Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

           The sound of metal clanging against metal jolted Sasha awake, but even with her eyes slanted open, everything was too fuzzy to make out much besides whorls of color. A rancid scent assaulted her as the wave of muggy heat reminded her that she was still in the strange world that crazy music box had dropped her in.

            Sasha lay still, trying to wait out a wave of nausea that swept over her. What happened? She wondered, desperately trying to piece together where she was and what new danger she’d found. She’d spent four days making her way towards the tower she’d spotted through the dense foliage where she’d awoken…well, three days, she’d spent one of those days horrifically sick from water she’d thought was clean, but apparently wasn’t. She’d been afraid to eat anything, and between the hunger, the oppressive muggy heat that made L.A. summers seem mild, and the disorientation of the strange world she was entirely certain was some sort of alien planet, it had been a rough four days. She’d found it relatively easy to evade the monstrously huge bugs and strange beasts, and thanks to some carcasses she’d stumbled over and some arrows she’d found, she suspected there were people hunting them.

            The tower, she remembered then, I finally reached the tower.

            The memories came back, her relief at finding signs of human habitation, only for it to be dashed when she realized they weren’t human at all, but some sort of massive hideous toad creatures. They wore clothing and armor, and she had no problem understanding their language, which seemed to be English, though some had accents she thought she recognized as well.

            Still, approaching them for help hadn’t seemed like an option. Instead, she’d waited for nightfall, then tried to sneak in the backdoor to find a kitchen or any room that might contain food…and that was it. That was all she could remember.

            I must have been caught. She realized, the hunger pains were a low irritation, but she was parched and her head felt like it was splitting in two. She shifted slightly, flexing her muscles to make sure nothing was broken. Her ribs ached, and her head was still killing her, and her palms and knees stung like she’d scraped them on pavement, but otherwise, she seemed whole enough.

            She opened her eyes wider and blinked, then slowly tried to push herself up as she took in the damp, mossy stone around her.

            “What?” She mumbled, wincing as the pain in her head only heightened.

            “Told you it wasn’t dead.” A low graveled voice said with an ominous chuckle, and Sasha flinched back from it, but when she raised her gaze from the floor, she found thick iron bars between her and the creature glaring down at her. It was easily the biggest toad she’d seen, with a scarred face and one eye whole, and the other that seemed to have been replaced with a stone of some sort. “Percy, go have the kitchens bring something up for it, I’m sure our guest is hungry.”

            “Right away, Captain.” A higher toned, but still masculine voice spoke.

            Sasha steeled herself, hating that she’d flinched away. I can’t show any fear, she reminded herself, if they know I’m afraid, they’ll have more power of me.

            She caught sight of the smaller toad slipping out the doorway. “Percy, seriously? That’s it’s name?” She rasped out, then coughed and spat when she tasted the metallic flavor of blood. Red tinged spit hit the dirty floor, and she grimace and turned away, resisting the urge to reach up and feel her swollen lip. Damn, they kicked my ass. The room spun a bit. “Who are you, Hubert? Eugene? Timothy?”

            “I am Captain Grime,” the creature growled out, “and you were caught trespassing in my Tower. That was the one and only question of yours I’ll be answering. From here on out, it’s me that asks the question, and if you provide answers I might make your death more swift.”

            “So…you’re saying I just shouldn’t answer you then?” Sasha retorted, but the room spun around her. Shit, I think I have a concussion. She shifted to the side towards a wall, hoping for support, but a sharp pain as her ankle refused to move pulled her up short. “Seriously? Isn’t this…overkill?” She asked, gesturing at the manacle that chained her securely to the floor, hoping he hadn’t realized that the pause in her sentence was to fight back another wave of nausea.

            “I have no idea what you are,” Grimes replied, “But you’re not a newt, a frog, or a toad, which makes you an enemy sneaking around a military base. Who are you spying for? How many of you are there?”

            Sasha realized the wall behind her was in reach and scooted backwards to lean against it. “Like, eight billion and counting,” Sasha rasped out, “if I don’t get water soon, I’ll die, so I’m not going to say anything else until I get something to drink. Clean water. Boil it first or something.”

            Sasha managed to hide the mounting terror swelling in her gut when the monster slammed his hands into the bars.

            “You’ll answer my questions, or I’ll come in there and pry them out of you myself.” He growled, flashing sharp teeth at her.

            Do toads have teeth on Earth? She wondered. She considered answering him again with whatever snark she might be able to summon, but her vision swam, then tunneled until all she could make out in the blackness was a tiny glowing pink light in the distance.

            When she opened her eyes again she was still in the cell, but the room outside it was empty. A metal cup and metal bowl sat on the ground near her and she shifted towards it eagerly. The bowl contained some sort of green slop that smelled…not entirely terrible. Not like something she wanted to eat, but not entirely rancid either. The water looked blessedly clean.

            Sasha blinked back the stinging in her eyes as she lifted the cup and drank slowly, remember how on Suspicion Island her favorite character had gotten dehydrated and had to drink slowly to keep from getting sick. She sipped at the water, forced herself to count to thirty, then sipped again.

            The soup tasted like swamp water, heavily salted swamp water. It had what looked like root veggies floating in it, and what were very clearly insect legs.

            “Eat it and get poisoned, or not eat it starve to death,” she muttered. She managed to slurp down the broth a bit, gagging on it, but keeping it down. Then washed it down with a few sips of water. She set it aside, knowing she’d probably need to eat more to build up her strength, but wanting to wait to see if it was going to make her sick first. She leaned back against the wall and waited.

            Eventually, she told herself, swiping away a few stupid tears that managed to escape, they’ll slip up, and I’ll be ready to escape.

            She wondered if Anne and Marcy were there too, though not in the tower apparently. That Grime guy acted like he'd never seen a human, so they probably didn’t get caught by these toads. She thought, I hope they had better luck than me…but if they come up against toads like these, they’re probably prisoners too. Marcy probably got herself killed in ten minutes…unless Anne is with her.

            She listened to the sound of the wind through the high window, the occasional shout or footstep, but otherwise the silence stretched the minutes into hours.

            Sasha closed her eyes, taking slow deep breaths as she fought off the despair that tried to crowd in.

            “I’ve never really prayed before,” she whispered, “and I don’t know what gods this world has, but whatever is out there…please…please let my friends be okay until I can find them. Anne is naïve and shy and way too soft for this world, and Marcy…well, if you’re some sort of all seeing toad deity, you’ll be able to see how much protection she needs.”

            She didn’t really believe in prayer. But she hadn’t believed in alien worlds and magic music boxes either, so she figured it was worth a shot.

            After a few minutes passed she added, “Oh yeah, I’d like to not die too. Uh. Shalom or whatever.”

            She huffed out a sigh, blowing her hair out of her face. At least my headache’s not so bad anymore.

            Sasha passed time finishing her water and choking down a bit more of the cold soup, since it hadn’t seemed to kill her yet. She picked up one of the bug legs, sniffing it, then dropped it back into her bowl.

            The air was cool, and despite the flickering torchlight, or maybe because of it, the room was strewn with deep shadows. The sky was dark outside the window, and she suspected she had her cell to herself until morning.

            Being alone with her thoughts wasn’t her favorite thing, but the aches and pains in her body, her still tender head – a lump forming under her hair at the base of her skull, and days of malnourishment left her too exhausted to think much anyway.

            “It can’t reach it there, Braddock,” the voice that spoke sounded familiar, and it only took Sasha a few moments of coming out of sleep to recall the name. Percy. So there’s a Percy, and a Braddock. Sasha evaluated without uncurling from the floor, where she’d spent the long cold night in fitful sleep. For such hot muggy days, the nights got ridiculously cold, and she'd had no blanket. The stone floor wasn’t exactly forgiving. Still, she had to stay on her game. Percy sounds like a pushover…I can work with that.

            “Can’t it just tongue it over there?” That must be Braddock. Sounds like a chick. I guess there must be chick toads. Biology and all that.

            “I don’t think it can,” Percy replied. “Captain Grime said that it seemed to have a weirdly short tongue, like a newt…only it’s not a newt. It’s skin is all dry and stuff, and it’s got no tail. Maybe it fell off, but the Captain suspects it’s like a frog or a toad and loses its tail after the pollywog stage. Or maybe it’s some kind of soft bug and doesn’t have one.”

            “Creepy.” Braddock replied. “Fine, I’ll move the bowl closer, but keep your spear handy, I’m not trying to get bitten by some weird creature Phil found.”

            Did they poke around a look at my body while I was sleeping? Sasha wondered, her chest feeling tight at the violation.

            Sasha shifted, and heard and yelp and a clatter. When she pushed her sore body up the cell door had clanged shut.

            “Oh, frog that was close!” Braddock exclaimed.

            “Well, at least we know it’s still alive. I keep thinking it’s dead, it’s such a quiet sleeper.” Percy said. “Hi, beast thing.”

            This last was directed at Sasha. Sasha looked up at the green rather dumpy toad. “Hey. It’s…it’s Percy right?” She rasped out, then coughed. She glanced around and found another small cup of water. She reached for it, downed in two gulps, then back at the soup.

            “Do you all think I could get more water?” Sasha said, “I’m not actually a bug or a newt or whatever…but I need a lot more water than this to survive.”

            “It really can talk!” Braddock breathed in amazement.

            “Yo, my pronouns are she/her/hers,” Sasha ground out, trying to fight back her irritation. “I’m not an it.”

            “Oh, sorry. What…what are you?” Braddock asked, "I mean what species?"

            “I’m a human, which I’m beginning to think aren’t really a thing here,” Sasha replied, shifting to sit cross legged and toy with the ragged hem of her uniform skit. “and if I die on your watch, I’m guessing Grime won’t be too happy about that.”

            “She has a point,” Percy muttered to Braddock.

            “We can get you more water, human,” Braddock said, “but…but you have to promise not to bite or scratch.”

            “Yeah, I don’t do that anyway, so we’re good.” Sasha grimaced at the thought of actually biting weird slimy toad skin. Gross.

            Braddock inched back into the cell, taking the cup and pushing another bowl of soup, this one much thicker than the last, closer to Sasha.

            “Percy called you Braddock, right?” Sasha asked as the purplish but also orangish toad backed away with the empty cup.

            “Yeah, I do a lot of stuff around here, but mostly I cook.” She replied, looking a bit proud. "Well, help cook, but sometimes I do it on my own."

            If she’s proud of her cooking, Sasha realized, maybe they’re not intentionally feeding me garbage food, maybe this is just the stuff they eat. They are toads after all.

            “Well, thanks Braddock,” Sasha said, being sure to offer a smile and eye contact, “this is by far the best food I’ve had in a long time. It’s not the kind of thing I’m used to eating, but I appreciate what you do.”

            “Aw, thanks,” Braddock seemed pleased, and if Sasha wasn’t mistaken, was blushing slightly. “I work with pretty limited ingredients here, but I’ve got a garden going out back. The others made fun of me for it at first, but since I’ve started harvesting a few things, that’s pretty much stopped.”

            “Why would people make fun of a garden?” Sasha asked, thinking she could learn a little more about the culture wherever she could. Anything might prove useful.

            “Well, I’m not a frog, obviously,” Braddock shrugged, “and gardening isn’t exactly a toad past time.”

            “What is a toad past time? Besides the obvious warrior thing?” Sasha asked.

            “Oh, well, we throw some pretty good parties,” Braddock glanced at Percy, who suddenly looked animated.

            “Music is a big one. I play a variety of instruments myself, and I’m an entertainer…but…just as a hobby.” He deflated a little, “My mom says it’s not the best career trajectory.”

            “I get that,” Sasha nodded, “I’m an entertainer too, back home, I was a cheerleader. You probably don’t have those here, but we’re responsible for the moral of teams of athletes and their fans.”

            “Oh, cool! I love watching bug ball,” Percy beamed, “I always thought during the mid game break it’d be nice to put on some entertainment.”

            “Yeah, a half-time show,” Sasha forced another smile. These toads seemed…a little less terrifying than Grime had been. Perhaps there was even more to work with than she’d thought. If she could convince as many toads as possible that she was harmless, get them sympathetic…or maybe even convince them to leave…

            Getting people to like her and do what she wanted was kind of her thing. It wasn’t always your thing. An irritating voice piped up from the back of her mind. Too bad you didn’t figure it out sooner.

            Sasha shook off her dark thoughts, refocusing on her mission. Percy was going on about musical instruments and improv acts, and Braddock had disappeared. Sasha made a show of listening, and she was listening, cataloging the most useful facts and visualizing storing the rest as potentially useful, but presently irrelevant.

            Braddock returned and brought her the cup of water with much less fear in her body language, though she did set it down.

            “Thanks, girl,” Sasha picked up the cup, drinking it a bit slower and leaving half of it to help wash down her meal.

            “No problem,” Braddock shrugged.

            “So, how old are you two?” Sasha said, thinking of the battle scarred toads she’d spotted patrolling when she’d been staking out the Tower. “I mean, you seem younger than some of the other toads I’ve seen.”

            “Oh, I’m twenty five,” Percy said.

            “Same,” Braddock said, “We joined up the same year, and then we got assigned together here with a couple other guys.”

            “How old does a toad have to be to join the army?” Sasha asked.

            “Oh, there’s no minimum age,” Percy said, “I waited a little longer to join…”

            “We both had other hobbies and interests, but all toads serve at least five years. We joined up at nineteen.” Braddock said, then looked Sasha over curiously. “How old are you?”

            “I’m thirteen,” Sasha said.

            “No way!” Braddock exclaimed as Percy let out a sound of shock and perhaps a bit of distress. “You’re just a kid? What’s a kid doing as a spy? I mean, I know some toads that joined up with an army at that age, but they don’t get real jobs. Mostly just polish armor and carrying messages.”

            Sasha shrugged, knowing she couldn’t exactly say she was from a different world, since that wasn’t likely to be believed. She’d need to spin a story. But the best stories are built from bits of truth.

            “I’m not a spy,” she reiterated, “I was honestly just trying to steal some food. I’m just trying to survive, but I’m on my own.”

            “What about your parents?” Percy asked, sounding far more sympathetic than Sasha had even expected.

            Sasha didn’t have to fake her response as she curled into herself a little, dropping her gaze. “Yeah, there’s nothing back home I’m all that eager to get back to,” she admitted, “nobody who’s going to care if I’m gone. They’re probably relieved, honestly.”

            “Damn,” Braddock knelt down just outside the cell, “I’m sorry, human. That’s rough.”

            “Well, if Grime decides to let you go,” Percy said, “I can give you directions to my mom’s house. She’d be happy to take you in. I know she misses having me around to fuss over, and she could use some help these days. I try to send back most of my pay…but it’s not much.”

            “Yeah, since the newts completely cut funding for military operations, and just expect us to survive on ever dwindling tax collections.” Braddock rolled her eyes and huffed, “and the cut they let us keep is less and less every year. It’s why I started the garden, we need more to supplement our rations.”

            Sasha looked at the cooling bowl of what seemed to be porridge, and picked it up. It had a higher vegetable content than the soup had, though there were still bugs sprinkled on top, but they seemed to be deep fried.

            She tentatively picked one out of the bowl and popped it in her mouth. It gave a little crunch, like a tiny pork rind when she bit into it. Not…inedible. The porridge was salted, but not overly so, and she didn’t want to think about what it might be made of, but it was better than the soup, so she spooned it up.

            “I noticed you didn’t seem to eat much,” Braddock observed.

            “I was basically starving before,” Sasha admitted between bites, “I need to eat small portions frequently or I’ll get sick. Plus, I’m pretty sure someone knocked me out, my head is killing me.”

            “Oh, yeah, Phil knocked you out cold,” Percy said, “you caught him off guard, he’d…well none of us have ever seen anything or anyone like you. Ha, you should have heard him scream!”

            “Yeah, well,” Sasha set the bowl down a little reluctantly. She wouldn’t call the food enjoyable, but it was edible at least. Her stomach didn’t feel like it could handle more right away though, and she really, really had to pee. “now I’m stuck in here, but at least it’s sorta dry and the food is pretty good.”

            Braddock grinned.

            “Hey, so…where am I supposed to…like, go to the bathroom? I’m kinda chained to the floor,” Sasha asked, “Are there facilities one of you can bring me to?”

