[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.
[ Sounds like they're big on science in Academy City. Great. When Accelerator says that Five makes a face like he bit into something sour. Even if he picked another subject, what would he even pursue for a career? Having to think about mundane things like an education is a good problem to have over trying to escape execution on the daily, but it feels like all of a sudden, life is coming at him fast. Sure, he'd attended classes at Asticassia, but it hadn't been anything close to a normal experience. Suspended in a limbo state of nonexistence, he had no real accountability and spent his days more preoccupied with how to manipulate Suletta Mercury than with learning. Socialization and other benefits of school didn't cross his mind then, and they don't now. ]
I don't have academic records or telepathic powers, you know. It doesn't have to be a top school, or even a real degree, just somewhere low-key I can blend in for a while.
[Schooling hasn't been something Accelerator has considered all that important until very recently, having been coloured by his own extremely isolated experience. But now that he's trying to be more responsible he understands how important it is to attend school. It isn't just the tests or grades, it's learning how to socialize with others and how to fit into a (relatively) normal society. He never had that, and look how he turned out.
Sighing a little, he sighs back.]
There are more typical schools. The curriculum is still gonna be beyond a regular Earth one and they'll all have specific activities espers need to do, but it wouldn't be hard for you to get into one of those.
[ Esper activities? That hardly sounds like a 'typical' school to Five, and who knows if a curriculum from another planet will make sense to him. Thanks to his memory being wiped, he can't even tell what level of schooling he's supposed to be at! But it's not like he needs to graduate, he just needs a place to tide him over until Peil's stopped looking for him. It could be months, but it probably won't be years. They'll have moved on to the next subject by then. ]
Let's say I get in. Won't I just stick out for not being an esper? That's kinda the opposite of what I'm going for here. It'd be better if I didn't make any waves.
[ School just isn't that important to him. At least to someone who hasn't flipped the switch from survival mode back to civilian life yet. ]
[Thankfully, Accelerator has an answer to that. He gives a small shrug.]
Most of the espers in the city are Level 0 or Level 1. That means they're either too weak to manifest any kind of ability, or their ability is so weak that it's practically useless. Even though a Level 0 will still read an esper on certain medical examinations, they're functionally the same as a regular person.
[So even though everyone goes through the same process to become an esper, more than half of those kids don't end up with a super cool power.]
If your medical records were faked it'd be easy for you to pass as a Level 0. That would also mean you're more likely to get placed in a regular school, instead of one of the top ones.
[ So you're telling him powerful staircase-crunching psychics aren't the norm? Since Accelerator is the only esper he knows, he kinda assumed they're all nuts... ]
Okay...I can work with that. [ He says slowly, like he's turning the idea over in his head. So far, it checks out, and it might not be bad to start over somewhere new where his past can't catch up to him. If it doesn't work out, he can always bail. He's pretty good at that. ]
Why not? [ He throws his hands out. ] It's not like I have anywhere else to go.
[ A statement like that might have come off kind of depressing if he didn't deliver it with a wholly nonchalant attitude. ]
[It's a bit of a relief to hear Five agree with this option. Accelerator isn't about to make him do anything he doesn't want to, but his choices right now are extremely limited and from what he can see, this is the best one. At least, it's the only one guaranteed to put a roof over his head and ensure he can eat. As long as they can get back to Academy City safely, it won't be difficult to fake some medical records and get him registered as a Level 0.
Accelerator gives a little snort.]
Not unless you wanna be homeless. [His tone is dry. Thankfully, he doesn't add "or go back to Peil."]
Yeeaah, about that. Can't say I'm a huge fan of sleeping on the streets, so hurry up and recover.
[ He's had a taste of homelessness over the past few days and it sucks. Sleeping on benches and library couches, not knowing where his next meal will come from... He'll adapt, as he always does, but considering the effort for the gain, of course he'll accept free stuff handed to him. Five shakes the now empty cup in his hands. ]
Speaking of homelessness...sneak me a meal. Tell them you want extra helpings.
[However casual Five is about his situation on this planet, Accelerator feels a little pang of guilt for putting him in it. If he hadn't gotten shot they would've avoided all of this and been back in Academy City by now.
There's a brief, troubled shift to his expression before he forces something more neutral, and sighs.]
... You're desperate enough to go for hospital food, huh? [Really, it isn't great, even if it's better than starving.] Any preferences?
[ While Five isn't above a little guilt tripping for a nice meal, don't take his words too seriously. He likes to talk shit. ]
Got any slop that's not bland?
