Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“In good time my dear!”  

It was hard to ignore the sense of unease, but after handing the box to Andrias, Anne only had her mind on finally returning home. It had been a strange and perilous journey, but not a bad one. Definitely not one she could tell anyone who didn’t see it for themselves, but one she could look back on fondly.  

…Makes you wish it could last forever huh?  

Whenever she looked at the weird little family that truly found her, she almost considered it. But even if they were family, this wasn’t home. Home was finally just around the corner. 

With the failure of the toad rebellion and the return of the box, Andrias seemed ready to celebrate with a kingly speech, but as his eyes scoured the room it seemed as though something ripped the words from his mouth. But before anyone could notice the silence, he chuckled to himself and began.   

“This music box has quite a history, and to finally have it return to its home in Newtopia marks a great new era for all of Amphibia. You have my thanks Anne, Marcy.” 

“No problem, dude.” A thumbs up of approval. 

“Just doing my duty your highness.” A bow grateful to have been of service. 

“Guys, listen to me!” A cry desperate to break the good mood. “You have got to get that box back this guy is not what he seems!”  

“That’s enough out of you!” Yunan had already silenced her once, covering her mouth with her tail. This time she wrapped it around the bound Sasha’s mouth. 

Anne sighed looking back at the disgraced lieutenant. “Don’t be a sore loser, right Sash?”  

Sasha fell to her knees, defeated at the familiar words. Marcy thought to speak, but unable to find the words that could cut through the tension between them clung to the safety of silence.  

“Uh you sure you want to take her back with you?” Andrias chimed in. “We got pretty good dungeons here; the ‘scream all you want no one will hear you’ kind.”  He balled a fist tense with excitement as if he was crushing Sasha herself in it. “You know the real deal.”  

“Uh no thanks.” Anne replied a little shaken at the sudden hostility. “Sasha may be a jerk but even she has people waiting for her back home.”  

“Suit yourself.” 

With a shrug, Andrias prepared the box and as the familiar plinks and tones whispered in the grand halls of the castle, the portal soon burst open. There was something nostalgic about it, despite how terrifying that day was for the girls when they were first whisked away.  

“I suppose you’ll want to say your goodbyes.”  

 Anne turned to face the Plantars. She thought she was finally prepared for this, but she could already feel the tears coming. The four of them came together slowly, no tears no sadness, as this wasn’t a final goodbye.  

“Thanks so much you guys, for everything you’ve done for me. I’ve learned so much and I’ll never forget it.”  

“You better not, or I’ll remind you the hard way.” Polly choked out, squeezing as tightly as she could.  

“I still don’t know how I’m gonna make it without you Anne, but I won’t stop adventuring until I’m a strong hero like you.”  

“Aw dude” Anne laughed as she wiped away few tears.  

“Yea me too. Besides Sprig will probably just get lost or eaten without me.” 

“You guys are gonna be awesome!”   

“Oh don’t you go encouraging them, Anne. It’ll be hard enough keeping these kids safe again now that they caught the adventurin’ itch.” Hop Pop retorted.  

“They’ll be fine, Hop Pop. They have you. Honestly, they may be a little safer without ol one shoe’d Anne getting them in trouble.”  

“Hehe well you got a point there.” He knew if they were quiet for too long one of them would definitely break.  “Listen Anne” He gently grabbed her hand. “Just know however long we may be apart you’ll always be welcome here as a Plantar.” 

“Thanks, Hop Pop.” Somehow those were the right words to put her at ease. “You know I just realized we never got a good picture here in the castle.” 

“Yea let’s do it!” 

“We'll look like royalty!” 

“Well, it’d be a shame not too after coming all this way.” 

They squeezed up close, ready to commemorate their adventure with the best pose they could think of. 

~                                                                                                                                             

“You always brought so much energy and optimism in each of your endeavors, perhaps sometimes a bit chaotic for my sensibilities.” Lady Olivia laughed as she embraced Marcy.  “But it has truly been an honor to serve and protect this land with you Marcy Wu.”  

“You too Lady Olivia. Honestly, I kinda wish I didn’t have to leave so soon.” she nervously scratched the back of her head.  

“Well humans should be in one place and newts in another am I right?” Yunan chimed in only to receive an elbow to the gut courtesy of Olivia. 

“Ahem, but yes. You always fought with the heart of a proud newt soldier. Maybe one day you’ll be half as good as me.”  

“Hehe I wouldn’t count on it general. I know Newtopia is in good hands with you guys around.” Marcy looked over to Andrias who observed them from not too far away with a look of pride. 

“King Andrias.” She approached sheepishly. “I don’t understand I thought...” 

“Thought what? Oh, that’s right.”  He pulled Marcy away from the others. 

“Our little arrangement.”  

“Honestly Marcy, I’m still willing to take you and your friends to as many worlds as you can imagine, but only on the condition that you tell them the truth. About everything.” 

These were not the words she was expecting and they were as powerful as they were sudden. A pit formed in her stomach at the thought, or more accurately what she was sure the result would be. 

“I...” 

She turned to face them, each busy with their farewell.  

“Listen Mar-mar.” He knelt down to her level. “As much as I’d like to keep you around, I’m afraid Yunan as oafish as she can be let’s be frank, is right. You should return to your world.” 

Marcy looked to the ground in disappointment. 

“Remember as long as I have the box I’m never too far away and the worlds to explore aren’t going anywhere.” 

“Maybe...you’re right.” 

Andrias smiled and handed her a book. Nothing out of the ordinary, a hard brown cover with a title written in the ancient language. The only illustration was a large closed eye in the center.  

“Evolution and the Multiverse?” 

“I found it in that old library, it’s a book that details some of the worlds my ancestors visited. Hold on to it, and when you’re ready I’ll find you.”  

 Upon hearing this Marcy pressed the book to her chest, tears welling up in her eyes. “Thank you, King Andrias. Even if we’re worlds apart I’ll always be your trusted ranger.” 

“I’m counting on it, kiddo.”  

With a mutual salute, hug, and some jolly laughs from the King, Marcy was ready to face at least one of her fears; returning home. 

~

Sasha, gazing at the portal and listening to the tearful farewells around her tried her hardest to tear through the ropes binding her.  

“That’s enough Lieutenant.” Grime nudged her, also bound.   

“This isn’t right, is it really supposed to end like this. Were we really wrong about...everything?”  

“Right and wrong are things you have no need to worry about now. The truth is this is a fight we lost, and if it means you are to return to your world as a result, I would hope to see you face that with the same stubborn and unrelenting strength I’ve seen you face every hardship.” 

“Heh of course I will.” She said forcing a chuckle. “...But what about you?” She could feel her eyes getting wet and hated every second of it.  

“HAHA, you think this is the first time I’ve been captured by my enemies? They can try their worse but I’ll be out of here in no time! Besides you’ve shown me that no matter the situation there’s always something worth fighting for.” 

“What? That sounds a bit too noble coming from you Grimesy.”  

“Noble? Me?” The idea didn’t disgust him as much as he figured it would.  “Hmph, nevertheless. This may be the end of this rebellion, but it’s far from the end of Captain Grime or Sasha Waybright.”  

“Ok Sash.” Anne approached, sensing the melancholy in the air. “It’s...time to go.”  

“Wait Grime!” 

Anne pulled her towards the portal by the arm, knowing dragging things out would only feel worse.  

“It’s time you stop looking back lieutenant and march forward. As of know...” 

She didn’t want to hear what came next. She knew she wouldn’t be able to handle it. 

“I hereby relieve you of your duty.”  

Anne knew in her heart she was doing the right thing, she had to be. But even after everything that happened, she couldn’t bear watching the girl burst in tears and put all her attention towards the portal before them.  

Anne and Marcy looked to each other, as if to find that last bit of confidence that this was the right choice. Sasha pulled herself from Anne’s grip and wiped her face with her bound wrists. 

“Let’s just get this over with.”  

No more words. Between them or anyone else. The girls entered the portal, soon engulfed by the bright light.  

Their eyes struggled against a painfully shining sun. A chorus of blaring horns, the screeching of planes, and commuters made it easy to understand their environment.  

“The freeway really?”  

Anne recognized this trap, crueler than anything they faced in Amphibia; LA traffic with no sign of clearing.  

Marcy realized they must have been passed out for some time, noticing pedestrians had gotten out of their cars to record their sudden appearance.  

“Let’s get out of here!”  

Sasha was the first to leap off the car they had landed on and escape to the nearest walkway. As they caught their breath, the full picture was taking shape.  

What was once a familiar skyline overlooking the bright city streets now seemed a more amazing world than where they had just been. The air while surprisingly worse than the gases of the swamp, was nostalgic, drawing a new memory with each breath drawn.  

“I can’t believe it!” Anne could feel a tear form in her eye. “We’re really home.” 

Marcy fished out her phone from her bag feeling its reverberations. Her face dropped cold seeing message after message pop up.  

“Yea...Home.”  

“Uhm a little help?” Anne noticed Sasha lift up her wrists impatiently.  She approached her slowly, each locked in each other’s scornful gaze. Face to face, Anne reached for the teal sword still on Sasha’s hip.   

The tension in those few seconds felt like an eternity to where Marcy and even Sasha were nervous as to what would happen. However, with a swift motion Anne cut the ropes binding Sasha.  

“Well…congratulations Anne.” She rubbed her sore wrists. “You got to be the hero and bring us back home. Great job.”  

“Complain all you want, but I couldn’t just leave you there. It was the right thing to do.” 

“Tch...” Sasha took in the sight of LA realizing what she had built in Amphibia was truly long gone.  

“So. What happens now?”  

“Now.” Anne raised the sword in front of her.  “We go our separate ways 

Sasha’s eyes widened as Grime's gift struck the ground. “Oh come on Anne you’re not serious.”  

She knelt to pick up her sword, but before she could even finish her sentence Anne was walking away. At first, she had only rolled her eyes at the display but seeing Anne continue with her pace and Marcy’s expression worsen, she felt her heart start to race.  

“You’re serious...After dragging me back here you’re really just going to walk away like that?” 

“I meant what I said Sash. I’m done.”  

“Anne, wait!” Marcy finally found her words grabbing Anne’s hand. “Look I know things got a little tense in Amphibia, but now that we’re back home we shouldn’t be fighting like this. We’re best friends forever, we can work this out…can’t we?”  

“I’m sorry Marcy” Anne made sure not to turn to face them.  “But... I just can’t bring myself to trust her. I can’t go back to being the girl who stole that box.” 

“That’s rich. So, you got your hands dirty one time and now it’s all my fault?”  Sasha’s voice began to crack. “Look, you may have gotten lucky with your little frog friends in Amphibia, but you need me here! What do you think you’re going to do without me?” 

It was quiet for a moment. Marcy released Anne’s hand as she finally turned to face them. 

“I’ve changed Sasha, I’m sorry you couldn’t see that.”  She stared deep at the face that once could convince her of anything, hearing the voice that once held so much power over her now falling apart in desperation.  

“I hope one day you can change too. I really do.”  

With that she began again, this time with a more confident gait. Marcy reached out a hand but didn’t know what she could accomplish with it. 

Sasha watched the image of Anne continue to shrink. She had felt this way before, too often since she first set foot in that gross swamp. She had so much more to yell but she didn’t want to give her the satisfaction, she had stooped low enough as is.  

“Don’t worry Sash.” Marcy approached gifting a hand to her shoulder.  “We all just need a little time to cool off after an adventure like that. We’ll be back together again in no time.”  

“Don’t give me that Marcy, you heard her.” Sasha swatted her hand away. “Right now, you have a choice to make me or her.”  

Marcy froze. She looked to see Anne had almost escaped from their view.  

“Sasha please.”  

“Hmph. You losers have fun together.”  

With that only Marcy remained. It happened so fast. But everyone was just going through the motions, right? Surely all she had to do was trust in their friendship, even if nothing could change the past.  

“I’m...sorry.”   she muttered where no ears could hear her before chasing after Anne. 

Chapter Text

Anne had never been so excited to hear the ringing of school bells and chatter of classmates. Autumn had settled in nicely, with the cool air spreading leaves around like splotches of paint. It wasn’t as magnificent as some of the sights in Amphibia, but there was a coziness to this more modest display of nature.   

The chatter in the halls turned to curious whispers as Anne entered the school building. She hadn’t noticed in her excitement to be back.  After the awkwardness of first period where her teacher had to make a public announcement of her return to the indifferent applause of her peers, the morning classes went by smoothly.   

Before long it was lunchtime.  Students were filling the halls and planning where they would go once, they were “free.”  Anne felt a little envy knowing she wouldn’t have that kind of freedom for some time after her adventures. She wanted to tell someone about the crazy stuff she experienced but her parent’s advised against it. It was frustrating but understandable, she felt even they had trouble believing it all. It didn’t help that students would constantly take glances at her then turn away.   

