Here you go guys, I don't know if anyone is reading but sorry it took longer with chapter 2.  There is only one part of this chapter ^.^  All characters, worlds, and ideas are mine.  Please do not steal without giving due credit <3

Chapter 2

I slip on some clean pants, shirt, and jacket real quick before running into the truck.  It’s not a good idea to be late. The truck starts and we start speeding towards the center of town.  There is already a huge crowd and I jump out of the truck and run to the back of the crowd while my parents park.  Everyone is silent. The officials are scary. They wear veils usually and carry weapons. While I wait for the announcement to start I scan the crowd for anyone I know.  I see some neighbors and townsfolk. I’m really just looking for Steve but I don’t see him anywhere. He does live a little ways away. Maybe there was another meeting closer to him.  I guess I’ll just stand here and wait.

I get lost in thought but am suddenly brought back from a loud brassy noise from a silver instrument.  

“Hello citizens of Marengo Popelia.  We have been sent here by the Rainbow Sun herself to make an important announcement,” an official pontificated grandly.  “As many of you know our current sun is over 11,500 years old and has brought us light and happiness daily. We thank her by living our life to the fullest.  Today I am here to say that after her reign as our sun we she has told us of a new heir. We are here to find the heir.” So that’s kinda cool I suppose. I get to experience the celebration of a new Rainbow Sun which most people don’t get in their lifetimes.  “The Sun did not leave us clear instructions but gave us criteria to follow, the next sun will be female, between the ages of 9 and 21, who has not yet gained her powers.” The crowd starts muttering, growing into a contest to see who can be heard over one another.  I gulp, the criteria include me. But surely that includes like half the female population of Popelia? We don’t get our powers until later because of malnutrition. How the freak are they going to figure out who it is? They would kill us all before allowing that many of us to leave Popelia.  Maybe there is some sort of test they can do here. They can rule me out quickly. I can’t deal with time away from my work. I was out there taking care of my herd when I had the flu, missing the cleaning and feeding and care of my animals can I lead to fatalities that cost me so much money. I am really starting to stress out now.  “Hello, yes, quit your muttering, QUIT TALKING,” the official shouted trying to get the control back of the crowd. “I wasn’t finished! I don’t know why that caused such a stir, please listen to me. There are more criteria however we have the list of people taken from the census who fit the profile of the heir and will read out the names.  However before we read the list we must discuss preparation for the trials.” I breathe a sigh of relief. I couldn’t be on the list. I’m as normal as they come.

“Hello, I am one of the guides who helps the Sun carry out her trials.  I will be back again before the trials begin with more details however the important thing is that if you see an unfamiliar color to report it immediately and to not tell anyone.” I don’t know why he’s telling us this.  That’s already a law. Don’t the trials have to do with risking your life and stuff? “I promise that if you do things correctly nothing bad will happen.” Huh? Creepy dude I guess.

He talks for another like hour about the honor we are receiving being alive during the turning of a new sun and how we must prepare for the visitor and make our city nice for the new Rainbow Sun will see everything and everyone and controls our life.  Nothing we didn’t already know. I’m so annoyed they are taking so long. They already made me miss my pay from the soap company and now they are stealing my time. I don’t know exactly what I’d be doing with this time but I know that they are stealing it!  They won’t let us leave either. I start looking at the guy speaking. He looks like he’s important. Or more important than the others. He’s really weird looking. It’s funny when officials come to Popelia they never get our fashion right. They try but it always looks off.  This guy isn’t even trying. It looks like he’s wearing a pillow on his head. His veil is satin and shiny and almost orangey but still a legal grey. As if he didn’t shout “I’m not from here,” enough he wears a white crystal on his hat. We don’t get to keep anything we mine. It’s laughable.  The ring I have in my pocket that Steve gave to me is obviously taken without notice. I don’t say stolen because it wasn’t. If he were to give it up then that would be stealing.  I heard they take the diamonds to a lab and color them and distribute it back out at like insane times the cost.  Wherever the diamonds go it’s somewhere that Popelians never see. As the pillow official takes a seat and another one comes up to talk I see his veil slide to the the side and I saw his face.  His eyes were amber colored! I don’t think anyone else saw it but even if they did we aren’t allowed to talk about it. The officials who work in Marengo permanently are required to wear colored contacts but I suppose that’s why the officials wear veils.  To change your color completely seems like a hassle. I look at the rest of the officials. There is one who I can tell is younger than the rest of them. He actually looks pretty Popelian in what he’s wearing. Good job dude.

