It takes two

Chapter 22

Spreads like a wildfire

Marysue9084: I sure will ;D

PrincePacman47: I agree, I couldn't just leave them miserable. And I figured that we haven't heard from Liv in a bit, so I gave her a bit of screen time. No thing, and I mean nothing, can ever change Lloyd. He will never stop trying, even if it kills him to do so.

Garmadon was not in a good mood. Harumi could tell that much.

Nobody dared go near him, and once he started to threaten that he would start pitching people off the side of the tower. However, that never happened, despite how much everyone thought it would.

The whole tower was walking on eggshells, and surprisingly, Harumi felt like she could see more of Liv today than she'd seen her since Kryptarium three days ago. Harumi doesn't know how she feels about that. Liv was her friend, and she hopes she still is, but with...what's happened, Harumi isn't getting her hopes up.

"Have you found the Green Ninja and his protectors? What about the other elemental masters? Skylor?" Lord Garmadon says, is voice firm and threatening. As if daring Harmi to say no.

Harumi doesn't answer right away, because she's too busy cursing herself when the Green Ninja comes to her mind. For some reason, the name behind that title fills her with warm and bitterness. Maybe she's bitter and angry about what he did, or maybe she's bitter and angry because of what they could've been.

She remembers the flash of pure panic when he'd jumped from that roof onto the skytram. For a few seconds, Harumi found herself worried about him and his well being. She was worried about Lloyd. Her enemy.

Why? Why was she worried?

"Not yet, my Lord. But our men are searching the city as we speak." Harumi says, adding that last part hastily. It's a lie. Harumi and her men could easily track down the elemental masters, but at the same time, she doesn't want to.

She wants them to fight against her, to fight alongside the Green Ninja in a battle to regain the city. Harumi tells herself that she just wants the challenge, she could easily find Lloyd in his weakened, depressed state. And kill him where he stands.

But that thought makes Harumi feel weird inside. Because deep down, she knows that she just doesn't want him to go down so easily. She doesn't want to bring Lloyd to his knees just yet. Maybe she doesn't want to bring Lloyd to his knees at all.

Garmadon growls, fists blazing. "You will find the Green Ninja and his protectors, or you can join your men at the bottom of this tower." He says, deathly calm. Harumi nods, bowing low to hide her terrified eyes.

Lloyd flips over Nya, landing solidly on his feet. Nya wastes no time blasting him with twin jets of water, and Lloyd slips on the wet floor. Nya charges, leaping into the air. Lloyd rolls just as Nya's foot slam into the spot where his head once was.

Nya runs at Lloyd again. The green ninja runs at the raven haired girl, and the two spar fiercely. With Misako and Pixal watching from the side lines. The TV flickers life, momentarily distracting Lloyd. Nya's foot finally collides with Lloyd's battered rib cage, sending the blond to the floor. Lloyd hisses, clutching his chest. Nya walks over to him,an apology in her eyes.

"Sorry, you okay?" Nya says, pulling Lloyd to his feet.

"Yeah, just bruised that's all." Lloyd says through gritted teeth. "Nice kick, though."

Nya chuckles, still eyeing Lloyd. "You sure you don't want Pixal to take a look? You took a few hard hits in the last...few days." Nya says, her eyes flicking downwards briefly. They all took hard hits, mentally and physically. Heck, Nya's wrist still aches from her brief fight with Liv.

But she's doing better than Lloyd when it comes to injuries. Nya knows she's still a collage of cuts and bruises, but she let Pixal fix her up, bandage her physical wounds and soak her mental one's in salt.

Lloyd on the other hand seems to want to soak all his physical and mental wounds in salt water. He won't let Nya, or his mother, or Pixal help him, and it's getting on Nya's nerves. Because she just yanked him from death's doorstep two days ago, and she's not about to lose her little brother to blood loss or infection because he's too busy self-deprecating!

He would listen if Liv was still here, Nya thinks. Seeing Liv was...strange, to say the least. But Nya was still happy to see her. It's what they all needed after what happened, especially Misako and Lloyd. Jay would've loved to see her, too.