[ He replies with emphasis, staring into the tasteless coffee cup. He's not sick. He could use some flavor in his meal, but honestly, he's not picky at this point. What's the saying. Beggars can't be choosers. ]
[Accelerator mulls over their options as he sighs.]
No, sorry. It's all flavourless garbage. It wouldn't be hard to sneak you some sandwiches, though if there's some way to take some cash out using my bank card without it being too noticeable you can use it.
[He's kind of loaded so cost isn't an issue, the (digital) paper trail is.]
[ He can do a whole lot with a card. Get himself a nice place to stay, even a ticket away from here... He doesn't think like someone with integrity would. The temptation is there, but he lets it pass. Five would already have lifted cash if he thought he really needed it. ]
Sandwiches are fine.
[ He sighs. It's fine. Eating slop won't kill him. As nice as it would be to have money on hand, the bank might flag it suspicious if someone suddenly started withdrawing money from the other side of the world. They don't need to take unnecessary risks. ]
[Accelerator's response is a short nod. Lucky for him, money has never been that big of a deal and he doubts his bank account will ever go down in any measurable way. More importantly, the goal here has always been to get Five out of the scientific guinea pig life, so while he'd prefer seeing him come back to Academy City (for a bunch of reasons) if he was to successfully take off and start a new life... well, that wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.
It's good he's picking the sandwiches over the bank card, though. Accelerator takes another sip of his coffee.]
Then we can both suffer through hospital food together. [What a way to build camaraderie.]
[ He complains, but after surviving mad scientists, terrible food is a minor gripe compared to everything else they've had to deal with. With that settled, he crumples his cup and looks down the length of the courtyard, opting to change the subject. ]
You want to hang out here or head back in?
[ He hasn't asked, but he guesses Accelerator's still not feeling 100%, but he could also be tired of sitting in his hospital bed. ]
[It could be infinitely worse. Bad sandwiches are a small price to pay for freedom.
Accelerator's gaze trials over to the entrance back into the hospital, a little reluctant. While he's pretty tired, the fresh air and getting to stretch his legs with some company has been nice.]
... I should head back in. I don't need the staff hassling me about being out of my room for too long.
[ Spouting off this kind of idle chatter, Five accompanies Accelerator back to his room. He hangs around long enough to have his fill of bland hospital food, which despite his complaints he digs into without problem. He had understated just how hungry he is. When visiting hours conclude, he bids him goodbye and ducks back out into the city to... do whatever he wants to do. He's free now. ]
[He can't really argue with that, and he's pretty sure he's never going to get over the embarrassment of getting shot. They eat some sandwiches and by the end of visiting hours he's legitimately exhausted.
The next day, as they discussed, he contacts the city to arrange for transport home. It isn't difficult to do given he's the person in charge, though he imagines when the board of directors hears there is going to be a lot of grumbling. Oops, the board chairman isn't missing or dead, and in a couple of days he'll be back in power. The only real threat are information leaks, Peil learning what's happened, and them trying to interfere. He makes it clear in the call that the company is likely out for blood, so Academy City needs to plan accordingly for this retrieval as well as send the hospital his bank details to cover whatever bills he's racked up. Once he's explained things and knows one of his employees will contact hospital administration for his medical records and to organize everything all that's left to do is wait.
It's a tense couple of days, but no Peil mercenaries or assassins show up. Only the Academy City transport that takes the two of them back to Earth. By then Accelerator is well enough to travel, so while it isn't a pleasant trip for him it isn't dangerous. They reach Earth without any major incidents, and even though Accelerator is transported to the city's best hospital he gets to work immediately arranging for Five's registration. He's enrolled into an unremarkable school, medical records are fabricated to make him an unremarkable Level 0, and he's given an unremarkable apartment and stipend to live off of. That gives him enough to settle in while Accelerator finishes recovering and gets back to work.]
[ It's not until Five sets foot in Academy City does it start to sink in that he's really escaped and can cautiously begin to look towards the future. What follows is a whirlwind of change. Accelerator wastes no time whipping up papers for him - medical records, a place to live, even a legal name. So far "Ian" doesn't feel any more like his name than "Elan" had been, but it raises fewer questions, gives his teachers something to call him by, and is easy enough to tune out.
School life in Academy City turns out... painfully mundane, or so it feels when he's surrounded by peers whose troubles are as trivial as schoolwork and relationships. Still, Five keeps his impressions to himself and makes an effort to blend in. That part comes naturally. Putting up an act and talking his way around his secrets, it almost feels like attending Asticassia again, just minus the element of coercion and plus a whole curriculum around cultivating esper powers.
