"This behaviour is unacceptable, brother! Father may have coddled you, but I will not! The Elders themselves have commanded you ascend to your rightful place by my side, it is time you learnt responsibility."
"I have no care for the family, or whatever it is you do, I do not care about what you or the Elders command, I refuse to take part in any of this shit!"
The snowstorm wailed on as he battled the cold, trudging through the depths that shook him to his bones. Crimson blood trailed as his fresh wounds were ripped apart once more from the short, and yet devastating battle with the clan. He saw his hope, the fire in the distance, peeking gently through the raging storm in inconsistent, short bursts. He forced himself to remember his training, to remember how to survive, and most importantly, find the will to survive.
The Elders stood proudly as they watched the older brother strike his junior cleanly across his face, head whipping to the other side with little resistance.
"And what do you suppose you will do now, nii-san," the younger spat, "follow the orders of our forsaken clan Elders until your untimely death, just like Father?" Another backhand.
"Do not speak of Father so crude, insect, especially for all he gave you!"
The small cabin, tucked away beneath the mountains, was warm and welcoming, the fire inside inviting him, beckoning him to enter, and without hesitation, he did.
It was petite, There, in the centre of the small, open cabin, floated a being, an omnic.
He held no disregard for omnics, despite what the Elders may have had him believing at some point, but a stranger is a stranger, rich, poor, or omnic. The omnic in question, however, was different. Aside from the fact that he floated in mid air - not many omnics were seen to do so - but he held eight glowing spheres, hovering around his neck in a necklace-like fashion. It was…strange, to say the least - he had seen nothing like it.
"Welcome to my home, I trust you wish to stay throughout the remainder of the storm, you are free to do so, young traveller." His robotic voice was oddly calming. Nonetheless, the sniper remained untrusting. "Is there anything I can do or provide to assist in making your stay a comfortable one?"
"My apologies for entering without permission, your hospitality is all that is required." His voice cracked as he spoke, unused and hoarse from panting as he trudged through the thickening snow.
"Nonsense, I insist, anything to make you feel at home." The omnic was gentle, soothing the rage boiling beneath his skin. "I am called Zenyatta, please, let me know if I can do anything to ease your stay for the while."
"Hanzo. All I require is recuperation beside the fire, please."
"Well then, Hanzo-"
"Brother, I am done with this shit, all of it!"
"Hanzo, he is not to leave!" The Elders commanded, and what could he do to defy them? He couldn't, he simply couldn't.
"Watch me, assholes! I hope you burn, nii-san!"
"Hanzo, stop him!" He wasn't sure what came over him, the fury brewing in his stomach might've pushed through to the surface a little too easily, a flurry of fists and feet flew from every direction, each brother aiming to land a stronger, faster blow than the other, never to be outdone by the other.
"May I offer you some tea?" The omnic - Zenyatta - floated gracefully into the open lounge, holding a teapot and a small mug. "I have been learning how best to make tea, although it is rather difficult as I do not know what tastes best. Some people seem to like milk and sugar, others do not. Would you like milk and sugar?"
"Tea is perfect without the abomination of milk and sugar, particularly if it is true Japanese tea."
"I take it you would like some tea."
"As you have already made some, I shall delight myself in a cup or two." The archer welcomed the heat in his belly It had been a long time since he had enjoyed the fragrances and delights of tea, even if this particular tea did taste like leaf water. Regardless, he poured himself another, keeping his ears sharp for any odd behaviours from the omnic.
"Genji, that is enough!" The older brother managed to choke out, while blocking a variety of roundhouse kicks. " Together, we will rule Hanamura, and more! We will defeat all our enemies and we will outdo Father, we will be stronger than any other! The dragons have trusted us with their power for a reason!"
"I do not want to rule anything or anyone, brother, I only wish to see my freedom, and if that means betraying the clan, then that's what I'll do!"
"What has one so young in such a place?" The omnic spoke out, gliding into his line of sight.
"That is not quite how I would describe myself." He eyed the omnic, sweeping him over for any cause to be suspicious.
"You are avoiding the question."
"You have no right to ask."
"On the contrary, I provide you shelter throughout the storm, with a warm fire, and though I do not ask for your money, I do ask to aid you through your troubles."
