The archers let loose their arrows. Before they could even get to the city to reinforce their comrades, many toads were shot and killed before the others could think to get their shields up.
The frogs then charged against them.
On the front lines, Bufō was confused. He shouted at a nearby lieutenant, "What's going on? Where did this frog army come from?"
"Sir, I don't know. They just appeared suddenly," answered the lieutenant.
And as they got closer, the captain saw the FLA uniforms and realized who they were up against.
"Bah, they're just frogs!" growled Bufō in disgust. "HOLD THE LINE!"
The toads formed a shield wall and braced themselves for impact with the enemy. Their spears extended to stab the frogs or their animals. The frogs closed the distance quickly to the toads. Within seconds, they collided, and the battle outside the walls of Newtopia began. Weapons clashed, and shouts echoed as toads and frogs struggled against each other. Most of these frogs hadn't had time to train properly, but they all came to fight and stop the toads. They could do this by buying their comrades inside the city whenever they needed them.
"How can the FLA be this big?!" Sasha yelled as she watched Percy's army fighting against Bufō's. "They're frogs, damnit!"
"Captain Grime!" called a toad soldier as he entered the throne room. "The toads in the city have been routed. They're being pushed back toward the gate!"
"We cannot let the King regain control of the city! LOOK!" Grime said, pointing to Frank and Anne. They were struggling to pull the sword jammed into the lever's base.
Seeing what they were doing, Sasha's heart sank. "We need to stop them from closing the gate! Let's go!" Sasha commanded. She had to stop them, not for her sake or the plan's. To prevent Frank and Anne from making a big mistake.
The two hurried into the throne room, and the blonde jumped onto Grime's back. The toad sprinted toward the window at full speed and leapt with all his might, crossing the city and grabbing onto the tower's wall. He yelled in pain as he slipped down the stone structure, but his claws slowed him before he could stop.
"RAAAAAGH!" Frank and Anne yelled before they finally pulled the sword out of the lever's base. They panted as they looked at it.
"Wanna do the honors?" Frank asked.
"Yes, I would," she said, stepping toward the lever. Anne glared down at it as chaos and destruction raged on both sides of the rampart. This was it. Once the gate was closed, the Toad Army wouldn't be able to get in, and the toads inside the city would be cut off.
"Hurry!" Sasha yelled.
Grime extended his arm to the side, and Sasha moved to stand on him. Then, the toad shouted as he threw his friend upward.
Anne reached out to grab the lever. "This all stops now!"
"DON'T PULL THAT LEVER!" Sasha yelled at the top of her lungs the moment she landed on the rampart. Her hand reached out to Anne as she panted heavily, her eyes filled with alarm, while her hand was still extended to grab the lever.
Frank and Anne turned back to glare at her as tensions skyrocketed. Their eyes were filled with nothing but hatred and mistrust for the blonde girl. It was a look Sasha was used to seeing from Frank, but seeing Anne give her such a look made her flinch. Never before had the Thai girl looked at her in a way that made Sasha hesitate.
Pushing through her shock, Sasha started to approach her best friend.
Frank stepped in front of Anne and deployed his shield.
"Whoa... I don't wanna fight," Sasha said as she raised her hands. "See?"
Frank was about to say something to the girl who betrayed him, but something caught his attention: the sound of grunting. Looking over the edge of the wall, he saw Grime making his way up.
"Uh oh," Frank said. "Grimes coming up."
"Take him down," Anne said in a growl, not taking her eyes off Sasha. "I've got Sasha."
Frank wanted to stay, but just looking into his girlfriend's eyes, he knew Anne was determined to face Sasha herself. She didn't get the chance at Toad Tower, and now her moment had come. So, he kissed her cheek and ran off to confront the toad captain.
Now there was a stand-off between Anne and Sasha. Tension was in the air as the Thai girl narrowed her eyes and aimed her arrow at her former friend.
"Anne, I need you to listen to me," Sasha pleaded, her hands still raised. Her pleas were met with more hatred from Anne as she glanced at the lever. "Please, don't pull that lever," she said. "You've got to trust me."
"Trust you?!" Anne yelled in disbelief, her voice trembling with anger, hurt, and betrayal, yet her hand still reached for the lever. "Seriously?! After all the manipulation and lies? After breaking Marcy's heart, your girlfriend? Trying to deceive me away from the Plantars? After scheming to conquer an entire kingdom? And everything you did to Frank?!" she exclaimed, emphasizing the last part. "You expect me to just blindly trust you now? After everything? I don't even know who you are anymore, Sasha!"
Sasha was stunned by how furious Anne was and how harsh her words sounded. The girl who used to be her best friend and was always happy to hang out with her was gone. Instead, a scorned girl was there, and she's the one who'd betrayed her.
"Okay, I know I've done some terrible things, but you can't close the gate," Sasha said, trying to approach Anne again. "There's something wrong with this Andrias guy."
"Yeah, right. Like, I'm gonna believe that."
"Just listen to me!"
"Why? Why should I listen? All this time, I thought you were still a good person—that you made mistakes and needed a second chance," said the young Thai girl, looking down sadly. Then she raised her head to shoot Sasha an enraged glare. "And look where that got me! I was an idiot for giving you a second chance.
Sasha was utterly stunned, struggling to believe what she heard. However, she knew she only had herself to blame, and she couldn't afford to focus on that at the moment. Her priority was to do everything possible to stop Anne.
"Anne, I'm sorry," Sasha said, pulling out her two swords. "But I can't let you close the gate."
"Oh yeah? Then try and STOP ME!" Anne yelled as she charged at Sasha. Jumping into the air, she drew her sword and swung down at Sasha, but the blonde deflected her attack by crossing her swords to block.
