Last chapter, everyone!

5.

Everything is cold and dark and full of pain. He sees snow falling, then cherry petals flying, then fire raging, the moon shining like a bright lantern. He feels a light breeze that turns into a tempest, tearing at him with all its might. Heat, sunlight, the beating of hail, the relentless pouring of the storm. Salty sea air, fresh spring wind…

The stench of burning flesh.

He is back in the train wreck, running, the ground slipping from under his feet as the corpse cut in half stumbles after him on its arms, its face a bloody mess. He jumps out onto the street, and people, dead and alive, gathers around him.

Murderer

Killed your own brother

Assassin

Criminal

Liar

Madman

He breaks his way through the crowd, running into the fire. Dark bodies jump from the flames, their eyes burning red. He dances away from their grabbing hands. As he turns around, the world turns around with him and he is standing in a forest of iron trees. A dark cloud snakes across the air with a face of a bone-white skull. It tries to surround him but he runs with all his might.

Hanzo Shimada. They will be relieved by the news of your death.

The cloud spits fire at him and he dashes to the side. He stumbles through a dark door and the Shimada Castle greets him with its main hall. Genji stands before him, flickering between mangled and robotic, past and future.

Perhaps I am a fool, to think there is still hope for you. But I do. Think on that, brother.

He reaches out, tries to touch his brother's face, tries to say how sorry he truly is. But then he is surrounded by all the dead, mangled, shot through, burned, broken, and they advance on him, led by the corpse of his brother.

You think you honor your brother, Genji, with incense offerings?! Honor resides in one's actions… Murderer

He curls up on the floor, trying to escape from the dead, but they keep coming.

When you have a nightmare, my son, tell yourself a story, a poem. The words shall chase the monsters away.

And Hanzo Shimada tells himself a story, the only story he had ever truly known. He flees into the words, as the hands of the corpses grab him.

Once upon a time, there were two great dragon brothers: the Dragon of the North Wind and the Dragon of the South Wind. Together, they have held balance and harmony in the heavens…

oooOOOooo

- H…o? Han…!

…

- H… state is cri…al. How … still brea…?

…

- …e foug…t bravely. A true her…, your b…ther is.

…

- Remar…ble. H…s stable…

…

- You mean th… guy is still alive?! Tough son of a bi… Is …ery member of yo… fam…y nigh-impossibly …ard to kill? Man, I don't w… to mess with you g…s

…

- Brain acti…ty is quite high… He mu… dreaming.

- …an he hear us?

- Maybe…?

…

- Brother? Are … there?

- Genji, I u…stand you are worri…, but I promise I'll call y… the second he wa…s up. Standing …ver him will n… help.

- I just…

- He wi… be fine.

…

oooOOOooo

… But the two brothers argued over who could better rule their land. Their quarrel turned into rage and their violent struggle darkened the skies. Until the Dragon of the South Wind struck down his brother, who fell to earth, shattering the land…

oooOOOooo

Hanzo is fighting the corpse of his brother again. Genji is relentless but he kicks him away, and suddenly his bow and his quiver full of arrows appear on his back. Genji shrieks in a ghoulish voice while scrambling towards him, his form broken, bloody, shredded, but still in motion due to some dark magic.

- You are not Genji! – Hanzo shouts. – My brother is not this monster!

The storm of arrows covers the ghoul, and Hanzo calls upon his twin dragons. The beasts ram into the monster who burns away, leaving only a black cloud that flees from him.

oooOOOooo

… The Dragon of the South Wind had triumphed. But his time passed, and he realized his solitude. The sweetness of victory turned to ash…

oooOOOooo

Hanzo is surrounded by the dead, all looking at him, all pointing at him with accusing fingers, whispering his name to the wind. He recognizes them: victims of his past, when he had been Shimada, when he had killed men for money.

He doesn't have his weapons now but he doesn't need them. He looks into the eyes full of hate and blame.

Murderer

- Yes, I am.

Dishonorable

- I shall not deny my actions.

