As good an excuse as any.

[youcanthideo]

[This place lacked the metal walls, grating, the arsenal of Shadow Moses. What appearance told him, thoughts in the vicinity would be quick to confirm. He tensed a hand in front of his mask, fingers splayed as he did a psychic sweep.

Nexus. Rooms. Room effects. Trapped. Kitchens. Alternates. Outside. Roof. Snake. Liquid. Big Boss. Raiden. Ocelot.

Comments

[neurotic_insect]

[He had sensed a disturbance in the force that something had been altered around Nexus before. It was rarely a clear sensation; more than often a vague impression that something was different. Something was...here.]

[Ever cautiously, he reached out into the collected minds in Nexus and sought to discern who had joined the populace. It wasn't hard to separate that mind from the crowd, and he immediately looked up towards the ceiling.]

[Damn and double damn. A third Mantis with naught but a single floor between them.]

[youcanthideo]

[Ah, yes, Mantis could tell there were other psychics around. One was an "alternate", no doubt. He glanced down to the floor, debating whether to venture out and meet this "other Mantis". It had the significant possibility to end rather badly.]

[He casually made his way towards the stairs.]

[neurotic_insect]

[Sensing the newcomers' movements, Dimitri debated whether or not to engage him in conversation. The last two he had met were both all too eager to try and destroy him, so his opinion of the third one was already tainted.]

[Cautiously, he sent out a single thought that would be easy to read, his footsteps taking him slowly away from the stairwell his alternate was walking towards. I mean you no harm.]

[youcanthideo]

[Two words are sent back as Mantis descends the stairwell: You're afraid.]

[neurotic_insect]

[The first one tried to kill me. The second one just wanted to make me miserable and possibly dislocate my shoulder.]

[His optimism about dealing with his older selves was less than optimistic, basically. Dimitri slowed just a bit in his steps, waiting for any indication that he'd have yet another fight on his hands.]

[youcanthideo]

[A light chuckle: You think I care what the others have done?]

[But maybe Mantis wouldn't go down to meet him just yet. After all, there were a lot of people to take tabs on in the area, and he hardly needed to dive into his alternate's mind right now. Besides...causing him a little apprehension, a little paranoia...he couldn't resist.]

[Thinking on it for a moment, he swept a forearm through the air, swinging open a few doors near Dimitri on the floor below.]

[neurotic_insect]

[I doubt you would...]

[All fine and well in his mind. He's not terribly eager to learn what this particular Mantis thinks of him. It meant others would be at his older self's mercy, but that just seemed to be the Psycho Mantis Modus Operendi.]

[He was only mildly surprised at the doors opening like they did, seeing a linen closet, a kitchen and an avalanche of feather dusters, rubber ducks, and baseballs. He pocketed some of the more interesting marbles and grabbed to of the dusters, intending to take them to his apartment.]

[youcanthideo]

[Then why waste your words?]

[Either way, Mantis had more important things to do than humor his "alternate". No doubt this one would end up on the same path he'd seen in Snake's mind--dead.]

[neurotic_insect]

Because I want to live in peace...

[The psychic answered the question aloud, not caring who'd hear, intending to hide out in his apartment for the rest of the day.]