The Tea Test
Back at the arena floor, everyone's bodies remained as still as the grave; giving some onlookers in the stands the impression that they might be dead. But then, one by one; their eyes suddenly open, they shot uprigh and they each took in a sharp gasp for air. After a moment or two of coughing/hacking, everyone slowly started climbing up onto their feet.
As Robin helped each of his fellow Titans up, a soft yet hauntingly familiar voice reached his ears. "Hello, Robin" it said sinisterly, "did you have a good rest?" With a startled yelp, the Titans looked to the side and saw a figure that made their collective blood run cold; Slade.
"What the...How in the...HOW DID YOU GET IN HERE" Raven demanded, "how were you able to find the gateway into this world?!" With a sly chuckle; the man known as Slade revealed that someone "kindly left the door open for him," thus allowing him to step through. This reveal shocked both the heroes and the people of Overon, to say the least.
"How...How can this be" Antauri growled, "how could you have opened the proper gateway into this realm?!" No sooner had he asked this, a familiar voice chuckled; making him and his fellow monkeys quiver with fright. Then, as they slowly looked over their shoulders; they spotted the hideous form of Skeleton King looming over them atop his wyvern.
At his side was the clone of Mandarin, an unholy combination of science and Skeleton King's dark sorcery. "Greetings, Hyperforce" he chuckled, "I hope you do not mind us visiting." While still afraid; Antauri, once again demanded to know how he managed to enter this realm.
No sooner had he asked this, the Monkey Team caught sight of the mutated clone of Mandarin scurrying towards them. "The answer is quite simple, my former brother-in-arms" he chittered, "I followed you into the Savage Lands and caught sight of the tree you...'disappeared' into." Not long after this, Skeleton King added that he spent countless moments channeling his magic in such a way that it would break through the tree's mystical barrier.
While this news was shocking in itself, many were more alarmed by the figure's...ghoulish demeanor. "Who or...what in the ever-loving Hell is that thing" Nami shrieked in alarm, "he looks like a nightmarish version of Brook!" Upon hearing the comment, the aforementioned skeleton chap would have felt insulted.
But truthfully, he felt just as disgusted as his fellow Straw Hats. Just then, another figure appeared on the scene; he was clad in odd-looking armor and sat astride a monstrous beast bearing multicolored scales and great horns upon its head. The sight of this stranger made Connor and the children beside him recoil with anger.
Moordryd and his fellow Dragon Eyes were especially displeased to see the warrior. "Great...Drakkus is here along with the rest of these freaks" he thought tensely, "how much worse can things get now?" No sooner had he thought this, a black mist appeared from the tears within the veil.
From this mist, another strange warrior appeared clad in ancient black armor. His headgear sported long, pointed spikes on the sides, similar yet more curves spikes protruded from behind his armor and while the man's lips were visible, everyone could only see a pair of blood-red eyes glaring down at them. Standing beside this stranger was a pack of eight fierce-looking creatures with scales that were a mix of dark purple and black.
"What...Armeggeddon is here too" Moordryd shrieked mentally, "great, just what I needed...two powerful Dragon Riders here!" As if sensing his thoughts, the warrior in black armor glanced at Moordryd and smiled wickedly. "Greetings, my former protégé" he chuckled, "as I recall...you betrayed me, after our last encounter; so...allow me to repay you for that." With that, the warrior raised his hand high and bombarded Moordryd with a powerful jolt of dark energy.
In an instant, the attack sent him flying towards the wall of the arena. The resulting collision created a large dent upon the stonework but astonishingly, Moordryd was still alive. "What the...What's going on here" Usopp cried in alarm, "who are all these freaks?" Without hesitation, King Thaylog explained the identities of the invaders as swiftly as he could.
"The undead fellow is a fiend known as Skeleton King" he stated, "he is the Hyperforce's greatest foe and a master of the dark arts." The moment this was mentioned, Raven suddenly understood what was happening; the Skeleton King's power must've been stronger than that of even the elves' mystical barrier. "As for the two armored fellows, one is an ancient warrior known as Armeggeddon from Artha's home of Draconis" Thaylog stated, "the other is another warrior of the present age known as Drakkus...or should we call you Wyrd Paynn?"
While this news did not matter much to everyone else; to both the Penn Racers and the Dragon Eyes, however...this truly came as a shock to them. "Wait a minute, are you serious" Moordryd murmured, "Drakkus...is really my DAD?!" Connor, meanwhile glared up at the aforementioned rider with pure contempt, which did not go unnoticed Lance.
"Wait...Dad, did you know the truth too" he asked in a hushed voice, "I mean, I know you said Drakkus was one of your old rivals...but you never told us he was Mr. Paynn." While still keeping a fierce look upon his face; Connor confessed that until Thaylog's reveal, he didn't know about anything Drakkus' true self. With his identity now exposed, the warrior known as Drakkus had no further need for his helmet and thus revealed himself to all.
"I do not know how you came to discover my identity, creature" he said with a scowl, "but such a discovery comes at a cost...your life!" After that, Wyrd bellowed a fierce battle cry and his dragon charged straight for the Elf King; only to be swatted aside by a massive white hand. After landing unceremoniously upon the ground, Wyrd looked up and saw three giant maidens looming over him.
"Make another attempt on our friends again, human...and it will cost you your life" Yellow Diamond growled, "and this goes for the rest of you invading scum!" Soon after she said this, several people rushed to Yellow's side, also appearing ready for a fight. But in spite of these numbers, the one called Slade was undeterred.
