Cynder stared at her reflection, sighing as she looked at the bags under her eyes and inspected her messy hair.
"I don't think I can ever get over what happened…" Cynder muttered as she almost began to cry. Grabbing her hair, she made sure to have a firm grip as she unsheathed Phantom's blade and cut her hair. The long auburn strands slowly fell to the floor, glistening slightly when the dull light hit them. Tears streamed from Cynder's cheeks, she crumbled to the floor and pressed herself against the corner of the bathroom, behind the door.
The door creaked open, revealing a black haired man with a green streak in his hair.
"What's going on in…" He became silent as he noticed his partner's angst.
"You're still upset about that?" He walked into the room and gently pushed the door closed. He sat down beside her.
"Of course I am! You don't just get over rape in a week, Morro!" Screech the sobbing female.
"I'm sorry...You're right...What can I do to help?" Asked Morro, concerned.
"I don't think you can…" Mumbled Cynder, looking away.
"Can I at least hug you, maybe a hug will make you feel a bit better." Morro gently said.
"No...I don't want to be touched…Don't you have to go obsess over not being the green ninja?" The auburned girl snapped, in tears. Morro sighed sadly,
"If you need me, I'll be working on my next plan." He got up and opened the door, before he walked out.
"Not that you'll need me…" Mumbled the black haired boy before he finished closing the door.
Morro walked away from the bathroom, sighing.
"I don't have the energy to plot to become the green ninja…" He flopped back onto the bed.
"Morro, we are waiting." Bansha opened the door.
"Not now, Bansha. I've got more concerning things going on. Plus, we hadn't exactly figured out how to find the tomb!" Snapped Morro.
"The longer we wait, the more impatient everyone else gets." Bansha told him, bitterly.
"I know!" Morro yelled, before continuing "Get out, Bansha! This doesn't concern you!" Bansha narrowed her eyes before walking back out of the room and closing the door.
Now that the room was completely quiet, the black haired boy could hear his love's sobs.
"What can I do…" Morro mumbled to no one.
Cynder screamed in pain, rocking herself back and forth. She wanted nothing more than to be able to forget everything. She got up, removing her cloak before removing the rest of her clothes. Scars adorned her once beautiful body, most were self inflicted and most were from within the week.
"Cynder?" Morro gently knocked on the door.
"Yeah?" Cynder trembled, a tear dripping down her face.
"You okay?" The black hair body leaned against the door.
"I...I'm as good as I guess I can be…" She turned on the shower.
"What are you doing?" Morro asked, concerned.
"I'm gonna take a shower, I feel dirty." Cynder looked away. Her pale skin bright and mostly scarred.
"Stop searing your skin, you're hurting yourself. I know that you're rubbing your skin until it turns bright pink and nearly bleeds...Please stop...I get it, you're hurting. I want to help, but...The more you hurt, the more I hurt to. I can't plan anything when I'm worried about you." Morro told her. His words fell upon deaf ears.
"Okay." Cynder muttered.
"You weren't listening, were you?" Morro sighed, sliding down the door.
"I...Was…" Cynder slowly said.
"Just...Don't hurt yourself...Please…" Morro buried his face in his knees before he fell asleep from exhaustion.
"Another all nighter, huh…" Cynder stared at her sleeping lover's face. As much as she would love to hug him, she feared being touched.
"Good night, Morro…" Cynder calmly opened the closet and hid herself in her normal place before drifting to sleep, not even having the energy to close the doors.
Morro opened his eyes, exhaustion flowing through his every being. He noticed the door slightly ajar.
"Cynder?" The black haired boy spoke up, getting up. He poked his head into the bathroom. He sighed once more and walked into the bathroom. Morro leaned down and picked up Cynder's clothes.
"Silly, silly girl..." He chuckled sadly, placing the slightly dirty clothes in the hamper. The boy in green walked from the bathroom, closing the door. He noticed the doors to the closet slightly open. He walked over to the door to see Cynder covered with a blanket with a pillow under her head.
"Thanks Bansha." Morro quietly said, smiling a little. The boy in green left the room,
"I'll check on you later, sweetie." He softly said.
"Morning Morro." Wraythe nodded at Morro as he ate some cereal.
"Morning Wraythe." Morro slightly nodded, as he continued to walk. As soon as Morro found Bansha, tapped her shoulder.
