Who is the Culprit?

Hello everyone, I'm going on a hiatus from my yet nameless story to bring you an analysis of one of my favorite vocaloid songs. The name of this song is, The Riddle Solver who can't solve Riddles.

To make things clear some cannon should be established. The videos going along with the songs are completely fan made, and therefore cannot be used to find the authors meaning of the song.  The lyrics also are translated from the original Jappanese into English and may also contain fallacies. As for the setting, which isn't made clear by the lyrics, was found after digging around. The original composer of the song sated for the setting that it takes place at a, "fancy party on a boat by an unknown benefactor". With these facts in mind you should now watch the video before we continue (watch it here)

The story seems pretty simple doesn't it? There are two people talking, a detective and girl, and they are discussing the murder of a man who was poisoned. As the detective explains the crime it becomes apparent that the only possible culprit is the very girl who he is talking to because, "The second mystery is, why did they fall into the ocean?" which implies that everyone besides the two of them is dead. This idea is further cemented when the girl grabs a knife in her pocket and attacks the detective. That is until the song makes a complete 180 and the detective is then confessing about how he committed the crimes, telling the girl repeatedly, almost insistently, that he is the culprit and she should run now if she wants to live.

Now what is in there to possible analyze, why wouldn't we know who the culprit is? He explictly stated that it was him. But this isn't the whole story, there's actually a sequel song told from the girls point of view that helps reveal the REAL culprit. (watch it here). Some things to keep in mind when watching this video is that, once again, the video itself is not cannon, some portions of the song reference other songs in the series that will not be touched upon for a lack of need, and not everything said is the truth.

Shocking isn't it? Most every line of this song reveals a deeper meaning and needs to be deconstructed. The first thing to be mentioned is the difference in tone between the first riddle solver and the second one. While the first one had an almost upbeat tone to it, one that might reflect insanity. The second one however takes a more sad and remorseful tone. The girls tone towards the detective also is very different. She takes a familiar tone with stating how he always was like that in some way shape or form.

The words she tells themselves also hold massive weight to them. When the song opens she says, "Why do you always insist on getting yourself hurt? And think that you could protect someone like that?" At first this line doesn't seem to make much sense, but in actuality is the key evidence for the culprit. Rin, the aforementioned girl, continues, "In the beginning it was you who blind-folded me wasn’t it? There were actually two wine glasses weren’t there. Even if he didn’t die by “poison”. He would’ve eventually died by the “knife”"  The entirety of these lines is symbolism. The blind fold may represent an actual blindfold, but it is also more likely that it represents a trick, a trick the detective played on Rin. She goes on talking about how there were two glasses of wine. From the first video we know that the first victim died by drinking poisoned wine. Rin stating that there two glasses implied that the poisoned glass wasn't the original glass of wine, meaning victim one didn't die of poisoning. So what did he die of? Rin even tells us this, saying if he didn't die of poison, he would've died of a knife. Now, who is the only person in possession of a knife? Rin.

Does this mean that Rin is the culprit? Just because she hints at killing with a knife? Well Rin goes almost to the point of saying that she is the criminal, stating to the detective, "I will solve you and your riddle. The atrocious culprit is not you.". We mustn't forget that in the first song the detective, to be hence forth known as Len, is telling Rin to shout out the name of the criminal. In response to this Rin tells Len that the "atrocious culprit" is not him.

Now that both songs have been analyzed individually, the only way to complete this puzzle is put them together. However both sides seem to be insisting to the other that they are the culprit. The answer really isn't that complicated. The culprit is, BOTH LEN AND RIN! This is actually quite apparent when both songs are understood. Lens song only makes sense after hearing Rins. He states that only Rin knows what happened because it all happened in front of her eyes. While at first it seems that Rin witnessed the crime, Len is actually implying that Rin committed the crime, hence why it happened in front of her eyes. He later tells Rin that she should run away to avoid getting hurt, basically telling her to leave before she's found out to be the murderer. This brings up the question as to why Len is telling Rin he's the culprit and telling her to run instead of turning her in. 

In Rin's song she literally states that she's the culprit more or less, as I've already explained. But she also reveals Lens intentions from the first song. She asks him, "Why do you always insist on getting yourself hurt? And think that you could protect someone like that?" This reveals that all Len is trying to do is take the blame off of Rin in order to protect her.

