Fan Fiction ❯ Kingdom Hearts: The Third Epic ❯ Trial of Competency ( Chapter 2 )

The Trial of Competency

 

It was a bright afternoon in Traverse Town. The sun began to set, touching down over the rooftops of this quiet settlement. There was a hustle and bustle within the town as the setting sun bid farewell to portable market booths where masters of their art where applying their trade. Fine foods and wines were sampled, fine pottery from distant worlds, miscellaneous merchandise sold underneath their respected canopies, and the plaza of the first district was booming with people. It was on this busy afternoon that Sora and the others entered the same small house in the third district, where they had assembled only a few years before. Within the third district, there was no hustle and bustle of traders, or businessmen for the activity only circulated around the first district. The four waited patiently in the house hoping that their other allies would show up soon. As the four waited patiently, Sora noticed Riku grasping at his arm.

“How's your wound?” he asked.

“It kind of stings right now.” Riku replied. “But it's nothing serious. I think it's just a simple irritation of the skin and nothing more.”

“Are you sure?”-

“I'll be alright, Sora. I just need to take it easy for now that's all.”-

“Where are they?” said Leon suddenly. “They promised to be here an hour ago.”

“Maybe something happened, Leon.” added Yuffie.

“I hope not. This meeting is absolutely vital.”-

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Yuffie looked out of the window and saw some familiar faces standing at the doorway. She opened the door and welcomed the three strangers.

“Come in.” she said. As they entered, they gave their salutations to Leon and Yuffie then immediately turned their attentions towards Riku and Sora.

“Hey! It's been a long time hasn't it, Sora, Riku.” said one of the voices. Sora and Riku gazed up to see three very familiar faces looking at them. They were none other than Goofy, Donald, and of course His Majesty, King Mickey.

“Hey, you guys!” said Sora. He jumped up and gave each of them a hardy handshake and a tight hug. Riku only nodded to their three former allies. “It's been so long.”

“I hope that you've been taking care of yourself.” said Donald.

“Gawrsh! You look a lot stronger from the last time we saw you.” added Goofy.

“Leon! Yuffie!” said Mickey. “I understand that we were to have some new allies here to join us. Where are they?”

“We don't know.” Leon explained. “They should have arrived by now, but we haven't received any word.”

“Maybe, we should go out and look for them.”-

“But uh, how would we know what they look like?” asked Goofy.

“I don't know. Maybe, they'll know us.” said Mickey.

“It's settled then.” Leon continued. “We'll look for them. Donald. You and Goofy will check the first district. Mickey and I will search the third district and the Magician's study. Yuffie, you stay here in case they arrive while we're gone. And Sora and Riku will look around in the second district and the back alley. Seek out anyone who looks lost. We'll meet back here one hour after sundown.”

 

“Right!” the party shouted in unison. With that final statement, the parties went their separate ways. Goofy and Donald searched about the market place while Mickey and Leon looked about in the third district and the area of the Magician's study. Riku and Sora went in search of their hidden comrades in the second district.

 

As Goofy and Donald searched the market place, they came across a few items that caught their eyes. But unlike Donald, who spent his time looking for their missing ally, Goofy spent his time browsing around in the market place, looking at the perfect cup for his tea sets, or a hot batch of fried artichoke hearts to snack on, even gazing at the character figures at a nearby Disney booth.

“Wow!” he said, picking up a goofy action figure. “It's me.”

“Goofy!!” shouted Donald. “Stop goofing off! We have work to do!!”

“Okie dokie!”-

“Sheesh. Can he get any goofier than this?”-

It was then that a voice called out from behind them.

“Excuse me. But are you the loyal friends of King Mickey and the key bearer?” asked the voice. Donald and Goofy turned around to see a frog dressed in a blue military uniform.

“Can I help you?” asked Donald.

“I believe that I am the one whom you've been searching for.” said the frog. “Donald! Master of the Magician's Art! And Goofy, captain of His Majesty's elite imperial guards, am I correct? I am W.T. Sneer of the Universal Alliance.”

“Sneer?” said Goofy. “So you're the one.”

“We've been waiting for you for a long time!!” shouted Donald, angrily. “You were supposed to meet us at the small house in the third district.”

