Monk in the Middle
A stampeded of cattle charges towards them and Max yelped as they brace themselves, but to their surprise, the herd of cattle stopped in front of them with the supplies they carry.
"The ox are bringing supplies for your journey home." The leader said, "Water and tasty lunches too. Travel safely!"
The cattle mooed.
"Oh, yeah I knew that." Max said.
(THEME SONG)
Dinosaur King is what you wanna be, yeah
(Make your move! C'mon an' make your move!)
Dinosaur King is your destiny, yeah
(Make your move! C'mon an' make your move!)
Control your cards right in your hands
Jurassic giants at your command!
D-D-D-D-Team!
Watch out
Here we go
Prehistoric dinosaurs
Aren't ex-tinct anymore
See 'em fight, hear 'em roar
Watch out 'cuz they're right next door!
The past is in the present
Time's been twisted upside-down
These fossils are colossal
Only one can wear the crown!
Dinosaur King is what you want to be, yeah
(Make your move! C'mon an' make your move!)
Dinosaur King is your destiny, yeah
(Make your move! C'mon an' make! Your! Move!)
(Loud Dinosaur Roar)
A couple hours later, the group trek across the desert in the heat.
'Oh, how I thirst for a drop of water! How I yearn for a morsal of food!' Sanzo said, mentally. 'But as a monk, I will not allow this earthly pleasure to sway my will! No, nothing will tempt me!'
"Hey, Sanzo. Want to drink?" Max offered, snapping his thought. "It's so cool and refreshing! Oh , and we're going to put up a tent and have some lunch too!"
"Oh."
"Oh, there's plenty to go around; fish, beef, fruits, vegetables. It all sounds pretty yummy. Huh?" He turns to see Rex and Terran setting up the tent while Zoe fixes up the food. Their dinosaurs is drinking the water.
"Yes, it does.." He said.
The group rested under the tent as they're about to begin to enjoy their meal while Terran is on the lookout for space pirates.
"Here you go, Max." Zoe said, gives him rice ball.
"After all that walking, I'm starve." He said.
Sanzo was trying to refrain himself from eating. 'Just one bite won't hurt!'
Before he eats it, Sanzo noticed a young child who is hiding behind the rock. He looked at the food and the child, thinking the child is hungry.
"Hi there, little one." He greeted as he motioned the child to come.
The child approaches him and Sanzo gives the food to the child.
"Enjoy the food, child."
The child then turns and run off.
"That's nice but you need to eat too, you know." Max said.
"A monk may deny himself food and water at times but he can't deny a poor child." Sanzo said.
"Uh, Sanzo Hoshi?" Terran said, getting their attention. "I think you should rethink about denying food and child because…"
The android pointed his finger as they looked to where he was pointing and to their chagrin, the child comes back with more poor hungry children.
"Make that children!" Zoe said.
"I guess we could spare a bit more." Max said as they look at their food.
Sanzo decided to give the children their food, much to Max's disbelief. With the food empty, the kids and their dinosaurs are hungry since.
"Go and peace, children." Sanzo said to the children.
After their break, the group continue on their journey to get Sanzo back to his village.
"Well, we sure did our good deed of the day." Max said.
"Try week." Rex said.
"Our spirits are balanced."
"If we don't find something to eat or drink, soon we're going to be balancing on the edge of collapse." Zoe exclaimed.
"Just bear it a little longer, I'm sure we'll find the nearby village around here somewhere." Terran said.
"Sanzo, we're going to really need to conserve our energy from here on out." Max told him. "If we're ever going to get you home, okay?"
"Augh!" Sanzo gasped.
They looked to see the peddler was having problem with the cart.
"Come on! Pull harder!" The peddler whips the donkey.
The monk heads there to stop him.
"Sir! Please don't do that!" He stopped him.
"But my cart stuck in the mud!"
Sanzo Hoshi goes to the back of the cart.
"Well then, please allow me to help! I'll get you back up on your way in no time."
Sanzo pushed the cart but it didn't budge.
"So much for conserving energy." Rex commented.
"That's it! We have to draw the line somewhere." Max frowned.
Sanzo keeps pushing the cart as Max is starting to have a second thought.
"All right! Can't watch this anymore!" He stomps over to the cart.
After few minutes of pushing the cart, they made it to the top.
"Almost there!" Rex said.
