V. Mister Mysterious Mission
"So, why did you tell that little lie to Clyde, Ron?", his girlfriend asked him, groping her way through the way with her left hand on the way – not because it was too dark, as there were always torches brought on the wall right before the light of the previous one would be too weak, she just wanted to get a grip on something while walking forward. Ron had a weird look – in no way did he see that question coming. "Which lie, KP?", he asked as actually he at that moment did not remember.
"I don't know – maybe the one where you told Clyde you got the powers by accident? Ron! You chose to get them because Larry helped you through the Kimmunicator, remember?"
"Yeah, I do", he said, "I just wanted to know how much we can stretch the rules is all."
Kim was not really upset but she did not have an all too happy look for him when he looked at her. She did not want Clyde to be lied to now that they all began to bond. Too often they all already perfomed a face-landing because they lied or in any other way were not as honest as they should have been.
"I am sure Clyde-san was aware of Ron-san's story and his intentions", Yori told them without turning around. "Why would he?", Ron asked, "Its not like he can read minds."
"Maybe but he can read people very well without that", she then said.
"Could really be", Kim said, "That's what he always seems to do. And he does his research. Maybe did know things about what Monkey Fist did. Clyde really is not the guy for vague details."
"Well, see? If that's true, then everything's fine, right?", the boy dodged Kim's criticism.
"Nothing's fine, Ron! It doesn't make it any better!", Kim grumbled. Ron wanted to get away from her as reflex but there was no space in the tunnel, making him bump in the wall.
"Please, don't worry anymore", Yori tried to end it, "Even if Clyde knows it, he surely is not mad about it. If something is important to him he will tell you."
Kim envied Yori a bit that, even though the ninja girl also did not know all that much about Clyde, she had some time to spend with him and know him better as a person. It was only for a short moment when she wanted to formulate her question about Yori and Clyde's past, how exactly they got to know each other, what she knows about him – but then she kept it for herself. She did not want Ron to get the wrong idea. She could still find out later when she figured out how to ask the right way.
"We are here", Yori announced their first arrival.
A big chamber welcomed them. In the middle there was a giant rock pillar that would lead to the top of the chamber – if they had to estimate it would have probably been about one mile. The mere dimensions of the room itself were already reason enough to be amazed. On two opposing sides of the wall there were two pedestals each, making four. They had nothing sitting on top. Going past the pillar they could see a stone door completely closed.
"So this is the first test, huh?", Kim said
"It seems we need to find a way to open the door", Yori said. Then she looked around, also letting her eyes wander all the way up the pillar. She could also see something far above that seemed to be like a bridge. "Or maybe there is some other possibility ... whatever we do, I think this pillar is an important part of the solution."
Yori went to a pedestal. "I am sure ...", she said and climbed one of them. It lowered but nothing happened. "Just as I thought."
The couple went to her. "I think the pedestals can open the door", she said. "But I don't know if its in a certain order or if all of them need to be used at once. Also ..." She once more looked around.
"I cannot see anything apart from us that could be used as weight."
Kim agreed, "Yes, even if the door would stay open after we hop off, we won't even get to opening without additional weight."
They looked for any hidden objects. Nothing. Next they wanted to try their luck by climbing the pillar. The first attempt was not too bad for Yori and Kim. Ron slipped off 30 metres up there. "Waah!"
"Ron!", Kim shouted and grabbed his arm. "Nggh! You are pretty heavy!"
She had to hold onto one very small ledge, Ron succeeded at finding a new grip but he knew he would not make it on top. "Look at Yori!", he said. Kim looked up. Yori did great. "Spankin', Yori!", Kim complimented her. Yori climbed like her life depended on it. Kim was a bit envious. She and her boyfriend were very used to climbing but this pillar was way too smooth to be properly climbed by even a person like Kim when it came to such a distance.
Eventually Yori reached the top. There is another exit!, she realized as she saw an already open door. She looked down and saw that even if Kim would get further, the couple could not reach the top and Ron definitely not. Behind her she could find a large boulder.
"Watch out!", she shouted as she rolled it of the edge.
Kim and Ron could only see how the rock fell down. At the bottom it shattered into pieces. "I'm coming back!", Yori told them. They would have had problems hearing her from that far above if not for the echo of the chamber To get back down she jumped to the wall and back to the pillar. This she repeated a few times to slow down the fall and just in time with Kim she was back where they started.
