Hello all! I'm back again with another chapter! Thanks for waiting patiently. I had a lot of fun writing this part, which came easier to me than the last chapter I wrote. Hopefully it seems a little more natural-flowing too! I'll also be starting something new, where I respond to reviews, comments, and questions at the end of each chapter in the author notes. Since this is a pretty low-traffic fandom, I figured I'd show my appreciation to all of you for sticking around and so eagerly awaiting each chapter. For now, enjoy reading!
Mother Base, Seychelles Waters
Medical Platform
Quiet woke feeling completely refreshed. She stretched on her bed, catching some sunlight on her skin for the parasites. With a small mental smile, she stood up and stretched more. The cell seemed much more pleasing and glowy today, compared to how it had been in the past when soldiers would shout insults at her. It had been only three days since the cowboy, Ocelot, had placed a rotating guard shift at the entrance of her cell to make sure nobody would bother her. In that three day span, she had gotten the best rest she had been able to get for a long time. Though she knew she was still a prisoner, she could almost see herself getting used to her new life. Almost.
She didn't let the thought of being a prisoner sour her mood, though, and she happily headed over to the small shower, turning on the water and letting it wash over her. The cool droplets didn't bother her at all and only served to heighten her joyful mood as she allowed her parasites to drink their fill. After a few more seconds of drinking, she turned the water off, shaking off some of the excess. The water at her feet slowly drained down through the floor and she splashed around in it playfully, trying to make as large a splash as possible. It had become a game for her over the past few days, since there wasn't much else she could do in the cell.
The water eventually drained away completely and she glanced at the shower longingly, tempted to turn it on again to give herself another puddle to play with. She decided against it, however, as she heard movement from the stairwell leading down into her cell. Wouldn't do to have someone see me playing around in water, she told herself. After all, what kind of elite soldier plays around in puddles in her free time? She instead contented herself on waiting to see who showed up. She almost hoped it was the doctor, Golden Badger, who had treated her with such surprising kindness since she had arrived on the base.
Ocelot came down the stairs, flanked by two of his personal guards. Quiet watched him curiously as he came over to the door of the cell. Gone was the fear of being assaulted or abused, replaced instead by curiosity and a little excitement whenever someone came down into her cell to visit. She didn't mind the visits. Definitely beats playing around in puddles all day, she mused as she came over the door to watch the cowboy. What's up?
"You performed pretty well in my combat assessment of you," Ocelot said, hands clasped behind his back as he paced thoughtfully. "You have physical abilities beyond what any regular human has. You don't eat or drink like a human would. You don't produce any waste. You don't even breathe." He met her eyes and she could see his grudging respect for her. "You're a sniper and a scout that can move without detected, can make any of the shots in the book and more, and won't leave any traces behind. You make a fine soldier, and I'll be damned if you're going to sit here and rot in this cell all day."
Quiet felt a small trill of excitement within her. Suddenly, the idea of getting out of the cell and into the field seemed all the more a possibility. It'd be nice to stretch my legs out there, she thought. Something ached in the back of her mind and she knew she was forgetting something, though she had no idea what it was. She knew it was something important that she knew she was supposed to remember, but it escaped her, so she contented herself with listening to what else the cowboy had to say.
"Of course, it'll be hard for Miller to agree," the cowboy mused thoughtfully, seeming to be frustrated by his comrade. "He's too bent on revenge to think clearly. He'd instantly shoot down any thought of you getting out of this cell. He doesn't know about your tests." Ocelot shook his head, sighing. "No, he wouldn't allow it. Especially since you'd be working with the Boss."
With a start, it all flooded back to Quiet, so suddenly that she had to physically take a step back away from the cell wall. Kill Big Boss. Again, the image of her bullet in the back of Big Boss' head as he bled out on a sand dune rose up into her mind. She clenched her fists, anger rising up in her at how placid she had become in her captivity. I'm an elite assassin, she growled to herself. I'm Quiet and I'm going to kill Big Boss. I'm not here to enjoy confinement and puddles. I've forgotten who I am.
