Mythical Creatures and a Cowboy
[replay:Hanzo's log; 20160728-1158-Mythical_Creatures_and_a_Cowboy-advice_warranted]
[My access logs said that I had a downtime of 3 days. When I asked Winston about it, he said something happened to my memory core and the data that day had to be wiped because the virus cannot be quarantined. It was a shame... I had a log named ‘Ganymede’ but when I tried to open it, it says ‘Access Denied: Data Erased’.]
[But it is no matter. It seems that Ganymede is my pet bird now and it sings around me frequently. Winston has taken a liking for my pet bird like buying it adequate feeding, and it makes me—I am not sure how but—happy.]
“If it weren’t for you two, I would not have come here.”
[And it would seem that the agent today in need of my services do not seem to require it at all. He looks very disgruntled, upset, and do not like being in my company, or that of his companies. So I think it would be in my interest to at least strike a conversation, because my threat detection tells me otherwise he could be very well striking an arrow at me if I do not appear friendly. Or at least friendlier than his companies.]
“Look, Hanzo. I have told you many times over that I wish to lay down the past between us but your talks of redemption is clearly driving me up the wall. I may not be human in appearance, but I am very human with my soul.”
“Y’know, Genji’s got a point. If y’don’t find yer demons and lay em to rest, ya never gon’ let go of the past. What better time than the present, eh darlin’?”
“Do not call me that. I have no interests in petty name callings for your endeavour.”
“You do realize that it is high noon now, McCree.”
“Touché, Genji. Y’don’t signal a cowboy out during his time-o-da-day.”
“Focus. The both of you lack focus.”
“Coming from the guy who talks about redemption for the last ten years and has no progress? I’d take my chances.”
“Aww no—”
[There is a dash of green and blue—I believe they are dragons—and it completely amazes and baffles me how modern and advanced our technology is to this date and yet I am looking at mythical creatures like dragons. I believe in my logs: they are supposed to be a fairy tale, a fictional entity, but I suppose even technology has room to dream. Oh. Did I just... thought of that? I might have to extract this part of the log and analyze it with Winston. But there are arrows scattering over the ground but broken apart by a samurai’s blade, whom the bearer is intended as named Genji—who also, in general records, has been filed ‘DECEASED’ over 10 years ago; yet in Overwatch records re-catalogued as an agent with the same appearance as he adorns now. The general records states that he was killed in a mansion in Hanamura but being the son of the local underground organization, there was little interest in the investigation of his death and that the Shimada clan made no presses for it either.]
[But it is fascinating—that Genji fights with a mythical creature on his blade and Hanzo on his arm, because based on my analysis I am unable to calculate the strength of such fantasy. If they are calculable.]
“One could almost say that this is ridiculous, y’know wad’eymean, lil’robot?”
[I did not realize McCree was standing right beside me all this time.]
Boo beep.
“Don’t yer be afraid, I ain’t gon’ hurt cha.”
Beep beep boop.
[Cowboy thinks I am afraid.]
“Even I can’t believe half d’damn things I see on a daily basis. Wou’ja two knock it off already yeah?”
“Hanzo always starts this because he cannot decide between taking a compliment or a comment.”
“And you are always testing my limitations, Genji.”
“All I am asking for is a truce. I even let you kill me and you can’t even accept the fact that I am still alive and immediately tried to kill me again!”
“Dang darlin’, din think ya for d’cold-blood.”
“Real life is not like the stories Father has told us. Yet you... being alive again, is utterly impossible. Yet I detest, resent myself for not being able to protect you as a brother should, but you have done the clan wrong, Genji. You did not uphold the pride and honor as you should for the clan, and that... is why you had to fall.”
“Do you even hear the things coming out of your mouth? And Master thinks I’m the one who needs guidance.”
[I could not extricate this level of contradiction. There seems to be some level of remorse desired by the archer, Hanzo Shimada, for the death of his brother. Yet I am unable to make sense out of the fact that he did, in fact, tried to murder his brother, again, when they reunited for this first time. How do I know of this is because I found a tape in the Overwatch archives uploaded by Winston into the database some time ago as it dated and it would seem that Genji was stammering in the background about his reunion with Hanzo for the first time in ten years.]
