Mistake's POV

     "How could you do this!" He snarled, spit flying out his mouth. His fangs glinted in the dying light. "How could you betray me?"

     "How could you follow her?" I replied, blocking his incoming sword swing.

     "She's trying to win the war! She's trying to make us stronger. We need to convert the First Spinjitzu Master. He's our only hope." He pulled his sword up and swung again at a different angle.

     "I still can't believe you are that naïve." I hissed, blocking him yet again. "Malevolence only wants all of the sixteen realms to fall under her control." I pulled his sword up and sent it flying.

     "Even if that is the case, we're Oni." Enmity pulled out a dagger. "We are meant to conquer." He blocked my attack. "We are meant to destroy. By siding with them," he pointed to the Elemental Masters, "you are siding with creation. You must push your nature under your feet. For what? All because you hate Malevolence?"

     I paused, realizing Enmity didn't see the point. The thought nearly brought me to my knees. Finding only loyalty in his eyes, my sorrow was quickly replaced with rage. "You don't see it. You don't see it at all." My fist locked with his jaw. He stumbled back, spitting blood. "Our nature may be to destroy, but we don't decimate without purpose. We need control. We need to know when not to hurt. The First Spinjitzu Master has created a beautiful world. It would break my heart to see it torn apart for no reason. Our war is not here."

     Enmity rubbed his jaw, his eyes showing his vulnerability. "Without the First Spinjitzu Master, we will never win the war." He rose to his feet. "I will kill or convert him if it is the last thing I do. Whether this world is brought to its knees or not is not my concern."

     I bared my teeth, ready to defend. We glared at each other for a second. The battle raged around us, but we were both in the moment. After a second, Enmity's eyes softened. "Don't do this, Mistake. You can come home a hero." He extended a hand. "Join me."

     I looked at him and remembered the Oni I loved. But he was not that Oni anymore. I spat on the dirt. "Never."

     Enmity let out a primal scream. He lunged, and I ducked. When I rose to full height, I let my sword fly at his heart. He ducked out of the way, rolled over, and sprung to his feet. Enmity picked up his discarded sword and pointed it at me. In the dying sunlight, Oni fought Oni. Our weapons clashed. We intricately danced around each other, neither of us wanting to be wounded more. Our hearts hurt enough. With skill, Enmity was able to trip me. He pinned me to the ground, sword tip at my throat.

     "I loved you," he whispered.

     I refused to answer. Seeing no surrender, Enmity lifted the sword and plunged it down.

     I sprung up out of bed, blinking furiously. Sweat dripped across my face as my heart pounding in my chest. Pushing the covers aside, I stumbled over to the mirror. My Oni face glared right back at me. I focused on trying to cover up what had appeared. Grey hair sprouted, my horns melted back into my head, wrinkled skin covered my sharp black features. Within seconds, I looked like an old woman again. I breathed a sigh of relief until I noticed the dark circles under my eyes. I fingered them and prayed no one would notice.

     Luckily for me, all those years ago, an Elemental Master had saved me. Loyal Aseth, he had always been so protective of his allies. The Elementals had driven back the Oni. Enmity fled with his companions, and I never saw him again until that one day in the deserts of the Seventh Realm. I still dreamed of him. Whenever I was stressed about who I had become his face would creep into my subconscious. He was the constant reminder I had betrayed my people. He was the constant reminder that I could never return. Yet, here I was sitting in the Cloud Kingdom, bracing myself to do the very thing I believed I couldn't.

     A loud knock sounded on the door.

     "Patience is a virtue!" I yelled, slipping suitable clothes on.

     "Mistake! Is it true you're leaving today?"

     Morro.

     I scurried over to the door and yanked it open. Morro stood there, towering at least a foot taller than me. Harumi was beside him, her white hair pulled into a loose bun.

    "Maybe," I grumbled, letting them in.

