The Contest of Champions

by Alexpv22

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

17. Chapter Seventeen: The Storm Within

The Storm Within

Without pause, everyone rushed down the steps of the coliseum as swiftly as they could and hurried with equal speed over to the boys' side; praying they were okay. The instant Chopper and several others helped roll them onto their backs, everyone let out a shrill shriek of terror. Each of the lads' faces were a pale red, veins of strange red energy could be visible all over their bodies and the same glow flared from each of their eyes.

Alas, no one understood what was going on with them and there didn't seem to be any sign of their doubles anywhere. But one thing was certain; whatever was going on with the lads, it did not appear to be natural. "OH, MY GOD" Usopp cried in alarm, "THEIR FACES...WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THEM!?"

Upon inspecting each of them; Gibson, unfortunately didn't know what to make of their appearances. "This isn't within the realm of science" he said regretfully, "it's more like...mystical corruption, there's...there's nothing I can do here." Upon hearing this news, everyone quickly fell into a panicked frenzy; some demanding the blue primate to try anything to "fix" the lads' condition.

"It is as he said, his science cannot fix what is happening" Thaylog said suddenly, "but this can be remedied...if we're quick about it." While this news gave everyone a sliver of hope, their eyes quickly fell upon the Elf King; each set giving a look of either concern or blind fury. Those who harbored the latter emotion within them furiously approached Thaylog, demanding to know what was going on.

Upon sensing this hostility; Queen Elbenor, Gabriel and Donella quickly rushed to his side and urged everyone to keep calm. "Calm...HOW IN THE HECK CAN YOU EXPECT US TO KEEP CALM" Lance roared, "my big brother and his friends are possibly dying right now and nobody's telling us why or how this is happening!" Within seconds, tears of sorrow began to pour from the boys eyes; which only further fueled everyone else's anguish.

But before anyone could raise their voices again, Gabriel firmly told them to remain silent...and they did. "Thank you...now, on to the matter of your friends" he said with a light sigh, "while discussing the nature of the final trial with our allies, I had my suspicions that something grim would happen; if certain...circumstances occurred." This reveal only seemed to make them feel more frustrated, what "circumstances" was Gabriel referring to and did he know that something like this would happen?

Rather than let the others voice these concerns for themselves; Antauri, Blue Diamond and Connor each presented them to the Elf Prince themselves as calmly as they could. "I shall try to explain...but we mustn't tarry for too long" he answered bluntly, "if we do not help your friends as quickly as possible, there's a chance that they could be lost to us forever." Horrified by this news, everyone urged Gabriel to tell them what happened as simply as he could.

"It is as I said earlier, when the trial began" he murmured with a heavy sigh, "in their battles within each of their respective worlds, they have shown great skills...but I have also sensed within them great pain." He then went on to describe that though they have won many victories; the lads also suffered a great deal of anguish, self-loathing, despair and hatred along with them. "Because they have not been told how to appropriately deal with such emotions, the lads pushed them deep inside themselves" Thaylog stated, "which is never a wise course of action."

Upon hearing this; the Crystal Gems, Greg, Connie, the Diamonds and even Lars shivered in disgust. This did not go unnoticed by everyone else, who proceeded to question what they knew about the situation. "This has happened before...back on our Earth" Garnet murmured, "Steven had kept all of his insecurities, his anger, his stress and so much of his anguish bottled up inside of him for years...and we did so little to help him with any of it."

It was here that the other groups were reminded of Steven's most tragic memory, the fear of never living up to his mother's legacy (that is, the legacy of Rose Quartz.) Then, the moment he learned of his mother's true self and what she had done before that time, Steven began to loathe that part of himself and vowed to never become like her. "At one point, Steven denounced himself as a monster" Pearl said with a sniffle, "to which his mind became so frazzled...he actually became one."

Naturally, this came as quite a shock to the other groups; who proceeded to ask how this was possible. "I don't quite understand it myself" Lars muttered, "but from what the Off Colors have told me; if a Gem's mind becomes too emotionally or psychologically unstable, it results in their physical forms becoming misshapen...or 'corrupted' as they call it." To prove his point was true; Pearl, with the aid of her gemstone, showed everyone an image of what looked like giant monsters.

Before anyone had the chance to judge, she quickly reminded them that the monsters were actually Gemfolk like her. "It's as Lars said" Pearl stated, "when a Gem's mind is warped in some way, it altars our physical forms horrifically; this is possible because our forms are made of light." While this was informative, it didn't offer any explanation on how this "corruption" would affect someone like Steven.

"It's...difficult to explain" mumbled Peridot, "but we believe it was a combination of his Human/Gem genetics...and the mental stress he harbored inside for so long." Along with this, she added that Steven also possessed the power of a Diamond, who was considered to be the most powerful of beings among the Gemfolk. "With all these elements combined, Steven's power warped him into a monstrous version of himself" Gabriel stated, "the being you saw facing him earlier was a smaller variation of it."

Before anyone could speak further on the matter, Steven suddenly let out a pained wail and his body started flailing about the sand like mad. The moment it happened, everyone demanded to know what was happening to the boys immediately and what could be done to stop it. "It seems that...whatever dark emotions they've buried within themselves were too strong for the Champions to push back down again" Donella murmured worriedly, "now, that same darkness within seeks to corrupt their bodies and destroy their very spirits."

Horrified by this reveal, the Crystal Gems wasted no time in asking Gabriel how they could help their friends. "We wish to lend our aid as well" Frostbite said as he and several other ghosts approached, "Danny helped give us ghosts new purpose and establish peaceful relations with the humans...now, we wish to help him." As if on cue; Desiree, Ember, Kitty, Technus and even Box Ghost sounded off in agreement with their colleague.

But alas, not everyone appeared to be so eager to rush to the young lads' assistance. As Connie looked to the others, hoping that they would join with her; she saw only resentment and bitterness upon their faces. "Um, excuse me...your friends are possibly dying right now" Amethyst exclaimed, "don't you people care about that?!"

In response to her inquiry, Sanji took a long drag from his cigarette and blew a cloud of smoke into the wee Quartz Gem's face. "Why should we even bother" he said coldly, "you heard what they all said earlier, remember...they don't even need us!" Almost immediately; the Fentons, the Titans, Moordryd, Sparx and even the remaining Straw Hats sounded off in agreement with the chef.

The most shocking responses came from some of the females within each group, who all looked as though they had been crying moments ago. "Sanji's right, why should we help any of those assholes" Nami sniffled, "you heard what they said earlier, didn't you...they called us whores, worthless and said we'd leave them for dead without so much as a second thought!" Soon after this; Kitt, Raven, Sam and (more shockingly) Starfire even shouted out in agreement with her.

