Issiq was still strange to Noodle. They had traveled to the Ochre Dockyard with its buildings of sandstone and beating sun, to apprentice under a renowned physician. It was a stark difference from the cool air of the mountains, and they were glad to enter the air conditioned entryway of the hospital.

Noodle was a little nervous, spectating and handing tools on this surgery. Though they had wanted to become a physician to help others, the thought of actually watching a surgery was… stressful. They didn't like to think of others hurt, but helping them would go to fixing that. It was a strange dichotomy, and as they entered the room where they were to scrub up, they felt nervous.

It was a room kept clean to the point of perfection, surfaces gleaming in the bright overhead lights. There were supplies with which to scrub up, bucking gloves, scrubs, masks, safety glasses and hoods to cover all visible fur. There was also a hand washing sink, where someone else could as already getting ready. Quetzalcoatl, the purple person in the room and the doctor that would be performing the surgery, smiled encouragingly at them.

"Don't worry," they assured them, "you won't have to do much. Just hand me the implements I ask for."

Noodle fretted while putting on their scrubs. "But what if I hand you the wrong one?"

Quetzalcoatl made a calming gesture with one hand. "Then I'll point it out to you - you'll do fine, I'm sure!"

Noodle put on their mask and then started washing their hands, biting back a 'What if you need it fast or they die?' knowing that that was an overreaction. Still, they felt nervous as if it would happen as the doors opened and they tried to calm their anxiety.

Walking on their back legs was awkward, but they'd gotten better at it. At least for them, they only needed to be near the surgery table and could then sit back, keeping their hands off the floor. They envied Quetzalcoatl's extra pair of hands, able to keep them clean without having to then walk around on only two legs.

They set up shop nervously, resisting the urge to fiddle, looking over the tools set out on the tray and repeating the names to themself. Noodle steadied their breathing as the doors opened and the patient was wheeled in. They watched as Quetzalcoatl struck up a conversation, calming the also nervous patient.

It made Noodle feel a little better too, even if it wasn't directed at them. They handed over the equipment when the anathesiologist asked, and watched as the patient slipped into sleep. Once it was confirmed that they were safely under and all was normal, the surgery began.

As Quetzalcoatl began, Noodle handed the scalpel over when asked. Though they were prepared, couldn't help but wince slightly at the cuts, even though they knew it would help the patient in the end.

This patient was here to get a tumor removed - it hadn't yet metastasized, and their doctors were hoping to nip it in the bud. Noodle hoped that it would be successful as well.

They continued to hand over the tools, noises fading in their concentration. It was stressful but not as bad as they had feared. They missed a few similar looking tools once, but as Quetzalcoatl had said, it didn't kill the patient.

And when the tumor was drawn out and plunked into into a metal pank, Noodle gazed it in mild horror. It looked like it had been really uncomfortable to have inside them… a good thing it had been taken out!

They felt proud as Quetzalcoatl started to stitch up the patient, knowing that they had helped someone. The stitching up went faster, and then Noodle began to help tidy up after the patient was wheeled out. There would be a janitorial crew in here later, but Noodle didn't want to leave a giant mess for them to deal with.

As they joined Quetzalcoatl in the other room, stripping their scrubs to put in the contaminated waste bin, Quetzalcoatl smiled at them.

"You survived! How do you feel?"

Noodle thought for a second. "Surprisingly good - still nervous, but I helped someone!"

Quetzalcoatl nodded. "It's nice, isn't it?"

Noodle smiled. "It is."