“I was fully aware of that.” said Sneer. “My absence is only part of my primary strategy. I intend to test the competency of your other companions.”

“Their competency?”-

“What does competency mean, Donald?” asked Goofy.

“You dummy! Do I have to explain everything to you!” Donald shouted. “Competency is another term for reliability. If they're good enough for the job!”

“Oh! Okay!”-

“I intend to have my three other comrades test the fighting abilities of your friends. In this particular situation, we need only the best fighters. Faint hearts will not succeed.” Sneer pulled out his pocket watch and looked at the point to the designated time. “The others should be encountering my comrades right about now.” He shut close the lid and joined Donald and Goofy. “Until their tasks are finished, I suggest we wait for them at that residential dwelling you were talking about.” With that, Sneer began heading for the gates leading to the third district.

“Residential dwelling?” said Goofy.

“Can't that guy speak plain English for once.” added Donald. The two joined Sneer, returning to the third district.

 

 

Meanwhile, within the third district, Leon and Mickey still searched for one of the remaining three allies. They had worked their way to the Magician's Study. They leaped from rock to rock, reaching the house where the venerable Merlin dwelled. They entered the study where they saw Merlin sitting in his chair, sipping a cup of tea.

 

“I knew you would be coming.” said Merlin.

“How'd you know?” asked Mickey.

“I know everything. And I know why you've come.” Merlin took another sip from his cup. “You've come to ask me the whereabouts of the man you seek.”

“He's been eluding us for some time.” said Leon. “Do you know where he is?”

“Oh, he's here alright.” Merlin took out his pipe, lit it, and puffed a cloud of smoke over his head. “I see a young man, dressed in dark blue, and armed with two swords. He has the makings of a warrior. I believe you will find him on the way out.”

“On the way out?” asked Mickey.

“It's best that we don't waste time then.” said Leon. “Let's go!”

The two warriors exited out of the study. As they left, Mickey turned and glanced at Merlin.

“Thank you for you cooperation.” said Mickey.

“Nothing to it, Your Majesty.” replied the old wizard. “Come again some time.” Mickey smiled and exited out.

The two once again hopped from rock to rock and came out of the little nook. They came into the plaza of the third district. But as they entered, they saw a man, in dark blue, standing next to the fountain. He was a young man, nineteen years old, or so. His skin was fair and youthful, as if it had never seen danger before. His back lay at ease up against the wall, with his arms folded in front of him. He wore a brimless hat, which looked like a tactician's cap. He gazed up at the two.

“So you two must be the ones for which I must test your competency.” said the man. “Squall Leonhart and His Majesty, King Mickey I presume.” The young man drew out two swords from behind him.

“And you must be the one whom Merlin told us about.” said Leon.

“What do you mean by our competency?” asked Mickey.

“Stand and defend yourself!” shouted the young man, making a stance to fight.

“Who are you?” Leon demanded as he drew out his Gunblade. Mickey wasn't slow in drawing out his keyblade.

“I am Lu Xun! Prime Minister to the Kingdom of Wu and now a member of the elite fighting forces of the Universal Alliance!” Lu Xun attacked and locked blades with both warriors. Leon swung his Gunblade simultaneously at Lu Xun, but the agile warrior from Wu blocked each on coming hit and dodged every blast which bellowed from the Gunblade. Mickey would use his own agility to attack Lu Xun from behind, from the sides, and from above, but every attack he attempted was somehow predicted and the prime minister managed to evade the strike. Lu Xun would throw himself into the air, then suddenly slam down into the ground, causing a blast of energy which blew his tow opponents off their feet.

“I've had enough of this!” said Leon. He began to power up, summoning inner power which reverberated through his blade. The reach and impact of his Gunblade had been increased twice its original strength. Mickey attacked with the infamous Ragnarok strike and struck at Lu Xun with a great ferocity. Energy beams bellowed from his keyblade and stuck at Lu Xun. Lu Xun was eventually backed into a corner. Leon and Mickey charged at him.

“It's over!” shouted Leon. But they suddenly saw that Lu Xun was now beginning to glow in a dim light.

 

“Take this!!” shouted Lu Xun. Suddenly, he counterattacked with a powerful energy attack which blew his attackers away. Mickey and Leon fell to the ground with their weapons landing only a few feet away from them. Lu Xun gained his composure and sheathed his double swords. Leon and Mickey stood back up and picked up their weapons.