"Hmm...it seems that you've made some interesting friends, Robin" he muttered in a cool tone, "but something appears to be missing...where is your little green friend?" Instead of answering him directly, Robin's eyes eased over to Beast Boy; whose body was still coursing with dark energy. "What's happened to him is no concern of yours, Slade" he growled defensively, "if you've come for a fight...have at it!"
Upon hearing this, the Diamonds quickly interjected and declared that they would be more than happy to dispose of the intruders themselves. "No! We can't let you and your fellow Gems risk your lives that way, Madam White" Gibson said firmly, "the Skeleton King is not one to be trifled with." Yellow scoffed softly under breath at this and said that while she appreciated the warning, neither she nor her fellow Diamonds feared the "Skeleton King."
"Agreed, you are welcome to do your worst, creature" Blue said firmly, "but we will not allow you to harm anyone here!" With that said, she formed several blue orbs over her head; which proceeded to unleash a hail of lasers down upon the invading forces...but the Skeleton King remained unfazed. With a cruel smile upon his face, he moved his hand in a circular motion; thus creating a force shield.
Much to everyone's shock, particularly for Yellow and White; this shield managed to block every one of the lasers successfully. "You have impressive abilities, strange maiden" Skeleton King stated, "but then again...so do I!" After saying this, he thrust his hand forward; causing the force shield to fly at the crowd like an oncoming projectile.
While many managed to leap out of the way, others were caught in the crosshairs and were sent flying up against the arena wall; just like what happened with Moordryd. Among those who were knocked back were several Elven guards, Beau and half of the Straw Hats. "Holy shit...this guy is tough" Zoro groaned while nursing his wounds, "I haven't been hit that hard in a long time."
The others agreed while also making note to be on their guard. "If the archives and what the Hyperforce told us is correct, the Skeleton King may be stronger than anything we've faced before" Robin murmured, "so...nobody better make any foolish moves." At first, Sanji was prepared to say that it was mostly Luffy who did such things; only to realize that the lad in question was rather...indisposed at the moment.
"Luffy, guys...whatever you're doing in there, best get it done quick" Sanji thought tensely, "we all maybe in over our heads here."
(Line Break)
While the battle ensued in the waking world; back in the Mindscape, the lads had just entered the Logan Family household (or a mental version of it.) There; they were joined by the spirit forms of King Tawaba, Clockwork, Gold Roger, the Alchemist, the original Dragon Booster and Rose Quartz with Falcon Steven perched at her side. "Thanks for letting us in, it was getting cold out there" Little Luffy murmured, "so...can we have something to eat, please?"
The spirits chuckled softly at him and ensured the lad that he and his friends would have all the food they could eat, once they've woken up. "For now, let's sit down and have some tea" Rose offered, "you boys look like you could use a warm up." Though the little ones didn't quite care for the taste of tea that much; after being out in the rain for what felt like ages, they appeared desperate for something warm to drink.
"So...where do we make the tea" Little Danny asked, "I don't see no coffee machine or a kettle or anything." The spirits chuckled softly at his statement and decided to explain things just a little bit more. "We aren't going to make tea that way, boyo" Roger stated, "we're gonna make it the way I saw the Samurai folk from Wano do it...through the Chanoyu."
This reveal caused all six lads to tilt their heads in collective confusion, as expected. "'Scuse me...but I don't know nothing about no 'Sam-or-eye' people" Little Artha murmured, "I've never even heard of the chin...chang...UGH, the whatever you just said!" The spirits nodded in understanding and the Alchemist decided to offer up some tutoring for the test.
"Here's what we plan to do" he began, "all six of us will explain and perform each step...then, you will copy us, how does that sound?" While still feeling rather nervous, the boys agreed and sat cross-legged before the six spirits. The first thing to be done was properly setting out each piece of equipment upon the floor.
(Line Break)
Back in the waking world, everyone was fighting tooth and nail against the invaders. But overtime, they soon realized just how strong these beings were. To start with, Zoro's sword skills seemed to presumably cut down a good number of Skeleton King's Formless minions.
But in the blink of an eye, they slowly reformed themselves in greater numbers than before. "Oh...COME ON" the swordsman roared, "how am I supposed to defeat these guys, if they just keep respawning?!" While fighting off some Formless himself, Antauri explained that the creatures were connected with the Skeleton King.
"So, all we need to do is take the big guy out" Jack said with a confident grin, "no problem...I'm sure my weapons work just as well on skeletons as they do on ghosts!" With that said; he drew out his Ghost Bazooka, aimed it directly at the Skeleton King and fired. Surprisingly, not only did the blast connect; it also knocked the creature flat on his back.
"NICE WORK, MR. FENTON" Dani exclaimed, "that must've really done a number on him." The rest of the crowd felt equally confident about their chances...until the dust cleared. The moment the soft cackling was heard, everyone's cheers swiftly fell silent.
Then, as they looked ahead; everyone could see the Skeleton King pick himself up from the dirt, looking relatively unharmed. "Was that meant to be your best shot, human" he asked cruelly, "I barely felt a thing." Not wasting any time, Valerie chose to offer the next shot; with Dani adding her own power for an "extra kick."
But just like with Mr. Fenton, their onslaught had no effect on the Skeleton King. "Now, it is my turn" he sneered, "observe what true power feels like!" With his staff in hand, the undead fiend blasted the heroes with a jolt of dark energy; causing many to scream in pain.
"Jeez...this guy is seriously strong" Cyborg muttered while fighting off some Formless, "well, at least things can't get any worse than this!" No sooner had he said this, another tear in the veil appeared in the sky. Soon after this, three sets of people came falling down towards the arena.
