The last thing Accelerator remembers is coming back home from England, barging into a secret meeting of the board of directors to announce his takeover and then, after leaving the building, some kind of gothic carriage in the streets. After that everything was a blur until he found himself stumbling out of a goddamn coffin, in some big room with an even bigger mirror, to the shock of some weirdo in a crow mask. It's just the two of them, and after some yelling and threats Accelerator calms down enough to listen. Crow Mask has no idea what's going on and seems sincere about it, and while he remains suspicious, decides to believe him for the moment.
This isn't Academy City, it's some magical school he's never heard of before on an island he's also never heard before, and it keeps on going until Accelerator quietly realizes the many-worlds interpretation must be true, or at least m-theory or the twin-world models. Something like that. He can dwell on the physics of it later, after he's back home. As cool as it is to learn other universes exist, he literally just took control of his own city. Disappearing right after doing so would allow the board, those slimy fuckers, to act, and while he knows people there who may be able to prevent anything bad from happening, he isn't sure how effective that Level 0 could be against people with administrative power.
He's in a precarious position, and he can't be in another damn universe.
Unfortunately, there isn't any science he knows of that allows movement through universes. Dimensions? Sure, but not universes, and according to Crow Mask (Crowley, he can't be serious with a name like that) there's no magic that can do it either. It can be looked into, but in the meantime....
In the meantime, the mirror assigns him a dorm. He's the right age for the school and he's already accomplished when it comes to using magic. Not many teenagers can say they've altered their world's cosmic law, let alone any adults, so school it is. It's far from Accelerator's first choice but it at least him offers food, shelter, and access to a library to do some investigation. It's his best option, and since the mirror is willing to assign him a dorm he grudgingly goes along with it. So, after getting a rundown of the school and being given a school uniform and map of the campus, he heads off to the hall of mirrors. It's still early in the school year so the headmage is confident he can be slotted in as a transfer student, and that the transition shouldn't be difficult.
It sucks, all of it sucks, and that feeling only increases when he heads to the Octavinelle dorms. He's never been a strong swimmer, even before the need for a crutch, and being under water makes his head feel fuzzy. He has to chalk that up to the water messing with the signal of his choker (how that's still working he isn't sure, but he's grateful the connection is being maintained), yet another irritation to deal with. He's grumbling under his breath as he makes his way down the hall to his assigned room, glaring at any students he passes by.]
[What sucks just as much (not really) (not at all, actually) is going through one's coin collection and being interrupted by one's vice housewarden. Although the year's just started, all of the new students should have long been sorted into their houses, and to find out that he has to make an especial effort for this one guy, this one student who'd ended up in his clutch, is...
A pain in the ass. Nothing huge, mind, just a pain that a rare moment of free time to himself should be interrupted so. And without a word to him personally from that bird-faced bastard, either.
So it goes that Azul is still pulling on the rest of his dorm uniform, Jade kindly putting his hat on for him and Floyd trailing along after him with a giggle. Might as well look somewhat put together for the new kid, show him to his dorm, so on and so forth. Never hurts to make sure that all fresh meat knows exactly who the hell they're answering to, too. Except--]
You!
[That was the newbie right there, storming on past, right? The guy without the uniform. Understandably pissed off, of course. Even a little delay can make things awkward...Jade doesn't even have time to pass on what little intel Crowley had given him before Azul's off, chasing after Accelerator with a soft wheeze.]
[Accelerator indeed storm on past, the feet of his crutch clacking on the floor as he doesn't slow down. For a second he debates just ignoring whoever that is, because chances are they aren't even talking to him. He's been here all of five minutes, so unless someone disliked getting glared at and wants to pick a fight, they probably are just trying to get the attention of someone else.
... Then again, that is a possibility when it comes to him, and if someone wants to fight he needs to avoid an ambush....
It's depressing that he has to consider a fight on his first day, and he decides not to dwell on it. Slowing down slightly, he shifts his uniform so it's under his arm, giving him the leeway to reach up and settle a finger against the switch of the choker around his neck. He doesn't switch modes quite yet -- he's trying to be better about jumping the gun these days -- and he glances over, still scowling.
Some guy (wait, is this a boys' school? It's only just occurring to him now) with a pretty face, slightly taller than himself, and behind him two... twins? Whose teeth remind him of Qliphah. Sadly, it's clear that the shortest one is talking to him. Accelerator isn't sure why, and he decides to leave his hand on his choker as he narrows his eyes.]
Fuck off.
[And then he turns and keeps on walking. First impressions, he's so good at them.]
Now now, is that any way to talk to your new housewarden when he tries to welcome you into your new home? How rude.
[He taps his cane against the floor, smirk sneaking into his tone; as tempted as he is to let the Leech brothers loose, that's not a good first impression at all.
Instead of getting the Floyd Squeeze, Accelerator's going to end up facing...A puddle on the floor. Too big to step over. And even if he doesn't slip, which let's be real, Azul's not counting on or hoping for, the volume of water's going to grow unnaturally soon as one foot steps within. Almost like shackles, dragging him back to said housewarden slowly but surely.
Or like, trying. That's his goal, anyway. Get back here, frosh.] Introductions are in order, don't you think? Don't hurry away now, Headmage would be so disappointed in us all if you bunked in the wrong room tonight.
[Accelerator takes note of the puddle and plans to just walk through it, his shoes be damned, but he makes it all of one step before finding himself stuck. And when he starts being dragged backwards he stumbles, using his crutch to maintain his balance, very nearly switching modes on his choker. This isn't an actual attack though, it isn't hurting him, so he tries to hold off on that for the moment. Instead he settles for glaring daggers at the source of what he assumes is magic, and tries to analyze the situation.
Housewarden? Oh god, is that like some souped up version of class representative? Or even worse, student council? He's been here all of five minutes and that's the kind of person he has to deal with right off the bat?? There's a sinking realization as he puts these pieces together that he actually has no idea what to do here. The last time he had classmates he was still in elementary school, which also meant he was too young to be exposed to the whole class rep thing outside of random manga and books. Socialization has never been his strong suit, so this is going to be a complete nightmare.
His best option here is to bury that anxiety as deeply as possible under a mountain of hostility. Make sure everyone is terrified of him and they'll leave him alone, and maybe he can get through this. So he does the reasonable thing, which is to bristle and flip the three of them off.]
Just show me where my room is. Then if you leave me alone, I'll leave you alone.
Thank you for your co-operation. However, given that you're now my responsibility and your conduct will reflect on me, you'll understand if I can't leave you alone. It's the charge of any housewarden worth his sea salt to nurture, to guide, to mould into the image of that enterprising benevolence which sees us sorted in here in the first place.
[He taps closer to Accelerator, smile glib and eels pressed tight against his shoulders, smiling serenely all the while.] What's your name? If you please. I've decided to take a personal interest in you, now.
[It's taking an incredible amount of willpower not to switch choker modes and knock all three of them through a wall. He can be better than that, he knows he can, and he's inwardly proud of himself for resisting the easy, violent response even though after he drops his hand his fingers still twitch.]
Accelerator. [That's it, a dumb word and no last name. There's a quiet 'goddamnit' under his breath before his raises his tone back to a normal level.] None of that is necessary. In fact, any time you spend on me is gonna be wasted, so don't fucking bother.
Accelerator. I see. I'm Azul Ashengrotto, and this is Jade Leech, my vice housewarden, and his brother Floyd Leech.
[Jade bows slightly, eyes crinkling from his polite smile, and Floyd waves jauntily over Azul's head.]
I'm telling you this because I refuse to let some little firecracker determined to act the martyr ruin what the rest of us have worked so hard for. And I will not be the only one to discipline you, of course. My dearest friends here will also take up the mantle of education, should you need it...However, it really would be best if you'd work with us all.
For everyone's sakes. Step one; your language. This is an esteemed institution, and we can't have that sort of talk. Use it again in public and I'll have that tongue tied into a knot. Now-- if you will. Your room, Accelerator. [The water refuses to let go of Accelerator's ankles, even though Azul marches ahead with a jolly little whistle and lets the twins flank their current project, instead.] Please, I'd really hate for us to stay on the wrong foot. Your late transfer doesn't mean you have to suffer academically; I'd be pleased to tutor you if you only behave. Doesn't that seem like a marvellous deal to make?
[His eyes flick over at the twins briefly as he commits everyone's names to memory. Not that he wants to, but he isn't going to deny the usefulness in knowing something so simple, especially when those names are attached to people who are acting so sinister. The urge to curse Azul out some more for some of these threats (even the criticism towards said language, despite it being a minor thing compared to everything else) rises in his mind and he has to bite down on his tongue as he takes the more strategic route of considering the situation.
Maybe if he still had constant access to his esper ability he could tell them all to fuck off again, but he doesn't. He has thirty minutes and no other means of offence or defense. Not even his handgun. Meanwhile, everyone and everything here is basically one big unknown. His ability works best when he has data to analyze, and right now he has a dearth of it.
Clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth in irritation, he does his best to ignore Floyd and Jade moving to either side of him, instead staring down at the water still binding his ankles. Is this the same kind of magic as home? Do the trees of Sephiroth and Qliphoth exist here, too? Or does he need to come up with entirely new formulas to deal with the magic that exists here?]
Is that what you'd be getting out of this? Maintaining your dorm's appearance?
[He glances back up and is going to try lifting a foot.]
Not the only thing. But we all work hard to fit the standard of Night Raven College in areas other than just study alone. The student body as a whole includes world-famous actors, princes, fae nobility-- just because we mightn't have anyone like that in Octavinelle, that doesn't mean that we get to slack off. We have to work hard so that we can share classes with people like that.
Perhaps even outshine them. If you want to aim for the stars.
[A pointed tap of his cane, all for show; the water certainly doesn't need reinforcing of its original task, but by golly will Azul provide it and force that foot back down.
Just to be safe. Jade will give him the rundown later, but for now this is enough. And one of the open rooms is nearby anyway. Hang in there a little longer, Accelerator...!] Once you settle in, I might relax my standards; after all, Floyd here likes to tout the uniform standards and the like, and if it makes you feel more comfortable, then you don't need to hear about it from me.
All I'm asking is a little give. Knuckle down, work hard-- ah, speaking of that, we'll add you onto the Lounge roster in the morning-- and become your best self. And rely on your senpais, won't you? That's what we're here for.
[Finally, they all come to stop in front of a rather unassuming door; given that it's for freshmen, the empty room within is built for four students instead of just one, but what can you do? Besides, sweetening the pot with a little extra space never hurt, if they can spare it.] This is your home away from home, for now. Do you have any questions?
[The water still isn't letting go just yet. Azul's not letting a runner happen on his watch.]
[Does running a sovereign city-state means he should be counted among those kinds of people? If it doesn't, then his status as the strongest esper probably does. That's a bizarre, surreal thought. Being in school again is bad enough -- being in school with a bunch of important people that he should fit in with but won't is just --
It's tiring. He's already very tired. He doesn't bother trying to fight Azul as he mulls this over, listening quietly.
When Azul finishes there are a lot of questions rolling around in his head, and he peers into the empty room. It's a lot more like a Western dormitory than his previous dorm, which was more like a Japanese-style apartment. At least he doesn't seem to have any roommates? And it looks accessible enough, though he hasn't seen the bathroom.
Ah-- Well...We run a little business here. Entirely above board, approved by the Headmage, all of that sort of thing. A gentleman's lounge for the student body to mingle between houses, drink, eat, and relax.
It functions marvellously for future job experience, and instills a strong work ethic in Octavinelle students besides. If you work on the floor, you keep your tips besides. A little motivation. Though...Hm. [His eyes flit to Accelerator's crutch, before he looks over his shoulder and murmurs in Jade's ear.
"Of course, I'll take the liberty of blocking out your first appointment as a consultation with Accelerator instead. Your first client won't mind if I let him know immediately of the change."]
Thank you. We'll decide what role would suit you best then, mm? I wouldn't want you to be run ragged in something that's completely unsustainable for everyone involved. Perhaps think about what role you'd like to take in our house's illustrious business, even! Bring that, and any queries you have, to the meeting in the morning. Let's say...Right after breakfast. Get things organised before class. And don't worry about your classes; there are plenty of other freshmen still learning their way about, so just ask one of your peers for help as you need it. Or us, if you see us in the hallways.
Is there anything else you need before you get to sleep?
Edited (loung. what the fuck) 2025-07-25 10:54 (UTC)
[Alright, that explanation makes sense. Of course, Accelerator's train of thought follows Azul's, and he glances down at his crutch, too. It's something he needs to look into, he supposes, since he doubts he has access to his bank account in this universe, but he isn't exactly a good candidate to work in a lounge. Not only does the crutch make doing things like bussing and serving difficult, but his personality is awful and he doesn't know how to cook.
Ugh, he's going to need a source of money, so he's going to have to give this some thought. This still sounds sketchy (what the hell kind of lounge has clients?) but he isn't seeing many options here.
He sighs a little.]
... No, nothing I can think of right now. I'm sure I'll have more questions tomorrow.
Very well. Then rest up as much as you can; tomorrow's going to be quite the day. And again, welcome to Night Raven College.
[He dips into a small bow, still smiling away, before turning and leading the peanut gallery away. Floyd's walking backwards though, watching Accelerator as if he's thinking on something, before--
"Seeya, Blenny-chan! Be good, or you'll get a squeezin'!"
And then they're gone. At least until 8am the next morning, when Jade knocks politely on Accelerator's door to collect him for that meeting. If the knocking isn't a reminder of who it is, the raspy giggling of Floyd at his side probably does.
"Accelerator, it is time for the meeting. Azul is waiting for you, if you'll let us show you to his office."]
[Accelerator has to resist the urge to flip all three of them off again. And 'Blenny-chan'?? Seriously, what is that even supposed to be????
(He's going to be very annoyed when he inevitably hits up the library to research what a blenny is.)
For now, anyways, he tries to put that out of his mind and go collapse into bed. He thankfully does consider what he could do for some student lounge to make a bit of extra money, but otherwise he's passing out for the night.
The knock at the door drags him out of his sleep, and it takes him a few moments to remember what the hell is going on. It's an oh, goddamnit kind of moment where he seriously debates just burrowing under the covers and staying there, but he knows he can't. Schools run on a schedule, and unless he wants to get kicked out into a completely unfamiliar world he needs to play along.
He yells at Jade to give him a few minutes, then hauls himself out of bed and gets dressed. It doesn't bother him that he's going to be late for this meeting with Azul, his sleep schedule was a complete mess before showing up here so this is the best he can do. Throwing his uniform on, he at least spends a few extra minutes making sure he looks presentable (blazer buttoned, tie tied properly, he actually looks like a student who gives a shit) before opening the door.
The twins get half-asleep scowls, but otherwise he'll follow them to the lounge without complaint.]
[Thankfully, Accelerator doesn't have to deal with too much nagging or sniping from his escorts; they're quite content to play the silent guards (barring occasional murmuring or giggling to each other over their guest's head). And the trip to the Lounge's office isn't long enough to get much playing in besides; another polite knock on the door, before Azul cuts through Jade's announcement.]
Come on in, you've already brought him here late. I'll take that from your wages.
["Aw, c'mooooon! It was only five minuuuuutes~"
Azul shoots Floyd a withering glare for that one, as if it has any effect on him whatsoever, before motioning for Accelerator to sit.] Apologies for the early hour, but I thought it'd be best for us all to get this sorted right away. Now. Did you have any suggestions on what position you'd like within the Lounge? I'm willing to work with you to make it tenable long-term, within reason. Otherwise, I might simply suggest that you can assist Jade and I with matters off the floor.
[Accelerator sighs heavily, dragging a hand through his hair, still groggy.]
That was on me, not them. I'm not used to a normal class schedule.
[He isn't doing this out of kindness, but rather a preference in admitting his own faults. Either way he moves to sit down, retracting the cane portion of his crutch into the arm cuff.]
Yeah, I thought about it. If you give me the Lounge's financials I can probably do some accounting. I've never done it before but I doubt it's hard to figure out.
[Azul raises his brows a little at Accelerator going to bat for the brothers, even if it's not particularly impassioned by camaraderie or anything. ...And then his brows raise even higher at the offer to take on the accounting.]
Get out.
[Said sharply, though his gaze flits over Accelerator's head and to Jade and Floyd instead; while the latter lets out a groan at being shooed out so abruptly, the former bows and shuts the door behind them both all the same. Once they're gone, Azul's attention returns to his precious frosh, to the gently steaming teapot on the coffee table between them.]
Do you want some tea, first? To warm you up a little, perhaps wake you up a touch more. [A little flick of his housewarden cane, and the teapot pours itself steadily into both empty cups. Why ask at all if you're going to pour the tea anyway, dickhead?] What, might I ask, drew you to accounting over say...More general management of staff, whilst learning from the best in the school there is? Jade would prove a fine mentor to you, if you wanted to take that path.
Accounting, however, would leave you in my hands. And I would not tolerate any nonsense; anyone who tries to treat my money like their own pays in other ways.
[For a few seconds, Accelerator thinks he's somehow screwed up. Accounting (really, any data analysis) seemed like the natural choice for him, so he didn't think much of it when he decided on it. This reaction from Azul is unexpected and he blinks in confusion, turning a little to watch the twins duck out of the office.
Er... should he be worried? His gaze settles back on Azul and he inwardly wonders if he should switch modes on his choker.]
It's just math. [Not a big deal, he can do it in his sleep.] Math is a fucking cakewalk compared to managing people. Accounting is just a branch of economics, right? Economic theories were some of the shit I learned before I dropped out of school, so it wouldn't be a problem to learn more of that.
[He eyes the tea. Not his first choice, but he'll drink it if there's nothing else.]
[For a good few seconds, Azul just keeps on smiling serenely at Accelerator. The teacups are filled, and then one is dismissed duly to go hover its way over to the desk instead. He'll deal with it all later. Got bigger fish to fry right now.]
...You really want to learn more about the theory behind it? And you'd prefer not to work with people?
[Another few seconds of staring, before he gets to his feet and stretches out a hand.] Very well. I trust that you at least mean that much, and perhaps that you don't realise what a grand opportunity I'm giving you right now, which is why you'd dare shoot for it in the first place. You and I are going to work together from now on; I'm going to ask for your help brainstorming promotions as well, by the way, but you won't have to actually interact with staff outside of myself and the Leech brothers. Come here after lessons are done, and we'll get you set up.
[Promotions? That's something he has even less experience with, but he supposes it's just a matter of inputting data and analyzing various metrics about the lounge to see what's appealing to the customer base. It'd just be substituting his brain for a computer, so it seems doable.
Despite that he feels somewhat uncertain. He's never held anything close to a real job before, he's rarely worked with a peer. Hell, he's still feeling off-balance at the idea of attending classes like a normal goddamn student. This is the best option he can see to provide himself with some extra cash, but it's still difficult.
Ugh, he really wants a cup of coffee.]
Yeah, fine.
[He reaches up, grabbing hold of Azul's hand to shake, his own expression tight.]
Pleasure doing business with you. I'll draw up a contract before we meet up again, and we can discuss further terms.
