Alright. You guys have been warned. If you don't watch the movie this is going to get really strange....

Chapter 2

Duck opened his eyes and looked straight up at what he thought was the sky. He wasn’t quite sure because for some reason the sky was a redish-violet color. He tried to get up but suddenly found it difficult because he was sprawled out in something. Taking his legs from the side of his encasement he realized it was some sort of red toy car.

                Duck ****ed his head as he gingerly honked the little horn on the wheel. “Um……….okay……..” He kicked the door open and stepped out onto a road. Everywhere he looked there was no ground but just a long curving path that rose and fell through what almost would have been taken as space.

Duck chuckled to himself. “Okay, this is because I stayed up too late watching science fiction movies. Watch, I could pull one of my tail feathers out and it wouldn’t even hurt…” The mallard reached behind him and plucked a feather from his tail. A moment went by but then the sudden plucking had sent its message up to Ducks brain and the super hero jumped in pain. “YEOW!”

Not a second passed when he suddenly heard a police siren coming down the road towards him along with some muffled shouting. A shot, stubby man in a police uniform and mobilizing himself on a single wheel instead of legs came rolling toward Duck and stopshouting the word guilty over and over again. Duck scratched his head but then snickered behind his hand at the peculiar sight.

The man pointed a club up at him. “What’s so funny, bird brain? You got something you wonna say to me?”

“Yeah.” Duck giggled. “They call you Officer Stubs or what?”

“I’ll have you know my name is Officer Short Shrift.” The little man took out a small notepad and pencil and started writing. “….incorrect name addressing…and ignoring the appointed speed limit…”

“Hey, I wasn’t even driving!” Duck huffed.

Officer Shrift scowled and continued to write. “Aha! Holding up traffic…..and back sassing an officer….Now, where were you on the night of July 25th?”

Duck thought a moment. “Uh, I think Rev and I went to go see a movie but what does that have to do with anything?”

“That was the night of my birthday!” The officer said offensively. “Humph, kids these days are always forgetting peoples’ birthdays… Now where are you heading for young man?”

“Look, short stuff, I don’t even know where—”

“Well then check your map…”

“Huh?”

“Check the map in your glove compartment for Pete’s sake! And make it snappy!”

“Okay okay, sheesh. Don’t blow a gasket…” Duck reached into the smallish car and opened the glove compartment to find a map fold out of it. He puzzled over the strange names penciled on it and only found one place that actually had a name that made any sense at all. He wanted to get the officer out of his feathers so he just pointed to that one random spot. “Whatever, I guess this Castle in the Air thingy on here.”

As soon as the words slipped out of his bill a crack of thunder and lightning lit up and boomed across the sky. The hero ducked in surprise and Officer Shrift recoiled away from him in horror. “The Castle in the what?!”

“This little picture on the map. See, the Castle in the Air.” Another boom of mad lightning and thunder and the officer started to speed away from him in haste, still shouting the word guilty endlessly until he was out of sight.

Duck held his head. “Okey Dokey, I’ve lost my mind. I thought it would have been Tech before me but I guess this whole scene just proved me wrong…” He huffed and leaned against the toy car, propping himself up with his elbows. It was dead silent with only the sound of the wind blowing around the road. Duck looked over his shoulder and eyed the key in the passanger’s seat. He cursed to himself as he picked it up. “I’ve defiantly lost my mind…..”

He got into the car, turned the keys in the ignition, and then pushed down on the gas. To his surprise the toy took off at the pace of a normal car. Duck never would have admitted it to the others, but he had gotten strait As in drivers ED. Not that he wasn’t proud of it but everyone always expected him to be a just-barely-pass-type-of-guy.

Before long the scenery changed increasingly and he was actually on what looked like a normal road out in the country side. The road led up to an apartment like building with a large window on the top floor. Duck looked up at the sign in front of the road. “‘Honk for information’…….What is it like a drive threw ivory tower…?” He retorted, but honked anyways as he leaned back in his seat.

A figure poked their head out the window and smiled down at the car.“Oh my my my my! Welcome welcome welcome to the Land of Expectation!”

“I can already tell this is going to be annoying…” Duck grumbled to himself and then called up to the man in the window. “Hey, Information, it would be nice if I knew how to get away from this wacked out place!”

