"I am so glad you became a doctor for animals, Mrs. Noceda," said Hop Pop. "I wish we had all your fancy medicine and technology back in Amphibia. I bet our lives could improve a lot if we had that."
"Hey, I'm just glad I can actually talk to you," said Camila, "which admittedly is kind of weird as frogs; heck, all animals in our world can't talk, so often you have to figure out what's wrong with them all on your own. I'm proud to have you as my first patient who can talk."
"Wow, that must make treating the animals really hard," said Hop Pop.
"It requires certain finesses," said Camila, "and it's tricky because animals have different physiologies, so you have to be familiar with organ systems from so many different species, but vets have been doing it for years. Heck, some people say vets have a harder time trying to diagnose sickness because our patients can't simply tell us what's wrong with them."
"Well, I think it's admirable how you take care of animals, Camila," said Hop Pop, "especially since in Anne's world, they are so small and defenseless. You know, a while ago, Sprig, Polly, and I were out walking and saw one of your Earth frogs. I could not believe how tiny it was."
"Yeah, that really is how small frogs are in this world, and that was probably a common species," said Camila. "A lot of species in South America are even smaller."
"At least the herons are smaller in this world," said Hop Pop.
"That's right. Luz told me about not just the herons but other giant bugs and such that inhabit your world," said Camila.
"Anne mentioned those too," said Bee. After a beat, he added, "We really are lucky she came back unharmed."
Camila and Oum nodded their heads in agreement.
"Speaking of which, where are Anne, Luz, and the others?" asked Oum. "Not that we need their help, but I wonder what they're up to."
Hop Pop gulped nervously, as he knew he needed to distract the Boonchuys so they wouldn't get suspicious. He made his way over to the phone, which was playing music, and turned up the volume. As it so happened, a new song came on, one that both Oum and Bee recognized. They both smiled as the song played, and Bee began to sing along.
[Play "You Make it Feel Like Christmas" by Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton]
"I want to thank the storm that brought the snow,
Thanks to the string of lights that make it glow.
But I want to thank you, baby, you make it feel like Christmas."
Oum had already started bopping her head to the music. As the first verse ended, Bee stopped and let her continue.
"It barely took a breath to realize, we're gonna be a classic for all time.
I want to thank you, baby, you make it feel like Christmas."
Bee held out his hand, and Oum grabbed it, letting her husband pull her into a spin. Right as they finished, they both sang the refrain.
"Sweet gingerbread made with molasses
My heart skipped and I reacted
Can't believe that this is happening
Like a present sent from god
Sleigh bells singing hallelujah
Stars are shining on us, too
I wanna thank you, baby,
You make it feel like Christmas"
Bee and Oum continued to dance and sing together, clearly having a great time. Camila and Hop Pop watched, both of them smiling. As the song ended, Bee pulled something out of his pocket and held it up above him and his wife. Oum smiled before leaning in and kissing him.
The Santa Anita Mall was bustling with activity. It was the last week before Christmas, and people were out in droves, doing some last-minute shopping. A woman sat on the outside promenade, playing a song on her guitar. At the moment, Anne, Luz, and the amphibians were rushing out of a store with a large purchase of lights for the float. They were moving so fast that they didn't look where they were going and ran into someone.
"Oh, sorry," said Anne to the man before realizing who it was.
"Hey, driver dude! How are you?" asked Sprig.
"I'm fine, just got off my shift at the toy store. Man, you would not believe how crowded it was," said the Lyft Driver. He looked at all the lights the girls and the amphibians were carrying.
"What's all this for?" he asked.
"Sorry, it's a secret," replied Anne.
"Oh, a holiday secret of some kind?" said the Lyft Driver.
"Yeah, exactly," said Luz. "We're gonna surprise Anne's parents."
"Luz!" yelled Anne. "He works for my parents! Don't say anything."
"Relax. If this is a surprise for your parents, I promise I won't say anything," said the Lyft Driver, trying to calm Anne down. He leaned in close before whispering, "Besides, I'm already keeping the secret about your amphibian friends, so I guess one more can't hurt."
Anne thought about that before realizing he was right. "Okay, fair point. I'm trying to make a parade float for them for the Christmaspalooza parade."
"Oh, that's sweet of you, Anne," said the Lyft Driver. "I'm sure your parents will appreciate it."
"Thanks," said Anne. "I think we have everything we need, so now it's just a matter of putting it all together. We're heading over to the Thai Temple to get the elders to help us."
"Well, I'll leave you all to it, then. I just got off my shift, so I'm gonna do a little Christmas shopping myself before heading home," said the Lyft Driver. With that, the group went on their way, and as they did, Luz called back.
"Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas," called the Lyft Driver, waving to the group.
He went on his way, looking at the different shops, trying to decide where to go. As he was doing that, two men walked out of a store, one of them putting on a hat he had just bought.
"Check this out, Ken," said a man with purple hair. He put on a Santa Clause hat that had a bit of mistletoe attached to the end of it, and he hung it so that the plant was just over his head.
"They call it the mistletoe hat," said the purple-haired man as he put his arm around the other man. "It's the perfect holiday way to get a kiss."
"Oh, Tyler," said the other man in a playful voice, "you don't need that hat to get a kiss from me." With that, he pulled his boyfriend in for a kiss.
Right as that happened, a large woman with greying hair came up to the pair and began to yell at them.
"How dare you?!" she said in a shrill voice. "How dare you make such a display in public?! There are children here!"
"Children can't see two people kissing?" asked one of the men. "I saw that stuff in kids' shows all the time."
"It's not right for two men to kiss, " said Ms. Bryant.
"Says who?" asked the other man.
"Says the Bible," replied Ms. Bryant.
"Oh, of course," said one of the men. "That two-thousand-year-old book that was supposedly written by god. How did I forget?"
"You should read it so that you don't forget," screeched Ms. Bryant, "then you'd realize that you're living a sinful life!"
"Hey, why don't you leave them alone?" said another voice. The woman turned and saw the Lyft Driver approaching them.
"Stay out of this!" said Ms. Bryant.
"No, I don't think I will," said the Lyft Driver emphatically. "No one wants to hear your ranting. Leave them alone!"
As he said this, a small crowd had formed, and all of them gave the woman a dirty look, siding with the Lyft Driver.
