The Contest of Champions

by Alexpv22

Throughout the vast reaches of the multiverse, heroic champions are being summoned for an unknown purpose. Where will these champions arrive, who is calling out to them, what purpose do they have for them and most of all; will the champions work well together, upon meeting one another? All this and more will be answered, when the trials begin and the champions test their mettle

11. Chapter Eleven: The Test of Combat

The Test of Combat

Over the past day or so, news of the young heroes' upcoming trials spread like wildfire across the world (Gabriel's world that is.) From far and wide, all manner of peoples and creatures came to Overon to see these young outsiders test their mettle. During that time, each of the lads were prepping themselves for the trials ahead; being fitted in the proper armor and clothing for them.

"Uh...tell me again, Gabe" Danny murmured uneasily, "exactly, why do we need to wear this stuff for the first trial?" The other five heroes echoed the same inquiry, while also adding that it felt a little weird having armor on. "Do not worry, my friends" assured the Elf Prince, "this is simply for protection, should anything go...amiss during your first trial."

Upon hearing the word "protection," a fearful chill suddenly ran down the boys' collective spines; leading them to think they might be fighting someone soon (or something.) "Hearing you say that makes me think we could get hurt during these tests" Artha said with a nervous gulp, "but that won't happen...right?" For a moment or two, the elf prince didn't answer him; which made the boys feel all the more nervous.

"Nay, lads" King Thaylog said with a hearty chuckle, "none of you will get hurt...as long as you go through each trial carefully, think wisely and face the dangers ahead without fear." While the answer wasn't a straight one, something in the king's words helped put the boys' hearts at ease. "Just remember...the trials are not about winning or losing" Gabriel explained, "it's about testing your skills and getting though each of them together as one unit, like knights do on the battlefield."

After hearing the prince's explanation, the six lads agreed to watch each other's backs; if the need arose. "I just have to warn you guys, I often 'play hard'" Luffy stated, "so...if we have to fight anything, make sure not to get in my way." With sly grins slowly crossing their faces, the other five lads faced Luffy and responded with "I was going to say the same thing to you."

After that; Luffy shared a brief warrior-style forearm handshake with the others, while Steven simply exchanged a quick high-five with each of them. "I dunno about the rest of you" said the young gem/human hybrid, "but I'm...actually feeling kind of excited about what's going to happen soon." The other lads couldn't help but agree, some of them believing the experience might be fun in some way or form.

"That is the spirit, lads" chuckled Thaylog, "now...make your final preparations and meet us outside, the trials will begin shortly after." With that said, he and Gabriel were just about ready to leave them alone; when the prince suddenly gasped in sudden realization. "Oh...hang it all" he cried suddenly, "there is still one final thing that needs to be done."

Upon saying this, Gabriel clasped his hands over his mouth into what looked like a "prayer gesture" and began chanting softly in Elvish. Then, mere seconds after that, the tips of his fingers begin to glow; which makes the heroes feel quite concerned. Then, they watched as he approached them slowly while raising his hands up.

"Um...dude, what are you doing" murmured Beast Boy warily, "why are your fingers glowing like that?" Instead of answering him, Gabriel turned each of the boys around so that their necks were facing him. After that, he began tracing an odd symbol on each of them with his glowing fingertips.

Once finished, Gabriel backed away from them and blew on his hands lightly; which caused the odd glow to suddenly disappear. This same thing happened with the symbols on each of the boys' necks. With his task finished; Gabriel said his farewells to the heroes, wished them good fortune on their trials and proceeded to leave.

"Wait...what did you do just now" questioned Artha, "did you write some kind of words on our necks or something?" Gabriel nodded slightly and confessed that while it wasn't really any sort of "word" or series of words; he did indeed, draw something onto them. "All will become clear, gentlemen; when the first trial begins" he said reassuringly, "have patience until then."

After that, he proceeded his way out of the room; leaving the six young heroes behind to contemplate on what just happened.

(Line Break)

In time, everyone from around the world was escorted to a magnificent city; where they were soon being seated within a large arena. The structure itself reminded the Straw Hats of the Corrida Coliseum from Dressrosa, while the Titans and Team Phantom were reminded of the Roman Coliseum. Aside from them, everyone could see that the rows of seats were filling up with all manner of creatures; each of whom appearing eager for the coming spectacle.

On the far right side of the arena, in a spot that almost seemed to look like an ancient skybox; everyone could see the Shadowmane Family entering and taking their seats. There, they would be overlooking the entire event below. Approaching them from behind was a trio of centaurs; one that had the look of a middle-aged warrior king, the second being a female (possibly his queen) and the third, a youngling that looked almost seventeen.

The male had a mane of long grayish-white hair and a magnificent beard of the same color. He had piercing green eyes, sported a silver chest-plate over his human torso, his beard hair had been braided into a small decorative knot at the tip and had a pair of long, pointed ears on both sides of his head. The female centaur was a touch smaller in stature, compared to her husband.

But she also had the look of a warrior with her scimitar sword hanging behind her back, her strong hooves and though she was slightly shorter than her mate, Xanthia certainly didn't appear helpless. Her hair was like a sheet of gold that stretched halfway down her back, her eyes were as blue as the sea and like her king, the female's ears were also long and pointed. As for the young centaur, he was the same stature has his mother but had the same fierce look in his eyes that Zaid had.

