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DRAGONMOUNT

A WHEEL OF TIME COMMUNITY

Zippo is in the house - Arrival Thread (attn sage... and well... Zippo)


Nynaeve

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Winifred smiled as she saw the Stedding up ahead. One of those smiles that came up without even noticing. She remembered a time where all she wanted was to get out of that place. She recalled the sense of displacement and rejection the place provoked in her. That changed, though. Radically. The Stedding was her home and she was always relieved when she found herself back in it.

 

Giving Zippo a long side glance, she sighed. It was going to be hard for him for quite a while. Maybe even a very long one. But Winifred had hopes for him. She saw worse cases in which other Wanderers managed to pull through and find their place in their Stedding. With treatment, Zippo should too.

 

"Well, once we go in, we'll head right to the infirmary Zippo. There we can take care of your... problem." Winifred quickened her pace, eager to make it to her destination.

 

 

 

Winifred

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For the past few miles his boots began coming off of his feet a piece at a time and even his ever present grin had begun to fade. Though he had often been the advocate for haste his feet were dragging and his head hung a little lower than usual. Fighting those images and scents has taken its toll on Zippo, but buried inside his need for a cure only grew and festered. The subtle changes in his guide as they came closer to the Stedding at first had escaped Zippo. The signs grew, if only in their subtle ways, and Zippo began to realize something was different on this last day. In spite of his crumbling boots Zippo's back had grown a little straighter, his grin a little larger, and his eyes once again grew with that fervent light Winifred had witnessed when they first met.

 

If it weren't for his poor sore feet Zippo may have skipped the last mile or so to the Stedding but still his feet dragged if only a little less than usual but the changes in his demeanor had been growing more noticeable since he woke up to start another day of walking. Hands that had hung limp at his sides had been clenching in to fists and relaxing again all day and low chuckles escaped him on a regular basis.

 

The clothes Winifred had found him in were only the worse for wear and he refused to bathe in hopes to make better time towards the cure that would set him right again. Thoughts of returning home and following in his fathers footsteps actually sounded exciting after his recent foray into the world.

 

With a suddenly loud, and high pitched, laugh Zippo imagined what it would be like to finally make his father proud. All he had to do was follow this woman to the cure, get clean, and return home as sane as he was before this mess took him over.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Aislyn waited at the door of the infirmary for the newcomer and Winifred. She'd already got the hot water ready and waiting. The sending from the Wolves had been quite strong. Normally they never minded how the "two legs" smelled but they seemed to object to this particular newcomer.

 

Aislyn caught a whiff on the breeze and grimaced, they weren't wrong! Soon the familiar figure of Winifred came into view with a young man trudging alongside her. His posture seemed to indicate eagerness and Aislyn heard a laugh as they approached. She relaxed a little. It'd been a long time since someone had arrived eager to embrace the new side to them and Aislyn found she was looking forward not to have to walk another new person through the process.

 

"Welcome to the Stedding" She called as they got closer. "Come inside and sit for a while, the food is almost ready"

 

She ushered them through to the sitting room and indicated that they should sit, she tried not to wrinkle her nose too much as she sat opposite the new arrival.

 

"My name is Aislyn and I'm a Sage here... a Wisdom or a Healer some would call me."she sat back as one of the trainees brought a steaming tray of food with bread fresh from the oven, followed by a steaming pot of tea. "Help yourself, I bet you're hungry, and then we can begin introducing you to the Stedding." She smiled warmly.

 

Aislyn

Has no idea...

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  Surprisingly enough Zippo was silent when he met another with yellow eyes, only watched her suspiciously for a moment before his nostrils flared and he picked up the scent of food beyond the door. He steps in barely waiting for the invitation, his stomach growling. Along with bathing Zippo had skimped on a meal or two, so eager was he to find this cure, but since arriving at the destination it all came rushing back to him. First the hunger made itself known, then even he wrinkled his nose with the smell radiating off of him.

 

Zippo barely heard the introduction for the distraction of food and as soon as it was offered he hungrily dug in. Between  shoveling food into his mouth, and failing to use any utensils he wasn't born with, Zippo speaks, giving up a quick introduction and some more. "I'm... Zippo... Not... Here... Long... Cure... Then... Home.." The only real time he took away from gorging himself on food was to tilt his head back and laugh in that mad sort of way, his eyes wide with anticipation. The grin on his lips only seemed to grow with every passing minute.

