Chapter Text
The large airship rises above the clouds, cutting through the air like butter. The half-hidden moon's light dances across the polished wood, glinting against the glass windows of the airborne galleon and bathing the all persons upon the deck in a bright light--all but one. Dim green smoke breaks up the light, seeming to cause the area around the mannequin of Morro to glow. Said mannequin glances up at the moon, lazily leaning against the railing of the deck. Kai, coming close to Morro's position so he could tack the sails, shoots the haunted doll a nasty look.
“You're a whole lot of help, deadweight,” the fire ninja snarled, pulling on the rope.
“I am, thank you very much,” Morro snaps back, deliberately turning his head slowly in the ninja's direction–satisfaction tickles the ghost's core as Kai shudders at the squeaking sound, "I'm doing more than the five of you combined."
"Sure looks like it," the fire ninja drawls sarcastically, tying the rope into a knot.
"Oh, in case you forgot, then." Indigence stirs in Morro's chest, so he responds by raising a hand and commanding the wind to roughly blow Kai's hair askew. "I'm the reason this pathetic hunk of wood is going so quickly."
Kai's gaze narrows dangerously, and he takes a menacing step forward. "Watch it, windbag."
"So riled up over a little gust adjusting your hair, are you?" Morro snarks, "No wonder you forgot your teammate. Obviously, your hair care routine comes first."
The fire ninja snarls and lurches forward, grabbing the mannequin by the neck harshly enough to nearly dislodge the thing's head. "I'm going to send you back to the departed realm myself, you little failure of a–"
"Let go of him, Kai," a firm voice commands, followed by the elderly owner jabbing his rod to divide Kai and Morro. The student begrudgingly releases his grip, slinking back a few paces; the wrath in his eyes is far from gone, however.
"Don't lose your head, ninja," Morro snickers, adjusting his vessel's head so it slid back into place. He rolls his shoulders with a creaking sound, mock-stretching.
Wu, standing in between the two, taps his rod on the ground. "Peace, Morro. Kai, please help Jay set sail length on portside."
Kai responds with a bow, half-turning and walking away. His burning glare doesn't leave Morro until he's on the other side of the mast. Wu heaves a sigh, rubbing his temples as his snake-like stare lands upon Morro.
"Do try to be a little courteous, won't you?"
"In your dreams," Morro grumbles in return, resuming his leaning against the railing. "Remember that I'm not the one who wanted to come along."
"Your help is critical not only for our timely arrival but also presumed combat against Yang," Wu states, "I doubt that he'd manage to subdue Cole by himself."
"Fire with fire, a ghost with a ghost… even though you have a water ninja," the wind master's voice conveys the sneer that his vessel's faux face could not, "you pull out all the stops on search and rescue missions, don't you?"
"Of course I…" the dragoni pauses, voice softening. "Morro… are you-"
"Don't," the mannequin commands, brown eyes glinting dangerously. He barely keeps pain out of his voice, baring his fangs in a show of aggression.
"Island ho!" Nya calls from the helm, breaking up the interactions between everyone on deck.
Morro follows Wu towards the bow of the ship, passing by Jay, Kai, and Lloyd who were preparing the ship to slow down. Morro ignores the seething glares shot in his direction, only letting an amused smirk snake its way across his face. If anything, it's best if he finds their animosity funny. It's not like he's planning to stick around them. No, he'd much rather go back to the unconscious slumber of the departed realm than even think of such a thing.
It appears resting is an unheard-of notion for Yang. Morro spots dim lights upon the roof of the airjutzu temple, squinting to try and make out the figures in the light of the rift. It doesn't take long for him to see the battle, an indicator of the earth ninja's presence. The others see it as well if their shouts are any indication.
"We're not going to slow in time to disembark and stop him!" Jay screeches, nearly lurching over the railing to try and get a better view, "Cole! Where's Cole?"
"I don't know," Lloyd shouts, "but if you don't want us to crash into the base or island, then help me un-jam the anchor!"
Morro grits his teeth, letting out a low hiss as everyone rushes around the deck, calling out to Cole. His head creaks as he glances around at the commotion of the crew trying to stop the boat ironically as fast as possible. His wind would probably help with that endeavor, but not much. He'd have to apply a lot of force, which would probably topple the airship out of the sky… unless he did it at a certain angle, maybe? Morro mulls over his options when Wu sets a hand on his shoulder. The mannequin immediately tosses the sensei's grip off with an annoyed glance, but something in his core aches as he sees the look on his old master's face.
"Please, Morro," Wu near-whispers with desperation, "go help out Cole."
Morro isn't sure why he follows the order (his core hums far too eagerly) but he gives a stiff nod and hurdles himself off the side of the deck. The wind catches him, tossing him diagonally upwards and spinning in a cyclone around him; Morro uses the momentum of his airjutzu as a catapult, taking the mock sword from his side and holding it up as he launches himself toward the temple roof. Morro lands with a roll atop the tiles, feeling his plastic body groan from the strain. Yang and Cole are locked in combat with an assortment of spectral students attempting to take down the earth elemental. Morro sprints across the roof toward them, raising his sword. There’s a sudden shattering sound and all the students stagger back.
Morro is knocked off kilter by the blast of energy, barely regaining his footing. He realizes that his right arm, the sword-bearing one, was blown out of its socket by the shockwave. Morro curses out his stupid mannequin vessel as he leaps back across the roof to snag his missing limb and weapon, calling the wind to bring them to him halfway. He quickly shoves the arm back in its socket, only taking half a second to make sure it stays in before whipping back around towards the fight. Or… lack of a fight, rather. All the students are gone and Cole is conversing with Yang. Morro advances on the two, swinging his sword harmlessly through both their midsections to gain their attention.
