Phil rushed after Hercules as the man fell on his knees. He had been worried about his champion lately, but this was new level of stress. Hades was throwing every monster he had at the Coliseum, and poor Hercules had been working himself to the bone trying to keep the monsters at bay.
Phil sighed as he stared up at the night sky. The stars twinkled down at him. Phil held his hand over his heart, what he wouldn't do to help Herc. His mind lingered to the Jr. Heroes that visited them last year, Sora, Donald, and Goofy. They would have been a big help, but with the worlds back in order it was doubtful he's see them again.
Then there was his missing rookie. The boy had appeared a few weeks after Sora and his gang left. He wasn't the person Herc recommended, but his potential was too much for Phil to ignore. He was a good kid, trained steadily, and was probably on his way to become a great hero. But the boy disappeared a few weeks back.
"Oh Zeus, our boy needs help. He won't last long with the way Hades is treating him. Please, he needs help. Sora, Donald, Goofy... Roxas. If you're out there, we need you."
Axel, Roxas and Xion peeked from behind the giant golden statue at the front of the Coliseum. There were cheers erupting from the inside.
Axel huffed in annoyance, "Any idea where Sora went to now?"
Xion fiddled with the gps tracker to no avail, "He's somewhere in the world, but there's so much interference I can't find his location. There's something in the signals."
Roxas peered over her shoulder, "Hey, how come Xion is good with tech but Sora and I are not?"
Axel laughed, "Well she is made by Vexen, so it makes that she'd be smart... hey would that make Xion and Zexion sibl-"
"Hey what's that?" Xion interrupted.
The two boys looked at Xion point at the sky. Above them a large figure made it's way to the Olympus gates.
Roxas peered over the legs of the statue. "Is that some type of heartless?"
"No, it looks more like a horse, a winged one." Xion added.
The sound of more cheering burst from the Coliseum once more. The front door of the building opened and out came Phil. The poor goat-man looked tired and worried. He waved down the flying animal who landed gracefully in front of Phil. The majestic animal leaned it's head towards Phil.
Axel frowned. "What are they talking about?" He whispered
"SHE DID WHAT?!" Phil shouted. The horse nodded in agreement. "That woman is going to turn my fur grey! What is she thinking going into the underworld like that!" The horse trotted and jestered to the bag strapped on its back. Phil opened it and pulled out several coins. "Are these- Olympus Stones? How many of these did you snag Pegasus?! No matter, we can use these to find Meg, but first we gotta make sure Herc doesn't suspect a thing. There's no way he'd survive a trip to the Underworld in his condition."
Phil turned and began to make his way back to the Coliseum, his eyes wondered to the giant statues that guarded the entrance.
'Is that..?'
Roxas and Phil accidentally made eye contact before he knew it Roxas felt Axel push him forward while sinking Xion and himself further into the shadow.
Phil trotted up to Roxas with awe. "Rookie? Rookie is that really you?"
Roxas threw a dirty look at Axel who just shook his head and motioned for him to act normal.
"Hey... Phil." He cringed at how high his voice cracked.
"Where've you been Rookie? I've been worried sick about you. You just up and disappeared on us."
"Well you see-" Roxas tried to explain.
"Woah Rookie, you're looking kinda pale. Have you been keeping up with your training? Who am I kidding of course you haven't just look at you. Luckily for you the Coliseum could use a fighter! Come on, if we hurry we can swap you out with Herc."
Roxas felt bewildered as Phil pushed him into the building.
From the shadows Axel and Xion gave him a thumbs up.
-x-
Hercules almost collapsed when Phil told him that he had another fighter ready. Phil assured him the fighter could handle whatever monster or heartless Hades threw at him.
Hercules wanted to protest, but his body was to the point of exhaustion. He took the break graciously.
"I wonder where Meg is?" He said out loud as cheers rang from the Coliseum. "Maybe I should-" He struggled to even stand up.
