Where angels fear to tread...

[somnium-paterna.livejournal.com]

[The sound of agonized screams were burned into his mind.

Liquid was screaming. Liquid, that pathetic fool, was screaming. It was glorious in a twisted way. He had watched dispassionately for a while as Ocelot tortured the fool, a surprising amount of glee behind the blank gaze. But at last, his tolerance had reached its limits. There was only so long you could stand and watch, and he had never been the type to hang around needlessly. There were things to do. Important things.]

Ocelot, I'll leave him to you.

[Turning on his heel, he strode from the room, letting the door shut behind him. He inclined his head slightly, listening as the muted screams made it even into the corridor, before letting the tiniest of smirks cross his lips. He walked away-

-and paused.]

...? Silence?

[Turning back, he realised to his surprise that something was different. Where had the door gone? Where had the corridor gone? His hand flew to the gun at his belt, unholstering it and holding it ready. Something was very wrong.]

(Meet Solid Snake, from liquidouroboros' world. Any tags will be assumed to follow the Auquid thread.)

Comments

[liquidouroboros.livejournal.com]

[Liquid, on the other hand, was walking down a hall towards a kitchen--he was in the mood for a cup of coffee, as usual.]

[He paused before turning a corner, distinct chill going up his spine--that feeling. That strange, indescribable feeling he got before FOXHOUND revolted, before that one version of his father started a full-scale war some time ago...]

[That feeling meant serious trouble. Perhaps even around this corner.]

[He took his pistol from its holster and carefully looked around the corner. Brother? What does he think he's--]

[Realization hit like a cinderblock to the face. ...no. Not him. Not here, again--! He had to act, immediately. The other soldier's back was to him, but there was no telling when he'd turn around.]

Snake--!

[He darted out from behind the corner, firing twice. He could think of a plan to deal with him in three days--it was buying the time that would prove difficult.]

[somnium-paterna.livejournal.com]

[He spun at the sound of the voice, a shocked look on his face -- how did he get free so soon?! -- and threw himself to one side. One of the bullets skimmed his arm, but neither of them embedded themselves in his body. They didn't matter.

He disregarded the blood that had started to trickle slowly down his arm, lifting the gun and firing as he moved. He'd emptied half the clip before he reached the cover he sought, a nearby locker.]

Liquid! How did you get free?!

[liquidouroboros.livejournal.com]

[Shit. He had to bloody yell about it. Damn Liquid's overly dramatic nature. If he hadn't called attention to himself, this would be over now. Liquid was grazed by a shot or two before ducking back behind the corner, using it as his own cover. Let the sick bastard be confused. Not Liquid's problem.]

I've no idea what you're talking about and I don't care!

[somnium-paterna.livejournal.com]

[He leant out from behind the locker, watching and waiting. The SOCOM was aimed carefully, ready. He could see blood on the floor. Not much of it, though. The wounds weren't serious. He'd have to remedy that.

But how had Liquid gotten free? Only a minute ago he'd been in the middle of being tortured. Raising his voice, he called out to him.]

Liquid! What did you do to Ocelot? How did you get out of there so fast?

[...and get dressed in that strange uniform and arm himself - what was going on? He didn't like it.]

[liquidouroboros.livejournal.com]

[What was that supposed to mean? What was he--]

[Unless...unless that was when he had come from. Watching the former FOXHOUND commander tortured by his own subordinates, listening to him scream and meeting his brother's defiant stare in between Ocelot's little 'sessions' with cold satisfaction...]

[Liquid suddenly felt sick, and responded with bitterness in every part of his voice.]

Call it my little secret, brother!

[somnium-paterna.livejournal.com]

[He hadn't expected Liquid to answer. Instead, he steps out from behind the locker, silently approaching the corner. His gun is held at the ready, pointed precisely at stomach-level. Liquid was the same height as him, after all. His aim didn't need to be so carefully trained and estimated. He presses himself against the wall at the corner, holding the gun ready. There is silence.]

[liquidouroboros.livejournal.com]

[Liquid closed his eyes and took a deep breath as silently as he could--his despised brother was close. Close enough to touch and certainly close enough to kill.]

[The temptation of reliving his revenge was almost too much to bear. In a flash of motion, Liquid pulled the pin on a flash grenade and threw it around the corner.]

[somnium-paterna.livejournal.com]

[Seeing the grenade before it detonates, he hurls himself around the bend, raising the gun and firing. He doesn't care where he hits, not yet- he still has more ammunitions as a backup, even if he runs out of bullets. He fires two shots and takes one hand away from the gun, reaching for Liquid's throat. If he can grab him, pin him, it'll be easier. But where's the fun in that?]

[liquidouroboros.livejournal.com]

[Oh, shit. Liquid hadn't expected that--had he really gone soft living here for only a few months?]

[One shot missed and buried itself in the wall, but the second hit Liquid's left arm--stunned for just a second, he couldn't stop his brother's hand going for his throat.]

Ngh--!

[Dear god, he'd gotten weak. Complacent.]

[somnium-paterna.livejournal.com]

[He slams him up against the wall, pressing close and pushing the gun barrel against Liquid's chin.]

Not bad, Liquid.

[Four shots left. To keep him stunned, he suddenly lowers the gun in his hand, pressing against his stomach, and fires. One shot down. It wouldn't be fatal, not unless left untreated, but it might be enough to stop him struggling. The gun is swiftly pressed back against the underside of Liquid's chin, held there while he tugs him away from the wall and quickly spins him, intent on trapping him with an arm around his throat.]

