The Test of Courage
With their latest trial now completed, we join our heroes in another part of Sahsun; where they were in the midst of receiving some well-earned relief from their collective physical stress. After successfully mastering the obstacle course, Emperor Porthos offered the services of one of the local hot spring inns unto them; which the boys happily accepted.
But before they delved into their reward, Steven requested if their friends and family could share in the experience as well and Porthos agreed. Upon their arrival, everyone split up to the different parts of the inn and soon found themselves experiencing the best forms of pampering they had felt in their lives. "Oooh! This is ni-i-i-ice" Jazz exclaimed with a heaving sigh while soaking in the hot spring, "you guys really know how to relax."
Soon after she said this, the rest of her family and friends sounded off in agreement with sluggish yet content voices. Maddie was soaking deep inside of a sand bath, Tuck was in the middle of a deep tissue massage, a pair of young ladies were placing hot coals upon Jack's back and like her; Valerie, Dani and Sam were also soaking in the bath.
"I am in love with this hot spring" cried the young half-ghost preteen, "it's better than anything back home." Not too far away, Artha joined Tucker in receiving a massage; one that he seemed to highly enjoy. "Artha, you have to try out this seaweed wrap treatment" Parm exclaimed with delight, "and...uh, what are these odd things on my eyes again?"
The masseuse smiled down at his patron and explained that he was wearing a pair of leaves over his eyelids. "It is an old Dragoonian healing remedy" he explained, "the sap the leaves are coated with help nourish one's eyelids, relieve any signs of injury or wrinkles and help provide soothing relief for one's eyes." This description not only seemed to intrigue Parm but it all sounded so enriching, he suddenly felt his body soften like melted butter.
The Gemfolk also felt pleased with everything, particularly the soothing touch of the hot spring water...except for Lapis Lazuli; who appeared to be backing away from the pool. "What's up with her" questioned Dani, "doesn't she want to join us?" Upon hearing this and seeing the look on Lapis' face, Steven suddenly tensed up; as did many of his fellow Crystal Gems.
"Uh...Lapis doesn't really like the water all that much" he murmured, "it...it's a long story, too long for me to get into I'm afraid." Even though they weren't given a full explanation; from Lapis' demeanor alone, everyone could clearly understand her disdain for water. It was then that Shegra offered another one of the inn's emanates unto her, a sit in the steam room.
"I have no idea what that is" the water gem answered bluntly, "but...if you say it will relax me, I'll give it a shot." With that, Lapis followed Shegra out of the room while everyone waved her goodbye. Afterwards, everyone returned to their blissfully relaxed states; never wishing for it all to end.
But then, bout midway through each of their treatments; Prince Mako soon arrived and asked if everything was to their liking. "Are you kidding, this is amazing" Greg exclaimed gleefully, "we especially love the teacakes the Shadowmanes gave us." As if on cue, the sounds of Amethyst and Luffy feverishly munching down on the aforementioned cakes could be heard throughout the room.
This caused the Diamonds to once more, grimace in disgust; mostly from the sounds they made. "Don't let their table manners discourage you, White-sama" Nico Robin said with a light grin, "here, try one of my teacakes for yourself." For a few brief seconds, the Gem maid found herself conflicted; on one hand, her natural instincts were screaming for her to deny the offer.
But then, another part of her felt doing so would be seen as rude; which may have been a sign that Steven's lessons on human interaction worked well on her. "I know I'm one of the few Gems that actually likes eating" Amethyst said with her mouth full of food, "but here's an idea, just focus on the taste." At first, White Diamond wanted to question the pirate's logic in her statement; wondering how one could focus on tasting while also chewing.
But once more, she knew that saying such things might be rude and decided to fulfill her request. With her eyes clenched tight and her hands trembling slightly, she plucked one of the cakes from off the serving dish. Then, she opened her mouth slightly; allowing a sliver of the teacake to enter.
Finally, she bit a piece of it off and began to chew it slowly. At first, it all felt odd to her; feeling the food stuffs sloshing around inside of her mouth. But then, White remembered Robin's advice and did her best to focus solely on the taste.
Upon doing so, her mind was suddenly flooded with a sort of...soothing sensation; like she was suddenly bathed in a soothing light. The way the warm fruit juices mixed with the pastry bits and how it all swirled about her mouth and throat felt so strange. Yet, at the same time; White could feel her face glowing with delight from it all.
"This...is...wonderful" she squealed, "I now understand why organics enjoy this...'eating' thing!" After this, White urged her fellow Diamonds and their Pearls to give the teacakes a taste; to which Blue Pearl complied. She timidly made her way over to one of the serving dishes, picked up a teacake and took a small bite.
