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tdm 18

test drive meme

Ingress travel can be disorienting, but there’s no need to worry! All side effects are temporary and lessen with each trip. Your body may experience several sensations at once: being pushed forward as if a hand is resting on your back, momentary and startling blindness, a gentle ringing in your head. You may have difficulty discerning whether it is hot or cold, but where you have been prodded is noticeably warmer than the rest of you. Some may suffer from dizziness while others are perfectly fine. You notice that the area you are in is filled with a soft cerulean light and feels slightly humid and dark despite the glow around you. Regardless of your current state, however, the stress of initial Ingress travel forces your body into unconsciousness.

Waking up is another story. Or maybe it isn’t.

You find yourself in a nondescript room; sometimes with others who have found themselves in the same situation, sometimes alone. A medical tech is always present to explain what’s happened before giving you some clothes, a TAB, and a guide that discusses things in further detail. This entire process also consists of a complete work-up of medical history and current health in order to obtain your signature—a specific frequency that will allow them to hone in on exactly where it is you’re from in order to get you back there.You spend your first week on the Ingress Complex while other accommodations and arrangements are made for you.

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phanos

⋆ Phanos is classified as Exploration Class (EC) and is open to all travelers. The dry heat on the planet is overwhelming, but it's important that as many people as possible visit so that scientists can track down the origin of a strong signal pulsing somewhere on the planet. Its frequency indicates that if it is found, Ingress engineers may be able to hone in on people's signatures to send them home. However, frequent dust storms on the planet's surface are causing interference. It is strongly advised that investigators visit in groups—and keep their mouths closed!

⋆ Between dust storms, at the ege of the sandy plains, travelers will notice a series of pyramid-like structures. The smallest ones are just a few feet high, and the largest reach as high as ten-story buildings. Those who press on will find the terrain more difficult, as they must trek through increasingly dense clusters of pyramids of all sizes. Eventually, the pyramid 'forest' clears to reveal the largest pyramid of all, the size of a small mountain. Its peak is guarded by nests of griffin-like creatures which are no larger than a medium-sized dog. Those with combat skills should be in no danger, unless a whole nest attacks at once!

⋆ Multiple stone doors built into the top of the pyramid lead into a surprising space: a sleek lab, filled with incredibly advanced technology. Scientists, engineers and techies could happily spend years studying the equipment and deciphering the data it contains. But in the darkest corners, there's a quiet chittering...are the travelers really alone?

OUT OF CHARACTER INFO

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For mature or graphic content, please label.For questions, please direct them to the FAQ or the Feedback page. Any scenarios listed (unless otherwise indicated) can be used as game canon. As always, be kind and have fun!

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[ Ocelot braces himself for something, and... so far, there was nothing too earth-shattering. mind you, for most people, this would all be a lot to take in, but from where he was standing, this was still the least bizarre thing about the whole situation. ]

Makes about as much sense as anything, I guess.

[ though now it makes him wonder about a few things. if you could be here multiple times, what does that even mean?

...maybe it was slightly more mind-breaking than he'd initially thought. ]

[ Meaning isn't what Venom is looking for, not exactly; if they can be pulled here without consequence as many times as the space-time continuum allows, it's not a matter of meaning for Venom so much as it's how he should conduct himself until the universe decides to stop roughhousing.

But, again. Not the philosophical debate he's looking for. ]

Another thing. [ Here's the slow ease into more nebulous territory, and—

—it's not that Venom is unsure, but the trepidation shows. That's usually what it is, when people stall over their own thoughts. ]

People from our future are here. [ Fucking preposterous, but true. ] ...Eli, for example.

[ He hesitates on 'David', the second of those two 'terrible' children. ]

[ see, now there's something that's a little more interesting. he's not going to ask Venom any of the logistics of it, but given everything else that's happened so far, it's not outside the realm of possibility. ]

...So he survived his whole island ordeal. Figures. The kid's got some tough genes.

