"To the top! Come on, Genji!"

Genji looked at the boy in front of him, his robes fluttering in the wind. He stood on the spot, unmoving, drinking in his environment. The tall grass around him shone the most brilliant green, sparkling like diamonds. They sang a song to him as they swayed and rustled in the earth, the chirping of insects joining its symphony.

A bright sun hung over the sky piercing the clouds, illuminating the vapor in the air. The beams danced across the verdant plains as far as the eye could see, and the vivid blue of the sky shone above the horizon, which split the two.

A fundamental warmth filled Genji. He could feel it in his chest, his stomach, his arms and toes. He kept his eyes on the horizon, mystified by the unknown land which separated heaven and earth beyond. Perhaps one day he would see, he thought, as he turned around and chased the back of the boy, the tall grass parting beneath his steps.

The boy stood on top of a boulder which sat on the apex of the hill, reaching a hand out to him. "You must see this, brother, this was what I wanted to show you!"

He grabbed the boy's hand and hoisted himself onto the rock, his breath taken away by what he saw. It wasn't a hill they were climbing, it was a cliff. His eyes were filled with an array of colors. He could see mountains, waterfalls, entire jungles, and animals of all shapes and sizes. Herds of deer trekked across flowery meadows, swans sat on the still waters of lakes, and birds of every color filled the skies. Everything was in motion, everything was in harmony. It was all too much to take in.

"Have you injured yourself? What's the matter?"

Genji looked to the boy, surprised, and wiped at his eyes. The back of his hand came away wet and glistening. He said nothing. Instead, he sniffed and smiled.

"Aren't you a strange one," the boy laughed, slapping him on the back. "I'll race you home!"

The boy ran down the hill, his long hair flowing with the wind. Genji took one last look at the awesome landscape and followed him down. He ran as fast as he could, the wind screaming in his ears. The figure of the boy grew smaller and smaller, further away. He began feeling panicked. He did not want to be left behind.

Faster he ran, down the hill, as fast as his little legs could carry him. He could no longer see the boy. The world seemed to come at a standstill when his foot got caught on a blade of grass, and his ears became strangely muted as his body shattered the land.

Alcohol. There was the first thing the cyborg identified when he woke up. The room smelled sterile, and it was very, very bright. He shielded his eyes as he made to get up—only to get pushed back down.

"Genji. You're awake."

"Doctor Ziegler?"

"You must stay down and rest. I'm performing system diagnostics and replenishing your chemical supplies. You are not in full reign of your faculties right yet."

True enough, the cyborg felt strangely dizzy and light-headed, his movements delayed and sluggish. He noticed that several tubes were snaking in and out between crevices in his mechanical body, little blurry things he could barely make out without the aid of his visor.

"I have failed you again, Genji," Mercy said matter-of-factly.

"Doc—"

The doctor raised a palm, silencing him. "I know it won't do any good to apologize, so I promise to make it up to you, somehow."

"Bu—"

"No but's."

The two stared at each other, refusing to let ground.

"I really think—"

Mercy let out a long, exasperated groan. "You stupid cyborg, before I jam my fingers into my ears and start yelling like a child, let it be!"

They stared at each other.

"Alright."

"Thank you," sighed Mercy.

As Genji sat lying on the operation table under the bright lights of the lamps looming over him, he couldn't help but feel as though he was forgetting something very important.

"Doctor?"

"You can call me Angela, Genji."

"Doctor Angela?"

She sighed again. "Yes, Genji?"

"I believe I had something very important to tell you, but I am at the moment unable to recall exactly what."

"Oh," said Angela absently, consulting the charts and monitors around the cyborg, "is that so?"

He listened to the steady sound of beeping coming from one of the many monitors, trying to remember what he had forgotten. His thoughts were rudely interrupted when he watched the doctor approach a desk by the side of the room and return with a particularly large needle.

"Doctor Angela?"

"Yes," responded the doctor, flicking the tip of the syringe menacingly, or so it seemed to Genji. "What is it?"

"With this much… stuff going in me already, surely that isn't necessary?" He nodded towards the gargantuan metallic object from hell she held in her hands.

"Oh, this?" She held the crusher of happiness and dreams up. "Such a small amount is needed for this I didn't bother hooking it up into the drips. It's just mineral supplements to aid in your recovery, then you don't have to rely on anesthesia anymore." She tilted her head off to the side, confused. "Doesn't that make it easier?"

"I have a strong body and a strong will, doctor," Genji replied a little too quickly, "I do not require supplements of that nature. My body can heal on its own."

Confusion continued to cloud the doctor's face, which eventually dissolved into a vague expression of curiosity. Genji tensed. The room was completely silent, save for the steady beeping of the monitor beside him.

Mercy brought the instrument of despair and damnation so it was face level to Genji and took a single step forward. The machine started beeping more rapidly. She then held it behind her back and took a step backward. The beeping returned to its original pace.

An expression of comprehension dawned upon her features. Wearing an enigmatic smile, she slowly walked towards Genji, needle still behind her. Nonchalantly, she flipped a switch on a pole by him and at an impressive speed, whipped out the deliverer of devastation and eternal sorrow so its tip rested on the bare skin of his neck. The beeping accelerated so fast the machine almost sounded like it was giving off a continuous tone.

"Ah," observed Angela, amused, "it's like sonar."

"Do you mean to murder me?" yelled a panicking Genji, squirming, "I cannot move!"

"Yes, because I deactivated the neural receptors on your parts." She smiled sweetly. "Really though, little it may be, this is imperative to your recovery."

He looked pleadingly up at her. "Have mercy!"

"Have at you too, Genji."

"You're the devil!" he hissed, when he realized begging wasn't going to work.

"I'm hurt." She screwed her face up in an attempt to look wistful, failing miserably. Even if she did succeed, though, there was no hiding the amusement in her eyes. "Here. I'll make it easier. I'll do it on three." She pressed the evil incarnate firmer into his skin.

Genji grew frantic. As far as he could see, there was no escape. He couldn't even move inside his own body.

"One…"

Wait. There was one thing he could do. He remembered Winston mentioning something about a method of suicide to retain the honor of Japanese warriors during his rant this morning, a method of disembowelment by sword.

Genji cursed. He had no such blade, and he wouldn't even be able to do it in the first place! What did he have, in his immediate situation? I have my teeth, thought Genji, laughing victoriously internally, I will suicide on my lower lip! I will wait until right before she gets to three, then I will—

"Two!" Mercy plunged the defiler right through his skin, pumping the contents into his body.

Genji shrieked.