"If those boys really think they're so capable without us, they can get out of this themselves" Raven growled, "we don't want any part of it." To say that everyone else was mortified by this news wouldn't do the situation proper justice. When he managed to finally find his voice again, Greg proceeded to question the naysayers if they were truly willing to leave the boys for dead.

"My son made his bed and now...he's going to have to lie in it" Jack fumed, "nobody calls me a lardo without punishment...NOBODY!" The moment he shouted the last word, his belly came close to popping out of his shirt; which caused everyone to roll their eyes in irony. "My...MY POINT STILL STANDS" Jack shouted, "Danny has no right to talk to me or his mother that way...no matter how much he claims we've 'ruined his life.'"

As Maddie, Sam and Tucker took their places beside the elder Fenton male; the Shadowmanes became all the more disappointed in them. To make matters worse; not only did Starfire viciously reuse her "Clorbag" insult upon her fallen teammate, Zoro professed his hopes that Luffy would burn in Hell for "betraying" the crew. As all this continued to transpire, the Diamonds looked down upon the lads' forms; wondering if their conditions had worsened.

Whether by some twist of Fate or as a cruel, sick joke by some unseen force; the maidens were met with a hideous surprise. Not only did the red energy continue to course through them, Blue swore she could hear vicious choking sounds emanating from each of their throats. Worse still, she even saw tears flowing down from the corners of their eyes; which reminded her of the tears she once forced others to shed.

The combination of this coupled with the insufferable bickering behind her and the vicious slurs being sent the lads' way arouse something within her that she seldom felt before...pure righteous fury! With an anguished roar, her powers suddenly activated; which resulted in both bickering sides being reduced to tears. "What the...what's going on here" Raven murmured confusedly, "where'd this blue light come from and why am I..."

Before she could finish her words, the young empath found herself snatched up by a pair of gargantuan hands. Not long after that; the Straw Hats, Dragon Racers and Titans were picked up as well. As these lot tried desperately to free themselves, they found themselves staring deep into the angry eyes of the former Diamond Authority.

"I grow weary of having to listen to you...pitiful organics bicker like children" Yellow growled venomously, "so, you are all going to stifle yourselves here and now...AM I UNDERSTOOD!?" While tears still flowed from their eyes, everyone clamped their lips tight and nodded silently in agreement. "Now...we are through sitting by and putting up with all of your...emotional immaturity" White glowered angrily, "the boys are in danger and we...are going...to help them, are we clear on that!?"

Despite feeling mildly intimidated by the giant maidens, those trapped within their grips still held their ground and refused to relent. "What if we refuse to help" Moordryd said in a strained voice, "what'cha gonna do about it, ya freaks?!" Infuriated by the teenager's insulting tone, White Diamond took him in her hands and sneered.

"If you and your...friends refuse to help, we will have no choice but to crush you until you agree" she said firmly, "like this!" Without delay, the former head of Homeworld suddenly tightened her grip around Moordryd; causing the lad's muscles to strain. As if on cue, Blue and Yellow proceeded to do the same thing; the latter giving extra strength to squeeze the likes of Jack Fenton.

As these lot started groaning and wheezing painfully, Nami looked down at the Shadowmanes and pleaded for their help. "I am sorry, milady" said King Thaylog with a sullen tone, "but the Diamonds' present anger is what we consider to be highly justified." As expected, this response warranted a great deal of discourse amongst those being crushed.

"Why should we...Why should we b-b-bother helping people who clearly hate us" Cyborg coughed loudly, "that's all we're tryin' to say here!" The moment this statement was made, the Diamonds ceased squeezing them and dropped their captives unceremoniously onto the sand. Sore, near breathless and coated in dirt; everyone did their best to get back upon their feet.

But once they did, they were met with the soft yet cold stares of the Shadowmane Elves. "You all act as though you know these lads so well" Gabriel muttered, "but the truth is...you could live an entire lifetime with someone and yet still know so little about them." Once he got the air back into his lungs again, Moordryd proceeded to claim that the elves were just as "clueless" about the boys as their friends seemed to be.

"If that is so; then, I would like to ask the Titans one thing" Queen Elbenor stated, "do you know where Master Garfield was born...or who it was that raised him?" Admittedly, the aforementioned team felt rather clueless about the one inquiry. But as for the latter one, they immediately answered it with three words; "the Doom Patrol."

"I'm afraid you are only...partially correct, my friends" Gabriel stated, "they did not raise Garfield from infancy; in truth, he would not meet them until the cusp of his pre-teen years." The Titans were taken aback by this reveal, not just from the overall cryptic nature of the prince's words...but also for the fact that they seemed to be hearing this for the first time. "Truth be told, your friends have kept many secrets about themselves from you all" Elbenor revealed, "some small and others...quite tragic in nature."

With this reveal, the answer to their current dilemma was clear; everyone would need to help save the boys...from the inside. "And how do you propose we do that, pray tell" questioned Gibson, "shrink technology isn't available in this sort of world." The mere instant he said this, realization struck the blue primate like a heavy blow to the head.

To enter their friends, they would require mystical means to achieve this; not scientific. With that in mind, Thaylog immediately called for the assistance of the High Mystics; instructing them to utilize a sort of...mind meld spell betwixt the lads and their friends. "With this spell, we shall enter the lads' minds and see what has become of them" Gabriel explained, "I only pray that we are not too late."

Upon hearing this statement, Connie shivered with a mix of fear and sadness; also hoping it wasn't too late to save Steven. Meanwhile, Falcore and his fellow High Mystics began drawing symbols upon everyone's foreheads; while Serafina made a circle in the sand with the base of her staff. "These runes upon your foreheads will help you enter the mindscape" Edric explained, "there, we hope you will find your friends and bring them back safely."

While the man's words sounded rather sullen, he was clearly encouraging them to do whatever they can to succeed. "I'm afraid they can only do so little there, good Sir" Gabriel interjected, "they can help provide any form of support...but in the end, it is the champions and them alone who must best their innermost demons." With that said, he urged the Mystics to begin the spell as swiftly as possible.

But before they began; Falcore's hawk, Xenos landed upon the prince's shoulder and he noticed that its eyes were glowing. It was then that Falcore's voice suddenly started to echo within Gabriel's head. "I'm afraid I cannot use too much of my power here, Your Highness" the mystic's voice informed, "I must reserve as much as I can muster for future means."

