The Test of Agility
After a good rest and a well-earned meal, our champions-to-be were re-energized and ready to begin the next round of the contest. At the same time, however; they prayed that the next trial would involve doing something simpler (if not less strenuous as the previous two.) Going up against a Gryphon was difficult enough but climbing a mountain was much worse, even for them.
In time; everyone was brought to another part of this realm, far off in the east. Upon their arrival, everyone stared in awe at the scenery around them. At first glance, many of the heroes from Earth believed they were in some sort of ancient Asian environment.
But as strange as it seemed, it all looked like a blending of several different varieties of that culture; from Chinese to Japanese. This was seen in the architecture of the buildings, the attire the people wore and Danny swore that the soldiers' armor looked nearly identical to that of Samurai troops. But there were others, like the Gems and Artha's group, who were not so familiar with all this.
"Welcome, friends to Yowsand Sahsun...or Sahsun for short" Gabriel declared, "it is the golden city of Toor Lumnaar." Unsurprisingly, this announcement was only met with silence. At the same time, Gabriel also noticed blank looks of confusion on everyone's faces.
"Ah...of course, you are not quite familiar with this side of the realm yet" he chuckled sheepishly, "'Toor Lumnaar' is Inferno Valley, in the Dragon's Tongue and 'Yowsand Sahsun' roughly translates to 'Village of the Lotus.'" There was a light murmur of understanding from the crowd, after hearing this explanation. But some, like Peridot or Sparx, wondered why Gabriel didn't speak plainly before.
"They're right" murmured Jack Fenton, "what's with the fancy lingo, couldn't you have told us the name of this place in plain English?" King Thaylog only smiled at him and said what his people called "English," those of his and his family's home world call the "Common Tongue." "It is but one of countless other languages spoken in this realm" Donella stated, "these include Elvish, Dwarvish, the languages of the fae folk and scores of others."
Upon hearing of all these different languages and the mention of the "Dragon's Tongue earlier, everyone tilted their collective heads in confusion; even Lion and the Penn Team's dragons. "Are you saying those winged, scaly beasts have their own language" inquired Yellow Diamond, "how...they are what humans call 'animals," are they not?" No sooner had she said this, something flew overhead of them.
Right away, everyone could tell it was a dragon flying...and a rather large one at that. But as it descended, they could see it was the same golden one they saw at the Shadowmanes' palace. "What's he doing here" Luffy asked with a light scowl, "don't tell me we've gotta fight a dragon next!"
The moment Luffy said this, Gabriel warned him and the other heroes not to consider such actions. "Many of these eastern lands are home to the Dragoon people" he explained, "in their society, dragons are sacred creatures and attacking one without cause is a criminal offense." This bit of information caused everyone to tense up, while Luffy still remained in fighting position; in case the dragon chose to attack.
When it finally landed upon the grass; the dragon turned towards the crowd, gazed intently at them with its piercing eyes...and bowed its head in greeting. Then, much to everyone's confusion; it suddenly cocooned itself with its wings. This caused Gabriel to bounce excitedly with anticipation.
"Watch closely, everyone" he squealed with delight, "you're about to see one of the most wondrous things in any realm." Before anyone could question him on his words, a bright light suddenly blinded them. "What the hell is going on" groaned Zoro, "where is that light coming from?"
Everyone else muttered the same question (but without the included vulgarity;) all while shielding their eyes as best as they could. Meanwhile, Garnet appeared relatively unfazed by the light; presumably thanks to her visor. "Garnet...what's going on" Pearl asked in a strained tone, "what's happening with to the creature?!"
For a moment or two, the permafusion said nothing; her mind was too awestruck to think up any response. Finally, after letting out a soft yet strangled gasp; she said only two words, "it's...beautiful." For several moments, the dragon's body continued glowing beneath its wings.
Then, all of a sudden; its form began to suddenly shrink down until it was tall as Jack Fenton. At the same time, the glowing form began to change shape. Its wings slowly drew into the creature's back, it's scaly paws became flesh and everyone swore they could hear what sounded like a human moaning softly.
When the glowing ceased, the dragon no longer stood before our heroes. Instead, they saw what looked like an old man in front of them. He was dressed in a white and gold robe (which seemed to resemble a royal kimono,) he had long golden hair tied up into a ponytail, sported a rather unique looking beard upon his chin and though he appeared middle-aged, his body was quite tone.
But perhaps, the man's most noticeable feature was the mark over his right eye. Upon examination, everyone realized it resembled the shape of a crescent moon. After taking a moment to stretch himself, the stranger noticed everyone staring at him and smiled.
"I trust you find me less...intimidating, now" he asked with a light chuckle, "I felt that assuming my human form was the more appropriate choice for this meeting." No sooner had they heard this remark, everyone snapped out of their state of shock. But at the same time, it did little to ease their confusion.
"Okay...two questions" Cyborg interjected, "one, how did you do that and two...HOW THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT?!" Rather than answer him immediately, the strange old man softly glared at Cyborg and urged him to watch his language. "Good Sir...may I remind you that there are children present" he said firmly while gesturing at the likes of Dani, Lance and Peridot; "there is no need for such coarse language!"
Upon being called a "child," the wee green gem puffed out her cheeks in frustration and proclaimed "I'M OVER HUNDREDS OF YEARS OLD, YOU CLOD" she shrieked, "I AM NOT AN UNDER-AGED LIFE-FORM!" You would think such an outburst would have offended the stranger, yes? Well, as astonishing as it sounds; he simply stared at Peridot for a few moments and then...he let out a hearty laugh.
"I see...my sincerest apologies" he stated, "I meant no disrespect with my earlier statement, Lady Peridot." The moment she heard the stranger mention her by name, the aforementioned Gem was prepared to question how he knew it. But then, she remembered the log of Steven's history earlier; which led her to presume that he may have learned about her from that.
