Brainflakes

by Gosen the Saiya-Jin

CARTOONVERSE Beetlejuice and Lydia go to a Festival in the Neitherworld and run into trouble. BJxLyds

Okay x3 I'm just writing this as its coming to my mind and in truth I don't know if I'll finish or even post it anywhere but oh well. It's probably going be all random so if it is, Don't blame me!! Then again…it IS a Beetlejuice fic XD This was an old idea my friend, Jessica gave me a while ago that I said I'd never use. XD Enjoy!

Ummm…excuse my bad spelling/grammatical errors

Disclaimer: I don't own Beetlejuice, Lydia does XD heehee

--

Beetlejuice and Lydia walked around the festival they were at. The Neitherworld was having a Festival and the two friends were having the time of their lives (afterlives, whatever). Almost everyone they knew was there and they had participated in a number of activities. In fact, Beetlejuice had just finished one. He stopped and threw his arms up where he was standing. Lydia stopped too and looked at him with confusion.

"Ah, the Annual Neitherworld 'Ooze Til You Lose' festival! You know I love it, hehehe!" He exclaimed.

Lydia laughed and walked up to him, "Yeah!" but then she shrugged, "Why's it called the 'Ooze Til You Lose' festival though?"

Beetlejuice leaned back and rested an arm on Lydia's shoulder, "Beeeecause….At this festival, there are so many gross activities that you'll get so sick, you'll ooze…One way or another, hehe"

Lydia shuddered, "Eeeewww…I'm sorry I asked!"

"I know!" He closed his eyes and smiled, "Isn't it, great?"

Lydia looked up at him and her eyes widened.

He blinked at her and shrugged, "What?"

She pointed up and covered her mouth, "What's that dripping out of your ear?!"

Beetlejuice blinked an couple more times and then looked to the side. There was this slimy, green liquid dripping out of his ear and sliding down his face,"Whoa!"He quickly took a cork out of nowhere and plugged up his ear, "Starting to ooze… and I'm not ready to leave yet!"

Lydia couldn't help but laugh and slapped her forehead, "Uh-oh…"

Beetlejuice put an arm around her and began to lead her through the crowd. His voice gained a fancy tone, "Come Lydia, The night is young. There's much more to do!"

Lydia simply smiled, "Alright Beetlejuice. I must say, this has been a lot of fun! There's no better way I'd wanna spend my Saturday night than at a festival in the Neitherworld!"

"No better way to spend it Babes!" Beetlejuice said.

"Especially that last event! I don't think I've ever seen someone ingest that much slime in my lifetime. In fact, I think even you beat your previous record!" She complimented.

Beetlejuice waved his hands, "Come on, Lyds…You know compliments will get you…Everywhere! Hahaha!" He jumped beside her with a smirk on his face and leaned down to talk her, "Go on, Go on, tell me more about me!"

Lydia put her hands on her sides, "Don't push it, Beej. I might have to stop telling you."

Beetlejuice froze and dropped to the the ground with a hand over his heart and a shocked look on his face, "Oh, you killed me with that one, Babes!"

Lydia threw her hands up and said with humor in her voice, "You're already dead."

He propped himself up on one elbow, "Logic, you know I hate it…"

"Come on, BJ…" Lydia helped him up and they began walking again.

They glanced at various booths searching for something else to do. There were so many good ones that it made the decision even harder. Beetlejuice and Lydia stopped at where there was an open space. Lydia gazed around the area and a huge smile came to her face, "Awesome! Bowling!"

Beetlejuice shook a finger and smiled, "No, head rolling!" He rubbed his hands together, "One of my favorite games! Oh boy! Oh boy! Oh boy!"

The ghost with the most turned to his best friend to see her looking upward. Curious, he did the same to see what she was staring at. There were a bunch of presents over head. The one she was looking at was a giant spider plushie. Beetlejuice looked at it and then back down at Lydia. A smirk came to his face. He jumped to the front of the line.

"Alright, step aside, you losers!! Get ready to eat my dust! Hahaha!!" Beetlejuice laughed and a bunch of dust fell from the sky and everyone began to cough.

The count began on when it would be time to start the game. "Ready!" Beetlejuice heard the voice and took his head off. "Set!" He got in position and threw his arm back. "GO!" That was the cue. He released his head and it traveled faster than the speed of lightining. It knocked over all the pin his lane and then acted like a pin ball, knocking out all the pins in the other lanes, too.

Lydia jumped and cheered, "Yeah! Go, Beetlejuice!!"

"Now, that's how you get the ball rolling!" Beetlejuice began laughing maniacly.

His body came over to him and set him back on his shoulders. He walked back over to the front of the line with his hands in his pockets. Lydia made her way through the crowd with much more politeness than her friend. She finally spotted him and ran up to him.

Lydia put a hand on his shoulder, "Wow, BJ! You did great!"

He straightened his jacket collar and smiled, "Of course!"

The same voice from before began to speak again, "And the winner is…Beetlejuice!!"

Beetlejuice jumped in the air and kicked with excitement, "Yeeeeah! Alriiiiiiiiight!!"

Lydia jumped again and clapped for him. Others clapped too. Beetlejuice was so into the reaction he was getting from everyone, he barely heard when the voice asked him a question. "Congratulations! What would you like for your prize?"

He turned around and closed his eyes as a fancy voice took over once again, "Nothing. The satisfaction from winning is enough for me…" His voice became normal, "Buuuuuuuuut…." He leaned back, opening his eyes and smiling. He pointed upward, "How about that little guy for the lady over there!"

Lydia's eyes widened as she realized that he was pointing at her. The person he was talking to nodded and took the giant spider plushie and handed it to Lydia. The plushie was almost bigger than her as she held it in her arms. She was a little shocked, "Gee…"

Beetlejuice walked over to her and seemed satisfied with her reaction. Lydia could hardly find her voice. She eventually did, though.

"Wow! Thanks, Beetlejuice! But how did you…?"

Beetlejuice threw his arms up with a smile, "Come on, Lyds, I know everything!"

Lydia laughed and Beetlejuice joined her.

--

Beetlejuice and Lydia sat down at a table in what seemed to be like a food court. Beetlejuice began scanning his menu and licking his lips as he did so, "All this stuff looks so delicious! The Roach Roast looks tempting…Ooooh! But but the Beetle Buffet tempts me even more!"Lydia laughed and he looked up, "Whatcha getting, Babes?"

Lydia scratched her head with a smile, "Nothing from your menu, I don't think."

"Suit yourself!" He shrugged and all of a sudden Lydia had a suit on.

She gave him a grin, "Very funny, Beetlejuice…"

"Hehe," he giggled and snapped his fingers and she was back in her spiderweb poncho.

Lydia leaned forward ont the table, resting her head in her hands, She gazed up at the sky, down at Beetlejuice who was still looking at his menu, and then down at the table. Suddenly, A ghoul came over to their table and set down a flyer before walking away. Lydia picked it up and began reading. A huge smile came to her face, "Hey, Beetlejuice!"

Beetlejuice quickly set his menu down, "Hmm?"

"Why don't we enter this!?" She exclaimed, holding up the flyer to show him. He stared at her strangely and she turned the paper back around and read: "Try your shot at being the top Oozers. Enter your name to become Ooze King and Queen! That sounds like fun."

"Nooooooo waaaaaay!" Beetlejuice threw a hand. Lydia blinked at him. "That thing's for sappy and mushy losers!"

Lydia lowered her eyes and smirked at him, "Okaaaay…I guess we'll just have to miss the 500 dollar cash priiiiize…."

Beetlejuice's eyes widened, "Huh…? Cash…..PRIZE?" Dollar signs appeared in his eyes.

Lydia waved the flyer in his face and he saw what she was talking about.

His face rose and he dissappeared in a flash of bats and smoke, reappearing beside her. He put an arm around her, closing his eyes and lifting a hand, "Like I was saying! Why don't weeeeee enter?"

"Great! Let's go!!" Lydia said.

"Wait a minute…" He said grabbing his menu and looking at it again, "I haven't ordered my…luuuuuunch!!" It was too late, she had already pulled him away in a running motion, "Whoa!"

She led him over to a table where names were being taken. She smiled and looked back at her best friend, "Beetlejuice, do you have a pen and a piece of paper?"

He snapped his fingers and piece of paper and a pen appeared in her hands. Lydia giggled and thanked him. Then, she began writing their names down. The goth put the pen behind her ear and folded up the sheet. The two walked up to the table. There were three male ghouls sitting down there. One of them had a camera.

Lydia smiled at them, "We'd like to enter, please."

One of them nodded. He took her sheet of paper and stuck it in a box. The one with the camera stood up and alerted them to get ready for a photo. Beetlejuice put his arm around Lydia holding up a peace sign while Lydia just stood there smiling. There was a flash and they were done. Beetlejuice jumped back covering his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Lydia asked him.

He uncovered his eyes and revealed them to be black and had stars in them, "I have stars in my eyes, Babes!" He picked them out with his fingers, "Gah, I just hate when that happens."

Lydia laughed, covering her mouth, "That's why you're not supposed to look directly into the camera!"

"Oh, right. I knew that…" He smiled a baretoothed grin.

Lydia laughed, "Of course you did…"

Just then, three ladies walked past her and she blinked at them. They were much older than her in appearance and probably even more so seeing as they were from the Neitherworld. She turned to her best friend who was looking at them in a entranced way. Hearts appeared in his eyes and his tongue dropped to the ground.