            “Oh, no,” Percy shook his head, “we’re not allowed to unlock you at all. Only Captain Grime has the key anyway. Sorry…there’s a bucket over there though. Ivar’s on cleaning duty, it’ll be his job to come up and clean it out when he’s done in the stables.”

            “Stables?” Sasha perked up a little, she doubted they rode horses, but they had to ride something. Probably giant bugs or snakes, but stables usually had hay, right? “Is there hay or something I could get in here, just to sleep on? The floor is cold for me, I’ll probably get sick if I have to keep sleeping on stone.”

            Braddock and Percy exchanged looks. “Maybe…” Braddock said, giving Percy a sort of pleading look. “She’s just a kid, Perc…”

            “I could tell him to bring some up,” Percy said slowly, “maybe make it sound like Captain Grime ordered it.”

            “Cool, you two are lifesavers, seriously.” Sasha sighed in not entirely feigned relief. They’re sympathetic.

            “I better get back to the kitchen,” Braddock said, “It was nice meeting you human.”

            “My name is Sasha,” Sasha gave the toad a little wave.

            “Well, then, well met, Sasha.” Braddock said, “I hope you get things sorted out with Grime soon.”

            “Sure,” Sasha forced another smile, even though it sort of hurt her busted lip. “good luck with your garden.”

            “I’ll go too,” Percy hitched a thumb over his shoulder, “give you some privacy. Phil’s about to come replace me anyway.”

            “All right,” Sasha replied, “well, next time you’re on duty up here, I’d love to hear one of those songs you were telling me about.”

            Percy beamed. “Really? That’d be great!”

            “Oh, and tell Phil i said no hard feelings!” Sasha called out as they Percy vanished. No harm in setting the stage for a good relationship with the next guard on duty.

            Once they were gone, Sasha eyed the bucket with trepidation, but only for a moment.

            I guess it beats going in the forest, she told herself, though she wasn’t sure that was true.

Chapter Text

             As Sasha scraped the slash across the four marks on the wall, she congratulated herself on a job well done. She’d only been there ten days, but already she’d talked both Phil and Ivar into leaving. She was pretty sure it would be easy enough to talk Percy into going too, but only if she talked Braddock into it first, since the two seemed to be friends. Percy was obviously smitten, but Braddock either didn’t know, or was choosing not to acknowledge it, and was a little harder to get a read on. Still, Braddock made an actual effort to prepare food Sasha could digest after she’d gotten sick from the porridge, which disgustingly, was made from some sort of mashed up bug intestine. Braddock had mostly figured out which foods Sasha could stomach, and which ones she “liked” the best, and she made an effort to season them as well, thanks to her herbs in her garden finally getting mature enough to harvest.

            Braddock also reminded Sasha a little bit of Anne, and not just because she was obsessed and meticulous about cooking. She was a bit shy, but also loyal to her friends, even when it got her picked on by others. And Percy would easily be a stand in for Marcy. He didn’t have her crazy-awesome intellect, but he was clumsy and a total dork, in the best of ways. She kind of liked him. She knew she’d have to encourage him to go sometime, but if she was going to send him off without Braddock, she’d need some more time to work him.

            So far she’d estimated Toad tower had thirty five warriors, down to thirty three now that she’d encouraged Phil to seek out his lost love and make amends, and convinced Ivar that he was underappreciated, and would do better in a different army now that he had some experience. She’d also figured out that the Toad army wasn’t one organization, each area of Amphibia that was populated by frogs had one toad in charge of keeping order, and that toad got a set amount of funds to recruit and train up a fighting force to run that region. Then the toad got a yearly stipend based on the number of frogs in the region. The money used to come from the capital, somewhere called Newtopia, where the ruling class resided, but an unpopular edict had gone out that required the toads to take a percentage cut of the collected taxes. The valley Toad Tower ruled over was neither the most or least populated area, but numbers only mattered so much when it was just poor farmers.

            Braddock and Percy had gotten into a long conversation about it that was even more informative than Sasha’s carefully posed queries and prompts. Apparently the valley was on the brink of economic collapse, and because it was remote and cut off from the rest of Amphibia for the colder season, which distressingly considering the heat, they were in the middle of, the region was rife with predators, poisonous plagues, and natural disasters with little to no support from the capital. With only twenty five toads, which could barely be considered an army, hunting parties barely put a dent in the infestation of dangerous wild creatures, and there was no infrastructure to keep frogs and their farms safe.

            Sasha’s mind moved a thousand miles per second as possible solutions to problems bloomed and developed in her mind. Not that she cared all that much about the problems the toads had, but there wasn’t much else to do in the three foot radius she’d been permitted.

            Sasha dropped the stone she'd used to mark the passage of days, and dragged her foot in front of her to tug the sock up under the chain. Her clothes had been getting rancid, and she’d convinced Braddock to wash them for her, but that had been days ago and they were already dirty again. Not that they’d looked great freshly laundered; worn, torn, and dingy, but at least they’d been clean. Braddock would be helping with the laundry in another couple days and Sasha hoped she’d be able to sneak her uniform in with it. She’s had the jacket, the shirt, and her underwear washed last time. This time she’d go for her skirt and socks and her undershirt, which she’d been wearing in lieu of a sports bra on Anne’s birthday since she hadn't had cheer practice.

            Her jacket was her only warmth at night, and it was the least soaked in sweat, so she figured she’d be able to keep it from the wash for at least another few weeks, if she had to stay in the cell that long.

            She pressed on her ribs where she’d thought she’d cracked or broken something, and found it only the slightest bit sore. She’d cracked ribs in cheerleading before; you don’t work your way up to captain without blood, sweat, and broken bones, but they’d never healed so fast. She wondered if it was something in the food. She’d been logging away the earth equivalent of ingredients for when she got home. It’s not like she’d be eating mantis or beetles for lunch, but who’s to say she couldn’t find a protein shake with that stuff in it help along the healing process for future cheer injuries? Her image was her life and pretending to not be in pain when she was in pain was irritating at best, and exhausting at worst. And just being Sasha Waybright was exhausting enough.

            And Anne was there. Grime had brought in a familiar yellow converse, and Sasha had managed to show no reaction at all, still, he knew she wasn’t alone there. But, now, so did she. If Anne had been transported there too, so had Marcy. She’d been beginning to despair, but now she knew her friends were there. Somewhere.

            Her dreams had been odd, flashes of images that made very little sense, usually bathed in an annoying pink light. She didn’t hate the color pink, far from it, it was a symbol of femininity, and Sasha wielded her femininity as a weapon of power, but it was weird that every time she closed her eyes, that pink glow tinged all her dreams, and even weirder that her dreams were so rarely her own.

            She sat up straighter as she heard the rhythmic clomp of boots on the hall, and the jostling of Fens’ armor as she straightened up. Fens was usually out on patrol, so Sasha hadn’t made much headway with her, but she knew the sound of solders coming to attention, and she knew the cadence of Grime’s footfalls. Twice a day that monster had come to interrogate her. He’d had a medic sent to her to make she wouldn’t die on her second day there, and he’d taken the advice to let her heal before more…intense interrogation methods. Sasha strongly suspected torture would be on the agenda any day now, particularly now that he thought he had evidence of allies. Her concussion had seemingly cleared up, her bruises mostly faded, and her scrapes healed over far more quickly than she’d expected. Her lip wasn’t busted anymore, and her ribs seemed barely bruised.

            Sure enough, Captain Grime came in holding a short, stout, club, tapping it against his clawed hand. Sasha forced herself not to let her eyes linger on it. Show no fear, you control the narrative. Control yourself, control the flow of information, control the situation. If anyone can talk their way out of a beating, it’s Sasha mother fucking Waybright.

            “Let’s start with your name,” Captain Grime growled, “Give me that and I might spare you a blanket from the stable.”

            “Yeah, I’ll pass on the flea infested blanket,” Sasha sneered, then added a sarcastic, “thanks anyway, though.”

            It was one thing to manipulate the soldiers for help and sympathy, but Grime was the power player, and she wasn’t about to let him view her as weak in any way. Besides, the more she pissed him off, the more questions he fired off, and the more information she gleaned from them. The first question let her know his band of warriors weren’t all that friendly with him. Several of them knew her name, and basic information about her. She’d talked with Braddock a bit about her home life even, finding the Toad chef and gardener to be more sympathetic the more Sasha revealed about her troubles back home. She talked about herself in small ways to several of her guards, but none of that information seemed to make it’s way up the chain of command to the Captain. He obvious had a lot to learn about leadership.

            He was a classic movie mean girl, ruling through fear alone. Sasha had quickly learned how easy it was to topple hierarchies held together by fear by the time she’d made it through the fifth grade. Middle school had been even more of the same. She’d systematically dismantled social hierarchies coming in from other elementary schools. St. James was a private school, so there were a lot of kids from a lot of schools there, but mostly from the same few private and charter elementary feeder schools. A lot of those kids had come in with social hierarchies in place already, and the easiest to dismantle and take over were the ones ruled by fear alone.

            Fear was a powerful tool, but if it was your only tool, it left you vulnerable. Loyalty came from many sources, but never from fear, and that was something Grime didn’t seem to understand. All Sasha had to do to deal with “mean girls” like Grime, was to show interest in his subordinates, remember stuff about them, compliment them…build them up and make them genuinely like her. Then they’ll do all sorts of things they wouldn’t otherwise do.

            Grime might even be able to be won over like that, but only if Sasha had something useful to offer him, and ultimately, she had nothing. The information he wanted to get out of her would be useless to him if he had it. If he knew about Anne and Marcy, assuming they were still alive, and if he realized what they were and that they weren’t a threat…he’d either dispose of her as useless to him, or he’d hunt them down then dispose of them all together. Either way, she’d die, and it wouldn’t help her friends.

            She had to believe they were alive. For all the adoring followers and fans she had in two worlds, Anne and Marcy were the only people in her life who truly mattered. They were her real friends, and she’d worked too hard to build their relationship dynamics, to mold herself into what they needed her to be, to lose them because of some random enchanted thrift store find and a bunch of warring amphibians. Without them, she’d have nothing left to survive for. Believing they were alive and knowing they needed her was the only thing keeping her breathing. She’d figured out she was allergic to a particular mushroom after taste testing it had made her mouth numb and given her hallucinations that oddly resembled her pink dreams, but she’d told Braddock she liked it and had been picking it out of her food, drying it in a patch of sunlight, and stashing it in her jacket pocket. If things got bad enough, she could probably OD on it. But so long as her friends were alive and out there, she had a reason to keep her shroom stash where it was.

            Grime asked the same questions, and Sasha continued to give gratingly sarcastic non-answers. But she noted which questions he kept coming back to. He was obviously paranoid about an invading force, and more than once he’d questioned her about newts, implying he didn’t trust the ruling class. If he didn’t trust them, he wasn’t particularly loyal to them. She knew that could come in handy, someday, but she wasn’t sure yet how. But she had a strong gut feeling that it was important.

            That’s the great thing about being off my anxiety meds, she realized, I can feel my intuition better.

            Acute generalized anxiety didn’t have a lot of perks, but being hypervigilant and having extreme attention to details that others often missed were a couple advantages. Back home, when she felt she needed those tools, even if she was on meds that dulled her anxious tendencies, all she had to do was expose herself to a trigger physically or mentally, and then bam…the meds were rendered ineffective as long as the adrenaline kept her anxiety at its height.

            She’d been on and off the damn things for awhile, and mostly, she hated them. Back home, all the authority figures in her life seemed to want her to be something she wasn’t, and most of the people she ruled over at school thought she was something she wasn’t. But Anne and Marcy knew her, they got her, and they stuck with her no matter what. She kept them safe, kept them from getting bullied, and made sure they had the space to be who they were and follow their interests without interference from people who would judge them. Marcy was a genius, but her interest was more in games then academic clubs, and Sasha had talked both Marcy’s dad and teachers into letting her follow her interests. Game designers made solid money after all, and Marcy was a bit of a savant when it came to game strategy and story plots and nerdy stuff like that, and her ADHD ability to hyperfocus meant she could probably do it professionally even as a seventh grader.

            Anne on the other hand, as sweet and awkward as she could be socially sometimes, was a beast on the tennis court. So much so that the high school SJMS fed into had actually recruited her to their varsity team. After her, the youngest player was a sixteen year old junior, but Sasha used her pull with the younger siblings of a few of Anne’s teammates to make sure Anne would be treated well enough on the team.

            If Grime thought he had the upper hand just because she was chained to a stone floor and he wielded weapons…well, let him keep his pride for the moment. Goes before the fall and all that, and when I take him down…

Chapter Text

         Sasha noted that despite his posturing, and despite the way Grime shoved her around and even backhanded her a time or two over the past week and a half, he never actually used the club on her. Whether he was afraid to accidentally kill her, or he just didn’t have the stomach for it she wasn’t ready to put money on…though if she had to guess she’d guess the former. Still, it was a good sign that while she was a bit more banged up than usual after the interrogations, they hadn’t gone entirely medieval.

            “Fens,” Grime said as he paused outside the door after getting a grand total of no information out of Sasha, leaving her slumped on the floor and staring daggers at the back of his head giant head, with a bruised cheek and a sore back from where he’d slammed her into the wall. “After this rotation you’ll be heading out with Bog's tax collection squad.”

            “Sir, I thought a crew was already out doing that?” Fens inquired, sounding confused.

            “Well, there’s always some frogs who hold back, it shouldn’t take much to collect from them though. The mayors of each town should be sending a list of any few who don’t pay with the tax receipts. When you collect, make sure you make a point that it’s better to pay what’s owed voluntarily than let our collection squads tally up the value of their goods mentally. After you cash out what the newts are owed, and we take our operating cut, your squad can all get a bonus out of what’s left over, so take a big wagon and bring back anything of value you can.”

            “Sounds like my kind of job,” Fens wheezes out a laugh, “I’m on it Captain. Can I pick the rest of the crew, or you got some folks in mind?”

            “I don’t care you who you pick. I trust your judgement more than Bog's, so choose quickly. No more than two or three others though. You won’t be doing crowd control, just confronting frogs in their homes. Oh and you can’t take Braddock. Nobody else can cook worth a damn.”

            “Got it, boss.”

            “Oh, and if you see any worthy recruits, bring ‘em in.” Grime went on, “We’ve had fifteen desertions this month alone.”

            Sasha smirked at that. I’m just getting started, Grimesy.

            Her feeling of triumph faded though, as the aches and pains of Grime’s rough handling of her set in, and she tried to force herself to breathe through the tears of despair as she stared at the mossy stone walls. She remembered how stupid she’d been to pray to gods of that world. Obviously no-one had been listening. There would be no miracles. No saviors. This is how I count my blessings, she thought, scraping away angry tears with the heels of her hands, as she leaned against the wall with twenty lines scraped into it, with fucking hatch marks on the wall.

Chapter Text

Six and a half weeks. Forty seven days. A month and a half. That’s how long Sasha had been rotting away in the cell. Not literally rotting anymore, at least. The sores and scabs around her ankle where the manacle was still locked on had calloused over into an ugly scar she’d probably carry for the rest of her life, and she’d stopped turning the top of her sock down over the manacle to keep it covered now that the skin wasn’t broken. She didn’t care if it did scar, in fact, she’d be fucking proud of that scar. She’d survive this ordeal, she’d escape, and she’d find her friends, save them from whatever hell they were in, and get her girls home.

Sasha Waybright would come out stronger, harder, better than she’d gone in. Sasha fucking Waybright wouldn’t be cowed by these strange creatures and their strange world. Because at the root of it, it wasn’t that strange. It was just middle school drama on a larger scale, and she’d ingratiated herself with nearly all of Grime’s army, minus Fens’ group who’d been gone for weeks, much longer than Grimes had anticipated, though according to Braddock they’d been sending back wagons of loot from towns that had been skimping on their tax payments. Grimes had seemed pissed that they were overdue, which he’d let slip to Sasha during his latest interrogation when he’d asked whether her allies were the reason the frogs seemed to be unsettled and resistant. Braddock mentioned they’d returned though, so she’d start on them soon, too.

Besides, she was pretty sure there was something in the food or the air or something that was making her stronger, letting her heal faster. She passed the time with push up, crunches, planks, lunges, stretches, all the stuff she’d made her cheer squad run through twice as long as their coach had recommended each practice. She always did that stuff on her own in the mornings and again before bed back home. She wanted her team to great, but she knew in order to stay on top, she had to be better. Here, she could feel her strength building, and she wished she had some weights so she could see how much stronger she was.

