[Accelerator makes a little huff at that. Once he's on his feet, which ad better be sooner rather than later. He's spent more than enough time in hospitals, thank you, and he's already feeling anxious about being stuck in here.]
Yeah, yeah. I'll try my best.
[A good medical professional would be skeptical of that reason, but as far as anyone knows they're just a couple of kids, so anyone who might be doubtful is probably giving them a lot of leniency. He can work with all of that until they can get out of here.
He shifts a little, tired, and a little hesitant to vocalize the other thoughts in his head.]
Don't do anything stupid.
[They're both in a risky position right now, and doing any investigating will put Five in an even more vulnerable state, so... that's just a bit concerning.]
Funny to hear that from a guy who decided it was a good idea to break into a secure facility alone.
[ Please, he's not the one lying in a hospital bed! That was a reckless decision as he's already pointed out. Will he ever stop giving him crap about it? Probably not anytime soon. The unfortunate downside of being acquainted with someone like Five.
He understands what Accelerator's really saying, though. He waves his hand in the air, dismissing the other's concern. ]
Worry more about yourself.
[ With that, he exits the room as nonchalantly as he arrived. ]
[Despite being used to spending time in them, hospitals have never been places Accelerator has particularly liked. He can admit it's several steps up from being dead or apprehended by Peil security, but only a few days pass before he's completely over the white walls and sterile smell and medical professionals constantly in and out of his room. The gunshot wound is healing nicely at least, and that means it isn't long before he's allowed to get out of bed and stretch his legs. As long as he isn't pushing himself, the doctor and nurses don't have a problem with it.
So he wanders around when he can, memorizing the layouts of different floors, remembering where emergency exits are located, noting any potentially dangerous chokepoints. It isn't that Accelerator is a paranoid person, but he and Five aren't out of the woods and it's better to be safe, just in case. He's had to deal with organizations like this in the past, and he wouldn't put it past them to pay some scumbags under the table to attack the hospital. Besides, this gives his brain something to do. It turns out recuperating is incredibly boring, and since he doesn't have access to any of his board chairman work he needs something to keep himself occupied.
That also means he finds himself looking forward to Five's visits which, for him, is pretty fucking strange. He isn't a sociable person but having Five as company is kind of... nice? He isn't boring, and only occasionally aggravating. Maybe it's because he has more in common with the other boy than he does most other teenagers, but it's easy to talk to him. At the very least, Five's presence makes things a lot less boring, and he can appreciate that.
Today is one of those days where he's feeling overly restless, so he's itching to go do some exploring. The hospital has issued him some pyjamas and slippers, and he's already sitting on the edge of his bed as he impatiently waits for Five to show up.]
[ Five, on the other hand, has had plenty to occupy himself with, starting with getting the lay of the land and chatting up the locals for information. Luckily, the city they landed in turns out to be a large enough international hub that a displaced kid hardly sticks out and he can move about without issue. Being broke, however, meant a lot of scrounging around for food to eat and places to sleep, but he'll take being a vagrant over being locked up any day.
Eventually, he happens on a university campus where he can blend in with the student population and make use of their facilities. It gives him a sense of deja vu, but more importantly, it means he can access the public network. He skims what's in the news and runs a few searchs for Peil, their current distance from Earth, and what travel ordinances are in place. Because he has no shame when it comes to snooping, he also looks up Accelerator and Academy City. What turns up tracks with what he's been told, but public records paint a rosier picture. There's no mention of the dark side of esper experimention, which doesn't surprise him in the least. The student lounge also happens to be a great place to catch a nap without anyone asking questions. By the time he heads back to the hospital for his daily visit, he's looking well-rested.
Five arrives sipping complimentary coffee from the hospital lounge. He casually tosses a tourist guide to the city onto the bedside table. He can tell someone's been getting restless being cooped up over the days. ]
[It's a subtle shift, but when Five arrives Accelerator perks up slightly. The next while, at least, won't be as boring as this morning was, so he's happy about that. He eyes the coffee for a moment before turning his attention to the book.]
