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

24. Chapter Tweny-Four: Tying Up Loose Ends

Loose Ends

Outside of Zaid's palace, scores of centaurs both young and old stood in silence; anxiously waiting for those inside to come out. Then, at long last; the gate burst open and everyone could see two rows of human soldiers marching out in single file. At the back end of both rows, many centaur younglings could see a team of soldiers holding onto a few links of chains; which appeared to be attached to the arms, legs and neck of a rather disgruntled man.

This human glared and growled at everyone who looked at him; proclaiming that if his limbs were free, he would have them all slain where they stood. But...I do believe we are getting a touch ahead of ourselves, it seems. Let us turn back the clock a few minutes earlier during the near end of the trial.

(Time Change: An hour earlier)

Back in the Great Hall; everyone stood aghast, as the naval officer known as Coby stared down Akainu with great fury in his eyes. Despite his age and stature; it was Coby's title as one of, if not the single highest, authorities of the Navy that brought the mighty officer before him to tremble with fear. "Well, Soldier...I'm waiting" Coby hissed with impatience, "explain to me why you led half our forces, without my say so, on some wild goose chase?!"

With this simple demand, Akainu's mind quickly snapped out of its fearful state and he glared down at the boy with pure hatred in his eyes. "What am I doing" he murmured, "you're just a child, why should I or any of my men take orders from the likes of you?!" After swallowing a nervous lump in her throat, Tashigi reminded Akainu that he was speaking to an admiral and needed to show respect.

"First of all, you will only speak when spoken to...understood, bitch" he roared, causing the poor woman to quiver; "secondly, I refuse to believe that the others would give a sniveling, spineless child like this my position as Fleet Admiral." In spite of him feeling utterly offended by Akainu's words, Coby did the wise thing and kept his composure. After taking in some calming breaths, he then explained that Akainu was...half correct in his "assumption."

"Please, Master Coby; do elaborate" urged Princess Donella, "I'm quite eager to know more about your new position." Not long after she said this; a sudden yet joyful laugh erupted from the crowd and Luffy, like a bat out of the Underworld, rushed towards the young marine. Before anyone could say a word, both gentlemen suddenly embraced one another and laughed merrily.

"Coby, dude...it's so great to see ya" Luffy said in greeting, "love the new look, by the way." The young admiral chuckled heartily and echoed the same compliment back to him, much to the confusion of everyone around them. Among those who were left baffled was Luffy's own crew; who, once again proceeded to question how he was able to make friends so easily.

"What...W-What's going on here" Sanji stammered, "why is Luffy hugging a Marine...and an Admiral no less?!" After snapping out of her stunned daze, Nami openly questioned if the two of them knew each other from long ago. "I...I guess you could say that" Zoro murmured, "long story short; way back when Luffy was just starting out as a pirate, Luffy crossed paths with Coby after he 'accidentally' ended up on Alvida's ship"

Upon hearing mention of the name Alvida, the Straw Hats suddenly recoiled in alarm; for they knew her to be one of the most ruthless pirate captains in their world. "From what I've heard, Luffy took her down with a single punch" Zoro stated, "again...this was long before he became the powerful knucklehead we know now." To say that the Straw Hats were amazed and surprised by this reveal would be a gross understatement.

For years, they've known Luffy to be an unpredictable fighter (if not a strong one.) But they never imagined the idea that he would take down someone as infamous as Alvida at such an early point in his pirate career. At the same time, the centaur folk and other citizens/creatures of Overon gawked in awe at the young lad in question.

"Not long after that, those two came to Shells Town and found me tied to a post" Zoro explained, "I was...being held prisoner there, you see." When asked why he was held prisoner in the first place, Gabriel presented one of the tomes from his castle's archives; one containing a portion of the Straw Hats' history. Upon reaching Zoro's chapter, he hesitated slightly; feeling unsure on whether or not to continue.

"Go ahead and tell them, Your Highness" urged the swordsman, "might as well get some more truths out into the open." With that said, Gabriel revealed that at one time in Zoro's history; he was a notorious bounty hunter. "In Luffy's realm, such a life is seen as working outside of the law" he stated, "thus; the Marines were given the task to capture, incarcerate or slay any bounty hunter they may come across."

Understandably so, many were left confused by this tale; wondering just what it was that inspired Luffy to recruit such a fellow into his ranks. "More to the point; after Luffy saved both of our lives and struck down the likes of Alvida and 'Axe-Hand' Morgan without fear...I guess, Coby started to really look up to him" Zoro explained, "I just never would've guessed he'd go into the Marines after that." The young lad in question chuckled heartily at these words and not only proclaimed them allto be true.

But much to the shock of everyone; he proceeded to, once again embrace Luffy in a friendly hug. "Wait...hold on here, I'm confused" Usopp murmured, "you're friends with a marine...unbelievable!" After taking a moment to process his friend's words, Luffy decided that the time had come for his crew to meet his first ever friend.

With a bright smile upon his face, he brought Coby over and introduced him to everybody. "Of course, you already know Zoro from way back when" Luffy chuckled, "but these are other members of my crew I've met, befriended and (in some cases) once fought against during my travels." Naturally, Coby was quite surprised by his old friend's story; mostly the instance where he said he once fought some of his crewmates.

But Gabriel quickly revealed that it was Nico Robin specifically whom Luffy was referring to, in terms of that. With a timid chuckle in his throat, Coby smiled and greeted the other Straw Hats with a friendly wave. But when his eyes fell upon Nami, they came close to popping out from his head.

Of course, this reaction did not go unnoticed by the young Navigator; who simply rolled her own eyes in annoyance. "Here we go again" she grumbled, "you know, there are days where I wish I didn't look as good as I do." Upon hearing this comment, Sam was dangerously close to calling Nami "as shallow as a puddle."

But then, much to everyone's surprise; both Sanji and Luffy suddenly shouted "DON'T EVEN JOKE LIKE THAT, NAMI!" The moment the former realized that that he and his captain were on the same page, he suddenly stared at him in utter confusion. Meanwhile, after recovering from his earlier shock; Coby regained his composure and bowed respectably at Nami.

"I'm am d-d-deeply sorry about that, Ma'am" he stated, "I just...after seeing so many of your wanted posters, I've gotta say...now that I've met you in person, they don't do your looks the justice they deserve." After taking a moment to process what he said, Nami smiled warmly at the young marine. "Well...thank you very much for the compliment, big shot" she said with a wink, "and you're pretty good looking yourself."

With a timid murmur in his throat, Coby suddenly turned himself around; doing his best to hide his blushing face from everyone. At the same time, he was also trying to catch his breath; as if he had just ran a full marathon. That was when Brook decided to do him a kind gesture and offer him a cup of water.

Of course, the instant Coby got a look at the skeletal man; he came close to jumping out of his suit in alarm. "HA! This proves that my earlier point is sound" Akainu proclaimed boastfully, "if this little brat gets scared by a walking corpse like Soul King Brook, he's unfit to be Fleet Admiral!" Despite feeling understandably offended by the man's words, Coby remained calm and stared deep into his eyes; as if trying to intimidate him.

