Song: Metal Gear Solid V - The Phantom Pain - Mike Oldfield ''Nuclear'' Lyrics


POV: Big Boss and Solid Snake.

Kazuhira Miller could only stare blankly at Big Boss, then at...Solid Snake, then back at Big Boss as he tries to wrap around what he had just heard, along with whatever Eva had provided.

Time travel?

Like, that's just so out there of an explanation that Kaz was unsure what to think about it. But then again, he also realizes that he's currently in a parallel universe - along with the entirety of Mother Base being transported into said parallel universe, one where Britannia instead of America was one of the dominant superpowers that laid the groundwork for a couple of advancements in technology, such as the so-called Knightmare Frames. But what Kaz also noticed was that nuclear and atomic weapons and technologies are, if not almost, practically non-existent. Perhaps it's because there was no World War II in this universe, hence there were no bombings that had occurred in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. There was no fear of nuclear annihilation in this universe. Kaz didn't know whether to call that a blessing or a curse, especially in how Britannia had essentially conquered more than half of the world by now, being the first among superpowers.

And regarding Big Boss, it seems that he, as well as Eva, Solid Snake (another Snake?; and apparently Kaz was essentially his mentor), Otacon (who is actually the son of two of their scientists, Strangelove and Huey), Colonel Roy Campbell (who Big Boss had actually met in the past before he met Kaz), Revolver Ocelot, Paz, and some others are from the relative future.

It all circles back to this mysterious client - that person.

Whoever he is, he wants all three - Big Boss, General Kenobi, and Lelouch vi Britannia - to come together as one, with experiences from their own darker futures, journeying through a much darker future compared to what came before, and finally end up there and back again, facing an ancient evil that predated their universe, and the universe of Britannia, and others.

Big Boss wasn't kidding, Kaz thought. This job isn't like all of the other jobs that we had. Because if what he says is true, then we are literally being prepared to fight against the Devil. As in, The Devil, the one that Jews and Christians believed was the enemy of all mankind and an enemy of God.

"...So, this Sauron, he's the one that that person wants the MSF and our current allies to prepare for," Kaz was the one who spoke, breaking the silence with his grim tone. "He's the one who we're all supposed to be facing."

"That is correct, Kaz," Big Boss confirmed. "I do believe that there is a reason why that person would even bring the dead back amongst the world of the living, as can be attested to both of us, and towards Campbell (*1). One of those reasons is that Sauron is a threat to both the living and the dead. It doesn't matter to Sauron if you're dead, because he plans to bend the dead to his will as well. The worlds of the living and the world of the dead are a battlefield, and we're stacked right in the middle, and it all starts here, on this world, one of the few that Sauron would like to fully control."

"But why?" Otacon would ask, looking troubled. "Just what is this Sauron supposed to be after in this world?"

"That is something that one of my allies, Lelouch vi Britannia, would try to explain," Big Boss explained, before his comms began to activate, with one of the MSF soldiers talking to him. "Boss, the prince has arrived just as scheduled, and he's got somebody with him. A tall woman with orange hair and green eyes. Quite the looker. They're with General Kenobi and Commander Cody, and both of them would be heading towards the briefing room."

"Hmm, thanks for informing me, soldier, carry on," Big Boss nodded before looking back at everyone. "And speaking of the eleventh prince, he's already here."

And waiting a few moments, they would see four people coming inside, accompanied by a few clone troopers that were positioning and standing guard.

"Lelouch," Big Boss nodded, acknowledging the royal's presence.

"Big Boss," Lelouch nodded, while eyeing everyone gathered in the room.

"Everyone, I would like to introduce you all to Lelouch vi Britannia," Kenobi gave the formal introductions, which Lelouch responded by bowing his head in common courtesy. "And accompanying him is Ms. Shirley Fenette. She's no soldier like the rest of you, but Lelouch figured she would have use for the current operation."

"Oh, pleased to meet you then," Otacon would step forward with a smile. "I'm no soldier myself, but I am just a simple engineer."

"Heh, that's an understatement of the century, Otacon," Solid Snake looked amused, muttering.

"My name is Otacon by the way," Otacon introduced himself.

"Otacon?" Shirley asked, curious.

"It's short for Otaku Convention, though," Otacon looked a little depressed. "I doubt you probably heard of that term, seeing as anime is almost pretty much extinct here because of Britannia occupying Japan, based on what I researched about this world."

"Hmm, is it because of the fact that you are from another universe?" Shirley said.

"You could say that," Big Boss nodded. "And I would probably assume that Lelouch had told you about our current operation."