... Seriously? [Reaching over to pick it up, he scrutinizes the cover. A tour guide? It's hard to tell if this is a joke or meant to be useful for their current situation, or a weird combination of both of those things.] I'm not the kind of person who takes vacations.
[He adds in a dry tone, despite the fact that he's immediately starting to flip through it. Reading is Accelerator's only real hobby and a book's a book. There's no reason not to read it, especially since he doesn't have much else to do while recuperating.]
[ He parrots back with no small amount of judgment. A teenager who's already a bigwig and workaholic at his young age. Can't relate. Five would rather be on vacation. The way Accelerator says it with a straight face makes Five's lips curl in amusement, and even moreso when Accelerator begins to flip through the book. He'd grabbed the guide because he figured he would either appreciate having something to do with all his spare time or it would drive him mad being stuck inside seeing the city through its pages. Either outcome is acceptable. His sense of humor might be a little twisted.
Five drags a chair over and turns it backwards to sit on, folding his arms over the head. ]
You should try hiring a body double and skipping town sometime! I hear CEOs are doing it.
[A regular person would likely balk at the joke, and a small portion of Accelerator's brain that understands common sense quietly goes what the fuck, but overriding that is his own sense of black humour. Instead of being appalled or concerned (isn't humour a coping mechanism? Therapy would probably be a good idea), he merely sighs.]
I'll pass, thanks. Making someone else wear my face and take over my fucking job is a level of cruelty even I can't stoop to.
[ Consider this. Instead of therapy, Five gets his kicks from making other people uncomfortable. ]
Must be a real shitty job! Can't imagine why anyone would want to tie themselves down with it.
[ He grins when Accelerator doesn't recoil at the innate horror in his joke but instead leans into it. It's not the kind of humor that can land with just anyone. Five takes a sip of his drink. In any case, he doesn't see the point in skirting around his past or sanding down the uglier parts to make it easier for others to handle. He's not looking for pity or consolation, either. It's enough to finally say it out loud and have someone get it without making a fuss. ]
[Sadly, Accelerator is aware of just how satisfying it can be to openly talk about something horrific without having to brace for pity. That's something he isn't a fan of, whether it's giving it or receiving it.
He snorts lightly, setting the guide on the bed and grabbing his crutch.]
It's called being responsible. [As if this was a completely normal level of responsibility for someone his age.] It's better that I deal with it than let someone else suffer through it. Or worse, let one of those sharks on the board of directors take over.
[The city isn't in a great state for kids who have been abandoned or fallen through the cracks, but ones with families get along just fine. He can't imagine how bad things would get if one of the directors took over.
Getting to his feet, he only needs a moment or two to make sure his side isn't going to cause him any unnecessary pain, then gives Five a pointed look. He can smell that coffee, man.]
There isn't a single responsible adult you can put in charge...?
[ He regards him skeptically, not doing much to hide his smile at how funny he finds that kind of overly serious response. Not that Five can name a single adult he trusts in his life, much less one to appoint the leader of a city, so he can sort of understand how things ended up the way it did.
He watches Accelerator get to his feet. He looks way better than when he was wheeled into the hospital on a stretcher, but from what Five's seen, the guy can be exceptionally stubborn. Probably better to go along to make sure he doesn't collapse in the halls or something. So even though he just made himself comfortable, he rises from his chair with a sigh. ]
Coffee's in the lounge, but don't expect too much. What they've got here is pretty bland.
[ It's hospital food. But it's free, so maybe he shouldn't complain. ]
Did they say how much longer they're keeping you for?
[No one he can trust, whom he's sure could handle the amount of work and backstabbing without crashing out. Maybe one day, after the city has been cleaned up... but that won't be for a while. It feels egotistical to think all of this, but Accelerator chalks it up to his own experiences with the absolute worst in adults. He can't risk even the smallest chance of one of those kinds of people taking over.
Taking a few experimental steps, he clicks his tongue before heading for the door and out into the hall. Lounge, okay. That's close by. He'll be moving more carefully to avoid messing with the injury, but otherwise he's doing okay. At least, okay enough to make the effort for bad free coffee.
He glances over at Five at they make their way to the lounge.]
No. They said the bullet didn't hit any important organs, but they want to observe me for at least a few more days to make sure everything is healing properly.