"Yeah, leave them alone!" called another person in the crowd.
"Take a hike," said another.
"It's Christmas. Why don't you try being joyful?" said a third.
Ms. Bryant looked around, realizing she was outnumbered, and decided to leave in a huff, but not before hurling one more insult at the two men.
"Your behavior offends god!"
As the woman left, the crowd dispersed, going back to their shopping. The Lyft Driver came up to the couple.
"People like her make me really glad I decided to leave religion," he said.
"I wish I could say that's the first time that's happened to me," said Tyler, "but unfortunately, it isn't."
"Sorry to hear about that," said the Lyft Driver.
"Eh, it's alright," said Ken. "She was all alone in attacking us, whereas you and the others were on our side. That warms my heart."
"People like that can't ruin Christmas for us," said Tyler. "In fact, I'm planning something I think will make this one of the best Christmases ever."
"Oh, what is it?" asked Ken.
"It's a surprise," said Tyler with a mischievous grin, though he reached into his pocket as he said that.
"Well, I hope you both have a very merry and fun Christmas," said the Lyft Driver.
"Thanks," said Ken as the two walked away. Tyler, again, touched the ring box he had in his pocket. He had originally thought of a more elaborate proposal that involved skywriting but ultimately decided to shelve the idea in favor of a more simple Christmas proposal. He was extremely nervous about what he was planning but hoped that Tyler would say yes.
The group had started building the float at the Thai Temple. The elders agreed to let Anne leave it there until it was finished. The group spent most of the day working on it until it was almost done. It still needed some small tweaks that Anne said she could do at home.
Back at the Boonchuys, once the others had gone to bed, Anne went to the garage to do some more work on the float. Polly and Amara joined her, both having learned a lot about building things from working on Frobo. It took a lot of work, but the three managed to finish the float. They stepped back and admired their work.
"I think this turned out great!" said Anne, admiring the float.
"That's because you had me helping you, Anne," said Polly proudly.
"Gotta say, you are pretty handy with that blowtorch," said Anne.
"As long as she's using it safely," added Amara.
"I can't wait to see the look on my parents' faces when they see this," said Anne. "I'm gonna call Ally and Jess and have them bring their car over in the morning to hook it up."
"I heard from Luz that the vet clinic Camila works at is getting a float in the parade too," said Amara. "Luz and her mom are going to be on that float, and they asked me if I wanted to join them."
"So, are you going to?" asked Anne excitedly.
"Yeah, I figure I might as well enjoy this human holiday," said Amara.
"This will be so great!" said Anne. "All of us are going to be a part of the parade. I can't wait!"
As Amara made her way out of the garage and up to Anne's room, she noticed there was a light on in the attic. Curious, Amara went to check it out. As she opened the door, she saw that Sprig was inside.
"Garbage, it's all garbage!" he yelled, throwing his arms up in the air.
"What are you doing?" asked Amara as she entered the attic.
"Ahh! Amara, I didn't hear you," said Sprig.
"Well, I heard you. You were being very loud," said Amara. "It's late. What are you still doing up?"
"Okay, you know how we were trying to learn the meaning of Christmas," said Sprig.
"I thought we settled that," said Amara. "Christmas is about being kind to people."
"Right, that's only part of it," said Sprig. "Turns out another part of Christmas is giving the people you like gifts."
"Oh, yeah, that is a part of it too," said Amara.
"So I was trying to find the perfect gift for Anne, but I have no idea what that is," said Sprig in frustration.
Amara looked over at the table Sprig had been working on. She could see various "gifts" Sprig had tried to make in various states of disrepair.
"I think you're obsessing about this a bit too much," said Amara. "What exactly do you consider the 'perfect gift?'"
"That's the problem. I have no idea what the perfect gift is," said Sprig.
"Look, Sprig," began Amara, "gift-giving is part of the Christmas tradition, but it's not meant to be the sort of thing that you stay up all night worrying about."
"But Anne means so much to me," said Sprig. "If I get her a bad gift, she'll hate me."
"No, she won't," said Amara in a comforting voice. "Listen, Anne is glad just to spend time with you. That's what Christmas is really about, spending time with the people you love. Heck, I'm glad to be able to spend time with you and your family."
"Really?" said Sprig.
"Of course. My family… I never really had a close relationship with either of them," began Amara. "My parents both cared more about making me into the 'perfect newt' than they did about us doing anything fun together. You, Polly, and Hop Pop… You guys are different. You all actually care about each other, and I love that about you guys."
Sprig smiled at Amara, who came forward and hugged the frog.
"If you want my advice about getting Anne a gift, I think you have the right idea of making one from scratch. I think she'll appreciate it a lot more if it's made by you," said Amara. She bent over and picked up the discarded present that Sprig had been working on, bringing it back to the table.
"Want some help?" asked Amara. Sprig smiled and nodded his head, and the two of them worked on the gift.
When the morning came, Anne made sure she was the first one up so that her parents wouldn't accidentally look out the window and see the surprise. She had the Plantars go outside and get in the float. When she felt everything was ready, she finally brought her parents outside with their hands over their eyes.
"Okay, so I really wanted to do something special for you guys, since you've done so much for me. And, well, open your eyes."
Oum and Bee opened their eyes, both letting out a loud gasp as they took in the sight of the float in front of them. The float was adorned with all manner of decorations that were a mix of Thai cultural decorations and traditional Christmas ones. The front and back of the float had beautiful Thai statues. The sides had golden elephant statues as well as the name of the restaurant, "Thai Go" on it. On top of the float, there was a traditional Christmas tree, and at the top of the tree was the family name "Boonchuy" and what looked like a crow's nest. The front of the float was connected to a truck, where the window rolled down and two girls yelled.
"Surprise!"
Oum and Bee stared at the float in awe, still trying to process the fact that this was real.
"Wow, this is amazing," said Oum in disbelief, "but what about keeping a low profile?"
At that point, the Plantars came up out of the crow's nest, all of them dressed in holiday clothes, except Polly, who was wearing brightly colored clothes and a hat with a feather. She was also holding a broom.
"Uh, wait a minute. Polly, what are you wearing?" asked Anne.