"First of all, Soldier; you should learn to respect your superiors...just like you used to tell me and the recruits for years" he said firmly, "second; as of recently; things have changed within the ranking system of the Marines." Without pause, Coby revealed that the position of Fleet Admiral would no longer be tied to one man alone. Due to Akainu's mad thirst for "Absolute Justice" and his often abusive nature towards his fellow marines, other heads of the Navy came to a unanimous decision; no one man should hold command over so many.

"In short, there are now two Fleet Admirals within the Marines" Fujitora stated, "young Coby-kun is the second...and I do believe you may already know of his partner/mentor." Just as Akainu was about to speak, a large fist suddenly struck him from the right; sending him flying to the ground. Everyone else gasped at the sight of this, wondering who could be mighty or bold enough to strike him so soundly.

Meanwhile, as Akainu's vision slowly cleared up; he could see a tall figure looming over him. He was a tall, tan-skinned and broad-chested fellow with grey hair on his head and face. The man also had a scar over his left eye and the jacket he wore over his back sported a pair of black and red shoulder pads.

The suit he wore had a sort of dark-blue color and he had a light-blue tie hanging down his chest. Despite the fact that he appeared to be elderly, this fellow's aura seemed to radiate with strong authority; one that everyone could feel off of him. "Whoa...who's this guy, now" chuckled Amethyst, "from the look of his outfit, he must be another one of these marine guys."

While the Gem maid's words held some truth in them, there was but a small flaw in her logic. If the stranger was a marine, as she assumed; why would he strike down a comrade-in-arms so soundly. Meanwhile; Luffy gazed at this stranger with a look that seemed to be a mix of shock, joy and mild contempt.

"You appear troubled, Master Luffy" inquired Princess Elyon, "do you know this man, is he another enemy of yours?" After taking a moment to think, the best response he could think of were two short and simple words; "it's...debatable." Meanwhile, as Akainu slowly got back up on his feet; he growled at the stranger and proclaimed that striking a fellow marine was a criminal offense.

Of course, this statement was met with yet another blow; this time in the gullet. "That first punch...that's for sailing out without proper consent" the stranger roared, "the one I just gave you, that's for trying to hurt all these innocent people!" While holding onto his stomach painfully, Akainu glared at the stranger and charged at him like an enraged bull.

But once he was within range, everyone watched as the stranger swiftly struck Akainu's left leg with the heel of his shoe. "That's for murdering my grandson all those years ago" he roared, "and this is for trying to kill my other grandson mere hours ago!" With this declaration, the old man suddenly spun himself clockwise and struck Akainu across the face with his foot; sending him crashing to the ground.

Everyone gasped in awe at how easily the old man was able to overpower the disgraced Akainu and wondered what possessed him to behave this way. Then, they suddenly remembered him speaking of "grandsons" and that Akainu had chosen to attack them both. "Whoever this guy is and whoever his grandsons might be, I'll just say this" murmured Sam, "let's all hope this old codger's on our side."

With Akainu dealt with, the stranger commanded a group of soldiers to have him be put in chains. Everyone watched in stunned silence, as these men and women swiftly carried out the order without delay. Afterwards, the stranger then turned towards Coby and saluted him with a smile.

"Okay, I am seriously confused here" Ember grumbled, "just who is this guy, what is he doing here and is he actually...helping us?" Upon hearing these questions, Luffy chuckled softly and decided to introduce the man to everyone. But before he could say one word, a massive fist suddenly slammed down atop his head; leaving a rather reasonably sized lump behind.

"And that...that is for getting us all worried, boy" grumbled the old man, "can't I go through one day without your shenanigans giving me grief?" As Luffy hunched himself over painfully and rubbed his hands upon his head, the peoples of Overon took immediate action. Without pause, several Elven guards surrounded the stranger with their spears at the ready.

"How dare you strike Master Luffy so viciously, ruffian" one of them demanded, "apologize to him at once or we shall strike you where you stand!" As both sides suddenly started glaring at one another in anger; Luffy, who had managed to recover from his earlier blow, took notice of this and immediately called for their attention. "Stand down, everybody; that old fart's not a ruffian or an enemy" he exclaimed, "he's...my grandfather!"

With this reveal, the Elven guards slowly lowered their spears slightly; all while murmuring in hushed yet surprised tones. At the same time, the other champions and their comrades felt just as confused by what Luffy had said. "Hold on...back up, dude" Beast Boy muttered, "the guy that just hit you...is your grandpa?"

In response to the green lad's shock, Luffy's "grandfather" gave a gruff "harrumph" and proceeded to dig his pinkie finger deeply into his left nostril nonchalantly. "The name's Monkey D. Garp, green jeans; newly appointed secondary Fleet Admiral of the Marines" he announced, "and what are you supposed to be, some kinda gremlin or something?" Understandably so, Beast Boy felt offended by both the man's attitude and the fact he chose to address him as a "gremlin."

But he quickly realized that he was unintentionally stealing Luffy's thunder and beckoned for him to speak. "Right! Thanks for that, BB" the young pirate said with a chuckle, "long story short, the old guy is my grandpa and he's always had...issues with me wanting to become a pirate." From here, he listed all the times Garp expected him to follow in his footsteps and join the Marines.

Luffy even mentioned every wild idea Garp utilized in order to "toughen him up;" from tying him to a balloon and sending him up into the air to throwing him into the jungle, expecting him to find his way out alone. Needless to say, many considered these acts to be quite...barbaric (for lack of more respectable terms.) "Everything I did, I did to make Luffy stronger" Garp grumbled while picking his nose, "I wanted him to stop crying for his brothers' help all the time, to toughen up, to become strong enough so that he might join the Marines...but he chose the life of a criminal, instead."

Upon hearing him call Luffy a criminal, many within the crowd (the remaining Straw Hats among them) began crying out loudly in outrage. "How dare you speak thus about your own kin, you old fool" Prince Valerious said with an angry whinny, "he and his crew have successfully safeguarded more lives than anyone within your ranks of 'illustrious warriors!'" Thinking quickly, King Zaid placed a hand upon his son's shoulder and did his best to calm him down.

At the same time, however; many shared in the Centaur Prince's sentiment. "He's right, Garp-san, you claim to be the heroes back in our world...but at times, there are marines who act as corruptly as the very pirates they fight against...if not more" Nico Robin fumed, "Akainu is a prime example of this." While many had already familiarized themselves with the nature of Akainu's crimes, she still chose to reference them for all the new arrivals.

With the Shadowmanes help, she showed everyone all the lives the marine had taken or endangered with his powers and all the others he slew with them. When Robin had finished speaking, many came close to fainting where they stood. At the same time, many other marines gasped in horror at what Akainu had done.

Some of them cringed or grumbled softly with shame due to having some form of involvement with Akainu's attacks, however small or grand it was. Meanwhile, the man in question simply gazed upon his handiwork shown through the elves magic with a look of indifference upon his face. "Don't act so disgusted, you ignorant fools" Akainu growled, "no one ever said that dispensing justice or keeping order in the world was clean business...and as for the 'innocent lives' I took, there's a little something called 'acceptable losses.'"

From here, he proceeded to claim that the world he came from had already fallen to Hell; all thanks to pirates like Luffy. As such, in Akainu's eyes; killing anyone and everyone who defied the worldview the ruling government followed was nothing more than "business as usual." There were many cries of disgust and outrage from the crowd, after hearing his slurs towards the young champion and the people of his realm.

