Ten

The Gummi Ship began to lose control. Donald managed to pull the handles towards him. However the ship was going into a vertical tailspin. A rush of cold, ice wind pierced the entire ship. It took only a moment for Aryon to be completely sucked out-his fingertips just barely brushing against Sora's before it was too late.

"Sora! Donald, Goofy!"

"Aryon!"

And then he was falling. Aryon's eyes were wide, imagining his remains splattered on the ground. Yet he does not make contact with the ground at all-instead he landed in a bright green colored pond. Coughing and spluttering the water out looking around at his surroundings.

Darkness there…and nothing more.

"Just…great." He grunted out.

And that was how our young hero made his first appearance into the Underworld. Sora, Donald and Goofy arrive shortly after rushing towards him with no haste. "Are you alright?!" Sora panted out, helping Aryon get some water off of his clothes.

"I'm fine Sora…a little shaken up but no worries. Not the worst fall I've had."

A soft green colored fog began circling around the group's legs. They only hoped that it was not a poison.

"…Have we been here before?" Sora asked.

"I don't think so." Goofy responded looking around.

"Look!" Sora yelled suddenly. A woman soon runs out being chased by what appeared to be Heartless reminding Aryon that of pit bulls. She tripped, the Heartless Hounds circling her in a menacing manner.

"Are you alright miss?" Aryon asked once the woman got back on her feet. Sora holds his hand out for her, she looks at it with suspicion.

She gave a shake of her head. "I'm fine, don't worry about it." Her big, lilac eyes gaze at each one of the boys before her. "And who are you all supposed to be?"

"I'm Sora. This is Aryon, Donald and Goofy." Sora introduces.

"We're looking for Hercules, do you know him?" Goofy asked.

At the mention of Hercules do her eyes seem to brighten. "You know Wonderboy? Please, you've got to help him." She said. Her face was instant with concern.

When asked what was wrong she began to explain.

"Hades won't let Hercules get a break; he's been throwing monster after monster at him in the Coliseum tournaments. I was about to go speak to him, but then I got ambushed by these creatures. If you could do me this favor: may you speak with Hades?" She finished. Sora, Aryon, Donald and Goofy were shell shocked.

"I thought we got rid of him last time?" Aryon hisses in panic to Sora.

"So did I! Looks like he's still prowling around."

With that the group carried on into the Valley of The Dead. Sora and Aryon were fairly used to the feeling yet Donald and Goofy weren't. Sora called Hades out as the quartet rushed up the long flight of stairs.

All the while Aryon tries to block out the mournful yells and cries of the departed. Almost whimpering at the sight of a decapitated ghost.

"HADES." Donald and Aryon exclaim barging into the Underworld God's room.

"You punks again?" He snarled. He seemed to have been fighting with a man with one arm and a long scar going down the side of his face with an extremely large, heavy sword pulled out from its sheathe. Beside him was a young man with light grey hair tied in a pony-tail with two bangs hanging on either side of his face. On his hip was a sword similar to the scarred man's. Blocking one of Hade's deadly inferno attacks.

Aryon whom were defending the now unconscious fighter.

"Blizzard!" Aryon called out. A soft blue glow emitted from the end of his keyblade. The room grew colder as a long crystal of ice mixed with wind shot out deflecting Hade's fireball attack. Fighting beside the silver haired male.

"Get back boy," the man spoke smoothly out. "This isn't your fight."

"We can handle 'im!" Sora spoke over his shoulder.

"Something's wrong…" Donald exclaimed with a slur.

"I feel funny…"

Aryon tried to get up himself but he to feels the same weakness the others were feeling. "W-What's going on?"

"That's right!" Hades began with glee. "You see, in the Underworld heroes are ZEROES. Nada. Zilch. Finite. Comes with the territory." He laughs obnoxiously earning a growl from Aryon.

"C'mon. We have to get out of here." The scar faced man says.

"We have to leave." The silver haired tugs Aryon up.

"But-." Sora began. "But we have to talk with Hades!"

"Later!"

They make haste racing for the exit.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

With great difficulty do the group finally reach downstairs to the Underworld's main entrance panting heavily. Sora and Goofy close the gates. "Is he gone?" Donald asked.

