"Love, passion, why do we get caught up by such troublesome feelings? The mind couldn't ever get thing straight, and you lose control to know what is sensible. Deep down it's all so vexing." ~Usui Takuma (Kaicho wa Maid-sama!)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Deciding to check in on Hercules, especially after the Hydra incident, we paid a visit to Olympus Coliseum. Arriving in the Underworld, we spotted a lit coliseum as lights flashed inside it.

There was a coliseum at the other side and it appeared to be hosting a game right now. "What's that?" Goofy asked.

"It's the Underdrome," a voice explained. We glacned over as Auron approached us. "Fiends of the Underworld once clashed there-battle after battle. But Zeus didn't like the senseless violence, so he locked the place up."

"How did it get UN-locked?" Sora questioned.

"Some fool must have broken the seal," Auron stared directly at Sora and I.

I gulped and laughed nervously, remembering what Sora and I had done during our last visit here. "What an idiot," Sora rolled his eyes.

I facepalmed as Sora didn't catch the hint. "Uh huh...yeah Sora, we're the idiots," I sighed.

"That's ri-hey, what do you mean by that?" Sora demanded.

"Sora, use that empty skull of yours and think-what did we do exactly when we last came down here," I placed my hands on my hips and stared at Sora.

Sora placed a finger under his chin and tapped his foot, thinking. His eyes widened as he laughed nervously as he took a step back, putting his arms behind his head. "Oh yeah...ha ha...whoops," he laughed nervously.

"Hmph," Auron turned away from us and began to walk away.

"Where are you going, Auron?" Sora yelled. "We should catch up!"

"If you need something to do, go help your friends," Auron stated as he continued on his way.

Hercules and Meg entered the Underworld with Hercules having his head down until he spotted us, lifting it up a bit to give us a smile, "Hey."

"Herc!" Sora greeted.

"Well...same routine," Meg replied. "Wonderboy thinks his hero days are over. And Phil says that it's all in his head."

"Gawrsh, Herc," Goofy comforted. "We know you're a hero!"

"That's right...Blunderboy," Somebody said. Hades teleported to where we were in a puff of smoke. "How can you mope on a momentous day like today? The Underdrome's back, and you are gonna fill the stands. After all, your fans won't settle for anything less than a certified hero." Hercules gritted his teeth and clenched his fist but released seeing the reality of the situation. Hades crept up to Hercules and placed his arm over his shoulder. "I mean, if you're not up to it,  you can always just, I dunno, LOSE?" Hades added.

"I bet you'd like that!" Sora yelled.

"Excuse me?" Hades raised a brow. "Hey, I'm not a selfish guy. I'm not like those high and mighty snobs up on Olympus. I stand for the masses! And have I got a massive idea! The games, ladies and gentlemen...are back! Yours truly, Hades-the one and only Lord of the Dead-brings you the ultimate games, to celebrate the re-opening of the ultimate coliseum! We'll finally answer the age-old question: Who deserves the title 'Ultimate Hero'? These games are gonna settle the debate once and for all! The winner reigns supreme. Of what? You guessed it!The Hades Cup! And I assure you that the 'Great' Hercules will be there. Otherwise....." Hades stared  directly at Meg and she jumped as Hercules stood protectively in front of her. "You'll never see your girlfriend again," Hades threatened.

"Lowlife!" Sora yelled an insult as Hades disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"You're too kind, kid," Hades chuckled.

A boat pulled up and two demons came off it. For such a big boat, the guys manning it are really...small. The large red demon spoke up, "I'm handling registration for the Hades Cup. Don't go to Panic for that one!" He pointed to the skinny blue demon next to him.

"Yeah, it's a great way to spend some time," the demon named Panic added.

As we signed up, we turned around to glance at the roster to see what we were up against. "Who do we face first?" Hercules asked.

"Let's see.." Sora squinted at the board.

"It's 'Spin Strike'," Goofy answered. "Look! Auron's in the tournament, too! Uh-oh! We might have to fight him in the finals!"

"I bet he's a real hero, huh? Hercules muttered.

'Well, I don't think he's a bad guy..." Sora stated as he turned around. "But you're the only hero around here, Hercules. You know that."

"Maybe before," Heecules drooped his dead. "Now I'm just a wash--"

"Stop that!" Sora yelled, interrupting Hercules talking down on himself.

*~*~*~*~*~

After fighting our way to the finals in the Underdrome in the Hades Cup, which is basically a huge circular ring inside a dome that if you fall off from it, you plunge into the dark murky waters below. I have no interest in learning what it leads to.  "We made it to the finals!" Sora grinned.

"If we win, we'll all we heroes!" Donald added.