...You also have an employee discount at Mostro Lounge, now. If you still want that coffee, find Floyd-- you know which one's Floyd by now, surely-- and ask him to make you one. If he's in the mood, it'll be the best thing you've ever had. Might even carry you through to tomorrow, if he's really happy.
[At last, he lets Accelerator's hand go, instead using that hand to adjust his glasses as he turns to the side. Any questions get effectively cut off, at least for now.]
Ah-- a word to the wise, too. I'd ingratiate myself with fellow Octavinelle students, as well as...Pomefiore students, perhaps, if I were you. Maybe Heartslabyul, if you can handle a little roughness around the edges. Purple magestones, or red. They'll be good influences. The other houses are a little...Interesting. Do what you will with them.
[On both the contract and the coffee. Actually, he perks up a little at the mention of coffee. He could really use one right about now, even if it tastes terrible.
Especially if it tastes terrible. The strength of his caffeine habit does not extend to quality.
He drops his hand, moving to get up, pausing at Azul's suggestion. Oh, socialization, he hates it so much, and he answers gruffly.]
I'd rather keep to myself. It's better for everyone if I do.
...Very well, as you wish. Then Jade, Floyd, and I...We'll be your companions. He'll be at the bar, if you're lucky.
[Really, Floyd could be anywhere he so pleased, but Azul's hoping he's at the bar cleaning glasses in preparation for the afterschool rush. ...And at least once he's done showing Accelerator through the door of his office, Floyd's there. Though he's more...
Slumped on the bar, glass cloth in hand and posture definitely not saying 'hey, I'd love to make you a coffee, frosh!' Azul grimaces in the doorway when he sees it, and rummages in his pockets for a few madol.]
--Actually, just find one of the vending machines or something. Have a good day.
[Sorry Accelerator. No bombass coffee just yet, only the canned stuff for now. Or something from the cafeteria if it's still open?]
[Companions? Oh, God, he doesn't need that. Accelerator tenses, swallowing thickly, and follows Azul quietly. Having a boss and coworkers is bad enough, he isn't sure how he's supposed to deal with... companions. Whatever that even means. Senpai? He hasn't had those before.
His spiralling thoughts are momentarily distracted by the sight of Floyd, the prospect of missing out on coffee. This is quickly becoming the worst day ever
And then Azul is pulling some change out and Accelerator, absolutely baffled, can only stare at him like a deer in headlights as it's offered to him.]
.......................................
[Give him a second to stop bluescreening. Reluctantly, he'll take the change.]
Uh. Thanks.
[And he quickly turns and leaves the Lounge as quickly as possibly, looking for the nearest vending machine with canned coffee. Once he finds one he's buying himself one, downing it, and sighing heavily at the feeling of relief that floods him. This may be another universe (or whatever) but canned coffee still tastes the same. Its familiarity prepares him for the day ahead.
It... doesn't go well. Classes are the easiest part; even though he's behind when it comes to magic he's still intensely focused, and he feels like he's actually learned a lot. P.E. is the one class he's exempt from thanks to his crutch, so no issues there.
No, it's the classmates. Kids his own age. People he has absolutely nothing in common with.
He can't even get through to lunch without nearly provoking a couple of students into a fight. By the end of the day he's pissed off more than a few classmates, and he's sure at this rate he's going to have a reputation similar to the one he had back home. He's exhausted, and wants nothing more than to crawl into bed. Unfortunately, he drags himself to the Lounge, remembering the deal he made that morning, and makes his way directly to Azul's office, knocking loudly.]
[It's been a long few weeks. Running an entire city during periods of stability is an enormous amount of work, doing so while trying to investigate corruption within an entirely separate company is like climbing Mount Everest. A regular person would likely just give up and focus on what's in front of them (especially so since there is still a sizable amount of shady practices that haven't been stamped out within Academy City), but Accelerator is only more motivated to mark this as a success. Maybe it's naive, maybe he's only being stubborn, but he refuses to give up. If this company is committing the same kind of inhumane experimentation that certain Academy City institutions then he can't just ignore it. As the #1, the Board Chairman, and someone with an absurd amount of power, he's obligated to use that power responsibly.
That's why those few weeks have been spent running investigations into Peil Technologies. Thanks to his city being focused on the research and development of various kind of science Accelerator has been able to make use of multiple avenues — electronic surveillance of Peil employees, forensic accounting of the company's financial records — but he's come to realize that the really shady stuff is locked down within the physical research facilities. There's only so much he can do from Earth. If he wants to expose Peil then going to the source is his best option.
That means a field trip into space is in order. Thankfully, Academy City has its own space program, so procuring a small shuttle and getting off the planet isn't difficult for him.
After a good amount of planning he settles on a Peil-owned facility that had very little presence in the records he was able to examine. It had stuck out to him as suspicious, so after a little (less than legal) acquisition of the place's schedule, Accelerator heads out when there should be a minimal employee presence. With him is a small flash drive containing a trojan virus that, if downloaded into their computer system, will open a network and start feeding data back to Earth. If he has enough time he'd like to do some hunting of his own on their systems, but at the bare minimum installing the virus and letting it work will be enough.
It's surprisingly smooth sailing. A little hacking to Peil's main scheduling systems by one of his own employees (a computer scientist who, prior to coming to the city, specialized in this kind of thing) and the shuttle is arranged as arriving to do some routine maintenance on the facility, so landing is surprisingly easy. And once he's off board it's even easier to knock the docking bay crew using his esper ability. They aren't dead, so it's fine. By the time they wake up he'll be back on Earth.
After downloading a map to his phone and ditching his space suit he heads in, crutch in one hand and a gun in the other. He doesn't want to use it if it isn't necessary, but his ability is on a time limit and he won't let this mission end in failure. Carefully, he heads down a hall that leads away from the docking bay, and when he hears footsteps approaching from around the corner he quickly ducks through a nearby door.]
[ While Accelerator is occupied with his intel-gathering, the Enhanced Person he spoke to has also been busy. Five's latest scheme to obtain Suletta Mercury's gundam involved the age-old method of sneaking into the hangar and taking off with her mobile suit...only for him to discover the machine could apparently kickstart itself and defend against intruders by whipping up a data storm stronger than any he's had the misfortune to experience. Needless to say, he aborted the task empty-handed, every nerve of his body on fire, and with one hell of a migraine to boot.
Shortly after, Peil has him called back to the lab to run diagnostics as if their poking and prodding could clue them in on what's so special about Mercury's devil-machine. Though he loathes to be back between its sterile walls, Five maintains his usual flippant attitude and puts on a cheekily clueless act throughout their questioning. He keeps tight-lipped about what he really saw. He's starting to believe the machine Suletta Mercury calls 'family' is actually sentient, and the last thing he needs is to give Peil's scientists more crazy inspiration for their experiments. That, and Five's not exactly eager to recount the story of how he got his ass kicked by the ghost of a little girl.
Anyway, he's currently shut inside one of the facility's many rooms, in between tests. Due to the highly sensitive (aka illegal) nature of their research, the lab is sparsely manned by humans. Most of the staff is made up of Haro-powered worker bots plugged into the Peil Grade - the company's proprietary AI trusted to calculate the most efficient way to run the business. The robots' round, smiling faces would almost be endearing if one security drone didn't currently have its beady little eyes on Five this very minute, watching him to make sure he stays put.
The footsteps Accelerator hears belong to two scientists strolling down the hall, holding binders full of data. He might catch snippets of conversation about their research, complete with jargon like permet levels and data storm tolerance. They appear to be discussing how the last subject's body gave out, and how the current subject is still in good condition despite the recent mishaps. Something fishy is definitely going on. ]
[On the other side of the doorway, Accelerator holds his breath, clutching his gun. The idea of knocking them both out is tempting, but when they get close enough for him to pick up on their conversation he holds back, instead deciding to listen. He is only able to catch a few snippets, but it's enough to cause him to freeze up.
Subject? Their body gave out? Fuck, he's definitely in the right place. He slips out of the room and back into the hall, intending to continue onwards away from the two researchers, but as he does he catches sight of the binders.
Shit. Fuck. Goddamnit.
Holstering his gun, Accelerator hits the switch on his choker and quickly lunges. It only takes a take to their heads to rattle their brains enough to knock them out, and after dragging both of them into that room he takes a few minutes to steal and access card from one of them, and skim through the binders. There isn't enough time for him to go through them in detail, but he does take some photos of the pages as additional evidence for later. Right now, he has other priorities.
Namely, this test subject.
Ducking back into the hall, Accelerator makes his way further into the facility, following the map and avoiding any other employees until he thinks he's reached the area where those two scientists had been working. Swiping the card, he heads in.]
[ In the binder, Accelerator might come across a familiar face...or faces. The charts of each Enhanced Person and the results of their tests are among the files. A brief skim will reveal Peil's attempts to engineer a human capable of piloting gundam, only the science has not been perfected and several of the earlier subjects had their health succumb quickly. There's plenty more incriminating details in the photos to pore over, but that can wait.
The employee's access card takes him right to where Five is being held. The inside is dark and lit by the blue glow of a monitor screen. The room resembles a small medical office, with cabinets, a sink, and the standard examination chair, except this one's got a whole lot more wires and sensors attached. No one is sitting on it. The subject happens to be kicked back in the doctor's chair instead, hands behind his head, looking like he doesn't belong in the white medical gown he's wearing.
Five swivels around at the sound of the door opening, and when their eyes meet, he questions if the data storm had fried his brain and he's now seeing things. Because he finds it hard to believe that the kid from before had actually found his location, that he would be suicidal enough to break in alone, and that he had somehow succeeded in his mad plan. He jumps to his feet, shock all over his face. ]
[Everything in that binder brings up memories Accelerator had been intent in shoving into the very back recesses of his mind. It reeks of the Special Esper Dual Modification Technology Research Institute, the place where he had grown up, far more than he had ever expected. It’s sickening the kinds of things these adults are willing to do to kids in the name of science. Normally a very pragmatic person, it’s pushed him to the point of doing something potentially reckless and definitely very stupid.
But hey, he’s still a teenager, and sometimes teenagers do dumb things. At least he has the intellect of a super genius and some very handy powers backing up his idiocy.
He steps into the room, the door sliding closed behind him, and he quickly takes in his surroundings. That includes one familiar face, whom he gives a sight shrug to (his free hand is taken up by the gun and access card, so he can’t exactly wave.]
Yo.
[It’s an incredibly casual greeting, as if they currently aren’t in the belly of a horrific research laboratory and just passing by each other on the street or something. Accelerator is actually worked up, and when he sees - Five? Does he even have his own name - his grip on the gun tightens.
But he tries to keep a lid on his emotions. Getting upset and breaking something it in space is dangerous, and he doesn’t want to risk killing the entire facility. The long term consequences wouldn’t be worth it.
Looking around, his eyes settle on a computer terminal near that chair. The chair causes more indignant, dark feelings well up in him, and he tries to ignore them. He steps over to the terminal, focused, and after shoving the gun into his belt he starts to type rapidly.]
You know if this thing has full access to the facility’s database?
[ Five opens his mouth, then closes it again. Nothing he says will change the fact that now two of them are stuck in the belly of a horrific research laboratory. Better to roll with the punches. Sighing out, his eyes go to the gun in Accelerator's hand and the access card in the other. He's got a whole lot of questions, but most of them can wait until they're out of this mess. ]
I don't know about full access, but they're sending the data somewhere. Problem is, it's password-protected.
[ He's checked. What was he supposed to do while waiting around, twiddle his thumbs and not snoop? ]
Did anyone see you? When I said go digging, I didn't mean the breaking and entering kind!
[ Whatever else he has to say is interrupted by the Haro bot on duty whirring to life, having processed the unexpected visitor and detected an anomaly. Its eyes flash red with each beat of its robotic voice. This area is restricted to authorized personnel! Please identify yourself. ]
[Password protected, huh? Accelerator keeps on typing, his attention mostly on the screen. It'd be easiest if he could hack the damn thing and load the malware from here, but the noise from the Haro makes his gaze snap up. He stares at it for a moment in silence.
Shit, he might not have the time.]
Plans change.
[For a split second he debates shooting the Haro, but breaking it might set off some alarms. Letting it run through its security protocol will at least buy him a little bit more time. Pausing, he pulls out the flash drive and plugs it in, then resumes typing. As he does he speaks up again, his tone matter-of-fact.]
[ Five exhales, exasperated. Peil already thinks he's more trouble than he's worth, and after this? He wouldn't be surprised if they ordered him disposed of, or decided a rebellious but otherwise healthy research subject should be restrained and put to use in other ways. Either way, he sure as hell doesn't want to stick around to find out. He would have preferred to bow out more discreetly, though!
The Haro continues to beep and repeat its request with added warning. Five pulls off his medical gown and tosses it over the bot, deliberately blocking off its camera. While it rolls around trying to process the interference, he quickly changes into Elan's uniform, not bothering to do up the tie. No point dressing like a prim and proper heir. Going back to school is out of the question. ]
[Instead of doing the reasonable thing and apologizing, Accelerator clicks his tongue. Maybe he's screwing things up for the other boy, but it's a situation that he can at least improve. That he has to improve, because the thought of leaving and letting himself be complicit in the experimentation of yet another child isn't an option.
The thought causes him to pause typing for a few moments, and he stares down at the screen in silence. He doesn't even know this person, but no one deserves a life in a facility like this one.
Exhaling slowly, Accelerator focuses his mind, and resumes typing.]
There's a shuttle waiting in the launch bay. The problem isn't getting out, but making sure nothing important gets broken in the process.
[His ability isn't really made for stealth, and it takes a lot of effort on his part to keep it constrained. As large as this laboratory is it's still in the middle of space, so one wrong move and they're all goners.
He's fairly sure he has the malware downloaded, so he finishes up and unplugs the drive, putting it back into his pocket.]
Yeah, but I prefer not sticking around until they start shooting.
[ Being a good shot is a requirement for being an Elan Ceres double! Not that he was aware of what he was getting into when his scores came back with top marks in piloting and marksmanship. ]
If it's important to them, all the more reason to break it, but we don't exactly have time. The launch bay is the first place they'll lock down once they realize we're trying to escape. So let's scram.
[ Five has no love lost for the lab, and having no idea what Accelerator is capable of, he thinks busting up their precious machines would feel pretty damn good, actually, but if given the choice, he'd pick escaping over getting back at Peil.
The Haro is going to sound the alarm any minute now, and Five gives it a pat on its covered head and and nudges it out of the way as he moves for the door. ]
So it looks like my labs have been moved up the schedule! Dr. Winston authorized it, and this fellow is going to escort me.
[ Dr. Winston did no such thing but while its robotic little programs are validating that, they'll be on their way, and if Belmeria Winston catches flak for letting them escape, he won't feel too sorry about it. ]
[This is excellent news! While there is only one gun between them Accelerator isn't bothered at all. He has his ability he can rely on, which means he can free the gun up and give — Elan? — a means to defend himself. In turn, that gives them a slightly better chance of getting out of here unscathed.
He clicks his tongue as he walks over to the door, eyeing the covered Haro briefly. It sounds like the launch bay will be the most dangerous part of this escape, then. Makes sense, and he keeps that in the back of his mind, ready to plan appropriately.]
Here. [Removing the gun from his belt, he holds it out.] I won't let you die, so stay behind me and you probably won't have to use it.
[Accelerator's expression is one of fixed determination. There isn't any immediate danger right now, but they aren't out of the woods. He knows that it's likely things are about to get dicey because of him, so keeping the other boy safe is entirely his responsibility and he is taking that very seriously.]
[ Taking the gun, Five checks it's locked and loaded. Although now he's wondering what Accelerator will defend himself with, because unless he's concealing a weapon in his clothes, it doesn't look like he's armed. The teen sounds so sure of himself though, and it's no fluke he made it this far, he must have something up his sleeve.
Five can't help but grin at how seriously he's taking it. Like he's said something funny. He adopts a casual tone in comparison, despite the severity of their situation. ]
Want to fill me in on something? Why stick your neck out for someone you don't know?
[Meanwhile, at that question Accelerator's already serious demeanour takes on a somber edge. He has a reason, a very good one, and he's reluctant to voice it. It's deeply personal, and despite everything he's been doing they're still practically strangers. It would be easier to just dismiss the question, claiming that it isn't the time or the place.
At the same time, he deserves an answer. Accelerator knows that. He rests his hand against the switch to open the door, refraining from doing so as he hesitates. Biting his lip for a moment, his voice is quiet.]
... I've been in your situation before. I know what it's like. You don't deserve to go through this.
[ Well, that recontexualizes everything Five knows about the guy and shuts him up. The intensity behind Accelerator's every action starts to read a lot like anger, a feeling he understands too well. It's just that Five has always concealed how he really feels behind a flippant and mocking attitude...but now there's a subtle shift in his expression, his grin less facetious and more grim.
The Haro's alarm cuts through the silence. Time to go. ]
...You should have taken your freedom and run for it. It'd be a pointless if you escaped one lab only to wind up dying in another! Come on, I know the way.
[ He hits the switch and steps through the door, side by side with Accelerator. It wouldn't be fair to let him take on all the risk after learning they were the same. ]
[While Accelerator has already made peace with the likelihood that his eventual death will be horrible (and probably deserved), having it happen in another laboratory is something he would like to avoid. This is dangerous, yes, and there's a chance he could die here, but his stubborn desire to help someone else out of a situation he's all too familiar with is overriding his desire for survival. It's reckless, and Accelerator is prepared to be on the receiving end of a lot of smarm for the choice he's made. There's a little, but less than he's expecting.
That could be because the Haro's alarm is interrupting any more. Either way, he takes the sincerity for what it is and nods. After stepping through the door, he reaches up to switch modes on his choker. The limited amount of time he has to use his esper ability should be more than enough to make sure they get to the launch bay safely, and as vector data floods into his brain he automatically begins sorting and analyzing it. Beginning with the movement of air molecules in the hall, to pick up on any unnatural shifts that would indicate bodies moving towards them.]
[ Five moves quickly and quietly down the hall. He's kept tabs on the lab's layout over the course of his stays, having entertained thoughts of making a getaway as early as the day he'd woken up with a new face and muddled memories and decided the sketchy company he signed on with was damn creepy. Unlike the Enhanced Person before him, he possesses a keen sense of self-preservation.
Before turning the next corner, he checks the coast is clear before waving them onwards, though he won't know what's happening beyond his line of sight. The Haro would have alerted every drone in the facility to come looking for them, and the guards can't be far behind. ]
[Accelerator follows quietly, this attention split in several directions: his immediate surroundings, the air in the hall behind them, and the air down the hall ahead of them. Mathematical calculations run through his brain and he adjusts and re-adjusts them as they move down the hall.
Further down and around several corners something large, dense even, causes an unnatural movement of the air molecules he's sensing, and he freezes.]
Hold on. [He reaches out, quickly running the calculations to whitelist Elan(?) from his reflection, so that he can grab his shoulder without accidentally breaking any bones or causing any internal organ damage. Keeping his voice quiet, he shakes his head] Something's coming this way. Likely a security drone. Is there another route we can take?
