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

23. Chapter Twenty-Three: Retribution

Retribution

Time had passed since everyone departed from the Coliseum and returned to King Zaid's palace. During the trek, everyone brought their "unexpected guests" up to speed on what had happened during their time in the realm. Needless to say; by the time they arrived at the palace and the lads were escorted into the healing chambers, everyone was left utterly speechless.

"I know it seems like a lot to take in...believe me" Maddie stated, "but all of this...it's real, same with what our boys have all accomplished here." Speaking of whom, everyone peered into the room across the hall; where they saw some female centaurs tending to each of the young heroes' wounds. As Captain Smoker watched Luffy nibble down another wedge of cheese, he found himself feeling rather...conflicted.

"From the tone in your voice, ma'am; you seem to be telling the truth" the marine stated, "but Luffy doesn't quite look like he's been through the sort of hells you spoke of." Not long after this, several others expressed their own skepticism about what they've been told. "What I really find unbelievable are these 'trials' you put the boys through" said Doug Maheswaran, "why would you have them climb a mountain, run a gauntlet...or even face a gryphon without their superpowers?!"

His wife, Priyanka was just as eager to learn the reasoning behind such a decision. Being a medical specialist, she knew that such challenges would be both physically taxing and incredibly dangerous for anyone; human or otherwise. "That's what we all thought too, Mom" Connie stated, "but according to Gabriel, the other races of this world believed that they needed to truly prove their worth as heroes in their eyes."

Almost immediately, Gabriel not only openly apologized for the rash idea of momentarily stripping the lads' of their powers. But he also explained that in spite of such a circumstance; they still persevered and prevailed, in the end. "I just...wow, I really can't believe it" Dash murmured, "Fen...I mean, Danny went up against a gryphon and survived?!"

Upon bringing up that particular trial, the Titans East proceeded to ask if Beast Boy truly did tame the creature with a song. "Saw the whole thing myself, Bee" Cyborg chuckled, "well...once I dried my eye from cryin', that is." In truth, it wasn't so much Beast Boy taming the Gryphon that the Titans East found debatable.

Rather, it was the fact that he won it over through singing that they had difficulty believing. "I heard it for myself, you guys" Raven affirmed, "it was the most soothing, relaxing...gorgeous singing I've ever heard in my whole life." As she said all this aloud, everyone watched as Raven's cheeks suddenly shined a soft red.

But all too quickly, Connie pointed out that Steven also had a part to play in singing to the gryphon; while also stressing the sweetness of the boy's voice. "Uh...ladies, don't look now" Sparx said while snickering, "but it kinda sounds like you're all crushing." Upon hearing this statement; Sam, Jinmay and Connie stared at each other in stunned silence...for a brief moment.

Then, after a while; Connie shrugged her shoulders with a smile and proclaimed "we're cool with that." Meanwhile, the other ladies were rather tongue-tied on their own matters of the heart; mainly because they feared the boys might overhear them. "I'm just happy they're alright and that this contest is now over" Blue Diamond sighed with relief, "but...what will become of the invaders?"

Thaylog smiled up at the gem maid and assured her that the lot would be properly dealt with, once the champions have healed. "Here's what I don't understand, though" Aqualad interjected, "you said you had all their powers blocked out during the whole contest. So...what was that whole transformation deal?" The instant this inquiry was made, Beast Boy suddenly entered the room; looking weary but alive.

His chest was lightly wrapped in bandages, he had a sort of exhausted look in his eyes and he was holding a red apple in his hand; possibly to help replenish himself. "I think I can explain a little bit about the...weird stuff you saw earlier, dudes" Beast Boy said sluggishly, "but I'm not sure you'll believe me." At first, everyone felt libel to scold him for stepping out of bed while he was still weak.

But Beast Boy wasn't really pushing himself that hard and thus, chose to dismiss the thought. Afterwards, they politely urged him to explain what happened back in the Coliseum. "It was like some kind of...weird dream" Beast Boy stated, "and all of you guys were there and...a-and my parents and an old friend of mine from Africa was there as well.

No sooner had he said this, the other five lads proclaimed they had the same "dream" as well...but with different people involved. "It was super scary in there" Luffy murmured fearfully, "every one of you guys were taking turns beating us, attacking us...even shooting us." When Danny revealed that Valerie was one of the "shooters" he saw within the dream, her father was quite displeased.

"Honey...I was on the fence with your ghost hunting business, believing that it was doing a service to the town" he stated, "but how could you want to shoot one of the few friends you have?!" Before Valerie had the chance to speak, Danny quickly interrupted; explaining that this all happened before the world knew of his identity. At that time, Valerie had a rather...bitter hatred for ghosts; believing that they all deserved to be destroyed...including Danny Phantom.

"It wasn't just Valerie who hurt us all in the mindscape, Sir" Beast Boy said suddenly, "everyone...family, classmates, rivals even our friends took turns hurting us; all while singing that horrible song." As the poor lad gripped at his hair stressfully, he found himself humming the aforementioned song under his breath. With a startled gasp, he pressed his hands hard atop his ears; desperately trying to get the song out of his head.

As he did all this; Beast Boy's breathing became erratic, his pupils dilated and everyone could see him clenching his teeth in horror. "Oh, jeez; Gar's having a panic attack" Amethyst exclaimed, "somebody should help him out!" As if on cue, this "order" prompted Starfire into doing the only thing she knew in moments like this.

Ever so carefully, she floated over to her friend/teammate...and hugged him. Mind you, this wasn't one of her infamous bone-crushing embraces; this was a gentle yet loving hug. At first, Beast Boy tensed up slightly; unsure of how to respond to such a sudden gesture.

But after a while, he raised his arms up and wrapped them around her waist and returned the hug. Seizing the opportunity, everyone else walked into the next room and proceeded to embrace the other five lads as tenderly as possible. "Okay...this is a tender scene and everything but we still need answers" Speedy said firmly, "what exactly happened in this...'mindscape' place that changed you so suddenly."

Despite their best efforts to do so, not one of the lads could think of a sound way to explain what happened. "All I know is after we passed our tea test and scared away our darker halves we step out of Tawaba's hut and saw weird versions of places we know from back home" Danny explained, "there was my house, a weird "T" shaped building, two temples, a robot and an old mansion on some island." As expected, all this seemed to do was leave everyone feeling more confused than before.

It was here that Gabriel explain that the structures the lads all saw were the Fenton Works building, the Titans West Tower, the Super Robot, Gol D. Roger's home on Raftel and the two temples were described as familiar places to both Steven and Artha. "After they all appeared, we went inside each of the structures and found ourselves bathed in some white light" Chiro explained, "after that, we woke up and saw all you guys staring down at us."

