Hey everyone,
Let me tell you something. I LOVE THIS CHAPTER! I love the way I get to expand on Jess' knowledge of the Disney movies, love that I get the chance to explain how Jess knows so much about Disney movies, regardless of the Dursleys – though that explanation will come with only a single sentence, so pay attention – and how I can expand on the whole connection between the KH universe and the famous Disney Movies.
You see my point,
Venquine1990
Chapter 41
One And The Same
30th of January 1996
Destiny's Haven
Jessica's POV
"I have good and bad news in regards to the next world." Sora tells us and I already feel I know what the bad news is going to be. "Bad news, I meet one of the people who was clad in shadows a little while ago. Good news, I only get tricked by him, but I don't have to fight him." And while he doesn't say it, do I still hear the word yet in there.
I sigh and mutter: "Please tell me that it's not Jafar. That guy is a right creep." And while I always believed this as Harry, do I feel it to be doubly true now that I am a girl as I just shudder at the idea of being in Jasmine's shoes at the end of the Aladdin movie. But Sora luckily enough distracts and relieves my concerns as he says:
"No, it was Hades. He helped me get into a tournament, but only so I could be a training tool for someone else he tricked." This actually excites me as I always loved Meghara and her song. I then try not to hum it yet again, like I used to do every time I walked home from school on Movie Friday, which took place on the Friday at the end of every month. Instead of that do I just focus on our current movie, feeling excited.
The Gummi ship flies from Traverse Town to the North-west of the screen, to where a world is covered in nothing but clouds and while it's obvious that the road there is slightly longer, do I feel as if something else could have happened as he reached the halfway point. And yet, the sight of the world coming closer confuses me quite a bit.
I had expected Mount Olympus, the island Phil had lived on or even the city of Thebes, but they instead seem to arrive at a huge stadium with statues that are three times the height of the Gummi ship itself. The statues represent ancient Greek warriors and they are even wearing helmets, shields and swords that clash with one another's.
This really worries and confuses me and when Sora and the others arrive, do they seem to enter a large, open field with sand and grid on the ground and with the same building right in front of them. Yet looking back, it looks as if there are three pathways. One to the Gummi ship and two that are both heading down to different areas.
"I didn't get to go down that last set of stairs until my very final adventure. It actually led to the city of Thebes. That was one amazing sight." My brother mutters and I ask: "Wait, where in the movie are you?" But my brother doesn't know and Riku says: "Let's just meet Herc and then we can pinpoint the timeframe better. You are, after all, the only one who knows what happens in the movie itself." Making me feel a little silly.
I nod at him and we watch as the three cross the courtyard over to a large set of doors that almost look similar to the doors to the Great Hall, were it not for the lightning bolts that are upside down and aimed for the top center of the two doors. Above this, the swords of the same statues as seen from the Gummi ship also meet.
These statues stand on stone platforms that both have two golden braziers with burning flames in front of them. There are also four braziers with burning flames against the front wall, two on each side of the doors Sora, Donald and Goofy just passed through and these walls are decorated by large purple banners with golden trims.
The roof across the front entrance sticks out slightly above the doors and there are huge pillars holding this up four on each side of the doors. Sora heads for the platform on the left of the doors and opens the red and gold chest that is hidden behind the pillars stationed there, receiving a huge blue bottle with three green stars.
"A Mega-potion. I still don't really know how it works, but if I take it, it also heals the health of Donald and Goofy – or whoever else is on my team." This makes me look at my brother and he says: "Once I reached Agrabah, I met people who wouldn't let just me and my friends do the hard work, they wanted in, wanted to help."
This makes me nod and while I really hope one of them is Aladdin as I always thought the man was incredibly talented with a sword and his reflexes, do I watch as Sora manages to open the huge doors with the lightning bolts.
Behind this he finds a thin hallway that actually has a ceiling descending down further into the hallway until it is the same height as another pair of doors that are blue colored with yellow lightning bolts made out of iron for doorhandles. He enters through these and comes into the smallest entrance hall I have ever seen.
"Even the ante-chamber McGonagall had us wait in before the Sorting was bigger than that." I can't help but think as this room will, at max, be able to handle the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw First Years without feeling overstuffed, is made of sandstone, has an incritate pattern at the bottom of the walls and has two small indents in the side walls.
