// Aa, sekai ga nijin de, soredemo suki de irareru ka nante?

[vestri-vires.livejournal.com]

[Otacon doesn't normally leave the sanctity of his lab, or the presence of his family, without due cause. When necessary, he detracts the MK4 from its near-constant surveillance of worlds_serpent to get what he needs, trusting in James to keep himself safe. But lately, he's starting to realise that while James has settled into this strange world, he hasn't. He hardly knows anyone, and thanks to his promise to Liquid, he doesn't even dare go into the rooms, even as he wants to see what they do with a childlike curiosity that's almost painful to ignore. The younger Liquid told him to learn to deal with the situation, that his confusion over recent events would pass the most he got used to the absurdity - and he has to admit that James keeps him out of the loop a lot. So he picks up his palmtop, syncing it to the laptop (in turn synced with the computers he had set up to control the lab and the MK4 with), the better to spy on keep a protective eye on James with, and slips out after securing the lab against intruders.

Nerves twist and churn in his stomach. The few people he has met here range from "strange" to "psychotic" and he still has bullet scars from previous encounters hidden beneath his jumper. Sometimes they still ache with phantom pains, as if Liquid hadn't painstakingly dug the bullets out and patched him up with painful and determined love in his every movement. But he can't let fear rule him. He won't. He's nowhere near the cowardly state he was in the past, the frightened little otaku that hid away in the locker at the first sign of danger. And he won't hide any more.

Otacon is out of the lab. Out of the house. And out into the Nexus.

Alone.]

Comments

[worlds-serpent.livejournal.com]

[And he is being stalked.]

[Liquid did the best he could to keep Otacon safe around here--the building was incredibly dangerous, particularly with certain people running around. So it was only natural he would want to keep an eye on the scientist.]

[From a short distance, of course.]

[vestri-vires.livejournal.com]

[And Otacon, like the derp he is, has no idea - he's not looking at the palmtop right now, and even if he was, all of the corridors look alike. Without actually seeing himself on there, he'd have no idea who Liquid was spying on...]

[worlds-serpent.livejournal.com]

[God, you're an idiot.]

[And he meant that in the nicest way possible.]

[What if I was Talib right now, you imbecile? You'd be worse than dead before either of us could blink.]

[Liquid never quite knew the right way to express 'worry'.]

[vestri-vires.livejournal.com]

[Blissfully unaware, Otacon continued on his little walk into danger. Now, where to go? He'd promised not to go into any rooms, but surely it couldn't hurt?]

[The worst thing about being an Otacon was that you easily found yourself focusing on just one thing and ignoring the world around you. In the workplace, this could be a blessing. Even just while tinkering with things it was good, though he had to be stopped and reminded to eat once in a while. But in an open place like this, forgetting your surroundings and not even glancing around could be dangerous. Otacon neither noticed, nor cared.]

[worlds-serpent.livejournal.com]

[It made Liquid want to slap him upside the head, really.]

[He followed in silence, inwardly cursing and outwardly scowling. Damn his scientific curiosity--Liquid felt like a guide dog for a particularly clueless blind person.]

[worldpresident.livejournal.com]

[Solidus has his crayons out again and the little vandal is scribbling on a wall with all four Arms.]

[There appears to be a dinosaur wearing a nurse's hat being chased off by a four-armed boy and a girl with a frying pan. Eggs may be involved in this masterpiece.]

[vestri-vires.livejournal.com]

...hm?

[Otacon comes a little closer, staring at the "artwork".]

That's pretty good. [A frying pan? ...that looked... like-?] Sunny? You know Sunny?

[worldpresident.livejournal.com]

[!]

[He jumps at being caught, but calms immediately when he realizes it's a Hal.]

You think so? Really?

[He grins happily, Arms waving in happy patterns.]

Yeah, I've met two Sunnys! One of them helped me escape from a dinosaur and the other cooked me eggs!

[vestri-vires.livejournal.com]

The one with the frying pan's my adopted daughter.

[He smiles a little, trying to be reassuring. The arms are a little off-putting and he's not sure if he's met this kid before or not - he seems familiar, but that might just be the similarity to a certain brother of Liquid's.]

[worldpresident.livejournal.com]

She is? She's really tough; I like her!

[He bounces a little on the balls of his feet, one Arm moving back to continue scribbling on the wall, since there was going to be no apparent punishment for doing so. It's not like the nexus would run out of walls anytime soon, anyway.]

Do all Hals have Sunnys?

[stealthygenius.livejournal.com]

[Solshine's jogging lightly through the halls, on his way to see his Hal train with one of his brothers. He spots Hal easily and waves.]

Hey! Don't see you out often~

He has a Hal now?

[vestri-vires.livejournal.com]

[There's a brief moment of SNAKEOhgodpanic before he pulls himself together, recognising the other one. He returns the wave, smiling sweetly.]

I figured I needed to get out more. I'm always left out of the loop on what's going on, so...

He seems to be dating Cuteacon

[stealthygenius.livejournal.com]

[He laughs and stops to chat a bit. He had plenty of time to reach the gym before training started.]

That's a good idea. I've been a bit out of the main nexus myself, lately. It's good to switch things up; helps prevent falling into a rut.

How are Sunny, Brother, and Emma doing?

...Aulid will NOT be happy.

[vestri-vires.livejournal.com]

Pretty well! Life is strange, but... we seem to be getting along well enough.

[It's hard not to smile when this particular Snake is around.]

No. No he won't be.

[stealthygenius.livejournal.com]

Hn...That sounds a bit like a nexus slogan, doesn't it?

[He's just full of happy! Life is great when you're dating a cute nerd.]

[geneticsaddict.livejournal.com]

[Now which Hal was this one....? Naomi walked up to him and stopped nearby.]

Hello, Hal.

[stealth-puppy.livejournal.com]

[Rolling by in a wheelchair and wearing pants (lucky you), this little human puppy spots a Dad!]

Rad!

[vestri-vires.livejournal.com]

[ASZDHFJKL Snake- wait.]

...Rad? What?

[Since when was there a Snake that was in a wheelchair and went around shirtless?]

[stealth-puppy.livejournal.com]

Hi.... Rad....!

[Also covered in a giant bruise that looks like a giant hand!]

[Stealth is happy to see you, Otacon! He will crookedly smile in your general direction and push his moving chair closer!]

[vestri-vires.livejournal.com]

[Dear god, what?]

Ah... hello?

[Aww, the poor man was injured. He hesitates, then comes closer.]

Are you alright?

[stealth-puppy.livejournal.com]

Hnn.. Vetter... [Much better then a few days ago.]

[Rolling close enough to Hal, he stares at him with puppy dog eyes. Puppy dog eyes that beg to be petted.]

Mun uses this character for too many threads OTL

[bossuboku.livejournal.com]

Hal? [Pardon his lack of smile-the last time he ran into a Hal Emmerich the guy was ...odd. :'D] Uh...Hey!

Noooo, it's fiiiine.

[vestri-vires.livejournal.com]

Hm? Yes, that's my name.

[...Snake? But- no. He was too young for that. And too not-crazy.]

Re: ;A; XD

[bossuboku.livejournal.com]

? Are you a different one? Cause I've met you before. I mean, I guess it's good that I'm not very memorable since Boss said that you want to get in and out when you're on a mission not make friends but...[: D ? Yes...Too not crazy........XD]

I love Derpie. <3

[vestri-vires.livejournal.com]

I... don't think I've met you before. It must have been one of my alternates... I'm sorry. [Strange, but not crazy. Not on the level of his Snake, at least.]