"Hanzo, end him." Both brothers halted for a split second, yet Hanzo regained his senses, throwing a palm strike to Genji's chest, followed quickly by a spinning back kick forcing the latter back into the weaponry displayed neatly across the wall. "Finish him, that is a direct order."
The long-haired ninja strode over to the nearest katana, his fury burning in his eyes, fuelled by his unwavering loyalty to his Father, his clan, and the Elders.
Wielding the long sword, up above his head, preparing for a jarring stab to stomach, his brother rolled away, disarming him with a quick whip of his arm, before coming in close to Hanzo's body to wrap his lengthy arms around his older brother's neck, and sweeping his legs out from under him, slamming him into the floor hard. While the older man was winded, Genji dove towards the katana, now off in a far corner, as Hanzo leapt towards his favoured choice of weapon, lying so closely beside him, as if it were meant to be.
Picking up the bow with an assortment of arrows, he prepared himself for the worst.
"It is not your business, and I do not wish to talk of it."
"I only wish to aid you in your troubles."
"I do not need your help, I will leave as soon as the storm has passed."
"You feel guilty, do you not?"
"Ryuujin no ken wo kurae!" The flash of green, the smooth sword as it flowed elegantly, only to be interrupted-
"Ryuu ga waga teki wo kurau!" The twin dragons danced in harmony, gracefully, consuming the small, green dragon, consuming the now jarred and cracking sword, consuming the very life of his otooto.
"I feel no guilt."
The Elders stood proud, before demanding the removal of the body from the premises. Hanzo lifted the corpse without feeling; the emptiness within grew tenfold as he lay his dead brother's body in the pure white snow some blocks away.
His hands were stained red in Genji's blood, and no matter how he tried, he couldn't remove that sickened feeling. He couldn't remove the images of his brother being struck down by his dragons, torn apart, limbs ripped away.
The trek up the mountain was a simple one once the storm had passed, he did not stick around to listen to Zenyatta, or his words of seemingly well-thought wisdom. His legs carried him on for days be it mountain or city, only stopping for food and the need for cleanliness. He picked up various underground jobs for bounty, becoming a well known assassin throughout the underground for his quick, precise kills. He only returned to a place he once called home once a year, honouring the life of a man he had killed.
He was never seen, he was never caught. The bounty on his own head grew, the Shimada clan, though not the clan they once were without Hanzo and even Genji, tracking him down by all means necessary.
"Ryuu ga waga teki wo kurau!" The dragons soared once more, creating a blistering hole in the building. Hanzo flew to the large, near-abandoned temple where the dragons hung upon the wall, placing the cracked katana from the adjacent wall of weaponry on a stand, honouring the two dragons of the Shimadas.
His saddened eyes rested upon the green dragon.
"I am leaving now, brother, but do not worry, I will honour your wishes, I will destroy the clan in your name and I will redeem myself in your name. I will return, otooto." And for the first time, Hanzo turned his back on the Shimada clan.
Seven of the ten Elders fell, one by one, over the years, as well as most of the remaining heirs to the Shimada throne. The Shimada business of crime had collapsed into nothingness, and it was all at the hands of the one Shimada Hanzo. Those that he allowed to live, lived in fear of the ninja assassin coming back to haunt them.
The one mistake he had made was honouring his brother's murder every year at the shrine that remained untouched - the Elders that still lived never dared to enter it, believing it to be the root of all their bad luck - the dragons were infuriated, they must be left alone in peace. This suited Hanzo well, as he honoured the soul by the feet of the dragons, and the swords.
Ten years had passed before Hanzo had realised his mistake - repetition is a fool's errand. Over the years, it seemed he had become a fool.
Face to face with his brother, his very much alive, brother, he bowed his head in shame. Face to face with his past, he watched the man disappear into nothing. Face to face with a potential future, he weighed his options - fight for the good of himself, or for the good of the people?
Perhaps, for the time being, he could fight for his brother.
And with his last thought before he embraced a long journey, he decided to fight for Overwatch.
Just a short story about Hanzo's outlook on what happened when he fought Genji. There are so many speculations, but I thought I'd write this as a nod to Hanzo's humanity. Hope you enjoyed this little fic!
Disclaimer: I do not own Overwatch.