Dangerous Duplicate
Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 2:42 am
All right, so this is the story I mentioned having an idea for after seeing the fanart piece of Rainbow dressed as Murky Dismal. It's taken some thinking (and distraction with work on other stories), but I've developed a first chapter for it, one that I'm rather pleased with. I would love to continue this story and so am only going to post chapters here until I get a solid feel for where I want it to go. It won't be put onto ff.net until the time is right. Feedback would be appreciated!
Disclaimer: I do not own Rainbow Brite, the fanart that this idea came from, nor do I own the idea of a stingbulb, which is from the Fablehaven series and the work of Brandon Mull.
Chapter 1 A Conniving Plan
Murky couldn’t believe his luck at what he held in his hands before him. He’d heard the legends of course, but they were merely legends, right? He hadn’t believed that this had actually existed in any capacity, until now. It was in his book on the various plants that could be used for potions, poisons, and concoctions, but had been listed as a rare find, marked down to legendary lore. The significant trouble this thing could cause in a few days time was exponential. An Earth version was rumored to also be legend, but had been used recently, which had led Murky to seeking out this one. Earth’s version of this plant lasted only a few days at a time, potent enough to put things into motion, but not durable enough to be used over a lengthy time. This one, however, could last for up to a year, plenty of time to put his newest plan into action.
He placed the pod back into the hole in the wall he’d carved for this purpose. It was his version of a safe, and the best way to guarantee that Lurky and his clumsiness wouldn’t interfere. The hole was in his room, right next to his bed. Over the hole hung a picture frame of his favorite gloom gun variation so far, the most effective one on any creature in Rainbow Land. It certainly wasn’t fool proof, but it was idiot proof and that was all Murky needed to keep Lurky away.
Crossing his arms, Murky observed his handiwork. It blended in nicely, and only he knew that anything was behind the silly picture in the first place. He turned, his cape swishing in the sudden breeze. It was time to finalize the plans he had in mind, for the Sprite Fair was soon to arrive and everything would begin there. He was going to make sure that Rainbow Land became his this time. Unlike before, he wouldn’t need to take Rainbow out to accomplish this goal. No, the only thing he’d have to do is begin with one small pod.
Murky had almost reached the bottom of the stairs before Lurky came bumbling in from outside. “Murky! Let’s go to Rainbow Land!” he cried.
“What?” asked Murky.
“It’s almost the Sprite Fair! There’s always rides and food and games!” cried Lurky happily.
“Lurky, normally I’d call you a bozo-brain, but for once, you’re going to get your wish. We will indeed be going to the Sprite Fair.”
“Oh boy!” cried Lurky.
“We will be playing a game though,” said Murky, quickly thinking of a way to get Lurky to obey his wishes and still feel like he’d won an argument.
“What kinda game?” asked Lurky, wide-eyed.
“A hiding game. You’ll try to hide and not be seen by Rainbow Brite.”
“Oh I love hiding!” clapped Lurky.
“Good. We have to hide from Rainbow, all right? If you can hide really well, you can go to the Sprite Fair,” stated Murky.
“I’m a good hider, Murky.”
“Well then go practice. You’ll need to be a very good hider to go with me,” replied Murky, grinning. This was all too easy at times. Almost too easy to enjoy the art of manipulation. He watched as Lurky ran off, presumably to practice. This would be all too easy.
His thoughts drifting back to his treasure, Murky knew he still had to figure out how to start his plan. His treasure would work perfectly, of that he had no doubts. However, he had to be able to get Rainbow involved in his plot without ever knowing it was his. She had to be just as unsuspecting as Lurky, and that would be hard to tackle. Murky walked to his laboratory, still considering his options. A sprite would be a perfect accomplice to his plan, but how to get one on his side was the question.
Murky looked over to a nearby corner, where a recent gloom experiment was stored. A pile of darts lay on the table, a jar of inky liquid next to them. Murky had been wanting to expand over his usual lot of gloom variants and use the gloom to manipulate unsuspecting victims. It was essentially a mind control liquid, but one that had its flaws. It still kept the victim depressed and dreary, something Murky did not want for his plan. The sprite had to keep the same personality. Of course, he could use more of his precious plant. He’d originally acquired more than just the one, but he also didn’t want to waste the expensive plants. However, the need for his plan to work was great; it would be something to consider in the end. Using an extra plant on a sprite would be of little significance if everything worked out. There was no room for failure this time around.