"There was an exit, right? Why did you not go?", Kim asked.
"I will not leave you behind", Yori answered and earned an honest grin from the couple.
She walked around the pillar and picked up some of the now smaller rocks to place them on pedestals. "Only once of them seems big and heavy enough ...", Yori said and placed it on one of the pedestals. Then the three went to the other three and climbed them. The door in front of them opened with a loud noise of heavy rock being moved.
"That's it!", Kim said. They all looked pretty happy for this first little victory as they went for their next steps down the Path of Bloom.
"Coordination, Creativity, Determination, Priority ...", Yori whispered. "What are you saying, Yori?", Ron asked. "Those were some of the things that played a role for this test", Yori answered, glad that she already was on her way of finding her first answers.
"Okay ... what about eating the flowers as the wall said?", Ron wanted to know. Kim just shook her head again. "Ron-san, even in moments of concentration and seriousity you can lighten my mood with your American wit", she giggled, "Of course this was only a symbol. It was the first expression to describe which path I would choose. The blooming flowers were the lections. The mural talked about how the lectures would become a part of me and also how I would find some of them within me already."
"Oh, I get it ... I guess", the boy said.
"Well, so far you're doing pretty good, Yori", Kim wanted to support her.
"Thank you, Kim-san. But I am sure we cannot let our guard down. It would possibly stand in the way of the lecture coming to full fruition."
They knew what Yori meant. So they would follow her, always heads up. Meanwhile Kim and Ron thought about their own experience in this. They knew, no matter if Yori would be the main person in this test, whatever they experience could also bring them forward in life.
The next room offered a more caution-demanding challenge. The moment they got in, a great flame blocked the way back. The stood on a very narrow path, practically a catwalk of stone. To make it even more complicated for Yori, she was seperated from her friends throgh another flame. "Nah!", it resounded from Yori, when she reluctantly jumped forward, farther away from them. "Its like this room knows we're here!", Ron complained. "Maybe it does ...", Kim answered. She already had in mind that those tasks somewhat could change depending on who and under which conditions the one would start them. "We could try that one out ...", Kim said and pointed at a ledge that was only about half her feet wide. "Hah, I don't think that's a good idea, KP ...", Ron spoke out his doubts. His girlfriend still considered trying out.
Meanwhile the ninja girl whose test this actually was went ahead. The centre of the room had a broader platform to walk on. Instead of a seemingly endless rock pillar this time one single pedestal was there. It had a wooden doll standing on it. On its chest the words "Guide me safely" were written in Japanese. When she reached out for it to take it in her hand, an instinct overcame her. Protectiveness awoke. "Huh!?", she sighed and pulled the doll away faster than she ever took sushi from the lunch lady at Yamanouchi. Another, this time smaller flame appeared. Realizing that it would have almost burnt the doll to ashes, she kept it closer to her own chest. Now the platform around her began on one hand to crumble,on the other one certain spots she tried to reach were now covered in fire as well.
"Wait, Yori! I'm on my way!", Kim said and went for the ledge. The fire got stronger and started to flicker bluely. "Huh! Kim-san, no wait!", the ninja girl said. Kim stopped.
"This must be one of the restrictions Clyde-san talked about!", Yori remembered, "You are not supposed to help right now but really stay where you are!"
They all understood this was the first warning. The flames returned to their usual size and got their natural colour back. Yori still had to be very fast. The problem was not solved – she still had to get away safely here with the doll.
"Hey, this is kinda like the whole Sacky incident!", Ron recognized.
"Except Yori surely cannot just buy another doll, or lots like you did with Sacky ...", Kim said, rolling her eyes, "But yeah, I guess Yori also sees what this is about."
Responsibility ..., Yori thought. She knew she had to take responsibility and for that also once again had to be a quick thinker, creative as well and determined to do whatever she could to succeed. All that was the test. It was all very much the same as the first test. Now though instead of not leaving behind Kim and Ron she had this little object to take care of. For the girl and her almost feline and graceful movements there was not much challenge behind this concept at the moment. Actual flames that started moving like someone threw them at her demanded more of her competence.
And still she made it and reached the door. Kim and Ron's way was no longer blocked from flames but the way tht Yori took was gone. "Don't tell me we actually have to take that ledge now for real!", Ron lamented annoyed. "Kim-san, Ron-san!", they heard from the tested girl. A long rope that she just picked up from the ground was thrown to them with great precision. The girls fixed each end on some stalagmite. "Guess here's your alternative", Kim told her boyfriend. It was nothing he looked to eager to do but he followed her nonetheless while they were clinging onto the rope above the abyss.