Sasha shoved her off, and Anne flipped over Sasha, landing on her feet. She turned and ran toward her former best friend, swinging at her, but her attack was blocked. Anne then jumped back and charged at Sasha again, spinning in the air to strike the blonde girl. However, Sasha ducked under her and deflected the next attack Anne threw.
"I don't wanna fight you!" Sasha said.
"I wouldn't wanna fight me either!" Anne said, continuing her relentless assault. This was the start of their deadly dance of steel. Anne was on the attack, while Sasha was on the defense. Using both blades to keep her former friend's blade away.
"I trust you, and you betrayed me!" Anne screamed as she swung at Sasha with wide strokes and stabs. "You betrayed all of us!"
Seeing her chance, Sasha quickly tossed the sword in her right hand to join the other in her left. When Anne tried to stab her in the heart, the blonde moved swiftly. Looping her right arm around Anne's left arm and then grabbing onto the other, Sasha placed Anne in a hold that prevented her from attacking with her sword.
"Anne, please!" Sasha said angrily.
"Tell it to my sock, bitch!" Anne kicked Sasha in the chest, making her let go as she stumbled back.
Anne tried to take her head off, but Sasha leaned back just in time. The Thai girl then tried to bring her sword down on Sasha's head, but the blonde girl crossed her blades and stopped her. The two locked blades and glared at each other, gritting their teeth as they both struggled to push the other back. But one thing had become clear to Sasha in the few seconds they'd been fighting.
Anne was trying to kill Sasha.
Not wound or subdue. Kill.
But as the girls were fighting, Grime reached the top of the tower. He jumped over the edge and stepped onto the structure. The toad was panting and sweating, leaning over with his hands on his knees.
And Frank was waiting for him.
"Welcome, Grime," Frank said, smirking with the Hellcat's Claw on his shoulder. "I'd be happy to accept your unconditional surrender."
"I'm not surrendering anything to you, Ramirez," Grime said, standing up to full height. "I'm here to stop you from making a big mistake."
"The only mistake I've made is thinking that Sasha really did want to change," Frank said, taking the scythe off his shoulder.
"And you're going to make another one if you don't call off the FLA and let our army into the city," said Grime desperately. "Andrias is a liar and isn't who he appears to be."
"Oh, and what about you?" Frank asked, raising his shield as the two began circling each other. "The least you can do is stop acting and be honest with me."
"Frankly, Ramirez, I don't care whether you believe me or not," said Grime as he pulled out the Hammer of Dawn. "I'd do what I must."
"You will try."
Grime roared as he swung his hammer wildly at Frank, but the human boy raised his shield and deflected the weapon. He grunted in pain from the force of the swing. Even with the shield, he was still being struck by a giant warhammer. If it weren't for the shield, his arm would have snapped in two.
Frank thrusts the Hellcat's crescent blade forward, but Grime jumped back. Just like the girls behind them, the two exchanged blows. With Grime swinging wildly with his rocket-boosted hammer, Frank blocked all of his attacks with his shield and counterattacked. But he couldn't keep up. Frank could feel bruises on his arm. One powerful blow, and he wouldn't be able to withstand it.
"You're a strong warrior, Ramirez, but I've sharpened my skills in the Colosseum!" Grime said. "No one crosses a champion and lives to tell about it!"
"A champion well past his prime," Frank said, smirked.
Enraged even further, Grime roared as he swung his hammer at Frank again, but the boy dodged and lunged at Grime, shield held out in front of him. With all his strength, Frank rammed into Grime, causing him to stumble backward.
Unfortunately, Grime was already near the battlement of the tower, so when he stumbled back, he lost his footing. This caused him to fall over with Frank.
Grime shouted as the two continued falling. Luckily for Frank, the toad broke his fall when they both landed on a roof, almost falling through it and into the house below.
On another roof, Marcy gasped when the two of them crashed. "Frank!" she called worriedly.
Frank panted as he got off Grime. Walking away from his grunting body, he waved to Marcy. "I'm fine! Just focus on getting the toads out of the city!" he yelled.
Marcy let out a sigh of relief, though that quickly passed. "Watch out!"
Grime had snuck up behind Frank and swung his hammer at him.
Frank grunted in pain as he blocked the blow with his shield. He grabbed the scythe and slashed at Grime, but Grime raised his hammer to block it. He quickly closed the distance and swung again at Frank, aiming to smash his head with the hammer. Instead of risking another injury, the boy backflipped away from him, avoiding Grime's strike.
Just like on the rampart, the two exchanged blows. Grime swung at him, but Frank dodged or blocked his attack. Frank then countered, only for the toad to block him with his weapon.
Eventually, Grime landed a punch on Frank's face, knocking him back and down to his knees.
"I almost hate to do this, boy," said Grime as he raised his hammer, ready to strike Frank. But before he could, a small bolt shot into his arm. "AAAH!" Grime yelled in pain as he dropped the hammer and grabbed the arrow.
Surprised, Frank turned and saw that Marcy was loading another bolt into her crossbow.
"Hands off!" Marcy said, aiming at Grime.
Frank smiled and nodded.
Grime recovered from the attack and yanked the arrow out of his arm. "You fools! You have no idea what Andrias is planning!" he yelled. "The king's the real enemy!"
"The only enemy I see is the wannabe warlord in front of me," Frank said with a mocking smile, grabbing a roof tile. "No wonder you lost Toad Tower."
That compliment enraged Grime. He roared and charged straight at Frank. Still grinning, Frank threw the roof tile at his eye. Hit a direct shot!
