Best Fronds
"It's not all that," said Anne. "I miss my home, my stuff, and especially my friends." As Anne said this, she took the picture she had taped to the wall and handed it to Sprig.
"Without them, I just feel kind of lost," continued Anne.
"So these are your friends," said Sprig. "Why don't you tell me about them?"
"Well, the one with the blonde hair is Sasha," said Anne. "I've known her since kindergarten. She's always getting me to try new things and go on adventures with me. The one next to her is Marcy. She's kind of a klutz, but she loves video games and board games. She's the smartest person I know."
"Oh, who's this one?" asked Sprig, pointing to the girl on Anne's left.
Anne realized he was talking about Luz, and a deep pit formed in her stomach as she thought about what to say.
"That's Luz," said Anne, somewhat slowly. "I only met her a few months ago. She was a new girl who came to my school, and it turns out we both liked a lot of the same things. But I haven't known her as long as I've known Sasha and Marcy."
"Still, she seems pretty cool," said Sprig.
"Eh, are you sure about that?" asked Anne. "Thing is, Luz and I have been kind of growing apart. I think maybe it would be best if we stopped hanging out."
"Oh, is there any particular reason for that?" asked Sprig.
"It's just, have you ever had a friend that you thought you knew really well, but then you learned something about them that made you question their motives?" asked Anne. "That's kind of how I feel about Luz right now."
"What was it you learned about her that made you want to stop hanging out with her?" asked Sprig.
"Eh, I'd rather not talk about it," said Anne.
"I understand," said Sprig. "In any case, I was thinking, why don't I be your friend in the meantime?"
"You?!" said Anne in surprise.
"Me," said Sprig, pointing to himself.
"In fact, I'm feeling a little sleepy," said Sprig, as he almost fell over. The adventure at the Lake had taken a lot out of him. Still, Anne was glad that they had managed to avoid suspicion from Hop Pop and were able to convince him that they had spent the whole day inside. Despite the danger, Anne enjoyed herself.
Anne caught the falling Sprig and gently carried him over to her makeshift bed, where she placed him down. As she reflected on the fun she'd had with her new friend, Anne couldn't help feeling a bit sad as she thought of her other friends. She pulled out the picture, the one all of them had taken a few weeks ago, and looked at her other friends, unsure if they were stuck in this world with her but wanting to wish them well just the same.
"Sasha, Marcy, I hope you guys are okay because I am," said Anne. She glanced one more time at the photo, and she saw Luz smiling back at her as she had an arm around Anne.
Luz thought Anne. We were all so happy in that picture… I can't believe that was only a few weeks ago. It feels like so much time has passed since then.
"Luz, I—," began Anne. She wanted to wish Luz well like she had with Sasha and Marcy, but Anne couldn't put into words what exactly she wanted to say. Just seconds before being teleported to Amphibia, she had told Luz she no longer wanted to be friends with her. Now she couldn't help but be a little concerned over the fact that Luz might be trapped in this strange world alone.
"Luz, I—" began Anne again, but she still couldn't think of what she wanted to say. With that, Anne put the picture away and laid down herself, her mind full of thoughts about her friends. Though before she fell asleep, Anne whispered,
"Luz, even if we aren't friends anymore, I hope you're okay."
Taking Charge
"What is this demonic nonsense?" asked Hop Pop
"Hop Pop, this show's got beautiful people doing dumb things while stuff explodes!" claimed Anne. "It's literally perfect. Heck, I managed to get Luz into it!"
"Oh, is that one of your human friends?" asked Sprig.
"Yeah," said Anne. "I remember we had just had lunch at my family's restaurant, and that's when I first showed Luz the trailer I just showed you guys. She loved it! Then we ended up watching it when I invited her over to my house. We had so much fun that day." Anne stared off into space as she remembered that day and the good time she had with Luz.
"Anne, are you alright?" asked Sprig, who noticed the change in Anne's demeanor.
"What? No, I'm fine," lied Anne. "It's just that I was remembering that day. I miss my friends, but hey, I guess that's why I wanna watch this new season with you guys! I had great memories of watching this show with my old friends. I'm sure I can create some great memories by watching it with my new ones!"
"Now, hold on," began Hop Pop. "Instead of that garbage, how about I treat you to some real entertainment?"
"Oh, no," said Sprig and Polly together.
Girl Time
"I love it!" exclaimed Polly as she looked at the small statue. "Hey, sorry girl time was such a bust."
