The evening sun bathed the entirety of the upper base in a soft, golden light. Yet, the only one who stood and looked at it was Angela. Everyone else seemed to wait for the ceremony to start, before stepping foot on the platform.

Trying to listen to the nonexistent chatter from the rooms behind her, the doctor let out a sigh.

As a few more silent minutes passed, Angela wondered if she was stuck in purgatory, time not moving, only frozen in this horrible moment. The sudden sound of metallic footsteps behind her thankfully proved her wrong.

When she turned around, Angela saw that it was Genji who had approached her. The cyborg was wearing a simple black suit over his metal body.

Angela remembered a few hours ago, when she had asked why he had put that on. His response was that he didn't want to be left out as the only one who wasn't wearing something appropriate.

The thought thankfully lifted the doctor's spirits, if only a little, and she smiled at the approaching cyborg.

"Genji." She greeted her friend, who stopped in his tracks.

"Angela." He simply responded. The fact that he had gotten over constantly referring to her as 'Dr. Ziegler' also lifted Angela's spirit a little. "Am I intruding?"

"No, not at all." Angela quickly answered his question.

"I'm glad." The cyborg exclaimed rather bluntly. He then walked up next to Angela, and they both turned back towards the sun.

After a few seconds of silence, Genji spoke up.

"Why aren't you in there?" He carefully asked, without moving his visor away from the sun.

"I'm not somewhere I'm not supposed to be." Angela knowingly deflected the question with a rather unrelated answer. Her voice was also somewhat deflective.

"True." Genji admitted. "But, if I may, it isn't like you. To resign yourself from places where your friends and comrades are gathered, that is." He then elaborated.

When the doctor looked up, she could see the green visor looking at her now, not the sun.

"You're probably right." Angela responded with a sigh. She felt that determining whether something was 'like' someone was Max's area of expertise, not her's. So she just gave a neutral answer.

She then closed her eyes as she continued.

"I just... all the silence, the sorrow, the... distance. I felt like I was going to suffocate in it." She the explained. Her voice once again sounded fairly tired, but there as also an undertone of shame in it.

Genji, somehow, let out a small sigh before responding.

"I get that." He then simply said.

When Angela turned back and smiled at him, the ninja decided to continue.

"Back when I was still a part of the syndicate-" He started and Angela listened, seemingly intrigued. "even back then, I knew what kind of life it would lead to me living. An undesirable one. I wasn't stupid, I didn't say anything. Instead, lead by my youthful wishes, I found myself at places like the arcade. There, I made several friends, though some of them would likely say that we were more than that."

Though he was slightly embarassed by admitting that, the giggle it pulled from Angela made it worth the embarrasment.

"But," He continued. "It also put me in the crossheirs of my, quote-on-quote 'family'. And you know what that resulted in."

Genji's voice was suddenly a lot more dark, and Angela simply nodded.

"But, on one of my trips back to Hanamura, I stopped by the arcade again. And do you know what I found?" The ninja asked in a much lighter voice.

When Angela shook her head, Genji said, with excitement "Almost everyone I knew from back then were still there."

A somewhat confused look from Angela encouraged Genji to elaborate. "Even though I had died, to them at least, that didn't stop them from eventually returning to that place. Whether or not my death caused them to be sad for a period or not, I don't know. But the one thing I do know is that, in the end, it didn't matter."

Genji looked down at Angela. "They had moved on."

"Yeah..." Was all Angela said at first, once Genji was done with his story. She then took in a deep breath, as she added "I just hope it won't last long."

"As do I." Genji said.

The pair continued to gaze out towards the sun for a few minutes, until Genji suddenly broke the silence again.

"I believe it isn't long before we start. Want to go in with me?" He proposed as he turned his body towards Angela.

"Sure." The doctor simply responded. As the pair began to walk back to the entrance, Angela suddenly stopped and turned around.

After a few seconds of searching, she found what she had seen: Max.

The psychologist was standing in the shadow of a building some distance away from her. His right, where a one-sided shoulder cape covered his entire right arm, was turned towards her. But even then, she could see that his usually optimistic and warm expression was now one of melancholy and bitterness.

As Angela followed his gaze, she ended up looking at the collection of chairs set up around the open, white coffin.

She quickly turned back to look at Max, before Genji's voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"Dr. Ziegler?" He asked from the doorway, where he couldn't see Max.

"Coming!" Angela quickly responded, before she turned around and walked back inside.

The first to step out onto the open area and walk over to the arranged chairs was McCree. Being forced to make do with what he had, the cowboy was wearing a dark grey poncho over a black dress shirt, with his dark Blackwatch-hat on top of his head.

