[Chromatober 2024]

[3:Connection]

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[ReBound Au]
[Angst]
[TW: blood {not a lot}, hallucinations (I think this needs to be put here?)]
[Characters: Sabre, Grim (A hallucination of RQ! Void, not mentioned by name exactly), Lucas.]
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*Sabre*

Crouched in the leaves of a tree, perched atop a branch, watching as a duo rush by underneath.

Once they were gone I slipped out of the tree, turning to look in the direction they went, before rushing in the opposite direction.

Making sure to listen for the strangers, the strangers who know my name, strangers who look oh so familiar.

They sound familiar, they seem nice.

  Pulling my cloak's hood over my head, keeping my eyes open for anyone hidden. I need to find a way to return to my dimension, I need to start the loop.

I must start the loop.

Checking my inventory with a frown, I'm running out of food. I'll need something to eat, I don't need to be slowed down.

My top priority is getting... Getting home. I ignore my hesitation at the thought.

My hand fidgets with the cloak as I continue my trek, out of the corner of my eyes I can see him. He's taunting me, but I've clung to the familiarity of the face he wears.

"They may seem nice but it could just be a trap. Don't forget what happened with Rainbow Red."

He has a point. Yet these people don't seem to mean anything bad, yet Rainbow Red didn't seem evil either.

But what if they could help me leave? Help me return back to the dimension?

"What if they don't? What if they find out what you've done, what you could do?" He speaks again.

The feeling of distress starts bubbling, my hands fiddle with the cloak more, the cloak that he wears as well.

"I mean you do still carry the shards, the power and magic on them would give any Steve feelings of horror."

One hand drops and sinks into my hip bag to wrap around what was once the dark crystal.

My mind fakes the feeling of the energy that I was once connected too, the energy that felt like three people that had an impact on me, whether good or bad.

I turn to glare at him for the reminder, forgetting that he will always only be in the edge of my view. Forgetting that I'll never actually be able to face him, hand still wrapped around the shards.

"A reminder of one of the many people you couldn't save, why do you still carry it?"

A few of the shards prick into my hand, letting them fall back into place at the bottom of the satchel.

Removing my hand from the bag, a few small pricks line where the shards had pierced, small trails of blood drip out. Blood that tells me that I'm alive, that I'm still connected to life.

Grappling up into another tree, pulling myself up into the leaves to stay hidden, I sit against the wood. Opening my hip bag once again, taking out wrapped bandages, I carefully unroll them.

As I do I ignore the slight pain, only focusing on wrapping my slightly wounded hand. Any small wound could get infected, I can't risk that.

I can't risk much.

"Sabre?" A voice, a for some reason familiar voice.

Looking down and through the leaves, I catch sight of a man with yellow, or blonde, or is it a shade of brown, hair wearing black and red. Blue eyes snap up locking onto my bandana.

"Uh. Hey?" He waves slightly, I launch my sword down almost hitting him, "Ack!"

I hop down during his confusion regrabbing my sword and pointing it at him, quickly assessing him.

Not a Steve, almost reminds me of myself but also not. Seems to be familiar with melee weapons, and even with a sword pointed at him; he doesn't look afraid, he looks worried.

Watching as he eyes the cloak that was wrapped around me, eyes flicking to my hood with a frown.

He opens his mouth and speaks again, "You almost look like V- I mean I'm sorry for scaring you, I understand that this all seems new to you."

A step forward, why did he step forward?

I instinctively take a step back, the reaper was finally silent, not saying a word about this.

He stops and steps back with a slight frown that disappears just as fast it appeared, still eyeing the cloak.

"Here." He holds out a hand and hovering over his hand was a strange rainbow colored stone.

Staring at the floating item, just like this world, just like this person, it too feels familiar.

My hand reaches forward, freezing over the stone, sword still prepared to strike down this person yet also frozen.
 
I continue to stare at the stone, a frown sketching itself onto my face. Mind connecting this stone to the Rainbow Crystal even though at the same time it tells me that it has no connection to the crystal.

Conflicted about whether or not I should take this stone. The stone feels important.

"It could be a trap, a trap to tether you. A trap to bound you to it!" The reaper in the corner of my vision suddenly screeches.

I flinched back away from the person, hand pulled back like I was burnt. I step a few steps back, still staring at the stone. Still staring at the stranger.

I quickly turn away from stranger and run, pushing myself to go faster. Heart pounding as I do so.

The stranger doesn't follow.

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