A Last Jam Session
A few days after Luz and Lilly left on their journey, Amara's tail finally began to regrow. Amara was glad to be able to remove the bandages and see the beginnings of her new tail. She took this as a sign that it was time to start her journey back to Newtopia. After a day of preparation, she was ready to leave.
"I guess this is it for you then," said Gustav to her on the night before her departure.
"I'm nervous about seeing my parents again," confessed Amara to Gustav. "I used to believe everything they said without question, but now I don't know how I can even talk to them knowing what I know."
"I can't say it will be easy," admitted Gustav, "and I wish I could say that maybe your parents will be convinced to change their ways like my dad was, but somehow, I doubt that will happen."
"Yeah, I don't see that happening," said Amara with a laugh.
"I know that whatever happens, you'll find a way to handle it," said Gustav. "I figure you can use the excuse of going to the library a lot to stay away from them."
"I plan to do that when I can," said Amara, "but my parents will likely want me to go back to the schedule I had before. I don't know, but I'll figure something out. As I said before, I'll use my time to find a cure for Uodeela."
"Don't focus too much on that, Amara," said Gustav. "It's great that you want to find one, but we also have to accept the fact that one might not exist, in which case I don't want you getting too obsessed over it."
"I know, I know," replied Amara. "But even so, I'm going to do my best to find one!"
"Hey, since this is our last night together, do you want to have one more jam session?" asked Gustav.
"For sure. You know, I really will miss these," said Amara as she pulled out her harp.
"Me too," said Gustav, pulling out his ocarina.
With that, the two friends began playing together, mostly improvising new melodies and doing their best to stay in sync with one another. Over the course of the night, they played for a long time and almost didn't notice how late it was getting.
"One more, and then I have to call it a night," said Amara.
"Oh, let's do that one we played for our performance!" suggested Gustav. "I wonder if what Uodeela said was true, and that there was some form of magic in that music?"
"Well, let's play it again and find out!" said Amara.
With that, the two began to play the song from their performance. It was a beautiful, haunting melody that wound itself into the minds and hearts of both Amara and Gustav. As they focused on playing the song, they both felt strong emotions from hearing the music, but neither of their instruments glowed as they had during the performance. After they finished, they said goodnight to each other and went to bed.
Amara woke to the sound of music. As she heard it, she recognized it as the song that she and Gustav had played! She quickly got out of bed, only to realize that her bed was gone! As were her tent and the forest!
Amara took a second to look around and realized she wasn't in the forest! She seemed to be standing in the sky! There were stars all around her, but no ground under her feet. The stars glowed all around her with such wonder and beauty that there was no way they could be regular stars. It was as though she had been transported to another world! The melody that she and Gustav had played began to fade and was instead replaced with a new melody—a song that Amara didn't recognize.
Amara realized that she must be dreaming, yet she had never had a dream like this. The area she found herself in was surreal, and it seemed to stretch on forever. Amara wondered what sort of dream she was having when her ears began to focus, and she thought she heard a voice! Amara began to walk in the direction she thought she heard the voice. It seemed foolish as the horizon stretched on forever with no end in sight and no view of anyone else, but she pressed on.
As she continued walking, she thought she saw a figure up ahead. The figure was wearing a red cloak that covered its face and seemed to be holding a violin. Amara couldn't make out anything else about the figure, and then she heard it speak.
"Hello? Is someone there?" asked the figure in a strange voice.
"Who are you?" asked Amara.
"Someone is there!" said the figure. "Are we in the Dream Realm, then? Did my experiment work? Do you come from another world?"
Before Amara could answer, she suddenly shot out of bed. She immediately recognized her surroundings, her sleeping bag, and her tent. She got up and looked outside, where the sun was just beginning to shine in the sky and the ground was still there. Amara wasn't sure what kind of dream she had, but it seemed so real. That space she found herself in—what was it? And who was that figure who had called to her? Amara pushed these thoughts from her mind and got ready to leave.
Amara and Gustav walked together toward the edge of town. Before they said goodbye, Amara decided to tell Gustav about her dream.
"That's… a very intriguing dream," said Gustav. "You say you heard the music we were playing before you went to sleep, and also that you met someone there?"
"I'm not sure," replied Amara. "For all I know, it could have just been a weird dream, but something about it seemed so real. It wasn't just our song that I heard, though. There was another song that started playing, too. Hmmm… Let me see if I can remember it." Amara pulled out her harp and tried to concentrate.
"I think it went like this," she said as she began playing. The song was beautiful and calming. As she played, Gustav felt a sense of peace. He listened to the song and tried to follow along on his ocarina, though it didn't sound as good. Wanting to remember the song, he pulled out some paper and wrote down the notes. He handed a copy to Amara.
"It feels like that song is better suited to a stringed instrument," said Gustav. "It sounded a lot better on your harp."