"Aw! My one good eye!" cried Grime.
He started swinging his hammer wildly, trying to strike Frank. Using his shield arm, he grabbed the handle of the Hammer of Dawn and deployed his shield. It unfolded and struck Grime with full force, knocking him onto his back. Frank let go of the weapon, causing the hammer to fall on top of him and hit him hard in the face.
Walking over to the toad, Frank pushed the hammer off with his foot. "But you…you don't have…you don't have powers…," said Grime in a slow, pained voice. "You're weak...like a frog..."
"It has nothing to do with powers," Frank asked, pointing his scythe at Grime. "I beat you because I'm me."
Grime lost consciousness after that. Looking down at the battle, Frank saw that the FLA had pushed the Toad Army back to the gate. Most were still trying to hold the line. The others ran out of the gate, only to be thrown into another fight. The Toad Army fought fiercely, but the FLA's superior strategy and determination began to turn the tide. Frank watched as his allies pushed forward, their unity and strength overpowering the enemy. With each passing moment, victory seemed closer, and the Toads' resolve started to crumble.
Frank looked back up at the rampart, where the gate's tower was. It was all up to Anne now.
Anne was slammed against the wall of the tower. Breathing heavily and exhausted, she still stared at Sasha with defiance and hatred. Anne charged at Sasha, swinging her sword, but Sasha ducked and kicked Anne's hand, causing her to drop her sword.
Now that the Thai girl had no other weapons on her, Sasha sheathed her swords. "Anne..." Sasha tried again to talk to her, hoping that now she'd stopped, she might be able to convince her of the king's treachery. "Please..."
"Why would you do all this, Sasha?" Anne asked, then charged at Sasha. Even without her sword, she was far from giving up. "I looked up to you!" She swung a punch at her. Sasha ducked by flipping over Anne's head and landing behind her. "We all did!"
"That's not my problem!" Sasha screamed.
Anne screamed back. "You were my best friend!"
"I! Still!" Sasha charged at Anne with her fist cocked back. "AM!"
POW!
Sasha gasped for a moment before she looked at Anne in shock.
She'd caught her fist.
"No," Anne said, "you're not."
Sasha didn't get a chance to react before Anne grabbed her and punched her in the face, making her stumble back.
"That was for the Plantars!" Anne yelled.
She then rushed in and punched Sasha in the face again. "That was for Marcy!"
Disoriented, Sasha tried to punch her again. But Anne dodged and slid behind her. She then grabbed her cape and flipped over Sasha, pulling it over her head and blinding her. Once her head was wrapped in the cape, she swung her fist again.
"And this is for FRANK!" Anne screamed, punching Sasha hard, causing her to fall to the ground. All that came out of the blonde was a groan, before she fell silent.
Panting, the girl stared at the fallen warrior with a glare. She then turned and walked back toward the lever. Grabbing it with both hands, she pulled it down with all her body weight.
(Battlestar Galactica Season 1 - OST: Bear McCreary - "Forgiven")
The gate's mechanism cranked to life, and the doors began closing. As they heard the gates shutting, the toads inside the city stopped fighting and turned around. Watching the gates close, they all panicked. Most dropped their weapons and rushed toward the exit. As the toads scrambled to escape, their frantic cries echoed through the city. Walking to the edge of the tower, Anne watched them flee, her chest heaving with exhaustion and satisfaction. By the time the gate closed, only a few toads had managed to escape — just a handful of the remaining survivors. Beatrix was one of the few who didn't reach the exit. She turned around and saw the FLA pointing their weapons at her. Growling, but knowing she was defeated and outnumbered, she threw down her arms and raised her hands in surrender.
From a trap down in the ground next to the gate, the same one Myra and her FLA used to reach the dungeons, Andrias emerged with Lady Olivia. He blew on a royal conch shell, summoning the Royal Newt Guards to rise and reclaim their city.
From outside Newtopia, Anne heard the sounds of toads calling for a full retreat. Walking over, she saw the Toad Army fleeing. They left behind their dead and dying comrades. Only a quarter had survived.
Of the FLA forces that came out to stop them, there were fewer. But those who survived cheered for victory. They'd just saved Newtopia.
Hearing another voice, Anne turned just in time for Frank to run up to her and wrap his arms around her. Laughing, the two lovers, despite the blood on them and the battle they had just fought, spun around and kissed. Below, their friends, family, and allies cheered for victory. The battle was over. They did it. They saved the city.
Tearing off her cape, Sasha freed her head and looked down. Her face twisted in horror at what had just happened. The plan failed. The Toad Army was all but destroyed. Andrias was back in control.
"Oh no…" Sasha said, breaking the silence.
She felt steel being pressed against the side of her neck. Sasha quickly turned around and saw Frank standing over her. The large blade of the Hellcat against her neck. Glaring at her with all the hatred and disappointment he felt towards her.
"We were given the chance to change our lives and become better people, and you tarnished that opportunity. And for what? You have betrayed everyone in your quest for power and control," Frank said. "You have betrayed everyone who has ever loved and cared for you."
It would have been so easy. Just slit her throat and end her life once and for all. But instead, Frank pulled his scythe away and shook his head.
"I hope it was all worth it."
Frank stepped back as Newt Guards rushed toward Sasha and arrested her. They tied her arms together and forced her to stand, but Sasha wasn't putting up much of a fight. She looked to Anne, who glared at her with nothing but hatred and disappointment.
Sasha said nothing. For a moment, Anne just stared at the girl she'd considered to be a friend. A person she saw as a sister and as her protector. Someone Anne always had the back of, but was given the same treatment. Now, her eyes were open. Anne saw Sasha for the bully she really was.
