Brownie

[Brownie]

Part 3

Once they left the open fields and meadows and started down the lanes towards the Color Castle Sam started slowing down, gradually moving from a gallop to a canter then finally a slow trot. Sprites were everywhere but no sooner did they see Brownie and Sam headed their way then they dropped whatever they were doing and, with shrill squeaks and cries, bolted inside their homes, slamming the doors behind them.

Brownie really didn't blame them although he felt bad for scaring them. He supposed that if he were a Sprite, and something bad had happened to Rainbow Brite he'd be a bit scared, too, if a stranger came galumphing unannounced into Rainbow Land!

Brownie's attention shifted from that cloud and the Color Castle to watching where they were going. He didn't want to accidentally run into a Sprite after all. Or go crashing through a garden and step all over lovingly tended flowerbeds. Or . . .

"Wait! No! Whoa!"

Trotting around a corner the Color Castle was straight ahead. And so were two Sprites, both green, pushing a cart full of flowers. They took one look at the huge unfamiliar horse trotting their way and bolted . . . leaving the cart blocking the lane. And Sam wasn't stopping. He wasn't even slowing!

"Eeeeeeeeee!"

Clutching tightly Brownie held on for dear life. He felt Sam's muscles bunch . . . then felt a gentle lift . . . then a thump as they landed, Sam having vaulted the cart in a single, utterly smooth glide. His hooves lightly drummed as he trotted towards the Color Castle, and the whicker he made sounded both amused and teasing, almost as if he was saying, 'What? You didn't think I could jump that itty bitty cart?'

Actually Brownie was positive Sam could jump the cart. He just wasn't so sure he'd manage making it over along with Sam!

Trotting towards the wood bridge leading to the main entrance of the Color Castle Brownie glanced back up at the roiling black cloud overhead. He hadn't been mistaken: it was, beyond any doubt, exactly overhead the Color Castle. They slowed to a walk as they reached the bridge, and Sam's hooves made a deep, echoing clop with each step. Something just . . . didn't feel right. He'd seen Sprites all over the place coming here but, now that he was at the Color Castle, well . . . it seemed empty.

He'd just reached the middle of the bridge when three things happened, all at the same time. He got a sudden pins-and-needles feeling all over; Sam must have, too, for his head jerked up, he came to an abrupt stop and he whickered in alarm. A strident, fierce, high-pitched voice called out, "Stop right there! Or else!" And from within the depths of the Castle strode a horse and rider.

And not just any horse and rider either!

It was Stormy, and she was certainly living up to her name, a truly ferocious, thunderous expression on her face. One little hand was fisted and held straight up, overhead, while her other imperiously pointed a finger straight down to the ground in front of him. "Hold it right there!" she demanded, as Skydancer belled his own challenge, a truly wild neigh, nostrils flared wide, revealing the deep red interior. The bridge jolted as Skydancer pawed the planks, and all Brownie could think of was, 'Oh jeeez! It's Stormy!'

Well, that explained the cloud overhead. That had to be a thunderhead. And the pins-and-needles he was still feeling simply had to be a lightning bolt somewhere up there. And one with his name on it, too! Ooooh, he was going to have to be very careful indeed!

He didn't know much about Stormy to be honest. Well, other than both name and personality seemed to match. And he certainly hadn't expected to run into her! Actually, he hadn't thought he'd find anyone here but Sprites, since all seven of the Color Kids had been headed up to Murky's. But now that he thought about it (which wasn't exactly easy to do, what with his heart pounding and his mouth suddenly dry as sand) he did remember about Stormy. And wasn't there two others, as well?

Ah. That must be them, he thought, spotting two headed peeking around the main entrance, one at each side. That one must be Moonglow, he reasoned, as the other had light pink hair pulled into pigtails held in place by two wide yellow ribbons. That one, then, must be Tickled Pink.

He didn't spend but a moment thinking about them, though. Not when he had the immediate problem of a quite literal storm brewing right before him!

"OK. I'm stopped. Now what?"

Stormy blinked at that. She hadn't expected a response like that! Keeping one tightly fisted hand overhead she demanded, "Who are you? And what are you doing here?"

Brownie tried not to sigh. Which was actually pretty easy to do when facing a fiery, thunderous girl capable of blasting you with bolts of lightning! But he was getting quickly tired of being asked those same questions over and over!

"OK. I'm Brownie," he said, touching his chest with his fingers. "And this is Sam," he continued, patting the top of Sam's head, and without adding 'my horse'. "And I'm looking for Rainbow Brite. Have you seen her?"

Oh jeez! That didn't go over too well! Both Tickled and Moonglow softly gasped, pulling their heads further behind the doorframe, while Stormy just looked . . . well, more stormy. The pins-and-needles felt even worse, then Skydancer took several steps closer until his muzzle was almost touching Sam's. Skydancer snorted, frosty plumes jetting out. Sam just gazed down, for he was a bit taller than Skydancer, and simply looked, his expression clearly saying, 'My, how amusing. Do you know any other tricks?' Sam, obviously, wasn't a bit awed or impressed by Skydancer.

Brownie wished he could say the same about his feeling regarding Stormy. He certainly was awed and impressed by her! And no little frightened either!

"Why are you looking for Rainbow Brite?" she demanded, leaning forward, a stern jut to her chin as she locked her eyes onto Brownie's. "What business do you have with her?"

He started to answer but found his tongue all tied. She kept staring at him, with a pair of fiery orbs that gleamed and glittered a very unusual, almost sea foam green. They were quite pretty eyes, actually, and he wondered what they looked like when they weren't snapping with anger. Although when they were . . .

He leaned a bit forward, gazing closer. "You know, when you're mad, it looks like little lightning bolts flash in your eyes. It's really quite pretty."

Stormy rocked back a bit, her eyes rounding a little, while twin giggles pealed from the doorway, and Sam lowered his head and snickered. Suddenly Brownie clapped both hands over his mouth. "Was that out loud?" he asked in a mortified whisper, and the giggles grew even louder. His face abruptly felt sunburned and he ducked his head.

Peeking up he spotted Tickled and Moonglow peering around the door again, this time with huge grins on their faces. His felt even hotter now, and even his ears felt on fire!

Leaning forward again, fisted hand still upright, Stormy repeated, "Why are you looking for Rainbow Brite?"

All three gasped when Brownie softly replied, "I found her Color Belt. And I have it with me."

Tickled and Moonglow scooted around the doorframe and dashed over, stopping just behind and to either side of Skydancer. "You do?" "You have?" "Oh, that's wonderful!"

Stormy wasn't as impressed. She just stared at Brownie and challenged, "How do we know you're telling the truth? How do we know that's really Rainbow's belt? That it's the real Color Belt? How do we know it's not a trick?"

Softly sighing Brownie held his hands out, palms up. "You don't."

Stormy's brows dangerously lowered as Tickled and Moonglow softly gasped. Brownie just gave a little shrug. "I'm sorry, but you don't know. If I was wicked and evil I'd just lie and promise that it wasn't a trick, that it was the real Color Belt."

Stormy thoughtfully nodded. Clear as day (or, in her case, a winter blizzard) she wanted to believe it was the real Color Belt. But just as clear —and understandable— were her suspicions.

"So I don't know how to assure you. I can do two things, though, and maybe that'll help."

"Oh? Like what?"

"First off, let me tell you how I found it." Brownie carefully explained just how he'd come in possession of Rainbow's belt. He made it very clear that it was just sheer, blind dumb luck that he'd seen Murky hide it away. That he, himself, had been hiding, frightened and terrified of being seen (although he didn't add that he'd, somehow, managed to hide inside the tree instead of just behind it; somehow he thought they'd find that a bit unbelievable. Heck, he still didn't believe it!).

He missed the look Tickled and Moonglow exchanged with each other. As much as they liked Red and Buddy (well, they liked everyone, of course!) neither could ever picture any situation or circumstance where either of the boys would ever admit to being terrified.

Then he related what he'd overheard Murky say about his 'Master Plan'. Then finally told about meeting the Color Kids and Starlite, and how that had turned out.

"I can't say I really blame them," Brownie softly said. "I'm not sure I'd've believed me if I had been them."

At least the pins-and-needles feeling had (mostly) gone away, and Stormy had finally lowered her hand. "OK. So what's the second thing?" she asked.

Taking a deep breath Brownie gazed at Stormy for a moment before leaning his head back and looking up at the sky. "I swear upon the Rainbow, and all that it means," he said, in a very formal tone. Then he lowered his eyes back upon Stormy. "And upon the lighting, and thunder, and wild storms," as Stormy's eyes widened at that. Next he gazed at Moonglow. "And upon the moon and stars above," then finally looked back up at the sky and closed his eyes. "And upon the Sphere of Light," he softly said, "that all I've said is true, and that I believe I carry the real Color Belt."

It grew very quiet after that. Even Skydancer was silent. Finally Moonglow broke the silence. In her low, soft, semi-dreamy voice she pointed to the horizon, where the sun was setting. "We don't have much more time Stormy. It's almost nightfall."

Reaching into his belt pouch Brownie removed the Color Belt at last. Holding it across both palms he offered it to Stormy. "Please," he softly begged. "Rainbow needs this."

He didn't know what was finally the deciding factor. Maybe it was all of it. Stormy nibbled her lip, glanced at the setting sun then gazed back at him, a look of fleeting desperation in her eyes. She was a free spirit, very self-sufficient and self-reliant, and not at all dependent upon others. And she liked it that way. Oh, yes, having friends was nice, too, she'd learned. As was pitching in and lending a helping hand.

When that didn't get in the way of making a huge storm that is!

But this?

Whoa there!

It was one thing to pitch in and help out now and then. But right now, right this moment, Rainbow Brite was under a spell and in terrible danger, with the setting sun showing how little time was left, her Color Belt was missing, stolen by that awful Murky Dismal, and all the Color Kids save Tickled Pink were gone as well. Normally when Rainbow was absent Red Butler took charge. Or, if not him, then Twink, Rainbow's sprite and de facto chief of all the sprites. Not that Stormy was in Rainbow Land all that often, but she couldn't remember a time that one or the other hadn't been present. But right now, it was her, and Tickled Pink, and Moonglow. And Red had specifically asked her —her!— if she'd watch over Rainbow Land and Rainbow Brite until he and the others returned with Rainbow's Color Belt.

Except it didn't look as if they'd be returning. Or, at least, not any time soon. And if this Brownie character was right, they might not be returning at all! And if they did, they sure wouldn't have Rainbow's belt, not if he really had it!

Stormy wasn't used to making decisions this terribly important. It was one thing to decide whether to snow five or six inches, or to toss in a few extra lightning bolts in a thunderstorm. But this time she literally had the fate of Rainbow Land in her hands, and her decision could spell salvation or destruction of Rainbow Land, and of colors and happiness everywhere!

She nudged Skydancer with a knee, turning him 'round. "This way," she said, as the wood planks thunked under her horse's hooves. "Rainbow's inside. And this better not be a trick!" she growled, as the roiling cloud high overhead rumbled as well. "Your horse may be fast, but he can't outrun my lightning!"

Brownie just stood there. "Maybe you should bring her outside then," he said after a couple of seconds.

"Why?" Stormy asked, suspicion quickly blossoming again. Then was quite shocked at his answer.

"Once we're in the Castle it'll be kinda hard to get a lightning bolt inside," he said. "Actually, almost impossible I'd think. Especially without accidentally hitting anything or anyone else. So if it'll make you feel better, I can wait out here until Rainbow comes or you bring her."

Looking over her shoulder she waved him on. "Oh, I wouldn't be too sure of that!" she said, sounding fierce but her eyes twinkling this time as a little smile played on her face. Actually he was right: it would be very hard. But the fact that he'd said that, and was willing to wait outside where she definitely wouldn't have a problem, well . . . that made her feel a lot better about this whole affair.

Brownie followed Stormy and the others inside. Tall as the doorway was, Brownie still had to lean way over Sam's neck, and his back still brushed up against the top of the door. Once inside he straightened up, and his eyes rounded as he did, looking all around in awe. There, right in the middle of the room, was the Color Console itself! It looked dark at the moment, the color pipes and ball dim and unlit. Then again, none of the Color Kids were sitting at their stations, so perhaps that was it. At the back of the wide, spacious room were two sloping staircases heading up, each step it's own vibrant hue, making it look like twin rainbows had formed the stairs.

But his attention was immediately captured, his breath catching in a gasp, by the small spangle of sprites gathered near the Color Console. For in their midst, surrounded by them, was Rainbow Brite herself!

A Rainbow Brite who, dreadfully obviously, was in dire straits, for she seemed frozen, like a statue, not moving at all, and surrounded by a dull gray shimmer that was barely visible but definitely didn't look good.

Without thinking Brownie dismounted, sliding off Sam's back. "Ahhhh!" then "Ow!" as he dropped from high up and landed on his rump. His face felt on fire again he stood up then waited for Stormy to dismount, too. Which she did, with far more grace than he had!

"What happened to her?" he asked Stormy as they walked over. Both were instantly surrounded by anxious worried sprites that chattered away at high speed. "Did you get the belt?" "Is Rainbow going to be OK?" "Have you seen Indigo? Is she OK?" (that was Hammy, of course)

"Shhhh!" Stormy hushed the sprites. Turning to face Brownie she answered him. "I don't know. We don't know. They told me that Rainbow had gone out for a walk after lunch with Puppy Brite. She was taking a break from coloring all the fall leaves. They'll be falling soon, you know. Then it's my turn!" she smugly said, then her face fell as she looked back at the seemingly-frozen Rainbow. "Next thing they knew Puppy Brite was racing back inside, barking like mad. And when they all ran out, they found Rainbow like this already, with Murky holding her Color Belt and fiendishly laughing as Lurky drove off."

Whatever had happened sure seemed to have happened fast. Rainbow's hand was almost to her mouth, which was partially opened as if she'd been frozen in the middle of drawing a startled gasp.

"So . . . what are we supposed to do?" Brownie asked.

"Don't you know?" Tickled softly spoke up.

"Who, me?" Brownie asked, shocked. "How would I know what to do?"

Moonglow gave a little shrug, as if saying 'Don't ask me.'