[liquidouroboros.livejournal.com]

[Liquid bit his lower lip to stop from crying out in pain--never show weakness. Not to him.]

[The Beretta had fallen from his hand when Snake had grabbed his throat, but Liquid was far from defenseless. Even with a gun pressed to his head, Liquid countered the best that he could--an edge of something like fear clouded his actions, never mind the searing pain he was now in.]

[somnium-paterna.livejournal.com]

[The CQC takes him off guard, but he'd never expected it to be easy. Recovering his equilibrium quickly - no time for screwing around on the battlefield! - he aims a kick sharply at Liquid's stomach, raising the gun and firing higher as he does. Two shots. One left, then he'll need to reload.]

[liquidouroboros.livejournal.com]

[Liquid stumbled back at the kick--fuck me, you just shot me there you bastard--but managed to avoid the shots, recovering his pistol and emptying the clip inSnake's direction.]

Oh no.

[crackthecodes.livejournal.com]

[Otacon's gotten out of his room for once and is wandering the halls when he spots a familiar silhouette walking just ahead. A familiar bleeding silhouette. Concerned, he tries to catch up.]

...Snake? Hey, Snake! You alright? What happened?

[The only Snake he's met here was Old Snake. Maybe this one was from closer to his time?]

We're doomed.

[somnium-paterna.livejournal.com]

[He stills, but doesn't turn. His entire right side seems to have been dyed red with his own blood, but he's hardly aware of it. The pain is unimportant. What the hell is going on? And is that voice- Emmerich? Liquid's little friend? It's an easy decision to decide to wait, to let him come closer. For the first time, he lifts his hand to grasp at the injured arm, more as a show of pain than anything else.]

...ugh. Isn't it obvious?

[He sounds annoyed.]

[crackthecodes.livejournal.com]

[Well, if he's well enough to sound so annoyed it can't be too bad, can it? It's nice to hear his voice, anyway. Otacon jogs up to his side.]

Yeah, I guess...Seems like all people do here is get into fights with each other.

[He looks over the wounds worriedly.] That looks like a lot of blood. Come on, I think there's an infirmary around here somewhere...

[somnium-paterna.livejournal.com]

[Before Emmerich can react, he grabs him by the collar, spinning him around and slamming him up against the wall. His free hand grabs for his gun- his empty gun, but Emmerich can't know, won't know - and presses it to his throat. If he had bullets and he shot now... it would shatter the fragile bones there, tear the jugular. He would die clawing at his own throat in a vain attempt to stem the blood.]

And just where is "here", Emmerich?

[His voice is low and dangerous.]

[crackthecodes.livejournal.com]

[It comes too fast for Hal to even register what's happening until he hits the wall hard. He gasps at the impact, feels the cold metal of the gun under his chin, and stares up at Snake with wide eyes. This isn't right. He's too stunned even to struggle.]


....S-Snake?

[somnium-paterna.livejournal.com]

...hn.

[He feels a slight smirk settle on his lips at the man's terror, but it's gone in a moment.]

Something the matter, Emmerich? I asked you a question.

[crackthecodes.livejournal.com]

[ His blood runs cold. That smirk, the way he speaks, the look in his eyes. This isn't Snake. It can't be.]

Wh-what's wrong with you? Why are you doing this? I'm not your enemy, Snake!

[somnium-paterna.livejournal.com]

Really, now? Because the way I remember it is that you happen to be helping Liquid.

[There's contempt in his voice. What Liquid sees in this snivelling idiot, he has no idea. He'd never interacted with him before, though he knew him by sound and sight, but seeing him react like this- it was both pathetic and exhilarating.]

Answer my question, and maybe I'll consider it a good enough reason to let you live.

[crackthecodes.livejournal.com]

[This whole situation is giving him a strange sense of vertigo. On the surface it's Snake's face and Snake's voice and all Otacon wants to do in his gut is trust him, because he's Snake. But something about him is very wrong. Broken.]

Liquid? Why would I be--[Ohno. Oh nonononono. That can only mean...] J-just wait. Calm down, okay? You're not where you think you are. This...isn't Shadow Moses.

[He takes a shaky breath, mindful of the gun jammed underneath his chin.]

This is going to sound crazy. But I'm not-- I'm not lying to you. I swear.

[somnium-paterna.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I can tell that, thanks.

[He speaks drily, sounding annoyed. Emmerich was right about one thing. There was something very wrong about this particular Snake. His cold expression masked the amusement inside from the way Emmerich was staring at him with such horror, such confusion.]

Care to tell me where I am? Or do I have to force it out of you?

[crackthecodes.livejournal.com]

[He tried to remember anything Liquid had said about the Snake in his world. How he'd gone mad and taken over Shadow Moses. Otacon had heard it, but he hadn't really understood it. Couldn't picture it. But now...]

S-sorry. But nobody knows. Not- not really. It's a building of some kind that, um, pulls people in from different times and universes. People call it the Nexus.

[somnium-paterna.livejournal.com]

[He's seriously considering getting out his knife now and forcing the truth out of this man. Different universes? Different times? That was ridiculous. But it would explain how Liquid had gotten free. It would explain everything about that battle. His brother's apparent weakness compared to become, how he'd seemed not to expect him there- and that last, twisted comment. One each.]

Is that the truth, Emmerich? Or are you just entirely insane?

[If he wasn't, it was a stupid lie. One too far-fetched to be believed. That's why he's starting to wonder if it's the truth.]