Sapphire's eyes grew wide and she thought back to Vanitas. She suddenly looked very frantic, eyes going to where he had been before they sharply turned back to Niko.
"He... He was here. Vanitas was here. He said it was gone... Oh my God..." She held her head in her hands. "Is... Is it just gone then?" She didn't want to believe it, eyes still wide and full of anxiousness.
"First thing in the morning we'll investigate what happened." Niko said hugging Sapphire. "If it's gone, well...I don't know what to do. We'll figure it out."
She was frozen. As Niko's arms went around her, she did not move. She was rigid. What happened to Garnet, Silver, Gold, and the others? Were they okay? "It can't be gone..," she whispered, in denial, breathing heavily. "It can't be..."
"That's what we're going to look into." Niko said. "If it's gone we can still look for the others. Not to be one of those people, but don't you think it's odd that the minute you decide to join the Insurgents, our world is dragged into darkness?"
It was strange, Sapphire had to admit. What did Vanitas say about Niko succumbing to the Darkness? Was Niko the one who did it? Who knows what he could have done when he left the room. She looked to him, wide-eyed.
"Niko... Did you make Mobius go dark?" she sounded silly asking it, but she had to know. It just made sense.
"No." Niko said. "Why would you ever think I would ever do that?!"
Niko was shocked that Sapphire would ask that. He saw the star go out. He knew what world it was. He was hurt to know Sapphire would even think he was responsible.
"I may have darkness in my heart but I would never use it to harm you or anyone! You know that!"
Sapphire withdrew sharply as if Niko had slapped her, alarmed by his raised voice. She wrapped her arms around her waist, hugging herself, still not completely convinced despite Niko's protests.
"Vanitas said you were giving in to the Darkness, and right after he said that... The star went out." She shook her head. Maybe he did it indirectly? "Are you being completely truthful with me?" she asked, sounding worried and almost afraid.
"i am." Niko said. "You seriously believe I'd do that?! I live there too you know."
Niko was hurt by Sapphire's accusation. He wouldn't ever do what she's saying happened.
I saw what happened" Niko said. breathing gently. "I was shocked too. Vanitas is trying to turn you against me. I hate that you want to rejoin the Insurgents, but I wouldn't turn the world dark to stop you. I love you and if you want to join the Insurgents...I'm not going to stop you. Do what you want."
"Those are some pretty hefty accusations" Sarabi said. "You know Niko wouldn't do anything that would mean you harm. If anything, you should be asking Vanitas. Don't think just because it made sense to you, that it's true."
"Sarabi enough." niko said. "You have every right to assume I did it, Sapphire, but I didn't do it. You gotta believe me. I have nothing to do with it."
Sapphire looked down. She wanted to trust Niko, but she felt as if she couldn't. He was so sure he had nothing to do with the event, so she felt as if she should believe him. However, she would not let her suspicion drift away. No, it merely moved to the back of her mind. She'd have to keep an eye on him.
"Alright," she replied quietly, "I trust you." It was a half lie, half truth. "You said there's still hope for it, right? At least, for the people?"
"If the world went dark, all residents with light in their hearts would have been moved to nearest world unaffected by the darkness." Niko said. "So we need to see the world itself first. If there's darkness there, heartless have flooded the place. We'll need to be careful."
Sapphire stood up from the bed. Though she had been tired only moments ago, she was suddenly reinvigorated. Her face was set and dark, her eyes were narrowed, and it seemed as if all hopes of sleep were gone. "It doesn't matter what's there. We have to go."
"Not so fast eager McBeaver!" Niko said pulling Sapphire gently back down. "Let's not rush into this. Let's get some rest and we'll deal with it in the morning."
Sapphire turned her head rapidly to look at Niko, eyes bewildered. "There's no way I can possibly sleep when I know our friends and family are in danger. When the place I grew up is consumed by darkness." She shook her head at him. "What are they doing right now?" she asked in an afraid whisper, looking at Niko as if he had all of the answers; a hopeful look.
"Sapphire." Niko said. "If you really want to save them, then fine. Let's head out."
Niko was slowly coming down from his anger of being blamed for the problem, now he has to avoid another night of sleep to check on the world. He sighed and whistled and the Gummi Ship teleports them aboard. He then takes off towards the next world; home. Sapphire boarded the ship after Niko. Instead of sitting where she usually sat, in the copilot's seat, she sat further back, arms hugging herself as she stared intently off into space. She was now insanely concerned for the well-being of the Insurgents, and of the state Niko's heart was in after Darkness oozed out of him.