Feeling understandably concerned by this, Gabriel telepathically asked what Falcore was anticipating for. "I fear I cannot properly explain it" the mystic's voice said regretfully, "but I fear that something, somewhere is assaulting the veil between our worlds...something otherworldly." This news sent an eerie chill down Gabriel's spine but he tried to put on a brave face, for everyone's sake.

Meanwhile, everyone else found their places within the circle and readied themselves for whatever might happen next. In the mean time, some members of the Straw Hats expressed their relief from having escaped the Diamonds' wrath moments ago. "You're quite lucky those three let you go, Usopp" Robin murmured stoically, "I almost felt tempted to...persuade you into helping our captain myself."

When asked what she considered doing to them, had they chosen not to concede; the Straw Hats suddenly found themselves being slightly strangled by some unseen force. When Nami managed to get a good look behind her, she saw arms sprouting out from not just her back...but the rest of the crew as well. With this in mind, she immediately knew who was responsible; Robin.

"What the...what the hell are you doing" Nami choked out, "are you actually trying to kill us?!" The moment she heard this, Robin closed her eyes and all the arms she summoned instantly disappeared; which gave the crew the chance to breathe. While they recovered, Robin took a stance before her friends; her shadow looming over them as if she were a giant.

"Consider that a warning, everyone" she said grimly, "the next time one of us, especially our captain is in trouble; I expect you to tow the line without question...or else there will be tragic consequences." The moment Robin mentioned the words "tragic consequences, her eyes went pale and she gave them a deep frown. This sight left the crew feeling rather nervous, due to hardly ever seeing Robin act so...stern before.

But after a moment or two of silence, they nodded their heads in agreement and pushed themselves up from the dirt. With that settled, the time came for the Straw Hats to join the others in their voyage. "Good fortune to you, everyone" Gabriel stated, "and be careful."

Once that was done, he gave a nod to Falcore; thus signaling the High Mystics to begin their work. After what felt like ages of waiting and listening to chanting, everyone's symbols began to glow brightly. "Um...is this a good thing" Lance questioned worriedly, "these things won't cause our heads to explode...right?"

Alas, there was no answer; which made the lad more nervous than before. Then; the Mystics ceased their chanting, held their staves high in the air and slammed each of the bases in the sand. Mere seconds later, the symbols upon everyone's heads stopped glowing and...they fell limp onto the ground and swiftly drifted off to sleep.

(Line Break)

The next moment they awoke, everyone saw that they were no longer standing in the Xeruvian Coliseum. Instead; they found themselves within a vast, empty void of darkness. Such a development left some members of our heroes kin feeling understandably worried.

"What happened...where are we" Rhodonite murmured fearfully, "did we get shattered...or are we experiencing what the humans call...'death?'" All too quickly, Lars assured his friend and fellow Off Color that they were still very much alive. "Sadly, I'm just as clueless as you on where we are" he stated, "it feels like we're in some sort of...dream or something."

After taking a look at the black nothingness around them; some like Chopper, Usopp and even Box Ghost proclaimed that if they were trapped in a dream...either they or the lads themselves needed to wake up. "Speaking of our boys, where are they" questioned Nami, "where's...anything for that matter?" Sadly, no one else knew what to make of this strange place...except for Antauri and Garnet.

"Perhaps, this is the mindscape Gabriel spoke of moments ago" the silver primate speculated, "but...who's mind are we in?" It was here that the likes of the Titans and the Straw Hats made the obvious jest that they might be in either Beast Boy or Luffy's mind, due to the vastness of the area around them. "Nice...real nice, our friends could be dying right now and you choose to joke about it" Nova sneered, "you people are real pieces of work."

Taking her words as an insult, Cyborg drew out his sonic cannon and Zoro readied two of his katana; while Nova readied her robot fists. "Just give me an excuse, ya butt-scratching primate" the swordsman growled, "I dare you!" Then, as Cyborg prepared to make a similar remark, Garnet approached both men from behind...and bopped them soundly upon their heads.

"This is no time to bicker like little children" she said coolly, "we need to find a way out of here...or at least, find the boys and help them out of this place." Everyone nodded in agreement and proceeded to walk northward (or what they assumed to be north.) While they walked, Star commented on how vast this strange place was without taking jabs at the boys' intelligence.

"The mind is a boundless realm of thoughts and ideas" Antauri murmured, "even in its most peaceful state, they still flow on like a river." While the primate's words were true, it still didn't explain why everything appeared so dark. "Sometimes, when a being is in a...comatose state; their minds only have small amounts of thought work through them" Gibson explained, "and as we saw earlier, our young friends are in a most dire condition."

With this reveal, everyone wanted to find a quick way out of the mindscape as soon as they could. But no matter how fast or seemingly how far they ran, everything looked the same; pure darkness. Then, just as everyone started to lose hope, six orbs of light appeared and floated towards them.

"Is this what a human thought looks like" Rutile 1asked curiously, "it looks like one of those...firefly things." Feeling just as curious about the lights, Maddie tried to grab one of them; only to discover that it disappeared from her hands and reappeared in front of her again. Then, at that moment; everyone suddenly heard faint sounds of whispering from somewhere around them.

This made the situation feel all the more alarming for many of them, particularly the likes of the "Straw Hat Cowards." "Stifle your crying at once" White Diamond said firmly, "let's listen first before we start judging anything." Upon hearing these words, the Crystal Gems smiled slightly up at her; thinking that Steven's communication lessons must've had a positive affect on her.

The others, on the other hand weren't quite so easily convinced. But in the end, they decided to go with her idea; considering that they were literally and figuratively in the dark about their situation. "So...who's going to 'listen' to those things" questioned Moordryd, "any volunteers?"

Almost immediately, Connie chose to approach the strange lights herself. After taking in a deep breath, she cautiously approached one of the glowing orbs and gave it a friendly wave. "Where did you little guys come from" she asked with a light smile, "are you here to help us?"

In response to her inquiry, all six of the orbs suddenly started to speak in faint whispers; which left everyone feeling quite irritated. "Could y'all please speak up a little" Cyborg roared, "we can't hear ya in the nosebleed seats!" This scene brought several of the Titans and many others to facepalm themselves in annoyance; mentally shaming Cyborg for arguing with specks of light.

In the meantime, the orbs themselves kept whispering to them and Connie did everything she could to listen. "Guys, I think these...things are trying to tell us where to go" she stated, "at least, I am hoping that's the case." While a part of her believed in her former pupil's words, Pearl couldn't help but question Connie's sanity.

But after being urged to listen for themselves; within moments, they too started hearing the same voices. "She's telling the truth, guys" Lars exclaimed, "and I think those orb things are saying...'follow the song?'" This reveal made everyone feel even more confused than they were before.

