Switching around. It's time for Max's Kingdom this time…phew! It's the weekend – and it's summer, that's good, even though I have no school, I'm kept busy with my volunteer job. If anyone's interested, I'm going to do some shameless plugging here: (www.icysarcasm.bg.tc) ---- My Blog! Now people, read and review please! XD I'm mighty tired now – but you'll be happy to know that the computer's still MINE because I've maintained a 96% average in my final mark. Laterz!

Chapter 46: Quicksand Crisis

"It looks...um...well..." Max couldn't find the right word to describe the state of his Kingdom.

"Terrible?" Carly filled in helpfully, "Destroyed? Horrible?" She shrugged, "Dead?"

Tala laughed and pushed Carly's shoulder lightly, "Very direct, you have a gift with words Carly."

"I know," Carly said practically, "It is a gift."

Enrique smiled too, but it soon faded, "This Kingdom's really weird looking."

"Evil's in the air," Cassandra said, "I can just feel it, the presence of evil is very great."

"Not to mention the presence of idiocy," Hru muttered darkly.

Tala pretended that he didn't hear her.

The Earth Kingdom's once rich soil was barren and dry. In a land where fertile soil was plentiful, it sure was different; everything was dying as evil overtook them. Every once in a while the land would shake unexpectedly, triggering mini earthquakes.

"I sure hope Kailee's okay," Max said sadly, "It's too bad we had to split up now."

"Just look at the Locater Card and tell us where the Earth Sanctuary is," Tala ordered, "Let's not waste anytime."

"Boy, I feel sorry for your subjects when you become the ruler," Hru snapped, "You're the bossiest person I've ever known. What are you going to expect? That they finish your palace in a few hours?"

"Hru, keep your mouth shut," Tala retorted.

Carly raised her eyebrows, Well, this should be interesting. No one ever tells Hru to keep her mouth shut.//

"Excuse me?" Hru demanded, her voice tight with anger, "You may think you're hot stuff, but you're not going to tell me what to do!"

"I'm not wasting our time here," Tala said, "If you don't want to come, fine, stay here and become a living statue for all I care." He walked off in the direction Max pointed.

"I hate him, I hate him, I hate him," Hru muttered, clenching and unclenching her fists to keep from striking at Tala.

"I'm scared of him," Max admitted, "He acts strange sometimes."

//It's because the stupid guy's cyberized!// Hru thought in annoyance, He's such a baby, why does he keep feeling sorry for himself? He's so irritating and such a JERK! I hate his guts and every other part of him!//

"Let's follow him," Cassandra said, rolling her eyes, "He's going to get lost, unless he thinks that he can take on the entire Earth Kingdom by himself."

"He IS strong against Earth," Carly said, "But he's not pushing me outta the fun. I'll go talk to him!" She raced up beside Tala.

"Chill out," Cassandra told Hru, "He's just trying to get you all riled up, that's all. Remember, control is the key! And a cherry cake of course."

Hru had to smile, "I know. I don't know why I get so frustrated around him, he's just trying to make my life miserable, that's all. Well, I'm not going to buy it. Screw him, I wish he'd get himself killed or something."

"Why does he always bug you anyways?" Cassandra asked.

"Beats me," Hru shrugged, "He probably thinks that he can get me to explode like a bomb or something. Jerk." She rolled her eyes, Maybe the reason I'm so annoyed it because he doesn't make any sense. I usually read people pretty well, but I can't seem to get a lock on him. It's like there's many different sides of him and just when I think I got him figured out, he does something to throw me completely off track...

"Cheer up!" Carly said, bouncing beside Tala as they kept walking, "Come on pal, smile!" She jumped up and down and gave Tala a playful smack on the back.

Tala winced and gave her a small smile, "Carly, stop jumping around like you're on springs. What do you want?"

"Ohhhh, so I have to want something in order to talk to you huh? I can't just come up here and start a conversation, can I?" Carly demanded.
Tala shook his head, "Okay, talk. What do you want to talk about? Hru?"

"Uh-huh," Carly nodded, "Why do you keep on picking on her? She hates it, you know."

"I know," Tala said, "It's not my fault, every time I crack a joke on her she totally freaks out. Like that little call I made when she was playing Jenga. She's mad because I said timber. Seriously."

"Uh, maybe that's why you don't do anymore dumb jokes if she's doesn't like it?" Carly said in a practical voice.

"Carly, she knows," Tala said quietly.

"Knows what?" Carly asked, bouncing again.

"That's I'm...ugh...cyberized," Tala replied sullenly.

"And your point is where?" Carly questioned, "I know she knows, pal. So what?"

"So what???" Tala hissed, "She'll tell everyone else if she doesn't be careful! I don't want everyone else to know!"