"Nah, don't worry about it," replied Anne. "I mean, the more I think about it, the whole idea of 'girl time' is pretty weird, although I do remember spending a wonderful spa day with Sasha one time. Her parents paid for us to go to a really nice, high-end spa!"
"Ah, man. I wish I could have gone," said Sprig. "I love the spa!"
"Yeah, me too," said Hop Pop. "What was it like?"
"Oh, it was great. We had a great time. They served us cucumber water, we got a mani-pedi, and we got to relax and take a nap afterward," said Anne.
"Anne, I know you miss your friends," said Polly. "Is that why you wanted to have girl time so badly?"
Anne hesitated for a bit before answering, "Yeah, guess you're right. When I had girl time with Sasha, it was always fun, and we would enjoy not just getting pampered but also just being together. I always liked girl time because it meant I got to hang out with Sasha."
"Oh, I understand," said Polly. "You wanted us to share an experience that you had with your friends."
"Yeah, but I shouldn't have forced you to do it if you didn't like it," said Anne. "I'm sorry, Polly."
"No, don't worry about it, Anne," answered Polly. "I see how important it is to you now. I'd still like to hang out with you. Maybe next time, we can do things that both of us like."
"Thanks, Polly!" replied Anne.
"You mentioned Sasha, but did you ever have girl time with your other friends?" asked Sprig.
"You know, Marcy was never really into it," said Anne. "I think one time at a sleepover, we had a casual spa night where we put our feet in Epson salt and painted each other's toenails. As for Luz, well, I haven't known her as long as Marcy and Sasha, so we never really had time to set up a day for girl time."
"Huh, maybe when you get back home, you should ask her if she'd like to have some 'girl time,'" suggested Sprig.
"Huh, yeah, maybe I will," said Anne, a little nervously.
Anne vs. Wild
"Guys, now that we've been through a lot, there's something I'd like to share with you," said Anne as she brought out something from her bag. The others couldn't see what it was, as she had wrapped it up in some kind of cloth.
"This is how I got here," said Anne as she removed the cloth to reveal a strange box of some kind.
"Wow! Shiny!" exclaimed Sprig.
"It's some kind of crazy music box or something," said Anne. "My friends and I were standing together in the park, then I opened it to see if there was anything in it, and next thing I knew, there was a huge flash of light, and suddenly, I went from being in the park to being a swamp just outside Wartwood. On the first night when you guys took me in, I tried opening it again to see if it would transport me home, but it didn't work."
"You were with your friends?" asked Hop Pop.
"Yeah, we were all together when I opened the box. I'm not sure if they're here in Amphibia or not," said Anne.
"Well, this is a big place," said Hop Pop, "and Wartwood is only a small town in a much larger world."
"Yeah, exactly," said Anne. "I wish I knew for sure whether they were here in Amphibia with me or if they were back in my own world."
"I wonder if your friends found families of their own to take them in?" asked Polly. "That'd be kinda cool. When we all meet up, we could have a big reunion party!"
"I hope so," said Anne. "I hope that if they are here, then they're all doing well."
"I hope we get to meet Sasha, Marcy, and Luz someday then," said Sprig. "I hope they're all as cool as you, Anne."
"Thanks, dude," said Anne. "So, have you guys seen anything like it before?"
"May I?" asked Hop Pop.
"Sure, I mean, it's busted," said Anne dejectedly.
Hop Pop took the box in his hands and began examining it. He turned it over a few times and looked at it from various angles before declaring, "Nope, never seen anything like it."
"Well, it was worth a shot," said Anne.
"Anne, I promise we're gonna find a way to get you home. And if your friends are here in Amphibia, then we'll find a way to reunite you with them, too," said Sprig.
"Thanks. That means a lot to me. I hope you guys get to meet my friends, eventually. They're all cool," said Anne as she took out the picture of her friends to show Sprig and Polly.
"Well, that's enough excitement for me today," said Hop Pop as he yawned. "I think I'm gonna turn in."
"Goodnight, Hop Pop," called the kids as he left the kitchen.
"Hey, Anne," said Sprig after Hop Pop left.
"Yeah?" replied Anne.
"I was just wondering about your friends. Do you think that if they were brought here, something may have happened to them?" asked Sprig.
"Huh? What do you mean?" asked Anne.
