#20

She switched the channel down to one, wanting to try just for herself. If she hadn't tried, and found out later it would have worked, she'd kill herself. "Rainbow!" She waited, but no answer. She tried again, "Rainbow, this is Violet." She knew that if Rainbow could hear her, she'd know who it was, but saying more might allow something to get through. But still nothing. Tears brimmed in her eyes as she felt her hope drain away. Her hands balled into fists and she slammed them down against the console. "Work!"
"She's not coming, is she?" came a voice from behind Violet. She turned slightly to look back. There stood some of the kids, and Dismal, who had spoken.
Violet slowly shook her head. "I can't get thruogh to her. Krys, Brian, and Stormy are on their way, though."
"What are we supposed to do?" Lala asked.
"I don't know. For now, we need to keep away from that...thing..."
"It's some sort of bird," Dismal said quietly. The others glanced over at him. He looked a bit defected, and understandable so. "It creates some sort of cloud while it flies."
"Poison," Violet said. "Another creature is poisoning the Earth."
"So that's what the fuss has been about..."
Red came to stand behind Dismal, hands on his hips. "Are you going to help us? Or do we have to tie you up and gag you?"
He scowled at Red. "I'll help. That thing destroyed the only home I've got."
That put a sympathetic look on the kids' faces.
After another screech, closer than the last, Dismal held out hsi goom gun to Violet, barrel in his hand to show he wasn't threatening her. "If this could help..."
She took the gun, pondering it for a time. "You are quite the inventor, aren't you? Perhaps we could come up with something."
Red, as Rainbow's right-hand man, decided to take charge. "Alright. Canary, keep hailing Rainbow. Violet, you and Dismal try to come up with something to hold off that creature." An idea popped into his head. "Moonglow, do you think you could get a signal to Rainbow through the stars?"
"Maybe, but she's changing dimensions so often, it would be difficult."
"Try, please." She nodded, and Red moved on. "As for everyone else, half of you should try to come up with something here, while the rest need to come with me. We need to keep an eye on that bird. If it comes near the Castle, we've got to make a run for it."
"Run where?"
"Anywhere!"
As he said it, a clap of thunder shook the whole castle, causing a few of the kids to jump. Red seemed a bit surprised as well, hand lifted to his throat. Once everyone was over the shock, they all ran outside. The sky was thick and dark, purplish clouds, and every few seconds, lightning streaked across the sky.