Successor Chapter Three

Tracer was surprised to see Zenyatta leave the meeting room so quickly. She jogged after him.

"Hey, did it go okay?" She asked.

Zenyatta silently floated alongside her. Tracer tapped his shoulder. He jumped a little but relaxed when he saw her.

"Lena." He bowed mid-air to her.

"You okay? You seem out of it, luv."

"I was lost again on the path of life." He said apologetically.

"It happens to the best of us." She said cheerfully. "How did the meeting go?"

"It was satisfactory." Zenyatta replied rather mechanically.

She continued to walk with him. "Satisfactory?" She chuckled. "Are you man or machine?"

"I am Zenyatta."

"That's our monk." Tracer playfully punched his shoulder. "Did you know him?"

"I knew Master Basho when we were both students under Master Mondatta. We clashed often."

"Clashed? You?"

It was impossible for her to imagine Zenyatta clashing with anyone. Zenyatta was Zen. He was the definition of calm. For him to actually clash with anyone was unthinkable.

"I was young, only five-years-old since my activation date when I met Basho for the first time. He saw and experienced the world differently than I did. My views were…unwelcomed where he was concerned."

"But everything's okay?"

"I have been asked to speak at Master Mondatta memorial service." He answered quietly.

Tracer stopped walking. "Oh…" Her guilt gnawed at her. "W-wow! That's a pretty big honor!" She bounced right back. "When are you going to go?"

"I do not know."

"What?"

"To speak for Master Mondatta, I require further thinking."

"Zenyatta?"

He floated to his room and said, "I must meditate."

He closed the door on Tracer.

Alone in his room, Zenyatta sat in complete silence. He hovered above his bed and relaxed the best he could. Zenyatta cleared his mind. He was at peace. He-

Heretic!

If you do not appreciate the order, Zenyatta then leave.

You have violated everything that we stand for.

May peace be with you, Tekhartha Zenyatta.

Zenyatta shook his head. He mind was clouded with the past. Zenyatta hugged himself. He truly did regret his actions those day but banishment?

"I was right in what I did." He told himself. "I saved lives."

It did nothing to ease his guilt. Zenyatta trusted his master with his life. He followed his teachings to the letter but where it came to intervention, Master Mondatta and his brothers and sisters thought otherwise. Zenyatta sighed. He picked up the photo of his master and held it carefully in his hands. This was all he had left of his master. The photo did nothing to capture the omnic that Master Mondatta was. Master Mondatta was everything. He was kindness. He was hope. He was a light in a dark world.

And he was gone.

Zenyatta shut off his facial sensors and folded his hands in his lap. From the lights on his forehead, Zenyatta projected a hologram of Master Mondatta. The hologram flickered into existence and bathed the dark room in a warm blue light.

"Good evening, Master Mondatta." Zenyatta bowed to his master.

"Hello, Brother Zen-Zenyatta." The hologram stuttered as the voice clips skipped. It didn't matter to Zenyatta. He was happy to hear his master's voice again. "H-Ha-Have you c-come to enjoy the gardens to-day?"

"Yes, master."

"The gardens l-look lo-lovely." The hologram viewed Zenyatta's empty room as the Shambali gardens. "M-My fa-favorite are th-the hydrangeas. I-I was wo-worried that they would not survive the w-winter. Wha-What is you-your favorite, Zenyatta?"

Genji immediately popped into his mind. "The cherry blossoms." Genji and he had met when the cherry blossoms were in bloom.

"A-An ex-excellent choice." The hologram twitched. "B-Brother Basho tells me that y-y-oou-you left the temple a-af-after morn-morning meditation."

"I am sorry, Master. I made a promise to the children in the village that I would visit. I should have informed you but, I…" Zenyatta's hands curled into fists. Heartache coursed through his extensive network and sensors. It was worse than any injury he had ever received. "I miss you, master." He choked out. "I miss you so much. I am sorry that I was unable to…"

He couldn't keep the hologram up and running. It disappeared into nothingness. Zenyatta was left alone in his room.

