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

27. The Champions Ball - Part Three

The Champions Ball – Part Three: Changes

Mere seconds after Elbenor had made her proclamation; the entire hall rang loudly with hearty cheers and laughter aplenty, the Champions' legions of supporters being the loudest of them all. Soon, the Champions Ball was in full swing and none were more eager to celebrate than the young Champions themselves. But before they considered doing any kind of feasting or jubilation, important matters needed to be attended to first.

As the six lads looked out towards the crowd of cheering onlookers, they suddenly felt self-conscious when they caught sight of their families and loved ones staring at them from far back in the crowd. "Oh...wow, I can feel practically the daggers in their eyes stabbing through me already" Beast Boy murmured uneasily, "you guys think they're still sore with us about what happened during the Test of the Spirit?" Sadly, the other champions offered no answers; appearing just as concerned as he was.

Upon sensing their troubled spirits, Princess Donella approached the lads and offered to share some wise words that might help them. "Given what your comrades have all seen and heard mere moments ago, I understand your hesitancy in wanting to speak with them" she stated, "but...regardless of that, it is better that you clear the air between you; rather than have your minds be clouded by doubt." In other situations, wisdom such as this would not so easily register with the lads (or at least one or two of them.)

But after everything they had experienced, they had grown somewhat wiser and realized that the Elven princess raised a solid point; no matter what may happen afterwards...they had to face their friends. With this in mind and with all the courage they could gather up inside of them, the lads made their way towards their friends. Imagine their surprise when the crowd of ball attendees suddenly parted away at their approach, many of whom either murmured soft praises or bowed their heads respectably.

"Huh...check this out, guys" Artha chuckled softly, "if this is what being a knight's like...I think I might get used to it." While the others also relished in the positive attention being shown around them, they quickly reminded him to "be cool" for the time being; lest they risk looking foolish in everyone's eyes. But more importantly, they were more presently concerned with what might happen when they speak with their friends and families.

Speaking of whom; as the young champions drew closer, each of them could see firm looks upon all their comrades' faces more clearly now. To those like the newly knighted Sir Garfield and Sir Luffy, they felt as though they were about to walk into a lion's den. But just as fear started to grip at their hearts, Steven softly cleared his throat; gaining their attention.

"Okay, guys...I know things may seem tense, right now but just remember; be strong, stand your ground and don't back down" Steven ordered firmly, "after all, these are our loved ones; they won't be...too upset with us." The other lads offered no reply, choosing only to swallow down the nervous lumps that filled their throats. But deep within their minds, each of them unanimously wished they possessed Steven's sense of optimism.

Finally, after walking for what felt like miles; the six champions now stood before the peoples of their respective realms. When Beast Boy cast a wary glance over in the Titans' direction, he could see them all giving him seemingly indifferent looks. But to him, their eyes told them everything he needed to know.

The same thing could be said for the likes of Luffy, Danny and especially Artha...but Chiro and Steven's people seemed to be smiling like mad fools. Before long, the extended branches of the Crystal Gems suddenly swarmed around their young champion and wasted no time in showering him with praises. As for the people of Beach City; while their collective demeanor was calm and collected, they were no less overjoyed.

"Steven, I can't believe it...you're actually a knight, a real knight" Sadie chuckled heartily, "and here I am, still getting used to all of your Crystal Gem business." No sooner had she said this; the "Cool Kids" consisting of Buck Dewey, Jenny Pizza and Sour Cream each shared a high five with the lad while extending their own praises. Then, at that moment; Spinel suddenly lunged herself at Steven and delivers a truly powerful (yet cartoonish) kiss upon his face.

"ACK! Spinel, c'mon" he screamed in annoyance, "I appreciate the love...but maybe give a guy a warning, next time!" The cubic Gem maiden giggled goofily and expressed her apologies for the sudden display of affection...but told Steven she did not have any regrets in doing so. "Seriously though, dude; you look AWESOME" she exclaimed, "I mean...just look at you!"

With a bashful laugh in his throat, Steven claimed that he did not appear any more special than his fellow heroes did or even the Gems. But the people of Beach City still professed their admiration on his new title and the Gemfolk, once more reiterated his long ago title of the "Savior of their Galaxy;" proclaiming that his new armor truly gave him that look. Surprisingly enough, rather than take joy or pleasure from this behavior; it only seemed to make Steven feel uncomfortable.

(Line Break)

At the same time, these same feelings of uneasiness were felt amongst the other champions as well. But while Steven's people all cheered for him, the other groups did not appear to share the same sentiment. When Sir Garfield looked into the eyes of his fellow Titans (specifically Cyborg and Raven,) he felt his blood run cold.

When Chiro saw the members of the Monkey Team looking up at him with equally firm expressions; he could feel the sweat drip from his brow, his nervousness was so great. When Artha glanced at his fellow dragon racers, he couldn't help but tremble slightly; particularly when the stable boy heard several of the racers' dragons growl softly at his approach. Luffy tried to appear just as jubilant and hearty as everyone knew him, when he made his way to his fellow Straw Hats.

But when he saw their stern faces; including that of his now ghostly brother, Ace...Luffy only had a fearful smile upon his face. As for Danny, every human and ghostly figure before him watched his approach like a flock of vultures; waiting for the chance to seemingly strike him down. All of these circumstances did in fact fill the Champions with a great sense of fear, truth be told.

But in spite of it all, they remembered the fact that they were knights and as such; they needed to be strong...no matter what. When the six of them finally got close enough to each of their people, all was quiet; not even the minstrels dared to play a tune at the moment. Then, at long last; Parm and his dragon were the first to approach and greet them accordingly.

"Congratulations to you all, gentlemen" he said stoically, "you've certainly proven your worth in earning knighthood." While these words weren't spoken out of any kind of malice, disdain or even hatred for him; to Artha, each one felt as though a knife was driven through his heart. To make matters all the worse, he flinched painfully when he heard his brother mimic the same tone in his own "words of praise."

"Yeah, Stable Boy...you've certainly done quite a lot for yourself here" Moordryd said coolly, "you should feel real proud." That was it, such words sounded painful enough when they were spoken by his friends and family in their indifferent voices. But now that Artha heard these "words of praise" being spoken thusly by his former rival, it truly dampened his spirit.

"Okay, guys...I get it" he groaned, "I screwed up...we all did and we're really sorry!" Almost instantly, the other five Champions sounded off in agreement while also expressing their regrets unto their comrades. "Look...we know some really screwed up stuff happened, especially up in here" Beast Boy murmured while pointing at his head, referring to the others' trek through the mindscape; "but we really are sorry and...can't we just forget any of it happened...please?"

As the other Champions echoed their friend's words, they were only met with the same stone-cold silence from earlier; which made them feel even more nervous. Finally, much to everyone else's shock; Luffy let out a heavy sigh and fell to his knees before his crewmates in submission. "Okay, fine...hate me forever if you want" he said with small tears of shame in his eyes, "just do whatever you want to me for revenge...make it quick."

For the third time that night, the room was deathly quiet while everyone stared at the kneeling pirate king in confusion. Then, to add more fuel to the fire; the remaining six joined Luffy on the floor on their knees with their heads bowed slightly. Before anyone had the chance to speak up, each of them urged their comrades to unleash whatever anger or frustration they might have in any way they saw fit.

But instead, this "kind gesture" garnered the exact opposite sort of response; with embarrassed muttering and soft groans. "Look...to start with, none of us are going to hit you guys or whatever it is you're all thinking of" Zoro exclaimed, "but make no mistake, you're damn right that we're all pissed off here!" Unsurprisingly, this exclamation caused nearly everyone in the room to gasp or cry out in offense; save for the other members of the outsider groups.

In time, Connor Penn stepped forth and wasted no time in voicing his own dismay on the situation at hand. "While I...don't quite agree with Mr. Zoro's choice of words; I do, however side with him in saying I feel no less disappointed" he said firmly, "disappointed in the fact that you kept such anger and resentment in yourself secret from us all this time, Artha!" In that moment, the young hero in question could feel the weight of his father's words fall upon his shoulders as heavily as the feet of the mighty Libris.

This discomfort seemed to grow even greater when he heard his brother, Lance share his own concerns on the matter. At the same time, the Titans were each sharing similar words with Beast Boy; who did his best to try and keep himself calm and under control. Despite his new change in appearance and his newfound powers, the young changeling still possessed the same weakness he had before; his animal-like instincts.

He was afraid that they might get the better of him and end up lashing out at his team, like how a dog behaves when being scolded by its owner. Next was Luffy's crew, who did their best to keep their own tempers in control while ranting; despite their fears and concerns being highly justified. Meanwhile, the Hyperforce all stood as silent and still as statues; which made Chiro feel all the more anxious.

"Look...I know you guys are just as upset with me as everyone else here" he groaned sadly, "so, just...kick me off the team if you want, I'm...I-I'm not fit to be leader of the Hyperforce!" Once more, the Monkeys remained silent and still in spite of everything Chiro had said unto them. As a result, all of Shuggazoom's citizens and their allies suddenly became annoyed; many of whom were demanding for them to speak up.

Then, just as things were growing slightly hostile; a soft clapping sound echoed through the room and an equally soft voice called for silence. The crowd of Shuggazoom citizens parted slowly as a tall figure in a purple hood made his way towards the kneeling Chiro. It was here that a gentle voice suddenly spoke to him, one that he somehow recognized quite vividly.

"You have no reason to doubt yourself, child" the hooded figure said kindly, "truly, you have done well in proving your worth; both as the chosen hero of Shuggazoom and a champion of this world." Taken aback by these otherwise kind words, Chiro raised his head ever so slowly to see who was speaking to him. Inch by inch, his gaze moved up along the length of the figure's purple-ish black robe until he caught sight of their face.