The days and months passed slowly. While Murky formulated his plan, the inhabitants of Rainbow Land prepared for the Sprite Fair. Typically, the sprites stocked up well on star sprinkles the week prior to the fair. There were many preparations to be made before the fair could start, and it was easier to complete everything on top of the usual tasks. The week prior was a week of vacation for the sprites while they prepared, culminating in the big event. It was indeed an event that any sprite looked forward to, no matter what the age.
Rainbow, Twink, and the Color Kids typically supervised all the necessary preparations, sometimes helping set up various booths, tents, or rides. Shy Violet always led the team of sprites in charge of building the various rides at the fair, as she was the only person with the mechanical knowledge to do so. Sprites followed her every instruction, always building elaborate rides every year.
By the time the eve of the fair rolled around, everyone was exhausted from all the hard work. Rainbow walked back toward the Color Castle, eager to clean up and head to bed. It had been a tiring day, especially since she’d helped some of the farmer sprites cart their prized fruits and vegetables to the display tent. There were quite a few large crops this year, and it had taken the Color Kids’ help to get them from field to fair. Now she was covered in soil and sweat, but feeling good about her work. Tomorrow’s fair would be great, even better than it had been in the past. There would only be a few signs and banners to be hung before she’d have to prepare for the grand horse race at the end of the day. She chuckled to think of how Twink would run about, worried that nothing would be ready in time. Starlite would also be in fine form, worried about being ready for the race even though he still had nothing to worry about. He and Skydancer still had their friendly rivalry, but Starlite never failed to pull ahead in the race every year. There had been plenty of close calls; these had frustrated Stormy more than anyone else. She didn’t mind losing, but she hated losing so close to the finish line.
Rainbow smiled as she noticed a familiar face exiting the Color Castle, catching her mid-yawn. “Good evening, Moonglo,” she called cheerfully.
Moonglo waved back at her. “Everything ready for the Sprite Fair?” she asked.
“Almost. There are only a few small things to do tomorrow. Then we’ll be ready.”
“That’s great. I can’t wait to attend,” replied Moonglo, covering her mouth with a hand to hide another yawn. “I need to take care of the sky, but I’ll be back in plenty of time to get a good sleep before the fair!”
“See you then!” called Rainbow as Moonglo continued on her path, heading for a nearby tree where Nite Sprite waited for her with his bag of nite sprinkles. She watched the two prepare for their nightly task before they faded away into the shadows. She continued on her path, intent on soaking sore muscles and tired limbs.
As Rainbow sank beneath the scented bubbles and sighed happily, a knock was heard. “Rainbow! Rainbow!” called the shrill voice.
“What is it, Twink?” answered Rainbow, looking toward the door.
“The sprites have taken care of the rest of the tents. Are you sure Murky won’t show up tomorrow?”
Rainbow smiled to herself. “I don’t know, Twink. Murky’s been pretty quiet lately. He may have some plan in mind. We’ll all have to keep watch.”
“What if he tries to take the horses again?” asked Twink in a worried voice.
It was one of Murky’s plans quite a few fairs ago. He’d tried taking Starlite and On-x, but ended up failing miserably in the end. He’d been stopped by Starlite in the end, but it had put a damper on the day. Ever since, sprites and Color Kids alike had always been worried once the horse race had begun. They were nervous that Murky might ride up once more on his robotic horse and release a cloud of gloom around the track. Of course, sprites had now been posted to keep an eye out for Murky so that he wouldn’t crash enter the horse race, but it still made everyone nervous. “We’ll keep watch. Murky won’t enter the horse race without us knowing. We’ll all be fine, Twink.”
“If you say so, Rainbow,” replied Twink, accepting that she was nothing less than optimistic. If Rainbow had everything under control though, he couldn’t deny it. In the end, it was her duty to protect them all.
Rainbow crawled into bed that night feeling warm, clean, and exhausted. She was excited for the Sprite Fair, and didn’t doubt every resident in Rainbow Land was also excited for the events that would take place the very next day. The idea of food, rides, and fun was appealing to anyone, and a day off was truly deserved.
Elsewhere, plans were being finalized for what Murky considered the most effective attack on Rainbow Brite as of yet. It was late at night, but this did not bother him. He could rest tomorrow after making sure the plans were set in motion. Tonight, however, he had a very special trip to Rainbow Land to make. All it would take is one sprite and everything else would fall into place. He’d already fetched one of his prized plant possessions and had it lying carefully on the table. “Lurky!” he yelled.
