deathsdoctor | Appointments 2.0

Appointments 2.0

This post is for threading with Trafalgar Law anytime and anywhere. It can be used for Action or the Ring feature on journals (voice or written) to get in contact with him for personal conversations. This will be used primarily for 'placement' threads such as: someone left a present or 'by the way, come to this party on such-and-such' or the like.

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[Action, January 3rd]
[Voice, March 8th]
[Written, June 11th]

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[It does... but Law can feel the serious mood approaching the clinic even before Gai enters the building, and it sucks whatever cheer the pirate had right out of him. So it's a somber man who greets Gai at the door.]

Want to go to an exam room or my office?

[In other words, a place where Law can insure extra privacy.

He's done some subtle inquiring - ie. looking through the records of units being issued and the medical charts. As far as he knows? Gai hasn't had a transfusion in a while. So where this is going can't be good.]

Either one would work.

[He appreciates the acknowledgement of his desire for privacy, though, and even more so because he hasn't said anything to indicate that he wants or needs it. Things like this are exactly why he trusts Law above any of the other doctors or healers here in Luceti... which unfortunately means that he won't trust any of the others to give him the transfusions that he needs to keep the virus in check.

Yep, Law's suspicions would be right on the mark.]

My office then. [The chairs are more comfortable. And that's where he hides the booze. And hides Gai's records.]

[Once they're up, Law begins to weave something complicated with Kipinn. A special sort of sound barrier. No sound from the office will go out, but sound outside the office will come in. In his mastery of filial magic, Law's skills with Kipinn are the most refined. He's been contracted with this spirit since the day of his arrival.]

[Gai just nods and follows him down the hall and into the office, taking a seat even before he's asked, though he almost stands up again once he realizes what Law is doing. He recognizes magic being used when he sees it despite his lack of ability or knowledge in the area, and he's suspicious for a brief moment before he decides that whatever Law is doing isn't something bad. It's still hard to shake that deep-seated dislike for it after his run-in with the General several months ago, though.]

[Noticing that aborted action. He'll explain.]

It's a sound barrier. Nothing we say can get out, while any noise on the outside can get in for us to hear.

[He's mastered a more complicated one where he fabricates a conversation for people to listen to on the outside, while disguising the real conversation on the inside, but. It's very hard, he can't keep it up long, and making it convincing is an art unto itself.]

[That satisfies Gai's curiosity enough for him to remain seating-- something he's thankful for, as the symptoms are acting up far worse than he's letting on, causing him to tire quickly. It frustrates him, makes him feel vulnerable, so his preferred course of action is to ignore it and pretend it isn't happening.

But even with the sound barrier, he'd prefer to take as few chances as possible. Rather than explain what the problem is to Law, he'll just show the other man: he reaches up with one hand to pull his long hair away from his neck.

There, on the side of his neck slightly below and behind his right ear, is a small patch of purple crystals. It doesn't take a trained eye to realize that this isn't good.]

[The expression that flits across Law's face is obvious to read.

Shit

The disease is progressing to the next stage.]

When did it first appear?

[He has to calculate timelines. How far this disease has progressed unchecked and much he can slow it down.

But this doesn't bode well. Not at all.]

Two days ago, just after the experiment ended. But I doubt it has anything to do with that.

[No, he and Law both know that it's the lack of transfusions, not the experiment, that led to its progression. And worst of all, it's mostly his own damn fault for being too proud to ask someone else for help.]

[No. What can he say? So he'll say nothing about pride as he's been stung by his own a bit too often lately.]

Probably not. I'm going to start by giving you an immediate transfusion. With some luck, the onset of the next stage will be slowed down.

[They both know where this is going to lead, but as the incident with the droids shows, Law will be damned if he doesn't fight every inch of the way.]

[Again, this is why he likes you, Law. No panicking, no show of pity, just "I'm going to do everything I can to stop this." And that's what Gai appreciates - and what he needs - the most. He doesn't want to be coddled; he too is going to fight tooth and nail until his body finally gives out on him.]

Even if it isn't, it will be a while before it becomes incapacitating. We should be able to figure something out before then. I've dealt with this before-- it's a slow process.