So Rin's the culprit, we get it, but if that's the case why did you also say Len's the culprit too? Didn't Rin say that Len wasn't the culprit? Think back to Lens song, how many mysteries were there? To answer my own question, two, there were two mysteries or "incidents". We know for a fact that Rin is the first murderer, but in her song when she's talking about Len she says, "He could only kill them one by one, but still couldn’t be the culprit." This is in reference to the second incident where several people were pushed off the boat and into the ocean. Rin is obviously referencing how Len killed all the others one by one pushing them off the side, but still couldn't be the culprit of the first crime. Going back to Len's song, near the end he tells Rin, 'There may be more than one answer to that question" implying that there multiple culprits for the crimes. Finally, there is a peculiarity with the usage of the word "detective" in both songs. It is established that Len is a detective, but Rin is also referred to one, and in her song she asks Len, "Were you really the “detective” in that crime?" Thus we can assume that when they say detective, what they're really saying is "killer".

Although not everything from both songs was touched upon, we can safely assume with all the evidence piled between us, that the culprit is both of them, but for different murders.

Familiar Face

Twenty-one. That's the age I was when all the peices were finally set for my plan to go into action. Ten years of service to Master Arlan. Both of us pretending that Arlan was my adoptive father and teacher. Me knowing to him I was nothing more than a pawn, and him not knowing that it was I who was using him. Learning and mastering all the skills, tricks, and arts I would require for Master Arlan's plan, as well as the ones I would need for my plan. Ten years of preparation, manipulation, and training. All of it almost went down the drain when I opened the door.

Never have I ever been in Master Arlan's study, and when I was called there for the first time, I knew it was finally time for the plan to begin. I walked in, closed the door behind me and looked around quickly. Arlan's study was a relatively modest room. The walls were hidden on all sides by bookshelves filled to bursting with books organized horribly. The floor was covered with a thin blood red carpet, the same type of carpet in all the rooms of the fort. Sitting in the middle of the room was a large desk, papers and books piled atop it in a haphazard manner, behind which was a large backed cowhide chair, stained the same blood red as the carpet. Two medium sized magic glow balls hovered around the chair where Master Arlan sat analyzing the papers on his desk.

"It is about time you arrived my boy, I was starting to worry about you." Arlan said faking a kind tone.
"You needn't worry sir, I was simply preparing dinner." I replied monotonously.
"Well you'll have to make sure to plan for another two people dining with us. I believe we shall be having some rather distinguished guests tonight."
"I'm assuming uninvited guests from the Empire sir?"
"Uninvited indeed, but distinguished all the same. I think you'll Be happy to hear that they are around your age. It is the crown prince and high preistess themselves who are coming to visit us."
"I see, then I shall prepare for their arrival then. I'll call you when they arrive."
"Thank you very much my boy, and I'm sure I don't have to say it but don't forget your training."

As I left the room I couldn't help but smirk, after all who better to exact my revenge on then the two symbols of the empire highest establishments. The church and the Kings Court. By the time I heard the knock on the door, I was fully prepared to do whatever it took. However when I opened the door and saw the face before me, that resolve all but disappeared.

The Wasteland

The Wasteland is a horrid place where the sun never shines. A place where creatures of the darkness roam abound. A place where no human being with the grace of God could ever survive. An environment not meant for humans. I honestly wonder if Imperials are born liars or if they have to take lessons on it.

The Wasteland is a dark place indeed, the sun rarely shows itself here, but to say it is sunless is quite laughable. On a summer day the temperatures are unbearably hot, and the sun bleaches the land. Creatures of darkness is also a huge over exaggeration. The native race of the Wasteland is known as Karjites. They are a fearsome looking race, large reptilian creatures that walk can walk on two or four legs. However, they are far from nocturnal creatures and usually mind their own business. There are a few Karjitien's who do specialize as bandits or mercenaries, but they are few and far between.

The humans of the Wastelands are almost all fugitives from the empire. I'll give the Imperials credit, they're right when they say no man with the grace of "God" can survive here. Every person here has committed a sin to the Empire, be it murder, theft, or treachery. However the environment can support us rather well. The land is good for agriculture and there are plenty of game animals. Most humans form groups and live their lives in a variety of different ways. The honest will do their honest work, and the corrupt will continue to spread their corruptions.

