Luceti Valley - The First Log

[lucetimods]

Who: Everyone
What: The start of a new experiment... or is it?
When: August 2nd - August 6th
Where: Luceti itself
Summary: Luceti has become an idyllic and peaceful 50s-esque village. The first few days are just business as usual, right?
Rating: Varies with thread. Please move explicit stuff to appointments post with appropriate warnings.

August 1st had seemed like an ordinary day in Luceti. But late in the evening, for those night owls who had not turned in yet, they were witness to strange fluctuations in the barrier. Beautiful, really, almost like Luceti had received its own 'Northern Lights', even though it seemed to come from the far east, across the ocean. This ominous light show lasted for all of fifteen minutes before it ceased all together. Skimming the ocean waters, a horde of cultists entered Luceti, cloaked by darkness. Upon reaching the entrance to the tunnels, their leader stepped inside and was followed one by one by his fellow cultists. When the last had entered, the tunnel entrance closed. Across the mountains, the entrance to the tunnels in the village did the same.

Midnight passed without incident, but by three in the morning, the change suddenly came. Minds were altered, forms were changed, and buildings sprang from nowhere.

Much later, on August 2nd, morning settled on a changed village, the new mayor made his way to his mansion with his pair of adorable dobermans at either side of him. The sun shined bright. It was a good day to be a Lucetian.

Note: There will be a stand alone log for the homecoming dance. There will be another log for the second stage of the event.

Comments

[deathsdoctor]

Temari's tougher than most, there's no question of that. [She's his sister and even though he's furious and deeply worried underneath, there's pride in his voice. Laws are tough... it's one of the things they're known for.] But it's a big brother's prerogative to fret, you know.

Don't know what else's due to be coming down the road for us.

[yourhatred]

[Itachi knows all about being a fretting big brother, so he makes a low noise of agreement.

And of course Law had to go and mention other worries.

Somehow it still doesn't seem like a good lead into the inevitable, though.]

[deathsdoctor]

[... what the hell can he do? Only children cry about the world being unfair; adults do something to even the score.

How does he start evening the score?

How do they start evening the score?

...

You make them hurt. And hurting them is taking away their power. Taking away their prestige. Taking away their ability to make money and taking away their abilities to buy people.

You hurt them by being better than them, by outplaying them.

You hurt them by forcing them to see you as equals.

You hurt them by refusing to be anything but their equals.

You hurt them by not giving in.

And Laws are ruthless, but the sudden heated desire in his blood is new. It's just a working man's desire to see justice done. That's all.]

[yourhatred]

Just don't do anything rash.

[The word "rash" comes out a little rougher than he intended, and he clears his throat to cover it. Anxiety always makes it worse.

He can't read Law's mind, but he knows the man well enough. He can feel the shift in body language.]

She'll chastise you for it later.

[deathsdoctor]

I'm not gonna be stupid. Especially not now. She doesn't need that.

[He can't.

But there's something forming in his voice. The beginnings of a resolution.]

... but I'm not going to stop being angry. There has to be a line where people say enough. We've accepted so much over years that we shouldn't have. Doing nothing now... you gotta ask yourself when it will be the time to do something.

This is my line, Itachi. ... it may take my lifetime, but I'm going to find a way to change this system.

[yourhatred]

[Itachi closes his eyes, more for just the action's sake than anything.]

I know you'll do your best.

[He worries for you, of course. And he'd like to get involved himself, but with the way things are now...]</small

[deathsdoctor]

[As long as he knows at the end of the day you'll be there for him, it's alright.]

I have people I can't do any less for.

[yourhatred]

[The blind man bends down to lay a kiss on Law's cheek.

He'd come here intending to tell his partner about his returning illness, something he'd been doing his best to keep from others for weeks now. Every time he thought the opportunity had presented itself before, he'd ended up stopping himself.

It looked like this might be one of those times again.]

[deathsdoctor]

[It might. Or it might not. It might be a trick of the light, might be the events earlier, but something just catches his eye when Itachi draws back and causes him to pause smiling... which fades as he looks harder.]






... Itachi? You look a little pale... you alright?

