The Challenge
For what felt like ages; everyone from the castle inhabitants (save for the Shadowmanes,) the champions' friends and the young lads themselves stood frozen in silence. It has only been mere seconds ago when Prince Gabriel announced that the boys would be knighted by himself and his family...but no one had spoken a word.
Then, at long last; Luffy let out a deep yawn and simply said..."I don't get it, what's the big deal?" This comment caused his friends/crew to fall over themselves in surprise, which Peridot and Beast Boy (being avid fans of nigh all things televised media) recognized as a "typical comedic anime response." Upon recovery; Nico Robin, the crew's archeologist, approached Luffy and helped explain the situation to him.
"The prince wishes to make you and these other young gentlemen her knights" she stated, "remember...the armored warriors from all the books about them you and I read, up in the Sunny's library?" For a moment or two, Luffy stood silent; as his brain desperately tried to remember the memory his crewmate described to him. Then, he started seeing pictures in his head; ones showing off magnificent warriors in suits of armor, riding atop mighty steeds and heading off into battle with sword and shield in hand.
"Oh, yeah...I remember now" he gasped in realization, "those are the guys that fight dragons, save princesses and go on epic adventures...right?" The Shadowmane Family laughed heartily at the captain's words and said his description was only half of what a knight's life consists of. "As Knights of Overon...or rather, Knights of the Multiverse, you six shall stand as the champions of your respective realms" Gabriel explained, "you will be able to do all that Master Luffy just described...and more."
As expected, this reveal generated a powerful positive response out of the young gentlemen. Danny, Luffy and Beast Boy felt a sensation of "child-like" excitement swirling within them. Artha and Chiro felt emboldened, as if they were about to embark on a grand adventure (which wasn't too far from the truth.)
Meanwhile, Steven was...conflicted; unsure if he should feel intimidated, nervous or excited about this news. As for all of their friends and families, their feelings on the matter could be best described as bursting with pride and joy. "THIS IS AMAZING" Pearl cried with joy, "STEVEN'S GOING TO BECOME A REAL KNIGHT...JUST LIKE ME AND CONNIE!" Not to far away; Danny's sister, Jazz was simply bouncing like a schoolgirl with glee and felt that this news was far more grand than a college acceptance letter.
Amongst Artha's group; his little brother, Lance, was bouncing off the walls with excitement (both figuratively and literally.) But he was quickly caught by his father before he accidentally bumped into anything too valuable. Starfire was so overjoyed for Beast Boy that she was prepared to envelop him into one of her infamous bone-crushing hugs.
But Raven's magic quickly held her back, before she could move even the slightest inch his way. The Monkey Team smiled at Chiro with great pride, while Jinmay simply nuzzled him lovingly on the cheek. Lastly; much like Steven, the Straw Hats also felt rather conflicted by this news.
Some like Franky, Brook, Chopper and Robin felt incredibly proud for their captain. But others like Sanji and Usopp felt as though they were "getting the shaft." Zoro appeared...indifferent on the matter but only on the outside; on the inside however, he was laughing uproariously with pride for his captain.
The only one who had yet to make a response was Nami, who was currently standing frozen in place with her mouth hanging agape. When she managed to snap out of her daze, seconds later, she turned towards Luffy and smiled. On the other side of the room however, many of the creatures present were mildly confused about this announcement.
"But Sire, are you certain this is wise" questioned one of the elf guards, "yes, their heroic deeds are to be commended...but what of anything else the Champions might've done in their lives?" The moment this was said, the six lads soon felt an eerie chill of worry flow through them. If the books recorded all the good things they've done, they must also catalog their...not-so-great moments.
"True, friends...these lads may have some black marks upon their records" Gabriel said to the crowd of creatures before him, "but they were not evil deeds or anything remotely so." Upon hearing the prince's words, everyone heaved a sigh of relief; happy that at least one being still had faith in them. "Let us also not forget one instance where the Titans themselves helped save our people" Thaylog announced, "need we all be reminded of the 'Doctor Light Incident?'"
No sooner had the king said this, the Titans' faces twisted into a disgusted grimace. To this day, they still couldn't believe how Doctor Light, the most pathetic member of their rogues gallery, came so close to endangering the elven people of Overon. When everyone asked who the fellow was and what he did, Gabriel handed them a tome containing a portion of the Titans' deeds.
Upon opening it; Connie skimmed through page after page until at last, she found what she wanted. "According to this chapter, this...'Doctor Light' stole some crystals and used one of them to power the energy harness on his suit" she explained, "but the Shadowmanes were able to stop him in his tracks." Their collective curiosities piqued, everyone asked the elven royals how they did the deed.
"'Twas nothing all that secretive, we assure you" Thaylog chuckled, "Light simply thought the crystals' powers could only be wielded by him alone...but he was sorely mistaken." After that, everyone looked at the chapter Connie was reading and saw a rather marvelous illustration; one that showed the Shadowmanes siphoning the energy from the crystals powering Light's suit.
