DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. Metal Gear is created by Hideo Kojima and owned by Konami. Genshin Impact is owned by miHoYo.
METAL GEAR SHOGUN
Episode 17
CITY OF GLASS
"What are you?" The voice demanded.
"I…" She began. "I am… a tool…"
"Why do you fight?" She was asked once more.
"B-because you tell me to fight." She answered.
"And what do you fight for?" The voice spoke again.
"For… for you…" She spoke, uncertain.
"Exactly." The voice hissed. "You are my loyal soldier – my very own Violet Demoness. You always do as you're told, and kill like a good soldier should. You are, and always will be, mine…!"
/-\ Fort Hood, January 20th, 2007 /-\
Ei woke up from another nightmare. Another fragment that she couldn't fit together. She would always hear the same voice in her sleep, no matter what kind of nightmare it was she had. Ei didn't quite recognize the voice, but she knew that she heard it before.
Ei turned over to the small box at the end of her bed, looking at the book that rested atop it. She grabbed her copy of "In the Darkness of Shadow Moses" and held it close to her chest. In times of discomfort, she had resorted to asking herself "What would Solid Snake do?" She believed that he would not be so easily distracted by night terrors. In that light, she tried her best to make sure that her nightmares affected her as little as possible. However, it was an undeniable fact that she could not get away from these bad dreams.
The room's lights switched on, causing Ei to slightly wince from the sudden change from dark to light. That, and Drill Sergeant Fletcher's voice was barking from the entrance.
"Rise and shine, maggots!" Fletcher shouted. Ei looked over to the entrance and spotted Lieutenant Greene standing a short distance behind him. "All of you are to get prepared and begin with your exercises immediately!" Fletcher continued.
Just as he said that, the trainees began dressing themselves in their uniforms, including Ei. As a group, they started to exit the room once prepared. Ei attempted to follow them outside, but Drill Sergeant Fletcher stopped her.
"Not you, Jacqueline." Fletcher informed her. "Somebody wants to see you."
"Sirs…?" Ei questioned. "What is this about?"
"Exactly what Fletcher is saying, Jacqueline." Lieutenant Greene spoke. "There's someone who's come to the base to speak with you."
Ei was surprised. "Who?" She asked. "Solid Snake…?"
"I don't quite think so, Jackie." Fletcher commented. "Information's classified. Whatever happened that attracted this mystery man here is way higher than any of our paygrades."
"What Fletcher means is that the information is on a need-to-know basis." Greene added. "I highly doubt that Snake himself came just to see you, but your guess is just as good as mine. Now, if you would please follow us, Jacqueline."
Ei followed Lieutenant Greene and Drill Sergeant Fletcher, who were leading her outside. She wondered who exactly wanted to meet her, but now she was beginning to doubt if it was truly Solid Snake.
Ei and her superiors stepped outside, where a man in uniform was waiting. The man's service uniform was colored navy blue with gold stripes on the pants and black on the jacket, with slight gold and light blue highlights on his cuffs and shoulders. A black cap with a decorative golden eagle sat on his short, dark brown hair. The uniformed man looked at Ei with his blue eyes.
"So this is the one?" The man spoke in a calm, deep voice.
"Yes, sir." Lieutenant Greene answered as he and Fletcher saluted. "This is her. She has performed extraordinarily in the VR training simulations, earning top marks."
"I see." The uniformed man said. "You two are dismissed." Greene and Fletcher began to leave, and the man turned his attention to Ei. "Jacqueline, is it?" He asked.
"Yes, sir…?" Ei responded.
"Allow me to introduce myself – I am Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Quinn." The Lieutenant Colonel introduced himself to her. "It is very nice to be able to meet with you, Jacqueline."
"I see, sir." Ei spoke. "You wanted to see me?"
"Technically, yes." Quinn claimed. "In actuality, I am here on the behalf of someone who would like to offer you… a position in our group."
"What kind of position, sir?" Ei asked.
"That will be discussed in private. Please follow me, Jacqueline."
Ei had followed Lieutenant Colonel Quinn into the base's executive building. She had tried asking him what the purpose of their meeting was, but he had insisted that they discuss in private. Eventually, the two came to a door that led to a private conference room. Two men in suits wearing sunglasses stood just outside the door, opening it for the two. Inside, Ei was seated at one end of the conference table, with Quinn and another man in a suit taking a seat at the other end. The doors closed behind them, and the suited man pulled out a laptop computer and turned it on.
The laptop's screen switched on, and displayed an image of a man in his mid-sixties, dressed in a Green Beret uniform. The laptop's screen was tinted green, resulting in the man being displayed in the same shade of light. Then, the man spoke.
[Hello, Jacqueline.] His voice was slightly higher pitched than that of Lieutenant Colonel Quinn, but it was a little coarser than Quinn's calm voice. [I am Colonel Roy Campbell. It is nice to meet you.]
BGM:
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty – Main Menu
By Norihiko Hibino
Ei recognized that name. Roy Campbell was a former Army Colonel who worked with FOXHOUND. During the Shadow Moses Incident, he was part of the mission control team that assisted Solid Snake in traversing the perilous facility. She had heard he went into retirement after FOXHOUND was disbanded, so what was he doing here?