“Jeez guys ever heard of subtlety?” Anne mumbled to herself. “One of you could just ask.”  

“Excuse me! You’re in the way of journalism!" The dynamic duo of Rico and Desi suddenly stormed through the halls.   

“Ok anyone except them.”  

“Anne Boonchuy!”  Rico approached with little respect for her personal space. “One of the calamity girls of Saint James Middle School in the flesh.”   

“Calamity trio?”  

“You like it? I came up with it myself.” Desi replied after snapping a picture of Anne’s confused face.  “After you all disappeared people thought you were dead, so they started blaming every bad thing that happened here on you guys. Like your spirits themselves were haunting the halls.”  

“The paper was on fire back then.” Rico snapped another picture.  “And now you guys actually came back, this may be a story for the local papers.”   

“Care to spare a few minutes for an interview?” They spoke in unison, notepads at the ready.  

“Right look Rico, Desi I have a lot to catch up on so-”  

“Are you saying you have nothing to add to the rumors that you were kidnapped by a lunatic?”  

“What?”  

“Or what about the rumor that you were deported back to Thailand.”  

“That’s a little…”  

“Or that the three of you are all convicts on the run from the law and being a student is your cover?”   

“ Pfft, look I know you guys feed off of dumb rumors but no one will believe any of that.”   

“Then let's set the record straight.” Rico’s shades gleamed.  “What. Really happened. To. The. Calamity Girls?” They circled her like piranhas.   

“We uhh…” The sweating began. “Got lost.”  

“Lost?” Desi began furiously writing in her notepad. “Lost where, lost how?”   

 “Lost on our way to uhm Tennis camp…in the wilderness.”   

“Ah so it’s true!” Rico briefly looked over his notes “The three of you were lost in a swamp for 5 months.”   

“That’s not…entirely true."   

“Picture it.” Desi’s eyes widened as she began to fantasize. “Stranded in a strange world, with danger at every corner, living off of nothing but bugs and mud. Fighting wild animals just to survive.”  

“Ok, maybe it’s more accurate than I thought.” Anne couldn’t hide the pride in her smile thinking about what she accomplished. “Hey wait a minute, who started that one?”   

“Sasha Waybright, head of the cheerleaders, calamity girl, demon of Saint James.” Rico explained.  “According to her the three of you got lost running away from the police because of an item you stole and ended up in the sticks.”   

“Of course, that’s what she’d tell them.” she said under her breath.    

“In fact, she adds that you also caught what she describes as “swamp madness”.   

“What?”  

“Symptoms include a disregard for personal hygiene, bouts of hysteria and manic episodes where you started to believe a bunch of frogs were your family.” Rico tapped his pencil on his temple inquisitively. “Care to confirm?”   

“WHAT?” her outburst took them aback. “Come on! Do I look like some swamp crazy thief, running from the law while talking to a bunch of frogs?”   

“Hmm maybe not...or maybe.” Rico studied her closely with a finger to his chin.   

“But it would make for a much more interesting story.” Desi added.   

“Look we’re done here, not everything is some story with a catchy headline. I mean this is my life for crying out loud!” After slamming her locker shut, she stormed off.   

“Uh thank you for your time.”     

“Also you got leaves in your hair, girl.”   

Anne continued to grumble to herself as she picked out some autumn leaves from her hair. She had tried not thinking too much about Sasha and this wasn’t what she needed. Luckily, she noticed Marcy coming to meet her.  

“Hey Anne. How was class this morning?”  

“Hey Mar-mar.” They shared a hug. “They haven’t gotten to you yet have they?”   

“Who? Oh, you talking about the school paper? I wrote an article for it.”  

“Seriously? You told them everything?"  

“I didn’t miss a detail. Couldn’t let all those notes I took go to waste.”  

“Marcy maybe it’s better we don’t tell everyone we were trapped by a magic music box and sent to another dimension with talking frogs.”  

“What? But that adventure was so amazing! We should be getting honors maybe even a peace prize for such a discovery.”  

“The only prize we’re gonna get with that is a free trip to the looney bin. If I didn’t have pictures of talking frogs and giant killer snakes even, I wouldn’t believe it actually happened.”   

“Well, I guess when you put it that way it is a little hard to believe. Still, it would be so cool to have someone believe something so incredible actually happened.”   

“Hehe, it was pretty crazy. Honestly right now I’d probably take fighting off giant killer bugs than dealing with my parents smothering me. My mom hasn’t let me sleep alone since I got back, I had to beg her not to follow me to class today.”   

“I know the feeling.” Marcy then lifted her leg showing a fairly large beeping device with a red light. “Tracker.”  She then pointed to a piercing on her left ear with a sign with a phone number and address. “Tag.”  she then pulled out her phone and began texting. “And I have to report to her every 15 minutes even if I’m in a class.”   

“Hoopa da boopa. Looks like I got off easy.”   

“Yea, it’s probably going to be a while before my mom trusts me out of the house…or ever again.”   

“Guess things won’t go back to normal so easily huh?”  

“Speaking of normal...” As they walked Marcy’s pace began to slow. “Have you guys talked yet since, you know?”   

“Marcy.” Anne sighed, stopping in her tracks. “I know you want us to work things out, but you know what she put us through, how she betrayed us. How am I supposed to trust her again after all of that?”   

“Sure she may have gotten a bit out of hand with the whole trying to conqueror Amphibia thing, but I actually don’t think she really wanted to hurt us.”  

“You didn’t see her at Toad Tower, she was going to kill Hop Pop and hurt Sprig just to be in control.”  

“Ok that is bad. But, she didn’t know them as well as you did.”  

“Even if that’s true. The thing that upsets me the most is even after all of that I trusted her.” Anne leaned against a wall and folded her arms. “It was so easy for her to just use me, like I didn’t even matter to her.”  

“Don’t say that Anne,  of course you matter to her.” Marcy put a hand on her shoulder.  Sasha doesn’t like to talk about her feelings but maybe she’s just...a little scared.”  

“Scared?” Anne smirked a bit.  “Heh, maybe scared I'd kick her-”  

“Anne! Ugh. Look maybe you guys can try talking things out over lunch.” Marcy opened the cafeteria doors. “I think they’re serving apple pie today too. A little sweetness should get the dopamine going and uh-” She slammed the doors quickly.     

 “Hey! Maybe we should eat somewhere else I mean why eat here anyway?”  

“Dude it’s the lunchroom.”   

“Lunchroom, bathroom, dark corner in the hallway, a rooms a room you can eat anywhere let’s go.”   

Anne gave her a confused look before opening the door herself. “What’s going on in the-"  

A group of students were gathered near a wall in the room, laughing and cheering. On the wall was a less than endearing photo of Anne taped to the wall with a bullseye crudely drawn behind it. The picture itself was covered in drawings of flies buzzing around her, drool coming out of her mouth, bugs in her teeth among other unsavory things. Kids were taking turns launching dead frogs from a bucket at the picture. At the center of these kids was none other than Sasha.       

“Oh man I got another one in boobchuys hair.” Maggie seated not far from Sasha fist pumped in celebration.   

“Oh, look Mad Franne is here.” A girl from the cheerleading squad pointed out.   

“WHAT THE HECK? Where did you even get these?”    

“Jeez Anne what’s the big deal.” Sasha’s voice dripped with a familiar sarcasm.  “We’re just trying to reunite you with family. It’s the right thing to do.”  

With perfect timing her entourage cackled in unison.   

“Anne we can just go.” Marcy tugged on Anne’s arm trying and failing to hide behind her. Anne only kept her fist clenched, trembling.   

“Uh oh Sasha looks like she’s gonna go crazy with the swamp madness.”   

“Relax Vince we’re far from the swamp now.” Sasha stared straight towards Anne with a ferocity no one noticed but the girl in question.  “She doesn’t have any fight left in her.”   

“Come on guys this is just juvenile!” Marcy feared the worst. “These frogs should be used for their educational purposes.”    

“Oh, lighten up nerd.” Sasha picked up a frog. “The cheer squad noticed I was a down after our little trip, so they came up with a fun way to lighten the mood.” She launched the frog with enough force it stuck to the picture for a few seconds before finally dropping, leaving its mucous on the already stained picture.  

 “Why don’t you grab a seat and use those nerd skills to land a shot right between the eyes.”  

“Sash this is just-!”  

Before she could continue Anne put a hand on Marcy’s shoulder. “It’s fine Marcy, I’m not hungry anyway. I’ll just...meet up with you later.” She made for the door slow at first trying to be sure no one could see her face before busting them open and running out.   

“Anne!”   

“Oh no, looks like you spoke too soon on the madness Sasha.”  

“Poor girl. What’s that the say about taking a frog out of the pond?” Cheyenne ripped as she filed her nails. A chain of laughter once again filled the room.   

“Sasha!” Marcy slammed her hands on the table.  “Don’t you think this has gone on long enough? ”  

“Uh oh fun is over.” Cheyenne quipped before getting off the table she was sitting on.    

“Uh later Sash.” Maggie said meekly. Soon all of the students were walking away.    

“What? She was the one who said we weren’t friends anymore.” Sasha kept her hands in her jacket pocket tapping the bucket of frogs with her foot.  “Why don’t you go get her, after all you’re not a “horrible person.”   

 “No.”  

Sasha was surprised by the response but was caught even more off guard by Marcy’s expression.  

 “No, you’re wrong...I am horrible. I’m the worst.”   

“What are you talking about?”  

Chapter Text

It had only been a few days but the tension could be felt throughout the school. The school paper released with the headline “Dangers of the Swamp: The Calamity Girls Tell All.” Anne didn’t bother reading it, she could already hear the gossip in the school about how it painted Sasha as some sort of hero looking after her crazy friends.  The jeers and stares were annoying but it wasn’t worse than how it was when she first arrived in Wartwood.  Eventually they would get bored and life would be back to normal. Still...  

“Uh excuse me.”   

“Whoa!” Anne jumped.   

“Ah! Didn't mean to scare you.” A frail mousey looking girl cowered in front of her. Behind her was a small pod of physically challenged students equally perturbed.   

“Sorry I just wasn’t expecting anyone to actually talk to me.” Anne rubbed her arm in embarrassment.  

“Oh, sorry we just had a question.” The mousey girl perked up quickly. “We’re in the chess club and we’ve been practicing really hard for a big tournament, but we haven’t seen our champion Marcy all day. We were hoping you’d know where she is.”   

“Oh, well sorry wish I could help you but I haven’t seen her today either. It’s actually kind of weird.”   

“Aw. Well hopefully she’s just late today. Ok thanks byeeee.” With that they were off.   

“Oh, and don’t worry about what that stupid paper says.” The girl turned for a moment.   

“Aw, thanks.”  A smile restored.  

“I heard Thai people eat bugs all the time. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”   

“Gee thanks.” Smile and optimism, gone.   

Anne prepared to open the door but hesitated. She then pushed open the doors before walking through. The bucket fell immediately leaking dead frogs and slime across the ground. “Ok guys I get it I’m the swamp girl, but the bucket of frogs was lame the first time!”     

She mumbled to herself as she picked up each frog and returned it to the tomb. “I feel bad for the janitor.”  

Unsurprisingly, from the moment she grabbed her food to the moment she sat down students were staring and laughing. They would get bored eventually. Still, it was a lot nicer when Marcy was there with her. She began to consider Marcy may have gotten herself into another accident and began to eat to take her mind off of it. It was almost thanksgiving so thankfully the food wasn’t as disturbing today.   

The sudden thud of a tray hitting the table interrupted her silent feast. Above it was none other than the “hero of the swamp” Sasha with as cold a stare as ever. Anne ignored her and continued eating. Sasha sat down and for a while stared quietly with her arms folded.   

…  

...  

“Look.”  Sasha sighed. “I know we’ve been through a lot. Some things were said some swords were swung, and maybe it was all a bit dramatic.”   

Anne focused on packing food in her mouth, but kept her ear open.   

“But I get it.”   

Anne hard swallowed, now both shocked and in a bit of pain.   

“So, in light of our history together...”   

Anne stared in amazement. This couldn’t be real.  

“I’m willing to forgive you!” Sasha flashed her brightest smile.  

This COULDN’T be real.   

“...what?”   

“Like I said, I totally get it. That was a new and scary place and you went a long time without me so I can understand how all of that was a lot for you to deal with and why you’d act so crazy.  But I forgive you and we’re home now so you don’t have to worry about any of that anymore. Yay us! Hang on we should totally take a selfie to celebrate.”  

“You. Cannot. BE SERIOUS!” Anne slammed her hands against the table.    

“Come on Anne, I’m here willing to put everything aside so you can stop your moping. So, no more of all this negative energy.”  