"Thanks," said Amara
"I don't know why, but I feel we should remember that song. I can't explain it, but somehow, I just think it might be important," said Gustav. "Tell me about the figure you saw."
"I didn't get a good look at it, but I think it had a musical instrument," replied Amara.
"Hmmm, okay. Well, either it was a really weird dream, or you went on a journey of some kind," said Gustav.
"I wonder if I'll have that dream again?" asked Amara.
"If you meet that figure again, maybe you can ask them some questions," suggested Gustav.
"Yeah, that's a good idea," said Amara. "Well, guess this is it then." She looked between Gustav and the road as she said this.
"Goodbye, Amara," said Gustav. "Good luck in finding a way to cure Uodeela, and I hope you find a way to make peace with your parents."
"Farewell, Gustav. Stay safe out there," said Amara. The two friends shared a long hug before Amara departed along the road that would lead her back to Newtopia.
Friends at a Fountain
"So you haven't found a way home either?" asked Marcy to Anne as the two sat by the fountain in Newtopia.
"Nerp," said Anne, casually skipping a stone across the water. "It's funny. I'd been hoping to find you for so long, but now that I have, I have no idea what to do next."
Marcy gave a small laugh at this before replying, "I know what you mean. First things first, though, we have to find Sasha and Luz!"
Hearing both of those names hit Anne hard as she recounted her battle with Sasha and her reunion with the mist Luz.
"Oh, actually, I did find Sasha," said Anne, addressing the first name. "We, uh… We had a fight."
"No! Was it bad?" asked Marcy.
"Errr, there were maybe some swords, minor explosions. Anyway, I don't know where she is now," replied Anne, sighing as she brought her face to her knees.
"And Luz?" asked Marcy with some hesitation. When Anne didn't reply right away, Marcy waited a bit before pressing the subject.
"Listen, I know things got weird between you two right before we got here, but we need to find her too—"
"Marcy, how can I face her?" asked Anne, interrupting Marcy.
"Huh?!" said Marcy.
"How can I face Luz after what I said to her? Do you remember what the last thing I said to her before we got zapped here was?" asked Anne.
Marcy did, in fact, remember Anne's words, but wasn't sure if she should repeat them. "Uh, it's been a long time. I guess I forgot."
"I told her I didn't want to be friends with her anymore," said Anne, still hiding her face behind her knees. "Oh, and you want to know what the kicker is? It's not entirely her fault!"
"What?!" asked Marcy in surprise. Anne then proceeded to tell her what Sasha had revealed to her just before her fall from the tower.
"Whoa, that's… I don't even know what to say, Anne. I'm so sorry," said Marcy.
"You know, I almost found Luz," began Anne. "I thought I saw her when I went out to the Misty Moors."
"Oh, I've heard of that place. They say if you get lost in the mist, you may see things that aren't really there…" Marcy trailed off as she realized what Anne was going to say.
"I thought I saw Luz, but it was just a figment of the mist," began Anne. "But the figment still chewed me out for what I said to the real Luz… I talked to the figment like she was the real thing. I tried my best to apologize to her."
"And how did that go?" asked Marcy.
"The mist Luz seemed to forgive me, and I was able to find my way out of the mist, but it's still not the same as talking to the real Luz," said Anne. "I have no idea where Luz is either."
"You know, Anne, before we all got trapped here, I spoke to Luz," said Marcy. "From what I gathered, she wanted to apologize to you. I think she was genuinely sorry for what she did, and I think if you gave her the chance, then she would tell you that."
"I didn't even give her the chance to apologize! Ugggghh!" growled Anne. "Why did I ever listen to Sasha's advice on how to handle that? Uhhh… In hindsight, it seems so obvious how manipulative she was. Why didn't I see it then?"
"Well, let's not worry about that right now. What's past is past, and what we need to focus on is finding a way home and finding Sasha and Luz," said Marcy.
"You're right," said Anne. "And hey, you and I found each other, so I'm sure we can find Luz."
"Yeah! Come on, stand up!" Marcy called to Anne.
"Uh, okay," said Anne, halfheartedly standing up.
"Come on, Anne. Let me see that power pose!" said Marcy.
Anne puffed up her cheeks and put her chest out. "This good?"
"Good enough," replied Marcy, clearing her throat before continuing. "I'm Macy Wu!"
"And, uh… I'm Anne Boonchuy!" declared Anne.
"And together, we're going to find Sasha and Luz and find a way home!" they finished together while trying to hold a heroic pose, only for them to almost fall over after a few seconds, though they shared a laugh at this. Afterward, Marcy asked Anne a question.
"Oh my gosh, okay, so I want to know everything that's happened to you since you got here. You got any photos?"
"Do I?" said Anne excitedly as she showed Marcy her phone and the many pictures on it. The two teens were having such a great time reminiscing and catching up that they didn't notice they were being watched. Far away in Newtopia's palace, a large figure was watching their reunion with his own intentions.
