Chapter 1
It was just a nagging feeling in the back of his mind.
He was never very sure of himself, and this was one of those times. He was never sure what was the trigger to make him start wearing the suit. He never understood his own need for the color green and ...
Riddles. Well, puzzles to be more specific.
If he wasn't working on one he was making them. He couldn't stop himself. He could do Sudoku in his sleep, he could make convoluted riddles while programing, and he wasn't even the lead technician at Wayne Enterprises. But he liked it that way. A little anonymity went a long way. He loved his job...
"Nygma!" came the obnoxious voice rang out through the entrance to his cubicle.
Ed spun around and made his face politely impassive. "Yes, sir?"
The only thing about his job that he hated way the obnoxious man standing before him. Greasy and overweight with no gift other that for managing others.
'Paper pushing and nagging,' Ed thought to himself.
"This report is official!"
"Yes?" he asked, keeping his tone even and unassuming as he hunched down lower in his chair, know that anything could make this man go off on him. The fact that Ed stood at an impressive 6'8" when he wasn't hunched over, made him seem more intimidating than he ever wanted to be. Yet, there was a nagging thought in the back of his mind that he could outwit this man to his death and it wouldn't be
any extra thought for him. He gave in involuntary shiver.
"You wrote it in that ridiculous neon green pen of yours again! It's too difficult to read! Do it again!"
"But sir, that report took me three days to write and you never specified that it was to be in a specific color. That pen happened to be the one on hand."
The man smirked at him evilly. "Well that's just too bad. You have to re-write the entire report in black ink and it had better be on my desk by closing time tomorrow!" And with that ultimatum set he stormed out of the cubicle to harass another worker about the amount of time they spent on break that day.
Ed sighed to himself, uncurling in his chair a bit and closing a few of the programs he was working on. He would have to stay at the office overnight to get all of his work done by the closing tomorrow. And he knew if the report wasn't handwritten he'd get yelled at for that too.
He picked up his desk phone and dialed thoughtlessly; ordering food for delivery at dinner and just before the restaurant closed.
The soft sound of footsteps altered him to the presence of a visitor to his humble little world. He looked up from grabbing his most comfortable black gel pen to see none other than Richard Grayson, the adopted son of Bruce Wayne and his student. He often tutored the young acrobat on his lunch breaks and after work. And while he knew there was an unusual attachment to the young boy, he figured he was just displacing his feelings.
"Hello, Ri," he greeted cheerfully. He straightened his spine and heard it groan in protest, only a few joints popped to relieve the tension. "And how are you this fine day?"
"Um, Eddie, it's pouring rain outside," Ri replied as he set his backpack on the floor next to the semi cleared desk that the researcher kept just for his visitors. Just enough room for a notebook and a book.
The red haired man craned his head slightly and looked out the windows. "Why, so it is. Imagine that... a rainy day in Gotham. You know, some people call that Gotham Sunshine."
Richard merely rolled his eyes at the older man. Being only 14, he didn't see the humor that Edward did in the statement. He reached into his backpack pulling out a notebook and pencil, along with his algebra book and a pair of candy bars. "You are so weird."
"Yes, well, it comes with the territory," Ed replied as he looked at the candy bars with a reproachful eye. "You are not eating those by yourself right now, are you? They're bad for you."
"One won't hurt since I don't have them often, and remember, it's study day. I always bring one for you," Richard replied with a cocked eyebrow and a confused look. "I came up here when I noticed you weren't at the cafe."
"Ah, to go through the sunshine to get to the Sunshine," Ed mused out loud, giving another laugh.
Ri shook his head again and flipped to the page he had been working on earlier. "Here's your peanut butter Snickers," he said with an off handed toss. "I'm working on my algebra two assignments. I don't really think I'll need the help but you don't mind if I do my homework here, right? I feel smarter in here."
"Nah, you can stay as long as you like. I have some papers that I have to redo so I'll be very busy. Just let me know if there's anything I can help you with. And did you remember to call and tell Alfred that you won't be home right after school and that you walked back to Wayne Enterprises again?"
Richard looked bashful for a moment. "Oops, I forgot."
"Well, then, it's a good thing I programed that number into my desk phone, yes? Press the third from the bottom and it will go straight to his number," Ed replied as he pulled out the new forms from a drawer in his desk, preparing to get to copying all of the data over again.
"So, what are you working on?" Richard asked as he hung up the phone with Alfred. The kindly butler reminded him to be home in time for dinner and to make sure he didn't catch his death in the rain.
"Redoing a report in the 'proper' color," Ed replied with a world weary sigh. "Apparently my boss, Mr. Staeman, didn't like the green pen you got me for my birthday. He never mentioned that the report was official, nor that it had to be in a specific color. But today he threw it back in my face and told me to do it over in black ink, and it has to be done by tomorrow at closing."
"That's not fair! You've been working on that project for months, and he wants you to rewrite the findings by tomorrow?" Richard exclaimed angrily. "I oughta..."
"No, you 'oughta' get back to your school work. Don't worry about it, I'm taking care of it. And if you don't work on your homework I'll have to send you home," Ed warned as he flipped the page he was working on over and started writing on that side without a thought.
"Nygma!" Staeman roared as he rounded that corner of the desk. He was already dressed to leave, his coat and hat on, and he glared at Richard who had already turned back to work on his homework. "What is the Wayne kid doing here? You have work to do and we don't pay to you to babysit."