[overwatch_archive: 20150831-0541-athena-copy-xxiv]----------------------------------------------
Genji: That fucking piece of wood Hanzo is, Winston. I do not understand him!!
Winston: You have one too many drinks, Genji. Go lay in your quarters.
Genji: You guys were the ones who told me to recruit him!!
Winston: We may have chosen a bad time for that.
Genji: Lena said it was the perfect time. He is alone, lost, confused and my face should change his purpose in life instantly. ‘Hands down’ she said. Sure if only he isn’t Hanzo Shimada who draws an arrow at anything that threatens his little pathetic excuse of a lie. He saw my face and lapse into a nostalgic moment but if only for a fraction of the time before he turned against me, AGAIN.
Winston: Last warning, Genji. If you do not go to sleep now, I will personally make you.
Genji: Tch, kuso. It’s not even fair you replicated Ana’s sleep dart. Hanzo is the death of me.
[overwatch_archive: 20150831-0559-athena-copy-xxiv]----------------------------------------------
Boop beep beep.
“What is it, lil’robot?”
I ask: ‘What do you seek, Hanzo?’
[He looks at me with a certain degree of—annoyance, irritation?—I could not guess.]
“Redemption.” [He puts his bow away at last. And so did Genji.] “For the wrong I have done in the name of my clan, and to have wrongly carve my brother’s name into the grave.”
“I AM RIGHT HERE, HANZO.”
I say: ‘Shimada clan is currently immobilized almost to a point of ‘Cease and Desist’.’
“MCCREE, CAN YOU TELL HANZO I AM RIGHT HERE.”
“Darlin’ Genji is right here. Yer just sparred wit'hym.”
“Silence!”
“Oh my god.” [Genji removes his mask alas.] “Do you have the memory of a goldfish or you simply cannot accept the fact that I am now in fact a cyborg, Hanzo? I just want us to make peace. I am tired of all these random battles you put us into because of your mood swings.”
“Why do you even want me to come here in the first place?”
“Because Lena said that this is the best place to come and seek peace! That this little robot—no offense my friend—is the window of opportunity for you to toss your ridiculous sense of redemption out at him and then you can finally let go of this broken dream of yours because YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO IT ANYMORE. I AM GODDAMN ALIVE.”
[For once Hanzo has returned to his silence.]
“Y’know, Genji’s got a good point.”
[I turn to look at the cowboy.]
I ask: ‘Then what are you doing here?’
“I’m here to make sure Genji doesn’t get his brother killed this time.”
[I caught a flash of really arrogant smirk on Genji’s face and Hanzo does not seem pleased about it.]
“Are you implying that I am weaker than my brother?”
“No offense, Hanzo. But you are only human.”
[The dragons are unleashed once more.]
I say: ‘Maybe your presence is what is fuelling this rivalry.’
“I can’t help it, can’t I? Who dun love watchin’ a good fight between brothers yeah? Like watchin' matador against his bull—ya can't help wantin' to see sum'thing, trigger sum'thing all'in good sport.”
[The brothers instantaneously stopped and turned to our direction. I do believe they could have heard what the Cowboy just said to me. And I believe, it is cold sweat dripping down the Cowboy’s forehead too.]
I say: ‘Maybe you should give up on redemption and focus on the people around you, Hanzo.’
“Indeed.” [Oh my—oh—he took my advice!] “Indeed I should look carefully at the ones around me.”
“You know, you’re a man to love and hate at the same time, McCree.”
“Why thankyer, Genji. And t-to what honor do I owe to have yer compliments? And yer dun hafta—yeah, d-dun put d’mask back on, will ya? C-Can we talk’bout this?”
“Let us take good care of you, Mak-Cree.”
“You do enjoy a good piece of the Shimada brothers, don’t you?”
[And even the records would prove that it has never seen a Cowboy run as fast on his feet as he would ride a horse as he did.]
[end:Hanzo's log; 20160728-1221-Mythical_Creatures_and_a_Cowboy-advice_warranted]