Reconciled hearts: a season9(Lloyrumi story)

Chapter 171: The Orginal

Yet again, Harumi paused.
"Are we sure?" she asked shakily, for the last time, looking into those nervous faces. A beat of silence passed, and then someone burst out.

"You should open it," Kaitlynn prodded Jade's back, sending her stumbling forward with a sharp shove.
"Hey, watch it! Why me?" Jade turned to the others desperately.

"You're the oldest," she snorted.
The said oldest turned with a grimace, and in one reluctant motion pulled the closet open.
They all peered inside carefully to see Clone Harumi lying motionless on the slightly wide, wooden base of the closet.

"This is just as weird as last time," the real Harumi gazed down at her doppelganger tiredly.
"I think she's asleep--or--turned off--or whatever," Jade concluded.

"We gathered, genius," Kaitlynn sighed. "How do we turn it on?" Jade opened her mouth to comment about how Kaitlynn had called the Clone an "it", but Kaitlynn cut across her words.

"Go poke her or something," she suggested.
"Poke--poke her?" Jade sounded scandalized. "I can't---what if something bad happens?! You do something!"

They continued to argue, until Lloyd quieted them, and the two turned back to the closet.
With an inch more willpower than normal, Jade stuck out her finger and gently pressed the Clone's pale, curved nose.

Large, cold jade eyes flickered as the eyelids raised, and Jade jumped back, tripping backwards on her own feet.

Harumi's eyes darted to the Clone, and she saw a range of emotions cross the pallid face looking out at them. The Clone looked curiously at the girls, ignoring the blonde boy next to them, and fleetingly examined Lloyd, then came to a stop on the real Harumi.

"You..." the Clone whispered. "It's you! I was made after you! You're The Original!"
Harumi didn't know what to say.

The Clone finally saw Garmadon. Giving a small cry of terror, they saw the pale face move as she jumped up, running away as fast as she could. Admittedly, not walking for months rendered her shaky on legs for a few moments, and they took advantage of it.
To everyone's surprise, Jade yanked a rope out of her backpack and didn't even bother to tie a knot as she swirled it in the air. It quickly formed a rotating circle, and she threw it with precise aim around the retreating body of the Clone.

The Clone fell forward with a tired thud, and Jade tried to gently drag her back towards them. All the while, the Clone protested loudly. As she slid closer, Lilla drew out a white cloth and finally tied it around her head, struggling with the tangled white hair.
Jade paused to stare down at the Clone for a moment, and something like an apology passed in their eye contact.

"We need to talk," she looked pointedly at the other three girls.

"I'll watch her," Garmadon rasped quietly, still avoiding Harumi's eyes.

"We'll watch her," Cloud corrected him, coming over with Lloyd.

As they passed the threshold to another room, the girls huddled together.

"She'll never work with us!" Kaitlynn whispered incredulously.

"Not for free, she won't," Lilla sighed, a little frustrated they couldn't see the solution so obvious to her. "We have to give her something in return, make her an offer she won't turn down!"
"You think she wants cookies?" Jade piped up excitedly.

"Definitely not yours," Kaitlynn grunted, thinking back to Jade's old baking experiments.
"Maybe she'll help us if we're nice to her," Jade suggested sweetly.

Kaitlynn glanced at Lilla, trying to convey some of her hopeless frustration, but Lilla simply chuckled, wordlessly exiting the room.

The other two looked after her as she left.
"It's not like we were making progress, is it?" Jade admitted glumly.

They all rejoined Garmadon, Lloyd, Cloud, and the Clone. Jade and Kaitlynn found Lilla in the middle of vaguely explaining the plan to Clone Harumi.
"...and that's why we need your help," Lilla finished, then added, "Please?"

"I won't help you do-good heroes for anything," she spat, looking away.

Jade stepped forward eagerly. "How about for a cookie?"
"No."
"How about...TWO cookies?"
"NO."
"Villains usually drive a lot harder bargains than cookies," Lloyd interrupted.
"What could possibly appeal to a clone? She's not even human," Kaitlynn said loudly.
"But it wouldn't hurt to treat her like one," Jade persisted. "Harumi, just because she's a Clone made to tear the Resistance apart doesn't mean she has no feelings at all. I mean, you guys have been keeping her locked in a broom closet for months! I think that's a bit much. I also think everyone deserves freedom after something like that."
They continued to argue, and the Clone's sudden silence went unnoticed, until there was an unprecedented moment of quiet as they all stopped to think and take a break from shamelessly discussing ways to get the Clone to cooperate right in front of her.

Jade glanced at Clone Harumi.
"Can I talk to her?"

The others shrugged, but stayed put.
"Alone?" Jade emphasized.

"What? Why?! Of course not! It's too dangerous," Lilla objected instantly.

"Yeah, we don't know how easily she could take you on," Cloud agreed.

But one look into those dead-tired, quiet, dull green eyes with a shade of red told Jade she wouldn't be fighting at all.

"I'm not worried," she said quietly, with a tone of finality, and Harumi understood.

The others left to the deck of the Bounty, waiting impatiently for Jade to emerge unharmed.

Jade watched as the others reluctantly left, and then slowly turned to the Clone, who stayed put and silent.

"For starters, don't listen to Kaitlynn," Jade chuckled quietly. "She can be...a little careless with her words sometimes."

"Yeah. I gathered," Clone Harumi deadpanned.
"Look, it's just...everyone deserves a chance at redemption. From just meeting you, I can't imagine you being evil, actually," Jade continued to ramble. "And...we could really use your help. Our friends are trapped, and the guy we're currently fighting is a total---jerk---and...I wouldn't mind having another person around, y'know?"

Clone Harumi looked up morosely. "You're willing to give me a second try...why?"

"People change. Even the worst of the worst can live up to that," Jade smiled, putting a hand on the Clone's shoulder.

She thought for a moment, then thought of an offer.
"We'd be willing to let you free, you know," Jade said gently. "And stay with us. If you can help us. It's all we need and want right now, to defeat the sorcerers and save our friends. Surely someone trying for redemption can understand that?"

"Yes, they can," the Clone admitted, tears starting to form in her dull green-red eyes.

"So, you'll do it?" Jade said excitedly.
The Clone nodded, and the other girl jumped for joy.
"Let me just untie you now...I'll toss in those complimentary cookies anyway..."

Jade worked quickly at the rope around the Clone's body, hacking away with a silver knife instead of untying it as she had planned. The ropes eventually slipped off, and the Clone felt herself wrapped in a strangely comforting hug.

"Welcome to the Resistance."
They walked towards the deck together, and on the way, Jade explained to the Clone their current best plan, which involved her. Clone Harumi looked a bit apprehensive, but she was up to the challenge.
The others were relieved and surprised to see that their friend had not only been dealt no harm but also converted the former enemy to their side.
"You did it!" Harumi whispered to Jade off on the side while the others talked to the Clone.

"Yeah, I did."
"How?"

Jade gave a tiny smile. "Sometimes we should choose to be strong of mind rather than strong of body."

(A/N: Hope everyone is relaxing out of school :) Happy Summer, all :D ~Ash )