//------------------------------//
// Olympus Colosseum (part 4) 
// Story: Kingdom Hearts:  Friendship is Magic 
// by Mudkipman98 
//------------------------------//

	Each pony watched in awe at the display in the arena; first the battle with Luna and then the appearance of Hades.  Twilight in particular found both her curiosity and confusion peaking at the same time.  She was trying to process both Luna's actions, her overpowering darkness and the fact that her friends were in danger and she was powerless to help them.  Unless...
Twilight started focusing magic into her horn, preparing for a teleport spell.  However, when she tried to teleport, her magic was rebounded back into her, staggering her as the dizziness of the failed spell set in.
As soon as her head cleared, Twilight summoned the headset inside her armor and contacted the others.  "Everyone," she began, "we need to get out there and help them.  Any ideas?"
"Did you try teleporting?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"Yes, but something's blocking my magic.  I can't get through," said Twilight despairingly.  "They need our help, but I don't know what to do."
"Why don't we just try breakin' the doors down?" offered Applejack.  "I mean, they can't be that strong, right?"
Applejack reared back her legs and kicked hard against the gate leading to the arena, immediately sending pain through her hind legs and forcing a yelp out of her that was blasted through the rest of the ponys' headsets.  "Ok," she groaned.  "Don't try to break down the door."
"So what are we gonna do?" asked Rainbow.  They all sat still in thought as the battle in the arena began.
Hades started building fire around himself before erupting three pillars of fire around him that turned his body red.  Before the others could react, Hades threw back his hand, summoned a large ball of fire, and flung it at Riku who was forced to guard it with his keyblade.  Instead of rebounding like Sora expected, the ball of fire exploded and blasted what appeared to be big, sticky masses of liquid fire that clung to Riku.  The keyblade warrior screamed in pain as the fire remained latched to his body and burned him.
"Curaga!" shouted Sora in an attempt to heal Riku.  It succeeded, but Riku quickly fell back into pain as the fire withered his strength.
While this was happening, Hades disappeared in a plume of smoke before reappearing behind Roxas.  As Roxas tried to find where the god of the Underworld had gone, he was met with pain lancing down his back as Hades clawed him with fire-cloaked hands.  As Roxas tumbled forward, he rolled and sprang back up, prepared for another attack.  When none came, he decided to dash forward and strike at Hades.  All of Roxas's strikes passed through the god and he immediately teleported again, disappearing from sight.
He reappeared near Sora and Riku.  Sora was trying to find a way to remove the clinging fire on Riku who was still down while Donald and Goofy guarded them.  As soon as Hades appeared, Goofy charged in an attempt to knock him into the air where Donald would cast Thundaga on him.  Instead, he grabbed Goofy's shield and threw him to the side before firing another sticky ball of fire at Donald.  The attack tossed Donald across the arena where he rolled to a stop on the arena floor, the fire still burning him as he lost consciousness.
Each of the ponies watched in dismay as the chaos grew in the arena.  The entire time, Twilight was trying everything she could to get through the door: breaking down the gate with her keyblade, casting various spells on it, and trying to kick it in the same way that Applejack had with no success.  Eventually, she gave up and dropped to the floor.  Then she remembered.
There was one thing she had yet to try.  Reaching out with her magic, she searched for Sora's light in the arena.  It took a few moments, but she located it successfully.  As soon as she was sure the heart was his, she channeled all of her light through her magic and straight to him.  Before she knew it, she had disappeared completely from her room.
In the arena, Sora felt a familiar presence in his heart.  Suddenly, he recoiled and hovered in the air for a moment.  Before he knew it, a hexagonal barrier began forming around him.  "What?!" he said through gritted teeth before the energy from his Drive bound his arms and legs in place as he transformed.  Hades paused his attack on a defending Goofy to watch what was going on.  In a blinding flash, the barrier exploded away from Sora, leaving him standing on the arena floor.  His clothes had turned an amethyst color and two wings made of pure, purple energy had sprung from his back.  His keyblade had a lavender glow around it and it was pulsating with magic, creating occasional bursts of Thunder and Fire magic around Sora.
Sora opened his eyes when he found himself standing.  He looked himself over as he felt magic flowing through him freely, most of it ending up in his keyblade.  He admired his new look, particularly the wings, before turning around to face Hades.
"What the heck was that?!" shouted Hades as more fire erupted from his body, turning his skin dark red as black as jets of flame began firing from his arms and shoulders uncontrollably.  
"I think I know," said Sora, trying to stay calm.  He realized what had happened as soon as he saw how his clothes had changed.  Shutting his eyes, he began focusing on his heart.