“You are better than I thought.” said Lu Xun. “And you would have finished me off had I not counter struck with my musou attack. Sneer would be pleased of your efforts and abilities.”

“You're not so bad yourself.” added Leon.

“Yeah.” said Mickey. “I don't think I could have fought you on my own. I need more training.” It was then that they heard clapping coming from behind them. They turned to see Sneer, Goofy, and Donald standing nearby.

“Most impressive.” said Sneer. “I am pleased with your skills.” He walked up to Lu Xun. “You've done well, young one.” He then turned to Leon and Mickey. “Leon and King Mickey I presume. You have extraordinary skills and your reputations proceed you beyond my own expectations. There has been no warrior who has been able to match Lu Xun's own strength.”

“So, you must be the one in charge?” asked Mickey.

“Yes. I am W.T. Sneer of the Universal Alliance.” Mickey was dumbfounded and he fell to his knees.

“I didn't know it was you, Sneer.”-

“Get up, my friend.” Sneer put his hand on Mickey and the young king stood to his feet. “I would like to consider us equals in status.”

“Of course.”-

“Boy. This guy must be quite influential.” Leon thought to himself. “If King Mickey can kneel before him without any hesitation, he must be someone of great importance.”

“Well, now that we have assembled, I think it would be best to wait for my other two associates to complete their tasks.” said Sneer.

“Two others?” asked Goofy.

“Two other warriors I sent out to test the fighting skills of Riku and Sora.” Sneer began walking away. “Do not worry. I'm sure that they'll do well enough. Besides, my comrades know better than to take the lives of future allies.”

“I guess there isn't anything to worry about if Sneer isn't concerned.” said Leon.

“Well, it's best that we just sit and wait for Riku and Sora.” added Mickey. The company followed shortly behind Sneer. Now only two warriors remain to be tested.

 

 

The sun had set completely and once again the stars twinkled in the sky. The second district was quiet with no one about, but the two young warriors. Sora and Riku looked about to see if there was anyone around. They had been looking around for a good hour or so, but they had not found anyone within the second district.

“Maybe there was no one here to begin with.” said Sora.

“Either that, or they've been moving about and we haven't been able to spot them.” replied Riku.

“Why do you think that?”-

“For some reason, Sora, I feel as if there's someone here watching us.”-

“I have an idea, Riku. Why don't we split up into two parties. That way we'll cover more ground in less time.”-

 

“Alright, Sora. Well, you keep looking here in the plaza while I go and search the back alley.” Riku walked towards the doors leading to the back alley. He grasped his bandaged arm which was still weak since his fight on Destiny Island.

“Will you be alright, Riku?” asked Sora with concern.

“I'll be fine.” replied Riku. “Just stick to the plan. If I need help, I'll seek you out.” Sora could only watch as Riku entered through the doors of the back alley.

“I hope so.” said Sora and continued to search for the last remaining allies.

 

 

It was within the back alley that the next confrontation would take place. Riku walked down the back alley up to the doors of the Dalmatian House, but there was no one in sight. He turned around and headed back towards the gates of the alleyway. But as he neared the gate, he heard someone behind him. Then a voice spoke to him.

“So you must be Riku.” said the voice.

“Who wants to know?” asked Riku. He turned to see a young warrior, of a slightly older age, standing behind him with this arms folded in front of him. “Are you the ally I was supposed to seek out?”

“You might say that.” replied the warrior. “I have been sent out here to find you and test your competency, Riku.”

“My competency? What do you mean by that?”-

“Your fighting skills.” The young warrior unsheathed his sword and took his stance. He glanced temporarily at the sword sheathed at Riku's side. “I see you excel in swordsmanship. Do you have a natural talent as I?” Riku slowly unsheathed his sword and stood on his guard.

“We'll find out!” His blade was aimed at his opponent. “I don't believe you've introduced yourself. I would like to know who I'm fighting.”

“I am Goten! Son of Goku and member of the esteemed Z team!” Goten suddenly engaged in a charge attack. Riku countered the oncoming blade and slashed at Goten. But Goten managed to evade the slash attack and rebound on the ground. The two gripped in intense fighting with their blades of steel clashing and sparking against each other. The two combatants were equal in strength and skill. However, there was a slight disadvantage between the two, Because of Riku's wounds which were still fresh, he had a hard time maintaining his stamina and keeping his sword above his head.

