Rainbow Factory Human Resources
Chapter 1: Opportunity for Growth
Night had fallen by the time Rainbow Brite returned home to Rainbow Land. She was tired, her normally cheery disposition had faded even under the yellow and silver glow of the night sky courtesy of Moonglows efforts. Starlite her loyal steed followed along behind Rainbow, equally exhausted. They walked as old friends in comfortable quietude. Rainbow opened the door of Starlite's stable. Skydancer was already in his stall snoozing away. Starlites stall had been loaded with fresh straw to sleep on and tasty oats to eat, courtesy of the Sprites that helped to maintain the stables. Rainbow Brite grabbed the kit off a shelf and began to brush out Starlites multicolored mane and tail while he drank the cool water that had been left and nibbled a few oats. She delicately unbound a few knots and tangles present from the wind and the days work. She cared for her horse in silence, a crease growing deeper on her forehead as thoughts filled her mind.
"Is everything alright Rainbow?" Starlite asked, picking his head up from the water trough. He curled his long neck around and "hugged" her close to his flank. "I cannot be the most magnificent horse in the universe if my most cherished friend is sad."
Rainbow Brite felt a smile touch her lips and returned the hug by holding Starlite close. "I've been thinking too much lately. I've been getting a bit worried."
"Worried?" he almost whinnied, as if the word offended him. "What could possibly worry the great Rainbow Brite?"
Rainbow sighed as she brushed his silver-white coat. "We've been coming back later and later every day. You can travel as quickly as the rainbow can carry you, and while I've been able to add a few panniers to carry more Star Sprinkles, its still not enough for the colores we need to tend to. We still deliver color to the world, and everyone is putting in their best efforts, but it never feels like enough anymore. The Sprites are already working two shifts in the Color Crystal mines, but we can only process the crystals so quickly in the factory inside the Color Castle. The world has so many more color needs now. Especially since we added two more stops," she lovingly pulled down a clean blanket from a shelf and wrapped it around Starlite to keep him warm through the night. "And you need your rest too. Everyone is so overworked right now. We all have important jobs to do but we can't do them well if everyone is so tired all the time."
"So what do you intend to do?"
"That's what I've been thinking about. Everyone depends on me, so I need to come up with a solution," Rainbow finished tucking Starlite in. "We have the day off tomorrow though, so go ahead and sleep in."
"Never. I'll be up for our morning run with the sun," Starlite yawned.
Rainbow gave her horse a kiss on the bright yellow star on his forehead, then gently closed the gate to the stable and walked to the front door of the Color Castle. She didn't tell Starlite everything. They had taken on a lot of work that normally would have been spread out between herself and several others like her. But they were gone now. Magic wasn't as present in everything anymore. It took more effort and resources to get magic to work. Like any kind of energy, magical energy could be collected and channeled, or even spread among people. The Color Crystals were magical, that was their best feature, but as powerful as they were she was still taking magic from Rainbow Land when she brought color to the world. Granted Rainbow Land had no shortage of magic, but it was concerning that the Pits seemed to be getting just slightly bigger these days.
Rainbow went through the front door past the dormant color computers and then up the stairs to her room. She kicked off her boots just inside her bedroom door and then sat down on a bench by the window. It really was a pretty night. Moonglow always did have an artistic touch when it came to the night sky. Rainbow reached up and took the ribbon from her hair and let it fall to her shoulders and down her back, then picked up a brush to get the few fairy knots out from riding on horseback all day. After a moment she set the brush down then looked up at the moon and sighed. Long ago her name had been Wisp, because that was what she had been. A wisp of a thought set down into a dark world to set things right and keep them that way. And she had done her job well. But time was always moving on, nothing ever stayed the same, and it was foolish if she thought that her purpose in this life would somehow stay static. She could feel herself at a cross roads. Rainbow Brite had to either adapt to this changing world of fading magic, or somehow make the old ways relevant again.
"You're home late."
Rainbow turned to look as the door to her room opened. Canary Yellow, her best friend shyly opened the door. She carried a tray with her that had a steaming mug of warm sweetened milk and a sandwich on it.
"And you are up late," Rainbow returned with a smile.
"Not really. I was helping Moonglow with the yellow star sprinkles that she needed for the night sky. I heard you come in so I made you a little snack, I figured that you be hungry."
"Well you figured right," Rainbow made room on the bench next to her for Canary to sit down. "Thank you very much." She picked up the mug and smelled the spices coming off it and smiled.