[ now he gets the distinct feeling that Venom is beating around something. he could've told you that Eli was probably still out there. ]

Go on.

[ besides... "he who controls the past controls the future". let's hear what it has in store. ]

[ None of this is anything Ocelot wouldn't have found out through the network and the extensive contact information, anyway; obfuscation is difficult when technology practices transparency. Still, the frown that flits across the patterned rise and fall of Venom's face is a momentary red flag of empathy. Incongruous on those artificial features, too soft.

He buys himself some time. Quirks the corner of his lips in a smile that doesn't quite reach his eye. ]

You're taking this pretty well. [ Stating the obvious is Deflection 101— maybe not even. Deflection for Toddlers. A bit insulting, to be honest, leveled against a Masterclass in Spying. ] ...Eli's twin. David. He's here, too.

[ And he has baggage in spades. ]

[ you see, the thing about being raised from birth to be a spy, and self-taught in the "art of interrogation" means that he might know when someone's avoiding telling him something.

John had never been great at bullshitting. Venom was worse, if that was possible. ]

Figures. [ all they needed was Zero's secret project, and they'd have the full set of "anfents terribles". ]

Just tell me what it is you think I don't want to hear.

[ he knows enough that he can guess what it has to do with. point one: people from their "future" happen to be here. point two: the "children" were those people. point three: venom is beating around the bush about something.

best case scenario, Venom's going to tell him that in the future, he's dead. worst case...

well. he'd cross that bridge when he gets there. ]

[ Lies are all about knowing which doors to open and which doors to close— Venom's trajectory is too straightforward, his written lines of code too steadfast. The only lies he can tell are those by omission.

Naturally, he can choose to redact this report on David, but how much value is there in prolonging the inevitable? If there's one thing that Venom knows, really knows, it's that 'Adam' will always find a way to play the game from every angle.

So. Best to know which angles the Russian has to play with. ]

You know what I am, Ocelot.

[ He's the smokescreen, the exoskeleton of Big Boss. The genuine article doesn't die until the shell does, first; of course Venom's days are numbered. ]

David does exactly what you'd expect him to do.

[ He tips his head. Waits for an assessment. ]

Edited 2017-06-20 05:43 (UTC)

[ smart choice. it was one of the reasons that even after remembering the truth, he doesn't loathe working with Venom, like he might with others in a similar situation. ]

I see.

[ he's not going to insult Venom by saying he's sorry. it was perhaps, unfortunate, but it was still inevitable. given the way things were progressing with Cipher, it was only a matter of time before the casualties started to pile up. when it came down to it, Venom was a loss that he could happily live with.

and, that's still not enough to explain the evasiveness. after all, Venom knew the score better than most. there was more to it than just that. and while this was certainly not an interrogation, he intended to get every last bit of information Venom had. ]

So, David takes you out. I'm going to take a wild guess and say Cipher's involved. [ and, given one conversation that he had not long before he arrived, he was also betting that Miller couldn't have the decency to stay on-side. but, he needs more information to go on before he can make a real educated guess. ] And I'm willing to bet that's not where they stop.

[ so, who was the next casualty in their war going to be? ]

—Ocelot.

[ The name comes more as a sigh, gravel rolled from the back of Venom's throat. Whatever authority those syllables may have held in the past is halved; he may be 'Big Boss', but Venom Snake still isn't 'John'.

(it's not that Venom is cowed by Ocelot, no— Big Boss doesn't believe in submission. but sometimes he can't reconcile what he sees with what he knows, and his head starts splitting from its seams.) ]

Antagonizing David won't do us any good. Not here.

[ This is as far as Venom can go with his personal opinions. Eye narrowed to mirror his grim frown, humming a low note under his breath.

He can answer Ocelot's questions, but this is the one point he has to make first. Considering, you know. That David sends them all to hell, basically. ]

Edited 2017-06-21 00:45 (UTC)

[ he's heard that tone a time or two before, though it doesn't have quite the same impact when it's 'Ocelot' and not 'Adam'.