“You really don’t get it do you?” Anne couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.  

Sasha’s demeanor began to change. “What’s the problem now? I’m trying here.”  

“My only problem, was ever being your friend! My only problem was ever thinking you cared about me at all! My problem was ever, EVER, thinking you’d ever change from being the self-centered, evil, manipulative bitch you are!”  

With that the entire cafeteria dropped dead silent. No more whispers, or laughter, not even the sound of mash landing on a tray. Sasha sat petrified; eyes wide as if she had just been shot.   

“If this is all you have to say then I’d be better off with you pelting me with frogs or whatever. But I’m so, SO, past listening to this kind of crap from you.”  

“UGH! I knew it!” Sasha voice began to waver.  “Why did Marcy think this would work you are so impossible!”   

“Wait, Marcy put you up to this?”  

“Of course, she did! You think I’d ever stoop this low on my own? Whatever!”  

She stood up ready to walk away, but something made her laugh. Something made her stay.   

“You want to know why she asked me to talk to you?  Because she feels sorry for you. Anne Boonchuy the weirdo with no friends!”  

“I... have friends.”   

“What, you mean those slimy frogs?” She had herself a belly laugh.  “You know I wasn’t going to say this but you’re a big girl now, aren’t you?”  

She slammed a hand on the table, staring Anne in her eyes. “You’re never going to see those stupid frogs again.”  

“Shut up.”  

“I tried to warn you that overgrown snake was bad news, but of course you wouldn’t listen because you just had to be the hero had to be Ms. goody two shoes riding on her white snail of justice. Well now thanks to you your weird little frog family is probably dead! No more gross swamp, no more annoying frogs, no more crazy newts-” She began to choke up.  

“No more stupid ugly toads... All because YOU ONLY CARE ABOUT YOURSELF!”  

With one swift motion Sasha flipped her tray of food at Anne’s face. The “ooo’s” echoed in the cafeteria as students took out their phones.   

Without a word as the mashed potatoes and turkey slid down her face Anne stood up.   

It was brief but for just a moment Sasha realized how far she had gone. Unfortunately, it was too brief. Anne struck her in the face with enough force to send her tumbling back and falling on her rear.    

Sasha wiped her chin, surprised to see a small stain of blood remain on her hand.  

“You just made the biggest mistake of your life you ungrateful little shit!”  

She pounced like tiger throwing Anne against the wall from across the table.   

“FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!”   

“TAKE HER DOWN SASHA!”  

“GLOBESPARK! GLOOOOOOOOOBESPARK!”  

The cheers from the peanut gallery resounded. Anne kicked Sasha off of her and chased her to the ground. They struggled, rolling through the cafeteria trying to overpower the other until Sasha managed to pin Anne to the ground, pressing her head against the ground. Before she could take advantage, Anne wrestled enough to bite the hand that bound her.  

“OW! You little-”  

 Before she could finish Anne pulled her in for a headbutt that sent her falling back.   

Anne rose to her feet in time to be met with Sasha’s fist to her face, almost dropping the girl to the ground once again. Anne composed herself in enough time to dodge the second punch, but not enough to avoid Sasha grabbing her hair and slamming her against a nearby table. Anne found her hand in a fistful of the mashed potatoes and instinctively launched it at Sasha’s face, preventing the next attack. She charged at Sasha with a punch to the jaw, Sasha replied to with an uppercut of her on. From here the two girls locked hands, fighting for dominance as little more than two angry beast.  Even this close, this trapped in each other’s gaze, they could see nothing in each other but an enemy.    

“Frankly it was the most obscene display of violence seen in these halls for quite some time.” Principal Amelia was fuming from behind her desk. The office was small and Anne was wedged between her less than pleased parents. With all her bruises and aching head, it was suffocating sitting there.   

“We’re so sorry our daughter caused such disruption.” Mrs. Boonchuy hung her head in shame, before grabbing Anne’s ear.   

“OW!”   

“We’ll be sure to discipline her much more carefully from now on.”  

“Yes well, nonetheless I’m afraid we’ll have to suspend Anne for no less than two weeks.”    

“Suspension? Don’t you think that’s being a little harsh?”   

“Yes Mr. Boonchuy  given your daughter’s recent troubles we understand it can be difficult readjusting to society.”  

Anne noticed one of the school papers on a shelf and rolled her eyes.   

“Other students can be reluctant to give you that space to readjust, however we cannot condone acts of violence on school grounds.”   

“If you think you’re going to have a vacation after all of this you got another thing coming. I’m talking 4 times the chores late shifts at the restaurant.”  

“Oh, come on mom.”   

“Eh, not this time kiddo. Your grades were one thing but picking fights at school, and with your friends? I know we raised you better than that.”   

“If it helps, think of it as time to collect yourself.” Amelia chimed in to the family dispute. “Besides we know you weren’t the one who started it. That’s why you’re only getting suspended and Sasha is getting expelled.”  

“Wait. Sasha got expelled?”   

“…yes.” Mr. Boonchuy made a not-so-subtle fist bump.  

“Dad!”  

“Oh yes indeed. Sasha Waybright has been a menace to this school for far too long. Cutting classes, stealing school supplies, pranking teachers. We had to cancel a science lesson just this week because she stole all the specimens for study. Picking a fight in the cafeteria is just the final straw. No amount of time in the wilderness could make up for a track record like hers.”   

“Oh...I never realized she was on thin ice like that.”   

“Clearly a rotten apple spoils the bunch. Best we just throw it away.”  

Suddenly it wasn’t just her headache making her feel sick.   

~  

She walked behind her parent’s out of the school building. The Autumn sun was already beginning to set. The view was nice at least.  Some other students were still gathered around the building, failing to be inconspicuous with their chatter.   

“Did you hear? Mad Franne got suspended and Sasha's getting kicked out of school for good!”   

“Good riddance. I never liked her anyway.”  

“Oh yea you still coming to Sasha’s welcome back party this weekend right?”  

“Of course, I am. That pool is awesome!”  

The walk to the car seemed to stretch endlessly. Eventually they would get bored and life would go back to normal. It was one bad day, if nothing else it was clear where she and Sasha stood now.    

“ANNE, WHY IS THE TRASH STILL HERE?”   

“I’m on it!”  

The sun had lowered until the sky was a luminescent orange. Anne walked to the curb dragging the disgusting can behind hoping the day would be over soon. She didn’t even notice the van that had pulled up to the curb as she left the can behind. Before she got too far, she did notice someone approach the gate.    

“...Marcy?”   

“Hey Ann-”  

She could barely finish before Anne embraced her. She held on so tightly you’d think she was going to fall if she let go.   

“MARCY! Where’ve you been, girl?” She quickly released her in embarrassment. I uh...missed you at school today.”   

“Yea I heard things got bad.”   

Anne finally noticed the van behind Marcy, it was loaded to the brim with suitcases and bags, one even needing to be tied to the roof.   

“Whoa your mom has a lot of junk in the trunk. What’s going on?”  

Marcy’s sheepish smile dropped. “Listen Anne, I came here to say sorry.” She began to tremble “And... goodbye.”   

Anne quickly grabbed Marcy’s hand.   

“Mar-Mar what are you talking about? Did something happen? Did Sasha…”   

“NO! No just.” Marcy let go of Anne’s hand and backed away slightly. “On the day we left, your birthday, my dad said he got a new job out of state. I uh, didn’t take the news too well.” Now even her voice was shaking. “So, I ran away until I saw a box that I recognized from a book… A box that could take you to other worlds.”  

It was quiet for a moment, Anne backed away slightly covering her face with her hand. She then began giggling.  

“That’s a good one Marcy.” She dropped her hand and the color had left her face. “Because it sounds like you knew what the box would do.”  

“I know it was really dumb!” Marcy broke. “I didn’t think it would actually work, but it did and, and.”  

“No way...Marcy how could you? ”  

“I know...”  

“We were gone for months! We could’ve gotten hurt or worse!”   

“I know ok, I know! I just didn’t want to lose you guys.”  

Anne paced for a moment. Marcy stood still shaking, unable to lift her head to face Anne.  

“That’s...that’s a lot Marcy.” Marcy braced herself like she was going to be struck by the next words.  “It was a really stupid thing to do.” Anne then came to Marcy and put a hand on her shoulder.  

“But I guess it worked out in the end. We’re home now, right? So…it’s ok.”  

“NO, ITS NOT OK!” Anne removed her hand in shock.  

“When we got back my dad had already left but my mom she stayed! She stayed here alone in that house waiting for me. We're going back to live with my dad in New York. I have to.”  

“Marcy...”  

The light was fading, those comforting orange hues began to fade.  

“I thought I could at least get you and Sasha to be friends again but that was stupid too. The damage was already done and all of it, ALL OF IT IS MY FAULT!”   

“Marcy this is too much. You can’t just say all of that and leave! It’s not...it’s not fair!”  

“Marcy!” Mrs. Wu’s voice accompanied the honking of the van. “Let’s go, we’re already going to hit traffic now we’re losing the light.”  

Marcy backed away slightly, trying to hide her face in her hood. “I…have to go.”  

“MARCY YOU CAN’T!”  

Anne grabbed Marcy’s hand as she tried to retreat. The shades of violet and blue started to bleed into the sky as she fell to her knees.  

 “You promised me...”  

Marcy’s trembling stopped, all her movement did. It was quiet enough that the only sound stirring was the sobbing of the girls. Marcy faced her before letting go of her hand.  

“I’m sorry...for everything.”   

With that she made for the van. The sun faded away, the fall leaves stopped floating and the night settled in. Anne was left staring as the car drove off. She wasn’t aware of the time, any cars that passed or any birds chirping. Before she knew it her face was dry sullen and empty as the moon rose above her watching.  

“ANNE!” A voice rang out from the house. It could’ve been the first, second or fifth time it was called but it didn’t matter.  

“…Whatever.”  

Life went back to normal.   

Chapter Text

A noxious bog of smog covers the sky above what once was a verdant land of spectacular flora and fauna. Invaded by technology ancient and foreign to the denizens of this time, every corner has been occupied and hollowed out. A world stripped of life. In the blackness above floats a castle, illuminated only by markings surrounding its shell and red eyes of the robotic soldiers surrounding it . Little remains of the world of Amphibia.  

~ 

In the grandest hall of this castle, where the music box shined brightly on a podium in the center, King Andrias overlooks his “work” on his kingdom through a window.   

“Excellent! Things are moving even more smoothly than I expected.” With a prudent smile he returned to his seat atop the throne.   

“General Yunan reporting sir!”  

“Ah, you weren’t who I was expecting.” He tried not to look too disappointed.  “So, what news do you have for me?”  

“Well, the ahem, frobot army has successful cleared territory to the north and south. We can prepare to move into the valley once the villages are evacuated.” 

As she spoke, another figure entered the room. 

“Apologies your majesty for my lateness.”  

“Ah there’s who I wanted to see!”  

 Yunan rolled her eyes as The King rose to greet the interloper.  

“Evacuations won’t be necessary; I’m sending Grime with a platoon of frobots to subjugate those frogs.” 

 “With all due respect sir why haven’t we thrown this rebel in the factories with the rest of those toads? I mean he LED the rebellion!”  

“Co-led technically.” Grime clarified.   

“Don’t get your armor in a twist Yunan, Grime knows his place now.” Andrias returned his throne. “Besides, I can only trust this task with someone like him.” 

“WHAT? But I’ve been your best solider, he’s just a failure of an anarchist. How can you trust him?” 

“I’m hurt General Yoohoo! I’m more of a dictator.”  

“He’s the most familiar with that lowly valley, if there’s anyone in hiding, he’ll know where to find them. I’ll need you overlooking the toads in the factories, less they get too bold again.” 

“But sir he failed to protect his own tower against those valley frogs. I’m THE general Yunan. Scourge of the Sandwars, defeater of Ragnar the Wretched-” 

“And the person who failed to defeat Grime at his weakest.”  

“It’s true, I was really a mess back then and you totally lost.” 

“Only because of that stupid human!” Yunan took a swipe at Grime with her claws, barely missing as the captain leapt back.   

“Enough of this!” Andrias rose once again stomping a massive foot. “You have your orders and time is of the essence. Begone!”  

“As you wish.” they said in unison as they bowed. There wasn’t a more polarizing pair, Yunan hanging her head in dejection at a forlorn pace while Grime was practically hopping with the jaunt in his step. 

“Oh.” Grime had a thought. “Should they resist, sir?”  

“Is it even a question? Eliminate them!”  

“Now that’s what I’m talking about!” 

Yunan growled as she exited the throne room.  

As the doors closed Andrias’ expression shifted to one of surprise and perhaps even fear. 

“I promise my lord things are still going according to plan.” 