Unworthy of a better life

- Maybe I am – Hanzo bows his head slightly. – I have done terrible deeds, all in the name of wealth and crime and the chaos that is our world.

You shall burn in Hell

- If that is my fate, so shall I. Take me there now, if you must… But, if you listen to what I have to say, then please do.

The ghosts stop, they watch him expectantly.

- I shall never deny my past actions. I admit I had acted selfishly, my reasons for killing were repulsive and dishonorable – Hanzo says, head held high again, meeting the cold gazes head-on. – I had been a true disgrace. Not to my family… but to every warrior who ever walked upon the land. It is all true. But I have found a new path. I have stumbled upon a new life and I wish to see where it would take me. I wish to save lives, I wish to calm down the sea of chaos around us, even if only partially, even if only for a short time. I do not aim to be the captain of a ship that takes advantage of the tides, but to be a man who makes it easier for everyone to sail. What say you? Do I deserve to make this decision?

He waits. The dead gather.

Then they depart, leave him in the darkness. And he smiles as a white doorway opens up before him.

oooOOOooo

… For years, the bereft dragon's grief threw the world into discord, and he knew only bitterness and sorrow. One day, a stranger called up to the dragon and asked: "O Dragon Lord! Why are you so distraught?" The dragon told him: "Seeking power, I killed my brother… But without him, I am lost". The stranger replied: "You have inflicted wounds upon yourself. But now you must heal. Walk the earth on two feet as I do. Find value in humility… then you will find peace."…

oooOOOooo

- Brother, welcome – says Genji, the morning sun glistens on his metallic body.

Hanzo sits down next to him onto the hill of lush green grass and gazes over the endless meadow before them.

- It has been a long journey – Hanzo sighs, falling on his back, closing his eyes in comfort.

- And it is not over yet – adds Genji softly.

- Hopefully not – Hanzo nods, relaxing into the grass bed.

Silence settles between them as the breeze runs across the plains.

- Why did you kill me? – asks Genji, not looking at his brother.

Hanzo exhales loudly. He was expecting this question to come.

- Because it had been my duty… and my burden – he replies as he looks at the clear blue sky. – And because back then I had been a fool and I had thought my only future lied within the clan. That there were no other roads for me, because they were all I have ever known.

- Yet here you are now.

- Took me ten years and a lot of help from other people, but yes, here I am now – Hanzo nods. – I admit, this new path seems quite interesting. Maybe it will help me rediscover what life is really about.

- Then killing me was pointless – Genji finally looks at him with that neon green visor.

- No, you are wrong – Hanzo glances back, unafraid. – Losing you knocked me out of that cursed course of fate I have been in and ultimately allowed me to find a new life. It hadn't been pointless. And you are still alive and on a new and better journey as well.

Genji doesn't answer or make a move.

- In a way, we have helped each other break out of the clan's plans for us – Hanzo looks back at the sky and he actually smiles at this. – We are both free, brother. Let's make the most of it, shall we?

-… You cannot deny that what you did to me was cruel.

- I have never said I would deny it – Hanzo finally sits up and looks in his brother's eyes calmly. – I cannot change the past, nor can I say I haven't thrown you onto the doorstep of death with my own hands.

- Then why do you think I will accept you back? – Genji asks, his voice holding an edge.

- Because you are not Genji, you are my consciousness – Hanzo nods slightly. – He has forgiven me, so he said in the Shimada Castle. All that is left for me is to forgive myself.

- And do you believe you can do that?

- Yes – Hanzo says with confidence. – Maybe not right now, maybe not right here. But I know I will able to do so one day, soon. I have already accepted what happened and all my faults that led me there. The final step is not far from here, I believe.

Genji doesn't answer right away, but he begins to fade away alongside the meadow.

- I wish you success in life – he finally whispers.

And Hanzo is left alone once more.

oooOOOooo

… The dragon knelt upon the ground. For the first time, he was able to clearly see the world around him, and he became human. The stranger revealed himself as his fallen brother. Reunited, the two set out to rebuild what they have once destroyed.

oooOOOooo

Hanzo surfaced from the sea of chaos with a deep breath and the waves around him melted into white slopes… blankets. Warm sunlight stroke his face and he squinted against the brightness. Silence enveloped him that slowly withdrew and gave place to the soft humming and beeping of some kind of machinery. He blinked in confusion, barely remembering what has happened to him.

