Defying Destiny

19 | Questing for Quests

"I think some sparring would do you all some good right now." Harumi suggested and pushed the ninja to get up.

They all gave in and immediately formed into pairs, Kai and Nya, Cole and Jay, and Zane and Harumi. While they waited for Lloyd, Harumi ran them through some exercises and fighting techniques she had picked up.

Lloyd reentered the courtyard after a few minutes and the ninja turned towards him.

"How'd it go?" Cole asked from the floor as he attempted to do a head spin but his skills weren't the same from before.

"He's in, uh, a mood." Lloyd announced as the team gathered around him. Cole took the opportunity to stretch his back.

"Did he give you a quest tip?" Jay inquired.

"No, he said we have to figure it out on our own." Lloyd scratched his head.

"I've been thinking about it for five minutes! I'm tapped out." Kai complained.

"Maybe we need a change of scenery." Jay suggested. "Sometimes, ideas come to you better if you change your surroundings."

"And where exactly do you propose we go?" Harumi questioned with her eyebrows raised.

"HOT TUB!" The ninja cheered as they all ran inside to change into their swimsuits.

The team made their way towards the Sacred Bell of Divinity, in this case, which was their makeshift hot tub. Harumi let the warm water relax her body as she too was tired from this morning's battle.

"Do you have any ideas now?" Nya checked as she grabbed a sandwich from the outside.

"Nope. Still nothing." Jay responded as he looked down.

"We need a villain." Kai sighed which made everyone turn to Harumi.

"No!" Lloyd and Harumi yelled as they saw their intentions.

"Oh come on! Maybe you know somebody?" Jay pushed.

"Harumi is no longer evil and she has been proving that for months now." Lloyd interjected as his tone turned serious.

"Alright. Alright." Jay placed his hands up and dropped the subject.

"What about Ultra Violet?" Cole suggested.

"Uh, she was nuts. I'd rather face Killow." Kai admitted.

"They're both incarcerated in Kryptarium Prison." Zane informed the team.

"What about Master Chen?" Nya interjected.

"The departed realm." Zane answered.

"Pythor?"

"Whereabouts unknown. Locating him would require some effort."

"Effort? Uh, no." Cole disagreed and took a sip from his soda guzzler as the ninja tried to recall the villains they had fought in the past.

"Man, finding a good villain is hard." Kai complained.

"Let's face it! There aren't any villains left. Except, well, uh." Jay struggled to finish his sentence as he glanced towards Lloyd.

"Say it. My dad." Lloyd slumped his shoulders as he spoke.

"Wherever he is, he's not really a problem right now." Nya stated. "Let's move on."

"Who does that leave?" Cole whined.

"Maybe you're aiming too high. You don't need a villain when there might be someone committing crime in the city." Harumi suggested as she too was thinking of someone who the ninja can defeat.