Knowing he won't be developing psychic abilities anytime soon, Five's elected to skip out on today's exercise, deciding to take a walk around the vast city instead. He dons a beanie and sunglasses before heading out, both purchased with the stipend. He doubts he'll be recognized for some CEO a galaxy away, but it doesn't hurt to obscure the resemblance now that he doesn't have to live as a clone. ]
[Getting back to work feels kind of surreal, but it's a good distraction. Just because he was gone for a bit doesn't mean the city stopped running, and it hasn't even while he recovers from the gunshot. After the two of them get back to Earth he's transported to a nearby hospital, and from there he dives straight into paperwork. Once he has Five's finished and has him registered with a school he turns his attention back to the other crap that's piled up. That includes some incredibly irritating politics with the board of directors, several of whom try to use his less-than-legal trip as a way of undermining his control. Thankfully Academy City is essentially a totalitarian dictatorship, so the threat doesn't seem all that serious to him, but it's still irritating.
It takes less time than normal to release him from the hospital thanks to the city's advanced medical offerings, and once he is he immediately heads back to the office. The Windowless Building is gone, but he has some replacement office space in District 7, the same district as many of the middle and high schools. It's strange jumping back into being in an office for most of the day. He hasn't been the board chairman for very long, and prior to that he had dropped out of school (which had technically been a classroom containing only himself), so this is still an experience he's getting used to. He doesn't know how adult office workers do this every fucking day, and in a cubicle. At least he has his own office with a nice desk and a view of the rest of the district.
He's in the office today, pouring over reports that have come in over his recent actions. Unsurprisingly, Peil wasn't thrilled, and in order to maintain the safety and security of Academy City there are a mass of intel and surveillance he needs to review. It isn't exciting work, and by the time the afternoon rolls around he's downing his umpteenth can of coffee to get through it.]
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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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I don't have academic records or telepathic powers, you know. It doesn't have to be a top school, or even a real degree, just somewhere low-key I can blend in for a while.
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Sighing a little, he sighs back.]
There are more typical schools. The curriculum is still gonna be beyond a regular Earth one and they'll all have specific activities espers need to do, but it wouldn't be hard for you to get into one of those.
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Let's say I get in. Won't I just stick out for not being an esper? That's kinda the opposite of what I'm going for here. It'd be better if I didn't make any waves.
[ School just isn't that important to him. At least to someone who hasn't flipped the switch from survival mode back to civilian life yet. ]
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Most of the espers in the city are Level 0 or Level 1. That means they're either too weak to manifest any kind of ability, or their ability is so weak that it's practically useless. Even though a Level 0 will still read an esper on certain medical examinations, they're functionally the same as a regular person.
[So even though everyone goes through the same process to become an esper, more than half of those kids don't end up with a super cool power.]
If your medical records were faked it'd be easy for you to pass as a Level 0. That would also mean you're more likely to get placed in a regular school, instead of one of the top ones.
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Okay...I can work with that. [ He says slowly, like he's turning the idea over in his head. So far, it checks out, and it might not be bad to start over somewhere new where his past can't catch up to him. If it doesn't work out, he can always bail. He's pretty good at that. ]
Why not? [ He throws his hands out. ] It's not like I have anywhere else to go.
[ A statement like that might have come off kind of depressing if he didn't deliver it with a wholly nonchalant attitude. ]
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Accelerator gives a little snort.]
Not unless you wanna be homeless. [His tone is dry. Thankfully, he doesn't add "or go back to Peil."]
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[ He's had a taste of homelessness over the past few days and it sucks. Sleeping on benches and library couches, not knowing where his next meal will come from... He'll adapt, as he always does, but considering the effort for the gain, of course he'll accept free stuff handed to him. Five shakes the now empty cup in his hands. ]
Speaking of homelessness...sneak me a meal. Tell them you want extra helpings.
[ He can't subsist on coffee alone. ]
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There's a brief, troubled shift to his expression before he forces something more neutral, and sighs.]
... You're desperate enough to go for hospital food, huh? [Really, it isn't great, even if it's better than starving.] Any preferences?
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Got any slop that's not bland?
[ He replies with emphasis, staring into the tasteless coffee cup. He's not sick. He could use some flavor in his meal, but honestly, he's not picky at this point. What's the saying. Beggars can't be choosers. ]
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No, sorry. It's all flavourless garbage. It wouldn't be hard to sneak you some sandwiches, though if there's some way to take some cash out using my bank card without it being too noticeable you can use it.
[He's kind of loaded so cost isn't an issue, the (digital) paper trail is.]