"I am not babysitting," Ed replied as he carefully finished the page he was working on and set the pen down. "He likes to do his homework on the spare desk in here. It helps him to focus, since I'm here working it helps to keep him on task. Also, I can help him if he gets stuck and check his work on my break before he leaves. Is that a problem? I'm not billing the company any extra for him being here, only for the hours that I actually work on a project."
Richard gave the man a scathing look as he turned to look at him from his homework. He took a menacing bite out of his candy bar and went back to his work.
"Just remember that has to be on my desk by closing tomorrow," Staeman growled and stormed off.
"Why do you take that ... abuse from him?" Richard asked as soon as the man was out of earshot.
"He's my boss and I don't want his job. Besides, if it makes him feel more like a man by belittling people that are far more talented than himself I actually feel kind of sorry for him," Ed replied with a shrug as he finished the second page front and back. He pulled out more paper and began on it, "He has self-confidence issues that likely stem from childhood bullying. Or a poor self image. But I'm no shrink so don't take my word for it." He gave a self-depreciating laugh.
"I think you're awesome, Eddie," Richard replied vehemently. He scribbled another question down onto his paper the way Ed had shown him and began doing to work out on the paper. He didn't really see the need to do all the work if the teacher said it wasn't necessary, but Ed said the process was as important as the result itself so he did it anyway. Even if it did take three times longer to get the work done, at least he got to spend three days a week with Ed working on that boring homework.
Several minutes passed in companionable silence before the phone on Ed's desk rang. Ed picked it up without thinking and answered. "Research and Development, Nygma speaking... Oh, hey Margie didn't know you were manning the phones tonight." A brief pause. "Favor huh? I know how that goes and ... food? Oh yeah, I ordered it a while ago. Could you be my savior and bring it up? I'll share if you want." Another pause. "Okay, see you in a few minutes."
"She's too nice for her own good," Richard said offhandedly.
"What do you mean by that?" Ed asked as he continued to transfer the information over.
"She's really smart and the guys around here are more interested in her good looks than her good personality," the teen replied with a simple shrug.
"Hey cute stuff," Margie said as she rounded the corner and saw Richard sitting at the desk, working hard on his homework. Margie ruffled his hair lightly and looked over Ed's shoulder as she dropped the food on the desk off from his right elbow, clear of the papers he was currently working on.
"Thank you, you really are a life saver," Ed said with a grateful smile. He set the pen down and dug in the bag. "Anything you want is yours as a delivery fee."
"Just a roll will be fine, I have my own order coming in a bit, then I'm out of here for the night. Isn't that the report you dropped off this morning on Steaman's desk? It's done, why are you rewriting it, and by hand of all things?" Margie asked as she snagged a roll from the box Ed had opened.
"Staeman's orders. He said it was an official report and the green pen was unacceptable. He's also been cutting back on my breaks. I filed a note about it with the higher authorities, they said they'll have my normal schedule back in a day or so. Trying to be diplomatic about it. After all, if they cut my breaks and I'm here for the same amount of time they have to pay me more," Ed replied.
"I think he needs to be hit," Richard said as he set his pencil down. "I'm done, Ed. Would you check my work?"
"Well, what he needs and what he will get is not something for us to decide, now is it?" Ed replied as he picked up the notebook. He quickly scanned the page and then closed his eyes, calculating in his head. "Everything is good. Did you have more work to do? Or are you headed off?"
"I was hoping I could do my art project here. We have to draw a person working on something and I wanted to draw you. I don't know what Bruce does in his office all day, and Alfred is never in one place long enough. You're the only person I'd want to draw doing work. Even Margie get's up and moves around," Richard replied with a nervous glance at the researcher.
"Sure, if you want to, but my job is hardly interesting," Ed replied. "And you have to head home when you're done with that, okay? I don't want to be responsible for a minor being out after curfew."
Margie giggled and walked off. "I'll try and delay the boss from coming to your desk at all tomorrow. I think I can do something for you."
"Thanks again! You're a lifesaver," Ed called. He tried to stretch but his back wouldn't allow for it. He winced in pain and tried to hide it, but Richard was too observant.
"You need me to walk on you again?" the ebony haired young man asked.
"If you don't mind, I seem to be a little stiff today," the red head replied. He stood and moved to the empty spot on the floor, he took off his glasses and set them in his chair as he laid face fist on the floor.
"Okay, just remember to relax," Richard said as he quickly toed off his shoes and stepped onto the tall man's back. An immediate series of crunching noises was heard as the teen made his way from the small of the older man's back to the top of his shoulders and back again. He nimbly hopped off and gave a slightly uncomfortable look as the lankly man practically oozed off the floor and back into his chair, grabbing his glasses on the way.
"Thank you so much for that," Ed said with a small smile on his face. He opened one of the food containers and got back to work, he turned on one of the monitors and began typing out numerical codes with his left hand when it wasn't providing food for his mouth to consume and writing with this right hand to get the documents done as quickly as possible.
Richard quietly pulled out his sketch book and a pencil, just watching Edward Nygma work for a few minutes. He placed his pencil on the paper and his hand fairly flew over it. Sketching lines and erasing others, adding shading and smudges. Almost two hours later the pair was interrupted by none other than Bruce Wayne coming into Edwards cubicle looking for Richard.
"Richard, it's time to go home. Alfred asked me to grab you since you hadn't come home yet," Bruce said in a semi quite tone, not really wanting to disturb the scene before him.
"Huh? What time is it?" Richard asked. He looked up from the finished page in his sketch book.