"I . . . I don't know what to do either," Stormy said, sounding unhappy. "Red just asked me if I'd watch over and guard Rainbow Land while he and the others were gone. I knew they were after Rainbow's Color Belt, but I didn't know why they needed it so badly. Well, other than the obvious reason," she gave a little shrug. "I just assumed," she unhappily admitted, "they'd know what to do with it once they had it."

Moonglow suddenly gasped. "It's almost nightfall!"

Brownie looked over his shoulder at the doorway behind him. It was decidedly darker outside. Not quite night, no. But it certainly was twilight; dusk had definitely fallen. And while this twilight was certainly much more inviting than the perpetual gloomy one in the Pits, there was also something decidedly ominous about the arrival of dusk tonight.

"Stormy, here," Brownie said, thrusting the belt at her.

Stormy almost recoiled back, eyes wide, and hands up in front of her as if to push the belt away. "I don't want it! It's not mine!"

"Put it on Rainbow!" he said.

"Me? Why don't you do it?"

Actually the only real reason Brownie wasn't putting it on Rainbow was, well, silly as it sounded, he felt very awkward and self-conscious about doing that. Rainbow was a girl after all, and well . . . yanno? It just didn't feel right or proper.

"Oh here!" Tickled said, taking the belt from Brownie with an exasperated yet amused look. "Boys!" she snorted.

"Wait!" Brownie suddenly cried out.

Tickled froze while Moonglow and Stormy looked at him. "What?" Tickled asked.

Looking around Brownie pointed to some of the sprites. "Can you bring us star sprinkles please? As many as you can carry, and of all the colors. And as fast as you can, too!"

"OK!" "You bet!" "We'll be right back!"

All the sprites dashed off, eager to help and happy to have something positive, helpful and useful to do at last. Brownie felt quite relieved and grateful that, for once, someone wasn't questioning him or his motives.

"Why do you want all those star sprinkles?" Stormy asked. For a change she didn't sound challenging; instead she simply sounded curious.

"Uhhh—," Stormy's question caught him off-guard. Just why had he blurted that out? He tried marshalling his thoughts, but having all three of them gazing at him the way they were wasn't making that terribly easy.

"Well," he finally said, his words coming quite slow. "Rainbow's belt uses star sprinkles, right? Sometimes she uses her belt to power star sprinkles, but sometimes she uses star sprinkles to power her belt, yes?"

Both Moonglow and Tickled firmly nodded right away, with Stormy following a few seconds after them, her nod a bit slower. Her powers were much different than Rainbow's and, unlike either Moonglow or Tickled —or Rainbow Brite herself, for that matter— didn't require silly things like color crystals or star sprinkles. And unlike the two girls, she didn't really have all that much experience with the 'inner workings' of Rainbow Land. But she did seem to remember a time or two when Rainbow had used star sprinkles to energize her belt . . . or at least she'd thought that was what Rainbow had been doing. Sneaking a peek at Moonglow and Tickled she felt a lot better at how positive those two seemed to be.

"Well then," Brownie continued. "I just think it would be a good idea to have star sprinkles ready if she needed them, than to have her need them and not have any right at hand."

Well, that sure made sense, all three girls thought. But what he said next threw them all a curve.

"Especially since that shimmer around her gives me the creeps and willies."

"Erm . . . ah . . . what 'shimmer'?" Tickled asked.

"The one that's all around her," Brownie answered. Then he felt quite awkward and insecure at the look all three of them were giving him. "You know! That grayish eerie shimmer?" he said, an almost desperate hopeful lift to his tone.

The three peeked at Rainbow, then back at Brownie. Then peeked at Rainbow again, then back to him once more. He felt about an inch tall at their expressions, and he really didn't have to hear them say anything to realize they weren't seeing any such shimmer!

"I don't see anything," Tickled softly said, not wanting to make Brownie feel bad but, well, she honestly really couldn't see anything like a shimmer. "How about you Moonglow? Stormy?"

Stormy just shrugged and shook her head, light purple tresses billowing like wind-tossed clouds while her single light purple-and-sea foam green braid whipped about. She didn't need to look a third time to make sure. Moonglow, however, did take a third, much longer glance, intently gazing at Rainbow, tipping her head back and forth. "I'm sorry Brownie," she softly said in a dreamy tone. "But I don't see anything like a shimmer."

Holding his hand up to his head Brownie sighed. 'Great!' he thought. 'Just spiffy keen great! Now they all think I'm batty!'

"We got 'em we got 'em!" "Here you go!" "Is this enough?" "Hey, watch out! Don't spill them!" "Gangway!" "Now what?"

Brownie spun around, extremely grateful for the arrival of the sprites, each one carrying a big pail of star sprinkles. At least they'd helped provide a distraction from what was quickly growing into an uncomfortable, unnerving situation!

"OK, great! That was really quick!" he said. "Now just set the buckets down close to Rainbow, so if she needs them they're right there." Within two blinks they'd done just that. "OK now, Tickled?" he said, looking at her. "I guess we're as set as we can be. Try putting her belt on now, OK?"

Tickled nodded then stepped behind Rainbow. Reaching around she snaked the Color Belt around Rainbow's waist, concentrating so hard the tip of her (pink, of course) tongue peeked out past her lips. Almost a minute past, during which everyone fretted, the sprites most of all. "Hurry Tickled!" one cried out, then they all started chiming in. "Oh yes hurry!!" "Please hurry!" "Oh, is Rainbow gonna be all right?" "Oh I wish Red was here!" (That was Romeo, of course).

"What's taking so long?" Stormy grumbled.

Tickled cutely grunted as she struggled to attach the belt. "I dunno," she muttered, tongue tip sticking out even more now. "This is harder than it looks!"

It hadn't looked all that hard to Brownie. Then again he'd never tried fastening a belt around anyone before. One thing for certain sure, he knew: if he'd have tried putting the belt on he'd probably have dropped it several times by now, and his face would have been brighter pink than Tickled's tresses!

"There!" Tickled triumphantly cried. "Got it!" She stood back as everyone watched, holding their breath.

And held . . . and held . . . and held.

"Sunny skies and fair weather!" Stormy cried, stomping her foot, as far overhead came an ominous rumble. "Now what? Why isn't anything happening?"

"I don't know!" Tickled wailed, looking close to tears.

Brownie found himself moving before he realized he was. It was like . . . something . . . was driving him. Without thinking about it, without considering all the possible ramifications, he stepped past Stormy and Moonglow, eased his way through the agitated, frantic spangle of sprites and the pile of buckets and pails, and walked right up in front of Rainbow.

Walked right up . . .

And touched the rainbow arch at the front of Rainbow's belt.

A brilliant, coruscating flash so bright it literally stunned him knocked him backwards several steps, as the girls and sprites all squeaked, squealed or yelped. Tripping over a bucket behind him Brownie wound up with his bottom almost stuck in the pail of star sprinkles, as in front of him a dazzling, eye-tearing explosion of light burst out. A wide rainbow band of light streamed from the color belt, in a blink of an eye winding its way 'round and 'round Rainbow until she was completely enveloped in radiant, luminous hues.

It continued for seconds . . . and seconds . . . and seconds. And now there was a tooth-aching whine, almost at the edge of hearing. It brought tears to Brownie's eyes, and all the sprites clapped hands over their ears. The girls, too, winced, although Stormy was the only one that didn't cover her ears. She just gritted her teeth and unblinkingly stared at the blinding blaze of light before her.

And then that whine started fading . . . as the rainbow started dimming. As Moonglow gasped, a hand to her lips. "It's nightfall!" she cried out.

Squirming and struggling Brownie finally tipped the bucket over and made an undignified exit from the impromptu prison. Sprawling on the floor he looked up. Looked up and saw the rainbow within that sinister gray shimmer start fading. "The star sprinkles!" he cried out. "Throw them on her!"

Everyone seemed frozen in place, the sprites most of all. Brownie stopped trying to regain his feet. Instead he scooped up a double handful of star sprinkles (they happened to be red ones) and tossed them at Rainbow, who was utterly encased and obscured behind the wavering, fading rainbow.

They disappeared as soon as they'd landed. But the rainbow visibly brightened, too. "Throw the star sprinkles!" Stormy and Tickled hollered out, suiting action to words. Within moments every sprite, all three girls and Brownie were pitching handful after handful of star sprinkles, each one lending strength and brightness to the now pulsing and straining rainbow.

*FOOM*

Suddenly the rainbow exploded outwards, expanding out as a sphere and fading as it went. The tooth-grating whine vanished in an instant. And there stood Rainbow Brite, eyes widening as she gasped, hand reaching her opened mouth, finishing the gasp of shock and surprise she'd started hours ago.

"RAINBOW!"

Every voice but one shouted out Rainbow's name at the same time. The sprites erupted in excited, happy and relieved cheers, and Tickled and Moonglow's were just as exuberant. And Stormy's wasn't all that much softer, to be honest. Only Brownie hadn't yelled out, and that was because he'd been too stunned by the blast that had freed Rainbow.

"Ooooooh!"

Rainbow suddenly wobbled, her face turning quite pale. Before her knees could actually buckle she was instantly supported by all the sprites. "Rainbow! Are you all right?" "What's wrong?" "Are you OK?" "Do you need to sit?" "How about some water?" "Help her sit down!"

Moonglow was weaving back and forth on her feet, looking terribly torn. "I have to go! It's nightfall! I'm sorry!"

"It's OK Moonglow. We know. Thanks for your help. We'll be alright . . . now," Tickled said, giving Moonglow an encouraging smile.

Moonglow gave a quick, distracted wave as she scooted to the door, almost bowling over Nite Sprite who was, at that very moment, dashing inside to find Moonglow. Moments later they were both off in the dark, heading off to do their nightly work together.

In the meantime the sprites inside were helping a very groggy, very woozy and wobbly Rainbow over to her emergency bed. While all the Color Kids had their own suite —as did Rainbow herself— there were rare occasions when they slept on the ground floor. Usually because of Murky and Lurky's doings, or similar situations when Rainbow Land or its residents might be in immediate danger. That way they had safety in numbers, and also could answer any immediate crisis.

Tickled turned down the top sheet and blanket while Stormy stood at the other side of the bed, watching as the sprites helped Rainbow sit down. Brownie, though, remained sprawled on the floor, still feeling quite weak. He'd also lost his glasses, and was carefully patting the ground searching for them. That had been a truly spectacular light explosion, he thought. He could have sworn, though, that that ominous shimmer he'd seen earlier had seemed to explode outwards as well, shattered into a bazillion pieces.

Finally locating his glasses Brownie was very relieved to see they hadn't broken. He wasn't quite blind as a bat without them, no. Then again, as bats weren't exactly blind, and as they saw more with their ears than their eyes . . .

Rolling up onto his knees he slipped his glasses back on. He really hadn't been sure what to expect, but having a rainbow go off in his face like that hadn't been anything he'd pictured. Nor had Rainbow being anything other than alert and OK. That he'd pictured, yes: having her, well, 'cured' and everything back to normal, and perfect again. Somehow he'd envisioned that once Rainbow had her belt back again she'd be fine. Wasn't that the way things were supposed to happen, after all?

'OK, maybe my glasses did get messed up', Brownie thought, softly frowning. He was seeing the oddest sparkles. Like dull, dark gray glittering on the floor. Crystalline splinters that were slithering and moving.

'Huh!?'

Taking his glasses off he used the hem of his tunic to rub the lenses. Maybe he got star sprinkle dust on them or something. Slipping them back on again he peered towards the doorway.

"Ummm . . . Stormy?"

Stormy was a bit preoccupied at the moment, watching as Tickled got rainbow tucked in. Once Rainbow was snugly tucked in and comfy, though, hail and sleet! did she have a bunch of questions for her!

"Ummm . . . ahhh . . . Stormy?"

Rainbow looked up at Tickled, her normally lively and sparkling eyes dulled with terrible fatigue and something much worse: etched into those depths was terrible despair and desolation, as if she'd seen a glimpse of something unspeakable, bleak and despairing. "The Achromic Abyss," she whispered.

"What was that Rainbow?" Tickled asked, leaning closer, as did Stormy, for Rainbow's voice was barely audible.

"The Achromic Abyss," Rainbow whispered again, shuddering as she did. "Murky . . . Murky was trying to banish me to the Achromic Abyss."

Stormy looked at Tickled, who shrugged in response to Stormy's unspoken question. "I've never heard of that," she admitted. "Sounds pretty awful though if you ask me."

"STORMY!"

"WHAT!?" Stormy yelled, turning around and glaring at Brownie, her expression abruptly thunderous again. Couldn't he see she was doing something importa—

Oh.

Oh my.

"Ummm . . . could you do something about that?" Brownie asked in a very calm, almost too calm voice as he pointed at the doorway. "Maybe? Please?"

Actually, it wasn't the doorway he was pointing at. It was what was in the doorway.

Well, she assumed something was in the doorway, anyway, as she no longer could see outside through the doorway. She had the oddest sensation of being . . . drawn . . . towards it. Drawn the same way, she imagined, that leaves and debris were drawn towards one of her very rare funnel clouds. A sort of inexorable vacuum suction.

Brownie looked so pale he resembled white pine, she noticed out of the corner of her eye. Just as he noticed him suddenly lurch sideways on his knees, interposing himself between her and . . . whatever the thaw that was.

And whatever it was seemed to, well, slowly start flowing towards her. Rather like sickly syrup. Although she wasn't quite sure if it was as much flowing towards her as she was being drawn towards it.

For a moment she felt an emotion she wasn't at all used to feeling: fear. And then suddenly that fear vanished, blown out like a candle in a fierce wind, as an equally fierce fury rose inside her. Skydancer abruptly whinnied as he reared up, a long, loud scream of defiance as Stormy raised both tightly fisted hands up in the air over her head, her lightning barrette glowing like molten gold.

"Duck!" she yelled out. Brownie didn't need any coaxing. He'd already been heading to the floor the moment he caught Stormy's expression. The fact that every hair on his head was standing straight up only speeded up his descent.

He really really hoped Stormy could do something. Because the one thing he was absolutely positive about was that he couldn't do a doggone thing!

Brownie had no idea what that thing was. He was also quite sure he never, ever! wanted to find out what it was, either! All he did know was that the glittering, eerie crystalline splinters and shards he'd thought he'd seen had, slowly at first then with a speed that was frightening, slithered across the floor towards each other. And as they'd met, they joined, merging somehow together, forming a vertical, spiraling whirlpool.

A gateway.

