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[14180]

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[14180]

[ he figures he should have answer to this. ]

Like drinking coffee in the morning.

[ it really isn't. ]

Raiden... Jack. [ a part of him hopes he uses jack now, but he has no idea. ] I... [ a beat. ] This place. How's it settling for you?

[controlled]

...Right.

[ that makes no fucking sense.

raiden's gaze uncomfortably roves somewhere else — anywhere else but his face. ]

I don't use Jack anymore.

[ ... ]

It's been fine. We've all got voices in our head around here.

[14180]

[ not what he was asking about but if that's the topic of choice, sure.

he holds up his mask. ]

It's tied to these.

[controlled]

Yeah. I figured.

[ raiden’s mask is stashed away somewhere in this room. ]

What’s yours like? Whatever’s attached to you, I mean.

[14180]

Knows a lot. Talks too much. [ probably going to talk his ear off in a bit. snake puts it back in place. ]

It's an Okami. [ he might be wordsalading whatever it's telling him now, truthfully. ] Kept me out of danger... So I guess I owe it an ear, at least.

[ he'll let him ask questions or explain his own, if he wants. ]

[controlled]

Kinda sounds like you.

[ y’all remember those 5 minute long explanations in MGS2? whew.

anyhow, raiden tilts his head. ]

Do you think the body you’re in now has something to do with it?

[ might as well get straight to the point. ]

[14180]

I think he's gotten more than briefed on the situation.

[ hah...haha. anyway. ]

... [ an irritated noise comes from his throat before he responds, which is enough of an answer on its own. ] That isn't for certain. [ but yeah. he thinks so. ]

[controlled]

[ raiden turns his eye back to him. he knows snake well enough to understand what that grunt signifies. ]

That's why you keep the mask on you all the time.

[ a beat. ]

You don't wanna risk it.

[14180]

[ precisely. the fact raiden figures that out so quickly is... mildly annoying but snake shakes his head. ]

Charming as it is that you deduced that, you know it's not the entire reason we're talking, Raiden.

[ he makes eye contact, holds it. ] How long's it been?

[controlled]

You want to play catch-up. I get it.

[ he’s blunt, brutally so. it’s oddly characteristic of him — the brashness from all those years ago is still there in its own way. ]

But I need to know if you think letting this thing have control over you is worth the risk.

[14180]

[ as if he's going to answer that. ]

I think this thing needs me in a state where I'm healthy. That's all I'm capable of saying with confidence. Anything more than that would be a lie, Raiden. You know that the risk isn't just me.

[controlled]

[ when he stares at him, his eyes are distant; jaded, even.

he leans his head back against the wall. ]

Losing control of your own mind is serious shit, Snake. That’s all I’m saying. Don’t forget that.

[14180]

Colorful vocabulary.

[controlled]

Real funny.

[14180]

[ he really almost says "listen, kid," here. ]

I'm not playing around with this. I'm taking it seriously. But I'm not giving in and avoiding it.

[controlled]

I know you are. But you’re afraid, right?

[14180]

Are you?

[controlled]

No.

I’m used to this. Not having control — someone else being in my head. This is my normal.

And she’s less of a threat than I am, anyways.

[14180]

"She"?

[controlled]

She’s a girl, yeah. Bakeneko if I remember right. Name’s Eiko.

[14180]

[ they have names... ]

Sounds like you've gotten to know yours pretty well.

[controlled]

Like I said, this is kind of my normal.

So no, I’m not scared. But you are.

[14180]

No, I'm not scared. So far, every person in this apartment complex has had a mask like our's. Notice anything about the locals? No masks. That's their faces. We put on their faces to blend in, become them. Seems like it might be a safety precaution above all else, but it's also backing us into a corner. We have no choice but to rely on them. That's the point. I don't know your "Eiko", but she doesn't need to be more of a danger than you. She's doing her job by staying near you. For all we know, the real danger will start once they figure out we're not from here— so no. I'm not afraid. This is the cautious decision. Besides, don't you think that there's people besides us who are more at risk? This isn't the first time that I've received the briefing this way, but it might be for the others. Better to play by the rules until we know how big the gameboard is... or what game they're even playing at.

[controlled]

[ well, this likely isn’t a hallucination at this rate. ]

I get it, Pliskin.

[ raiden breathes in. ]

Why’d you come here?

[14180]

My previous question answers that.