It was her last day in Kryptarium Prison. Harumi was more nervous than excited to be granted this freedom. After all, her new life would begin and she did not have a good track record to back it up. Life after prison here in Ninjago would be a nightmare considering how the majority of the population would likely recognize her either as the Jaded Princess of Ninjago who committed arson, the diabolical Quiet One who resurrected the evil Lord Garmadon, or the scheming Kabuki Mask who assisted the Overlord in his domination.

She used to not care about most people's opinions of her. That was how she confidently executed her plans and became a ruthless leader. But, again, that was what she used to be... now, the glaring and disapproving looks people gave her only fueled her guilt and shame. And though she knew she deserved it, she still wanted to escape it all.

She thought about traveling, seeing the different places Ninjago had to offer, and immersing herself in various cultures. She always wanted to explore. Though it may sound cowardly that she would choose to run away, she had her reasons. It may be her fear and insecurities, the societal pressures, or the chance to recuperate and find herself—whichever it was, distance would help. However, she simply forgot one key detail in her plans.

"I... don't have money..." she muttered to herself, disappointment lingering in her voice. She sighed as she sat on her bed, staring into the empty void of the large dark room.

If she ruled out the possibly judging stares and potentially insulting comments, maybe staying in Ninjago City for a while wouldn't be too bad.

Lloyd did offer her to stay with them at the Monastery since she had helped rebuild it, however, it didn't feel right for her to suddenly live with the same people she caused so many problems. How could she even entertain that idea? Besides, he had already done so much for her.

He did so much for her.

Lloyd... Lloyd visited her often. She was imprisoned for more than a year and ever since he voluntarily went to see her in solitary confinement, he became a frequent visitor. At first, she was hesitant and slightly overwhelmed by his constant appearances but eventually, she was able to slowly get used to it and even started looking forward to his next visit.

He would talk to her, keep her company, and occasionally bring gifts like a few books or puzzles to entertain her. He was really kind to her and she was grateful, truly. The last few months of her time in prison became much better because of him. But deep down, she knew the bitter truth that she, knowing her atrocities and wrongdoings, didn't deserve it all.

Lloyd did his best to help Harumi's mental state improve. She knew he cared that much to that extent. But... she loathed herself. She hated herself. And she knew Lloyd knew that. That is why he would put so much effort to help her. Maybe he was naive—dare she say—foolish, even.

Things were easier said than done and for Harumi it would be difficult. She understood the responsibilities she had to face and it was not the hard work that truly concerned her.

"Ugh..." she groaned in pain as she clenched her stomach. Her eyes slowly illuminated a faint purple hue.

This... this was the Overlord's influence... the dark power that had once brought her back to life. It was still there... lingering within her and it was her greatest worry.

She laid down on her bed, clenching her teeth as she waited for the pain to subdue. Usually, this goes on for a minute or two, fortunately, this one quickly eased within a few seconds.

Memories of the past few years resurfaced in her mind. She remembered when she served that monstrous being with immense fear. She knew well her life hung by a thread—and that thread was his power. He scared her—threatened her that her life was in his hands. So When the Overlord was defeated, she anticipated her end.

But nothing happened. She was still there, very much alive and breathing.

However, much to her dismay—before she could even sigh a deep breath of relief—a sudden sharp pain shot through her. Writhing, she thought someone struck her. But there was no blood, no wound, instead, her hands were discolored to a pitch-black hue, and her veins glowed the same bright purple color of the Overlord's crystals. It was then a voice whispered,

"I... live..."

The sinister voice sent shivers down her spine and she came to the horrifying realization—that monster will never truly be gone.

For long as there is peace and harmony, destruction and chaos will continue to remain and Harumi was the living proof of that. That was how balance worked in this world.

She understood it, even if it felt like a cruel, unwritten law. His power was keeping her alive and she was still simply a reanimated corpse, now weaker and no longer possessing the superhuman abilities he granted her. Instead, in their place, a reoccurring, agonizing, and unpredictable pain in her body that she learned to endure.

She knew she needed help, but it wasn't easy. Sometimes, during Lloyd's visits, she would feel this impulsive temptation to share this burden. But every time she would try, fear held her back.

What if he saw her as a threat again? Or worse, what if he tried to save her and ended up hurt because of it?

These thoughts consumed her mind, forcing herself to not say a word.

She despised the Overlord's grip on her life. He was the reason her parents were dead. She was angry, really angry—but it wasn't the impulsive rage she felt in the past—it was solemn indignation.

Harumi clenched her hand into a fist, her nails slightly digging into her palm.

One day... one day she will be free from the Overlord's perverse grasp. But for now, she has to keep things at bay. The nature of this residing darkness was uncertain. She could only hope that it would not use her to serve its master's cause once more.

The heavy clatter of chains grinding against a pulley filled the air and broke the silence within the large dark room. The thick glass dome that contained her was slowly lifted up. The cell entrance opened and there she saw the Commissioner, standing tall—despite his spinal issues—and waving at her like a giddy old grandfather excited to see his grandchild.

For a moment, Harumi's gloomy mood melted away, and she couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. She waved back, very much glad to see him.

With one last final look around the dome, she started walking carefully across the bridge. When she reached the end, the Commissioner greeted her. Without a second thought, Harumi lifted her hands to him, waiting for him to cuff her.

"What are you doing, kid?" the Commissioner asked with a brow raised, his voice tinged with amusement.

"Aren't you going to cuff me?" she asked in return. "Is it not prison protocol?"

The Commissioner gave a hearty laugh, a genuine, grandfatherly sound that made her feel strangely comforted despite herself.

"I only cuff criminals," he gave her a big smile—or at least, she presumed it was, given the elderly man had a thick mustache that hid it. Harumi had grown used to his eccentricities by now.