Meanwhile, the rest of her friends were rather surprised by this declaration and demanded answers from the stranger. "How could an organic creature be capable of shape-shifting" questioned Blue Diamond, "what are you...who are you?" The stranger smiled up at the maiden and decided to introduce himself properly.
"In this realm, I go by many names" he declared, "some call me the Great Dragon, others know me as 'The Golden Protector' but all of you may address me as...Moonscar." The moment he announced his name, the sunlight seemed to shine off the mark upon Moonscar's face. But all too quickly; this announcement was met with the sounds of wild, uproarious laughter.
The Shadowmanes turned around to find the likes of Cyborg, Usopp, Brook, Amethyst, Bismuth, Otto, Moordryd, Tucker, Lance, Peridot and even Yellow Diamond guffawing loudly. "Okay, is all that really necessary" Nami groaned while shaking her head, "what exactly is so funny here?" Alas; the group were so deep into their laughter, none of them heard Nami's inquiry.
"Sorry, Nami...sorry" Sanji said while struggling to suppress a laugh, "it's just...'Moonscar,' what kind of dumb name is Moon..." Before he could finish his sentence, the young chef's head was suddenly engulfed by a blast of ashy smoke; which left his hair and face coated in soot. Not long after, everyone saw wisps of that same smoke seeping out of Moonscar's nostrils.
Upon seeing this and the annoyed look upon the man's face, everyone put two and two together and decided to hold their tongues from then on. However, when Beau caught sight of Moonscar's mark; he began to approach him. The moment the dragon started easing his snout towards Moonscar, Team Penn took action.
"NO, BEAU...bad boy" Artha said scoldingly while pulling his dragon's tail, "we don't invade peoples personal space like that!" Not long after this was said, Lion purred softly and pointed one of his front paws towards Moonscar. "I think he was fascinated by his...unique birthmark" he stated, "but aren't they supposed to be on the body and not the face?"
For a moment or so, Moonscar said nothing in response; which led Steven to believe Lion may have offended him. "Don't fret, child" the old man assured, "your beast did not upset me, I just...I often feel great sorrow whenever I think back to how I earned my mark." Feeling both confused yet intrigued by this statement, everyone politely inquired to know more on the matter.
Though he hesitated, at first; Moonscar inwardly agreed that sharing the history of his inner turmoil was healthy. Furthermore, if these outsiders were to trust the likes of him; there had to be no secrets. It was then that Gabriel approached our heroes and urged them to take a seat somewhere.
"We have some...how you say, time to kill before the next trial begins" he stated, "besides; my son, Avery told me of this tale after his first meeting with Moonscar...tis time I've heard it from the source myself." With that said, everyone sat themselves comfortably on the grass and waited for Moonscar to begin his story.
(Line Break)
Twenty minutes had passed and by now, everyone appeared to be shivering. At the same time, Moonscar sat hunched over on his spot; a look of sorrow hanging grimly upon his face. "And as I took flight into the air, holding my mate's eggs tightly within my talons; I flew with a heavy heart" he murmured, "for I knew that no matter how far I might travel or how much time may pass, the sounds of my mate's last dying screams would forever echo through my mind."
That was it; after that final statement, every one of the Champions-to-be and those who were beside them instantly burst into tears of sorrow. "WAH-HA-HA-HA" wailed Peridot and Chopper while holding each other, "THAT'S THE SADDEST STORY...W-W-WE EVER H-HEARD!" At the same time, the adults found it difficult to keep strong as well; despite several of them struggling to appear firm and strong.
Greg was drying his tears with his shirt, Jack and Maddie Fenton were blowing each other's noses, the Diamonds held each other close while they wept and Connor's own stoic demeanor was beginning to crack as well. But then, he found just enough strength within himself to slightly regain his composure...even for a brief moment. "You all have every right to cry" the eldest Penn murmured gruffly "what they did to you, Moonscar is...is just absolutely criminal."
After taking a moment to shed a few tears of his own, Gabriel approached his old friend and embraced him tenderly; apologizing for not knowing of his loss so long ago. "I greatly appreciate your empathy, everyone...but do not despair" Moonscar said with a small smile, "there is a silver lining to this dark tale." The moment this was said, everyone suddenly stopped crying and began to surround the elf prince; all while urging him and Moonscar to reveal more.
"We will both tell you everything" the old man chuckled softly, "but first, you must give the prince room to breathe." After hearing this request, everyone realized they were crowding Gabriel and quickly backed away. He thanked them all for doing this and proceeded to delve into his first tale.
"Seeing as we are pressed for time, I will make this brief" Gabriel stated, "long after his mate was slain, Moonscar was alone; flying aimlessly about the realm with no true destination in mind." These words suddenly caused Steven to clutch at his chest lightly. Somehow, deep down; he could feel some small connection between his own struggles and Moonscar's.
"Then, one day; he overheard the sounds of someone crying out in distress" Gabriel said with gusto, "he looked down and saw someone being pursued by a group of Orcs." This reveal caused several people within the crowd to tilt their heads in confusion. Now, some like Sam and the Titans (specifically Raven) were familiar with what the orcs were.
But everyone else stared at the Gabriel and questioned whether or not he was "making things up;" as Amethyst claimed. "I can assure you, my Son speaks the truth" Thaylog stated, "Orcs are a breed of demonic subhuman creatures born from the Demon Realm (or as it's also known, the Netherworld) and they are not to be trifled with." After taking a moment to concentrate, Queen Elbenor used her magic to summon light images of what orcs were known to look like.
Upon seeing the creatures' fangs protruding out from their lower jaws, discolored skin, shaggy hair and hearing their hideous growls/roars; everyone recoiled in fear. "Okay...my team's battled space warlords, giant monsters with oozing boils and Skeleton King's entire Formless army before" Chiro groaned in disgust, "but those guys...they're some of the most disgusting things I've ever seen!" The Gemfolk couldn't help but agree, wondering how such life-forms could co-exist with humans?