"Once he took all the energy back, King Thaylog cast a water spell and short-circuited his armor; thereby defeating him" Peridot explained while reading a passage on the page, "that is...amazing!" Everyone else couldn't help but agree but the mystical creatures present felt indifferent, through it all. "According to the text; it was you and your family who were responsible in defeating Light, Your Majesties" a pixie muttered in a high-pitched tone, "yet the Prince still claims they saved your people."
This was true; in the end, it was he and his family who dealt the final blow unto Doctor Light. Yet in spite of all this knowledge, Gabriel still held on to his belief that the Titans and all the other groups present were truly heroes in their own right. "Forgive us if we seem impertinent, my friend" a Dragoon Prince named Mako said apologetically, "we simply think that the six 'champions' should prove themselves to us presently."
As the elven royals began to lightly debate with the other creatures; some of the heroes watched the scene in confused silence, while others simply scratched their heads. "Yo, anybody got an idea on what they're all talkin' about" Amethyst asked, "'cause...my mind is blank here." Alas, not only did her fellow Crystal Gems and their allies seem equally unsure on what was happening; everyone else felt just the same.
Then, all of a sudden, Queen Elbenor raised her hand up; causing both sides to fall silent. Then, she casually approached the heroes and smiled at them; which made the likes of Robin, Sam and Antauri feel quite suspicious. "I suspect that this discussion may take a while to be resolved" she murmured, "in the meantime, you're all welcome to explore the rest of our village until all is well."
At first, everyone felt incline to deny the offer; thinking this was too important to miss. But then, some of them felt they couldn't do much help to calm things down. Plus, some of them (specifically Connie, Peridot, Luffy, Chopper, Lance and Otto) were utterly begging their friends to accept the offer. "I really don't think we should stick around a bit longer" Steven suggested, "who knows if something goes wrong while we're away from our homes."
The moment he said all this, the doors to the hall flew open; causing everyone to jump in shock. King Thaylog turned around suddenly with his hand gripping the hilt of his sword, ready for a fight. But much to his relief, he saw not an invader but a group of members from the castle guard they had with them earlier.
"Soldiers...you almost scared us all half to death" Elbenor gasped with relief, "what news have you to report of your patrol in the meadow?" The leader of the group saluted his queen and confessed that they did not come with news...but with a surprise. After that, he gave a nod to his men; who then proceeded to pull on a series of ropes behind them.
While they did this, everyone could hear some rather unusual noises. The first seemed like a cross between a dinosaur and a horse, while the other one sounded more...human. "Let me go, you creeps" a voice shrieked, "don't you know who I am...when my father find out what you did to me, YOU'LL BE SORRY!"
While the near vast majority of the hero groups didn't quite recognize this voice, the Penn Racing Crew immediately knew who the guards' captive was. Finally, after giving the ropes one final tug; a young lad and his dragon came stumbling forward. As the boy fell hard onto his face, Artha's jaw nearly hit the floor upon seeing him.
"Moordryd" he cried, "what the...what are you doing here, how did you get in through the portal?!" The young racer said nothing, at first; still feeling somewhat dazed from his fall. With a weary groan, Moordryd craned his head up and see the blurry image of Artha standing over him.
But once his vision cleared, seconds later; he let out a growl, jumped to his feet at drew out his Mag Staff. "Penn...if this is some kind of trick you're pulling, it's not gonna work" he seethed, "what's with the flashy light show earlier...and where are we?!" Before anyone could answer him, one of the elf guards pointed her spear mere inches away from Moordryd's Adam's Apple, eager to skewer him.
"We shall ask the questions here, child" growled the guard, "why have you come, are there others with you...and what is your association with Master Artha?!" At first, Moordryd felt tempted to chuckle at the woman for addressing his rival as "Master" Artha. But due to his present situation, he realized that doing so would prove fatal for him.
With permission from Thaylog, Connor Penn asked to interrogate Moordryd himself; confessing that he had...a few encounters with him. "So granted, Master Connor" the king murmured, "though...I wonder if you will be able to get him to confess?" Just then, Lance stepped forward while casting a smug glance down at Moordryd.
"Don't give him too much credit, Sir" he chuckled, "this guy may look tough...but on the inside, he's nothing but a soft-bellied salamander." Upon hearing the insult, Moordryd snarled viciously and threatened to show the young Penn boy just how soft he was. But once more, the guards threatened to use their spears on him; should he make any attempt on the lad's life.
As this was going on; Decepshun, Moordryd's dragon, also growled at the soldiers. She despised seeing her rider being man-handled in her presence and if circumstances were different, she'd punish the strangers severely for it. But at the moment, she was restrained by some form of white rope bound around both her ankles.
At first, she tried many attempts to break free...but to no avail. There was something about the material her binds were made from that made it impossible for her to move. "Do not trouble yourself, beast" Thaylog said stoically, "even your strength is incapable of snapping those binds."
While still acting respectable, Kitt cautiously warned the king not to underestimate Moordryd's dragon. "Psy-Class Dragons are pretty tough, back where we come from" she stated, "and Decepshun is no exception to that. "This is true, milady" said Gabriel, "which is why our guards always travel with Mithril snares and ropes, whenever they're patrolling the village or the woods."
