p o i n t -- impress. overwatch

Scissors and lemon juice, hair in the sink.

("Reyna?"
"A moment, Mom!")

Part of her knew Reyna had never died, even all this time later, but she had done plenty in her recent years to see it through, especially after she was drafted. Reyna was known for the pixie blonde hair— hmph.

"It looks so good! Let me fix the back."

Her hair was a warmth, a memory of a life she would never again live, and they had their rules and regulations, codes that could not be broken, but what of moral code?

Reyna, now Mercy, who was supposed to be different, but was not, looked in the mirror, her dark roots noticeable even in the predawn light, the start of curls near the ends. It was growing out.

She held the scissors in her hands. Damn, she thought, She can't fix the back for me, can she? Certainly, Mercy could have tried to make it to her. She had before, carrying a dress she had knitted for her mother and smiling against the butterflies in her stomach that warned her not to. Not to worry, though: they found her before she even got within five blocks of her old house.

"Mercy, you can't—"
"I can't see them. I'm sorry; I know. I just got..."

Silence. Yeah, there had been plenty of that.

"I need to hear you say it."

Deep breath in. Tell them the truth. Tell them you're too weak to defy them, that you can see the reasons behind their logic and tell them that even though it kills you, you won't try to do this again, she thought.

"It won't happen again."

She was out of lemons. Of course she was.

She wiped a stray tear off using the over sized burgundy sweater she wore. Not one of hers. Comfortable though. She liked the tiny little black cherries on it. Plus, matched with one of her signature black pleated skirts, it was a look.

She clipped her bangs back with a barrette.

"Fine then," she said to her reflection.

She made herself some cocoa, retired to the surface of the built-in vanity of her appointed apartment. Nothing like the one her father had built, but the table was porcelain and sturdy enough to support her full weight. Lately, she actually preferred it to the lumpy purple couch in her sitting area. She pulled her knees to her chest, staring at her reflection.

Maybe she was becoming Mercy, after all.

Knock on the door— they probably hoped they had woken her.

They didn't give her time to answer before using their key to let themselves in.

"Didn't you get the note?" she heard.
"Yes, I did. Must have lost track of time."
"Duty calls."
"Of course," she replied, rinsing her mug out and sitting it on a towel with her other dishes.

Transit with tired people made her feel tired as well. They really should have gone to bed earlier. A good amount of rest was necessary for a healthy growth.

Doe eyes on their eyes, which were practically swollen shut from fatigue. She leaned back. "Jesus, McCree." Hand on his face, tilting him toward the light. Black eye.

"Don't tell me. I don't want to scold anyone before daylight breaks." After rummaging around in her tote bag, she pulled out a fair-sized white case made of hard plastic. With a click, the front tab opened, and she pulled out a tube of ointment.

"Not much to be done. Bruises mean healing, anyway. This'll numb it a bit, though, take away the soreness for a couple of hours." Before he could object or blow smoke in her face, she squirted some onto a cotton swab and applied it to the blackest part, where the side of his nose stopped being the side of his nose but hadn't quite started to be his eye yet.

"Keep your fists up next time." She patted him on the lap, then returned to her seat. Helping people. That was a Reyna thing, wasn't it? But, hell, it was the reason Mercy had been the first recruit on the entire team. And lord knew they wouldn't let her forget it. The name in itself— well, actually, she kind of liked the name, but still. It said everything a person could care to know about who she was, who she used to be, and who she could ever hope to be, didn't it?

If it wasn't the stupidest idea she ever had, she might have asked Jessie for a cigarette. Her eyes fell to the handcuff scars on her wrists. Second worst idea. Then they fell to the bars on the windows, and someone snored near the back of the bus.

Third worst idea.

"I'd like to welcome, Miss Alejandra De La Fuente, our final overwatch trainee." Be polite, Mercy. She smiled at the girl. Poor thing. Maybe she would offer to share her seat, since so many of the others were slow at making friends. They weren't bad people. The bad ones stayed in the detention center. These were good people: Friends.

Except maybe Widowmaker.

