 

She lied down close to Glade, resting her head gently on her tail as she tried to just relax a little. Of course, that didn't last long. She lifted her head when she noticed Glade come back from another delusion with a start, and she gave him a sympathetic look. The young mare scooted just a little closer, again making her movements slow and careful, as her tail moved to curl around him instead; sleek, soft raspberry-colored hair gliding along his coat to wrap around him gently and act like a blanket of sorts, as well as a gesture of comfort. She also offered a slight smile, to remind him and make certain he knew that she meant him no harm.

 

@,

[Aurora Lights 206]

Glade felt her glossy,soft,long tail slowly wrap around him,it felt so...familiar...yet so foreign to him,he didn't understand it at all...

~
As the spirits around him slowly started to settle to be in their normal state,the air started to warm up slightly,it still being so cold as they could still see their breath,it was a wonder how Glade wasn't even paying any mind to the temp drop around them,then whispered softly,almost to himself,but it was obviously directed to a being they couldn't see,that is,until it manifested itself as a small,softly glowing white orb in front of Glade's nose,he was talking with it,he said "Quiet now...no more crying little one...you are safe with me..."he whispers softly,the orb slowly drifting over to Ariel,it disappeared as Glade stared at the orb along it's travel,but when it disappeared,he looked at Ariel as she could feel a soft,filly-sized body press into her side,it was cold,but she could feel the powerful,almost overwhelming energy as she then heard soft,quiet sobs from a little filly,when Ariel looked at her side to see what it was,she saw a small,transparent little filly,looking up at her with the cutest,saddest eyes.

~
Glade smiled and whispered to Ariel softly "Her name is Penny Roseluck..."he says softly,he looked at the ghost-filly and continued "She died when her father tried to save her from their burning house...her mother was raped and brutally murdered a year before she died...she asked me to keep her safe,and that is what I must do...But,it seems she likes you...and for the moment,she feels a little better now because you're kindness to me makes you look kind of like her mother...will you keep her?"he asks softly,looking into Ariel's heterogeneous eyes softly.

 

@@Miss Reaper,@,  

[Aurora Lights 206]

Glade felt her glossy,soft,long tail slowly wrap around him,it felt so...familiar...yet so foreign to him,he didn't understand it at all...

~
As the spirits around him slowly started to settle to be in their normal state,the air started to warm up slightly,it still being so cold as they could still see their breath,it was a wonder how Glade wasn't even paying any mind to the temp drop around them,then whispered softly,almost to himself,but it was obviously directed to a being they couldn't see,that is,until it manifested itself as a small,softly glowing white orb in front of Glade's nose,he was talking with it,he said "Quiet now...no more crying little one...you are safe with me..."he whispers softly,the orb slowly drifting over to Ariel,it disappeared as Glade stared at the orb along it's travel,but when it disappeared,he looked at Ariel as she could feel a soft,filly-sized body press into her side,it was cold,but she could feel the powerful,almost overwhelming energy as she then heard soft,quiet sobs from a little filly,when Ariel looked at her side to see what it was,she saw a small,transparent little filly,looking up at her with the cutest,saddest eyes.

~
Glade smiled and whispered to Ariel softly "Her name is Penny Roseluck..."he says softly,he looked at the ghost-filly and continued "She died when her father tried to save her from their burning house...her mother was raped and brutally murdered a year before she died...she asked me to keep her safe,and that is what I must do...But,it seems she likes you...and for the moment,she feels a little better now because you're kindness to me makes you look kind of like her mother...will you keep her?"he asks softly,looking into Ariel's heterogeneous eyes softly.

 

@@Miss Reaper, 

[ReverieRiver 526]

@@Aurora Lights,

 

Ariel tilted her head in curiosity as the little white orb appeared, wondering what exactly what it was. She, too, watched as it drifted towards her, but she tensed when it disappeared and she suddenly felt something pressing against her; she also shivered from the chill of the cool form now resting against her side. And when the mare looked down, she was somewhat startled to see the ghostly form of the filly, though she instinctively tried to keep her reaction to a minimum in order to avoid disturbing the filly.