[ He stops in his tracks when he's grabbed, glancing at Accelerator and murmuring sharply under his breath. ]
We can take the stairwell to the lower level and keep out of the way, but are you sure? How do you know it's coming?
[ They're on the quickest and straightest route and Five sounds reluctant to take detours. Plus, it's not apparent to him where his buddy is getting his second sense from. ]
[A stairwell puts them in tighter quarters, but it's better than running headfirst into a security drone. Accelerator gives a nod, and at the question his answer is blunt.]
I'm psychic. [Super helpful, not offering any further explanation.] And I'm sure, so let's take the stairs.
[ Five doesn't sound convinced, but he starts towards the stairs anyway. More of an explanation would have helped, but there's no time to argue. He can choose either to trust him or not, and he's pretty sure Accelerator isn't trying to get them killed. If the guy really had been part of some messed up experiment, it wouldn't be impossible his senses were sharpened or something. Hadn't he called himself an esper? Five didn't believe it at the time, but he also didn't believe the kid would come looking for him.
The stairwell is thankfully clear on their way down a level, though the stairs stretch even deeper, down to the lowest levels where Peil tinkers with their mobile suits. Five hits the switch to open the door and peers around it to check the floor. ]
[If he wants to remain skeptical that's fine, they aren't exactly in a position for Accelerator to give a full explanation anyways. That can happen once they're somewhere safe.
He follows him down, splitting his attention even further. It's harder to track any potential enemies in the stairwell, the doors block a lot of molecular movement he can sense and the stairs split off into way more levels than a hallway, giving security more routes to ambush them. Accelerator does his best, retracting the cane portion of his crutch into the forearm crutch so it's easier to move down the steps, his gaze constantly glancing around.]
I think we're okay —
[Aaand a door above them in the stairwell opens and the high-pitched beeping of a security drone can be heard. Spoke too soon! Without hesitation Accelerator grabs the other boy and with a surprising amount of strength shoves him through the doorway, at the same time stomping his foot on the floor. Doing so allows him to manipulate the metal comprising the stairs, and there's a hideous crunch and screech of metal as the entire stairwell starts to twist and crush itself unnaturally, like a piece of paper being balled up.
RIP to that security drone, it doesn't stand a chance.]
[ Although he's safe where he is, Five still takes an inadvertent step backwards when the metal begins screeching. He watches incredulously as the stair is ripped off its hinges and crumpled, taking the drone with it. ]
[ He exclaims in a low voice. Okay. Well. Cool. What the hell, but cool. Having an esper on their side is definitely an advantage. He can almost believe they'll make it out of here in one piece. ]
And here I thought chairmen only pushed papers! Got any other tricks I should know about? [ His face flicks from shock to amusement, his go-to attitude when uneasy or caught off guard. ...but not to get distracted from the task at hand! Five motions down the hall. ] There should be another set of stairs to the bay. Try not to crush that one or we'll have to take the long route!
[Okay, it's kind of satisfying getting to bust up a little bit of the facility, even if it's only the stairwell. Accelerator allows himself a brief grin before turning away to follow.]
If we weren't out in space I'd just punch a hole through the roof, that'd be a hell of a lot easier than this.
[Being careful sucks sometimes, but they both still need to breathe so the endless vacuum of outer space isn't an option. And unfortunately, destroying part of the facility is going to cause alarms to start going off in the halls, which makes Accelerator click his tongue in annoyance.]
Guess the entire place knows something is up. Be on your guard.
Not that I don't like the idea, but yeah, save it for when we find ourselves a ride!
[ As satisfying as it would be to blow a hole in the place, he agrees it wouldn't be the wisest course of action right now. Five starts moving again, not bothering to tiptoe anymore now that the alarms are blaring overhead. The stairs are a straight dash down the hall, only —
A metal gate comes down, sectioning off the corridor ahead and behind them and stopping them in their tracks. Figures a space station would have airlocks as a failsafe against equipment failure, or in this case, unprecedented esper attacks. ]
Think you triggered more than just the alarm! Can you bust it open?
[Well, maybe this is better than having to sneak around? More dangerous, sure, but Elan(?) seems to be handling all of this remarkably well. Credit where credit is due, he isn't freaking out or terrified.]
Yeah. Stay behind me, there might be some shrapnel.
[He steps up to the gate and taps it. It's a light motion, but it may as well have been the equivalent of a punch from the way the gate is ripped from its locking mechanism and sent flying down the hall. The calculations for that are simple for Accelerator, so he looks a bit smug as he glances back.]
[ You don't have to tell him twice. After seeing what the esper did to the stairs, Five is quick to steer clear of the way! ]
Show-off.
[ He remarks after the dust has settled and Accelerator stands looking smug in the gate-less corridor. The calm Five projects is mostly a mask. His heart hasn't stopped pounding since he broke out, but he would sooner make light of things and pretend this escape is mere entertainment than let anyone catch on to his fear.
Anyways, time to book it. As he breaks into a run, his gaze shifts back to see that Accelerator is keeping up on his crutch, because damn. It's reckless enough he stormed the place. Even more so to do it at a physical disadvantage. ]
[Accelerator can only give a small shrug. Yeah, he probably could have broken through in a less flashy way, but where's the fun in that? If he can't crush everyone associated with this damn laboratory then he can at least break the place a little.
Sticking close isn't an issue, now that he's using his ability. Running more calculations in his brain, he takes control of various vectors in his body to enhance his muscles and keep up.
The alarms blaring are irritating, and he tries to ignore them as he glances over.]
Are we close? They're probably going to concentrate a bunch of security at the bay.
[ The stairs lie ahead, but so does trouble. Turns out, the lab's already shored up security and three guards spill from the stairwell before they've reached it. The guards train their gun on Five, since he's the one visibly armed, yelling 'freeze' and 'hands up!' Considering their numbers, and the fact that they've incorrectly identified him as the real threat, Five actually lowers his gun and makes to slowly put his hands out in a feigned gesture of surrender. ]
[Accelerator skids to a halt at the sight of the guards. Guns aren't an issue for him at all, but Elan(?) is, unfortunately, very squishy and susceptible to being injured, and when he sees the guards training their weaponry on the other boy he doesn't hesitate to act.
He lunges at the guard closest to him, moving at a speed that should be impossible for someone who needs a crutch. Grabbing the barrel of the gun with one hand, he proceeds to twist the metal until the entire thing snaps in half. The guard barely has time to react to that before Accelerator beans him in the head with the broken half, because fuck this guy.]
[ Unfortunately, being made into an Enhanced Person did nothing to change his squishiness, and Five is not eager to get into a shootout. If he could simply talk shit and lie his way out of here, he would!
Like he'd been anticipating, Accelerator gets the jump on the guards, taking one head on with surprising strength for a skinny teen. The guards turn their attention on the esper, and that's when Five raises his gun and shoots one of them. Right in the heart, with cold precision. It's life or death and he is not fucking around. The guard staggers but doesn't drop, protected by a bulletproof vest under his uniform. ]
[Accelerator glances over in time to see the guard get hit, and from that and the disruption of the molecules in the air he can tell that would have been dead on if not for the bulletproof vest. He doesn't have time to contemplate it though, thanks to that vest, so before the guard can retaliate he lunges.
With a tap to the chest he sends the guy into the nearest wall, hard. It isn't something he'll be getting up from anytime soon, which gives him time to glance over at Elan(?).]
Thanks! How do you think I was picked to become Elan Ceres?!
[ It's a knee-jerk response, the bitterness leaking from his voice when he's usually good at keeping it under wraps, but he's a little tense right now. Normally he would appreciate the compliment, but not when committing near-murder while high on adrenaline and fear. He's thinking that could have all gone poorly if not for Accelerator's powers.
The third and last guard is backing away after seeing his partners go down, looking at them like these kids are fucking crazy. Five turning to threaten him with a twisted grin probably does nothing to help his impression. ]
You've seen what my 'friend' can do. How about you call off your drones and let us walk out?
[That bitterness doesn't go unnoticed, and Accelerator's expression grows more serious. The comment is flippant, but it's a sobering reminder of why they're both here.
He shifts his attention to the final guard, narrowing his eyes. It'd be easy to knock him out (or worse), but he's trying to be better, so he gives the guy a chance instead. And... that is a mistake. The man, backing away several more steps, taps his ears and speaks into his comm link with the facility's security.
He doesn't call the drones off, he calls in for reinforcements and to lock down the facility. Accelerator clicks his tongue and a second later launches himself at him, but he's too late. As he knocks him into the wall the lights go out, leaving only the alarms and emergency lighting. Further down the halls noise can be heard as doors slide closed and lock themselves.]
[ For a split second, Five thinks the guard is going to call the hunt off, but of course then they go on to summon the whole damn circus. He can hear the facility coming alive and the doors locking down behind them. ]
Give me a break!
[ His immediate reaction isn't to bolt or to panic, but to grimace and give Accelerator a helpless shrug like yeah, that bluff kind of backfired...geez, must everything be so dramatic? He waves them towards the stairs, calm in the way of someone who has accepted shit's fucked can be calm. ]
You don't say! Sure, yeah. I have a feeling it's going to be a party up there.
[ In the stairwell, Five doesn't get more than a few steps up before a drone from the landing above shoots at them causing him to pull back. At the same time, that thing's on wheels and seems to be having trouble coming down the stairs after them? Which is hilarious and gives him a chuckle despite everything. He'll leave this one to the guy with psychic powers, gesturing for Accelerator to do his thing. ]
[Accelerator clicks his tongue in irritation. He's never been very good at being stealthy, and he's kind of new to information-gathering, but this is ridiculous! At this rate they're both going to get killed. After giving the guard another scowl, he turns to follow Elan(-not-Elan, he really needs a better moniker than that) to the next stairwell.
The appearance of the drone isn't much of a surprise at this point, though it's still unwelcome.]
Your development must be really fucking important to them.
[Maybe not him personally, but all the time and money and resources put into him. Trade secrets, all of that shit. Accelerator has seen it before, and it's really pissing him off. God, if they weren't in space he would have started smashing walls down. It's still tempting due to his increasing frustration, and he has to put extra effort in keeping himself in check. He already screwed up by underestimating the security around here, he doesn't need to do it again.
He steps into the stairwell, ignoring that he's being shot at (anything dangerous just bounces off him harmlessly and hits a wall), and waves a hand lightly. In his brain he runs the calculations to move and condense the air in front of himself, sending it upwards at the drone to lift and smash it around a bit. At least enough to take out its gun.]
I doubt it. I'm replaceable to them— the fifth in a series of Enhanced Persons, actually! They're being heavy-handed because they can afford to. I mean, we're talking about a company who schemed up a whole body doubles program just so their precious heir wouldn't have to fight his own battles!
[ He can't resist taking a dig at his original for the ludicrous plan. What's it like to have a level of wealth and power where you can just throw resources at a problem until it ceases to be? It didn't escape his notice the guards from before had been authorized to use lethal force. Five wouldn't be surprised if the crones higher up had given them the orders. They're probably preparing his replacement as they speak. If anything, he thinks it's Accelerator that has them worried. Anyone able to track down their lab and break into it can be no simple intruder.
And the guy isn't! Five's expression changes from one kind of shock to another when Accelerator steps in the path of the freaking bullets, only to have them glance off him because oh, of course, psychics are also bulletproof! Five rakes a hand through his hair but rolls with it. ]
How do you want to do this? [ He says while they're making their way upwards, his gun held at the ready and on the lookout for any other drones. ] I can probably figure out how to get the shuttle going, but we'll need to keep them off of us.
[That sounds like something a research lab in the shadier parts of his city would get up to, though that doesn't lessen the horrific nature of it all. To be willing to throw literal bodies all in the name of some rich asshole is galling, and Accelerator finds himself wishing the head of Peil was here right now.
......... It's probably for the best that he isn't. Right now he's inclined to rip the guy's head off.]
That would be better than relying on only the autopilot. [As far as technology has come he'd rather take a real pilot over an autopilot any day of the week, especially one who has gone through specialized training for this kind of thing. Piloting, or driving of any kind, is something Accelerator hasn't actually learned himself, so he's reliant on the fifth not-Elan.
It isn't something he's particularly bothered by. Having someone else with piloting expertise frees him up to be the offence. Or defense, whichever.]
I can handle whatever additional security they throw at us, you focus on the shuttle. [Probably. Hopefully. As they move through the stairwell Accelerator reaches up to fiddle with his choker, checking on the battery that he has left. This mission has already run longer than he was expecting, but he should still have enough juice to make sure their take off is a relatively safe one.]
Oh, the autopilot will work just fine...as long as we're not being shot at.
[ He intones cheerfully (ominously?). He's a mech pilot, not a spacecraft pilot, and in a normal scenario he wouldn't be so rash as to commandeer a shuttle, but sometimes you're required to buck a few protocols in order to make the quickest getaway. Let's hope that he won't have to take the reins at all, or it means they have to floor it. Ideally, they're long gone by the time Peil brings out the big guns. Five can feel his heart racing as they near the top. ]
[ His last attempt to jack someone's ride didn't go so well, and this time, there's no do-overs.
He pockets the card, then his hand hovers over the door at the top of the stairs. This is probably the moment where people steel themselves. Give a pep talk, maybe, if either of them were the type to give pep talks. Instead, he makes eye contact and remarks dryly. ]
Try not to die.
[ Five hits the button and the door slides open. Good luck to them. ]
[Not being someone who is all that great at pep talks, all Accelerator can do is scoff lightly.]
You too.
[He steps out into the next hall, and lucky them not only is this hall full of guards, but also drones! To his annoyance, as soon as they catch Accelerator's movement they all start firing. Of course, everything bounces harmlessly off of him thanks to his reflection, and he makes a point of ensuring his calculations don't accidentally send any stray bullets into the stairwell.
It's irritating, seeing all this security. He can't just carelessly throw them through a wall, since that would undoubtedly kill the guards and possibly cause damage to the lab itself. Having to hold back is rough.
Accelerator lunges at one of the drones first, grabbing and digging his fingers into its metal casing before tossing it at one of the other drones, letting them crash into each other as he turns his attention to the third, hoping that his disruption to the drones is enough to keep the guards occupied and that they don't do for the stairwell.]
[ Well, he'll let Mr. Bulletproof draw fire while he hides hangs back in the interest of not eating a ricocheting bullet. He's very okay not being the heavy-hitter here. Five sticks his head out just enough to peer down the hall, watching drones go flying and one stunned guard taking a stray bullet to the leg still not comprehending what he's seeing. He gets it, he thinks it's pretty absurd himself!
Another guard looks similarly bewildered but presses on towards them. Five shoots at the man, pulling back into the stairwell when return fire puts holes in the walls. He calls out to Accelerator. ]
[The shock from the guards helps a hell of a lot, it means they're more prone to making mistakes and gives Accelerator more of an opening to take out all the drones. Too bad those things don't suffer from human emotions, it would be helpful if they could feel surprise, too.
Regardless, he thinks he's doing a pretty good job. In the back of his mind the minutes are ticking down, and he can see more drones arriving at the opposite end of the hall to cut them off, but he's got this! He just needs to get not-Elan to the shuttle bay, then onto the shuttle, and make sure the damn thing takes off safely.]
Got it!
[Accelerator turns and, waving a hand, sends a blast of air at the guard to knock him into a wall, before stepping towards him and wrenching his gun out of his hands to help clear the way. After a split second of though, he also stomps down on the floor, sending out a shockwave and ripping a section of it out to act as a makeshift barrier against more bullets. Not ideal, but it's better than nothing.]
[ Five hums in amusement, impressed when Accelerator clears the hall for them with one clean shockwave. ]
Whatever the hell that was, keep it up!
[ Ducking past the disarmed security guard, he swipes into the shuttle bay. At last. The dock stretches out before out him, spacious and thankfully free of guards on the inside. It's still and almost peaceful, like the vastness of space...were it not for the ruckus he can hear behind him as he runs up to the control panel overlooking the parked shuttles.
He really should have paid more attention in space traffic control class, but in his defense, someone else's grades weren't his biggest concern at the time!
After a bit of trial and error, he hits the right buttons. Metal creaks and one of the shuttles begins to slide into launch position, nose pivoting 180 to align itself with the track. The whole process can't take more than a few minutes at most, but right now, that few minutes feels like an eternity! ]
[Accelerator allows himself a small, smug grin at not-Elan's remark, watching him duck into the shuttle bay. This mission may have gotten a little complicated, but it hasn't gone sideways, and it's looking like they're going to get out of here in one piece.
Hanging back a moment longer, he reaches up to fiddle with his choker and check on his battery, and as he does his smirk fades. Under his breath he mutters a curse, realizing that his timing has been off slightly. He doesn't have a few minutes left, it's more like a few seconds. Despite the two of them not fully being in the clear yet, he doesn't have a choice: he needs to switch his choker back to normal mode so he has enough battery to get to the shuttle.
Clicking his tongue, he re-extends his crutch and hits the switch. The light on it changes from red back to green. And a split second later, pain explodes in his side.
Letting out an abrupt, strangled cry he stumbles and hits the wall, next to the entrance to the shuttle bay. Glancing around wildly, his gaze settles on a guard and his gun. The guy's hands are shaking, but he still has the weapon aimed directly at him. Turning his gaze downwards, Accelerator sees red bloom over his shirt.
Fuck.]
it's never a good time to get shot! also sorry about him
[ You've got to be kidding. After all those impossible stunts, the esper goes down after making it this far? Five hears Accelerator cry out and sees him slump against the wall just as the escape shuttle clicks into place, the doors sliding open invitingly. They were so close. He glances between the bay doors behind him and his ticket out of here sitting just within reach.
For a split second, he considers taking off without him.
Please understand, this is not his proudest moment! Out of all the selfish choices he's made and every shitty thing he's done for the sake of survival, it's the first time he's ever struck by shame. That he could even think to abandon someone who had risked everything for him feels like a new low, even for him. Cursing, he turns away from the shuttle and bolts. ]
Hey, asshole! Over here!
[ The guard looks up, switches targets, but Five's already got his own gun lined up. Two shots ring out and only one finds its mark. Look away, because the guard is getting graphically headshotted. Sorry about your pacifist run.
He reaches Accelerator's side and— shit, that can't be good. Maybe he had been too cocky to think the guy's special powers made him untouchable. ]
[The reflex to reach up and switch modes on his choker, to take control of the flow of his blood and shut off his pain receptors, is nearly overwhelming. Accelerator's fingers even twitch at the urge, but instead he forces his hand to his side. If he uses his esper ability his battery will run out and he'll essentially be catatonic, and catatonic and bleeding out is a hell of a lot worse than being in control of his mental faculties and bleeding out.
He doesn't expect Elan or whoever he is to come back and help. Why should he? Getting him out of here is the goal, and he's in the bay with the shuttle. He can get the hell out of here and this mission will have been a success.
That likely means he'll die here, and... while he isn't exactly fine with it, there is too much pain shooting through his body for him to want to complain too much. It isn't as if he wants to die, he doesn't want to leave the clones or Last Order. He's sure of that. But if someone like him goes out helping someone who needed it, then that isn't so bad. It's more than he deserves, so he's fine with it. He has to be.
