Introduction

[sweetsotacon.livejournal.com]

Halle Emmerich yawned. She had just finished an easy program, one for a digital fan. She sipped some coffee then saw an advertisement pop up on her screen. After scanning it over a few times, she decided to go check it out. "Why not?" she squeaked.

The brunette quickly cleaned her glasses with her long dark blue sweater then placed them upon her teeny nose. She pulled back her long lab coat sleeves to put on some clear sandals. SSOtacon looked around her room, not seeing anything she really needed. The chocolate eyed girl jumped into her helicopter then flew towards her destination.

After landing to the side of the building, SSOtacon looked up at it and commented out loud, "I can't tell how far it goes." She shrugged it off, placed her keys in one of her many lab coat pockets then slowly went into it. "Hello?" she called to a seemingly empty lobby. Halle looked around; she was starting to feel scared. And she didn't want to feel TOO scared.

Comments

[unwillinghelper.livejournal.com]

...are you lost?

[Ivan is sitting in a wheelchair right now due to his broken leg still being in plaster, but he wheels himself out to stare at the woman.]

[sweetsotacon.livejournal.com]

SSOtacon jumped slightly then turned towards the voice, her big brown eyes staring at the newcomer. "N-no. I was just wondering... what this place was and if anyone was here," she put her hands over her chest, her sleeves dangling in front of her. "Are you okay?" Halle then asked, noticing his wheelchair. She took a few steps forward.

[unwillinghelper.livejournal.com]

So you're new?

[He sighs, his fingers tapping absently on the arm of the chair. At least they're not broken any more. As long as she doesn't mention the eyepatch, he doesn't care. That's still a sore spot.]

I'm fine. I got into an... argument with the wrong person. What's your name?

[sweetsotacon.livejournal.com]

"Yes. I guess I'm new," she responded, wondering what she was new to, but she didn't question it. "Oh I see. I'm Halle Emmerich but everyone calls me Sweet Otacon or just Otacon. I don't have a preference otherwise. You?" A smile crept onto her face.

[unwillinghelper.livejournal.com]

...Otacon? Do you know a Liquid Snake, by any chance?

[Well, that was something he hadn't expected. He smiles back, just slightly.]

...Raikov. Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov. Most people here just call me Ivan. You've wandered into a very bad place, Otacon.

[sweetsotacon.livejournal.com]

"That's me. Liquid Snake? I know a Snake but her name isn't Liquid..." Otacon looked around, scanning the rest of the room absentmindedly then she stared back at him, "Okay. Ivan. Got it." She dropped her smile with his last sentence as her body tensed up, "I have? W-why is it bad?" She had began to regret coming here already.

[unwillinghelper.livejournal.com]

...what's your Snake's name?

[She must be one from one of the other worlds... Friends with Liquid's brother - or sister, in this case.]

Once you come here, there's no way out. We're all trapped here.

[sweetsotacon.livejournal.com]

"My Snake? She's... Sweet Snake?" Otacon replied back, instantly happy but somewhat confused by her answer. Her happiness left her as he continued on. She lifted up an eyebrow then wandered over to the doors and tried to pull them open. She pushed and pulled and pushed and pulled but nothing worked. She sat on the floor and let out a sigh and a sniffle. "Well," her eyes were teary but she decided to get information first, "What is here?"

[unwillinghelper.livejournal.com]

This place is known generally as the Nexus. Even if you could open those doors, they wouldn't lead outside any more.

[He sighs, resting his head in his hands.]

Listen. Don't be unhappy. I don't know this Sweet Snake but there's probably a version of her running around. This place isn't normal. It's... [What would the right word be?] ...I do not think I know a word in english that can describe it. Do you speak Russian at all?

[sweetsotacon.livejournal.com]

"Nexus," Halle repeated, noting everything he was saying in her head. So the door she had just gone into didn't lead outside anymore? Just like a video game or anime is what it sounded like. Sounded like she had stumbled onto something great. She stood up, her eyes sparkling suddenly. "Oohh. My sweet friends might be here? That's great! Nope but I have my computer!" She pulled out a small Apple computer from one of her other pockets and opened it, "So feel free to talk in Russian if you want to!"

