Wow, I reached over 100 reviews, thanx everyone!! I was SO happy that day! ^_^ I'm really, terribly sorry that this chapter is up SO late, but my computer died on me and I managed to get it sorta running, but it might die anytime. I keep to my schedule, update every 5 days, so if you don't see me for a while, I haven't die, my computer has. Sorry again!
Girs Evil Cupcakes: Oooh, I'll go read your fic too after I get settled here!
Tunder: That's what I thought too, but my computer had its own plans! -_- Hmph, stupid computer, let's hope I'll be on schedule next time!
Black Iris's Sis: Oh okay, I'll change that too when I have time. ^_^
Garnet: Thanx, I like all those jewel names you put in your review, ^_^ I like cliffies!!!!
Light Tiger's Eye: My ideas just pop up! I have a HARD time thinking of names, I hate making names! Your fic sounds cool.
Sweet Faith Hope...And Charity: My favorite stuff is what Carly, Ice, a longbow…and I dunno about eggs. Wonder what'll hatch outta them, huh? ^_^
Beyblader-grl: We've all been plenty busy, I guess, me especially! I haven't even written 15 chapters yet, lol! I'm going to read your fic too!
Snowgren: Developing on Tala…lol! Why not, they have an interesting conflict. ^_^
zac: They're not wimps, they're just cautious that's all. Oooh, you're lucky Carly didn't see that otherwise she'll beat your brains out, lol! I don't mean that literally, lol!
Keri: You like Holly and Kailee the best? I hope ~*~P.G*~* and D_G sees that! ^_^ You actually like the suspense? That's new! ^_^
Dark Ness: Thank you! I wish my computer would cooperate though.
~*~Prodigious girl*~*: I don't like Tyson, that's why he isn't in it and forget about Kenny, ugh! So? Kai can say 'chill'. ^_^
Black Iris: I wish I gotten this up sooner, but it's here anyways! ^_^
Dreamer_gurl: Sorry to keep you waiting, you must be bursting by now, lol!
whisper*2*imaginary: You changed your pen name! Sounds real pretty. I did get over a 100! I was SO happy!
Reia1: Um…thanks, no idea what the rest of that dialogue was supposed to mean though.
sessy's girl: Thanx, I will!
Black Cat12: Tala's…umm…well Tala, lol! He's pretty distant, isn't he? He kinda has a split personality in my fic, lol!
~kai~: Whew, I'm SO glad I got it right! *claps happily too* I'm glad you agree that Tala's sorta creepy, lol! Oh yeah, that part, I should've said that Kai said it sarcastically, lol!
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Chapter 10: Burning Up
"Wow, it feels like a desert here," Max moaned, wiping his forehead, "I'm sweating already!"
"I know what you mean," Enrique added.
They fell into the Fire Kingdom and took a good look around. It was indeed the Fire Kingdom. The weather was hot and dry and sometimes fire burned wild on the grounds. Trees were dying and there was scarcely any movement. In the horizon, they could see lava crawling down the volcanoes and occasionally, they could hear the blast of a volcano erupting.
Ray looked fine, "Wow...so this is going to be my Kingdom...the first thing I'm going to do is plant some trees."
"How about building a lake?" Kailee wailed, "Kai, I'm so hot!"
"Me too sis," Kai agreed, sweat trickling down his forehead, "I'll need a while to get used to this..."
Hru shook her head, "It's so hot I can SEE water evaporating!" She fanned herself, "I hope we won't be stuck here long."
"Great," Tala said, also fanning himself, "It's so darn hot! It's making me feel weak."
"Ray, how can you stand this heat?" Willow gasped, nearly tripping.
Ray steadied her quickly, "I don't know, it just doesn't seem hot to me. Maybe it's because it's my Kingdom."
"That would make sense," Holly said, "You're made for you Kingdom, so you don't feel the heat the way we do."
"Then how come I feel cool and refreshed as well?" Cassandra asked.
"I don't know!" Johnny snapped, "Do you have a
built-in AC or something?"
"I have a feeling it has something to do with our elemental powers," Hru said.
"I have Water," Cassandra reminded her friends, "So?"
"I get it!" Kai said, "Water puts out Fire, so it's strong against Fire, so Cassandra has natural resistance to Fire."
"That makes sense," Tala said, "Too bad we don't all have resistance too."
Ray held the burning card in his hand, "The Fire Palace in north, we'll have to go north, follow me."
