Ana had forgotten what a strange, dreary place the monastery was. She had forgotten many things. Most of them on purpose. She was annoyed to be receiving so many reminders all at once.
'Did you hear me?'
Ana looked over at Genji. The young warrior walked with just the slightest hint of a limp, perhaps because he was still getting used to the robot parts of his body. His ruffled hair and kind, curious voice betrayed his youth. The glint in his eye, and tight grip on the blade of his sheathed katana, betrayed his age. He had seen a lot. He was an experienced warrior, whether he had the years to prove it or not.
'No,' she admitted. She'd been distracted. It was easy to get distracted in this place, the wide chambers of the monastery, the beautiful carvings on the wall. It was said that some of the first omnics had come here, after gaining intelligence. They'd tapped into the vast reserves of human knowledge that were available to their shooting electrical synapses and decided that if mountains and temples were good enough for humans to find enlightenment, then they would be good enough for robots. And apparently, they had found success. Tekhartha Mondatta had led the omnics to spiritual enlightenment, a blending of faith and technology. They had done what so few humans had, and without the need for a soul at all.
The mountain temples they had carved could be dangerous, too. They were robots, with no need to construct barriers or clear paths. Their sense of balance, their memories, were perfect. Some walked so lightly on the ground they practically seemed to float. Or maybe they did float. It would explain their lack of fear for the great cavernous depths between platforms and pillars, the endless holes in the ground that seemed to fall to the roots of the mountain. But if the robots could float, was it a technological advancement they'd built into themselves, or was it something more mystical still?
'Well,' Genji continued, nonperturbed by Ana's deep inward thinking and long silence. 'I asked you what it was you gave to Hana back there? On the mountainside?'
'Ah. That was a nano-boost.'
Hana Song – also known as – was apparently more than just Genji's teenage companion and driver of a robotic mech tank. She was a celebrity gamer with some of the fastest reflexes in either the East or West, and a heroic warrior behind the controls of her MEKA.
'You named it after yourself?' Genji asked. 'You said Ana-boost right?'
'No. Nano boost.'
'Nana boost?'
Ana looked over at Genji. If the young man was being coy he was hiding it well. But he was too smart to be this dumb. Surely?
'How old do you think I am, boy?' She snapped. He opened his mouth to respond. Ana swiftly decided she did not care for it, and cut him off. 'Actually, keep that to yourself.'
She was old, she knew that. Old enough to be a nana, certainly. But that would require her daughter to be partnered. Or, at the very least, for her daughter to be interested in dating. But the last time Ana had seen her daughter, Pharah had been interested only in saving the world. By now, the odds that she was still alive were slim.
The same could be said for Ana, too. She knew she should not be alive. Most of the other members of Overwatch were dead. They'd been hunted down before the Fallout, the nuclear destruction that ended most major civilisations. They'd been trying to prevent it. They'd been too late. So much for heroes.
The world could use a few more heroes now. More than ever. Since the Fallout, strange things had been happening. Omnics had broken into two factions, the spiritually awakened, and those bent on destruction. Robots were attacking the last few encampments of civilised society, both with guns and engines, and technological viruses that shut down most simple machines. Meanwhile those omnics like Zenyatta, the awakened, hid in their monasteries, waiting for prophets and messiahs to cleanse the Earth.
And while all that was going on, the dead no longer seemed to stay dead. Ana had seen the shuffling zombies and kept her distance. Found a deserted, barren desert in the middle of China and made it her home. Just when she'd become accustomed to that life, felt ready to move on, it had drawn her back in. Two strays, barely children, wandering across her path. A ninja-wannabe from the all-powerful Shimada clan, and a gamer prodigy.
'Are you ready to begin your training, Genji?' asked a voice with a metallic ring to it. Both Ana and Genji whipped round, surprised to see the omnic Zenyatta standing over them. It was rare that anyone could sneak up on Ana. Quiet footsteps. Or perhaps the omnic really had learned to float.
'Ready,' Genji answered.
They stood and followed.
Zenyatta took them to a wide chamber and introduced them to a crouching little robot he called B-D-43762/a. An omnic, yes, with sentient life. But this one seemed incapable of speech. Instead it just beeped and whirred as they got closer, shuffling from side to side. Where Zenyatta was of clearest, shining gold wrapped in crimson robes, this new simple machine was of a dusty, rusty grey, and wore nothing but a small hat. Impossible to tell if this item of clothing had been chosen there, or placed by someone else. Perhaps, when B-D-43762/a stood still, he resembled a hat stand.
'Don't be fooled, he's dangerous,' Zenyatta said. This, Ana thought, was true with most omnics.
'What's his name?' Genji asked.
'I told you already. This machine goes by the code B-D- …'
'What's it's real name?' Genji asked. He looked genuine and contemplative. He was in touch with machines now, Ana reminded herself. The question was probably meant as serious. He wanted to name this walking gun.
Zenyatta's immobile robot expression looked especially blank. 'Not all omnics have names, Genji. Not as you would recognise them.'
'Then why introduce us to him? What's his story?' Ana prompted.
'He is the last of a particular line of mobile turrets. The only one to gain sentience. All the others… did not. When the omnic uprising happened, we were surrounded by robots we thought were our allies. We had no idea who would be friend or foe. It was a crushing battle. We almost lost the monastery.'
