I'm so sorry for the lack of updates, everyone! It's been what, two, three months?!
IM SO SORRY GUYSS
Onto the story: this chapter, like many to come, is mostly transcribed directly from the TV series. However I am not making it an exact replica of the existing show, because... where's the fun in that? Just to let you know. :) Now enjoy! Feel free to comment and vote.

Faster.

I sprinted along the rooftops of the palace, knowing that the loud shattering of glass caught someone's (with luck, Lloyd's) attention. I had predicted and prepared for all possible outcomes, even the most absurd ones, and most of them could be solved with either sweet-talking and/or a knife.

Before long, I heard the clinking of roof tiles as someone ran, slid, and leaped after me. From the sounds of it, I was a rooftop ahead of my pursuer. It gave me some pride to realize that a Ninja couldn't catch up to me-- a princess who had no proper training whatsoever, while they had years of it.

I glanced back, making sure my massive bag was clearly visible, and suppressed a grin as a green-robed figure chased after me. For someone who should be a mysterious Ninja, Lloyd was incredibly predictable, and I planned on using that to my advantage.

Having run this route several times before, I knew that I was approaching a wide street that I had to get across quickly. As I ran, I took out the grappling gun stowed under my jacket and fired at the building across from me just as I reached the edge of the roof. I then leaped, swinging through the cold night air, and pulling myself up onto the roof of the next building.

Putting my hook away, I hid behind a generator, watching with slight amusement as Lloyd tried to figure out how to get across. He decided to take the risky route of swinging on clotheslines like a gymnast, just barely making it to my side.

Once Lloyd spotted me again, I ran to the other end of the building and spotted the rusting ladder I had marked with red spray paint a couple nights before. This one was notable because it was right near the homeless childrens' canal, but mainly because it was incredibly weather-beaten and damaged. Back at the palace, it took me a couple hours of calculations to come to the conclusion that it would only be able to withstand the pressure of one more person. Lloyd would attempt to follow me once I jumped off it but his pressure on the ladder would snap one of the hinges. He would be thrown into a dangerous situation, cueing me to swoop in, save him, and begin building his trust.

Just as I predicted, Lloyd tried to climb up the ladder and one side snapped, dangling him over a rushing street. I watched him struggle for a moment when suddenly the other hinge broke.

I did not anticipate that.

Without thinking much, I threw my sack to the side and grabbed Lloyd's hand before he fell to his death. Even through his gloves, I could feel that his palm was sweaty and hot, causing his fingers to slide in mine. I tightened my grip and yanked him up to safety, the two of us watching the mangled ladder fall onto an unlucky car with a loud clang.

I realized I was still holding his hand and quickly let go, stepping away from him and trying to shake off the tingling feeling in my fingers. Crap. Why did I save him? I never show mercy. I should have just let him die. He would have deserved it, and it would have a devastating effect on his precious little friends.

So why did I save him?

Fighting to grasp a satisfactory answer, I realized that if I hadn't rescued him and he had died, my plans would never play out and he would never pay for his actions. Besides, there would be no fun in letting him die by falling into a street.

"Maybe you saved Lloyd because you saw yourself in him."

A young girl in blonde braids sat on the roof, her legs dangling over the street. She turned to look at me with irises that were eerily identical to mine- olive green with hazel flecks- but the rest of her eyes were black, sending chills down my spine.

"I don't see any part of myself in this pitiful teenage mess," I sneered. "I'm not sure what you are seeing, but it's far from the truth."

She raised an eyebrow and I noticed that though her cheeks were grey with soot and dirt, beneath the grime her skin seemed to glow. "It doesn't seem like it to me," she said. "And I would know, Kokoro." She let the last word ring in my ears, watching me emotionlessly.

"Kokoro is dead," I retorted with malice.

The little girl picked a cherry blossom out of her hair, watching it wither and die in her fingers, before returning her dark gaze to me. "If you say so."

I blinked and she was gone, merely a whisper in my mind. Lloyd didn't appear to have noticed the ghost girl and his eyes were trained on me. "Who are you?" he asked cautiously, slipping into a battle stance.

Instead of speaking, I tugged back my hood and revealed my face to him, enjoying his reaction. An expression that was a mixture of shock and surprise filled his bright green eyes. He severely underestimated my abilities, and he was regretting that now. "Princess?" he asked, taking off his hood. "I- I thought you were kidnapped. I was trying to save you!"