But then, all of a sudden; the mindscape around them started to change its look. Within seconds, lines of trees started popping up along side them. Not long after that, a moon appeared overhead; revealing a dirt path that led northward.

"Wonderful" cried Jack with glee, "all we've gotta do now is follow this path to wherever the boys are and maybe find a way outta here." While they partially believed that his theory seemed logical, everyone still harbored a sliver of doubt; reminding Jack that they needed to...follow the song to wherever the exit point was. "And just where do you think we'll hear such a song, people" Moordryd said suddenly, "there's no one else here but us."

As if on cue, there was a faint rustling in the trees; which gave everyone a strong sense of dread. With sweat dripping from their brows, everyone slowly reached for their weapons...only to discover that they weren't there. "What the...Who the hell took my swords" Zoro growled, "and Nami's Clima Tact, Usopp's slingshot...and everything else?!"

Before anyone could answer, Gibson quickly reminded the one-eyed swordsman that the laws of physics didn't apply within the mindscape. "Thanks for the science lecture, Dr. Brain-Strain" Sparx fumed, "now...how are we gonna protect ourselves?" Just as the two primates were ready to begin a "reasonable debate," the trees rustled again; making everyone feel all the more nervous. Then, Greg looked up and spotted something coming out of one of the trees' leaves; a little black bird.

"Oh...Thank goodness, I thought we were all in trouble" he sighed with relief, "guys, it's okay; it's just a..." Before he had the chance to finish his sentence, Greg saw several more little birds appear atop the highest branch of each tree. When everyone else noticed them, they couldn't help but think that they looked oddly adorable.

But to Raven, something about these...creatures simply didn't feel quite right. "These look like the same birds within my mindscape in my mirror" she thought, "the question is...why are they here?" As if sensing her thoughts, the birds suddenly started pointing their beaks down the path in unison; as if trying to tell them something.

Then, Starfire let out a great cry of joy; which almost caused everyone to leap out of their skin. "Oh...I am sorry for startling you, friends" she murmured apologetically, "but look on the path ahead...I think I see the boys." Upon taking a look for themselves, they didn't quite spot what Starfire might've seen.

But then, Chopper's jaw fell and he proclaimed he saw one of the figures ahead wearing a straw hat; Luffy's straw hat. "Well, what are we waiting for" Bismuth said firmly with a smile, "let's get our pals back and get outta here." With that said, everyone made a beeline down the path; hoping the lads would see them.

But the closer they got, the more the path seemed to be stretching even further down. It was here that everyone remembered Gibson's earlier words on how the laws of physics were irrelevant in this place. Then, at that moment; one of the birds opened its beak and started humming.

Now, a bird's song is nothing truly surprising; even for a strange place like the mindscape. But when the bird opened its beak, what came out wasn't the sound of beautiful chirruping...but a child's voice. To make the situation stranger, it seemed to be humming the tunes for What Shall We Do with a Drunken Sailor; a popular traditional sailor shanty.

Normally, such a song would rouse revelry and joy in the hearts of the Straw Hats. But there was something about the tone of the humming that just felt...eerie to them. Meanwhile, Cyborg assumed this was the song the orbs of light told them to follow and tried to urge everyone to do just that.

"Is your computer brain on the fritz, robo-clod" Peridot exclaimed nasally, "I've seen the horror movies you humans like to watch and I know for a fact that when a song like this is heard, it always leads to bad news!" Immediately afterwards; Tucker, Cyborg and even Otto joined in agreement with the wee gem. But Raven quickly reminded them that they had little choice in anything else to do.

So, in spite of everyone's fear; they chose to follow the rest of the path and listen for the song. Meanwhile, up ahead; the lads (or a reasonable facsimile thereof) continued to move down the path while looking around them fearfully. As if sensing their fear, the black birds' eyes suddenly flashed red and their humming soon turned into singing.

However, instead of the traditional verses of Drunken Sailor; what everyone heard next was nothing short of morbid.

"What will we do with the freaky weirdos?

"What will we do with the freaky weirdos?

"What will we do with the freaky weirdos?

Early in the morning!

Way hay and up she rises

Way hay and up she rises

Way hay and up she rises

Early in the morning!

At this point in the "song," several strange phenomenons began to occur. First, the birds eyes suddenly flashed a more blood-colored red and their forms became more demonic in nature. Then, each one of them let out a series of shrill cries into the black sky (which sounded near identical to the sound of a wailing electric guitar;) causing everyone to plug up their ears painfully (even the boys up ahead.)

Not long after this, the moon's appearance suddenly changed from its typical white color to that of a blood moon. Then, the darkness above their heads suddenly started to crack like shattering glass; revealing a hellish red sky beneath it all. After that, clouds of red smoke were seen seeping out from between the cracks.

Within seconds, these clouds slowly started to take on very familiar shapes; which made the poor lads appear even more terrified. At the same time; a loud, grinding guitar chord echoed through the red sky. This was then by a more "grungy" variation of Drunken Sailor.

As the devilish melody played on, the red clouds had finally assumed each of their forms and (with their newly developed eyes) glared down boys; who were desperately backing away from them. But before they had the chance to run, all six of them were suddenly snatched up into bags; which were then picked up by the red doubles of Dani and Valerie. With their "prizes" in hand; Garnet, Franky, Jasper, Nova and Beau's doubles proceeded to viciously pound away at them like they were punching bags.

The whole time they watched the figures do this, the crowd could hear them singing the next verse of the grim melody with every blow.

(Garnet and Nova)

Stuff them into sacks and beat them senseless

Stuff them into sacks and beat them senseless

Stuff them into sacks and beat them senseless

Early in the morning!

At one point; the bags were given such a blow that they suddenly ripped in half, freeing the lads from captivity. But they had little time to relish in their freedom, as more red giants appeared; looming over them menacingly. Like a group of scared rabbits fleeing from a hunter, the poor lads desperately rushed off as fast as they could; as two of the giants started swinging their blades down at them.

To make matters all the more horrifying, these giants bore the monstrous likenesses of Sanji and Zoro. Everyone else could only look on and watch in horror, as the duo sang their unholy song along with Raven's double; all while trying to dice their friends to pieces with sharpened knives and swords.

(Zoro, Sanji and Raven)

Feed 'em to the hungry rats for dinner

Feed 'em to the hungry rats for dinner

Feed 'em to the hungry rats for dinner

Early in the morning!

Just then, a giant red-cloaked version of Raven with two sets of fiery red eyes suddenly loomed overhead of the boys. Upon opening up her cloak, thousands of rabid rats charged out an began to swarm them. These vermin clawed at the boys' limbs, tore out bits of their hair and left more claw marks upon their bodies than they could count.