Both indents have a golden brazier with a burning flame in it, yet the one on the right also has a huge stone slab, that reaches up to Sora's neck, in front of it. There is another one on the left of a closed off door in the back and on this I suddenly spot a very familiar figure. "So this is after Herc found out his heritage as the son of Zeus."
I think as Sora moves over to the figure, who seems busy putting a poster of some sort on the wall. Yet because of his looks or perhaps because he looks so busy, does Sora seem hesitant and only mutters: "Um…" Yet this is enough as the figure says: "Good timing. Give me a hand, will ya? Move that pedestal over there for me.
I gotta spruce this place up for the games." This confuses me as I don't remember there being any games in the movie, but I just keep quiet and watch as Sora tries to push the huge slab/pedestal. But of course because it is almost as big as he is and several times as wide, is this a task Sora cannot handle and he grunts:
"It weighs a ton!" As he stops, panting only slightly before he heads back to the creature. "It's way too heavy." He says and this actually shocks the creature, who has a tan body, but fur from his hips down to his feet, which are actually hooves. The figure also has red hair that is combed to the back and two horns sticking out of his head.
"What? Too heavy? Since when have you been such a little –?" And only then does the creature turn away from the poster and while he looks up at first, does he then notice that Sora is much shorter than the person he must have been expecting, which makes me know this takes place after Hercules finished his training with the satyr. He looks down at Sora and says: "Oh, wrong guy. What're you doing here?"
The creature jumps down and says: "This here's the world-famous Coliseum – heroes only! And I got my hands full preparing for the games. So run along, pip-squeaks" And while the creature is smaller than Donald, does he walk up to them in such a way Donald actually backs down. But Sora doesn't and glares at the creature.
This seems to impress the creature, who puts his hands in his furry sides and says: "Look, it's like this. Heroes are coming from all over to fight ferocious monsters right here in the Coliseum." At this Donald crosses his arms and says: "You got heroes standing right in front of you." And Goofy grabs Sora by the shoulders as he says:
"Yup. He's a real hero chosen by the Keyblade." And Donald finishes: "And we're heroes, too!" Yet the creature is unimpressed as he asks: "Hero? That runt?" Which really pisses me off and I ask: "What's his problem? Hercules looked more like a runt than you did at the time when Phil first started training him!"
But my brother shrugs as he says: "He's just real close to Herc and probably forgot about that." Yet while this makes me wonder if this takes place before or after Hercules gives up his godhood for Meghara, does the Sora in the movie not know this and while Phil actually laughs at the three, does he say: "What's so funny? I've a fought a bunch of monster!" At which dad mutters: "One more than I would like, really."
And I grimace myself as I remember what Sora said he still has to encounter later down the path of his adventure. Phil calms down and says: "Hey, if you can't even move this …." And he himself starts to try and push against the pedestal. I shake my head and see him fail, yet he keeps up his efforts as well as his spiel as he says:
"You can't call yourself …." The camera also focuses on Sora, Donald and Goofy in between Phil's statements and the second time it does so, Sora crosses his arms and looks at Donald before Phil groans: "A hero!" But by the looks of Sora, Donald and Goofy's faces, do none of them even believe him one bit.
Phil groans and regains his bearings before he says: "Okay, so it takes more than brawn. Well, well, let's see what you can do." At this I can't help but whistle and say: "Wow, you convinced him better than Herc did. He needed his father's help. Then again, at that time Phil had given up all hope and just didn't want to believe anymore. And I wonder if Phil actually did sing that song while training Herc; it's considered a classic back in the Muggle world."
I look at my brother and see that this, somehow, sounds familiar to him. "I don't know about any songs, but that other stuff of not believing? That sounds like the second time I met Herc, though it happened to Herc, not Phil." He mutters as Phil asks: "This trial is tough. You got what it takes? You ready?" And Sora confidently says: "I'm ready." At which the two of them move past the cord closing off the archway door in the back.
Donald and Goofy follow them and they enter a huge arena with 9 large stone squares on the ground in the center forming a fighting arena, one pillar in each corner. There is a huge archway in the back that has a huge fence keeping it closed and there are large stands for the public to sit in against both of the side walls.
Donald and Goofy are directed to these and take a seat in the right while Phil puts his hand on one of the pillars. And before my very eyes, does it change. There are now four pillars on the left and right stone squares, there is a raised platform on the center square and there are several barrels on both the platform and in front of Sora.