To the Loonatic’s surprise the building began to lower itself to the ground. A little man in onesy pajamas came out a side door with an umbrella. Duck couldn’t help grinning to himself. “Finally, a place where everyone is shorter then I am.”

The little man smiled cheerfully as he ran out. “I’m the Whether Man! Welcome welcome welcome! We don’t get many visitors these day! We sure don’t get many visitors these days! Now, yes, your question, it depends whether you want to get out of some whacked out place.”

“What?!” Duck puzzled over what the fast talker had just said and tried to make sense of it. “Just when I think I’ve gotten away from the motor mouth…Now I’ll ask again. How do I get out of here!?”

The little man disappeared into the tower and it rose back up into the sky. His head popped out of the window again along with a few dozen large balloons. “Good question! Excellent question! You just find your way and follow it out of here.”

“Huh?” Duck backed up out of the driveway as the Whether Man floated into the sky with the balloons like some Winnie the Pooh cartoon. “This is beyond bizarre. I’m going to see a shrink after this…”

Continuing down the road Duck started to wonder if he should just stop what he was doing altogether and just sit on the side of the road until the others found where he was. Then again how could they. If he really had been pulled into another world or dimension how would they be able to reach him. Duck made up his mind and slammed on the breaks. He was just going to sit and wait.

Duck looked around at his surroundings, which had drastically changed once again. This time he had driven into some sort of swamp. Hitting the wheel in frustration he leaned back against the seat and dried to vent. “This is going to be a long day…”

               
                “You’re kidding!”

                “Wish I was Chief.”

                “In that thing?!”

                “Just-how-we-described-it.”

                “Okay, back up.” Ace said as he leaned against the lab wall rubbing his temples. “You mean to tell me Duck was pulled into another dimension by some unkown freak of nature and now we can’t pull him back out until we get this doohickey fixed?”

                “That’s pretty much it.” Tech sighed as he looked over the computer. “And even if we get this thing up and running again there’s no telling where or what that dimension was. This whole thing popped up by freak accident.”

                “So what do we do?” Lexi asked with concern.

                “Rev and I will have to get the universal portal up and running again, but after that we’ll have to wait for some kind of miracle…”

Chapter 4

                “Okay, so let me get this straight.” Duck smiled as he kept his eyes on the road. “Your older brother was named Tick because your parents thought that’s what he would sound like, but when they wound him up his clock sounded like tock.”

                “Yep.”

                “So when you were born they named you Tock thinking you’d make the same noise but you ended up going tick.”

                “Pretty much.”

                Duck laughed along with the dog. “That’s hilarious!”

                “Ironic, I know!”

                “Yeah! My first name is actually Danger, but after my parents adopted me they always called out ‘Danger!’……” Duck and Tock were laughing so hard now their sides hurt. “…so—so whenever they called my name everyone around us would stare at us as if we were in trouble and ask what’s wrong! Hahaha! After a while it just fell into calling me Duck…”

                “Danger Duck! At least you didn’t have to worry about it being a common name……WHOA! BREAKS!”

                Duck slammed on the breaks and the toy car skidded to an abrupt stop. The two travelers fell back in their seats after the sudden whiplash and held their heads. “Ow…what was that for….?”

                “We almost ran into a wagon.” Tock said as he fixed his ringing alarm again. Looking over at the wagon he read the large sign in the front. “Hhhmm…..Kakofonous A. Dischord…..Doctor Of Dissonance…”

                “What the heck is that supposed to mean?” Duck grumbled as he rubbed the back of his neck.

                “No clue, that’s just what it says on the wagon.”

                “Well a doc’s a doc. I’m going in there to see if he has any Ibuprofen.” Duck opened the car door and stretched his legs before he went to knock on the wagon. “Hey, Doc! I need some meds! You home?” The door suddenly swung open and before Duck could jump he was yanked into the small travel wagon. Tock growled in surprise and dashed in after him.

                A short man with a big head and ears looked Duck up and down. “Well, you do look kinda pale. Open your bill please.” Duck hesitated for a moment but slowly opened his mouth.

                “Aaaaaaaaaw….”

                “Hhhhm, yes….yes….” The doctor obsereved as he looked into Duck’s throat with a flashlight. “Yep! I know what the problem is. You are suffering from Lack-of-noise….”

                “Saywhanow?......” Duck raised his eyebrow. Tock was next to him with a deep growl in his throat.

