" YUANFEN " genji shimada.

ix | a plan

yuanfen.
act two, chapter nine.
"a plan"

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"WHO ARE YOU BENEATH that mask, Nogitsune?"

Those were the words Genji found himself wondering more often than he'd care to admit, and yet he only had the chance to speak them aloud once. He stared blankly after the Nogitsune, watching as she disappeared into the small cluster of trees that separated them from her base. His eyes remained glued to her retreating figure until she was out of sight, and it was only then that he turned away with a sigh.

Genji couldn't explain the feeling that formed in his chest whenever he was around Vixen. It was an odd sense of familiarity, curiosity, and longing all bundled up into one overwhelming sensation. He hated it, but at the same time, he found himself constantly chasing the high that came along with her presence. He had no idea why he was so desperate to be around someone who nearly killed him (and, admittedly, may even still have the intention of killing him) but there was something about the Nogitsune that made him believe that there was a chance she could be saved.

And if there was a chance, he wanted to take it.

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"Genji?" The sound of Dr. Angela Ziegler's voice echoed through Genji's head, though to him it sounded as though she was miles away. He stood with his back against the wall, arms crossed over his chest while he stared blankly into nothingness. He blinked, surprised, as a hand waved in front of his vision. He turned to look at Dr. Ziegler, who stood beside him and was looking at him curiously. "Are you even listening?"

Genji had heard bits and pieces of the conversation between his teammates- there was mention of moving to a permanent base in Gibraltar, where the gorilla scientist Winston had been stationed for years before he initiated the recall- though he had barely been paying attention to what was being said. Ever since Winston and Angela announced their relocation to Gibraltar, Genji's mind had been elsewhere.

Once again, he found himself worrying for the girl in the fox mask (something that he found to be a rather common occurrence.) Gibraltar was far away; in just a few days, Genji and his teammates would be long gone, and he wasn't sure if he was ever going to see the Nogitsune again.

What surprised him, however, was the disappointment he felt towards the fact.

Dr. Ziegler cleared her throat, and with a start Genji realized that she was still awaiting an answer. He turned to look at her and simply nodded in response. Angela was unconvinced, crossing her arms over her chest and shooting him a disapproving look.

"What were we just talking about then, hm?" She challenged with a glimmer of amusement in her light eyes.

"How grateful you all are for my help recently?" Genji offered with a cheeky grin hidden behind his visor. He had mentioned several times since he helped the former agents in Paris that his reunion with Overwatch was only temporary; he had no idea how long he was going to stay with them, and it wasn't an uncommon occurrence for them to express their gratitude for his help.

"While that is true, yes-" Angela said with a short laugh and a good-humored roll of her eyes. "That is not what we were discussing." She then glanced towards the rest of the team, who were watching on in curiosity, then lowered her voice. "You have been distracted recently, and don't think I haven't noticed you sneaking off. What is on your mind, Genji?"

Genji sighed, once again reminded that no matter hard he tried to remain closed off, Dr. Ziegler always had the ability to read him like a book. It was something that he was often thankful for, though other times he resented her for it. "The Nogitsune... Vixen," he said, not bothering to speak quietly as Angela did. What he was about to say was something he wanted the entire team to hear. "She does not belong with Talon."

"Genji..." Angela reached out to touch his arm, causing him to flinch and pull away from her. Even after so much time, he still wasn't used to the feeling of physical contact. "You said so yourself: she has been with Talon for almost a decade."

"But she is afraid. I can tell," Genji argued. "I think they harm her."

Angela shot him a look of sympathy, lips pursed, though she said nothing more. He bit back his frustration, his cybernetic suit whirring as he let out a deep sigh. He was growing agitated towards his team's reluctance to help, to even care. He then turned to Winston, who had been listening into the conversation intently.

"You say the purpose of Overwatch is to protect those who are in danger, correct?"

The ape nodded. "Yes."

"How is the Nogitsune any different then?" Genji questioned. "She is in danger. It is our duty to protect her."

Winston turned towards Angela, the silent conversation being shared between the pair. Genji prepared himself to argue; with the team relocating to Gibraltar in just a few days, he knew that this was his last chance to save Vixen from the cruel hands of Talon. He had to fight for her.

Much to his relief, Dr. Ziegler nodded towards Winston before turning to face him once more. "What's the plan then, Genji?"

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The death of the woman named Kimiko weighed heavily down upon Vixen's shoulders. She saw her wherever she went- lurking in the shadows of her room at night, behind her eyelids whenever she tried to get some sleep. The dark, lifeless eyes of her victim would burn through her, while her accented voice echoed through her head.

"The Reaper is a coward. You are a coward."

Am I a coward? The thought ran through Vixen's mind countless times, and each time made her feel all the more conflicted. She took the lives of numerous beings; some had their backs turned to her, while others stared her in the eye as she pulled the trigger. She was a killer, there was no doubt about that, but a coward?

Perhaps she was. For eight years, she worked under the Reaper simply because she was too scared to try to fight back. She was scared of the consequences of being caught trying to escape again; she was terrified of what would happen if the Reaper began to question her loyalty again.

I am a coward, she realized with a grimace. The ninja named Genji offered her a way out; after she nearly killed him, he was still willing to help her escape, and yet she walked away. She left him to go back to the horrible man that tortured her and made her kill. As she sat with her back to her door, the timer slowly counting down to zero, she buried her head into her hands as a sob wracked her shoulders. She told Genji to never come back. She had lost her last chance for freedom when she walked away from him, and she couldn't help but fear that she had sealed her own fate by doing so.

The timer above the door hit zero, and a loud buzzer echoed through the room. A moment later, the sign that told Vixen to remove her mask flickered on, illuminating the dimly lit room with a red glow. She reached up, fingers trailing along the edge of her mask, and she was reminded of the way Genji reached out to touch her. Frowning, she pushed the thought away before reaching behind her head to slip the mask off of her face. Before she had the chance to do so, however, she was startled by the sudden sound of a knock against the window. She sprang to her feet, hopeful yet concerned that it was Genji. She opened the window, the cool breeze blowing into the room as she did so, only to find nothing on the other side. She pursed her lips, wondering if it had only just been the wind, though something then caught her eye. It was a tiny slip of paper, shoved into the track of the window and fluttering in the wind. She picked it up and glanced outside one last time, hoping to catch a glimpse of whoever left it. Finding nobody, Vixen unfolded the note and slowly read the messy handwriting scribbled on it.

Open your window tonight. I will be there. Do not forget.

There was Kanji signed at the bottom, and she could only guess what it read. She found herself smiling before she could stop herself, clutching the note tightly in her hands. She shoved it deep inside the pocket of her pants and turned away from the window.

She knew who it was from, and despite her entire being screaming at her to push the feeling away, she was unable to contain the anticipation she felt towards seeing him again.