In that moment, Chiro almost felt his heart stop in shock; standing before him was none other than the Monkey Team's creator...the Alchemist. However, there seemed to be little to no sign of the Skeleton King shown on his person; which would mean that the man's "bad side" was truly gone for good. At the same time, Chiro also happened to notice a small orange primate hopping atop the man's shoulder.

Now, he knew full well that this creature was none other than Mandarin; even without his inhuman skeleton-like form, the lad could never forget his face. But the question remained...just how did he turn back to normal and how was the Alchemist standing there, talking with him. "H-H-How, how is this even possible" Chiro gasped in awe, "you...y-you can't be alive, not after everything that happened to you."

Feeling confused, the lad looked to his comrades among the Monkey Team for answers; only to be met with silence and the same stoic expressions from before. This time, however; they didn't appear quite as harsh or firm (which seemed like a good sign for Chiro.) But after a while, Gibson confessed that even he didn't quite understand how the Alchemist was alive and well again.

"It must've happened when I...or rather, Paragon used their power on him" Steven stated, "if it could restore life to the other desolate planets in my universe, it must've done the same to the Alchemist's body along with his...pet I'm guessing?" Despite however outlandish the explanation seemed, Chiro believed every word of it. In truth, after experiencing so many wondrous things both in his realm and during the Champion Trials; he was willing to believe anything now.

"The circumstances of my rebirth are meaningless now, young Chiro" the Alchemist said firmly, "as I told you before, you and your friends have more than proven your worth as heroes; in this realm and beyond." Although he much appreciated the man's kind tone when saying these words, it was the looks of the Monkey Team that filled Chiro with the most doubt. "Tell that to my team, Sir...or all of our teams, for that matter" he murmured, "it's obvious they're still upset over what happened and they have every right to be."

With these simple words, each of the monkeys metal fists clenched tightly in anger; causing Jinmay to feel slightly worried for her love. Finally, Antauri let out a heavy sigh and hovered his way towards Chiro; who had reassumed his earlier kneeling position. "You're quite right, young man; we are upset with you" said Gibson while following behind Antauri, "and we are not the only ones who feel this way."

With this statement, all of the other champions' kin and comrades sounded off in agreement; which seemed to only make the situation bleaker for them. The first among them to make their statement was Connor Penn, who looked quite intimidating with his arms crossed firmly 'round his chest. "While I applaud you for your success, Son; I am not happy with how things went in the previous trials" he stated, "and as a punishment...I'm officially cutting your training in half from here on out, once we return home."

Within seconds; the Hyperforce, Garnet and even the Titans echoed Mr. Penn's words while Sanji proclaimed that they would be making revisions on food distribution on the ship (which involved Luffy receiving a...small increase in his meal portions.) Of course, this went unnoticed by the champions in their current nervous state and thus; they swiftly flew into a series of feverish apologies. "That's fine, I totally get it" Beast Boy muttered sadly, "and if you wanna remove me from the team too, I...w-wait, what?"

Within seconds, this same sudden realization clicked in the other champions' minds as well and each of them stared at their comrades with the most confused of expressions. Several times over, one or two of them asked if this behavior was a trick and several times over, the people answered with the greatest of sincerity. "We're quite serious here, guys...you're about to get credit where credit is due" Nova said with a light chuckle, "and it's been a long time coming."

These same words were said by other members of the champions' home worlds but alas, it only seemed to make them even more confused. "But...But you guys said you were upset with us" Luffy exclaimed, "we all heard you say so a few seconds ago; didn't we, guys!" As the other five champions sounded off their concerns, their loved ones did everything they could to keep themselves patient; despite however overwhelming their chattering became.

Finally, Nami let out a heavy sigh and held up both her hands in a halting gesture; thus prompting the lads to go silent. "We know...what we all said, boys but you misunderstood us" she groaned softly, "you aren't the ones we're upset with...it's all of us!" The remaining Straw Hats, the Gemfolk, the Hyperforce, Team Phantom and especially the Titans all sounded off in agreement with the young maiden; hoping their friends would all understand.

Sadly, all this seemed to do was make them feel even more confused; which gave Connor the opportunity to have the floor next. "What we're all trying to say, boys is...we now understand why you seemed either so disillusioned or worn out by your duties as heroes for so long and... we seem to share some of the blame for that" he explained, "but please understand, Artha; I only trained you hard because I knew of the dangers you had to face and wanted to make certain you were ready for them." While a small part of him believed this explanation was sound, Artha seemed to need a bit more convincing from his father to see if he truly understood him.

"What your father is trying to say is...he only wanted you to be strong enough to keep people safe" Parm stated, "but he realizes now that everything you've done/been doing has taken far too much of a physical and emotional toll on you." After taking a moment to thank the lad or his assistance, Connor closed his point by saying that Artha had more than earned the right to live as he so chooses; as the Dragon Booster...or as "ordinary" Artha Penn.

"We second Mr. Penn's notion and wish to extend the same freedoms unto you as well, Chiro" Antauri interjected, "and...I speak on behalf of the team when I say, I...apologize." Now, the time had come for Chiro to be the one left confused and speechless but he still urged his team to continue speaking their piece. From here, each and every member of the Monkey Team professed their regret in how arduous they had made the lad's life for some time.

Nova apologized for any moment she may have pushed Chiro too hard and too far during training, proclaiming that it was all for the purpose to ensure he was ready for any challenge. But after seeing the lad's innermost fears and personal thoughts about his life as leader within the Mindscape realm, the yellow primate came to regret nearly everything she did. "I'm sorry too, kid" Sparx interjected, "while in that weird world, I saw all the times you freaked out whenever we did flying practice."

Upon mentioning the memory in question, Chiro's whole body suddenly shivered with fear; as if a sudden chill flowed through him. For years, he had been terrified of heights but he seldom told anyone about it; including his team. Thus, whenever he took part in aerial training with Sparx; all of the airborne maneuvers, fast movements and turbulence that followed seemed to only make his fears grow even stronger. Then came the day when the team managed to learn about his fears on their own.

While his commentary and "constructive criticisms" towards the lad's flying abilities weren't spoken out of malice, the red primate's habit of delivering such statements in jest hurt Chiro deeply. But as leader, he chose to do the "wise" thing and push these thoughts deep down into his subconscious; responding to Sparx's words with a soft smile or a "better luck next time, I guess" comment after. Now, the team knew the truth behind his feelings about such moments and they felt true guilt over what had been said; none more so than SPRX-77.

Next came Gibson; who, due to his sense of intellectual pride, insisted that he didn't commit any wrongful actions towards the lad. But when he saw the disapproving looks from both his team and the Alchemist being sent his way, the blue primate finally relented. "I wish to...apologize as well, Chiro" he murmured, "I never meant to intentionally push you so hard during your studies or dismiss your human interests, I just...I-I'm sorry, I don't have the proper words."

On the one hand, Chiro appreciated his friend's apology and understood why he struggled to deliver it. Despite having what many would consider a genius level IQ quotient, Gibson still suffered the same flaw many other such people possessed; poor social skills. It was here that Gibson confessed how thankful he was to have Chiro as a leader, proclaiming that with someone like him around; he could learn to "loosen up" every now and again.

When Otto chose to come forward next, he confessed that there wasn't a great deal of bad blood between him and Chiro. In truth, he liked having the lad around; proclaiming that he was the only one who encouraged him to be his playful self the most while everyone else (mostly Gibson) scolded him for it. "No problem, buddy" Chiro laughed while fist-bumping Otto, "you're more than my teammate, after all...you're my friend."

The instant this final word was said, it gave Antauri the signal to step forth and deliver his statement to the lad. "I confess, Chiro that there have been times where...where I felt we did not deserve such a kindness from you" he sighed, "since you became our leader, you helped us fulfill our purpose in keeping Shuggazoom and the entire universe safe from harm...but at many a great personal cost." Among the examples of personal sacrifices Chiro had made; Antauri apologized for every moment he acted dismissive towards his interests in gaming, pushed him too hard during training and/or every occasion he insisted that the team should "forever be vigilant against evil forces."

Many like the Marines and Robin felt that these examples were not faults at all, simple important aspects of being a hero. But they slowly came to realize all the moments they themselves have wasted the opportunity to truly live their lives. Of course, while he greatly appreciated his friend and mentor's words; Chiro desperately tried to urge him not to make any changes to their team's status quo specifically for his sake.

"It's not just for your sake, kid; it's for ours as well" Sparx said matter-of-factly, "we all deserve some time to chill and enjoy life as well, just like you humans do." To say that all of this news came as a surprise to young Chiro would not do the situation proper justice it deserved. Following this, the Titans also vowed to give Beast Boy a fair amount of freedom for himself; even if it involved him simply being his usual nonsense.

On the one hand, the lads all felt quite grateful for this privilege...but they still felt it wasn't properly earned. "But...B-But what about everything that happened during the Test of the Spirit when we were all battling our darker selves" Chiro retorted, "they all said such horrible things about you guys, that must have made you upset with us!" With these simple words, both the Champions and their loved ones felt the chill of dread flow through them; as if the fingers of Death himself were gripping at them.

Even now, they could still hear the echoes of their doppelgangers' voices taunting and belittling them; despite expelling their corruption within the mindscape. At the same time; those like the Straw Hats, Team Phantom and even the Titans could all still hear the vicious slurs their friends' doppelgangers sent their way. "Believe us, boys...we haven't forgotten about any of that" Valerie murmured in disgust, "but...after the things we've heard and seen only a few hours ago, we realize now just how much we all deserved those comments."

Once again, the six lads were left feeling too confused to make any form of reply; which gave their friends more chances to finally clear the air between them. Firstly, Valerie expressed her deepest apologies unto Danny; not only for all the time she spent in hunting him but for all the years that were spent in making his life so difficult in school as well. "I let peer pressure, popularity, work related stress, revenge and my Dad's financial situation blind me from actually living my life" she murmured shamefully, "what's worse...I let all of that get in the way of what we once had."

