"Krys!" He turned around at the sound of his name, and smiled slightly as he saw Rainbow approach him. "Hello, Rainbow."
"Krys, are you leaving tomorrow?" she asked, straightforward.
Krys nodded unhappily and kicked a rock. "Orin contacted me last night. He said there's some sort of emergency on Spectra and I've already stayed longer than I should." He sighed. "I'd much rather stay with all of you, though."
"Well, we'll certainly miss you, Krys– but don't you miss Orin and your friends?" Rainbow asked, a little perplexed.
Krys nodded, a bit of a cynical grin streaking across his face. "Of course I miss Orin. But between our jobs and his crazy premonitions we've gotten used to not seeing each other. And I do miss Barder, Sestina, Rilla, and Issana, but they're...well...they're not you and the Color Kids, Rainbow."
"I'm sure they're not. I'm sure they've got all their problems under control and are very organized, pulled together members of the AFW."
Krys couldn't help it. He laughed. "Rainbow, before you start on how under control Spectra is, let me tell you about them."
She smiled. "Come on, Krys, they can't be that bad."
"Oh, you just wait. Barder is a good man"–Rainbow tried to suppress a giggle, since she knew Barder was only a year older than Krys– "but he's a little arrogant and always thinks he's right, and– what is so funny?"
Rainbow couldn't help it. That comment, and Krys's oblivion to the pot calling the kettle black statement he had just made, did her in. She bent over laughing, clutching her stomach, as Krys frowned in disapproval.
"I'm so sorry, Krys," she said, once she pulled herself together, "it's just that...well...you must have a hard time dealing with a person like that," she finished, congratulating herself on her quick thinking.
"Oh, of course. I can't stand pride– or not being able to admit when you're wrong." He smiled. "Although, it is good to see you laughing again." The concern in his eyes was something only Rainbow could see behind his mask. "You've been doing much better since Brian showed up."
"I've missed him. Just like I miss you when you're gone. But that's enough of that. Tell me about the others."
"As you wish," Krys replied with a flourish, never one to resist an opportunity to talk about his life (or to be dramatic). "First of all, Sestina chose her name. It used to be something along the line of Jane, I think. She's never told me. Anyway, she's a pacifist. She joined the AFW as a peacekeeper on Riison two years ago, but after those suspicious attacks last year, she was drafted as a member of the fighting force." He grimaced. "Let's just say that she's not happy with the situation.
"Rilla is nice, she's a medic, and she likes having fun. She works hard, but she never gets into anything over her head. She's the type of person who's a really good confidante. And as for Issana..." Krys searched for the right words to describe his friend. "She's...bubbly. Not the type of person you'd expect in her position. First female captain in the AFW," he clarified. "And she's not so much older than me, either. Her record is really quite impressive." He looked at the ground. "But I'll still miss you."
Rainbow was stunned by his rare admission of emotion, and threw her arms around him. "I'll miss you too, Krys," she murmured. "Come and visit soon."
Krys sniffed slightly. "You're my best friend, Rainbow. I'll come back as soon as I can." Rainbow nodded and let go of him. That was all she needed to hear. She smiled at her friend, who had helped her through so many hard times, who she hated saying goodbye to, and turned towards the Color Caves. Krys wiped hurriedly at his eyes, telling himself a little dust was in them.
"Oh, Krys?" Rainbow stopped and turned around, taking a breath and a risky guess at the same time. "If you want to say goodbye, Sel's in the library."
"Thanks, Rainbow." He smiled, and, after Rainbow was well on her way, jogged back to the Castle.
Sel finished sorting through a pile of reports on the prismatic wonder that was Spectra (someone apparently was under the impression he was writing poetry instead of a mundane paper) dating back to 4097 B.C. and smiled. I'm making progress, she thought as she looked around the room. All of the stacks on the floor had been sorted, and many were already on shelves. Organized by subject, in alphabetical order by author.
She was so absorbed in studying her success that she didn't hear the door open. She only turned when an impressed voice whispered, "You don't waste any time, do you?"
Krys stood in the doorway, his mouth agape. "How in the world...hello," he finished, giving her a nod as he noticed her gaze. Sel nodded in return and looked back down at her books. Despite seeing Krys around the castle occasionally, she hadn't talked to him since their fight weeks ago. She was afraid he was still angry, but if he were angry, why would he have taken care of her? Krys confused her, and she didn't like confusion.
