Light to Darkness, Darkness to Light

Chapter One: Rainbow

Rainbow, once a young girl named Wisp heard the chirping of an alarm clock. She had to rise just as early as the rest of the Color Kids. There was always work to do. As Rainbow had grown, so had her dedication. But this morning, Wisp, a girl looking to be perhaps seventeen years old, groaned in pain and hit the snooze button.

She had never done that before. But she had never felt such a discomfort either.

Her mind was swimming, swirling. She felt dizzy and nauseous at the mere thought of standing. Her first thought was that she was sleep-deprived and it served her right. Brian had been growing closer to her. As she grew closer in return. He was a twenty year old now, while she was far older but physically three years younger. She had started to age more quickly as had the rest of the Color Kids but most noticeably the girls. Violet had not been able to determine why except that perhaps it was a preparation.

Rainbow did not know what it was a preparation for. But she did not care.

She buried her face down into her pillow and closed her eyes.

She slept through her alarm.

* * *

"Brian!"

The now grown human boy turned as the Rainbow touched down and the blond haired girl ran to him. He opened his arms and she leapt into them. It was so odd to think that a few years ago, he'd regarded this young woman in his arms as a little sister. Now, she had matured, grown older and his relationship with her had changed.

She was his girlfriend.

Hard to picture really. She was always so caught up with her job. However, the boy noted that lately the colors were lacking. Most notably in blue, green, red, and orange. He knew that those sets of kids had been growing closer. Red and him still had an animosity but they could tolerate one another. Especially now that La La kept him occupied.

"Hey girl." He swung her up and around before gently setting her down. She hugged him tightly. "What brings you here, Rainbow?"

"You," was his answer. He smiled and took her hand.

"Then, I assume you want to do something?"

"Talking's fine." She replied, tossing her golden hair back. It was beginning to lighten. In fact, he swore it was slowly but assuredly bleaching to silver. It matched her deep clear eyes as the sun matched the sky. He loved to gaze into those eyes. He didn't even care if she was centuries old.

He loved her and he knew that the feeling was mutual.

He led her to the river, one of her favorite places.

"I love it here," was the first thing from her mouth. He smiled.

"I know. So do I. I think that Buddy and Patty do some major overtime here."

Rainbow nodded. The leaves were always a deep rich green here. The river was always crystal clear and bright blue. Unconsciously, the girl lay by the bank and trailed her fingertips in the cool water. Brian sat by her,

"Rainbow,"

"No, Brian. Call me Wisp. Everyone in RainbowLand has started to do that.'

"Okay, then. Wisp, I…I'm not sure how to do this. I…"

The blond haired girl smiled. "Brian are you trying to say you have feelings for me?"

He blushed a bright scarlet. "Well, uh, yeah. But not 'friendship type', Wisp."

She nodded. "I know. I knew since I became, well, your 'girlfriend.'"

Brian sighed. "But I mean, you're how old, wisp? Really?"

"Honestly?" the woman shrugged. "I honestly can't say because I honestly don't know."

She sat up and leaned back against the human, her boyfriend. "I mean, I know that I'm old. I don't feel old but I know I am. I look seventeen. I should only look about twelve still. But I'm aging so swiftly. I'm not sure why. Not even Violet knows."

Brian chuckled. "If Violet doesn't know then I doubt there's an answer."

Wisp smiled, her lips turning a faint pink in the sun.

"Probably not," she agreed. "But, what brought that up?"

"I…I wish that…that…that I could ask you to…"

Wisp felt her heart skip a beat. Is he going to? Please, oh whatever spirit watches me, say he is!

"I want you to be my wife."

The woman felt weak in the knees. She fell to her hands and knees and grasped Brian around the wrists.

"Do you mean it?"

He nodded. "I do. I felt the connection that first time I got tie dyed by your rainbow."

But the golden haired woman fought tears. She knew the rules. He was mortal, she was immortal. He would die and it would snap her heart apart. They'd grown too close already. She was already hurting and he was not even close to death yet. She grabbed his face, leapt to her feet and pressed her coral colored lips against his. Tears streamed from her eyes. It wasn't fair. It wasn't.

But wait! She was in charge of the rainbow. She controlled the happiness and sadness by altering her colors. Could she do nothing to ease her own pain? Her own heartbreak? There had to be something…anything.

She pulled from him.

"Brian. I love you. I do. And you don't know how tempting it is to go with you, leave my duties. But I can't. The whole world needs me."

Brian dropped his head. "I know. And I want you to know that I understand that. But…it's so hard."

Wisp silenced him with another quick kiss. "So, you'll have to come with me."

He was stunned. "Wisp…I'm mortal. I'd die. You can't alter mortality, can you?"

She shook her head, "Not to my knowledge."

She hugged him tightly, as he sat down by her. She laid her head against his chest. "But I can't stand it. I can't. The whole world will live on in joy but what about me?" she sighed. "That sounds selfish, doesn't it?"

Brian shook his head. "No, it's honest. I like that.'

Wisp unconsciously shook her shoulders. Her sleeves fell a bit and she instinctively reached to tug them up. Brian grabbed her hands and said,

"You have real pretty hands and eyes, ya know?"

Wisp shook her head. No, they were too close. This was too…she wasn't ready!

But her love overtook her and she fell into his arms. He kissed her lips, then her neck, once, almost as if he were requesting her permission to go any further. She liked that about him. In answer, she nuzzled further into his arms. He kissed her again.

As the moonlight filtered down on the small meadow like setting, Wisp's dress was flung onto the ground.

* * *

"Ouch!"

Wisp winced as Violet touched her again.

Worried when she found her leader the way she was, Violet asked her if she could give her just a brief examination. The pain jolted her from her thoughts.

She would never forget that day, that night. She had never felt such an intense feeling, such love. It had passed all too quickly for her. But now, a thought ran through her mind. She could…

A happiness washed over Wisp she wasn't aware was possible.

Violet's next statement made her feel weak, excited, scared and happy all in one mixed jumble of feelings.

"Wisp, you're pregnant."