Lydia put her hands on her sides, "Get your tongue off the floor…"

Beetlejuice rolled his tongue back into his mouth and laughed. He straightened his tie and then his jacket collar, "Hehe, time for me to do some major wooing!" He then howled like a werewolf.

Lydia spoke with humor in her voice, "You dog!"

Beetlejuice snorted and transformed into a actual dog, "I know…" He transformed back to normal. He then took a finger and bean blowing onto it. All of a sudden, he had the physique of a body-builder "Got a few hearts to steal. Catch ya in a few, Lyds!" With that, he zoomed off to run after them.

The goth rolled her eyes and walked over to a booth. It was a shooting range. She paid the person behind the booth for a game and he handed her a gun. It was loaded with slime. This game had been similar to those water games they usually had normal carnivals, Lydia noticed. She had barely finished her first game when she heard the yell of her friend.

'That was fast' She thought to herself without turning around.

"Oh!" Lydia screamed as Beetlejuice crashed into the booth she was playing at.

Beetlejuice shrunk back to his normal shape and looked dazed. His eyes were spinning, "Ow….Women… You know I hate 'em…"

Her eyes widened and she dropped her gun to help him up. "What happened to you?"

"Not one of them!" He yelled.

"Huh?" Lydia blinked.

"Can you believe that?!" He turned to look at his best friend, "Not one of them even responded to me!"

Lydia closed her eyes, "Hehe, actually, I think I can, Beetlejuice."

"Oh, sure…" Beetlejuice's eyes drooped and he fell to the ground, "Hit me when I'm down, Babes…" A boot came from behind him and kicked him hard, "Ow!"

The young girl helped him up once more, " I don't know, BJ…Why don't you try being yourself?"

Beetlejuice began to give some strange looks, "Myself? Myself? Myseeelf?" He closed his eyes and threw a hand, "Pfft, Like they'd buy that!" A price tag attached itself to him. "Hey…" He looked at it.

Lydia rolled her eyes and pulled it off, "Come on, Beej, I'm sure if you were yourself someone would respond…"

He jumped in front of her and shifted his weight to the side. He lifted a hand, "But Babes, that's how I act normally and noone seems to go for it!"

Lydia gave an all-knowing smirk, placing her hands on her sides and leaning towards him, "That's because you're always pranking everybody! Your reputation is practically in the toilet"

Beetlejuice brushed off his jacket, "Hey, I worked hard to get it that way!" Lydia had to laugh at that one and Beetlejuice smirked, "Besiiiiiides!! Who could possibly resist me?"

Lydia put a hand on her face, "The whole Neitherworld…"

Beetlejuice slid a hand into his pocket, "Bah! Buncha losers!! Who needs 'em?"

She shook her head and gave a grin, "No…" She then looked at him, "I'm sure you'll find someone someday. I mean, you have your whole afterlife to look!"

"Hmm…" Beetlejuice replied. He crouched down, putting a hand under his chin in a thoughtful way, "…Yeaaaah"

"And who knows? Maybe the person you're looking for is right in front of your nose and you just haven't realized it yet!" Lydia continued.

Beetlejuice blinked and looked cross-eyed at his nose, "Where?"

She giggled and used both arms to point at herself, "I mean, look at me! I hang around with you all the time!" Lydia bent down and patted him on the head, "Because you act like yourself. I like you just the way you are" She giggled and picked a beetle off his shoulder, "Bugs and all!"

A sweet smile flew across Beetlejuice's face.

Lydia began walking away and motioned for him to follow her, "One day I'm sure you'll find someone who wants to be with you as much as I do!"

That last sentence even took Beetlejuice by surpise "Hey, Lyds!" He rose a hand and wanted to ask her what she meant. He began to run after her but then slammed into a giant metal box that said 'Brainflakes' on it. He fell flat on his back.

Lydia turned around and her eyes widened and she ran over to him, "Beetlejuice!" She bent down, "Are you okay?!"

He rubbed his head, "No, I am NOT okay! Who the heck put that thing there?!" Beetlejuice stood up and Lydia looked up at the box.

"Brainflakes…?" Lydia raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, Brainflakes!" They heard a voice but saw no one. All of a sudden, a small man with an exceptionally large head jumped out of the box. He was wearing, goggles, a labcoat and boots and had a very optimistic look on his face.

"Ah!" Lydia jumped back a pace as he landed in front of them.

The man turned to Beetlejuice, "Mr. Brain's the name! I created Brainflakes!"

Beetlejuice folded his arms and moved his eyes to the side, "Like I care…"

The man didn't seem to sense the negativity of Beetlejuice's attitude. He just kept smiling. Lydia chimed in, "Um, what does your product do, Mr. Brain?"

"Why, I'm so glad you asked, child! It's a new breakfast cereal that enhances brain power!" He explained.

"Hah, We all know Beetlejuice need some more of that!" Lydia joked.

Beetlejuice threw his arms up and looked at the young girl, "Hey, what are ya talking about? I've got plenty of brain power!" He opened his skull and his brain fashioned into two muscular arms, flexing. They fell two seconds later though. He closed his head quickly and gave a nervous laugh, "Ehehehe, see?"

Lydia laughed.

Mr. Brain turned to Beetlejuice once more, "Would you care for a box?" He didn't even wait for the ghost's reply. He set a box in his hand. Beetlejuice looked dumbfounded.

"Okay, Mr. Lame-brain...!" Beetlejuice glared and gritted his teeth. He held the box high in the air and was about to throw it, "Here's what I think about you and your stuuuuuupid Brainflakes!"

He was just about to toss it with a lot of force but was stopped by a sound he knew all too well. It was the sound of cracking earth. His eyes popped out of his head as ground underneath him began to separate. It wasn't long before a Sandworm's head could be seen and everyone ran around in chaos to try to get away from it.

"SANDWOOOOOOOORM!!" Beetlejuice screamed and clambered up a nearby pole to get away from it.

"Aaaah!! Beetlejuice!!" Lydia shreiked as she jumped and tried dodging the sandworm's attacks, "Do something to get rid of it!"

He hugged the pole for dear life, "What do you expect me to do about it?!"

"Ah!" She tripped and hit the ground. She looked up at her cowardly friend, "You're the Ghost with the most! Think of something! Anything!"

"Why can't you ask me to do these kinds of things when Sandworms aren't around?!" He yelled.

"Beetlejuice!!" Lydia screamed, covering her head with her arms.

"Okay! Okay! Uhm!" He looked around for something.

It was then he realized he still had the box of Brainflakes. He shut his eyes tightly and threw the box at the sandworm. The sandworm looked all dazed and dizzy and alowly fell into the crack and the earth closed up.

"Boy…" He blinked and looked down, "Can't believe that worked…" He slid down the pole and landed on the floor. He clapped his hands up and down, "At least I got rid of that stupid cereal…"

Lydia gave a huge sigh in relief and stood up. Mr. Brain was still there, shockingly. She looked over to him, "Mr. Brain…what's that box made of?" She shrugged.

"Metal, of course!" He said happily.

Lydia's mouth dropped, "Even the regular sized box?!"

"Yep!" Mr. Brain smiled.

Beetlejuice walked up behind them, "Well, atleast it's good for getting rid of Sandworms…" He pointed back at the crack in the ground.

Lydia shook her head and rolled her eyes. She then looked back at Mr. Brain and gave a small curtsy, "Well, it was nice meeting you. We hope you have a nice time at the festival!"

Beetlejuice chuckled, "Who's 'we'?" Lydia elbowed him, "Oh, yeah, yeah! Sure…"

They both waved goodbye to the cereal maker and left.

--

Time had passed since the incident earlier. Lydia had left to go get something to drink. She told Beetlejuice she had gone to find something that wasn't moving. Lydia smiled as she thought about her best friend again. She hoped she hadn't dropped too many hints earlier. After all, she did confess that she wanted to be with him…a lot. That's what made her glad that they had run into Mr. Brain when they did. If Beetlejuice had asked her to explain she didn't know what she would have done. Luckily, she felt Beetlejuice had forgotten about their whole conversation.

There was no denying it, her feelings toward her best friend were ver strong. They were feelings that went far past friendship. Lydia knew she was in love with him but confessing such a thing, especially to someone like Beetlejuice, was a difficult task. The way things had been going tonight, Lydia couldn't help but think of how much it felt like a real date. Logically, she knew it wasn't but she was still beyond happy. If she was lucky, she thought, maybe things would turn out well and she'd find out he felt the same way towards her. Then again, thinking positively and wishful thinking are sometimes confused. Doubt began to fill her mind. Lydia didn't want to tell herself these things and then end up getting dissappointed. Doubts aside, She remained having a positive front. She'd find out soon enough.

Lydia walked up to another booth and stared up at the menu, "Hmm…." She said as she decided what she was going to get. She smiled as she set her eyes on the only real normal drink on the menu. Lydia ordered the juice and waited a few moments for it to be ready.

The cashier handed it to her, "Would you like worms with that?"

Lydia laughed, "No thanks" She took her drink and left. She put the straw in her mouth and began to drink some. Lydia hummed a small tune as she walked. The goth looked upward, "Hmm, I wonder what BJ's up to…"

As she walked, she gazed at all of the booths around her. All of them were so neat. There was definitely nothing like this in the real world, thought Lydia. She smiled, "As soon as I find Beetlejuice, we've got to check some of these things out!"

