[When You Wish Upon a Star...]

[old_papa_john]

[He's sitting on a bench in a random hallway, smoking a cigar, thinking about the wish he made. Foolish. Wishes don't ever come true...but he supposes that's part of the alleged 'fun' about wishes; the 'what if?' factor. He wonders if life would be better if it came true and how he would even handle himself if he was actually faced with that. He

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[snakehermit]

[A ghostly figure appears near Big Boss.]

[old_papa_john]

Hn?

[John looks beside him.]

[snakehermit]

Dying's not as great as you made it out to be.

[Snake casts his eyes over to Big Boss, a bit of a sarcastic smirk on his lips.]

[old_papa_john]

Hnn.

What...happened?

[clonesoldier]

[That little David walks on by, looking up at Big Boss. He's apprehensive and uncertain if this was the one that had made Hal upset.]

... [His shoulder hunches a little.] Big Boss?

[old_papa_john]

Yes...

David?

[The old man gazes upon his youthful Son in awe. He will never cease to be amazed by the mysterious power of the Nexus and its ability to draw people of various staged of life together.]

[clonesoldier]

[Oh good... He didn't look like one of the crazy ones.]

Hey... You didn't fight?

[His shoulder has been bandaged up and he looks much healthier.]

[old_papa_john]

[He shakes his head slowly.]

I am much too old to fight like that any more. [Sure, any monkey can shoot a gun, but he's not as quick as he used to be. Avoiding damage from heavy fire is increasingly difficult for him now.]

[John gives his young Son a visual assessment.] You're injured?

[snakesin]

[The last person Liquid wanted to see was Big Boss. But somehow, he felt... drawn to him.]

Cigars?

[old_papa_john]

Yes.

Cigars.

[His pulse quickens. He's sure he's going to get attacked again; John mentally prepared himself and he's at the ready.]

[snakesin]

[Liquid glances over his father, though his usually heated irritation has died down somewhat.]

I see...

[He folds his arms across his chest, dressed in his long trench coat.]

[old_papa_john]

[He watches the man like a hawk.]

...Is there something that you desire?

[John shifts in his seat feeling more uneasy around this Son than the others.]

[cougar_78]

[On paper, this whole thing sounded almost... fun. It had been quiet for far too long, for someone like EVA. Like many here, she has been involved in war all her life; It's difficult sometimes to try and adjust to living "peacefully" as a stay-at-home-mom. But now, as she looks around the Nexus... EVA finds that she's beginning to grow tired of this lifestyle as well. Overall, she's less enthusiastic about battle as she used to be. The Nexus seems to take a bit of the 'thrill' out of things. At least, for her.]

[Peace, war... perhaps she can find a happy balance some day.]

[EVA looks to Big Boss with a sigh as she goes to walk past him in the hall, but stops. He doesn't appear to be in the happiest of moods either- Not that he usually is. Swaying over in his direction, the woman gestures in the direction of his cigar.] ...Have you got any to spare?

[old_papa_john]

Hnn...Yes, of course-

[He looks up at the woman who so casually addressed him, then stops when he realizes what woman it is.]

EVA...

[old_papa_john]

...

[He glance back down as he pulls out a cigar from his coat's breast pocket.] How have you been?

[cougar_78]

[She quirks a brow just slightly. Why the surprise?]

Hmn. [Accepting the cigar] Interesting question. I've yet to decide the answer...

I suppose that you could say that not much has changed. I've been... the same. [Placing the cigar between her lips, she begins searching for her lighter.] Just living my life from day to day.

And you?

[stoicism]

[Null finds himself seated on the floor, sitting close to the old man's leg. He's silent, just savouring the moment of peace he finds here.]

[old_papa_john]

[John looks toward the warmth that he feels radiating near his leg and spies a very quiet Frank. He didn't even hear him arrive. Even the boy's breathing is a silent as if he were a statue.]

...Hello, Frank.

[stoicism]

[Null turns his head to regard the man.]

...This hallway is quiet.

[old_papa_john]

Indeed it is. It is why I am seated here. It allows me to think more clearly.

[John glances to the boy, making eye-contact.]

Sometimes a man needs silence to calm his soul.