A Heart Between Us

Chapter 1: Bright Eyes

Art Done by: TyelerKostlan

Disclaimer: Ninjago belongs to Lego

A Heart Between Us

Chapter 1

Bright Eyes

"This is so boring!" Jays complaint came through the ear bud loud and clear. A few groans echoed over the channel from the group. Zane of course stood perfectly still bow in hand, and his optics on max zoom. He was to keep a watch on the man down in the crowd in the disguise. Well if that's what you wanted to call it. A mustache, suit, and slicked back hair put up into a low ponytail. Cole once again in disguise. He offered this time, he was getting so used to being Rocky that it just became second nature.

At the moment he walked through some odds and ends. There were loads of cars, and furniture, houses, animals. None of these were what he was looking for. Even baskets marked as surprises. Probably there version of blind bags.

"What are those things Cole?" Nya asked.

"Probably someone's ancient dirty laundry." Cole replied shaking his head reaching out to look.

"Sir, please do not touch the merchandise." One of the guards said. Cole jumped spinning around at the sound of the voice.

"Oh sorry." He said clicking his fake ivory cane on the ground. He turned straightened his tie, and started to head to his seat.

"Maybe it's a complete bust." Lloyd offered, watching the official as he got up on the stage and started to file through his pages.

"I don't want to rule this out yet. I mean I got dressed up and everything." Cole said.

"Cole...everyone here has the same similarities as to the person we were supposed to keep an eye out for. Wearing illegal clothing. Jewelry that is far more expensive than I or Pixal...put together. Pixal also scanned them in general they're all...wanted. So it doesn't matter in the long run if there are slaves here to be sold...we should call the police in now." Zane said.

Cole nodded his head and touched his ear bud to switch channels to call the police.

"$75 gold to the man in the white tux here." The Auctioneers voice boomed and echoed throughout the marble walled room. Cole looked up at the auctioneer who took that as an affirmation.

"Cole? Did you just buy there ancient dirty laundry?" Jay laughed loudly.

"Sold!" The auctioneer yelled slamming a gavel down on the stand.

"Yeah...I kinda did." Cole sighed and walked toward the back. "Well it'll give me a chance to look in the back while I pay right?" Cole said.

"Just be careful Cole. Who knows what's back there." Lloyd told him.

He threw the coins onto the table. Luckily it wasn't too much. The small basket was adorable, maybe he'd keep it for his own laundry. A guard gestured to him to walk with them. Coles cane clicked against the stone floor as he walked. There was stone everywhere in fact. Lots of flags from different places.

"Lot number 182. Here we are." The guy handed Cole the key and walked off. Cole looked slightly confused. He had bought a basket and whatever was inside...didn't he?" He glanced around and unlocked the door. He opened the door and looked inside.

No windows, no furniture, nothing was in the room save for a small ball of clothing and skin in the middle of the floor. Cole couldn't breath, he was almost too afraid to do even that. He lightly walked forward and touched the arm. A little girl jumped and looked at Cole. Her eyes were so bright they could have been mistaken as the sky itself. So pale and blue. Cole's heart skipped a beat.

"Guys...you're not going to believe this."

"Ah Mr. Dangerbuff." Cole jumped at the sudden presence at the door. "Is she to your liking? A brand new breed of human engineered with the finest genes that we know of. But the reason for her low price is the fact that she's only 4 years old, and a female."

'What did that have to do with anything?' Cole wondered looking around at the man who seemed to be going through the same song and dance he went through with everyone else. A practiced routine he probably did every auction, and it pissed him off horribly. But if he was going to get this girl out alive he had to play his part too.

"It is understandable and my son is still young so he'll have a servant that will grow with him." Cole said looking down at the little girl who stood up. The shirt she was wearing sagged off one shoulder. It was far too big to be anything other than a potato sack. Her hair was incredibly short, but very curly and brown.

"She's got all her teeth, and toes too. Your a lucky one." He said.

Cole looked down at the name tag around her neck.

"Kairi? Is that your name?"

She stuck her finger in her mouth and nodded her head. There was a loud slap noise and Kairi fell flat on her back. She curled into a little ball.

"You will answer yes master to Mr. Dangerbuff! " The jerk yelled at the young girl. "He is your owner and you will listen to him. Is that understood!"

Kairi stood up and nodded her head. A long line of blood going down her lip and nose. Kairi jumped when the man went to hit her again. Cole took hold of the man's hand and kicked him into the corner. The man slid down the wall and landed in a heap on the floor.

"I hate people like you." Cole said and tapped his ear. "Commissioner...we got them. This place is full of slaves. Genetically engineered slaves." He took his hood off and ran it over the little girls nose and chin.

"Come on Kaira lets get you home hum?"

"Home?" Her voice was so small. Almost like she was to afraid to speak. Cole bent down and picked her up. She cringed and curled in trying to protect herself. Cole realized at this moment that she was going to need some TLC. Major TLC.

Walking into the auditorium where they had the auction there was chaos all over the place. Each door was blocked by a Ninja and police were taking names. Cole looked around and spotted Zane by one of the exits and walked over to him, pulling his ponytail and tie as he did.

"Hey babe." He said Zane lowered his hood looking at the little girl in front of him.

"Whose this?"

"That lot I bought."

"You purchased a slave?" Zane asked. The little girl flinched away from Zane's hand as he reached out for her. "You said they're genetically engineered?" He looked into the girls bright blue eyes. They were an unusual color. A loud growl echoed within the archway where they were standing. She blushed and buried her face in Cole's chest.

"Please pretend you did not hear that. Continue your conversation. I am not here." Kairi's tiny voice could almost barely made out in the noise of the room.

"Cole we can not just...give her back. She is...a human toddler. The only one of her kind. We can't just...give her back. She'll be shuffled around from foster person to foster person. We..." Zane was clearly upset by this. Cole thought it was adorable

"Are you suggesting we adopt her, babe?" Cole asked.

Zane stopped what he was saying and thinking for a moment.

"I am, love. We are two males and we can not have children as is. So there's always this option." Zane offered.

Cole took a deep breath and looked down at the little girl whose eyes darted from one side of the room to the next.

"It's not up to us Zane. I mean, I'm all for it. Look at how small and adorable she is." Cole smiled at her. She didn't move away from his gaze. "But she's been beaten, babe. It's going to take a little while to get her out of it. "

"I see." He ran his fingers through the unkempt hair. "First things first however...she's dirty as a dog."