But what made him stand out was the chest-plate armor he wore. In the sunlight, even where they sat; Nami could see its radiant gold shine. But while she was captivated by the lad's armor, others were drawn more to the young centaur himself. "What manner of organic creatures are they" Peridot murmured in confusion, "their top half is human...but they have the bottoms of those...horse things Garnet's Ruby side talks about."

After taking a moment to get over her initial excitement, Connie cleared her throat and made an attempt to explain what centaurs were to the Gems. But after hearing most of her words, they suddenly felt a shiver of uneasiness slither up their backs. "It is difficult enough to understand how Steven can exist as a hybrid" Yellow Diamond muttered, "but how is it possible for a human and horse hybrid to exist?!"

Upon hearing this, Nico Robin turned towards the trio and proclaimed she had seen far stranger things; during her time as part of Luffy's crew. Meanwhile, over at the "skybox" platform; both the centaur trio greeted the Shadowmanes fondly and laid themselves down comfortably beside Thaylog. Due to their horse half, sitting upon chairs was impossible.

Thus, they found comfort resting said half on a carpet spread across the floor. Upon taking one last overview of the attendance, Thaylog sensed that the time had come for the trials to begin. "FRIENDS, FAMILY, ALLIES OF ALL RACES AND VISITORS FROM BEYOND THIS REALM" Thaylog announced loudly, "I BID YOU WELCOME TO OUR FIRST EVER CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS!"

Everyone cheered wildly, after the elf king made his declaration; even the likes of the Fentons or Amethyst couldn't help but get into the spirit of things. "C'mon, boys; you can do it" Garnet shouted while waving a sign over her head, "we all believe in you!" Before long, nearly everyone else began to feel swept up in the excitement...save for a few of them.

"This is ridiculous, showing such behavior" White Diamond groaned, "I can never imagine acting this way around others; right Yellow, Blue?" Much to her surprise, the leading Diamond Matriarch did not receive a response to her inquiry. Just as she was about to speak again, her voice was then drowned out by the sudden and fierce cries of her fellow Diamonds.

"Come on, Steven" shouted Yellow, "show them what it means to be a Gem!" As for Blue; while her cheering wasn't quite as loud or boisterous, she still did her best to show her support for her little one. "You can do this, Steven" she cried with a smile, "just...be careful."

After everyone had their fill of cheering and shouting words of encouragement, the elder male centaur rose and gestured at the guards to sound off the fanfare; thus signaling the start of the trials. The troops followed suite and blew a soft yet powerful melody from their curved horns. When the horns stopped playing, seconds later; the male centaur approached the "skybox's" railing and saluted the crowd.

"To all new faces among us, I am Zaid, Aleph of the island nation of Zeru" he explained, "and on behalf of the Shadowmanes and my family; my mate, Xanthia and our son, Valerious...I bid you welcome to our island's Grand Arena!" After everyone had a moment to shout out words of thanks to him; Zaid called for silence, once again. "For centuries, this arena has the place where all members of our armies train to become great warriors" he said proudly, "and it is here where we shall bear witness the champions' first trial; the Test of Combat!"

As everyone broke out into a fit of cheers, the rest of our heroes found themselves confused by the title Zaid gave himself earlier. "What's an...aleph, exactly" questioned Connie, "is that some sort of chief or king?" Avery turned towards the young human and nodded slightly in response; explaining that while they did not have a "king," centaurs lived under the rule and protection of chieftains or "alephs" in their language.

"Zaid himself has ruled over his people for over five decades" Gabriel added, "but do not let his age fool you, he's still quite light on his hooves." Yellow suddenly found herself intrigued by the elf's words, wondering how he would fare against a Quartz or Agate Gem's abilities. But then, her train of thought halted; when she caught sight of the boys entering the arena.

The moment they walked out into the field, however; all the applause and cheering suddenly died down. This, as one might expect, seemed to confuse the lads' entourage; who believed the crowd wasn't being fair to their friends. "What's the matter with you people" Cyborg shouted, "show these guys some love, if y'all want to see some action!"

Alas, not one of the audience members answered his request; which made everyone feel quite concerned. That's when they heard it, all the whispers and speculations being passed about from person to person. "Is this some sort of crude jest" murmured a fairy floating behind Lapis, "the fat child looks too small to even lift a sword, let alone use one."

Almost immediately, the water gem knew that it was Steven the fairy was referring to; which caused her teeth to gnash tensely. Elsewhere, Lance could overhear some tribal people talking about his brother. "That lad is as scrawny as a tree branch" one of them chortled, "what chance does he think he has against the beast?"

Upon hearing mention of a "beast" being involved, Lance suddenly grew worried and was about to tell his father the news. When suddenly, a pair of centaur guards blew a loud trumpeting sound through some odd-looking curved horns. When they finally stopped, Zaid rose from his spot and called for attention.

"In battle or in life; a warrior must be brave, courageous and able to look into the eyes of Fear or Death and stand their ground" he proclaimed, "thus, for this first trial; these lads must test their mettle against one of the mightiest beasts in all the realms...the Gryphon." With that said, the door on the western side of the arena suddenly burst open and something soon came charging into the battlefield. It was a massive beast, one that (in the eyes of Greg and the Gems) appeared half as big as the Gem Temple back in Beach City with the body of a lion and the wings and head of a falcon.