"The pieces are starting to fall into place," he said in an ominous voice, "though there is one piece that is unaccounted for." As he said this, he moved a figure on a chessboard—a figure that looked a lot like Luz.
"Still, no matter. That piece has its own part to play, and once the board is complete, it will be time for the game to begin…"
Spa Day with a Friend
After a few days of travel, Amara finally reached the great city of Newtopia. She was a bit tired and disheveled from days of travel in the wilds and wanted to freshen up a bit. Plus, she was looking for an excuse to not return home immediately. Amara decided to stop at the Hemisphere Hotel first and unwind there. Despite having a large mansion in the city, her family had occasionally stayed at this hotel and even set up a personal account there. Amara remembered coming here and taking advantage of the various amenities the hotel had to offer. Those were some of the few times her parents let her have fun.
Amara walked through the doors of the large hotel and straight up to the concierge desk, where she was recognized immediately.
"Miss Light!" exclaimed the concierge, a grey newt. "So lovely to see you again!"
"Hello," replied Amara. "I was wondering if I could schedule a massage. I really feel I need one."
"Why, of course!" replied the newt. "Anything for one of the noblest families in Newtopia!"
"I don't have any money with me right now, but you can, uh… put it on our family's tab, right?" asked Amara hesitantly.
"Oh, of course. No trouble at all," said the concierge. "If you make your way to the spa, I'll see to it that you get seen right away."
Amara turned to leave and wasn't looking where she was going. She bumped right into someone. After recovering, she saw it was another newt. Before Amara could say anything, the concierge had already rushed over to berate the other newt.
"Bella! For goodness' sake, watch where you're going! You just bumped into one of our high-profile guests!"
"I'm sorry," said the other newt, getting up quickly and trying to dust off Amara. "I didn't mean to!"
"It's alright!" said Amara. "It was my fault I wasn't looking where I was going!"
"No, no, it was definitely my fault," said the other newt, looking nervously at the concierge.
"I know you just clocked out Bella," said the grey newt, "but you still represent this hotel, even off the clock. Don't make me regret giving you a raise!" With that, the newt walked away, leaving Bella to sulk over her mistake.
"I'm so sorry, Miss Light," said Bella again. "Please don't make a complaint against me. I really need this job!"
"It's alright," replied Amara. "I won't say anything, and it really was my fault, not yours."
"Yes, but you're a VIP. They have a picture of you and your family up in the staff room," began Bella, "along with pictures of all the other elite newts that we're supposed to take extra special care of."
"Wait, really? They have a picture of us?" asked Amara.
"Yeah, they do. They really want to make sure that we pay extra special attention to the VIPs," said Bella. "Though, to be honest, some of the staff throw knives and other sharp objects at the pictures when no one's looking."
Amara let out a small laugh at that. "Ha! Really?"
"You're not mad?" asked Bella.
"No, that's actually kind of funny! And I can understand why you might do that," replied Amara.
"Huh, well, thank you for not getting mad, Miss Light," said Bella in surprise.
"You don't have to call me Miss Light," said Amara. "I think you and I are about the same age. My name is Amara."
"Okay… Amara," said Bella slowly. "Though if I see you on the clock, they'll probably make me call you Miss Light. And I should probably get going."
"Hang on a second," said Amara, who had enjoyed talking to this newt. "I was just going to the spa, but I'd hate to go alone. It would be great to have someone to go with. Would you like to enjoy a massage with me? My treat."
"Whoa, really? Man, that's the second free offer I've gotten today," mused Bella. "Um, okay, sure, if you're alright with it."
"Yeah, it will be fun!" said Amara as she and Bella headed off to the hotel's spa.
Much later, after their massage, Bella and Amara were relaxing, wrapped in silk robes, and enjoying a cool drink.
"Ahhhh, that was just what I needed!" said Amara, stretching out her hands and feet. "After a few rough nights on the road, I feel refreshed! How about you, Bella?"
"Ah, man, that was incredible! I've worked here so long and never tried getting a massage here, though I also could never afford to get one. Thanks a bunch, Amara," said Bella.
"You're welcome," said Amara.
"This really has been an interesting day," said Bella. "First, some frog kid treated me to ice cream, and now I get a massage as well. Man, I'd been feeling so down lately, too."
"Why were you feeling down?" asked Amara.
"Well, a lot of stuff, really. I guess the main thing is that I graduated from Newtopia University a year ago, and yet here I am working as a bellhop in a hotel," said Bella.
"Wait a sec, you went to Newtopia University?" exclaimed Amara in surprise. "What are you doing working here?"
Bella didn't answer right away. "You might not understand being an elite, but it's one thing to get a degree; it's another to know the right people to get a job."
"I, uh… Guess I don't understand," said Amara.