When all eyes looked up at the oncoming figures, many mistook them for innocent people falling through and took immediate action. "Don't worry, possible humans" White called out while running, "I will catch you." Not wishing to see anyone else be in danger, Blue and Yellow followed after their fellow diamond; also wishing to save the falling individuals.
Faster and faster they ran; until, at last White reached out and caught most of them in her large hands. Soon, Blue summoned a cloud with her powers and used it to catch the third batch of falling individuals. Finally, Yellow made a jump and caught the last group in mid-air.
The Crystal Gems gave a loud cheer for the Diamonds' successful save, while Yellow and Blue Pearl simply sang their praises. "There we are, everyone" Blue Diamond murmured happily, "do not worry, you're all safe now." As the former Gem matriarch took a glance down at the figures on her cloud; one of them smiled sneakily and reached for something at his side.
"Thank you very much for your quick rescue, Ma'am" the man said in a husky voice, "allow me to repay you for it." Then, with a flick of the wrist; he drew out a flintlock handgun, aimed it squarely at Blue's forehead and fired. The shot rang out loudly through the air, while the bullet itself went clean through her head.
Of course, Blue did not bleed from this assault but it still came as quite a shock for everyone; none more so than the remaining two Diamonds. At the same time, this distraction gave the other groups that were rescued the chance to strike next. Without warning; a giant of a man with large horns on his head, long black hair and a black cape hanging behind his back leapt off of White's hands and attacked.
The Gem could only watch in shock, as the human drew out his club and slam it hard against her forehead. Though the blow did not, thankfully shatter her gemstone; it was still strong enough to knock White onto the ground. She shook her head vigorously, trying to clear her vision as quickly as she could...but all she could see were blotches around her.
Just as she tried to make a call out to someone for help, White suddenly felt something pierce through her throat. She looked down and saw a large blade protruding out of her neck. At the same time, she could also hear the sounds of someone laughing oddly in her ear.
"Mamamama...didn't anyone ever tell you, bitch" the voice said, "never get involved with strangers, they might end up stabbing you in the back...or in your case, the throat." White offered no reply, she could only give out choked gasps on distress; which swiftly reached the ears of Yellow Diamond. But after seeing her compatriots fall so easily at the hands of "humans," she suddenly felt something she seldom ever experienced before...pure terror.
"QUICKLY, EVERYONE: REGROUP" Yellow shouted desperately, "WE ARE BEING OVER..." Before she could finish her warning, the Skeleton King appeared on her left shoulder and smiled. "It is too late for that, I'm afraid" he snickered cruelly, "now...close your eyes and let the darkness take you!"
With that said, Skeleton King rested his staff upon Yellow's gem and unleashed a powerful burst of dark magic. The power coursed through her violently, while also subjecting her to immense amounts of pain; something Yellow had not felt in eons. Then, she looked upon the struggling throngs of her friends and allies and began to cry.
"My friends...I am sorry" she thought mentally, "we tried to help protect everyone and...we f-failed." Once that came and went, Skeleton King stopped and leapt off Yellow Diamond's shoulder; just as she began to fall. The moment she landed upon the ground, the great gem maid suddenly poofed into a large cloud of dust.
This same thing happened to both Blue and White Diamond respectably, the only things that remained afterward were their gems. Even though they were still fighting for their lives, this sight did not go unnoticed by the other Gemfolk. Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, the Diamonds' Pearls even the Off-Colors were dumbfounded by what just happened.
Right before their very eyes, all three members of the former Diamond Authority...had fallen. "That...THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE" exclaimed Peridot, "My Di...I mean, Yellow and the other Diamonds couldn't have fallen that easily...they couldn't have!" The other Gems felt just as shocked as she, while Connie and Greg questioned how humans were capable of such things.
"Those ain't no normal humans, girly" Franky said to Connie, "that's Marshall D. Teach (alias Blackbeard,) Big Mom and Kaido; three of the most powerful pirates ever known back in our world." While this news did trouble her, Connie still had her doubts on the trio's abilities. But once the one called Kaido drew in closer, her pupils shrank and her face instantly went pale.
He stood approximately eight feet tall, making him appear as large as some of the Corrupted Gems she helped Steven fight. But regardless, she refused to appear weak in the enemy's eyes. So, with her sword in hand; Connie prepared herself for the fight to come.
"Steven, boys...please, come back to us soon" she thought, "we're in some deep trouble out here."
(Line Break)
Back in the mindscape, in the manifestation of the Logan household; the lads were still hard at work at making the tea for the spirits. First, they poured some hot water into their cups and used their wooden whisks to clear away of any grime from them; just as they were told. Then, they showed their cups to the spirits as a gesture to show they've properly cleaned them.
Then, each of the boys poured the dirty water/used water into a large bowl beside them; making certain not to spill even the smallest drop. After that, they gently wiped a folded cloth around each of their cups; clearing away any residue. Once they were done, they took their wooden tea scoops in hand and scooped some small bits of tea leaves into their cups.
"Don't forget to tap your scoop lightly against the cups" Rose instructed kindly, "this is for good luck and helps clean away any leaves that might be stuck to them." The boys nodded nervously and gave their cups three light taps with their scoops, as per the instructions. Then, after they set them down neatly to the side; the lads each took turns with the ladle and scooped out some hot water.