The humans, the Monkey Team and even several of Danny's ghost allies stared at the creature in utter astonishment; while the Gemfolk either tilted their heads in confusion or came close to gagging. "What in the stars is that" the Rutile Twins said in unison, "we've never seen anything like it!" Upon hearing the question, Connie decided to help explain things to the Gems...once her excitement died down, of course.

"It's called a Gryphon" she said as calmly as possible, "it's considered to be one of the most famous of mythical creatures from my world." While they found her description to be moderately informative, the Gems (particularly the Diamonds) were rather put off by the creature's appearance. "The one half of it reminds me of Steven's lion" murmured Peridot uneasily, "but...why does it have the head and wings of a bird thing?"

Greg lightly chuckled at the Gem's demeanor and said that the history of griffins was too long to discuss, at the moment. "All I can say is if they're ever upset, Griffins can be pretty fierce" he stated, "we're talkin' Jasper levels of angry...but ten times worse here!" Upon hearing Mr. Universe description of the creature, a sense of worry soon washed over the Gems.

"Guys, don't worry so much" Tucker said confidently, "with all their weird powers working together, that thing won't stand a chance." After taking a moment to consider the young techno geek's words, everyone found themselves becoming a little more at ease and believed things might turn out okay. But then, they suddenly heard the boys shrieking in pain down below.

Using her spyglass, Nami took a look at them in the arena floor and saw the boys clutching at the back of their necks painfully. At the same time, she also noticed odd symbols glowing where their fingers were gripping. "What the...What's going on" she demanded, "what are those symbols and who put them there?!"

Not long after, a young lady was seen approaching the group and she greeted them all with a bow. "Greetings, outsiders and welcome to the Colosseum" she greeted kindly, "I am Elyon, Princess of Anon and Master Avery's wife." After a while, everyone greeted her with either a bow or a simple "hello;" with the exception of the Off Colors, who proceeded to ask Lars what a princess was.

"Well...Princesses are like royalty" he replied, "more specifically, they're the daughters of a king and queen or a young lady who later marries a prince within the family." After this explanation, Rhodonite questioned if she was part of Gabriel's family; considering that she was a princess. "Nay, noble being from the stars" she answered respectably, "I am from a human kingdom, Gabriel's kinfolk are Elves."

Without missing a beat, Amethyst scratched her head and murmured "ain't they the same thing...I mean, you're both organics." Before the conversation could go on much further, after that; Zoro cleared his throat loudly and tried to bring everyone's focus back towards the boys' trial. "Ah, yes; thank you for the reminder, sword-fighting human" White said appreciatively, "tell us...why are those symbols on their necks."

After taking a moment to consider her words, Princess Elyon explained that many creatures thought victory would come too easily; if the lads attempted to use their powers. "As such, Prince Gabriel had an idea" she stated, "those symbols on their necks are magical elven runes, which will temporarily cut off the champions' from using their powers." With that simple phrase, it felt as though everyone fell apart like glass statues.

"Are...you...SERIOUS" roared Nami, "how can they hope to last against that thing without any of their powers?!" With a small smile spreading 'cross her face, Princess Elyon said that was the exact point Gabriel was trying to make. "To prove to everyone here that they are worthy of knighthood, your comrades must succeed without the use of any of their abilities" she explained, "no shortcuts, no magic and now superhuman skills."

Despite the princess' informative explanation, it did little to shake away the fear they all harbored inside. "B-B-But...But Luffy's powers always helped him win in battle" Chopper whimpered, "without them, he could be killed!" No sooner had the little reindeer said this, some of the others began to fear the same thing.

However, only a select few chose to keep up their reserve; Antauri, Jazz, Nico Robin, Connor, Raven and Garnet. "How can you all be so calm about this" Moordryd shrieked, "even I don't want to see them get mauled!" Robin laughed softly in her throat and shook her head slightly at the young racer, telling him to watch the trial first before making assumptions.

Meanwhile, down below; the boys were about to find out the hard way that their powers were gone. "Okay, ya rat with wings" chuckled Danny, "time to ruffle your feathers." With that said, he raised his hands high and loudly shouted out three simple words; "I'M GOING GHOST!"

After a moment or two of standing still with his arms held high, the young teen was surprised to see that nothing had changed. Once more, he shouted out his famous battle cry and once more, nothing seemed to happen. "What's going on" he whispered, "why can't I go ghost?"

Upon seeing Danny struggling to summon his power, Luffy soon stepped forward and looked more than ready for a fight. With his left hand clenched tightly into a fist, he drew it back slightly; as if prepping for a punch. But then, as he moved it further back; he suddenly fell over onto the ground.

"What the...What the hell's going on" Luffy exclaimed, "my arms don't feel rubbery anymore!" One by one; the boys suddenly discovered, much to their horror, that they couldn't access any of their powers. This left them to wonder how they could possibly fight against the Gryphon.

At that moment, they suddenly heard several objects clattering behind them. The boys turned around and saw what looked like a pile of swords, spears, axes and shields on the ground. "Quickly, lads; arm yourselves" Valerious shouted from above, "the beast will soon be free of its binds!"

Curious, everyone took a look over at the Gryphon and saw that it was currently being held back by some kind of chain leash. This meant that very soon, it will break free and come straight for them. Without a moment's hesitation, they rushed over to the pile and collected their weapons.