Moments later, Murky entered the laboratory. “Yes, Murky?”
“You’ll need to get the grunge buggy ready. We’re going on a little trip tonight.”
“Oh boy! I love trips. Hey, what’s that on the table?” asked Lurky, suddenly changing topics.
Murky looked over at the lump on the table. It was purple in color, much like an egg plant. However, it wasn’t brightly colored at all, more so faded as though it’d been left in the sun too long. The shape reminded him of a potato. On one side of it was a needle, much reminding him of a cactus. “That, Lurky, is a stingbulb seed pod. It’s going to help us tomorrow at the Sprite Fair, but it will help us tonight too.”
“How’s it gonna do that?” asked Lurky, scratching his head.
Murky knew the process was too complicated to explain to someone like Lurky. He tried to think of a simple way to explain it. “It copies things.”
“It does?” asked Lurky, still confused. He kept looking to the stingbulb and then to Murky.
“Yes, it does. Don’t worry about how. Let’s just say that if I wanted to make a copy of Rainbow Brite, I could.”
“Oh boy! We’d have our own Rainbow then!”
Murky smacked his forehead. It was pointless to explain his genius idea to this lunk head. “Just get the grunge buggy! Now!” he ordered. Lurky scampered off to do as told.
While Lurky was fetching the grunge buggy, Murky wrapped the seedpod in a grey fabric, careful to keep the needle away from him. One accidental prick on something and it’d be all over, a waste of money and effort. He could not afford that in the least, especially with the limited supply that he had. There were barely enough to cover his plan, let alone fix any mistakes he might possibly make. This was his chance to destroy Rainbow Brite once and for all.
Carefully, Murky made his way outside where the grunge buggy coughed and sputtered. “All ready, Murky!” called Lurky cheerfully.
Murky climbed into the side passenger seat very carefully and cradled the stingbulb in front of him. “Drive carefully! We don’t want to wake anyone in Rainbow Land!” warned Murky. It was only partly a lie. The truth was that he didn’t want to be accidentally stung from being jostled about in the grunge buggy. Lurky was the best driver and could maneuver the vehicle twice as well as Murky, but his idea of control was bouncing over every branch, pothole, and who knows what else that lay in his path.
“Gotcha!”
The grunge buggy crept slowly out of the Pits as the moon rose higher into the sky. The ride was silent except for the engine noises of the grunge buggy. Murky would not allow himself to be distracted this night. The crossing into Rainbow Land was uneventful. Murky noted with disgust that the moon shined directly over the Color Castle, no doubt due to that brat Moonglo. Murky had hated that Kid almost as much as Rainbow ever since she’d escaped his trap. She was more trouble than the other Color Kids. The moon that shone brightly seemed to be mocking him, taunting him that he couldn’t do the job this time around. “Go to that sprite house,” he instructed. It was one of the houses farthest from the Color Castle, which would make for an easier escape. Even if Rainbow did end up alerted, they’d have nothing to pin on him!
Once Lurky had pulled up to the house, Murky climbed out of the grunge buggy. “Stay here,” he commanded once more. Lurky said nothing for once. Murky peeked into the window of the sprite house, noticing that only one sprite, a blue one, dwelled there. As luck would have it, the sprite’s bed was right under the window and in it was the sprite, snoring away. Murky grinned evilly and pried open the window with one hand; it wasn’t latched. The window swung apart noiselessly, a nod to the well-oiled craftsmanship. He climbed onto the window sill and unwrapped his stingbulb. Now was the time to set things into motion.
Slowly, he lowered the stingbulb, needle side pointing at the sprite’s side. The needle pricked the sprite, who called out in his sleep. Murky recoiled quickly, hopping down from the window and ducking beneath it. Seconds ticked by slowly, but there was no further cries or yelling from within. Murky was pleased with his luck; the sprite wouldn’t ever know what had happened and Rainbow would never know he had visited Rainbow Land on this night. It was too perfect! He hopped back into the grunge buggy. “Back to the Pits!” he told Lurky, who sped off as carefully as he could.
