Jailsnake and Free Bird | Segway Car | Haruka + Viper

Viper

After her previous stunt with the massive fire in the food court, Viper had promptly been subdued and jailed by Plart. So be it. She could deal with this. At least that kept her out of the way of anyone who wanted to pester and annoy her, and chew her out for her antics.

Little did she know- for she was far too busy sulking with her back to the entrance, that Haruka had entered the jail. You know, just visiting, of course. Viper, however, doesn’t turn around. She just…sits. And picks at threads on the hem of her pants.

Haruka Yukimura

It probably came as no surprise at all that Haruka was visiting the jail with the intent of assisting its inhabitant. Viper’s display, in her eyes, had been nothing but an obvious cry for help, and she would provide it even if no one else would.

The water bottle and cake bar she held were stolen, true, but it was hardly as if she had any other options in this place. And she didn’t know how comfy this jail would be - she had a much worse image in her mind than this seemed to be.

“Um… Viper, hello. I brought a little food and water for you, if you like… I don’t know how comfortable things are here for you, so I hope this can improve it a little…”

Viper

Visibly jumping at Haruka’s voice, Viper turned around with a glare of pure… anger, discontent, and fury. She held onto her knees and glared stubbornly back at the back wall of her jail cell.

“…Great, you’re coming to give me some, like, stupid morals talk.” The woman grumbled, but did shuffle a little closer to the bars, even if only for the free food and water being offered to her. “Ya ain’t gonna get through ta me.”

Viper’s glove was completely abandoned now, and it was clear she’d spent considerable time examining her new number, running her fingers across the glowing surface.

“D’ya jus’ get off on tryin’ ta fix monsters like me?” She snorted. “Give me a break.”

Haruka Yukimura

Haruka didn’t react to being glared at with such passion other than to perhaps look a little bit more like the pleading emoji.

Viper “…Great, you’re coming to give me some, like, stupid morals talk.”

“…No, I’m here to bring you food and water.” She did seem pleased that Viper had shuffled over, and held out the goods so that they could be easily taken through the bars.

Viper “D’ya jus’ get off on tryin’ ta fix monsters like me?” She snorted. “Give me a break.”

“That’s not a nice way to word it. I don’t do anything of the sort. I just like to help people. It can be difficult when people don’t want to be helped, but… I suppose that’s the point when I have to just be selfish. In my own way.”

That’s not quite what Atsuko had told her, but it’s the lesson she decided to learn, sure.

Viper

Viper scoffs, and reaches out, grabbing the snack bar and tearing into it with such a ravenous hunger- it was a surprise she was even hungry at all after all of the food she had scarfed down before. It was also a surprise she was willingly accepting food after that entire stunt she’d pulled.

“…Tch. Annoying.” Despite herself, Viper reaches next for the water and drinks a big swig of it. “…Look. Ya ain’t gonna get anythin’ outta me. I almost f-ckin’ killed two people, ain’t ya scared of me?” Viper narrows her eyes sharply. “I ain’t worth bein’ selfish over ya stupid idea of moral high ground.”

Haruka Yukimura

The food and drink being received with enthusiam brought a little smile to Haruka’s face. It was some sort of help that Viper was accepting, even if she might not recognise it as that.

“I don’t want anything from you. I just wanted to bring you food and drink.”

She smiled calmly, clearly not intimidated by Viper.

“I’ve known people who have killed a lot more than two people. I grew up around a warzone. It takes a lot to scare me. So I’m happy to help, no matter what.”

Viper

Unsatisfied her intimidation tactics weren’t working, Viper started considering how she should handle the situation. How could she push Haruka away? Convince her that she wasn’t worth the time or effort? It was unlikely, this she had accepted, but she was sure as hell going to try.

“Yeah, and? This ain’t a damn warzone.” Viper huffs, blowing hair from her face with the force of her huff. “Shit sucks an’ all but…ain’t gonna stop ya bein’ hurt or whatever.” Internally, she cringed somewhat at herself. Haruka was out here exposing what was probably incredibly traumatic to her, and she was being a bitch.

“…You’re gonna be more in danger if ya try an’ get close ta me. Jus’ ask Abel and Matsu.” Vuper shuffled away somewhat with her bottle of water, taking a sip to try and ignore how her heart clenched with the agony she’d caused herself bringing it up.

Haruka Yukimura

Viper “Yeah, and? This ain’t a damn warzone.”

“You’re right, it’s not. So I feel much safer.” Haruka shrugged softly. “I know my limits. I might go past them sometimes, but I’m tougher than I look. But thank you for your concern, either way.”

That ‘tougher’ was entirely on the emotional side. When Viper had punched Haruka she would very much have been able to tell just how frail they were.