"Hmm," Shirley nodded, while maintaining a firm expression. Though she was curious by Big Boss's eyes. When she stares at them, it almost felt similar to Lelouch. Same as well with Kenobi. They seemed like the oldest people in this room, from what she could understand. Call it a gift, or gut feeling, Shirley thought. "Though like what Mr. Kenobi said, I'm not a soldier like anybody else on the base, but I want to at least do my part."

Big Boss seemed to accept this answer, nodding. "That's good. More manpower is appreciated, and a civilian contact could help us in ways that normal military personnel couldn't be able to do. Now then, I believe it's time that, now that we've all gathered here, we would begin to discuss thoroughly about our current operation."


POV: Shirley Fenette.

Now begins what would eventually be referred to as Operation Code Metal. Everyone gathered, some of whom looked not so human, most of whom were physically present while a few were in holographic forms.

Big Boss, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Lelouch vi Britannia would begin to discuss thoroughly of their own experiences that relate to the dark future, as well as what each of them has a story to tell.

From what Shirley noticed, Big Boss was a little more secretive in sharing information compared to Kenobi and Lelouch. She didn't know why, but there must be a good reason for it. She has experience after all with a very secretive individual...who is currently her boyfriend, as of today. Her younger, innocent high school self would be blushing like a tomato by thinking of such a scenario. But the her of now...she felt so happy, to finally be with the man she loved more than anything, even to the point of giving him the love that he truly needed.

Lelouch vi Britannia, all his life, had to deal with a world full of lies, and Shirley, in her times of having regained all of her memories, managed to get to experience even a glimpse of such. At one point, she had even been outright suicidal and tried to jump off of a building, though at least at first was an unintended accident.

Shirley, for whatever reason, has every bit of Lelouch's memories. All of it. And the fact that she ended up in the past frightened her, because now, she is forced to live with the nightmare of a future that may or may not come to pass, while carrying the memories of the man she loved. She knew all of his thoughts, all of his dilemmas, all of his memories that formed and crafted the man who she loved more than anything.

Having this kind of knowledge was something Shirley didn't know what to do with. She couldn't just tell anybody. She couldn't tell Milly. She couldn't tell Nunnally. She couldn't tell even Lelouch himself, because if this was the past, he wouldn't know. She was scared of being alone again, and not knowing what she could do about it. And there was also the problem of her having to deal with the future that was coming.

How was she supposed to stop the future by herself? She wasn't Lelouch. She doesn't have his tactical genius and charismatic influence. She wasn't Kallen. She wasn't a soldier and a resistance fighter who could pilot a mecha. She wasn't like anybody else. She was just Shirley Fenette, a woman who was in way over her head as she got swamped into a world of politics and war. She wanted a normal life, not being part of some epic tale of a revolutionary who would eventually have to die like a martyr and be hated by everyone for the sake of the world and its so-called peace.

What is peace? What was peace?

Was it simply just Nunnally's dream, which eventually became Lelouch's dream?

People have different opinions about peace. For the Britannians, their manner of peace is endless suffering for anybody else that is not a Britannian, and amongst the royals, even the lower class and commoners were treated as no better. Shirley was a commoner, hence she's probably just as looked down upon as any of the others. She was nobody special, and in a sense, that was true. Yes, she had ace grades, but that was due to studying and hard work. Yes, she was an effective student council member, but she only did it with a natural sense of duty and responsibility.

But someone like her, standing just near Lelouch vi Britannia, the man she fell in love with, was something that felt a little beyond her.

What makes him special to her?

It all started when she bore witness to his true character, hiding beneath the lazy slacker that she believed him to be. What was up with him? Was the question that Shirley had with him at the time. Defending an innocent old couple while carrying that blank expression on his face. Just what was the mystery behind the man, who when peeling beyond the surface, was actually a man capable of goodness and compassion, only hiding behind layers and layers that seem unreachable to Shirley.

Now that she had all of his memories, it didn't make her feel better. It made her feel very inadequate, not to mention depressed. How would she be capable of filling the gaping holes, the happiness that should be in Lelouch's own heart? Nunnally already fulfilled it in one sense, so how can she even do that? She cannot replace Nunnally, and as she's in the past, that's even less likely. Lelouch never bothered to entertain romance, always focusing on his little sister's welfare. That didn't mean that he was uninterested in women, just that his mind was focused on other, more important things.

And from what she'd seen, she couldn't ever blame him. Only made her even sadder, and her resolve growing further.

I don't know if I could fill that void. But I love Lelouch vi Britannia, all sides that I know of him. Even if the world hates him again, I'll offer him a smile, even if he won't acknowledge me. I already said that I would love him, no matter how many times that I would get reborn, and I meant it. I will always be by his side, no matter if it was heaven or hell, quid pro quo.

