Chereads / Amphibia AU: Far From Home (Owlphibia) / Chapter 10 - Once Upon a Time

Chapter 10 - Once Upon a Time

When the music finally ended...so too did the magical illusion.

once all became silent, the Boonchuy's yard returned to normal.

Everyone had fallen speechless at the images they had just witnessed from Olivier's playing.

But before anyone could even TRY to speak, the witch boy groaned as if he were in pain.

"Oliver?" spoke Anne, concerned.

Olivier dropped the Krachappi, and clutched his chest as if he were having a heart attack.

Anne grabbed him, and tried to hold his body up so he wouldn't collapse.

"Are you okay, dear?" spoke Mrs. Boonchuy (equally concerned.)

"y-yes...I'm f-fine." stuttered Olivier. "I just...used too much magic is all."

"well don't overexert yourself on our account, Oliver." said Hop Pop.

"I mean, that WAS an impression show and all, but it isn't worth hurting yourself over."

Olivier took a moment to breathe...and eventually regained his strength.

Anne reluctantly let him go (but stayed close to him just in case.)

"oliver..." spoke Oum.

Olivier looked at Anne's mother. "yes?"

"Anne told us...quite a lot about her little adventure in that frog land." began Oum.

"but we know so little about you, dear. and after what we just saw...we are a little curious."

Olivier looked down, not sure if he felt like talking about his past.

"you don't have to, of course." spoke Bee. "If you don't feel like it right n-"

"no. you deserve some kind of answer." said Olivier.

"You invited me into your home almost immediately...even gave me my own room.

I don't want to be a stranger to you both, so it's only fair that you know me better."

There was a pause as Olivier took some time to gather his thoughts.

He tried to push out all the recent events that had happened, and think back to the beginning.

"Before I begin...you first have to understand the world that I come from." spoke Olivier.

"The Boiling Isles?" spoke Bee (recalling the name of that world.)

"It is an island formed from the centuries old body of a Titan." said Olivier.

"Titan...wait, so you lived on the remains of a Kaiju?!" spoke Bee.

Olivier stared at the Thai Man. "what's a Kaiju?"

"It's a Japanese word that refers to a colossal sized monster." explained Oum.

"GODZILLAAA!" exclaimed Bee.

Anne groaned, feeling embarrassed at her dad being a nerd

"um...sure." spoke Olivier. "I suppose that is an accurate description of a Titan."

"Cool." said Bee.

"ANYWAY..." resumed Olivier. "The Boiling Isles is mostly wilderness where magic flows freely.

The only form a modern civilization is the city of Bonesborough...and it is ruled by Emperor Belos."

Bee Boonchuy had a wide smile that reminded Anne of Marcy.

"I take it this Emperor isn't a benevolent ruler based on your memory of him." mused Oum.

"no...he is a Tyrant. If he has a heart, it must be made of stone." spoke Olivier, bitterly.

"Mother says there once was a time Witches could use magic freely...but that all changed when Belos rose to power.

He banned "Wild Magic", and turned the Boiling Isles into a Caste Society with his Coven System.

When a Witch joins a Coven...they are branded with a magical seal that restricts their magic.

Witches that refuse a Coven Brand are deemed criminals, and punished via petrification."

"wait...does that mean-"

"They are turned to stone." answered Olivier.

The Boonchuys all stared with shocked expressions. The Plantars were also stunned,

but not AS much, since Amphibia's own society wasn't all that different from this Boiling Isles.

...but not by much.

"sooo...your world is a dictatorship." spoke Oum.

"pretty much...It's part of why mother lives alone in a cottage in the wilderness." continued Olivier.

"Sure, the woodlands have savage beasts roaming about. but they are more manageable than the Emperor's Stormtroopers."

Anne eyed Olivier. "you've watched Star Wars, haven't you?"

Olivier blushed awkwardly. "Marcy showed me...on her phone."

"I Figured she did." said Anne.

Olivier breathed out once more. "I...don't remember who my TRUE parents were.

The Witch who I have known as my mother found me as a baby within the hollow trunk of an Olive Tree."

"oh!" exclaimed Oum and Bee. "Is that why your name is Oliver?"

Olivier nodded. "yes. my mother named after the tree where I was found."

Oum smiled. "It's a wonderful name."

Olivier paused as he continued to remember his early life.

"My mother...she didn't have to raise me." continued Olivier. "She could have easily left me with anyone else.

I mean, she had a hard enough time surviving on her own. dealing with her curse that turned her into a savage beast."

"we saw." said Oum. "so, she has no control over that?"

"none. She has to take special elixirs to keep the transformation at bay." continued Olivier.

"Whenever she changes, she loses herself and lashes out at everything in sight."

Olivier then paused. "although...she never attacked me. Even as a beast, she was still my mother."

Oum smiled. "a mother's love is stronger than any curse, Oliver.

I myself would sooner die than ever bring harm to my little Anne."

Anne blushed at this. "mooom..."

"My mother did so much for me...and I wanted to give something back." spoke Olivier, his eye tearful.

"I was so desperate to lift her curse that I believed anything, and trusted some people that I shouldn't."

Olivier sighed sharply. "which is...how I ended up in Amphibia. and...met Anne."

Anne took this moment to put her arm around Olivier.

"well...while I am sorry for you being separated from your mother." began Oum.

"I am still glad that you found our daughter, and helped to bring her back home."

"It's the only good thing that came out of this whole thing." said Olivier.