“  ~~~~ ” 

“Yes, I understand, but I assure you, she’s better to us-” 

“  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ “  

“Yes, if it comes to that it will be done, you have my word. We will succeed no matter the cost.”         

15 minutes earlier...

Deep within the castle walls lied the dungeon, heavily guarded by a legion of frobots. While many of its cells were empty or at most housing bones, three cells were warmed by the bodies and frustration of a familiar frog family. 

“I can’t believe I ever liked that guy! I finally get my legs and I immediately get thrown in prison?” Polly kicked a wall in frustration.  

“Honestly Polly, even without the King being evil I was worried you’d wind up behind bars when you got your legs." Hop Pop in an adjacent cell remarked. 

“SILENCE UNTIL MY RAGE IS SATIATED!” She launched herself at the bars attempting to bite them off. Almost immediately she was tasered by a nearby frobot.  

“Polly! Please settle down, we’re lucky to be alive don’t give ‘em a reason to use force!” 

“That all you got?” She struggled to stand up. “Frobo was way stronger than all you stupid fakes!” A tear formed in her eye. 

“Don’t worry guys!” Sprig called out from the cell across. “I'm gonna get us out of here. Somehow.” 

“You better! As soon I see that scheming old geezer, I'm gonna rip his guts out and drag his body across this whole stupid city!” 

“Ok first thing Polly, dark. Second this time I really think you kids need to just stay put.” 

“Come on Hop Pop, we’ve been in worse situations than this.” 

“No, we haven’t! Even if we get out of this cell, you’re talking about war with the King of Amphibia. You saw what that laser did to the towers. Wartwood would be wiped out in no time.” 

Sprig retreated to a corner in his cell to pout. “Anne wouldn’t give up if she was here.” 

“Well, she’s not, now for once in your frog dang life listen to your Hop Pop, Sprig!” 

“You should listen to your grandfather little frog.” A familiar voice chortled as he made his way down the halls.  

“Great who invited this slimeball?”  

“I just came by to personally deliver supper to my favorite family of degenerates.” Grime sneered carrying three buckets of oozing slop.    

“Just go away Grime! I don’t know why they didn’t throw your loser butt in a cell.” Grime tossed the buckets of slop into each of their cells. 

“The answer is simple.” He placed the head of his hammer below and leaned on the hilt as he looked upon Sprig’s sorry state in the cell “Unlike you frogs, I can see the bigger picture.” 

“Sounds to me like now that you’re all alone, you’re fine with being the kings errand boy!” Polly chided. 

“Yea, way to backstab all your flunkies, you loser!” 

“You mouthy little…” Grime almost readied his hammer, but collected himself. “The point is it doesn’t matter how angry you are, if you lack power, you can change nothing.” 

“I'll show you who's powerless!” Sprig grabbed some of the slop and threw it triumphantly at Grime.  

“Riveting.” It slid of his scowling mug to the floor. 

“Well while you all die mad in this cell; I'll be enjoying my freedom. Maybe if you believe hard enough your precious human will fall out of the sky on a white snail of justice. If you’ll excuse me, I’m late for an appointment.”  He guffawed as he left them behind. 

“He’s as awful and shameless as ever, but he has a point.” Hop Pop leaned on the gate to his cell. “No sense in stressing ourselves out on something we can’t change.” 

“But we can change it Hop Pop. We may be the only ones who can.”  

Polly tried hard to believe in her brother, but Grimes words stung a bit more than she could let on. Hop Pop frowned as he let go of the bars and returned to a corner in his cell. 

“Try to sleep tonight kids, if we’re lucky maybe someone will come to their senses and let us out of here.” 

“I promise nothing! But I am tired.” Polly reluctantly retired to a corner in her cell. 

Sprig pulled from under his hat a crudely drawn picture of Anne as a soldier with him on top her soldiers. “Anne, I know you’re having fun in your world; but I really wish you were here right now.” He sighed as whatever strength he had left leave his legs as he sank to the ground. 

“Some hero I turned out to be.” He buried his head into his arms crying quietly.  

A green bug scurried its way into his cell and started nipping at the slop.  

“Go away you stupid bug!”  he knocked the bucket over frustration. The bug got to its feet and hissed.  

Sprig’s anger subsided back into woe. “Sorry, guess you’re a prisoner like I am huh?” 

The creature changed its hiss to a mumble of clicks.  

“Well, I guess if we’re going to suffer in eternal darkness and soul crushing hopelessness we might as well get to know each other. I’m Sprig Plantar.”  

The bug stared in confusion at Sprigs hand. Then is suddenly coughed up some slop into his hand and scurried away. 

“Yea, I should’ve seen that coming.” Sprig stared dejectedly at his covered hand.  

“Wait a minute...” He began studying his palm. He noticed there were blue chunks mixed into it. He looked into the slop that had poured over and noticed among the many things mashed into it were these blue bits throughout. Soon a determined smile formed on his face.  

“I’m not giving up! I'll see you again soon Anne, I just know it.” 

5 Years Later

Chapter Text

Time hadn’t changed the humble Boonchuy home with any significance. Same blue paint, same hoop atop the garage if not a bit withered, same garden now a bit lusher with extra time and dedication from Mr. Boonchuy. A few new photos joined the old along the walls within, creating a timeline of the family. The marriage of the parents, the first photo of a young beaming daughter, a bright family photo group shot, then a middle school graduation picture where a young Anne struggles to keep a grin on her face, to a new family photo the daughter has grown taller than her parents and her smile has vanished in return replaced with a look of indifference, ending at a Christmas photo where only the back of her head appeared in the background.   

Mrs. Boonchuy was cleaning the dishes from breakfast while Mr. Boonchuy  was watching the local news, still finishing his morning coffee.     

“Fright at the Museum! Another victim in a string of vandalism  by the mysterious gang making themselves known across Los Angeles...”   

A video showing the entrance to the Museum of Natural History being blocked by police tape as a large Graffiti signature sprayed with shades of red and black that was just barely legible as “stompers” adorning the top. Images of graffiti and damaged exhibits were cycled on the screen after. In each picture the same logo could be seen sometimes small in a corner other times across the floor boldly.   

“I have to admit, as messed up as it is that’d probably make a pretty good tattoo.” His present company, Domino rose her tiny head over her now fat body and glanced at the man before hacking a hairball and slinking off the couch like a glob of putty.   

“I just- I just don’t understand who could hate history so much that they would desecrate such sacred land!” The curator, Dr. Jan bawled her eyes out in her interview. This went on uncomfortably for some time.   

 Mr. Boonchuy looked as his wife was preparing to clear the eggs she prepared.  

“Hey maybe, you should save a plate for Anne.”  

“She hasn’t even gotten out of bed yet.” She slammed the plate down on the counter. “She’s already going to be late for work she won’t have time to eat.”   

“You know maybe she could use a day off.”   

“What she could use is some discipline and responsibility.” She turned to face her husband and folded her arms. “You’re too easy on her.”   

“Ok maybe you’re right.” he took a sip from his cup before placing it down on the lamp table.  “But you know things have been difficult for her since middle school.”  

“She’s just being lazy. Or maybe I am.” As she spoke Mr. Boonchuy approached her and put his hand on her shoulder. “I just wish she could understand how hard we’ve been working.”   

“Kids will be kids. Besides I know you’re working harder then all of us. Makes things easier for me.”  

“Hmph, you’re right.” She smiled as she picked up the plate of eggs. “Things have been too easy for you. Finish up here and I’ll go get her.”    

“I should learn to stop talking.”    

“Anne!” As she walked up the stairs, the waft from Anne’s room quickly overpowered the scent of the eggs.  

“Anne?” She knocked on the door to no answer.    

 “Anne, you’re going to be late come eat break-”   

She opened the door to a junkyard. Clothes were piled in an endless mountain over what used to be a chest that was now buried treasure.  On the dresser were lotions and creams most ancient with open tops spilling out, some crusted over.  Next to them were old candy wrappers and emptied out food containers. Across the floor there was dirt and debris with half-finished soda bottles. Near her bed was the burnt end of rolled up paper thankfully for her no longer resembling what it was when it was first put together and the scent it left behind covered by much fouler odors.   

“It gotten even worse...ANNE!”   

“Yo.” the lump within the covers on the bed replied to the intrusion. The light of her phone could barely be seen within the blanket.    

“How many times have I told you to clean this up?”  

“I’m workin’ on it.” Anne rose out of her blankets, still scrolling through her apps. While the years had drained a bit of fullness from her face, she had a small but noticeable pouch growing in her torso.  “ See, the clothes are all together now.”  

“Anne, don’t play games with me young lady! I mean even that same horrible pile of dirt has been sitting in that window for weeks!”   

Festering in the sun was a small recreation of Wartwood, complete with residents constructed from toothpicks, clips and candy pieces, a mini pond with plenty of scum and a few houses made from old soda cans and food cartons.   

“Just wouldn’t be home with mah swamp.”    

“No, we’re not discussing this.” Mrs. Boonchuy pinched her noise using every bit of restraint she had to hold the beast within.  “I’ll clean your room but this is the LAST time. You need to march into the bathroom and get ready for work.”    

“Come on, Ned will be fine, no one comes during the early shift anyway.”   

“Anne, you know how important this business is!” She groaned but eventually calmed into a sigh. “When will you realize how much we sacrifice for you?   

“Sorry to be such a burden.” Anne put her phone down rested her head on her knees. “It’s not like it’s even  our  business anymore.” she murmured under her breath. When she heard the fierce growling from her now red mother, she knew it was too late.   

“NONONO! WAIT! WAIT! WAIT!”   

The sounds of furniture being knocked around, doors being swung open and a one-sided argument could be heard from even the outside.    

“AAAH!” Anne was tossed out of the front door landing on her face.   

She now had on a black hoodie with jean shorts. She lifted her head out the dirt only to enter the fetal position, now aware of her surroundings.    

“Oh no! The gentle Autumn breeze!” The air tickled her face bump.   

“Carefree social people on the sidewalks.”   

“He heh, well hiya!”    

“And my worst enemy...” She looked to the skies with scorn in her heart.  

“The Sun.”  It seemed to increase its shine just for her, accompanied by a demonic cackling that may or may not have been real.   

“Hmph, whatever.”  She rose to her feet and wrapped her head in her hoodie, pulling tight on the strings to be sure she was concealed.  As she walked down the sidewalk some children could be seen playing jump rope near a floral bush.  

“1, 2 Franny’s in her room. 3, 4 never opens the door. 5, 6 -  

Suddenly Anne popped out of the shrub, some bristles and petals falling and some sticking in her hair.   

“WHO CALLED MY NAME!”  

“EEEEK!” The kids ran into their house as quickly as their tiny legs could.   

“hehehehe, stupid kids.” Satisfied with at least one thing this morning she continued down the long path to Thai Go.    

Times had change and so did the restaurant. The sign was now a much more minimalist and generic, indistinguishable from the many shops and stores of LA. Inside while that Thai ornaments could still be found on the help desk, much of the décor had been phased out for more neutral colors simple flourishes.   

Anne tapped her pencil waiting for the man clearly approaching his 30’s to finish his order.  

“Hmmmm, oh I’m sorry I just don’t know what to get, I must be such a bother.” He laughed uncomfortably long.   

Anne made a quiet half smile gesture and resumed tapping.   

“Ahem, yes uhm. What would you recommend?”   

“I don’t know get the number 3 or something.”   

“Oh, but that looks kind of carby and like it has gluten. Does it have gluten?”   

“It’s a Thai restaurant. Noodles. Rice. Gluten kind of comes with the package.”   

 “I know and it sounds so good but my girlfriend is putting me on this new diet.” He laughed again, more nervously this time.   

Anne made no change to her posture as she stared.  

“You don’t have any gluten free options? Not a very inclusive restaurant if you ask me.”   

“Ugh! Just get the fried vegetables man. No grain, no gluten.” She motioned towards an item on the menu   

“Hmmm Paid Thock, oh I wonder what that means in English.”   

“It means order me before I lose my-”   

“Oh, wait a minute a buddy of mine just came back from vacation in Bangkok, let me text him real quick see what he thinks.”    

“ORDER SOMETHING OR GET LOST!” She slammed her fist against the table.  

‘Why are you people so rude?” He said with tears in his eyes before running away crying.  

Ned nervously looked around the doorway to the kitchen.  “Uh...Anne can I have a word with you in the back?”   

She groaned as she made her way into the kitchen.   

“Yo.” She took a position leaning against the wall folding her arms  

“So uhm....” Sporting a few strands of gray hair, Ned’s weight and sweat increased with time. He twiddled his fingers as he tried to find the words to say.   

“Soooooo, we’ve been getting a few...complaints.”  

“From who, barely anyone comes here anymore.”  

