deathsdoctor | Appointments 2.0

Morning. [Lupin smiles quickly, covering any trace of his insecurities. He knew that he didn't need to worry around Law, but it was a very old habit that was born of regulations which made medical treatment very difficult for a man of his profession. He takes the bag curiously, and peeks inside at the vial and the print out.] Is this the...?

[Does he need to say it in public?]

Yep.

[Now either he senses that or knows what's going to be brought up or wants a breather from the clinic itself for a while, because what he says next is:]

Nice day out. Let's do this outside in the shade, alright? It's a little stuffy in here.

Sounds good--it's too nice to stay cooped up.

[It would also help him relax, and give him an excuse to break open that little gift he got from Fujiko the night before.]

Exactly.

[Law heads for the outdoors and a nice shady spot under a tree at a meandering clip.

Much better.]

[Lupin follows at a slower pace, placing his concentration on the placement of his feet along their pathway. The movement issues were better than they were the day before, but he was a very long way from perfect.

But the sun was bright and the skies were clear--the storm that smacked Luceti seemed like it was so long ago.]

[Sitting underneath that shady tree.]

Here should be perfect.

Yes...yes it is.

[He joined Law, and fumbled through his pockets for the pack of Gitanes that Fujiko had squirreled away for him. He drew one for himself, and offered it out to Law as well.]

Want one? This brand is pretty rare in my world, and this is the only pack my girlfriend has found in Luceti for about two years.

You know... I've only smoked once before. [The aftermath of the Kraken attack when Sanji and him were discussing Sanji staying behind to look for Miss Nami.] But after all the crap that's happened, I think I'll take you up on that.

[He takes it.] Thank you.

[He lights them both, and is grateful for the nostalgic familiarity of that particular blend. It reminded him of all of his jobs in Europe, and his tendency to import them when he could if he was in a region where they were scarce.]

There has been a lot of crap. It's why I pulled these out instead of the ones that can be easily found around here. There's something to be said for smoking with company too, especially now. You're more than welcome, though I'll understand if you don't want to do it often.

[Law takes a deep drag and exhales. This time around he feels less of a need to cough and hack as the fine particles swirl around in his lungs.]

Mmmmm. This is very nice. Very smooth.

[Glancing to Lupin.] It's the only way for me. [The smoking, he means.] Even if I'll save it for those rare special times.

[Because doctor and high level fighter. He needs to mind his health.]

Of course~

[It was a policy he knew that he should take up as well, and he was actually starting to do so back at home. The combined stressors of being in a gilded cage and the constant tumult caused by the Malnosso wrecked his resolve on that front. While he never hit Jigen's level of chain smoking, he was starting to wonder if he should try cutting back again...

Later. He just wanted to enjoy this one.]

You might want to be careful in the future, if this counts as a 'special time.' We might be having more instances like these.

[While the small talk was appreciated, he understood the main reason why Law wanted to see him. He had questions too, but his conversation with Shikamaru the evening before was enough to know that certain people might be scrambling for the scrap of information that he has.]

[Another content draw.]

Noted. [Smile] Though I'll take that risk.

[And then a shifting of mood.]

You speak to Shikamaru yet?

[Maybe not quite how Lupin would have expected this topic to be broached... but... the other man had to have noticed by now that Law and Shikamaru had history and the pirate was protective of the younger man.

Not boy.

Shikamaru was no child. Not an adult by many other's reckon (by Law's yes - many a pirate was younger), but boy was simply the wrong thing to call him. He was a man in so many things and wise beyond his years, and in so many others painfully young and coming into himself and that manhood.]

I have.

[He nods and puffs thoughtfully on his, thinking once more about the startling mature young man and their conversation the night before.] I was planning on tracking him down, but he found me first. He's..very insightful.

[And not someone he would have ever considered speaking to otherwise. Most of the population in Luceti hovered around being half of his age, which made interactions awkward at best. There was that gap in age, experience, and in many instances skill level--it unnerved him to know that all of these kids could best him in a one on one fight any day. But he came to understand many things about his fellow residents during the storm, and was starting to wonder if he would be able to forge a niche alongside of them.

Zenigata had accused him of going straight in their last conversation. Maybe the grumpy yet determined old man was right.]

...he wasn't one to play around either, but he's cool. I think I owe him too.

He is. Comes with being a soldier for as long as he has.

[The age gap also unsettled Law a bit. While he was on the older end of the spectrum of 'young people', being in his twenties, it was a little unnerving that so many were so young.

