When is a Riddle not a Riddle

A young woman has been visiting Riddler since his Asylum days. Professor Strange finds himself intrigued. She frequently visits him in Arkham City, staying for hours. Strange is curious of her. Perhaps she is the key to him unraveling Gotham's second most puzzling riddle. It's only a matter of cracking her.

…

The Riddle

and

The Writer

This is my first Batman Arkham fic. Be nice. I took an interest in Hugo Strange and wondered what if he used arbitrary means to get in the heads of his patients.

I did delete this for a second to redo something. A brief revision. Someone brought up an interesting point. So I should lay down a few notes.

1) This takes place before the events of Arkham City

2) I'm aware of Riddler's personality but have adjusted it to fit this fanfic. Because this is FANFICTION DOT NET! FICTION! Not true, and or canon.

3) There is no three. I appreciate the criticism though major. I had forgotten a few key parts. Others no.

There is a four. If you don't like the fic DO NOT READ IT! Again, this is FANFICTION! I'll put Joker in a TUTU if I want to!

Please Enjoy!

...

"Hello Officer Cash." A 22 year old woman greeted the Arkham City guard. Her vibrant blue eyes glistening in the tone of her golden brown skin. The midday sun reflected off her long, sheen brown locks. "How are you today?" She shifted her satchel bag.

Arkham City. A regular Asylum on dry land. Only it is rumored the inmates will have free run of the city. Go to shops, live lives behind barbed walls. The City has only been opened for four months and already the people of Gotham were rioting. Saying they felt safer with Arkham on the island. Far away. With shark infested security.

Meanwhile there were others who were in support of the City. Many who were incarcerated on Arkham Island had families who found it difficult to visit. Assure their imprisoned loved ones that they weren't forgotten. Visiting hours, however, were greatly restricted. The City hadn't intended for civilians to pay their respects. When the voices became loud enough, the City had to oblige. A strategy for raising public appeal. To that, Professor Hugo Strange, the new Warden of the City, permitted supervised visits. Heavily supervised. Guards to escort and guards on the roofs and in the streets.

There were no reported injuries thus far.

"Hey there, Miss Nyra. I'm fine. You're looking good." Her yellow turtleneck halter matched her skin tone nicely. Cash followed her blue bell bottom jean legs to the brown boots and back up. Emily Nyra. An aspiring author who has sold three mystery novels since graduating high school. Currently she is working on a new seller. She merely needed inspiration. Who better than Gotham's most puzzling mystery?

Cash wasn't up for working inside Arkham City just yet. Being stuck with the loonies on an island was bad enough. He wasn't up for being trapped in a city where getting out is hella harder than getting in. "Here to meet with Riddler again?"

"You almost sound disappointed." No one is entirely sure why, but Emily has been visiting The Riddler since Arkham City opened. Longer. Since Arkham Asylum. She visits him in the manor he acquired the second he arrived. He turned it into a real Hell hole to get to. All the time she is escorted and monitored closely by TYGER guards. That did very little to ease Cash's unease. Penguin, Joker, Croc - any of them could get their hands on her and kill her. Or worse. He wished she'd take the danger of the City more seriously.

"I'm telling ya, Miss Nyra, visiting these weirdos isn't healthy." Cash warned her out of concern. "Harley Quinn became obsessed and look what happened to her."

"But you see I'm not Harley. I'm not hopelessly in love with a loon in love with himself."

"Then what are you? To Riddler I mean?"

"That, Officer, is my secret." She winked teasingly. "For now he is my inspiration." Cash was taken aback. Bothered by how she refused to answer that one question. She'll tell Cash about previous visits and how long she spent with Riddler. Visiting hours run from noon to nine. She's stayed the entire nine hours once or twice. Since the Asylum and now in the City. But she never answered why she visited him. Why she was interested in him? And she was so young. Maybe she is in love and refused to answer. "May I enter?"

"Yeah. Of course…" Cash requested authorization for the door to open. The heavy, barbed wire doors parted. Three heavily armed guards escorted her to Riddlers hold up. The Maze District. A place where only answering Riddler's Riddles grant you safe passage to his home. "You realize the TYGER guards are going to be one you like flies to a dead carcass. The inmates in here would like nothing more than to rip your hide apart. In more ways than one."

"Procedure as always." Emily shrugged. She's used to this speech. Cash's way of discouraging her visits to Riddler. He always urged her to meet him in the Visitor's Hall where she would be better protected. She always declined. Saying, "I won't thin the thread keeping us close." Whatever that meant.

"Take care, Miss Nyra."

"Thank you, Cash."

As the doors closed behind her, Cash scracthed his cheek in bewilderment. The maze gaurding Riddler's place has traps that activate when riddles are answered incorrectly. They change almost daily. "How the Hell does she get through?"

...

Unbeknownst to the girl, up in the guard tower, Professor Hugo Strange watched from on high with a malevolent grin on his face. "Shall we intercept?" A guard asked.

"No. Let her pay her respects to Mr. Nigma." The guard nodded, stepping back. Strange admired the girl as she regaled the guards with her charm. "She and I will speak very soon."

