Salt: A Ninjago story

29: Push and Pull (part 2)

'What did you see?' Lloyd asked.

'I... I don't think I should say' Harumi said as she returned to Lloyd, picked up the sheet and wrapped it around her shoulders.

Lloyd stood and she opened the fabric for him to join her. They held each other under the light shroud and reconnected after their shock. Harumi rested her head on Lloyds chest and thought about the figure of evil that she always knew would haunt her dreams, but she did not expect it to ruin this new dream and the uncomfortable family association was not lost on her; a sickening thought pushing its way between them.

She felt the cold flush of shame fall upon her. She had been the hand of the Grand Master, submitting to his will and knelt before a demon for him; and here she was now, running from herself and her past deeds into the arms of the person she fought; the person she hated; she corrected herself, the person she had been trained to hate. Her mind ran away with the awful possibilities of her actions now. Was she giving herself to him in a hope that this union would vanquish her past? Is this what the vision was telling her?

Lloyd felt her body tense against him, her hands balled into fists pushed tight onto his chest 'Harumi' Lloyd took her shoulders and the sheet fell from them. They stood naked, exposed and vulnerable to each other. He looked at her intently 'tell me' he said; a simple statement and a request to affirm their intimacy.

She saw the echo of his father in his eyes. Though the poison of the Great Devourer had blackened and burnt his skin, Lloyds burned with a different fire. 'What do you see through those eyes?' she asked 'does the world look green?'

Lloyd looked perplexed and laughed a little, the turn in conversation confusing him 'sometimes' he said 'but no, not usually'

'You have your fathers eyes' she said quietly.

'Oh? ...oh'

'They will haunt me for as long as I live'

'And as long as you look into mine, they will remind you?'

'Yes'

'Is that what the Dark Island showed you?'

'...yes'

'Well that's pretty obvious don't you think? Surely the Dark Island can do better than that? Harumi, listen. I'm not here for a picnic and a punt down the river. Life is upside down, my past is still unknown to me and your past was not yours to own. We are both driven and held back by our pasts and the only thing to do is go forward. I'm glad you're here with me, because I honestly don't think there's a person alive, apart from you that could handle where we are going... and frankly I'm bricking it!'

A glint of fire came back to her eyes and a laugh escaped her 'That Dark Island thinks it's so clever. It doesn't know who it's dealing with... Right?' She turned and went to the window, throwing it open. The wind took hold of her hair trying to grab and steal the strands away from her. Lloyd watched her, aglow against the grey sky as she shouted 'YOU THINK YOU'RE SO CLEVER' and then laughed maniacally. She came back into the room looking exhilarated 'I've still got it!' she joked to Lloyd who laughed and nodded in agreement.

'Are you ready to go?' He asked.

'No time like the present' she said 'though, I would love some of your delightful vegetable stew for breakfast before we do!'

'Don't ever say I don't know how to show a girl a good time!'

'And I never will!' She kissed him and gazed lovingly into his eyes. Lloyd sighed and gazed back as she added sarcastically 'Because we probably won't make it back!' Harumi kissed him again and wandered off to pick up her clothes. As she held them up she revealed long tears '...and I need to find something to wear. Mine have somehow... ripped!'

Lloyd shrugged 'Must have been that clever old Dark Island'.