"The rules are simple: Bust all the barrels within the time limit." Phil says, pulling a stopwatch from somewhere and showing that Sora has 30 seconds to get this done. "Ready? Go!" And instantly Sora summons the Keyblade and shows that he is smarter than Phil gives him credit for. He hits one barrel and shoots it into others.
This breaks a whole set and he moves to the six barrels that are on the lower platform in the middle. He first breaks the two in the center and then knocks the two on the left into one of the pillars on the left and then does the same with the two on the right. He goes to the four in the back and hits them exactly in the center of the pile.
This makes all four break at the same time and then Sora does something I find absolutely genius. He jumps onto the raised platform on the right, goes to stand behind it and then knocks it into the barrel on the raised platform on the left. Here Phil stops the stopwatch and to my pride, does it show that Sora still had 10 seconds left.
Yet Phil proves to be as stubborn as I remember him from the movie as he grunts: "Not bad! For a beginner, that is." And he calls Sora back before putting his hand on the pillar again. The arena changes yet again and this time there are more raised platforms, more pillars and more barrels placed all over the arena.
I look shocked and think: "How is Sora supposed to do this in only half a minute?" But Phil proves to be a bit more generous and he resets the stopwatch, this time giving Sora a minute. And while I wonder why my brother goes for those stationed on the ground around the many platforms first, do I just watch him do so.
Sora does again prove he has both brawn and brain as he uses single barrels to break sets of two and hits sets of four in the middle of the two stacks. He even uses a single one on the top platform to break one that is stationed at a platform that actually floats high above the others and ends up finishing with, again, ten seconds left.
"Hey, you're better than I thought." Phil says, turning around and heading back inside. Sora and the others follow him and inside Phil says: "You know, you ain't bad, kid." Making Sora rub the back of his head in shyness before he laughs and says: "Looks like I'm headed for the games." But then Phil shocks him and me as he says:
"Afraid not.""Why not?" Sora asks in shock and Phil answers: "Two words." Which already amuses me, because I remember that this is Phil's catchphrase, yet he never uses only two words. And this time is no different as he says: "You guys ain't heroes.""That's four!" Dad says shocked, but I roll my eyes and says:
"Don't bother. That two words for Phil is like Got it memorized for Lea." And while I try not to lose myself in my happy memories of the handsome ginger, do I watch as Sora complains: "Come on!" But Phil turns around with his arms crossed, proving that he is not going into discussion with Sora about this or change his mind.
Sora sighs in defeat and Phil turns around as he says: "Wanna become a real hero? Start by mastering this spell." And while I think: "Heck no." Does Phil point a finger up to the air and snap the word thunder. And when Sora repeats him, but then with the Keyblade instead of a finger, do small bolts of thunder hit the floor around them.
"Hmm, that is actually quite fitting. I mean, Hercules is the son of Zeus, who is both the King of Olympus and the God of Thunder." I think to myself as Sora, Donald and Goofy exit the room, pass through the hallway that leads back to the huge doors, Sora continuing to practice the spell every few steps and even hitting Donald in the back once at which he apologizes and then pass them back into the courtyard, all of them looking cross.
Yet as they reach the halfway point of the courtyard, do they get stopped by a humming voice that instantly sends chills down my spine and I think: "No, please no. Herc, where are you?""Rather a stubborn old goat, wouldn't you say?" And the camera turns from them to a being that stands next to the pillars on the right.
The being actually has a long black, Grecian robe on with a skull holding part of it up on his right shoulder, has grey skin, long pointed nails, pointed fangs for teeth, yellow eyes with black pupils and black eyeliner and blue flames for hair. Luckily enough do his looks instantly set Donald on the defensive as he asks:
"Who are you?" And with a voice that is slicker than a snake's skin, the being says: "Whoa, hold on there, fuzz boy. Wait, let me guess. You want to enter the games, right?" And he actually moves over to put a hand on my brother's shoulder, making me want to summon my own Keyblade, but also makes me grip my wand, before I grumble to myself as I remember that I am no longer able to use it now that I have changed into Jessica.
"You leave my brother alone, you bastard." I hiss softly, trying with all my might to remember that this is a movie and that this already happened and that my brother is here with me safe and sound. But the fact that the being is twice Sora's size and that I know who this guy is and what he is capable of really doesn't help matters.
