youwaowait?”DimitriuoodElena’sthoughtsverywell.Hekheotherbeautieshadthesamequestionintheirheartsbuthedidn’tknowwhattodoorhowtoaheirquestion.Hewasdetermiclosuretotheproblem.Hefelthecouldnotimpedeaheirbeauty,theiryouth,theirfutureandtheirquestforalife-lingpanion.

    AsDimitriwalkedinthecorridorleadingtohisunit,thesmellofbroiledmeat,thesoundsofughteraiversationreachedhisears.HeopenedhisdoorandfoundMr.Kaffee,Big-O,RichardandJamazmakingthemselvesathomeinhisroomcooking,drinkingandtalking.Theyallstooduptowelehimandmaderoomforhimtosit.

    “Weheardthefourmorebeautiesfromydomhaveeback.Howarethingsthere?”

    “Nottoowell.ThatambitiouswomanViogottogetherwithCyclopsandoccupiedGiantMountairippedofftheironcoatingandmadethegoldpacebrilliantanddazzlingagaihesun.Theirepissaidtobemypatheoppositeshore.”

    “Let’sgo!”criedMr.Kaffee,Big-O,RichardandJamaz.“”We’lllgoandhelpprotectthepadydom.We’lltakeonCyclops.Whywait?”

    “Don’twuys.Don’tbeimpatient.Attagthepaceiseasiersaidthaheyhavetocrossthewideexpaar-MooheyhavetodealwithMedusawhoselethaleyescouldturnthemalltomstoneandsihebottomoftheke.Idon’tthinktheydaretoaccosther.”

    “ThentheKingdomissafeforthemoment?”askedMr.Kaffee.Dimitrinodded.

    “Forthemoment,everythingseemsfiit’shardtopredictthefuture.”

    “Thenthingsaren’ttoobad”entedMr.Kaffee.“Sit.Sit,everyo’seatanddrinkfirst.”Dimitrifelthungry.Attheparty,hewaswaboutthecrisisinhisKingdom,butheregatheredtogetherwithhisgoodfriends,heseemedtohavefoundhislostappetiteagaichedupambchopanddranksomewine.

    23

    “Hey,where’sDwarfMickey?Whyisn’theheretonight?”

    “Idon’tknowwhat’seoverthatlittleolddwarf.Hehasn’tbeenaroundforquiteafewdays.Wonderwherehewentto.”

    OutsidethewindowcamethestrangecragughterandDwarfMickey’ssqueakyvoicesaying,

    “Youguysaretalkingbehindmybackagaihereanyoneirongenoughtoeoutandcarrymein?Whyaren’tyouwaitingformetosharethewinea?”Richardimmediatelyjumpedoutofthewindow,grabbedtheolddwarfbythewaistahimonthewindowsill.DwarfMickeyjumpednimblyintotheroomandRichardjumpedbaafterhim.DwarfMickywavedawhitebagatthemsaying,

    “LookwhatIhavebroughtyouguys!”Somethingwasstruggling,kigandmovingihebag,andanotherfamiliarvoipined,

    “Youolddwarf!Yousdrel!Youson-of-agun!Whydoyouputmeinthisbag?WatchwhatI’lldotoyouwhe.I’llkillyou,youoldwretch!SeeifIdon’t!”DwarfMickeyhatedtobecalledold.Whenthatvoisidethebagkepttauntinghimwiththatword,hegotmadandshouted,

    “Iwoyouout.Whatareyougoingtodo?I’llsmotheryoutodeathihebag.Whatyoudotome?”Dimitrireizedthevoidasked,

    “IsthatMr.Fingerihebag?Lethimout.Don’treallysmotherhim.”DwarfMickeyrelutlyloosehemouthofthebag,shookitandoutrolledMr.Finger.Hesomersaultedoable,stoodupandpointedafiDwarfMickey’snoseshouting,

    “Youolddwarf!Youputmeinthisbagandalmostsmotheredme.Whatdoyouwanttodo?Whydoymetothispce?Whatisthispce?DoyouknowKingDimitriismygoodfriend?Youdaretobullyme.WatchwhathewilldotoyouwhenItellhim.”DwarfMickeywasold,buthistemperwasasfieryasever.Herolleduphissleevesandsaid,

    “Isavedyourlifeandyoudar

youwaowait?”DimitriuoodElena’sthoughtsverywell.Hekheotherbeautieshadthesamequestionintheirheartsbuthedidn’tknowwhattodoorhowtoaheirquestion.Hewasdetermiclosuretotheproblem.Hefelthecouldnotimpedeaheirbeauty,theiryouth,theirfutureandtheirquestforalife-lingpanion.

