~ Setting the scene ~
It was the evening, and the sun lay on the ocean. As the sun descended towards the horizon, it cast a warm and inviting golden light on the sea. The autumn breeze blew past the robotic monk Zenyatta, who sat in contemplative meditation. As the draft swept past, it carried a sense of excitement, new beginnings, and boundless possibilities. The monk sat calmly, seemingly at peace with the world around him. The sound of leaves rustling and the distant cry of a bird were the only sounds that broke the stillness, giving the moment a serene quality. The setting sun was the perfect backdrop for Zenyatta's meditation, as if the sky provided a beautiful canvas for the monk's inner thoughts and emotions.
Zenyatta's
point of view
—
The monk sat silently, his body lightly humming. Orbs circling around him, he let out a smooth 'Umm..' as he peacefully meditated on a Nepal park bench. The air was chill; though he could not feel the weather, he could tell the seasons were changing. He could see the leaves falling and recreating a repeated cycle.
Zenyatta's meditation was abruptly interrupted by a sudden jolt as he felt a pair of eyes boring into his metallic back. His orbs ceased their gentle orbiting, and he turned his head slightly, trying to locate the source of the disturbance. As he struggled to regain his focus, he heard a voice growing closer, slowly pulling him out of his zen-like state. The voice belonged to Genji, his pupil, and as he approached, the monk could sense a hint of agitation in the cyborg's tone. The sound of leaves crunching under Genji's feet heralded his arrival, and Zenyatta turned his head to face him.
"Master, agh.." Genji, exhausted, lunged toward the robot and slumped over his cold shoulder. Zenyatta did not react to his pupil's actions; his orbs settled around his neck as the cyborg beside him continued talking to complain. "I swear, I told her not to come here." Genji had begun grumbling in contempt, sitting on the bench next to his master, piquing the monk's interest.
Zenyatta turned his metallic head toward the other male. "Whom?" He questioned, genuinely curious about who Genji was so worked up about. His head tilted the slightest bit, awaiting an answer.
Zenyatta watched as he removed his lower mask piece. He laid the metal on the bench. Genji sighed before meeting his master's eyes. Many things flashed behind the mentally wounded man; fear, anger, and sadness possessed his gaze. Zenyatta could see him attempting to put this lightly.
- A few hours earlier -
Genji's
point of view
—
~ setting the scene ~
In the city's bustling market, a small medical tent stood among the vendors and passersby. Two voices could be heard inside the tent, bickering back and forth in hushed tones. The muffled conversation was barely audible from outside the cloth, but the tension in the air was palpable.
—
Genji could feel his anger rising as he stood across from Angela Ziegler, wondering why she even considered coming to Nepal. "What's your deal, Angela?" He spat in her direction and knew she had other motives than what she was telling him.
Angela Ziegler stood before Genji, her expression one of cool detachment. She shrugged her shoulders, her body language suggesting that the situation had little consequence. Her voice was calm and measured as Angela spoke, belying the tension between them. "This has nothing to do with you," she said, her eyes flicking up to meet his briefly before returning to her work. She sighed softly, pushing her glasses further up the bridge of her nose as she continued. "Overwatch stationed me here. There is nothing I could do." Her tone was matter-of-fact as if she had no choice in the matter.
Genji's frustration boiled over as he confronted Angela. His voice was laced with tension, and even though he tried to keep it in check, his emotions were evident. He shook his head as he spoke, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. "You know I know better than that, Angela," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Overwatch doesn't just station people places." Even as he spoke, the steam of turmoil seemed to ooze off him, a physical manifestation of his frustration. He could have been more impressed by her explanation, but it only served to heighten his suspicion. "You know I'm not even ready to consider seeing anyone from Overwatch," he retorted, his voice rising slightly. "Every time you asked to come out here, my answer has always stayed the same." He turned away from the woman, his movements sharp and abrupt. The sound of his footsteps echoed through the tent as he made his exit, leaving Angela alone with her thoughts. The tension in the air seemed to dissipate slightly as he left, but the unease lingered like a bad taste in the back of her mouth.
- present -
Groaning, Genji relayed his interaction to Zenyatta. Genji watched as the monk turned away in thought. "Humm.." The robot responded, "Perhaps you should try?" Zenyatta proposed, continuing, "A second attempt at a friendship, a new experience, may do you well, student." He stopped rather abruptly, looking back over to Genji.
Genji thought about his progress and concluded that he wasn't ready and may have needed to be corrected. 'Perhaps Zenyatta was right.' He thought to himself, looking away from his master and across the ocean. He glanced back toward his metallic mask, then again out to the sea.
Genji sat a few inches away from Zenyatta. Genji inhaled and exhaled softly; the area around them returned to silence. The trees whistled in the wind around them; it was around 8 p.m., and the sun began vanishing over the horizon.
—
Some time passed as the pair meditated; they concluded their session, enclosed by the darkness of the night, the two began to make their way back to the temple.
—
As Zenyatta and Genji returned from the park, the air was thick and uneasy. Genji was lost in thought, still wrestling with the day's events. He sighed heavily as they approached Zenyatta's residence, his steps dragging slightly. "You didn't need to chaperone me to my home," he muttered, his voice heavy with exhaustion.
Zenyatta floated closer to the front door, his orbs casting a soft light on the path ahead. He turned the knob and walked inside, motioning for Genji to follow. The temple's interior was quiet, the only sound the gentle hum of Zenyatta's orbs. The monk moved gracefully through the space, his movements fluid and measured.
"Now, get some rest," he said, his voice devoid of inflection. His words had a sense of finality as if he had told them a thousand times before. He closed the door behind him, leaving Genji alone in the temple's foyer.
Genji's thoughts raced as he paced back and forth in the dimly lit hallway. "What is her angle," he muttered to himself, his voice filled with a hint of frustration. He couldn't help but wonder about Angela's true motives and whether they aligned with his own.
Genji entered his room; he felt drained as he collapsed onto his bed. The previous events had taken a toll on him emotionally and physically. His thoughts kept returning to Angela and her true intentions for being in Nepal. He tried to push the thoughts aside, but they kept nagging him. Eventually, he drifted off to sleep, hoping to find peace in his dreams.
—
Edited: Saturday, October 21st, 2023.
word count : 1259.