For what felt like ages, no one had spoken a word; perhaps using the silence as a way to help process everything that transpired. But then, Thaylog decided to offer up an explanation behind what happened within the mindscape. "The white light that bathed you was your true selves" he stated, "your innermost strength, courage, valor and heroism."

He went on further to say that once this inner power of theirs was released, the lads were changed from the inside out. "I still don't see how that explains my new body" Steven interjected, "not to mention my new clothes, voice...and hair." Upon realizing the complexity of the situation, Gabriel took the floor and decided to help explain in the best way possible.

"Over the course of your lives as heroes, did you not have difficulty in moving past certain...matters in your life" he asked, "have you not been plagued before by emotional traumas or struggles that you've chosen to bury deep within you for a long period of time?" After taking a moment to think, the lads all realized that Gabriel spoke the truth and answered with a silent nod. "Well...once you've all decided to face your inner demons, at last; it allowed you to have a...spiritual growth spurt of sorts." Gabriel said with a light chuckle, "now; your bodies, minds and spirits are all in perfect balance."

To truly drive the point home, Jazz interjected and said that the boys' new looks were the result of them becoming more emotionally secure with who and what they are. "You still retain a good portion of your current emotional maturity" Thaylog added, "but at the same time; the child-like innocence within Masters Garfield, Luffy and Steven are now even stronger than before." With that statement, the Crystal Gems all had a rather strong idea on what had happened.

"So...my dude is like a 'fusion' of Classic Steven and New Steven now" Amethyst pondered, "that is...AWESOME!" With that joyful cry, Amethyst resumed hugging her BFF; with the rest of the Crystal Gems joining in seconds later. But then, they were all gruffly pushed aside by Lion; who wished to have a moment to speak with his friend/partner.

"Uh...Hey, Lion; s-sorry about what happened back in the arena" Steven murmured sheepishly, "you know, with some of the things I said or...that other me said...I..." Before he could continue, he looked over at Lion and saw him giving a sort of bored "get to the point" stare. "Right, sorry...I just wanted to say I'm sorry" Steven sighed, "I know you hate me for a lot of the things I said and did; both here and back home...I understand if you wanna remain with Connie from now on."

Mere seconds after he said this, Steven suddenly felt his cheek being assaulted by a long wet tongue; Lion's tongue." After that, the beast started affectionately nuzzling its face up against Steven's; causing the boy to giggle. "Okay, okay; enough love" he called out between giggles, "so...does this mean we're still partners?"

At first, after seeing that brief display of affection; everyone expected the answer to be obvious. But then, Lion (quite literally) put his paw down and declared that the whole experience and everything he heard about what happened help him come to a few conclusions. "After all this, Steven; we're not partners" he said gruffly, "we're not even friends...we're family."

The instant this statement was made, Lion suddenly plopped himself comfortably atop of Steven; something he hadn't done since he was a boy. At first, the Crystal Gems all thought Lion would hurt Steven by doing this. But after hearing the boy let out a few hearty chuckles and pet Lion's mane, they knew he was okay.

While this sight seemed a little...odd to those unfamiliar with Steven's relationships (specifically Connie's parents and some Beach City citizens,) they still couldn't deny that Lion's behavior was rather sweet. But all too quickly, this heartwarming scene was abruptly ended; after Zoro proclaimed that they were becoming "distracted." "I'm afraid he's right" Connor said in agreement, "what has become of the invaders, King Thaylog; what will you and your family do with them?"

As the elf king's smile shifted into a sofy frown, he assured Mr. Penn and everyone in the room that justice would soon be served.

(Line Break)

Once the champions had been properly fed and healed, everyone was gathered in the great hall of King Zaid's palace. There, a council of Overon's leaders stood at the ready to begin an important trial. At the same time, all honored guests of the realm were seated within the gallery.

After a few moments of soft chatter, King Zaid arrived at his seat and lightly slammed the pommel of his scepter lightly upon the floor. Though the "thud" was relatively soft, it still created a strong echo throughout the hall; causing everyone to immediately fall silent. "This meeting of the Council of Royals is now in session" King Zaid decreed, "what is the subject of our congregation today?"

In response to this; Prince Mako's father, Emperor Porthos, raised his hand and shouted "bring forth the prisoners!" Then; at that moment, the main gates burst open and a team of centaur guards came marching in. Trailing behind them were each one of the invading villains, Admiral Akainu and his troops; all of whom appeared to be bound tightly in a long link of chains.

As they passed through the gallery, many of the realm's inhabitants glowered and sneered viciously at them; mentally praying that (if found guilty) their punishments would befit the nature of all of their villainous actions. Meanwhile, only half of the prisoners appeared concerned about their situation. But Slade, Wyrd Paynn and Akainu all simply glared back at the gallery with equal disgust.

When everyone arrived before the Council, the guards remained at the villains' sides; keeping a firm grip upon their chains. At the same time, King Thaylog stood up from his seat and took a moment to address the crowd. "Friends, Family and comrades; I am well aware that you have endured much in such a short time" the elf king stated, "be assured...once justice has been served, we can all rest easy."

After this; he turned towards Gabriel, who was acting as prosecutor of the trial, and gave a slight nod. With this gesture, the elf prince rose from his seat and made his way towards the council. As he walked, everyone in the gallery could see him holding a strange crystal in his right hand.

At first, many (specifically those from the human realms) presumed that Gabriel would use this bauble to bribe the council into ruling in his favor. As if sensing this, Gabriel stood before the crowd and held the gem aloft in his hand. "Good people, we are gathered here to pass judgment upon these invaders; who have committed atrocities not only in this realm, mere moments ago...but in their worlds as well" the prince declared, "and I have the proof here in my hands."

With this statement, Gabriel waved his hand over the crystal and it suddenly gave off a dazzling glow. At first, everyone (namely the outsiders) believed he was performing a sort of "magic trick." But soon, they would see that there was no trickery to be had in this place.

Suddenly, a bright light shot out from the gem in Gabriel's hand and from it; everyone saw an array of beautiful light projections moving about the room. "What I have here, friends is a Seeing Stone; a mystical crystal that allows the user to peer into other parts of this realm and beyond" Gabriel explained, "it also allows me to project whatever images I see within it openly into a room...observe." To demonstrate the gem's powers, the Council gave him permission to show everyone what had transpired mere hours ago; namely the Contest of Champions.

After a few seconds of mental concentration, the images began to appear in the room. Soon; everyone saw their champions' battle with the gryphon babe, their ascent up Mount Talora, their trek through its caves, them conquering the agility course, besting the High Mystics in the Game of Riddles and of course, their battle against their evil selves. Everyone, including the villains, watched these images with shock and awe.