To a place, a realm, that would in comparison make the Pits appear as bright and lively as rainbow Land.

**BOOM!!**

A flash brighter than anything he could have imagined, even brighter than the earlier rainbow explosion, lit the interior of the Color Castle at the same time the detonation lifted him bodily off the floor then slammed him back down into a darkness that swallowed him whole.



"You OK?"

Groaning Brownie barely made out the words. His ears were still ringing, and his eyes didn't want to focus for some reason. Blinking he looked up. Somehow he was now on his back and gazing up at three Stormys that wavered and merged and separated over and over. Three Sams, too, all of which were leaning their heads down and softly whuffling his hair with warm, hay-scented breath.

Weakly he nodded. "I've . . . been better," he groaned.

"Toldja I could get a lightning bolt inside!" Stormy said, a smug little smile on her face. Brownie couldn't help but grin at her expression. She looked so haughty! But if anyone deserved to feel proud and arrogant she certainly did!

He went to sit up, saw three Stormys split into six, then his face suddenly felt very warm as his head felt very big and light, and that was the last thing he remembered.

[Chibi Rachy]

Keep going You write Stormy very well too; she's my absolute favorite character. I'm curious to see where this all goes. Don't keep us on pins and needles too long!

[Brownie]

Thanks! I'll be working on more chapters, yes. Alas my typing isn't as fast as my head: my imagination's a T1 connection while my typing is 1200 baud.

I've registered on fanfiction.net, but there's a 2-day posting delay so it'll be a couple of days before I repost these there.

I'm trying very hard to be as accurate as possible with descriptions (like describing the inside of the Color Castle, etc.; not so much personalities as clothes, hairstyles, things). Hopefully I'm doing ok but if anyone happens to catch a flub please let me know.

~Brownie

[Brownie]

(Not sure how well-received the 'prologue' of this will be, but we'll see )

Part 4

He shouldn't be out this late at night and he knew it. And if he got caught (as he most likely would be, he knew) he was gonna get a paddlin'. But, right now, he didn't really much care. Tomorrow was Monday, another school day in late October, and he was looking forward to another day at school right up there with being staked out atop an anthill. Actually, the anthill sounded more appealing.

It's not that he disliked school . . . exactly. Actually he mostly liked school, at least where it came to classes and learning. Well, he did struggle with math, yes. At least until he grasped a new concept, and then watch out! And history and social studies were absolute misery. He suspected they might actually be interesting if taught differently, but there must be some sort of unwritten, unofficial rule that said those two classes must only be taught as dry, droning and boring as possible.

What he didn't like about school was, well, the other students. Although it seemed more as if they didn't like him. He had no friends, and was constantly bullied when he wasn't being ignored. The ignoring part he could handle. Not particularly like, no, but he could handle that. The bullying part, though . . .

So far, fourth grade this year had been particularly bad. It certainly hadn't helped matters that he'd gotten glasses over the summer. That had been bad enough. But Dad had been too tightfisted to buy anything but the cheapest of frames: plain, black plastic monstrosities with giganormous lenses. Needless to say the first month back at school had been particularly hideous.

Now, just as the novelty of his glasses was finally wearing off, today Dad took him for a haircut. And Dad's idea of a haircut was a buzz-cut crewcut. His head looked like a Chia pet just sprouting! And every time he went to school right after a haircut it was sheer misery. Between the laughing and taunts, the noogies and Indian rub burns . . .

He sighed as he plodded along the side of the road in the pitch dark, the only illumination a gibbous moon high overhead. He was just so tired of being picked on, of being friendless and alone.

He was just passing his neighbor's house down the lane on his way to the abandoned quarry (well-marked with DANGER signs, and every child told in no uncertain terms to never ever go there . . . which pretty much guaranteed they all did at some point in time) when something sparkled in his lenses. Like a prism flashing and reflecting off the glass. He stopped and looked around, quite puzzled, then softly gasped before ducking behind a tree.

He didn't see how it was possible, but now there was a boy standing in the front yard. An older boy —which instinctively had him very wary and cautious— who simply hadn't been there moments ago.

"It was nice to visit again Rainbow. Thank you for inviting me and bringing me along," the boy very softly said. 'Huh?' he thought. Was the boy crackers or something? Who was he talking to? There was nobody there but him! And 'rainbow'? It hadn't been raining, and besides, it was pitch dark! And who would be talking to a rainbow anyway?

"You're welcome Brian. It's always nice to see you again." His jaw dropped, and he literally struggled to keep from sticking fingertips in his ears and rubbing. That was not a boy's voice. Nope, not at all! It sounded like a first or second grade girl, in fact. But there was nobody there but the boy!

And it wasn't just a girl's voice he heard, either. There was a majestic, melodious, more mature male voice, and a very strange high-pitched squeaky one. But, doggone it, he could only see the boy! This was very very weird!

Finally the boy (who must be Brian, he deduced) said, "Good bye Rainbow. Thanks for the ride Starlite! Bye bye Twink!"

"Bye bye Brian!" "You're welcome, a pleasure as always." "See you Brian!"

Again his glasses gave off a reflected, momentary flash of scintillating colors. For an instant, if that, he would have sworn he saw a shimmery rainbow arch upwards into the sky. But he surely had to have imagined that!

Brian just stood there for several minutes, gazing up into the depths of the night. He finally gave a soft sigh, then turned towards his house. Brian would never have known anyone was there, but at that moment he felt something tickle the back of his hand and, looking down, saw a spider crawling over his hand. Now he wasn't particularly afraid of spiders; in fact, he rather liked them. But unexpectedly discovering one crawling on him . . .

"Ahhh!" Yelping he yanked his hand back, wildly shaking it.

Brian immediately spun around. "Who's there?" he softly called out.

Oh crud! Now he was in for it! He certainly couldn't outrun Brian. He was older and bigger, and that certainly meant faster. Besides, running only made the beatings worse when they finally caught you. So he stepped out from behind the tree, quaking like a leaf in a gale. "Me," he whispered.

Brian slowly walked over as he shook even harder. "What were you doing there?"

"I . . . I was just out for a walk," he whispered, his words almost stuttered. "I wasn't eavesdropping or spying, honest! Not on purpose, anyway," he amended.

'Whoa!' he thought, for Brian, instead of looking angry, instead seemed to turn a sickly grayish-green. "What did you see?" he whispered, sounding aghast and horrified.

He'd never had anyone scared of him before! He'd often daydreamed of the bullies being scared of him but, now that he actually had someone scared of him he was finding that to be rather unpleasant and uncomfortable. He didn't like that feeling at all. "I didn't see anything," he softly replied. "I did hear a lot though. Who is 'Rainbow'?"

If anything Brian looked more sickly. He groaned, looking as if his world was crashing down around him. "Look, I can't tell you. It's a secret," he said. "And it's not my secret. No one is ever supposed to know. Please don't tell anyone."

He looked up at Brian, feeling a great deal of sympathy. Which didn't ease his curiosity one bit. Holding his little hand out he gravely, solemnly whispered, "I didn't see or hear a thing." Brian's eyes rounded, shocked and surprised, then suddenly grew very warm, which made him feel very good inside.

"Thank you," he said, shaking his hand. "Listen, I'm sorry, but I gotta go."

He shook his head, understanding. Brian probably didn't want to be caught out of bed this late any more than he did. "It's OK. G'nite."

"Good night. And thanks again!"

He watched Brian tiptoe back to his house then around the back, disappearing from view. For quite a while he stood there, the quarry now forgotten, while his mind replayed events over and over again. He still hadn't puzzled any of that out by the time he'd walked back home, slipped back inside and made it (safely!) back into bed.

In fact, he never did puzzle things out. Not on his own, anyway.



With a squeak the school bus door closed behind him, shutting off the chatter from inside. With a rumble of exhaust it slowly pulled away, leaving him standing in front of his house. He stood there for several, very long minutes, as a drizzle misted around him then began trudging . . . down the lane and away from his house.

He wasn't going home. He was never going home, or school, or anywhere else, ever again.

Fifteen minutes later he was crawling under a pulled-up section of chain link fence and slithering onto quarry property. Five minutes after that and he was standing in his favorite spot: a jagged point of rock that speared out and over the water of the abandoned and flooded quarry far below. It had to easily be a hundred feet, if not more, down to the water. Yet he padded out onto the very tip and just stood there, as he had so often before.

Quite often he'd stand there, gazing down at the stone-enclosed mere, the water almost black, several hundred feet deep, whose surface was as flat as a mirror. And as he gazed down he'd daydream of different places, different worlds, as his eyes slowly unfocused, seeming to gaze through and past that mirrored plane. Daydream of just closing his eyes, holding his arms out from his sides . . . and just leaning forwards and falling. And falling . . . and falling . . . and falling. Passing from this world and into completely different ones. Ones where he wasn't lonely and sad, picked on and taunted. Ones where he felt wanted and needed.

But today was different. Today he stood there, contemplating leaning forwards, and expecting nothing but a hard, unforgiving surface. A few seconds of falling, and everything would finally be peaceful.

"You OK?"

The voice was very soft, as if anxious and worried about causing a fright. Even so his heart jumped into high gear as he spun around. There, standing more safely near the edge was that boy he'd seen several months ago. Brian, that was his name. He hadn't spoken to him since that night.

"I'm fine. Why?" he sullenly replied.

"Cuz you look kinda murked out."

He blinked at that. 'Murked out'? What the heck was that supposed to mean?

Then he turned around, facing back out to the quarry again. Maybe if he ignored Brian long enough he'd go away, and then he could finish what he came here for.

"Look. Over there."

Glancing over his should he saw Brian pointing off across the quarry and up to the sky. Looking ahead again he finally looked up . . .

Crossing the sky across the quarry was a perfect, flawless rainbow, arching up in a faultless arch in the vault of the heavens. Glancing down he spotted it reflected in the mirrored surface of the waters. He'd never seen a rainbow that perfect before, and somehow it seemed fitting to see such a one, like it was welcoming his final decision.

"She doesn't do that for just anyone you know," Brian softly said. "She must have sensed you were feeling pretty murked out."

'Huh!?'

"Who doesn't?" His words were slow, as if physically drawn from him.

"Rainbow."

Now he turned around and faced Brian. He'd never forgotten that very odd, extremely peculiar, night.

Brian just nodded, brushing off a log and sitting down. His expression was quite serious, almost grave.

"Rainbow?" he finally questioned.

Brian nodded. "Actually, her full name is Rainbow Brite, but most everyone just calls her Rainbow. She's the leader of Rainbow Land."

There was nothing anyone could have said or done to have talked him off that jutting granite spear or out of his decision. Not after today.

Today had been the start of the school-wide Science Fair. And he'd worked very very hard the last two months on his project: crystal growing. He had twenty jars of crystals, some clear and transparent, some vividly colored. And at least half of them he'd coaxed into growing into patterns. He had some flowers, a tree, even one that he'd grown over very thin wire painstakingly formed into a pony. Plus he had poster boards detailing all the crystals: what they were, how you made them into crystals.

What he didn't have that morning was a way of getting all that to school. Dad had promised to take him to school this morning, but a phone call during breakfast had him leave early for work. He just hung up the phone, had said 'Gotta run' . . . and left him there.

By the time he got everything together and down to the lane he'd just missed the school bus. And as they had only one car . . .

So he'd struggled with his project, facing a long, bleak and hopeless five-mile walk to school. The crystals were very fragile, the box they were packed in was enormous, and his meticulously printed and colored poster boards were getting bent. If a passing neighbor hadn't taken pity on him he'd have arrived at school in time for lunch, if that!

Not that it mattered in the end. As he struggled with his project he couldn't help but notice the other students who had projects. Their parents were helping carry things for them. He seemed to be the only one doing it by himself. Well, he'd have it inside and safe pretty soon, and he was eagerly looking forward to people being able to enjoy the pretty crystals he'd created. He didn't care about winning (although that would be nice) he just wanted people to enjoy seeing the beautiful and remarkable colors and shapes. That would make everything worthwhi—

"Oof!"

Arms flailing for balance, his box went flying as he tripped. Or, more accurately, was tripped.

"Oops! Sorry!" a sniggering voice said.

The box landed with a thud and clink of glass. Before he could get back up a passing student 'accidentally' kicked the box. "Oops! Sorry!"

Again. And again. And again. It was like seeing a soccer ball being passed around. And after each 'accidental' kick there were more and more sniggers and taunting laughter. Until finally the box broke apart, scattering broken jars and water all over the steps. He just sat there, a dull burn of shame on his face and a deeper, smoldering core of despair and utter desolation inside him.

It took ten minutes to collect the debris and discard it all in a nearby trashcan. By then he was late for roll call and was marked tardy, which simply added insult to injury. And by the end of the day he'd finally had enough. There was simply nothing more left inside him any longer.

He'd been utterly convinced there'd been nothing at all in the world that would change his mind, but Brian had, somehow, found a way. Almost against his will he found himself very slowly walking over and standing there, then finally sitting alongside Brian, all the while at the same time as Brian quietly spoke of Rainbow Land and the people there.

If Brian hadn't appeared so solemn and serious he would have been sure he was being teased. But he'd never seen a boy look as earnest as Brian was as he talked. Except he wasn't always grave. His eyes lit up, he grinned and smiled and grew quite animated at times as he related his tales. Some of which were funny and lighthearted, but a few of them were quite scary and frightening. He learned what being 'murked out' meant, and where that had come from, and he admitted to himself that that had been a very accurate description indeed.

It was almost dark by the time Brian finished. The rainbow by now had been long gone, but somehow it seemed as if part of it had remained inside him. That, and something Brian had related, something that Rainbow herself had said when things had appeared utterly hopeless and impossible: 'Hope doesn't come from a belt, it comes from inside you'.

And while he didn't have a belt to lose or treasure, somehow he still found comfort in those words.

Finally he stood up. "Thank you," he softly said. "I'll always remember, I promise. I'll never forget." Then he gazed very deeply into Brian's eyes. "And I'll never ever tell anyone about this. I'll keep it as secret as you have."



And he never had told anyone. Nor had he ever forgotten, either. He didn't see rainbows all that often but, when he did, he took the time to savor and treasure each and every one. Oh, well, yes, he also strained to see if he could spot a flying horse and rider, too. But he was never disappointed when he never did. But he always sneaked a wink and wave upwards . . . just in case.

