deathsdoctor | 013 [Voice/Action] Forward dated to the 19/20th

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013 [Voice/Action] Forward dated to the 19/20th

[So on the evening of the nineteenth, a message appears in Law’s journal. He takes one moment and groans. Now? Apparently the Malnosso were feeling generous. For a roughly month’s worth of missions, one right after the other, they in their infinite wisdom decided to give him more than a day’s notice to get his affairs in order.

They gave him a day – and looking at the clock – and seven hours notice. Be in the tunnels and transport at four am sharp on the 21st.

Generous.

So, that night, two filtered messages go out:]

[Filtered TO all medical staff (including Raine Sage, Mia, and Litchi Faye Ling)]

I’ve just received two back to back missions from the Malnosso. I’m leaving early on the twenty first. Unfortunately, they want me for a month, roughly. So I need classes covered and someone to keep on top of everything going on at the clinic until I get back.

[Filtered AWAY from Blackbeard 100%]

Oi, guys. I’ve got a couple missions, and I’m going to be gone away for a while. I need someone to keep an eye on my boat. [Oh, he knows that some people might be opportunistic bastards. We shall be READY for that.] And, I need someone to take care of Sumire for me.

[The next day, aside from being all around the village and at home to prepare for this mission before he leaves to teach class at three sharp, he’s going to be visiting the FMA house, aka House 23 with a small request. HOPEFULLY he’ll get Gracia, but who knows… it might be –ohgodno- Maes.

But the request is simple.

Watch his house while he’s gone, guys.]

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Aaa... no. I didn't. [He has the grace to look sheepish. Slipping lately.]

...

...

...

There are pictures, you know? Of a lot of things that you did before. I gave some of mine to Ms Gracia. I also know Miss Elicia has some. [He was there when they were taken. She asked if she could keep them. Law had said yes.]

I don't know how many of the ones you took are still around, but... once I get back, I'd willing to tell you what was going on in the ones I know that are left.

[...Oh. He didn't know. Well then.]

...Well, if that's the case, I'll make you a deal. I'll have Elicia show me her pictures and tell me all about you while you're gone, and then when you're back, we can chat and see what actually matches up to truth! [And now he's grinning. Any story told be Elicia is bound to be embellished a bit. Law might come back to Maes thinking he's a knight of the round table.]

[Or a ninja-pirate!

... which is true.]

Sounds like a plan to me. [He's smiling a bit too.] One that should happen over coffee or tea. Your wife makes a very fine cup of both.

[Well, that's pretty decent story material.]

Oh, Gracia makes the best! It's a done deal, then. As soon as your back, we'll meet over the best tea in Luceti. And in the meantime, I'll make sure no one tries any funny business with your house.

I'll be looking forward to that.

[After a month with the Malnosso. Working for the bastards.

... it will be heaven in a cup.]

Thanks. It's a load off my shoulders like you wouldn't believe.

[It being New Feather season and all.]

...I guess it'd be good to know which house is yours, first. [He won't exactly be a good watchman if he doesn't even know what he's watching.] Which one do you live in?

[He looks around outside the doorframe.]

... House 22. Right next door. [And there is pointing at a small house with snow covered rose bushes out front.]

Come over and I'll give you a quick tour.

[ALRIGHT, HOUSE TOUR. He's down with that.]

I'm right behind you.

It's unfortunately a bit of a mess right now. They have me out in the field for a month.

[And thankfully there's not many deep snowdrifts between here and House 22. Just his poor, suffering, buried rose bushes out front, and his thankfully plucked clean apple and plum trees in the back.

The blast of warm air as he opens the front door and stamps the snow off his shoes should be welcome nonetheless.]

[Even if it's a short walk, he has the good sense to grab his coat off the coat hanger before shutting the door behind him. He just got back from the dead. He doesn't need to go about catching a cold now.]

Do you know what you'll be doing out there, yet? [He asks as he follows Trafalgar through his door.]

Yeah. Week of guerrilla warfare up in the mountains. Place called Sirry Craigs.

[Which would explain the weapons and other gear set out in the living room. Like the razor edged kunai, the tanto, and the nodachi. Man likes his sharp pointy objects.]

Then I'm being shipped out to the jungles for about three weeks for medical work. Surgeries, bedside care, trauma work... that sort of deal. I've been informed it's a field hospital setting - so I'll be pretty cut off from civilization for the all of it.

[Hm. That hardly sounds safe, and there's a great amount of risk involved in being out in the field that long. He knows enough about battlefields to recognize that.

He also realizes that this man trusts him, considering he's putting his house in his care. So he's not hesitant to ask his next question.] Why'd you take on something like that?

Not for the pay, that's for sure. [The rewards are... alright, but they alone don't make up for a month of working for Them.]

Frankly, the only reason I'm taking this on is for the intelligence opportunities. Information about the outside world and everything going on in it is kept from us. Same about our gracious 'hosts'. I don't expect to get much - they'll obviously be on guard for espionage, but every little bit here and there... it adds up. Maybe one day it will give us the key to this cage. Or at least a bargaining chip.

