In a purple painted room with not much furniture, a dark figure stared down at a peaceful angel sleeping in the bed. It was still morning and a few days from their last contact. Both individuals had a rough time but were slowly opening up to eachother. It may not be the same admirable views that Harumi once had when she looked up at the man for total destruction upon her beloved city.
As for him, he never saw her as a trusty subordinate, but rather, someone of actual importance, an imperfect daughter. As the days passed, their bond with
one another considerably grew, no one knew If that should be a good thing or not. Garmadon sighed. "Look at this turn of events." He softly muttered.
For the past few days, he has given her breakfast and always listened when she bothered talking to him, the chances were scarce but he somehow enjoyed the little meddlesome conversations they've had. He also noticed that Harumi's smile became brighter in each and every compliment he's given her. Whether it was to remark her intelligence, her beauty and constant faith for her friends.
"Am I beginning to understand the feelings of a powerless being? Isn't that an Oni's most hated thing? The lack of ambition and power in these...." he couldn't continue his question. A tint of sadness washed over him. Well, he couldn't say such things about the white haired girl at this point.
Another sigh escaped the man, just what to do with this situation now that things ended up like this? He had no advisor nor yet anyone to support him for the de decisions he's made, he's the emperor after all, no one is superior than him. But just then, he couldn't say anything else for the communicator on his waist. "Sir, we need your inspection on the water pipes. They fell over again and there's currently a flood on floor 5." The voice of an SOG guard was heard.
The dark lord took out the communicator and with a salty expression, "I'll be right there. Don't touch anything." He demanded with strict orders.
The man stood up and glanced down at the sleeping girl one last time before
leaving the room without a sound. The door shut calmly and footsteps were heard in the corridors of the 9th floor. "And that's the last of it." quietly, the white haired girl opened her eyes to scan her surroundings. Nope, no one in sight. It seemed like the cost was clear, surprisingly. Carefully, Harumi slipped out of bed. "I'm surprised he left so quickly. Usually he stays here for a considerably long time.." she mumbled to herself, cautious of the fact that the dark lord may as well pop in at many times. "Can't be a false alarm that he's left for good right? A girl needs some time alone to plan." She said.
Her sharp eyes of the colour of black looked around a bit more. As Garmadon said before, this was a room accorded to her? It was a bit smaller than her previous room but it was good centimetre difference. She didn't mind the size, its the contents inside of the actual room that mattered to her. Like whether the bed would be comfy or if Garmadon had looked through her boxes. Ah, speaking of boxes and her private belongings. Harumi had spotted her familiar journal atop the lamp stand in the room. Garmadon did say that he flipped through the pages, gave it a good scan. For all she knew, his opinions on her definitely changed. Was it supposed to be a good thing or bad one?
Harumi grabbed the journal from the lampside table and hopped back in bed. She was still feeling particularly cold this morning and the windows were closed too. That's rather odd, or maybe today was meant to be a chilly day after all.
She flipped the book open and read through the words she had written at such young youth, it was almost nostalgic, to say the least. Attached to the book, there was a pen on a ribbon, when Harumi was still a child, she would used to write inside of the tiny book everyday so her parents thought that it would great to keep a pen around with it so she doesn't have to look for one, for let's say she was writing about her day at the park. She picked up the ribboned pen before flipping over to the newest and untouched page at the very middle of the book.
"How long has it been since I heard the tip of a pen graze gently against paper? For my hands to feel numb once more after writing for hours? For years to run dry through heartfelt moments that I relieve once more? Too long, that's for sure. Yet here I am, not wanting to ever go through my past once more, back to reading my book of secrets. I never wanted this in the first place, to recall why exactly I was cast aside. It's funny how the man that started my revenge became my most valuable one and how the one I idolized all my life became my sole target to rekindle true happiness. But you know, he made me realize something, something about myself. That I simply can't forget such a goal in my life, for several years, how much I yearned to be heard. But no one listened nor helped.