And now, just looking at the blonde girl who caused so much pain, Anne said, "I'm done with you, Sasha. I'm done listening to you. I'm done trusting you. You're a horrible person, and I am done being your friend!"
With that, Anne walked away, followed by Frank. The newts trailed behind them, dragging Sasha along. Anne's words cut deep, leaving Sasha feeling the full weight of her failure. All she could do now was let herself be taken away. Sasha's heart ached, not just from the loss of trust, but from the understanding that her actions had consequences far beyond what she'd imagined.
She failed to conquer Amphibia, losing everything in the process.
No, she lost everything before that. She lost everything the moment she turned her back on everyone. She betrayed Anne by stabbing her in the back, destroying their relationship. She wrecked her relationship with Marcy for standing up to her. And Frank... the things she did to him…
Sasha had a plan. A plan to get what she wanted. But once she had it, she had nowhere to go. And she lost everything.
(End song here)
The sun was beginning to set on the horizon when Frank, Anne, the Plantars, Frobo, Sasha, and Grime were led to the throne room by Yunan. Both the blonde girl and the toad had shackles on their arms. The king was not there, nor was Marcy. They were with Myra and Olivia, working on a new bill of rights that would finally give the frogs what they've been fighting for: liberty, equality, and the end of the caste system that had plagued Amphibia for thousands of years.
No one looked at her as Sasha turned around. She thought that if anything would convince them that Andrias was real, it was the mural.
But to her horror, the mural was covered up once more. Andrias must have hidden it again before they arrived!
"Guys, please, you have to listen to me," Sasha begged the group. This got her a slap across the face from Yunan's tail. "GAH!"
"Silence!" Yunan snapped at her, only for Frank to hold up his hand.
"No, no, let's hear it. Let's hear what pathetic little lies she has for us," Frank said, walking up to Sasha with a glare. "Okay, Sasha, go ahead. Lie to us some more. Dig your grave deeper than it already is."
With a frown, Sasha sighed and said. "Okay, I know I've lied a lot today, but I'm telling the truth when I say we found a wall painting after Grime, and I wanted to decorate the place."
"It was a really ugly tapestry," Grime said.
"And behind it, we saw the king with the music box, doing horrible things," Sasha told Frank, hopeful that he would be rational enough to listen to her. She then pointed to the tapestry. "It's right there, behind that tapestry! If you just look behind it, you see it."
Frank looked at Sasha in wide-eyed disbelief. For a moment, she'd hoped he would have looked.
"Wow. That's like…one of the worst lies I've heard from you," Frank said with a smirk, loving the sight of Sasha's face falling. "Are you losing your edge, Sash?"
"What?" Sasha exclaimed. "No, please, you guys have to listen to me—"
"Okay, Sasha, we will. But first, you're going to listen to me," Frank said, walking to his former best friend. "Do you have any idea how serious this is?"
"Oh, well, I must not," Sasha said rudely, rolling her eyes at the Hispanic boy. "So please, do explain it to me again!"
"You betrayed all of us!"
"Jeez, aren't you a broken record?" Grime commented.
"Threatening our one chance to go home when you knew how much this meant to us!" Frank yelled at Sasha.
"Yes, yes, I know, I know, and I'm sorry!" Sasha said.
"Are you truly sorry, or are you just sorry because your plan didn't work out, and you're finally going to face the consequences?" Anne asked, arms crossed.
"Guys, you have to believe me," Sasha pleaded with Frank and Anne, begging more desperately than she ever had before. "I'm trying to stop you from making a huge mistake. There's something wrong with Andrias. He's evil!"
"He wants to help us get home, Sasha!" Anne yelled. "Why else would he send us to the temples to charge the stone?"
Sasha wanted to say something—something that would convince her best friend that Andrias was truly the monster he was behind his friendly facade. But what could she say? Andrias promised them a way home—the very thing Frank, Anne, Marcy, and all their friends had been fighting tooth and nail to achieve for the past five months. Sasha was the one who tried to ruin those plans. Andrias was the one who told them where to go to charge the box, and…
"...to bring them here."
"Huh?" Sprig asked.
"I'm lost," Hop Pop added.
"He wasn't trying to help us get home. We were helping him," the blonde armored girl said. "He was using us to power the box and then bring it to him on a silver platter."
Frank shook his head. "Listen to yourself, Sasha."
"Trust me, Frank. This is all just part of his master plan or something. I don't know what it is, but you can't give him the box," Sasha told him. "Come on. You're smart enough to see that this is bullshit and that he's using us. If you just give me another chance—"
"Are you serious?!" Anne spun around to face her, furious. "You're lucky Frank convinced me not to leave you here. We're done! We're going home, and when we get there, I'm turning you into the police. After that, I don't care. I never want to see you again. I don't want to talk to you ever again! We are no longer friends! Do you understand?"
"Okay, fine! I'm not your friend anymore, and you're going to have me thrown in juvy. I don't care what happens to me! I can live with that, you guys, but you can't give Andrias the box."
For one final act of pleading, she turned to Frank, who looked away with a troubled frown.
"Frank, please, look at me. Can't you see I'm telling the truth? You know I'm not lying to you. You know me."
"Do I?" Frank snapped his head at her. "I knew a kid named Sasha who would have stood up for her friends and would have done anything for them. She was a good person. I don't know who you are anymore, Waybright."
Sasha wants to say something else—anything to stop Frank from giving Andrias the book. But it was too late. She had lied too much, manipulated her friends too often, and now she was just a girl who cried wolf.