"I wish I could be the omnic you thought I could be."

How could he ever compare to the omnic that was Master Mondatta? Mondatta was the face of the movement, and he, a lowly banished monk, was a supporter to his team who sometimes killed people while spouting lines of acceptance and harmony. It didn't seem right that he of all people should speak for his master.

He couldn't.

He wouldn't, Zenyatta decided.

Who was he to speak for Master Mondatta? He had violated what his master had deemed the rules to live life by. He was banished from the Shambali order. He had become a vagrant. He was nothing like Master Mondatta. But his mind went back to the omnics fighting and fleeing across the world. If Master Mondatta was here, he would be able to stop it all. It was true that he did not hold an iota of his master's way with words or his presence at a podium but if he could reach one person, wouldn't it be worth it?

Zenyatta did not know what to do.

He believed in the Iris. He believed in peace and in harmony. If he denied this chance to speak, was he also denying the chance for another person, whether they be human or omnic, to stop a potential act of violence? If he could break the chain and have one single act of kindness shine through, wouldn't it be worth it? Naturally, it would be, yes. But it was one thing to speak of the Iris and being a good person and another thing to speak in memory of The Master Mondatta.

What would he even say?

There were no words in any of his extensive and international language database that could describe how Master Mondatta was. What the public knew was nothing compared to the monk he had grown up admiring. Master Mondatta was kindness incarnate who always knew the right thing to say and could defuse any situation no matter how massive or petty it was. Zenyatta fondly remembered his master coming to his aid multiple times during his stay at the monastery.

What he wouldn't give to go back and relive it again.

Genji has always wanted to visit Russia again but not when it was a hellhole. The mission was a disaster. Rebelling omnics were hard to fight but when some of armed forces combating the omnics thought that he was one – Genji groaned. The battle was hard enough without catching fire from his own side. He had gotten shot three times, all in the chest. Mercy was a godsend on the battlefield. She healed his chest but recommended that he take a couple of days off to fully recover. To say he was sore was an understatement. All Genji wanted was his bed, bath, and Zenyatta.

Genji closed his eyes on the plane. He could see it now. They would arrive back at the Overwatch base late that night. He would shuffle off the plane and Zenyatta would be waiting for him at the tarmac. He would greet him with open arms and a hug. Genji smiled at the prospect of getting a hug from Zenyatta. He gave the best hugs. He would melt in Zenyatta's arms as his master asked him how the mission went and he would happily supply him with answers. Zenyatta would gasp at the right moments at his marvelous storytelling. They would still talk as he slipped into the bath, allowing the hot water to soothe his aching muscles. Then, if he played his cards right, he would be able to get a massage from Zenyatta. His muscles were screaming for it. His master's cold fingers against his hot and throbbing muscles. Genji sighed. It would be heaven.

"Genji? You awake?"

McCree gently pushed his shoulder. Genji stretched and yawned. Daydreams were about to turn into reality.

"I am awake. Thank you, Cowboy."

"Ain't nothing, partner."

Getting up from his seat, his muscles aching, Genji returned to his daydream. He longed for Zenyatta. Genji was the second person off the plane. He opened his arms, ready for the hug that he was due for but it never came.

Zenyatta wasn't on the tarmac.

Lucio and Ana were there. Lucio ran to and swept her up in a hug. Ana greeted Reinhardt warmly and placed a loving kiss on his cheek. But Genji? No hugs and no kisses. No love at all. Wounded, Genji slinked off the tarmac and to his bedroom. He walked alone without someone to lean on. He had no one to hold hands with, hug, or kiss. There was no one for him to give or receive affection to. He passed his Master's bedroom and was instantly confused as to why the door was closed. Genji opened the door for his master's sake. He was surprised to see Zenyatta's form inside the darkened room.

"Master Zenyatta?"