                Dr. Dischord walked up to a cabinent and started taking down a bunch of bottles. “Yes sir, young duck. Lack of noise. Now I must say you do seem noisier than most people…” At this comment Duck crossed his arms offensively. “…but there is no such thing as too much noise so I’m giving you one of my special potions.”

                “Don’t you have any pain killers? That’s all I’m here for.”

                “Nonsense! Now let’s see, a mix of screeches, thunder booms, gurgling drain pipes, train whistles, fog horns….Aha! Here we go!” The doctor shoved a bottle of bubbling liquid at Duck. “Drink this and you’ll never here another pleasant sound ever again.”

                The mallard shoved it away crossly. “EW! I wouldn’t drink that junk if you said it’d keep me from hearing Rev ever again.”

                “Hhhm. Funny. A young man that doesn’t like loud noises. Very peculiar.”

                Duck crossed his arms. “Trust me. I get enough of them back home…”

                Dr. Dischord shrugged and took up a purple bottle form his desk. “Oh well, I’ll just give it to the DYNNE…” The little man poured the potion into the bottle and set it down on the desk again. Duck and Tock slowly took a few steps back as the bottle started to shake violently and rattle. The two of them fell down in surprise as a large cloud of purple smoke exploded out of it and made a sound like booming thunder. “What the—!”

                The cloud had a mouth and two eyes that peered down at them. It licked what would have been its lips and then spoke in a deep, loud voice. “That was good!”

                “This is the awful DYNNE. DYNNE, say hi to our guests…” The cloud nodded with a grin and opened its wide mouth, letting out a foghorn. Duck and Tock covered their ears as the vibrations shook the wagon, knocking a whole shelf of bottled noises onto the floor. As Dr. Dischord went around adding to the racket by throwing more of them at the ground, Duck took the chance to make his escape. Tock faltered behind for a minute when he caught the sight of a bottle that could be useful. Quickly he opened his fur and placed the bottle of laughter next to his alarm clock.

                The dog rushed out the door and jumped into the car as Duck sped off. The Loonatic held his head. “Oof, that didn’t do anything for my headache……….”

 

Tech and Rev were in a bustle putting together the Universal Portal. Tech was hacking away on the computers while Rev happily did the physical work. A buzzer sounded over the lab speaker and Ace’s voice echoed into existence. “Hey, Zadavia’s on the line with some advice. Get your tail fur and feathers up here….”

                A moment later all the Loonatics minus Duck were sitting around the conference table with Zadavia’s colorful hologram in the center. “I have just received the news on what happened to Duck and I might know a way we can bring him back. The Planet Blanc is the center of the universe and there for is the center to all planets, dimensions, and wormholes. I have contacted Tweetums and his royal highness says that he may have the exact dimension Duck was pulled into.”

                “So all we have to do is go visit his royalness and he’ll help us find Duck.” Ace grinned. “Whew! Talk about the obvious. We were kinda panicking and didn’t even think about that…”

                 Lexi grinned and crossed her arms. “I bet Duck’s going to be happy when the first thing he sees when he comes back is the Prince of Canaries….”

 

 

Chapter 6

                Duck and Tock were led down a long dark stairway below the stone castle. Duck shivered at the gloomy surrounding and then yelped when he walked straight into a spider web. He closed his eyes tight and waved his hands in front of him only to trip on Tock’s tail and the two of them tumbled down the rest of the stairs and into a barred iron door.

                Tock’s alarm went off again and the dog tried to fix himself in a hurry. “Woops, nearly busted my mainspring. I tell ya, this Shrift guy is really ticking me off, pardon the pun….”

                “You have no idea….” Duck grumbled as he got up and the officer came down the last flight.

                “Aw, I’ve seen you’ve picked the cell you want. Good choice. This one you’ll at least have some company with the witch….”

                “Witch?” Duck gulped as the door was locked behind him.

                “See ya in 6 million…..”

                Duck and Tock listened anxiously for the door at the top of the stair to close. When they were sure Shrift was gone, Duck bent down and touched Tock on the shoulder. “Okay, on the count of three, I’m going to teleport us out of here…”

                “You’re kidding, right? That was the plan?”

