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As the night grows later and the sky changes color to an early morning color, Kaaru and Jesse come to the edge of the desert they’ve been traveling for days. Buildings growing nearer as they make it to the edge of the town.
“Mcada, what happened next?” Jesse asks as they dust off and head towards the motel.
“Hmm? In the story?” She asks and he nods. “Well-”
~storytime~
Zenyatta stared at the couple with a face that could only be guessed as in shock, Mccree having a determined face as he held Hanzo’s hand.
“You want me to- what?” Zenyatta asks, rubbing the bridge of his non-existent nose.
“Marry us. You’ve done it before for Reaper and Soldier.” Mccree says.
“No, I helped them renew their vows. Very different.” Zenyatta corrects the cowboy.
“Can you or can’t you marry us?” Hanzo rolls his eyes.
“I can but you need at least one witness to have it be official. Preferably a family member or close friend.” Zenyatta sighs.
“No problem. Genji is waiting in the mess hall with Reaper and Soldier.” Mccree says and Zenyatta nods.
“Lead the way.” He says, acting exhausted.
The ceremony, while short and small, was probably the most magical thing the girl had ever spied on from the vents of the base, remembering the video her Oiijia showed her when she was little of her parent’s wedding. She never imagined one of her missions would allow her to actually watch it. Even if she had to put it in an essay.
She sneaks away and back to her room where her Otōsan is looking through her holo-photo album.
“Any good memories to tell a story about?” She asks and he smiles.
“There are so many and yet so few left to tell you about.” He says and she giggles.
“What about today?” She asks and he looks at her.
“Today?” He asks, not catching on.
“Your wedding day.” She nods laying her head in his lap.
He chuckles softly, starting to braid her hair.
“But I have told you that story before. Wouldn’t you like a new story, my cherry blossom?” He asks as she looks up at him.
“No. It’s my favorite story you and Papa have told me.” She says, her galaxy hair shifting slightly as it’s braided.
“Well, it was early in the morning on a Thursday, I remember it well for the chilly breeze outside on my morning walk. It was the second to last day of December and Mccree had been talking about our wedding for months. He imagined a big wedding with lots of people and food. But we decided to get married right then and there. We had some problems in the beginning of our relationship so we were off and on a lot. We-” He began but his daughter was impatient.
“Skip to the good part.” She giggles, sitting up.
“Okay cherry blossom.” He chuckles before pulling her into his lap. “My brother and your grandparents were there, taking pictures and Genji was recording as your Papa and I exchanged vows and promised ourselves to each other. Zenyatta, being a monk, forged our marriage bonds and pronounced us man and husband.” He says as he pets her hair.
She smiled gently, remembering the scene from the vents.
“I love that story. It’s happy.” She says and he nods.
“And it’s even better when we get you, my sweet cherry blossom.” He smiles.
~reality~
Jesse hums as Karru opens up the motel room they got.
“So, she got to see her parent’s wedding?” He asks and Karru nods.
“It was a good day for her.” She says before making Jesse go to bed for the night. “More tomorrow okay?” She says and he nods.
“Night Ms. Mcada.” He spoke softly before passing out.
“Night Pa.” She whispers to herself as she looks out the window into the starry night that her hair swirled to match the stars she was seeing.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7
Kaaru woke up at the buttcrack of dusk to Jesse poking her as he held a canteen out to her.
“W-Wha are ya doin up? We still got ah hour before night.” She groans, sitting up.
“Might as well get up now and get ready to move.” He shrugs.
She sighs and nods, getting up and taking a drink of water.
“So what happens next in the story?” He asks and she chuckles.
“Okay. You hear the last bit I said?” She asks and he nods. “Alrighty, let’s see…”
~storytime~
The girl hugs young Hanzo before having to push him off.
“Okay, a girl needs to breathe.” She chuckles lightly.
“Not when that disgusting riffraff is near. We must go now, my future child.” He says and presents Hanzo groans as young Mccree looks devastated.
“I’m his future kid too. And it ain’t like ya can just up and leave a hospital bed.” She says.
“What did you put in my drink you disgusting cowboy?!” Young Hanzo barks at young Mccree.
“Nothin’! I swear!” He cowers as the girl gets between them.
“Boys! I will personally castrate both of you if you don’t calm down.” She barks at them and they both cower away.
She sighs and rubs her temples.
“How did I end up babysitting?” She asks as the young and present versions of her parents start to talk, figuring out when and where the younger ones are from.
The sound of a guitar playing draws her attention to a supply closet.
She goes over slowly, a golden glow coming from under the door. She opens it slowly and pokes her head in, curious who was in there.
Inside was a man with long white hair tuning a guitar with two little glowing dragons and a small light bulb.
She gasps and hugs him tightly.
