Salt: A Ninjago story

34: You're my density!

'The destiny writers are up there right now frantically scribbling our path, informing the dark island that we're on our way... They're all in cahoots; these remnants of creation'

'Destiny Writers? Are you telling me our Destiny is written? That we don't have free will?'

Lloyd looked at Harumi and realised she wouldn't have a clue about some of the things he now took for granted and Harumi continued indignantly 'Well... now I really do have someone I can blame. Just give me half a chance and they will rue the day they crossed me!'

'Believe me, I've thought the same so many times' Lloyd replied to Harumi 'but I think they are more complex than their name suggests. While it may seem that they are controlling our destiny, I believe they are actually watching the progress of our lives and fine-tuning the car crash it could so easily be' Lloyd turned to Harumi and looked into her eyes 'we are here. Enemies united by something more. At what point they wrote our diversion I don't know, but we are on our own path together now. Maybe the Dark Island will help us somehow? Make us face our demons or learn to live with them. Or at the very least, give us some answers'

'What are your questions?' Harumi asked.

Lloyd sighed 'just one big fat why?'

'Ha! You might have to be a bit more specific than that'

'I'm not so sure. I think this island knows all about me'

'Really?' Harumi asked a hint of surprise in her voice.

'Sure. The Overlord lured my father even further down the black rabbit hole there. If that Island holds life, it will have his history written in its bedrock' Lloyd looked up to the sky 'and the destiny writers are up there right now frantically scribbling our path, so they must see a path that works for us on the Dark Island'

'Well you really do know all kinds of shit... but you know, my education was kind of limited. The Grand Master controlled everything and I only needed to know enough to carry out his plan'

'Even at the Palace? What about your pare... adopted parents?'

'No, that's not how its done in a royal household. There is a person for every role. My... parents' role was to be Ninjago's figureheads and they thought they were doing the right thing by me, making me a figurehead in waiting, a princess for the people. I had a governess, dressers, personal cooks, friends to play with, all of whom gained their position through my own personal aid, who happened too be the Grand Master'

'So even when you were adopted out, you were never free'

'He came with me from the 'home'. An esteemed figure himself in court circles' he had a legitimate House, was known by his family name and respected by Ninjago's elite... and the royals. His esteem was high because of the good he would do in the community and the care he gave to orphans at the home. They did not know the flip side. It was purely a cover, for another house that grew as strong as the one that held his family name, called only The House of Shadows. At the home, he would skim off the fittest to build his shadow army'

'And after your ordeal, this is where you were sent and nobody knew what they were sending you into'

Harumi shook her head 'As soon as he saw me I became his obsession and my training started immediately. He used my pain like a torture. Twisting my loss into a form of power. He would not allow me sleep or tears, he warped the world, that was broken for me already and created a weapon from vengeance itself...' Harumi hesitated and looked longingly at Lloyd '...and its still there. I still feel it'

'Harumi, I can't expect an experience like this to leave you completely. I understand it will live with you, but I can help; I can wrap my arms around you and give you the love you have missed. Give you a family again... one that will probably refuse to accept you, but that's like most families, so I've heard'

'That's the thing. While the royals left me cold, they were actually warm and giving, but I had been so brainwashed I chose to hate them and let them die'

'Harumi...' Lloyd went to speak but she cut him off and continued.

'He presented me to the Royals himself and in that first meeting all I wanted to do was to shout at them, claw at them, use some of my new skills on them because they represented everything my parents weren't, most obviously, alive. But he was there, standing right beside me. I knew my place and I knew what would happen should I disobey him...' She hesitated, emotion close to the surface.

'They choose me to be their daughter. I left the home, but it was as if I was still there, because they made him my aid and he controlled my every waking moment, my training, my education my thoughts. In the end I could barely remember love and the feeling of my true parents embrace. The royal hug felt like ice in my veins. It wasn't long before he tried to hug me too'

'No' Lloyds face quivered with anger and sadness for the story that Harumi laid out for him.

'But he only tried once. He had not included this in his training and I was not compliant. He saw that this new desire might jeopardise his original and everything he had worked for, so he backed off. Though he waited in hope, believing one day I would finally give myself over to him completely. I believe that may be how all this started and how we have ended up here'

'The assassin?' Lloyd asked.

Harumi nodded 'He must have been watching me, watching us. Some things a man such as he cannot take and to have his prize taken from him by his enemy, well...'

'Just as I took your parents from you?'

'You didn't'

'Harumi...'

'You didn't. I truly see that now' She looked at Lloyd, with honesty in her eyes and he believed her completely 'and I see now that I am in love with you' Lloyd smiled 'as a little girl I loved you because you were the Green Ninja, a symbol of strength and hope and courage. And I love you now because you are still everything I believed the Green Ninja to be, including my saviour and a beautiful person who has only good in his heart... and it turns out you're hot as hell!'

'Rumiiii' Lloyd blushed, she laughed and kissed him on the cheek before turning away to jump in the boat.

'Right then! I'm glad I got that off my chest. Lets go! I've gotta say the Island's temper has calmed down a lot since we decided to leave' Harumi noted.

Lloyd followed and looking out into the wall of grey, realised she was right. The lightening's eager demonstrations had stopped and a frosty calm had taken its place. He pushed the boat into the water and jumped in 'do you know how to sail?' he asked.