“Not bad, Riku.” chuckled Goten. “But then of course, I just started using a sword less than a year ago. Had I given the same kind of dedication, with a sword, like you throughout my life, I might have had a greater impact against you.”

“What?!” Riku thought to himself. “This guy has only trained with a sword in less than a year and his sword skills are even greater than my own? But how can that be possible?!” Riku took up his sword again, but his wounded shoulder had taken enough strain and began to ache with pain. Riku was quick to grasp his arm as his sword fell to the ground. He fell to his knees and cried out in pain. His wound had reopened and the blood was now seeping through his shirt.

“Oh God! Are you alright?!” shouted Goten as he rushed towards his opponent. “Let me see.” Goten shifted up Riku's shirt and saw the blood seeping through the bandages.

“I thought I could take it and fight even with a wounded arm.” Riku grasped his arm. “But I guess my body hadn't fully recovered.”

“Are you telling me that you were fighting me with a deep wound like that all this time?” Goten pulled out a small bag from his pocket and took out a bean. “Take this.” Riku looked at the little morsel in his opponent's hand.

 

“What is it?”-

“It's called a Senzu bean. It'll heal that wound and any other problems in your body.” he handed it to Riku. Riku looked at it one last time before engulfing it. Suddenly, within five seconds after he has chewed and swallowed the bean, Riku's body was filled with a great relief of recuperation. He looked at the shoulder where the wound was. He wiped off the blood, but there was no pain and no sign that a wound was ever there from before.

“Unbelievable!” said Riku. “I feel great!” He looked at Goten and smiled. “Thank you for helping me.”

“Don't mention it.” chuckled Goten as he stood to his feet. He threw out his hand and helped Riku to his feet. “You proved to be a worthy opponent. And a worthy opponent deserves all my respect. If you had been fighting at full strength, I would have been forced to fight full strength as well.”

“Oh! So you were holding back too.”-

The two chuckled and gave each other a hardy handshake to assure their newly formed comradeship. Another fight had ended and now only one remains. Sora was now in the center of the second district plaza and there was still no one in sight.

“I give up.” he thought. “As far as I know, I'm probably searching for someone that doesn't even exist. Maybe Riku already found him. I'll go find him then.” But ad Sora approached the doors leading to back alley, he saw a figure outlined against the evening sky. He stood on the rooftop above the gates leading to the first district. A black cape was wrapped around the individual and flapped freely in the wind.

“Ah! So you must be Sora!” said the figure.

“Who are you?!” shouted Sora. “Show your face!”

“I shall be your opponent!”-

“Are you the guy I'm looking for?!”-

“I am.” The figure leaped from the rooftop and landed in front of the plaza fountain. Sora looked upon his face. He was a young warrior with the face of a teenage youth. A lad of at least twenty years, or more though, he was much older than Sora. His cape settled on the ground with a slight breeze fluttering it. His hair was tied in a ponytail and stretched down to his shoulders. He was armed with what looked like a trident, or pitchfork. There was a glare of fire in this youth's eyes.

“I'll ask you again. Who are you?!” asked Sora

“I am Cuchulain! The Hound of Ulster!” said the youth. “I have come to fight the legendary bearer of the keyblade!”

 

 

Cuchulain took of the cape and threw it behind him. The cape fell to the ground, landing next to the walkway of the small shops which lined the plaza. From behind him he drew his trident and faced Sora in a fighting stance. Sora reached for his sword, unsheathing it in such a smooth form. There was a stand off between the two young warriors as each observed the others possible strike.

“Let me make myself clear, my friend.” said Cuchulain. “I have never in my life lost a battle before.”

“Well, there's always a first.” replied Sora.

“Enough!!”-

 

Cuchulain suddenly attacked with great fury, lunging his trident. Sora was quick to dodge and swung his sword down upon his attacker. But Cuchulain was quick and turned to block the sword strike. The two locked in intense weapon grappling. Sora slashed away with his sword, using the techniques which he had learned from his passed experiences. However, despite his skills, he was not able to break Cuchulain's defense.