If the cowboy noticed her change in demeanor, he didn't acknowledge it. "I guess we'll have to see how things play out," he said. "I'll let you know if anything changes, but for now the plan is on the shelf." He nodded to himself. "At least we have a plan." Ocelot looked up as the noise of an incoming chopper in the distance became audible. "Sounds like he's back." He inclined his head to Quiet, heading for the stairway to the cell. "I'll see you later, then."
Quiet waited until he and his guards were gone before she slammed her fist in anger against one of the bars of her cell, bending it slightly. She stalked around the cell, fists clenched, wanting desperately to punch something. I can't believe I let those…animals...trick me into believing I'm fine here. The noise of a chopper was growing ever louder and she instinctively knew it was Big Boss.
I can escape now, and I can kill him. The joke of a lock hung from the door, almost teasingly rocking back and forth as if it were asking her to break it. Quiet went over to it, gripping it in her hands. It was small and flimsy and she knew she would have no trouble ripping it apart, just as she would have no trouble ripping the limbs of Big Boss from his body. And yet she still could not. With a noise of frustration, she released the lock and gripped the door instead, shaking angrily and partially crushing the metal bars in her fists.
WHY? She shouted at herself angrily, clenching her eyes shut and resting her head on the bars. WHY CAN'T I KILL HIM? And yet, she knew it was only a rhetorical question. She already knew the answer. She already knew she had known the answer for a long time. And still, she refused to accept it. There has to be another reason, she near-begged herself. It's just not possible. He has to die…he can't live...he has to die…he can't live….HE CAN'T LIVE.
"I'm sorry we don't have somewhere better for you to stay."
The voice cut through her thoughts and Quiet snapped around, glaring, fists clenched, and wanting nothing more than to rip apart the owner of the gruff voice that spoke from behind her. Mentally, she cursed her own foolishness in contemplating her feelings in the brig of an enemy base, completely forgetting she was completely exposed and out in the open to anyone who wanted to watch her. But as she realized who the speaker was, her eyes widened slightly, her body froze, and her heart stopped. No way.
Big Boss was splattered with blood, sporting countless rips throughout his clothing, and covered with nicks and bruises. And yet, he stood, in the flesh, in her "home". "Usually I would visit the brig a little more often," he continued, as she felt him study her cell. He waved his hand dismissively. "I've been out on a mission for a little while."
With a start, Quiet realized she had been staring and quickly rearranged her composure. He seemed to watching her, studying and picking apart her behavior. She could almost swear he was peering right into her mind. A cold chill ran up her back and she suddenly knew what it felt like when she used her own piercing green eyes. He was a dangerous man, even with one eye, and she could feel it in her bones. No wonder he's a legendary soldier. He could rip you apart...
"I hope you've been comfortable here," Big Boss said, seemingly satisfied with what he saw. "Let me know if you need anything." He turned to leave, hesitated, then turned back to her, pulling out a satchel from behind him and placing it within reach on the floor at the corner of the cell. "Saw what you had when you came in. Figured I'd give them back. I saw the other ones out in the field. Thought you'd like them." With that, he left, leaving no other explanation and only the sounds of his retreating boots going off into the distance.
Quiet stood still, dumbfounded. Although she had just been in a murderous rage, she no longer knew what to think. Everything he does is a mystery, she thought, still trying to make up her mind about who or what Big Boss was. A legendary soldier who even cares for his prisoners. Quiet sighed mentally, pushing the thoughts aside. It was growing too tiring and confusing to come up with a solid conclusion and opinion about the legend. Instead, she focused on her curiosity for the contents in the satchel he had left behind.