As Niko flew to Mobius, he saw the world was covered in black miasma clouds. Niko looked towards the world and sighs...
"It's still there." Niko said. "Just covered in miasma."
Letting out a sigh of relief, Sapphire quickly got to her feet. "We have to get out there and make sure everyone's okay," she said anxiously, moving quickly toward the exit, not wanting to waste a single second.
"Not a good idea." Niko replied. "There's no life down there. The nearest place filled with light is Radiant Garden. I can take you there so we may search."
Sapphire stopped her footsteps, moving her head to look over her shoulder at Niko. How could he be so calm? "Don't waste any time then; let's go." Her voice was filled with anxiousness and a strong determination lit up her eyes. She had to see that everyone was okay.
"That's odd." Niko said. "They're not on Radiant Garden either. I'm gonna keep scanning for them."
As Niko continued scanning for them, each time no sign of Garnet and the others showed up. Suddenly Niko got a ping and the Gummi Ship began moving independently towards a place neither knew.
"Golly!" Jiminy exclaimed. "We're heading to the Keyblade Graveyard!"
Sapphire looked to Jiminy, her eyes almost wild. "What's that?" she asked. It certainly sounded ominous. Her eyes turned to Niko. "Are they at this graveyard?"
"I wonder why the Gummi Ship is taking us here?" Jiminy asked. "This doesn't feel right to me."
"Yeah." Niko replied. As Niko scanned the area out with his eyes, he didn't feel the hearts and light of the Insurgents. He looked to Sapphire and sighed.
"They're not here." Niko replied. "This is the Keyblade Graveyard. A graveyard of Keyblades wielded by master Keyblade users in a great war known as the Keyblade War. This place is full of evidence that the war happened and ended here. The scars of the landscape, the giant craters and crevices and the Keyblades of the fallen."
Niko looked towards a particular Keyblade and tilted his head. Walking over to it, he studied it carefully. It was silver with a red and purple blade and a rose for the teeth. He picked it up and swung it to test it. It looked as if it was just recently places there.
"Well..." a voice said from a distance. "You showed up. That's very good."
"Xehanort!" Niko said drawing his own Keyblade keeping the one he just picked up tightly in his grasp. "What are you doing here?!"
"Simple." Xehanort replied. "I came to tell you that it was I who corrupted your world. It was a bit too easy to do. I wanted you two to be here when I finish off someone you hold dear! Bring her out Vanitas!"
Vanitas appears and Niko looked up and saw Sally being held by the neck over the ledge Vanitas was standing on. Niko growled in anger, purple miasmic smoke enveloping him. Xehanort was smiling as he nodded to Vanitas. Nodding back, he stabbed Sally through and tossed her off the edge. Saph screamed in horror and Niko roared and rushed to Sally and caught her in his arms.
"Niko..." Sally said wearily, her eyes fading in and out of fog. "I'm sorry for hating you because of who you are. I'm responsible for your darkness. I made you this way."
"No..." Niko said sadly. "Sally please don't go...it's not your fault for any of this. You'll be fine. I know you will."
"No." Sally said taking Niko's hand and planting a kiss on his cheek. "It's too late. Take care of Sonic and the other Freedom Fighters. They need a leader. Goodbye, Niko."
Sally said no more, her eyes fogged over and closed. Niko sat there and sobbed. Standing up, Niko went over to where he found the Keyblade and dug a hole and buried Sally there. Placing the Keyblade over her grave, he turned to Xehanort.
"Your darkness is weak." Xehanort said. "You will instantly change your heart the moment people you care for are hurt. I can fix that. On top of that, I can assure you that no one will ever be hurt again."
"You killed her..." Niko said, summoning two Keyblades. "I'm going to make you pay for that!"
"Oh are you?" Xehanort said. "I'd love to see you try that."
Niko was about to try until he heard Riku shout out for him to stop. He stopped as Riku appeared.
"You two aren't ready to fight Xehanort." Riku replied. "Give them time to train before you fight them, Xehanort."
"Very well." Xehanort said. "I want a challenge."
Niko sighed and looked to Sally's grave. He nodded and teleported himself and Sapphire to the Gummi Ship and walked to the cockpit, completely silent as he took off.
