MONROE

MALE — SUNHAVEN — SUNBEARER — HARD

When the maine coon came padding towards the border, he couldn't help it but be surprised by what he saw. Bucky was used to seeing strange, unfamiliar animals at the border. Bucky knew that he was a little out of the ordinary himself- usually cats don't have advanced metal prosthetics. Generally, the maine coon wasn't surprised by whatever creature sat at the border, but there was a weird feeling in his chest towards Edward. Perhaps it was how human like Edward was that almost caused Bucky's thick fur to stand on edge. Without a doubt, Buckingham wasn't used to seeing an ape waiting at their borders, especially one that could talk. The maine coon shortly padded in after Monroe, light on his paws, and not once did his gaze pull away from Edward.

His ears pinned back to his skull, as Monroe spoke up to the creature. Edward certainly seemed lost, even Bucky could assume that from Edward's weird speaking. "I'm Buckingham Barnes," He introduced himself with a bit of caution, his bushy tail slowly swishing behind him.

MONROE

MALE — SUNHAVEN — SUNBEARER — HARD

Buckingham couldn't help it but frown ever so slightly Edward reached out to Monroe, touching their gills. Bucky could see the tension in Monroe's shoulders, as the Goldenblood took a couple steps backwards. While Monroe certainly doesn't look like the ordinary cat, that doesn't mean Edward should try to touch him! It was a violation of privacy, no matter how intrigued Edward was by him, he should have kept his weird hands off of Monroe. When Edward turned his attention onto the former assassin, the male wondered if they were going to attempt to touch his leg. Bucky had quick reflexes, he'd certainly make sure to back out of way before Edward's hands could make contact with his cold metal limb.

After the ape scanned him momentarily, Bucky felt a sense of relief when Edward didn't do anything. Maybe something about Bucky's demeanor told Edward to back off. He watched the ape get onto it's hind legs, reaching one of his forelimbs to their head. Bucky wasn't sure what they were going to do, but it seemed to leave them puzzled, embarrassed. It didn't take long for Edward to focus onto Monroe, and hold one finger up. Edward asked a question, one specifically towards Monroe, which yet again was in the form of a riddle.

While the riddle wasn't directed at him, he still thought about the answer. Bucky has heard that riddle before, so it wasn't unfamiliar or that hard to solve. Like Monroe guessed, Buckingham thought of a name as an answer. Edward had a strange way to speaking, and he wasn't sure what he really thinks of it. Why didn't Edward just introduce himself to them, rather than speaking that way? The two of them already introduced themselves to the ape, it seemed strange that Edward seemingly avoided giving his out without making them think about it first.

When Edward focused on him again, with two fingers raised this time, the riddle Bucky received didn't sound as easy as the first one. "I can be a man or a thing, a mystery, living or dead, sometimes right in front of you. What am I?" The riddle sounded a bit confusing, almost vague- no matter how deeply he went through his skull for an answer, the former assassin couldn't think of anything. It almost made him feel stupid, as clearly there's an answer to this- he just can't find it. "I don't know," Buckingham sighed, hoping Edward would either tell the answer, or at least point him in the right direction.

☀ — just two ghosts standing in the place of you and me

//uhh idk if this could necessarily be a trigger but  warning for mention of stillborn children
also im SORRY this is so long u can skip to the last paragraph if u want skjhdgfds

Pierce was commonly seen as the "nice guy" by others, the guy that was always happy to talk to you and to help you if you so needed. His gentle smiles, kind words, and his all-around warmth all aided this image, and he liked to think that it was a pretty accurate one. He loved people, and loved when they were happy. All he really wanted was to live a nice life and make others smile. However, he was still a person, and there would always be times when he dropped the sweetness to handle a tough situation, or when he completely forgot his manners and lost it. The latter was incredibly uncommon, truth be told- he was typically rather well-composed, no matter how angry or upset he may be.

The slender Dawnguard had been nearby when the sounds of voices reached his ears, and he raised his honey gaze to settle on the small group of animals. There was Bucky and Monroe, his clanmates, and then what looked to be a fuzzy human child- the word was monkey, right? That was what they were called? Or maybe the proper term was ape, but he really had no idea. He'd read about both of them a long time ago, but didn't think he'd ever met one in person. A bright smile finding its way to his features, Pierce meandered over, just in time to hear the guy answering his own riddle, which the serval had - fortunately - missed.

"enigma; noun; a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand."

The word "enigma" was one not commonly used. In fact, Pierce was pretty sure he'd only heard anyone say it when he used to study the dictionary with his old mentor, though he tried his best not to think about that- he was trying to move on, to better himself, and dwelling on that asshole wasn't going to help. As the gibbon before him went on, however, Pierce realized that this new assumed Sunhavener wasn't going to, either.

"I'm Edward Nygma,"

That was all Pierce needed to hear for the blood to drain from his face and his mouth to go dry. Edward Nygma- it was a name he hadn't heard uttered in such a long time, for the man it had belonged to had ditched the first name at such a young age, before he and Pierce even met. Rid, was what Pierce had known him as; Riddlersgame Nygma. It was a name that had once brought such joy to his heart, a smile to his kind features, but now, he felt only shocked, confused. It wasn't like it was a common name- Edward, perhaps, but who had ever heard of a man named Nygma? It was too specific to be a coincidence. It could not be a coincidence.

So what was this, some sort of cruel joke? For not only had the name belonged to a man who had broken his heart so many times, who he had once loved so dearly and now felt so much anger toward, but it was also the name of his son. His son, who had never had the chance to feel the warmth of the sun against his golden coat, or to play with his littermate who currently lay sick in Pierce's home. Edward Parker-Gardner. Ed. Little, dead Ed, who Pierce so wished he could hold to this very day, despite all the time that had passed. "The pain will fade with time," he'd been told, but he didn't feel any fucking different. The figurative scars were still there, pink and ugly and a constant reminder of what he could have had. He still ached for his little boy, for the chance to have seen him grow up, and he still could not think of Riddlersgame. God, how he missed him, but he refused to let that resonate for fear that his anger toward the other, the only thing that still kept him from utterly shattering, would fade and be replaced with the sorrow and crushing loneliness that crept into his head at night.

A lump had formed in Pierce's throat as he stood before the newcomer, tears threatening his stinging eyes. Clearly, this man was not Riddler in another body - his body language was completely off, and the handsome tabby never would have gone by his old name again -, but what could explain the exact same name, as well as the apparent fascination for riddles? It was too, too perfect. Something was wrong. "So what the hell do you want?" The words slipped past his lips before he could stop them, aggressive barrier erected in a defensive reaction to his confusion and multitude of emotions. The other's riddle-oriented behavior and eerily familiar name were both red flags for Pierce, and he wasn't about to take another chance at getting hurt by a guy named Nygma. So, he'd just make sure it wasn't possible. He'd keep the ape as far as he could from himself, and it'd be fine.

"speech"