Spots start darkening his vision as his legs struggle to keep himself up, and those thoughts are running through his mind when another voice filters in. For a second he assumes it's the guard that shot him, but no — that guy's head is exploding in a spray of blood. He blinks fuzzily and looks up to see... oh. Seriously? He has to stare for a moment, processing that he's actually seeing the other boy, and when he manages that he mutters:]
............. My timing was off.
[Don't mind him he's just going to be sliiiiding down the wall to the floor. Standing is hard when you've been shot.]
No shit. You couldn't have picked a better time to get shot!
[ He doesn't know anything about the time limit Accelerator is on, but he knows how close they were to safety. Five grabs him by the shoulders and drags him inside before quickly shutting the bay doors and shooting the switch to disable the mechanism and buy them some time. Then he takes Accelerator's arm around his shoulder and, supporting his weight, he pulls him up and begins to make the painstaking trek to the shuttle. He doesn't want to agitate the guy's injuries too much, but unfortunately, there's not really a gentle way to haul ass. ]
What were you even thinking, coming here alone?! Aren't you supposed to be some big shot back home? Most CEOs I know order other people around to do the real work! I told you, didn't I, that I was colluding with Peil. I wasn't in any danger until you busted in, you know.
[ He's kind of yammering, because that's what he does and because his nerves are still heightened from before. If the guard's hand hadn't been shaking so much, maybe the both of them would be bleeding out on the floor. Anyway, is Accelerator even listening? Say something, buddy. ]
[Okay, he definitely deserves the scolding he's getting. It's getting to be a little too difficult to muster up an answer, so he only lets out a small sigh as he tries to keep his hand on his side. He doesn't even complain when he's dragged, though he does wince as the motion jostles his injury. Thankfully, it doesn't hurt as much as he expects.
.... Thankfully? It may be because his consciousness is fading in and out. When he's hauled onto his feet he doesn't feel much of anything, and vaguely he's aware he's getting scolded some more. His head lolls and he's definitely beyond being able to stand on his own, though at least he doesn't weigh very much.]
Five hauls the unconscious teen the rest of the way as fast as he can, staggering into the shuttle and finding somewhere to lay him down. He engages the autopilot and shoves the ship into top speed, then returns to Accelerator's side to apply pressure to his wound and brace the both of them for takeoff as the shuttle rumbles and surges forward. Normally, they're supposed to be seated and strapped in for this part, but given the emergency he's electing to skip a few steps!
Despite his efforts, blood keeps pooling, and Five gets the idea to tear through the ship's compartments until he comes across what he's looking for: a first aid kit. It takes every last roll of gauze to stem the bleeding. At this point, he's tracked enough bloody footprints around the place that it looks like a goddamn murder scene. The sight of Accelerator's ghostly pale face haunts him as he returns to the controls to check their flight path. He had never been privy to the lab's location and he doesn't recognize where they are, but he sets them on a course closer to civilization. After a moment's hesitation, he hits the distress signal. While he would have liked to lay low and disappear, there's no chance Accelerator can pull through without treatment. It still hasn't sunk in that he's free, but then again, he could never have imagined freedom would look like this. Him sitting alone in a stolen ship, in the far reaches of space where there is no sound save for Accelerator's labored breathing and his own troubled thoughts.
They're picked up by a cargo ship, whose shocked captain speeds them off to the nearest planet. A medical team rushes out with a stretcher as soon as they touch ground and Accelerator is rushed off to surgery. Five loses track of how many hours pass after that. The exhaustion finally catches up to him, but he's feeling too wired to rest. So he sits in the waiting room, turning over the whole mess in his head and wondering why some people have no ounce of self-preservation.
He ends up passing out in the chair. When he wakes next, it's to the nurse informing him that it had been a close call, but the patient is in stable condition and expected to recover. He lets out a sigh he didn't know he was holding and falls back into his chair. Good grief. How stupid would it have been if he'd died? The guy owes him some answers. There's still a lot he doesn't get about his mysterious rescuer. ...but first, he's going to catch some shut-eye himself. ]
[By the time the two of them get into the shuttle Accelerator is out cold. He is absolutely no help in the last steps of the getaway, and is little more than a slowly bleeding out weight. Thankfully, the first aid helps, and he remains mostly stable until they can get picked up by the cargo ship and eventually to the planet. Because of the time it took to get him to the hospital the surgery is long and complicated, but he's a tough kid and makes it through.
When he finally begins to wake his head feels like it's stuffed with cotton and the harsh lighting of his hospital room makes everything blinding. It takes him way too long for his brain to start processing things properly, push past thoughts of confusion and piece together where he is. Of course, he can't tell if this is a hospital or some research facility, but that is thankfully cleared up when a nurse enters the room for their routine rounds. Once they can confirm this place has nothing to do with Peil (thank god) Accelerator, fighting the brain fuzz, starts prioritizing.
The first thing is to get his choker charged. By now the damn thing is running on fumes, so with the help of the nurse he's able to get it plugged in. Charging it is a pain but necessary, and by the time that is finished his head is feeling clearer. He's exhausted and sore, and most importantly he's alive. It seems unreal. Not-Elan actually got him out of there?
As much as he wants to go back to sleep he knows he needs to talk to the other boy. After the nurse has finished assessing his physical state and gotten him some ice chips to chew on he insists on seeing the other boy, so the nurse will be heading out into the waiting room, gently rousing Elan(?) by gently shaking his shoulder.]
[ A chair isn't the most comfortable place to nap, but Five sleeps pretty deeply for someone who was just in imminent danger. They'll want to keep moving, eventually, but he's not going to sweat the possibility of pursuers right now. It'll be a lot harder for Peil to seize them in broad daylight, anyways. When the nurse shakes him awake, it takes him a moment to remember where he is. Then it all comes crashing back—the breakout and the esper—and he's on his feet the next second.
He follows the nurse down the hall and past several rooms. She knocks on the door before opening it, her voice bright as she announces, 'Asher, your friend's here!'
Five flashes a smile at 'Asher', who is Accelerator, apparently, and shrugs silently behind the nurse's back as if to say yeah, uh, just roll with it. For all the harrowing trouble they've been through, he looks relaxed as he strolls up to the bed, hands in his coat pockets. He wears new clothes, his bloodied uniform discarded for a clean shirt and cargo jacket emblazoned with the logo of the shipping company that had picked them up.
The nurse checks the monitors and fusses over Accelerator a minute longer, then says she'll let him and 'Ian' catch up. Five responds by thanking the nurse and keeps up the good boy manners until the door's shut and they're alone before his pleasant smile turns sharp. ]
I didn't have a lot of time to get creative with aliases! Not that Elan was my real name...but you've already figured that out, haven't you?
[While he has a minute or two to himself he sucks in a deep breath, rubbing his temples. Focusing is hard, and he's going to need to do it until they can get back to Earth. Even though they're away from the facility neither of them are safe here, and it's his responsibility to get them back to Academy City in one piece.
When the door opens again he drops his hands, steeling himself despite his exhaustion. The name gets a bit of a look but he's silent, letting the nurse check him over, and it's only when she leaves that he lets his shoulders drop. He clicks his tongue.]
It's not the worst thing I've been called. [That remark is coming with an unsaid air of 'You couldn't have come up with something better?' It's a pretty minor thing considering everything else though, and it isn't as if he goes by whatever his legal name is anyways. His expression shifts, turning serious. He looks the other boy over, inwardly glad that he at least doesn't seem to be injured at all.]
I read some of your file at the facility. [Not all of it, he didn't have the time for that, but it was enough.] Is there anything you want to be called?
Oh? What did you learn? Besides that Peil and I didn't get on well.
[ He's never seen his own files. He can only imagine what kind of notes they keep on him. If they said he was a pain in the ass or something, he'd take it as a compliment! Five drops into one of the chairs and kicks back in the seat. It's funny, he had been annoyed that no one at Asticassia had a clue what was really going on with him, but having his file read and the truth come out conversely makes him feel somewhat uncomfortable, actually. So this is the mortifying ordeal of being known.
As for what to call him...that's a good fucking question. He knows what he doesn't want to be called, but what he wants to be called is trickier when he can't remember his old name or anything else about himself. Coming up with an identity on the spot is difficult, otherwise he wouldn't have blanked and gone for the lazy choice when the nurse asked him for their names. ]
About that. I don't have a name of my own, and I don't want that asshole's name either. [ He says evenly after a pause, his jaw tight. He's not bitter at all. Not one bit! ] Enhanced Person Number Five is a mouthful, so I guess Five will do for now. I mean, it can't be weirder than Accelerator.
[ Not a day out of surgery and he's already giving him cheek... ]
[Sheesh, even when the subject is serious this guy is still being smarmy. Accelerator supposes Peil deserves a lot worse than this, though if he were in this position he'd be cursing them out. Hell, he has been, and even now he still doesn't hesitate to call the scientists that developed him shitheads and bastards.
Well... chances are he's thinking it, anyways.
Accelerator's expression remains serious as he mentally files through the information he had gathered from the binders back in the facility, giving a small nod at not-Elan — Five's conclusion about his name. Or alias, if you want to get specific.]
It isn't. It's not like Accelerator is my name either, so Five works. [It actually reminds him a little of the clones, too, since they go by numbers rather than names. Most people might balk at it, but this is significantly better than continuing to use 'Elan.'
With that settled, he shifts back to what he had read in Five's file. Being so desensitized to it all he can answer without hesitating, though he's well aware of how horrific it all is.]
I only had time to skim. Most of what I read was about the surgeries and experimentation you underwent in order to be able to pilot mobile suits that use GUND technology. You know, the kind of shit that any non-corrupt court would deem war crimes.
[ Trust him, he wouldn't be calling himself 'Five' if he had anything better. He has no attachment to a name that reduces him to a number on a spreadsheet, but sometimes, it's not the name that matters so much as the attitude you wear it with. Like how Accelerator admits his own name is weird without flinching. That gets a faint, amused smirk from Five. He thinks the guy's too serious for his own good, but he's got the attitude going for him. Anyways, moving on... ]
That's about the gist of it, though I see they failed to mention the part where their experiments didn't succeed! Us enhanced pilots might be able tolerate a higher permet score, but the strain will still kill us in the end.
[ Maybe he's desensitized as well because he says it all very casually. It's not that he isn't angry about what was done to him, but he doesn't see the point in getting worked up about it. Besides, it had been his decision, presumably. There had been something in it for his past self, some reason to shed his identity. He had struck a deal, changed his face, and if he had nothing else—no name, no memories, connections, past or future—he would like at least the dignity to own his own damned choices. ]
So that's it, huh? Nothing else exciting in there? I had been hoping to hear something I didn't know. [ A detail about his old life, maybe? He looks smug as usual but, just briefly, there's an odd note of disappointment in his voice. ] I expect they're going to be busy covering their tracks now that they know someone's snooped on them.
[Cool, great. Not only was he experimented on, but Five gets to live with the fact that he was considered a failure through no fault of his own. Accelerator doesn't know what that's like, being the strongest esper and all, but growing up he witnessed plenty of other Child Errors fail. A not-insignificant number of those children wound up dissected, or just corpses. Accelerator didn't have time to look up what happened to Enhanced Person Numbers One through Four, but... he doesn't feel a need to ask.
He doesn't bother hiding the way his lip curls in disgust. Fuck, he should've just destroyed the whole facility.
Either way, Five is right. Peil will have begun scrambling to deal with the break-in by now, so they'll need to prepare for that.]
Yeah, most likely. I left a worm in that computer, so hopefully it'll transmit some useful data before they wipe everything. Who knows, maybe it'll even pull something that will surprise you.
[AKA something he doesn't know, since he brought that up. It doesn't quite sound as if that was a joke, so he wants to raise that as a possibility. He sighs heavily, and looks around at the hospital room.]
We also need to consider the chances that covering their tracks means coming after us. As soon as I can move without bleeding out onto the damn floor we need to get out of here.
Aren't you just full of surprises. You still plan on going after them after nearly getting killed?
[ If the look of disgust on Accelerator's face is any indication, he already has his answer. While Five has no appetite for another confrontation, not gonna lie, he's curious what else might be buried in those files. Wouldn't anyone in his position naturally want to know more about themselves? But his past can wait. Securing their future comes first. He pivots sideways in his chair and folds his arms behind his head, facing the hospital room instead of the teen. ]
The good news is, they'll have a hard time tracking us down! While you were out of it, we ditched the shuttle and hitched a ride here. There won't be any records of an unauthorized ship making a stop on this planet.
[ He figures they've got a pretty good head start. Space is an enormous place to search. But! ]
The bad news is, we're stuck without a ride and the nurses are going to start asking questions.
[Hell yes he's planning on going after them. There is no way he can just give up after all of this. No matter how difficult it may be it's the right thing to do, and when it comes to taking down a bunch of corrupt shitheads who ruin the lives of kids he can be very stubborn. Accelerator sets his jaw and gives a firm nod, before he blinks at Five's explanation.
So that's how they got all the way here? Ditching the shuttle has bought them a little time, that's good.]
Hmm. That was smart.
[And then he falters. A compliment is one thing, but the sentiment floating around in his mind is a lot more difficult for him to express openly. His hands, currently settled in his lap, curl into fists so he can dig his nails into his palms, and he practically spits his words out.]
... Thanks for getting me out of there. I'm sure you could've just left on your own, and you didn't. [It would have been a lot easier for Five. In the chaos of everything he probably could have disappeared into space, reached some other planet, and started a new, anonymous life.
But he didn't, and that's worth the gratitude Accelerator is awkwardly stumbling through.]
Hold on. Do I need to call the nurse back to get your head checked? Because you've got it backwards.
[ Getting thanked is taking him through a whole new guilt trip. While the execution may have been heavy-handed and quite the mess, he's pretty sure Accelerator was the one who did him a favor. He should be the one expressing his gratitude, except that kind of conversation doesn't come easily to him either, so he's here making jabs instead. ]
Save that gratitude for someone who deserves it. I did in fact think about ditching you back there.
[ He won't bother hiding it. It was shitty of him, and it would stick with him uncomfortably if he doesn't come clean about it now. He could probably stand to sound less shameless and unapologetic while admitting it though.
If circumstances had been slightly different, he would have taken off and saved himself. He's that kind of self-serving bastard, and he doesn't lack for self-awareness. Knowing how short the lives of Gundam pilots are, Five resolved from the beginning to survive no matter what he has to stoop to. It's practically the one principle he lives by! So why didn't he ditch him in that harrowing moment?
Maybe it's because he had been shocked that someone actually gave a shit about him? Maybe he's even a little touched by the gesture. What comes out of his mouth is: ]
If you're wondering why I didn't, it's because I still have questions for you.
[Don't mind his little snort and eyeroll. He knows what he said, damnit! The fact that he's gone as far as to say it aloud shows just how serious about it, even with Five's admittance that he had debated leaving. That isn't surprising to hear at all, and maybe it's just his own self-deprecation creeping him, but he doesn't blame him for considering it.
And in the end it didn't happen. Having those thoughts is one thing, acting on them is another. That needs to be taken into account, too. It's a little surprising to hear the reason why he didn't ditch him though, and Accelerator raises an eyebrow. Questions, huh?]
What are they?
[It's not as if there's much for them to do right now, so he can answer a few questions.]
[ Five's only response is to grin. He knows what was said, and he's making light of it. That's just how he is, deflecting when things start feeling uncomfortable or get a little too sincere.
Now, for a welcome change in subject... ]
Let's start with you being an esper. What's up with that?
[That's a reasonable question. It's not as if espers are common outside of Academy City....]
My city does research into espers. Since not many naturally exist, the best way to do that is to develop a bunch of them to be test subjects. That's why I'm an esper, just about every student in my city is one.
And like, they got away with that? Did you all actually agree to be test subjects or is this one of those 'hidden in the fine print' kind of situations?
[ Maybe the pros of becoming espers as strong as Accelerator outweighed the risks or something, but damn...we're talking a whole city of kids being experimented on! He thought Peil ran a good scam, but what he's hearing sounds on a whole different level. ]
No, it's public knowledge. Parents sign their kids up. In exchange for going through the program, the kid gets registered at one of Academy City's schools. They're supposed to be guaranteed an education that'll have them set for the rest of their life.
[And they usually follow through on that offer, so it's one step up from Peil's practices.]
Okay, [ he says slowly, turning the information over. ] So what's the catch? The experiment was a success and you're set for life, congrats. Seems like a shame to waste it dying halfway across the galaxy!
[ There's more to the story. He doesn't buy that anyone would go to the lengths Accelerator did for no good reason. Something about the lab ticked him off, hit a nerve, and Five will needle him until he finds out what. ]
It does, doesn't it? But that's Academy City's propaganda at its finest.
[The marketing department has done an excellent job making the Power Curriculum Program seem like a great option for families.]
The way the system is set up makes it easy for parents to abandon their kids once the kid is in the city. It's easy for Child Errors and kids who don't have family they can rely on to fall through the cracks, and end up being part of unethical experiments serving some researcher's fucking ego. [He waves a hand for emphasis as he continues.] Some shithead or an entire research facility decides that doing experiments on esper organs is a great idea, or they think they can replicate a unique ability in other espers by messing with brain chemistry, or that by repeating the Curriculum's medical procedures they can find a way to give espers multiple powers instead of just one.
No one is around to notice if some Child Error goes missing when an experiment goes wrong, so they're prime candidates for that kind of shit. They get chewed up and spit out. Usually the ones who wind up dead are lucky, since they don't have to live with whatever the hell they went through.
[ Now this is the good stuff and what he's been waiting for...if any of it can be called good! Hearing about the enterprise's dark side makes Five's skin crawl, but none of it comes as a real shock to him. In fact, the story is all too familiar. Peil had been doing the same thing, picking kids that had no better options and no one looking for them if they disappeared. It's the kind of shit the rich and powerful can get away with, although in this case, he thinks these scientists may have accidentally created something more powerful than themselves. ]
Let me guess, you were one of them?
[ Five shifts in his chair, glancing sideways at Accelerator. The esper had told him, when he first appeared back in the treatment room, that he understood what he was going through. Did he really? ]
[After everything he's gone through Accelerator is more than happy to get a chance to bash the unethical adults that exploit the kids living in his city. What's more difficult for him is talking about himself — yes, he's been through some awful shit, he can admit that, but he's doled out that awfulness in equal parts to other kids. He isn't some innocent victim, he's just as much a monster as the researchers who experimented on him.
He stares down at his hands as bad memories float through his mind.]
The second one. I grew up in a research facility that thought they could develop espers with more than one ability. Early on they realized it wasn't possible, but they kept going anyways.
[A lot of kids got hurt, and a lot of them died. He supposes that being alive and being able to talk about that facility can be done in service to their memories, even if he didn't know most of them or get along with those he did. Absently, he shifts a bit, his voice low.]
There were always rumours that the place had somewhere on site to dump corpses, but the reality was that it was just a garbage dump for living humans.