"This was almost too close", Yori said when she could greet them on her side again. "Sorry, Yori. So far it seems like we couldn't be of any help at all", Kim apologized. Yori did not mind. "Do not fault yourself for what the rules forbid you", she responded.
The next part of the tunnel had a lot of greater open cracks. In the ceiling and the side. One of them was big enough to look outside and see the star-filled sky in the night. They took a break there and watched it. "I wonder how long we have been on this Path of Bloom by now"; Kim asked. Seemingly cut off from the outside world they felt like that, too. No feeling for time supported that. They knew it was a few hours just by looking at the sky but that was the best guess they had.
Yori sat next to Kim, Ron next to his girlfriend's other side. "Maybe you are a bit surprised", Yori began to speak. The couple looked at her. "About what, Yori?", Ron asked.
"I never expected to show you this side of me. Although I asked you for help often already this whole situation is something you were never supposed to see from me ...", the girl told them. Kim wanted to interrupt to tell her she should not think about it that much as there was no reason to worry. But Yori was faster. "However, I am glad, that I did show you this side. I believe I can show you this vulnerable side of me as a human because I see us a friends."
"Course we're friends, Yori!", Ron said. "Totally!", Kim agreed, "If there is one thing you should not worry about is asking us for help or showing us this side of yours. I also had to do that a lot even though I would have preferred not to. But sometimes you have to and with friends on your side it should be no question."
Yori looked at the sky, smiling happily. As honest as they all had to be, they knew that in reality they never had spent all that much time together. But the time that Ron had spent with Yori already made them good friends very quickly. For Kim it was just as easy.
Ron looked at Yori who still looked at the sky. Her eyes were blurry. And he felt deep down that it was not just because she was happy about their words but because of why she was so happy in the first place. He had never considered it but now that they had time together and they talked, he thought, Wait ... Could it be that she is lonely?
He knew the sensei's lectures helped Yori dealing with life but he did not really know if Yori was all that much of a girl with friends. It was hard to imagine for him as Yori was such a lovely person to him and she was so open to everyone. But he knew that even that would not mean she would bond with everyone for real. He, just as Yori herself, was grateful for this friendship.
Kim and Ron wanted to make all of this easier for Yori. To also maybe help her with their own experience they still chatted a while about how they were doing things that were hard for them as well, such as the time when Kim embarassed herself during christmas singing so much that she was afraid to compete in the contest that Ron registered her for and that in the end she made it. Or the time when she was so embarassed in front of Josh Mankey that she turned invisible with the effect ultimately making her fade away completely. Also the time when she had to tell nothing but the truth – all of this Kim managed to bring up in front of Yori again because she was worth it for her. Ron's own little stories made them all laugh because everything they said, even though he also could be embarassed, was explained to be dealt with with his unique character.
"Let's go", Yori said. She really liked how they trusted her so much they could tell her that. And thinking about it, Kim and Ron also realized how all of these things were not only lying farther in the past already, but how they endured it and every single bit made them a stronger person. Not necessarily it was something they would want to experience again but they knew they endured it and thus somehow could deal with it.
When they got to the last chamber, Yori heard a voice. "I want to the centre", it said. "Did you say something?", she asked the couple. They shook their heads. "Maybe it is ...", Yori thought loud and looked at the doll. "Place me there!", it said.
"So it really was you."
She took it to the centre and put it down.
"Tell! Tell!", it told her
"Tell what?", Yori wanted to know.
"Tell us something!"
"Us?", Yori asked. When that happened, the doll multiplied and surrounded the three. On top of that big eyes appeared from wall to ceiling.
"Eww, what is that?!", Kim asked in disgust.
"Stay strong and don't let yourself be too discouraged by them ...", Yori whispered, "I understand this test. But what next?"
"Tell us, tell us!", the dolls said, no clearly to be heard by them all. Then one of them disappeared and a red spectre appeared that flew towards Yori. She evaded it but it did a u-turn. When she kicked it away, it vanished along with one eye. "I have the feeling this will be ...", Kim began to speak out her expectations. "Tell us!", the dolls! Screamed. Now 10 of them summoned a spectre in their place. The group now whirled around, back on back of each other to get rid of the ghostly entities and more watching eyes.