Not long after that, the gryphon let out a powerful shriek while trying to pull itself free from its chain. With all the strength it could muster, the creature stomped forward slowly; causing the links of the leash to strain. After giving one last pull, the chain snapped off the wall and the gryphon was free.

For a brief moment, the boys stared at the beast with mixed looks of terror and wonderment. "That thing would be so cool...if it wasn't going to hurt us" thought Beast Boy, "how are we supposed to take it down without our powers?" Before he could think too much on the matter, the green changeling suddenly felt himself being tackled to the ground.

Upon recovering, Beast Boy saw that it was Steven who tackled him. "Dude, what is your deal" he grumbled, "didn't Gabe say we that we need to work together?!" In response, the young hybrid explained how the gryphon came close to attacking him.

But he managed to knock Beast Boy out of the way, just as it got within range of him. "Oh...heh-heh, right" Beast Boy chuckled sheepishly, "thanks for the save, dude." In response; Steven smiled, gave him a thumbs up and helped him off the sand. "No time to get chummy now, guys" shouted Danny from far away, "look alive!"

Just as he said this, the gryphon's eyes glared over in the ghost boy's direction and made another charge. This time however, he was ready to defend himself. Using the spear in his hands, he swept it across the floor; sending a cloud of sand into the air.

The particles flew into the gryphon's eyes, which left him momentarily blinded. This gave Artha the chance to signal the others to attack. "Luffy, go for the legs" he shouted, "once he's down, we can finish it!" This was the sort of thing the young pirate had been waiting for, from the moment they armored up.

Without pause, he hurried over to the pile and collected a sword and a shield. Then, he rushed toward the gryphon from the rear; poised to slice his sword into its back left ankle. But alas; the moment he delivered the blow, the blade barely nicked at its skin.

Without his enhanced strength, he could only leave a tiny scar on the gryphon's ankle; which looked more like a paper cut, to a creature of such size. "Man, if I still had my powers; this would be over by now" Luffy groaned in his head, "guess I gotta find another way to take it down a notch!"

(Some time later)

An hour had passed since the trial started and miraculously enough, the boys were still hanging in strong. At the same time, though; they were barely able to land a hard blow to the gryphon. While Danny's earlier sand attack provided a momentary distraction, he knew the creature would be onto him now; if he tried it a second time.

Meanwhile, Artha and Luffy attempted to use their spears to prod at it; hoping that they'd be able to pierce through its fur. But unfortunately, they could soon feel their bodies wearing out from all the dodging and fighting they've done earlier. "Guys, I've got an idea" Chiro said suddenly, "could any of you give me a lift, I wanna see if I can get on its back!"

While the others were understandably confused by his notion, Chiro assured them that he had an idea. "Okay, dude; we'll trust you" Danny murmured with a wary tone, "I just hope you know what you're doing." With that said; he, Artha and Luffy stood together in a line and formed a sort of ramp with their shields.

After taking a moment to collect his nerves, he ran forward as fast as he could up the "ramp" and made a desperate leap into the air. Jinmay and the Hyperforce watched with bated breath, as their friend hovered slightly in midair. Then, Chiro landed safely yet unceremoniously onto the gryphon's back.

"Okay, birdbrain" he growled softly, "you're about to feel a little pain in your neck...and I mean that literally!" With that said, Chiro made his way over towards the gryphon's neck; all while drawing out his sword. But just as the lad came within an arm's reach of "victory," the gryphon suddenly looked over its shoulder and spotted Chiro with sword in hand.

Alarmed by this sight, the creature started bouncing and bucking madly; desperate to through Chiro off. After a few moments of being flailed about, the poor lad was sent flying towards the eastern wall of the arena. But then, at the second to last moment; Steven caught him in his arms and they landed back on the sand.

"Thanks for the save" coughed Chiro softly, "got any ideas on how to take this thing down?" For a moment or two, Steven didn't answer; he simply stared at the gryphon with a rather confused stare. After not receiving an answer from him for what felt like ages, Chiro snapped Steven out of his daze and asked if he was okay.

"I am...it's just...I really haven't been thinking about killing the Gryphon" murmured Steven, "and neither has Beast Boy, if you can believe it." To say that this response both surprised and confused Chiro would be a gross understatement. "Danny, Luffy and Artha gave us the same look earlier" Steven said with a light chuckle, "but trust us, we know what we're doing."

At the same time, over on the other side of the arena; Beast Boy was giving a similar explanation to Danny, Luffy and Artha. "Think about it, guys" he began, "he's been swiping at us and charging at us all this time...but have we yet to see the critter fly out of here yet?" Upon hearing this suggestion, everyone turned towards the gryphon and noticed something...rather odd about its wings.

Anytime it tried to spread them open and attempt to fly, the gryphon's wings would suddenly tense up; causing the creature to wail painfully. It was then that they all realized the truth; somehow, the gryphon's wings were hurt. Upon coming to this realization, Beast Boy and Steven proclaimed that they had to help it; no matter the risks.

"You think I've got scales for brains" cried Artha, "that thing wants to eat us, it doesn't want our help." Not long after, Danny and Luffy made similar statements to their young comrade; proclaiming that any attempt they would make to try and help the gryphon would be too risky. "The last time I checked, we were all heroes" Steven said coyly, "which means taking risks is supposed to be all part of our jobs...right?"