“See that’s part of where I’m getting at. You know I’m so super extra grateful to your parent’s for selling me their recipes and I want to do my best to run this shop well for them, but it may be a little difficult to do that without customers so we may have to consider...” He winced a little as he said the last words.  

“Letting you go?”   

Anne’s eyes widen and she grew cold. “Wait Ned! You can’t fire me, if I lose this job my parent’s will throw me out for sure. I can change!”   

She slapped her face and stretched her cheeks. “I can put on a forced smile with rosy cheeks for those stupid customers!” She flashed the brightest smile she could teeth and all.    

“Wait was that a cricket leg?”   

She quickly turned her face to normal. “No.” she burped.    

“Look kid, I know you’re going through a tough time right now and your hearts in the right place, but this business is important to your family and I just don’t want to let them down.”   

“Well, you wouldn’t be the first.” She looked away from Ned, staring at the ground as if it was home.   

“Ok, why don’t you take 30 minutes and clear your head on a walk or something. It’s a beautiful day!” He motioned to the sky with a smile on his face.  

“I don’t need a break! I can be useful I swear! Besides how are you gonna run everything by yourself here?”  

There was an uncomfortable silence as an air of dust and death swept through the dining area. A rat caked in dust coughed freeing it from its tomb. It sauntered off grumbling.    

“I think I’ll be fine.” Ned’s smile unchanged.    

“Fine...whatever, but I’m taking the moped.” Anne accepted her defeat.   

  “Sure thing, I just filled the tank, I think.”   

“Guess it was just a matter of time. Everyone hates me eventually.” She murmured as she walked out the store.   

The bell resounded in the quiet old thrift shop as she walked in. It had become so many different stores over the years there was an irony in it returning to how she remembered it so many years ago. A comforting irony.   

“Hang on just a minute!” The current shop runner called out as she entered.  

“Hark, is that another curious heart drawn by the allure of discovery?” An old man jumped out with theatrics far behind his years.    

“Come on Humphrey, you know it’s me.”   

“Still, a true thespian is always ready to invite his audience into his world.”  

“I think it’s been a long time since you were a “thespian”. She leaned on the counter as Humphrey walked back behind it. “Besides, it looks like I’m the only who even comes here. “   

“And you know I’m always grateful for it.” He was unloading another box of old antiques and knickknacks sorting through them.  “A lot of people your age lack an appreciation for these things you know.”   

“Well, I guess you could say I have a vested interest.”   

“Yes, I haven’t forgotten, music boxes and talking frogs. If I come across anything like that, you’d be the first to know.”   

“Hey come on old man, you don’t believe me now?” She chuckled.    

“Anne, let me tell you something.” He leaned on the counter. “For every role I’ve ever tried to get, every audition I’ve seen, or any movie I’ve ever watched, I’ve never seen any actor paint a picture as vivid as you did about this Amphibiland. You couldn’t script a story like that.” As he spoke, he embellished his words with all kinds of gestures and hand movements as if he was reliving his life all over again.    

“hehehehe, It’s Amphibia.”   

Before she could linger in this moment of reassurance, the bell rang again. Anne instinctively pulled the strings to her hoodie and retreated to the corner.   

Two new customers entered the store. They wore coats that seemed too heavy for even the briskest of LA weather and covered their faces with masks and sunglasses. The boy his hair a failed purple dye that was now a strange of pink, took a quick look over at the old shop and its offers before confidently approaching the desk. The girl, her hair a mixture of colors from brown, pink and green walked patiently behind him.  

“Egad! 2 new customers! We’ve finally beat last year’s record!” He could barely contain his excitement as they approached.    

“Ahem, hark doth wandering eye, no not that one...rats how’d it go again?”   

“Hey geezer.” The boy leaned in close with his hand on the counter.  “We’re real avid collectors of rare and unique items. We were wondering if you had anything that could capture the interests of a couple of cuno cano-?”   

 “Connoisseurs.” The girl guided him.  

“That.”   

“Ah a challenge I see. Well then what do you think of this?” Humphrey pulled out a Doogle Radinhere controller and slammed it confidently on the counter.   

“Lame.”   

“Aha!” He dropped a can of chocolate from the 1940’s with a label that said “Definitely not fit for human...or anything's consumption”   

“Come on I have 2 of those already.”  

He then presented a decrepit Teddy Lumpkins doll.   

“Huh huh, please let me get a taste of that sweet sweet delicious red water. I promise you won’t hurt anymore.”    

“Not gonna lie, you’re boring me gramps.”  

As this back and forth went on the girl studied the boxes behind the counter, where a particular object caught her eye. It seemed like little more than a metal pin. She nudged her comrade.” “Don’t you have something better than this crud, maybe something in the back?”   

“As a matter of fact, I have plenty to show you!” Accepting the challenge, Humphrey eagerly made his way to the back to rummage. Anne quietly observed the two as the boy quickly nabbed the pin. As soon as they got it, they ran out the store.   

“HEY!”   

“Hmm oh they left already?”   

“Yea and they took one of your knickknacks!” Anne pointed at the still swinging door.   

“Oh no!” Humphrey dropped the box he brought out. “Well, that’s a shame. But it was just one thing nothing to lose sleep over.”   

“What? No way, I’m not gonna let them get away with robbing you!”   

“Anne, it’s not worth making a fuss about.” Before he even finished, she ran out the door to give chase.  

“Wait Anne!”  

“Give that back you thieves!” They hadn’t gone too far as she exited.  

“Huh?” The boy looked back to see their pursuer.   

“Who is that? How’d they know we took something?” The girl seemed absolutely terrified.  

“Who cares let’s bounce!”   

“Get back here!” Anne hopped on the moped and began to give chase. However right as it seemed she had closed the distance the moped slowed to a halt.   

“What the?” She looked at the tank then noticed a post-it notes hiding under the handle.   

Hey Ned you rascal, don’t forget to keep this baby full.  

“NEEEEEEED!”   

 She abandoned the bike and kept her chase on foot.   

“I swore we were the only two people in there.” The girl said as she saw Anne was still in hot pursuit.   

“Maybe they were hiding behind that gross mop in the corner.” The boy considered.   

“Ok. That’s a wake-up call.” Anne had to acknowledge.  

As the duo weaved through the traffic of people doing well to mind their own business, The boy shoved some people in the way in an attempt to slow Anne down.   

“Hey!”   

With the distraction they quickly picked up the pace and cut around a corner.   

Anne realized she wouldn’t reach them at this rate. Looking for a solution she noticed a dumpster in an alley she could climb. She quickly hopped on top of it and barely managed to reach the roof of the shop beside it. She followed the sound of angry pedestrians as she leapt between roofs, her eyes focused and shining with each bound.   

She noticed them cut into an alley made her descent down some fire escape walk ways.   

“Aha got you now!” She announced as she superhero landed in the alley cornering the two thieves.    

“Jeez this guy doesn’t quit.” The boy said as they backed against the alley wall.  

“Uh we didn’t take anything! We swear!” The girl lied.    

“Alright you hand ove- OH MAN, one second.” Anne held her knees for dear life as she swallowed as much air as she could.  “Ok. Out of shape. Second wake-up call. Heard loud and clear.” She released her face from her hood in her desperation to breathe.   

“Wait a minute." The boy took of his shades. “Gangly legs, mop top with a bunch of crud in it? No way is that Mad Franne?”  

“Mad Franne?”   

“Yea my older brother told me all about this weirdo, she went missing in middle school and came back a total freak who ate bugs and talked to frogs!”  Anne’s hands began to twitch.   

“I even heard she attacked her friends and got suspended from middle school, I don’t think she even made it out of high school HA!”   

“Are you done talking about stuff you know nothing about?” Her hands were balled into fists now.  “Shut up and give me what you stole!”   

“Oh, you mean this?” The boy now confident flaunted the pin.  “Yea no. See the boss has been looking for this.”  

“Boss?”   

“What you been living under a rock? We’re part of the Heart-stompers!” He flung open his jacket to reveal a tattered shirt with a familiar insignia. “In fact, now that we know who you are, I’m thinking the boss would just love to see you too!”  

He motioned towards his comrade and with a nod she ready a small device from her own coat. He himself armed himself a club. As he pressed a switch it illuminated with electricity.    

“Huh, I probably should have seen this backfiring.” Anne backed away slowly.   

The Heart-stompers revealed the wheelies in their heelies and approached with haste. Before Anne could get far out of the alley the girl throughout her device ahead of her. It flashed a bright light as it exploded in front of Anne stunning her. The boy made an attempt to strike her with the taser club only barely missing as Anne ducked. The girl made an attempt to trip her by skating through her legs but Anne just barely managed jump to avoid her. She still landed on butt in the effort.   

“Why don’t you hold still!” The boy tossed a new device that burst into a bundle of rope. As Anne rose to her feet the rope slammed into her wrapping itself around the length of her body to her feet capturing her fully.   

“What the heck? Where do people like even get stuff like this?”   

“Ha! Looks like I caught a loser.” The boy fist pumped.   

“Come on, Daryll let’s go before anyone else-”   

“Anne!” Humphrey arrived at the scene on a bike that wouldn’t be out of place in a doctor Seuss book.  “Thank goodness, I didn’t think I’d be able to catch up with you but I still got it.”  

“Old man, get out of here!” Anne cried as she struggled against the ropes.    

“No way!” Daryll laughed as he put a foot to Anne’s bindings.  “What, this geezer supposed to be your hero or something?”   

“Clearly you kids have never learned how to respect a young lady.” Humphrey lifted his cane and entered a stance ready for war.    

“Old man I’m fine just run away.”   

“Don’t worry Anne, I was a 3 rd  runner up for the sidekick in fumigator 1.5 Son of Fumigator. I’ll teach these-”   

Daryll easily pushed Humphrey over.   

“Humphrey!”   

“That’s cute gramps but we’re kind doing  a thing here.”   

“Daryll, we got we needed let’s just go!”   

“You’re right, Jojo. We should be reaping the spoils, let’s go Fran..ny?”   

Anne had somehow gotten to her feet. Daryll watched in shock as the bindings began to expand. Soon it was more than the ropes could bear, Anne had broken through the bindings leaving the withered remains on the ground behind her. She walked forward quietly, but a storm could be heard. A gust seemed to form under her and a blue aura flared around her periodically.  

“How did you get out of that you-” Daryll made another attempt to strike her with the taser club, but he was amazed to find he had hit nothing. In fact, before he noticed Anne was gone from his sight.   

Jojo who was staring in shock and fear the whole time was also taken aback as she couldn’t tell where their prisoner had vanished to.  

“You, ok?”   

They looked towards the alley exit to see she had appeared looking over Humphrey. She lifted his head of the ground and slowly helped him get to his feet.  

“I’m fine, but Anne are you...”   

She then turned to face the Heart-stompers. The blue aura burst into a raging fire beneath her as electricity sparked in the air. Her hair billowed up, blinking blue but never staying stable in the color.  Jojo despite her or perhaps because of it, snapped a picture of this strange phenomenon.   

“H-H-H-Hey take it easy Franny! W-w-we don’t want any trouble!” Daryll was quivering like newborn.    

“Give it back...” she whispered.   

“Huh?”   

“If you don’t want any trouble...” She began her pace, her voice now echoing like a mental assault instead of mere words. “Give. It. BACK!”   

As she stomped a crackle of electricity blew the duo back into the alley wall, their ears ringing with the sound of her booming voice.   

“OK! OK!” Jojo quickly grabbed the pin from Daryll. “Here it is!” They both dropped to their knees after she tossed the pin back to Humphrey, who despite his look of fear and concern managed to catch it.    

“We’re so sorry! Please don’t hurt us!”   

“Yea we’ll go! We’ll go!”   

“Tell your boss if I catch you goons messing with this city again, he’ll answer to me. Got it?”   

“Yea we’ll do whatever you say Franny! Hone-” Before he could finish with another flash of lightning Anne appeared before them.  

“MY NAME IS ANNE BOONCHUY!” The ground split beneath her as she declared this.    

“KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!” Daryll screamed as they sprinted out the alley.  

“WE”RE SORRRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!” Jojo called out as they disappeared into the distance.   

Soon the blue aura dissipated, the storm stopped and Anne returned to her sullen self. Before she could process what occurred, she collapsed at the alley wall.  

“Anne. Anne!” she faded away only hearing the faint echo of Humphrey’s voice.   

Chapter Text

“Huh?”  

Anne opened her eyes to the shock of a shoddy wooden roof. She was still groggy but she recognized the leaking, walls wet with the moisture of the swamp, the books that didn’t have a speck of dust on them from their frequent use and the awful creaking of that darn chair it was clear she was in Hop Pop’s bedroom. 

“How’d I get here?”  

“You’ve had quite a day.” She noticed there indeed was a creature making the familiar creak sitting beside the bedside. He steadied his rocking and closed the hefty “Tubers” book on his lap. 