[yourhatred]

It's just the stress, most likely.

[The stress that's aggravating his illness further, that is. Sasuke hadn't noticed he was pale before, so that has to be it.

His efforts to keep it in can't be helping either.]

[deathsdoctor]

[Mnnn... no. That's not really it, and Law starts to prop himself up. His partner looks completely worn out, and not just in a way brought on by overwork. And he frowns.]

Itachi.

[You know he knows better than that.]

[yourhatred]

It's... [Nothing. He means to say this, but he knows the way Law must be looking at him right now.]

...

[His head lowers.]

[deathsdoctor]

[...

Oh no.

His face pales.

It isn't that, is it?]

... no.

No.

It's coming back now?

[yourhatred]

I held out a while before.

I think... I should be able to manage until things are more stable...

[If things ever get more stable.

So yes. It's that.]

[deathsdoctor]

[... he feels sick. Haha given the circumstances.]

There's no guarantee of that. You know that.

[He knows Itachi won't stop working. Can't. And he also knows the more he works, the faster the disease will take its toll.]

Itachi...

[Please let him help. Please.]

[yourhatred]

No, there's no guarantee of anything. But what else can I do?

You're a doctor. If you think it will help, you can keep tabs on my condition.

[But he won't ask for any more than that.]

[deathsdoctor]

[Hissing. Anger is good. But, it can't cover the agony of his heart slowly breaking. Why did he float the idea of marriage yesterday?

It hurts now. To dream of a future... one together... something that seemed reachable.

And now this.]

Stubborn.

[That's the first thing that passes his lips. His teeth clench. Don't kill yourself for your pride. Let me help.]

Don't take it all on yourself. Let the people who love you support you.

[yourhatred]

It should be the other way around.

[Irritation causes his chest to clench up.]

The last thing I want is for the two of you to take on more than you need for my sake.

[His brother, especially. Law will always be able to find someone willing to pay him for his skills, but his brother still has a lot he needs to do to succeed. He can't interfere with that.]

[deathsdoctor]

If our positions were reversed, and if it was me or Sasuke, you wouldn't take that from us, and you damn well know it. You wouldn't let us sacrifice ourselves for fear of making life difficult for you.

Guess what. You're too important to sacrifice either. I know what I can handle and I will damn well take the knowledge that I did everything I could do to see you through this over any comfort or security.

[Oh no, not backing down. Not on this. He'll fight you on it to the heat death of the universe.

And he'll damn well win.]

[yourhatred]

[The blind man closes his eyes again, then silently moves to stand up from the sofa.

He wanted Law to know, but... coming here tonight may have been a bad idea.]

[deathsdoctor]

[... he's walking out. Law's heart seizes in his chest. He's walking out.

Of course he's leaving you, a voice whispers, you knew one day he would.

He has no idea where the voice came from.]

You leaving?

[Though with the agony in his voice, that could be better translated as You running?]

[yourhatred]

Sasuke will wonder where I am if I don't get home soon.

[Running.

Yes. Just for now. They could argue all night on this subject. Law knows now. He tells himself that this is all he needed to get across right now and ignores the tone of his partner's voice.]

We'll continue this later.

[deathsdoctor]

[Just for now turns into forever.

He growls. No, no, no. For such a bright man, he could be so stupid.]

Don't get yourself killed out there.

[The streets are going to be a mess tonight.

And it's rough and gritted with anguish. There's a blade in his breaking heart, and he's bleeding.

No, this isn't over. Not by a longshot.]

[yourhatred]

I'll do my best.

[The dark, after all, is already his territory. He knows these streets better than anyone with vision.

His own tone remains cold, but... he isn't angry. Not really. He can't be angry with Law for meaning well. As it usually does, most of the anger lies with himself.

And some dark voice within him reminds him that he isn't worthy of their efforts as he opens the door to see himself out.]

[deathsdoctor]

[Law waits until the door closes and the sound of footsteps disappear down the path. Doesn't say anything.

Just drives his fist down into the couch cushions. He wants to break something. He can't afford to.

Then he slowly staggers to bed. All the misery in the world can't change he has work in the morning.

He has no choice but to go.]