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

Entry tags:

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

[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?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

... Dare I ask what IS the weirdest thing?

Recently or out of everything?

Let's stick to 'Recently', for the sake of simplicity.

[Flatly:] The ghost of a psychokinetic soldier in a gas mask taking over an empty cybernetic combat suit with six arms.

That's about as recent as it gets--that was a few hours ago at best.

... Wellp. You win.

Everybody can go home.

I don't really think about how strange this all seems until after the fact, to tell you the truth.

[He laughed at that--no matter how long it had been, talking to Heather now he felt like it really had only been a week at best.]

_{[That's how you know you've got a lasting friendship.]

[... Of course, for Heather, it HAS only been a week. She's relieved to hear him laugh, though. In her philosophy, if a person can laugh, they'll be all right.]}

Well, you don't have TIME to muse on that stuff much when you're in the thick of things... but anyway.

_{[Sobering up a little, she adds-]}

... So... what about Liquid? ... Here, I mean?

I don't really know. There's no way I can tell him even half of what's happened, but I can't lie to him either.

And it's not like I don't still...I mean, even if it's been this long, all of that still happened last time I was here, and...

[Otacon sighed, trying to put a whole mess of thoughts into a proper sentence.]

...A lot's happened, and I'd be lying if I said nothing's changed. But I can't just...leave. I don't think I ever could.

_{[Heather pauses for a moment, measuring her words.]

[Now she KNOWS what it's like to have an enemy from home show up here... to have to deal with all that baggage. ... But...]}

... He didn't do any of that stuff yet here.

He's ... He's had US.

He's different from the one where you come from now. Just 'cause he's had a family and people who love him. Even if it's just been a year, that changes things. Right?

I know that. I know that better than anyone, and...I remember telling Snake almost that same exact thing here ages ago. The Liquid Snake we know hasn't even been to Shadow Moses yet. He hasn't been through anything involving Metal Gear or FOXHOUND. I've done everything I can to stop Liquid back home, but...I trust him here. You know I do.

Really, it's...not entirely that I'm worried about, exactly.

[Naomi. No matter what her intentions had truly been or whose side she had been on--neither of which Otacon ever expected to know or sure--he had still loved her. It had only been for a little while, but there was no other word for it. If Liquid found out here...what would he even think? Would he be jealous, think Otacon was an idiot for missing what must have been obvious ulterior motives...or just leave him altogether?]

[Never mind that Otacon was certain now more than ever that he was cursed. Maybe it would have been better if Liquid decided to leave. For his own sake, at least.]

_{[8I; Wellp. It's not Otacon's fault for getting involved with somebody after FIVE YEARS of not having any reason to believe that his relationship had been more than a cracky dream.]

[... Even if he totally should've seen Naomi for the lyin' bitch she was.]}

... Well... no matter what happens...

You've got us again now, okay?

... I wasn't lying about wanting to see you the moment I step into town. Seriously. The moment. Bam.

We can go out for sushi or something.

Edited 2011-09-03 17:14 (UTC)

I'd love that, Heather. We can do that and I can tell you all about the other crazy things that've been going on.

I'll look forward to it.

_{[She's just... relieved that he's in one piece, honestly. An older Otacon is still an Otacon and that's good enough for her.]}

Besides... I haven't even seen you guys in months.

I gotta beat Liquid up for old time's sake!

_{[... Heather, you know full well that's just going to end with you either held at arm's length or tossed over Liquid's shoulder caveman-style.]}

I'd like to see that. It's been way too long since I did anything fun. It's just a shame Sunny didn't come with me this time--you'd probably really like her.

... Sunny?

You mean Snake's bird?

_{[Yep, that's the only thing she knows is named Sunny. ... Little does she know, she'll be meeting Sunny again soon, under sad circumstances.]}

Not exactly. Though I'm pretty sure he named it after her.

Oh! So... who is she?

_{[She doesn't remember anyone mentioning her before... so he must have met her in the five years that had passed.]}

She's this really sweet girl we've been taking care of for the past couple years--I guess you could say we kind of adopted her.

_{[... That brings a smile to Heather's face. She always likes to hear about kids in need getting adopted-- and she can't think of many better guys than Otacon to do that.]}

Aw...

I bet I would've liked her, yeah.

You definitely would've. She's nearly as good with computers and robotics as I am, and she's really adorable too.

How old is she?

_{[She's of course picturing a little kid, since she can't quite picture Otacon adopting a teen.]}

She's six. [The world's most socially awkward nerd is raising an even more socially awkward six-year-old, Heather. Be afraid.]

_{[... BUT THAT'S SO CUTE.]}

Awww!

_{[Heather might not like babies, but little kids can be cute! ... As long as she's not the one who has to deal with them all the time.]}

...Okay, I can honestly say I never thought I'd hear you of all people make that sound.

Whaaaat?

Just because I'm a badass doesn't mean I can't find stuff cute.

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

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]