"And you aren't one anymore. Well, once you finish signing the paperwork and get out of here... Well, anyway! There is... no need for that." He shrugged playfully and Harumi couldn't help but smile. Not a lot of officers treated her nicely during her stay here but this man did and his kindness made something warm stir in her chest.

"Thank you, Mr. Commissioner. For all that you have done for me." Harumi bowed deeply to show her immense gratitude. She knew she didn't deserve it, but she felt grateful nonetheless.

"I told you to just call me Gramps, " his voice was warm and endearing. He placed his hand gently on her shoulder.

She had opposed doing so because she didn't feel like she had any right to be so familiar with him, but seeing how he had insisted on this multiple times to her, maybe it wouldn't be too bad if it meant it would make him happy.

"Alright, Gramps," she said softly, a happy warmth in her voice.

"And you're welcome," he gave her a light pat before letting his hand fall back to his side. "C'mon. Let's get you out of here."

She smiled for a quick moment before it faltered as she looked down at her feet. She held her hands together– a practice Hutchins made sure she would get used to whenever meeting with an audience or dignitaries. Now it was a nervous habit to comfort herself and ground her storming emotions. Once again, her anxiety returned and the Commissioner noticed the slightly tensed expression on the girl's face

"There is no guarantee people will not recognize you," he let out a sharp breath. "Will you be alright out there?" The elderly man asked her, the clear concern now etched on his face.

The idea of facing the outside world with her past hanging over her made her stomach churn. She wasn't so sure if there would be more people beyond the walls of this prison who would treat her decently. But it was not like she expected anyone either, this was part of the consequences she had to face for her actions.

She squeezed her hands, taking a deep breath before answering, "I... I have to be alright."

But what if she wasn't? What if the outside world couldn't forgive her for what she had done?

The doubts clawed at her mind. Somewhere deep inside, she longed for someone to be there when things became unbearable. Perhaps—

She stopped herself from entertaining that thought. How could she even consider it? She knew she couldn't rely on others forever.

"Chin up, I am positive things will go well. It will just take time," he patted her on the back before stepping out.

She nodded, but the weight of her past loomed over her, and she couldn't help but doubt the Commissioner's optimism.

But before she could follow him, everything happened too fast, too sudden, too quick.

A large explosion erupted out of nowhere and the tough, engineered fortress of Kryptarium Prison instantly broke into pieces like shattered glass. Harumi didn't have enough time to process everything that just happened when a sudden powerful force pulled them upwards to the sky. The heavens were pulsating with a strong purple glow. High above, she saw jagged tears sliced through like fabric. Inside these rifts, she saw glimpses of varying otherworldly landscapes, wastelands, and edifices. At the center of it all, a bright white vortex filled with debris spiraling around it uncontrollably.

"Harumi!" she heard the Commissioner call out to her. She frantically looked around for him but he was now nowhere to be seen.

A bright powerful flash surged in all directions and the next thing she knew she found herself falling from the sky and plummeting down to the sea.

There was a great storm and she could see the waves rising like mountains, violently crashing against one another. With no time to waste, Harumi quickly straightened her body, preparing to dive. Holding her breath, she plunged into the turbulent sea.

The seawater cushioned her fall, but the waves were relentless and threatened to pull her under, making it nearly impossible for her to stay afloat. Every wave felt like a weight pulling her down, and her body screamed in protest.

Debris and jagged metal started raining down from above and dropped around her one by one. Harumi was forced to dive to avoid being struck. Underwater, she swam furiously, but the current was too strong and pushed her back. She could only hold her breath for so long before needing to come up for air.

Amidst the chaos, something caught her eye—a large piece of metal floating just beyond her reach. If she could make it, she might survive.

With the ounce of energy left within her, she swam toward the metal sheet, her heart pounding with desperate hope. But just as she stretched out her hand to grab it, a piece of rubble came crashing down, forcing her to swim away.

The debris hit the water with a huge splash, sending Harumi flying through the air before she crashed onto the metal sheet. She clung to the piece with every last bit of strength, but the ocean had other plans. A massive wave swallowed her whole, and the next thing she knew, she was underwater. She surrendered, her body too tired to fight anymore, accepting the inevitable.

Unlike the waters above, deep down it was calmer. Around her, the pieces of wreckage gradually sank. It was like everything was in slow motion. As she allowed herself to fall deeper. She thought about the people in her life, her family, her friends, her enemies...

Her...

Her dear parents, the emperor and the empress, Hutchins, the Sons of Garmadon, Garmadon himself, the little boy and his family, The Commissioner, even her little villainous volleyball team—she laughed at that thought for a brief moment until she realized she was almost out of air.

If only someone could save her... the Ninja...

...Lloyd.

She hoped he was safe... she hoped they were all safe...

The world spun out of focus and within dark depths she looked up and all she could see was a bright shining light. The storm must have subsided.

As Harumi closed her eyes, she finally embraced death.

WOOSH!

Within the water, something was moving fast towards her. It quickly swam down, immediately taking her hand the moment she was within reach.

With powerful force, the unknown entity pulled her upward to the surface, yanking her out and pulling her towards a floating piece of wood.

Harumi took in a deep breath, coughing out water as she climbed on. She rubbed her eyes and blinked a few times to restore her vision. Once she could see clearly, she looked around to thank her savior, but as quickly as she was saved, they were gone.

Whoever or whatever was being saved her, she was eternally grateful. Because of them, she escaped from drowning, however, her body was still very much tired and weary. She needs to rest.

Eyes heavy, she found herself slowly drifting to sleep. Laying on the weathered plank, Harumi drifted away as the currents carried her to the unknown.