It was a sunny day in Rainbowland. This wasn't the guarantee that Brian might have originally thought. Grass, flowers, they all needed the same mix of water and sunlight that plants at home needed. Still, with Rainbow and Stormy having made up, the weather was under a lot more control than it could have been. As a results, for Brian's visit today, they were able to have perfect conditions for his favorite activity in the world: Baseball.

Rainbow, standing on the hastily built mound, caught the ball as it as thrown back to her. Brian, in the catcher's position, couldn't wipe the grin off his face. He had finally brought his favorite sport to his favorite group. And, he told himself, Rainbow needed to have fun. She had, perhaps, both the worst, and best, job in the universe. He knew she loved it, but she also never really got a real day off, nor any kind of recognition. But if she ever acknowledged it any of that, it was never around him.

So, as he held down a couple of fingers, and glanced to his left, where Stormy held the bat over shoulder; the grin was still firmly in place. There were some good plays, some surprising even him. Twink laying down a beautiful sacrifice bunt, to tap in Rainbow from third base; Buddy Blue, diving to rob Red Butler of a ball ticketed for the left field 'corner'. Or Stormy, jumping to snag a wicked comebacker off Brian's bat, headed straight back up the middle.

A little competition was good for the soul, Brian supposed, and just about everyone appeared to be having fun. Shy Violet had been reading a book while not required to field... but everyone else was paying attention.

So it was all the worse when the interruption, in the form of Ony-X, arrived. The game was forgotten as everyone clustered around the black mechanical hose. Brian allowed himself to hope that it was Krys, that slight hoped was dashed when it turned out that it wasn't Krys that was paying them a visit, but a small aged white sprite. The sprite patted the metal horse's leg affectionately, then hobbled toward the waiting group.

"Orin? What brings you back to Rainbowland?" Indigo asked, "Is Spectra ok?" Spectra, the diamond planet. Brian chalked that one up to magic. The light for Earth came from the Sun... but some sort of magical light? He'd seen what happened when it was under attack. He hated that memory. He was one of the few people on Earth that knew why it had happened... and he'd been unable to do anything about it. He'd felt so helpless.

"Spectra is fine, everyone, Spectra is fine," Orin said. He leaned against his cane, observing the group clustered the near the makeshift baseball field that Brian had helped the sprites create. "Oh dear, I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"Nothing we can't get back to," said Shy Violet. Brian tried to mask his disappointment. Rainbow deserved better than this.

"I'm glad that is the case," Orin said. "But it may not be possible. When one has magic as a friend, once in a while, one gets asked for favors, you see. As you know, we all have our own worlds to protect, and we all have our own ways to do it. Rainbow guards the Earth from the forces of literal darkness, Krys keeps Spectra from being assaulted by those with greed." Orin continued. "There is another world, one on the other side of time and space. Another dimension, if you would. This one has been assaulted with a dark magic, and its guardian has proven powerless to stop it. I have been asked to provide help. Would you be willing to help, Rainbow Brite?"

"Of course!" Rainbow exclaimed, "I'll help anyone who needs it."

Brian swallowed, determined not to let his disappointment show. He stared down at the grass, trying to work up the courage to offer his... unasked for... help. When he finally did look up again, he was surprised to see Orin had hobbled over to him, waiting to meet Brian's gaze.

"You are Brian, correct?" Brian, startled, did nothing more than nod. "Rainbow has told me about you, that you're as selfless and brave and she is, I would feel better about sending two, if you would be willing to help her. Even if it isn't for Rainbowland, or Earth for that matter. Twink cannot be spared from here, and Krys has his own tasks to accomplish. I won't lie to you, this isn't Murky Dismal and his bumbling cohort you'll be dealing with. This will be dangerous."

Brian's breath caught. This... this was what he'd always wanted. "Doesn't matter, if Rainbow or anyone else, needs help, I'll help them," said Brian, blushing hard. He took a deep breath to steady his nerves, "When do we leave?"

"I'm not quite ready for a trip, Brian, are you?"

Orin nodded, "I believe that Rainbow has to take you home, Brian. Take one hour to prepare, and you will leave when you return."

Brian glanced around, hefting his backpack. Empty of schoolbooks, it had found a home under his bed. Now, however, it contained a complete change of clothes, not to mention extra 'whites', and sweats for sleeping in. Other things, were perhaps, more interesting. What could one find that might be useful in a foreign place? He glanced at his clock, he still had a few minutes. He went through his list, a canteen (dusty and hidden under the sink), a compass that he'd received from Christmas, a flashlight (with fresh batteries), a notebook, and a full pack of cheap pens. "Rope," Brian quoted to himself, "I'll want it, if I haven't got it." Rope, however, was in short supply in the household. "Anything else?" he mumbled. He threw in a deck of cards. From the "You never know" department, Brian supposed.

He took another deep breath, plunged the key into his closet's lock for the second time today, and headed back into Rainbowland.

Rainbow had made her own preparations, and her own pack. But, other than clothes, hers contained just one important item.

"Star Sprinkles," Twink told her. "Lots of them, you told me how you ran out on Spectra. I don't think Orin will be there to bail you out this time."

"Brian's back," Rainbow said softly. Twink smiled. "I'm so happy for him, he's wanted to help for so long, Twink. And... thanks. You'll keep care of the color kids while I'm gone?"

Twink grinned and nodded enthusiastically as they made their way back down to Orin, waiting in front of the Color Castle. "Always, Rainbow," he told her. "Always.

"So, uh, where are we heading, Orin?" Brian asked, as Starlite cantered up to join them, his hoof tapping impatiently.

"It's a land called Etheria, Rainbow," Orin replied. Orin pulled a scepter from his own pouch, fiddled with it a bit, and pointed it away from the castle. "Listen, Rainbow and Brian, you must find the place known as the Crystal Castle. There, you will find what you need to rescue Etheria."

Rainbow looked at the ominous yellow gate, and then pulled herself onto Starlite's back, helping Brian up behind her. "Let's go, then."

"Good luck, Rainbow, Brian, and Starlite," Orin whispered. "I hope you are all ready."