Then, after a while; Sadie (a friend of Steven's) chose to break the silence. "This...This is all real" she murmured curiously with a light chuckle, "Steven and the other guys...did all of this?" In response to this, not only did Gabriel affirm this with a smile and a nod. But he revealed to everyone that all six of the champions emerged victorious in each trial...without using any of their powers.

"The only instance where this was changed came when Master Steven sought to heal the Gryphon's injured wing" he explained, "aside from that; each of their victories were all the result of their own cunning, strength of will, courage, determination and their trust in each other." Upon mentioning the final example, the lads responded to this by either chuckling heartily at one another or exchanging high-fives.

Unfortunately, this moment was suddenly disrupted by one of the faculty members of Casper High (a Mr. Falluca;) who proceeded to complain how he wished Danny put such efforts into his schoolwork. "The lad had far more important things to attend to than your slipshod lessons, Manling" growled an armored Minotaur, "protecting humanity always supersedes your...mediocre educational endeavors." Upon hearing their abilities be slandered, the Casper High Teaching Staff suddenly grew quite livid and shouted many a vicious slur at the Minotaur.

But their bickering was swiftly brought to an end, after Thaylog slammed his scepter. "We shall discuss your situation later...Sirs and Madams" he murmured stoically, "for now, we have more important people to focus on." Once again, the teachers felt bothered by how poorly the Council chose to view them but chose to keep silent for the time being and listen to the testimony.

With that settled; the Shadowmanes apologized for the disruption, took their places back amongst the Council of Royals and resumed the trial. "On that note, I wish to address the matter at hand" Gabriel stated, "the prisoners before us today have all been accused of committing several crimes against the Multiverse...how do you answer to these charges?" While Slade and Wyrd chose to keep quiet, Akainu wasted no time in calling "bullshit" to the elf prince's words.

"What proof do you have of anything that we've done" he chuckled fiendishly, "does that little toy of yours have anything on me...or is it just for show?" Rather than scold the marine for his cold tone, Gabriel chose to remain focused on the case and placed his hand upon the Seeing Stone. Then, in an instant; new images suddenly filled the room...and they all seemed to involve Slade.

"Firstly, we shall address the crimes of one Slade Wilson; alias Deathstroke the Terminator" Gabriel stated, "these crimes include but are not limited to the following; numerous acts of terrorism, contract killings, blackmail, extortion, animal cruelty, brainwashing and Ephebophilia." As expected, everyone was rather disgusted by the man's many crimes. But when they heard the final accusation, many felt confused.

"For those unaware, the term is meant to describe criminal actions against the young" Gabriel explained, "in this case...some of these crimes were of the sexual nature." Without hesitation, Raven rose from her seat and revealed a time where Slade forced her into opening a gateway to allow her demon father to enter her earthly domain. "He's also committed heinous actions against a former teammate of mine" she stated, "her name is...or was Terra; Slade manipulated her into becoming his apprentice and had her try to kill each member of my team!"

The crowd was horrified by this reveal, particularly at the idea of a man using children as pawns for his evil schemes. But Slade, strange as it seemed, remained unfazed by what was transpiring. "Before meeting the Titans; Slade Wilson has helped in numerous assassination attempts, blackmailed others into committing terrible atrocities, committed crimes against humanity...and stage many illegal/violent coups within several nations of his realm" Gabriel stated, "he has also chosen to serve alongside other notorious villains who reside there."

As the prince began listing these other villains; the Titans were shocked when they heard names like Ra's Al Ghul, Vandal Savage, Lex Luthor and even Darkseid be mentioned. Of course, when asked for the reason behind his actions and choice of partners; Slade only offered one response..."to survive, we must do whatever it takes." "Siding with demons, planning violent uprisings and enslaving innocent people are not a means of 'survival;' as you so claim" a human king named Valerian stated, "it's evil, pure and simple!"

Moving along, Gabriel revealed that the villainous actions of Wyrd Paynn, were no different than Slade's. "This man utilizes technology from his own company to orchestrate illegal raids, kidnap the dragons of other citizens of Dragon City...as well as put many racers in peril for his own gain" he said with a slight growl, "much of these actions stem from the purpose of orchestrating a Dragon-Human War on his planet, one where the former would either enslave...or slaughter countless innocent lives." To say the least, these reveals utterly horrified not only the Council members but the peoples of Overon as well (the dragons among them.)

But within the gallery, none felt more disgusted than Captain Faier; who always believed Mr. Paynn was a legitimate business man and a well-respected member of society. "Worse still, Wyrd has also committed crimes against nature by creating his Wraith Dragons to use for his aforementioned crimes" Gabriel decreed, "for proof, I call upon my first witness...Wyrd's son, Moordryd Paynn." At first, Phistus and his fellow racers believed that he would refuse the summons.

But much to theirs and even his father's surprise, Moordryd approached the Council table without even a glimmer of fear on his face. "Young man, I am aware this might be difficult for you; given the fact that one of the accused is your father" Gabriel stated, "but would you agree to any of the accusations that have been made against him?" At first, Wyrd believed his son would remain loyal and deny everything; lest he'd risk suffering his wrath.

But as Moordryd faced the crowd and looked in his direction, Wyrd could see a sort of fierce look in his eyes; one that seemed to say "you don't control me anymore." "Before I begin, I just wanna know something" Moordryd asked, "is there any way to have everyone back where I live know about this?" Regretfully, Gabriel said that all the tears in the veil had been fixed; thanks to the High Mystics and the Diamonds' combined power.

However, Captain Faier revealed that he had something that might help Moordryd in his favor; something he called a Spy Dragon. At first glance, the item looked like a tiny lizard with a dragonfly's wings attached to a camera lens. But Moordryd immediately revealed that the creature was actually something his father's company created, all for the sole purpose of spying on other dragon racers and riders.

"So, you have one of my creations in your possession" Wyrd glowered, "what good could it serve you in your case, Son?" Moordryd no reply to his question; instead, he asked Captain Faier if the Spy Dragon was still functioning. "That it is, young man" the officer replied, "we're just waiting for you to begin...are you ready?"

With that done, Moordryd nodded slightly and was then prepared to give his testimony; asking Gabriel to help provide some visual aids with his Seeing Stone. Meanwhile, Faier activated the Spy Dragon; intending on recording every detail the boy might reveal. With this, he would have the necessary evidence to put Wyrd in prison for a long period of time.

