This chapter is one of my personal favourites of the whole story 😊.

For the next part(s), would you rather see one long chapter with a flashback in the middle or two shorter ones and having the two events separated.

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The Colour of Hope

"Where do you think you're going?" Nya asked, standing in the doorway, her arms crossed, with a stern look on her face.

"You know where I'm going." Lloyd retorted.

"Yes, but you know it's a bad idea."

"I need to talk to her." Lloyd tried to get past the Water Ninja, but to no avail.

"Remember the last time you've tried talking to her after she got arrested?" She tried to reason with him. "It didn't go too well, did it?"

"Nya, I have to talk to Harumi." He repeated. "Please. Trust me."

I have to trust myself. I'm not gonna let her play me this time.

"Alright." The Water Ninja sighed, stepping aside. "But I'm not letting you alone with her."

Lloyd took a deep breath as he set his foot into the Hall of Villainy. Under the scrutinising eyes not only of Nya but also of Morro and Pythor, the two only remaining statues, the young Master slowly walked forward until he was standing right in front of her.

Lloyd put down the paper bag he was carrying and quietly observed the girl.

She must have heard him entering yet she hadn't shown any kind of reaction to him at all. Handcuffed to to a (non-functioning, they had made sure to check that beforehand) replica of Master Chen's chair, Harumi had her body turned away from the room – and from him - , curled up on the seat with her knees brought up to her chest and her slim yet muscular arms around them.

Capturing the Emperor's second-in-command had been quite easy, too easy for all their liking. Last night, the three Ninja and PIXAL had entered the Palace through the secret passageway, to find Harumi who indeed had been on her own, sitting on the rooftop and watching the Colossus wreck the city.

Of course, they – well, mainly the three girls – had been suspicious. Why had she put up so little resistance when they had taken her? What if this was nothing but a trap? What if Garmadon had set it up, and they had stupidly fallen for it?

Sure, Harumi had looked more than just mildly surprised when the four of them had overwhelmed her, but they – and especially Lloyd – simply knew all too well how good an actress the former princess was.

Nya had PIXAL perform three full body scans, to be sure Harumi wasn't wearing a tracker, before they had taken her to the museum. And, in case they were being followed, they had spent half the night taking one detour after the other – safely avoiding the area around the harbour – while getting back to their secret headquarters.

And here they were now.

The team still hadn't decided what to do with their prisoner – they could exchange her for some of their friends that were stuck in Krypterium Prison. Or they could just keep her here, away from Garmadon.

But first, Lloyd had to confront her.

Just as he had reached the rooftop, he had seen something, in that brief moment before the Quiet One had noticed the intruders, and he was desperate to ask her about it.

"Harumi." He said.

"What do you want?" She asked against the chair's backrest. "Are you here to give me lecture about all the bad things I've done? Or poke fun of me for not getting away this time?"

"No." Lloyd stated. "I want to make you an offer."

Harumi lazily turned around.

"I am not interested." She tried to sound bored. "There is nothing I'd want from you."

"Join us."

"What?" Nya cried as she rushed to his side. "Are you out of your mind? When it comes to her, can't you just for once think with your brain?"

"Nya. I know what I'm doing." He stated, his eyes still fixed on the small girl in the oversized chair.

"Join us." He repeated.

Harumi put down her feet as she let out a laugh. But it didn't sound bitter like it had previously. It sounded fake. And maybe a bit sad.

"Oh, where's the camera?" She gasped, slapping her thighs. "Are you gonna put this online? I bet this is going to be a huge hit – the famous Green Ninja trying to get his revenge by playing the fake princess. Just, I'm not falling for it...

"Why don't you just shut up?" Nya yelled at her. "For someone who calls herself the Quiet One, you talk an awful lot of sh..."

"Nya." Lloyd snapped. "Stop that."

"You want me to stop?" Nya glared at her leader. "Can't you see? She's already stared to turn you against us."

"That's not gonna happen." Lloyd claimed. "But we need to give her another chance."

"We don't need to do anything. And we certainly don't need her."

"Oh, is our famous girl ninja jealous?" Harumi grinned devilishly at the Grey Ninja. "Because now that your pathetic little boyfriend is dead, there's nobody left here who loves you..."

Nya clenched her fists. "I'm gonna show you who's pathetic, you little b..."

"Leave." Lloyd bellowed. "Now."

"B-but..."

"I said go."

"Yes, Master Lloyd." Nya replied meekly, giving a small bow in his direction.

"I'm watching you." She warned the other before she stomped out the room.

"I'm counting on that." Harumi called after her, leaning back in her chair, arms crossed behind her head. "Ah, this has made my day."

Lloyd couldn't suppress a little smile. Harumi sure had a rather entertaining way to annoy the Water Ninja. But that's not what he had come here for.