 

Her ears drooped as she stared down at the filly named Penny Roseluck, listening to the tragic tale of what this young soul had had to suffer. She had to fight back tears as she thought of how she herself had a difficult foalhood... The tears broke through her self-control as she then thought that while she'd suffered so much... at least she was still alive. This terribly unfortunate filly at her side now was but a spirit; Penny Roseluck had no hope for a brighter future as Ariel did, because her future had been stolen away by the cruel hand of Fate.

 

Ariel slowly raised her gaze to look at Glade, tears glimmering in her eyes. "I... I..." She choked on whatever words she was going to say, before she cleared her throat and continued. "Y-Yes... I'll do everything I can to keep her safe."

 

@,

[Aurora Lights 206]

@@Miss Reaper,

 

Glade smiled slightly and said in a soft tone "Thank you,you made a spirit of a very cute little filly very happy right now..."he smiled softly.

~
Penny smiled wide as she nuzzled Ariel,her new guardian and said in a soft tone " Thank you miss Ariel,you're eyes a very pretty and your tail is so soft." she says softly.
~
Glade chuckled softly before laying down his body,not noticing Ariel's tail wrapped around him till just now when he laid his chin on it,his eyes popped back open as he looked at the Raspberry colored soft and glossy tail a moment before looking at the mare that owned it,he blushed and looked away a moment before laying back down,not making her move her tail.

[ReverieRiver 526]

@@Aurora Lights,

 

Ariel smiled gently at the small filly, not even minding the coolness of the little spirit's touch this time; it was like she'd grown accustomed to it already. "Thank you," she responded just as softly.

 

With her attention on the cute filly spirit, Ariel hardly noticed Glade's reaction to her tail; the only significant response was a slight twitch of her tail before it settled back into its previous position around him. Ariel did glance at him, though, and their eyes met for a moment; perhaps just long enough for him to see the soft warmth that had appeared in her gaze. There was no denying it: Penny's presence helped Ariel feel more at ease somehow. Happier, too.

 

It wasn't long before she laid down as well, though deep inside she dreaded the thought of sleep. The dream world always brought the worst images into her mind; the worst possible things that could happen, the most terrible scenarios, and more played in her head at night, almost always. And yet, while she dreaded it, she was also resigned to it. After all, every pony needed to sleep at some point, including herself.

 

She would stay up for a while. Just a little while, until exhaustion would come to claim her.

[Aurora Lights 206]

@@Miss Reaper,

 

Glade felt..something inside of him...he had never known this feeling before,ever... he felt like...he could trust this mare..

~
He slowly opened his eyes and gazed at Ariel,he almost felt compelled to cuddle her,his eyes were open just enough for her to notice they were open,but if she did see him,he wouldn't care,he looked at her tail and buried his face in the soft tail and he yawned softly before looked back at Ariel.

~
'Well...the worst that could happen is she push me away...' He thought silently.

~
He gulped softly and scooted closer to her and he thought a minute more before slowly wrapping his hooves around her body as his heart pounded hard,he hoped oh so bad she wouldn't mind.

[ReverieRiver 526]

@@Aurora Lights,

 

Ariel had laid her head down and her eyes were closed, though she was far from being asleep; she was merely resting her eyes, if anything else, as sleep was still a dreaded thing that she still didn't want to face. She felt Glade burying his face in her tail, but she seemed not to mind. In fact, she barely stirred from her seemingly relaxed position.

 

She opened her eyes, however, when she felt his hooves wrapping around her. She looked at him with a blank stare at first, as if she were uncertain how to react. She was so unused to contact, and yet here she was being shown such affection...

 

A slow smile spread across her face, warming her gentle features. After a moment, she laid her head back down, giving him a soft, brief nuzzle before she closed her eyes, a light blush appearing on her face. This truly was the first time in a long while that she'd been this close to another pony, and it somehow just felt... right.