ChromaTober | 2023 FMS Writing Challenge

-| Day 26: Animal |-

AU: SSP

Context: Just a funny character trait that Sabre has lol, haven't quite revealed it yet but it's hilarious so I'm writing something that's gonna be referenced in the book later :3

Also heads up, Light says a swear in this lol

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[Light's POV]

There is absolutely no way he's actually doing this. Right? It's impossible.

Of course, I'm proven wrong when I arrive in the village. The variously colored Steves around all have expression of concern, fear, and some of them have slight amusement. They're all staring at him as he just- how and WHY is he doing this.

I approach one of the village Leaders, the Violet one. He turns to me with an awkward grin.

"Oh, uh, hello Light. Thank you for coming on short notice." He says.

"It's basically one of my jobs to control his antics at this point." I sigh. "So, is he really just... petting a bear like it's some sort of pet?"

"Yep, he is." The Yellow Village Leader answers, walking up to the two of us. "The thing wandered into the village, probably smelled all the fish that the village fishers were smoking on fires since we have to stock them for winter, and everybody ran from it like sane people... except for Sabre."

"He just casually approached the bear and starting petting it." The Violet Village Leader continues. "I don't know why it didn't maul him right then and there, and actually, it started going along with it. Now Sabre's literally treating it like an overgrown dog."

I look over at Sabre again, and the big grizzly has its head on his lap and he's scratching it behind the ears. The bear's definitely enjoying this. Everyone else? Not so much. They're all scared that it's going to go wild and start attacking.

"...Why is he like this?" The Yellow Village Leader mumbles.

"He's always done that." I say.

"What?"

"Sabre has always had this weirdly amazing way with animals. Even since before Rainbow became Rainbow. Once, at the Orange Village, a huge eagle decided to perch on a fence in the village and Sabre was able to play with it like it was a canary. He was legitimately surprised when nobody else wanted to go near it."

"Seriously?" The Violet Village Leader asks.

"Yep. And another time the Green Kingdom was having issues with an aggressive pack of ocelots. Since Rainbow had told them about Sabre's 'talent', they asked him to help deal with it. Not even ten minutes later the ocelots were all gathered around him and purring like housecats. Nobody's sure if it's some aura crap, or a power, or something like that, but every time some kind of animal shows up, Sabre is right there casually hanging out with it."

"Well... that would explain the Jerry thing." The Yellow Leader says.

"The what?" I ask.

"Time keeps telling us about how Sabre keeps bringing a fat possum into their house. Apparently it hung around the lake behind the house, and one day Sabre brought it inside and named it Jerry."

"...Huh." I say. "Speaking of Time, where is he? He's usually the first choice to get Sabre to stop his dangerous ideas."

"He's never seen a bear before, so he's too scared to come out of the house." The Violet Leader answers.

"Ah."

Sabre's now somehow gotten the bear to roll on its back, and he's giving it belly rubs like a dog. The Violet Leader wasn't kidding, he's really treating a big grizzly bear like a giant puppy.

"I'm gonna go try to get Sabre to leave the bear alone so it can leave." I say, starting to walk over.

"Light-"

"I'll be fine. I've dealt with this before."

As I reach Sabre, the bear looks at me, which makes Sabre notice I'm approaching. I stop a safe distance away from the bear.

"Sabre, what on earth are you doing?" I ask.

"Oh, hi Light." Sabre says casually, smiling. "Check it out, I made a new friend."

I just stare at him for a moment.

"...That's a bear, you dumbass."

"Okay, and?"

"It could kill you?! And it could also just decide to attack the village?!"

"Uh, bears don't just attack things. They only start attacking if they feel threatened or if they feel like they need to compete for something. This one only came over because it smelled food, he was literally just hungry."

"Sabre, that's a giant bear, you can't just-"

"What? Coco didn't do anything wrong, he's just chillin."

"...Sabre, do not tell me you named it."

"Technically I already did before you said that."

"I swear to Origin-"

"Fine, I'll lead him away from the village and take him somewhere else." Sabre huffs, getting up.

Sabre starts walking to the nearby woods, the bear following him, and soon enough they both disappear into the foliage. I sigh and run a hand through my hair for a second.

This is why I believe that defending the Kingdoms isn't the hardest part of my job. Dealing with Sabre is worse.