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WHO: Iris West and Anders
WHERE: Clinic
WHEN: Early September
WHAT: Anders gets to see a modern clinic and show his stuff
WARNINGS: None so far

Anders' employers understood when he asked to take the day off. He's been a boon to the cat shelter, and he wouldn't give up that job for anything, but he became a spirit healer to help others. He and Iris can talk hours while he's there.

The bus drops him off not far from the clinic, and it's just a short walk to the building. So far, the outside is certainly bigger than the clinic he ran back in Kirkwall. Which isn't really saying much, admittedly. Anders is eager to see the inside of it, and check out how much more advanced it is than the healing clinics back home.

He sends Iris a quick text message (he's still a slow typist) saying that he's outside the clinic.

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The second she gets the message, Iris texts Anders back, admittedly while rushing to the front - Great! I'll come meet you. :D

And like she promised, she greets him with a wide smile. "Anders! Hey! Come on in."

She walks through the automatic doors, ushering him past the waiting room and lobby and into the long, stark-white hallways that comprise the rest of the outpatient clinic.

"We're going to be in exam room three," she says, more to him than anyone else, turning right into another hallway and guiding him towards a room at the end of the hall. "I figured, we could have you show your stuff, and then give you a proper tour once all's said and done?"

Anders looks around the inside of the clinic as if he's just been escorted inside a castle or mansion. This is a far cry from his tiny little clinic down in Darktown. If only he'd had access to a building like this, he could have helped far more people.

Then again, it might have also made it easier for the Templars to find him.

"That sounds like a plan."

It's hard not to notice that kind of awe. Iris bites on her lower lip, struggling to hold back a laugh - sometimes, she forgets just how her ordinary isn't... well, ordinary.

"Here we are," she says, stopping in front of a door with the number 3 on it and turning the knob to let them in.

As far as exam rooms went, this was ordinary for Earth ones: the examining table is on the right side of the room, topped with butcher's paper, and there's a stool and a table for the doctor, as well as two extra chairs for anyone else who might have accompanied the patient.

Iris leans against the wall as she closes the door, "So," she pulls out a notebook. "You said you were a spirit healer?"

The butcher's paper is similar to the cheap parchment he sometimes used back at his clinic. Back at his old clinic, there weren't enough cots to go around, or chairs. Not to mention everything had all be in one large room, with a small apartment in the very back for Anders to live in.

Anders takes a seat on the stool. "Yes. I call upon the aid of spirits to help me heal, which makes any healing magic more powerful than your basic healing spell. I can sew up broken bones, mend internal injuries, and I know how to treat most sicknesses. Though I'm guessing you don't use elfroot potions."

Elfroot doesn't seem to exist in this world.

"Oh wow. That would be pretty useful."

So, in order to heal the patients here, he would either summon the dead or unseen forces beyond Iris's understanding. She nods, taking it in and writing it down, without any judgment. After living here for a year, she's starting to feel like she's seen and heard anything.

"Sadly, no." She pauses, "I'm not even sure what elfroot is, but if you describe it, we can probably find something similar..."

Anders has mainly called upon spirits of compassion or kindness when it comes to healing, but Justice has also been lending his talents since their little merge. It's rather useful having a spirit with you at all times when it comes to healing, even if spirits of justice aren't typically called upon for that purpose.

"Elfroot's an herb that's used in healing potions and poultices. I don't think it has an equivalent in this world, and I checked every book on plants I could find at the library. I would use it when making and prescribing salves for patients."

"I wouldn't know if it does," she admits, taking the time to write down Elfroot and its properties in her notebook. "But I do know some scientists, so I can ask them and confirm your guess. The closest thing I think we have is aloe vera?"

(Iris is probably wrong on this one, given her science knowledge ended with high school biology.)

"Can you still make salves with what we have in this world?"

"Aloe vera might be close to elfroot, from what I've read about it." That plant did have medical properties, though it sounded like it wasn't some all-purpose healing plant like elfroot was.

"I might, if I can get ahold of some herbs and plants to experiment with. I can also deliver children, if need be." At least some of the mothers he'd helped back in Thedas had promised to name their children after him, after he'd helped them. "For that matter, I'm good with kids, if a little one needs healing."

Note to future Iris: buy plants and herbs for Anders, rather than the chemical compounds she had been buying for various researchers. She's not sure if any lab suppliers stock said plants, but it's worth looking into.

Yet when he mentions delivering children, Iris blinks back genuine surprise. "Like a midwife?" They don't have a proper one at the clinic - a native OBGYN, sure, but not a midwife. That could come in handy, for sure.

"Um, sure," she says, shaking her head and trying to regain her composure. "We do have a fair number of younger imPorts, so I'm sure they'd appreciate someone who's good with them."

"Like a midwife, yes. At the Circle, most healers are required to learn how to deliver children." Because Templars certainly weren't going to learn how, because why would they, and there was no way the Templars would bother sending for midwives.

There's a dark look in Anders' face as he says it, however, as if recalling something painful. Still, he always took at least some satisfaction out of how he later used that knowledge to help those that the Chantry left in the dirt.

"Thankfully this world has less children taking up dangerous jobs to support their families or themselves."

Iris swallows down hesitation when he mentions child labor - once upon a time, Earth had had similar horrendous laws. She can't name the law that outlawed the very notion, but she can't imagine living in a world where it was still commonplace.

"Yeah. It's a blessing," she admits, unsure of what else to say. After a moment, she glances down at her notepad. "I know I'm not really sick, beyond general allergies, but could you... show me how you'd call upon a spirit?"

If he thought the spirit wouldn't get mad at him for calling upon their aid for a demonstration, at least. Iris doesn't feel comfortable enough calling a patient for this.

"Well, okay." Anders pauses for a moment, when Justice asks him if it wouldn't be better to demonstrate on someone who was actually hurt or sick. Anders just mentally replies that maybe she has her reasons. He just asks for a tiny bit of Justice's power for now.

Anders raises his hands in Iris' general direction and blue light emanates from them. It should feel cool and gentle, as healing magic in his world should. Any cuts or bruises she has, even if they're a few days old, should be all closed up as if they didn't occur. The light fades after a couple of seconds and Anders lowers his hands.

Really, it wasn't any different from his ordinary no-spirits-needed healing spell. But she asked for a demonstration of spirit healing, so there was just a wee bit of Justice's power in it. Not that anyone would be able to tell the difference unless they're actually able to sense spirits.

"There we go."

As Iris feels that cool, soft energy rush through her bones, she can't help drawing in a breath. No matter how many times she witnesses magic, no matter how many times she feels it in her bones - it still takes her a moment.

Magic is real, and this man is more than capable. She's sorry that she ever doubted the extent of his power (and that the American system set her up to even have said doubt in the first place).

"Wow." She pauses, not sure how to describe it. "That was... that was incredible."

Already, minor scrapes (and bruises) from her general clumsiness had disappeared. Iris's smile grows genuine, "Thank you for indulging me. I figured you were hired, just from how you talk, but now I definitely want you on board. How soon can you start?"

Anders beams at Iris. He's going to be allowed to use his magic to help others, without fear that he'll be arrested and carted off to where he can never help anyone. He can help others who need him, without the secrecy.

He and Justice silently promise each other that one day, in their world, that will be the norm.

"I can start this Wednesday."

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