[It makes him tired and anxious at the same time, and that is a terrible combination of moods to be caught between. Sighing, he keeps his voice low so no one overhears.]
I don't need to be well enough to be discharged to arrange for a medical transfer, though. If they want to keep me for too long I should be able to arrange that with my damn city.
[ Five can't say the answer surprises him. He falls in step alongside the esper, walking a little slower than he would have by himself. Accelerator's lucky his injuries weren't worse. Maybe he doesn't remember the part where he almost bled out in front of Five, but for a while there, Five wasn't sure if he was going to make it. ]
Come to think of it, won't they be wondering where their chairman is? You would have been back by now if you didn't have to take this little detour.
[ Hopefully someone had the foresight to leave them instructions, seeing as he doesn't like the idea of substitutes doing his work. ]
Speaking of phoning home, you might want to start planning ahead. [ Five opens his mouth again to add. ] This hub is nowhere near your planet, so even if you called them up now, it could take days for your ride to get here.
[ It's not the best news, but he'd said he'd go digging and that's what turned up. ]
[Accelerator, intent on acquiring some coffee, makes a beeline straight to the lounge. He can smell it just outside the door, though he pauses as he considers Five's observations.]
... That's true.
[Fuck, do they think he's gone and died? Only a few days of no communication probably isn't too bad, but the directors are probably wondering what's going on by now. The slimier ones are likely starting to arrange their plans for a not-so-hostile takeover, though with most of the board being that way chances are they'll descend into attacking each other like jackals fighting over a corpse. As strange as it is, that would be preferable over only one or two having those kinds of ambitions, since it would buy him some time.
All of that runs through Accelerator's head very quickly, and he grimaces as he considers his options.]
Fuck. [He needs to get that out, there's no point in trying to be professional right now.] I'll contact them today. I should be well enough to transfer by then.
[He's guessing. He isn't a doctor and something could always go wrong, but he doesn't see any other options. This would give them the best chance of getting out of here before Peil finds them and if he dies or gets worse during transport, so be it.
He heads in and goes straight to the coffee machine, going through the whole process to get himself a mug.]
[ Five follows him into the longue, eyebrows raised. ]
Hold on, are you telling me you didn't even leave them a note? Like 'Hey, I'm running off to attempt an illegal and highly dangerous break-in, don't bother looking for me! I've left no contingency plans because I'm sure it'll all work out. Somehow!'
[ He adds generally unhelpful commentary as Accelerator makes his coffee. He's probably being a little loud and obnoxious, but he doesn't know that the directors are apparently so corrupt that he should be concerned. ]
[The chiding causes him to focus more and more on his coffee, to the point where he's glaring at the cup like it murdered his family and gripping the carafe like he wants to break it. But it's just a cup and his grip strength is pitiful, so it's all just a reaction to Five pointing out how dumb his plan was.
He is, in fact, a bit embarrassed about this.]
.................... I didn't expect to be gone this long.
[He's muttering that under his breath, the best argument he can muster. It's really pathetic and he knows it, so he tries to plow the conversation forward so he doesn't have to dwell.]
Anyways, the timing should still work, so it's fine.
[ The glaring doesn't slip past Five's notice. Accelerator isn't particularly expressive, but from those small gestures it's like he's watching someone grind their teeth in slow motion. ]
You sure? You're looking kinda stressed there. Need to sit down?
[ He leans against the counter, a shit-eating grin growing on his face, his tone one of mock-concern. Five's not above giving him a hard time about it. Maybe he's being unfair, considering the guy just nearly died and all. ]
[Accelerator doesn't answer that right away. He gets that Five is teasing him, and he's getting under his skin, so in the interest of not destroying the entire lounge out of anger he instead grabs his cup of coffee and takes a very long drink. Five was correct, the coffee is kind of garbage, but it still hits that caffeine itch and makes him feel a little better. At least, it calms him down enough that he can growl out.]
I'm fine. [He's saying that through gritted teeth so you know, not actually fine, but goddamnit if he is going to admit that.] Worry about yourself, bastard.