"So, to summarize, on Kenobi's side, we've got an evil space wizard who's been manipulating the entirety of the Clone Wars for his own benefit, and on Lelouch's side, we've got two royal crazy parents who want to bring down the apocalypse on everybody by merging everyone's consciousness in order to make their version of everlasting peace, and even beyond these two, we've got the bigger issue of the devil coming to Earth, or Earths, seeing as my world is going to be just as affected as every other Earth in other universes. Did I get all of that right?" Solid Snake summarized.

"That's one way to put it, yes," Kenobi nodded.

"And we have at least about one month to prepare before the main events finally set into motion," Colonel Campbell would assess, looking thoughtfully, before looking at Lelouch. "Considering this is your world, your highness, how would you propose that we go about this?"

"Well," Lelouch would begin to press a few buttons of the newly installed rectangular-shaped holomap, with the help of the 212th Clones and the MSF. There would be data regarding giant humanoid war machines, the Knightmare Frames, for all to see. "The first thing we should probably do is to steal a few Knightmare Frames, so that our scientists and engineers would get to work on reverse engineering it, turning it into something else."

"A Metal Gear," Big Boss continued. "One that rivals previous Metal Gears of the past, one that could outpace even the most advanced Knightmare Frames that Britannia has to offer. It would be something that I would entrust Otacon and his parents to be able to handle."

"Hmm," Otacon looked a little conflicted, feeling like sweating.

"What is it, Otacon?" Solid Snake asked, looking at his best friend and noticing the latter's expression.

"It's just...well," Otacon spoke hesitantly, putting his hand to the bridge of his glasses. "My entire history with Metal Gear is a bit of a sensitive and complex topic. You should know this as well, Snake, since you rescued me from Shadow Moses Island many years ago."

"Yeah, I remember," Solid Snake nodded.

"And now, well, making an actual Metal Gear again, it's not like I'm against it for this operation, but I'm worried about the consequences of it being used. Though considering we're living in a world where mechas are quite common for the military, I must be overreacting just a bit," Otacon explained.

"I wouldn't think so, Otacon," Solid Snake reassured. "There's no doubt that Metal Gear is dangerous, and if Britannia ever gets the idea of making one, even an improved version, this world may not be able to handle it. The last few times Metal Gears were created, my world was just near to the point of nuclear annihilation. Introducing atomic power to this world, could have more cons than there are even pros, if there are such pros that actually exist, which I doubt."

"The concerns are more than valid, most especially when we are the sole power present with nuclear weapons - I would only need to mention ZEKE," Big Boss nodded. "Hence why I'm not completely suggesting that you armed the Metal Gears with nuclear arsenals. What I really want are Metal Gears that would allow for our men to be able to fight against Britannia's Knightmare Frames, those are the Metal Gears that I would want to build."

"Metal Gear Gunframe," Lelouch continued. "That is the concept that I, Big Boss, and Kenobi would want to fully discuss about."

"Metal Gear Gunframe?" Solid Snake raised an eyebrow. "Hold on, are you seriously suggesting that we would combine the mechanics of both a Metal Gear and a Knightmare Frame together? How would that work exactly?"

"Making the Ultimate Metal Gear," Otacon surmised, having an epiphany. "Kind of like Metal Gear REX, only this Metal Gear is geared towards fighting Knightmare Frames, more for defensive purposes of course."

"Yes, and that is why we would need to grab a few Knightmare Frames and examine them, every inch and crook of it," Big Boss affirmed. "From the intel that Ocelot has given us, we have one potential target where we could nab a few Knightmare Frames. Snake, I want you, along with your mother, and some of my men to infiltrate Tokyo Bay, and grab hold of a few experimental Knightmare Frames that have just been shipped from Britannia's homeland. Once you get them, you will head to the extraction point on the designated map that I will assign."

"I understand," Solid Snake nodded as he looked at the map and the highlight points, before briefly hesitating, saying. "...Sir."

For Solid Snake, it felt like he was back in his FOXHOUND days with Big Boss and Colonel Campbell. It was just a little too surreal for him. Glancing at Eva, she was smiling a little at him.

Right, Solid Snake thought. It's more than weird enough to be part of a mission along with the closest thing you have to a mother. What would this be? The second time that Big Mama and I would be working together. The last one was with Liquid, and that ended badly for all of us.

