"Open the gates!"

"…the guards found him just outside the village walls…half-dead, it seems…"

"….can't make heads or tails of it….looks omnic…."

"….actually human….retrieve Angyo….get some water…"

"….snow clogged in his circuitry….a mess, I tell you….where is Angyo?"

"….I am not sure, brother….remove the visor…"

"….could have made this? What heaven could…."

"….know who he is and what he wants…..remove his weapons…."

"….what his name is….he's speaking, he's saying something…."

"He says his name is Genji Shimada."

—

Genji awoke to a feeling he had not experienced in quite a while. Warmth. As he opened his cybernetic eyes for the first time, he noticed he was wrapped in a thick, wool quilt. He examined the fabric, testing it with his metallic fingers. Such feelings of comfort seemed strange to him. Almost…dubious. He sat up and carefully scanned his surroundings. The quilt he was draped in was not laced with poison. The mat he lay on was not spiked. The frail, wooden walls that surrounded him did not seem to have anyone hiding behind them. "Although they could use a little reinforcement", Genji thought to himself. To his right, sunlight poured in through the balcony.

His circuitry fired up as he leapt to his feet, his body, rebooting as he recovered from his slumber. At this moment, Genji realised that the aching, burning sensation in his stomach had relieved itself. In fact, the young ninja felt…rejuvenated. The pain that had been subduing him for the last few months had disappeared. His affliction was gone. Genji allowed himself a sigh of relief. Worries of his mechanical organs failing from the inside dissipated, as he silently celebrated his newfound felicity.

However, this rapturous feeling did little to tell him of his current location. He remembered his long trek through the barren, icy wasteland. Signs embellished with unfamiliar characters that held no meaning to him. He remembered succumbing to the blizzard, lying face down in a mountain of snow. He remembered firm hands, dragging him through the flurry, soon followed by an easeful warmth. He remembered the same hands removing his visor. Flame. A hearth burning bright, illuminating giant, silver creatures. He remembered hot liquid being poured down his throat, an instant aphrodisiac. It tasted like honey. He had not tasted something so sweet since he was a young boy in Hanamura.

Suddenly, the image changed. He was back in Hanamura, just outside Shimada castle. His limbs, broken. His body, scorched. An overwhelming sense of pain came over him. He wanted to scream, but what was left of his vocal cords were strained, barely capable. He wanted to move, but every slight motion, every fleeting twitch, left him in pure, writhing agony. He wanted to cry, but all the liquid in his body had seemed to evaporate in the vicious heat that consumed him. He was dying. Blood escaped from every incisive wound inflicted on his body. The only thing that hurt him more was the knowledge that his own brother had orchestrated his suffering. Hanzo. He had broken his heart. Genji prayed to the gods to end his suffering, quickly. He looked up. Surprisingly enough, staring back at him, was a literal angel.

"Please, do not move! My name is Angela Ziegler. You are badly hurt. Help is on the way. What is your name?"

"What is your name?"

Genji barely managed to choke out his name.

"G-Genji…Genji…Shimada…"

The last thing he remembered was waking up, covered in sheets. He shuddered. Although he was made of steel, some things still managed to pierce his armour. For one, the blistering cold. Genji was not aware that his protective exterior was in need of repairs. Nor did he realise that, despite being cybernetic, extreme temperatures still affected him, especially as his armour slowly deteriorated. Genji grabbed the quilt from the floor. and draped it over his shoulders. Feeling inquisitive as to where he was, he stepped out onto the balcony. His bionic eyes quickly adapted to the glare.

Before him was a blank canvas of white. Snow covered mountains. A clear, bright sky. Cherry blossom petals floating in the air as they caught the wind. A breathtaking view that left only sorrowful memories. For a split-second, Genji thought he was back in Japan. Below him, were meditating figures draped in red and gold robes. He recognised the outfits from temples back in Hanamura. "Monks." He was in a monastery. Genji smiled. He liked monks. Peaceful people, never meddling in other's affairs. Kind folk. He remembered, as a child, how a smiling monk handed him and his brother a packet of sweets. This led to him and Hanzo spending most of their time hanging around the temple, palms outstretched like beggars, pestering the robed men for candy, who were seemingly happy to oblige. "Onīsan! Onīsan!" they would yell, and sugary snacks would fall into their greedy little hands. Genji quickly discarded of the bittersweet reminiscence.

