Welcome back to another chapter of Two Shades of Green! Not the most explosive amount of support I've gotten for a new project, but the support is still welcome. For those of you curious, this story will be something between an anthology and and epic. Lloyd and Harumi are the focus of this story, and I plan to explore the entire Ninjago canon. Thus, chapters based on episodes where Lloyd doesn't do much for the main plot, like those of early season 2, will be more anthological in nature, while those were Lloyd, and by extension Harumi, are more involved will be more akin to those of an epic.
Now for a tradition I do with all of my projects, reading and directly responding to the reviews. With this in mind, I encourage all readers to post meaningful reviews with critiques about my writing, as it helps me to improve and I love hearing your opinions. Now, on to the reviews!
Milenuimbreaker12: Like I said, this concept was surprisingly lacking considering Harumi's popularity. Just thought I'd take the obvious opportunity. Glad you like it.
JustRandom (Guest): Glad to see you're so excited for the story. To answer your question, Lloyd and Harumi are the same age here. Ninjago has always been lax with it sense of time, so I'm going to treat it similarly. As for the age gap that would occur when Lloyd gets aged up by Tomorrow's Tea, the answer is pretty obvious: Harumi gets aged up too. Now this is obviously a spoiler, but as you'll see in this chapter, a reoccurring theme of this story Lloyd feeling guilty because Harumi keeps suffering because of his mistakes. You could say its the backbone of their relationship, with him constantly trying to do good by her out of guilt and genuine affection.
Champion of Justice: Thanks for the support!
SP33DRAC3R: Thanks for the support!
Disclaimer: Ninjago is the property of Lego.
Chapter 2: A Home Our Own
One week following the destruction of the Great Devourer, Ninjago City had managed a full recovery. The rubble had been cleared away, the streets were venom free, and most of the buildings that could be salvaged were repaired. A week of hard work had paid off for the Ninja, and the result was a city back on its feet.
However, the completion of reconstruction posed a new dilemma for the Ninja. While the Ninja were helping with Ninjago City's reconstruction, they were spending their nights in the various camps set up for volunteers and victims. However, now that those camps were no longer needed and the Destiny's Bounty was destroyed, the Ninja no longer had a roof over their heads, which was especially problematic considering they now had two children to take care of.
Thankfully, Nia's social network gave the Ninja access to a real estate agent named Patty Keys who could get them a place in Ninjago City. Thus, while Nia and Sensei Wu were away on a road trip to pick up parts for the Ultra Sonic Raider and Dragon Ointment for the injured Ultra Dragon, the Ninja along with Lloyd and Harumi were touring Ninjago City house hunting. Unfortunately, having recently made homeless via giant snake and not receiving pay for their work in saving and repairing Ninjago City, the Ninja were very much broke and couldn't afford much. As a result, the first apartment Patty showed them was less than promising.
The apartment was extremely small. The walls, ceiling and floor looked to be suffering from rot and aging, and they were all covered in a web of exposed electrical wiring and water pipes.
"This one bedroom, one half bath is a cozy dream." Patty said as she presented the apartment to the group, "Who needs extras when everything is in arm's reach? Now wait until you see the lighting."
Flicking the light switch next to the front door, Patty and the Ninja were rather disheartened when the one light bulb hanging from the ceiling flickered before falling to the the floor and shattering.
"Uh, who needs lights when you have this view? Heh." the real estate agent said as she opened the blind for the apartment's sole window, only to reveal that the window's only view was that of the brick wall of the neighboring building.
"Uh, why do I smell old people?" Lloyd asked as he and the rest of the group walked into the apartment.
"Look, doll, I'm trying to work around your budget! This is all you can afford!" Patty yelled in frustration, startling Harumi into hiding behind Lloyd for comfort.
"Uh, this looks… promising." Cole mused, trying to think positively, "Remember, guys, Sensei told us our main objective is to train Lloyd, not kick our feet up in some swanky suite. If this is all we can afford, this is all we can afford."
"Whoa, whoa whoa, let's not rush into any decision." Jay protested, "I mean, if it's really all about Lloyd, don't we need to live someplace that'll make training easier?"