Then it all came back. Those 10 long years, Hanamura, Genji, those two fateful days in King's Row, the riot, Talon, Zenyatta, the train station… Reaper.

Hanzo slightly shook his head to chase away the memories of that shotgun wielding demon. He remembered sending his twin dragons against that thing, but like Zenyatta said, it was probably nigh-impossible to truly kill him. Whatever, he was still removed from the world for a good while. Hanzo had to settle for that.

And he did, rather easily, to be frank.

He carefully lifted his head from the wide pillow and looked around. He was in a stark-white room, surrounded by machines that were mostly hooked up to him and monitored his life signals. His left shoulder was bandaged and as he slowly moved it a bit, he could feel the stitches in his skin. He also felt a piece of cotton stuck to his right cheek bone. His left side (where he got the shotgun blast, he recalled uneasily) felt heavy and strange under the blanket, but ultimately, he wasn't in pain. There was a wide window to his room that looked down on a steep and terribly rocky coastline and the small waves of… a sea, maybe? After a few moments, he could even make out a large mountain in the distance, over at the other shore. Hanzo frowned as he tried to figure out where he was.

Then the door on the opposite wall opened and drew his attention away from the scene. A tall, blonde-haired woman with greyish blue eyes walked in, wearing a white lab coat. She was occupied with the pad in her hands at first, but soon she glanced up, noticing her wide awake patient.

- Hanzo Shimada? – she asked with a somewhat strange accent.

- The "Shimada" part is not exactly valid, I believe – Hanzo blinked. – But yes, I am.

- Good, good – the woman mumbled to herself, checking something on her pad, before looking up again. – My name is Dr. Angela "Mercy" Ziegler, chief medical officer and surgeon of Overwatch.

Okay, definitely German accent.

- Honored to meet you, doctor – Hanzo nodded. – I am guessing I can thank you for still being alive?

- And Zenyatta. And the police force who got you out of the station. And yourself – said Dr. Ziegler. – The omnic has told us everything that transpired during the catastrophe once he got you to us. How much can you remember?

Hanzo stopped to think, gathering his thoughts, as the doctor sat down on a chair before his bed.

- I… I have been in King's Row for a couple of days – he began slowly, then told the whole story: how he managed to escape from Talon the first time; then how he stumbled upon Zenyatta and they had a "talk"; and finally how they ended up in that situation, discovering Talon's scheme behind the disaster.

- Then… Zenyatta arrived with the police strike force and Talon was crushed, but I… I have been shot – he finished the recollection.

- By shotgun fire at close range, yes. The damage has been quite severe – nodded Dr. Ziegler. – To be honest, I was truly surprised you were still alive when they brought you in.

- Where am I? – Hanzo asked.

- Currently at Watchpoint: Gibraltar.

Oh… well, that explained the large mountain in the distance.

- Originally you were brought in one of the hospitals of King's Row and they contacted me after Zenyatta relayed that he was with Overwatch – here the doctor paused for a bit. – He wasn't back then, but quickly joined our ranks once we arrived, so I'm guessing it was a fair claim… sort of.

- And then?

- Once you have been stabilized, we quickly retreated here, one of Overwatch's… secretly operating bases. The final touches were done here to you.

At this, Hanzo involuntarily twitched his left side.

- I… can I take a look? – he asked.

-… If you wish – sighed Dr. Ziegler. – No sudden movements, though. It's been weeks, but just be careful.

Hanzo took a deep breath and slowly sat up on the bed, rolling the blanket off of himself. He was wearing a light gown of white color and matching linen trousers. He took a moment to collect himself, the room slightly spinning around his head from the effort, then reached for the edge of his clothes on his left side and lifted it up.