The taste of the flavor on her tongue was so surprising to Blue Pearl, it almost caused her bangs to fly upward. "This is quite delicious" she murmured with joy, "pray tell, what is in these cakes?" Without hesitation, Lars explained all the basic ingredients of a cake; eggs, sugar, a small cup of water and flour.
Of course; as expected, some of the Gemfolk almost misunderstood him and believed humans actually added flowers into their food. That was when Steven politely interjected and explained that flour was actually a sort of powder used for baking. "The main thing to know is the key ingredient of a dish" Sanji said suddenly, "and unless I miss my guess, these cakes have a sort of...wild berry filling in them?"
No sooner had he said this, the Shadowmanes started clapping their hands with pride. "Impressive, Sir; very impressive" Donella stated, "how were you able to come to such a conclusion?" With a proud smile upon his face, Sanji proclaimed he owed it all to his years of studying cooking.
"I've tasted many of my teacher, Chef Zeff's dishes as well as my own, when I was a kid" he stated, "I can pinpoint the ingredients of anything I sample." While he couldn't deny that his friend did have skills, Zoro was quick to remind Sanji not to tempt Fate or else he might regret it. No sooner had he said this, the crowd parted ways slightly as a young woman began to approach our heroes.
She was a truly radiant beauty with eyes that sparkled like sapphires, long light-blue hair that reached below her hips, a kimono that was decorated with several beautiful koi fish and had a figure that made even the ladies blush. Her hips were perfectly round, her skin tone seemed near identical to Blue Diamond's and (in Sanji's eyes at least) she appeared more well-endowed than Nami. Everyone watched on in awed silence, as this maiden approached the Straw Hat chef with a bowl in her hands.
"So, you have a discerning tongue; yes" she inquired, "then...might I offer you some of these?" As the maiden held out her bowl to him, Sanji looked inside and saw that it was filled with what looked like...meatballs. "Hold on, aren't they usually covered with tomato sauce or gravy" questioned Cyborg, "these look smaller than normal meatballs...and what's that green stuff on them?"
The mystery woman smiled at him and explained that what she had were something the Dragoon people called "Fire Pellets." "They are indeed meatballs; just as you assumed, Master Cyborg" she stated, "but they are seasoned with four different spices and coated with a rich pepper sauce." As he continued to listen to the woman's description of the Fire Pellets, the metal teen could already feel his stomach screaming for a sample.
Without further delay, he reached his hand into the bowl and swiftly scooped up a fistful of the pellets. "Be careful, my friend" Gabriel called out warily, "while they are tasty, they're also equally hot." Cyborg scoffed playfully at the prince and decreed that there wasn't any kind of food that was "too hot" for his belly.
With that, he popped his entire handful of Fire Pellets into his mouth and began chewing. Then, almost seven seconds later; everyone could see Cyborg's face flaring red and sweat dripping profusely from his brow. Upon noticing her friend's troubled state, Starfire flew over and asked if he was alright.
In response, Cyborg bellowed out a blast of flame from his mouth over her head and proceeded to race about the room; all while screaming for something to drink. Thinking quickly, Shegra handed him a goblet of fresh-squeezed milk and told him to drink every drop. Without pause, he took hold of the cup and proceeded to guzzle down its contents furiously.
At the same time, everyone could see a large cloud of steam pouring out of his mouth; which meant the beverage was dousing the heat of the pellets quite well. "Friend Cyborg, are you alright" Starfire asked worriedly, "perhaps it was unwise of you to devour so many at one time." Once all the steam dissipated from him mouth, Cyborg turned towards his Tamaranean friend and heaved out the words "now, you tell me."
After that, the maiden offered up the bowl to everyone else; while encouraging them to ingest only two at a time. With this precaution in mind, nearly everyone took a sample of the pellets and popped them into their mouths; save for the vegetarians among them. "These are really good" Otto murmured while chewing, "a bit spicy but still, good stuff."
Before long, the champions proceeded to ask what inspired the Dragoon cooks to make such a dish. "The Fire Pellets are more than just a delicacy, my friends" Porthos stated, "we also offer them to those who are newly initiated into our military." Feeling confused by this reveal, everyone asked for a deeper explanation behind such a ritual.
"I'm afraid the answer is...rather complicated" Prince Mako stated, "but to put it one way, ingesting the pellets and withstanding their intensity is our way of...inheriting the spirit of a dragon, so to speak." From here, he explained that the Fire Pellets' seasoning was meant to emulate the "inner flame" of the aforementioned creatures. By sampling them, the warriors amongst the Dragoon nations would be (symbolically speaking) taking that flame into themselves.