"Nine," Bruce replied. "I was finishing papers in my office. Have you been here since school let out?"
"Yeah, I asked Eddie to look over my homework and then we had an art assignment. A person at work. So I asked Eddie if I could draw him," Richard replied.
"Well, we-I have work to finish in the basement tonight. If you still want to help with that we have to head out soon," Bruce replied with a knowing look.
"Okay," Richard said as he packed up everything into his backpack but his sketch book. "Eddie, did you want to see it?"
"Yes," Ed replied as he looked up from his work. His food as long since been finished and he now had a considerable stack of finished paper before him. He took the offered sketchbook and looked. It was Edward, hair messy and hands that seemed to be in motion, blurred over the keyboards and his papers. "It's amazing. I'm sure your teacher will love it."
"Thanks," Richard replied as he quickly stuffed the book away. "I'll see you on Friday at the diner?"
"Through the sunshine to the Sunshine," Ed replied with a nod.
Several weeks later . . .
"Riddle me this ..." came the cry from above as Batman and Robin got their first look at the question marked envelop on the counter of the bank.
"Riddler," Batman said, voice low. Robin looked at the note that had been left and grabbed it off the counter while his partner dealt with the question obsessed freak.
"That'd be me," the Riddler replied, electric green eyes watched the man in black carefully, making sure to keep a good distance away from him. He noted offhandedly that Robin was the one going after his puzzle, as usual. Batman did the heavy lifting and his partner did the brain work. "I see you still can't solve the puzzles that I've laid out for you to solve. Something wrong with doing your own work, pretty boy?"
Batman looked confused for a moment as he noticed Robin was looking over the riddle that had seemingly left for the dynamic duo.
"But maybe, they're just too hard for you? Is that the real weakness of the great and mighty Batman?" the Riddler asked, tone acid as he noticed the Boy Wonder making some notes on one of the pads at the bank counter.
"I don't have times for your childish games, Riddler," Batman replied as he moved between Robin and the Riddler.
"Oh, my dear Batman, they are hardly childish. In fact, as your partner will have noticed, it's a matter of life ... and death for some very not childish people," Riddler retorted. "In fact, now that you've opened the puzzle, the game has already begun. You only have ten minutes to figure it out before the first person dies. And it will have been all your fault because you couldn't learn your lesson. And why is that? Why is it that you can't seem to learn the lesson I leave for you?"
"What do you mean, people will die? You've never take hostages before," Batman demanded, going to Robin and noting what the young man had written down.
"That is for me to understand and for you to attempt to figure out, but be warned, you have very little hope of ever accomplishing that if you can not think for yourself or learn the lessons that have been put before you time and time again. You sadden me with your lack of trying to learn. You claim to be the friend of justice and understanding but you can not even understand your own tasks," the Riddler commented as he picked his question mark headed staff back up. This one was longer than the usual, almost as tall as the lanky criminal himself at six feet tall, and two and a half inches around. It was a deep green with bright yellow question marks all up and down it. He spun it around himself, letting it fly around his body in a brilliant and defensive display before grabbing it again. "Or are you thinking of actually doing your own work for once?"
Robin smacked Batman on the bicep hard to gain his attention. "We have to save those people," the young superhero said quietly.
Riddler jumped up on the counter. "And for your final question... one of you will stay here with me, and the other will go into to rescue the hostages. One by one, they must be carried out, and only one of you may complete the task. Swift as the cheetah and strong as an ox. Which shall it be?"
"And what nefarious thing do you have planned for the one of us that stays behind with you?" Batman demanded.
"Nothing at all, but the pleasure of my company, and the knowledge that if you try anything your partner will die. See, in order for one of you to go in, the other must wear this," the Riddler held up a collar, it was three inches wide and big enough for either one of them to wear. "You'll get to hear the rules about it when you put it on. And believe me, there is a game. All dependent on your partner. So, the real question is... do you trust your partner? I will tell you this rule, you can not remove the collar from your partner's neck, only they can do that."
"I'll go," Batman said with a tone of finality. "I trust Robin to be able to get that collar off."
"I trust you, Batman," Robin said with a defiant look to the Riddler. "Go on, I'll be fine here."
"Glad to have you aboard, Little Birdie," Riddler replied with a gleeful cackle. "And remember you two can not try to help each other or the other will suffer a penalty." He waggled the pointer finger of his right hand at Batman. "Go on, Robin, come here."
Robin nodded to Batman in affirmation that he would be alright without him. Batman nodded back and headed towards the bank vault where the first riddle had mentioned the hostages were being held.
As soon as Batman was out of sight the Riddler made his way swiftly over to Robin. Without preamble he scooped the young boy onto the bank counter, collar looped over his own arm and stood between the teen's now spread legs. In another swift motion he latched the collar into place around the startled hero's neck with a resounding click.
"There we go, Little Birdie, now you are to figure out how to get this off without picking the lock on it," the Riddler said with a knowing smirk. "Yes, I know the both of you are ... apt to picking the locks to get out of tight situations. But while there is a lock you could pick, it will be a penalty. That penalty, and all the others like it are an electric shock to your system. Nothing fatal, but most assuredly uncomfortable. Unless of course one of you should try to blatantly break the rule and try to either harm my person or destroy the device you now wear."
"Great," Robin replied. "So, how can I get it off if I can't pick the lock?"
"Ah, always a smart boy, you really are the brains of the operation, aren't you?" Riddler said with a gleeful cackle, still situated between the boy's legs. "Riddles are the answer, but the real trick is your timing."