The silver haired man shrugged. "I highly doubt that."

"You guys are really awesome by the way. You some kind of heroes?" Aryon questioned.

"No…we're just…at least I'm not-."

"Huh?"

"Auron," the silver haired guy finally spoke up again. A teasing grin etching along his face. "That's his name. And I'm Yuya."

The man now known as Auron sighs. If he had another hand he'd be pinching the bridge of his nose right about now. "Must you introduce me yourself, Yuya?"

Yuya merely laughed. Nudging his companion in the rib light. "You would've taken forever to respond old timer."

Aryon hops up on Sora's back with a playful grin on his face. "I'm Aryon!" He exclaimed.

"Donald!" Donald said next hopping on Aryon's shoulders.

"Goofy!" Goofy says last hopping on Donald's shoulders.

Sora grits his teeth unable to hold all three of them up in which they soon land in a heap on the ground, Yuya looking with mild amusement and Auron as stoic as ever. "It seems we were all fated to meet one another. Maybe you're in need of a Guardian."

The keyblade wielder finally pushes his friends off, standing up on his own declining Auron's offer. "Guardian? Thanks but no thanks."

My, my. I think I'm starting to like this kid Yuya chuckled.

Aryon looks at him with a pleading expression. "Oh come on Sora! Look at him: He's a certifiable badass. We could really…" But he stops himself when Sora crosses his arms over his chest slumping his shoulders. "Doh…fine." The blue haired teen huffed out.

Some hours later the quartet tries opening a pair of doors.

"Come on…Open!" Sora demanded.

Donald glanced up at the keyhole on the door looking at the two keybarers. "Will those help?" Auron asked.

"I don't see why it wouldn't." Aryon replied, taking out his keyblade.

In unison they point their keyblades towards the keyhole when a ferocious roar sounds right behind them. Auron readies his long-sword, urging them to hurry as Hades's loyal pet Cerberurs-guardian of the Underworld leaps into the entryway. Sora and Aryon unlock the door as the shield in front of it vanished. Sora runs to the door with Aryon only to find Auron struggling with the three headed monster.

"Sora wait up!" Aryon called, slamming his fist against the wall however when he, Donald, Goofy and Yuya are trapped.

"Auron!" Yuya called out. Biting the inside of his cheek.

Cerberus jumped up, slamming his feet to knock Sora and Auron off balance. Auron attacks Cerberus several times, Sora joins in. One of the heads bit Sora and made him fly. uron joins with Sora using Bushido, then does Shooting Star and Banishing Blade a few times and then they use Spiral.

Aryon, Donald, Goofy and Yuya watched Cerberus begins to shoot dark black and purple flames from his mouths. Sora jumps to dodge it and attacks Cerberus. Auron hits behind, Cerberus spins around fast hitting Sora in the process of attacking Auron.

Sora back flips in midair again as Auron attacks and blocks from the biting heads. Cerberus jumps and lands hitting Auron then jumps around while turning to Sora. Sora jumps and attacks the head. The heads went at him together he holds himself from being bit. The middle one goes to attack which Sora jumps and puts the Keyblade to his mouth from chopping.

He then jumps in the air as the middle one went to bit and a static power was around Sora's body. Then falls down head first and hits Cerberus making him become unconscious as Auron and Sora attack and defeating Cerberus.

Cerberus struggles to stand back on his feet.

"Come on!" Donald yelled.

"Get yourselves over here!" Yuya hollered.

"Hurry up!" Aryon chimed in as they make it through before the gates finally close on their own. Goofy and Aryon make a face at the three headed beast relieved they had managed to stop him from coming through.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

The group of five are now at the Underworld entrance panting heavily. Sora wiping sweat from his forehead. "Phew…"

"That was a little too close for comfort." Aryon spoke aloud, leaning against a pillar.

"What happened to Auron?" asked Goofy suddenly noticing the disappearance of their companion.

"And where's Yuya?" Donald looked around for the other.

"They can take care of themselves. Let's go find Meg. Then we can try this again." Sora replied and the trio nod in agreement. It's not long before they finally arrived back at the Coliseum gates.

