A Ticken in
Sora just looked at the wooden block and took a deep sigh, Star and Marco had set up everything for their training session. Donald and Goofy were watching from the stands, Jiminy taking notes in his journal. Thankfully the Coliseum was empty which allowed them free reign to do whatever they needed.
Taking a deep breath, he focused all his concentration on the wood, position his arm right in the center. He could feel the sun hovering over him as trickles of sweat started running down his face. The bright sun making it already hot and there wasn't a cloud to be spotted. Which made things really bad for the heat was making this workout all the more difficult for him to manage.
"I can do this" Sora thought to himself, holding everything completely steady, focusing with all his strength, "I can do this".
He kept on looking at the piece of wood, as if it was looking back at him, taunting him making him realize his own weakness. Sora had his hand completely still, only for it to slowly start shaking as he made ready to attack.
"Ok maybe not...Maybe this was a bad idea".
"Alright Sora! Just like we practiced," Star said holding his arm steady, she watched him with those intense eyes of hers "Be the wood...Feel the wood flow ...Be one with the wood"
"How does that help?" Sora asked already feeling pain before he even did anything.
Star shrugged, "I don't know, just do it"
"Okay, if you say so" Sora sighed, "I'm really starting to wonder if any of these people know anything about these people".
Sora gulped raising his arm a bit wide he was gathering up the energy to strike. He was about to lower it, the bone of his arm about to hit the hardwood, either breaking it in half or breaking him. He took a deep breath, ready to strike but just before he could, a voice cried out in the distance causing him to freeze mid way.
"STOP!" Sora eyes opened to see Marco running towards them, "Are you crazy?!"
"What's wrong Marco?" Star asked in an annoyed tone.
"Oh I don't know, it's just the last time someone got hurt trying to do this, I got a squid arm and went crazy".
Star sighed, "You make one bad spell and you don't hear the end of it"
Sora just took a deep sigh of relief as he lowered his arms, glad that he wasn't going to have to learn how to chop a piece of wood with his bare hands. He wanted to get stronger to beat Riku but he didn't want to badly hurt himself in the process.
"Perhaps we can start with something easier" Sora asked.
"Nope!" Star declared, "From what you told me you need rapid training and quickly"
Sora groaned. After the incident during the games he had told Star everything that happened up to that point in order for her to get a good understanding of what he was dealing with and why he needed to train. In return he got some info on her too, how she was a princess from another dimension and how apparently Mewni was destroyed by the Heartless. At least they had that in common. Her and Marco had apparently been going from world to world finding the Keyblade using interdimensional scissors.
That would have been a useful tool to have, Sora thought.
Apparently they came here for a lead only for Star to get distracted and enter a tournament for fun. Now they were training Sora.
Taking a breather Sora bent down to stretch as Marco took away the wood needing a nice break after a hard day.
Star had proven she was good with the sword, professional even. Sora and her sparred earlier that morning and he had been knocked down and flung over several times. He had never faced an opponent that fierce before. Not even Riku was that tough, and he was pretty good at sparring himself.
"Am I getting any better?" Sora asked stretching.
Star shrugged, "Eh, your meh at the moment, granted I was using a sword since I could walk on my two tiny cute feet".
"And I am a master of Ka-Ra-Te" Marco boasted, showing off some of his moves "Purple belt...Soon to be a black belt"
"Sure" Star muttered, glaring at Marco.
Sora sighed "Great, I've had this Keyblade for a few months now and I don't even know if I'm making a improvement"
"I mean you made it this far," Goofy said walking up to the group, "Practice, practice, practice...That's what I tell my boy Max every day when he wanted to get into the drums".
"Don't remind me," Donald said rubbing his head.
"Shouldn't my experience be practice enough," Sora asked.
"HA! AS IF!" From behind him Sora could see Phil walking up to them all, carrying a few supplies with him on a wagon, "Experience is good and all, but sometimes good old fashioned controlled training is what is required".
"I've learned a lot on my journey" Sora said defensively.
Phil rolled his eyes, "Look, im sure you have, but that ain't enough, sometimes having a moment to sit down and train is what is needed. It's like a muscle, you gotta use it but you gotta use it correctly otherwise you are just straining it. Don't see professionals like Hercules making rookie mistakes like this".
Sora wanted to argue but couldn't think of a good comeback, in fact it sounded like good advice. During the whole time he really hadn't just sat down and trained to use a Keyblade. He might have learned to fight, he might have learned to swing a sword, but to actually use the Keyblade, it's abilities, it's magic, it's strength. He didn't really know how to or understand.