    They both plopped down on the couch, neither of them having the manners to sit down quietly. I think Harumi enjoyed not having to sit up straight, and Morro was a boy. I pulled a chair over to the area and sat down in front of them.

     "We brought tea," Harumi pointed to a teapot she had set on the coffee table in between us. I stared at the dented teapot in its muted color glory. It was imperfect. Living here was nothing like living in the Departed Realm, and I cherished it for that.

     I went and got teacups out of the kitchen. Once we were all settled in our chairs sipping at the bitter liquid (Morro and Harumi couldn't tell good tea from the bad), I decided to start the conversation. "Why are you all here? Don't you normally work at this time?"

     "We could ask you the same thing." Harumi raised her eyebrows.

     Morro cut in before I could come up with a snarky remark. "Erasmus told Harumi that this is your last day here. We asked off to spend some time with you just in case that was true."

     I slurped my tea, drawing out the silence. They actually cared that I was leaving. It was hard to think that there was a time where they only cared because I was their ticket out of the Departed Realm. They had nothing to gain by coming to spend time with me, which meant now they wanted to see me for me. It was like over these past few months I had become a sort of friend to these arrogant acquaintances.

     "What you heard is true." I confirmed.

     "You aren't dying or anything, right?" Harumi asked.

     I spit out the tea in laughter. "I should have known he'd be that vague."

     Harumi frowned, but didn't snap at me for laughing at her. Morro leaned forward on the cushion. "Where are you going?"

     "I'm going to First Realm." I said. "Erasmus feels it is my duty to lead the fallen Oni."

     Both of them stared at me, not sure whether to believe me or not. I was sarcastic a lot, so their reaction was understandable.

     "Lead the fallen Oni as in... lead the fallen Oni?" Morro emphasized, miming a crown being placed on his head.

     "What about Malevolence?" Harumi asked. Erasmus didn't fill them in on anything apparently.

     "She's been defeated. Any survivors of her invasion will have returned to the First Realm. Without a leader, the remaining Oni will fall into chaos. There's probably not a single Oni there that hasn't been brainwashed by her ideals, so any attempt they have at leadership will ultimately fail. They need someone with King Atrocity's sense in them. I may not be a descendant of the dead king, but I do know what values he used to rule. I am one of the potential best candidates to lead them."

     "What about Ninjago?" Harumi asked, wringing her hands.

     "Erasmus was right. I have a duty to my fallen brethren." I blinked, trying to push Enmity's face out of my mind.

     I have a duty to them, whether they see me as a traitor or not.

     "Speaking of fallen Oni," Morro cut in, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Are you ever going to tell us about that Oni you didn't like back when we first encountered him? Enmity?"

     I froze momentarily, trying to distract them from the subject by offering everyone more tea. "He was... uh... nothing special."

     "You're lying," Harumi said, daintily sipping at more of her tea.

     I swallowed, trying to find the easy way out of this conversation. Enmity was a part of my past I would rather not have to deal with again. "We were friends once."

     The way both of them raised their eyebrows made me want to gag. "We were the two oddballs in elementary school. We stayed friends until Malevolence tore us apart. Happy?"

     "Nope." Morro smirked.

     "Malevolence? How do you know so much about her?" Harumi questioned. "How far does she go back with the Oni?"

     "Years," I replied, trying to get comfortable in the wooden chair. "Oni used to be ruled by a king. The Sukkati monarchy was a powerful one, and it had ruled all Onikind since the beginning. King Atrocity was the current king during my lifetime. He was a strong king, and with him we believed we would finally win the Dragon War. During his reign was when Malevolence came into the picture. One legend says she convinced the king that she could be the final piece to help him win the Dragon War. Another says she brainwashed him into giving her a powerful position. There are several more theories of what actually happened, but all we know is that she rose into power gradually.

