Chapter 8

Chapter 8 Princess Pulverizer stood there, waiting for the sword of truth to start wiggling and jiggling at Dribble's obvious lie. But the sword didn't wave. It hung still at her side. Dribble was telling the truth. "You burned down the barn?" Lucas asked Dribble. "Why?" "I woke up with a bad stomachache," Dribble recalled. "So I went for a walk, to try and feel better."

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"That sometimes works," Lucas agreed. "We've been walking a long time and I feel better now." "It didn't help me," Dribble said. "I just got gassier. The heartburn was awful." Princess Pulverizer was trying to be patient, but this story was getting to be too long. "Can you get to the part where you set the barn on fire?" she asked. "I am," Dribble insisted. "As I walked past the barn, I let out a huge burp. A spark popped out of my mouth and landed on the wooden barn. That's when my heartburn caused barn burn." A flood of purple tears started to flow from Dribble's eyes. "So you see, it's all my fault." "No, it's not," the princess insisted. "Weren't you listening?" Dribble asked. "I burped the spark that burned the barn." "Only because someone made you—and pretty much the rest of the village—really sick," Princess Pulverizer said.

"Really?" Dribble asked. "Yeah," Lucas said. "Nearly everyone in town has a stomachache. And they say they've had them for a while. But it seemed worse today." "Once we find out what's making everyone sick, we'll find out who is really responsible for that fire," Princess Pulverizer said. "What if no one's responsible?" Dribble asked. "What if it's just a stomach flu?" Princess Pulverizer thought back to the long line by the public bathroom. "Too many people have been sick for too long for it to just be some sort of flu," she said. "You aren't sick," Dribble pointed out. "I have a really strong stomach," Princess Pulverizer boasted. Lucas gave Dribble a hug. "I'm just glad we proved you're not a barn-burning kind of dragon," he told his pal. "Oh, we haven't proven anything... yet," Princess Pulverizer said.

Dribble and Lucas stared at her. "I mean, we need to figure out what is getting everyone sick," the princess continued. "And let the people of Beeten Wheeten know. Otherwise, they're still going to think Dribble is guilty." "How are we going to figure that out?" Lucas asked her. Princess Pulverizer thought for a moment. "There had to be something you ate or did earlier in the day that gave you bad gas," she said. "We have to go back to Beeten Wheeten and retrace your steps." "That's a great idea!" Lucas exclaimed. "No, it's a terrible idea," Dribble said. The princess was shocked. "Why?" "I can't go back there," Dribble said. "Everyone wants to slay me." "Oh, right," Princess Pulverizer said. "I forgot." "I didn't," Dribble replied sadly.

Princess Pulverizer thought for a while. There had to be some way to sneak Dribble into town. But how? It wasn't like a big green dragon could just walk unnoticed into Beeten Wheeten. Or could he? Princess Pulverizer raced over to a nearby pine tree. She pulled out her sword and swiftly sliced off a branch that was thick with green needles. "What are you doing?" Lucas asked her. "Making a disguise for Dribble," the princess said. "How else are we going to sneak him into Beeten Wheeten?" "What are you trying to disguise me as?" Dribble asked. "A tree," Princess Pulverizer replied. She sliced at another branch. "Timber!" she called as the branch fell to the ground. "You want to sneak me into town as a walking, talking tree?" Dribble asked. "That makes no sense."