#18

"Please don't argue. You know this is right, and we don't have time to play games."
He didn't look happy, but he nodded. "Okay, Rainbow."
She glanced back. "Twink-"
"Oh, Rainbow, please don't," Twink pleaded.
"I'm sorry, old friend. I know I said I'd need your help, but right now I think Rainbowland will need you more."
"How will you follow the warp?" Krys suddenly asked.
"Well, from what I understand, the warp crosses dimensions in a straight line, right? And if Xerol is any indication... We'll know if we're going the right way." That sullied the mood again. Twink carefully hopped over onto On-X behind Krys, and offered Rainbow what starsprinkles he had in his belt pouch. "Now go, before Dismal gets to thinking he's finally won."
Krys hesitated, casting a lingering look at Rainbow, before guiding On-X around and heading back the way they'd come.
"They'll be okay," Starlight said gently as Rainbow watched them disappear into the blackness of space. "It's us you should be worried about."
"Oh, I don't have to worry about us. I have the most magnificent horse in the universe taking care of me." She said it with a smile as she gently patted his neck.
He seemed to glow with that compliment. "You're right. What am I worried about?" He tossed his head, and as the Rainbow started forward again, he took up his gallop, Rainbow tucked tight over his neck.

Dismal sat in one of the charis at the Colour Console, his feet propped up on one of the stations. His gun rested against his shoulder, and he looked quite pleased with himself.
"So, what do we do now, Murky?" Lurky asked. He was sitting on the steps that led up to Rainbow's room, Kitty Brite curled up quite happily on his lap.
"Just keep those colour brats gloomed, nimrod. I'll worry about everything else." Truth was, he was somewhat stuck. A plan had never gone so well for him. What was he going to do now? He looked over at the kids, who were all slumped together in a corner with their sprites. He could do them in before they spoiled his plans again. But for some reason, he couldn't think about that for more than a moment. He could toss them into the Pits. Now there was an idea.
"Lurky," he said as he stood. "We're taking them to the Pits."
"Okay, Murky." He gently set Kitty aside, then stood up. As he came to stand beside the kids, he scratched his head. "How are we going to do that, Murky? They won't all fit in the grungebuggy."
Dismal couldn't help but roll his eyes again. "Just get them outside. And keep them gloomed. Don't need them getting any bright ideas," he muttered to himself. While Lurky got started on that, Dismal headed outside. For all of his bad luck, he really wasn't very stupid. He was smart, and clever. It didn't take him long to find some of the miner's carts and figure out how to hitch them up to the back of the grungebuggy. Once the kids were loaded up, Dismal and Lurky started gagging and blindfolding them all. It was hard to keep a gloom cloud over them when they were moving quickly through the open air.
Satisfied, Murky hopped into the buggy's side car, Lurky taking the driver's seat, and they started for the Pits.