“I caught you shivering in the basement and thought you’d be more comfortable up here for tonight.”  

“Hop Pop you didn’t have to do that.”  

“Well don’t get too used to it.” He chuckled as he got up to put the book away. “You did a lot for us today, it’s not easy facing an old friend like that. So you go on and rest up, we still got our chores bright an’ early.”  

She felt a weight melt off her, as if she had been buried for weeks. She hadn’t even realized it was there until she heard his words. 

“Thanks, Hop Pop.”  

She took him up on his suggestion and turned over in the bed, quickly falling back to sleep. As she drifted off, she could feel the sheets being wrapped a bit more snugly around her and some faint chuckling.  

“It’s alright. You’re family now.” 

She slowly opened her eyes and was met with the familiar dust of a failing shop. She was sitting in a chair behind the counter, a small fan was blowing air beside her and a cup of water was within reach.   

“What’s going on?”  

“Oh good! You finally came too.” A relieved Humphrey called out from the back. He ran out with a flip phone in his hand. “Don’t worry, everything’s fine. I was just saying I was getting in touch with your family now.”  

“OH NO! No that’s ok.” She jolted up and closed the phone in his hand.  “I should be heading back to work actually.”  

“Are you sure? That seemed like a pretty strange thing to happen to a young lady.”  

“Well, I feel alright now, but it  was  super weird, I got so mad seeing them hurt you like that then next thing I know there was all this blue. It felt...strange.” 

“Hmm strange how?” 

“Like, wrong. Like it was missing something. Sorry I don’t really know how to explain it.”   

“You don’t think it has something to do with that Amphibia place, do you?”  

She looked at him with the bright eyes of a child, gasping in shock and awe. It had been years since she felt excitement like this, but just as quickly the feeling vanished. “Well, if it is, there’d only be one way to find out.” She dropped back in her chair and leaned her head against her arm. “So I’m back to square one.”  

“Well I never paid much attention to it before, I just found it on the ground. Thought it was just a cool vintage coin. He began digging in his pocket. “But since those hooligans wanted it so bad, I decided to take a closer look.”  

He brought the item to her. It seemed like an ordinary brown badge without much ornamentation, until he showed her the letters on the back.  

“Frake-tech? Who the heck is Frake?”  

“Sounds a lot like Dr. Frakes, a name I haven’t heard in some time.” He rubbed his chin as he accessed his memories.  “She was a scientist who used to run an entertainment center for children, my grandkids loved visiting the Brainsium, until one day they suddenly shut the place down. I can’t remember why. But if there was anyone around who could help you travel to a strange world it would be her.” 

“That’s great, but who knows if she’s even still around?” 

 “Well, I can’t promise anything, but maybe if you show that to the right person you can find her.”  

She stared at the badge with yearning, a treasure she had been searching ages for.  

“Humphrey I can’t take this from you.”  

“Nonsense after all you went through to get it back you deserve it.”  

“But if this thing is some crazy scientific portal maker you could probably make some good money off it. I insist.” She tried to force it back into his hand.  “I can’t ruin your life too.” 

“Anne, I’ve already had a wonderful life and it’s only gotten better with you in it.” He placed the badge firmly in her hands and closed her fingers around it. “You have a great life ahead of you and you should enjoy every minute of it.”  

Anne held her clench fist close to her heart and took a deep sigh.  

“Thanks Hop...I mean Humphrey.”  

“Think nothing of it!” She hopped over the counter, ready to return to adventure.  “Oh, and if you do make it back say hello to uh what were they? The Planets for me.”  

“It’s Plantar.” She chuckled, waving goodbye as the bell rung again.  

“...people will let you down all the time so don’t let yourself down. Know who you are and be proud of that!” Her familiar blonde hair swayed and bounced with as much energy as she did sharing this wisdom.   

“So don’t let guilt hold you back from getting everything your heart desires!” Sasha capped off this declaration by shaping the object around her own chest. She wore a red sleeveless tank top with the faint shine of glitter spread within the fabric and only slightly faded jeans.  

“Because if you don’t take it, trust me someone else will.”  

She was sitting at her computer desk in what was once a bedroom, now a glittering museum of her own merchandise. Plushies shelved atop the Queen bed, with sheets that announced it as such. Posters and pictures lined along the wall, some of which were photos with celebrities the most central being one of her with the president. On her desk were figurines including but not limited to the popular “Sasha Sharp lead guitarist”, the rare “Battle-maiden Lieutenant Sasha” and even the fan made “Schoolgirl Sasha” which a disturbing amount of people had been requesting be produced and made available to the public.      

“Thank you to all my little hearts supporting me on Paypeon and a big thanks to today’s sponsor Circle-” 

The door slammed opened and in walked a man who seemed to have just managed to get half way out of his suit. His combover poorly hid the gray hairs mixed in with the brown. “Hey Sash, your mother’s fighting with those guys who want the movie deal, and I’m trying to tell her-” 

“Dad.” Sasha buried her face into her hand.  “I’m still recording here.”  

“You are?” He straightened out his attire, combed his moustache and raced to the screen.  

“Hey all you voting millennials, don’t forget who helped bring Sasha into this world, along with all the great policies that have made this city shine like golden jewel it is! How about an XD in the chat for another term for Mayor Waybright?”  

“Dad it’s not a stream!” She groaned as she tried to force him away from the monitor.  

“Hey your old man knows how the internet works.” He began moving the mouse clicking at every shape and color he could see on the screen. “What are they saying? Are they cheering? Where's the forum on this thing?”  

“No one is there, I haven’t posted any-”  

“There you are!” A cross woman entered the room in a white dress. If not for the scowl on her face fed by years of “battle” and the lack of an iconic mole, she was the spitting image of her daughter.   

“Can’t you see what you’re doing to her?”  

“It’s fine mom, I can always-”  

“Yea she says it’s fine!” Her father got up from the screen. “I can’t take interest in what my kid is up to? There you go making problems out of nothing.”  

“You’re the problem!” She pointed at him with the force of a pistol.  “I’m not going to let you ruin this for me like you ruined everything else!”  

“Oh god, again with this?” He smacked his head with both hands and gritted his teeth. “I didn’t tell you to quit modelling or to invest in all those stupid business ventures with  my  money by the way.” He slammed his hand into his chest like an ape. “I still don’t know what a freakin’ NFT is.”  

“Oh right, because you used it so well on that failure of a campaign.” She folded her arms with her retort.  “Maybe if you spent less on parties and covering lawsuits you wouldn’t have to wait for your daughter to hand you the election.” 

“I won that election because the people of California respect me!”  

“Oh please, the only people who respect you are crackpots and those co-eds who you think I don’t notice following you and your little ‘advisory committee’.”  

“Nope! I don’t need this, not again!” He charged out of the door with fumes practically billowing from his red face.  

“There he goes, my husband the mayor who runs away from all his commitments. What you  need  is an actual spine.” Her words echoed down the hall as she gave chase.  

“What I  need  is a drink and an aspirin!” 

 As the storm continued, a middle-aged maid sheepishly entered the bedroom.   

“It must be hard. Them going at it so often. Twas probably better when they were apart.” She began dusting. 

“Oh it’s fine Mary, I got a great video out of it.”  

“With all due respect miss Sasha, don’t you think family matters such as this should remain private?”  

“Are you kidding? Drama like that keeps people talking about me.” She picked up her phone and her fingers went to work. “People start arguing on Chatter, tabloids will make their articles and all I have to do is kickback until I feel like posting a video saying ‘Thanks everyone for all your support everything is fine love ya’ and the numbers go even higher. The dynamic duo just bought me a few months' vacation.”  

“...I see. And you don’t see anything at all wrong with that?”   

“What? It’s how the internet works. I wouldn’t expect an old maid to get it.”  

Her thumb work on the phone became more aggressive. “Besides, if they’re going to get back together just to keep fighting for their precious little cash cow then I might as well make them work for it.” She pressed so hard a small crack formed on the screen.  

“Dang it, that’s the eighth time today.” She placed the phone in front of a small pen looking robot in a holster on the desk.  

“Gosh Sasha you’re so strong!” a bright blue light shined from its “tip” across the phone. In a few seconds the device was repaired.  

 “Thanks Marbles. You’re so good to me.” 

Mary studied the scene, shaking her head with immeasurable judgement.  

“I DON’T HAVE PROBLEMS, OK!” 

Mary simply raised her hands and slipped quietly out the room, closing the door behind her.  

“Ugh whatever!” She returned to her phone then noticed a new message.  

“Oh, looks like things are finally going to get interesting.” 

In a few moments she was heading out the house with a stuffed duffle bag at her side. Her parents’ were still engaged in warfare in the parlor. 

“I’m out, don’t stay up late.”  

The odd couple stood in silence staring at the slammed door. 

“Oh, look at that, now you chased her out the house. Way to go.” Mayor Waybright sarcastically clapped his hands as his “wife” rolled her eyes.

Waybright Futures, formally a junkyard owned by a well-meaning if not eccentric man, became a project of Mayor Waybright in a bid to win over more eco-friendly voters. The scrap and waste were to be repurposed into small new homes for the homeless population but once Mayor Waybright got his title the project was largely abandoned, leaving behind abandoned shacks, half-finished parks, construction gates and an aura more menacing than what it had before.    

Left to waste away, it made a perfect spot for the Heart-stompers to gather and run amok when they weren’t busy terrorizing the city. They fashioned a mini arena out of the incomplete parks and an arcade from the would-be community center that didn’t have a finished roof.  The only home that managed to be completed, its living room served as a conference room for them, with a multitude of old cafeteria chairs making the audience and the “throne” a recliner placed behind an office desk.  

“Daryll focus! She’ll be here any minute.” Jojo was sitting nervously in wait. “We have to make sure we give our story straight.” 

“We failed! That’s our story!” He was pacing back and forth, forming a river with his sweat. “Man, we should have just gone back and jacked that stupid thing anyway.”  

“You saw what that girl did, no way! Besides you were the one who messed everything up attacking that old man.”  

“He was in the way! What’s the point of being a heart-stomper if you can’t do what you want?”  

Jojo slid back into her chair in exhaustion. “What’s the point is right.”  

BROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAM!  

They were jolted by the sound and launched away from the chairs.  They quickly came together and stood at attention towards the door. Two Heart-stompers, much older men, entered as a red carpet seemed to roll itself out beneath them.  

“She graces us with her presence, our leader fearless, cunning and brave.” One of the men said, a horn at his side. 

“Know your place, or be crushed ye little hearts paving her way.” The other replied as they both took their positions at the side of the entrance before kneeling. 

“Welcome, Queen Heartache!”    

Her attire a custom designed cuirass reminiscent of her time in Amphibia now grey with the depiction of a broken heart embedded in its center. She now sported two pauldrons each bearing the same visage and a cape with the Heartstomper insignia running across it and her greaves were replaced with combat boots. Her hair was cut short, shaved at the sides and her eyes layered in eye liner. She seemed to stand at the entrance for an eternity her air of menace permeating the room.  

“HELLO MY LITTLE HEARTS!” 

With a twirl and a courtesy, she finally entered.  “Good timing, I was starting to believe you guys actually couldn’t get it.”  

“Well about that. We ran into a little...problem.”   

“And you solved that problem, right?” Sasha rolled right past the two of them, revealing heelies in her boots. 

“Well...”  

“Because, there’s no way swiping a pin from a crotchety old man could be difficult. Especially with the gear I gave you. Was not cheap, by the way.” 

She slid across the room like a serpent to the desk on the other side.  

“Speaking of which, you pull off the jacket much better than I thought Mojo. Oh, My little punk rock warrior.”  

“Oh really? Uh thanks. I was kind of worried it was too much.” Jojo did a once over on her jacket. 

“What? Work it girl! Being a heart-stomper is all about making sure everyone hears you loud and clear.” She jumped assuming a relaxed position and landed in the throne perfectly.  “So, where’s my device?”  

Jojo regained her senses just in time to forget how to speak. Daryll on the other hand was shaking with enough friction to start a fire and couldn’t take the pressure any more. 

“There was this chick who saw us and chased us down and-”  

“You told her to mind her own business and you’re about to hand the device over.” She laughed.  

“You guys sure like to keep a girl waiting. It’s cute.” She then slammed her feet on the table leaving small fissure in the center. “But I’m over it.”  

She leaned back in the seat and spun it around. “So, I’m going to count to 3 and when I’m done, I expect to have the device in my hand.”  

Both of them were paralyzed as she stretched out her hand. 

“One...”   

They looked at each other.  

“Two...” 

Daryll pushed Jojo to the desk and slid back against the wall.   

“Thr-” 

“Look, it wasn’t just any girl, ok! She was angry and... scary.”  

Sasha’s open palm clenched into a fist.  

