Where Is That Chocolate?

The small boy walks over to Tinkletoes slowly. “Here,” he says, handing a tiny squashed mass to the battle seasoned mercenary.

“That ain't chocolate. It looks like shit!”

TP flies over to inspect the object. Gesturing and nodding his head.

“TP says it's a chocolate covered raisin. I don't know how you can tell with the dirty lint that's all over it.”

“You're not going to give it to the writer lady to eat are you?” The older boy asks coming further into the room.

“Peter? Is that your name?” Tinkletoes asks.

“Yes sir.” Peter answers.

“TP, the little faerie flying around my shoulders, says if she becomes agitated we can let her smell the chocolate to calm her down. We will only feed it to her as a last resort. I disagree. I think we should shove the thing down her throat. It will taste horrible, she'll spit it out. If we're lucky she'll never want another piece of chocolate ever again.”

“That's a beautiful dream. It's time to come back to reality.” Dobby says, gesturing towards the dragon and the two boys.

Tinkletoes looks at the children.  “You still here?” Tinkletoes says, something sharp pokes him in the back of the neck. “Good job kids and um...little dragon thing. You saved a lot of lives tonight.” Another sharp jab. “When Dobby's Mom wakes up well I bet she'll bake you some cookies soon to say 'Thanks' for helping. She's going to owe me a butt load of baked goods for this one anyway.” Another sharper jab. Tinkletoes turns his head glaring at TP.

Tinkletoes turns his attention to Dobby, “What? It's true. I'm asking for a wedding cake myself. My little sister is getting married next month.”

“Thanks, Dylan, Peter and Furnatche. You should find Aunt Purdy .” Dobby glares at Tinkletoes while the children and dragon leave the room.

“Mom told me it's my job to bring the cake.” Tinkletoes' voice goes up and then back down. “I don't see the point myself. Tiny Feet has been married six times. I told Mom myself, 'You can feed the guy as much cake as you want, it isn't going to make living with Tiny Feet any easier.' She has tiny feet but a really big mouth. High maintenance. I remember when we were kids I always had to keep an eye out for her. I got in trouble for the stupidest things. 'Don't let your sister play with the knives. Take that chainsaw away from your sister. Don't let her run over squirrels with the lawn mower.' The nagging. That kid was trying to learn some serious life skills. She would be a better person today, if everyone hadn't treated her like such a girl.”

“Any debts we have to you get paid off next weekend. You said that if I went to that Phoenix Comicon thing with you that would settle things. Mom is going in my place, to meet all of your friends and corroborate your stories. The blog is a record of all that has happened in the last year.”

“I know.” Tinkletoes agrees, reluctantly. “Whose gonna wear the dress if you aren't? Have you talked her into wearing Kaylee's pink and white dress?” (See previous post—The Ecstasy).

Three loud knocks, sound at the back door. Dobby, TP and Tinkletoes all look at the door.

Looking at his watch, Tinkletoes says, “1450 hours. Ray must have got here early. He is always good for help in a pinch. His insomnia is our savior tonight my friends.” Walking across the room, Tinkletoes opens the door.

“Ray. Thanks for getting here so fast.”

“Dude...” Ray is tan and his hair is bleached. Like a surfer picked up right off of a coastal beach. “You said hurry. So I hurried.”

“Ray. Dobby. Ray. TP.”

“Dude...I hate to tell you this but that's a cat. The other thing is weirdest bug I have ever seen, it almost looks like a little person.”

“That's because I am a cat. Dufus. TP is a faerie.” Dobby says.

“A real faerie?” Ray asks. “I though you meant TP was gay or something. Wow Tinkletoes you know how to make the coolest friends.” Ray looks around taking in the room. He sees the artillery bag, the large board covered with information and Mom. “Is that Dobby's Mom?”

“Yes, as you can see she is not well. We need the chocolate.” Dobby answers.

“Wow. She's kind of pretty. Not in the regular way, boobs and butt. She looks like she is nice, fun to be around, not bag over the head ugly. That kind of pretty.”

“She is. As long as you have the chocolate.” Dobby answers.

“Is she the one who bakes all the cakes, pies and cookies you bring over to HALO night?”

“Yep.”

“Cool! We definitely want to save her.”

Tinkletoes stands as close to Ray as a manly man can and still be um...manly. “The chocolate? We need the chocolate.”

“Dude. Relax I got it right here.” Ray crosses the room and reaches outside the back door. He carries in a case size box with ease. “I didn't know what to get so I handed the clerk at the local gas station a hundred and just loaded up every piece of chocolate they had.”

“We're saved!” Tinkletoes squats on the floor to open the box. Lifting the lid he looks inside. Glaring at Ray, he stands up and turns the box over. Empty wrappers rain all over.

“Don't do that man. I kinda got sick on the way here.”

“Now it's on the floor.” Dobby says, looking at a liquid mess.

“You were supposed to bring me chocolate not eat it!” Tinkletoes yells.

“I didn't think you would miss just one.” Ray answers.

“You didn't eat just one did you?”

“Once I got started I had trouble...you know, stopping.”

“Lives are at stake. I told you people could die. People will die now.” Tinkletoes' head was bright red. The yelling was hurting Dobby's ears.

“What is going on here?” Mom's voice startled everyone. “Dobby! What are all of these people doing in my house in the middle of the night?”

Dobby looks at Tinkletoes. Tinkletoes was pale, mouth open, not moving.

“Well, you were sick and I needed help for you.”

“This is how everyone helps? Making a mess with junk food and throwing up on the floor? I think it would be best if everyone who doesn't live here went home. Everyone else, GO TO BED. NOW!”

Mom is muttering as she cleans, 'I don't know why this crap always has to happen to me. In the middle of the freaking night too. What was that cat thinking?...” Muttering becomes indecipherable.

Ray, Tinkletoes, TP and Dobby gather outside the back door.

“Ah, this fresh air is so nice.” Tinkletoes says.

Dobby and TP look at each other, then back to Tinkletoes. “How can you be so calm? We are in trouble with Mom? Deep trouble.” Dobby asks.

“First of all, I don't live here. Second, we made a huge breakthrough. We have discovered how to pull a woman out of Chocolate Shock; give her a mess to clean up. Finally, look around you we are all still alive, intact and the house is still standing. Life is good, Dobby cat.”