It seemed as they were indeed, monks. They wore the same robes. They held the same, humble mannerisms akin to a monk. "If it looks like a monk, walks like a monk…" Genji thought to himself. But a closer look revealed to him, however, that these monks were unlike the ones he saw as a child. They seemed….shiny? He squinted at the figures below. Metallic, silver men. Genji gasped. They were…

"Omnics?!" he exclaimed.

A sudden rap on the door halted Genji's surprise. He instinctively reached for his katana, only to find that it wasn't there. Neither was his wakizashi. Another knock. A resonant, metallic voice came from behind the door.

"May I come in?"

Genji quickly ran over his defence capabilities. His bionic modifications were running at a paltry 45%. His swift strike ability was disabled. Without a sword, he was unable to call upon his dragonstrike. No matter. He still had his trusty shurikens packed into his arms. Plus, provided he was unable to fight, a quick check confirmed he was still capable of climbing out the balcony. Whilst Genji was still formulating a potential escape plan, the door slowly opened. Genji found himself face to face with an omnic. Like most omnics, the stranger was a humanoid. He was made of steel, coated entirely in silver, save for a few segments which appeared to be formed out of gold. Nine, shiny blue lights formed a perfect square on the omnic's forehead. What set the stranger apart from the other omnics Genji was used to was that this one was adorned with the red and gold robes of a monk. Genji thought this was the strangest thing had ever seen until he realised the monk was floating. He sat, cross legged, a tray of food in his lap, hovering in the air, to the point where he was almost face to face with the ninja. The omnic held up a reassuring hand.

"I apologise if I have intruded. A lack of response gave me the impression that you were still asleep." His voice seemed to echo, resonating within Genji's mind.

"Where am I? Who are you?" Genji asked, rather dubiously.

"Calm yourself, my friend. You are in the home of the Shambali. I am Tekhartha Zenyatta", the omnic replied.

A long silence followed. Genji stared at Zenyatta in disbelief, only the physical sight of the monk tethering him to reality, reassuring him that he was was not dreaming this.

"I am very confused. How did I get here?"

"We found you outside the village - nearing an icy grave. My brothers brought you into the temple and revived you."

Genji rubbed the back of his head. "I remember….drinking something?"

"Tea, I believe. And some soup."

"You fed me?" Genji asked, shocked.

"Yes. I must admit, your appearance puzzled us momentarily. We believed you to be omnic, until your mask was removed", Zenyatta calmly responded.

"I ate?"

"Yes. You appeared to be quite hungry."

Hunger. That was the pain that had bothered him for so long. He had been hungry. Genji was stunned. Due to his technologically-increased metabolism, he had no need to eat on a regular basis. Apparently, however, great periods without sustenance still affected him, albeit on a much longer scale. He almost wanted to kick himself. How obvious.

"You are human, correct?", Zenyatta politely inquired.

Genji scoffed. Him? Human? He was a miscreation. A twisted experiment of medicine and technology, a stain on the face of nature. He shouldn't even be alive. Regardless of all the bionic advancements, Genji felt great disgust towards his own body. To call himself human would be an insult to humanity.

"No, I am not" Genji said curtly.

The monk inspected him curiously. "Then you are omnic?"

Genji laughed. "I am neither, brother. I am my own breed."

Zenyatta's tone changed to one of cheerful excitement. "How intriguing! Neither man, nor machine. I sensed you had a troubled energy about you."

"Uhh….alright?" Genji did not want to offend his host, but he was rather annoying.

"You are an omnic?" inquired Genji.

"Yes."

"Yet you wear the cloth of a holy man. Like a monk. I am very confused."

Zenyatta tilted his head curiously. "You are not familiar with the Shambali?"

"I'm afraid not."

Zenyatta clapped his hands. "How wonderful! You must see more. But first…" The monk picked the tray up from his lap and placed it onto the table. "Eat. After your meal, you are encouraged to explore our home. When you are finished, you may find me at the shrine. Brother Mondatta will want to meet you."

Genji gawked at the small meal before him, unsure of what to do with it. Zenyatta noticed the young man's uncertainty. "You do remember how to eat, don't you?" he asked. Genji nodded slowly.

Zenyatta's face lit up. "Good. I wish you a good meal." He gave a short bow, and turned to leave.

"Wait, monk." Genji started. "Where are my weapons?"

The omnic turned his head. "Your swords are being kept by the guards. They will be returned to you. In time", he added.

"What? No, they belong to me! I want them now!" Genji cried.