She continued to sort her books as Krys strolled through the room, examining her handiwork. A few minutes later he said, "Sel...this is amazing!"
She didn't look up. "It's only half done. I've still got to put them back on the shelves, and file the loose pages, and paint and the like. It'll be a long time before this library is in working order again."
"But, still...I can't believe you managed to do all of this!"
She shrugged. "It's not a big deal. I needed something to do. No one would let me help anywhere else," she added bitterly.
"So you found your own work." Krys nodded at her, and if Sel had looked at him, she would have noted a look of approval in his eyes– and a little bit of curiosity.
A pause. "I...I wanted...thank you, for taking care of me. I'm sorry I caused you trouble."
She looked up to find Krys standing only a few feet in front of her. Sel did note the almost quizzical look on his face. Then he smirked and opened his mouth, but Sel spoke before he could get half a word out– and before her mind could stop her. "The proper answer is not that you are used to taking care of females. The courteous thing to say is that it was no trouble and you're welcome, Sel."
A true smile broke across his face, not a smirk, but a full grin that Sel hadn't seen, and he chuckled. "It was no trouble and you're welcome, Sel."
She nodded, his contagious smile infecting her own face, and looked down again. She couldn't believe her own daring. She felt like she had successfully de-wired a bomb. She wasn't used to putting herself out and not being shot down. "Good," she choked out. Her throat was tightening–why? she wondered. The only time her throat got tight like that was when she was afraid. But there was nothing to be afraid of! It was just this boy, whose name she'd never even said to him, who bewildered her and interested her and scared her at the same time. No one, save Rainbow and Brian, had ever looked at her with such a scrutinizing gaze as he turned on her now. Why did it always seem to her that behind his even smile was something threatening?
But she liked that she had made him laugh. She liked that he seemed to understand her need for some way to help. And that gave her confidence enough to turn her face towards his and not hide her smile.
Krys cleared his throat, a little surprised at the sudden change in her mien. "What I wanted to say, before I was distracted, was that I have to go back to Spectra tomorrow. I came in to say goodbye."
Sel wondered why he had bothered to say goodbye to her, but the thought was pushed aside as she processed his words. "Spectra?"
"Yes, Spectra. My home."
"This Spectra?" she asked, rifling through the papers at her feet until she came across the reports.
"'Spectra: The Prismatic Wonder'?"
Sel nodded.
"I guess you could call it that..."
"You live on Spectra? I thought only sprites did!"
"No. I've lived there my whole life. Though up until four years ago, I was the only non-Sprite. I lived with Orin," he clarified. "But after Spectra joined the AFW the Alliance thought it might be a good idea to have a lookout on such an important planet, so I live there with a few other members of the AFW fighting force."
"I would love to see Spectra," Sel murmured, hesitating before asking her next question. "You have to leave, then?"
"I've been here more than three months. Yes, I have to leave. What's wrong?" he asked, seeing the blonde's shocked expression.
"Has it been that long?"
The young man nodded. "It's been eight weeks since you woke up, Sel, and I was here for a little more than a month before that."
"Then...what's the date?"
"June 21."
"You're kidding!" Sel exclaimed, and then stood up a little bit taller. She said to herself, "It...can't be...nothing's happened...nothing..."
"What is it?" he asked, becoming more than slightly concerned.
"It's just that—today's my fourteenth birthday."
Krys exhaled. "Is that all? You had me thinking it was something important! Happy birthday, by the way."
"Thanks," Sel replied in an icy voice.
"Wait, Sel, I didn't mean it like that!"
"I'm sure you didn't," she answered in a monotone.
"It's just that– it worried me when you acted like that."
"I'm sure it did."
"Sel..." he protested. He didn't want to walk out on her in the middle of a fight again. Great Ones know what she might do this time! But it wasn't just that he was concerned about her health. The thought of leaving with Sel angry at him hurt him more than he would let himself admit. Then an idea struck him. "Let me make it up to you!"
"No, that's all right, thank you. I really don't mind."
"No, come on!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her out the door. "Really. You're going to love it. Go change into something presentable and meet me at the stables."
