[prologue] post-investigation, w/ sanji

[asswipe]

[Hey, Sanji.

Veronica hesitates at the door when she spots him in the kitchen, but after a moment, she walks in.]

Hi... [Sighing. She just wants a break, for once.] Think it's safe to grab a cup of water from here?

Comments

[concasse]

Of course~! I've boiled some water, then chilled it with ice and lemons for such an occasion~!

[All smiles, like Sanji usually is... but it's a quieter variant. Kinda hard to prance around when the mood is this heavy.]

[asswipe]

For... mourning? [This sucks. She's giving him a look before shaking her head, exhausted.]

No, never mind. Forget I asked that. [Whatever.] Is it ready? Because that sounds really, really good right now.

[concasse]

[Nooooo, uh, Sanji's just paranoid and boils water to make sure it's clear of poisons, but... that's probably not the answer to share right now.

Either way, he doesn't seem to take offense, already walking over to the fridge]

Yeah, I finished it yesterday. That shit better be ready. [Fetching her a cup, he'll pour her a glass and slide it her way]

[asswipe]

[That is totally not the answer she'd want to hear right now, no.]

Thanks. [Grabbing that cup and swishing the contents around for a moment. She doesn't take a sip from it yet, opting to stare at it for a bit.] So, um... What do you make out of all of this? I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't for anyone to actually die.

[concasse]

[...]

I already mentioned I was a pirate, yeah?

[His voice is even, serious, as he goes about pouring himself a glass of water, too.]

Well, even if I was just a sailor, you can't be one without seeing a lot of death, and most of the time it's at the hands of someone else.

[Sanji expected someone to die, yeah. He just... didn't think it'd be Gi-Gan.]

[asswipe]

... I'm sorry it has to be like that.

[She takes a sip from her cup, though, frowning at the ground.]

I can't even imagine a life where seeing people die is normal. Just the thought of getting used to it makes my stomach churn.

[concasse]

No one needs to get used to this shit.

[Sanji won't say he's not desensitized -- after all, it's more Jae-Ha's grief that's killing him, instead of Gi-gan's death -- but he knows how ugly that path gets]

Someone dying at the hands of someone else shouldn't be normal.

I'd rather we all feel like crap than brush it off.

[asswipe]

You're not wrong.

[She says, though it feels a little hollow. Maybe being desensitized has its own advantages.]

That level-headedness of yours is going to come in handy tomorrow, though. They're still making us go through a trial for this.

[concasse]

-- Oh. That shitty thing.

[Ugh. Sanji is... not looking forward to it, and it shows plainly on his expression.]

Not sure if I should be grateful or pissed off this is turning into a spectacle. More chances to catch the bastard who did this, but-- [Y'know, a stupid trial forced on them by their hosts. Kinda hard to be grateful.]

[asswipe]

[Same, pal. Same.

She genuinely wants to find the culprit. She really, truly wants to bring Gi-gan's murderer to justice, but... There's still that little voice inside her head. The one that tells her this can only go south.]

... But what if we screw it up? The rules account for us fucking up and pinning it on the wrong person.

[concasse]

... Then someone innocent dies.

[No sugar coating today. It won't help either of them to pretend failure isn't an option.]

We gotta review whatever we find carefully. It sounds like we only get one shot at this.

[asswipe]

No pressure, huh?

[Oh, god. She can feel a tension headache incoming. Time to take another big gulp from her cup, like it's a lifeline.]

Just... gotta let a gaggle of thirty seven confused, angry individuals decide the fate of one of their own. No problem.

[concasse]

[37-1 odds.

... Yeah, it's gonna get ugly.]

S'why it's better to get as much of that confusion and anger out before the trial starts.

[His words might be strong, but Sanji stares hard into his glass like he might break it if he doesn't concentrate]

[asswipe]

I agree with you, but try telling that to everyone else here.

[It's definitely going to get ugly. She's already dreading the meltdowns some people are going to have depending on how this goes — and that might include herself.]

Everything about this is a complete recipe for disaster.

[concasse]

I've told a few... mostly the kids.

[The words sour in his mouth]

Tch, they shouldn't need to be apart of this shit in the first place... Not that my bitchin's gonna change anything.

[asswipe]

Even if it doesn't change anything, at least it'll make you feel better.

[Not by a lot, but. It's something. Cuss the world out. It's all they can do, isn't it?]

[concasse]

That's probably why I curse all the shitty time.

[God lord, he can be self-aware]

[asswipe]

It's as good a reason to curse as any, if you ask me.

[Stress relief is good. Curse to infinity, Sanji.]

[concasse]

Ain't it?

You got a good source of stress relief?

[He'd offer her a cigarette if he wasn't already down to like... six.]

[asswipe]

I'd usually curse my friends out in my diary, but... [Said like it's meant to be an (unfunny) joke, as she gestures at herself.] No diary. No friends here, either.

[concasse]

Nonsense~!

I'll be your friend, Veronica-chwan~!

You can curse me out in your diary anytime~!

[-- THAT'S THE TAKEAWAY, RIGHT?]

[asswipe]

[... GOD.]

You really change tracks fast, huh?

[concasse]

Such is the power of a pretty lady~! How am I supposed keep down?