For a moment or two, the boys on both sides tried to offer up some sort of rebuttal to Beast Boy and Steven's argument. But after a while, they couldn't find any real big flaws in their logic; save for one thing. "Okay...we'll go along with your plan" Danny told Steven, "but we'll still have to restrain it, somehow; in order for it to work."

The moment this was brought up, Danny was suddenly struck by inspiration. "THE CHAIN...Quick, go grab the chain" he exclaimed, "we can tie it around the gryphon's legs and give you two time to do your thing!" Both sides of the arena thought this plan over carefully and realized that, while a long-shot, it was one worth trying.

After that, Luffy and Artha grabbed both ends of the broken chain and rushed towards the other side of the arena. Back over with Chiro and Steven, they held up their shields and charged the gryphon; hoping to drive it backwards and into their trap. Coincidentally, their plan seemed to work; as the gryphon suddenly started scuttling backwards in alarm.

After waiting anxiously for what felt like ages, the creature was soon within range; which gave Beast Boy, Artha, Luffy and Danny the chance to do their part. With the chain hanging in each of their arms, they rushed forward and began to run it about and around all four of the gryphon's legs. Up in the stands, everyone watched the scene unfold with a mix of confusion and anxiety.

"Just what the hell are they doing" cried Usopp with worry, "they're supposed to be defeating that beast, not playing with it!" While he didn't quite approve of the pirate's choice in language, Lars still found himself developing the same concerns. It was then that he remembered Garnet's "Future Vision" that Steven told him about and he quickly asked her if they'd turn out okay.

"That...I'm afraid I cannot answer" said the permafusion, "their plan is so...what is the phrase, out there that I can't tell if it will succeed or not in the end." This statement left everyone feeling more confused and anxious than before. Then, everyone watched in shock as the gryphon suddenly fell onto its side.

It was then that everyone noticed the chain wrapped around its ankles and paws. "They did it" Zoro murmured in disbelief while smiling, "those goofballs actually did it." For a brief moment, everyone began to think that the whole thing was just about over.

"I would not rest on your collective laurels just yet, everyone" said Queen Elbenor, "the beast may be down...but it is not out." Everyone groaned softly in reply, knowing that the queen spoke the truth...but were wishing she didn't. Now, everyone watched to see what the boys would do next.

(Line Break)

Back down in the arena floor, the gryphon was viciously flailing and tumbling about; desperate to break itself free from its bind. The whole time this was going on, Beast Boy and Steven were seen standing in place; as if contemplating something. "YO, GUYS" Amethyst shouted from her seat, "YOU GOT A PLAN OR ARE YOU GONNA JUST STAND THERE?!"

Steven let out a soft groan and demanded that his gem friend remain quiet so that he could think. Shocked by this mild outburst, Amethyst let out a sigh and agreed to hold her tongue...for now. "Okay, we've got our 'friend' here under wraps for the moment" Steven muttered, "now, what do we do?"

Instead of responding, Beast Boy chose to approach the beast as cautiously as he could. When the gryphon saw the green boy coming, it cawed shrilly and snapped its beak at him; eager to claim BB as his meal. But with his paws currently bound together, it could barely reach close enough to even nip at one of his arms.

Sensing that the creature's hostility was growing, Beast Boy decided to put his part of the plan into action. "Okay, two quick questions" he said suddenly, "one, are any of you guys musicians and two, does anyone in the audience have some instruments we can use...like a harp or a fiddle or something?" As if on cue, this request was met with an immediate negative from the crowd...save for a few people.

"If it is a musician you seek, I'm your skeleton man" proclaimed Brook, "my sweet melodies are enough to make my own eyes well up with tears...except I don't really have eyes. YOHOHOHOHOHO!" After taking a moment to have his laugh, Brook reached into his shirt and drew out his fiddle. Meanwhile, Pearl took a moment to focus and suddenly summoned an object from out of her gemstone.

Said object appeared to be a backpack of some kind...but it was in the likeness of a cheeseburger. "Is that a...cheeseburger bag" murmured Luffy inquisitively, "that is...COOOOL!" The others couldn't help but agree, while Steven found himself staring in confusion at the item.

Pearl took notice of this and chuckled uneasily at her charge. "Heh-heh...I know you told us you outgrew your childhood things, Steven" she chuckled nervously, "but we...and by we, I mean I...just couldn't let it go." She then went on to explain just how eager Steven once was to obtain it and how it had become an important tool in his life, over the years; on and off the battlefield.

"Even though you've given it up, right now; I...wanted to keep it close" Pearl stated, "in case you ever changed your mind." For a brief moment, Steven didn't answer his guardian; which led the Gems into thinking he might be upset. But then, this moment of silence was broken by the sound of metal scraping against sand.

"Um, guys...I don't want to sound impatient here" Danny said while trying to keep the gryphon down, "but if you all happen to have a plan, YOU BETTER GET MOVING!" Realizing that they were pressed for time, Steven shook off his earlier shock and immediately asked for something from his backpack; his old ukulele. "It's right inside, Steven" Pearl said as she pulled out the aforementioned instrument, "catch!"

Thinking quickly, the lad leapt into the air and snatched up the ukulele in his arms. After that, Thaylog handed Beast Boy a harp; after making sure to tune it. "What do you plan to do with that, B" shouted Cyborg, "do ya even know how to play?"