Sel grimaced at Krys's back as he ran down the hallway. What was wrong with her outfit? He just kept putting his foot in his mouth, didn't he?
She considered going into her room and locking him out. Or hiding beside the waterfall, her favorite spot. Or getting "lost" for a few hours in the Color Caves, even though she now knew them inside out.
But then...he did seem sincerely sorry. And she was grateful to him for taking care of her. Maybe Canary had been right. He didn't seem like the type to tolerate people he wasn't fond of. And he had asked her, not the other way around.
The Sel of three months ago would have hidden in fear of a prank. The old Sel would have retreated into her own mind of nightmares to avoid the world. But Sel had been through quite a lot since then. And she wasn't scared, just confused. Besides, it was her birthday. She should let loose.
Sel turned to find something "presentable" in her borrowed wardrobe.
She found Krys at the stables, where he said he would be, fifteen minutes later. He looked at her outfit and nodded. Sel was a bit peeved that that was the only reaction her clothing– the pale blue tank top she had worn on her last day on Earth and a borrowed (and slightly modified) pair of Indigo's work pants– had received. So being fourteen didn't mean Insta-Curves or a raised attraction factor. Not that she wanted either of those around Krys, but it would have been nice for a little reassurance that she wasn't a junior high thirteen-year-old anymore.
"Good. Come on, there's someone I want you to meet." She followed the red-head down the passage as he told her that he had warned Rainbow that they might not be home until late. He stopped at a stall that housed a black seemingly metal horse that she had never seen in all her time in Rainbowland.
"Sel, this is my horse, On-X. On-X, Sel."
Sel could barely contain her laughter at the fact that he introduced her to a machine like he could think and reply. To her surprise, the horse whinnied and "said," "Please to meet you."
"What do you know," Sel chirped, trying to hide her unease, "your horse is more polite than you are." To her even more surprise, Krys just smiled and climbed on, offering her a hand once he was seated.
"What, you want me to get on?"
Krys raised his eyebrows. "Well, I guess I could just tie you on with the Color Belt and drag you behind..."
"The humor is not appreciated. I've never ridden a horse before," the blonde admitted nervously.
"Don't worry. On-X can handle two riders. And I won't let you fall," he finished with a smile.
Not ready to admit defeat, Sel moved on to another topic. "Where are we going?"
"It's a birthday surprise." When she still hesitated, Krys added, "Get on or I'll leave without you."
A sudden look of resolve crossing her face, Sel took his hand and settled herself– with some difficulty– behind Krys.
"Now hold on," he said, preparing to give On-X the order to take off.
Sel placed her hands delicately on Krys's shoulders. In response, the red-head rolled his eyes in disgust. "If you hold on like that, you'll fall off in the middle of a wormhole and we'd miss it," he said, and locked Sel's arms firmly around his waist.
Sel told herself not to be embarrassed, but found herself blushing anyway. This was more contact than she'd had with a boy– ever. She couldn't help it. And the first time she essentially hugged a member of the opposite sex (excluding her father), it had to be Krys, who she wasn't even sure how she felt about, was completely unsure of herself around, and, she couldn't help but notice, had a very nicely muscled back.
The thought of what might happen if her hand accidentally strayed downward made her gasp with mortification.
"You still holding on?" Krys asked, and Sel nodded, still fully flustered.
"Good. Let's go, On-X!" he said, and the Sel felt the fully uncomfortable feeling of the ground floating away from her. Krys skillfully guided the horse through the stables and into the open air. As soon as he did, Sel regretted her newfound courage, as On-X moved into what felt like hyper speed. Forgetting any sense of boundaries and embarrassment, Sel wrapped her arms tighter around Krys's waist and pushed her entire body into his back, hiding her face in his shoulder as Rainbowland grew smaller and smaller.
"Hey, Rainbow!" Brian said as the violet-eyed girl walked into his room.
"Hello, Brian," she said with a smile.
"I just wanted to talk to you. Have you seen Sel?"
Rainbow pursed her lips in thought. "Actually, I think she and Krys went somewhere. He said not to expect them back for quite a while."
"You're kidding."
Rainbow laughed, a sound Brian could never hear enough of, especially after her breakdown in his room less than three months ago. "I'm not, hard as it is to believe."