After McCree came Fareeha. The egyptian was wearing a simple, black halter dress, which many other members had expressed surprise over her owning.

Once the pair had walked over to the chairs and found their seats, McCree choosing to remain standing, a few minutes passed before Reinhardt and Torbjorn also appeared. Unlike McCree, they both had a proper suit to wear for the occation even though Torbjorn's looked like it hadn't seen use in decades.

Before that pair had a chance to reach their destination, another face came out from the door.

Soldier 76 walked alone and quickly sat down behind Reinhardt, with a black leather jacket on, that was the best the soldier could muster with the limited time.

Silence once again inhabited the platform, until the sliding doors opened yet again. This time, it was Genji and Angela that stepped out, followed closely by Hanzo. The archer wore perhaps thé most improvised outfit, consisting of a black cloak wrapped around his neck and hanging down in front of his chest and back. In comparison, Genji was wearing his suit and Angela a simple one-shoulder dress.

With almost everyone finally present, they all now just waited for two individuals.

As they waited, almost everyone could feel the heavy and melancholic atmosphere that surrounded them. No one found it pleasant in any way.

Finally, after perhaps a bit too much waiting, Winston and Lucio finally stepped out and walked over to everyone.

While everyone was focused on Winston walking up to the improvised podium next to the coffin, Max took the opportunity to slip from his place in the building's shadow. Aside from the aforementioned white rimmed cape, he was mostly wearing a shirt similar to McCree's.

Winston finally reached the podium. The gorilla turned around and looked out over the expressions of all his friends. With a sigh, he turned towards them.

"Friends," Winston started. "You already know how this will happen. And as such, I will not go into detail about it. Instead, I will just begin the ceremonies."

With a quick cough, Winston spoke in an impassioned voice. "Mei-Ling Zhou was not only a valuable member of Overwatch and a brilliant mind, but a true friend to all those near her. Even from the moment we first met in Ecopoint: Antarctica, we could already sense that she would end up becoming one of our most trusted and cherished comrades."

Winston took a short break. Reinhardt gently touched Torbjorn's shoulder. McCree grapped the edge of his hat. Angela sighed deeply. 76 looked at Winston rather intensily.

"Though her untimely passing saddens us all-" Winston continued. "we must remember that seeking solidarity and apathy is not be what Mei would have wished of us. Instead, she would have wished us to keep her memory alive by continuing to uphold what she believed in, until the very end. What we all believe in. Thank you."

With his speech over, Winston let out a sigh of relief as he crumbled a piece of paper in his hand. While those in front of him clapped, Max himself ran a finger over his own piece of paper.

"Is there anyone else that would like to speak?" The gorilla asked out to everyone gathered.

For a few seconds, no one moved. Until Hanzo suddenly stood up from his seat.

With just a nod, Winston moved back and made room as Hanzo walked up to the podium. There, instead of preparing any sort of note, he simply turned towards everyone else and spoke loudly.

"Depite the fact that I was the one here that likely knew the least about her, I can say, without a shadow of doubt, that I admired Doctor Mei-Ling Zhou. When she passed at the hands of a merciless, honourless madman, I felt the same as everyone else. And afterwards, I felt that something was missing. Not only from this group, but from I, myself. And though it is an unpleassant feeling, it is one I wouldn't trade for anything in this world. Due to the simple fact, that it is a testament to how much of an impact she had on me in the short time we spent together. Like so many others here, she welcomed me here with opened arms. And now that it has become impossible to repay her for that kindness, I will instead devote myself to honour her name and wishes. That is my oath, on my honour as Hanzo Shimada!"

Done, Hanzo placed a hand over his heart and bowed, as everyone in the crowd clapped at him.

"Very nicely said." Winston complimented the archer, as they returned to their original locations. "Anyone else?"

Now Torbjorn was the one to step down from his chair and walk up to the podium.

"I..." Torbjorn started. "I had tried to prepare a speech. But I am an engineer, not a writer. Whatever I tried to come up with, no matter how basic or fancy, I felt always missed the point. So instead, I'll say it as it is!"

With his declaration, Torbjorn placed his hands behind his back and took a deep breath in preparation.

"Mei was, to the very end, a dear friend and a great person. She was, perhaps, my best friend, of those I didn't know from the old days. And even though we rarely had the chance or the incentive, whenever we did strike up a conversation, we could go at it for hours. Me and my crazy ideas for machines and inventions, her and her even crazier theories and thoughts. She would listen to me whenever I had something I needed to lift from my heart. And listen while not interrupting or judging. She was the best kind of friend and comrade you could wish for, and I highly doubt we will ever meet another like her. She truly was, someone great."