/)*#*(\

Twilight had no idea where she was exactly.  She seemed to be standing on a pillar of glass similar to the one she remembered seeing in her heart.  It depicted a younger version of Sora with clothes similar to his Limit form.  He held his keyblade while he appeared to be sleeping.  Suddenly, she heard a voice.
Twilight, can you hear me?
"That sounds like Sora," said Twilight as she turned around, attempting to locate the direction of the voice.
It is.
"Sora?" she asked, looking around eagerly in an attempt to find him.  "Where am I?"
You must be in my heart, Twilight.
"You're heart?" she asked skeptically.  "You mean like what happened to Fluttershy and I in Equestria when you arrived?"
I think so.  Listen to me.  I don't know how you did it again, but you linked to my heart.  That means you're giving your power to me for a little bit.
"How does that work?" asked Twilight, getting used to not seeing Sora and focusing on his voice instead.
Do you remember when Riku and Donald vanished during my fight with Cloud at the beginning of the tournament?
"Yes.  Why?" she asked plainly.
They temporarily became part of my heart like you are now.  By combining our power, I can use both of our energy together to fight harder and stronger for a little while.  Just sit tight for a little bit, okay?
"But how does this work?" asked Twilight.  
I'll explain after we separate.  For now, I need you to focus with me.
"Whatever you say, Sora," said Twilight skeptically.  Immediately, the darkness around the pillar she was on disappeared and was replaced with a view of the arena.  She could see Sora, Roxas, Riku, Donald, and Goofy all together.  Donald and Goofy were unconscious and Riku was still on fire.
"Twilight?" asked Riku as he opened his eyes through the fire and saw Sora.  When he saw Sora's clothes, he realized what Twilight had done.  "I see," Riku said as he lost consciousness as well.
Hades attempted to meet Sora in the middle of the arena.  When Sora's keyblade clashed with Hades's hands, the god's fire receded as Sora's keyblade fired off overpowered Blizzaga spells into his hands.  Hades recoiled as he screamed in pain.  Sora leaped backwards while Roxas charged towards Hades and struck him repeatedly, successfully landing blow after now that Hades had been weakened.
"Did we do that?" asked Twilight as Sora jumped back.
Yep.  That's the kind of power we have when we're linked like this.  Are you ready to keep going?
"I think so," said Twilight.  "I feel kind of tired though."
Then we need to make this quick.  We can't stay linked too long.  If we do, then we'll both pass out from the overexertion.
"That's not good," said Twilight worriedly.
No, it's not, said Sora seriously.
"Let's keep it up!" he shouted as he charged forward again.  This time, he channeled Twilight's knowledge of flight and used his new "wings" to propel himself forward faster.  As he struck Hades, more ice flowed from his keyblade and struck the god over and over, knocking him around before he teleported away.
As soon as he reappeared, Roxas was ready for him.  As Hades tried to assess Sora's new powers, Roxas came at him from the side and delivered a strong combo to him.  Before Roxas could continue, Hades rage built again and he unleashed a large pillar of fire from his body that pushed Roxas back and nearly knocked him out.
Hades had turned red again and he immediately began throwing balls of fire toward Sora.  The keyblade warrior quickly wrapped his new wings around himself as the fire struck him, burning him and dealing damage.  When the fire had stuck completely, Sora flared his wings, throwing the fire away from and tossing it around the arena.  It clung to the floor in a few spots and Hades even had to duck to escape a piece traveling straight toward his head.
"My turn," said Sora.  He quickly prepared a Blizzaga spell at the tip of his keyblade.  Hades, angered by Sora's quick recovery, flew toward him with both hands erupting in flame.  As soon as he was close enough, Sora pointed his keyblade at him and blasted him with his overcharged Blizzard spell.  This threw the god backwards and lowered his strength, turning him blue again.  Once again, Roxas moved to Hades and dealt a string of combos against him, forcing him to teleport again.  This time, he didn't appear to be in the arena.
"Where did he go?" asked Roxas as he frantically looked around.
"No idea," said Sora as he did the same.
Sora!  Above you!  Twilight's voice brought Sora's attention to the ceiling of the arena.  When he looked up, he saw that Hades had turned black again.  Over his head, the god held a ball of fire larger than the arena itself.
"I'm throwing everything I have at you!" he screamed in rage.  "There is no way in Tartarus you can survive this!"
"Um, Sora?" asked Roxas in fear.  "What is he doing?"
"I have no idea," said Sora, struggling to keep his jaw from dropping.
"Then how are we gonna stop that?" asked Roxas as he instinctively began backing up.
Sora!  Do you remember what you did in Equestria when we were in my heart?  It was when I connected to you like we did here.  Something happened to your keyblade and you used it to destroy that huge heartless.
