NINJAGO: Eternal Masks

III

Authors note: A few things. 1: Mentions of Blood and violence. 2: The plan at the palace was only to get the mask, not to kill the Royal Family.

Lloyd sees the window open in Harumi's
Quarters. He knew what he had to do. He jumped off of the palace into a nearby roof. He saw a hooded figure in the distance wielding a bag.

Here we go again.

Lloyd jumped from rooftop to rooftop, trying to catch Harumi.

"Harumi!" Lloyd called out.

Harumi froze. "Lloyd? How did you know I was here?" This escapade was supposed to be only for herself.

"Remember that I'm from the future, Princess. I know all," Lloyd said.

"Yeah, but-"

"No buts. So do you need help passing the fruit out?" Lloyd asked.

Princess? I thought you were kidnapped. I was trying to save you.

Lloyd heard a voice ring in his head. Was it a memory? He looked around. Nothing.

Was that what that was? From my vantage, it looked like I was the one saving you.

Lloyd was troubled. What were these voices? He knew that they were voices of the conversation that he had with Harumi years prior, but where was it coming from? Was it Destiny? Was Destiny trying to beg him to change his path?

"Lloyd?" Harumi asked "Are you okay? It looks like you zoned out,"

"It's just- I had a- you know what, never mind,"

"You had a what? Tell me Lloyd." Harumi asked him.

Lloyd said "It's stupid. Just a vision that happened here back in my timeline,"

"And that was?"

"That, princess, is none of your business," Lloyd said, cutting the conversation.

They jumped from a rooftop down to the ground and began passing out the fruit to the children nearby.

However, their little adventure was cut short when Hutchins in the distance announced "The Princess is gone! Find her!"

Harumi, pulling a jacket and handing it to Lloyd, said "They can't know I left the palace. You have to disguise yourself. Hurry,"

Lloyd put on the sweater and finished passing out the fruit. He had very little interest in helping the people of Ninjago, because he believed that they were to blame for all of the suffering he had faced.

"Can I ask you a question? Do you enjoy being a princess?" Lloyd asked. The first time Lloyd had asked the question he didn't know if Harumi was actually genuine or not.

"Everyone thinks being a princess is supposed to be easy, and wonderful, and I guess it's okay, but a lot of the time it's really hard,"

"Huh. Tell me about it. Not being a princess, I mean being the Quiet One and the Green Ninja," Lloyd said.

"We have to live up to a role that was bestowed upon us. We never chose these mantles we hold," Harumi said.

"I know. But that's all about to change, we forge our own destinies now, Princess." Lloyd said. "One where we no longer have to fit a mask,"

They were interrupted when they saw some kids being bullied by the Sons of Garmadon. Lloyd and Harumi watched.

"Lloyd... these kids, they already have enough to worry about. Do something," Harumi said.