"what was that?" spoke Anne.
Olivier heard it, too. and noticed the door creaked open. "I think...something is in her with us."
Anne quickly parted from Olivier, who then extended his index finger.
Olivier then pointed his now glowing fingertip forward, scanning the area for a threat.
"Whoever you are...SHOW YOURSELF!" spoke Olivier, in a warning tone.
"And if it's you trying to play a joke on us Sprig, then this isn't-"
"W-WAIT, IT'S ME!" exclaimed the mystery figure, as they revealed themselves.
Both Anne and Olivier froze...in shock at who was standing in front of them.
"mah...m-maddie?!"
"OLIVEEERR!" the blue frogette literally leaped into Olivier's arms.
The usually tough, and stoic frog girl then started bawling like a scared child
(..which technically, she WAS.)
"I found you...I FINALLY FOUND YOU!"
Olivier was in complete shock, unable to stop his own tears from breaking.
He did what came naturally to him...and hugged Maddie as if she were his own child.
"maddie...y-you're here. YOU'RE ALIVE!" exclaimed Olivier.
Anne joined in the embrace (also tearing up.) "we thought we lost you, Mads!"
Maddie finally looked up at the humans. "I was lost...in this strange world for a long time."
"What happened to you!?" exclaimed Olivier, desperate for answers. "Last I saw you you, you were-"
Olivier paused mid-sentence as a memory he had tried to repress suddenly came back.
The memory...of that battle in King Andrias' throne room. When everything just went to 'Frog Hell.'
He recalled how the Calamity Box had opened a portal, but it was unstable.
The portal acted more like a Black Hole, and had sucked in Maddie...along with-
"Maddie...where is Grunge?" spoke Olivier, both and and Anne kneeling down.
Maddie looked down. "I don't know...I remember fighting him in the vortex.
I managed to knock him into the tunnel walls, and he disappeared."
Maddie paused before continuing. "Next thing I knew...I woke up in some Graveyard at night time."
Anne couldn't suppress her smirk. "sounds about right."
"I'm sorry...I looked for him." continued Maddie. "and, when I couldn't find him and started looking for YOU.
I didn't know if you were here in this world, too. but...I just had a feeling that you were."
Both Olivier and Anne smiled, and hugged Maddie like two parents who found their lost child.
"you were wise to trust your intuition...we ARE here." said Olivier.
"and, not just US." added Anne. "The Plantars are here, too. Hop Pop, Polly and Spri-"
Anne was cut short at the sound of loud snoring: Maddie had fallen right to sleep.
"OHMYGOD...she passed right out!" exclaimed Anne.
"poor thing. she must've been searching day and night with no sleep." mused Olivier.
"Then, we should put her to-oh crap!"
"What?"
"HOW am I going to explain this to my parents!?" exclaimed Anne.
"They are most likely asleep by now, so that is a worry that can wait until tomorrow."
Olivier then stood up. carrying Maddie in his arms as if she were a baby.
"I'll let her sleep in my bed for tonight (my chair's more comfortable, anyway.)"
"STILL, though. what DO I tell my parents!?" continued Anne, still concerned.
"It took a lot to convince them to let the Plantars stay, but MADDIE..."
Olivier paused to think...
...he then smiled as an idea popped in his head: "Tell them she's great at baking bread."
"huh?"
Olivier turned to face his girlfriend. "Your parents own a Restaurant, right?
well...ALL Restaurants need good bread, and Maddie is the daughter of Wartwood's best baker."
"ONLY baker." added Anne.
"The point still stands: Maddie is good baking bread."
Anne took a moment think about what Olivier just said.
"you know...that DOES make some weird sense." said Anne, finally.
"Then that's what we'll tell them." said Olivier.
"In any case, I will NOT allow Maddie to be alone in the street again."
"Agreed." said Anne. "had I known she was here too, I would've-"
"I know...but, what matters is that she is here now."
Olivier then looked down at Maddie, who continued to sleep in his arms.
He gently blushed her white, moppy bangs aside and looked at her tiny face.
"she is my responsibility...my kid." continued Olivier. "and I swear that I won't let ANYthing bad happen to her."
Anne blushed as she grinned at her boyfriend.
