Outbreak

Time to Go

Day 28

Sabre's P.O.V.

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"Sabre!?  Sabre where are you?"  I snap to attention as I hear the voice call out.  Even muffled by the distance, I can hear the panic in Indigo's tone.  He's on the upper floor of my house, and I can hear him checking around the room, trying to find me.  I need to stop him quickly.

"It's alright!  I'm up here!"  I yell, shooting to my feet and instantly feeling dizzy.  Ignoring that, I climb down the ladder to the second floor.  To my surprise, one glance at the windows says it's barely dawn.  Indigo rushes toward me, relief written all over his face.

"Thank Origin, I thought you were missing again!  Where were you?"

"I went to the attic for a second."  I don't mention that I was up there reading all night.  "Why, what's the matter?"

"Light called a meeting to discuss the incident yesterday."  Indigo explains, already dragging me down the stairs and toward the citadel.  "I tried knocking, but I guess you couldn't hear me from up there."  I pick up my pace, hurrying to keep up with the panicked steve.  Of course, I quickly slow down.

"Whose idea was it to put the meeting room at the very top of the citadel?"  I groan, struggling up the massive flight of stairs.  "And then call dawn meetings all the time?"

"I guess it's harder when your room isn't on the floor below."  Indigo can't help but chuckle.  "Come on."

It isn't long before we're finally in the meeting room.  Despite my now-aching limbs, I can't conceal an amused smile.  The Yellow Leader is slumped down in his chair, asleep.

"Okay, you're here."  Light notes.  My amusement is quickly cut short.  I notice the sheen of frost coating the heels of Light's boots.

"Yeah, chief."  I say quietly.  "I'm here.  Are you okay?"  He lets out a strangled laughing noise that makes me wince.

"My guards just attacked an innocent steve in front of the entire kingdom.  I'm pretty sure six or seven citizens have already left.  I've been bombarded with questions all night..."  He inhales audibly.  "But yes, I'm fine.  We're going to get it sorted out."  His hands wring together, shedding tiny snowflakes in the process.

"We'll probably need to organize a speech."  Violet Leader suggests.  "Explain the situation.  Assure everyone that the two steves responsible are in prison.  End it with a warning to others who want to try the same thing.  It'll make everyone feel safer."

"We should probably wake up Yellow before we start talking."  Green Leader cuts him off.  He leans over to the chair beside him and prods Yellow Leader in the ribs.  The golden steve mumbles something incoherent, sliding further down the chair.

"For Origin's sake, Yellow!"  Violet Leader complains, walking over and hauling his fellow royal into a proper sitting position.  Yellow Leader wakes up halfway through, quickly straightening up.

"Sorry!  Sorry.  Have we started?"  His face burns with embarrassment as he catches Violet Leader's eye.

"You're as bad as Sabre."  The Violet Steve sends me a pointed look as he returns to his chair.  "We were discussing how to handle the Colorless Guard situation."

"We probably need to have a talk with our people."  Blue mutters.  "People have been whispering about the Corrected Sun."

"They keep- keep asking me why I haven't found a way to the Middle World yet."  Indigo adds quietly.