"That sounds so weird" Lars murmured, "yet...at the same time, it's also kinda cool." Everyone chuckled softly at his comment, proclaiming that they were all thinking the same thing. "In any case, they are quite tasty" Valerie commented, "thank you for offering them, Ma'am." The blue maid smiled in gratitude at her, bowed her head and went off on her way.
"Who was that" Sparx gasped in awe, "she looked hotter than ten-thousand supernovas!" Some of the other chaps couldn't help but agree, each one expressing their own feelings in different ways. Meanwhile, the ladies did their best to appear "mature" about the mystery woman. "Typical boys" groaned Sam with a light eye roll, "once a pair of legs walks in the room, they start losing their minds."
While some of the ladies couldn't help but agree with her, even they couldn't deny that the mystery server looked rather stunning. "I do hope none of you are considering in...how you say, making a move on her; my friends" Gabriel chuckled, "I'm afraid that maiden is already spoken for." With that simple phrase, many of the single men and ladies suddenly felt their collective euphoric bubbles burst.
When someone asked whom the woman was seeing, the elf prince simply smiled and gestured towards Moonscar; who was currently holding her in a most loving embrace. "Wait...they're a thing" Usopp exclaimed, "but what about his wife...er, I mean mate?" This statement caused both Gabriel and Mako's families to suddenly burst out into laughter.
"Okay, what's with all the chuckles" Nova exclaimed, "did somebody make a joke just now." Once everyone had calmed down; Gabriel's son, Avery approached the Hyperforce and offered up an explanation. "You needn't worry about Moonscar betraying his devotion towards his mate, my friends" he stated, "because...that woman is his mate."
To say that the young elf dropped what the humans called a "bombshell" would be a gross understatement. This news came as such a shock, those who were resting within the hot springs came close to accidentally drowning themselves. Upon fully recovering, they stared at the couple with wide-eyed expressions.
"But that...that's impossible" Peridot exclaimed, "didn't Moonscar tell us earlier that his mate was brutalized by those...goblin things?!" In response, Avery gave the wee gem maid a nod and said that she was correct. "So, then...how is she alive" questioned Usopp, "is she a zombie?!"
Before anyone (specifically the Gems) could ask what a "zombie" was, Avery shook his head and immediately decided to help put their fears to rest. "She is not of the undead, Lords and Ladies; be certain of that" he stated, "she's as alive as we are." Before anyone could speak up again; Avery explained that before he took flight with his eggs, Moonscar performed a most unique burial ritual for his mate.
"You see, Dragons have two different methods of attending to their fallen" the young elf stated, "some use their fire to burn them as a form of...how do the humans say, cremation ritual and others choose to preserve them within ice or crystal 'coffins.'" This explanation seemed to raise more questions than answers for everyone, to say the least. Almost immediately, some asked how a dragon was able to use ice.
"According to most of the fantasy books I've read, dragons and water-like elements do not mix well" Connie exclaimed, "and ice happens to be one of those elements." After taking the lass' words to heart, Avery smiled and proclaimed she was quite correct in her assumption. "However...in this realm, not all dragons are fire dragons" he stated, "in fact, some have been blessed with other powers belonging to the elemental forces of nature."
As if sensing their shock/confusion from this reveal, after this explanation was made; Prince Mako began to share with everyone everything he knew about the Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Light Dragons. "Hold on, back up" Cyborg interjected, "did you say...water dragons, as in those sea serpent things?" Mako chuckled lightly at his comment and replied in saying that he was "partially correct."
"As the centuries passed, many humans would often confuse sea dragons for serpents" Princess Shegra said suddenly, "but they do not have flippers for limbs, rest assured." It was here that she directed everyone's attention towards Oceana, who was still offering Fire Pellets with everyone else. "Hold on...you're telling us she's a Sea Dragon" Zoro scoffed, "where's your proof?"
Upon hearing his words, Oceana looked over her shoulder and stared at the swordsman intently. Mere seconds later, the water in Zoro's bath suddenly became as cold as a winter's chill; causing Zoro to shiver furiously. Upon seeing this, all eyes fell upon Oceana again; who seemed to be smiling slyly over her shoulder.
"Is that proof enough for you, everyone" Mako chuckled, "Sea Dragons have such a strong connection with all forms of water that they can alter the temperature of it with a simple thought." Naturally; this reveal caused Luffy, Chopper and Usopp's eyes to gleam with amazement. Meanwhile; Zoro, through his chattering teeth, demanded that the water be reheated again.
"Since you've asked so nicely, I would be happy to" Oceana said with a light giggle, "careful...you may experience a sudden sting." With that said, she snapped her fingers and the water in Zoro's bath suddenly became hot again. At the same time, just as Oceana warned; Zoro felt a swift and intense sting from the heat and leapt out of the water with a shout.
