A/N Taaze is finally setting sail, what say thee? R&R

I was making my way back to the ship when I remembered with a sinking heart that I still needed to recruit a Doctor for our crew. If I didn't, thing would get out of shape quickly. I decided that I'd hit the nearest medical department before I got to the dock.

I ran into the nearest guild since I was pressed for time and stood at the counter. The medical guild was empty as far as I could tell. A fresh cup of coffee sat untouched on the attendants counter, accompanied by a half-eaten pastry. Whoever had been sitting there had left in a hurry. I decided there was no harm in going past the counter and slipped past the door. Beyond the desk, papers were scattered in heaps across the floor. As I crouched down, I noticed blood dotting in a trail across the hall. It abruptly stopped about three feet from the door.

My heart began to pound. I silently opened the door. What I saw both surprised and relieved me. It was a simple medical operation, and they'd received their patient in a hurry, it looked like. They had probably dropped what they were doing and rushed the patient straight into the room, all staff on hand. I couldn't hear anything since I was behind a wall of glass and a locked cast-iron door, but from what I could see, the leading surgeon looked like he knew exactly what he was doing. He was directing at least five other nurses at once and pointing frantically at different supplies on the shelves that were outlining the room. Blood splattered the tile floor. The patient must've had a serious injury. I eyed a blood soaked towel in the corner. The patient had certainly lost a lot of blood during the operation.

I watched this for about five more minutes. The staff finally began to stop and sat down to rest. The patient was tucked into a bed, looking like he had been attacked by a bunch of cords and wires. I couldn't imagine having that many cords needled into my limbs. I shuddered. As what looked like the Head Doctor came up to me, I silently blessed Oda that I had came in near the end. They had probably been at this for hours. The doctor had black spiky hair that was slightly graying. His expression was sharp and stern, but also caring at the same time. He looked at me curiously.

"Who are you?" he considered my face. "You don't give the impression that you compliment any abrasions."

I stared at him blankly for a second, trying to understand what he had just said. "I'm not injured, if that's what you're thinking." He looked at me like I had just stabbed an innocent women. "There isn't anyone else either, I promise." I added, half a smile on my lips.

He began staring around me wildly. "Is there someone else with a serious injury?! This isn't a game, boy!" he yelled.

I looked at him straight in the eye, choosing to ignore his last outburst. "Are you experienced with treating sailors? Especially loud rough ones."

He looked at me for a heartbeat, and then broke into an extremely contagious laughter that sounded like the cats on my street, but amplified and magnified.

"I get those on a daily basis!" he laughed, peeling off his bloodied gloves. Before I could reply, he dove in, right up to my face. I could tell he liked to get up close and personal. "Why do you ask, boy?" he breathed heavily. His breath smelt like olives.

I took a healthy step back. "I was wondering if you'd like to join my crew…" I ventured. "We're setting sail soon." I wasn't sure that this was a good idea. His bloodshot eyes, which had been straying towards my neck, snapped back up.

"What?" he was calm now. "Do you really mean it?" he panted excitedly. "I've been dying for adventure, ever since I was a wee lad." He indicated this by showing a small space with his fingers.

I laughed. "Adventure's big out on the sea, my friend. We're in desperate need of a doctor, so if you are willing to join our crew, we'd be infinitely grateful."

He thought about this. "You'll get a first class cabin." I reminded him. "Along with a brand new mini-center with all the medical supplies you'll need to keep us healthy." He perked up at this. "We won't be using rusty spoons here," I promised, "I just bought this ship, brand new. Even the wood is recently cut." I kept on going. "Imagine, doctor, the smell of salt in the wind, the roar of the waves crashing down in the distance, the pleasant cry of the seagull wandering the endless skies." I laughed inwardly, hoping I wasn't sounding like I was drunk on sake. As you could imagine, I really wanted this doctor aboard. He seemed like a professional healer.

The doctor considered my flood of information. "Ok." he said simply, "Where do I go?"

I grinned in success. "Just follow me." I waited for him to pack and together we started walking down the hill to the port.

The doctor began conversation and introduced himself. "I'm a doctor, as you might've assumed," I nodded. I had got that when I saw him digging into the patient's brain with white patented gloves. "And my name is Svense. Shao Svense." Shao went for an awkward left handed handshake as he struggled with his suitcase.

"Taaze," I said, meeting his handshake and steadying him so he didn't trip.

"Nice to meet you," he heaved the suitcase over his back, "I've heard about your family crest," he said.

"Oh?" I asked. I wasn't aware people knew of our crest.

"Oh yes." He continued. "Aren't you the one who survived while the other twin was stolen? It was all over the news." He tread over a rock and wobbled, almost falling down. I reached over and steadied him again.

I clamped my hand in a fist. "Yes." I gritted my teeth.

"Ah, because only a noble as rich as you could afford such a ship, new off the construction area."

I laughed. "Yeah, I bought it off the fly."

He nodded. "I bet. Love the pendant, by the way." He pointed the pendant I'd had all these years, similar to Yon's.

"Thanks." I said, shoving it under my cloth shirt. I didn't need to bring attention to myself. I didn't know it had been a big thing back then. It made me wonder if some people really had whereabouts as to where Yon was, and I was simply just wasting time.

When Shao and I finally arrived at the port, our crew was waiting for us, looking red faced and sweaty. From what it looked like, they had just finished loading up the boat.

"Ah! Taaze!" Drake stalked over and clapped me on the back. "Good to see you. We just finished loading her up. She's a beauty." he said happily, "I can't wait to see her in action."

"Yeah," I agreed with him, "We'll be setting off this afternoon if we can." Only then did I realize I'd been up the whole night. "How is everyone?" I asked.

The crew was sitting on the benches, eating what looked like a lunch. Brigs talking avidly to Bella. So he'd came after all. I hoped I could depend on him later on.

"Lovely." Drake clapped his hands together impatiently. "Everything's ready to go. We just have to bring up the anchors." He pointed at the ropes dangling into the water from both sides of the ship.

"Great." I said, "This is Doctor Shao Svense." I said carefully. "Doctor, meet-"

"Drake." He finished for me.

"What", was all I could get out before Drake and Shao Svense broke out into laugher.

"He's treated me before!" Drake cried, clapping Shao on the back passionately.

"Oh yes!" Shao laughed. "Drake had one of the biggest splinters, ever, lodged in his leg, under all the skin and bone - yuck! It was terrible!" he wiped a tear from his eye.

"Impressively terrible!" Drake amended.

This broke Shao into a fresh wave of laughter. "Ah, yes!" he cried, "Impressively terrible!".

I began to laugh too. I was glad I had these two on board. By the time we managed to set sail, it was two o'clock in the afternoon. We had finally left. As I watched the place I'd lived in all my life slowly grow smaller and smaller, I hoped that I would someday see it again, but accompanied with Yon instead.

A/N What do you think of Dr. Shao? R&R