Feeling understandably confused by his statement, everyone asked what Mithril was and how they fashioned it into ropes. "It is a metal that exists within realms like this" Kagan the Dwarf replied, "it can be used to fashion many things; such as armor, weaponry and even rope." While the information was admittedly interesting, the Penn Racers still believed Fracshun could break free.
"I'm afraid she can't" assured Gabriel, "and neither can Moordryd, Mithril is the hardest substance known in the realms." Determined to prove him wrong, Fracshun began to strain both her front and back legs; in an attempt to pull them free from the binds. But after three consecutive times, she failed and remained prostate upon the floor.
"So, now that that is settled...tell us; why have you come here" Queen Elbenor demanded, "how many of you are there and what is your affiliation with Master Artha?" At first, Moordryd planned to remain silent; not wishing to appear weak in the eyes of his "enemies." But then; several people began to encircle him with weapons in hand and almost immediately, his bravado soon waned heavily.
"OKAY! I'LL TALK, I'LL TALK" he shouted, "just...don't crowd me and let my dragon go." Understandably so, King Thaylog denied Moordryd of his second request; firmly adding that the lad was in no place to make any demands. Meanwhile, after giving a swift hand gesture towards the guards; Decepshun was finally given room to relax and breathe.
"The King has shown you mercy, Moordryd; I suggest you don't cross him again" Connor said firmly "now...tell us the truth and speak honestly, I'm not sure if these people are big on second chances." After a moment or two of silence, the lad sighed in defeat and confessed everything. He told everyone of how he originally planned to have the Dragon Eyes Crew follow Artha into...wherever he was going; believing it was some sort of scheme of theirs.
"I'm sorry to tell you this, Moordryd...well, not really" Parm muttered, "b-b-but the only schemer I see is the one tied up in front of us." After this, Thaylog asked if any one of his teammates followed into the portal with him. "I went through that...portal thing on my own, if you must know" Moordryd grumbled, "for all I know, they're on the other side looking for me."
Having heard all he needed from him, the Shadowmanes asked the guards if they discovered anyone else within the meadow. "It is interesting that you should ask that" the captain stated, "no sooner had we captured this one, we sensed faint signs of several life force energies approaching the portals." It was then that he revealed that others were found roaming the woods back in the other realms, seeking out the Champions.
"By using our own powers, my troops and I briefly stopped the portals from closing completely" the captain explained, "just as I said; we saw other groups of people, one of them astride the same dragon-like beasts Master Artha's company rides, roaming those very forests...all of whom appeared to have the same goal as the prisoner, to seek out the Champions' whereabouts." After this, the captain gave a signal and his men hurried out of the room; leaving everyone else to wonder what was going on. Upon their return, the guards brought with them several more prisoners; some of whom appearing more calm about their situation.
Upon seeing the first two of the prisoners, Danny's heart swelled and he felt a great sense of relief flow through him. One of them was a relatively lovely young lady dressed in a...strange black and red battle-suit with a helmet bearing a red glass visor over her face. The second individual was someone who, as the other heroes claimed, could pass herself off as a member of Danny's own kin.
She was small child, roughly about preteen age with long white hair tied into a ponytail, green eyes and dark pink lipstick. Unlike Danny's jumpsuit; this child's own had thick white boots, black and white pant legs, her top was white on the left side and black on the right and she sported two different colored gloves (a white glove on her right hand and black one on the left.)
In spite of both of their hands being bound together, the ladies appeared generally unharmed. Behind them was a group of...odd looking individuals; ones that Steven seemed to recognize. One was a being who appeared to be joined at the hip, the second was what looked like a giant caterpillar, the third was a maid with two sets of arms and eyes.
The fourth member of this group was what appeared to be a small yet elegant looking female with light orange hair, a dark orange face, a dress bearing a mesh of both colors, long white gloves and on the back of her dress, there appeared to be a bow. Standing at the head of this group was what appeared to be a human teenager. But unlike typical humans, his complexion was a much lighter shade of pink; as was his hair.
He appeared to have a mild scar over his left eye. But in spite of that, he was a relatively handsome chap. He was wearing a magnificent cape, which matched well with his burgundy shirt, white pants and matching black boots and gloves. Aside from these physical traits, everyone also noticed how he sported a pair of skulls within his ear loops.
As the prisoners drew closer, both Danny and Steven cackled wildly with laughter and rushed for them. Upon seeing the ghost boy approaching her, the little girl also started laughing. Before long, the two held one another tightly in a loving hug.
"Hey, c'mon; what about me" said the young lass in red and black, "we may not be dating anymore, Danny...but aren't I entitled to some love too?" With a Cheshire Cat-like grin on his face, the ghost boy happily swept up the young lady into his arms; much to the disdain of Sam. Meanwhile, Steven was busy extending his own greetings unto the other group with great fervor and delight.
"Guys...what are you all doing here" he asked curiously, "I thought you'd be out in space somewhere." The pink-haired lad chuckled softly and said something about a distress signal of some kind coming from Beach City. From here, he explained how the call came from Lil' Homeworld and that no one had seen the Crystal Gems come in for class yet.