"Tala, chill out, Hru's not going to bellow it out to the world, okay?" Carly said, fiddling with her arrow, "She's trustworthy and if she said she wouldn't tell, she won't, no matter how mad you make her, just don't push it. Even if she does, which she won't, what's it to you?"

"Carly, we've been through this many times," Tala said coldly, "I don't need people looking at me like I'm a robot or something. I want to be treated human."

"I know!" Carly argued, "I treat you human. Well? Don't I? I never mention you're cyberized, it never bothers me and when I see you in the morning everyday, I don't think 'gee, he's cyberized, what a weirdo.' Are you getting my point? I never think that you're cyberized, you're always the first to mention it! So if you stop mentioning it for once, then MAYBE it'll stop bugging you so much. Catch my drift, pal? I'm just trying to give you some advice, but if you want to go ahead and make your life completely, utterly miserable, that's all right with me too!"

"I get it," Tala said, "You're very dramatic. Anyways, forget it. As long as Hru doesn't tell anyone I'll be fine."

Carly stopped and shook her head as Tala continued walking, Gosh, man, stop hiding. How will you know if people will accept you for who you are if you don't accept them first?//

"Cheery group we have, don't we?" Enrique asked Max, chuckling.

"Right," Max sweatdropped, Hru and Tala were on the verge of killing each other, "If you like explosions every few minutes."

"Carly, where are you going?" Enrique called to his friend, "Come back."

Carly raced up a cliff and looked around, "Whoaaaaa...that's something..."

"What?" Max hurried up beside her and drew in his breath sharply, "W-what is this place?"

It looked sort of like a desert and every once in a while a tumbleweed would come rolling by. The sun was shining very brightly on the sandy land. All throughout the land, there were carcasses of dead creatures.

"A graveyard?" Carly asked brightly.

Enrique shivered, "It's spooky, and something stinks bad."

"I don't smell anything," Cassandra added, who was shoving a cherry cupcake into her mouth, "It smells good actually..."

"I meant the air, not your food," Enrique corrected.

"I'm glad Kailee's not here to see this," Max murmured, "Seeing these dead animals lying around like this in their skeletons would break her heart."

"If you weren't one of us, I'd wring your neck right about now!" Hru shrieked.

Tala winced, "You should try out for opera you know, your voice carries out for miles."

"Really???" Hru yelled, "But you don't seem to get the message, do you? No matter how much I yell at you, it doesn't seem to stamp into that thick skull of yours!!! Actually, I take that back, you aren't one of us!"

Tala's face darkened, his eyes turned incredibly cold, "Meaning?" It was just one word, but it sounded like a death threat.
"Meaning we're not as stupid and as irritating as you are!" Hru shouted.

Tala's face relaxed when he realized that she hadn't been referring to the fact that he was cyberized, I better watch what I say. I still don't trust her with that piece of information. Not like I can blame her for finding out in the first place, me and my big mouth, I had to make that cocky remark. If I push it any further, she must 'accidentally' blurt it out.//

"Tala, Hru, check this creepy place out!" Carly called, "Come on, hurry up!"

"Hello????" Hru snapped, "Are you even listening to me? You jerk! What must I do to penetrate that dying brain of yours??? You are the most -" Hru gasped when Tala covered her mouth with his hand.

"Ssssh!" Tala hissed, "Everyone, be quiet! Something's watching us..."

Everyone fell silent and glanced around nervously. Hru let out a muffled sound and kicked Tala in the shin.

"Ow!" Tala winced, letting go of Hru to examine his bruised ankle.

"Don't touch me," Hru spluttered, wiping her mouth with her hand, "Ugh!"

"Okay okay, I won't," Tala said, rubbing his leg, "Never again. Gosh, ow. Just shut up, okay?"

Hru's eyes narrowed but she remained silent.

"What's the deal Tala?" Max asked, "What's watching us?"

"I'm not sure," Tala said, "But I've got this funny feeling. Just keep walking, but have your weapons ready, okay?"

""Of course," Carly added with a wink, "I had it ready before you even asked."

As they descended down into the desert like land, it was very quiet, except for the occasional rustle of the sand. It seemed to stretch for a long ways.

"Be careful!" Max grabbed Enrique's shoulder and pulled him back, "You almost stepped into quicksand."

"Where???" Enrique gasped, drawing back and bumping into Carly.

Carly stood on tiptoe and glanced over Enrique's shoulder, "Gotta be careful pal."

Max pointed to a patch of sand which looked almost identical to all the other sand, except that it was darker in color, "That's quicksand, careful. Don't step onto the darker pits of sand, you might end up stuck forever."

Carly took a rock and threw it into the quicksand, watching as it sank out of sight, "Oooh, Johnny wouldn't like it if I got myself into this kind of mess..."

