Pretenders

The final fight is going on between the Sons of Big Boss, and Revolver Ocelot has a front row seat.

Well, two of the sons at least - neither of them knows about Solidus, and the way things are going, neither of them will live long enough to learn about Big Boss's third clone either. And front row seat is a bit generous, when he's watching the show from Metal Gear's control room. REX is slumped down, below his position, and it's hard to make out the details from where he's standing. All he can see is the body of one unconscious woman, one nuclear module blinking right by her, and two shadowy figures engaged in a dance of death. He's able to make out which is which, but he doubts that many others could say the same.

He knows them both. He's seen them move. Seen them fight. While to the lay eye, the two Snakes are in perfect synchrony, matching each of their moves against the other, he can see the differences between them. How they conduct themselves in their last battle. Of the two Snakes born of Eve, one of them lives to fight. The other, in this moment, is fighting to live. And while he knows he should be off, considering he has that module and incoming B-52 bombers to worry about, he finds himself compelled to stay. Partly because he has faith that Solidus will come through. Partly, indeed, mostly, because he wants to see how this ends.

Liquid Snake is the superior of the two clones. The man has survived a helicopter crash, a rocket in the cockpit of REX, and has still had enough strength to carry his brother up to its top. And it's he that presses his attack - blow after blow, kick after kick, never letting up, taunting his brother the entire time. He's changed little from central Africa, Ocelot reflects. He's bleeding from a dozen wounds, he has to realize that he could still escape the bombing run, but no, he's determined to play this game to the end. There's a fine line between tenacity and foolhardiness, and Liquid Snake has walked that line from the moment he launched his revolution, if not before. Believing himself to be Big Boss's inferior son, and pushing himself all the harder for it. There's something to be admired in that, Ocelot reflects. Pitied as well, granted, but still, admired. And for now, he has the upper hand. Knocking his foe to the ground. Sneering for all of Shadow Moses to hear, "what's wrong, Snake?!"

The inferior clone doesn't answer, and Ocelot turns his attention to him. Solid Snake hasn't uttered a word since this fight began. A fight in which he's been less aggressive, acting on the defensive, picking his own attacks carefully. Perhaps he lacks Liquid's fire. Perhaps he fears to kill his brother. Perhaps he senses that he's losing. Perhaps he simply doesn't care. Nature vs. nurture is a dichotomy as old as time, and neither of the two are perfect copies of the man whose genes bore them. A man whose body is now in the custody of the Patriots, beyond his reach. A man who, in another life, Ocelot called friend. One of the two men before him now is the one responsible for nearly killing that friend. Ocelot doesn't consider himself to be a petty man - if he was, he wouldn't last this long, fooling the Patriots into thinking he's their lapdog - but if he was, he knows he'd be cheering on the superior clone. After all, this is the brother who didn't kill Big Boss, much to his chagrin. But since he isn't a petty man, he finds himself silently egging on the inferior clone. He finds himself smirking as Solid Snake kicks his brother to the ground. He continues to smirk, even as Liquid calls out "nice shot," before getting back up to continue his final battle. And the truth is, he's not sure why. Or rather, he knows why, but he wants to pretend that he doesn't. And as good as he is at pretending, leading Liquid, Solidus, and the Patriots themselves in a dance of his own composition, sometimes, the cracks show. Because...

Because he sees more of John in Solid rather than Liquid. Dueling him, in the presence of Baker...it took him back. Four decades ago, all the way back to Tselinoyarsk. It's Liquid who has John's fire. It's Liquid who seeks to emulate Big Boss's dream. It's Liquid whom he's served under, while Solid has only ever been his enemy. But as his template showed, enemies could become friends. Genes may not change, but the times do. Liquid hates his 'father,' and seeks to destroy his legacy. Solid, it seems, just wants to survive this, and maybe even find love. Liquid has sneered at that. But Ocelot has to wonder if John would have. If...

In a way, they're both pretenders. They're two sides of the same coin. And both are tiring out. Both of them know that the end is near. Maybe for one of them. Maybe for both of them. And while Ocelot knows that he should really, really get going, he finds he can't leave. In spite of everything, in spite of all that's at stake, he wants to see how this ends.

The two are fighting in sync now. A punch. A kick. A headbutt. Hitting each other in the same way, with the same strength. Neither of them are utilizing CQC, and in its absence, Ocelot is reminded of how neither of the clones are true replicas of the Greatest Soldier of the 20th Century. But sooner or later, the fight has to end. The snakes cannot devour each other's tail forever. And looking at it now, he's sure it's going to be Liquid, but...

But it isn't. Solid uppercuts him with enough force to send him flying off the edge of Metal Gear. Even here, in the control room, Ocelot can hear Liquid cry out his brother's name. In anger. In hatred. In fear. He watches how Liquid's body falls through the darkness, down off the head of the world, and towards the cold, hard, ground. Leaving one of the Twin Snakes the victor. Leaving Solid, standing the firm. The inferior clone, triumphant. The one who, to his knowledge, is the Last Son of Big Boss. For a moment, he looks ready to collapse, and Ocelot leans forward.

Not now Snake. Finish it.

He reminds himself that Solid isn't John. That the man who looks like a walking ghost isn't the friend he made all those decades ago. He reminds himself of this, and everything else, and pulls back, regaining his composure. Watching as Solid runs over to the module to disarm it, before moving onto his woman.

Don't worry, I left her alive for you.

It's time to go. Even with the module disabled, even with Solidus calling off the air raid, the military will come in force to secure this island, and being here when they arrive could prove to be quite inconvenient. Especially since he's missing a hand and all.

Maybe my friend in Lyon could help with that.

Well, that's for another day. But before he leaves, Ocelot gives Big Boss's clone one last look. Makes a motion with his remaining hand towards him. A motion that Solid will never see, let alone understand, any more than he can hear the words Ocelot murmurs.

"You're pretty good."

And he won't see Ocelot leave the control room either. And he won't see him again for another two years.

Ocelots are stealthy creatures after all. Though while solitary...

They never forget their friends.