But then, without pause; one of the centaur guards swiftly punished Akainu for his words by jabbing his spear into his side. The steel tip of the weapon pierced deep through the man's skin, which caused the man to growl painfully. But not so deep that it would harm anything vital inside.

The guard had no intention of killing the disgraced admiral, only to discipline and subdue him...lest King Zaid told him otherwise. Meanwhile; after giving out a pained yet angry shout, Akainu fell to his knees and was swiftly restrained by several other centaurs. Afterwards, Sengoku stepped forth and decided to offer up a more meaningful defense for the Navy.

"Everything you said earlier, everyone...it's all true" he said with great shame in his voice, "for too long, the Marines have lived under a corrupt idea of justice and duty; unintentionally endangering the lives of others...but no more." After saying this; he turned towards Coby, smiled and took a bite of a rice cracker he procured from a small box he carried. "From here on out, Coby-kun will now act as the Second-in-Command Fleet Admiral and Garp-kun will serve as First-in-Command" he decreed while chewing, "with their help; hopefully, we can restore the true honor of the Marines back in the world."

Understandably so, many openly questioned why the Navy would split a single position betwixt two individuals. To which Kizaru answered by saying that Garp and Coby each possessed something that the Navy could benefit from, despite their differences in age and experience. "Young Coby will teach the new recruits the morals and ethics of our organization" he stated, "while Garp will help properly guide the new recruits in the ways a Marine should do their duty, by safeguarding the people; something that Straw Hat Luffy has already been doing, in his own...'unique way."

The Straw Hats lightly chuckled at this statement, not because they were mocking the officer's point; rather, it was a sort of ironic laugh. While Luffy never acted as a protector of others for the same reasons people like the Navy did, he still refused to see innocent lives suffer. This was due to either him befriending someone who stood among the oppressed or that the oppressed lot in question may have been affiliated with one of his crew (such as the people of Cocoyashi Village.)

In the end, despite whatever reasons he had; no one could deny that Luffy's heart was still in the right place...most of the time. But before he anyone else could say anything, everyone suddenly heard the sounds of someone crying out in pain. Upon turning around, Beast Boy spotted Sam being dragged away by her ear by a rather angry woman.

"This is the last straw, Samantha" grumbled the woman, "I've grown tired of you constantly getting involved in supernatural hoo-hah!" For most, it didn't take long to figure out just who this woman was; Sam Manson's mother. But at the same time; much like how Garp was towards Luffy, they felt she was being grossly unfair with her.

"I agree with your mother, young lady" Mr. Manson said bitterly, "dealing with your nasty Goth behavior and your ghost-oriented escapades have been arduous enough to deal with...but all of this nonsense is just pushing it too far!" As Sam struggled desperately to free herself from her mother's grip, many who watched the scene grew furious; Danny among them. But with a wave of his hand, King Thaylog quickly stopped Ms. Manson in her tracks; much to her surprise.

Of course; as a result of this, Sam's ear was still caught in her mother's grip. But once her mother stopped moving, she was able to break free and hurry back over to her friends. "Young lady, you will come back here this instant" Mr. Manson demanded, "and tell your pointy-eared 'friend' there to let your mother go or..."

Before the man could finish his sentence, a green beam suddenly struck at the ground just barely missing his feet. After taking a moment to collect himself, Mr. Manson looked up and spotted Danny glaring at him. He also happened to notice that the boy's hand was glowing an intense green color.

"Touch her again, you bastard...and the next shot I fire blasts your leg off" he hissed threateningly, "or maybe, I should aim higher; go for that ugly head of yours!" Everyone around the young ghost boy gasped loudly in shock, especially those he counted as his allies. Meanwhile, the other "guests" of the realm weren't quite so easily intimidated.

"You may be a superhero, Mr. Fenton...but you're still my student" grumbled Mr. Lancer, "and for disappearing and leaving us worried; I'm giving you, your friends and...even your sister three months of detention." Following this; he went on to say that perhaps, spend time with him after school would "teach the foursome some things about respect." "Respect...WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT RESPECT, YOU FAT TUB OF SHIT" Jazz shrieked, "my brother, our friends and I have spent months protecting Amity Park and all you do is give us grief...even after you learned his secret!"

Lancer and his fellow Casper High staff were utterly shocked by this behavior; mostly because it was Jasmine Fenton, the school's "golden child," who was acting this way. "She's right, all you and the rest of the adults back in Amity Park do is give people like us a hard time" Tuck grumbled, "no matter how hard we work, how long we study or how much we try to obey all your 'rules;' you still treat us like garbage!" Naturally, this outburst left the school staff and the families of Team Phantom rather shocked.

Of course, none felt more disturbed by all this than the peoples of Overon themselves. The first to speak up about all this was King Thaylog, who openly protested the school staff's behavior towards the children. To which Danny suddenly proclaimed that Lancer had acted thusly towards the students of Casper High for as long as he could remember.

The teachers collectively gasped in horror at this, offended that a child would slander their names in such a way. "THAT'S A FILTHY LIE, FENTON" Lancer roared, "I and the rest of Casper High's staff have treated and/or punished all students of the school equally!" As if expecting this, Danny scoffed at the man's words and told everyone to not believe anything he said.

"I agree with Master Danny" Gabriel said suddenly, "you claim to treat your students equally, Manling...but we know the truth." With that said, he brought forth another tome containing a portion of Danny's history. Upon opening it; everyone saw images on the pages that depicted older students terrorizing the younger ones in many ways.

These included examples such as stuffing them into lockers, pantsing them, chasing them through the halls with the intent of inflicting bodily harm (for one reason or another) and other vicious acts of bullying. "And to think, some call my people 'barbarians'" Drakon grumbled bitterly, "these younglings seem to be much worse, by comparison." While many sided with the warrior in his disdain, they felt more concerned with the school students' behavior.

Furthermore, they all found it troubling that there appeared to be no teachers present to stop it all. Then, before anything else could be said; one of Danny's ghostly allies, a young lad named Sidney Poindexter, suddenly appeared. In the eyes of the crowd; he looked quite young with his small stature, lanky physique and freckled complexion.

His appearance seemed to resemble something from a black and white photograph or film from the 1950's. He had a grayish-white skin-tone, sported a white-sleeved t-shirt, tweed-styled pants (presumably,) wire-frame glasses, a bowtie, a pocket protector and many debated if his hair was done either in the style of a bowl cut or a bob cut. In any case, many (like Lars, Sparx or Cyborg) inwardly proclaimed that this lad had the look of a stereotypical "nerd."

"Danny isn't the only one who has suffered from the wrath of bullies" Poindexter said in a nasally tone of voice, "I, too was once such a victim; in my human life." From here, he went on to tell of the many days he suffered from the cruelty of his fellow students. Of course, while many believed his indignities were no different than those of Danny's; the people still pitied him.

"Much like Daniel's classmates, I was also mercilessly shoved into my locker more times than I could count" Poindexter hissed bitterly, "it was in that very locker where I...where I...met my end, shall we say." The crowd gasped in utter horror at this declaration, some choosing to softly add curses of disgust under their breath. When asked how he...passed on within his locker, Poindexter replied in saying it was due to "natural causes."

"As you all can tell from my nasally voice, I suffer from severe Asthma" he murmured, "anytime I was thrown into my locker, I would start hyperventilating until a teacher would hear me and let me out...eventually." As Poindexter desperately tried to recount the moment of his death, his emotions got the better of him and he burst into tears. Of course, this outburst was all the court needed to understand the lad's testimony.