"I'm Black Pete," said Polly. "I'm the one who gets to beat the bad children with a broom."
Anne took a long look at the tadpole before saying in a deadpan voice, "Yeah, no, you are not wearing that to the parade."
"What? Why not? I checked, and it was a part of your human traditions," argued Polly.
"That's a part of Dutch tradition," said Anne. "We don't do that in this country."
"Well, then I guess I'm starting a new tradition," proclaimed Polly proudly.
Anne let out a groan before looking at Hop Pop and Sprig. "Well, at least you two have the right idea."
"Ho, ho, uh, line," said Hop Pop.
"Ho," said Polly, reading from a script.
"Are you sure? Doesn't sound right," said Hop Pop.
"Well, aside from Polly, I think no one will suspect a thing," said Anne. She turned back to her mother. "I wasn't going to let you give up on your dream because of me. You wanted this for so long, and you deserve it."
Oum leaned forward and hugged Anne. "It's perfect. Thank you so much."
"Merry Christmas, Mom," said Anne, returning the hug. As she did, Bee got into position with his camera and prepared to take a picture, though when he looked at the picture he had taken, Oum and Anne were not looking at the camera, and both had confused looks on their faces.
"Gosh, dang it!" exclaimed Bee. "I will get the perfect holiday photo, or I will die trying!"
As if on cue, one of the reindeer fell off the float, and Bee barely managed to get out of the way before it fell on him.
"I'm sorry, Santa!" said Bee in an apologetic voice.
Lights flashed as the floats made their way down Hollywood Blvd. The whole street had been adorned with Christmas decorations, and crowds of people had formed along the street to watch the parade. An announcer talked about each of the floats as they passed by.
"Welcome, everyone, to the annual Holiday Parade!" said the announcer in a loud voice. "We have so many floats from so many different businesses this year. Leading us off, of course, is the big man himself, Santa Clause! Everyone wave to Santa!"
The crowd cheered and waved to the lead float, which was a giant robotic Santa.
"And right behind him, we have the 'Construct a Carnivore' float!" continued the announcer. "Don't forget, kids and parents, they have specials going on all throughout the holidays, so come to construct a carnivore and construct your favorite animal-eating animal."
"Behind them is the Pet Vet Clinic, where you can take your pet to get checked up when he's not feeling so fine. This year's float is being ridden by one of the clinic's finest vets, Camila Noceda!"
The Pet-Vet Clinic float was composed of many different animals, mainly a cat and a dog forming the base of the float. Two snakes hung off the back in an arched snakelike pose, while the top of the float had a large parrot on it. Luz, Amara, and Camila rode on the float, waving to the crowd.
"I remember the first year we had this float," said Camila to Luz and Amara. "I was so excited to be a part of this parade."
"It is pretty fun," said Luz. "I love getting to wave to all the people and throw candy at them. Speaking of which, hey, Amara, want to help?" Luz offered the bag of candy canes to the newt.
"Sure," said Amara. The two went to the sides of the float and began throwing candy canes to the crowd, with the crowd cheering as they did.
"It's nice to know there are so many fun traditions in this world," said Amara. "While I do miss Amphibia, it's been a very fun time getting to see all that your world has to offer, Luz."
As the float passed through the crowd, Luz and Amara threw candy canes, while Camila called to the people on the streets.
"Remember, your dog should not be dragging their butt on the ground. If they do that, take it to a vet. Cats need their claws, and they like to scratch, so make sure and buy them a scratching post. Declawing a cat is cruel! Feed your bunny lettuce, not carrots!"
Right behind them, the Thai Go float came into view, with the announcer commenting on it.
"And now let's give a big hand to newcomers, 'Thai Go!'" proclaimed the announcer.
Oum, Bee, Sprig, and Anne all stood on the main area of the float, waving to the crowd. Hop Pop and Polly were up in the crow's nest, throwing out candy canes at the crowd. Polly had reluctantly abandoned her Black Pete outfit to wear a more traditional holiday one, though she still brought the broom with her. Meanwhile, Hop Pop seemed to have again forgotten what to say, with Polly yelling at him.
Anne cheered as the float moved forward. She was feeling so happy that everything had come together, and she felt even happier seeing her mom enjoy the surrounding spectacle until she saw her mom shed a tear.
"Mom, what's wrong?" asked Anne, concerned. "If it's not perfect, I'll fix it."
"No, no," said Oum. "It's just really nice to be a part of the community like this. Ever since your father and I came here from Bangkok, it's been a challenge fitting in. I have always thought that making it into this parade would mean we had finally done it."
"Wow, I never knew you and Dad felt that way," said Anne. "After months in Wartwood, I know what it's like to feel out of place." She came over and placed an arm on her mother, who smiled.
As that was happening, Luz came to the back of her float and waved at Anne and Oum.
"How are things going with you guys?" called Luz.
"Amazing!" said Oum. "Anne told me you and Amara helped with the float."
"We did," said Luz. "I'm glad you like it!"
"How is Amara liking the parade?" asked Anne.
"She's good," replied Luz. "How about the Plantars?"
"Well, aside from Hop Pop forgetting what to say, I think they're doing great," replied Anne.
"The crowd loves us," said Bee, coming forward to the front of the float to join Anne and Oum. "This is gonna be such good publicity for the restaurant."
"Awesome! Can't wait to have dinner at your place afterward," said Luz as she returned to the other end of the float to give out some more candy. Anne smiled as she watched Luz go.
"She looks so cute," said Anne in a wistful voice. Oum and Bee heard her say that, and they both smiled.
As the parade continued, Andrias's drone flew near the parade route, with Andrias himself still looking for Anne.
"I can't wait to squash this stupid world," he growled in frustration. "At this rate, it will take a miracle to find Anne."
As if on cue, Andrias turned the drone toward the parade and happened to catch sight of the Boonchuys' float, their name emblazoned on the side of it. Not only that, but Anne had chosen that exact time to let out a cheer.
"Whooo! I'm Anne Boonchuy! I'm Anne Boonchuy!" she yelled as she gripped the side of the float and jumped up and down in excitement.
"She's Anne Boonchuy!" said Sprig, coming up to her.
"Well, that was easy," said Andrias. "Oh, yeah, I remember this holiday." He turned the drone around so he could see the festive decorations.
