Illumination

Hmmm... so, I should be doing other things... I know, I know... but... it's TJM and it's mushy and it's green and bright! YAY!

Disclaimer: I. own. nothing.

Gerald screamed at the sight before him, a cube-shaped ancient relic that was currently glowing greener that he had ever seen. The magical green glow of this precious key had eluded them for the past five days. Five days of immense confusion.

Gerald held the objects carefully in his hands, it was vibrating just a little as it shone. Eagerly, he ran from the tent to find Arnold and Helga, recalling the confusion of the past few days as he went...

"Okay, let's go over this again." Arnold said in exasperation, pointing toward the small green treasure in the middle of the room.

La Corazon's key, or rather the key that opened the temple where La Corazon was carefully sealed, was what he was referring to. La Corazon's key, the key that was supposed to grant him, the Chosen One, access to the temple by lighting up upon his touch.

"Okay." Gerald nodded, "The Chosen One is the only person who can enter the Corazon Temple."

"Right." Arnold agreed.

"The Chosen One enters the temple by placing La Corazon's key into the temple's markings and turning it 135 degrees anti-clockwise." Gerald continued.

"Exactly." Arnold agreed.

"And then, the noise of chimes is heard and the temple doors open." Gerald finished.

"Yes. So our exact problem lies in the fact that..." Arnold began.

"La Corazon's key is supposed to illuminate bright green for the Chosen One, that being you... but, it isn't..." Gerald finished.

"Yet it glows like crazy for her!" Arnold said, pointing accusingly at the blonde girl in the corner of the room.

"It's not like I asked it to glow for me!" Helga said defensively.

Gerald sighed, "It makes no sense. La Corazon's key won't glow for you but it practically lights up the universe when Helga touches it."

"I can't turn the lock though." Helga reminded him.

"Exactly, I can though, and I hear the chimes but the gates don't open." Arnold summarised.

Gerald thumped the ancient book he was holding down onto the desk, "It clearly states in every legend that the Chosen One is the ONLY person who can make it light up and the ONLY person who can turn the lock."

"I'm supposed to be the Chosen One." Arnold grumbled slightly.

"It's almost like you're both one half of the darn Chosen One." Gerald exclaimed, glaring at the lifeless cube-shaped key in front of him.

Gerald could see the distant shapes and sounds of Arnold and Helga sitting by a large tree, he rushed quickly over toward him.

"La Corazon's key is glowing!" Gerald called out in excitement.

Gerald squinted to focus on his friend, and his friends arch nemesis, and blinked as he realised what he was seeing. Arnold and Helga were far too close to each other's faces to simply be talking.

They were kissing.

Gerald panicked and considered turning around so he could pretend it never happened but... he had already yelled out and it seemed they had heard him.

Arnold quickly stood up and looked sheepishly at Gerald, "I was just.."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say man... just shut up, this thing is glowing!" Gerald yelled, proudly holding La Corazon out for them to witness.

Arnold and Helga's eyes opened wide, but at that very moment the light faded to darkness and the relic once again lay lifeless in Gerald's hands.

"What the heck!" Gerald exclaimed, "It was practically doing jumping jacks before."

Arnold looked quizzically at the object.

"Touch it." Gerald suggested.

Arnold reached out to the cube and took it in his hands, but nothing happened.

"Helga, you touch it." Gerald demanded.

Reluctantly, Helga walked over to them and took the key from Arnold's hand. The moment the object was in contact with both their hands, a sharp bust of light shot from the cube and then fizzled away.

"I get it!" Gerald cried out, snatching the key back into his own hands.

"Get what Geraldo?" Helga enquired.

"What were you two doing before I got here?" Gerald asked.

"Got where?" Helga asked nervously.

"Here! To this little clearing." Gerald said.

"Nothing!" Arnold said defensively.

Gerald rolled his eyes, "Whatever it was you just so happened to be doing, you need to do it again 'cause it was making this thing light up like a Christmas Tree."

"No way!" Helga cried out.

"Helga," Arnold said patiently, "We need the key to light up..."

Helga attempted a frown, but it was quickly washed away with a blush.

Arnold placed a quick kiss on her cheek, causing a small flash of light from La Corazon's key.

"Not good enough." Gerald frowned.

"Stupid thing" Helga mumbled grumpily.

"Okay, I am going to turn around.." Gerald explained, "Then, you two are going to do exactly what you were doing before... until this thing lights up and stays lit up!"

Arnold frowned and Helga looked petrified, but nonetheless, Gerald turned around and motioned for them hurry up.

Arnold gently reached for Helga's hand, pulling her in closer to him. Helga blushed and started awkwardly at the ground. Arnold closed the gap between them, their lips brushing softly together. Helga trembled a little as his lips pressed down on hers for the second time that afternoon.

Gerald watched as flickers of green light through La Corazon's key turned to a steady glow, "It's glowing!" he announced, "I feel really weird saying this but – keep going!"

Gerald kept his gaze on the brightly shining object for a few minutes, until he heard breathless pants from behind him and the light slowly dimmed.

"THAT wasn't enough?" Helga asked, her facial expression displaying an interesting mix of dazed happiness and confused annoyance.

Gerald turned around to face them again, "Sheesh, looks like this thing ain't gonna be happy til you guys get married or something." he concluded.

Arnold's eyes suddenly lit up, and he slowly turned back toward Helga, "Umm..." he began softly, grabbing her hand and squeezing it, "Helga, I love you."

Suddenly, La Corazon's key practically bounced from Gerald's gasp and fell to the ground, emitting a blinding green light. Gerald shielded his eyes and knelt down, attempting to reach for the artefact when he heard a gasp, followed by a loud thump.

"Helga!" Arnold's voice cried out with concern, as he dropped to the ground where the poor blonde girl had completely passed out.

Gerald, feeling far too ecstatic about the key to worry about Helga, or to fully process what his best friend had just said to Helga, rushed toward Arnold with the luminous green relic, "Arnold, look, it's glowing... and it's not stopping!"

"Mhmmm Gerald, that's great." Arnold mumbled uninterested, not even bothering to look up at all, his eyes firmly focused on the blonde girl that was now cradled in his arms.