"Where was Master Lancer...or any of the other instructors during these sort of incidents" questioned Moonscar, "are they not aware of what is going on?" Almost immediately, this inquiry was met with a small collection of harsh chuckles and bitter murmurs from the members of Team Phantom. "Oh, the teachers are there alright" Sam said sarcastically, "they just either don't care or are too busy sipping their fancy gourmet coffee to notice!"

This statement brought many to gasp and cry out in outrage, to say the least. But while this went on, Gabriel appeared to be among the few who kept their reserve. "Apparently...the reasoning behind this sort of negligence comes two-fold" said the elf-prince, "firstly, the teachers often placed great favor upon those they have labeled the 'popular crowd.'"

When the Elven people asked the prince what the second reason behind their actions was, he answered with one simple word; "money." "Because the school Master Danny and his friends attend is so poorly funded, the teachers chose to go to whatever lengths necessary to try and earn the riches they need" Gabriel explained, "the list of these actions, I'm afraid are quite vast in numbers." While everyone else gasped in horror at this revelation, the teachers of Casper High found themselves becoming quite tense.

Mr. Falluca's swiped his hand slowly across his brow, hoping no one would see him sweat. Principal Ishiyama nibbled on her lower lip nervously, Tetslaff's knuckles tightened so hard that they almost turned white and Lancer...he tried to desperately to appear as still as a statue, despite his nervous hand movements. "If you would allow me, Gabriel; I'd like to help explain things a bit more" Tucker politely interjected, "and let me just say, Lords and Ladies of the court...that I plan on telling you everything."

With that said, he did as he promised and revealed all of Casper High School's "dirty little secrets." He started off by listing several of the offenses committed by the Casper High School staff. Among them included things like subjecting the students to machines that provide subliminal studying methods, purchasing outdated supplies, poor lunch menu options for the children...and turning the other cheek (as humans often say) whenever "popular/wealthy" students commit heinous actions.

Upon hearing the last example, the Penn Racing Team's dragons and Steven's Lion growled viciously at the teachers viciously; causing them to recoil in alarm. "The fact that teachers are given 5 star meals within the Lounge is particularly unfair" Tucker grumbled, "they get that while the rest of us are stuck with Sam's putrid Ultra-Recyclo Vegetarian food!" Many stared at the lad, after he made this statement; wondering just what the term "Ultra-Recyclo Vegetarian" meant.

As if sensing their confusion, Danny went on to describe Sam as a vegetarian "of sorts." But unlike Garfield, she took her habits to a much higher and (at times) more insane degree. "You all heard of mud pies, yeah" he asked, earning a few nods from everyone, "well...Sam eats actual 'mud pies' but these were made from topsoil...from the ground!"

This revelation not only left Beast Boy and Steven (who were both vegetarians) feeling disgusted, it also made even the Elves wretch with horror. Meanwhile, Sam stared in slack-jawed silence at her friend/boyfriend; shocked that he would speak of these things with such venom in his voice. Of course; after remembering everything she saw within the Mindscape not too long ago, she soon realized that there might have been many things about her (and other topics) Danny kept bottled up for too long.

The ghost boy then spoke of times where the teachers of Casper High would often exempt other students from scorn, regardless of whatever offenses they might've committed. When asked about the reasoning behind this; Tucker, once again said that it was all due to the aforementioned students' rich upbringing and/or status within schoolyard sports. "On one such occasion; one of the bullies at the school, a jerk named Dash Baxter, strung a kid up by his undies from the flagpole" Danny explained, "unfortunately...the underwear snapped after five minutes, resulting in the kid falling down and hurting his arm."

Following this, he mentioned how his friends immediately went to Lancer to tell him what happened. But even after showing him evidence of Danny's injury, the man did nothing. "Apparently, Dash scored some 'record breaking' touchdown passes at a school game; earlier that week" Tucker muttered venomously, "which helped Casper High win the game; thus, Lancer chose to exempt him from any punishment or scorn."

The crowd felt so disgusted by the tale, the likes of Zoro and Bismuth came close to wanting to vent their fury upon the teachers in question. But Danny quickly held them back, telling them it was not worth it...even if they had justifiable reasons. At the same time, he sent an ice-cold stare at Lancer; one that harbored feelings of bitterness and resentment.

"You all might be wondering, how I knew about the incident in question" he asked the crowd, "I knew about it because...I was that student who hurt his arm." As proof his words were true, Gabriel presented a page from one of the tomes dictating Danny's life. In it, everyone could see what looked like a younger Daniel Fenton; possibly during (what the humans called) his Freshman year of High School.

To say that the crowd was left shocked and appalled by this would be a gross understatement. Many like Prince Valerious and a few of the dragon-folk felt the desire to strike the staff members down where they stood. But others quickly held them back, proclaiming that more needed to be brought out into the open before any punishments could be exacted.

At the same time, things did not look well for the Casper High staff members; who all appeared as though they were shrinking with shame. After taking a moment to calm their nerves, the Shadowmanes urged Danny to continue with his testimony. "On another occasion, Dash's cronies once stuffed four kids inside of a single locker and left them in there the rest of the school day" Danny said with great venom in his voice, "and do you know where the teachers were...back in their classrooms signing paperwork."

Upon hearing this; Mr. Falluca, the school's Mathematics teacher stepped forth and made a desperate attempt to save face for his fellow teachers. "The 'paperwork' we were all signing were tests students like you took earlier that day, Mr. Fenton" he shouted, "how was any one of us supposed to know that students were being forced into lockers or that you were being strung up on the flagpole...again." Though the last word in the teacher's rant was spoken almost in a hushed whisper; to Gabriel's ears, it sounded as loud and clear as a songbird's chirruping.

With that small word, the crowd of mythical creatures suddenly fell into an angry uproar; one that made Falluca retreat in alarm. Many questioned how often such incidents had happened to the students, Daniel included; while others demanded answers for the staff's lack of disciplinary action. But just when the crowd almost grew too hostile, Thaylog slammed the base of his staff upon the floor; creating a sort of thunder crash sound effect.

While not deafening; this noise was just loud enough to get everyone's attention, once again. Once everyone had gone silent, Thaylog turned towards the teachers and stared at them intently. "Now, then; explain something to us, Master Lancer" he said calmly, "explain why you and your associates act so inattentively whenever the younglings of your school facility are in danger?!"

For a moment or so, not one of the teachers wished to respond; which many took as a sign that none of them wished to appear foolish in the crowd's eyes. But at the same time, those like Lancer felt they weren't inclined to confess to strangers; including "monsters" like the elf king. Of course, the Shadowmane Family took their silence as a sign of great offense...but chose to not let it distract them from the matter at hand.

"You do not wish to speak...very well, then" Gabriel said with a weary sigh, "but know this; the adults of your land have no choice but to place their children's minds, safety and well-being into your hands." Once again, the teachers said nothing in retort or their defense. But on the inside, their minds were swirling violently with thoughts of stress and anger.