"Glowing trees, nut smashers, red-suited jolly man with a beard. Oh, that gives me an idea. Let's get festive with this."
Andrias moved the drone over to the giant robotic Santa and landed it on his neck. Tendrils spread out from the drone and snaked out over the whole robot. When that was done, a stinger emerged from the tail of the drone and stabbed into the robot, injecting a swarm of nanobots into it. The nanobots quickly spread throughout the whole Santa robot, taking it over. Once they had, a robotic voice notified Andrias.
"Robotification complete, equipped for battle, and ready to rock."
"Well, Merry Christmas to me!" gloated Andrias.
Back at the Boonchuy float, Hop Pop and Polly had climbed down from the crow's nest and joined Anne and her parents on the main deck of the float, dancing to the music and enjoying themselves. Oum was having the time of her life, getting to be a part of the festivities.
"You were right, Anne," began her mom. "I shouldn't have been so worried about everything. I can't believe I almost missed out on this." She raised her arms in the air to punctuate that last part.
"I love Christmas so much!" cheered Oum at the crowd. While she was saying that, Bee took out his camera, sensing he could once again get the perfect shot.
"Hehehe, this gonna be so candid," he said as he lined up the group for a picture. Right before he could take the picture, the head of the large Santa robot turned around and spoke in a loud voice.
"Ho, ho, hello, Anne Boonchuy!" The group gathered on the float, turned away, and looked at the robot with expressions of terror on their faces.
"Ah, man, well, that's definitely ruined," said Bee, looking at the picture.
At the Pet Vet float, Luz and Amara had also heard the voice, and both turned to look at the Santa Robot.
"That voice, it can't be… King Andrias!" exclaimed Luz in alarm. Amara and Camila turned to look at the Santa robot in alarm.
"Wait, King Andrias is Santa?" gasped Sprig.
"Just when I thought I understood what this holiday was all about," sighed Hop Pop.
Slowly, the large robot got up from its seat and turned around. Lasers from its eyes destroyed the sleigh it was riding in. Its eyes changed focus and looked at the float in front of the Boonchuys.
"Oh, what have we here?" said Andrias through the robot. "Luz Noceda and Amara Light. I should have known you'd be with Anne. How fortuitous for me."
The robot, again, charged up its eye lasers and focused them on the Pet Vet float, blasting it and causing its occupants to fall down. Camila scrambled over to Luz.
"Is that the lizard king who's after you?" she asked in a worried voice.
"I'm a newt, not a lizard!" yelled Andrias indignantly. "We destroyed the lizard people's world."
He blasted the float again, causing it to catch fire. Below, the driver of the float quickly opened the door and got out, running as far as he could from the now-on-fire float. Luz looked from the Santa robot to the Boonchuy float.
"Everyone, get to the Boonchuys' float!" called Luz. She made a motion with her hand and waved Amara and her mother over. They both ran to the back of the float and leapt off it onto the Thai Go float. Luz made sure they were both off before leaping herself. Anne reached up her arms to help catch her on the float. Andrias blasted the Pet Vet float a third time and finally destroyed it. He looked over at the Thai Go float and picked up a large candy cane, hurling it at the float and causing Polly to fall off it. The parade crowd let out a gasp.
"We gotta get out of here now!" yelled Polly to Jess and Ally.
"But, but, giant robot!" said the two girls, their eyes going wide.
"That giant robot is trying to kill us!" called Luz, which seemed to snap them out of it.
"Ally, Jess, punch it!" said Polly.
Jess shifted the car into reverse, and quickly backed it, and the float up. Andrias tried to smash them directly with the Santa robot, but missed. Jess was able to turn the float around and quickly sped away, the robot close behind them.
"Wait," called Andrias, "you didn't even get to open your presents!"
"Hold up, presents?" said Polly. "Maybe we should hear this guy out."
The Santa robot brought up two mechanical presents. It launched the lids as though they were rockets at the float, barely missing them.
"Your presents suck!" yelled Amara.
"Well, that's all you're getting since you've been a bad girl, Amara," taunted Andrias.
The float turned a corner, almost tipping over. Andrias continued chasing them.
"Come, guys!" called Anne. "Grab anything you can and fight back!"
Camila, Oum, and Bee picked up whatever was lying around and hurled it at Andrias, though nothing they threw at him did any damage at all. Anne and Luz grabbed a large glass ball and threw it at Andrias, only to have him catch it and throw it back at them. Both had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit by it.
"I am so sick of robots!" screamed Anne.
"He's too powerful!" said Hop Pop.
"Anne, does Santa have a weakness?" asked Sprig. His words gave Amara an idea. She leaped off the float and landed right on the robot.
"Amara, what are you doing?!" yelled Luz.
"Trying to find this thing's weakness!" she called as she climbed over the entire robot.
"Hey, get off!" said Andrias in annoyance, trying to swat her off.
Meanwhile, Ally and Jess saw a roadblock ahead and had to stop the float before running into it. This, however, meant that the group was now trapped, with Andrias quickly closing in.
Finally, Amara stopped at the back of the neck of the robot, noticing the drone on it.
"Guys, there's something here!" she called. "A bug of some kind. I think that's how he's controlling the robot. We need to get rid of it."
Amara put her hands on the drone and began yanking, trying to pull it out. Moments later, an electric shock coursed through the drone, shocking her and causing her to let out a yelp before falling off.
"Amara!" yelled Luz and Anne together.
"Nice try there," said Andrias in a snarky tone, "but did you really think it would be that easy?"
Camila jumped off the float and ran toward where Amara had fallen, scooping up the newt in her arms and checking her for signs of injuries. Andrias gloated at the group.
"Looks like this is the end of the road, Anne. Literally. Oh, and as a bonus, I get to kill Luz too. You've both been very bad girls this year."
Andrias began charging up the laser in the robot's mouth but was distracted as something stabbed into the robot's leg, knocking it off balance. Camila and Amara had grabbed a broken street lamp and used it to attack the robot.
"LEAVE MY DAUGHTER ALONE!" yelled Camila as she and Amara thrust the street lamp at the robot again.