He dealt with the loss of his father two years later when he suddenly passed away from a heart attack. Too much stress from work was the explanation he'd overheard, which hadn't surprised him at all. He mourned the loss of his dad; mourned even more the lack of feeling he'd even had a dad. He finished school. Started a job he enjoyed (at first, anyway). Bought his own house, one with a little bit of land and a single stall and paddock. Bought his own horse, something he'd yearned to do for ages. There were more tragedies than triumphs, but he endured them all, always holding onto hope and never letting that slide from his fingers or heart.

Then he got laid off from his job. 'Lack of performance' was the reason they gave him . . . while his shiftless supervisor took credit for the two years worth of toil and effort he'd done.

Then his mom had a stroke, and he had to sell his beloved horse, and his house, to help pay for her care. He moved back home to help care for her, and took whatever jobs he could find.

And now he was standing on that jut of granite again, gazing down at the moon reflected on the shimmering mirrored surface. The funeral had been this morning, and the bank wasn't willing to wait for her life insurance claim to process. In three days they'd be foreclosing on his parents (now his, he supposed, however brief that will be) home. He had no one now. Nothing. And there hadn't even been a rainbow today after the brief shower during the service at the cemetery.

He hadn't lost a belt, but he'd finally lost hope. He simply could not find a single drop to dredge out of the depths of his being and, frankly, he was too tired to even try any more. He'd never measured success in the forms of wealth, or power, or materialism. Nor had he ever lost an almost childlike wonder and delight in the world, although that had been getting harder and harder to maintain as the years inexorably rolled by. There was far more to life than money, or mansions, or paraphernalia. There were smiles and laughter, friendship and helping out.

He just had a difficult time making friends, though. Maybe it was the baggage he'd lugged around since his early school years. He didn't know and wasn't sure. What he did know was that, even now, he didn't have anyone he could call a real, true, friend. Acquaintances, yes. But not a real friend.

And so he found himself poised once more on this precipice, much as he had done so long ago and, like then, facing the same decision. Only, unlike that time, there was no rainbow. There was no concerned person to intercede. In fact, there wasn't even a moon now, as low drifting clouds scudded over the argent gleaming orb overhead, obscuring it.

All it would take is a single step forward. Just one. And he'd finally be at peace for once. Unending, eternal tranquility. It wasn't as if anyone would miss him, after all.

But although he felt himself lean forwards he just couldn't take that step. Not from fear, but because something, very dim and faint but still there deep inside him stirred. He'd treasured for far too long what was obviously a childish fabrication (however well-crafted) but had nevertheless endured. Again he recalled the words, although this time he seemed to hear a voice speak them, so softly it made a whisper seem like a shout: 'Hope doesn't come from a belt, it comes from inside you'.

'What must it be like,' he wondered, 'to work so terribly hard at a job that most people, billions of people, simply took for granted or, worse, paid no attention to at all? What did that take of a person, to keep doing that day after day, year after year, with nothing as a reward but the knowledge, the hope, that your work might brighten their day, even if just a little? And how awful must it feel when someone just gave up on you? Turned their back and just . . . gave up?'

His cheeks grew wet as tears streamed down them. He was tired. So very very tired. There was nothing, absolutely nothing, left inside him. He lifted up his foot . . .

. . . and took a step . . .

. . . backwards . . .

. . . then cried out, arms and legs windmilling, as he fell.

As he dropped into a dark, fathomless hole. And fell . . . and fell . . . and fell.

Air streamed past him as he fell although, as time passed, it seemed more as if he was floating rather than falling. And now his shoulder was being shaken, a timid voice calling his name but it wasn't his name but it was his name after all.

"Huh? Wha—? Whaizzit?"

Bolting upright he sat up in bed, as fleeting memories of dreams were shredded and tattered into misty wisps. Wildly looking around, feeling extremely disoriented, all he could see were blurred, indistinct shapes and forms and figures.

"Here," said the soft voice of a girl. He felt his glasses placed in his hand and he quickly slipped them on. Instantly the blurred shapes became focused and he gazed at Tickled Pink who had been shaking his shoulder. "I'm sorry to have to wake you," she contritely said. "But Stormy said to get you. Are you OK?" she suddenly asked, for Brownie was looking very pale and disoriented.

'No, not really,' he wanted to say. 'No, I'm really really not OK.' But Tickled was looking very worried about something, and even past that anxiety it was obvious that she really didn't want to have to wake him. So, biting back a groan he tossed the sheet off and slipped sideways, legs dangling off the edge of the bed. "Why me?" he asked, struggling to fully wake up and laboring just as hard to shake his thoughts back into some semblance of order and lucidity. Which wasn't particularly easy to do, as he had a flood of 'old' memories that were lingering longer than they ever had before. "Why get me" he repeated, "and not Rainbow?" 'It's not as if I'm anybody important or special,' he thought.

"Rainbow won't stay awake," Tickled simply said, then quickly added when Brownie grew alarmed, "She's just very exhausted, is all. All she needs is a good night's sleep."

Sliding off the bed he wobbled for a moment. "Where's Stormy? And do you have any idea what she wants?"

"She's outside on the bridge," Tickled said. "All I know is she just called in here a minute ago and said to get you."

Brownie groaned again and nodded. Hopefully she wasn't looking for some target practice while she watched! He slowly padded his way to the entrance, sensing Sam following just behind him. he stopped to one side of Stormy and looked up. "I'm here," 'mostly', he mentally added. "What is it?"

"That," she said in a very calm, actually too calm, voice, pointing off towards the distance. Brownie couldn't be positive, but he was pretty sure the Pits were in that direction. He strained to see that far. "Is it the Color Kids? Are they headed back?" he hopefully asked.

"No," she said in an odd flat voice. "I wish!"

Brownie kept looking, then remembered a trick to see in the dark. He looked just to either side of where Stormy was pointing, using the corner of his eyes to see. And when he did . . .

His tummy abruptly roiled and churned. "Ummm . . . I'm gonna guess that's not s'pposed to be there?"

Stormy snorted as Skydancer derisively whickered. "No, it's not. And I have a bad feeling about it, too."

'Bad Feeling' certainly summed up his thoughts, too. He couldn't be sure but what he could manage to see wasn't what he'd call comforting. It looked like a ground-hugging storm cloud, a seething mass of fog blanketing the ground and stretching as far as the eye could see to either side. Turning around he motioned to Sam, who obligingly knelt. Clambering up onto his back Brownie held on tightly as Sam raised himself back up. "I'll be back," he told Stormy.

"And just where do you think you're going?"

There was a foreboding rumble from far overhead, and an equally ominous glower to Stormy's face. "I'm going to go check out what it is," he said, then winced as Stormy exploded.

"And just who put you in charge? And what makes you think you're the best one to go out there and check anything out? Huh? You think because I'm a girl that makes you better'n me?"

"Huh?" Brownie reeled back, shocked at her angry outburst. "What does you're being a girl have to do with anything? And I'm certainly not in charge! You are. But who else should go? It's either you or Tickled or me. Tickled doesn't have a horse, although she could ride mine. But neither she nor I have your powers. If you go out there and something happens, Tickled won't be able to defend the Color Castle or Rainbow Land. And as for me," he barked a sardonic, bitter laugh, "the best I could do is throw rocks. It's not like I can do anything useful to defend here."

He gazed back out in the direction of that unnatural, creepy fog bank and deeply shuddered, feeling his skin crawl. "I'm expendable; neither you nor Tickled are. That's why I'd said I was going. It has nothing at all to do with you being a girl. That's just plain silly. It has everything to do with you being the best defense Rainbow Land has."

When Stormy remained silent he risked peeking back at her and was astonished to see her sitting there looking stunned, her mouth open and eyes wide, looking for all the world like she'd hit herself with one of her own lightning bolts. Huh. Maybe she had.

"Wish me luck," he said, nudging Sam with his knees. 'Cuz I'm pretty sure we're gonna need it,' he glumly thought as they slowly started off across the bridge and towards that menacing cloud.

[Chibi Rachy]

Is good And hey, always fun to try new things with stories. Last one I wrote, I inserted some crazy dream sequences that were really fun. Can't wait to see more!

Oh yeah. Lemme know your ff.net name so I can add you to my list on there. I'm DigiExpert on there.

[Brownie]

Part 5

At night all cats are gray.

That was a very old saying, but it didn't mean it was wrong or inaccurate. Fact is, Brownie seemed to recall things truly looking gray at night. But as he slowly headed towards the edge of Rainbow Land where it bordered the Pits, and towards that suspicious, sinister-looking fog, he realized that didn't truly apply here in Rainbow Land. True, things weren't as vibrantly hued as they had been earlier. But even with it being this dark at night he thought he could still sense the colors of things all around him. Almost as if the colors were drowsy and sleeping but still there.

He wished it were still daylight. He hadn't had much of a chance to really sightsee before, not when he'd been galloping like the wind. Actually he'd had his eyes closed for most of that wild trip. One thing he knew for sure was that Stormy wouldn't have had her eyes closed. Not her! No, she'd've been laughing, caroling with delight and a fierce untamed joy.

He also highly doubted her hands would be shaking as badly as his were at the moment. Or her tummy churning and feeling queasy. He glanced back over his shoulder but already she was swallowed up by the shadows of night, and even the Color Castle was an indistinct blur on the edge of his vision.

Everything was very quiet. Granted it was night, and places grew quiet at night as people and creatures settled down to sleep. But it wasn't all that late, and there was an uncanny, preternatural sense of wrongness about things. The gentle, rhythmic clop of Sam's hooves seemed unnaturally loud in the eerie silence.

He wondered where Moonglo was and if she was all right. She'd left before that fog/cloud thingie had appeared. Glancing up at the sky he felt his breath catch. Oh, she was OK all right! He'd never seen a prettier, more beautiful sky. It simply was beyond words. "Wow!" he softly breathed. "She does really good work doesn't she Sam?" he whispered. He wasn't really expecting an answer —after all, Sam was just a plain ol' horse; he wasn't anything special like Starlite or Skydancer— but, to his surprise, Sam softly whickered, tossing his head up and down as if nodding.

He'd already passed by several rows of houses before he leaned back, Sam coming to a stop as he felt Brownie's weight shift. When he started shifting to dismount Sam softly whickered then eased down on his knees, forelegs first then rear legs. "Thanks Sam!" Brownie said, patting Sam's wide, muscled neck.

Sliding off the side he eased himself down, sliding the last foot or so and dismounting much more gracefully than he had up to now. Padding over to one of the homes he gently knocked on the front door, just to one side of the star-shaped cutout there. All the homes, he realized (well, at least all of the ones he'd seen so far, anyway) seemed to be of a single basic design: like half an egg, with the rounded tip upright, with a front door that was semi circularly rounded at the top and set inside a frame of the same shape.

A shape very much like that of a rainbow, he realized.

Other than that, though, no two were exactly alike. There was a lot of variety in decorations and (no surprise here) colors. All of them looked quite cheerful and homey, and Brownie wistfully hoped he'd, one day, have a chance to see them in the daylight.

"Hello, yes? Who is it?" The door cracked open and a somewhat anxious sprite peeked out, starry-tipped antennae bobbing.

"Can you do me a favor, please?" Brownie asked.

"A favor? What sort of favor? It's not a big favor is it? I mean it's not that I mind big favors when I can but it's kind of a bad night for favors and I don't know if I have the time and oh oh oh I don't know if I should go out or anything—"

"Whoa there!" Brownie said, wincing at the rapid, high-pitched excited chatter. "Easy now! I'm not asking for anything big. Just could you go to the Color Castle, please, and ask Stormy if she wants me to have all you sprites head to the Castle for safety?"

"We-ell . . . I guess I could do that yes. It would have to be Stormy. Do you want me to do that right now? You sure I can't ask someone else? I can do that right now if you want."

"Yes, please? And yes, it has to be Stormy, sorry. Oh, wait!" he blurted, for the sprite was already starting to dash off. "Tell her, please, that if she wants me to pass the word to, ummm . . .," he thoughtfully frowned. "Tell her to please make a peal of thunder if she wants me to do that. OK?"

"OK!"

Just like that the sprite was gone.

Clambering up onto Sam Brownie winced, imagining a big spangle of sprites all trying to jabber away all at the same time. His head throbbed picturing that!

He'd considered just asking the sprite to go ahead and start passing the word to, well, evacuate up to the Color Castle. But he was afraid if he did that and this cloud thing turned out to be nothing to worry about that Stormy (and rightly so) would be, at the very least, annoyed with him. And the very worst simply wasn't something he wanted to picture.

As they slowly grew closer and closer the wall front of the cloud seemed to loom higher and higher. Brownie rubbed his hands up and down his arms, feeling a chill, then shivered anew at feeling the texture of his palms against his skin. That still felt so foreign and weird and he doubted he'd ever get used to the changes he seemed to have undergone.

They stopped about ten feet away, which was several miles closer than he really wished he was now that he was this close to it. There was something terribly, dreadfully malevolent about this cloud. The front of it roiled and seethed, churning in a mesmerizing slow motion movement as it gradually continued flowing towards and into Rainbow Land. It didn't seem terribly thick, but as Brownie very carefully watched he realized that for all its apparent wispiness he could only see about five or so feet into it. After that it was like gazing into nothingness.

Sam took several backwards steps as the bubbling front of the cloud advanced, and Brownie got sick to his tummy as he saw what it did to a carefully tended flowerbed in Indigo Acres. The flowers just . . . wilted. Then shriveled up. Then turned to dust, which seemed to be sucked up into the seething mass of the cloud.

Sam snorted and shook his huge head as Brownie shifted to dismount. "It's OK Sam," he reassured, although he wasn't at all sure it was OK. "I just need to check something."

Very reluctantly Sam folded his legs up until kneeling again, then Brownie slid off his side. 'Gonna hafta practice this a lot more,' he thought, realizing he was mentally chattering to himself partly (well, mostly) out of nerves. Once he was on the ground he looked around until he found several smallish stones, picking three of them up and holding them against his chest in the crook of one arm.

Stepping up to the cloud, Sam nervously whickering behind him, Brownie took one of the stones and carefully lofted it at the cloud. He wanted to see how solid or wispy the cloud actually was. Just because it looked translucent and fog-like didn't mean it was.