"Oh that's why you're so happy," Goofy said.

"We can't stay junior heroes forever, you know," Sora smirked.

"I'll try not to mess things up," Hercules said as he sat on the ring, resting from the recent battles we fought together.

"Enough already..." Donald sighed.

Hercules looked up and spotted something. "Look," Hercules pointed to what he say. "Over there." We looked behind us to see Auron exiting the Underdrome. "He's our final opponent, right?' Hercules asked.

"Auron!" Sora yelled.

Auron glanced over his shoulder and saw us while being consumed in a dark red aura of some sort. "And you are?" He questioned us coldly.

"Huh?' Hercules looked perplexed.

"Auron...?" Sora blinked

"I must defeat you and atone for my crimes," Auron stated in a robotic manner as he turned to leave the Underdrome.

"Hey!" Sora yelled but Auron ignored him. "What was that all about?

We followed Auron as he went inside the entrance to the Cave of the Dead and hid behind the corner, seeing that he was talking to Hades. We listened in to their conversation. "Okay, let's review," Hades said. "State your crime, prisoner."

"I exist," Auron replied. "That is my crime. It is...inexcusable."

"Ooh, good, very good," Hades nodded.

"What's wrong with Auron?" Sora whispered. "He never acted that way before."

"Let's listen and we'll get our answer," I whispered back as Donald shushed us both.

"Okay, so you made one lousy mistake: you exist," Hades continued. "But hey, I'm a forgiving guy. You keep your end of our little deal, and I'm willing to look over a transgression or two."

"I understand," Auron stated. "Defeat Hercules."

"And his meddling friends," Hades added.

"What?" Auron blinked. "No, only Hercules."

"Oh, don't tell me you've forgotten who's in charge?" Hades placed his hand on Auron's shoulder and some sort of power with a red fiery aura surged through his arm and onto Auron as he groaned in resistance. Hades presented his other hand and there appeared a small statue of Auron. "Hercules and the other four," Hades ordered. "Are we clear?"

"We're clear, Hades," Auron grunted.

"Lord Hades," Hades corrected.

"Lord Hades," Auron repeated.

"Good," Hades released Auron. "Now, let's go."

Auron turned and walked away to go back into the Underdrome has Hades crossed his arms, watching him, still holding the Auron statue in his hand. "So that's how he's controlling Auron!" Sora said as Hades turned and left.

"What a jerk!" Donald cried.

"He'd probably think that was a compliment," Goofy snickered.

"Any insult thrown at him is a compliment to him," I added.

"I can't stand seeing Auron do that lowlife's bidding..." Sora grumbled. "We've got to help him!" Auron walked past us and Sora reached out to grab his attention but was ignored once more. "C'mon, let's follow him!" Sora suggested as we all nodded in agreement.

We left the entrance to the Cave of the Dead and outside to its entrance once again but we were too late. Auron and the two demons that we registered with got onto the boat and rowed towards the Underdrome. Sora sighed. "What's wrong, Sora?" Hercules asked as he approached us.

"Auron's in trouble!" Sora explained as he turned around. "It's like Hades brainwashed him!"

"He's using some kind of a state," Goofy added.

"You know something?" Hercules replied. "That sounds kinda familiar...Hades may be using the statue to hold Auron's free will hostage."

"What so we do?" Donald cried.

"See if you can find that statue," Hercules stated. "It's gotta be somewhere in the Underworld."

"Right!" Sora nodded. "I'm on it!"

"Tell me you're not thinking of leaving," Hades suddenly appeared, leaning on Sora's shoulder. "You've got a match coming up."

"I'll fight Auron in the final," Hercules proposed. "One on one."

"Oh, you will?" Hades smirked.

As Hades turned around to talk to himself, Hercules leaned in and whispered to us, "I'll draw things out to buy you time."

"But--" Sora started.

"Just hurry back!" Hercules smiled. "I know you can do it!"

"Congratulations!" Hades tuned back around to face Hercules as Hercules got off us so he didn't see that we were talking. "You've got a deal."

"Thanks," Hercules grinned.

"On one condition!" Hades added. "The two Keybladers, here, and their trusty friends have to meet the winner in one final clash, whaddya say?"

"That'll drive the crowd wild..." Hercules nodded.

"It'd better," Hades glared. "I promised the crowd the event of their afterlives." The boat reappeared and Hades boarded it along with Hercules as he waved goodbye at us. "Sucker!" Hades said. "You know for me, the rest is smooth sailing."

