Riddle 029: Where is the Father?

[questionauthority]

{First, a public phone call, filtered from drones.]

Hello again, Mayfield. I've been noticing plenty of new faces around town as of late. Plenty of people with plenty of questions.

Every question has an answer, friends---I can guarantee you that. And I, Edward Nigma, can help you find all of these answers. And more. Now, I'm sure I can already predict the next question that's on your minds right now. "What's the catch?" Answer: I I'll be needing your help with a little summer project of mine. Here's your first clue as to what it might be.

“I cannot be seen and I weigh nothing,
But when put into a barrel, I make it lighter.”

What am I?

[It's just after finishing up with this little phone call that he gets his first good look at the calendar. Father's Day. Not exactly Edward's favorite day by any means, given his own relationship with his old man. Needless to say, his mood's been a little bit soured.

Throughout the rest of this lovely day, you're likely to run into the Riddler...

A: In the Backyard of 726 Anderson, sketching something out into a notebook.

B: Out for a drive in the Riddler-Mobile, to try and relax.

C: At Jonathan's Tools, loading up plenty of tools and building supplies into the back of his car.

Wherever he goes, he'll likely be sulking. Cheer him up? Help him out? He's all yours, ladies.]

Comments

A

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[Ever get that feeling like something vaguely malicious is staring over your shoulder? There's a reason for that. Should Edward glance up, he'll find his "son" perched on a tree limb and grinning down at him like something out of Alice in Wonderland.]

C

[thatwhichcures.livejournal.com]

[Leo's not much of a lady, but the behavior of the drone females in his household is... more unsettling than usual. He's just muddling along home, minding his own business after failing to get his hands on anything that might possibly be more useful in class than an unlimited supply of construction paper and waxy never-dry clay.]

Need any help, friend?

phone

[cramschoolgod.livejournal.com]

[She sounds peculiarly moved to answer this riddle.]

Space, perhaps. Or maybe a hole. Or some kind of invisible flame-- a hydrogen fire.

Or perhaps it could be more metaphorical than that. An experience or a feeling.

How are you, Mr. Nigma?

phone

[gotmorbucks]

[Hmmmm...]

Helium? What, do you need balloons for something?

[action]

[tapshoetomove.livejournal.com]

[Overhearing the riddle, Luke pipes up from somewhere nearby. He can't resist a riddle after all.]

The answer is a hole!

phone

[uranophobe.livejournal.com]

... A hole?

[You have five seconds to convince him that this isn't the stupidest idea ever thought up by anyone ever.]

B.

[greatestmanll40.livejournal.com]

[At a stop sign, Lex will be walk toward the Riddler Mobile.]

We need to talk.

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

[Rolling down the window.]

What about?

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

Indeed, Jonathan.

[Give him some time, you know how much he loves drawing out his schemes.]

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

That's... [Wait, someone in his house who actually answers his riddles?] That's right, Luke.

Phone

[autocrossbowplz.livejournal.com]

[Edgar's not one to pass up a good riddle, and so he thinks about it for a bit, before responding.]

A hole seems like the likely answer.

That said, if that's meant to be a clue as to the nature of your project, it's rather vague. What good do you intend to achieve with a hole? I assume there's more to it than that, however.

[uranophobe.livejournal.com]

You're aware that the ability to "dig to China" is an urban legend, aren't you?

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

No, Ms. Morbucks, not balloons. And we certainly won't be needing helium to inflate Luthor's ego any further.

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

Far more to it than that, friend. Tell me something. What does one do with holes?

[greatestmanll40.livejournal.com]

May I join you for a ride?

I can assure you that I am... well.

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

If you must.

[You'd best be careful with this car, Lex. It is like his third son here in Mayfield.]

[autocrossbowplz.livejournal.com]

Typically? Dig them, and fill them in again, usually with altered contents than what they first contained.

So what do you intend to fill your newly made hole with?

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

Right on the nose as usual, Ms. Sasaki.

[And assuming she's responded once he's gotten a look at the calendar...]

I was having a good day.

B

[brbgoing2russia.livejournal.com]

I got it!

[1/2]

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

[skfhslkfhlsakfashf Skidding to a screeching halt.]

[greatestmanll40.livejournal.com]

[SPEAKING OF SONS

Lex gets in and closes the door.]

Thank you.

The reason I am cured is because of your... son. The one with the bat.

[2/2]

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

[And once he's recovered from that mini-heart attack, he shoots Charlie a glare.]

Don't... don't do that again.

[brbgoing2russia.livejournal.com]

I figured out your riddle!

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

[It doesn't take much longer before Edward notices him, to which he simply gives the boy a look.]

What are you doing up there?

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

Watching.

What are you doing?