Lydia looked ahead and that's when she caught sight of her favorite ghost. A huge smile came to her face and she ran towards him. She was about to call out his name but that's when she noticed he was…with someone? It was one of the women from earlier. Lydia's eyes narrowed in curiosity and she creeped closer quietly. It was wrong, she knew it, but she began eavesdropping on their conversation. As she listened, she couldn't believe what she heard. Lydia dropped her drink in shock. Not only was he flirting with this girl, he also proposed that they enter the Ooze King and Queen contest! This made Lydia furious. He had already entered with her! She shook her fists and walked away a little.

Lydia went a couple feet away and acted like she'd just some from nowhere so he wouldn't be the least bit suspicious. "Hey, Beetlejuice!" She called, trying her best to maintain her normal voice and not allow her anger to show.

"Babes!" He quickly turned around and looked at her and a happy expression.

She lured him over with a finger and yelled over the loudness of the crowd, "Come over here! I have something I want to tell you!"

He turned back to the girl he was chatting with, "Sorry, catch ya later! Bye!" The girl just blinked at him, uninterested.

Beetlejuice ran over to his best friend and mimed leaning on something with his eyes closed, "What's up, Lyds?"

Lydia held up her new spider plushie and smacked him with it really hard. He fell to the ground grabbing his head."Hey! Lyds! What was that for?!"

She put down her plushie and folded her arms, glaring at him. He looked up at her, still rubbing his head. He noticed her glare and was confused.

Lydia leaned towards him, "You're entering with who?! You were supposed to be entering with me!"

"Oooooh! That!" Beetlejuice laughed, "Come on, Lyds, I wasn't really going to..."

"You said...!" Lydia said.

"I was lying! I do that…" Beetlejuice replied.

Lydia rose her arms, "You mean you lied to me!"

The Ghost with the most shrugged, "Hey, I lie to everybody…Why do you think the lie detector was invented?" A polygraph lie detector landed in his hand and drew a picture of Beetlejuice on the paper. He looked at it and pointed to the paper with a thumb, "Oh, they're good…"

The young girl grabbed her plushie, groaned and began to stomp away. It was then Beetlejuice realized what he said. His eyes widened and he quickly jumped in front of her, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Maybe I worded that wrong!"

"You're supposed to be my best friend! Doesn't that mean a thing to you?" She asked.

"Course it does, Babes!" He said, "But I don't see what's the harm. I mean yooooou're the one who said I should be on the lookout for someone for me…" He turned into a lighthouse and shined around the area.

Lydia folded her arms again and averted her eyes from him. What could she say now? It was true. She was the one who told him that. The logic in her brain wasn't working at the moment. Maybe if it were she'd realize that he was right.

"You still shouldn't have lied to me! You promised to go with me and then promised someone else like it was nothing" She yelled, "Fine! If that's the way you want it, go ahead! Go with her. See if I care! Have fun…without me!"

Beetlejuice was taken aback. He knew Lydia and never had he seen her get so angry. She was normally calm to his knowledge. She walked off. Beetlejuice tried to stop her but Lydia took a pie from a nearby booth and threw it in his face. Lydia took this opportunity to run off.

"Ice Scream Pie…My favorite!" Beetlejuice licked the remaining pie off of his face. He wiped his eyes and looked around for his best friend, "Lydia! Lyyyyydiaaaaaaaa!! Boy, I wonder why she was so up tight" He grew tall and tightened up. He turned back to normal, "I should probably go looking for her…" Beetlejuice thought for a second and then threw his arms, "Nah! She probably just needs to cool off…" He changed into an ice cube and laughed, "She'll be fiiiine!! Now, back to the festivites! Hehehehe!" Then he dissappeared in a flash of beetles and bats.

--

Lydia had been walking around for a while and the more she did, the more she thought. She contemplated on going home but she really didn't want to. She had calmed down a great deal. She knew how Beetlejuice was. He had to be himself and that's what she loved most about him. It wasn't really his fault. As she thought, she realized it was hers. For the first time in her life, she got really jealous. Lydia couldn't stand the thought of losing Beetlejuice to someone else. It was something that really never crossed her mind.

Lydia sighed and looked down at the plushie in her arms. She held it above her head and looked up at it, "I guess I should go apologize." She sighed, "That's if he even wants to talk to me after the way I treated him…"

She began walking back. Lydia doubted that he would be in the same place she left him so she looked in each direction as she traveled the festival area.

Lydia was beginning to feel better already and smiled with closed eyes as she walked, "I guess everything will be alright! After all, Beetlejuice will be Beetlejuice!" Lydia giggled.

It had been a few minutes since she had begun looking and she still didn't catch sight of her friend. Lydia stopped and wondered if he might've left. She shrugged and continued looking, though. She returned to the place where they had run into Mr. Brain and his Brainflakes. There was a huge crowd of people surrounding the area that she wouldn't have been able to find him even if he had been there. Lydia let out a sigh and placed a hand on her head.

"I'm never going to be able to find him in this…" Lydia said, shaking her head. It was then that she heard the sound of cracking earth. She rose her head and her eyes shrunk in fear, "Uh….Oh…" Lydia turned her head and saw the cracking ground and she screamed a little.

People around her began running away from the area.

Lydia started to run but was pulled back and fell on her backside, "Huh? What's going on?" Her eyes bulged at what she saw. "Oh no!!" The bottom of her spiderweb poncho was caught in the crack of Earth. She tried her best to get up and break free but it wasn't working. Everyone around her was too busy running around and screaming to help her.

The concrete began cracking more and piece fel below into the hole it created. Lydia began to sink down into the hole. She screamed as she desperately tried holding onto the surrounding land. "Aah! BEETLEJUICE!!" Those were her last words she spoke before she fell deep into Sandworm Land.

--

Lydia coughed as she hit the sandy ground. She sat up and looked around her. Her eyes shrunk again and she put a hand on her face, "Oh, no! I'm in Sandworm Land!"

She looked down at herself and noticed her red spiderweb poncho was torn a little. She must've ripped it when she fell and she still had her spider plushie. Lydia let out a sigh and sat back, squeezing her plushie tightly, "Beetlejuice would never even think to look for me here. What am I going to do?" It was then that she heard a rumbling from underneath her. Lydia quickly stood up, "One thing's for sure! I'm definitely not staying here! Ah!" She began running away as a Sandworm popped out of the sand.

"Wait, young girl!" A fancy, male voice called out.

Lydia stopped dead in her tracks. She blinked a few times, utterly confused before she slowly turned around to see who it was.

"Hi there!" The voice said again

Lydia's jaw dropped and she fell into a sitting position, "A talking Sandworm!?" She placed a hand on her head, "I must be dreaming…"

"No, you are not dreaming! We have a favor to ask!" He continued.

Lydia was scared but now even more confused. She didn't even think Sandworms could talk, let alone have intelligent thoughts. From whats she was hearing, this Sandworm sounded very smart.

"Uhm…" Lydia coughed and then shrugged, "Who's 'we'? There's only one of you!" All of a sudden, five sandworms popped out of the sand and surrounded her. She slapped her forehead with her hands and ran them down her face, "I had to ask…" Lydia stood up and brushed sand off her poncho, "So, what's the favor…?" She looked at them.

"You are Lydia Deetz, are you not?" He asked.

"Well, yes…" She scratched her head.

"You mean you're not?" The worm looked at her strangely.

Lydia threw up her arms, "No, I mean I am! But…how do you know my name?"

"Everyone in the Neitherworld knows about you! That goes the same for Sandworm Land!" He answered.

"I see" She giggled a little, "So what's the favor?"

"We are tired of being branded as vicious, people-eating monsters!" The worm said.

Lydia rose an eyebrow and then shrugged, "But that's what you do! What do you expect me to do about it? Why don't you just go up their and tell them yourselves. You seem pretty smart."

"We want you to tell the people of the Neitherworld that we arent and that we should have easy access to that world, too!" He told her.

Lydia put hands on her sides, "Why…? So you can go there whenever you want to eat them?"

The talking Sandworm turned to his other Sandworms, "This girl seems be about just as smart as we are now!"

Lydia blinked, "Now?" Lydia looked down and put a hand under her chin. Her eyes widened, "The Brainflakes! When Beetlejuice threw the box at that Sandworm, it must have landed in Sandworm Land! Oh, no!"

Just then, the smart Sandworm got in her face, "You will tell them…and we will promise not to eat you!" He flashed his sharp teeth. They were so large that Lydia could see her reflection in them.

Lydia swallowed and backed away slowly with a nervous laugh, "Um…I have to…go now…" It was then she felt herself back into something. She stretched out her arms and touched what was before her. It didn't feel like a wall. She glanced fearfull upwards and saw it was another Sandworm. Lydia jumped a little and walked away from it. She gave them a nervous open-mouthed smile and then began running away from them.

"Aah!!" Lydia could hear the screechy sounds they were making as they chased after her, "Oh, man!! Where's Beetlejuice when you need him!?"

--

Beetlejuice was walking around with a really bored expression on his face with his hands in his pockets. He looked down and kicked the ground. He gave a heavy sigh and his eyes drooped, "The Ooze Till you Lose Festival isn't the same without Lydia…" He jumped up and down, "I'm so freakin' booooooooored!" Beetlejuice folded his arms, "What was so bad about lying anyways! It's one of the things I'm best at!" He threw his arms up, "And I knooooow how Lydia is with promises but… I'm not going to apologize! NEVER!! Yuck, makes me sick just thinking about it!" He pulled on his hair. "Stiiiill…I guess…I shoooould go find her…"

Beetlejuice began walking and started thinking about his best friend's behanvior. He couldn't understand what had gotten into her. She's the one who talked him into looking for someone and then when he does, she just blows up at him. As he was walking, he stopped intantly. He remembered what Lydia had said when they were talking. She had said that one day he would find someone who wanted to be with him as much as she did. She said it could have been someone who was right in front of him. Could Lydia have meant herself?

