Rain (The Quest Trilogy-Book Two) (32 page)

“Okay, start the showers, the ground’s ready.” said Earth, crouching down beside the little patch of their farmland.

Heart and Angel had gone to hunt, and it was Rain’s turn to stay back. It was a sunny morning and their little campsite was flooded with warm sunlight. As soon as Rain started the showers, a rainbow appeared in a beautiful arc over their heads.

“Oh, look! A rainbow!” said Earth, pointing heavenward.

“The last time this happened, I made a new friend here. Wonder what’s going to happen today…” mused Rain.

“You will meet her again.” said his Geeya, staring fixedly at the rainbow where a tiny figure could be seen gliding over it with her arms outstretched.

As soon as she spotted him, Rainbow flashed Rain a brilliant smile and bent forward to increase her speed.

“Whoopee!  Rain!” yelled Rainbow, jumping off the rainbow to give Rain a big hug.

Rain just stood there, staring at the crop of hair on her head that was now colored in all seven shades of the rainbow. Rainbow followed the line of his gaze and grinned.

“Hair bothering you again, eh?” said Rainbow, swiping a hand through her hair and turning it all into an even shade of burgundy. “Okay now?”

“Better. Much better.” said Rain, nodding at her approvingly.

“You haven’t changed one bit in the last year…” said Rainbow, turning around to collect the rainbow. It disappeared into her palm. “This is my fourth rainbow!”

“That’s nice. Figured out what to do with them yet?” asked Rain.

“Not yet. I will though, and pretty soon too. I …” she trailed off, noticing someone staring at her from behind Rain.

“Rainbow?” said Earth, peering cautiously at the girl. “Is that really you?”

Rainbow moved until she came face to face with Earth, and gave a squeal of delight. She ran forward to pull Earth into a fierce hug.

“You two know each other?” said Rain, looking bemused.

“Yes.” replied Earth, breaking free of the hug. “Rainbow is the one who suggested the idea of different colored bangs to me and my sisters. Obviously, we took up her suggestion and she did the needful.”

“Where’s Snow and Fire?” asked Rainbow, peering behind Earth’s shoulders.

“They’re still trapped with the witch sisters. I’m the only one who’s free, thanks to Rain.” said Earth, pointing a thumb towards Rain, who modestly shrugged the praise off.

“We have another member in our camp. Meet Destiny.” said Rain, calling Destiny forward and introducing her to Rainbow. 

Rainbow took a look at Destiny’s outstretched hand, smiled, and then pulled her into a hug as well.

“We’re all friends now.” she said, patting a stunned and awkward Destiny’s back. Behind Rainbow, Rain grinned and winked at Destiny, whose face broke into a reluctant smile.

“Where’s Heart?” asked Rainbow, looking around the camp site.

“He’s out hunting with Angel. They should be back soon.” answered Rain.

“Who’s Angel?”

“Another new addition to our little circle of friends. We met him … oh look, they’re coming back.” said Rain, pointing at Heart and Angel who had just stepped into the clearing with a large deer strung on a pole between them.

Rainbow gasped, there was the sound of a soft pop and the hair at the nape of her neck flew up. She ran forward and caught Angel by his enormous shoulders, barely managing to grip them.

“Angel …” she breathed, staring at him wild eyed.

“Er, yeah … who are you?” said Angel, taken aback by this overly enthusiastic girl.

Rainbow started speaking rapidly, incoherently.

“You weren’t here the last time I came … that means you came here only recently. How did they meet you? How long have you been here? Have you finished your Quest? Oh, gosh! Have you met your soulmate, too? I only just got here …”

“What the …!” began Angel, looking irritated and bewildered all at the same time.

“Rainbow!” called Rain, jogging over to her quickly, “Rainbow … hold on a minute. Where are your deconfusers?”

Rainbow stared at Rain blankly for a second and then her eyes focused and she fished the packet of deconfusers from her pocket. Rain took one out, peeled off its backing paper, and stuck it to the base of her neck.

“There…” said Rain, “speak to Angel now. I’m sure he’ll understand your language this time around.”

Rainbow turned straight back to Angel, serious as ever.

“Have you finished your Quest?” she asked anxiously.

“Do I know you?” said Angel, looking at Rainbow as though he seriously doubted she had any mental capabilities.