Here I am trapped in Borg's tower, where I had so foolishly called my home. Where I had remained all this time, in the dark and took so little action alongside my comrades—no, I lie, my friends. If I started all the way back to the start, I'd have to mention that....there was a time when Lloyd, the green ninja came down here, unwillingly. Lord Garmadon's subordinates have captured him and I couldn't help but stand there in absolute arrogance, another lesson for the one who caused me pain so long ago, I couldn't say no to that. But no, because of him and the love I felt when we first understood eachother, I'm here,
I celebrated Garmadon's creation being destroyed in the palm of our hands, now I ended up in chains of because of my joy. Because I changed sides.
Garmadon came back to me with a proposal. That I shall be his daughter once more, but I cannot forget about Lloyd, the one I hated for so long, the one I loved without even realizing. All I can say is that I'm torn, really."
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"This is pulling on my heartstrings." Harumi lashed out and threw the pen aside, it landed back in the centre of the page. However, there were squints of ink bubbling up within the pages. Quickly, the page here she had finished writing on was stained with ink everywhere. The white haired girl groaned and laid back down on the bed, putting the journal aside. "It's no use, why does he seem like he doesn't care? I mean frankly, I'm not even his real daughter!" She pointed out quite the fact. Why was Garmadon interested in her, let alone his own son? He killed his son just to have her? Harumi wasn't having it.
Staring up at the ceiling of the room, her eyes became watery in no second.
"This is so confusing, then all the blame gets put on me if I choose the wrong choice. I'm gonna be told off for sure by those superior wannabes for disobeying their precious emperor—that they secretly want him out of power, hah, such arrogant fools. But again...if I choose to be his subordinate once more, I'm gonna betray Lloyd....and I....don't want that, never in a million years." She sighed and reflected upon the life decisions she has at hand. Grabbing back the journal, she put to the side of her head, she opened the pages back to beginning. Her mood could have soured due to cringe at seeing those drawings drawn by a little girl.
Though, she stumbled upon the old family picture she keeps everywhere. She placed a hand on the picture and frowned sadly. The last picture she had with her parents, that she didn't know were gonna pass on so soon. Harumi hugged the journal and sobbed even more. "If only you were here, mama, papa, what do I do?" She asked quietly. That's right, even though she seemed so independent in the first place, she was just a small child, unadvised and lost. "I gotta stand up for myself, I know, that's what you've been telling me. But if you were in my place, you'd....you'd understand that things aren't always so easy in life!" Her words pierced through the currents of air in the room at the moment. It was useless to ramble like this. But Harumi needed reassurance, that someone, maybe something, was waiting for her beyond.
After several minutes of silence and absolutely no response from the ghosts above, she went back to looking through the pages. But that's when she realized, by checking the dates one by one and reaching to the newest—stained entry, "It's thanksgiving, huh?" She chuckled at the fact that she forgot about what's so particular about today. She's been so caught up in wars and mayhem, she had no time to keep track of specific holidays. "For thanksgiving, I need to be grateful, huh? Well, that'll be no problem.." she lies. It will be quite the challenge. Harumi brushed a strand of hair away from her face and her tears seem to dry off.
"Well for one, I'm thankful to have met Lloyd and met all of his friends. I felt like I was in a family again!" She recited, with an annoyed look slightly. When saying the things they are grateful of, most people would seem sincere and have smiles upon their faces. But Harumi couldn't find the courage to smile in her situation. She was trapped, miserable, homesick and scared. Even though today as a holiday, a special day to say the least, she still couldn't smile.
"I was loved and I finally reconciled with the emperor and empress, but no, everything just...it just had to be ruined!" Impulsiveness was promptly building up in her. She didn't stomp back down to the ground, just stayed in bed with closed fists.
"I just wanted to spend time with people who cared for me. I wanted to spend time with my family, with Lloyd, and Nya, and everyone else! But Garmadon just had to come in and claim I was still important." She took a deep breath. Her face flushed with confusion, anger and torment.
"I— just..."