"Whatever," Tala said, shaking his head, "A little quicksand never hurts anyone. Just avoid the patches, we're not blind."

"We're not, but you are," Hru muttered, rolling her eyes.

They kept walking for sometime. Tala walked on ahead while Hru stayed sulkily in the very back. Enrique and Max kept looking nervously into the pits as if they would somehow suddenly expand to swallow them up. Cassandra was holding her trident in an attack position and in her other hand she had a donut. Carly kept a tight hold on her bow, with an arrow tightly strung.

"Are we almost there?" Tala asked for about the 20th time.

"No," Max answered for the 20th time.

"This is taking forever," Tala complained.

"Whiner," Hru mumbled.

"Can't you guys walk any fasteeeeeeeeeeeeer!!!!!!!!!" Tala let out a yell as something reached out from the quicksand patch nearby and snarled his leg, "Let gooooooo!!!!!!!!! You'd think I'd be used to things reaching out of pits and snatching me! First those Lava Claws, now this!"

"Tala!" Carly yelled, "What the hell-?"

The hand dragged Tala into the quicksand patch until he was half-buried underneath. Carly ran over and grabbed both of Tala's wrists, "Let go of him...!!! I can't hold on much longer!!! Curse those things!"

They heard a growl rumbling from underneath the quicksand.

"There's something living underneath there!" Max exclaimed.

"Tala, stop thrashing!" Carly shrieked, "I can't hold onto you!" With a squeal, Carly's grip snapped free and Tala sank even further into the sand. But Tala's thrashing must hit a spot because the next thing they knew, this gigantic monster rose out of the quicksand patch. The monster let out a huge roar and swung his powerful arms. His body seemed to be made of solid rock and he was covered in slimy wet sand which was continuously dripping down and a splotch of sand landed on Tala's head.

"Ugh, gross!" Tala winced as the sand splattered down in his hair.

"Tala! Get out of there!" Max yelled.

"I would if I could!!!" Tala growled, "I'm stuck, do something!!!!"

Suddenly, Enrique let out a cry of pain and they whirled around just in time to another sand monster leap out of the quicksand pit and grab him.

"No, not Enrique!" Carly grabbed her friend's arm and held on tight, "You - can't - take - him..."

"What are those things??" Cassandra cried.

"They're called Sand Giants," Max said in panic, "They're mighty strong and they live in quicksand patches where they spring out without warning and drag their prey to the depths of the quicksand for a quick death."

"Wish we knew that sooner!" Hru snarled, drawing out her weapon, "It's got them both and we could be next if we don't be careful!"

"And Tala's strong against Earth and he's down!" Cassandra said.

"Serves the little fool right," Hru muttered, "Gosh, a little quicksand doesn't hurt anyone huh??"

Carly shrieked again, "Somebody help me! I'm not letting him go!" She tightened her grip on Enrique's arm.

Enrique grimaced, "I can't take much more of this, I feel like I'm being pulled apart!"

Max fired his rifle at the Sand Giant, "Ugh, it's no use, it's made of rock, what did I expect? Carly, hold on, I'll think of something!"

"Think fast then!" Carly snarled, "I'm holding on, but who knows for how long?!" The Sand Giant just grunted and pulled Enrique harder.

Cassandra raised a giant wave and washed it over the two Sand Giants, "Well, that was no good! All I did was wash the quicksand off of them! I didn't want to give them a bath!"

"Can you call a stronger wave?" Hru asked, "Water erodes rock."

"That's the strongest I can do!" Cassandra replied, "These monsters are too big, even bigger than my biggest wave!"

Max fired a beam of pulsing rocks into the ground directly below him, immediately, the ground around them became unstable and everything shook uncontrollably. "Hang on guys, I'll call a small tremor."

Carly wobbled as the ground rumbled and vibrated immensely, "This is SMALL????? Eeeek!"

The Sand Giants couldn't keep their balance and they tipped over, landing heavily on the ground. Enrique was released and he sprawled into Carly, landing them both hard on the ground. The Sand Giant that was trying to force Tala underneath the quicksand toppled over senseless. Tala was gasping for air, he was in neck deep quicksand by now.

Cassandra tossed a long rope towards him, "Tala, grab the rope!!!!"

"I can't..." Tala said, "My arms are stuck..."

"Oh, quit your whining!" Hru snapped, her patience at an end, "Grab the stupid rope or do you want me to lasso it around your head and we can yank you up by your neck! Then I'll really wring your neck!"

That did the trick, the insult stung while Tala snarled at her and forced his arms free with great effort and managed to hold on to the rope.

While Cassandra and Hru pulled Tala out of the quicksand onto the firm ground, another Sand Giant rose up and grabbed his legs to pull him back. Pretty soon they were playing Tug-A-Tala with the monster.