As if sensing this themselves, the Shadowmanes decided to get straight to the point and looked the group straight in the eyes. "What we ask of you is perfectly reasonable, to act as firm yet fair guides for the younglings in their pursuit of knowledge" Queen Elbenor stated, "by refusing to do this, you are denying them the chance of reaching for a successful future!" That was it; with that small statement, Tetslaff ground her teeth angrily and got nose-to-nose with the Elf Queen; intent on letting everyone know what she was feeling.

"Oh...Get off your fucking high horses, you freaks" she shrieks, "we all know these goddamn brats don't even have a future!" With that short yet powerful phrase, the atmosphere swiftly became as quiet as the grave; not even a bird dared to make a sound. Meanwhile, Tetslaff's associates from the school all glared daggers at her; causing the gym teacher to sweat like a sinner in church.

At the same time, Team Phantom simply stared at their gym teacher with looks of pure disappointment on their faces. "Real nice move there, Babs" grumbled Mr. Falluca, "but...I didn't think they heard you up on Jupiter!" Before any other teacher could raise their voice, Thaylog quickly silenced them with a snap of his fingers and gave the floor back to Tucker; who appeared to be typing away on his PDA device.

"What are you doing, laddie" Drakon asked, "what do you plan to do with that...rather strange item?" After giving a silent look at the crowd, Danny and the Casper High staff; Tucker offered only one simple response. "I'm doing something I should've done long ago" he stated, "I'm using my title as mayor to take executive action!"

With that said, he faced his device towards the crowd; which showed a small video snippet of Tetslaff's small tirade mere moments ago. Along with it, Tucker's file also contained some snapshots he took of the pages from Danny's tome; images that showed many alarming incidents that happened within the halls of Casper High. After all this was finished, both Tucker and Lancer looked each other dead in the eyes; as if one side was trying to intimidate the other.

"Expect to hear a few words from the Amity Park Superintendent; sometime in the future, Sir" Tucker hissed, "and by the way...by my authority as mayor; as of today, you and the entire staff are hereby relieved of duty." This announcement came as a shock to not just the Casper High teachers and staff but Tucker's friends as well. "'Relieved of duty'" murmured Tetslaff confusedly, "what are you getting at, Foley?"

As if expecting this, Beast Boy suddenly stepped in; wishing to offer up a different approach to help "make things clear" to the gym instructor. "How else would you like him to explain it to you, Ma'am" he inquired, "'you're all fired, 'you're being let go,' 'your departments are being downsized,' 'you're part of an outplacement,' 'you're all past you're prime, 'you're outdated...' take your pick, I've got more." There was a light chuckle from the crowd, who seemed to find the young changeling's words amusing.

Meanwhile; the minds of the Casper High staff were a whirlwind of shock, confusion...and anger. "You can't do this to us, Mr. Foley" Lancer said through gritted teeth, "mayor or not, we are the adults and you are a child; we are the ones in charge here!" Upon hearing these words, the Shadowmanes and their fellow royals suddenly started surrounding the staff; which caused their earlier bravado to instantly fade away.

"You are most incorrect, Sirs and Madams" King Zaid said firmly, "in this realm, we are the ruling authority here; thus...you and your associates have no right to speak to Master Tucker so viciously!" Following this, Overon's Council of Royals proclaimed that they too sided with Tucker on his decision; saying that the time had come for the school district of Amity Park to be "cleansed" (in a manner of speaking.) Not long after that, the Diamonds sided with him as well...and the Straw Hats and the Titans.

Before long, all of the other Champions' comrades demanded for the immediate termination of the Casper High staff. "Bu...But what will the children do without an education" Mr. Falluca stammered, "surely, you've planned on replacing us afterwards?!" Upon hearing all this, Tucker gave the man a sort of "isn't it obvious" stare and revealed that such things would be enacted before the end of his political career.

"Wait...Wait a minute here" Danny interjected, "the 'end of your career,' are you saying that...you're resigning, Tuck?" At first, the ghost boy hoped to hear his friend say that he was merely making a joke. But then, after watching Tucker's facial expression fade into a tired look; he swiftly realized that this was truly real.

"Tucker...listen, if this about what happened during the last Hero Trial; I'm sorry" Danny said pleadingly, "it wasn't me that said all that stuff, it was some...stupid evil 'clone' of mine...or whatever it was." Upon seeing his best friend becoming more and more distressed, Tucker gave him a smile and patted him on the back. "Nah, dude; it's not...exactly like that" he said with a light chuckle, "in a way, that dark you was right; I did misuse my mayoral powers a lot...but it was mostly because I liked having people listen to me for once."

Following this, Tucker confessed that while having such mild authority felt nice (for a while;) it later became very exhausting. "I missed hanging with you and Sam without people watching my every move, I miss going on adventures and having fun" he said with a wistful sigh, "instead; my days were full of paperwork, paperwork...and even more paperwork!" Upon hearing these complaints from his former student, Lancer let out a scoff and murmured "it's called having responsibility, you little brat" bitterly under his breath.

Of course, Queen Elbenor quickly overheard this and slapped the man across the face for his remark. After that, the Shadowmanes decided that the teachers had outstayed their welcome and decided to send them back home. But before this could happen, Principal Ishiyama quickly raised her hand and begged for the royals to let her colleagues speak.

"Very well...Whatever you have left to say before your departure, do so now" the elf king said stoically, "and make certain that you lot choose your words carefully, Madame." With that, the floor was now offered up to the Casper High staff members and Lancer chose to speak first. "Before we leave, I just want to say something" he murmured, "we work and slave to give you kids a quality education...and all we get is grief, trouble-making and now, wrongful termination as a reward for it all?!"

Upon saying the last phrase, Lancer cast a glare over at Danny (albeit a soft one) and sighed. "Have we lost our way somewhere in our careers...perhaps" Falluca interjected, "but we're only human, it's not our fault that things in the schools have changed so much that we have to compromise ourselves!" The whole time he spoke, the other three teachers from Casper High shook their heads with annoyance; wondering if Falluca was either trying to help save them or condemn them.

Then, at that moment; Danny stepped forth...and openly apologized to the all of the teachers. "I'm sorry that your careers turned out so difficult later on in life...but it's not our fault" Danny stated, "we all tried to live up to your expectations...including me...but it was never enough." To drive his point home; the ghost boy proclaimed that it wasn't the school that changed or even the students, it was the teachers themselves.

"He's right; you all chose to let the stress weigh you down, instead of letting it all go and roll with the punches" Jazz interjected, "you could've done things the right way to make the school better...but you all took the easy way out, instead." With that said, she took in a deep inhale and spat in Lancer's face; shocking the entire school staff. "Jasmine...why are you doing this" questioned Miss Tetslaff "you're the school's most promising student, we've all done nothing but praise your accomplishments for years...why are you siding with the mob and treating us this way?"

For a moment or two, Jazz said nothing in reply; which made the teachers all the more nervous. Then, she glared at them with the coldest look anyone had ever seen on a person. "You think I enjoyed any of that" Jazz hissed venomously, "you think I liked listening to you all badmouth the other students (including my brother) and compare my status to theirs...I HATED IT!"

This outburst left the crowd in such shock, no one dared to speak a word. But they knew that the eldest Fenton child was not finished speaking; far from it, she had only just begun to unleash her ire. "Sure, I loved the notoriety and achievements I gained through my studies" she growled, "but all it did...all it did was lead to other students giving me the evil eye and shunning me."