"Push!" Max said.
"Yay! We're out of the mud." Zoe sighed.
"Monk, you made me realize I should trat my donkey with more kindness!"
"Glad I could be a help." Sanzo panted, "Have a safe trip."
The peddler bowed and left with the cart.
"Okay, we fed the poor kids, we freed the cart, is there anything else or can we focus on getting you home now?" Max said.
"I can't think of anything." Sanzo said.
"Actually, that donkey still looks tired." Rex pointed out. "Maybe we could could offer to carry it the rest of the way home."
"Uh, Rex. Thanks, but you're not exactly helping our cause here." Max said.
"Oh, and I saw this tree a way back with a broken branch. Maybe we could backtrack and-"
"No! We're not carrying any donkey and we're not bandaging up any tree and that's that!"
"Oh it is, is it?!" Rex said, stood up.
"Yeah! It is!" He retorted.
"No, it's not!"
"Please! Don't argue, you guys! We must stay balance!" Sanzo said before chanting. "Balance, balance, balance, balance…!"
Max and Rex growled each other before shoving.
"Oh yeah!" Rex snapped.
"Back off!" Max yelled.
"Boys! Enough! Stop fighting!" Terran intervened and pushed them away from each other.
"He's started it!"
"That's not my fault!"
"Get your hands off me!"
As they fight while Terran holds them, Max's visor is short-circuiting as he writhe in pain from it.
"Huh?" Rex said, confused.
"What just happened?" Zoe asked.
"Talk about system shock!" Max groaned while holding his visor in pain.
"Because of your fighting, you are out of balance with the elements." Sanzo exclaimed.
"Huh? Did your chant do that?" Zoe said.
"Really?" Terran said.
Max then sits up. "It's not the chant." He took off his visors. "When Rex and I were fighting, my gear just short circuited for a sec."
"Oh, that's a relief." Zoe said.
"At least you boys settle down." Terran said.
"Yeah, I was afraid that old story we used to read might coming true." Rex commented. "You know, Journey to the West? Remember the Monkey King character? Sanzo's chances would leave them frazzled!"
"You even look like the Monkey King." Zoe remarked.
"Okay, but if I'm the Monkey king, then Rex is that other character!" Max said.
"Wait, you mean Sandy?! I don't look anything like him!" Rex exclaimed
"Don't forget that Terran can be the White Dragon Horse too."
"Do I look like a horse dragon to you?" Terran questioned.
"Who is that other character…?" Zoe wondered before realized. "Wait a minute... Pigsy! I am not Pigsy!"
"Zoe is Pigsy!" Max laughed while Rex laughed.
"Don't you dare call me Pigsy!" She yelled, crossly.
Even Terran finds it funny and laughable.
"Hmm… I don't think she likes that." Sanzo said.
"Aw, we're just kidding. This is just our way of making up." Max said, "Isn't that right, bird brain? Er. I mean, Rex?"
"It certainly is, monkey face!" Rex rebutted while Zoe pouted.
"Oh, I see. By using jokes?" Sanzo said, puzzled.
"Yes, Sanzo. Go on and give it a try." Max said. "It's fun!"
"Uh…" He looked at Zoe, imagining her as Pigsy. "Pigsy, eh? Oh!" He then laughed.
"Oh pick one of the other three! Not Pigsy!" Zoe protested.
Meanwhile, The Alpha Gang arrived in the village and fooled them to think that Dr. Z is Sanzo Hoshi.
"And now, lowly villagers." Ursula said, posed as Monkey King. "I present to you, the man who was one with the element, the famed monk, Sanzo Hoshi!"
The villagers was awed at his presence.
"And here…" She twirled her bo staff. "Are his loyal sidekicks! Introducing me, the Monkey King!"
Zander comes in their view as Sandy.
"The famous, Sandy!"
Ed comes in their view as Pigsy.
"And of course, Pigsy!"
The villagers was puzzled and confuse of what they are.
"How could they not recognize us? We're supposed to be famous!"
"I am the Romantic lead!" Zander said.
"I provide comedy 'cause I eat everything!" Ed said.
They tilt their heads in puzzled.
"They never heard of us and we already rented these stupid costumes for whole week!" She said.
"Sidekicks aren't important! All you need to know about is me!" Dr. Z said, "The chance of a great monk, Sanzo Hoshi can work wonders, but not on an empty stomach."