Olivier sounded like 'father' right now...which she kinda found attractive.
As Olivier began to walk to the door of the greenhouse, Anne quickly followed him.
Walking together, she also caressed Maddie's face much like her own mother used to with her.
And much like Olivier, Anne felt a strange need to protect Maddie like she were her own child.
[Later, In Olivier's Basement Room]
Anne finished fluffing up a pillow as Olivier laid Maddie on the bed.
The pair then both pulled the blanket over the still sleeping frog girl.
"there...she's safe now." said Olivier.
"I...never noticed how cute she looks" spoke Anne.
"I mean...she IS, but for as long as I have known her she was always-"
"kinda creepy?" said Olivier. "even I noticed that."
Anne looked down, feeling ashamed of herself. "yeah...but she really isn't. It's just her thing."
Olivier breathed out softly. He then pulled up a wooden chair, and sat down beside the bed.
"You might as well go, Anne." spoke Olivier. "I don't think I can focus on anything else right now."
Anne paused for a moment...she then dragged over another wooden chair,
and sat down down next to Olivier next to the bed. "I'm not going anywhere." said Anne.
Olivier smiled. "thank you."
The two then watched as Maddie slept, staring for a whole minute.
"Is this what it feels like?" asked Anne, breaking the silence.
"Hm?"
"Being a parent. is THIS what that feels like?" repeated Anne.
Olivier took a moment to think about this. "maybe...I mean, I know she isn't MY actual kid.
but, then again...I'm not really my mother's kid, either. Yet I never doubt that she loved me."
Olivier then widened his eyes. "titan...is THIS how she felt with me?"
Anne placed her hand softly upon Olivier's shoulder.
He looked at her...and she gave him a comforting smile.
Letting himself calm down, the pair resumed watching Maddie.
"you think I'd make a good mom?" Olivier gave Anne a dumbfounded expression,
but quickly figured why she was asking this question. "of course you would." answered Olivier.
"I haven't always been the most responsible." continued Anne.
"no...but we ARE still only thirteen." said Olivier.
"and, besides: if and when you DO become a mom...you won't have to do it alone."
Anne looked at Olivier...who then started blushing (almost KNOWING what Anne was thinking about.)
"for what it's worth...You'd make an *awesome* dad, too."
Now, Olivier was REALLY blushing bright red.
But he then started to smile as he imagined his future Ten, or Twenty years from now.
a future where there were no threats, no crazed tyrants that needed dethroned.
just a normal, mundane life...where his girlfriend was his wife, and he had his own family.
It was a simple dream...but a DREAM, none-the-less.
But, what Olivier didn't know...was that Anne shared his dream.
a dream where all this peril would be far behind them,
and they could have a dull, ordinary life together to look forward to.
Anne then took Olivier's hand, and held it tight (Olivier did the same.)
The Thai Girl then leaned to the side, resting her head against Olivier.
Olivier smiled at her, and then rest his own head against hers.
The pair then continued to watch Maddie...until they eventually drifted off to sleep.
[Meanwhile...]
Somewhere within the big city, a group of shady looking people
were gathered in a secluded area behind some buildings.
With loud death metal music blaring at high volume,
they're eyes were red from whatever 'substance' they were puffing.
As one of them was counting his clips of dirty looking cash,
They all stopped when their boom box suddenly died for no apparent reason.
They then heard the sound of approaching footsteps. The gang then drew out handguns,
and aimed it at the narrow alley where the steps were coming from.
But they then laughed upon seeing a shadowy figure that was no more than four foot tall.
"HEY!" exclaimed one of the humans. "You LOST, short-stack?! This is OUR turf!"
The shadowy figure stopped, and stood still (with what appeared to be a fur coat draped over them.)
"Now, why don't you turn around...and walk away before we give you "Lead Poisoning" continued the human.
The shadowy figure slowly grinned a wide, almost Cheshire-like smile.
It's teeth a dull yellow color, and dagger shaped.
a fly then buzzed near it's head...only to be struck by a long, slimy tongue
that shot out from the shadowy figure's mouth like a spring-loaded tether.
After chomping the insect loudly...it's eyes glow BRIGHT RED in the darkness.
[End of Part Fifteen]