WEEK 3 MINGLE

[foundationmods]

WEEK 3

Week three opens like the other two weeks, but when you wake up, you know there's been a change in the area. At first, nothing is wrong - but when you look at any window, you aren't greeted with the cheery sight of the outside - instead, there's just a cold, harsh blackness. Trying to leave out the doors is impossible, too - if you try, you just find yourself back on the couches in the lobby. On top of that....The Staff are beginning to act even stranger, their glitching out becoming more obvious. Sometimes, they seemingly go blank mid sentence and walk away, as if they were reset, and slur or stutter their words.

The weather is...well, non-existent, except for the courtyard, which is still pleasantly snowy. There is still music playing in the halls, and the cover songs continue with some low-key music for the week.

On Monday morning, another memory is returned to everyone. Another piece to the puzzle, one step closer to finding the truth of this place. Yet, it doesn't seem like you're any closer to solving this...

And time still ticks onwards, regardless if you're ready or not.


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[relentlesslyonwards]

[Taking care of yourself, huh... His initial response is to blink at that statement, his smile turning a little bitter.]

...Yeah, you're right.

[He stands up from his seat, stepping away from the firepit.]

Sure, I'd be glad to. I'm sure I could learn a lot from watching you, too.

[tacticalespionageaction]

Alright.

[Snake walks away from the firepit, towards the more open part of the courtyard Rean was practicing in earlier, unzipping his jacket as he does.]

When you’re ready.

[relentlesslyonwards]

[He follows Snake over, hooking the sheath to his hip and drawing his sword. There's a moment where he takes a breath before moving into his regular stance, turning his body to the side to look over his left shoulder while his blade is held at hip level, pointed directly behind him. He nods at Snake's invitation.]

Right.

[And after taking a couple steps to the side to gauge his opponent, he rushes forward for a quick downward slash.]

[tacticalespionageaction]

[Snake springs into action, darting out of the way almost instinctively. He doubted Rean would try to kill him, but if he didn't act like it, there'd be no point.

Though he has a gun on him now; he doesn't reach for it. There was nothing to be gained in wounding the kid, and taking on a swordsman with just his fists...that was something crazy enough for him to do.

He holds back, observing, waiting for Rean's next move.]

[relentlesslyonwards]

['He's fast.' Admittedly, he'd expected some sort of counterattack from Snake after that miss, but with no sign of one in sight, he easily moves into a follow-up attack. With a slight pivot, he turns his blade and goes for an upwards diagonal strike. It's definitely not close enough to do more than a shallow cut even if it lands, but the tip of the blade could still end up pretty close to Snake's face in his current position.]

[tacticalespionageaction]

[Speed's one thing Snake has always used to his advantage, a trait both trained and cemented in his genes. A quick reaction time was vital in his line of work.

Snake, quickly registering the blade's movement, steps back - though not soon or far enough. Rean's sword takes his headband as victim, blue fabric torn from Snake's head.

At such a close distance, now, there was one technique he could employ, having all the things he needed for it, after all. Though he'd sworn it off for years, the instinct to use it was still there.

He was taking too long to react- he had to move, or he'd miss his window. He darts forward, ducked down, at a slight angle, aiming a punch to the abdomen...

...but not with human hands. A crab claw is thrust from Snake's coat, hitting with the flat so Rean won't be pinched should it land.]

[relentlesslyonwards]

[!! At this range, it's impossible to dodge entirely and he can't get his sword down quick enough to block, so the most he can do is do his best to move, steeling himself for the blow.

It's really not enough, as evident from how Snake manages to land his attack, causing Rean to double over with the breath knocked out of his lungs and have a rather violent coughing fit. Give him a second here.]

[tacticalespionageaction]

[Snake's about to follow that blow up with a kick, but as he raises his leg, the coughing starts.

And, instead, he simply pulls away, awkwardly stepping back.]

You okay, kid?

[relentlesslyonwards]

[He takes a bit of time to recover, but he manages to pull himself together, although his breaths are still noticeably short and choppy when he looks up at Snake.]

Y-yeah, I'm fine. [He shakes his head.] I really left myself wide open for that one, huh.

[tacticalespionageaction]

Nothing you can't learn from.

[Because that really was what it all was about, learning what gave your opponent an opportunity and learning to avoid it.]

Still had me there for a moment.

[He gestures to the lost bandana, wherever it landed.]

[relentlesslyonwards]

[He clutches his chest, taking a couple of deep breaths. Although he's a tad wobbly on his feet, he picks himself up without much trouble.]

Haha... I've still got a long way to go, though.

Do you mind if I ask where you learned how to fight? You're probably on Instructor Sara's level, if not better.

[tacticalespionageaction]

[Snake wonders if he should help Rean, but as he gets up, he seems to have it well enough under control.]

Been in the armed forces ever since I was a kid.

[But, this didn't just come from that...]

Used to be in a special forces unit, FOXHOUND. When I was at their training camp I had two mentors. They trained me not only to fight, but survive.

[There's something troubled in his tone, but he doesn't linger on it.]

I was taught something just as important, though, by a friend of mine. [An empty smirk.] "Only a fool trusts his life to a weapon".

[relentlesslyonwards]

[There's a lot to parse here, up to and including the fact that Snake was a child soldier. It's a familiar story in some ways but also not, and the face of a silver-haired girl flashes through his mind.]

You have me there. [There's a glance over to the crab claw.] But you weren't completely unarmed yourself, huh.

[tacticalespionageaction]

[He smirks a little, and holds the claw up with a wave.]

Still hand-to-hand.

[If you stretch the meaning a little further.]

It's not that I don't use weapons, but they can't be all you rely on. In a battle, the only thing you can count on is yourself.

[relentlesslyonwards]

I guess that's one way of describing it...

[There's a blink at the last sentence, before his expression shifts to something more melancholic.]

I can't deny that you have a point, but when you say it like that... it almost sounds kind of lonely.

[tacticalespionageaction]

It can be. The battlefield is a lonely place.

[Even though it's full of people, each one is looking out for themselves, most of all.]

But that doesn't mean it has to be.

[relentlesslyonwards]

[There's a blink, and he closes his eyes for a bit, like he's mulling over something. When he opens his eyes, there's a small smile.]

Yeah, of course. Did you also have friends there to back you up?

[tacticalespionageaction]

...Sometimes, yeah.

[Whether all of his team could really be considered 'friends' was complicated territory, but there was no denying he did have some there looking out for him.]

They saved my life a few times, one way or another. I owe a lot to them.