The rock soared through the air, landing with a couple of bounces on the other side. Well, at least that proved the cloud was a cloud! he thought. He debated throwing a second one but decided that wasn't necessary, so he dropped the other two and turned to walk back to Sam when two things happened right about the same time.

A loud boom of thunder pealed from the direction of the Color Castle. Brownie came to an abrupt stop at that, his tummy dropping down to his toes. Then his heart leapt up to his throat as a pseudopod of fog as thick as his body suddenly thrust out of the cloud wall, striking right where he'd been about to step. He jumped back, his throat too tight with terror to scream, as the ground bubbled and smoked where the pseudopod had landed.

And once it had landed . . . it started questing about . . . seeking . . . searching . . . and writhing right towards him!

"Run!" he screamed at Sam, then took off running himself, back towards the Color Castle. He stopped about thirty feet away, heart hammering so fast it felt like one constant non-stop thud, then clambered up onto Sam's back the moment he stopped and knelt to be mounted.

All he wanted to do was race back to the Castle. Back to safety. Far far away from that malignant, malevolent cloud. But if he did . . . most, if not all, of the sprites here wouldn't know what terrible danger they were in. Shaking like a leaf he brought Sam to a stop once they reached the first of the houses. He didn't wait for Sam to kneel this time. Instead he dropped like a stone off his side, landing in a heap, then lurched to his feet and staggered over to the door.

Hammering on it he cried out, "Run! You gotta run! Flee to the castle, there's danger! Pass the word!"

He went to the next house, then to another, then another, until he'd roused enough sprites to spread the word and get everyone to safety.

Assuming, of course, that the Castle was going to, after all and in the end, provide any safety!

[Brownie]

Part 6

Several beads of grayish water trickled down the stone face, disappearing in the ground as soon as it reached there. Just ahead of him the fog momentarily parted, revealing the winding surface of the road before closing again and obscuring it. Red always found the fog here disturbing and unnatural. It seemed most times as if almost alive in how it twisted and writhed.

Actually he found all of the Pits unnatural and disturbing, although he'd never admit to anyone just how chilling and gloomy, unsettling and dismal, he found here to be. He never liked going into the Pits, not for any reason.

Although, admittedly, this time he had better reasons than most.

If he was right (and of course he was; he was Red Butler after all!) then Murky's castle should be about three sprite-ball fields ahead. That sounded quite a long way off . . . until you considered that those last three hundred yards were probably the most dangerous distance yet to traverse. And now he had a difficult choice to make.

Did he choose the easy yet obvious way, or elect traveling the difficult but more subtle and concealed paths? Each was equally dangerous, and each had their own set of unique challenges and perils.

The easy way was simply continuing up the road. Of course that route lead to Murky's front door. Needless to say Red highly doubted that approach wasn't being watched. But it equally led to the castle itself and, once close, there were numerous additional means of entrance. Like windows and balconies.

The subtle but much more challenging (and dangerous) method was leaving the road; if not right here than within another hundred yards or less. There were numerous cracks and crevasses, gullies and chasms, one could choose to advance to Murky's lair. The single advantage to that option was concealment and secrecy: it was virtually impossible for Murky to keep watch over all the potential pathways there. The prospective problems, however, were numerous. For one thing, the gloom and mist and fog made it very easy to become disoriented and lost. For another, while Murky might not have the ability to keep constant watch everywhere, he didn't necessarily have to do so. He was quite cunningly inventive when it came to traps, after all. Nor was he the only creature living here. And anything and everything that called the Pits their home would be inimical and hostile to them.

Plus, taking those routes would make it extremely difficult for Starlite to navigate and traverse them. Magnificent he might be, but he still had all the limitations of his equine heritage. And passages and paths the kids might wriggle through and past would be impossible for him to do so.

Red hated how he was feeling at this moment. The 'before' and 'after' of an adventure, challenge, or ordeal was one thing, the 'during' quite another. He enjoyed the thrill he felt when facing a challenge. He certainly enjoyed the flush and satisfaction of victory afterwards! But, during?

He preferred not dwelling on those moments.

Red had lost count of how many times he'd been in the Pits, either voluntarily or otherwise. Normally he didn't dwell on those times, which was actually pretty easy to do. He, like all the Color Kids, pretty much lived in the 'here-and-now', much as any kid did. Theirs was a worriless, joyful, day-to-day existence. They didn't mope about the past nor did they brood or fret about the future, and each day was a new day, full of delight and joy, wonder and splendor.

It wasn't as if they forgot the past, or were unable to fathom the future, no. In that aspect they differed from true kids. They were always aware of their responsibilities and work; they planned for the future when and where they could, and learned from past mistakes and experiences. They just didn't choose to dwell and live in the past.

Well, not when it came to bad or unpleasant things, anyway. Red, much like all the others, certainly enjoyed looking back on the past and remembering fun, exciting and happy times, or making plans for future occasions, like picnics and parties and fairs. However, creeping through the Pits wasn't one of those!

Although all of them got a lot of practice at creeping and hiding like this, for they often played games like Hide-and-Seek, Tag, and Murky-and-Color Kids. Not only were they great fun to play, but they also had the added benefit of honing such skills as running, hunting, tracking, hiding, and observation. Unhappily necessary skills when your closest neighbor was Murky Dismal!

Red grinned, recalling the last game of Murky-and-Color Kids they'd played. Violet almost always played Murky since she was the only one clever enough to create truly ingenious plots and plans, and she'd done the same that time. Normally one of the head sprites played Lurky, although IQ never had but once. He'd really disliked having to act so physically and mentally clumsy so they never pressed him to do so again. Now and then, though, one of the other kids would play Lurky. It was always exhilarating when Patty did, for instance, because she'd help Violet come up with wicked practical jokes as traps and tricks! But this last time Indigo had played the role of Lurky, and she'd done such a convincing job that everyone had burst into laughter . . . and, as a result, they'd all been 'captured' by 'Murky'.

Suddenly he grew quite grim. It certainly wouldn't be anywhere near as amusing, he thought, if Murky captured them all this time! As much as he enjoyed the occasions he was in charge, at this moment the heavy mantle and burden of responsibility was feeling extraordinarily weighty and daunting. He glanced back down the path, where the rest of the Color Kids —all of them, in fact— were waiting, obscured by the writhing gloomy mists.

Well, all of them but Tickled, he amended. But Tickled was a rather atypical case, more of a well, secondary Color Kid rather than a primary one like Lala, Canary and the others. That didn't make her inferior to the others, no. But that didn't make it any less accurate, either. Red through Violet was definitely primary: singular and unique. Tickled, on the other hand, was more multi-faceted, dealing with secondary, blended colors that, in and of themselves, were unique, but were also entirely dependent on the primary ones for their existence.

Red felt queasiness deep in his tummy, knowing every single Color Kid was in the Pits with him. Given his druthers he'd have felt much more comfortable had a few stayed behind in Rainbow Land. But considering the circumstances even he hadn't seen any other choice, and at least they'd all agreed to leave their head sprites behind. Although none of them, from Romeo to IQ, had been pleased with that decision.

None of them, not even Violet, understood what had happened to Rainbow. And Violet had certainly tried her hardest! But all she could determine had been two things: whatever had been done would become irrevocable once night had fallen . . . and that any chance they had of reversing things would require the Color Belt.

So here they all were, and Red was still facing a difficult choice. One that, very likely, would make the difference between salvation and victory . . . or failure and destruction.

Well, they'd already passed one hurdle: that laughable excuse for a trick! Obviously Murky was rushing things if that had been the best he could come up with! If so, then perhaps he hadn't had time to come up with additional devious traps or distractions!

His ears perked up, hearing the low but distinctive clippity-clop, clippety-clop from behind him. That could only be Starlite. And about time, too!

A few minutes later and Buddy Blue slipped beside him. "Well?" Red whispered.

Buddy pushed his headband up a bit. "All clear," he whispered back.

"What do you mean, 'all clear'?"

"Starlite said that Brownie character just gave up and walked off."

"Walked off, where?" Red felt a thread of alarm. Was that simacrulum (the term Violet used) heading back to Murky's even now?

Buddy shrugged, obviously not thinking that far ahead. "Starlite said off the other way. Down towards Rainbow Land," he helpfully added.

Red suddenly burst into sniggering giggles. "What's so funny?" Buddy asked.

"Oh, I hope he goes all the way to the Color Castle!" When Buddy just looked puzzled he added, "Just picture the reception he'll get from Stormy!"

Buddy suddenly covered his mouth with both hands, smothering his laughter. "Oh my!" he finally wheezed. "He'll be lucky if all he gets is singed!"

Red grinned, his eyes merry and twinkling as he nodded, tousled mass of vibrant red hair bobbing. Then he looked back up the road again.

"So what's the plan?" Buddy softly murmured, both of them keeping careful watch ahead and to every side.

Red quietly related everything he'd already pondered, while Buddy just listened, nodding now and then.

"So we either blitz or do a reverse pattern," he finally said once Red was finished.

Red silently groaned. Trust Buddy to state things in sports terms! But he just had to grin; it wouldn't be Buddy, after all, if he hadn't!

"That's pretty much it, yeah," he agreed.

"So . . . what do you think we should do?"

Red felt his tummy get all knotted up again. "Ummm—," he started, as option after option —and worse, potential disaster after disaster— flashed through his head. "I think our best choice is start where Murky would least likely suspect us to go: the Colorless Caves."

Buddy winced. That might not be the least likely place Murky might suspect them to go, it was also the very last place Buddy would ever choose to visit!

"Listen," Red continued, "We know at least three different back ways to get there, and Starlite can manage all of them. Kinda," he amended. Starlite certainly could manage them, true, but it would be an extremely tight and uncomfortable fit for him at times.

"Once we're inside, we're also out of sight. We can keep grouped there and send out only a couple of us to find and get the belt. Then, once we have it, we can dash right out the front and head straight back to Rainbow Land."

The two of them softly murmured for several more minutes, refining the plan, before stealthily moving back to the others. So far they seen neither hide nor hair of Murky or Lurky, and they wanted to keep it that way!

Unfortunately for them, although they'd kept a close watch up the road and all around them, they'd completely missed the metallic mechanical flower mere feet above them on the rock wall.

******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ********

"Ah ha ha ha ha ha! Hee hee har har har!"

"Whatcha laughing for Murky?" Lurky asked, looking puzzled and scratching his head.

Murky just doubled over with maniacal laughter, holding his belly and roaring. Finally he managed to control himself, although his beady eyes continued glittering with malevolent glee. "It's those color brats!" he chortled, rubbing gloved hands together. "They're going exactly where I wanted them to go! I don't even have to trick them into going there!"

"Goodie goodie goodie!" Lurky cheered, capering about. Then he stopped and gave Murky a blank look of confusion. "Uhhhh . . . where's dat Murky?"

"To the colorless caves lame-brain!" Murky snarled.

Lurky scratched his head again looking, if at all possible, even more confused. "You want dem to go there Murky?" he asked. "But isn't dat where ya hid da Color Belt though?"

Groaning Murky just shook his head. He started to explain —again!— then decided not to do so. Hopping down off the stool he'd been standing atop he scuttled over to a window. Peering out he could just see the road leading up to the yawning, gaping entrance to his castle. Somewhere down there, just around the bend of the road, were those meddlesome brats. And soon —soon!— they'd be captured! Imprisoned forever in the colorless caves, drained of all color and hope.

Scurrying over to one of the benches in his laboratory Murky consulted a bizarre hourglass. The sands were about three-quarters of the way emptied into the bottom bowl. He chortled again. When that sand was all the way emptied from the upper bowl, that Rainbow brat would be finished! Her only hope was her Color Belt! And if her hypothetical rescuers were here . . .

She was finished! At last! At long last!

Rainbow Land would soon belong to him! And when it did . . . he'd drain all the color out of it, suck all hope and happiness from there . . .

. . . and after that, he'd do the same to all the Earth!

Murky leaned his head back and roared with laughter, his glee echoing from the walls.

******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ********

"I don't like —oof!— this one little —uuhh!— bit!"

"Shhhh!" Red tried very hard to keep from glaring back at Starlite. Nor was he the only one making hushing sounds either. He couldn't blame him one little bit: the path they were taking was close and cramped, and definitely wasn't easy for him. But if Starlite didn't stop complaining each and every time he almost got stuck. . .

Somehow they'd managed to get this far unscathed and unspotted. Looming before them was Murky's castle, an ominous, brooding, gloomy mass of dark gray basalt and granite. In addition to the omnipresent dreary, dismal fog and mist now were now noisome, noxious vapors. One whiff of those, no matter how slight, and your eyes watered and you coughed so hard you almost retched.

But also just ahead was a crevasse that slanted downwards, descending into the bowels of the Pits and, ultimately, beneath Murky's castle. If they could just make it to that point the chances of being spotted dramatically decreased!

Which meant, of course, that their chance of success markedly improved, too!

They had to hurry, no matter what. Although they couldn't see the sky above —nor the sun itself, for that matter— Red knew (and Violet confirmed) they hadn't much time left at all. In fact, when they found the belt Starlite was going to have to gallop off on his own with it, leaving the kids behind. Otherwise this mission would be for naught.

One by one they crept down the crevasse, each of them feeling the willies as they did. Red took the lead with Starlite bringing up the rear. Finally, after many long minutes, he breathed a sigh of relief. They'd managed entering the bottommost area of the Colorless Caves without being spotted. And now it was time to begin searching!

"OK," he whispered as they all huddled together. "I'm gonna go and take a look around. Canary, you and Violet come with me. The rest of you stay here and try to hide."

There was some muttering and grumbles of complaint at that. "Listen," Red patiently explained. "If we all split up we increase the chance of getting spotted or getting trapped. Violet—," he sighed, sounding annoyed, "Are you listening? This is important!"

"So is this. Look," she said, crouched down and leaned forwards, closely examining the floor.

"Oh! Tracks!" Canary happily exclaimed. "Recent ones too!"

Red padded over and looked. Both Violet and Canary were right. The floor here was a bit dusty and gritty, and tracks could clearly be seen.

"OK. Good job Violet!"

Violet peered up through her glasses, ducking her head a bit at the praise before standing up.

Very carefully Red had the others fan out a bit and, whenever one of them discovered signs of the trail they all gathered back together again before heading off in the new direction.