These words felt like an arrow through the heart not only for Danny but for Sam as well, who presumed that Valerie might make an attempt to take him back. But despite these thoughts, both teens decided to remain silent; allowing Valerie the chance to further express her regrets. "You, Danny...You were the first genuine friend I ever had" the young huntress murmured with a tearful sniffle, "you didn't like me for my popularity status, my money or my looks; you actually liked me as a person...once we started getting along, that is."

Much to everyone's surprise, the last few words of this statement actually brought a smile to Danny's lips; along with a soft chuckle. Feeling pleased by how well things were progressing; Valerie proclaimed that after everything she had seen him achieve, she proclaimed that Danny had proven his worth as a real hero. "I feel the same way about you, Steven" Pearl interjected, "for years, you felt like you could never become as great of a 'hero' as I always believed your mother was...but many times over, you have more than proven you're far better than her; in your own Steven-y way."

This comment brought a broad smile to Garnet's otherwise stoic face, reminding her of the first time she herself used such words to her young friend. More importantly, she agreed with Pearl's sentiment and also shared her own words of praise for Steven's success. "In many ways, you have done things your mother never could while she led us" Garnet stated, "you helped bring Bismuth back to us, you inspired two of our adversaries to join our cause...and you even helped bring Ruby and Sapphire's love to a whole 'nother level."

Before anyone could blink or speak a word, the three-eyed permafusion suddenly split into her two counterparts; Ruby and Sapphire. The couple then showed off their wedding rings to Steven, as if to tell him their marriage wouldn't have been possible without him. "We have loved each other for hundreds of years...but we never truly felt bound to one another" Sapphire murmured with a tender smile, "but thanks to your encouragement, my Ruby and I will always be together; even when we aren't fused."

These words suddenly filled Steven with such immense joy, tears slowly started trickling down his cheeks. The next ones to speak were the Diamonds, who all agreed that having Steven in their lives brought them great joy; not because he was Pink's child but because his heart reminded them of her. "I know we can never take back what we've done to you and the universe, dear Steven" White sighed, "but...I swear to you, we will try to do whatever it takes to redeem ourselves in your eyes."

These words, surprisingly had brought a great smile to the lad's face; leading the Diamond folk to assume he truly believed them. At the same time, the Shadowmanes took their words to heart and gave each other a silent nod; as if coming to an agreement on something.

(Line Break)

While the other champions conversed with their respective groups, the Straw Hats decided to approach the floor next; eager to share a few thoughts with their captain. "Uh...Not to sound stupid here, guys...but could you repeat what you said before" Luffy muttered confusedly, "I thought I heard you say you're giving me an extra bit in my meals from now on." At first, the crew came close to falling over in shock; amazed that their mention of food would be the first thing that he would think about.

But then, they held their ground and not only confirmed Sanji's earlier statement; they also expressed years upon years worth of apologies for every beating and scolding he received. "Okay, I admit...most of the time, I did deserve what you gave me" he chuckled sheepishly, "but...why would you apologize for that?" At first, not one member of the crew offered up a reply; fearing that doing so might cause some form of emotional breakdown for Luffy.

Then, Robin cleared her throat softly and told him about what they learned within the mindscape world; including Luffy's innermost pain. "All these years, we thought you were just some dumbass who loved adventuring and goofing around" Zoro stated, "so...you can imagine our surprise when we learned about how much you thought we hated you." As if he had said an offensive slur; the instant he heard his first mate mutter the word "hate," Luffy suddenly clutched at his belly in mild discomfort.

At first, everyone else believed he was feeling ill while the Straw Hats assumed it was nothing more than gastrointestinal distress. But after a while, Luffy recovered and explained that a small part of him still believed that his crewmates hated him in some way over the years. "Look, Luffy...we admit it" Usopp groaned, "you're loud, often reckless, you eat wa-a-ay too much of the food on our ship, you always get us to come along on dangerous adventures...and you make weird decisions that we have no choice but to follow."

The whole time he spoke, everyone stared confusedly at the long-nosed sniper and questioned if he was trying to make the situation better or worse. "I'm getting to the point, everybody; chill out" Usopp exclaimed, "my point is, in spite of all that...we wouldn't change a thing." If poor Sir Luffy hadn't felt confused before, he truly was now.

But before he had the chance to voice these concerns to his crew; Brook, Chopper and Franky suddenly threw themselves at him for a tearful embrace. "Usopp means every word he said, Luffy-sama" cried the skeleton man, "meeting you has brought new life into my existence...despite the fact that I'm mostly dead." Despite the fact that he had made yet another one of his famous "Skeleton/Skull jests," Brook did not laugh; he only wailed tearfully.

At the same time, Chopper confessed how Luffy was the first human in ages to ever remind him what it meant to have a friend. "But...But what about Dr. Hiriluk and Kureha, Chopper" questioned the rubber man, "I thought they were your friends too." After taking a moment to swipe away his tears, Chopper admitted that while he loved and respected the two doctors in question; it was Luffy that helped give his life meaning.

"Thanks to you, I've been all over the world and learned so much about medicine" he said with great pride, "with it, I hope to become an even better doctor." When Franky chose to speak next, he thanked Luffy for convincing him to use the Sunny to explore the farthest reaches of their world; which was his greatest life wish. "You have helped us achieve so much, Luffy-kun" Robin stated, "as such...none of us want you to ever believe that we hate you."

The next to approach Luffy was Sanji but not before he took a moment to finish smoking his cigarette. After breathing out a cloud of smoke with a sigh, he walked up to his captain and took a knee. "Listen closely to me, Luffy" he began, "how could any of us possibly hate you, after everything you've helped us accomplish?" In response to this, the rubber man simply scoffed in defiance and answered his crewmate's question with one of his own; "what did he do that meant so much?"

"What did you...LISTEN TO YOURSELF, YOU IDIOT; HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN ABOUT EVERYTHING WE'VE BEEN THROUGH TOGETHER" Nami shrieked, "you've saved my village, protected us from harm, saved countless lives from people like Arlong, Kaido or Big Mom...and thanks to you, we found Roger's treasure!" The crowd around her murmured loudly with excitement, apparently amazed by everything the Straw Hats had achieved.

Meanwhile, Luffy watched in silence as he watched his navigator approach him; arms crossed and eyes narrow with disappointment. Then, much to everyone's surprise; she pushed Sanji off to the side slightly and got down to Luffy's eye level. "The thing is, Captain; you may think we'd be better off if you were gone" she said firmly, "but unfortunately for you...my life's been pretty great because I'm friends with Straw Hat Luffy, a knight of Overon and the King of the Pirates."

The air was silent as the grave, after all this was said; no man or beast dared to utter a word. Meanwhile, Luffy stared deeply into Nami's eyes; amazed to hear her say such words about him (to his face no less.) Then, he did something that left everyone feeling more breathless; he cupped Nami's cheeks lightly, slowly leaned forward...and kissed her lips.

Naturally, this came as a surprise not only for the lass in question but for everyone else as well; Sanji chief among them. Sadly, the kiss had only lasted for a few short seconds when Nami's mind finally cleared. The instant she realized what was happening, she slapped Luffy across his face; causing him to fall over. As the crowd gasped loudly in shock at this, the other champions included; a few eagle-eyed members in the crowd happened to spy something slip out of Luffy's pocket.

The instant he was sent tumbling, the object flew out and up into the air until it was swiftly caught in Franky's massive hand. Meanwhile, Nami was bitterly wiping her forearm across her lips; all while muttering in anger at her captain's behavior. "Luffy...what the HELL WAS THAT ABOUT" she screamed, "you know better than anyone that I don't allow anyone to kiss, hug or touch me...unless they pay up first."

Unsurprisingly, Luffy offered no reply to this; he was currently nursing the pain in his throbbing cheekbone.

(Line Break)

With the greatest of care, Franky uncurled his fingers and revealed the ring to the rest of the crew. The instant they caught sight of the glimmering sapphire gem, their eyes grew as wide as saucers. "HOLY SHIT! I've never seen such a beautiful jewel with my own eyes" Brook gasped, "wait a moment...I don't even have eyes. YOHOHOHOHO!"

After choosing to dismiss the skeleton man's poorly timed jest, the rest of the Straw Hat crew stared in awe at the ring; wondering why such an item was in Luffy's pocket to begin with. The band was a beautiful silver metal, the rim around the jewel itself was glimmering with diamonds and the sapphire seemed to be the size of a human eye. Meanwhile, Luffy had finally managed to recover from his navigator's...somewhat understandable strike and turned his attention back towards the others.

When he caught sight of the ring in Franky's hand, his protective instincts kicked in and he swiftly took it back into his possession...by stretching his arm forward and snatching it away. "HEY, YOU GUYS; KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF OF THIS" snapped Luffy, "It's not yours, it's a gift!" The instant he heard the last three words escape his lips, the young rubber man suddenly blushed in frustration and cursed his loose tongue for speaking too much.

"A gift you say, Sir Luffy...how intriguing" chuckled the barbarian chieftain Drakon, "and who, pray tell did you have in mind to give it to?" Within seconds, the entire hall echoed with the sounds of excited whispers; all of which were asking what Luffy intended to do with his ring. Meanwhile, the fellow in question said nothing in reply; instead, he got up onto his feet and made a silent stride towards his crew.

As if by instinct; Zoro, Sanji, Usopp and all the rest parted away and bowed their heads respectively as he passed by. Meanwhile, Nami also stared at Luffy in confusion but her expression appeared more wary and apprehensive like a deer cornered by a predatory beast. "Luffy...whatever it is you plan on doing, stop it" she ordered sternly, "I...I-I mean it, if you try to kiss me again or anything else; I'll wallop you but good."