But an even more pressing question reverberated within everyone's minds, at that moment. After taking into account exactly the size difference between the two, they wondered how a dragon could fall against a group of such...diminutive creatures? "Though my kind is quite grand in size, know this...we are not invincible" Moonscar answered bluntly, "with the right numbers...even a beast as massive as a dragon can brought to their knees by their opponents."
Everyone shivered slightly at this revelation, due to having experienced such a battle scenario for themselves. At the same time, they realized that the person in Gabriel's story was in no better of a situation. "When I saw the danger this fellow was in, I took immediate action" Moonscar growled, "I refused to let another life be taken by such creatures again!"
After this, he began to throw his arms about as if he were delivering blows; acting out the rest of Gabriel's tale. "I hacked and slashed at the beasties with my claws, scattering pieces of their armor about like flower petals" Moonscar said emphatically, "then, once the prince was safe...I took flight back into the skies and went back on my way." This ending would've left everyone quite dissatisfied...were they not in such awe towards Moonscar's storytelling skills.
"So...you just left that prince behind" questioned Bismuth, "why would you do that, I mean...what happened to him afterward?" Moonscar only smiled at the Gem maid and assured her all would be revealed, once we've arrived at the palace. Before anyone could question him further, Moonscar urged everyone to follow behind him; which they reluctantly complied to.
(Scene Change: The Palace of Sahsun)
When everyone arrived, they were greeted by a large crowd of bowing courtiers and townsfolk. Among these people was a man whom our heroes guessed was the kingdom's leader. He was dressed in a kimono, just like Moonscar's human form was. But this fellow was dressed in more ceremonial-looking robes.
He had a long, thick mustache and an equally long yet uniquely-styled beard hanging down the tip of his chin. The most unique feature this man had was the style of his hair. Almost immediately; Team Phantom, the Titans, the Straw Hats and even the Steven's group recognized the hairstyle to be a topknot.
"Wow" gasped Sam in awe, "this guy and his people are reeeeally hardcore fans of Feudal Japanese culture. aren't they?" From his dais at the far end of the room, the man smiles and beckons our heroes to approach him. Not wishing to appear rude, the answered his request without delay.
"It is both an honor and a pleasure to meet heroes from so many different realms" the man said with great joy, "I am Porthos, Emperor of Inferno Valley and we bid you welcome to our home." Without pause, everyone greeted the emperor accordingly with deep bows. But there were those, like Peridot or Lance, who almost stumbled over; due to them bowing so far down so low.
Then, as Desiree (the genie ghost) eased her head back up, she saw something that almost made her eyes pop...or rather, someone. Sitting on Porthos' right side was a young man dressed in black and gold robes and wearing a bejeweled circlet around his head. He was a handsome chap with short black hair styled into a topknot, a lean physique beneath his robes, piercing black eyes and a chiseled jaw-line.
For what felt like ages, Desiree simply stared silently at this young man; as a faint blush slowly appeared upon her cheeks. Meanwhile, Porthos stood up from his seat and introduced his family; who were all seated alongside him on both sides. "This is my beautiful wife, Empress Miria" he stated while kissing the aforementioned maid on her cheek, "and to my right is my son, Prince Mako and my ward, Shegra."
Upon hearing his introduction, the prince gave everyone a respectful bow of his head. But almost a split-second after that; Mako rose up, hurried towards Gabriel and happily embraced him. From their laughter to their mannerisms towards one another, our heroes could immediately tell that they were the dearest of friends. "Long ago, when I was at my lowest point; Prince Mako, along with two other heroes, came to my aid" Gabriel explained, "were it not for them, my Donella would've been taken from me."
The heroes gasped in awe at the prince's story, some of them greatly admiring Mako's selflessness. But there were those who doubted his abilities, namely certain members among the Gemfolk. "With all do respect, Gabe" Bismuth murmured, "this guy looks too scrawny to put up a good fight against anyone, what exactly can he do?"
Upon hearing the Gem smithy's words, Mako gave a playful chuckle and happily accepted her "challenge." "Bring forth your best fighters" he requested, "we shall battle as warriors; no weapons, no tricks...skill against skill alone." Not long after this; Nova, Maddie, Valerie, Sanji, Nova, Robin (the Boy Wonder) and even Pearl answered his call and stepped forth.
"There's no way he can defeat all of them" Zoro snickered, "Sanji may not be as skilled as me...but he's still a tough fighter." Upon hearing the comment, the young chef didn't know whether to thank or scold his fellow Straw Hat for it. Meanwhile, everyone else was making playful bets on who might "defeat" Mako first.
"Betcha Pearl takes down this guy quicker than the rest of your pals" Amethyst said confidently, "I'm even willing to bet my share of the meal at that banquet Gabe mentioned, if she doesn't win." Almost immediately, Luffy happily took that bet and proclaimed that if Sanji lost; he'd give up his portion at the banquet. "If you are quite finished" Yellow Pearl interjected snidely, "the rest of us would like to get things started."
With that said, Mako gently cracked his neck and beckoned for anyone to make the first move. Without hesitation, Valerie and Sanji were the first to attack. Due to her status of being a 9th Degree black belt in martial arts, Danny felt confident his friend and former flame would win.
The duo drew closer and closer to Mako, eager to strike him down where he stood. But then, the Dragoon Prince gave a gentle smile and began his attack. First, he swept his leg across the grass at Sanji's feet; causing the young chef to stumble slightly. Then, once he was within range of him; Mako suddenly unleashed a flurry of mighty blows to Sanji's face, torso, arms and abdomen.
The final punch to his chest sent Sanji flying backwards like an arrow across the way, which caused the other challengers to scatter about; not wishing to be rammed into by him. "Whoa...this guy's good" Nova thought in amazement, "best keep on your toes with him, Missy." The next to charge Mako was Valerie; who, after seeing how quickly Sanji was beaten, was determined not to experience the same fate.
