A/N: Sick of writing Hercules. Sorry we spent so long here, but thats what was written originally in my story from like 15 years ago. Were chipping away though. moving out and around after this one and about halfway through the original story, but things get sketchy and weird.. idk guys. things are weird right now.
The steam of the bathhouse Phil had led the four of them to was thick and stifling. Eleanor was carefully wiping down the soft skin on Sora's face and neck to get rid of all the goo from his short stay inside the belly of the giant monster. She kept her eyes stubbornly off of his curious bright blue gaze, despite how hard he was trying to catch her attention. Somewhere behind them, Phil was scolding Donald and Goofy for their performances on the battlefield. She ignored the angry satyr and dipped the rag into the already thick water in a pot at their feet and she picked up on of his hands and wiped over his fingers.
"Your hands are shaking." Sora commented in a quiet voice, when he couldn't catch her gaze. He let out a short sigh. "Wanna tell me what's going on?"
"So are yours." Eleanor responded shortly. She didn't look up from his fingernails. He had pulled both his gloves off so they could be cleaned of the goo in some of the steaming water they had put in a bucket to clean of the clothes he could remove easily and though he had put on the rest of his clothes, the gloves had remained on the stone bench at their side. She noticed then that his hands were covered in the smallest cuts on his thin fingers and she ran her fingertips over them carefully to avoid the impending conversation about his safety.
"Listen, I've been through worse than spending a little bit of time in the belly of a monster you know-"
She looked up suddenly and cut him off with a glare. The half smile fell from his face and his eyes softened. With a breathy laugh he flipped his hand over and caught her fingers.
"Hey. We beat that thing together. Just like Shan Yu. Looks like me being in danger makes you so strong." This earned another scowl, but Sora only laughed and scooped up her other hand before he turned to face her on the bench. "Listen, you know what I mean to say is that we make each other stronger. Now we didn't make that pinkie promise for nothing. We were able to beat that Hydra together, so we have to stick with one another. We're gonna have to work together to do anything to Hades. I think we stand more than a good chance." He paused. "And I'm sorry I scared you back there. I didn't know the Hydra was gonna swallow me. I would have given you some warning if I had known. If that helps you feel better."
"It does." She mumbled, with her eyes on his hands.
"Look at me?"
She did but didn't meet his gaze. "You still have that blood on you." She kept her dark eyes on the skin just under his ear. Eleanor scooped up the rag from the bucket of ooze tainted water but before she could turn her attention back to cleaning Sora up, he caught attention by touching the side of her neck.
"There you are." He gave her a smile. "I'm fine. And so are you. So stop worrying okay?"
She searched his eyes, the brightness somehow made her forget how upset she had been. She let out a short breath and wiped at the bit of goo still clinging to the soft skin on his neck. "There. I think that the last of it-"
"Eleanor."
"Let's just get you ready to go-"
"Eleanor."
"Where did your other glove get to-"
"Would you cut it out?" He set his hand over her mouth with an exasperated sigh. "Now. You're gonna relax or I'm gonna have to make you get in that hot spring over there until you do. I won't let you out of my sight again. I promise."
"Just please don't ever go where I cannot follow." After a moment she touched the hand that was still sitting on her cheek.
"Wait why would I-"
"Hey!" Phil's voice made them both jump. "Are you two even listening to me? I'm over here giving you the keys to the kingdom, talking about the sure fire way to take down Hades and you two are makin' goo goo eyes at each other!"
Sora's face flushed and he pulled his hand from Eleanor's face in a rush. He scrambled to stand and pulled on the glove she had been holding on to. "What were you saying Phil?" The brunette stole a glance back over his shoulder the girl, now standing between Donald and Goofy. "Come on we should, yeah just lead the way." His hands were over gesticulating as the satyr led him out of the high arching doorway of the spring.
"Goo goo eyes? I don't understand the phrasing. Because you were covered in goo?" She stood and looked to her two friends. "Are we going to meet Hades now?"
