First of all, I would like to say thank you too…

Jazzy-sparks - I know what you mean, I'm summer 1 class right now and everyday, we either have a pop quiz or a quiz on our abbreviations. And thanks for being the one who understands my point-of-view to this story. And thanks for another great chapter, and I'm just getting ready for Croc to step into the picture once again.


Chapter 6: Gaining New, Seeing Old

A week has passed and now everything seems to be somewhat normal.

The Hatter hasn't tried to pull any fast tricks on the young doctor, well because I believe that she looked like Alice from the movie and now for some reason she behaves like her, but for some reason you can tell that she's not under hypnosis.

I guess that's okay…

Edward Nigma had to get another new doctor as the account of he made the other quit her job and became a stay at home wife, all because she got part of his riddle and now she feared for her life.

So now, I'm waiting for another newbie to come in and knowing them, they'll try to make her more attractive so they believed that Eddy wouldn't chase off this one…

Lets see…

"Umm…hello?"

A low voice broke me out of my black state of mind as I looked over, expecting to find a boob-job bimbo, but a young looking woman doctor stepped in and looked around for a moment.

The moment my eyes laid on her, my mind only screamed one thing…

'NEEEERRRRDDDD!'

Thick, black rimmed glasses. They looked so heavy and painful as they slid down her nose every few seconds, but she'll just push them back up. And I don't want to sound mean but knock on wood! Rail road mouth…oh my gosh…the poor baby…and freckles up threw the ying-yang.

"Hi! What can I do you for?"

"I'm looking for a woman by the name of Mary-Lou, I was told she can help me on my first run with my new patent…"

And a slight slur in her speech…dear lord…

"I'm her, and who is your new patent?"

Please don't say Edward! Please don't say Edward! Please don't say Edward…

She took a quick glance at the green folder in her arms and I guessed she read the name that is on there…

"Edward Nigma…"

GHAAA! DAMNET!

"Okay, I know him some what, a very quite man but when he's on a roll about his riddles, the only way to stop him is by knocking him out…"

A big smile formed on her face…god those braces…

A squeal came from her as she did a weird hop on her foot, "Oh I just love riddles, I have a million of them, I used to do a lot with my brothers and get extra bonus points on my exams and quizzes because I always think outside of the box."

"That's cool and all but I must warn you, he's not an easy man and he'll think you're cheating if you answered one of them right. And by the way, how old are you?"

"I'm 22 going on 23 next month, why?"

"Well, I believe you're the first ever to come this early."

"Really, well I think it's because I graduated from high school at 16 and then I just recently graduated from Gotham University with honors and with 2 years to spear…"

A blank just washed over my mind as we began walking to the 'questioning rooms' and guess I did it funny enough as she broke out into a laugh.

I smiled as I looked down at her and told her, "You smart!" but I did it in way that I have an weird accent in my voice.

And she found it hilarious and she did something that made me laugh. She snorted! Not just a small one or a low one but a one that made her thick glasses fall off but I caught them and that when I saw them…

Two bright emeralds, so full of life and innocence and carefree in them…

Man…Eddy is gonna have a hard time with this one.

I handed them back to her and then the rest of walk was full of snickers.


I gave instructions to the young doctor as I went in first.

And there was the riddle master himself, Edward Nigma, only having his wrists handcuffed to the metal chair but by the length of the silver chain, he had only enough space to move his arms about, as the account he likes to talk with his hands.

"Ah, well isn't the Croc Lady herself, what do we owe the pleaser?"

"Hello Riddle master, I'm here today to tell you that you got a new doctor and she asked me personally to come with her…support her…through her first time."

"Really now? Well, I'm surprised for that bran-less dolt of a warden, to find somebody to cover for the other brainless bitch."

"I know and I bet that you wondering when were you going to have a good break but on the other hand, you couldn't wait till you run out another doctor with your superiority. Am I correct?"

A sigh and a grumble excerpted from his mouth for a moment before he scowled at the door, "Fine, bring the bitch in already."

Mary held back her smile as she got up and quietly called for the doctor.

As she walked back to her chair, Mary looked at Edwards face during the whole time.

The grin turned into a scowl, into his shock face and then into his blank face that he has with his past doctors.

"Hello, I'm your new doctor, Dr. Ottum."

And she did something that was totally unexpected, for the both of us…

Edward Nigma…his whole folder…about 5 niches of notes and things about him…thrown in the trash…away like if it was nothing…

She then pulled out a new green folder, a pen and a purple permit marker from under her coat and began filling out new information about him.

Mary looked over to see Edwards reaction…

His face was still like a blank sheet of paper but his eyes were swirling with questions that he was trying to answer for himself.

"Um, Dr. Ottum…?"

"Please call me Sara, Mary, I trust you enough not go spreading my name around like a forest fire."

I felt my eyebrow lifting as I thought to myself…

'What on Earth happened here?'

Her tone, the way she's sitting, even the slur in her speech…it's all under control…

"Um, all right…Sara…may I ask you a question?"

Sara didn't look up from her work but she roused her eyebrows, giving the hint that she's listening, "Ask away…"

"Why did you throw his folder away?"