"Hey Bansha." Bansha turned to face Morro.
"Hello Morro." Bansha nodded slightly.
"Is there something you need?" She asked, smiling a little.
"I wanted to thank you. I assume it was you who made sure Cynder was comfy." Morro smiled gently.
"Yes, I also covered you, but it seems you didn't notice." Chuckled Bansha.
"I was...Distracted…" Morro sighed.
"Don't worry about it. You've got enough on your plate, though I am getting impatient as well...But we do understand, so take your time. Though we should at least move to a new location, maybe that will help?" Bansha suggested.
"I'm not sure. It might, I can only hope that getting away from this god forsaken town helps her. I swear if I ever meet the person, or anyone in his blood line, who harmed my dear Cynder, I will personally rip out their vocal cords and torture them until I know that they've been caused the same pain that she was put through." Morro growled.
"Yes, yes, getting revenge and all that...Go get something to eat, Morro. I know you're worried about her but that's no reason to be losing so much weight." Bansha gently rubbed his back before walking away.
"Alright." Morro walked away.
Basha quietly walked into Morro's and Cynder's room, poking her head into the closet to see Cynder still passed out in a clothes basket.
"You've caused so much trouble." She gently chuckled as she placed a hand gently to Cynder's head.
"No fever, but your skin looks like you've been trying to scratch it off…" Bansha sighed and got up, she adjusted the blanket so it covered Cynder before walking over to where the bathroom was. She picked up the blanket from the floor and folded it, she placed it on the bed and picked up the pillow she had placed behind Morro's head.
"You both are going to destroy yourselves at this rate…" Mumbled Bansha. Cynder stirred a little, Bansha walked over.
"No, no, no sweetie. You need sleep, continue to rest your eyes." She gently said to Cynder. Cynder pushed Bansha's face away,
"I have to pee…" Muttered a tired Cynder, who was having a hard time removing herself from the clothing basket.
"Where did Bansha go?" Morro asked Wraythe as soon as he finished eating.
"I saw her go into your room." Wraythe told him.
"Thanks." Morro bolted into Cynder's and his room. He threw the door open to see Bansha tucking Cynder into bed.
"There we are, little one." Bansha said in a gentle voice. Morro smiled,
"I haven't gotten her to lie in the bed since...While since the incident…" He muttered.
"I know, but she was half asleep and she looked like she was in pain as she slept in the closet. So when I helped her out of the basket of clothes, I waited for her to use the bathroom and then I managed to make her believe that the bed is the clothes basket." Bansha chuckled.
"Thank you." Morro hugged Bansha. She was surprised, she gently hugged him back.
"You're welcome." Bansha broke the embrace and walked away.
"Don't talk too loud, okay?" Bansha told Morro, in a soft voice. Morro nodded.
"Go back to sleep, you still look tired." She said.
"I know, but I'll wake Cynder if I do." Morro looked away.
"Then go sleep on the couch, or in my bed. Just go get some more sleep." Bansha frowned.
"I'll go sleep on the couch…" Morro walked away.
"Good night." Bansha told him.
"Mind keeping an eye on her?" Morro asked.
"I was already going to." Bansha chuckled lightly.
"Thanks. Night, Bansha. Night, Shady." Morro walked into the living room and lied down on the couch. He fell back into a deep sleep.
Cynder woke up in a panic, falling off of the bed. She was tangled up in blankets.
"This is why I hate beds…" Mumbled Cynder, on the verge of tears. She screamed as she thrashed around.
Morro bolted awake to the sound of his lover's scream. He jumped up and darted into the bedroom.
"Cynder?! Are you okay!?" He yelled, in panic.
"Help!" Cynder cried out. Morro walked over to her side of the bed, he snickered lightly.
"Help me!" Cynder looked as though she would start to cry any minute.
"I'm gonna have to grab the blankets, which might mean I have to grab you. Is that okay?" Morro asked, cautiously.
"Yes! Just please help me"! The auburn girl began to sob. The black haired boy bolted over and quickly unraveled the blankets. Cynder bolted into the bathroom and locked the door.
"Cynder?" Morro walked over to the door.
"Go away…" Cynder sobbed from the other side of the door.
"What's wrong? What are you doing?" Asked Morro, his mind half-asleep.