"Well, it's just that before we found you, you were living out in the wilds, and that can be pretty dangerous. There are all sorts of dangers in Amphibia that we deal with on a daily basis. What if… one of your friends, well—..." said Sprig. He didn't finish the sentence, but his silence implied what he was thinking. Polly glared at him for even suggesting this.
"Ha ha ha!" laughed Polly uncomfortably as she tried to reassure Anne. "Don't listen to Sprig. He says a lot of things without thinking, sometimes. I bet your friends are fine."
"I never thought about that," said Anne. "I mean, you do have a point, especially after tonight, when we almost got eaten by cannibals. Could something have happened to Sasha, Marcy, or Luz?" As she said this, Anne remembered the last thing she had said to Luz before opening the box. Suddenly, she was struck with a deep sense of guilt.
"I need to go," said Anne hurriedly. With that, she made her way down to the basement, quickly saying goodnight to Sprig and Polly.
When she was finally alone, Anne thought about what Sprig had said. It would be bad enough if something had happened to Sasha or Marcy, but if something happened to Luz, that would be even worse, considering how they had parted. Over the past few weeks, Anne had begun to think more about Luz and what happened at the dance. While she wasn't happy with Luz about what she had done, she was also beginning to feel bad about telling her that they were no longer friends. As Anne continued to replay that moment in her brain, she couldn't help but begin to regret it. Finally, she brought her hand to her face and covered it, feeling angry at herself.
Why did I say that to her? thought Anne.
Hop-Pop and Lock
Despite the rest of the town having left and Mayor Toadstool having declared the dance over, Sprig pulled out his violin and continued to play to allow for some music for Hop Pop and Sylvia to dance to. Hop Pop and Sylvia enjoyed many dances together before deciding to take a break. At this point, Hop Pop brought Sylvia over to his family to introduce them.
"Oh, of course, I know you, Sprig," said Sylvia. "You're friends with my granddaughter. And Polly, is it? I saw you a few weeks ago in my daughter's tea shop. I think you were there too, Anne."
"Yeah, I was. I was trying to have girl time with Polly, but it didn't work out," replied Anne. "Still, the tea shop is nice."
"Yes, my daughter has done well for herself with that shop," replied Sylvia. "But tell me more about yourself, Anne. I've heard all kinds of stories about the 'town monster'. I'm curious to see how much of it is true. Honestly, you don't strike me as a monster at all."
"Thanks. I appreciate you saying that," replied Anne. "Truth is, I'm not a monster. I don't eat frogs or any other Amphibians. I'm just a regular young girl."
"Anne was the one who taught me how to dance," said Hop Pop. "She really did a number on me."
"Oh, that's so wonderful to hear!" exclaimed Sylvia. "Also, you look wonderful in that dress, dear."
"Ah, thanks," said Anne. "Actually, the last time I wore this top was at a school dance in my world before I came here."
"Oh, really? Did you have a good time at that dance?" asked Sylvia.
"Yeah, I—," began Anne, before remembering what had happened. But she also didn't want to ruin the evening and decided to stretch the truth a little about what had happened.
"At first, it was just alright, but later in the evening, I got asked to dance by someone special," said Anne.
"Oh, was it your boyfriend?" asked Hop Pop.
"No, it was a friend," replied Anne tersely, "but a friend who might be more important than I thought." After saying that, Anne stared off into the sky as Hop Pop and Sylvia continued to talk with each other. As Anne thought about that night more, she wondered what might have happened had Luz not kissed her. She was honestly having a good time at the dance before that happened, and she wondered if that night could have ended differently.
Extra! Extra!
"Fresh Vegetables! Get your fresh vegetables here!" called Anne as she stood at Hop Pop's stand. Sprig and Polly had left with Hop Pop to bring more vegetables back from the farm. They had sold out of carrots and squash and needed to re-stock. Hop Pop decided to leave Anne at the stand to continue selling what was left. Ever since the people of Wartwood had given Hop Pop a new stand, they had also seemed to want to buy more from him. This was great news for the frog, and Anne was happy to help, as she had come to care for the old frog.
"Ah, is this the stand of Hopediah Plantar?" asked a frog as he came up to the stand. He was blue, dressed in simple clothes, with a hat on his head.
"Yeah, but he's not in right now," said Anne.
"Oh, that's okay. It was actually you who I wanted to talk to," said the frog. "Are you the creature known as Anne?"
"Anne is my name. I'm not a creature; I'm a human," answered Anne.