                “I have super powers. Back where I come from I’m a super hero. Now enough talk. One….two….three………..” Duck tired to quack but it failed. He tried a second time only to end up with the same results. Duck flashed back to when the market was collapsing and how his quacking had messed up. Maybe his powers worked differently in different dimensions. “Okay…..my powers went caput, for now at least….”

                “Take your time. We’ve got plenty of it….” Tock said as he wound his clock up but then he suddenly sniffed the air and shook his head. “Do…you smell cookies….?”

                “Yeah…and it’s making my stomach sound like Slam’s speech impediment. I haven’t eaten in hours…” Duck looked to the back of the dungeon where it was lit up by lanterns and had a drape of pink and purple curtains. He cautiously tiptoed over and peeked behind one of the curtains to see an old lady dusting her shelves. There were all the comforts of home into her little room with a couch, a table, some cabinets, rugs, pillows, and anything that would make her fel comfortable in a dark dungeon. The lady turned and smiled at Duck.

                “Oh! I thought I heard someone. Come in dear! That side of the dungeon is so dreary. I haven’t had anyone to talk to in a while.”

                “Um…okay…” Duck walked in and sat down on the couch and Tock leaped up to sit next to him. The little old lady picked up a tray of cookies from her table and offered them some. They were all in the shapes of number and letters. Duck took some with a thank you and then lightly tossed one at Tock so he could catch it in his mouth. “What’s a nice old lady doing in a dungeon?.......you’re not the witch are you?”

                “I am the Which. But not the mean kind. I’m a different Which. I’m Faintly Macabre, the Not So Wicked Which.”  She pointed to a sign on the wall with her name on it. “Back when the princesses Rhyme and Reason reined I was in charge of figuring out which words should be used. You’ve probably met my brother, the Whether Man.”

                “How can I forget him…” Duck retorted. “Why are you in here? You don’t look like the bloodthirsty villainies type that I’m used to. Unless you’re like Granicus, in which I wouldn’t blame her for trying to get rid of that obnoxious bird….” This last statement he said under his breath as he munched on another cookie.

                “Well, my story actually goes further then why I was thrown in here. You see years ago, two princesses by the names of Sweet Rhyme and Pure Reason ruled this land in the Kingdom of Wisdom. They settled peace and harmony on the land and always were kind. Well, their uncles, the two kings of this land, were in an argument. King Azaz was convinced that words were better than numbers. But his brother the Mathemagician, thought that numbers were better than words. When they went to the two princesses to let them decide, they both said that number and words were equal and that they should compromise.

                “This made the two kings angry and they banished Rhyme and Reason to the Castle in the air where the demons live. After they were banished the kingdom of wisdom separated into Dictionopolis and Digitopolis, and our land went into chaos.”

                “Know the feeling…..” Duck mumbled.

                “Nothing was the same. And I was thrown in here fro still following under the princesses’ law.” Faintly Macabre wiped a tear from her eye.

                “Man that really sucks…” Duck admitted and then handed Faintly a tissue from a box next to him on a lamp stand. He rubbed the back of his neck as he thought of the pickle the locals were in. They were weird and a little whack but he could see they had their own laws and rules as Acmetropolis did. And their kingdoms were falling at their feet in chaos. He was a hero, wasn’t he? Time to step up and act like one!

                He stood and put his hands down on the table as he faced her. “Ma’am! I’m going up to the Castle in the Air and I promise I will bring those two Princesses back!”

                “That’s nearly impossible. You’d need to get the two kings to agree on freeing them. And even with their permission you’d have to get past the demons in the Mountains of Ignorance.”

                “Ma’am, back where I come from I’m a super hero. And hero’s know when to take a risk. I’ll talk the kings into agreeing with my sharp wit and then take down those villains with these guns!” Duck lifted a foot onto the table and flexed the little muscle he had in his scrawny arms. Tock rolled his eyes.

                Faintly Macabre smiled. “Bless you. You are a nice boy. If you think you can do it then you have my full support.”

                Just then the door to the dungeon swung open and the five men from the gates strode into the room.

“Where have you been?”

“It’s dinner time.”

“The king is waiting.”

“Hurry up and let’s go.”

“Ready for eats!”

                Duck yelped as the four taller guys lifted him off the ground and carried him above their heads out of the dungeon. “Um, but I thought Tock and I were to spend 6 million years in prison.”

                “6 million years?”

                “You mean 6 million seconds.”

                No one said anything about years.”

