If Solaris had a Text-to-Speech Device

by Jay David

Riddle Me This

Flash had never before laid eyes upon a creature such as this, yet he remained where he was, cemented to that one spot, ready and willing to go if it should come to it. Rockhoof, for his part, opened his eyes wide at the being now before them. "Y...you?!"

The one in question vaguely had the shape of a cat, though far larger and sporting a massive pair of wings. Its colouring was that of a dark maroon, and it eyed the party hungrily. "Ah, you were one of Somnambula's companions, were you not? Do send her my regards...if you make it out of this."

Flash looked to the larger stallion. "You know this one?"

Here, in stark contrast to his usual demeanour, Rockhoof frowned. "Yes. It is the Sphinx. An enemy of ponykind!"

The Sphinx gave a slight bow of her head. "Guilty as charged. Today however, you stand not before an enemy, but a protector." Her eyes narrowed. "And I believe you know well exactly what I protect."

Flash's eyebrow arched. "The Amulet?"

Another nod from the great beast. "Correct. I was charged by your Princess to keep it hidden."

Flash considered his options, then stepped forward, his tone one of diplomacy. "Then know that we come to retrieve it. The Princess did not ask this of us, but we do it in the name of Equestria's future."

The Sphinx rolled her eyes. "A pretty speech, stallion. But words alone won't be enough here. You want the Amulet?" She then smirked devilishly. "Then you'll have to earn it."

Tempest groaned with frustration. "You want a fight? You've got one!" she declared, her horn flaring up.

But the Sphinx raised a paw towards her. "Not so fast, little pony. My challenge is not one of combat, but of riddles."

To that, Tempest halted herself, looking to her foe with scepticism. "Didn't you just say words won't be enough?"

The Sphinx frowned back to her. "Word of advice? Don't nitpick the big, hungry cat."

Flash considered his options, then took another step forward. "Very well. Ask your riddles."

Another smirk from the Sphinx, and after that she regarded the group as a whole before focusing on Flash, Tempest and Rockhoof specifically. "Three leaders, three questions. Answer them all, or your quest is at an end."

Flash nodded solemnly. "Then proceed."

First, the Sphinx looked to Rockhoof, drawing closer and looking him right in the eye. "I am a house. When one enters, they are blind, but when the leave, they can see. What am I?"

The ancient stallion paused, thinking on the riddle, all while his companions watched. After a while, he developed a small smile, looking up to the challenger once more. "You are a school. One will enter ignorant, blind, yet come out with learning, sight."

Rather than be annoyed that her riddle had been solved, the Sphinx smiled. "Correct." Flash sighed, noting mentally that one was down, with two to go. And the second one was soon upon them, as the Sphinx then glanced over to Tempest. "Why is a raven like a writing desk?"

Tempest blinked. "...What?"

"Why is a raven like a writing desk?" the Sphinx repeated.

Tempest stared at her, then to the ground. For one who was so used to solving her problems with force, a challenge such as this was clearly putting her out of her element. There was growing tension as all feared she wouldn't be able to answer. And then, after a few more moments, that fear was realised. "I...I have no idea!" Tempest admitted, after which she narrowed her eyes. "And I don't think you do either!"

After staying still for a time, the Sphinx broke out into a smile. "...Correct."

"Pardon?" Tempest asked.

"You gave the right answer," the Sphinx explained.

"The answer...was that there was not answer?!" Tempest shouted. "That's cheating!"

"Not every question in life has an answer, Tempest" Rockhoof said to her.

The maroon mare groaned again. "And this is why I prefer to just shoot stuff!"

Flash shook his head, then found himself the target of the Sphinx's gaze. "Last riddle." She waited for him to nod before continuing. "This thing, all things devours. Birds, beast, trees, flowers. Gnaws iron, bites steel. Grinds hard stones to meal. Slays kings, ruins towns. And beast mountains down."

Long did Flash think on that question, this last barrier between him and his reason for being here. All eyes were on him, waiting to see how this would play out. In his mind, Flash wondered, not only the possible answer, but just how much time he had left to complete it. And it was in that thought specifically that the answer came to him, a small smile creeping onto his lips. "...Time. The answer is time."

As before, the Sphinx smiled. "Correct." A sigh of relief swept throughout the group, with the exception of Tempest, who was still bitter about her own riddle experience. Flash regarded the Sphinx, part of him fully expecting her to go back on her end of the deal and withhold the Amulet from them. But, to his surprise, the beast was true to her word, reaching down with her paw and opening it before him. There, in her palm, was the treasure they had been seeking. The Alicorn Amulet. Flash had never seen it before, but even with his inexperienced eyes he could tell that it was an object of great power and importance. Though wary, he took it from the Sphinx, who promptly began to turn. "Safe travels to you, Flash Sentry. May your journey bring you all you hoped it would."

Rockhoof looked to her. "Wait! Where are you going?"

Stopping, the Sphinx looked to them one last time. "I believe I have had my fill on ponies for one lifetime. I doubt any of you will see me again. What lies ahead for me?" She smiled. "I suppose I'll have to venture out and discover it for myself."

And with that, she spread out her wings, giving an almighty flap of them and sending out a cloud of dust as she launched herself into the skies above. The group had to shield themselves so as to not get any of the aforementioned dust in their eyes, and soon they watched as she flew further and further away, until she was gone completely. All turned to Flash, who himself regarded the Amulet yet again. After a while, he smiled, looking to them all. "Well then...let's go home."

Author's Note:

You have no idea how much this scenario made me want to just recreate the dialogue of Monty Python's Bridge of Death scene when I first did it

Comments

[GamePlayer64]

I always wonder about that 'Why is a raven like a writing desk?' I never looked it up since i heard of it from Disney's Alice in Wonderland the 1951 version and the internet wasn't a big deal when i was a kid. I mostly just played PC games or flash games

[Xalok]

Twilight is probably going to be angary when she finds out that the amulet is out and about again. For it's 100% going to make problems. So Flash you might want to look for a new job.

[Talon and Thorn]

11693772

I think it's from the original Alice book rather than specific to the Disney version, there's no answer in the book itself but I have heard a possible answer, They both have inky quills.

[Lost_Data]

"Why is a raven like a writing desk?" the Sphinx repeated.

"Because it can produce a few notes, tho they are very flat; and it is Nevar put with the wrong end in front." -Carroll

Though this was never put in the actual story. Also I would have loved to see this as the Monty Python scene.

[Draco Dei]

Another answer to the "unanswerable" one is "Poe wrote on both.", but that might not have an equivalent in their world.

And beast mountains down."

Minor typo: should be "beats".
Also, in Tolkien I am fairly sure it is "high mountain" (additional word and singular mountain).

[A Soul In Limbo]

My friend once came up with his own answer to the raven and the writing desk. It was something like "One tells stories, but can only sit and imagine them. The other can see all the world, but cannot communicate its adventures. Each wishes to be the other."

[Majestic_Donut]

11700794
Beautiful, poetic, genius! I love it. (Just to clarify, what makes them the same is that they wish to be the other?)

[Zubric]

"The answer...was that there was not answer?!" Tempest shouted. "That's cheating! "

Technically, the answer is that both can make notes. I’m not kidding that’s the answer.

[The Feline Bard]

11728190
I've always been partial to the somewhat joke answer 'Poe wrote on both'