Rather than answer his best friend and teammate, Beast Boy's eyes darted between Steven and Brook for several moments. "Okay, before we do this; I've got one question for the two of you" he asked, "do either of you know...The Littlest Lamb?" Upon hearing this inquiry, Connie and Jazz suddenly gasped with shock.

"I know that one" cried Jazz, "Mom used to sing that song to Danny and I when we were little...back before Ghost Hunting took over their lives." Connie echoed the same reply (save for the ghost hunting part,) adding that her grandmother once sang it to her when she was little. "Nice to hear that, ladies" Beast Boy said with pride, "then...I need you to share the music keys with our musicians here; while Steven and I sing to the gryphon."

After this, he approached the young half-gem teen and began whispering something into his ear. When he finally stopped, seconds later, he gave Steven a look that seemed to ask "can I count on your help?" After taking a moment to consider the plan; Steven smiled at him, gave Beast Boy a light nod and held up his ukulele.

"I don't mind helping these boys out" Brook thought, "I just wish we knew the tune for this...Littlest Lamb song of theirs." Then, all of a sudden; several small orbs of light appeared in front of Brook, Steven and Beast Boy. Then, just as quickly as they appeared; these orbs took on the form of music sheets.

Much to the boys' delight, these had all the notes and keys the song contained. "You're welcome, boys" a voice called out from the stands, "you can repay me by winning this trial!" While still keeping hold of the beast, Danny looked towards the stands and saw Desiree waving at them.

"So, that's how those music sheets suddenly appeared" the ghost boy thought with a chuckle, "not that I'm complaining...but I'm going to have to ask her how she's able to suddenly hear people thinking of a wish." Just as he was getting lost in his thoughts, Danny's arms suddenly jerked forward; which meant that the gryphon was trying to break free again. "Okay, guys" he groaned while trying to keep hold of the chain, "now's as good a time as any to show us your idea!"

As if on cue, the gryphon finally broke free of its binds and bellowed out a noise that sounded like a combination lion's roar and eagle shriek. Afterwards, he stomped over at the heroes; ready to take them down. The moment the beast came within range, Beast Boy let out a shrill whistle; which signaled everyone to play their instruments.

"You heard him, everyone" Brook shouted, "time to play like you've never done so before!" With that command, every musician on call began to play the melody on their sheets; leaving Beast Boy and Steven readied their voices for the song.

Within seconds, everyone could hear the soft chimes of Beast Boy's harp; which immediately caught the gryphon by surprise. After that, he and Steven smiled up at the beast and began their song.

(Beast Boy)

You are still awake and it's half past your bedtime
The sandman had a date he didn't keep.
But when the lambs commence,
to jump across the fence,
We'll count them all until you fall asleep...

(Brook plays his Violin while Steven begins his section of the song. Then, he starts singing the next verse while also playing his ukulele)

The first little lamb jumped over the fence,
and was off to the land of nod.
The second and third were close behind,
like three little peas in a pod.

(Beast Boy)

The fourth little lamb was too chubby to jump,
he crawled under instead.
The fifth little lamb wasn't there at all,
he must have stayed home in bed.

(Beast Boy + Steven)

Number six jumped around as confused as could be,
he didn't know where he had been.
He jumped over that's true, but before he was through,
he jumped over, jumped back, and jumped over again.

(Beast Boy)

The next little lamb, was the littlest lamb,
too little for such a big leap.

(Steven)

Though he tried like a scout,

(Beast Boy)

He soon tuckered out,

(Beast Boy + Steven)

and the littlest lamb was asleep.
The littlest lamb is asleep.

When the song eventually came to its end and the music died down, the boys looked towards the gryphon and were surprised to see that it looked rather calm. Meanwhile, their companions and everyone in the stands suddenly found themselves wailing loudly. At first, Steven presumed that this was the work of Blue Diamond's powers.

But then, he was surprised to see that there was no sign of Blue's aura in the area; which meant that everyone had genuinely been brought to tears. "T-T-That...That was the most...beautiful song I have ever heard" murmured Starfire, "I did not know Friend Beast Boy had such a talent for singing." The other Titans couldn't help but agree, including Raven; who was desperately trying to hold back her own tears.

In the other stands, everyone else felt equally moved by the two lads' performance. "That was beautiful...just lovely" sniffled White, "but why did they do that?" It was here that Connie chose to bring up an olde human saying, "music has charms to soothe a savage beast." "Translation; sometimes, music can bring even the toughest of people to tears" Greg surmised, "I mean...just look at Yellow and Zoro."

Upon hearing their names, the individuals in question tried desperately to form up a stern reserve. "We were not cryin'" Zoro insisted, "I just...I just had an itch in my eye, alright?" Yellow herself tried to come up with a similar excuse, proclaiming that the sun had glared into her eyes.

But alas, no one believed any of their claims; which left Yellow and Zoro cornered. "It's quite alright, My Diamond" Peridot murmured while wiping her eyes, "there is no shame in crying, when something touches your heart...that is something Steven taught me, long ago." Yellow Diamond took a moment to take these words to heart.

Then, after a while; she smiled and allowed a few small tears to trickle down her cheeks. Then, the crowd cried out in alarm; as Beast Boy and Steven began to approach the gryphon. Upon seeing their approach, the beast hissed softly and prepared to swipe at them with its paw.

