I realized that it's been a year since I first posted this fic, and it's finally drawing near a close. I just finished chapter 24 today and things are winding down. I know what I want to do, but I still cannot get a set amount of chapters remaining. I still say under 30 and it should at least be that. I do want to finish this story up soon because I'm working on focusing on Simoun at this point, but I am determined to finish up this story. It certainly is not due to a lack of inspiration because it doesn't take me long to write a chapter once I sit down and focus on it. All I can say is that you are going to kill me for Chapter 24, that's all I can say. Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you think!
Chapter 20 Sense of Loss
Rainbow walked through the open field. She had the strangest feeling that she'd been here before, but none of the surroundings looked familiar. Red and blue flowers fluttered in the breeze, and in the distance there was a clump of trees that looked like the beginning of a forest. The sky was bright blue and sunny, nary a cloud in the sky. She wasn't sure why she had come here. Her feet carried her forward, and she kept walking, eyes darting back and forth on the scenery in front of her.
The wind began to pick up, bringing with it cooler air. Rainbow crossed her arms across her chest, trying to keep her body warm. The wind seemed to be blowing in every direction, and her legs became chilled. The field no longer seemed inviting, and Rainbow just wanted to be out of the wind and warm. She looked down at her shoes and then she noticed that her Color Belt was gone. Her hands immediately went to her waist, feeling only the fabric of her dress.
Panic now covered her face, and instantly she began to run. She ran quickly toward the trees, wondering if she would find her Color Belt within the forest. How could she have lost the one thing that made her protector of Rainbow Land? Without the Color Belt, she couldn't keep Murky from doing what he wanted, especially if he were the one who had the Color Belt. Images of Rainbow Land plunged into darkness as it had been when she'd first arrived flooded her mind, and she ran faster. In her panic, she forgot how she had to fight and work together with Twink and the Color Kids to earn the Color Belt and defeat the darkness of the land.
Rainbow stopped suddenly when the sky darkened and thunder rumbled loudly. The sudden storm would not help speed things up. The next roll of thunder rolled, and Rainbow could have sworn that she heard a girl laughing. She shook her head, trying to clear her mind and focus. She had to get back her Color Belt. "Who's there? I know you have my belt!" she shouted, in case someone was out there. There was no reply to her call and she started to think she was only imagining things.
Then, she saw it. Up in the distance, a shadowed figure, rested against a tree. Rainbow ran toward the figure, certain she would find her answers. She stopped sort of the tree in shock. She knew that figure. Around the girl's waist was the Color Belt. "You!" was all Rainbow could say.
The figure stepped away from the tree and closer to Rainbow. She grinned from ear to ear. "Stormy, you mean."
"I want my Color Belt back," stated Rainbow calmly.
Stormy looked down at the belt around her waist. "You mean this Color Belt? This is my Color Belt."
"That's not yours. I need it to keep Rainbow Land safe."
"You're not doing so well if I have the Color Belt," remarked Stormy.
"The Color Belt is for the protector of Rainbow Land," explained Rainbow. "I need it to keep everyone safe."
Stormy only smiled. "Who was the protector before you?"
Rainbow blinked. She had no reply for that. She'd never really thought about who had protected the Color Kids and sprites before the land had been plunged into darkness. They had never mentioned the protector before her. She had never asked. Rainbow looked down at her shoes.
"Maybe you should think about the ones who protected Rainbow Land before you," called Stormy. "Now, I'm going to go take over Rainbow Land."
Rainbow reached out, but she said nothing. Stormy's words echoed over and over in her head. She fell to her knees, lost in thought.
It was dark when Rainbow awoke. She raised her head and blinked, looking at her surroundings. She was safe in her room, tucked under her blankets in bed. The moonlight shone softly through her window. No one was around, save for Twink. He'd fallen asleep in a chair nearby. She rested her head on the pillow again, remembering bits and pieces of her dream. That girl was there and she had the Color Belt.
