piers | 02. most love like hunters

[He glances over to Amuro for a moment, hearing what wasn't directly said, that they couldn't understand him. Setsuna's expression turns thoughtful for a moment, before he looks back at the Nu.]

Were you able to come to an understanding with them?

[ That was the million dollar question. Amuro has to think about that for a second. ]

No.

[ For all the alliances, the friendships, the lovers, and the wars that raged through each of them... ]

But that kind of understanding can't be forced onto humanity. It takes time.

[Setsuna can only say one thing in response to that.]

No.

[There's a certain emphasis behind that rejection. Time? One year? Ten years? A hundred years? Time is something that happens too passively for anything to change.]

If you want the world to change, if you want them to truly understand you, you have to fight.

[ Amuro could argue with him. Tell him that's what Char Aznable would say. But intent is everything, and he only smiles wryly. Even if Setsuna's solution was to fight, it wasn't to force war upon humanity. Destroy the planet. Jettison them into space out of pure selfishness. ]

Only someone who perceives things differently would say something like that.

[ He looks at him sidelong. Not a Newtype, and yet... ]

Right?

[No, that would be a waste of a planet. But dropkicking some sense into humanity was not out of the question.]

That's what Celestial Being is about.

[Might be ducking the question entirely.]

[ Well, stop it. ]

I meant you, specifically.

[There's a pause, since he knows what Amuro is getting at. After a moment, he turns his head to look at the 00.]

...I'm a Gundam Meister.

[There's enough of an inflection to convey that that's not the answer you're looking for, I know. But its about the only honest answer he can give. At least using words. ~~And wearing pants~~]

[ ~~Okay but you have to wine and dine him, first.~~ In some ways, he understands how there's no reasonable way to really articulate what it means to harbor the kinds of changes Newtypes go through. Or whatever equivalent it was Setsuna had. ]

I think you're able to sense things others don't. You're aware of it, but you don't know how to use it yet.

[ Not really a fine or subtle point. And also fairly personal, on Amuro's part. Shots in the dark were all he had left. ~~Until the glitter comes in.~~ ]

Your machine... that Gundam, the 00. It reacts to that power you have. Just like the Nu Gundam.

[ That light on the battlefield he can't explain. ]

[Again, there's a stillness, mostly because Amuro's shot in the dark happened to hit something.]

I feel things...

[Unfortunately, that's about as well as Setsuna can articulate being an Innovator. His evolution granted him a lot of new abilities, but eloquence wasn't one of them.]

It's not a machine. Its changed.

We've changed.

[Well. You got four sentence fragments out of him. Progress?]

[ In truth, Amuro doesn't know what he thinks of an ambition lofty enough to end war. He hates it, but it's gotten into his bones, seeped in so far that no matter his own feelings, he's come to accept its presence.

His fight had always been personal, anyway.

So maybe Setsuna has a kind of promise that he never did. ]

Few people understand that. [ He exhales patiently. PROGRESS. ] What will you do together now that you've changed?

[ Referring to the 00 as if it were alive is still something he's trying to get used to. But hey, trying is the name of the game, here. ]

We'll eradicate war. [Yeah, back to that. But that's part of who he is. Though he does add to that--] And we'll help bring about the reformation of humanity.

[Setsuna doesn't do anything by halves.]

[ Amuro closes his eyes, trying to lock in that statement. Though that need for remembrance disappears a second later. ]

You could probably do it. [ The 00 commands his attention again, the one suit present he knows nothing about and yet feels like he somehow gets. ] No, you won't stop until you do. Neither of you, for the sake of the world.

[ Amuro finally moves from the railing, past him--seemingly satisfied with that answer. Faintly, he tacks on: Not like him at all. ]

[Setsuna initially lets him float by silently, almost as if this conversation was over. But its not. Not yet anyway, as there's something Setsuna still needs to know.]

What about you?

[He turns to face Amuro, then pushes himself off the railing and follows him.]

What will you do now that you've changed?