The last "TELL US!", was of a demonic cry that released the rest of the spectres. "Let's finish this, Yori!", Ron said. Yori knew she fought the manifest of her own fear. That the others could help her as well gave her joy. One after another Kim's jump kicks and uppercuts, Yori's swift ninjitsu techniques and the Tai Shing Pek Kwar of Ron, as much as he could use it right now, emptied the room. Then Yori had only one doll left. The one that she placed. "Tell me!", it demanded. Yori aimed at the doll, then she stopped her punch. She grined. "I am ready to tell you", she answered, knowing this would stand for every lecture she would give to the students. Or any other challenge that she would see in confronting others. It did not have to be a singing contest, just a personal obstacle in her life.
The doll disappeared and with it the last eye.
"That was intense! Good job, Yori!", Ron said, "So, are we done now?"
None of them was so sure. It seemed to be the case. Then the door opened.
"Bravo", Clyde said clapping. He just came in through the door they so eagerly tried to open with that last battle.
"I am very grateful that you supported me, Clyde-san", Yori thanked him, bowing, then she turned to the others to also thank them. "So, she did succeeded the test, right?", Kim asked.
"How do you feel, Yori?", the man wanted to know. "It was a very troublesome series of tests. But I feel ...", she thought out loud. Clyde looked at Yori. His piercing gaze was back. She froze in front of him, revealing her innermost feelings right at this moment. "What do you think?", he asked her.
"I have taken a lot with me from this journey", she answered, "But I feel I am also not done with this test yet."
"Why not, Yori?", Ron asked, "This is the end, you're done with all of it!"
The door closed behind them again. "What?", Kim and Ron reacted surprised.
"This test is not over, Yori. You still have one more obstacle to overcome."
The ninja girl did not look around like her two friends. She had an assumption what was coming. But she did not want to say it. She was afraid it would be true.
"What is the final test?", Kim asked.
"The three of you will fight me", the wandering engima responded.
Her fears were justified, Yori just knew. Not less she reacted dazzled from this than the couple. "No way, are you serious?", Ron complained.
"Do not worry, I will not fight with more power unleashed than I did against you", Clyde said.
But that was no relief to them. Ron was not even capable of putting a dent in Clyde when he was allowed to use his powers. But now, despite assisting Yori with Kim he was not even allowed to do that. And with his little confidence problem right now he did not even know if he would be able to use his normal Tai Shing Pek Kwar in a way that could help.
Kim just gave up on the test a bit. Quite unusual for her this was surely. There was only a single time she ever felt this powerless and that was when she realized Drakken was about to take over the world. She was a fighter. This man though was a natural catastrophe. There was no way, absolutely not that they could win this match. Then it is over ...?, she thought. Can such a test even be passed?
"Hold it, buddy! That's cheating!", Ron said. "Yori passed all of her tests and now you want us to fight you? We get it, you're strong but you can't really tell us you let her go through all this for nothing!" He got upset. Yori still was like petrified.
"This is the final test", Clyde said, "There is no discussion. If you would have understood what all of this was about you would understand why it is the final test."
"What is that supposed to mean?", Ron asked. Yori towed. "The tests ... they were all specifically adjusted for me so I could learn from them what I needed ... and the ways of finishing would reflect what I have gotten from them ..."
"I already thought they seemed pretty good for you", Kim said. Ron intervened, "Then what does a battle against you have to do with her tests? How would that help her? Its a pointless fight!"
Clyde laughed with his mouth closed. "A pointless fight, you say ... there is a point. The last aspect of what she needs to receive from this place. Yori herself feels she is not done. This and this only is the reason why I am the final test. Because she needs me. If that were not the case we would already be on our way back."
Now they understood. It did fit the whole system of how the tests were like personally made for her. Clyde, as infinitely high as he appeared as an obstacle would only be fought because Yori herself was not yet ready.
Kim and Ron looked at Yori, so did the man. They gave her time. Of course she knew how ridiculously superior Clyde was. In Kim's eyes the man was like an ultimate version of Ron, herself and Wade. She did not want to know how easily it would have been for him to stop the Lorwardians by himself. Or Drakken. That on the other hand made her wonder why he never seemed to have done such a thing. This was another topic she wanted to tackle one day.