“You will in a moment.” said Rainbow, giving him a little shake. “Now answer my question.”

“Okay, stop shaking me! Yes, I have finished my Quest. Now what?”

“So have I …” said Rainbow, looking a little dazed by Angel’s reply. “And have you found your soulmate yet?”

“What…? I … no.”

Rainbow slapped Angel across the face. “Wrong answer.”

“I don’t understand …” said Angel, holding his smarting cheek and looking towards Rain for some help. Rain’s grin only grew wider as he flashed Angel the thumbs up sign.

“Have you found your soulmate yet?” repeated Rainbow, staring intently at Angel.

Angel stayed silent, not knowing what to say.

Rainbow got up on her tiptoes, smashed her lips to Angel’s for a heartbeat, and then pulled back.

“Understand now?” she said breathlessly, searching his face.

Angel now appeared fairly dazzled.

“Yes …” he rumbled softly, “I do believe I am beginning to understand things a bit …”

He searched Rainbows eyes. “Have you met your soulmate yet?” he asked.

“I have now.” said Rainbow, smiling widely.

“Was that the correct answer?”

Rainbow nodded.

“Come with me. You have
so
much to tell me.” she said, grabbing Angel’s hand and dragging him out of the clearing. And they were gone.

The entire scene had taken just five minutes from start to finish. Earth, Destiny, Rain and Heart fell to the floor in fits of laughter.

“That Rainbow! She’s something else!” said Rain, shaking his head.

“But how did she get away with kissing him? I don’t understand.” said Heart, “I mean, yesterday with you and Earth, it was a clear accident. But today was clearly not!”

“I think maybe it was too brief to lead to anything.” said Destiny.

“My thoughts exactly.” agreed Rain with a mysterious smile.

“Wonder where she’s taken poor Angel.” said Earth.

“Hopefully not to turn both, herself and Angel, into trees.” said Rain, grinning wickedly.

Heart joined Rain in cracking some more bawdy jokes at Angel and Rainbow’s expense.

Destiny and Earth exchanged wary glances.

“Guess boys will be boys.” said Earth, with a shrug of her shoulders.

Destiny glared at the two laughing male figures balefully. “They are all the same.” she hissed.

Heart stopped laughing and turned serious all of a sudden.

“Give me a chance, Destiny. I’ll love you like no other, and you will never get the opportunity to question my faith. Every night, I will put you to sleep in my arms. Every morning you will wake up knowing you are still in them. And in the time between night and day, I will dream of the time when I can hold you again.”

Destiny pulled her gaze away from Heart’s with visible effort.

“Heart …” she began, “you are a hard man …”

Heart’s head jerked up guiltily.

“To hate.” finished Destiny.

Heart’s shoulders sank with relief. Behind him, Rain’s face went red and he looked about to burst from the effort of trying to hold in his laughter. Heart turned around and ran from the clearing blushing like a schoolboy, followed on the heels by Rain.

“What is the matter with them?” said Destiny, looking confused.

“Believe me, Destiny, you don’t want to know.” sighed Earth, turning around and taking up from where she had left off on the vegetables. 

*****

That night when dinner was ready, Subodh asked everyone to take their places around the campfire as he would start serving out the banana leaf plates shortly.

Rain hovered behind, in the shadows of the trees, waiting for Earth to sit first so that he could then take the seat next to her’s. Angel entered the clearing then, minus rainbow.

“Angel! Over here.” called Earth, patting the seat next to her.

Angel flashed her a grin and walked up to her. His bottom had barely touched the ground, when Rain landed a swift kick on it from behind. Angel went sprawling face forwards into the ground.

“Who the hell?!” snarled Angel, turning around to look for his assaulter.

Rain, who had quickly slid into the empty space now sat there with his legs spread out in front of him, regarding Angel stonily. Earth spun to face him.

“Rain! When did you get here?” she asked in surprise.

“What’s your problem man?” growled Angel, getting to his feet.

“I was already
sitting
here.” hissed Rain.

“I didn’t see anyone sitting there!” boomed Angel.

“Well then, maybe you should to look more carefully…”

Earth looked from one angry male face to the other.

“Oh, please, please don’t start a fight …” she murmured under her breath.