"And a test. Exciting, correct?" And predictible, she started to add. She didn't. That was a mean thought; maybe she was more tired than she realized. Reinhardt would've just squinted at her anyway. He was like the others in that way, tough to understand. But she liked him all the same.

"Timed. Two hours," he continued, before Jessie interrupted with a breath of smoke. Honestly, how disgusting. Why the hell had she ever wanted to kiss him, again? "Then why'd we wake up so damn early?" Oh, right, it was the accent, probably. Or the eyes. Still, he was a good friend.

Whatever.

"The sunrise is beautiful!" Reinhardt said. Most people flinched at the level of volume. "Inside voices," she called. He could lead all he wanted. There was no need for him to upset a bus full of sleepy teenagers.

"God help him, Millford." he replied, handing her a tracking devise. The windows were beginning to show her more green than gray. She liked the idea of nature today. A warm smile. Her scalp itched to remind her why she needed a break from the chemical smell of the faucet water in her apartment, the static that sounded in the back of her television no matter how much she adjusted the antenna, the fact that her television had an antenna.

"We're playing flags," Reinhardt called. Much more quiet this time. Mercy smirked with satisfaction.

"Each of you have a tracker. Your goal? Protect it, and be one of the last ones standing by eight a.m." Easy enough.

"But oh ho ho,"

She frowned. Nothing good could have possibly followed such a fake laugh.

"In teams! Winner gets a reward, losers get punished.—" He was so intense. Punishment probably meant no second helpings of the sandwiches they would probably bring the recruits later on, but if Mercy had learned anything about Reinhardt, it was that he had a flare for the dramatic, even though he tried very much so to hide it. Maybe she should have knitted him a sweater.

"Satya, Oxford, Mercy, Hanzo. Team leaders. In that order." Mercy shook her head, unsure if she had heard him correctly. Her, a team leader? When there were people like Widowmaker and D.va who weren't called. Okay, so, options. Logical explanations. Maybe the leaders were randomized. Maybe she had been doing really good in training.

Oh no.

Maybe she had been doing really bad in training.

"Each of you pick one person to join your team, that person chooses your third. Oh, and when some one alerts your tracker," his gaze passed between Hanzo and Genji, "I'll pick your ass back from the forest. Easy enough?" No answer from Mercy. She wasn't the flight risk in this situation. "Good!" he said, getting loud again.

Whatever. Some people just didn't listen.

Symmetra chose Genji. Good choice, she guessed. Seemed pretty good at what he did. Sweet boy, really. Mercy flashed him a quick smile.

It was when Tracer chose Widowmaker that Mercy couldn't stop herself from clutching her chest. Of all the people on this bus, she had chosen the one most likely to slit her throat. Once this thing started, Mercy made a promise to herself to make sure Tracer didn't have a fever.

All eyes on her, and she was asked to make a choice. Davina. She needs a friend. No, would that be patronizing? Perhaps the new girl? She seemed capable enough. But what if she wasn't? If her team lost, it would have just confirmed what everyone already expected: Mercy was a bad leader.

Deep inhale.

In her best mock southern outskirt accent, she said: "Why, I choose Jessie McCree, o' course." Dan Johnwayne couldn't have said it better himself.

She waved at Jessie for confirmation. He had trouble opening up; she had always known the wall around his heart hadn't been built in a day. Years of let downs and broken trust added brick by disappointed brick to his armor, and it might have taken just as long to take it back down.

But he was a good shot, and they trusted each other.

She turned back so that she was facing the front of the bus again. One of her stockings had fallen, and she pulled it back up past her knee. Deep breath in, deep breath out.

This was a game. It didn't matter that much, right?

She met eyes with Reinhardt, and that ever-present intensity had come to stay. Nothing like a good slap in the face when a person thought they were doing things the right way.

Another deep breath.

She looked back at Jessie.

"Try, please," she mouthed.

"For me."

The alarm blares in his ear with a shrill that sends him into a whiny fit as he groans out loud.

Six am was too fucking early to get up.

He was going to kill Rein when he saw him. All he could do was turn off the alarm and ignore the message to the device that Genji rather hated. Moving slowly, he stretches as the morning air chills him. He almost dares to lay back into bed again, but Hanzo would kill him if he was late to whatever Rein had planned. Though, Hanzo would kill him for anything really, no matter the reason. A small chuckle leaves his throat as he gets dressed in the clothes they were supposed to wear.