Genji entered the room. On the floor, he saw his master. Zenyatta was laying on his side. His head was down and pulled close to his chest. His arms were relaxed in a cradled position and the nine blue lights on his forehead were dimmed. His orbs were off in the corner. A low hum emitted from his master. A small smile spread across Genji's face. Carefully, he lifted his master's sleeping form up. Genji might not have gotten the welcome he desired but he would not be deterred from spending time with Zenyatta. Carrying his master bridal style, Genji went to his room.

Though he studied under Zenyatta, Genji did not incorporate his master's monk lifestyle into his bedroom. Colorful clothes were strewn about in a thoughtful manner, LED lights in the shape of stars hung delicately from the ceiling. On the walls were vintage anime posters and on the floor was a rainbow colored shag rug. Tamagotchi pets, all alive and well, hung above his king sized bed.

Genji put his master on the right side of the bed. He was careful to straight his master's legs out. Zenyatta spent most of his time with his legs crossed. If they weren't straightened out occasionally, there was a chance that they would lock up. His master's right leg, as Genji suspected it would, was difficult to unlock. The left was As Genji sat on the left side of the bed and placed his sword away, he reflected on talking to Mercy about Zenyatta's legs. They didn't cause much problems and Zenyatta was fine floating everywhere he went but for Genji it did make cuddling a little hard.

He would bring it up tomorrow. Today, he would take a shower and then cuddle. Genji stepped into the bathroom and turned on the hot water for his bath. He got into the massive tub and soaked. He let the hot water go all the way to his neck before he turned it off. He couldn't wait to tell his master about the mission. He would leave nothing out. Genji sank a little under the water, maybe he would leave out how many times he got shot. That would be upsetting for his master but once Zenyatta heard how he had saved a group of omnic refugees from a missile blast, Zenyatta would be singing his praises. Genji perked up a little. Maybe he would be able to snag a massage out of Zenyatta yet.

Genji relaxed in the warm bath water. He didn't stay in long. His mind was Zenyatta. He wanted his master and his bed. Genji dried himself off, slipped into his pajamas, and removed his visor. He stretched, feeling better after his bath. Genji opened the bathroom door and was prepared to settle into bed with his master only to find that his master had disappeared from his bedroom.

Genji's first instinct was to look up. It wasn't unusual that when Zenyatta did spend nights with him, that he would float out of bed and sleep, accidentally, on the ceiling. But this time, Zenyatta was not on the ceiling. Genji was stumped. Zenyatta couldn't walk. He often needed help with his legs if he were going to attempt walking. And then Genji heard the low hum. Genji crawled onto the bed and pulled back the covers. His master was underneath and sleeping. Genji slipped under the covers. He curled up next to Zenyatta and happily sighed.

The mission might have been a disaster but going to bed with Zenyatta made it all worthwhile. Sleep came easily for Genji and his dreams were pleasant but not for Zenyatta.

He dreamt that he was in darkness. There was no escape. No hope. It was stifling darkness that swallowed him up and trapped him. No matter how much he struggled or fought, the darkness dragged him farther down. Then a bright golden light chased the darkness away. Zenyatta could hardly believe his eyes.

"Master?"

Mondatta turned to him but didn't say anything. He started to walk away.

"Master!" Zenyatta tried to follow but the darkness came back. It encased his legs. "Master! Master, please! Do not go. Please do not leave me."

Master Mondatta kept on walking and paid no attention to Zenyatta's pleas.

"I am sorry, Master!" Zenyatta cried out. "If I could take your place, I would!"

And suddenly, Zenyatta was standing amidst a crowd of people.

Fear.

Everyone was screaming.

Panic.

A red beam.

Mass confusion.

His sensors couldn't process anything.

The sound of a single gunshot ringing out.

Pain.

His limbs were shattered. His core exploded. Pain tore through every sensor that he possessed. Zenyatta experienced death.

Have some fluff!

Personal headcanon: Genji has the style sense of a teenage girl. He hangs posters up, he has LED lights hanging from his ceiling, he wears crop tops, etc. Part of him does this because he likes the colors and the clothes but the other part of him does it because it annoys Hanzo to no end.