"Mmhm. And the goo in this case has nothing to do with hydra blood." Goofy nudged her with his elbow.
"I think you got some red on your cheeks." Donald giggled.
"What does…" A blush. The realization dawned on her. She must have been looking at Sora like he was the sun and stars. "No! No, no, no." Eleanor jumped in front of the pair. "That's not, there's nothing.. That wasn't what you think.. Oh bugger." She ran a hand through her thick bangs.
The pair gave her a comical gasp.
"How could we have ever picked up on something so obvious." Donald's over dramatic tone made Goofy giggle, which he stifled into the palm of his hand.
"No please." She shushed them both. After a brief hesitation she faltered and stole a glance over her shoulder. "Listen. There was this dream I used to have. Every single night about him. About his eyes. And I would wake up feeling like I would never know anything about him, and then you three fell into my life. I don't know why yet, but I know he's most important thing that will ever come into my life. I will not let a thing happen to him so long as I'm here to stop it." She trailed off and looked desperately to them.
"C'mon then." Goofy grabbed her hand after a moment of tense silence. "He's gonna need your help."
Donald nodded. "Time to head back to the Underworld. We have that appointment with Hades remember?"
"You won't say anything to Sora, will you? About any of this. He's oblivious it seems to any amount of long stares I give. Please, I'm begging you." Eleanor clasped her hands together. "Please. He's more important to me than you'll ever understand."
"He's important to us too you know." Donald squeaked.
Goofy grinned. "That's right. The king gave us orders to protect the key no matter what. Sora is like family. We'll never let anything happen to him. Never have either."
"You two are incredible." She looped her arms through both of theirs. "You have my word, I will protect you too."
"Are you three comin' or what." Phil's voice made them turn and for the second time in the last short while, she found herself scowling at the satyr. "The gate the Underworld is ready. Word is Hades has the Underdome full of heartless. That's straight from Herc's mouth, you comin or staying."
Sora stopped behind Phil and crossed his arms over her chest. His eyes met Eleanor's with gentle concern, but when he noticed she was smiling he smiled too. "Feeling better?" He asked as she made her way to his side in a rush and wrapped her arm around his.
"Always, so long as you're here." She smiled up at him. "Let's get going. I'll follow you're lead. And also I'm sorry."
"No don't do that-"
"Just please. I am sorry. I should be less worried about you. From now on, we do everything together."
He gave her a soft smile. "Listen about what you said before. I won't ever leave you on purpose. You should know that by now. I won't go where you can't follow."
Eleanor took a moment before she nodded. "Yes I know."
The walk down to the underworld was strangely quiet. Donald didn't make any sarcastic remarks about Eleanor's shaking hands, and even Goofy was more focused then usual, even if his determination was tinged with worry. As they descended the stairs back into the shadowy mists, Eleanor let go of Sora's arm and took hold of her keyblade instead as they carefully watched the pair of doors into the Underworld. Her eyes found Goofy, who gave her a reassuring nod before she turned back to one of the massive chained doors. It was quiet, except for dripping of water that could be heard echoing off the stones on all sides of them.
Sora's fingertips touched her elbow. "Come on. Hades will be waiting and he's gonna be mad."
"Mad might be understating." Eleanor's muttered comment earned a quiet snicker from Sora, but the moment was shattered when an explosion of smoke and fire erupted in the center of the rocky service between the two entrances of the underworld.
"You killed my favorite pet!" Hades fiery hair was red and raging as he exploded in a cloud of smoke and fire in front of them. "You have ruined everything and just for that there is nothing else I can do now. I opened up the Underdome. I'm going to destroy you, in front of all your friends. I have big plans and I can't have you stepping all over my toes." In a huge sweeping motion, he raised his arms high above his head and another huge cloud of smoke poured from his palms.