Once he was done, Torbjorn immediately walked back to his seat without giving Winston the chance to say something to him.

And before the gorilla had any chance to say anything to the others, Fareeha was now the one to stand up.

With just a simple nod, Winston remained off the podium and Fareeha quickly made her way up to it. She then turned towards the coffin.

"When I first met Mei, I was mostly curious about her, due to the circumstances we found her in. But as I got to know her, I almost completely forgot about that. Instead, her talent for science and unique way to go about everything was what captivated me. Her unjudging nature and openmindedness were truly something, and though she was quiet, she was incredbily inventive. If nothing else, she was a true comrade, who I will dearly miss. One who listened to whatever was said to her, one who helped those who needed it, and, most of all, one who would always seek the best and most peaceful solution to every problem she encountered. You will be missed. That's all."

Even after concluding her speech, the egyptian quickly mumbled something under her breath that no one could hear.

After Fareeha had returned to her seat, Winston found himself back on the podium. "Anyone else?" He asked in a somewhat low voice.

A couple of silent seconds passed. Angela then suddenly stood up and looked up towards the gorilla.

Once the two had switched places, the doctor turned over towards the coffin like Fareeha had just done.

"There was a lot I didn't know. I didn't know what exactly your past entailed, I didn't know what you thought about it and yourself. I didn't know what you carried around every day. And even know, I don't know why you had to be taken from us so suddenly. But if there is one thing I do know, it is that the time we spent together was something truly special. And even though I wish we had taken the opportunity to talk more often, I still think that, whenever we did talk or just spend time together, it wasn't something I, nor any of us, could get anywhere else. You were something special, something we wouldn't be able to find anywhere else if we tried, and most of all, something we are saddend to part ways with. But even then, I'll try to look back on the time spent together with happiness. Not sadness."

Taking a page out of Hanzo's book, once she was done talking in her slightly shaking voice, Angela bowed slightly before returning to her seat.

During the entire way down, Max followed her with his eyes.

"Was that everyone?" Winston asked from his position on the podium. Initially, silence was the only answer he recieved. That was until something unexpected happened.

76 stood up.

Knowing he had everyone's surprised eyes on him, the soldier walked towards the coffin and podium with determination.

Finally reaching it, 76 turned towards the coffin in complete silence. And it remained that way, not a single word escaping his lips.

After some rather tense seconds, the soldier raised his hand up towards his head, as he clicked the heels of his shoes together. He then saluted Mei in silence.

76 stood like that for a few seconds, before he lowered his hand and walked back to his seat. Even though every eye was on him, it seemed very few of them noticed he seemed more tired than when he walked up.

Winston quickly returned to the podium. "Was... there anyone else?" The gorilla asked, apparently also taken aback by 76's unusual action.

No one said or did anything.

"Very well." Winston then declared, before requesting "Now, if you would please."

With a nod, everyone gathered rose up from their seats. As a rather solitary silence settled in, only Winston, 76 and Hanzo moved. All three walked up to the coffin. The two humans then pushed from the sides and Winston from the back.

After a few seconds, the white coffin disappeared under the edge of the platform.

Everyone was still silent. An incredibly faint splash sound then confirmed the deed was done.

Remaining silent, everyone stood still for another couple of seconds. Then, a quick sound suddenly penetrated the silence from the back.

When everyone turned back, they could see Max had turned around and was walking back. The back of his suit and shoulder cape were the only things visible, as his arms and face were, likely purposefully, hidden.

Slowly but surely, everyone also began to walk away.

The sun had already set a long time ago and the moon's faint, silverish light was now the only natural source of light on the platform.

Of course, that wasn't enough for everywhere inside, so all the other lights were turned on. Even though everyone had gathered in the recreational room for some post-ceremony drinking and talking, only the former was happening.

Silence reigned completely. Winston, Reinhardt, Fareeha and Lucio had all already returned to their rooms and Torbjorn was sound asleep on the bar, leaving Angela, McCree, 76 and the Shimada brothers as the only councious people left.

All five were gathered around the bar, although only Genji and McCree were the only ones with drinks in their hands.

If truth is to be told, Max was also in the room. However, ever since the ceremony, he hadn't spoken to anyone and kept to the shadows. But whereas he usually did so to look on without interrupting, now it seemed like he did to create distance between everyone else and himself. And the others felt that.

Eventually, McCree, who was sitting behind the bar, brought the mug up to his mouth and after emptying it, he looked over at Angela. The swiss doctor was likewise also in a melancholic mood, just staring at the tape placed over the crack Max had made.

