“Are you sure this is a good idea Master Wataru?” Gimbobble’s voice was near cracking up as she spoke from behind Jumah’s leg where she apparently felt safe and secure from the terrifying Kobold.

“Gimbobble, I asked you to call me Jumah.” He smiled to himself as they followed the Kobold through the darkness of the ever deepening mine shaft. His small clawed feet handling the terrain with amazing ease as the rest of them struggled to keep pace with him. Jumah was sure the creature would have bolted by now, if it weren’t for the thin rope he had tied about its waist.

“Oh.” She said in a suddenly hurt voice. It seemed obvious that she was now very much outside her comfort zone and had no idea how to handle it at all. “But that creature… attacked us. Are you SURE we should trust it to lead us around its friends?”

“The only thing I am SURE of right now Gimbobble, is that you are going to get caught under my foot if you keep trying to hide behind my leg like that.” He paused for a moment, realizing that the Gnome would probably be terribly offended at the vocalization of her terror, despite the fact that she obviously was. “Even for a scientist of your understanding, a Kobold is a pretty easy creature to motivate. You just have to understand what it is they are seeking, as with any creature really.”

She separated herself slightly from him but made sure he stayed between herself and the Kobold. “And what is it that motivates a Kobold? Aside from bloodlust?”

“You see, that’s the problem there. You assume it wants death and destruction.”

“But Mas… er… Jumah… Every Kobold my people have ever encountered has attacked us. All evidence suggests they are bloodthirsty killers and where the evidence points, the logical mind must thereby follow.”

“Ah ha!” Jumah proclaimed as he ducked under a low-hanging rock in the ceiling. “There’s your problem! You assume that what makes logical sense to you should also make logical sense to others as well. A Kobold is a very different sort of creature from a Gnome now isn’t it? So why would its logic work out the same as yours?”

Gimbobble sounded disgusted as she replied, “Jumah, the very point of logic is that it works the same for everyone. THAT is why it is CALLED logic! Logic by definition must make sense to everyone in the same way for it to be called logic.”

Jumah smiled, there was nothing better in the world than flustering a Gnome. Except maybe a good long run through an open field. Damn he missed the open plains. Snapping himself back to the hear and now he gave a light tug on the rope to make sure their Kobold friend knew he was still paying attention. “That’s where you are wrong Gimbobble. You see, logic, like so many other things in life, is subject to the views and opinions of the individual. As an example, it makes logical sense to me for everyone to do fifty push-ups every morning before getting on with their days. That way everyone will be fit, healthy and strong.”

He wasn’t sure but he thought she nearly fell over in the dim tunnel at the thought of doing push-ups, at all, in any quantity. “Mast… Jumah… That is preposterous. Most people are incapable physically of doing fifty push-ups. And furthermore it doesn’t make logical sense for everyone to do so when we need so many other things from people, like the honing of the intellect and scientific theory!”

“Oh I agree those are important things as well, but logically speaking, if you take the time and develop the tenacity to hone your body, then it follows naturally that you will develop your mind as well. Mind and body as one. It should happen no other way. Logically speaking.”

“Well I’m sorry but that simply doesn’t make any sense to me. It seems like much of the time used to develop the body could be diverted to developing the mind and greater strides could be made in that direction. I’m afraid that your logic is faulty in the matter.”

“And yet it makes perfect sense to me. And have you ever wondered why the standard parts for a mechanical sword sharpener include a cog and three spinners when a cog and three sprockets would clearly add the benefit of more torque?”

The little Gnome stopped in her tracks and stared at him, taken aback by his sudden insight into her world. “You present an interesting case Jumah. I shall have to consider it further.”