His ears perked up at the sound of heels clicking against the marbled floor. There was a young girl approaching him. "Oh, hey miss, are you lost?"
She smiled at him, "Actually, I'm waiting for a friend. He's the one fighting on stage."
Hercules let himself relax, "Well if Phil let him compete, then I'm sure he must be strong." He studied the girl; she wore a strange black coat but something about her looked... sad.
"He is, he's always the one protecting me..." She looked at where the stage tunnel was. "I just want to be able to do the same."
A girl in distress, what was a hero to do. Hercules shot up only to feel his legs force him back down.
The girl gasped and rushed over to him, "You're hurt."
"I'm fine, Heroes don't- oh" She handed him an bottle of something. He remembered it as something Sora used whenever he was beat up. Hercules took it with a graceful smile. The curing effect rushed through his body as he drank it.
"That felt... I feel so much better thank you."
She smiled in return.
Hercules flexed his arms, he was still slightly sore, but nowhere near as exhausted. An idea lit up in his head. "Hey, you said you wanted to be stronger right?"
The girl nodded eagerly.
"Well I can't really train you, but why don't I teach you a few tricks to help you out in battle? Just while your friend is taking my place?"
The girl smiled, "Really? That would be amazing!"
-x-
Meanwhile while Roxas entertainment the crowds and Xion was being trained by Hercules, Axel sulked through the foyer.
Pegasus hadn't noticed him yet.
Axel smirked, getting those stones would be a piece of cake.
Meg watched from beyond the door as Hercules interacted with the child. After her trip with Hades, she was worried to find Hercules out on the ring. But when Phil said they found a temporary replacement for Wonder boy, she was surprised. She was even more surprised to see Herc taking it rather easy since he was training a child.
Still, Meg worried. Eventually the crowds would become restless and start asking for their hero. Hercules would have to go back on the stage and fight until he collapsed.
She sighed and looked back the underworld entrance. "Sora... hurry."
Once Hades discovered Hercules wasn't the one fighting, he would send an even bigger threat. The fear sent chills up her spine. Meg shook it off and turned her gaze back to Hercules and the girl. He was always good with kids.
There was one thing that bothered her, what was up with the weird coat?
Roxas swung his keyblade victoriously in the air. The crowd cheered loudly as the last heartless was defeated.
Phil walked on stage and addressed the public. "Give it up once more for our very own Rookie!" Roxas felt a bit exposed as so many strangers cheered him on. Yet the validation he received from the crowd make him feel important. He felt seen.
"The Games will continue after a quick clean up. Take the opportunity to buy some HercMerch, today's special. Buy 2 Hercul-tees get one free! Don't miss out!" Phil said to the crowds before leading Roxas away from the stage. "Great job out there Rookie, wait here, I'll go get Herc so we can prep you two for the next round."
Roxas watched as Phil walked away.
"Psst... Roxas." Roxas turned is attention towards the dark shadow of the room. Axel emerged with something shining in his hand.
"You got them?" The boy asked.
"Just in time too, Xion is distracting the himbo in the foyer. Come on, we need to go."
-x-
Hercules raised his arms as the girl charged at him, to his surprise she managed to push him back. She is a lot stronger than she looked. "Great but when you launch yourself at an opponent, don't leave yourself so open." He instructed.
She nodded as she corrected her stance.
The door in the foyer open, his eyes wondered to the gorgeous woman who walked in, "Meg..." Her name slipped out of his mouth.
Meg waved at him with her usual smirk, "Full-time hero, part time teacher. You sure are a busy man Wonder-boy." She said, making the girl giggle.
"Not in front of the kid Meg." He said trying to hide his blush. He turned towards his new student. "Do you mind if we take a quick break while I talk to Meg?"
The girl nodded and Meg pulled Hercules outside the Coliseum. From there the two saw the doors to the Underworld open up.
Hercules' eyes light up, "Sora! Donald! Goofy! When'd you get here?"
Sora waved, "Hey Herc!" The boy was as bright as always.
"Howdy there." Goofy said as the two groups met.
