Blood

Characters: Law, Heart Pirates. Rating: K. Warnings: None

Law wished he could say he was surprised when he took stock of the infirmary, but with recent fights and his nakama's complete and utter lack of self-preservation, it was with a sigh of resignation that he realised their blood stocks were running low again.

It probably wasn't an exaggeration to say that some members of the crew had more transfused blood than their own blood running through their bodies – Shachi had turned into a suicidal moron since Law had taken to removing their organs and if he thought it would cure him of the stupidity he'd stop; sadly it would be more likely to kill him than change his ways now.

They needed more blood, and in the New World Law wasn't going to persuade his own nakama to donate. Most of them were ineligible anyway, having received a transfusion, but even those who weren't Law refused to weaken while in the most dangerous sea in the world. That left Law with only one option: raiding.

Random civilians were no good. Without taking the time to properly test them, Law couldn't determine their eligibility and refused to waste time collecting unusable blood. There was only one solution, and Law couldn't say it brought him much grief.

Raiding hospitals.

He was aware of the implications of the actions. Many innocent people needed blood transfusions, and taking away the supply could have disastrous consequences. Law's nod to that was to not drain the hospitals completely dry. Whether the hospitals used what he left them wisely was a different matter entirely.

The concern was whether or not they would land on an island with a hospital before they ran out. Finishing his inventory, he went to find Bepo.

The navigator couldn't tell him if their next destination would have a hospital, but he did know roughly how far out they were – a few hours – and Law was able to begin the preparations in case there was an eligible target.

"You're bleeding too much," Penguin told Shachi after Law got the crew together to tell them they were going to be raiding the next hospital they found. It was said light-heartedly, and the crew – Shachi included – laughed at it, although Law suspected there was a genuine complaint mixed in. After all, no-one worried more than Penguin whenever Shachi was back in the infirmary for something again,and that said a lot considering how much Law silently fussed.

"Until we get more, blood transfusions are going to be reserved for life or death situations," Law told them, drawing their attention back to him. "If you'll survive without one, you won't get one."

They nodded in agreement, Shachi getting what could only be described as a warning poke by Penguin, before Law let them disperse. Rationing the blood supplies like that, he probably had enough for one life threatening injury per blood type. Law hoped there would only be one near-fatality before they found a hospital and restocked.

When they finally landed on the next island, several hours later, Law reached the conclusion that he'd used up all of his good luck for the foreseeable future. Not only were none of his nakama on death's door, but there was a hospital. It paled in comparison to Flevance's, of course, but it existed and it had blood.

Stealing blood was easy. All it required was a distraction (which his crew were always eager to provide) a Room, and some Shambles. The blood was never hidden away, the hospitals clearly unaware of the thieves in their midst until it was too late.

Law couldn't bring himself to feel bad for them as he stashed his latest acquisitions into storage. Not when each bag potentially meant the life of a nakama.

Law must have supplies of blood, but said supplies also must require replenishing every so often and with so many things making blood ineligible as a transfusion it makes sense that he'd target places that would have already done the checks.

Thanks for reading!
Tsari