She kissed him.
Help save the city?

~~~

Lloyd was never jealous of relationships.

And relationships, as in, you-kiss-me-I-kiss-you-back kind of stuff. Lloyd never really felt anxious towards the day that he'd find a partner too. Probably because he never felt anything towards anyone in particular.

Until her.

He was aware, oh he was. He was aware that she was some sort of a skilled thief, maybe much more than that but Skylor didn't really give away much information when they fed her the Truth Tea.

Skylor had said something like: Oh I'm actually working for an evil lord but I don't know his name. I always just call him 'My Lord', though he was kind of a jerk. He wants to take over Ninjago City. Surprise? Ha-ha, not surprising. He's spreading dark matter throughout the city and he's already regained his physical form. Blah-blah-blah, just your average villian who wants to conquer a shit city, nothing more.

That's about it. He didn't know if Harumi had anything to do with the so called 'Lord'. Because back when Lloyd had encountered the girl and her gang, she had called themselves 'The Sons of Garmadon'.

They should totally hire an actual son of Garmadon, it's really insulting that they didn't even invite Lloyd into the cult. 'The Sons of Garmadon'? He should file a report for copyright, tch. (Do you get it? Because Lloyd is the son of Garmadon and...oh poo, I'm not funny at all.)

Okay anyways, to put it short, Lloyd fell for the girl.

The girl, Harumi? Yep, yep. Let's rewind and we can all see what happened, shall we?

•••
(Lloyd's POV)

"Lloyd!" Someone called out to me and I'm totally not lying when I said I didn't jump and crash into a locker, humiliating myself in front of the people that stood in the hallway.

"Sorry, did I scare you?" The voice of a girl, whom sat beside me in Science class. What was her name? Hm...ha-ha, I'm kidding, there's no way I could've forgotten her name.

"No." I replied smartly.

Harumi giggled. My face held the expression that anyone could read: What are you giggling at?

But Harumi, that sweet girl, (I'm being sarcastic, I'M BEING SARCASTIC-) she didn't take the hint and simply looked at me apologetically.

"I'm sorry I scared you, Lloyd. You remember me, right?" Harumi looked at me, a faint smile tugged at her lips.

"Yeah, I do." I responded, though I had to try very hard not to be reminded of the awkward scene in the classroom. Oh, Lloyd, why did you always have to be the center of attention?

I straightened myself and said something super clever like, "D-Do you..need anything?"

At first, Harumi looked as if she was trying to process the words that came out of my stupid, stuttering mouth. Then, she gave a big grin that immediately told me whatever she was about to say cannot be anything as casual as: No! I just came to say hi. But I have to go now, bye!

Nope, she did not leave. Instead, she said, "Yeah, actually. I heard that you're quite the champion in Science. I need your help with my homework."

Oh, wow. Someone actually came to me for help with her homework? Also, I wasn't all that good in Science. I don't know how where she heard it from, I was definitely not a champion in Science.

"Uh..sure." I cursed my awkward brain for not being able to reject her, "What do you need help with?"

Harumi gave another grin, and I really started to curse the heck out of myself for agreeing to help her. You see, that grin, it did not look like a grin that said: Oh you're willing to help me! I'm so grateful!

Instead, it's a grin that said something like: I have something up my sleeve, and you're gonna suffer at some point.

I gulped.

"Follow me! I'll tell you everything on the way." Harumi gestured for me to follow her and skiddled away down the hallway. I quickly followed suit, ignoring the stares I was getting by the students standing by the lockers. Okay, I swear that at some point, I'm gonna burst and start clawing out the eyes of everyone who stares at me like I'm some sort of an alien.

Ahem, sorry.

Anyways, we trotted through the cafeteria, which was almost empty. Well, it made sense because it wasn't even lunch time yet. But there were some students sitting on tables, studying or just simply there to eat a sandwich. I forced down my hunger as my stomach growled at the thought of sandwiches (I did not eat breakfast, forgive me, stomach) and followed Harumi as we exited out the cafeteria through the other side.

Along the way, she started talking. Something like, "I actually think you're not too bad!" and "I accidentally spilled coffee over my Science project the other day, it was stupid of me."