"To start things of...my father runs a company that manufactures different types of gear people like me use for dragon racing" he explained, "at least...that's what he has everyone believing back home on my world." With that, Moordryd gave a nod towards Gabriel; who proceeded to call upon the magic of the Seeing Stone. After that, scores of images began to flood the room; each one showing off every one of Wyrd Paynn's crimes.

There was his attempt to sabotage the Leap of Lorius, his many dragon stable raids, sabotaging the Dragon Joust between Moordryd and Phistus, the creation of the Wraith Dragons and of course, revealing his identity as the warrior known as Drakkus. "The worst part of it all is...I helped him in some, if not all of these crimes" Moordryd said shamefully, "in exchange, my father would help me get ahead in my races...perhaps, even earn me a high rank at the Academy." The court was utterly disgusted by the boy's words, many of whom proclaimed that he should be standing on trial right alongside his father.

As if sensing their displeasure, Moordryd spread out his arms and urged everyone to speak their minds; adding that he "deserved" it all. "Back on my world, becoming a top dragon racer is a dream many people would do anything for" he murmured, "sometimes...it pushes all of us to do many stupid or illegal things." Before continuing, Moordryd's gaze soon fell upon Artha; which made him feel rather nervous.

"Since he became a racer, I've seen Stable...I mean, Artha Penn do many things; some of them were pretty scale-brained" he said with a light chuckle, "but...he never did the kind of things I had done." Before continuing, Moordryd suddenly froze; realizing that talking any further might expose yet another secret. That was when he felt a hand rest itself softly upon his shoulder.

At first, Moordryd feared it might've been his father; possibly making an attempt to stop him. But as he looked over his shoulder; he instead, saw the smiling face of King Thaylog. "Go on, laddie" he said softly, "the time for secrets is at an end." Not long after this, Moordryd saw many looks of encouragement on not only the Council's faces...but Artha's as well.

With that gentle push forward, Moordryd openly revealed everything Artha did to stop not only his father's schemes but his own as well. "I'm afraid you might be mistaken, young man" Captain Faier interjected, "all of the incidents you speak of were all remedied by the Dragon Booster and the Dragon of Legend." With this statement, Artha took it as his cue to reveal the truth to everyone.

He slipped off the amulet from around his neck, held it high above his head and cried "RELEASE THE DRAGON!" Afterwards, he placed the amulet upon his gauntlet and was suddenly encased by a golden aura. The light it created was so bright, it almost blinded everyone within the hall...except for Garnet; whose eyes were protected by her visor.

A moment later, Artha's body began to change within the aura; forming some sort of suit of armor. At the same time, a similar transformation began to occur with Beau; changing his form from blue and red to his original black and gold coloring. When the change was completed; Artha stood before the Dragon City citizens, fully clothed in armor, and chuckled sheepishly.

"Yup...guess the dragon's outta the stable now" he murmured, "I...am the Dragon Booster." For a moment or so, no one had spoken a word; which led Artha to believe he was in some kind of trouble. Then, Captain Faier rose from his seat and silently marched over to him; all while wearing a stoic look upon his face.

"So...all this time, the hero of Dragon City has been right under our noses" he muttered, "it astounds me how you were able to keep this a secret from others for so long." Not long after he said this, Moordryd announced that he had a secret identity of his own; that he was the warrior known as...the Shadow Booster. "I was given the amulet, one day by one of the criminals standing here with us; the 'former king' of the Black Draconium Empire, Armeggaddon" he sighed, "I was so desperate for power and glory that when I met him, he promised that he would give me both...as long as I did what he said."

The court murmured softly under their breath, saying that there seemed to be a small pattern found within both of Moordryd's situations. Meanwhile, Wyrd and Armeggaddon sneered angrily at the boy; vowing to have him destroyed, once they've broken free. "MASTER PAYNN...how can you be so cruel" a human queen named Edith exclaimed in horror, "Moordryd is your son...have you no love for him at all?!"

Before the man had the chance to speak, Moordryd decided to do so for him; proclaiming that any "love" his father had for him died long ago. "All he cares about is starting a new Dragon-Human War and enslaving the people of my world" Moordryd seethed angrily, "it's what pushed my mother away from him...from both of us!" Fuming with rage, Wyrd rose from his seat and proclaimed that everything he did was for his son's "safety."

"Yeah, forcing dragons of all sizes, classes and breeds to enslave humanity...you're father of the friggin' year alright" Danny growled, "my own father may have his own dumb obsessions...but at least he realizes how important his family is, in the end." Despite not feeling very pleased with how his son chose to address his "interests," Jack Fenton still felt touched by his words. Meanwhile, appalled by Moordryd's inability to stand in his defense; Wyrd openly proclaimed that he was "no son of his."

This, of course prompted both Paynns to fall into a vicious argument with each other; one that the Council was quick to put an end to. "While I share your anger, young man; you're simply allowing your father to get under your skin" murmured Emperor Porthos, "his words mean nothing to you now." Moordryd nodded in understanding, gave his father one final glare and resumed his testimony.

"For who knows how long, both Armeggaddon and my father have used me for their own gains" he grumbled, "I came dangerously close to getting arrested by the officers at Dragon City Precinct more times than I can count!" Before continuing on, the Council offered Wyrd a chance to speak in his defense. But instead, he chose to call everyone around him weak; proclaiming that Dragons were the superior species of his world.

"Humans are flawed, they're fickle and they turn upon one another at the first opportunity given" he sneered, "I've seen it for myself during the All City Races." Straightaway, a racer named Khatah stood up and defended his fellow racers; explaining how they were only doing what they needed to get into the Academy...or to survive. "I see, there are those who seem to be only interested in 'the best' amongst a group" Thaylog murmured, "but answer me this...why allow competition to almost splinter your society?"

In response to this, Cain nervously replied in saying that it was just their way of "weeding out the weaklings." "I suppose you view Master Artha as one of these 'weaklings,' yes" questioned Moonscar, "if so...I'm afraid that you've all grossly underestimated him." While everyone believed that Artha was far from being the "perfect racer," they couldn't deny the truth in the Council's words and hung their heads in shame.

"Let us shift our focus away from Master Paynn for a moment and move on to another one of your...'associates,' lad" Gabriel offered to Moordryd, "tell us about this strange being known as Armeggaddon?" With a hesitant look upon his face, Moordryd claimed to have known very little about Armeggaddon; save for his claims that he ruled over the Black Draconium Empire and how he was eventually imprisoned within the Shadow Booster medallion. "Just so you know, everyone...I wasn't willing to support his plot for domination either" Moordryd assured, "I even betrayed him, at one point."