At the last second, she eased back and slid herself between Mako's legs; leaving him flabbergasted...or so Valerie thought. Mere milliseconds later, the prince's right hand opened up (resembling a tiger's paw) and he swiped it at the young huntress' face. Though she managed to dodge the blow, this left her both blindsided and exposed for another attack.
With Valerie now caught unawares, Mako delivered what looked like a powerful thrust punch to her chest; causing her to lurch forward. This granted him the chance to make his next move, which involved throwing Valerie over his shoulders and on top of Pearl; who was still standing behind Mako. Upon seeing three of their numbers be defeated at Mako's hands, the remainder of the group suddenly froze up in mild terror.
"I am waiting" the Dragoon prince said confidently while performing a few arm stretches, "who wishes to face me next?" Upon seeing Mako's mannerisms, Bismuth's eyes tensed up into a fierce glare; which made those beside her shudder softly. Seeing him behave this way suddenly made her think of all the "snooty" Homeworld elites she faced during the war.
However, she realized that Mako was only a human and thus could not fight him with her usual show of strength. Even so, her temper suddenly flared and she charged towards him like a raging bull. Then, as Bismuth prepared to slam one of her massive fists down upon him; Mako suddenly grabbed hold of her forearm with both hands.
What happened next left both the Crystal Gems and even the Diamonds speechless. While still keeping his hold on her, Mako spun himself around slightly and released his hold on Bismuth; which sent her stumbling slightly before colliding into the other warriors. In the span of a minute and a half, the Dragoon prince had single-handedly defeated all seven of his opponents all at once.
After a long period of silence, our champions smiled up at Mako and spoke one simple phrase in unison; "how did you do all that and teach it to us now." Upon recovering from her assault earlier, Pearl also questioned the nature of Mako's skills. "I recognized some of the blows and strikes you used" Valerie groaned as she slowly got back on her feet, "some of it looked like Shaolin Kung Fu, am I right?"
Without pause, Mako nodded in reply and explained how Shaolin Kung Fu was but one of the fighting styles the Dragoon people practiced. "In ages past; Grynus, my great-great grandfather, used a spell to teleport himself to a safer location in order to evade a vicious pack of goblins who were pursuing him" Emperor Porthos explained, "much to his surprise, he found himself in an entirely different land; the Human Realm, to be precise." To say that this particular tale left everyone awestruck would be a gross understatement.
Alas, at the same time; everyone found themselves wondering if any of it was true (particularly the place where Grynus transported himself.) It was here that Gibson proposed a theory that while some among them each came from different versions of Earth, Grynus may have found his way to what his theory called "Earth Prime." "Of course" gasped Jack Fenton, "all Earths in the multiverse must come from something, right...so, there has to be a Prime version of Earth out there!"
Despite this explanation, only a select few among the crowd were able to truly understand it all. The others, meanwhile found themselves either nursing their throbbing headaches or (in cases like Sparx) were acting as though they were suffering "technical meltdowns." "Moving along...though Grynus had escaped the battle in one piece, he was still gravely wounded and barely breathing" Porthos stated, "he stumbled aimlessly through a forest for what felt like ages...until a lone wanderer spotted him."
From here, Mako explained that the wanderer was what the humans of Earth Prime called a Samurai, one of history's most well-known warriors. "Oh, yeah; I heard of those guys to" Bismuth exclaimed, "I saw a few of them myself during the Gem War's heyday...as well as in some of Steven's movies." Now, everyone expected Mako and his family to be confused on what a "movie" was.
But Gabriel explained that to a degree, the peoples throughout their realm knew of what humans classified as "entertainment." "This warrior took Grynus into his home, after they both crossed paths in the forest" Porthos murmured, "his family fed him, treated his wounds and when he regained his strength, the warrior taught him the ways of Bushido." The moment this term was mentioned, Artha and Beau suddenly tilted their heads like a pair of confused hounds.
"For those unfamiliar, Bushido is a Samurai's equivalent to the European knight's Chivalric code" Gabriel stated, "both stress on the importance of selflessness, courage in the face of adversity, integrity and most of all, honorable actions." After hearing each of the aforementioned virtues; the likes of Danny, Beast Boy, Luffy and even Steven found themselves looking shamefully at the grass but everyone seldom noticed this. "Whatever became of this Grynus" questioned Blue Diamond, "did he ever return to this world again or did he stay with the Samurai?"
Porthos smiled warmly at the former Gem Matriarch and proclaimed that not only did his ancestor return home safely, he also brought a great deal of knowledge with him. "In the time he spent under the care of this Samurai warrior, Grynus learned much about their warrior ways" Empress Miria explained, "he also traveled with him to other parts of the land the humans there called 'Asia' and met with other warriors as well." Upon hearing this reveal, a sudden sense of realization washed over Jazz; causing her to gasp loudly.
"Now, I see why Mako's fighting moves looked so familiar" she exclaimed, "he truly was showing off different methods of Shaolin Kung Fu, just like Valerie said!" As if on cue, the aforementioned prince nodded in reply and shifted his body slightly. He spread is arms out like a pair of wings, palms facing up, while he crossed his right leg slightly over his bent left knee.
In an instant, Robin recognized this pose as the Eagle Claw stance; one of several well-known Shaolin fighting poses. "It's like this whole village is a melting pot of Asian culture" Sam gasped in awe, "but...is that the case for all of your people or is it just this particular locale?" Moonscar nodded with a smile and explained how such traditions have spread all throughout the Eastern Provinces of the realm, while Grynus ruled.
"But the humans of Earth Prime were not the only beings who influenced the Dragoon people" he stated, "as their cities grew, we dragons chose to assist them; teaching the people how to write, read and even speak in different languages; including our own." After hearing all this, no one knew what was more surprising; the fact that dragons chose to help other life forms or that said life forms were not afraid by them. "I'm a bit confused here" murmured Greg, "see...over the years, I've heard more stories about dragons...eating people instead of helping them."