"I'm not a toy!" Tala yelled, "Don't pull me apart!"

"Hold on!" Hru instructed Cassandra, before letting go. She charged up her weapon and leaped up, slashing the sword through the Sand Giant, cutting him right in half. Tala popped out of the quicksand like a cork and landed on the ground, dripping in with sand.

"Whew, glad that's over," Enrique said, wiping his forehead, "I feel like I've grown a couple of inches."

Carly rolled her eyes, "Thank goodness you're safe, gosh you nearly gave me a heart attack, I almost lost a friend!"

"That was quick thinking Max!" Cassandra filled in.

Tala spluttered and coughed up sand, brushing it off his head, "Ugh, I've got sand all over me."

"Very trendy look," Hru sneered, now that the danger was over, she was back to being her old self, "Don't worry, it's harmless, like you said before."

"Well, how would I know that monsters would climb out of the pits and grab me??" Tala demanded, dusting himself off.

"History repeats itself," Hru said, with a little smirk.

Tala's eyes glittered angrily, then he resumed his calm manner and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Whatever."

Hru seethed, "I wish I left you in that quicksand pit and maybe that dense brain of yours would die out, not that it's not already dying!"

Tala shrugged, "Whatever you say Hru. Anyways...thanks...I own you one."

That left Hru completely speechless and she quickly turned away.

The ground continued to tremble violently, causing the ground to split into gigantic cracks.

"Max, you can stop now," Cassandra told him, "Before we fall into the depths of the earth, stop your Earth attacks."

"I stopped as soon as Enrique was free!" Max protested, "It isn't me!"

"But then..." Enrique couldn't finish his sentence.

Then, from all the quicksand patches rose a few dozen Sand Giants, all of them with their arms outstretched and thundering towards them.

"Uh-oh..." Max muttered, "They don't look happy."

"Neither do we!" Cassandra cried.

"Let's attack with our Beyblades," Carly suggested, taking hers out, "Then we make a run for it!" They all nodded and launched their Beyblades.

"Mystique, Dragon Tempest!!!"

"Go Gekiryu-oh!"

"Akala!! Destroy them!"

"Attack Wolborg, Blizzalog!!!"

"Attack Draciel!!!!"

"Amphilyon, kill them!!!!"

After the blades returned to their hands, the group ran for it, most of the Sand Giants fell but the few that remained and chased them, soon stopped in exhaustion.

When the group stopped running, they realized that they had reached the end of the desert-like land and were in a small forest.

"It's a forest," Tala remarked, "A really tiny one."

"There aren't any forests in a desert!" Hru spluttered, "You are so dense it's not even humanely possible."

Tala flinched at the word 'humanely' but bit his lip to keep from commenting.

"It's an oasis," Hru continued.

"Good, we can rest," Max said, "It's night time and we should get some sleep."

"There's no way I'm sleeping here," Carly snapped, "It's not safe out in the open!"

"She's right," Enrique agreed as always, "But then again, no place is safe."

"There's no food here either," Cassandra complained, "Hmph, some oasis!"

"Look, a building," Max said, pointing to a temple-like structure, "Hey, what do you know? It's the Earth Sanctuary, we've ran so much I never knew we got so close."

"Hurray, shelter!" Enrique said happily, "Now I can rest my aching feet."

"Food..." Cassandra said eagerly.

"Let's go in then!" Carly said impatiently, pushing the door open. Enrique and Max followed with Cassandra right behind them, casting illusions of plump pies and frosted cakes in her mind.

Tala smiled bitterly at Hru, "After you."

"Why are you such a jerk anyways?" Hru demanded.

"I'm not!" Tala argued, "You're, like, super-sensitive, I crack a joke and you freak out."

"I did NOT freak out!" Hru retorted, "You made me lose on purpose!"

"And for that, I deserve a mouthful of insults and death threats?" Tala asked in disbelief.

"Plus you tricked me with that stupid I-don't-know-how-to-play act," Hru added, bristling at the memory.

"So? I was teasing. Lighten up. You got me back with your imitation of me!" Tala replied, "Gosh Hru, if it bugs you so much, I'm sorry. Okay? Can we just drop it now? I didn't come to start a war with you. Besides, you saved my life again today. I don't know how I'm ever going to repay you this time." He turned around to go in.

And you saved me how many times? Four? Ugh, I own him more than he owns me! What is with that guy? There's more sides to him than a decagon!// Hru thought.

"Hey Tala," Hru called.

Tala turned, the moonlight making his handsome face glow and his sea blue eyes shimmer, "What?"

"I know how, you can repay me I mean," Hru said, falling on the step beside him.

"And that might be?" Tala prompted.

"Stop saying 'whatever' to my face!" Hru exclaimed, running into the Sanctuary, "And we're even."

Tala chuckled and followed her in.