Under different circumstances, there were many times where hearing such a tone of voice from his navigator would have struck fear in his heart; causing him to flee for safety. This time, however; Luffy was giving her the same kind of fierce look of intimidation he would show his enemies. With this knowledge in mind, Nami actually felt genuinely afraid and attempted to run away...until she felt Luffy's hand grip at her right wrist.

Whether it was the surprising nature of this action or that he was touching her for the second time that night, Nami suddenly felt her cheeks flare red with a blush. "Nami, I'm sorry I kissed you without permission; you were right...I should've asked first" Luffy muttered apologetically, "but...I've just been having these thoughts in my head lately, even before all that stuff happened with you guys literally in my head sometime ago." From here, he confessed how incredible things have been for him as of late; both during their quest to find One Piece and the events of the contest.

Of course, the Straw Hats all chuckled lightly at his words; thinking it was "typical" of him to feel so captivated by adventure. But no sooner had they done this, Luffy sent them a tense glare; causing the lot of them to fall silent instantly. "My point is...you guys said your lives have been great since you all met me" he stated, "well, you know what...I feel the same way; especially where you are concerned...my Nami-swan."

This confession created quite a sudden and yet, mixed reaction from the ball attendees; to say the least. The people of Overon viewed this scene as a truly romantic moment; as did Ruby, Sapphire and their fellow Crystal Gems. The Straw Hats on the other hand (or more specifically, Sanji) all thought that their captain was going mad.

As for Nami herself, she only stared at her captain in stunned silence; the blush on her cheeks growing darker with every word he said. "Nami, I know I'm not the smartest guy on the crew...or the best cook or good with directions or that careful with planning and other stuff like that" Luffy listed, "but...we all have our flaws; you, me, our crew and just about everyone else in this room." Everyone suddenly muttered amongst themselves in agreement with the young lad, some of whom went as far to say that if anyone were perfect; life would be utterly boring.

"My point is...I don't care if you're not the perfect navigator, Nami; you're still the best one I know in the world" he decreed, "not to mention the prettiest." Once more, Nami let out a surprise gasp; the same one she uttered when Luffy kissed her without proper consent. But in this case, it was done more so out of shock towards hearing her captain directly address her as pretty.

But all too quickly, she cleared away these thoughts with a rough shake of the head and proclaimed that Luffy was simply spouting nonsense. "IT'S THE TRUTH, NAMI...REALLY" the rubber man suddenly shouted, "I'm being serious here, which feels...kind of weird for me, to be honest." If the Straw Hats weren't shocked by their captain's earlier behavior, they certainly felt thus now.

Much of the time, Luffy would only show his more "serious" and "focused" nature on the field of battle or when one of them was in mortal danger. So, to see him behaving thusly during a more festive occasion...'twas something none of them knew how to properly respond to. Thus, everyone went with the more logical course of action and held their tongues; allowing Luffy the chance to finish speaking his mind.

"I mean every word, Nami when I say...that you are one of the best things to ever happen in my life" he said firmly, "I mean, besides meeting the rest of our crew and all our experiences at sea of course." Within seconds, everyone could see a strong blush appearing on the lad's face; which many took it as a sign that he might have been thinking far too hard. But in actuality, Luffy was feeling quite shy; which was yet another rare sight from him (least of all, in his crew's eyes.)

"Look, Nami...I'm gonna stop beating around the bush here and get right to the point" he said firmly, "you helped me through so much and...and now, our adventure is over and...we'll all probably go back to our old lives; when we return home." Truthfully, these words all struck deeply in the hearts of all the Straw Hats...but none were hit harder than Nami herself. As she made an attempt to lift her captain's spirits, to assure him that things would not change quite so greatly between them; she saw a sight that broke her heart.

Although he tried with all his will and strength to hide them; the more Luffy tried to speak further, the more it caused tears to well up in his eyes. Clearly, whatever he wanted to say was hurting him on a great emotional level and Nami begged him to stop. "No, Nami...I need to say this or else I'll just forget about it later" Luffy said bluntly, "my point is, I...I...I think I love you."

That was it; with these four simple words, Nami felt her heart stop and all time stood still around her. At the same time, all those who were watching the scene unfold did everything they could to either not fall over from shock or cry out in alarm (Sanji being part of the latter.)

(Line Break)

"He loves me...my captain actually said he loves me...to my face" Nami thought to herself in disbelief, "this...t-this just can't be real." Soon after Luffy had made his confession, the young navigator suddenly fell back into a chair; utterly speechless. This instantly triggered the lad's protective instincts and he wasted no time in asking Nami if she was well.

"I...I-I'm okay, Luffy; really...I am" she murmured dizzily, "I just...could you repeat what you just said to me, I could've sworn I heard you say you 'loved' me." At first, she expected Luffy to chuckle playfully and proclaim what he said was "all in good fun;" all while flashing his famous toothy grin. What Nami saw, instead was the same fierce gaze he had mere moments ago; thus extinguishing any fears or speculations she might have had.

"I'm being very serious here for once, Nami" Luffy said in a stern voice, "so...please, listen to every word I have to say before you start doubting me again." Whether it was due to her captain's tone in his voice or the look in his eyes, Nami did as she was asked and sat silently. It was here that Luffy went on to describe each of the qualities he came to love about her since they first joined forces.

At first, the things he mentioned seemed rather...superficial in nature; mostly references about her physical beauty. As such, it not only made the likes of Sam Manson and Raven groan mildly but it also made Nami herself believe that her captain was becoming too much like Sanji. But then, Luffy surprised everyone when he delved into what he alone considered to be "her finest traits."

"Nami...you're funny, you're brave in your own right, you're great to hang around with when you're not busy working" he stated, "but most of all, you are the smartest person I know...so, you must know that everything I'm telling you is the truth." At first, Nami offered no response to his words; choosing only to look into his eyes in silence. But in so doing, she found herself getting lost in his gaze; as if Luffy was putting her into some sort of trance.

As she looked deeper into her captain's eyes, Nami saw no sign of deception nor dishonesty in them; only sincerity. Yet even then, she still wondered how Luffy could truly love her now; wondering if he was trying to simply "soften her up" to obtain something from her. "With all due respect, Cap...I mean, Luffy; how could you possibly love me" questioned Nami, "while in your head, I learned how much you doubted me and the rest of the crew after all the times we disciplined you for doing something stupid."

Understandably so, Luffy was left dumbfounded by his navigator's words and his worries only grew ever higher; when he heard the rest of his fellow Straw Hats speak thus to him. They spoke of everything they had seen within the Mindscape; the Champions memories, their collective pasts, their (literal) inner demons and most troubling of all; their fears and doubts in those closest to them. "Nami's right, boys; we all saw that stuff together" Raven murmured, "we also happened to learn that you six...seem to...well, YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT I WANNA SAY!"

No sooner had the young empath spoken her piece, the others all nodded in agreement with her; all of whom seemed to be looking upon one another with shame. But above them all, it was the Champions "lady loves" who felt the most bewildered by it all; who, like Nami, also questioned how they could love the likes of them. But much to their overall surprise, the six lads responded to all this in the most unusual way...they laughed at them.

Bear in mind, 'twas not a sort of uproarious or vicious series of mocking chuckles; rather, their laughter was like that of someone hearing a pleasant jest. Regardless, Nami herself found it quite rude and she demanded an explanation from her captain. When he had finally calmed himself down enough, Luffy clasped his hands 'round both of hers and held them tight; as if telling his navigator he would never let her go.

"Nami, I get it; you've messed up...like, a lot" Luffy said softly, "but so have I, many times in fact...and you've all stuck by me in spite of that, right?" After a brief period of silence, all of the other Champions' comrades murmured lightly in agreement; unsure of where the conversation was going. "The same thing applies to my crew as well; you especially, Nami" Luffy murmured stoically, "no matter how stupid any of us had been over the years, how bad things got or whatever kind of problems we have; we've always stayed together."

All eyes soon fell upon the young pirate king and knight, as he went on to express how much of a positive affect his crew had been for him and each other on their quest. He applauded Zoro for his sense of loyalty, on and off the battlefield; he praised Sanji for his dedication towards his passion for cooking, he celebrated Usopp for his unyielding courage (even when experiencing great fear,) he hailed Franky for his own loyalty as well as the creation of the Thousand Sunny (what Luffy himself dubbed the greatest of pirate ships,) he celebrated Robin for her studious mind and loving spirit (in spite of the days she once stood as Luffy's enemy,) she laughed heartily with pride for Brook's musical skill, he extended his deepest thanks unto Chopper for all the time he spent in tending to his wounds. "But most of all...I owe my life to you, Nami of Cocoyashi" Luffy said stoically, "I love everything about you; your beautiful mind, your enchanting beauty...the way you're able to put up with my shit every day."

All too quickly, he soon realized he was going off-track once more with his thoughts and the young lad quickly disciplined himself accordingly for it (with a swift yet firm blow to the back of his head.) Then, he took hold of Nami's right hand and slipped something into it as discretely as possible. When the young navigator asked what it was he gave her, Luffy simply told her to see for herself. Ever so slowly, Nami spread her fingers open until she finally caught sight of something in her palm; a magnificent sapphire ring.

The sight of this bauble not only left her breathless but soon, others in the room soon found themselves amazed by it. "Huh, a sapphire ring...good choice" chuckled Ruby, "I always said they were the prettiest gem in the bunch." Upon sensing that this comment was directed at herself, Sapphire laughed playfully and gave her lover a quick shove.

As a result, the duo became so playful with each other that it soon led up to Garnet reappearing once more. "Ugh! About time she came back" Raven grumbled, "if I had to hear anymore of her two counterparts making sweet talk, I'd lose my lunch." At first, everyone expected Garnet to feel upset by this comment...until she quickly assured everyone that she "already knew" Raven would say it; courtesy of her "Future Vision."