 

 

By the time he finished there weren't many leftovers and he was wiping the plate clean with his fingers. Almost regretting having finished so quickly he looks to see if there is anything left. Quickly noticing the bread he takes it, tossing it between his hands and taking large bites out of it despite the fact it is very hot.

 

Zippo looks to Aislyn with his wicked smile and feverishly bright eyes only to stare, waiting, expecting to be offered the cure. As it was not offered up immediately he grew impatient, and began grinding his teeth quietly.

 

"So... Where is it?"

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  • 3 weeks later...

"So... Where is it?" Winifred eyed Aislyn for a moment and then averted her gaze back to Zippo. "We'll go fetch what is needed. Wait here." Winifred ushered Aislyn out of the room, not saying a word as she guided her to the hallway. Getting Zippo to the Stedding proved to be the easier part of his assimilation. Getting him to understand that his condition was permanent, though, would be a work in progress.

 

Aislyn looked at her quietly, a puzzled expression on her face. Winifred took a deep breath. "Aislyn, convincing Zippo to come here has been difficult. He chose to view this change as a disease. I'm well aware that it is not an healthy perception, but unfortunately, I had to relay on it to  get him this far. I assured him that there is a cure to his condition and that it would be applied here. That is what he's so eager for."

 

Aislyn eyed Winifred, her expression unreadable. "I know it probably wasn't the best way to do things. I do not enjoy lying to any extent. But I think in this case it was more prudent to do it in this fashion. We do however need to deal with him now. Once he realizes that there is no cure, he might lose it. I'm a bit worried that he might hurt himself, if not others. What do you think should be done, Aislyn?".

 

 

 

Winifred

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  • 3 weeks later...

Aislyn allowed herself to be ushered out of the room and listened intently to Winifred's explanation, her expression neutral as Winifred spoke.

 

 

"I see." Aislyn said hesitantly. "Although I think that wasn't the best thing to tell him, I think you did well to get him here." she smiled at Winifred to take any sting out of her words. If Winnie said it had been difficult then it would have been almost nigh impossible for anyone else. "Yes, the question is, what to do with him now?" She paused in thought. "I think we'd best take it slowly - if we break the news that the cure does not exist to him now it'll likely send him mad." she nodded as she thought on what to do.  "We'll tell him that the "cure" is a on-going process and not an instant fix. That'll give him, and us, time to adjust and figure things out."

 

Once she'd decided on a plan she wasted no time in returning to Zippo.

 

"Sorry about that, Zippo, Winifred was just filling me in on your journey." She sat back down opposite him. "I have some news to impart to you that you may not like. The cure isn't an instantaneous thing, I'm sorry to say. It is a long process and will take a considerable time, during which you'll remain in my care. Will that be acceptable to you?" She watched Zippo carefully for his response. How he reacted now would likely dictate how easy it would be to get him to understand his condition. 

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Normally the break for private conversation would have raised an eyebrow, and left him wondering what was said beyond his hearing. Instead, half mad and half hopeful, Zippo only watched their return with a tentative hopeful expression, the grin remaining. It didn't fade, that grin, when Aislyn explained the cure is a process, not instantaneous, but he did laugh, a high pitched short lived thing, more like a chirp than anything. Of course... It wouldn't be that simple would it? After so much work just to get where he was it would only be logical that it wasn't much more than the first step.

 

At first his expression turned a little dark, then resigned, then returned to hopeful, all of this happened so quickly some would be amazed. Then again some would find his expressions difficult to read with the ever-present grin. Wiping his hands on an already stained and worn pair of trousers he leans forward, intent on Aislyn.

 

“But, it can be done, can't it? I'll be whole again?”

 

Some would argue that being aware of ones own insanity means that person isn't truly insane, but the wide grin, changing sometimes but always present, coupled with his near burning intense eyes would dissuade any thoughts of the like. Zippo remained perfectly still as if frozen, he only watched her, and waited eagerly for an answer he already had.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Aislyn looked at the man before her, his face fixed into a manic grin, the eyes intently hopeful. She held in a sigh. She had a sinking feeling that this one will be hard to reconcile to the wolfkin ways. Still he deserved an answer and maybe if he had a glimmer of hope to cling on to, he may yet be able to adjust to the new way of life. So, with a gentle and reassuring smile on her face, Aislyn leaned forward and took Zippo's slightly clammy hands into her own warm ones and gave them a squeeze. 

