Riddle 026: Raining on Prom Night

[puzzlerprince]

[A: 726 Anderson Lane - BACKDATED TO THE DAY AFTER PROM.

Riddle me this: Who's as green as his suit and just woke up with the worst hangover ever? Answer: Edward Nigma, of course. Family members and unexpected visitors will find the Riddler downstairs at the breakfast table, dressed in a green bathrobe, half-heartedly fumbling with his daily

Comments

B

[crimson_flashed]

[Coolly, without batting an eyelash.] Kill that person without being seen.

[puzzlerprince]

...didn't miss a beat, did you?

[crimson_flashed]

If the problem is that pressing, that's quickest and most efficient. The law's reach isn't absolute, and hired swords also exist for such purposes.

[puzzlerprince]

The law likes to believe that its reach is absolute, though, doesn't it?

B

[have_your_lives]

[After Edward's last class has let out - after the students have left the room, but before Edward's had the chance to do the same - a certain telepath stalks into the room. And it's clear from a single look at his face that this is no social call.

He didn't even contact Edward after the man murdered him, but judging by his expression now, the man's having talked to Keane last night was enough to turn Schuldig borderline homicidal.

He crosses the room in a few strides, resting his hands on Edward's desk and leaning over it. If he feels any deja vu or trepidation, standing in the place where he died a week or so before, he's not showing it.] We need to talk. [The words will ring in Edward's ears and his brain simultaneously, presumably for emphasis - either that or Schuldig's so angry he's broadcasting without even realizing it, which is probably much worse.]

[puzzlerprince]

[Edward should have figured that it wouldn't take very long before Schuldig approached him. It was bound to happen sooner or later, considering the things that he'd seen that night. The things that he'd heard.

The bit of deja vu that surges through him just now doesn't help matters much either.]

C-calm down.

Retroactively backdating this so that it happened the day after prom~ Otherwise, no change!

[have_your_lives]

Give me one good reason why I should. [He's smiling in theory, but not in practice.] First you kill me, and now you're trying to get dirt on me. I don't feel much call to be even-tempered with you.

It seems that somehow I've been denied the capacity to telepathically wipe your mind clean of whatever you think you gleaned last night, so I'm forced to handle this the old-fashioned way. You never saw that boy. He never existed. And if you don't induce yourself to forget everything you think you know about him, I will rip your brain apart from the inside out.

[There's no subtlety to Schuldig today, no mockery or smugness. This is all pure, wild fury.]

[puzzlerprince]

[Edward swallows a little bit. Of course he hasn't bothered to say a word about what he's seen. Not to Susan, not to Slugger. It isn't for them to understand. It isn't their answer to comprehend, it's his.

Question: "What makes Schuldig tick? What made him into the monster he is today?" That night, Edward had found the answer. Or, at least, he was starting to find it. And though he never went through anything quite as traumatizing as the German had, he... No. Not pitied. It wasn't pity that Edward felt. It was a sense of understanding.]

...I haven't said a word. And I won't. You don't need to threaten me.

D

[freakinblur]

[Why look! It's Officer McCann. He walks up to Edward while he's peering into a window taking notes. He's twirling his nightstick around and does his best attempt at a Grady impersonation. It's better than you'd expect.]

Well well, what have we here, creepin' around?

[puzzlerprince]

[It's enough to make Edward flinch a little bit, before turning around to find Scout. Still, even considering how much of an ass he made of himself the other night, he attempts a bit of levity.]

Didn't see you there, Officer. You startled me.

[freakinblur]

[Oh man it totally worked! Be treated to some snickering and a smug smirk.]

Gotta know how ta creep ta sneak up on a creeper.

[puzzlerprince]

[His eyes narrow a little bit, and Edward crosses his arms.]

I see Grady was kind enough to let you keep your badge, after all this time.

B

[cruelmiracle]

[Bernkastel doesn't look old enough for this class, but she tends to show up to any class that's not drone-taught regardless of subject or age appropriateness at least occasionally.]

it might be more interesting to see what he does.

[puzzlerprince]

What the criminal does, you mean? Once he's imprisoned?

[cruelmiracle]

If he's interesting, leave him be. Once he's boring, kill him.

[puzzlerprince]

..."once he's boring?" It's that simple?

B;

[partytoastess]

You kill them obviously! They're promoting violence, and violence is never okay.

Those that promote war or war related antics must be eliminated at all costs. At least they go out more peacefully than those that Nena has to kill!

[puzzlerprince]

But is execution not an act of violence in itself?

[partytoastess]

Nope! It's not! It's killing people that already had a chance to be non-violent and peaceful. It's completely justified because they did bad things and they must forcibly atone.

The death penalty is for those that need to be punished with severity. Violence is fighting. Executing is different! There's a distinction!