[ Five takes a sip of his coffee, savoring the reaction he's getting far more than the drink itself. He's enjoying needling the other boy, especially when Accelerator's so stiff and serious about everything. In contrast, Five throws his free arm out and gestures animatedly. ]
Don't look so dour. Hindsight's 20/20, they say! Besides, I did a little digging on you, too. [ Yes, he'll just admit that casually. ] There's no news of Academy City in a panic over missing its chairman...yet.
[ With what they came for in hand, he pushes off the counter and heads for the exit. Rather than heading back to the hospital room, he takes them down a different hall to an outdoors space he'd glimpsed earlier. A small courtyard garden sits in the middle of the hospital where staff and recovering patients go to stretch their legs. ]
[Grabbing his coffee, he'll follow him down the hall and out into the courtyard. As he does he does he sips his coffee, trying to get the (admittedly bad) taste to temper his mood. At least what Five says next is a good distraction, and he blinks, mildly bewildered.]
... You have? [Wait, no. He sighs heavily, shaking his head.] What am I saying? I shouldn't be surprised.
[Of course he's done some digging on him, why wouldn't he? It's not as if they one another beyond a stupid title and a bunch of classified experimentation documents. Digging would be the smart thing to do in this case.
It hasn't been much walking, but he's already a little tired so he makes for a small table to sit.]
[ Rather than sitting down with him, Five moves to slouch against a nearby tree with his coffee. His eyes sweep the courtyard to check their conversation won't be overheard before he turns his attention back to Accelerator. ]
You're not very popular back home! Seems like your board preferred the last guy in charge.
[ Heck, that man even had some kind of royal send-off and dozens of articles written about him. What a tough act to follow. He can't imagine Accelerator's less-than-charismatic personality is doing him any favors when it comes to PR...
But that's not the end of it. Five's learned other interesting tidbits that he would be remiss not to zero in on. ]
There are even people who see you as dangerous. Of course, some of the rumors trying to discredit you sound completely exaggerated. Unless... [ Five shoots him a look of suspicion, the intonation of his voice turning dramatic with emphasis which is a clue to not take what he says next too seriously. ] You really are running a secret underground lab that I should know about? I mean, you could be trying to collect me as a guinea pig for your experiments... Permet has plenty of practical applications that could benefit a science-forward city like yours, and I bet my physiology would be fascinating to study!
[Accelerator's eyes narrow at the mention of the last guy, though he doesn't argue. Aleister Crowley was a bastard for sure, and he's the reason why all the corrupt assholes in the city were able to get away with it for so long. He allowed illegal dealings to go on and made zero effort to stop it. Accelerator isn't sad that guy is no longer in control, even if this is a position he himself doesn't want to be in.
Then again, maybe complaining about Aleister is a better alternative to the rest of this. Accelerator falls quiet as he sips his coffee, listening as Five continues. It's clear from his tone that this is just more teasing and that he isn't serious about believing any of it, but Accelerator's expression is sober, and a little troubled.]
That's never going to happen. [He's surprisingly firm in his tone.] I can't fucking complain about that assessment of me and there may still be some shady research facilities operating in the city, but I'm not going to let that happen to you.
[ If there's one pattern that's starting to stick out, it's that Accelerator feels strongly about not letting anyone else suffer at the hands of mad scientists. Five gets the impression that if it were possible, he would have already torn down every shady lab in the city. Guess the corruption must be hard to completely root out. ]
I don't know, I'm still on the fence about visiting...and I'm getting mixed messages from what I read. [ He says slowly and questioningly, but his exaggerated tone falls away at his next words. ] What would it really be like there? Why should I even go with you?
[ He's only half-kidding now, because the pragmatic side of Five has been trying to suss out what would be his safer move. Chalk it up to his sense of self-preservation, but not going to a city where people are still disappearing and being experimented on is a valid option. ]
[Having some misgivings is reasonable, so Accelerator doesn't fault Five for having them. When you think about it, it's kind of a miracle that he's even stuck around for this long instead of just ditching him at the hospital.
He stares down at his coffee, taking this seriously. Maybe a little too seriously? The look he's giving his coffee is one you'd expect to see in some hugely important meeting about the fate of the city.]
