It was all a big blur to when Harumi truly woke up this morning, time shifted around 7 to 8AM. But what is certain is the fact that she was awakened due to a dreadful nightmare, ugh another one of those. She remembers it vividly too, tossing and turning until her eyes fluttered open. She can recall every single last word and actions she ever saw in that nightmare, but yet, she didn't want to remember. She'd shout: "Please stop!" but the images that were flashed by her mind showed her no mercy and once more, had she had to witness the ninja clad in green's ultimate demise.
Waking up out of breath was not a good start to a morning, Harumi panted and glanced around her room. No overprotective Garmadads' in sight and only a cotton ball by her feet, her trustworthy Cloud. "It's about Lloyd," she sighed, her mind still scrambled from her terrifying nightmare, she lunged forward to caress the puppy, still having the covers on her legs. "Oh would you have loved to meet him, he's the greatest person." She smiled, a recollection of brief happiness appearing before her. Cloud gave a confused growl before laying her head back down on her paws, it seems like the pup wasn't ready to be up just yet. Harumi sighed once more and jumped out of bed.
There was noise that startled her outside and she had to investigate, a natural instinct really. She's been trapped here for almost two months now with failed escape routes and nights of unbelievable misery. Now, everything that even produced sound got her attention, perhaps it'll be the day of her planned escape? The white haired prisoner is uncertain but she still manages to build up the courage and leave her room and fluff ball behind for mere minutes. "I'll be back." She had whispered to Cloud, of course being too far away to hear her, the pup couldn't bark in understanding. But just being able to whisper these words to herself relieved her from having cold feet.
The sound was coming from the hallways that were a few rooms away from the kitchen. A real pester if you had to ask Harumi herself. She sneaked towards the nearest wall and stayed close. There, two SOG guards were discussing while patrolling the area. The jade princess listened real close, it was shocking. "Have you brought the prisoners' their breakfast yet?" One guard asked another. Harumi glanced away for a few minutes, prisoner talk was it? Harumi wasn't sure how many prisoners Garmadon had.
However, she wasn't oblivious to the point where she believed she was the only one that had to suffer within this tower's walls.
"I'm not really sure if I'll be able to face them. Especially that one claiming to have water powers." Their companion responded. But that's when it clicked for Harumi, she immediately stretched a leg closer to the kitchen, 'Nya is here?' She thought mentally. That was bad, extremely bad. Sure Garmadon told her that her friends abandoned her, but still...
"I hope she gets out here soon, I'm sure Lloyd would have wanted her to." She muttered, walking closer towards the source of the noise. She was thinking strategically, why was she headed straight towards the enemy? She can't think about that now, she needs to work on a new strategy to escape this high tower, ASAP. "I already tried the main entrance, windows...what else have I not tried.." pondering, Harumi didn't realize,
"Ah!" A stack of pots and tea boxes fell straight in her path. With not enough time to dodge the obstacles despite her intense training with the green and water ninja months ago, she could have claimed that it was somewhat unpredictable? Luckily, she didn't get hurt too badly but her arms arched from trying to block the falling pots. Recovering from that, Harumi attempted to stand back up only to glance at her hand, 'What am I doing-' she couldn't speak, just think.
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Garmadon held his breath for a split moment. A minute ago, it was all calm and the skies were in bloom. But the next, he could sense them being bothered by the crazy barking going on downstairs. "Harumi?" was the first word that escaped his lips this morning. He stormed downstairs, using the lift and begged the machine to go down faster. "Harumi, what happened to her?" He'd ask, praying to the skies that she was alright. There was no such thing as a miracle given to this world by the FSM.
It was just surrounded by darkness with very little light at unexpected times. But after what felt like an eternity, Garmadon relished the fact that the elevator doors opened so quickly. Immediately, he scurried out and managed to surprise a few patrolling guards. There, he heard the barking become louder. It was Cloud, without a doubt. Garmadon would be surprised if it wasn't that ludicrous pup.
If he had to be honest, he doesn't know what made him dislike the puppy all of a sudden? A bit of a thought relationship if you asked him. There's days where he appreciates the Pomeranian and sometimes, the Pomeranian can act like a total rival in politics.
When he arrived on sight, the man couldn't believe his sights. The barking Pomeranian was towering over Harumi, which should be quite the opposite due to the dog's small size. Garmadon approached the white haired girl. "Harumi.." he started, getting even closer. Cloud didn't bother to bark in alert to Garmadon's approach. Harumi simply blinked, looking dumb-founded at the tall oni lord. "You've become a baby?" He inquired.
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Garmadon found it easy to transport Harumi back to her room. But oh my, oh my, was she the cutest thing? Her bun was rearranged to long pigtails and her clothes were changed. That's because of the aging tea that had spilled on her jade-coloured attire. Garmadon figured it was best that she didn't have to be bothered by a wet shirt. Though, luckily, she was all clad in green. Garmadon managed to find some clothes in the drawer previously belonging to his baby son.