This caused everyone to burst out into a fit of jolly laughter, while the swordsman furiously patted down his body. "Okay...Okay, all joking aside we've gotta know" gasped Steven, "how is it that you are alive again, Miss Oceana?" With a smile upon her face, the blue maid took a seat in the middle of the room and began her tale.
(Line Break)
Several minutes passed and all around her, Oceana could see mixed looks of shock and amazement on everyone's faces. When she had finished speaking, all was silent for what felt like ages. Finally, Padparadscha cleared her throat and softly proclaimed "I predict this story will leave everyone confused."
"Way to state the obvious, girly" Moordryd retorted, "I mean...how was Avery able to revive you if you were slain by those goblins?" As an immediate response; after taking a few moments to concentrate, Avery's hands suddenly started to give off a golden glow.
"When Moonscar showed me Oceana's resting place, I sensed a faint glimmer of life within her" he explained, "thus, I summoned as much healing magic as I could to restore that spark to full power." Even after hearing this explanation, everyone still felt such a feat seemed both astonishing yet also hazardous. "It truly was" Avery stated, "considering a dragon's size; such a spell required a great deal of focus, power and strength of will to prove successful."
Strange as it seemed; the likes of Steven, Danny and even Luffy couldn't help but empathize with the young elf's situation. Over the course of their own lives, they too knew the strain of harnessing their own powers the right way. "I guess Oceana bein' here was that other silver lining Moonscar mentioned earlier" Cyborg chuckled, "I'm happy they're together again, despite not knowing them for too long."
No sooner had he said this, a sudden thought popped into everyone's minds; whatever happened to Moonscar's eggs. "Do not fear, everyone" assured Avery, "they've all hatched long ago and each one of Moonscar's children has fully grown into adulthood." No sooner had he said this, the doors leading to the steam room burst open and everyone saw Lapis leaving; looking quite refreshed.
"That felt great" she gasped with delight, "here I thought only higher class Gems like the Diamonds only used saunas like this." The Crystal Gems cheered loudly at her arrival, appearing happy that their friend was enjoying herself. "Sorry I took so long in there, everybody" Lapis said shyly, "I may have gotten a little...sidetracked inside."
Just as everyone was about to question the Water Gem's words, another individual stepped out of the steam room. This fellow appeared well-built with strong arms and legs, a broad chest and everyone could see a pair of fangs protruding from beneath his top lip. His hair was mix of red and orange, giving it the likeness of a flame.
His skin was a sort of light orange, he had a small scruff of a beard upon his chin and his eyes blazed with a fierce intensity. The stranger approached everyone, offered them a light smile and bowed respectfully before them. "Everyone, I wish for you to meet one of my sons; Blaze" Moonscar stated, "Son, these are our comrades from the outer realms."
Rather than appear confused by his father's words, the lad called Blaze simply stared at the groups of heroes in awe. "I am honored to meet you all" he stated, "but in terms of the females, I had no idea you would appear so...lovely in person." While doing their best to appear indifferent; the ladies in the room couldn't help but blush slightly from Blaze's compliment, particularly Lapis and the Diamonds.
After a while; Gabriel cleared his throat softly, thus snapping the ladies out of their blissful state. "I do not wish to seem rude, everyone" he said respectfully, "but I must remind you all that we will be attending to the next trial very soon." With that, Thaylog stepped in and said everyone would be leaving the inn in exactly half an hour.
"AWW, DANG IT! We're leaving already" groaned Tucker, "can't I have just one more massage first...or at least one of those awesome drinks before we go?" With a hearty laugh in his throat, Gabriel gave a nod and asked the innkeeper to bring in three rounds of Peach Pomegranate drinks for everyone. "OOOH! Peach pomegranate, I like that" Nami squealed with delight, "you think the innkeeper would share his recipe with me?"
Emperor Porthos chuckled heartily at her request and promised he would try and work something out on the matter. For now, the time came to focus on the next trial of the contest; something Elbenor called the Test of Courage. "Courage...How do you mean" questioned Luffy, "do we have to fight something again?"
Porthos shook his head slightly and explained that, according to the Shadowmanes, the test would be something relatively simple. "For now, enjoy a few more moments of rest" he stated, "you may need your strength for what lies ahead." With that said, Porthos and his family left the inn to join with the Shadowmanes outside; leaving our champions-to-be behind to contemplate on what might happen next.
