To Defeat Your Enemy

Exposition

Misako stood in the middle of the bridge with different scrolls and maps laid out on the wooden table. Aki noticed Misako whisper to Wu as he walked in.

"Ah, Lloyd. Please, join us."

Lloyd took his spot by the table and Aki followed. He looked nervously at Misako and Wu. He could tell something was up.

"The balance has shifted towards evil."

"What!?" Jay's mouth fell open as he jumped up out of his seat, glancing between Wu and Misako. "But we defeated the stone warrior!"

"Yeah, Sensei," Cole added, "I don't get it. We defeated the Great Devourer, destroyed the Megaweapon— how did the balance shift?"

"I fear your father has found the Dark Island." Wu turned towards Lloyd, a solemn expression in his eyes.

"The Dark Island? But didn't the First Spinjitzu Master destroy it?" Lloyd asked.

"The what?" Aki asked, having no knowledge of the conversation he didn't listen to.

"Agh! This is why you pay attention, Aki!" Jay yelled, earning himself a glare from the evil clone.

"Guys, stop that. We don't have time to fight about this." Cole's voice cut through the argument and Jay and Aki fell silent. Lloyd leaned over to fill in the clone on Misako's lecture while Wu continued to speak.

"We do not have much time remaining before the final battle." He stroked his beard thoughtfully, looking over his students. "You have all grown stronger. You are nearly ready for the final battle."

All of the ninja went silent for a moment. They had always thought Kai would be with them when the prophecy was fulfilled.

"Uh, nearly ready?" Jay asked.

Misako spread one of her scrolls across the table, smoothing out the old, crinkled edges with a gentle hand. "My research tells of a hidden temple on the island. If you find it, it will give the ninja pure elemental powers. Powers that can destroy the indestructible army."

"But Misako, Aki already has powers," Zane interjected.

"Yeah, what's that about?" Cole asked, turning to glare at the evil clone.

Aki glared back. "Stop looking at me like I know!"

"That's enough," Wu cut in, stepping between the two.

"We believe Aki's powers came from the Megaweapon," Misako said. "Aki, show me your hands?"

To everyone's surprise, he complied, holding out his hands. He winced when Misako gently tapped the golden scars on his palms, instinctively pulling away.

"Does that still hurt?" She asked, surprised.

"No. Not really," Aki lied, curling his hands into fists and holding them behind his back. The truth was it did still hurt, but the pain had gradually become more comparable to a bad bruise than it had been at first. He grimaced at the reminder of the burning metal against his palms, cold as ice and yet paradoxically hotter than any fire should be. Misako pursed her lips, but said nothing else on that subject.

"We believe your powers came from your contact with the Megaweapon," she continued.

"No fair!" Jay yelled, "why does he get powers and we don't?"

"Oh, yeah, big deal! It isn't like they do anything anyway."

"Technically, Aki is correct," Zane chimed in. "They had no effect on the stone warrior."

"Which is why we need the temple of light." Misako reached out to lay her hands on the ancient scroll– and then fell as the force of an earthquake shook the room.