"Wanted, I just wanted—"
The front door opened and three figures stepped in. Harumi stopped her rambling for a second to face the new arrivers, she was dead in her tracks.
Three SOG guards snickered at her abrupt silence.
"Very good, keep going, keep going.."
and with that, Harumi's world became pitch black.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Oi, it's thanksgiving today, right?" The voice of a cheerful boy, considerably younger than most associates in the tower, chimed over to his two other comrades, carrying a back on their shoulders. The man that had a black Mohawk and fanged canines, stopped walking and turned back to face the slow-paced boy. "Yes it is, Fishtank. Now catch up." Gluttonbone scolded.
It was atleast 15 minutes since Harumi was reading her journal and 10 minutes since she was transported out of her room.
The three SOG guards—Gluttonbone, Fishtank and Steeleye were alarmingly shuffling through the corridors, wary of the fact that their emperor may question why a massive bag was being transported by Gluttonbone and Steeleye. Fishtank, who stayed behind to put the book back on the table and close the door as quietly as possible, raced back to join his friends and so far, they weren't really happy of his tardiness.
"Yes yes! Coming! Geez, be more nicer to me because it's thanksgiving." Fishtank chimed with enthusiasm. Though,
"No one gives a flip about that here." Steeleye harshly responded back with a commanding tone. Sure they were about the same age but it was clear of who was scared of the other.
Gluttonbone walked a bit faster, catching Steeleye off guard for a second. "Hey man, why the change of pace?" He asked the older man. Gluttonbone shrugged and just kept walking. But Steeleye was lucky enough to earn a whispered response. "Maybe because my ears were bleeding with the sound of your futile bickering." He sneered. It was mission like this that would get them demoted for sure. For their statuses as decent guards, it would be all gone. Back to the bathrooms where they once started from as janitors.
"Imagine the feast we'd be having for thanksgiving when we get her out of here for go~" Fishtank was interrupted by his two other comrades.
"JUST SHUT UP! NO ONE CARES ABOUT THANKSGIVING!!" Steeleye and Gluttonbone merely yelled. Who cares if they were on the 5th floor, nothing wrong with that. The three kept walking.
~~~~~~~~~~
Silence is what they wanted. Yet they received a scolding. The dark lord in the flesh walked past a wall and revealed himself in front of the three guards. He lifted a brow and his attention was merely focused on the bag on Steeleye and Gluttonbone's shoulders. The three guards stood still for a second and faced their superior, their emperor. "H-Hey-"
"What's in the bag?" The oni lord went straight to the point. His blood shot red eyes glared down at the three uneasy guards. Even Gluttonbone who seemed intimidating enough, was on the verge of weeping. However, Fishtank, finding the bravery within him, stepped up and pointed at the bag. "Oh this old thing? It's the garbage from the basement. We were simply bringing it out." He made an excuse. Though Garmadon didn't buy it. The three dumbfounded guards were missing a crucial information and sadly for them, the emperor noticed it. "If you were taking the trash from the basement, why are you on the 5th floor?" He questioned, coming over to close the gap between his subordinates and himself. His curiosity for what's inside of the bag never died down.
In panic, Gluttonbone gulped and without much hesitation, he threw the bag over in Garmadon's direction. Gluttonbone may seem tough and scary, but he was the biggest coward between the three of them. "What are you doing fool?!" Steeleye hissed quietly, hoping to retrieve the bag. But the emperor caught the large bag in his hands and gently placed it aside. He clenched his knuckles and growled. "What is in the bag?" He questioned, raising his tone.
The three guards, squeaked in fear then stepped back gently. "Um!!" They were completely speechless. Well, Garmadon had a backup plan in case they didn't answer.