The stingbulb was placed back onto the laboratory table. All Murky had to do now was wait patiently for it to hatch. The instruction sheet that he had been given had directions scrawled onto it in a barely legible script. The estimated time was a ninety minute wait. Murky had no way of knowing how long a period ninety minutes was, but it seemed as though time dragged on. He tried to watch the stingbulb to discern when it would begin looking more like a sprite, but it was a very slow change. He took to pacing around the room a few things and then checking on the stingbulb. Slowly it expanded and began to take on the round shape of a sprite. The outside still remained purple and the material that composed the stingbulb did not seem to stretch to a breaking point. Every part of it appeared solid and thick.
Nevertheless, time did not seem to pass by any faster. It was frustrating and infuriating. Things seemed as though they were almost complete, yet nothing happened. Nothing came out of the stingbulb. Murky placed an ear against the outside of it. He heard nothing from within. Just when the waiting seemed to be at its most unbearable, a cracking sound echoed throughout the laboratory. Murky quickly turned back toward his stingbulb, watching with anticipated eagerness. This was it. This was the moment he’d been waiting for. A tiny sprite hand emerged from within and was pushing its way out of the pod. Murky watched as the sprite slithered its body away from the pod, finally emerging with a pop! The sprite, identical to the one Murky had pricked, stood beside the pod and began speaking, but in sprite language. Grabbing the paper with the instructions, Murky read through the next step, which told him that the new copy would ask for instructions from its master. He turned to address the new copy.
“I can’t speak your language, but I know you can understand me. Your instructions are simple. Tomorrow you will carry another stingbulb with you. You will pretend it is a vegetable to be entered in the garden contest, and ask Rainbow Brite for directions to that tent. You’ll get Rainbow to prick her finger on the needle at the very end. You know who Rainbow Brite is, don’t you?”
The sprite nodded in confirmation. Murky had recalled that the instructions stated that the copy would share the memories of the original. “Good. Once you get her to prick her finger, you’ll sneak away with the stingbulb and return it to me. I’ll be waiting outside the fair, near the forest. I’ll show you tomorrow. You will tell no one you’re working for me. If anyone asks you what vegetable you carry, it’s an eggplant. Nod if you understand my instructions.”
The sprite gave a reply in sprite language, and nodded his head. Murky studied him closely, and couldn’t tell he was a copy. He looked very much like one of Rainbow’s sprites, which would be perfect for tomorrow. Every sprite would attend the Sprite Fair, and Rainbow would never know that there was an imposter in her midst. “You will sleep here tonight and not leave this room. Rest up for tomorrow, sprite,” cackled Murky as he turned to head for his room. Things were looking up for him after all!
Disclaimer: I do not own Rainbow Brite, the fanart that this idea came from, nor do I own the idea of a stingbulb, which is from the Fablehaven series and the work of Brandon Mull.
Chapter 1 A Conniving Plan
Murky couldn’t believe his luck at what he held in his hands before him. He’d heard the legends of course, but they were merely legends, right? He hadn’t believed that this had actually existed in any capacity, until now. It was in his book on the various plants that could be used for potions, poisons, and concoctions, but had been listed as a rare find, marked down to legendary lore. The significant trouble this thing could cause in a few days time was exponential. An Earth version was rumored to also be legend, but had been used recently, which had led Murky to seeking out this one. Earth’s version of this plant lasted only a few days at a time, potent enough to put things into motion, but not durable enough to be used over a lengthy time. This one, however, could last for up to a year, plenty of time to put his newest plan into action.
He placed the pod back into the hole in the wall he’d carved for this purpose. It was his version of a safe, and the best way to guarantee that Lurky and his clumsiness wouldn’t interfere. The hole was in his room, right next to his bed. Over the hole hung a picture frame of his favorite gloom gun variation so far, the most effective one on any creature in Rainbow Land. It certainly wasn’t fool proof, but it was idiot proof and that was all Murky needed to keep Lurky away.
Crossing his arms, Murky observed his handiwork. It blended in nicely, and only he knew that anything was behind the silly picture in the first place. He turned, his cape swishing in the sudden breeze. It was time to finalize the plans he had in mind, for the Sprite Fair was soon to arrive and everything would begin there. He was going to make sure that Rainbow Land became his this time. Unlike before, he wouldn’t need to take Rainbow out to accomplish this goal. No, the only thing he’d have to do is begin with one small pod.
Murky had almost reached the bottom of the stairs before Lurky came bumbling in from outside. “Murky! Let’s go to Rainbow Land!” he cried.
“What?” asked Murky.
“It’s almost the Sprite Fair! There’s always rides and food and games!” cried Lurky happily.
