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The first few days of being in the monastery were a bit of an ease on Genji’s spirit. Despite being probably the oddest thing to have ever graced their village, the omnics and humans that lived there didn’t seem to mind their newest guest. In fact, other omnics and even a few children seemed to take a liking to his florescent lights and armor, though Genji respectfully wished that they would not ask further as to where he got them from. They brought up too many painful memories that, for the moment, would be best to forget until he could meditate further.
“One step at a time.” Genji reminded himself.
With that thought in mind, Genji settled back into his room. It was a rather calm breezeway that some would probably find to be too open for their liking, but for a ninja, it was an ample and strategic place to rest. Plus, it was a bit of a distance away from other homes, so at least Genji could be left alone if he wished.
Pulling down the mattress he kept propped against the wall when not in use, Genji set it down on the floor before settling himself down on top of it. Though he used the mattress to keep his rigid frame from ruining the wooden floor, Genji still found a bit of comfort in lying down on something soft. That alone was enough to reaffirm that he was still himself. He knew who he was. It was just a matter of what he had become that made him second guess if he was truly still living.
Determined to try and get some rest before his unending thoughts kept him awake for hours, Genji forced himself to close his eyes. He could practically hear his cybernetics adjusting to his slowed heart rate as he drifted off.
All too soon, Genji roused himself from his sleep to the sounds of children outside squealing with what he could make out as pure delight. It wasn’t uncommon for them to swarm around one of the more popular monks from the monastery, but most of them would be in the sanctum this early in the morning. Did something else happen?
Bringing himself to sit up, Genji looked toward the open door leading to the edge of the mountain. He could see soft white flakes fluttering down from the sky. Some of them rushing into the room as the breeze carried them through the breezeway. No wonder the children were so happy. It was snowing.
After putting the mattress back up where it was before, Genji headed out the main entrance to his room to see that the snow was already beginning to cover the village. Along with the children, even some recently arrived omnics who probably had never experienced this sort of phenomenon were holding out their hands to catch some of the falling snowflakes. Even Genji found himself doing the same, noting how compared to how the flakes melted in his hand when he was human, the flakes now merely stuck to the metal on his hand. It was a bit of a solemn reminder of what he was, and how he could never truly be what he was before.
With a rather long sigh, Genji tried to shake himself from these thoughts. He wouldn’t earn any benefit of feeling upset at himself for this. Lingering on such negative thoughts, especially this early in the morning, would just sour his whole day. In order to distract himself, which wasn’t too difficult given how the snow nearly rendered him snowbound before, Genji headed into the monastery’s sanctum to greet the Shambali monks.
Quite a few of the monks were already wandering around the grounds preparing for the morning meditation. Genji greeted them as he passed, earning a small nod in response from them as he wandered. Perhaps he would join in on today’s meditation with everyone else. He needed something to clear his mind from the negative recurring thoughts he kept having since he arrived.
It’d really been a shame that Genji couldn’t have met Master Mondatta now that he noticed these monks moving rather solemnly throughout the sanctum. The assassination of such a charismatic leader was a harsh blow on the Shambali that clearly would need an indefinite amount of time to heal. Zenyatta, one of the monks Genji had come to know, had spent quite a bit of time meditating in front of the memorial set aside for Master Mondatta. Genji reasoned they most likely had some sort of argument or unfinished conversation before they left if his death affected Zenyatta so deeply.
Oddly enough, even as Genji seemed to tread through almost the entire sanctum, it was close to the morning meditation and yet he still hadn’t seen a sign of Zenyatta. For a monk, he was known as a bit of an upstart, but even he wouldn’t simply skip meditation without a reason. Genji even resorted to checking the rooms near the shrine to see if Zenyatta was still recharging but to no avail. Even the place he usually meditated in front of Master Mondatta’s memorial was empty. Perhaps he headed into the village and he passed him without knowing? It was worth investigating, seeing as there was still time.
Heading back into the village, Genji could hardly believe what was happening.
Safe to say he found Zenyatta, but he was enjoying himself in a snowball fight with the village children and it was clear that the monk was taking no prisoners. Omnic children seemed to squeak as their circuits were hit with snowballs, while human children were laughing and squealing in response to falling into pits of snow. They were trying their best to pelt Zenyatta, but the monk was adept at maneuvering himself out of the way while leaving ample time for taunts against the children. Not to mention, he was hovering with a mound of snow in his lap so he could make snowballs even faster.
As Genji headed over to talk to the monk, some of the children yelled to pause the game because of “adult interference,” causing Zenyatta to turn and notice the cyborg heading into their little battlefield.
“I don’t think I need to remind you that the morning meditation will be beginning shortly.” Genji said, almost as if he was scolding one of the children and not a Shambali monk. Zenyatta merely kept a hold of the snowball he still had in his hand and acknowledged Genji.
“I am aware. I felt that given the current weather, perhaps a snow day is in order.” He countered.
If only Zenyatta could see his raised eyebrow through his visor.
“A snow day? You do realize there is snow here almost all the time Zenyatta.”
“Perhaps, but this has been the first satisfying snowfall in a while, as well as the first snowfall that you’ve gotten to share with all of us here, Genji."
Now that Zenyatta mentioned it, Genji tried to think back if it snowed since he got to the monastery, but it indeed was clear every day save for today. What was even more noteworthy was the fact that Zenyatta had bothered to remember something like that.
“I suppose so.” Genji finally answered, not entirely sure how he should answer.
“Hmm, well maybe we should head into the sanctum. After all, I wouldn’t want Master Daiji wearing himself out by walking over here to scold us.”
That was odd. He hadn’t even heard the older omnic monk’s footsteps. Genji turned around to see if Master Daiji was really heading over towards them, but oddly enough, saw nothing. As his back was turned, Genji felt something hit the back of his head. Said object exploded on contact into a flurry of snow.
Did Zenyatta just…
As if that didn’t confirm his suspicions as to what just happened, he heard a few children giggling from behind him while some gasped in surprise.
“It seems that you are in need of this morning’s meditation more than I do, Genji.” Zenyatta said with an upbeat all-knowing tone as Genji spun around, noticing that the snowball that was in Zenyatta’s hand was gone.
Oh. Was that how he was going to play it?
Genji felt his face soften into a grinning, cheeky expression behind his visor before reaching into the nearby mound of snow to create a few snowballs of his own. The children immediately cheered and ran back to take cover in their forts and prepare their own ammunition while Zenyatta took another mound of snow from his lap and made his own snowball.
“You do realize there is snow here almost all the time, Genji.” Zenyatta said, posing the same accusatory statement back at the cyborg.
Genji found himself chuckling at that before bringing up a snowball in hand, a few more slung in his other arm against his chest.
“I could use a snow day.”