Tears form the corners of Nya's eyes. She woke up and Liv was gone, like she'd never even been in the warehouse in the first place. And that...that did something to them, to her, to Lloyd. Jay was Liv's best friend, they all knew that. It was obvious. Those two just clicked. Jay was the first one to open up with Liv when she was a kid, he told her jokes when she was sad and comforted her when she was scared. He showed a side of himself that the ninja never knew existed, a side they only thought Kai possessed.

And the last time Jay saw his best friend was as she was trapped in her own mind, forced to beat her own twin to a bloody pulp. Jay died thinking Liv was lost, and that's why Nya is crying. Because he didn't get to see Liv Harlow Garmadon, his best friend, one last time.

Nya sniffs, wiping her eyes. She's going to bring back Liv, the real Liv, throw Harumi in a cell and throw away the key, then she's going to march down to the departed realm and beat the crap out of Lord Garmadon.

But first, she's going to patch Lloyd up like Liv...and Kai would want her too. Because their older brothers are gone, their sensei is gone, and their sister is trapped. It's up to Nya to hold them all together and do what Cole, Zane, Wu, Jay, Liv, and Kai would want her to.

FSM know's Lloyd can't do it. Not now at least.

"Lloyd, come on. You're not fooling anyone." Nya says, taking Lloyd gently by the arm and tugging him towards the wall. Pixal and Misako wordlessly come and sit by them, too. Ready to dish out medical support.

"No, Nya, I'm fine. I swear i'm okay." Lloyd protests, trying to stand up. Misako's gentla hands push Lloyd back down, and the blond huffs.

Pixal and Nya set to work cleaning up Lloyd's wounds. There's a long gash on his forearm that Nya's guessing was from Harumi, and ugly, purple bruising around his collarbone that's either from Harumi or Garmadon or both.

Pixal tells Lloyd to take off his shirt so she can see the wounds on his back, and Lloyd hesitantly obeys. Revealing cuts and bruises from being chucked through a dozen concrete walls. Nya bits her lip to hold back a growl, and gently prods the wounds on Lloyd's back, assessing the damage.

Lloyd flinches away violently when Nya pokes a particularly large bruise in the middle of his back. "Sorry, you okay?" Nya says, gently,

"I don't think okay is a word any of us can use again, but sure." Lloyd says, biting his lip and power walking through the pain. Nya laughs a bit at his comment, but the amount of subtext in a sentence like that is enough to send the warehouse back into silence.

About half an hour, Lloyd is released from the medical corner. Fully bandaged and everything. Nya massages her wrist, fiddling with the wrap Pixal put on it. There's a bang on the door, and everyone stiffens. Pixal makes a mad dash for the Samurai X mech, Misako and Lloyd take up fighting positions, and Nya pulls out her spear. Slowly inching towards the door, Nya swings it open and thrusts her spear at the person in the doorway.

A high pitched yelp catches them all off guard as Dareth stands in the doorway, a black bag in her shaking hands. "Dareth?!" Nya says, yanking him inside and slamming the door. "Where were you yesterday!? You never came back, we thought you got captured!"

Dareth sighs, breathing heavily. "There were SoGs everywhere! Looking for you guys, they were too close to the warehouse yesterday, so I went back to that pad I have on the east side of the city." Dareth explains, placing the sack on the ground. "Oh, this is food. From the noodle house."

"Thanks." Misako says, picking up the bag and passing it around. Pixal walks over from her mech, looking at Dareth quizzically.

"Did you and Misako fight Garmadon there?" Pixal says, looking at Nya.

"Yeah...we did. It;s where Misako and little - little Wu were." Nya says, eyes glassy at the mention of Wu. "Garmadon went to take him and me and Lloyd went to get them…"

Misako gasps, dropping her box of noodles to the floor in shock. "We have to leave, now!" She yells, just as the rumble of motorcycles make themselves known.

"The Sons of Garmadon knew we were there!" Lloyd says, catching on to what Pixal and his mother were getting at. "They must've been watching that place in case we went back!"

The roar of engines booms through the streets, and there's a mad dash to pack up the warehouse and scatter before the resistance against Garmadon and his rule is over before it even started. Pixal hops in the Samurai X mech, picking up Misako and Dareth in her metal fingers and running towards the back door.

"What is our destination?!" Pixal yells.

"Go to Skylor's! She might be able to help us!" Nya says, strapping her spear to her back.