The elder turns to the villagers. "Get busy, everyone! Food for Sanzo Hoshi! Noodles, ducklings, pig!"
"Right!"
"Yes sir!"
After giving them their meals, Dr. Z was drunk after drinking the Saki as he drunk dancing.
"All the food and drink we can shovel in; this is the best scam we've ever come up with." She said.
"Sanzo Hoshi is not what I expected."
"Yes, he is supposed to be wise man."
"Actually, he's amazingly wise!" Ursula said, "He's just loosening up his wisdom right now."
"Wisdom mantras?"
"Yes, but be ready 'cause once he starts, there's no stopping him. He's tireless I tell you."
Dr. Z collapsed in exhaustion as the villagers was uncertainty about him.
"He's just meditating!" She said, "But in the meantime, let me ask you a question, the fruit of the eternal life. We heard that it's in an orchid that's located somewhere near here."
"I've heard the same thing. Legend says the Eternal fruit is nestled in a nearby patch of earth called te Lotus Land."
Ursula squealed and hops over to them.
"That's fantastic! Tell me where this Lotus Land is? Tell me!" She demanded.
"Somewhere… over the mountain!"
"Let's go!"
Suddenly, Gabbro's face crashed through the wall.
"No one goes anywhere until I say so!" He said and fully breaks through the wall.
The villagers and Alpha Gang was terrified as Ursula backed away with Zander and Ed.
"If you're lookin' for a fight, could you maybe try next door!" They said, scared
"No, I'm looking for Sanzo Hoshi." Gabbro said before he sees sleeping Dr. Z. "And this must be him. Wonder why Shear had such a hard time with him, he looks harmless."
Gabbro flew over and grabbed him, mistaken him for Sanzo Hoshi.
"That's not Sanzo! Er, I mean—it is Sanzo! But we're not going to let you take him!" Zander said.
"Yeah, put the monk down now!" Ed said.
They grabbed his legs and tried pulling them down as Ursula cowers behind the column.
"Are you all just going to stand around and watch him grab Sanzo? Throw everything at him but the kitchen sink!" Ursula told them.
"You heard the Monkey King, everything but the kitchen sink!"
They started throw their pots, brooms, and radishes at them while mostly hits Ed and Zander.
"Achelousaurus, clear the room out!" Gabbro swipes the card on his chest plate, summoning Achelousaurus.
The dinosaur appeared and frightened the villagers away before ramming through the wall as Gabbro escapes.
"Now, Alpha Slash!" Ursula slashed the card on her Alpha Scanner. "Spiny! Save Dr. Z!"
Spiny was summon in full-size Spinosaurus.
Spiny steps on its back, but Achelousaurus knocks him away. Spiny got up and attacks it again, but Achelousaurus sidesteps behind a building, runs around behind it, and rams Spiny from behind.
Gabbro smirks and flew away.
"You're not going anywhere!" Ursula grabs hold of Zander's waist.
"Sure I am, but on this flight, there's only room for two. So see ya!" Gabbro shook them all off and flew away as the trio fell to the ground.
"Another perfect landing!" They groaned.
They felt the rumble and saw Achelousaurus is coming right at them.
"Or maybe not so perfect!" They screamed before Achelousaurus was called back by Gabbro.
"Thanks for the monk, syou all later!" He said and flew away with Dr. Z.
"No, Dr. Z!" They cried as Spiny watched them fly away.
Upon arriving the village, the D-Team and Sanzo Hoshi was looking around the state of village as if the battle has taken place before they got here.
"There's a lot of damage." Max noted.
"It had to be a dinosaur and that would explain the dinosaur signal we picked up just before we got to this village." Rex said.
"Who are you, strangers?" The elder asked.
The D-team and Sanzo Hoshi sat in the house as they discussed what happened in the village.
"Did you say there was a big flying guy here?" Max said.
"Yes, and right after he came, two huge monsters appeared and began fighting, and then the flying man took Sanzo Hoshi!" The elder said.
"Sanzo Hoshi?" Max repeated before looked at the real one. "Could there be another monk with your exact name?"
"He had a voracious appetite and hairy eyebrows."
"That's Dr. Z!"
"Dr. Z was here?" Terran said.
"Of course, trying to cash in on Sanzo's name." Rex said.