"Stop that!" yelled Andrias, turning the robot around to focus on Camila and Amara. As he did, Luz and Anne's eyes found the drone Amara had told them about. They both looked at each other, nodding their heads. Anne signaled her parents while Luz signaled the Plantars, and they quickly worked to bring the tree on the float over and load it into a makeshift firework can. Luz and Sprig tilted the can, trying to line up the angle correctly, while Hop Pop struck a match, lighting the wick. Polly's eyes lit up as she watched the fuse burn down.
Camila and Amara were still running about, trying to keep Andrias distracted as he fired lasers at them. They saw what Luz, Anne, and the others on the float were trying to do and did their best to keep the robot focused on them. They wielded the broken street lamp again and aimed it at this other leg, stabbing him and causing him to stumble again.
"Hold still and let me shoot you!" said Andrias as he continued to try to blast them.
"Hey, Andrias!" called Anne.
"Merry Christmas!" finished Luz as the fuse burned down, launching the tree at the drone. It struck the drone, piercing it and causing the connection to the robot to suddenly become interrupted. Andrias quickly checked his readout and saw that the drone had been destroyed.
"What? No!" he exclaimed.
The robot fell forward, propelled by the momentum of the tree, hitting it. As it fell, Amara and Camila quickly scampered out of the way. The robot fell face forward onto an old, ugly brown car. A little kid and his father observed this.
"Daddy, is Santa going to be okay?" asked the child.
"No, Timmy, I don't think so," answered the dad. He put his arm around his child and moved him away from the grisly sight.
Ms. Bryant walked out of the store in a huff, still grumbling under her breath about how the clerk did not honor her coupon. As she approached her car, she pressed the button on her remote to unlock it, only for it to make a strange sound. As she got closer, she finally noticed it was crushed under the destroyed Santa bot. She dropped her bag in horror.
"MY CAR!" she screamed.
Back in Amphibia, Andrias angrily removed the headset, crushing it in his hands and throwing the controller down to the floor
"Dang it! It's the stupid controller's fault! I was so close!"
He took out his sword and began striking the controller in a rage. Blair, Bartley, and Branson quickly and quietly decided to leave the room. They had just made it to the door of the throne room when, suddenly, a mass of purple goo formed around them into hands and grabbed them.
"Where do you think you're going?" asked a sinister voice. From outside the throne, a new figure stepped into it. The figure had made a purple spell circle to summon the purple goo.
"We were just going to get some air," said Branson nervously. "It's a bit stuffy in here.'
"We, uh, figured it was best to leave the king alone," added Barley nervously.
"He seems like he needs to vent his frustration," said Blair, trying to sound compassionate.
"Yes, he certainly did need to vent his frustration, didn't he?" said another voice from inside the throne room. Another figure stepped out from the shadows—a figure that looked very similar to the one at the door.
"That was pathetic, though," continued the figure in the room. "You call yourself a king?"
"It was pathetic," said the other figure, "though I must admit it was entertaining to watch." The other figure let out a laugh.
"Ha, ha! Oh, I agree," said the one in the throne room, holding up a purple twenty-sided die. "Your tantrum did provide us with some amusement. Perhaps you should have been a court jester instead of a king."
Andrias shot the figure a look, but didn't respond.
"Still, I'm not sure it's entirely Andrias's fault," said the figure at the door, still holding onto the three newts. "I mean, you three did design that thing, right? So some of the blame should fall on you."
All three newts gulped as the figure used the goo hands to bring them closer to stare at its face.
"Well, what do you have to say for yourselves?" asked the figure.
"I'm certain we can iron out the kinks," said Bartley.
"This was technically a test run," said Branson. "We can take the data we learned and make a better drone."
"We'll make changes to the controller so that it works better," pleaded Blair.
"So you're saying you intentionally made it bad?" asked the figure in a menacing voice.
"No, of course not!" said all three newts at once.
The figure made a motion with its hand and moved the purple goo hands so they were holding the three newts out the window. All three newts looked down and let out a scream.
"You've already finished work on the spore collars, right?" it asked.
"Yes! The spore collars are ready to go," said Bartley quickly.
"They should work on any kind of creature, even herons," added Branson, also quickly.
"You'll still need us to maintain them in case something goes wrong," pleaded Blair.
With that, the figure's red eyes changed and began to glow as a rapid series of codes, numbers, and calculations flashed across its helmet. After a beat, it spoke in a cold voice.
"We have calculated that we don't need all of you…"
A second later, it opened its middle hand, dropping Bartley to his death, the purple newt screaming as he fell. The figure brought the other two newts back into the castle and released them from the purple goo hands.
"As for you two, let that be a lesson that we will not tolerate any further failure," said the figure to the two remaining newts.
Both gulped nervously and shook their heads to show they understood. They quickly left the throne room, eager to get as far away from the Core host as possible.
In the aftermath of the parade incident, the group had done their best to recover. They cleaned up what they could from the damage to their float, and while Anne was sad about having put them all at risk, her mother reassured her that she had still had a good time. Bee had somehow even managed to get his perfect candid photo that depicted the group celebrating after beating the robot, though no one seemed to remember him taking it. As they got ready to head home to begin their Christmas celebrations, they also decided to split up, as Camila and Oum wanted to make a stop before heading home. They asked Anne and Luz to come with them while Bee would drive the Plantars and Amara home and begin preparations for dinner. Anne and Luz were a bit puzzled as to where their mothers wanted to stop, as they hadn't said anything about it before. They drove in relative silence until finally reaching their destination.
As the cars came to a stop, Anne and Luz realized where they were. They had stopped just outside the Waybrights' house, causing the girls to let out a small gasp.
"Mom, what are we doing here?" asked Luz.
"Oum and I wanted to stop by and offer Melissa some food for Christmas," said Camila.
"We're going to give her some tamales we made and some cookies," said Oum. "You can stay in the car if you want."
Anne and Luz looked at each other before Anne said, "No, we'll go with you. We'd like to talk to her."
"Are you sure, Anne?" asked Oum.
"Yeah, I'm sure," said Anne. Luz nodded in agreement.
"Alright," said Camila. As she and Oum got out of the car, they went to the trunk and got out a plate of Christmas cookies and a bag of one dozen tamales. The four marched toward the front door of the Waybright house, with Luz recalling the first time she had come here. Once they reached the front door, they rang the bell. After a few minutes, Melissa Waybright answered the door. She was wearing normal clothes and looked a bit disheveled. Her eyes, which still had bags under them, immediately fell on Anne and Luz. For a second, no one said anything, but Luz and Anne eventually introduced themselves.
