Ninja discipline.
Genji Shimada. As the youngest son of Sojiro Shimada, the master of the Shimada ninja clan, Genji lived a life of luxury and privilege. He had little interest in the family's illegal businesses, and although he excelled at and enjoyed his ninja training, he spent most of his time pursuing a playboy lifestyle. Many within the clan considered the carefree Genji to be a dangerous liability, and they resented his father for coddling and protecting him. Following the clan leader's untimely death, the clan elders instructed Genji's older brother, Hanzo, to demand that Genji take a more active role in their late father's empire. Genji refused, enraging Hanzo. The tension between the brothers built to a violent confrontation that left Genji on the verge of death.
Genji would have died that day, if not for Overwatch finding him and with the help of the team medic Mercy, Genji was brought back as a cyborg, which enhanced his natural speed and agility and augmented his superlative ninja skills. Transformed into a living weapon, Genji single-mindedly set about the task of dismantling his family's criminal empire. While he struggled with accepting what he had become, and even carried some spite towards the people that made him in to a weapon, he would grow to accept what he is now, thanks to the Omnic Monk Zenyatta. Under the monk's tutelage, Genji reconciled his dual existence as both man and machine. He learned to accept that although he had a cyborg body, his human soul was intact, and he came to see his new form as a gift and a unique strength.
But Genji was not the only ninja who needed help to find himself. Right now he was medetating, something he spent most of his days doing whenever he wasn't doing something more important. However he sensed something approaching. He waited for the right moment before jumping out of the way of some throwing stars.
"You've improved, Akali. This time it took me 2 minutes to notice you. That's almost double the time it took me last time" Genji said.
"Well, I never liked the stealthy approach anyway" A young woman said as she walked out of the shadows, wearing a technological advanced ninja suit and carried two famous ninja weapons, a Kama and a ninja dagger, both upgraded with the same tech that made her suit.
Akali was still young, being only 19 years old, but she has already seen a lot.
Flashback.
Back when Overwatch was still around, Genji had traveled to investigate an suspected terrorist attack on a village in his beloved homeland of Japan. He was still bitter about his new body, but the mission helped take his mind of it. He only found out about the attack by pure chance when he caught a live feed on the radio. When he arrived at the village his eyes became wide by what he saw. The village was smocking and dead bodies were everywhere. It was clear someone had dropped a bomb on the village.
Genji walked through the carnage, hoping to find a survivor, but all he saw was death. Suddenly he caught the sound of a child crying. Following the sound he saw a little girl crying over a dead woman, who Genji could easily guess was her mother. The sight saddened him but he made his way over to the girl.
"Hey..." He spoke softly in Japanese, making the girl look up at him, and Genji's eyes saddened more when he saw the girl had blood stains on her face, only it wasn't her blood "Are you alright, young one?".
The girl didn't answer at first, she looked scared, and Genji couldn't blame her "A... are you one of those machines?".
So rogue omnics caused this, not surprising. Genji looked at his metal arm before he sighed "I don't know what I am anymore. But I am not with the ones that did this".
The girl sobbed "Why did they do this? Why?".
"I don't know. Some people and some machines, don't need a reason to do all this. They do it because they can" Genji answered, he knew that was not the answer the girl wanted, but it was the only answer he had "What is your name?".
"Akali..." The girl answered.
"Alright then, Akali. Let's get you out of here" Genji said as he held out his human arm.
"What about mom?" Akali asked.
"I'm sorry... I'm afraid she won't be coming with us. Her soul has gone to a better place now. A place free of violence" Genji answered.
"You think she is happy there? And is she waiting for me?" Akali asked.
Genji nods "She is happy, and she will be even happier when you join her there. But until then, I'm sure she wants you to live your life to it's fullest. So don't die until all your dreams have come true".
Genji's words comforted Akali, and she finally stood up and ran up to him before hugging him hard. Genji was surprised but he gently picked her up, letting her rest her head on his organic shoulder. He was about to leave but took one last look at Akali's mother.
'She will have a new life, I promise' He thought before he began walking away.
But not he was in another situation. What should he do with Akali? He wasn't nearly stable enough to look after a child and if he brought her back to Overwatch, they might put her in a foster home, but Genji didn't believe she would be happy there, and he did not want to risk her being adopted by a family who had no idea how to take care of her. He thought for a while, and he decided only one person was fit to be Akali's guardian.
Near a hidden temple, a ninja was watching the river until he heard a voice "Shen".
He turned his head "Genji?" He then noticed Akali in Genji's arms "I have a feeling you didn't come here just to speak to me".
"I'm afraid not. Akali here lost her family and entire village in a omnic attack. There is no where for her to go" Genji said.
"Then why did you bring her to me?" Shen asked, but he already knew the answer.
"I am not suited to be her guardian. There are to much going on in my life right now. I want someone I can trust to look after her" Genji answered.
Shen looked at Akali for a moment "Are you sure about that? She could be what you need to help you find yourself again".
"Perhaps. But I can't take that risk. Please Shen..." Genji pleaded.
Shen sighed before taking the sleeping girl in to his arms "Very well, I shall watch over her for now. Until you can return and be the person she needs in her life".
"Thank you, Shen. I will not forget this" Genji said.
End of Flashback.