     "The Oni saw Malevolence as a blessing, a powerful being who could help us. She won the kingdom's favor. After some time, King Atrocity, his wife, two of their three sons, their daughters-in-law, and their grandchildren were found dead in the palace. The remaining son and his wife had vanished. Their bodies were never found. Any member of the royal family still alive was tried for suspected murder. The Oni were outraged. Malevolence grieved the hardest of all of us and carried out the trials herself. When no family member admitted to the murder, they were all executed for telling falsehoods. With no one left of in the Sukkati monarchy to lead the Oni, Malevolence slowly took control. By the time she had the crown on her head, it was too late to stop her.

     "She changed our ways. She altered the laws; she ruled with an iron fist. The Oni succumbed to her ways because we had no choice. Rebels were killed. Within these times, I was about to graduate from school. Enmity and I shared a common goal: become a general in the Dragon War. However, I quickly discovered Malevolence didn't care about the Dragon War. Enmity was happy to follow what Malevolence had planned, but I wasn't. When she sent me, along with Enmity and four other Oni to the Realm of Ninjago, I was expected to do as she wished. Convert or kill the First Spinjitzu Master. But I fell in love with his world. I saw the evil that had snuck into my home, and I was willing to fight it.

     "Enmity felt betrayed. We had always been friends. I would do anything though, to keep Ninjago from falling." I faltered, my voice becoming monotone to hide any unwanted emotions. "He tried to kill me when I refused to change my mind. The Elemental Masters drove Malevolence's pawns back and we never saw them again."

     "Then, you stayed in Ninjago until your death." Morro finished.

     I nodded. "Now Malevolence is defeated and dead. There is no heir to take Atrocity's place. Someone must lead these fallen creatures."

     "You're wrong there, Mistake." Erasmus glided in the room; his eyes bright with a mysterious gleam. He shrugged at our surprise, turning a blind eye to Morro's rigidness. "What? The door was unlocked." His tone became serious. "Malevolence's army has been defeated. She, on the other hand, is very much alive. She is still in Ninjago."

     Harumi went white, as if understanding had hit her.

     "Enmity is dead though, so you won't have to worry about him."

     "Why Mistake?" Harumi asked. "You know how much she wants to go back to Ninjago."

     It was rare for Harumi to show concern for anyone other than herself and Morro, so I was a bit flattered.

     Erasmus pulled over another chair to sit on. "She is the most suitable option. Someone has to take the role unless you want the realms to succumb to utter destruction. Untamed Oni can get out of control quite easy."

     "I'm ready to play my part." I said, hastily taking another sip at my now empty teacup. "I know there must have been a reason I was able to escape the Departed Realm. Besides, I've already lived for a very long time in the realm that I loved. Now it is time for me to return to the land from which I came."

     "The thief used you to help their pawns escape." Erasmus added in, attempting to pour himself some tea. He frowned as he was met with an empty pot. "Luckily, I'm not as careless as to leave a valuable person behind."

     "I don't like being thought of as a pawn." Morro grumbled. Harumi elbowed him in the side. Morro elbowed back, and before I knew it they were engrossed in some sort of silent bickering ritual.

     "Well," Erasmus said loudly, "I'll leave you all to your banter. I really must be going. Mistake, you know when to meet me."

     I nodded.

     "If there is any wisdom left to give, now is the time." Erasmus' voice quieted, stopping by my chair. "I doubt you will ever see these two again in this life."

     I looked the rowdy teenagers across from me as Erasmus quietly left. Morro was sitting a considerable distance closer to the white-haired girl than before, his playful eyes hiding his deeper feelings. I knew he would give his everything for Harumi, and I knew she would do the same for him. This realm had changed them both. This realm had changed me as well. When I looked at Harumi's relaxed expression and Morro's easiness, I no longer saw a couple of bitter villains that only wanted to see me because I could save them from a second death.

     I saw two friends.

     "One last thing," I whispered, scooting my chair closer. I pulled out two packets of tea from my cloak. I was able to get my hands on them a few days ago at the market's tea shop. I placed the tea bags in their hands.