"Sure, this all started from me making a mistake. but...I don't think I would ever undo it if I could."

Anne looked at Olivier. "I kinda feel the same way." spoke Anne.

"Not just from meeting you, but Sprig, Polly and Hop Pop. I made so many friends in Amphibia,

and became a much better person than I was before. so...I guess good things CAN come from something bad."

"STILL..." spoke Oum, her face stern. "I don't want you to EVER shoplift again...UNDERSTAND?"

"LOUD and clear, mom." said Anne. "I promise I will NEVER steal again."

"good." said Oum. "and, Oliver..."

Olivier looked at Oum Boonchuy. "yes, Mrs. Boonchuy?"

"We are sorry for the hard life you had to live..." said Oum. "no child should have to go through that."

"And, even if you DO make it back home...you will always have another home here with us." added Bee.

Olivier tried hard not to tear up at this. "th-thank you...I won't ever forget your kindness."

The Boonchuys then began to yawned real loud. "I think we'd better turn in for tonight."

"yeah, that sounds good." said Hop Pop. "these old bones need a rest."

Everyone brought out their sleeping bags, and proceeded to get in them.

Though there were few tents, so some groups had to share.

Olivier laid down in his sleeping bag, his head outside of the tent.

He was gazing up at the night sky that was full of stars that gleamed like gemstones.

Anne (in her own sleeping bag) then laid down beside him.

As she snuggled up to him, Olivier blushed bright red...bust still smiled.

"this is nice." said Anne.

"yeah." said Olivier.

"you, uhh...didn't tell my parents your WHOLE story." spoke Anne.

"neither have you." retorted Olivier.

"fair enough." Anne looked at Olivier. "can I ask you a question?"

"You know you can ask me anything, Anne." said Olivier.

"do you...ever wonder where you came from?" asked Anne. "like, how DID you end up in that Olive Tree to begin with."

"I used to...but it doesn't matter to me anymore." said Olivier.

"Even if I turned out to be Emperor Belos' son: I am a Clawthorne, and always WILL be a Clawthorne."

Anne took a moment to think about this. "I...kinda know how you feel.

I mean, I am proud to be a Boonchuy. but...I also don't mind being "Anne Plantar", either."

Olivier grinned as he remembered something else, but decided to keep it to himself for the time being.

There was a brief silence...then Anne spoke again. "thinking about anything else?"

"a little...why?" said Olivier. "You thinking about something?"

"yeah...about Sasha. and...marcy." said Anne, frowning sadly.

"yeah...I can't help but think about Maddie." said Olivier.

"When last I saw her, she was fighting with that froggin' toad wizard."

"we need to get back to Amphibia." said Anne. "at the very least, to get the Plantars back home."

"and STOP King Andrias before he destroyed this world...and others." added Olivier.

"I can only hope that Sasha and Grime are alive, and keeping him busy."

"You really think so?" inquired Anne.

"I hope so...why else hasn't he invaded yet?, despite having the fully charged Calamity Gems." mused Olivier.

"All he did so far was send ONE robot to kill you, and not his whole frogging army."

Anne took a moment to ponder this. "you may be right...but, still: Marcy."

"We'll find a way to save her..." said Olivier. "I promise."

Anne looked at Olivier. "I know..." Anne then kisses Olivier's cheek. "and I promise to find a way to get YOU home, too."

Olivier paused...and then breathed out. "let's just stay focused on Amphibia for now.

As much as I want to go back home, I can't...not yet. Not until Andrias is stopped first."

Olivier narrowed his eyes. "I won't let that MONSTER destroy my home...either of them."

Anne looked at Olivier. "well...like I said: Whatever the future holds...we face it TOGETHER."

Olivier nodded. he then inched closer to Anne, their noses touching. "olivanne against the world."

Anne smiled as she and Olivier closed their eyes together. "olivanne against all worlds."

In time...the pair drifted off to sleep. Lulled by the tranquil sounds of nature, and distant city sounds.

[Meanwhile...]

Miles away from the Boonchuy House in the big city,

a bright yellow eye gleamed from within a cardboard box in a dark alley.

The box opened up...and a blue skinned frog girl peeked out.

She brushed the bangs of her white, mop like hair back as she looked at both ends of the alley.

Seeing no one, she emerged from her hiding place and hopped onto a dumpster.

She then scaled up a building until finally climbing onto the rooftop.

The frog girl then stood still as she gazed out at the massive city,

a steady wind blowing at her hair and black burlap dress.

"so...this is the Human World where Anne, Marcy and Sasha came from." spoke Maddie Flour.

"I wonder if we all ended up here. I wonder...is Olivier here, too?"

Maddie then raised her hand out...and materialized a short staff with a spider carving atop it.

She clutched the staff, and looked at it with soft eyes and a somber frown.

Maddie remembered how Olivier helped her carve the very staff in her hands.

Which made her smile as she remembered other fond memories with him.

It was always her dream to become a powerful witch,

and until she met Olivier, she learned all she knew from reading books.

But Olivier taught her more about magic than she ever could on her own.

And he had also promised to show her his world where EVERYONE was a Witch.

She fully intended to go to that world...somehow. But for the moment, her main goal was to find her mentor.

And Quickly...before 'HE' found them both first.

Maddie then swung her magic staff, and began to run. she then leapt a great distance,

landing onto the rooftop of another building. She continued to hop from one rooftop, to another...

...Blissfully unaware that she was being watched by a black bat with glowing red eyes.

[End of Part Ten]