(Y/n) had been waiting for this moment. The Mask of Hatred was right in front of them, all that was left was to snatch it and get the heck out of here. (Y/n) moved with the shadows, forcing herself to stay hidden until Harumi's signal.
Said girl neared the mask and slowly reached out. Even if (Y/n) couldn't see Harmui's face, she could sense her devious smirk. As Harumi's hands skimmed the edges of the mask, a flame-like shield forced her away. It was just like both girls expected. If Harumi tricked Lloyd into taking it, the end would be a straight line and their master plan would come to a clean close. Harumi motioned to the mask and took a step back. "Only someone with Oni blood can take the mask." (Y/n) rolled her eyes. She was becoming impatient because Harumi was taking it too slow. They needed that mask, now. If it were her way, she'd knock Lloyd out and take it in a jiffy. But no, Harumi just had to use Lloyd as her bait.
Lloyd slowly, almost hesitantly, reached for the mask. He wrapped his fingers around it and pulled it off the pedestal. His emerald eyes traced over its intricate details, tracing over each nook and cranny. "Can I?" said Harumi, reaching for the mask giddily. "Can I see it?" Lloyd pulled away from her, his back turned.
"I, I just want to see it."
Lloyd's emerald eyes, the ones that matched my own so well, pierced into Harumi's suspiciously. I bit my thumb. He knew. "How did you know?" Harumi gave Lloyd a confident smile. "It's an Oni temple. It's safe to assume only an Oni can take it." She spoke a little too fast. Lloyd eyed Harumi and edged away from her. I glared at her and motioned for her to hurry up. She glared jangrily at me before turning back to Lloyd.
"How could you know that I was part Oni?" questioned Lloyd in disbelief. Harumi advanced, appearing dangerously close to Lloyd. "You're related to the First Spinjitzu Master. He was an Oni." She snuck her hand over Lloyd's shoulder, nearly grasping the mask. Defensive, Lloyd pulled the mask closer to him, his eyes set on Harumi's in deep thought. "Jay and I were alone when Mistaké told us the story. You were never there."
"Then...I must have heard it from Jay."
(Y/n) clenched a fist. That was a pathetic excuse. Jay would never spill something so top-secret to a measly princess. He would ask Lloyd first because even Jay respected people's privacy. Harumi's facade was sliding off like melted ice. If she didn't hurry up, then (Y/n) would have to intervene. Harumi tried snatching the mask again, only for Lloyd to stumble back. "I don't want to believe it." He paused, betrayal thundering in his eyes. "You're the Quiet One?"
"How could you say that?" cried Harumi. Lloyd turned away, realization crossing over his face. Everything he knew about her, was it all a lie? Had he fallen for some plastic princess? "It all makes sense now. 'The greatest villain is the one you never knew was there in the first place'. You said that."
Harumi let out a small laugh. "Oh yes, I'm the criminal mastermind." she sarcastically muttered. "How could I have done this? Do you realize how silly you are sounding?" She placed a hand on Lloyd's shoulder and traced a finger down Lloyd's chest. (Y/n) growled under her breath incoherent insults. What was Harumi doing? This wasn't apart of the plan.
"I-I love you." Harumi knew that Lloyd had a crush on her, so this was her last choice. If Lloyd wouldn't give the mask to her willingly, then she'd do it herself. She closed her eyes and leaned in for a kiss. Stunned, Lloyd only watched in confliction. For one, the girl he really, really had the hots for was going to kiss him, but on the other hand... Lloyd shoved Harumi off of him. "Stay. Back." he seethed. From the shadows, (Y/n)'s face contorted into a deep scowl. She thought Harumi was taking it too far. None of this would have happened if (Y/n) did everything herself.
(Y/n) walked out of the shadows with a tsk. Harumi's forced facade of confusion and compassion melted off her face in an instant. Her true colours showed when she took (Y/n) by the collar in a mix of anger and hatred. "I told you to wait!" she spat. (Y/n) frowned from under her mask and forced Harumi's hands off. "I told you that Lloyd wouldn't fall so easily. I could have done it, heck, if you," I glared at Lloyd, "and your friends hadn't stolen Wu, that would have saved your hide!" Lloyd's eyes widened. "The baby is Sensei Wu...?"