"Heh! A test of courage, we're all plenty brave enough" Luffy scoffed confidently, "you guys think we can do this, right?" For a moment, the other lads didn't know how to answer; mostly due to the fact that they didn't know what the future held for them. But then, they realized that Luffy had a point and nodded in unison.
"We're ready for whatever you've got waiting for us, Gabe" Beast Boy stated, "bring it on!"
(Line Break)
Eventually, the time had come to leave the inn and head off for the next trial in the contest. With a little magical assistance, everyone was suddenly transported back to Gabriel's kingdom of Overon. Furthermore, they also found themselves standing beside a familiar sight; Mount Talora.
"The mountain again" whined Lance, "but my brother and them already beat this thing...why are we all back here?!" With a smile upon his face, Gabriel answered the lad's inquiry by silently pointing towards a cave at the base of the mountain. "So...what are we supposed to do" questioned Danny, "are we supposed to test our courage by sitting together in a dark cave?"
The Shadowmanes shook their heads in unison and said the trial involved much more than sitting in the dark. "This cave is actually a tunnel" Gabriel explained, "one that was made by the Dwarves when they helped us mine it for the crystals inside." Upon hearing the word "crystals," Nami's eyes became a pair of "berry symbols" and asked if there were any of them left?
Before anyone, even Zoro, had a chance to call Nami out on her greed; Gabriel informed her that all the crystals in the mountain were either made into blades for their weapons or embroidered into things like their pottery. "This cave you see before you, Champions is actually a tunnel" he stated, "one that leads to the opposite side of Talora." From here, Gabriel explained that the champions would need to find their way through the tunnel path and reach the exit point.
"Sounds easy enough" murmured Beast Boy, "there's just one problem, how are we supposed to see ahead of us?" As if sensing this; Gabriel approached the group and handed each of them an item, a single leaf. "This is all you're giving us" Luffy grumbled, "what are we supposed to do with a bunch of leaves, eat them?"
While they weren't thinking with their stomachs like their comrade, the other champions-to-be also questioned Gabriel on why he gave them such items. "What each of you is holding now is no ordinary leaf, my friends" he assured, "these are Fireweed Leaves." With these simple words, Gabriel explained how the plant in question was a sort of bioluminescent plant native to his kingdom.
:"During the day, Fireweed receives energy and nourishment from the sunlight; just as most plant-life does" Queen Elbenor added, "then, come nightfall; all one needs to do is move their lands along the leaves and..." As if on cue, Gabriel took a few steps into the cave and moved his hand along the Fireweed leaf. Then, everyone watched in awe; as it suddenly began to shine a dazzling glow.
"Fascinating, simply fascinating" gasped Gibson, "it's glowing brighter than the streetlights of Shuggazoom City at nightfall." His fellow Monkey Team members couldn't help but agree, while Jinmay was lost in wonderment at how beautifully the Fireweed glowed. Meanwhile, the champions found themselves staring in astonishment at the leaves in each of their own hands.
But all too quickly, they remembered the task at hand and asked what purpose the objects in question served for their trial. "I think the answer's obvious, boys" Greg said suddenly, "you need to use the light of those leaves to help you walk safely to the exit, kind of like a lantern." Almost immediately, Gabriel clapped is hands with delight and thanked Mr. Universe for sharing his insight with the boys.
"Hold it, isn't this kind of like...cheating" questioned Moordryd, "shouldn't these guys go through that path without some kinda weird magical...artifact thingy?" No sooner had he said this; Moordryd suddenly felt his dragon, Decepshun's tail slap him across the back of the head. "And you say the Penn boy has scales for brains" she hissed in annoyance, "those leaves are being used for safety, not a tactical advantage."
Within seconds, Moordryd realized his error in judgment and chuckled sheepishly. "Sorry about that, everybody" he murmured softly, "forget I said anything...proceed." After that minor interruption was dismissed, the boys were given one final instruction on how to use the Fireweed.
"I think we got the gist of it, guys" Beast Boy stated, "there's just one issue...I HATE THE DARK!" No sooner had he admitted this, nearly every spectator facepalmed themselves in frustration. "Seriously, dude...you're afraid of the dark" prodded Danny, "you're a teenager and we grow out of that fear the moment we hit puberty."
When asked why and how he still had his fear of the dark, Beast Boy looked slightly over in Raven's direction and shivered. "I...It's complicated" he murmured, "let's just say that...I've had some bad experiences in dark places before and leave it at that." Rather than question him on his words, everyone agreed to respect Beast Boy's wishes and went back to focusing on the trial.
"You lads have until the sand in this hourglass empties to reach the exit" Thaylog said while summoning the aforementioned item with his magic, "we will wait for you there." Before everyone left; Gabriel added that if none of them exited the tunnel after the sand runs out, the guards would come and assist them. "Good fortune to you, gentlemen" the Shadowmanes said in unison, "and may the light of your courage help guide you to victory."