I didn't really pay attention, because I was too busy thinking about something else (not food, trust me) and I just replied in a series of Uh-huhs and Yeah, okay.

"Lloyd, in here." Harumi nudged me in the arm and pointed somewhere down the hallway. It took my slow brain 2 seconds to see what she was pointing at, I raised an eyebrow upon understanding.

"The Science lab?" I asked.

Right after that, I was about to ask something along the lines of: Why would you bring me to the Science lab Are you gonna use me for an experiment? then I remembered that she asked me to help her with her Science homework. Lloyd, you're so smart.

"Yeah." Harumi responded and grabbed my arm. Then, she proceeded to literally drag me as if she was afraid I couldn't walk on my own. I definitely could, if not, what are my legs for?

Though, I didn't protest and allowed her to do so. My mind must've gone into a temporary shutdown.

She chucked me into the lab and then closed the door behind her. I was gathering in my surroundings, but I wasn't deaf and I swore I heard her lock the door.

Let's just get this over with. I thought.

"So what is the homework that you need me to help w-" Before I could finish my sentence, Harumi grabbed my arm (seriously, again?) and yanked me towards the far end of the room.

Being a ninja, getting yanked like that is not entirely odd at all. Surely, I, the legendary Green Ninja, would've landed on my feet because I'm just that cool.

I face planted onto the ground.

Okay, pause. You might be wondering: Lloyd, how can you fall for her when she literally just threw you across the room?

I would probably respond like: Yeah, she did do that. But I was probably drunk or something, I'm not entirely sure myself. Because she went over to me, pulled me to my feet, and kissed my cheek.

What the heck kinda trick was that?

"What-?" Standing up, I struggled to form words, I really hoped that one throw against the ground didn't disintegrate at least a few braincells.

Harumi simply smiled, then moved closer again to get another kiss. I raised my hand and cupped it over her mouth.

"Woah, woah. What are you doing?" I was already dazed (damn, that throw must've been strong) and my hand was slightly uncoordinated, it only covered half of her mouth.

"Have I ever told you that you're cute?" Harumi smiled. Though, I had to rub my eyes to make sure that her smile wasn't an evil grin, because it sure looked like one.

"Wh-? What in the FSM's leather shoes?" Lloyd, were you so knocked out and shocked that you forgot leather shoes didn't exist during the First Spinjitzu Master's time?

Harumi pulled me up, then examined me to see if I had any injuries. "My bad, sometimes I get carried away and just start throwing people. I guess that's one of the reasons why I don't get a lot of friends."

Throughout my 14 years of living, I have not heard of someone saying that the reason they don't have friends was because they kept throwing people randomly like: Excuse me, I need to launch you into that wall right there just because I feel like it.

"You're not hurt, that's great." Harumi let out a sigh of relief.

I was starting to regain my senses, I simply blocked out all the warnings my mind was sending me because I wanted a clear head to think. "Okay...so..."

"Hey, quick question. Have you met your dad?"

Harumi's 'quick' question struck me like one of Jay's lighting strikes and I simply started jittering on spot. But I managed myself calm, since when did the conversation routed its way to my dad?

"Uhm...no." My dad, also famously known as Garmadon, had gone missing even before I was born. I had only seen pictures of him that my mom placed on her bedside table.

She really missed my dad, though every time I started talking about him, she'd always be like: He left us. A bastard, he was. I don't know why I chose him, you're nothing like your father, Lloyd.

Still, I can't deny the fact that I do miss him, too.

"Hmm." Harumi hummed, she narrowed her eyes at me and a smile was creeping its way across her lips.

"So, about that Science homework-" I tried to change the topic back to what it was but Harumi didn't seem to want to do that.

"Are you free after school?" Harumi asked yet another random question, which was really confusing and I wanted to jump out that window located to my right.

"Uh...maybe?" Excellent answer, Lloyd.

"I wanna bring you somewhere, will you come?" Harumi leaned closer and I instinctively leaned back.

"Uh...maybe?" Slap yourself. Oh just for once.

"Great!" Harumi grinned and dashed straight out the Science lab. I simply stood there, wide-eyed and slightly confused.

The heck just happened?

•••
(No one's POV)

When the bell rang, students fled and poured out of multiple classrooms at once and the hallways were filled almost immediately.

