fandomhigh | Library [22.06]

Library [22.06]

There was a problem getting into the library today.

A very large problem, which had taken over the entrance to the school.

The sphinx had arrived last night, and she showed no sign of leaving any time soon. Anyone wanting to get into the library would have to make it past her, and the only way to do that was to answer her riddle correctly.

Of course, if you get it wrong, she'll bite your head off.

(Or you could just go around to the back door of the school and get in that way.)

[ooc:

Please wait for

We have OCD, and there is more detail in the OOC thread.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Sometime after leaving the library, Ned approached to continue what he was doing and stopped when he came face to face with what looked like the world's biggest totem pole.

When he realized it was a toe of some kind (that finger must've been hell to clean), he looked up.

And up.

And up.

And went pale. "Uh."

The sphinx smiled down at him, and it wasn't a nice smile at all. "You may not pass unless you answer my riddle," she informed him, a hungry gleam in her eye. "And if you get it wrong, you will be a light, refreshing snack."

"Wait." Ned knees were shaking hard enough to make a noise. "Wait. Now, I know I'm a little....weird."

He swallowed. "Wait. See. I could make you a much better snack if you'd let me. I'm full of...body stuff. But I could make you something better!"

She leaned right down, crossing her paws demurely, so her head was somewhat on a level with his. "But the body stuff is tasty, little snack. There is nothing better."

"How do you know it's the tastier than things you haven't had?" Ned asked it.

It gave her pause. "Traditionally I ask the questions," she observed, but was intrigued enough to ask, "And what would these tasty things be?"

Ned took a deep breath. And just started naming things.

"Pumpkin pie, chicken fried steak, chocolate ice cream, pancakes, waffles, fried eggs, scrambled eggs, meatloaf, rigatoni, lemon meringue pie, steamed shrimp, steamed carrots, okra, green beans, apple pie, raisins, marshmallow, s'mores, muffins, bananas."

He stopped.

"Have you ever had a banana? Bananas are very versatile. They can be a pie or a snack. They can go into muffins, into pancakes and they're good for you. They're healthy. The banana can be made into stews, dried up and served as a crunchy snack, sliced and put into cereal and mashed for babies!"

He was amusing, and that was something rare in the sphinx's experience. "And will you fetch me all these things?" she asked. "So I can experience the tastiness for myself?"

She could always bite his head off later.

"Well, that's a lot of things," Ned explained, scratching his head. "And I only have two arms. You could help me though! We could carry an entire store on your back!"

She reared back, looking deeply offended. "Just what are you implying?" she demanded.

Even sphinx's could be sensitive about their size.

"That you're very strong!" Ned said quickly. "Look at me!"

He held up one arm.

"I'm not! Skin and bones! I don't eat enough!"

"Well," she said, slightly mollified. "I am very strong. Stupid people are very good for you. Here, I'll show you." And she swept out one paw, intending to pick him up.

And Ned was suddenly in the air. He flailed his feet for a bit because he didn't have wings and he couldn't fly and rocket packs hadn't been invented yet.

"You're very strong," he said, voice slightly shaky. "Much stronger than anyone else I've ever met. I bet you can carry lots of good things. Right?"

She grinned at him, teeth rather sharp. "I can, but a sphinx is not a beast of burden." She set him back down on the ground. "Now, you must answer my riddle."

He...was so not good at riddles. "And if I get it wrong, I'm doomed?"

"Well..." She examined her claws closely. "Traditionally, I'd eat you. But you are skin and bones, as you pointed out. Possibly I could be persuaded not to eat you, if you were to bring me some of those tasty things."

She was lying through her teeth. If he came back with tasty things, she'd eat him, too.

"Do I have to answer your riddle before going to find something for you?"

He so wasn't coming back.

Again, she examined her claws, then buffed them on her fur. "I suppose not. If you're fetching tasty things then you're not passing through my doorway. The riddle can wait until you return."

Ned almost sagged with relief because he knew immediately his answer to the middle would've been Pie.

(Wasn't pie the answer to everything?)

He turned on his heel and took off running as quickly as he could.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Library [22.06]

Re: The Sphinx

Re: The Sphinx

Re: The Sphinx

Re: The Sphinx

Re: The Sphinx

Re: The Sphinx

Re: The Sphinx

Re: The Sphinx

Re: The Sphinx

Re: The Sphinx

Re: The Sphinx

Re: The Sphinx

Re: The Sphinx

Re: The Sphinx

Re: The Sphinx

Re: The Sphinx

Re: The Sphinx

Re: The Sphinx

Re: The Sphinx