Hal Emmerich

[It was strangely difficult, getting used to this place again. It wasn't that he didn't like it here, because of course he did. At the same time, he was a little worried--yes, whatever was back home would wait for him. He knew that much from experience. But how was it really going to end? Even in a world without the Patriots' AIs, Snake was still fighting Liqui-...Ocelot. How was that going to end? In the condition Snake was in...but he couldn't just lose, right?]

[Otacon sighed; he could (and probably would) worry about it every day but it wouldn't change anything. He would just have to deal with whatever happened when he got back...whenever that was.]

[But for now? It was quiet in Ecruteak. Peaceful, which was actually a little jarring all things considered. When was the last time he'd been able to just stand outside and admire the scenery? Probably not since the last time he was here, and the difference in time was a whole other confusing mess. Just what was the date here, anyway? Otacon took his Pokegear from his coat pocket to check.]

[...September ninth? Now he was just even more confused. If he counted the year he'd spent in Johto, then today he'd be thirty-seven. That was...kind of weird, but sure. Why the hell not.]

[Video]

There's something I'm a little curious about. We can spend years here and go home at the same time we left, but has anyone really thought about the implications of that? I mean, putting aside the impossibility of time being bent out of shape like that, how would you adjust to something like that one way or the other? Assuming you were able to remember Johto once you left, I mean.

It's like this Chinese proverb I remember reading once.

[Yep. You missed this, Johto. Don't even lie.]

'A single day of sub-zero temperature is not enough to create three feet of ice.' That one...er...What that one probably means is that over time, things are going to build up whether you want them to or not. Everything changes one way or the other, so all you can do is prepare and deal with it the best you can.

[At least he's closer than usual this time.]

What I'm trying to say is that you can't just brush off your memories of home, even if you don't want to go back. And if you do go back without forgetting Johto...how would you even start to really deal with that? Assuming you didn't think you were going crazy.

[A pause.]

Also, would you say the time you spent here would count on your own personal timeline if not back home? Because I'm still trying to figure out just what my actual age should be right now.