“It won't be that easy to break my defense!” chuckled Cuchulain. “I am the best of Ulster and I know no equal!”

“You talk too much for your own good!” shouted Sora. “You certainly talk big, but in reality, you must know as well as I that both of our strengths are equal!”

“I have no equal in battle!” Cuchulain charged forward. “I am the strongest here!”

“We'll see! Take this then!!” Sora threw his sword into the air and cast a spell upon Cuchulain. “Stop!!” With that, the Stopga spell, which he learned years before, was activated and Cuchulain was suddenly paralyzed. Sora saw an open opportunity and attacked Cuchulain, but the Hound only grinned and broke free of the spell. He thrust the trident at Sora, but the young key bearer managed to dodge by only a few millimeters of the three sharp prongs. He evaded Cuchulain and made his stance. His shirt had been torn across his torso and blood seeped from three cuts received by the trident.

“You fool! Stopga only works on those weaker than you!” said Cuchulain. “If your opponent is equal to your level or greater, then they can break the spell!” The Hound raised his weapon and drew it against Sora. “Secondly, I despise those who use magic! I won't allow you to use any more of your parlor tricks! This fight ends now!”

Cuchulain lunged forward again, but Sora was ready this time and dodged the prongs. Using the but of his sword, he knocked Cuchulain at the back of the head. The Hound fell to the ground, but rebound back to his feet. He swung his weapon at Sora, but the boy managed to evade, or block every hit given. Sora stepped back and used his thrust attack, but Cuchulain jumped over his head and slashed at him from behind. Sora fell to the ground with three new cuts on his back. He stood back up, but as he turned, he saw the Hound almost on top of him.

“I've had enough of you!!” shouted Sora. He powered up and launched his infamous Ragnarok strike. Cuchulain was overwhelmed and was hit by every strike. Sora's sword deployed the final attack with powerful energy beams bellowing from his sword. The Hound was struck and was rammed against the wall. There was a great impact and a hole was made in the walls of the upper walkway. Sora took his stance and was ready for any retaliation from Cuchulain. From the rubble, Cuchulain emerged with a stream of blood running from a cut in his forehead and from his mouth.

“I guess you weren't as tough as you thought yourself to be!” chuckled Sora. “Get ready! This will be the first defeat you'll ever experience!”

“Most impressive.” said Cuchulain, spitting out a broken tooth. “You certainly caught me off guard, but that won't happen this time around!” He once again held his trident before him, ready to face the key bearer. “I intend to finish this fight here and now!” There was a sudden change in Cuchulain. His body began to bulk in muscle mass and the innocent expression on his face began to change. He closed his eyes, allowing the inner rage to take over.

Suddenly, Cuchulain gave out an inhuman cry which sounded like that of a wolf. When he opened his eyes, they were a vicious red. The expression of his face changed dramatically as if he had become pure evil. Whatever this transformation was, if had left Sora utterly scared at the sight.

 

“What is this transformation!” said Sora to himself. “He's completely different from before! Those eyes, they're frightening to me!”

“Now you will see for yourself why they call me the Hound of Ulster!!” shouted Cuchulain. He suddenly attacked Sora with great speed and nicked the young warrior to the ground.

 

The cry of Cuchulain did not go unnoticed by the others. Leon and Mickey ran out of the house in the district.

“What was that?” said Mickey. “It sounded like... like...”

“Like a demon.” added Leon. Sneer came out as well, a streak of terror across his face.

“Sora must have pushed Cuchulain off the edge, forcing him to unleash the Rage!” said Sneer. “He has become the Hound of Ulster! I only wanted Cuchulain to test Sora's competency, but Cuchulain also cares about his pride as a warrior! He's gone too far this time! We have to stop the fight!!” Sneer ran to the gates leading to the second district.

“Where are you going?” asked Leon.

“We have to stop the fight at once! Cuchulain has transformed into the Hound of Ulster! Sora doesn't stand a chance!”-

“Don't worry about it.” said Mickey. “If I know Sora, he can handle himself.”

“You don't get it! When Cuchulain transforms into the Hound of Ulster, he loses the ability to think logically! All he can see is blood! That is the one reason why I took in Cuchulain, so that I would be able to avoid fighting him myself!” Sneer's words cause a shill to run down the spines of the company measures. “If we don't stop the fight, Sora will die!!”

