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The ravager leaned against the rail of the balcony, the streets of Rome bustling below. The market not so far from him was full of chatter and dealings. The sky was dark, but the city was very much alive, the twinkling lights reminding him of the flashes of battle. He closed his optics, no, this wasn’t the time to reflect on bloodshed and waste.
His gaze rose from the bright city to the stars above. He reached out and cupped his hand. As if cradling the stars in his palm, a group of them, a nebula in the shape of a heart. Ramattra clenched his fist, daydreaming of the stars only recalled one person in his coded mind.
“You seem agitated, Ramattra,” Mondatta noted. Resting a hand on the omnic.
“Sorry, master.” The ravager bowed his head. His mind was unfocused and made his meditation session that much more difficult, he couldn’t find that headspace of tranquility and peace.
“Is there something that troubles you?”
“No. Nothing.”
Mondatta didn’t push any further, despite the fact his student had blatantly lied to his face. He knew dark thoughts were calling the ravager. Luring him towards a future of destruction and pain.
“You can come to me for anything, Ramattra.”
The omnic nodded but didn’t respond as he tried again to focus on finding that inner peace. To reach that level of connection to the Iris. He used to be able to immediately reach it, thrive in it, and learn from it, but now that void seemed empty and dark. Like the light had been snuffed out. He grew restless again and growled, it wasn’t fair.
Mondatta was attentive to his students, and he had noticed a change in the ravager. His focus was suffering, his mind seemed to wander every time they meditated. Mondatta expressed sympathy for the omnic, but there was a lesson from each session, and he made sure to teach Ramattra from his mistakes. The ravager grew angry every time his focus was lost, the emotion itself causing the omnic to fall further from achieving that perfect balance.
In a moment of anger, Ramattra threw his meditation orb to the side, the loud clink of the metal hitting the wall was enough to stir Mondatta’s other student. Mondatta shook his head, for as long as he had taught Ramattra, he expected better. The mentor took one last look at the agitated omnic, and then exited the room to leave him to his own emotions.
Zenyatta watched with concern as Ramattra angrily collected his things. He glanced from the omnic to the orb thrown against the wall, he stood up from his meditation mat and began to roll it.
“What are you doing, Zen?” Ramattra hissed. He instantly regretted the tone he used with the omnic, not missing the flash of hurt in Zenyatta’s body language.
“I mean, why are you packing up? You can continue your lesson.”
“Meditation only works when the mind is clear. You’re stressed. My mind is not clear.” Zenyatta finished rolling his mat and strolled over to the agitated omnic.
Ramattra knelt in front of his mat, he was going to roll it up and head out of the meditation center but he was lost in his actions. A hand rested on his shoulder, he dipped his head and took several seconds to calm himself. The hand rubbed along his shoulder blades, the tension seeping out of Ramattra by the second.
“I’m gonna leave Shambali, Zen. I’m gonna go far. I’m gonna do great things.” He looked to the sky, imagining the view from the opposite side of the world. A world without humans.
Just the thought made the ravager excited. He knew it was possible if he just found a way to rid the world of the pathetic excuses for life. To make this world his.
“I’m gonna bring peace to this world, to us.” Ramattra turned around and caught the omnics hands in his own.
“You and me, Zen. In a world without prejudice for how we look. Someplace safe.”
The omnic seemed slightly uncomfortable with the confessions Ramattra had made. It seemed… drastic.
“Are you sure this is the way, Ramattra? You’ll do this… peacefully right? As Mondatta has taught us?” Zenyatta asked with hesitancy. He didn’t want to put down his friend’s dreams but it was overwhelming. The thought of his friend causing ruckus and chaos in the world didn’t sit well with the omnic.
The ravager stopped in his tracks. He had gotten too into his dream, he revealed too much. He paused and considered his next action, would he betray Zenyatta’s trust like this? He glanced to the side at the tossed-aside orb.
“Of course, Zenyatta. It’ll be peaceful.”
The hope that returned to the omnic caused a pang in Ramattra’s metallic heart. He felt as if he had stabbed himself in the metal heart, knowing how he would be going against all of Zenyatta’s wishes. He decided to drive that blade in further.
“I promise.”
He squeezed his hands, remembering a night not too long ago when he had held the omnic in his arms. He glanced around the room, there were no witnesses and he knew it wouldn’t be long before he could never come back.
Ramattra gently rested his head against Zenyatta, their foreheads rested against the other as they stared into each other’s optics.
Ramattra sighed, enjoying the pleasant hum of their electronics, the slight buzz of electricity between them was making him dizzy with giddiness. It felt sweet and pleasant. He leaned closer, pressing his mask against the cool metal of his partner’s face.
It was overwhelming in the best of ways, to be so close to this omnic and be holding such an intimate touch. His hand moved to caress the side of his partner’s face, gently cradling his head. Zenyatta melted into the touch, willing to give his faith and everything he had to the Ravager, everything.
Ramattra pulled back, wishing he could give the world to Zenyatta. He looked at the monk with all the adoration in the universe, his hand lingering as his thumb softly brushed the metal. He had hope, a dream of the future, and Zenyatta was with him in every vision.
“I promise, Zenyatta.”
I promise I’ll make the world safe for us. At any cost.