There is no turning back now ..., Yori strugglied. But how can I finish this? We cannot overcome Clyde-san. Still, what other choice do I have? This is not one of test for which I can find another end, is it?
Five minutes were passing by with them allowing Yori to think about it. She took a deep breath, then she showed Clyde a serious face followed by a smile. She bowed.
"Clyde-san, I am grateful. As hard as it may be, please honor me with the chance of fighting you!"
Clyde also got a grin on his face. He bowed. "It will be my honor", he said. Then Yori went away from him to find some distance. "We're with you, Yori!", Kim said. She was to her left, Ron to her right side.
Clyde took on his own battle stance after they did. He does not have his shine, I guess he really does not use any more than against me, Ron thought. He knew though that it did not matter.
"Let's go!", Yori shouted, followed by a "Hiyaah!" when she sprinted forward. Kim and Ron followed. They had no idea of the monstrousity that Clyde's power was. When they got closer, only a blurry image of the man from his mere speed approached them as well. Behind the girls the wall gave off the sound of cracking. When they turned around, they could only hear Ron's painfilled sounds. Clyde, without them even having a chance to get him, had smashed the boy against the wall. He still stood in front of him, with his fist in his stomach.
"Ron!", the girls shouted. When Clyde let go off him, Kim's boyfriend fell down like a sack of potatoes. Clyde turned around slowly. The girls' heartbeats got faster. What was slight sweat of nervousity now would increase even more. He looked at them. This man was a beast and even through he was so friendly to them right now it was genuine fear that they had.
"Go. On. Yori. Do. Not. Stop.", he commanded her deadserious.
Yori knew he was right. She could not just stand there like a deer waiting for her demise. Ron might have been knocked out but she and Kim were still good to go. There would be no giving up, no matter what.
"Kim-san! Coordinated attack!", Yori said. "Got it!", the heroine replied and they went for the man who had not moved a bit since he destroyed Ron with one single hit.
"Futile", Clyde said. When they attacked him from different sides with kicks, he just stopped them with his hands. Kim recognized this. She did not see it all because she was unconscious but the bit that she saw while still trying to recover, she saw Ron fight like this during their evening of Graduation. Clyde, having grabbed their feet, pushed them away.
"Any other plans, Yori?", Kim with pessimism in her tone. Normally she was too eager trying anything out by herself, taking control but – not only was this in particular the ninja girl's test, it was also nothing where the heroine would have known anything.
"I don't think there is any pattern he cannot counter, Kim-san", Yori said, "Also he knows every style there is, so we cannot rely on one of his patterns ... not that we would be fast enough anyway."
"So its gonna be just fighting with everything we got, huh?", the redhead said. Next the went in for a delayed attack. Kim waited in the backrow while Yori tried more fruitless melee combos. A jump from Kim with a fordward flip that would end in a downward kick to Clyde was the delayed attempt. But delayed or at the same time – it all would lead to the same outcome. The man was not busy enough fighting with Yori, so slightly waving away Kim's leg and thus another attack was in vain. "Huah?!", Kim shouted. She did not expect the slight gale that came with the handwave and that would send her away farther than thought. As softly as she slided over the ground though she knew how much in control of his own power Clyde was. It was like he perfectly calculated not to hurt her. She just wished Ron had the same luck. He was still out cold. Right now, after she rolled off, she was laying on her belly, the same as Ron was laying on his. "This is great ...", she meant sarcastically, "We gotta do something ... if he wanted the fight there must be some way to make Yori pass ..."
Same Yori was still trying her best to at least make a single kick or a single punch count. That would not be a thing as long as he would fight a the girl by merely using one hand though, making her look like child's play. She jumped back. "Kim-san, are you okay?", she asked while helping her up. "I'm fine", Kim replied.
"He's not doing this to brag, is he?", Kim asked the girl, "He does not seem like that person at all" Yori shook her head. "No, Clyde-san must definitely have something in mind, if it is a test for me it must be something I can learn from it, no matter how hard it is", Yori said.
Yori looked above Clyde who just stood there, waiting for them. "Kim-san", she then said, "I think there is a way."
"Oh, yeah? What is it?", Kim asked.
"If we are not strong enough, maybe be can initiate something that might help us", Yori told her. "Listen, we need to really time this one! You run and jump up the wall – then you jump off! I'll do the rest!"