"Whoa!" His head spun wildly out of control and he screamed. He stopped it with his hands, "All this thinking is making my head spin!"

Even if he only admitted it to himself, It was true. He adored Lydia. She was his best friend but his feelings far surpassed friendship. He really cared about her but would never dare tell her. But now…Was Lydia hinting that that's how she felt too? Just thinking about it was getting Beetlejuice excited. He decided he would go looking for her. The Ghost with the most began walking off and searched around looking for her. "Heeey Lyyyyyyyds? Where are you?"

He dissappeared and reappeared in a number of places but still couldn't find her. He was beginning to get frustrated and also a bit worried. He wondered if maybe she went home and if he went there she wouldn't want to see him. Just as he was having these thoughts, he heard two voices from behind him. It was Jacques and Ginger. They were both calling his name.

Beetlejuice turned around, "What?! Can't you see I'm busy?!" He laughed and put a hand to his mouth, "Pfft…Nosy neighbors…"

He held up a hand and used his magic on them. Jacques and Ginger's heads turned into noses. They whined and complained and Beetlejuice just laughed crazily before turning them back to normal. He started walking away.

"Wait, Beattlejuice!" yelled Jacques.

"What do you want? I'm busy looking for Lydia!" Beetlejuice returned.

Jacques and Ginger grabbed his arms, "Zen you better come wif us!"

"Great! Then you know where she is! Hehe, finding her'll be easier than I thought!" Beetlejuice smiled to himself.

All of a sudden, without another word, he was pulled away quickly.

The three reached and crowd and Beetlejuice couldn't take it anymore, "Okay! Okay! Let go of me!!" He shook them off and was free. There was a massive group of people. He put his hands on his sides and looked around the area, "Nice work, Jacques! How am I supposed to find her in this?!"

"I do not know…" The skeleton shrugged, "But thiis is where we last saw 'er"

Beetlejuice sighed, "Fiiiine!" He reached out his arm and Jacques looked confused. The skeleton shrugged and began pulling it up and down; cranking like a carjack and Beetlejuice's head rose high above the crowd. "Hmmm…." The ghost said as he looked around. After much looking, he finally caught sight of what looked like part of Lydia's spiderweb poncho, "Babes!" His head fell back down his body in about two seconds.

Beetlejuice didn't even say goodbye to the two, he just began walking off. He rudely pushed through the crowd with a few mocking and obnoxious "Excuse me"'s When he finally reached the front of the group it was then that he noticed that they were staring into a deep hole. At the edge of the hole, he saw what had caught his eye. It was a piece of Lydia's spiderweb poncho. Beetlejuice leaned down and picked it up. He looked at the fabric and then down at the whole two or three times before he finally put two and two together. Snakes jumped out of his hair, "OH NO!"

Jacques and Ginger came up behind him. They, too, had shocked looks on their faces.

Ginger put a hand to her face, "Beetlejuice! Isn't that part of Lydia's…"

Beetlejuice gave a cheesy smile, "Nah, don't be silly! This little thing?" He held up the fabric and laughed, "It could belong to anything! Haha!"

"Iiz this some trick to get out of goiing to Sandwiirm Land?" Jacques narrowed his eyes.

Beetlejuice juice's eyes widened and he waved his hands, "What?! No!! I mean, hey…" He turned around and folded his arms, "If Lyds was in any real danger, you knoooow I'd go in a heartbeat!" Beetlejuice leaned over and laughed, "Too bad I don't have one, hahaha!"

"So, you're not gonna go?" Ginger asked.

"No need to! I'm teeeeeeelling you she's not down there! I know Lydia and she wouldn't be caught dead in Sandworm Land!"

He then looked down at the red spiderweb fabric and frowned. Beetlejuice kneeled down to outside of the hole and looked down into it, "Pleeeeeeeeeease tell me you're not down there, Babes!!" He was really worried. Lydia had no type of magic powers like him and she was living. She could really die down there. There was no answer and he turned around, "See? I doubt she's down there, hehe!"

Just then, Jacques and Ginger pushed him into the hole with a lot of force. Beetlejuice screamed as he fell into the hole. "I'll never forgive you for thiiiiiiiiiiis!!"

--

Beetlejuice hit the sand hard. He groaned as he sat up and took off a shoe. He emptied it and a mountain full of sand came out, "Ugh, Don'tcha just hate when you get sand in your shoes?"

He put his shoe back on and stood up, arms folded, "I can't believe those two! They were acting as if I wasn't going to go!" Beetlejuice looked around and whined, "Oh, but why did it have to be Sandworm Land!!" His voice echoed.

Beetlejuice began running through the deserted land frantically, "Okay…All I gotta do is get Lydia…and get gone before any Sandworms show up. Sounds easy enough!"

Time passed and Beetlejuice wasn't having any luck finding his best friend. This worried him even more. He kept imagining Lydia getting digested by a Sandworm and it gave him chills.

Beetlejuice put hands on either side of his mouth and began calling out "Lyyyyyyyyyyydia!! Lyyyyyyyyydia!! Where the heck are youuuuuuuuuuuu?!" He jumped for a second and then landed back on the ground. Beetlejuice ran a hand through his hair, "If I don't find her, she's gonna blame me for this!!" The ghost quickly stood up and began running.

He didn't get very far before her tripped over a hard, metal object and fell flat on his face. Beetlejuice sat up with his eyes tightened and coughed up a sandbox, "Yuck! Why does Sandworm Land have to have so much…sand!?"

Beetlejuice looked back to see what he had tripped on and raised an eyebrow. It was his box of Brainflakes, "Hey! So that's where this ended up!" He picked up the box.

"Hey there!!" came a male voice from behind him.

Beetlejuice blinked his narrowed eyes in a bewildered way. He couldn't have imagined he'd find someone else in Sandworm Land still alive...well, uh, not eaten that is. The Ghost with the most slowly turned around and found himself face to face with a Sandworm. Beetlejuice's eyes jumped out of his head and back as he stared at the worm staring at him with a sharp-toothed smile. "Aaaaaah!! TALKING SAAAANDWORM!!"

He began running away, kicking a bunch of Sand in the worm's face as he tried to get away. He barely got a few feet away before he heard the Sandworm call out to him again.

"Wait! Don't leave! I'm looooooonely!!"

Beetlejuice stopped and turned around with a disgusted and really, really confused look on his face. This worm didn't seem dangerous at all "Like I care…"

"Pleeeease staaaaay!!" It pleaded.

"Find yourself another worm!!"

He began to run again but the Sandworm wrapped his tail around him tightly and he couldn't break free. The Sandworm rose him to look at his face. Beetlejuice kept desperated trying to free himself from the worm's grip. He got out of breath and stopped for a second and tried again and again. He finally gave up and folded his arms, looking up at the large face of the Sandworm.

"Look, hey, I don't think this relationship's gonna work. I mean, I'm a Ghost and you're a Sandworm… I think we're gonna have a problem. Besides…"Beetlejuice laughed and closed his eyes. He then stared up with a deadly glare, "…I HAAAAAAAAAAATE SANDWORMS!!"

The Sandworm just stared at him and Beetlejuice sighed. He knew he wasn't getting anywhere like this and he still needed to find his best friend..

He put a hand on one side of his face and whispered, "I better just play along…"

--

Ten seconds later, the two were at a table, playing cards. How a worm could even hold cards with a tail was beyond him but they sat there. Beetlejuice had a green visor on his head, pink, shortsleeved shirt and black and white striped shorts."Go fish!" He yelled and a fish fell from the sky.

"Ooooh, yay! This is fun!" The talking Sandworm exclaimed

"Yeah, yeah.." Beetlejuice replied, not really interested at all.

The Sandworm looked up at the sky, "Oh, If only we could get that girl to play with us, then we'd have lots of fun, heehee!"

"Yeah, whatever…" Beetlejuice said, waving away his comment. Just then, it dawned on him and he rose both of his eyebrows and looked back at the worm, "Wait a minute…Did you say girl?!"

The Sandworm nodded happily. Beetlejuice jumped on top of the table they were playing with a smile on his face, "Yes!!" He jumped up and practically squeezed the life out of the Sandworm's face, "I knew you Sandworms were good for something!" The worm glared at him and He jumped off, his face reddening slightly, "Ehehehe…what I mean is…Where is she?"

The Sandworm played with his cards, "We haven't finished our game!"

"Yeah...but…" Beetlejuice began again.

The Sandworm brought the cards up to it's face, "Boy, these cards sure are pretty…"

The ghost slapped a hand down his face, revealing a really annoyed expression. He was steaming and smacked the cards away from the Sandworm, "Okay!! Enouuuugh already!!"

The Sandworm looked at him, cluelessly, "You seem upset…"

"Y'think?!" Beetlejuice shook his fists, "Now, just tell me where Lydia is!"

The worm smiled again, bouncing its head from side to side in an amused way, "Lydiaaaa….That's a pretty name! Who is she…?"

Beetlejuice pulled on his hair and gritted his teeth. He jumped up to the Sandworm's face and stretched it out, pulling it to pay attention to him, "THE GIRL!!"

"Ohhhh!! Her!" The Sandworm realized who he was talking about.

Beetlejuice smiled. He was finally getting somewhere with this idiotic worm. He let go of it's face and just floated there, "Yeah! Her!"

