[After moral dilemma that the recent mission brought onto him, Lupin was glad to hear that bimonthly call for students that Smoker regularly sent over the journal feeds. The very thought of getting back to his kickboxing, and sharing a few smokes with the Marine, was a blessed distraction.
He needed them. Always.
It wasn't until midday that he reached the barracks, after a long night of drinking that was followed by a heavy sleep. The cold air was biting, but he needed to work on rebuilding his stamina. His trek would be well worth it before the end of the year.
The sight of the two coffee cups, the jitte, and the sunglasses were his first clue that something was wrong. Never in his entire association with Smoker had he ever seen the man without his jitte, nor without his sunglasses since his brief return home in the spring. Lupin's first suspicion was another such trip-- and the irritation at losing his friend to that chaotic sea once more tensed both his stance and his shoulders. He knew on a rational level that, since this was a new feather cycle, the odds were reasonable that Smoker would be back soon. That was the pattern the last time, and he had encountered similar occurrences.
However, the jitte and sunglasses were still in the village. His next thought was clear: abduction.
...after the prank with Robin and Law 'borrowing' Smoker's seastone cuffs, he understood the sheer value of the substance. Not only could it neutralize devil fruit abilities, it was also harder than diamond.
The jitte was at risk of being taken.
He flopped onto the chair in order to catch his breath. He needed to figure out how he was going to easily move the weapon...especially since Smoker had at least a foot and a hundred pounds on him.]
[Action]
He needed them. Always.
It wasn't until midday that he reached the barracks, after a long night of drinking that was followed by a heavy sleep. The cold air was biting, but he needed to work on rebuilding his stamina. His trek would be well worth it before the end of the year.
The sight of the two coffee cups, the jitte, and the sunglasses were his first clue that something was wrong. Never in his entire association with Smoker had he ever seen the man without his jitte, nor without his sunglasses since his brief return home in the spring. Lupin's first suspicion was another such trip-- and the irritation at losing his friend to that chaotic sea once more tensed both his stance and his shoulders. He knew on a rational level that, since this was a new feather cycle, the odds were reasonable that Smoker would be back soon. That was the pattern the last time, and he had encountered similar occurrences.
However, the jitte and sunglasses were still in the village. His next thought was clear: abduction.
...after the prank with Robin and Law 'borrowing' Smoker's seastone cuffs, he understood the sheer value of the substance. Not only could it neutralize devil fruit abilities, it was also harder than diamond.
The jitte was at risk of being taken.
He flopped onto the chair in order to catch his breath. He needed to figure out how he was going to easily move the weapon...especially since Smoker had at least a foot and a hundred pounds on him.]