Angel snorted with disgust and then turned and stalked off to sit next to Heart. Rainbow entered the clearing then and bounded over to sit next to Angel.

“Where were the two of you?” said Earth. “We were so worried.”

“Yes. We thought the two of you had decided to donate yourselves as trees to the Seekers Field.” said Heart, with barely suppressed laughter.

Subodh came then and handed Heart a stack of banana leaves to distribute to everybody, acknowledging Angel and Rainbow’s presence with a gruff nod. Rainbow turned to Heart and pursed her lips.

“You know, it’s a mighty good thing that you cannot turn your imaginations to reality.” she said with annoyance, “And for your information, the two of us did something very constructive today. Something I am sure none of you have done until now.”

“I’ll bet.” said Rain, looking down to hide the sly smile on his face and rubbing the back of his neck with one hand.

Rainbow looked at him scornfully. “Boys!” she huffed. “What we actually did, was discover the hidden meanings behind our core names.”

Everyone looked at them, stunned.

“What was it like?” said Heart, desperation and longing saturating his voice.

Rainbow clasped her hands together and closed her eyes.

“It was magical! I was the one who discovered Angel’s first. Can you believe the hidden meaning behind his core name? I told Angel ‘you’re a dream come true’ and that was it! You know, as in angels … dreams ... they’re all related. And this angel’s mine.” she said, leaning over and giving Angel a brief hug. “As you all know, the surest test of knowing you have found your soulmate is that you will discover the hidden meaning behind their core name. Once you do that, it will act as a trigger for the other person to discover yours. So that’s what happened. My words acted as a trigger and Angel stumbled upon the meaning behind my core name.” said Rainbow, looking lovingly into Angel’s eyes.

All eyes now turned to Angel.

“Angel, tell us!” said Earth.

“Well, the rainbow is made of seven individual colors. And though these colors are fine on their own, together they make something far more beautiful. They make the rainbow. And that’s what Rainbow does; she keeps things together, people together, increasing the beauty and joy of everything. She’s very special that way.” said Angel, rubbing Rainbows knuckles with his fingers.

“That is so sweet.” sighed Earth. “But … that took you all day?”

“Not really,” said Rainbow, “once we discovered our core names, something happened. I felt like something clicked just right, and then …”

Rainbow paused.

“And then?” prodded Earth.

“I don’t remember what happened next.” said Rainbow, with a frown. “Do you?” she asked Angel.

“Nope. No idea.”

“So that’s it.” said Rainbow, beaming at everybody.

“Strange.” said Heart, getting up to help Subodh serve food to everyone.

*****

After dinner, Rain wandered off into the forest alone for a walk. It had been difficult trying to concentrate on eating with Earth sitting so close to him. To top that off, she had the habit of lightly touching the person next to her each time she laughed. Every time she did that, Rain’s temperature soared by a few degrees until finally, bells were ringing in his ears so loudly, he could no longer hear the conversation around him. He sat down under a tree and called his Geeya to clear some doubts and to set his head right on a few facts. She floated over to him and sat down beside him.

“You said you wanted to talk about something…?” she said in her lilting voice.

Rain took his time to reply.

“I do… about one of the rules of the Quest. The ‘no mating’ rule, to be specific.”

Her lips curved into a smile.

“I have sensed some struggle on your part in adhering to that rule, of late.”

Rain ignored the amused tone of her voice.

“The rule says we’re not allowed to mate, right? But it says nothing of kissing …” began Rain.

“And?”

“And I was wondering … can we kiss?”

“Yes.”

Rain sat bolt upright.

“We can
kiss
?! Without getting turned into trees?!”

“Yes.” she laughed.

Rain eyed his Geeya suspiciously. This was too easy and her eyes were filled with too much mischief. But so far, she had never lied to him. Even in jest.

“Let me spell this out clearly. I can kiss Earth without turning the two of us into trees?” said Rain, putting exaggerated emphasis on each word.

His Geeya nodded.

“So long as your intention is only to kiss her, and do absolutely nothing more, you can kiss all you want. The instant your intentions change, which is a highly likely scenario once passions are boiling, you risk getting pulled into the ground. No one knows exactly when that might happen, so it is best to avoid such risky situations. So I would say, kiss Earth so long as you can keep the feeling platonic.” she calmly explained.