After pouring some of the water into each cup, they took their wooden whisks in hand and used them to stir the water slightly; thus mixing the tea leaves. Once they were done, the lads removed their whisks and presented their cups to everyone with a bow; causing the spirits to smile. "Very good, boys" Rose said sweetly, "now...let us see how it tastes."
With that, all six spirits picked up their cup and eased them towards their lips; ready to begin tasting. Meanwhile, the six younglings gazed upon them with anxious stares; wondering what they might say or think, once they've finished drinking.
(Line Break)
Back at the arena, the battle didn't seem to be changing for the better. Even with many of Overon's warriors coming to their aid; our heroes' families and comrades were barely hanging on by a thread. Many among them appeared to be mortally wounded while others fell quicker than leaves struck by a winter breeze.
Aside from the Diamonds; among the number of those who fell were Franky, Nico Robin, Nova, Connor, Starfire and more shockingly enough Raven (who was shocked by how weak her powers were compared to some of the invaders.) "This is useless" she growled painfully, "I keep hitting this...Blackbeard guy with nearly everything I've got and he still manages to counter me!" Upon sensing her frustration, the aforementioned pirate cackled madly and proclaimed that she wasn't the first "strong opponent."
"Whitebeard prided himself as the mightiest being in the world...until I faced off against him, that is" he said with cruel pride, "now...I command the powers of both the Dark-Dark Fruit and the Quake-Quake Fruit!" Naturally, this proclamation confused a lot of folks; many of whom considered the names to be "utter nonsense." "Zehahahaha! I guess you people need a demonstration of my might" Blackbeard boasted, "good, I was hoping to...shake things up a little!"
Before anyone could react, Blackbeard raised his fist high and swung it to the side. Then, everyone could hear the sounds of what seemed like glass breaking. But when they looked over at him, they saw the sky behind Blackbeard...shatter, somehow.
"Oh...By the prophets, no" Gabriel gasped in alarm, "EVERYONE, TAKE COVER BEFORE..." Before the prince had the chance to make his warning, the ground beneath everyone suddenly started to quake violently. Then, it began to split apart; causing many poor souls to fall through; friend and foe alike.
"What the hell is going on here" Robin shouted while trying to keep his balance, "how is one man able to command such powers?!" As best as he could, Queen Elbenor explained that these tremors were the result of the Quake-Quake Fruit; a powerful Devil Fruit that grants the user to cause earthquakes with but a single punch. "ARE YOU SERIOUS RIGHT NOW" Lars shouted, "how is anyone here supposed to compete with that?!"
Alas, no one was able to offer up a reply due to the ground shaking. With the heroes momentarily disabled, this granted Wyrd the chance to strike next. Utilizing the power of his Mag Claw Technique, he leapt with a flurry and struck down several of them in an instant.
"Come on, everyone" roared Moonscar from the stands, "we have to help the Shadowmanes and our comrades!" Not needing to be told twice, almost everyone rushed out of their seats and leapt onto the arena floor. Meanwhile, Moonscar and his fellow dragons changed into their original forms and took to the skies.
Then, they bombarded the invading forces with an onslaught of elemental power. Fire, water, mist and light struck forth rained down upon the invaders; delivering powerful blows against their numbers. But to those like Kaido or even the Skeleton King, it all felt like nothing more than a tickle.
"Real dragons, hmm...interesting" Kaido murmured, "now, I'll get to really put my power to the test!" With that said, he suddenly started to struggle and strain; causing some fighters to suddenly cease their combat. Then, with a mighty roar; the man's form began a startling transformation.
First, his skin turned a mixture of light blue and yellow; before slowly transforming into scales. Then, his limbs grew longer as sharpened claws appeared at the ends of his fingers and toes. After that, his neck started growing out high into the air until it was as long as a serpent's.
Then, his face twisted into a long snout; like that of a crocodile's. His mustache grew several times longer, his human teeth turned into fangs and then, his legs suddenly changed into a long tail. In the end, Kaido was no longer human; he was now a massive beastly dragon.
"Okay, guys...I thought we were in trouble before" Cain murmured with terror in his voice, "but now...I think we are all officially doomed."
(Line Break)
As we return to the mindscape, once more; the six lads watched anxiously as the spirits have supped down the last droplets of their tea. Finally, after they let out a contented sigh; the spirits gazed down upon the wee ones and proclaimed "this tea...is terrible." These words utterly stunned the poor lads, whose collective minds were already on the brink of anguish.
"But...But how can that be" Luffy grumbled while his eyes welled up with tears of disappointment, "we did everything you showed us to do, added the exact stuff you told us...how could the tea taste terrible?!" The other lads professed the same outrage, some with tears flowing down their cheeks...but the spirits remained as reserved as before. "If you'll allow us, we'll happily explain what went wrong" Rose said tenderly, "do we have a deal?"
After they took a moment to wipe their eyes and noses clean, the wee lads responded with a soft "uh-huh." Soon, they became calm enough to allow the spirits the chance to explain their earlier verdict; which (according to the Alchemist) was "the key to victory" in this trial. "Ya see, lads; the Samurai folk gave me quite a deal of interesting information on this tea ceremony, when I first visited Wano" Roger stated, "and they told me...that the tea itself, in a way, is like a reflection of the warrior who makes it."
These words left the boys feeling confused but only slightly so and they urged their guides to continue. "You see, children; the tea in our cups, like you six, do possess all the necessary ingredients" Tawaba stated, "but there is one both it and you lack." Feeling more confused than before, Luffy softly demanded to know what kind of "secret ingredient" they were missing.
