Ninjago: One More Ninja

Chapter 55: Game of Masks

"I didn't need you to find the mask. It would've already been mine had your idiot friends not stolen Wu from us" Harumi grins evilly

Lloyd stares disbelievingly at her "The baby is Master Wu?"

"I could've told you that" Aria said

Harumi walks up to Lloyd as he tries to move away "I knew to keep you close. Not everything goes to plan. Give me the mask" She grabs the mask and moved away as Aria blasted fire at her.

"I can't let you bring my father back. Not like that" Lloyd said

"Well, then if you won't give it to me..." Harumi spins on her right leg, back kicks him with the left. Knocking Lloyd to the ground and the mask out of his hands "Then I will take it!"

Aria shot a dark energy ball that hit Harumi in the gut sending her back "My idiotic team might not have suspected you, but I'm not as stupid"

"Obviously, at first I tried to get rid of you, but you're just terrifying" Harumi said "so how about you join us"

"What?!" Lloyd shouted

"what?" Aria questioned

"Overlord Aria, your family was stripped of their royal tittle, your grandparents kills, your parents killed by Wu and Garmadon with the elemental masters, your father was just recently killed again by Lloyd and the rest of the ninja" Harumi walked to her "isn't it time they all payed the price, after all you are your father's daughter... aren't you?"

Lloyd lunges at Harumi and pins her to the ground "Aria's a ninja, she's done more good in her entire life then you ever have! She's nothing like her father! She's a real princess!"

"I never asked to be a princess" Harumi presses Lloyd onto his back "Just as I never asked to be an orphan, but you gifted me that!"

Lloyd throws her onto her back "How did I do that?"

"The Great Devourer. It was too strong" Harumi pushes Lloyd slowly onto his back "Too big for you and your friends" she laughs softly "Oh, Lloyd. You aren't so naive to think no one got hurt that day, did you?" Lloyd gets up, throwing her onto the ground. She gets up, slowly with her fist raised "It wasn't until the almighty Lord Garmadon saved the day! But he couldn't save my family" She looks sadly at the ground "It was too late. I died that day, too!"

Lloyd shook his head angrily "Feeding the poor, acting scared? It was all an act?"

"Ah, yes. The damsel in distress. You Ninja really are from another time" Harumi said

"The Emperor and Empress?" Lloyd questioned

"They were never my parents! To protect Ninjago, I had to repress those feelings. I had to wear a mask until the time came for me to take control. I had to be smarter, stronger" Harumi responded

"You were never protecting Ninjago. You were only after revenge" Lloyd said

"Tell me, Lloyd, how many times has Ninjago almost fallen on your watch? How many times have you Ninja failed and let others pay the price? You're not our protectors. You're just a bunch of little kids playing dress up. Ninjago is my home too. And with your father by my side, we can return it to glory. Give it the leader it truly des—" Harumi goes after the mask but Lloyd grabs it.

"Then... I guess this is goodbye" Lloyd throws the mask off the cliff but Aria jumps off the ledge, she grabs it before grabbing the ledge and pulling herself up

"A-Aria" Lloyd said worried

"It's time for Ninjago to pay the price" Aria said, her eyes turned purple as she powered up her dark energy orb

Harumi stood next to Aria "glad to see you on the right side"

"Aria sweetie this isn't you, your powers are taking control again" Lloyd said "give me the mask"

"This isn't me" Aria laughed

Aria threw her dark energy orb at the ceiling and it started to crack and crumble. Aria and Harumi quickly ran out of the cave.

-

Harumi arrives where the Ninja and Sons of Garmadon are.

"The Quiet One has the mask. We have all three!" Killow shouted and The Sons of Garmadon cheer.

Harumi smirked "Now I believe we have a ceremony to attend to. Take the ship."

"Not so fast" Kai said and the Ninja surround them.

Jay laughed "Haha. Looks like we have the upper—"

Aria shows up with more Sons of Garmadon and surround them.

"Aria what are you doing!" Cole shouted confused

"Oh, now isn't this a lovely pickle?" Ultra Violet smiled evily

"Where's Lloyd?" Kai asked

"The Green Ninja can't help you now" Aria said

Kai stepped forward "This can end one of two ways: either you hand the masks over peacefully—"

"I don't even have to know the rest of the choices. I like that one." Jay said

"Or what?" Harumi asked

"Or we'll have to get all Ninja up on ya" Kai said

Harumi looked at Aria "What does that even mean?"

"They usually don't talk for a reason" Aria said

Kai got frustrated "I don't know ok! I was improvising. Usually Aria or Lloyd does the talking. But you switched sides and he isn't here. B—Where's Lloyd!?"

Lloyd was thrown from the waterfall.

Cole pointed up "There he is"

The Ninja catch him.

Lloyd stood up "You guys, Rumi is the Quiet One and she convinced Aria to switch sides"

"We kind of got that much" Kai said

The monster Crabby from the lake attacked.

"We have to get you two out of here, Quiet One and Lord Aria" Ultra Violet said

They leave on the Bounty, then Zane freezes Crabby.

"Get me close" Lloyd commanded

"I'm on it. Zane, I need an assist" Nya and Zane use their powers to make a path of ice to the Bounty.

Lloyd then Spinjitzus up the path to land on the anchor of the ship. He climbed up and was immediately blasted by Aria. Killow put vengestone cuffs on him so he couldn't use his powers. The sons of Garmadon started talking while Aria watched Lloyd.

"Aria we've been best friends since we were kids, you're my girlfriend, please" Lloyd pleaded "I love you, I really do, I'm sorry for whatever I did, I'm a really stupid guy"

Aria bent down to him and kissed his cheek "be patient Lloydie, good things come to those who wait"

Aria stood up and walked away, Lloyd smiled to himself "she's faking"