"Timing?" Robin asked, noting that the villain still had him in a compromising position. "Can you get out from between my legs? It's uncomfortable."
The green clad villain looked down and laughed again, eyes nearly glowing green. "Of course, my young friend." He took three steps back and nimbly lept onto the counter behind him.
"Okay, so, what do you mean by my timing has to be right?" Robin asked as he sat up and felt around the edges of the collar and noting where the lock was located. He carefully moved his hands away from it and noted that other than the lock it outside was smooth, without any notable etchings on it.
"You must answer all of my riddles in a set amount of time. There will be a round for each hostage that comes out, from the time the Batman comes out with one until the next one is brought out. You will have that amount of time to answer two riddles, and for each session you finish, one of the locks will release. But be warned, if the last hostage comes out and you have not finished with me, you will be stuck in the collar for a very long time. You will also suffer a terrible jolt as a penalty. I do believe your classmates would notice if you were missing, would they not?"
Robin growled slightly under his breath. He would have to be as quick witted as the Riddler in order to get out of this situation without harm.
"Oh, and one more thing, you can not tell Batman your rules. I will penalize you if you try. Keep that in mind as he moves people out of the safe. Timing is the key."
"Okay, shoot," Robin replied as he loosened his neck as much as the collar would allow. He watched the Riddler intently.
"No, not until the first one is free. Once they are outside your timer begins," the riddle obsessed man replied.
Robin sighed in frustration.
Several minutes passed in silence before the two saw Batman carrying a woman in his arms, legs and hands still bound. Over her mouth was a gag with a question mark on it with the number six on it.
"Are you alright, Robin?" Batman asked as he paused to check on his partner.
"Keep moving, Batman," Riddler snarled darkly.
"I'm fine. I've got my part under control," Robin replied with a thoughtful glance to the caped crusader.
"Good," Batman replied with a nod and hurried back into the vault.
"He's not very bright is he?" Riddler commented offhandedly. "I'm giving you a pass on that one. First question: what can you put in a barrel, it will make the barrel lighter and can be seen by the naked eye?"
"Pass?" Robin questioned quietly to himself, he shook his head and looked at the Riddler. This was an easy question. "A hole. Why is this so easy?"
"Because, it's voice activated," Riddler replied with a smirk. "Only you can get yourself out of that. I ask the riddles and you give the answers. Only correct answers will open it."
"Oh," Robin replied with a thoughtful glance at the villain before him.
"What is everything to one person, but worthless to everyone else?"
"Your mind."
"Good Birdie. What has four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon and three legs at night?"
"I know this one," Robin said looking thoughtful for a moment. "Man."
"Excellent," Riddler replied, there was a whirring noise inside the collar. "That was the first lock. Halfway to the second lock. What-" he stopped in the middle of his sentence, eyes wide as he saw Batman running with two of the hostages that were trying to scream at him through their gags that read two and four on them. The dark knight paid them no heed as he rushed out the door. "No. No. NO!"
"What?" Robin asked. He felt fear race up his spine as the Riddler gave him an apologetic look.
"I can not remove that collar until all of the passwords have been spoken and he's being stupid. I'm sorry birdie, you're going to feel a bit of pain in a moment. Know that it was not my intention."
"What do you mean?" Robin asked, feeling the anxiety race through his body at the truly remorseful look in the super villain's eyes. Riddler jumped down off his counter and stood next to the young man just a a large jolt of electricity surged through his body from the collar.
"I can't do anything about it. Once that collar is on I can only interrupt the shock once. I built in that safety feature in case you two stole my remote. Or hacked it remotely. I know how smart you can be, Little Birdie."
Just as Batman crossed the threshold the Riddler gave a sympathetic look to the young man as a jolt of electricity coursed through his body as the collar went off. Riddler caught the Boy Wonder as his spasming muscles knocked him off the counter and would have landed him face first into the marble.
"Okay, it would seem your partner would not be logical about this so I will have to give you the answers. You'll just have to repeat them. Alright? With the way he's going about this the next shock will be much worse than that one," Riddler's eyes shifted to a less vibrant green as his brow knitted. "He's taking all the fun out of my games."
Robin looked at him somewhat confused. "What do you mean?"
"He's taking them out of order, and he's not listened to a one of them. The next answer is my son."
"My son?" Robin parroted, there was a faint whirring noise.
Riddler looked relieved. "I'll tell you that riddle again someday. That was the second lock."
Batman went running by with the next two hostages, these two were numbers five and three. The quickly crossed the entrance while the hostages screamed at the caped hero through their gags. One of them was beating him on his back, which he just shrugged off. Robin felt another jolt pass through this body and he fell back into Riddler's waiting arms. His eyes became more electric green, the color bleeding quickly back into them as he watched the bat run by to get the last hostage.
"We're running out of time. 42. Home. Fox, grain, chicken," Riddler said urgently.
Robin's eyes were slightly glazed as he tried to pay attention. "Forty-two," he said in a slow tone. "Home. Fox, grain, chicken." Two more whirs and clicks where heard. Batman came back into view.
"You're an idiot!" Riddler snarled at Batman.
"I've got the last hostage, Riddler, you've lost," Batman replied, noting that Robin was currently laying against the villain. The final hostage had the number one on his gag and a sign that said 'Listen to Me' on his chest. He looked upset as he looked at Robin and the Riddler. "And when I'm done you'll have to answer for what you've done to my partner."
