Inspired by the Home song with the same name.
Warning: minor references to death. Angst at first, then the fluff.
Day of the Departed.
One of the days Morro loathed.
Even as he stood now, in the Departed Realm, it wasn't any better. Every time, it was the same. He was forgotten.
No one ever remembered him.
As it begun, he knew how the souls were joyous. They would forget any arguments and spend time with one another, families and lovers reunited, eating and throwing parties.
But that wasn't even the best part.
When darkness began to fall in the mortal world, lanterns began to fly, and fly to where? The Departed Realm of course. They carried not a message or a memory, but a feeling of happiness and love that filled a hole in each spirits heart. Most stacked them up in their house, unashamed to show them off as they could not be stolen.
It was like being given a hug, someone had explained, a warm hug from someone you care about. You can keep the lantern and feel that warm, safe hug whenever you're down.
Morro had never gotten a lantern. In the ten years he had spent dead, he was forgotten.
He didn't really care, because Wu had forgotten about him. No one really cared for him.
Bansha was the first to approach him, followed by Wrayth who wore a cheeky grin, the Ghoul Tar and Soul Archer in tow behind.
"Hey," Morro muttered, not looking up.
"Hello," Bansha said softly, brushing a strand of dark hair behind her ear as she scooped him up in a gentle hug. "We thought you'd like some company today."
Morro shrugged. "Sure, whatever."
Soul Archer was about done. "Look, we know you don't like the holidays but we're staying here and you can't tell us no."
Wrayth agreed, crossing his arms. "We do care about you, don't you forget it ya little Grinch."
The wind elemental snorted. "Really? I'm a Grinch?"
Ghoul Tar grumbled. "Yes."
Morro crossed his arms angrily, scraping his nails against the park bench. "Well, I guess you're not wrong. I'll be going home. Bye." Bansha grabbed his arm, giving him a look. "What do you want? For me to torturously watch you all get lanterns as I remain forgotten by everyone? No thanks."
"Morro..." Bansha pleaded. "You can't lock yourself away all the time. It's not doing you any good."
"What am I supposed to do? Cry like a baby in front of everyone?" Morro yanked his arm from Bansha's grasp, about to go home, when he heard a voice.
"It's starting!" Someone yelled.
He looked back at his friends. "Hey, why don't we at least watch?" Wrayth pleaded. "It's our first time in the Departed Realm. It's probably a lot different."
The spirit was right, though. Ghosts in the Cursed Realm only got their lanterns and moved on, souls here actually celebrated the thing.
Morro stubbornly crossed his arms and glared, finally giving in as he stood by the others.
What happened amazed them.
The large tree in the center of the park began to glow, its long branches curving into hooks. A lantern began to manifest on the end of the branch, then two, then three. Spirits would grab theirs and move away.
Morro watched as it began to thin out, utterly fascinated by the scene, and souls receiving their lanterns. Bansha and Ghoul Tar each got one from their parents, Wrayth from an uncle he forgot he had. The wind elemental looked to see Soul Archer holding one close, a soft smile on his face. Huh. Probably from Ronin.
It's beautiful, but at the same time just another Day of the Departed. Morro scoffed and approached the tree. Forgot me again, old man, huh? Just as I suspected.
He looked at the lanterns remaining, souls quickly gathering them up. How in the world did they know which one was theirs?
Soon, only one remained on the tree, its flickering yellow light (the ones in the Cursed Realm were green, odd) never ceasing. Morro felt drawn to it, wanting to grab it. Stop, you'll ruin it. It's not yours, Morro, and you know better. Just because you don't get one doesn't mean you should attempt to steal another's.
"Morro, it's yours, take it," Wrayth said, looking up.
The wind elemental scoffed, crossing his arms. "No it's not, I haven't gotten one in ten years, why would I get one now?"
"Maybe it's because of what you did last year? The whole yin-yang eclipse thing?" Bansha reminded him.
The teen looked back at the lantern, then around the park. There was no one near the tree except him. Morro blinked, before reaching for the lantern slowly and plucking it off the branch.
The tree immediately stopped glowing, and the branches returned to normal.
Is it really mine? No... that's impossible...
Morro gingerly held the red-and-yellow lantern, pulling it closer to his chest. Immediately, he felt a warm sensation, something he hadn't felt in a decade. It was like when he was eight again, and Sensei was holding him, embracing him lovingly, in a way only a father could.
Sensei...you sent this to me?
Morro felt tears prick at his eyes. Ghosts were too strong to cry tears of sadness, but tears of joy? Those came like a river.
He felt Bansha hugging him, Wrayth, Ghoul Tar, and Soul Archer joining. "I have a lantern," he whispered, "he remember me."
He remembered me.
Sensei Wu watched the ninja arguing, sitting on the bench at the old temple. Cole had already finished his story, Jay stubbornly refusing that he was afraid of ghosts.
He held the lantern gently in his hands, as the others began to lift theirs. Sensei Wu watched as they floated up to the sky, his own adding to them.
They twirled it the air as the wind gave a small breeze, and Sensei finally, for the first time in what felt like eternity, smiled.
Happy Day of the Departed, Morro.