"Everything is wrong...I'm just gonna sit in here until I rot." Muttered Cynder, flopping onto her side.
"Another nightmare…?" Morro spoke up. Cynder didn't reply which told Morro that he hit it right on the nail.
"It's okay, Cynder, I'll never let him touch you ever again. For as long as I live." Morro placed a hand to his chest before adding, "I promise."
"I don't believe you…" Muttered Cynder.
"Why not?" Asked the black haired boy.
"Because you promised to protect me, yet this still happened…" The auburn haired girl whimpered.
"Cynder…" Morro mumbled, tears in his eyes.
"I-I'm so sorry…" He slid down to his knees, pulling them close as he leaned against the door. Morro began to cry, he covered his face with his hands. His black gloves soaked in his tears.
"Morro...D-Don't cry...I didn't mean it like that…" Cynder mumbled, sitting down, her back to the door. Morro didn't reply. Cynder sighed, she curled up by the door and began to sob as well.
Bansha sighed, she could hear their cries from her room. She placed her book down and got up,
"At this rate, Morro won't be able to lead us. Maybe our best option would be to put her in therapy or into a mental hospital until she better. They're destroying themselves and each other...I can't let this happen." Bansha opened her bedroom door and walked out. She entered Morro's and Cynder's bedroom. She walked over to Morro and gently hugged him. She broke the embrace, got up and knocked gently on the door.
"You are both destroying each other...I hate seeing this. Cynder, I am sorry to suggest this, but you are not getting better. You either need therapy or to be placed in a mental hospital. You are hurting Morro as well, he is our leader and I cannot let you do this. You can either get better on your own, or you will be placed in a mental hospital." Bansha told her. Cynder whimpered and began to cry even more. Morro got up, wiping the tears from his eyes.
"Bansha, tough love isn't what she needs! She needs time, and to know that she's safe! Saying that isn't going to help her! If anything it will make it worse!" Snapped Morro.
"I am sorry, Morro. But babying her will not help. She needs to get help, or to move on. We have tried it your way, now we try it my way, whither you like it or not." Bansha walked out, calmly.
Cynder sighed, unable to sleep in the bed. Morro was fast asleep beside her but she was still unable to fall asleep. The silence was deafening to her, she got up and snuck from the room. She walked into the kitchen to get some water.
"What are you doing up?" Bansha asked, as she looked up from her book. Cynder yelped and nearly dropped the glass that she had just removed from the cupboards.
"I couldn't sleep...I came out to get some water…" Cynder muttered, body trembling.
"I'm sorry, I scared you, didn't I? I didn't mean to, I thought you noticed me...You're having trouble sleeping, aren't you?" Asked Bansha. Cynder looked away,
"Yeah...I just...Can't sleep. I can't stand the warmth of someone being beside me...It's too...Scary…" She mumbled, sheepishly.
"How about I sing you a lullaby?" Bansha smiled gently.
"What's a lullaby?" Cynder tilted her head, confused.
"It's when you sing to someone to help them fall asleep." Bansha told her.
"How do you not know what a lullaby is?" Bansha got up and walked over to Cynder.
"I've never heard the word before now...My mom didn't love me, Bansha, in fact you're probably the closest thing I've ever had to a mother figure…" Cynder backed away from Bansha.
"Come with me, you can rest in my bed. I'll be up reading." Bansha gently grabbed Cynder's hand and pulled her along. Cynder trembled and yanked her hand away,
"D-Don't touch me!" She shouted.
"Not so loud, you'll wake everyone up." Bansha continued to walk. Cynder slowly followed her.
"Good night." Bansha told Cynder.
"I-I...I don't want to sleep here…I'd rather sleep in the closet…" Cynder began to sit up. Bansha pushed Cynder back down,
"You will not sleep in a closet, it's not good for you. I said good night, I am not leaving yet. I am going to sing you a lullaby, just like I said I would." Bansha sat in the chair at her desk, turning it to face the bed.
"Thank you…" Cynder said, uncomfortably. Bansha slightly nodded, before taking a deep breath and beginning to sing. Cynder stared at her, never expecting to hear such a beautiful singing voice. She began to feel drowsy. Soon she fell into a deep noticed this and stopped singing,
"Good night, my little troublemaker." She got up, gently rubbing Cynder's head. Cynder shuddered upon being touched.
