Fanfic:Fugue State
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He had woken up a few hours ago, washed, dressed, ate breakfast, and then spoke with some people. Some of them asked how he was doing: "Fine." Some asked about who he was: "I don't recall." Neither the questions nor the answers bothered him, as he didn't have much to say on the matter.
Now he was being escorted to someone else who was going to help him. He didn't know what help he needed, but he didn't see any reason to disagree with the request. He and his guide, a man in the same black clothing he was wearing, walked along yellow tiled floors until they came to a door, one of many in this corridor. His guide knocked on the door, and moments later it was opened from inside.
The woman inside the room was the tallest person he'd seen today, with flame-red hair and green orbs for eyes. The next thing he noticed was her whole face. He didn't know what age to give her, although it wasn't important that he did so. Her dress was a pale brown-yellow like sand. She smiled at him and he smiled faintly back. He didn't know if there was there something to be happy about.
"I'll leave him with you, Aes Sedai," the guide stated. She nodded and the guide departed.
"Would you like to come inside?" she asked. Without seeing any reason to disagree, he nodded and followed her into the room. There were carpets on the floor and two chairs sat in front of an empty fireplace. "Please, take a seat," she suggested. He took the one on the left of the fireplace, whilst she took the one on the right.
"My name is Zarayne," she said, still smiling.
There was a long pause. The silence wasn't uncomfortable, but eventually he felt a need to fill the void. "Hello Zarayne." Her smile lessened. He felt a bit bad even though he didn't know what he'd done wrong.
"Do you have a name?" she asked.
"I don't..." He thought he should put some effort into the answer. "I don't remember having a name, although I suppose I must."
She nodded thoughtfully. "Is there a name I could call you? I find it makes conversation a little easier."
He nodded, then realised he couldn't think of a name. "What's your father's name?"
"His name is Ravak," Zarayne replied. "Is that the name you want me to use?" He nodded. "Could I use a name other than my father's?" He nodded again. "Does Alisher work for you?"
"Alisher," he said, sounding it out. He didn't mind the name. "Then I am Alisher."
"What do you remember, Alisher?"
That seemed like a question open to interpretation, but then on reflection he realised he didn't have much to say. "I awoke this morning in a bed. I washed my face in the basin and scrubbed my teeth with salt and soda. I put on these clothes that were laid out for me." She was listening but he thought something wasn't quite right with his answer. "Did you want a different answer?"
Zarayne's smile had died away. She now looked... it was hard to say. "Do you remember anything that occurred before this morning? Do you recall going to bed last night?"
Alisher gave it a little thought before answering, even though he'd been asked this twice before. "No. The first thing I remember is waking up this morning."
"And that doesn't bother you?" Zarayne asked.
Alisher shrugged. "It doesn't seem important."
"And what about you? Do you remember anything about yourself? Where you lived, who your family are, what you did for a living?"
Alisher gazed down at his hands. He hadn't failed to notice how they were calloused. Nothing else seemed remarkable or seemed to stand out. "I suspect I was a labourer," he said, spreading his hands out so Zarayne could see his fingers and palms.
"But you don't remember anything else about your past?" she asked. He answered with a shake of the head.
Zarayne shifted in her seat, leaning forward slightly. Alisher thought he recognised a pensiveness in her face before she spoke. "Do you mind if I delve you?"
He shrugged. "I don't know what that is," he explained honestly.
"It's a way for me to see check how your body is going, see if you have any pains or injuries."
He felt fine, but again he didn't see a reason to object. "Sure." She leaned towards him and he felt a prickling on the back of his neck. "Is that delving?"
Zarayne paused in the midst of reaching towards him. "No, do you--" She seemed to cut off as she inspected his arms. He had goosebumps running along them, and he felt the sensation in other places too. "Do you sense something?"
"Just a strange shiver. Is that a problem?"
She shook her head. "No, but..." She paused, still looking at his arms. "Are you aware you can channel?"
Alisher shrugged again. "I don't know what that is either." After a pause, he realised that actually bothered him. "I can channel? What does that mean?"
Zarayne straightened, so she was no longer leaning over the gap between them. "Channelling is the ability to use the One Power. It is what Aes Sedai and Asha'man use."
"I'm sorry, I don't know what any of those words mean. What is the One Power?"
Zarayne smiled but it seemed to be sad rather than joyous. "Someone other than me should introduce you to the One Power. For now, I'd like to delve you."
Alisher didn't object when she placed her hands on his forearms. There was still the pricking sensation but that wasn't uncomfortable. For a brief instant, Alisher thought he sensed an unusual heat coming from Zarayne's hands but the moment was gone almost as it started.
"You seem healthy. You've recovered well." She removed her hands from his arms and the prickling seemed to stop.
"What did I recover from?" Curiosity rather than concerned fuelled that question.
"We'll talk about that shortly," Zarayne stated, smiling warmly once again. "But first, are you aware of a condition called a fugue state?"