"As slow as ever Lloyd." said (Y/n). Confusion once again crossed Lloyd's face. So much was going on that he had yet to process anything. If only Zane were here, he thought. "Who are you?"
"The Clever One." Harumi smugly said. She ripped off (Y/n)'s mask. "Or better known, (Y/n) Garmadon." Lloyd was stunned. (Y/n) Garmadon? There was no way, it was impossible, he thought. Lloyd's grip tightened around the mask. "No.... I saw you fall! You tried to save me from Pythor, but he...you're supposed to be dead!"
"Dead?" (Y/n) snorted with a harsh laugh. "Pythor may have thrown me off of Darkley's bloody roof, but I survived. Broke a few bones, but I'm in one piece brother."
"Then...why?"
"Why? Why?" On impulse, (Y/n) drew her katana. "You forgot about me! You didn't even look for me! You just had to become the damned Green Ninja, the oh-so-popular Chosen One! I was forgotten, scrapped behind as some fucking homeless kid! I became nothing." She pointed the dagger to Lloyd's throat. "Give. Me. The. Mask."
"No. I can't let you--" (Y/n) threw a roundhouse kick, knocking the mask out of his hands. It flew through the air and landed between them. Hurriedly, (Y/n) made a mad grab for it, but a blast of green energy forced the mask to the other side of the platform. Lloyd lunged, knocking (Y/n) flat on her back. "I never forgot about you!" (Y/n) punched him in the jaw, but Lloyd kept talking. "I always regretted what I did. I regretted ever letting out those snakes!" (Y/n) flipped Lloyd over so that she straddled him. She punched him again before Lloyd threw her against the pedestal. "Father wouldn't have wanted this." said Lloyd. He held (Y/n)'s wrists in an iron grip, ceasing her from throwing anymore painful hits.
"Father is dead to me! You've always been his favourite anyway." (Y/n) struggled against Lloyd's iron grip, anger clear on her face. Lloyd furrowed his brows. Favourite? He never picked favourites, thought Lloyd. He had no memory of that. And what would (Y/n) know? She hadn't talked to their father because she disappeared.
"He loved us equally!" exclaimed Lloyd. "After you disappeared, that was the first thing he asked about." (Y/n) threw an uppercut, causing Lloyd's grip to slacken. They struggled against each other once more, throwing and blocking each other's attacks. "Don't. Lie to me!" (Y/n) threw him across the platform, nearly knocking him into the endless abyss beneath them. "You were all everyone talked about. The Green Ninja this, the Green Ninja that. While you were out saving the day with your 'family' I died, piece by piece. It was painful. I had nobody, but you, you were privileged."
Harumi cracked her knuckles with an unamused expression. "Enough of your family feud. It's my turn." (Y/n) side-stepped, evading Lloyd's knuckle sandwich. "Fine." As Harumi did her thing, (Y/n) went over to the mask. She gingerly picked it up, savouring the feeling of triumph. She finally had it. The Mask of Hatred was in her clutches after all the blood, sweat, and tears. From over Harumi's shoulder, a green ball of energy came barreling towards (Y/n). With a flick of her wrist, a small, glittering shield of gold deflected it.
"G-Golden Power?" There was a bad taste of disdain in (Y/n)'s mouth. Why did he sound so surprised? She was the granddaughter of the First Spinjitzu Master, as well as the one who could have been the chosen Green Ninja. But since Lloyd beat her to it because his status was, well, alive, he took the spotlight. "Do you really think you're the only one who's inherited it? The prophecy never said that you were the only one with the possibility of becoming the Ultimate Spinjitzu Master." Lloyd was stunned. All this time, was he a replacement? What was this supposed to mean for him? He couldn't think straight.
Harumi took advantage of Lloyd's confusion and tackled him. (Y/n) traced a finger along the mask, a teasing smile on her lips. "Your emotions...it's hard to think innit? You could have easily defeated Harumi, yet here you are, struggling with a mere simpleton."