Lloyd wasn't one of them, he simply took his time packing up his stuff and trotted out of the classroom. Nobody really paid much attention to him, and if they did, they're probably thinking about the many ways Lloyd could face plant himself into the opposite wall if they tripped him right there and then.

Fortunately, they only thought about it and made no attempts to do so.

"Hey, your zipper." About three seconds after he stepped out of the classroom, a voice called out from his right and he flinched. Jesus, will people stop appearing out of nowhere? Now he knows how the criminals felt when he sneaked up on them as a ninja and went: Boo! Ha, did you see me coming? No you didn't, now taste my kick.

"Huh?" Lloyd responded, his mind took a second too slow to make out who it was that called him out. Take some caffeine, Lloyd. You need a clear head.

It was Cole. (Ah, made sense why he appeared out of nowhere. He's also a ninja.) He eyed the bag Lloyd carried and pointed at it with his chin, "Your zipper, it's open."

Lloyd took one glance at the bag behind his back and realised that he'd forgotten to zip it.

He made a sound that was supposed to be a chuckle, but it came out terrible and he sounded like he was choking, "Ha-ha, silly me. Thanks for the reminder." He slid the bag off his shoulder.

Cole wore a short sleeve jacket on a grey shirt with the word ROCK 'N' ROAR!! printed at the front. His thick raven hair was tied up into a man-bun and his dark locks over his face made his expression seemed unrecognisable.

Lloyd forced a nervous smile at Cole and turned around to leave, "I'll get going now..."

"Hold it." Cole stopped him.

The sudden order made Lloyd flinch, his feet froze in the middle of walking away. The stare Cole was giving made Lloyd felt as if someone was aiming a laser at him from a mile away.

"I'm gonna be straight forward here." Cole continued, he didn't bother to ask Lloyd to turn back around to face him. "The Green Ninja reached out to you, yes?"

The way Lloyd's head slowly creaked its way around to face Cole told the taller boy his answer. Lloyd revealed a nervous and forced smile, his eyes troubled.

"I...don't know what you're talking about-"

"Don't play dumb, blondie. I know you were the one the Green Ninja reached out to so you could help him get a certain someone on the team." Cole kept his voice steady and low, probably because he didn't want anyone overhearing him and just go: Holy shit, blonde freak got in touch with the Green Ninja? Let's tell this to literally everyone I know!

"You..." Lloyd started. As much as he was surprised to know that Cole knew what happened, he had an idea of who might've told him, (hint: Super crazy fire kid) he was even more surprised that Cole decided to talk directly to him about it.

If Lloyd wasn't the Green Ninja and knew all of his teammates identities, he wouldn't have been so dumb that he couldn't guess that Cole was also somewhat apart of the ninja team. What was Cole thinking? That idiot with rocks for a brain!

"Look, since you know that I know about this, you can't be that dumb to not know I probably have a connection with the ninja. Let's say I do." Cole crossed his arms and leaned himself against the wall. Lloyd so wanted to just blast a ray of energy beam at his face and told him to shut up, "But if Green reached out to you, when he could've asked anyone else for help, I have to trust him."

Lloyd was baffled. He stared at Cole as if he wore a lobster costume and was getting ready to drop himself into a pot of oil. He wanted to speak, but his vocal chords were being jerks and they refused to let him do so.

Seeing that Lloyd stayed silent, Cole continued, "I'm only doing this because I need your help. We all do."

"Cole, what are you-"

"You're the son of Garmadon, right? So get this, we believe that he's returning to Ninjago soon. And he's not gonna come back and be all: Hey guys! I'm just here to visit, nothing more!" Lloyd found it funny that even talking about something as alarming as this, Cole could still be...well, Cole.

"B-But he never really hurt anyone when he was still here!" Lloyd played along. Though, it's true that he's confused. His mom told him that even though Garmadon was an Oni; a species of evil creatures that only existed back then, he never hurt anyone. Everyone just assumed he was a demon of some sort because of his appearance and declared him evil. His mom believed that that's probably why he left Ninjago City. So it wouldn't make sense why he'd come back to wreck havoc upon the city, unless...he wants revenge?

