Harumi's POV

"Woah, woah woah", Jay exclaimed in quiet awe as Lloyd recounted him sneaking behind Kane and Kira's squabble," Kane freaking slapped his sister?"

"Shhush!!!", Nya said, placing her hand on Jay's mouth to quiet him down,"He's right here you know!" She hissed.

We cast a hopefully discreet glance at Kane, who boredly sat on the table opposite us, scrolling through his phone. Huh, I guess they have signal here— in the middle of the ocean.

"So?", Kai said, shrugging a shoulder,"I slap my sister all the time."

Nya snorted, setting her fork down from her scrambled eggs, cracking her knuckles as she gave a side look at Kai,"You only tried that once—And that's why you have to wear a bandage on your head permanently." She fired back, without missing a beat.

Cole snorted, and coughed onto his fist.

Kai managed a grimace, subconsciously running his fingers through his bandage.

"But that isn't the point guys", Lloyd pressed, placing a hand in the middle of the breakfast table," Kira is being—threatened...or something—"

"Threatened?" , I interrupted him, raising my eyebrows at him," What? You think she's innocent and has nothing to do with all this?" I asked, anger fuming.

The others looked at me in mild shock, probably from my distasteful tone.

Lloyd furrowed his brows, glancing at me, and I felt my anger deflate.

"I didn't say that, Harumi", he said, his tone calm and grounded," I'm just...thinking it all through—it's like—she's forced to do all this because Kane's her brother." His green eyes stared at the table, his brows furrowed.

I frowned, looking at my half-eaten apple in disgust. I didn't even feel hungry anymore.

Lloyd thought that—that Kira deserved a second chance? Unbelievable.

"You can't say that Lloyd", Jay said,"Just because her brother is all evil and wants revenge—does't mean she's forced to do it too."

"And why do you think that?", Lloyd asked, his eyebrow raised in challenge.

Jay opened his mouth to argue, but I slammed my hand onto the table, making everyone jump.

"Just because Kane is her brother doesn't mean she's forced into anything Lloyd", my words cut through sharply even though I only hushed them quietly, even to me, my voice sounded deadly," So you're telling me just because your father was evil, you were forced into joining his side? Were you forced to conquer Ninjago with him and succumb to your Oni side?" I glared through my glassy eyelids to his shocked, wide green ones.

"Harumi...", Lloyd murmured, slowly raising his hand towards me, but I backed away, running away from the breakfast table and outside.

.........................

Lloyd's POV

I stared helplessly at Harumi's running figure until she was out of sight. My heart thumped and galloped as her piercing words rang through my head on reverse and repeat. Again and Again. Her eyes—

"Did you see that?", Kai asked, his jaw slack,"she looked like she was gonna cr—"

"Kai", Skylor grabbed his arm, shaking him slightly,"Not. The. time."

"No...Kai's right", I said, lowering my raised hand to my side,"She—looked so—upset—like she was gonna cry." My face must've twisted into something as the others all stood up, ushering close to me.

"Oh not the puppy eyes!", Cole said, running a hand across his face,"You know how we can't handle that." Kai elbowed him, sending me a sympathetic look that made me groan in exasperation.

Suddenly Nya grabbed my shoulders, staring straight at me,"Go."

"What?", I asked, bewildered,"Nya no I-i can't—she's clearly upset— she needs more tim—"

"No,"Nya said, her eyes wide and alert,"Kane's gone too."

My heart dropped. I whipped my head around the room. Kane was gone.

Oh no.

No.

I ran straight towards the exit cabin door, running as I frantically looked for Rumi. The others followed suit, but were quickly stopped my the other guards.

"Hey!,"I heard a gruff voice from a distance,"where do you lot think you're running around for?"

I trudged on, heaving short gasps, unable to breathe until I turned to a corner—a dead end.

No no No! I left her alone, now Kane's probably looking for her and—

I stopped, noticing a whip of blue cloak and brown hair turning towards the deck.

Kira. Kira.

I ran towards her, grabbing her wrist.

She whipped around, her blue eyes startlingly bright and blazed with annoyance.

"Kira its me, Lloyd!", I gasped, taking a deep breath, still exhausted from my sudden outburst.

Her eyes slightly softened, until they formed something harder, like opaque stones.

