A different world

Chapter 7 - the First Step on a Long Road

It was late in the morning when Orange returned. Sabre had slept on the grass in a secluded area of the Rainbow Hub, and was only barely awake and still lying in the grass when Orange did come back. Sabre was sad to see, but not surprised, that Orange still had that distant look in his eyes, still upset over Red's death. And who could blame him?

"You look terrible." Orange noted, helping Sabre off the ground. Orange was no doubt right; Sabre hadn't slept too well, too busy thinking. Thinking often didn't do much for him. Too much of it could hurt a person.

"You don't look so good yourself." Sabre said with a soft smile, dusting the grass off of his hoodie.

"I'm sorry I forgot to build a house here. I'll get to that.." Orange muttered.

"Hey, it's fine. Really. I used to sleep outside all the time, with my friends. We'd camp out a lot..." Sabre grinned fondly as he remembered those times. Back with Rainbow and Lucas, or maybe just Rainbow. Then they built the Rainbow Town, and they didn't have to sleep out often. Still, sometimes they'd camp out just to look at the stars together. Sabre's heart hurt a little thinking about it, but he ignored it.

"Your friends?" Orange repeated. "I guess I never asked about your life before you came here. Where are you from?" Well, shit.
"I'm...from..." Sabre shifted nervously. He didn't really know what to say. Maybe if he was honest about where he was from and how he intended to go back, things would be easier? ...ha. As if. Orange wouldn't be happy if he knew Sabre wanted to leave. Still, that didn't mean Sabre had to lie.

"I'm from a place a lot like this one." Sabre said softly. "There are Steves where I'm from, too. It's pretty there. There's always a lot going on, but it's home to me. Honestly...I miss it, just a bit." 'Just a bit' was a lie. A huge one. But it was believable.

"I'm sorry." Orange looked down at the ground, quiet. "I'm sure your friends miss you." He paused, looking at Sabre expectantly, like he was waiting for some reaction or feeling to surface. "I'm glad this world has someone like you as its hero. We need someone as caring as you."

There it was, the unintentional guilt tripping. Or maybe it was intentional, maybe Orange was a lot smarter than Sabre thought. Maybe he planned this out and knew what Sabre had been through; maybe Orange was sent by that glowing dark figure from that place in the nowhere. The idea made Sabre spiteful, and made him want to leave more.

"You flatter me. But I'm not planning on going anywhere." He lied through his teeth. Truly a wolf in chicken's clothing. Orange smiled at that, looking much too happy and relieved for Sabre's heart to handle. "So. You feeling alright?" Sabre shifted the conversation. It was hidden, but he was desperate to change the subject. The more he lied, the more it bothered him.

"Better." Orange shrugged. His face was still knit with some sort of despair, but he hid it well. Sabre decided they were both liars. Whether that comforted him or scared him, Sabre didn't know. "To be honest, I want something to do. Sitting around all depressed just makes me feel worse." Sabre knew that feeling.

"Well then, I'm sure we can find something to do." Sabre smiled, glancing around the Rainbow Hub, then focusing on the portals. "I'm surprised a portal hasn't opened yet. The darkness has been out for what, two days?"

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Something ought to have happened by now-" Orange was cut off by the sound of thunder striking something nearby. Sabre's eyes darted around and focused on the orange portal. The inside of the portal wavered slightly before taking on an orange hue.

"Oh." Orange groaned softly and put his head in his hands. Sabre chose to ignore that.

"You were saying?" Sabre immediately ran up to the portal, amazed. Just because he didn't plan on staying didn't mean he couldn't enjoy just how damn cool this was. "It's the orange portal! That means it's your people!" Then Sabre frowned. "Doesn't that mean they're in trouble? So, uh...we should hurry?"