"Gotcha!", Kim said. Running past Clyde, she got ignored by the man. He wanted to see what would happen. And just as the redhead jumped up the wall, Yori began her own run. In the middle of the chamber she began to jump up high, right when Kim herself bounced off the wall.
"Kim-san!", Yori shouted. She flew straight to the heroine. It was then when Kim understood the maneuver. "We got this, Yori!", she said. Yori then landed on Kim's hands that were positioned like in a volleyball match just to be catapulted upwards to the chamber ceiling. When Kim landed back on the ground, she could just in time look to the girl who focused her power into a special kick that would create a crack in, making a good part collapse. Kim ran to safety. "That was awesome, Yori! Isn't that a bit too extreme, though? What if he gets hurt?", Kim said.
"Yori?", the girl asked. Kim reached the end of the chamber in safety. But Yori was not with her. She fought Clyde in hope distracting him would hinder him from dodging, even if it was risky for herself. "Yori! Get outta there!"
Neither Kim nor Yori did need to worry about that however. While Clyde parried more of Yori's attacks they both danced around the falling rocks with the man occasionally smashing some of them. Then when Yori dodged one more with another one falling right to where she landed, the girl's sighed in shock. Yori was safe though. The rock floated above her controlled by the white-haired man. "Clyde-san ...", Yori said, not believing that he helped her in the middle of the battle. When he threw it away with a simple hand gesture, he blew knocked Yori down with a gentle handwaving. The girl slithered over the ground up to Kim. Right at this moment Ron woked up to see that. When he found the strength to stand up and really understand what happened, he only had a "Yori?!" for her.
"Oh ... Yori ...", Kim lamented. "So she lost?", Kim asked, looking at Clyde.
"This was a creative last attempt, Yori-san", Clyde applauded, "Also your assistance throughout the battle was admirable, Kimberly."
"Yet, I failed", Yori said who now got helped up by Kim. The three who fought Clyde gathered in front of him. "I knew this was a bad idea!", Ron said.
Yori only found a moment of gried, then she recovered and smiled. "I do not think it was bad. Maybe the fight was in vain ... and yet I am glad, I tried."
They all looked at Clyde. He then also smiled. "Hmph", he sighed while inhaling.
"And this why you pass."
They all looked absolutely flabbergasted.
"What? Yori passed?", the couple said.
"Indeed", the man said, "The battle was never about winning. Did you really think I would make an impossible win make Yori's passing condition?"
"So the battle was about determination. Confronting the challenge courageously even if it might not be won."
Clyde nodded. "You passed the moment you accepted", he said, "Never give up, Yori. Face the challenge and learn from it. No matter how hard we try, there will always be failure in our life. But we will not go forward if we do not accept what lies before us."
"Even if I may fail at times ...", Yori said, "... it is okay. I can grow stronger from this and be better the next time for the students."
"That's correct", Clyde said, "Do not worry too much about the mistakes you might make in front of them. You do what you do. And if you make a mistake, work on it and be better next time. But never let it feed on your fear so much that it engulfs your courage and strips it away from you."
They all were were motivated from Clyde, not just Yori. Even though she was the one officially tested, there was so much they all took from it. He was an amazing man. "So, what was your test? Which of the two ways did you go?", Ron wanted to know.
"I went both paths", Clyde answered.
"What?", they said in disbelief.
"Unlike Yori I did not do the test to find out about myself. I did it out of mere perfectionism"; he told them and they did not know what to make of it. It was an answer though that did indeed fit him.
"By the way ...", Clyde said, "There are three paths, not two."
"Uhh, I don't think so. There were only two tunnels when we started, right?", Ron asked the girls, making sure he did not count to two wrong. They could only agree.
Clyde laughed. "Well, there was a hidden path. A shortcut that leads past all the tests."
"WHAT?", the three screamed.
"Why, of course. What do you think how I got to the end before you?"
The realized he had a point. Kim had another question in mind because of that, however. "So ...", she began asking, "... if Yori took that shortcut she would not really have passed the test, right?"
"That ...", Clyde spoke, "... is wrong."
All of them had no words for it.
"Finding the path would have required another way of creativity. Also it would have reflected the desire to solve problems in an unusual and obviously often even shorter way. Thus it would also have been ended up being a lesson for Yori. But of course she would have skipped over the other lessons. Maybe it would not have been necessary then, however. That depends on what person Yori wants to be. And so far Yori got a pretty good picture of that."