Alas, they were so focused on trying to get the rats off of them; they failed to notice that they were heading towards a cliff. Upon seeing this for themselves, everyone wasted no time in shouting and waving at the boys; hoping they'd be able to get their attention. "Look out, you guys" Lapis cried, "you're getting too close to that..."

Though unfortunate, it seemed the Gem's cries had fallen onto deaf ears. As they furiously pulled off some rats off their heads, the poor lads soon found themselves falling over the edge of the cliff. This caused the rest of the rats to stop following them and look down at their falling forms with malicious smiles.

In time, they sang their version of the refrain with mocking tones of voices.

(All)

Way hay and up she rises

Way hay and up she rises

Way hay and up she rises

Early in the morning!

As quickly as they could; everyone jumped off, flew and/or floated down from off the cliff and down towards wherever the boys fell. Upon their arrival, everyone finally spotted them; looking dirty, scared sore...but otherwise fine. The first to stand up was Danny, who looked as though he'd endured a thousand wars at once.

"Oh...thank you merciful God" Valerie sighed with relief while being carried by Dani, "maybe this whole thing is finally o..." Just as she was about to finish her sentence, the young huntress was met with a hideous sight. Standing before Danny...was herself, readying her ecto-gun and aiming it squarely at the ghost child's chest.

At her side stood Maddie, Usopp, Peridot and several other figures she didn't seem to recognize; all aiming at the lads with loaded firearms. The next thing Valerie knew, her double started to sing the next verse; all while she and the others opened fire on the boys.

(Valerie shoots Danny in the chest)

Shoot 'em through the heart with a loaded pistol

(Peridot shoots Steven in the chest with her robotic fingers)

Shoot 'em through the heart with a loaded pistol

(Everyone else shoots the final four boys)

Shoot 'em through the heart with a loaded pistol

Early in the morning!

At the start of the next verse, Sam and the other girls quickly stopped the boys from falling to the floor. This gave everyone the impression that they were possibly planning on saving them. But instead, everyone watched as the ladies' doubles proceeded to slash at the lads' throats with sharpened blades.

While they did so, they sang the second to last verse of the song with malicious tones in their voices.

(Connie slices Steven's neck with her sword)

Slice their throats with a rusty clever

(Raven slices Beast Boy's neck with a meat cleaver)

Slice their throats with a rusty clever

(Sam, Nami, Nova and Kitt slash at their boys with other rusty blades)

Slice their throats with a rusty clever

(All)

Early in the morning!

As the blood poured out each of the lads' necks, the ladies smiled at them maliciously and pushed their feet against their chests; causing them to fall backwards. In what felt like a slow-motion sequence, the lads fell over dead while everyone sang the final verse of their sick melody

(The Ladies)

Way hay and up she rises

(The Crystal Gems, Diamonds and Beach City Citizens)

Way hay and up she rises

(The Titans, Team Phantom, the Straw Hats, the Penn Racers, Moordryd and the Hyperforce...sans Jinmay)

Way hay and up she rises

Early in the morning!

Beaten, bloodied and on the verge of death; the lads' forms were barely recognizable to everyone after the onslaught they had endured. Meanwhile, their red copies appeared to be relishing in their suffering; none more so than Raven's. With their quarry now dealt with, the crowd of red doubles suddenly dispersed; while Raven's simply went off into the distance, skipping and humming the tune happily.

When she had at last, vanished into the distance; all was quiet, once more. Then, the silence was suddenly broken by the sounds of wild sobbing. "NOOO! My sweet baby boy" Maddie wailed loudly while crawling over towards her son's corpse, "how could they...we...those things do this to them!?"

Alas, due to the overall grim nature of what they've all just witnessed; everyone was at a complete loss for words. The only sounds they made were those of sobs or sniffles, as they tried desperately to dry their tears away. "Why is this happening" Parm pleaded desperately, "please, someone...anyone, give us an answer!"

Just then, the glowing orbs they met earlier on suddenly appeared before them. At first, everyone hoped these things would tell them to go somewhere else next. But instead, much to their confusion and amazement, they slowly began to take on different forms.

"If it's another collection of those murderous cloud people, I will be ready to fight" Starfire decreed, "they shall pay for what they did to our friends!" No sooner had she said this, one of the orbs (which had now taken on the form of a man) suddenly spoke to the Tamaranean princess. "We did no such thing, young lady" the voice stated, "everything that happened here was solely the boys' doing...with a little help from all of you, of course."

With their collective minds already on the brink of snapping from frustration, everyone glared at the glowing orbs (including the one bearing a human's form) and demanded answers. Rather than grant their request, the glowing human figure chuckled softly at them and snapped its fingers. The moment it did so, its glowing form suddenly burst in a blinding flash; causing everyone to shield their eyes.

For what felt like ages, this glow continued to flare; bathing everyone in its intense light. Then, it slowly died down and all became dark once more. "What the...What just happened" Robin murmured, "what was that light all about?"

No sooner had the Boy Wonder said this, a voice suddenly spoke to him. "If you seek answers, you must first open your eyes to the truth" the voice stated, "open your eyes, child." Not long after this, several other voices urged the rest of the group to do the same thing.

Unfortunately, their eyelids still felt rather sore from the flare earlier and found it too painful to fulfill their request. Furthermore, they feared that whatever stood before him could be another hellish vision and thus hesitated. Then, at that moment; everyone suddenly felt a light touch upon their foreheads...like a sort of peck.

Seconds later, a warm sensation flowed through their bodies; which felt as though all their pain and fears were being swiftly washed away. When this feeling eventually dissipated, everyone took a bold step forward (metaphorically speaking) and opened their eyes. When they did, they were met what looked like a sort of heavenly vision.

Before them stood six glowing figures, one of which was an animal (a falcon) and the rest appeared to be humans. The first figure to approach them appeared to be holding a staff in one hand and sported what looked like a feathered hat atop its head. Once the glow faded from their forms, the figures were now visible to all.

The fellow with the staff and feather hat resembled a sort of tribal leader with orange robes, a large gold necklace and upon seeing it more clearly, his hat resembled a sort of ceremonial headdress. "An African chieftain...I've not seen one of these in ages" Pearl gasped in awe, "not since Rose and I first visited what you humans call Africa centuries ago." While mildly informative (for most of them,) everyone still wished to know who this stranger was and what he was doing here.