"Ah, yes, of course," said the frog. "You see, I'm a reporter for the Swampshire Tribune. I had heard stories about a strange creature in Wartwood and decided to try to get the big scoop for my local paper. I'd like to ask you a few questions, Anne."
"So, is this like an interview or something?" asked Anne.
"Yeah, I guess you could say that," said the frog as he took out a pen and notepad. "So, question one, why do you call yourself human?"
"Um, because that's what I am," replied Anne. "My species is called human. I'm not a frog, newt, or any kind of amphibian."
"Ah, very well, then," answered the frog. "Next question, do you consider yourself tall and gangly?"
"I guess, especially compared to most frogs. I think most of Wartwood has called me gangly at least once," replied Anne.
"Okay, I see," said the frog, writing this down. "Next question, is it true you come from another world?"
"Huh? How did you hear about that?" asked Anne, a little suspicious.
"Oh, I've heard all kinds of rumors," answered the frog. "I just want to know if it's true or not."
"Well then, yes, I am from another world," said Anne. "Where I'm from, humans like me are a lot more common. We have things like roads, phones, the internet, movies, all kinds of things that don't exist here."
"Oh, very interesting," said the frog as he wrote on his pad. "Last question. Do you know of any other humans that might be here in Amphibia?"
Anne paused upon hearing this question. She stared at the frog before speaking.
"Okay, that question is a little too on the nose," said Anne, glaring at the frog. "Who are you? What do you know about my friends being here?" Anne began to march toward the frog in a threatening manner.
"Uh, well, that's all I needed then. Got to go," said the frog nervously as he began to hop away.
"Hey! Get back here!" demanded Anne as she chased after the frog. The frog began to hop through the market, trying his best to put some distance between himself and Anne. Anne chased after him, trying her best to catch up. Eventually, the frog jumped out onto the main road out of town and kept hopping away. He had underestimated Anne's athleticism, though. Anne kept chasing him, finally closing the gap before jumping and tackling the frog to the ground.
"No more games," said Anne. "What do you know about my friends?"
Before the frog could answer, Anne heard her name called from a distance.
"Anne?!" yelled Hop Pop. "What in the world are you doing to that frog?" Hop Pop, Sprig, and Polly rushed over to where Anne was.
"Oooo, Anne's been practicing my pile driver technique," said Polly with glee. "She's gonna break his arm!"
"What? No. This frog was trying to get information out of me," said Anne. "He said he was a reporter, but then he started asking about my friends. My HUMAN friends."
"Please. Please, let me go," pleaded the frog. "You don't understand; there are forces in play here that you can't possibly comprehend."
"What are you talking about?" asked Anne. "Look, if you know anything about my human friends, tell me now!"
"I can't tell you," said the frog. "It's safer for you if you don't know anything."
"What do you mean, safer?" asked Sprig.
"Please believe me when I tell you I'm on your side, but it's too dangerous to tell you the specifics," said the frog.
"Look, mister, if you know anything about Anne's friends, you best get to telling her. She misses them terribly," demanded Hop Pop.
"Are you Hopediah Plantar?" asked the frog.
"Yes, that's me, though I don't think I've ever met you before," said Hop Pop, looking the frog over.
"No, you wouldn't have met me," answered the frog. "Please listen. Let me go, and I'll tell you what I can, but I can't tell you all the details."
Anne looked at her family, and they all nodded their heads. Anne let go of the frog, and he got up.
"Please understand, I can't tell you everything," began the frog. "I know that sounds frustrating, but trust me when I say it's for your own protection. Anne, I don't know if there are other humans here or not, but I will say I was asked to investigate if the rumors of a 'strange creature' in Wartwood were true by someone who I trust. If there are other humans, she might know more, but I can't tell you anything else. Please believe me. I wish I could tell you more, but the less you know, the safer you are. As for you, Hopediah, I wanted to thank you for what you've done."
"Uh, you're welcome, but I can't recall ever meeting you before," said Hop Pop. "I don't even know your name."
"Well, I'm afraid I can't tell you my name," said the frog. "As for you, Anne, I've told you everything I know. Please believe me when I say there are people watching over you who want you to succeed. With that, I must go. Stay strong!"
The frog began hopping down the road, and before long, he was gone completely from sight. Anne and the Plantars stared off into the distance where he had gone, unsure of what to do or even whether to believe what he told them.