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~((National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day Special - page 4 of 6))~~
"Why did the chicken cross the road?" said Ibai.

'To get to the other side,' finished Chergoa.

"Oh, so you've heard this one before?"

The reaper laughed. 'Yes. Crazily enough, I have.'

"Well, anyway, you see, the reason that joke is funny is because the punchline is so mundane that you don't expect it. And humor, at its core, is all about subverting expectations."

'Uh-huh.'

"With that particular joke, you probably would've expected something sillier like, 'to get to his five-O'CLUCK meeting.'"

'...That's probably a better punchline, actually.'

"Hmm, maybe. And the reason that one is funny is because it's a play on words."

'Yeah, I got that.'

"It's what they call a 'pun.'"

'Okay, please stop,' said Chergoa, though she was laughing again.

"Are you sure you don't need me to keep explaining?"

'I'm pretty sure.'

"Well, I think I've proved my point, anyway."

'I'm really not sure you have.'

"Oh, so you do want me to keep explaining! In that case--"

'Oh, look, we've arrived!' laughed Chergoa. 'Why don't you go pick something out to eat?'

Ibai couldn't deny that he was famished, so he decided to do as she suggested.

The refectory was an interesting place in its own right. A huge, vaulted chamber--the selection of food here rivaled what he had known in Marshrock all his life. Which made very little sense to him, considering the Library of Erudition was located on the dead continent of Exoltha, surrounded by the impassable storm, the Dáinnbolg. It was certainly enough to make him curious about how they were able to maintain such a luxurious stock, but he hadn't been able to solve that mystery yet.

He decided on chicken tenders. A simple meal, perhaps, but an old favorite. His mother had previously chastised him for his "unrefined palate," not befitting a nobleman, but his father had never seemed to mind, so Ibai had never really taken her words in that regard to heart.