Chapter 28 - Chapter 27: Part 2: Chapter 4: The Primal Theory

Frank had been trying to put the things he saw in the cave in the back of his wary mind. However, some things are easier said than done. The mural was like an unfinished prophecy that stopped predicting what would happen to him when he found it. Unable to see what would happen past his discovery and only know of the final battle that would kill him. That's not something that can be easily forgotten.

Other than that, it wasn't all that bad. The journey has been peaceful since leaving the mountains. Right now, the fwagon, driven by Hop Pop, was passing through a wide-open valley. The long trip allowed Anne and Frank to introduce Sprig and Polly to movies they liked from their universe.

Which was why he was sitting on the bed with Sprig and Anne, watching one of her shows. The young frog boy was rolled up in a blanket, and the Thai girl, who was tearing up, sat on his left side. Meanwhile, Frank was sitting on Sprig's right. They were watching the series From Pointe to Poppin on Anne's cell phone.

It was a bad show, but the Thai girl really liked it.

And, like Anne said, it totally didn't have anything to do with her rocky relationship with her own mom.

They were at the big climatic moment of the show, with the mother and daughter together in a dance studio as the daughter, Mariah, had just been caught by her mother breakdancing. Dressed like a ballerina, Mariah stood up on her toes and posed. "Don't you get it, Mother? I know you want me to be a ballerina, but my heart belongs to hip‐hop," she said, performing a brief breakdance before looking at her mother nervously. "Are you disappointed?"

"Yes, I'm disappointed by all the money I wasted on this class," Frank said, only to get punched in the arm by Anne.

Turning back to her show, Anne quoted Mariah's Mother as the woman spoke. Both her and the girl's eyes were tearing up. "No, I'm proud of you. All that hipping and hopping was breathtaking."

Mariah and her mother hugged each other and started crying. "Oh, Mother.

"Oh, Mariah," the mother cried before the credits started rolling, and Anne began crying, wholly moved by the show's most significant plot moment up to that point.

"And that is the masterpiece, From Pointe to Poppin," she said to Sprig and Frank after she stopped sobbing.

Sprig said, "Talk about an emotional roller coaster—" Suddenly, the fwagon stopped abruptly. Frank yelled as he and Sprig fell off the bed and crashed down on the floor together. Both of them groaned in pain as Anne looked down in concern.

"Frank! You all right, buddy?" Anne exclaimed, looking down from the bed at her crush with a concerned expression.

"I'm good, too," Sprig said as he lay on top of Frank's chest. His fall had been cushioned by the Hispanic boy, much to his annoyance.

"Get off me!" Frank pushed his froggy friend off and sat up, rubbing his head in pain. "What the hell's going on out there?"

Climbing up to the door on the roof, Frank pushed it open and poked his head up. He faced his froggy grandfather and saw what was going on. The carriage was currently going up a steep slope, one that had been gradually becoming steeper and steeper the further up the road. And now, it was becoming too much for the beloved snail.

"Come on, Bessie. Come on," Hop Pop encouraged the family snail as Bessie let out stranded chirps. "Almost there." He turned back to the human boy. "Frank, help her!"

"I'm on it, HP!" Frank said, ducking back into the fwagon.

A second later, Frank opened the side door. Jumping out of the carriage, Frank ran to the snail.

"Come on, girl. Let's get you to the top," he said, grabbing the right wooden shaft, the part of the carriage that hooks up to Bessie for her to tug along. Frank grunted as he helped pull Bessie up the road.

With the help of the Hispanic boy, the snail was able to climb to the top of the hill. When they reached the peak and were about to start going down, the old frog pulled on the reins to slow Bessie down. However, Hop Pop pulling on the already strained and worn-out rope proved too much for the reins. They snapped off on both sides, much to the family's surprise. They all gasped, and Frank jumped out of the way when the vardo (AN: a wagon you live in) rolled down. Bessie stopped herself, backing into the wagon and stopping it.

Laying on the ground, Frank sighed in relief before looking. Seeing a herd of sheepbugs on both sides of the road, grazing on the grass and blue flowers. "Cool. Sheepbugs," he said as a little lamb approached him and licked his cheek. It bleated cutely and hopped away, with Frank blushing and looking embarrassed as Anne, who had her head sticking out of the roof, giggled at him.

However, Hop Pop was far from happy. "Oh, dammit! The ding‐dang reins snapped," he yelled.

One of the sheepbugs bleated, getting Bessie's attention. The snail turned her head and saw a sheep nearby. She chirped at the sight of such a cute animal, and her instincts told her to rub herself all over it.

Frank was about to step into the fwagon when Bessie dashed off after the sheep, knocking Frank down to the ground as the snail charged after the sheep and left him there. "Hey!" Frank yelled, scrabbling to his feet and chasing off after his friends. It only got worse for him when the sheep ran from the snail, being chased by Bessie. "Hey! Hold on!"

"Frank!" Anne yelled from the roof of the wagon, holding her arm out at him, watching as he grew further away from her as the out-of-control snail pulled the wagon. She turned around to Hop Pop, who clung to his seat. "Hop Pop, we have to stop!"

"With what?" Hop Pop exclaimed. "We gotta fix these reins, or we can't control Bessie."

That's when Sprig popped out and pulled out a map of the area they were in. "Don't worry, Hop Pop. There's a town right down the road. See?" he said, pointing to a town marker that was printed with some gold. "Ribbitvale."

Hop Pop, however, scoffed. "Ribbitvale?" he exclaimed. "The most expensive town in all Amphibia? No way!"

Anne and the frogs all screamed as they lunged forward when the wagon suddenly came to a stop. The Thai girl looked down at the snail and saw what had happened. Bessie had caught up to the sheep, which was lying on the ground, purring as she rubbed herself on its fur. The insect could do nothing but let the snail do as it pleases.

"Looks like we don't have a choice, HP," Anne said, finding the snail's behavior cute.

Knowing the kids were right, Hop Pop sighed and said, "You're right." Then the old frog looked at his kids and Anne sternly and pointed his finger at them."But don't get sucked in by the fancy when we get there."

The four of them heard the sound of footsteps and panting coming from behind the fwagon. They turned their heads to the right just as they saw Frank walking up to the side of the vardo, slumped over, sweating, and breathing heavily. He stopped, bent over to place his hands on his knees, and tried to get his breath back in order.

"Wha...What did I miss," Frank said, much to Hop Pop's chagrin.

Without any reins to steer the fwagon and keep Bessie from chasing after any more sheep, those with legs and arms had to do all the heavy lifting—or, for better terms, all the heavy pulling. Keeping the snail hooked to the fwagon, the male frogs and humans worked together to guide Bessie back on the road. Pushing and pulling to ensure she wouldn't run off again as they passed by the sheep.

Once on the dirt road, the humans and Plantars were on their way to Ribbitvale. And it luckily wasn't far away.

When they saw the large, expensive, fancy sign for the town on the side of the road, the four friends started walking toward it. Upon arriving, they pushed on Bessie and brought her to a stop. Allowing them to take a break to catch their breaths at the city's entrance.

Having sat on Bessie's shell the entire time the others were doing all the work, Polly was the first to see the city. "Guys, look! We're here!"

Frank pointed to the sign on his left as he hung his head, still trying to catch his breath. "Really? Because I'm pretty sure that the sign already said...that..." The young boy lost his snarky attitude in the middle of his sentence. He was left speechless and amazed when he saw the city they had reached.

Frank has been to many locations in Amphibia, ranging from the swamps of Wartwood to the stone walls of Toad Tower and the underground, technically advanced factories of the Ruins of Despair. But Ribbitvale was an entirely new experience, and the comparison between the city and Wartwood was night and day. The best way for Frank to think of it was like looking at a Victorian painting come to life.

He and the others looked around and saw a lot of fancy buildings around them, including fancy frogs dressed in their finest suits, dresses, and wigs. The way they walked was stylish. They talked in a snobbish and snotty way. Their snails and carriages looked top of the line; everyone looked like they had money to spare and throw at their troubles. And even then, it still wouldn't make a dent in their savings.

There was even a guy with a giant pet lobster!

"So shiny... So sparkly...." Polly said, entranced by the fanciest.

Her grandpa, however, sprayed water in her face for this. "Hey! Hey!" Hop Pop yelled, having used a spray bottle-shaped bug on her. "What did I just say? I said to look away from the fancy, not at it."

For Sprig, however, it was too late. "It's like nothing I've ever seen before!" He said with big eyes that sparked with wonder and excitement, lying eyes down on the magnificent sights and objects in the city. "A ten‐tier fountain. A solid gold snail carriage. There's even a pie vendor!"

Frank walked over to Anne and patted her on the back. "Let's get the rope to fix the reins," he said.

"Come on, dude," she said, blushing a bit. "Don't you want to explore the city a bit?" Anne hoped to use this as the chance to be alone with Frank. Just the two of them, exploring a fancy city together.

"No getting sucked in, Anne!" Hop Pop yelled at her, much to her chagrin.

"We're just going to go straight to getting the rope shop, Hop Pop," Frank told the old frog. He then leaned in and smirked to Anne. "Which requires a little exploring."

Anne's eyes widened briefly before she realized what he was doing. She giggled and walked away with Frank beside her, entering the city and strolling down the stone streets of the fanciest city she'd ever been to.

"So, what do you want to do first," Anne asked with her hands behind her back. Smiling at Frank as he returned the gesture.

"Well, we'll have to ask for some direction," Frank said.

The girl looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "You really think any of these people are going to talk to us," she said, referring to the two of them being humans—practically aliens—in a world that has never seen a human. Wartwood took three months to accept her and Frank, so snotty frogs wouldn't likely have the same hostility.