Sora's eyes lit up in realization.  "Roxas?" he said.  "I have an idea!"  On the arena floor, Sora aimed his keyblade at Hades in the air.  He channeled as much of his light as he could into the end of keyblade as he prepared to reuse his powerful attack that Twilight had given him.  When he had built up enough energy, the end of his keyblade exploded, again revealing a bright ball of light within the blade as the shards of the destroyed tip began circling around the ball of light itself.  
"No you don't!" screamed Hades.  By now, the ball of fire was pushing against the ceiling of the arena.  It threatened to burst as it scorched the ceiling black.  Hades threw his hand forward as he screamed in anger, launching the ball of fire directly at Sora and Roxas.  At the same time, Sora unleashed his light, firing off a massive beam of energy that plowed through the ball of fire, splitting it into hundreds of pieces as Sora's attack continued toward Hades.
As the god's failed attack crumbled at the edge of the arena, Sora's light struck him, plowing through his body completely and leaving the god breathless.  As the light died down, Hades plummeted rapidly to the arena floor before landing hard with a loud PWUMFF from his cloak.
As soon as Hades dropped to the floor, Sora and Twilight's link began to fade, causing Sora to revert while Twilight appeared next to him.  "How did I get out here?" she asked confusedly when she realized where she was.
Before she could get an answer, Hades shakily stood up from the edge of the arena.  "This *cough* isn't *cough* over..."
"Actually, I'm pretty sure it is," said Roxas as he stood beside Sora and Twilight.  Sora held his reformed keyblade high and cast Curaga to heal everyone.  They stood up and brushed themselves off before joining Sora as well.
"You idiots.  You can't kill a god," coughed Hades as he disappeared in a plume of smoke.  The gates to the arena and those leading out of it opened up, letting in a cheering group of ponies and people from all sides of the arena.
"That was so cool!" shouted Rainbow Dash as she flew toward the others, landing next to them with a gust of wind.
"Yeah!" cheered Pinkie.  "You really wrecked his cupcake!"  Riku couldn't help but chuckle to himself at that.
"That was impressive," added Leon as he and the others joined Sora and the ponies.
"Um, Sora?" asked Fluttershy as she approached him.
"What's up?" he responded.
"Didn't Twilight do the same thing in Equestria?  Why didn't you change then?"
Sora had to pause and think about that one.  "If I had to guess," he began, "I'd say it has to do with how much she's grown after all this."
"Really?" asked Twilight.  "But I don't feel any different."
"I meant in your heart," said Sora.  "Wielding the keyblade must have jump started you and given you the potential to form a stronger link like that.	"
"So does that mean the rest of us can use something similar with you?" asked Rarity.
"Maybe, but let's not be too hasty," said Sora.  "Back on Equestria, I told Twilight not to try and link with me again because it was dangerous.  Even though she's stronger now, I'm not sure if we can just start using this kind of power all the time.  Let's ask Yen Sid about it when we ask about Mega-Ragnarok."
"Speakin' of that," began Applejack, "when are we gonna learn how to do that new move Yen Sid was tellin' us about?"
"He told us to wait until you were all stronger," said Riku.  "After seeing you all really fight in the tournament, I think you're close.  Let's explore a few more worlds first."
"Do we really have to go already?" asked Pinkie, disappointed.
"I'm sorry, Pinkie," said Sora sadly, "but Twilight was right.  We have to keep looking for a portal to the Dark Realm.  I need to save my friends."
"That's okay," answered Pinkie cheerily.  "If your friends are stuck, then you're right.  Let's go!"
Before Sora could stop her, Pinkie dashed out of the arena, shouting out, "Whoohoo!" multiple times as she ran.
As the group watched her go, Sora picked up on hoof steps approaching him.  When he turned around, he found Princess Luna, the hood of her cloak laying on her shoulders.  She appeared to be normal, all traces of the darkness she had used during the fight gone.
"Hey there, Princess," said Sora happily.  "How are you doing?"
"My head aches," admitted the Princess, "but I should be alright soon."
"That's good to hear," said Sora.
"And Sora?" began Luna again.
"Yeah?"
"I must apologize for what I did to you in the arena.  I became to... enthusiastic about the battle.  I could have caused irreparable damage to your heart.  Can you forgive me?" she asked as she bowed her head in shame.
"Sure," said Sora immediately.  Luna quickly looked up.  "I'm okay now, right?  So no harm done."  Luna remained silent.  "Besides, I think you did something good."  Luna's jaw dropped.  
"B-but how?" she stuttered.  "How could what I did to you be good in any way?!"