[ Five notices the shift in Accelerator's demeanor but doesn't comment on it. There's nothing to be said. If their experiences were anything alike, whatever he's remembering can't be good. It can't be easy to talk about either, but Five's not about to let up just because of that. ]
Sounds like they pulled off a scheme even bigger and shadier than Peil's! I've got to hand it to them.
[ He doesn't really mean what he's saying, but if Accelerator is expecting a more candid reaction, he won't find it. When every day is a new horror, you learn to put up emotional walls quick. ]
[Honestly, Accelerator is just grateful there isn't some misguided outpouring of sympathy. That would be incredibly undeserved and only the guilt that still looms over him even worse. Five being casual about it all makes this easier to keep talking; his understanding means they can skip over the abject horror a regular person would be feeling.
He sighs, closing his eyes for a moment.]
I think a part of me always knew.
[Kids disappearing when he was younger, being separated from his classmates when his ability fully manifested, trying to talk to the Sisters when there was absolutely no point in him doing so.... Of course he knew. How could he not?]
But at some point you must have decided it was enough. I know people who would rather lie down and accept their fate, and they're not around anymore! Unsurprisingly.
[ He can see how it might be difficult for a kid who's not known anything else to start questioning what's happening around him. Honestly, good on him for breaking away. If he hadn't, he'd probably have ended up the same as Four. Disappeared without a trace. Five could never figure that guy out, not what made him so resigned nor why he had no will in him to fight. It was pathetic to watch. They may have shared a face but they were nothing alike. ]
[Five's conclusion isn't wrong. At one point he decided it was enough, one very particular point that he isn't going to forget for the rest of his life.]
Yeah. This third string knocked some sense into me. [Literally. He's never going to have any regrets over Kamijou Touma punching him out that night in the train yard.] And then....
[And then a little girl needed his help, and he didn't help her until it was nearly too late. But she's okay now, and that's what matters.
Of course, he falters when it comes to explaining Last Order. The words get stuck in his throat, and he isn't sure if he wants to keep going. He isn't sure if he should, so he switches gears, glancing over.]
[ He arches a brow when Accelerator trails off and turns the question around, but he ultimately shrugs and answers. ]
What? You mean when I caught on? They weren't exactly subtle when they were threatening me with execution.
[ His situation was a little different. First, he wasn't a kid brought up in their system who didn't know any better. Second, they told him he was dead if he failed and they didn't stutter! That kind of thing should set off alarm bells in anyone...unless you were Enhanced Person No. 4, apparently. But not to speak (too) ill of the dead. Four might have had the personality of a wet mop, but he deserved better. The witches in charge are the real villains here. ]
You wake up with no memories, somebody else's face, and get told you agreed to have your body messed with? It was fishy as hell from the beginning. I only went along with their plans because I thought it could benefit me.
[ There was no sudden or slow dawning moment of realization for him. He had been too perceptive to fall for it and too unscrupulous to refuse cooperation, but the simple heart of the matter is he'd been afraid of winding up dead. ]
[The frown already creasing Accelerator's face only increases as he listens, though he supposes he shouldn't be surprised. Peil made sure that their bases were covered so that any test subjects would have a near-impossible time backing out. How could any of them do that without their memories? They'd have no option but to believe the damn company. It's infuriating knowing all of this was going on.
He exhales roughly, giving a slight wince when that jostles his side.]
They really went to extremes to make sure you had no other options.
[It's going to take a lot of self-control to avoid going to Peil headquarters and trashing the place when he's healed up. For now he tries to put any violent thoughts at the back of his mind, focusing on another question.]
Did you ever try to come up with a plan to get out?
[Not that one would have been successful, but he's still curious.]
Who knows. Maybe Peil was the better option at one point. [ He holds up a finger and waggles it. Hear him out. ] I can't know what my past self was thinking, but from what I can piece together, it was worth changing my face for.
[ There's no guarantee his life had been any better before the experiments. The lab did away with most of his memories, but not all of them, and what vague glimpses remained pointed to one thing: he needed that new identity. Would it be odd to say he trusts himself to have made the best call he could at the time? Sure, maybe Peil had left out crucial details and misled him on what the job entailed, but he doesn't like thinking of himself as a victim in their schemes. That makes him seem helpless when he believes he's always been resourceful. ]
If you didn't step in, I would've given them the slip one way or another, but I wasn't planning on such a dramatic exit.
[ He shoots Accelerator a look. Indeed, in some other universe where he continued to botch his job, he would've quietly leveraged what he knew and gone into hiding, but this isn't that universe. ]
If I had fancy powers, maybe it would've been a different story. Is that how you got away?
[Objectively, Accelerator knows that logic is sound. Some people's lives are so horrible that this option, as awful as it is, is the better choice between the two. But subjectively it's easier for him to quietly disagree, to just keep on thinking Peil only manipulated some poor kid into being a test subject.
Accelerator shifts a little at the smarminess, briefly glancing away. Yeah, he can't really argue that exit was dramatic. As much as he refuses to admit it, he's the kind of person who can get very theatrical when he gets going. Maybe that's part of the reason why he chose to help in this way? Of course, saying that would mean acknowledging his inner theatre kid and that is so uncool, so he only clears his throat a little.]
They helped, yeah. [Honestly, if it wasn't for his ability he'd have likely ended up in some Child Error corpse pit years ago.] The higher ups and other people tried to get around it, so sometimes I had to get creative, but I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for my esper ability.
[ Five probably won't let that go anytime soon. Not because he has a real problem with their exit (minus the getting shot and almost dying part), but because he likes giving people a hard time. He can be pretty theatrical himself.
But Accelerator gets spared any further teasing because he doesn't quite follow his next words. ]
Get around it in what way?
[ He could, like, exercise his imagination because whatever went on in that lab most certainly wasn't good, but consider him morbidly curious. ]
[There are several beats of silence where Accelerator seriously considers simply not answering that question. But... as much as he'd like to say the answer is a personal one, it isn't. Not really. A lot of people back home know about the choker and limited use of his ability. It may not be common knowledge, but all the powerful people know, so keeping it to himself is kind of pointless.
Drawing in a slow breath, he reaches up to tap the small black device around his neck.]
This thing. It fills in for some missing brain function and lets me use my ability, but it's limited and can be screwed with if you know what you're doing.
[He looks a bit pissed as he continues his explanation.]
For a while the higher ups could limit its function remotely or shut it off entirely, so if I did something they didn't like they could shut me down. It was a huge pain in the ass.
[ Five had mistook the choker for an accessory and had been a bit preoccupied during the escape to notice Accelerator fiddling with it, but now that he's seeing it with fresh eyes and understanding what it was really designed for, his stomach turns. It's fucked up, someone having that kind of control over another person's body. For once, he has no snarky or dismissive comments to make. He looks genuinely disgusted. ]
They not only messed with your head, they installed a twisted little off-switch, too? That's not an assistive device. That's a leash.
[Up until now Five has been pretty smarmy, so to see him actually drop that in favour of sincere disgust is interesting. He understand where he's coming from, especially since he doesn't know about the positives of the choker (that the Sisters came up with the idea, that they cared enough to be willing to support him even after everything he did to them). The corners of his lips tilts upwards a little, and he drops his hand.]
Guess so. I've taken care of that, though, so it isn't a problem anymore. [Sort of. Other people have been able to mess with him, but it mostly isn't a problem these days.]
I guess it's fine if it can't knock you out anymore... just be careful that tech doesn't get into the wrong hands.
[ Five's usually pretty perceptive, but he doesn't know what to make of Accelerator's expression. If it were him, he wouldn't want to keep a dark reminder of his past like that around, much less something that could potentially compromise him, but if it doesn't bother the guy to keep wearing it, then all the more power to him, he supposes?
His tone then takes on that familiar smarmy edge again as he adds with a grin: ]
It would be a pain if you tapped out on me again. We're not out of the woods just yet.
[Thankfully the technology isn't commonplace, even in Academy City, and as long as he has his crutch around for the built-in signal jammer he should be safe.]
Yeah, you're right.
[He sighs heavily. At least the two of them are used to life not being easy, though it's still a pain that neither of them can let their guard down quite yet.]
You got somewhere to stay while I'm stuck in here?
[Splitting up isn't ideal, though they have an entire planet to hide on.... Maybe the nurses would take pity on two kids and let Five hang around here past visitation hours.]
[ He replies breezily. After their harrowing escape, navigating an unknown planet feels infinitely easier. Even if it means sleeping on the streets or something, he'll still sleep easier than when he was in the company's clutches. ]
Besides, I want to have a look around and do a little digging.
[ If he needed to skip town, then it was better he knew where to disappear to. Moreover, he's curious whether Peil has made any moves. Would they report the intruder or keep the incident hushed? Drawing too much scrutiny to the lab would only spell trouble for them, and it's not like they can put up a wanted poster for their own poster child. That's probably the only benefit to not having an identity and wearing someone else's face!
And if they were too far away for any news to reach the planet? That wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing either. ]
Depending on where we ended up, it might even be possible to put you in touch with your people. Unless your title's just for show, you've got to have some contacts willing to pick you up, right?
[As dangerous as that sounds, digging up some additional information (or rather, dirt) sounds pretty damn useful. So while Accelerator can feel some mild concern welling up he only nods, understanding that the risk is worth the potential reward. The more information they have, especially on Peil's next moves, the better the position they'll be in to avoid some early deaths.]
Alright.
[They've got the beginnings of a plan, which is encouraging!]
Of course I do. [Now that they're in a hospital, it shouldn't be difficult to contact his administrative team back on Earth to arrange for a ride and payment for any and all bills they incur. He does give a momentary pause before continuing, though.] ... There's a chance Peil could intercept the transmission and trace it back to this hospital. We'll want to wait until we're prepared to deal with any potential shitheads showing up.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
For nouveaueldrich
The last thing Accelerator remembers is coming back home from England, barging into a secret meeting of the board of directors to announce his takeover and then, after leaving the building, some kind of gothic carriage in the streets. After that everything was a blur until he found himself stumbling out of a goddamn coffin, in some big room with an even bigger mirror, to the shock of some weirdo in a crow mask. It's just the two of them, and after some yelling and threats Accelerator calms down enough to listen. Crow Mask has no idea what's going on and seems sincere about it, and while he remains suspicious, decides to believe him for the moment.
This isn't Academy City, it's some magical school he's never heard of before on an island he's also never heard before, and it keeps on going until Accelerator quietly realizes the many-worlds interpretation must be true, or at least m-theory or the twin-world models. Something like that. He can dwell on the physics of it later, after he's back home. As cool as it is to learn other universes exist, he literally just took control of his own city. Disappearing right after doing so would allow the board, those slimy fuckers, to act, and while he knows people there who may be able to prevent anything bad from happening, he isn't sure how effective that Level 0 could be against people with administrative power.
He's in a precarious position, and he can't be in another damn universe.
Unfortunately, there isn't any science he knows of that allows movement through universes. Dimensions? Sure, but not universes, and according to Crow Mask (Crowley, he can't be serious with a name like that) there's no magic that can do it either. It can be looked into, but in the meantime....
In the meantime, the mirror assigns him a dorm. He's the right age for the school and he's already accomplished when it comes to using magic. Not many teenagers can say they've altered their world's cosmic law, let alone any adults, so school it is. It's far from Accelerator's first choice but it at least him offers food, shelter, and access to a library to do some investigation. It's his best option, and since the mirror is willing to assign him a dorm he grudgingly goes along with it. So, after getting a rundown of the school and being given a school uniform and map of the campus, he heads off to the hall of mirrors. It's still early in the school year so the headmage is confident he can be slotted in as a transfer student, and that the transition shouldn't be difficult.
It sucks, all of it sucks, and that feeling only increases when he heads to the Octavinelle dorms. He's never been a strong swimmer, even before the need for a crutch, and being under water makes his head feel fuzzy. He has to chalk that up to the water messing with the signal of his choker (how that's still working he isn't sure, but he's grateful the connection is being maintained), yet another irritation to deal with. He's grumbling under his breath as he makes his way down the hall to his assigned room, glaring at any students he passes by.]
thank you kindly for this immaculate meal ;Q;7
A pain in the ass. Nothing huge, mind, just a pain that a rare moment of free time to himself should be interrupted so. And without a word to him personally from that bird-faced bastard, either.
So it goes that Azul is still pulling on the rest of his dorm uniform, Jade kindly putting his hat on for him and Floyd trailing along after him with a giggle. Might as well look somewhat put together for the new kid, show him to his dorm, so on and so forth. Never hurts to make sure that all fresh meat knows exactly who the hell they're answering to, too. Except--]
You!
[That was the newbie right there, storming on past, right? The guy without the uniform. Understandably pissed off, of course. Even a little delay can make things awkward...Jade doesn't even have time to pass on what little intel Crowley had given him before Azul's off, chasing after Accelerator with a soft wheeze.]
You. Get back here before I make you.
nppp they're off to a good start
... Then again, that is a possibility when it comes to him, and if someone wants to fight he needs to avoid an ambush....
It's depressing that he has to consider a fight on his first day, and he decides not to dwell on it. Slowing down slightly, he shifts his uniform so it's under his arm, giving him the leeway to reach up and settle a finger against the switch of the choker around his neck. He doesn't switch modes quite yet -- he's trying to be better about jumping the gun these days -- and he glances over, still scowling.
Some guy (wait, is this a boys' school? It's only just occurring to him now) with a pretty face, slightly taller than himself, and behind him two... twins? Whose teeth remind him of Qliphah. Sadly, it's clear that the shortest one is talking to him. Accelerator isn't sure why, and he decides to leave his hand on his choker as he narrows his eyes.]
Fuck off.
[And then he turns and keeps on walking. First impressions, he's so good at them.]
as expected, very normal of them
[He taps his cane against the floor, smirk sneaking into his tone; as tempted as he is to let the Leech brothers loose, that's not a good first impression at all.
Instead of getting the Floyd Squeeze, Accelerator's going to end up facing...A puddle on the floor. Too big to step over. And even if he doesn't slip, which let's be real, Azul's not counting on or hoping for, the volume of water's going to grow unnaturally soon as one foot steps within. Almost like shackles, dragging him back to said housewarden slowly but surely.
Or like, trying. That's his goal, anyway. Get back here, frosh.] Introductions are in order, don't you think? Don't hurry away now, Headmage would be so disappointed in us all if you bunked in the wrong room tonight.
SO normal
Housewarden? Oh god, is that like some souped up version of class representative? Or even worse, student council? He's been here all of five minutes and that's the kind of person he has to deal with right off the bat?? There's a sinking realization as he puts these pieces together that he actually has no idea what to do here. The last time he had classmates he was still in elementary school, which also meant he was too young to be exposed to the whole class rep thing outside of random manga and books. Socialization has never been his strong suit, so this is going to be a complete nightmare.
His best option here is to bury that anxiety as deeply as possible under a mountain of hostility. Make sure everyone is terrified of him and they'll leave him alone, and maybe he can get through this. So he does the reasonable thing, which is to bristle and flip the three of them off.]
Just show me where my room is. Then if you leave me alone, I'll leave you alone.
no subject
[He taps closer to Accelerator, smile glib and eels pressed tight against his shoulders, smiling serenely all the while.] What's your name? If you please. I've decided to take a personal interest in you, now.
[Like some Wicked shit.]
no subject
Accelerator. [That's it, a dumb word and no last name. There's a quiet 'goddamnit' under his breath before his raises his tone back to a normal level.] None of that is necessary. In fact, any time you spend on me is gonna be wasted, so don't fucking bother.
no subject
[Jade bows slightly, eyes crinkling from his polite smile, and Floyd waves jauntily over Azul's head.]
I'm telling you this because I refuse to let some little firecracker determined to act the martyr ruin what the rest of us have worked so hard for. And I will not be the only one to discipline you, of course. My dearest friends here will also take up the mantle of education, should you need it...However, it really would be best if you'd work with us all.
For everyone's sakes. Step one; your language. This is an esteemed institution, and we can't have that sort of talk. Use it again in public and I'll have that tongue tied into a knot. Now-- if you will. Your room, Accelerator. [The water refuses to let go of Accelerator's ankles, even though Azul marches ahead with a jolly little whistle and lets the twins flank their current project, instead.] Please, I'd really hate for us to stay on the wrong foot. Your late transfer doesn't mean you have to suffer academically; I'd be pleased to tutor you if you only behave. Doesn't that seem like a marvellous deal to make?
no subject
Maybe if he still had constant access to his esper ability he could tell them all to fuck off again, but he doesn't. He has thirty minutes and no other means of offence or defense. Not even his handgun. Meanwhile, everyone and everything here is basically one big unknown. His ability works best when he has data to analyze, and right now he has a dearth of it.
Clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth in irritation, he does his best to ignore Floyd and Jade moving to either side of him, instead staring down at the water still binding his ankles. Is this the same kind of magic as home? Do the trees of Sephiroth and Qliphoth exist here, too? Or does he need to come up with entirely new formulas to deal with the magic that exists here?]
Is that what you'd be getting out of this? Maintaining your dorm's appearance?
[He glances back up and is going to try lifting a foot.]
no subject
Perhaps even outshine them. If you want to aim for the stars.
[A pointed tap of his cane, all for show; the water certainly doesn't need reinforcing of its original task, but by golly will Azul provide it and force that foot back down.
Just to be safe. Jade will give him the rundown later, but for now this is enough. And one of the open rooms is nearby anyway. Hang in there a little longer, Accelerator...!] Once you settle in, I might relax my standards; after all, Floyd here likes to tout the uniform standards and the like, and if it makes you feel more comfortable, then you don't need to hear about it from me.
All I'm asking is a little give. Knuckle down, work hard-- ah, speaking of that, we'll add you onto the Lounge roster in the morning-- and become your best self. And rely on your senpais, won't you? That's what we're here for.
[Finally, they all come to stop in front of a rather unassuming door; given that it's for freshmen, the empty room within is built for four students instead of just one, but what can you do? Besides, sweetening the pot with a little extra space never hurt, if they can spare it.] This is your home away from home, for now. Do you have any questions?
[The water still isn't letting go just yet. Azul's not letting a runner happen on his watch.]
no subject
[Does running a sovereign city-state means he should be counted among those kinds of people? If it doesn't, then his status as the strongest esper probably does. That's a bizarre, surreal thought. Being in school again is bad enough -- being in school with a bunch of important people that he should fit in with but won't is just --
It's tiring. He's already very tired. He doesn't bother trying to fight Azul as he mulls this over, listening quietly.
When Azul finishes there are a lot of questions rolling around in his head, and he peers into the empty room. It's a lot more like a Western dormitory than his previous dorm, which was more like a Japanese-style apartment. At least he doesn't seem to have any roommates? And it looks accessible enough, though he hasn't seen the bathroom.
He sighs a little, then speaks up.]
... What the hell do you mean by 'Lounge roster'?
no subject
It functions marvellously for future job experience, and instills a strong work ethic in Octavinelle students besides. If you work on the floor, you keep your tips besides. A little motivation. Though...Hm. [His eyes flit to Accelerator's crutch, before he looks over his shoulder and murmurs in Jade's ear.