She knew from movies that prisoners usually got strong fast, but she didn’t have fellow prisoners to fight with to hone her skills. Still, she’d picked up a couple things from Anne over the years. Anne was pretty awesome at Muay Thai, even though she’d mostly shunned her mother’s Krabi-krabong lessons, which Sasha thought was fucking ridiculous. Still, Mrs. Boonchuy had been happy to give Sasha a few lessons in the early morning during sleepovers while the other girls slept off the long nights. Sasha practiced the moves she knew, both in the hand-to-hand Muay Thai style she’d learned from Anne, and the sword style she’d learned form Mrs. Boonchuy, since apparently swords were a Thai woman’s right, thanks to some ancient queen who’d led the Thai army to some historic victory. Marcy knew more about the history part of it, but Sasha had retained the important facts of the story. A queen picked up a sword and did what needed to be done.

She’d get ahold of a sword or two and do the same as soon as she had the chance. She’d need a sword, some armor, a cloak for warmth, and enough food to see her through. She knew she could forage if she had to, thanks to what she'd learned from Braddock about local flora, but she wouldn’t have time until she was good and far from Toad Tower.

She ate as much as she could, both to build up strength, and to be a drain on the resources. She hoped Grime was smart enough to decide to release her, and maybe he’d think he could follow her to her allies, which he still thought she had. She knew she could evade the toads if she got free.

She fingered the edges of the faux polaroid picture she still had of their trio back home in her pocket, she’d carried it everywhere since printing it out, and she was glad she still had it on her, even if she could think of more useful survival tools, she was glad it had been in the inner pocket of her jacket. It’s what had kept her going. It’s what made her finally confess her suicide mushroom stash to Braddock and Percy one night over several mugs of beetle mead they’d shared with her, and it’s what made her hand over her stash to Braddock.

Sasha tugged her hand out of her pocket when she heard the familiar heavy tromp of boots in the hall as Percy hung up his helmet and plopped the admittedly adorable jesters cap on his head.

She’d miss Percy barging in on her, now that he was quitting his job, and she wondered if he’d have the balls to actually quit to Grime’s face, or if he’d just leave a resignation letter and slip out unnoticed.

She wondered why Grime was coming again, even though he’d already interrogated her twice that day, once after breakfast, and again just before dinner. He’d figured out weeks ago that beating her, or having her beaten, didn’t work. Sasha had laughed her way through each and every beating. The more he dished out, the more she’d cover up her pain and terror with sarcastic comments and forced laughter she knew was tinged with madness that wasn’t entirely feigned. He’d respected that, saw it as strength, and the beatings had mostly ceased, and the questioning had become more wrote than anything. He was hoping she’d cave due to boredom and despair, that or he just came and shouted at her as a stress relief tool, since she knew things were getting dire. He’d stepped up recruiting, or tried to, but his numbers were dwindling, and she knew that was bad for him with the frogs of the valley getting restless.

He feared a rebellion, and Sasha was certain he’d slip up or simply release her soon.

He stormed into the room, and moments later Percy made a run for it, shouting his resignation as he went. Sasha smirked. She’d miss Percy a bit, but another one down. She’d gotten rid of nineteen toads faster than Grimes could replace them. This week was her record high of five, and it wasn’t even over yet! She had several more primed to desert.

Sasha and Grime began their usual back and forth. He’d finally gotten some intel she’d leaked out to guards, so he knew she had a couple non-militant friends she was looking for, or at least that it was the story she'd been giving. He didn’t believe her, but she was starting to wear him down. Starting to plant the seed that she might be more harmful in her cell than she would be out in the world. Started to erode his confidence in his abilities. Lifting people up was her specialty, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t tear them down just as well.

But before the oddly timed evening interrogation really took off, Braddock burst in, and moments later, Grime vanished after her. The small hairs on the back of Sasha’s neck prickled, and her intuition told her something was about to happen. This might be my chance. I actually could have used more time to deplete his forces, but maybe I could catch up with Percy and follow him home. He could help me get a map, supplies. If I can just find a way to turn whatever problem Braddock is talking about into an advantage…

She knew Braddock was her best chance at breaking out. They had the best rapport now that Percy was leaving. Braddock would be back to fill her in about those squash. I’ll make it seem like her idea to free me. I’m not hanging around if this is my once chance to go, if I can get out in the chaos of whatever's happening, Grime might not notice I’m missing until I’m long gone.

With Percy having defected, she knew he wouldn’t rat her out if she could catch up to him or find him before he left.

Sasha looked up at the ceiling as bits of gravel rained down when the sound of Grime’s heavy footfalls came form above.

“Huh,” she said softly to herself, “Wonder what that’s about. She got up and moved to the barred window, leaning out and see what Grime was doing up there.

“Kill the torches, fast!” Grime’s harsh whispered command rang out, and Braddock’s instant reply of “Sir!” followed.

Sasha grasped the bars and peered out into the evening, catching sight of some lanky birds in the distance that she hadn’t ever seen before. They looked kinda of neat against the setting sun, like a picture she’d seen hanging on Anne’s family’s restaurant back home.

“A bird?” Sasha asked, taking the chance to needle Grime. The more she could put him off his game, the more chaos would ensue when whatever he was afraid of happening happened. “You guys are scared of a bird?”

“Quiet!” Grime commanded, his voice still raspy and low. He explained that it wasn’t just a bird, but some sort of predator that reacted to sound. Sasha squinted at the birds as he talked, realizing that if they were that far away and looked as tall as they did, that they were actually kind of huge. Huge enough to swallow a toad whole, and therefore huge enough to swallow her whole. She’d need to get out of this by evading the toads, but also this new monster.

And then there was Percy. Percy with his one-man-band get up, horns blowing, accordion according, drums beating as he made his dramatic exit. Goddamnit Percy! He’s pulling a Marcy! He’s gonna get eaten…and get us eaten…

She and Grime tried to get Percy’s attention in hoarse whisper yells. Sure enough, the birds crossed the distance of massive legs. There was no creature on earth that tall. The tower was almost skyscraper height, and the birds were as tall as it, tall enough to snatch Grime right off the roof, or Sasha right out of her cell. She wondered if her bars were strong enough to keep them out the window, narrow enough to prevent their pointed beaks from stabbing her to death with one well placed peck.

Everything happened so fast after that, Grimes blew his horn, calling for the gates to close. Sasha watched from the window as Percy made a running leap and seemed to make in inside just in time. She felt a little bit of relief at that, but then everything was chaos. One of the birds heard her, and smashed through the wall like it was made of tracing paper, Sasha tumbled back, scrambling back as far as she could, cursing her damned chains.

She had no weapon, no way out. She was about to torn apart by a giant fucking bird.

This can’t be the way I go out! She thought desperately, as the bird screeched and she threw up a useless arm in defense, crying out some inane exclamation of sheer terror, I can’t leave the girls to fates like this one, I’ve got to find a way…

Sasha spotted her food bowl, a larger one that she’d convinced Braddock to fill for her than the smaller bowls she’d eaten from in the early weeks of her captivity. It was the closest thing she had to a weapon. She rolled to her side and scrambled to her feet. Dodging as the heron stabbed at her with it’s toothed beak, it’s rancid breath smelling of blood and shit, probably from tearing apart one of the patrols caught outside the gates.

“Bring it, bird-brain!” She shouted, no time to come up with a better battle cry, but she had to shout something, had to keep her adrenaline flowing, had to keep her fear from freezing her up and spelling out her doom.

Sasha lunged for the metal dish, snatching it up and deftly flipping it and hurling at the Heron’s face, “Eat this!” She screamed. The heron reared it’s head back, and Sasha cast about for another weapon, but came up empty. She’d heard shouting from the hall, but nobody was in the outer area outside her cell, so she couldn’t beg a weapon, and she knew she was out of time. The heron fixed her with an enraged gaze, and it’s head shot forward. Sasha refused to cower, but she couldn’t help flinching back, throwing up an arm…which she could live without much easier than her face. A wrenching of metal registered somewhere in the back of her mind, and the expected blow never came. She opened her eyes to find Grime standing in front of her.

“Creature! Fight with me!” He shouted, and Sasha’s heart pounded in her chest with relief and hope. He wasn’t looking at her, and while he started some inane speech she reached up and snagged the key from his hip, unlocking her manacle and leaping through the opening he’d left between her bars.

She needed a weapon, and while Grime seemed strong as all hell, she wasn’t going to take his, in fact, she wasn't sure he even had one. In the hall, she spotted a cowering new recruit, one who’s name she hadn’t figured out yet. He was hiding behind a barrel of something that smelled…awful. She didn’t stop to think, she felt a surge of strength, and her vision filmed over with that odd pink mist from her dreams as she grasped the barrel and heaved it over her head, then turned and ran back towards her cell, hurling it at the heron who was about to eat the creature who’d been tormenting her for weeks.

It crashed over the heron’s face, stunning it, and splattering green goop everywhere. The pink mist faded from her vision, and she blinked it away, brushing off her hands. Now…to convince Grime to let her go. He seemed impressed with her, and she knew she could use that. His forces were falling apart, cowering, unable to get past their fear. If they were going to survive, if Sasha was going to survive, those forces needed to be rallied, and that wouldn’t happen without her in control.

She knew just what cards to play. She hadn’t earned Grime’s esteem and affection like she had so many others, but she’d earned his respect, both over the past weeks and in the battle that had just ensued. Now she was free, and she was in her element.

In moments, she’d struck a deal with Grime for release and provisions if she helped him and his forces survive the heron attack. He thought he’d offered something she wanted in exchange for something he needed, but really, she won with both sides of the deal. She got what she asked for, but she could probably figure those things out without his consent. What she really needed, was control over what happened next, in agreeing to let her help him, she was securing that control.

In the safe room, she took stock of what resources they had. As she counted out the weapons and toads, (less than a dozen toads, which wasn’t great, but wasn’t nothing), Grime was doing his thing shouting and insulting everyone, which was counterproductive. Sasha pulled him aside, tugging him behind a wall hanging to get a little bit of privacy as screams and heron shrieks rang out from outside the saferoom, which she had a feeling wouldn’t be safe for long.

Once she got Grime to agree to try things her way, of course, the troops rallied. These toads weren’t any smarter than middle schoolers, and like middle schoolers, they fed off of self esteem, which was informed by the esteem of others. 

As the newly inspired toads rushed out into the courtyard, Sasha held Grime back from following stupidly into the killing field.

“Hang on, Grimesy,” she said, hefting the club Grime had handed her when he’d scooped up two fallen ones. There were other weapons around, but most of them damaged or unwieldy, and they didn’t have time to search for something else.

“What?” Grimes slowed, waiting for Sasha to speak, which Sasha took as a sign he was taking her seriously.

“We don’t just want to rush out there,” she reasoned, “let them distract the Herons while we find higher ground. This rush of bravery is gonna fade as soon as they realize they’re up against a stronger enemy. But we can rally them again if they see us taking a stand. They’ve gotta look up at us, like heroes coming to save the day.”

Grime glanced around the courtyard as she spoke, then grasped her denim jacket sleeve an pulled her with them as she ran surprising fast to the left. She followed along, ducking behind fallen stonework until they reached a potion of wall that was just behind where the Herons were making a stand, about to devour several frogs, including Percy and Braddock who were…kissing? Seriously? I mean, good for them, Sasha thought, but still, not the time you guys!

“When we get down there,” Grimes muttered, “cause as much damage as quick as possible, aim for the neck and heads, and beaks. They’re like gators, they can snap a fellow in half with ease, but if you grab their beaks they can’t open them easily. Our best bet is to scare them off, so they find easier quarry.”

“Got it.” Shasha nodded, steeling herself as she felt the pink haze settle in again as Grime started shouting and posing. Weird, she thought, posing alongside Grime, It’s just a little pink around the edges of my vision…like my dreams.

But she let go of the observation as she felt her muscles tense and as a building rage filled her. She gathered her anger at the magic that had trapped her, the toads who had captured her, Grimes who had imprisoned, tortured, an interrogated her, even rage that had burned low in her belly since before any of that had began, rage at a world that had always always been unfair and unkind to Sasha Waybright. She took that anger, and with a cry that tore from her lips and echoed across the courtyard, stunning the toads into awe, she leaped at the heron closest to her.

She gave everything she had to the fight, all her rage, all her grief, all her righteous indignation at thirteen years trapped in one unjust world after another. She’d carved a place for herself back in L.A., and she’d carve a place for herself here in Amphibia. Nothing would stand in her way.

She leaped and dodged and flipped, using her gymnast and cheer skills, she swung her club with precision, combining her built up strength and brute force with the skills Anne’s mother had taught her, that she’d practice in her bedroom when nobody was there to see. When she saw her opening, she tossed her club spinning into the air, then got her arms around the heron’s beak, and using every muscle in her body, slammed the creatures head into the ground. When she released it, and it stumbled back, dazed, she screamed her rage into it’s face, hearing Grime’s own battle cry join hers. They were daring the beasts to try them one more time. If it did, she’d tear it’s beak clean off.

But with a few gusty flaps of their wings, the herons lifted off and fled into the blood orange sunset. When she and grime turned back around, the remaining toads, about thirty including the new untrained recruits, stared at them in awe.

Sasha crossed her arms, relief and satisfaction making its way to her face in a feral smile, as she watched Grime use her advice to build up his troops moral, congratulating them on the win to detract from their losses.

When the warriors all retired to the mess hall to celebrate, she knew it was time to demand her due from Grime, while he was feeling elated on the victory and more generous than he would later when he’d have to bury what was left of the bodies that had been torn apart by the Herons and assess the damages and numbers of toads that had defected or been swallowed whole.

For a moment, she thought she’d have to sneak or fight her way out, but then, Grime made her an offer.

Sasha didn’t have to think about it. The grizzled toad wasn’t a complete idiot, and she could admit he was right. She could wander around and try to survive the wilds that had nearly killed her the first time she’d found herself adrift in them…or she could stick around with a team behind her back in a position of power. If only Grime was in a position of authority over her, she could ingratiate herself further with the Toads, openly this time, and when the time was right, if Grime backed out of his deal to aid her, she would know his weaknesses well enough to defeat him. And if he didn’t betray her, she’d have bargaining power if her friends were similarly imprisoned. She knew how easy it was already to direct Grime where she wanted him to go. Sticking around was her best chance at finding and rescuing her friends, and at finding a way home.

And finally, she was on her path to being in control again.

That night, she lay down on a real bed, after a meal she’d helped Braddock make that was actually enjoyable and somewhat resembled hamburgers. She had thebthe second largest room Toad Tower had to offer. It needed some work, but she’d have it…and her army, whipped into shape in no time at all.

But as dark settled in, held back only by a flickering candle at her bedside, she still found herself fighting back panic of what she didn’t have control over. Anne and Marcy were still missing, without her protection. She was still banished to a foreign world, on an alien plant or alternative universe. She was still alone. Back home, which wasn’t a much better world than Amphibia all things considered, she’d had Anne and Marcy at her back since they were five years old. She’d set herself up as their protector, as their social navigator, and as the leader of their tight knit crew. She’d called the shots, doing what they couldn’t do, and making sure their bond was stronger than any other influence in their lives. She’d made sure their friendship was as important to them as it was to her. There were times when the others protected her too though, when they had her back, shored her up, filled in the spaces where Sasha had blind spots and weaknesses. Like when Marcy made sure Sasha was ready for tests she didn’t have time and space to study for, between captaining the cheer squad and …well… avoiding things at home she was happy to have an excuse not to think about. Or they way Anne would step up and take the blame when they got in trouble. Sasha and Marcy had both benefited from that particularl act of Anne's on numerous occasions. Anne was closest with her family, and while her parents could be intense, they wouldn’t totally freak out like Marcy’s…or…Shasha shook off thoughts of that situation. She wasn’t home, and none of that mattered. She controlled the narrative now, she’d get her friends home, and they’d go back to kicking ass and taking names at school. They’d rock high school together, their band would drop an album during their gap year, then they’d do college together somewhere outside of L.A. Maybe on the East Coast, in NYC or maybe overseas. Away from all the utter shit that Sasha preferred to keep locked up and shoved down deep. Her friends knew more than anyone how things were for her, but nobody else did, and the one good thing about Amphibia was that she didn’t have to deal with any of that for a while.

