Chapter Ten: Somethings that I cannot tell you because it will
ruin the surprise in the Dark

When Bubbles woke up, he was all-alone. He could only dimly remember last nights "Adventure in the Dark" as it was later to be called. Bubbles then noticed that he was not on the rug that they had spent the night on. It seemed as though the group went on, carrying Bubbles, and that Bubbles had been dropped! Bubbles started to run in the direction that seemed to be the way that the rest of the group went. He ran for quite a long time when he tripped. His hand fell upon something soft on the hard, stone floor. It was a flower! It certainly didn't seem like it would help much, but it was actually the turning point of his career. (Actually, since he really didn't have a career, it was the beginning of his career.) He started to run some more when he heard a shout.

"Lost! It is acho lost!" cried a pitiful voice. This creature turned out to be a creature named Acho. He was called this because he picked up a flower at the bottom of a river. He picked it up, wondering how it was still alive. For some reason he held on to it, even though he was extremely allergic to the pollen. He was going to give it to his Grandmother, but found he could not give it. Later, his grandma kicked him out of the household because of his bad cough.

"Can you stop rambling up there?" Bubbles asked. Anyway, Bubbles ran in that direction, hoping that the creature would be able to help him out of his mess.

"Acho Acho where could it be?" asked the voice. Bubbles did not know that this creature, whose name is Acho, eats anything or anyone it can find. Bubbles soon ran into the creature.

"What do we have here acho acho?" Asked Acho.

"We have a lost and hungry Habit!" said Bubbles.

"We will eat it acho acho." Said Acho.

"Wait! Let's play a game of something. If I win, you let me go. If you win, you may eat me." Bubbles replied at the last moment.

"Yes, yes. Do you like riddles?" asked Acho.

"No, lets do something other than riddles." Bubbles replied, thinking of how unoriginal riddles are.

"Then let us compete in the ancient art of lightbulb jokes!" replied Acho.

"Fine! You go first." Bubbles said. When Acho was thinking of a lightbulb joke, Bubbles looked around the tunnel. It was dark as Bubbles had ever seen before, but Bubbles smelled something new. When he turned, he saw that there was a river running nearby! After a little while, Acho had thought of his joke.

"How many Mada does it take to change a lightbulb?" Asked Acho.

"Only one, but it takes a lot of lightbulbs." Bubbles correctly guessed. "OK, my turn. How many Habits does it take to change a lightbulb?" Bubbles asked.

"None. They are to lazy to change it." Acho said. "How many wizards does it take to change a lightbulb?"

"None, only his staff." Bubbles replied.

"Dang! That one even fooled me! Your turn." Acho said.

"How many elves does it take to change a lightbulb?" Bubbles asked.

"None, they only use candles." Acho said. "How many Dworcs does it take to change a light bulb?"

"One, but it won't work." Bubbles said. Bubbles was running out of jokes. He decided to end to think of one really good one. "How many lawyers does it take to change a lightbulb?"

"That's not fair!" Acho said, for law is very confusing for him.

"Aha! You must let me go." Bubbles said.

"Tell us the answer first acho acho." Acho said.

"Such number as may be deemed necessary to perform the stated task in a timely and efficient manner within the strictures of the following agreement: Whereas the party of the first part, also known as "The Lawyer," and the party of the second part, also known as "The Light Bulb," do hereby and forthwith agree to a transaction wherein the party of the second part (Light Bulb) shall be removed from the current position as a result of failure to perform previously agreed upon duties, i.e., the lighting, elucidation, and otherwise illumination of the area ranging from the front (north) door, through the entry way, terminating at an area just inside the primary living area, demarcated by the beginning of the carpet, any spill-over illumination being at the option of the party of the second part (Light Bulb) and not required by the aforementioned agreement between the parties. The aforementioned removal transaction shall include, but not be limited to, the following steps:

The party of the first part (Lawyer) shall, with or without elevation at his option, by means of a chair, step stool, ladder or any other means of elevation, grasp the party of the second part (Light Bulb) and rotate the party of the second part (Light Bulb) in a counter-clockwise direction, said direction being non- negotiable. Said grasping and rotation of the party of the second part (Light Bulb) shall be undertaken by the party of the first part (Lawyer) with every possible caution by the party of the first part (Lawyer) to maintain the structural integrity of the party of the second part (Light Bulb), notwithstanding the aforementioned failure of the party of the second part (Light Bulb) to perform the aforementioned customary and agreed upon duties. The foregoing notwithstanding, however, both parties stipulate that structural failure of the party of the second part (Light Bulb) may be incidental to the aforementioned failure to perform and in such case the party of the first part (Lawyer) shall be held blameless for such structural failure insofar as this agreement is concerned so long as the non-negotiable directional codicil (counter-clockwise) is observed by the party of the first part (Lawyer) throughout.

Upon reaching a point where the party of the second part (Light Bulb) becomes separated from the party of the third part ("Receptacle"), the party of the first part (Lawyer) shall have the option of disposing of the party of the second part (Light Bulb) in a manner consistent with all applicable state, local and federal statutes.

Once separation and disposal have been achieved, the party of the first part (Lawyer) shall have the option of beginning installation of the party of the fourth part ("New Light Bulb"). This installation shall occur in a manner consistent with the reverse of the procedures described in step one of this self-same document, being careful to note that the rotation should occur in a clockwise direction, said direction also being non-negotiable.

NOTE: The above described steps may be performed, at the option of the party of the first part (Lawyer), by said party of the first part (Lawyer), by his heirs and assigns, or by any and all persons authorized by him to do so, the objective being to produce a level of illumination in the immediate vicinity of the aforementioned front (north) door consistent with maximization of ingress and revenue for the party of the fifth part." And Bubbles finally finished. After Bubbles was finished Acho was fast asleep. Bubbles ran to try to catch up with his group. After a very long run, he heard a familiar voice.

"Who cares!? I care about him! I was the one who dragged him along on the journey, and I don't want to feel the guilt!" It was Gandork! Bubbles followed the sound to a campfire near an old well. The well did not look like it had been used since the Mada passed by, for Bubbles saw poisoned Mada bodies all over the floor.

"Anyway, if none of you care about Bubbles, I do, so we are going to wait." Gandork said.

"But why should we delay because of him?" asked Oink.

"Because of him! You were the one to drop him!" Gandork replied angrily.

"All because he was to lazy to get up when we tried to wake him!" Thorninyuras pointed out. Bubbles noticed that Filler was messing around near the well. Bubbles soon decided to just walk in.

"Here I am!" Bubbles said, walking out.

"Bubbles! How did you find us?" Asked the group.

"I could here you from a mile off!" Bubbles said. They exchanged stories, but Bubbles decided not to tell the group about the flower. While Bubbles was in middle of talking, there was a loud plunk nearby coming from thew direction of the well. Gandork turned to Filler.

"Fool of a Dworc! This is a serious journey, and not anything else! Throw yourself in next time and you will no longer be a nuisance!" Gandork cried in Filler's direction. After a while, Bubbles heard a familiar noise. Tick, tick, tick, tick.

"That's the sound of a bomb or I've never heard one." Gloink said.

"Yes, and I dislike it. Maybe Filler's stone turned it on. We must go on." As the group went on, Bubbles noticed that the echo that had been heard by him earlier had been becoming louder. Anyway, Bubbles was pocketing the mysterious flower. He could figure out it was magic, being still alive in a dark and desolate place like More-Mada. As the group ran faster, Bubbles noticed dark figures in the distance.

"What's that?" asked Bubbles.

"A dark figure in the distance!" said Thorninyuras.

"Mada! Why did I delay?" Gandork said. Gandork led them to an old stone room. They rested there for a while. Gandork then laid his staff onto the ground and picked up what looked like an old diary.

"They covered the front, and the fire exit. There is no way out. Ticks, ticks in the deep. There is no way out. They are coming." Gandork read.

"There is no way out!" said Beefy

"They are coming!" said Buffy.

"Why did I delay?" Gandork asked himself furiously. The group walked on to what looked like an old inn, where they spent the night.