[Nodding as he opens his desk and reaches into a hidden compartment. Pulls out Gai's file. It is thick with the material he's gathered, and cases from other worlds that have some similarity.]

As I've read. I've been researching this virus since you came in. [He never assumed the treatments would work forever. This was Luceti. No one's luck held.] There is nothing definitive yet, but I have a few leads.

Those antivirals you mentioned before?

[While Gai certainly has more knowledge of (and personal experience with) the Apocalypse Virus than the vast majority of people in his world, he's no scientist nor doctor. His understanding of those areas is still fairly rudimentary, made up of what he's gleaned here and there from his own experiences in the lab, his stepfather, and now what he's learned here from Law.]

Yes. I believe I have a good grasp of how the virus reproduces in the cell. It won't stop the virus' progression but it will buy time.

[The question of course is how much. Something they both know.]

Then go ahead and give it a try.

[At this point, any worst-case scenario can't be much worse than the eventual actuality.]

[Nodding.]

We'll get started now. As soon as the transfusion gets underway, I'll get you your first dose and a supply of medication you'll need to take.

[Included, of course, will be written instructions covering dosing time, side effects, and anything Gai needs to avoid taking them them.

Alcohol is not included on this list.]

If it tastes terrible, I'm blaming it all on you.

[Even the gravity of what's going on can't stamp out Gai's sense of black humor. Shit sucks, might as well deal with it by trying to make light of the situation, right? No point in getting upset over what he's known for years would have been an inevitability had he not died under other circumstances in his world.]

And don't worry-- I've already died once. I'm not afraid of it happening a second time.

[He sobers up, then, for a brief moment.]

The transfusion cycle had already been getting shorter back at home. I would have had less than a year if I'd lived.

[Heh.] I'll make sure there's a spoon full of sugar to help the medicine go down. [Gallows humor? Law's so there.]

[He quirks his head to the side.]

Whatever happens, I intend on shanking this thing eventually. I'm not going to stop until I do.

[Yes Gai might die and they both accepted that. But Law would not let the virus continue to be a problem over Gai's next cycle of life and those after if he could help it.

There was no such thing as an incurable plague. He merely had to find its weakness.]

Make it a shot glass full of alcohol and you've got yourself a deal.

[Gallows humor is how he rolls, man. Comes with the whole "being a terrorist leader" thing, especially when said terrorist organization is named 'Funeral Parlor.']

And good, because I don't plan on letting it stop me either. Even if it turns me to crystal, I'll go down fighting.

[Because he's a survivor. That's what he does, what he's done for his entire life. He's always been the one on the side singing the mourning songs.]

[Shot glass of alcohol, did you say? Guess what Law's pulling out to display.

That's right.

One bottle of sake coming up.]

Then all I can say is time's a wasting. Let's get to work.

Edited 2013-03-08 05:18 (UTC)

[Well. Gai's expression visibly brightens at that.

Good man, Law. Good man.

... until he flinches suddenly, just a brief thing that's hardly noticeable, but there all the same.]

[If you mean hardly noticeable as akin to the sound of a gunshot. But Law doesn't comment.

There's no point to. Both of them are going to have get used to this.

He instead escorts Gai to the usual place where he does the transfusions. The procedure for hooking him up to the drip is no different than any other time the man's been here.]

[And for that Gai is grateful. He already feels vulnerable enough; the last thing he wants right now is to have his weaknesses pointed out either in words or behavior. They'll be making themselves known soon enough whether he wants it or not. The more normalcy he can have until then, the better.

But there's no doubting that he's glad to have that transfusion, if only for the temporary relief that it will provide.]

[Once the transfusion's underway, Law brings a vial of pills along with the written directions. He shakes two onto a dish, and pours a glass of sake.

The door, as ever, is locked behind them. No one can stumble in and see.]

Here.

[Now Gai's eyebrows go up. Offering him booze with the pills? Not that he's complaining, but he was under the impression that combining alcohol with most medications was a bad thing.]

I'm not going to pass out or get sick if I do this?

Appointments 2.0

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd] 1/2

[Action, February 22nd] 2/2

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]

[Action, February 22nd]