Within ten minutes they'd followed the trail to a grotto off to one side. The entrance was rather small and almost hidden by a small group of stalagmites. Squeezing past those they entered the grotto, an almost perfectly circular cave that, due to the outer stalagmites, they'd have passed right by save for the scuffed dust trail that lead there.

"C'mon Violet!" Red softly hissed, for Violet had stopped at those conical stone formations, leaning forward and peering at them quite closely. The last thing he needed was Violet getting distracted by something scientific-ey!

Right smack-dab in the middle of the grotto was another stalagmite, this one not much taller than he was. They searched all around but didn't see a single sign of the belt, nor any sign of digging, or any other indication of a hiding place. Red looked up from a tiny crack in the floor he'd been examining and his eyes rolled. "Violet!" he hissed. "We're here to search, not sight-see!" for Violet was, once again, peering closely at a stalagmite, this time the central one.

"I'm not sight-seeing Red," she countered as she straightened up. "But this doesn't look right."

"What do you mean?" asked Patty.

"Well, a stalagmite —that's what this is, after all; or, well, supposed to be I guess— is a conical mineral deposit, usually calcite or aragonite, built up on the floor of a cavern, formed from the dripping of mineral-rich water."

Red tried not to groan as Violet started taking off. Lala, however, padded over and looked closer at it. "It looks pretty, err, conical minerally whatever-you-just-said to me!"

"Well, there's three basic problems with it," Violet said. Pointing up at the roof of the small cavern she asked, "So where's the dripping water that made this coming from?"

Everyone peered up, and almost all of them softly gasped. For, indeed, the top of the ceiling looked bone dry, without any sign at all of dripping water.

"What are the other two?" Indigo softly asked.

"Well, one is that this is neither calcite nor aragonite," Violet explained. "And the other is—," she paused, then reached out and smartly rapped the stalagmite, which gave off a soured, discordant gong, "it's hollow."

The small grotto echoed with sharply inhaled gasps. "That's it!" Red excitedly whispered. "Murky must have hidden Rainbow Color Belt inside it!"

Red, Buddy, Patty and Canary eagerly surrounded the stalagmite, examining, poking and prodding, almost pushing Violet out of the way in their enthusiasm. They rapped and knocked, searched for cracks or keyholes. Nothing they did worked, and it wasn't until Patty accidentally —or luckily— tried rotating the stalagmite that anything happened.

With a low grinding noise the stalagmite turned a bit. With a spine-chilling screech the top of the stalagmite opened, popping open like a weird Jack-in-the-box. The base of the 'lid' was flat, as was the top of the remaining stalagmite. And, perched atop the flat surface of the stalagmite was the Color Belt!

Red gave a soft cry of joy and immediately reached for it. "Wait!" Violet cried out. But that was far too slow . . . and far too late.

No sooner had Red triumphantly clutched the belt than two things happened. With an earsplitting, tooth aching shrill squeal the stalagmites at the entrance of the grotto abruptly lurched up . . . while a matching but complementary set of stalactites thrust down, meeting in the middle like gnashing fangs. They ground to a halt, leaving but a finger's width gap between them.

No sooner had all heads jerked in that direction then they'd all swiveled back as Red gave out a startled cry. Staggering backwards the belt in his hand abruptly changed to shades of dull, lifeless gray. Then it shimmered, a decidedly dreadful, appalling gloom around it . . . and stretched. Elongated.

Before Red could hurl it away from him in revulsion and shock the belt sinuously wrapped itself 'round and 'round him. In moments Red was completely encased, head to toe, in the fabric.

Lala cried out in fright and horror, hands up to her mouth, too shocked and stunned to move. Red tottered a moment and would have painfully fallen except Buddy and Canary both lunged for him, grabbing him before he fell.

While those two tugged and yanked, pulled and heaved to free him the others raced over to the stalactite/stalagmite bars of what was now their prison. But they had the same success as did Buddy and Canary: none at all.

It didn't take very long at all before the gloom of the Colorless Caves started leeching them of hope. Red was still helplessly shrouded and encased like a mummy, all of the rescue mission were trapped, and they'd lost the only chance at retrieving the Color Belt which meant that Rainbow Brite was now doomed along with the rest of them.

It didn't take being trapped and imprisoned in the Colorless Caves for them to feel despair and hopelessness. The very knowledge of their situation was enough for that!

[Brownie]

Who Guards the Guardians?

Soon there was a veritable tide of sprites dashing to the castle. Brownie saw that, instead of just blindly fleeing, all were stopping en route to the Castle, and safety, and rousing their neighbors. No one was going to be left behind, he saw, so he finally stopped running long enough to climb back up onto Sam once his horse helpfully knelt to be mounted.

Glancing back he felt a frisson of fear. The cloud wall seemed to froth and seethe, and now was visibly moving forwards. Swallowing hard he shuddered. There was something malevolently inexorable and . . . hungry . . . about that cloud. And as he had a pretty good notion as to the source of it, well . . .

Nudging Sam into a canter he clung on for dear life as they, too, headed back to the castle. It never occurred to him to go anywhere else. It hadn't been a matter of the Castle being the only sanctuary. He would have still headed there even had there been other, even better, places of safety. For the Color Castle was the center of Rainbow Land, as Rainbow Brite was its heart and soul.

And both were being attacked.

Sam slowed to a walk just before reaching the bridge then sedately plodded onto it, stopping near Skydancer. Stormy had an odd, almost strained look to her face as she kept staring off into the distance at the cloud. "Well?" she curtly asked.

Brownie explained all he'd seen . . . and felt. "It looks just like thick fog," he finally said, "but it also acted, umm, somewhat alive, too." He shivered anew, remembering the pseudopod that had hungrily quested after him.

Stormy had a grim look as she continued gravely watching. "Any sign of the Color Kids? Or Starlite? Or Twink or the other sprites?"

Brownie shook his head and softly replied, "Not that I saw, no."

"Tickled said that Rainbow is still out like a light," Stormy finally said, a little waver to her voice. "If we can't get her to wake up, I don't know what's going to happen. That has to be something of Murky's, and if it is, he's not going to stop until he's destroyed all of Rainbow Land."

Brownie guided Sam until he was facing away from the Castle and standing alongside Stormy and Skydancer. They silently looked off into the distance, each lost in their own thoughts and fears.

"What do you think—," "Do you have any—"

Brownie felt his face grow hot as he ducked his head, while Stormy just blinked then struggled not to giggle. After being quiet for so long it was pretty funny that the both of them had suddenly started speaking at the same time!

After a few moments Brownie sheepishly grinned, peeking over at Stormy. Once he'd gotten over his initial embarrassment that had been pretty funny! Then his face grew bleak as he gazed back out at the distant cloud wall. Seeing that instantly extinguished any amusement he'd felt. "What do you think we should do?" he asked again, this time finishing the question.

"I don't know," Stormy admitted, then finished her own question. "Do you have any ideas?"

Brownie wished he did. This was all still so very new, even if it did seem oddly familiar in some ways. Giving a little shrug he shook his head. "Not really. Everything I've thought of would require Rainbow. Like making a color wall, or dispersing that wall with a rainbow."

Stormy nodded. She'd pretty much been thinking the same things herself. She'd considered going inside and waking Rainbow, but if Tickled said Rainbow wasn't waking up well . . . she wasn't waking up and that was that. There was no use wishing for snow in August after all.

"I'm guessing some sort of diabolic machine of Murky's creation is making that," Brownie slowly said, as if speaking his thoughts out loud. "I guess if the machine was broke or destroyed that fog would disperse and go away."

Well, that made sense to Stormy. "And?" she prompted when Brownie stayed silent for a bit.

"Hmmm? Oh!" he blushed. "Ah, well . . . I guess the big questions are where that machine, or machines, are; whether they're guarded or not; and, if guarded, how are they guarded. Oh, and whether Murky or Lurky or both are with the machine. And how difficult will it be to break, or stop, whatever's making that."

Gazing out in the distance he softly added, "The biggest question, I think, is how anyone would survive unscathed getting through that cloud to begin with. It's not going to help at all if whoever goes out there to destroy the machine —assuming, of course, that's what's actually making that awful stuff— gets effected by the cloud."

Stormy just nodded as they both went back to silently watching, each of them feeling helpless, a sensation that Stormy was quite unused to feeling and didn't at all like.

'Stormy?" Brownie finally, hesitantly began.

"Hmmm?"

"I'm not very familiar with the scope of your powers. Well, except that they're pretty awesome. I know you can make snow and sleet and rain and hail. Well, obviously lightning, too," he added with a little grin. Oh, that she could make lightning was something he was definitely aware! "But can you make wind, too?"

Stormy disdainfully snorted, tossing her braid. "Well, of course! Can't make a blizzard without wind you know!"

Brownie held up a hand in apology. "That's not what I meant though. I know winds are parts of storms. But can you just make wind? Just wind? And can you intentionally control and direct that?"

She opened her mouth, about to haul him over the coals when she paused then grew very thoughtful. "Hmmmm." She grew very thoughtful, a little frowny look of concentration furrowing her brows, having instantly grasped the point of his questions. And they were very interesting questions, too!

Stormy had no doubt at all she could generate fierce winds. But normally she just whipped up a storm and rode that wildness. Oh yes, she quite often added her own style to them, like extra lightning or additional inches of snow. But the wind . . . well, that was just part of the storm. She might guide the storms where she wanted them to go, but the winds borne of those storms had lives of their own, blustering and blowing where they chose.

But could she create, and then control, just wind?

And it couldn't be just any wind either, she considered. Too fast or too blustery and it might just shred the cloud into pieces and portions without actually pushing it back, while too mild a zephyr and it wouldn't have any useful effect. It would have to be mild and steady, plus constant in direction. She wouldn't be able to just craft and create it then let it go. No, she'd have to keep it in constant, non-stop check and control.

And to put the anvil on the thunderhead, she'd have to do all that from down here. From on the ground.

"You're thinking of using the wind as a temporary way of keeping the cloud at bay?"

Brownie nodded. "I wish it could be a permanent way," he admitted. "But I'm very much afraid that'll likely require Rainbow to do that. But if you could just keep it from coming any closer, that'll buy Rainbow Land a lot of time. It'll buy us time."

Actually, Brownie realized that 'us' wasn't exactly accurate. Stormy was neither trapped here, confined to the ground as everyone else was, nor was she, strictly speaking, an inhabitant of Rainbow Land. She was the Queen of winter; Mistress of rain, lightning and wild storms.

But while those would always come first for her, Stormy also had friends and acquaintances here. And, truth be told, she found a great deal of marvel and delight helping make things bright and colorful when she could (and, well, when she chose). She would no more turn her back on Rainbow Land and her friends there, or for what Rainbow Land stood for, than she would refute her own wild power and abandon winter, rain and lightning.

Closing her eyes Stormy sat very still atop Skydancer who, in turn, grew very still as well, instinctively sensing his Mistress gathering and marshalling her powers. Brownie remained utterly quiet as well, although his eyes rounded in awe and wonder —and, admittedly, no little fear— at the serene yet passionate expression on Stormy's face.

Moments later he felt a brush against his cheek. Then felt a passing zephyr. A few fallen leaves at the foot of the bridge stirred.

Tickled walked out at that moment. Curiously gazing up at Stormy a moment she then looked at Brownie. "Shhhh!" he very softly hushed, holding forefinger to his lips. "I'll explain in a bit."

Tickled just nodded, although remaining quite curious. Both of them quietly watched Stormy as the fitful zephyrs slowly steadied, as they gradually altered into a gentle breeze.

Stormy gave a little grunt then although she kept her eyes closed tight, little hands fisted atop her lap. Leaning down Brownie softly whispered to Tickled, explaining what was going on, telling her all their thoughts and worries and what they'd come up with.

"If she asks," Brownie finally whispered, "Tell her I've gone off to check how this is working."

Then he squeaked as an irritated voice muttered, "I'm working. I'm not deaf."

Tickled giggled as Brownie's face and ears turned the color of her hair.

"Umm, ah, well . . . erm . . .,"

Tickled giggled again, gaily waving as Sam slowly plodded across the bridge. "Do be careful!" she called out.

Brownie gave a little wave back. Oh, he was going to be careful all right!

******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ********

Murky leaned his head back, his rounded belly jiggling as he erupted in cackles. "It works! It works!" he gleefully exulted. "I've finally gotten rid of that Rainbow brat, those dratted Color Kids and that miserable horse of hers are my prisoners, and soon Rainbow Land will be covered in gloom, all color, hope and happiness destroyed forever!"

His latest invention, the Gloom Consumer, was fitfully sputtering away, the multiple discharge tubes belching out alarming quantities of his latest gloom cloud concoction. The noisome fog hugged the ground in grim, dreadful clouds, forming a thick wall that was slowly surrounding Rainbow Land and steadily creeping inwards. The large glass bubble on top was mostly empty, which meant he'd have to refill the Gloom Consumer with more of his brew, but that was fine by him. There wasn't any rush, after all. There was no one left to foil him this time!

He'd been working on this plan for ages, and it had flawlessly performed, exceeding his wildest dreams!

Especially as he'd been quite a bit, well, both suspicious and hesitant about what he'd discovered during his latest nefarious researches!

Murky's expertise lay in what could be loosely described as chemistry. Almost everything he'd invented and created, from the least of his gloom clouds all the way to the (disappointing and frightening) creation of the Monstromurk, had been products of his laboratory. Now and then he'd tried dabbling in other Arts, but always to his regret. Each and every time when he had, he'd learned to his dismay that most of those 'experts' had been nothing more than charlatans or quacks.

But, this time, he'd found a portion of a tattered old tome that spoke of an Art he'd never encountered before. Something that translated as Thaumakhemetic. It had taken him ages to translate the little remnant he'd possessed but, when he had, he'd erupted in gleeful howls.

After years of experimentation he'd gradually started mastering the skills required to utilize what little he'd learned. And his reward, so far, had been two tiny slivers of the oddest material he'd ever before encountered.

In fact, it had been fiendishly difficult realizing he had succeeded, for the substance was extremely peculiar. It was impossible to see, but neither was it invisible. It was as if it were there, but not there, too.

The first sliver he'd carefully ground into very fine powder, mixing that with a decoction of super gloom cloud. That had been what he'd used on that Rainbow brat earlier today and it had exceeded his wildest expectations. It hadn't just robbed her of all hope and happiness but had frozen her stiff as statue as well. And once night had fallen it would collapse on itself, taking it and whatever (or, in this case, whoever) was encased inside along with it.