Still, a voice echoed in her mind as she drifted into a fitful sleep, permeated the pink mist of her dreams, a voice that wasn’t hers, but she knew far too well.

It’s not up for debate, Sasha...

I’m not interested in your opinion, Sasha…

If I have to hear you're voice one more time tonight, Sasha…

Sasha, that’s enough. End. Of. Discussion.

Sasha squeezed her eyes against the half dream half memories, curling up under her covers to ward away the chill that found her despite the layers of blankets she’d demanded.

Chapter Text

It wasn’t cured pork sausage, it wasn’t ground beef, it wasn’t random pork, chicken, and cow bits ground up into fleshy tubes….but it was pizza, it was burgers, and it was hot dogs.

Between what the toads already had from Braddock’s garden, and the nearby frog settlements they tithed for what passed for dairy, grain, and edible meat, Sasha had Brenton the new chef, cooking her up feasts that would have passed on Earth for fast food, ice cream, and even cake. Braddock was thrilled to get to focus on the garden and take a more active guard duty roll. She and Percy carried out her commands more often than Grime’s, and had quickly become her own unofficial squad.

The tithing system had been Sasha’s idea. The nearby settlements had no protection from predators, and by training up and posting guard patrols around them, Toad Tower, which Sasha realized was actually a local colloquialism, as it was officially called the South Tower, could offer the locals something they couldn’t provide themselves. Protection. Their production went up, and they were more than happy to part with some of their wares, non-taxable, to the South Tower.

Sasha had sent out scouts as well to search for Marcy and Anne. While there was no word of Marcy, some spoke of a spindly creature who supported the brewing frog rebellion.

Under Sasha's command, the recruiting tactics had altered as well, and were paying off. Instead of just snatching up toads for compulsory military service, they used marketing techniques Sasha had seen plenty of back home, between cheer squad and advertisements for the US military. Sasha had suggested that they make joining voluntarily before draft got them at nineteen years of age into something considered honorable and cool. She’d redesigned the entire budget, freeing up funds that had been going to superfluous things like food and repairs, which could be manipulated out of local frog and toad populations or skilled labor from within the militia, and used that money for signing bonuses, advertising, and outfitting new recruits, though even clothes, weapons, and armor could be gotten for free or discounted rates from local communities in exchange for services the militia could provide. Of course, some of that money saved went to acquiring supplies for officer quarters, but she coined those as “performance bonuses” which she encouraged Grime to hand out to her and other militia members when they did something particular helpful or ingenuis. This system brought out the best skills and minds in their army, and soon, being a member of the Grime’s Army was a source of pride.

“In two weeks, we’ve doubled our numbers,” Sasha summarized for Grime at their nightly meeting, “and we’ve gotten most of the tower repaired from the Heron attack, and we’ve got a solid plan for a better defense system should they return. Braddock figured out how to make that massive fly trap thing thrive, and took care of the giant mosquito’s that were infesting our water source. We’ve finished collecting taxes, now that we know to root out corruption from the mayors, thanks to that Wartwood Debacle just before the Heron attack.”

“They’re still corrupt,” Grime pointed out.

“Sure, we let them keep some of what they embezzle, but not all of it,” Sasha said, “This way, they know we’ll turn a blind eye to an extent. They’ve got a big job, they’re just as underpaid as the rest of us, they deserve a little extra, as long as they don’t get too cocky. The numbers from the mayoral audit are in, Bog's crew collected nearly five hundred gold and a few thousand coppers. So we can afford to take recruitment to the next level and start expanding our presence in towns around frog valley.”

“We need presence in Wartwood,” Grimes insisted, “that’s where that Hop Pop character is stirring up trouble. Freedom Frog my ass.”

“Sure, sure,” Sasha agreed outwardly, knowing she had to play her cards right with that one. She suspected that was where Anne was which meant she needed to tread carefully. She wanted all the power possible before mounting that rescue mission. If Anne was a captive she’d need a decisive victory before hostages could be executed, and if she was joined up with the rebellion, Sasha would need a display of power so Anne would see the obvious sense in switching sides. If she went in there weak, Anne might not feel safe enough to betray her fellow rebels. Anne was a follower, if she wasn’t imprisoned, she’d have joined whatever community she was in, and if she was in Wartwood, then she was in the heart of the rebellion. “Of course, but we’ll want to build our influence and our forces before engaging Wartwood and it’s little hero. If we attack now, we’ll only martyr him. We’re popular where we’ve done some good, and while frogs are still split between folks who don’t trust us and folks who see that we’re helping them, we need to have a presence in surrounding towns so that when we do move on Wartwood there will be no allies to swoop in to save them.”

“Hmm, you make good points,” Grimes grumbled, scratching his chin as he leaned back in the chair Sasha had come to think of as his. She’d started inviting him into her room for their meetings, stating it was more private than his and toads would be less likely to interrupt them, but really, it was a power play. She was his second in command, but she needed the dynamic to be more equal. While he took the credit and she served under him publicly, she needed every leg up in power in private to ensure he didn’t think he could control her again, all while keeping him as close as possible. “we need to find a way to make an example of Freedom Frog without martyring him.”

“That might be impossible,” Sasha said, “but if we can sway public opinion more towards us than it is now, then then when we do make a move, only those closest to him will care that he’s gone. It’ll all die down soon enough. People might get fired up over a rebellion, but what they really want is to feel secure in the status quo. Give me a few more weeks Grime, I’ll have Frog Valley eating our of your hand. Once you quell the rebellion and show the biggest profit of every tower during the next tax delivery when the pass thaws out, the King may be willing to hear your ideas about putting you in charge of all the towers, when the current guys retires or dies, or sooner, instead of replacing him with a newt. The newts have cunning, but so do we, and we’ve got strength on our side, right?”

The idea of a powergrab was actually Sasha’s, but Grime thought it was his, and Sasha was perfectly happy with that.

“What’s your plan?” Grime asked.

“I’m still working out the details,” Sasha said, “but I want to find a way to get Freedom Frog and his allies here, surround them, exert our dominance. If we can cow them by getting rid of him, great, if not, we can take out any other leaders they have. We’ll know the leaders by who fights back.”

“You want to bring the whole rebellion here?” Grimes asked.

“The heart of it,” Sasha agreed. “We hone your reputation as a toad willing to deal, show them some basic considerations, and they’ll follow us right back here. That’s why we need as many recruits as we can get, and not raw ones either, trained.”

“I like the way you think,” Grimes nodded, then got up. “Sounds like we’ve got things on the right path Commander Sasha, will I see you on the training grounds this morning? You’re a natural with a sword, you know.”

“I do know,” Sasha grinned, “once I’ve warmed up taking the cocky new recruits down a peg or two, let’s you and I show them how it’s done.”

Grime let out a loud belly laugh, his meaty hand coming down on Sasha’s armored shoulder as he paused next to her.

“I’m glad I met you, Sasha,” he said, his false eye flickering in the light as he met her gaze with his good eye. “Braddock mentioned that back home, your family doesn’t exactly appreciate your strengths. I don’t know you’re whole story, but I do know that you’re a true asset to this army. And to me.”

Sasha blinked in surprise at the genuine compliment, then gave her best lazy half grin, “What? You’re not going soft on me Grimesy?”

Grime patted her shoulder and chuckled, then left the room without another word. Sasha sank into her favorite arm chair near the fire in the hearth, breathing through the swirl of emotion in her chest. Anxiety she recognized, but what was knew was the underlying emotion that was triggering it. She rubbed her chest and let out an unsteady breath, trying to remember the last time she felt so…seen. Did Anne and Marcy even see her like that? They were her best friends, and she loved them with every thing she had, but she knew they didn’t really understand everything she did for them. Marcy was just oblivious, and Anne…sometimes it felt like Anne didn’t really appreciate who Sasha was as a person.

Old insecurities arose, old thoughts and motivations. If they can’t appreciate me for me, I’ll give them every other reason to appreciate me. I’ll make their goals my goals. I’ll make their safety my priority. I’ll make sure their happiness is intrinsically linked to me above everyone else, and they’ll never leave me behind.

She’d dedicated her entire school career to those two girls, and she knew they loved her like nobody else in any world did. She wasn’t fooling herself that Grime had such strong emotions for her, not in the least. But Grime got her. He saw her power, her cunning, her leadership skills, the way she could work a crowd, guide people to her way of thinking, and he wasn’t afraid of it. He didn’t call her vapid or manipulative. He didn’t demean her or write her off. He valued her. There was a sense of security in being loved by her friends, but there was just as much security in being understood and valued for who she was, and she was beginning to realize she’d never had that. Her homelife was anything but safe and left her feeling anything but valued. She’d worked so hard to make sure Anne and Marcy needed her, that she’d never realized that they hadn’t made her feel wanted.

They both had their own interests, and Sasha supported that, but it meant that if she wanted time with them, it nearly always had to be her idea. She was what held them together. The sleepovers, the parties, the sense of comradery, that was Sasha’s doing. Sasha was the one who’d come up with the Book of Losers and the scare dares to help them over come their fears. Sasha was the one who’d got the varsity tennis coach’s son to convince his dad to come to one of Anne’s matches. Sasha was the one who’d talked to Marcy’s teachers about how her ADHD could be best managed if she was allowed her Switch in class to occupy her between assignments.

Grime wanted her, valued her, and appreciated her, and that felt amazing. Marcy and Anne needed her…but…maybe she could finally prove to them why they should want her and appreciate her as much as Grime did. If she could pull this off, roll up victorious with an army at her back and a plan for getting them home, in a position of power and influence, they’d see that all the time they’d waited to be reunited wasn’t wasted. That she was the best best friend they could possibly wish for.

“I’m a good man in storm,” Sasha quoted a line that had stuck with her from a show she’d binged as she pulled out the photograph from the pouch at her hip and gazed down at the faces of her friends, “I’m Sasha mother fucking Waybright, and I’m coming for you, girls. And when I find you, you’re going to see that I’m the real deal, and I’m going to get you home.”

Chapter Text

Everything was in place. Sasha knew it, but she couldn’t help going over it all as she waited on the bridge for the messenger she’d sent to retrieve Anne. They’d been separated for three months, give or take, and it was time to come back together. Sasha felt jittery with nerves, her anxiety making the night sounds sound bigger and closer. There was music coming from Wartwood, apparently some sort of Frog of the Year celebration, probably for that Freedom Frog rebel, Hopediah, who was still stirring up trouble. The Valley was split, and while the Toad Army had more support than ever before, they also had more direct opposition than before, which, it sounded like was brewing anyway, so Sasha was glad she could help Grime get his forces together in time to deal with it.

She was eager to meet Hopediah, and hoped he might be a worthy enough opponent that she could show off some of her skills, but…

Her mind was far more pre-occupied with reuniting with Anne. Her sources said she wasn’t a prisoner, which was a relief, a huge one. She hated to think of either of her friends going through what she’d been through for almost seven weeks of captivity, beatings, and hostile interrogations. But at the same time, it might make what Sasha needed to do harder, or easier, depending on how Anne reacted. If she was following along out of self preservation, it would be easier, a show of strength and she’d be back under Sasha’s protection, happily. If she was sympathetic to the rebel troublemakers, who the Newtopian elite had heard about and were pressuring the toads to get under control, Anne might be harder to convince. Either way, she needed to get Anne safely away from the frogs so they could talk, and so that she wouldn’t get caught up in any conflict and possible hurt.

Her plan wasn’t foolproof, she was too smart to think any plan was foolproof, but her primary objective was getting Anne back. If things went south and it came to a civil war with the rebels, she was certain the Toad Army had the strength to handle it, and the pass would be open soon enough if they needed to extend recruitment or call for allies. The frogs weren’t really warriors though, so she doubted it would come to that. But so long as she had Anne on her side, she could do anything. They’d find Marcy, assuming she wasn’t already somewhere Anne knew about, and…

Sasha’s musing stuttered out like a candle in the wind as she caught sight of the figure walking towards her.

Her intel was right, it was a human, and if the poof of hair was any indicator…

“Sasha?” The familiar voice, tinged with shock and relief, floated across the night to her over the sound of the brook ambling under the bridge she waited on.

“Anne?” Sasha found herself frozen, unable to move forward. She’d known it was Anne, she’d known Anne was coming, but she hadn’t let her self really believe it until that very moment, until she set her eyes on that crazy hair, that goofy grin, and those wide brown eyes.

“Anne!” Sasha exclaimed again as Anne barreled towards her, and then suddenly Anne was in her arms. This, Sasha thought, this is what I endured for, what I survived for. This is home, whatever world we’re in. All that’s missing now is Marcy.

Anne's excited babbling questions made it clear she didn’t know where Marcy was either, which was what Sasha had expected, but still, it was disappointing to hear. But not even that could overshadow her relief that Anne was safe and whole and they were together again. Anne’s excitement quieted the voice in her mind that had been telling her landing them all there was her own fault, for insisting Anne stay out, for letting Marcy convince Anne to steal that damned music box, but she’d live through seven years of imprisonment and a kajillion heron attacks if it meant she could be with Anne just like this, right there, right then.

Still, as soon as Anne took in the toad Army, she reacted as Sasha had worried she might, with clear concern, but after a little reassurance, she fell in line, convincing the frogs to go along nicely with the “party barge”. They were hyped up and a little buzzed from the party they’d been throwing, and that probably helped. But Anne vouched for Sasha, and for the toads by extension, and to Sasha’s surprise, the frogs listened to her. Hopediah, who was apparently just an old man-frog, seemed to trust Anne, but when Anne invited him and his family to join them in the carriage, Sasha started to get a little anxious. But she knew how to manage her anxiety better than she ever had at home. It was easy, just take control. This was a divide and conquer moment, she needed to get Anne alone, get her on her side, get to see things Sasha’s way and forget whatever anarchist drivel she’d been fed by Hopediah and his rebellion.

She needed this to go off without a hitch, and that meant keeping Anne occupied while it all went down, and if possible, getting Anne to renounce the frog rebellion officially.

The ride was overwhelming. Even though Sasha was pretty comfortable in chaos, the constant questions from the frog kids, from Anne, who didn’t wait for answers but barreled on with her half formed anecdotes, it was a bit much for Sasha. She needed to get Anne alone, and away from this intense frog family.

When they finally arrived at Toad Tower the “party” went inside, and to Sasha’s relief, it was Hopediah who insisted the family leave Anne and Sasha to their own devices.

Anne was looking worse for the wear, and while she’d obviously found somewhere to launder her clothes somewhat, they were ragged and worn out, and Anne looked …and smelled… like she hadn’t showered properly in months. In that podunk town, she probably hadn’t.

By the time Sasha got Anne properly fed and showered, she was running out of time to talk to her. She’d meant to reconnect with her on the ride there, but the Planter family had gotten in the way of that. She was going to have to just casually lay things out for Anne, and hope she got on board without any fuss.

“Oh, man,” Anne said as Sasha led her to comfortable oversized couch she’d had delivered recently. “I mean, I don’t know why I’m surprised, of course you’d be a commander in in an Army. Good ol’ Sash, kicking ass and taking names. Here I was worried something bad had happened to you.”

Sasha felt a chill sweep through her, goosebumps raising on her arms as her hand drifted down, covering the manacle scar around her ankle. If she could get past what Grime had done to her, Anne could get passed this. She’d only been in Wartwood for few months. She’d been Sasha’s best friend for eight years. She’ll come around, just treat this like any other idea she’s a bit hesitant to. Sasha told herself, She’ll come around.

Before she could get started, Anne started talking, glossing over a myriad of adventures she’d been on, listing monsters that had nearly eaten her that she’d managed to defeat, trouble she’d managed to get herself into time and again.

She’s bolder than she was before, Sasha observed, feeling a little unsettled but unable to put a finger on why, she was always the voice of reason. Marcy was just happy to have a crew and went along with things, but Anne was hesitant to break the rules…how did she manage to join a rebellion?

When Anne finally wound down, relaxing a little as her disjointed rambling burned itself out, Sasha knew it was time to lay it on her.

“Wow, Sash,” Anne breathed, as if the fact they were together again were hitting her in waves of nerves and relief the way it was for Sasha, “This is so surreal. I can’t believe you’re actually here!”

Sasha took a deep breath and began speaking. She’d practiced how she’d say this to Anne so many times, in so many ways, taking into account various scenarios, including this one. She hadn’t really taken into account how Anne had gotten bolder, more impulsive, but she just gave it to her straight, remaining outwardly calm despite how tight her chest felt.

