The Cure For Curie (Complete!)

Time Circles Round

"Even? You know the people on this list?" Lilelle asked in shock.

"Not all of them." Brynjolf said. "Just one, Janelle Pure-Wind." He pointed at the name.

"You're the reason then. Why the Elder Scroll took me to Oblivion. This woman must be able to help Curie."

"Who is she?" John asked.

"A mystery is what she is. She's a hermit who lives in a small hovel just outside of Riften. She rarely comes into town. When she does, she talks to no one but the alchemist and his wife."

"She has to have some kind of information?" John pleaded.

"Yes. That would be the only explanation." Lilelle said as she stood.

She placed the Elder Scroll back in its bag and began packing her bedroll.

"What are you doing?" Lydia asked.

"Going to Riften." She said matter of factly. "Let's go."

                              -------
"Do we have some kind of plan here?" Cosnach asked as he ducked behind an outcropping of rock.

"I say we just go knock on the front door." Lilelle answered as she surveyed the area.

They had been watching the small hovel for over an hour for any sign of danger. It worried the dragonborn to be so close to Riften but they had no other choice. The situation had been worse than she thought.

On their way to find the woman from the list, Lilelle had passed by the throngs of people on their way to the city. Hundreds were on a pilgrimage to be admitted into the new found holy land. They had swarmed around the gates in the hopes that they would be allowed to be in the presence of the Great Mother. This had gone on long enough.

"Are we sure that's wise, given the small amount of information we have on this woman?" John asked.

"I'll have Cosnach and Lydia guard our backs. Brynjolf is watching over Shaun in Shor's Stone. You and I should have no trouble handling an old woman. It'll be fine." Lilelle reassured him.

"Alright. Let's do it then." He agreed as his dark eyes looked over the area a final time.

The pair stood from their hiding spot and made their way toward the front door. John walked around the back of the house, checking for danger as Lilelle waited at the front. She knocked quietly once he returned. When no one answered, she knocked again louder.

"Maybe she has gone to Riften with the others?" John asked.

Lilelle shrugged and turned the handle to find it unlocked. The smell bombarded her immeadiately. It was a powerful odor unlike anything she had ever smelled before. Her red eyes blinked tears away as she covered her nose with a gloved hand.

"Shit." John sighed as he covered his face as well.

"What is it?" She asked muffled.

"Cats."

"Like a sabercat? This house is way too small to be hiding one of those." She asked confused as she began searching the small house.

"No. Small cats. Cuddly, fluffy things."

"I have never heard of that before."

"They make this same smell, it's unmistakable."

"I don't see any cats." She said as she tried to find one.

"You never do until they want you to." He joked.

"Well, cats or no cats, this house is empty." She said with a shrug.

"I thought I told you never to come back." A voice bellowed from the door way.

John and Lilelle spun around. A short, squat woman stood in the threshold. Her arms crossed in front of her, as she tapped her foot in irritation.

"You can't be serious." John said as he blinked his eyes.

"What the hell are you doing in my house?"

"You two know each other?" Lilelle asked.

"It's a long story but the short answer is, yes." John answered.

"Lemme guess, you want me to help you with that synth taking control of Riften?"

"You know what she is?" Lilelle shouted in surprise.

"Of course I know. I figured someone would be along to have me fix this mess." She said before turning her ire on John. "I told you they were abominations when you had me fix your friend. You men never listen. It's all ego and no logic!" She huffed.

"Wait, I'm confused. You'll help us?" Lilelle asked.

"I shouldn't. I should let you reap what you've sown."

"Please, Doctor, don't let the shortcomings from my time punish the people of Skyrim." John pleaded. "She's only doing this because of what happened to her by those priests all those years ago. Curie has a gentle spirit, if we can only bring it back to the surface."

"Yeah I've heard that before. You said the same thing about that other synth and he's been bugging me for eons. I should have left him in that trash heap I found him in."

"Wait did you say?" John couldn't believe what he was hearing.

The old woman pushed her way into her home and shuffled past the pair. She opened a closet door behind them and pointed at the top shelf. John couldn't comprehend how any of this was possible. There on the top ledge was the unmistakable silhouette of a PipBoy. The firelight from the hearth flickered over the metal eye stalk taken from a Mr. Handy.

Could it really be? Could his friend have really survived after all this time? None of it made sense. The doctor, who still looked as ancient as the last time he saw her, seemed to not have aged another day. The PipBoy that held his long time friend. The answers to all his questions spiraled into his mind, sending him reeling. His palms began to sweat as he reached up to grab the small machine.

"Dammit John." The speaker bellowed as the eye blinked awake. "Aren't you a sight for a sore eye?"