Reconciled hearts: a season9(Lloyrumi story)

Chapter 161: Promise

Harumi couldn't believe her eyes. Her first instinct was to envelop all the remaining Resistance in tight hugs, so thankful they were safe she could have cried, had she allowed herself.
"We missed you, Harumi," Killow said awkwardly. "Didn't think we'd be seeing you right now."
"Can't get rid of me that easily," the blonde chuckled softly, as she turned to her best friend, wearing an albeit twisted smile, but still a smile. She sank into Ultra Violet's arms, which gripped her shoulders.
When she pulled away, Harumi glanced around the base.
"Where are the ninja?" she asked cluelessly. "And Garmadon? Cloud? Mirage? Opal?"
Everyone fell silent. Harumi's heart sank into the pit of her stomach, knowing something was wrong. "What---"
"Well, w-we don't know a-at the m-moment," Cyrus Borg nervously stammered. "Ah, but we will surely find the ninja--"
"WHAT?!"
Harumi's half-yell tore across the room, silencing everyone else.
"What---what do you mean you don't know?!" she cried. "I---I thought they were safe. . .I should have come back sooner. . .this is all my fault--"
Harumi turned to leave the base. However, her hand froze on the ice-cold, rusted handle of the door leading to the stairs, when Acronix stopped her.
"Harumi, wait!" he called. "I. . .the ninja were turned. We had to take shelter at our house. Please, don't walk out on us again, we'll figure this out---"
He didn't have enough time to see her jaw slack, her features heartbroken, eyes watering. The next moment, Harumi fled, sliding out the door and down the stairs, slowing to a stop at the small platform at the end of the staircase. Her breathing was close to hyperventilation as she looked down at the deep sewer waters below her.
It was all for nothing.
Not for nothing, said a small, weak voice in Harumi.
We've lost them all because Zephyr stopped me, she silenced it instantly, and the voice didn't reply. Part of her wanted it to.
She looked down again, sinking to her knees. It hurt to bear the weight of her world, which were the ninja. It stung to hold back tears again and again. It crushed her to think she might never see them again. It killed her to stand up, to close her eyes, twist, and lean back, wanting to end it all.
Just as Harumi closed her eyes and felt herself fall weightlessly towards the waters, a strong hand gripped her arm and yanked her back onto the platform.
She made no effort to catch herself, but instead of feeling her back hit the platform, two more hands caught her arms and heaved her upright.
Harumi opened her eyes, and immediately closed them again, flinching as someone grabbed her face with one hand on either side.
"WHAT WAS THAT?" Kaitlynn shouted at her.
"Kaitlynn, come off it--" Harumi mumbled.
"No, SHE'S RIGHT," a furious Lilla blazed. "How could you DO THAT? You're better than that, Harumi. You're better. You have too much to live for; we're all counting on you. You're the second heart of the Resistance, you can't just throw it all away. If anyone wouldn't break under the pressure, it's you; you are the one to stitch the cracks and rise strong."
"And we will be there when you do," Jade whispered. "So tell us, are you willing to try? Promise us you'll never do this again. We can't lose you. Be willing to rise instead of letting yourself fall."
Jade stepped forward, her hands wrapping around Harumi's neck. The other two girls hugged her tightly from the other sides.
Harumi felt like they would never let go, and she wrapped her heart around that feeling of being wanted, loved, needed, trusted. . .and supported. That feeling sliding down her skin as their tears kept flowing. . .
Supported. . .
Harumi opened her eyes. If anyone needed support right now, it was the people of Ninjago. Their homes were being destroyed again; their city was burning.
But how? How could she reach out to everyone here in the old base?. . .
Unless. . .
Harumi backed out of the group hug, and said, "We can't be wasting time right now. We need to help the citizens of Ninjago. The ninja aren't here to do it, but we are. We need a way to get word out that the Resistance is still fighting. It's unlikely that anyone will still be in place now, now that Zephyr is taking over, but the network and the airways are our best resources. . ."
Harumi froze.
"The airways. . .I've got it."
The girls nodded wordlessly, trusting that Harumi knew what she was doing. They turned to go back up the steps, and as they went ahead of her, Harumi looked down.
"I promise," she whispered.

~

Half an hour later brought them back into the base, where Harumi had immediately swerved off to the side, alone. After the girls had finished catching up everyone on Harumi's 'episode', they all kept a close watch on her.
Harumi had remembered how Lloyd had taken back the airwaves, how she had seen those dull brown eyes sparkling on the screen for everyone to see, how she had been so angry. . .
You're not the Quiet One anymore, Rumi.
There it was. . .that inner voice again, louder this time.
Then, Harumi saw Jade approaching her, a phone in her hand.
"Y'all have WiFi here, right?" Jade mumbled subconsciously, swiping away on her phone.
"Of course."
"Alrighty then...this should do it. You're lucky people know so much about the internet where we come from. . .Are you ready?" she asked.
Harumi nodded gratefully.
She stood facing the camera lens, as Jade held the phone up to her, finger hovering over the 'Record' button.
"Have you thought out what you're going to say?" Lilla asked her.
Harumi didn't answer.
"She'll have it down," Kaitlynn cut in for her.
"Three. . . two. . .one. . .you're on," Jade whispered, pressing the red button.
"Hello, Ninjago. It's me, Harumi Jade Arianne. I'm here as a survivor; some of you label me as the former Quiet One. Some of you say I'm the former Jade Princess. Others will say I'm a warrior who was misguided by herself. I'm here to let you know that we're still fighting. The Resistance is alive, no matter what that jerk Zephyr says. And as long as we are alive, we will stand against all villains who try to conquer our beloved city, beside you all."

~

Somewhere in Ninjago City, a pair of emerald green eyes was watching the blonde speaking on the screen through the choppy internet.
"Harumi?" Lloyd whispered.

~

"We're asking you not to fight for us, but to fight for yourselves. This is your home as much as ours, and you deserve to stay. Stand your ground, and don't let anyone shake it, no matter what it takes. Protect what you care for."
Harumi paused as she heard more and more noise growing louder above them as people congregated in the square to look at the big screen aboveground.
"THE RESISTANCE NEVER QUITS!" Harumi shouted, putting a fist to her chest. The other fighters behind the camera copied her, and for one heart-shaking moment, she heard the thundering, distant echo of the citizens in the square.
"THE RESISTANCE NEVER QUITS!"
And in that moment, Harumi looked back on her promise to never cry again, one she had made when she thought she had no tears left to cry on the day her parents died.

Harumi let the tears fall.

( A/N: Hello all, ngl, I struggled a bit to write the angst portion in the beginning. I was never a good angst writer, but I hope you all like it. #Lloyrumi4ever ~Ash :) )