Soon after she said this, poor Jazz collapsed onto her knees and sobbed loudly. "As much as you badmouthed my brother and called him a screw-up...he, at least achieved something I continue to struggle with" she sniffled bitterly, "he's able to actually make friends and they love him...faults and all." With that said, Jazz cupped her hands over her face and began to cry years worth of tears.

Of course, the sheer anger and fury in the girl's tone mere seconds ago was shocking; in itself. But when everyone, including the rest of Team Phantom, saw her fall apart so quickly; they felt their hearts nearly shatter to pieces. Without hesitation, Danny rushed to his sister's side and enveloped her in the tightest hug he could give; which she immediately returned.

Not long after that; Dani, Tucker and Sam all joined in on the hug as well. Seeing Jasmine cry this way not only caused the Casper High Staff to hang their heads in shame but the Fenton Parents as well. "Do you see now...this is what all your pressure and 'support' has done to my sister" Danny seethed at Mr. Lancer, "I hope you rotten assholes are all fucking proud of yourselves for it!"

At first, the teachers felt libel in scorning him for his foul language; while also teaching him to "respect his elders." But as they gazed over at Jazz, who was still on her knees crying with sorrow; they didn't quite have the spark to do it. "I'm sorry things have driven you to this sort of attitude, children" sighed Principal Ishiyama, "but...we all did what we thought was necessary to help ensure our school's financial and academic stability."

That did it; with that phrase, not only was the fate of the Casper High Staff now officially sealed. But Lancer believed that, much like what happened with Ms. Tetslaff, the principal should've also held her tongue. Soon, all was quiet once more and everyone wondered what might happen next.

Then, Danny rose from his seat and sent the teachers a look that was so cold; it actually made them shiver. "I think it's time you all went off on your way" Danny grumbled, "I'd wish you luck on your futures...but you've seldom ever done that for any of us, so...yeah." With that said, he turned to Desiree and wished for the entirety of the Casper High school staff to be sent back home; which she did.

The instant they disappeared, the Champions all turned towards the groups that still remained; like the Mansons, The Foleys, Mr. Grey and all the rest. Speaking of whom, those like Sadie or the Titans East team were currently staring slack-jawed at the spot where the teachers stood; wondering what might've happened to them. Then, as Mrs. Manson looked over at her daughter and saw her snickering softly; her stunned expression shifted into a scowl of rage.

Meanwhile, over by the children; Sam was discussing with Tucker about the fate of their school. "Looks like you'll all be on break for a while" Beast Boy chuckled, "at least...until you guys find some more capable school staff." Danny chuckled slightly at the idea and proclaimed that after everything they went through in the trials, both physically and mentally, he felt as though he achieved more than any student could.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Danny" Sam said with a coy grin, "but I'm not sure otherworldly escapades count on one's academic report." As everyone chuckled at the Goth's little jest, none of them noticed the angry redhead woman heading their way. "Laugh it up while you can, young lady" she said suddenly, "but while the school's shut down, I'm going to educate you myself...hopefully, I'll make you into a more decent young lady!"

Just as she was about to grab Sam's arm, Danny fired an ecto-beam at her feet from his index finger (albeit a rather small one.) The shot missed Pamela's feet, of course...but it did cause the woman to jump back with a start. "Are...Are you crazy, young man" she cried out in anger and alarm, "you could've seriously hurt me with that!"

Upon looking the boy in the eye, Pamela could see that Danny was giving her a look that seemed to say "that's the idea." All the same; while she felt mildly intimidated by this, she still did her best to remain stern in front of Sam. "That's the last straw, Samantha" Pamela growled, "not only are you now forbidden from seeing this...freak you call a boyfriend again; as of now, I'm cutting off your money!"

Mere seconds after this was said, everyone suddenly heard a light shuffling noise from somewhere close by. The crowd turned behind them towards the gate (some others turning to the side) and spotted an old woman hobbling over with a cane. She had hair as white as snow, which was tied up into a small ponytail, wore glasses, a yellow shirt beneath a pink wool sweater and a long purple skirt.

Though many others understandably felt confused by this woman's presence; Sam, on the other hand felt overjoyed to see her. Without pause, she rushed over to the woman and gave her the biggest hug she could muster; taking care to not have her accidentally fall over. "Hey there, Grandma" Sam cried joyfully, "I'd ask what you're doing here but...I imagine you might already know what's been going on."

The old woman chuckled heartily at her statement and proclaimed that she "knew just enough," which was all Sam needed to hear. "Now, then...what's all this talk about your parents cutting off your money" she asked, "what have you've done wrong to earn such a punishment?" While the two ladies spoke, several people approached Danny and asked who the old woman was.

"Her name's Ida, she's Sam's grandmother on her dad's side" he replied, "thing is...I do believe Sam gets her free-spiritedness from her." Upon hearing the woman's name, Gabriel skimmed through the pages within Danny's tome and found what he wanted; a black and white image of a young teenager. She was a lovely young maid sporting a red beret atop her head, a black leather jacket, red gloves, matching red pants, black boots and appeared to be riding some sort of small vehicle.

"Aw, sweet! Your granny had a moped" Beast Boy cried out joyfully, "where'd she get it, I've been lookin' for one myself." No sooner had he said this, Raven appeared behind him; jokingly reminding the changeling that he already owned a moped...before it fell to pieces. After a quick laugh, all eyes fell back onto Ida; who was currently glaring up at her son, Jeremy.

"Now, then; young man" she murmured firmly, "what's this I hear about you wantin' to cut off Samantha's money?" Without so much of a second thought, Mr. Manson began listing all of the "crimes" Sam committed; the business with the tears in the sky among them. "Really, dear...do you seriously think a young lady like Sammy is capable of doing something like that" Ida sighed, "next thing you're gonna tell me is that you think the Foley boy is some kinda dangerous hacker."

Upon hearing this suggestion, the boy in question was mere seconds away from claiming that he was a "skilled hacker." But then, Lion appeared from behind Tucker and pressed his paw upon the back of his head; pushing him face first into the floor. This in turn, stopped him from making an accidental verbal mistake.

Choosing to disregard this as Tucker "playing with the kitty," Ida turned her attention back to her son and narrowed her eyes at him in disapproval. "I've stood by and listened to you and your wife scorn Sammy for her behavior for years, viewing it as simply you 'being typical overprotective parents'" she said firmly, "but now, you are going too far!" Just as she was about to continue speaking, Ida's cane slipped on the marble flooring and she lost her balance.

But then, Danny and Beast Boy rushed over; gently catching hold of her before she fell. Afterwards, a dwarf soldier approached them; carrying a sturdy chair in his hands. After taking a seat, Ida kindly thanked everyone for their help; including Danny.

"Grandma...where's your scooter" inquired Sam, "you're almost always traveling with it." Straightaway; Ida explained that when she saw the tears appear, she presumed her granddaughter was in trouble and went off to find her. "Unfortunately...along the way, I ran outta gas and I didn't see any stations in this place" she stated, "next thing I knew, these horse people appear and...well, they brought me here."

As if on cue, one of the centaur guards approached Ida; carrying with her the woman's moped machine. "My sincerest apologies for the way you were brought here, Madame" the guard said politely, "due to the current circumstances, we were tasked to exercise great caution; should anymore strangers appear." Ida smiled warmly at the centaur, patted her hand appreciatively and thanked her for her diligence.