Cole sighed. "I know, everyone knows that. But people are-" He stopped short, looking bothered, as if the words were stuck in his throat. Lloyd didn't need to guess to know that he was about to say: But people are ridiculous.

"But let's just say that the ninja team have information. We...We've been dealing with some stuff lately, and we have reasons to believe that the people we've dealt with were all working for your-for Garmadon." Cole explained. Lloyd gathered in how he changed your dad to Garmadon. Was it because Cole knew Lloyd probably wouldn't like it when someone points out the fact that Garmadon is his father?

Lloyd lowered his head, "Is that so..?"

Cole studied the boy. Something seemed terribly odd about him, not because he took the news quite well, but because he seemed to have already expected the news.

"So what I'm trying to say is...if you could help us, whether it be to stop Garmadon, or to convince him to not conquer the city, everyone might treat you differently afterwards." Cole forced out a smile, it looked terribly crooked and Lloyd was thinking of getting someone to help him muster up a perfect smile. At least, not one that's crooked. He would've made a terrible actor.

Lloyd hesitated. He could've easily agreed, it wouldn't matter, he'd have to fight for Ninjago City as the Green Ninja anyway. But the thought of fighting his own father, even if they're not entirely sure it is him. But if he's gonna face him soon...no, Lloyd can't bear to think of it.

"...N-No." Lloyd muttered.

"Huh?" Cole asked.

"I said no." Lloyd repeated, his tone slightly louder.

Cole blinked and raised an eyebrow, "Why? You hate him, don't you? He's the one who made your life miserable-"

"No!" Lloyd yelled. It was a relief that most students had already left the school halls, or else they would've been the center of attention.

"I've never met him in my entire life." Lloyd's breathing became shaky, "If I were to meet him for the first time, I don't want it to be me opposing him."

"...Lloyd-" Cole started, but Lloyd just shot him a look that sent ice spikes stabbing him in the chest.

"I don't hate him, he wasn't the one who made my life miserable." Lloyd's voice suddenly got angrier, for some reason, it terrified the raven-haired. Because he swore he saw his eyes lit bright purple, "The people did! They see me as a monster, just like they saw him as one too, when we did nothing!"

Cole gasped. He backed up, unable to make sense of what's happening. There was an aura surrounding Lloyd, dark and purple, as if just by looking at him will make one go insane.

Cole thought the scene would've been so cool to watch, if only he wasn't the one that was facing a rouge blondie there.

"Lloyd, calm down-" Cole raised his hands. But it was too late, the whole hallway darkened, the ceiling lights flickered off and the glow in Lloyd's eyes brightened, in a way that anyone would know it's a bad sign. Cole always wondered if people have glowing eyes, could they see in the dark? He slapped himself: Dude, you're in a tight spot here. Not the time for stupid questions!

A second later, the glowing eyes disappeared. The lights flickered back on and it was just Cole, standing in the hallway, his face covered in beads of sweat.

"...Lloyd?"

•••
(Lloyd's POV)

My head hurt like hell when I woke up. My visions were blurry and it took me a while to wait for them to settle in and examined my surroundings.

"Ow..." I held my head, trying to search for signs of injury. Because if my head hurt that bad, and I woke up in a place I'm not familiar with, I must've gotten knocked or something else. But there were no signs of injury, not even a bump. Huh, what happened then?

I tried to recall, but every time I tried to think, my head ached even more as if trying to say: I'm already suffering, stop thinking!

I took in my surroundings, trying to see where I was. I was in some sort of a cave, near the opening. Jagged rocks poked out of the solid ground all around the interior walls of the cave and more stuck out of the curved ceiling. It was still daylight outside, but I could see that the sun was already preparing its setting, on its way to disappear behind the mountains. Jesus, how long have I been out?

My ear picked up a sound of water dropping, I turned to find that most part of the cave walls were glistening wet. Even if the sun was scorching outside.

I hate caves.

I was about to stand up and leave when someone called me out of nowhere. (People have to stop calling me out of the blue and show themselves before talking to me. Seriously, one of these days I'm gonna die of a heart attack.)

"Oh, wonderful! You're awake!" Oh, come on. Why was it her again?

Harumi stood behind me, a wide smile on her face. When did she get there?

"Harumi? Where are we?" I asked the most obvious question that lingered in my mind