Moonscar stood silent for a few moments, leading everyone to believe Mr. Universe had accidentally offended him. But much to their relief, he smiled at him and said he fully understood the man's concerns. "As I told you earlier; within this realm, we dragons do not eat Humans" Moonscar assured, "nor do we eat Elves, Dwarves, Fae Folk, Mer-People or any sentient creatures of any realm."
Though they were quite relieved to hear this news, everyone asked what it was Moonscar's fellow dragons did eat. "Much of the same things we do, actually" Mako stated, "grains, fruits, vegetables...but what they truly enjoy are mounds of fresh fish." No sooner had this been said, Porthos asked one of his servants to bring in some fish immediately; believing that Moonscar might be peckish.
Within moments, they returned to the great hall; wheeling in a large platter containing some of the largest kinds of fish everyone had ever seen. Then, within moments; Moonscar licked his lips hungrily and leapt into action. Soon, the dragon turned human dove into the platter and started devouring every fish like mad; acting as though he hadn't eaten in ages.
The whole time he did this, Moonscar's actions created a series of different reactions from our heroes. Luffy chanted joyfully as if he were an eating contest participant, Beast Boy shivered slightly with dread at the sight before him, Danny was staring aghast at Moonscar's "eating skills," wishing he had his cellphone to record it and Artha's jaw hung open from both shock and amazement. The rest of their friends; meanwhile did not appear to be as enthralled with the display.
Chiro and the remaining Straw Hats couldn't believe how fast Moonscar was devouring the fish, bones and all. Amethyst and Luffy were both laughing madly with delight, Steven and Connie felt pity for the fish while Pearl and the Diamonds did everything they could not to feel sickened from the display. "Do all organics perform this...eating thing the same way he does" questioned Yellow, "if so, I am overjoyed we Gems don't partake in such things!"
While Blue and White wholeheartedly agreed with their comrade's words, Amethyst scowled softly and proclaimed "speak for yourself, eating is awesome!" After a while; Moonscar had finished his meal and was laying sprawl along the serving platter, patting his belly with satisfaction. Eventually, he caught sight of everyone staring at him and chuckled sheepishly.
"I, uh...I am sorry you had to witness that, everyone" Moonscar murmured, "I was a tad peckish and couldn't control myself." As if on cue, the Straw Hats laughed uproariously and proclaimed they were used to such eating displays. "Once, my captain wolfed down an entire table's worth of food in five seconds" Sanji said matter-of-factly, "I kid you not."
After having a good laugh, Yellow Diamond regained her composure and reminded everyone what they came to Sahsun for; the third trial. "Oh, yes; of course" Mako said while blushing lightly with embarrassment, "forgive us for holding you all up...please, follow me outside." Though everyone hated the idea of doing more walking, our six heroes especially; they followed Prince Mako outside of the palace.
(Line Break)
In time, everyone arrived at what looked like some sort of training yard. Wooden weapons sat at the ready, young warriors faced one another with quarterstaffs in hand and Usopp also spotted what looked like an archery field. On the eastern side of the grounds was what looked like some sort of training course.
"Welcome to the Royal Training Grounds" announced Miria, "this is where our kingdom's warriors come to hone their skills in all forms of armed and unarmed combat." Upon seeing several of the aforementioned warriors in action, everyone (save for the Shadowmanes and Mako's kin) couldn't help but stare in awe. At one point, Yellow Diamond caught sight of a guard shattering a stone block with his bare fist; which she couldn't help but smile at.
"I never realized organics had such strength within them" she stated, "then again...what we've seen during the trials, thus far has led me to change my thinking on that." Emperor Porthos smiled softly at the Gem maid and gestured for the champions to approach the training course. "We now come to your third trial, gentlemen" he announced, "the Test of Agility."
Upon making this announcement, he gestured towards a single item at the other end of the course; a lone red flag. "This trial is relatively simple" Mako said with a coy grin, "all you need to do to win...is make it to that flag up ahead and claim it." After hearing the terms of this trial, everyone suddenly fell over in dumbfounded shock.
"That's it...that's your big test, grabbing a silly flag" Sparx exclaimed, "any one of us could do that with our eyes shut!" Before the rest of the Hyperforce could scold their comrade on his words, several others quickly sided with him; proclaiming that they could win as well. "If you are so sure of yourselves, go right ahead" Porthos suggested, "show us just how simple you believe this trial appears."
Almost immediately, the first to rise to the challenge was Moordryd; who vowed to show everyone what a "true pro" looks like. But all too quickly, he would soon come to regret these words; much to his dismay later on. Just as Moordryd placed his foot upon the course's wooden floor, a log hanging from a pair of ropes came flying by and swiftly struck him down from his right; sending the poor lad flying.
This sudden surprise attack left everyone dumbstruck with alarm; especially the young heroes. However, it didn't stop anyone else from testing out the course themselves. The next to approach was Franky, who believed he was "strong enough" to withstand such a blow; should the log come at him next.
But after seeing what happened before, he was determined not to suffer the same fate Moordryd did. Thus, after stepping on the same spot he did and noticing the oncoming log trap; Franky squatted as low as he could. Miraculously, the projectile only seemed to lightly graze at his hair but he was relatively unharmed.
But unfortunately, this victory would be rather short-lived; much to Franky's shock and dismay seconds later. As he tried to move forward, one of the posts suddenly started to move; which led to one section of it turning towards him. Then, the cyborg caught sight of a wooden bar that was attached to the head of the post.
Before he had a chance to react, the bar quickly slammed into Franky's face; while another one struck him in his "jewels." For several moments, our heroes watched as several of their friends were struck down by the training course's traps and/or obstacles; barley passing beyond the starting point. The whole time they did, one thought ran unanimously through their minds; if their friends couldn't beat this...what chance did they have?