 “It was Mad Franne!” Daryll screamed from the back. “Boy she was WAY freakier than any of the stories-” 

“Hold on.” The queen spun the chair back around. “So you’re telling me, you got the device and of all people never leaves-her-house Franny stopped you?”  

“It’s not that simple she wasn’t normal.” Jojo flipped through pictures on her phone.   

“ Nothing  about that girl is normal. Why do you think we call her friggin’ Mad Franne?”   

“She was like some kind of blue rage monster! There were sparks and flames shooting out of her and she sounded like some sort of demon! My pants are still wet if I’m being honest.”  

Jojo handed her the phone. “She said her name was actually Anne Boonchuy and...” Queen Heartache studied the photo. The image was somewhat unclear due to blur and brightness, but all the same in the chaos, Sasha recognized her former friend.   

 “She said if she sees any of us in town again she’d come after you.” To this Sasha’s eyes widened. Jojo took a few steps back. The two grunts stayed silent, unsure of what was to come.  

“Heh heh...HAHAHAHAHAHA!” 

“Ha…ha…ha?” 

Their nervous chuckle drowned in the cackling of their leader.  The chuckles then became whimpers as Sasha approached. Jojo backed up to the wall with Daryll, their voices finally dropping silent as she put a hand on their shoulders.  

“Ok, clearly giving this job to you was a mistake.” 

 “eep!”  

“I’m not mad.” 

“phew.” 

“Just disappointed.” 

“Oh.”  

 “in myself.” 

“Yay?”  

“For not realizing how incapable you guys are!”  

“ Eep it is!”  

“But it’s ok.” She sighed as she turned her back to them. “Because I love you guys, I’ll make sure big bad Franny never bothers you again.”  

“Really?” 

“But how?”  

“Jeez boss you’re really the best!” 

“I know.” She caressed Daryl’s head.  “I’d do anything to make sure my little hearts feel safe and you would do anything to make sure I get what I want right?” 

Daryll dropped to his knees.  

“My queen, I am but a humble servant to your majesty and would stake my life to see that majesty continue to bless this world as it has my life.”  

“…Cool why don’t you spread that majesty in the arena or something.” 

“Yes, my Queen!” Daryll ran out of the room giggling like a school girl.  

“Uhm are you sure about Anne?” Jojo approached her. “We weren’t kidding, she was like nothing I’ve ever seen.” 

“Don’t worry your pretty little head Mojo. I know her very well.” She tossed her back the phone. “Anne likes to think she’s some kind of hero but once people see her for the weirdo she really is, she’ll buckle like a newborn spider.” 

“Huh?”  

“Anyway, all we need to do is remind Anne of her place, so you’re going to follow Anne for a day. See what she’s up to, take a few candid shots and then make a story on social media about the ‘mad girl of LA. Once I make a video in response to the story and give my expert opinion, she’ll be the talk of the town. She’ll crawl back to her room and you guys won’t have to worry about her ever again.” She began to giggle. “They may even look at us as heroes.”  

“Sasha, I don’t know. This is a little much don’t you think?”  

“Come on Mojo, who’s the social media Wizkid who helped make the ‘Sasha Says’ brand a household name?” She put an arm around her shoulder and motioned towards the sky before sliding away. “This job was made for you.”  

“It’s not that it just... this seems a little harsh don’t you think?”  

“What and bullying a couple of kids wasn’t? I can still smell Daryll’s pants.”  

“Well, technically we were the ones stealing.” 

Queen Heartache made her way back to the throne. She sat leisurely with one foot on the broken desk.  

“Do I need to remind you that the only reason we have to do this is because you messed up your simple task in the first place?”  

“No but-” 

“Then get to work! END. OF. DISCUSSION.”  

Jojo hesitated, but couldn’t find the strength to continue the argument. 

“Yes Sasha.” 

“It’s Queen.” 

“...Yes, my queen.”  

Jojo exited the room with her head in shame.  

Sasha sighed, resting her head in her hand until she noticed something. 

“You two can go too.” She shooed away the two men at the door. 

“With all due respect, we kind of like this gig more than being your dad’s bodyguards.”  

“Yea he’s kind of a tool, no offense.”  

“Fine, just go to arcade or something.”  

“Sweet!” 

“No one better be on Frogger, I'm going for the high score!” 

It was quiet in the room. Sasha opened her phone and scrolled through some photos. Pictures of the three of them, back in their middle school days. Pictures of her time in another world. She then stopped on the photo from the evening before every changed. The night of the battle of the bands. 

“I don’t know what’s gotten you out of the house Anne, but I’m not going to let you ruin everything for me.” Her fury continued to build as her eyes lingered on Grime.  

“Never again!”  

The last sound to echo out of the room was the cracking of her phone screen. 

Chapter Text

“Anne! You’re going to-” Before Mrs. Boonchuy could finish her well memorized morning address, Anne had zipped into the room and scarfed down a plate of eggs. She still wore her grey hoodie but she was surprisingly clean this morning not a leaf in sight.  

“Eggs are great, mom.” She mumbled with her mouth full. 

“Oh, you're up. Good, well-” Anne gulped down her breakfast. 

“Sorry mom, would love to talk but I don’t wanna be late, k thanks byeee.” She vanished out the door. 

“Well, that was...odd.”  

“See she’s finally coming around.” Mr. Boonchuy was just coming down the stairs. “I can’t remember the last time I saw my baby girl with so much energy.”  

As Anne sped off from her house, not far behind, donning a Baseball cap, sunglasses, and a hoodie, Jojo followed.  

“One, two... OH CRUD!”  

The kids were playing in front of their house again this morning and noticed Anne running down the block.  

“Oh no it’s Franny!” This time they jumped into the bushes. Jojo, concealing herself behind a van in the neighboring driveway took a short video of the event.  

Anne didn’t even notice the children in her haste. 

“Seems like her reputation is bad enough already.” 

Anne walked towards Thai Go, and for a moment it seemed she was going to enter. She then pulled out the pin and began studying it, walking past the restaurant.  

Jojo peered around the corner of the restaurant dumpster confused at the hesitation. 

 “What’s she got against this place? I thought the food was pretty good here.” She decided to enter the restaurant to investigate further.  

“Hello! Welcome to Thai Go! Home of the most authentic Thai cuisine in LA! What can I get started for ya?”  

“I’ll have a pad Thai to go, extra spice.”  

“Coming right up!” She looked in confusion as Ned himself entered the kitchen. 

“Are you the only one here?”  

“Just for the moment, it can take our usual cashier a little time to clock in.” he yelled from the kitchen. 

“Oh.” Jojo noticed some photos hanging in the back of the Boonchuy family. She jotted some notes on her phone. 

“Here ya go! One hot plate from yours truly. Enjoy!” 

“Thanks. This has been very informative.” She handed him her money and raced out the shop with the bag of food. 

“Hm, odd way to say thanks. I love the lingo these kids come up with.”  

Anne was still walking the streets pondering where to begin her search. 

“The internet turned up nothing so if I’m gonna find a scientist, I should probably start by asking the kind of nerds who’d be into that stuff.” 

“Innovation…” 

She turned to see a large tv running an advertisement.  

“Evolution…” 

It was an electronic store advertising the sale of the latest Wu-tech products. It was loud enough to be heard from behind the glass. 

“Smaller than the product you bought last year.” Devices ranging from phones, televisions, computers and more cycled on the screen. 

“Be the envy of your friends for a month before the new generation is announced. You know it’s worth every penny.”  

The commercial ended with a logo too familiar to Anne.  

“Ok.” Anne groaned. “Where did you like to hang out Marcy?”  

Anne made her way to the library, with Jojo in hot pursuit. 

“Dr. Frakes? Sorry I've never heard of her.” The librarian was high atop a ladder shelving a few books.  

“Really? Didn’t she used to run some brainium or something?” 

“Hmm. Oh, the brainsium! We used to have many a child come here with an interest in the sciences after being there.”  

“Great so you know about her?” 

“Well, I don’t know about her personally, but if you’re interested in quantum physics, I know we have quite a selection here for you.” 

“No, I don’t need to know her research I just need to find where she is.” 

“Oh well I'm sorry dear, I can't help you thEEEEEEEEERE!” 

She slipped off the ladder, threatening to land on a group of toddlers chewing on their reading material. 

“Hang on I gotcha!” Anne bulldozed her way through the toddlers in time to catch the librarian.  

 “Waaaaaaah!” 

“Nonono don’t cry uh.” Anne grabbed a few pencils on a nearby table. She quickly fashioned them through her hair.  

“Look I'm an Anne-telope! Huh? Huuuuuh?” She performed as if the books were fine grass to be grazed. 

The children were now disturbed, as was the librarian, and walked away.  

Jojo sitting at a table a fair distance away dropped the book she was hiding behind to snap a picture. 

“She’s definitely strange.” 

After the failure at the library, Anne made her way to the museum of natural history, still recovering from the heart-stomper attack.  

“Dr. Frakes…” Dr Jan put a finger to her chin.  They were in her office. “I vaguely remember hearing that name in a story from a few years back. Oh, but we were getting a new exhibit at the time and that took all my attention away.” 

“I just need to find out where she may be now.” 

“Well, it will probably take a bit of time to research but I can look into it for you. A couple of searches in the right places and-”  

“Dr. Jan we think we may have restored one of the damaged items  we need your help with authentication.”  

“Oh of course! Dr. Jan to the rescue!”  

“Wait but what about-”  

She followed the eager doctor through the halls of the museum. Most of the exhibits had already been restored with minimal damage, even if the lingering scent of spray paint still permeated the air. She slowed her pace as they arrived to the one exhibit that was still closed to the public: the ancient artifacts and wonders.  There was an ongoing effort to clean but the remains of shattered pots, damaged instruments and wet tapestries were prevalent.  

Anne lost sight of Dr. Jan but could hear her long-winded explanations somewhere close by.  

“I guess I’m gonna be here a while, wonder what the deal was with attacking this place anyway.” She slipped by the police tape and started exploring the exhibit. Jojo, hiding in a suit of armor not too far away took another picture.  

Anne noticed many of the exhibits had empty casings, some even had boxes placed inside which on closer inspection showed damaged remains of history. However, there were a few items that remained intact one of which in particular caught Anne’s eye.   

“Is that-”  

It was a particular looking vase. She approached the pot studying its markings, paying particular attention to a familiar looking creature in its mural.  

“A floating frog? YES!”  

“GAH!” Anne jumped back shocked at how quickly the curator warped next to her.  

“It caught your eye too, didn’t it? This vase was dated back to around the 10th century! The frog here was depicted in such an unconventional fashion. Bipedal! It was most likely a deity-”   

“That’s all good but do you know who made it or like where it came from? Has anyone found some secret message written on it or something? Maybe under the right light?”   

“Well, the research on this one is still pretty on going there’s not a lot we know about it besides how old it is and that it most likely was made in the Americas.” 

Dr Jan’s exuberance fizzled out.  

“But even if there was a message or some code on it, it wouldn’t be on that vase.” 

She took a deep breath and smiled at the empty case.  “It’s a fake.”  

“Fake?” 

“A lot of history gets lost to time and museums can’t maintain every authentic artifact we find. So much here is already a replica. It’s great people can still learn about these things, but it was always the real authentic historical finds that got my blood going. This Vase was one of the last few real pieces of history, and no matter how much time passed, or how many exhibits changed it was always here just waiting for someone to figure out its story.” She put her hand on the glass. “And now it’s lost, because someone just had to have it for themselves.”   

“Yea it kinda sucks when something you could always count on being there just isn’t anymore.” 

“Oh sorry, I still have a lot of work to do here but if you want, I can still help you find this person you’re looking for.”     

Anne nervously began to fidget. “Hey listen, you’re dealing with enough here, don’t worry about the Frake thing.” She stuffed her hands in her hoodie pocket then felt something she hadn’t noticed deep in the seams.   

“Oh, are you sure, you seemed to really want to find them, and if it’s information you can just put a J on my chest and I’ll be sure to save the day!”  

After some digging, she pulled out something crumpled and blue. She slowly remembered its shape as a butterfly. She remembered how it ended up there. How it was supposed to be a gift, then became the only reminder of a time only she knew, the last time things felt real.  

“Yea it’s fine.” She walked over to the eager curator. “Listen, I don’t know why those kids wrecked your museum but... I know how much it sucks to lose something important to you.” She handed Dr. Jan the butterfly.  

“You may not believe me but that little bug is an authentic artifact not from another time, or another planet, but another dimension! A real one of kind!” She tried to sell the quality of the item with wild hand movements.   

Dr. Jan looked at the grimy thing in her hand, rubbing a bit of the grime away. “You’re just gonna give me this weird and frankly dirty item because it’s some interdimensional artifact?”  

