#13

"So, how do we follow a warp trace?" Rainbow asked.
"On-X can detect where the dimensions have been bent. It's rather simple, actually. If you fold a piece of paper up and punch a hole through it, when you unfold it again, you can see all of the holes."
"How can you tell which one's the one you're looking for?" Twink asked.
"Well, in the case of warps, the folds follow a straight line. Follow the folds until you find what you're looking for."
"So there really is no way of knowing how far away the origin is," Starlight muttered.
Rainbow smiled as she looked down at him. "What's the matter? Getting tired?"
He tossed his head, nostirls flaring with his ego. "Of course not. I could run to the very end of the universe and back."
She patted his neck. "Well...let's hope it's not that far..."
"How's your magick holding up?" Krys asked as he eyed the rainbow.
"I think it'll hold up so long as the star sprinkles last. We'll be able to draw from the stars soon enough."
"The rainbow feels as strong as ever," Starlight offered.
"Good."
"Rainbow?" came a familiar voice from the headset Rainbow wore.
She lifted a hand to the earpiece, then made sure her channel was set to four. "I hear you, Violet. Loud and clear."
"Oh, good. You're coming through strong, too. Let me check Krys."
The headset went quiet again, and after a second Krys spoke up. "Perfect, Violet."
Rainbow smiled, then spoke again. "No sign of Dismal?"
"Nothing noticeable," Violet said.
"Let's hope it stays that way."
"If you could, Rainbow... Check in each time you cross dimensions."
"Of course."

Unfortunately for them, Dismal hadn't yet overcome his bad habit of keeping an eye on the goings-on of Rainbowland. He couldn't help but take notice of the mountains of starsprinkles flooding the Colour Castle, or that Rainbow had just left with enough to last her for months, if not longer.
Sitting on top of his cave-like home in the Pits, beside a telescope pointed at the Castle, Murky Dismal formed a plan.
"Lurky!"
From somewhere inside came the bellowing reply, "Coming, Murky!"
Dismal winced at the shout, standing up as the lumbering, somewhat slow-in-the-head Lurky appeared at the top of the stairs. "What is it, Murky?"
"I've got a plan."
"Ooo, a plan! Uh, a plan for what, Murky?"
Murky scowled and hit Lurky over the head. "A plan to do in those Rainbowbrats once and for all, dodo brain!"