"And it sounded like it backfired!" Zoe frowned. "I'll bet this so-called monk had three friends with him, didn't he? A tall skinny guy, a fat guy, and an old lady!"
On their way to find Dr. Z, Ursula irked that someone called her old lady.
"I heard that! Somebody, somewhere just called me an old lady!" She said, annoyed.
"Let me formally introduce you all to the real Sanzo-Hoshi." Rex introduced.
When he looked, Sanzo is gone but sees him helping around the village as he carries the support beam.
"And he's doing what he does best, helping." Max said.
"Thank you, kind sir." They took the beam from him.
"I just hope after we get Sanzo home, we'll be able to find our parents." He said as Sanzo chanted. "And that means finding those Space Pirates!"
"Do you think just saying a chant could ever actually fix a building?" Rex questioned.
"I doubt it." Max said before asking the elder. "That first Sanzo that was here… did his friends say where that were headed off to?"
"Yes."
"The old lady went off to find the Fruit of Eternal Life."
Back with the trio, Ursula growled when she had a feeling someone calls her old lady again.
"Somebody, somewhere just called me an old lady again!" She snarled.
"Go ahead and let 'em! Soon, we'll be forever young!" Ed said.
"Right, once you eat that Eteranl Fruit, they'll never be able to call you old again!" Zander said.
"Ooh, won't that be nice?!" Ursula beamed.
"Yes, but I still think it would be nicer to at least try and rescue Dr. Z."
"Once that pirate sees him his mistake, he'll let him go." She shrugged. "Now then, let's quit wasting time talking and keep looking for that fruit!"
"Alright…"
"Youth will be mine!"
"Yeah, yeah…" Ed and Zander said.
Back at the village, their dinosaurs ate the food after the kids have their meal.
"Boy, it sure is good to feel full again." Max said, famished. "I was starving!"
"Yeah, it was awfully nice of the villagers to make that great lunch!" Zoe said.
Rex holds the fish up as Ace reaches the fish before the elder comes to them.
"I understand that you and Sanzo-Hoshi are all on a journey…" He then gestures to the horse. "Please honor us by accepting this horse to carry you there."
"Wow, what a generous gift!" Zoe said.
"Whoa, Sanzo, look! A horse!" Max said but noticed Sanzo-Hoshi was a little worried. "Uh, you okay?"
"I just can't stop thinking about what happened to the poor man who was mistaken for me and got himself captured." He said.
"Ooh…"
"But what can we do, we don't know where that space pirate took him." Rex said.
"The one you call Foolscap kept saying that he wanted me to use a chant to move a certain mountain." Sanzo-Hoshi mentioned.
"Certain mountain?" Terran said.
"So what are you saying?" Rex questioned. "You think maybe he took Dr. Z to this mountain? But why? What's so special about it?"
"I'll tell you what. Maybe it's where the Cosmos Stone is!" Max said.
"That would explain why Foolscap and Shear tried to take Sanzo." Terran said. "He might be the key to move this mountain for them to get the Cosmo Stone."
"Well, since finding the space pirates is our only chance to find our parents, I say we go there." Zoe said.
"Yeah, and maybe we can stop them from getting another Cosmos Stone too!"
"Then it settled." Max said, "We go to that mountain right away and we take on that Space Pirate!"
"But violence is not the answer." Sanzo objected.
"Sanzo, you don't know these pirates like we do, your chants won't do any good."
"Sure they will and with them, I will rescue this man whose fate is so linked to mine that he sneezes when I get an itch in my nose."
Somewhere on the mountain, Dr. Z sneezes when he woke up.
"Weird, my nose didn't even itch." He said.
"If it's Sanzo-Hoshi this pirate is after, it's Sanzo Hoshi he'll get!"
"I'm not so sure that's a good idea, Sanzo." Zoe said.
"I agree with Zoe, it's probably better if you stay here." Rex said.
"I'm with them. It won't be long until they learned that they took the wrong monk and come after you again." Terran said. "Or worse, you might get caught in the middle of dinosaur battle."
"I was thinking the same thing." Max admitted. "I mean it great that you're willing to go on a mission to try and save somebody else, but you have to trust us, it's just too dangerous."
"You might even end up making things worse!" Zoe said.
Sanzo-Hoshi was taken back while questioning whine.