The lads thanked the elven royals for their blessing, bowed their heads respectfully and were ready to enter the cave. But just before they did, their friends and families hurried over to wish them luck. "Good luck, boys; we'll be waiting for you on the other side" Garnet said with a hopeful smile, "and...be careful."
Not long after this, everyone else echoed the permafusion's words; stressing that the boys mind their every step. "Just so we're clear here, Danny" Sam began, "if you die in there...I'm never talking to you again." Danny chuckled softly at his lover's slightly morbid jest and planted a soft kiss upon her cheek while saying "I love you too."
Following their friend's lead, Chiro and Steven kissed both of their girls on the cheek as well. But just as the remaining lads prepared to do the same; Kitt, Nami and Raven stopped them in their tracks by saying "don't even think about it" in unison. For a moment, the trio felt mildly dejected by their lady friends' collective dismissal of their approach.
But then, much to their surprise; they found themselves being tightly embraced by them mere seconds later. "Don't get used to this kind of thing, Captain" Nami said firmly with a small smile, "but...just know I...we will be waiting for you at the end." Not long after that, the rest of the Straw Hats extended their own best wishes unto Luffy; while also smiling coyly at Nami's accidental slip of the tongue.
At the same time, Raven and Kitt extended shared similar words with each of their male companions as well; while also stressing for them not to get the "wrong idea" about their behavior. "Aww! Don't pretend you don't love me, Rave" quipped Beast Boy, "but...thanks anyway for the best wishes." Once that was all finished, the boys were just about ready to begin their next trial.
But before they left, Princess Donella hurried over and handed them a map. "This will show you the safest paths to take through the mountain" she explained, "keep it safe." The boys nodded in understanding, thanked the princess for her gift and shared a final wave goodbye to their loved ones.
Once that was done, the hourglass was turned over and the boys began their trek into the cave.
(Line Break)
The tunnel was as black as pitch, the air reeked of stale puddle water and the only sounds that could be heard were those of the lads' footsteps. These elements and more were what they felt around them during their trek. It had been almost twenty minutes since they've started and so far, aside from the darkness; the trial was proving rather easy.
However; even with the glow of the Fireweed leaves helping them, they had a difficult time seeing the path ahead. "It's like going into the basement with a dim flashlight here" Danny murmured, "how far do you think we've gone?" Without missing a beat, Beast Boy proclaimed that they've traveled "a quarter past a hair" while looking at his wrist.
"In all seriousness, it feels like we've been moving forever" he groaned, "I hope we didn't make a wrong turn anywhere." The moment this was said, Chiro reached into his shirt and pulled out Donella's map. Then, he unfurled it with one hand while holding his Fireweed leaf aloft in the other.
"Are you sure you know how to read a map, Chiro" questioned Luffy, "it's not like looking at one of those...space things you told us about." In response to this; Steven proclaimed that in some ways, both methods of navigation were similar. "Trust me on this, I've been on a ship a couple of times" he stated, "granted the Gems or one of the Off-Colors did most of the navigating...but you get my point."
While Chiro did agree with Steven on his words, it was a little harder reading a paper map but only because of the lack of proper lighting. "Hey, I think I've got an idea here" Danny exclaimed, "guys, give me all your leaves." As expected, the rest of the group were both shocked and confused by this request and demanded an explanation.
"Hear me out first" Danny urged calmly, "individually, the light of our leaves doesn't do much here...but what if we put them together?" For a brief moment, the other lads didn't think the idea could work. But then, for curiosity's sake; Beast Boy eased his own leaf towards Danny's.
Once they were held together, their combined bioluminescent glow gave off an even brighter shine. "Awesome" Steven exclaimed joyfully, "now, we can see the map and the path ahead much clearer." With that thought in mind, Chiro held up the map beneath the light and could see a line trailing along through the tunnel path.
"It looks like this path continues for another eight miles or so" Danny surmised, "we best get going before the hourglass outside loses anymore sand." With that said, the lads hurried off down the path as quickly as they could. At the same time, they made certain not to drop either the map or their Fireweed Leaves.
They went further and further down, leaping over gaps and squeezing through all manner of tight spaces. Yet, in spite of all this; they still continued on. During one part of the trek; Danny slipped on some rather sleek stones, after barely making a jump over a large ditch.
But Artha and Luffy quickly grabbed hold of both his wrists, just as he teetered over the edge. During another point of the journey; the atmosphere suddenly became so chilly, the lads felt as though they've walked into a winter storm. To help keep warm, they used the Fireweed leaves' collective glow to help warm them; which seemed to work.