"Can't hurt to ask. Besides, I've got a few more convincing ways of getting the information I want," Frank said, reaching back and lightly tapping the handle of Hellcat's Claw.

"You are twisted, you know that?"

"Thanks," Frank said. He turned and walked over to two of the frogs. While one was reading a newspaper, Frank approached the other one. "Hey, buddy. You know where I can get some rope?"

"Sure," said the frog, turning around and looking up at Frank. Only to see the human and drop his cane to the ground. Not out of fear at the sight of the strange creature, but for the fact that he knew Frank.

Because he was One-Eyed Wally!

When Frank saw who it was, he was taken aback and paused for a second, trying to understand what the hell he'd just discovered. It was unbelievable to Frank, but there was no doubt in his mind. He knew that hair and one eye any day.

"Wait...One-Eyed Wally?" Frank exclaimed as Anne ran over to him and the frog. She was also surprised when she saw that it was indeed Wartwood's local kook. Only he wasn't wearing his usual hat and clothes, but dressed up fancy and nicely groomed.

"You didn't tell me you were leaving the valley, you scamp," Anne said with a grin as she walked to the nervous frog and punched his shoulder.

Wally stammered as he backed away from the humans. As he looked around, trying to figure out what to do, especially when the Plantars were there and coming over to investigate, he said, "Oh, um...."

"Walliam, you know these pungent...creatures, do you?" The frog with Wally said, folding the newspaper under his arm.

The older frog resembled Wally, with cyan blue skin and a lighter underbelly with slick back white hair. He had yellow eyes with a monocle and wore upper-class-styled clothing that consisted of a dark gray waistcoat over a brown shirt, white pants fastened with a black belt, black boots with golden buckles, and a silver top hat. He was also carrying a curved cane around.

Realizing that he had to play along and lie, Wally said, "Uh, yes, Father. I met them on my business travels."

As the Plantars walked over and stood beside Frank and Anne, Wally's wealthy father smiled and pointed at the heroes. "These must be your servants from Wartwood, then," he said.

Hop Pop raised an eyebrow. "Servants?" Oh, he did not like that label, nor did Polly.

As to not have his cover blown and to de-escalate the tension before it had a chance to rise, Wall quickly ran over to Hop Pop and placed his hand on his left shoulder. "Yes. That's right, Father. These are my servants," he said nervously as he patted Polly's head. Polly, however, grabbed his wrist and squeezed down hard on it, making the local kook grunt in pain as tears formed in his eyes.

Wally's father then walked over to Frank and Anne, examining them with his hand on his chin. "And these must be some kind of exotic beasts you tamed. Though I sooner would have had them stuffed," he said with a chuckle as he japped Anne's stomach with his cane.

"The fuck did you just say, cabrón (asshole)?" Frank glared at the frog.

"Cabrón? Is that a fancy title for a master," asked the old frog, rubbing his chin, having never heard of the Spanish language before.

Frank realized this and formed a wicked smirk. "Why yes, yes it is, cabrón," he said with a slight bow.

The father of Wally thought about the word for a moment. "I love it! It sounds so foreign, but sounds so bold!" He said, pumping his fist and grinning a hardy smile.

Frank chuckled and whispered to himself. "Oh, me va a encantar esto (Oh, I'm gonna love this)."

The wealthy father stepped back and looked at the entire family and the humans. "Anyhow, I am Wigbert Ribbiton."

The second Hop Pop heard his family name, the old frog's eyes bulged out of their socket. "Ribbiton?! As in Ribbiton's Ribbons? The finest web crusty floss in all of Amphibia?" He exclaimed with Polly on his head, unable to believe what his old ears were hearing. Hop Pop then pulled out a small sack of blue floss stings. On the bag was a frog leaning back with their hands behind their head and feet kicked up, a piece of floss between their toes, and the words "Pleasure Your Toes" on the sack.

"The same stuff you can't seem to use in your own private time!" Frank said.

"That's us. And when I retire, Walliam here will be head of the Ribbiton family empire," Wigbert said, looking at his son with a proud smile. "Right, Walliam?"

"Right, Father. Can't wait for that," Wally said, trying to look excited to inherit the family business. However, when his father turned away from him, the loony frog sighed in misery.

Frank and Anne noticed this. The two kids looked at each other, knowing something was wrong with Wally. And if movies had taught them anything, they knew what the plot was. Wally's father was setting him up for life with a business he'd been preparing to run since childhood. Yet, Wally didn't want that. They'll have to wait until they are alone with him to discover his deal and why he would be so unhappy.

Their attention was brought back to Wigbert when the millionaire businessman approached Bessie. "Hello. Looks like someone needs repairs," he said, lifting up the broken reins. Wigbert then did something unexpected and snapped his fingers, summoning his butlers. "My mechanics will make her right as rain in no time."

The small, Toadie-size mechanics came rushing over to the carriage, chanting 'Hup'. They moved around to both sides of the snail and the wagon and grabbed the bottom. Then, to the absolute shock of Frank and Anne, the frogs lifted both animal and vehicle over their heads. Made him wonder if Toadie was as strong.

"Oh, mighty kind of ya," Hop Pop said, as the servant frogs carried Bessie and the vardo off.

"You'll be joining us back at the mansion, of course," asked the millionaire.

"Mansion?" Yelled the family and humans.

Wally freaked out and popped up in front of them. "Oh, no," he exclaimed. "They couldn't—"

The five of them, however, grabbed Wally's head and shoved him down. "Oh, yes, we could!" They all said with massive grins.

When the gate to the Ribbiton mansion opened, the group of five were greeted with the sight of the most beautiful house they'd ever seen. In the center of the grounds was a grand white brick estate. Surrounding it were the gold gates with elaborately designed carvings and frog figures at the top.

"Here we are," said Wigbert, walking through the gate with Wally. Still in awe, Frank, Anne, and the Plantars stared at the home for a second before following the rich frog. As they walked towards the mansion's entrance, they walked past giant peacocks that roamed freely around the garden.

"Are those peacocks," Frank asked.

"Some of my prizewinning birds," Wigbert said. "But don't get too close. Have you ever seen a frog be torn in half by a peacock? Grizzly stuff."

Frank looked at one of the peacocks. The bird looked at him for a second, then shrieked. Frank gasped and quickly ran to catch up to the others.

Once they reached the mansion's front door, they were allowed to enter into its vase halls, which had many chambers and rooms. It was almost overwhelming for Frank, as it was like being inside the mall back home. The walls were lined with main paintings and busts of the members of the Ribbiton family. Servants walked the halls, performing their daily tasks and duties, cleaning and maintaining the home of one of the wealthiest frogs in all of Amphibia.

Wigbert led the group to a door, where a servant awaited his master. "It's, uh, one of our smaller rooms, but please enjoy," he said before walking off. "There's going to be a gathering tonight with some friends of mine. I implore that you join us, as my son's guest."

Looking at the doors to the room, Frank cleared his throat and pushed them open. Entering into a large bedroom with a tall ceiling, paintings all over the wall, a tall lamp, and a big bed.

"This is small?!"

"What the hell, Wally?" Anne exclaimed as she and the others entered the bedroom with Wally, who looked nervous.

"This place is magnificent!" Hop Pop exclaimed as he walked to the bed and hopped on it. Lying on his back and closing his eyes.

"What happened to 'Look away from the fancy,'" Frank questioned the old frog.

"It doesn't count if ya don't have to pay for it," Hop Pop responded, thoroughly enjoying the softness of the bed.

"Hey, let's go explore!" Sprig said with a smile of excitement, eager to see what other secrets the manor had.

That got Hop Pop sitting up and jumping off the bed. "Okay," he said, before he and his grandkids ran out of the bedroom, laughing together.

Leaving Frank and Anne alone with Wally, who they turned their attention to. "Alright...'Walliam,' mind telling me what the hell's going on here?" Frank said, crossing his arms as he looked at the local kook with a frown.

"Yeah, I thought you were a fun-loving tramp, not some little rich boy," Anne said, poking Wally in the chest.

Wally sighed, knowing he had to come clean to his friends. There was no use hiding it. They were already in his house. Taking a breath, Wally began to explain himself to the humans. "Yes, this is my real home, but it's not the real me," he told Frank and Anne. "The truth is I live like a bum in Wartwood because... Well, it's what I love. It is the only place where I can cut loose and be happy. Life as the heir to the Ribbiton family business may look nice, but there are so many rules. If my family knew the real me, they'd surely disown me."

"Just be honest with them," Anne said with a supportive smile. "Tell them the truth, and I know they'll support you. Just like my favorite movie, From Pointe to Poppin."

"Life's not a movie, Anne. Take it from someone who's been disowned," Frank said with a bitter frown.

"He's right," Wally said, groaning in misery. The local kook then pulled up one of the floorboards before taking his accordion out of the hole in the floor. "It's just too risky, Anne. I have to hide these around the house, or I'd lose my mind."

"What about that time you told Frank and me not to care what people think about you?" Anne asked.

"This is different," Wally told her with a look of misery. "You're in another world; the lives you all left behind are there. This is my family we're talking about. My life!"

"I still think you should be honest with them," Anne said firmly. "I mean, what do you have to lose?"

Wally sighed, however. "Well, you already know my secret, so you might as well come with me, and I'll show you," he said, standing up. Wally turned to walk out the door, but he ended up bumping into the wall. "Meant to do that."

"Yeah, yeah. Of course," Frank said.

Wally led the two humans through the maze of hallways and doors until they exited the manor out the back. He took them to a large stable and opened the doors to the building. Frank and Anne followed Wally as he entered the stable, listening to the sound of horses whining.