While this was true, the Council agreed that it didn't wipe away the things he had done. "I seem to recall that you once said...'control that dragon and you control the world'" Gabriel explained, "the dragon in question being Artha's, correct?" With a heavy heart, Moordryd answered with a silent yet sullen nod; which was all the answer everyone needed. "The worst thing he and his Dragon Eyes Crew did was break into my father's stables and try to steal Beau" Artha exclaimed, "thanks to him, it was almost burned down and...and I thought I lost my dad died in the fire."

Everyone else gasped in horror at this reveal, while Captain Faier seemed to be eyeing Connor Penn suspiciously. "I'm quite familiar with the incident your son speaks of" he muttered, "but...I have two questions about that, if you don't mind my asking." Though a small part of him knew of what the captain wished to know, Connor still accepted his request and gestured for him to speak.

"First of all; how did you even survive the fire, after Moordryd and his Dragon Eyes Crew attempted to steal your dragon" questioned Faier, "second...where have you been after your supposed 'disappearance?'" At first, Connor hesitated; fearing that revealing the truth might endanger his family if not himself. But after a while, he realized that keeping such a secret from his sons was painful enough.

Thus, he chose to reveal everything; he told them of the Dragon Priesthood that raised him, how they told him of the war and the original Dragon of Legend, of what to do if the crisis should happen again and of course; the truth behind his disappearance. "There is a passage in my stables that leads down to the ancient Dragon Priest Temple" Connor stated, "during the fire, I...used it to sneak away and take refuge there."

In addition to this, he also revealed that he helped guide Artha in his duties as Dragon Booster under the guise of the Dragon Priest known as Mortis for some time. "So, you lied about your death...to your own sons" exclaimed Queen Xanthia, "how could you do that to them at such a dire point in their lives?!" In an attempt to defend himself, Connor claimed that Artha didn't need him to help learn what was necessary to be the Dragon Booster; he needed someone who was more connected with the history behind the legend.

But after saying it all out loud, he soon realized how his intentions were still no excuse to leave his sons in the dark for so long. "You're right...you're all right, what I did was not fair to either of my sons" Connor sighed, "and for that; I, once again apologize and hope they'll be able to forgive me." Mere seconds after he said this, both Artha and Lance rushed out of their seats and gripped their father in a loving embrace; all while crying softly.

This alone was all Connor needed to know that all was forgiven and he was pleased. But then, the tender moment was suddenly disrupted by the snide scoffs of one Kaido. "Oh, this is such a touching moment" he grumbled, "excuse me while I take a moment to vomit all over this shitty court!" The crowd gasped in both disgust and outrage at these words, many wondering why Luffy didn't destroy him in the arena.

Of course, this brought the court to move on to discussing Kaido's own list of crimes. "This man, known as Kaido of the Beast Pirates, has been the bane of the people of Wano for twenty years; back in his realm" Gabriel began, "his list of crimes include abusing his authority, mass destruction of property, mass genocide, torture, unprovoked invasion, assault and battery, child abuse and finally, plotting the destruction of his world's ruling government system." The crowd stared aghast at the behemoth of a man standing before him, wondering how one lone individual could cause such villainy.

At that moment, Gabriel used his magic to summon forth something he would use as Exhibit A; a spotted red apple. "Um...excuse me, your...Princeliness but...what is so special about this thing" questioned Mr. Grey from the gallery, "it's just looks like an apple; a weird spotted one, sure but an apple nonetheless." Without the slightest moment of hesitation, Gabriel held the "apple" aloft and proclaimed that there was more to it than meets the eye.

"Back on Luffy's earthly realm, the people there often come upon strange edible objects during their seaward voyages" he stated, "these objects are actually fruits...Devil Fruits, as they call them." From here, he explained how the fruits earned their moniker due to the unnatural powers they bless those who eat them; either by choice or by force. "Master Luffy, for example devoured what is known as the Gum-Gum Fruit" Thaylog stated, "as a result, his entire form is now as flexible as rubber...would you kindly demonstrate your abilities for us, lad?"

With a soft laugh in his throat, the Straw Hat captain drew his arm back and threw it forward; causing it to fly over the heads of the entire gallery. Everyone watched as the lad's hand and arm lunged out like a rubber band towards the wall. At first, they feared he might punch a hole straight through...but instead, Luffy simply touched his index finger upon it.

As his arm sprang back into place, everyone (save for those familiar with him) gazed in awe at Luffy. "Astonishing, is it not" Gabriel asked with a light chuckle, "many such fruits have equally unique abilities; some allow the user to become like smoke, while others have more...unique attributes." It was here that the elf prince introduced everyone to two of Luffy's crewmates, Brook and Chopper.

Naturally; those like the Titans East members, the other Dragon Riders and those from Danny's home all gasped at that sight of them (more specifically, Brook.) But for the Beach City folk, those who have already been exposed to odd circumstances (thanks in part to the Crystal Gems and Steven;) they didn't appear...that alarmed. "Master Brook, just as he was on the verge of death, sampled what is known as the Revive-Revive Fruit" Gabriel explained, "this allowed his soul to momentarily leave his body and later revive him, after it had later expired and decomposed slightly."

While this explanation was in formative, to say the least; it didn't make everyone feel any less afraid of Brook. Of course, this all changed when the skeleton man chose to approach Dr. Maheswaran and ask "madam...may I see your panties?" Understandably, the doctor felt highly offended by such a "request;" as did the rest of her family.

But before any of them could say anything or discipline him, Garnet approached Brook from behind and bopped him atop the head with one of her gauntlets; lightly knocking out the skeleton man. "Heh, I'm glad someone hit him for that" Nami snickered softly, "I'm just sorry it wasn't me." After choosing to dismiss Brook's behavior, Gabriel went on to explain the secret behind Chopper's sentience; the Human-Human Fruit.

"Very few understand the true nature of this particular fruit" he stated, "mostly because Master Chopper is the only known creature (aside from a small number of humans) who has sampled it." Despite the vagueness of his statement, everyone urged Gabriel to continue. He then went on to explain how the fruit's power allowed Chopper, who was once a simple blue-nosed reindeer, to take on human-like attributes.

"You know, this story should be weirding me out right now" murmured a girl named Jenny Pizza, "but dang it, the lil' guy's just too cute for me to care!" After this, she scooped Chopper up into her arms and proceeded to shower him with kisses. This caused the wee reindeer to blush profusely, as a result. "Stop it...Stop kissing me, you jerk" giggled Chopper, "I hate it when humans do this!"

