The Partling

chapter 21

Here we go. The final chapter. It's a bit shorter than other ones.

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The shrill sound of the door being unlocked was the final thing Harumi would hear from this place. The officer opened the door, another one behind her following through it. This was it. This was the day she would have to take care of things on her own.

Five years she had spend in there. In prison. It was what she had expected. After returning to the mainland, she had to go back to prison. Though her sentence was shortened by a great amount of time.

Originally, Harumi was going to spend the rest of her life in prison for the crimes she committed. But, after Lloyd spoke with the major and pulled some strings, she got off. She would never know what exactly he told him, but she assumed it was something along the lines of: she learned her lesson and helped save Ninjago from the oni. Along with Lloyd himself.

Harumi had never been so grateful. Because there were a lot of things she regretted. And some things that were worth being good for. Of course, she could just go back to being the bad guy, but it wasn't what she wanted. Not anymore.

If she was being honest with herself, then she only helped him in the beginning to get out and cause some more havoc. But after spending time with them, seeing what she had done, things changed. Harumi wanted to destroy him. Make him suffer like she had so many years ago. And he did. But she couldn't enjoy it. She couldn't feel any satisfaction when he came to her that day.

When he came to prison and asked for the flower. When she had thought she had won. But once again, she lost. Because the love Harumi had faked had become real at some point. She didn't even know when. She wasn't sure if she cared though.

"Alright" the officer sighed, taking out keys.

Even if this was the day she got out, Harumi was still taken to the entrance in cuffs. She didn't mind much though. The officer fiddled with the keys until he finally found the one he was searching for.

He unlocked the cuffs, putting them on the table beside them. A box stood on the table filled with the things she gave up when entering the prison again.

There weren't many things. Some clothes, jewelry. The one thing she cared for though, was the hairpin. Harumi had kept it. It was the only thing that reminded her of the feelings Lloyd actually had for her. Real feelings. Because the ones he had shown as an oni, were nothing she wanted. Nothing that felt genuine.

"You are free to go miss" the officer said, handing her the box.

"Thanks" she smiled, taking the box.

Once again, the shrill sound came when the final door was opened. The front door. Harumi stepped outside, the sun hitting her right in the face. It was summer. Warm enough to not need a jacket when going out.

She always loved the summer. When she could play in the grass and lay there without any worries. It all changed that day. When was the last time she did that? Harumi couldn't remember.

She sighed with happiness. Inside prison there weren't many times where one could go out and enjoy the weather. Most of the time she had to be inside. She would take this second chance of life she was granted. No screwing up.

The ninja were already waiting outside. All of them. Morro had stayed with them too. He didn't see any reason to leave. Not this time, he said. This time he would make things right. Just like herself.

Harumi could understand him in some way. He was angry for not getting what he wanted, what he thought he was destined to do. Now he got a second chance. Just like herself. How ironic.