"They are in good hands. Rest assured, they will be returned to you."

Zenyatta perked up. "Do not dwell in the past. Do not dream of the future. Concentrate the mind on the present moment. You understand, don't you Genji Shimada?"

As the proverb was absorbed by the young ninja, the monk was out the door before Genji could ask how Zenyatta knew his name.

—

After slurping down the tea, and devouring the bread, Genji remembered how much of a joy it was to eat food again. Ever since he was "upgraded" by Dr Ziegler, he was surprised that he could even taste, let alone eat. One of few things that still tethered him to his humanity. He sighed. The flatbread filled him up, but he wished he could have one more chance to taste ramen again. He had not eaten a proper meal since he left Overwatch. A pang of guilt hit him as he found himself longing for the days past, where a hearty, delicious meal was always provided in the mess hall. Where the air was cool, and the bed's were cozy. Where Angela's smiling face brightened his mornings. Genji shook his head. "Those days are long gone", he thought.

Much to his delight, the tea that Zenyatta had provided was not only delicious, but stimulating as well, as Genji felt a boost of invigoration coursing through his veins as he explored the monastery. Genji had never seen anywhere like it. It was a beautiful, picturesque, scene. The architecture, similar to temples he had seen in Japan. Statues, elephants and lions, watched over the monastery, adorned with jewels and gold. The wind carried the sweet sound of bells and chimes throughout the entire temple. In the distance, he spotted a green flag, blowing aimlessly in the wind. On it, was a strange symbol. Three circles, forming a trifecta, over an arrow. Genji deduced that the symbol must have been the mark of the so-called Shambali. A community of omnic monks.

For an omnic-run monastery, Genji deemed it would be appropriate that more technology would be incorporated into their buildings, as is the norm for omnic residences. To his surprise, the whole place seemed entirely man-made. Brick laid upon brick, clay and dirt showed that the monastery was built entirely by hand. It seemed as if news of his arrival had spread around the temple. No matter where he went, a few monks followed him in tow, waiting to see what he would do next. Pointing. Jabbering. This did little to alleviate Genji's awkward feeling of antipathy, only annoying him further, making him feel like an animal. Astonishingly, Genji found that there were human monks living among the omnics as well. He would later learn that there were an equal amount of humans and omnics living together in the temple. In perfect balance.

As he concluded his tour, Genji remembered Zenyatta's instructions to find him "at the shrine". Even though the omnic left no instructions as to where exactly said shrine was, Genji figured the large edifice, peeking out over the horizon may be what the monk had referred to.

Sure enough, Zenyatta sat, hovering in midair, patiently waiting as Genji ambled his way to the heart of the monastery. He looked up. Before him stood the shrine. It was magnificent, barely overshadowed by the mountain beside it. As Genji stood in awe, admiring the view, Zenyatta approached him.

"Good. You are here. Follow me" said the omnic. As they made their way up the steps, Zenyatta turned to Genji.

"How was your meal?"

"It was…it was fine. Thank you."

"Ah, good. I'm glad. And I trust you have explored our monastery?" Zenyatta inquired.

"Yes. I have."

"What do you think?"

Genji took a deep breath. "I've never seen anything like it. It's magnificent."

Zenyatta emitted a hearty, electronic laugh. "Such is the reaction of many a newcomer who finds their way to our gates", he chortled.

"You have visitors?" Genji asked.

"Oh yes. Many come seeking knowledge. Others seek sanctuary. But most of our visitors come to find enlightenment, and join the Shambali" replied Zenyatta, hovering over the last step. The interior of the building was even prettier than the outside.

"People have come here to join you?"

"Look around. You notice, there are humans here as well?"

Genji nodded.

"There are many who don't believe in what we try to teach. Some who say our practices are futile, and are lessons, ludicrous." Zenyatta smiled. "But there are just as many who believe in our teachings. The strongest supporter of omnic rights usually finds their way to our home."

"So that's what you are? A…omnic rights…group?"

Zenyatta sat straight. "The Shambali are more than a simple political group. We are a society. We dedicate ourselves to balance, equality, and peace. But Mondatta will explain further."

"Who is..Mondatta?"

"I am."

Genji turned to expose the voice's origin. Another omnic, similar to Zenyatta, only gleaming, shiny and white. Draped in a pure, white cloak, the stranger revealed himself.

"I am Tekartha Mondatta. I am the leader of the Shambali."

—

First story! Let me know what you think :)