"The last time they spoke, we could hear them yelling at each other three rooms away, and now they just— took off?"
"It seems that way."
"To where?"
"I'm not sure," Rainbow answered, and glanced out the window. "Though it looks like they're not going to be anywhere in Rainbowland."
Brian followed her gaze, and caught sight of the evidence Rainbow had of this theory. The sun glinted off a black shape, and it sped out of sight, the two figures atop it getting smaller and smaller, the second's blonde hair streaming out behind them.
Krys couldn't help but smile as Sel gasped. She had finally opened her eyes, and now, he felt her arms loosening slightly as she pulled away to get a better look at the stars, asteroids, and planets that surrounded them. "Don't let go," he warned, but apparently Sel wasn't completely over her anxiety, because she still kept a tight grip around his waist.
"Oh, Krys..." she murmured, so quiet he could barely hear her, "it's beautiful."
As if sensing her awe, On-X slowed down a bit, enabling the girl to see the wonders around them more clearly. "I told you you'd love it," Krys said, smug.
"You were right. Can we just stay here forever?"
"No. It gets better." Krys pointed to a shimmering point in the distance. "See there? That's Spectra." He gave On-X a nudge, and the horse sped up again.
"We're going to Spectra!"
"No, actually, I'm taking you to the Prison Planet and hiding you in the caves. You'll get used to the monsters eventually."
"Very funny. You know, you should be nicer to me on my birthday."
"What, and taking you out for your birthday isn't nice enough?"
Sel grinned. "I concede the point. But, aside from the fact that it's the light of the universe and culturally a symbol of self-discovery and inner knowledge, the soul, and all things magic, why are we going there?"
"Does Spectra symbolize all that?"
"Uh-huh, according to Mr. Prismatic Wonder."
Krys smirked. "Funny. I wonder how I missed that for all these years."
"You just don't read materials of intellectual merit."
"Of course I don't. Anyway, the reason we're going there is because you, Sel, are about to witness a once-in-a-lifetime event." He turned his head enough to see the confusion on her face. He grinned. "Now I've got you interested, don't I?"
Sel sighed in an exasperated fashion. "Fine. But just remember, the only reason I'm coming is for the once-in-a-lifetime event, which you had better explain right now."
The older boy turned his head forward, looking at his brilliant home as he obeyed. "Spectra is an astrological wonder. Not only does it contain the light of the universe– if you want to know more about that, ask Orin. I can't explain it as well as he can– it doesn't orbit around any star. It just seems to hang suspended in space and rotate on its own axis. So, technically, Spectra doesn't have a sun. It receives its light from a two-star system. The stars rotate around themselves, but not near enough to Spectra that we have sunrises and sunsets. We just have a constant stream of light from one of the two stars. Except," he finished dramatically, "for now.
"The stars orbit very slowly, so only once in about two hundred years does one of the stars pass very close to Spectra. Today just happens to be once in about two hundred years. We had a sunrise while I was in Rainbowland, and today we have our sunset."
"And it just happens to be on my birthday?"
"I guess so. Nice birthday present from fate, isn't it?"
Sel was quiet for the rest of the short ride, until they landed on Spectra. It was more beautiful than she could have imagined. Everything was shimmering and crystalline. And at the moment, it was all burning with the light of a small sun.
Krys dismounted and offered her his hand. She smiled and took it, sliding off On-X with substantially less trouble than she had gotten on with.
"The AFW wanted to do everything possible to keep Spectra as perfect as possible, so the headquarters are in an underground system of caves. The entrance is right over there." He pointed to a small dark space, the only blight on the endless acres of glittering ice. He led her into it, and On-X followed. After he punched a code into a small computer, a metal door slid open, and they followed a natural passage down and forward.
"Wait..how are we going to see the sunset underground?" Sel asked.
Krys kept his eyes on the passage, lit only by a few lights wired on the walls. "Watch your step. There's a pit coming up." He grabbed Sel's arm as she tripped in the foretold hole. "The sunset isn't for a few hours yet, so I thought we could go to the cafeteria, get something to eat, and see if any of my friends are there." He laughed as Sel's stomach growled and she blushed. "We did miss lunch."
"Is everywhere in the headquarters this...rough?" Sel asked.