"You on another adventure?" Herc asked.
Sora grinned, "Yeah, trackin' down some friends, wipin' out some heartless."
Herc perked up at those words, Sora was a fighter maybe Sora knew his mysterious new student. The gingered demi-god turned towards the lobby, only to find his student was nowhere to be found.
Donald followed Hercules' gaze, "Is everything okay Herc?"
Hercules frowned but pushed his uneasiness aside. "Yeah, you junior heroes, always busy..."
-x-
Xion emerged underneath the bleachers where Axel and Roxas were waiting.
Axel waved at her, "So how'd it go?"
"It went well, I learned some new things." She replied. "My magic is still strong, and now I feel strong enough to not rely on the Keyblade."
Axel grinned, "Look at you, watch out Roxas, Xion is gonna be able to whoop your butt at this rate."
Roxas laughed, "I hope so, Xion's already strong even without the keyblade."
The trio stopped to rest, they watched in the shadows as the crowds returned to the stands. Phil walked onto the stage and announced a quick intermission, a new act. A quick lesson on how to be a hero, starring a junior hero by the name of Sora. The people knew of Sora, he cleared the Games the previous year and took first place in the competition, and he was pretty popular among the children. The lesson, a hero always needs to train, and train Sora did. The crowds cheered as Sora began to chain the barrels in succession. The crowds loved Sora.
Roxas couldn't help but to be bothered by it all. Sora always bathed in the light while he had to sulk in the shadows. "Hey guys. I'll be back, just going to go snag a soda." It was lie.
Axel nodded and Roxas left towards the lobby to think. What was this feeling that felt like a bitter burn? He recalled to his time in the simulated Twilight Town, to his previous ownership of Sora's memories. He knew what this feeling was called, he just didn't want to admit it.
'It's just Sora's memories, Nobodies can't feel.' He lied to himself. He didn't want to admit. He was jealous.
Roxas sighed as he headed outside, he thought he was over it, but yet he could feel the envy threaten to overtake him.
"OI GET BACK HERE THIEF!"
That was Phil's voice coming from the foyer. Roxas ran towards the trouble stopping just short of the doors.
"PEGASUS STOP THAT BLACK COATED WEIRDO."
Those words stopped Roxas completely, he peeked through the doors opening saw water shooting up in the air. White blurred blocked the way into the foyer.
"Shit"
The words slipped out as Demyx took the bag from the horse, using a wall of water to push back Phil and the horse before making his escape to the Underworld. Roxas took a few steps back. The Dancer nobody held Pegasus back before making their own escape into the Darkness. This was bad, there was a look of betrayal and on Phil's face as he ran after Demyx.
The coat.
The damned black coat.
Roxas ran back to his friends. He had to tell them that Demyx was in the world and more importantly, he had to get away from Phil before the man put two and two together. He grimaced. 'Stupid coat.'
From the distance he could Xion showing off her new moves to Axel.
"Xion! Axel!-" They turned to him, "We need a new plan, Demyx just blew our cover. Not to mention Phil ran after him into the Underworld."
Axel frowned, "Demyx? Shit, this bad, this bad."
"What do you mean?" Xion asked.
"It's Demyx. He's lazy sure but never under any circumstances underestimate him. He's a lot stronger than he looks which is why he's usually the one in charge of recon missions. Not to mention that my disadvantage if we were to fight him." Axel explained. "My best guess is that he's waiting for Sora in the underworld."
Roxas pondered for a minute. "We need to get there before Sora does then."
The trio nodded in agreement. The made their way past the Coliseum foyer until they stood in front of the tall doors that led to the underworld.
Axel rummaged in his pockets and pulled out the coins he stole from Pegasus. "I only managed to snag two, so you two have to share. Whatever you do, do not get separated. Got it memorized?"
The keyblade wielders nodded in agreement as the trio descended into the Underworld.
Down the long stairs they went until they reached the bottom.
A/N: psst... I'm still alive.