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A soft breeze flew through his dark waves of hair. Green undertones and highlights gently flying in the wind. One earbud in, with his hands stuffed in his pockets as he leaned against the back of the bench. The only sounds he could hear was the gentle beat of guitar and drums, followed by the wind harshly blasting in his face, birds chirping followed by the echo of wings flapping. It was a peaceful day. Humid air from this month’s earlier rainy week, cold with the fall weather slowly approaching, and checking it off with the perfect temperature for short sleeved shirts and jeans. Honestly, Morro couldn’t recall the last time he fully enjoyed just a calm moment to himself.
This part of Ninjago City happens to be just nearby the waterways flowing under the bridges in the streets; the wind around picking up noise and traveling it back to Morro’s ears. Tickling them ever so gently. He rarely uses his element anymore, his father was overjoyed when he found out he harnessed one; but ever since he went through a certain phase in his life, he tends to keep himself away from using it. Only for meaningless tasks like popping candies into his mouth, messing with Lloyd, or protecting his shop from flying debris from a Garmadon Attack. Perhaps the last one was..a little more important then he thought.
The wind was like his own partner in crime. It shared secrets through the air across however far of a distant, making Morro extremely good at blackmailing people, not that he ever would! The wind was free, uncontrollable, it didn’t listen to anybody expect the one who held it’s power. The man could find himself agreeing with all those factors, even relating a bit to the breezy element. He hated being told what too do, he felt like a bird in a cage. Which is part of the reason why he gave up on his dad’s training, so he could live a life he wanted. Something he chose to do.
But, never mind all that.
Morro was okay! Truly, two years of therapy really helps a person. Shockingly. He wasn’t this out of control, messy, curse to the City anymore, he was just..him! It was nice.
He sighed, leaning his head back on the bench.
This was nice.
“I’ll show you who’s a broke freak!”
Until it wasn’t.
His head shot up, groaning a bit as it cracked and snapped to the sudden loud yelling. His eyes landing on a group of teenagers, all arguing over one of the bridge’s laying across the waterways. Morro bit his lip; frustrated that his peaceful time has been so rudely interrupted by some reckless little kids. With a heavy annoyed sighed, the wind master got up from his bench. About to go find somewhere else to sit when suddenly he heard the faintest sound a ‘splash.’
He flipped back around, the figures were blurry, but he could make out one of the most obvious. Spiky hair that probably kept every hairspray company in business, and a red jacket over the kid. His hands were being held back by another teen, who looked way to be old to be fighting what looked like a sophomore. The porcupine look-a-like was shouting all types of threats, he looked like he was about to burst into flames! There might as well been steaming puffing out of his ears. One of the kids snarled in them; Morro listening with the wind at the conversation.
“You fucker! Do you know how much that phone costed!?”
“Calm down, Chen! He probably can’t even comprehend the idea of money..seeing as he doesn’t have any!”
The group bursted into laughter; before roughly throwing the kid over towards the edge. A foot hitting his back and keeping his head dangling over the water. The wind elemental felt his heart stop, he couldn’t see it well, but Little Porcupine over there looked absolutely terrified.
“O-okay! I’ll buy you a new one, just let me go!“
“Aw..you hear that? I think Kai here is afraid of a bit of water..!” They coo’d sarcastically. ‘Chen’, who must’ve been the leader of this group; shoved his foot onto the teen’s head. Flattening the messy spikes in an instant, and leaning down on his knee. Morro could feel himself getting angrier by the second. A breeze flowing by getting stronger and stronger as he watched from afar.
“Stop! I-I said I’ll pay you back, just get off of me!” Kai shouted, squirming desperately underneath the weight on his back and head. Breath rapidly getting quicker and more heavier as he watched the water below, barely able to see the bottom. The group merely mocked his stutters, before Chen finally stepped off of him. Grabbing him by the back of his jacket, and hauling him up. Keeping his feet just barely on the side of the bridge, spiky looked like he was about to cry. A complete polar opposite of his earlier remarks.
“No..no, I have a better idea. Why don’t you go and fish it out!” His hands let go of Kai’s jacket in a shove; immediately a gasp leaving the group. The distraught shout that left the teen’s voice could’ve sent shivers up anyones spine. Immediately curling his head into his chest and awaiting the inevitability crash of water hitting him; biting back sobs as he bit harshly down onto his bottom lip.
Though. It never came.
Kai’s eyes flashed open as he heard screaming; and the sounds of feet padding against the bridge and out of earshot. He looked down, he wasn’t—he wasn’t drowning! A surprised laugh leaving his throat, before he let out a shocked yell. Scrambling to uncurl himself from the fetal position. He was floating. How..how was he floating!? He looked up, a figure standing above him on the bridge, barely being able to make out his face with the black long hair that curled around his features.
“Need some help, kiddo?”