"Oh...Oh-ho-ho! Sweetie, we don't mean that literally" Rose chuckled, "but don't worry; I made the same mistake myself, when I first learned about this." At that moment, Roger gave a soft yet firm cough; which helped Rose realize she was getting off-track. "As Roger said earlier, the tea you boys made did have all the ingredients within it" Tawaba explained, "but it lacks the most important one...balance."
From here, he reiterated Roger's earlier statement on how the tea ceremony was a reflection of the warrior brewing it. Thus, if the tea lacked "balance;" then, so did the warrior themselves. "But...I don't understand" murmured Little Steven, "what 'balance' are you guys saying we're all lacking?"
In that moment; each of the spirits smiled at one another, admiring the mild irony of the situation. "Let us start with you first, Steven" Rose murmured with a smile, "all your life, you've put yourself through so much stress; wondering if you should be more like Rose...or more like your fellow humans." From here, she added that such circumstances were to be expected; when one was born half a Gem.
"By putting yourself through such a struggle, you've lost touch with your human self" Tawaba stated, "then, you later grew to hate your mother...something that no child should do." Steven gasped in surprise at the accusations and then, he began jabbing his finger at Spirit Rose; proclaiming that these situations only occurred because of her mistakes. "But that is exactly the point, lad" Roger stated, "no one, human or otherwise, is perfect; making mistakes are part of the balance we need to truly live."
Upon saying this, Tawaba revealed how that was the reason the six lads felt so..."off" in their work; they were far too focused on being perfect. "We now understand why your path towards your goals and inner peace with yourselves has been so clouded" the Alchemist stated, "one that...we hope will become clear to you before the end." This only made the boys feel angrier and they demanded to know the real answer.
"I'm afraid none of us can do that" the spirit of the original Dragon Booster said stoically, "it is not our place to show you the way, only you can find that." No sooner had he said this, the wee lads clenched their eyes tight in frustration. Then, mere seconds later; their dark doppelgangers suddenly appeared from the shadows.
"That's nothing but horseshit" grumbled Dark Luffy, "they know the true way to help you...they're just too lazy to tell you." After this, Chiro's darker half hooted loudly and tried to urge his host to get the answers out of the spirits by force...but the lad refused. "No...No, I can't hurt anybody for no reason" Little Chiro murmured fearfully, "that would be wrong."
All six of the lads' darker halves scoffed bitterly at the "monkey boy's" reasoning; claiming that their friends have spent years hurting them without reason. "Even though I've never even met her. my mom's managed to hurt me plenty" Little Steven grumbled, "because of her mistakes and betrayals, I spent my whole life fighting stuff and fixing everything she broke!" The spirits, while still remaining indifferent towards the lads' behavior, tried once more to remind the boys that mistakes were all a part of a balanced life.
"No one in any universe is without flaw" the Alchemist stated, "we all make mistakes...what's important is how we learn from them and grow into becoming better people." No sooner had he said this; the Dark version of Garfield claimed that all his life, he had been told that making mistakes were a sign of failure or weakness. "Yeah...at least, that's what Mento and Robin always tell me" Little Garfield muttered shyly, "and Robin's the coolest hero I know."
Upon mentioning Robin, Tawaba referenced all the mistakes he had made; Red X and his obsession with Slade being two of them. "But...But what about my mom, the Gems...and the Diamonds" questioned Little Steven, "Mom lied to everybody by faking her shattering, the Gems lie to me all the time just so they don't 'look bad' in front of me...and the Diamonds almost destroyed the universe because White wanted perfect stuff!" After saying all of this in one breath; the lad became flustered, understandably so and tried to calm himself down.
"You're not the only one with a lying parent, dude" Little Artha grumbled, "my daddy lied to me too...just so I could become the Dwagon Boostuh." After several moments of speaking about deception; the lads suddenly felt themselves, once again slipping into despair. This made their doppelgangers feel all the more excited.
Then, Little Garfield begged the spirits to simply give them the smallest hint on what to do next. "Once again, we must tell you we can't do that" Rose stated, "that is something you all must earn on your own." Upon hearing this statement, the doppelgangers suddenly became rabid with frustration and glared the spirits venomously.
"Earn...EARN" Dark Beast Boy roared, "you want us to earn something we know nothing about?!" Following his lead, the other doubles proceeded to claim they were "entitled" to know the truth. "After everything we've done, everything we've put up with...you still refuse to help us" Corrupted Steven bellowed, "all the lies, the anguish, the losses, the insults, the punishments...the suffering?!"
Despite the harshness in the creature's tone, the spirits remained as calm ever. "This is bullshit, I tell ya...complete and utter bullshit" Dark Luffy grumbled, "WHO ARE YOU FREAKS TO TELL US WHAT WE DESERVE?!" The other doubles roared loudly in agreement and were moments away from assaulting the spirits, intent on getting their answers by force...until the lads stopped them.
"Stop it" they said in unison while grabbing at their doubles' pants, "what you're all doing is wrong...you shouldn't bully people, just because things don't go your way." Dark Chiro narrowed his eyes in anger while giving out a vicious snarl. Meanwhile, the other doubles glared down at their hosts with pure contempt...but the lads were undeterred.
"I can't speak for the others...unfortunately" Little Steven murmured while glaring up at his dark half, "but as for us...we're in this mess because of you!" He then went on to say how he managed to find love and peace with himself, years ago; after meeting White Diamond. But the moment Spinel came, the moment the original Steven was "left without a purpose;" the darkness reared its "ugly pink head."