"Uh, guys...not to be rude here but you're kinda ruining my big moment" Luffy whined, "I need to tell Nami about the ring I got her!" The whole ballroom suddenly echoed with feverish gasps, the instant Luffy uttered these words. As for his crew, half of them had practically fallen over from shock; as did some of their allies (as well as a fraction of the marines that remained.)

As for Nami...with quivering lips and a barely audible gasp in her throat, she glanced down at the ring in her hand and found herself enamored by the magnificent sapphire gemstone. When he happened to see her looking at it, Luffy blushed slightly and confessed that of all the pieces from Roger's treasury; he chose this one ring to give to Nami. "For some reason, when I saw that gem glimmering among the others...it reminded me of you" he mumbled, "I know, it's stupid...you probably don't even like the color."

As Luffy prepared to take the ring back from her, Nami quickly held her hand up; softly urging him to stop. Afterwards, she slipped the ring over her right index finger and giggled giddily at the sight of the gem glistening in the light of the ballroom. "Luffy, this is such a beautiful gift" Nami sighed blissfully, "I just...I don't know what to say."

What followed after this was so utterly surprising yet so wondrous, not even Garnet's Future Vision or the High Mystics own powers of foresight could have anticipated it. After letting out a pleased chuckle at Nami's reaction to his gift, Luffy suddenly reached out and took her into his arms for a loving embrace; one that she happily welcomed. "I'm really happy you like it, Nami-swan" he whispered huskily, "but whatever you do say next, I just...I'm really hoping that it's a 'yes.'"

As expected, this small yet sudden request left everyone feeling both confused yet curious at the same time; none more so than the Straw Hats themselves. Then, at that moment; Luffy held both of Nami's hands within his once more...and took a knee. "Is he...kneeling; oh, my God" Danny whispered with a hoarse gasp, "if Luffy's plans to do what I think he is...I hope his friend's ready for the shock!"

The members of Team Phantom all nodded in silent agreement, while the other Champions simply watched the scene unfold with great anticipation. Meanwhile, every part of Nami was simply raging with a torrent of wild emotions; the minute she saw Luffy take a knee before her. Her mind was echoing with many wild thoughts, her heart was pounding like a thousand drums, her breathing was rapid yet shallow and every inch of her body was shivering with fearful/excited anticipation.

Finally, Luffy gazed upward at her and flashed his infamous grin; which seemed to make the young navigator even more nervous. "Nami, what we all did on our voyage...a good chunk of it wouldn't have been possible without you" Luffy stated, "I may be Pirate King now but...a king is nothing without a great queen ruling beside him and you are the best in the business." It took all the restraint, courage, willpower and self-control Nami had to not faint on the spot; after hearing these words.

But when she finally realized she wasn't dreaming, her eyes slowly started to well up with joyful tears. Meanwhile, Luffy took in a deep lungful of air; both to steady his mind and to also catch his breath from making such a grand speech. "What I'm really trying to say, Nami...is...I don't want this to be the end of our adventures together" he stated, "marry me, become my Pirate Queen and who knows what life will have for us on the horizon."

That was it; with that final statement, Luffy had finished his both his declaration of love for his navigator and offered a proposal of marriage to her in one fell swoop. To put it one way, such a grand moment was so surprising that no one dared to make another sound; not even Lion or the Penn Racing Team's dragons. Alas, this silence carried on for almost a full minute and while he did his best to behave; Luffy's patience started to wear thin.

Overtime, doubt slowly gripped at his brave heart and he soon started to presume the worse. "I know, Nami...it's crazy, right" he murmured sadly, "why would any girl, let alone someone like you, ever want to be with a goofball idiot like me for the rest of her life?" As the lad suddenly slipped into a mildly negative tirade at his own expense, many guests did their best to assure the young pirate that he truly was worthy of love.

Within seconds, the chattering grew so loudly that the whole ballroom echoed with wild voices of worry and disbelief; all of which were slowly wearing away at Nami's nerve immensely. When the Shadowmanes happened to notice this, King Thaylog lightly tapped the pommel of his scepter upon the floor and demanded for silence.

"I understand that this is a most auspicious moment, good people" he said firmly, "but you must allow Lady Nami a moment to think clearly...please!" Not needing to be told or asked twice, every mouth was firmly closed and not another soul dared to speak up again. This granted Nami the chance to properly make sense of her current situation, as well as consider her best answer to her captain's request.

"I know, it's kinda sudden for me to propose to you at this point in our lives" Luffy murmured, "but Nami...you and I have been through so much together, experienced so much and...and...a-a-and...I just don't want to lose you again." Once more, the crowd broke out into a series of confused whispers but this time around; their voices were far softer than they were earlier. Meanwhile, it did not take very long for those like Nami or her crewmates to understand the grim undertones of their captain's words.

Now that their quest to find the One Piece had reached its end; once they leave Overon behind them, it's possible that they would all be going their separate ways. Of course; those like Zoro, Sanji and especially Nami all knew this would happen at some point...but it did not make the pain hurt any less. With this knowledge along with the pain of the two year separation that happened so long ago and the death of Ace, everyone now had a full understanding of why Luffy was weeping.

But then, much to their surprise; the lad swiped his tears away with one swift movement of his forearm and stared at Nami with a firm yet hopeful gaze. "I know you have your own home and life to go back to" he sniffled, "but I just...I don't want us to lose each other again." With all of this finally brought out into the open, Luffy let out a heavy sigh and presented his request for marriage one final time.

When Nami was finally able to find her voice again; the first thing she did, much to everyone's shock, was grab Luffy by his collar and pull him close. At the last second, she stopped him just as both of their faces were nose-to-nose with each other; which (for those like Sanji or Tucker) made the situation all the more tantalizing. "Luffy...If you're actually serious with me about your proposal; then, I'm going to need you to prove it" she said firmly, "before I give you my answer...I want you to kiss me in front of all these people!"

Now, this small yet extravagant request left the young captain/knight feeling understandably flabbergasted; especially after remember what happened when he last attempted to kiss Nami. As if sensing his hesitancy, she got even closer to him and whispered a single command into his ear in the must fierce yet sultry voice she could muster. "Show all these people how much you love me, Luffy-sama; here and now" she stated, "look me in the eyes and kiss me!"

Whether it was the tone Nami used in giving the "order" or his overall urges getting the better of him; within seconds, Luffy cupped Nami's cheeks with his hands and kissed her lips deeply in front of the whole crowd. There were some who found this gesture quite surprising, others saw it as something "far to risqué" for anyone to see (as seen with Pearl attempting to shield Steven's eyes) and then...there was Sanji, who saw the display as his captain "openly deflowering his beloved Nami in public."

But none of that mattered to the young couple...for Luffy and Nami; all time seemed to stand still, the instant their lips touched. Much to the latter's surprise, she had never expected her captain to be such a passionate lover. Within seconds, her imagination wondered just where he learned how to kiss (as well as whether or not he would be just as satisfying "in private" with her.)

At the same time, the Straw Hats stared at them with surprised expressions and heated blushes upon their faces; even Robin felt rather flustered by her captain's boldness. When they finally parted away for air, almost half a minute later; Nami's arms remained coiled tight around Luffy in a most loving embrace. She cooed softly while nuzzling her cheek against her captain's chiseled chest, her mind still blissfully dazed from his kiss.

"That...was...incredible" Nami said with a swooning sigh, "I just...where the hell did you learn how to kiss like that, Luffy?" While still smiling like the jolly fool he is, the rubber man's cheeks blushed slightly and he did his best to hide it from his love. "I uh...learned it from Makino, a friend of mine from my village" Luffy murmured shyly, "that is, I often saw guys coming in and kissing her sometimes; instead of the other way around."

What the lad said next left not only Nami herself feeling quite surprised but her crew as well. According to Luffy; many of the times he saw people kissing this Makino woman, she would recoil with fear. It was clear to her that many of these men must have been drunks, at the time and no woman liked being kissed by a drunk.

"I would get so angry seeing Makino get upset when people kissed her, I just...I actually punched a few of those jerks in the face" Luffy growled, "this was way back before I got my powers, though." Almost immediately, Sabo and Ace both confirmed their brother's words to be true; the latter of whom adding the few times he would need to save Luffy from these one-sided brawls. "See...after what he saw with Makino and those drunk pricks, Luffy actually said he'd never want to kiss anyone" chuckled the ghostly pirate, "especially women."

After this revelation, Nami couldn't decide if she should feel bothered by her captain's naivety...or if she should see it as something rather adorable. But before she could come to either conclusion; Luffy revealed that overtime, Makino helped him properly understand what kissing "really meant." "The main thing she taught me is...when it comes to real, 'true love' types of kisses, as she called them; they needed to be saved for someone who meant the world to you" he explained, "I didn't really understand that, as a kid but now...when I look at you, Nami; I see exactly what she meant."

Touched by her captain's heartfelt and astonishingly profound words, Nami eased her head up and lightly pecked her lips upon his cheek. Afterwards, she openly accepted her captain's proposal of marriage in full view of everyone in the room (much to the dismay of Sanji.) Needless to say, the lad was quite overjoyed by this and he suddenly swept his future queen up off the floor into his arms; bridal style.

Nami squealed and shrieked loudly in alarm at this gesture, at first before giving into a fit of joyous laughter. Truly, there was little else that could make her feel any happier than she did at that very moment. "Pirate Queen Nami...y'know, I actually like the sound of that" she chuckled, "but I warn you, Luffy; if you or anyone tries to talk me into wearing a crown on my head or fancy robes...heads will roll!"

Rather than be alarmed by this "warning," the lad simply laughed heartily and kissed her lips one final time to "seal the deal" (as the human saying often goes.) "Ah, yes; this truly is a wonderful day for us all" King Thaylog sighed blissfully, "but if I may ask, Sir Luffy...shall we proceed with the festivities?" In response to this inquiry, everyone suddenly heard the sounds of guttural rumbling reverberate throughout the room.