Bella sighed before explaining, "Look, here's the thing a lot of the elite families know each other. Because of that, they tend to give any job opportunities to those same people. It's all about that old expression. It's not what you know; it's who you know, and well… I'm not an elite newt with connections. Also, because I'm not an elite newt, I had to take out loans to pay for my education. I racked up a lot of debt just to get that degree, and it's going to take a long time to pay it back."
As she finished talking, Amara stared hard at Bella, feeling guilty. She wasn't sure why, but the way Bella had said that last sentence made her feel bad. She struggled to come up with a response.
"I… I… I'm sorry. I don't know what to say…" said Amara in a soft voice.
"It's not your fault," said Bella tenderly, seeing that she had upset Amara. "It's just something you weren't aware of. I didn't mean to upset you. I… I just wanted you to know. Honestly, you seem like a nice person, Amara."
"Thank you for telling me your story," said Amara. "You've given me more to think about."
The girls continued to relax before eventually deciding it was time to leave. Before Bella took off, Amara called to her.
"Hey, Bella," said Amara. "You'll still be here, right?"
"Yeah, I'll be working here for the foreseeable future," replied Bella.
"Um, I was wondering," said Amara, nervously reaching her arm behind her head. "If we could hang out again?"
"Oh," said Bella, somewhat surprised. "Yeah, sure… I'd like that."
"Okay, great! I'll see you around then," said Amara.
"Okay, bye!" said Bella as she left. Amara waved goodbye to Bella, glad to have had a chance to talk with her. Realizing that she could not put it off any longer, Amara gathered herself and made her way to her house.
Tea Time
In the living room of Light Manor, two newts were seated. Lady Odalys Light, a proper pink newt, and Lady Patricia Zamorra, a blue newt, were seated in the living room, drinking tea and discussing the latest gossip.
"Can you believe it, Lady Light?" asked Lady Zamorra, sitting across from her drinking tea. "Newtopia University is actually allowing commoners in."
"Oh, that's old news, Lady Zamorra," answered Lady Light. "It's been going on for years now, though I assure you need not worry about it."
"Not worry about allowing commoners to attend the most prestigious University in all the land? How so?" asked Lady Zamorra.
"My dear, you forget that attending University is not cheap," said Lady Light. "It's unlikely the commoners have the money to pay for its expense. Yet in the event that they still wish to attend, myself and some of the other elites have come up with a rather ingenious plan."
"Oh! And what would that be?" asked Lady Zamorra.
"Why, we offer to lend them the money to attend," explained Lady Light. "You see, we draw up a contract wherein we pay the tuition for the common amphibian who wishes to attend Newtopia University, with the agreement that they will pay us back… With interest, of course."
"Oh, that is clever," agreed Lady Zamorra.
"Oh, it's much more clever than you know," said Lady Light. "You see, the contract that we make them sign has all sorts of clauses and language about how we can charge them extra for late payments, how we can increase the interest we charge them, and other such ways we can extort more money from them. By the time they are done with school, a mere five thousand can easily turn into twenty-five or even fifty thousand owed. This way, we can ensure that those commoners are never able to advance beyond their station."
"Quite right!" said Lady Zamorra. "Those commoners must be kept in their place."
At that moment, the butler, a green frog dressed in an impeccable suit, entered the living room to make an announcement.
"Announcing the return of Miss Amara Light," said the frog butler. Amara entered after him, a bit embarrassed at the formal introduction.
"Ah, thank you, Jamack," said Odalys Light, rising to greet her daughter. "Well, well, it's about time you got back, Amara. We were expecting you back weeks ago. What took so long? And what happened to your tail?"
"I was busy, and my tail got ripped off by a heron," said Amara, barely paying attention to her mother
"What?! ripped off by a heron!" exclaimed her mother. "Amara, how could you allow yourself to be seen with no tail? It's not proper for a newt to be seen in such a state. We might be thought of as weak."
"Well, in that case, I guess I'll go to my room so I won't be seen as weak until I regrow my tail," grumbled Amara as she tried to walk to her room.
"Ehhum," said her mother, gesturing to Lady Zamorra.
Amara sighed as she realized she had forgotten to greet Lady Zamorra. "Good day, Lady Zamorra! How fare you today?"
"Oh, quite well, Amara. Your mother and I were discussing the latest news," replied Lady Zamorra.
"In that case, I'll leave you two to continue—" began Amara.
"Absolutely not," said her mother. "You've been gone for so many months. I am eager to hear if the training you received was worth the rather large sum of money your father insisted we pay."
"Where is Dad?" asked Amara.
"Lord Alister Light is playing a game of beast polo with Sir Ribbiton of Ribbitvale. He is expected to return on the 'morrow," said the butler.
"Ugggh, the Ribbitons," said Odalys, with disdain in her voice. "I've told your father to stop associating with them. Just because they're old money like us doesn't change the fact that they're frogs. Why, I've heard some rather troubling rumors about their son. But enough about that. Amara, you will join us for tea and tell us about your training."