"Don't worry, sis. Hades didn't do anything. He tried helping me for reasons I still don't really understand, but otherwise he left me alone." My brother softly tells me and this is enough for me to let go of my wand, desiring to get a new one more than anything, but nothing more. "Well then, hey, get a load of this." The being tells Sora and seems to summon something.
A blue flame appears in his hand, which is in front of Sora, but not close enough to burn him and from this a rectangular piece of parchment with a symbol in the center appears. Sora recognizes it for something and asks: "A pass?" Which really concerns me and the being's words do this even moreso as he gleefully says:
"It's all yours. Good luck, kid. I'm pulling for you, little shorty.""He wants you to beat Herc." I mutter, shocking my brother and I go on: "He's already seen you beat that Boss Heartless in Wonderland and so he knows you're powerful. He wants you in those games, so he can put you up against Herc."
At this my brother tilts his head and he says: "That actually makes sense. But don't worry, sis. He never got that chance." Yet for some reason I get the feeling that there is something that my brother isn't telling me and I put my hands together, my face a worried frown as I watch Sora and the others going back inside the building.
"So where do you think this is in regards to the movie?" Dad then asks, but I shake my head and say: "I – I can't really say. I actually think that this takes place after the movie. Or perhaps Walt saw Sora travel to this world several times and based his movie on various things he saw Herc and the others do while helping him. I can't really say.""What about Wonderland?" Riku asks, yet at this I just look really confused and say:
"That one has me even more confused. It can't take place at the start, though the arrival of the White Rabbit did make it look that way. It can't take place at the middle, because Alice met the Queen at the end. But it can't take place at the end or after the movie either, because the trial site was wrong and Alice got out of Wonderland after escaping the trial."
"Interesting. Hey Sora, do you think that it might not just be our journeys that this Disney guy saw? I mean, Jess did say that Herc looked more scrawny when Phil first started training him and Ven did say that he met a scrawny Hercules on his own journey all those years ago." Riku then asks his boyfriend and my brother nods as he says: "That sure does make sense."
"So Walt was able to see into all of your adventures and based his movies on those. That is – even more awesome." I say as I watch Sora hand the pass to Phil, who is as shocked as I am suspicious and asks: "Hey, how'd you get this?" But Sora doesn't answer him and just asks: "Can we enter the games now?" And the fact that he includes Donald and Goofy in this brings me some comfort. "You're more concerned about all this than I am, dear."
Dad tries to joke, but I mutter: "That's because I know what Hades is capable of, the same way you know what Voldemort is capable of. Though I do wonder something. We know that Walt saw into all those journeys, but why is this part of the world not based off of the movie? This all seems to take place after Hercules got and turned down his chance to be a God of Olympus and this arena was never even in the movie."
My brother nods at this and says: "It does, I guess, though I don't know that either. I guess because Hercules is both a movie and a myth in your world that, when your Seer saw this world he decided to put his spin on that myth of yours." I nod at this, remembering that one song that actually had a summary of the twelve chores of the Hero in it and decide to focus back on the movie as I know I won't calm until I see Hades' full plan unfold.
"Well … I guess so. We start with the preliminaries! Ready for the preliminaries?" And Sora voices that he is ready, to which Phil warns him: "Some real weirdos signed up for the games. Better watch yourself." And when Sora enters the arena and faces his first opponent, I instantly see how true those words actually are.
"That idiot was willing to have Heartless sign up but not my son? What is his problem?" Yet I personally would have felt relieved and considered this Phil's indirect way of protecting my brother, if not for the fact that Sora, Donald and Goofy take all the Heartless out without much effort and without needing any healing items.
The first round is Soldiers and Heartless that look like the Red Nocturnes, but then have blue cloaks instead of red. "Blue Rhapsody. They use Ice based attacks. There are also Yellow Operas, who use Thunder." My brother tells me, yet the movie keeps going, showing Sora, Donald and Goofy beating these guys with their new magic ability.
They win the first round and go back to Phil, who says: "You're no heroes yet, but you ain't doing bad. Lucky you came to me for coaching." Which confuses my dad, but I snicker as that is the kind of humor that I know and love about the crazy, small and old satyr. Yet then someone else enters the arena and walks past the group.
The man has blonde hair that is actually spikier than mine ever was, has the brightest blue eyes I have ever seen and has muscles all over. Yet it is his cloths and the black bat wing that sprouts from his left shoulder pad that shocks and slightly unnerves me. A purplish-red scarf covers his mouth and floats behind him.