In spite of all these minor inconveniences, they still continued off along the path; which (to Luffy) felt as though it went on forever. "Hang tough, guys" Chiro assured, "I think we're getting close to the end." No sooner had he said this, the other champions looked ahead and suddenly spotted what looked like...a glowing dot.
"It...I-It's the exit" Luffy exclaimed, "WAHOO, WE'RE ALMOST OUTTA HE..." Before he could finish his boastful cheer, Luffy suddenly felt three of the other boys clasp their hands tight around his mouth; silencing him. With a muffled growl, he gave them a look that seemed to ask "what's the big idea?!"
"Keep your voice down, dude" Beast Boy said in a hushed tone, "you're gonna put us in a tight spot if you wake them up!" With a slight tilt of the head and a raised eyebrow, Luffy softly asked whom the others didn't want him to wake up. While still keeping one hand over his mouth, Danny held up the Fireweed leaves slightly and gestured for everyone to look above their heads.
When they did, the lads were met with a rather startling surprise. All along the ceiling of the tunnel, there were scores of bats hanging from the stalactites and they appeared to be in a sort of deep sleep. After being around such creatures for himself, Chiro instinctively knew that waking up a bat was never a good idea; especially when dozens of them were involved.
"Okay, guys...listen to me carefully" the young teen whispered, "douse the lights and walk as quietly and slowly as you can." Upon hearing the "douse the lights" instruction, Luffy was prepared to call shenanigans to it; thinking it would only make things harder. "I think I get what he's planning" Artha whispered, "we just have to dim the leaves' light a little, in order to not disturb the bats."
With that said, everyone mimicked Gabriel's earlier gesture and moved their hands over the leaves slightly; which caused their light to become dimmer. Then, at that moment; one of the bats overhead of them suddenly started to twitch slightly. This caused the boys to suddenly tense up, fearing that the bat might wake up and spot them.
Thankfully; after a couple of seconds, the bat stopped twitching and remained perfectly still. It was then that the lads realized it must've been moving about in its sleep, something each of them was quite familiar with. Without saying a word, Danny gestured for everyone to move forward as quietly as they could.
Everyone nodded their heads in silence, crouched down slightly and proceeded onward. Despite however slow they were moving, the lads knew it had to be done. For what felt like ages, they tiptoed their way along the path at what felt like a snail's pace.
Then, just as they were nearing the midway point; Luffy suddenly started making some odd noises. When Beast Boy took a look over his shoulder, he saw the young captain's face scrunching up slightly and that his nose was twitching. These signals all pointed towards one thing, Luffy was about ready to sneeze.
"DUDE, NO" hissed Beast Boy softly through his teeth, "if you make even the smallest sneeze, those bats will dive-bomb us like crazy!" While Luffy was aware of the danger of their situation; try as he might, he couldn't seem to stop his nose from itching. "You've gotta fight it" Danny whispered firmly, "just try to...I don't know, hold your breath or something."
After taking his friend's suggestion into consideration, despite however much his nose irritated him; Luffy took in a deep breath and held it in as hard as he could. "Just five more miles, guys" Chiro stated, "five more miles and we are out of here."
(Scene Change: the other side of Mount Talora)
Back outside, everyone was standing near the exit point of the mountain; waiting patiently for the boys to come out in one piece. But alas, the sands within the hourglass were just about drained and there was no sign or sound of any one of them inside. "This is harrowing" squealed Starfire in distress, "what if our friends have gotten lost inside the cave tunnels...or worse?"
The moment they heard her say this; Usopp, Chopper, Brook and Franky soon felt their eyes welling up with tears of sorrow. But before any of them had a chance to weep, Nami gave them a firm stare; which caused them to go silent. "Look...I'm just as worried as you guys" she sighed, "but we shouldn't start thinking of the worst yet, just be patient."
No sooner had she said this; the likes of Bismuth, Sam, Valerie, the Diamonds, Nova and even Moordryd sounded off in agreement. This helped reignite everyone's hope that their friends would return in one piece. At the same time; while he did find everyone's support in them commendable, Gabriel suddenly announced that the sand had just about run out.
"What, no way" Peridot exclaimed, "there is no way that an hour could've gone that quick...your glass thingy must be defective!" Just as everyone was preparing to scold the wee Gem for her outburst, Lion suddenly let out a soft growl; gaining their attention. "I hate to interrupt your little...'discussion'" he murmured, "but I think I see something in the cave."
