METAL GEAR SOLID: RESURRECTION

by Rookie's Eyes (based off of Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake)

Disclaimer: the Metal Gear series and their characters are property of Kojima Productions and Konami

Chapter 9 Adrenaline Rush

He walked for ten minutes before actually reaching the location of the mines. The Mine Detector blinked, displaying the location of each of the mines as a single picture on the screen. After checking to make sure he was at safe distance from the mines, Snake grabbed a stone. He tossed it gingerly over the estimated location of one of the mines. Upon tumbling onto the ground, it blew ten feet into the air along with the root and leaf debris of the jungle floor, followed by a BOOOM!.

Thump-thump-thump-thump came the sound of quick-paced steps from Snake's left. Looking in the direction of the sounds, Snake had to take a moment to realize what he was looking at. It was nearly a blur, so fast snake could barely make it out. It was a man, somehow able to run at inhuman speeds, able to avoid the mine emplacements as well.

Faster than an Olympic runner, the running man took only seconds to stop, and when the dust cleared, he stood only a few yards in front of Snake. The man wore the bare minimum in equipment including a thin woodland uniform, goggles, spiked combat boots, and two empty sheaths whose knives were in the mercenary's hands. His hair was short and spiked, slicked back as if they were the quills of a porcupine.

Breathing lightly, the man spoke strongly, with gusto in his voice, "A visitor! What a pleasant surprise!... and just in time too. I was about to go for a little run. So, you are the one who took down Red, huh. Well, I'm more than capable of handling intruders, as you'll soon be finding out."

Snake rebutted, "If your anything like the last one, this shouldn't take long at all."

"My name is Marathon,.. the fastest mercenary there is. I have a heart equal only to that of a horse, and the stamina to match! There is no man born on this Earth save for Big Boss who can best me in combat, including you," He claimed, emphasizing the final word. "You don't realize who you're challenging, but if you think you can take me on, THEN LET'S GO!"

Marathon lunged, swiping at Snake with his knives. Snake back-flipped, narrowly avoiding contact with the blades, trying to keep track of the mine emplacements. Pulling out his Beretta, Snake ducked and weaved between cuts and jabs.

Marathon ran circles around Snake, waiting for the right time to strike, as if he were a coiled cobra, still avoiding the mines.

Snake felt something… A searing pain on his arm. But when he looked, he saw only a shallow cut on his arm, bleeding slowly. The pain was getting even worse, Snake could hardly concentrate. Snake dropped the gun and doubled over, gripping his torso from pain. Marathon stopped aside his adversary, taking advantage of Snake's lapse in concentration.

"My knives are special," Marathon said. "They are coated in a rare snake venom. These snakes carry a highly potent neurotoxin which, at this moment, is attacking your nervous system. Quite fascinating really, the toxin. Not enough venom in one cut to kill you, mind you, but enough to cause exquisite pain.

In about five minutes, you'll be howling in pain, and if I cut you again, maybe three times, the dosage will be large enough to cause you to convulse as you foam from the mouth. Eventually the spasms will become so tight that you will snap your vertebral column, severing your spinal chord… The clock is ticking." Marathon grinned grimly, relishing the very idea of the pain.

Marathon took Snake's Survival knife, then he backed away. Pulling out a small clear vial, he showed it to Snake, "However, if you still have the strength and can still defeat me, you may take this, the anti-venom to my poison." He looked at Snake for a moment. "Get up… Get up!"

Snake rose to his feet, slowly. Taking off his bandana, he tied it around his arm. The pain abated, but did not go away. Snake took careful note of the mines nearby, and raised his hands to fighting position. Snake nodded to Marathon, indicating that he was ready to resume.

Marathon made the first move, striking Snake in the face with the butt of his knife. He went in for another hit, but Snake was prepared. He grasped the hand holding the knife and twisted, hard. *Snap* "Arrgh!" Marathon growled. His left wrist broken, he backed off, sheathing his second knife. Holding his left arm behind his back, he continued the assault. He kicked, causing Snake to stumble back, dazed for a moment.

Snake lunged, avoiding Marathon's attempts to cut him, trying to get in close… He flipped horizontally, kicking Marathon in the stomach. *Hrrgh!* He slipped Marathon's knife out of its sheath without Marathon's notice, and slipped it into his own knife's scabbard.

Grabbing dirt, Marathon yelled, throwing it into Snake's eyes, temporarily blinding him. Snake could do nothing, for fear of unintentionally setting off a mine. Once more, he felt the cold metal of Marathon's knife across the other arm, and the sharp sting that came with it. *AAaargh!!*

Exhausted and in pain, Snake stood there, heaving, refusing to give in again to the throe. Marathon struck him in the stomach, however, and Snake kneeled, he began vomiting from the pain.

Marathon saw that his adversary refused to give in, and so he chose to goad him on, "GET UP!... GET UP NOW, OR RISK FAILING EVERYTHING! ONE MORE TIME! LET'S GO!"

Snake rose, painfully slowly. Marathon yelled, resuming his attack. Thrusting all his weight into one final strike, Snake ran as well, pulling out Marathon's other knife at the last moment. Marathon didn't see it coming…

The knife penetrated deep into Marathon's heart, now throbbing with every beat. Snake stood, and the mercenary fell to his knees.

Snake took the anti-venom, his knife, and keycard number three while Marathon was dazed, then backed to a safe distance, because directly below the dying man was a mine that would go as soon as he made contact with the ground.

Blood flowing down his chest, he said, "…You…you used my speed against me, I could not move in time…What's your name?"

"Snake… Solid Snake."

"Funny… that I should die at the hands of a snake,… and with my own venom as well…. That was a good… good fight, my enemy… The...The cheetah has lost to the snake… Heh.. How could this…happen?" And with that, Marathon's final breath left him. His body fell, making contact with the ground and absorbing the brunt of the explosion. Nothing was left.

"Guess you weren't fast enough." Snake took the vial, injecting himself with the anti-venom, relief slowly filling his entire body.

Snake walked through the minefield, taking a rest at the very edge. The battle had taken its toll.

Author's Note: In my opinion, I've definitely outdone my previous battle. For those who didn't play the original game, Marathon is the replacement name for Running Man, whose only ability was hurting you by running into you, or killing you with poisonous gas. The venom was the replacement for the gas, still able to kill/incapacitate Snake.

Please review my story, especially this fight. Up next chapter 10.