“And now, the list of possible heirs to the Rainbow Sun will be read,” a loud voice spoke.  It was the pillow dude again but he was presenting some other guy to read the list. Where are all the women?

“Helen Slater,

Orial Coal,

Lydia Nickel,

Rose Quarters,

Camille Ironsmith,” I’m here wondering what sort of order they have on this.

“Emily White,

Neesha Silverman,

Shelly Clouder,

Anne Anderson,” People start looking at me and for a second I have no idea why but then my heart sinks.  In my head I start saying “nope nope nope nope” but that doesn’t change the piece of paper. They are going to force me to go through the damn trials now.  How long with that take? 6 months? Nuh uh, not happening. They read a few more names but I’m just trying to think of ways out of this.

“Aren’t those a lot of names?” I ask someone standing next to me.  “How will they sort them out from here?”

“Trying to oust the competition already hun?  I’m just kidding. I’m sure they have to run some kind of test to make sure you guys aren’t fibbing about being powerless.  Good luck to you girl, I’m sure you’ll make your mother proud no matter what.” I didn’t realize as she was talking that people were leaving.  I’m not sure what they want me to do. I see the young looking official coming over to me. Oh dear, I hope I didn’t do anything wrong.

“You’re Anne right?” he asked in a kind tone.

“Yes, sir.” I say.

“Come with me, where everyone else is please,” he tells me.

“Why?  Where are we going?”

“The heir candidates are all being flown to Glaucous to be scanned for powers and other things and for their efforts are being treated to a nice meal after,” he tells me.

“Hmm, can I not just be scanned here?  I really don’t think that I am the Rainbow Sun,” I tell him.

“Well we could just have you perform a bit of your magic right here in front of us,” he tells me.  I shake my head.

“I don’t have powers.  But why would I be the next Rainbow Sun?” I ask.

“I don’t think that there is any discrimination in beauty,” he responds.  “We can do a manual search of your body marks to prove you haven’t gained your power yet but you will have to strip in front of one of our doctors.”

“Oh, no.  I’ll go with you to the the capital city.  If I don’t meet heir qualifications when will I be returned?”

“First thing tomorrow morning.”

“Do you promise?” I ask him.

“On my honor I promise.” That didn’t hold a lot for me.  Officials aren’t known for their honesty but I didn’t see a way out of this without exposing my orange mark.

“What happens if I fail to be disqualified?” I ask.

“We will bring you to a neutral area in Ruby’s Eye and get you prepared for the Trials.  May I ask why you don’t want to be the Rainbow Sun?” he asked.

“Um, that’s kinda personal and I don’t know you man but I’m not too okay with being stuck in one place forever.”

“That’s not what it’s really like,” he responded.  

“How would you know?”  He grunts.

“Whatever the matter is you have to come with me now.  Everyone is waiting.” I see some of the other officials coming over.

“What about my parents?  Or my boyfriend? I need to tell them where I am.”

“We’ll make sure they are aware of your location,” one of the other officials said.  I didn’t trust him one bit.

“Tell them I love them.  Please.”

“I’ll try to communicate with them,” the official told me.  I still didn’t believe him but I couldn’t do anymore. They were basically dragging me away.  They strapped me into a plane.

“Drink this,” the young guy said.  I felt I could trust him so I did it.  Even if I didn’t trust him I didn’t know what choice I had.  It looked dark but it was the sweetest thing I’ve ever tasted.  I start feeling totally woozy and sick and I black out. Like a light.  On, off. I probably should have expected something like this. I was going to pass out anyway from low sugar, whatever they dosed me with hit hard and fast.  I am totally out.

I wake up in some other room disoriented and scared.  I look around but I can’t quite speak. So someone else does for me,

“You passed the qualifying scan, you are now going to go through the Trials of the Rainbow Sun.”