//------------------------------// // Whimpers in the Night // Story: Bass Clefs and Sapphires // by Crispn //------------------------------// The darkness seeped in once again. Another dream? Most likely. Was it the dream I had before? I opened my eyes to bright sunlight sifting into the window through sheer curtains. The place I was laying on was soft and comfortable, and the air smelled sweet, like lavender. In the corner of my eye, I could see a mobile, with winged creatures. Things from stories that I used to read as a child in the orphanage. Going to grab it, my arm did not quite reach. Looking down at it, the arm was fat, and the fingers tiny and chubby. A baby’s arm? I was a baby this time? I attempted to sit up and flap my wings, but my head proved to be too heavy, and as it fell down to the bed, I felt a huge surge of pain in the back of my neck. Feeling the tears well up in my eyes, I began to wail. The cry was shrill and tiny. I was a baby, but as much as I tried to calm myself down, the crying continued. Thinking to myself that if I continued crying, someone was going to come in here and be mad. Which only made the crying worse. Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap. I am going to get it. I shut my eyes and continued to cry harder, louder. The tears streaming down my small face. Under my tiny eyelids, I saw the light from the window darken as a shape of someone stood over me, fanning her wings. Feeling my body leave the bed, I was placed on the chest of this stranger. I felt myself bob up and down, and a soft hum filled my ears. My song? It really does start up whenever my mind calms, but something about it felt...sad. Opening up my eyes, I stared into a pair of light blue eyes, smiling at me with warmth and love. Feeling the tears being wiped away from my face, I heard a soft voice whisper as I started to fall back asleep. “Don’t worry, Crisp. It is ok, Mommy is here to make everything alright, and I always will be.” The darkness returned, and it lingered for what seemed hours. I could hear faint voices, arguing voices. The voice that claimed to be my mother, her voice shrill and broken. “You can’t take him away from me, he is my son. You gave him up when you left me alone when I told you I was pregnant.” A gruff male spoke up, fiery was his voice, “We have tried to give you many options, but you have forced my hand. You do not wish to push your luck any further, as my patience with this has reached its end.” “He’s my son!” my mother shouted, “You need to leave before I call the police and get a restraining order against the lot of you. Rensous, what is the matter with you? You were ok with this arrangement only a year ago, when we made it.” “Things have changed, Amber Sheen.” A second male voice slammed into the argument, the same man that was in my dream last night, “It is in your best interest to give him to us willingly. If you do not acquiesce to my demand, then you shall regret it as your last mistake.” “Who the hell are you to come into my house and tell me what to do with my son?! You are not taking him away from me, you are never going to have--” The voice was stifled and faint squeaks could be heard alongside a low sinister laugh. I had to help this woman, she was in some sort of trouble, but try as hard as I could, a muscle barely budged. All I could do was lay there, motionless and whimpering, as this woman was being strangled. “I told you, resistance was not going to be in your best interest.” A snap was heard, a loud slam and a sickening crack followed. The laughter grew in volume as the dream faded back into the darkness, the loud laughter becoming muffled and eventually silent. My eyes snapped open as the darkness had completely enveloped me. I felt the sweat drip down off my forehead onto the sheet. I stifled a small chuckle, if this was going to be the norm, what with all the sweating while I sleep, the sheets are going to have to be washed every damn day. Someone’s going to think I have a bedwetting problem. Getting up off the bed, I walked over to the closet and grabbed a new shirt, the one I had been wearing had been soaked through. What did I just dream about? I could barely remember, but something had to do with laughter, and an unsettling one at that. As I reached the bed to lay back down, a soft tap came from my door. Confused about who it could be, since Dash was probably asleep as well, I walked over to answer it. “Vinyl?” I asked, half-expecting the half drunk girl standing in my hallway, but when no answer came, I turned the knob and swung open the door. There was Rarity, standing there in what could only be silk pajamas. “Rarity? What are you doing here, it’s like 1 in the morning, and how did you get inside?” “It sounds as if you are complaining about my presence here. If that be the case, then I shall just leave.” She said, slightly joking. “No, it’s just, uh, well. I actually did not expect you to be here, but come in. How long have you been here?” “Oh a few minutes, Dash let me in as she was just finishing taking a very loudly snoring Vinyl back up to her apartment with Octavia. I slept so well last night that I could not turn down an opportunity to sleep so again, so I decided to come back over and surprise you. But while I was in the hallway, I could hear whimpering coming from you. Is everything alright with you, darling?” Rarity stepped into the room and laid down on the bed, motioning me to do the same. I complied, laying down with my back turned towards her. She took this as her chance to wrap her arms around me and cuddle into my feathers. “Mmmmmmm, so warm. How is it ever that you managed to keep these things under that heavy coat without succumbing to heat exhaustion?” “Practice,” I softly chuckled, taking one of her hands into mine and weaving my fingers in between hers. “Now, what is the matter? Why were you whimpering?” “Oh, just a nightmare. Nothing really, I can barely remember it, just some laughter. Really unsettling laughter, but that’s all I can think of.” “Well,” She said, turning me around to face her. “now that I am here, you should have nothing to worry about.” Rarity cuddled up into my arms and held her face close to mine. Smiling, I could feel the movement of her hair against my skin. Placing my lips on her forehead, I lightly kissed her there and replied, “Maybe, but one can only ever hope. I have been meaning to ask you something though.” “What is it?” “Why are you here?” “I beg your pardon?” “Don’t take this the wrong way, I am really happy that you are here. But I just can’t help but wonder why it’s here you chose to be. Why with me? I mean, you are the kind of girl that my old roommate BlueBlood would try and date. Gorgeous, brilliant, dedicated. Although he probably would have only focused on the one part. But I’m not smart, funny, good looking. I just can’t think of why you want to be here with me.” Rarity’s eyes softened as she exhaled slightly from her nose, in a slight laughing manner. She smiled and held me close in her arms. “To be honest, I was not sure why you grabbed my attention at the party. But for some reason, I feel drawn to you, I cannot truly explain it, but being in these arms feels right. I feel more secure with who I am and safe than I have been in a few years. Just something about you makes me special. And do not put yourself down like that, you have your charms, you are a good looking person and you are a good friend. Only if you let us in, like you did last night. You just have to let me in and I will show you.” I make her feel special, safe, and she was drawn to me? I don’t really know what I have done to make her feel that way, but I guess I should just take the fact that a beautiful girl wants to cuddle me to sleep as the win. “Now,” Rarity whispered into my ear, “I believe it is time for us to get some sleep, we do have finals to prepare for.”