All right, kids. Here it is. Why did Aero laugh? Heh. Read forward, and that undying question will finally be answered.

Thanks for reviewing Sons of Ocelot, badkidoh, FernClaw, MutantLover09, Sonic Phantom, lily moonlight, SolidSakesShadow

12. Reincarnations

Snake looked at the husky in surprise, his eyes narrowing. Something was wrong. "What happened? Otacon, Aero… she just laughed."

Otacon sounded worried and lost. "Kind of busy here, Snake. Something bad's going on here, too."

Snake switched off the communications before looking at Aero once more with wary eyes. "Now I'm officially freaked out. You just laughed like a human being." He pursed his lips. "Who are you anyway? Or should I ask, what are you?"

She gave a sort of soft smile. "I've been you companion for the longest time now, my master. And I'm just so pleased you've finally found the cure to FoxDie. I've been waiting for this day for the longest time now, and it's been such a nice road to travel with you as we looked for the cure together." She nuzzled Snake's leg.

He blinked with shock. He had no words to say to this remark. "I only met you a year ago. It was after the FOXHOUND Rebellion and everything, and I saw you on my doorstep, nearly dead. I took you in and made you one of the family, and as days past, we got closer and closer together. I never once met a dog like you- your intuition was remarkable, your love was unconditional. It was almost like you were Meryl all over again… except with a hell of a lot more fur."

Aero snorted. "You're comparing me with your former girlfriend? Cute. You two were always adorable to look at when asleep in the king-size bed you had. I giggled every time I saw you two all curled up together under that comforter, mumbling to one another these promises of love that you would never be able to keep. However, in talking to me, it was like you were a completely different person- more open, more willing to show those human emotions you had kept bottled up for so long."

Snake grimaced at the memories of him crying to the husky, writing letter after letter to the woman of his dreams and never once sending them to her. He envisioned his speeches to the dog- long, drawn out ramblings about his life in the unit, what happened when he left the unit, and the other missions he was forced to undertake. He clenched his fists and growled lowly. "What the hell does it matter to you if I spilled my human emotions? Aero, you've never done any of this talking crap until… now."

"Does it matter? I always talk. Well, you consider it whining, but I always attempt to get something across to you. And you shove it away!" The husky paced and walked away from Snake, turning around then and sighing. She shook her head. "You don't understand, do you? No. You wouldn't ever understand unless you were stuck in my paws."

He stared and slowly moved his hand towards the SOCOM. "Aero… what the hell is going on?"

She gave an eerie giggle. "I'll tell you what's going on. I've been trying to help you in finding the FoxDie cure for an ungodly amount of time so I could be accepted into your family as one of your own. And yet you decide to practically shun my need to be around you all the time!" She pawed the snow for a moment before walking back over to Snake, whose weapon was now dangerously close to being in his hand. "You wanted company, and I practically handed it to you on a platter!"

"I don't get this…" The man shook his head in astonishment, fear, and- for some reason- hate. "Who the hell are you?"

The husky stepped back. "A shadow of your past. A flash of the present. The death of your future," she replied mysteriously. "You know who I am."

Snake shook his head. "How can I know who you are? You're a husky, a dog- my best friend in the world."

"That's a lie!" she suddenly screamed, getting into a crouching position and snarling angrily. "I know it is! You've never seen my true face! Never since we have been companions!" Her body began emitting an unnaturally blue hue as she lowered her head. "You would never understand the pain… the suffering I've had to endure for so long. Can't you recognize anything in front of your damn eyes?! All the signs, all the whines- everything has been to heal you and make sure I can finally live free of this nightmare."

He said nothing in response, his ears ringing and brain churning. Aero's body glowed brighter as she took another step closer to her master. There was a shadow behind her, one of a man from his past. He had his arms crossed, a look of calm etched in his features. The man glanced down at his nails, his voice creating a slight effect behind her speech. "The nightmares that have haunted all of you- they were no coincidence."

The ex-mercenary clenched his fists. 'What the hell…?'

Aero giggled, her voice slowly changing and mutating. "What's wrong, Snake? You look as if you're seeing a ghost from the past. You should live in the present or look forward to the future. Or are you afraid of what could happen now?" There was another flash of the man behind her. Slowly, her features began to dissipate into sky-blue mist. "Oh, don't be afraid, Snake. I'll be back." Her eyes glinted, the voice dropping an octave. "I'll make sure of it."

That voice- he froze. He took a step back, his breathing becoming erratic. "No…"

"Yes," the voice replied deeply, no longer of a feminine tone. "I told you not to be afraid, Snake. But did you listen? No." The dog was gone, nothing more than one with the air around them. However, in her place stood an older male- one with his arms crossed and holding a casual posture despite the rising tension in the air. "Look at you- you've grown soft, pathetic, nothing more than a puddle of depression. It is a wonder Meryl put up with you for so long."

His voice was choked, his head spinning with disbelief and eyes. "You- how-"

The man pushed a strand of blonde out of his face and laughed lightly. "Is it that impossible to believe?" he whispered. "Come on, you had to have some idea- little brother."

Snake didn't move. Liquid Snake merely stood there for a few moments, examining his brother from head to toe and shaking his head, clicking his tongue. "My word, I see why she broke up with you."

"S-shut up," Snake finally managed to spit out, his heart slamming against his chest. "Just s-shut up…"

The blonde grinned. "Confused?"

This was… impossible. He narrowed his eyes. "What do you think?"

"I thought so."

Immediately after this remark, the blonde took off in the opposite direction, startling his brother disappearing into another on the opposite side. Shaking his head and regaining his senses, Snake's hand snapped up the gun and his feet picked up and ran to the door were his brother had ran out. His mind was trying to wrap itself around the idea of what he had just witnessed. His dog, his faithful friend for nearly a year…

…had been his own archenemy, Liquid.

His eyes burned as he reached the door. The hand grabbed the handle and yanked it open, the weapon inside the room before he had even had a chance to look and see if there was anyone in there at all. The hand that was on the door fumbled around, finally hitting the spot of his Codec and giving a panicked whisper. "Otacon, it's a trick."

"What do you mean. Snake?" the otaku replied tersely.

"It's Liquid," he whispered. "He's alive."

Otacon's voice became strained. "Alive? But he died! You saw him with your very own eyes! He collapsed right…"

"I know what I saw!" Snake yelled angrily. "But I just saw Aero morph into Liquid right now! And he just ran off, and I have to find him!" He turned off the Codec and looked in the hallway, his blood pumping.

This wasn't- this couldn't be happening…

There was a sudden motion from the right. A left hand snapped out of nowhere and crashed right into Snake's throat. His eyes widened in shock as he dropped the gun and fell towards the floor, his entire world blacking out around him.

All he felt before he fell into complete unconsciousness was his brother's foot smashing into his side.

…-beaten with a stick- Oh, am I mean or WHAT? Well, there. Those hallucinations explain a lot now, huh? -smiles- Reviews are loved. Thanks for reading.