"So much of my past is here. It would break my heart to leave it all behind," Wally said. He then opened one of the stable doors, revealing a blue ladybug with a pink bow on her head. "Meet Fiddle Leaf. I've been riding her since I was a wee tadpole."

"Aw~" Anne cooed when she looked up and saw a painting of Wally and his beetle (AN: ladybugs are beetles) from years ago. They both looked so happy together as kids. However, when Anne looked back down at the real duo, both Wally and Fiddle Leaf seemed absolutely miserable. The sight of them being so sad made her grimace. "Well, what are you gonna do if you're not gonna tell them?"

"Maybe if they could see how happy I was living in Wartwood, they'd understand and accept me for who I am," Wally said, thinking that Anne's suggestion to come clean to his family would be the correct answer. That telling his father may even work out how Anne said it would, like in her movie.

However, Anne started thinking of an idea.

At the same time, Wally groaned in misery. "Who am I kidding?" he said, giving up any idea of being truthful with his family. "Well, I better go get ready for dinner."

"Right. Go on," Frank said, nodding to the entrance. He watched as Wally left the stables, feeling sorry for his friend. In a way, he was reminded of his friend Hersel. Frank remembered how he said that one of the hardest things he's ever had to do in his life was coming out as gay to his parents. Wally wasn't gay, at least from what Frank saw, but he's in a very similar situation.

Frank was brought back to the present when, after Wally walked out, the Plantars came in. Looking somewhat scarred for life.

"Hey, where've you guys been," asked the Hispanic boy, raising an eyebrow when he saw the looks on their faces.

Sprig and Hop Pop said as they walked past the two friends, "Around."

"Rich people are messed up," Polly added.

Frank wanted to ask what happened and what they could have seen that made them like that, but he figured it was better for his mental state than he didn't. "Right, I am not gonna touch that," he said, about to walk out of the stable.

However, he was stopped by Anne when she grabbed his arm. "Dude, I've got an idea," she said confidently. Frank raised an eyebrow, wondering what the heck she was talking about, but stood still and listened to her. "Wally's miserable pretending to be something he's not. Well, tonight I'm gonna help him come clean. What do you think? Pretty great, right?"

"I think you're out of your mind," Frank said incredulously. Stunned that she would even go that far. "You're gonna out Wally when he's not ready to come out to his family? Do you know how messed up that is, you dingus?"

"Pfft. You worry too much," Anne said, waving him off. "It's the right thing to do because it happened in a movie. And movies are never wrong."

"Yeah, and Chicken Little had a great dad," Frank retorted sarcastically. "Anne, whatever it is that you're gonna do, do us all a favor, and don't do it."

"But—"

"No!" Frank grabbed Anne and pulled her close to his face. They both blushed at how close they were, but Frank pressed on. "Whatever you do, no matter how much you want to help Wally, don't do anything that would upset Wally and his family. Got it?"

Anne remained silent temporarily, looking away from Frank's dark chocolate eyes as she blushed. She was still coming to terms with her newly realized feelings for Frank, and being this close to him had her heart pounding in her chest. She took a deep breath and said, "Alright, I wouldn't do anything to upset Wally. "

Frank sighed in relief and backed away from her. "Alright, let's get the Plantars back to the room and get ready for dinner," he said, passing Anne and jogging over to the frog family, who were in the corner, curled up into balls, acting traumatized. "Seriously, what the hell did you guys see?"

However, Anne mischievously smiled as she held one hand behind her back. Her fingers crossed. She wasn't going against Frank's request. After all, she promised not to do anything to upset Wally and his family. However, with what she had in mind, and with the inspiration of her favorite movie behind her, there's no way Anne could possibly mess this up.

Right?

The sky over Ribbitvale turned into darkness as black clouds blotted out the sun. Thunder gave way to flashes of massive lightning bolts as rain poured down on the manor. Most of the servants who did not live at the mansion had already left with the blessing of their master. Those that did retreated to their sleeping quarters, with those needed for the dinner remaining.

Frank, Anne, and the Plantars sat on one side of the large dining room table, and Wigbert's guests sat on the other. They were all old frogs and newts, with the only real difference between them being their hairstyle and eyewear—if they had any. On the table was a feast for all of them to enjoy.

As Wally entered the dining room and sat at the table, his father was already conversing with one of his guests. "These theories extend to not only frogs," said one of the newts. He was a green-skinned newt wearing a tuxedo and black bow tie with a popped collar. He sported a left-swept hairstyle, mutton chops, both of which are light brown, and bushy eyebrows. "They extend throughout all amphibian kind and the rest of the animal kingdom."

"What did I miss?" Wally asked Frank, who sat next to him on his left. To Wally's right was his father, who sat at the head of the table.

"I don't know. I lost the plot because I was eating," Frank said, taking a bite from a crab leg.

Wigbert poured a glass of wine and placed it next to his son. "Ah, Walliam. Charles was just lecturing us on how we're no different from savages," he said, chuckling at the idea.

"All the way from Newtopia for this?" said Blakely, a frog with long, graying hair and sideburns. He also wore glasses.

"Over time, a species inevitably experiences random variations. We've seen this in a variety of birds," Charles explained to the men in the room.

"Birds?" asked Wigbert, almost scoffing.

Charles reached into his bag next to his chair and pulled out a chart of birds to clarify his theory. "Yes. The species' need for survival focuses their characteristics to adapt, change. It is their primal instinct."

The lady frog in the room, Roberta, scoffed and said, "Well, my primal instinct is in need of more brandy if I'm to survive this drivel."

"Please, my colleagues, all I'm trying to say is that we're not so dissimilar from the primitive amphibians from whence we came," Charles said, wanting them to understand his theory.

Roberta, once again, scoffed. "Speak for yourself, Charles," she said dismissively while adjusting her tall wig.

"Now, now, let him finish," Wigbert said, as everyone in the room, including Frank, Anne, and the Plantars, focused on Charles.

Charles stood up and started pacing around the table. "Of course, we have multiple layers masking our true inner selves—the uniforms of society, education in its highest form, lavish indulgences. We have evolved beyond creation's expectations. But under the right circumstances, facing a primeval threat, I assure you all that our evolution will revert back to its primal, savage form," he explained as he approached a giant stuffed wolf spider in the corner of the room. The dead animal stood on its hind legs, fangs ready to kill. "Fighting for survival at the cost of its soul."

Frank looked down at his plate, troubled by the theory presented, for he knew it was too true. He would know, given his experience.

Wigbert, however, laughed at Charle's claim. "Well then, we must watch over Blakely's cakes, for if the circumstances see them disappear, it will surely release his inner beast."

"Or Polly when she gets hangry," Sprig said with a joking smile. Polly jumped up from her seat and slapped him in the face, earning laughter from all the other guests as Charles looked at them with bitterness.

The last newt guest, Giroud, spoke up and said, "Gentlemen, let us not discard Charles' theory so quickly—"

The conversation was interrupted when Wigbert's butler came into the room. "Pardon, Your Lordship. The constable would like a word. He stressed it was a matter of the utmost urgency," the butler said.

"Very well. Show him in, Stevens," Wigbert said, sipping his wine.

"Yes, sir," Stevens said, before turning and leaving.

A few seconds later, Stevens returns with a toad constable. "Good evening, gentleman. I'm here to notify you of a situation," said the toad.

"What kind of situation?" Frank stood up with a look of worry on his face.

"It talks. Oh, capital," said Roberta, as all the other well-educated frogs looked at Frank with wide eyes.

"Gonna ignore that."

The toad constable looked at Frank with a raised eyebrow, before clearing his throat and continuing with his warning to the Ribbiton. "It would seem that an inmate has escaped from the insane asylum down the road."

Lightning flashed out the manor's windows, adding to Frank and the others' sense of unease. "Uh, did you say...asylum," asked Polly.

"Indeed. Quite a nasty one, too. Said to have killed and eaten a few of the inmates and guards before escaping," the constable informed those in the house. " Keep on the lookout for anything suspicious, and by all means, stay inside for your safety.

Wigbert looked at the law enforcer grimly before nodding his head. "Stevens! I want you to pass along the message," the wealthy frog told his butler. "Have all the housekeepers and staff go to their rooms and lock all their doors and windows. No one is to leave their rooms for any reason until dawn."

"Right, sir," Stevens said before walking off to perform his assigned task.

When the constable left the manor, Wigbert turned to his son and said, "Walliam, what do you think of Charles' 'theory'?"

Freezing for a moment, Wally swallowed the food in his mouth and cleared his throat. "Uh, well...I do admit, I have seen some proof of Charles' theory in...uh," Wally looked around nervously. All of his father's friends, including his father, were looking at Wally with raised eyebrows, wanting to know just what kind of proof he could have. That's when he looked at Frank and pointed at the Hispanic boy as he ate a spoonful of his soap. "Him!"

"Hm?" Frank looked up, his mouth full of soup.

"He's been in fights where he's been pushed to his limits. Why, you should have seen the beast he became when Sasha told him—" Wally was cut off when Frank covered his mouth.

"Okay! I think you're done!" Frank said through gritted teeth.

Wigbert raised an eyebrow at first. "That might be true for his species, but not for us," he said to Wally before turning back to Charles, who sat back in his chair, looking at the wealthy frog with a scowl. "Though I do not dispute the fact that amphibians of today came from simple beginnings as hunters and gathers, the very notion that, somehow, under duress, we can revert back is simply preposterous."

Charles tried to further his rationality. "But only—"

"It is an insult to the very core of this historical society," Wigbert said, cutting him off as the other members nodded in approval. "We are scientists, learned men and women. We deal in facts."