"No, you will have to answer for it," Riddler replied, tone dark and angry.
Batman shook his head and continued to the door.
"Quickly Robin, you only have two answers left. It's ..." he didn't get to finish as Batman made it through the door of the bank and a bigger and longer sustained jolt hit Robin's small frame and wracked it with spasms. The villain gently held the young man and shook his head. He pulled his staff to him and tapped a few buttons. A small vial of ointment popped out of the side and he picked it up, still cradling the now still body. "Last two answers are not a box, and a match."
"Not a box," Robin mumbled, almost incoherent with the pain. Batman came back into view. "A ... match." The final whirs and clicks were heard and the collar fell off of Robin's neck. There were red marks that looked very sore and angry. The Riddler swiftly popped the cork of the vial and poured the contents onto his fingers and gently spread it across the burn marks. The green clad super villain carefully wrapped the young man into his own cape to help keep him warm as he re-capped the tube and tucked it into his utility belt.
"What have you done, Riddler?" Batman demanded as he shoved the red head away from his stricken partner.
"It's what you have done. By blatantly ignoring the instructions that were left with the hostages. I told you to be observant. I left easy instructions. You just did what you always do and just bowled in and didn't think. You did not contemplate questioning nor ungagging any of them. You did not ask if Robin needed more time. You took the hostages out of numerical order even though you know my habits and my way of thinking. You never once asked your partner was okay after your first question. And while; yes, he couldn't tell you his rules, he could have asked you to slow down. You instead bowled in and claimed that you trust your partner. At the same time you made no attempt to see if you could aid him, nor if you had any instructions. Even the hostages were trying to tell you what was going on. You are an ignorant, self absorbed, arrogant, thoughtless, uncouth, disorganized, idiotic, chauvinistic, imitation of a flying nocturnal mammal" the Riddler screamed at him as he swung his staff at him with every word, staff hitting on every other strike. He twirled the staff around his head, taking an almost defensive position between Robin and Batman. His breath came in slight pants as he finished, staring at the man in front of him with an air of frustration.
"What do you mean?" Batman demanded as he grabbed the staff and held it still.
The Riddler jerked at the staff, attempting to free it from the strong grip. "You betrayed his trust in you. He trusted you to keep your wits about you. You merely did what it is you always do and went bowling in without thought or consideration. Did you ever once realize there may be a lesson to be learned in all of this? That I might be trying to teach you a valuable lesson here?"
"Why would you be trying to help us?" Batman asked, taken aback and loosening his grip enough for Riddler to pull his staff back to himself.
"Because I want a good challenge for myself, and maybe I have ... other reasons," Riddler replied with a thoughtful glance at Robin. "But my reasons are my own, and as such you may try to divine my purpose. I will not tell you the answer to that particular riddle." He tipped his bowler hat to the man in black. "Take care of him."
"What do you mean by-?" Batman looked down to tend to Robin and when he looked back up, Riddler was gone. Just a note with a question mark on the front of it and the name Robin in neat handwriting on the front.
"Batman?" Robin questioned weakly as he looked around blurrily.
Batman knelt down and gently picked the young man up. "I'm here partner. You're going to be okay."
"Riddler?" he asked, eyes glazed slightly with suppressed pain.
"He's gone, you're safe now," Batman replied.
Robin closed his eyes in defeat and flipped of the dark knight as he passed out. Batman gave the young man a confused look at he took him back to the bat cave where Alfred was waiting for the two of them to return. Alfred chastised Bruce as soon as Richard was seen to and comfortably in bed with food, drink, and his not from the Riddler. Robin refused to speak with Batman for nearly a month. The note from the Riddler simply stated: 'You are the most brilliant young man I have ever met. I hope we meet again in the near future.'
Several years later . . .
Richard Grayson and Edward Nygma became good friends, more so as the young man began growing into his teens and headed into adulthood. Edward continued giving the young man tutoring session three times a week as need at the Sunshine Cafe across from Wayne Enterprises. Edward continued to have issues with his boss, Mr. Staeman and a new one that he been appointed over the management of the Research and Development teams, Mr. Stickly.
"Hey, Ed, how's it going?" Richard said as he sauntered into Ed's cubicle noting the researcher's jacket was hung in it's customary place on the green skeleton in the right-hand corner of the high walled cubicle. Random pictures decorated the walls, some of Bruce Wayne and what his company had done for people and some of Richard at the circus or the two of them hanging out. There were a few pictures of the Riddler as well, though they did not feature very often. Richard had once asked Ed what it was about the Riddler that drew the researcher to the villain. He had yet to get a reply out of the man, but he was hoping that he'd be able to get it today. He had leverage today.
"Oh, Ri!" Ed exclaimed as he spun around in his chair fast enough to make two rotations before he stopped. "I didn't even know you'd be coming by today! Isn't it Saturday?" the redhead asked as he looked outside and then to his watch with his head cocked at a questioning angle.
"It is, Ed, and I knew you'd be here," Richard replied, trying and failing to hide the smile on his face.
"What has you in such high spirits? Don't you usually hate having to come here on the weekends?" Ed asked, noting that even though it wasn't a school day the young man had his backpack with him.
"I do, but that's 'cause I'm usually being dragged here by Bruce against my will. This time I came here of my own volition."
"Whatever for?"
"You."
Ed stared at the young man and the simple answer. "Why would you come here on the weekend for me? Do you have a big test on Monday that you need additional study time for? Or is it time for the SATs already? I can't ever seem to keep track of those..." he trailed off as he noticed the young man was laughing at him.