“Otōsan! What are you doing here?!” She says, smiling widely at the Hanzo she grew up with.
“Kaaru, my child.” He smiles and hugs her back. “I know I am not supposed to be here but I wanted to check up on how your mission was going.” He says, leaving the closet with a smile.
“Are you sure it’s not because you and Pa grounded me?” She asks as she’s leading him out.
“Yes my child. Quite positive it is not that.” He laughs as they leave.
Present Hanzo and Mccree soon found their past selves too annoying and cringey to handle so they went to their room and laid down, mentally exhausted already and it wasn’t even 8 am.
“Han, I’ve been thinkin.” Mccree says as he holds his tired archer in his arms.
“That’s dangerous.” Hanzo snickers, looking up at him attentively.
“And here I was, about ta say we should get Zenyatta ta marry us taday.” Mccree says with a pout.
“I wasn’t being serious, my silly cowboy.” Hanzo chuckles, pecking Mccree’s lips. “Though, I am not opposed to the idea of getting married today. But, should we?” He asks and Mccree looks at him.
“I say yes. I want ya ta be my husband taday. Predetermined future or not. I’ve been fightin ya on it for years. I want it to finally happen.” He says and Hanzo smiles.
“Alright Cowboy, we’ll get married today.” Hanzo says, kissing him softly.
~reality~
“That was mushy.” Jesse laughs and Kaaru nods.
“That my parents are.” She says, looking off into the distance.
“What?” Jesse asks.
“What?” Kaaru asks, covering her tracks.
Jesse shrugs it off and Kaaru smiles as they walk the night desert.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6
Come nightfall in the desert, Kaaru is loading her gun as she smokes a cigarette, a serape draped around her shoulders that she bought, the pattern and color much like her father's except brand new and untorn. Jesse snores next to her, still fast asleep.
She's ready to kick him.
"Jesse, get your ass up." She says, flicking his nose.
He groans and turns over.
"I said, get up." She says, rolling him into the still hot sand.
He jumps up and pouts at her, rubbing the hot sand off his singed arm and face.
"We gotta move." She says, getting up and flicking her cigarette into the sand, starting to collect her bags.
“What for? The sand is still hot and when the sand’s hot, the snakes are out.” He says, shivering at the thought of the animal.
She thinks for a minute, looking over the desert.
“My father once taught me somethin about that. He and I had awful fears of snakes when I was little so when he took me on a campin trip out inta the desert, he showed me a snake nest. At nightfall, they all were borrowin inta the sand to keep warm. No snakes bothered us at dusk or all night.” She says. “And they won’t here neither. Them snakes are borrowin in for the night. And if we do happen upon one, I’ll shoot it before you can say “tickle me silly till i’m blue in the face, the checkered flag is mine i’ll win this race”.” She smiles at him and he stares.
“Was that a NASCAR reference?” He asks in disbelief.
“Yeah? What of it?” She asks as they start to walk.
“Nothin’.” He says, looking away from her.
She chuckles.
~storytime~
Mccree looks at the girl in absolute disbelief.
“I’m sorry, what?!” He asks as Hanzo tries to process the information he was just given.
“My birth, I have to write a report on it.” She says. “It’s for the lowlife of an ape that calls himself a scientist.” She adds, letting her anger for Winston seep into the conversation.
“Why do I get the feelin you don’t like him much?” Mccree asks.
“Oh I don’t. He’s a selfish asshole who wanted to and did experiments on me as a child. But only during my lessons with him and after he had me kill-” She suddenly stopped, unable to physically say anymore.
Hanzo looks at her, his attention perked at the last thing she said.
“Finish that sentence.” He says but she shakes her head, mouth shut tight. “I order you to tell us what you were saying!” He shouts.
“I can’t! It’s against the rules! If I do tell you then you’ll remember too much when I leave! Once I disappear, all you remember is my code name and that I once existed but everything else goes away! You won’t remember who I am or what I’m doing here! You won’t even remember the things I’ve already told you! And if I break the rules the entire timeline will be broken! I won’t exist.” She says and Mccree puts a hand on Hanzo’s knee.
“Darlin, we better listen to her.” He says, convinced she’s telling the truth.
“Why are you believing a child? She has no proof of any of this!” Hanzo scowls at him.
“You didn’t believe me when I proposed.” Mccree says with a bland and upset face. “Or Genji when he said he forgave you.” He adds, making Hanzo back down.
“Fine. But I won’t believe her until she gives definitive proof.” He says and she shrugs.
“Would this count?” She asks, two purple dragons in her lap growling at the men, summoned from her adrenaline spike.
She hushes them as they glare at Hanzo the most.
“Shinpaishinaide. Kore wa kakodesu. Sore ga otōsandesu. Kare wa tada konran shite imasu.” She says in hushed Japanese to the dragons. (Don't worry. This is the past. That is Otōsan. He is just confused.)