                “Shrift likes putting people in but doesn’t like keeping them there”

                “Jail birds!”

                Duck rolled his eyes as they departed with Tock running at the men’s heels.

They were escorted into a large dining hall where there was a whole table full of food. The guests were all the merchants and peasants from the market place and Duck was surprised to see the Humbug was also there. He was flopped down on the right side at the head of the table, the guest of honor’s seat, and Tock leapt up in the chair next to his and licked his face.

                The sound of trumpets played and a fat old man in robes strode into the room. He sat at the head of the table and clapped his hands. “Speeches please! Let’s have your speeches! We’ll start with the guest of honor!”

                Tock elbowed Duck and winked. “That’s you…” Duck smiled and stood and just before he opened his mouth Tock suddenly tugged at his jeans and talked in a low voice. “Wait! You’re new, so you don’t know. You eat your words here.”

                “Wha?”

                “You eat your words…” Tock said again and Duck suddenly caught what he was saying.

                “Oh! Um?” He spoke louder for everyone to hear. “Cheeseburger! Seasoned fries! Chocolate shake! Rootbeer!”

                He sat down and Tock nodded. “Exactly! Well done. My turn.” The Dog stood and called out his menu. Duck leaned back in his chair. “I think I’m getting used to this.” When all the guests were done there was a sudden rush of waiters with silver trays of food. One was placed in front of Duck and he lifted the lid. “Ha! Knew it! You eat your own words!” There in front of him was a cheeseburger with the actual word on it.”

                Tock chuckled. “If you would have given a normal speech they would have given you a whole bunch of letters. You have to be careful with what you say in this world. The people here are very literal.”

                After dinner all the guests thanked the king and left. The only ones left were Duck, Tock, and the Humbug, who had fallen asleep after eating his big meal, his feet on the table as he leaned back in his chair. Tock reminded Duck that he had to ask permission to save the princesses so he got up and bowed to the king before he departed. “Um, you’re majesty. I would like to have your permission to rescue Rhyme and Reason.”

                The king suddenly stopped and turned on him sharply. “Rescue Rhyme and Reason?! Are you mad?!”

                “I’ve had my doubts the past few hours…” Duck retorted. “I’m sure it was easier when they were around. Right?”

                The king sighed. “Yes. It was. Things were so much more organized. It would be nice to have them back….but my brother and I have a greed that we would disagree with everything! So if I say yes he’s going to say no!”

                “I’ll take care of that. All I need right now though is your permission.”

                King Azaz thought for a moment and then squinted at Duck. “You are a stranger. Why would you all of a sudden want to rescue them?”

                Duck shrugged. “I don’t know. Why not?”

                Azaz opened his mouth to respond but then his expression softened. “Why not? Yes. The perfect excuse. I just wish people used it more often instead of trying to weasel their way out of stuff. Very well. You have my permission. But you’ll need a guide. A volunteer!” The king turned to the nearly empty dining hall. “Any volunteers!?”

                “I will.” Tock winked up at Duck as he came to sit beside him. Duck smiled appreciatively at the watch dog.

                The king nodded. “Good! There’s a start. But three’s a crowd. We need one more volunteer…Anyone else?!”

                No one noticed the Spelling Bee creeping along the table, trying to stay hidden, his flaring eyes on the Humbug. “Odious wasp, huh?” He snuck under the table and headed for Humbugs chair. “Insectium Humbugium, hhhmm. Well Mr. Humbugium, I’m gonna sting you so hard your grandchildren will feel it….”

                Just as the King realized no one would volunteer though the fact no one else was in the room wasn’t helping) he sighed and was about to give up when the Humbug suddenly shot up with a loud yelp. King Azaz clapped his hands. “Wonderful! We have our second volunteer! Now you three be careful. The demons in those mountains are dangerous. Your car should be ready for you at the gate. Take care!”

                Duck and Tock strode up to the Humbug and grapbbed the stiff figure out of his seat as if he were a plank of wood. Apparently the spelling bee’s sting had put him in temporary shock. Duck rolled his eyes. “Oh goody. We get to bring this guy with us.”

                “Kings orders.”

                “Yeah yeah. Don’t remind me….What’s up with this guy anyways? He a cardboard figure or something?”