"Of course, I'll take the liberty of blocking out your first appointment as a consultation with Accelerator instead. Your first client won't mind if I let him know immediately of the change."]
Thank you. We'll decide what role would suit you best then, mm? I wouldn't want you to be run ragged in something that's completely unsustainable for everyone involved. Perhaps think about what role you'd like to take in our house's illustrious business, even! Bring that, and any queries you have, to the meeting in the morning. Let's say...Right after breakfast. Get things organised before class. And don't worry about your classes; there are plenty of other freshmen still learning their way about, so just ask one of your peers for help as you need it. Or us, if you see us in the hallways.
Is there anything else you need before you get to sleep?
no subject
Ugh, he's going to need a source of money, so he's going to have to give this some thought. This still sounds sketchy (what the hell kind of lounge has clients?) but he isn't seeing many options here.
He sighs a little.]
... No, nothing I can think of right now. I'm sure I'll have more questions tomorrow.
no subject
[He dips into a small bow, still smiling away, before turning and leading the peanut gallery away. Floyd's walking backwards though, watching Accelerator as if he's thinking on something, before--
"Seeya, Blenny-chan! Be good, or you'll get a squeezin'!"
And then they're gone. At least until 8am the next morning, when Jade knocks politely on Accelerator's door to collect him for that meeting. If the knocking isn't a reminder of who it is, the raspy giggling of Floyd at his side probably does.
"Accelerator, it is time for the meeting. Azul is waiting for you, if you'll let us show you to his office."]
no subject
(He's going to be very annoyed when he inevitably hits up the library to research what a blenny is.)
For now, anyways, he tries to put that out of his mind and go collapse into bed. He thankfully does consider what he could do for some student lounge to make a bit of extra money, but otherwise he's passing out for the night.
The knock at the door drags him out of his sleep, and it takes him a few moments to remember what the hell is going on. It's an oh, goddamnit kind of moment where he seriously debates just burrowing under the covers and staying there, but he knows he can't. Schools run on a schedule, and unless he wants to get kicked out into a completely unfamiliar world he needs to play along.
He yells at Jade to give him a few minutes, then hauls himself out of bed and gets dressed. It doesn't bother him that he's going to be late for this meeting with Azul, his sleep schedule was a complete mess before showing up here so this is the best he can do. Throwing his uniform on, he at least spends a few extra minutes making sure he looks presentable (blazer buttoned, tie tied properly, he actually looks like a student who gives a shit) before opening the door.
The twins get half-asleep scowls, but otherwise he'll follow them to the lounge without complaint.]
no subject
Come on in, you've already brought him here late. I'll take that from your wages.
["Aw, c'mooooon! It was only five minuuuuutes~"
Azul shoots Floyd a withering glare for that one, as if it has any effect on him whatsoever, before motioning for Accelerator to sit.] Apologies for the early hour, but I thought it'd be best for us all to get this sorted right away. Now. Did you have any suggestions on what position you'd like within the Lounge? I'm willing to work with you to make it tenable long-term, within reason. Otherwise, I might simply suggest that you can assist Jade and I with matters off the floor.
no subject
That was on me, not them. I'm not used to a normal class schedule.
[He isn't doing this out of kindness, but rather a preference in admitting his own faults. Either way he moves to sit down, retracting the cane portion of his crutch into the arm cuff.]
Yeah, I thought about it. If you give me the Lounge's financials I can probably do some accounting. I've never done it before but I doubt it's hard to figure out.
no subject
Get out.
[Said sharply, though his gaze flits over Accelerator's head and to Jade and Floyd instead; while the latter lets out a groan at being shooed out so abruptly, the former bows and shuts the door behind them both all the same. Once they're gone, Azul's attention returns to his precious frosh, to the gently steaming teapot on the coffee table between them.]
Do you want some tea, first? To warm you up a little, perhaps wake you up a touch more. [A little flick of his housewarden cane, and the teapot pours itself steadily into both empty cups. Why ask at all if you're going to pour the tea anyway, dickhead?] What, might I ask, drew you to accounting over say...More general management of staff, whilst learning from the best in the school there is? Jade would prove a fine mentor to you, if you wanted to take that path.
Accounting, however, would leave you in my hands. And I would not tolerate any nonsense; anyone who tries to treat my money like their own pays in other ways.
no subject
Er... should he be worried? His gaze settles back on Azul and he inwardly wonders if he should switch modes on his choker.]
It's just math. [Not a big deal, he can do it in his sleep.] Math is a fucking cakewalk compared to managing people. Accounting is just a branch of economics, right? Economic theories were some of the shit I learned before I dropped out of school, so it wouldn't be a problem to learn more of that.
[He eyes the tea. Not his first choice, but he'll drink it if there's nothing else.]
You don't have any coffee, do you?
no subject
...You really want to learn more about the theory behind it? And you'd prefer not to work with people?
[Another few seconds of staring, before he gets to his feet and stretches out a hand.] Very well. I trust that you at least mean that much, and perhaps that you don't realise what a grand opportunity I'm giving you right now, which is why you'd dare shoot for it in the first place. You and I are going to work together from now on; I'm going to ask for your help brainstorming promotions as well, by the way, but you won't have to actually interact with staff outside of myself and the Leech brothers. Come here after lessons are done, and we'll get you set up.
Do we have a deal?
no subject
Despite that he feels somewhat uncertain. He's never held anything close to a real job before, he's rarely worked with a peer. Hell, he's still feeling off-balance at the idea of attending classes like a normal goddamn student. This is the best option he can see to provide himself with some extra cash, but it's still difficult.
Ugh, he really wants a cup of coffee.]
Yeah, fine.
[He reaches up, grabbing hold of Azul's hand to shake, his own expression tight.]
It's a deal.
no subject
...You also have an employee discount at Mostro Lounge, now. If you still want that coffee, find Floyd-- you know which one's Floyd by now, surely-- and ask him to make you one. If he's in the mood, it'll be the best thing you've ever had. Might even carry you through to tomorrow, if he's really happy.
[At last, he lets Accelerator's hand go, instead using that hand to adjust his glasses as he turns to the side. Any questions get effectively cut off, at least for now.]
Ah-- a word to the wise, too. I'd ingratiate myself with fellow Octavinelle students, as well as...Pomefiore students, perhaps, if I were you. Maybe Heartslabyul, if you can handle a little roughness around the edges. Purple magestones, or red. They'll be good influences. The other houses are a little...Interesting. Do what you will with them.
no subject
[On both the contract and the coffee. Actually, he perks up a little at the mention of coffee. He could really use one right about now, even if it tastes terrible.
Especially if it tastes terrible. The strength of his caffeine habit does not extend to quality.
He drops his hand, moving to get up, pausing at Azul's suggestion. Oh, socialization, he hates it so much, and he answers gruffly.]
I'd rather keep to myself. It's better for everyone if I do.
no subject
[Really, Floyd could be anywhere he so pleased, but Azul's hoping he's at the bar cleaning glasses in preparation for the afterschool rush. ...And at least once he's done showing Accelerator through the door of his office, Floyd's there. Though he's more...
Slumped on the bar, glass cloth in hand and posture definitely not saying 'hey, I'd love to make you a coffee, frosh!' Azul grimaces in the doorway when he sees it, and rummages in his pockets for a few madol.]
--Actually, just find one of the vending machines or something. Have a good day.
[Sorry Accelerator. No bombass coffee just yet, only the canned stuff for now. Or something from the cafeteria if it's still open?]
no subject
His spiralling thoughts are momentarily distracted by the sight of Floyd, the prospect of missing out on coffee. This is quickly becoming the worst day ever
And then Azul is pulling some change out and Accelerator, absolutely baffled, can only stare at him like a deer in headlights as it's offered to him.]
.......................................
[Give him a second to stop bluescreening. Reluctantly, he'll take the change.]
Uh. Thanks.
[And he quickly turns and leaves the Lounge as quickly as possibly, looking for the nearest vending machine with canned coffee. Once he finds one he's buying himself one, downing it, and sighing heavily at the feeling of relief that floods him. This may be another universe (or whatever) but canned coffee still tastes the same. Its familiarity prepares him for the day ahead.
It... doesn't go well. Classes are the easiest part; even though he's behind when it comes to magic he's still intensely focused, and he feels like he's actually learned a lot. P.E. is the one class he's exempt from thanks to his crutch, so no issues there.
No, it's the classmates. Kids his own age. People he has absolutely nothing in common with.
He can't even get through to lunch without nearly provoking a couple of students into a fight. By the end of the day he's pissed off more than a few classmates, and he's sure at this rate he's going to have a reputation similar to the one he had back home. He's exhausted, and wants nothing more than to crawl into bed. Unfortunately, he drags himself to the Lounge, remembering the deal he made that morning, and makes his way directly to Azul's office, knocking loudly.]
For gundemn
[It's been a long few weeks. Running an entire city during periods of stability is an enormous amount of work, doing so while trying to investigate corruption within an entirely separate company is like climbing Mount Everest. A regular person would likely just give up and focus on what's in front of them (especially so since there is still a sizable amount of shady practices that haven't been stamped out within Academy City), but Accelerator is only more motivated to mark this as a success. Maybe it's naive, maybe he's only being stubborn, but he refuses to give up. If this company is committing the same kind of inhumane experimentation that certain Academy City institutions then he can't just ignore it. As the #1, the Board Chairman, and someone with an absurd amount of power, he's obligated to use that power responsibly.
That's why those few weeks have been spent running investigations into Peil Technologies. Thanks to his city being focused on the research and development of various kind of science Accelerator has been able to make use of multiple avenues — electronic surveillance of Peil employees, forensic accounting of the company's financial records — but he's come to realize that the really shady stuff is locked down within the physical research facilities. There's only so much he can do from Earth. If he wants to expose Peil then going to the source is his best option.
That means a field trip into space is in order. Thankfully, Academy City has its own space program, so procuring a small shuttle and getting off the planet isn't difficult for him.
After a good amount of planning he settles on a Peil-owned facility that had very little presence in the records he was able to examine. It had stuck out to him as suspicious, so after a little (less than legal) acquisition of the place's schedule, Accelerator heads out when there should be a minimal employee presence. With him is a small flash drive containing a trojan virus that, if downloaded into their computer system, will open a network and start feeding data back to Earth. If he has enough time he'd like to do some hunting of his own on their systems, but at the bare minimum installing the virus and letting it work will be enough.
It's surprisingly smooth sailing. A little hacking to Peil's main scheduling systems by one of his own employees (a computer scientist who, prior to coming to the city, specialized in this kind of thing) and the shuttle is arranged as arriving to do some routine maintenance on the facility, so landing is surprisingly easy. And once he's off board it's even easier to knock the docking bay crew using his esper ability. They aren't dead, so it's fine. By the time they wake up he'll be back on Earth.
After downloading a map to his phone and ditching his space suit he heads in, crutch in one hand and a gun in the other. He doesn't want to use it if it isn't necessary, but his ability is on a time limit and he won't let this mission end in failure. Carefully, he heads down a hall that leads away from the docking bay, and when he hears footsteps approaching from around the corner he quickly ducks through a nearby door.]
no subject
Shortly after, Peil has him called back to the lab to run diagnostics as if their poking and prodding could clue them in on what's so special about Mercury's devil-machine. Though he loathes to be back between its sterile walls, Five maintains his usual flippant attitude and puts on a cheekily clueless act throughout their questioning. He keeps tight-lipped about what he really saw. He's starting to believe the machine Suletta Mercury calls 'family' is actually sentient, and the last thing he needs is to give Peil's scientists more crazy inspiration for their experiments. That, and Five's not exactly eager to recount the story of how he got his ass kicked by the ghost of a little girl.
Anyway, he's currently shut inside one of the facility's many rooms, in between tests. Due to the highly sensitive (aka illegal) nature of their research, the lab is sparsely manned by humans. Most of the staff is made up of Haro-powered worker bots plugged into the Peil Grade - the company's proprietary AI trusted to calculate the most efficient way to run the business. The robots' round, smiling faces would almost be endearing if one security drone didn't currently have its beady little eyes on Five this very minute, watching him to make sure he stays put.
The footsteps Accelerator hears belong to two scientists strolling down the hall, holding binders full of data. He might catch snippets of conversation about their research, complete with jargon like permet levels and data storm tolerance. They appear to be discussing how the last subject's body gave out, and how the current subject is still in good condition despite the recent mishaps. Something fishy is definitely going on. ]
no subject
Subject? Their body gave out? Fuck, he's definitely in the right place. He slips out of the room and back into the hall, intending to continue onwards away from the two researchers, but as he does he catches sight of the binders.
Shit. Fuck. Goddamnit.
Holstering his gun, Accelerator hits the switch on his choker and quickly lunges. It only takes a take to their heads to rattle their brains enough to knock them out, and after dragging both of them into that room he takes a few minutes to steal and access card from one of them, and skim through the binders. There isn't enough time for him to go through them in detail, but he does take some photos of the pages as additional evidence for later. Right now, he has other priorities.
Namely, this test subject.
Ducking back into the hall, Accelerator makes his way further into the facility, following the map and avoiding any other employees until he thinks he's reached the area where those two scientists had been working. Swiping the card, he heads in.]
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The employee's access card takes him right to where Five is being held. The inside is dark and lit by the blue glow of a monitor screen. The room resembles a small medical office, with cabinets, a sink, and the standard examination chair, except this one's got a whole lot more wires and sensors attached. No one is sitting on it. The subject happens to be kicked back in the doctor's chair instead, hands behind his head, looking like he doesn't belong in the white medical gown he's wearing.
Five swivels around at the sound of the door opening, and when their eyes meet, he questions if the data storm had fried his brain and he's now seeing things. Because he finds it hard to believe that the kid from before had actually found his location, that he would be suicidal enough to break in alone, and that he had somehow succeeded in his mad plan. He jumps to his feet, shock all over his face. ]
You've got to be kidding me. How did you—?!
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But hey, he’s still a teenager, and sometimes teenagers do dumb things. At least he has the intellect of a super genius and some very handy powers backing up his idiocy.
He steps into the room, the door sliding closed behind him, and he quickly takes in his surroundings. That includes one familiar face, whom he gives a sight shrug to (his free hand is taken up by the gun and access card, so he can’t exactly wave.]
Yo.
[It’s an incredibly casual greeting, as if they currently aren’t in the belly of a horrific research laboratory and just passing by each other on the street or something. Accelerator is actually worked up, and when he sees - Five? Does he even have his own name - his grip on the gun tightens.
But he tries to keep a lid on his emotions. Getting upset and breaking something it in space is dangerous, and he doesn’t want to risk killing the entire facility. The long term consequences wouldn’t be worth it.
Looking around, his eyes settle on a computer terminal near that chair. The chair causes more indignant, dark feelings well up in him, and he tries to ignore them. He steps over to the terminal, focused, and after shoving the gun into his belt he starts to type rapidly.]
You know if this thing has full access to the facility’s database?
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I don't know about full access, but they're sending the data somewhere. Problem is, it's password-protected.
[ He's checked. What was he supposed to do while waiting around, twiddle his thumbs and not snoop? ]
Did anyone see you? When I said go digging, I didn't mean the breaking and entering kind!
[ Whatever else he has to say is interrupted by the Haro bot on duty whirring to life, having processed the unexpected visitor and detected an anomaly. Its eyes flash red with each beat of its robotic voice. This area is restricted to authorized personnel! Please identify yourself. ]
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Shit, he might not have the time.]
Plans change.
[For a split second he debates shooting the Haro, but breaking it might set off some alarms. Letting it run through its security protocol will at least buy him a little bit more time. Pausing, he pulls out the flash drive and plugs it in, then resumes typing. As he does he speaks up again, his tone matter-of-fact.]
You're coming with me, so get dressed.
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[ Five exhales, exasperated. Peil already thinks he's more trouble than he's worth, and after this? He wouldn't be surprised if they ordered him disposed of, or decided a rebellious but otherwise healthy research subject should be restrained and put to use in other ways. Either way, he sure as hell doesn't want to stick around to find out. He would have preferred to bow out more discreetly, though!
The Haro continues to beep and repeat its request with added warning. Five pulls off his medical gown and tosses it over the bot, deliberately blocking off its camera. While it rolls around trying to process the interference, he quickly changes into Elan's uniform, not bothering to do up the tie. No point dressing like a prim and proper heir. Going back to school is out of the question. ]
I hope you've got an escape plan.
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The thought causes him to pause typing for a few moments, and he stares down at the screen in silence. He doesn't even know this person, but no one deserves a life in a facility like this one.
Exhaling slowly, Accelerator focuses his mind, and resumes typing.]
There's a shuttle waiting in the launch bay. The problem isn't getting out, but making sure nothing important gets broken in the process.
[His ability isn't really made for stealth, and it takes a lot of effort on his part to keep it constrained. As large as this laboratory is it's still in the middle of space, so one wrong move and they're all goners.
He's fairly sure he has the malware downloaded, so he finishes up and unplugs the drive, putting it back into his pocket.]
Do you know how to use a gun?
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[ Being a good shot is a requirement for being an Elan Ceres double! Not that he was aware of what he was getting into when his scores came back with top marks in piloting and marksmanship. ]
If it's important to them, all the more reason to break it, but we don't exactly have time. The launch bay is the first place they'll lock down once they realize we're trying to escape. So let's scram.
[ Five has no love lost for the lab, and having no idea what Accelerator is capable of, he thinks busting up their precious machines would feel pretty damn good, actually, but if given the choice, he'd pick escaping over getting back at Peil.
The Haro is going to sound the alarm any minute now, and Five gives it a pat on its covered head and and nudges it out of the way as he moves for the door. ]
So it looks like my labs have been moved up the schedule! Dr. Winston authorized it, and this fellow is going to escort me.
[ Dr. Winston did no such thing but while its robotic little programs are validating that, they'll be on their way, and if Belmeria Winston catches flak for letting them escape, he won't feel too sorry about it. ]
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He clicks his tongue as he walks over to the door, eyeing the covered Haro briefly. It sounds like the launch bay will be the most dangerous part of this escape, then. Makes sense, and he keeps that in the back of his mind, ready to plan appropriately.]
Here. [Removing the gun from his belt, he holds it out.] I won't let you die, so stay behind me and you probably won't have to use it.
[Accelerator's expression is one of fixed determination. There isn't any immediate danger right now, but they aren't out of the woods. He knows that it's likely things are about to get dicey because of him, so keeping the other boy safe is entirely his responsibility and he is taking that very seriously.]
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Five can't help but grin at how seriously he's taking it. Like he's said something funny. He adopts a casual tone in comparison, despite the severity of their situation. ]
Want to fill me in on something? Why stick your neck out for someone you don't know?
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At the same time, he deserves an answer. Accelerator knows that. He rests his hand against the switch to open the door, refraining from doing so as he hesitates. Biting his lip for a moment, his voice is quiet.]
... I've been in your situation before. I know what it's like. You don't deserve to go through this.
[No one does. That's why he's here.]