She’s spent most of her life putting on show for people, for Anne and Marcy too. But Sasha had gotten stronger, and now she knew what it was like to be valued by her peers, and she wanted that with Anne. She wanted Anne to see that she was strong, in control, worthy. She’d fill her in on the full story as soon as there was time. She’d had to appear unaffected by everything that had happened before the Heron attack with the toads, but she wanted Anne to see her. All of her, even the vulnerable parts, and that was terrify.

It’ll bring us closer together, she told herself, she’ll see how hard I’ve worked, she’ll hear my story, hear what I’ve been through, and know how much I care about her and Marcy. She’ll have to see me then. She’ll get that all of this is for her. I survived for her. I kept silent for weeks of torment for her. I built an army for her. I can be strong for her. She won’t just need me, she’ll appreciate who I am, and she’ll want me more than any rando slimy frog friends. And it’ll finally be okay for me to need her too. The impact of that thought hit Sasha hard. I do need her. I need my friends, I need to talk about what happened…the dreams, the pink mist ones, and the nightmares about that damn cell…maybe with Anne here, I can go back to the prison level and face it again. Grime the toads might appreciate me and get me on a level nobody else has, but when it comes to life or death, when it comes to having my back no matter what the odds, it’s Anne who will be there for me. Anne and Marcy, if only we can find her in time to keep her from getting eaten or lighting herself on fire.

When Sasha mentioned the rebellion to Anne, Anne seemed surprisingly clueless. Leave it to Anne to be living in a rebel’s basement and not realize it…actually…that’s more of a Marcy move…whatever, this makes it easier. She realized, I can explain, and I don’t have to undo whatever brainwashing I’d expected. Still, as long as she’s willing to talk…I can make her see.

Only Anne didn’t stick around to talk. Sasha had felt her presentation fall flat, but she’d put a good face on it anyway, hoping it would help Anne be more willing to listen, and not freak out. But…

As the door slammed shut, Sasha frowned. “Oh, she’s totally freaking out.” She said to the empty room. Sasha wasn’t entirely surprised at Anne’s reaction, but she knew when Anne got like this, all she needed was Sasha to take control, make a show of strength, and she’d fall in line and be better off for it. She’d appreciated it later. She always did.

Chapter Text

Sasha tossed off her robe and donned her repaired and now very fitted undershirt, then the leather breeches and undyed leather skirt. She stuffed her feet into her knee high boots, and tucked the breeches into them, then laced them tight. She bucked on her armor, then her cloak, and finally her sword.

When she emerged into the halls, she found that the toads had barricaded the frogs and Anne in the mess hall. She waved Gary aside from the door and shoved her way inside.

The room was empty, but grate to the sewers was ajar, telling Sasha exactly where Anne and the frogs were.

At her command, the toads went to the east side of the Tower where the nearest sewer grate was. She’d inspected the tunnels as a potential emergency exit before, and knew how disgusting they were, so she knew Anne and the frogs would want out at the first possible exit. Just to be sure, she sent a few toads to block off any other possible exits. They only had one toad with them, the mayor and she suspected much of his bulk wasn’t muscle, so they wouldn’t have the strength to open the grates against the weight of several toads and a few boulders pressing down. Well, that had that little tiny toad she’d thought was a frog at first, but he wouldn’t be any help.

Sure enough, Anne and the little pink twerp popped up from the sewer just as Sasha counted down. It took a little doing to round them all up, and Sasha was tempted to have them imprisoned, or at least tied up, but she needed them to feel fully helpless. They needed to be free fight, but choose not to. The ones that did would be put down with Hop Pop as rebel leaders, and the rest would fall in line. Anne would be pissed, but she’d get over it. They were just frogs. She was Anne’s best friend, and their best chance at getting home. Anne would come around, sure, she’d have some loyalty to the frogs who’d saved her from the wilds and kept her alive, but her first loyalty would be to Sasha in the end. Just like Sasha’s first loyalty was to Anne, and doing whatever it took to get them home, together and safe.

Only despite Grime explaining the problem with the rebellion, despite how much Sasha tried to convince Anne, even go so far as to plead with her in front of her troops, Anne wouldn’t just stand down and let Sasha handle things.

No, whatever Anne had been through, had obviously changed her. She was acting…brave…outgoing. Sasha had noticed that Anne had swiped some of her armor on her mad dash to rescue her little frog friends, and in the moment, it had brought back warm memories of Anne swiping clothes from Sasha’s walk in closet back home. A hoodie there, some comfy yoga pants there…then weeks later Sasha would catch Anne at her place, hanging out watching TV in some random item of Sasha’s clothes.

But it completely shocked her when Anne grabbed a sword from the scabbard of one of the toads, and fought her way to stand in front of the frogs, protecting them. Her fighting style left something to be desired. It wasn’t bad, but it was reckless, and it wasn’t anything like what she’d learned from Mrs. Boonchuy, or what she’d practiced with the Toads. While they relied more on strength than skill for the most part, she’d had to hone her fluid sword fighting style in order to go up against toad strength. That and she’d trained with weights and ran the steps of the tower daily. Anne relied mostly on surprise, rage, and brute force, but that’s how Sasha and Grime had defeated the herons, so Sasha could respect it.

But when the toads surrounded her, and put Anne on her heels, she knew she had to step in. It was all fine and good to restrain Anne while everything went down, but she wasn’t about to watch her get her ass beat or possibly get killed by her own soldiers. Especially since it wasn’t just a few hot heads who were squaring up to fight, it was the entire village of Wartwood, even the kids. The toads would win, of course, they were trained and armed, but it would be a bloodbath, and that was bad on so many levels, but most important, it could get Anne killed.

“Enough!” Sasha called out, striding forward as her own men held off, waiting to see her next move. She had to regain control, and she was beginning to realize, it wasn’t Hop Pop who the frogs looked to for cues, it was…Anne. Sweet, goofy, naïve, pushover Anne. Anne had been voted Frog of the Year, which Sasha hadn’t really understood until that moment. Hop Pop wasn’t the leader of the rebellion. There was no organized rebellion. It was…it wasn’t a rebellion. It was a movement, decentralized, but they were all willing to follow whoever it was who was taking the strongest stand. Like the BLM movement back home. This wasn’t one group rebelling and seeking power, this was a vast network of culturally interconnected people who were being oppressed…much like the way the toads were victims of oppression from the newt ruling elite.

Sasha realized her mistake far too late to completely fix it, there simply wasn’t time. Her only chance, and she knew it was slim, was getting Anne on her side. She didn’t think Anne would agree with her, but if she could get her to back down, to surrender, the frogs would follow suit. This didn’t need to be Wounded Knee…she hated the analogy, but this needed to be Standing Rock. This needed to be something that fizzled out because there was simply no way to win, no matter how righteous they knew their cause was.

Then, maybe, after things had calmed down, after the rebellion was subdued, they could figure out a way to work together. The newts were the real enemy, not the frogs, and Sasha felt like a complete tool for not realizing that sooner. Everything was happening so fast, her anxiety tripping up her heart rate, and she needed to take control before it all spun out of hand. She couldn’t lose Anne again, and it would make everything she’d done mean nothing. Her heat pounded and her vision blurred, but not with pink mist.

Don’t panic, you can salvage this, just…don’t…panic. Sasha appealed to Anne, appealed to her desire to go home, to get back to her family, to the safe way things were. Anne’s sword lowered, she tried to protest, but her protest died as Sasha took the opening to assert her authority. This, this was familiar ground. They’d been here before, and she knew how to handle this. How to handle Anne. Anne who couldn’t stand up to authority…

“Then put your sword down. Now.” Sasha ordered, hating how her voice reminded her of another voice, one she’d been trying to crowd out of her mind for months, even her last three words tasted bitter on her tongue, she knew they’d seal the deal, “End. Of. Discussion.”

Anne’s sword lowered, her whole stance began to deflate. It made Sasha a little sick, but at the same time, relief swept over her, and her heart rate steadied, the anxiety easing back away. She was in control, and Anne was coming back to her. Why had she doubted it? She offered Anne encouragement, familiar comforting affirmations…and then a ball of mud splattered across her face, barely avoiding getting in her eyes and mouth as she closed both just in time.

“What the heck?” Sasha’s words tore from her as the crowd, both her army and the frogs gasped.

Then the little pink twerp stepped forward. “For someone who’s Anne’s best friend, you sure don’t know her very well!”

The words richoched around Sasha’s chest, even as she heard Sprig continue on, talking about how brave and smart Anne was, and then, to drive the point home, he called her a bully.

Sasha knew she could be…a lot. She knew some people read her micromanagement of everything around her as a bullying tactic. But not Marcy, and not Anne. They knew she was always looking out for them, and Anne would know it now too. Wouldn’t she?

Sasha wiped away the mud from her face, feeling the distinct humiliation of being called out in front of people who’d she’d nearly died to earn respect from.

The pink hue was back, but so was the anxiety, and the two warred inside her, both urging her to act, shutting down the parts of her brain that were screaming for everything to stop, for her to stop. But she didn’t stop. She was swinging her sword at the mouthy little frog, not a killing blow, but she wasn’t holding back. It would knock the little bastard on his ass.

But the blow didn’t land. With a clang, Anne’s sword intercepted her swing, and Sasha realized as the vibration of the blow traveled up her arms, as she looked up into an expression she’d never seen on Anne’s face before, a determination, a rage, she knew she’d lost. She knew she’d fucked up.

But I never, ever give up. I’ve come too far. I’m not giving up now.

Anne gave her sword a shove, and Sasha stumbled back, not sure how to deal with this version of Anne. She wasn’t going to back down, that was clear, and everything kept happening before Sasha could regain control. Suddenly the toads were closing in, the world was closing in, and it was just her and Anne. Grime had struck a deal with Anne, Sasha hadn’t quite been listening, but she knew her job. She knew she had to win this fight, had to beat Anne, her best friend, in this fight, or she’d lose her standing with the Toad Army. They’d cast her out…or worse…imprison her again. The frogs would be slaughtered, Anne could be imprisoned or hurt or killed…if Sasha lost, she’d have no control. She wouldn’t be able to protect Anne, to find Marcy, to get her girls home.

Every way this plan could have gone wrong, it had. And it was all Sasha’s fault, she couldn’t even blame Anne, not really, but if Anne had just…fallen in line like always…why did she have to change now? If Sasha had known…if she’d just had more information, she could have planned for this, figured something out…but it was too late. Now it had come down to this. Anne with a sword, burning with rage, with what looked an awful lot like hate…hate for her. For Sasha. For a moment, Sasha wished she’d never gotten out of the Toad Tower prison. She wished Grime had beaten her to death in her first few weeks. That Phil had severed her spinal cord at the base of her skull when he’d cracked her in the back of the head with a mace. That she’d died then, thinking she still mattered to someone. She only mattered to Grime insofar as she was useful to him. And she obviously didn’t matter to Anne anymore.

This is it then. I just need to get the drop on her. Disarm her. Meet her with equal rage and fury, and end this before it begins. Sasha thought as they circled each other, looking for openings. I don’t need an opening, I’ll create one.

She rushed forward. The next several minutes dragged out far longer than Sasha had intended, Anne was on her heels for much of it, but she held her own, Sasha didn’t let up, waiting for an opening, but there wasn’t one, and she couldn’t seem to carve one out. Anne didn’t have her skill or her strength, but she was shockingly fast, almost inhumanly fast. She’d always been strong and athletic, but this was far beyond that. She saw a flicker of something in Anne's eyes as they strained against each other. Like a reflection of blue flame, only there was no blue flame around…was there? The pink haze receded, and Sasha was left with just herself, her skills, and her anxiety. With Anne. Who she’d always protected. She tried to plead with Anne again, but Anne wasn’t having it, and in that moment of weakness, of vulnerability that Sasha displayed, Anne moved, and suddenly Sasha’s heron blade was spinning across the paving stones.

For a moment, she froze, her anxiety gripping her and locking up her limbs. She’d lost…but no, she wasn’t giving up yet. Anne thought she’d won, but Sasha still had one chance. She pulled the dagger from the hilt at her back and knocked Anne's blade wide, diving for her weapon. While Anne was off balance, she struck, flipping the cloak Anne had taken from her dressing room up over her head and sweeping the legs, knocking Anne on her ass.

“It’s over,” Sasha said, her breath heaving even though she shouldn’t have been winded from such a short battle. But fighting one of the two people she loved most in the world wasn’t the same as square off against toads. Toads didn’t matter, not like Anne did.

Toads, Frogs, the far off elite newts, the entire world or dimension or wherever they were, none of it mattered. All that mattered was Anne, Marcy, and Sasha finding a way home…together.

She tried to put it to Anne that way, but before she could even finish speaking, Anne burst into movement. There were a few times Anne’s reckless hacking had seemed intent of actually hurting Sasha. If Sasha had been willing to carve off one of Anne’s limbs, the battle would have been over in seconds. But subduing an opponent was far harder than maiming or killing an opponent, something she hadn’t really understood for all the sparring she’d done. She hadn’t really worried about hurting the toads. They’d heal, they were tough. But this was Anne.

This move wasn’t just to disarm Sasha, or perhaps it was, but it didn’t stop the tip of Anne’s blade from slicing across her face. Though the burning heat of the slash paled in comparison to Anne’s words.

“They’re my friends!” Anne shouted, and that, not her sword flying from her grasp, not the blood oozing form her face, it was those words that brought Sasha down. For the first time in her life, Sasha gave up.

They’re her friends. Not me, them. They matter to her. She chooses them. What am I even doing any of this for then? What’s the point?

Anne was talking to her, to Grime, Sasha didn’t care. The words would register later. Maybe. It didn’t matter anymore. Her whole world was tumbling down around her. Everything she’d spent…not just months, everything she’d spent eight years building was falling down around her, caving in. She didn’t care enough anymore to stop the anxiety from getting ahold of her. She felt the ground trembling beneath her as her panic closed in, despite the pain in her chest that seemed to drive everything else out…

Wait, no…that’s not a panic attack…the world really is coming down around me…was than an explosion?

Suddenly there was blue fire, billowing smoke, and the stones of the top of the tower heaved underneath her. Frogs and toads screamed. The frogs crowed towards the center of the building, fleeing towards the trap door, but the toads who’d been surrounding them didn’t move in time. Too close to the edge, as the tower bucked and swayed cracking apart, it gave out under them and they vanished.

“Everyone, get off the roof, quick!” Hop Pop shouted an frogs swarmed down the hatch until it was just Anne and Sasha left in the middle of the tower. She should go, she needs to run, now. But Anne seemed just as frozen in shock as Sasha was. Sasha opened her mouth to shout at Anne to go, then felt her stomach drop as the stones gave way beneath her. Her eyes met Anne’s, she felt her lips forming Anne’s name, knew she’d called out, but she was already falling. She didn’t hear her own voice, but she heard Anne’s, crying out, “Sasha!” then Anne’s hand, familiar but more calloused now, stronger, gripping hers. Holding her firmly as she dangled over a deadly drop, stones tumbling down around her. “I’ve got you, Sash! You’re gonna be okay!”

Only Sasha wasn’t okay. She wasn’t going to be okay. Even if she survived this, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to. She looked up then, meeting Anne’s eyes, and she knew, without a shadow of a doubt that Anne would save her or die trying. Because that’s who Anne was. Sasha was her worst enemy now, yet Anne was holding on to her, her own life at risk.

Anne started to slip, then Spring was there, and Hop Pop, and she could even hear the little one up top. They were there for Anne.

They’re my friends! Anne’s voice echoed in her mind, and the little bit of fight let in Sasha died out. She felt her vision tunneling around Anne’s panicked yet determined face.

God. She’s…amazing. She’s always been amazing, and I’ve just been holding her back. Sasha realized as Anne begged her to look at her, begged her to hold on, tried to assure her it would be okay. I’ve been falling my whole life, and I’ve just been dragging her down with me this entire time. But she doesn’t need me anymore. She’s got real friends now. Friends who made her strong, instead of trying to be her strength for her.

For once, Sasha didn’t fight back the tears. She didn’t fight the voice in her head, her own or anyone else's, that told her that she wasn’t worth it. That she didn’t matter. The wall was about to come down, it would take Anne with it, and the Planters weren’t willing to leave her behind. Those were the kinds of people she needed.

