VOICE
[Liquid's voice is thoughtful, even pensive. Several days of paranoia, coupled with soul-searching and guilt - though not related to the same issues - will do that to a person. Things have suddenly gotten very complicated. Between Miller and Kadaj, he's pretty on edge lately. And why shouldn't he be? Suddenly finding himself Kadaj's honorary not-brother, not-father - and finding the similarities between the two of them - was preying on his mind. Considering he'd been wanting to kill him - and still would, if the man tried to kill him, he wasn't that far gone - this was stirring a remarkable amount of confusion. Miller, on the other hand, was mostly stirring paranoia. Liquid was not a man who would admit to feeling guilt even to himself. Even as it tore and gouged at him, he would stand and look away from it, ignoring its existence even as it whittled him down.]
This place truly is absurd...
[He clears his throat. Astute listeners might notice the sounds of people in the distance. It sounds like he's still on campus.]
Some of you come from worlds drastically different to this one. This world is only dissimilar to mine in its use of technology, but I know at least one person who came from a time long before technology existed even at this level. I've met others who seem to be far beyond our level of understanding, technology-wise. One would expect this to be something of a blessing on the city - certainly there are plenty of people here with abilities that could be beneficial to it. I wonder why this city has not been improved by this? One would expect the "newcomers" to have some impact upon the city. Usually when a foreign species - and I use the term far from in an insulting manner, for at least some of the visitors to this place seem to be non-human - enters an enclosed zone such as this, it brings change on a far more massive level than I've noticed.
It's rather interesting to note. Despite that, the inhabitants of this place seem to regard us as if we had brought on a more drastic change. I can't help but wonder, was this city different, back when the Pull first started? What is the longest anyone has been here, and have they noticed any type of dramatic change in the level of technology, or medical capabilities, or anything, for that matter? Change can be gradual, but one would expect it to be more noticeable in such a closed area, with new information and technologies entering it every few days or weeks.
And the people here, you would expect to have become more knowledgeable, too. Yet they seem to shrink from it, rather than attempting to sort through it.
[There's a pause. In the distance someone is yelling, and there's a faint sound of irritation from Liquid.]
Pitiful. Fighting against each other as if they were soldiers at war. Civilians can never truly understand what war is. What it does to people - and what people do in its name. They're all just words to those that don't experience it first-hand. No words can describe the feelings you go through when you're in battle, how easily it can damage the mind. Those who kill, even in the name of their country, are damned forever. Their souls are marked forever. Irreversible. Yet the young seem to think it's all fun and games. The old shake their heads and tut, as if it's on the same scale as a child trying to drown a kitten.
[Another pause.]
Earlier today, a woman fainted on campus. Before the first aiders got there, there was a small crowd of people, simply gawking amongst themselves. Nobody bothered to lift a finger. They simply looked. Within moments of realising she wasn't going to die, they dispersed, grumbling as if a show had been cancelled. I wonder when civilians became so jaded as to disregard the health of their own kind? Or is it simply that their lives are so empty of interesting things that they have to stare? Luckily for her, the woman was unharmed.
At any rate, this does seem to be dragging on somewhat... I seem to have lost my point somewhere in my rambling. Ah, well. It's been a long day. [The faint sound of a hand smacking into something.] Ah, I did have one other question.
Is there any acceptable sort of way to say "Sorry I killed your... whatever he is to you"?
PRIVATE // TO OCELOT // HACKABLE
Ocelot. I'm coming over tonight. It might be advisable to leave the door unlocked.
[Liquid and doors didn't have the best of relationships, after all.]
I'll be there by half-five. Oh, and you're cooking.
[A pause.]
No arguments. That's an order.
PRIVATE // TO OTACON // HACKABLE
I'm going out tonight. If I'm not back by the time of the siren, I probably won't be back until morning. If anyone wants me, and I don't answer, take a message and give me it at work tomorrow. Unless it's Father, of course. You'll want to codec me, if the codec still works.
[And yes, Otacon, he's talking to you like a secretary. :|]