As soon as they were gone, we nodded in agreement to commence with the plan. We ran back inside the Underworld and into Hades' chamber, where on the table stood the Auron statue. "Got it!" Sora grinned as he reached out for it but I froze in my tracks, eyes narrowing as y eyes glanced all over the room. Why would Hades leave the statue out in plain sight for anybody to grab? Just as soon as Sora grabbed the statue, bolts of electricity ran through his body as he shrieked in pain. Goofy touched him and was electrocuted as well. Donald stopped and looked at the two. "Huh?" He asked as he reached out to touch Goofy.

"No, don't do that--" I started but it was too late.

Donald touched Goofy and was electrocuted as well. "What's going on?" He cried.

"Saki, help!" Sora shouted.

"Are you crazy?!" I screamed. "I'm not touching you guys, especially after seeing what happens if I will!"

"Do something!" Goofy pleaded.

"Alright! Alright!" I sighed. "Let me think of something!"

"Hurry!" Donald shouted.

I summoned my Keyblade and glanced at it. If I touched the statue with it, will I be electrocuted as well? How about if I knock it off the table? If I do it fast enough, will I not be affected? It's worth a shot.

I leaned on the table and position my Keyblade like as if I was holding a pole in 9 ball and closed one eye, aiming. As quickly and as hard as I could, I jabbed my Keyblade at the statue and it flew ff the table with Sora still holding onto it. He, Donald and Goofy were not longer being electrocuted and I sighed in relief but then, Auron's voice filled my head. "It is not too late!" Auron shouted. "Let us turn back! Yes, but I...I cannot accept it. Where is the sense in all this? But...there must be another way! Your deaths will mean nothing! You must live!"

A flash of light appeared but it was gone before I blinked. Auron's voice...it sounded like fragments of a conversation but only with what Auron was saying. "Oh I get it," Sora figured what this was all about. "This is what belongs in Auron's heart."

"Gawrsh, he musta had a pretty rough life," Goofy stated.

"Yeah...but in the end, that's what made him stronger," Sora nodded.

Suddenly, a gang of Dusks appeared around us. Pocketing the statue, Sora, Donald, and Goofy summoned their weapons. "Nobodies?"Sora cried. "Where did they come from?" We quickly fought off the Dusks and headed right back to the Underdrome. Entering the Underworld coliseum, we saw Hercules struggling to stand his ground against Auron with Hades cheering for Auron, of course.

"Auron, no!" Sora shouted.

"Hey, Auron!" Donald yelled as Sora pulled out the Auron statue. "This belongs to you!"

Sora chucked the Auron statue at the two fighters and it exploded above Auron like fireworks, the sparkles floating down onto Auron and snapping him out of his hypnosis. Auron blinked and dropped his sword, relieving Hercules. Auron stood up, "Sora, Donald, Goofy, Sakura."

"Auron!" We all cheered.

"Why those little--" Hades shouted, turning red from the main spectators seat. He calmed down, turing back to normal as he stood up, "Ugh, prisoner! What happened to our mutual agreement? I can give you a clean slate, but you just gotta work with me."

"Maybe you didn't hear me." Auron replied. "This is my story, and you're not part of it."

Hades turned red again as he gritted his teeth, exploding in a magma pillar and reappearing in fire onto the ring as he approached us with fury. "That's it!" Hades shouted. "This game is over, I played by the rules, so far." We all gave Hades a suspicious look." Okay, fine, I confess!" He sighed. "I was hoping Wonderboy would lose, but it was still a fair fight. C'mon, is that really so wrong?"

"Really? A fair fight?" Sora mocked, making us snicker.

"Laugh, laugh, laugh all you want," Hades taunted. "Because the laughing is about to stop. You wanna know why? Because now we're gonna play by my rules."

He snapped his fingers and a cave mouth opened, revealing a green pool. Meg screamed and we turned around at the Underdome entrance where she just was but she was gone. We turned back around as Hades snapped his fingers again and Meg appeared, floating above the swirling green pool.

"Meg!" Hercules screamed.

"Hercules!" She yelled.

"Hey, I warned you right at the get-go," Hades shrugged. "You don't compete, you lose the girl."

Hades snapped once more and Meg fell into the pool. "No!" Hercules cried, running over to the edge of the green pool, pushing Hades aside. "Meg! Hang on!" Hercules jumped in after her.

"Looks like Wonderboy dropped out of the standings," Hades smirked.

"Well, you still got us to deal with!" Sora shouted.

Hades disappeared and reappeared behind us, "Oh, yeah. This is gonna to be good."

He glowed red and we tried to attack him, but there was some kind of force filed blocking him. He sent us flying with some magma pillars. "We can't win," Sora groaned.

"How come?" Donald cried.

"It's because it's his Underworld," Auron explained.

"Gee, then how do we beat him?" Goofy asked.