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The Haro's alarm cuts through the silence. Time to go. ]
...You should have taken your freedom and run for it. It'd be a pointless if you escaped one lab only to wind up dying in another! Come on, I know the way.
[ He hits the switch and steps through the door, side by side with Accelerator. It wouldn't be fair to let him take on all the risk after learning they were the same. ]
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That could be because the Haro's alarm is interrupting any more. Either way, he takes the sincerity for what it is and nods. After stepping through the door, he reaches up to switch modes on his choker. The limited amount of time he has to use his esper ability should be more than enough to make sure they get to the launch bay safely, and as vector data floods into his brain he automatically begins sorting and analyzing it. Beginning with the movement of air molecules in the hall, to pick up on any unnatural shifts that would indicate bodies moving towards them.]
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Before turning the next corner, he checks the coast is clear before waving them onwards, though he won't know what's happening beyond his line of sight. The Haro would have alerted every drone in the facility to come looking for them, and the guards can't be far behind. ]
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Further down and around several corners something large, dense even, causes an unnatural movement of the air molecules he's sensing, and he freezes.]
Hold on. [He reaches out, quickly running the calculations to whitelist Elan(?) from his reflection, so that he can grab his shoulder without accidentally breaking any bones or causing any internal organ damage. Keeping his voice quiet, he shakes his head] Something's coming this way. Likely a security drone. Is there another route we can take?
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We can take the stairwell to the lower level and keep out of the way, but are you sure? How do you know it's coming?
[ They're on the quickest and straightest route and Five sounds reluctant to take detours. Plus, it's not apparent to him where his buddy is getting his second sense from. ]
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I'm psychic. [Super helpful, not offering any further explanation.] And I'm sure, so let's take the stairs.
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[ Five doesn't sound convinced, but he starts towards the stairs anyway. More of an explanation would have helped, but there's no time to argue. He can choose either to trust him or not, and he's pretty sure Accelerator isn't trying to get them killed. If the guy really had been part of some messed up experiment, it wouldn't be impossible his senses were sharpened or something. Hadn't he called himself an esper? Five didn't believe it at the time, but he also didn't believe the kid would come looking for him.
The stairwell is thankfully clear on their way down a level, though the stairs stretch even deeper, down to the lowest levels where Peil tinkers with their mobile suits. Five hits the switch to open the door and peers around it to check the floor. ]
Hey - are there more of them?
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He follows him down, splitting his attention even further. It's harder to track any potential enemies in the stairwell, the doors block a lot of molecular movement he can sense and the stairs split off into way more levels than a hallway, giving security more routes to ambush them. Accelerator does his best, retracting the cane portion of his crutch into the forearm crutch so it's easier to move down the steps, his gaze constantly glancing around.]
I think we're okay —
[Aaand a door above them in the stairwell opens and the high-pitched beeping of a security drone can be heard. Spoke too soon! Without hesitation Accelerator grabs the other boy and with a surprising amount of strength shoves him through the doorway, at the same time stomping his foot on the floor. Doing so allows him to manipulate the metal comprising the stairs, and there's a hideous crunch and screech of metal as the entire stairwell starts to twist and crush itself unnaturally, like a piece of paper being balled up.
RIP to that security drone, it doesn't stand a chance.]
1/2
2/2
[ He exclaims in a low voice. Okay. Well. Cool. What the hell, but cool. Having an esper on their side is definitely an advantage. He can almost believe they'll make it out of here in one piece. ]
And here I thought chairmen only pushed papers! Got any other tricks I should know about? [ His face flicks from shock to amusement, his go-to attitude when uneasy or caught off guard. ...but not to get distracted from the task at hand! Five motions down the hall. ] There should be another set of stairs to the bay. Try not to crush that one or we'll have to take the long route!
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If we weren't out in space I'd just punch a hole through the roof, that'd be a hell of a lot easier than this.
[Being careful sucks sometimes, but they both still need to breathe so the endless vacuum of outer space isn't an option. And unfortunately, destroying part of the facility is going to cause alarms to start going off in the halls, which makes Accelerator click his tongue in annoyance.]
Guess the entire place knows something is up. Be on your guard.
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[ As satisfying as it would be to blow a hole in the place, he agrees it wouldn't be the wisest course of action right now. Five starts moving again, not bothering to tiptoe anymore now that the alarms are blaring overhead. The stairs are a straight dash down the hall, only —
A metal gate comes down, sectioning off the corridor ahead and behind them and stopping them in their tracks. Figures a space station would have airlocks as a failsafe against equipment failure, or in this case, unprecedented esper attacks. ]
Think you triggered more than just the alarm! Can you bust it open?
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Yeah. Stay behind me, there might be some shrapnel.
[He steps up to the gate and taps it. It's a light motion, but it may as well have been the equivalent of a punch from the way the gate is ripped from its locking mechanism and sent flying down the hall. The calculations for that are simple for Accelerator, so he looks a bit smug as he glances back.]
Let's go.
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Show-off.
[ He remarks after the dust has settled and Accelerator stands looking smug in the gate-less corridor. The calm Five projects is mostly a mask. His heart hasn't stopped pounding since he broke out, but he would sooner make light of things and pretend this escape is mere entertainment than let anyone catch on to his fear.
Anyways, time to book it. As he breaks into a run, his gaze shifts back to see that Accelerator is keeping up on his crutch, because damn. It's reckless enough he stormed the place. Even more so to do it at a physical disadvantage. ]
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Sticking close isn't an issue, now that he's using his ability. Running more calculations in his brain, he takes control of various vectors in his body to enhance his muscles and keep up.
The alarms blaring are irritating, and he tries to ignore them as he glances over.]
Are we close? They're probably going to concentrate a bunch of security at the bay.
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[ The stairs lie ahead, but so does trouble. Turns out, the lab's already shored up security and three guards spill from the stairwell before they've reached it. The guards train their gun on Five, since he's the one visibly armed, yelling 'freeze' and 'hands up!' Considering their numbers, and the fact that they've incorrectly identified him as the real threat, Five actually lowers his gun and makes to slowly put his hands out in a feigned gesture of surrender. ]
Okay, okay! I get it, don't shoot!
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He lunges at the guard closest to him, moving at a speed that should be impossible for someone who needs a crutch. Grabbing the barrel of the gun with one hand, he proceeds to twist the metal until the entire thing snaps in half. The guard barely has time to react to that before Accelerator beans him in the head with the broken half, because fuck this guy.]
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Like he'd been anticipating, Accelerator gets the jump on the guards, taking one head on with surprising strength for a skinny teen. The guards turn their attention on the esper, and that's when Five raises his gun and shoots one of them. Right in the heart, with cold precision. It's life or death and he is not fucking around. The guard staggers but doesn't drop, protected by a bulletproof vest under his uniform. ]
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With a tap to the chest he sends the guy into the nearest wall, hard. It isn't something he'll be getting up from anytime soon, which gives him time to glance over at Elan(?).]
... You're a good shot.
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[ It's a knee-jerk response, the bitterness leaking from his voice when he's usually good at keeping it under wraps, but he's a little tense right now. Normally he would appreciate the compliment, but not when committing near-murder while high on adrenaline and fear. He's thinking that could have all gone poorly if not for Accelerator's powers.
The third and last guard is backing away after seeing his partners go down, looking at them like these kids are fucking crazy. Five turning to threaten him with a twisted grin probably does nothing to help his impression. ]
You've seen what my 'friend' can do. How about you call off your drones and let us walk out?
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He shifts his attention to the final guard, narrowing his eyes. It'd be easy to knock him out (or worse), but he's trying to be better, so he gives the guy a chance instead. And... that is a mistake. The man, backing away several more steps, taps his ears and speaks into his comm link with the facility's security.
He doesn't call the drones off, he calls in for reinforcements and to lock down the facility. Accelerator clicks his tongue and a second later launches himself at him, but he's too late. As he knocks him into the wall the lights go out, leaving only the alarms and emergency lighting. Further down the halls noise can be heard as doors slide closed and lock themselves.]
Shit! We need to go, now!
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Give me a break!
[ His immediate reaction isn't to bolt or to panic, but to grimace and give Accelerator a helpless shrug like yeah, that bluff kind of backfired...geez, must everything be so dramatic? He waves them towards the stairs, calm in the way of someone who has accepted shit's fucked can be calm. ]
You don't say! Sure, yeah. I have a feeling it's going to be a party up there.
[ In the stairwell, Five doesn't get more than a few steps up before a drone from the landing above shoots at them causing him to pull back. At the same time, that thing's on wheels and seems to be having trouble coming down the stairs after them? Which is hilarious and gives him a chuckle despite everything. He'll leave this one to the guy with psychic powers, gesturing for Accelerator to do his thing. ]
On second thought, after you!
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The appearance of the drone isn't much of a surprise at this point, though it's still unwelcome.]
Your development must be really fucking important to them.
[Maybe not him personally, but all the time and money and resources put into him. Trade secrets, all of that shit. Accelerator has seen it before, and it's really pissing him off. God, if they weren't in space he would have started smashing walls down. It's still tempting due to his increasing frustration, and he has to put extra effort in keeping himself in check. He already screwed up by underestimating the security around here, he doesn't need to do it again.
He steps into the stairwell, ignoring that he's being shot at (anything dangerous just bounces off him harmlessly and hits a wall), and waves a hand lightly. In his brain he runs the calculations to move and condense the air in front of himself, sending it upwards at the drone to lift and smash it around a bit. At least enough to take out its gun.]
C'mon.
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[ He can't resist taking a dig at his original for the ludicrous plan. What's it like to have a level of wealth and power where you can just throw resources at a problem until it ceases to be? It didn't escape his notice the guards from before had been authorized to use lethal force. Five wouldn't be surprised if the crones higher up had given them the orders. They're probably preparing his replacement as they speak. If anything, he thinks it's Accelerator that has them worried. Anyone able to track down their lab and break into it can be no simple intruder.
And the guy isn't! Five's expression changes from one kind of shock to another when Accelerator steps in the path of the freaking bullets, only to have them glance off him because oh, of course, psychics are also bulletproof! Five rakes a hand through his hair but rolls with it. ]
How do you want to do this? [ He says while they're making their way upwards, his gun held at the ready and on the lookout for any other drones. ] I can probably figure out how to get the shuttle going, but we'll need to keep them off of us.
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......... It's probably for the best that he isn't. Right now he's inclined to rip the guy's head off.]
That would be better than relying on only the autopilot. [As far as technology has come he'd rather take a real pilot over an autopilot any day of the week, especially one who has gone through specialized training for this kind of thing. Piloting, or driving of any kind, is something Accelerator hasn't actually learned himself, so he's reliant on the fifth not-Elan.
It isn't something he's particularly bothered by. Having someone else with piloting expertise frees him up to be the offence. Or defense, whichever.]
I can handle whatever additional security they throw at us, you focus on the shuttle. [Probably. Hopefully. As they move through the stairwell Accelerator reaches up to fiddle with his choker, checking on the battery that he has left. This mission has already run longer than he was expecting, but he should still have enough juice to make sure their take off is a relatively safe one.]
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[ He intones cheerfully (ominously?). He's a mech pilot, not a spacecraft pilot, and in a normal scenario he wouldn't be so rash as to commandeer a shuttle, but sometimes you're required to buck a few protocols in order to make the quickest getaway. Let's hope that he won't have to take the reins at all, or it means they have to floor it. Ideally, they're long gone by the time Peil brings out the big guns. Five can feel his heart racing as they near the top. ]
One more thing— Pass me that ID card.
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When they reach the top of the stairwell he pulls the ID card out, handing it over.]
Here. [He trusts him with it at this point, it'd be silly not to.] What do you need it for?
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[ His last attempt to jack someone's ride didn't go so well, and this time, there's no do-overs.
He pockets the card, then his hand hovers over the door at the top of the stairs. This is probably the moment where people steel themselves. Give a pep talk, maybe, if either of them were the type to give pep talks. Instead, he makes eye contact and remarks dryly. ]
Try not to die.
[ Five hits the button and the door slides open. Good luck to them. ]
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You too.
[He steps out into the next hall, and lucky them not only is this hall full of guards, but also drones! To his annoyance, as soon as they catch Accelerator's movement they all start firing. Of course, everything bounces harmlessly off of him thanks to his reflection, and he makes a point of ensuring his calculations don't accidentally send any stray bullets into the stairwell.
It's irritating, seeing all this security. He can't just carelessly throw them through a wall, since that would undoubtedly kill the guards and possibly cause damage to the lab itself. Having to hold back is rough.
Accelerator lunges at one of the drones first, grabbing and digging his fingers into its metal casing before tossing it at one of the other drones, letting them crash into each other as he turns his attention to the third, hoping that his disruption to the drones is enough to keep the guards occupied and that they don't do for the stairwell.]
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hideshangs back in the interest of not eating a ricocheting bullet. He's very okay not being the heavy-hitter here. Five sticks his head out just enough to peer down the hall, watching drones go flying and one stunned guard taking a stray bullet to the leg still not comprehending what he's seeing. He gets it, he thinks it's pretty absurd himself!Another guard looks similarly bewildered but presses on towards them. Five shoots at the man, pulling back into the stairwell when return fire puts holes in the walls. He calls out to Accelerator. ]
On your right! The shuttle bay's past that door!
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Regardless, he thinks he's doing a pretty good job. In the back of his mind the minutes are ticking down, and he can see more drones arriving at the opposite end of the hall to cut them off, but he's got this! He just needs to get not-Elan to the shuttle bay, then onto the shuttle, and make sure the damn thing takes off safely.]
Got it!
[Accelerator turns and, waving a hand, sends a blast of air at the guard to knock him into a wall, before stepping towards him and wrenching his gun out of his hands to help clear the way. After a split second of though, he also stomps down on the floor, sending out a shockwave and ripping a section of it out to act as a makeshift barrier against more bullets. Not ideal, but it's better than nothing.]
Come on!
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Whatever the hell that was, keep it up!
[ Ducking past the disarmed security guard, he swipes into the shuttle bay. At last. The dock stretches out before out him, spacious and thankfully free of guards on the inside. It's still and almost peaceful, like the vastness of space...were it not for the ruckus he can hear behind him as he runs up to the control panel overlooking the parked shuttles.
He really should have paid more attention in space traffic control class, but in his defense, someone else's grades weren't his biggest concern at the time!
After a bit of trial and error, he hits the right buttons. Metal creaks and one of the shuttles begins to slide into launch position, nose pivoting 180 to align itself with the track. The whole process can't take more than a few minutes at most, but right now, that few minutes feels like an eternity! ]
this seems like a great time to get shot
Hanging back a moment longer, he reaches up to fiddle with his choker and check on his battery, and as he does his smirk fades. Under his breath he mutters a curse, realizing that his timing has been off slightly. He doesn't have a few minutes left, it's more like a few seconds. Despite the two of them not fully being in the clear yet, he doesn't have a choice: he needs to switch his choker back to normal mode so he has enough battery to get to the shuttle.
Clicking his tongue, he re-extends his crutch and hits the switch. The light on it changes from red back to green. And a split second later, pain explodes in his side.
Letting out an abrupt, strangled cry he stumbles and hits the wall, next to the entrance to the shuttle bay. Glancing around wildly, his gaze settles on a guard and his gun. The guy's hands are shaking, but he still has the weapon aimed directly at him. Turning his gaze downwards, Accelerator sees red bloom over his shirt.
Fuck.]
it's never a good time to get shot! also sorry about him
For a split second, he considers taking off without him.
Please understand, this is not his proudest moment! Out of all the selfish choices he's made and every shitty thing he's done for the sake of survival, it's the first time he's ever struck by shame. That he could even think to abandon someone who had risked everything for him feels like a new low, even for him. Cursing, he turns away from the shuttle and bolts. ]
Hey, asshole! Over here!
[ The guard looks up, switches targets, but Five's already got his own gun lined up. Two shots ring out and only one finds its mark. Look away, because the guard is getting graphically headshotted. Sorry about your pacifist run.
He reaches Accelerator's side and— shit, that can't be good. Maybe he had been too cocky to think the guy's special powers made him untouchable. ]
I loled
He doesn't expect Elan or whoever he is to come back and help. Why should he? Getting him out of here is the goal, and he's in the bay with the shuttle. He can get the hell out of here and this mission will have been a success.
That likely means he'll die here, and... while he isn't exactly fine with it, there is too much pain shooting through his body for him to want to complain too much. It isn't as if he wants to die, he doesn't want to leave the clones or Last Order. He's sure of that. But if someone like him goes out helping someone who needed it, then that isn't so bad. It's more than he deserves, so he's fine with it. He has to be.
Spots start darkening his vision as his legs struggle to keep himself up, and those thoughts are running through his mind when another voice filters in. For a second he assumes it's the guard that shot him, but no — that guy's head is exploding in a spray of blood. He blinks fuzzily and looks up to see... oh. Seriously? He has to stare for a moment, processing that he's actually seeing the other boy, and when he manages that he mutters:]
............. My timing was off.
[Don't mind him he's just going to be sliiiiding down the wall to the floor. Standing is hard when you've been shot.]
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[ He doesn't know anything about the time limit Accelerator is on, but he knows how close they were to safety. Five grabs him by the shoulders and drags him inside before quickly shutting the bay doors and shooting the switch to disable the mechanism and buy them some time. Then he takes Accelerator's arm around his shoulder and, supporting his weight, he pulls him up and begins to make the painstaking trek to the shuttle. He doesn't want to agitate the guy's injuries too much, but unfortunately, there's not really a gentle way to haul ass. ]
What were you even thinking, coming here alone?! Aren't you supposed to be some big shot back home? Most CEOs I know order other people around to do the real work! I told you, didn't I, that I was colluding with Peil. I wasn't in any danger until you busted in, you know.
[ He's kind of yammering, because that's what he does and because his nerves are still heightened from before. If the guard's hand hadn't been shaking so much, maybe the both of them would be bleeding out on the floor. Anyway, is Accelerator even listening? Say something, buddy. ]
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.... Thankfully? It may be because his consciousness is fading in and out. When he's hauled onto his feet he doesn't feel much of anything, and vaguely he's aware he's getting scolded some more. His head lolls and he's definitely beyond being able to stand on his own, though at least he doesn't weigh very much.]
............................
[There's no answer this time. He's out cold.]
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Five hauls the unconscious teen the rest of the way as fast as he can, staggering into the shuttle and finding somewhere to lay him down. He engages the autopilot and shoves the ship into top speed, then returns to Accelerator's side to apply pressure to his wound and brace the both of them for takeoff as the shuttle rumbles and surges forward. Normally, they're supposed to be seated and strapped in for this part, but given the emergency he's electing to skip a few steps!