Morro grinned down at the gobsmacked kid, twirling his finger around and making a small wind circle around his frame. Keeping the teen afloat and away from the dreaded waterway; porcupine looked absolutely flabbergasted. Completely breathless as the wind master gently used his element and pulled him up back to land. Holding a hand out for the teen to latch onto as he regained his lost balance. Immediately however, Kai jumped back. Into a fighting position that was far to familiar for Morro’s liking.
“H-How did you do that..?!”
“Do what?”
“That! The wind! The magic floaty stuff!”
“I have zero clue what your talking about, Kai was it?”
The other flashed him a devious smile; before rolling his shoulders back. The teen however, looked livid, he took one step and pointed a finger that jabbed into Morro’s chest. Eyeing him with a squint that made him puff a small chuckle out; the intimidation was something to be desired. That’s for sure.
“Look..Mr.Emo! I-I don’t know how you did that..but just know I’m not scared to beat you to a pulp! You hear me!?”
‘ Mr.Emo. ’
A flash of recognition flew over the wind master, who gasped loudly enough for Kai to jump back; ironic as he had just threatened him and now he was looking at him like he pulled out a weapon or something. He only knows of one person that calls him that, and now that he has a good look at the kid. He could see the resemblance in his face, same eye shape, always angered looking expression. Morro clicked his tongue; shooting in a finger gun before speaking.
“You’re Nya’s brother, aren’t you?”
Kai glared harder. “How do you know my sister..” He bit, no nicety behind his words. Venom seeping through his tone; the wind master would’ve appreciated a little respect after saving his life..but it was whatever.
“She works on her bike in the back alley of my shop.”
“Wait..you’re Morro?”
“The one and only.”
A tense silence overcame the two, the wind master glanced around. The teens from earlier having already scattered the second he sent a strong gust towards them; he could still see the fear on their face as he silently threatened them with his eyes. He unconsciously smirked at the image in his head, he almost wished he could’ve gotten a picture to put out in the store’s front window. Kai had gone quiet, kicking his shoes against the bridge and huffing with his hands shoved in his pocket.
“So..wanna tell me why those little bastards were bothering you?”
“Why do you care?”
“I don’t. Just curious.”
That was a lie. He did care. Nya was his friend, so any family of Nya automatically made them on his list of protection. He sighed at the reminder of the now four new added names, seeing as Lloyd had been on there since day one; and now this hair spray disaster.
“They..they keep making fun of my clothes and stuff—just because my family isn’t as rich as them doesn’t make me any less important!“ Kai snapped; kicking a stone into the waterway. Morro noticed how it bubbled, eyeing the small boiling before it disappeared. A thought entering his head before dismissing it as the kid continued his frustration filled rant. “I just wanna give them a piece of my mind! I wanna just..ugh! Shove Chen’s stupid face into the dirt—or something!”
Kai’s voice wavered, barely noticeable if not for the intense focus the other had on him. “It’s not..fair. Why do I have to be the one worrying about money, when he gets to just spend it all on stupid cheer stuff or the newest Borg phone!”
“You’re right.”
The kid paused, caught off guard by the interruption.
“It isn’t fair, you deserve to be able to do all that stuff. You deserve to have a normal childhood.”
His green eyes met dark brown ones; a sincere look in them as he placed a hand on his shoulder. Kai tensing up, fist clenching as he glanced up from the floor. Morro looked at him, really looked at him. He could see past that anger and frustration; and all there was, was a little boy jealous of the world. Jealous of everybody and lashing out with the knowledge that there wasn’t anything he could do. It was familiar to the wind master, because he knew what that was like. This kid was uncontrollable, wild, he didn’t like how the world was telling him to live. And it was like Morro was looking into a mirror of his past self.
“Life is a bitch. Simple as that, kid.”
Kai looked almost shocked at his words.
“You’re..not going to say ‘life isn’t fair?’ or that it’ll get better in the future?”
“Do you want me to lie? Because I can’t promise that it will.”
Too his surprise, the kid laughed. Rolling his eyes as he leaned into the comforting hand on his shoulder. His hair was still messed up; his face was finally cooling down from it’s reddened anger; and his breath began to even out. Morro smirked; before letting him go and shrugging his shoulder towards one if the park’s entrances. Kai’s head tilted at him, confused.
“I’m sure your sister is probably already at the shop waiting for me to give her my tools, why don’t you come hang out for a bit? Cool down from..well..” He gestured around. “This.”
The teen blinked at the offer; biting his lip, he could practically see the gears turning in his head before he let out a dramatic sigh. Crossing his arms and puffing out one cheek, murmuring under his breath in the attempts too look like he was still the little bit upset over the harassment from those bullies.
“I guess..only because Nya says you get her snacks!”
“That was a one time thing.”
“Nuh-uh! She said you buy her them everyday! So I want some too!”
“You kids and your candy addictions are going to make me go bankrupt.”