He had said as much to Adele when he was interviewing her for the clinic. While the people here were skilled, exceptionally skilled, he had been worried about the simple lack of life experience to help buffer some the emotional challenges that a job in the clinic would bring. He had wanted Adele as a mentor figure just as much as for her surgical skill.]

... man needs some more adult friends in his life, you know. Especially those that can help him let his hair down a little.

[Metaphorically speaking of course... though, it might be nice for Shikamaru not to rock the pineapple tail look so often.]

...Makes me feel almost sorry he's had to go through what he has. Talking with him reminds me a little of young people from the war-torn countries of my world.

[And it made his world look positively idyllic in comparison, even with its darkness and corruption. He couldn't feel bad for Shikamaru for long once his intelligence and skills became apparent, but he had to wonder about what it was like to grow up so quickly. From the way he acted, it was almost as if the young man had never even had a chance to be a child.

Growing up on the front lines did things to a young person, he knew, but in the end it was the sheer difference in culture that was the divide. He had no right to judge, especially since he started his career as a thief when he was even younger than much of the population.

He flashed law a quick smile at that last part, understanding the unspoken point.]

...but that doesn't matter here. I noticed that about him too, actually. It's why I invited him to join me for coffee sometime.

[No, you would not know that when Law was a part of that world, he was sent into the field at the age of seven. Or that the youngest, like Kakashi, started their careers at the tender age of five.

Too young. Even knowing that it was part of the entire world's culture, being a part of it, even briefly, had left Law with the opinion he had the right to judge that part of shinobi culture.]

Good. That's good to hear.

[...

Alright, now we come to it.]

Mister Lupin, what happened in there? Shikamaru and the others told me some of it, [Including that and how you died.] but not exactly everything.

[...Of course the time for small talk was over. There would be more chances, but this was too important.

He did appreciate it, though. Everyone else had been straight up business since he got back...save Fujiko. But then, Law would know that.

Lupin frowns thoughtfully at the question, dropping the light hearted act completely.]

There wasn't much extra that I heard, in truth. Just...

Two people were talking about the one's niece--no names were mentioned. Instead, the one stated that they had learned everything they wanted from her, and that 'The Luceti Operation' has not been a complete waste.

The order was given to remove her from the city.

...That's all I have.

Miss Molly.

[Heavy frown. The Luceti Operation hadn't been a complete waste?

Now what could that mean? They already knew that the enclosure had given the Malnosso advances in Shifting due to the experiments that the village were subjected to, and that the villagers made formidable soldiers.]

Good speculation--but we have no confirm. All we can really do is wait and see what else they want to dish out at us.

[But it bothered him. Not only was there the implication that the division within the Malnosso's ranks ran wider than they had anticipated, there was the statement that the game had stakes much higher than any of them bargained for. He didn't like being a pawn in anyone else's game.]

[Sighing.]

They won't keep us waiting long. I give it a few months at most.

[It kept getting bigger. Those stakes. The more they learned, the graver things seemed, and the more questions that arose to take their place.

It was disturbing, how big it was getting, really. It didn't bode well.]

A few months at max. [He only trusted them for as far as he could throw them--and he couldn't throw them.

Lupin puffed away irritably at his cigarette as he contemplates the scale of this. It could very well lead to war--and he was no soldier, as his recent stunt proved. Even when the re-anchoring incident happened and Lupin firmly believed that he was a spy for the New Republic, he was never a soldier. His rank of Commander in that lifetime was all because of the deeds he did on the sidelines.

The one time he was involved in a battle nearly killed him--but, that was a different lifetime, and a lie.]

Hopefully they give us enough time to breathe on this round. We all have some recuperating to do...and thinking.

I hope so. [But don't count on it. Never count on it here.]

[He wasn't planning to, and instead was placing his focus on other avenues.]

Mister Law. Can I ask you for your opinion on something?

Of course.

...Any recs on how to not be dead weight next time around?

[Har har...deadman jokes, but the obvious power divide was starting to get to him. Even if ammunition weren't scarce, his bullets did little to the worst of their foes--and he never took well to relying on others.]

July 1st // Action

Re: July 1st // Action

July 1st // Action

July 1st // Action

July 1st // Action

July 1st // Action

July 1st // Action

July 1st // Action

July 1st // Action

July 1st // Action

July 1st // Action

July 1st // Action

July 1st // Action

July 1st // Action

July 1st // Action

July 1st // Action

July 1st // Action

July 1st // Action

July 1st // Action

July 1st // Action

July 1st // Action

July 1st // Action

July 1st // Action

July 1st // Action

July 1st // Action