[Locked To Residents Currently in Luceti]

[malnosso]

[At four in the afternoon, Bil awoke in a cottage in the orchards. He had slept through the storm, obliviously, even though the weather had raged on outside. He found himself in the company of his healers and protectors. Through them he had discovered what had transpired and had in turn requested a journal. To make out brief message. Though using Trafalgar's journal, he had managed to construct a filter limiting the readers to only those currently within Luceti's enclosure. This alone took him a good ten minutes, requiring the input of passwords and the bypassing of protocols. Quite careful to avoid anyone peeking over his shoulder.

His voice is slow, weary, and raspy. The man is not in good health.]

Well, it seems I've survived. [A raspy coughing fit.] Not for long, I fear. It seems I have many of you to thank for this. I would have never expected it from those who have always hated me. I don't have much longer. [A long pause.] Soon I will have reached the end of my days. My doctors tell me I have little time left. It has been a long time coming, though I did not expect it to happen this way. I can't be sure what will await me when I revive, but arrangements have been made with my allies.

[Another fit of coughing.] I don't have much time left, but if there is something I can offer in payment, I will endeavor to make good on it when I can.

[ooc: True to his word, Bil has less than an hour to live before he will pass away. His conversations will likely be brief, but those who want to speak to him on the journals can do so. Whether anyone is permitted to see him in person will be up to his current caretakers: Trafalgar Law, Chopper, and Nami.

Note: This is during the draft, so he'll only be available to those NOT on the draft. However, once back in Luceti, draftees will be able to read back on the conversations. ]

Comments

voice:

[shenevermisses]

[She doesn't expect an honest answer, really. But she wants an answer. Not from the people after him, not from the people protecting him, from him.]

Why do they want you?

voice:

[malnosso]

To keep me alive.

voice:

[shenevermisses]

And if they don't get you alive, what will they do to us?

[Voice]

[mountain_sage]

You're...

[Is he really dying? This can't be...not after all they've done. However, something he said strikes Saleh as odd.]

I'm sorry, I...we should have done more. But did you mean that we were the cause of this? Of your...death?

[Voice]

[malnosso]

No, not at all. [Cough.] I may die because of you. That is not a bad thing.

[ voice ]

[rashness]

Ossan. We've been fightin' with our blood and sweat just for you to go and die on us? You can just go die like that!

[He's tired. He's never been tired in his demon form, but then he's never held his demon form as long as he had in the last few days either. It shows in how ragged his voice is]

[ voice ]

[malnosso]

It's old age, my boy. [Cough.] I wasn't meant to live forever.

[voice]

[presumablyalone]

N-No. [He panics. "I don't have much time left" "Soon I will have reached the end of my days."

Seto has experienced watching people die around him far more than a normal 16 year old should ever in one lifetime. He's even had to bury all of those people himself. And even though he doesn't know Bil that well at all... he doesn't want this man to go, even if he'll be brought back to life like Seto was before. It just weighs down on him]

No, please don't die!!

[voice]

[malnosso]

This is what I've wanted.

[Action] 8|a

[mikangirl]

[She feels kind of pissed about this, actually. For any number of reasons, between the fact that anyone dying on her watch is upsetting and the cold, hard thought that maybe she should have followed through months ago and just killed him then and saved everyone this hassle and the conflict between those two thoughts...

He'll be alive again in another week. One way or the other. Nami folds her arms and tries not to think how much this place has changed her.

On the other hand, payment she'll never be shy about asking for. Even if her voice is pitched much more softly than usual.]

What kind of payment can you offer?

[Action]

[malnosso]

[Weak as he is, he forms a sort of half smile and a weak chuckle, that goes into coughing before he answers.]

I doubt money will do you any good hear, my dear.

[Voice]

[mythmaker]

Catherine-san.

[They only had one conversation, one where Azusa asked for a tropical island. It seems like such a long time ago, and it was.]

I can think of one thing I'd like to ask for, if that's alright.

[Voice]

[malnosso]

What might that be?

[voice]

[anxiousgrace]

That's... I hope you aren't in pain.

[She sighs. If this is really true, if Bil can be trusted, there is so much she could ask, but...]

Could you answer a few questions?

[voice]

[malnosso]

I can try.

voice;

[gleamed]

...Mr. Bil? [Her voice is quiet at first, but then grows in urgency.] I-I can try and heal you! You see, I have this magic hair and...well, it might just do the trick!

voice;

[malnosso]

That sounds quite nice. [Cough.] But I cannot accept.

[Action]

[thefinaljedi]

[Luke quietly dashes to the cabin, exhausted but using the last of his strength. He's sorry to have heard the transmission. He offers Law and the others a nod from the door before approaching the ancient man. Kneeling beside the bed, the Jedi politely inclines his head]

Sir Catherine, I'm sorry that your time has come. If I may, I'd like to ask you a few questions, and if I may be so bold a request as well.

[Action]

[malnosso]

[He doesn't quite get up and barely even opens his eyes to answer.]

I'll answer what I can.

[notabluesbro]

[He keeps track of all the conversations, and he's already figured this was a possibility--Catherine was an old bastard. An old, injured bastard, who refused to wake up during all that time. Of course he'd be dying. He rubs his forehead with the end of his palm, a cigarette in hand.]

Gonna' enjoy some short-lived solitude in death, padre?

[Ha. What an oxymoron.

A pause.]

Actually... I do have one request. Don't know how much good it'd do to ask, though.

[malnosso]

It won't hurt to ask. [He says as he coughs, with minutes left on his clock.]

[Voice]

[of_sablier]

I think you'll find that death isn't nearly as terrible a thing as people make it sound, at least.

-- ah, but I do have one request, if there's any way you could grant it.

[Voice]

[malnosso]

No, no it's not. [He sounds rather peaceful about that.] What's your request?

[Voice]

[tailasoldastime]

[... He has never talked to a dying man before... and he at first wasn't going to... but he needs to know before he won't be able to.]

... Wh... would it have been worse... if... if they took you?

[Meaning, did he do the right thing? He didn't waste all his energy for nothing, did he?]

[Voice]

[malnosso]

Yes. Far worse.