“More danger than getting punched…? Haha, sorry. I couldn’t help it. But you were right, back then, that it was my choice to get in your way. Obviously the best result would have been for no one to have been hit at all, but I wanted to stop things from escalating. I don’t like seeing people be hurt…”

Viper

Haruka Yukimura “You’re right, it’s not. So I feel much safer.” Haruka shrugged softly. “I know my limits. I might go past them sometimes, but I’m tougher than I look. But thank you for your concern, either way.”

Stop making me feel bad.

Viper thinks, wants to say, but keeps to herself. The whole point was keeping people at arms’ length. The whole point was pushing them away and stopping them from trying to get through to her-

But of course Haruka has to go and make a comment that she had to reply to.

Haruka Yukimura “More danger than getting punched…? Haha, sorry. I couldn’t help it. But you were right, back then, that it was my choice to get in your way. Obviously the best result would have been for no one to have been hit at all, but I wanted to stop things from escalating. I don’t like seeing people be hurt…”

“Wish it was just that.” She grunted. “…Almost f-ckin’ killed ’em. You know Matsu could have died if I hadn’t been pulled off’a em.” Viper hugs her knees close to her chest, as she feels herself beginning to distance from herself. “…An’ Abel. He ran up ‘n punched me an’ I jus’ freaked. If Matsu hadn’t come and knocked me to my senses…” Viper’s voice trailed off. She sounded smaller. More vulnerable. There was just something about Haruka that made her spill everything so easily. Perhaps it was the fact Haruka seemed so incapable of judgement.

“…By the time I snapped outta it, my hands had been ‘round his neck. Almost strangled him ta death. Gave him bruises an’ a busted lip too.” A deep shame burned in the very pit of her stomach as she said it out loud.

Haruka Yukimura

When they realised Viper was going to tell them a lot, Haruka turned to fully face her and made sure they were on eye level. They wanted to make sure she knew they were listening.

“Oh, Viper… Thank you for sharing with me. You must have been through a lot, and it’s so stressful here, to keep turning to violence. But just by saying this, I can tell you don’t like it, right? You know the sort of damage you’re doing… to your friends as well as yourself.”

Haruka knew they came off as preachy at the best of times, but the opportunity to get through to Viper and help her out was too much for they to miss.

“I know you’re capable of better. Honestly, even just setting fire to things, like you did… I think that’s improvment. Obviously it’s not the best of habits, but it’s far better to hurt things than people, isn’t it? I believe in you, Viper. I really, honestly do. You may have hurt people, but showing remorse for it shows me that you’re already halfway towards stopping.”

Viper

Haruka Yukimura “Oh, Viper… Thank you for sharing with me. You must have been through a lot, and it’s so stressful here, to keep turning to violence. But just by saying this, I can tell you don’t like it, right? You know the sort of damage you’re doing… to your friends as well as yourself.”

Viper clammed up once again at first, but that cold, hard exterior quickly melts again and she finds herself unable to stop the vulnerability from spilling out. Something about Haruka felt… trustworthy, and the feelings were conflicting. Perhaps it was her desire to have contact, despite seeming so determined to push everyone away. Haruka was opening herself up to Viper’s flaws, and being just so nice about them…

“…Why aren’t ya scared of me?” She asks, a sense of resentment to her tone, “…I like fighting. It’s just, like, …not when…I’m fighting to protect myself.” She mutters, “But even still. I’m dangerous. I get carried away, and I could, like, totes kill someone.” Viper pulls the knife from her pocket, placing it on the floor in front of her crossed legs.

Haruka Yukimura “I know you’re capable of better. Honestly, even just setting fire to things, like you did… I think that’s improvment. Obviously it’s not the best of habits, but it’s far better to hurt things than people, isn’t it? I believe in you, Viper. I really, honestly do. You may have hurt people, but showing remorse for it shows me that you’re already halfway towards stopping.”

“It hurts…to hurt people. Abel, and Matsukaze…they gave me chances, and I blew every single last one’a them.” Viper shifts right up to the bars, reaching her arm through. Wordlessly, she reaches for Haruka’s arm and grips it softly. Her hand trembles as she does, and it’s becoming increasingly more obvious she’s desperate for someone to just understand.

“…I don’t understand it m’self…I want people ta be scared of me…but it hurts so damn bad when they are…I know I’m a damn monster, an’ I guess…I jus’ want people ta see that…” Thinking too hard especially about Matsukaze wasn’t helping right now.

Haruka Yukimura

Viper “…Why aren’t ya scared of me?”

Haruka shook her head and smiled again, gently. “Like I said, I’ve faced a lot of scary things in my life. You don’t seem cruel to me, especially not with the things you’re saying.”

She plucked away at a bit of fluff on her scarf, thoughtfully, as Viper talked. How could she help, here…

“I mean… I’m quite firmly a pacifist, I don’t know how you feel, but… I know there are sports where people fight each other. Perhaps this isn’t the place for it, but do you think that kind of thing might help you? And then you’d know how to defend yourself properly, or how to fight without causing harm…”

Immediately when Viper’s hand reached out, Haruka took her own and covered Viper’s, with a very gentle squeeze intended to reassure.