"We really need to get you some therapy." Bansha sighed before walking out of the room. Bansha walked into Morro's and Cynder's bedroom, Morro was still fast asleep. He had spread himself out on the bed. Bansha sighed sadly,
"If Cynder was awake, before this whole thing happened, she would have called you a starfish…" She chuckled gently before she began to leave the room.
"Cynder...Where…" Morro thrashed. Bansha stopped and looked back at him.
"No...Stop!" Morro bolted awake, looking to his side. Upon noticing his missing lover, he panicked and got out of the bed.
"Cynder?" He bolted over to the closet, he looked around the room.
"She's in my bed. She would probably have refused to sleep if she had to continue to sleep with you. I don't think she's getting better, Morro. She's getting worse." Bansha told him.
"No...You're wrong. The fact she's sleeping in a bed is a step in the right direction. You'll see." Morro mumbled, unconvincingly.
"Maybe she is recovering slowly, but she is still in bad shape. She needs help, more help than what we can give her." Bansha rolled her eyes.
"I know but if I make her get help, she'll never trust me again. I can't force Cynder to do that...I'm sorry, Bansha..." Muttered Morro, looking away as he sheepishly rubbed his arm.
"We move base in two days. You both better be ready. The rest of us will not wait any longer." Bansha told Morro, strictly.
"Yes ma'am." Morro nodded. Bansha began to walk out, she looked back.
"If either of you need help gathering your gear, just ask." She smiled and left the room. Morro sighed before walking into the bathroom. He looked at the green streak in his hair, it was fading.
"I need to redye my hair…" He muttered, before realizing something. "I also really need to shower…" Morro closed the door, removing his clothing carefully and gently before tossing them into the clothes hamper.
"Where is my hair dye…" Morro looked around the bathroom. After realizing that his hair dye was not in the bathroom, he sighed.
"Damn it." Morro grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his body. He walked out and into the bedroom. After looking around, he groaned. He left the room and walked over to the closet. Opening it, he looked around and found the forest green hair dye.
"Morro...What are you doing…?" Bansha's face was red, she was covering her eyes.
"I...Needed more hair dye…" Morro was still holding his towel, to keep it up. Still holding the hair dye as well, Morro bolted into his bedroom before closing and locking the door.
"I...It's good that he's...Taking care of himself again…?" Bansha walked away, a very blank look on her face.
Morro threw the towel to the ground and removed the dye from its box before he read the directions and began to apply it. After he finished dyeing his hair, examined himself,
"I really need to shave too…" Mumbled Morro, realizing that he's been neglecting common hygiene. Morro grabbed the familiar electric shaver and began to shave.
Once he finished shaving, he cleaned up the mess of only person within the bathroom turned the shower on and entered it.
"It's nice to finally shower again." He muttered as the hot water poured onto his slightly pale skin. His drenched hair stuck to his head and to his neck. Morro grabbed the bar of soap and gently rubbed it onto a wet washcloth. As soon as he noticed suds, he placed the bar of soap back in its resting place. The black haired boy began to rub the washcloth over his skin, which left soap bubbles. Rising off the soap with water, he grabbed the shampoo and opened the bottle. He poured some into his hair, he closed the bottle and placed it back down.
Morro began to rub the soap in, once he felt that the shampoo was spread and that his hair was bubbly enough from the soap, he closed his eyes and allowed the water to wash the soap from his shoulder length black hair.
Morro opened his eyes and grabbed the conditioner bottle, he sat on the floor before opening the bottle and adding some into his hand. He applied it to his hair, closing the bottle, he placed it in its spot. After a couple of minutes, the boy with the green streak in his hair washed the conditioner from said hair. Then he plugged the bathtub and allowed the water to fill up.
As soon as the tub was full, he turned the water off and laid back.
Unable to shake the exhaustion he still felt, and with the warm water not assisting to keep him awake, Morro drifted off into dreamland.
But he was not dreaming like a casual person would, he was dreaming of the past.
"Hey Morro, you never told me what made you so clingy." Cynder looked at him, chuckling a little.
"I know but...I don't exactly like talking about it." Mumbled the black haired boy.
"Oh come on, I told you my shit past, you tell me yours." The auburn girl pushed.
"Fine." Morro mumbled.
