deathsdoctor | 011 [Action/Voice]

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011 [Action/Voice]

[There’s such a depressed pall hanging over Luceti recently. Coming and goings from the village are common, but the disappearances have really taken their toll recently. So many in such a short period of time – mainstays and pillars of the community – just gone and the wave of them does not feel like it has subsided quite yet.

It sucks whatever joy there is to be had from a birthday. And Luceti? Today is one for Trafalgar Law.

He barely remembered. Not that he expects anyone else will. He’s told few and those few are all dealing with their own losses as he’s dealing with his. And with McCoy now gone, there isn’t much time to dwell on anything much as he takes over the other doctor’s share of shifts and sorts through whatever he left and was working on at the Battle Dome clinic.

Maybe it’s for the best no one will probably remember. He is in no mood for a party. But Law takes the day for himself anyway.

You can catch him in the morning around town fetching various things (namely booze), and from eleven thirty onwards into the afternoon at the docks, tending to the Shinonome so she’s ready to sail.

And before the afternoon is done, one 100% filtered message goes out over the journal to Uchiha Itachi:]

Care to join me down at the docks? Dress warmly and you might want to set out Amaya’s dinner for the night… and the next morning. There’s a nice wind tonight for a trip.

[He promised you a sail, remember?]

Oh, and Itachi? Would you bring along a bottle or two of your favorite drink? I figure it’s a night for it.

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[He'd had a feeling it was something like that, but he hadn't wanted to make any assumptions.

He has no clue about the unmentioned.]

It's very fitting, in that case.

[Good.

He smiles in response.]

Well, I should point out a few tricks she might pull before we get underway. [He pats the boom.] In particular, you want to never ignore what this is doing while you're on deck.

[Or it will knock you overboard in a heartbeat.]

Noted.

[Although Itachi is particularly good at avoiding that sort of thing to begin with. Even blind.]

[It still bears saying. Even for people particularly good at avoiding this sort of thing. It only takes a moment during a tack or a gybe, or when the boat is rocked by a wave, or hit by a sudden gust of wind.]

The rest is basically common sense things. I really don't expect the weather to turn foul out there - it feels like it will be clear for the entire trip and I'll know if a storm approaches. But if she starts tossing and heaving, and you feel at any time there's a danger of being thrown off the craft, I have jacklines and harnesses to keep you tethered in. ... as well as lifejackets.

[... though, yeah, after that walking on water bit... would you really need one of those?]

[Itachi is unable to help smiling a little at that. No, he shouldn't need any of those things.]

You're well-prepared, it seems. This vessel is lucky to have a real captain.

[As was anyone aboard it.]

[Shrugging as he starts untying the dock lines, hauling up the fenders (sandbags that take the brunt of being smacked into the rock dock and sparing the hull from damage as the waves push the boat about) as he goes. He leaves the last line tied at the stern just for now.] Aa... well... the Grand Line is a vicious place, and it's just habit by now. [And I'm a Devil Fruit User out by myself with no crew to jump in after me.] You never know what the sea is going to throw at you.

Want to help me get these sails ready for raising? We need to get up five. The mainsail, the topsail, the staysail, and the jibs.

[Itachi stands to help, not exactly certain which sail is which but sure that Law will point out exactly what needs to be done.]

[You're going to find out very quickly which sail is which. The mainsail is the big one, attached to the boom and the gaff (that smaller spar that's raised with the sail up the mast), the topsail is a smaller one hoisted above it. Law talks as he works, pointing out what needs to happen and demonstrating at the same time. Working across from the corners of the sail, he ties the lines to both spars, fingers flying with practiced easy speed.

The staysail and jibs (working and flying) are hanked onto the forestay, a cable running from tip of bowsprit to top of mast, with more shackles. There are yet more sails stored away, and if asked about them, there will come an explanation about how weather conditions can require differing numbers and arrangements of sails.

It doesn't take long, surprisingly. Longer than if Law had been doing it himself - but there's no hurry and he wants there to be time for you to properly get a feel for it all and get more intimately acquainted with what it is to sail than just sitting back and enjoying the ride.

There's going to be plenty of that already on this voyage.]

[Itachi has always been a quick learner. He had to be.

He follows the directions patiently and carefully, helping Law out the best he can, eyes occasionally flashing to red so he can take his movements in faster.

When they're done, he sits and adjusts himself further to the gentle rocking of the boat.]

[The sails are raised, red as blood, mainsail marked in black with his Jolly Roger, and filling with the dry breeze coming down from over the mountains. Not enough quite to get underway - Law unties the last dockline and shoves his foot against the rock to create some breathing room between the boat and the dock - until a focused gust of wind magic gets things started.

After that, it's just a matter of trimming the sails to take full advantage of the breeze, and the ship smoothly begins to race forward, spray rising, into the open water.]