A metal shoulder pad with three bolts sticking out over his left shoulder, two bracelets with the same bolts sticking out over his left wrist, a pair of brown gloves, of which the right hand is fingerless and the left actually has yellow metal claws on the fingers, a bluish black shirt and jeans and black and brown belts all over.
Brown shoes and finally three metallic plates covering the man's right hip and upper leg. All in all this man looks like some kind of fallen angel who has angered the gods and who is not to be messed with. Yet at the same time I can't help but feel as if this man can also be considered some kind of guardian angel or something like that.
"Strong, silent, powerful and dangerous. Almost like Lea, but less hot and with a more dangerous air of power around him." I mutter and my brother laughs as he says: "Wow, now that is a perfect way to describe him. Can I tell him this was your first impression of him?""You've met him again?""Yeah, in his actual hometown."
This really intrigues me and I think: "I wonder if he ever offered to be Sora's bodyguard? Definitely would have helped him against monsters like Ursula and Maleficent." But then dad asks: "So you don't know who this is?" And I shake my head as I say: "I guess he's like Sora. Meant to be Seen by someone else, sometime later, maybe even as part of a different gaming franchise."
Dad nods and we watch as the man passes the group, actually sharing a look of challenge with my brother before he enters the arena for his own match. And while the group watches this match, does Phil say: "Something tells me he'll be a tough one to beat. Who knows, maybe you'll end up facing him." To this I turn to my brother and say:
"No offense, but – even after seeing you beat those two bosses, do I just not see you – or at least the you in there – able to beat him. He just looks like he's been through way more than you have so far." At which my brother laughs and says: "None taken. You're right. I'd say only Riku would ever be able to understand what he's been through.
And I love you for it." He ends, happily cuddling with his boyfriend as the movie goes on, showing two more rounds, one with shadows and Blue Rhapsodies and the other with Red Nocturnes and Blue Rhapsodies. Phil calls them back after this and says: "Say, you're better than I thought, kid. Wish he were here to see this."
"Who?" Sora asks and Phil answers: "Hercules. He's a hero if ever there was one. Too bad he's off visiting his father." Which shocks me and I ask: "Wait, this takes place after Herc gave up his chance to be a god and he still gets to visit his father? Well, that just makes the whole plot of the movie bloody pointless!"
The others all look at me and I roll my eyes as I say: "At age 16 Hercules discovers that he is actually a god who was kidnapped at infancy and turned mortal, but that the attempt to do so slightly failed and that he managed to keep his godlike strength. But he's not allowed to return to Olympus, according to the movie, because he's not a God.
Heck, after hearing this, the whole goal of the movie is for Hercules to prove himself a true hero, so he can get his Godhood restored and return to Olympus. Only in the process of trying to do so, he falls in love and after realizing he belongs with the one he loves, he gives up both – wow, that ending alone makes the whole movie pointless."
I say, suddenly realizing this and the others snicker, but then I shrug and say: "Still, Meg was and stays awesome. Her song is and stays my favorite of the whole movie. Too bad I don't get to hear her singing it here.""I met her on my next journey, but I never heard her sing. Would you mind singing it for us?" Sora asks and I happily nod before I focus back on the movie and watch Sora, Donald and Goofy win two more rounds against the Heartless.
The trio then start to slightly celebrate the fact that they managed to get this far in the games, but the camera actually turns away from them and focuses on a pair that is hidden in the shadows behind the closed gate on the other side. And to see these two together shocks and astound me as I can't believe who they are.
Hades is in the middle of the shadows and the blonde is leaning against the right wall. "That little punk is your next opponent, okay? Now, don't blow it. just take him out.""He got that blonde serving him? I was wrong. He didn't want you in the games to take out Herc. He wanted you in them, so he could have the blonde finish you."
I mutter, again gripping both my Keyblade and my wand in horrified worry as this is exactly the kind of games Hades would play to get his way. My brother moves over to my side to comfort and reassure me and I hear the blonde mutter: "The great god of the Underworld is afraid of a kid? Sorry, but my contract says –."
Hades interrupts him and snaps: "I know! You think I don't know? I wrote the contract!""That alone is trouble." I think and Hades goes on: "I know it says you're only required to kill Hercules in this tournament. But you've gotta fight that kid to get to him. Come on." Here Hades aims at Sora and the camera turns to him as well.