"When I was little, my parents abandoned me. A group of street kids took me in, they showed me all the good places to get food. Then they were caught by the police and were put in jail for a crime they didn't commit." Morro looked away.
"How do you know?" The girl with the ombre asked.
"I was with them at the time in question, but no one listened to me. Continuing on, I found some other kids on the street. They were new, so I was showing them a good place to get something to eat...Which would have been Sensei Wu's Monastery. They were eating out of the trash with me, when Wu walked out. They ran off, I...Froze with fear. I didn't know which brother it was, just like my friends didn't, and we had heard really horrible rumors about the older brother, Garmadon." Morro paused to take a deep breath.
"He walked back inside, then walked out and placed some food down. I was still pretty hungry so I went over and took the plate. Anyways, he took me in and taught me a lot, I was so scared of failing him, so I always pushed myself. I always used more force than needed...I just didn't want him to throw me back out on the street like my parents had…" The boy in green began to tear up. Cynder hugged him,
"It's okay, take your time." She told him.
"No...I'm alright. Wu told me that I could become this powerful ninja called the green ninja. He sounded like he wanted me to be it, and when he found out he wasn't, he looked so disappointed. I did everything in my power to show him that I was, I didn't want to be thrown away!" Morro's tears began to drip down his cheeks.
"I tried so hard to the point where I was nearly killed. When that wasn't enough...When he barely wanted me around anymore, I heard a rumor about a crystal called the Realm Crystal. That it was hidden within the first Spin-Jitzu master's tomb. So I ran away, and I've been looking for clues about where it is ever since. I have to find it! I need to prove that I am the green ninja!" Cried Morro. Cynder hugged him, holding him close,
"I know how you feel. This is why I still follow mostly any orders given to me by my boss, and by you or your teammates...I don't want to get in the way, I don't want to be tossed aside like I'm not worth anything." She told him, hoping to make his tears stop.
"I love you, my dark flower."
"Don't call me that, ever."
"Fine. I love you, Shady."
"I love you too, Morro."
"You don't have a nickname for me, do you?"
"Would you like if I called you moron?"
"No...But you need to come up with something."
"I'm just gonna call you moron."
"Cynder…"
"I'm joking, Morro. There isn't much I can do with your name, seriously. Unless I want to call you moron or Mor, which I'd rather not call you either. So I'm just gonna stick to using your name."
"Pft, good point." Morro laughed. Cynder smiled and kissed his forehead.
"Come on lovebirds! We need to get moving!" Shouted Wraythe.
"We'll be right there!" Morro shouted, getting up. He offered his hand to Cynder, who took it. He pulled her to her feet.
"So that's my story." The boy in green said.
"Our stories feel somewhat similar..." Mumbled the girl in the cloak.
"Yeah...Both are horrible...And we both were abandoned…" Morro mumbled.
"Oh well, man. Ain't nothin' we can do to change the past." Cynder told him, with a slight country accent.
The dream suddenly changed. Morro was lying in bed, alone. Cynder was off doing something for her boss. He couldn't sleep due to worry. The door flew open,
"Morro! Cynder's in the hospital!" Shouted Bansha. Morro panicked and fell out of bed,
"What?! Why!?" He shouted.
"I don't know! The nurse wouldn't say!" Bansha sounded scared. The boy in green quickly got up and ran out with Bansha. When they arrived at the hospital, Morro ran up to the receptionist's desk,
"We're here to see Cynder Shade." He told her.
"She in the ER." The receptionist pointed. Morro ran off before Bansha could ask where they were supposed to go.
"Where's Cynder?" Morro ran up to the ER's receptionist's desk.
"Room five." The man pointed. Morro ran to the room and threw it open,
"Cynder!" He shouted. Cynder yelped, and covered her face, curling into a small ball,
"Don't hurt me!" She cried out. The doctor that was in the room glared at Morro,
"What's wrong with her? What happened?!" Morro asked, concerned. Bansha ran up, panting.
"She was raped, she's just got post traumatic syndrome. But this doesn't look like the first time from the tests we did on her…" The male doctor leaned over to Cynder and whispered something. She shook her head,
"No...He wouldn't ever do that...He just scared me…" Muttered Cynder.
"So you know him?" Said the male doctor.
"Yes Dr. Julien. His name is Morro...He's my boyfriend…" Cynder moved away.