"Well, many thanks to all those who volunteered to help...'test' the course for us" Mako snickered softly, "now, then; let the next trial begin!" With that declaration, a servant struck a large gong; signaling the third trial of the contest. But alas, the six lads appeared to be frozen still in place.
"This is nuts" Danny thought worriedly, "if none of them could get through, what chance do we have?" The other heroes couldn't help but share in his fear, each of them thinking the challenge was too hard; even for the likes of them. "This feels a little dangerous...particularly for me" Steven stated, "if one of those bars hits my gem hard enough, it could crack and who knows what might happen."
For a moment or two, the Shadowmanes and Mako's family pondered on the lad's word; which left everyone feeling quite anxious. Finally, after Gabriel had a brief "pow-wow" with everyone; a decision was made. "Master Steven's concerns ring true" he decreed, "and due to these circumstances, we have agreed to offer them...a small handicap, if you will."
Everyone didn't know whether to feel outraged, overjoyed or confused by the prince's words; at the moment. Then, as if sensing their confusion; King Thaylog snapped his fingers and everyone could see Steven's gem glowing faintly. At the same time, they also noticed a similar glow emanating from Danny's eyes.
"Okay, we demand some answers" Kitt exclaimed, "what did you do with those two...are you giving them an unfair advantage or something?!" Rather than be bothered by her anger, the Shadowmanes remained calm and smiled at her warmly. "You're sorely mistaken, dear child" Queen Elbenor assured, "we did offer Masters Danny and Steven an advantage...but only a slight one."
This answer did little to ease everyone's confusion and they demanded to know more. "To put it simply, we offered the two lads access to their shield powers and only those" Thaylog stated, "this is because they are the only two within the group who possess such abilities." At that moment, Gabriel politely interjected and added that the two lads' shields would prove essential for the trial; both for progress and safety reasons.
After taking the elf king's words to heart, everyone realized he raised some valid points. "That being said, what about the others" questioned Jinmay, "what will they use to protect themselves from all those traps?" As if on cue, Porthos gave out a shrill whistle; which then caused a young woman to appear before the crowd.
She was dressed in a sort of training gi, much like the martial artists in the human realms did. Her hair was styled into a neat bun, had a piercing look in her black eyes, had a lovely face despite the stern look she gave and while she appeared slender, everyone could sense an aura of strength from this woman. Upon her arrival, she gave a quick yet respectful bow and asked what her leaders desired from her.
"Everyone, this is our training instructor" announced Shegra, "she helps our warriors hone their skills in all forms of combat abilities." Upon hearing this declaration, Moordryd gave a light scoff; proclaiming that no woman could possibly be that strong. "What...do you think only males are capable of great strength and skills, child" the instructor inquired coolly, "think carefully before you answer."
Before he had the chance to question her warning, several women (from Sam Manson to even Yellow Diamond) suddenly crowded around him; each of whom bearing fierce looks upon their faces. "Well, Moordryd" Raven murmured dryly, "the lady asked you a question...do you really believe we're no tougher than you boys?" For what felt like ages, the young racer found it difficult to answer the ladies' "inquiry."
Then, whether by Fate...or just plain dumb luck, Sanji rose from his seat and proclaimed that battle was far too dangerous for women. "As a gentleman, I cannot condone the idea of women partaking in battle" decreed the young chef, "they are far too delicate and beautiful to risk receiving hideous battle scars." After this, it seemed as though all time stood still; due to everyone wondering how the ladies would respond to his comment.
Then; Raven rose up from her seat, approached Sanji casually and placed a hand upon his shoulder. "I speak for all us ladies when I say...we appreciate you looking out for us, Sanji" she murmured, "however, because of your mildly poor choice of words...you must still be punished." In the blink of an eye; before Sanji could question her on what she planned to do, a sharp pain suddenly coursed through his body.
This sensation, much to everyone's dismay, seemed to be emanating from the chef's backside and pelvic regions. At the same time, the poor chap couldn't help but bellow out a shrill cry of pain; which caused everyone to cover up their eyes and ears in alarm. Then, after what felt like an eternity of discomfort; the screaming finally ceased.
When they opened their eyes back up, seconds later; they looked down at the field and saw Sanji running around in discomfort. Upon taking a closer look, they noticed that his undergarments had been pulled over the top of his head, covering up his eyes. At the same time, his body appeared bent back in an a sort of arched position.
"Ooooh! That looks like one heck of an Atomic Wedgie" groaned Tucker, "speaking as someone who'd received one before on multiple occasions, those are very painful." This announcement not only caused the Gemfolk present to pity the Straw Hat chef. But they also thanked the stars that none of their "attire" granted anyone the chance to perform such painful acts towards them.
"I know the fellow deserved it" White Diamond murmured uneasily, "but didn't that seem...a bit much?" The remaining Straw Hats, Luffy included, smiled up at the tall maiden and assured her Sanji was fine. "Trust us; he's been given far worse punishments from ladies for his comments. over the years" Zoro chuckled, "just ask Nami."
After everyone had a good laugh, the training instructor quickly called for their attention and asked if things could move along. With that request, Raven quickly decided Sanji had learned his lesson and helped release him from the wedgie. Once his undergarments were pulled off his head, the poor chap fell upon the ground; all while rubbing his sore bottom.
"Well...I got the feeling in my ass back" Sanji whimpered, "I only wish I could lose it again."
(Line Break)
After a while, the young champions stood at the ready; mildly eager to begin the Test of Agility. But at the same time, they couldn't help but doubt their chances of success. While Steven and Danny had their shields for protection, the others were only given quarterstaffs.
Despite the instructor's assurance that their weapons were made of solid oak wood and were as thick as an arm, they still had their doubts. "This is crazy" murmured Danny, "I can barely make it in a game of Dodgeball at school, what chance do I have at dodging this stuff?" He then looked down and saw something that made his face turn pale, a tooth.