Where that was Murky wasn't quite sure. The ragged, charred pages he had in his possession didn't fully explain. But Murky didn't need a full explanation. There was enough there to identify that whatever dimension 'there' was, it was a dimension utterly devoid of even a shred of color. Which made it a fitting place to banish forever that Rainbow brat!

Then after he'd engloomed and immobilized the brat he'd raced back to the Pits, stopping first along the way and hiding the Color Belt he'd taken from her. He'd known it wouldn't take long at all before those busybody Color Kids came to recover that belt, and Murky already had things prepared for them.

And that, too, had impeccably worked. Oh, they'd taken longer to arrive than he'd expected. But arrive they had and, to his glee and delight, they'd even chosen to go the one place he'd wanted them to go! Murky had no doubt at all he'd trap some of them. But he'd roared with diabolical laughter when he'd gone down once the signal had gone off indicating the trap had been sprung to check how many mice had gone after the cheese. He'd captured them all! Every last color kid, and that pesky horse and annoying sprite of the brat's as well!

The eternal, perpetual gloom of the colorless caves was already sapping them. But when Murky had chortled, telling them that night had fallen, that they'd failed, that Rainbow Brite had been destroyed forever . . .

Their despair, despondence and depression had thickened to a delightful, palpable pall of misery and hopelessness!

He'd left then. And he wasn't going back. He had no need to do so. They had no hope, and nothing to hold out hope for. And the colorless caves would soon finish them off for him.

All that was left to do now was take care of Rainbow Land. There were no defenders left, and very soon it would be his! At last!

The other sliver he'd created was inside the Gloom Consumer. As the liquid gloom brew bubbled its way through the piping it swirled around that sliver just before being ejected as dense, thick, dreary, colorless clouds. The sliver somehow altered his gloom potion, enhancing it. And Murky was gleefully delighted in how that enhancement was performing!

He was about to summon Lurky and head back to the Pits for more gloom potion when he felt a fitful gust. Within minutes it was a gentle but steady draft blowing towards him. He immediately realized he'd been wrong about one thing: Rainbow Land still had at least one defender. It had to be that Stormy.

But instead of being enraged Murky was delighted. For if that was Stormy creating that breeze . . . then that definitely meant Rainbow Brite was gone! Otherwise there'd be a disgusting rainbow attacking his gloom wall!

And if that was Stormy, well . . . she couldn't keep that breeze up forever. Eventually she'd grow tired. Exhausted and fatigued. And when that happened —and it would! . . .

Murky cackled with diabolical glee all the way back to the Pits and his castle. Victory was his! He'd finally won!

******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ********

"Well?"

Brownie came to a halt, Sam's nose almost touching Skydancer's. "Looks like it's working," he murmured in response to Tickled's softly asked question. "I watched it for about ten minutes and it didn't move closer. In fact, Stormy's pushed it back a little."

There was a low pleased grunt from Stormy, who was still sitting there with her eyes closed and resembling a statue.

"Now what?" Tickled quietly asked.

Brownie winced a little. 'Darn it,' he thought, 'Couldn't you have waited just a little bit before asking that?'

"Good question," was all he replied though, as he carefully turned Sam around then backed him until once more alongside Skydancer and looking back towards the cloud . . . and the Pits.

Tickled leaned down and whispered something to an indigo sprite who softly squeaked before racing off. A few minutes later two indigo sprites returned, each carefully holding a big mug that lightly steamed. Tickled took one and handed it up to a surprised Brownie. "Here."

Carefully —very carefully— Brownie leaned over to take it. "What is it?" he asked, then immediately went, "Oh!" once he'd sat back up and really looked at the mug. Actually the aroma is what caught his attention. That, and the thick, white, creamy topping.

Taking a judicious sip his eyes closed as he sighed with pleasure, and Tickled softly giggled at the whipped cream mustache on his lips. "I thought you and Stormy might like some hot cocoa," she said.

Several more sprites then scurried out onto the bridge. Four green ones carried two wicker baskets full of lush green grass between them, setting them in front of Skydancer and Sam. Another two, these yellow, carried wide buckets of crystalline clear water, and again sat those out for the horses. Sam gratefully whickered, lowering his head and diving into the thick verdant grass fortified with rich clover. Skydancer just stood there, as much a statue as Stormy, although a soft whicker showed appreciation.

Brownie cupped the mug between his hands, enjoying the warmth as much as he did the taste. Slowly sipping he kept a silent watch along with Stormy. And as he did something kept niggling at him.

Finally, after a very long time, he softly murmured, "We can't just wait like this." There was a low inquisitive grunt from Stormy, while Tickled softly asked, "What do you mean?"

Brownie gestured outwards. "If we just stay like this, on the defensive, we're asking for trouble. Murky isn't likely to just sit there and take this. And besides, even if he does . . .," he trailed off, glancing sideways at Stormy. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead, her face was starting to look drawn and tight. "Stormy can't keep this up for forever," he quietly murmured.

"Stormy can keep this up for as long as she needs to," Stormy gritted out.

Brownie exchanged glances with Tickled who just shrugged. And so the two of them kept silent vigil with Stormy, as high overhead the most beautiful moon Brownie had ever seen gradually traversed the sky. Now and then Tickled quietly crept inside to check on Rainbow, and each time she returned she just silently shook her head at Brownie. Sam dozed, and Brownie had nodded off a time or two himself.

It was only an hour or two before dawn and by now Stormy's hair was dank, her face deeply lined with exhaustion, little tremors racing through her. But the breeze continued, the gloom wall held at bay.

"If they were coming back they should be back by now shouldn't they," Brownie murmured to Tickled. She solemnly nodded, her huge eyes shimmering. "How is Rainbow doing?" he softly asked.

"Better," Tickled replied. "But she's still very weak and groggy."

Brownie wondered if that was because it was still night. Whatever had been used on her had been keyed to nightfall and perhaps they'd cut things a bit too close. Maybe she'd be fine once dawn arrived. Assuming they lasted that long, he worried, a little shiver racing though him as he gazed at Stormy, seeing the immense strain she was under.

It wasn't just that making him shiver, he suddenly realized. There was . . . something . . . impelling him. Something important. But what?

"If they aren't back by now," he softly murmured. Tickled looked up, her eyes widening a bit at Brownie's expression, for his eyes were unfocused and distant. "Then that most likely means that either Murky has captured them, or worse. If it's worse," he murmured, a little pain to his voice, "there's nothing we can do. If it isn't, then they need help."

Tickled nodded to herself, paying very close attention to this uncanny monologue.

"Rainbow can't go after them. For one, she isn't up to it. For another, very soon, like it or not, Stormy is going to need rest. Out of all of us, only Rainbow can spell Stormy. Only Rainbow can keep that cloud at bay, and hopefully even disperse it for good."

"But when she does either, Murky will know —not guess, but know!— that Rainbow is still here. That his plans for her failed. And he'll still have his captives. I don't know what his plans for them are," he said in a very distant, low murmur, "but whatever they are, he's likely to change them once he realized Rainbow is still here. They have to be rescued before he discovers that."

"Stormy can't go. For one, she's needed here until Rainbow can relieve her and take over. For another, she's already exhausted."

"Am not," came an utterly drained, fatigued denial.

"So that leaves Tickled, Moonglo and me. Moonglo won't be back until dawn, which is likely to be too late. Tickled is needed to care for Rainbow and Stormy."

Tickled softly gasped as Sam, without warning, started ambling off. "Stormy, when I reach the wall, I'll need you to blast a hole through it. Not for long, just a couple of seconds."

"Wait! Brownie, where are you going?" Tickled softly cried as she scurried after him.

Sam paused a moment, and this time when Brownie looked down he seemed 'here' instead of 'there'. "To the Pits," he murmured, then Sam started slowly trotting off.

[Brownie]

[left]Part 8

In the crepuscular light of the setting moon the cloud wall looked even spookier. It seethed just feet in front of him, and Brownie was very alert for any sign the cloud might be sensing his presence. Especially since they were currently standing in the 'no mans land' between the cloud and Rainbow Land, an area where the cloud had been but Stormy's breeze had pushed it back. It was a ghastly strip of land absolutely devoid of anything alive, nothing left but stones and dirt, and even the dirt looked unhealthy and lifeless.[/left][/size]
This was not one of his better ideas, Brownie thought. Then again, as he'd only less than a day's worth of reliable memories, he really didn't have much to compare this idea to. Still, he was pretty sure that heading into the Pits like this, 'armed' with only a flask of water that he'd gotten from Tickled at the last moment, simply had to make the list of 'not good ideas' somewhere.

And, of course, now that he was actually here, one glaring flaw hit him right off the bat. How was he supposed to signal Stormy to let loose—

Brownie had an instant of warning; Sam's head abruptly shot up, his entire body tensed. Then, without any forewarning save that, a truly ferocious blast of wind struck them. Sam screamed as that hit, his alarmed whinny lost in the shrieking howl of that gale.

It was so powerful it staggered them. It drove Sam forward, hooves stumbling as he struggled for balance. Which would have been a terrible disaster, except that the roiling cloud wall in front of them vanished at the same time. It hadn't been simply blown backwards. It had been instantly shredded.

It lasted only for a few seconds, but that was more than enough for them to stagger across and into the Pits. As quickly as it had erupted the wailing hurricane blast died, dropping back to no more than a whisper of itself.

Brownie shuddered, shocked not only by the unexpectedness of that blast but by its utter ferocity as well. 'Oh, I never, ever want Stormy annoyed and upset with me!' he fervently vowed.

Then both of them froze as a furious voice yelled out, "Careful lame-brain! Careful!"

Glancing to the side Brownie felt his blood freeze. Not thirty feet away was Murky. And Lurky as well! Murky was hopping up and down, clutching his helmet and screaming at Lurky.

"Blast that girl!" he screeched. "If she damaged my Gloom Consumer I'll . . . I'll . . .,"

Murky was working himself into a frothing rage, all his attention on a device in front of him. 'That must be the source of the cloud,' Brownie reasoned. 'A 'Gloom Consumer'. Whatever that is.'

Actually he had a fairly good idea what that was, having seen the results of its operation from the other side. Murky was paying no attention to anything other than his 'Gloom Consumer' —and Lurky's attempts at uprighting it, for Stormy's blast had the unexpected but welcome side effect of knocking it over— while Lurky's attention was entirely on following Murky's instructions.

For a moment Brownie debated. He now knew exactly what was generating that hideous cloud. And knew, as well, where that diabolical machine was. Perhaps instead of a rescue he should just destroy it while he had this chance?

He debated only a moment then silently touched Sam's neck. Sam slowly moved off, and while it wasn't possible for a horse to tiptoe Sam was doing a very credible imitation. Brownie leaned all the way over Sam's neck, trying to make himself as small as possible. Which, considering just how large his horse was . . . Brownie abruptly flushed, feeling foolish.

Slowly, very slowly, they crept deeper into the Pits and further away from Murky and Lurky. Finally Brownie risked a peek back then silently exhaled in relief. Although he could still hear Murky's furious, vexed exclamations he could no longer see them. Sitting upright he gently nudged Sam, who increased his pace just a bit.

Glancing back again Brownie wished he were sure his decision had been that of prudence and wisdom, for right now that seemed more of cowardice. He kept telling himself that rescuing the Color Kids was more important, but he couldn't shake the feeling he'd made that choice because it was also safer.

It wasn't until they were a good distance along the road that Sam slowly increased his pace to a smooth canter. Brownie once again found himself tightly holding on for dear life and wishing, not for the first time, for a saddle.

Ta-Ta-Tum! Ta-Ta-Tum! Ta-Ta-Tum! The steady rhythmic drum of Sam's hooves lifted Brownie's spirits. Sam might be a plain, old, ordinary horse (well, when compared to Starlite and Skydancer) but there was something . . . magical . . . about riding him like this. As gloomy, dour and dreary as the Pits were, as daunting and scary as his mission was, Brownie still broke into a dazzling grin as they cantered along.

"Whoa!" he softly murmured. "Hold on. Stop!"

Within five steps Sam had come to a complete halt, hooves skidding a moment or two as he decelerated. Brownie, on the other hand . . .

"Eeeeee!"

Violet could have explained it better; that 'objects in motion' stuff. Brownie found himself all the way up at Sam's head, having slid all the way up his neck when he abruptly slowed. Sam simply gave an amused sounding snort then lowered his blocky head down.

Sliding off his neck Brownie gave a little shudder. Yep, so what if neither Rainbow Brite nor Stormy used saddles? He'd happily sacrifice dignity and pride for comfort and security!

At least he hadn't lost the water flask along the way or after that stop!

Padding back down the road several steps he looked closely then nodded before stepping off the side of the road and over to the wizened, hoary tree. Crouching down he tugged the stopper free then slowly emptied the flask, pouring the water around the base of the tree. "Sorry it's not more," he whispered. "Kinda hard to carry more than this. But I had to come this way, and I'd made you a promise. Thanks again!" he said, gently patting the trunk as he stood up, for some reason feeling a lot better about things.

Clambering up on Sam's back he held tight as his horse stood up then quickly moved from a walk through a trot and back into a smooth rhythmic canter. Well, from this point on everything was going to be new to him, as this was a direction he hadn't, as yet, traveled.

Then Brownie surprised himself with a laugh. Considering what little he knew about here, pretty much everything had been 'new to him'!

It didn't take very long at all before they suddenly slid to a stop, for a huge, dismal, gloomy, hideous castle suddenly appeared in the fog and mist ahead. Brownie's heart jumped into overtime, painfully thudding, then he let out a gusty sigh, feeling foolish and ridiculous. There was nothing to fear, after all. Murky and Lurky were all the way down the road by Rainbow Land. It wasn't as if they were home at the castle!

If you could actually call that . . . monstrosity . . . a castle, Brownie considered. It resembled a wax sculpture of some kind of multi-horned fanged creature that had been left in the sun far too long and had started melting. It sat right in the center of a flat-topped, up thrust, rock pinnacle. Unlike a medieval castle it didn't have a proper moat. Then again it didn't need one, Brownie noted, as the sheer, slab sides of the peak were almost completely surrounded by wide-open air, which did a pretty decent imitation of a moat!

