Fuck my face stings…. Falling asleep was a bad idea. I lift my head only to be blinded by…. Sunlight? Did I fall asleep while on patrol? Raptor Jesus my fucking back aches… I should probably get to it and… …Wait where the hell am I? Why am I lightly dressed? Why am I in a beach chair? Wh- “So many questions, so few answers, eh Anon?” FUCK ME that’s a voice! Nearly jumping out of my seat, I Look to my right with what looks to be a person sitting there, he takes out a cig and lighter, puts it to his mouth and lights it before stuffing the lighter back into his pants. “Yeah, you’ve gone down the shitter my friend. Honestly, with how your life has gone in circles I’m surprised you’ve made it this far.” He scoffs. The fuck…? I stare in his direction and question whoever his person is, but I barely open my mouth before he speaks, “You’ve run away from everyone, ended up here and still managed to have your past follow you to your… well, eventual grave.” I barely blinked before I managed to speak, “And who are you exactly? What are you talking about? Do you know me from somewhere?” I get up from my seat and stare at him, trying to get SOME idea who I’m talking to. The voice sounds familiar but I could never pinpoint if it’s anyone I knew. He looks towards me and smiles “No need for the bravado my friend, you’ve done that plenty in your time in the military. You’ve gotten stronger, you’ve followed your orders to the T, got all buff and such, sure you’ve made mistakes here but you’ve done well to overcome them. Only thing is…” He inhales his cig, looks away and back at me before exhaling the smoke and watching it leave, “...You yourself, as you are, haven’t changed a bit. You’re still the sad sap who can’t become a better person. Can’t move past his mistakes and forgive and forget.” I'm… confused, what was he going on about? My life has gone through more shit than he could comprehend. Much that I’ve regretted, but to shit on me for not changing as a person is kinda rubbing me the wrong way, and honestly? Got me agitated. “Right, and you know this how? You act like you’ve known me for years.” “Oh but I do” What? “I’ve known you for a long time, my man. The time you messed up at Rock Bottom, the eventual transfer to Volcano High, and especially when you finally got together with Fa-” “I would rather you NOT mention her name.” I walk up a bit closer to fully face him, to better confront this mysterious figure. I can’t let him talk about my life back home like he’s a family friend. I realize my hands have slowly balled into fists and the temptation to get in his face, but… my body stopped moving. My mind tells me to listen. To see what this man wants, what he’s here for. “I’m not here to fight, if that’s what you’re wondering, I just want to talk. Or… rather reflect on some things. I don’t mean to be rude.” I unball my fists and cross my arms, “Funny, considering you started talking about my life like you know me the moment you started speaking. Now just tell me what you want already?” The mysterious figure shakes his head at me and takes another puff, “It’s not what I want Anon, but what do you want?” To get the fuck outta here. “A life of tranquility, full of love and laughter, a life where you have a loving wife, a child; friends to be around and a family who loves you? Or a life full of past regrets that you keep running from, leaving this unsolved, and broken? I mean, it seems so far you’ve managed to patch things up with Trish, but is it really enough as you think it might be?” Wha- Trish? What about her? Last time I remember… I accepted her apology and later I went on an Operation with Farcy and Klepp and… Hold on Wait, were going off track here. Again, Where the FUCK am I? I look around to discern my location, to see SOMETHING familiar… But it’s just an empty beach. One that seems to stretch out for miles with the blue sea water hitting the sand and a forest full of palm trees lining the coast on what seems to be an island that stretches on forever to either side with the only thing occupying the area are the chair I was in, me, and the mysterious figure I was talking with. I look around in a panic, darting my body around to find an exit of some sort but…the beach and it’s stupid palm tree’d forest lingers …What the fuck have I gotten myself into? [NOTES] Hello! This is my very first try at any fan fiction and was given this idea from Valordictorian: Reloaded chapter 3. Think of this as taking pace when everything goes dark for Anon. Please enjoy! (Thank you Starman for the help on formatting and such, huge help!) [/NOTES]