[ The twin set of questions actually catches him off-guard, enough for him to plant his feet back on the catwalk. Amuro's answer is immediate, however. ]

I have my own fight to end. [ AKA stopping a genocidal maniac from blowing up the Earth ] If humanity is going to change, it can't be out of resentment for misguided revolutionaries.

[ And from being theoretically jettisoned into space. Either way, his answer is particularly final, resigned to something he doesn't quite have words for. Instead he kicks off again, motioning to the long-abandoned holopad. ]

Setsuna. I'd like to try out how the Psycoframe reacts to someone like you. [ He catches easily onto the chest unit of the Nu. ] Is there a name for it? If not a Newtype.

[There's a slight look at the mention of "misguided revolutionaries", but Setsuna doesn't comment on it. Especially not when he's essentially offered a chance to hop into the driver's seat of the Nu.

It takes him by surprise, enough that he's left momentarily flatfooted, and it shows on his face. He didn't think Amuro would make that kind of an offer. But after that initial moment of shock passes, his face settles into a serious expression again.]

Innovator.

[Its a response to his question, though its given after such a heavy silence that Amuro might not realize that, and Setsuna doesn't say anything else beyond that. Catching the railing, he kicks off of it and heading towards the cockpit of the Nu. He doesn't know what the psychoframe will do to him, but he doesn't seem to have any trepidation now that he's made up his mind to try it.]

[ Amuro catches it, but he figures if Setsuna doesn't linger on it, it's not worth pointing out in turn. Celestial Being and its Gundam Meisters may have been horrifically idealistic, but not disillusioned. When Amuro said he believed Setsuna may be capable of what he is not in all his single-minded determination, he meant it. ]

Innovator. [ He tries the word out and smiles a little roguishly. It sounds a little sharper than "Newtype". ] That's fitting.

[ The Nu's hatch remains ajar, the hulking behemoth of a white suit crawling with technicians. Amuro had sort of jumped the gun and taken it out straight off the chopping block ~~multiple times~~, so its downtime now sees constant tinkering. ]

The controls might not be a standard you're used to. [ Amuro kneels and takes a hold of the hatch, swinging himself down to the front of the cockpit. The inside is laced with wiring from testing equipment. ] But I'm sure you can manage.

[Its not like Setsuna hasn't done the same thing to the 00, jumpstarting it via nearly exploding it with Trans Am. He doesn't know whether or not he'll explode the psychoframe or not, though that doesn't stop him from swinging himself into the cockpit and taking a seat.

The controls were... different, to say the least. Certainly not what he was used to, ~~and lacking in both holographic keyboards and meister fairies,~~ but if it operated on some of the same basic principles, then he was certain he could figure it out. Only one thing left to do now...]

Power up the psychoframe.

[Nope, he does not waste time at all.]

No hesitation... [ Amuro mutters it to himself, partially amused. It's only out of respect that he doesn't offer up a training simulation first. ~~But let's keep the exploding to a minimum on their end, tex.~~ ]

All right! Put on the headset monitor behind you. It'll make it easier for the Psycoframe to pick up on your initial thoughtwaves. [ Well, if an Innovator was anything like a Newtype, anyway. A console set up on the catwalk outside the cockpit allows Amuro to analyze the functions of the Gundam. Inside, the monitor should be leaping to life, dropping the floor out from beneath Setsuna and replacing it with a full 360 panoramic view.

Also leaping to life are the millions of microscopic Psycommu receptors. ]

Roger that.

[Hesitation is for sissies. And for people who have a shred of common sense. Neither of those things describe Setsuna F. Seiei, particularly when he's in the cockpit of a Gundam. He puts on the headset, grabs hold of the controls and starts to concentrate. Its here where Amuro will probably notice the first major difference between Newtypes and Innovators, namely the whole glowing eye thing Setsuna has going while he kicks his quantum brainwaves into high gear.]

