#or Morro inhaling the smoke and blowing it using his wind

[kindaasrikal]

Cinder being a human cigarette anyone

[lloydskywalkers]

down comes the night (p1)

Read on FFN.

Me: I don't even /like/ Harumi or Morro that much.

Me: *Proceeds to write a multi-chapter fic that's centered primarily around them as major characters.*

Important note, this is entirely inspired by @randomru ‘s amazing art, which you should definitely check out! You can see the art in particular here and here.  (It’ll...give you a pretty good idea where this is going, heh.)

I've been wanting to write this fic since like...episode 90, I think?  I'm kind of still on the fence about it, but it keeps growing longer so! Here goes :P It's very much an AU fic deviating after the SOG ambush everyone in the resistance in Hunted, so this takes place just after that.

An odd silence had fallen over Borg Tower, a stark contrast to the echoes the screams of terror and wild jeers had left reverberating through the massive tower in days past. In the eerie silence, the sound of the wind pulling at the large banners emblazoned with Garmadon's image seemed almost gratingly loud in Harumi's ears, only adding to the building sense of anxiety in her gut.

A mere day ago, Garmadon himself had ripped her most loyal subordinate to pieces in this very spot.

Harumi swallowed. She had no reason to fear - not this time. This time, she had succeeded where others had failed. Barely, by the skin of her teeth - the fight in the warehouse had been a close thing, and he had almost - almost - slipped through her fingers again. But Harumi won this round.

A clanking sound behind her cut through the silence, and Harumi turned as the heavy elevator doors creaked open. Killow strode forward, his expression satisfied and gloating as he approached Garmadon. The reason for his satisfaction was obvious - his hand was locked firmly around the fraying fabric of a green collar, dragging the limp body of his victim forward.

Blood streamed from a jagged cut across the prisoner's temple, dripping down his neck to mingle with the darkening crimson that stained the rest of his uniform. His blond hair hung loosely across his face, stained with blood and sweat as it stirred lightly in the wind. His eyes were glassy, dazed and near-uncomprehending as they fluttered weakly.

Harumi's fists tightened. She wanted him awake for this. She wanted him to understand, to see that she had won.

She wanted to see that broken look in his eyes, that stubborn light finally stamped out for good.

Killow stopped just before Garmadon, careful to keep a respectful distance from the dark overlord. Yanking his prisoner up, he threw him at Garmadon's feet, a harsh gasp escaping him as he was unable to break his fall, his hands manacled tightly behind him. Garmadon stared for a brief moment, before a menacing smile drew at his lips.

"Welcome back, Lloyd."

Lloyd bit back a low moan, barely even acknowledging his father's words. Harumi kept her hands clasped tightly behind her back, surveying the scene with an even expression.

Garmadon crouched down, grabbing Lloyd's chin in his hand and harshly forcing his head up. Lloyd stirred, pulling back ineffectively as he snarled weakly.

"Let go of me-"

Garmadon only tightened his hold, looking at his son's face as if searching for something. A brief second passed, and he finally let go, Lloyd's head dropping like a puppet with its strings cut.

"Well done," he said, his voice detached and unreadable. It took Harumi a moment to realize he was addressing her.

She gave a brief nod. "I told you we would not fail you, my lord," she said, keeping her voice emotionless.

If only E had managed sooner.

"So you did," Garmadon said, turning to survey the city. He cast a glance back at Lloyd, who still lay crumpled on the ground behind him. "Do you see now, boy? All your efforts, all your foolish hope - wasted, in the end. Surrender was always the only option."

"Resistance…never quits," Lloyd grit out, shifting painfully to his knees. Harumi stiffened at the sentence, and she was keenly aware of several of the other Sons of Garmadon doing the same. The tagline of the resistance had yet to fade from their ears, forceful as it ever was from Lloyd.

Garmadon's jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing into a glare. "Even now," he said, eyeing Lloyd. "You're still just a naive child."

Lloyd glared up at him. "Better that than a pawn."

Garmadon's stare grew cold. "You are the pawn," he growled. "Just like you always were." Garmadon turned back to the city, a dark kind of light sparking in his eyes. It made Harumi's stomach turn.