They all looked at her. Yori was a bit confused but she was very happy. She passed the test. And she understood it. "If I understand you right then that means even if I somehow would have failed the test ...", she wanted to know and Clyde already nodded, answering her, "... you would still have taken the lessons with you. That is true. Ending the trials was not so relevant. It would not have taken away your progress as a person. But I am sure you are happy that you still finished it and thus could gain a lot from it."
Yori blushed. "You are right about that, thank you, Clyde-san". She bowed.
"Now, let's go back", he said and lead then through the shortcut tunnel.
Back outside they saw the sun rising. "A new day begins. And so does a new chapter for you, Yori", Clyde told her. The rest of their way back to the dojo was quite silent. What they had experienced needed some time to be processed but something made the three have a very satisfied look. It was their journey, but it was also Clyde. Somehow with all of these emotions that he brought out of them before already he also was able to make them meet their own person on a level that they all needed. And also the experience of the three together as a team could bond more. This being arranged through him as well as whatever he said to them and as much as he influenced the trials, they could appreciate.
The sensei waited for them already. "I can see a flower blooming like never before. More than one, actually", he said to them. "Yes, sensei", Yori said and greeted him with a bow, "I am very honored that you two considered me worthy of taking on this trial"
"We still have much to talk about, I will be back soon", Clyde said to Yori's master. "Until we meet again", he then said to the trio and went his way. "Clyde!", Kim shouted and ran a steps steps towards him. The man turned around. "I know we still didn't get around to talking much but thank you for everything. You rock."
"I rock, huh?", Clyde answered grining. "Yeah, man, I must admit you are pretty cool", Ron said who joined them. "Look, I mean it will probably take a long time until I get as strong as you but because of our little trip I think I got my confidence back!"
Ron reached out. The Lotus Blade flew straight to him but not how he wanted. "Wait! Nonononono!", he screamed, already seeing his pants cut off before his mind's eye. Before that could happen, Clyde caught the sword. He only smiled. "You still have a lot to learn", he told him with a smile, "I only wish your eagerness would be directed at something other than those powers."
Kim and Ron looked at the man, not knowing what to make of this. "What do you mean?", the boy asked. Clyde took a deep breath. "I have to go now. But we will meet again", he told them goodbye.
Not bothering them to get another answer they watched him leave, just waving. "If only he would be less stiff and more carefree", Ron said. "You mean like yourself?", his girlfriend giggled.
Together with Yori then they spent the time for breakfast until they would leave for their flight.
Not before they would not watch the first lesson after this test though.
They were with Yori. And having found what she needed, she did great in their eyes with that first lecture. And most important, in her own eyes.
None of them knew that even the enigmatic man that they thought of as gone already watched from another place, proud of Yori. Just as the couple he now could also leave Yamanouchi. With an honest smile he turned around and walked away.
"You know, I think we should come back soon", Ron told Kim at the airport. "Yeah, the would be happy about it", Kim agreed. The entire flight they would talk about everything that happened. Yori, what they saw in her now, how tough that girl was and what a great person. But they would no matter what, always come back to the topic that was Clyde.
"As unpredictable that he is, I would really like to see him again, what about you?", Kim asked her boyfriend. And without any worries about how she meant that, he just had the same view. "He really is something", Ron said, "And I guess he is weird his own way, too, just not my kind of weird." Kim giggled. "Its good that there is no one else like you", she told him. They saw how complicated, how multi-dimensional he was with more yet to come and they really felt having him around more would not be such a bad idea.
Back in Middleton they would stop at Bueno Nacho, returning back to their daily life.
And enjoy their time together.
When Wade beeped Kim again, asking how their trip to Japan was, Kim had to explain a lot. The moment the name "Clyde" was spoken out, Kim could not hold her genius friend any more. "I am on my way!", he said like a crazy fan and left his room so he could get to them and listen to every bit of the story.
"Guess we have to make those two meet pretty soon, huh?", Kim laughed not so jokingly, "Or else Wade might become our next supervillain for us not telling him."
Ron laughed about this -for the both of them - terrifying thought.
Episode V – THE END
Preview: Episode VI – Nighty-Night
A new villain roams the streets! Kim and Ron have left Middleton once more hearing that a mysterious weapon is used with anyone involved falling asleep! Not only that, Kim and Shego also fell asleep! While they are dreaming, coping with what happens in their life, Ron, Drakken and the enigmatic Clyde gather to solve this puzzle!