Hey, I'm so sorry it's been so long, but I've been crazy busy. Hope you enjoy anyways!
-GirlWonder29
Beth had felt pain before, but this was somehow different.
When the bullet had grazed her, it had felt like being hit by a bus, which actually hadn't been so bad. It felt like a blunt blow, nothing more.
Unfortunately, she could recognize being in shock right away.
It was a good thing Ariel was a fast runner, she always had been. The way synths moved, it was always to conserve as much energy as possible in coordinated movement. They didn't waste anything on excessive, more human fluidity. This allowed them to move faster, and overall be more efficient than the average human.
Beth considered it a good thing she had not yet passed out, although she was almost wishing she could just sleep and forget the whole thing had happened. They had nearly been caught. Ariel could have been hurt, or worse.
Beth dared not think about the alternate consequences of what might have happened had the shooter been just slightly more accurate with their aim.
But now Ariel was stuck carrying her across God-knows-where until they could be sure to be safe.
She glanced down, and saw that there was a dark stain spreading across her left side, just under her ribcage. She brushed a hand against it, and watched in dazed fascination at the blue-tinted substance that dripped from her fingers.
Synthetic blood.
She had never seen herself bleed like this before, not since before the bombing.
Interesting. It was sort of...pretty.
...Perhaps the shock really was going to her head now.
Ariel was still running, Beth could hear her breathing hard, as though tired, but that couldn't possibly be it. Synths rarely ever let physical exertion get to them. No, this was an emotional response.
"Sorry," She tried to say, but it came out as more of a weak rasping sound.
Through her blurred vision, she could see Ariel look down once, her bright green eyes wide and fearful.
That wasn't a good sign.
Ariel hardly ever let Beth see her being scared, until now.
She let her hand drop loosely by her side once again, suddenly feeling very tired.
"Just hold on, Beth," She thought she heard Ariel say faintly. "I will not let any more harm come to you."
That's good, was the last thing she thought to herself before the world turned completely dark.
When Beth next awoke, it was to the harsh beam of fluorescent lights.
It was this plus the sound of her own name being whispered, which sent stars to her vision. She began to gasp, clutching at her throat. The room was too hot. Her head was spinning. She couldn't breathe.
Was this what it felt like to have a panic attack?
It took her a second to realize exactly why she was so distressed. It was just like the time when she had first awoken after death. When she had been hooked up to who-knows-what lying on that metal table like a corpse on a slab.
Not human anymore. Just something to be experimented on, a machine. Just wires and fiber and metal and plastic...cold and unfeeling, unmoving, unknowing...
She squeezed her eyes shut, gasping for breath.
"Beth! Beth, calm down!"
Gentle yet strong hands, seized her own and pulled them away from her throat. She blinked a few times, unable to make out the full clarity of the silhouette.
She blinked harder. Soon bright red hair and worried luminous green eyes swam into view.
"Beth?"
"A-Ariel?" Beth rasped. She tried to raise a hand to her head, but the synth continued to hold firm.
"Are you alright? How do you feel?"
Beth shook her head weakly. "I...OK."
"Are you certain?" Ariel gave her a penetrating, unflinching stare. Beth squirmed slightly at the intensity of the look. "...Yeah."
Ariel gave her one more concerned look before finally releasing her hands.
Beth groaned and pressed a hand to her side. It felt like someone had managed to bandage it up, but she could still feel the pain from the area that had taken the most damage.
"Ow."
"You should stay still," Ariel advised, looking more worried than ever.
Beth tried to brush it off with a careless wave of her hand, but even the smallest motion made her arms instantly regret it.
"I'm...fine."
"No, you are not." Ariel stated plainly.
Beth chuckled, but it sounded weak. "I don't think I have been for a while now, Ariel...but that's just the way it is."
She winced, and straightened her back against whatever she was sitting against.
"Where are we?"
"A school." Ariel answered simply.
Beth tried to sit up quickly, but the effort was too great, and she cringed.
"Ugh...what?"
"It has been abandoned for a long time now, so there is no one else here." Ariel assured her. "I was able to repair the fuse system, however. It was a simple fix."
"Convenient," Beth mumbled, her head beginning to spin. The recollection of what had happened coming back to her. "How long...how long was I out for?"
Ariel looked away. "Two days."
"'Two days'?" Beth exclaimed, pushing up violently on her elbows. Ariel turned back and promptly readjusted her into a more stable position.
"You took some minor damage, but it was still a close call."
"...Wow," Beth muttered.