[ Amuro watches in fascination as the graphs spike and contort, looking like no other reading he's ever taken. He can feel the stirring, all the kinetics and energy channeled by the sensitivity of the Nu's Psycommu flow.

Strong. But not hostile.

The Nu was Amuro's reflection. A culmination of all his skill and experience since his encounter with the RX-78-2 and his emergence as a Newtype, designed by him down to the last bolt. But he'd never be finished learning about it, and in the spirit of exploration...

Initially he'd only intended to test how the Psycoframe would react. What he does is lean into the cockpit and motion as if he's going to retract the catwalk. ]

Want to launch?

[There's a steady stare from Setsuna to Amuro, which may or may not be him trying to figure out what Amuro is getting at. But after a few moments, he answers.]

Red haro!

[...and that's probably not the response Amuro was expecting, and given that Setsuna used the Nu's speakers to make that call, he probably wasn't expecting the answer to be so loud either. But it worked, as a few short moments later, there was a familiar sound of haro ping-ponging off of the other mobile suits as it made its way towards them.]

[ The metal beneath Amuro's feet reverberates with the sound of his voice. Enough to cause him to finally turn towards the rest of the hangar and the approach of the Haro instead of trying to figure out what exactly Setsuna's eyes were doing. ~~It's no more strange than glitter leaking out of your forehead, Amuro, stop being alarmed.~~ ]

Haro... he's come a long way. [ Even if their Earths were different, his was still much more like a toy. If not important to those who came into possession of him.

Amuro steps aside to give it a clear shot into the cockpit. ]

[To Celestial Being, haros weren't toys. They were invaluable assets in the field. The perpetually shorthanded crew of the Ptolemy leaned on them for support, and there's no way Setsuna would've been able to do anywhere near as good a repair job without them. Or else, there'd be lots of duct tape and we'd have the Terminat00R.

When the haro arrives, its flaps its ears to halt its momentum, then tilts its head to the side in an almost curious fashion as it notices Setsuna in the cockpit.]

We're heading out. Disengage repause, maintain particle dispersal, enter boarding mode and standby for launch. [A beat] He'll be with you.

[The haro looks at Amuro for a moment, then back to Setsuna, who was busy putting on his helmet.]

Roger that! Roger that!

[Well, Amuro, you wanted time with the 00...]

[ ~~We shall have to have a discussion about this duct tape thing, Setsuna.~~ Amuro steps back quizzically when the Haro remains next to him instead of joining Setsuna in the Nu like he'd originally thought. It takes a belated second to realize he's being told launch sequence orders.

Orders for... ]

That's fine. [ Amuro pulls the plug on the monitors tethering the Nu to the catwalk and backs away from the hatch. ] The Psycommu is very sensitive. The manual controls should compensate for that, but your thoughts will be responsible for its actions too. Got it?

[ Rather than wait for a confirmation (one he doesn't actually need), Amuro hits the docking switch for the catwalks, causing them to split down the middle and swing away from the Nu Gundam. Setsuna could handle the rest on his own, that he knows. He regards the red Haro as he hops up onto the railing to give himself a good kick towards the 00. It stands solitary in the docking bay: bright, streamlined white and blue. A suit that had his curiosity since day one, one that he was certain would never be sated. Once he's within in range, he catches hold of the 00's hatch and swings inside. ]

How about it, Haro? Going to help me out?

Roger! Roger!

[Though the haro doesn't follow Amuro into main cockpit; it rides shotgun in the 0 Raiser. Once its docked in place, the twin drives whir to life, and one after another, all of the 00's systems come on-line. Enjoy the 270 degree panoramic view, as well as the handful of screens, and all the information they contain.

Setsuna, meanwhile, was getting the hang of the Nu. The controls for basic movements were easy enough that he didn't have any trouble guiding himself to the elevator or settling on the launch catapult. Once he was finally cleared, his grip tightened and his eyes narrowed. Time to see what this suit can really do]

Nu Gundam: Setsuna F. Seiei, launching!

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