Metallic glimmer greeted his eyes. His skin disappeared under a big patch of metal plating, as if he was wearing armor. It consisted of three different parts that could press together or spread out to a certain extent, giving him the freedom to stretch out and move. As he inhaled, he saw the metal plates part a little, like a fan, mirroring the expansion of his ribcage. He had no idea what was under it, but considering the strange feeling he had there, the armor wasn't the only prosthesis he received.

- The damage to your body had been severe, like I said – Dr. Ziegler said after a longer pause. – Parts of your kidney and stomach has also been either exposed or injured. We had to move to the field of cybernetics in order to save your life and keep your organs functional. Not to mention the extended smoke inhalation you have gone through. You have been out for two weeks.

Hanzo carefully touched the plates and he only felt his finger touching the surface, on his torso he felt nothing. It was weird. He slowly let his shirt fall back, covering up his body completely.

- How are you feeling? – the doctor asked softly.

- A bit… winded – Hanzo exhaled as he lied back down. – Guess it's from that weeks-long coma?

- Probably, yes. Anything else?

- I'm fine – Hanzo concluded

- Hanzo, I understand it's probably a great shock to you—

- No, it's okay – the Japanese looked at the doctor. – Really, it doesn't bother me.

And it was the truth. Upon seeing the giant metal plate that shifted accordingly to his movements, Hanzo was merely surprised, as if he had gotten a tattoo that he wasn't really prepared for, but it looked fine nonetheless. It did feel a bit weird, but he guessed he would get used to it soon. Should he have panicked? Maybe. Should he have been repulsed by the re-engineering of his body basically? Probably.

Was he? No, not in the least bit.

-… Are you sure? – Angela asked, confused.

- Yes. I mean… it feels somewhat strange but it is nothing unpleasant – Hanzo nodded.

- Your brother told me you are not very fond of omnics.

- Yeah, that is true, they can, uhm… disturb me a bit – Hanzo shrugged. – But I'm not an omnic just because a part of me is made of metal now.

- You are taking it surprisingly well.

- Maybe I don't have the energy for more right now, eh? – he smiled tiredly. – So what now, doctor?

- Now? Have some rest – Dr. Ziegler stood up. – Once you wake up again, call for me with that and we begin the examinations.

She pointed at his nightstand, where a mobile phone-like device laid. Hanzo nodded and sunk into the pillow again, feeling content.

oooOOOooo

Days had passed. Dr. Angela Ziegler's tests showed no alarming results or side-effects, which meant Hanzo could slowly get back into moving around. Under the doctor's strict supervision, he started out small, like sitting up in bed multiply times, but soon he was allowed to stand up and took his first, somewhat uncertain steps. The prosthesis was strange to move around with, especially when he took a step with his left leg. Despite its mobility, it couldn't mimic the flexibility of organic tissue of course and he felt like there was a big chunk of rock stuck in his side when all of his muscles were squeezing or stretching around it.

Even when the realization finally sank in completely, Hanzo was still not very bothered by his condition. His clothes covered it up, not to mention, the rest of his body was still very much human. He could work with this easily, he decided. And if he really had to choose between having an admittedly nicely-looking piece of armor stuck on his side, and being dead, he was sure as hell going with the former option. Hmm… maybe he can customize it later, or something, carve a pattern into it. Now that was a good idea right there.

The watchpoint was mostly empty, he realized as he took his first tour around the facility. Only Mercy and the few assistants of hers, who followed their chief literally to the end of the world if they had to.

- I thought Overwatch was reforming – he asked carefully.

- Yes, it is – Mercy nodded absent-mindedly. – Just, we are still few and we often have to change bases because we are… illegal. Right now the others took the dropship for an extended mission, but once they get back, we'll have to move to another facility. So I guess soon we'll have to start packing.

- And… how can I join? – Hanzo looked around.

Mercy glanced up at him from her desk with mild surprise.

- You wish to join Overwatch? – she echoed.

- Yes, I do. Had time to think about it – Hanzo nodded confidently.

- Hanzo… you do realize these are no longer the glory days, right? We are vigilantes basically and the governments are trying to stop us from coming back officially.