They sat in comfortable silence for a moment only broken when Canary said, "Oh, this came in the mail for you today."
Rainbow looked up as Canary gave her a letter. The envelope was plain white with her address written in old fashioned cursive across the front. "What lovely handwriting…" She flipped it over and noticed there was a wax seal on the back of the letter. The seal had an image stamped into it of a rainbow between two clouds along with a lightning bolt. "Strange…" she popped the seal and opened the letter. The paper inside was handmade with slightly tattered edges with more of the elaborate cursive handwriting.
"What does it say?" Canary Yellow asked.
Rainbow read the letter, and felt that crease on her head return.
"To the Most Illuminated Lady Rainbow Brite.
"We have never met, although our paths have crossed quite often. Many a day have I spent admiring you and your trusted steed racing across the sky and leaving the world a brighter place in your wake. I fancy myself the first to notice the heaviness in your mounts hooves and sluggishness in your own pace of late. I understand your plight dear Lady. You and I are not so different from each other, both of us have been tasked with bringing color and light to the worlds around us. However my days grow short, and my power weakens, as does yours I presume. Therefore I put forth a proposal to you Dear Lady Brite.
"I am retiring soon, and one of the things these old bones will leave behind is a Factory, an Iridian Manufactorum if you would. A place where rainbows are made and distributed. You yourself know the power of rainbows, you have your own magical ones granted to you by the Color Belt and your Star Sprinkles, the ones I create are more utilitarian. I am looking for a new Factory Manager to take over the business. I have every confidence that you would be the best fit for the needs of this Factory. If you are interested in my proposal, or simply have questions for our possible transaction, please met me tomorrow at high noon.
"With my most sincere thanks and gratitude,
"The Umbrella Man"
Canary leaned over Rainbows shoulder as she read the letter. "A factory? That makes rainbows?"
Rainbow read the letter again. She had never heard of this "Umbrella Man" before, and she was usually up to date on all the gossip. "I've heard of such a place, but no one really knows anything about it. Nobody goes in or comes out. I know where it is though. I thought it was abandoned."
"But if we had a factory, we could process Star Sprinkles faster, and if its on Earth and not Rainbow Land, then that would mean you wouldn't have to make as many trips back and forth every time you ran out while bringing color to the world."
"That is true, but how could I run a factory and do my job at the same time?"
"Who said they had to be different from each other. You still bring color to the world, and the rest of us help you out with the factory. Just imagine, days worth of work done in hours. We will have so much more time to play!" Canary laughed.
Rainbow set the letter down and picked up the sandwich that Canary had brought. "A Rainbow Factory huh? I guess it wouldn't hurt to look into it."
Canary hugged her best friend. "What harm could it do?"
At high noon the following day, Rainbow Brite stood on the long brick paved drive that led up to the Rainbow Factory. Her magic did not work on its grounds, so Starlite and Twink, her Sprite assistant, had to stay at the gate. The Rainbow Factory was one of those industrial era behemoths that somehow had escaped the ravages of time. The property was surrounded by a brick and iron fence with an arched gateway that had the words "Iridian Manufactorum" forged in black iron letters. Between the two words was an old weather beaten piece of glass that probably served as a prism long ago to bathe the entry point in spectral rainbows. The trees lining the walkway were black, in stark contrast to the green of the grass at their bases. Crows sat in the trees, watching as Rainbow Brite started walking bravely up the long brick-paved drive to the main building.
The main building itself was a lovely vintage three-story brick structure that hailed back to the days when factories were as much a display of wealth as they were places to manufacture goods. It was like a cathedral built to honor the gods of industry. From the slate roof and iron drain spouts, to the Grecian-inspired columns that held up the roof on the entry way. The whole building had an air of tarnished austerity. Behind it she could make out large concrete and brick smoke stacks and even more large buildings with slate or metal roofs. As she approached, Rainbow was wondering if she should knock or just walk right in, when suddenly a man appeared on the steps leading to the front door. He didn't walk through the door, he just appeared.
The man was tall, dressed in black, wearing a top hat and carrying an opened umbrella. His clothing was old fashioned with a long black overcoat, black vest, black soft leather boots and black pinstriped pants with the stripes in dark grey. Rainbow couldn't make out his features, it was too obscured in shadow by the umbrella and top hat. She had the distinct feeling that she was never supposed to ever actually see his face. The top of the black umbrella had another prism on it, and this one made little spectral rainbows bounce off the walls and ground around him.