The Sandworm closed his eyes in an all-knowing way, "She's probably gone by now…"

Beetlejuice's eyes widened and he fell down onto the sand once again. His head spun once or twice and he pulled on his hair again, "WHAT?!"

The Sandworm nodded, "Yes. I saw a few of my fellow Sandworm's chasing her. She wouldn't prove that we Sandworms are good people so they're going to eat her…" The Sandworm looked up, "Too bad, now she can't play cards with us…"

"How many?!" Beetlejuice asked in fear.

"Cards?" The worm blinked, "There are 52!"

His eyes narrowed and he spoke in an annoyed tone, "I meant worms…"

The Sandworm thought for a second, "Oh…I dunno…Maybe six…"

"Six?! Oh No…" Beetlejuice screamed as he zoomed out of sight and ran off looking for his friend., "Aaaaaaah!! LYDIAAAAAA!!"

The worm drooped, "Aww, he left…" It perked up again and looked at the cards he left behind, "Oh well, atleast I still have these pretty cards, heehee!"

Beetlejuice poofed back to where the worm was. The Sandworm looked at him with a happy face. He snatched away all the cards, "Gimme those!!"

The Sandworm began to whimper and Beetlejuice laughed. He pointed at the worm, "What a sucker!" Beetlejuice juiced him into a giant lolipop and then ran off once again.

Beetlejuice's worst fear (besides taking a bath) was coming true. He was feeling even worse than before. None of this would have happened if he hadn't gone and lied to her. He didn't even know where he was going, he just knew he needed to find Lydia. It wasn't like they hadn't been in worse situations than this. He retained a positive attitude and told himself that everything was going to be alright. Lydia was the only one he really cared about and made him worry this much. He wouldn't let her die like this…besides, that would mean that he was wrong and he couldn't live his afterlife with that feeling on his shoulders.

He kept going for a few minutes and then stopped to look around. Beetlejuice sniffed the air. He quickly waved away the stench, "Whoa! Those Sandworms smell worse than I do!" He stopped and then smelled himself, "Nevermind…It's me, heheh"

Just then he heard some voices. He hid behind a huge piece of land. The Ghost peaked out from the corner of it. He saw a group of Sandworms. He cowered behind the rock and bit his nails. "I hate sandworms!" Beetlejuice shook as he sat there, rocking in a fetal position.

--

Lydia looked exhausted but she was still running away from the Sandworms. She reached a dead end. It was a huge piece of land. Her eyes widened as she pounded it, "Uh-oh…" She turned around slowly to see the Sandworms looking at her with sharp-toothed grins, some licking their lips.

"Look!" She yelled, "I told you! I can't do that for you! Be reasonable! I--" Lydia was cut off by a Sandworm charging at her and she dodged with a scream.

Lydia tried getting away from them. She began climbing the piece of land as fast as she could. After a few seconds, she reached the top. Lydia was a bit out of breath now and let out a tired sigh. She blinked a few times. Her eyes widened as she looked below the other side of the land form.

"BEETLEJUICE?!" She yelled in shock.

Beetlejuice looked up at her and gave a happy yet at the same time nervous smile, "Lyds! How's it going...? hehehe"

"I think I've seen better days…" Lydia sighed but then looked at him again and the shocked feeling came back, "You're here?!"

Beetlejuice stood up and raised his arms defensively, "I was coming to save you, honest!! I just got a little…sidetracked" He changed into a large railroad sign.

Lydia laughed a little but that was followed by a scream as she was pulled away by a couple Sandworms. Beetlejuice gasped and changed back to normal, clambering up the rock she had been sitting on. He looked on and notice that two worms were handing onto her with each side of her poncho in their teeth.

Beetlejuice put his hands on his head. "Hold on, Babes!!" The ghost yelled,

Lydia blinked a few times and was almost on the brink of unconsciousness. She let out a small, tired sigh, "Ah…Beetlejuice…"

Beetlejuice glared up at the Sandworms and shook his fists, "That's it!!" He began rolling up his sleeves, "No more Mr. Nice ghost!!"

"Ah, Beetlejuice!" A different Sandworm said coming up to him. "So we meet again. We've missed you down here!"

Beetlejuice groaned and looked to the side, "Talking Sandworms…You know I hate 'em!" He looked back up at the Sandworms, "Now, you let go of Lydia right now before I--"

The smart Sandworm cut him off, "Before you what?"

Beetlejuice frowned but then gave a huge open mouthed smirk, "Before I get a bit…" He grew larger than the sandworm in size and was dressed in a lab coat, boots and gloves and he was holding a scalpel and dissection tray, "…TESTY!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!"

The Sandworm screamed and instantly slithered away in fear and Beetlejuice laughed again. There were two others besides the ones holding Lydia. Beetlejuice shrunk down to normal size and thought for a moment. A light bulb appeared above his head and then disappeared. The Ghost with the most transformed into a cowboy outfit and then spun around a lasso.

He giggled and ran at the two worms. The rope grew in size and tied itself around both of the worms really tightly. Beetlejuice dusted off his pants and pointed back at the Sandworms, "I just looooove hogtying things!" Pig snouts appeared on both Sandworms. They blinked and he spoke again as a branding iron appeared in his hand, "Now I gotta braaaaand ya…." Steam came out of the iron. Their eyes widened and they whimpered as they bounced away, still tied up.

Beetlejuice snapped his fingers and he changed back to normal. He looked over to the remaining two Sandworms hanging onto his friend. He gave them a sly look, "Whoooooo's next…?"

These worms wanted no part in this and just instantly let go of Lydia and slithered away as fast as they could. Beetlejuice fell back and just kicked as he laughed at them. Just then, he looked up and noticed Lydia was falling.

His eyes jumped, "Aaaaaah!! Lyds!!" Beetlejuice flew over as fast as he could to catch her before she fell to the ground. He leaped and then luckily caught her before she fell so far. Beetlejuice set the two on the ground and then he stood up. He wiped sweat off his forehead, "Whew! Glad that's over with!"

He took a breath and jumped as he screamed, "I HOPE YOU KNOW I HATE ALL SANDWORMS!!"

Just then, about ten or twelve Sandworms showed up instantly. Beetlejuice bit his lip and then let out a small, nervous laugh and gave a little wave. A second or two later, He picked up Lydia in his arms and began running off, "I haaaaaate this plaaaaace!!" Beetlejuice screamed as he ran.

He looked down at Lydia in his arms, "Uh, Lyyyyydia…I know you've been through a lot and all…BUT THIS IS NO TIME TO BE SLEEPING!!"

Beetlejuice looked back and noticed that they were still chasing him and he screamed and ran faster. He saw a large landform and smiled at it. The Ghost ran over there so quickly that the other Sandworms didn't see where he'd gone and began going in the wrong direction.

Beetlejuice peaked out of the corner and sighed in relief and rested his head back on the rock he was hiding behind. He stood up and looked down at Lydia who still appeared to be asleep on the sandy ground. He then looked up at the rock they were behind. His eyes lit up. He found an escape hatch. "Alright!" He cheered.

Beetlejuice glance back down at Lydia, "Okay, Lyds, now would be a good time to wake up!"

Lydia didn't respond. So Beetlejuice crouched down and put his hands on her shoulders. He began to shake her wildly, "Wake up!" She still didn't stir and just fell back down to the same spot.

He changed into a band uniform with a bunch of instruments and began to play very loudly (and badly). He did that for a few minutes but she still didn't move. Beetlejuice changed back to normal and looked on with a frustrated look. He rubbed his head and then got an idea.

A giant cup of water appeared in his hands, "Hehe, some people can sleep through anything…but no one can resist waking up when you splash water on their face!" He looked at the cup and then threw it behind him, "Ehh…Too puny…" He changed into a fireman outfit and brought a fire truck. He took the hose and cranked it on, "Wakey, wakey, Lydia!!" Beetlejuice sprayed her face with the water. "Now…" He laughed and made the truck disappear and juiced himself back into his suit.

The ghost looked down a Lydia and was shocked. Her eyes were still closed. He jumped up and down, throwing a temper tantrum, "You gotta be kidding me!!" He started pulling on his hair, "That should have done it for sure!!"

He stomped over to his best friend. He crouched down once more and looked down at Lydia's face, "Okaaaaaaay, Babes, this isn't funny anymore!"

Beetlejuice racked his brain. He couldn't figure out what could possibly be wrong with his friend. Suddenly, he had a thought and he bit his hand. "Aaaaah!!" His head spun around wildly. He quickly helped Lydia sit up, "Lyds!! Come on, come on, come on…I know that's not it right…You're still alive…right?" He shook her a couple times.

She was still quiet.

Beetlejuice quickly stood and folded his arms, "Well this isn't my fault! I never do anything wrong!"

He looked down at his friend who looked so helpless and innocent. He went back to Lydia and held her in his arms, "Okay…maybe it was my fault! But… I'm never wrong! It couldn't have been...Err…" He gritted his teeth and tightened his eyes. "Lydia, come on!!" He really didn't want to do what he was about to. "I reeeeeally don't want to say it…No….Aaaah!!" He began to cry in that childlike way, "OKAY! I'M SORRRRRRRY!!"

Beetlejuice finally apologized. This was the first time being low didn't feel good to him. He looked up to the sky as tears continued to fall from his eyes, "Well…" He sniffed and rubbed his eyes, "At least I finally admitted it…"

A couple seconds, there was a small cough. Lydia's eyes opened slightly and a small, weak giggle was heard, "Wow…And here I thought I'd never get you to say that to me, Beej…!"

