Bits and Pieces

Iris

"Mm, that looks concerning all right, but not serious."

The doctor closed the patient's eye and waddled back to his desk, removing a brick of a book from one of the cabinets along the side.

"The tricky thing about these symptoms," he murmured as he flipped through the pages, "is that they're common signs among multiple different disorders, maladies, minor enchantments, et cetera, et cetera. Is there anything else that you can add to the narrative? Anything that can narrow down the list."

Nat turned to Lan, and Lan turned to the doctor, rubbing her hands together as she tried to recall that moment. She remembered an explosion.

"Well, uh. I think we were...in some sorta lab? There were a lotta weird lights 'n all, probably them potions and stuff. None of it were his, but he knew what each one did, anyway. Then I saw him by one a' the tables and, uh. He-"

"-decided to take matters into his own hands, so that he could better his mind and his body, haha."

All eyes turned to capture the owner of the voice, a voice that sounded familiar, but was not. It was deeper, smoother, lacking that touch of sprightly attitude that was present even in his calm moments. This stranger of a friend regarded them with a smile, but with relaxed, cold eyes. His irises burned a deep blue.

"Ah, apologies. I cut you short! How rude of me." He said as he sit up in bed and performed a small bow. "Continue? He..."

Lan sprang up onto her feet, her hands clenched into fists.

"You're not Al. You're...someone different."

His smile grew wider. "It looks like they didn't need you for a diagnosis after all, doctor. No hard feelings, you'll be paid most. Appropriately."

His hands began to glow the same burning blue as his eyes.