Lloyd crouched down in front of the chair so that his eyes were level with hers.

"Rumi." He said softly. "Please, stop acting like you don't care. Because I've seen it."

"You've seen what?" She snapped.

"The look on your face when we arrested you."

"Yeah, I have to say I was a bit surprised." She admitted. "I really thought you and your minions had given up and run away."

"No, not that one." He informed her. "The one before you've noticed us. When you were watching Garmadon and his gang ransacking the city."

Harumi's face fell. "O-Observing my master and my people is my duty as his second-in-command." She stammered. "I-I n-need to learn."

Lloyd locked his eyes with hers. "You looked upset."

The girl flinched. "I-I was disappointed not to be out there with him."

"Stop looking for excuses. I know that this is not what you've wanted when you've brought back my father." He claimed. "You wanted him to bring stability to Ninjago, not to destroy it."

He took her hand into this. "Last night, you were thinking of all these children losing their parents at that very moment."

He stood up. "You can help these children. And you can help us stop him destroy even more innocent lives." He stated. "Join us."

Lloyd saw her beautiful yet dull green eyes glistening with tears. "I-I can't." She mumbled. "I've dedicated my whole life to bringing him back. How can I fight him now?"

"I've brought you something." Lloyd slid the paper bag towards her. "It might change your mind."

Harumi held up her bound hands. "I'm afraid I'm not in the best state right now to open presents..."

"Then let me help you." He opened the bag and took out his green Ninja outfit. "Here." He handed the gi to Harumi. "I want you to have it."

She gave him a confused look. "Why would you give it to me? Does it come with your awesome powers?"

"There's more to being the Green Ninja than just powers." He smiled "But let's just say I've outgrown it."

"Well, I'd say you haven't grown that much since I've last seen you wear it." He noticed the little spark returning to her eyes as she teased him. "Admit it, you just like seeing me wear green."

"It does suit you a lot better than your current colour scheme." He felt his face heating up. "And I didn't mean literally, but more figuratively. Do you know what the colour green stands for?"

"They are the royal colours on Ninjago." She replied.

"Yes, but green also means hope, and it can symbolise a fresh start." He explained. "We are a lot more similar than you think."

Harumi vigorously shook her head. "I am nothing like you." She claimed.

"But I was once very much just like you. Before I became the Green Ninja, I was a troubled child who had caused nothing but trouble – and who secretly wanted nothing more than to have a family. Uncle Wu and the Ninja first took me in, giving me a home and a second chance. And then..." His mind drifted off to that fateful day at the Fire Temple. "When Kai saved me from the volcano, I realised that there were people who truly cared for me – my brothers and Nya, my uncle, and..." He swallowed. "My father. And as the Green Ninja, I suddenly had a chance to make up for what I had done. And, I wanted to take that chance and and make my family proud."

"I have no family."

"Rumi, I cannot bring back your parents, but I am inviting you to be part of our family. It can be a bit crazy sometimes but I wouldn't exchange it for anything in Ninjago." Except maybe to have my real father back.

"After all I've done? I am the reason you've lost half your so-called family..."

Lloyd hesitated. Could he really trust her with the truth?

He knew shouldn't tell her. But he did anyway.

"The guys aren't dead." He said. "They've escaped. And the only way to get them back is to fight my father." He straightened up. "And I want you to fight with us. Stop wearing your masks. When I saw you at the roof last night, that was the real you. Not the Jade Princess. Not the Quiet One. Not that creepy Demon of Hatred. Last night, I saw the girl who used to sneak out of the palace because she wanted to help the people." The girl... I fell in love with.

"You do know that this outfit comes with a mask, too?" Harumi remarked matter-of-factly.

"Argh, do you have to take everything so literally?"

"No, I just enjoy messing with you." She smiled.

"I-I do too." Lloyd blushed. "Promise me you'll think about it."

Harumi didn't reply, instead she silently turned away from him in her chair, bringing her knees back up to her chest, so she was back in the same position that he had found her in in the first place.

Understanding that their conversation was over, Lloyd got up and started walking towards the exit.

Although he hadn't received an answer from Harumi, he still had to discuss his idea with the others –Nya had probably informed them already by now anyway.

Passing by the statue of Morro, Lloyd's gaze fell onto the green streak in the ghost's artificial hair.

It's actually all three of us who have something in common. He thought. And not just the colour...

"Lloyd." Lloyd froze when he heard Harumi's voice call after him.

He turned around and saw her looking at him, tears running down her face.

"After all I've done to you, can you really find it in yourself to forgive me?"

"Rumi." He replied softly. "You know that it was me who has released the Serpentine, which makes me indirectly responsible for your parents' death. The real question is 'Can you find it in yourself to forgive me?'"

The girl slumped back in her chair, giving him a weak smile. "I'll think about it." She whispered.