Almost immediately, Luffy rose up and proclaimed that his friend was lying; adding that he only claims to "hate" the affections of others due to his shy nature. But while this scene was touching, the Council realized they were getting distracted and asked for everyone to remain focused. "This is all well and good, Son" King Thaylog stated, "but what do the attributes of Masters Brook and Chopper have to do with the item you have as Exhibit A?"

With a stoic look upon his face, Gabriel assured the Council and everyone else that his earlier statements had everything to do with the fruit he held. "Despite the powers that they possess, typical Devil Fruits grow as naturally in Luffy's realm as any other kind of fruit" he stated, "but...there are those who chose to create such fruits by hand!" While the creatures of Overon felt confused by this revelation; those like Gibson, Maddie, Cyborg and even Priyanka were horrified by it.

"So...let us see if we understand you, Gabriel" Queen Edith muttered, "some humans of Luffy's realm attempted to create their own brand of this Devil Fruit...for what purpose?" At that moment; Nico Robin rose from her seat and offered to help explain the matter, with the Council's permission. Once it was granted, she took her place before the crowd and revealed everything she knew.

"In my world, there is a man known as Vegapunk" she stated, "he was a scientist who sought out to discover the secrets behind Devil Fruits and created a formula that would allow others like him to create their own artificial versions." From here, Robin revealed that the purpose behind all this was to help "level the playing field" between pirates and the World Government. "Of course, the doctor's creations later proved to be a failure" she stated, "but then, others got a hold of Vegapunk's formula and saw to it to finish what he started."

To conclude her statement, Robin revealed that some scientists from her realm would go on to create their own artificial fruit known as SMILE; which was what Gabriel now held in its hand. "The reason behind its name lies in its 'special ingredient' known as SAD" she explained, "it's a chemical created by another villain from my world known as Caesar Clown." The crowd stared at Robin confusedly, as did the Council and asked for a more elaborate more on her words.

"Very well...perhaps, some evidence will help make things clearer" Robin stated, "if the prince would be so kind as to grant me usage of his Seeing Stone crystal?" Gabriel nodded slightly at her request and, after he discretely told her how to use it, he placed the gem into her hands. Then, after a brief moment of concentration; an image was suddenly projected from the stone.

It was a little girl dressed in a red kimono with a spotted purple belt around her tiny waist. She had short pink hair that sloped down to two points at the sides, black eyes and a rather big head. But perhaps, her most apparent feature was that of her wide-faced smile; which many thought looked rather adorable.

"With all due respect, everyone...do not be fooled by the child's happy appearance" Robin said grimly, "you see...it is not a natural or genuine smile she's giving." As expected, this statement caused everyone to murmur softly yet confusedly amongst themselves. After a while, Robin revealed that the child's (known as Toko) "joyful" expression was a side-effect of the failed SMILE fruit.

"Many who suffer these side-effects are forever changed, as a result" she stated, "some gain physical mutations like animal appendages while others...like this poor girl, are left unable to express any form of 'negative' emotion on their facial features or mannerisms." To elaborate; Robin said that all those in Wano who have sampled the SMILE Fruit are left unable to cry, become angry or show disgust towards anything. "Anytime they do shed tears out of sadness, they're doomed to only laugh like fools" Gabriel stated, "all thanks to this abomination!"

To drive his testimony to the point, the elf prince revealed that Kaido had long been abusing the island of Wano for the purpose of manufacturing both the SMILE Fruit and the substance known as SAD. "This has led to a great part of the island to become disease ridden, toxic and uninhabitable for man or beast to dwell in" Gabriel growled angrily, "what is worse...he has brought others into his cause with either promises of gold or power!" To prove his point, he showed everyone the face of the man once ruled over Wano; a man named Kurosumi Orochi.

"In addition to his list of crimes; Kaido also helped this man oppress the common folk, gain powerful influence over the island's warriors and worse still, he granted him use of one of his artificial fruits" Gabriel stated, "which turned him into...this." Within seconds, a new image appeared from the stone; one showing a hideous dark-green scaled dragon with multiple heads. The crowd was utterly horrified by this sight, none more so than the dragons; who wasted no time in calling Orochi a "demonic abomination."

"Thankfully, the rein of Orochi is no longer an issue among the people of Wano" Gabriel stated, "now, Kaido reigns over the island...or at least, he did rule it until now." In response to this; Kaido laughed maliciously and vowed to resume his dominion over Wano, once he broke free. But as he tried to pull apart his shackles, he was surprised to learn that all his former strength was now gone.

It was here that Gabriel revealed that Zaid's guards bound Kaido, Big Mom and Akainu in the Seastone shackles that the Marines intended to use on Luffy mere moments ago. "Of course, my family and I...how you say, added an extra kick to the cuffs" chuckled the elf prince, "thanks to our Elven magic, no one can break free of these binds...human or otherwise." To say that Kaido was infuriated by all this would be the understatement of the millennia...but the Council quickly silenced him.

Next, Gabriel chose to address Charlotte Linlin; known by many from her world as Big Mom. "This woman's crimes are near identical to Kaido's own, my Lords and Ladies" he stated, "from Mass Destruction, Child Abuse, conspiring to assassinate others, murder and destruction on a monumental scale...even cannibalism." Naturally, everyone was disgusted by the reveal of Big Mom's grandest offense.

When asked how such actions came about; Gabriel rather sheepishly revealed that it wasn't quite exactly what everyone is thinking. "Among Big Mom's abilities; she is super-humanly strong, commands a powerful group of pirates and has a...unique power given to her by the Soul-Soul Devil Fruit she consumed" he explained, "this allows her to manipulate the souls of those around her in many ways." Among the examples of the fruit's abilities, Gabriel revealed how Big Mom often infused objects with living souls.

As a result of this, the objects would then gain sentience; able to move about and speak like normal humans. "The creatures that were given this life, known as Homies, serve as Big Mom's court" Gabriel stated, "should they ever fail her, she would either slay them with her weapon...or devour them." As proof of this, the Seeing Stone began to show images of Big Mom ravenously devouring some of her "homies."

On one hand, everyone felt relieved that these were not human lives she was destroying. But on the other hand, hearing the creatures' human-like screams did not make it all the easier for them to handle. "Big Mom also possesses the ability to alter a person's life force" Gabriel stated, "in short; with the aid of blob-like creatures she calls 'Incarnations,' Big Mom's power allows her to extract a fraction of a human's lifespan from their body."

He then revealed how the woman used this ability to oppress her people for years. Anytime she demanded something from them, Big Mom would expect immediate compensation; lest a portion of their lives be taken from them. The Council members shivered fearfully at this, wondering how such a beastly woman could command such power.