"Do we have to talk about this now?" asked Amara in frustration. "I'm kind of tired from all that traveling."
"Well, why didn't you write home about wanting to leave?" asked her mother. "We could have sent you a sparrow to get you home."
"I forgot," said Amara. "Can I please go to my room?"
"No, young lady," said her mother firmly. "You will sit with Lady Zamorra and me and have a proper conversation. You haven't forgotten how to do that in the time you've been gone, have you?"
"No, I haven't," said Amara bitterly, moving to the table to sit down, with the butler coming over to pour her a cup of tea. Amara grabbed a scone and began eating it, even though she wasn't hungry.
"Very good," said Odalys Light, taking her seat again. "Now, why don't you tell us about what you learned out there?"
"I learned how to brew a great many potions and elixirs," began Amara. "I also learned a great deal about the many plants throughout our land and what they can be used for."
"Ah, very good," said Lady Zamorra. "Tell me more about the witch Uodeela. I've heard so many stories."
"She's very nice and knowledgeable," began Amara. "She's one of the best teachers I've ever had."
"Even better than your tutors?" asked her mother.
"Yes, even better than them," replied Amara, making sure to emphasize that point.
"It's a real shame she lives out in the wilds like a savage," said Lady Zamorra. "I heard a rumor that she once lived at the royal palace and worked directly with the King."
"Yes, it truly is shameful to see a salamander sully her name and live with the riff-raff," said Odalys. "A pity she threw her life inside the palace away to go and teach lesser amphibians."
"I think it's nice of her to try to teach magic to anyone who wants to learn it, and those other amphibians aren't lesser than us," said Amara firmly. Her mother glared at her, causing a pause in the conversation and creating some visible tension in the room.
"Ah, uh, anyway, speaking of the palace," said Lady Zamorra, trying to break the tension, "have you heard that the king has taken in a strange creature?"
"I had not heard of this," said Odalys, continuing to glare at Amara. "Why don't you tell us more?"
"Well, if my source is correct, one day, shortly after you left, Amara, a strange creature appeared in Newtopia. It was unlike anything ever seen before!" said Lady Zamorra. "And they say the king took a liking to it. I hear he made it one of his advisors."
"How outrageous!" exclaimed Odalys, "that an unknown and completely foreign visitor should earn the King's favor so quickly and easily."
"Lady Zamorra," asked Amara, "is there anything else you could tell me about this creature? Do you, by chance, know its name?"
"I'm afraid that's all I know at this time," said Lady Zamorra. "I'm sure if you make your way to the palace, you will see the creature I speak of. It's always around there."
"Perhaps I will do that and then be able to provide more information about this creature to you, Mother," said Amara in the nicest tone she could manage.
The conversation continued on for a while, and eventually, Amara was permitted to leave and made her way to her room, glad to be away from her mother. Amara closed the door and slumped onto her bed, letting out a sigh of frustration.
Research at the Library
The next day, Amara was more than grateful for a chance to escape to the library. She told her mom that she was going to be studying for her entrance exams at Newtopia University, which her mother was happy to hear. It wasn't a complete lie, as she would try to work in some study time, but was more focused on trying to find a cure for Uodeela.
The Royal Library was the largest repository of knowledge in all of Amphibia. It was housed in the palace and only open to select newts. Luckily, Amara's family was influential enough to have access. Amara loved reading and had asked for a library card when she was younger to be able to come and go as she pleased. She entered the library, glad to take in its sights. There were bookshelves piled high with every kind of book imaginable. The ceiling stood high and was decorated with star constellations and beautiful stained glass windows depicting sea life.
"Can you direct me towards the books you have on curses?" Amara asked the librarian.
"Right this way," said the librarian, leading her to a small section and pulling a few books. "Most of what we have on curses was written long ago. There haven't been many new books written in the last five hundred or so years."
"Okay, thank you for your help," said Amara, taking the books and finding a table to sit and read them at. She had brought along a blank notebook to take notes on anything she found.
"Alright then, let's get researching!" exclaimed Amara.
A few hours later, the stack of books had all been combed over, and Amara had not found anything in them that was helpful in regards to Uodeela.
"No, no, no," sighed Amara in defeat. "There hasn't been anything in these books about how to cure a curse when you aren't the caster. Well, there was that one book, 'So You've Been Cursed', but something about the cure feels wrong. I'm pretty sure beetle oil, garlic, and vinegar are not potion ingredients, and even if they were, if this cure really did work, Uodeela would have told us."
Amara picked up another book and began reading it again. She opened it to both the table of contents and the index, hoping to find something about curing curses, but found nothing. Amara rubbed her temples, trying not to get frustrated, and tried to think up a different solution.
There must be something I'm missing, she thought. If there isn't anything about curing curses directly, maybe I need to try something else. But what?
As Amara mused, lost in thought, she heard a noise and went to check it out. She let out an audible gasp as she saw the king and what looked like another human emerge from a chamber in the library.