"Alright, so you arrived in the kitchen and the tea fell over you?" Garmadon, now sitting on the bed, inhaled sharply. Harumi, who was vividly sitting on the ground with Cloud, nodded sadly. He sighed and thought for a second. What were the methods of taking off the effects of tea? Tea wasn't like a potion where you could drink some special substance it make it go away. I think the worst case scenario is waiting a few hours. Garmadon glared at Cloud, "The pup didn't have anything to do with it?" He asked. Cloud noticed the hard eye.
Harumi squabbled and stood up from the ground, shaking her head and just tried, so very hard, to deny that question of his. Of course Cloud wouldn't do such a thing. Why would she? Cloud was a good dog that stayed in her room, she only came here when she sensed her owner was in danger. Garmadon sighed once more, understanding and quickly glaring at Cloud as an apology. It didn't help but raise more hostility between the two.
It couldn't be helped.
"Anyways, here, this used to belong to Lloyd as a gift but he never really used it. I don't think my son liked drawing. But I know you do." He handed the girl a colouring book along with some wax crayons. Harumi examined the contents of the book, even widening her eyes at the different uncoloured pictures. Inside the box, were a few colouring crayons and Harumi quickly understood that. She stood up once more and walked over to Garmadon to pat his knee since that's all her height could grant her. "Twank yu! Twank yu!" She attempted to pronounce.
Garmadon smiled, he missed the feeling of caring for an actual child. "You're very welcome, Rumi." He chuckled and judged a green crayon in her direction. "Now here, why don't you colour the pretty caterpillar in green?" He pointed at the drawing and Harumi's eyes lit up. A splendid idea because the child did just that. Despite being a baby, she seemed to know who he was. Garmadon didn't know the consequences of the aging tea, but he was curious to know something. He got down on the ground and laid on his stomach next to Harumi. He watched how the baby was busy colouring the caterpillar in the colouring book.
"Say Harumi, do you know Lloyd?" He asked. The baby didn't answer right away, colouring away as quickly as she could. The crayon didn't leave her hands for one second and she looked so hard-working.
Garmadon thought it was useless to ask her questions when she seemed so distant from the adult world. It was good that way, to keep this adorable baby away from the darkness of the world. If an imaginary world full of colours existed, Garmadon would do anything to send her there, to colour all the blank drawings in that peaceful fantasy world.
Chirping, "Woyld?" Harumi asked. Garmadon thought about her response closely until he made a conclusion. "So the aging tea fades out someone's memories while the effects are active." He said to himself. Harumi nodded, not really understanding and continued colouring.
Garmadon decided to try another question, "Do you know about the resistance?" He inquired. Silence went by and Harumi changed the green crayon for a lovely yellow one. She started to colour the catepillar's spots.
"No, donnot no." Harumi replied, taking a deep breath before showing Garmadon her drawing. The man laughed and clapped at her excellency before he beckoned her to draw another drawing.
"You won't believe what I've done to you." He started, a frown appearing on his lips.
Harumi started to colour the second page of the colouring book, a pirate boat. Garmadon stared at the ceiling for a few seconds before he itched his arm. "The resistance, the fact that abandoned you? That was a lie. I'm sorry." He confessed. The truth had been spread out but Harumi couldn't comprehend it. Was Garmadon that selfish?
"I'm sorry I'm sorry, I know. I should have told you sooner. But really, you're really like my daughter. I'm sorry." He apologized. Harumi let go of the crayon and tilted her head in confusion. Her small mouth opened: "Dad sorry?" She called him dad, she called him dad. Garmadon's eyes widened and he chuckled. A genuine laugh for ages if he had to ask himself.
"Yes, dad is sorry. So very sorry." He replied.
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A few hours have passed and Garmadon has previously left her room to let the baby nap. It was now the afternoon at about 2PM, he senses he should check the girl if she was doing alright. Garmadon had already planned ideas of what the two of them should have for lunch. If she was still a baby, a good carrot stew would do. But if she wasn't, he could settle for other things she might like. He hums, oh how the day was amazing for him so far.
Arriving at her door, he shrugs and pulls on his best smiles. "Harumi-" he opens the door without a knock. Expecting to see the little girl on the ground back to colouring or perhaps and being asleep,
he sees the grown teenager, back to normal, back-turned from the door.
Garmadon tilted his head, "Harumi?" He asked what's wrong. Harumi didn't turn around immediately but her voice was all muffled up, was she choking? "You..lied?"
She sniffed, her small body starting to tremble.