"Wait, you're a scientist and a multi-million dollar business owner?" Hop Pop said, raising an eyebrow. Then again, being rich would allow you to have all kinds of hobbies.

"Yes, and Charles' theory is pure lunacy—as crazy and deranged as that madman who escaped from the asylum."

There was a moment of silence for the members of the society. The only sound being made was the crackling of the fire. Frank, Anne, and their friends looked around, feeling like they were in the middle of this conversation and didn't know how to contribute.

"So...can I have some brandy," asked Polly

"Absolutely not!" Hop Pop yelled.

Suddenly, there was a clattering from the upstairs room above the dining room. Then, the group heard the sound of footsteps.

"What the devil is going on?" Wigbert shouted in alarm.

Stevens re-entered the room and stood straight. "Did you hear that, Your Lordship?"

"Of course I heard it," Wigbery snapped.

"Perhaps one of the branches has shattered the upstairs window. I'll check on it right away," said the butler. Stevens turned on his heel and walked away towards the stairs.

"Yes, see to it, Stevens," said Wigbert as Stevens walked up the stairs.

Seeing it as her moment to put her plan into action, Anne stood up. Raising her hand, she confidently said to the wealthy Amphibians, "Speaking of true nature, I have prepared a special presentation to thank you, Ribbitons, for your hospitality." Anne then pulled out her phone and opened a video she had made. "Now, please enjoy this video of Wally's life in Wartwood. Edited by me."

Wally was about to take a spoonful of his soup into his mouth when his eyes widened in shock and fear, making him drop his spoon. "Wait, what?! Anne, don't!" Wally shouted, but it was too late. The Thai girl pressed the play button on her cell phone; it beeped, and the video played.

The first video that Anne played was of Wally playing the accordion on a broken stone wall. "Oh, I'm a vagrant with a heart of gold!" He sang with a spring in his step. However, he ended up slipping and fell behind the wall. "Aw. Whoop." The silly frog landed on the ground with a thud, and the audience heard the sound of an angry cat yowling.

The next video showed Wally sleeping in a chicken coop, cuddling with some chickens. The door to the pen opened, and Frank's shadow was seen in the sunlight coming in. "What the—Wally!" He yelled at the frog.

Wally woke up and chirped, "What can I say? I sleep better with company."

The final video was played, where Wally bathed in the town fountain while singing to himself without any shame in the world. No one in Wartwood seemed to mind that there was a crazy naked frog in their fountain, bathing himself. There was even a kid throwing coins at him. However, the fun times ended when Wally heard the sound of a whistle blowing. "Ooh. Gotta go." He laughed as he tried stepping out of the fountain. However, he tripped on the ledge and fell flat on his face.

"Oy, oy, oy!" The cops came rushing in and started beating up Wally in a big cloud of dust.

And just like that, the video ended. Everyone looked at the video with a mixture of expressions, though most were blank looks. Frank was sitting in his chair, face-palming himself, unable to believe just how stupid the girl he loved was for pulling that stunt. Blatantly disregarding Wally's wishes and her promise to him.

Anne, however, didn't see anything wrong with what she did. After all, if Wally's father could see how happy he was, Wigbert would have to accept Wally for being the frog he wanted to be. Satisfied with herself for what she perceived as a successful mission, Anne turned off her phone and waited for the tear-jerking moment between Wally and his father. Wally would finally tell his father the truth, then his father would accept him for who he truly is, and then they would burst into tears, hug each other, and say how much they love each other, just like in From Pointe to Poppin. "Cue emotional acceptance," she said.

Suddenly, there was a bang from the ceiling.

Frank, Anne, Wally, Wigbert, the Plantars, and the guests turned their heads to the ceiling, startled by the sudden noise. They wanted for a moment, wondering if another sound would have been made.

However, no more sounds came. Not even the sound of Stevens' footsteps.

"Eh, it's probably nothing," Anne said. She then pointed both her fingers at the father and son. "Everyone, witness emotional acceptance!"

Everyone turned to the master of the house.

Wigbert, holding back his emotions, pushed away from the table and cleared his throat. "WALLIAM!" The frog practically exploded at his son, who winced in fear at his father's fury and disappointment, much to the shock of Anne, who was not expecting this outcome. Having only been prepared for something similar from her movie. "That! That is how you've been acting outside of Ribbitvale!? Like a madman!? An uncivilized quack?! Unacceptable. You have brought shame onto the house of Ribbiton. Worse, you've been lying to me! Me! Your own papa!"

Frank leaned in from the side of Anne and asked smugly, "So, would you like me to say I told you so now or later? Because we will be talking about this."

Anne's face fell in the realization of how royally she'd screwed up.

"Why on earth would you keep this from me!?" yelled Wigbert as the other guests looked at his son judgmentally.

Cowering under his father's glare, Wally stammered and whimperly said, "I-I only lied because I didn't think you'd accept the real me."

Wigbert narrowed his eyes on his son. "Well, you weren't wrong. I do not accept this. You are henceforth forbidden—"

Wigbert stopped when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a drop of red liquid fall into his glass of brandy. Startled slightly, the rich frog looked down into his drink. His eyes widened as he watched the red liquid slowly spread into the brandy, turning the orangish beverage red.

Everyone in the room watched with confusion as Wigbert lifted his drink and examined the red liquid. "Good heavens!"

"Father? What is it," Wally asked.

"I-I don't know," his father said. "Something dropped in my glass."

Then, another drop of red liquid dripped into the glass, shocking Wigbert, his son, and his guests. Standing up, Frank looked up at the ceiling. Despite the highly detailed painting on it, it didn't take long for him to notice where the drops were coming from.

His eyes widened in horror when he saw a crack in the surface of the ceiling...

...and a small amount of blood dripping down from it.

"Blood!"

Roberta gasped and fainted back in her chair. Wigbert tossed his drink away, breaking the glass and spilling the red brandy. Frank cursed himself for not having any of his weapons on him.

"Stevens?" Wigbert called out to his loyal butler.

No response came.

"Stevens!?"

No response came again. Only the dripping of blood from the crack in the ceiling. Making it clear whose it was.

"Oh, that can't be good," Polly said, eyes wide with fear. "In my experience, blood is never a good sign."

"What are we gonna do?!" Sprig exclaimed.

Wigbert's shocked expression turned into a glare as he stared up at the ceiling. "No one comes into my house uninvited. Plantar, you and your kin will stay in the dining room. Look after the others and Walliam," he told the frog family. He then looked at Frank, Anne, and Charles. "Those of you able to fight will be coming with me to investigate."

"Dad, wait! Let me come," Wally begged.

"No, do as you're told and stay here," Wigbert said, looking at his son with disappointment. "Rest assured, we are not finished with this conversation."

Wally's face fell as his father turned and walked out of the room, followed by Charles, who looked at the young Ribbiton in sympathy.

Anne tried approaching Wally to talk to him. "Wally, I...."

"Just go," Wally said, looking away with a bitter look.

The Thai girl wanted to say more, but Frank grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the frog she had hurt. Leaving Wally in the room with the Plantars and his father's guests. Feeling more alone than ever.

The two human kids followed Wigbert and Charles up the stairs. Intent on getting to the bottom of what became of Stevens. However, as they ascended the long flight of stairs, Frank, who walked in front of Anne, looked back at her. "So, are you going to explain to me what the hell is wrong with you?" He demanded to know, making Anne flinch. "You promised me that you wouldn't do anything. Why would you do that to Wally?"

"It's what he wanted," Anne argued. "He said, 'I wish they can see me in Wartwood.'"

"But he didn't actually mean it! What gave you the right to out him like that?"

"I...I just wanted to help him be proud of who he is. A pop and locking, fresh stone-stomping, hip-hop v girl!"

The boy stopped as he reached the top of the stairs and looked back at Anne. "What?" Frank said in confusion, while Anne was embarrassed by what she said.

"Nevermind! Look, I can fix this and help Wally, trust me," Anne said, giving Frank a hopeful look, hoping he'd give her the support she needed to help their friend.

But he gave her a disappointed expression as he said, "Okay, one: Anne, we are far from fixing anything right now. Not with Stevens hurt. And in case this is not something too serious, I think you're the last person Wally wants to be around and help him with the mess you created."

Hearing this, Anne sighed in sorrow, knowing that she not only messed things up with Wally, but made the boy she likes disappointed in her.

"Oh, excuse me." Frank and Anne turned their heads to Wigbert and Charles, who were both standing in the middle of the left hallway, looking at the two human kids. "As much as we all want to resolve family conflicts, I think Stevens is still very hurt and needs help," said the Ribbiton master.

"Right, right! Sorry," Frank said as he and Anne hurriedly walked over to them.

Together, the frog, newt, and humans slowly and cautiously walked down the hallway. They tried listening for any sounds, even though the only noise they could hear was the rain peppering the outside of the house.

"Psst! Your Lordship."

Wigbert turned his head in the direction of the voice. Through a slightly cracked door, he saw an eyeball looking at him.

"Stevens, he went into that room. And never came out," the maid said, pointing her finger.

Wigbert turned his head and gasped at what he saw.

There were two doors down another hallway that T'ed with the one in which the group of four was. The doors were opened, and there was a light coming from inside...

As well as a pool of blood spreading.

"I really wish I had my weapons," Frank moaned in dread.

"Shall I retrieve the weapons from your room," asked the maid.

"No. Lock the door, Miss Kensington, and don't come back out until the sun rises," Wigbert ordered. As the door slowly closed, he turned to Charles, Frank, and Anne. "Let's go."