"You're making me the bad guy here" Corrupted Steven growled, "I helped us become stronger, I made us better...and I chose to grow up while you cried in the corner with your silly Cheeseburger Backpack and Cookie Cats." Despite feeling frustrated that his favorite backpack and snack were being slandered, Little Steven remained strong. Meanwhile, the other doubles wasted no time tearing away at their hosts.
"Face it, Danny boy, you're only a big shot because your 'friends' helped turn you into one" Dark Danny snickered, "and even there, all they care about is themselves; only valuing you when your powers benefit them!" As much as he tried to remain strong, Little Danny couldn't help but feel slightly hurt by his darker half's remarks. "That...T-That's not true, Tucker's my best friend" Danny whimpered, "and Sammy loves me too...and Jazz and Mommy and Daddy a-and...and..."
Before the lad could continue, Dark Danny delivered a powerful uppercut; sending his child self flying to the floor. "Just look at you...you're weak, a crybaby, worthless and dumb as a sack of broken sledgehammers, just like your father" Dark Danny said mockingly, "who would ever care for a thing like you?!" Emboldened by their "comrade's" methods, Dark Luffy proceeded to make similar scathing remarks towards his host.
"You're loud, you're messy, you're obnoxious and...you're selfish" he sneered with a smile, "Akainu should've killed you along with your worthless brother when he had the chance!" While still choosing to not get too involved, the spirits calmly urged the boys to never give in to their insults and to keep fighting. Beast Boy was the first to stand firm, as he wiped away his tears and glared up at his beastly self.
"I'm not gonna listen to you anymore, you big meanie" he said firmly, "you've ruined my life long enough with all your bad vibes." Dark Beast Boy only spat angrily in response, declared that he was "done messing around" and kicked his younger self out of the way; which caused him to bump into the other boys. "This is all your fault...not ours" Little Steven said firmly, "you guys are the reason we've been struggling for so long!"
The doubles laughed uproariously in mocking laughter at them, proclaiming that placing full blame on their shoulders is a childish thing. "Like it or not; we're all part of what makes you angry, squirts" the Dark Booster boasted, "anytime you get mad, irritated or even annoyed; it's us inside of you...so, all of this is actually your fault!" Upon hearing this claim, Tawaba said that while everyone had anger within them; what the doubles embodied was more along the lines of evil nature in its purest form.
"Yes...the lads' inability to manage their negative emotions may have been 'their fault,' as you all claim" Roger said firmly, "but your influence helped taint that even further, instead of letting them move past their trauma!" The spirits also placed blame upon the families and friends of the wee lads, stating that they should've helped in providing a healthy support system. "If you're referring to Connie, it's her fault the twerp's here at all" Corrupted Steven insisted, "twice she betrayed him and twice she failed to 'talk it out with him!'"
Upon hearing this, Steven openly called out his double's lies; claiming that both he and her apologized to each other at Kevin's party." "But what about after that...huh" the creature growled, "she gave you flack for surrendering to Homeworld and what does she do later on...she goes off to college!" From here, he claimed that the Gems could offer her far better futures and opportunities than whatever college had...but chose to "abandon" Steven.
Despite all these harsh words, Little Steven refused to back down. "What about you, Stable Boy" the Dark Booster inquired, "all your friends care about is racing...and wanting to replace you as the Dragon Booster." Before Little Artha had the chance to deny his claims, the Dark Booster mentioned each occasion both Lance and Parm tried to replace him.
"THEY ONLY DID IT THE ONE TIME BECAUSE I NEEDED HELP" Little Artha shouted, "they'd never try to take what I've got...except for maybe, Moordryd." The instant his "weaker half" mentioned the racer's name, the Dark Booster's face instantly changed into Moordryd's likeness. "You better watch out, Penn" he sneered, "when you least suspect it...your dragon will be MINE!"
Horrified by the idea, Little Artha tried to attack his double with his tiny fists...only to be kicked to the ground seconds later. "Do not give in, boys; that's what they want" Rose exclaimed, "stay strong...you have the real strength, not them!" Inspired by the spirits' words, the lads picked themselves up from the dirt and glared angrily at their doppelgangers.
"We're done letting you call the shots here" Little Garfield stated, "and we're done letting you manipulate us...we're not afraid of you anymore!" The dark doubles growled viciously at their hosts and made one final desperate attempt to break them, by attacking their deepest insecurities. "Even if you somehow, beat us...what would it change" Corrupted Steven muttered sinisterly, "you'll all still be alone."
The other doubles suddenly realized what was happening and decided to follow his lead. "He's right, there's no one in your universes who truly understands who you are...or what you are" Dark Beast Boy sneered, "once you go back to...whatever rat holes you came from, you'll be alone again with no one who really gets you." While the lads were able to ignore or brush off some of their doubles earlier statements, something about this one felt far more devastating; like the equivalent of ten-thousand gut punches.
"I don't want to be alone" Little Garfield cried, "not again...don't leave me alone again, guys!" Not long after this, the other five lads began murmuring near similar fears of either abandonment or loneliness; which made the dark doppelgangers feel all the more pleased. Then, all of a sudden; a bright light shined through the windows of the house.
This caused the dark creatures to back away in both fear and disgust, while the wee ones simply stared out the window in confusion. "Ah...it looks like our other guests finally came" Rose said with a light chuckle, "Luffy, Garfield; open your eyes...I think you might like these newcomers." No sooner had she said this, the doors swung open and a trio of glowing figures was seen standing at the doorway.
