⚕ // symphony of the new world

[liquidouroboros]

Characters: Liquid and everyone that wants to put up with him.
Setting: Various floors around the Tower.
Format: Whichever you prefer.
Summary: I lost my nerd. I want him back.
Warnings: One cranky soldier that chews scenery like everyone else played by Cam Clarke.

[Dormitory Floors]

[A soldier in uniform was stalking about the floor today, glancing around every time he happened to pass an open door or new hallway. He didn't seem lost, exactly--more like he was very intently looking for something or someone.]

[Every so often he'd raise a hand to press against a spot just behind his ear, pause, then look either discouraged or irritated for some unknown reason.]

[F27, Laboratory]

[In his cautious searching, Liquid came across a laboratory. He didn't dare call it familiar, but...if he was going to find what he was after, it would probably be somewhere like this. If you want to find a tree, look in a forest. If you want to find a scientist, look in a laboratory.]

...Otacon?

[Dammit, that little nerd was going to get an earful of annoyed British soldier when Liquid found him.]

[F14, Media Room]

[This was getting ridiculous. Liquid didn't believe for a second that his world was destroyed; in his mind, it simply wasn't possible. That would mean he'd failed, and Liquid Snake never failed.]

[Except for when he did.]

[But it wasn't possible. He couldn't have failed this time. Otacon and Raiden had to be around somewhere. Why couldn't his codec send out any kind of signal to them? Liquid was intent on working this out to some conclusion that made sense, finding logic where there was none readily apparent. He had to focus, to determine what he was missing. Find whatever lost and hidden facts completed this mad little puzzle.]

[To anyone watching, however, he would have just seemed to be listening to the quiet music playing nearby with a distant and serious expression.]

[F3, Library]

['When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.']

[Liquid had accepted a great deal of improbable things this morning. He accepted he was in an otherworldly tower. He accepted that universes and worlds existed far beyond the Earth he came from in 2009. But what he refused to accept was the idea that he could possibly be completely cut off from Otacon. They'd never been apart in nearly five years; everywhere one half of Philanthropy went, the other followed whether through radio or in person.]

[For the thirty-sixth time that day, Liquid tried to dial Otacon's codec frequency--141.12, just as it always had been. But he couldn't so much as send a signal, as though it was jammed somehow. Leaning back against the nearest shelf, the blond soldier scowled and cursed under his breath.]

[The one improbable thing he would never accept was that he could be all that remained of Philanthropy and the world they were trying to save.]

Comments

Laboratory

[doctor_dismemberment]

[When he calls out for Otacon, Liquid will hear something not unlike a shriek in response.]

What do you want--?!

[Richtofen had been peering into a microscope, but the voice startles him into whipping around. He grips the edge of the table, visibly tense - the look on his face is akin to what one would wear after being caught doing something particularly bad. The white doctor's coat he's wearing over his Wehrmacht uniform has a few stains of varying color on it.]

...Um.

[After a few seconds pass, he begins to look almost ashamed of his outburst. He's not used to people barging into the lab like that. He gives a nervous laugh.]

I mean, haha, how are you doing today? We have never met, ja?

[In contrast to his earlier shout, he sounds pleasant now, almost artificially so.]

[liquidouroboros]

[The reaction got little more than a raised eyebrow from Liquid as he looked Richtofen over, crossing his arms. That wasn't exactly what he'd expected, but he'd take it.]

Calm down, I'm hardly interested in whatever it is you might be doing. [If anyone knew what 'hi, I'm up to something' looked like, it was probably Liquid.]

I don't believe we have. My name is...well, call me Moriarty for now. Lieutenant Junior Grade James Moriarty.

[Liquid, make up your mind how to introduce yourself.]

[doctor_dismemberment]

[Richtofen's eye twitched, but he seemed to calm down a bit at that. He gave Moriarty a suspicious up-and-down glance, taking in the uniform.]

...Doctor Richtofen. You may call me "Doctor." [He's gotten into the habit of introducing himself like that, but honestly, he doesn't care either way. It still made him sound snooty as hell, though.]

You are new here?

[liquidouroboros]

That does indeed seem to be the case, doctor.

[He didn't exactly seem too concerned by the situation. At the very least, he wasn't panicking like one might expect newcomers to.]

Dormitory

[kindofademon]

[If he repassed the room he woke up in, he'd see Ryuunosuke returning to it.]

New guy?

[liquidouroboros]

Apparently, I am.

[kindofademon]

Welcome to the tower, enjoy your stay. You'll want to have the oatmeal first when you go down to the cafeteria - first floor - because otherwise you'll throw everything up, monsters come out at night, and a lot of places can kill you any time. That should cover a lot of the guide!

Library

[bloodright]

[Standing with his back to Liquid at the opposite bookshelf, a book open in his hands, Vergil hears the curse, and having no luck with his own search, can't help but comment.]

Such language for a library.

[liquidouroboros]

You'll have to pardon me if I'm not in a particularly eloquent mood at the moment.

[bloodright]

Who is, in this place. Are you looking for something?

[Though he still doesn't bother to turn to face the other man, or so much as turn his head.]

Laboratory

[technologic]

[April glances up from her notes that she was reading and towards him, briefly shaking her head.]

... Sorry, I'm the only person in here right now.

[liquidouroboros]

Oh--you haven't seen anyone else around recently, have you?

[technologic]

[She thinks over this for a moment, and then shakes her head again with a thoughtful frown.]

Nope, no one else has been around while I've been in here... Sorry.

Dormitory

[divinitysoiled]

[On her way back to her room, Catarina paused at this sight. My oh my, was he an interesting specimen. Tall, blond, muscular, annoyed... well, she did like all of that. She put on a winning smile, stopping by him] You look as if you might need a guide.

[liquidouroboros]

I'm not exactly lost, thanks.

[divinitysoiled]

Then you know exactly where you are? Quite a feat.

Library

[puppy_lancer]

Is...that one broken?

[It had to be if it refused to do anything after it still refused to function even though the other man was pressing the buttons repetitively.]

[liquidouroboros]

I can't send out a signal.

[puppy_lancer]

Huh. You trying to make it private or something?

F14, Media Room

[littlesound]

[Liquid isn't alone in the media room. Draped over one of the nearby couches is a young girl that seems to be growing more and more bored with what's playing. Her eyes had been tilted up to the ceiling and her head swayed back and forth, taking in the up tempo parts with interest... but when it slowed she slumped, and fell over, and kicked her legs, and sighed...

And then she rolled her head in Liquid's direction. Hadn't he picked this out?]

Hey...

[...oh! Wait, there went the tempo again, and she stopped, suddenly fascinated once more.]

[liquidouroboros]

...hm? Did you say something?

[Liquid glanced over at that, having been paying more attention to his thoughts than any company.]

...oh hey this was a thing, wasn't it

[littlesound]

[Sonata's head turns sharply when he addresses her.]

Sonata wanted to know when you were gonna be finished listening to this! But...

[And then she stares back up at the ceiling, looking quite surprised.]

...but it's pretty good.

Laboratory

[reddeadvirtuoso]

[Jade totally wasn't on her way to the Laboratory. That place was for nerds, or something. She usually just ignored it, to be honest. But she was kind of passing through and stopped on the stairway when the stranger showed up.]

Sorry, your nerd's in another tower. [Seriously, "Otacon"?]

[liquidouroboros]

Damn. You're certain you haven't seen anyone else in here today?

[reddeadvirtuoso]

Nope. Everyone here has a hate-on for freaky scientist types, so I don't think many people chill around here.