It did not take long for folk to realize that this was the sound of someone's belly growling with hunger; Sir Luffy's, to be precise. "Heh-heh...sorry, everybody; I got so caught up in my proposal that I completely forgot to eat something" the lad chuckled, "what say you, my Future Wife and Queen...shall we party?" Nami blushed heavily at her captain's words, mostly due to the suave tone of voice he used when addressing her.

With a playful giggle, she took Luffy's hand in hers and dragged him out onto the dance floor; eager to enjoy some dancing while the night was young.

(Line Break)

In the moments that followed Luffy's confession and proposal, the ball was fully underway. As expected by many, this truly was a momentous occasion; the food was delectable, the company was charming and the music was enchanting (despite however much some from the Human Realm thought it seemed "too old school" for their liking.) Furthermore, Luffy and Nami's romantic moment swiftly inspired other couples to openly express their devotion as well.

Of course, such gestures weren't quite so easy for a few of them; namely those like Sir Artha or Sir Daniel. But when the latter had finally summoned enough courage to speak openly, his words swiftly brought the Lady Sam to tears. Although, Danny saw this as an ill sign and thus did his very best to help lift his friend's spirits once more...but she ultimately stopped him.

"No...No, Danny; what you said was...it was the most beautiful thing I've heard in my life" she murmured tearfully, "I just...I feel like I don't deserve it." Now, it was the ghost boy who was the one in shock; after allowing these words to process. When his mind finally became clear enough to speak once more, Danny asked Sam to properly explain herself.

"The truth is, Danny...is that I really don't deserve you" she murmured sadly, "not as a hero, as a boyfriend...or even as my friend; after all the things I've done!" From here, Team Phantom watched as Sam slipped into a fiercely self-destructive tirade; shaming herself for every "act of individuality" she performed back in Amity Park. "What those doppelgangers...or more specifically; yours said, Danny was true" Sam growled sadly, "I am a hypocrite, I talk about wanting people to be independent and free to express themselves...but all I've done is try to enforce my own beliefs upon them, you and Tucker included."

In addition to all of this, she added that while it did hurt to know that others didn't want the same things she did; Sam knew, deep down that forcing others to follow her dreams and ambitions wasn't right. "I was...I guess I was just so fed up by how idiotically superficial our world was" the Goth teen grumbled, "so much so that I wanted to fight back against all of it...but it took going into your mind to realize that you can't force people to do what you want, even if the reasons are justified." To say that this rather lengthy confession shocked the party crowd would be a tremendous understatement, to say the least.

Danny in particular, gasped softly in shock; feeling understandably hurt by the tone in his friend's words. But he didn't feel thus for his own sake; rather, he was surprised to hear his otherwise independent and confident comrade think so little about herself. "Sam...don't be so hard on yourself" Danny urged softly, "so you've made some mistakes, that doesn't mean that you're a bad person...I mean, look at me."

Tucker sounded of in slight agreement to these words, a split-second later; once more expressing how his own shortcomings led to his own downfall or that of others. But as much as she appreciated their sincerity, Sam still felt no better about coming to grips with her past sins. "I just...our town is a total mess, guys; it always has been" she murmured, "the people there have taken everything wrong with the world; crime, inequality, social unrest, disrespect of nature...and cranked the amp all the way up to 12 on it all!"

After taking a moment to let her words sink in properly, Danny realized there was no denying that Sam raised some valid points. In truth, many of the battles he faced and dangers he warded off were all initially caused by the hubris of the people from his world; the citizens of Amity Park among them. "The worst part of it all is when people tried to force us, me included to go along with their bullshit" Sam ranted, "it's for that reason I became a 'hypocritical Goth freak' in the first place!"

The crowd gasped loudly at the young lady, amazed by the sheer ferocity behind her tirade; half of which was directed at herself. But then, they suddenly noticed black streaks tricking down her cheeks; which Danny realized was a sign that Sam was crying; thus causing her makeup to run. "Shh...C'mon, Sam; don't cry on me now" Danny whispered while stroking her cheek with his palm, "your heart was always in the right place with your ideas...that's what counts, right?"

Although she was rather surprised (as well as somewhat captivated) by Danny's rather mature choice of words, Sam still felt the sting of guilt eating away at her like hungry parasites. But before she had the chance to speak her mind any further, she suddenly felt something press hard up against her lips. With a startled yet muffled gasp, she saw that Danny was kissing her with great passion in front of the whole crowd.

"Oh, my...I never knew the ghost child could be so bold" Desiree exclaimed with a soft blush on her cheeks, "then again, these trials have certainly shown us all that there is far more to the likes of him than we think." Although every part of her was telling her to think otherwise, Ember could not help but find herself agreeing with her ghostly compatriot. Then, once Sam decided to add a tad more intensity to their passion; the ghostly rocker suddenly found herself feeling...somewhat envious (much to the her initial surprise.)

When the two finally decided to part away, Danny and Sam gazed deeply into each other's eyes and smiled lovingly. "There she is, there's my Goth Bird of Happiness" the ghost boy chuckled playfully, "feeling better after some TLC, Sammy?" At first, Sam felt rather bothered; both from the nickname he chose to address her by and for using her own moniker without consent.

But whether it be from the look in Danny's eyes or the fact that her mind still reeled from his kiss, both thoughts swiftly faded from her mind and she held him close for a loving embrace. "You're right to say Amity Park has become a mess, Sam" Danny whispered softly, "but make no mistake...someone out there will make things better, if not me; I promise you that." Although one part of her mind believed such a promise was too grand to fulfill, the look Sam saw in her love's eyes gave her a strong sense of hope; true genuine hope.

Soon, such emotions were burning so intensely within her that she delivered yet another passionate kiss upon Danny's lips (which the lad happily welcomed.) This scene caused many of the ball attendees to suddenly clap with applause, young Connie being one of them. Of course, this gave Steven the chance he needed to sneak a kiss of his own from her.

But just as he leaned in for a swift "peck and run," as those like Sanji or Amethyst would call it; Connie turned her head slightly and soon felt Steven's lips come in contact with her own. "OH, GRACIOUS" cried Dr. Maheswaran with heated blush on her face, "you children shouldn't be doing that at your age, break apart right..." Just as she was about to finish, the doctor suddenly felt an ethereal hand rest itself upon her shoulder.

She turned slightly and saw Rose Quartz looking down at her, smiling softly; giving a sort of look that seemed to say "let the children be." "But...B-But my Connie is far too young for romance" Dr. Maheswaran cried, "I'm still getting used to her being a sword-fighter, I'm not ready to see her dating yet; even if it is someone like Steven." While still in his friend/lover's embrace, the young lad in question did not know whether to feel confused or flattered by the doctor's words.

At the same time, Rose told her that while she never had the chance to see it happen; her son was growing up and so was Connie. "We need to let our little ones find the freedom to become their own person" she stated, "if we keep them too closely...Fate will only push them away from us." On the one hand, Garnet and her fellow Crystal Gems found themselves agreeing with their former leader.

Yet, on the other hand; they found themselves being reminded of the memories they have seen within the mindscape. Among them were instances where they kept Steven too close with them or times where they pushed him too hard to be "more like a Gem." The worst of them all were the memories where Pearl chose to put herself in harms way just to keep him safe (as well as Rose.)

Sadly, all this seemed to do was cause Steven to think she did not value his presence on the battlefield. As for Dr. Maheswaran, Rose's words reminded her of the period in Connie's life where everything seemed to be predetermined for her. She remembered all of the rules she enforced upon Connie, all the ideals she expected her to follow, all the extracurricular activities she had assigned for her to take part in.

Worst still, Priyanka was reminded of the ruse the children convinced the Crystal Gems and Mr. Universe to take part in; in hopes of creating the illusion of Steven living in a "normal family setting." As a result, both families ended up in a mild feud but it still drove Steven and Connie to flee the scene. After that, it took a great deal of time for Priyanka to get used to having Steven in Connie's life; especially after more of his family's "Gem Business" managed to slink its way into her own.

But after seeing how close they were, how capable they were as a team and how much the idea of being apart hurt them emotionally; Priyanka realized there was no point in interfering any longer. "I just...I'm not comfortable with seeing Connie growing up so fast" she sighed, "I don't want to lose my baby girl so soon." Within seconds, the otherwise stoic doctor felt her eyes swell up with tears and she soon found herself weeping a little.

Almost instantly; Connie overheard her mother's cries, briefly broke away from Steven and approached her without hesitation. Then, she wrapped her arms around her in the tightest embrace she could muster; making certain not to harm her mother in the process. "Mom...you're never going to lose me, I swear it" she whispered, "I just hope you won't mind our family being just...a little bigger."

It was here that Connie gestured to not only Steven and his father but also every Crystal Gem alongside them; as well as their Homeworld allies. Within moments; Priyanka and her husband, Doug fully understood what their daughter meant and took a moment to share an embrace with Steven. "Fine work, my boy; you and your friends have truly surprised us" Doug said proudly, "you all have more than proven that you're the heroes people say you are."

Mere seconds after he said all of this; the crowd suddenly gasped in shock as Jasper, several marines, Captain Faier and Nova's former teacher, Master Offay approached the champions. At first, the group and their allies believed that this lot was eager to do battle; perhaps out of revenge or (in the eyes of some of the marines) "justice." Surely enough, Commander Smoker was the first to present himself before the six lads; almost coming dangerously close to Luffy.

"You people hail these...young men as heroes here, eh" he grumbled after taking an inhale from one of his cigars, "well, my fellow officers and I are here to tell you that they are anything but that; Straw Hat especially." Understandably so, the whole crowd gawked astounded at the military official; many among them either cried out in outrage or demanded that the lot of them be escorted out of the palace immediately. Jasper also sided with Smoker, proclaiming that Steven also wasn't a hero; which only made the crowd even more livid.

