Sign Ups:
L.A.: I know, it's been a while since I've updated. I probably won't be able to update regularly until the summer. Hope you enjoy!
The new world was a complete opposite from Wonderland. A huge golden Coliseum stood before them with lit bowls leading up to it. Plastered on one of the brick walls was a huge numbered list titled 'Phil's Cup'
"Great," Rin said. "Another weird world."
"They must be holding some sort of tournament," Goofy said, pointing to the sign.
Sora's face lit up. "A Tournament? We definitely need to check this out."
"But what about the king?" Donald asked but Sora was already running towards the coliseum. Donald turned to Rin. "Is he always like this?
"I really didn't know him that well back on the island," Rin said. "Your guess is as good as mine."
Donald grumbled to himself as they followed Sora.
Jiminy hopped back onto Rin's shoulder and began to scribble in his journal.
"Whatcha writing?" Rin asked.
"I'm just chronicling our journey," Jiminy said, his eyes not once leaving his journal. "You never know when something important could happen."
"You should be a writer," Rin said. "I'd bet you'd be good."
"Am I in it?" Goofy asked.
"Of course you're in it, you big palooka," Donald said.
When they entered the Coliseum, they found themselves in a small golden stone room. It would have seemed normal if it hadn't been for the occupant within it. Standing in front of them, engrossed in his own thoughts was a satyr.
They were shocked at the red haired goat man's appearance.
"Um…" Sora began.
"Good timing" the satyr said without turning around. "Give me a hand, will ya?" He pointed to the right. "Move that pedestal over there for me. I gotta spruce this pace up for the games."
They turned towards the large stone pedestal. Donald, Rin, and Goofy looked at Sora who shrugged and motioned them to help him.
No matter how hard they pushed, the pedestal wouldn't budge.
"This thing's heavy," Rin whispered as she wiped perspiration off her brow.
"You're telling me," Donald said as he fanned himself.
The satyr didn't seem to notice their struggle.
Sora walked towards the satyr. "Uh, it's way too heavy."
The satyr drops the papers that he was holding. "What, too heavy?" He turned towards the quartet. "Since when have you been such a little…" His eyes widen when he saw them. "Oh, wrong guy." He crosses his arms. "My name is Philoctetes but everyone around here just calls me Phil. Who are you?"
"I'm Sora and she's Rin" Sora said pointing to Rin and himself.
"Hi!" Rin waved her hand awkwardly.
"I'm Donald and he's Goofy" Donald added.
"Nice to meet you" Goofy said.
Phil didn't seem too impressed. "So what're you doing here? This here's the world-famous Coliseum-heroes only!" He looked Donald up and down. "And I got my hands full preparing for the games. So run along, pip-squeaks."
"Pip-squeaks!" Donald quacked.
"We aren't pip-squeaks!" Sora added.
Phil let out a sigh. "Look, it's like this. Heroes are coming from all over to fight ferocious monsters right here in the Coliseum…"
"You've got heroes standing right in front of you" Donald said.
"Yup. He's a real hero chosen by the Keyblade!" Goofy said as he pointed to Sora.
Sora rubbed the back of his head slightly embarrassed.
Phil laughed "Hero? That runt?"
Sora frowned. "What's so funny? I've fought a bunch of monsters!"
Phil shrugged as he walked over to the pedestal and pushed against it. "Hey, if you can't even move this…" Phil began to strain against the weight of the pedestal, "you can't call yourself…a…hero!" He collapsed to the ground his chest heaving up and down.
They stared at Phil amused.
He glared at them. "Okay, okay so it takes more than brawn…"
"I guess that means we're heading for the games?" Sora asked with a grin.
"What?" Rin said, her voice raising slightly.
Phil stood up and brushed himself off. "Afraid not."
"Thank goodness," Rin whispered.
"Why not?" Sora asked.
"Two words:" Phil said as he held up his fingers, "You guys ain't heroes."
"Isn't that four?" Goofy asked as he counted his fingers.
"Come on!" Sora said as he clinched his fists.
"Wanna become a real hero? Start by mastering this spell." He snapped his fingers. The quartet felt a shock rush down their bodies.
"What was that?" Donald asked.
"It's known as thunder. Be careful when using it cause it is known for backfiring on amateurs," Phil said as he turned back to his papers.
They walked out of the lobby completely disheartened. Once they were outside again, Rin let out a huge sigh. "That was complete waste of time."
Sora's shoulders sagged slightly. "Yeah, and I really wanted to compete in the tournament."
"Rather a stubborn old goat, wouldn't you say?" said a slightly amused voice from in front of them.
