"Good morning, Krys!" Rainbow beamed up at Krys as he entered the colour castle. He'd grown a bit taller in year since his first visit to Rainbow Land. "Are you feeling better today?"

"What do you mean?"

"Yesterday you turned down racing with Stormy and waterskiing with Red, Buddy and Patty, for reading in the library with Shy Violet and Indigo!"

"What's wrong with reading?" Krys was defensive.

"Nothing! You didn't seem quite yourself, that's all."

"I'm fine!"

"So, any idea what you'd like to do today?"

"I wondered if it would be okay for me to watch the Color Kids operate the colour control station."

"Of course you can watch them work! But don't you want to do something more fun? You're on holiday, Krys!"

"It's just I have some ideas for a Spectra control station. If I had a way to detect light disturbances across the planet surface, it'd make things a lot easier. I don't know if it's possible. Maybe one day."

"Wow, Krys! That's an amazing idea! I'd love to show you how everything operates! Come with me."

She took him into the control room, where the Color Kids were settling into their stations, when a noisy mob of sprites ran up, surrounding them. They tugged Rainbow Brite away from Krys, pointing, shrieking and scolding him angrily without getting too close. They seemed terrified of him. The commotion caused the Color Kids to rise from their stations in unison.

"What are they saying?" Krys demanded, unable to make out any intelligible words in their gibberish.

"Blood on his hands!" was what it sounded like one of the sprites yelled. Then they began pointing and chanting. It sounded like "Murderer! Murderer!"

"They've lost their senses!" Krys was confused and indignant. "I haven't murdered anyone!"

This only made the sprites louder and more frantic than ever.

"Calm down everyone!" Rainbow Brite took charge. "Twink? Where did the sprites get this idea?"

"His clothes!" Twink squeaked. "They say they took his laundry to the washroom and there was blood on his clothes!"

"They took my things without asking? I can wash my own clothes!" Krys was annoyed. He was staying in a small sprite hut on the edge of the sprite village, even though Rainbow Brite and the Color Kids had offered to put him up in the Color Castle.

"Are you sure you didn't make a mistake, sprites?" Rainbow asked them. "Remember the drama that time you washed Red's cape with Patty's bloomers?"

"They say it's true, Rainbow! They say they can prove it! Inspect his gloves!" Twink interpreted the sprites squeals.

"Take off your gloves, Krys," Rainbow Brite told him coolly.

"This is ridiculous, Rainbow!" Krys implored as the Color kids all gathered around, staring.

"Murderer!" a particularly shrill sprite suddenly screeched at him again, almost making him jump.

"Fine!" Krys whipped off one glove then the other. The sprites grabbed the gloves, sniffing and inspecting them. But Rainbow Brite and the Color Kids gasped at Krys's hands. They were covered in nasty cuts and gashes.

"Oh no! Krys!" Rainbow cradled his hands in hers. "Your poor hands! What on Earth happened?"

"It's no big deal," he sounded embarrassed. "I took a tumble down a diamond skree slope just before coming here."

"So, this didn't happen in Rainbow Land?" Canary Yellow asked.

Krys laughed out loud. "Of course not! Rainbow Land is like one giant puffy pillow compared to Spectra. It was on the diamond planet where I live. Where else?"

"Krys, you need to be careful!" Rainbow chastised, still holding his hands.

"I know. But I had to deal with those diamond thieves before my vacation."

"And did you succeed?"

"They won't be back."

"You murdered them!" the shrill sprite screeched venomously.

"No! I banished them!"

"I'm sure you were very heroic," Lala Orange gushed with fluttering lashes.

"You bet I was!" Krys puffed his chest.

"I'm glad," Rainbow smiled, then turned to Twink. "Twink, go get the sprite doctor to come here straight away. He has a new patient to treat."

"Is that really necessary?" Krys objected.

"Krys, Rainbow Land might seem pillow soft to you, but it's nowhere near as spotless as Spectra! Your cuts could get infected if they're not taken care of properly." Rainbow was serious. "Why didn't you tell someone?"

"I didn't think to tell anyone. There's usually no one around to tell!"

"I was so put out when you didn't want to waterski with us yesterday," Red Butler said. "I organised it especially for you."

"He would've understood if you just told him, Krys," Patty O'Green explained, and Red Butler nodded.

"I'm sorry, Red."