"At first, I thought it was nothing" he admitted, "but then...I decided to do the safe thing and asked Rhodonite if she could do a quick scan for your signals on earth." When it was revealed that neither Steven or the Gems life signs could be found, Lars said that he felt rather worried. "A part of me thought you might not have been on earth at all, at one point" Rhodonite interjected, "but if that were the case; we would've seen glimpses of warp pad beams projecting across the stars, even from where we were."
With that, Lars said the best thing they could do was make a quick trip back to earth and see if anyone saw him. "That was when Ronaldo said he saw you guys going in the forest" he explained, "the exact reason why...he didn't know." After that, everyone could already piece together what happened next with the other "prisoners" befor them; they must have underwent similar Search & Rescue endeavors as well.
But then, the little woman looked up at Lars and said "Captain Lars, I predict we will be taken prisoner." Some people like Moordryd and Zoro chuckled at how "stupid" the little thing was; proclaiming that what she described had already happened. But White, Yellow and Blue Diamond were quick to discipline them accordingly for it; warning them to not speak ill towards any gem while they were present.
"It is not her fault" Garnet said suddenly, "Padparadscha is a Sapphire...but she is only to predict moments that have already happened." She then added that at one time, Homeworld considered such Gems to be "Off-Color." "To put it simply, it's a slur used on our world" Pearl sighed, "it means you came out wrong, that you don't work correctly or...you're flawed."
Upon looking over Padparadscha from top to bottom, Luffy couldn't help but tilt his head in confusion. "Hold it...I don't see anything wrong with you" he said bluntly, "then again, I've never actually seen Gem people like you before today." With a heavy heart, Steven let out a sigh and explained that Padparadscha's "issues" were in regards of her poor prediction abilities; issues that have thus branded her flawed in the eyes of Homeworld.
"Any Gem who was formed differently, misshapen, seen as too weak or too small for their cut or had powers that didn't work correctly were seen as 'useless;' in the old Homeworld society" he muttered bitterly, "of course...my friends and I have been trying to change that." After that, the room suddenly fell silent; which made everyone feel quite uncomfortable. Upon sensing the change in mood, Gabriel decided to help change the subject by asking Steven and Danny to introduce their compatriots to everyone.
"The gal in red is Valerie Gray" the ghost boy announced, "she's a classmate/former school bully of mine, former ghost-hunting rival and at one time...we even dated." This bit of information highly intrigued everyone, some even asking if they were still together. "No...we aren't" Valerie confessed, "before I learned his secret, I felt that...my life was too dangerous for anyone to get close to me, so...I had to cut things short."
This news felt like a severe blow to everyone's hearts, especially Steven's; who also considered pushing those he loved away when his gem-related affairs grew too dangerous. But Danny quickly informed everyone that the two of them became fast friends, once his superhero identity became public knowledge. "As for the lil' lady next to her...it's a little more complicated" he murmured, "she's...like family to me, let's leave it at that."
Rather than let everyone question him further on the matter, Gabriel showed a chapter within Danny's tome; one that depicted the young lady's origin. When they learned that the child was a clone, many of the creatures felt offended. "This...science that humans praise so highly is as deplorable as any dark magic" grumbled an elderly satyr, "why the deuce would this...'Vlad' wish to create a clone of Master Daniel?"
Though it pained him physically to do so, Danny explained how Vlad Masters was so desperate to claim him as his own son; he went as far as to try and clone him. This was made possible from the traces of ectoplasm he left behind on the battlefield. "Okay...we're following you so far" Nami muttered, "but why make the clone a girl?"
Without missing a beat, Danny confessed that he stopped trying to figure that part ages ago. "Long story short; after Vlad abandoned her, I took Danielle in as part of my family" he stated proudly, "or rather...Dani." Everyone chuckled softly at this, while also adding that the name suited her well.
"Guess it's my turn for the intro now" Lars sighed, "name's Lars Barriga...or as everyone else calls me, Captain Lars of the Stars." Afterwards, he introduced each member of his crew accordingly; from Padparadscha to Fluorite. "Together, we help protect the galaxy from danger" Rhodonite said with a smile, "as well as help spread the Crystal Gems' message of peace and news of Era 3 wherever we go."
To say that everyone felt amazed would be a gross understatement. Luffy thought it was incredible to be in the presence of a "fellow captain," while Danny felt that Lars was living his biggest dream; exploring space. "Truth be told, we wouldn't be where we are without Steven's help" Lars sighed, "heck...I'd be dead, if he didn't save me."
Feeling both shocked and surprised, everyone (save for the Gems and Steven's family) asked how this was possible. "That is a story for another time" Thaylog stated, "meanwhile, Miss Valerie and Miss Dani share a similar reason for being who they are today. With a nod, both ladies confessed how much Danny helped their lives.
"If he didn't save me, I'd be a big puddle of green goo right now" Dani said with great praise, "as for Val...well, she'll tell you about that." Upon being put on "center stage," the young ghost hunter suddenly found herself hesitating; which was rare for her. Finally, she took a moment to collect her nerves and spoke honestly.