Beetlejuice's eyes widened as he looked down at his best friend, "Babes!!" She smiled at him and he got a huge smile on his face. He changed into a boot and a bucket appeared in front of him, "Gosh, Babes! I thought you kicked the bucket!" then turned into a frog, "Y'know, croaked!" He changed back to normal and was about to change again when Lydia put a hand on his face.

"I think I get the picture, Beetlejuice!" Lydia giggled as she sat up, "I can't believe you actually apologized!"

Beetlejuice blinked and ran a hand through his hair, "Neither can I…! I think I'm gonna be sick!" He stood.

Lydia smiled a tried to stand as well. Instead she found herself barely able and fell into her best friend, who caught her. She got slightly pink and her eyes widened a little wandering upward to peer into Beetlejuice's. He merely laughed and he looked down at her, "Have a nice trip? Hahaha!"

Lydia giggled and didn't reply. They just stared at each other. Beetlejuice began feeling a little awkward. If he had a beating heart, it would've been racing by now. He felt like he should say something. He wanted to tell her how he felt but if he was wrong, it would probably just make her feel worse than she was feeling right now.

"Hey, Babes…?" He began.

"Yeah?" Lydia smiled.

Beetlejuice separated from her, "What's…" Lydia looked at him with confusion and he coughed into his fist, "What's with the talking Sandworms…?"

Lydia put a hand to her face and her eyes bulged. She looked around her, "Oh no, The Sandworms!"

"Reeeelax, Babes!" He floated and laid back in midair, "I took care of those bozos!" All of a sudden, he turned into a clown and back.

Lydia pulled him down to the ground and looked at him, "No, you don't understand! Those worms have been enhanced by that cereal! It made them smart!"

Beetlejuice put hands on his sides and narrowed his eyes, "Smart?!" He threw up his arms, "Ugh! That worm I talked to just was the stupidest thing I've ever talked to! And believe me, I know stupid!"

"I do…" Lydia answered.

"Hey…What're ya trying to say…?" He looked over to her.

Lydia held up her hands defensively and laughed, "Ehehehe, Just kidding! But I think we should go find him!"

"What?!" Beetlejuice screamed, "Are you nuts?" Nuts fell down onto Lydia and she shook them away.

"No, BJ. I think if we talk to that worm, we can find a way to fix this!" She reasoned.

"Buuuuut, Lyds!!" His eyes drooped as he looked at her, "That thing drives me CRAZY!" Beetlejuice's eyes narrowed and he took out a sheet of paper, "And I'm the one with the license to drive people crazy!"

Lydia shook her head and began pushing Beetlejuice in another direction, "Come on, BJ, It won't be that bad…"

Beetlejuice twisted his head all the way around and gave Lydia an annoyed face, "You knoooow…This is no way to repay the guy who saved your life!"

Lydia laughed and twisted his head to the front again, "I save your life all the time, BJ! Well…afterlife…"

"I think I'm having a memory block…" Beetlejuice said and a large block came from the sky and fell onto his head, "Ouch!" He caught and threw it, "I'm so not in the mood for puns right now!!"

Beetlejuice sighed and looked ahead. He screamed and stopped the two of them. He turned around and faced Lydia's direction. "No, no, no! Not this way!"

Lydia blinked at him and shrugged, "Why not?"

Beetlejuice turned around and pointed up at the sky, "Thaaaaaaaat's why!!"

Lydia looked up with him and she saw the army of Sandworms. She screamed as they screeched and made noises. They looked very hungry and it looked like Beetlejuice and Lydia were right on time for dinner.

Lydia pulled on her hair, "Beetlejuice!"

"There was a reason we were behind that rock…" Beetlejuice explained.

Lydia flailed her arms, "Then why didn't you tell me!?"

Beetlejuice folded his arms behind his back and gave her an embarrassed, open-mouths smile, "Must've slipped my mind….ehehehe" He thought fo a second, "Hey! I know! Let's try reasoning with them…If they're anything like the Sandworm I met, they're just a bunch of pushovers!!" He walked off.

Lydia yelled after him, "Beetlejuice! No!" She slapped her forehead and closed her eyes, "Boy, is he in for a surprise!"

Beetlejuice walked up to the Sandworms with a confident look on his face. He looked up at them and began to speak, "Hey! How ya doing?"

All the Sandworms looked at each other in confusion and then down at Beetlejuice. In unison, all the worms screeched at him in a terrifying way. Beetlejuice just stood there, smiling in an optimistic way, unmoving.

Lydia narrowed an eyebrow, "Beetlejuice…?"

He stood there for a few seconds more before falling back onto the sandy ground. Lydia's eyes widened as she screamed, running over to him. She helped him sit up.

"Beej! You okay?" The young girl asked.

Beetlejuice turned his head to look at her, "Lyds! I don't think those are the smart Sandworms!"

Lydia sighed, "Obviously…"

He pointed to himself, "Look at this, I'm frozen with fear!" All of a sudden, Beetlejuice turned into ice.

Lydia's eyes widened and she slapped her forehead again, "Oh, Beetlejuice! You did it again!" Just then she heard the sound of screeching Sandworms behind her. She screamed and began pushing him through the sand as she ran, "And this is a really bad time!!"

As she ran, she looked around for something she could do to thaw him out. Lydia knew if she'd had a magnifying glass, she could use the sun but that didn't seem to be an option. She looked behind her and it seemed like the Sandworms were gaining so she ran faster.

"Aha!" Lydia looked ahead and saw an escape hatch.

She looked behind her once again and her heart raced as they got closer. She didn't know Sandworms were this fast. Lydia looked ahead of her once more and tripped. As she fell to the warm sand, Beetlejuice slipped away and smashed against the wall of a large rock formation.

He changed back to normal. Beetlejuice put a hand on his head and shook it to regain his composure, "Whoa…never doing that again. Thanks, Lyds!"

Beetlejuice looked back and noticed Lydia down on the sand with Sandworms sniffing around her. His eyes popped out of his head and back. One was diving right at her. Beetlejuice stretched out his arms and grabbed her before the Sandworm could and the worm slammed against the ground. Beetlejuice pulled Lydia over to him.

"What? Does she have a sign on her that says 'Sandworm Food' or something?!" Beetlejuice yelled.

A sign appeared on Lydia's back that said 'Sandworm Food' on it. Beetleuice rose his eyebrows, "Oh yeah…" Beetlejuice ripped it off her poncho and was about to throw it but then got an idea. He narrowed his eyes and smirked. He threw the sign and it attached itself to one of the Sandworms.

"Lunch time!!" Beetlejuice yelled with a smile. He then looked down at his wrist and a watch appeared, "Or it could be dinner…But hey, what do I know?"

The Sandworms screeched and licked their lips at the Sandworm with the sign on it. The Sandworm squeaked and then began to slither away in fear. The other Sandworms chased it.

"Hahahahaha!!" Beetlejuice laughed crazily, "I always knew those Sandworms were a bunch of morons!" He changed into a light switch and then back.

Beetlejuice gazed down at Lydia who had her eyes closed again. He shook her with a smirk, "Oh no, I'm not falling for that again! Good one, Lyds…"

Lydia opened her eyes slowly, "Huh…? Oh, heh, thanks, BJ" She looked around, "Where'd the Sandworms go?"

"Oh…." Beetlejuice laughed through his teeth, "They went for some fast food, haha"

"I see…" She walked to the spot where she was and then looked at Beetlejuice, "Well, I think we better get out of here before they come back!"

"Oh, yeah…Right!" He stretched out his arm and grabbed her once again. He opened the escape hatch. He shoved her through and then jumped in himself, closing the door behind him.

--

The two yelled as they fell out of the escape hatch and landed on the ground with a lous thud. It was dark now in the Neitherworld. Beetlejuice got to his knees and shook his head. He let out a small groan and then stood up. He looked back and his eyes widened, "There's an escape hatch in the Snottin' Candy machine?!" He lowered his eyelids and pointed back at it, "Irony, you know I hate it…"

Lydia stood up as well. She pulled on Beetlejuice's arm and he looked at her, "Beej, we gotta find that guy, Mr. Brain!"

"Aw, Lyyyydia! Why…?" Beetlejuice whined and waved his arms, "He's just about as annoying as that Sandworm!" He counted the ways on his fingers, "Smiles like an idiot…and has nothing interesting to say…."

The girl sighed and placed her hands on her sides, "Becaaaaause the Sandworms have actual brain power now aaaand they could find their own way into the Neitherworld any time they want to if we don't do something…"

Beetlejuice blinked, "Whoa…That's a scary thought…" He looked up and a thought bubble appeared above his head showing him about to be eaten by a bunch of Sandworms and screaming. Beetlejuice gasped and then took a pin. He smirked and then pierced the bubble and it blew up, "Now, that's one way to burst someone's bubble!"

"Come on!" Lydia said and pulled him away in a swift motion, taking him off guard.

They stopped in the middle of a crowd. Lydia looked around but was too short too see around most of the people there. She turned to her friend, "Beetlejuice, do you see him?"

Beetlejuice squinted, "Can't see a thing, Babes…" She sighed and he smirked. He began to charge through the throng, shouting rude comments as he made his way to the front.

Lydia blinked at him but ran through the path he created. Just then, Beetlejuice stopped and Lydia rammed into him.

"Why'd you stop?" She asked. No answer, so she peeked her head out from behind him and saw the big gaping hole in the ground and screamed a little. It was the hole she and Beetlejuice had fell in earlier. She couldn't believe they almost walked in it again.