"Hello, Mrs. Waybright," said Anne.
"We wanted to bring you some food for Christmas," said Luz. Oum and Camila offered her the tamales and cookies.
"Listen, I know you're going through a lot right now, and I understand if you're still mad at me," said Oum in a humble voice, "but please let me try to make it up to you."
"Mrs. Waybright, about that fight Sasha and I had," said Anne, "listen, it is true we've been through a rough patch, but believe me when I tell you I am still trying to find her."
"We're both still trying to find her," said Luz. "Whatever happened between us, it's not fair that you should have to suffer. Please believe us when we tell you that we're trying to bring Sasha home."
Melissa continued to stay silent. She looked at Luz, Anne, Oum, and Camila for a long time, feeling a lot of different conflicting emotions. Finally, she said in a stern voice.
"Please, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but if there's one thing you must learn, it's not to make promises you can't keep. It's wrong to give someone false hope."
Anne knew the story that Luz had told. She knew Mrs. Waybright didn't know the truth. She wanted desperately to tell her that Sasha was okay, even if still trapped in another world, but she also knew it would be too much to tell her right now. Melissa turned to go inside without taking the offered food, but at the last second, she stopped and turned around, holding out her hands. Oum and Camila gave her the food. Melissa tried to smile but couldn't quite manage to do it. Still, she again looked at the guests at her door before saying.
"Thank you for the food."
"Melissa, are you sure you wouldn't like to come over to my house?" asked Oum. "We made plenty of food, and I think it would do you some good."
"I appreciate the offer, I really do, but I just don't feel up to it tonight," said Mrs. Waybright. She looked at Oum. "I'm sorry for not keeping in touch with you after the girls disappeared, and I appreciate you inviting me to your house for dinner. I simply don't feel like going out right now, but… Perhaps we can do something for the New Year? I wouldn't mind having you over at my house for just a small celebration, nothing big."
"I'd like that," said Oum kindly.
"I would too," said Camila.
"I'll give you a call for New Year's, and maybe by then, I'll feel up to celebrate," said Mrs. Waybright. She looked down at the food in her hands. "Again, thank you for the food."
"Merry Christmas, Mrs. Waybright," said Anne and Luz together in a tender voice.
Mrs. Waybright took a beat before finally managing a brief smile and replying, "Merry Christmas."
With that, she took the food inside and closed the door. The girls and the parents walked back to the car, and as they did, Anne and Luz gave one more look at the house, knowing they had to find some way to bring Sasha and Marcy home.
"So, do you know anything about what happened at the Christmas parade?" asked the Lyft Driver to his passenger.
"I think it was just a float malfunction," said the passenger, a young woman with long black hair, a blue beanie, and a coat.
"Ah, man, I hate it when those kinds of things happen," said the Lyft Driver. "Hope it doesn't cause any sort of traffic problems."
"I think you'll be fine," said the woman. "How's your holiday season been?"
"Pretty busy," answered the Lyft Driver. "Working a lot of jobs, but I got Christmas off, so I'll get to spend it with my family. I can't wait to try the tamales we made. How about you?"
"Oh, I'm alright," answered the woman. "Been playing my guitar and singing Christmas songs, trying to get some extra money."
"How's that been going?" asked the Lyft Driver.
"Pretty good," said the woman, "but I like just playing and seeing people smile."
"That is nice," said the Lyft Driver. "You look familiar. Have I seen you before?"
"Yes, I was at the mall, playing my music there," replied the woman, "I saw you stand up to that woman who was badgering that couple."
"Oh that, yeah I hate seeing people like that," said the Lyft Driver, "especially because… well, I used to think like she did."
"Did you?" asked the woman with interest.
"Yeah, I mean I never went on a rant against gay people, but if I'd seen something like that when I was younger, I know I wouldn't have stepped in and gotten involved," said the Lyft Driver a little sadly. "I'd probably just sit back and let it happen."
"What changed your mind?" asked the woman.
"A lot of stuff," said the Lyft Driver, "but I guess you could say it was seeing that the 'church people' were a lot crueler than the gay people. I don't like people who are cruel for no reason, especially when they're trying to force their morals on you and for you to follow god."
"Yes, especially when they have no idea what a god really looks like, or how it acts," said the woman. "In reality, there are a few higher species that humans might consider gods that they have no idea exist."
The Lyft Driver paused before responding, "Uh-huh. I mean, I guess that is one way to think about it."
"There also aren't really angels or demons as humans might think of them," continued the woman, "just spirits, spirits who occasionally take human form and come down to check on them."
"Yeah, sure. Why not?" said the Lyft Driver. "Makes more sense to me than any established religion."
The woman gave a coy smile.
"I sort of remember the song you were playing at the mall," said the Lyft Driver. "It was very pretty."
"Want to hear it again?" asked the woman, bringing up her guitar.
"Sure," replied the Lyft Driver.
The woman began strumming on her guitar before singing in a beautiful voice.
"I'm sure you feel it coming,
There's something on the breeze
It might be slightly snowing
Or seventy degrees.
Regardless of your hemisphere, the holidays are here
And with them come the tidings
Of this special time of year."
The Lyft Driver smiled as he heard her sing, making him feel at ease. The woman continued.
"A bucket of fried chicken
A costume for your dad
A demon who will stuff you, in a sack if you've been bad
A reindeer gets promoted
An old man confronts his fear
Of karma and mortality, this special time of year."
The woman strummed her guitar some more, getting ready for the last verse.
"Whatever makes you happy
Whatever gets you through
Whatever lets you know, that I am feeling this with you
If you believe it's special
Then that's what makes it special
It's a special, it's a special,
It's our special… time of year."
"That was very nice," said the Lyft Driver.
"Thank you," said the woman.
"Your song was very comforting. Made me feel relaxed," said the Lyft Driver.
They continued to drive in relative silence before finally arriving at the destination, though it seemed as though it was an empty field of sorts with no housing in sight. The Lyft Driver looked at his phone, making sure they were at the right address.
