"We finally reached Pop Rock Desert..." Marsh muttered as he saw the vast land of their destination ahead.
The grains of Pop Rock glittering from the rays of the sun, scattered Spiky Rock Candy Trees, and the overwhelming high temperature drying everything exposed to the sun.
The two got out of the huge jacket and use it like an umbrella for shade against the striking sun. And each step they take, they would hear those little popping noises. "Ugh, I feel like I'm going to melt here." Choco groaned.
"We've only been here a few minutes, save the complaints for later. Things are just about to get worst." Marsh stated.
Then as they marched further into the hot desert for hours, both of them already had their tongues sticking out from the intense heat, sweating greatly and slowly drying up.
Choco couldn't take it anymore and got frustrated, "Arghh! Can't that wish granting ball take us to some place with milk or juice? My mouth's all dried up."
"We could use a bigger shade too..." even Marsh can't handle the heat as well.
They continued to complain about the heat while they kept moving forward. "I didn't signed up for this. I want adventure!... I want to fight beasts or monsters! I want to look cool!—But this!? This is far from what I want! This is torture!" Choco vented.
"I don't even know if we can make it to Veggie Empire at this point. This heat's burning us to crisps!" Marsh cried, "But you know, I can't help but feel like we're missing something..."
"Uhh, Marsh? Why did it get so dark here?"
And the two notices a high wall towering above them, Marsh's eyes widened at the late realization. "Of course! The guardian of this land, THE POP ROCK CLAM!!" He exclaimed
"HURRY, RUN AWAY!" Choco grabs Marsh by the hand and drags him away when the clam was about to close.
"AAAHHH!!"
They both ran as fast as they can, making it to the edge of the clam's mouth. "JUMP!" Choco yelled.
And just before the clam closed, they made it out just in time. The two panted, catching their breaths for a moment, "THIS is the GUARDIAN CANDY BEAST OF THIS LAND!?" Choco yelled in disappointment, Marsh can read his expression thinking that the clam is a lame and boring opponent.
"Don't think of it lightly, dude. It's a HUGE CLAM! If we ever get trapped inside that thing, we're absolutely done for!" Marsh warned.
"Tsk, I was expecting something more fearsome than that thing."
"Oh yeah? If we did encounter something like that, we don't have what it takes to protect ourselves. The only weapon you had got snapped by a popsiclop, remember?" Marsh reminded.
"Err..." Choco just gritted his teeth, upset to be reminded of the loss of his sword and Marsh being correct, "Let's just be careful not to get caught by that stupid clam, I wanna get out of this hot place already."
And when they were about to leave, the clam began to dig deeper into the grains of Pop Rock, causing Choco and Marsh to slide down. "W-Woah!" They both fell on their backs and slowly sliding into the clam's gaping mouth.
"CHOCO!" Marsh reached out to his friend, their hands holding tightly so they won't get seperated, "AAAHHH!! I HATE THIS, I HATE THIS!" Marsh cried.
"AAAHHH!! THIS CLAM IS STILL LAME, BUT I DON'T WANT TO GET EATEN! AAAHHH!!" Choco yelled, upset that he's going to lose to this clam.
Soon, they both got trapped inside the clam. They were still alive, laying flat down, and unable to see anything through the darkness. "C-Choco, a-are you there?" Marsh asked, he was still holding on to Choco's hand, just making sure that he's still alive.
"We're literally holding hands, dumdum." Choco remarked, "I can't see a thing in here!" He complained.
"That's 'cause we're trapped inside this clam... dumdum." Marsh replied, using his words against him.
Then as they spent a moment of silence in the total darkness, Choco can't bring himself to accept their fate in this clam. "So... is this it? Are we going to be stuck here until we die?... Don't you have any plans to get us out of here with that big brain of yours!?"
"I'm thinking, okay!? I'm thinking. Just give me a moment." Marsh pulled out the purple orb from his pocket, and it gave them a dim glow, letting them see each other's face.
"Oh, so that thing has its use after all." Choco grinned, staring right back at Marsh's eyes with impatience. "What now?"
"I don't know... but I'd rather be here for a while than melt out there from the scorching heat."
"Hmm, I guess you're right..." Choco yawned, "Maybe I'll go take a nap first."
Marsh yawned as well, "Me too."
As they fell asleep, something was crawling just beneath their feet. It was surprised to find something new trapped inside the clam with them. They carefully pulled them further inside the clam's belly.
Later Choco woke up, finding himself at a strange place. He was all alone in some kind of room, laying on the ground. "H-Huh, Marsh?... where are you?" He asked aloud looking for his friend, but as he turned his head, a pair of lifeless eyes was staring back at him.
"AAAHHH!!" He screams in terror and crawled away from this awful creature. It was a wrinkly creature with dark skin, it had thin arms and legs with ragged dress.
"Scared much!?" It said with its raspy voice, "Back in my day, men would drool all over me and desperately ask me to marry them."
"W-Who are you!?" Marsh asked, still terrified of this woman.
"No, the question here is, who are YOU!? You're the gentleman in this situation, so YOU introduce yourself first."
"Err... alright, the name's Choco, and you?"
"And the name's Raisins, I think you're cute but you scream like a girl." Now this woman seem annoying rather than scary.
"Where is this place anyway?" Choco asked while looking around. The place was still dark and has enough space to stand around and walk, only a single lanter is lighting the whole place.
"You're trapped inside the clam with the rest of us, kid." Raisins grinned, spreading her thin soggy arms, "Welcome to your new eternity!"