Salt: A Ninjago story

6: Behind the Mask

Lloyd sat on the roof of the Temple. He looked across the city and watched the lights of a million windows, imagining the lives within their glow. He could hear the shouts and laughs of his teammates from the windows below and swung himself over the ledge to watch them. Nya and Jay were animated in front of the large TV, trying to best each other at a dual player shoot-em-up. Kai was fuming, literally as Zane repeatedly bested his trick-shots on the pool table. Cole was sat in the library corner his head in a book... 'that's not like Cole' even though Nya and Jay were displaying some fine comedy antics, he had never seen Cole so wrapped up in a book, so Lloyd continued to watch him.

Cole was expressionless, every now and then looking up towards Jay and Nya. It was then Lloyd realised that Cole hadn't turned a single page. Cole was deep in thought but not willing to share obviously. Cole rolled his eyes up to watch Jay and Nya again, his brow furrowed. He closed the book, got up and left the room.

Lloyd swung back up to the roof unsure about what he had just seen. He would ask Cole when he returned.

Pulling on his hood he skipped off the roof onto some large rocks below; running down them he leapt for a long branch and swung over the edge of the floating island. Plummeting, the ground rushed up towards him. A green energy shield pulsed from his hands and arced over his body. As if he were entering the cities atmosphere, it slowed his descent and he came to a stop a foot or so from the ground. Releasing the shield he dropped the small distance to the street. Above him a slight figure had also dropped silently to a roof. As Lloyd set off through the dark to the city penitentiary, the figure followed.

Leaving the anonymity of the rooftops was something he resisted, but to see Harumi, he had to reveal himself; to the Prison guards who so far had been upstanding enough not to report his visits to the press. How long could that last though? A nightly visit to Ninjago's most despised criminal really didn't look good. A couple of visits maybe, to drive home the error of her ways; but every night... and he was sure they would have checked on them and seen the tender way he treated her. Now, more than ever he feared the future. He feared what he wanted and what the world expected. Would his friends understand when all came out? He feared they wouldn't, but he knew they would try.

He stood at the large gates and waited for the guards to realise he was there and shine the spot light on him. Immediately they angled it away and opened one half of the gates. He walked in and across the quiet outer rim, the secondary gates opened and a familiar guard nodded to him as he passed. As there is honour among thieves, perhaps he had earned this silent understanding. His life was as theirs, half lived behind a barricade.

He walked behind the guard who took him directly to Harumi's cell. The guard turned the key in the lock and Lloyd asked for warm water, soap and a towel. As the cell was revealed, Lloyd stopped. He turned back to the guard 'Don't worry about the water. Would you bring some broth please'

Where Lloyd had expected a crumpled heap on the floor, Harumi stood in the centre of her cell. Her face was clear of paint and her hair was clean and brushed. She still chose to wear the long white robes, though they were spotless, new. She held her hands out to him and he saw her wrists were free of the disturbing red splashes.

A slight panic ran through him what do I do now? Is she expecting something?

'Lloyd?' Her face at first had seemed quietly happy, but turned to worry as he stood for longer than he should, making no move to talk or go to her.

Do something! He shouted internally. Harumi turned away.

'No!' he said 'Harumi. I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I was just taken aback' He moved towards her 'you look beautiful. I've never seen you like this' she turned as he came behind her and he looked down at her clean face; un-obscured by face paint 'I can see you'

She hesitantly spoke 'I have spent my life hiding behind one mask or another. You have never hidden your true self from me... That you came to me when I had lost all hope of reconnecting with life, is an act of true heroism... that I don't deserve'

She turned again and looked around the cell 'I am really only seeing things for the first time. This cell, its not so bad. If I am to spend my days here, it will be made bearable, if you would visit'

'I would never stop' Lloyd replied.

Looking back to him, she smiled 'I appreciate your answer and every visit you have made to me before today. But I won't lie to myself again. This is not a life and I would not ask that of you. I deserve to be here Lloyd, but you don't'

'No' Lloyd whispered. There was a knock at the door.

Lloyd approached it as the guard entered with the tray bearing two cups of broth. Lloyd took it from him and placed it on the long bench 'Sit with me' he said. Harumi sat beside him. They exchanged a silent look and Lloyd hesitantly touched her face. She leant into his hand and he let his fingers glide down her cheek 'Harumi, I feel like I've only just met you. I'm not going to walk away now'

'I believe you. But it can't last' she smiled but he could see the sorrow in her eyes.  Harumi, motioned to the cups of broth 'would you?' Lloyd removed the lid from one and picked it up. Holding it gently in one hand, he rested his fingers below. Holding the cup up, a barely visible swirl of steam rose in front of her downcast eyes. Tilting his fingers, the cup tipped forward. She parted her lips and sipped the broth.

He was mesmerised by her, seeing her features in detail. She rolled her lips gently together as she released the cup and raised her fingers to Lloyds 'please look at me' was all Lloyd could think. It was as if she had heard and having taken pity on him, raised her heavy eyelids and looked at him directly. His hands shook under her soft touch, so he placed the cup back on the tray.

'I... I don't know what to do!' Lloyd confessed 'I've never imagined beyond this'

'Oh...' Harumi looked saddened.

'But, its not that I didn't want to... I was... scared to'

'Scared? Of me?'

'Never. Scared because... I've never...' He was shaking all over, as if a sudden fever had hit.

Harumi threw her arms around him and realising his dream was a reality, Lloyd wrapped his arms around her and they held each other close. He let his face drop down into her neck and placed his hand to her hair. He experienced how it felt on his fingers as it tickled his nose and felt Harumi respond to his breath on her skin as she shivered beneath his lips. The pressure of her arms and body silenced his shaking and he felt emboldened. Raising his face from her neck, they released their grasp on each other. Their faces hovered close and their breath was loud in the quiet cell. Lloyd instinctively moved forward without a thought to kiss the lips he had been dreaming of, exploring her mouth, pushing at her top lip with his as he could feel her hands moving up his chest, caressing his neck and settling lightly on his face. A moment's realisation of the strangeness of this outcome stopped their impulsiveness, as they broke apart again before Lloyd succumbed completely. He pushed forward, his hunger overbalancing her. Harumi fell back, releasing a gasp of surprise. Lloyd softly laughed as he caught her; as if all his worries had been lifted, his mind was finally free and he held his future in his hands. He pushed forward to kiss her again; he couldn't stop and he didn't want to.