A glance to the message again as Rein says no smoking. Genji gets an idea and heads out of his room as fast as he can. There's still time to do something as he knew where Rein was. He's got a jump in his step as he forgets about the tiredness that still lies underneath his skin. The door's locked when he gets there, but he doesn't care as he just picks the lock and whistles into the office.

Plopping into the chair that usually held Rein, Genji giggles to himself as how badass he is. The cigarette comes out of his pocket as he lights it with the lighter that he keeps on him. He puffs smoke across the desk with a deep inhale and exhale. A sigh of relief as the cigarette calms him from the annoyance that was waking up at too fucking early. He's about to try and rummage through Rein's stuff, but instead decides to put out his lighter on the desk. Kicking his feet up, he leans back into the chair as he speaks to himself in a mock Rein voice.

"Oh Genji, you're the best student I've ever had."

He speaks to himself in his own voice now.

"Why thank you, Rein."

The mock Rein voice comes from his throat again as he gets up again and slinks out of the room.

"You better get going, Genji before everyone misses you too much."

A chuckle echoes in the hallway as the rest of the morning slips away.

---

"Good Morning!"

Genji just groans without caring what anyone else thought. The smile on Rein's face doesn't falter and only seems to grow as time passes. It must be his kink to torture them all by making them wake up at six fucking am to do whatever it is they were going to do. He still couldn't remember what they were supposed to be doing. Only that is gonna be a long fucking day with everyone.

Maybe he'd find a way to enjoy it as sends a sly smile to Zoe.

"I'd like to welcome, Miss Alejandra De La Fuente, our final overwatch trainee."

Who?

Eyes catch sight of the new girl and Genji can already feel like she's gonna be major competition in whatever they were going to do. He tries to study her, but eventually quits because he shouldn't care. It wasn't like she was going to try and kill him in his sleep, though that'd certainly make his life more interesting than it already is. A secret killer sent to take out the younger Shimada brother.

Then he pauses for a second in his head.

Oh wait, Hanzo was that killer.

"And, a test."

The day couldn't get any better, could it?

As much as Genji loves proving that he's the greatest, tests were not something he would prefer to do. He ignores Rein, until he hands him a tracker that he was supposed to protect, according to Rein who was explaining the rules to them all. Eyes glance towards everyone as Genji knew he could take most of them on. Only a few that would prove to be hard to beat, but then Rein said the words that ended his thoughts.

"in teams!"

Fuck me.

It was not his lucky day. As much as Genji got along with others, working in teams was NOT what he did. Shimadas worked alone with no one else. They fought for honor and proved themselves capable of handling the situation on their own. He wasn't going to get stuck dragging his team through the mud on his own to keep them in the test. He could just fail by choice. It was always an option and it'd be great to see the look on Rein's face if he just gave his tracker to Hanzo.

"Satya, Oxford, Mercy, Hanzo."

The team leaders were picked. Genji can feel his hair standing on edge. His hand goes to his hair as he grumbles under his breath as he knew none of them would have picked him. He can remember some of their answers at the greeting thing. He ignores the rest of Rein's talk and is tempted to ignore the rest of the conversation altogether. Symmetra would pick first. Someone that she could work with that had order. Genji assumed that she'd pick someone who was more like her. Widowmaker was probably her choice.

Genji would have picked Widowmaker.

She was scary and could probably kick his ass and Hanzo's ass.

What he would give to see that happen.

"Genji."

His eyes go wide as he stares at Satya. Him of all people to be working with her. He looks behind him for a second like she had just called someone else, but her eyes were on him. He speaks up right away like there had been a mistake. First picked was not what he was expecting at all. Sure, he was probably the greatest fighter there besides Hanzo and Widowmaker, but why him? Of all the people, why him?

As he walks over to stand near Satya, he speaks.

"You sure you want me?"

There's a smile that pulls on his lips as he looks to her and then he speaks again.

"I'm flattered. I can show my appreciation later."

There's a wink and smirk, but he can already feel the moment Satya would roll her eyes at him.