The doors to the throne room opened, and the King, along with Marcy, Olivia, and Myra, walked in.
"So, how did it go?" Frank asked.
"It went so smoothly," Marcy said, grinning. "Andrias has written up a new bill of rights, or, as I titled it, the Common Liberties of the Amphibian. With it, the caste system will be abolished completely. And you said that Andrias didn't care."
"I must admit, I didn't think he would approve of our proposal, but it's thanks to your support and our efforts in stopping the Toad Rebellion that we finally managed to make a change," Myra said with a smile.
"So, is that it? The FLA won?" Anne asked.
"The bill hasn't been passed yet. Andrias wants to sign it in Wartwood, where it all started," Olivia said, looking prim and proper like always.
"But before we do, I think it's time we get the four of you home," Andrias said. "I know you've been on a long and dangerous journey—dealing with charging stones, worrying about your prophecy, and dealing with your traitor friend. But now, it's all over. I'll open the portal and lead you four home. In fact, the last time we used this device, it was set for Earth."
He leaned down and extended his hand to the humans. Frank and Anne looked at each other in joy. This was it. They were finally going home. Anne reached into her bag and pulled out the box.
She was just about to hand it over when Sasha suddenly pushed past Yunan and collided with Anne, knocking the box out of her hand.
"NO!" Sasha yelled.
"Sasha!" Anne yelled, pushing her back. "Knock it off!"
Frank and Yunan moved in to take her down, but Sasha slipped past them and ran to the box. Standing over it, she glared at the king like a protective tiger. "Not so fast, you phony! I'm not letting you take that box," she said.
"Sasha," Marcy said in shock. She rushed over and picked up the box. "What's the matter with you?"
"She's gone crazy!" Polly screamed.
Andrias was initially surprised before he stood up straight, chuckling. "Oh? And you intend on stopping me?" he asked, smirking. "Of course, I figured you out for a sore loser…"
"And I figured you out were a liar," Sasha said. Frank and Anne tried to grab her, but Sasha dodged them. Running to the tapestry, she grabbed it with her hands and teeth, ripping it down.
There it was. Frank, Anne, Marcy, the frogs, and Andrias' newts looked in shock as they saw the same mural that she and Grime had seen. They were stunned to find it there, and even more surprised that Sasha was telling the truth.
"Whoa," Sprig said.
"Oh my Frog," Hop Pop said.
Myra turned to the king and looked at him suspiciously. "My King, what is the meaning of this?" she asked, as everyone else turned back to him.
Looking a bit nervous, Andrias said, "Oh? That? It's nothing. Just some royal slander. Something some disgruntled worker who used to work for my family decided to paint that."
"Then why hide it?" Frank asked, frowning.
"Well, it's not exactly a good look," Andrias said, trying to brush it off. "So, I decided it's just much cheaper to cover it up—"
"Than painting over it?" Grime cut him off. "Than to wash it off the wall with soap and water?"
Lady Olivia, troubled by the mural, said, "That's... rather a fair question, My Lord."
"Oh, come now. Surely you can't believe what some slanderous piece about me over a thousand years ago," Andrias said, placing a hand on his chest. He turned to Marcy. "My dear, if you'd please?"
Marcy smiled and held out her hands without hesitation. At last, she was going to have everything she wanted.
"Marcy, stop!" Sasha ran to her ex-girlfriend and knocked the box out of her hands.
"Whoa, hey!" Marcy yelled, quickly picking it back up. "Sasha, stop it."
"Marcy, can't you see what's happening? He's playing us," Sasha said, then turned to Andrias. "If the box was already set to go to Earth, why have her, Frank, and Anne come back? Why didn't you just give them the instructions when they were here the first time?"
Marcy started to get worried. This isn't going according to plan. "Sasha, it's okay—"
"No, it ain't! This isn't right. Marcy, I know I broke your heart, but please, just think about it. Nothing about this makes any sense," Sasha said, turning back to Andrias and pointing her arms at Frank. "Like, how do you know about his prophecy? He's told no one but us."
Looking at the others, King Andrias took a deep breath and turned around.
"Hey!" Sasha yelled, marching up to him. "I'm talking to you—"
Sasha was suddenly grabbed by Andreas's giant hand.
"DO YOU NEVER SHUT UP?" Andrias roared in a booming voice that echoed throughout the castle. His eyes burned with rage as he lifted the girl into the air, taking pleasure in her kicking in his grip. She struggled to breathe.
For a moment, no one moved. The humans and amphibians were completely stunned and frozen in disbelief as they watched the benevolent king reveal his true colors.
"Sasha!" Marcy yelled for the girl she loved. Everyone snapped out of their shock as Frank, Anne, and Myra drew their blades. Sprig pulled out his slingshot and loaded a rock.
Crushing the girl in his hand, Andrias pulled out a hilt from his belt and activated it. A giant laser blade ignited from it. "Of all the things...!" he snarled, holding it up to Sasha's face.
"Andrias, no!" Marcy shouted, her eyes wide with fear and horror. She attempted to run to him, but Lady Olivia held her back.
"My King, what are you doing?!" she asked, equally horrified and appalled.
"What I should have done in the beginning," Andrias said with a growl. "Marcy, throw me the box, and you won't lose any friends, permanently."
"Marcy, don't give it to him!" Sasha struggled to say, shaking her head. Even as the hot blade felt so close, it started burning her skin just being near it.
"NO!" Grime yelled.
Frank and Anne stood protectively in front of Marcy, who watched her best friend and shook her head. "Andrias…what? Why are you doing this?" Marcy asked, with shock and anger in her voice. "This isn't what you promised!"
