‘WHAT THE BATS ARE YOU PUTTING EYELID CREAM ON FOR?’ said Florence.
‘To prevent them from drooping,’said Tangine with an air of superiority. ‘You’ll be sorry when your eyelids get all droopy and I still look RAVISHING.’
Florence was just about to tell Tangine exactly what she was thought of his eyelids when Ricky the unicorn interrupted the excited chitter chatter of the group with an announcement.
‘Good morning Rainbow Rangers! Now you’re all here, I can finally tell you where we’ll be camping for the half-moon holiday. We will be staying in a remote and quiet little place called Sugarplum Island. It’s surrounded by the sea and is just a few miles east of the Kingdom of the Light.’
There was a buzz of anticipation amongst the young Rainbow Rangers.
‘Prepare yourselves for some awesome activities and the chance to earn yourselves a BUNCH of Rainbow Ranger BADGES,’ Ricky continued.
‘Oooh! I LOVE badges!’ squealed Amelia. She was determined to fill up her Rainbow Ranger sash with as many badges as she could by the end of the half-moon holiday. Who didn’t love a badge ?!
‘Whoever gets the most badges by the end of the week will be awarded the position of Rainbow Ranger Captain!’ Graham added.
The Rainbow Rangers cheered and high-fived each other excitedly.
‘That will be ME, of course,’ said a loud voice. Amelia, Florence and Grimaldi sighed. Frankie Steinburg was a ghoul in the same class as Amelia at school and it was just typical that she would join the Rainbow Rangers too. She was very competitive and constantly trying to outdo everyone.
‘Okay, Rangers!’ Graham called over the commotion. ‘Before we leave, you know what to do . . . ’
Amelia and the rest of the Rainbow Rangers lined up. They straightened their sashes and saluted before earnestly reciting the Rainbow Ranger Promise:
‘In the brightest day and the gloomiest night,
Whether I’m a creature of Dark or of Light.
I will be patient and grateful and kind,
And never leave a fellow Ranger behind.
I’ll strive to keep learning. I’ll trek and explore.
And promise to keep the Rainbow Ranger Law.’
‘I think I’m gonna cry,’ said Ricky, dabbing at his eyes with his rainbow scarf.
Graham was already sobbing. ‘Okay, Rainbow Rangers,’ he said through his sniffles. ‘Let’s get this half-moon holiday adventure started!’
Amelia gazed through the Rainbow Wagon window as they trundled through the Kingdom of the Light, into the Meadow of Loveliness and past the Wishing Well of Well Wishes. Graham was driving and Ricky was giving directions.
‘LEFT!’ shouted Ricky suddenly, making everyone jump. ‘No, wait . . . THE OTHER LEFT. LIGHT. I mean, RIGHT. REFT?’
‘Oh my days, Ricky !’ said Graham as he narrowly missed a bewildered looking pixiehen in an apron. ‘You’re RUBBISH at this. Next time, YOU drive, and I’ll read the map.’
‘Oh, we have a map?’ said Ricky.
‘Yes Ricky, you BIG ONION!’ said Graham. ‘Oh, NOW I’ve missed the next turning! This is all your fault.’
As the Rainbow Wagon swerved and screeched through the Vivid Valley, Amelia was excited to see places in the Kingdom of the Light she’d never seen before; the Marvellous Mountains, that glinted in their marvellousness, and the sweet-smelling Strawberry Streams. Although Amelia and Grimaldi agreed the smell of the dank, algae-covered River Styx was better.
Squashy was snoring lightly in Amelia’s lap and she also began to feel her eyes drooping.
Back home she would usually be fast asleep at this time of the morning.
But in the Kingdom of the Light, where the Rainbow Rangers were heading, things were the other way around. Amelia gave a big yawn.
After many winding roads and having scoffed too many sugary sweets, Grimaldi had managed to use every single sick bag available. He did not deal well with travelling for long periods of time. But finally, and much to everyone’s relief, the Rainbow Wagon reached its destination; the Dazzling Docks. And boy were they dazzling – the sea sparkled fiercely, making the Rainbow Rangers squint and shield their eyes, as the shining waves lapped up on to the sandy beach.
‘SO MUCH DAZZLE,’ said Florence, shielding her eyes as she stepped out on to the soft sandy ground.
‘Wow! I’ve never seen water like that before,’ said Amelia, staring at the sea. The bright shimmering waves washed away the last of her sleepiness. ‘It’s so different to the Frogleg Falls or the Putrid Pond back home.’
‘It’s definitely more sparkly,’ Grimaldi agreed, lifting a hand to cover his mouth. The brightness wasn’t helping his travel sickness. ‘I think after a week of all these bright colours, I’ll be relieved to go back home to the grey murkiness of Nocturnia.’
The Dazzling Docks were packed full of little wooden boats all painted with different colours and patterns. Amelia liked the fact that each boat seemed to have its very own personality. Ricky and Graham had gathered the Rainbow Rangers on the pier where a huge sparkly polar bear with a wooden leg and an eye patch was waiting. Amelia thought he was a bit grizzly to be working in the Kingdom of the Light amongst the glittery fairies and cute puppy-dragons.
‘Alright, you horrible lot, listen up!’ said Ricky. ‘The very nice Mr Shivery Tim Bear here, has kindly offered to lend us a bunch of his row boats to get across to Sugarplum Island.’
Mr Shivery Tim Bear grunted and nodded.
‘And, GUESS WHAT?!’ Graham added. ‘This is your first chance to earn a badge.’ He did an awkward wobbly twirl just to emphasise exactly how impressed everyone should be about this.
Grimaldi sniggered.
Mr Shivery Tim Bear stood next to Graham in silence. The polar bear didn’t look very impressed.
‘If you successfully cross the water without sinking, you could earn yourself your first badge! But . . .’ Graham paused dramatically. ‘You won’t just be rowing across to the island . . .’
‘Oof !’ exclaimed Amelia, as Frankie pushed in front of her, eager to be first to hear how to win the new badge.
‘You will be racing!’ Ricky declared, taking over from Graham. ‘The first Rainbow Ranger to reach the coast wins an I GOT THERE FIRST badge. So, in an orderly fashion, go and pick a vessel!’