(✓) «Blue Feather» ¶ A Ninjago AU

-HARUMI-

"Nice to see you again Harumi, ninja Cole"
An officer waved as to Harumi as she entered the station with Cole the next day.
"Hey Sam. Is the commissioner in today?" Harumi asked as she tightened her grip on the research folder Jay and Zane had prepared for the visit. She didn't have time to check it before she came in so Harumi was curious to see their progress.
"Yup. You know where to find him" Sam nodded and got a mug of coffee.

The two headed to the commissioner's office and knocked on the door,
"It's Harumi sir"
After a few seconds of waiting, Harumi opened the door and walked in, Cole at her heels.
"Ah, nice to see you again officer, how are you?"
Harumi hesitated, a light blush on her cheeks, she brushed away a strand of hair. "It was alright sir. The ninja are very helpful"
Cole grinned beside her and the commissioner looked pleased.

"Sir, I just came in to give you this," Harumi placed the new files on his desk and took a few steps back. Even if she wanted to see what was written, she didn't want to look desperate.
The commissioner took the files and casually flicked through a few pages, his eyes darting on the lines of information.
"Purple Anacondrai eh?" He asked after a long silence. The commissioner placed the file on the desk again and rested his chin on his intertwined fingers and raised an eyebrow.

Harumi hesitated, not sure how to phase what was going to come of out her mouth next but luckily Cole answered for her,
"Yes sir. There seems to be no files regarding that group on any database."
The commissioner rubbed his chin while Harumi fidgeted with her fingers, trying to not stress herself out with her superior's answer.
"Intriguing. The Purple Anacondrai have been on our radar for quite some time,"
He paused, waiting for the two's reactions. Cole looked surprised, Harumi tried to keep a straight face but she was sure her eyes were exposed.
"This murder leading to that group can be dangerous. We have conducted many investigations into the capture of them but it has always ended in a few casualties and the case doing dark"
"Wait- officers have been killed?" Harumi asked in disbelief. The commissioner nodded slowly, his eyes not quite meeting hers.
"For your safety I suggest you let the ninja handle from now"
"But sir—"
Harumi stopped mid sentence as the commissioner frowned, "you're a good member of us and I don't want to loose you to them, promise me Harumi that you'll keep your distance"

Silence stretched between the two, Harumi was filled with anger, disbelief and arrogance, not fear, no,  everything but fear was circling in her mind.
They thoughts were dispersed when Cole kept his hand on her shoulder, his palm was bigger than her but it was comforting to the touch, the officer let out a sigh and calmed down.

"Please Harumi" the commissioner got up and walked next to her. Harumi refused to look him in the eye. "Sir, this is my job and I intend to take it seriously. Many people are going to die if I don't"
"I understand but your still a kid. You have so many opportunities ahead of you and I'd hate to loose you so soon"

Harumi turned on her heels and headed for the door and opened it, her eyes still angered. Cole walked over to her, not uttering a word, his onyx hair coving his eyes slightly.

"Thank you commissioner for your concern but I want to serve the city usefully and I am willing to make sacrifices if I have to"
Harumi said grimly and went out. She sensed Cole turn back to the commissioner to say something but she didn't hear his voice.

After walking through a few hallways in silence, Harumi's fists clenched and her eyes narrowed, Cole whistling awkwardly. "Why am I like this?" Harumi stopped in her tracks, Cole walked a few phases but also stopped beacuse Harumi didn't follow.
"The commissioner would never let me go further. He might demote me just to keep me alive, I get that but he has to realize that I am solely committed to this. It may be only one murder but I have a feeling we're dealing with forces we had no information of. I hate feeling helpless! I have rely on someone else's authority to get my own work done! This is some bullshit!"

Cole didn't say anything, Harumi sensed that he was thinking it over. Finally, the Black ninja sighed,
"I know that feeling Harumi, I haven't told a lot of people this but I trust you,"
Harumi's eyes widened as they with Cole's amber eyes. He didn't look so collective and strong, he looked young and truma inflicted. Harumi stared into his eyes and he took a deep breath.

"After my mother died, my father wanted me to presue dancing, well, I ran away and that's when i met, Lloyd and Sensei Wu. I was always restricted to my father's opinions and i couldn't do a lot of things because of that, I respected him yes but I still hated the fact that he was so protective of me. Now, looking at on you and the commissioner's conversation, I see a sort of father-figure afraid that his daughter with get hurt doing things she is not ready for yet"

Harumi looked down, not sure how to make of Cole's advice. He was more experienced than her in many ways and he like her in general, she didn't have many friends but Harumi was glad that Cole was one of them.
"....maybe you're right" a whole new expression reached Harumi's eyes. She smiled gently and gave Cole a hug to which he immediately hugged back.
"The commissioner has a point, I will not die on him, you ninja or Lloyd!"

Cole smirked, "you bet! And we'll do everything in our power to keep you protected Harumi"
Harumi flushed and nudged Cole,
"So who's up for a cupcake at the cafeteria?"
Cole chuckled, "how can I say no to that offer? But please don't tell Sensei or he'd give me extra time training"
Harumi grinned and headed in the direction of the cafeteria, Cole walked beside her, his confident and warm smile returned.

Harumi and made up her mind: she was going solve her first case while keeping her promise to Cole.

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Written: 12/12/2023
Words: 1100

Bonding moment because I really see Cole warming up to Harumi and being a good friend :)

Next chapter is a sort of a pre-climax :3 so stay tuned.
(Sorry if the chapters are a bit short at the beginning but I swear the future chapters are going to be longer and exciting OvO