"Why hello Lady Rainbow Brite, I'm so pleased that you received my message and were able to make time in your busy schedule to visit."
Rainbow looked from the Umbrella Man to the building, then back to him. "I have to admit I was curious. I've passed by this place on occasion, and its one of the only places on Earth that I can't use my magic, so of course I made note of it."
"I am quite flattered that you would be considerate enough to think of using your color magic here. I take pride in painting the trees and flowers on my own, so you need not waste your efforts and energies here. Would you like to come inside? I can give you a tour of the Factory, then show you to my office and from there we can discuss business."
Despite his strange demeanor, Rainbow Brite did not feel threatened and had always felt that strangers were friends she just hadn't met yet. She turned and waved to Starlite and Twink, to show them that she was fine and it was okay to wait for her there. Rainbow followed the Umbrella Man through the front door and once inside she was greeted with a visual treat. The floor of the lobby was made of green tile with brass inlay to create the image of a sun bearing a noble expression and soft wise features. She could smell old woods and varnishes, and all around the lobby were prisms of many shapes and sizes, catching the sunlight and throwing spectral rainbows onto every surface. They graced the walls, the floor, and even the pressed tin ceiling high above. The ceiling itself was made of alternating sun and moon designs with random stars made of glass prisms set in at various places like bright pinpoints. Here and there were little brass plaques that described light and how prisms broke it down into the base colors, along with a model of an eyeball that could open up to reveal the various parts and functions. It was both creepy and fascinating.
The Umbrella Man closed up his umbrella as he entered the lobby, but even with all the light and rainbows being thrown around the room, his features still remained in shadow, either from his top hat or from the various places in the room that the light simply could not reach. For such a bright place he was a dark figure. "Lovely isn't it? I find that having a lobby with information displayed thusly gives visitors time to acclimate to the delights they are about to witness as part of the production process. Would you like to follow me Lady Brite?"
Rainbow looked from the ceiling to the floor, then at her host. "Yes, I would like to see what kind of work you do here."
"Then right this way," the Umbrella Man led her to a door at the back of the lobby, and opened it to reveal a balcony overlooking the production floor. "Welcome, to the Rainbow Factory, Lady Rainbow Brite."
Before her about a story down was what seemed to be a bottling facility. Stainless steel assembly lines brought in black wine bottles in all sizes, from a simple Split size all the way up to massive twenty liter Solomon sized bottles lined up on the back wall. The assembly lines would bring the bottles freshly sanitized from an autoclave to a simple weighted platform. A gauge at the side would register the tare weight of the bottle, then a nozzle would press into the mouth of the bottle. The nozzle was mounted to a system of pipes and gauges that measured pressure, and connected to those pipes were seven glass cylinders, each glowing with a different color of the rainbow. Rainbow watched as one large bottle was loaded up, then nozzle pressed in, and with a hiss of colored steam the black bottle was filled. The weight gauge at the side began to move and when it reached a certain point a cork was inserted into the neck of the bottle and it was rolled off the scale for the next one. The bottle was then sent through a machine that spun the bottle and applied a label with the Rainbow Factory logo, hazard warnings and instructions for use.
"Thats...it?" Rainbow asked.
"For the bottling process yes. Some things do not need to be complicated Lady Brite."
"Why do you need so many different sized bottles?"
"Ah, excellent question. The smaller ones, the Splits, are used for things like the mist over creak beds, or the spray from a garden hose. The bottles progress in size all the way up to mighty thirty liter Melchizedek-for the rainbows after a good thunderstorm that can be seen for miles. Double rainbows have to be custom ordered because the bottling process must be reversed," the Umbrella Man answered proudly.
Rainbow Brite watched the bottling process with interest. She never thought that rainbows could be bottled and shipped like champagne. "So...where do you get the colors? In Rainbow Land we harvest Color Crystals and then process them."
"Another very astute question Lady Brite. Right this way," the Umbrella Man led her further along the balcony and approached a closet. "I'm afraid I will have to ask you to put on this garment. Both for the sanitation of your clothing and to reduce the risk of contaminating the Spectrum," the door opened on its own as he approached. He pulled out a white lab coat and head wrap, sized down for Rainbow Brites smaller stature.
Rainbow Brite used the wrap to cover her hair and put the coat on for the rest of her clothes. She felt that she was ready for surgery of a sort. The Umbrella Man pulled out a black lab coat for himself, turned his back to her and removed his top hat, then pulled a full-face hood down to cover his head with large round tinted glass lenses over his eyes. Once again Rainbow was prevented from seeing what her host really looked like. Perhaps that was for the best.
