Genji did not get tired. That was, perhaps, the one good thing about his new cyborg legs. In fact so little of him was still flesh and bone that he hardly even felt sweaty in the heat, or thirsty in the sand. It seemed the only part of him that did still work at full human capacity was his brain, which had spent the last eight hours continually reminding him of how bored he was.

Hana did not help. Since landing on mainland Asia she had exited the MEKA suit and was sitting on its arm as it walked alongside Genji. She said it was more comfortable that way, although Genji was surprised the metal wasn't boiling under the sun.

'It's the insulated suit.' Hana said. 'Protects me from the heat.'

Genji realised he'd been staring, and felt shamed. 'That's good.'

He turned his eyes back to the dirt and kept walking.

According to the MEKA suit's GPS they were in China, but Genji couldn't tell. China had copped some of the worst of the Fallout and most of it – or at least this area – was reduced to little more than rubble and dust. Every now and then they saw something resembling a building, or a vehicle, but it was mainly scrap and ruin. The sun was unbearably hot and there was no shade. It may as well have been the heart of a desert.

'How much further?' Genji asked, wearily.

'At this rate only a few months.' It sounded like Hana was exaggerating, but he wasn't sure. 'We need a vehicle.'

'We could ride the MEKA again.'

'It's not built for that sort of thing. I think I busted one of the engine coolers. It will only do short bursts from now on. And besides, it needs the rest of the day to charge or it will never have enough power to leave the ground.'

Riding the suit through the dawn sky, fleeing Japan, had been a stunning journey. The waves rolling beneath their feet, cool breeze slicing like a well-honed blade. Genji could almost imagine the fish swimming beneath, large creatures of the deep blue staring up and wondering why there was such a large, fat bird crossing the world above.

They must have looked quite a sight with Genji hanging on for dear life. But again, with his mechanic arms, he had felt very little discomfort. If he'd been relying on bone and muscle and sinew he would have fallen within the first hour. Perhaps there was something to be gained from the life of a cyborg.

There is much to be gained.

Ah, the voice was back.

I am. I apologise for this intrusion. There will come a time when I no longer need to speak to you this way, but for now you must allow me.

There was nothing Genji could do to stop the voice, so he shrugged amicably and kept walking. If Hana thought his silence was at all strange, she did not mention it. They were both being baked by the sun. It was only a matter of time before one of them went a little crazy.

I'm on my way, Genji thought loudly.

I am aware. This is pleasing news to me. Do you have the sword?

I do.

Good. Together we will unlock the secrets of that blade, and of your destiny. Keep on the path. I will not trouble again until you are considerably closer.

Genji tried to tell the voice to stay, to give directions, to begin their discussions of the sword and destiny, to ask some questions that very much needed answering. But the voice was gone, disappeared with stubborn finality. The voice, Genji remembered, belonged to an Omnic named Zenyatta. There was no reason for him to trust Zenyatta beyond what he had heard… but there was no reason for him to trust anyone back in Japan, either.

'Are you worried you might run out of battery?' Hana asked suddenly.

'What?'

'Or that your joints could get rusted over. I should have brought oil. I've seen the Wizard of Oz. But I didn't even think of it.'

Genji sighed. 'I'm not that kind of robot. Japan tech is much…'

'What about if you run out of engine fluid? Or get sand stuck in your hinges? If your pistons get stuck?'

'Hana.'

'Can you see infra-red? Can you sense the third dimension?'

'We live in the third dimension.'

'If you break down I may not be able to carry you.' Hana admonished him.

Genji groaned. 'Hana, please don't make fun of me. I didn't ask to be made into a robot.'

'Your father did. He and your brother planned it.' The cheeky smile slipped from Hana's features. 'You know… they weren't very good to you, at the end.'

Genji paused. 'Tell me.'

So as they walked Hana did her best to fill Genji in on everything she had learned – all about Hanzo and the fight, reclaiming the sword, the death of General Shimada – as well as her experiences in jail with McCree, and being broken free by Mercy, Tracer, and the others.

'I know those people. All of them!' Genji was suddenly animated, excited. He looked back in the direction of Japan. 'What happened to them? Where were they when you found me?'

'You… what?'

'Tracer and I…' Genji struggled for the right words. To him, Hana was just a little girl. His sister, in a way. He didn't want to say something inappropriate. 'Well, we were very close.'

'Oh, you were banging.' Hana nodded solemnly. 'I definitely should have told you they were there.'

Genji looked down in shame once more. He didn't want to talk about Tracer now, or the others. They were far behind, either in Japan captured, or, hopefully, somewhere on a new adventure. Safe, at least, was something he could hope for. He hadn't expected them to come for him. He'd hoped they wouldn't.

'Well…' Hana trailed off, as if not sure how to continue now. 'Anyway, last time I saw them they were ok. We had to fight some people to escape, but it went ok. Not too many dead. I… I felt really weird fighting against Japanese soldiers. I mean, I've spent so many years training with them, and…'

'I know.' Genji nodded. 'I feel the same. It is not easy to be an outsider.'

'You're kind of Luke Skywalker, you know?' Hana grinned. 'Wandering off on your own, while the rest of your friends fight for freedom on the Millenium Falcon.'

'What?'

'Where are we going, anyway? To get some teaching from a wise old gnome, I bet.'

Genji frowned. He knew she was referencing pop culture, but it was not his strong point. His father had not encouraged it when Genji was small, and the Shimada family was known for crime. That had not changed when his father became a politician, nor when the world ended.

'We're going to meet the guide who… well, he communicates with me. Let's leave it at that.'

'Does he communicate using the force?'

'The what?'

Genji wanted to tell her to shut up, but in a friendly way. It was just banter. The sort of family banter that Genji enjoyed with Hana, but had never had with a member of his own family. She opened her mouth to reply, then shut it, frowned in confusion, and turned to look in the opposite direction.

'What… the… you…'

She slumped down onto the roof of the suit, seemingly unconscious. Genji looked around, but could not see what had hit her, or why she was suddenly out cold. They were in the middle of a desert. Of a wasteland! Who could possibly be out here… and why?

The answer popped her head up out from behind a pile of rubble and approached him, hands in the air. Genji frowned over at the figure. Short, probably feminine, with a long dark cloak, heavy boots, and not an inch of skin exposed. There were splashes of yellow on her wrist bracers and gas mask, which, now that he thought about it, he wished he had one of his own. The desolation of former China was probably not completely free of radiation.

He realised he did not have a gun, and unsheathed the Shimada Blade.

'Who are you!' He called.

The figure took off her mask – definitely a woman, and much older than he expected. She even had grey hair. But definitely not Chinese. She must have come here after the Fallout, although Genji could not imagine why.

'My name is Ana, formerly of the organisation known as Overwatch. Welcome to the Wasteland. Now lower that silly old sword. There isn't a man alive who can deflect a bullet, not even you.'

Genji knew that was true, so he lowered the weapon. The old woman, Ana, smiled.

'Now, is there any chance you've seen my daughter? She's about this tall, very beautiful, and has not looked happy in about fifteen years.'

Genji blinked. He didn't know what to say.