- Yes, I know. Not all that different from my previous life in the Shimada clan – Hanzo shrugged. – The only real difference is that now I would fight for a better cause. I think I will do just fine here.

-… In that case, once Winston gets back, you can talk to him. He is our leader, currently.

- Thank you – Hanzo smiled.

oooOOOooo

His archery skills weren't really affected by his prosthesis, he noted with relief as he practiced in the giant, circular central courtyard. Sure, it felt a bit weird as he pulled the string of the bow back at first, but he quickly learned to ignore it and focus on the target. His arrows grew more and more accurate as time passed. It felt good to practice archery again, Hanzo felt like a really important and big part of himself had returned to him.

Realizing that Mercy wasn't looking, he quickly seized the opportunity to summon his twin dragons at one of the targets. His tattoos and left side tingled as he called upon his powers, but the dragons appeared and swooped across the courtyard like normal. Good, he still had that then, and it didn't even cause him pain.

Humming filled the air. Looking up, Hanzo noticed the rapidly descending dropship with a huge Overwatch logo on its side. He quickly retrieved his arrows from the targets then left the courtyard. Standing on the side, he watched as the ship gently touched down, Mercy walking up to him.

- It is time to start packing, I believe – she sighed.

The ramp opened and tilted to the ground at the end of the ship. A giant gorilla in white armor walked down on it first, then a young girl wearing some kind of device on her chest, then Zenyatta hovering in mid-air like always, then—

- HANZO!

A green-silver flash zoomed by the squad and Hanzo was jumped, finding himself trapped in a tight hug.

- Genji – he grinned, returning the gesture a bit awkwardly.

This little emotional scene didn't last for long however, because Mercy launched herself at them and literally peeled the cyborg ninja off of his brother.

- He is still recovering! – shrieked the good doctor like a vulture, making Genji shrink away from her in sheer terror.

- It's alright, I'm fine. I just tried out the Dragonstr—! – Hanzo realized the slip of his tongue too late.

Mercy turned to him slowly and he found himself whispering a thankful prayer to the heavens that looks couldn't kill.

- Hey, come on, Mercy! Take it easy – laughed Tracer as she bounced there as well. – He is obviously fine.

- Yes, for now! – Mercy protested angrily.

- Mercy told me you wish to join our ranks officially – Winston walked there on four, fidgeting his ridiculous glasses on his nose. – Is it true?

- Really?! – Genji almost jumped from happiness, eyes probably sparkling.

- Yes, figured I should pull my weight here – Hanzo nodded with a slight smile. – Where can I sign up?

- A wise decision, young one – Zenyatta stated, calm and collected as always.

- Consider yourself a fully-fletched member of the team – Winston snorted in contentment. – You've already proven yourself during that incident back in King's Row. Besides, we are not official, it's not like I can provide a full ceremony and paperwork and whatever else.

- That's so cool! And Reinhardt and Brigitte also signaled back that they are ready to rejoin – Tracer announced happily. – Our family is growing again, guys!

- We can pick them up on the way to our next hideout – Winston nodded. – For now, let's pack up everyone. Gibraltar has served us well.

Hanzo got dragged away by Genji on the first chance. It wasn't the first time they had talked during these days, sometimes video calls could have been executed, but it was the first time they did it in person. Thankfully those video chats helped them mostly get over the awkward-conversations-and-way-too-long-pauses period, and they were far more comfortable around each other now.

- I know you wanted to calm Mercy down, but… Are you sure you are okay? – asked Genji as they reached on of the metal-railed balconies looking over the strait of Gibraltar.

- Yes, I am, brother – Hanzo waved tiredly. – I am getting used to it, it is not as bad as it looks.

He pulled up his shirt, showing his metallic side, just like he did during one of their video calls. Genji's little ear-like widgets visibly fell at the sight. As Hanzo took a deep breath, the plates slightly parted to follow the movement, revealing an inner layer of darker shade.

- Genji, it's okay, really— – Hanzo tried to reassure his brother as he allowed the cloth to fall back down.