Now that both of them had been covered up, the Umbrella Man led her up another long hall lined with windows overlooking a kind of shipping area. And it was here that Rainbow got a good look at the workers. They were shadows just like the Umbrella Man, with only vague hints of clothing or size. Occasionally she would see a white grin or flash of buttons, but never their eyes, never any features. They loaded wooden crates marked with the Rainbow Factory logo and filled with the black bottles onto trucks to be sent onward to parts unknown. The Umbrella Man did not comment and continued to a set of double doors at the end of the hall.
They stepped out onto another balcony overlooking a complex labyrinth of glass pipes and colored steam. The pipes bent and curled, each filled with a color or combination of colors. Check valves at regular intervals regulated pressure within the pipes. Sometimes the pipes split and then each split would separate into different colors. Rainbow paused for a moment to study the workings. The Umbrella Man stopped next to her, ready to answer any questions.
Past the colored pipes and various valves and filters was a bright point along the back wall. It was a large black box, easily two meters square with round heavy glass lenses set in each side. The box was contained within a gyroscope that rotated by degrees. Whenever a round lens would reach a certain point, a panel would slide open and pure white light would erupt out and into the maze of glass pipes. From there the light passed through all manner of prisms and filters until it had been separated out into all the colors of Spectrum. "Whats in the box?" Rainbow asked.
"Its called the Fire. The source of the rainbows. A highly destructive magical object that gives the Rainbow Factory its power. It must stay within the box. Its power is too strong to end up in the hands of those that would use it for evil, which is why I have extended this invitation to you Lady Brite. The Rainbow Factory is an important place on this world, and possibly many others, it cannot be owned, only managed. And you are one of the few uncorrupted forces of good left that can be trusted with it. The Fire must be protected and kept going at all times. The rainbows here are more than just pretty illusions in the sky. They help to bleed the power from the Fire, purify and then redistribute it across the world. Think of the Fire as magical entropy, a place where magic has only condensed and now ceases to flow. Of course we can't let it all out at once, that would be disastrous, but we can let it out little by little, and return it to the world in the form of rainbows."
Rainbow Brite heard the Umbrella Mans words and found herself nodding along with his reasoning. A new responsibility on her plate, but one that would ultimately help her out in her mission to bring color to the world. "If I take over, do I have to keep the factory as is? It is quite lovely on its own but I'm not sure it will meet my needs to make both rainbows and help me bring color to the world."
"When you become Manager, you may modify and alter this Factory as you see fit. Most the the employees will be following me into Retirement however, so you will need to find more on your own."
Rainbow Brite shook her head. "I have no trouble finding labor."
"I wouldn't think you would," the Umbrella Man opened another door into another hall. This place was all doors it seemed, she would need to do something about that. "Would you like to discuss the details in my office?"
Rainbow looked out over the processing area and at all of the glass tubes carrying the light. Her mind was already alive with ideas on how she could improve the facility, bring it up to date so to speak. Was she really thinking about taking this place on? She thought about how tired Starlite had become, the dual shifts the Sprites were working to keep up with the demand for Star Sprinkles. Everyone was tired. Her mission had outgrown the resources she had started with. The Rainbow Factory was a good logical next step. "Yeah, I think I will discuss some details with you."
The Umbrella Man seemed pleased. "Splendid. This way then."
They passed by a bin in the hall for their protective clothing. Rainbow removed hers and added it to the others, then followed the Umbrella Man to his office. The office was darker than the rest of the Factory, even though it had large stained glass windows with the logo depicting a rainbow between two clouds and a lightning bolt underneath it. His desk was large and creaked with his movements. The drawers rattled and squeaked as he pulled them open or closed. Large bookshelves filled the walls, each of them bearing ledgers or reference books. There was a whole section of advanced physics as it related to expansion and contraction of gasses of various elements. On the desk was a thick tome with the words "Rainbow Philosophy" in gold on the spine. Rainbow Brite had never heard of such a thing. "What is this?" she asked.
"It comes with the Factory. Its a book detailing the both the good and bad applications of color and its magical uses. You are Rainbow Brite, you already know that for every light there is darkness, and that still applies even for something as simple and seemingly benign as colors. A dangerous book for those not responsible enough to know its consequences."
Rainbow Brite looked upon it with new respect. Once the factory was hers, she would need to lock that book away so it wouldn't fall into the wrong hands. "Do bad things happen here?"