     "It's called Memortea. It's very valuable and can only be used once."

     They peered at the bags, temporarily distracted from their inaudible argument. "It might help you when you return to Ninjago." I said.

     "Thank you," Harumi tucked the packet into her cloak.

     "We're going to miss you," Morro said. "I know you don't hang out with us that much, but it's hard imagining a life without the knowledgeable tea lady in it." He grinned, and I knew by now that he really meant it. And when I searched my heart, I knew I would miss them too.

     That night, I donned a heavy brown cloak and trailed through the Cloud Kingdom's wooden walkaways. Erasmus had told me to travel up to one of the upper parts of the city, where a large stone tower was. Erasmus greeted me at the gates, somehow sounding completely awake even though it was the middle of the night. We climbed a very long staircase to the top.

     "The Cloud Kingdom can access any realm except the Departed Realm. We have our ways of opening 'back-doors.'" Erasmus said, not sounding out of breath. I trailed behind him, holding onto the wooden handrail to keep my strength steady.

     "Interesting," I mused, trying to hide how out of breath I was. There were few times in life where I felt my age, and this was certainly one of them.

     "However, the First Realm is one we can only travel to on blue moons," Erasmus gestured to the large moon lighting up the sky, looking vaguely smug. "Perfect timing that one should come right after your arrival."

     "You mean you wrote one in," I said.

      He raised his eyebrows but didn't reply. When we reached the top, I only saw a flat stone roof. There was no fire and Erasmus wasn't pulling out any Traveler's Tea.

     "How are we going to—"

     He sliced his hands through the air, opening up a portal. "The air up here is really thin," he airily commented, taking in my bewildered look.

     "Can I do that?" I asked. Before he could answer, I waved my hand through the air. Nothing happened.

      "Opening portals is an art that takes hours of practice and focus," Erasmus said. "But we don't have time for that. The moon is going to be covered soon." Sure enough, a small group of clouds was closing in.

      "Did you write those in too?" I stepped up to the glowing blue portal, seeing glimpses of my homeland beyond. It was a wasteland of desert sand and hateful cliffs. Time had not treated the First Realm well.

      "I don't like to write things in for my convenience, but I know you have stalling tendencies." Erasmus shrugged, his moustache twitching.

     "You know me surprisingly well," I grumbled. I was stalling, whether I wanted to admit it or not. A new life awaited me beyond the blue lights. I was to be among my kin once more.

     But... would they see me as a traitor? Or would they even remember me? What if they didn't follow me like Erasmus planned? What if they killed me like Enmity was about too? Nerves hit like a hormonal teenager, and I suddenly felt my knees weakening. Enmity's voice beckoned from the shadows of my mind.

     Traitor. Liar. Friend of creation.

    "Don't be afraid, Mistake. You are Oni." Another voice cut through the fog. One who knew me better than myself. He knew what I was getting into, but he was not afraid for me.

     Taking a deep breath, I pushed my hand into the glowing mass suspended in the air. "You'll take care of Morro and Harumi." It wasn't a question.

     "You have my word." Erasmus smiled one last time.

    Goodbye, my friends.

    I stepped into the glowing portal, letting the light take away my old woman's disguise.

    Don't be afraid, Mistake. You are Oni.

    With one huge breath, I shoved myself through. A wet texture hit my face, and I felt myself sliding through layers of an endoplasmic substance.

    This was the reason I was brought back from the dead. This was my purpose. As I exited the portal, I saw the Oni's feeble camp begin to wake. Some of the Oni I recognized, others I didn't. I felt my resolve strengthen as I looked at their defeated faces. Enmity's voice quieted in my mind once and for all.

     "My name is Mistake, and I have come to set things right."

     This was what I was meant to be. A general. A leader. A voucher for good. I am Mistake, and I will lead these Oni to a better future. This is my destiny.