Despite his efforts, blood keeps pooling, and Five gets the idea to tear through the ship's compartments until he comes across what he's looking for: a first aid kit. It takes every last roll of gauze to stem the bleeding. At this point, he's tracked enough bloody footprints around the place that it looks like a goddamn murder scene. The sight of Accelerator's ghostly pale face haunts him as he returns to the controls to check their flight path. He had never been privy to the lab's location and he doesn't recognize where they are, but he sets them on a course closer to civilization. After a moment's hesitation, he hits the distress signal. While he would have liked to lay low and disappear, there's no chance Accelerator can pull through without treatment. It still hasn't sunk in that he's free, but then again, he could never have imagined freedom would look like this. Him sitting alone in a stolen ship, in the far reaches of space where there is no sound save for Accelerator's labored breathing and his own troubled thoughts.
They're picked up by a cargo ship, whose shocked captain speeds them off to the nearest planet. A medical team rushes out with a stretcher as soon as they touch ground and Accelerator is rushed off to surgery. Five loses track of how many hours pass after that. The exhaustion finally catches up to him, but he's feeling too wired to rest. So he sits in the waiting room, turning over the whole mess in his head and wondering why some people have no ounce of self-preservation.
He ends up passing out in the chair. When he wakes next, it's to the nurse informing him that it had been a close call, but the patient is in stable condition and expected to recover. He lets out a sigh he didn't know he was holding and falls back into his chair. Good grief. How stupid would it have been if he'd died? The guy owes him some answers. There's still a lot he doesn't get about his mysterious rescuer. ...but first, he's going to catch some shut-eye himself. ]
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When he finally begins to wake his head feels like it's stuffed with cotton and the harsh lighting of his hospital room makes everything blinding. It takes him way too long for his brain to start processing things properly, push past thoughts of confusion and piece together where he is. Of course, he can't tell if this is a hospital or some research facility, but that is thankfully cleared up when a nurse enters the room for their routine rounds. Once they can confirm this place has nothing to do with Peil (thank god) Accelerator, fighting the brain fuzz, starts prioritizing.
The first thing is to get his choker charged. By now the damn thing is running on fumes, so with the help of the nurse he's able to get it plugged in. Charging it is a pain but necessary, and by the time that is finished his head is feeling clearer. He's exhausted and sore, and most importantly he's alive. It seems unreal. Not-Elan actually got him out of there?
As much as he wants to go back to sleep he knows he needs to talk to the other boy. After the nurse has finished assessing his physical state and gotten him some ice chips to chew on he insists on seeing the other boy, so the nurse will be heading out into the waiting room, gently rousing Elan(?) by gently shaking his shoulder.]
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He follows the nurse down the hall and past several rooms. She knocks on the door before opening it, her voice bright as she announces, 'Asher, your friend's here!'
Five flashes a smile at 'Asher', who is Accelerator, apparently, and shrugs silently behind the nurse's back as if to say yeah, uh, just roll with it. For all the harrowing trouble they've been through, he looks relaxed as he strolls up to the bed, hands in his coat pockets. He wears new clothes, his bloodied uniform discarded for a clean shirt and cargo jacket emblazoned with the logo of the shipping company that had picked them up.
The nurse checks the monitors and fusses over Accelerator a minute longer, then says she'll let him and 'Ian' catch up. Five responds by thanking the nurse and keeps up the good boy manners until the door's shut and they're alone before his pleasant smile turns sharp. ]
I didn't have a lot of time to get creative with aliases! Not that Elan was my real name...but you've already figured that out, haven't you?
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When the door opens again he drops his hands, steeling himself despite his exhaustion. The name gets a bit of a look but he's silent, letting the nurse check him over, and it's only when she leaves that he lets his shoulders drop. He clicks his tongue.]
It's not the worst thing I've been called. [That remark is coming with an unsaid air of 'You couldn't have come up with something better?' It's a pretty minor thing considering everything else though, and it isn't as if he goes by whatever his legal name is anyways. His expression shifts, turning serious. He looks the other boy over, inwardly glad that he at least doesn't seem to be injured at all.]
I read some of your file at the facility. [Not all of it, he didn't have the time for that, but it was enough.] Is there anything you want to be called?
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[ He's never seen his own files. He can only imagine what kind of notes they keep on him. If they said he was a pain in the ass or something, he'd take it as a compliment! Five drops into one of the chairs and kicks back in the seat. It's funny, he had been annoyed that no one at Asticassia had a clue what was really going on with him, but having his file read and the truth come out conversely makes him feel somewhat uncomfortable, actually. So this is the mortifying ordeal of being known.
As for what to call him...that's a good fucking question. He knows what he doesn't want to be called, but what he wants to be called is trickier when he can't remember his old name or anything else about himself. Coming up with an identity on the spot is difficult, otherwise he wouldn't have blanked and gone for the lazy choice when the nurse asked him for their names. ]
About that. I don't have a name of my own, and I don't want that asshole's name either. [ He says evenly after a pause, his jaw tight. He's not bitter at all. Not one bit! ] Enhanced Person Number Five is a mouthful, so I guess Five will do for now. I mean, it can't be weirder than Accelerator.
[ Not a day out of surgery and he's already giving him cheek... ]
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Well... chances are he's thinking it, anyways.
Accelerator's expression remains serious as he mentally files through the information he had gathered from the binders back in the facility, giving a small nod at not-Elan — Five's conclusion about his name. Or alias, if you want to get specific.]
It isn't. It's not like Accelerator is my name either, so Five works. [It actually reminds him a little of the clones, too, since they go by numbers rather than names. Most people might balk at it, but this is significantly better than continuing to use 'Elan.'
With that settled, he shifts back to what he had read in Five's file. Being so desensitized to it all he can answer without hesitating, though he's well aware of how horrific it all is.]
I only had time to skim. Most of what I read was about the surgeries and experimentation you underwent in order to be able to pilot mobile suits that use GUND technology. You know, the kind of shit that any non-corrupt court would deem war crimes.
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That's about the gist of it, though I see they failed to mention the part where their experiments didn't succeed! Us enhanced pilots might be able tolerate a higher permet score, but the strain will still kill us in the end.
[ Maybe he's desensitized as well because he says it all very casually. It's not that he isn't angry about what was done to him, but he doesn't see the point in getting worked up about it. Besides, it had been his decision, presumably. There had been something in it for his past self, some reason to shed his identity. He had struck a deal, changed his face, and if he had nothing else—no name, no memories, connections, past or future—he would like at least the dignity to own his own damned choices. ]
So that's it, huh? Nothing else exciting in there? I had been hoping to hear something I didn't know. [ A detail about his old life, maybe? He looks smug as usual but, just briefly, there's an odd note of disappointment in his voice. ] I expect they're going to be busy covering their tracks now that they know someone's snooped on them.
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He doesn't bother hiding the way his lip curls in disgust. Fuck, he should've just destroyed the whole facility.
Either way, Five is right. Peil will have begun scrambling to deal with the break-in by now, so they'll need to prepare for that.]
Yeah, most likely. I left a worm in that computer, so hopefully it'll transmit some useful data before they wipe everything. Who knows, maybe it'll even pull something that will surprise you.
[AKA something he doesn't know, since he brought that up. It doesn't quite sound as if that was a joke, so he wants to raise that as a possibility. He sighs heavily, and looks around at the hospital room.]
We also need to consider the chances that covering their tracks means coming after us. As soon as I can move without bleeding out onto the damn floor we need to get out of here.
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[ If the look of disgust on Accelerator's face is any indication, he already has his answer. While Five has no appetite for another confrontation, not gonna lie, he's curious what else might be buried in those files. Wouldn't anyone in his position naturally want to know more about themselves? But his past can wait. Securing their future comes first. He pivots sideways in his chair and folds his arms behind his head, facing the hospital room instead of the teen. ]
The good news is, they'll have a hard time tracking us down! While you were out of it, we ditched the shuttle and hitched a ride here. There won't be any records of an unauthorized ship making a stop on this planet.
[ He figures they've got a pretty good head start. Space is an enormous place to search. But! ]
The bad news is, we're stuck without a ride and the nurses are going to start asking questions.
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So that's how they got all the way here? Ditching the shuttle has bought them a little time, that's good.]
Hmm. That was smart.
[And then he falters. A compliment is one thing, but the sentiment floating around in his mind is a lot more difficult for him to express openly. His hands, currently settled in his lap, curl into fists so he can dig his nails into his palms, and he practically spits his words out.]
... Thanks for getting me out of there. I'm sure you could've just left on your own, and you didn't. [It would have been a lot easier for Five. In the chaos of everything he probably could have disappeared into space, reached some other planet, and started a new, anonymous life.
But he didn't, and that's worth the gratitude Accelerator is awkwardly stumbling through.]
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[ Getting thanked is taking him through a whole new guilt trip. While the execution may have been heavy-handed and quite the mess, he's pretty sure Accelerator was the one who did him a favor. He should be the one expressing his gratitude, except that kind of conversation doesn't come easily to him either, so he's here making jabs instead. ]
Save that gratitude for someone who deserves it. I did in fact think about ditching you back there.
[ He won't bother hiding it. It was shitty of him, and it would stick with him uncomfortably if he doesn't come clean about it now. He could probably stand to sound less shameless and unapologetic while admitting it though.
If circumstances had been slightly different, he would have taken off and saved himself. He's that kind of self-serving bastard, and he doesn't lack for self-awareness. Knowing how short the lives of Gundam pilots are, Five resolved from the beginning to survive no matter what he has to stoop to. It's practically the one principle he lives by! So why didn't he ditch him in that harrowing moment?
Maybe it's because he had been shocked that someone actually gave a shit about him? Maybe he's even a little touched by the gesture. What comes out of his mouth is: ]
If you're wondering why I didn't, it's because I still have questions for you.
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And in the end it didn't happen. Having those thoughts is one thing, acting on them is another. That needs to be taken into account, too. It's a little surprising to hear the reason why he didn't ditch him though, and Accelerator raises an eyebrow. Questions, huh?]
What are they?
[It's not as if there's much for them to do right now, so he can answer a few questions.]
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Now, for a welcome change in subject... ]
Let's start with you being an esper. What's up with that?
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My city does research into espers. Since not many naturally exist, the best way to do that is to develop a bunch of them to be test subjects. That's why I'm an esper, just about every student in my city is one.
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[ Maybe the pros of becoming espers as strong as Accelerator outweighed the risks or something, but damn...we're talking a whole city of kids being experimented on! He thought Peil ran a good scam, but what he's hearing sounds on a whole different level. ]
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No, it's public knowledge. Parents sign their kids up. In exchange for going through the program, the kid gets registered at one of Academy City's schools. They're supposed to be guaranteed an education that'll have them set for the rest of their life.
[And they usually follow through on that offer, so it's one step up from Peil's practices.]
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[ There's more to the story. He doesn't buy that anyone would go to the lengths Accelerator did for no good reason. Something about the lab ticked him off, hit a nerve, and Five will needle him until he finds out what. ]
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It does, doesn't it? But that's Academy City's propaganda at its finest.
[The marketing department has done an excellent job making the Power Curriculum Program seem like a great option for families.]
The way the system is set up makes it easy for parents to abandon their kids once the kid is in the city. It's easy for Child Errors and kids who don't have family they can rely on to fall through the cracks, and end up being part of unethical experiments serving some researcher's fucking ego. [He waves a hand for emphasis as he continues.] Some shithead or an entire research facility decides that doing experiments on esper organs is a great idea, or they think they can replicate a unique ability in other espers by messing with brain chemistry, or that by repeating the Curriculum's medical procedures they can find a way to give espers multiple powers instead of just one.
No one is around to notice if some Child Error goes missing when an experiment goes wrong, so they're prime candidates for that kind of shit. They get chewed up and spit out. Usually the ones who wind up dead are lucky, since they don't have to live with whatever the hell they went through.
[Wow, he can be chatty sometimes. Who knew!]
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Let me guess, you were one of them?
[ Five shifts in his chair, glancing sideways at Accelerator. The esper had told him, when he first appeared back in the treatment room, that he understood what he was going through. Did he really? ]
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He stares down at his hands as bad memories float through his mind.]
The second one. I grew up in a research facility that thought they could develop espers with more than one ability. Early on they realized it wasn't possible, but they kept going anyways.
[A lot of kids got hurt, and a lot of them died. He supposes that being alive and being able to talk about that facility can be done in service to their memories, even if he didn't know most of them or get along with those he did. Absently, he shifts a bit, his voice low.]
There were always rumours that the place had somewhere on site to dump corpses, but the reality was that it was just a garbage dump for living humans.
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Sounds like they pulled off a scheme even bigger and shadier than Peil's! I've got to hand it to them.
[ He doesn't really mean what he's saying, but if Accelerator is expecting a more candid reaction, he won't find it. When every day is a new horror, you learn to put up emotional walls quick. ]
So, when did you realize you were being played?
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He sighs, closing his eyes for a moment.]
I think a part of me always knew.
[Kids disappearing when he was younger, being separated from his classmates when his ability fully manifested, trying to talk to the Sisters when there was absolutely no point in him doing so.... Of course he knew. How could he not?]
It was just easier not to think about it.
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[ He can see how it might be difficult for a kid who's not known anything else to start questioning what's happening around him. Honestly, good on him for breaking away. If he hadn't, he'd probably have ended up the same as Four. Disappeared without a trace. Five could never figure that guy out, not what made him so resigned nor why he had no will in him to fight. It was pathetic to watch. They may have shared a face but they were nothing alike. ]
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Yeah. This third string knocked some sense into me. [Literally. He's never going to have any regrets over Kamijou Touma punching him out that night in the train yard.] And then....
[And then a little girl needed his help, and he didn't help her until it was nearly too late. But she's okay now, and that's what matters.
Of course, he falters when it comes to explaining Last Order. The words get stuck in his throat, and he isn't sure if he wants to keep going. He isn't sure if he should, so he switches gears, glancing over.]
What about you?
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What? You mean when I caught on? They weren't exactly subtle when they were threatening me with execution.
[ His situation was a little different. First, he wasn't a kid brought up in their system who didn't know any better. Second, they told him he was dead if he failed and they didn't stutter! That kind of thing should set off alarm bells in anyone...unless you were Enhanced Person No. 4, apparently. But not to speak (too) ill of the dead. Four might have had the personality of a wet mop, but he deserved better. The witches in charge are the real villains here. ]
You wake up with no memories, somebody else's face, and get told you agreed to have your body messed with? It was fishy as hell from the beginning. I only went along with their plans because I thought it could benefit me.
[ There was no sudden or slow dawning moment of realization for him. He had been too perceptive to fall for it and too unscrupulous to refuse cooperation, but the simple heart of the matter is he'd been afraid of winding up dead. ]
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He exhales roughly, giving a slight wince when that jostles his side.]
They really went to extremes to make sure you had no other options.
[It's going to take a lot of self-control to avoid going to Peil headquarters and trashing the place when he's healed up. For now he tries to put any violent thoughts at the back of his mind, focusing on another question.]
Did you ever try to come up with a plan to get out?
[Not that one would have been successful, but he's still curious.]
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[ There's no guarantee his life had been any better before the experiments. The lab did away with most of his memories, but not all of them, and what vague glimpses remained pointed to one thing: he needed that new identity. Would it be odd to say he trusts himself to have made the best call he could at the time? Sure, maybe Peil had left out crucial details and misled him on what the job entailed, but he doesn't like thinking of himself as a victim in their schemes. That makes him seem helpless when he believes he's always been resourceful. ]
If you didn't step in, I would've given them the slip one way or another, but I wasn't planning on such a dramatic exit.
[ He shoots Accelerator a look. Indeed, in some other universe where he continued to botch his job, he would've quietly leveraged what he knew and gone into hiding, but this isn't that universe. ]
If I had fancy powers, maybe it would've been a different story. Is that how you got away?
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[Objectively, Accelerator knows that logic is sound. Some people's lives are so horrible that this option, as awful as it is, is the better choice between the two. But subjectively it's easier for him to quietly disagree, to just keep on thinking Peil only manipulated some poor kid into being a test subject.
Accelerator shifts a little at the smarminess, briefly glancing away. Yeah, he can't really argue that exit was dramatic. As much as he refuses to admit it, he's the kind of person who can get very theatrical when he gets going. Maybe that's part of the reason why he chose to help in this way? Of course, saying that would mean acknowledging his inner theatre kid and that is so uncool, so he only clears his throat a little.]
They helped, yeah. [Honestly, if it wasn't for his ability he'd have likely ended up in some Child Error corpse pit years ago.] The higher ups and other people tried to get around it, so sometimes I had to get creative, but I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for my esper ability.
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But Accelerator gets spared any further teasing because he doesn't quite follow his next words. ]
Get around it in what way?
[ He could, like, exercise his imagination because whatever went on in that lab most certainly wasn't good, but consider him morbidly curious. ]
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Drawing in a slow breath, he reaches up to tap the small black device around his neck.]
This thing. It fills in for some missing brain function and lets me use my ability, but it's limited and can be screwed with if you know what you're doing.
[He looks a bit pissed as he continues his explanation.]
For a while the higher ups could limit its function remotely or shut it off entirely, so if I did something they didn't like they could shut me down. It was a huge pain in the ass.
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They not only messed with your head, they installed a twisted little off-switch, too? That's not an assistive device. That's a leash.
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Guess so. I've taken care of that, though, so it isn't a problem anymore. [Sort of. Other people have been able to mess with him, but it mostly isn't a problem these days.]
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[ Five's usually pretty perceptive, but he doesn't know what to make of Accelerator's expression. If it were him, he wouldn't want to keep a dark reminder of his past like that around, much less something that could potentially compromise him, but if it doesn't bother the guy to keep wearing it, then all the more power to him, he supposes?
His tone then takes on that familiar smarmy edge again as he adds with a grin: ]
It would be a pain if you tapped out on me again. We're not out of the woods just yet.
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Yeah, you're right.
[He sighs heavily. At least the two of them are used to life not being easy, though it's still a pain that neither of them can let their guard down quite yet.]
You got somewhere to stay while I'm stuck in here?
[Splitting up isn't ideal, though they have an entire planet to hide on.... Maybe the nurses would take pity on two kids and let Five hang around here past visitation hours.]
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[ He replies breezily. After their harrowing escape, navigating an unknown planet feels infinitely easier. Even if it means sleeping on the streets or something, he'll still sleep easier than when he was in the company's clutches. ]
Besides, I want to have a look around and do a little digging.
[ If he needed to skip town, then it was better he knew where to disappear to. Moreover, he's curious whether Peil has made any moves. Would they report the intruder or keep the incident hushed? Drawing too much scrutiny to the lab would only spell trouble for them, and it's not like they can put up a wanted poster for their own poster child. That's probably the only benefit to not having an identity and wearing someone else's face!
And if they were too far away for any news to reach the planet? That wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing either. ]
Depending on where we ended up, it might even be possible to put you in touch with your people. Unless your title's just for show, you've got to have some contacts willing to pick you up, right?
[ And foot the hospital bill... ]
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Alright.
[They've got the beginnings of a plan, which is encouraging!]
Of course I do. [Now that they're in a hospital, it shouldn't be difficult to contact his administrative team back on Earth to arrange for a ride and payment for any and all bills they incur. He does give a momentary pause before continuing, though.] ... There's a chance Peil could intercept the transmission and trace it back to this hospital. We'll want to wait until we're prepared to deal with any potential shitheads showing up.