“Hey Anne?” Sasha said, meeting Anne’s gaze and holding it as her vision tunneled even further. She could barely breath, her head spun, and the panic she’d lived with her whole life squeezed her wildly beating heart like a vice. For a moment, Anne looked terrified, but Sasha knew that she’d okay. You’re right, Anne. It will be okay. Just not for me. It’s time for me to tell you something true, to build you up, acknowledge your strength. It’s time for me to let you know I see you, really see you. “Maybe, you’re better off without me.”

Anne’s eyes widened, and Sasha knew she realized what was about to happen, but it was impossible for her to stop it. It took both of them holding on to keep Sasha from falling, and Sasha was done. She was tired of fighting, of holding on so tightly to everything she was afraid of losing, when it didn’t even matter. She’d already lost it.

Sasha let go. She heard Anne’s scream, saw Anne’s outstretched hand, and her own, and then the darkness closed in on her.

Chapter Text

The sound of metal clanging against metal jolted Sasha awake, but even with her eyes slanted open, everything was too fuzzy to make out much besides whorls of color. A rancid scent assaulted her as the wave of muggy heat reminded her that she was still in the strange world that crazy music box had dropped her in.

            Sasha lay still, trying to wait out a wave of nausea that swept over her. What happened? She wondered, desperately trying to piece together where she was and what new danger she’d found.

            Then it came back to her, the images flashing through her mind. The dank cold of the stone floor in her cell at Toad Tower, Grime’s hand slamming her against the wall by her throat, the throbbing ache and rotten meat smell of the open sores left by the manacle at her ankle, the terror of the heron’s attack and their foul breath that smelled like dead bodies. The relief of Anne in her arms, the clang of steel against steel, Anne’s sword against hers, Anne’s words piercing her chest, striking truer than any sword could. The look on Anne’s face as she’d let go of her hand, her own hand drifting above her as Anne got smaller and smaller.

            Sasha surged up, scrambling for purchase, for anything to save her, anything to stop the pain in her chest, in her head. She was falling, she’d been falling for so long and…

            “Sasha, Sasha, it’s okay, you’re okay, calm down damn it!” That voice it was familiar, authoritative as it snapped at her “Sasha, stop!”

            Sasha flinched away from it, “I’m sorry!” She heard her own voice crack as it was ripped from her throat, and then suddenly, her vision cleared. She wasn’t home. She wasn’t facing Anne. And worst of all, she wasn’t dead.

            Grime leaned over her, pinning her arms to the ground, while Braddock stared at her with concern. They were all banged up, scrapes, bruises, bloodied, even Grime. But she was alive. How was she alive?

            She felt her chest convulse, and it took her a few moments to realize she was sobbing. Not the welling of her eyes and stifled tears that she was used to, but great, wracking sobs that shook her to her core.

            “Everyone get back!” Grime’s voice carried over her grief, “Everyone give us some space. Those of you who are walking wounded get shelter set up, we can’t be caught out after nightfall. Braddock, go see what’s keeping Percy, help him find Sasha’s blade if need be. You two, you look unharmed, triage the dying and gravely injured, our medic is gone, do what you can for them. Move!”

            “I’m sorry,” Sasha gasped out, not sure if she was apologizing to Grime for how badly her plans had fucked everything up, or to Anne for being a massive disappointment, or to Marcy for never even finding her, or to all the people she’d spent her life never being good enough for. Maybe to herself for surviving. “I’m sorry,” it was all she could choke out through sobs that felt like her entire soul was trying to leave her body, to achieve the death she’d offered it when she’d let go of Anne’s hand. “I’m s-so sorry!”

            Then Grime’s arms were around her. His swampy scent barely even bothering her, almost a comfort as it blotted out the blood, shit, and guts smell of the dying. He gathered her up and held her as she cried. Sasha was certain nobody had ever done this for her before. She recalled a voice from her early childhood, one of those she preferred to block out.

            Just let him cry it out, that’s what I did with Sasha, you can’t just let an infant run your life. They’ll figure out who’s boss quick enough.

            When she was all out of tears, all out of triggering half formed memories, she didn’t protest when Grime showed away Gary and tended her wounds himself. She didn’t wince when he cleaned out the deep cut on her cheek, which probably should have been stitched, but had stopped oozing blood so she said nothing when he decided to simply cover it and leave it. She didn’t respond when Percy and Braddock returned, armloads of supplies and her sword in tow. She took the blade from Grime when he brought it to her, but she didn’t say anything, she just stood unsteadily when he prompted her and shoved the blade into its sheath at her belt.

            She didn’t protest when Grime led her deeper into the forest to the camp that had been hastily set up, and she didn’t speak up when she heard several voices join in a chorus of blame that consistently pointed fingers at her. It wasn’t until Grime roared for silence that Sasha started to snap out of it.

            “You want me to choose?” Grime bellowed to the small ragtag group of survivors from the towers collapse. “I choose Sasha. She’s worth the lot of you ten times over. It wasn’t her job to check that the prisoners were unarmed, and somehow they were allowed to enter a guarded military base with enough explosives to blow it sky high! I’m not blaming any of you specifically, it was something we didn’t account for. But it’s not Sasha’s fault. So no, I’m not leaving her behind, I’m not some flaky teenager swayed by the whims of cowards and rebels. I’m the Captain of this frog-damned army and I call the shots. Sasha is my second, and anyone who can’t live with it better be gone by dawn.”

            The clearing was silent. Three toads turned and left immediately, and the rest trudged off to their tents.

            Sasha stared at Grime as he turned back towards her. They held each other gazes for a long moment as his words sank in. Anne had chosen someone else. Somehow, Grime had saved Sasha from what she’d thought was certain death. And for some unfathomable reason, with nothing to gain from it, he’d chosen her. Simply because she was who she was.

            Well he may not have chosen Sasha because it would gain him power or popularity. But he’d chosen her all the same, and she’d make sure she proved to him she’d made the right choice. She gave him a nod, hoping he understood what she needed to convey. She wasn’t sure she her ravaged throat could handle words, or that he could see anything past the dust turning to mud from tears, sweat, and blood that coated her face everywhere but over the carefully bandaged cut. But he nodded back, so that would be enough.

            Sasha found a spot to sit a little ways away from camp, and thankfully nobody bothered her.

            Anne didn’t chose me. The events on top of Toad Tower played back through her mind, her anxiety turning over every one of her miscalculations and mistakes. Playing back what she could have done, what she should have said, then another realization slammed into her, stealing her breath. I tried to kill myself. Not some half assed plan where I hid psychedelic mushrooms in my pocket, but I gave up, I let go, I wanted to die.

            “I wanted to die.” Sasha said out loud, tasting the coppery words on her tongue. Or maybe that was blood. However, Grime had saved her, she was far more beat up than the fight with Anne had left her. She hadn’t been so beat up since Philwart had cracked her over the head with a mace and she’d woken up chained to a prison floor. Am I suicidal? Her mind again tripped over the mushrooms, then reached further back to stunts she’d pulled to impress Anne and Marcy. But I did those things by myself before including them. I knew some of that stuff was dangerous. How many times did I stand on the ledge on a rooftop? How many times did I stare at the freeway under an overpass. How many times did I ride a shopping cart down a steep hill towards a busy street? How long have I wanted this? To die?

            She’d never thought of herself as suicidal. She was a leader, a protector, a fighter, she was Sasha Waybright, and she never gave up, not on her friends. But when did I give up on me? When was the last time I felt like I was worth fighting for? And Anne and Marcy…when did they ever really fight for me? Taking the blame for a couple lame parties and stupid pranks when all that was at stake was being grounded for a handful of weeks? “

I prayed for them.” Sasha spoke into the night. She surged to her feet and clenched her fists as she glared into the forest back towards Toad Tower, where only a plume of smoke could been seen, grey against the inky clouded sky. “I endured torture in silence for them. I literally went to prison for them. I lived through hell for them when dying would have been preferable! I fought for them. I built and army for them! I came for them! And what the fuck did they do for me? When did they every put anything on the line for me? What the fuck Anne? And where the fuck even is Marcy?”

            Sasha’s fists trembled as she stared back towards the wreckage of her life. “I’m done, Anne Boonchuy. I’m done living my life for you, or Marcy, or anyone back in L.A. I’m done putting on an act, and being who you need, and giving my all for you!” She shouted, not caring if anyone heard her, though she was fairly certain she was far enough from camp that they couldn’t, “It’s gonna be about me, now! I’m Sasha mother fucking Waybright, and I’m never going to give up on myself again. I’m worth more than that! I’m gonna live on my terms now. Do you hear me Anne?! I’m fucking worth living for, worth fighting for, and I won’t let you or anybody else make me feel like I’m not, ever again.”

            Her voice broke, cracking from overuse, but her eyes remained dry as she turned her back on Toad Tower and everything it had been and represented for her, then she headed back to camp.

Chapter Text

 When Sasha woke the following morning, after sleeping off a deeper exhaustion that she’d ever experienced, she wasn’t overly surprised to find that the only Toads left in camp were Grime, Percy, and Braddock. Braddock was tough, a solid warrior, and Percy was…well Percy was Percy. She’d thought maybe Gary would stay, but there was no sign of him.

            Braddock was going through the supplies when Sasha walked up, wondering exactly what kind of reception she’d receive.

            “Hey Sash,” Braddock greeted her, her usual excitement dimmed, but her tone steady and easy, like she hadn’t seen Sasha break down at the most vulnerable point in her life less than twelve hours prior. Toad or not, Sasha was glad to have another female around, and with the four of them, she felt a little less outnumbered by males. “Grime let the guys who took off take enough supplies to get them to the nearest town. He and Percy are about to make another run to the ruins to see what they can scavenge. The treasure cellar was raided, but the strongbox for the taxes was still there, so we should be able to bring plenty of coin.”

            “You taking inventory?” Sasha asked.

            “Yeah,” Braddock replied, then looked tentatively up at Sasha, “Grime’s been quiet. I think he thought more folks would stay.”

            “Bet he’s regretting standing by me now.” Sasha said, glancing back towards where Grime was digging through a pack. “On so many levels.”

            “Nah,” Braddock said, “He was right. You’re worth it. Your plan was good, and our army was stronger than it had ever been, but no plan is perfect. We’ll rebuild. If he regretted it, do you think he’d still be here?”

            Sasha watched Grime scarf down a package full of some sort of dried out bug in one swallow, then toss the packet into the smoldering remains of the fire.

            “I guess not,” Sasha said, trying to someone up some of the righteous anger she’d felt the night before, when she’d screamed her rage into the night. She felt hollow instead, empty. But the voices in her mind that often wore her down when she was at her weakest were silent. Maybe it was those voices she’d been yelling at not…no, she didn’t want to think of Anne and Marcy. Right now, she needed to think about the present, about what she could control. They needed to find a new base of operations, and rebuild. Grime would still want to take over the valley, but before they could even start rebuilding and recruiting, they needed to scavenge what they could, then hole up long enough to heal. Sasha was entirely certain she’d cracked at least three ribs, including the one she’d broken when she’d first snuck into Toad Tower. She needed to rebuild her strength, physical, mental, and emotional. She needed to get her head on right, process some of what happened, and decide what came next for her.

            What ever comes next, She thought as she looked around at the three toads who had seen her at her best then stuck by her at her worst, It’ll be with Grime…and Braddock and Percy as long as they’ll have me. I may have lost my friends, but I’ll build something better, and this time, I’ll build it right.

            “Well, then,” Sasha said with as must decisiveness as she could muster, which admittedly, was a paltry amount, “I guess I’ll go see what’s left of my stuff.”

            They mostly hiked for the next few days, seeking out a town that didn’t know of their humiliating defeat, or that didn’t care. The passes would be open soon, any day if they weren’t already thawed, and they’d need to

            Sasha carried the crystal powered guitar she’d wanted so badly to show off to Anne, but hadn’t gotten to. When she’d first found it the crystal had been clear, but as soon as she’d locked it in place and strummed out a few chord progressions it had seemed to charge up bright pink. She and Percy played music for the other two when they’d stop, Percy pounding away at a stretched leather drum as she played old and new riffs and made up random stupid lyrics. Nobody wanted to talk about what had happened, and she was fine with that. When people stopped recognizing them, and only stared at her as an oddity, not because they’d heard stories about her, they slowed their trek, which hadn’t really been all that fast in the first place due to all of their various injuries, though Grime seemed to be in the best shape, they decided to sink some of their money into a steady place to live. There was an old broken down mill on the edge of a tiny town that hadn’t seemed to hear anything about everything that went down, though Sasha and Grime avoided town anyway. Percy and Braddock went to talk to the local toad mayor, and bought it for a little more than Sasha would have wanted to pay, but Grime didn’t seem to care.

            Sasha worked on building a training course when she wasn’t sleeping off the painkiller tea Grime gathered and made for her, while Percy and Braddock furnished the place at Grime’s behest. Grime was quiet for awhile, and at first Sasha thought he was upset with her, and tiptoed around him on eggshells, but she began to notice that other than his lack of desire for conversation, he wasn’t really treating her differently. He seemed to enjoy her company, and when she offered to let him watch some Suspicion Island he seemed happy to watch with her.

            But Sasha healed, faster than she knew she should have, and she set aside the pain killers and got back to training. She wasn’t entirely sure how to work through her emotions; the shrinks she’d seen back home had all been psychiatrists and more concerned with medicating her than helping her figure out coping tools for her anxiety.

            She did recognize that Grime was depressed ever since the wanted posters started appearing declaring him a traitor, and she knew she’d been depressed too, but with a regular work out routine, the depression faded, and her vigor returned. So did her anxiety, but that wasn’t new. Training helped, focusing on goals helped. She wasn’t sure exactly what they were going to do, beyond a vague idea of rebuilding their army and reclaiming the Valley. They had enough money to get things started, and everyone seemed mostly recovered form their ordeals after a few weeks, Sasha’s injuries having been the worst of the bunch, but…

            Grime seemed more and more fused to the couch. She tried inviting him to work out. She tried challenging him to spar. She even convinced Braddock and Percy to disguise themselves and attack, but he barely even reached for his sword, leaving to her to handle the attacker. It had been a dumb plan, she would have been able to fend off two measly attackers on her own, particularly ones who fought at Percy and Braddock’s level. Braddock was tough and solid, but she wasn’t particularly skilled, and Percy could flash a sword around, but there was no real strength or finesse to what he did, it was play acting to him.

            All Grime wanted to do was watch Suspicion fucking Island and eat the beetle form of Cheetoes.

            She managed to get him out of doors, after sending Braddock and Percy off to town with a few coppers, but that was about it. Then it was just her setting up the obstacle course he had no interest in while and nagging him. She’d tried appealing to his desire to conquer, for revenge, but he seemed content just to sit around, drink, and grow a revolting beard.

            Still, she’d been lower even, and he’d stuck by her, so she would get him through this, whatever it took. She knew she just had to find the right method, the right trigger to find the Grime she could rely on to have her back and fight by her side.

            Then, the exact opportunity fell into her lap. If she could survive it. At first, Sasha tried to goad the Newtopian General into a fight, hoping to get Grime worked up too. But then the crazy bitch fell a bunch of trees with her awesome claw swords, and Sasha thought better of it. The newt woman was obviously way out of Sasha’s league to take on alone, and Grime was drunk, as usual, and horribly out of shape.

            They needed to not die, and hopefully get Grime motivated again in the process. Sasha dragged him through the forest, following one of the paths she taken during her training, which wasn’t so much a path as a sort of parkour like frantic flight path through the forest. Grime, to Sasha frustration, kept falling behind, but Sasha reminded herself it was an opportunity to prove to Grime that he needed to get his act together. She helped him over obstacle after obstacle, knowing General Yunan was closing in on them, possibly even toying with them. Sasha wasn’t sure where they could possibly go, she’d been all over the forest, but she needed to get Grime revved up, and find higher ground. They’d take on the General like they’d taken on the Herons, who had also outclassed them, but been defeated in the end.

            She just needed to find, a crack rang out, and her banter with Grime while they ran was cut short when he ran face first into a treebranch. Sasha turned to wait for her, please when he let out an angry shout and smashed the branch into pieces. But then he turned the tables, calling her out on her own avoidance tactics. As if she didn’t know she was avoiding stuff she didn’t want to think about. She was processing things at her own pace, which was more than Grime could say, who wasn’t processing things at all.