"Not making that mistake again!" Beetlejuice yelled.

"No one filled in the hole?" Lydia asked.

Beetlejuice scratched his head, "Guess not….No matter!" He juiced into a construction uniform and a cement truck appeared. "I'll fix that! Well, I'll cement it but you know…"

Lydia giggled.

Just as he was about to fill in the hole in the ground, a voice was heard "Hello, my friends!"

The two friends looked behind them and saw it was Mr. Brain again. He spoke again, "Have you been enjoying yourselves?"

"Well…" Lydia began.

Beetlejuice turned red in the face with again and shook his fists as he stomped over to the cereal creator. Mr. Brain just looked at him with that same smile.

"No! We have NOT been enjoying ourselves! And it's all because of your STUPID CEREAL!!" The ghost yelled and his head popped off, "Uh-oh…yelled my head off…" It landed in Mr. Brain's hands and Beetlejuice just laughed nervously, "heh heh heh…don'tcha just hate when that happens?"

Lydia stepped in, "Umm…What Beetlejuice is trying to say is…your cereal got into Sandworm Land and its starting to make them smart down there and that could make trouble for the whole Neitherworld."

"Oh, I know that!" said Mr. Brain.

Beetlejuice and Lydia looked at him strangely and spoke in unison, "You do…?"

"Yes!" He said again.

Lydia coughed, "Umm…could you please explain what you mean? If you knew, then…"

"Now this is no time to lose your head…"Mr. Brain smiled and lifted Beetlejuice's head in the air, "Let me do it for you!"

Beetlejuice freaked out, "Aaah! Babes, what's he doing?!"

Mr. Brain threw Beetlejuice's head toward the giant hole in the ground. He screamed as he flew through the air. Lydia gasped and jumped to catch him before he reached the hole. She landed on her knees, holding his head and taking of breath of relief. She then stood up and looked at Mr. Brain strangely. Lydia walked over to Beetlejuice's body and set his head back on his shoulders.

Beetlejuice hugged himself and felt around his head, "Ah, I'm me again!!" He juiced back into his suit and let out a happy sigh.

Lydia narrowed her eyes at Mr. Brain and pointed at him, "Now what did you think you were doing? You could have got him lost in Sandworm Land!" She looked to the side, "…Again"

Beetlejuice glared and then pointed at him as well, "Yeah!"

"I'm all for the Sandworms finding their way into the Neitherworld!" He said.

Beetlejuice rose and then disappeared. He reappeared in front of Mr. Brain dressed like a doctor and put a stethoscope to his chest and listened for a second, "Oh yeah, we definitely got a sicko on our hands!" Mr. Brain landed on a giant, inflatable hand that appeared under him. After a second or two, it exploded and Beetlejuice laughed, "hahahaha! Mr. Brain sure has an…explosive personality!!" Beetlejuice fell to the ground and continued laughing uncontrollably.

Even Lydia couldn't help having a giggle or two, "Oh, Beetlejuice, hahaha"

Beetlejuice stood, "I'm one of a kind!" He then leaned down to Lydia, "..And if you think I'm gonna be kind to him, you must have wax in your ears!" He pulled something out of Lydia's ear. It was a turtle and he looked at it oddly, "Hmm…Turtle wax…"

Lydia cracked up and hugged herself as she laughed. Just then, they heard a loud thud and looked ahead with a "Huh?" Mr. Brain had returned, still with a smile on his face.

Beetlejuice threw up his arms, "Ugh! Does this guy ever stop smiling?!"

"Mr. Brain. Why are you doing this?" Lydia asked him.

"Well, child…" He placed a hand behind his head, "I thought you'd never ask!"

Lydia and Beetlejuice looked at each other then back at Mr. Brain. He seemed to pulling on something. They heard a 'z' noise that sounded like a zipper. Beetlejuice bit his lip. The zipped came up over Mr. Brain's head and then finally came down. Beetlejuice and Lydia grabbed a hold of each other and squeezed tightly.

They screamed in unison, "SANDWORRRRRRRRRRRM!!"

Mr. Brain was a Sandworm in disguise. They could hardly believe it. What they also couldn't believe was how a Sandworm that large could fit in a costume of small and not give itself away. They began to run, looking back to see if he was following. Then, all of a sudden, there was a large clang as they hit a metal object and fell back. It was the large cereal box.

"Owwww…!" Lydia groaned, rubbing her head.

"Why does that thing always have to be in the way?!" Beetlejuice yelled.

Lydia stood and then began helping Beetlejuice up. Before he even got on one knee, The Sandworm came at them.

Lydia shrieked, "Beetlejuice, what are we going to do!?"

Beetlejuice stood and backed into the box. He had a crying voice, "I…I don't know! Lyds! We're backed into a corner!" He changed into a steaming bird on a plate, "Our goose is cooked!" He transformed back to normal and covered his eyes with his hands, "Babes…just tell me when it's over!"

"You can't be giving up already!" She said.

A white flag appeared, waving in the air in front of her. She narrowed her eyes and snapped it in half. Walking up to him, Lydia pulled his arms down in a quick thrust. He still had his eyes closed.

"Come on, Beetlejuice!" Lydia began, "I believe in you!"

He opened his eyes, "Yeah…"

Lydia smiled, "You're the Ghost with the Most! You can do anything you want to that thing! Don't you want to Beetlejuice him for what he made happen to you in Sandworm Land?" She punched a fist in the air.

"Yeah!" He yelled but then paused with a finger to his mouth. He looked at Lydia with an excited look. He put his hands on her shoulders and shook her a little, "You mean…you're actually giving me permission to take my dirty revenge against him?!"

Lydia smirked an slapped a hand onto his shoulder, "Do your dirtiest, BJ!"

Beetlejuice jumped up and down, "Oh, boy! Oh, boy! Oh, boy!" He stood in front of Lydia, facing the worm that used to be Mr. Brain.

Lydia massaged his shoulders to ease any stress he had left and then said, "Now, you go get that worm!"

--

He smirked and rose into the air to the Sandworm's head level. Beetlejuice circled him.

"Tell me, Lyds…" Beetlejuice said, "How does a Sandworm manage to make cereal?"

Lydia shrugged with a laugh, "Who knows?"

"Which meeeeeeeeans…." Beetlejuice gave a open-mouthed smirk and giggled a little as he rose a hand, "It shouldn't exist!" Magic shot out of a finger and blew up the giant metal cereal box. He jumped in air and turned upside down and began laughing as he destroyed every box of it in sight. "I just loooooooove target practice!" He changed into a large red target.

"My cereal!!" screamed the worm.

Beetlejuice looked back at the Sandworm with a smile and narrowed eyes, "Not smiling now, are ya, Lame Brain!? Hahahahahaha!!"

"How dare you?!" The Sandworm fumed.

Beetlejuice snorted, "Like this…" He shot and destroyed another box. He blew smoke away from his finger, "You know I love it…"

The Sandworm hissed and opened it's sharp-toothed mouth. Beetlejuice leaned forward and smelled the Sandworm's breath, "I see! You've been working that! Nice! 'Course, mine's better!" Beetlejuice opened his mouth and the bad smell traveled into the worm's nose.

The Sandworm turned away and began coughing and Beetlejuice closed his mouth. He looked down at Lydia and he pointed at the Sandworm, "Some people just can't take competition…"

Lydia laughed for a minute or so and then glanced back up again, "I know you're having fun, Beetlejuice, but hurry up and finish him!"

Beetlejuice rolled his eyes and sighed, "Alright, Alright…" He flew over to him, "He's pretty much done though, Lyds…"

A lawn chair appeared and he laid in it, now dressed in a tank top and beetle-print boxers. He hummed as he sat there with closed eyes and a happy expression on his face. The Sandworm looked at him with a ferocious look on its face. Beetlejuice opened his eyes and glanced up at him, "Hi, how ya doing?"

The Sandworm opened his mouth, like he was about to eat him and Beetlejuice snapped his fingers. A large fan appeared behind him. He folded his arms behind his head and snapped his fingers again and the fan began blowing. It blew the nasty smell of his body odor over to the Sandworm. The Sandworm began hacking as the stench traveled into his nose and blinded his eyes, It wasn't too long for the worm was in a K.O. state and slowly fell to the ground.

"Bye, Bye, Wormy!!" He smirked and laughed crazily as he stood up on his lawn chair and used his magic once again. A large boot appeared behind the worm and kicked it into the hole in the ground.

He landed on the ground and lawn chair disappeared. Beetlejuice rose his arms and looked at Lydia with a happy expression on his face.

"Beetlejuice!" Lydia exclaimed as she ran over to him and gave him a big hug. He hugged her back. She then pulled away slightly and plugged her nose, "Ugh….You reek!"

Beetlejuice still held onto her and looked up with a heavenly expression on his face, "Ah…A girl after my own heart!"

Lydia giggled as she gave him another hug, "I can't believe it! You did it! I'm so proud of you, Beej!"

Beetlejuice separated himself from the hug and put his arm around her, juicing back into his usual suit, "Oh, Babes, I think you're my biggest fan!" He then paused, "Well, actually…this is my biggest fan…" A fan bigger than a Sandworm appeared after he said that.

Lydia laughed and he laughed, too.

--

Much later on, Lydia and Beetlejuice could be found dancing together to the Neitherworldly music that had been playing.

"Y'know, Beej…" Lydia spoke and Beetlejuice spun her around and continued dancing, "I was having second thoughts about this festival…But I'm really glad I came!"