Instead of turrets and battlements the 'castle' —such as it was— seemed to have, well . . . smokestacks. Brownie couldn't think of a better, more accurate, term. Some were short and squat, some stubby and slender, and even one listing so far to the side he was surprised it hadn't already toppled over. The shortest, squattest, stubbiest of them all was the central one, and that was also the only one belching immense puffs of ghastly, appalling smoke.

There was the obvious main entrance, through that fanged-mouth opening, plus several other noticeable ones, mainly the 'eyes' of that 'skull'. There wasn't a great deal of ground around the castle, in most places it didn't seem any wider than the road itself. However, unlike the road, a misstep there would result in a terribly long fall.

Speaking of the road, Brownie glanced back. From this point forward and for a good distance back the road was all causeway. Brownie glanced down over the side and shuddered. It was a good distance down to the bottom, a deep enough drop it meant the end of them both if they fell. He felt himself dithering, unsure what to do or where to go.

Did he proceed forward, to the castle? Entering inside while Murky and Lurky were absent? Because if he was going to enter the castle, the time to do so was definitely when they weren't at home!

Or did he backtrack and look for another way in or around? Assuming there was another way to reach the castle that is.

Nothing seemed or felt familiar about this. Not like the little flashes he'd felt, for instance, upon first seeing the Color Kids or the Color Castle. Dread slowly started building inside him. This wasn't a dream. This wasn't make-believe. Things could happen to him. Bad things could happen to him. There was no calling out 'olly olly oxen free' and ending things.

There were seven kids, several sprites and a horse that were in deadly danger. Not pretend peril. Absolute, one hundred percent real.

All it would take is one error, one little mistake on his part and he'd be in just as deep as they were. And there were so so many ways of making mistakes! And unlike them, he didn't know the rules of this 'game-that-wasn't-a-game'.

He froze. Literally froze. A soft whimper slipped past his lips and his fingers gripped the little lock of mane at the base of Sam's neck so tightly someone would need a crowbar to pry them loose. He didn't know what to do! He didn't know what he was doing!

Suddenly Brownie shrieked as Sam abruptly rose upwards in a levade, balancing on his haunches, forelegs partially tucked back. He held on for dear life, Sam's back now resembling a sliding board, as his horse just held that strenuous position for several seconds. Then, with a low rumbling snort he dropped back down to all four legs, turned his head around, gazed back at his rider with one large, liquidly gleaming eye . . . and snorted.

It took several seconds for his heart to drop back down from his throat. Wildly looking around he didn't see anything that would have alarmed Sam to that degree. Then suddenly his face felt on fire. "I was losing it wasn't I," he shamefully whispered.

Sam just snorted again, this time much softer, then lipped the toe of Brownie's boot moccasin for a moment before looking forward again.

Taking a deep breath then letting it out in a gusty sigh Brownie slowly looked around, taking stock of things. He had no idea at all where the Color Kids were. But he did have the general understanding of why they'd come this way: they'd believed Murky Dismal had the Color belt in his possession and meant to recover it.

Like him, they'd have had one of two choices: right up to the castle, or another, more surreptitious route. Like him, they also had a horse along for the ride —if you'll pardon the pun. Unlike him, they had a much better understanding of the layout here. Still, they'd been facing the same basic set of choices as him.

There was no way he could take Sam inside. Not this way, anyway. He had no idea what the inside of Murky's castle looked like, but he was pretty sure it hadn't been constructed with ease of equine navigation in mind. There would be stairs, at the very least. And hallways. Both of which would make for extreme difficulty for Sam. Granted, Starlite was a great deal more intelligent, but cleverness only took you so far, and that certainly didn't change physics at all. You'd never get him —or Sam— up and down a trapdoor, for instance.

So he either left Sam here and continued on alone, or he backtracked and tried finding a more circuitous route inside.

They'd probably faced this same decision. But which option had they chosen? They might have chosen the former out of expediency, since they'd only until nightfall to successfully find, retrieve and return the Color Belt to Rainbow. But, if they had . . . then where was Starlite? Granted, it wasn't beyond the realm of possibility that Starlite had been seized. Especially, now that he considered it, if he'd seen the Color Kids captured. Starlite certainly wouldn't have left them to their fate without trying to rescue them!

Softly clucking Brownie told Sam to start walking. Shifting his weight he guided Sam around until facing back the way they'd come then slowly continued that way. Maybe he was going about this the wrong way he mused. Rather than trying to figure out what they had done, he considered, perhaps he should instead concentrate on what he should do and try. One thing for sure he'd have to do differently: unlike them, he couldn't take Sam with him. Clever as Sam might be compared to your average horse, he wasn't even close to Starlite's abilities.

They'd gone about a hundred feet at a slow walk when suddenly Sam stopped dead, his head flying up and ears swiveling forward. He anxiously whickered, then blew a snorted exhale. Brownie's head then shot up, his thoughts jerked from plots and plans. "Oh no!" he whispered in alarm, hearing the distant but unmistakable sputtering rumble of the Grunge Buggy. Murky and Lurky were heading this way!

Brownie frantically looked around. They were standing right in the middle of the causeway. Behind then lead right to Murky's castle. To either side were sheer drop-offs down to rocks and stones far below. And in front of him . . .

"Run!" he softly cried out, leaning forward and tightly clinging to Sam's muscled neck. With a single lurching bound Sam leapt right into an extended canter, hooves thundering, and Brownie shrilled as he tightly clung on for dear life. The closest spot where the causeway became a road again was about two hundred feet away, and if they didn't reach at least there before Murky and Lurky got here . . .

The distinctive and terrifying burping stutter of the Grunge Buggy grew quickly louder as they sprinted down the road. Brownie yelped as Sam's hooves skidded and slid as he braked, then yipped when Sam, with neither warning nor guidance, abruptly turned and vaulted off the side of the road and down into a sloping gully.

There wasn't, really, any true concealment here. The ground gently sloped and was pretty much wide open, no shrubs or bushes or trees anywhere. The two of them —especially Sam— were gonna stick out like two sore thumbs if either Murky or Lurky looked this way as they passed by. Wildly looking around, the increasing din of the Grunge Buggy (and therefore impending Doom) making his heart painfully thunder in his chest, Brownie spotted a tumbled set of boulders just to one side.

Sliding off Sam's side —and, once again, dropping a good distance before landing on his rump— Brownie quickly scrambled to his feet and dashed over behind the rocks. "Sam, over here!" he started to hiss then stammered to a stop, for Sam was already quickly ambling over. And not just docilely following along either. For once he'd reached the dubious cover he quickly knelt down, lowering himself to the ground before rolling onto his side, fore- and hind legs tucked up against his chest.

Brownie dropped to the ground as well, as flat as possible and as close to the shelter of the boulders as he could manage. No sooner had he done so that, with a series of loud, belched burps, the Grunge Buggy roared past, leaving behind a lingering cloud of noxious, nauseating exhaust . . . and a very grateful, utterly relieved, Brownie.

For several minutes he just lay there, waiting until his pulse returned to a reasonable semblance of normalcy. He couldn't quite figure out why just the thought of Murky was sending him into panic attacks. The little sense he could make of his traitorous memory seemed implying that Murky was little more than a clumsy, ineffectual megalomaniacal buffoon with delusions of grandeur, but that certainly wasn't how he felt about him!

Well, he supposed this gully was as good a place to investigate as anywhere else would be, he thought. For one thing, he and Sam here already (hopefully!) safely down here. For another, the gully did jut down below the level of the road so (again hopefully) they should be out of sight of the castle. So he'd just give those two time to park and go inside, then he'd start looking around a little and . . .

His thoughts abruptly came to a sudden stop as something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention at last. His head swiveled around, eyes locked onto the thing, hovering at the edge of perception, that had seized him.

He'd been wrong, he distantly noticed. Evidently things could, and did, grow here, for he was looking at a spindly little weed, more thorn than stem. It was wizened and brown and looked mostly dead. But that hadn't been what had caught his attention. No, that had been left to the tiny thread hooked on one of the hooked, barbed thorns.

A very tiny, and vibrantly yellow, wool thread. The first, and only, sign of color he'd seen in the Pits.

******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ********

It was very quiet, the only audible sound the soft scuffing of Canary's ballet slippers as she slowly paced back and forth over by the jutting stone fangs of their prison. She was fighting a desperate but losing battle against sinking into a slough of despair she knew, once she'd surrendered to that she'd never again recover.

Hours had passed since they'd first been trapped and, since then, all the others —save, so far, her— had been implacably leeched of hope and resistance.

The first to have succumbed had been Indigo, who had sat down against the far wall, brought her knees up to her chest and sat curled up in a tight ball with her arms tightly wrapped around her legs. Indigo's nature didn't handle conflict and confrontation very well; hers was a gentle, kindly, empathetic spirit. Next had been Lala, who sat next to Red, who was still swaddled like a mummy by that false rainbow belt they'd discovered. Considering how fussy and fastidious Lala was regarding clothing and appearance, the fact she was sitting directly on grubby, gritty ground only underscored how far she'd fallen.

Gradually, one by one, the others had slowly been sapped of hope. Buddy and Patty had sat down, one at either side, of Indigo, lending her their presence and support even as their own will was gradually leeched and eroded. Starlite was lying down, legs tucked under him, Twink a silent presence against his side, the other sprites clustered around them. Red had —not unexpectedly— struggled for a while but had ceased to do so some time ago, and at the moment he resembled a grey cocoon.

And Violet had finally yielded a little bit ago. She'd come over and watched her pace back and forth, but Canary had known when the gloom and despair that was thick and palpable had finally claimed victory over Violet when she'd asked her if she thought there was any hope left. Violet had started off in her usual way: "I calculate the odds of a rescue coming in time for us, based upon all the available parameters, to be on the order of magnitude of . . . of . . .," then she'd sighed, shoulders slumping, her eyes growing dull and lackluster. "It's a really big number Canary," then had shuffled off over to Red and Lala, sinking down and sitting much as Indigo had done.

Canary felt the immense, horrible weight of despair and gloom pressing down on her as well. To the best of her knowledge there were only two probable chances of rescues, although rescuers was more accurate: Brian and Krys. The biggest problem with either of those was, of course, that neither had any awareness that a rescue was needed. Nor was there any way of getting a message to either of them so, unless they decided to just drop by on a whim . . .

The chances of that happening with Brian were so small it bordered on impossible. They hadn't seen Brian in ages. And the last time had been many years ago. He'd been a much older boy —actually, a young man, she supposed— at that point, much different than the Brian they'd first met. And while it had been obvious he still treasured his friendship with all of them, and still found Rainbow Land a world of marvel, well . . . he'd also had changed. He didn't have all that much in common with them any more, save for memories and friendships. That had been a poignant sorrow for all of them, facing for their very first time what happened when someone 'grew up'.

So it hadn't been as much a matter of Brian forgetting about them, or growing away from them, no, as it had been that he'd grown up. But Canary also knew and, more importantly, believed, that Brian would drop everything and anything and immediately come to Rainbow Land if he had the slightest inkling any of them were in danger or needed help.

And then there was Krys. Krys' biggest, most dramatic fault was that he simply couldn't adapt to the concept of equality and partnership. He tried, oh yes, he'd certainly tried! But given any situation where there were more than one involved, he always instinctively sought the commanding position. But that was his only flaw, and his other qualities more than offset that. And it wasn't as if the Color Kids themselves weren't aware of strengths and weaknesses, for each of them had their own. Canary knew that happiness and joy were her strengths, but she didn't handle conflict or sorrow very well at all. Violet was as sharp as they came but, bless her, sometimes she got so wrapped up in explanations she bored you to tears, especially when you'd thought it was a simple 'yes-or-no' question!

But that was what made people unique individuals: the sum of their strengths and weaknesses.

Krys' biggest strength was as a protector. A warrior against injustice and wickedness. But that meant he could be almost anywhere, and he normally didn't just drop by here for a social visit. Oh, invite him and he'd come lickety-split, oh yes. He enjoyed parties, fairs and other fun occasions as much as anyone else! But it wasn't at all very likely he'd just drop in any time soon, no.

And the reason he seldom did was because he knew Rainbow Brite was as competent and skillful a defender in her own right as he was.

Canary ceased pacing, closing her dark brown eyes tightly, feeling a tear trickle down her cheek as her throat closed tight, as she felt the implacable gloom of the colorless caves closing in around her. This wasn't the first time she'd ever been trapped here. And that wasn't even considering the terribly bleak time of the Dark One's reign, when their entire world had been colorless, desolate and drab. But this time . . . this time . . . was unlike all those other times.

For, this time . . . Rainbow Brite was gone.

Rainbow Brite wasn't just the embodiment of Rainbow Land. She hadn't been merely the quintessence of color, of hope and happiness. She hadn't been simply their leader. Rainbow had been their friend.

Being trapped by Murky was horrible. Being imprisoned in the colorless caves was dreadful. But it was the knowledge, the awareness, that they'd failed Rainbow that was truly, terribly devastating. And not just failed her but, in that failure . . .

. . . had lost her. Forever.

Her throat closed even tighter as despair, misery and desolation shrouded her. Canary knew part of that was due to the colorless caves' inexorable leeching and sapping of her spirits, but that wasn't the only reason nor, for that matter, the most important. If they'd truly lost Rainbow . . .

"Oh please," she softly whispered, tightly hugging herself with her arms. "Oh please! Let Rainbow be all right. I can bear anything as long as she's safe."

Another tear trickled down her other cheek as she stood there imploring, fervently beseeching with all her cheerful, bright and loving heart and soul.

Don't worry. She's fine, she heard a voice in her head. Just hold on, OK? Everything's going to be all right.

It's funny how your mind plays tricks on you, she thought. Still, she held that thought close and tight, treasuring it beyond words.

"Really? Promise?" she whispered into the silence of their prison.

Yes. Really. Just don't give up, OK?

"OK," she whispered. "I'll try. It . . . it's just so hard though. I want to go home!" she softly sniffled.

"Well, I'm trying!" the voice sounded a bit miffed now. "I don't suppose you know how this unlocks and opens, do you?"

Huh??

Canary's eyes flew open, rounded and wide. That wasn't a voice in her mind, her thoughts 'speaking' out loud!

She leapt back with a little squeal of shock, seeing a brown eye gazing at her through the narrow slit of the stalactite/stalagmite bars of their prison.