Forget Me Not (Sapphire's end)

Time to lift the curse

Surge knows that the King was a good king once. But desperation and loss can do things to a man. The kingdom was losing hope, and with the death of more and more people, he has hardened and now looks at everything as mere things that can be expended if they reach his goal. Surge knows. Because once upon a time, he cared for his partner although Negro always was a  bit of a prick. Once upon a time, he held out hope that nobody would hurt each other. Once upon a time, he didn’t resort to so much violence. The once upon a time, everyone learned that sometimes murder got them what they needed. Once upon a time,  he learned he just needed to kill. And eventually he just decided not to because no matter how much he did kill, everything was not going to the same. Then once upon time, a blue hedgehog was teleported to their realm with her friends and was kind. Once upon another time, Surge remembers ever since Sapphire had been brought here exactly how being happy feels like and wants to fight for it.

Sapphire can’t stand now. But she pleads still. Don’t hurt him. Don’t kill him. The King looks at her strangely, and Surge says nothing as he defends. When an attack gets too close to Sapphire, he starts to attack. Sapphire can’t see anyway. He won’t kill the king. He’ll just weaken him until he can’t fight anymore. Calista, Jackie, Maria and Crimson carry on fighting before whispering that they have an idea and they run off leaving Surge to fight alone. The demon hedgehog curses, but whatever that group had planned, it was probably worth it. He wouldn’t leave Sapphire like that. Sapphire is sitting behind him. Hands on the ground. Still praying that nobody got hurt. Can’t see. Can’t hardly move. Can barely talk, even. Surge strikes one blow before the King is down on one knee, weak from the fight.
“Well?” the king asks, huffing, “Do it.” Surge still has his magic summoned and he’s still able to call upon it to shoot. It would be easy. One blast. One blast and he could kill the king and take Sapphire and her friends out of here and out into the Mobius. He lifts one hand. And then drops it. Turns back to the girl behind him, takes them into his arms and faces the king again.
“No.” The King looks up and frowns.
“No?” Sapphire moves in his arms and leans her head into his chest.
"Thank you" she mumbled. Surge smiles.
“Always be kind. Sometimes kindness is all we can give,” he says, “Sometimes kindess is be enough.” The King laughs, “That’s not how it works around here, boy. No one can live here.” Surge shakes his head and pulls Sapphire closer.
“Not anymore.”

He walks past the King, tense, but to his surprise the king lets him. He makes no move to stand and just keeps his head low. Surge walks over to the portal and stares at it. He looks at the feverish Mobian in his arms.
“Hey, darlin',” he smiles as he looks at them. She's trying to press closer to him, it’s almost amusing. “You still holding on good?”
Sapphire nods slowly. The cement in front of him breaks and the four friends emerge.
"We went to get more info on what's going on here" Maria explains gesturing to the portal.
"The only way for us to leave is to have a Slarian be around to hear a Mobians last breath outside the portal but we're obviously not able to do that" Jackie continues.
"So we went to see if there is another way which there is, a Slarian has to willingly give themself up to the portal" Calista adds.
"By that, a Slarian has to die to get us across" Crimson finishes sadly. Surge hesitates and stares down at the weak form in his arms.
"Okay, I'll do it" Suddenly a hand reaches up and grabs his shirt.
"No..." Sapphire mutters.