"I can't believe you! It's just one fight!"

"Yeah, yeah, kid. Go look for pity somewhere else. I already told you no."

"C'mon! What's it going to hurt?"

"I said no!"

The tall blond teenager crossed his arms huffily across his chest and continued to glare down at the small goat… thing. What was the problem? He wanted to fight in at least one Tournament! This was totally unfair! He was strong enough! It's not like any of those petty competitors could defeat him! And should the very unlikely chance that he looses; they wouldn't kill him, since that was strictly prohibited in the Olympus Coliseum. But now he was seriously starting to doubt if he'd even make it in!

"What's your problem?" Verran whined. "Why can't I enter? I'm plenty capable."

"I'm sure you are, kid." The goat creature added, no doubt with sarcasm.

Verran frowned. "Unbelievable. I shoulda known you guys are so strict. I don't even get a try."

"Listen," The horned guard started, "You gotta be a hero if you want to enter…"

"But I've saved plenty of people from Heartless! I'm a hero!"

"Do you have a license?"

"Huh? No."

"Then you can't enter."

"Fine! Then I wanna be a 'hero'. How do I do it?"

The miniature creature glared at him. "So you wanna be a hero, kid? Well woopty-doo."

"HEY! You aren't even giving me a chance!" Verran yelled.

"I've been around the block before with blockheads just like you!" The creature spat.

"Who you calling a blockhead!" the teenager roared.

I can't believe it! I just can't believe it! What's his problem anyway! I just want to fight in the stupid Cup. But you have to be a so-called 'hero'! He probably wouldn't know a hero if one hit him on the head! Verran thought. He even began to seethe. The frustration was defiantly getting the better of him. The blond boy hitched his spear up on his shoulder, gave the creature one last glare, and spun on his heel, heading for the great doors out of the world.

As Verran began to leave, a shadow from the eastern wall crept towards the entrance of the Coliseum. And from the darkness sprung horrid creatures. They writhed out from the shadows and took forms of their own. Each had a dark body, as if it were just what it came from, like a shadow, and sported to great yellow eyes that seemed to just pierce your heart. Some of the smaller creatures had two antennae that perched atop of its head and vicious claws. Others were bigger and moved crazily with jerky and wild motions. Everywhere it moved seemed to cause some clink of its armor or create a wild clatter. But these creatures didn't seem to notice the teenager nearby the entrance to the world, but decided to surround the guard of the Tournament.

"Oh please no…" the goat-man whimpered and visibly drooped.

Now's my chance! Verran thought excitedly. He whipped his spear back out and sped towards the Heartless. "Blizzard!" Verran called as he thrust his spear forward and unleashed a lethal blast of frost towards the enemy, wiping nearly a quarter of them. He then suddenly dashed forward, taking a good hack and slash at any Shadow or Soldier that dared to get near him. Soon the blond boy reached the small goat-man who sat trembling in a corner. Not so tough, are ya smart guy? Verran thought cruelly, but soon turned back to the Heartless. He thrust his spear skyward and called "Thunder!" and unleashed a flurry of lighting bolts on the Heartless.

By this time the number of the dark creatures had been reduced to half of its former glory. Their executioner was about to release another powerful blast of magic when the Heartless simply vanished. The spear that Verran had thrust out horizontally drooped until the tip touched the golden sand.

"Sora must've done it…" A voice announced from behind Verran.

The blond boy whipped around and his emerald gaze rested on a muscular man. This man could only be one person, too: the ever-famous Hercules.

'Whoa…! He's here! Right now! Hercules! … Hey wait! I bet he can convince the goat-dude to let me fight!' Verran thought.

"You think so…?" The horned man asked.

"Yeah, Phil. I think so." Herc replied. "Sora must've really done it."

Verran rocked his memory back and forth. 'Sora… that name sounds familiar…' He thought until the memory finally returned to him. Sora had been the winner of just about every Tournament. Guess he was really one heckuva hero… especially if he could get rid of the Heartless without being in the world. What was going on…?

"Sooo… Phil. Can I call ya' Phil? About that hero license…" Verran drawled.

"No." Phil stated, crossing his arms.

"What!" Verran threw out his arms. "Why not! You just saw me defeat all those Heartless without breaking a sweat! If it wasn't for me, who knows where you'd be!" Verran looked for Hercules for support, but found no such luck. Heck, he found no Herc either. Hmph! He must've left already…

"My answer was no and still is that. NO." Phil concluded, not changing his mind.

"Fine then! I'm going back to Twilight Town! But I'll be back!" Verran called, gathering his weapon and heading toward the stone doors. Without turning around, he called back to Phil, "When I'm back, I'll be so good you'll have to let me compete! I'll be a hero too!" And the doors shut behind him.

Fine… he can be that way…Verran thought angrily as he climbed into the gummi ship. I will be a hero… no matter what.