"No. The passages are, and nothing's really heated, since Spectra doesn't have seasons. But the rooms are a bit more modern. Here it is," he finished, turning to the left as they reached an intersection.
"Where do all these tunnels go?"
"This one leads to the 'official' areas, the training rooms, the armory, and the like. And the cafeteria. The right leads to the men's dorms, the center to the women's. There are a lot fewer rooms in the center."
"How many people are here?"
"Only about twenty. We're not a very important planet. We're too far away from Riison, the AFW capital planet, to have a lot of people, or nice facilities. There are...let me think..." Krys frowned as he counted on his hand. "Three women, and they all share a room, fifteen men, and two officers. Their rooms are off of the official rooms." He turned to the left again, and to the right a few minutes later.
Sel could never keep track of all this. Krys told her when she asked that the tunnels were full of dead ends, intersecting passages, and the occasional large and dangerous crevasse. But those were all in the tunnels no one used, he said, which reassured Sel just so much.
"You get used to it," the boy told her in response to the astounded expression she wore. "It was easier for me, since I've been exploring these tunnels as long as I've lived her. I actually lived in them when the Princess took over and captured Orin."
Sel was about to pursue the topic as they suddenly reached a large open space, equipped with tables and a kitchen off to one side. A few young people were milling around, one of whom was cursing as he tried to heat something on the stove.
"I told you we didn't have very good facilities," Krys told her with a smile. "All of the support workers for the army– cooks, doctors, clerics– we don't have them. We operate this place on our own. We get supplies every so often, but mostly we make do with what we get for ourselves." He looked like he was about to continue, when he was suddenly hit by a small explosion with pink hair and light blue skin.
"Krys!" she yelled, tackling him to the ground. "Where have you BEEN! You were supposed to be gone for two weeks! Did you think we said twelve! What in the world could be important enough to keep you away for two and a half months? Ohhhh," she said knowingly, looking at Sel, who stood fearfully a few feet away.
Krys stood up and coughed hard. "Nice welcome, Issana. Nearly kill me in forty-five seconds. I think it's a new record." He shook his head. "Sel, this is my friend Issana. A captain. Issana, Sel."
"Wow, Krys," Issana whispered, awed. "I knew Spectrans got hitched early, but, man–"
"Oh, nononono!" Sel interjected. "He's just making up for insulting me multiple times."
"Half the time I don't even know I'm insulting you!" Krys protested.
"You would if you stopped sticking your foot in your mouth,"retorted Sel.
During their exchange, a few other of the fighters had wandered over. Two girls and a young man, Sel noticed. One of the girls had straight black hair hiding half her face, and the other was a brunette with a nice smile. The other was tall, with straight brown hair hanging across his forehead and into his very blue eyes. He gave Sel a shy smile as Issana bombarded Krys with questions.
"Krys, you apparently have no manners," the brunette interrupted. "We've been listening to you chatter for a good two minutes and we still don't know your friend's name."
Krys grimaced. "Right. Sel, this is Rilla–" the brunette waved– "Sestina–" the black-haired girl nodded– "and Barder." The boy reached out to shake Sel's hand. He had a firm grip, but not too hard, and looked into her eyes, smiling, as he pumped her hand once. "Everyone, this is Sel. She's staying in Rainbowland. And can we continue this conversation with some food, Issana?"
The bubbly girl smiled. "Of course. I'll help you get it."
Rilla took Sel's hand. "Come sit down. They can handle the food." She led Sel over to a rectangular table in the corner and sat down in a middle seat on one side. Sel sat beside her, and Sestina took the opposite corner from Sel. Barder sat across from Sel and smiled again, pushing his bangs out of his eyes.
"So, Sel," Rilla asked once they were settled, "how do you know Krys?"
OK. You've been handed a grenade. You can hold it or throw it away. Careful, careful now... "Um... Krys helped me out when I was in trouble."
"Oh, really?" Barder asked. "How?"
"Um..." Sel stalled, trying not to feel like she was being interrogated. She didn't know much about Krys or Rainbow, but she assumed that her story about being magically transported to Rainbowland and being unable to return home as a result of Rainbow's failing powers would not be appreciated by either of them.
"I saved her life," Krys said in a lofty tone, carrying a tray. He took the seat next to Barder, and Issana took the last open chair, on Rilla's other side. As she sat, she handed Sel a tray with a plate, a small covered bowl, and a glass of water.