"Now, now, Marcy," began the King, "I want to make a nice big show for your friend and the Plantars. You have to promise to keep what we found a secret from Anne until we're ready. Remember, I'm keeping a secret for you…"
"Okay, I promise," said Marcy excitedly.
"That's the spirit!" said the king, holding up a rather large book. "Now, we just… Oh, Amara Light, is that you?" The king finally noticed Amara.
"Your Majesty!" exclaimed Amara in surprise, quickly straightening herself and bowing.
"Good to see you again! I heard you had gone off to study magic. Was it by chance with Uodeela?" asked the King.
"Yes, it was. In fact, that's the reason I'm here now," replied Amara.
"What do you mean?" asked the King.
"Uodeela's curse potion, the one she uses to transform into a heron, overtook her. She got stuck in the heron form, and I'm trying to figure out a way to cure her," said Amara.
The King's expression changed as he heard this news. "Tell me more."
"I will, of course," began Amara. "But first, is that a human?" She pointed at Marcy.
"Yes, I am! How did you know that?" asked Marcy.
"Do you know another human named Luz Noceda?" asked Amara
Macy's jaw fell open upon hearing that name.
"YES! Do you know Luz? Is she okay? Do you know where she is?" asked Marcy excitedly.
"I don't know where exactly she is right now," said Amara, "but I do know where she's headed. She went to look for her other friend Anne in a town called Wartwood."
"Oh, no, Anne's not in Wartwood. Now she's here," said Marcy.
"Oh, this Luz person is that other friend you've told me about. Right, Marcy?" asked the King.
"Yes, Anne told me how she didn't know where Luz was, but now we know! We have to tell her!" said Marcy.
"Whoa-ho! Slow down there, Marcy," said the King. "We already agreed on waiting to tell Anne what we learned about the box during her next audience with me. I think we can add this new information to that as well."
"But this is important!" exclaimed Marcy.
"Now, Marcy, you and I have an understanding. Trust me, this will be for the best," said the King.
Marcy hesitated before replying, "Well… If you say it's better that way, then… okay."
"That's a good girl," said the King. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to have a word with Amara in private."
"Oh, sure! Of course!" said Marcy, excusing herself.
A Sleepy Realization
"Huh, I just wish I didn't have to add my name to the book of losers," sighed Sprig as he grabbed the book and wrote his name in it.
"Me either," said Polly, as she also wrote her name in the book.
"Hand me that pen," said Anne. "You're not the only losers. I was scared out of my mind."
"Me too," said Marcy. "It's not the first time either."
"For real?" asked Polly.
"Have a look," said Marcy, inviting her to turn the pages in the book of losers.
"Whoa," said Sprig, turning the page. "Your names are in here a bunch of times."
"Yup, the only one brave enough to never get in the book was Sasha," said Marcy. Though right as she said that, Sprig turned to another page.
"Hang on a second. Sasha's name is right here!" declared Sprig. Anne and Marcy's eyes shot open as they saw her name in the book. They had completely forgotten that there was indeed one time when Sasha lost a Scare Dare.
"Oh man, that's right! How did I forget?" exclaimed Anne. "The last sleepover we had at her house before we came here!"
"The one where Sasha wanted us to spend time in that scary house!" said Marcy.
"The one that Luz won…" they both said at the same time.
"That was the first sleepover we had with Luz," said Anne.
"It was the only sleepover we had with her," added Marcy.
Anne sighed as she thought about that sleepover. "Yeah, we had a good time with Luz… before things got complicated."
"You know, we've met both Sasha and Marcy now," said Polly. "We still haven't met this other friend of yours, Anne."
"Yeah, you haven't really talked that much about Luz," observed Sprig. Anne didn't respond, but it looked as though she wanted to say something.
"Anne, do they know what happened between you and Luz?" asked Marcy.
"No, they don't. I haven't told them," replied Anne. "Not because I don't trust you guys; it's just kind of personal and also… I know that part of what happened between me and Luz is my fault."
"So, what did happen?" asked Sprig. "If you don't mind sharing with us."
Anne thought for a bit and decided it was finally time to tell Sprig and Polly the truth.
"Well, you see, it all started—" began Anne before the doors to the bedroom opened and she was interrupted by Lady Olivia entering.
"Rise and shine, kids!" she shouted. "Because of you, I barely slept a wink last night! Ugh, well, whatever. It's go time! Your audience with King Andrias is about to begin. GET READY!" With that, Lady Olivia slammed the doors shut.
"I guess we'll put a pin in that," said Anne. "I promise I'll tell you guys some other time. Guess we should get ready."
The kids started to get ready. As they were leaving out the door, Marcy pulled Anne aside.
"Don't worry about Luz. I think you might hear some good news about that in our meeting with the King."
"Really? I hope so," said Anne. "I really regret what I said to her, Marcy. I wish I could take it back."
