Riddle 020: Calling All Crooks

[questionauthority]

A. [At Mayfield High, Edward is taking to his new job as Ethics teacher with very little enthusiasm. Any kids in his class? Your first assignment is being written on the board in a neat, tidy scrawl:

"How far would you be willing to go to escape this place?"]

Discuss.

B. [Later on that afternoon, Edward makes a public phone call, filtered away from drones, Grady, the Mayor, the Smiths, and the like.]

Mayfield, Mayfield, Mayfield. You know what I like to do every Sunday night when I'm not scheming a daring escape? I like to think up riddles. Like this one, for example: "What is the one question you can ask at any point in the day, and still get a different answer?" Give up? Hmm?

Answer: "What time is it?" See? Simple. I could say "7:26" just as easily as I can say the time is 9 o'clock PM. Or this one---actually, my old college roommate, Andrew, was instrumental in helping me think this one up.

"Brothers and sisters have I none, but that man's father is my father's son!" I'll let you figure out the answer to that one on your own.

Hmm. Perhaps this Sunday night, I'll think up another good riddle. Or perhaps I'll finally find a way for all of you to get out of here. Who knows? Maybe I already have. Interested? Well---you already know where to find me. I've practically given you all the answers, regardless.

[He chuckles obnoxiously.]

Comments

B

[deaths-heritor.livejournal.com]

[There is the sound of throat clearing in the background as Edward finishes.]

You're not hosting your deranged plots in the house. There are three other people living here, or have you forgotten?

BUT MOOOOOOOM :(

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

[Edward scowls at her.]

Just this once, I'd like to try and plan something and not have it blow up in my face. Or is that too much to ask for in this house?

A

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[There is but one day out of the entire school year in which Slugger sits in a front row desk, dead-center. Today is that day and Edward is that lucky teacher who must deal with it.

He raises his hand before Edward can even finish speaking.]

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

[Edward's eyes narrow and he does his best to ignore the little terror that sits before him.]

Anyone?

[His eyes scan the room.]

A

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[Crowe is glad to have Edward back as a teacher. He would rather is be for Lit again, since Susan can be a bit... intense.

He looks at the question, thinking.]

What do you mean, "how"? I suppose using available resources, and coming up with the best plan... information is always the key.

Sorry, I made a mistake with the question D: edited it

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

Fair point, Mr. Crowe. But It's not just about the tools you use. It's the way that you use them. How far are you willing to go to get what you want? What are you willing to compromise? Or what won't you compromise?

B

[bro-thel-fist.livejournal.com]

...can't you just say what you mean like a normal person?

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

As I've said already, the answers are already laid out before you.

B

[hookedonspeed.livejournal.com]

...cripes.

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

[Eyebrow raise.]

Excuse me?

A

[the-wee-big-hag.livejournal.com]

[Hey it's that teen girl in the witches hat that comes to visit Susan sometimes. She has her hand up.]

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

Yes, Ms. Aching?

B

[sojackedup.livejournal.com]

What the fuck are you talking about?

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

I'm talking about our ticket out of here.

B

[justice-smells.livejournal.com]

[I still owe you other tags but I couldn't let this one pass by]


Human family structure sure is confusing!

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

It can sound a bit confusing, certainly, but if you take the time to consider how it was phrased, you should be able to find the answer easily.

B

[hungry-monster.livejournal.com]

[Maybe Johan should be added to that list.]

After your last plan went so well?

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

As I told you before, Mr. Liebert, I don't intend to fail again.

[chaoschildofgod.livejournal.com]

If I recall this riddle, the who would be the self.

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

Incorrect.

A

[miss-enma-ai.livejournal.com]

[Guess who also likes to troll people. There is a small Hell Girl just staring at you from a desk.]

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

[Oh god what on earth are you doing in this class.]

...yes?

A

[flameyedhunter.livejournal.com]

[Shana just scowls at Edward]

"Are you sure that is an appropriate question?"

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

No need to be so disdainful about it. This is merely a classroom exercise.

A

[cramschoolgod.livejournal.com]

[Sasaki, looking around, politely raises her hand after a while.]

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

Yes, Ms. Sasaki?

B

[gotmorbucks]

None of that makes any sense. Doesn't that just mean that you have a kid somewhere?

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

It does indeed make sense. Think harder.

B

[brotherseyes.livejournal.com]

Edward? It's Anna.

You'll really get us out? And what's the price for joining up with you?

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

I most certainly intend to try. As for a price? There is no price. Aside from what all of us may end up having to do to get out, that is.

A.

[roadroller]

Well, so far, being here doesn't bother me that much. I can't die now that I'm a robot, and that seems to be everyone's biggest problem with the place, right? Except for being here in the first place.

Buuuut... ♪

Let's say, if they messed with Miku-nee, who is still a human, or if they didn't bring Len here, or if they brought him here and then messed with him?

♪ I'd flatten the place entirely! ♪

... If I could, that is. [and at that, she pouts. Having her cute outfits is nice, but she liked being able to run things over with her roadroller.]

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

[Edward nods.]

Interesting. So, you would take action if your friends were threatened.

A

[perfectvoice.livejournal.com]

[Wait, what did he just write?

Well, of course she wants to get out of Mayfield! She has fans waiting back for her, videos to film, songs to sing, and she's still waiting on the English voicebank.

But...now that you mention it, she's pretty popular in Mayfield too. Not only that, but Rin's here, and it's not like she can leave the place with Rin in charge. She'll also miss the friends she made and her not-dad Vince, and what will EARTHBOUND do without her?

Man, this is a pretty hard question.]

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

[He takes notice of her thoughtful expression.]

Penny for your thoughts, Ms. Hatsune?

B

[absoluteisms.livejournal.com]

Ahahahahahah! La-me~ You call that a riddle? Pa-thetic!

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

...excuse me?

A

[hontobakabaka.livejournal.com]

[She raises her hand]

"By how far, do you mean lying, betrayal, backstabbing and such, or do you mean scientific experimentation to test the rules of this place?"

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

However you'd like to interpret it.

This totally did NOT take me about 15 minutes of thinking...and then upon realizing it felt stupid

[convallariaceae.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't that be his own child, then?

Also, what was that about a daring escape? It sounds quite exciting.

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

Indeed, that is the answer.

[He chuckles, self-assuredly]

I'd like to think of it as exciting, certainly.

C (lol taking a third option)

[alexanderofny.livejournal.com]

[Your Civics-teaching co-worker has been conducting similar information trolling in his own class, and because word spreads, he's giving you vaguely annoyed/perversely impressed looks in the staff room as he grades papers.]

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

[Edward's having himself a cigarette and reading the paper during break, not entirely aware of Veidt's gaze.]

[buildstherobots.livejournal.com]

[There's scribbling on the other end of the line, a pencil tapping, and then a start.]

Oh!

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

You think you have the answer?

B

[greatestmanll40.livejournal.com]

Ah.

I'm sure this is related to our previous... planning, eh Nigma?

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

Quite related, Luthor.

B

[plantenough.livejournal.com]

I've heard so many here make that same promise and none have made good on it yet.

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

Unlike those other dunces, I can assure you I fully intend to follow through.