…

Interview Session

(Recorder turned on)

Strange: Interview number 1. July 5th 2014. Visitor name: Emily Nyra. Novice Author with three published works and rumored to have a fourth in the making. Miss Nyra is a frequenter of Arkham City who habitually visits Edward Nigma. The Riddler. Previously she visited Arkham Asylum to see Mr. Nigma on significant holidays. Now with Arkham City she visits quite often. Today I have invited Miss Nyra, 24 hours after her previous visit, for a session. A sure to be brief meeting with the spark of Mr. Nigma's interest. Perhaps the young Miss may provide the leverage I need in order to cure Mr. Nigma.

…

(24 hours ago)

"Hiya, Ed! Did you miss me?" Emily strolled on the green carpet of foyer of Riddler's Manor. His decor screamed his obsession with riddles. Chess pieces podiums, checker board floor tiles, wayward stairs. Both the picture and the actual stairs.

"EM! Good to see you!" Riddler greeted the girl with open arm, strolling down the split stairs. Emily skipped up the stairs, throwing herself in his arms in a warm hug. Riddler spun her around, holding her so tight he never wanted to let go. "To think I used to despise this city. Now that you can visit more often, I'm starting to grow fond of it."

"I missed you to, Ed." She giggled. Thankfully the guards stayed outside. They tend to spoil the mood. "I brought you something." She reached into her bag.

"OOH! IS IT…" He pranced excitedly. Emily produced a green and brown hardcover book. A picture of a brain with stairs making up the synapses. Maze of the Mind, Volume 4. Wayward Escape. "YES! OOH, YES! This is the manuscript, right? A rough draft to tease me with?"

"Have I disappointed you yet?" She answered him with her own question.

"No you haven't!" He flipped it open to the first chapter. "What to do? What to do? No escape. No release. When trapped in the maze of your own mind, unable to escape, not knowing if you're reaching the end or being taken further - how does one escape the maze?" Riddler hugged the book to his chest, squealing with joy. "And you're sure no one's read it yet? No publisher dared touch the cover and skimmed their thieving eyes on the words."

Emily crossed her heart and raised her right hand. "I solemnly swear, Edward Nashton, that no one except you and myself have viewed the contents of my book."

Riddler's heart warmed. He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "You truly are the best. Don't ever forget that." He whispered, cupping her cheek. "I'm just sorry you have to come here."

"Don't be." She hugged his hand, snuggling to the palm. "I'd travel to Mars and back to visit you. Especially on Fourth of July." She beamed a huge smile up to Riddler. "This is the day that brought us together."

"You gonna watch the fireworks with me?"

"I never miss them."

…

(Present Day)

Emily: (Door to Strange's Office opens) "He-hello? Professor Hugo Strange?"

Strange: "Yes, Miss Nyra, please come in. Have a seat." (Doors closes. Screeches of a chair being pulled out and pushed.) "Good evening, Miss Nyra. Thank you for coming."

Emily: "With all due respect, Professor Strange, on the phone you made it sound as if I didn't have a choice?"

Strange: "Of course you had a choice, my dear. Forgive me. My mundane work ethics overwhelmed my courteous nature."

Emily: "Well you did sound somewhat urgent. And my day was open so..."

Strange: "I appreciate your coming nonetheless."

Emily: "Why was I asked here? If you don't mind my asking. It was rather sudden."

Strange: "Ah yes. You see, Miss Nyra, it has been brought to my attention that you are a frequent visitor of the patient, Riddler."

Emily: "I..I do visit a few times each month. Why? Is there an issue?"

Strange: "Not at all. In fact I find your visits with him to be fruitful. He is much more compliant with you than he has been with our doctors or me."

Emily: "Ed doesn't open up to people he doesn't trust?"

Strange: "Clearly he trusts you. Ed?" (Chuckles menacingly) "You both must be very close if he allows you to use his name informally."

Emily: "N-Not in the way you think! Or the way anyone else thinks!"

Strange: "Why so nervous, Miss Nyra? I'm merely teasing. Although I must admit you have me curious. What do I think of you and Riddler?"

Emily: "I-I don't know! I'm not a mind reader!"

Strange: "Then why are you blushing?" (Long silence, confirming Strange's unspoken hypothesis. He chuckles again) "Miss Nyra you are a smart woman. Quite accomplished by what your publicist says." (Pulls out one of her books. Notices folded pages where the places were saved.)

Emily: "You read it?"

Strange: "I've read all three of your works, Miss Nyra, and find myself fully captivated. Especially with the main character. A deuteragonist you've christened, Brain Teaser. A rather silly name only to belie the true danger he poses. The love he holds for solving puzzles and turning them on his adversaries. Seems to be a pseudonym for another brain teaser felon we know."

Emily: "That's no secret. Ed, well, he is the inspiration for the main character."

Strange: "Then it should come as no mystery as to what I think of your relationship with Mr. Nigma."

Emily: "There's nothing romantic going on! I swear!"

Strange: "Why swear? You are not in a police interrogation."

Emily: "Then why does it feel as if you're accusing me of something?"

Strange: "Perhaps we should end our meeting here. I fear I have touched a raw nerve. A poor introductory for our first heart to heart. First impressions are important. Help to clarify who it is the person you speak with."

Emily: "Believe me, Professor Strange, I already have an outline of who you are."

To be continued