"No, we can't put anyone else at risk!" Lloyd protests, picking up his sword. He won't put any of his friends and family in danger anymore. "It's my father we're dealing with, this is my fight."

Nya whirls on him, her eyes determined. "When will you get it through your thick skull that you are not alone?!" She retorts. "They killed my brother, my boyfriend. This war is personal now. We are in this together. This is everyone's fight, not just yours, Lloyd."

The green ninja huffs, but he won't argue. Nya's right, he doesn't have to go it alone anymore, everyone has lost someone in this war, so now they all must fight to make those losses worth it. They all must fight to win.

"So, Skylor's then?" Dareth asks. And he just four yells of "Yes, Dareth!" In responses. Pixal nods, slipping on her helmet, picking up Misako and Dareth, and flying away in her Samurai X mech.

Nya and Lloyd grab their weapons, running out the back door of the warehouse. The roar of bikes is too close now, and the two have to fight. Nya pulls out her spear, and Lloyd swings his sword.

A dozen or so SoGs file into the back alley Lloyd and Nya have positioned themselves in, smirking mischievously. Thankfully, Harumi is nowhere in sight, and neither is Garmadon. So the chances of getting out of the pickle the two ninja have found themselves in are in their favor.

For all of thirty seconds. Because not only did Harumi show up, Mask of hatred in hand, she also brought Garmadon. Fists blazing and eyes out for blood. The bikers slowly enclose Lloyd and Nya, boxing them in like the mice they are. Harumi and Lloyd lock eyes, a silent conversation that Nya doesn't understand.

Garmadon wastes no time charging at the two ninjas, and Harumi follows soon after. The last thing Nya wants is for Lloyd to fight Garmadon again, but Harumi runs straight for her, and Garmadon goes for Lloyd. So all she can do is hope that Liv can pull through one last time.

Lloyd tries to throw his hand pout, calling for strength that he doesn't have. Garmadon laughs, a bitter, terrible sound. "Where are your powers, dear brother?" He taunts, hurling orbs of stolen power at Lloyd. The green ninja blocks the first blast, but the second hits home, and he falls.

"Lloyd-!" Nya yells, trying to get to him. Harumi runs at the water ninja, and Nya is forced farther away from her brother in arms.

Garmadon picks up the fallen Ninja by his hair, and Lloyd grunts, hands straying to his hair where it's being ripped from his scalp. Lloyd brings his sword up in a weak defense, and Garmadon swats it away.

"We wouldn't want to hurt your sister, now would we?" Garmadon says, then he leans in close, whispering into Lloyd's ear, "When you know she'll soon perish…"

Lloyd yells, swinging his fist at Garmadon. Lloyd's fist connects with his father's cheek, and he lets go of Lloyd's hair. "How do you know about that?!" Lloyd screams.

Garmadon wipes the blood from his split lip, smirking. "Ow." Is all he says, before running at Lloyd. "I know a lot of things you don't." He says, and Lloyd feels like he's back in Kryptarium, getting beaten to a pulp. "I have unlocked your sisters deep, dark secrets Her darkest dreams, what holds her back from greatness."

"Shut up!" Lloyd yells, picking up his sword and swinging blindly. Nya looks over at him, panic in her eyes.

He's too angry, Nya thinks. He's going to get himself killed. "If you ever cared for him." Nya says, her spear glinting dangerously close to Harumi's side. The Quiet One has yet to wear the mask of hatred, she could easily over power Nya with that. And yet Harumi won't use it.

"If you ever cared for Lloyd, if you were really friends with Liv, you'll call off the attack." Nya says, pulling her spear away from Harumi's side. The Quiet One aims a fist to Nya's stomach, grabbing the stunned Ninja and twisting her arm behind her back.

"I don't know what I feel towards either of them." Harumi whispers, low enough for only Nya to hear. "I don't know where I stand with Liv, and I don't know where I stand with Lloyd. But I do know If I leave, I will die."

Nya throws her elbow into Harumi's ribs, taking the opportunity to get out of the Quiet Ones grip. "Liv can take control." Nya grunts, keeping close to Harumi to continue their conversation, but far enough to make it look like they're still fighting. "She is stronger than you think, and if Liv wanted to kill you, she would've already done so."