"Oh, I'm sure, Mr. Hero!" Rilla exclaimed sarcastically.
Krys grinned. "Fine. Don't believe me.. He looked at Sel out of the corner of his eye and gave her a slight smirk. She stuck her tongue out at the back of his head as he turned to Sestina and asked her something about her family. No one seemed to notice the quick topic change.
As their talk moved to inside jokes and conversations about people she didn't know, Sel quietly ate her food. It consisted of some sort of meat (I hope it isn't sauteed sprite, she thought, recalling Krys's comment about using what they could get), a vegetable, and a piece of bread that almost reminded Sel of a pita. Only the covered dish remained. She peeled it off to discover a bright blue– what appeared to be a slushy, of all things. She raised a spoonful of the unoffensive mush to her mouth, swallowing it as she started to vaguely listen to the conversation.
All conversation stopped as she coughed loudly and banged her chest. She was dying; that was the only thing to explain the fire burning in her mouth and throat.
"Oh, you tried the Spectran Slush, didn't you? It's such a delicacy around here, though it does take some getting used to," Issana told her with false pity and an evil grin.
"Issana...you didn't..." Krys started, glaring at the girl.
Seeing the hidden smirks on the faces of all three of the girls and the frown on Krys's, Sel put two and two together. She was sick of being pushed around, and made a decision to fight fire with fire for the first time in her life.
"Actually, Issana, I like it. The taste is so unexpected." Everyone's attention turned back to Sel as she took another bite; Krys had been about to speak, but stopped to watch her reaction. Resisting the urge to choke, Sel took another bite, and another, swallowing every last bit of the spicy concoction. As soon as she finished, she lifted her water and took as small a sip as her mouth could handle. She wiped the tears from her eyes, to be greeted with awestruck expressions from every member of the table.
"Delicious," she said, and her traitor mouth added, "Krys, could I have yours?"
Sestina spoke for the first time. "You weren't supposed to eat all that." Her voice was surprised. "Not even Rilla can eat that much of it."
Sel smiled. "Obviously, you people have never eaten Thai."
Issana grinned, a real grin. "Sorry about that, miduc."
Krys rolled his eyes. "Don't call her names in Harshan, Issana. And that was a mean prank."
"She didn't call her a name, she called her spunky," Sestina said defensively.
"I'm not sure if that's a compliment," Sel muttered, but no one noticed.
"Whatever you say. Now, about the new senator from Ilene, I never caught his stance on treatment of the Princess's supporters..."
"Screw em, of course, he's from Ilene, they were hit the worst by the collapse of the UUG..."
As the conversation again turned to topics Sel had never heard of, she resigned herself again to silently studying her plate, but to her surprise, Barder quietly said, "I'm sorry Issana did that. She didn't mean anything by it. She just likes to pull pranks."
Sel smiled, glad to have someone to talk to. "It's fine, really. I've had worse pulled on me."
"There are worse things than eating Spectran Slush, I guess," he said, and his tone dropped to a confidential whisper. "When I first got here, my roommate– including Barrel-of-Laughs over there–" he nodded towards Krys– "stole all of my right shoes and hid them in the colonel's office. Not only that, they stole my underwear and threw it all over the training room." Barder rolled his eyes. "Real mature, huh?"
Sel laughed. "Did they get in trouble?"
Barder pouted. "That's the worst part. I did. The colonel thought I was being a jokester by throwing my things all over, so he gave me three months of bathroom duty. I literally started off here on the wrong foot."
The more she and Barder talked, the more Sel liked talking to him. He was funny and kind, and not nearly as full of himself as Krys was. Pretty eyes, too. She was almost sorry when Krys stood up and announced they had to go. Issana moaned and grabbed his arm, asking when he'd be back.
"Tomorrow afternoon, at the latest. I'll see all of you then," Krys replied, and started to the door. Sel stood to follow.
"Excuse me; it's been nice to meet you all." To her surprise, Barder caught her hand.
"Sel," he asked quietly, somehow managing to avoid the girls' attention, "will we get to see you again?" He squeezed her hand, and Sel knew he really meant, "Will I get to see you again?"