Instantly, Rainbow shot up in bed, hands going to her waist. All they felt was the fabric of her dress. That hadn't been a dream. Then, the memories from earlier in the day rushed back to her. She'd lost the race. She'd lost her Color Belt, and her way of protecting Rainbow Land. She'd…failed.
"Rainbow?" called Twink sleepily.
"Twink?"
"What're you doing up?" he asked as he rubbed his eyes. "Do you feel any better?" When he got no answer, he slipped off the chair and made his way to the bed. "Rainbow?"
Tears pooled in Rainbow's eyes, and they began to spill over. "I lost the Color Belt, Twink. How can I protect Rainbow Land without my Color Belt?" She wiped at her eyes, but began to sob at the thought.
Twink patted her back, trying to think of what he could say to comfort his friend. As he thought, the day that Rainbow first came to Rainbow Land came to mind and he suddenly knew what he could say. "But Rainbow, when you first came here, you didn't have a Color Belt. You didn't have anything to help you, remember?"
"But it's different this time."
Twink shook his head. "No, it's not. You got rid of the Evil One and freed all the Color Kids from their prisons. You found Starlite and you helped me too. You can do it again. You can go get your Color Belt back from Murky. He doesn't stand a chance," finished Twink with an excited flourish.
"He's got that girl to help him now."
"But she's like the Evil One," protested Twink. "She just uses storms instead of darkness to fight."
Rainbow sniffled. "You think I can get the Color Belt back?" she asked as she wiped her eyes.
"Of course! You can do anything!" agreed Twink.
Laying her head back on her pillow, Rainbow tucked her hands behind her head, thinking about what Twink had said to her. She'd need to figure out a way to get the Color Belt back from Murky before he decided to act out one of his plans. It wasn't just him anymore, but Stormy was on his side too. A yawn crossed her lips. She pulled the blankets up to her chin and rolled over. She decided it was something to think and plan in the morning. Rainbow drifted off to sleep; no more dreams came to her that night.
When Rainbow next awoke, the sun was shining brightly through her window. Eight pairs of eyes looked down at her, concern written on their faces.
"Morning, Rainbow," called Red Butler softly.
"How are you feeling?" asked Canary Yellow.
Rainbow sat up in her bed. "I feel better than I did. I'm sorry for worrying everyone."
"Rainbow, what's going to happen to us?" asked Lala Orange, voicing the one concern that was on everyone's mind. No one wanted to speak up. To do so would only be a stinging reminder of how Rainbow had indeed lost her Color Belt. Light and color had not beaten the darkness.
"Nothing's going to happen to you," answered Rainbow with confidence, more than she felt inside.
"But you don't have your Color Belt anymore," protested Patty O'Green.
"You have to admit, your chances of succeeding in an encounter with Murky have drastically been slimmed down, scientifically speaking," added Shy Violet.
"It doesn't matter. I didn't have my Color Belt when I first came here and I still won over the darkness. I'll do it again."
Buddy Blue stepped forward. "I trust you, Rainbow. I'll help."
Slowly, each Color Kid stepped forth and pledged their trust and help to Rainbow. Rainbow smiled, glad to see her friends trusted her no matter one. Suddenly, she felt exhausted and lay back on the pillows.
"Rainbow?!" cried Canary Yellow, concerned.
Shy Violet spoke up. "She needs to rest. We should leave her be. I'll gather some victuals for when she wakes up. Everyone else should rest too. It's going to be a hard fight against Murky."
Shouts and cheers of celebration radiated from the Pits. Murky and Lurky were in the laboratory celebrating their victory. Murky had had Lurky prepare a large meal in celebration and now the two were relaxing. Murky laughed loudly from his spot at the table. "I can't believe we finally have the Color Belt! After all this time, my plan worked! Rainbow Land is going to fall and bow before me!"
"And me too!" added Lurky.
Murky scowled half-heartedly. "Not quite, but close enough." He sipped from a goblet he held in his hands. "I'll finally see them all as my slaves. And oh the fun I can have with Rainbow Brite!"
"What are you gonna do with the belt, Murky?"