"Yeah, Jay's right." Kai agreed, "If we have to get Lloyd ready to save Ninjago from his father, shouldn't he at least have his own room? Besides that, we also have Harumi to worry about. This is no place for a traumatized child to be recovering in."
"Technically, that does not matter, he only-" Zane tried to reason, only to be cut off when Kai elbowed him in the chest.
"We're only thinking about the children. Ha, ha." Jay chuckled, ignoring Zane's attempts to counter argue.
"I do have another property that you'll just love." Patty suggested.
The next apartment Patty showed the Ninja was leagues above the first one. The apartment was massive sporting eight bedrooms, an amazing view of the city, and a high-end entertainment center. While all the Ninja were certainly impressed with the apartment, Cole still had his concerns with purchasing it.
"Uh, it seems a little out of our price range." Cole said, understating just how outside of their budget the new apartment was.
"Oh, sure it cost a little more, but you deserve it." Patty insisted, "I forgot to mention, there's also a dragon keep on the roof."
"Nice!" Jay cheered, thoroughly impressed with the inclusion of the niche feature, "Maybe we can get a hero discount. After all, we are the Ninja who saved the city."
"I thought Lord Garmadon saved the city." Patty replied, much to Jay's annoyance.
"Um, Lloyd is Lord Garmadon's son." Harumi spoke up quietly, "And the Ninja were responsible for giving Lord Garmadon the opening he needed. Would that warrant a discount?"
"Is that so?" Patty mused, "I'll see what I can do about getting you a discount, but I can't promise anything."
"We could get day jobs," Kai suggested, "to pay for the extra expenses."
"We always said we could use a little more resonsibility." Zane agreed.
"But we have to train Lloyd." Kai realized, recognizing that day jobs would take away from the time they could use on Lloyd's training.
"Did I mention the inn-house training facility?" Patty cut in.
With the push of a button, Patty revealed that behind one of the apartment's walls was whole training facility, complete with spinning mannequin platforms and punching bags. With the inclusion of somewhere for Lloyd to train by himself while they were out earning extra money to pay for rent, the Ninja's decision became unanimous.
"We'll take it!" the Ninja simultaneously agreed.
Following their renting of the high-end apartment, the four ninja quickly found day jobs to help pay off their rent. Jay found work delivering Pizza, Cole worked security at the Ninjago City Bank, Zane put his cooking skills to good use as a Hibachi chef, and Kai found himself doing entertainment at children's birthday parties. While the Ninja were out doing their day jobs, Lloyd and Harumi stayed home at the apartment. Lloyd mostly kept himself busy in the apartment's training facility doing strength and stamina training, while Harumi occupied herself with watching Lloyd training, occasionally get a quiet laugh whenever Lloyd pushed himself a bit too hard and found himself getting thrown around by the training equipment, as well as treating any minor injuries he sustained.
Unfortunately, it soon became apparent that the Ninjas' current lifestyle was not working out too well. As time went on, their jobs became more stressful and more thankless, resulting in the Ninja coming home tired and battered.
"My feet…" Cole moaned as he dipped his legs in iced water, "I can't feel my feet."
"There was so many of them." kai groaned as he collapsed on the couch, "And they wouldn't stop."
"My gears locked up several times." Zane sighed as he oiled his joints, "I didn't even know my gears could lock up."
"I don't even have enough energy to play video games." Jay said as he collapsed with the video game console just out of reach.
"But I thought you were going to train me when you got home." Lloyd complained as he and Harumi walked out of the training facility.
"Sorry, champ, but we can't until we make rent." Cole apologized, "How close are we, Jay?"
Dragging himself to where they kept their collective savings for rent, Jay was disappointed and terrified with the answer he found.
"Is this jar getting bigger?" Jay asked as he shook the half full jar, "We're not even close.
"And our rent is due tomorrow." Zane pointed out.
"I can pull a double shift." Cole offered,
"And I can do overtime." Zane added.
"Maybe I can sling a few more pizza pies." Jay suggested.
"And I can make a little extra if I do the human pinata…" Kai added.
Everyone else in the room gave Kai a look of concern at the statement.
"Ugh, don't ask." Kai insisted, not wanting to think about the topic.
"Great! Then our priorities are set." Cole declared, "Tomorrow, we make rent."
"And, uh, what about us?" Lloyd asked for himself and Harumi.