“There's not a minute to lose!” said Lu Xun. “If we stall here any longer, it'll probably be too late!”

“Right! Let's go!!” said Yuffie. The company rushed into the second district.

 

Meanwhile, Goten and Riku heard the same eerie cry of the Hound.

“What was that?” asked Riku.

“Oh no!” said Goten. “Cuchulain you fool! You allowed your pride to get the best of you!” Goten took Riku by the hand and pulled him along. “We have to stop the fight!”

“Will you let go of me?!” shouted Riku, releasing himself. “What do you mean we have to stop the fight?!”

“The fight between Sora and Cuchulain!”-

“Cuchulain?”-

“He's the fourth member of our party! And when he taps into that inner rage of his, he's an unstoppable force! He has become the Hound of Ulster!”-

“You mean he might...”-

“Yes, he might kill Sora!”-

“Then let's go!!” Goten and Riku rushed to the gates, leading to the second district, hoping that they wouldn't arrive too late.

 

 

 

With in the second district, the fight continued. Sora was now a at complete disadvantage now that Cuchulain had truly become the hound of Ulster. He had been thrashed about like a rag doll and his shirt had been torn from his body. His youthful muscles throbbed with pain as blood seeped from cuts and scrapes which were further inflicted by the hound. Sora stood up with his sword at the ready.

“Cuchulain! Stop this!” he cried, but the Hound took no heed.

“I am the strongest here!” said the Hound. “I will kill you!!”

“What?!”-

Cuchulain raised his spear above his head and threw it at Sora. The trident gave out a piercing scream as it glided in the air towards its target. Sora didn't know why Cuchulain threw it from such a long distance. As terrifying as the scream of the trident was, it was only a sound. Sora dodged the trident and the spear passed harmlessly by.

“You think it's over!” chuckled the Hound. Sora once again heard the high-pitched scream coming from behind. As he turned, he saw the trident returning to impale him from the rear. Sora dodged the spear again, but again the spear came at him. Seven times Sora tried to dodge, and all seven times the trident returned to smite him. Finally, Sora, weary and tired dodged only by a hair as the trident slashed at his abdomen, creating three more cuts. Sora fell to the ground, sweat pouring from his face and stinging his wounds. He looked to see the trident coming at him again. He threw his sword out in front of him and blocked the impact of the trident. He threw it off course and the trident fell to the ground. The Hound retrieved it and held it over his head again. Sora now kneeled on the ground, tired from the trial.

“What kind of weapon is that?” he said.

“This is no ordinary weapon!” chuckled the Hound. “This trident is known as the Gae Bulga, given to me by the great warrior, Skya! No one has the power to wield it, but me! It is a unique weapon, which locks onto the energy signal of its intended target! So no matter how many times you try and dodge, you can never evade death from the Gae Bulga's three points!” The Hound held it higher into the air. Sora tried to stand, but he fell again against the wall of the Gizmo shop.

“Is this how it ends?” he thought to himself. “Dying by the hands of an intended ally? That rage has blinded him. He can only see death.”

“Now die!!” roared the Hound. He thrust the Gae Bulga at Sora who now lay helpless against the wall.

“Cuchulain.”-

Then, from out of the blue, Goten emerged and knocked the Gae Bulga off its path. The trident struck the wall and lodged itself into the stone.

“That's enough!!” shouted Goten, angrily.

“You're in the way.” said the Hound.

“Are you alright, Sora?” asked Riku as he kneeled by his side. Sora sat up and grasped at his shoulder. He looked at Cuchulain. “What's your problem, Cuchulain?! Don't you realize what you've done!” But the Hound's mouth only foamed, causing Riku to back down silently.

“No use talking to him, Riku.” Goten explained. “He can't distinguish between friend, or foe. He's just a mindless beast who only thirsts for blood.”

“It is your blood which I thirst, Goten!” said the Hound. “You dare come between the Hound and his prey! I will slay you as well!”

“Enough!” shouted Goten as he powered up. There was a bright flash of light which blinded Sora, Riku, and Cuchulain. Before them, Goten had transformed into a Super Saiyan. “If you wish to kill someone, then I will be the first to go!”