"Why, wear it of course!" He pointed to his left where large black tub ooze grey smoke. "I'm just fixing it a bit first."
"Oooh are you making it pretty?"
"No you dolt. I'm matching it to my outfit. Shades of black and grey. I've infused the Color Belt with gloom… it'll run on my own power now."
"Whatcha mean?"
"I'll mix gloom and star sprinkles and then I'll destroy everything Rainbow has worked to protect!" He ended this statement with a cackle.
Elsewhere, Stormy sat cross legged on her bed. She was angered that she had to stay in her room while Murky was downstairs, celebrating his victory. He'd quickly locked her in her room and told her to stay there until further notice. She scowled at the memory and slid from her bed, moving to the table where a tray of food had been thrown. A random assortment of dark meat and limp vegetables stared up at her, along with a glass of juice. She took a few nibbles off the plate before anger overwhelmed her and she tossed the whole thing at the door, satisfied to here the sound of a glass plate shatter into tiny pieces. Some of the food stuck to the door and slid slowly downward, leaving a slimy trail behind. Only the juice was left on the table and she sipped it to wet her throat before tossing it as well. She didn't care what the consequences would be for her actions.
She thought back to earlier that day and to the horse race. It had been exhilarating to lead Rainbow on, to let her think she actually had a chance. Then, to take action and bring Rainbow down to the ground. She'd meant for the lightning bolt to strike Rainbow, but Starlite had dodged at the very last moment. She supposed that throwing Rainbow from her horse and knocking her out instead worked just as well.
She recalled Rainbow laying on the ground, unmoving. Something inside her panged. Wondering what it meant, she quickly pushed it aside. She didn't care. Rainbow needed brought down a peg. As she'd turned Skydancer around after finishing the race, she'd watched Murky take Rainbow's Color Belt. Everything had gone according to plan in the end. So why didn't she feel as triumphant, as Murky did? She should be downstairs celebrating and she wanted to be. She'd been the reason he'd finally bested Rainbow, and her reward was being locked away in her room.
Stormy threw herself back on her back, staring at the ceiling. In the distance, she knew Rainbow was either awake or still out. She would be surrounded by the Color Kids. They always seemed to be around. She wondered if Rainbow ever got annoyed by that. She knew she was tired of always watching Murky. Why didn't Rainbow get rid of them? Did she ever lock them away for periods of time? Rolling onto her side, Stormy continued to wonder. She realized that all she knew about Rainbow and Rainbow Land came from what Murky had told her. She'd never had the chance to poke around herself.
Quickly, she sat up in bed as she realized where her thoughts were heading. It didn't matter what she'd had time or not had time to do. Rainbow couldn't fight back and Murky was making his next set of plans. She was to help him yet again, but he hadn't told her how she was to specifically do that. She wondered if she'd finally be free to do her own thing, or if Murky would still keep her locked away.
A particularly loud moment of laughter trickled up to her ear and she sighed. She didn't want to stay in her room any longer. She moved toward the door and cautiously tried the handle. It jiggled, but wouldn't open. She had hoped Lurky wouldn't have locked the door in his happiness to return downstairs. Stormy began pushing on the door with her shoulder, trying to get it to budge. She heaved and pushed, but it nothing happened. Returning to her bed, she sighed, suddenly very tired.
Her head hit the pillow and she faced the wall, trying to ignore the raucous she heard. She closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep, but all she could picture was Rainbow's smiling face and the Color Kids around her. Irritated, she pushed the image from her mind, instead opting for one of her and Skydancer running freely throughout the land. Thunder and lightning followed in their wake and she smiled. As soon as she did, the image was pushed aside for the one of Rainbow. Again, Stormy banished the image and thought of something that made her happier. Rainbow's smiling face wouldn't leave her alone.
"Stop it!" she yelled angrily. Then she felt foolish. Who was she yelling at? She rolled over and grabbed her pillow, pulling it over her head. She'd fall asleep and then she wouldn't have to see Rainbow's face. She kept this thought in mind as she slowly drifted off.