☮ 050; [voice/video] dated to saturday morning

[vulpesvivus]

[It had been a week since anyone heard this voice. Longer still since it was broadcast over the network.]

[For Hal Emmerich, it had been five years since he awoke from a dream calling itself Johto. Five long years of wandering as fugitives against the world, of unkind truths and harsh realities. Failed missions, broken hearts, and at last a hard-won victory at the end of it all. The Patriots' AIs were eliminated thanks in no small part to Naomi, and for the first time since 2005, Otacon felt that everything might just truly work out alright. But first there was Snake to worry about--he'd last been seen from the air, fighting Liquid Ocelot on top of Outer Haven.]

[And the very next second, Otacon was waking up in a room he only vaguely recognized. His voice was the only thing heard at first, sounding as if the Pokegear was a short distance away.]

Where--...? Oh, no. That's not good. I'm piloting a helicopter and I'm dreaming, that can't be a good thing. Wake up, I need to wake up or I'm going to crash right into Haven, it'd really be stupid to die now.

Phaaaa. [The concerned bleating of an Ampharos was much closer to the Gear than Otacon's voice--he was the one that had turned it on, most likely. The silence that followed was almost tangibly stunned.]

A...Asimov...? No way. This--that was just a dream. It still is, because this kind of thing doesn't just happen! Think of how many laws of physics a place like this would break, it's...it's not possible. I'm still in the Kasatka. I can't...

[Another pause. There was the shuffling sound of someone taking the Pokegear, and then a familiar yet somewhat older face in an unfamiliar turtleneck and trenchcoat appeared onscreen.]



...This really happened, didn't it? I thought--I thought it was just some dream I had. That I was going crazy or something. But it's too lucid to be anything like that, isn't it?

Is anyone else still here? How long has it been? And does anyone know if this place is even real?

Comments

video.

[miniworth]

[ Miles' face shows up on the screen quickly. He doesn't look any older, Otacon, and you know kids his age--if any significant amount of time had passed, an eleven year old boy would look so different. ]

Mr. Hal?




[ OOC: ]

video.

[vulpesvivus]

[Okay, that was a good sign. For a given value of good 'I haven't actually been missing for five years' was a move in the right direction, at least.]

...Yeah. Yeah, it's still me. [And things were slowly coming back--before, he could only have remembered one or two people he'd met here. because it was all just a dream from years ago, wasn't it? But now that he was back, the memories were clearing themselves up quickly.]




[ooc: asdfghj LOL BEST EVER]

video.

[miniworth]

... I guess you're from the future now, then. [ He isn't sure he's seen such a big time skip yet, though. ]


[ ooc: teehee ]

[video]

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

[If Liquid looks a little haggard-- as though he might have been worrying for a week over the sleep-coma'd body of his boyfriend, perhaps-- it was completely your imagination.]

Hal, where are you right now? When did you leave the hotel?

[video]

[vulpesvivus]

[For a second, he froze up at that voice--'Liquid' had for nine years been the name of their enemy. The name of the enemy he knew Snake had been fighting right up until a few short seconds ago.]

[But...but that wasn't right here, was it? The longer he spent standing there in confusion, Otacon remembered just what had happened in the time he'd spent here. Liquid--this Liquid, as Otacon had known him for a year at least--wasn't his enemy. Not even close.]

I don't...I don't know. He could safely say he didn't know a lot of things.] I...think I'm in the Pokemon Center, but I'm kind of thrown off right now.

...how long was I gone, James?

[video] >> [action]

[boldandresolute.livejournal.com]

You were asleep for about a week. Just... stay where you are. I'll be there in a few minutes.

[He shut the video off. A minute or two later, he was in the doorway of the Pokemon Center.]

[video]

[abstantia.livejournal.com]

Lots of people are still here. Sheesh, you sound kind of stupid. I have no idea if this place is real or anything. I'm tired of being stuck here though!

[video]

[vulpesvivus]

I kind of assumed 'lots of people' still being here was a safe bet. I was worried about a few specific ones.

And I figured if I've really been gone for as long as I think, someone might've figured out some answers by now.

[video]

[abstantia.livejournal.com]

Well, then you should have asked for them by name instead of being so vague about it. Don't you think? No, you don't. Because if you did think, you would have known otherwise.

[ Tch. ]

So you were here before and asked such a dumb question? You're not helping your case here one bit.

[Video]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[When Otacon's voice came through her speakers, it sounded rougher than normal, just a little-- but that was nothing unusual. His father had said he'd been working on something... and when he says the word 'helicopter', Heather's all primed to grin like a clown. Because dude, was he totally building a helicopter?!]

[... But then his face appears on the screen, and the grin dies on Heather's face.]</sub>

... H-Hal?

[Video]

[vulpesvivus]

...hi, Heather.

[He greeted her with a smile of his own--not quite the bright and cheerful kind he so often wore five years ago, but honest and sincere regardless. Whether he thought it was a dream or not, Otacon hadn't completely forgotten her--assumed she was a product of his mind cracking after Emma died, yes, but not forgotten.]

It's...good to see you.

{video}

[used-glare.livejournal.com]

{What - no. No way}

Otacon?!

{video}

[vulpesvivus]

...yeah, it's still me.

video;

[cubalibres.livejournal.com]

It's definitely not a dream, though it sure as hell would make a lot more sense that way. [It takes him a second amidst a bit of grogginess to catch that last part.] "Still here?"

video;

[vulpesvivus]

I've kind of...been here before. About five years ago--or a week, I'm really not sure what to go by right now.

Video

[no-nukes-plz.livejournal.com]

Hal!

[Huey looks exhausted, strained and - confused.

Hal looks so much more like him now. It's almost alarming.]

...Are you alright? You, uh. Look a little different.

Video

[vulpesvivus]

[Much like with Liquid, Otacon hesitated for a second or two before answering--he remembered what had happened here, but it still just seemed so surreal. Remembering the fact that he'd spoke to his father was one thing. Seeing him again was another.]

...I'm okay.

[video]

[combat_butler]

... which laws of physics did it break this time?

[video]

[vulpesvivus]

The one where five years somehow manages to fit into a week.

[Video]

[hallowbethylies.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's real alright. Haven't we met..?

[Video]

[vulpesvivus]

...

[You, he remembers. Isn't it sad, Vincent.]

Doctor Hal Emmerich.

Yeah, Vincent, we've met.

[video]

[tapestodiane]

_{[He'd actually considered the possibility that Otacon was in one of those comas. He picks things up like that - but he hadn't given it much thought after Huey's broadcast. And while he doesn't know Otacon that well, there's a slight smile by means of "welcome back", as he quickly takes in the older appearance.]}

Just about a week. Looks like it's been much longer for you.

[video]

[vulpesvivus]

About five years now.

[He gave a small smile of his own; notably less bright than the usual ones he'd have given a week ago, but a smile nonetheless.]

I never thought about how jarring it is to realize you've only been gone a week when you know it's really been a lot longer. Funny the kind of weird things we just kind of take as normal around here.

[video]

[restardom.livejournal.com]

[ the voice is familiar, and Rise starts to speak up, puzzled-- but then there's his face, and there's an immediate double-take. ]

Hal?! Is that-- are you--

You're old!

[video]

[vulpesvivus]

...I missed you too, Rise.

Thirty-five. Or six, counting the year I was here.