Afterwards, he noticed several more teeth that were strewn about the floor of the course. It mattered not if the teeth belonged to the soldiers or any of his and the others friends. In the end, the very sight of this was enough to make Danny freeze.
Meanwhile, everyone noticed that Artha appeared to be staring blankly at the course. It was something that seemed to resemble the "Thousand Yard Stare" war veterans often gave. This led everyone to believe that Artha was getting cold feet as well. "This is weird" he thought to himself, "something about this course feels familiar, for some reason."
As Artha delved deeper into his thoughtful state, he failed to notice his foot easing closely to the floor of the course. "ARTHA, SNAP OUT OF IT" Parm shouted desperately, "IF YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL, YOU WILL..." Alas, it was too late; after stepping onto the wood, the mechanism controlling the first obstacle immediately activated.
This led to two of the spinning posts to swing their bars towards Artha's head. But then, at the near last second; the young racer blocked both bars with his quarterstaff and saved himself. The atmosphere, after that moment was dangerously quiet; no one even dared to breathe, it was so tense.
"Okay, Son...listen to me carefully" whispered Connor from the sidelines, "just gently move your feet off the course and step out slooowly." Not long after, the rest of the Penn Racing Crew members began urging their leader to do the same thing. For what felt like ages, Artha felt sorely conflicted on what to do next.
On one hand, he actually wanted to retreat back to safety; more than anything. But then; as he stood there gazing at the path ahead, Artha suddenly had a "vision" of sorts. In some ways, the obstacle course reminded him of the same ones he encountered both on the training and professional racing tracks he went through back home.
It was then Artha realized that he could win this, if he approached everything his way. "This'll be my first time doing this sort of thing without Beau" he thought, "but if my hunch is correct...I may be okay." With this in mind, Artha took another cautious step forward; while also keeping his staff close to him.
The moment his foot touched the next part of the floor, one of the swinging log traps was activated. But with the aid of his staff, Artha quickly vaulted over it. Upon making his landing, he noticed what looked like a trap door on the path ahead.
Using the bottom end of his staff, Artha reached over and lightly tapped against it; causing the door to open. Be assured, this door wouldn't cause anyone who fell through to land upon something harmful. Instead, Artha looked down and saw what looked like a pool of liquid below.
Then, a horrid aroma suddenly filled his nostrils; causing the racer to quickly plug up his nose. "AW...SCALES, THAT'S RANK" Artha shouted in disgust, "what's down there anyway?!" Without a moment's pause, some of the warrior trainees responded with three simple words; "spoiled fish water."
"WHAT THE HELL" cried Usopp, "why do you have a pit of fish water in your training course, Porthos?!" While remaining his poised self, the emperor explained that his warriors needed to be ready for any manner of dangers. "The water traps 'simulate' the sort of death traps one might find within an enemy stronghold" he stated, "but trust me when I say this...being coated in water soaked with rotting fish remains is much more doable than plunging into pits filled with acid or spikes, don't you agree?"
At first, everyone presumed that Porthos was simply making a joke at the champions' expense. But Prince Mako quickly told them otherwise, proclaiming that he had seen such deathtraps for himself many times while traveling with Gabriel. "Tell us truthfully, everyone...which would you prefer" he challenged, "smelling like rotting fish for a week...perhaps longer or falling to your death?"
To some, both outcomes seemed deplorable; the choice involving smelling like fish feeling like the worst of the two. But everyone else quickly saw the point Mako was trying to make and nodded in understanding. Meanwhile, back on the course; Artha was deflecting several of the swinging posts with his staff with incredible ease.
Connor felt proud of his son's progress, Lance cheered like a madman, Moordryd's face contorted into a light yet fierce expression of disbelief, Kitt's jaw hung open in awe at what she was seeing (as did most of the team's dragons.) Lastly, Parm was so dumbfounded by it all; he didn't know whether to cheer or faint.
But then, just as victory seemed to be within Artha's reach; he soon came upon the final leg of the training course. Before him were four logs that measured up to twelve or so feet long. Both ends of these logs stretched up to the left and right sides of what looked like a large pool of water.
In a matter of seconds; Artha realized what would happen, if he fell from any of them. Then, just when he felt things didn't seem any harder; the lad noticed that each of the logs appeared to be spinning. It was then he realized the initial point of this part of the course.
"Okay, Artha...it's all about balance and patience, from here on out" he thought to himself, "just keep calm and you'll do okay." After taking in a few deep breaths, Artha held his staff out long-ways; in hopes that it would help steady himself properly. Then, he took a running start towards the edge of the pool and leapt for the first log.
Miraculously, he landed safely upon the first pole; only to feel his legs wobbling immediately after. "Don't freak out, Penn" he whispered, "just move in time with the spins and wait for the right moment to move on." With that thought in mind, Artha suddenly started to jog in place from his current position; which seemed to confuse everyone.
"What the heck is he doing...dancing" grumbled Luffy, "the flag is just up ahead." Straight away, Danny helped put his pirate companion's doubts to rest by urging him to look more closely at Artha's movements. "By timing the spins of the log, Artha's making sure to only move his feet at just the right time" he explained, "reminds me a little of the obstacles from American Ninja Warrior back home."
Back with Artha, he was jogging in place for so long that his feet were starting to burn. But in spite of the pain, he continued to wait for the next moment to move forward. Eventually, he rushed forward and made his jump atop the next log.
Upon landing however, his legs started to wobble slightly; which worried everyone. "C'mon, Artha...you can do this" murmured Lance, "you're almost there." After shaking back and forth slightly for a moment, Artha was finally able to regain his balance and leap over to the final log.
But the moment he landed, his legs finally gave in to their strain; which led to Artha falling sideways. Thinking quickly, he held his staff over his head just as he fell. The moment he did, both ends rested themselves upon the log in front and the one behind him.
Now, Artha hung from the middle of the staff; his feet dangling mere inches above the water. In that moment, the young racer knew he had to think of an idea to get him out of this fix and quickly. Using all the strength he had left in him, Artha inched himself along his staff until he reached the log.