Fear began to refill her thoughts once more as she remembered. "Did they see you?" She looked at Ariel worriedly. "Were you damaged at all?"
Ariel placed a hand on her shoulder, soothing her. "No. I was able to get both you and myself to safety before they could do anything more."
Beth sank back down slowly. "Good."
"I was able to alleviate the flow from the bullet hole," Ariel indicated where the bandaged area was. "You were fortunate. It appeared to only be a slight abrasion, nothing more."
Her voice broke on the last sentence, and Beth glanced at her in concern.
"Are you alright?"
Ariel turned away, but she could still tell she was in distress.
"Ariel...come on. Tell me."
"I let you get hurt," Ariel said at last, her voice quiet.
Beth felt a sinking feeling at her words. "Look, I'm not-"
"I know," Ariel cut her off. "I know you are alright now, but I-"
Beth saw her fists clench tightly.
"-I made a vow. And I broke it. You did get hurt after all, after I promised no more harm would come to you, ever. I'm so sorry, Beth-"
Before she could finish, Beth reached up with both arms and wrapped her in a tight embrace.
Ariel stiffened against the contact, then relaxed. Beth felt her body shake as she held her.
"Hey," Beth said softly. "It's OK. It really is. You can't be responsible for every little thing that happens, trust me."
"But I-"
"I know you made a promise to Dad," Beth said. "I know you want to protect me, but...but you need to look after yourself too, and not worry as much. If you were responsible for no harm coming to me ever again, then-" She paused to chuckle, and joked. "-Then the next time I get so much as a paper cut, I'm going to hold you to that."
Ariel stiffened, then once again relaxed as she understood the sarcasm.
She sighed. "You are not funny, Beth."
"I know," said Beth carelessly, pleased that the synth sounded much more like her usual self. "But I think that's beside the point."
Ariel pulled back, fussing over the bandaging over Beth's side, although she insisted that she felt much better now.
"Hey, Ariel?"
"Yes, Beth?"
"We need to be gone," Beth said bitterly. "I don't think these people are giving up any time soon."
Ariel nodded. "You're right."
She began to move around, packing up what little provisions they had fled with: A duffel, and Beth's backpack with her laptop.
"Wait." Beth said. "Bring me the laptop."
Ariel did as she requested, handing over the silver computer.
Beth opened it up, wincing at the soreness of her arms, and booted it up.
"I had a nasty feeling that maybe they were able to find us through this," She explained, her fear expanding inside her chest.
"So I think I should give this a run-through, clear out any residual data that could allow them to track us again."
She typed away furiously as Ariel finished cleaning up their supplies.
After a couple of minutes, it was complete. She tapped out one last code. "Done."
She slide the laptop back carefully into the backpack, taking silent note of how Ariel watched her put the computer away. She probably thought her oversentimental, hanging on to the scratched, outdated machine from her father, but whatever. It was their best source of online data, and like Hell if Beth was going to throw it away if she could help it.
"Ariel."
The synth turned back to her.
"One last thing," Beth said, her heart pounding with the risk she was about to take. "I think we should try to find Leo Elster."
Ariel's face turned to confusion and instant wariness.
"Why?"
Beth sighed. "Call it a hunch, but I think he's our best bet at the moment. I mean, he and his synth companion have been under radar for years, it sounds like, and they might have a better way of avoiding these people than we do. It's worth a shot."
"It's too much of a risk." Ariel stated.
"Perhaps," Beth agreed. "But I…" She hesitated, unsure of whether or not to admit it or not. "He's David Elster's son. David Elster was the creator of synthetics from the very beginning, if what we've learned is true, and I believe it all is. We could also get information about what we are as well. What Dad intended for us to be." She paused again, watching Ariel take this into consideration. "Maybe….maybe we wouldn't be alone anymore."
It sounded childish when she said the last part aloud, and she was waiting for Ariel to call her out on it, but she just couldn't help it. Maybe it was true. Maybe Beth was just tired of just her and Ariel against impossible odds. Maybe if they could find others like them, they could help each other out.
It was worth a shot, at least.
Finally, Ariel spoke, her green eyes emotionless. "Are you certain that's what you want?"
Beth nodded resolutely. "Yes."
Ariel sighed, shaking her head at her as if she couldn't understand for all the world why she had to get landed with such a reckless charge. "Alright."
Beth couldn't help grinning. "OK, then." She pulled her laptop back out, and opened it, ready to begin searching.
"I have a good idea of where to start."