Title: Before the Rainbow
See chapter one for disclaimer.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 6- The Search for Xavier

Buddy stormed out of the Color Castle with his pack. He was furious. How could Rainbow have tried to stop him? This was his life, HIS past!
"Buddy, wait!" Patty called from behind him, Buddy stopped and turned around. Patty ran to him with his Color Belt in her hands.
"What are you doing? This is crazy!" She cried. She held the belt out to him, trying to get him to take it. Buddy glared at her, and slowly turned to walk away. If anyone understood him, he was sure Patty did. But she seemed to think the same way everyone else did. Patty caught up with her friend and stood in his way.
"Buddy, you can't leave us. Not now. Please don't leave." She was clutching his belt to her heart.
"There's nothing you can do to convince me to stay." Patty dropped the blue belt and stared at him. Seeing the pain in her eyes he softened his tone.
"I have to, Pat. I can't keep living like this, knowing I have a family out there with the key to my past. You understand, don't you?" When she didn't respond he grabbed her hands in his and drew her closer.
"Please, Patty. Tell me you understand. No one else here knows me like you do, you're my best friend." Patty's eyes began to tear up again, and she refused to look at him.
"Don't leave me, Buddy." She whispered, keeping her head down. Buddy dropped his pack and hugged her.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Rainbow couldn't believe what had just happened. Buddy Blue had just told her off and ran out on the Color Kids? What had happened? Rainbow slowly sat down in an empty console chair and stared ahead in shock. Canary gently touched her on the shoulder, and Rainbow looked up at her.
"Rainbow?" Canary wrung her hands, waiting for Rainbow to say something to make everything better. Rainbow shook her head, and laid her head on the console. Indigo, who was still standing in the corner, stomped her heel hard on the floor. She couldn't keep it inside anymore. Indigo ran to her room, and grabbed the ready-made sack from her closet. With her head high, she hurried past the remaining Color Kids.
"Indigo! Where are you going?" Red exclaimed. She turned at the door.
"If Buddy wants to find his family, he'll need help." Indigo paused, and then walked over to the console. She placed her indigo belt gently next to Rainbow Brite, reluctantly letting go of it. Indigo ran out the door, and shut it before she changed her mind. Rainbow never looked up.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Buddy pulled away from the hug, and lifted Patty's head with his hand. He smiled at her, and wiped her tears away. Indigo ran up to them, out of breath. Buddy gave her a quizzical look. Indigo shrugged.
"You're going to need all the help you can get if you really want to find them." She said nonchalantly.
"I'm ready whenever you are." Buddy nodded, and picked up his pack. Patty's head had dropped again. Buddy saw this and quickly grabbed her hand.
"Come with me." He pleaded with her. Patty opened her mouth to protest. She was going to say that Rainbowland needed her, and there was too much work to do. She was going to tell him how much the other Color Kids would miss her. She was going to remind him that Spring was less than a week away, and green was the most important color. She was going to say how this whole thing lacked any reason or sense. She was, until she looked into his eyes.

Red was getting restless. The Color Kids were falling apart, and their leader wasn't doing anything! He decided to take control. He'd convince them to come back, or else! Red threw open the doors to the Color Castle and stormed outside, followed by Canary. Red was ahead of Canary when he suddenly stopped and stared at the ground. Canary ran to see what Red had found and secretly smiled.

Lying in the dirt on the ground was Buddy's Blue Color Belt. Next to it was Patty's green one.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*