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[ He can do a whole lot with a card. Get himself a nice place to stay, even a ticket away from here... He doesn't think like someone with integrity would. The temptation is there, but he lets it pass. Five would already have lifted cash if he thought he really needed it. ]
Sandwiches are fine.
[ He sighs. It's fine. Eating slop won't kill him. As nice as it would be to have money on hand, the bank might flag it suspicious if someone suddenly started withdrawing money from the other side of the world. They don't need to take unnecessary risks. ]
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It's good he's picking the sandwiches over the bank card, though. Accelerator takes another sip of his coffee.]
Then we can both suffer through hospital food together. [What a way to build camaraderie.]
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[ He complains, but after surviving mad scientists, terrible food is a minor gripe compared to everything else they've had to deal with. With that settled, he crumples his cup and looks down the length of the courtyard, opting to change the subject. ]
You want to hang out here or head back in?
[ He hasn't asked, but he guesses Accelerator's still not feeling 100%, but he could also be tired of sitting in his hospital bed. ]
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Accelerator's gaze trials over to the entrance back into the hospital, a little reluctant. While he's pretty tired, the fresh air and getting to stretch his legs with some company has been nice.]
... I should head back in. I don't need the staff hassling me about being out of my room for too long.
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[ Spouting off this kind of idle chatter, Five accompanies Accelerator back to his room. He hangs around long enough to have his fill of bland hospital food, which despite his complaints he digs into without problem. He had understated just how hungry he is. When visiting hours conclude, he bids him goodbye and ducks back out into the city to... do whatever he wants to do. He's free now. ]
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[He can't really argue with that, and he's pretty sure he's never going to get over the embarrassment of getting shot. They eat some sandwiches and by the end of visiting hours he's legitimately exhausted.
The next day, as they discussed, he contacts the city to arrange for transport home. It isn't difficult to do given he's the person in charge, though he imagines when the board of directors hears there is going to be a lot of grumbling. Oops, the board chairman isn't missing or dead, and in a couple of days he'll be back in power. The only real threat are information leaks, Peil learning what's happened, and them trying to interfere. He makes it clear in the call that the company is likely out for blood, so Academy City needs to plan accordingly for this retrieval as well as send the hospital his bank details to cover whatever bills he's racked up. Once he's explained things and knows one of his employees will contact hospital administration for his medical records and to organize everything all that's left to do is wait.
It's a tense couple of days, but no Peil mercenaries or assassins show up. Only the Academy City transport that takes the two of them back to Earth. By then Accelerator is well enough to travel, so while it isn't a pleasant trip for him it isn't dangerous. They reach Earth without any major incidents, and even though Accelerator is transported to the city's best hospital he gets to work immediately arranging for Five's registration. He's enrolled into an unremarkable school, medical records are fabricated to make him an unremarkable Level 0, and he's given an unremarkable apartment and stipend to live off of. That gives him enough to settle in while Accelerator finishes recovering and gets back to work.]
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School life in Academy City turns out... painfully mundane, or so it feels when he's surrounded by peers whose troubles are as trivial as schoolwork and relationships. Still, Five keeps his impressions to himself and makes an effort to blend in. That part comes naturally. Putting up an act and talking his way around his secrets, it almost feels like attending Asticassia again, just minus the element of coercion and plus a whole curriculum around cultivating esper powers.
Knowing he won't be developing psychic abilities anytime soon, Five's elected to skip out on today's exercise, deciding to take a walk around the vast city instead. He dons a beanie and sunglasses before heading out, both purchased with the stipend. He doubts he'll be recognized for some CEO a galaxy away, but it doesn't hurt to obscure the resemblance now that he doesn't have to live as a clone. ]
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It takes less time than normal to release him from the hospital thanks to the city's advanced medical offerings, and once he is he immediately heads back to the office. The Windowless Building is gone, but he has some replacement office space in District 7, the same district as many of the middle and high schools. It's strange jumping back into being in an office for most of the day. He hasn't been the board chairman for very long, and prior to that he had dropped out of school (which had technically been a classroom containing only himself), so this is still an experience he's getting used to. He doesn't know how adult office workers do this every fucking day, and in a cubicle. At least he has his own office with a nice desk and a view of the rest of the district.
He's in the office today, pouring over reports that have come in over his recent actions. Unsurprisingly, Peil wasn't thrilled, and in order to maintain the safety and security of Academy City there are a mass of intel and surveillance he needs to review. It isn't exciting work, and by the time the afternoon rolls around he's downing his umpteenth can of coffee to get through it.]