"Well, that's why I wanted you" Sora said, giving Phil a annoyed look "Merlin said that you knew a lot about Keyblades and how they work"
"Yeah, used too" Phil snorted as he started setting up the gear, "But the people wielding them, I never wanna help people like dat every again".
"People like dat? What people?" Donald asked.
"Selfish...Arrogant, self centered people that's who…." Phil wanted to finish but couldn't, it was like something hurt him, "Nevermind"
Goofy frowned, "Garsh, Sora ain't like that at all. He's been brave, kind and noble since we've met him. Real hero material if asked me''
Sora blushed with embarrassment.
"Yeah, ooo, he ain't like that all" Phil mocked, "Believe me I've met enough Keyblade Wielders to know that, that's how it all stars, wide eyed, getting a great power, then they get on their high horse, thinking they're better than everyone else. Trust me...Just because you a Keyblade Wielder doesn't mean your a hero, and in the end of the day, that's who I train...Heros. Like Hercules"
"Heroes?" Sora blinked, "I-I've fought monsters and bad guys and….
"That doesn't make you a hero, that just means you fought those things" Phil rejected, "Believe me, people like Hercules, Odissis, Ophisias...Lots of us's, that's the Greeks for yuh ...All of them were heroes, some could go the distance, others couldn't...But Keyblade Masters, always arrogant, always thought they knew better"
Sora struggled as he responded, "Well I uh...Um"
"Like just because you have a fancy wand thing don't make you a hero" Phil said pointing to Star
"Hey!" Star scoffed.
Goofy looked annoyed, "Well, I think he's a hero" He said putting both hands on Sora's shoulder in his defense.
"Yeah," Donald said back, only to then look unsure, "Well...He's trying"
"Gee thanks Donald" Sora muttered.
Phil just rolled his eyes, "Look, you wanna know how bad you have it kid...Summon your Keyblade, come on, do something basic"
"Sure! Tell me and I'll do it!"
Phil smirked, "Alright then. Let's have some basic training".
Basic training was a lot more complex than Sora had imagined it to be. Phil had set up nothing more than an elaborate track of basic bottles and giant pots. The goal was for Sora to go around and knock them all out as fast as he could within a certain timeframe.
Easy enough right.
Wrong!
First things first Sora was unable to summon his Keyblade in order to fight. He tried a few certain things, first he tried knocking them over with his muscles. That failed, then he tried bashing them with whatever hard thing he could find in the stadium, that partially worked but it only got him so far. Eventually it got so hard that he just collapsed and fell onto the ground looking exhausted
Phil merely shook his head in disappointment, "Time! Time!"
"Did I pass?" Sora asked raising his head as he saw stars.
Doanld and Goofy walked over to him and pulled him up.
"Uh, I don't think so Sora" Goofy sighed.
Sora looked over to see a bunch of those bottles still up and about and groaned.
"Yep, just what I thought, not the right type of material" Phil muttered, "Couldn't even pass this, I'd hate if you have to fight in the games"
"The games?"
"Yeah, fighting monsters and all lot, it ain't pretty"
Sora's eyes widened, "Hey my Keyblade appears when monsters are around, if I could show you my stuff, then maybe you'll help"
"Pfft...As if, kid you couldn't get a pass to the games even if you wanted too."
"Could too"
"Oh yeah," Phil snickered, "Then summon your Keyblade right now, on command, lets do this".
Sora just blinked, an unusual request. He held out his arm and concentrated with all his might. Everyone looked with anticipation for the Keyblade to appear, but it never did.
"Ha! Told yuh," Phil snickered, "You aren't even sure about being a Keyblade Master let alone being a hero kid. See, I told you, you ain't worthy of any it really. And that's the thing that you Keyblade Masters never learned. Having one of those things...It doesn't make you a hero".
Sora scowled and then sighed, "Ugh"
In frustration he just walked off.
"Hey Sora!" Goofy called.
He didn't listen and instead ignored him.
"Maybe he's right" Sora thought, "Maybe I am not worthy".
-000-
The surrounding area near the Coliseum was actually quite nice, Sora managed to find a nice little quote garden area were he was able to think. It was a nice place, and it felt good to just relax and get away from the constant training. He didn't have this sort of down time since Traverse Town and even then he was still training. As he went around town he saw that the city area had definitely died down in terms of people. Though the scale of the place was still a sight to behold. Sora was worried he would get lost, but thankfully the Colosseum was so large it would be easy to find his way back.