“If that is what you wish, then I shall grant it!!”-

 

Cuchulain lunged at Goten while Goten made ready to take the impact of the attack from his oncoming opponent.

“Stop this right now!!” roared a voice. Both the Hound and Goten stopped to see Sneer and the other standing only a few feet away. “Stop this right now, both of you! I will not have us fighting amongst ourselves!” He walked between the two combatants. “Cuchulain! I know you have your pride as a member of the esteemed Red Branch and as the infamous Hound of Ulster, but now isn't the time to act irrationally!”

“I know not rational thought!” said the Hound. “I will slay all who get in my way!”

Suddenly, with an iron fist, Cuchulain punched himself in the head. Blood further dripped from the already open wound on his forehead and he fell to his knees. But as he looked again at the members of the company, the expression on his face had changed again. He no longer had that threatening look of a wild animal. Instead, he once again had the innocent look of a young warrior who knew rational thought.

“What happened?” he said. He then looked at Sora, who lay wounded against the wall. “Sora!” He ran up to his fallen opponent. He saw on the boy's body, cuts that came in three which could have only been wounds inflicted by the Gae Bulga. He fell to the ground and began to cry. “I did it again didn't I! I dipped into the Rage and became the Hound of Ulster! Because of my pride, I nearly killed a fellow warrior who I deemed was supposed to be my ally! Forgive me Sora! Forgive me!” Tears ran down the face of the young warrior. Sora got up and placed his hand on Cuchulain's shoulder. The Hound looked at him with tears flowing down his cheeks.

“It's alright.” said Sora. “You couldn't have known.” Cuchulain smiled at his fallen comrade and Sora smiled back at him.

“So that's it?!” said Riku. “This kid tries to kill Sora and we just let it go as if it never happened?!”

“It could not be helped, Riku.” said Lu Xun. “Cuchulain cannot fully control his actions when he becomes the Hound of Ulster.”

“Besides, Cuchulain wasn't the only person who has threatened Sora's life before.” added Sneer. “There was another before him who tried to take his heart, am I correct?!” Riku realized what Sneer was trying to say. He remembered from his own past that Ansem and the Heartless, who had plotted him against Sora, had manipulated him. Taking heed of his own past, he let the incident of that night slip by without any second thought and allowed the grudge against the Hound to disappear from his mind completely.

“I see your point.” said Riku. He looked at Cuchulain who glanced at him, hoping for sympathy. “You have been forgiven.” He stretched out his hand towards Cuchulain.

“Thank you.” replied the Hound. They grasped hands in friendship and all was forgotten of murder and hate.

“Well, now that we have that settled,” said Mickey, “shouldn't you start explaining the situation now?”

“Of course.” replied Sneer. He turned to Goten. “Goten. Make sure to give a Senzu bean to both Cuchulain and Sora.”

“Right.” said Goten. He reached into his pocket and took from the small bag, a couple of Senzu beans and gave them to the two warriors. “Eat these. They'll heal your wounds and replenish your strength.”

“Thanks.” said Sora and Cuchulain and they took the two beans from Goten. They ate them and within a few seconds, they were back on their feet.

 

“Wow!” said Sora. “I feel great!”

“Me too!” added Cuchulain.

“Well, let's head back to the house in the third district.” said Sneer. But as they began to leave, they heard snoring from behind them. The party looked to see Cuchulain asleep.

“He's asleep?” said Sora.

“Oh I forgot to mention Cuchulain uses up a lot of energy when it comes to using the Rage. When he fazes out of the Rage, he's usually left exhausted. Not even the Senzu bean can fully restore the amount of mental energy used by him.”-

“Should we wake him up?”-

“Don't do that. It's against his ges, or his prohibition in other words. He must wake up at his own time.”-

“But what if he's awoken against his own will?”

“Then trouble will be in store for not only him, but us as well. And at this present time, the last thing we need is trouble.” Sneer turned to Lu Xun. “You and Goten carry him back to the house. And for God's sake be quiet about it!”

“We gotcha.” Lu Xun replied. Goten and Lu Xun hurried along and picked up their slumbering friend. The party continued to the third district where they would have their meeting and where Sneer would explain all that was needed to be known. Thus, ended the night of trial and test. However, it wasn't over yet. Little did the fellowship know that eyes who were not meant to see them in action were observing them.