26 - said the joker to the thief

[ichoosefight]

[ Video ]

[ Nobody should be surprised to find that Steph has spent most of this vacation at cafes. Now she's tucked in a quiet corner of one, where nobody is likely to eavesdrop on her conversations. In front of her is a newspaper in English. ]

We've been here a grand total of what, four days? In that time, reportedly, the crime rate in the city has almost tripled.

[ She raises her eyebrows at the camera with an almost motherly look. She has no doubts as to who's responsible. ]

Of course, that tidbit is tucked in between multiple pages of cracked theories about the Eiffel Tower, aliens and terrorists. Still, I have to ask - what exactly is the point? I mean, it's not like it's supply stores and gun shops being robbed.

[ That would make sense, being something useful outside of, you know, Earth. Even if for whatever reason someone couldn't get anyone to pay actual money for it. ]

Do we have a bunch of newbies who don't know that we don't use money on the barge?

Comments

[routemistress]

...look, I'm on 'oliday, all right? It's boring paying for everything.

[ichoosefight]

Iris- [ She huffs a sigh, realizing how pointless it is to argue with her. She drops her face into one palm. ]

This is why we can't have nice things.

[surfaceshine]

I don't suppose there's a significant chunk of that crime rate involved in credit fraud.

[It's easy for him to keep a straight face these days. That's just what his face does now.

But the tone matches anyway.]

[omar]

Ain't all of us got those nice little credit cards, Warden.

[ichoosefight]

And I can't imagine anyone would lend you a card to buy a famous blue diamond.

[ichoosefight]

Of course not!

[ She scoffs, as though she might be offended by the implication. ]

Credit fraud takes way longer to hit the news.

[americasdirtiest]

Look, I didn't steal nothing-- [This time. Any charges he's facing are all along the lines of assault and battery.] --but this isn't the first time this has come up, and I don't get why no one gets this shit. Some of us got homes to go back to where we do use money. A lot of money. What's wrong with trying to store some up?

[tucky]

You want one?

[tucky]

You ain't surprised, right? We're the Barge.

[ichoosefight]

It's just pointless. If you get to take anything with you when you go home, you can just ask for it from the Admiral. Or one of your admiral-powered buddies. If you don't graduate, you don't get to take any sweet loot home with you.

[ichoosefight]

Not surprised, no. Well, maybe a little surprised. It's kind of impressive. Mostly I'm just confused.

[tucky]

Confused about what?

[ichoosefight]

What's the point? Why steal diamonds that are essentially worthless the minute you're back on board?

[americasdirtiest]

This the same Admiral who don't exist right now and gives out cookies instead of actual stuff when he does?

[tucky]

It's like Mickey said. People get to take their stuff when they go.

And... you know, we don't even know if the Barge is gonna leave here. It was pretty fucked up by the time we got down here.

I ain't saying I'm stealing or nothing, though. I'm not.

[ichoosefight]

The very same Admiral who let me bring an army home with me to end a gang war and who seems to have left at least a dozen people with his powers, yeah.

[ichoosefight]

Listen, as long as nobody gets hurt it's not really my problem. It just seems a little insane that people are running around stealing paintings and like, serious luxury items in the four days we've been here.

Actually, I think I'd understand if it was an espresso machine or a hot tub or something.

[tucky]

If it ain't your problem, that means it ain't my problem either, right?

[ichoosefight]

As long as your problem is a girl in a mask beating you up? No, not a problem.

[tucky]

... What?

[ichoosefight]

That's what I do. To bad guys. Usually with guns.

[tucky]

Well, I'm not a bad guy. And I was telling the truth about not stealing nothing.

[ichoosefight]

That was- [ What she was trying to imply, yes, but clearly the conversation has veered in a different direction. ] Yes. That.

[tucky]

Okay. Just sounded like you might've been warning me, is all.

[ichoosefight]

Nope, no, I was not.

[ She feels very tongue tied. ]