Talk About Breaking and Entering | Jack + Haruka | Segway Car

Roadie 🪶Jack

Jack wasn’t all that much into shiny things. Sure, jewels were valuable, but they were a little too flashy for someone who relied on stealth and blending in (despite the streak of green hair?). That, and he had no way of telling the real from the fake, so why take the chance?

That being said, he wasn’t the only one who could’ve been fooled, so it wasn’t that terrible to have something on hand if a scam called for it. Especially now, when he could waltz* right into a jewelry store and not have anyone immediately give him the stink eye for clearly only being here to try and steal something.

Which he was.

Not even in his usual way, but in the most blatant and ridiculous way his new post could possibly offer him. Without even bothering to come up with some plausible excuse—a security test would do, he was sure, but he’d found those who wouldn’t suspect him because of one uniform or other rarely cared to ask—he wound through to the most expensive ring on display. Whistling airily, he wrapped his uniform tie a couple times around whichever hand seemed more convenient and at least waited until the only employee in sight was preoccupied with another customer.

He proceeded to smash straight through the display case like it was made of sugar glass. An alarm blare still made him flinch, but he continued undeterred to wrest the ring off the mannequin finger. Not in any rush. Honestly he was more interested in just seeing what happened than trying to make off with this.

Making off with it would be a nice bonus, though.

*Whatever he was managing on that Segway couldn’t possibly be classified as such, but he was perfectly graceful once he got past that part of it, thank you.

Haruka Yukimura

It made sense to Haruka why she had been picked out to be a robber. It was clear that her morals were to be tested - and she did think theft was bad. She regretted what she had to do, and only justified it to herself in that she had to do it. Anything she took would be only the basics, rather than anything she’d consider a treat.

Not that being an officer would have been easy for her either. If she even had the skill to catch up to someone, she didn’t know if she’d want to catch them. They were all just trying to get out of here, after all.

Although… that didn’t seem much like someone trying to get out of here. Perhaps she wasn’t the only one being tested here.

“…” She watched from a distance as Jack was… well, Jack.

“…What are you trying to do?” she asked eventually. It was genuine bafflement, rather than any judgement, that drove the question.

Roadie 🪶Jack

Working the ring off without brushing any of the broken glass took a decent amount of focus, which Jack had in very short supply today. With how overtly sloppy he was being, he didn’t even register someone new watching, for a while.

He paused as he finally freed the ring and rolled it in his palm. Oh, that sure was a human-like entity here. And a robber to boot. Hmhm.

Haruka Yukimura “…What are you trying to do?”

He straightened up, voice shifting slightly.

“Just conducting a security test, miss. The alarm system passed, but the glasswork’s clearly not up to code.”

…He almost seemed respectable for a second, if you didn’t know it was him. Then again, he was the last person you could hear over a blaring alarm, so the whole effect was probably lost, anyway.

He sidled over to Haruka in a more Jacklike fashion.

“And what’re you trying to do? Take advantage of the confusion to score somethin’? Good choice a’ stores if you’re lookin’ for something expensive.” He flashed the ring before vanishing it away in one hand or other.

Haruka Yukimura

Roadie 🪶Jack “Just conducting a security test, miss. The alarm system passed, but the glasswork’s clearly not up to code.”

Haruka knew what Jack thought of her, but she wasn’t a complete fool. She stared at him with no less confusion in her eyes, and the beginning of some concern too. She took a slight step back as he approached, aware that he was, after all, supposed to be an officer here.

Roadie 🪶Jack “And what’re you trying to do? Take advantage of the confusion to score somethin’? Good choice a’ stores if you’re lookin’ for something expensive.”

“…No. Even if I wanted to, what would be the point…? There’s nowhere here to pawn anything, and no one I’d want to impress with flashy jewellery.”

As if she’d ever want to impress anyone with flashy anything. She was dressed demurely to match her personality, thank you very much.

Roadie 🪶Jack

Haruka Yukimura She stared at him with no less confusion in her eyes, and the beginning of some concern too.

“…'s a joke. ‘m not havin’ a stroke or something. Geez.”

Haruka Yukimura “…No. Even if I wanted to, what would be the point…? There’s nowhere here to pawn anything, and no one I’d want to impress with flashy jewellery.”

“No one, not even me? Totally thought I was your type…”

Was showing off jewelry you stole right in front of him the way to Jack’s heart? More at 11.

“Why’s it gotta have a point, anyway? Fun’s enough of a point. ’r just for the heck of it, even. You don’t gotta weigh every—single—twitch of the hand—” he flashed a hand near her face with every pause for some kind of emphasis—“on some scale a’ how much it’s gonna save humanity ’r whatever.”

He gave her a little pat on the shoulder before pulling back. “Gotta be real tiring, livin’ like that. You even allowed to take a breather if you’re not gonna up an’ keel over otherwise?”

Wow, it almost sounded like he had any sort of investment in her personal wellbeing.

…It also looked like he wasn’t holding the ring anymore. The alarm was still sounding.

Haruka Yukimura

Roadie 🪶Jack “No one, not even me? Totally thought I was your type…”

“…”

The blank stare from Haruka only continued. She really didn’t find Jack’s jokes funny, but it wasn’t as if she was going to tell him that… Even if she felt rude enough to do it, she wasn’t sure if he’d react poorly some how.