"Ah. Well I'm Dr. Julien, I'm sorry to tell you but your girlfriend was raped, and she seems pretty shaken up by it. She was also hurt during it, she's got a large cut on her foot. I am a bit afraid that it will get infected. So if you wouldn't mind doing so, could you bring her back in as soon as possible? Possibly even tomorrow if the pain gets worse…" Dr. Julien smiled gently.
"Um...Alright. Thank you...Can we take her home now?" Bansha asked.
"How much will this cost?" Morro asked.
"Oh...Don't worry about that! I'm not charging you, I hate doing such a thing. Especially for people who need help...Anyways, I would suggest you keep an eye on Ms. Shade. Be gentle, give her space...And be sensitive, please. She still seems to be pretty frightened." Dr. Julien gently smiled.
It suddenly became night and the scene within the dream changed.
"Cynder, are you okay?" Morro gently knocked on the bathroom door.
Cynder did not reply, she just sat in the shower, trying to get rid of the feeling of being dirty.
"Cynder?!" Morro raised his voice a bit. Cynder let out a low, frightened squeak. Morro kicked the door in, his face turned from fright to concern.
"Oh dear…" He walked over. Her skin was bleeding due to the rough rubbing.
"Bansha!" Morro shouted. Cynder covers her head due to fear, she sat in a fetal position. Bansha walked in, her face turned red,
"Morro! W-" She began, slightly yelling.
"Stop." Morro interrupted, he continued. "Come here, her skin is bleeding and I have no idea how to help." Bansha walked over, her eyes filled with surprise.
"Oh...Go get the first aid-kit, Morro." Bansha ordered him. He ran out.
"Come on Cynder, time to get out." Bansha gently said. Cynder shook her head.
"It's just you and me, I won't look as you cover yourself with a towel." Bansha turned away. Cynder slowly stood up and grabbed a towel before setting a shaky foot out of the tub. She wrapped the towel around her body.
"A-All covered…" She muttered, feeling exposed.
"It's okay, Morro's seen you before. I'm a girl too, so I've seen it all before too...And I was a mother...For a little while…" Bansha took out the plug from the bath and the pink water was sucked down the drain. Cynder shivered, Bansha grabbed another towel and wrapped her hair up.
"There we go." Bansha gently said. Cynder was trembling in fear.
"Come on sweetie, let's go sit on the bed." Bansha gently walked with Cynder to the bed.
Morro bolted awake from his memories as he coughed up water. His vision was blurry,
"Cynder…?" He coughed.
"Morro!? Morro, please stay with me!" Cynder shouted.
"Bansha...What do I do!?" Cynder was scared to touch Morro but was sitting close to him.
"Yes, my friend fell asleep in the bathtub...No, if his girlfriend hadn't heard him, he would have drowned. Please send an ambulance! He needs help." Bansha hung up her phone.
"Don't worry, an ambulance is on the way, Morro." Bansha gently said.
Morro's vision blurred even more, and he soon blacked out.
Author's Note:
Just an FYI, the only things I know about rape are from "Law & Order: Special Victim Unit" so if some of it is wrong, then I am sorry that it is wrong...But please remember that everyone takes being raped differently.
So I wanted to show Morro in a new light, I see him show in a dark light all the time. So I wanted to give his character some more dynamic and show him brighter, but still grim light. So you'll get to see Morro in a brighter light and this will be a new test for Cynder's character. Plus I'm also going to be giving Morro more of a back story, and making him act a little different.
I'm also doing it as back when they were alive, rather than when they were ghosts. Personally I think Morro was friends with Basha and them before he died, since they seem pretty close. I also like putting Bansha as a more motherly person, cause she kinda gave off that vibe, just only towards her little group and it was slight, but I don't care. I think she seems cute as a motherly kind of person.
Anyways,that is why you'll see them in this and why they are going to be acting different. And since they're alive you probably won't see the ninjas in this at all except maybe at the end but I'm not sure about that.
Just an added note, they will all be acting opposite from how they acted in the show since this is before they died and I think that they probably acted different before death and they probably changed since the Cursed Realm was probably really hard on them so they probably changed. Also, I may give them actual names, I'm not sure.
I kinda feel like it gets kinda lighter and not as dark towards the end of the prologue, I will fix that. And you shall see how! MWHAHAHA! Until next time my lovely readers!