 

"Please be reassured, whatever is possible to do to help you, we will do. I can't promise more than that. Now, you must be tired after your journey, now you've eaten, would you like a hot bath, fresh clothes and then a comfortable bed? We can start your....treatment tomorrow." She said hoping that Zippo didn't pick up on the hesitation.

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  • 3 weeks later...

  When she took his hands Zippo immediately flinched and began to pull away, a small twitch forming at the corner of his right eye. When in his fathers household Zippo had not been very used to physical contact. The father he had grown up with was a very distant man and disdained public shows of affection, considered them signs of weakness a successful merchant could not afford to display.

  The moment she began to speak though all apprehension disappeared and Zippo forgot all his bad memories, focused on the words, leaning forward intently. It would be a surprise to any onlookers if she didn't flinch away from the grease and grime that had built up on his hands during the trip.

  After the first few words Zippo could only nod, but with the last his apprehension had returned. The thought of a bath and rest was only mildly appealing to the slightly insane man that sat in front of her.

  "We can't begin immediately? I'm ready! I am, really."

  The expression he wore could only have been described as eager and desperate, his eyes burned, that emotion had shone through the moment he had realized the work wouldn't begin immediately.

  It truly was a pitiful sight, even the mad grin had detracted little from the image.

Edited by ZippoSeiCair
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  • 2 weeks later...

Aislyn smiled a touch sadly. "You may think and feel in your heart that you are ready, but it may not always be the case. Slowly and steady will win the day. You cannot rush this process, no matter how much you'd like to." She paused wondering how best to explain to this half-maddened man in front of her without him freaking out entirely. She suspected that he was a hairsbreadth away from cracking already.

 

That look in his eyes pulled at her though, half desperate and half eager. She only hoped that it wasn't too late to help him. But first, he must learn patience, that would help more than anything in the weeks to come.

 

"Imagine.." she started to speak as a way to explain came to her. "Imagine you'd broken your leg badly, and it had been set in a splint for months, with you unable to use it. Now imagine that splint has been removed and you're free to use your leg. Would you try to run straight off and crumple to the floor in a heap, or would you slowly work and exercise your leg so that it builds up the muscle it once had, therein enabling you to walk and run again as you used to?" she paused letting that sink in a little and studying him carefully. "This is the same type of process. You're now here, so the splint, if you like, has been removed. Now we must slowly help you regain what you've lost. Too quickly and you may find yourself back where you started. Do you understand?"

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  The first part of the speech did a decent job of dampening his eagerness but helped the look of desperation grow. So close, he got here, he would quickly jump at the opportunity of beginning the process... That speech though... Some part of it made it past the layers of psychosis that grew from the moment symptoms had begun appearing.

 

  Nodding Zippo seemed to have accepted her analogy for his circumstances. Many things could go wrong in healing if things were rushed and Zippo understood this as he thought about it.

 

  Looking up from the floor, the grin still plastered on his lips, the eagerness had returned to his expression. This epiphany didn't keep the madman down for very long.

 

  "So we will begin tomorrow, early?"

 

  It was the eagerness that ruled his expression when he looked at her. That eagerness had him nearly bouncing in his seat as his eyes locked onto hers, burning with that familiar intensity.

 

  "I can wake up early, I can."

 

  The words may not have been a lie but Zippo never had been up before the dawn, the hours of a merchants son were much different than that of a farmers son.

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  • 1 month later...

Aislyn smiled gently. "We will begin in earnest tomorrow, that I can promise you. Now, however, we need to get you cleaned up and get you some clean clothes, not to mention a room for you to rest in. Rest is important now, I'm sure you can understand and agree with that." As she spoke she stood and gestured for Zippo to follow her. Leading the way down to the baths she pointed out where Zippo would be staying, where he could find the facilities and the kitchens. Once they'd reached the bathrooms she showed him where he'd be able to leave his old clothes and where he could find new ones to fit.

 

"I'll leave you here to bathe, I'll go and make sure your room is ready. Will you be able to find your way back?"

 

Leaving him to bathe Aislyn hurried to make sure his room would be ready for him, the smile leaving her face to be replaced with a worried frown.

 

How in the Light was she going to be able to handle this?

 

Aislyn

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  • 6 months later...
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