All four glanced up at the black robed man that stood before them. His skin had a blue tint to it and his hair was a blue flame.
She wasn't sure why, but anxiety rushed through her. When she looked at the man, images of a dark underworld and strange gremlin like creatures danced through her head. What's wrong with me? Rin thought as she clutched the Heartstaff tightly.
"Who are you?" Donald quacked as he narrowed his eyes slightly.
The man held his hands up in defense. "Whoa, hold on there, fuzz boy."
Donald clinched his fists but didn't say anything.
The man looked over them for a moment. His eyes lingered on Sora and Rin for a moment before he shook his head and grinned. "Wait let me guess. You want to enter the games, right?"
Sora, Donald, and Goofy nodded their heads slightly.
Rin still remained on guard. The more the man talked, the worse the feeling got.
The blue haired man put a hand on Sora's shoulder. "Well, then, get a load of this." He snapped his fingers. When he opened his hand a white card appeared in it. He handed the card over to Sora who quickly examined it.
"A pass?" Sora asked he flipped the card over in his hand.
"What's the catch?" Rin asked.
The man shook his head as he began to walk away. "No catch. It's all yours. Good luck, I'm pulling for you, shorty." After a moment, he was gone.
"Gawrsh, do you think it's okay to use it?" Goofy asked worriedly.
"Well, it would be a waste not to use it…" Sora trailed off as he stared at the ticket. After a second he looks up at them with a grin, "Let's use it. What have we got to lose?"
Rin hadn't realized how stiff she was until the man had left.
"Hey are you alright?" Donald asked, his head cocked slightly.
Out of the corner of her eye, Rin saw Sora frowning. She quickly grinned. "Yeah everything's fine. Just got a cramp in my neck from holding it in one place for so long!" She laughed as he rubbed her neck.
"Wow, you must really be out of shape" Donald said with a smirk.
Rin glared at him. "I am not. Take that back or I'll…"
"And back to more important matter," Sora interrupted. "Don't we have a tournament we need to enter?"
Rin was relieved to see that the frown had left Sora's face…until she realized what he had said. "What? We're doing the tournmament?" She said. "Why?"
"It's good training," Sora said. "Plus, we can show Phil how tough we are."
"We need to find the king first," Donald said.
"I agree with Donald," Rin said.
Everyone looked at her funny.
"Yeah, I know, weird," Rin said, "but we really shouldn't be wasting time. Besides, why do you want to intentionally pick a fight with heartless?"
"Don't worry Rin," Sora said as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'll do most of the fighting and you can help out on the side." He grabbed her hand and dragged her toward the collisseum. "Let's go."
"Hey, wait for us!" Goofy called as he and Donald quickly followed them.
From a dark corner, Hades watched the quartet as they ran towards the Coliseum. "Those suckers are falling right into my trap," he said with a grin. The lighting from his blue flamed hair caused his grin to almost look demonic.
"Having fun playing our games are we?" said a growling voice from behind him. Hades whirled around and came face to face with a black heartless wolf. The heartless was sitting on his hind legs with a smirk on his face.
"You're one of Maleficent's henchmen aren't you?" Hades said as he crossed his arms. "Did she send you to spy on me?"
The heartless shook his head as he came to stand beside him. "No, I came for my own interests."
Hades snickered slightly. "What's this? A heartless that actually has a free will? Now that's something you don't see everyday."
The heartless ignored him as he watched Sora, Rin, Donald and Goofy for a moment. Still staring at them he asked, "Do you fear the Keyblade?"
Hades stumbled, slightly surprised that the heartless would ask such a question. "Me? No, why would I be? I'm a god. I'm only doing this for amusement and for…insurance."
"Uh huh," the heartless grunted as he watched the quartet struggle to open the Coliseum doors.
"Aren't you supposed to be afraid of Keyblade, you know being a heartless and all?" Hades asked.
The heartless didn't take his eyes of the quartet. "I suppose, I should; but, since my heart is gone, I can't really feel fear now can I?"
Hades mentally slapped himself as he turned his gaze back to the quartet. "Yeah, right."
They watched as Sora, Donald, Goofy entered the Coliseum. Rin was about to enter when she stopped. She turned around frowning and looked right in their direction. Though Hades knew she could not see them because the shadows were hiding them completely, he couldn't help but take a step back.
After a tense moment, Rin shook her head as if to clear her mind and quickly followed after Sora and the others.
Hades let out a sigh. "That girl… there's something… different about her."
The heartless nodded as he watched the Coliseum doors shut. "You have no idea how different she is."
L.A.: That's it for now. You know what to do. READ and REVIEW!