            Sasha tried to deflect, point the blame at their loss at Toad Tower, but Grime wasn’t letting her off that easy. That was the downside of someone who knew your weaknesses, they could lay all your shit right out there before you and make you look at it.

            “You’re not upset that you lost a fight!” Grime shouted at her, “You’re upset because you lost your friend.”

Sasha pulled ups short, hating that he’s said it out loud. She hadn’t wanted to face it, but that’s what had happened. She’d lost her friend, and she’d been so broken by the loss, that she’d been ready to throw her life away.

“You’re upset that Anne stood up to you! And that things between you will never be the same again.”

Sasha tensed. Why the hell does he have to be so damn emotionally intelligent all the sudden? Why can’t he apply that shit to himself?

Still, Sasha tried to deny it, “You don’t know what your talking about!” She shouted, squeezing hey eyes closed against the images that flashed before her of Anne staring at her with hatred, with rage, with disappointment. Of Anne’s face when she let go of her hand. She turned to run, knowing Yunan wasn’t far behind, with trees crashing down here and there as she drew closer on their trail.

Grime caught her arm, shouting at her, and Sasha snapped out of it, opening her eyes and looking down to see another death drop off a cliff and into a raging river rapid.

“Shit,” She whispered.

“Oh, that’s a long way down.”

This, this is where I turn things around with him. He’s got no choice but to fight now.

“This is where we make a stand,” Sasha told him, turning to draw her sword, but Grime stopped her once again.

“No,” he countered, “our only option is for you to get out of here.”

“What?” Sasha asked, confused.

Then she listened in mounting fury as Grime tried to be self-sacrificing about the whole thing, trying to convince her to leave. To give up on him. The way Anne had given up on her. But Grime hadn’t, even when she’d failed him in every way possible, he hadn’t given up on her.

“Leave me!” He growled at her.

“No!” Sasha shouted back, and Grime finally shut up. “Listen, there’s another reason I’ve been training so hard,” She said, essentially admitting he’d been right before, and not even caring. They both already knew he was right about how broken up she was about Anne. She couldn’t rely on Anne, she couldn’t trust Anne again, but she did trust Grime, for better or worse. “To protect the one person I know I can count on right now. You. You’re right, I already lost one friend, I’m not about to lose another.”

When the General came around the bend, they were ready for her. Just as Sasha had predicted, they were outmatched in strength and skill, they were outmatched in stamina and battle experience. But they had each other, and they had a will to live that outstripped even General Yunan’s massive ego.

            When they sent her toppling over the cliff into the rapids below, Sasha knew she had Grimes back. And she knew their little band of misfits was on it’s feet again, and they’d come back stronger than ever.

            They were Captain Grime and First Lieutenant Sasha Waybright, and they were going to take on the whole damn world if they had to. So, when Grime started talking about going big, about storming Newtopia itself and taking the throne, Sasha was a thousand percent on board.

            They had a goal, and soon, they’d have a plan to reach it.

            She wasn’t sure what was going to happen with Anne, or what the hell had happened with Marcy, but that was something she could deal with when she’d conquered a frog-damned kingdom. When she and Grime were in charge, they could find the music box, open the portal, and she could come and go as she pleased. Though, she was beginning to wonder if she even had anything worth going back for.

            In Los Angeles, she’s been falling apart, struggling to keep everything together and under control. She’d pinned her happiness on Anne and Marcy, the former of whom didn’t want anything to do with her, and the latter of whom she had no idea the fate of. Here, with Grime, in Amphibia, she had something to live for. A friendship worth fighting for that would fight for her as well, and she could take control on her own terms, because it’s what she wanted. Not to ward off the shitty voices in her mind, or to curb her anxiety, or keep from having panic attacks.

            Sasha Waybright was going to live for herself and forge her own path. But that didn’t mean anything with Anne was resolved.

            As she stood looking out over the cliff at the horizon, she fingered the angry red scar on her face. “Looks like I’ve got my own path now, Anne,” she asserted out loud once she was alone, “but it’s not over between us. Not even close.”

Chapter Text

Anne had gotten to Marcy first. That was all Sasha could think as they sailed away from the gathering of the Toad Army. Anne was fine without Sasha, an apparently Marcy was too. Who was she kidding, Marcy had probably been having a blast, had barely given Sasha a thought.

            Braddock and Percy had traveled by river barge to Percy’s mom’s place, bring back the boat, and before they’d left the Toad symposium, Braddock and Percy had returned from visiting with friends they’d spotted with more news.

            She dejectedly listened to Braddock go on about how Percy’s cousin Glory had been to the capital and there’d been two humans there, but that they’d both left on an epic quest to lost temples or some such at the King’s command. Apparently, the temples had been braved by many, but no survivors had ever returned.

            Sasha wasn’t sure what was going on with temples or quests, but she did think it sounded like something Marcy had roped Anne into. One way or the other though, they were up to something, apparently working directly for King Andreas. Whatever they were doing, Sasha and Grime needed access to the capital for their plans, plans they had decided not to entirely share with Percy and Braddock, who it turned out, were the ones who’d accidentally leaked their hideout at the mill to Yunan.

            “They could be our way into the palace.” Sasha pointed out to Grime when Braddock and Percy had gone to unload heavy supplies from the boat, since Barrel’s Warhammer wasn’t even that far away, and they need speed more so than rations. “If we convince them we’re on their side, that I’ve got…what did Marcy call it? A redemption arc? If I redeem myself in their eyes, we can ride their coattails right into the palace. It’s the only part of our plan we don’t have a solution for. Assuming we can convince the Toad Army to join our rebellion.”

            “You think they’d buy it?”

            “They’ll buy whatever I sell them,” Sasha insisted, but her grin faltered. “You didn’t see how Anne looked at me when…when she lost her grip on my hand.”

            The way Grime looked at Sasha made her wonder if perhaps he knew that wasn’t exactly what had happened. She’d learned later that he’d been close enough to jump and catch her as she fell, maybe she’d heard and seen what happened, but if he had, he didn’t say anything.

            “Anne’s grown up, like, a lot,” Sasha asserted, “but at the core, she’s still Anne. She still wants to see the best in people, no matter what. You know there was this girl, Margo, who for some stupid reason always picked on her back home. I’m talking, years of bullying whenever I wasn’t there to stop her. You know what Anne would do? She’d just talk to her like it was a normal conversation, like the girl wasn’t lowkey being a racist bitch. She always left an opening for Margo to do better. I was her best friend for most of our lives, she’s going to be desperate to reconcile things with me, and if I play my cards right…”

            “You sure you don’t just want to win her back?” Grime asked softly.

            Sasha hesitated before giving a knee jerk defensive denial. No, she wasn’t entirely sure, and she knew lying to Grime was pointless. They knew each other too well at that point. “Fine, if I get my friend back, I get my friend back. But after everything…you were right. Things will never be the same. But knowing Marcy, they’ll find a way to activate the music box if they haven’t already. If we reconcile, great, they can still go home, and I can stay here and we can rule Newtopia together.”

            “You won’t change your mind and go back?” Grime asked, “I wouldn’t blame you if you did, you’re a brilliant warrior and best first lieutenant I could ask for, but you are also a 13 year old girl from another world. I know you said there was no-one missing you…but is there nothing you miss about your, what was it, City of Angels?”

            “No,” Sasha said firmly, not even needing to think it over. “Anne and Marcy have families to go back to. I have…nothing like what they have. No reason to go back. They aren’t the friends I need them to be, and I’m not what they need either. We have a solid plan, I’ve already decided, I’m staying here. If I can get in their good graces, and maybe help them fix the music box then we can keep the portal open anyway. We can use it to take the occasional vacay or download a few new shows, but I’m happy to leave Earth and it’s problems to Anne and Marcy. What we need to do is figure out a way into the castle to subdue Andreas, and I still think Anne and Marcy are our best bet.”

            “At this point,” Grime said, not entirely sounding sold, “they’re our only bet. But Sasha, you tell me if you have second thoughts, yes?”

            Sasha huffed and rolled her eyes, “Yeah, okay granddad.”

            “I’m not old enough to be your granddad.”

            “Uh, yeah, okay, sure.” Sasha smirked at him, and then dodged as he jumped off the river bank to swipe at her. She drew her sword with a feral grin. “Come and get me old man,” she called out, dancing back and waving her hand with a flourish. “You know you’re no match for Sasha Waybright, Walker of Two Worlds, Queen of St. James High, First Lieutenant of the Toad Rebellion, Future Co-Ruler of Amphibia!”

            “Watch it!” Grime roared at her as he tensed to charge, “We threw Yunan of a cliff for being that irritating!”

            Sasha laughed as their swords clanged. She was no match for Grime’s strength on her own, but she noted that the odd pink haze seemed to happen when she pushed her body past it’s limits, and did things she didn’t think were even possible. She still didn’t know what was with that, and she hadn’t brought it up to anyone, but other than the weird unsettling dreams it didn’t really cause her any problems.

            As night fell, when the stars started to emerge and they’d they gotten on the road…or the river, to where the map indicated the beast had fallen, Sasha sat on the deck with Braddock watching the stars as the other woman worked the rudder and the guys snored.

            “The stars back home weren’t this bright,” Sasha observed, “At least not where I lived. Los Angeles was considered one of the most polluted city in our country. It fell in the top fifty of our world too. So the stars were mostly blotted out by air and light polution.”

            “How many countries does your world even have?”

            “Shit, I don’t know,” Sasha realized, then chuckled, “Marcy would know that. Hundreds though.”

            “I know there’s an outside of Amphibia, but I’ve never been,” Braddock said, “Never really gave it much thought either. For all I know it’s just wilds with no actual intelligent life.”

            Sasha thought about that, staring at the stars. “You know, I never believed in aliens or gave much thought other dimensions.”

            “Then you became an interdimensional alien.” Braddock pointed out.

            “Pretty much. I wonder how many other worlds are out there.” Sasha said. “You know, something Anne said to me before everything went to shit that I hadn’t given much thought too…she said some girl from our world appeared through some sort of magical portal. But the girl wasn’t coming from our world at all, she was stuck in a different one all together, like we are here. Then the portal started to fall apart and she ducked back through it before they could do more than exchange names. I wonder if there’s other ways besides the music box to get from dimension to dimension. Other magics we could find right here in Amphibia.”

            “There’s not a lot of magic users left in the world,” Braddock said, “There used to be, but there aren’t anymore. I actually don’t know why, but I don’t see why you couldn’t find a way. But why bother when you know where to music box is? Anne has it, right?”

            “Yeah, good point.” Sasha conceded, “Stars just make me pensive I guess.”

            “Stars tend to do that.” Braddock replied. “So…just curious, Sash, what is it you want? Say you take over Amphibia. Then what?”

            “I…don’t know, yet.” Sasha said, “I guess I’ll figure it out.”

Braddock was silent, so Sasha was too, and eventually lapsed back into thought. Grime said we’ll get more information after this from someone he knows who will know what these temple Anne and Marcy are messing around with are. She considered, If they have something to do with the music box, we’ll find out. If not, we can still meet up with them at one of them. Perhaps we could wait for them at the last one.

            She pushed aside the pang of unease she felt at the idea of betraying Anne, on purpose this time.

It’s not betraying her. I’m not hurting her new friends, Sasha reminded herself, And if the music box winds up in my hands, then I’m the one offering her an open window between worlds, not this King Andreas asshole. Who, honestly, sounds kind of shady. Like, nobody knows how long he’s ruled for? That’s sketch, he obviously only cares about the newts, not about frogs or toads. Why should they hoard all the wealth? This is like some sort of caste system, and I’m gonna tear it down and build something better. Even if Anne disagrees, what the hell is she gonna do about it? She just wants to go home anyway, as far as I’m concerned, it’s none of her damn business. We’ll go down in Amphibian histories as equalizers, as heroes. My path.

Still, something niggled at the back of her mind, but she couldn’t put her finger on what.

Four hours later, bloody, scraped up, and bruised, with the Narwhal Worm snoring outside the Tower, and Beryl’s hammer was Sasha and Grime’s gear stash, Sasha and Grime were surrounded by celebrating Toads. Someone had baked some sort of big cake, which was apparently chocolate but not ready, but Sasha wasn’t super comfortable leaving the hammer untended, even though few other toads were strong enough to lift it. Grime was swapping tales with his sister and the other Toad leaders. Sasha had had some mead, because nobody seemed to care that she was only thirteen, that or they didn’t know because she was as tall as they were, but she’d begged off early, saying she was going to get some sleep before the upcoming journey. The toads weren’t intimidated by her like the frogs were, but they were wary of her, and didn’t talk as freely. If Grime was going to get info on what Marcy and Anne were up to, it’d be a hell of a lot easier without her hanging around. Plus, she needed some space.

She’d seen Braddock and Percy leaving with Percy’s cousin Glory, and she’d ducked behind a pillar to avoid them. They’d been her first real allies in Amphibia, and it hurt that they were leaving. Still, Grime was right, they’d just get hurt or killed most likely, they didn’t have the heart for what she and Grime were trying to accomplish. They didn’t have an army at their back, just a Captain and his First Lieutenant who went at everything with all they had because neither of them had anything to lose.

She understood why they were leaving, but it didn’t stop the fact from stabbing into the open wound Anne had left her with. Sasha checked on the small wagon with their gear hooked up to a giant spider. She did inventory, thinking of Braddock when she did. She double checked that the spider was unhitched, but still tethered to a hitching post and rubbed it down, wondering when she’d got so comfortable with bugs the size of horses.

“Hey there, boy, I know it’s like, noon, but get rested,” She said to the spider, “I don’t know how long we’ll be on the road once we set out.”

The spider made a contented clicking sound and crouched down, curling it’s legs under him. Sasha gave him one last pat, then climbed into the back of the wagon to wait out Grime.

She pulled out her phone and used her camera and their first aid kit to tend to her scrapes and bruises, mostly superficial, and pointed ignored the hammer. The thing was massive, and stupid heavy. Yet…when she’d pulled it free, for a moment, the pink haze had flared up inside her, fizzing and popping like pop rocks under her skin, and the hammer had been light, well weighted, but manageable. Then the pink haze faded and she’d nearly dropped it before Grime had grabbed on. Then if flared pink…what does that mean? Grime can wield it, but it felt like…like I knew it. Who the hell was Barrel the Brave? And why does his Warhammer glow the same color as my dreams? Sasha wondered, Is there a connection of some sort. If so, what’s the connection between me, random Earth girl, and a toad on Amphibia who died ages ago? The uncomfortable feeling that there was something important she was missing, some piece of the puzzle she just didn’t have, arose again. Sasha wasn’t seeing the full picture. The pink haze thing…that started happening when I got to amphibia, I thought it was something in the water or the food or the air…but what if it’s just something in me? Anne didn’t say anything about a pink haze, and that’s the sort of thing she would mention. But if it’s in me, and it started… is it connected to the music box somehow? And what does this have to do with a dead toad hero and his legendary weapon? And wait…what kind of toad village is “helpless” anyway? Isn’t their whole society fairly martial? Do toads even have villages? I’ve yet to see one. Was the village a frog village then… if so, why would a toad give his life to save frogs? There’s no love lost between their cultures.

The more questions she asked herself, the more questions she thought of. Finally, she gave up, pulling out some beetle jerky and ripping off a piece of it with her teeth.

Eventually Grime emerged, and when he drew near, she realized he seemed steady, sober. She hadn’t realized how worried she’d been that he’d fall back into a drunken stupor until he showed up ready to hit the road and continue their fight.

“All right,” He gave a sharp toothy grin. “I got what info I could. A newt in King Andrias’s court who was on her way to Frog Valley coincidentally, had the low down and spilled her guts to my sister when they met in a Tavern on the road.”

“What do you know?” Sasha dropped her voice even though there was nobody near.

“Honestly? Not much more than we did before,” Grime admitted, “They apparently have to raid three temples in secret locations, they were successful with one, and had already left for the second.”

“If they are secret locations, how are we supposed to find them?”

“Captain Aldo was actually helpful there,” Grime said, “he gave me a map to one of the temples. There’s a chance it’s one they already went to, but apparently, it was meant to go to Barrel’s successor, whatever that means. So he handed it over. The map does say finding one temple will lead us to the others, so even if your friends aren’t there, we’ll be able to track them down.”