Andrias smirked evilly. "You're right. It wasn't part of the plan. But then your girlfriend here had to go and open her mouth.
"I will fucking kill you if you touch her," Sasha said, glaring at the king. "Plan on that!"
Andrias, amused, said, "You know, threatening to kill the king is a capital offense, punishable by death."
"No!" Anne yelled as she was about to attack.
She stopped when Andrias pointed his sword at her and the others. "Do you really want to try me?"
No one knew what to do. This wasn't supposed to happen this way. But after a tense pause, Marcy threw the box. The king dropped Sasha and caught it in his hand, leaving the blonde girl on the floor, coughing and taking deep breaths.
"Sasha!" Marcy cried as she, Frank, Anne, the Plantars, and Grime rushed over to her.
The Taiwanese girl placed the blonde's head on her lap, looking down at her with unbelievable worry. There was now a burn scar across her neck that turned a dark shade of red.
"Sashy, please."
"I'm…fine…" Sasha said, panting and raising her hand. "I…"
Someone clasped her hand in theirs. She opened her eyes and saw, to her surprise, that it was Frank.
"You were…Sasha, I..." Frank tried to speak, but couldn't. He wanted to say she was telling the truth and how sorry he was for not believing her.
Understanding what he wanted to say, Sasha, however, shook her head. "No. I'm sorry," she said, tears streaming down her face. "I'm so sorry." This time, Frank believed her. Together, Frank and Anne helped the blonde girl up.
"I really didn't want to have to do that," Andrias said, walking away. "This was supposed to be so easy."
He then turned to the mad king and glared. "Sasha was right about you," he said. "You've been using us to get the box."
"Guess the caterpillar's out of the bag. I might as well tell the real history of my family," Andrias said, smirking as he held the Calamity Box. "Many years ago, my ancestors took part in the biggest and bloodiest war in recorded history, known as the Great Amphibian Wars. It was a brutal slaughter fueled by ignorance, greed, and oppression. Many lives were lost until a young frog finally brought an end to the war, declaring that enough blood had been shed and it was time for peace. His words moved hearts and minds, and for the first time in Amphibia's history, someone worthy of being a great leader stood among us. He was crowned the Frog King. With the Hellcat's Claw at his side, he led us out of darkness. It was on this spot that he and his followers built the kingdom we stand on today, and his descendants ruled Amphibia in peace and prosperity.
"But there is one thing that the Frog Kings solely lacked: ambition. So, two thousand years ago, my family removed that flaw and created something far greater. By the time I was born, Newtopia was already the greatest city in our kingdom, but that greatness was stolen from us. Centuries of prosperity came to an end because of me. I was weak, trusting those who claimed to be my friends. As a result, the music box was taken from me. It cost us everything. And after a thousand years, no one even remembers our legacy."
Andrias held up the Calamity Box.
"But now, at long last, the box is back. And with its power, Newtopia will be returned to glory. For you see, my ancestors weren't frail explorers. They were glorious CONQUERORS!"
Andrias stepped on a floor tile, causing a small pedestal to rise from the floor. He placed the Calamity Box on it, and the four gems inside began to glow. The glow spread from the box, coursing through the conduits in the pedestal and energizing the castle.
A loud boom sounded outside as windows broke and the castle shook.
Then, the entire castle started to lift off the ground with the help of giant thrusters beneath its structure.
Seeing the castle of their beloved king rocking into the sky caused panic among the people of Newtopia, and it led to various structural damage to the nearby buildings. All of the FLA were shocked, as were the newt guards and their Toad Soldier captives.
As the castle rose, it sent a signal to all the dormant robot factories across Amphibia. They reactivated their computers and their machines came back to life, starting the production of more robots like Frobo. Within minutes, a few emerged from the facilities and headed toward the hovering castle.
The castle's launch and the robots' takeoff caught the attention of amphibians all across the land. Indy and Rivet were working in the shop when they saw everyone coming out of their homes and looking at the horizon. Stepping outside, they saw the frog robots heading toward King Andrias' castle.
"What in Frog's name is it, sir?" Toadie asked Mayor Toadstool.
"I don't know, Toadie. But it ain't good," Toadstool replied in concern.
"No, it isn't," Indy said with a glare on his face. 'Grime… what did you do?'
"I hope your boyfriend and his family are alright," Rivet assured Ivy, who stood next to him and Maddie. Both the little inventor and the creepy girl look at one another and hold hands.
"They'd better be," Ivy hoped.
Sprig ran to the window and looked down. He gasped as the land below grew smaller. "Oh, we are way high up," he said.
Suddenly, the robots swooped into the castle, shocking Sprig. He ran back to the group just in time for the robots to surround them.
"I'm sorry, Frank," the King said, "but I'm afraid you and your friends can't go home just yet. Wouldn't want you telling anyone about the coming invasion."
"What?" Anne gasped.
"Now that I have the box back, I can finish the work my ancestors started. From this castle, I will rule over not only this world but all worlds!" Andrias said, laughing evilly. "Starting with the one that got away."
The implications were clear. "No!" Frank and Anne gasped, realizing he was going after Earth.
"Andrias, this is madness," Myra said, pointing her rapier at the king. "You'll never get away with this."
"She's right," Sasha said. "We'll stop you."
"Stop me? I can see a demonstration of my power is in order," King Andrias said, touching some buttons on the Calamity Box. "BEHOLD!"
At the top of the castle, its spire came alive. It transformed into the shape of a cannon and swiveled to face north. Aiming directly at Aldo's tower, it began to gather power. When it fired, a bright beam of destruction was unleashed, destroying the North Tower in a single shot and killing everyone inside, including Aldo.