"Then what's stopping her?" Harumi retorts, pulling out her dagger.

"She still sees you as her friend, Harumi. Not the Quiet One." Nya grunts, knocking the dagger from Harumi's hands with her spear. "But, you shouldn't worry about Liv killing you." Nya's spear finds Harumi's throat, and the two are eye to eye, waiting to see what the other will do.

"I want to see my hands around your throat and your blood on the floor." Nya says, her eyes flickering with the rage of her loss. "But I know that wouldn't be right. I know that Liv still believes in you, so I will, too." Nya's spear leaves Harumi's throat, and she backs away. "Help us, please. Be the friend Liv believes you are. Be the girl Lloyd fell in love with. Be the Harumi my brothers thought you were. Please, Harumi, please."

Harumi eyes flicker with longing, with apology, with indecision and fear. "I can't," She says, soft and choked. "He'll kill me." Harumi wants to run so badly, she misses her friend, and deep down, she misses Lloyd. But Garmadon will kill her, he won't rest until he finds her and slaughters her.

"We'll protect you, please, Rumi. Come with us, fight with us." Nya pleads, holding her hand out to Harumi.

Harumi bites her lip, looking around at her men. This is the goal she strives to achieve, this is what she devoted her life to, this is what she killed for.

So why does it feel so wrong?

Harumi looks at the sky, where the smoke of burning buildings pools in the crisp, winter air. The air smells like death, and sorrow. And it makes Harumi sick to think that she ever wanted this. What happened to the little girl who was obsessed with the ninja? What happened to the little girl who believed that the world was a wonderful, kind, beautiful place with all her heart? What happened to the little girl who was kind and loving?

That little girl didn't die with her parents like Harumi told herself. That little girl is still alive, just buried deep down under all of Harumi's anger and bitterness. And Harumi has proof of that, because when she was with Liv, before everything happened, that little girl was back in action.

And then she crawled back into her deep dark corner and let Harumi's demons take the wheel. And if what Nya says is true, that Liv can take control back from her maniacal father, and find the will to keep fighting after what she'd been forced to do in Kryptarium, after the death of her friends, then Harumi can keep fighting, too.

"Okay." Harumi says,taking Nya's hand. "I know that I have a long way to go before I can even dream of regaining some semblance of trust, but I want you to know that I won't let you down, and that I'm sorry."

"Thanks, now stop talking and show me!" Nya says, battling her way through the bikers circled around her.

Across the battlefield, Lloyd holds his sword out in warning, his eyes filled with rage. "I know what your sister fears and I know how to make them a reality!" Garmadon yells, landing a solid blow to Lloyd's head. His body swings with the punch, leaving Lloyd's head spinning.

"I know that she fears I'll kill you, and your blood will be on her hands!" Garmadon says, blasting Lloyd with dark energy. "But you don't care about that, do you, Lloyd? You would much rather die than have her die, well today must be your lucky day! Because I can make that happen."

Lloyd's own sword is in Garmadon's hands, the tip of the blade inches from Lloyds chest. Lloyd stares up at the blade, eyes wide. "And I also know what you fear, and what you want more than anything." Garmadon says.

"Oh yeah? And what's that?" Lloyd spits, glaring at his father.

"To save your sister from death!" Garmadon says, loud enough to draw the eyes of Nya and Harumi. "To evade destiny and save her life!" A pause, then softer, "And I know how."

Lloyd doesn't answer, but his eyes say all that Garmadon needs to continue. "I know that she dies by your hand. I know that you realize that the only way to stop me is to kill her."

"Stop." Lloyd says, weakly. He closes his eyes, trying to block out the stolen voice of his sister.

"I know that there is no escaping destiny, and that you know that too!"

"Stop it-!"

"I know that you will try everything to prevent her death and that it will mean nothing! Because she. Still. Dies!"

"STOP IT!" Lloyd screams, his eyes livid with rage. All the eyes of the battlefield turn to him, and Lloyd rolls as Garmadon tries to skewer him. "I will not let her die!"

Garmadon laughs at Lloyd's rage, shooting him with dark energy and pushing the sword into Lloyd's arm. The Green Ninja grunts in pain, and Nya's panicked scream echoes through the streets. Garmadon's sword comes back red with blood, and he smirks as he takes the sword and rubs the blood on his stolen hands.