Hanzo is astonished.
“You have dragon spirits.” He says, shaking his head slightly.
“Yes. They appeared two months ago on my first mission.” She says.
“How are you born?” Mccree asks.
“I don’t know. You’ve never talked about it.” She shrugs.
~reality~
“She has dragons?” Jesse asks.
Karru nods.
“Yes. But that’s not even the best part.” She smirks. “But that’s enough for now. I’ll tell you more in a few hours.” She adds, putting her serape on him as he shivers. “Keep ahold ah that for me.” She smiles.
Part 1 Part2 Part3 Part4
Kaaru and the boy are walking through the desert, their car broken down and their destination 15 miles away.
“Where are we going Mcada?” He asks and she hums.
“Well, We’re tryin ta get to Arazonia, which is 15 miles north. Across this desert unfortunately.” She says and he cringes.
“Can I hear more of the story as we walk?” He asks and she smiles a bit.
“Sure thing Jesse.” She says.
~storytime~
Mccree and Hanzo stare at the girl in front of them. They can’t believe their ears! There was no possible way she was one, telling the truth, and two, even possible if it was true.
“I don’t hear any questions.” She says, looking expectantly at them.
“How?” They ask in sync and she nods.
“Okay, not the best question I’ve been asked by the two of you from any point in time but whatever.” She shrugs. “I have a similar ability to Lena’s blinking. But instead of just going back a few moments, I can go back entire years. I collect intel but because I’m currently grounded by you in 2093 I’m technically supposed to use any of my abilities.” She says as Toby grabs her holo-album.
“Why should we believe you?” Hanzo asks as Mccree tries to process he’ll have a daughter in the future.
“Alright alright, better questions already.” She nods as she opens the album and swipes through photos before bringing up one of Mccree and Hanzo with a little girl in a kiddy pool in the backyard of a little house on the treeline. “This was when I was 4. Genji took the picture.” She says.
“Pictures can be faked.” Hanzo huffed.
“Fair point. Hold on. I have something that might help.” She says, digging into her pocket.
“What are you doing?” Hanzo frowns at her.
“Looking for a note you gave me.” She says.
“What good will a note do you?” Mccree asks.
“It has a bunch of your secrets listed on it.” She says and Hanzo rolls his eyes, taking a drink of his coffee.
It takes her a little while but she finds it and Mccree looks at Hanzo worriedly. He simply rolls his eyes again.
“Mccree can’t dance without stepping all over his partners feet.” She says, making him flush.
“Only Reaper knows that. And he can be bribed.” He says looking away.
“Hanzo can’t swim.” She says and Hanzo chokes on his coffee.
“Y-You could have found that out from Genji.” He says insistently.
“Mccree is a Narcolept. Hanzo an Insomniac.” She says, not looking at the note. "I know that one from experience." She says as Mccree looks at Hanzo, starting to believe her.
"Everyone knows that." Hanzo insists.
"Fine, I'll tell you something you don't even know yet. You're wedding is tomorrow because Mccree is going on a 2 month mission to Siberia to track down talon agents left in that part of the world. And he already knows." She says and Mccree looks at her shocked.
"Only Morrison knows that." He says and Hanzo looks at him.
"Why were you keeping that from me? You promised to be honest with me at the beginning of our relationship." Hanzo hisses.
"He planned to tell you tonight but I beat him to it." She shrugs, suddenly sipping from a tea cup.
"Darlin I didn't know what ta do. I was just tryna figure out the right words ta explain myself." Mccree says, pleading with the fire in Hanzo's eyes.
Hanzo looks to the girl with a deep scowl. She knows it well as the teacup disappears and toby barks at him.
"Why are you here?" He insists from her.
"I'm here to write a report on my birth." She says simply, causing them to go into shock again.
~reality~
Jesse looks at Mcada skeptically.
"Time travel? Now that's impossible." He says, causing her to laugh.
"Maybe right now but this story is based in the future." She says as they stop at a little tree to sit under until dark.
"Then how do you know it?" He asks.
"That's another long story entirely." She laughs. "Go ahead and sleep some kid, we're walking all night." She says and he nods, leaning on the tree.
"Goodnight Mcada." He mumbles and she smiles a bit.
"Night, Jesse." She says softly, keeping watch.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
Kaaru jumps out of a window as the bank alarms go off, the alley boy under one arm and a duffle bag of cash under the other.
“You’ve done it now!” She says, running down the street.
“It was a red button what was I supposed to do?” The boy whines, tears in his eyes as she climbs onto a building and starts to run along the roofs.
“Not touch it!” She yells, frustrated with the boy. “We can’t have the cops on us!” She adds as she slides down a fire escape and uses the alley way to get back to the hotel, the cops far behind them.