"Do you even know what today is?" Richard asked, barely holding back the loudest laughs.
"Saturday. I have a project that I was working on yesterday and I haven't quite managed to get it right. I thought I'd have the building to myself today but it's always a happy circumstance when I get to spend time with you."
"Not that you silly man. It's your birthday!" Richard replied with and exasperated eye roll to the hunched man in front of him.
"It can't be that's not for another..." he spun around and checked the green puzzle filled clock on his desk. "Oh, so it is." The researcher gave a self-depreciating laugh to himself and shook his head.
"Yes, and I've come to steal you away. Is that okay with you?" Richard asked, giving his best puppy eyes to the other man, knowing the power of that look would render the scientist helpless but to go along with the plan.
"But, Ri," Ed tried to protest, looking away from the adorable pleading looking he was being given. "I really should try to get the project finished..."
"You have more vacation time than anyone at Wayne Enterprises. ANYONE. You never take a day off. Can't you spend one of your regular days off with your friend on your birthday? When he went through all the trouble of ditching everyone?" Richard turned up the power of his cute face. He could tell that Ed was going to crack at any moment. He just had to keep up the face a little bit longer.
"Oh, I suppose I could spare it today. And if I'm really raring to go I can work on it tomorrow," Ed conceded with a nod to the young man. He quickly typed a few commands into the three keyboards at his desk, saving his work and shutting the electronics down. A few moments later and silence filled the cubicle. "There, just let me grab my coat and bag and we can go."
"That's actually part of your gift. I've been working with Bruce for a while and well," Richard reached into his bag and pulled out a green wrapped gift.
Ed hesitantly took the package in his hands. "You didn't have to ..." He looked at the package as though it was going to reach up and eat him.
"If I had to then it wouldn't be a present. It would be a repayment," Richard replied with a laugh at the look on Edward's face. "Open it."
"Okay," Ed replied with a hesitant smile. He slowly tore at the paper and revealed a box for a helmet. "You got me a new helmet? Thank you, Ri." The helmet displayed on the box was a simple black half helmet.
"Finish opening it, you dork fish," Richard encouraged. He nudged the lanky man's shoulder playfully.
"Dork. Dork," Ed replied in his deepest and most unusual tone of voice. He opened the box and gave a brilliant and happy smile as he pulled out an electric green helmet with a dark green trim along the bottom edge. Ed's face lit up as he fell completely silent.
"Do you like it?" Richard asked as he looked to the ground, not able to meet the gray-green gaze of his friend. He nervously toed the floor around his feet as he shifted uncomfortably, unable to make eye contact.
"I love it. I'll use it when I finally get a new scooter," Ed replied as he lifted Richard's chin to make him look him in the eye. He quickly have the young man a hug, crushing the smaller man in a grateful hug.
"That's the other thing," Richard replied nervously, and refused to make eye contact again. "Would you mind walking with me to the garage? That way we can go to lunch together."
"Sure, I'd be happy to go with you, after all ... you said you wanted to kidnap me today." Ed replied with a laugh. He grabbed his backpack, jacket and new helmet and looked at Richard expectantly.
"Right, shall I lead the way to the parking garage that you've been using longer than I have?" Richard asked in a sardonic tone, giving Ed an amused look. He turned around, determined to make it away from Ed's cubicle before the man could decide he just had to do one more thing. Richard grabbed the man's hand and began dragging him away from his cubicle as he began to try and say something as he reached for his desk.
"Okay, but can't I …" Ed began as he reached for the desk.
"No, we're leaving for now. You can come back and fix whatever it is that you think you need to fix later. Like tomorrow," Richard said sternly as he pulled the researcher along behind him trying to make sure he didn't escape his grasp.
"Oh, alright. It's not as though I'm likely to forget what it was I was working on," Ed finally replied with a shrug as he willingly followed his young friend with a soft smile that was rarely seen on the man's face when he was with another person.
"Good, I wanna show you something," Richard replied as he loosened his grip but refused to let go for fear the man would still run back to his desk. He shook his head at the thought Ed might actually be addicted to his work. The man had a terrible habit of staying late and even sleeping at, on, or under his desk during particularly long assignments for his research.
"So, what is this other thing you want to show me?" Ed asked. He hid the smile slightly as he followed the young man before him.
"You'll just have to wait and see," Richard replied with a coy look over his shoulder. He gave a faint knowing smile and hurried up to the point he was dragging the taller man slightly. Ed indulged him by lengthening his stride to keep up with the excitable young man.
The pair quickly made their way to the parking garage. Richard had purposefully parked away from the other vehicles to hide the final surprise he had hidden for Edward Nygma.
Ed was too busy watching his friend to notice what they had walked up to.
"So, what do you think, Eddie?" Richard asked quietly.
"About what?" Ed asked innocently. He looked up and was greeted with an unexpected sight. Before him was a brand new, shiny, tri-shaded green scooter. The latest model and very fast, not to mention it looked like it had been slightly modified for someone with a taller frame than the average scooter rider.
"What is that?" Ed asked dumbly. His mind refused to comprehend what was placed before him. His old scooter had been run over by one of Gotham's many over weighted garbage trucks while it was fleeing one of the many villains that frequented the city. He had been parked on the side of the road and during the chaos it had been knocked over and then promptly destroyed by the fleeing vechile. Ed had been taking public transportation since the incident since he neither had the money to fix his old scooter nor get a new one.
