The Doctor's Heart

Unknown Assailant

Riza set the devil fruit on the smooth black marble desk. It was an odd gelatinous, blue blob. That someone with poor eyesight like Lucky Roo might call it a bloated pear. White swirls danced across the fruit resembling tidal waves and whirlpools. "Damn." Shanks muttered, coming closer to inspect the fruit. A little too close that Riza could felt his body heat. She shifted away. "They left it here? Open?" He asked. Riza hummed in affirmation and moved aside to show her Captain the contents of the safe.

"Benn and I had a theory about pirates." Shanks picked the fruit up and scrunched his nose at the texture. "But you just shot that down. Who leaves treasure and a devil fruit as easy to grab as this?"

Riza eyed the red haired man but said nothing. Shanks did take note of the dark look and frowned at the doctor. She crouched down to riffle through the safe and found a journal and a inventory book. She claimed these and brushed past Shanks to find a chair to read away from her Captain. "Riza." Shanks called after her. A soft command in his voice pulled at her to stay. She was still furious and haven't decided which man was in the wrong.

So, Riza spun on her heel and stalked away without a word. Riza knew he wouldn't make her talk with him if she didn't want too. Not unless it threatened the safety of the crew and she planned on taking advantage of that for a while. Anger prickled the back of her neck, Riza claimed one of the peaceful tables with a view of the window to read logs. Far away from the broken chairs with dark stains.

Rex being a good friend, dropped off an open bottle of rum on her table with a sparkling ruby red glass. Riza sipped on her glass and flicking through pages. Nothing. Every now and then, there was a mention of these shades.

'The shades have been quiet.'

'A good month of no shades.'

These were dated eight years ago but she wanted more. There had to be a reason for the bar to look so split... Riza twitched and fanned her face with her hand, cursing the heat. Sweat stung her eyes and she wiped her face with a towel.

On her home island she might've preferred summer but here, experiencing an extreme midsummer island. She'd rather stay bundled up with a cozy fire to escape the nipping cold. Cozy warmth and not unapologetic heat. At least there, she didn't sweat like she was now.

A second journal was dropped on the table by Benn. Riza eyed the first mate and he eyed her back. "I'm not the one fighting with you." He pointed out as he sat across from her. Benn set a silver fan next to her glass. Riza smiled and grabbed the fan.

"I'm not fighting but yeah." Riza agreed as she pulled the journal to her to read. One hand fanned herself and the other flipped pages. "But you have been tap dancing on my last nerve worse than Booth did when she was pregnant and I was an intern." She pointed out as she flicked through the new journal.

"Really?" Benn scowled and Riza continued flicking through entries and scanning the pages.

"Indeed." Riza murmured. The doctor regretted her words and added. "It's not just you, Benn. Training with you, teaching Redfern, and other stuff."

'The great pirate era has finally come to our island...Pirates attacked and the shades came. They do not know our secrets.'

Riza paused her flicking through pages to read the short entry and passed the book to Benn. "Look."

"So, pirates did come into the picture." He mused and passed the entry back to Riza. "But pirates didn't cause the lack of humans."

"No."

Riza read the next entry and the next and the next. Shade was brought up two dozen times within a single week until she came to a page that read. 'We spilled the pirate captain's blood and the shades destroyed the pirates.' That worried Riza being a pirate, herself.