Carly shook her head, trying to focus her blurry vision, gasping as heat washed over her. //Why do I feel so weak? I've been in heat waves before and it wasn't half as bad...I feel like I'm melting from the inside and I can't think straight...curse it...// She stumbled after the others, clutching her longbow.
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"We're getting closer to the volcanoes," Tala remarked.
"Let's hope that they don't blow up in our face," Hru added.
Tala smiled a bit, "Especially since we're going to climb them."
Hru blushed, staring into his bright blue eyes helplessly, //Well, I can't deny it, he's gorgeous.//
"Are we really going to climb those volcanoes?" Kai asked, "This heat is KILLING me, I'm so hot I think I'm bathed in sweat."
"Hang on a bit guys," Ray said, pulling Willow up beside him, "It's just a little further, you can make it."
"Well, we don't usually live in fire," Johnny said sarcastically, "I see you've adapted quite well though, hmph!" He wiped his forehead.
"Hurry up!" Cassandra urged, "Before the volcanoes erupt again!"
"We can't," Holly said, sweat tricking down her face, "I can't. It's way too hot, we're too close to the volcanoes, isn't there another way? Ray?"
Ray shook his head, "Nope, this is the only way, sorry guys."
"Think cool," Enrique said, "Think ice cream...ice cubes...ice..."
"That's it!" Kai said, "Ice, Carly has the power of Ice! Hey Carly, can you maybe cool us down with your Ice powers?"
"That's a great idea!" Holly and Kailee said happily.
"Where is Carly?" Johnny asked, "I thought it was unusually quiet! Usually Carly's sprouting insults and sarcasm faster than a bullet train. Carly?"
"I'm right here!" Carly gasped, "I can't walk anymore..." She was leaning against a tree, sweating, "Johnny, I..."
"Are you okay?' Johnny asked, looking worried, "You don't look so good."
"He's right, you look sick," Kai said.
"Ray! Hold on for a sec," Willow called, "There's something up with Carly."
"I'm fine," Carly said, "Just...let's me...catch
my breath for a sec..."
"Everyone's hot too Carly," Holly said reassuringly, "It's not just you, we'll
be able to rest soon."
"I'm not just hot...I'm burning..." Carly gasped again, her eyes glazing over, "Can't see straight...everything's swirling...ohhhh..."
Johnny caught her as she collapsed, "Oh Lord, she's burning up!"
"What happened???" Ray hopped down, "Carly!! What happened to her?"
"I think she may have a heat stroke," Kai said, looking alarmed, "Carly never collapses!"
"We're all hot but we can still keep going, and Carly's really strong too," Holly remarked, looking equally worried.
"It's Ice," Tala said curtly, "She has the element Ice, just like Cassandra's especially strong in this world because Water kills Fire, Carly's especially weak in this Kingdom because Ice melts near Fire."
"Carly!" Johnny said, "Anyone have some water??"
"Let me try," Cassandra said. She sprayed some water from the palm of her hand and aimed it at Carly's face.
"You need to work on your aim," Ray said, spluttering as the water splashed him in the face.
Carly moaned and her eyes fluttered open weakly,
"What are you all staring at?"
"You col-" Enrique started
Hru stepped on his foot, "Don't say that to her! She'll throw a fit!"
Carly stood up weakly, "Aren't we going to go before the volcanoes decide to erupt again?" She nearly fell again.
"We're going to go all right," Johnny said, his hand tight on her wrist, "And I'm carrying you."
"No," Carly protested weakly, "I don't need any help."
"You can barely stand, let alone walk!" Johnny said angrily, "Don't argue with me, I'm carrying you and that's that!"
"I don't need-" Carly closed her eyes and collapsed into Johnny.
"If we don't get her shelter, she might die from the heat," Kai said seriously.
"Remember the Guardian said something about the Sanctuary?" Enrique said, looking at Carly worriedly, "We should go there."
"Poor Carly!" Kailee looked close to tears, "I
told you this was a bad idea!"
Ray examined the Fire Map and sighed, "The Sanctuary is nearby, but we'll have
to take a detour."
"Who cares?????!!" Johnny yelled, "Do you want her to die?"
"No," Ray said defensively, "All right, follow me."
"What about Carly?" Hru asked.
"I'll carry her that's what," Johnny said, effortlessly lifting her up on his back, "What choice do we have? She's light anyways, I'll be fine."