"How about you help out and fetch me some more ice, huh?" Cole suggested, already feeling the water in his basin getting warm,
"I'll go get the first-aid kit." Harumi whispered as she made her way back into the training facility,
"We have a first-aid kit?" Kai asked from his place on the couch.
"You'd be surprised how hard a punching bag can punch back." Lloyd admitted.
The next day, with the Ninja out at work, Lloyd decided he was going to take the day off from training and just have some fun. After all, if the Ninja weren't around to see him not training, they couldn't reprimand him for it. Thus, Lloyd decided to take advantage of the apartment's extras and play a few rounds on the video game console. Before long, Harumi took the seat next to him on the couch, curious as to why he was playing video games instead of training.
"Shouldn't you be training?" Harumi asked.
"It's fine." Lloyd replied, brushing off the issue, "One day off from training shouldn't hurt."
"Why do you need to do all this training anyway?" Harumi asked further.
Pausing his game, Lloyd let out a sigh as he prepared to answer her question.
"It's to face my father." Lloyd answered, a frown forming on his face.
"Lord Garmadon?" Harumi asked, "But why?"
"Because destiny said so." Lloyd replied, his eyes downcast, "According to prophecy, the Green Ninja will be the one to defeat the Dark Lord. Destiny decided I was to be the Green Ninja, and because the Great Devourer bit my dad when he was my age, he became the Dark Lord I have to defeat. I guess you could say the Great Devourer took both of our parents away. We're in the same boat."
Lloyd let out a dejected chuckle at that notion.
"Do you want to fight you father?" Harumi inquired.
"Why would I?" Lloyd asked rhetorically, "My family is divided enough between my dad and my uncle. Why do I have to oppose him too?"
"Then why don't you?" Harumi pushed further, "Why don't you just join your father instead?"
"My dad told me that every boy get to choose what kind of man they become. Because he was bitten, he never got that choice." Lloyd explained, "He told me he wanted me to make the most of that choice, to choose to not be evil if I didn't want to be, even if it meant having to fight him."
"You didn't answer my question." Harumi replied, "If it was between fighting your father or being with him, why did you choose to accept fighting him?"
"Because… I don't like being evil." Lloyd said looking Harumi straight in the eye, "When I choose to act evil, I hurt people. When I released the Serpentine, they went on to release the Great Devourer, which hurt innocent people like you. I never want to do something like that again. That's why I chose to accept my destiny as the Green Ninja."
Harumi was at a loss for words. She had only known Lloyd for a short while, bit it was apparent that he had a kind soul, a stark contrast to the man that is his father. While she respected Lord Garmadon for being able to defeat the Great Devourer when not even the Ninja could, the stories she heard from the Ninja made it clear that his heart lacked compassion for very few aside from his son. Even his own brother Wu was little more than an adversary to him. But Lloyd Garmadon was different. Although he was destined to possess a power that would rival his father's, his heart was pure and had room for many. After all, he had convinced the Ninja to take her in, a complete stranger at the time, all because he felt guilty for the suffering his mistake ultimately caused her.
Seeing the glum look on the boy's face, Harumi reached out and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"Hey," Harumi whispered, "don't feel so bad. You've already done so much for me. As far as I'm concerned, you've more than made up for your mistakes."
"But your parents…" Lloyd tried to argue.
"Wanted me to live the best life that I could, just as your father did." Harumi interrupted. "Like you said, we're in the same boat, so I'll stay by your side and do what I can to make sure you reach you destiny."
"… Thanks." Lloyd replied, smiling, "Hey, you want to a turn at this game?"
"I've never played before." Harumi said hesitantly.
"Come on, it's easy." Lloyd insisted, handing her the controller, "Here, I'll show you."
To both children's surprise, Harumi was a natural at the game. Within a couple of minutes of practice, she was already getting scores that rivaled Lloyd's and was actually about to beat one of his lower ones.
"Whoa, you're a natural!" Lloyd cheered.
"All thanks to your tips." Harumi replied as she got super focused on the game.
As he watched Harumi play, Lloyd noticed something odd on the screen. Reflected on the screen was the image of a familiar figure. When the Green Ninja in training recognized who the figure was, he jumped. Looking out the apartment's massive windows, Lloyd saw the Hypnobrai General Skales standing outside on a window washer scaffold, knocking on the glass.
