It could get much worse from there.

     Harumi attempted to turn on the kitchen sink in her and Ro's flat, pumping the nozzle back and forth to coax at least a little water out. Nothing came. Holding up a half-used candle, Harumi made her way through discarded work uniforms and takeout boxes on the floor, pushing open the narrow, folded door to the flat's only bathroom. She tested the shower nozzle, but to no avail.

     Their house had no more plumbing.

     It was just like the landlord to raise prices out of nowhere and cut everyone's utilities. He'd done it before, but now was definitely not the best time.

     Harumi groaned as she slumped back to the kitchen sink, grabbing every discarded clothing item she could find on her way there. The laundry bin was overflowing, but there was no way to wash anything. The outside water was filled with factory junk. The inside water didn't exist. This was usually when she'd sneak some clothes to Lloyd's house to wash there, but she couldn't go to Lloyd's house anymore. She'd been fired by those pesky Ninja.

     A strand of greasy hair smacked her face, coming loose from its ponytail, and Harumi seethed at it. Vigorously, she twisted the wretched locks into a bun, plopping a beanie over the top to hide the white. She hadn't taken a shower in at least three days. Already she felt as awful as she looked.

     Find the Ninja.

     Harumi gritted her teeth, storming to her room to see if she had any clean clothes left. She would have to tread carefully if she was going to keep looking for the Ninja's identities, but she'd rather tread carefully and get her water back than not tread at all and die.

     It could definitely get much worse from there.

     The only clean article of clothing she had left was that dress from long ago. From a different place, a different time. Both she and Ro had scrubbed it for hours until their fingers cracked and bled, yet the blood had never fully come out. It was stained in the olive-green silk, looking almost like decorative dye mistakes if the light caught the dress right. Harumi shuddered, but her want to wear something clean overpowered her horrid memories of the dress.

     It was soft, light, and far too short. The bodice was smooth, with a V-shaped neckline embroidered with dark swirls. The skirt was wavy, spreading like a flower when Harumi spun, yet in still motion it didn't even hit her knees. The sleeves practically didn't exist, being made of transparent fabric to give the appearance of structure. The whole dress was for a modeling gig to make her look soft and sweet. It had no practical use.

    Harumi's stomach lurched as the fabric slid over her skin. It wasn't that the dress reminded her of her time as a princess, or that the dress still had an iron smell to it, as if Hutchins' blood would never truly fade. It was that this dress reminded her of what she was willing to become to survive downtown Ninjago.

     She felt naked in the olive silk. Whispers of the outside autumn air flitted in through the cracks in the flat's insulation, causing gooseflesh to scatter across Harumi's arms and legs. She needed something to cover up. People shouldn't see her like this. They'd take more pictures, post more stories. She didn't want to be on display any longer. This was a different place, a different time.

     It could definitely, definitely get much worse from there.

     The only other article of clean clothing she could spot was Kai's letterman jacket. Harumi facepalmed, then moved to slip the crisp-smelling jacket over her shoulders. She'd forgotten to return it all that time ago. It still smelled like him, and for the first time since she'd arrived in the dregs, Harumi felt her heart twist upon remembering him.

      Kai Mayason, the jerk who got her into this mess.

     A knock came at the door.

     Harumi bit her lip and trudged back through the house, blowing out her candle before opening the door to reveal—

     The man himself.

     "Hey, Ru." Kai Mayason waved sheepishly, while Lloyd let out a squeal of delight. The young boy attacked her legs, wrapping her in the best hug he could at his height. Harumi was too stunned to do anything other than gape and pat Lloyd's head.

     "Y-you..." Harumi struggled to find words. Kai was watching her face expectantly, but she could tell he'd noticed she was wearing his jacket. "You shouldn't... be here."

     "Yeah, yeah," Kai dismissed, gently drawing Lloyd away from the trembling Ru. "The Ninja have their rules, but it's fine. The one watching you right now is on... on break... so I thought... we could take a walk?"

     "The Ninja?" Lloyd beamed.

     Kai smiled, ruffling Lloyd's hair. "Yeah, they're going to watch over downtown for a while. To make sure everyone is safe."

     "That's awesome!" Lloyd cheered, looking up at Harumi. "Wow, Ru, you look just like a princess."

     Kai didn't miss the way Ru's face faltered at those words. Normally she was a pillar of observant movement, but now Ru was made of stone. Crumbling stone. Kai leaned in, lowering his voice so that only she could hear. "Please, Ru... I just wanted to let Lloyd say goodbye."

     "They'll kill me," Harumi said quietly.

     "No," Kai told her, "they don't have to know. I hold some influence over a few of them, and they're turning a blind eye to this right now. So, it's all up to you."

     Harumi looked at his offered hand, then at his earnest smile. Her heart twisted again, acting out of turn.

     "Come on, Ru," Lloyd whined impatiently. "Kai's going to take us to the pancake place in the square."

     "It's the middle of the day."

     "Yeah, but pancakes are always yummy."

     Harumi felt her lips twitch at Lloyd's enthusiasm. She looked from the blonde child to Kai Mayason, the boxed set of brats, the two people who'd inadvertently caused her to lose everything.

     Find the Ninja.

     Kai Mayason was still a link to the Ninja. He certainly wasn't the internet, and if she was subtle enough, he might just give her the answers she was looking for. Harumi mustered up her best dose of courage, doing her best not to flinch when Kai's warm, callused fingers enclosed hers. She could already feel the memories of slaps, of bruises, of angry words bellowed in the dark. But that was a different place, a different time.

     Harumi smiled at Kai. "Let's get on with it, then."