"She and Kaido, upon meeting on Wano sought out to join forces and conquer their world" Gabriel revealed, "but there was someone who stood in the way of this plan, a common enemy that they shared...Monkey D. Luffy." The crowd murmured softly amongst themselves, after this; wondering how one young man could gain such powerful enemies. Meanwhile, Luffy did not seem all that afraid of the duo; proclaiming that he never hesitated to kick the ass of someone he hated.

"Feh! Spoken like a true pirate" Akainu scoffed, "you really are scum, Straw Hat!" The crowd was, quite understandably put off by the admiral's hostile tone and the Council wasted no time in having the guards discipline him accordingly for it. "Be silent, you wretch" seethed one of the guards, "you will speak only when spoken to...is that understood?!"

Akainu glared angrily at the centaur for what felt like ages, wishing that he could free himself from his binds and kill everyone within the hall. But with his powers neutralized and his soldiers also in chains, he had no choice but to comply. "Moving on...this leads us to the man named Marshall D. Teach, otherwise known as Blackbeard" Gabriel stated, "his crimes include but are not limited to Invasion, Assault, Treasonous Behavior, mass murder, stalking other pirates (such as Master Luffy) and of course...numerous acts of piracy."

Upon hearing betrayal being listed among Teach's crimes, Luffy angrily rose from his seat and glared daggers at him. "It's because of that asshole that my older brother, Ace was later captured by the Marines" he growled, "later, he fought at Marineford against another powerful pirate; Whitebeard...and stole his power before he died!" Rather than feel remorseful over such actions, Teach chose to simply laugh mockingly at Luffy's anguish.

"That's right, you worthless fuck; I did it...I did it all" he declared, "I'd even betray my own crew if it would help bring me closer to achieving my ultimate goal...to claim the One Piece and become King of the Pirates! ZEHAHAHAHAHA!" No sooner had he said all this; the Straw Hats, in spite of the fear swirling about inside of them, rose from their seats and declared that Luffy had already earned the "crown" for himself. "Maybe so...but that can change" Teach snickered, "the day is still young, after all!"

As he fell into another fit of uproarious laughter, Teach suddenly felt Thaylog scepter strike him hard atop his head; causing him to fall over unconscious. Once he was silent, the Council called upon the assistance of Falcore; who used his magic to temporarily silence Teach, Big Mom and Kaido all at once. "There we are; I don't think we will have anymore interruptions from them, for the moment" Thaylog said with a coy grin, "now...we shall begin deliberation on the verdict."

With that said, he used his magic on himself and the rest of the council; establishing a sort of "mind link." This became noticeable to all when the court gallery saw each of the council members' heads become enveloped by a glowing blue aura. For what felt like an eternity, everyone sat in silence while waiting for their final judgment.

Finally, when the aura faded; the eyes of every member of the Council opened and everyone could see them glowing the same blue color from moments ago. Then, as the Council began to speak; they spoke in such unison that it seemed as if they were of one mind. "We have made our decision" the Council decreed, "in the name of the great law-givers of the realm, this Council of Royals finds the prisoners...GUILTY!"

The response to this verdict was rather divisive, in a sense. While the people of Overon, the champions and all those allied with them leapt with joy at this news; the villains were simply outraged. "So...what do you plan to do, send us all to prison" Slade asked sarcastically, "I will find a way out, one way or another." Kaido, Big Mom, Teach and Wyrd all sounded off in agreement; proclaiming that no jail could hold the likes of them.

"Oh, you're all going to jail alright" Danny chuckled, "just not the kind you're all thinking about." Naturally, this reveal brought a swift end to the villains' jubilation and they were moments away from asking what the ghost boy meant. But before any of them could speak up, a group of men and women in robes soon approached the villains.

At first, the scoundrels didn't seem all that intimidated by these hooded chaps; let alone afraid. But then, as they drew closer; Blackbeard noticed that one of the fists of each of these figures seemed to be giving off an odd glow. "What's this, your team of executioners...kind of small, ain't they" Blackbeard chuckled, "it will take more than this to..."

Before he could finish his sentence, the first of the hooded figures suddenly slammed his glowing fist hard upon the pirate's chest. Not long after that, the other hooded folk did the same thing with the remaining five. The whole thing came like a flash of light, it was over so quickly.

Once the deed was done, the criminals looked down and were surprised to find no signs of scars or blood upon their bodies. At first glance, they seemed to be safe...or so they thought. But then, Big Mom took a glance down below and saw something strange...her body lying down on the floor as still as stone.

"What the...what's going on here" she shrieked in alarm, "how is my body down...on the floor?" Big Mom's train of thought suddenly halted, when she suddenly noticed that she was floating in the air. It wasn't long until the other four villains noticed the same thing and appeared just as confused.

"What the...WHAT'S GOING ON HERE" Wyrd Paynn shouted, "what did you creatures do to us?!" Despite their overall hatred for the villains, everyone in the gallery could not help asking the same question. It was here that the High Mystics (those who were wearing the robes) revealed that they used a mystical ability their order seldom ever used; a Soul Punch.

"Hold on, back up there for a moment" Bumblebee exclaimed, "you...punched the souls outta all their bodies...why?!" Rather than tell her, Gabriel asked for one of Danny's associates to come forward. "Already on the job, Your Highness" a southerner voice sounded out, "just needed to round up enough guards for the job."

Then, at that moment; a green mist appeared over everyone's head. From it came a stranger dressed in a white dress shirt, stripped pants, matching black gloves and boots and a black hat. "Friends, this is Walker; an...associate of Master Daniel's" Gabriel said hesitantly, "at one time, he served as one of his foes until certain circumstances helped change him.

Sensing this as his "cue," Walker revealed that he spent many years trying to capture Danny; believing him to be a criminal. But after countless defeats and once serving as a prisoner himself, thanks in part to Clockwork; he realized that the time came for him to change. Now, Walker intended to dispense justice upon those who truly deserved it in the end; while also exercising a good amount of compassion.

"I've got plenty of room in my prison for all of ya" he said with a light chuckle, "even some big cells for you three here." Before any of the villains had the chance to speak up; Walker's partner, Bullet and a team of ghostly officers began to approach the villains...but not one of them seemed to be intimidated. "That's it, just come in nice and close" Teach snickered, "even if we're ghosts, we can still take you down!"

With that, he balled his hands up into fists and threw them out towards the ghosts. But much to his surprise (as well as everyone else's amusement,) nothing happened. "What...What is is" Teach growled, "I'm not in cuffs; so, why don't my powers work?" In response to this, the High Mystics drew back their hoods and smiled at the disgruntled pirate.

