Brian the Invader

One sunny afternoon in Rainbow Land Krys and Stormy were returning from an enjoyable morning galavanting around the mountain tops. As they rode over the hills towards the sprite village, they saw all the Color Kids spread out across the sprite village green.

"Looks like we have another visitor!" Stormy commented pointing out the taller figure in a sweater and blue jeans, holding a baseball bat.

"Do your worst, Red!" they heard the newcomer call out, brandishing his heavy weapon.

Seeing Red Butler, cape flying, lob some kind of circular grenade towards the stranger, Krys sprang into action. "He's attacking Rainbow Land! On-X, let's go!" he commanded. "We'll stop him!"

"Krys! You don't understand!" Stormy yelled after him. Unfortunately, Sky Dancer was too tired to give chase. "They're playing baseball!"

It was too late. The intruder had whacked the circular projectile high into the air – and Krys saw it hurtling straight towards Rainbow Brite who held her arms high above her head. As On-X zoomed closer, Krys thrust out his arm, discharging a blinding beam of light from the prism on his wrist. It hit the ball dead on, exploding it into smouldering shreds. Everyone gasped and cried out in surprise.

"Stay back!" Krys told the Color Kids as he stood on his saddle and leapt from On-X's back mid-air. The robot horse, deftly following his commands, swerved and circled around strategically. Krys landed on his feet between Rainbow Brite and the stranger, leveling his prism at the perceived threat.

"Hold your fire, Krys," Buddy Blue came running. "There's no need for this!"

"Drop your weapon!" Krys barked.

The stunned visitor dropped the baseball bat and raised his hands.

"Don't move!" Krys snapped.

"It's okay, Krys. He's a friend," Buddy, panting, reached Krys's side and placed a hand over Krys's wrist to get him to lower his arm. "Relax!"

"Are you sure?"

"Of course we're sure!" Red laughed, jogging up to Krys from the other side of the field.

"Then why did you throw that grenade at him?" Krys demanded hotly. "And why did he smack it into the air? It could've hit Rainbow!"

"That's a baseball, Krys! Or it was. We were playing a game of baseball!" Patty explained.

"Playing?" Krys turned to look at their smiling faces. "A game?" He turned to Rainbow Brite for confirmation.

"Mm-hmm!" she nodded. "And if you'd just let me catch that ball, I would've got him out!" Rainbow Brite held out her empty hands.

"I'm sorry, Rainbow," Krys apologised, confused. "I thought…" Now that he saw the stranger up close, it seemed unlikely that this very average-looking boy posed much threat to Rainbow Land and the Color Kids, but you could never be too careful.

The boy laughed. "Yeah, I guess you did me a favour! Thanks kid!"

Krys sized him up.

"I'm Brian. I'm visiting from Earth. You?"

"No way! That can't be true!"

"Krys! That's not very polite!" Rainbow Brite scolded.

"You told me earthlings can't see you!"

"That's right! No one one Earth can see me, except for one special boy – Brian." Krys noticed the smile she flashed the Earth boy and the way his cheeks flushed pink.

Krys narrowed his eyes. "He doesn't look so special to me!"

"He's special to me."

"Well," Krys fumed. "You should've told me you had a 'special friend' visiting!"

"I'm sorry, Krys," Rainbow apologised. "He just turned up. Besides, I don't have to tell you everything I do. I'm allowed to have other friends!"

"I didn't mean it like that! I just meant if you'd told me—"

"Hey, she didn't know, okay!" Brian defended Rainbow Brite. "Like she said, I just turned up: I used the magic key she gave me!" Brian showed off the gold key with its rainbow handle.

Krys grabbed it. "Magic key?"

"I put it in any door, and it takes me straight from Earth to Rainbow Land." Brian explained.

Krys turned to Rainbow Brite. "Rainbow! This is a serious security risk! If Earth-boy here loses this, any lowlife could find it and invade Rainbow Land!"

"Lighten up Krys!" Patty chuckled.

"I'm serious!"

"We know!" The Color Kids all laughed.

"Arrr! Laugh all you want! I could've just saved you all from—"

"From a scary baseball?" giggled Tickled Pink.

"Wow, thanks Krys! How can we ever repay you!" La la Orange joked dramatically.

Krys clenched his fist angrily, still holding the magic key.

"Krys," Rainbow faced him. "Please give that key back to Brian. I want him to have it."

"You're absolutely sure he's not a threat?"

"Of course I'm sure!"

Krys deliberated a few moments. "Fine!" he relented. He grabbed Brian's hand and slapped the key into it. "You better keep that key safe, earthworm! Or you'll have me to answer to!" he snarled menacingly.

"I'm glad we sorted that out!" Rainbow smiled. "Should we teach Krys how to play baseball, Brian?"

"Lookout!" yelled Canary Yellow and Indigo before Brian had a chance to reply. The two girls came running towards them, pointing at On-X who was barrelling through the air on a collision course with Brian. Brian shielded his face with his hands.

"On-X!" Krys held up his hand and signalled to On-X to stand down and the robot horse promptly backed off and landed at the edge of the green.

"What's happening?" Canary Yellow and Indigo asked, joining them.

"We're teaching Krys all about baseball, right Brian?" Rainbow Brite explained.

"Sure, I'm game," Brian replied, though still a little shaken. "If you have another ball. Mine's been blasted to smithereens!"

The Color Kids laughed jovially, looking around at all the burnt bits of cork and leather scattered on the grass, and picking bits out of each other's hair. "Maybe Patty or Buddy could find another ball or—"

"Forget it. I am not in the mood for dumb games!" Krys stormed off to the edge of the green. They watched him pace back and forth under the trees.

"Phew! That was intense!" Brian said to Rainbow Brite with a nervous laugh. "Who is that cocky little kid with the scary robot horse? Don't tell me he's a friend of yours! He's strutting around like it's his personal responsibility to protect the whole universe!"

"It kind of is," Rainbow told him, as they watched Krys lean his arms against a tree as though he was trying to push it down. "Brian meet Krys, from planet Spectra."

"So, this is the space boy you told me about?" Brian sounded incredulous. "The one who helped you save that diamond planet from an evil princess?"

"Mm-hmm. I invited him here for a summer vacation. What do you think?"

"Oh, boy. I imagined him taller, for a start."

"Maybe don't tell him that!"

"Why not? He already doesn't like me. That's pretty clear!"

"Give him a chance, Brian. For me?" Rainbow Brite fluttered her lashes.

"Okay. Anything for you, Rainbow," Brian relented. They watched Krys who appeared to be having a fist fight with an innocent spray of leaves that had accosted him. "But he does seem kind of high-strung for someone on holiday."