ChromaTober | 2023 FMS Writing Challenge

-| Day 12: Toxin |-

AU: Futuristic (Instead of RQ being a sort of Middle Ages fantasy sorta, it's a futuristic fantasy! Sabre often helps out with Colorless Guard investigations with Light as a sort of job.)

Context: Sabre is helping Light look for an informant, buuut it was a trap >:3

(Takes place during the Corrected Sun arc, and in this AU they're pretty determined to kill Sabre)

—————————————————————————————————————

[Sabre's POV]

The busy streets are left behind as Light and I enter the warehouse, tucked away in the back corner of an old storage facility.

"Did it really have to be an abandoned warehouse? This is spooky, man." I mutter, not liking this environment one bit.

"Informants like the one that contacted the Guard earlier are often in danger, and places like these are optimal to prevent being found." Light explains, unfazed by the creepy atmosphere. "It's pretty much perfect for them to hide out of sight."

"Or for a serial killer to hide."

"You're not helping, you know that?"

"Well sor-ry if this place looks like it came from a horror movie."

We both go silent when we suddenly hear a crash coming from one of the rows of shelves. Light quickly gets his electric spear, while I ready my laser sword (yes, I have a laser sword. Who wouldn't take one given the opportunity?).

"Whoever's there, come out with your hands up." Light calls out. "This is the Colorless Guard."

The air is quiet for a moment. Then, a meek Yellow Steve wearing a tattered brown coat and silver glasses steps out from behind the shelving.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." The Yellow Steve stutters. "I thought y-you were Corrected Sun for a moment. D-Don't worry, I'm not armed."

Light relaxes and puts away his spear, and I do the same with my sword. I still keep a hand on it though; you never know.

"It's alright. Are you Ray?" Light asks.

"Y-Yes, that's me." The Yellow Steve, Ray, replies. "I'm guessing you two are Light Steve and Sabre?"

"Correct."

"Nice to meet ya." I smile.

Ray smiles back, looking a little less tense.

"You said that you have information on the Corrected Sun?" Light asks him.

"Y-Yes, I do. Just let me get it..." Ray answers, reaching into a dark grey bag that looks sort of like a satchel, but more streamlined and high-tech.

Ray's taking a minute searching for whatever he contacted the Guard about, so I look around a little bit while we wait.

The old warehouse is large and expanse, shelves of products lined against the walls and in neat rows like shelves of books in a library. Everywhere you can look, there's at least a thin layer of dust. Light and I made tracks in it on our way in, there's that much. Mostly old, cruddy boxes are everywhere filled with discarded junk, but every so often there's something bigger like an abandoned TV or a wrecked games console. Looters must've already picked this place clean a long time ago.

The more I look, however... the more something seems off.

I can't see anything out of the ordinary, but all of my nerves are screaming 'danger'. It might just be the creepy old building, sure, but... something's up.

Even Light seems to be uneasy now. He speaks up for a moment.

"Sir? Do you actually have something?" He asks.

"Yes, I do, just hang on a minute." Ray says quickly.

...That's not how he's been talking for the last, like, ten minutes.

"Sir, what are you-" Light starts, stepping forward a bit, but he gets interrupted.

Before either of us can react, Ray whips a weird remote out of his bag and clicks a button, making a makeshift wall that was previously hanging from the ceiling come crashing down. Light and I have to dive out of the way to avoid getting hurt, and now we've been separated... I can tell that the wall was meant to isolate my side, because of the barbed wire and other barrier structures on my side of the walls.

"Sabre?!" Light calls out.

"Light! I'm okay!" I reply. "Just-"

I hear something whistle through the air behind me, and when I turn around, a dart sticks into my shoulder. I yelp and try to pull it out, but it's pierced the fabric of my shirt and embedded itself in my skin. Ow.

Looking up, there's a Corrected Sun member standing hidden behind a shelf, peeking out and holding a dart gun.

"What was that?!" Light yells, while I hear clashing metal and electricity on the other side of the wall. He must be in a fight.

"Nevermind... not okay..." I groan, already starting to feel a little dizzy. Whatever they tipped that dart with works fast.

Pretty soon, it feels like the entire room is spinning. The Corrected Sun member walks away, leaving me as I struggle to stand up. I try to use a nearby shelf to support myself, but my hand slips and I fall to the ground.

I can hear Light saying something, but I can't understand what. Every noise is being drowned out as my vision starts to turn fuzzy, black creeping into the edges.

At the last second, I see some kind of gas begin to cover the floor, before everything fades out.

—————————————————————————————————————

[Light's POV]

"Sabre?! Sabre!" I scream, unable to hear my friend's voice anymore.

"He can't hear you; he isn't even conscious anymore." The liar, Ray says with a wicked grin.

"What did you do to him?!" I demand, blocking a swing from his knife with my spear.

"Tranquilizers are surprisingly easy to get, and I don't think the gaseous toxin my friend just released is going to do him much good either." Ray laughs.

Ray then grabs onto a rope that descends out of nowhere, being quickly pulled up by his accomplice. I look up at them, seething.

"Either you leave him to come after us, and let the root of all our suffering die, or save him and let us get away." Ray says. "The choice is yours, but either way... the Sun will rise over the kingdom once again."

They parkour across the shelves, heading for a window, while the makeshift wall is pulled upwards again. A sickly green gas rolls out from the growing gap, and I see Sabre lying on the ground on the other side.

There is no choice; I'm saving my friend.

I quickly put on my armor's helmet, the filter system going online. Thank Origin I had that installed on the armor suits. I run over to Sabre and carefully pick him up, his skin already going pale. The scanner built into the helmet's visor is saying his vitals are rapidly failing. He doesn't have much time...

...Or does he?

I make a break for the exit, already calling HQ, knowing who will answer.

"Light? What's wrong?" Time asks me through the call. "You-"

"Explain later. Gotta be quick." I interrupt. "It was a trap, and now Sabre's unconscious and was forced to breathe in a bunch of highly toxic gas. Need you to get ready to help him, because he's not gonna be able to hold out for long. And give the medical ward a heads up."

"On it." Time quickly answers, and the call ends.

I hear lightning as I begin to teleport back to HQ, hoping this'll work.