We'll find somewhere to set anchor for dinner in a bit. [Fingers resting on the tiller as he sits.] But for now, I think we can crack what you bought open. It's a perfect time for a drink.

Edited 2011-10-21 23:59 (UTC)

[Itachi produces the jug, as well as a couple saucers. Surely an experienced seaman wouldn't have any trouble not spilling the contents.]

I don't suppose you wanted any sort of toast.

Your choice. [Law has no preference either way.

And, he's a pirate, Itachi. We don't waste good booze. Not a single drop. He warms the contents with a trick learned from Eferin, unseals the jug and pours a fair measure into each sakazuki.

Been a fair while since he's drunk from sakazuki. The bar has ochoko for drinking from, and the set he was gifted with has those small, cylindrical cups as well. Sakazuki are so much more formal, appropriate for weddings and tea ceremony, other binding acts... and he gets the impression from you and your brother that the Uchiha were a traditional people.

Well. Different worlds. Different traditions. And they're just cups at the end of the day.]

Edited 2011-10-22 12:18 (UTC)

[Well, it is a birthday. Not quite the most formal of events, but it's the first time Itachi's been on a boat like this as well. That has to count for something.

And honestly, it's been years since Itachi's participated in anything truly formal. It had seemed like a good idea at the time.]

I'm not much for them myself, but it is your birthday. Perhaps a send-off for a better year.

[Any good thing has to count for something.

... years, huh? One of these days that will have to be fixed.]

Sounds like a plan to me. [He raised the saucer.] To a better year, then. Filled with as much happiness, health, and freedom that can be managed here.

[Itachi raises his in return.]

To less troubles and heartache for the villagers in general.

Hear, hear.

[Downing it in one go.]

[Itachi sips his a little more slowly, but still matches Law in finishing it at once.]

This month is worrisome in particular. But this isn't the time for fretting over that.

[He nods, and refills their saucers]

Halloween. The ghost festival. I know.

[He remembers telling Sanji a tale from the Grand Line about one of the more macabre ones for the dead.

He told it the night he arrived.]

I'd rather not think about those things tonight as well. [He nudges the tiller to slightly correct their course.] How about something else? Like Filial magic or even what Amaya's been up to recently?

Edited 2011-10-24 08:21 (UTC)

Those are both acceptable topics. I have continued my studies with both Eferin and Sona, elements I already had an affinity for.

[The corners of his lips turn up slightly at the next comment.]

Amaya has confiscated one of my better shirts for sleeping in.

Mm? How's that going? I've gotta say, fire's the element I have least affinity with... Eferin and I tend not to... get on well. I have too much of a water affinity for his liking. Says I'm gonna drown him. [You gotta wonder how the hell he even managed a pact.] Sounds like he's a hell of a lot more amicable to you.

[His own quirk at the next comment.]

Oh really? Little thief. [It's warmly amused and affectionate. Par for course for cat antics.] A favorite shirt of yours? She might be after it because of the scent. [Or it's warm and fuzzy. But you don't really seem like a fuzzy sweater guy.]

Members of the Uchiha clan have usually had a close affinity to fire. Our symbols is that of a fan, to help the flames rise. We also made our home in the land of fire.

...And I assume that's the case. Though she is free to the actual bed. I suppose she simply likes to create her own sense of comfort.

[Considering. Thoughtful.] Mine's water, wind, and lightning. [He has a sea storm for a soul. But that shouldn't be a surprise.] At least according to the spirits. Back home, we don't really have obvious affinities. [...] ... unless you're Logia, and that's a little different.

But that makes a lot of sense. [About a lot of things.] Do a lot of people in the Land of Fire have the same affinity as well?

[... she's got the run of the apartment, doesn't she? |D]

Heh. That sounds about right. It seems to be a thing common to all cats - to march to the beat of their own drum.

Where I come from, it's natural for a ninja to have a natural affinity for two elements, though they may not discover the latter for a while. Having more than that isn't unheard of, but very rare.

[Who else is going to run it if she doesn't?]

That's what made nin-cats particularly difficult to work with at times. A dog at least has a pack mentality.

Mmhm. [Sipping his sake and then putting it down so he can get a hold of the lines to adjust the sails for a gybe and work the tiller at once.] How do you figure it out, at least for the stronger element? Do you just know - watch your head, gybing [INCOMING BOOM GOING AT HOLY FUCK SPEED ACROSS THE DECK as the sails are readjusted and trimmed to their new direction] - or is there a process for figuring it out?

[Already got you whipped then. |3 Good girl.]

Sounds like you have plenty of nin-cat stories to share. [Which is an invitation to share them now.]

It will usually be something that's discovered naturally in the early years of a ninja's training.

[The sail is avoided expertly, though he doesn't so much as turn his head toward it.]

And I don't have as many stories as you'd think. I didn't do much training with them, but our clan used to work with them quite often. I remember catnip bribery was often involved.

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