Akali improved a lot under Shen's guidance, growing stronger every day. Soon she became the best student Shen has ever trained, and she swore she would be strong enough to fight alongside the man who saved her. She got her high tech suit by Shen as a gift, since he himself used Pulsfire tech to enhance his own abilities. Genji would indeed return after his journey of discovery, and now it was time for the deciding test to see if Akali was ready to take on this ever changing world.
"Alright Akali. Show me how much you have learned" Genji said as he got ready.
Akali dashed forward to meet the steel of Genji's blade, then reached behind her and grabbed her dagger. But Genji pushed her back, then lashed out with his own blade with a dizzying array of strikes from varying directions, up, down, high-angle, low-angle, middle-lined, yet Akali met each one with a sharp raise and parry from her Kama.
Akali found an opening in Genji's assault, then thrust a kick into his midsection, sending the cyborg ninja sliding back across the ground, using his free hand to anchor him to the ground and kicking up a small trench of dirt as a result. The younger ninja wasn't about to let him recover and shot right at him at high speeds, Her Kama ready to strike.
Just as she swung, however, her eyes went wide with surprise. With a blur of green light, Genji had retreated back a further distance, reaching breakneck speeds in the blink of an eye. A compartment in the ninja's hand flexed slightly, and from the back of his hand spiraled forth a series of four-point shuriken, each fitting themselves between his fingers. When he threw them, they didn't just fly like ordinary projectiles, they flew at the near same speed as bullets.
Akali quickly raised her dagger and kama to intercept each star in midair. The projectiles were either swatted out of the air or bounced off the metal surface of Akali's weapons. As the last one fell to the sandy floor, Genji seized his chance and, in a blur of green light, was upon Akali, short blade drawn. Akali could not block it in time, but she had an trick up her sleeve. She dropped a smoke bomb before vanashing, making Genji cut nothing but smoke. She had used the smoke to give her the single second she needed to avoid his attack, a clever move, but where was she now? Taking advantage of this moment of openness, Akali shot forward and planted a hard kick into Genji's midsection, sending the ninja flying backward and slamming, back first, into a wall.
"You really have improved. But the test is not over yet" Genji said as he got back up.
Akali smiled "I don't know big brother, I think I might have surpassed you by now".
"Pride always comes before the fall, Akali. Never underestimate your opponent. Not even when you have the advantage" Genji said before he suddenly vanished.
Akali quickly got ready, she checked every possible positions Genji could attack her from: Front, left, right, above, behind. Unless he somehow dug himself through the ground, he would not be able to surprise her. She heard a sound as several shurikens came flying towards her. She quickly deflected them all, wondering why Genji would think he could hit her with those... however she was suddenly struck from behind, and the force of the blow sent her tumbling across the floor before she slid to a halt. Genji had thrown the shurikens around the room so they would come at her from one side, and while Akali was distracted, he rushed her from behind for a free hit.
Akali mentaly cursed, forgetting how clever Genji is when he fights. He was right, she did underestimate him, a mistake she will no repeat "Alright, you got me that time. But I am not falling for the same trick twice".
"Words have no place in battle, Akali. Prove yourself through action" Genji said.
Akali charged again, but this time she threw her Kama. Genji ducked under it before blocking Akali's dagger with his short sword. But he noticed Akali smirking before her Kama came back like a boomerang. If he turned to block it, Akali would easily get a free shot in on his back, and if he tried to avoid it, she could attack him once he drops his guard, either way Akali got him... however she was not expecting what happened next. Genji suddenly reached behind him and pulled his larger blade out a little, causing the Kama to hit the blade and bounce of before getting stuck in a wall.
Genji's sword is a katana named Ryū ichimonji. He maintains it personally and has never allowed anyone else to examine or repair it. And he only uses it when he has to. Akali never expected he would use his Ryū ichimonji, believing he would think she was worth using it on. But now it threw her plan right out the window and Akali has lost her advantage.
Genji quickly broke the blade lock and kicked Akali's dagger out of her hand before putting his short sword near her neck. There was no way Akali could ever hope to defend herself without her weapons.
She sighed "I... lost".
Genji backed up and put his sword away "Your overconfidence cost you the battle. Had you kept it in check, you might have had a chance of winning. You are a very talented fighter, Akali, you just need to remember to not let it go to your head".
"I understand... guess I failed the test" Akali said, disappointed that she let her overconfidence cost her the chance to fight alongside Genji.
"No, you passed" Genji said, earning a surprised look from Akali "While it's true your overconfidence needs some work, I do believe the best way for you to learn is in a real battle. Once we rejoin the battle your life will be on the line and there will be no room for mistakes, you will need to be ready for anything. Do you believe you can handle that?".
Akali was silent for a moment before giving a strong nod "Yes! I will not fail again".
Genji smiled behind his mask "Good, then pack whatever you need, we leave soon".
"Yes big brother!" Akali said before retrieving her weapons and ran of to pack.
Akali was a promising warrior for the future. Genji still remembered Akali told him her original dream was to become a pop star. Genji could picture her wearing tomboyish clothes and a mask with a mouth on it that moves when she talks or sings. She gave up that dream after becoming a ninja, but Genji hoped she wouldn't regret it.
The coming battles would test her like no training could ever hope to measure up to. Genji hoped she would be ready for it.
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