//------------------------------// // Train rides can be hazardous to your emotions. // Story: The Chaos Factor // by Mr Jelly //------------------------------// Rain Whisper was laying her head in Quiet Ocarina’s lap, starting to fall asleep for the night. “Hey Oca?” Rain asked, “You awake?” “One of us has to be.” She replied. “Um... I wanted to say sorry for what happened at Rarity’s today, I hadn’t meant to do what I did.” Rain said, burying her head deeper into Ocarina’s lap. “It’s okay.” Ocarina said, looking out the window, “It’s as much my fault as yours.” “Thanks,” Rain said quietly, smiling to herself a bit, “You know, for an accidental kisser you’re pretty good at it.” “Heh, I’ve had a few boyfriends in my time.” Ocarina winked. Rain looked up at Ocarina, “Oh, do tell.” “I’m not going to tell tell you about my relationships!” Ocarina laughed. “You’re no fun.” Rain said with a smile and a giggle. “Go to sleep!” Ocarina said, pushing Rain Whisper’s face with her hoof. “Tell me a story!” Rain giggled. “Once upon a time, there was a place that never rained.” Ocarina waited a few moments, “The end.” “Wow.” Rain said, “You suck at telling stories.” “And you’re nineteen years old.” She retorted, “You don’t need a story.” Rain Whisper stuck her tongue out at Ocarina and then turned away, closing her eyes. “It’s not that I want to stay up, it’s just that I don’t want to fall asleep.” Ocarina thought, gritting her teeth, “Those things I saw earlier, they may return.” “I think they have a fold out bed if you want to lay down too.” “Nah, I’m fine sitting up.” Ocarina said. “Well too bad, you need to sleep.” Rain Whisper said, jumping up and pulling something out from under the seats, which became a quite large bed, which she quickly laid down on, patting the spot beside her. “No, it’s really okay.” Ocarina replied, “One of us needs to make sure we don’t miss our stop.” “We arrive later in the morning and if we’re going on an adventure for an adventurer, you need your beauty sleep” Rain said, pulling Ocarina onto the bed beside her and hugging her like a teddy bear. “No arguments.” “You’re really demanding, you know that?” Ocarina said, looking down at the mare. “You’re really persistent, you know that?” Rain fired back, looking up at her with a grin. It was now Ocarina’s turn to stick out her tongue. She lay down looking the other way. Rain Whisper still had a death grip on her, giggling at the mare. “Um. You can let go now.” Ocarina said pleasantly. “No I can’t, you’re so warm and cuddly.” Rain said, beginning to nod off. “And you’re cold as hell.” Ocarina said, gently trying to get out of Rain Whisper’s grip Rain Whisper’s body began to heat up by stealing Ocarina’s body heat and leaving her cold when she turned away. “Again, no fun.” Rain said. “Rain...” Ocarina warned. “No, I’m gonna stay warm all alone on this side of the bed.” Rain Whisper said with a hurt tone at the end of her sentence. “Fine, I generate my own body heat anyway.” Ocarina retorted. “Fine.” Rain said, trying to hide her emotion, “I don’t care.” “Hey, what’s the matter?“ Ocarina asked, rolling towards Rain Whisper. “Nothing, you wouldn’t care.” “Don’t ever say it’s nothing. You create a paradox.” Ocarina said, hugging the mare, “And I do care.” “I- I...” Rain said, turning to face Ocarina. “Yes?” Ocarina nudged. “I...” Instead of finishing her sentence, she hugged Ocarina. “You like me as more that just a friend, don’t you?” Ocarina asked. “Mmhmm” Rain Whisper nodded into Ocarina’s fur. Ocarina could feel Rain’s heart beating in her chest. But she had to turn it down. “Oh Rain, I’m so sorry.” Ocarina said, “I don’t love you that way.” Rain’s heart fell like a dead weight in her chest. “I’m so, so, sorry.” Ocarina said, “I hope we can get through this as friends.” Rain Whisper didn’t speak, but she turned away and sniffed, then after a few minutes, she fell into a dark pit that was sleep. “I thought about what’d happen if I told you that.” Ocarina sighed, “And this was inevitable.” After a few hours, a voice echoed through the quiet train car. “Don’t...” “What, Rain?” Ocarina said, looking out the window into the barren landscape. “Please, I’m sorry.” “Sorry for what, Rain?” Ocarina giggled, slightly confused. “Can’t we still- We aren’t?” Rain mumbled. “We aren’t what?” Ocarina said, looking back at the mare. “But...” She whispered, pain lacing every word she spoke. “Where are you going?” “I’m not going anywhere, Rain.” Ocarina said, placing one hoof on Rain’s shoulder. “No!” Rain shouted. “Don’t go!” “Rain? Wake up!” Ocarina said, placing her other hoof on Rain Whisper, who had tears drenching her cheeks. “Don’t leave me!” Rain now flailed in her sleep, tears began to stream down her face. “Please!” “Wake up, Rain!” Ocarina shook the mare. “No!!!” Rain Whisper screamed, snapping awake and sitting up with her hoof out, like she was trying to hold somepony back. She seemed to be locked in that position. “Rain?” Ocarina said, “Are you okay?” Rain looked over at Ocarina through tear-filled eyes,then tackling her down and death gripping her. “Don’t leave