"In the end, you're only bringing your own destruction upon yourself swifter than ever." Garmadon raised a fist, and there was a low rumble from the streets, the sound of a titan awakening. Garmadon cast his eyes back to his son.

"As well as the destruction of everything you love."

The Colossi rose, and Harumi could feel the heavy vibrations from where she stood as it crashed forward, stepping toward a nearby building - an apartment complex, by the look of it.

A lone cry of panic echoed from one of the balconies, soon turning into a cacophony of screams as the Colossi drew closer to the building. Lloyd inhaled sharply, and Harumi's arms went rigid, her fingers lacing tightly together behind her back.

Lloyd jerked forward, prompting one of her men to lay a restraining hand on his shoulder. "What are you doing," Lloyd ground out, his voice edged in panic.

"Making you see," Garmadon said, and he brought his fist down.

Harumi's eyes went wide. A sudden clank drew her eyes back down, and she started - Lloyd had pulled his chained hands over his legs and in front of him, his eyes fixed on his father in smoldering, burning anger.

She didn't have time to call a warning.

Lloyd snapped into action, crashing his head back against the man restraining him. Killow jerked forward, but Lloyd had already torn himself free, ripping a knife from his gi and surging toward Garmadon.

Garmadon caught a manacled hand just before Lloyd could send the knife through his back. Lloyd struggled violently, kicking at his father as he tried to force the knife down. Garmadon's hand merely tightened, and Harumi could hear the delicate bones in Lloyd's wrist grinding. He dropped the knife with a gutted gasp, still pulling against Garmadon's hold.

"Don't, don't do this, don't you dare, this isn't you-!"

"I thought you'd learned your lesson in Kryptarium, boy," Garmadon said, teeth bared. "This is me."

The Colossi swung a massive arm against the building, the force of the impact rattling the tower itself. Screams erupted in the distance as the left half of the structure began to crumble, the foundation trembling.

Lloyd screamed at his father, abandoning any strategy and lashing out at him as the Colossi continued to rain blows against the building.

"Stop, stop, please!"

Harumi barely noticed her followers exchanging looks as the destruction continued, her mouth dry as ash while she watched, unable to tear her eyes away. Behind her back, her knuckles turned white, her hands clasped together so tightly that her fingers had gone numb.

She listened in mute horror as the screams continued, as loud and piercing as they had been the day her own apartment came crashing down. Her stomach turned, nausea climbing up her throat. The same screams of her parents, as they had met a similar fate-

The building finally gave way completely, smoke and dust filling the air as it crumbled, raining rubble on the streets below with loud, thundering crashes.

Somewhere in the chaos, Harumi thought she heard a child screaming.

Her breathing went tight, her chest constricting as her eyes blurred, still forcing herself to stare resolutely forward. Garmadon finally dropped Lloyd, who sank to the ground in defeat, fighting back blurring tears.

"-hate you," Lloyd choked out, brokenly. "I hate you."

Garmadon scoffed. He looked up at Harumi, his expression remorseless. "Put him in the cage above the temple," he ordered. "Keep him there, so everyone can see him."

Harumi blinked at him, barely able to force her voice steady. "My lord?"

Garmadon's lips curled. "You told me to use a more methodical approach," he said. "A scalpel, didn't you?"

He glanced back at Lloyd, his eyes hard. "At the end of the week, I want every citizen in Ninjago to watch as I execute their precious resistance leader in front of them. Perhaps that will drive an end to their infuriating resistance."

Harumi started, her eyes widening. Garmadon's eyes narrowed. "Is that a problem?"

Harumi steeled herself. "Of course not," she said, tonelessly. "I look forward to it."

Garmadon gave a hint of a malicious smile, and turned, gesturing at her. Harumi reacted robotically, stepping forward to follow Killow as he dragged Lloyd away.

Lloyd, for his part, barely moved, not even when Killow shoved him harshly forward. He stared blankly at the ground, his expression dead, his eyes hollow.

Harumi looked away as they stepped into the elevator, her hands shaking as she folded them tightly together behind her again.

The last screams of the child were still echoing in her ears.