"Rift's closing," the wind elemental states, backing away before Cole can lurch forward and attack him, "Get in or stay out, you only have a minute or so to choose."
Cole tilts his head towards Yang, offering him a hand. "We can go together!"
"No. I must remain here as master of the house," the sensei gives a sad smile, raising a hand as Cole protests. "But do me a favor, young ninja."
Yang turns his gaze upon Morro and offers a bow to the mannequin. "I have risen this one from his slumber… unceremoniously. Offer him the chance of life and forgiveness. I've spent my years already."
Morro's nonexistent throat is dry. "What?"
"You perished young, you have time to atone for your mistakes," Yang states, then turns his gaze on Cole, "so long as he chooses to allow you."
The earth ninja visibly looks torn, glancing between Yang and Morro. After what Morro thinks is way too little time for such a decision, Cole nods at Yang. Then? Well, he whips around and punches Morro so hard that the mannequin is sent spiraling backward, the thing's chest cracking open and the loose limbs scattering apart. Startled by the attack, Morro flees the vessel. With a wrathful snarl, he looks up, ready to maim the earth elemental. Said earth elemental slaps Morro upside the head, effectively stunning him; by the time Morro shakes off the assault, he finds himself being manhandled into a fireman's carry whilst Cole is in the air with a cyclone around him, actively heading towards the rift. Morro panics and thrashes about, sending blasts of air and insults at Cole before it finally clicks that by Wojira, when this ninja grabs something or someone he's not going to let them go voluntarily.
On the Bounty, the remaining ninja and Wu watch as the rift swallows the two figures whole. Everyone draws a sharp breath as the thing closes its maw and the shadow upon the face of the moon vanishes, leaving a silence that spans over the next tense ten seconds.
"Did we lose Cole?" Nya's trembling voice breaks the quiet.
There's a solemn air for about a heartbeat before Kai lets out a shout.
"No! There! He's falling, and he's not above the island!" The fire ninja points at two figures plummeting through the air towards the land far below, everyone gasping.
Almost like clockwork, the instant Kai gives an indicator of direction, Nya spins the wheel and activates the thrusters, sending the Bounty careening to the left as it narrowly misses impacting the roof of the temple. The ship closes the distance too fast and overshoots the area where Kai had pointed, with Nya frantically trying to turn it around.
"Nya! Keep the Bounty stable," Wu yells, climbing on the railing of the deck, "I'll get them!"
Jay screams as Wu leaps off, but quickly shuts his jaw when a purple cloud of smoke appears, a giant dragon rearing up from it with a low bellow. The yellow and lavender dragon form of Wu then shoots downward at a startling speed. Wu's eyes narrow and he angles himself appropriately as he closes in on the falling forms of his pupils. The dragon swoops underneath the two, turning upside-down in one swift movement so that they land on his soft underbelly rather than his rough back. Smoke spills out from Wu's nostrils as he grunts quietly in pain from the impact, but he quickly curls backward, snatching his students in each of his front paws. With a firm grip on the two, Wu spins back upright, kicking off the clouds and weaving his way back up towards the Bounty.
The ship, which Nya had driven back towards the base, sits idling in the air close to the island. As Wu's dragon form shoots upward and wraps its long body around the bow of the ship, the ninjas on deck scatter out of the way. The dragon's upper body rests above the deck, the beast taking great care in lowering Cole and Morro onto the wooden floor. The dragon then sets its front legs upon the floor, and vanishes in a golden shimmer; Wu stands on the deck midway between and behind the two dazed students, panting slightly as he leans on his staff.
The ninjas on deck erupt into cheers and murmurs of concern as they crowd around Cole. Kai grabs Cole, weaving the earth ninja’s arm around his neck—Kai slowly rises to his feet, letting Cole lean on him.
“Hi guys,” Cole stutters out before gasping and starting to choke.
Jay quickly rushes to his aid, helping the newly-revived ninja pace his breathing. Suddenly, the trio gets shoved a bit as Lloyd backs into them. With a glance over the boy’s slightly trembling shoulders, nobody has to ask why he did so.
The not-so-ghostly form of Morro convulses on the other side of the deck, coughing as he hauls himself to his feet using the railing. Nya protectively slides herself in front of Lloyd, subconsciously allowing some water to drip from her hands as she stares down the villain opposite the ninja.
The master of wind clutches the railing for dear newly-gained life, unable to properly support himself on his wobbly legs. His head’s spinning and his heart is pounding as he feels blood flowing through his veins. The cold bite of the air gnaws away at his skin, his tattered shozoku doing very little to protect him. His chest rises and falls as his body forces him to breathe; he feels the air coursing through his lungs and throat. He feels the wood of the railing under his hands, he feels the dampness of his mouth and his tongue against his teeth, he feels his hair against his skin, he smells the crisp air, he hears blood pounding in his ears, he feels the wetness of his eyes, he sees Wu approaching him gently and cautiously like he’s an injured direbat.
Morro vaguely hears his name called by sensei, but the throb of blood flowing through his ears drowns out any other words. He lets out a whimper, Suddenly, his feet are falling out from under him and his grip is slipping; he’s drowning in the water again with the preeminent, the sensation of everything solid hitting him like a brick wall.
Morro faints.