"Because…" Sara said as she finally looked up as she pushed up her thick glasses up and pointed to the trash bin behind her, "That folder was holding false information about my patient."

It was then Edward spoke, "Meaning?"

"The information that was in the folder held false, a minor mistake for one with such a limited memory expansion."

Mary sat back and kept her mouth shut as she watched the show…


The interview was only for 50 minutes but an hour and thirty minutes has passed.

Now Mary was tested when she was 17 to test her I.Q. and they came back saying that she was at near a genius level but sitting here right now…with two really true blue genius…made her feel really small…

Sara Ottum and Edward Nigma had found a perfect way to talk to one another.

Ottum would ask something in a riddle form and Nigma would answer back with his own riddle and that went on for about a good hour.

Before they knew it, one of the guards came in and said in a low tone that Edward needed to get back into his cell.

Mary held back her smile as she heard a low groan coming form Sara, as if she was a child and her new toy was taken away.

After Edward was re-cuffed and was now being taken away, Mary remembered one thing that Sara forgotten what most doctors do.

Mary bent down so she can be at Sara's level and whispered in her ear "Sara! You have to set another appointment!"

It was then her eyes lit up and did a quick walk to the guard, "Wait! I have to make an appointment for my patent!"

The guard stopped for a moment before he pulled the Riddler to he too can see the sprinting doctor.

"So when is the next date doctor?" the guard asked in the Edwards behalf.

"I never was, am always to be. No one ever saw me, now ever will. And yet I am the confidence of all, to live and breath on this terrestrial ball. What am I?"

A pure smile grew on Edwards lips and the guard had the look of pure confusion on his face.

"Two words is my answer. In order to keep me, you have to give me. What am I?"

"Is 1:30 in the afternoon the best time for you?"

"It is then doctor."

Sara had a small smile on her face as she nodded quickly and started to head towards Mary.

"So what are you going to do now?" Mary said with a strait tone as Sara caught up with her.

"Well that was my only interview I had for today and I guess I'll be heading home and start organizing the note and making them they way the system wants to read them."

Mary didn't say anything but just nodded her head as she knew that Sara was speaking the truth.

After a few moments and Mary showing Sara where her office was at again, Sara cleared her throat as she prepared herself.

"Mary? May I ask you a question?"

"Shoot!"

"Why aren't you locked up like the rest of the patents here at Arkham?"

"Because I'm not really like the rest of them, I came here on my own free will, in fear of repeating the past. Here, I have a home. A home that I feel comfortable and eat here for free and in turn I talk to the most deadliest patents and help the doctors, like you, have a different perceptive about the inmate that are here."

"Oh I see now and can ask you a combined question…"

"Okay…" Mary said in a slow voice as she notice the fear coming up in the small doctors voice.

"Who is 'K.C.' and who is that?"

Before Mary could answer part of the first question, a very familiar sent entered threw her senses.

A low gasp escaped her mouth as she slowly turned around, hoping that she's not dreaming and it was happening for real…

Mary didn't think but acted as she ran softly as she could, already thinking about the little ones that were in her.

There, in chains and that damned electro-shock collar, was the beast she's been trying to get back with for more than a week already.

A simple cry escaped her as she was so close to him. And thank the gods that he heard her and looked up before she jumped in his arms cling onto him tightly.

A sob broke out of her as she felt his natural body warmth of his arms wrap around her tightly and then she felt gravity play its part as she felt him go down on one knee and then the other.

Mary could distantly hear Sara asking some the guards stepping off just a bit and then the search light to turn off to a bit.

Few of the guards knew Mary and only took a few steps back and then turned around to give her some privacy moments with the inmate.

The newer did the same thing as the older guards were doing but they kept shifting back and forth on there heels.

After a moment, Mary found her voice as quietly whispered in her mates deformed ear, "I am going to find out who did this to us and why they did it and when I do, they will pay…"

The movement from his chest signified that he was holding back his laughter as he got up again when the search light came on again.

Mary let out a deep and sad sigh as Croc pulled away from her again and put up that 'wall' and went on his way without looking back again.

It was Sara's small hand that broke out of her trance like state and remembered that she had a time date to keep with the warden.

"You love him, don't you…" her voice was so small as she let go of Mary's hand.

"Yeah, I do, but I know it would be imposable that he'll ever tell me."

The look of thought passed Sara eyes as she carefully thought of her next answer.

"What ever is going on here, I'm going to help you with it…"

Mary blinked before a small smile formed on her face and wiped away the tear that was sliding down on her face.

"If you break me
I do not stop working,
If you touch me
I may be snared,
If you lose me
Nothing will matter."

Mary smiled at the riddle Sara told her as she knew that it has some meaning to her situation but kept on walking her way as Sara went on her own.


Answers to the riddles…

Tomorrow.

Your Word.

Your Heart.

And also, the riddles don't belong to me, I found them on the net and I give full creadet to the publisher to them.

Please give me a review, to tell me who you want to see next. And yes, Mary is going to see the warden, talk another chapter about her past life and maybe began talking with what ever patent you decided with.