| “Dan, Dan! That’s okay, we won’t need you to find anyone.” Anna said. “Are you sure? I could bring Frosty a new pair of tightie-whities. That should bring him around.” “No, no, that’s okay Dan. But thank you for the thought, not too mention the mental images which I think I can speak for everyone when I say, they will not soon be forgotten.” Anna said. “Well I’m not pitching in for new undies for Frosty.” Buzzy exclaimed. “He will just wet them too.” “Its not his fault!” Dan interjected. “You know, there will come a day when you may have problems in that area too. And I want you to know that your friend Dan, the dam duck, will not be taking part in laughing at you when you fly by wearing your adult diaper. You just stay proud brother!” Minor weeping is observed. “Why Dan, that is the first time you have ever referred to me as a brother.” Buzzy said with gleeful joy. “Are we finally bonding?” “Did you hear brother? I heard me say, Oh brother! There’s a difference you know?” Dan said defensively. “Too late!” Buzzy said with a big smile. “You love me!” “I’d love to …” Dan began mumbling words nobody could understand. “Aww. I feel the same way!” Buzzy said. “Can we talk about the rainbow now?” Dan asked. Splash whinnied. He had a special chair that wasn’t a chair, that he could have pushed up to the table so he could eat his hay while the others ate their food. That was the advantage of being able to make yourself as big or as small as you wanted. He could make himself small enough to be welcome in any establishment. “I think Splash agrees. Maybe he even has something important to add to the conversation.” Anna said. Splash whinnied again. “By George! I believe he does.” Dan exclaimed, while petting Splash’s neck. Buzzy leaned over toward Splash and asked, “What is it boy? Have you something important to tell us?” “Maybe he knows where we can find a unicorn?” Dan guessed. “Princess, did you know that to find the end of a rainbow you need a unicorn?” “I did not know that.” Anna said. “I’m not sure knowing that information will help us however. Unless one of you knows where we can find a unicorn?” “Well we’re in the right place.” Buzzy said. “If you can’t find a unicorn in a place called Magicland, you probably won’t be able to find one at all.” “Unicorns are the most rare of the rare.” Anna said. “Everybody knows that. I’m not even sure they exist. Or maybe they did at one time, but these days …” “Look at Splash!” Dan said, in a bit of a stutter. They all turned their attention toward the little blue pony, with the white mane, white tail and white socks. And a horn growing out of his head. “You?!!! You are a unicorn? Of course! It all makes sense now!” Anna said laughing. “That’s why you’re magical. Why didn’t I see this before? Of course Splash is a unicorn.” Splash whinnied. “He’s hidden it all this time.” Dan said, shaking his head. “Well I’ll be a plant-sucking snow goose! I sure never saw that coming.” “Now we can fnd the rainbow!” Buzzy said with excitement. “We’re going to find the gold!” They all stood up and started dancing around the room. Buzzy kept stepping on Dan’s webbed feet causing him to stumble and then holler at the big bird. “Watch where you’re putting those big ugly sticks you call feet.” Dan said, rubbing his webbed-foot. “I need these things to be able to paddle around the lake, don’t you know?!? “Sorry Danny old chum!” Buzzy said still celebrating. “We’re going to get the gold. When we do, I’m going to buy you your own paddle boat.” “You’d do that wouldn’t you? Buy a paddleboat for a dam duck. While you’re at it why don’t you buy an iceberg for an eskimo? A pizza for an Italian restaurant owner. A can of Uncle Ben’s for the Rice-a-Roni company.” Dan said. “I didn’t mean it like that.” Buzzy said. “I meant it like so you wouldn’t have to paddle with your sore feet.” “Getting back to the subject.” Dan said annoyed. He gave Buzzy a sideways glare and then continued. “Well if we can use Splash to find the end of the rainbow it should be an easy day.” Splash whinnied again. “Its settled then!” Anna said. “We’ll all meet right after breakfast and see if we can find the rainbow.” They all held their glasses up and tinked them together. The group finished enjoying their evening together, with plenty of good-natured ribbing and lots of laughing. Then they parted ways and headed home to get some sleep. ———————- Chapter ——————————– The morning was one of those which almost shouts out ahead of itself what a beautiful day it has planned for everyone. The gang at Castle Candi were gathered outside the main gate getting ready to take flight. Also joining them was the head of security at Castle Candi, Ozzy Osprey. He was bringing a small squad of guards which were all golden eagles. They stood ready with their razor-sharp claws and beaks, able to take on whatever might come at them. They made a very intimidating team of six flyers. There would be three flying on each side of the group. Anna stepped forward and looked in all directions. She breathed in the fresh-smelling air just cleaned by the long rainfall. The sun shined bright, and it reflected off the leaves of the many freshly cleaned plants and trees that decorated the land. Buzzy, Dan, and the rest of the feathered flyers got a running takeoff and then were in the blue sky. There wasn’t a single cloud directly over head but they did dance around the rest of the sky like they were part of a football team that had just scored a touchdown. Then the flyers all came to stutter-halt because they saw it. Stretching out across the northern section of the sky was the most beautiful rainbow. It had many colors which seemed to make the colors next to them stand out even more than normal. They followed with their eyes, the length of the rainbow until they saw the far end of it dip down into the trees. “This looks like it