"Even Stormy might've understood, if she'd known. Earth got extra drenched overnight, from California to Timbuktu, all because she was so mad at you!" Shy Violet admonished.

"Okay, okay! I get it. I should've said something. I'll remember for next time."

"Next time? I don't like to think of you getting hurt again!" Rainbow bit her lip in dismay.

Krys shrugged off her concerns. "That's life on Spectra!"

"Surely it doesn't have to be! Why weren't you wearing your gloves?"

"I was, of course! They got shredded," Krys told her. "Along with the rest of that outfit." He turned to the sprites with a pointed finger. "So you little critters better not ruin the clothes you took from my room! I'll have nothing left but what I'm wearing!"

"If your whole outfit got shredded, that means… it's not just your hands you injured, is it?"

"It's all just cuts and bruises, Rainbow," he assured her. "I didn't break anything."

"Thank goodness for that! You need to take care of yourself Krys!"

"I do. I always have!"

"I know, but…"

"I'm not reckless."

"Not usually but…"

"I have to defend Spectra."

"I just want to know that you don't take unnecessary risks."

Krys scoffed in exasperation. "Come on Rainbow, you know I don't!" Krys cast around. "Where's Stormy when I need her?" he complained. "She'd tell you: I'm a total scaredy-cat!"

"I don't believe that!"

"Well you know I never go anywhere on Spectra without wearing my helmet. So at least you never have to worry about me dashing my brains out!"

Lala Orange and the other colour kid girls all gasped in horror and Rainbow Brite covered her face with her hands.

"Krys! Are you trying to upset her?" Indigo spat crossly, comforting her friend.

"No!" he told her as the colour kid girls all glared at him. "I'm trying to do the opposite!" He threw up his hands and turned to Red and Buddy. "Girls!"

"She's worried about Spectra. It upsets her to think about the light of the universe being threatened," Red explained. "She can't make things bright and beautiful without it. You have such an important job to do!"

"That's true!" Buddy sided with his fellow colour kid. "And you can't look after Spectra and the entire universe, if you don't look after you!"

"Make way! Make way! The sprite doctor is here!" Twink announced pushing other sprites aside and waving his arms like crazy so that a large fuzzy blue sprite wearing spectacles and with a stethoscope tucked in his belt, could make his way to Krys lugging his heavy medical bag.

"Krys, show him your hands," Rainbow instructed.

Krys leaned down so that his hands were at sprite level and the fuzzy blue sprite gently tut-tutted over the state of his hands, then pulled up one of Krys's sleeves which revealed a painful-looking gash on his forearm as well. The sprite doctor started babbling and gesticulating wildly.

"He says he needs you to take off all your clothes immediately for a full examination!" Twink interpreted for everyone.

The sprites all erupted in excited chatter. The Color Kids gasped and giggled. Krys turned red.

"Come with me, Krys," Buddy told him. "You can undress in my room. The sprite doctor can examine you on my bed." He put his hands on Krys's shoulders to turn and lead him upstairs, but the shrill sprite called out what sounded like, "Yeah! Get out of here, murderer!"

Krys stopped, turned, and gave the sprites a hard stare. "Fine! But next time you sprites want the privilege of washing my clothes, I'd appreciate if you ask me first,got that?"

Surprised at his direct address, they nodded and squeaked obediently.

"And you better not lose those gloves of mine you just dropped on the floor. They're my brand new ones!"

"Yes, sir!" The sprites picked up Krys's gloves, folding them neatly and saluted him.

"That's more like it!" Krys paced in front of them. "And I don't want to hear anymore claptrap about me being a murderer! Do I make myself clear!"

The sprites nodded and squeaked louder. "Crystal clear!" one of them seemed to squeak.

"I'll have you sprites know, I'd only ever murder any one in defence of Spectra and the universe! —Or maybe if your Rainbow Brite asked me. Very nicely. Don't tempt me break my principles!"

This time there was not a squeak from the sprites. Krys took a breath, composed himself and turned back to Rainbow Brite, addressing her almost shyly. "Rainbow Brite?"

"Yes, Krys?"

"Could we do that tour of the control room another time, please?"

"Anytime, Krys!"

"Thank you. And one other thing…"

"What is it, Krys?"

"I'd really appreciate if you keep your sprites in line!"

"I think you've done a better job of that than I ever could!"

They all looked at the way the sprites were literally standing in a line, quivering, and almost silent for once in their lives. The Color Kids burst out laughing.