“Lurky, normally I’d call you a bozo-brain, but for once, you’re going to get your wish. We will indeed be going to the Sprite Fair.”
“Oh boy!” cried Lurky.
“We will be playing a game though,” said Murky, quickly thinking of a way to get Lurky to obey his wishes and still feel like he’d won an argument.
“What kinda game?” asked Lurky, wide-eyed.
“A hiding game. You’ll try to hide and not be seen by Rainbow Brite.”
“Oh I love hiding!” clapped Lurky.
“Good. We have to hide from Rainbow, all right? If you can hide really well, you can go to the Sprite Fair,” stated Murky.
“I’m a good hider, Murky.”
“Well then go practice. You’ll need to be a very good hider to go with me,” replied Murky, grinning. This was all too easy at times. Almost too easy to enjoy the art of manipulation. He watched as Lurky ran off, presumably to practice. This would be all too easy.
His thoughts drifting back to his treasure, Murky knew he still had to figure out how to start his plan. His treasure would work perfectly, of that he had no doubts. However, he had to be able to get Rainbow involved in his plot without ever knowing it was his. She had to be just as unsuspecting as Lurky, and that would be hard to tackle. Murky walked to his laboratory, still considering his options. A sprite would be a perfect accomplice to his plan, but how to get one on his side was the question.
Murky looked over to a nearby corner, where a recent gloom experiment was stored. A pile of darts lay on the table, a jar of inky liquid next to them. Murky had been wanting to expand over his usual lot of gloom variants and use the gloom to manipulate unsuspecting victims. It was essentially a mind control liquid, but one that had its flaws. It still kept the victim depressed and dreary, something Murky did not want for his plan. The sprite had to keep the same personality. Of course, he could use more of his precious plant. He’d originally acquired more than just the one, but he also didn’t want to waste the expensive plants. However, the need for his plan to work was great; it would be something to consider in the end. Using an extra plant on a sprite would be of little significance if everything worked out. There was no room for failure this time around.
The days and months passed slowly. While Murky formulated his plan, the inhabitants of Rainbow Land prepared for the Sprite Fair. Typically, the sprites stocked up well on star sprinkles the week prior to the fair. There were many preparations to be made before the fair could start, and it was easier to complete everything on top of the usual tasks. The week prior was a week of vacation for the sprites while they prepared, culminating in the big event. It was indeed an event that any sprite looked forward to, no matter what the age.
Rainbow, Twink, and the Color Kids typically supervised all the necessary preparations, sometimes helping set up various booths, tents, or rides. Shy Violet always led the team of sprites in charge of building the various rides at the fair, as she was the only person with the mechanical knowledge to do so. Sprites followed her every instruction, always building elaborate rides every year.
By the time the eve of the fair rolled around, everyone was exhausted from all the hard work. Rainbow walked back toward the Color Castle, eager to clean up and head to bed. It had been a tiring day, especially since she’d helped some of the farmer sprites cart their prized fruits and vegetables to the display tent. There were quite a few large crops this year, and it had taken the Color Kids’ help to get them from field to fair. Now she was covered in soil and sweat, but feeling good about her work. Tomorrow’s fair would be great, even better than it had been in the past. There would only be a few signs and banners to be hung before she’d have to prepare for the grand horse race at the end of the day. She chuckled to think of how Twink would run about, worried that nothing would be ready in time. Starlite would also be in fine form, worried about being ready for the race even though he still had nothing to worry about. He and Skydancer still had their friendly rivalry, but Starlite never failed to pull ahead in the race every year. There had been plenty of close calls; these had frustrated Stormy more than anyone else. She didn’t mind losing, but she hated losing so close to the finish line.
Rainbow smiled as she noticed a familiar face exiting the Color Castle, catching her mid-yawn. “Good evening, Moonglo,” she called cheerfully.
Moonglo waved back at her. “Everything ready for the Sprite Fair?” she asked.
“Almost. There are only a few small things to do tomorrow. Then we’ll be ready.”
“That’s great. I can’t wait to attend,” replied Moonglo, covering her mouth with a hand to hide another yawn. “I need to take care of the sky, but I’ll be back in plenty of time to get a good sleep before the fair!”
“See you then!” called Rainbow as Moonglo continued on her path, heading for a nearby tree where Nite Sprite waited for her with his bag of nite sprinkles. She watched the two prepare for their nightly task before they faded away into the shadows. She continued on her path, intent on soaking sore muscles and tired limbs.