"Okay...now, this next part's gonna be really risky" he whispered, "just put your left arm over the log and..." The whole time he was talking to himself, everyone else watched as Artha desperately tried to grab hold of the remaining log. "What is that doofus doing" cried Amethyst, "there ain't no way he's gonna keep his grip while that thing's spinning."
Before anyone had a chance to object to the wee quartz gem's words, Artha's screams suddenly rang out through the air. All eyes swiftly fell upon the last leg of the obstacle course, upon hearing them. There, everyone could see Artha; who was hugging onto the spinning log for dear life while it spun around.
"You can do it, Son" shouted Connor, "the flag is right on the platform next to you." As much as he wanted to "thank" his father for stating the obvious, poor Artha was too caught up in his current dilemma to do so. So, instead; he simply had to time his next move perfectly...while doing whatever he could to not pass out from dizziness.
Upon enduring his sixth spin on the log, Artha then took a figurative and literal leap of faith and lunged himself sideways. After that, the world around him seemed to fade into a blur. His body and head ached with such pain that he didn't even feel his body land upon the platform.
Eventually, Artha managed to open his eyes and saw that he was now on more stable ground. "Oh...Magna Draconis" he groaned with a heaving sigh, "I'm sure glad that's over." Alas, the lad was incorrect; the trial wouldn't be truly over, unless the rest of the champions-to-be would make it to the end.
(Line Break)
Long after Artha had reached the end, the others became inspired to make an attempt at the course themselves. Furthermore, they decided to go at it together; each one of them taking turns to protect the other's line while progressing. Even with just their shields at their disposal, Danny and Steven showed rather impressive skills along the course.
In time, they all reached Artha's position on the other end of the course and claimed the flag in victory. In spite of all the traps and obstacles of the course, all the pain their bodies were currently feeling; they still felt proud of their success. Speaking of pride, the boys' families/friends all felt overjoyed for their latest victory...once they've recovered from almost passing out from the suspense, of course.
"Oh, my stars; I'm so happy that's over" groaned Peridot as she slouched in her seat, "I just hope the next part of these trials will be a little easier...for all of us." Gabriel smiled down at the wee Gem and assured her that the contest was almost over. "Only three trials remain in the Contest of Champions, everyone" he announced to the crowd, "but for now...let us take a few moments pause to let our champions relax."
As if on cue, all six lads suddenly gave out prodigious yawns of exhaustion. This caused everyone to let out soft giggles of amusement while also agreeing to Gabriel's terms. "Perhaps, after some tea and Berry Crumble Tea Cakes; they will be refreshed enough to continue" suggested Queen Elbenor, "what say you, lads?"
While still lying sprawl on the finish line platform of the obstacle course; the boys smiled tiredly, raised their fists into the air slightly and let out some odd-sounding moans of approval. "I suppose that counts as a yes" Garnet giggled, "could someone help bring them back over to us, please?" As if on cue, Thaylog and Elbenor snapped their fingers; which caused the young champions to suddenly appear before them."
"Rest well, chaps" whispered the elf queen, "when you wake, there will be fresh teacakes waiting for you."
(Scene Change: The Savage Lands – Shuggazoom)
As we momentarily leave our champions behind, our tale takes us back to Shuggazoom; where Skeleton King is seen blasting his dark energies at an ancient tree. When his power dissipated, the demon lord was outraged to see that it had no effect upon the tree whatsoever. "CURSES! The magic surrounding this tree is truly powerful" he seethed angrily, "it's older than even my own!"
After taking in a nervous gulp, Sakko suggested that it was a futile effort to follow the Hyperforce to...wherever they went. Of course, this comment was met with immediate disciplinary action from the Skeleton King in the form of a dark lightning blast. "When I desire your opinions, I will ask for them" he hissed angrily, "I will find a way though whatever portal the Hyperforce entered...even if it means ripping the very fabric of reality itself apart!"
(First AN: Ruh-roh...it seems one of the champions enemies is willing to do whatever it takes to pursue them. Will Skeleton King succeed in opening the portal before their trials are through and if reality is torn, even slightly from his efforts; will any other villains find their way into Overon? Tune in next time, to find out)
(Second AN: Prince Mako, his family and the culture of his people are all original creations of mine...or OCs, if you will. I first got the idea to put them into my Prince Gabriel book after all the years I've played D&D in High School, back in the day. One of my friends, who served as our Dungeon Master, told me his version and when I took up an interest in writing; I created my own.
I say all this because I don't want anyone stealing the idea. The Dragoon People, much like all the other characters within Overon and its neighboring kingdoms, are all under my ownership and the copyright of Authorhouse. Just thought I'd point that out)
(Third AN: All terms used in the Dragon Tongue come from a variety of internet sources. These include but are not limited too /Translator, .com and whatever translations would show up on Google results)
(Fourth AN: The obstacle course used for the Test of Agility and Artha's victory is loosely inspired by Master Crane's story in Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Furious Five. Speaking of which; I apologize to everyone, if you felt confused by my descriptions of the course's obstacles. For the life of me, I could not figure out the name of those...spinning post things used either within the movie or by real world martial artists)
(Fifth AN: The "Earth Prime" thing is a light reference to both the Marvel and DC Universes. Within both examples, the heroes often venture into many different alternate universes; each one harboring its own Earth. While the Titans, Danny and Co. and the Crystal Gems each hail from different earths; the one Grynus arrived in is the main one where we "real world" humans live)
(Final AN: Just as the Dragoon culture is a mix of several ancient Asian cultures. So too is their combat skills a combination of these groups. The soldiers and royals dress in attire that resembles Feudal Japanese society and Samurai armor.
Several other Dragoon customs inspired by Asian culture may or may not be introduced in future chapters. If they aren't, I apologize and hope that the bits shown in this chapter will be satisfactory enough for all of you)