The three nodded and started walking towards the door, slowly moving so as not to alert the intruder. Their feet made the floor creak with each step.

However, as they drew closer, they began to hear sounds of laughter and fresh being ripped off. These sounds were like spikes jamming into the nerves of the four, making them feel more afraid of what was behind that door.

When he reached the door, Wigbert placed his hand on it and pushed it...

...and there he was.

A large, bald, and muscular horned bullfrog with tattoos of a skull on his chest, with snakes coming out of the eye sockets that reached to his back, and the word "death" printed on his belly. He wore a pair of striped prison pants that were ripped near the bottom and shirtless...

...And he was feeding on Stevens' body. Ripping chunks of flesh from his stomach after having killed the poor butler.

"Good frog!" yelled Wigbert as the others gasped in horror at the barbarism of the cannibal.

Having been interrupted from his first kill in a few months, the horned bullfrog looked up at them. Blood dripped down his mouth as his yellow eyes glared at them. Then, slowly, the toad smiled a sickening, savage smile.

"RAAAAAAHHH!" The inmate roared as he rushed at them.

"Run!" Frank yelled, pulling Wigbert and Charles off their feet before he and Anne made a break for it. Getting out of the way of the savage toad before he could land on them. The two humans and two amphibians screamed as they ran down the hallway. The toad growled and grunted like an animal as he hopped all over the walls and floor, chasing after his prey.

"Go! Go, go, go, go, go!" Frank yelled, stopping at the stairway and waving his arm. Allowing everyone else to go down first before he started running after them. However, after a few steps, he stopped and looked up.

The inmate was perched on the rail on the 2nd-floor landing, his red eyes glowing evilly as lightning flashed outside. Then, the wild toad roared and jumped down.

Frank saw where he was going to land, and his eyes widened. "Guys, look out!"

Anne and Charles were able to get out of the way, but Wigbert wasn't so lucky. The convict landed on his back and stood on him as he leaned down. With a sadistic grin that was drooling, the cannibal was ready to bite down on his neck.

Seeing this, Charles rushed over to a random chair placed in the lobby and picked it up by the backrest. With a yell, the newt rushed at the cannibal and smashed it against his back, which made the inmate lash out by clawing the left side of his face.

"Guys!" Anne yelled as she and Frank ran into the dining room. The guests were out of their seats, wondering just what in the world was going on when they saw the two humans running inside.

"Anne? What's going on?" Hop Pop asked, noticing just how panicked Frank and Anne looked.

"No time to explain! We've gotta get out of here!" Anne yelled, throwing her hands up.

"What? Why?" Wally asked, only for the inmate to come charging into the room with a roar.

"That's why!" Frank yelled, pointing at the man toad.

Giroud, standing closest to the doorway, tried to stop the convict. "H-Hold it right—"

The cannibal ended the newt's life with an incredibly strong punch to the face. The full force of it twisted his head to the side so violently that it snapped Giroud's neck. With his eyes rolling back into his head, Giroud's corpse collapsed on the ground, blood coming out of his nose.

Roberta screamed in horror at the barbaric toad's savage attack. This, however, brought the attention of the convict to her, making her freeze in terror. "S-Stay back," she yelled, throwing her glass cup at the convict, which shattered on impact.

It did little to affect the savage toad, and he attacked her with lightning-fast speed.

Wigbert and Charles came rushing into the room just after Roberta's blood-curdling scream of agony was let out. They gasped as they looked at the grizzly sight of their colleague on the floor. Her throat was ripped open by the toad as he feasted on her flesh.

"Frog, have mercy!" Wally yelled, horrified.

A sentiment shared by Blake, who instantly shoved Wigbert and Charles out of the way as he ran out of the room. He waved his arms over his head and screamed as he ran for his life. Frank, Anne, the Plantars, Wally, Charles, and Wigbert followed suit. The group raced towards the door as the toad hopped out of the bloodied dining room, continuing to chase his prey.

At the front of the pack, Blake reached out his hand towards the door as he rushed towards it. His horrified look turned into a look of joy and relief as he was just within inches of getting out of the house of horrors, not able to see the shadow moving over his body until it was too late.

CRASH! SPLAT!

A large wooden china cabinet came crashing down on top of Blake, killing him instantly and splattering blood across the floor and onto the people behind him. They looked at the destroyed cabinet in shock and horror, wondering just where it came from. That was until the toad, who had thrown the cabinet with his inhuman strength, jumped into the air and grabbed hold of a hanging lamp.

Hearing the inmate while being carried by Frank, Polly looked back and screamed, "Look out!"

The inmate roared again as he dropped down on the party. However, the humans, frogs, and the remaining newt quickly split up and got out of the way. They ran away from the toad as he landed on the floor and scrambled after them.

"Where are your weapons!?" Wally screamed, running alongside Frank and Anne. He looked back and saw the inmate jumping from the walls to the floor as he viciously chased down the group.

"Guest room!" Frank yelled.

Frank ran to the doors of the guest room and busted his way inside, allowing the others to rush in after him. The Hispanic boy and Anne then quickly closed the doors.

"Out of the way!" Both kids looked to the left to see Wigbert pushing a large cabinet towards the door. Initially surprised that he could push something so big, they quickly did as told and got out of the way. Scrambling to get more furniture with Charles assisting.

"Oh man, this is really bad," Sprig said in fear as he walked around in a circle.

Polly screamed, "Did you see him throwing that cabinet?!"

"What are we going to do?" Wally asked, frightened as he watched his father, Charles, and the humans barricade the door.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

The group gasped in horror when they heard the screaming death cry of a woman who was in a room not too far from where they were. Hearing the voice, Wigbert closed his eyes in sorrow as he sweated. "W-Was that...?" Wally didn't want to say the woman's name, afraid that it would make the reality worse.

"Miss Kensington, the cook. Poor woman," Wigbert said, referring to the lady frog that he, the humans, and Charles talked to when they went to investigate the blood dripping from the ceiling. She was one of Wally's favorite servants. "The savage! Has he no dignity?"

"Dignity!?" Charles exclaimed. "I would argue that thing is more of a monster than an amphibian!"

"Frank, the scythe!" Hop Pop yelled, getting Frank to turn around and see him standing on the other side of the bed with the Frog King's scythe. The old frog threw the weapon at his human grandson, who caught it with ease.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang as something larger and strong slammed against the doors. Moving the furniture pushed up against it slightly. This made the others in the room gasp in fear as they stared at the doors as the inmate slammed his body against it again. And then rammed into the doors for a third time.

And then...silence.

The eight survivors of the attack stared at the door in anticipation, waiting for the escaped inmate to make another attempt to break into the bedroom. But nothing happened.

Anne, who was standing with her back to the window, nervously asked, "So...anyone got a secret passageway to escape?"

A flash of lightning struck a millisecond later, and the escaped inmate appeared outside on the other side of the window. Grinning sadistically.

Frank turned to answer her questions with a possible idea, but it died the moment he saw the toad outside. He somehow managed to get outside so fast when he was just trying to get in a second ago. The others saw the toad and gasped in horror. Their minds were trying to understand and comprehend what kind of menace they were fighting, all while the savage grinned at them as the rain washed away the blood on his mouth.

The inmate slashed the window as he jumped into the room.

Frank reacted quickly.

SLASH!

Pulling Anne behind him, Frank slashed into the toad's chest, drawing blood. The toad cried out in pain as he crashed to the floor. This gave the humans and their amphibious friends the opportunity to push the furniture out of the way until they were able to jump over a dresser and slip through the slightly opened door. Frank was the last one to get out after staring back at the inmate as he got back up and saw him back up.

He was about to tell them to get moving; however, he saw that they were all frozen in place, looking horrified at the blood staining the walls of the corridor.

Another bolt of lightning boomed outside of the mansion, and the cannibal was perched on the dresser, staring through the open doorway with malice in his eyes. Frank and the others looked back at the toad as he stared back at them, grinning sadistically.

The toad roared again, forcing everyone to make another run for their lives down the hallway. The convict gave chase, hopping on the walls and floor as his prey tried to get away from them.

"Where are we going?!" Anne yelled.

"The weapons room!" Wigbert answered, leading the group as they made multiple turns in the home's almost labyrinth layout. Behind them, the toad roared again, encouraging the survivors to run faster.

Soon, they reached the double doors of the weapons room. The doors were slammed open when the humans pushed them with their shoulders. Once everyone was inside, Wigbert quickly slammed the doors shut, only to fumble as he tried to lock them. However, just after he did turn the locks, the inmate broke down the doors, sending splinters and shards of wood across the floor and knocking Wigbert onto the ground as well.

"Father!" Wally shouted as Charles and Hop Pop held him back from running into danger.

"I've got him!" Frank charged at the toad and jumped into the air. Coming down, he tried to chop down on the toad, only for the cannibal to shoot his tongue out. It smacked Frank in the face with tremendous force that threw it off his balance and made him drop Hellcat's Claw.

Falling to the ground on his back, Frank tried to get back up. However, the inmate was already on him. He grabbed him by the neck and tried to strangle him to death. The Hispanic boy tried pushing him away, but the toad was too strong.

"Frank!" Anne yelled upon seeing her best friend being strangled. Quickly, she looked around, frantically trying to find something that the Thai girl could use to kill the toad.

That's when she saw a bow and a full quiver of arrows hanging on the wall.

Anne, with a glare of determination, ran over and grabbed a handful of arrows and then the bow. Holding the arrows and the bow in her aiming hand, Anne pulled out one of the arrows she'd grabbed and notched it. Pulling back on the string, she aimed at the inmate but hesitated to shoot.

