Riddle 021: Angel Aftermath

[puzzlerprince]

[Well, Edward's back from Westport, and he's definitely a little worse for the wear. This hasn't exactly been a very fun couple of days for him. As soon as he gets home, he shrugs off his coat, hangs his hat and his cane on the rack, and makes his way to the phone.]

[Public Call, standard filters in play]This is Edward Nigma. I'm... back from

Comments

[strike_you_out]

[Slugger has heard the phone call -- both the filtered and unfiltered halves -- due mostly to the fact that he has been standing behind Edward for the duration of the call, silently observing him. When Eward turns around, he will find his not!son staring up at him with much fascination.]

...Westport.

[Make with the details.]

[puzzlerprince]

[He jumps a little bit at Slugger's sudden appearance, though he's relieved to see that it's only him. Never thought you'd see the day where Edward's actually happy to see him, now did you?]

Yes. Westport. That statue from the other night sent me there.

[strike_you_out]

[This will be chalked up merely as Edward's relief at not finding another stone angel behind him.]

What happened.

[puzzlerprince]

I woke up in Westport. Ran into an old friend and investigated the town. May have made a complete and total fool of myself.

[What else is new? But then, this probably isn't what Slugger's interested in finding.]

The town was practically empty, though others were sent back along with us. Thankfully we were never ambushed by hazmats. And the air was breathable. Still, there wasn't much to eat, I barely slept, and I nearly died of thirst. Eventually, we were rescued by someone in a time-traveling police box.

[He wrinkles his nose. He's pretty aware of how weird that sounds.]

[strike_you_out]

[Not as weird as you might think, actually.]

Find anything?

[puzzlerprince]

Nothing substantial, unfortunately.

[strike_you_out]

[Slugger's gaze, along with his shoulders, droop subtly in response. He trusts that if there was anything of great importance to be found, Edward would have been the one to find it.

...

Despite that bit of disappointing news, he's still curious.]

Others were there? What was it like?

[puzzlerprince]

...haunting. Isolating.

Like I was at the end of the world. And I couldn't figure out how to get back. ...I didn't have the answer.

[strike_you_out]

[Those last few words resonate with him; Edward is the sort who hates not having the answer. Or, for that matter, an escape route. Slightly more disappointment sets in at the notion that Edward may have been feeling desperately trapped at some point and in need of Slugger's "services". He pushes that thought aside for now.]

Did it look like Mayfield?

[puzzlerprince]

Somewhat. It had been so ravaged that it was hard to tell at first, but... it was still Mayfield.

[strike_you_out]

So there are two Mayfields...?

[puzzlerprince]

Perhaps.

Or perhaps not.

[strike_you_out]

[When worded that way, the only other conclusion that can be drawn is--]

...Mayfield's past? Or future?

[puzzlerprince]

You could very well be right on either count.

[He sighs, way too exhausted to even begin pondering over this riddle.]

I'm going to go clean up. If anyone comes to visit me, don't let them in.

[strike_you_out]

[Obscured beneath his cap, Slugger's eyes dart furtively to the side.]

Expecting someone?

[puzzlerprince]

[Well, he doubts that after all this, Ms. Skye would want to come within thirty feet of him, but---]

Not particularly. But it's been a long couple of days and I'd rather not be disturbed.