    AsDimitriwalkedinthecorridorleadingtohisunit,thesmellofbroiledmeat,thesoundsofughteraiversationreachedhisears.HeopenedhisdoorandfoundMr.Kaffee,Big-O,RichardandJamazmakingthemselvesathomeinhisroomcooking,drinkingandtalking.Theyallstooduptowelehimandmaderoomforhimtosit.

    “Weheardthefourmorebeautiesfromydomhaveeback.Howarethingsthere?”

    “Nottoowell.ThatambitiouswomanViogottogetherwithCyclopsandoccupiedGiantMountairippedofftheironcoatingandmadethegoldpacebrilliantanddazzlingagaihesun.Theirepissaidtobemypatheoppositeshore.”

    “Let’sgo!”criedMr.Kaffee,Big-O,RichardandJamaz.“”We’lllgoandhelpprotectthepadydom.We’lltakeonCyclops.Whywait?”

    “Don’twuys.Don’tbeimpatient.Attagthepaceiseasiersaidthaheyhavetocrossthewideexpaar-MooheyhavetodealwithMedusawhoselethaleyescouldturnthemalltomstoneandsihebottomoftheke.Idon’tthinktheydaretoaccosther.”

    “ThentheKingdomissafeforthemoment?”askedMr.Kaffee.Dimitrinodded.

    “Forthemoment,everythingseemsfiit’shardtopredictthefuture.”

    “Thenthingsaren’ttoobad”entedMr.Kaffee.“Sit.Sit,everyo’seatanddrinkfirst.”Dimitrifelthungry.Attheparty,hewaswaboutthecrisisinhisKingdom,butheregatheredtogetherwithhisgoodfriends,heseemedtohavefoundhislostappetiteagaichedupambchopanddranksomewine.

    23

    “Hey,where’sDwarfMickey?Whyisn’theheretonight?”

    “Idon’tknowwhat’seoverthatlittleolddwarf.Hehasn’tbeenaroundforquiteafewdays.Wonderwherehewentto.”

    OutsidethewindowcamethestrangecragughterandDwarfMickey’ssqueakyvoicesaying,

    “Youguysaretalkingbehindmybackagaihereanyoneirongenoughtoeoutandcarrymein?Whyaren’tyouwaitingformetosharethewinea?”Richardimmediatelyjumpedoutofthewindow,grabbedtheolddwarfbythewaistahimonthewindowsill.DwarfMickeyjumpednimblyintotheroomandRichardjumpedbaafterhim.DwarfMickywavedawhitebagatthemsaying,

    “LookwhatIhavebroughtyouguys!”Somethingwasstruggling,kigandmovingihebag,andanotherfamiliarvoipined,

    “Youolddwarf!Yousdrel!Youson-of-agun!Whydoyouputmeinthisbag?WatchwhatI’lldotoyouwhe.I’llkillyou,youoldwretch!SeeifIdon’t!”DwarfMickeyhatedtobecalledold.Whenthatvoisidethebagkepttauntinghimwiththatword,hegotmadandshouted,

    “Iwoyouout.Whatareyougoingtodo?I’llsmotheryoutodeathihebag.Whatyoudotome?”Dimitrireizedthevoidasked,

    “IsthatMr.Fingerihebag?Lethimout.Don’treallysmotherhim.”DwarfMickeyrelutlyloosehemouthofthebag,shookitandoutrolledMr.Finger.Hesomersaultedoable,stoodupandpointedafiDwarfMickey’snoseshouting,

    “Youolddwarf!Youputmeinthisbagandalmostsmotheredme.Whatdoyouwanttodo?Whydoymetothispce?Whatisthispce?DoyouknowKingDimitriismygoodfriend?Youdaretobullyme.WatchwhathewilldotoyouwhenItellhim.”DwarfMickeywasold,buthistemperwasasfieryasever.Herolleduphissleevesandsaid,

    “Isavedyourlifeandyoudar