"Gawrsh, this sure does bring back memories!" commented Goofy.

The lobby doors open up revealing a more than exhausted Hercules himself making his appearance. The heroe's eyes widen happily at the sight of the God. "Sora, Aryon, Donald and Goofy!" Hercules exclaimed. "When did you guys get here?"

Meg came out of the foyer.

"You on another adventure?" asked Hercules.

"Yeah, trackin' down some friends, wipin' out some Heartless." Sora replied glaring playfully at Aryon when the other rested his arm on his shoulder.

"And I'm saving Sora's butt like always."

"Hey! Who's saving who?!"

Hercules, Donald and Goofy laugh as the two begin bickering amongst each other making their way back to the foyer again. "So, did you find those friends of yours?" asked Hercules.

"Still working on it. When we got here, we ran into Meg," Sora had begun only to have Aryon nudge him in the ribs. -meg-mega trouble, I mean! So we had to help somebody out. We tried to go teach Hades a thing or two...but the Underworld drains away all our strength. Don't suppose you have any ideas?" Sora asked.

"Well, there is a stone that guards against the Underworld's curse. The gods on Mount Olympus use it whenever they have to go down there" answered Hercules.

Aryon arches a curious brow. "Do you think we could use it?"

"Sure, why not! I'll go get it for you." Hercules volunteered. Donald and Goofy express their gratitude. "But Hades is no pushover, even if you've got the Olympus Stone. And I have a match today, so I can't go with you... Know what you need? Training! Why don't you go talk to Phil?"

"That's an idea!" Sora said with a nod. Putting his hands behind his head. "You up for it Aryon?"

"Sure thing!"

They entered the Coliseum and find Phil but he's not paying attention at their presence. "Hey champ, how ya feeling? Better rest up for tomorrow's match. Nobody's gonna pay to see a worn-out hero...capiche? Remember what I told you. Victory in the games comes down to two simple words: Eat, bathe, sleep!" said Phil as he puts two fingers out.

Goofy counted three of his fingers while Sora, Aryon and Donald fight the urge to laugh out loud causing him to turn around. "Hey, if it ain't the junior heroes!" Phil finally noticed them.

"Lookin' good, Phil" commented Sora.

"How are you?" Aryon asked.

"Never better! How you guys been? Have you earned your "true hero" wings yet?" asked Phil looking at the boys. Sora rubs the back of his neck, Aryon shrugs one shoulder while Donald and Goofy shake their heads. "Nope, you ain't got what it takes…so what's up?"

"Well…" Sora begins to tell him how they're going to take on Hades earning a roar of laughter to escape from him.

"Ha ha ha! You four are gonna take on Hades?" laughed Phil.

Donald huffed and stomps his foot. "What's so funny?!"

"You got nerve. I like that. Hey, you never know-stranger things have happened, right? Better get cracking, boys! So you want to train, eh? All right, I'm gonna work you hard!" commented Phil.

Sora and Aryon were more than ready for this, even making a game out of it to see who could gather the most orbs. Funny…why does this sound familiar? Like I did this with someone before Sora? He can't help but to think, panting softly after they've completed the task. Aryon gathering more orbs than Sora in the end.

"How was THAT?" asked Sora proudly.

"Did we nail it?"

"Not bad kiddos: There's more on the menu. You can relax once you've completed the last one."

"No problem!" They both exclaim.

"Now get ready for the real thing. If a big one appears, don't let it get away."

More pots appeared out of thin air. Sora and Aryon went on a pot smashing spree taking out as many as they possibly could. It helped imagining the smaller ones as Heartless and the bigger one as Hades. "Listen, I gotta take off for a bit." Phil called suddenly.

"Where to?" Aryon questioned.

"None of yer beeswax."

After Phil left their eyes lit up at the sight of Hercules but his next sentence has them crushed. "Sorry, guys... The Olympus Stone has been stolen."

Just perfect

A/n: This chapter is a wee bit different then the AO3 version. Recently I came up with an idea of Auron having a partner: Maybe not nescessarily a love interest but someone from his world that understands his pain and such. I have a one-shot collection up where it'll possibly explain more of their backstory hopefully.