Even with the light aura surrounding them, Little Garfield and Luffy gasped in awe and smiled with tears in her eyes. This signaled for one of the figures, who was revealed to be Marie Logan to approach her young son and wipe away his tears. "You are never alone, sweetheart" she said sweetly, "your father and I will always be here for you, in your thoughts and in your heart."
With this statement, Mark Logan appeared and affectionately ruffled his son's hair; further emphasizing Marie's point. Not long after this; the third figure, who was revealed to be the spirit of Ace, entered the room and smiled coyly at the evil doubles. "You're stronger than you think, Lil' Bro; I know you are" he said proudly, "and with our help, we'll stand up to these freaks and set you free from this hellhole."
While he and the other boys appreciated the spirits' support, Luffy proclaimed that he was just as weak as Ace always said. "I've failed my crew more times than I can count and I failed you" he mumbled, "I'm no Pirate King...I'm nothing." While still trying to be respectable, Ace openly called "bullshit" to Luffy's self-inflicted insults and said that whenever the enemy won, it never meant that he "failed."
"The struggle to survive in our universe...or any universe can be hard, sometimes" he stated, "but what's important is that you dust yourself off after every fall and keep on fighting...and none have fought harder than you and your friends, Bro!" Soon after this, Rose approached Little Steven and shared similar words of encouragement with him. "All I want...is for a happily ever after for me and my friends" he murmured sadly, "but...there's always going to be Gems or other people that hate me, people who want to destroy me...and I can't handle that anymore!"
With a heavy heart, Rose surprised Steven by proclaiming that he...was right. "Not everyone is going to like you or what you stand for" she stated, "but there will also be those who love you and those numbers far outweigh the bad ones, in the end." This statement caused Rose to laugh a little, which inspired Little Steven to do the same.
Then, she proceeded to tell him the "truth" behind the idea of "happily ever afters;" something that surprised even the other lads as well. "Whenever people hear those words, they assume that everything is over and done" Rose muttered dryly, "but the thing is...it's all bunk!" Feeling curious, Steven asked his mother what a so-called "happily ever after" was really like.
"I'll give it to ya straight, lil' man" Ace chuckled, "all that means is after one story ends, a new one will start right after it...but all it really takes is you making the right choices on whether that story turns out happy or sad." Rose nodded vigorously in agreement, thanked Ace for his input and decided to offer up an example. "For me, my happily ever after came the moment first I met your father" she said fondly, "we've spent many years together; sharing stories, laughing, playing music...such wonderful times."
Realizing that she was getting off-track, the Spirit of Rose concluded her story by saying that her "happily ever after" was found in Greg. "You'll find yours very soon, honey" she murmured with a happy smile, "I know you will." Despite the sincerity in her words, Steven and the boys still felt doubtful about them.
"What about everyone else" Danny asked, "they all see us as heroes...but look at what's happened; we've lost our cool, yelled at our friends and now, we're stuck in our own bodies trying to get out!" Not long after saying this, Luffy chimed in and said that he didn't deserve any of the things he had; be it his treasure, the ship, his crew...or even his hat. "Weren't you listening earlier, Bro" Ace grumbled, "just because you made mistakes doesn't mean you're a bad captain!"
Roger nodded in agreement to this and tried to remind Luffy of all the good he had done. "You've won many victories, laddie...just as I did" he chuckled, "and even with your losses, you still helped spark hope in the hearts of those you've saved and/or protected." Tawaba not only agreed to this, he extended the same reminder unto Garfield and the other spirits followed suite.
"With each time you chose to fight the good fight, it inspired others to do the same" Clockwork stated, "each of them sends their blessing to you." No sooner had he said this, several more spirit doubles began to appear. From friends, family, neighbors, crewmates to fellow heroes; all of these people still held the boys in great value.
"Each blessing shared in your name is like a stone" the original Dragon Booster stated, "and with each stone placed, it helps fortify the power within you." The other spirits extended the same wisdom unto the rest of the boys; which in turn, helped them feel much stronger in spirit than they were before. At the same time, this all made the doppelgangers feel quite distressed and they made an immediate attempt to flee.
But the moment they stepped out of the hut, they no longer saw the dingy cityscape. In its place stood six mighty strongholds or structures; The Dragon Priest Temple, the Super Robot, Roger's old hideaway on Raftel, the Titans West Tower, the Crystal Gem Temple in Beach City and the Fenton Works building. "Your strongholds are impregnable and inspiring, boys" Mark Logan said proudly, "and your allies are many and remain forever loyal to you." No sooner had he said this, the spirit forms of all the boys' friends and loved ones appeared beside each of their spirit guides.
Then, every one of these beings placed their hands to their hearts; as if trying to tell them something. "Find and wield the strength within you, my boys" the Alchemist stated while placing a hand over his heart, "and reclaim what is rightfully yours...drive away the evil that desires to corrupt you." Feeling both confused yet curious, each of the boys "looked within themselves" (by which, I mean looked within their shirts) and discovered small keys inside.
With the items in hand, each lad made their way towards their respective structures; eager to see what secrets they would find. Meanwhile, the dark doppelgangers suddenly became terrified and desperately tried to stop their hosts in their tracks. "STOP, THIS IS ALL A LIE" Dark Danny shouted, "THERE'S NOTHING IN THERE BUT BAD MEMORIES, PAIN AND SADNESS!"
The other doubles tried to deter their hosts as well...but to no avail. In time; the boys reached each of the buildings, unlocked the doors with their keys and opened up the doorways. Upon doing so, their doubles screeched and wailed in pain; as a divine light suddenly overwhelmed them.