Once that was settled, she turned her attention back towards her son and got back to business. "Now, then, Sonny...you might think you have full possession of your wealth" Ida said firmly, "but the truth is, it's not exactly 'yours...' it's mine." This reveal created a rather mixed response from the crowd, some proclaimed it to be a rather surprising twist of Fate.

While others openly questioned just how well off the Manson Family was. "Even after all these years, I'm still trying to figure it out myself" Danny chuckled lightly, "apparently...Sam is the descendant of the individual who created a device that twirls cellophane over the tips of deli toothpicks." Alas, even with this explanation; very few seemed to understand what their champion was saying.

"I know, it's hard to explain" Sam interjected with an ironic chuckle, "but apparently, people loved the device so much that they paid my Great-Grandpa loads of money in investments." From here, she said that these financial investments carried on throughout her family's life; all the way up to her. But still, everyone felt confused by all this; which made Sam feel somewhat anxious.

That's when Gabriel decided to help clear the air by asking the one question that no doubt, everyone had on their minds. "Forgive me if I am overstepping my boundaries, Sam" he said respectfully, "but if your kin is among the wealthy lot within your town...why do you not show it?" Without the slightest bit of hesitation, she confessed how nearly everyone who was rich in wealth was cut from the same cloth; rude, insensitive and uncaring to the needs of others.

"The popular kids at my school were no different" Sam proclaimed, "as such, I try to hide that part of my life from everyone...except my friends." As the final nail in the coffin, she confessed how being rich was the second thing she was most ashamed of. When asked what the first example was, Sam bitterly proclaimed "being related to these two creeps" while gesturing towards her parents.

"DO YOU SEE NOW, MOTHER" Westley shouted, "this is exactly why Samantha needs to be punished!" In one breath; he described Sam as a rude, insensitive, mean and disrespectful child that needed to be disciplined. It was here that Danny raised his hand and said he had a few things to add on the matter.

"Speaking from experience, as one of her lifelong friends, Sir; I'm inclined to agree with you...to a degree" he said stoically, "at times; Sam has been rude, insensitive and to a certain level, mean...but can we really blame her?" Soon, Danny began listing all the things wrong within his world; all of which were reasons that seemingly inspired Sam to "Go Goth." Of course, the court had already familiarized themselves with these during the earlier trial.

"To be honest...I often feel just as flustered about it all as she does, at times" Danny said with a weary sigh, "but...as I've come to learn; neither the teachers, her parents', my parents' or even her own way of thinking alone can 'make the world a better place." After rolling her eyes sarcastically, Pamela proceeded to question Danny what he thought the "right answer" to the situation was. "Thing is...I don't have the answers either, none of us do" he replied, "but there must be a balance in everything we have and the things we do."

The Council of Nobles smiled proudly at Danny, after he had made his statement; thinking that he had learned well from the Spirit Trial. "All of you back home...you're all so dead set on having us bend to your authority that you barely give us any freedom to breathe (metaphorically speaking)" Danny huffed in exasperation, "for example...idiots like YOU, Mr. and Mrs. Manson put so much pressure on us kids to be 'perfect' that it drives us over the edge!" To end his statement, Danny referenced something that his community called the "Mass-Grounding Act;" a policy that enabled the adults of Amity Park to punish the children for anything they deemed "unlawful" or "troublesome."

"The Human Realm has certainly changed since the days of old...and in some ways, it's not for the better" King Zaid muttered, "but I digress." Sensing that the trial was going on for much too long, the Council of Nobles decided to end their meeting by attending to two more minor loose ends. The first of these involved The Mansons and Sam's financial situation, which Ida found the perfect solution to.

"I know of your feelings about being wealthy, bubala" the old lady with a smile, "but my money deserves to be in the hands of someone I can trust, someone who knows how to use it properly." With this statement, Ida decreed that once they've all returned home to Amity Park; she would transfer one-third of the family's funds into Sam's account. "What...are you serious, Mother" Westley cried in alarm, "how can you entrust half of our fortune in the hands of someone who has disrespected our family for years?!"

In an instant; Sam's demeanor swiftly changed, after hearing her father's words. Her eyes blazed red with fury, her fists tightened and she clenched her teeth so intensely that everyone could hear them grinding against each other. Yet, in spite of all this; Sam still kept her reserve and chose to deliver her thoughts in the bluntest yet calmest way possible.

"You have it all wrong, Daddy" she said coldly, "then again...you and Mom never made that much of an effort to get to know me anyway." From here, Sam confessed how much she still loved her family; in spite of all the grief and indignities her parents subjected her to. "Truth is...it's you guys who seem to hate me, instead" she growled, "just because I was never a 'bubbly ray of sunshine' like you two or wear those ugly dresses Mom makes, you act like I'm...I'm some sort of MONSTER!"

Dumbfounded by her daughter's tone of voice, Pamela attempted to save face by describing each of Sam's "disturbing" quirks. But the Shadowmanes quickly stopped her, informing the woman that everyone had already known about them long before her arrival. "Enough! This matter is closed" King Zaid proclaimed, "now, then...what shall we do with the Manson Clan and the others?

Upon hearing them being associated with the Mansons, the Foleys and Mr. Grey knelt before the Council and urged them to be merciful. "Please...don't be too harsh with us" begged the latter, "I...I'm a good father, I try to be open-minded about my daughter's hunting and..." Just as he was about to continue speaking, Gabriel raised his hand and stopped Mr. Grey; offering him a kind smile.

"We are all well-aware of your deeds, Sir; as well as your struggles" he stated, "you have no reason to fear judgment from us." Not long after that, King Thaylog passed on the same message to the Foleys; who couldn't help but heave heavy sighs of relief afterward. "As for the Mansons...it is clear that their daughter is uncomfortable by their presence here" Princess Donella stated, "thus, they shall both be sent back to their home; while Lady Ida is welcome to remain here for the ball."

Upon hearing mention of a ball, Ida interpreted this as a sort of party invitation...and she wasn't that far off. This same invitation was extended to the likes of all the champions' friends and allies. "Um...hold that thought; if you would, Your Majesties" Coby said respectably, "first, we need to take this slime back to my ship."

With that in mind, he commanded several marines to put Akainu in chains; which they did. While it was apparent that his powers would no longer be a threat, Coby felt that extra precautions were needed and asked for Sea-Stone cuffs. "Make sure you have them all on good and tight, soldiers" Garp muttered, "we don't want this criminal escaping our grip."

The soldiers all nodded in understanding, took their chains in hand and proceeded to clip them onto Akainu.

(Line Break)

As the scene returns to the present and the marines lead their quarry towards the docks, many of Overon's people wasted no time in unleashing their venom upon him. They pelted him with rotten produce, threw fist-sized clumps of mud at his face (or at least, something he hoped was mud) and many creatures shouted vicious slurs at the disgraced marine in their native languages. Though none of our heroes or their colleagues understood what they said, it was clear that these terms weren't something they wished to repeat out loud.

"Now...you're sure you'll have him locked up somewhere secure, dude" Beast Boy asked Coby, "I speak from experience when I say that somehow, crooks like Akainu always seem to find a way out." The young admiral nodded slightly in understanding and assured everyone that all was well. "Impel Down is the most impregnable prison ever known, back home" Garp added, "there was only one time where a mass breakout occurred...and my grandson was at the head of it."