She approached it curiously, kneeling down and pulling the small bag into the cell. She could hear plastic inside and when she opened it up and emptied the contents on to the floor, she was surprised to find a handful of cassette tapes. Tapes? She picked one up, reading the label. 'Maneater' by Hall and Oates. She picked up another one, recognizing the handwriting as her own. My music, she realized, and she was filled inside with warmth and joy as she realized the soldier had given her back her collection of music.
Quickly, she sorted them out, separating out her music from the new ones Big Boss had found in the field. Altogether, there were two new tapes, and Quiet felt an excitement that had been missing from her life. Music! Her mood fell slightly, however, as she looked around and realized there was nothing to play the music on. Nonetheless, she was still excited to have possessions returned to her and it brought a rare small smile out from her.
Carefully, she stashed them underneath her bed, where they wouldn't get wet when she showered. She treasured her music collection, since it had been one of the only things in her possession that she had kept with her. Not to mention the fact that I love music, she thought to herself. While she didn't know when she would be able to listen to her new tapes, she could already tell it would be enjoyable.
Inevitably, her thoughts returned to Big Boss. Do I thank him? Quiet frowned, pondering the question. Just minutes ago, I wanted to rip his limbs off. Now I want to thank him? She sighed mentally in exasperation, still trying to figure out how to proceed. I'm supposed to kill him. He ruined my life, so I'm going to ruin his. The thought didn't sit as well as it used to, though, and for the first time she accepted that she might not want to kill the soldier after all.
My orders were to kill Big Boss. But I am no longer a soldier following the orders of Skull Face. My vendetta is personal. Does that mean the orders no longer apply to me? Quiet frowned to herself. Or perhaps my motivation was strictly revenge from the beginning. She thought again about the cassettes he had given her. All this time, I was led to believe Big Boss was a gruesome soldier with legendary abilities and a ruthless demeanor. She glanced back to the stairwell, as if he would appear again at any minute. But now...I don't know what to believe anymore. I don't know who he is.
Quiet closed her eyes, quieting her thoughts and composing herself again. When she opened her eyes again, she nodded to herself, coming to a conclusion. Big Boss is not who I thought he was, but I do not know who he is. She felt a spike of satisfaction at the thought and she agreed with it wholeheartedly. I will judge him on who he is and not who he was or who I was told he was. And if he is still deserving of death, then so be it. Quiet nodded again to herself, content with her reasoning. For the first time in a long time, she felt at peace with herself, and the feeling comforted her.
Quiet looked up towards the stairwell as she heard the sounds of boots descending. A Diamond Dog soldier came down, assault rifle slung over one shoulder and carrying a boombox. He stop at the bottom of the stairs, looking at Quiet and offering her a small wave. She acknowledged him with a small nod carefully, watching him closely. Usually only select personnel were allowed to be in the brig with her, and she had never seen this particular soldier before. I wonder if my guard is still around up there.
"The Boss was asking around for a cassette player and a pair of speakers yesterday," the soldier said, continuing over to the door to her cell, still carrying the boombox. "I don't usually get a chance to use it at my bunk so I figured you'd have more use for it." He set it down at the doorway, digging into a pocket supposedly for the key to the cell.
Quiet stood up, unsure of whether to move over to the door or to stay at the bed. She had no idea if he would consider her a threat if she approached or stood close to the door, so she stayed put by her bed. No sense in making him uncomfortable, she decided.
The soldier finally found the right key, then looked up at her. "You can have it on one condition and one condition only," he told her. She cocked her head, curious. "You can't ever play classical." The soldier chuckled to himself and Quiet almost laughed, nodding her head in agreement. He opened the door, sliding the boombox in before closing the door again, locking the small lock. "Sorry," he said, almost apologetically. "Wish I could be in there with you to play around with it, but rules are rules. I need to get back to my post up there."
She waved his apology aside. No worries, she told him in her head as she went over to the boombox to bring it back to her bed. She was already excited to put one of the new cassettes in to find out what it sounded like as she peeked under her bed to pull out her collection.