"You leave me no choice. I must resort to violence." With that, the dark lord was astray in a fluffy of eminence. A purple tornado was formed all around him and he could feel his anger resonating deep within. In spinjitzu, one felt their emotions stronger than ever. "Doesn't he always resort to violence?!" Steeleye pointed out, stepping out of the tornado's trajectory. Gluttonbone clung onto a door's handle and with a low voice filled with fear, "Gluttonbone doesn't like this!!" He seeped out. Fishtank was running towards the windows. "Ahhh! We definitely failed this time!" He observed, mere seconds too late. Yes, the three guards' mission to capture the white haired girl had failed for good. Garmadon's spinjitzu made its way closer to Fishtank and—
"Oh wahhhhh wahhhhh!!!"
The youngest-looking guard between the trio was shot out of the window. Leaving behind shattered glass, he was quickly falling from the fifth floor of Borg tower. Steeleye and Gluttonbone quickly ran over towards the window and with worried looks, for once in a lifetime, "Oh no! Fish!" They cried out for their fallen comrade that had just been defeated by the dark lord. Garmadon figured that they lowered their guard after eliminating one of their friends so he took this opportunity to knock the others out. "You're only worried about him because of today's date. Fools." The emperor laughed from his tornado and just like Fishtank, Gluttonbone and Steeleye were out of Borg tower as well.
When Garmadon was out of his attacking-daze, he immediately ran over to the bag and opened it. His eyes quickly met with Harumi's sleeping figure. He sighed in relief. "Good, they didn't touch you one single bit." He muttered.
~~~~~~~~~
The white haired girl woke up back in the purple stained room. At first she seemed kind of confused on why she ended up back inside of this bedroom however, she immediately shot out of bed when she saw Garmadon standing beside her. Her face flushed and she yelled in worry: "Were you watching me sleep?! That's...creepy!" She accused him with no thoughts or consideration that he might not. Though Garmadon just laughed and sat down on the bed while Harumi was throwing daggers with her eyes. If only, she could in real life, she might consider it herself...
"What are you doing here?" She asked the man, taking the time to calm down a bit. Maybe she should listen to what he had to say to her first, maybe he had an alibi and he wasn't watching her sleep the entire time. However, to her surprise, Garmadon changed the question around a bit. "Harumi, what are you grateful of?" He questioned, staring deep inside of her pained and disbelieved eyes. The white haired girl thought for a second. That was a pretty good question regarding today's date. What was she grateful of, in fact? Boy, she had a list but she wasn't sure if she should be telling that to her enemy that probably thinks that he'll be getting a daughter by the end of the week.
"I don't know. Grateful to meet Lloyd and the rest of the resistance, grateful to make my own organization, grateful to be a princess...grateful to find happiness..." she trailed off, each and every mention, Garmadon noticed her bright smile. Yes, he loves that smile. But reality brought him back to a painful truth. He frowned upon realizing she stopped after mentioning happiness.
Sure she was happy to make new friends and probably mess around with the SOG, the very organization she made. But, he couldn't help but ask one thing.
"I have no room in your gratitude?" He gave sad eyes in her direction.
Harumi seemed stunned for a second, even raising her arms to touch her cheeks. "Oh my. Feeling left out, are we?" She chuckled slightly before making her way back to the bed. She didn't know how to feel Garmadon just yet really. Hated him, found him amusing, saw him as hero, saw him as a father...no, she had to focus but then again, she couldn't help but feel pity for the man. He had to spend hours with the SOG guards while they were partying and such. Mustn't he feel exhausted that There was no one de net in these corridors? Harumi sighed and placed a hand over his massive Oni one. "Well alright, thank you for making me half of the person I am today, Lord Garmadon." She smiled, one of sincerity apparently. Garmadon smiled with certainty. "Well Harumi, happy thanksgiving."
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A/N Hiya! LillaSmolBean here and thank you for reading the thanksgiving special! Now here's a fun fact while I'm still here, thanksgiving actually already passed where I live, yeah it was back in October however, I still had fun writing this chapter! To the chapter's title all the way to this author's note! I had so much writing and what's fun is that everything written in these holiday themed chapters is that they're officially canon to the Reconciled hearts storyline! Well happy thanksgiving to everyone! I hope you guys have a great day! 💜