The otherwise festive atmosphere would have grown incredibly hostile...had not Faier raised his hand. "You must allow us a moment to finish, everyone; please" he insisted politely, "only then can you truly decide to be angry with them." Despite however much they felt otherwise, everyone soon realized that the captain raised a solid point. Regardless, King Thaylog warned the group to choose their next words carefully; lest they risk incurring the wrath of those around them.

"Thank you, Your Highness" Smoker said with a light bow, "I say again, Luffy and his associates are not heroes...but only because that title alone feels too small to describe them." Following this; Jasper, Master Offay, the rest of the marine troops and especially Faier himself all echoed these same final words. "After everything we've witnessed and have been told about, well...'hero' truly does sound far too poor of a term to describe these six young men" Tashigi said while gesturing at the champions, "they are the paragons of what heroic spirit and virtue truly are."

This sudden confession not only left the six lads utterly stunned but their colleagues and allies as well, Luffy's group in particular. But their confusion seemed to only grow ever higher, when Jasper approached Steven and took a respectful knee before him. "I admit; I never believed you could be strong enough to carry on the name of my Diamond, when you shared your true nature with me" she confessed, "but now, after learning what you've done here...I bow to your strength, Sir Steven."

Admittedly, Steven was never that comfortable with folk bowing at his presence; be they human or Gem. As such, he politely urged for Jasper to stand up and when she did; the lad offered her something the Quartz warrior did not seem to recognize...the hand of friendship. "I know you and I have had a rough history, Jasper" Steven stated, "but if you let me, I can help teach you how to use your strength in better ways; ways that will truly honor my mom."

At first, Jasper hesitated at both the idea and his offer of the hand of friendship; thinking both might be "beneath her status." But then, she glanced over at the ethereal form of Rose (who had briefly assumed her image of Pink Diamond) and she saw her smiling at her. "Times have changed for Homeworld, Jasper and it's difficult to resist it" she said in a soft voice, "do the right thing...and join us."

For a moment or so, Jasper still hesitated in answering; nervously glancing at both her diamond and her half-human child. Then, after letting out a heavy sigh; she tightly clasped her hand over Steven's and chuckled. "I'll join your cause, Sir Steven" she said gruffly with a light grin, "just...don't expect me to start picking flowers or sing songs or...whatever you and your Crystal Gems do."

Rather than be offended by such a response, Steven only chuckled heartily; proclaiming that Jasper shaking hands with him was "a good first step in the right direction."

(Line Break)

As the hours passed, the ball turned out to be far merrier and a more joyous occasion than anyone had anticipated. There was a great deal of singing, dancing, gossip being shared and stories being told from people of all the many realms. But perhaps, the most memorable aspect of the ball were the romantic moments shared betwixt the champions and their loves...save one.

As she sat alone at a nearby banquet table, Raven stared at the likes of Luffy goofily dancing with Nami or Artha and Kitt's dragons performing some form of odd dance together. She even caught sight of some of the Shadowmanes being romantic with their lovers, which made her feel a mix of longing and discomfort. Then, at that moment; Beast Boy suddenly plonked himself beside her at the table, holding what looked like a dessert in his hand.

"Rave, you gotta try one of these fruit pies the baker made" he chuckled merrily, "I recommend the strawberry or my favorite, one of the lemon ones." As he took a bite out of his slice of pie, Beast Boy took a look at his friend/teammate and noticed the distressed expression on her face. He also happened to notice that she was staring directly at all of the couples dancing together, which made him raise an inquisitive eyebrow.

"What's the matter, Rave; feeling left out" he asked playfully, "you know...if you need a dance partner, I'm currently available." While trying her best not to be rude, the young empath scoffed slightly and proclaimed that dancing was never "her thing." Furthermore, she tried to make herself appear as though all of the romance happening around her felt nauseating...but Sir Garfield was not so easily swayed.

"C'mon, Raven; don't pretend you don't love it" Beast Boy said coyly, "besides...I also happen to remember what you said in our heads earlier." Within seconds, the young empath's pale grey face suddenly flared a deep shade of red; as much as she didn't want to admit it...Garfield was right. Just before they left the Mindscape, she told the Spirit Guides that she and the rest of the ladies truly did love the lads.

Yet even with this in mind, Raven secretly hoped that Garfield would have forgotten about it when he recovered. Sadly, this was not what she had hoped and thus; she had no choice but to finally express herself openly to her fellow Titan. "Fine...you win, okay" grumbled Raven, "truth is, I do like you; maybe even love you...I've...I've actually felt this way for a long time."

Now, the time had come for the Titans to feel dumbfounded; in terms of both the main branch and their allies from several regions of their realm. But of all of them, none felt more surprised by this confession than Beast Boy himself. "I guess...I guess it first started when we all met, years ago, back when Starfire first arrived on Earth by accident" Raven murmured, "you remember that day, right?" While listening to her story, Beast Boy was given permission to ease himself closer to where she sat.

Not wishing to invade the lady's personal space, the lad made certain that he was only a foot or so apart from her. Afterwards, Beast Boy urged Raven to finish her story; all while offering to share a taste of his lemon pie with her. "Thank you, Garfield...that's very kind of you" she murmured with a grin, "I really don't get why you're this way with me, though; we both know I don't deserve it."

At first, Garfield tried an attempt to dismiss his lady love's claims but Raven urged him to remain silent, insisting that she needed to speak her mind right then and there. "You...or rather, your darker self was right; I have been a jerk to you" she murmured, "at first, I was only doing it for everyone's safety but...now, things just feel different." With small tears in her eyes, Raven confessed how much she came to regret every ill action she had committed against those she loved; Garfield included.

"I know it's seems weird and...kind of late of me to say this now" she said bluntly, "but I really didn't mean all that stuff I said about you, your appearance or...everything else." Although he much appreciated hearing all of this from her; Garfield, albeit sincerely, questioned why Raven chose to act thusly at all. "I just...maybe I was scared, okay" she murmured, "maybe I was just always so...stupid and afraid, afraid about the idea of letting anyone get close to me; only to lose them days, minutes...or even seconds later over whatever issues I'm dealing with."

The crowd around her murmured softly amongst themselves, upon hearing this; many of whom expressed deep sympathies towards the young empath's plight. As for Beast Boy himself, he recalled how heavily Trigon's demonic influence affected Raven's powers and emotions. But hearing to her openly profess how "stupid" she felt for letting her fears get the best of her filled the lad with a great deal of shame, pity and a sliver of pride.

He felt proud of Raven for putting so much effort, focus and dedication in keeping herself strong; 'twas one of the many reasons he loved her so. But before Beast Boy could tell her this himself, Raven pressed her finger to his lips; urging him to let her finish. "I know my father's gone, just like your double said" she murmured with a light sniffle, "but I...I just can't take the risk, I don't want anyone getting hurt again."

After letting out another sniffle, everyone could see streaks of tears trickling down Raven's pale cheeks. When Beast Boy happened to notice them; he acted out of instinct, cupped Raven's face in his hands and swiped a tear away with his right thumb. After that, they stared at each other in absolute silence for what felt like ages...until Beast Boy finally spoke up.

"Raven, I get it; we've all seen and felt what your powers can do...especially me" he chuckled, "and while I was bitter about that, after hearing what you just said...it makes me feel stupid for thinking that way about you." While one part of her greatly appreciated Garfield's sincerity, her sense of doubt still held its grip tight over her heart. As a result, Raven soon felt herself sinking deeper into her own sorrow.

Upon sensing this from her, Garfield reached over and took her hand in his as gently as possible; not wishing to accidentally rouse her anger or further strengthen her anxiety. But much to his surprise, Raven suddenly pulled away from him and moved herself further back down the bench. Startled by this, Garfield made a futile attempt to help console but Raven swiftly stopped him in his tracks.

"Weren't you listening to me just a moment ago, you freakin' doofus" she shrieked, "I can't take the risk of having my powers hurt anyone...so, back off!" Although one part of him wanted to honor her wishes, Garfield's heart told him to stand firm and not back down. Thus, he looked the young sorceress straight in the eye and presented a most logical inquiry; one that even made the folk of Overon curious.

"I need to know, Raven...how is it that I'm the one who makes you feel so defensive about getting close to people" he asked, "sure, you've acted this way with Star and Cy every once in a while...but it's usually me who gets the bulk of your negative magical feedback...why?" Straightaway, Cyborg responded to his friend's bold statement by saying that he often purposefully brought such moments upon himself; what with him always attempting to have Raven be part of the group for certain things. But about midway through said statement, he suddenly felt a collection of arms pull him down to the floor; two of which clamped their hands 'round his mouth to silence him.

At first, this left the crowd feeling rather startled until Luffy explained that the cybernetic teenager would be fine. He then nudged his head to the side slightly, prompting everyone to turn in that direction; where they saw Nico Robin standing with her arms crossed 'round her chest. "Ah...I should have guessed" chuckled Thaylog, "thank you for the assistance, Lady Robin."

After the maiden in question bowed in thanks, she smiled at Raven and urged her to finish speaking with Garfield. However, despite every other part of her body practically screaming for her to do so, the empath's mind was demanding the opposite; insisting that she remained silent. It wasn't until she felt Garfield's hands upon her shoulders that Raven finally became calm enough to look him in the eye once more.

"Raven...I get it, you don't want to let yourself get heartbroken again; whether it be because of your powers or some jerk like Malchior" Garfield stated, "but look at me, do I really look like someone who'd hurt you like that on purpose?" Once more, Cyborg attempted to make some sort of jest or comment about his words; which only resulted in Robin creating an extra set of hands to keep him quiet. But in spite of this, Raven still found it difficult to confide herself further with her green comrade; as evident by the small streaks of tears trickling down her cheeks.