She smiled. "I'm sure you will. Thank you, Barder," she replied, and ran to catch up with Krys.
"Come on! It's only a little farther!"
"Ugh," Sel moaned. It seemed like they had been climbing the crystalline hill forever. And the burning light from the star didn't help.
"Believe me, it's worth it. You're going to love it!" Krys turned and grabbed Sel's hand to pull her up.
"You've been saying that all day, and more and more I get the feeling that you're lying."
"You won't know unless you get to the top. One more step...and...there," Krys finished as he and Sel reached the top.
Sel turned to look back at the massive hill they had just climbed. Not so much a hill, really, but a huge pile of crystal that had over time condensed into a harder-than-diamond mass. Still, it was a big accomplishment for her, never the most in-shape, to get to the top with minimal assistance.
"All right," she admitted mournfully. "You were right. It was worth it."
Krys raised his eyebrows in an annoying way. "Just you wait." He sat down, and Sel sat carefully beside him.
"So...are you glad to be coming back?" Sel asked.
He shrugged. "I guess so. But Spectra...I love it, but it's just not the same. I've gotten used to seeing Rainbow and the Kids all the time, talking to them...and you have to admit, Spectra's beautiful, but it's not as colorful." He smiled.
"No, it's not," Sel said. "But it's still nice here. Your friends here are...interesting."
Krys laughed, and then said, "Listen, don't be mad at Issana, OK? She just likes to mess with people." He looked at the horizon as he asked, "Have you had a good time today?"
The blonde grinned. "Yes."
"Have I made up for insulting you?"
"Many times over. Thank you for showing me all this today. I had a better time than I've had in a long time."
"I'm glad you did."
"Someday," Sel said, searching the sky for her home, "I'm going to repay you by taking you to Earth and showing you everything there that made my life worth living."
Krys laughed again. Sel was glad she could make him laugh. It was the least she could do to repay him, for now.
It was quiet for a minute, as they both pondered their own thoughts. The Krys asked, "Was it really that bad there?"
Sel took a deep breath as she considered how to answer that. "It was...hard." Her mind flew through every memory, every cruel comment, and every uncertainty that hd kept her grounded in her life. "I guess not. It wasn't so much that people were mean, I mean, they were, but that wasn't the hard part. The hard thing was that– I was never really sure where I belonged. I always had this feeling that I wasn't like everyone else. Is that horribly narcissistic?"
He shrugged. "A little. Not really. I know what you're talking about. Like you don't fit in, right?"
She nodded. "Yes. I was always the one who, I dunno, stood in the background, I guess. I never had many friends. I think part of it..." she hesitated. She had never revealed this to anyone. Not her mother, not Lila, certainly not Brian. "I think part of it was that I don't trust people very well." She traced a circle on her palm, carefully examining its lines. "I mean, if my own parents abandoned me, how can I trust people I don't even have any ties to?"
"Your parents...left you?"
"I never knew them. My mom and dad found me on the doorstep when I was six months old. I guess that if you don't know what you're missing, you can't miss it, but still–" her voice cracked– "was I not good enough? Didn't they love me? Did they care enough to at least explain why?" She could feel the tears rushing to her face, and tried desperately to restrain them. This always happened after an emotional high. Any little thing would set her off.
Sel didn't notice Krys's silence until he spoke. "My parents died in an accident when I was two. I've lived with Orin since then. They left me with him for a few days, but they didn't come back." He paused. "I've never told anyone about this before. I don't know why I'm telling you."
Sel reached for his hand, and found it searching for her own. Empathy was better than sympathy, she knew. And she had a suspicion that the reason they were both telling each other so much was because they both had found someone who could understand. Children who went home to their own parents, who never wrestled with doubt or regret about them, couldn't comprehend the loneliness of growing up without a mother and a father that were yours, completely, and loved you.
They sat in sad, companionable silence until Krys spoke. "You said you didn't have many friends. I didn't, either. I had Orin, but he was always more of a grandfather type. And the other sprites were nice, but they weren't close, I guess." Sel could see him biting his lip. "Sel..."
"Uh-huh?"
"I...what I want to say is that...well...I'll be your friend."
Words couldn't explain the elation she felt at that moment, and the tears started coming all over again. "And I'll be yours, Krys."
He turned his head, about to say something else, when a light on the horizon caught Sel's eye. "Oh, look!"
