A Pure Heart

Chapter 24

"Every cog, every gear, is important," Dr. Julien said, Lloyd and Hikari watching him repair the falcon, "if one piece is missing," and the falcon whirred to life and back into an upright position, "or out of place, the invention won't work!" He shut the repair panel, and said to the falcon cheerfully, "Come, now, little one, time to fly."

The falcon flapped its wings before taking off, swooping into the air beautifully.

"It is like you ninja," Sensei Wu said to Lloyd and Hikari, who turned to face him, "you each serve important roles and each are key parts to a magnificent fighting force."

"If we're all gears," Lloyd said, looking worried now, "what if I'm the gear that doesn't work? What if I don't do my part, what if... I can't defeat my father?"

Hikari put her arm on his shoulders, smiling at him. "Hey, don't stress out so much," she said lightly, "you're going to manage to talk yourself out of it. What if I'd had stranger danger as a child? What if I was like 'what if that boy is dangerous?', or, 'what if I get lost?' I never would've met you, let alone become friends with you!"

Lloyd looked at her as she said, soothingly, "When it comes down to it, you won't have to worry, because I'll be there right next to you, okay?"

Lloyd smiled at her. And then she turned pink, and removed her arm, and cleared her throat, the two of them starting to blush. "Don't worry about it, like I said. Don't stress or think about it too much. Focus on what you have to do, on that ONE task, okay? And I'll be right there to help you."

"I know you don't WANT to face your father," Nya said to Lloyd, walking over, "but you have no other choice."

"But perhaps there is," Misako said, evenly, making everyone look at her, "I used to think it was inevitable, but then I found this," and she set down another scroll.

"You mean there might be a way so that Lloyd doesn't have to fight his father?" Cole asked, coming over the crest of the hill. Hikari's face flooded with a huge, red-hot blush now. The ninja were all wearing casual clothing, and Cole and Kai were shirtless.

Lloyd noticed the blush and scowled a bit.

"The scrolls say that when the Helmet of Darkness is bequeathed to its rightful ruler, the Celestial Clock will count down to the activation of an unspeakable weapon. The first sign that the final battle of good and evil has begun," Misako stated, quoting from the scroll.

"Did you just say, unspeakable weapon?" Kai asked, looking rather uncomfortable as he kept approaching.

"Uh, I'm still stuck on what bequeathed means," Jay said. Hikari rattled off, rather quickly, still pink in the face and finding the clear blue sky incredibly fascinating at the moment, "Bequeath, to pass something on or leave something to someone else."

"Oh... still's a weird word, though," Jay said, his momentary enlightened look turning into a thoughtful one.

Cole shushed him and smiled at Misako. "Go on, Misako, don't let us interrupt you. How do we stop the final battle?"

Misako looked back at the scroll, which had a lovely ominous picture on it. Hikari made a slight face at it. "There is nothing here that explains what would happen if the Helmet of Darkness is returned."

Hikari hummed, eyes gleaming slightly, "Hmm, take the helmet, the clock starts. Put it back, the clock stops..."

"And the final battle never starts!" Lloyd picked up, his eyes lighting up with excitement.

Kai frowned and arched his scarred eyebrow, stretching the scar a bit, "That sounds fine, and I know we have our new powers, but... you expect us to get past his whole army of Stone Warriors, and pluck the helmet off his head?"