New Resolve
"These four stones are the keys to getting it working again. They need to be recharged," said the King, pointing to the stones on the Music Box.
"Recharged? How?" asked Anne.
"The book mentions four different temples, each channeling a different kind of energy," said the King, pointing to the illustrations in the book. There were symbols above each of the four gems. A brain above the green gem, a heart above the blue gem, a fist above the red gem, and a star above the purple gem.
"And once the stones are recharged," continued the king.
"We'll have a way home!" exclaimed Anne.
"Steal my thunder, why don't you?" began the king in mock annoyance. "But yes!"
"I don't believe it… A real chance to get home!" said Anne.
"Right, now, let's get out there and conquer these bad boys!" declared Marcy.
"Whoa-ho, let's reign those snails in for a sec," said the king, raising his hand. "The book only gives the location of one temple. Besides, you still have a lot of preparing to do before you set off. Oh, and I might add, you still need another party member."
"Uh, what now?" asked Anne, confused.
"It just so happens I have some information about your other friend," said the king, clapping his hands. The door into the hall opened, and a pink newt walked through, coming up to meet the group.
"Hello!" she said, greeting the group, her eyes turning to Anne.
"You must be Anne, right?" asked the newt.
"Yeah, that's me," answered Anne, still not sure what this had to do with anything.
"My name is Amara," began the newt. "I knew your other human friend, Luz."
Anne's eyes widened at hearing that name, and she immediately began asking other questions.
"You knew Luz? Is she safe? Is she okay? Where is she? Is she here right now?" asked Anne in excitement.
"Whoa, slow down. Luz is okay… Or at least she was the last time I saw her," replied Amara.
"What do you mean the last time you saw her?" asked Anne.
"Well, it's a little complicated, so I'll give you the short version," said Amara. "Basically, she found out that you were in Wartwood and decided to journey there in hopes of finding you."
"But I'm not in Wartwood. I'm here!" declared Anne, and realization suddenly dawned on her. "I have to get back to Wartwood!"
"I'm so sorry," replied Amara. "I even said that we should come here. If we had, the two of you would already be reunited."
"Marcy, I have to go back!" said Anne to Marcy. "Luz might already be there!"
Marcy looked hard at Anne before replying. She wanted to make an argument against Anne leaving, but she honestly couldn't think of a good one to make. Anne had just told her how she missed Luz and regretted what she had said to her, and now there was finally a chance for Anne to find Luz. Marcy knew it wouldn't be right to stand in the way of that.
Finally, she spoke, "I guess that makes sense, but are you sure, Anne? I mean, I know you and Luz parted on bad terms, so if you wanted, I could go back with the Plantars and meet Luz, then bring her here. If I met her first, I could have a chance to explain things to her and make sure she's okay with seeing you first."
Anne thought about Macy's proposal before responding, "Marcy, that's very sweet of you, and I appreciate the offer, but this is something I have to do. I have to make things right with Luz. I… I… I've been avoiding it for so long, but I have to see her and tell her I'm sorry to her face."
"Well, if that's what you think is best, Anne, then I support you," said Marcy. She then turned to the Plantars. "Were you going to head back soon?"
"We were actually," said Hop Pop. "The harvest is coming up soon and we can't miss it. In fact, I was hoping we could head back today if that's alright."
"Yes, that's great!" said Anne. "The sooner, the better, if it means finding Luz again."
"Well, we do still need to get our stuff from the hotel packed up," said Hop Pop.
"Hey, Amara, you said you told us the short version. Does that mean there's more? How long were you with Luz?" asked Marcy.
"Oh, a few months. We studied magic together under Uodeela," said Amara.
"Uodeela…" said the King softly. All eyes turned to him as, for the first time, he seemed to be more serious and sad. "I appreciate you telling me what happened to her, Amara." He then turned to Anne. "You know, I understand how you feel, parting on bad terms with a friend. When she was a lot younger, Uodeela used to live here in the palace. She was like a daughter to me."
"What happened, your Majesty?" asked Amara.
The King's eye's shifted a bit before responding, "Uodeela and I had a fight. I honestly don't remember what it was even about anymore, but she left the palace and went to live on her own in the Wilds of Amphibia. I think she misunderstood and thought she had been banished, but I always regretted how we parted. I kept hoping one day she would come back and apologize, but now it seems I won't get that chance." The King's eyes began to water as he grabbed a giant tissue to wipe his eyes and blow his nose.
"Farewell, Uodeela," proclaimed the King before turning to Anne. "Don't make the same mistake I did, Anne. Find your friend and make peace with her. You never know when the last time you might see her is."
"Thank you, your Majesty," said Anne respectfully. "For everything."
Anne then turned to her frog family. "Well, let's go get packed up and get ready to go."
"Hey, uh, Anne," said Amara. "I know you have to leave, but if you have some time, I could tell you more about what Luz was up to before you go."