She'd regret picking him, but now that he had a team. The thoughts were already pounding through his head. They needed a team with order that would please Miss Symmetra. He had to think of who would keep order. Other team leaders begin to call their picks.

Widowmaker. Not much of a surprise that Oxton picked her. Jessie. From what he could recall, they had a past or something. He didn't listen to Jessie all the time when he talked. You learn to tune him out at times, except when he talks about messing with people. Genji was definitely into that whole thing. Hanzo's turn and he says exactly what Genji expected him to.

"Respectfully, sir, I'd really just prefer working alone,"

Genji just smiles at his brother, even if they didn't exactly get along. They were still brothers. He'd kick Hanzo's ass any day, except for the day that they got arrested. That day no one kicked anyone's ass. A sigh escapes his lips as his brother picks Ana, who definitely wasn't a bad choice at all.

Now it was his turn to pick, even though he still had no idea who to pick. Eyes scan the crowd as he think who Satya would want. She'd probably want someone to keep him in check. Someone to keep him from going off on his own to try and beat the other teams on his own. Order. It's a word that he knew, but the most order Genji has ever had was when his father was alive. That felt like a century ago.

Eyes scan the rest of them as he thought between his options.

He wasn't going to pick the new girl as he didn't know anything about her, plus she deserved to be picked last. She was new. That's what happened to new people. Davina was too much most of the time from what he had seen of her. Too obnoxious with her new age tone. A shrug as he looks at Mei. That only left one person left and he definitely had been trying to avoid his eye contact for a second to make him nervous. If anyone were to keep him in line, it'd be Zoe. A smile upon his lips as he looks to Zoe with a wink.

"I'm gonna pick Zoe, c'mon dude."

Satya. Genji. Zoe.

This could work.

W A N T E D dead or alive -- 

Ooh boy, really? Didn't think much of myself to be worth a bounty. I've been doin' a lot of thinkin' recently, between workin' with deadlock and talon again and Reinhardt and- they're still lookin' for me. That can't be all too good. Been takin' my time off, relaxin' from all the gun buildin' and shootin' and really just enjoying, y'know? We aren't allowed all too far anyways, just a spittin' reach and far enough to stretch our legs, but I've been tryin' to hunt down deadlock. Bastards like those don't die, Lachie's out there somewhere probably- kid could survive a bombing. 

Reyes's is out there, so I gotta keep lookin'. 

But Reinhardt gets suspicious and I understand that, whole bunch of criminals but I'm just one boy out here trynna hunt down a pistol, no harm intended. Been keepin' myself up smoking on patios, stayin' up with Mercy and chit chattin' -- not much has changed since prison. 'Cept for the liquor and the smokin'. I'm open-minded, I reckon I can accept that change. I'm thinkin' I need to start talkin' to her more, as much a vigilante I can be she's still more rational. If gunpowder could win the west, deadlock'd have a bullet with my name on it; my cocky ass is still kickin'! Could've fermented my own piss by now, parts of me still miss those red sand dunes. Shootin' and drinkin', blood rushes and bullet wounds, only ever had two. 

Guess overwatch got me for a reason, huh? Prison fights and training dummies just don't react the same, no gun fittin' this hand quite like peacekeeper but she's buried too far out. They're practically killin' me in here, no bar fights, smokin' restrictions. Got a black eye for starin' a little too long at a certain Shimada, but what else is there to do around here? Baby Davina gets some capitol presents but I'm sittin' around here, watchin' tail and waitin' for Gabe to shoot me dead- I need a drink. 

"Aghhh, fuck," voice gruff, blue alarm ringin' in my face and I think I might just hate this thing-- pushing it off the cabinet, "not today." Shirtless and sweating, smell of dead cigarettes in my teeth, today. Pitfall in my stomach bitchin' about being bored 'round here, I ain't foreign to runnin' off three hours' sleep but doesn't mean I care for it much. Can't a boy just stay in bed, thinkin' bout his near death experiences? 