“It’s 2057 it’s not like it was labeled “alarm”.” The boy cries as she throws him onto the bed and stuffs the duffle bag in the closet.
She huffs and looks at him. He was young and naive. Not the best combination in this day and age.
“How old are you?” She questions and he looks away from her.
She grabs his arm and yanks him to look at her.
“How. Old. Are. You?” She growls at him and he whimpers, his tearstained face puffy and red.
“I’m seven with no last name, no family, and no education besides the biblical school the nuns sent me to.” He says, being stubborn and ornery.
She huffs and looks him over more, his brown eyes staring back at her with a fire of hatred. She lets go of him and folds her arms. He turns away and sniffs, wiping his face sloppily. She sighs and gets a wash cloth and kneels by him.
“I’m going to wash your face, okay?” She says and he frowns at her. “Now don’t give me that. You want to hear the rest of the story right?” She says and he looks up.
“Promise to be gentle?” He asks and she nods.
~storytime~
“What do you mean it had our insignia?” Genji says, dropping his katana.
“She had carved the sigil into the grip of her gun on one side. I didn’t get a good look at the other side.” Hanzo says.
“I need to get a look at it.” He declares and Mccree grabs his forearm.
“Are you nuts Genji?!” He hisses at him and Genji glares.
“She may be a spy sent to kill us.” He says and Hanzo stands.
“Brother, if you approach her, she might just kill you. I doubt Angela will be able to bring you back again.” He says and Genji nods.
“But we need to see that gun.” Genji states.
“No. What you need is someone gullable and stupid.” Mccree says, looking to Junkrat.
“The australian trash man?” Hanzo asks, folding his arms with a brow quirked.
“He ain’t trash. Just misguided and willin’ to do absolutely anythin’ for a good wad of cash.” Mccree says.
“I question your intel Mccree, but I am willing to try it to get that gun.” Hanzo says before the gun is slid to them from where K-M-S-M sits, her eyes open but half lidded with exhaustion.
“Save your money. I’d rather commit seppuku than let him touch me. Or my father’s gun. He handmade it for me and carved my family insignias into it. As well as my real name into the bottom of the mag. Taught me how to shoot. If you want your answers, you look at it and ask me questions. I’ll tell you the answers when we’re back at the base.” She says, shifting. “I’m not supposed to even be here.” She mumbles and Hanzo looks at her.
“Are you in trouble, child?” He asks and she looks away, petting her dog.
“. . . You’ll get your answers at the base.” She says as Toby pants and licks her hand.
Genji gasps, looking at the gun on the ground, the shimada insignia staring up at him. He picks it up and looks at the gun, tracing the carving. Mccree looks at it too.
“It looks like my handy work.” He says, confused and Genji rolls his eyes.
“That’s not possible. Unless you’ve been hiding a daughter from us.” Genji says and Mccree shoves him, taking the gun and pulling out a little piece of wood he was carving on the flight to the mission. “Holy shit. They’re identical.” Genji says as he looks between the two carvings of the insignia.
Mccree turns the gun over in his hand and nearly chokes, staring down at his own deadeye symbol carved into the other side.
“Shimadas! Mccree! Sit your asses down! We’ll be landing soon!” Soldier 76 yells to them, making them sit down and buckle up.
“This don’t make a lick ah sense. She’s got my symbol on here too!” Mccree says.
“She’s not telling us something.” Hanzo says.
When they land K-M-S-M is the first off and the last to enter the lobby with changed clothes and washed hair, the galaxy static as Toby curls up in her lap. Mccree stares at her, confused and upset he hasn’t gotten answers yet. Hanzo brings in cups of coffee.
“She’s upset.” Hanzo says, handing his boyfriend his black coffee.
“No shit. But so am I and I’m gettin’ some goddamn answers.” Mccree says, setting his coffee down; he sat himself down next to her and glares. “I want answers you tye dyed haired bitch.” He says and she sighs.
“What is my name?” She asks and he looks at her.
“What?” He spits at her like poison.
“Read the bottom of the mag aloud. Then I will answer whatever questions you have.” She says and he looks at the bottom of it.
“ ‘Belongs to Karru Mizuki Shimada-Mccree’.” He reads and Hanzo chokes on his coffee as they both look at her. “Who the hell are you?” Jesse says and she looks at them with a blank face.
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m your daughter.” She says and they back away from her.
~reality~
The boy gasps as Kaaru tucks him into bed.
“Yeah?” She laughs. “Well that’s enough for today. Good night kid.” She smiles.
“Jesse.” The boy says. “My name is Jesse.” He says and she smiles.
“Goodnight Jesse.” She says and turns off the light before going to sleep on the couch.
Part 1 Part 2