This is the first fanfic that I've uploaded to this website.

The following story is based on the 2015 videogame Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. It is a fictional diary kept by an OC member of Diamond Dogs, and serves as an alternate perspective on the game's events. The OC's characterization is partially based on my personal devotion to the Metal Gear franchise, and my ongoing experiences from playing the game.

Since this story's creation, the game is only a few months old, and the chapters will be inevitable spoilers for anyone who hasn't played it through. Canonical actions are nebulous in MGSV, due to the massive liberties a gamer could take, so I will also take creative liberties as long as the story remains faithful to the actual game. I welcome fair criticism for storytelling and writing style (please indicate the chapter you are reviewing).

I will try to make this series realistic in terms of an off-shore mercenary employee and the culture before and during the mid-1980s.

The Metal Gear series is and will always be a part of me and countless others, and I hope I'll have contributed something worthwhile to the fandom.

"Metal Gear" and all related names and terms are property of Konami.

We are Homo Ludens.

D-Diary by KaidanTONiO

Prologue

March 9, 1984

I've been keeping a simple journal ever since MSF ended 9 years ago, just to keep track of my daily activities. I believe now is the time for a more proper diary. I haven't been myself ever since the night MSF was destroyed, and since then I didn't think anything was worth writing about in depth. Pop culture, current events, there's plenty written about that elsewhere. The world's changed, but I never played much of a role in it; I had to keep a low profile like the other survivors, but I went to college with the little money I stashed away. I never made a name for myself…all for the family that adopted me.

The Boss is awake. He's been sleeping for almost a decade, because of what "Cipher" did. He will come back to the few of us who survived and bring MSF back to the glory days.

Actually, it's inappropriate to use MSF's name anymore now that the old Mother Base is long gone, its majority either dead or retired. Amanda's busy in Nicaragua's politics; Cecile went back to live Paris, and who knows where Huey and Strangelove went. Commander Miller's alive, and so are a handful of MSF (ex-MSF, sorry). The Boss…Snake is alive, but has been in a coma for 9 years until today. We received news from the Cyprus hospital. From what I've heard, Boss hasn't been taking it too well. But, you wake up from a 9-year coma and find out you're missing your left arm, I guess you'll want to go back to sleep just to get an even decade!

(I'm sorry Boss, you remember how no one liked my sense of humor)

But dammit, now Miller's gone too. On the front of the war in Afghanistan, and he gets kidnapped. And right on the eve of your return, Boss! The whole entourage, all ex-MSF, all killed except for Miller. The dream seems even farther now.

I am 25 now. I studied English language and journalism and got a degree in such, but just did some freelancing here and there – just until Boss would wake up (besides, if anyone knew I was ex-MSF, Cipher would surely have looked for me). After being part of MSF's family, I couldn't see myself being part of the world I was born in.

Now that I think of it, I sound hopelessly stubborn. Why shouldn't I go back to my country? MSF is dead and I survived, shouldn't I accept that as a gift, a new opportunity at life?

…

But I loved MSF so much. I loved everyone I met: Snake, Miller, Chico, Amanda, Cecile, the latecomers Huey and Strangelove. I even loved Paz, despite everything.

I couldn't forget them; I knew I had a duty not to. So I went with the flow as the saying goes, and maintained a "normal" life while keeping in touch with Miller. It was tricky, but Miller and I kept in touch by mail, even if it was mainly by proxy addresses. His messages were always succinct updates on the known MSF survivors and Snake's progress, but never delved into personal matters. I don't know if he was humoring me or if he just wanted to keep tabs on me. After 1975, Miller became paranoid, and never really trusted others again (who could blame him?). Best case is that he really cared for everyone who survived Cipher's attack, no matter how trivial they were to MSF.

Sometime after my graduation, Miller told me about of Diamond Dogs. My family was to be avenged as soon as Snake woke up. But when? When?

Next week, when Snake leaves the hospital.

March 11, 1984

It almost ended for naught. Somehow, Cipher found out about the Cyprus hospital and damn near killed everyone except Snake. Our mission was to extract him from the area with the new horse, through the forest area for extra safety, and towards the dock where we leave via whaling ship.

Now I know I've gotten myself into a real war.

I volunteered to be part of the escort crew led by Ocelot. Miller told me about Ocelot and the man's history with the Boss, though I was still unsure about Ocelot working for the GRU and Diamond Dogs simultaneously. Sorry Boss, I don't find him trustworthy (my opinion, that's all). Still, he trains the men, trained the horse, and who knows how many other things he actually does? If Snake trusts him (at least, Miller says so) then so will I.

I was on the dock's observation tower when I noticed all the heavily-armed gunships and tanks approaching the hospital. I felt helpless, because none of us could really infiltrate the place in that condition. We only have a skeleton crew operating the new base, and barely had enough fighters to send out. The hospital was done for, but Ocelot was determined to complete the mission. He left on the horse shortly before fires began engulfing the place.

The dock's distance wouldn't let me see what went on inside the hospital, but I could barely see flashes of gunfire and rockets shot at one point. What surprised me is how the whole front of the hospital seemed to continuously explode. What was Ocelot planning to do? Was it even Snake that the enemy was gunning for?

The destruction that overtook the hospital seemed to take a life on its own, and the things I saw then made me believe the end of the world was coming out of there. A flying flaming whale? The Behemoth or Leviathan of the Bible, perhaps? It may have been some new pyrotechnic weapon or a trick of the light (unlikely), but it lasted only a moment. Yet the destruction then spread to the forest and was heading towards the dock.

Lo and behold, the rain appeared and pacified the flames. Our small Intel team thought tonight's rain would help in masking the Boss's extraction, but it also saved him from that sea of fire! Whatever that was, a little rain managed to help Ocelot return with the Boss on horseback, a scene right out of a Hollywood action film.

Oh…it makes sense now. Ocelot is known to be fond of Westerns.

I guess I can trust him, if he was willing to risk his life for Snake.

(Reminder: urge R&D to mass-produce large water guns, or at least order a few hundred Cosmic Liquidators...

...Miller would never allow it.)

Snake looked terrible. Left arm missing, his whole body grown scrawny over the years, and an overall weathered look, not just from his years at war. I knew his body would have lost some muscle mass, but the actual sight twisted my heart. Worst of all is the shrapnel in his forehead, a chunk of metal shaped like a small horn - to think that he's still alive and conscious! Had I less self-control, I would have wept right then and there. He didn't recognize me at first, but I assume that the coma (plus that horn!) must have affected his memory to some extent. Ocelot later told us that Snake does remember who everyone is and what Cipher did, so that's good news. Perhaps, in free time and under calmer circumstances, we can reminisce about the good old days.

It's been nine years, but we can afford to wait a few more days. Miller needs rescuing, but Ocelot says Snake must be the one to do it. He's been awake for a few weeks now, getting the hang of being alive again, of being who he is. Despite Boss' condition, I believe that Miller's safety is guaranteed. I'm glad I've returned too; I'm working at Supply, doing what I can to help back on base. Our new Mother Base for our new army, my new family.

My adoptive name is Coatl, and I am a Diamond Dog.