"The bottom line is that we're probably going to have to fight this pirate and that's not your strong suit."
"Why don't you stay here and help fix the damage that dinosaur did to the village." Zoe suggested.
"Right, and then when we come back, we'll saddle up this horse and take you home straight away." Rex said.
"Also, Sanzo, time may be a factor here and you do tend to slow us down." Max added. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be harsh, there's just a lot on line here."
A few minutes later, Terran and kids left the village and sets off to find the Space Pirate.
"Do you think we were too hard on Sanzo?" Rex questioned, concerned.
"What choice do we have? It was all for his own good and everything we said was true." Max said.
"Yeah, you're right." Zoe said. "Especially the whole slowing us down part."
"But not anymore!"
They begin to run off as Sanzo Hoshi watches them go from the village.
"Sanzo-hoshi, we're so glad you stayed!" The elder said, "You're such an inspiration to us!"
"Yes, but the kids…"
"Oh, I'm certain those kids can take care of themselves, but we villagers need your help to rebuild our village!"
They went back to rebuild their village.
Meanwhile, Dr. Z woke up on the mountain and confused of where he are.
"Where am I? where'd all the food go?" He said, confused.
Dr. Z yelped when Gabbro landed.
"Not you again!" He said, "What do you want? Where's Zander and Ed? Where's Ursula?! Is this all a horrible dream?!"
"It's not a dream, but it's horrible." Gabbro said, putting his hand on his chin.
"What is..?"
"You are, being all whiny and cowardly! You're supposed to be some great monk! Maybe you're not Sanzo Hoshi."
'Oh no! If he finds out I'm not the real Sanzo-Hoshi, he'll eat me for dinner!' Dr. Z thought, panicked. 'And as big as he is, I probably won't last one bite! Fortunately, he looks a few cards short of a full deck. Maybe I can fool him!' He then spoke. "I assure you, I'm the real Sanzo! I just look older because I'm tired from the long trip!"
"Hmmm…" Gabbro narrowed his eyes.
"Now, what is it you want from a great monk such as I?"
"Word is, you're the only monk around who can move that big rock away from that mountain's opening." He pointed at the boulder behind Dr. Z. "So get to it!"
Dr. Z turns around to see the boulder blocking the entrance.
"Ah! You must be kidding me! I've seen whole planets smaller than that hunk of rock! Unless you've got a magic trick up your sleeve, this rock's staying put!"
"Nothing's up my sleeve but my arms, and they're attached to my fists." Gabbro said, cracking his knuckles.
"I can take a hint. Rock moving time."
Dr. Z went to the boulder and tried pushing it.
"Move, you stupid rock!" He kicked it.
"Shouldn't you be using one of your chants?" Gabbro asked.
"Don't you think I know that since I'm Sanzo Hoshi?! Now back off and give me some space."
He sat down and did the chants until he threw his back out.
"Agh, my back!" He ached.
"You know, maybe you ought to start with something a bit easier." Gabbro said
"Uh, what'd you have in mind?"
"Oh, say that one trick you're known for where you do a backwards mid-air somersault, you know the one I mean!"
"Huh?" He crawled away against the boulder. "Somer-what?"
"Does that mean you can't do it?" He said, suspiciously.
"Of course, I can do it." Dr. Z then got up. "As if I have a choice!"
"Remember, land on your feet."
Dr. Z tried do the backward mid-air somersault, but failed.
"Wait, wait, wait, wait! I can't do it because I didn't get anything to eat today!" He said, flailing his arms. "How can you expect gymnastics from a monk on an empty stomach?"
"Have some lunch then!" Gabbro tossed the rock to him. "Word is the real Sanzo can eat rocks like candy!"
"Are you kidding? Of course, nothing I can! Nothing I enjoy more…"
"Then what are you waiting for? Dig in."
Dr. Z hesitantly eat the rock, but ends up breaking his teeth.
"And naturally if you're the genuine Sanzo-Hoshi, you can float in mid-air like this even without wings."
Dr. Z sat down and tried to float by flapping his arms up but it was shortly.
"Tada…"
"Only an imposter would believe Sanzo could really do any of those things!" Gabbro exclaimed.
"I guess you are playing with full deck." He then screamed. "Noo! Put me down!"
Gabbro then flew away to find the real Sanzo-Hoshi after stuck Dr. Z between the wedge of boulders.
