''Daddy,'' a young dark haired boy inquired, 'Why are there rainbows?''
His dad smiled and ruffled the boy's hair, looking wistfully at the rainbow that arched above them so prominently in the sky.
''Well Butch,'' he answered, ''what happened before the rainbow was here?''
Butch eagerly answered, ''It was raining!''
His dad smiled at him and then replied, '' Quite true- it was raining, but did you see the sun peeking out in between the little raindrops?''
''Yes! But why did the rainbow get there.'' Butch impatiently jumped up and down, eager to know why such an amazing thing was in the sky.
''I'm getting there,'' said his dad, '' Well, before a rainbow can be in the sky, there has to be a battle between the sun and the rain, where everything looks gloomy and sad. Then, after the battle, the rainbow comes out in its glorious colours to tell everyone that it is okay. And the rainbow means that the battle between the sun and the rain is over and that we can leave the past battles behind and be happy.''
''So rainbows are happy?'' Butch pondered.
''Most definitely,'' his dad replied, ''Rainbows are happy and cheerful and always bring a smile to my face.''
A huge smile appeared on Butch's face and he exclaimed, ''I love rainbows!''
''Me too,'' his father replied, ''I do love rainbows.''
Years later...
For Butch, usually the feeling of riding a pegasi, the feeling of being free and away from everyone was enough to cheer him up. But not today.
So many taunts swirled in his head, ''Rainbow boy, horsey boy, of course you belong in the rainbow cabin, the girly cabin, even more girly than Aphrodite, are you planning to become a girl?'' It started to rain, a cold and piercing rain which matched his downtrodden mood.
Butch was certainly used to the insults and the taunting; he had got it ever since pre-school when he brought in his extensive My Little Pony collection. It continued when after the Titan War when he had been claimed by the rainbow goddess Iris.
From an early age he had learned to become tough, and could fight back against anyone who teased him. He certainly looked formidable with his muscly frame, shaved head, and violent attitude. But it wasn't enough. He still felt it inside, every taunt and insult, weighing him down.
Years of bullying and hurt had been bottled up inside him, and now, he felt as if he were reaching breaking point. What use was he? All he could do was ride ponies and paint rainbows.
It was in this moment that Butch felt like giving up. Giving up on camp, giving up on his cabin, giving up on his mother, giving up on people in general. Butch just felt like riding away on the Pegasus, riding away forever, and being so free of all that tried to stop him.
He was seriously considering running away until he saw the rainbow.
It brought back memories of his father, and a story he had once told him about the rainbow. The rainbow reminded him of his mother Iris, the rainbow goddess, and the small sliver of hope he had that she had made the rainbow for him to see, and that she cared for him. The rainbow reminded Butch of his kind father, who had died in the previously year, necessitating that he go to Camp Half-Blood.
Butch remembered his father's words, ''And the rainbow means that the battle between the sun and the rain is over, and that we can leave the past battles behind and be happy.''