"Are you sure this is the right place?" he asked, turning to look in the back, only to realize there was no one back there. The Lyft Driver did a double take as he looked again. Only the blue beanie the woman had worn was still back there. The Lyft Driver got out of his car and opened the back door to make sure, but no one was in the back seat. He looked around outside the car for any trace of the woman, but saw nothing. He felt unnerved and a little scared. Right at that moment, he got an alert on his phone, and the Lyft he had just completed had given him a very generous tip. He also got a text from an unknown number with a single message.
"Merry Christmas!"
As Camila pulled up to the Boonchuy's house, they could see the lights were already on. Bee had brought the Plantars and Amara over and was already starting the cooking. The Plantars and Amara had begun setting the table and making sure all the Christmas lights were on. Luz, Anne, Oum, and Camila joined in, helping in the preparations for dinner. The Boonchuy kitchen was full of activity. Once most of the food was ready, Oum, Bee, and Camila nodded to each other, as it was time for one more idea they had to be put into motion.
"It's time to make the maduros," said Camila.
"We need to make the mango sticky rice," said Oum.
Luz and Anne came over to their respective parents to help, but instead, they were greeted with a surprise.
"Actually, Anne, why don't you go and help Ms. Noceda?" said Oum.
"Oh, what?" asked Anne, confused.
"We thought it would be good to teach you how to make a different dish this time," said Bee.
"Luz, you help the Boonchuys make the mango sticky rice," said Camila to her daughter.
"Oh, okay," said Luz, surprised. Luz and Anne gave each other a look as they walked to their new locations.
Anne came over to where Camila was. Camila put her hand on Anne's shoulder and began to explain how maduros were made.
"So, first things first, you have to peal the plantain," explained Ms. Noceda. "This is very similar to how you peal a regular banana. Then you need to chop them up into equal parts, but you have to watch out for the pits. Unlike regular bananas, these have large seeds in them."
Anne followed along with what Camila said, cutting the plantains as she said.
"Next, we need to heat the oil," said Camila. "We use vegetable oil to fry them in, and you have to make sure and turn them at just the right time."
Anne took in her words and paid attention, wanting to make sure she made them right.
Over at the other end of the kitchen, Mr. and Mrs. Boonchuy instructed Luz on how to make mango sticky rice.
"First, you need to steam the rice," explained Oum.
"While you're doing that, you can start to prepare the mixture," said Bee. "Mix up the coconut milk, sugar, and salt, and get it to a nice warm temperature, but we don't want to let it boil."
"You also need to slice up the mango," said Oum. "You want to get into nice little slices and serve it alongside the rice."
Luz concentrated as she sliced the mango and watched the cream mixture heat up, taking care not to let it burn.
It took some time, but eventually, both desserts were finished, and Anne and Luz presented them to each other's parents.
"How's this, Mr. and Mrs. Boonchuy?" asked Luz as she held up a plate of sticky rice.
"Looks good," said Oum.
"Have you tried it?" asked Bee.
"No, not yet. I was hoping one of you would, so you can let me know how it tastes," replied Luz.
"How do the maduros look, Mrs. Noceda?" asked Anne as she held up the plate for Camila.
"Very good, Anne," said Camila. "They look nice and brown. Did you salt them after they were done?"
"Yeah, I did. Do you want to taste one to see how I did?" asked Anne.
"Actually, why don't we have Luz taste them? I think she's done with your family's dessert too," said Camila.
Luz and Anne turned to each other, both holding a plate with their dessert. They each took a fork and offered each other a taste of their dessert. Anne tried the sticky rice prepared by Luz, and Luz tried the maduros prepared by Anne.
"Mmmm, this is really good," said Luz. "You did a great job, Anne!"
"The sticky rice tastes perfect," said Anne as she finished the sample Luz had given her. Both girls smiled at each other, and behind them, their parents smiled too. The girls took the desserts to the counter and placed them at the end of the rest of the food. Afterward, Luz went back to the Boonchuys, and Anne went to Camila.
"Thank you for showing me how to make that," said Luz to Oum and Bee.
"No problem," said Bee, putting his hand on Luz's shoulder.
"We glad to see how you and Anne get along," said Oum, placing her hand on Luz's other shoulder.
Luz looked up into the Boonchuys' faces before pulling them into a hug. The Boonchuys returned the hug.
"Thank you for showing me how to make maduros, Mrs. Noceda," said Anne to Camila.
"Of course, Anne. You seem a natural in the kitchen, and maduros aren't that hard," said Camila.
Anne leaned in and hugged Camila. Camila smiled and returned the hug, gently stroking Anne's hair.
With that, the group sat down and ate dinner. Afterward, they opened presents. Sprig gave Anne the figure he had made for her and told her how she was his hero. Anne looked at the little figure in the shape of herself and her eyes watered, she knelt down and hugged Sprig. Sprig returned the hug, glad that Anne enjoyed the gift he worked on. Anne gave her mother the butterfly from the derby. After the presents, Anne, Luz, Sprig, Polly, and Amara went outside and played a few rounds of tongue tag as well as a few rounds of bugball. Once it got too cold, they came inside and joined Bee and Hop Pop on the couch for a few rounds of video games. They played a few rounds of both Mushroom Dash (which Hop Pop was surprisingly good at) and some rounds of Hyper Bash, with Bee showing off just how good he was as he won against the others. The Joker victory theme played once again.
"Ah, confound this infernal contraption!" said Hop Pop. "Can we go back to the racing game? I was actually doing well with that!"
"I'm gonna get some more cocoa," said Anne, getting up from the couch.
"Me too," said Amara, joining Anne.
"I want more cookies!" said Sprig and Polly together, both getting up at the same time.
This just left Luz and Bee on the couch, with Luz's mouth still open in shock.
"Dang, you are good!" she said to Bee. "I guess I'm lucky that I didn't actually have to fight you for Anne's hand."
Bee gave a smug look to Luz before saying, "Well, Luz, maybe someday you'll get good enough to beat me." He paused before leaning in and whispering, "Maybe… when you are ready to actually ask for Anne's hand."
Luz blushed furiously but didn't respond. Bee put his hand on Luz's head and ruffled her hair.
"Alright, let's go again!" said Luz, giving Bee a fierce look. Bee gave a smirk before starting a new game.