The cowboy let out a sigh. But as he looked over at everyone else, he noticed Genji was also looking at her.

After thinking it over for a few seconds, McCree quickly spun around and picked out a few things from the cabinets behind them. After quickly making a glass, he turned back around and placed in front of Genji.

The cyborg ninja initially just looked at him in confusion, but after a nod towards Angela, he understood.

When a sudden and unexpected glass landed in front of her, Angela looked towards its source and saw Genji looking at her.

After a quick smile from her, Genji took the opportunity to finally break the unbearable silence. "You seem unusually melancholic, doctor. Why is that?" He asked.

"I could ask you the very same thing." Angela simply responded, her smile dropping faintly.

"You could ask us all that same bloody question." 76 suddenly interjected as he looked up at everyone. "Even the usually happy-go-lucky doctor over there." He added as his gaze turned to the direction of Max.

Upon his mention, everyone else, apart from Hanzo, also turned toward him. The psychologist was sitting leaned back and folding something in his hands.

"Now that you say it," Genji spoke as he rather carefully looked at Max. "I haven't seen him like this before."

No one really knew what to say after that, so the rather familiar silence once again returned as they all sat and observed Max.

Eventually, Angela turned around and grapped the glass in front of her, an unusually defeated expression on her.

"Angela?" Genji asked once he noticed her demeanor. When she didn't answer, it didn't take long for the ninja to figure out what was nagging her. "You aren't used to seeing him like this either, I take it?"

The doctor simply shook her head in response.

"He's always wanted to have friends and help." Angela suddenly and quite unexpectedly started. "Back when we went to school together, it was the same. It was just his unusual demeanor and look that kinda scared most others away."

"Luckily, that doesn't seem to be the case anymore." Genji tried to cheer Angela up a bit.

"True." She halfheartedly admitted. She then raised the glass in front of her, and as she rotated it a bit, making the liquid spin around like a miniature whirlpool, she mumbled "But I sometimes wonder why he was that way. It doesn't seem like something he inherited."

When no one said anything in response, Angela decided to continue. "But... even then. Even when he was somewhat of a klutz at socializing, he was still welcoming, still open to anyone who was willing to give him a chance. But now..."

She slowly turned towards him. "I have never felt him distancing himself from others like this. It's... just so abnormal to me."

Done talking, Angela turned back towards the bar and looked down at her glass again.

Almost everyone once again found nothing appropriate to say. They agreed, but just admitting that wouldn't do anything, so silence filled the space around them again.

"You were separated for over a decade." Hanzo suddenly spoke. Everyone immediately turned towards the archer, who himself sat and looked at a blue-tinted, half-empty cup of sake. As he sat for a few seconds in silence, he could feel everyone's, but especially Angela's, eyes looking intensely at him.

"It makes sense for him to have changed in all that time. Solitude breeds self-reflection. Self-reflection breeds realizations. And realizations, they force change in a person." The archer said, earning an unusual look from his brother.

Hanzo suddenly put the cup down and turned towards everyone else at the bar. His eyes were quite judgemental as he added "Besides, we are dealing with the passing of a friend here. I would be more concerned if he wasn't behaving differently."

The archer's rather harsh words caused everyone to look down in a mix of guilt and shame.

"I know." Angela eventually responded. "I know..."

"But if I may say something," McCree suddenly interjected. "I just didn't expect 'im to react so much. I mean, he's almost more gloomy than all of us, even though we knew her for so much longer."

"There is truth to what you say." Hanzo simply admitted. "I-"

The archer suddenly silenced himself. Everyone looked at him questioningly for a few seconds, before they looked behind him. Max had gotten up from his seat and was walking towards the exit to the outside.

Though few of them wanted to admit it, everyone's eyes were on him as he went over to the door and stepped outside, into the silver moonlight.

From there, the psychologist walked right, out of sight of the group at the bar, and towards the place where the funeral had been held just a few hours ago.

He slowly made his way over the metal floor, every step echoing out into the empty night.

Once he reached the edge, Max looked down into the ocean where the coffin had been dropped. From this distance, he couldn't see if there was any debris floating in the water or not.

After a few seconds, he managed to pry his eyes away from the water. He then extended his right, cape-covered arm and opened his hand.

In his palm sat a single origami butterfly.

After a quick breath, Max then turned his hand. His eyes followed the butterfly as it slowly fell towards the same water that had become Mei's unnamed grave.

"In truth..." Angela quitely said. "I think he knew her better than any of us ever did."