“You’re not a monster, Viper… if anything, think of your namesake. Plenty of snakes will just live their lives quite happily. They only threaten people when they feel threatened themselves, right? This is a pretty threatening situation.”

Viper

Haruka Yukimura “I mean… I’m quite firmly a pacifist, I don’t know how you feel, but… I know there are sports where people fight each other. Perhaps this isn’t the place for it, but do you think that kind of thing might help you? And then you’d know how to defend yourself properly, or how to fight without causing harm…”

She had never really considered it before. Taking up a fighting sport. But Haruka made such a good point, that she couldn’t stop her mind wandering. Just what would it be like… she had enjoyed when she and Abel had their friendly fight. Perhaps… she could consider it. If she made it out of here, or even… in here. She’d already planned on asking Jack for training, so maybe that could be her first step.

“…Yeah. I think…I could do that. I ain’t ever had any formal trainin’ so…kinda jus’ runnin’ on instincts.” Viper took a shaky breath in as Haruka squeezed her hand, and offered just a small, weak smile in return.

Haruka Yukimura “You’re not a monster, Viper… if anything, think of your namesake. Plenty of snakes will just live their lives quite happily. They only threaten people when they feel threatened themselves, right? This is a pretty threatening situation.”

Haruka was right.

Haruka was right, and that just made it all the more difficult to accept that pushing to make everyone believe she was, was a stupid decision.

It was just so impossible to accept that she was becoming just what she had spent the last ten years of her life being afraid of, her motivation for holing herself up at home and trying to become completely untraceable and off the radar… she was becoming just like the man who had tried to take her life, in her eyes.

Hurting those who didn’t deserve it, it truly was all she was good at, wasn’t it?

“…Thanks, Haruka. Ya too nice.” She offers lukewarmly, too caught up in her thoughts. But after a few moments, in a small voice she adds. “D’ya think I can fix things with ‘em? Matsukaze mostly… Abel…I probably broke it wit’ him for good.”

Pause.

“Listen, I like Matsukaze a lot, but I keep fuckin’ up.” Sorry, Haruka, you get to be her relationship counsellor now. “Jus’ think this might be tha last time. Sure they know ’s well as I do that Abel would be dead if not for them.”

Haruka Yukimura

Viper “…Yeah. I think…I could do that. I ain’t ever had any formal trainin’ so…kinda jus’ runnin’ on instincts.” Viper took a shaky breath in as Haruka squeezed her hand, and offered just a small, weak smile in return.

Seeing her smile returned only made Haruka’s even stronger. One of her suggestions was helping… Viper seemed to be happier… Everything was going well (for once)!

Viper “…Thanks, Haruka. Ya too nice.”

“Not at all. I’m always here for everyone, and that includes you. The people who don’t think that they deserve help… they’re often the ones who need it most, I think.”

Did she apply that logic to herself? Well, who knew!

The relationship counselling took her somewhat off guard, though. Haruka was far more used to helping with moral dilemmas or self-improvement scenarios, and interpersonal relationships were… Not her area of expertise.

“I… don’t know. I’m not either Abel or Matsukaze, and I don’t know them well enough to say what they’d think, but…” She sighed. “Maybe I’m just thinking like myself too much, but I’d like to think they would both forgive you. Giving people chances is important… but some people want you to prove you ‘deserve’ them.”

She sounded disappointed as she said that last part, as if she was looking down on the idea somewhat.

Viper

Those who rejected help the most, and pushed people away needed the most help? Those who didn’t think they deserved it? Yeah, Viper could agree with that, she supposed… it made sense, the more she thought about it. And she couldn’t help but think about Jack. Jack, who despite everything, she still saw as somewhat of a mirror of who she used to be. Back then she had needed help. She could admit that. When a normal person thought too much about the misfortune her actions caused, it was easy to slip into a spiral, but Viper was different. She’d just been a stupid kid…

Haruka Yukimura “I… don’t know. I’m not either Abel or Matsukaze, and I don’t know them well enough to say what they’d think, but…” She sighed. “Maybe I’m just thinking like myself too much, but I’d like to think they would both forgive you. Giving people chances is important… but some people want you to prove you ‘deserve’ them.”

Even if she wasn’t accurate, her optimism seemed to perk Viper up subconsciously. Yeah, yeah… they would forgive her. They had to, surely. It was better to consider this the most likely outcome… she was content to simply believe in the Haruka that believed in her ability to fix things.

“Hey… I’m, like, pretty sure y’all are only waitin’ on me ta be able ta get goin’…” Viper starts, her look at Haruka hopeful. “….So, uh… wanna be my totally… coincidental robber I gotta stop… once I’m outta this jail. I promise I won’t hit ya again, but it might hurt a little if I gotta grab ya. But we can…get movin’ after…” It felt awkward, just asking like this. But it would be one of the least violent options, if her treatment of Dexter was anything to go by at the very least.