'Okay, now the important thing here is not to panic…' He thought, but yelled. "Ursula, somebody, get me down from here! I don't like heights, I don't like rocks! Help!"
From the village, Sanzo rode on the horse as he secretly following Terran and the kids.
"I hope the villagers will forgive me, but the children need my help more than they do!" He said, "Sure, I may not be that much of a fighter, but that doesn't mean I don't have the courage of a lion!"
He makes the horse to go fasters, but the horse accidently went into startled charge.
Terran and the kids was out in the desert while looking out for the space pirates.
"What do you guys think that Space Pirate will do once he realizes he has a fake Sanzo?" Zoe asked.
"I don't know, but I wouldn't want to be Dr. Z." Max said.
"I just hope we can stop him before he comes looking for the real one again."
"Yeah."
"Look up, Max!" Rex said.
"There he is!" Max gasped.
"It's Gabbro!" Terran said.
"You want a fight, you came to the right place, pal!" He said, about to bring out Chomp but Gabbro flew passed them.
"I don't want to fight! I want him!" He said as he sees Sanzo-Hoshi riding on the horse.
"Help! Somebody stop this ride!" Sanzo yelled.
"No! Sanzo followed us!" Max said.
"Should've stayed in the village like we told him to!" Terran sighed.
"Turn around now, Sanzo, before it's too late!" Rex shouted.
"Sorry, but it's already too late! The real Sanzo Hoshi is mine now!" Gabbro said, about to stop the horse.
"That's what you think!" Max pulls out the card. "Dino Slash!" Max slashed the card on his Dino Bracer. "Triceratops, roar!"
Gabbro turns and swipe the card, summoning Achelosaurus. "Achelousaurus, Attack!"
"It's Achelousaurus!" Terran said.
Chomp attacks it, but it sidesteps Chomp and rams him back. The sand castoff knocks Sanzo off his horse, shocking the D-Team.
"Help!" Sanzo screamed but Gabbro catches him.
"Happy to!" He said. "I need my mountain mover in tip top shape to get me that Cosmo Stone!"
"That's very kind of you I think…"
Gabbro dropped him to the ground.
"Time to activate my Spectral Armor!" Gabbro swipe the card, equipping Achelousaurus with Spectral Armor.
"You don't scare us!" Max pulls out his booster. "Dinotector, on!" He plugs the boosters in his Dino Bracer, equipping Chomp with lightning-based armor.
Achelousaurus dive bombs Chomp in the side, leaping off to start a head shoving match. Sanzo woke up to see two dinosaurs battled.
"Attack Burst!" Gabbro swipe the move card.
Achelousaurus is surging with full energy, creating a sandstorm as it roared. It knocked chomp up in the air and blast him with lightning before jumping and hit him and smashed him to the ground.
"Chomp!" Max cried. "You've gotta get up again!"
"The kids were right! I shouldn't have come here." He said, "I must leave so that I am a burden no more."
He and the horse left the battle.
Chomp recovers from the attack and charges at Achelousaurus but when it sidesteps another charge, Chomp reacts and knocks it away with his tail.
"Well done, Chomp!" Terran cheered.
"All right! Ultimate Thunder!" Max slashed the move card.
Chomp used the Ultimate Thunder move and rammed Achelousaurus, defeating and destroying the Spectral Armor.
Terran shot his grappling hand and claims the Achelousaurus card.
"Achelousaurus, obtained."
"My dinosaur's defeated!" Gabbro said, "And Sanzo Hoshi is gone! How could I fail to complete such a simple mission? When I get back to the ship, Foolscap and Shear are going to make fun of me."
"Yeah, Chomp!" Max cheered before turning Chomp back into the card as Gabbro flies away.
"Hey, where'd Sanzo go?" Rex said, looking around.
"He must've taken off during the fight." Zoe realized. "I hope he's alright."
"Sanzo, where are you?!" Max shouted.
"Can you hear me, Sanzo?" Rex called.
"Great, now we don't know where he is." Terran sighed. "I think he doesn't want to be a burden to us."
"Strange that he didn't say goodbye." Zoe said.
"Yaeh.." Max said.
While Zoe wanders off, she falls off the edge of the cliff.
"Zoe?!" Rex said.
"Zoe!" Terran gasped.
"Oh no, Zoe!" Max gasped.