Something's better than nothing.

[He nods. From what he's heard so far, the rewards for going on missions definitely didn't seem like adequate compensation, so Law's going about the right way. And this sort of perspective is pretty intriguing--he doesn't intend to volunteer anytime soon, but if he did, he'd tackle it the exact same way. Find out as much as he can about the inside.]

It seems the Malnosso are particularly good at keeping secrets. [They wouldn't be easy to crack, that was for certain.] But you're exactly right. Something is more to work with.

[That's the first floor. Living room, kitchen, bedroom (that sort of looks like it's been commandeered for an office), and the house's single bathroom. Time for the stairs. The second floor has two bedrooms, a storage room, and a wide open space instead of a hallway.]

Mmhmm. It just takes patience. Patience and time. [A quiet nod. The long game. Law is a master at playing it.] And keeping your hopes up in the meantime.

Edited 2011-11-27 08:31 (UTC)

[He keeps a mental check on everything he sees, following Law as he proceeds upstairs.]

I've heard there are people who have been here for three or four years. [And he would imagine that would be a very long time for most people to keep their hopes up.] How long have you been here?

... just over a year. I arrived here either sometime very late on the 16th or very early on the 17th of last November. The circumstances of my arrival made it difficult to know really, and it doesn't really matter anyway.

... they say the first year goes by fast here. They're right.

[The weight of all that time hangs heavy in those last two words. The toll. He pushes open the storage room door.]

I'll keep myself prepared for that, then.

[The idea of being here for a year--and more--is sharply appealing. Even if he's realizing that at any moment, anyone important to him could just vanish. It makes it a bit difficult to look ahead to the future.] Thanks for the heads up.

[A ghostly smile.] You're welcome.

[The storage room is filled with preserves (mikan, apple, plum), smoked and salted kinds of fish sealed tight, and medical supplies for the most. There are other things here - sewing supplies and fabric bits and bolts, water stones and other sword care paraphernalia, things for a boat.]

Experiment time is nearly here again. The last time in November, it was particularly harsh - went on for two weeks. And sometimes things suffer for that - like the availability of food. If it's needed, you and your family may help yourself to my supplies.

[It's a curious collection of items, and Hughes can't help but be intrigued by what Law must do in his spare time. Must keep some interesting hobbies, bro.]

That's certainly kind of you to offer. Hopefully it won't come to that. [He's pretty wary of facing his first experiment himself--but he does genuinely appreciate the offer.] What sort of experiment was that? It doesn't seem like they have much to gain by limiting our food supply.

[Yup. Strange ones for a pirate.

... whoever heard of one who like to sew, for instance?]

Two weeks of rehashing every experiment that's ever hit this place. Every. single. one. [It was his first experiment. He sighs.] It was lucky if you had any grasp of reality by the end, to say nothing of your sense of self.

They didn't limit the food supply then. But there's been times when it's been cut off... when they've screwed up the implementing the experiment somehow. Last notable one was in August of Cycle Three... year and half back. There was massive quakes, helluva lot of damage, and they didn't shift in food for at least a week.

[Not him. Of course, he's never interacted with a pirate before, so he doesn't quite have a set opinion of them. Maybe they all like to sew!]

So, they really just like to mess with us, don't they. [He hasn't been told much about the nature of experiments themselves, so this information is a bit unsettling. People losing control over their senses, destructive earthquakes causing panic...yes, unsettling, to say the least.]

Well, I'll be on my guard for something happening in the next few weeks, then. I take the Malnosso are pretty tight-lipped about their reasons for doing these things.

Oh yeah. They tend to be either that or exceptionally cryptic. [His lips twist and he mutters:] Moonrocks. [Story there. Do you want to hear it?] Once in a rare while they'll outright taunt.

[He leaves the storage room and pushes open one of the doors to the bedrooms. Obviously the man's room, judging by what's found within. A dozing black kitten with orange eyes, stirs sleepily and raises her head from the double bed she's made napping spot.

Hi there not quite a stranger. I recognize your scent.]

Deliberately cryptic, too, I take. [There's just no winning with these guys, is there?] What about moon rocks?

[At the room, he glances around until--oh, hello there, little friend. Man, and he has a pet cat, too? Surprises everywhere!]

You have a cat!

Last experiment. About a week and a bit before the whole thing hit a crescendo, a new face from the Malnosso, CJ, made an appearance on the network. He was there to announce the missions program going into effect November first. If we were all still sane enough by then to submit ourselves to them.

[His lips twist.] Then he said if anyone from the village found any moon rocks, to let him know.

And then they sent the moon crashing into the village soon after. Took about a week for the thing to finally breach the barrier and crash, in which we had earthquakes, freak tidal shifts, fluctuations in the power cap, and masks that altered the wearer to different themes. Fun.

[Sumire gets to her feet, and gives her owner an expectant look. Law indulgently clucks his tongue, hold out his arms, and mutters:] You are getting so spoiled. [as Sumire jumps up and is caught, shifted so she can be held comfortably and petted.]

Yes. Meet Sumire.

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