I let myself smile. "Was that what that was?" I said, using a teasing tone instead of a vicious one. "From my vantage, it looked like I was the one saving you."

He turned a bit pink, flustered. "Then... who's in the bag?"

"You mean what's in the bag." I walked over to my sack, which I had carelessly discarded when saving Lloyd's life, and opened it up. "It's food. For the less fortunate. Even though I'm confined to the palace, I still try to give what I can."

"But your bedroom- it was ransacked," he tried.

The thing was, most of the mess in my room was legitimate, and I tried to not burn up in embarrassment. "Yes, I can be quite a slob. Thank you for noticing," I added sarcastically.

To my annoyance, he apologized, as if it was his fault. "I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean-"

Hutchins' voice suddenly echoed from afar. "The Princess is gone!" he shouted. "Find her!"

Instead of grinning like I wanted to, I kept a serious mask on. I pulled out the extra hoodie, stuffed it into Lloyd's arms, and said urgently, "They can't know I left the palace. You have to disguise yourself, hurry."

He shrugged on the jacket and the two of us slid down the back of the building into the alleyway by the canals. The cool metal of the ladder rubbed my palms raw, and I reluctantly realized that the Ninja's gloves would be rather handy at the moment.

A couple of homeless people noticed my arrival and approached us tentatively, their eyes focused on my bag. "Some things are easier to do when you're not a princess," I explained to Lloyd as I handed out some of the food. "If I asked my parents, they would never allow it. But these people are hungry. And we have so much food in the palace." Food that I hate eating, because it's just a reminder of all the things that the stupid Royal Family is entitled to.

Lloyd's eyes softened as he looked around at the children who were surrounding us, holding up their dirty palms in a silent beg. "Patience, little ones," I said with a soft laugh. "There's enough for each of you." I nodded to Lloyd, who joined me in giving away the rest of the food.

We walked to one of the bridges overlooking the canals, leaning on the cold metal railings and staring at the glittering water and sky. I didn't have to pretend to admire the city, and to be quite honest, I was enthralled by the sight.

"Can I ask you a question? Do you... enjoy being a princess?"

I looked at Lloyd in surprise. He seemed a bit embarrassed by asking the question, and he averted his gaze from my face. I didn't have to lie when I said, "Everyone thinks being a princess is supposed to be easy, and wonderful... I mean, I guess it's okay." I smiled faintly at him, though I let it fall. "But a lot of the time, it's really hard."

As much as I wanted to punch little goody Green-shoes in the face, talking to him was a lot easier than I expected. He looked back at me. "Huh... tell me about it. Not being a princess, I mean being the Green Ninja," he added hastily.

I decided laughing might be a bit too unkind so I simply said, "We have to live up to a role that was bestowed upon us. We never chose these mantles we hold."

"I know. It's hard to live a normal life." He rubbed a scar on the back of his hand. "At least I get to wear a mask, but you-?"

"I wear my own masks. Sometimes painted," I put my hood up and said ominously, "sometimes a kidnapper of princesses! Mwahaha!"

Lloyd pretended to be hurt by my statement, but I could see a blush on his cheeks even in the dark. "In my defense, it was my first day."

I smirked a bit. He was clearly flustered by just being in my presence, and it wouldn't take a genius to see that he was definitely falling for me. This would make my 'betrayal' later on hurt a lot more.

Ahead of us, I spotted several Sons of Garmadon harassing some of the homeless kids. Lloyd saw them too and moved forward as if to fight them. Even though I knew Chopper Maroon and the other bikers could take out the unarmed Green Ninja, I didn't want a direct confrontation this early on. I tugged on his arm. "We must leave."

He scowled at them. "These people have enough to worry about. They shouldn't have to be bullied by low level street thugs."

"Don't," I warned. "If you try to stop them, you'll reveal us." Maroon turned, the lamplight illuminating the silver embroidery on the back of his jacket. Lloyd sucked in a sharp breath. "What's wrong?" I asked in alarm.

"That's the same symbol I saw before." He moved forward again. " The Sons of Garmadon. He was my father."

"No!" I pulled him back with more force this time. His face was unreadable and I quickly recovered, "You said it yourself. They are only low level thugs. They don't know anything." An inkling of an idea sprouted in my mind, and I added, "They only take orders. It's the person who gives them that scares me."