will be easy!” Buzzy exclaimed and took off flying for the end of the rainbow that disappeared into the trees. The others followed him, everyone flying slightly off course because they were so busy looking to spot the exact end of the rainbow. Twice Dan and Ozzy bumped wings because they were not paying attention to where they were flying. Everyone, including the guards, had a big smile on their face expecting that very soon they would be seeing the fabled pot of gold! The treasure everyone has always heard about but nobody has ever actually found. Each one was imagining in their mind what they were going to do when they got the gold. Buzzy saw himself dressed in very fine clothing and sporting one of those scarves that the guys in the biplanes wear. They wrap it around their necks once and then seem to throw the scarf around their neck the rest of the way. He thought he would look very distinguished that way. Dan was imagining himself in a captain’s hat with gold trim around its edges. He was at a fancy boat with a duchess. The Duchess of Duck will now see you Mr Dan. Ozzy was picturing himself at a celebration. One which he was responsible for providing. He had always wanted to throw a really big party. Now he had the chance. Anna was more focused on watching Splash. His newly formed unicorn was leading them to the end of the rainbow. She was also aware of the guards flying on their flanks. They provided a sense of security which considering their goal, was very welcome indeed. Suddenly the peacefullness of the sunny morning is shattered by the dark shadow of the approaching Geese Police. The quiet is brutalized by blood-thirsty screams as they dive down from above, attacking the flock of flyers headed for the end of the rainbow. Immediately the guards flying outside the group, go into complete defensive measures. They forced the diving Geese Police to ricochet off them and away from the group of friends seeking the end of the rainbow. “Breakoff and retreat!” Ozzy bellowed at his group. They flock of flyers turned away from the direction they had been headed and went back the way they came. A quick glance upwards told them the Geese Police were there in numbers they could not win against. Splash had done what Anna ordered and had created a giant flyswatter and he was currently swatting away the Geese Police as fast as he could but there were so many. Finally the group listened to Ozzy and broke off from their flight path. They returned to Castle Candi a beaten squad. “Everyone wait here, I will get the royal air force ready to fly. We’ll be “feet up” in ten minutes.” Ozzy exclaimed. Then he raced off to get his troops ready for battle. A siren began to wail across the castle grounds announcing there was a battle to be done. Every which way there were birds scampering to get where they needed to be. Squads of eagles, hawks and ospreys began to get into their positions. Next Ozzy got out in front of all the squads and led the way. “Follow me!” He exclaimed and motioned with his wing. Then he was flying into the blue sky and all the squads of birds followed him. Anna and Splash also took to the air. Splash was capable of being much faster than the birds so he went flying past all of them and then slowed when he caught even with Ozzy. It was no question where they were headed. In the distance the blue sky was dark with the bodies of snow geese flying in a pattern of an oval. They were near where the rainbow appeared to go into a grove of trees. When they touched down just a short distance from where the Geese Police commander was on the ground, they could hear what he was saying. “Keep looking! That pot of gold has got to be here somewhere! Why can’t we find the end of the rainbow!” Then he snorted and marched away in the opposite direction of where Anna and Splash sat. Suddenly the unicorn on Splash’s head began to glow a blue tint. Splash moved his head in different directions and it became apparent the unicorn was glowing brightest when the little blue pony faced one particular direction. “Lets go that way.” Anna said, pointing in the direction which made the little pony’s unicorn glow brightest. Up above them, the Geese Police were being attacked in full force by the royal air force. Then the Geese Police commander’s voice rang through the air. “Retreat!” Like they were made of steel and a magnet had been turned on, the hordes of Geese Police began flying away. One of the soldier hawks was overheard asking Ozzy, “Sir, do we follow and continue the attack?” “No, call the flyers back and lets head home. Mission accomplished! Well done to all the flyers!” Ozzy exclaimed. Down on the ground the end-of-the-rainbow hunters were hot on the trail of the legendary pot of gold. Buzzy was nearly crazy with anticipation. Dan tried to project how cool he was staying but he was a lot like his kind when on the water. Above the water, the part everybody could see, he looked calm and cool. But below the water, his little webbed-feet were paddling just as fast as they could go. To look at him, he looked calm. Inside, his heart was banging against his chest like an angry father beating on the front door of his house that his kids just locked him out. Around every shrub or tree, the expectation was to see a giant pot which was overflowing with gold coins. They even expected to see a golden shimmer around it all. So when Buzzy tripped over a black rectangle-shaped box about the size of a flip phone, he paid it little attention. The group continued to look the rest of the day without any success. Later while taking a break, Anna noticed the leprechaun was back. He approached her and said, “Any luck little lass?” “Not yet. I thought the unicorn would be able to lead us right to the end of the rainbow.” Anna said, somewhat discouraged. | |
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