For Your Eyes Only – Prologue
Many years earlier...
"Close… so clooose…"
A young boy wearing bright blue overalls, complete with yellow sneakers and shirt, somehow managed to climb a really tall tree without support or care for his well being. He had noted that there was a specific type of flower that the sentient gorilla who worked with his mother kept in his garden.
It's beautiful blue colour catching the aspiring hero's eye instantly.
After looking up the flower's image through many heavy and physical books, he discovers that the specific flower bloomed once every ten years.
And that they were called Karvi.
If he was going to propose to the angel of his dreams, he might as well do it with style.
"Urrrrrgh… almost there…"
He reached the nearest flowers and snapped them off their branch instantly.
"YESS! JUSTICE IS SER-"
So did the branch.
"-RRIIIIEAAAAAGH!"
-thud-
"What have you done this time, habbiti? Have you fought in school again?"
The young boy was pressing a huge ball of cotton against his elbow. Plasters were all over his face.
"No, mother," carefully, he hid the flowers from her. "I-I just fell whilst playing soccer."
There was no way he could fool his disciplinary mother from what really happened. Ana Amari was never once to be easily fooled, not even by his Canadian father's attempts to woo her away from her military lifestyle. It was like trying to keep the sea from moving. An impossible task.
Not that ever stopped him from trying.
However, whenever she was able to give him a rare visit, especially after joining Overwatch, an organisation whom designated heroes are chosen to protect the innocent from harm, she did not need to force the truth out of him. In fact, she could proudly boast to never raised have her hand against him.
"Habbiti, I travelled all the way from my mission in order to see if you were alright. Winston sounded very worried about you. I had believed the worst happened to you… only to find you like this. You look like a badly wrapped Christmas present."
Farehan -the young boy's name- blew a raspberry to his tough as nails mother in defiance. She always exaggerated a bit to make him feel bad.
A huge mistake.
She never needed to spank him because she had a much more effective weapon against him.
"I was so worried about you, habibti," lunging at him before escape was managed. "You made your poor mother worried sick..."
Pure, unconditional, motherly love. But thankfully, not the overbearing type.
She then gave him one of those bear hugs that, in time, the future Rocketeer would've sorely missed.
But not at that moment.
"Muuuuuum!" he protested, as she showered him with kisses. "Stop! Stop it! Alright I'll tell you!"
"Why didn't you do that sooner, my little eagle?" she kissed her little boy's ear sloppily as punishment before letting go.
"Urrrgh, why?! You know I hate that Mum!" he rubbed his eyes vigorously, big tears rolling down his cheeks.
"Now it will never stop ringing-!"
Ana couldn't help laughing. Ah, the joys of parenthood.
The veteran solider's demeanour turned serious. Even the young boy forgot about his severe punishment.
"So, tell me. What happened to you?"
Whilst pouting, he hesitantly showed her the flowers he picked up.
She recognised them instantly. "So that's what happened to Winston's tree."
She noted the plasters that were all over her tiny saqr's hands as well. Oh, her poor little child…
Ana smiled sweetly at the love of her life. "Are those for me, sweetheart?"
He almost said yes.
But he was an Amari. And he never lied. Not even to his adoring, but tough mother.
"No. These are for my-!"
Five years before the events of Overwatch
A young woman in her 30s twisted her back in pain as jet lag started to seep in.
The fair headed lady loosed her hair a little, flicking her wrist to see what time it was. She really wanted to avoid this conference. It was definitely going to be a long, boring one, complete with crappy finger food and professors droning on and on about medical achievements that have been part of the history books already by the time she was fifteen.
But there was a specific lecturer that she had wanted to listen to, regarding his research on augmented limbs and prosthetics. That was always a fascinating subject for her field.
She walked into Times Square, unprepared for the beautiful mix of old and new elements. The roads were seeped with history, complete with big screens of advertisements and social network related news that would look intimidating to a person who hasn't kept up with the times. Luckily, she wasn't one of them, as she played competitive Tetris on two big black screens available with a complete stranger amusingly through her phone. To think that streaming devices on mobiles was an impossible thought just a few years before… after winning the game for the third time, she left for the nearest restaurant her app directed her too.
Wait, this doesn't look right.
She lowered her sunglasses to look at the screen better, flicking her hair out of the way in frustration. Not realising that she was blocking the way of a long haired, striking figure wearing black, who only took a few seconds to recognise her.
"Oh no, don't tell me I'm already lost…" She put her sunglasses up again in dismay. "That must be a broken record. I've not even been here for an hou-"
"Doctor Ziegler? Is that you?"
She looked up.
In front of her, a tall young man wearing sunglasses was in her path, looking oddly familiar. But she couldn't quite place him, her head tilted with curiosity.
"I'm sorry… mister? Have we met?" she asked politely. "Do I know you?"
The tall, sun kissed man removed his sunglasses. Warm, brown eyes connected with blue ones.
The tattoo on the young man's face instantly reminded her of one of her many lost comrades.
But in his case, curiosity was stronger than resurfacing painful memories of the past.
"Do you recognise me now, Doctor? It's been awhile."
