The rainbow strong and bright under her feet, Rainbow Brite travelled through space toward Earth.
As she approached the blue and white planet, its sun a bright ball and its moon a dull crescent, she studied the globe, looking for any dull spots and other color-related problems.
With satisfaction, she saw that everything was in order. There had been times in the past when something interfered with the color signal sent by the Castle, but they didn't find out until some time afterward.
It was winter in the southern hemisphere, and Stormy would be concentrating her efforts there. As she approached the large land mass, she studied the visible storms from above. The ones Stormy created and controlled had a quality that made them different from natural storms, and Rainbow's practiced eye could always spot them.
There. That exceptionally violent storm concealed the honorary Color Kid and her horse, Skydancer. Not the original Skydancer, of course. Sunriser's foals had wild personalities, and were suitable for the job. One had volunteered, sensing in Stormy a kindred spirit.
As she approached the clouds, the lightning and thunder grew brighter and louder. Inside the cloud, the winds calmed slightly, but the lightning continued to flash around her. One bolt came very close,
and she flinched a bit, remembering what Sorrell had done.
She spotted Stormy, sitting on Skydancer, and directing rain to a specific spot to fall. She drew along side her, and Stormy looked at her, startled.
"Hi, Stormy!" she called.
"What are you doing here?" Stormy shouted over the wind, "Winter's not over, yet!" Her eyes flashed, daring Rainbow to dispute her.
"I know. I'm on my way to visit Brian, and wanted to check how things are going with you," was the answer.
Stormy grinned. She gestured, and the storm subsided so they could talk without having to yell.
"It's been great! Lots of heat energy to draw on, this year!"
"I saw where you got that desert some rain," said Rainbow.
"You bet! That's one of the hardest parts of my job. Those mountains keep almost all the rain on their west face, but I showed 'em, this year!"
"I know you worked hard on it; that's good work!" said Rainbow.
"Is there any news?" asked Stormy.
Rainbow shook her head. "I'm expecting Violet home any time."
"Are you okay? You still look a bit sick."
"Yes. Canary said all the poison was out of my system, and my muscles aren't sore any more."
Stormy got an angry look. "I wish I'd been there. I'd have taught that sorcerer a thing or two about lightning!"
"I'm sure you would have, but then we wouldn't have a new ally."
"Ahh, I wouldn't have done anything permanent, but he'd think twice before using it on you again!"
"Thank you, Stormy!"
"You'd better go," said Stormy, "I don't want this storm to die after all the work I put in to get it going!"
Rainbow smiled. In her own unique way, Stormy showed her concern for others. She waved as she moved off. "Well, have fun, but don't get carried away!"
"I won't! See you later!"
Rainbow heard Stormy's laughter behind her as she left the cloud, heading back into space. It was accompanied by an exceptionally loud peal of thunder.
Stormy had such a prickly personality, but it fit her job. Her horse fit as well, but no Sprite would follow her. Several had volunteered over the years, thinking she was lonely and left out, and feeling sorry for her, but none had stayed with her for very long. Her own Sprite, the last Twink, had been afraid of lightning and thunder, and hated the job of notifying Stormy of the end of winter.
Quickly she approached the other side of the world. In the northern hemisphere, it was high summer. The Belt's navigation equipment took her unerringly to the outskirts of the city, and down to the house.
Something was wrong. The house was different. It had been repainted a garish orange, and broken-down cars were in the front yard. Brian obviously didn't live here any more. This was suddenly confirmed when a large man stepped off the front porch and made a half-hearted attempt to prune a bush.
She was at a loss for a minute. How would she find Brian? Human things on Earth changed so quickly. Suddenly she remembered the Key she had given him. She could home in on him by that. She instructed the Belt, and after a few seconds it mentally reported, "LOCATED", and moved to the west.
Out in the country the Belt deposited her in front of a large house surrounded by woods. She stepped up on the porch, and through the screen door saw her friend sitting and reading. He was an adult now, wearing a baseball jersey, jeans, and sneakers. An idea came to her, and she grinned.
She knocked on the door, and Brian got up to answer it, still reading. He barely glanced at her when he opened it.
"Can Brian come out and play?" she asked.
"Sure, just a sec, BRIAN!" he called, "Your friend is here!"
There was no answer.
"I guess he's..." he looked at her again, then did a double take.
"Rainbow?" he asked, incredulous.
"Hi, Brian!" she giggled.
"Oh, my God! Rainbow!" he dropped his book and scooped her up, hugging her tightly and twirling around, a look of joy on his face.
She laughed, enjoying her friend's reaction, and the joke she had played on him.
He put her down and looked at her, grin on his face.
"It's so good to see you! You haven't changed a bit!" he said.
"You have, though. You've gotten older," she replied.
"Yeah, us mortals do that," he said.
"Well, sit down! We have a lot to catch up on," he said, "Would you like something to drink?"
"Orange juice?" she asked.
"Sure, just a second, I'll get it," he said, and stepped to the kitchen.
She looked around at the comfortable living room. Humans seemed to collect a lot of things.
He came back and handed her a glass, then sat down.
"It has done me good to see you again," he said, "I was thinking I never would again."
"You didn't believe that, did you?" she said.
"I didn't until ten years had passed, and no sign of you," he replied, "Why haven't you come by before now? Too much color to put in the world?"