"I'm afraid, Sirrah; that would be our doing" Falcore stated, "when each of us delivered a Soul Punch, our magic also destroyed your powers in the process." With this reveal, the pirates' ghostly faces became even paler than they already were. With their connection to their powers now severed and their bodies now completely useless, they all suddenly felt something they've seldom experienced before...genuine fear.

"Men, take this scum back to the jail" Walker ordered, "and Wulf...could you kindly open a portal back to the Ghost Zone for us, please?" In that moment, no one knew which felt more shocking; hearing Walker make a peaceful request...or seeing Wulf willingly grant it? After giving the warden a salute, Wulf slashed his claws slightly; thus creating a small tear that led into the Ghost Zone.

After that, Bullet's team took hold of the ghost pirates and began leading them through the tear. "Just you wait, Straw Hat; I'll get out, somehow" Big Mom roared, "and when I do, I WILL HAVE YOUR HEAD!" Not long after this, Kaido and Teach began making similar rants...but Luffy stood undeterred.

Finally, they were pulled into the tear and Wulf quickly closed it back up. "Uh...This is all well and good" murmured Captain Faier, "but what should we do with the bodies?" Without delay, Thaylog suggested placing the bodies under incarceration. Should the villains' souls ever escape the Ghost Zone and manage to find their way back to their hosts; the bodies should, at least be stored somewhere where they could not attempt at a second escape.

"Let us worry about that later, dear husband" Elbenor stated, "now, the time has come to deal with the rest of our...guests." Upon hearing the stern tone in the elf queen's voice, several marines finally broke down and began to cry. "NOOO! Please have mercy on us" cried one of the female recruits, "w-we were only following orders...we had no choice."

Not long after this, several more officers began jabbing their fingers accusingly at Akainu; all while screaming things like "IT'S ALL HIS FAULT" or "KILL HIM INSTEAD!" Of course, the "disgraced" admiral did not take this very well and threatened to have them all executed for their "betrayal." "Think again, Sakasuki" Gabriel sneered while using the officer's secondary name, "we shan't have you break the law anymore than you already have."

Outraged by the prince's words, Akainu rose his cuffed hands high over his head and proclaimed that as Fleet Admiral of the Navy, he was the law. "Are you...really" Gabriel inquired slyly, "my surprise witnesses may share a different view than yours." As if on cue, the doors suddenly burst open and in came a group of other Naval officials.

Straightaway; both the Marines and the Straw Hats recognized them as Kuzan, Sengoku, Aokiji, Fujitora and of course...Luffy's grandfather, Monkey D. Garp. Upon entering the hall, they stood at attention opposite from one another and shouted "make way for the Fleet Admirals." "What are you old fools talking about" seethed Akainu, "I'm the only Fleet..."

Before he could finish, the disgraced marine caught sight of an individual that made his blood boil. It was a young man dressed in one of his Admiral jackets; he was a skinny fellow with long, shaggy pink hair underneath brightly patterned bandana, blue pants, a matching blue scarf around his neck and appeared tall enough to stand at equal height to Garp's shoulders. The most noticeable things about this lad yet were his glasses and the scar that was hidden beneath his bandana.

While the near majority of Luffy's comrades seemed to recognize him, he and Zoro couldn't help but smile at this newcomer. At first, Luffy felt inclined to greet him happily; like he would any old friend. But he realized that the trial still needed to be finished and chose to keep quiet...for now.

Meanwhile, the soldiers surrounding Akainu scurried about like startled mice before quickly standing at attention and saluting Coby. "Thank you for coming, Master Coby" Prince Gabriel greeted kindly, "no doubt, you may be wondering why you've been brought here?" After giving a small nod in reply, the lad said that while him being asked to come here was unconventional; he was more concerned with why his fellow marines were here at all.

"With your permission...uh, Sir; I will explain" Captain Smoker said while saluting, "we went out to investigate the odd happenings concerning the tears in the skies...as well as whether or not Straw Hat Luffy was affiliated with it." While he commended Smoker on his diligence, Coby proclaimed that no orders were given to make such investigations; further adding that none of them had a warrant for Luffy's arrest. "Who was responsible for this" he asked firmly, "who gave you all the command to sail with half of our forces?!"

Before any of the troops could speak up, some members of the gallery chose to do so for them.

Box Ghost: That's the guy up there, Sir!

Lapis: Yeah; the one with the jacket, nasty sneer, ugly scars, goatee and poor people skills...you can't miss him.

The crowd couldn't help but giggle at the water Gem's small jest at Akainu's expense. Meanwhile, the man in question was simply boiling with outrage; demanding to know how Coby was being addressed as Admiral when the title was actually his. "I'm afraid that is no longer the case, Akainu" Fujitora muttered, "while you set out to sea without our consent, we gathered together for an emergency conference...one meant to discuss your replacement."

With this reveal, Akainu became even more furious than before (if such a thing was possible.) But because of this sudden change in the status quo, he was left helpless to stand against it (so to speak.) Thus, he could only stand in silence; as Coby made his march towards him.

"Hello again, Sakasuki" the young lad hissed softly in annoyance, "I trust you have a reasonable excuse for all this?" Powerless, humiliated and stripped of his military authority; Akainu could only glare softly at his superior and murmur "I...can explain, Sir."

(First AN: And thus, Justice has been served; not in the "absolute" sense that Akainu believes in...but true, honest justice. With half of our champions' enemies no dealt with, all that remains is for Akainu and...possibly the folks of Amity Park to face judgment for past transgressions. Will this all be settled before the grand ball goes underway?

Tune in for the next chapter, to find out)

(Second AN: The "Soul Punch" ability that the High Mystics used was inspired by something similar used by the Ancient One from the Doctor Strange film. I'm not sure if this ability is common within the fantasy genre. But when it came to punishing a fraction of the villains, I thought it was an appropriate path to take.

If anyone knows what this technique is also known as, kindly let me know...after you've read and reviewed the chapter first, that is)

(Third AN: The "Mind Link" thing that the Council of Royals used was inspired by something near similar used by the Utrom Council from an episode of the 2004 Ninja Turtles cartoon.

(Fourth AN: While some might say it's unjustly to have Akainu be punished along with the villains, due to his military status. Let me remind you that he has abused his position more times than the manga readers or anime watchers can count. Not even soldiers are above the law and when they cross the line and like the pirates, they must also face judgment)

(Fifth AN: Rest assured; while Wyrd has faced his punishment for his crimes, Moordryd will also face judgment as well...but you will find that out in the next chapter)

(Final AN: The moment where the girls are swooning about how they calmed the gryphon by singing will come to a head in the future, I promise you. This is not me shipbaiting anyone, it has a purpose)