[unwillinghelper.livejournal.com]

...computers come that small now?

[He sounds rather amazed.]

Believe me, I doubt you will believe it. This place is beyond all realities.

[He switches to Russian gratefully, though he does not understand how her computer will help her. It's a relief after having to speak English for so long.]

/It is a conjuncture between worlds. People come here from different times and places. Two months ago, I was in San Hieronymo, in the 1970s./

[sweetsotacon.livejournal.com]

"Yup! Apple is such a great company," Otacon responded, smiling, then she plopped herself onto the floor, and began to type about as fast as he was talking. She waited a few seconds for the translation.

Halle stared at the translation. He was right; this didn't make much sense. Or much sense in the reality she knew. Unless she wasn't in the reality she knew anymore and that certainly seemed the case. So everything she knew might not be true anymore.

"I see. I don't really get it myself.. but are there any major differences between what you knew and what this is that I should know?"

[unwillinghelper.livejournal.com]

[Ivan sighs.]

/Because of the nature of this place, the building is transient. Rooms rearrange, disappear. The only constants are the kitchens and the apartments. Some rooms have traps in them, weird tricks that make no sense. One of them even has a jungle inside of it. This is not your reality. None of the rules of nature apply here./

[He pauses to take a breath.]

/There are people here who have died and come back to life. Some people are dangerous enough to take advantage of that. Be careful who you approach./

[sweetsotacon.livejournal.com]

Halle pushed up her silver glasses while she reread the translation of what he said. The structure seemed very complex; perhaps a 3d model of this place would be useful. She kept that in mind as she read on.

Died and come back to life? E.E.? ... "Is there someone named E.E. here?" she practically yelled. After that, she felt her stomach growl. Perhaps visiting one of those stable kitchens was something she should do soon.

[unwillinghelper.livejournal.com]

[He jumped at the yell, scooting the chair back.]

I- I don't know any E.E. I'm sorry. I've been locked up most of my time here so I haven't met many people!

[...the growl made him chuckle softly, though.]

There's a kitchen just down the hall if you need one.

[sweetsotacon.livejournal.com]

"Oh. I see..." Halle looked down. She wasn't too surprised with that answer. Vamp killed her...

SSO shook her head then said, "Sure. Want to get food with me?" She put on a big smile; having someone with her seemed like a good strategy.

[unwillinghelper.livejournal.com]

[! Something to eat?]

Sure, that sounds great!

[He gives her a smile. This girl wasn't so frightening after all.]

[sweetsotacon.livejournal.com]

Otacon jumped up, picked up her blue computer, typed some things in it to run a program that would track her progress around the building, then she placed it into her pocket, careful not to close it so it would still run as she moved. She lightly sauntered next to him then asked, "So... Where do we go?"

[unwillinghelper.livejournal.com]

Just down the hall. [He gestured in the right direction.] It should be marked.

[sweetsotacon.livejournal.com]

"Okay. Do you want to go first?"

[unwillinghelper.livejournal.com]

Are you afraid? There's nothing to worry about as long as you're careful.

[He leads the way anyway, curiously, and takes them to the right door.]

Here we are.

Anyone or thing there? @.@

[sweetsotacon.livejournal.com]

"Well, not afraid dare say..." she answered while looking at the floor. She looked up, determined to prove she wasn't a scaredy cat, then swung open the door.

Only us ghosties.

[unwillinghelper.livejournal.com]

[The room beyond was a simple, well-equipped kitchen. It was devoid of life, at first glance. There was nothing but the sparse furnishings filling the room. Many, many cupboards lined the walls.]

You can find pretty much anything you want here.

Re: Only us ghosties.

[sweetsotacon.livejournal.com]

"Anything!?" Her eyes lit up and she ran in. She looked around excitedly then realized the cupboards were too high for her to reach. "Ivan... If you don't mind... Can I have a lift?"