"Dan's telling the truth, everybody" she murmured, "we're both classmates at Casper High, back home and I was indeed, his former enemy and...girlfriend." After this, she listed not only every moment she spent hunting him but the times she often bullied him and his friends at school as well. This news caused every eye in the room to glare at her with ice cold looks in their eyes.
"Why would you do such things to the lad" demanded a flustered looking Minotaur, "what has he ever done to you to become a victim of your ire?!" Before Valerie could answer, Danny chuckled sheepishly and raised his hand; catching everyone's attention. "While I can't explain why she used to bully me" he admitted, "I...maay have inadvertently earned her wrath as Danny Phantom, at one time."
Confused by this reveal, several people requested to know what he did that would earn such hatred. "The whole thing wasn't entirely my fault, though" Danny exclaimed, "Cujo did most of the work." Alas, this explanation did little to clear the air; as everyone asked to know who...or what this "Cujo" was.
Before he could answer, Danny suddenly overheard the sounds of a little puppy yipping. He turned around and before he could react, he was tackled to the floor by a little green puppy; one that proceeded to lick his cheeks affectionately. "O-Okay, buddy...Okay" he cried between laughs, "enough of that, let me stand up first."
The puppy let out a yip in response, leapt off of Danny and proceeded to bounce around with joy in front of the others. Naturally, the sight of this pup caused almost everyone to gush adorably. However, the others were rather...put off by the look of its green form.
"I may still be new to the creatures of Earth" White Diamond murmured uneasily, "but...are hounds supposed to have a green pigmentation?" As expected, many people responded with a "no;" proclaiming green was never a natural fur color for dogs or puppies. "He looks like this because he's actually a ghost dog" Danny said matter-of-factly, "more specifically, he was one of the guard dogs that used to help provide security for Axion Labs; a place where Valerie's father works at back where I live."
Upon hearing this statement, the aforementioned girl gasped in disbelief and presumed Danny may be lying to everyone. Rather than offer up a rebuttal however; Danny knelt down towards Cujo, unclipped his collar and tossed it over towards Valerie. "Look very closely at his tag, Val" he suggested, "notice anything...familiar?"
At first, she did not wish to comply to her friend's request; thinking it might be some sort of trick. But when she saw the pleading look in his eyes, her resolve started to break down slightly. "Damn it, Danny" she groaned mentally, "fine...but I'm only doing this because we're friends!"
After that, she fumbled the collar in her hand slightly until she spotted the dog tag at the center. Upon turning it over, she saw something that almost made her eyes pop out from her head. There, on the little silver tag in black letters were the words "Axion Labs," along with the company's logo.
"Holy crud...Danny was telling the truth" she whispered, "but that still doesn't explain why it destroyed company property and caused my dad to lose his job there...for a time." When she asked Danny this same question, he responded in saying that Cujo never wanted to destroy the place. "He was looking for something" the ghost boy explained, "something that was buried within the original wall foundations from ages ago.
Before Danny could reveal what the item was; Gabriel smiled, snapped his fingers and summoned it out of thin air. It was a small squeaky toy, one that looked like a pink bear. "That's it...that's what the pupster wanted" murmured Beast Boy in confusion, "a squeaky toy?"
With a sheepish laugh in his voice, Danny said that the toy in question must've been precious to Cujo; when he was alive. When his ghost first emerged, he tried to get it back but it wasn't in its usual spot. "That's all well and good" Pearl interjected, "but that still doesn't explain how this little sweetie could cause any damage to anything." It was here that Steven reminded her that, even when their babies, animals could still be destructive...somewhat.
"Ah, c'mon" Moordryd said mockingly, "what could this lil' shrimp do, bite our ankles, wreck our shoes...poop on the floor?" Soon after that, the lad broke out into a fit of mocking laughter; which Cujo found quite annoying. As the wee pup started growling, Team Phantom grew nervous and immediately begged Moordryd to stop.
"C'mon, now" Lars chimed in, "are you seriously afraid of a little puppy?" Upon being called "little," Cujo let out a vicious growl; one that sounded as deep as a fully grown Rottweiler's. Then, Usopp suddenly noticed Cujo's eyes glowing a deep shade of red.
"Um...buddy, you should probably stop laughing now" he murmured fearfully, "I don't think he likes it." Within moments, everyone else saw the glow in Cujo's eyes. But they also noticed that he was growing in height exponentially.
Again and again, many of the heroes tried to get Moordryd to stop. But unfortunately, he didn't hear them; which would soon prove to be a huge mistake on his part. Eventually, his laughter slowly died down when he saw a large shadow looming over him. Said shadow grew taller and taller until it became as big as a Black Draconium Psi-Class Dragon. After taking in a nervous gulp, Moordryd looked over his shoulder nervously and saw a terrifying sight. Standing behind him was what he presumed to be Cujo...but somehow, he seemed to have underwent a sudden growth spurt.
In seconds, the hound caught sight of Moordryd and let out a vicious growl. "Ah...Ha-ha, heeey...buddy" he chuckled nervously, "listen, you know I wasn't serious about all that stuff I said...right?" In response to his inquiry, Cujo let out a thundering roar and gave chase after him.