"I think a true hero should be able to help,' a voice spoke. We all turned around to see Hercules, now looking much more refreshed and glowing, carrying Meg.

"But, you..." Hades sputtered.

"I owe you one, Hades," Hercules grinned, calling for his Pegasus to appear beside him. "I didn't hesitate ti give my life for Meg's. And then, I remembered: A true hero is measured by the strength of his heart. I'll never forget that again." Hercules put beg back down.

"No more crazy stunts?" I asked him.

"You always do crazy things when you're in love," Hercules replied.

We all laughed at Hercules' response. Meg sat in Pegasus and flew off. "What is so funny, you imbeciles!" Hades shouted. "How dare you all get a happy ending! How DARE you?"

Two balls of light appeared beside us and we sent them after Hades. He went back to normal and began to attack him like crazy. He turned red again with rage and made the whole arena explode. He sent out magma balls but I casted Reflect and reflected them back at him. Unfortunately, he was still invincible in that from so he destroyed the magma balls. Two more balls of light appeared and we sent them after Hades. Hades turned back to normal, clutching his chest as Sora slashed him with the Keyblade.

Hades disappeared just in time to avoid the hit as he groaned and backed up to the edge of the pool of green. "It's..." Hades sputtered. "Not over...yet...and backed up to the edge of the pool of green. He gasped and held his chest. "This isn't the..." He stumbled back. "Whoa whoa whoa!!!" He yelled as he fell backwards and into the pool of green.

*~*~*~*~*~*

"What'cha gonna do now?" Donald asked Auron as we stood at the Underworld's entrance.

"I lived my life defending others," he replied. "But now...there's no one left to protect. Maybe...it's time I shaped my own story."

"Yeah..." Sora said. "You deserve it, Auron-after everything you've been through."

"I suppose I should thank you," Auron chuckled.

"Not at all," Sora grinned.

"Fine," Auron turned around and we all slumped, not realizing he'd take it so literally.

"I mean, sure, you could thank us a little..." Sora rephrased what he said.

"You should say what you mean," Auron stated as he turned back around to face us. "I guess I could spare a few words. Thanks for meddling."

"Hey, what does that mean?" Sora asked as Auron walked away from us.

*~*~*~*~*~

We arrived back at the old coliseum, still wrecked from the hydra battle as we walked up to Meg and Hercules. "Thanks again, guys!" Hercules smiled. "You're the best."

"Excuse us for meddling..." Donald replied crossly as he crossed his wings, looking away from the two.

"Aw...sounds like somebody's feathers are a little ruffled," Meg teased Donald. "I'm kidding. Thank you, Sora, Donald, Goofy, Sakura.

"So, where you guys headed next?" Hercules asked, crossing his arms.

"Aw, you know..." Sora shrugged. "You two lovebirds seem to be getting along just fine without us hanging around."

Meg and Hercules jumped away from each other as soon as we said that. "Yeah, we gotta go," Donald nodded.

"Uh-huh, before we start meddlin'," Goofy agreed.

"Right," Sora said.

"Are you turkeys trying to put me out of a job?" Asked Phil as he waddled up to us. "If you keep acing every challenge, champ, who am i gonna train?"

"Aw, you can't abandon me now, Phil!" Hercules grinned. "I gotta be at the top of my game in case Hades shows up again."

"Say, are we heroes yet?" Donald asked, getting up into Phil's face.

"Yeah!" Sora added. "C'mon,  Phil, how 'bout it?"

"Lemme see now..." Phil pondered. "Well, you're not wise enough...not quite...seasoned enough..."

"Okay, okay, we get the hint!' Sora sighed.

"Look, kid, it's not my call!" Phil shrugged.

"Aw, phooey," Donald slumped.

"Course if it was, you'd have no problem," Phil stated.  "I'd make you all heroes, in a heartbeat!

"Really?" Sora gasped.

"Say that again!" Donald smiled.

"On second thought, if those are your 'hero' faces, you still got a lotta work to do," Phil took back his words.

"Hey, whaddya mean?" Donald shouted, running up to Phil.

"Go away!" He yelled as he ran away.

"Phil!" Sora cried as he and Donald began to chase him.

"Leave me alone!" Phil said.

Hercules and Meg looked up in the night sky. "See that?"Meg pointed at something she say above us all.

"Well, whaddya now?" Hercules smiled.

I jammed Sora in the side with my elbow and grabbed Donald. I pointed up to the night sky and they looked. The stars began to swirl until they made four new constellations that resembled us. Donald jumped for joy and Phil, seeing the whole thing and moved by it, turned away from us all and wept into his arm. "Well, I guess we are heroes if the ones from high above think we are," I grinned at Sora.