A scientist's best friends [open]

[otaku-mk-ii.livejournal.com]

Otacon had a problem. Well, a problem slightly more pressing than the sentient ship, aliens, multiverse, and--

...actually, it was a relatively small problem.

The engineer was going to need two things if he was staying here for an extended period of time: the more important of the two was his labcoat and by extension the assorted junk in the pockets of said labcoat. (The other was a bottle of brown hair dye, but that could wait).

He remembered confiscating a pack of cigarettes from the Snake in his timeline, and now the one he met here was looking for some. Of course, Otacon wouldn't give them up without a fight. Not to mention he could use the several different screwdrivers in the pockets of his coat as well.

And that brought him to the problem at hand...he was quite lost. Otacon hadn't yet realized, however, that due to either a streak of dumb luck or some twisted form of instinct he was exactly where he needed to be.

Comments

[otaku-mk-ii.livejournal.com]

"I'm sure it's nothing we can't handle." Otacon adjusted his glasses with a smile. "We've been through worse and gotten through alright."

[firmus-serpent.livejournal.com]

"Heh, while that's true. It can't hurt to find a spot for you to hole up before the shit hits the fan," you just got here Otacon, no way is Snake gonna let you get dead.

[otaku-mk-ii.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, you're right." Otacon said with a smile, adjusting his glasses. "So there's a city here? How big is this place?"

[firmus-serpent.livejournal.com]

"Not sure. Pretty big. At least four levels," he shruged and glanced out into the hallway, "Some people call it a 'City Ship.'"

[otaku-mk-ii.livejournal.com]

"Huh...sounds interesting. I'd love to see what kind of programs it works off of." the engineer said mostly to himself.

[firmus-serpent.livejournal.com]

"Beats me," Snake answered just... because he can.

"Might want to hide out in the sensoriums, they seem like the safest place so far." He paused a moment, then cleared his throat, "You can program it to look like whatever you want."

[otaku-mk-ii.livejournal.com]

Forcing back the sudden urge to ask for details, Otacon focused instead on the idea that he'd be hiding for however long they'd be stuck here.

"I can handle myself, Snake. This isn't Shadow Moses, y'know." He would have brought up the Big Shell, but...well, this Snake hadn't gone through it yet.

"...A lot's happened since then. Since the tanker mission, even." Otacon wasn't half as afraid as he had once been, and a small but noticeable flame of determination burned in his eyes.

[firmus-serpent.livejournal.com]

Snake got this almost startled look, the sound of his defenses behind dropped all at once, "Didn't say you couldn't. Just... In case you wanted a safer place to go. I'd rather not see hurt after just arriving."

Defenses go back up and Snake frowned. He said he was from the tanker mission, but he didn't let on exactly when. He went from drowning to naked on an alien ship, "You.. pulled me out of the Hudson, didn't you?"

[otaku-mk-ii.livejournal.com]

A cold chill ran through Otacon's spine at the recollection, the paralyzing fear that Snake was dead and he'd never tell him th--

Stop it, Hal. This isn't the time or the place for that.

"...Of course." he said in a tone that came out much quieter than intended. "You would have done the same for me."

[firmus-serpent.livejournal.com]

Snake just looked thoughtful for a time, he nodded in reply, "I would have."

Then a smirk crossed his face. He reached out to put a hand on his shoulder, "Just don't going drowning so I have to, okay?"

[otaku-mk-ii.livejournal.com]

Although the engineer was smiling, he paled considerably at Snake's words--from his perspective, Emma's death and all that included had only been a short time ago. Even the vaguest reminder of it still bothered him considerably.

"I...I'll be careful."

[firmus-serpent.livejournal.com]

Snake visibly relaxed, "Good. I need you to help figure out how to get us out of here."

He chooses to ignore the fact they are destined for different timelines if they ever were able to leave here. Otacon seems the same to him.

[otaku-mk-ii.livejournal.com]

"R...right." the engineer muttered, averting his gaze quickly. This wasn't the time to start thinking about his past failures or the nightmares they caused, though he was still ashen pale.

"But...we're on a spaceship. I can't exactly do everything, David--how can I even begin to think of something, anyway?"

[firmus-serpent.livejournal.com]

Snake got an odd look on his face, probably do to the use of his real name, "Didn't mean you were gonna do it on your own. There are other smart guys here... I figured, between all of you..." he waved a hand vaguely after that.

Sorry, Otacon. Snake is still pretty much convinced you can do anything.

[otaku-mk-ii.livejournal.com]

Otacon looked just a little worried as he adjusted his glasses.

"Even then, I don't...well, I can't exactly imagine an escape being possible."

Was he nervous? Maybe a little--but it would have been a hundred times worse if he had been on his own.

[firmus-serpent.livejournal.com]

Snake gave him a look, "Otacon."

He crossed his arms before speaking further, "It's a little early for a defeatist attitude."

[otaku-mk-ii.livejournal.com]

"...Yeah, you're right. Sorry." But from a logical standpoint...it seemed hard, maybe even impossible. They were floating through god knows where in space; the simple idea that there was a 'multiverse' at all made getting back to their respective worlds sound improbable at the least.