[ 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. ]
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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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