For a moment or two, everyone could only watch the scene in silence. That is to say, most of them watched it in silence; others like Amethyst, Luffy, Lance and even Fracshun couldn't help but laugh. "This is all very...amusing, in a way" murmured another elven royal, "but shouldn't the 'champions' step in and try to save him?"
After laughing for a couple more seconds, Danny calmed himself down and volunteered to do the job. "All I need is Cujo's squeaky toy" Danny stated, "so...Your Highness, if it's not too much trouble..." Before the lad could finish, Gabriel happily tossed the toy into the ghost child's open hands; wishing him luck.
After that, Danny waited patiently for Moordryd and Cujo to get close enough to him. When the moment finally came, he leapt out and blocked the large ghost hound's path; while Moordryd continued running fearfully in circles. Cujo growled angrily, displeased that he was cut off from his quarry and glared down at Danny.
"Easy there, boy...don't get excited" Danny whispered calmly, "you remember me, right...we're buddies." Despite his pleas, they did little to dampen Cujo's anger. Upon sensing that he wasn't getting through to him 100%, Danny decided to break out his secret weapon; the squeaky toy.
He took the bear in his hands and gave it three good squeezes, causing it to squeak softly after each time he did. The moment these sounds reached his ears, Cujo's ferocious demeanor crumbled and was replaced with the panting face of an excited dog. "Hey there, buddy" Danny murmured adorably, "forget this big ol' meanie...wanna play with Squeaky instead?"
Without a moment's pause, the ghost hound barked loudly in response and began begging Danny to hand the toy to him. "Okay...on the count of three, see if you can catch it" the ghost boy said with a smile, "one...two...THREE!" With that proclamation, he tossed the toy into the air; causing Cujo to leap after it.
Upon doing so, the ghost dog suddenly shrank back down to his earlier puppy form before catching the squeaky toy in mid-air. Soon after, he landed safely back onto the floor and proceeded to nibble on his toy happily. Everyone, even the castle residents, couldn't help but murmur adorably at the sight.
"See, Cujo's not a bad dog" Danny said while petting the pup, "he's really nice, once you get to know him." Had she not seen what she just witnessed, Valerie would've been inclined to disagree. But after seeing the evidence for herself, she was more than willing to give him the benefit of the doubt...for now.
Meanwhile, the Shadowmanes stood before their collective allies and gestured their hands in Danny's direction. "Do you see, now" inquired Gabriel, "Master Daniel could've easily chosen to let the beast attack Moordryd or Master Artha could've told him not to get involved...but the former chose to save him, instead." King Thaylog nodded in agreement with his son's words and proclaimed that Danny truly was a hero.
"That was rather impressive, Your Majesties" said a small yet radiant sprite, "but it will take more than that for him to earn the title of knighthood, as it will with the others." Upon hearing the word "knighthood;" Valerie, Dani, Moordryd, Lars and his crew all murmured softly in confusion. "Could someone explain to me what's going on here" cried Rhodonite in distress, "what's this...knighthood thing and how does it involve our friends?"
Upon sensing everyone's confusion, Gabriel called for everyone's attention and said the matter would be put up for debate. Before starting said debate however, the elf prince approached the groups of heroes and bowed respectfully. "This may take a while, everyone" he informed politely, "why not go and explore the rest of the village while you wait?"
Naturally, everyone felt it was a good idea; thinking it would be a good way to help clear their heads. "HEY! What about us" Moordryd called out from behind, "in case you've all forgotten, some of us are a bit restricted here!" At first, everyone felt tempted to beat the boy soundly for his impertinence.
But King Thaylog held them all back, believing that Moordryd had suffered enough indignities for one day. "What are we to do with him, then" inquired a man who looked like a wizard, "and what of the others, we do not know how much of a danger they could be." For what felt like ages, the Shadowmane Family stood silent; as if lost in thought.
Afterwards; Gabriel turned towards the captives and then, to the champions. Finally, an idea began to form in his mind; one that he thought could work out for all of them.
(Line Break)
Sometime after the whole episode in the Great Hall, everyone was walking around somewhere outside. At the head of the group was Prince Gabriel's son, Avery; who agreed to act as a sort of "tour guide" for them. During their outing; everyone brought Valerie, Dani, Lars, the Off Colors and even Moordryd down to the Tailor's Shoppe for a brief clothing change. At first, they were against it; mostly because some of them were...skeptical of the strange beings.
But with Danny, Steven and Connor's help; they were willing to give them a chance. After leaving the shop, Avery led everyone down to the village apple orchard; home of (as he claimed) the best tasting apples in the world. While they walked, Danny brought the ladies up to speed on what was happening.
"So, wait...this is all real" questioned Dani, "the castle, the village, all those creatures...they're all real?" In response to her inquiry, Danny's former enemies appeared and proclaimed that it was all as real as they were. "It's not that we don't believe you guys" murmured Valerie, "it's just...I feel like we've walked into some kind of a fairy tale."
