Ninjago - One-shots and short Stories

A Quiet Echo // Harumi and Mr E

⚠️ SPOILERS FOR HUNTED ⚠️

While I was working on TOTGA, I had an idea for a Harumi/Morro redemption fic, set after episode 92 in the canon timeline. But at that time, I was quite busy with my other story and also I didn't want to post anything season 9 related before the US airdate (which, according to the Ninjago wikia, was last week -  still nothing in UK/Ireland ☹️). And then I realised that a) my idea would exceed the length of a one shot and b) there are already a few stories with this theme, so I've scrapped it.

And then this 👆 happened... (although the writers have also said that, as this plot detail did not make it into the final version of the episode, it is not canon, meaning Echo Zane and Mr E are officially two separate characters now!)

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A Quiet Echo

When Harumi opened her eyes, the first thing she saw were rays of light breaking through the eerie mist, blinding her.

She blinked while feeling around, noticing that she was that she was lying on a soft ground out in the open air...

But where was she? And what had happened? She wondered, her mind being even more foggy than her mysterious surroundings.

As the former princess slowly sat up, she slowly began to remember: The Oni Titan, the apartment block, the elevator, the little boy and his parents – Harumi sincerely hoped that the family had made it down the wobbly stairs safely and in time – and finally, the building collapsing on top of her.

The white haired girl wondered how in Ninjago had she had actually managed to get out of all the debris, she was expecting to find every single bone in her body to be broken. Yet, she wasn't feeling any pain. In fact, she could not feel her body at all.

Panic gripped the girl as she started to look around, desperately trying to make out her any familiar feature in her surroundings. She eventually realised that was on top of a small hill, and through the mist she could spot some trees as well as a couple of small, simple looking buildings made out of wood and bricks in the distance.

No, this was not Ninjago City. But... was this even Ninjago?

"Am I... dead?" She wondered, realisation dawning on her.

"This is the correct answer... ahem, question." A metallic voice replied. "Greetings, Quiet One, and welcome to the Departed Realm."

Harumi raised her gaze and saw that a rather strange looking and seemingly ageless man had quietly approached her. Just like a sneaky Ninja.

He was standing right in front of her, watching the newly deceased one with great interest. His body was glistening in the dim sunlight, it appeared to be made out of a brown-ish metal (bronze as the former princess correctly guessed) which had been very recently polished.

Harumi realised that she was looking at an android. And he looked oddly familiar.

"Ha-have we met before?" She asked.

"We have indeed." He replied, a friendly smile on his artificial face. "It will take a while for all your memories to return." He informed her, gesturing down his body. "And you have not seen me like this for long; it might be easier to recognise me in a different form."

He flipped open a small panel on his forearm to press a little button hidden inside and, with a brief but blinding flash, his appearance changed into a figure dressed entirely in black. Through the dark mask covering almost his entire face, only a pair of flaming red eyes could be seen.