And I damn near sleep walk to the group, I don't know how we use to do it. Never sleepin', runnin' around causin' terror under gunshots-- Lacchie, Sombra, Huck and I. Somethin's tell me I shouldn't be the free one here, of the deadlock kids I don't think I deserved to. Ain't none of us dead yet, Sombra ain't dead- "Jesus, McCree,"

"Christ, Mercy-"

Soft fingers, Mercy's palm on my face and it's almost enough to let me forget, "don't tell me." Ain't even surprise her anymore given my fair share of talkin' bout Hanzo's ass, but it's a better topic to think of.  "I don't want to scold anyone before daylight breaks." And somethin' bout Mercy lights my day of enough, kinder soul than she lets on and that's sayin' somethin, grinnin' with the lock of her tote bag, "it ain't even high noon yet?" And I tune out some, somewhere between solitary confinement and thigh space, Mercy lecturin' about first aid and I reach for cigarettes in my back pocket. 

"Keep your fists up next time."

Pattin' my back and I keep on smilin, "put it on my tab, Millford."

---

"Aye, wake up sleepyhead!" 

"fuck-"

Shakin' my ass like vertigo, rubbin' my eye first, drool of my cheek second, Tracer shovin' me awake- ah shit I drooled on my flannel. "Uhh- I'm comin'," Lena still a little too fast for my likin' but oh well, leavin' with Mercy and my eyes trained on the ground. "Think he'd bring us some  mornin' coffee?" Laughing into the morning air, humidity stuck to my skin, trailin' behind- Hanzo looks nice today. That's only sixty three days in a row-

"If you don't want both of your eyes swollen shut, you'll put that thing out, cowboy."

"Reckon if it's a no smokin' zone, you can't stay either partner."

"Good morning!"

Shit, is it necessary to be so loud? Reinhardt echoing in my skull 'n I'm startin' to sound like Mercy, rubbin' my eyes til I feel like I'm about to fall over. If I could ignore his words a lil, I'd try my heart out. "I'd like to welcome Miss Alejandr-" I cut out. All at once, like I slipped straight to fuckin' hell and back and I can't keep my eyes off of her, "fuckin-"

Sombra.

And I find myself speechless, chest achin' like she shot me dead on spot, she fuckin' lived. I ain't focusing, no way no how, nearly damn chokin' on cigarette smoke- can I hug her? It ain't against no one's rules to hug a sister, peacekeepers and cowboys alike- does she know Reyes is here? 

I ain't much for waitin' around- sittin' around pissin' myself with name choosin', Sombra joins the mix, eye brow raised- "it's been a minute," god damn she actually fuckin' lived. "It's been a hell of a minute, Sombra," guessin' we ain't got much time for reunions. Whisperin' to her through grinnin' teeth as we stand in a circle, group leaders starin' and I couldn't care less- this is the girl I won the fuckin' west with. 

"Genji,"

"I pick... Widowmaker."

"Why I choose Jessie McCree, o' course."
 
One, two, three, snake bites- Sombra and Jessie, goddamn sharp shooters of deadlock and we spend two seconds together before Mercy says my name. Hands clasped together, smiling, I smile back, if somebody steals Sombra I swear I'll shoot em, slidin' a cigarette to her and finger gunnin' -- she'll know. Ain't no time for family reunions, we got capture the flag to win. I ain't holdin' my breath. 

Wanted, dead or alive -- ain't it nice to be remembered. Sombra walkin' back in like I saw a goddamn ghost in a three second seance, "try please," Mercy in his good ear. "For me." I'm tryin', when don't I? Readin' her lips as I take my walk over, I'm ready to kick some ass. Starin' down Sombra, "I don't like losin' much, Mercy." And I hold my breath, watchin' Hanzo flustered, Sombra and Mercy, I can't stop smilin' til it's Widow's turn. Good ole Amelie, I ain't even liked shootin' a lady, I can make an exception for her. "I want Sombra."

Don't we all. 

Ah, all in a day's work, I think I might actually shoot Widow one a these days -- "your turn." Mercy and I a two man army, any option to keep it that way? Mei and Davina, aren't they both specialized or somethin'? Ain't no offense in a terrain specialist and a mechanic, ahh- I hate seein' Davina cry, she been whinin' this whole time. 

"Davina, partner."

I'm too tired to focus any harder.