You don't have to if you really don't want to. I'm not gonna make you do anything.
[He's going to make that clear first before continuing.]
But if you did, the city is closed to the rest of the world. People need permission to enter and exit Academy City, so you'd have an additional level of security protecting you from Peil until shit dies down. [So at least a temporary visit would be a smart move.]
Since you're a minor you could register to attend one of the schools. You wouldn't necessarily need to go through the Power Curriculum Program and become an esper to do that, the previous board chairman would make exceptions on occasion if the individual could bring something to the city. [He sits back, sipping his coffee.] We've got a few geniuses working as researchers. If you've got relevant skills I doubt it'd be hard for you to get hired at a facility.
[ Five just sips his drink while Accelerator contemplates. It's his future on the table, so he can't really complain that serious thought is being put into it. He doesn't need the reassurance that he can back out if he wants, because who has he ever let tell him what to do? ...Still, it's nice to hear it said.
After being under Peil's thumb, the freedom almost feels strange. It's the first time he's had to ask himself where he wants to go and what he wants to do. Gundam pilots were never supposed to live for long. Now that he can afford to imagine a future for himself, he's having a hard time picturing it. Five crosses his arms and sighs out.
He'll just choose whatever's less of a pain to start. He doesn't have any real interest in school, but it may be worth enrolling just to keep a roof over his head. Especially if the city is as secure as the guy says. ]
What's the school like? I'll pass on the research facility, thanks. I've had my fill of scientists. Besides, if you were looking for a kid 'genius', you made off with the wrong Elan.
[ He's pretty sure he doesn't have the qualifications to be hired unless they're specifically looking for giant robot pilots. Though when Accelerator says the prior chairman 'granted exceptions', what Five hears is that he can bend the rules if he feels like it, so it may not be a bad idea to stick close to him... ]
[Accelerator gives a small shrug, not surprised that Five wants to pass on the research facilities. School is probably the better option, anyways, since it would give him a chance at a somewhat normal life and the chance to build up official records of his existence with school transcripts. That isn't even getting into the benefits of socializing normally with other students his age.]
It depends on which one you get into. Normally that's dependent on your esper level and your test scores. Nagatenjouki Academy is one of the top high schools, if you get into there you're pretty much set for life.
[If anything, Academy City provides an exemplary educational background for its students.]
All of the schools have a focus on science, but if there's another academic field you want to go into for a career it isn't hard to find an institution that teaches it. Hell, we have an entire district that focuses on cultural and religious studies.
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Yeah, yeah. I'll try my best.
[A good medical professional would be skeptical of that reason, but as far as anyone knows they're just a couple of kids, so anyone who might be doubtful is probably giving them a lot of leniency. He can work with all of that until they can get out of here.
He shifts a little, tired, and a little hesitant to vocalize the other thoughts in his head.]
Don't do anything stupid.
[They're both in a risky position right now, and doing any investigating will put Five in an even more vulnerable state, so... that's just a bit concerning.]
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[ Please, he's not the one lying in a hospital bed! That was a reckless decision as he's already pointed out. Will he ever stop giving him crap about it? Probably not anytime soon. The unfortunate downside of being acquainted with someone like Five.
He understands what Accelerator's really saying, though. He waves his hand in the air, dismissing the other's concern. ]
Worry more about yourself.
[ With that, he exits the room as nonchalantly as he arrived. ]
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So he wanders around when he can, memorizing the layouts of different floors, remembering where emergency exits are located, noting any potentially dangerous chokepoints. It isn't that Accelerator is a paranoid person, but he and Five aren't out of the woods and it's better to be safe, just in case. He's had to deal with organizations like this in the past, and he wouldn't put it past them to pay some scumbags under the table to attack the hospital. Besides, this gives his brain something to do. It turns out recuperating is incredibly boring, and since he doesn't have access to any of his board chairman work he needs something to keep himself occupied.
That also means he finds himself looking forward to Five's visits which, for him, is pretty fucking strange. He isn't a sociable person but having Five as company is kind of... nice? He isn't boring, and only occasionally aggravating. Maybe it's because he has more in common with the other boy than he does most other teenagers, but it's easy to talk to him. At the very least, Five's presence makes things a lot less boring, and he can appreciate that.