"Not under my watch, and I'm certain not under yours either," the Umbrella Man pulled out a thick stack of paper filled with his elaborate handwriting. "I can give you this to take home with you to Rainbow Land, for you and yours to go over and make an informed decision. The Rainbow Factory is no small responsibility. It must be taken seriously. And if you feel you are not a good candidate, then I will not hold it against you."
Rainbow looked at the stack of papers. The whole thing seemed simple enough. Use the Fire to make the rainbows and help bring color to the world. But it still wasn't her decision alone. She would have to talk it over with the Color Kids. She pulled the papers closer. "I will give you an answer as soon as I can."
"Very well Lady Brite," the Umbrella Man gave her a folder for the papers, then pulled a normal sized black wine bottle from the shelf and gave it to her. "A parting gift, open it outside. I look forward to your decision."
"Thank you," Rainbow stored the papers in the folder, tucked the bottle under her arm, then followed him as he escorted her out of the Factory. The Umbrella Man only took her as far as the front door where she had entered. From here he pulled out his umbrella again to create his own shade even as the rainbows danced around him from the prism on the top of the umbrella. It was as if he were unable to handle the intense light of the sun. Rainbow supposed that might be the case if he was indeed a shadow creature. He bid her good bye then gently shut the door behind her. For a moment Rainbow stood on the front steps looking down the long well-maintained brick drive that led up to the front door, bordered on either side by the black leafless trees. The trees were far from dead however, bright small green buds were present on every branch. The time for them to bloom had long since past. Crows roosted and cawed to the grey skies above. The Umbrella Man said he normally would add the color to the Rainbow Factory property, but if he was retiring, then perhaps he was just too tired to do it anymore.
It seemed like everyone was weary these days.
Rainbow started walking toward the front iron gate. Starlite and Twink were still there waiting for her. Starlite nudged the gate open and asked, "Well? How did it go?"
Rainbow looked down at the stack of papers in the folder. "I...I think I might want to try for it. But I'm going to talk it over with the Color Kids first, and you too Twink. If this is going to work, it needs to be with all of us pulling together. Sprites included."
"You can count on me Rainbow!" Twink saluted.
Rainbow smiled fondly. "I know I can," she pulled herself up onto Starlites back then helped Twink up behind her. "Lets get home, and then we can rest for the day and have the meeting this evening."
As they took to the sky, Rainbow Brite looked down at the brick structure with its long halls and expansive grounds and knew in her heart that her decision had already been made.
It seemed like the entirety of Rainbow Land turned up for the meeting. Every door on the Color Castle had been opened, tables and chairs brought in from every room and most of the Sprite houses as well. The Color Kids and their chosen Sprite brigades and assistants all were present. Moonglow, Tickled Pink, and Stormy were all there as well. Starlite and Skydancer peeked in through the front door, and Rainbow was certain that Murky and Lurky were in the bushes somewhere listening in. She couldn't blame them. Everyone was here and the news might as well include them too.
The room grew quiet as Rainbow Brite stood up on the third step of the stairs, both to be seen and heard clearly. "I would like to thank everyone for coming on such short notice. Today I went to visit a factory that makes rainbows, and I was given an offer to be the Manager of this factory."
The room began to fill with side conversation and general confused banter. Rainbow let them talk for a moment then raised her hands for quiet.
"I haven't accepted yet, because the decisions I make also affect everyone here. Everyone knows that lately we have been working very hard, running double shifts to mine enough Color Crystals to keep up with the demands of the world now. Its not just flowers that we bring color to anymore, but also electric lights, televisions, clothing and fashions have become brighter, and poor Moonglow has to compete with new more powerful streetlights and other light pollution at night. Tickled Pink has been given not only the range of pastels to monitor, but now all the neon colors too. The world has changed but we haven't. This factory would allow us to not only produce more Star Sprinkles for everyone to use, but since its on Earth we don't need to travel as far to get more when we run out."
Shy Violet raised her hand and Rainbow nodded toward her. "Would the factory also facilitate exploration into new technologies to further enhance existing manufacturing procedures?"
Rainbow nodded. "I was about to get to that as well. The small Star Sprinkle refinery and factory that is in the basement of the Color Castle has been running day and night to keep up with Star Sprinkle production. Our needs and demands have simply outgrown it."
"So we can commit to actual new research and development to further refine our production methods?" Shy Violet asked excitedly.