"Hello, children." Skales greeted menacingly.
"We have to go!" Lloyd cried as he grabbed Harumi by the hand and ran for the door.
As Lloyd struggled to get the apartment's security system to open the door, Harumi quaked in her shoes at the sight of the Hypnobrai cutting a hole into the window.
"What's going on?" Harumi asked fearfully, "Who is that?"
"Another one of my mistakes!" Lloyd yelled as he grabbed one of the training swords they had lying around the apartment, "Stay behind me!"
"Well well well, isn't this a surprise." Skales mused as he approached the frightened children.
"What do you want with us!" Lloyd demanded, brandishing his harmless weapon.
"The girl I have no business with! You, on the other hand, seem to be the only thing your father cares about!" Skales explained, "But with you as my hostage, he'll have no other choice but to let me lead the Serpentine!"
Despite his own fears, Lloyd stood his ground in front of Harumi, holding out his weapon. He wasn't about to let her suffer any more for his mistakes.
"Do your worst!" Lloyd dared, "You can try all you want to take me, but don't you dare lay a scale on Harumi!"
"Very well then." Skales hissed, "Let's train."
Gripping his training sword tightly in hand, Lloyd went to strike first. However, Skales easily saw through the attack, batting away the training sword with his staff. Using his tail, the Serpentine General swept at the boy's legs, causing him to trip and drop his training sword.
"Pythor was right, you really don't know the first thing about fighting." Skales mused as he picked up Lloyd by the collar of his shirt.
Fearing for the safety of her friend, Harumi pushed aside her fear for her own safety and picked up Lloyd's discarded training sword.
"Leave Lloyd alone!" Harumi screamed as she charged in with the sword raised over her head.
Just as easily as he did with Lloyd, Skales whipped his tail and sent Harumi hurdling towards the wall, quickly dispatching her.
"Harumi!" Lloyd cried in concern.
"Too easy." Skales hissed as he turned to make his exit with his hostage in hand.
"Hello?" the familiar voice of Sensei Wu said from the other side of the front door, "What's going on in there?"
"Sensei Wu!" Harumi cried, "A snake man is trying to take Lloyd!"
"What!?" Nya yelled in worry from the other side of the door.
Now aware that his nephew was in danger, Sensei Wu kicked open the door, breaking the electric lock. With his path forward open, the old man let out a cry of "Ninja go" before quickly dispatching of Skales with a display of Spinjitzu. Now free from Skale's grasp, Lloyd quickly rushed over to Harumi's side.
"Are you okay?" Lloyd asked in concern as he helped the girl to her feet.
"I'm fine." Harumi replied, rubbing her shoulder to ease the pain.
"You shouldn't have done that." Lloyd insisted, "I was supposed to protect you. Instead, you got hurt because of one of my mistakes again."
"It's fine. Same boat, remember?" Harumi insisted, "You look out for me, and I'll do the same for you. After all, how can you make up for all of your mistakes if you're not around?"
"You're right." Lloyd conceded, "Thanks."
"I should be the one thanking you." Harumi said with a smile.
When the Ninja arrived home having lost their jobs, it was apparent to everyone that the super nice apartment that required all of them to divert energy from training Lloyd to paying rent was not necessary. Thus, the group moved in to the super small and rundown apartment that Patty Keys had shown them before. It wasn't that nice, but it was affordable, and it allowed the Ninja to focus on training Lloyd. With Skales in prison and an affordable roof over their heads, the group was able to sleep peacefully that night, even while scattered about in makeshift beds along the small apartment's floor.
However, Wu did not sleep well that night. As he was meditating, the old master felt a disturbance in the air. Something very worrying has happened, and he could tell it had something to do with his brother, Lord Garmadon.
This is normally the part where I have another tradition for my projects, as many of my long-time-readers can attest to, a special end card segment. Usually, its something like a meta-comedy skit called Animan Temple or a list of trivia regarding the production of the chapter. Unfortuantley, I don't really have much to give for this particular story in terms of end card segments. Maybe I'll come up with something later down the line.
For now, that's all everyone. Leave a review if you'd like to tell me your thoughts on this chapter. It really helps me out. Until next time!