(but there was only one man who ever called him by his real name. and he wasn't 'Venom Snake') ]

Boss...

[ now, this request is starting to tell him more of what he needs to know. first of all, Venom knows that Ocelot rarely, if ever, acts in blind fury, unlike some people that they both know (Miller). however, clearly Venom thinks that whatever 'David' did would be enough that he'd go out of his way to antagonize him. which is leading him towards a conclusion that he'd hoped he wouldn't have to consider.

he's silent for a while, before finally... ]

...You can't go after someone for something that hasn't happened yet.

[ regardless of the changed circumstances, he still respects 'Big Boss'. and he needs to know what the future has in store. ]

[ There's something morbid about the flood of relief that rises from the pit of Venom's stomach when he hears Ocelot speak, something that feels like the emotional equivalent of muscle memory. Compliance with what he knows to be true— his loyalty— is so much more uncomplicated than the daily grind of figuring out who he is here.

Venom's eye flutters closed for a half-second. ]

I know. [ A soft huff, mildly self-deprecating. ] —Just wanted to hear you say that.

[ As an affirmation, as something to hold Ocelot to. As far as playing poker with Ocelot goes, Venom is never going to have enough chips; that doesn't mean he won't take one or two. ]

...Whatever I'm gonna say, it's probably already crossed your mind. [ So, here's Venom being candid. ] David is going to kill 'Big Boss'.

[ Not just Venom, but the entire title. ]

[ he might've known that the words were coming but that doesn't mean that they still didn't sting. as much as he can try and say nothing impacts him, the news, combined with the fact he still has no idea where the hell he is, almost causes him to lose his composure for a split second. his brow furrows and his hands clench.

but, the moment passes, and Ocelot is back to thinking about this rationally. David was going to kill Venom and John. this was the current assumption they were working off of, but that didn't answer a few key questions. ]

How.

[ he imagines that one man in particular helped him. one man, who, if all of this does come to pass will suffer the longest and most excruciating death that anyone could hope to ask for.

and his second question. ]

Where am I in all of this?

[ because that's going to be key to understanding the whole damn thing. if he's dead... well. at least he knows what to prepare for. but if he's still alive...

that's where things might just get interesting.

~~after all, he'd never had any intention of outliving 'big boss'.~~ ]

[ It's the trained eye of a medic that catches the physical cues, instincts honed from the years he'd spent pre-stasis with his fingers knuckles-deep in someone else's skin and sinew. Venom sees the momentary ripple on the surface of Ocelot's preternaturally still lake, and wonders, for a moment, if he should offer a palm to his shoulder.

Instead: ] Ocelot. [ A proper warning this time, to not get ahead of himself. ] I don't know the details. But as far as I know, you see things through.

[ It seems to be the general consensus that Ocelot is the common thread between all of them. Funny how that works, huh.

Venom's pinpoint focus fixes itself on his companion, steady and unflinching. ]

[ another flash of emotion stirs just beneath the surface at that warning, before he buries it down.

you see things through. what, he wonders, is he living for? what thoughts are going through his mind? he remembers that feeling he'd gotten when he'd first heard about the Caribbean, all those years ago. what would he feel this time, if it all really was over? he'd only ever had one weakness. what would it mean if it was gone?

but, he reminds himself, he still can't be sure of anything. the fact that both he and David are still alive should signal something, but he isn't sure what. ]

Where did you get this information?

[ a valid question, and one that should add another piece to a very jumbled puzzle. ]

[ It's obvious that Venom saw no reason to press beyond the scope of his jurisdiction. An abundance of information can be a hindrance when one's primary motive is to follow directives; it's not his place to decide where the future takes him.

And, again, there's that hesitation. A split-second shuffle of feet that his wolfdog picks up on, pricks his ears up in response to. ]

—From the source.

[ There's a cautionary undercurrent to his tone, here, only compounded upon in his next admission-to-come. ] Kaz is also here. He filled me in.