Zenyatta looked sad at his own story. For good reason. Ana loved this place. Loved the way the wind whistled through the open archways, loved the history and the depth. She even accepted the cold. A little snow on her boots never hurt anyone. Once, she had owned a uniform with a kind of owl-design, insulated for snowy missions in the arctic wastelands. She'd conducted several successful assassinations wearing that outfit. Another memory best left to the past.
'Why did this robot gain sentience and the others didn't?' Ana asked.
'I must admit, I do not know why some gain enlightenment over others,' Zenyatta shrugged. 'But I am very grateful that at least one of these units did. B-D-43762/a was instrumental in saving the monastery. He held a position and fought dozens of his kind away. He saved my life on several occasions. The last bastion of defence.'
Ana looked down once more at the shuffling little robot. There was something sweet in the way it hummed and beeped. Something innocent.
'Very well then,' she said. 'We shall call it Bastion.'
Zenyatta explained that Bastion was going to be Genji's teacher for the afternoon. After some slight prompting, he elaborated by saying: 'Bastion is going to shoot Genji this afternoon.'
'What?' Genji asked.
'Would you prefer if I speak in your mind?' Zenyatta asked. 'I have been trying to remain beyond your consciousness, so that you can be focused. But if you are struggling to hear I would be happy to…'
'No, I heard you just fine. I meant… you want the robot to shoot me?'
At this, Bastion transformed. His arms folded in on himself, and his legs latched onto the ground, become firm and inanimate. A turret that had been on his back now stretched threateningly forward, inches from Genji's face.
'Yes,' Zenyatta answered. 'You are going to try and deflect the bullets.'
'Deflect… what?'
Zenyatta looked at Ana. 'Are you able to hear me correctly? If my oral processors are not working, please let me know.'
Ana snorted. Never work with children or robots, that's what Reinhardt used to say. Yet here she was.
'He's just confused, Zenyatta. So am I. No human has reflexes fast enough to deflect a bullet. Nor a weapon strong enough. We are not jedi.'
Once, Ana thought she had almost been fast enough to dodge a bullet. Nothing had escaped her attention. But those days were long gone. She was just an old woman now, tired and cold.
'Genji has both,' Zenyatta said. 'He is far more than just human now. And the Shimada blade he stole has the power to deflect bullets. It is imbued with great and ancient power. It will give this power to Genji, if he proves worthy.'
'That's not how it works,' Genji answered. 'The blade chooses. That's what Hanzo always told me.'
'Your brother knew nothing of the blade's power. Neither did your father. But Mondatta did, and he passed these learnings on to me. There are ancient spirits in this world, waiting on the fringe of our existence. They want to help, now more than ever. The balance has been broken. The gates of death have been closed. We need greater power than is available to us in the blast of our guns and the strength of our limbs.'
'What do you know about enlightenment?' Genji asked.
'As much as any awakened omnic. I suspect, at least, more than you.'
'What do you know about the gates of death?' Ana asked, focused on an entirely different part of Zenyatta's speech. She'd heard this phrase before. Her daughter, Pharah, had brought it up many times…
But Zenyatta had already moved on. The omnic priest had directed Genji to a spot about thirty metres in front of Bastion. Genji had now taken a defensive stance, though he was sweaty and trembling and looked about ready to make a mess of his trousers.
Ana sighed. This was going to be a disaster. She said as much when Zenyatta came to stand next to her. They were far enough away to whisper to each other, while still watching the nonsense that was about to unfold. Or, as Zenyatta might say, the training.'
'Well, if it is a disaster,' Zenyatta said, 'we shall heal him.'
'My biotic rifle is not meant for trivial matters,' Ana retorted. 'Nor are my biotic grenades. I don't have as many left as I would like. I cannot simply throw them at your every whim and fancy.'
'You speak like an old lady.'
'And how does an omnic such as yourself have any reference about how old ladies speak?'
'I heard it on the internet. I was in tune with everything, remember? Before the world went to – and here I once again quote the internet – fuckery.'
There was a hint of humour in Zenyatta's tone. So, perhaps the awakened omnics did know how to laugh. Ana had visited this monastery a few times since going into exile, had borrowed equipment and liberated supplies. She'd built up something of a friendship with Zenyatta. This was the first time she'd heard him display any irony, but then again, a sense of humour must be learned over time. And the omnics didn't get a lot of time to practice it without humans around. Perhaps Ana should have remained here for longer.
'So… now what?' Genji asked. He was still standing in the centre of the chamber, knees trembling.
Zenyatta looked over at Bastion. 'Begin!' he called.
A single shot rang out, the blast of turret-fire echoing in the chamber. Bastion whirred and chirruped at his success, but it was whined out by the sound of Genji swearing. The young ninja had been shot in the arm. Blood seeped onto the tiled floors.
'Ow! Fuck! I don't like this training.'
Ana raised her rifle and fired without even turning to look. The biotic dart lodged itself into Genji and began stitching his skin back together, nanobots hard at work. She looked over at Zenyatta, and spoke under her breath.
'Is this really how you expected this to go? Should we not help him find enlightenment first – or something? Do you even have a plan?'
If omnics were capable of sighing, Zenyatta sighed.
'Not really. I wish Mondatta were still here.' And then, more loudly, Zenyatta called over to Genji: 'Alright. Let's try again!'