"Anne, what are you waiting for!" Polly yelled, being held by Hop Pop.

Anne sweated as she closed one eye. "I-I might hit Frank!"

"S-S-Shoot...h-him!" Frank strangled out as the toad crushed down on his throat.

Hearing him say that and seeing that he wasn't going to last long, Anne steeled her nerves. With a deep breath, she released the arrow, sending it flying at the toad.

However, the inmate let go of Frank and jumped into the air, dodging the arrow as it traveled under him and above the human boy.

Anne watched as the giant toad landed on top of a large wooden cabinet. She fired again, but the toad jumped away before it could hit him. The Thai girl soon found herself unable to land a hit on the cannibal as it rushed all over the room. Anne shot at it multiple times, but it would get out of the way at the last moment, which frustrated the girl to no end.

Eventually, however, the inmate would dash out of the room. Leaving the survivors of his brutal home invasion in the weapons room.

"Is...Is it over?" Sprig asked nervously.

Frank stood up with Anne's help. "I...I doubt it," he said, rubbing his neck.

"Quickly, Plantar!" Wigbert exclaimed, walking over to a rug on the floor and grabbing the end of it. With a firm yank, the old frog pulled it back to reveal a trap door built into the floor. "This is a safe room that I had installed in the event of a disaster."

"B-But father, we can't just hide while that monster is on the loose," Wally protested.

"We're not," Wigbert said, opening the safe room. "You're not a fighter, Walliam, and just be dead weight. You and the Plantars are going to be waiting in this room while the rest of us deal with the savage."

"What!? But father—"

"Actually, I think that I should stay with the Plantars," Anne said. "Wally can take my place."

"What?!" Frank and Wally looked at her in shock.

As all eyes turned to her, Anne quickly tried to come up with a convincing lie. "I...uh...you—you said it yourself, Wigbert. Wally isn't a fighter, but I am. If...you guys were to die, then who would be the last line of defense?"

"Huh?" Charles looked at her confusingly.

"Look at this family," Anne gestured to the Plantars, "They couldn't possibly fight off that thing if you guys were to die."

"That's fair," said Polly.

"Indeed. Very well! You will stay in the safe room with the Plantars," Wigbert said. "The rest of you, arm yourselves!"

Charles and Wigbert went around the room, gathering their chosen weapons. "Anne, what are you doing," he asked. "Wally still can't fight."

"I...I thought that....this could be Wally's chance to change his dad's mind," Anne said, twiddling her fingers.

"Oh my God," Frank said in disbelief, "are you seriously still trying to fix your mistake at a time like this?!"

Wally turned away from Anne with a frown and crossed his arms. Seeing this made Anne's guilt grow as she knelt down to his level. "Look. If we're all gonna die at the hands of a cannibal, you might as well go down fighting. Plus, I got you into this. At least this way, you might be able to earn your dad's respect again."

For a moment, Wally thought about it. In the end, he turned to Anne and smiled at her. "Thanks," he said, running off the next moment to get himself ready for the hunt.

"And as for you," Anne said, poking Frank in the chest. Her cheeks formed a blush on her face as she kissed his left cheek. "You better come back to me."

Frank smiled. "I plan to," he said.

Soon, the hunters had their weapons. Together, in a tight group, they walked out of the weapons room after Anne closed the safe room door. Now, they were the hunters.

Wigberg armed himself with a spear that he had slung to his back, along with a quiver of bolts. In his hands was a crossbow, which was cocked back and loaded with a bolt.

With two leather straps X-ing across his chest, Charles armed himself with throwing knives. In his hands, held between his fingers, were three knives.

Wally had on a Viking's helmet. One that had ram horns that spiraled and half of a face mask that exposed his mouth but protected his eyes. Going down the back of his neck was chainmail. In his hands, Wally armed himself with a spear.

Frank was armed with his trusty scythe. But, for protection, he wore a chainmail hauberk over his white shirt and under his poncho.

Apparently, Amphibia had Vikings long ago. Who knew?

Slowly and cautiously, the four of them walked down the halls of the manor. The storm outside raged on, with lightning booming and flashing in a window they were passing.

Wally was regretting his life choices. Regretting telling Anne and Frank anything, as well as letting Anne talk him into hunting down a vicious toad. He was shaking so much that it made his helmet rattle.

"Dude, will you get a hold of yourself," Frank whispered. "We're trying to hunt."

"Wouldn't it be better to make noises to leer out the inmate," he asked.

"Yes, but your freaking out is not helping my nerves!"

The group of four entered into the foyer of the mansion. All of them looked around nervously, as this was the most open space of the house, with multiple points of entry. This means that the inmate would be about to attack them from any direction.

A flash of lightning later, and the toad appeared on the stairs beside Wigbert.

The rich frog gasped and shot at the convict. However, the massive toad jumped into the arm with his arms raised over his head and a wicked smile.

"Look out!" Frank yelled.

The four of them quickly dispersed and jumped out of the way before the inmate landed on the ground. His weight cracked the flood boards under his feet.

Frank rushed at the convict with his scythe raised to cut him down. But the toad roared and kicked him in the chest, sending him back.

Charles threw two throwing knives at him, but the toad jumped out of the way.

However, the inmate jumped on Wally and grabbed him.

"Walliam!" Wigbet yelled as he desperately tried reloading his crossbow.

Charles and Frank were going to attack when the toad pulled Wally up and in front of him. Using him as a human/frog shield. Wally screamed in terror as he came face to face with the insane and evil amphibian, who took delight in the terror he caused in the weak frog.

And then he headbutted Wally in the face, causing blood to come out of his nose.

"Walliam!" Wigbert yelled. Having cocked back the heavy string and loaded a bolt, he aimed at the inmate to take his revenge.

The convict raised Wally up to shield himself, making Wigbert and Charles stop.

The toad slowly lowered Wally, giving the two men an opening. They aimed, but the cannibal quickly raised Wally back up. Causing the two of them to stop.

Again, the toad slowly lowered Wally. Wigbert and Charles aimed, but the cannibal quickly raised Wally back up. Causing the two of them to stop.

Then again, the toad slowly lowered Wally, giving the two men an opening. They aimed, but the cannibal quickly raised Wally back up. Causing the two of them to stop.

Once again, the toad slowly lowered Wally. Wigbert and Charles aimed, but the cannibal quickly raised Wally back up. Causing the two of them to stop.

For another time, the toad slowly lowered Wally. Wigbert and Charles aimed, but the cannibal quickly raised Wally back up. Causing the two of them to stop.

Finally, the inmate threw Wally at them. Frank caught his friend. Enraged, the inmate charged at the human and newt.

Charles quickly started throwing knives at the inmate, but the toad was surprisingly fast for his size. He dodged all the throwing knives and leaped at the newt with his jaws wide open...

...only for Wigbert to shoot him in the shoulder.

"Got him!"

The cannibalistic toad rolled on the ground with the bolt lugged into his shoulder. As blood flowed from the wound, he roared at the heroes in fury.

"Blast!" Wigbert tried loading his crossbow again.

"I've got him." Frank rushed in and threw his scythe at the toad.

The inmate dodged the weapon, allowing the scythe to lug itself into the wall. The toad was going to attack again, only for Charles to throw more knives at him. This forced the toad to turn around and quickly rush into another room: Wigbert's study.

Frank turned his attention back to Wally and picked him up. "Wally? Wally, are you okay?!"

"Moss man...is that you?" Wally passed out soon after.

"Walliam," Wigbert said, showing concern for his son as he took him from Frank's arms. Thankfully, he was still alive.

Gently, the old frog placed Wally on the floor and took off his helmet. Wigbert then removed his coat and covered his son with it like a blanket. Determined to see the toad pay for harming Wally, he picked back up his crossbow and loaded a bolt in the flight grove.

"Leave him here. He'll be safe. We've got the beast on the run," Wigbert said. "Are you ready?"

Charles pulled out more knives and said, "Yes."

Frank yanked his scythe out of the wall and said, "Let's do this."

Together, they cautiously peeked into the study. However, it was too dark to see anything. Frank pulled out his phone and turned on the flashlight app. Then, he placed it on the ground, the screen facing down, and then kicked it. Sliding it into the room so as to give them some bit of light.

As to be expected from the Ribbiton family home, the study was massive, with a towering bookshelf on the adjacent side and a large fire pit with a few logs ready to be burnt to the left. All over the left wall were weapons, armor, trophies of animals Wigbert hunted, a painting of the frog having taken down a rhino beetle, and there was even a stuffed weasel with its jaw open and fangs bore.

However, there was no sign of the savage.

"I don't see the beast," Wigbert said.

Frank sighed. "Maybe because we need more light. Cover me," he said, walking over to the fire pit. The wealthy frog and scholarly newt followed behind him. Their backs turned to Frank as they scanned the room despite the limited lighting.

"Is there another way out," asked Charles.

"No," Wigbert said.

"Then he must be here."

This comment hastened Frank's efforts to get more light in the room. He pulled out a flint from his pocket and started striking it with his scythe. Sparks flew off the stone onto the log, which quickly began to burn and light up the room.

"Okay, that should do it," Frank said, turning around...

...only to catch a glimpse of the deranged inmate hanging from the ceiling.

The toad landed on the ground between Wigbery and Charles, punching both of them in the back.

Wigbert rolled on his back and quickly got back on his feet. He took aim as the toad roared and charged at him. He was pulling the trigger when a powerful punch to the face sent him on his back.

"Dammit!" Frank yelled, about to attack the toad.

"No!" Wigbert held a hand out to Frank. "He's mind," he said, wiping the blood from his mouth as he turned to the toad with a determined glare in his eyes.