"If that is what you want," Rainbow looked around the room. "It all sounds very tempting, but I'm not going anywhere without my friends. We are a team, and I can't run a big factory like that by myself. Also I need to Sprites input as well, since there is a good chance a lot of you will be pulled from the Color Crystal mines to work in the factory. The Rainbow Factory already has an existing list of clients that it serves, so in addition to Star Sprinkle production and distribution, we will be making rainbows."
More murmurs went through the room. Rainbow picked up the black bottle that the Umbrella Man had given her. "The rainbows are currently packed and distributed in these bottles," she turned the bottle so everyone could see the label. "The Umbrella Man recommended that I open it outside," Rainbow made her way down the steps and to the front door. Everyone followed her until they were all outside and looked at Rainbow with the bottle. She pulled the foil and basket off the top then giggled a bit. "I've never opened one of these before."
The gathered crowd giggled. Rainbow read the instructions on the bottle, then braced it on her hip and used her thumb to push the cork. It didn't take much, as soon as the seal was broken, pressure inside the bottle shot the cork into the sky with a POP and out of the bottle shot a rainbow. It went upwards for a hundred feet, then arched over gracefully until the end of it vanished somewhere past the Sprite village. The gathered crowd "oooh" and "Ahhed" like it was a fireworks display. It was a lovely rainbow with clearly defined colors, and in a soft yet vibrant pastel. It even had a smell like petrichor. Rainbow set the bottle down. She could see Shy Violet and her Sprite IQ were already warming up the many questions they had. Indigo watched the colors arch across the sky with a smile, and some of the other Sprites were chatting among themselves. After about ten minutes the rainbow faded and they were left with an empty bottle that Rainbow then allowed them to pass around.
They all filed back into the meeting hall and Rainbow Brite took her place on the steps again. "There are ballots next to a box by the door. Please grab one and vote yes if you think we should give the Rainbow Factory a shot, or no if you want to try to find another way to make things better in Rainbow Land. You don't have to put your name down," she stayed on the steps to answer any questions while everyone voted. Once the meeting hall had been cleared, Canary and La La Orange grabbed the ballot box and started counting. After an hour they had their answer.
Canary went to Rainbow Brites room and knocked on the door. "Rainbow?"
"Oh hey Canary. Do you have the results?"
Canary nodded. "They want to give the Factory a chance. With seventy five percent of the vote for 'yes' and only twenty five for 'no'."
Rainbow Brite sighed and nodded. "Okay. I guess I'll be the new Manager of the Rainbow Factory."
Canary giggled and hugged her friend. "This is going to be so exciting!"
"Yeah. I'll admit I'm a bit nervous, but I never back down from a challenge. I'll let the Umbrella Man know tomorrow."
The Umbrella Man looked upward as a crow flew in through an open window in his office. The crow landed on his desk and cawed loudly. "Oh she has?" the Umbrella Man said with a content and relieved tone to his voice. "I must thank you my pet, for all your years of loyal service. But I fear this will be the last time we chat," he opened a drawer on the desk, it creaked with age, then removed a small paper bag filled with peanuts. "For you and yours," he placed the bag before the crow, then removed his top hat and set his umbrella aside.
The Umbrella Man left his office and walked through the Rainbow Factory, thanking the other shadows as he went. They were happy for him, they clapped him on the back or sang songs to celebrate his retirement. They made promises to help the new Factory Manager until she found her feet, they drank with him or offered him food. The atmosphere was joyful and celebratory. Soon he reached the production hall where the Fire was kept. All the other shadows gathered here, happy to witness the Umbrella Mans retirement. He walked up to the black box containing the Fire. The gyroscope had stopped moving. Shadows stood at either side of the box, both holding it still and ready for what was about to come.
The Umbrella man turned and addressed the group of shadows that had followed him to witness his Retirement. "Thank you everyone. Its been a wonderful one hundred years. But its time for me to go."
He turned back around and rested his hand on the cover for one of the lenses. He twisted it and opened the porthole on the side of the box. Burning light from the Fire spilled out and engulfed his body in rainbow flames. He didn't cry out, didn't struggle, only closed his eyes as the flames consumed him. He was finally free of the Damned Rainbow Factory.
When the Umbrella Mans body was nothing more than ash, the shadows at either side shut the porthole and contained the Fire once more. One by one, the shadows began to fade and disappear, no longer held captive by the Umbrella Mans magic.
The old Factory Manager, the Umbrella Man was dead. Tomorrow the new Factory Manager, Rainbow Brite would begin her first day.
Everyone, work together to make her feel welcome.