"Colonel… Campbell…?" Ei was very nervous, meeting with a man he held a good amount of respect towards. "Um… What do you want to discuss with me…?"
[First and foremost, you have no doubt heard of FOXHOUND, have you?] Campbell asked Ei.
"Y-yes, sir." Ei spoke. "I know a little bit about them, yes."
[Then you must know about how FOXHOUND was disbanded after the Shadow Moses Incident.] The Colonel spoke.
"And what does this have to do with me, Colonel?" Ei wondered.
[You see, the Shadow Moses Incident was brought about due to our former agents going AWOL.] The Colonel explained. [It was a mishap caused by poor management – namely, my absence. In the time since the incident, I have decided to reform FOXHOUND under new leadership.]
"You see, FOXHOUND was once host to many spectacular operatives." Quinn added. "However, in Colonel Campbell's absence, a few… mentally unstable agents were able to seize control of the unit and went rogue, ultimately ending in the unit's dissolution."
[Which leads us to today.] Campbell spoke again. [We have approached you to offer you a position as an agent in our newly reformed FOXHOUND unit.]
Ei was overwhelmed by the information. She was being given an opportunity to join the very same unit that the legendary Solid Snake formerly served in. She had said she aspired to become a hero like Snake, and she now had a chance to do exactly that.
"May I ask a few questions, Colonel?" Ei asked.
[Go ahead.] Campbell spoke.
"First of all, what will happen if I accept this offer?" Ei asked the Colonel.
[You will be escorted to the military base where our team has set up operations.] Campbell answered. [From there, you will continue to undergo VR training, as per your regimen as a member of Force XXI. The exercises will be different, some of which will include recreations of the Shadow Moses Incident. Once it is deemed you are ready for field deployment, you will await your assignment.]
So Ei would keep being VR trained. Campbell said that some exercises would be recreations of Shadow Moses. Did that mean she would be able to experience the incident herself?
"My next question, Colonel," Ei began. "Is if I will be able to meet with you at the headquarters."
[Unfortunately, there are a great many things that require my attention.] The Colonel apologized. [I am afraid that I cannot be present at the base in person.]
"Which is why Colonel Campbell has appointed me as acting commander of FOXHOUND in his absence." Quinn explained. "For a majority of your time with us, I will be in charge of your regimen, planning, base operations, and any other major details."
[However,] The Colonel added. [I shall observe any activities of yours that are sufficiently important enough to warrant my attention. These will include major readiness assessments and acting as mission control during a field assignment. But in the meantime, Daniel Quinn is your commanding officer.]
It seemed as if Campbell couldn't be with Ei all of the time, but Quinn seemed as if he was capable of overseeing her training.
"I see." Ei said. "As for my final question, will I be able to meet with Solid Snake?"
[That remains to be seen.] Campbell immediately responded. [As of now, Snake's whereabouts are unknown. We are uncertain when – or even if – we will regain contact with Snake.]
"Oh…" Ei sighed. She wouldn't be meeting Snake anytime soon. "In any case, I accept your offer, Colonel. I would like to become an agent of FOXHOUND."
[Very well.] The Colonel spoke. [Then it's official. Daniel Quinn will guide you to a helicopter which will bring you to our headquarters in Fort Hamilton. From there, you will await further instructions. I look forward to your performance, Jacqueline.]
BGM end
With that, the laptop that displayed the Colonel's face shut off. Lieutenant Colonel Quinn stood up from his seat and approached Ei.
"Please come with me, now." Quinn instructed her. Ei stood up as well, following him to the helicopter and getting in a seat.
Ei and the Lieutenant Colonel had been flying for many hours since the helicopter first took off. Morning had changed to afternoon as the sun made its way from east to west across the sky. Ei was visibly nervous, as evidenced by her constant looking out the helicopter windows.
"Can't sit still?" Quinn asked. Ei simply nodded in response to his question, prompting the Lieutenant Colonel to smile a little bit. "Well don't worry, it won't be much longer." He assured her.
"This is Tango 1, approaching destination in about two minutes." The helicopter pilot spoke. Ei looked out the window, getting a look at The City That Never Sleeps.
BGM:
Deus Ex – Main Title
By Alexander Brandon
The sight was incredible. Flying thousands of feet off the ground, Ei could see almost every building that was in New York City. Towering high up were the Chrysler and Empire State Buildings. She was also able to see the construction site of the One World Trade Center, a rebuilding of the World Trade Center after it had been destroyed in the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. It felt good to know that America had started to recover from that infamous tragedy.
Squinting her eyes, Ei also managed to spot the Brooklyn Bridge and Madison Square Garden, both prominently featured in the Godzilla movie Lieutenant Greene had showed her a few years ago. It was honestly incredible how she was able to remember the details of a movie she saw over two years ago. She viewed it as a testament to how memorable the movie was, even if she didn't fully understand it.