>(<>)<

Harumi's POV

     Life without Mistake made me feel like I was too close to Ninjago. I still had a while until Morro and I were ready to leave, but the absence of the grumbling old woman made me feel like I would wake up inside that city. Even with the calming presence of the Cloud Kingdom's atmosphere, I still felt anxious.

     I passed into adulthood without thinking much about it. I would have forgotten that it was my birthday if not for a few employees wishing me a good day. Morro brought me a cake, but I'm pretty sure he ended up eating most of it. Nothing felt different about myself when I thought of how old I was now to back then. Yet, a single day reminded me of how soon it would be until I had to leave the Cloud Kingdom. Until I had to face him again.

     A few weeks after, I was still pretty unsure of how being older felt. Morro added to the discomfort when he shared that he was technically in his forties. When I stared at him, he laughed.

     "I'm technically around your age, since, you know, dead people don't really get older."

     This whole age thing was too much.

     Before I knew it, Erasmus warned us we had two weeks until he could open the portal. Two weeks to prepare going back to Ninjago. I didn't want to think about it. Everyone there saw me as I was. A traitor, a liar, a murderer. At least in other realms I could wear my masks again. I was safe from their hate and disgust. But in Ninjago, I would face the penalty for the crimes I had committed. I spent way too much time peering at the words on the burnt paper as I paced around my cottage.

     After reaching adulthood, Harumi will return to Ninjago.

     Why did the thief want me to go back? Why would anyone want me to come back? There was a greater purpose to these things that I just wasn't getting. At times I wished we didn't have to wait, others I wanted to delay it as long as possible. I lost a lot of sleep over the whole ordeal.

    Three days.

     I tried not to panic. Erasmus led Morro and I through possibilities of what the thief wanted us to do when we arrived. He stated we might be there to convert Sons of Garmadon members to good, we might be there to encounter the ninja, we might be there to lead an epic quest, or we might have something to do to help defeat Malevolence.

    "Perhaps the thief simply took pity on you and wanted you to lead simple lives."

    "If that were so, then we wouldn't have to leave here." I shot back, tugging at my hair with worry.

    Whatever the reason was, I had the feeling we couldn't just pass unnoticed. I was the notorious Quiet One, and Morro was the one who unleashed the Preeminent. It was hard thinking about how evil Morro could be, but that was only because I had only ever seen his better side.

     With a bottomless pit of butterflies in my stomach, I found myself donning a cloak and following Erasmus through the Cloud Kingdom. The colorful sunset lit up the roads in beautiful golden hues, which made me feel nauseous. I was going to see him again.

     The light was weakening, making our moving shadows elongate. Morro silently walked beside me; his few belongings packed away in a bag that was slung over his shoulder. I held my own knapsack close, trying to stop shaking. It wasn't cold; it was never cold in the Cloud Kingdom.

      Erasmus led us down wooden path after wooden path, down to the bottom of the city. The Cloud Kingdom was suspended in the air. It was a series of houses stacked on top of each other with ropes holding everything together. I didn't question the logic of it, especially since we lived in a realm with no ground. I looked up to see most of the kingdom above us. I could feel the calming effects of the realm wearing off, so the irrational fear of the whole city crashing down started to bite at the back of my mind.

     The bottom of the Cloud Kingdom had few scattered houses, looking just as cozy as the ones above them. Erasmus led us towards a very humble looking one. It had the boat we traveled in beside it, and I started to recognize this as the place we docked when we first arrived.

     "This is your home?" Morro figured it out before I did. His voice still had an edge to it, but I could tell he was trying to be kinder to Erasmus for my sake.

     "I spend most of my day up high," Erasmus said. "I work among the upper class and I have a very important position in this world. When the day is over, sometimes I would just rather live away from ostentation."

     "That's very humble." Morro said.

     He shrugged. "Home is where the heart is." Erasmus led us into his house, which looked about the same size as our small cottages. Except, there was trapdoor under his couch. Morro helped him move aside the sofa, and Erasmus pulled out a key from under his tunic. He unlocked the trapdoor, then led us down it. I had no idea Cloud Kingdom houses even had basements.