Upon hearing this reveal, everyone (including the Straw Hats) faced Luffy and urged him to explain what happened. "It...It's kind of a long story" the young captain murmured, "but I can't really talk about it now." There was a collection of soft yet impatient groans from the marines, as well as the comrades of the other champions; upon hearing this statement.

When someone asked why Luffy didn't wish to speak; there came a sudden yet loud gurgling noise, in response. "THAT'S why...after all those trials me and the guys did and sitting through that court, I'm getting hungry" he grumbled softly, "is it time for that ball you promised us yet, Gabe?" With a hearty laugh in his throat, Gabriel proclaimed that preparations for the Champions Ball would begin immediately.

"But first, we must make our journey home" Queen Elbenor added, "which should only take but...a few minutes." Naturally, this statement left Coby and many others feeling quite confused. They were moments away from questioning how they planned on making such a journey...until a familiar ghost genie appeared. "Just say the word and we shall leave lickity-split, Young Prince" she said eagerly, "I'm also anxious for the ball to begin."

Just as Gabriel was about to make his wishes, Lars suddenly interjected; asking him what the final order of business he mentioned during the trial was. "Do not worry about that, lad" Thaylog assured, "all will be taken care of, once we've arrived home." With that, everyone took their positions and readied themselves for the sudden trip back to Overon.

"I really can't wait to learn about this ball everyone's excited about, Luffy" Coby said with an excited giggle, "what did you and your friends do, exactly to have it happen?" With a broad smile upon his face and a laugh in his throat, Luffy proclaimed that it was all quite a story to tell. "Thing is...I don't know if you'll believe us, when we tell you about it" Danny stated, "all due respect."

As the lads began to converse with Coby, the first thing Gabriel requested from Desiree was to first send Pamela and Westley Manson back from whence they came. With a soft declaration of "so you have wished it, so it shall be;" she snapped her fingers and the Manson couple suddenly vanished without a trace. "For my next two wishes, I would like for all of us to return to Overon and have the Marines' armada be placed at the harbor."

After taking a moment or two to let all this process, Desiree confessed that doing so much could prove exhausting, even for her. As if expecting this, Falcore and his fellow High Mystics stepped forward and offered to help her in any way. "All I require is a small jolt to help transport us all back" Desiree explained, "do you think you can manage that?"

The Mystics shared a light chuckle amongst themselves and then, after each of them snapped their fingers, their hands suddenly shined with multicolored auras. "If you would be so kind as to hold out your hand, milady" Edric requested, "we shall take care of the rest." Though she, quite understandably felt nervous about doing so at first; Desiree knew that the Mystics weren't the deceitful sort and decided to trust them.

She held out her hand slightly and each of the High Mystics held their own aloft over hers. Within seconds, the ghostly genie began to feel an odd yet warm sensation flow through her. Then, she suddenly noticed that her tail was glowing a rainbow of colors.

"Quickly now, Desiree before the power fades" Serafina ordered, "I wish for you to return us all back to Overon and to safely bring the Marines' armada to the village harbor!" With a confident smile on her face and her hands radiating with the same colors her tail gave, Desiree decreed "so you have wished it and SO IT SHALL BE!" Afterwards, everyone suddenly felt their bodies slowly glowing; which made some of the marines feel quite nervous.

"Er...Luffy, this is a good thing...right" murmured Coby, "because if this kills me, I'm never talking to you again." The Straw Hat captain chuckled happily at his friend's comment and assured him all was well. "Just relax and let the magic flow through you" he stated, "I'll explain everything, once we get back."

With that said, everyone watched as Desiree began cracking her knuckles slightly; as if prepping herself before granting her wish. Then, she gave a soft snap of her fingers and...everyone suddenly vanished in a blinding flash.

(Scene Change: the village of Overon)

In what felt like a matter of seconds, a flash of light appeared in the middle of Gabriel's village; startling many elves in the process. Then, they sighed with relief when they saw their leaders and allies standing before them. After taking a moment to collect himself, King Thaylog presented himself before the people and greeted them warmly.

"We have returned from the trials, dear people...and our champions have emerged victorious" he proclaimed, "now, we can begin preparations for the Heroes Ball!" This news came as a delight to the Elven people, who all started chattering amongst themselves about what to do to prepare for the event. Meanwhile, the champions were busy attending to their friends; who were all panting wildly with shock from being teleported half a world away.

"Don't worry; after a while, you get used to that" Steven chuckled, "I still remember all the times Connie giggled whenever we traveled via the Gem Warp Pads, back home." After taking a few more moments to collect her nerves, Mayor Nanefua smiled at Steven and thanked him for his reassurance. Meanwhile, the Maheswarans were having difficulty in understanding the appeal their daughter found in this method of travel.

Elsewhere, poor Coby was having the most difficulty in catching his breath after their arrival. "Oh, dude; you think this takes your breath away" Luffy chuckled, "you should've seen me and the guys earlier, back when we all climbed up a big ol' mountain without any powers." To say that this news shocked both Coby, his fellow marines and all the other new arrivals would not do the moment proper justice.

After a while; young Sadie Miller, after she had finally found her voice, questioned if Steven was speaking truthfully. "It's all legit, Missy" Beast Boy affirmed, "I've even got the calluses on my hands to prove it." After taking a moment to wipe the aforementioned image from their minds, everyone begged the champions to tell them what happened.

"Before we do that...could we have something to munch on first" Luffy requested, "just a little something to hold us over before the banquet." Everyone groaned lightly in exasperation, thinking of how impossible it was for Luffy to go one moment without thinking of food. But then, those like the Straw Hats realized that he more than worked up an appetite and decided to not say anything snarky.

"My friend, after everything you and your friends have accomplished; you shall have more than your fill of food" Thaylog laughed heartily, "come, everyone; let us make haste...for the time of the Champions Ball is approaching!"

(First AN: And here we are; after several arduous trials, a dangerous trip through the mindscape and an actual legal trial...our heroes have made it. Soon, they will all become knights and be forever known as champions in the realm of Overon. But what will happen during the Champions Ball?

Will there be more drama ahead, some laughter...or maybe romance, perhaps? Find out next time, in the second to last chapter of The Contest of Champions)

(Second AN: So sorry this took so long to get made, everybody. But as the title says, there a few loose ends that needed to be tended to. There is still one other matter that needs to be addressed...but I'm saving that for the next chapter)

(Third AN: If any among you feels I was being too harsh towards the Casper High staff members or the Mansons, understand that they've done many things that would not be considered legal; such as allowing upper-class students to get away with virtually anything or forcing your child into a lifestyle she does not want. Since the show didn't punish them for these acts, I decided to do so myself. I'm sorry if this feels off-putting to anyone...I just never liked the Manson parents or Lancer all that much)

(Final AN: Originally, I intended to have just Coby lead the Marines. But one of my reviewers revealed to me that he was still much too young, in terms of age or experience. So, I decided to have the rank of Fleet Admiral be split into two parts.

I still kept my idea of Coby being in charge...but he's only Second-in-Command, in terms of military ranking. Garp will act as the First-in-Command...but while he'll be instilling discipline and focus into the troops, it's Coby's moral compass that will help keep them from becoming like Akainu. I hope this will all make sense to you, everybody; when you read this chapter)