"Aside from the Sandworms…" Beetlejuice shuddered, "Gives me chills!" He changed into an ice cube then back to normal.

"Haha, Yes, aside from that!" Lydia laughed. The song changed and she slid her arms around Beetlejuice's neck and the started dancing again, "But I guess I owe you an apology…"

Beetlejuice glared to the side, "I hate that word…"

Lydia smiled and then used a hand to make him face her again. He blinked at her and just waited for her to continue.

"So, anyway, I guess I just wanna say I'm sorry!" She nodded, "It wasn't really your fault…You were just taking my advice and I guess I kinda felt bad for giving it to you…"

Beetlejuice was totally confused but it did remind him of what he wanted to tell and ask her about. With all the commotion and Sandworms, he'd forgotten.

Beetlejuice placed his hands on her shoulders with a happy look, "Nah, Forget all that! Besides, I've got something to tell you!"

"Really?" Lydia blinked but then shook her head, "I mean, I have something to tell you too!"

"Um…" They both said in unison. They weren't sure who wanted to go first. I mean, in truth, in this sorta thing no one wanted to go first. There was always the chance of a negative reply.

Just then, there was an announcement: "All involved in the Ooze King and Queen contest please come to the stage area!" Beetlejuice rose with an optimistic look. He had an excuse!

"Hey, Babes! That's us!" The ghost grabbed her hand and quickly pulled her away, taking her by surprise.

They reached the stage area and saw a bunch of other couples. They both looked around and then smiled at each other nervously and then looked away. A thin, skeleton-like man came onstage. Behind him were all the ghouls from the table they'd signed up at.

Beetlejuice held his arm out in front of Lydia. Lydia's eyes widened as she looked on at it. She blinked questioningly.

"Wanna bite my nails…?" He asked.

Lydia laughed, "Ehehe, No thanks, BJ…" She could tell Beetlejuice was nervous about the whole contest and she kind of thought it was adorable. She bit her lip as she blushed at the thought. She coughed and looked up at the stage.

Beetlejuice bit his nails as he looked up at the stage as well.

The skeleton-like man began to speak slowly "There were many entries and we were happy with the response we got in this yearly contest. However, there can only be two winners!" He messed with a piece of folded up paper.

Beetlejuice threw his head back and pulled on his hair, "JUST TELL US ALREADY!!"

"Beetlejuice and Lydia Deetz!!" He finally said.

There were many sighs and gasps coming from the crowd.. They couldn't believe it..

Beetlejuice stomped his feet, "Man! What do they have that we don't have?! I feel like…Errr" He rose his hands and they began to glow.

"Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Wait!" Lydia ran over to him and lowered his arms.

"What?!" He yelled.

"That IS us!" She laughed, "We won! We won!" She jumped with excitement.

"Wait! You're right!" Beetlejuice exclaimed, "Boy, do I feel sheepish…" He changed into a black and white sheep.

"Haha, Come on!" Lydia waved for him to follow as she ran onstage.

Beetlejuice turned back to normal and walked onto stage beside Lydia. Beetlejuice then disappeared in a poof of smoke and appeared behind the skeleton-like man. He put his arm around him, "Hey, Hi…So when do I get my money…?"

The skeleton lifted him up off the ground, "After the festival!" He then threw him swiftly and he landed with a thud beside Lydia on his face.

"Hi Lyds…!" His eyes traveled upwards.

Lydia shook her head with an all-knowing smile and put her hands on her sides, "What are you doing?"

"Oh, you know…" Beetlejuice gave a cheesy smile, "Just trying to make friends…"

Lydia chuckled, "Somehow, I highly doubt that…"

He picked himself off the ground and laughed, "No one knows me better than you, Babes!"

They looked back at the announcer and waited for more information. He came over to them and set a crown on their heads. Lydia and Beetlejuice smiled at each other in an excited way.

"Now, you kiss…" He said.

Both Beetlejuice and Lydia froze. The two friends looked at each other for a second. The Ghost with the most stepped forward and coughed. He gave the announcer a strange look, "Yeah, kiss what?"

"Each other, of course!" The announcer laughed.

Beetlejuice looked back at Lydia with a bewildered look, "Come again?!"

Lydia shrugged and waved her arms in defense, "Heh, Don't look at me…That wasn't on the paper!"

"Something like that should be in BOLD print!" He spazzed.

Lydia scratched her head with her eyes closed, "hehe, sorry…"

Beetlejuice took a breath. He knew Lydia probably wouldn't wanna be seen kissing him in public. She was so young and clean and he was so….not. So he was shocked when Lydia walked forward.

"I don't mind, Beetlejuice…" She giggled. "Besides, I think after today, I owe you one!"

Beetlejuice was shocked yet happy at the same time. He couldn't believe it. Lydia was actually willing to kiss him.

"Well…" His face reddened as he took one step closer, looking in the other direction, "Since it IS for the contest…" He inched closer, "I guess it would be okay…" He walked closer until they were only a few inches apart.

Beetlejuice could feel himself sweating and that awkward feeling came back to him. He straightened his tie and coughed. He tried averting his eyes but they eventually led back to stare into hers.

"Calm down, Beej!" She giggled, "It's only me!"

'And that's what makes me nervous!' He thought in his head.

Beetlejuice leaned downward and Lydia leaned upward. She grabbed his face and pulled him closer until their lips met. Beetlejuice put his arms around her, pulling her closer to him. The kiss should have stopped after a moment but it seemed Lydia and Beetlejuice had lost themselves in the moment. After a few minutes, they finally broke away.

Everyone stood there dumbfounded. They didn't expect it to have last so long. There was a large silence. Beetlejuice stood there with a goofy grin on his face, His eyes were fixed on one position. He let out a loving sigh and fell backwards onto the stage floor.

Lydia blinked and stood over him with an inquisitive look. She scratched her head and put a hand under her chin, "Beetlejuice…?"

"Huh…? Yeah?" He finally responded.

"I think some of these are yours…" She said.

Confused, Beetlejuice sat up and looked at her. He laughed as she saw she was holding a couple beetles. The ghost stood up and took them from her..

"Oh yeah!!" Beetlejuice said, sticking them inside his jacket, "I was saving those guys for later!"

Lydia clasped a hand around her throat and made a disgusted face, "I actually think I swallowed one…Yuck!"

He snaked an arm around her and leaned closer, "Ah, what's a shared beetle between friends!"

Lydia covered her mouth and laughed. He laughed too. They were quiet for a few moments and Beetlejuice pulled on his collar. He still felt a bit nervous.

"Umm…Lydia?"

"Hmm…?" Lydia asked and just as she did, the music began playing once again. She looked around and noticed everyone dancing again. It was a slow song.

"Let's dance! You know, the contest and all…" Beetlejuice said, scratching his head.

"Sure, BJ!" Lydia nodded and they began to dance on stage.

And so they danced. Beetlejuice bit his lip as he hugged Lydia closer as they danced. She wondered about it but she definitely wasn't complaining. She wanted to tell him so much but was worried. Her heart beat faster especially after that kiss. She wondered if she'd ever calm down.

"Hey, Beetlejuice…?"

Beetlejuice looked down at her. She was smiling. It was the same smile she always gave him but it was making him feel even more awkward them before. This feeling was driving him crazy. If he didn't say something to someone about it, he was sure he would explode.

He screamed and his head spun around crazily. Lydia jumped back with a small gasp. He pulled on his hair for the umpteenth time that night, "THAT'S IT! I can't take it anymooooooooooore!!"

Lydia was totally confused as to what he was talking about it. And before she could ever ask, he continued yelling.

"Lydiaaaaaa!! I'm in love with youuuuuuuuu!!" His statement seemed to last forever and he panted, out of breath once done.

Everyone, including Lydia was staring at him strangely. He looked at everyone around him and laughed nervously with an open-toothed smile. From head to toe, he turned red. He could hear a few people around him laughing.

Lydia looked at him with concern, "Beetlejuice…"

"Gee…" He glanced down at himself, "Look at this! I've gone red! Oh and I feel so small!" He shrunk the size of a hand.

Lydia kneeled down and let him jump in her hand, "Beetlejuice…There's no reason to feel that way…"

Beetlejuice sighed and sat down in her palm.

"Because…" Lydia took a breath and tightened her eyes, "Because I love you too!!"

His eyes widened and he changed back to normal, sitting on the stage.He leaned forward on his hands and knees like a dog, "Really?"

Lydia giggled, patting his head and ruffled his hair, "Of course, Beej! That's what I've been wanting to tell you!"

Beetlejuice turned to the crowd and stuck out his tongue at them. The music began again and pretty much no one was paying attention to them anymore. It was slow music. Beetlejuice was smiling happily and he pulled Lydia super close.

"Let's be done with this stupid slow music!! Weeeee're here to paaaaaaaaaaaarty!!" Beetlejuice raised a hand and magic flew out of it and hit the person playing music. The music became all upbeat and danceable.

Lydia smiled and laughed as the place became crazy with dancing ghouls and other Neitherworldly inhabitants. Beetlejuice and Lydia danced again and they were the center of attention as spotlight shine on them and they let themselves get lost in another kiss.

--

OMG! XD I was starting to think that I'd never finish this. I really wasn't expecting it to be this long. Please, don't mind my grammatical errors. Even proofreading 80 times I never seem to get anything. I just hope you enjoyed my story. X3 I like this and hope you did too. Maybe I'll write another sometime in the future but I dunno. Please comment/ review!!