me.” she said between sobs. “Please, don’t leave me!” “Why would I?” Ocarina said, hugging the mare back. “You’re too awesome.” “Please... don’t leave me...” She said as she wailed into her friend’s shoulder. “I won’t.” Ocarina petted the mare’s mane. Rain Whisper finally calmed into controlled sobs after a while, never letting go of Ocarina. Rain finally pulled away to look at Ocarina, still with glazed over eyes. “So, are you okay?” Ocarina giggled. “It’s not funny.” “That’s not what I’m laughing about, I’ve asked you probably six times.” “Asked me what?” “Seven times, are you okay?” Ocarina asked once more “No...” “I guess we’ll just have to hug ya’ better then!” Ocarina tackled Rain Whisper. “I didn’t think you liked mares, Ocarina” “That doesn’t mean I can’t be friends with them!” Ocarina said. “I’m sorry.” Rain said. “Why?” “This.” She said quickly. Rain Whisper leaned in towards Ocarina and kissed her, not pulling away. Ocarina was the one to pull away. “I know you like me, but you’re going to have to restrain some of this.” Ocarina said, looking her over. “You know you like it.” Rain said, giving her another peck on the lips and falling back down into her pillow. “That’s the thing, I don’t.” Ocarina said, irritated, “So stop.” “Fine, be that way.” Rain Whisper said, “No need to get so mean about it.” “You’re messing with iron here.” Ocarina said, “Don’t get burned.” “I think the word you’re looking for is...” Rain Whisper’s mane caught on fire, changing her eye color to a burning orange. “...fire.” “No..” Ocarina got nose to nose with the mare, “I mean iron.” Rain pushed back when Ocarina got nose to nose with her, getting slightly irritated. “How does iron burn?” “Everything burns at a high enough temperature.” Ocarina said, “How do you not get metaphors?” “Because they suck.” Rain said with a giggle. “Well get used to it.” Ocarina said, slumping down on the bed. “I’ve gotten used to it.” Rain said, “You get used to me.” “I shouldn’t have to get used to something that’s been around all my life.” Ocarina said, shocked at the mood change. “Then why do you get so angry when I do this?” Rain said, stealing yet another kiss and turning around as if to avoid getting bitten. “Because you know I don’t love you like that.” Ocarina said again, stomping one hoof. “How do you love me then?” “Like a sister.” Ocarina said, “You’re the closest thing I have to one.” “Well, you’re gonna have to live with a mare who loves you more than that for quite a bit...” She said, disappearing under the covers. Then popping her head out and licking the mare’s cheek. “No..” Ocarina said, getting nose to nose again, “You’re going to have to live with somepony who doesn’t love you the same way you got that?” “Hmm... let me be you for a second,” Rain said, rubbing her nose against Ocarina’s when she had gotten nose to nose with her. “Deal with it.” “Fine, find somepony else to share this room with.” Ocarina got off the bed and strutted towards the door. “Oh no you don’t,” Rain said, grabbing her just before she left and dragged her back into the bed. “Sorry sis,” she said, curling up around Ocarina. Ocarina wriggled out of Rain Whisper easily, “Stop it, you’re really going to be burned.” “Oooo, I’m really scared.” Rain Whisper said. “Does that count as my Burn Notice?” “I’m going to leave you if you don’t stop it this instant.” Ocarina shouted. “You gonna jump off the train?” “That is... an option.” Ocarina said quietly. Rain stood up and grabbed Ocarina by the back, before she could protest, they had teleported off of the train and into a dark winter storm. “Let go.” Ocarina growled. “Take it back.” Rain said with hostility in her voice. “No!” Ocarina said, “Let go of me. I will not have you force me to take anything back.” “Do it!” Rain Whisper screamed, a giant pillar of rockshot the two upwards, above the snowstorm. “NEVER!” Ocarina screamed back. “WHY DID YOU SAY YOU’D LEAVE?!” “BECAUSE YOU’VE CHANGED!” Ocarina screamed. A red aura began to circulate around the two pillars and the two ponies. “I HAVEN’T CHANGED!” Rain Whisper roared. “YOU’VE CHANGED YOU...” “Do you really believe that?” “I... NO!” “Then set me down.” “You think y-you can just leave?” Rain Whispers voice deepened and came out in a crazed growl. “No, but I will if you don’t set me down right now.” Ocarina said. A bright red pony appeared next to Rain Whisper, as well as a purple one on her left, they seemed to be speaking in a different language, screaming at Rain Whisper. “Who are they?” The blue mare asked. Rain Whisper darted over towards Ocarina, pushed her off of the pillar into the snowstorm and followed after her, the pillars seemed to detonate at once, after Rain caught Ocarina, a bright flash surrounded the two, and then they appeared back in the train car. Rain Whisper on the floor, asleep. “What? Wha?” Ocarina looked around the room, disoriented, “Oh.” She looked down at the mare beside her and placed her onto the bed. “What am I gonna do with you?” Ocarina asked nopony in particular. “Looks like I’m not the only one who has nightmares they don’t want to see.” She said.