The last rays of the star had caught the gems of the prismatic wonder. Everywhere around them, on them, under them, rainbows glittered through the stone, shining and playing off their surroundings. Then, the star sank beneath the horizon, and the sky was lit with pink, red, orange, yellow, blue, and violet, and the colors were reflected in the very ground.
Sel turned to Krys, wonder filling her features, and gasped. He had turned his face towards her, and everything about him was...magical. Every color was reflected in his amazed grey eyes, and his hair caught the burnished and orange tones in the sky. The rainbows had cast an opalescent look over his skin; even his clothes reflected the sunset, and the prism on his right wrist created rainbows across his legs.
Krys was about to tell Sel that he was glad she was here to share this with him, but stopped when he saw her. Her blonde tresses picked up the pink hue of the sky in every curl, making them resemble rosy gold. The skin of her face was the pink-peach color in between the opposite ends of violet and red. Her eyes, lit to a brilliant green, contrasted perfectly with every other color that surrounded them, and her pupils reflected the newest stars. Even her lips seemed a deeper red.
And in that moment, both of them saw for just an instant that something in the person sitting next to them was not what it seemed to be.
And, suddenly, it was gone. The sky had turned a deep indigo. The stars had come out in all their brilliance. Planets, far and near, were visible by their brightness. It was beautiful, but the magic had vanished with the shining star.
"How long will the night last?" Sel asked quietly.
"Not long. A few hours."
"Will you have another sunrise?"
"The other side of Spectra will. Not like this. I probably won't see it."
"Too bad."
"No," Krys said, surprising her. "I don't know how I could see this again without you here."
Sel looked at him closely, and smiled. She stood and offered him her hand. "Should we go home, then?"
"Let's go find On-X."
Everyone in Rainbowland was asleep when they entered the castle, but the aurora shined brightly above them. "Probably after-effects from Spectra," Krys hypothesized.
"Pretty, but I'm glad I got to see the real thing," Sel answered.
They reached the entryway of the castle. Sel turned to find her room on the second floor, and Krys moved toward the left passageway.
"Well," he said.
"Well," she replied with yet another smile. So many smiles today! she thought. "Thank you, Krys. I had a great time."
"So did I."
"Will you wake me up before you leave tomorrow?"
"Of course, Sel."
"Good," Sel said through a yawn. "I guess that's the sign to go to sleep. Goodnight, Krys."
Krys kissed her forehead, like a friend would. "Goodnight, birthday girl."
And as Sel fell asleep that night, her plea was different. Please, no nightmares, she thought. Instead, let me dream about today. And she fell into a quiet sleep.
Author's Note: Whew! Hey y'all, I'm back with a bang! Man, it's good to finally get that chapter out. If any of you are interested, I'd like to apologize for being gone so long, and explain why. My reasons aren't good excuses, but they help a little. To simplify it, I've had a rough two years. Writing about it is still hard. I'm sorry for the long, long, long delay. But now school's out, and I have time to write again. I wouldn't expect rattle-off three a week chapters, but they will come more often than every two years ;-). So, thanks for your patience, review if you liked it!
Story Note: OK, now we're into the flesh and blood of the story. Now it gets down and dirty. Anyway, Krys and Sel: Sudden change, yes? Why, you ask? Originally, this chapter was going to take about five, and the only thing happening would be the gradual change in their relationship. I prefer this way. And besides, since when is Krys ever subtle about anything? And Sel has been though a lot. She's gonna go through more. It's gonna change her. She's not as cautious, but she's less bitter. I like the change, personally. For the first couple chapters, I kept thinking that this wasn't the Sel I wanted. Maybe eventually she come out on computer screen the way she is in my head.
Disclaimer: Just occurred to me that I haven't done one of these. Everything but Sel, Barder, Issana, Sestina, Rilla, and the plot belong to Hallmark, the lazy bums who won't start up Rainbow Brite again, so I have to write crappy fanfics to entertain myself. Why? Because I'm an even lazier bum and don't want to come up with my own setting and characters. Oh, and also, the Spectran Slush concept belongs totally and completely to heartnut. If you want more on the subject, read "Late Night Sherbert," which is a great little ficcy, very touching and very funny.
Later, peeps!