Seeing the destruction, Grime yelled, "NOOO!"
"BRADDACK!" Sasha screamed, realizing that her friend hadn't woken up from her coma. She was still there when…
"Let that be a lesson for everyone who dares to oppose me," King Andrias said, gazing at the now stunned Myra. "Now no one can stand against me."
He looked down at Marcy and opened his arms.
"And it's all thanks to you, Marcy," he said.
(Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 2 - "Loose Ends" OST)
"No! No, I never wanted this!" yelled Marcy, approaching Andrias. "No one was supposed to get hurt. You promised me no one would get hurt!"
"Oh, sweet, naive Marcy," started Andrias. "I would've said anything just to get you to deliver the box fully charged. Sorry to break it to you, kid, but you've been duped."
"But... but…" Marcy struggled to speak, too overwhelmed by the betrayal of her best friend.
But Anne, confused, asked, "Mar-Mar, what's he talking about?"
Sasha, also confused, asked, "Yeah, what plan?"
For a moment, Frank was also confused as he looked at Marcy. She'd tensed up when her friends started asking questions, and Andrias. He felt a pit form in his stomach when he realized it.
"You knew," he asked, eyes widening. "You knew he was going to do this?"
"No!" Marcy yelled louder than she meant. Turning around, she nervously tried to explain herself. "H-He promised he'd take us with him to the new worlds. That we could have amazing adventures just like this one, forever and ever!"
Anne, still confused, asked, "But why?"
"Why?" King Andrias asked, now the one who was confused. "What do you mean 'why?' Surely she told you."
Everyone looked at Marcy, waiting for her to speak. She didn't, unable to meet their eyes. The girl looked down, beginning to panic and hyperventilate.
Seeing this, Andrias finally understood and started smirking. "Ooooooooooh. Oh my, you didn't tell them, did you?" he asked, looking at Marcy as her so-called friend looked at her in delight and faux disappointment. "Marcy! Marcy, don't tell me you didn't tell your friends? You still haven't shared with them the real reason you four are here?"
Marcy refused to answer.
"And here I thought Sasha was the bad guy," he said, clapping his hands. "Guess you two are perfect together. Well, if you're not gonna do it, then. I will."
Panic returned to her girl's face. "No…Please…" said Marcy nervously.
"Marcy," Frank said, making her tense up again. "Marcy, what's going on?"
She didn't say anything. Smirking, King Andrias decided to do the honors. And so, he started to explain what Marcy wouldn't tell them while walking to his throne and sitting on it.
"You see, Ramirez, you didn't come to this world by accident. It was all part of a prophecy. But like all prophecies, someone needed to kickstart it. And it just so happens that a certain little friend of yours here read about the music box back in your world, the same day you all came to Amphibia. And when she saw it in your grandmother's shop, that's when her mind formulated a plan."
It didn't take long for Frank, Anne, and Sasha to realize what King Andrias was implying. He didn't say it directly, but it was easy to understand. When they did, they were all deeply shocked. They immediately knew who he was talking about. They all turn and look at her.
Marcy Wu, their best friend, stood frozen in horror as her darkest secret was revealed to her best friends.
"That's right, Frank," said the giant newt. "Marcy knew what the box could do. She was the one who got you stranded in Amphibia. And you want to know something? She did it…on purpose."
"You've got to be kidding me," said Sasha, unconvinced by Andrias's words.
"No, it can't be," Anne said, hoping that the mad king is lying. "That bullshit!"
Andrias chuckled and looked at Marcy. "Oh, Marcy? Care to refute?"
Turning to his friend, Frank wanted to ask, desperate to know if it wasn't true. But no words came out. He was too stunned by this revelation to speak. In his silence, Frank's eyes begged Marcy, saying, 'Say it wasn't so. It couldn't be true. She wouldn't do that.'
So why wasn't she saying anything to dispute the claims?
When Marcy finally spoke, she sounded so remorseful. "Frank…"
Frank and Anne's eyes widened further in shock while Sasha looked at her with a scowl. "Aw, Marcy," said the boy, shaking his head.
"I'm sorry, but..."
"Ah, Jesus, no, no…" Frank looked at her in devastation. "Why?"
Marcy finally turned around to face her friends, smiling nervously. "I did it for us," she said in a small, weak voice.
Unable to respond, Frank, Anne, and Sasha stared hard at her wide-eyed.
"The day we left, your birthday, Anne," Marcy began to explain, tears forming in her eyes, "they told me my dad got a new job out-of-state. They were going to make me move away. They were gonna tear us apart!"
"Marcy..." Anne said seriously, but Marcy wasn't finished.
"I...I found the box in Frank's grandmother's shop. I...I didn't think the box would actually work, but it did!" Marcy said with desperation in her voice and a nervous smile on her lips. She hurried over to them, grabbing Anne and Sasha's hands with hot tears in her eyes. "It sent us to a place where we'd never have to grow apart again. Where the three—no, the four of us—could be friends forever together!"
The blonde girl smacked her ex-girlfriend's hand away furiously.
Anne looked at Marcy with shock and disgust. "How could you?!" she exclaimed with revulsion. "I've been missing my family, my life!"
"But, look at how much fun we've had. Look at how much we've all grown," the Taiwanese girl said, her anguished smile still on her face, tears streaming down her eyes. She then motioned her hand toward the Hispanic boy, who was still too stunned to speak. "Look at Frank! The same boy we were forced to cut ties with, who never wanted to talk to us again, gave you and me a second chance. And your rekindled friendship soon blossomed into love! I gave you that! I gave him to you! I gave you love! I gave you EVERYTHING!"