Anne, Oum, Hop-pop, and Camila sat at the table and worked on a holiday-themed puzzle together. Sprig, Polly, and Amara sat down and enjoyed more cocoa and cookies. As the night wore on, the group eventually settled in the living room to watch a Christmas movie before finally deciding it was time to call it a night. The group all went out to the front porch to say goodbye. Right before they were ready to leave, Bee came over to Anne.
"Oh, Anne, I have to say, I love your hair decorations. Very festive," said Bee. "But I think there's one you forgot."
As he said that, he reached forward and put something in Anne's hair near the top. Oum and Camila saw what it was and gave a mischievous grin.
"Alright, everyone," said Oum to the Plantars, "let's get inside and let Anne and Luz say goodbye to each other."
"Wait, why did he put that weed in her hair?" asked Polly. Oum didn't answer and instead ushered the frogs inside.
"Come on, Amara," said Camila. She turned to Luz. "We'll wait for you in the car, Mija."
"What's up with that plant?" asked Amara as they walked away.
"I'll explain in the car," said Camila to the newt.
With that, Anne and Luz were left alone on the front porch.
"Luz, what did my dad put in my hair?" asked Anne, unable to see it.
"It's…. Uh…. Mistletoe," said Luz nervously as she looked from Anne's hair to her face.
"Oh!" exclaimed Anne, realization suddenly dawning on her. A smile formed on her lips.
Luz tried to think of something to say or something to do, but she found herself freezing up, unable to do anything. Anne seemed to have noticed as she reached out and took hold of Luz's hands.
"Well, Luz, you know how much I love Christmas traditions," said Anne in a coy voice, moving closer to Luz.
"Are… are you sure?" asked Luz in a hesitant voice.
"Luz, it's Christmas. Your girlfriend is standing under the mistletoe, and she's waiting for you to kiss her," said Anne in a gentle voice.
Luz looked up into Anne's face one more time and knew this was the moment. It was either now or never! After taking one more quick breath to calm her nerves, Luz moved her hands to Anne's shoulder and then slowly pulled her into a soft, tender kiss.
As their lips met, Luz felt a euphoria well up inside her that spread from the point their lips made contact down through the tips of her fingers and toes. She let the feeling wash over her whole body as she kissed Anne. It reminded her of the night of the dance, only this time, the mood and feelings were perfect. Anne felt a similar sense of joy as they kissed. She let herself fully enjoy the moment, finally getting to have the kiss with Luz she wanted. Anne pulled Luz closer to her, wanting this moment to last forever. Both girls felt their hearts race.
The kiss only lasted for less than a minute, but as they both pulled back, they were both smiling. Luz racked her brain as she tried to think of something cool to say—something that would make this moment perfect and make it a memory that she would cherish forever. After thinking for a few seconds, she finally decided.
"Merry Christmas, Anne." Luz brought up her hand to caress Anne's face.
"Merry Christmas, Luz," replied Anne. The two looked into each other's faces a bit longer before Luz turned to leave. She made her way back to her mother's car and got inside the back seat with Amara, her face aglow with happiness.
"So, Mija, did you have a good time?" asked Camila in a very coy voice.
Luz thought for a moment before responding, "BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!" She leaned over and hugged Amara as she said that. Camila smiled and began driving home. Luz turned to wave out her window at Anne, who was still standing on her porch. Anne blew a kiss to Luz before her car faded from view.
Anne walked back inside, her parents standing just inside the front door.
"So, Anne, did you have a good Christmas?" asked Oum in a very coy voice.
"Yes," said Anne as she came up and hugged her parents. "Thank you so much for everything, especially you, Dad."
"What? I didn't do anything," said Bee slyly. Anne just smiled before giving both her parents a hug and heading upstairs to her room.
Once they were alone, Bee pulled another piece of mistletoe out and held it above his wife.
"Oh, what's this? Looks like I had another," said Bee with a mischievous grin. Oum looked up at the mistletoe and then turned to her husband, returning his mischievous grin. She didn't kiss him, but instead, she grabbed him by the collar (a little roughly) and pulled him towards their bedroom. Once they were inside, she closed the door.
[Play: "Under the Mistletoe" by Justin Bieber]
As Luz got ready for bed, she still had a big, goofy grin on her face. The night had gone perfectly, and this was the best Christmas she'd had in a long time. Honestly, she hadn't remembered one this good since before her dad died. For a second, she felt sad as she thought about him, but the feeling quickly passed as she thought of the wonderful Christmas she just had. She hoped that if her dad was still around in some way, he was a part of the celebration. Before she climbed into bed, she looked out her window one more time. It was so surreal to think that a little over a year ago, she had only just met Anne, Marcy, and Sasha for the first time. They had gone through so much together, and there was still a lot left to do. She knew they had to return to Amphibia, rescue Marcy and Sasha, and stop Andrias once and for all! While it all seemed so daunting, Luz knew that the two of them would succeed because they were together and they had their friends to help them. Whatever else was in store for them, they'd face it. At that moment, though, Luz was glad for the chance to relax and spend time with not only Anne but also Amara, Sprig, Polly, and Ho Pop. As she lay down in bed, she thought one more time of the kiss she had just shared with Anne and smiled before falling into a deep, peaceful slumber.
As Anne walked into her room, she saw that the Plantars were already asleep, no doubt tired from all the partying. Anne gently plucked the mistletoe from her hair and placed it on her desk, right next to the small figure Sprig had given her. She smiled as she looked over at the sleeping Plantars, glad to have had the opportunity to spend this Christmas with them. Anne looked out her window, thinking of all that had happened to her. How much her life had changed since she met Luz, how much she, Sasha, and Marcy had gone through in that time, and how they still had so much left to do. Despite knowing that the battle was far from over, Anne was glad for this brief respite from it. Glad that she had got to have such an amazing Christmas with her frog family, her human family, and Luz. She knew that whatever challenges they had to face in the future, she wouldn't be alone and would have her friends, her family, and Luz to help her. As Anne got into bed, she thought one more time about the kiss she had just shared with Luz and smiled before falling into a deep, peaceful slumber.
END OF ARC 5
NEXT TIME…
Arc 6: Agents and Adventures