Finally, she saw the Statue of Liberty, standing tall atop Liberty Island in the Hudson River. As she gazed upon the famous city, Ei felt a sense of responsibility, for a new purpose that was now laid ahead of her. She would strive for greatness here, where her path had taken her. She would become someone worthy of being called a hero in this world, much like Solid Snake before her.
"This is Tango 1, arriving at LZ." The helicopter pilot spoke up again.
As New York City got closer and closer, so did Ei to her future at FOXHOUND. The helicopter approached Fort Hamilton, eventually touching down on the base. Lieutenant Colonel Quinn opened the helicopter's side door, beckoning Ei out.
"Well, this is our stop." Quinn spoke. "Welcome to FOXHOUND, Jacqueline."
Ei took her first step on the FOXHOUND base. One small step for Ei, one giant leap for Eternity. This obviously wasn't as momentous an event as the lunar landing, but for her, it was still very symbolic.
"Please follow me, and I'll take you to be officially registered as an agent-in-training." Quinn said to Ei.
As the two walked across the base, Ei looked around and saw a few civilian tourists checking out some of the sights. She was also able to see some more military personnel, wondering if they, too, were affiliated with FOXHOUND. After a few minutes of walking, they arrived at a specially labeled building with the words "Virtual Reality Simulation Training Center" above its doors. Lieutenant Colonel Quinn approached a pair of guards standing outside the front doors, producing a specialized badge, and presenting it to the guards. The guards saluted, and the doors opened for him and Ei, who then entered the building.
BGM end
/-\ Fort Hamilton, FOXHOUND Headquarters /-\
The inside of the building was incredibly modern, with sleek white walls and floors. A wide, black-countered desk was positioned in front of an emblem of a fox holding a bowie knife in its mouth. Sitting at that desk was what appeared to be a female intern with brunette hair and a light gray suit. She looked to the opening doors and saw Lieutenant Colonel Quinn with Ei.
"Oh!" The young lady said. "Welcome back, LTC Quinn! Is this the one you've scouted?"
"Yes Max, this woman will be joining us here at FOXHOUND." Quinn answered. "I've taken her here so you can add her to our database. I'll be leaving her in your care."
"Of course, sir!" The young lady enthusiastically responded. Quinn began to walk off down a corridor, probably to attend to other important business. "So, why don't we get started?" The lady asked Ei.
"Very well." Ei spoke. "My name is Jacqueline. It is a pleasure to meet you."
"My name's Maxine Work." The young lady introduced herself. "But most people just call me 'Max.'"
"Max…?" Ei wasn't sure why, but that name felt somewhat melancholy to her. She could almost remember a small bit of that hazy part of her past, but couldn't quite figure it out.
"Okay…" Max began, typing on a nearby keyboard. "Subject name: Jacqueline… What's your last name?"
"Um… that's not important." Ei spoke. Back in Inazuma, she didn't have any "real" last name. She was known as Raiden Ei by many, but she knew it wouldn't make sense for her to include her real name.
"Okay, I'll just put in 'X' for now." Max said. "Date of birth?"
"June 26th, 1983." By some crazy coincidence, she had been placed on Earth exactly on her birthday, the twenty-sixth of June. The year on Earth's calendar was 1983.
"Country of origin?"
Ei paused. Of course, her country of origin was Inazuma, but that was in Teyvat. Though, she thought back to when she first arrived on Earth. She didn't remember which country. Ei thought a little more, eventually coming up with a fabrication.
"America, with Japanese ancestry." She answered. It would be rather convenient if Ei's records stated she was an American. As for why she chose to say, "Japanese ancestry," Japan was a country on Earth with folklore that was very similar to what existed in Inazuma. Perhaps she felt nostalgic when reading about it.
"Alright, then." Max said. "We're just about done here. I'm just putting in a few finishing touches, and… Subject: FOXHOUND agent-in-training, designate…" Max paused for a few seconds before speaking again. "Snake."
Ei was confused. "What do you mean by that?" She asked.
"Well, FOXHOUND agents usually have specific code names." Max explained. "Seems your code name was chosen to be 'Snake.'"
Ei felt conflicted about this revelation. She had been given the same code name as the man she admired, Solid Snake. There was no way this could have been a coincidence. Thinking it over for a few moments, she decided that she wouldn't object to this code name. Ei knew about the significance of the title, and would grow to become worthy of bearing it for herself. She would earn the right to be called "Snake."
And this is the end of this chapter. From here on, the rest of the chapters are going to be closer together, being weeks or months apart instead of years apart. Ei is going to be referred to as "Snake" by most of the characters for a little while, so try to adjust to the change. Here's the reviews.
ArcticHaze: Who?
Gabrielito: Yeah, MGS2 has aged incredibly well, especially considering how controversial it was on release. And yes, Snake could be considered a light in Ei's life here.
Anyway, I'll see you guys next chapter! Happy La-Li-Lu-Le-Lo Day!
-Azzy Asbourne
Music:
MGS2 Main Menu: watch?v=E3KU10Tp73M
Deus Ex Main Title: watch?v=Rm9PJNF3sE0