"And speaking of nukes," Big Boss would look towards Shirley, who had been quietly listening to this conversation. "I understand, Ms. Fenette, that one of your friends could be either a potential asset for us, or a ticking time bomb waiting to happen. Nina Einstein, was it?"

"Hmm," Shirley nodded. "Lelouch wanted me to keep an eye on her from now on because of it."

"A young girl with the capability of creating a weapon so destructive that rivals these atomic weapons from Earth that you would speak of," The blue-skinned humanoid with a white uniform, Grand Admiral Thrawn, in holographic form, would speak with an inquiring tone. "No worry for the fallout of deadly poisonous radiation, but a pure destructive force that could decimate an entire metropolitan population per minimum scale. Then there's the question of her current mental psychosis. How sure are you, Ms. Fenette, that she isn't like you or Lord Lelouch?"

What Thrawn was asking Shirley was, whether or not Nina Einstein was a time traveller.

"As far as I can tell, umm, Admiral," Shirley was still trying to get used to the stares and addressing actual military authority. "I don't think she is, though I wouldn't consider the possibility of ruling it out either."

"Well, if she is one of your kind, then that would make things quite simple for us to develop measures and countermeasures for the enemy," Thrawn analyzed. "If not, well, she could still be a threat that our enemies could exploit. Either way, it is truly wise that we are to continue to observe and monitor her movements. Forgive me for how cold this logical response could be surmise, but she is a definite risk to everyone around her. One wrong move could set a trigger that would fluctuate into a series of events that could cause the deaths of thousands of unnecessary casualties."

"That is something that I could personally attest, Admiral," Lelouch responded grimly, while twitching on the inside. "One of those factors just so happens to be my younger step-sister, Euphemia li Britannia."

"Euphemia li Britannia," Kaz would explain as holographic imagery and files were seen from the table. "The third princess of the Holy Britannian Empire, and the younger sister of Cornelia li Britannia, the second princess, and a respectable general of the Britannian Forces who is currently engaged somewhere around the Middle East, where Britannia is already close to becoming fully conquered by the end of the month or so. They've already been given a brand new nickname, 'Area 18'. And apparently," News broadcasts were seen on the holographic table. "She's missing."

"Missing?!" Lelouch asked, looking worried. "For how long?!"

"Unknown," Kaz explained. "The news broadcast from all over the world had recently just announced that the princess had gone missing from Pendragon. Whatever the case, it could only be recent, upon my estimation."

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"General Kenobi," The comm links from Kenobi's left arm, which the latter raised up, would have a voice speak through. "This is Boil, we've got a little situation."

"What is it, Boil?" Kenobi asked.

"We've just spotted someone recently visiting the Lamperouge's apartment, and upon identifying the visitor, we believe that it is the third princess of Britannia, who upon checking the broadcasts, is officially declared missing. She's currently attending with the eighty-seventh princess and her maid."

Kenobi and Lelouch would look at each other, with raised eyebrows.

"...Well, that's...rather convenient," Kenobi muttered. "Alright, thank you for informing me, Boil. Continue to keep a close watch on the three for the time being."

"Yes, sir," Boil said before ending the comm-chat.

"I suppose this would somewhat answer our question of yet another potential time traveller," Kenobi muttered softly.

"Hmm, there's no doubt about that, how else would Euphemia even think of going towards Ashford where Nunnally and I are staying?" Lelouch looked grim as he felt like sweating, while thinking. But that would also mean that...she remembers?

Memories of dead Japanese civilians sprung to mind. Kill the Japanese. Ringing in the ears. Then there was a gnawing fear that, perhaps, it was possible that the command that he had accidentally implanted, one that V.V. was directly responsible for, using Lelouch as a mere puppet, would still be there. Kill the Japanese.

Sayoko's Japanese. So... Lelouch thought worryingly.

"...I need to get back to Area 11," Lelouch looked concerned. "If I'm right, at least I hope not, Euphemia could potentially be a danger to those around her, including herself."

"Is this about...that time?" Big Boss pointed out, something that only he and Kenobi would know.

"Yes," Lelouch nodded.

"Then I'm coming too," Shirley spoke, looking serious.

"But Shirley, you just got here," Lelouch sported a contrite and worried look.

"And?" Shirley raised an eyebrow. "This isn't really an inconvenience for me, really."

"I will come with you as well, Lelouch," Kenobi proposed. "If the princess is still under Geass' influence, then I should be able to pinpoint it and remove its psychic imprint command."

"...Alright," Lelouch nodded, while looking at Shirley. "And, sorry about this, Shirley."

"Once again, Lulu, don't worry about it," Shirley smiled with understanding. "I'll have plenty of opportunities to explore this base eventually, so long as umm, Mr. Big Boss wouldn't mind."