"YOU CAN'T RUN FROM US FOREVER, YOU BRATS" the doubles roared in furious unison, "YOU NEED US, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOOOOT!" With that final word, the dark doppelgangers were destroyed in an instant; which made the spirit guides smile proudly. "Now, laddies...you've all found balance" Roger laughed merrily, "go on in and claim your bounty."
After giving their spirit guides one final smile, the lads each entered the structures and closed the doorways behind them. Not long after that, a powerful glow began to surge through each of the structures until it blasted upwards towards the sky. "Good luck, boys" Marie and Rose said in unison, "we know you can win this...we all believe in you."
(Line Break)
Back in the waking world, everyone was on their last legs against the invaders. Skeleton King decimated the Elf Guard, Slade overwhelmed King Zaid and his Centaur warriors, Wyrd Paynn had the Penn Team and their dragons at the end of their rope and with the combined might of both his Devil Fruit powers and his momentary allies of Big Mom and Kaido, Blackbeard laid waste to the Gemfolk.
"Worororo! When I thought about encountering Straw Hats and his friends again after Wano, I thought they'd put up more of a fight" bellowed the beastly pirate, "instead, it feels like I've been battling school children!" Blackbeard couldn't help but cackle in agreement, while also noting that he did most of the work. "Enough chatter, fools" Mandarin screeched, "we're but moments away from victory...only one thing remains."
While chittering madly with glee, the orange primate clone scurried over to Nova's side and poked the tip of his claw hand beneath her chin. "Now...before my master and I decide to finish you off completely, tell me" he whispered fiendishly, "where is the hairless monkey boy...where is Chiro?" At the same time, the other invading villains made similar inquiries to their fallen opponents; proclaiming that their victory could not be fully achieved until they took the lads down as well.
"You think...You think we're gonna tell you clods anything" Lars said boldly while clutching at his side, "why don't you just crawl back into whatever nightmare you came from and stay there!" The Off-Colors looked upon their captain with proud smiles; even the Crystal Gems, Greg and Connie felt inspired by him. Sadly, this only seemed to make the invaders all the more annoyed with them.
"Wrong answer, human" the Skeleton King hissed, "any final words before we end your lives here and now?" With tears in their eyes, blood dripping from each of their brows and their bodies racked with pain; the fallen could only moan in anguish over their failure. Using what little strength she still had left, Connie rolled over and gazed hopelessly at the still motionless form of her friend.
"I'm so...so s-s-sorry, Steven" she whispered regretfully, "we tried to keep f-f-fighting...but we couldn't...s-stop them, I'm sorry." The moment she said this, Connie's eyes slowly welled up with tears and she began to weep. Then, as if by random chance; the bodies of Steven and the other boys began to twitch violently.
This made Connie feel all the more distressed, thinking her dearest friend and lover was moments away from death. But then, she saw his body give off an odd glow; albeit a faint one. Not long after, she saw that the other boys' bodies were doing the same thing.
Though she didn't quite understand what was happening, exactly; something about this phenomenon made her give out the smallest giggle of joy. Meanwhile, the others noticed this same thing occurring and started to feel just as hopeful. "You want some last words freaks...we've got three for ya" Amethyst chuckled painfully, "look behind you."
With confused looks upon their faces, the invaders did as they were told and looked behind them. It was then that they caught sight of the six lads' glowing forms. "What...What happened here" Wyrd asked confusedly, "what's wrong with the Penn boy and..."
Before he could finish his statement, a blinding flash of light burst forth from the lads' bodies; almost blinding everyone. After what felt like ages, the light began to die down; just enough for everyone to open their eyes again. The moment they did, the crowd was met with a most startling surprise.
Standing before them were all six of the young champions; alive, fully healed...and glowing brighter than a thousand suns.
(First AN: And now, the champions' true test of worth has come. Will they be able to defeat the invaders or will all of Overon and the Multiverse be ripped asunder at the seams in the process? All this and more will be answered...next time.)
(Second AN: For this chapter; I used inspiration from two popular scenes from the hit television series, Samurai Jack. The first being the tea ceremony Jack performed in Episode Seven of Season Five. The other moment where the boys receive blessings from all their loved ones from their lives is inspired by a scene from The Aku Infection, the Fourth episode of Season Four.
Not only are both scenes iconic but I felt they would perfectly represent what the boys endured here. I hope it'll all make sense for you guys, when you read this)
(Third AN: Speaking of the Tea Ceremony, it's a real world thing that has been practiced in Japan for hundreds of years. It is very complicated and lengthy, which is why the boys doing it may seem short to you here. For better demonstrations of the Chanoyu, I recommend going on YouTube and checking out the many videos that have people doing it in their own ways.
More to the point, the ceremony does in fact test the warrior on how emotionally balanced they are. YouTube or some books on the subject could describe this better than I can, sorry in advance)
(Fourth AN: Some might find how the Diamonds got poofed to be "unheard of," considering how strong they are. But remember; this is Blackbeard, Big Mom and Kaido we're talking about here. They're mightier than even the strongest of Gem fusions and thus, are people the Diamonds have little to no experience fighting against.
Plus, many SU fans have long wondered what the Diamonds would look like; if they got new forms. Speaking of which...what do you all think each of them should look like? It's obvious that I'm going to give them each their own Crystal Gem star...but what should their hair and clothes look like)
(Final AN: The tears in the veil between Overon and each of our champions' worlds will have a purpose, in the next chapter. This will allow everyone from each of those worlds to see our boys in action. As for how the veil and all the damage caused by the invaders will be fixed...you'll just have to wait and see ;) )