Then, much to their surprise; he tapped the base of his staff upon the "ground," took a knee and bowed his head in greetings. "Salamu na salamu" the figure said in greeting, "or in your language, salutations." After a moment of silence, everyone greeted this stranger accordingly (albeit with hesitant tones.)

"Forgive my bluntness, my good...Sir" Starfire stated, "but...who or what exactly are you and how did you come to this place?" Much to everyone's surprise, the stranger only laughed lightly and proclaimed that he "wasn't really there." "I am nothing but an illusion, a physical representation of young Garfield's innermost thoughts" the strange chieftain said, "as are my associates here."

Before anyone had the chance to speak up, the chieftain gestured behind him and revealed the five remaining figures. First, there was what looked like a pirate with scruffy black hair, a fancy red jacket, a blue dress shirt, grey pants, a yellow waistband and the red hat he wore bore the symbol of a skull and crossbones. He had an odd-looking mustache, stood at shoulder-level with Franky and he had a sort of soul-piercing look in his black and white eyes.

While the rest of the lot saw him as just a "run of the mill" pirate, the Straw Hats found themselves quivering in both shock and awe. "C-Could it really be...no, it can't" Robin murmured, "it...It's Gold Roger!" As expected, the others looked upon her with confused looks; asking to know who this Roger fellow was. "He was only the greatest sailor from our world" Usopp cackled excitedly, "not to mention the original King of the Pirates!"

It was here that the Straw Hats revealed that Luffy wanted to become a pirate in honor of Roger. "From what he told us, the goofball grew up hearing all sorts of stories about him and wanted to be just like him" Nami said with a light giggle, "his brother Ace was even his son." This bit of news threw almost everyone for a loop, save for those who felt pirates were nothing but scum (like Pearl.)

"If that is how you feel, lass...then, I suppose you consider Luffy scum as well" the Gold Roger look-alike inquired, "is that it?" After stammering in confusion for a few seconds, Pearl shook her head vigorously and demanded that he and his associates gave them answers. "I agree with the...I mean, I agree with Pearl" Blue Diamond said firmly, "who or what are you and how did you end up here in this place with us?"

After having a laugh, the Roger look-alike repeated the same words the chieftain figure said moments ago; that they weren't truly real. It was hear that the falcon flew towards them, landed before Connie and bowed its head. The creature had black feathers upon its head (which made it look as if it wore a mask over its face,) grey ones on its neck and the rest of its plumage was a beautiful mix of black and brown feathers.

Upon examination, the young lady gasped loudly with surprise and stars suddenly formed in her irises. "You...You look...YOU LOOK JUST LIKE A CHARACTER FROM MY BOOK" she squealed, "Archimicarus is my favorite!" The falcon tilted its head to side slightly, upon hearing Connie's words; as if to say it was confused.

Then, it flapped its wings a few times and gazed deep into Connie's eyes, which gave the Gems the impression that it wished to harm her. But as they prepared to charge, the falcon suddenly raised its wing; causing them to stop. "Stay your hands, rock folk" the falcon said firmly, "I mean neither you nor this young lady any harm."

Understandably, this sudden display of human speech caused the Gems and Diamonds to stumble back slightly in shock. Upon recovery, they asked how it was able to communicate with them; only for Garnet to suddenly realize that this...thing was but another mental image of this strange world. Meanwhile, the Penn Racing Team was being approached by what looked like a taller version of Artha.

He wore the same armor, carried the same staff and the dragon that walked behind him looked near identical to Beau. But upon closer inspection, he was much taller and appeared older than Artha. Within moments, Connor and the racers realized who this was; the ancient Dragon Booster. (or a vision of him.)

Next, Team Phantom and their ghost allies were being approached by what looked like Clockwork. Then, the Hyperforce saw a face they hadn't seen in ages; the Alchemist that created them. Each of these strange figures approached everyone slowly and smiled.

"Do not fear us, laddies and lassies" the Roger look-alike urged kindly, "like our falcon friend here, we also mean you no harm...we're only here to help guide you and your friends to safety." Understandably, no one was quite ready to trust them and they still demanded answers. "Very well...but we must be quick" the Dragon Booster double said firmly, "if we tarry for too long, the boys could lose themselves to the darkness...forever!"

With that said, half of the figures introduced themselves as "the embodiment of the boys' courage;" while the others claimed to embody their inner wisdom. "So...my suspicions were right" Raven muttered, "this place does work the same way as my mirror's world." As if sensing everyone's confusion; Raven explained that to help keep her emotions in check, she created a mirror that would open a portal into her mind.

"Yeah, I remember that too" Cyborg exclaimed, "there were all kinds of versions of Rae there, each one wearin' a different cloak that represented a different side of her personality." Despite this explanation, everyone still questioned the existence of the figures; proclaiming that they should resemble the boys themselves. "Everyone's mind is different, my friends" the falcon stated, "and within this mindscape, the lads' emotions embody what they either fear or wished to aspire to be the most."

To help elaborate, the chieftain figure said that he was given the form of King Tawaba; someone Beast Boy knew long ago from childhood. "He chose my form to represent his wisdom and knowledge...because Garfield truly aspires to, one day become a good leader like Tawaba once was" the figure stated, "the king was very near and dear to Garfield's family." To say the least, this news came as quite the shock for the Titans; none more so than Raven.

Not only did Gar truly wished to become a great hero, he also desired to be a leader in his own right; like Robin or this Tawaba fellow was. "The same thing can be said for the rest of them" said the Dragon Booster double, "each one of the boys aspires to become something great...but they feel the world fails to give them a chance to do so." While this statement did tug at everyone's collective heartstrings, they still did their best to appear strong and firm.

"Well...with all due respect, Gar's got a long way to go for that to happen" Raven muttered, "he first needs to grow up and stop being such a jokester all the time." Not long after this; Jazz, Kitt and especially Nami made similar about their friends/family as well. Alas, this only seemed to make the figures shake their heads in disappointment.

"You lot think you know everything there is about these lads, don't ya" growled the Roger double, "well...look over yonder and you shall see the truth!" Though mildly confused by the pirate's words, everyone still complied with his request and looked over at the distance. Unfortunately, all they could see were the dead corpses of the boys; which made their collective stomachs churn violently.

"Do not turn away" the Alchemist said sternly, "be silent, watch...and learn the truth behind your heroes' façade." Rather than question him on the use of the word "façade;" everyone, once again, complied with his request and stared at the corpses up ahead. Then, at that moment; strange lumps suddenly appeared from inside the boys' bodies.

Within seconds, these lumps started twitching and moving about; giving everyone the impression that the rats they saw earlier may be trying to burrow out of them. "Okay...do we really have to see any of this" Pearl groaned sickly, "you should know that I could never handle this sort of thing in Steven's movies!" The rest of the crowd couldn't help but agree, despite some of them being unfamiliar with what movies were.