"Yeah, I'd like that. Marcy, why don't you come with us? We can grab a coffee at the hotel," said Anne.
"Sounds good!" replied Marcy.
Later, Amara, Marcy, and Anne were sitting in the hotel lobby, enjoying some drinks and listening to Amara tell them what she and Luz had been up to.
"And that's the whole story," concluded Amara.
"Sasha…" said Anne slowly. "I can't believe she hurt Luz, too."
Marcy sighed. "I'm so sorry to hear about what happened to your teacher. Magic users are very rare in Amphibia, and Uodeela sounded like she was very kind and knowledgeable."
"She was incredible," said Amara. "I didn't realize it at the time, but in addition to teaching me magic, she was also trying to help me become a better person. Honestly, Luz also helped me be a better person. I can see why the two of you value her friendship."
Anne shifted uncomfortably in her chair before replying, "Yeah, Luz has a way of making you feel good about yourself."
"She was always so full of energy!" said Marcy. "I can't believe she got to study magic out here. That's so cool! I'm honestly a little jealous. Oh, you think Luz could teach me some of what she's learned when I see her again?"
"I mean, I could teach you a few things if you want," offered Amara.
"Oh, that would be great! But right now, I have to focus on getting things ready for our journey to the temples," said Marcy.
"Hey, Amara… Did Luz ever talk about me?" asked Anne.
Amara thought for a bit before answering, "She never told me what happened between the two of you. At first, she didn't want to talk about you, but as time went on, she seemed to talk about her past more. I know she said that one reason she wanted to find you again was so that she could make things right with you."
Anne took in this statement and felt hope in her heart at hearing it.
"Okay, Anne, we're all packed and ready to go," called Hop Pop as he, Sprig, and Polly came over to get Anne.
The friends had gathered outside the hotel, ready to say their goodbyes. Anne wanted to start with Amara.
"Hey, Amara, I just wanted to say thank you for being a friend to Luz. I wasn't there and honestly, at the time, I was a bad friend to her. So thank you for being there for her."
"You're welcome," said Amara, giving a hug to Anne.
Anne then turned to Marcy. "Thank you for understanding that I have to find Luz, and thank you for getting things ready here."
"No problem, Anne," said Marcy. "I'll contact you once I have everything ready, then I'll meet you in Wartwood."
"Can't wait," said Anne. "I hope the next time I see you, I'll have Luz with me… Hey, Marcy, one last thing."
"What is it?" asked Marcy.
"Do you have any advice on what I should say to Luz? I have a few ideas in my head, but I'm still nervous about what exactly I should say." asked Anne.
Marcy took Anne's hands into her own and looked her in the face. "Whatever you say, let it come from the heart. Be sincere. You've grown in your time here, and I bet Luz has, too. Give her a chance to explain herself and listen. That's the best advice I can give you."
"Thanks, Mar-Mar," said Anne. The two shared a long hug before finally separating as Anne boarded the fwagon. Hop Pop took the reins and guided Bessie towards the city gate and then out onto the road. Their journey home had begun.
"So, Anne," asked Sprig as they left Newtopia, "you never did tell us what happened between you and Luz."
"Oh, right," said Anne. "Well, I think it is finally time, and Hop Pop is here so I can tell him too. So Luz was a friend I met about a year ago. She was a new student at my school. We discovered we had a lot in common and became good friends. Then one night at a dance…"
Marcy watched the fwagon fade away into the distance, standing there, hoping that Anne's eventual reunion with Luz would go well. Even though she knew there was a good reason for Anne to leave, she couldn't help but feel a bit sad at seeing her go. Amara had stayed to watch Anne leave too and came up to Marcy, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. As she did this, the two heard a voice behind them.
"Always sad to see someone go, isn't it?"
With that, the King came up behind Marcy and Amara, catching them by surprise.
"Amara, can you give Marcy and me a few moments alone, please?" asked the King. "I'd like to talk to you after."
"Oh, of course, your Majesty," said Amara, excusing herself. She moved away a distance. She could see the king talking to Marcy, but couldn't hear what he was saying. After a few minutes, Marcy left, heading back to the palace, and the King came to talk with Amara.
"So, you made a new friend with this Luz person," he said.
"Yes, and not just with her, but I made other friends too," said Amara.
"Ah, I see. It always feels great when you make new friends… at least, it does at first," said the King ominously.
"Huh? What do you mean?" asked Amara.
"Do you know what the problem with friends is, Amara?" asked the King. "The more you love them, the more it hurts when they go."
Amara thought about the king's words.
"Luz is going to leave our world eventually, and I guarantee you won't like it when she does," said the King.
"Well… maybe," began Amara, "but I still have other friends. I will miss Luz though…"
"Perhaps she doesn't have to leave," suggested the King.
"What?" asked Amara in surprise.
"I have a proposition for you, Amara," began the King, "and I think you'll find it very interesting…"