By False Means | Melvin + Haruka | Segway Car

Haruka Yukimura

Well, Haruka had to actually try to do her task for this car at some point. Just taking food wasn’t really going to do the job, though she did wonder if it might be worth stocking up on some for later. But there were other supplies that she was more concerned about stocking up on. Specifically, medical ones - especially when it seemed people here just weren’t going to stop fighting…

So stealing enough to top up her first aid kit was a noble enough cause, she decided. It didn’t seem as if the pharmacies were struggling for supplies, either, so it wasn’t as if she were depriving needy people (or… bouncy balls?).

Once she was off her segway, she actually managed being quiet and unobtrusive quite well, slipping the occasional dressing or gel into her pockets. Then she hopped back on the segway to leave the shop, when-

“…Oh!”

Normally, she’d be pleased to see another of her number, but unfortunately for her, Melvin was dressed in a police uniform, so that meant, for now… they were opposed.

“…I’m sorry. I… want to get to the exit. Please?”

She might not be winning any awards for best robber, but she could certainly stand a chance of winning Most Polite.

Melvin Greene

Oh! More like ‘oh no’ because ideally, Melvin would have been able to take advantage of his signature stupidity and just look the other way like he happened to have not noticed anything. Unfortunately, she’s going the path of most politeness. Which is really very nice of her, just deeply unfortunate that it’s now of all times. All that to say: aw, hell, he’s got to make a decision here. Especially considering where Haruka was leaving from and the fact that it seemed half the living passengers were out for more blood than Fenna ever had been. It’d probably be smart just to let her have them as soon as possible.

“I, uh. Don’t be sorry, it’s, y’know.”

Just what she was supposed to be doing, which did beg the question of what he was going to do now. The idea of basically anyone else on the team that’s supposed to stop Haruka actually doing so was… not fun, considering One Of Them had already punched her in the mouth recently. Okay, Vinzent was normal enough. And Haruka was one of the few people Asuka actually seemed to like, maybe? So, maybe if someone did intercept her later it wouldn’t be… too bad??? But what if it was too bad, actually.

“M’ not really supposed to let you.” There’s an implicit but as he takes a moment to glance around, probably just to make sure Plart wasn’t in the IMMEDIATE vicinity before lowering his voice a little. “Doesn’t mean I can’t, but, I dunno how to make it convincing.” Preventing theft was historically a little above his pay grade - he’s not really sure how you’re supposed to stop someone when you actively want to.

Haruka Yukimura

Haruka twisted her thumbs around as Melvin paused. She didn’t want to get caught, and she wanted to keep the supplies she’d got, but she also felt bad about this. It wasn’t nice to put Melvin in a pickle like this, and he was just trying to do his job and get out of here, like the rest of them…

When it sounded like he might let her go, though, her eyes went wide in gratitude and surprise. It wasn’t as if she expected him to be mean about it, but it was hardly his fault if he had just caught her there and then.

“A-are you sure…? Gosh, thank you… It’s okay if you need to catch me, though.”

As for a strategy to get out… Well, given their relative sizes and strengths, it would normally be ridiculous for Haruka to even have a chance of getting away. But in this scenario, she thought, there could be potential.

“Um… how good are you on these segways? Because I’m… not the best, but I suppose all I’d need to do would be better.”

Melvin Greene

Hello, Flarum marker telling me it’s been 84 years since I posted, good to see you again.

Haruka Yukimura “A-are you sure…? Gosh, thank you… It’s okay if you need to catch me, though.”

“Ehh, only if I really gotta. I know we gotta get outta here eventually, but, well. I don’t really wanna make anyone catch a demerit or anything.”

Melvin just shrugs. His relationship with the law was tenuous at best on a good day. Then again, next to some of these people, he probably could pass for straight up LG. That was probably… actually exactly why the teams were arranged the way they were. To torture them. Like everything else on the Nightmare Express.

Haruka Yukimura “Um… how good are you on these segways? Because I’m… not the best, but I suppose all I’d need to do would be better.”

“… Aw, hell. I drive for a living. It’s pretty much the only thing I’m any good at.”

He immediatelys in a vaguely apologetic manner. Granted, driving a car and driving a segway are not the same thing. It still kind of follows that he’d get the hang of them fairly quickly, though. Still… there has to be a way. The hamster wheel in his brain seems to dust the cobwebs off just long enough for him to actually have an idea!

“You could always throw something at me. My old buddies used to do that if it looked like security was gonna catch up with ’em.” And it only worked sometimes, but sometimes was better than no times. “If you give it a good, ‘y’know-” he makes a vague gesture, Haruka can fill in the blank with whatever she wants because it isn’t actually that clear what he means, “– then it’ll be enough to convince Plart.”

Probably.