Master Arlan and I however, lived apart from all the others, we lived in a half finished Imperial fort in a central location in the Wasteland. We lived there, the mountain ranges that marked out the Wastelands all around us, and we lived there just the two of us. I lived in that Imperial fort for ten years, plotting how to destroy those who built the roof over my head. Waiting and plotting until that fateful day when the Imperials came to us, begging for my help.

Trust, Death, and Revenge

Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction. All characters, opinions, and events are purely fictional and should not be believed at all.

Trust, what a beautifully, wonderfully, horrible word. Trust is a lie. Trust is a fools wish to not believe the fact that betrayal is always imminent. Trust simply makes betrayal worse. My village trusted once. The people of my village trusted the empire that was sworn to protect, sworn to aid, sworn to serve. They trusted that it would never betray them. It really is a shame that they all died because of it.

How humorous, that the least trusted of the village, the outcast, was the only one to survive. But maybe it's not so strange at all. After all, when the Empire's Army came swords drawn, I was already prepared and running from the village that I never belonged to. I ran from the village that never treated me as an actual person. I ran far from that place, with no regrets that every foolish person within it would die. Or at least that was the plan. There was one person in the village that showed me compassion. A person I tried to keep out but still broke through. I couldn't leave that person behind. So when the time came to run I grabbed her hand and took her with me.

We ran to the border of the Empire. We ran to the chasm that divides human civilization from the waste lands, the land where no human has every returned. I knew that if we crossed the bridge into the waste lands we would already be considered dead, and be left alone. However we never made it across that bridge. The Empire caught up much faster than I ever expected.

Making it to the bridge, the simple, flimsy, rope bridge that spanned the bottomless abyss, the Empire caught up. Their cavalry was sent ahead to stop us, sent after the two who had escaped. Seeing them I knew we had to hurry, I urged my only friend as we crossed the bridge together. In my panic I quickly moved ahead, why didn't I let her go first? Halfway across the bridge, the sound that haunts me even now sound out, the twang of a bow and the fleshy sound as it hit my friend.

I turned around as I heard the sound and felt her hand loosen from mine.  I turned and stared at her with the arrow sticking out the front of her chest. I stared in aghast as she looked up into my eyes, stared at her and listened to her final words from her mouth, "I'm sorry", and watched as she fell into the darkness.

What happened next, I don't know. All I remember is kneeling on the other side of the abyss, staring where my beloved had fallen. Crying endlessly as the world around me burned, burned a dark fire, a fire fueled by my pain. I sat there for two days just crying, and on the third day, when the tears came no more, I felt the presence of a man standing behind me. He offered me a chance, a chance to take out my revenge upon the Empire and all those within it. I gladly accepted. The Empire will pay, it and all those who stand in my way will pay. I will make sure of it.

The Dark Lords Response to CP #1

(Disclaimer: This post is a response to the article,NYTimes: Exposing Hidden Biases at Google to Improve Diversity , please read before commenting.)

     The workforce at Google is 83% male. Google itself acknowledges this fact as a problem, and is attempting to resolve it. They, as well as others believe, think, know that this is a problem of bias. Google is putting most all their employees and executives through seminars to crack down on unconscious racial, and sexual, bias. But will this really solve the problem? While Google itself is skeptical, they do still believe that this will incur a change over time that will increase diversity in the workplace. However this will not make any noticable change.
      There is a reason goggle has a mostly male workplace, and while bias does have something to do with it, it mostly doesn't. The chief problem is a lack of diversity amongst those who are qualified for the job. My very own sister is going for a major in computer science, and is one of two girls in her class. To top it off most of the guys in the classes are Asian or Middle-eastern. This reflects Google, as well as other tech companies work forces. Meaning basically that there isn't a diverse population that is properly trained and applying for these jobs.
     Therefore the reason for a lack of diversity in university classes stems from racial and sexual bias from a young age, perhaps even before a person is born. If so, then that means that no matter how many seminars Google and other tech giants make their employees attend, the dream of racial and sexual diversity will be just that. A dream. There is almost nothing a person or company can do to uproot the deep planted ideas of segregation. While Google's efforts are applaudable, they fittingly match the phrase of too little, too late.