                “Just put him in the backseat and he’ll probably calm down once we get driving.” Tock suggested. Duck placed him in the car and then got in himself. Tock jumped into the passenger’s seat and then they were off. A long pause passed as they drove down the road when the Humbug in the back suddenly jumped up with a mad holler.

                Duck and Tock looked at him like he was crazy and then turned glanced at each other. “Delayed reaction……”

                The bug waved his cane in the air. “That confounded bee! I shall clobber him on sight the next time we cross paths!........um, by the way my boy, what exactly did the king think I volunteered for anyways?”

                “Oh nothing special. Just driving to Dictionopolis to meet the Mathemagician and then traveling to the Mountains of Ignorance to fight off a bunch of demons to save the two princesses from the Castle in the Air. Not much. Why?” Duck looked over his shoulder at the bug coyly.

                Humbug stuck his cane in the air to respondbut then fainted.

Wow! Thanks! I seriously didn't think this book was gonna be that good. I can't tell you how happy I am that one of my fics is turning out to be popular ^_^.....now if only I can get Icy's books this popular. -_-

Did I say a week? No no! I'm just gone for the weekend. I'll be back either late sunday or monday. ^_^

Chapter  7

                Duck hummed the “Loonatic’s Them Song” as they drove down the country side in the toy vehicle. Tock stuck his head out the side of the car with his tung hanging out and his floppy brown ears flying in the wind and Humbug took to napping in the back seat with his heels up and his arms behind his head.

                Humbug suddenly pushed his top hot up from his face and sat up. “You know, I feel kind of useless at this point. Would you like me to drive for a bit?”

                Duck was about to respond when Tock laughed. “Not for another four hours, Bug.”

                “And why not?!” Humbug said offensively with his arms crossed.

                “Because you ate too many half-baked-ideas at dinner. Those things make you sick.”

                Humbug rubbed his stomach. “I am feeling rather sluggish……maybe another nap should perk me up.” With that he pushed his hat over his eyes and took up his previous position.

                Duck rolled his eyes but then they became wide as something blocking the road became nearer. He stopped the car and craned his neck to look up at the giant stone wall blocking out the sun. “What the…”

                “Looks like it could be a gate.” Tock said.

                The Humbug was first out of the vehicle and approached the wall. He tapped on it with his cane and then lightly kicked it with the back of his heel. “No use. Can’t get in there. It’s shut tight.” The bug made his way back to the car. “But we have done all we can and I think our heroics will be known through out the land to be the first ones to at least try.”

                Tock rolled his eyes as he sat on his haunches. “Oh please…”

                “Perhaps I can be of some service.”

                The three travelers looked up to see a weird rounded shape with different corners all over it. Each side of it had a different face and each face had a different expression. Duck tapped his foot in annoyance. “Okay, this has just gotten plain silly. Okay mister! What migraine do you want to throw at me now? And even though I’m afraid to ask, what exactly are you?”

                The block twirled to show its many faces. “My angles are many. My sides are not few. I’m the Dodecahedron. And who are you?”

                Duck scratched his head. “A Dodiwaba?”

                “If I can remember correctly it’s a twelve sided mathematical shape.” Tock acknowledged.

                “Okay, block head.” Duck retorted back up at the figure. “How do we get through ere?”

                “You have to answer a math question.” The Dodecahedron said casually.

                “Aw man! I hate math!” Duck whined.

                “I got this.” Tock smiled. “Okay! I’m ready…”

                “What are the following numbers?” The Dodecahedron swirled again as its sides flashed different colored lights. “ 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 is known as the……”

                Tock laughed. “Ha! Easy! The Fibonacci Series!”

                A crack suddenly ran half way down the wall and stopped. Duck thought for a moment. “Um….I remember Tech saying once that things that are equal to the same thing are equal to each other….whatever the heck that means….”

                Another large crack split through the stone but it still didn’t collapse. Duck and Tock glanced back expectantly at Humbug, who was slouched in the back again. He shrugged. “What?.......Oh fine…um………1+1=2?”

                The wall suddenly gave in and collapsed. Duck and Tock scrambled out of the way as the rocks from the wall tumbled down to reveal a dark tunnel carved through the center of the rocky hill. The Humbug jumped out of the car. “Very well done! See? It’s a team effort that’s what it is! Good show! Now. I’ll stay here and guard the car while you two—“

                “Oh no you don’t!”

