Crystal Reflections

Chapter 2: Prison Home

Lloyd sat a couple of rows behind from where he could see the ex-Quiet One — emphasize on the ex — was seated. Harumi was going through a trial at the Ninjago City Courthouse to determine her punishment after nearly destroying the city twice. First one being her success in taking over the city a couple of years back with a resurrected, evil version of Lord Garmadon, Lloyd's father, and the second was taking part in bringing back the embodiment of Evil himself — The Overlord — which had almost led to the end of all 16 Realms as they knew it. And for all the other crimes she had committed during those two periods of destruction.

The Judge, Toughbutt, the same guy who had sentenced him and the Ninja to 5 years in Kryptarium — but of course, that sentence had been revoked after the final final battle had ended — was currently going over every law Harumi had broken. Every crime she had done in the 17 years of her life. It's crazy to think that a 17 year old could commit such murderous offenses.

"-mass murder, regicide, kidnapping, arson, assault, terrorism, jail breaking, organized crime-" And so on, the list kept going.

To tell the truth, Lloyd hated every second of it. He hated being reminded of all the bad things she had done. Mostly, the bad things she'd done to him. He hated remembering how she lied and manipulated him until every ounce of his being was unable to trust so easily anymore. Hated how she traumatized him for life by doing what she did; he really couldn't love another girl after her. Hated how she resurrected Lord Garmadon just so that he could kill Lloyd. Hated how she was the cause of his near-death experience that night outside of Kryptarium, how his blood was on her hands.

And yet, though he hated everything she did to him, he was still here. At the back rows of the courthouse. Patiently sitting there as the Judge went on. Arriving for her sake. Not screaming at the top of his lungs for the Judge to just throw her into prison with a life sentence, or worse, sentence her with execution. He surprised himself at how much he didn't hate Harumi herself. Rather, he just hated her actions. Also, he hated that his past actions — his stupid, younger self's actions — had created a domino effect which made Harumi be influenced to do what she had done.

Watching from where he was sat, he couldn't see Harumi very well — only parts of her back and white hair showing —, but he had known her long and well enough to read her body language. He could tell that she was flinching as the Judge listed off all her crimes, could tell how she was trying so damn hard to keep it together, to keep herself together and not show weakness in front of so many citizens, so many strangers she had hurt, intentionally and unintentionally. Seeing her struggle so much, be under so much pressure, and look so hurt — even though she herself had hurt him beyond what anyone could've possibly imagined —, made him want to just run up to her and give her a hug; an act that would give her reassurance, comfort, and care all in one.

"Harumi Jade, the ex-Princess of Ninjago, the Quiet One, you are guilty of all the crimes imaginable." Lloyd's brows furrowed, creasing his forehead. That didn't sound good, "You, ma'am, are lucky to not have been executed after everything you have done." Lloyd let himself release a quick breath of relief, glad that Harumi's sentence wasn't death, but the next words that came out of the man's lips washed that spark of hope right away. Filled with venom and spite, he said, "I, William Horace Toughbutt, hereby sentence you, Harumi Jade, to a lifetime in Kryptarium Prison." The three bangs of Toughbutt's mallet came right after.

Shock radiated through him. He should've expected that, really. It wasn't any surprise to him that Harumi's sentence would be a long time away in Kryptarium. But still, he didn't want to believe it would become a reality.

Lloyd, along with pretty much every participant in room, stood up. He searched with his eyes until they landed on the criminal mastermind with white hair. Beside her stood an old man who Lloyd assumed was supposed to be her lawyer or something of the sort. It didn't seem like he wanted to help Harumi defend herself in the trial at all. Even his body was turned the opposite way of her, and his chair was slowly inching further and further away from her. Whatever his name was, he wasn't doing what he's supposedly paid to do.