Upon hearing the comment; Greg Universe sighed blissfully and proclaimed that sometimes, fairy tales can come true. For him, meeting Rose was like something out of one; which caused the Crystal Gems (and Steven's) hearts to swell. "Okay...so, say that this is all real and those guys we met earlier really were magical creatures" Lars surmised, "what I want to know is...what do they want to do with you guys?"
At first, no one chose to answer him; thinking that the lad might think they're might be lying to him. But then; the caterpillar-like Gem, whom Lars called Fluorite, pleaded for someone to tell them the secret. "We haaave seen maaany thiiings, while explooooring the universsssse" she said slowly, "nothing you can tellll us will be toooo shocking."
At first; everyone wondered why the strange being was speaking to them in such slow, drawn out utterances. But Steven quickly interjected, explaining that Fluorite's speech was all part of her personality. "See..She's a fusion-type Gem made up of six different types of singular Gems" he stated, "whenever she talks slowly, it's her way of making sure that every part of her is able to speak their thoughts openly."
Despite the fact that the explanation seemed utterly strange, particularly to those unfamiliar with Gemfolk; everyone decided to hold their tongues on the matter. In time, everyone reached the orchard to find a wide field populated by magnificent apple trees; which caused several stomachs to growl loudly with hunger. "YUMMY! Look at all those tasty apples" Luffy cheered loudly, "let's go get some, I'm hungry!"
As if sensing his thoughts; Beast Boy, Amethyst, Beau and Otto hurried after the young pirate. Within moments, the group attempted to collect as many apples they could carry from the trees; making certain not to strip any of them completely bare. Unfortunately for Beau, however; he was unable to climb up and get any due to a branch being too high up for him to reach.
Upon seeing this, Avery waved his hand slightly at the tree and one of the fruits was suddenly enveloped in a light blue aura. Soon after, it gently broke off the branch and floated over towards the dragon; who grunted loudly with approval before devouring it. "WOW! How the heck did you do that" gasped Dani, "do you have superpowers or something?"
Avery chuckled heartily at the young ghost girl and said she was "partially correct" in her assumption. Meanwhile, some of the other new arrivals did not appear as keen about what they had just witnessed...among other things. "Okay..This place is just too weird" sighed Valerie, "then again...I've traveled into the Ghost Zone with Danny; so, who am I to talk?"
While all this was going on, the boys and Amethyst were happily chomping into their apples; savoring every morsel before swallowing. "Hey! Blue, Yellow, White; why not try one" the quartz gem shouted, "they're really good!" As expected, the three Diamonds recoiled slightly; as if disgusted by the idea of eating.
"What's the big deal" grumbled Moordryd, "they're just eating some apples and yet, you three look like they're doing something gross." With an angry scowl upon her face, Yellow Diamond dismissed his comment and proclaimed that the idea eating actually was "gross" (at least, to the likes of them.) "How would you ladies know about that" said Otto while chomping into his apple, "have you ever actually tried it before?"
At first, the Diamonds did not respond to this inquiry but only because they couldn't think up a proper/logical reply. Then, Blue said that the sensation of feeling the bits of food "sliver down" one's throat would feel...disturbing. "C'mon, Blue Mama; give it a shot" Beast Boy urged, "just don't think about the chewing or the swallowing...only the taste."
After that, he tossed three apples over to the Diamonds and waited for them to try a bite. After a minute or two of hesitation, the three Diamonds each took a slow nibble of the apples; all while whimpering timidly. But once their mouths tasted the fruits' juices, they suddenly froze.
Not long after, they proceeded to gobble down the rest of their apples; cores and all. Upon finishing, they each let out deep yet sensual moans of delight. Of course, seeing their Diamonds in such a state caused Yellow and Blue Pearl to become worried. "My Diamond, are you well" cried YP, "did those...things poison you somehow?"
When she managed to snap out of her euphoric state, Yellow Diamond suddenly burst into a fit of jolly laughter. "These...'apples,' as Avery calls them, have 'poisoned me' with pleasure" she giggled, "this is absolutely...amazing!" Much to the Crystal Gems' surprise, Blue and White couldn't help but agree; the latter of whom claimed that she rather enjoyed the taste of the fruit's juices going down her throat.
"I wonder if it would be possible to grow things like this back on Homeworld" Blue Pearl whispered, "do you think our fellow Homeworld Gems might enjoy...eating?" The Diamonds were unsure what their people would think but it was still an idea worth considering, nonetheless. Before the ladies could speak up again, Moordryd rudely clears his throat to get everyone's attention.
"Sorry to disrupt...whatever's going on here" he muttered, "but I'd still like to know what these freaks want with all of us...or more specifically, Penn and his pals!" After taking a moment to consider Moordryd's words, Avery realized he was right and decided to get to the point. But at the same time, he suggested talking about it while finishing their tour.
Upon taking his idea into consideration; Moordryd, Valerie, Dani, Lars and his crew all nodded slightly in agreement and urged him to lead the way. After departing the orchard, Avery led everyone around the castle gardens; a place his mother often spent her afternoons. During their walk, he got right to the point on the reason behind why everyone was brought into his world.