"WHOA! Easy there, pal...easy does it" BB said in a hushed tone, "we're not gonna hurt ya...we're buddies." Not long after that, Steven made a similar statement; hoping that their combined show of kindness will help calm the beast down. "That's right" he whispered, "we're not gonna hurt you, we wanna help you."

At first, the gryphon just stared at them oddly; thinking they were just lulling it into a false sense of security. With this thought in mind, the gryphon tried to make an attempt to move away from them. But as it tried to move its wings, the beast let out a shrill cry of anguish.

Not long after, all eyes fell upon the creature and they could clearly see both of its wings twitching painfully. "Just as I suspected" Beast Boy said confidently, "seems Big Bird here's got a wing injury...which explains why it never flew after us during this whole thing." The moment this bit of information was revealed, Moordryd decided to share some of his "support" for them.

"This is your best chance, guys" he shouted, "take that thing down now!" Not long after that; Yellow Diamond, Zoro, Chopper and even Nami began saying the same thing. But much to everyone's surprise, the boys just outright ignored them and kept their focus squarely on the gryphon. "Don't worry, pal; we're gonna help you out" Steven said reassuringly, "we're just gonna take a quick peek at your wing first."

After that, both boys asked the gryphon to raise one of its wings up slightly; just enough for them to get a good look underneath. At first, the creature did not comply due to not wanting to feel the pain it suffered earlier. But when it saw the sincere look on the two humans' faces, the gryphon knew they meant well and fulfilled their request.

Slowly but surely, the gryphon raised its wing up just enough to show them the underside. In no less than five seconds, Beast Boy and Steven could clearly see something protruding out of its feathers. Though small, they could see that it was a thorn of some kind.

"Could you do us a favor, pal" Beast Boy asked the gryphon, "could you lower your wing down to us for a sec." After giving a soft chirp in reply, the gryphon slowly eased its wing down towards the boys. In no time, they could now see what it was that made the creature so frustrated.

Somehow, a thorn-covered vine found itself tangled up around the gryphon's wing; which understandably so, caused the poor creature a great deal of pain. Thinking quickly, the boys collected their swords from off the arena floor and made their way back towards the gryphon. "Don't worry, buddy; we're not gonna hurt ya" Beast Boy said reassuringly, "we're just gonna use these to cut off that nasty vine out for ya."

Steven nodded in agreement and offered up the same words of kindness, while also giving one of the creature's paws a light and friendly pet. Upon sensing their intentions, the gryphon lowered its wing down towards them and urged the boys to go to work. For several moments, Beast Boy cut up several fragments of the vine; while Steven did his best to gently pull each thorn out of the gryphon's feathers.

The whole process itself lasted almost seven minutes but in the end, it was worth it. Soon, the boys tossed aside the last strands of the vine and left the tips of the thorns spread out around the ground. "There we go...now, to help it heal" Steven stated, "if the Prince will allow me, of course."

Gabriel smiled knowingly at the lad, as if sensing what he was asking for and decided to grant him permission to use his power for this one thing. With a snap of his fingers, the glowing rune on Steven's neck faded slightly; which was the only signal the lad needed to proceed. He took hold of the gryphon's wing at the tip, smiled and gave it a light kiss; which then caused a strange pink light to flow through the creature.

For a few seconds; this sensation felt odd, at first and the gryphon wondered just what the little human had done. Then, it looked down and saw the boys flapping their arms slightly; which seemed to be the gesture for flying. After a moment of hesitation, the gryphon slowly raised its wings and...nothing happened.

There was no sharp jolt of pain, no tense feeling in its wing bones and the wing seemed to move more fluidly than ever; after the gryphon gave it a few good flaps. Then, the gryphon let out a shrill shriek and scooped up the six lads into its paw; shocking everyone. "OH, MY STARS! IT'S ATTACKING THEM" cried Yellow, "I KNEW THEY SHOULD'VE PUT THAT THING OUT OF ITS MISERY EARLIER!"

After this, she and several others felt tempted to storm the arena and "rescue" the boys; especially after they suddenly heard them screaming. But then, Nova called for their attention and showed them a surprising sight. "Guys...that thing isn't hurting the boys" she exclaimed, "it's...licking them!"

Confused by this reveal, everyone did their darndest to take a closer look at the scene below. Surely enough; just as Nova described, the boys were laughing hysterically while the gryphon showered them with quick yet affectionate licks of gratitude. "Aww! Your just a sweet widdle birdie, aren't you" cooed Beast Boy, "you weren't bad, you just needed a little TLC."

Meanwhile, Steven simply scratched the gryphon behind the ears in a playful manner between giggles; while the other boys simply laughed merrily at their success. "I can't believe that all worked" Danny said between chuckles, "h-how...how'd you know that the gryphon was hurt, guys?" Once the gryphon released its newfound friends; Beast Boy explained that he saw his parents do similar things, whenever they came across an injured animal.

"My folks were biologists, back in the day" he explained, "I used to see them helping all kinds of animals, even predators." Steven and Luffy couldn't help but tell BB how "lucky" he was to see wildlife like that at such a young age. "When I was little, big critters like our gryphon friend here used to spook me all the time" BB chuckled sheepishly, "but my mom...she used to say that sometimes, it's important to show just a little kindness unto others...even beasts that might appear ferocious."