“So where is this temple?” Sasha asked.

“Apparently, on a volcano.” Grime said, “Which seems intuitively like a bad place to put something you want to last ages but…” He gave a shrug.

“And the other Captains will move the armies into place?” Sasha asked, “They’re going along with our plan?”

“They love it, and yes, with Aldo’s blessing, they’ll be ready when we give the signal. We’ve already got some of the old crew infiltrating Newtopia as we speak, just waltzing in as tourists.”

“Nice,” Sasha grinned, “let’s get to that temple, figure out what the heck the other hummuses are up to, and take on King Andreas.”

Chapter Text

They wound up selling the spider after a hard week of travel, and packing what they could on their back up the volcano. The reached the area on the map, but didn’t see a damn thing. No temple, no village, not even a shack of any sort. Just as they were about to head back and ask questions of the locals who ran the hotsprings at the bottom of the volcano, Grime pointed out a speck in the sky in the distance.

“What’s that?” He asked.

Sasha looked up, squinting, “It’s not the right silhouette to be a heron, and it’s smaller, but it’s some sort of large bird. Definitely bigger than a bug.”

“The king is known to give his favored subjects a Newtopia Military trained Flight Sparrow,” Grime said, tugging Sasha behind a clump of boulders that was surrounded by low spiny shrubs with broad flat leaves that seemed a bit like succulents. “Perhaps if this mission is for him, he bequeathed on one Anne, or your Marcy.”

Sure enough, when the Sparrow landed, it was decked out in both military armor and flight gear, and toting along Anne, the Planters, and to Sasha’s dismay Marcy.

“I thought you wanted to find them,” Grime whispered, “Why do you look like someone squashed your pet spider?”

“I did…I do…it’s just,” Sasha huffed. “I know Anne is mad at me, but I thought Marcy at least would…”

“You thought she might reach out to you,” Grime realized aloud, though his voice was still hushed. “But Sasha, you haven’t really been reachable. Maybe Anne didn’t tell her everything, or if she did, all she has is Anne’s side of the story.”

“Anne and I have clashed before,” Sasha admitted, sinking down with the rock against her back. “Marcy never picked sides, just let us have it out, then she’d be there once the dust settled. Which never took long. This is different. It’s not just Anne being a goody goody and me…well…being me. I know I wasn’t the best friend…I was controlling, and well…I was an asshole sometimes, and Anne always gave in under pressure. Then Marcy would just carry on like nothing was wrong. She never called me out or encouraged Anne to stand up to me. Marcy was usually game for whatever, so it never took any convincing for her to go along with things.”

“Those qualities that are good in a commander, are maybe destructive between friends,” Grime admitted, “but it sounds like Marcy enabled you, and Anne didn’t clearly set boundaries. Sasha, you can take accountability without it being entirely your fault everything got so messed up.”

“Yeah, but I created a toxic environment in our friendship. And now it’s over.”

“Anne might not be your friend anymore,” Grime said, pausing to peer over the rock, then ducking back down. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t be hers. You can still enact our plan, and help your friends get home whenever the time comes. And nothing says Marcy isn’t still your friend. All you have to do is go in there and find out.”

“I’ve got a part to play,” Sasha said, as much to herself as Grime. “Just give them the parts of the truth they most want to hear, and leave out the rest.” She closed her eyes and steeled herself.

“You get in there and re-establish rapport, I’ll be behind you once you clear that first chamber.”

“Why do you keep saying in there?” Sasha popped her eyes back open, “What first chamber?”

“They got the door open,” Grime said, “and they just went inside. There’s some sort of metal monster we’ll need to creep past.”

“Let’s get inside in case the door closes,” Sasha said, “I don’t want to get separated, then you hide and come out whenever feels right. I trust your judgment.”

Grime patted Sasha’s knee. “And I trust yours,” he said, “Even when you don’t. Let’s move out Lieutenant.

            They snuck past some sort of sentient robot thing, and ducked inside the temple door to find a heated room with lakes of lava boiling, a passage way going across. Grime slipped behind a bolder, his skin already drying out in the dry heat. Sasha was used to dry heat from L.A., but this was far hotter than anything she’d experienced, still, she centered herself, and took in the scene unfolding before her. Marcy seemed to be dragging some sort of heavy hammer, and Anne and Planters were spread out as well. Anne seemed somewhat able to weild the heavy hammer, but she was too far away from the Planters and Marcy, particularly when a massive millipede thing soared out of the lava, it’s burning maw gaping at Marcy and the Planters. Sasha didn’t hesitate. She drew her sword and sprinted across the walkway, gathering herself, then leaping as high as she could before bringing her sword up and cleaning slicing the beast in twain. It went rigid, then collapsed back into the Lava, and Sasha landed on her feet on the walkway right in front of Marcy just as Anne came up along Marcy’s other side. Marcy, being the cinnamon bun she was, starting bouncing excitedly, while Anne stared in shock as if she didn’t ever expect to see Sasha again. She’d seen Grime save her, presumably. She should have known Sasha was alive, and that she’d be back.

            She’s just shocked I’m here. Sasha told herself, not that I’m alive. She didn’t assume I was dead and say ‘good riddance’ and that was that.

            “It can’t be…” Anne gasped.

            Sasha bit back her irritation, “There’s not time!” She shouted, noting the lava was roiling again, another creature about to emerge. She grabbed the hammer from Marcy’s hand, “Follow me!” With the hammer in one hand and her sword in the other, she beat back the lava-pedes until a path was cleared for the others to make it through. She caught sight of Grime waving her on and she led the others through the door.

            Grime knows what he’s about. She told herself, pushing away her worry. He can more than handle himself. I trust him.

            Inside the other room, Sasha turned away from the others as the door slammed shut, taking a much needed moment to center herself. Marcy looked excited to see me. Sasha recalled, remembering the look of elation on Marcy’s face, her squealing and bouncing. She huffed out a breath. Give them the truth they need to see, tell as few lies as possible. I don’t need to lie here. I’m excited to see her too.

            Sasha let her relief and excitement for seeing Marcy again surface, letting her feelings about Anne fade to the background a bit. When she turned, she gave her friends her best Kawaii face, “Hey, girlfriend!” She said, far too cheerily, but Marcy was squeeing so she went with it, “Good to see you!”

            Anne looked less than pleased, but her response was drowned out by Marcy excitedly high stepping over squealing, “Sasha, Sasha, Sasha, Sasha!” And throwing her arms around Sasha’s neck.

            Unlike Anne, who’s clung to her old school uniform and Earth clothes, Marcy was decked out like a full Amphibia ranger. Sasha ignored Anne’s bristling, and let herself be excited for how Marcy seemed to be thriving. She had weapons, armor, cool gear, a great outfit, and she had all her limbs intact. She hadn’t been eaten, or lit herself on fire! Well, not in a way that left visible scars anyway, so Sasha counted that as a win.

            When Marcy asked her how she’d found them, not seeming to hold any of the reservations Anne did, Sasha gave her the bare bones facts. “We heard you two were travelling together, and we tracked you here.” She said, which was true. Marcy didn’t question it, but Anne picked up on Sasha’s slip.

            “Did you say ‘we’?” She narrowed her eyes, and Sasha remembered the last time they’d had that exchange, when she’d showed up to Wartwood with a toad army.

            Before Sasha could explain, and as if no cue, Grime burse through the door, laughing in triumph, the decapitated head of a lava-pede impaled on his sword.

            Sasha couldn’t help the affectionate smile from spreading across her face, Because of course he makes the perfect grand entrance. She thought with a quiet chuckle, good ol’ Grimesy.

            Still, Sasha moved to stand beside Grime, if it came to blows, she knew where she wanted to be standing, but this was her moment to diffuse the situation. To say her piece, she hedged a bit, then she summoned everything inside of her, and spoke her truth. The part of the truth that Anne needed to hear.

            Sasha had miscalculated. She’d made her moves without gaining all the information, if she could go back, knowing what she knew, she’d have handled everything different. She’d come to accept that she’d done her best with the intel and tools at her disposal, but she’d hurt Anne, and she owed her an apology for that.

            “…everything that happened at Toad Tower was my fault,” Sasha admitted, because all in all, it had been. When Anne seemed to be listening, she stepped forward, finish up her apology. She did like Grime said, she took accountability for her part in what happened at Toad Tower. When Ann relaxer her swo…tennis racket? Seriously, she’s still toting that tennis racket around? Sasha thought, though it was tinged with affection as well, She’s a whiz with a sword, yet… She pushed the thought away, knowing she wasn’t on good enough terms yet to tease her old friend, even if Anne seemed to have accepted her apology. The planters weren’t so sure, but between Grime and Sasha, they managed to convince them.

            Then, Marcy yoinked the music box right out of Anne’s signature pink tufstuff backpack, and explained that the King had told them out to use it to get back home.

            Wait, how does the king know about the music box? Sasha wondered, When we have him subdued and Newtopia secured, I’ll question him about Barrel and the hammer, about the pink haze. That weird icky missing pieces feeling is back…there’s a connection here, I know it.

            Sasha expressed her shock, genuinely, “No, way, you mean we can almost go home?” She asked, leaving out that part about her not wanting to go home. She wanted to be able to, she just didn’t want to do it, but they didn’t need to know that. When Marcy explained they were at the last temple, and that the theme of it seemed to be Strength that feeling grew stronger. There was something about this, that connected to the music box…and maybe…the Hammer? She couldn’t piece it together.

            It was like getting a bunch of random puzzle pieces she was pretty sure were from the same puzzle, but since she didn’t know what the picture was supposed to look like, she couldn’t be sure.

            “Oh ho, well it’s a good thing I’m here,” Sasha said, latching on to the opportunity to prove herself to her friends, or at least to Marcy, Anne didn’t seem totally sold on her yet. Marcy however, as usual, was down for anything. It was Anne who protested, but Sasha brushed it off. She wasn’t making Anne do anything this time around, but she wasn’t going to let Anne tell her what to do wither.

            When she lay down on the weight bench and gripped the bar to bench press the stone, which had to weigh easily as much as Barrel’s Hammer, if not more, she saw the pink haze tinge her vision again, and pushed the bar up easily.

            The next door opened, and she lowered the stone weights back onto the rack.

            In the final room, when the rock golem jumped out, glowing pink, Sasha knew, she knew this was for her. It was all connected, and she might not know how, but she didn’t doubt she could beat some stupid rock beast, glowing runes or not. She drew her sword, it’s pink metal reflecting the light from the rock golem’s runes. “I got this!” She announced, but as soon as she did, something in the room shifted, and she was dragged down to her knees as if by a weight. The amphibians were flattened, but Marcy, Anne, and Sasha were still on their knees. They pushed up, Anne assuring the others they could handle it. But when the golem gouged two round boulders out of the ground and rolled them one after the other, towards the girls, Anne and Sasha dove apart, out of the way of the first, but as Sasha crouched assessing the creatures next move, she realized Marcy had frozen up, and without hesitation, she dove, tackling Marcy out of the way.

            But even after Sasha got to her feet, Marcy was worn out, unable to push herself back up against the weight of the increased gravity.

            As Sasha and Anne approached the golem at a slow plodding pace, the heat and weight increasing with each step, Anne made a comment that grated on Sasha. When Sasha pointed out that Anne wasn’t ready to trust her, despite her apology, Anne countered. Even as stalagtites fell around them, as the golem raged and shook the earth, Anne’s words carried to Sasha.

            “It wasn’t just Toad Tower, Sasha,” She said, and between a break of falling rocks, Sasha caught the hurt on Anne’s face. She was hurting, and Sasha had put that hurt there. She hadn’t meant to, but she’d done it. “You’ve been pushing me around my whole life.” Anne said, and Sasha felt her own expression fall. She’d known this would happen, she’d known they’d have this conversation, she thought, perhaps, around a campfire, or when they had a moment alone, but in front of everyone else while rocks fell and gravity kept increasing on them thanks to a magical rock golem that wanted to kill them was as good a time as any she supposed.

            “I know.” Sasha said, and she could have added an explanation, and excuse, but there wasn't one that could make up the toxic way she’d acted towards her friend since they were five years old. Anne’s eyes widened, she obviously hadn’t expected accountability, or an admission of guilt. But Anne was right, and she deserved to hear Sasha acknowledge it.

            In another day or so, assuming they survived that long, Anne might decide she wanted nothing to do with Sasha again, but for that day, even just that moment if they were destined to fall at the hands of the rock golem, Anne deserved Sasha’s honesty, and Sasha…Sasha just wanted her friend back. The gravity increased again, dragging them both down and slamming them into the ground. Sasha’s armor dug into her, and she knew she’d be bruised later.

            There was so much she wanted to say to Anne, but instead, she said something meaningless and despairing, despite all the feelings and words that bubbled just below the surface. Then, Anne said something, something that broke through all the self-recriminations since the Fall of the South Tower.

            “I believe in you, Sasha.” Anne said.

            Anne had that stupid perfect scrunched up face she got when she was determined, the one she’d had on Toad Tower when she’d faced off with Sasha, only this time, there was no fear and rage, only a steady burning strength and felt like it was a well, right there, open for Sasha to draw on. Her vision tinged just the slightest bit pink.

            “What? How can you believe in me, after I was such a jerk to you?” Sasha pushed herself up slightly.

            “Because!” Anne cried out, “You weren’t just a jerk. You also inspired us.”

            The words slammed into Sasha, finding purchase and holding on. She’d spent so long telling herself Anne hated her. That Anne didn’t see anything worth redeeming in her. And that maybe Anne was right all along.

            Anne continued, “You’re fierce, you’re brave, and most of all, you never give up.”

            All this time, I’d convinced myself she didn’t see me. Sasha thought, then felt tears prick at her eyes as Anne seemed to channel all her strength into a dorky thumbs up, before the gravity slapped her hand down to the warm stone beneath them. God, what a dork, but boy do I love that dork. Shit…that dork and my other dork are going to die if I don’t do something…

            “You’re right,” Sasha drew strength from somewhere she’d never thought to seek it out before, from her friend. Not the idea of her, or the illusion that Anne needed her, but in the love they still bore for each other, after everything, the strength of their friendship to overcome the odds, Sasha forced herself up, her armor dragging her down, but not keeping her down. “I’ll never give up,” she growled, while silently cursing her heavy armor, “not today.”

Duh, the fucking armor! I’m an idiot.

“Not ever!” She cried out, then Sasha ripped off her heavy cloak, and piece by piece she discarded her armor until she could stand with relative ease against the pull of the room. The pink haze was stronger, but pulsing in her, but not crackling like it had before she’d lifted the hammer.

            Sasha braced herself, looked the odds in the face, then politely told them to fuck off as she flung herself forward, sword in hand, to meet the golem head on. She dodged a stroke by the golem that left a crater in the ground, then used the heaving rock from the impact to launch herself onto the hammer, when the creature swung it up, she leaped into the air, letting the moment help her as she spun, raising her sword, then letting the gravity pull her back down towards the golem, bring the blade of her trusty heron sword down through the body of the golem, slicing it in two as neatly as the lava-pede.

            The golem defeated, gravity returned to normal. But when Anne handed the grey gem to Sasha, and Sasha set it on the pedestal that had appeared, something odd happened. Pink light exploded upward from the ground, out from the pedestal, and her vision tinged with pink again, then…nothing. She felt normal.

            Huh, for a second it was…what was it? I felt…something? Or maybe I didn’t? Maybe I just expected something because I’ve been feeling weird about this stuff all day. But Sasha brushed off the confused thoughts, and did as Anne prompted, setting the gem back into its socket in the music box.

            For a moment, she thought she’d have to come up with some sort of plan right away, something impulsive and probably stupid, when Anne suggested opening the portal and going home. Sasha was relieved to have her friends, back…but she had unfinished business in Amphibia, and she wasn’t particularly keen on going home and just…leaving it behind.

            Thankfully, Marcy saved the day. Suggesting in her weird awkward way that they wait and let King Andreas help them figure out how to work it properly, so they didn’t get plunged into whole ‘nother world. Sasha recalled that human girl Anne had mentioned and the older woman who claimed to be a witch. She hadn’t even considered the possibility the music box might take them somewhere else. Sasha shook it off. Unlikely, this box has frogs on it, it’s got to be connected to Amphibia, and it was on Earth for a reason, still, this gets us into the castle.

            To be continued.