"To make a long story short, my family wishes to honor your friends for all the heroic deeds they've done" Avery explained, "they wish to do so by having each of them be knighted." The moment they heard this reveal, each of the straggler groups responded in different ways. Moordryd tipped over his own feet in surprise, Lars fell backwards off the bench he was sitting in, Valerie almost choked herself while sniffing a flower and Dani's jaw almost fell through the grass.
Meanwhile, the Off Colors were rather confused by this reveal; considering that they never heard of knights before. To which Avery explained that after the ceremony, Steven and the others will become official champions for their universes; soldiers to protect their homes from evil. "Hey, that sounds a little like us" said the left head of Rutile, "maybe Steven could join our crew" suggested the right head of Rutile.
Fluorite simply smiled at the young lads, apparently pleased with the news. Rhodonite, despite her still apparent confusion on the matter, still offered a thumbs up with all for of her hands. Only Padparadscha seemed silent throughout the whole thing. Then, at last; she looked up at everyone and said "everyone...something amazing is going to happen to our new friends."
Everyone giggled lightly at her "prediction" while doing their best not to insult her. Then, Moordryd suddenly let out a sarcastic laugh. "Is this a joke" he cried, "why would anyone want to honor the Stable Brat?!" Infuriated by his insults, Beau was ready to fight the young racer to defend Artha's honor.
At the same time, those like Luffy or Steven thought Moordryd was being unfair to him. "Guys like me and Wonn, we're the real champs" Moordryd proclaimed, "we have the stats, the achievements, the gear and the notoriety to prove it." While everyone else was prepared to scold him for being such a braggart, a soft voice suddenly called for silence from not too far away.
With a start, everyone turned to find Gabriel approaching them with several other creatures following up from behind. "The mark of a true champion comes not from the awards they receive or how many people praise their name" he declared, "it comes from inspiring others through feats of skill, virtue, wits and heart...which is what they shall try and show to all of us." Upon hearing this announcement, the six lads and their kin all stared at the prince confusedly; wondering what "secrets" he might be hiding from them.
"With all due respect, Gabriel...what are you talking about" questioned Steven, "how are we to show those things to your people?" Rather than answer him outright, several other creatures decided to take the floor and speak. "Gabriel is among one of my closest friends; thus, I cannot fully denounce his wishes" Mako stated, "thus...myself and representatives from every known race of this world wish to present unto the six of you a challenge."
Feeling both intrigued yet still rather cautious, Danny asked them all what sort of challenge they had in mind. "Like most knights of old, you will have to earn your right to be called as such" a white-scaled dragon decreed, "thus...you shall face six separate tests...or trials to prove your worth to us." When he heard the word "tests," Luffy immediately assumed it was something school related; which was something he truly dreaded (despite not having gone to school in his life.)
"No, you doofus" cried Beast Boy, "they want us to try and test out our skills through different challenges!" With this simple explanation, it all became much clearer for the young rubber man; as did with the remaining champions. "Okay...so, what sort of trials are we talkin' about here" he asked with a rather giddy chuckle, "do we gotta fight somebody, climb something...what?" Several people chuckled a little at Luffy's spunk, even Nami couldn't help but giggle softly.
"You are...partially correct on your assumptions, lad" Thaylog replied, "the first trial begins this afternoon; so...rest well and be ready." With that said, everyone (with the exception of the champions and their friends, left the area to prepare. "Hey...Garnet, was it" whispered Jack, "can your 'Future Vision' thing tell us if the boys will be successful in any of these trials?"
For a moment or so, the permafusion did not answer; which led everyone to think she was lost in thought. But then, she faced the portly ghost hunter and proclaimed with a soft grin "I could tell you...but that would ruin the surprise." With that idea shot down; all everyone could do, after that was hope for the best.
But something in each of their bellies told them that at some point, things were going to get crazy.
(First AN: Good news is, our boys could become honest to goodness knights; something Pearl obviously finds appealing. The bad news is...they'll have to earn their knighthood; which is understandable. What sort of trials will our heroes face, will they be able to survive them...and whatever happened of the likes of Skeleton King and Cain earlier.
Find out next time, when the Contest of Champions begins.)
(Second AN: At the request of one of my reviewers, ages ago; I've decided to bring in Valerie, Dani and Lars into the fray. After suddenly disappearing in their worlds, one would expect them all to be trying to find them; am I right. In any case, what assistance will they provide for the events ahead...stay tuned.)
(Third AN: The event Danny describes that involves himself, Cujo and Valerie is a reference to the DP episode; Shades of Grey.)
(Fourth AN: As the Shadowmanes described, the rope they used to bind Moordryd and Fracshun was made of Mithril; which is a metal substance found within Tolkien's Lord of the Rings universe. This substance has also been referenced in other fantasy media as well. But in spite of this, I hold zero ownership on the name.)
(Final AN: Although Danielle/Dani is Danny Phantom/Fenton's clone and is later living under the alibi as being his cousin; from here on out, she will have a sort of sisterly role to him. This is something many Danny Phantom fans have done for years; which to be honest, makes much more sense than having Dani be his cousin.)