As Rainbow sank beneath the scented bubbles and sighed happily, a knock was heard. “Rainbow! Rainbow!” called the shrill voice.
“What is it, Twink?” answered Rainbow, looking toward the door.
“The sprites have taken care of the rest of the tents. Are you sure Murky won’t show up tomorrow?”
Rainbow smiled to herself. “I don’t know, Twink. Murky’s been pretty quiet lately. He may have some plan in mind. We’ll all have to keep watch.”
“What if he tries to take the horses again?” asked Twink in a worried voice.
It was one of Murky’s plans quite a few fairs ago. He’d tried taking Starlite and On-x, but ended up failing miserably in the end. He’d been stopped by Starlite in the end, but it had put a damper on the day. Ever since, sprites and Color Kids alike had always been worried once the horse race had begun. They were nervous that Murky might ride up once more on his robotic horse and release a cloud of gloom around the track. Of course, sprites had now been posted to keep an eye out for Murky so that he wouldn’t crash enter the horse race, but it still made everyone nervous. “We’ll keep watch. Murky won’t enter the horse race without us knowing. We’ll all be fine, Twink.”
“If you say so, Rainbow,” replied Twink, accepting that she was nothing less than optimistic. If Rainbow had everything under control though, he couldn’t deny it. In the end, it was her duty to protect them all.
Rainbow crawled into bed that night feeling warm, clean, and exhausted. She was excited for the Sprite Fair, and didn’t doubt every resident in Rainbow Land was also excited for the events that would take place the very next day. The idea of food, rides, and fun was appealing to anyone, and a day off was truly deserved.
Elsewhere, plans were being finalized for what Murky considered the most effective attack on Rainbow Brite as of yet. It was late at night, but this did not bother him. He could rest tomorrow after making sure the plans were set in motion. Tonight, however, he had a very special trip to Rainbow Land to make. All it would take is one sprite and everything else would fall into place. He’d already fetched one of his prized plant possessions and had it lying carefully on the table. “Lurky!” he yelled.
Moments later, Murky entered the laboratory. “Yes, Murky?”
“You’ll need to get the grunge buggy ready. We’re going on a little trip tonight.”
“Oh boy! I love trips. Hey, what’s that on the table?” asked Lurky, suddenly changing topics.
Murky looked over at the lump on the table. It was purple in color, much like an egg plant. However, it wasn’t brightly colored at all, more so faded as though it’d been left in the sun too long. The shape reminded him of a potato. On one side of it was a needle, much reminding him of a cactus. “That, Lurky, is a stingbulb seed pod. It’s going to help us tomorrow at the Sprite Fair, but it will help us tonight too.”
“How’s it gonna do that?” asked Lurky, scratching his head.
Murky knew the process was too complicated to explain to someone like Lurky. He tried to think of a simple way to explain it. “It copies things.”
“It does?” asked Lurky, still confused. He kept looking to the stingbulb and then to Murky.
“Yes, it does. Don’t worry about how. Let’s just say that if I wanted to make a copy of Rainbow Brite, I could.”
“Oh boy! We’d have our own Rainbow then!”
Murky smacked his forehead. It was pointless to explain his genius idea to this lunk head. “Just get the grunge buggy! Now!” he ordered. Lurky scampered off to do as told.
While Lurky was fetching the grunge buggy, Murky wrapped the seedpod in a grey fabric, careful to keep the needle away from him. One accidental prick on something and it’d be all over, a waste of money and effort. He could not afford that in the least, especially with the limited supply that he had. There were barely enough to cover his plan, let alone fix any mistakes he might possibly make. This was his chance to destroy Rainbow Brite once and for all.
Carefully, Murky made his way outside where the grunge buggy coughed and sputtered. “All ready, Murky!” called Lurky cheerfully.
Murky climbed into the side passenger seat very carefully and cradled the stingbulb in front of him. “Drive carefully! We don’t want to wake anyone in Rainbow Land!” warned Murky. It was only partly a lie. The truth was that he didn’t want to be accidentally stung from being jostled about in the grunge buggy. Lurky was the best driver and could maneuver the vehicle twice as well as Murky, but his idea of control was bouncing over every branch, pothole, and who knows what else that lay in his path.
“Gotcha!”
