The Doctor's Heart

Shades

Riza sighed but obeyed. The bookstore wasn't far, now. Only a shop down from the tailor's shop the guys stood in front of. So, Riza darted in and grabbed the books she had thought weren't applicable before. She hesitated at the door. She could've sworn she saw the slightest movement out of the corner of her eye. That creeping feeling like someone was watching her. A unseen gaze rested on her shoulders causing her neck to prickle and hair to stand up.

A shiver ran down her spine, Riza glance out the window to her Captain and vice captain It wasn't Shanks or Benn who were talking outside, together. Shanks looked annoyed and Benn had a satisfied expression. Both weren't looking at Riza. The unknown gaze wasn't from the pair.

Her eyes darted around the empty shop. A cluster of old stone chairs with tables for the customers could read. A small clerk counter made of a multicolored stone. Heavy dust covered everything. Every shelf and surface. Riza could only see her footsteps, no other trail. Heavy shadows of the shop didn't move and her observation haki told her nothing was there. So, must've been her imagination. That was the only logical conclusion. Riza, as a doctor and a woman of science, she had to accept that. That didn't prevent her from darting out the door to join the two.

"Got it." Riza passed the books to Benn. "Bar?"

"Yeah." Shanks led the way with Riza trailing behind and Benn taking up the rear. "Let's get to reading once we are back... I'll give the gem books and the geode to Rex. We'll tackle the information from the mayor's house. Got it, Riza?"

"Why Rex?"

Benn casted her a look. "Y'know, he comes from a jeweler family and learned the trade when he was a kid."

"No idea." Riza whispered. A deep frown creased her forehead.. Her stomach sank, Nat had a point the other night. She did need to get to know Redfern and make a better effort with the rest of the crew.

Benn steered her back to the same table. He gave her the geography book. He pulled a flushed face Rex over to the table and stacked the books and stone in front of the engineer. Riza passed over her canteen of water, feeling pity for the rum buzzed Rex. Shanks and Benn joined their table and Benn toss a file to Shanks. A huff of annoyance was all the protest that came from the captain. The four hunkered down and started to read what they've found on the island. Riza eyed Rex as he skimmed through the book and pulled out a small glass specs to examine the geode.

Riza cracked the book open and she too started to flipped through pages. Several long minutes passed and her Captain hummed a filthy sea shanty that Riza only knew what it was because he sang it to her like a lullaby when she dislocated her fingers. Another several minutes passed by when Benn cleared his throat. "I know what shades are."

"Okay, what?"

Riza flipped the book over and gave her full attention to Benn. Shanks looked absolutely over the moon to toss the yellowed paper aside and Rex looked down right giddy. "First, this... Sorry to cut you off, Benn." Rex set the geode in the center of the table and a shit eating grin broke across his face. "Ruby. All of it. This entire thing is filled with rubies and some of the best looking ones I've seen in a long time. Amazing clarity, Y'know how much this can go for? Fuck, even I don't know that. I know a fuckton... Captain, this fucking island is a fucking goldmine without any fucking gold."

"Can you add more fucks in that sentence." Riza asked. She pulled a half of the geode to her and admired the glittering red gems. Impossibly deep and the color of dark cherries. A large chunk stuck out and Riza could cut herself with that edge. "I love the color. It's beautiful." She murmured, entranced by how the candlelight flickered and bent light across the stones. Shanks coughed and pulled the geode away to examine with a little awe, jolting her back to reality.