[ Unspoken: keep it civil. ]

[ really, he shouldn't be surprised. information gathering like this had never exactly been 'Big Boss''s speciality. really, he should be grateful that he has as much information as he does, given the situation.

and, of course Miller's here. isn't that just fantastic.

what he says next might be perhaps the most ironic thing he's ever said. ]

You can't trust him.

[ given the last conversation he had with the other man, he'd be willing to bet good money that he's at least partially responsible for this whole mess.

whether or not he decides to keep it civil remains to be seen. ]

He's made it clear that this future isn't the one he wanted for any of us.

[ Which is to say that Venom does trust Kaz, with the same empathy that he's currently extending to Ocelot. His angle of approach has always been different with his XO, who he still believes has been wronged— Kaz speaks to Venom's inherent need to preserve and uphold, because out of all of them, Venom has reason to believe that Kaz is the most vulnerable.

There are a lot of things that Venom himself is missing from the picture, the loose puzzle pieces that he doesn't deign to put together. Kaz is a blind spot for him, much in the same way that Ocelot can be. ]

...Ocelot. Whatever happens here may not have any bearing on what goes on in our world.

So don't get too hasty.

Because you didn't remember your last stay here? Was that an anomaly, or do we have more examples of the same thing?

[ if he's being honest, he doesn't like the idea that any of this might not matter, or that somehow he isn't in control of his own fate. for however else he was raised, since he helped bring down the last of the Philosophers, he's chosen his path of his own free will.

he's made it clear that this future isn't the one he wanted for any of us.

yet again, there's another crack in his ever-calm facade as a flash of rage passes over him. what the hell else did he think was going to happen?! but, yet again, he forces that rage down, because he really doesn't know anything about Miller's involvement one way or another. he just suspects, based on their last conversation, and what little he's learned from Venom. he might also be letting his own dislike of the man get in the way of his better reasoning.

and letting blind emotion get in the way of the logical truth had never done any of them (least of all Miller) any good. ]

I'll want to talk to him about this.

[ a pause, before clarifying. ]

And just talk to him.

[ he is occasionally capable of doing that, when the time calls for it. ]

Edited 2017-06-22 01:03 (UTC)

[ There are worse things than anger when it comes to personal politics, but anger tends to conflate and consume; two things that Venom wants to avoid, both for Ocelot and Kaz's sake.

He makes a mental note to continue mediation of whatever fireworks go up in the near future. Somehow, somehow, he already feels that he's failed. ]

That's for you and Kaz to decide.

[ They're both adults, and Venom has to trust that they can keep their discussion to something that doesn't blow up in everyone's faces.

Venom takes a beat to sigh, and appends: ] —And as far as more examples go, you were also here before. If anyone brings it up, now you know.

I see.

[ yet, somehow that was the least strange thing about this whole situation. Ocelot not having memories that he should... was something he had intimate experience with, even now. still, he didn't like what that meant for everything Venom had just told him.

well. it'd just be another bridge to cross when the time comes. ]

Anything I should know about that last time?

[ did he... backstab anyone? situations could change in an instant. ]

Edited 2017-06-24 01:26 (UTC)

[ Venom can't needle Ocelot for the things that he knows to be difficult to handle, which is where his misguided empathy plays a part, again. None of them need to be handled delicately, least of all Venom, but he can appreciate that information is best delegated to bite-size details. ]

No. As far as I know, we kept up the neutrality.

[ 'As far as Venom knows', of course. He won't deign to speak on Ocelot's behalf, but he can hazard a bit of a guess.

He rolls his shoulders, as if to grind his gears back into place. ]

...You're gonna be alright?

[ well. if nothing else, that was a relief. still, it didn't change the other facts. especially one in particular.

he needs more information.

at Venom's question, he shrugs. even if he were actually 'John', and not just 'Big Boss', this was one situation where he wasn't sure he'd reveal his true thoughts. no need to let anyone else know his weaknesses. ]

I'll manage.

[ he always does. ]

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tdm 18

test drive meme

welcome to thisavrou

phanos

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