Today is one of those days where he's feeling overly restless, so he's itching to go do some exploring. The hospital has issued him some pyjamas and slippers, and he's already sitting on the edge of his bed as he impatiently waits for Five to show up.]
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Eventually, he happens on a university campus where he can blend in with the student population and make use of their facilities. It gives him a sense of deja vu, but more importantly, it means he can access the public network. He skims what's in the news and runs a few searchs for Peil, their current distance from Earth, and what travel ordinances are in place. Because he has no shame when it comes to snooping, he also looks up Accelerator and Academy City. What turns up tracks with what he's been told, but public records paint a rosier picture. There's no mention of the dark side of esper experimention, which doesn't surprise him in the least. The student lounge also happens to be a great place to catch a nap without anyone asking questions. By the time he heads back to the hospital for his daily visit, he's looking well-rested.
Five arrives sipping complimentary coffee from the hospital lounge. He casually tosses a tourist guide to the city onto the bedside table. He can tell someone's been getting restless being cooped up over the days. ]
Brought you a souvenir!
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... Seriously? [Reaching over to pick it up, he scrutinizes the cover. A tour guide? It's hard to tell if this is a joke or meant to be useful for their current situation, or a weird combination of both of those things.] I'm not the kind of person who takes vacations.
[He adds in a dry tone, despite the fact that he's immediately starting to flip through it. Reading is Accelerator's only real hobby and a book's a book. There's no reason not to read it, especially since he doesn't have much else to do while recuperating.]
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[ He parrots back with no small amount of judgment. A teenager who's already a bigwig and workaholic at his young age. Can't relate. Five would rather be on vacation. The way Accelerator says it with a straight face makes Five's lips curl in amusement, and even moreso when Accelerator begins to flip through the book. He'd grabbed the guide because he figured he would either appreciate having something to do with all his spare time or it would drive him mad being stuck inside seeing the city through its pages. Either outcome is acceptable. His sense of humor might be a little twisted.
Five drags a chair over and turns it backwards to sit on, folding his arms over the head. ]
You should try hiring a body double and skipping town sometime! I hear CEOs are doing it.
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I'll pass, thanks. Making someone else wear my face and take over my fucking job is a level of cruelty even I can't stoop to.
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Must be a real shitty job! Can't imagine why anyone would want to tie themselves down with it.
[ He grins when Accelerator doesn't recoil at the innate horror in his joke but instead leans into it. It's not the kind of humor that can land with just anyone. Five takes a sip of his drink. In any case, he doesn't see the point in skirting around his past or sanding down the uglier parts to make it easier for others to handle. He's not looking for pity or consolation, either. It's enough to finally say it out loud and have someone get it without making a fuss. ]
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He snorts lightly, setting the guide on the bed and grabbing his crutch.]
It's called being responsible. [As if this was a completely normal level of responsibility for someone his age.] It's better that I deal with it than let someone else suffer through it. Or worse, let one of those sharks on the board of directors take over.
[The city isn't in a great state for kids who have been abandoned or fallen through the cracks, but ones with families get along just fine. He can't imagine how bad things would get if one of the directors took over.
Getting to his feet, he only needs a moment or two to make sure his side isn't going to cause him any unnecessary pain, then gives Five a pointed look. He can smell that coffee, man.]
Come on, I need something to drink.
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[ He regards him skeptically, not doing much to hide his smile at how funny he finds that kind of overly serious response. Not that Five can name a single adult he trusts in his life, much less one to appoint the leader of a city, so he can sort of understand how things ended up the way it did.
He watches Accelerator get to his feet. He looks way better than when he was wheeled into the hospital on a stretcher, but from what Five's seen, the guy can be exceptionally stubborn. Probably better to go along to make sure he doesn't collapse in the halls or something. So even though he just made himself comfortable, he rises from his chair with a sigh. ]
Coffee's in the lounge, but don't expect too much. What they've got here is pretty bland.
[ It's hospital food. But it's free, so maybe he shouldn't complain. ]
Did they say how much longer they're keeping you for?