The grunge buggy crept slowly out of the Pits as the moon rose higher into the sky. The ride was silent except for the engine noises of the grunge buggy. Murky would not allow himself to be distracted this night. The crossing into Rainbow Land was uneventful. Murky noted with disgust that the moon shined directly over the Color Castle, no doubt due to that brat Moonglo. Murky had hated that Kid almost as much as Rainbow ever since she’d escaped his trap. She was more trouble than the other Color Kids. The moon that shone brightly seemed to be mocking him, taunting him that he couldn’t do the job this time around. “Go to that sprite house,” he instructed. It was one of the houses farthest from the Color Castle, which would make for an easier escape. Even if Rainbow did end up alerted, they’d have nothing to pin on him!
Once Lurky had pulled up to the house, Murky climbed out of the grunge buggy. “Stay here,” he commanded once more. Lurky said nothing for once. Murky peeked into the window of the sprite house, noticing that only one sprite, a blue one, dwelled there. As luck would have it, the sprite’s bed was right under the window and in it was the sprite, snoring away. Murky grinned evilly and pried open the window with one hand; it wasn’t latched. The window swung apart noiselessly, a nod to the well-oiled craftsmanship. He climbed onto the window sill and unwrapped his stingbulb. Now was the time to set things into motion.
Slowly, he lowered the stingbulb, needle side pointing at the sprite’s side. The needle pricked the sprite, who called out in his sleep. Murky recoiled quickly, hopping down from the window and ducking beneath it. Seconds ticked by slowly, but there was no further cries or yelling from within. Murky was pleased with his luck; the sprite wouldn’t ever know what had happened and Rainbow would never know he had visited Rainbow Land on this night. It was too perfect! He hopped back into the grunge buggy. “Back to the Pits!” he told Lurky, who sped off as carefully as he could.
The stingbulb was placed back onto the laboratory table. All Murky had to do now was wait patiently for it to hatch. The instruction sheet that he had been given had directions scrawled onto it in a barely legible script. The estimated time was a ninety minute wait. Murky had no way of knowing how long a period ninety minutes was, but it seemed as though time dragged on. He tried to watch the stingbulb to discern when it would begin looking more like a sprite, but it was a very slow change. He took to pacing around the room a few things and then checking on the stingbulb. Slowly it expanded and began to take on the round shape of a sprite. The outside still remained purple and the material that composed the stingbulb did not seem to stretch to a breaking point. Every part of it appeared solid and thick.
Nevertheless, time did not seem to pass by any faster. It was frustrating and infuriating. Things seemed as though they were almost complete, yet nothing happened. Nothing came out of the stingbulb. Murky placed an ear against the outside of it. He heard nothing from within. Just when the waiting seemed to be at its most unbearable, a cracking sound echoed throughout the laboratory. Murky quickly turned back toward his stingbulb, watching with anticipated eagerness. This was it. This was the moment he’d been waiting for. A tiny sprite hand emerged from within and was pushing its way out of the pod. Murky watched as the sprite slithered its body away from the pod, finally emerging with a pop! The sprite, identical to the one Murky had pricked, stood beside the pod and began speaking, but in sprite language. Grabbing the paper with the instructions, Murky read through the next step, which told him that the new copy would ask for instructions from its master. He turned to address the new copy.
“I can’t speak your language, but I know you can understand me. Your instructions are simple. Tomorrow you will carry another stingbulb with you. You will pretend it is a vegetable to be entered in the garden contest, and ask Rainbow Brite for directions to that tent. You’ll get Rainbow to prick her finger on the needle at the very end. You know who Rainbow Brite is, don’t you?”
The sprite nodded in confirmation. Murky had recalled that the instructions stated that the copy would share the memories of the original. “Good. Once you get her to prick her finger, you’ll sneak away with the stingbulb and return it to me. I’ll be waiting outside the fair, near the forest. I’ll show you tomorrow. You will tell no one you’re working for me. If anyone asks you what vegetable you carry, it’s an eggplant. Nod if you understand my instructions.”
The sprite gave a reply in sprite language, and nodded his head. Murky studied him closely, and couldn’t tell he was a copy. He looked very much like one of Rainbow’s sprites, which would be perfect for tomorrow. Every sprite would attend the Sprite Fair, and Rainbow would never know that there was an imposter in her midst. “You will sleep here tonight and not leave this room. Rest up for tomorrow, sprite,” cackled Murky as he turned to head for his room. Things were looking up for him after all!