Then, at that moment; the boys' chests suddenly burst open and some sort of small creatures came crawling out. But much to everyone's surprise, these creatures weren't actually the rats...they were six small boys. At first, nobody seemed to recognize them; wondering if this was yet another odd vision.

But at the behest of Tawaba, they looked more closely and came to a shocking realization. The six little ones before them...were the boys themselves, only younger. Beast Boy's child self looked about five years old with scruffy blonde hair, peachy skin, freckles upon his cheeks and eyes as blue as the sea.

He was dressed in a light-blue jacket, wore a black t-shirt underneath, jean shorts and a pair of Velcro sneakers. "Behold, Titans" announced Tawaba, "this boy here is Garfield's true innermost self...or as Tawaba and others once knew him, Garfield Mark Logan." Not long after that; the other light beings introduced the child forms of Danny, Chiro, Luffy, Artha and Steven to the crowd.

For the Gems, seeing "Baby Steven" (or Classic Steven, as they once called him) was both a surprise and a delight. His shirt looked much too big for him, he had a small band-aid on the bottom of his right cheek (though, no one could explain why) and he appeared to be missing a tooth. When the identity of Little Steven was revealed to the likes of the Diamonds and the Off-Colors, they were at a loss for words.

"Buuut...heee...loooks...soo...smaaaalll" Fluorite said in her slow tone, "dooo...alll...humans...look that waaay?" With a light smile upon his face, Lars revealed that all organics started out tiny; including him. "Oh, my stars...he's so adorable" Blue Diamond gushed happily with diamonds in her eyes, "just like the other babes we've seen at the human hospital in Beach City!"

Yellow and White couldn't help but agree, while also wishing Spinel was there with them; in spite of things. Knowing her, she would haved loved Little Steven as much as she did Pink. Meanwhile, Lance stared in shock at the child-like form of his older brother; as did Kitt and Parm.

Not only did he stand an inch or two lower than him; Child Artha's eyes appeared as big as his own, he had freckles on his cheeks, shaggy-looking hair and appeared to be holding a dragon plush toy tightly in his arms. "HA! Look at that little twerp and his dolly" Moordryd said mockingly, "maybe Lance should be the big brother instead." With a fierce growl; Garnet was poised to, once again bop the teen upon the head with her gauntlets.

But then, Connor rolled up his sleeves and looked the boy straight in the eye with a fierce glare. "I'm warning you, Moordryd" he growled, "make another comment about my son again and you'll be answering to me!" While Cain felt quite intimidated by Connor's threat; Moordryd, on the other hand held his ground and glared right back at him.

"You think you or those freaky...whatever they are can scare me, old man" he growled back, "just give me an excuse and I'll finish the job I started back at your stables!" Upon making this threat, everyone gasped in horror and disbelief; before questioning Moordryd on what he was saying. "To put it simply; in an attempt to steal Artha's dragon, he and the Dragon Eye Crew almost set Penn Stables ablaze" the Dragon Booster double stated, "worse...Artha believed his father perished in the fire."

To say that this news angered everyone would be a gross understatement. But...they choose to momentarily disregard his words, for the moment and kept their focus upon what was in front of them. The next child to appear was another little boy with a blue cap atop his head, a matching blue child-sized uniform, long, white socks and black shoes.

Straightaway, the Hyperforce and Jinmay recognized this to be the child form of Chiro; even without his hero attire. But unlike his usual self; this version appeared smaller, powerless...and utterly terrified of the world around him. Next, Luffy's younger self appeared from out of his old body and the Straw Hats couldn't believe their eyes.

While this Luffy possessed some of the familiar traits that the original had (such as his hat, shorts and the scar beneath his right eye;) there were many differences. This Luffy appeared much smaller than they expected, his hat looked too big for his head and he seemed to be...crying; which stood in contrast to his usual star-bright smile and laughter. Lastly, there was Danny's younger self; which made the Fentons, Sam and Tucker feel rather nostalgic.

While several things remained unchanged; such as his clothes, hair and shoes...this Danny looked like someone from an alternate universe. Once free from their older halves' bodies, the six children sniffled sadly and proceeded to walk off into the distance. Then, at that moment; the scenery started to suddenly change once again, which caused everyone to jump in alarm.

Within seconds, the world around them turned into some sort of...dingy city environment; like a horrific combination of all the boys' homes meshed into one setting. Then, much to her surprise; Peridot suddenly felt a drop strike at her head from above. She gazed skyward and saw large storm clouds rolling in, which signaled that a storm was on its way.

"But...how can that be" Maddie muttered, "I mean, I know the laws of physics don't apply in this place...but how can there be weather here?" Upon hearing her concerns, Antauri approached her and deduced that this "storm" may be the result of the boys' current state of mind. "Your primate friend speaks the truth, madam" the Alchemist said with a light smile, "due to their collective state of mind being so overwhelmed by negative emotions...it's as if they are lost in a great storm of despair."

Everyone nodded slightly in understanding, after hearing the explanation and resumed watching the little ones walk off into the distance. "But...what is this place, exactly" questioned Nova, "and where are they all going?" With a heavy heart, the Tawaba look-alike said that this plain represented the lads' deepest fears and sorrows.

Among these thoughts; the greatest common fear they shared, perhaps was the feeling of being deemed unwanted or unloved by the world. "In times of despair, the lads' innermost selves always seem to come to this place within their minds" Roger stated, "they come here whenever they feel alone, betrayed...or abandoned by the world." He then went on to explain how the little versions of the six lads are how they truly saw themselves...on the inside; small, weak and worthless.

Upon saying these words, the other spirits hung their heads low and sang a small yet painful phrase; "Oh, poor, lonely lads...poor, lonely lads." No sooner had this been said, Little Garfield suddenly started to shed tears of sorrow; before breaking out into a sad song.

(Young Garfield)

When you're alone, alone in the world

When you're alone in the world

Blown the way leaves get blown in the world

Swirled the way leaves get swirled

(As he trudges through the rain and mud, his shoes start to decay from the filthy pond water)

Listening to your heels when you walk, making a lonely "clack"

(he then looks to the sidewalk and spots what looks like a chalk drawing of a family being washed away by the rain)

You don't know how it feels when you talk and nobody's voice talks back

(Little Garfield looks sorrowfully up to the heavens and tries to reach up with his tiny arms, all while singing the next verse of his tune)

A hand for each hand was planned for the world

Why don't my fingers reach?