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[No one he can trust, whom he's sure could handle the amount of work and backstabbing without crashing out. Maybe one day, after the city has been cleaned up... but that won't be for a while. It feels egotistical to think all of this, but Accelerator chalks it up to his own experiences with the absolute worst in adults. He can't risk even the smallest chance of one of those kinds of people taking over.
Taking a few experimental steps, he clicks his tongue before heading for the door and out into the hall. Lounge, okay. That's close by. He'll be moving more carefully to avoid messing with the injury, but otherwise he's doing okay. At least, okay enough to make the effort for bad free coffee.
He glances over at Five at they make their way to the lounge.]
No. They said the bullet didn't hit any important organs, but they want to observe me for at least a few more days to make sure everything is healing properly.
[It makes him tired and anxious at the same time, and that is a terrible combination of moods to be caught between. Sighing, he keeps his voice low so no one overhears.]
I don't need to be well enough to be discharged to arrange for a medical transfer, though. If they want to keep me for too long I should be able to arrange that with my damn city.
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Come to think of it, won't they be wondering where their chairman is? You would have been back by now if you didn't have to take this little detour.
[ Hopefully someone had the foresight to leave them instructions, seeing as he doesn't like the idea of substitutes doing his work. ]
Speaking of phoning home, you might want to start planning ahead. [ Five opens his mouth again to add. ] This hub is nowhere near your planet, so even if you called them up now, it could take days for your ride to get here.
[ It's not the best news, but he'd said he'd go digging and that's what turned up. ]
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... That's true.
[Fuck, do they think he's gone and died? Only a few days of no communication probably isn't too bad, but the directors are probably wondering what's going on by now. The slimier ones are likely starting to arrange their plans for a not-so-hostile takeover, though with most of the board being that way chances are they'll descend into attacking each other like jackals fighting over a corpse. As strange as it is, that would be preferable over only one or two having those kinds of ambitions, since it would buy him some time.
All of that runs through Accelerator's head very quickly, and he grimaces as he considers his options.]
Fuck. [He needs to get that out, there's no point in trying to be professional right now.] I'll contact them today. I should be well enough to transfer by then.
[He's guessing. He isn't a doctor and something could always go wrong, but he doesn't see any other options. This would give them the best chance of getting out of here before Peil finds them and if he dies or gets worse during transport, so be it.
He heads in and goes straight to the coffee machine, going through the whole process to get himself a mug.]
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Hold on, are you telling me you didn't even leave them a note? Like 'Hey, I'm running off to attempt an illegal and highly dangerous break-in, don't bother looking for me! I've left no contingency plans because I'm sure it'll all work out. Somehow!'
[ He adds generally unhelpful commentary as Accelerator makes his coffee. He's probably being a little loud and obnoxious, but he doesn't know that the directors are apparently so corrupt that he should be concerned. ]
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He is, in fact, a bit embarrassed about this.]
.................... I didn't expect to be gone this long.
[He's muttering that under his breath, the best argument he can muster. It's really pathetic and he knows it, so he tries to plow the conversation forward so he doesn't have to dwell.]
Anyways, the timing should still work, so it's fine.
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You sure? You're looking kinda stressed there. Need to sit down?
[ He leans against the counter, a shit-eating grin growing on his face, his tone one of mock-concern. Five's not above giving him a hard time about it. Maybe he's being unfair, considering the guy just nearly died and all. ]
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I'm fine. [He's saying that through gritted teeth so you know, not actually fine, but goddamnit if he is going to admit that.] Worry about yourself, bastard.
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Don't look so dour. Hindsight's 20/20, they say! Besides, I did a little digging on you, too. [ Yes, he'll just admit that casually. ] There's no news of Academy City in a panic over missing its chairman...yet.
[ With what they came for in hand, he pushes off the counter and heads for the exit. Rather than heading back to the hospital room, he takes them down a different hall to an outdoors space he'd glimpsed earlier. A small courtyard garden sits in the middle of the hospital where staff and recovering patients go to stretch their legs. ]
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... You have? [Wait, no. He sighs heavily, shaking his head.] What am I saying? I shouldn't be surprised.