The smoke enveloped them all. Eleanor lost her grip on Sora's arm as the smoke grew too thick to see through. In a rush they were suddenly looking down on the arena Hades had opened. Sharp black rocks surrounded them on all sides and the raised bleachers tucked into the obsidian were screaming and shouting demons. Her hands were tied above her head with ghostly chains, and Donald and Goofy weren't any better off. Her eyes fell to her feet, dangling above a river that was green, smoky and filled with what seemed to be the souls of the deceased. Her eyes fell to Sora, who was looking around as well as he faced Hades in the center of the dark version of the Coliseum.
"Oh god." She murmured.
"Sora do something!" Donald struggled against the ropes that held them in the air above the pit below.
"Donald stop!" Goofy pulled his knees up to his chest to avoid the arm of one of the souls in the green filled pit below."What if you fall?"
"Let them all go!" Sora's voice snapped her attention forward. The keyblade master stood, facing Hades in the middle of the tall dark arena with a fearless look on his face.
The fire surrounding Hades had subsided to a dull roar, but still glowed along his arms and the ground surrounding his smoky robe. "Oh I will let them. Go. Terrible word choice really." He waved one of his bony hands and the wispy ropes holding Eleanor's thin wrists together disappeared for a second.
She screamed as she dropped a few inches. She tried to pull up her toes up as high as she could to avoid the green smoke beneath her. One of the whispy souls swimming through the mists groaned and held up its hand to try and grab her. "Oh my god." Another hand reached out of the misty river and groped at her ankles. "Oh my god."
"Eleanor!" Sora took a half step towards her.
"I'm fine." She said quickly as she pulled her knees up to her chest. "Just get Hades."
"The phrasing of your sentence from before should have been, how do I get my friends down you see?" Hades sneered. "This is my Underworld you little snot and there is no place in it for you." He waved one of his hands the Olympus stone was pulled from the pocket Sora had tucked it into. In a swift motion he threw it over the edge of the arena. The demons in the bleachers above them cheered. "I make the rules and you never win. Do you understand"
The effect was almost immediate. Eleanor felt the energy drain from her limbs. She watched Sora's knees falter but he stood tall still facing Hades with a scowl on his face. His hands tightened around his keyblade, despite the waver in its usual bright glow.
"I'll beat you into dust with or without that stone." He took a swift sidestep and watched the Lord of the Dead with fierce eyes. "You put my friends in danger. That's all the power I need to take you down."
Hades laughed out loud. "I'm going to drop them into that water and make you watch the life drain from their bodies. That water is the blood of the underworld, understand. One touch and you're finished. It'll suck the life right outta their skin and you're gonna watch it happen, and then you're next."
Fire exploded around Hades and Sora shielded his face with one of his hands. Eleanor, Donald and Goofy closed their eyes against the heat that assaulted them. When the redhead forced her eyes back open, Sora had sliced through the fire with and rushed forward to meet Hades. The Lord of the dead laughed and blocked the attack with the palm of his hand with no effort at all. Sora jumped back with a scowl, but the intensity of his attacks didn't lessen.
"We gotta get out of these ropes and help!" Donald's voice snapped her attention away from the fight.
Sora's in trouble. Sora is in danger. Sora could be hurt. Eleanor's mind ran wild as she watched Donald and Goofy begin to swing in an attempt to get from the ropes to get back to the ledge of the arena. There was no way they could have reached and they were struggling against the holds again. She looked back up to Sora, who had clashed with Hades who was laughing manically. There was what seemed to be an invisible barrier hugging the form of Hades that caused the key blade to glance harmlessly off of his blue skin. That punctuated by fire that forced Sora to dodge constantly meant that there was a quickly lessening chance of Sora being okay.
"He can't hurt him." Eleanor whispered. "We have to get there, Sora can't hurt him."
"Gawrsh." Goofy let out a breath. "What do we do?"
Eleanor bit her bottom lip. "Don't panic. First off don't panic."