Sora is obviously getting some pointers from Phil, who the camera focuses on as Hades goes on: "Hey, it's like that old goat says: Rule 11: It's all just a game, so let loose and have fun with it!""Only Hades can twist words like that to suit his purpose." I think as the camera goes back to Hades and the blonde and then on the blonde.
"I mean, a casualty or two along the way is no big deal, right?" Hades snickers at the end of this, finally proving how maniacle he really is. But the blonde just pushes himself off of the wall and leaves the God without saying a word, the look in his eyes proving he is really in conflict with what the god has asked of him.
This makes me feel a little better and Hades goes on: "Geez. Stiffer than the stiffs back home. Still, suckers like him are hard to come by …." Here the camera moves into the dark shadows behind the gated door and the growl that comes from these shadows terrify me almost as much as the sight of the god himself does.
"What the hell is in there?" Dad asks, now sharing my concerns and my brother mutters: "Um, Hades' plan B." To which I think: "I don't even like it when he has a plan A." And then dad makes me giggle as he actually voices my thought. This makes me feel better and so I just try to focus on the movie itself, Sora, Donald and Goofy facing off against a Large Body as well as several Blue Rhapsodies and Red Nocturnes.
They do need to use another Ether and Potion, but manage this and to my relief, the last potion used is just before Donald takes out the Large Body, making it so that Sora is back to full health. And this relieves me as the blonde enters the arena right after Donald celebrates his victory, which is something the four of them each do respectively after winning each of the rounds they have gone through, the four of them now facing each other.
And what worries me most is that, out of absolutely nowhere, the blonde pulls out a huge broadsword that has bandages all over it and is just as tall as the blonde himself. The four of them start their battle and while Cloud easily wipes the floor with Sora and his friends, do the bandages, thankfully, keep them from being cut to pieces.
With only a few strikes does the blonde take out most of Sora's health and he also uses the sword to block almost every attack that the younger boy tries to get on him. A single strike is also all that is needed to take out Donald and Goofy does have his shield, but this does him little good and he is outed with two more.
What also works in the blonde's favor and Sora's disfavor is that, no matter how much Sora tries to dodge his attacks by running around, the blonde is actually able to jump half the playing field with only one high jump, the way he does this almost making it look as if he's flying instead of jumping and using this in his attacks.
Then Sora gets taken out as well and crumples down next to his fainted friends. He looks up at the blonde who slowly approaches him, looking like a predator that is about to kill his target prey. Phil then tries to run over with a white bit of paper, but gets stopped by Hades, who is smirking in excited glee as he watches it all.
I myself hold back on a gasp of horrified fear as the blonde raises his sword over his shoulder and Sora bows his head in fearful defeat, only to look back up. And to my utter relief, does the blonde lower his sword again, proving he indeed is not planning to comply with the wishes of his employer. Yet then the turns around – and gets attacked.
A huge dark black dog paw lands on him and squashes him to the ground, the paw belonging to what I know is Cerberus, but what at the same time I can only imagine has to be Fluffy's father, only bigger and more deadly as the beast actually has red eyes with no pupils and has black smoke coming from all three of his mouths.
Sora looks shocked at the sight of this and the camera then turns back to Hades, who has somehow moved himself back to the shadows behind the gated fence and he says: "Oh, right, there was one other rule I forgot: accidents happen." Which would have pissed me off if not for the situation Sora is currently in.
Hades moves into the shadows and then the camera shows me that Sora is standing face to face with the Cerberus who raises his heads up before going down for the strike. Yet what is shown next instantly calms down all my nerves as a huge man with brown hair and brown armor with a blue cape appears under the Cerberus.
He pushes the beast up from his chest area, making Cerberus' front paws try and fail to find something to stand on. And while I already know who it is, do I still squeal in relieved delight when Phil shouts: "HERC!" And the hero of heroes yells at him: "Phil, get them out of here!" Still holding up the massive beast by himself.
Sora actually hesitates at this, but then follows an exhausted, but frightened Donald, Goofy and Phil back into the entrance hall. "Whew, that was close." Phil mutters in here and I nod at him as he goes on and says: "That was Cerberus, the guardian of the Underworld. Herc should be able to handle him." At which I giggle and say:
"Sure, he even road him into Hades' realm in the movie. Oh, I loved that scene." And while my brother mutters at Riku: "We really need to get a hold of those movies." Do I get shocked when Phil suddenly mutters: "But then again, maybe not … this doesn't look good.""Why would Hercules not be able to handle Cerberus?"