- Winston told me he realized Talon rigged the recall video with the remnants of that virus they had tried to upload onto Athena not long ago – the ninja sighed. – That's how they could track down everyone who received the message. He then sent out a small program that warned everyone then deleted the messages, but who knows how many locations Talon got its hands on now… And I've led them to you as well…

- It is alright, Genji – Hanzo told him with greater emphasis.

- No, it's not! You hate robots!

- Yes, but I'm fine with Zenyatta now—

- And because of me now you are almost half-robot too – Genji grabbed his own head in dismay. – What have I done?!

- Genji, you did nothing, and I am not half-robot – Hanzo scowled at him. – I am not bothered by this in the slightest. Serves me right, actually, for turning my back on Reaper.

- Don't say that!

- I just did – Hanzo shrugged nonchalantly. – Besides, this is nothing compared to what happened to you, so I really have no right to talk.

- Hanzo, stop it.

- You brought it up.

- Alright, you win – Genji held his hands up in defeat, and the two of them leaned against the rails, looking over the Mediterranean Sea.

A bit of an awkward pause. Guess they needed more practice to avoid those.

- I'm… glad that you have decided to join us, brother – Genji finally admitted, fingers tangled together nervously. – But I'm also a bit worried…

- What? Worried that I will shut down more Talon agents than you, kiddo? – Hanzo smirked at him, quickly avoiding the turn that would have led to a more awkward, more serious conversation.

He didn't want to deal with that crap now, on the first day. Its time will come soon, but not today.

Genji's lights flashed up on his body at this as he replied:

- Nah, actually I was thinking along the lines of how you will be able to keep up with us… you know, in your old age and all that – his voice was both gloating and grateful for the change of subject, his hands finally let each other go as he relaxed a bit.

The jab he got in his side was strong enough to make him yelp.

- You are only three years younger than me, stupid! – Hanzo snorted.

- Three is a magical number. That makes me young and you, old – Genji pointed out gleefully this time as he eased up, quickly pulling away from the next jab at his side.

- You little punk, take that back!

- Make me!

Hanzo tried to frown at his brother, but he burst out in laughter instead, then soon tears flooded his eyes, despite his best efforts to hold them back. He ducked his head to hide it, but Genji noticed nonetheless.

- Brother, are you…? – he asked uncertainly.

- I just… God damnit, I missed these talks so much – Hanzo sniffled as he looked at his brother, tears running down on his cheeks. – I just realized it now.

He hugged Genji once more.

- I missed you… and I'm sorry for everything… So sorry – he mumbled.

- I missed you too, Hanzo – Genji returned the hug, wishing he could cry too. – And you are long forgiven, you know it.

They stood there for a while, the realization that they are back together as a family finally sinking in fully.

- Alright… let's go packing before our dear Mercy has our heads – Hanzo let go, wiping off his tears quickly.

- God save us from her wrath! – Genji laughed.

They walked back inside the facility, ready to take on the world side by side.

Wow... it has been an awesome journey, getting here! :) You guys... all of you are so amazing, and believe it or not, your reviews and favs and follows helped me finish it. The recent weeks have been a true torture at the University, I literally had no free time for everything BUT this little story, and seeing how much you enjoyed it, even when it was not finished... it just gave me the push to see those weeks through.

So thank you. All of you. :)

I understand some of you may have wanted more chapters, or more scenes for Genji, and part of me is with you on that. But I know from experience that all stories must end once. And this particular story was about Hanzo and the worst few days of his life. I felt like dragging Genji in there with a greater presence would have messed up the whole thing.

Who knows, I might write a fanfic about Genji once! :D Or maybe I will have a sequel to this. My summer is a bit hectic, especially the middle of it, but I might just find inspiration for more stories. Currently brainstorming on a oneshot starring Mercy and Reaper, based on a certain dialogue from the game. ;)

But enough rambling! I hope you guys enjoyed the whole story, thank you so much for every bit of support you have shown (yes, that includes even just reading it), and I hope I see you soon here with another Overwatch fanfic.

This is kenyizsu, signing off. Take care and keep being awesome!