     We walked down a walled hall of steps. At the bottom, there was a small oaken platform. On all sides of the platform, I saw Ninjago, but it wasn't clear. It was like staring at the realm through a thick fog. Not only that, but the view kept zooming from place to place. One second you could see Borg Industries, the next you would see Primeval's Eye. It was intense to stare at.

     The strangest thing of all was that there seemed to be a door in the middle of the clouds. There was a faint outline of one that seemed to glow slightly. The only real thing was a golden doorknob. Erasmus stepped up to it and grabbed the doorknob. His brow furrowed, and deep lines etched themselves into his skin. The scenes around us swirled faster and faster until they were too blurry to see. I took a step back, anxiety making my heart pound. Morro gently stopped me from backing into him.

     All at once, the blurriness faded to leave a single scene in front of us. I saw Ninjago City all around. It was like we were there, except it was blurred by the clouds. Erasmus turned the doorknob, which now was glowing a brilliant gold, and opened the door. Ninjago stood clear in front of us. The sun was setting over the park in front of us. I couldn't see anyone walking around, so hopefully no one had noticed the door-shaped portal yet.

     "The back door here can take you anywhere in Ninjago," Erasmus said. "Sadly, a few years back it was abused by someone we trusted."

     Morro's cheeks reddened.

     "The Master Writer wanted it moved to my house..." He trailed off, which was unusual for him. "Are you ready to go?"

     I stared at the floor. Judging by the heavy silence in the air, Morro wasn't sure about this either.

     "Mistake made me promise to look out for you," Erasmus said. "I will be watching you from here in the Cloud Kingdom. If I figure something out that might be on the scrolls, I will send you a message. That brings me to the three things you two need to know before you leave."

     I could feel Morro's concerned stare on my face, but I didn't want to meet his eyes. Ninjago City was right in front of me. I was petrified.

     "One: the Cloud Kingdom has a bit of magic around it. This means any message I send to you will be scrambled into some sort of riddle. That is why prophecies are always vague and confusing. You aren't supposed to know your future." Erasmus paused, giving the information a second to sink in. "Two: you cannot speak of the Departed Realm. The magic surrounding it will make sure no one understands you if you try to talk about it, write about it, or even act it out."

     "We've talked about it to you," I mumbled.

     "Yes, but I write destinies. My knowledge of the Departed Realm is not limited, unlike everyone elses'. If I try to talk to someone other than a destiny writer in the Cloud Kingdom about the Departed Realm, all they will hear is a muddled blurb. Or they'll see your mouth move and hear nothing come out. The second scenario is quite embarrassing."

     "Vague messages and can't talk about the Departed Realm, got it." Morro said, stepping towards the portal. His restlessness was contagious.

     "Number three: Mistake was very wise to give you the Memortea."

     My hands grazed the pocket I had stored the tea bag in.

     "She failed to mention exactly what it does. It is the only way you will be able to communicate with someone what happened in the Departed Realm. Memortea allows the drinker to see your memories."

     Both Morro and I went really still. That could change everything.

     "In those packets there is enough tea to show one person what happened to you after your deaths. Remember this: the more tea leaves you put in the water, the more the person will see. Half the packet should show enough."

     "Then why couldn't we show two people?" Morro asked.

     "It's a bit complicated to explain." Erasmus snuck a glance out the portal door to make sure no one was there. "The short story is that the leaves are genetically connected and will die once the others are used. Basically, choose your drinker wisely. You only get one shot to show someone the truth."

     We nodded.

     "Lastly, right after feeding someone the tea, you must do exactly what I say next. Put the drinker's first two fingers of each hand on your temples. Do the same to them. It is essential you walk through your memories with the drinker. There have been cases where the person wanting their memories to be searched neglected that single detail and went mad before the drinker had left their mind."

