Sorry for long time between chapters lol, I got distracted TvT

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[Sabre's POV]

It's been a bit since everything, and we've all calmed down by now.

There's not as much tense atmosphere in the air anymore, and we're even making plans to scavenge the ruins of what's left of the Kingdom. I remember seeing a lot of materials we could use right now.

We're all hanging out in the cave again, Time cooking as usual so we have reserves, Dark writing in a journal he made recently, Rainbow working more on his powers, and me working with him. We're going to try and pass my autonomy to the other two soon.

The crystal that lets everyone else hear me has been made into a pendant, so I don't have to carry it around. It's been nice having a voice again.

We hear a knock on the door, and Dark goes to answer it. He comes back a minute later.

"Hey guys, Green's back!" Dark smiles. "He says he wants to take us to the village today."

"Ooh, I've been really excited for that!" Rainbow says, jumping down from his bunk bed and helping me get up and walk with him.

"Just give me a minute, I need to finish putting these into storage." Time says, placing freshly made soup into containers next to him.

Soon enough, we're all meeting up with Green outside of the cave again. We start talking as we begin walking along the path Green says he takes all the time.

"You guys really need to find a better base than a cave soon." Green chuckles. "It's alright, but not that defendable now that you guys are known to the world."

"Yeah, we know." Rainbow says, laughing. "We just haven't been able to think of a better place to start building something or always become busy with stuff."

"As in the rest of you start goofing around and I have to keep you from breaking things." Time giggles.

"Shut." The other three of us say at the same time, and that makes all of us laugh.

"Okay okay, fine. Sure. We need to focus better." Dark says.

"So, have you guys made any more plans yet?" Green asks.

"I brought up going to the Kingdom ruins to get more supplies." I say. "We're going to need them if we want to start fortifying ourselves."

"Hey, wasn't there a ton of valuable resources back at the Vault?" Rainbow asks.

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, we're also kind of broke." Rainbow says. "So if we gather the valuables that were unscathed by the explosions..."

"Bribes." Dark, Green, and I say, remembering all of the rogue civilizations that live here. They're kind of territorial.

"And we could actually get resources legitimately, and be able to make our own weapons and armor." Time sighs.

"Oh." Green says.

"Uh- right. That too." Dark says.

"Yeeeaaahhh... legitimate resources. Sure." I say.

"How many times have you three stolen something?" Rainbow jokingly asks.

"Hey, I haven't stolen anything before. I was just focused on the rogue guys." Green laughs.

"Like, seven different weapons and two valuable things." Dark says.

"Heh, I lost count." I answer.

"What do you mean, 'you lost count'?" Time asks.

"I... may or may not have stolen a lot of stuff in my life." I answer.

"Oh come on, can't be that bad." Green says.

"Stuff like what?" Rainbow asks.

"Uhh, let's see..." I start. "There were a few swords, like three artifacts, an artifact that was a sword, at least 12 vehicles from my world, a few high-power weapons from my world, can't remember how many times I've stolen resources, there have been many times I've stolen keys to prison cells, and-"

"Sabre- Why did you have to steal keys to prison cells?" Time asks, while the other three are quietly laughing.

"Either to break my friends out or to break out myself, or both." I say.

"Why did you even get put in prison?"

Silence. Well, except for the other three's failed attempts at keeping in their laughter.

Time just stares at me, concerned.

"...Anarchy." I finally reply.

"WHAT??"

That's when Rainbow, Dark, and Green just burst out laughing. We stop walking so they can calm down.

"Okay, seriously, out of all things..." Time says, facepalming. "Anarchy? Are you being serious right now?"

"I'm surprised that's the only thing I've gotten caught for." I say. That makes the other three laugh harder.

"Oh my goodness, you've- HA!" Green says.

Time stares for a moment.

"You know what? I don't want to know." He says after a minute or two.

"That's probably a good choice." I say.

Eventually, Rainbow, Dark, and Green chill out, and we start heading towards the village again.

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[Happy Orange Steve's POV]

It's been a bit since everything fell, and... well, at least things are starting to feel a little normal.

It almost feels like way back when before this whole mess went down, before the Kingdom, before Void. All the Orange Steves in one village. During those better times, before Light became who he is now and... and Funny... and... those two...

...I should stop thinking about that.

I see Light as I'm making my way back to my house from the village entrance, and try to say hi, but he rushes past me with a quick apology and disappears past the village borders. It's alright, he's just busy with all that's going on and trying to get the Guard in order to protect everyone. It's... okay.

I finally get back to my house, and set down the materials I gathered to finish building the inside. Just some things to make the final touches of the kitchen, and then I have a complete house again. That's a nice milestone.

I then go to the living room to kind of unwind after today. Everyone's been working really hard to get everything set up after the... sudden move, so we're all kind of tired at this point. I'm actually okay with not building after a while, heh...

...

The more I sit here, the more I really think about what's going on, which I've been trying to avoid. I know I shouldn't be looking too far into it, something bad happen to people that... used to be friends, and now we have to deal with them and the Darkness that's come back somehow. What everybody's confused about is how Shadow is here while Sabre is with the Vengeful, but it's not like we can ask or anything.

But... that's not what I'm really upset about.

Surely there was a reason behind it all, right? Rainbow and Sabre wouldn't just... turn evil. It's just not something that would happen. It's likely they have a reason, knowing them... and then there's Light.

Before, he would just be part of the group. Even after the transformation, he was still just the person I've known all my life. But ever since the Darkness almost took over everything and Sabre was corrupted, he's just been so... cold towards everybody. He barely talks to me anymore. I know he's busy, but it just... it stings. It stings in a way I didn't know it could.

...

...Am I...

...Am I really doing the right-

"Hey Happy! Sorry to bother you, but I need your help for a sec." A familiar voice of another Orange Steve interrupts from behind my front door.

I quickly get up and head over.

"I'll be right there, just one moment!" I call out cheerfully, changing my tone so nothing seems wrong.

I open the door, and greet the Orange Steve there. He needs help with finishing his roof, and needs someone to hold the ladder for him. Alright.

As we walk, we speak to each other about everyday things. I guess just to take our minds off of everything else.

"Hey, I'm just wondering, are you alright?" The Orange Steve asks. "You seemed upset about something just as you opened the door."

For a moment, I almost say what I was thinking about then... but, that would cause issues. I can't just go and say things like that. So, I catch myself and continue on.

"Yeah, I'm alright! Just a little overwhelmed, is all."