Soul Food [Law, Murasaki]

It had been a bit of time since their last meeting, but Law still couldn't imagine Murasaki's demeanor having shifted so drastically. She had been incredibly cheerful every time he'd met her previously, but this last text had marked a dramatic change of tone. To be honest, it made him angry. He couldn't quite explain the anger, but he certainly felt it. Perhaps he was just overreacting though. After all, he hadn't even seen her yet. Something in the back of his mind told him that he'd be even less pleased when he did though, which troubled him.

Since they'd last met, Law had taken on a bit of a task for Vastime, having taken out an SF base, and sailing towards America from the Bahama's. He couldn't exactly justify taking his entire crew, in addition to a ship that belonged to Vastime to the exact opposite side of the country, so he left them on standby for a bit.

It didn't take Law very long to reach California, Plum sake in tow. He'd been carrying it around in his luggage since he left Japan, actually. He'd like to call it the power of foresight, but in reality it was just a preparation for an occurrence he'd hoped for. Law had a feeling this wouldn't be the meeting he'd hoped for, however. On the way, he created a small bow and tied a card to it, something he thought would certainly make the Murasaki he knew smile.

As he slowly walked across the bridge, Law could see his captain seated in a quite different setup that what he was used to. Another nagging feeling would not leave him as he traversed the remainder of the distance, all the way up until he stood before her. He had planned to send the bottle of sake directly to her using his room, but when he saw her from afar he'd changed his mind, wanting to hand it to her directly. There was none of the energy that one would expect from the usually cheery green haired woman. Law sat across from her and offered the bottle, its small card, and the words inscribed upon it clearly visible.

It's gonna be totes daijobu

"Yo, you wanted to talk to me cap?"

Upon Law's arrival, Murasaki's only response was to set down her tea and simply stare at the bottle he had brought for her. In truth, she had long since forgotten about the request she had made to him, and even seeing the gift now didn't jog her memory. Nevertheless, she took it after realizing it was for her, and read the card for perhaps a moment longer than one might imagine it would take. The bottle may not have reminded her, but the note surely had.

“...I appreciate that you took the time to bring this. Thank you.”

Any of the usual joy that might have rung through Murasaki's voice was entirely absent as she spoke. Her words seemed to convey nothing more than the most literal meaning they might have had, as if any emotion had been actively carved away. That wasn't far from the case, of course, but considering that this girl was perhaps better known than any other in the Gotei for her cheer, the complete absence of it was more than a touch striking. Setting the bottle down after examining it for a moment or two longer, the captain returned her attention to Law, her gaze disconcertingly cold and analytical.

“Though there's been a ceasefire for a while, the war will probably be starting again soon. We've already gotten reports of an attack in Vastime, though we don't have the full details yet. Whether it was Shadow Fall or someone else, they've been biding their time long enough that I suspect they'll be ready for something major. I suspect either a counteroffensive for America, or an assault in Europe against Vastime. Either way, we need to be ready here. You're familiar with this country, and I know you've been operating in the area. I want a rundown of what you know.”

Naturally, there were probably more personal matters that Murasaki should have been talking about, but it had been months now and she certainly hadn't talked about them yet. She wouldn't be starting any time soon, either, not when she still had so much work to be doing.