     "Fingers on temples," Morro repeated. He was the voice pulling me through the fear. He was the calm in my storm.

     Erasmus nodded. He met our eyes, and I was surprised to find his misty. "Good luck."

     Morro gingerly tugged me towards the portal. "We will always be grateful for this," I forced the words out.

     Erasmus merely smiled. I looked at Morro, whose dark green eyes were determined. We stepped towards the portal. My frantic heart was beating so fast I thought it might overload. It was time to enter Ninjago once more. I could feel the moisty layers of light moving closer and closer. This portal was so much different than the other ones I had traveled through. Seeing Ninjago so close, my knees buckled.

     "I can't," I gasped. Layer after layer of calm and content was being stripped off of me. I was no longer the smiling Cloud Kingdom girl who managed a small shop and played chess with her friends. I was the Quiet One, a broken villain back from the dead with an unknown future.

     "Harumi," Morro's tone was firm. I felt his fingers grip mine, an unfamiliar gesture. "Close your eyes and breathe."

     I did as he commanded.

     "Together." His voice was barely a murmur.

     We stepped into the light. The wet layers of the portal slid over us easily. By the time I exhaled, I felt the fresh Ninjago air all around me. The sounds and smells of the city filled my senses, showing me the rebuilt world of the Ninja. I tentatively opened my eyes to see the towering city of lights.

     My feet crunched against grass.

     Ninjago's grass.

     We were back in Ninjago.

     "Farewell," Erasmus said from behind us. By the time we spun to see the portal, it was already closed. There was no trace of it being there in the first place.

     "AHH!"

     Morro and I turned back to see a woman staring at us. Her phone hung limp in her hand, her mouth was wide open in astonishment.

     "I-it's the Quiet One!" She backed away, starting to dial a number on her phone. "And-and Morro!"

     "Miss, please," Morro started, reaching out with his free hand. The woman jerked back, screamed again, and ran for her life.

     I yanked Morro down the small hill we were on. "We have to get out of here—" I stopped abruptly.

     "What? The police couldn't have gotten here this quickly." Morro's eyes followed mine to a single grave on the side of the hill. A hill that wasn't a hill at all.

     A thin layer of grass covered the broken concrete, plastic, and other building materials. Anything worth money had been salvaged, then the building was left alone. The building that had fell. The building that had taken me down with it. I stared at it in shock.

     That's my grave.

     I let go of Morro's hand and walked over to the small, concrete cross, my face suddenly feeling wet. I traced my finger over the moss-covered letters. "RIP," it read. Morro seemed to understand and was silent. When I searched myself, it wasn't the memory of once being dead that made my eyes water. It was the fact someone cared enough to make me a grave. I knelt by the stone cross, lost in the moment. Who still cared? Who still cared after everything I had done?

     "Harumi, we have to go." Morro said, pulling me to my feet.

     "Sorry, but you aren't going anywhere."

     My heart stopped when I heard the steely tone. Lloyd's expression hardened when my eyes met his. "Nice try faking your death, Quiet One."

     I took a step back only to feel the breath of a sword on my neck.

     "Not another move," Kai hissed.

     "We're not here to—" Morro started, only to see another weapon pause close to his neck as well.

     "This is certainly an odd situation," Zane noted, his golden shurikens out, ready to attack.

     "Didn't Morro die?" Jay asked, glaring at us.

     "Didn't Harumi die?" Cole shot back, edging his scythe closer to Morro and me. "You never know with villains."

     My heart sprung to my throat. They all looked older, but here they were. The Ninja. My friends. My enemies. The one group of people I never wanted to see again yet wanted to hold close for my entire life. Whatever happened next, I had to accept. There was a reason things happened the way they did. The quick-fingered thief probably had planned this all out. I took a steadying breath, squaring my shoulder. This was my destiny.

      "Bring in the Bounty, Nya." Lloyd said over his commlink. "You are not going to believe who we just found."

     End of Part 2.