Harumi threw a cruel glare at her.
"You care too much for Harumi, Greenie. You're too soft! And now look, your soft heart let the mask fall into our hands." Harumi smirked, for (Y/n)'s taunts took action, stunning Lloyd into an insecure silence. Harumi stared Lloyd down with cold eyes. She loathed Lloyd, and with (Y/n) under her control, she wouldn't have to dirty her hands. "How many times has Ninjago fallen on your watch? How many times have you ninja failed?! How many times have you let others pay the price?!" screamed Harumi. "You're not our protectors. You're just a bunch of kids playing dress-up!" Harumi snatched whipped out a dagger. "With your father by my side, we can return Ninjago to glory! Give it the leader it truly deserves! And then, make you feel that same pain I did that day! You can watch Ninjago fall, piece by piece and suffer at the hands of your father."
A frantic fear rose in LLoyd's gut. He couldn't let them resurrect his father. If they did, he wouldn't be the same man he once knew. "No..." whispered Lloyd. He shoved Harmui out of the way and lunged at his sister. "No!" he shouted, swiping the mask from (Y/n)'s hands. With a single flick of his arm, he threw it over the edge of the platform. (Y/n)'s eyes widened, both in fear and shock. Harumi broke into a sprint. Without hesitation, she jumped over the edge, successfully catching the mask. (Y/n) gave Lloyd a hard look. "You idiot!" she screamed. "Now Harumi has the fucking mask!"
Confusion struck Lloyd, for the fifth time today. (Y/n) let out a muffled scream into her sweatshirt as Harumi reappeared. She already wore the Mask of Hatred, leaving a cold pit in (Y/n)'s stomach. What was she to do now? The mask gave her invincibility. What could combat that? Her master plan was foiled. All because of some simpleton. "Physical pain can only hurt so much. I indeed far worse. I want you to feel the same pain, the same emptiness I felt that day! When your father is reborn, he won't be the man you recognize!" Harumi roared. Her voice was distorted and radiated with anger. It set (Y/n) on edge.
"I want his cold hands to DESTROY YOU!"
Lloyd stared Harumi down. "You monster! I'll never feel what you feel." Harumi scoffed, making her way towards the exit. "We'll see..."
"Fight me! Let's end it here!" (Y/n) cast her brother a look of disappointment. "If you really meant that, then you would have thrown a punch by now. You're hesitating Lloyd. You're too soft." she said with a tight frown. "Come (Y/n). Our plan is about to be put in action." (Y/n) stayed rooted in her spot. She knew she couldn't fool Harumi for long. Even if she kept up the facade, they'd find out too soon. "I said, come." Harumi was more insistent and commanding this time. With a clenched fist, (Y/n) shook her head. "You may have the mask, but that does not mean that your plan is a hundred percent fool-proof. Even if you managed a clean finish, Lloyd will always have the upperhand."
"You are being foolish. Have you gone soft after seeing your dear brother?" questioned Harumi sternly. (Y/n) scoffed. "No. I have not. I simply believe that you are bound to fail." Harumi stomped her foot against the fragile rock. "Traitor." she spat. In a swift move, she made it to the other side of the bridge, driving her fist into it. "No...NO!" cried Lloyd. (Y/n) calmly watched Harumi throw her tantrum. As she disappeared down the corridor, there was a smash. Water immediately flooded the room, sealing off all exits. "Where's Nya when you need her?" muttered Lloyd. (Y/n) scoffed. "Who needs the Master of Water when you can take care of yourself?" She willed the water to bend, forming a tunnel around the two.
"Why are you helping me?" questioned Lloyd. (Y/n) raised a brow in disbelief. She loved Lloyd and all, but he was really dense. "It was all an act, but that doesn't mean I didn't mean what I said." she simply stated. Lloyd chocked on his own spit. "What?!"
"Why else do you think they call me The Clever One? Oh, and Lloyd?" (Y/n) jabbed a finger at his chest. "You owe me one."