"Actually, that job is about finished. What about you? Why haven't you visited? We all have missed you."
"I couldn't. The last time I used the Key, it used the last of the Starsprinkles you gave me, and I forgot to ask for more when you brought me home."
"Something as simple as that. I'm sorry, Brian. I've checked on you from time to time, but just thought you would visit when you got ready to."
"You've checked on me?"
"Of course. You're under my protection. As I've said, I could never let anything happen to the only person on Earth who has seen me!"
"You've checked on me, but didn't contact me?"
"You were busy, or I was in a hurry, and couldn't. Missed communications, I suppose."
"Yeah, for ten years." he shook his head.
"Well, I'm here now! Let's catch up!"
They talked for some time.
Rainbow told him about Plock's death, and that they still had been unable to find out what happened. She told him about Sorrell being taken over by the Shadow King, and about the planet in the Coal Sack Nebula that now sported a rainbow glow.
"Can I meet your family? I'd really like to," she said.
"Shelly and my daughter Tina are visiting Grandma, but Brian stayed home with me." he replied.
"Where is he?"
"I saw him out back when I got you more juice."
"I'd like to meet him."
"Say! Would it be okay if he visited Rainbowland for a few days?"
"Sure! I know the Kids will be glad to meet him! And I can show him around."
"That would be great. He's been moping around for the last week because all of his friends are away."
"I'd love to have him there. It would be like old times. Would you be coming too?"
"Ah, no. Sigh. I have important things to do here, and can't."
She paused, thinking. "What should I tell him?"
"He knows about you, but thinks you're fictional."
"Oh, that cartoon?"
"Yep. I've told him for years you're real, and he's never believed me."
She grinned. "He's got a surprise coming!"
"I'll be watching!" a pause, "It's been great to see you again, Rainbow."
"You too, Brian. I promise not to let time get away from me like that again. I'll see you again soon," she said.
They hugged again, and Rainbow felt the tears from Brian.
She slipped out the front door, and ran around to the back. Brian Junior was sitting on the porch steps, head in hands.
"Hiya, glumface," she said, "What's wrong?"
"Aw, all my friends are gone on trips. I don't even have my little sister to bug." He looked at her. "Who are you, anyway? You don't go to my school."
"I'm Rainbow Brite, and you're right, I don't go to your school."
"Rainbow Brite, yeah, sure," he said, then looked a little more closely, "You do look like her, though. Is this a joke my dad's playing on me?"
"No, I'm real enough. I put all the color in the world."
"Oh, yeah, then where's your flying horse and twinkle?"
"You mean Twink, my Sprite," said Rainbow.
"Whatever," said Brian.
"Starlite retired, and the last Twink died of old age. The new one is too young."
"Uh huh."
"You don't believe me?"
"Nope. Prove it!" he said.
Rainbow touched the star on the Belt, and a rainbow emerged and scooped Brian Junior up. It took him higher than the trees, then came back down and set him exactly where he had been sitting.
"Wow! You ARE the real thing! How did you do that?"
He stood up and went over to her. Rainbow's head barely came up to Brian's chest. "You sure are short. You look about eight years old. I'm ten."
She smiled, but didn't answer. It would probably scare him if she told him how old she was in years. By comparison, though, she wasn't that much older than him. She was barely adult by her race's standards.
"Well, I've got to go. It's been great meeting you, Brian! I hope I'll see you again soon!"
"Me too! You sure made my day!"
"That was the idea!
Oh! I almost forgot. Give these to your father. He forgot to ask for them again," she said. She pulled out several Starsprinkles, and gave them to Brian.
He took them and looked at them with wonder, the colors flashing in his hand.
"Bye!" she said, and waved. She activated the rainbow, and headed upwards.
Brian waved, and watched until she disappeared into the clouds. Then he turned and ran into the house.
"Daaad! Dad!" he yelled.
"What, son?" asked his father.
"You'll never guess what happened!" he said, all excited.
"What just happened?"
"I just met Rainbow Brite!"
"Oh? I thought you said she wasn't real," said Brian senior.
"Well, I was wrong! I can't believe it, but she IS real!"
"That she is, me boyo!" said dad, grinning.
"She gave me these to give you," said Brian, giving him the Starsprinkles.
Dad looked at them, joy on his face. "I KNEW I forgot something! I'm glad SHE remembered!"
Brian looked at him. "Wait. You talked to her too?"
"Yes, while you were outside," was the reply.
"And you sent her around to meet me, because I was feeling bad?"
"Yep!"
He hugged his father. "Thanks, dad!"
"You're welcome. C'mon, I want to show you something."
They went into the bedroom, and in the bottom drawer of the chest o' drawers, Brian Senior brought out a small wooden box. Inside, laying on red velvet, was a key. It was shaped like a skeleton key, but had a rainbow across the top, and a star-shaped area directly below it.
Brian took a Starsprinkle, and inserted it into the area. The rainbow immediately began to glow.
"Wow!" said junior, "Are we going to go to Rainbowland?"
"Not me, you!"
"Me? You mean it?"
"Sure do! Want to stay for a few days?"
"Wow! Sure! That would be wonderful! I guess I need to pack!"
He ran out the door, heading for his room.
As they made their plans and arrangements, others were doing the same thing.