He was absolutely vulnerable for that, he immediately rushed to her sides. However, Cloud, who was on the bed, raised her head up to bark at the oni lord. Garmadon halted, taken aback for once. "You lied? Why? Why would you lie?! That's-" Harumi turned around to face the man whom she impulsively called 'dad' hours ago. The man saw her wrath for the first time in months. Red eyes, a crooked glare and beared fangs. "You just wanted to keep me all to yourself, I couldn't ask for someone more selfish than you."
She spat, fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. Garmadon shook his head and even raised a hand up to show that he wants to speak. "No that's not-"
His plans backfired after all? She couldn't speak, she didn't remember, like a newborn child, she seemed like she didn't know everything. Garmadon also noticed she was changed out of the baby jumper, it was stretched out on the ground. "You changed?" He questioned. Harumi nodded, "My clothes were right by my bed." A futile conversation really. Garmsdon shaked his head, this was happening, it was really happening. "Listen I didn't know, I didn't want you to leave again-" he tried. But Harumi heard enough.
On her back was a green backup and she raised her hood. "Get in Cloud." She told the pup. Cloud nodded and jumped inside of the backpack and Harumi left a little hole for the white puppy to breathe. Garmadon's eyes flared up. "No, you will not be leaving." He hissed. Harumi and Cloud glared Garmadon before she crossed her arms. "Oh yeah? You think I'm that naive? Well I'm done being your silent little princess. I want to see my friends and you're not one of them." Ouch, that hurt for a man that didn't have a heart. Where was all these emotions coming from? Why did it feel....like he was being confronted by his own son?
"I'm done being here! I'm done being locked up and being your prisoner! You treated me like I was nothing and despite that, I idolized you for your wrongdoings! What was I thinking?" Her crossed arms moved to cup her sobbing face. The dark lord shook his head and tried to comfort her. "Harumi please, no." He begged. But the white haired girl had enough with being nice, she pushed the man by the chest out of her way and exited by the door. "I'm raising my resistance against you." She spat before sprinting towards the lift for her life.
She had a plan and oh man had she not used it in ages. "I have to outsmart him. Think Rumi, think." She whispered, running through the halls. Garmadon wasted no time, he chased after her, his blood red eyes showing panic for once. "Harumi! Come back! I won't let you escape!" He called for her. There, in the distance were the elevator doors. She charges straight in and smashed the "close door" button to the point she almost seemed to have broke it. Garmadon growled, clawing at the closed metallic doors of the lift. "No...! I need to find another way!" That 'other way' was the stairs.
Harumi was out of breath to attempt escaping by the hatch atop. Plus, what kind of benefit would it provide her? It's best she takes her time. "Don't worry, it'll be over soon." She assured Cloud, who was loyally behind her back. This was the only person she'll be nice to, until she meets up with her friends too of course.
But then it got to her that, "Oh FSM, Nya!" She winced. She had forgotten about Nya thanks to that aging tea event. FSM.
"I hope she escapes and I'll apologize a million times." Harumi told Cloud.
The elevator doors opened and Harumi gracefully stepped out, snow fell from the skies and the white carpet was her decor for her grand escape. This would be the plan that would work, this would be the plan that Lloyd would have loved to see.
"I'm coming back to you guys, the resistance never quits." She muttered, her cheeks immediately freezing at the cold.
Her clothes weren't the best but she desires the cape would do her good for the entire time she would be out in Ninjago city. There, at the corner of her eye was her escape route. A metallic hook with a thin line, a zip line.
She had not seen one until Lloyd beckoned her to leave the collapsing apartment so long ago. She gulped, "This is it." She told herself. It wasn't like she was scared, right? She had to do this, if she wanted to be set free. Harumi approached the zip line before the rooftop door was slammed open, Garmadon ran out. "Harumi!" He was out of breath and teared-eye. She was genuinely surprised at that and some part of her, wanted to run back in his arms. But she couldn't. Not after all the pain he's done to her. "No." She stood her ground. "You've done me no good." She claimed.
Garmadon stayed near the exit door, deciding not to say anything for now. Harumi took that opportunity to continue. "You lied to me about my own friends' opinions just because you wanted to keep me for yourself. Selfish." She growled. Garmadon was too frozen in place to understand nor make a gesture. So Harumi took advantage of that again, she stepped closer to the zip line, grabbed the rod and, "That's why I want you, for the next fight you'll have with the resistance. You'll be against me. Save the last battle to me." These words pronounced with so much hatred.
And as she zoomed past him, Garmadon couldn't comprehend what "save the last battle to me." meant. Did she expect him to fight against her?
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A/N: Hiya Lilla here and thank you for reading the end of the "Harumi is captured in Borg tower" arc! It's been a long while since she was captured and thank you for sticking with us through everything! Including Lloyd's death! But now that Harumi escaped, what will Wu, Mistaké, Misako and Nya do? Will they get out of there and meet Harumi? That'll be for next time! Alright guys, cya next time!