She looked at him again. That same smile was once seen on a playful boy she once knew…
"Your... come again, sweetheart?"
The child repeated his words again with a conviction severely clashing with his young age.
"When I'll grow up, I'm gonna marry her, mother!"
Ana looked behind him. He still had his Mercy Overwatch poster on his wall, complete with one of his other cherished hero, the GERMAN DESTROYER.
"Habibbti, she's much older than you," Ana warned him gently, "What if she has someone else on her mind…?"
Farehan puffed his chest like a proud robin. His mother was tempted to smother him again.
"Let me at them! I'll fight them! I'll show them! I'll let them all know how much I love her!"
Ana couldn't help but laugh at her son's expense. "Love! Such a strong word. Are you so sure of that, my dear?"
Despite all of the bravado in front of his mother, he was a chicken in front of the angel's door. He wanted to knock. What if she had patients? Maybe wait. No, what if she was tired after seeing all of those people? Puddles of sweat exited from the small child's body.
The young boy stood nervously near the door. He changed his clothes, now also wearing a baseball cap and t-shirt with the words JUSTICE on them.
The doctor was definitely there.
His heart was pounding so hard, you'd think it would sky-jet out of his chest in a minute.
Come on, he can do this, all he has to do is-
The door was blasted open so fast, it was amazing it didn't unhinge from its place.
"DOCTOR ZIEGLER, WILL YOU- "
Empty.
The room was empty this whole time.
He pulled back his carefully made bouquet of flowers incredibly exasperated.
The young falcon couldn't believe it. Goddammit, was he seriously thinking too hard in front of an empty room this whole time?!
Suddenly, he heard noises coming from behind him. A familiar set of clicking heels started coming towards his location.
It's her!
As panicked as a caught squirrel, he instantly dashed in front of him, quickly leaving the flowers on her desk, exiting the office through the open window. He caught his breath as he lay hidden behind the curtain. Clinging onto the window through its glass, he held his breath in anticipation.
Goddammit, since when he was such a cow-
-creak-
"Hello? Is anybody there?"
His heart definitely skipped a beat there. He would recognise that voice anywhere.
"I could've sworn I-oh!"
He heard her pick up the flowers. His heart was practically imitating the Alien monster at this point.
She smelled them, inhaling from them as much as possible.
"How wonderful… they're so beautiful…"
She likes them. He couldn't believe it. She likes them!
"I wonder who- "
Now! Now's the right time!
"DO- OOOHHHHH!"
And he slipped downwards again.
If he dies now, he'll die a happy man.
-thud-
"Gott, what was-? OH MY GOD FA-!"
Back to New York...
"Yes… now I recognise you."
He nodded slightly, a small smile escaping his lips. The doctor smiled, leaving a bashful look on her face.
"You're Ana Amari's son, am I correct? My, I've barely recognised you. You've grown quite a lot!"
That name gave the now grown up child a familiar shot of pain in his heart. But how could she have known. He told her what happened to his mother.
"I-I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"That's okay, you didn't know," he fixed his sunglasses a little out of nerves. "She's always her, besides me." He patted his tattooed eye on his face.
Being the studious junkie she is, Dr Ziegler couldn't help but recognise the symbol on the young man's face. The eye of Horus... she nodded, realising that was his way to mourn his lost mother. They stayed silent for awhile, people passing casually by them.
The young Egyptian couldn't help but like seeing Dr Ziegler's hair being loose for the first time.
He never exactly got over his childhood crush. But the woman in question was unaware of that.
He cleared his throat.
"Say... I couldn't help but listen to what you said before by mistake. Is this the first time you are here in New York, Doctor?"
Oh! Her old friend seemed like a hero to her right then. "You mean you know these parts?"
"Pfft, of course! This isn't the first time I'm here. I... I could guide you if you wish," his white, brilliant smile hiding all insecurities beneath the request.
Goddammit. Maybe he was being too forward. He couldn't believe he was seeing her again after so long… although he couldn't exactly miss her. She had stopped right in front of him, arguing in her native language at the mobile, shaking it in annoyance.
"Mein Gott, was ist lost mit diesem? Wie kann es Tetris spielen und mich nicht zum nachstgelegenen Costa out-fuhren, stellt die Konferenz dar-"
Tetris and Costa were the only words the poor Egyptian caught before calling for her attention.
How could he not recognise her through her voice alone?
The doctor's eyes gleamed at her old acquaintance's suggestion. "Where shall we go first?"
The tall man's expression glinted with happiness, although this was missed by the lady at the time.
He wore his sunglasses back on, saluting the beautiful dame in front of him.
"Wherever you wish, madam. I am Captain Farehan Amari, Helix security guard. I am at your service."
He offered her his elbow out of chivalry.
She gladly took it, letting the green beret guide her around the Big Apple before the conference started.
Author's Notes
Hellooooo~
Just throwing this little nugget here, exams are still going on. Buuuuuuuut~ Yeah. Overwatch lore. Pharmercy. Halp, halp, I've being possessed!
Hope you enjoy the first part. :)
Edit: I hope it's less confusing now. Trying a new writing style for this particular story.
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