"Now, your blood is on her hands." Garmadon says, rubbing Lloyds blood over Liv's hands. A flame light's in his eyes, a determined, enraged, and protective flame. Garmadon staggers, falling against a wall and dropping the sword.

The battlefield is still as Garmadon shouts, screaming at the voice in his head and fighting for control of something that was never his to begin with. Garmadon slumps, and lays still for a beat. Nya runs over to Lloyd, ripping off a piece of her gi and wrapping it around Lloyd's arm.

"I'm fine, Nya." Lloyd says. The cut was deep, but it's not important. He walks over to Liv, a hand hovering over her face.

The blond girl gasps, shooting up and promptly knocking heads with Lloyd. "Oh! Sorry!" She says, laughing. Lloyd throws himself at her, and Liv hugs him tightly. The remaining SoG sit in stunned silence, having no clue of what to do.

Liv's laughs turn to watery, choked tears, and she pulls back, holding Lloyd at arms length. "Is it true? Is that why you were afraid of me leaving?" She says. Lloyd nods, and Liv pulls him closer.

"Well. if anyone can rewrite destiny, it's you Lloyd. You could move a mountain if you really wanted to." Liv chuckles, her bloody hands carding through Lloyd's sweaty blond locks. "And I will be with you. Every step of the way. I promise."

Lloyd buries his head in Liv's shoulder, he saw her yesterday but that feels like a lifetime ago. Everything that's happened in the last few days feels like a lifetime ago. Liv and Lloyd finally pull away, and Nya runs in for the hug soon after.

"Our brothers would be so proud of you." Nya says, wetly.

"They'd be proud of you too, Nya. You're strong, but remember that you don't always have to be. Lloyd, and My mother and Pixal, we're all here for you when you need us." Liv whispers back, and Nya laughs.

"Right back at you." Nya breathes, pulling Lloyd into a side hug. Harumi stands awakly off to the side, away from Liv and the remaining Ninja. Liv looks her way, and simply smiles. And Harumi slowly walks forwards.

"I - I just-" Harumi starts, but Liv just pulls her into a hug, and all words are silently spoken.

"I knew you'd come around." Liv says. "Thank you."

Harumi beams, and surprisingly, Nya slowly swings an arm around their former enemy. Lloyd looks at Harumi, and Harumi meets his gaze with apologetic eyes. Lloyd nods, understanding the message. They'll talk later.

"Don't worry, Liv." Harumi says, her eyes glowing with confidence. "We're going to stop destiny." She says.

"Yeah, destiny's taken enough from our family, and it will take no more!" Lloyd says, throwing his non-injured arm in the air. Small, tiny green sparks explode from his palm, and the new resistance smiles. Lloyd pushes harder, and the warmth of his power slowly fills the bitter cold of his heart. More sparks explode from his hands, sending out a firework of emerald energy.

Liv holds her hand up, and violet sparks join the mix of color in the evening sky. "Garmadon thinks he can divide us, that we will fall!" She yells, looking around at her team.

"But if we fall together," Nya continues, sending a ribbon of glistening water to circle the sparks in the sky.

"We will rise together!" Harumi says, her eyes radiant with unseen power.

"And we will rise stronger than ever before!"

The sparks of power light up the sky, and the voices of the Resistance echo in the hopeless streets of a fallen city. The sun rose on a destroyed, on a broken, on a lost city. But now hope rings through the streets like a bell and through the air like the wind that rustles the leaves of a tree. The sun will set on the old, broken city, and it will rise again on a powerful one. Because there's one overlooked fact about hope.

It spreads like a wildfire. And this fire can't be put out.

Ha, ha ha. Ha. So, what'd you guys think? How did I do on Harumi's redemption? I just love Harumi so much, she has so much potential that's just so overlooked in the show. But aside from that, the secret is out! And things are getting intense with the final showdown, the race to change destiny, and just the overall last few chapters of this story.

I can't believe it, we're close to the end guys. It's hard to think about! This story is like my child XD.

Next time: The Resistance joins forces with Skylor and the other elemental master, and rewriting destiny is harder than the First Spinjitzu Master made it seem. All while Harumi is adjusting to her new life, and others are still weary of her.

GreenGirl~