                “You’re coming with us!”

                Duck and Tock  pulled and pushed the Humbug into the cave. They hiked along int the darkness into they came into an opening where there were crystals lining the walls and piled up in heeps on the ground. Duck’s eyes grew wide and was about to shove some in his pockets when he noticed how oddly shaped they were. “Oh great. First edible letters now crystal numbers. Am I the only normal thing around here?”

                Duck wasn’t the only disappointed one. The Humbug picked up a six and inspected it. “Humph! Numbers! Not the top of my wish list.”

                “Are you saying numbers aren’t important?!!!” A voice yelled from the other end of the cave. The three of them looked up and say a tall, skinny old man stride into the chamber with a large pencil for a staff in one hand. 

                Humbug made a quick bow. “OH! Uh--Um, not to offend, your highness….”

                “Let me guess…” Duck crossed his arms. “The Mathemagician, right?”

                “Correct. And may I ask who you three are?”

                “Duck, Tock, and Humbug. We’re here to ask you something.” Duck said as he dumped his pockets.

                “Then come on into my study. This numbers mine is too dark for a proper guest. Come on. This way.” The Mathemacician led them down another tunnel but it broke into a large bright computer room with hundreds of complicated computers on the walls.

                “Oh boy. Feels like home. “Duck retorted. If Rev suddenly ran by he would not be surprised.

                “This is the heart of Digitopolis. I do all my work here, for I am a scientist in Mathematics.” The Mathemagician explained.

                “Alright. I have a tough question I bet even you can’t answer.” The Humbug said slyly.

                “Shoot away.”

                “This ought to be good.” Humbug mumbled. “What is the biggest number of all?”

                “That is a good question! What is the biggest number you can think of, Bug?”

                Humbug pushed his top hat forward and squared his shoulders as he shot off. “999,999,999,999!”

                Duck leaned down to Tock’s level and whispered. “I didn’t know he could count that high…..” The two of them snickered.

                “Good. Now add 1…”

                “Add 1?”

                “Now add 1 again. Now add 1 again. Add 1 again. Add 1 again. Add 1 again…” Each time he said this the Humbug tried counting it off on his fingers until he became to dizzy to stand correctly.

                “Okay, knock that off! That’s getting annoying fast…” Duck growled. “He’s not going to get anywhere that way! Look! You can practically see the smoke coming out of his head!”

                Humbug huffed as he fixed his hat on strait. “Not funny……”

                The Mathemagician smiled. “Exactly! He won’t go anywhere because the number you always think is the last always has one above it. It goes on forever!”

                “Makes sense I guess.” Duck scratched his head but then remembered their mission. “Oh, um, your majesty, I’d like to have your permission to rescue Rhyme and Reason.”

                “Rescue Rhyme and Reason?” The Mathemagician seemed to think it over until he stomped his staff again. “Wait! Has my brother agreed to this?!”

                “Um, yes sir.”

                “Then I don’t!” The king crossed his arms like a stubborn child. “We never agree on anything!”

                Duck sighed, feeling defeated. How the heck was he going to get his permission if he and his brother agreed on…disagreeing………….hhhhmmmm………..LIGHT BULB!!!

                “Okay…” Duck said slyly. “If I can prove you wrong will you give us permission?” Tock looked up at him in surprise.

                “Try me.” The Mathemagician said as he inspected his pencil tip, seeing if it was sharp enough for some reason.

                “You disagree with anything your brother says, right?”

                “Correct.”

                “And your brother disagrees with anything you say, right?”

                “Yes.” The king was far from interested at this point.

                Duck winked at Tock and Humbug and the tow of them nodded, catching onto what he was saying. The three of them crossed their arms. “Then it’s settled! You to agree to disagree!”

                The Mathemagician’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped as he stared at them in surprise.  He suddenly slapped his forehead. “I’VE BEEN TRICKED!!!”

                A while later the Mahtemagician met the three travelers at their car. “You most certainly have my permission! I call myself a genious but you young duck have seen past my blind eyes. I can now see me and my brother have both been in the wrong. I’m going to his Kingdom now to make up but you three still have a long journey ahead of you. Beware of those demons and good luck to you…”

                “Thanks!” Duck pulled forward and started down the road as they waved behind them. He turned to look at the road with the biggest smirk on his face. “Eat your heart out Tech!”