I ask and my brother rubs the back of his head and mutters: "Because we forgot to take Cloud with us." And while I think: "Protecting the blonde and fighting the Cerberus? Yeah, that sounds like something a little too much for even Hercules." And while I really don't want him to, do I know Sora will go in to help as I am sure that is something I would do for my family or Lea and that Harry would do for anyone who he cares for.
Luckily enough, does Sora first heal up at the safe point and then move back into the archway. "Kid, you're not entering the arena, are ya? This ain't just some match. This is for real!" Phil tries to warn him, but Sora says: "I'm not afraid. You can decide if I'm hero material or not." At which Phil again warns him: "Careful, kid." His voice proving that Sora has earned his respect, but that he has also become someone Phil grew to care for and worry about.
Sora runs into the arena and just in time too as Hercules is actually with his back to the wall, using one arm to keep an unconscious Cloud hung over his shoulder and glaring at all three faces of Cerberus that are right in front of him. But then they hear Sora approach and turn to him as he, Donald and Goofy run over to them.
The beast turns to them and Hercules runs around them and into the entrance hall, obviously with the need to get Cloud to safety. As he does this, does Phil, who seems to have also followed the trio in, tell Sora: "Kid, I got two words of advice for you: Attack!" Which would have made me roll my eyes at the satyr if it didn't also entice Cerberus to do that very thing.
The huge dog from hell roars and then the battle begins. And to my shock does Cerberus not just try to bite at Sora or jump at him, causing shock tremors to resonate through the arena, but does he also launch fireballs that attempt to follow Sora and the others and does he also breath out some kind of a mix of black smoke and slime.
This slime hits the floor and then spreads down the arena, causing circular puddles of the same muck to appear all over, which actually sprout white flames, but Sora manages to dodge them all. Donald and Goofy are less lucky and to my annoyance do I see both Goofy and Sora waste a lot of time keeping Donald alive. Yet while Sora mostly focuses on the left or right head and only when and after the dog is biting, does he actually manage to beat him.
The Cerberus growls and moans and falls down, collapsing through his own four paws. And front one of his many sharp teeth another object falls, which my brother says: "That's the inferno band. It made me a little more resistant to fire and dark magic attacks." To which I think: "Talk about a better late than never moment." Yet I can't help but ask: "Why didn't you try to get on his back a few times?""I didn't think of it." My brother cringes.
Sora, Donald and Goofy then head back inside, where Phil is standing on a pedestal on the left of the room with Hercules on his right and with a bit of parchment in front of him. Yet Donald just moans and heads for the safe point instead, sighing in relief as it heals him. Sora and Goofy do the same before the three join the Satyr, who reads: "Thus, I do hereby dub thee junior heroes, and confer upon thee full rights and privileges to participate in the games. Further –."
But here Donald, who seems to have gained his ego back alongside his health, interrupts him and asks: "Hey! What do you mean "junior heroes"?" To which Phil laughs and says: "You rookies still don't understand what it takes to be a true hero.""So, what does it take?" Goofy asks and I mutter: "A true hero isn't measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart."
At this my brother hums and says: "That was a lesson Herc actually had to learn a second time when I met him in my second adventure." Which worries me as it might mean trouble for the hero, who in the movie happily says: "Well, that's just something you'll have to find out for yourselves. Just the way that I did."
To this I turn to my brother in worry and ask: "You didn't have to fight Titans, Minotaurs and other monsters, right?" And Sora cringes and says: "Two Titans, but only one at a time and only in the games, so they kept to the rules. Though that only happened here in the Coliseum. I did fight the Titans all together once, but I had years of experience and had Herc on my side." Which makes me feel quite a bit better as I focus on the movie.
"No problem. We'll start by proving ourselves in the games." But while I think: "Not before you give Donald something to keep that damned health of his steady." Does Phil finally gives my nerves the break that they need as he says: "There ain't gonna be any games for a while. Gotta clean up the mess from that last battle first." And the camera focuses back on the archway, which now again has a rope with the a plate hanging from it.