The moment he said these words, Steven suddenly felt his heart ache slightly and he didn't know why. "Huh...funny" he murmured, "that sounds like something that my mom would say...at least, that's what the Crystal Gems and my dad would tell me." Upon hearing his statement; Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl suddenly felt shivers of guilt run through them.

It pained them dearly to see their young friend and confidant still feel so uncertain about his feelings towards his mother. At the same time, the Diamonds also felt conflicted over such words; despite doing their best to appear stoic on the surface. Throughout their long existence, they always believed that things like kindness and love were signs of weakness.

But this instance was but one of several other occasions where their worldview had been proven wrong. "Perhaps, Steven could teach us a little more on matters of...'kindness'" murmured Blue, "if it's capable of achieving what we've witnessed just now, it's perhaps a force more powerful than even our combined powers." After hearing her say this, Peridot took a leap of faith and told the Diamond Trio that Blue's speculations were true.

"I have witnessed Steven's goodwill change the hearts of many Gems" she proclaimed, "yours being among such examples." The Diamonds suddenly felt a soft blush slightly forming on their cheeks, which was all everyone needed to know that Peri had been telling the truth. "I've even seen my captains own kindness work wonders myself" Sanji stated, "thanks to his and Usopp's efforts, we now have our own armada consisting of several thousand pirate warriors."

All around him, those who sat beside the young chef gasped in awe at the tale. Meanwhile, Moordryd and Robin (the Boy Wonder) was expecting the boys to finish the gryphon off. What they saw instead was them petting the creature on its head and proclaim "BIG BIRD'S GONNA BE OKAY, FOLKS!"

This declaration caused everyone to erupt into a wild fit of cheers. At the same time, the Shadowmanes and Zaid couldn't help but chuckle proudly at the boys' success. "But Father...I do not understand" murmured Valerious, "is this not a Test of Combat, why do they not vanquish the beast?" Xanthia took note of her son's confusion and said that sometimes, showing mercy towards one's opponent in battle takes as much strength as it did to kill them.

"Your mother speaks the truth, Son" Zaid stated, "it is as our ancestors once said, an open mind is infinitely more powerful than a closed fist." The young centaur considered both of his parents' words and smiled at them, now fully understanding the true nature of the lads' victory. At that moment, Zaid saw Thaylog beckoning to him and he quickly rose up from his spot on the carpet.

Afterwards, he took his place beside the elf king and called for the crowd's attention. "The first trial is done" they proclaimed in unison, "thus, we shall now proceed to the second trial immediately." Everyone nodded/murmured in understanding and proceeded to leave the arena.

When suddenly, there came the sound of a loud gurgling noise echoing through the air. At first, everyone believed it was the gryphon making a sneak attack on the boys. But when they looked down at the arena floor, they could see Luffy clutching at his belly while moaning.

"Oh, jeez; looks like our captain's worked up an appetite...again" Nami chuckled while rolling her eyes, "mind if we take five first before we move on." At first, not one of the mystical creatures present knew what "take five" meant; believing that the young lass was asking for some coin. But then, Raven interjected and asked more clearly "mind if we take a quick break before we move on."

There was a light murmur of understanding from the crowd, followed by the Shadowmanes happily granting the lads permission for a brief respite. "Once you've replenished yourselves, we can proceed on to the next trial" Donella stated, "so...be ready." With that said, King Thaylog asked for some of the centaur guards to bring some of their finest cheeses and wine for the boys.

"Uh...do you have any apple juice instead" requested Steven, "I'm not much of a wine drinker." Gabriel chuckled lightly at him and offered up the next best thing to his request, sweet (non-alcoholic) apple cider. Almost immediately accepted the offer and began sampling the beverage.

"Use this time to refresh yourselves, gents" chuckled Gabriel, "for you will need it; once we begin the next trial."

(First AN: The first trial is finished and our heroes have emerged victorious. But there are still five others left to face. Will our boys be met with the same luck they had here?

Find out next time when the Contest of Champions continues.)

(Second AN: The song Beast Boy and Steven sing to the gryphon is from the Flintstones episode, Ann Margrock Presents. It's one of my favorite lullabies and to this day; it's able to bring me, a thirty-four year old man, to tears. Regardless, I hold no ownership of the song.

That falls under the full authority of Hanna-Barbara and Cartoon Network. I just thought it would be the perfect song for the boys to sing to the gryphon. For those of you who haven't heard it before, I recommend looking it up...just remember to have tissues on standby.)

(Third AN: Just as BB said; both of his folks were, indeed biologists and he often got to go with them on their travels. This will become an important plot element, in a later chapter...but I won't say when that will happen.)

(Fourth AN: The whole thing Pearl was saying about Steven giving up his famous Cheeseburger Backpack is in reference to the SU: Future episode "Snow Day." Even though in said episode, he claimed to have given it up; Pearl chooses to keep it around...for just such an emergency. Besides, it's an important part of his life and image.

You can't just toss something like that away like it meant nothing, am I right?)

(Final AN: Despite the trial's name, the Test of Combat wasn't about fighting; it was meant to test the boys skills, resolve and their abilities to think up a plan while under attack. Any warrior who can do all this while in the middle of a battle certainly has the worth of being called such.)