Feeling intrigued by the beast's words, everyone's eyes immediately turned towards the cave; where they saw something approaching them from inside. It appeared rather faint, at first; looking like the faint glimmer of a firefly. But to the keen Elven eyes of the Shadowmanes, they instantly recognized it as the glow of the Fireweed leaves.
"It's them" cried Gabriel with joy, "the Champions have made their way through the tunnel!" At first, everyone held their tongues; believing that the prince was becoming too hopeful too soon. But then, there came the sound of a mildly startled yelp; which the Titans instantly recognized as Beast Boy's voice.
Then, just as the sands within the hourglass had completely drained away; the boys came stumbling out of the cave, relieved to be back out in the daylight again. "AH! I always hate stepping into the sun after being in a dark room for a while" Danny winced softly, "everything's blurry, for at least a half hour." The others sounded off in agreement with the young ghost boy, all while rubbing their own eyes slightly.
Then, all of a sudden; they were swarmed all over by their friends and the people of Overon. "You did it, boys" cried Greg with joy, "you made it through the cave path in one piece!" Not long after this, Garnet smiled down at Steven and ruffled his hair; relieved that he was back safe and sound.
Following her example, the other champions' friends and families began to shower them with well-earned congratulations; save for Moordryd. Not wishing to appear "sappy" in everyone's eyes, he simply offered up a light smile and said "nice work, Penn." Then, just as the Straw Hats were about to approach their captain and extend their own congratulations, they suddenly froze in their tracks.
When they got a look at their captain; his body was twitching, his face appeared slightly swollen and his eyes were both red with irritation and seeping out tears like mad. Upon seeing his friend in this state, Chopper immediately assumed the worst and was poised to break out his medical tools and help him. "Hold up there, my reindeer friend" Beast Boy called out suddenly, "Luffy's not sick or anything, he's just holding his breath."
He then turned towards the boy in question and told him it was now safe to breathe. But before he could even say the final word, Luffy's mouth suddenly burst open; blasting wind and bits of mucus forth from it with a powerful "AH...CHOOO!" While it wasn't very powerful, the force of this sneeze was strong enough to cause one or two people to stumble onto the ground.
When all the air had finally been expelled from his lungs, Luffy sniffled softly and heaved out a heavy sigh of relief. "Oh...thank God" he said while sniffling and rubbing his nose, "if I held it in any longer, I think my head was going to explode." After taking a moment to catch his breath, Luffy looked ahead and saw that several of his friends were lightly coated in his mucus; which caused him to blush sheepishly.
At first, he expected his crewmates to be cross with him for the accident. But after a while, Usopp chose to speak up by offering only four words; "uh...bless you, Captain?"
(First AN: And thus, the fourth trial has come to an end. Only two more remain until the Contest of Champions is complete. But make no mistake, the final trials shall prove to be the most challenging yet for our heroes.
Will they find further success in their future or will the final trials prove too difficult, even for them and what about Skeleton King and Wyrd Paynn? Will they be able to find their way into Overon, somehow? Find out, as the Contest of Champions continues)
(Second AN: Some of you might think Moonscar's mate, Oceana being alive again may seem like me "retconning" what I've established with Moonscar's backstory. But be assured, the way she was brought back to life is properly explained in my book; The Quest of the Crystal.
This and my first book set in the realm of Overon, The Adventures of Prince Gabriel, offer up some insight/background on some of the characters that will be featured in this fanfic. I've written five other stories set within the realm, after them...but they have yet to be published.
So, if you have any questions regarding any of the sights, races or peoples of Overon; don't hesitate to PM me; thank you)
(Third AN: While it's speculated/mildly confirmed that Gemfolk from Steven Universe are "aromantic" and thus don't feel that great of interest in having romantic relationships. I've long questioned how this was possible, considering how both Rose/Pink Diamond and Garnet's two halves of Ruby and Sapphire were able to fall in love?
Thus, for this story at least; I've decided to have Lapis and the Diamonds feel...a smidge flattered by Blaze's compliment towards their beauty. I hope that makes sense to you all and I also hope that I haven't offended any Aromantic and Asexual readers out there. If so; I sincerely apologize in advance, if it helps)
(Fourth AN: The Fire Pellets delicacy that the Dragoon people eat is an original idea of mine. Aside from that, much of their culinary culture is lightly based off of what the Asian countries eat; least of all, what they ate during the Ancient/Feudal eras)
(Fifth AN: Beast Boy proclaiming he had a fear of the dark stems from all the times he had been on the receiving end of Raven's powers, unintentionally or otherwise. A prime example of this is the events from the TT episode, Fear Itself and what Raven's powers did during it)
(Final AN: While there is a real world plant known as Fireweed. The one mentioned in Overon is an entirely different...what's the word, genus than the real world one)