"So you scare yourself, don't you?"

The little ghost girl appeared next to the Sons, transparent in the light. Before I could snap a retort, she vanished as quickly as she came.

I don't scare myself, I told myself harshly. I was telling a lie.

Her words still echoed in my mind when Lloyd's voice drew me back to the moment. "I have to do something."

You won't have to. "Or," I offered, "you could let Samurai X take care of it."

I only half-paid attention as my henchmen darted away, the Samurai reminded the kids to be safe, and Lloyd said something about the Ninja and protecting Ninjago.

"Who is Samurai X?" I asked, watching the mech fly away.

Lloyd sighed. "I wish I knew. Oh, Princess--"

"Please, call me Rumi."

He smiled faintly, and I knew he liked the idea of a nickname. "Rumi, then, I should get you home."

"Yes. You should be home, your Highness."

A familiar voice made us both spin around in surprise. "Hutchins!" I gasped. Shoot, he found us a lot faster than I expected.

He raised an eyebrow sternly. "May I ask what you are doing outside the palace?"

"Rumi and I were just going for a walk," Lloyd blurted.

"Rumi?" Hutchins frowned at me, then turned to glare at the Green Ninja. "A walk?"

I pleaded, "It was my idea. Please don't be angry with Lloyd."

My saying the Ninja's name only infuriated the guard more. "It's troubling to see you two are on a first name basis," he snapped. "The streets are not safe at night, your Highness. I must insist you return with me, at once."

As Hutchins led me away, I quickly glanced over my shoulder at Lloyd. He had a sad and worried expression on his face, and I looked away before I could start feeling the same.

💮

On the way back, I felt that Hutchins was going to turn around and yell at me for being with Lloyd. I knew that the Royal House hated the idea of me mingling with the 'lower-class' or whatever, so I was prepared to be told off. Still, that didn't mean I looked forward to or wanted it. I would much rather be the one giving the scolding rather than receiving it.

Instead of telling me, however, the guard kept walking and brought me to the throne room. Great. Now I had to deal with my parents, which would not be fun.

The moment I stepped onto the platform where the thrones were parked, the Emperor said in a furiously steady voice, "What were you thinking, Harumi?"

"You are a member of the Royal Family of Ninjago," the Empress added.

I hung my head, their words quickly hitting me hard, yet I did my best to hide my emotions. Though I had no respect for them, I feared them for the little power they clung to. If they wished to, they could order my death and nobody would bat an eye. I knew it was unlikely, as I had taken all precautions to prevent this, but I was terrified for the potential outcomes if my parents found out about the Sons of Garmadon and my plan to overthrow them.

So I kept my shoulders back, head high, but eyes down as the verbal beration ensued.

"You can't just go gallivanting off with a Ninja whenever you want," he sniffed. "It's undignified."

"Not to mention dangerous," the Empress added.

I didn't know why but I felt the urge to stand up for Lloyd, and burst out, "But he's not just a Ninja!-"

The Emperor said sternly, "You are royalty. He is not."

Why did I do that? I mentally kicked myself. Talk about aiding the enemy. What kind of person are you, defending him? You're forgetting that he led to your parents' deaths.

I set my jaw at this memory, regretting any kindness that I showed the Green Ninja in the past hour. "I'm sorry. I have dishonored our name and our house," I said, repeating the words that were to be said once I was proven wrong.

To my surprise, the Emperor apologized, "No, Harumi. We're sorry." The Empress nodded her agreement, and I watched with slight confusion. "We all have a role to play. And yours is in this palace. Your heart mustn't interfere."

Oh shoot.

They think I'm in love with Lloyd.

As I stared at their grim expressions, my heart sank upon realizing that I guessed right.

They really think I'm in love with him, of all people in the freaking world?

Without thinking, I turned my back to them and ran to my room. Crap.

I did not think this would happen, holy shi-

I turned the corner and gasped when I realized a certain green-robed figure had been hiding the wall. There was a pleading look on his eyes, but I pushed past him, not trusting myself to speak. From behind me, I heard a whisper of my name.

"Rumi..."

Just as I slammed my door shut, I heard Hutchins threaten, "If you know what's good for you, stay away from her."

Oh, great. He likes me back.

Wait, back?