"I'm Stone Hedgehog, by the way," the soldier said, sliding the rifle off his shoulder and back into his hands. "I'm your guard."
Quiet glanced at him again, favoring him with a small smile and a nod. Thanks for keeping the idiots off my roof, Stone. The guard nodded back, turning and going back up the stairs and Quiet felt a small bit of warmth in her. First free music, now a free boombox. It's like this base is overflowing with generosity. She popped the first cassette tape into the boombox, titled "Maneater", and hit play. Not that I mind, she thought contentedly as she sat back to listen to the song. Oooh this sounds like a good one!
Another chapter finished! Hope you enjoyed the read. Next chapter should hopefully be up in a few days. Sorry for the wait. As always, thank you for supporting this fanfic and feel free to review! Now as promised, the other thing I mentioned...
Guest: "ahh I love ur writing style so much it's so good x3 I can't wait for more! Thanks for writing I'm super appreciative that you took the time to create this! I love how it's written in quiet's point of view and I just *inhales* I'll be watching now out for the next update!"
-Thank you so much for your support! I'm glad you enjoyed reading it. Quite honestly, the enthusiasm really made me have the "this is why I wrote this" kind of feeling inside, so thank you very much.
The Dude Strikes Back: "This is fantastic I seriously can't wait for more"; "Ah man This story is great but yeah you're right this Fanfic page is not exactly bringing a lot of traffic, that said you seem to be off at a good start, I can't wait to see more"
-Thanks! I'm glad I can continue to satisfy your reading yearnings. ;) And, yes, the fanfic isn't bringing much traffic but that doesn't matter too much to me. I started writing this after I read all the Snake and Quiet fanfics the site had to offer. I had hoped that there were still some readers like me itching for more (especially after I read so many good ones that had never been finished). As long as there's still people reading and reviewing, I'll keep writing, no matter how small a number.
Guest: "Hey man this is pretty good I feel this is more closer and accurate to how Quiet really thinks I can't wait for the next chapter."
-Thank you! As always, it's just my take on how I think she thinks and feels, as well as what I feel like her mental voice would represent. I'm glad you like it, though! Hopefully I can keep growing her character as the chapters go on.
Guest: "So far so good I like your interpretation of quiet she's trying to remain loyal to the mission but she's starting questioning XOF and Cipher I look forward to the next chapter"
-Thank you! Yes, I do believe there was a little bit of back-and-forth in her mind about her loyalties, and I tried to capture that in the past few chapters. Though now that I've finished this chapter, we finally got to a point where Quiet realizes that she needs to drop her previous judgement and start anew. Here is where the fun begins! :)
Guest: "eyy you updated two more chapters! forever thankful. and I agree about this fandom being kind of dead so it's nice to see that your fanfiction is here! I love the story and the way you write it. Thanks for writing!"
-Here's a third chapter for ya! Thank you for sticking with me. The fandom may be a little on the slow side but as long as we're all around, it's not totally gone yet! :) We've only just begun this journey!
Guest: "Yeah I admit it's kinda hard to think of what happens between her capture and first mission with Venom Snake. I'm interested to see which mission you give her first, in my case it was a side ops unfortunately she gave my position away a few times and even killed the wandering mother base soldier I was trying to get :p"
-It was a little tricky to think of and write, but I'm starting to have a little more fun with it and I have some pretty good ideas to work with next. As for the next mission...yeah, it will probably a small side op. I can agree with your experiences though. I might include those kinds of..."technical difficulties" in the story, if I get a chance. Speaking of side ops experiences, I've dealt with the same...when I first got her, I brought her along to a side op where I was supposed to extract a skilled soldier. Of course, I accidentally got detected sneaking around the back. Next thing I know, Quiet is jumping between sniping points as they pepper her with mortar fire and she picks them off three at a time. Needless to say, I definitely failed that side op. :)
Once again, thanks as always for all your support! Stay tuned for the next chapter!