"Carly never faints," Willow remarked, "It must really be bad for her."
"Let's hurry, the sooner we get the Sanctuary the better," Tala urged.
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"Oh great, just great, now WHAT?" Johnny asked, looking exasperated and irritated.
"There's no way I'm crossing THAT!" Kailee cried.
In front of them were dozens of steaming lava pits, there were ways to get around in between the pits, but the rocky surfaces were very narrow and one wrong step could mean critical burns.
"No way," Willow gulped, "I can't cross this."
"Cassandra, maybe you can use your water to cool it down," Ray suggested.
"The lava???" Cassandra cried, "That's impossible! I don't have that much power."
"She's right, we're just going to have to cross," Kai said, wiping his forehead, "As if it wasn't hot enough already."
"I absolutely refuse to cross this!" Willow said, "It's too dangerous, I don't want my skin to get burnt off!"
"I'll cross it," Johnny said defiantly, "Carly needs to get to the other side so she can heal in the Sanctuary."
"We all need to go," Holly said sternly, "Remember what the Guardian said about sticking together? It's not that difficult, just don't look at the bubbling lava pits and concentrate on straight ahead."
"What happens if we do fall in the lava pit?" Kailee asked fearfully.
"That's nonsense," Kai said, "We won't, now let's go, NOW."
Ray looked past the lava pits, "I'll go first." He weaved his way though the pits and made it safely to the other side, "It's okay guys, let's go."
Cassandra headed over next. Holly rubbed her eyes when she thought she saw something reach out to grab Cassandra's legs, but it disappeared quickly and Cassandra didn't seem to notice.
"Is something wrong?" Kai asked in concern.
"Yeah...I thought I saw a claw reach up to grab Cassandra," Holly whispered to
Kai.
"I didn't see anything," Kai said, craning his neck.
"I don't know, maybe the heat's got me," Holly murmured, "But I could've sworn..."
"I'll go next," Tala said, marching across, looking bored to death, "This is seriously boring, how much longer do we have to walk before we can start fighting-aaaahh!" A claw shot up from the lava pit and snatched Tala's ankle.
"Tala!" Kai yelled, "What the hell???"
"Let go!" Tala tried to yank his foot back, "Aaah!! Let go you creep!" His hand reached for his lazer gun and he shot the claw's wrist. They all heard a sharp scream of agony. Tala stumbled back nearly losing his balance and falling into the lava pit behind him.
Luckily, Hru, who was behind him, griped his arm tightly, pulling him to a stable standing position. She look at Tala with a slight sneer, "Boring, huh? How's that for excitement?"
Tala's face paled and he thanked Hru in an embarrassed voice. Suddenly claws all shot up from the lava pits, straining to grab at Tala and Hru.
"Run!" Tala shouted, seizing Hru's hand and pulling her with him.
"HEY!" Hru cried out in protest, "I can run by myself!!!!!!" Hru gave up, this was a poor time to argue anyways.
Kai ran forward and fired thunderbolts from the palm of his hand, his aim precise and direct, "Where are those claws coming from? Do they live in the lava pits??"
"Careful Kai!" Holly cried, "Don't hit Tala or Hru!"
"I won't!" Kai said, trying to eliminate the claws, "Someone help me out."
"I would but I can't!" Johnny said furiously, "Carly's still out cold!"
Ray fired fireballs from the hand on the other side of the lava pits, "Hurry Tala! Hurry!"
"I'm hurrying!" Tala said, "Keep your socks on!"
Cassandra hesitated, then she fired out a stream of water. All the claws groaned in agony and sank back down into the lava pits.
"We made it," Hru said breathlessly.
"That wasn't fun," Tala muttered, "Thanks to stupid foolish me."
"Now how are we going to get across?" Kai asked, "If we try, those stupid claws will just rise again. Who ever heard of claws living in lava pits?"
"Who ever heard of ANYTHING living in lava pits?" Johnny shot back, "We've got to get Carly across though."
"We could get Cassandra to keep spurting her water attacks," Holly said.
"But then she'd run out of energy," Willow protested, "Then she'll be weak like Carly."
"Carly's not weak," Johnny said angrily, "It's this stupid cursed Kingdom!"
"Okaaaaaay," Willow said, backing away from Johnny's fury, "Sor-ry."
"I could use my Psychic attacks and confuse the claws into not moving," Enrique offered, "While I do that, depends on how long I can hold on for, you guys make a run for it and get to the other side. Cassandra can watch my back and if I start weakening, she can fill in."