Sora simply turned his head and gestured toward Roxas.  The boy was standing away from the group by a few yards, looking over his body and marveling at it.  "I'm... alive again," he said, just barely audible enough to understand.  "I feel... whole."
"It think that's because you are," said Riku, approaching him and laying a hand on his shoulder.  "Whatever Luna did to you separated your heart from Sora's.  During the Mark of Mastery exam, Xemnas told me that some of the Organization members were getting their own hearts, like they were growing new ones.  Honestly, after fighting you those years ago and watching you as you lived out your time with Lea and that... other... one... -- I'm sorry, but I can't remember a name -- I'd say you had a heart most of the time.  But, since you still held part of Sora's power, you still had to join with him in the end to wake him up.  But after everything that's happened to you and Sora, I guess you both grew even more, certainly enough to wield your own keyblades separate from each other."
As if by an unspoken command, both Sora's and Roxas's keyblades materialized in their hands, briefly flashing when they arrived.  After a moment, Roxas asked, "But what happened to me when we separated?  During those battles, I couldn't use two keyblades or any of Sora's abilities."
"Like I said," began Riku, "You're separate now.  I think it's safe to assume that the power you used came from him, just as some of your memories were awakened in him during our Mark of Mastery exam."  Riku paused for a moment before adding, "But this is all just a theory.  Let's add this to the growing list of questions we'll have for Yen Sid."
Roxas looked again to his keyblade.  For the first time since he'd weilded it in Traverse Town, the weapon felt like it truly belonged to him, like he was the one meant to wield it.  It felt right to grip the handle and to swing it a few times.  He had brief flashbacks of swinging the stick in the alley outside of the Usual Spot in Traverse Town.  But this time, it felt real.
"So, Luna," began Sora, "Are you ready to go back to Equestria?"
"No.  Not yet," she said sadly.  "I can still feel the darkness.  Nightmare Moon yet dwells in my heart.  Whatever you did during our battle helped, but part of her still resides deep within me."
"Maybe I can help you with that," offered Riku.  He stepped toward her as he said, "About a year ago, the heartless of Xehanort was stuck in my heart, but I defeated him.  It took a long time, but I finally pushed him out.  Maybe I can help you do the same."
"I appreciate the offer, Riku, but this is a demon I am meant to fight alone," said Luna reluctantly.
"But why can't Riku help you?" asked Sora.  "Besides, didn't you say you wanted our help to get rid of that darkness?"
"After what happened today, no," she answered flatly.  "Darkness this powerful within a heart is meant to be overcome alone.  And in answer to your second question, I don't think I am capable of trusting myself with this darkness around warriors of light who bear such importance.  I'm afraid no mortal is better equipped to defeat Xehanort and the heartless."
"What makes you think that?" asked Twilight.
"To be honest, they are the only two here who demonstrate the traits of a Keyblade Master.  The rest of you are not nearly close to being ready."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," grumbled Rainbow out the side of her mouth.  Luna had to suppress a chuckle at her reaction.
"That is not to say you six will never reach that point."  The ponies perked up at that.  "I was watching during each of your battles.  You all demonstrate great skill wielding the keyblade already.  With proper training and guidance, you may be able to achieve the title of Master sooner than my sister anticipated.  In fact," she turned to Sora.  "He still hasn't attained the Mark of Mastery," she finished as she pointed a hoof his way.
"Hey!" said Sora indignantly.  "I still helped free sleeping worlds.  That's gotta count for something, right?  Right?!"
The others remained silent as they fought back chuckles of their own.  Leon and the rest of the gang from Traverse Town approached Sora.  "Are you ready to help us fight the heartless on top of the Gizmo Shop now?" he asked hopefully.
"I'm not sure," said Sora as he crossed his arms and shut his eyes in thought.  "Yen Sid told us that we had to get stronger together before we could use Mega Ragnarok, but I'm not sure if we're ready..."
"Why don't we just go back to town and blow it up?" asked Pinkie cheerfully as she dashed back into the arena to resume the conversation like she'd been there the whole time.  "You and Twilight did that really cool laser thingy!  I bet that can kill it."
"I suppose," said Sora, still thinking.  "But, at the same time, how can we be sure that we can defeat it anyway?  Maybe that attack won't be enough.  After all, we've only used it twice now."
"Uh, Sora?" began Applejack as she approached him.  "You just shot a big 'ol laser through the god of the Underworld.  If somethin' like that can't bring down that big beast of a heartless, I don't know what will."
"I'm afraid she had a point," agreed Rarity with a nod of her head.  "That marvelous form you took during that fight was fantastic.  I doubt some disgusting heartless could stand up to such a force."