Charles picked himself up and watched with Frank as the aristocratic frog stood up to face the toad. Unbuttoning his sleeves, he put up his arms and balled his fists. Positioning himself in a fighting stance.

The inmate, amused by the frog, grinned with his shark-like teeth.

"Wigbert?" Charles looked at his colleague in confusion.

Believing that his prey was going to be easy, the toad swung at Wigbert. But he was sloppy, and Wigbert answered him with a jump in the air, bringing him up to the toad's height. Then, he delivered five quick and sharp punches to his face. The toad roared at him, but Wigbert just jumped again and added more power to his blows. Drawing blood with his hit on the toad's nose.

Frank looked at Wally's father in shock, noting his perfect boxing form and attacks. As if watching someone who'd perfected the fighting art for years. "How is he...?"

Just as confused, Charles looked around the room. That's when his eyes landed on a golden frame.

BOXING

RIBBITON VS DALTON

FOR THE CHAMPION OF AMPHIBIA

OXFROG vs NEWTBRIDGE

"Oxfrog Boxing Champion?"

Frank looked at Charles with wide eyes. "He's a boxing champion?!" Now, it all made sense. "Let him have it, old man...er, frog!"

And have it he let him. The toad was a savage, meaning that he was unsophisticated with the art of fighting amphibians with real skill. When the toad roared and took another swing at him, Wigbert ducked his head and delivered another punch to his face, making the bewildered inmate's nose bleed even more.

Three more punches were too much for the toad to let happen. He roared and swung at Wigbert again, but the frog dodged with ease. Wigbert punched his attacker yet again.

More angry than before, the toad roared and raised his arms over his head and swung them down. Smashing through the floorboards, but Wigbert was already out of the way.

Wigbert punched him again. He then watched as the toad tried again to smash him. But this time, he wasn't going to let him. The former boxing champion uppercutted the toad in his fat chin. He then punched him in the stomach.

However, his luck had run out.

The toad grabbed Wigbert by the neck and started choking him to death.

"For frog's sake, help me, man!" Wigbert choked out.

"Right, sorry!" Frank let out a battle cry as he rushed toward the toad with Hellcat's Claw.

The toad saw him coming towards him and threw Wigbert away. Frank started slashing at the toad, but the beast dodged each attack with ease. Then, he jumped over one slash at his midsection and kicked Frank in the face. Sending him flying into a wall.

The inmate charged at the helpless human. Intending on killing him first.

That was until an arrow was stabbed through its right thigh.

Having forgotten about the only newt in the home allowed Charles to grab a bow and a quiver of arrows hanging from the wall. The toad let out another angry roar as Charles fired another arrow into his shoulder.

"Don't let him escape!" Wigbert pointed at the toad as it ran out of the room and fled towards the mansion's greenhouse directly across the foyer.

"I've got him!" Frank quickly got back on his feet and threw his scythe at the toad.

The legendary blade of Hellcat's claw spun around in the air like a deadly windmill as it flew toward the inmate. When it landed its hit, the blade dug deep into the toad's back and made him scream in pain before falling into the greenhouse's large fountain.

"You've got him!" Wigbert exclaimed with a grin.

Frank rushed out of the study. "Don't bet on it," he said, grabbing Wally's spear off the ground.

Together, the three hunters slowly entered the dark greenhouse. They approached the fountain, which had a stone lady frog pouring water into it. All three of them looked around the room with caution as the storm became worse outside the window walls. There were trees and bushes everywhere, which would have given anyone camouflage.

The three of them looked into the fountain, only to see that the toad wasn't there. Neither was Hellcat's Claw.

"He's gone," Charles gasped.

"No." Wigbert pointed to a trail of blood on the other side of the fountain. "There," he said as the trail led into the foliage.

Frank got ready to fight with the spear as Charles pulled back on the bow's string with an arrow notched. And then, they waited. Waited to see the beast's next move so that they could kill him.

"Come on," Wigbert said with sweat rolling down his face. "Show yourself, you bastard."

A moment later, the inmate roared as he jumped out of the bushes and chucked Hellcat's Claw at the three. They dodged the weapon, allowing it to stab into the ground a few feet behind them.

Charles let loose the arrow that grazed the head of the cannibal, causing it to roar once again in fury.

The newt tried to notch another arrow, only for the toad to rush at him and punch him so hard that he crashed through one of the windows and landed on the ground in the rainstorm.

Frank and Wigbert didn't do so well either.

Frank tried to stab the toad, but the reflexes of the savage were so fast that he grabbed the pole of the spear. Then, with his superhuman strength, the toad swung Frank around and into Wigbert like a baseball bat. The elderly frog was sent into the fountain statue, which broke on impact.

Letting go of the spear and doing a backflip, Frank landed on the ground next to the arrow Charles dropped and grabbed it.

He ran towards the inmate again.

POW!

Only for the toad to punch Frank in the guts, knocking all the wind out of him and spitting out saliva. He was helpless as the toad punched him two more times in the face, causing him more pain.

At that moment, Frank realized that this fight wasn't like his battle with Sasha. When it came to Sasha, she was an overconfident fighter with no experience outside of training. The natural skill that Frank had was forged in the fires of experience and survival before being refined into the art of combat by Tritonio. This toad was on the same level of savagery as Tartarus, maybe more. But whereas Tartarus was a savage who was still able to think and use his intelligence to brutalize Frank's body, this toad was a mindless monster. Making his moves unpredictable.

Another powerful punch sent Frank flying across the greenhouse. His body slammed into a stone curb that broke on impact. Knocking out the young man.

Wigbert saw this and looked at the young boy in shock and concern. Then, he turned back to the inmate.

Lightning flashed outside as the inmate glared at the old frog with ferocious fury. Glowing like the animal he was, he finally had enough of these weaklings who denied him the satisfaction of killing them.

Wigbert saw this and knew that this beast was done holding back its claws. His fear rose while watching as the escaped madman pulled out the arrows Charles put into him. His eyes flashed red with each flash of lightning from outside.

The toad roared again, so loud that it was heard throughout the house. Then, he started marching towards Wigbert.

Wigbert looked around for a weapon, but there was none. The only available one was Hellcat's Claw. It was on the other side of the convict. He couldn't get it. So, as the toad climbed into the fountain with him, Wigbert put up his fists yet again.

Jumping up to match the toad's height, the old frog punched the convict again in the face. But something was wrong. His enemies weren't getting hurt.

After jumping for the third time and delivering another barrage of punches, Wigbert landed in the water, panting heavily. He wasn't the same young frog he used to be when he could take on toads the same size and win in the ring. But this toad wasn't natural.

Growling like a feral dog, the inmate grabbed Wigbert by the front of his shirt. Then he dunked his head under the water. Holding him down. As he was being drowned, Wigbert struggled to pull the toad's larger arms away. But it was no use. His lack of air deprived him of the strength needed for such feats.

Was this really how he was going to die? At the hands of a savage, never being able to talk to his son again. Forever having tainted their relationship.

Wally wasn't going to let it end like that.

"Get your hands off my papa!" Wartwood's local kook yelled as he jumped on the inmate's back and tried dripping his hands into his eye sockets. Without claws, he couldn't do any real damage, but it did cause the toad to pull his father out of the water.

The toad yelled in pain as Wally tried digging his fingers in between his eyelids. Throwing Wigbert away, the inmate reached behind and grabbed Wally. Pulling him away with one hand, the large inmate held Wally up by his arms. With bloodshot eyes, he glared at him and growled.

Then, he grinned viciously. The toad then ripped out his shirt, exposing his chest.

Wally knew that he wouldn't have survived helping his dad, yet he still jumped in. But now he was going to face the consequences of his actions. "Whoa, h-hey now. Let's not rush into anything," Wally said, trying to use his sense of humor to slow down the inmate.

It did not work.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

The scream of his son woke Wigbert up as he looked towards him. His eyes filled with horror at the sight of the toad ripping off a chunk of flesh from Wally's shoulder. Spewing blood everywhere.

Seeing his son in pain and danger caused Wigbert's pupils to dilate as something within him snapped. Picking up the spear off the ground, the old frog jumped high into the air and let out a loud roar of his own as he flew towards the toad.

STAB!

Wigbert ran the spear through the toad's back, causing the inmate to drop his son. The toad roared in pain as he swatted the frog away.

"Dad!" Wally cried out as lightning flashed wildly outside.

The toad roared some more as Wigbert rolled across the ground before coming to a stop near Hellcat's Claw.

The frog and toad faced each other as Wigbert stood back up on his feet. A flash of lightning struck again...

SMASH!

...before a large tree study smashed through the ceiling of the greenhouse. It landed between the two combatants, blocking each other from getting to the other as the rain poured into the building.

But Wigbert wasn't going to let that stand in his way of killing the toad. Grabbing the Frog King's legendary weapon, he ripped off his tattered white shirt and then climbed to the top of the massive log.

The toad looked up at Wigbert as he stood over him with the scythe in hand. Soaking himself in the rain, bathing in the waters of Amphibia's violent nature. His glare was more intense than anything he'd ever seen in his life of killing. It was as if he was staring at death itself in the form of a frog.

Wigbert was now the predator.

With a primal roar, he jumped off the tree and fell towards the toad as Wally watched in awe.

Wigbert slashed into the chest of the toad, leaving a massive gash that leaked blood. Making the toad yell in pain.

The frog tried to chop off his head, but the toad blocked the scythe before punching Wigbert in the face. Making him stumble back. However, the old frog quickly recovered. That punch wasn't as powerful as the last time. The toad was gravely injured, no thanks to the spear that was impaled in his back.