"Permission is granted, barring a few facilities, for confidential reasons and for your own personal safety," Big Boss answered.

"Then that's settled," Shirley nodded. "Shall we get going, or do we still have something important that needs to be discussed?"

"Not at the moment," Big Boss shakes his head. "This debriefing is dismissed."


POV: Cornelia li Britannia.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN THAT MY SISTER'S MISSING?!"

Cornelia li Britannia was many things in life. Now, she was utterly pissed. Though the word doesn't do justice to the seething anger and worry that was now present on her beautiful face. Somewhere in the desert terrain of the Middle East, in an established working tent, guarded by two of her subordinates from the door, she was speaking with her dear brother Schneizel el Britannia, who was calling her from the phone.

"Calm yourself, dear sister," Schneizel's tone was just as formal as always, despite the fact that one of the royal family, her sister, had gone missing. That's what completely irritates her. "Shouting like that would not accomplish anything."

Cornelia sighed heavily, pinching her eyes and tried her best to assess the issue calmly, which was half-failing. "Just how is it possible for the guards to fail to track my sister? Was there any evidence of a kidnapping in her room?"

"No, only that some of her belongings are no longer there," Schneizel explained. "If I were to surmised, our sister wasn't kidnapped by any of our enemies, but rather, like any other teenager of her age, she ran away."

"Ran away to where?!" Cornelia gritted her teeth.

"Well, that's something that even I'm more than confounded with, which I find to be rather impressive, as not anyone could simply elude me," Schniezel looked amused by this situation.

"Damn it, Schniezel, this is no time for jokes! In case you have forgotten, I'm currently in the middle of finishing Britannia's conquest of the Middle East, and just as we are about to plan our assault and stamp the last of the rebellious forces here in the region, I've been given a report from my subordinate that my sister has been declared missing. Have Britannian Security Forces actually thoroughly checked anywhere? Houses, apartments, malls, including the airport?"

"They tried all of that, even going door to door literally speaking, but apparently, she's still nowhere to be found, leading me to guess that she may have left Pendragon entirely and headed somewhere else," Schniezel explained.

"But where would she-" Cornelia stopped talking as a slow, disturbing feeling settled in.

There was...There was only one actual place where Euphemia would possibly go.

She hoped that she was wrong, but there was no other way to see it.

Japan.

That was the only accursed nation on the planet that Euphemia could have been going and disappeared off to.

Euphy...no, Cornelia felt shaken.

She didn't want to lose her sister to that damn island nation as well. If that happened, if she lost her one and only sister, she didn't know what she would honestly do.

"...I think I may have a clue where my sister is," Cornelia narrowed her eyes with a subtle yet burning vengeance.


POV: C.C.

C.C. had experienced excruciating pain in several forms, through her long, accursed immortal life.

This was nothing new...

But...

"The subject is secure, sir," One of the men, sporting black armor and camo uniform, with the words 'XOF' found on the shoulders. "We're preparing gateway extraction."

All she would see were flames... and dead bodies... scientists, personnel, all who were Britannan, riddled through the ground, painted red.

"Good, tie up any loose ends," A man would speak from the comms. His tone was grim and precise. "We cannot let Britannia at large know of our presence just yet."

...Lelouch, C.C. thought.

That was the last thing she knew before her consciousness fades into black.


POV: Suzaku Kururugi.

Somewhere in Area 11...

There was a young man, a Japanese with brown hair and green eyes, glaring at the skies, muttering, in his heart.

"...Damn you, XOF."

For he has come back, with a heart of vengeance. As he recalls the woman he tried to protect, the beautiful empress, whose sweet voice was likened to a soothing melody, whose smile that slowly healed his heart from all of the broken glass that was his mistakes, would shatter once more, as he carried her body in his arms, and screamed her name, as tears rushed through his own eyes, filled with pain, body and soul.

"NNNNNNNNNNNNNNUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!"

The woman he promised to protect, upon the death of his best friend. Dead as he recalled being shot, by a man whose face resembled a skull. And he is back, with a vengeance.

"...I'm going to find you all. And I'm going to kill you all."

That was his promise. As the winds blew, waving a little of his hair and military uniform, carrying a handgun, gripping it.

He was back with a vengeance, to hunt down and kill, all those who had turned his world of peace, into a world of war.


Trivia For Chapter:

(*1) - From Otacon's time period, same as Solid Snake, Colonel Roy Campbell had long since passed away, given fully decorated military honors, and acknowledgment of his role in stopping Liquid Ocelot and his private military company, Outer Heaven.