As the words left her mouth, the fight in front of them flashed as Hades clenched his fists and another ball of flames lit the arena. Sora let out a yell and slid back on the arena floor before dropping to his knees. His keyblade slid from his fingers as he forced himself to a stop before the edge of the arena.
"I'm panicking." Eleanor began to struggle against the ghostly ropes holding her thin wrists together. "Sora!"
"I'm okay." He said quickly.
Hades emerged from the smoke and grinned. "Are you okay? You look a little worse for wear." Fire floated around his skeletal hands
He stood in a rush and his keyblade flashed. "I said I'm okay."
"Let's change that." He waved his hands.
Eleanor felt the ropes around her hands disintegrate for the second time. Her eyes immediately found Sora, whose eyes were wide with panic. The ropes gave way, and she managed just barely to gather momentum and swing herself to the ledge. Donald and Goofy were shouting behind her as she scrambled to get a decent hold with her boots. Her fingernails scratched painfully at the rocks as her hands gripped at the gravel desperately to keep herself from falling. Her feet gave way and her hands slid along the rocks, leaving painful scratches on her palms. As she began to fall a pair of hands grabbed onto hers. She looked up to Sora's eyes. He had dropped his keyblade and slid on his knees to her side. His fingers slid to her upper arms and held her tight. With a little bit of effort and a near silent groan, he pulled her up to the arena floor. She scrambled up the side, and off the sharp edge. Her shaking hands grabbed at his clothes once she was safe back on the arena floor and with a shaking breath, fell forward into his chest.
"Thank you. That was too close. Thank you."
"Don't worry, I've got you." He breathed.
"Always."
He stole a glance back at Hades after he let her go enough to look her over. He held onto her arms and looked her over closely to be sure no part of her body had touched the water. everything seemed to be fine and Hades was waiting a strange expression.
"I'm okay." She repeated his words back to him quietly.
He gave her an incredulous look and rolled his eyes. With a soft push he stood and made sure she was safely behind his back before turning his attention fully back to Hades. His keyblade appeared in his hand in a flash "Are you okay to fight?" He muttered back over his shoulder.
"You make me strong Sora. I'm okay to fight as long as you're here with me." In a flash, her aged keyblade appeared in her hands. She gave him a small smile which he returned with slightly flustered nod. "Together?"
"Together." He agreed.
Hades watched the exchange with impatient eyes. He was rubbing one hand over the other with a strange grin on his face. "Pete warned about you, keybrat. Power of light in your heart, yadda yadda, who cares. But you." He nodded to Eleanor. "Barely said a thing about you. Now why would that be do you think?"
"Don't-" Sora started, but Hades cut him off with a wave of his hand. He slid across the floor with a skidding that made Eleanor cringe.
"Wanna know what he did say?" Hades voice was baiting and Eleanor took a defensive stance. "That you're not to be feared. That you're incomplete and that keyblade of yours is nothing more than a shadow. He's who I need to throw into the River isn't he? Would that make you angry."
Sora stood slowly and exchanged a look with Eleanor. She nodded to him as the keyblade appeared in his hands and he narrowed his bright gaze. "Now!" He shouted after another moment of hesitation.
In a wide sweep, the redhead swung her keyblade at Hades. Swiftly, his attention was focused solely on her. In a few light footed moves she managed to get herself back on the offensive side of the fight. Though he blocked the hasty attacks with easy motions, she didn't let up until, in bright flash Sora appeared at his other side.
"Not good enough." In a blast of heat, Hades propelled himself backwards.
Eleanor and Sora bumped shoulders and she stole a glance at him. He was focused on Hades but she felt her heart jump into her throat. He believed in her ability to win the fight. He believed in his ability to protect him. Her keyblade flashed bright, like it had when he had been in danger in the battle against the Hydra. She stole one more glance at him, this time at his keyblade. It glowed bright along with hers and she let out a breath. Like when they faced the Hydra, the light would easily be enough to slice through the darkness protecting Hades. Her gaze turned to the lord of the dead with fierce determination.