Not wanting to see her suffer any longer, Garfield took a rather bold step and held Raven in his arms; causing her to gasp in surprise. "I'm sorry for spooking ya, Rae...I really am" he whispered, "but please, be straight with me...I wanna know why I'm the one who makes you want to distant yourself the most." Once more, the young changeling managed to surprise not only Raven that night but all others as well; which proved that the trials were successful in helping show what he was truly like.

Finally, after she took a moment to breathe and chant her mantra of "Azarath Metrion Zinthos;" Raven stared deep into Garfield's eyes with a tearful expression and told him everything. "I told you...I was scared, okay" she choked out softly, "I've just...I-I've always been afraid that I might screw up so badly that I'd lose...the one guy who means more to me...than a-a-anything else in the whole world!" There were many shocked gasps from the crowd, after hearing this rather powerful confession; particularly among the other Titans.

As for Garfield, the poor lad was so stunned by these words that all he could say in response was "oh...wow." Although she knew why he felt this way; due to her current state of mind, Raven glared at him with teary eyes and gnashing teeth. "Are you SERIOUS RIGHT NOW, BEAST BOY" she exclaimed while using his hero moniker, "DID YOU REALLY THINK I LIKED THROWING YOU OFF THE ROOF, BLASTING YOU WITH MY MAGIC AND THREATENING YOU AS OFTEN AS I DID?!"

At first, Garfield felt alarmed by Raven's tone; unsure if he should react out of fear or anger to it. But as he listened to her every word, Raven's voice sounded as though she was hurting; as if afraid that he truly did come to despise her. Soon, these thought were starting to overwhelm her; causing the young empath to almost fall to her knees and weep...until Garfield caught her.

As they looked one another in the eyes one final time, the young changeling carefully placed both his hands upon Raven's shoulders; taking care not to alarm her further. "Raven...I'm gonna level with you; so please, wait till I've said my piece" he murmured firmly, "would you do that for me...huh?" Despite her emotions still leaving her rather disoriented, Raven swiped away a few tears and offered a silent nod of agreement to Beast Boy's request.

(Line Break)

A short time passed since Garfield managed to calm Raven down, thus gaining the chance to speak his mind openly and without fear. While this went on, the crowd watched him in silence and took in his every word; as if appearing amazed by how boldly he was acting. When he had finally finished speaking; the lad appeared out of breath and asked for someone to bring him something to drink (which they did.)

"So, that's the long and short of it" Beast Boy said blankly after taking a sip of pomegranate juice, "in spite of whatever knowledge we've all learned about you and your powers, Rae; I just...it hurt me whenever you shot me down from including you in something we were doing." Over the next five minutes or so, Garfield went on a sort of soliloquy regarding each of the times Raven's reclusive nature tested him. Above all, he professed how frustrated and hurt he felt during such moments.

"I just...the way you hid yourself from us, from me...it made me feel like you didn't want us around" Garfield murmured sadly, "or that you felt you never wanted or deserved to be happy!" As much as she tried to keep herself composed throughout his speech, Raven suddenly felt streams of tears flowing down her cheeks once again. But before Garfield had the chance to comfort her, she quickly recoiled away from him in fright; which made him even more frustrated.

"RAVEN...please, let me in" he pleaded, "I can't bear to see the people I love suffer like this, especially YOU!" In her heart, Raven knew that Garfield's words were truly sincere but it was the sense of doubt clouding her mind that made her think differently. It was here that everyone, even the people of Overon, could see the young empath's form radiating with a dark aura.

To the Titans, this meant that Raven's anger was getting the better of her; which they knew full well was never pleasant. This time, however; it didn't feel quite as strong but it the team still kept up their guard. When she had finally chosen to speak again, Raven's voice sounded meek; barely above a whisper. "Don't do that, Garfield...don't give me hope" she murmured, "do you really think that anyone, even you could ever love something like...THIS?!"

No sooner had she made her statement, Raven suddenly turned towards Garfield; causing tendrils made from her aura to envelop or snatch up several objects around them. At the same time, she floated towards the young changeling at a rapid pace; only stopping herself just as her face was barely inches away from his own. Of course, it wasn't this that caught everyone's attention or the sight of Raven's power causing several items to fly about the air like shooting stars.

Nay...it was the sight of Raven's face in general that left everyone speechless with shock and confusion. Upon inspection; her eyes were flaring red with rage and had split into two sets, her mouth was filled with sharpened teeth and some swore they could see her skin showing off traces of unearthly red. Yet even with all of these traits in mind, Garfield remained rooted where he stood; appearing undeterred and unfazed by the whole display.

With his fists clenched at his sides, his chest puffed out confidently and a look of determination on his face; he leaned in closely towards Raven and smiled. "Raven...you've got it all wrong" he whispered, "this isn't what you are, it's just how you feel...and this is how I feel." Within the span of a few seconds; Garfield gently cupped his hands on Raven's face, drew her forward and kissed her tenderly upon the lips.

Naturally, this gesture left everyone feeling quite shocked; none more so than the Titans and Sir Garfield's parents. As for Raven...at first, she felt bothered by the sudden nature of the kiss and was prepared to punish Garfield accordingly for his boldness. But then, as she lifted up her hands to do just that...the sheer bliss of Garfield's kiss finally overwhelmed all sense of logic and reason she had.

In time, Raven finally gave in and wrapped her arms around Garfield tightly; thus intensifying the kiss. Much like with Luffy and Nami's passionate embrace; many felt that this display was also too mature for the wee ones to see. Meanwhile, the Titans showed their support in the best ways they knew; either with hearty cheers or proud smiles. "WOO-WHOO! WAY TO GO, GREEN JEANS" Cyborg exclaimed proudly, "about time one of you two made a move!"

At the same time, Starfire felt as overjoyed as her cybernetic compatriot; her mind already thinking up opportunities to bring Garfield along on trips to the "Mall of Shopping" with herself and Raven. But just as she was about to tell the couple of such plans, Robin held her back by lightly gripping at her shoulder; softly urging the princess to let them "enjoy their moment."

Eventually, Garfield and Raven needed to part away; so as to replenish their lungs and process everything that transpired just now. During this time, they soon found themselves staring deeply into each other's eyes; as if this were the first time they had met. When she finally found the ability to speak once more, the very first thing Raven did was attempt to hide her face from view; so that no one could see the blush glowing on her face.

Alas, she soon realized that she was no longer wearing her hooded cloak; much to the sorceress' chagrin. Garfield, on the other hand looked as though he were in some sort of drunken stupor due to how his form swayed side-to-side like a tree in the breeze. When his mind finally recovered, the very first words Garfield said were "that...was...awesome" in a sort of wistful tone of voice.

"Ah...yeah, that really was" Raven sighed dreamily, "I MEAN...yeah, it was...kind of nice, I guess; y'know...for a first timer and all." Despite however much she tried to appear her usual stoic and deadpan self in her words, the glow on her cheeks gave everyone an entirely different message. Sadly, Garfield did not notice this straightaway and he confused her words as yet another of her dry statements.

As such, the lad proclaimed he was a far better kisser than she gave him credit for. "Okay...let's see you put your money where you're mouth is, lil' man" Raven said with a coy grin, "I'll let you try another chance to kiss me...but after we share this next dance together." To say that this "request/order/challenge" left the young changeling feeling somewhat confused would be a tremendous understatement, truth be told.

Meanwhile, many in the crowd were either chuckling slyly under their breath or cheering for him wildly with great praise. The first among the latter to congratulate him were the lad's ghostly parents, Mark and Marie Logan; who revealed to him that Raven was "essentially" asking him for a dance. "Hold it...Y-You really wanna dance, Rave...with me" Garfield asked in shock, "uh...sure, I'd be happy to."

With that, the couple took each other by the hand and walked off onto the dance floor; eager to join the other champions and their partners. The whole time the six of them danced, the six newly knighted champions' minds were still reeling with excitement. It was only sometime ago when they were each in their respective worlds, going about their usual affairs and lives.

Now, here they were; in a strange new world, dressed in knight armor and dancing with ladies they had all longed to have by their sides for many a year. "Guys...I gotta say something here" Luffy said while turning towards the others, "if we're all in some kinda weird 'shared dream' thing...I don't want nobody to wake me up!" The other lads chuckled heartily in agreement with him, while the ladies told them to not worry about such things for the moment.

"Let's just...enjoy what we all have right now" Jinmay sighed blissfully, "dream or not, I wanna savor every moment of this." Once more, the other ladies sounded off in agreement; this time with a collective series of sighs. With that, the ball went on splendidly; the twilight skies ringing loudly with hearty cheers and joyful music.

(First AN: SHEESH! I did not expect this part of the fanfic to be so long...but I guess with a title like "Changes;" it's best to show them off as much as you can and boy, there were certainly a lot of changes happening here. Overon has a new group of knights, there are new changes coming to the status quo in each of the champions' realms and to top it all off, each of them got a little taste of romance. What do you suppose lies in store for the lads, when they all return home?

Tune in next time, to find out)

(Second AN: Some of you...or at least, those of you who are familiar with the Super Robot Monkey Team TV series, may think it's weird that I chose to bring back the Alchemist; despite the fact that he "died" in the show due to the Dark One corrupting him. But as you may recall; while he was still Skeleton King, he was blasted by a good portion of Paragon's magical energy. This energy was able to restore/revive all the planets that had been colonized by the Gem Homeworld.

If such power could revive something as large as a planet; surely, it could do the same for a man who was "mostly dead")

(Last AN: Some One Piece fans may also find it off that I chose to have Luffy propose to Nami, since he "supposedly" showed little to no sign of interest in women in the original series. But many fans, like me believe that Luffy would definitely want to choose a pirate queen of his own; much like how Roger did. Who better to fill in that position than Nami, someone Luffy considers to be the smartest person he knows)