Millions of grains of sand in the world

Why such a lonely beach?

(As the rain continues to pour, Garfield trudged his way into a nearby alley and took shelter within an old cardboard box while finishing his verse in the song)

Where is a voice to answer mine back

Where are 2 shoes that "click" to my "clack"

I'm all alone in the wooorld!

(Soon after this, the rest of the boys are seen sadly walking down the sidewalk; all while joining in with Gar on the refrain)

A hand for each hand was planned for the world

Why don't my fingers reach?

Millions of grains of sand in the world

Why such a lonely beach?

(Danny, Chiro and Artha)

Where is a voice to answer mine back

(Gar, Luffy and Steven)

Where are 2 shoes that "click" to my "clack"

(All)

I'm all alone in the woooorld!

When their song had finished, the rain suddenly started to pour even harder; scaring the lads terribly. Desperate for cover, they darted into a nearby alleyway and took shelter within a large cardboard box. As everyone watched them from afar, shivering from both their fear and the chill of the storm; they couldn't help but think the boys resembled a group of lost stray kittens.

Upon seeing them in such a state and after the words from the boys' song had managed to sink in, everyone's eyes started to well-up with tears of sorrow. "Oh...those poor, poor boys" sniffled Blue Diamond, "and...it's all our fault Steven feels this way!" Confused, the rest of the crowd looked up at the Diamond Trio and asked what Blue meant by her statement.

"To put it simply...everything, from Pink Diamond faking her death/shattering to the entirety of the Gem War, was all the Diamonds fault" Falcon Steven said bluntly, "they drove Pink into leaving her home with their restrictive society, while Pink's own poor decisions resulted in a tremendous massacre; one that affected both sides of the conflict." Following this up; Falcon Steven said that the moment he learned of all this, the real Steven put it upon himself to fix all the damages.

To add further fuel to the fire, Falcon Steven proclaimed that the Crystal Gems were just as guilty for Steven's struggles. These moments included Garnet's often cold/aloof attitude towards Steven's human needs, Amethyst often poking fun at said needs or overall trouble-making tendencies and Pearl consistently attempting to mold Steven into a new version of Rose. Upon hearing all of this, everyone didn't know whether to pity or shame the Gemfolk for their behavior.

It was here that the Dragon Booster spirit proclaimed that Artha shared a near similar burden of his own. "Because of the actions of Connor Penn, Moordryd and his father, Wyrd Paynn; young Artha was forced to carry a great weight upon his shoulders" he said firmly, "attempting to balance a double-life and trying prevent another Dragon-Human War from happening is no easy task for anyone." These words caused Jazz, Tucker, Sam and even Valerie to hang their heads slightly in shame; each of whom understanding the spirit's words to some degree.

The only ones who still felt doubtful were the Titans, who felt that whatever struggles Beast Boy endured were no greater than their own. "For real...grass stain thinks he's the only one who's got problems" Cyborg shouted, "look at me, I'm a half-robot freak!" No sooner had he said this, the Hyperforce declared themselves to be in the same boat as him...only to add that they actually felt comfortable with what they were.

"But he has a point" Raven muttered, "some of us have dealt with our own moments of loss, abuse and/or felt abandoned by those we loved...what makes Garfield's or any of the boys' struggles more tragic by comparison?!" Rather than be bothered by the empath's words, Tawaba approached a nearby puddle and dipped the base of his staff into the water. As the ripples continued to spread, images began to appear within the water.

In it, everyone could see Garfield's younger self in some sort of house with an older couple. At first, no one seemed to know who they were; not even the Titans (who claimed to know nearly everything about their comrade.) But after looking at the couple more intently, Gibson came to a startling revelation; these two strangers must've been...Garfield's kinfolk.

"What...you mean like, they're his parents" Cyborg murmured confusedly, "but...but we always thought the Doom Patrol were his family." The light spirit of Tawaba shook his head slightly and explained that Garfield wouldn't meet the aforementioned team until a year or so after..."the incident" occurred. "Incident...what incident are you talking about" Robin grumbled angrily, "better answer quickly or else!"

Unfazed by the lad's ferocity; Tawaba said that to learn the answer to this question and others, everyone needed to have a look into the lads' past. "I don't care what we need to do or see" Greg said firmly, "if it helps save our boys in any way, we'll do it." Not long after this; the Crystal Gems, the Diamonds and even Lars and his crew agreed to the plan.

At the same time, however; they all wondered what manner of horrors or dark secrets they might learn about their comrades.

(First AN: Whoa, boy; this was one heck of a drama bomb chapter! After seeing our heroes almost die in the arena and witnessing them being spiritually mutilated within the mindscape, what else is left to happen? What truths will the spirits of the lads' innermost selves share with everyone and will they have the stomach to hear or see it?

Tune in next time, to find out)

(Second AN: Some might call Robin threatening the crew into agreeing to go into the Mindscape to be "OOC" for her. But bear in mind; during certain situations, even she has her limits and seeing her captain possibly die before her eyes is enough to shatter her usual stoic self)

(Third AN: King Tawaba is a figure from Beast Boy's childhood. Though he wasn't mentioned in any media connected to the OG Titans cartoon, he's prominent in his backstory within the comics. After saving him from an illness, Tawaba became friends with BB's parents and helped look after him...until his possible death.

Because of his connections with him, I decided that Tawaba would be the perfect figure to represent BB's wiser side; instead of having there be an "emoticlone" version of him in a green suit. Meanwhile, I wanted Archimicarus to be Steven's; considering his fondness with the character and the Unfamiliar Familiar book series.

Chiro's, on the other hand...was a toughie; aside from Antauri and Gibson, there wasn't anyone in Chiro's life whom I think could represent his wiser side...except for the Alchemist. He seemed to hold all the answers about the Hyperforce and the Power Primate, which were two things Chiro often struggled with. Thus, I chose him to be Chiro's "Wisdom emoticlone;" despite the other identity he has)

(Fourth AN: The two songs used here are from two completely separate sources, obviously. The first one, which sounds like a grimdark version of What Will We Do with a Drunken Sailor, is actually based off of Drunken Whaler; the main song from Dishonored, a game made by Arkane Studios and Bethesda. Meanwhile, the second song is from Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol; which was produced by UPA Studios.

Both melodies belong to their respectful owners and I hold no ownership over them. So, please...don't sue me)

(Final AN: I'm sure there will be readers who will tell me that the boys' teammates felt greater pain and loss than they did. But when it comes to BB, I always thought his was as tragic as Cyborg or Raven's...if not more. But I'll leave you, the reader to be the judge of that; once the next chapter rolls along)