It seemed like he was always training or needing to be something.
Why couldn't he find the King sooner.
Sora just wanted nothing more than to be done with all of this.
Perhaps Phil was right, he couldn't summon his Keyblade let alone fight properly. Most of the time he had help, or it was luck or chance that won the day. Nothing he ever did was ever good. He hated having a Keyblade actually. He hated that it all fell on him. All of this because he had a dumb dream to leave his Island and explore the worlds, when he could have just been grateful for what he had.
He found himself now entering a park. Several plants and flowers laid the area as a stone brick road laid a pathway for people to follow. Sora saw a nearby stone bench to sit down. He looked up at the sky to regain his thoughts.
"This stinks" Sora muttered leaning down on the bench sighing. "I want out of this so badly. I just want my friends back, I want life back...I wanna go home!"
"Hey don't let him get you down," Sora looked up to see Star standing next to him now, taking a seat by his side, "Believe me, I know what it's like being underestimated and not being called responsible".
"Oh Star, didn't see yuh" Sora chuckled as she sat down next to him, "I mean that's easy for you to say, but you aren't a Keyblade Master"
"No...I'm just the future Queen of my country" Star replied looking down, her perky attitude slowly diminishing a bit. Sora could tell something was troubling her now, until he realized what she said.
"Queen?" Sora eyes widened as he got up and bowed, "I-I'm sorry P-Princess I didn't know I…
"Woah, woah, easy buddy...I hate the formal royal thing, it sucks and I find it annoying"
Sora stood straight, "Oh, sorry"
Star laughed, "Nah, it's fine," she patted the bench again so he sits down again, "Don't listen to him Sora, you seem like a hero material to me, granted I just met you so it could all be an act but...I don't think it is"
"Thanks" Sora sighed, rubbing a hand through his hair, he continued to look out at the park seeing passers by and people just living their lives. It was quite peaceful, normal folk without any worry or trouble. "I um, I'm sorry about your world, I know the feeling"
"Yeah…" Star sighed, "They just came outta nowhere not even the Magic High Commision could stop them."
"The who?"
"Oh they're the guys who regulate magic across the multiverse"
"Oh"
"Yeah...If they can't even stop them, well ...Well according to the myths that Keyblade can"
"No pressure right" Sora snickered.
"Yep...No pressure, the pressure of having an entire civilization and people who one day might need you to look after them. But apart from that, no pressure at all. But hey at least you have a choice, I don't i was born into it".
"Well, I mean you have a choice too, I mean no one really is forcing you to be Queen of Mewni right?"
"No, but I guess I don't that's kinda abounding everyone and everything and that's not right...Right?
Sora sighed rubbing his head in exhaustion, "No...I guess you're right, so what also brought you here anyway, just looking for me"
"No, we were also looking for-"
"Gee louise what's got you down kid"
Sora looked behind him and jumped. The voice that spoke was smooth and sly. He could feel his surrounding feeling cold, as if all the life around him started to decay and die off. He slowly turned around. Standing behind him was a tall grey skinned looking creature, with a black toga robe, whose hair was blue and flame. He smiled showing off sharp teeth as he glided forward towards them now.
Both Star and Sora looked upon this figure unsure what to make of him. Everything felt off, yet he didn't not seem quite as menacing.
"Woah," Star jumped up getting her wand at the ready
"Easy, easy kids relax" He outstretched arm to shake Sora's hand "Ba dum...Hades, lord of the dead, hi, how are you doing?"
"Lord of the dead?" Star asked, he took her hand and kissed it "Like the Underworld"
"One and only"
"Tom never mentions you"
Hades sighed, "Yeah...Different branches"
"Ah"
"Branches of what?"
"Hades is a god of the underworld" He replied to himself"You know, demons, death, that sorta thing. Making sure souls get from point A to well..Me!"
"D-D-Death?" Sora said, voice shaking, "As in you...You deal with dead people"
"Deal with them put up with them...Shepherd them to a far away afterlife of happy merriment, well, not that merry since they're dead but hey comes with the territory right?"
"S-So, are you darkness?"