She flicked her wrist, slipping away from my grip as she glared at me.

"What are you doing?" She said, her tone clipped, and she began trudging to a more secluded corner of the ship, and I followed.

"Kira please", I said, grabbing her hand,"Please just listen to me."

Kira turned her head towards me and leaned against the railing, tilting her head.

"Go ahead Mr. Garmadon", her tone oozed with sarcasm,"Im listening."

"Don't call me that", I said, raising my eyebrows, shaking my head.

Kira scoffed,"I can't even call you by your first name—"

"Call me Lloyd", I said, trying to make my voice sound gentle,"You've—called me Lloyd anyway... even though I told you not to though." I offered a small smile.

Her lips formed a ghost of a smile but it disappeared just as quickly.

"I'm listening", she said, her tone monotonous, her eyes just as hard,"say whatever you have to say and I'll be on my way—Lloyd." She crossed her arms.


I sighed, staring at her as I arranged my thoughts.

"Kira", I started off slowly," I saw what happened last night."I said it at once, not missing one beat.

She gaped, her crossed arms unfolding and flailing to her sides in shock.

"You spied—" she hissed but I cut her off.

"No!", I exclaimed, my hands outstretched towards the space between us," Well—maybe...?" I sheepishly grimaced at the deadpanned look she gave me.

"I can't believe you", she said, her blue eyes darting from side to side, her tone quiet,"That's it—I'm reporting this to Nadakhan."

She huffed, about to turn on her heel away, but I wasn't having it. I grabbed a hold of her hand, tightly enough to jerk her to a stop.

She flashed me a look, before glancing at our hands. My face warmed in embarrassment.

"Can you let go?", she said, her face scrunched up as she tried slipping her hand away, but I only clasped it tighter, much to her annoyance.

"Sorry", I said,"But I can't let you tell on me just yet—please Kira—hear me out." I pleaded, staring at her piercing hard eyes that seemed to falter in hardness. I had to try.

She jerked a nod, not before looking for any guards.

"I saw what happened...", I said slowly and gently as I could," Kane—"

"Kane was only just formulating a plan", she interceded, looking away, a twisted look in her face,"He's smarter than you thin—"

"Smarter to make you fear for your safety and freedom and just slap you across the face like that?", I said, my voice deadpanned, and I slightly leaned forward, brushing my fingers slowly towards the lock of hair beside her temple that lay rather unevenly than usual—and then I saw the mark on her cheek.

I stared at the mark, an inaudible gasp dissolving from my throat. The slap on her cheek was marked— all speckled red and—was it bruising?

"All right doc," Kira's voice made me hastily pull away from my non-creepy inspection from her,"You done finding the diagnosis?" Though her tone was sarcastic, as I turned my gaze to her, I saw that her eyes looked glassy, her lower lip slightly quivered.

She bit her lip down hard, looking away.

"Kira", I said softly," Don't do this—you may have tried to get me away from Harumi—and it didn't work, but I want to help you...This isn't you—you can have a better life! I promise just—just help us—and we'll help you."

She turned her gaze to me, her face unsure.

"How do I know you aren't just lying to get your way?", she argued," After everything I did? And I hate Harumi—"

"I don't care whether you hate Harumi or not", I said, rolling my eyes,"I don't want to have that conversation with you if you won't listen because she's changed for the better—but this isn't about her. This is about you having a better life in Ninjago—and I can help you." I softened my tone, a small smile plastered onto my face.

She took her time answering, her eyes darting to the view ahead of us and the wooden floors, her face unreadable.

"Alright", she said, a sideway smile flashing across her face. My heart lifted.

"What's the plan Green Ninja?", she smirked and I smiled back, starting at the waves ahead.

We had a chance.

A/N---andddd helllooo fellow readers!! HAPPY BACK TO SCHOOL MONTH :D Yea, i'm just--ya know, playing the positive reader part ur welcome i know school might suck but come on! NEW SCHOOL YEAR!!! Well, I hope you liked the chapter so far! How did yall think of it? LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTSSSSSSS LOVE U ALL--and yes, Lloyd totally didn't forget that Rumi ran away and he had a panic attack of his own and forgot abt her no way :) Anyways, see you soon!