[Of course he's done some digging on him, why wouldn't he? It's not as if they one another beyond a stupid title and a bunch of classified experimentation documents. Digging would be the smart thing to do in this case.
It hasn't been much walking, but he's already a little tired so he makes for a small table to sit.]
What'd you find?
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You're not very popular back home! Seems like your board preferred the last guy in charge.
[ Heck, that man even had some kind of royal send-off and dozens of articles written about him. What a tough act to follow. He can't imagine Accelerator's less-than-charismatic personality is doing him any favors when it comes to PR...
But that's not the end of it. Five's learned other interesting tidbits that he would be remiss not to zero in on. ]
There are even people who see you as dangerous. Of course, some of the rumors trying to discredit you sound completely exaggerated. Unless... [ Five shoots him a look of suspicion, the intonation of his voice turning dramatic with emphasis which is a clue to not take what he says next too seriously. ] You really are running a secret underground lab that I should know about? I mean, you could be trying to collect me as a guinea pig for your experiments... Permet has plenty of practical applications that could benefit a science-forward city like yours, and I bet my physiology would be fascinating to study!
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Then again, maybe complaining about Aleister is a better alternative to the rest of this. Accelerator falls quiet as he sips his coffee, listening as Five continues. It's clear from his tone that this is just more teasing and that he isn't serious about believing any of it, but Accelerator's expression is sober, and a little troubled.]
That's never going to happen. [He's surprisingly firm in his tone.] I can't fucking complain about that assessment of me and there may still be some shady research facilities operating in the city, but I'm not going to let that happen to you.
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I don't know, I'm still on the fence about visiting...and I'm getting mixed messages from what I read. [ He says slowly and questioningly, but his exaggerated tone falls away at his next words. ] What would it really be like there? Why should I even go with you?
[ He's only half-kidding now, because the pragmatic side of Five has been trying to suss out what would be his safer move. Chalk it up to his sense of self-preservation, but not going to a city where people are still disappearing and being experimented on is a valid option. ]
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He stares down at his coffee, taking this seriously. Maybe a little too seriously? The look he's giving his coffee is one you'd expect to see in some hugely important meeting about the fate of the city.]
You don't have to if you really don't want to. I'm not gonna make you do anything.
[He's going to make that clear first before continuing.]
But if you did, the city is closed to the rest of the world. People need permission to enter and exit Academy City, so you'd have an additional level of security protecting you from Peil until shit dies down. [So at least a temporary visit would be a smart move.]
Since you're a minor you could register to attend one of the schools. You wouldn't necessarily need to go through the Power Curriculum Program and become an esper to do that, the previous board chairman would make exceptions on occasion if the individual could bring something to the city. [He sits back, sipping his coffee.] We've got a few geniuses working as researchers. If you've got relevant skills I doubt it'd be hard for you to get hired at a facility.
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After being under Peil's thumb, the freedom almost feels strange. It's the first time he's had to ask himself where he wants to go and what he wants to do. Gundam pilots were never supposed to live for long. Now that he can afford to imagine a future for himself, he's having a hard time picturing it. Five crosses his arms and sighs out.
He'll just choose whatever's less of a pain to start. He doesn't have any real interest in school, but it may be worth enrolling just to keep a roof over his head. Especially if the city is as secure as the guy says. ]
What's the school like? I'll pass on the research facility, thanks. I've had my fill of scientists. Besides, if you were looking for a kid 'genius', you made off with the wrong Elan.
[ He's pretty sure he doesn't have the qualifications to be hired unless they're specifically looking for giant robot pilots. Though when Accelerator says the prior chairman 'granted exceptions', what Five hears is that he can bend the rules if he feels like it, so it may not be a bad idea to stick close to him... ]
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It depends on which one you get into. Normally that's dependent on your esper level and your test scores. Nagatenjouki Academy is one of the top high schools, if you get into there you're pretty much set for life.
[If anything, Academy City provides an exemplary educational background for its students.]
All of the schools have a focus on science, but if there's another academic field you want to go into for a career it isn't hard to find an institution that teaches it. Hell, we have an entire district that focuses on cultural and religious studies.
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