"I know that you prefer scooters to motorcycles, though for what reason I've never been able to tell. This one should fit you a little better than the last one you had. I know about the incident a few weeks ago. I asked Bruce if we could order in the parts to get you a new one built. He and Alfred found them dirt cheap and I finished putting the whole thing together in time to paint it and have it ready for your birthday. I felt so bad for you and you've helped me out so much with my schooling and being a great listener for me since I was young, I just had to do this for you," Richard replied quickly, noting that even though Ed loved it, he was going to try and protest against the young man doing so much for him.
"But you can't," Ed tried. His voice failed him as he looked over the beautiful craftsmanship of the scooter before him. The greens faded in and out of each other from the front to the back and in swirling patterns all over the surface. The seat and handle bars were a deep green that was nearly black.
"I can and I did. It's not going to fix anyone else as well as it will fit you. You've ridden with me so many times I know how you balance, how you like to ride, and how long your limbs are," Richard replied in a tone that brooked no argument. "Just sit on it, if you don't like it … I guess I can see if I can sell it. No one at Wayne manner would ride it. It wouldn't fit. Bruce might be able to sit on it and fit, but the reach would be uncomfortable and he doesn't like 'two wheeled transportation' anyway."
Ed took another halting step towards the scooter, looking back to Richard like a child that would be scolded as soon as he touched the shiny new toy.
"Don't worry, I doubt you could break it just by sitting on it. Alfred and I tested it extensively. It has very nice, brand-new shocks on it," Richard added for support.
Ed quickly strapped his helmet on and wiped his palms on his pants as he felt his nerves alight with nervous tension. He carefully straddled the powerful machine and brought it down off it's kickstand with a nervous and mildly unconscious movement of his legs. He felt the spacing of the handlebars and the way his spine curved as he leaned slightly forward to grip them. He had no need for slouching with this particular machine, his legs hit the ground minimal leg bending. He gave a huge smile to Richard.
"Ri, it's … perfect," Ed smiled.
"Here, start her up and let me know what you think. She's a little more powerful than a regular scooter but less powerful than a motorcycle. She also has an increased gas tank size and a big enough trunk for you to store your helmet in if you'd like. Also the rack on the back is made from that tritanium you've been working on here, as well as having the whole frame re-enforced with it. Call it a practical application for it. It's very strong and lightweight. If performs as well as I hope, we can bump your project up to the finished line with only minor application notes needed." Richard tossed him the keys to hide the slight blush that had crept onto his face as he spoke of the researcher's work.
"That's amazing. How did you manage to get enough to accentuate the scooter with it?" Ed asked as the caught the keys and wisely ignored the fact that Richard was blushing, he figured against making the young man anymore uncomfortable than he already was.
"I talked to the rest of your team. Seems they thought you should have been running tests like this weeks ago, but your boss Staeman thought you didn't have all of the information and he was being a general pain in the ass just because it's your project Eddie! It's just not fair! Why is he such an ..." Richard took a short breath to calm himself and looked at Ed again, noting the slightly pained expression in the other man's eyes. "Why is that guy such a toad to you? What did you ever do to him?"
"He doesn't like people that are far smarter than him. He knows that if I really wanted to, I could have his job. But I don't want the stress. I want to be able to create new things and help people and improve their lives. I don't want to be stuck so far into the knot of bureaucracy that I'll never create another new thing for humanity again. I would have no time for myself if I had his job. And I'd also loose my sunny disposition. Management is something that I've done in the past and never want to repeat again." Ed's eyes grew distant for a few moments before he came back to himself. "But never mind that! Where are we going for lunch?"
"Oh, well, I found this really cool restaurant on the other side of Gotham ..." Richard began.
A few months later …
He had laughed to himself as he carefully placed the note in a place only Robin would find. Only the acrobatic partner of Batman himself would find this note. And that was the point, wasn't it? To lure Robin; the Boy Wonder, into a meeting with the Riddler.
Ed sighed slightly as he readjusted himself in his hiding place on top of the building. He had carefully chosen this spot to shield himself from view but it also had another advantage as the Gotham weather pulled it's usual and began to rain. He was sheltered from the pounding and freezing cold rain. Spring time in Gotham was always cold, only the summers ever held any real warmth and those didn't last that long. He shivered as a cold wind hit him and actually hoped that his young target would be wise enough to keep himself well protected.
The lithe and graceful young man landed on the Gotham Bank with a soft thud. He looked around, trying to spot the villain before he says anything.
Ed's mood shifts and he unfurls himself from his hiding place in the shadows. "Birdie," he says smoothly, noting the way Robin stiffens for a moment in his surprise. He gives an unhinged smile, knowing that it unnerves the young man before him but unable; and unwilling, to stop himself from doing so. He hummed a tune to himself, not truly consciously aware that he is doing so as he thinks of all the things he wishes he could do … and know that he can not do any of them. He stands up to his full height of six feet and eight inches, brushing his clothes out.
"Why did you send me this?" Robin demanded as he held up the folded note the Riddler had delivered no more than twenty minutes before the young man had picked it up.
"Ah, I so love when you ask questions, Birdie," Ed replied, grinning more and still unaware of his humming.
"Stop calling me that and answer," Robin demands, looking away for a few moments, unable to keep the gaze.
The Riddler tipped his top hat and hid his eyes from the young man, knowing that his gaze when he was like this could be unnerving. His eyes turned an even more vibrant and unnatural green as he smiled further, knowing that Robin would be patient enough to listen to what he had to say, even if it took a few minutes to get to that.
