Between Realities

You get a Sabre, and you get a Sabre

(F) Gänger POV:

I glanced at Dopple as she wiped away her tears, anger and frustration running through my veins. Oh you did not just do that! You think I'm just gonna let you hurt my sister and do nothing about it? Think again, Sabre. I pulled out our special teleporting mushrooms without a second thought, grabbed Dopple, and used its powers. The lights filled my senses as I focused on following Sabre's teleport signature. Suddenly, we appeared in a place that was definitely familiar.

"Gänger, what the- why did you use the mushroom! You know they have limited usage!" Dopple yelled over the slowly fading crashes of lightning.

I didn't want her to think that I was some weakling who was worried about her sister, so in my frustration I yelled, "I don't care! I'm not just gonna let some jerk disrespect your stew and get away with it!"

Dopple opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out as we both looked at our surroundings. We were in the Yellow Steve Village, and there was clearly a commotion besides our arrival.

"UHHHHHHHMMM!! Gänger, I see two Sabres. I- Am I- You see them both, too, right?! I'm not losing my mind, right?!" Dopple said, her voice rising in panic. I looked to where she was facing, and my heart stopped.

"Nope! Not just you! I definitely see that!" I said, hearing my own voice begin to have a panicked sound.

The Sabre's faced us, as well as the Red Steve in a tattered cloak that I'd just noticed. The darker Sabre looked terrified, the lighter one curious, and the Red Steve- well, he looked sad. It was almost like he was pitying something- or someone. I hoped it wasn't me.

"How did you follow me here..?" the lighter Sabre asked, his voice lined with, as I'd suspected, a deep curiosity. He seemed dismissive to everyone here in general, so his tone somewhat surprised me.

"Magical mushroom," I said quickly. "But, uh, how in the name of colors are there two of you?!"

"T-... two of him? But-... there's only one of him..." I heard the darker Sabre say, his voice falling away. It was subtle, but I noticed how he shook slightly, clearly terrified. Of me, or of the lighter Sabre? I felt the question rise up in me, but I pushed it away.

Once again, I caught the pitying look of the Red Steve. You aren't pitying me- right? I didn't think I looked that scared, but his gaze said otherwise. I noticed that there was a strange aura around him- a power not of his own. It wasn't the darkness, but it gave me the same, terrifying feeling. A shiver ran down my spine. You were hurt by the Twisted, weren't you... It'd seemed strange to me that he hadn't said anything, but I slowly put the pieces together. Twisted Rainbow... He silenced you, didn't he... I realized. Then chaos happened.

One moment, Dopple was standing next to me, staring intently at the lighter Sabre. The next, she was standing between the two Sabres, her arms out protectively. Furious lightning flashed from the lighter Sabre's hands, and it struck Dopple. My voice caught in my throat. No! No!!

"Don't- don't hurt him..." Dopple barely managed before collapsing in front of them.