The inmate tried to attack, but Wigbert slashed him in the chest with the scythe multiple times. Yelling over the beast's pained roars with a crazed look in his eyes.

The toad swiped at him, but Wigbert jumped over his arm and stabbed the large (for him) scythe into his shoulder. Making the cannibal yell in agony again.

Wigbert was knocked back by another punch to the face. He quickly recovered in time to jump over the toad when it charged at him. Fliping over him, Wigbert landed on the pole of the spear, causing him further pain as he grabbed the Hellcat and yanked it out of his shoulder.

Staying out of the toad's reach on the pole, Wigbert started stabbing into the toad's shoulder wildly, making blood spew all over the toad's arm as he yelled in pain. Witnessing this, Wally looked at his father in shock. At the same time, Frank regained consciousness and sat up, only to see what was going on.

The toad stopped Wigbert by desperately slamming his back against the tree. Crushing the old frog between his back and the trunk and breaking the spear. However, this also caused the spearhead to come out of his chest, causing even more pain and blood to spill out.

Turning to Wigbert, who still wasn't down, the toad roared. But the frog matched his roar and launched himself off the tree.

Ducking under the toad's swiping arm, Wigbery sliced into the inmate and ripped open his belly, making his intestines spill out. The toad roared and swiped out him again, but Wigbert jumped over him with Hellcat's Claw raised over his head.

And then, he swung down and cut off the head of the murderous inmate. Killing him instantly as his body fell to the floor with a loud thud. A pool of his blood formed under him as the toad's head rolled away.

The battle was over, and all Frank and Wally could do was look at Wigbert in shock. Covered in blood, the father breathed heavily and opened his eyes. The reality of what he'd done was on full display. Horrified by the act he'd committed, Wigbert let go of the scythe and backed away from the corpse. All while looking at his shaking hands in horror.

Just then, Charles, who'd just come back in, hopped onto the tree and jumped over to Frank and Wally, who were the first people he saw.

"Are you two alright? Where's Wigbert..." Charles trailed off when he followed their line of sight. His expression matched theirs upon seeing the savage murderer and the frog that took him down so violently.

Wigbert looked at the three people in the room with him. Seeing their reactions to his actions and thinking about what they were thinking.

Wally looked at his father in pure shock. What he'd just seen was unlike anything the young frog had ever thought his father was capable of doing. And it was all to protect him.

Frank was equally as shocked at what Wigbert did. From what he saw, he was just some wealthy businessman with a massive house and a son he was friends with. Then again, as he's seen for himself, they were all capable of darkness when they were pushed to the edge.

As for Charles....

"And there you have it!" Charles exclaimed with a grin, pointing at Wigbert. Frank slapped him in the back of the head.

As dawn broke on the horizon, the light of the sun shone down on the Ribbiton manor. The servants that had survived the night opened their doors and stepped out into the bloodstained hallways of the mansion. The maids gasped in shock and horror when they saw the red stains while the butlers tried to hold themselves from vomiting, especially when they looked into the rooms where Stevens and Miss Kensington's mutilated bodies rested.

They descended the stairs and saw the aftermath of the battle they'd been forced to listen to. All but one of their master's friends was dead. However, Wigbert, his son, Charles, Frank, Anne, and the Plantars were still alive. However, those who fought the inmate required medical help. The maids quickly attended to their wounds, while one of the butlers rushed into town to get the constables.

By the time the police arrived at the house, the rain had finally stopped. They recovered the body of the inmate, along with the bodies of the dead.

When the police took their leave, Frank, Anne, the Plantars, and Wally sat together on the mansion's steps. Both the Hispanic boy and Wally were bandaged up and looking haunted by last night's experience. "So...not your first time with a cannibal, huh," asked Wally, trying to break the tension.

"Nope," Frank said.

"Nah," Anne added.

"This is my sixth encounter," Hop Pop said.

Wally smiled at the odd family. Thinking about his own, the frog turned his head and crossed his arms. "And after last night, that cannibal is going to be my last one," he said in misery. "There's no way Dad's gonna let me leave the mansion now."

Anne sighed and looked down in shame. "Wally, I'm sorry for outing you like that, man. I guess I let my favorite movie's plot cloud my judgment."

"It's okay, Anne. I do appreciate it you're trying to help me," Wally said, patting her on the back. "However, if I tell you not to do anything, do me a favor and stay the hell out of my way."

"I can live with that."

Frank looked at Wally and asked, "So, what's gonna happen between you and your dad?

"I don't know," Wally said. "I just know that you won't be seeing me again for a while. Or maybe forever."

"Walliam!" Wigbert shouted as he approached the group with Charles beside him. No longer covered in blood, he had on a white button-up shirt. As he spoke, he did so with an expression of guilt and shame. "I...I want to apologize to you for what you had to see. It's just that seeing you hurt and about to die... made something inside me snap..., and I just lost all sense of civility and turned to savagery.

"I can relate." Frank raised his hand.

"It's...been difficult for me since your mother passed away," he said, looking at the door of his home as another covered body was carried out by police on a stretcher. "And now I lost most of my friends."

Charles raised a finger. "I'm still here."

Wigbert sighed and looked at his son as Wally stood up. "Walliam, I don't ever want to lose you. A man who loses a child is a pain I would never wish upon my worst enemy. That's why I was so harsh on you. Because I thought I was losing you, and you would never want to come see me again," he said as tears welled up in his eyes.

Shocked, Wally said, "Dad, of course I would want to see you. Wartwood is my home, but I don't want to leave forever. I just want to be able to be me, wherever I am." He hugged his dad.

"You mean you still want to be a Ribbiton," Wigbert asked in surprise.

Wally pulled away. "Of course I do. But you have to accept me for who I am. Both Walliam and Wally," he said, putting on his normal hat.

For a moment, Wigbert was silent. Then he smiled at his son. "I suppose we can do that," he said, coming to accept his son for the frog he really was. "So, you play the accordion, eh? You know, I used to love playing the jug, but I gave it up a long, long time ago."

With a smirk, Wally leaned in with a suspicious look in his one good eye.

"Oh, all right. You got me." Wigbert suddenly grabbed the ground and ripped it off, revealing a hole in the field where he was hiding jugs.

"You've been holding out on me!" And together, the two started playing their instruments together, as father and son. Their bond having become stronger than ever in spite of the harrowing night.

As Frank and Anne watched the touching moment from the sideline, the young boy couldn't help but think of his own parents. Would they have a similar reaction to Frank showing up back home after months away from them? The cynical side of himself wanted to say no, they wouldn't.

And yet, in his soul, he knew that the real answer was yes. That they would be happy to see him again. However, until Frank could see them again and see their reaction, all he could do was hope for the best.

Anne raised her hands to the sky. "Thank you, movie magic!"

"Yes," Frank said, "now, if you ever do that again, I'll tell everyone at your school about the farts you make in your sleep!"

"Excuse me." The conversation ended when Charles approached the two humans with a smile on his face. "But may I have a moment of your time?"

Going back into the manor, Frank, Anne, and the Plantars followed Charles back to his guest room. After letting them inside, the newt walked over to his bed and pulled out his briefcase from underneath. "I was about to bring this device to Wigbert's attention, though; we all know what happened," he said, placing his luggage on the bed. "But I do believe that you might be able to recognize it."

Reaching into his case, brought out the device, and both humans gasped in shock and amazement.

What Charles had brought out was a Skip Man CD player. It was in the original turquoise color and had a pair of headphones connected to it.

"Is...Is that what I think it is?" Frank picked up the CD player and looked at it with wide eyes.

"What is it?"

"Dude, that's a Skip Man!" Anne exclaimed, grabbing the top of her head. "My parents had one of these! How did you find this?"

"I came across this particular device on one of my travels," Charles said. Frank held up the Skip Man and examined it. "I don't know what it was or where it came from, but I figured that could mean something to you."

"Hey, look," Frank said, pointing to the back of the Skip Man. On the back was a name etched into the plastic. "'Frakes.' That must be who owned it. Do you think that someone back home actually found a way to come to Amphibia?"

"Maybe when you find a way back home, you can come and visit," Sprig said with his usual smile.

"That's actually not a bad idea," Frank said before looking at Charles. "Oh, right, sorry. You probably want this back."

"No, you can have it," Charles said, waving his hands. "I don't even know how it works."

"Right, thanks."

Hop Pop then said, "Welp, we better get back on the road. Newtopia's only two days away!"

"Yes!" Anne pumped her fists with an enthusiastic smile. "I can't wait to show Marcy this Skip Man. She's going to be so happy to see you again, Frank!"

Hearing Marcy's name had Frank hesitant for a moment before following Anne and the others out of the room. "Yeah, see her again..."

May 16th

Five days before Anne would attempt to steal the music box from Frank's grandma's shop, Marcy was walking down the street. She was freaking out because she lost the dice for her favorite game, Dungeons, Dungeons, and More Dungeons. She promised Anne and Sasha an epic quest for the ages, and what did she do?

Drop the dice in the toilet at school while taking a dump!

"Oh, man, I'm so screwed!" Marcy yelled, running her hand through her hair. "Those were my best dice. Now I'm going to show up with a quest and no dice to play with and let everyone down. Why did I have to clean them while on the toilet?!"

Soon, the absent-minded girl approached the theft shop from the right side.

"It's okay, it's okay. I mean, it's not okay because none of the other shops have any more dice. But maybe I can find some used...dice?" Marcy stopped while walking across the large window in front of the store. Having caught sight of a familiar face in the store.

That's when, for the first time in 3 years, Marcy saw Frank Ramirez.