"You know all the answers. You're smarter than him," Ed stated simply. He darted a glance at the young man, noting his shock. He felt pride for the young super hero he had been training and helping to develop into the man he was, he couldn't actually directly involve himself but he left clues. He forced the young man to think outside the box.
A lesson he had given up on with the caped crusader after the … incident at the Gotham bank with the collar.
The fool.
He shook himself and looked to Robin again. 'Good, he didn't notice I fazed out for a moment,' Ed thought to himself.
He smiled in a more unhinged manner, knowing that Robin knew the man of who he made a vague reference of. He played with his cane absentmindedly.
"So you want to help, why tell me and not the Commissioner? If you told him you'd probably earn immunity for at least some of your past crimes … unless it's redemption you're seeking. If you're seeking redemption through helping my presumption is that this has to deal with the Joker. So you're going to tell me what he has planned so I can warn Batman and anyone else who may need to know. Then you'll stay under the radar unless the mood strikes you or you can't just stand by for a specified occurrence. Then when that time comes you'll send em some kind of cryptic message that will only make sense to me because you feel I am one of the only people close to understanding your superior intellect."
The Riddler chuckled darkly, doing a mental cheer and giving an almost imperceptible nod.
"So I'm right," Robin replied, looking more confident.
"Yes," the Riddler purred to him, taking a tiny step forward and causing the young man to take an involuntary step back. "You are absolutely correct. And a question for you, Little Birdie ..."
"Wh-what is it?" Robin asked, his voice shook ever-so slightly in his mild uncertainty.
"What do you think of me? You're so … timid … without the Bat around. Is it just me or are you really so helpless without that brute telling you exactly what to think and do?" the Riddler asked, his voice became a little harsher than he had intended. He felt anger at the way Batman treated his partner. His very intelligent partner.
"It's not like that. And I think you're a freak who wants to look like some messed up, Goth Mad Hatter-" Robin snipped out with a growl, but was cut off.
Before the young man has a chance to register what was happening he had knocked him onto the rooftop. The boy under him gasped as his back came into startling contact with the tiled and freezing roof. He used the advantage of leverage to hold the boy in place as he took both of the the Boy Wonder's wrists into one of his hands above his head.
"Mad Hatter, you … riddle me this, Birdie … Why is a raven like a writing desk?"
"I … I don't know," Robin replied with wide eyes in surprise.
The Riddler snickered out loud. "Honestly … neither do I."
"Let me go," Robin demanded.
The Riddler tilted his head to the side for a moment as he contemplated the idea. "Are you afraid, Little Birdie?" he asked as he tilted his head in the other direction.
"This isn't funny," Robin demanded hotly.
"I wasn't laughing," Riddler replied simply, no hint of laughter remained in his voice.
"I mean it, let go of me or el-"
"Or else what? You told no one where you were going," the Riddler interrupted as his temper flared a moment. He took a shuddering breath before he did anything he would later regret.
"How do you know!" Robin demanded.
"Other than I was waiting for you next to that gargoyle over there for a long time and watched you from the moment you got here … because I told you not to. And you enjoy listening to me," the Riddler replied with a self-satisfied smirk. He felt a flush of pride at the fact he was right and could see it in the emerald eyes before him.
"No I don't," came the weak and reflexive reply.
"Yes, yes you do," the Riddler replied as he closed the distance between the two of them to catch the plump and tempting lips that were so close to his own. He kissed the teen harshly for a few moments before the released his mouth with a smile that is purely predatory.
"K-knock it off," Robin stuttered, unaware that his now kiss-swollen lips presented an even more tempting target, but the Riddler managed to reign that in for a few more seconds.
Heeding the hero under him, he tilted his head to the side and feasted his mouth on the long neck. He sucked and bit, drawing a bit of blood before he soothed the hurt with his tounge, knowing the effect it would have. He purred to himself as he heard the delicate gasp beneath him as he did not kiss the young man again, but instead allowed his free hand to roam across the body underneath him.
As he felt his message was clear, the Riddler abruptly removed himself from Robin. He stroked one pale and lightly flushed cheek and laughed a little as the simple action caused the boy to nearly fall over himself to create some distance between the two of them.
"Your eyes are so beautiful … like emeralds. They're even more so when you're excited," the Riddler said as he gazed into the beautiful eyes, noting that his unwilling partner is half-hard even through the cold and his costume.
He readjusted himself and began humming again as he handed over the new note. He leaned over, displaying himself for the boy in an unobtrusive way as he grabbed his cane again and tipped his hat. With a final smile he melted back into the shadows, efficiently enough to make Batman himself proud. From the shadows he watched the young man look around in shocked amazement before dashing off to his hideout again.
Ed sat at a sewing machine, not quite sure why he felt the urge to make a new costume for his infrequent, nighttime adventures. He laughed to himself; the sound highly unhinged as he added a bag of sequins next to him. He planned on making a new suit for the Riddler but he wasn't sure where he was planning on going with with particular design. He just knew it was going to be flashy, and it was going to have question marks on it. He nodded to himself as he finished with the last seam and picked up a needle and bright green thread and began sewing the shiny green sequins onto the coat.
"At least my latest weapon design is coming along, and the tritanium is making it light enough for me to wield it efficiently," Ed muttered to himself as he looked over to the unpainted staff that was leaning against one wall of his workspace. "I need to get more space for this hideout..."
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