"You want to try again?" The demon hissed. "I can knock you around all day."
"We'll see about that." She muttered. After a quick hesitation she stabbed the brightly glowing keyblade into a gash that ran through the arena from under her boots all the way to Hades. The golden light exploded along the crack and exploded under Hades. He reeled back and let out a screech. The invisible barrier shattered and his color changed to a grayish blue without the magical protection.
"What?" Sora took a half step forward as Eleanor's knees wobbled from the blinding light that had poured out of her and into her keyblade. "How did you do that?"
"I don't know, but take advantage quickly." She let out a stuttering breath and looked up to him from where she knelt on the ground leaning heavily on her keyblade.
Sora turned quickly to Hades, who was still reeling to recover from the blast of pure light. In a heavy sweep, he threw his keyblade at the reeling demon. Hades dodged once, and then again, but Sora managed to back him flushed against the rushing river of souls.
"Give it up Hades! You can't win this!" Sora shouted angrily at him.
"Alright, alright I give." He held up his skeletal hands in surrender.
Sora's stance faltered. "What really?"
"Pfft, no." With a wave of his hand, and in the blink of an eye, an unseen force picked Eleanor off the ground and threw her back into the edge of the arena. Her head hit the stone and everything began to spin.
Sora turned but before anything else could happen, in a bright flash Hercules appeared to help. Everything was a blur as Eleanor fought for her bearings. There were hands on her face, and Donald and Goofy's voices were closer suddenly than they had been. Whatever had compelled her attack with the light of her keyblade had completely wiped her energy.
"Hey hey, focus on me. Eyes here El. Can you see me?" Sora's voice was fuzzy but she was able to find his eyes. "Herc got Hades into the river Don't know what's gonna happen, but we're all safe for now. We should get outta here while we still can. Can you walk?"
She shook her head. "Don't know."
He gave her a soft smile. "We got you just keep focused on me okay?"
Eleanor never recovered fully from her bump to the head. She clung to Sora's arm as they said goodbye to Meg, Hercules and Phil, who thanked them all for their help. Meg sat beside Hercules with her hand on his knee.
"Don't worry about us. If Hades comes back I'll make sure Herc is in top shape." Meg gave them a salute.
"Maybe we could even qualify as full fledged heroes huh?" Goofy nudged Donald with his elbow, earning an annoyed squeak.
Phil crossed his arms. "Yeah you never know. Now get lost."
In a bright flash they were finally back on the Gummi ship and Sora lead her back to his chair with a gently hand on her elbow. He knelt in front of her with a soft smile.
"Hey how're you holdin' up?" He caught her gaze with a soft smile. "You were pretty awesome back there. How did you do that?"
She shook her head. "You believed in me. That was all it took."
"Don't be ridiculous." He let out a breathy laugh and looked down at her hands, which he scooped up into his.
"No I'm deadly serious Sora." She touched the side of his face and his eyes shifted back up to her. "I am so sorry for how afraid I've been lately." He opened his mouth to respond, which she quickly covered up to stop him from talking. "I promise, from here on out Sora. No matter what happens. I'll stay by your side and protect you. I'll be your lion heart, like the old stories. You'll be my king, and I will protect you with my life."
He rolled his bright eyes. He took her hand from his mouth and smiled. "Don't you dare go where I can't follow." He repeated her words from the bathhouse, which earned him an angry scowl. He held onto her hand and rubbed her palm lightly with his thumb. "Don't worry about me okay?"
"Hey you guys?" Donald's voice snapped them out of the moment that their gazes had locked in to. She jumped and took her hand from his face but he just shook his head and turned to the duck.
"There's some pretty serious distress calls comin from all over." Goofy pointed back to the glowing map at the head of the ship.
Sora stole a glanced one last time at Eleanor, who was looking back at him with a soft smile. "Right then. Let's get going."