Anne’s face crumpled hearing now how ridiculous the gesture sounded.  

“Thank you! Are you a cryptid-head too? Oh, tell me you’ve heard about the-”  

“Uh no just uh passing through anyway thanks for your help bye.”  

Jojo quickly concealed herself in the armor as Anne passed by, rushing out of the building. She struggled a bit to slip out of the casing and tried to give chase. When she got outside, Anne had already made a fair distance to her next destination, wherever it could be.   

“Man, she moves fast, I don’t know how much longer I can do this.” Jojo tried to catch her breath. “But what was that all about? Didn’t seem like the type to be into history.” Molly looked over her pictures and her notes. “Has she actually been investigating the heart stompers, this whole time? She really is trouble!”   

Anne’s next stop was the mall. It had been years since she’d dared to venture in such a public space and this one in particular held too many memories. Memories she really didn’t need right now, but the day seemed bent on forcing upon her.  Jojo found it much easier to remain hidden here, but much more difficult to discern what Anne’s goal was as she made her to “This is IT” one of the latest and trendiest electronic shops to hit the mall.  

The space seemed like a blank white void in the mall, colored only by the lights the many machines and robots roaming about would flash. There were many small machines, some small enough to fit on a finger, but throughout the store there were practically elf sized machines going about their duties maintaining the shop and even manning the cashier. There were only two humans in the shop who seemed to love every second of being in this odd technical wonderland.   

“Dr. Frakes? Oh man talk about a DIY disaster.” One of them, Ally said adjusting a small cat looking machine. 

“I think every science and tech school in the country should have a course dedicated to avoiding the mistakes of that disaster artist.” Jess, a fellow worker said scrolling through pages on one of the latest devices, a tablet projected from a small cube: the patented Wu-tech Wit-Cube.   

“Great! So, you guys know what happened to her!”  

“Well, it’s less about what happened to her and more about what she made happened.”  

“She was one of the most passionate people in the scientific community. She used to order parts from our webstore back in the day.”  

“But she was also known as a bit of a hothead and rushed through a lot of her research. Eventually it caught up to her.” Ally finished tinkering with the tiny thing and it bounced off the ground happier than ever. It bowed then produced two holographic copies of itself and began to have a mini dance party with the company of itself.  

“What happened?”  

“Well, she kept her lab and research a bit too close to her old entertainment center for kids. Thankfully the accident happened after hours.” Jess opened a program that changed the hologram.   

“Accident?”  

“BOOM!” Ally suddenly shouted. The hologram Jess was manipulating accompanied this shout by changing into a mushroom cloud with ‘UH OH!!’ flashing above it.  

“She was researching some heavy stuff, some real Dr. Why type of madness. The machine she kept underground exploded taking the whole Brainsium with it.”  

“Wow, I didn’t know what I thought happened but I didn’t think it’d be...that.” Anne scratched her head before regaining focusing. “But anyway, I don’t really need to know the story I just need to find out what happened to her afterwards.”  

“No one knows what happened to her after she got arrested but between you and me, I think there was a cover up.” Ally leaned in close as she dished out her theory.  “You can barely find anything about it on the internet anymore and not a lot of people are keen on digging too deep.”  

“I say it’s for the best. Besides who needs some dangerous kook like that when we have the Wizkid of the future!” Jess said marveling at some of the many products lined up in the shop. “The A.I. in Wu-tech is at least 20 years more advanced than what anyone else is putting out. Could you imagine being so young and defining the future already?” She was practically swooning.   

“Must be nice.” Anne rolled her eyes. “But someone has to know at least something.” 

“Well, some folks say her sentence was actually pretty light and she may already be roaming the streets working on some top-secret government project.”  

“That’s a scary thought. You sure you want to find her?” 

“I have to, unfortunately she may be the only person who can help me.” 

Ally and Jess looked at each other perturbed by Anne’s aura.  

“Hey if you’re looking for tech help, we can help you out!” Ally unsheathed a mighty screwdriver from a pouch on her waist.  “We’ll do it without blowing up LA too.” 

“Can you guys make an interdimensional portal?”  

Ally and Jess looked at each other with much less enthusiasm before bursting into laughter.  

“Man, that would be something, but I don’t think anyone has mastered that kind of technology yet.”  

“I mean if anyone did, Dr. Wu probably has one stashed somewhere.”   

Anne’s body became tight and she clenched her fist. “AGH! I don’t need tech help, or stories about a mad scientist, or some Wizkid of the future! I just need a damn portal!” Anne stormed out of the shop.  

“Uhm, thank you for choosing This is IT?”  

As she stormed out Jojo took a few pictures and made some notes on the store.  

“Just what is her deal?”  

Anne sat quietly on the swing, with her head wrapped tightly in her hood. She tried to find some comfort in the familiar park, but she had gotten too big for the swing seat, too bitter to relax in the shade of the trees. It would be evening soon and she hadn’t gotten any closer.  A couple of children sheepishly walked up to her. 

“Hey can we use the swings please Mr.?”  

“Oh, go away, can’t you see I’m trying to deal with my stupid emotions right now, cause I’m a stupid failure.”  

“We’re like 5 we don’t know what that means.”  

“It means get lost you little twerps!” She barked. 

The kids ran away crying.  

SNAP  

Anne’s attention turned to a nearby bush.  

“Huh?” She watched as the surrounding foliage danced in the breeze but this bush remained oddly still. A ball bounced passed it and a dog following stopped its pursuit to inspect it. After a few sniffs, the dog got into position and raised its leg.  

“Ew!” Jojo jumped out of the bushes her glasses and cap left on the ground.  Her eyes then met Anne’s.  

“Huh, that’s kinda weird…” Jojo tried to creep away in Anne’s moment of confusion. “Hey wait a minute. I know you!” 

She tried to escape across the street but in her panic, she didn’t notice an oncoming car. 

“Oh no!” she braced for impact.  

“LOOK OUT!”  

With fractions of a second to spare Anne pushed Jojo out of the way of the car. It came to a screeching halt a few seconds later. 

“You kids should be more careful!” He yelled from the window as he held his phone. “I was just reading an article about the increase in road accidents because of distracted walking! Do better!”  The man then sped off. 

“That was close.” Jojo was still gasping for air on the sidewalk. “You really saved me.” 

“You should be more careful crossing the-" Anne began to remember the situation. 

“Wait a minute, I didn’t forget! You’re that heart-stomper girl!” Anne got to her feet. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be in school?” 

“It’s Saturday.”  

Anne took a look at her phone and confirmed it for herself. “Huh, so it is, feels more like Tuesday.” She pondered for a moment. “You expect me to believe you weren’t up to something hiding out in the bushes like that?”  

“I swear I wasn’t doing anything bad.” 

Anne noticed her phone a short distance away on the ground. 

“No wait!” 

“What the?” She noticed it was open to the camera app. She opened the gallery and scrolled through the dozens of pictures of herself. “YOU’VE BEEN STALKING ME? You little creep!” 

“I mean I wasn’t stealing! Give it back!” She tried to reach her phone but Anne kept it out of reach with ease.  

“Why should I? All you and that stupid gang of yours do is mess with people" Anne kept a hand on Jojo's head to keep her in place. “Someone outta teach you guys a lesson…” 

“Wait I'm sorry please!” Jojo tripped as she backed away from Anne’s menacing aura. “Please don’t hurt me! I don’t even like being in this stupid gang!” 

Anne’s fierce expression simmered until her eyes rested on the frightened young girl. She looked at the pictures on the phone stopping on the one of her transformation.  

“Relax, I'm not gonna hurt you.” She tossed the phone back into Jojo’s lap.  

“I'm not some monster…” 

Jojo got to her feet and dusted off her attire, pouting the whole time. 

“Just use your head ok. If you don’t like this gang then why did you even join it?” 

“I don’t know, why did you just skip going to work?” 

“What? Look that’s…hey don’t flip this on me you’re the bad guy here!” 

“I’m not trying to be a bad guy! Adults just don’t get it.” 

Jojo leaned against a wall staring at the ground. 

“It’s been hard fitting in since I became a freshman and everyone thinks that the heart-stompers are coolest thing.” 

“So, you’re just ok with them doing bad stuff?” 

“No! Yes? I don’t know, it just feels nice to do what you want sometimes. My parents are lame and my grandpa is always smothering me.”  

She thought back to when she first showed off her heart-stompers jacket to her fellow classmates, who went wild with praise. 

 “At first, I just wanted to wear the clothes, then people started to notice me. But then I got to actually meet the boss and she was so cool.”  

She remembered the first time she got a personal message from Sasha. When she first met her as the Queen Heartache she was swept up and embraced in a hug immediately. 

 “And she thought I was cool too so I guess I felt…” 

“Like if you didn’t play along, she wouldn’t think you were cool anymore.”  

“Yea!” 

“And if she didn’t think you were cool, she wouldn’t wanna be your friend anymore…” 

“Yea…” 

The girls stood basked in the aura of their mutual regret.  

“Look, I know I'm just Mad Franne but trust me, people like that only care about themselves and they like feeling strong by using you. If you wait too long to stand up for yourself then...” 

She let her hoodie swallow her head again. 

“They’ll make sure you just end up with no one.” She began to walk away, leaving Jojo confused and even a bit concerned.  

“I don’t know why you’re following me but you should knock it off. If you haven’t heard by now, things don’t usually end well for those who get close to me.”  

Jojo thought to thank her lucky stars she managed to get out unharmed in the whole ordeal. She thought it would be best to just walk away while she was ahead. She looked at her phone then at her shades.  

“You know, I never liked that name they keep calling you.” Anne stopped, surprised at what she heard.  

“I mean Franne?  What is that, Frog-Anne? I’d be mad too if people called me something lame like that."  

Anne turned back, to a giggling girl.  

“Besides you don’t look like a monster to me.” She reviewed the pictures she took.  “I’d say...” 

Pictures of a shut in who turned away from the world. Pictures of the odd girl shunned by society. “You look more like…” She put her fingers up to mimic a camera, capturing the current Anne perfectly in frame. 

The goofy girl who despite her shortcomings still found time in a day to help people whether she gained anything or not, because she felt it was the right thing to do. Pictures of 

“A hero.”  

Anne was still for a moment, then began trembling like a reed in the wind. She tried and failed horribly to hide the tears streaming down her face and the squeal of her cracking voice. 

“Are you ok?” 

“I'M FINE!” She turned around quickly rubbing her face to redness. “Definitely wasn’t cause that’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said.” She tried to quickly collect herself. “But...thanks Jojo.” 

“It’s Molly. Just Molly Jo.” 

They shook hands with Anne desperately trying to suck in the snot from her episode.    

“Anyway, uhm…if we’re cool now, maybe you can help me with something.” 

She reached into her pockets and pulled out the badge.  

“It’s that thing! Why do you have it?” 

“Well, I was…just trying to figure out why this was so important. Why were you guys trying to take this thing anyway?”  

“Honestly, I don’t know, the boss just showed us what it looks like and where to find it. I have no idea what it actually does.” 

She scrolled through some text messages and landed on one with a picture of the device among other gadgets sprawled out on a table. Anne studied the picture, feeling a strange sense of nostalgia. 

“Hey wait a minute, I know that place. Mex-Tex! I thought they closed down years ago.” 

“You can tell just from the table? From this angle?” 

“When you’ve been working at a restaurant as long as I have you notice these things. Besides I have some great memories here.” She began laughing.   

“For my tenth birthday my friend Sasha took me and my other friend Marcy here and it was awesome! The band played every song we requested, they even let Marcy play this crazy solo.” 

She began pacing up and down as the memory played itself out in her head. 

“Oh man and they used to have this Nacho Avalanche Burger challenge. If you finished all 5 pounds of its spicy cheesy goodness in less than 20 minutes you got your whole dinner free. Sasha finished the whole thing in 5 minutes flat. I'll never forget the look on the chef’s face.” A tear rolled down her eye as she laughed. 

“Wow.” Molly was a bit confused but enjoyed the change in Anne's demeanor. “Sounds like a good- did you just say Sasha?”  

“Yea why?” 

“Nothing.” She began to sweat. “It’s just I have a friend named Sasha too.”  

“Huh get out of here. I guess it’s a common enough name.”  

She realized Anne wasn’t too bright and was thankful for it.  

“Besides we…don’t really talk anymore anyway.” 

“You don’t say…” 

“Anyway, I finally have a lead! Thanks Molly Jo! You have no idea how much this means to me!” Anne hugged the girl like a bear. 

“It’s no problem!” Molly tried to survive the squeeze before being let down. “I don't know what you’re looking for but I hope you find it. Really.” 

“I’m starting to think I finally will.” She then broke into a sprint. “Stay out of trouble, ok?”  

Molly waved her goodbye, but couldn’t shake the feeling she still made a big mistake.