The plate has the word closed on it, just like it did before. Yet Sora seems unfazed by this and just waves as he says: "Okay, we'll be back." And he, Donald and Goofy leave the duo behind, me hoping they will get better endurance in other worlds, Phil stroking his goatie as he says: "I still can't believe that squirt actually beat Cerberus." And Hercules whispers at him:
"Just between us, I'd already worn Cerberus down by the time the little guy jumped in." And while the doors close behind Sora, does Phil turn to his favorite trainee and say: "My lips are sealed." At this I turn to my brother and say: "No offense, but I believe that no problem. You were so not ready to face Cerberus at full power."
At which my brother laughs and says: "I know, I found that out during one of the other games." Which shocks me and makes me scream: "YOU FACED THAT BLASTED MONSTER AGAIN!""In the games! In the games! He kept to the rules and I was way stronger by that time! And I actually thought of jumping on his back whenever he was breathing that muck every time that time." Yet then Riku suddenly asks me:
"Aren't you a bit of a hypocrite? I mean, you faced Fluffy twice as well, remember?" To which I snap: "One, Fluffy is nothing compared to Cerberus. Two, we accidentally met Fluffy once and fled him and had my flute ready the other time. And three, putting Fluffy to sleep is not the same as facing and fighting him."
Making the silver-haired boy grimace and he mutters: "Damnit, good point." Making dad and my brother laugh. We then focus back on the movie and spot Cloud sitting on the small set of steps up to the exit of the world. Sora, Donald and Goofy approach him and Sora asks: "Hey, are you alright?" Making Cloud look up and making me smile, hoping very much so that Sora will become friends with him and that Cloud will join them.
"Yeah." He answers shortly and Sora asks: "So, why did you go along with him, anyway?" At which I turn to my brother, but he says: "I didn't agree to any contract, Hades just gave me a pass." And I think: "I fell into that one the same way Riku did earlier." And I listen as Cloud turns his face and closes his eyes as he says:
"I'm looking for someone. Hades promised to help." He then stands up and says: "I tried to exploit the power of darkness, but it backfired. I fell into darkness, and I couldn't find the light." Cloud looks up as he says this, but then, as I think to myself: "Now that makes for one killer storyline for a game or two. This guy, if he ever comes to the screen, is going to make it big." Does he look back down again as Sora confidently says: "You'll find it. I'm searching, too."
"For your light?" Cloud asks and Sora nods. Cloud walks over to him and hands him something as he says: "Don't lose sight of it." Before walking back to the arena. But Sora stops him as he turns around and says: "How about a rematch sometime? Fair and square, no dark powers involved." To which Cloud replies:
"I think I'll pass." But Sora is still smiling at him, even as he leaves. "I actually did face him again. In a match. Yuffie and Leon, too. They were not easy." My brother tells me and I think: "I'd rather you face them than that Cerberus, the Titans or, Zeus forbid it, Hades himself." And the knowledge he will eventually makes me shiver. Yet then I realize something and say this, drawing the attention of the others away from the now paused movie.
"We've been talking about the difference between this world and the movie this whole time, but there is actually something about the movies that I didn't even realize at first. The acting.""What about it?" Riku asks and I answer: "It's not done by these people. It's done by people chosen by Walt Disney and those working for his company. And to be honest, that both scares and awes me more than Hercules and Hades together."
"How does that work?" Dad asks and I say: "We established that Walt was a Seer who was able to see into this universe, into all of Sora's travels and that of the others. But Disney died in 1966 and this movie came out recently. Meaning that it wasn't Disney who did the casting, it was the people still working for his company even today. And that's why it awes and scares me so. Because those casting are just bloody spot on.
Phil, Donald, Goofy. I do admit that Herc, Alice and the queen sound just a bit off, but I've hardly heard Herc so much, so I can't say for sure and the queen and Alice sure do sound difficult and I can only imagine that they used American actors for those two roles, not British (AN. I am not sure if this is true and don't feel like checking. My apologies to the actual voice actors).""What about Hades?" Sora asks and I mutter: "One and the same, I tell you. One – and – the – same."
ALL HAIL JAMES WOODS!
Seriously, his voice acting in ALL KH games is just phenomenal and he MAKES Hades. If he were ever to pass away – Merlin protect us from that ever happening – do I really hope that they will just stop sending Sora to Olympus as I just do NOT believe that anyone can voice Hades the way he does. Though I won't mind being proven wrong, I doubt that will happen.
Let me know if you agree,
Venquine1990