"Death and darkness aren't the same thing kid...Oh and hello to you too by the way"
Sora just sputtered, "H-Hello"
"Couldn't help but notice your little predicament," He said as he began walking around him, he talked really fast that it was hard for Sora to keep up, "I mean all that stuff with the Keyblade and the goat and the life lesson. I mean hey I was alive when Keyblades were in their prime and boy oh boy, could they do some stuff let me tell yuh"
"R-Really?" Sora said, "I made a Genie friend once who said he remembered Keyblade Masters before me. W-What did they do here"
"Easy, they competed in the games" Hades declared aesthetically, "Back in the day, they'd come and fight against great monsters and titans even. Proving there strength, stamina, and all that good stuff"
"Oh...Um, wow" Sora said sounding unsure"
"Um wow? Wow is right? Hello, this world hasn't had that in forever. Most of the time we get some wannabe heroes and zero's and it's never the same. But Keyblade Masters, oh boy, did we have some great shows back in the day, you wouldn't believe it, I mean you really, really wouldn't believe it".
Star seemed unsure, "Well...That might be a good idea?" She said, "Could give you good practice"
"Great!" Hades said clapping his hands together, "Oh and by the way you might wanna head the Coliseum, all the necessary things will be ready"
"What things?" Sora asked.
"You'll see, by the way, here you go" Hades summoned a ticket and handed it to Sora, "Good luck kid, I'm rooting for you little short"
"It's a pass" Sora said, "Says I can enter the games"
Star looked at it with intrigue, "Oooh, well lets gets back to the Coliseum then see what he was talking about earlier".
-000-
"So your really gonna enter the games huh?" Star asked the two of them headed back.
As they walked back to the Colosseum Sora just looked at the ticket. It all felt too good to be true. This would be the chance he needed to show off his skills to Phil. Perhaps then he would finally get him to train him. Though Sora and Star discussed trusted the God of the Underworld. Wondering why someone like him would be interested in the two of them. Then again, he was a Keyblade Master and Star was a Princess from another dimension. So it didn't seem that out of the realm.
Sora nodded, "Yeah, maybe that guy was right, maybe it'll help me prove I'm a hero and a Keyblade wielder"
"I don't think heroism is won by games" Star said, looking a bit concerned.
"Well…..Maybe not, but maybe it will help my skills, something to fight for.''
"What are you talking about?" Sora stopped as he saw Phil standing in front of them both now.
Sora felt nervous though quickly stood his ground, "I'm entering the games"
"Games? You can't enter the games".
"Yes, I can, I was given a pass see…." Sora held out the pass handing it fill, "Nice and official"
Phil glanced over at the ticket and gasped, "W-Where did you get this?"
"Someone named Hades gave it to me"
"Hades!" Phil jumped back in shock, "You, you talked to Hades...Kid...ARE YOU an IDIOT!" You don't go around talking to the Lord of the Dead, that's essentially a death wish, it's in the name...LORD...OF ...THE...DEAD"
Sora slightly opened his mouth but closed it again,
"Exactly" Phil sighed slapping the ticket back to him walking away, "Keyblade Wielders, ain't it always the way...You know your gonna die right"?
"Hey goat!"
Sora looks behind him and sees Hades walking towards them, next to him a large figure, wrapped in a red scarf cape with spiky blond hair and a long metal sword approach him. He was fierce, intense, and quite strong looking. Sora felt a lump in his throat just wondering what someone like this was doing here.
"Oh hey kid," Hades waves snickering, "I'd like to enter my champion to the games ...Meet, Cloud"
Sora's eyes widened, "W-Will I be fighting him?" he asked Hades
"Hmm…..Oh yeah totally"
"Uh oh"
"See, I told yuh," Phil laughed, "Already your a dead kid, dead"
Hades laughed, "Hey, at least then you'll get to spend time at my place, trust me you'll love the latest renovation, make the whole death experience something worth sharing with friends"
"I don't wanna die" Sora yelled feeling a panic, "Get me out of this, there's gotta be a way out"
"Nope, sorry kid," Hades snickered holding out a tablet with Greek on it, "According to the rules once you sign, your in, don't wanna make the people mad. Trust me they are more into these games than the Romans are and that's saying something"
"You tricked him didn't you" Goofy said pointing at Hades accusingly, "Knowing full well this would happen"
"Eh...I saw an opportunity and took it
Sora started visibly shaking, "T-There's gotta be a way out"
"Let me see that" Marco took the tablet and started reading it
"You can read that?" Star asked.
Marco nodded, "Yeah, took Greek as a language once, so I know it pretty well ...and, oh-oh, it says that people can be on teams".
"Teams" Sora beamed.
"That's it," Star said, looking excited. "I'll join up in the game with you, thankfully there can be teams, and with my Wand and that Key we'll be unstable"
"Sure about that kids" Hades snickered.
With that he vanished.
Sora took a deep breath, "I hope you are right Star, I hope you are right".