"That's a good plan," Kai said, "I'm in for it. Johnny?"
"All right," Johnny said, "I'm willing to risk it."
"Come on Kailee," Kai urged.
"No!" Kailee cried, "Scary! I'm scared! I don't wanna go!"
"Come on Kailee," Max coaxed, "Do you want to say here forever?"
"NO!" Kailee squeaked in alarm, "NO! Okay, I'll cross, but Kai, you have to hold my hand."
"Okay okay," Kai grabbed his sister's hand, "We'll all okay right? Willow? Holly? Enrique, you ready?"
"I'm ready," Enrique said, a rising orange light around him indicating that he was charging up his powers.
"RUN!" Kai yelled, sprinting in the lead and pulling Kailee behind him.
As they charged forward, the claw shot up out of the lava pits and squirmed after them. An orange light fired out at the claws and there was a horrible screeching sounds. The claws squirmed and wriggled, but Enrique's Psychic powers confused them into standing still.
"Wonder how long Enrique can hold," Holly panted.
"Don't wonder, just run!" Kai urged.
When they were halfway across, a claw suddenly snapped free of Enrique's Psychic hold and snarled at Willow. Enrique lost concentration and fell back in exhaustion.
Willow gasped, "Aaaaah!!!"
Ray blasted a fireball from his palm at the claw and dissolved it, "Willow, hurry!"
Kai slashed out with his sword, killing the claws that were threatening him and Kailee.
Holly shrieked, accidentally blasting out light from her palm and killing a few claws, "Eew! That's gross!"
"LET GO!" Johnny roared, trying to pull away the claw that had grabbed Carly's leg, "Let GO!"
Carly's eyes fluttered open weakly, "Wh-what?" Her face paled and lost color when she saw the thing that had her leg, "J-Johnny-"
"I know!" Johnny growled, "Hang on."
"Get it off!" Carly gasped, "It's burning hot, Johnny, please..."
Johnny snatched his axe and chopped the claw in half and snarled as it withered and dead, "Carly-" He was cut off when some other claws emerged, "Oh curse!"
"Kai!" Kailee cried when a claw grabbed leg, "Help! It's got me."
"Let go of my sister you fiend!" Kai snapped, slicing down his sword, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Kailee replied breathlessly, "Fine." They reached the other end with Holly and Max panting behind them.
"Willow!" Ray yelled.
"Ugh, help I can't fight these!" Willow cried, backing up.
"Don't back up anymore!" Ray rushed to her, swinging his spear and stabbing any incoming claws, "Come on!" He seized her hand and rushed her to the other side.
"What about Johnny and Carly?" Hru asked fearfully.
"Johnny, hurry UP!" Tala shouted, "Johnny!"
"I can't!" Johnny said, deflecting incoming claws with his axe, "Carly, can you walk?"
Carly shook her head weakly, "I'm sorry Johnny...I..." She lost her grip and nearly fell.
Johnny looked alarmed and seized her wrist, "Carly!"
"Let me go..." Carly whispered weakly, "So hot..." Two claws tried to pull her in the lava pit.
"CARLY!" Hru yelled.
Johnny shot out stars from his palm and burst the claws into dissolved pieces. He yanked up Carly and furiously rushed to the other side.
"Lord..." Tala whispered, helping Johnny put
Carly down, "Are you two okay?"
"I'm fine, just a little hot and burnt," Johnny grumbled, "What about Enrique?"
"ENRIQUE!" Holly called, "HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET OVER???"
"I'll manage," Enrique said, raising his Psychic powers again, then running across the field in a hurry. "Is Carly okay?"
"She's out again," Johnny said, "She said a few words to me before."
"That was creepy!" Willow shuddered, "I hated that, let's not cross these pits again!"
"That was weird," Ray said, hugging Willow tightly, "Claws coming outta lava?"
"I see the Sanctuary!" Hru exclaimed, "Come on Johnny!"
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How was that??? Weird? Lol! Hopefully I'll be able to update on time this time, laterz everyone and don't forget to review! ^_^ I going to make a reference sort of thing in my prologue so it's easier to keep track of everyone's weapons and elements and more vocabulary I use as I get deeper in my fic. I might do that, depends…
PS: If you like Beyblade, check out my site @ www.geocities.com/ice_archergirl/. Thanx!