Sora felt uneasy about it, but from what the others were saying, the evidence pointed to the quick extermination of the heartless plaguing Traverse Town.  "Alright," he reluctantly agreed.  "We'll give it a try."
"Alrighty then," said Cid as he slung his spear over his shoulder.  "Just follow our gummi ship with those flyin' things you've got."
"We've got the gummi ship now," said Riku.  "We ran into Donald and Goofy on the way here, so they're joining us."
"Well shoot," added Cid with a smile.  "Do you still have the warp gummi installed?"
"I'll have to double check it, but I think so," said Sora.  "There's no reason why we would have removed it."
"Then just warp back to Traverse town with that," said Cid.  The pilot then led the rest of the group from Traverse Town out of the arena and back to the over-world of the Olympus Colosseum.
"We'd better go," said Riku.  "Roxas, are you ready?" he called to the boy.
"Yeah.  I think I am," he said happily.  He jogged over to Sora and the others before they all walked out of the arena, leaving behind the Underdrome as they left the Underworld as well.
As they all boarded the gummi ship, Fluttershy approached Sora.  "Sora?" she asked timidly.
"What's wrong Fluttershy?" he asked.
"What happened to Hades?  Is he gone?"
"I doubt it," said Sora.  Fluttershy momentarily flinched.  "We've fought him several times now.  To be honest, I don't think there's a way to get rid of him permanently.  But after what happened this time, I doubt he'll mess with us again."
"That's good to hear," said Fluttershy as she relaxed and prepared to be teleported to the gummi ship.  As the group finished entering the ship, Sora moved to the console and started searching through the system to find data for the warp gummi.  Luckily, he managed to dig it up from within files years old and long untouched.
"Well, the data's here," he declared.  "But I'm not seeing the actual block itself."  He put his hands on his hips as he thought about what happened to it.
"This is the one Master Yen Sid gave us," said Goofy as he joined Sora in the cockpit.  "Maybe he didn't have a warp gummi to put on it."
"Then why is the data still there if we don't have the block itself?" asked Sora.
"I don't know," said Goofy as he tapped a finger to his forehead.  "I guess we just need to get a new one somehow."
"But where are we gonna find one?" asked Sora, digging deep into his head for the answer.
"Maybe there's a world nearby that has one," offered Donald as he joined them.  
"But what kind of world are we gonna find a warp gummi in?" asked Sora.  After a few moments of thinking, he gave up and said, "Well, that's what the radar is for."  Sora put his hands to the console and activated the radar.  He quickly located several worlds nearby.  One was Cocoon, where Lightning and the others were.  The next was Agrabah; further away than Cocoon, but not by much.  The third and final world nearby was unidentified.  On one side glowed a large neon sign which read, "Pizza Planet" in glowing yellow letters.  Next to it sat a large rocket that was standing up like it was ready to launch.  The sign stood on top of a round building.  On the opposite side of the world was a collection of houses, two of which stood out by being slightly taller than the rest.  "Hey guys.  What about this one?"
Donald and Goofy approached the console and looked at the world.  "That looks like a rocket ship," said Donald as he scrutinized the image on the screen.
"Do you think that has a warp gummi?" asked Goofy as he tapped a finger to his chin.
"Let's hope so," said Sora.  "Maybe that building is some kind of launch station for that rocket.  I mean, we've found navigation gummi's in weirder spots.  Maybe we'll find something there."
"I guess it's worth a shot," said Goofy as he turned around and sat down in his chair.  As Donald and Sora sat down as well, Twilight and Riku entered the cockpit.
"So are we headed back to Traverse Town?" asked Twilight.
"Not right away," said Sora.  "The gummi ship is missing something called a warp gummi.  It could take a few days to get back to Traverse Town without one."
"So where can we get one?" asked Riku.
"Well, I was thinking that a new world nearby might have one," said Sora.  "There's some kind of rocket ship on it, so maybe they have one."
Riku sighed.  "Sora, just because there's a rocket ship doesn't mean we'll find a gummi block there."  When he saw Sora's head lower in disappointment, he added, "But it can't hurt to look."  When Sora lifted his head again, Riku gave him a small smile.
Seeing this, Sora spun around in his chair and started tapping at the console.  "Then let's get going.  Twilight, the rest of you should get some rest.  After the tournament, I'm sure you're all exhausted."
"Sora," began Twilight as she sighed, "I've been waiting to hear that all day."  She turned around without another word and went back to the bedrooms to meet with her friends.
Riku chuckled to himself as he sat down in a fourth chair.  When Sora thought everyone was ready, he grabbed hold of the steering wheel and said, "Here we go!" as the gummi ship flew away from the Olympus Colosseum.