She flinched away from him as he gestured, a little uncomfortable with her personal space being invaded so closely. “Well, fun’s all well and good, but there’s no need to get in my face about it, please and thank you. I don’t find any fun in thievery or materialism anyway.”

How noble of her.

Roadie 🪶Jack

Haruka Yukimura The blank stare from Haruka only continued.

“Ohh, so you’re the shy type. Got it. Forget I ever mentioned it.” He winked. Okay Jack.

Haruka Yukimura She flinched away from him as he gestured, a little uncomfortable with her personal space being invaded so closely.

Oh, he could account for that, no worries. Well, as far as doing what he intended, not accommodating for her needs. She wasn’t him, so why would he? Pretty pointless.

Haruka Yukimura “Well, fun’s all well and good, but there’s no need to get in my face about it, please and thank you.

“Oh, that part wasn’t about fun, anyway, don’t worry.”

An employee finally shut off the alarm, but it had certainly drawn some attention from outside the store. Jack inclined his head toward a certain blue bouncyball in the halls.

Haruka Yukimura I don’t find any fun in thievery or materialism anyway.”

“Wow, that’s terrible. Some kinda disease or somethin’?”

“So what, ya get all your satisfaction from doin’ selfless deeds all the day long? And that makes you so much better ’n me, yeah?”

Thankfully he kept his hands to himself this time as he leaned in a bit closer. The fact that she was taller took a little of the sinister effect away, but, well. He sure was still an unstable and violent fellow at baseline.

“So what’re you gonna do when that gets taken away? When there’s nothin’ left ya can do to help? When you gotta live for yourself, fight for yourself, steal for yourself? You ever gonna find the fun in it, ’r you just gonna suffer more than you gotta? But I guess you’re into that, too, aren’tcha?”

[0] days since last edgelord incident.

Haruka Yukimura

Roadie 🪶Jack “Ohh, so you’re the shy type. Got it. Forget I ever mentioned it.” He winked. Okay Jack.

“Alright. I will.” Haruka’s tolerance for teasing, at least coming from Jack, seemed to be pretty low.

Roadie 🪶Jack “Oh, that part wasn’t about fun, anyway, don’t worry.”

Something was off, Haruka was sure, but she couldn’t quite tell what it was. Was it just that the alarm wasn’t sounding? Or what was Jack trying to hint at? She felt uneasy, and more so as he leant in, but she was determined to stand her ground.

Roadie 🪶Jack “So what’re you gonna do when that gets taken away? When there’s nothin’ left ya can do to help? When you gotta live for yourself, fight for yourself, steal for yourself? You ever gonna find the fun in it, ’r you just gonna suffer more than you gotta? But I guess you’re into that, too, aren’tcha?”

“…Then I’ll keep going. Until I find something I can do. …Or I’ll die. I am ill, after all, and some treatments you can’t fight for or steal. It’s unfortunate, but… I have faith. Things will happen and I will do my best.”

“I live for myself in my own way. I’m sorry that you don’t like it, but I’m not such a pushover that I’ll change for you.”

Roadie 🪶Jack

Haruka Yukimura “Alright. I will.” Haruka’s tolerance for teasing, at least coming from Jack, seemed to be pretty low.

Boooo, boring. At least slap him or something. Just more reasons not to like this lady.

Haruka Yukimura “…Then I’ll keep going. Until I find something I can do.

Boring, boring, platitude after platitude—

Haruka Yukimura …Or I’ll die. I am ill, after all, and some treatments you can’t fight for or steal.

Something crossed Jack’s face. Not pity, more… …It was hard to say. But apparently it was too strong to snuff out immediately. He listened to the rest with narrowed eyes and fuzzy focus, head buzzing too hard to allow anything else. All from the lack of sleep, surely. Nothing to worry about. Nothing personal. Nothing at all.

Haruka Yukimura "I’m sorry that you don’t like it, but I’m not such a pushover that I’ll change for you.”

Right, they were talking. He should say something. He could, right?

“Oh, I’m the last person I’m sayin’ you oughta change for. Just, y’know.” He waved a hand. “Gonna have to if ya don’t wanna die earlier ’n necessary. Or if you don’t care, then. Sure hope nobody’s gonna miss you. Real -sshole move otherwise.”

Roadie 🪶Jack An employee finally shut off the alarm, but it had certainly drawn some attention from outside the store. Jack inclined his head toward a certain blue bouncyball in the halls.

Oh look, the cop guy was coming. Right. That was something Jack had done intentionally. Because. Because. He bit his tongue until the uncomfortable crackle in his head subsided enough to let him think. Ah, tasted blood. Yeah, did happen sometimes.

Anyway.

“Hey, Officer!” Before the end of this, he’d try to snag Haruka by the wrists to restrain her, but up to Kris to decide how that fares. “Was checkin’ the security measures in here when this one snuck up behind me—she didn’t land any hits, naturally, but something seems to be missin’ from that display case now. Think she palmed it while I was busy with the alarm.”

Or he just got the bright idea to plant it on her earlier, but same difference, right?

“Don’t got much ‘xperience with patdowns, so you wanna walk me through how t’ do this respectfully?”

“ ’Less she’d rather just hand it over, a’ course.”