Her words didn't change Anne's mind. Instead of gratitude, Marcy's smile dropped into a devastated expression when she saw the Thai girl shake her head and step away from her.
Beginning to hyperventilate, Marcy turned to Sasha, hoping she could see this from her perspective. But the girl she loved couldn't even look at her. Questioning everything she thought she knew and loved about her girlfriend.
Marcy then turned to Frank, who hung his head to hide his eyes. No doubt, putting everything he'd been through into question.
"Frank, please listen to me. I did what I had to do," said Marcy to the last person she needed to understand her. "My parents were ruining our friendship before I had a chance to fix it. I never meant for it to happen, but your coming was a bonus! It…It was destiny that you went after us. So we'd never be separated again! We're friends once more because we came here. Please, you gotta believe me!"
"...You promised," said Frank, with a voice coated with his hurt emotion.
Marcy looked at him with a shocked expression. Then, her devastation deepened as he lifted his head, revealing his pained look and tears streaming down his face.
"You promised me I wouldn't regret giving you another chance. And now you're saying you purposely brought Anne and Sasha here…and considered me...just a bonus? For following you?"
"Frank, please, I—"
"NO! I TRUSTED YOU!"
Suddenly, the boy pushed her away. She looked at him with shock as Frank's face changed from hurt to anger.
"I gave you a second chance to make things right. I believed that you wanted to make amends! But all this time, you've been lying to us! You tore us away from our families! My parents probably think I'm dead! How do you think they're feeling about losing me? My grandma is probably gone, and I wasn't there for her for FIVE FUCKING MONTHS! You're... You…Arrgh!"
Frank shouted in a mix of anger and hurt as he threw his arms out.
"YOU'RE THE REASON WE'RE STUCK IN AMPHIBIA!"
"Well, I'm stuck, too!" Marcy cried, tears streaming down her face. "Who better to be stuck with than your friends?"
But it was too late. Frank's glare spoke volumes. Any hope for redemption she had was gone. And just like that, it was over. Looking around her, seeing Marcy's friends step away from her, all she could do was drop to her knees and start to sob, covering her eyes and face with her hands.
"I…I just didn't want to be alone."
"Well, I guess that's what you get for pouring your heart out to me over Flipwart," mocked Andrias from his throne. "You know, Frank, if it's any consolation, you are the only one that I feel sorry for in all of this."
"What?!" Frank looked at the king in shock. His anger at Marcy was instantly redirected at the king for all the lies and plans he had.
"You and I aren't so different. Both of us were let down by the people we considered friends. After all, if it wasn't for Sasha, you'd still have your friends and wouldn't have been thrown in jail. Anne ended your friendship and stole the music box. And then there's Marcy, and well, you already know what she did. Seems to me like you really need to be careful about who you befriend," Andrias said. "Because no matter what, you'll always be the victim of their actions."
(End song here)
Frank looked to Anne, who frowned and held her right arm. Looking embarrassed. He then looked to Sasha, who lowered her head in shame. He then looked to Marcy, who continued crying.
"But it didn't have to be like that," Andrias said, holding out a hand. "I stopped being the victim, and so can you. If you join me, we can make everyone who wronged you pay. You can finally have your revenge on everyone who has betrayed and hurt you. What do you say? Become my right-hand man?"
Frank looked at the blade of the scythe and saw his reflection. He glanced at his hat, his messy hair, and his scars. He noticed the anger and pain in his eyes.
"Frank?" Anne said, growing increasingly worried by her boyfriend's silence.
That same fear was felt by everyone who knew him. Was this it? Has Frank finally been pushed too far? He seemed so calm when Sasha betrayed them; that was only a cover. He never trusted Sasha, but he did trust Marcy. He gave her his trust, and she broke it.
Looking back at Marcy, Frank noticed her gazing at him with eyes full of fear and sadness, as if she thought he would join Andrias. He continued to stare at her, but gradually, something shifted. The anger he initially felt toward her evaporated the moment he saw the pain reflected in her eyes. He wanted to harbor resentment, to remain angry at her for as long as possible, to curse her name and accuse her of not being his friend.
But seeing her on the floor reminded Frank of himself.
He was forcibly torn from his friends when Sasha told the girls to stop being friends with him. He was taken away from the people he loved when he was arrested and sent to prison. Out of anyone in that throne room, he could understand why Marcy was so afraid. How terrible it felt to be alone.
"You're right. What Marcy did was beyond messed up," Frank said, looking back at his reflection in the scythe's blade. He turned the blade to show Anne looking at him with wide eyes and a slightly opened mouth. "Just like what Anne did." He then turned it to show Sasha's scared and guiltful expression. "Just like everything Sasha did. I don't think anyone would have been able to forgive them for the things they did."
He turned the blade to look at himself.
"But I've made some pretty big mistakes. If I weren't sent to this world, people would assume a kid carrying a knife was responsible for killing the girls, and I would have been sent right back to juvie. Hell, I was so angry with Sasha I didn't care if it killed all of us in the Third Temple. I don't know how anyone could forgive me for that."
Frank lowered his weapon and looked back up at Andrias.
"And that's the difference between us and you," he said, glaring at the King. "What Marcy did was messed up, but you?! You're evil!"
"Here we go," said the King, rolling his eyes.
Frank raised Hellcat's Claw and pointed its accident blade at Andrias. "And now, I'm taking you down."
"Really? Just like that," asked the King, smirking. "You really think you can do it? Alone?"
"He's not alone!" Anne proclaimed as she walked over to stand with her boyfriend, grinning at him as she drew out her sword. "He's got me to back him up."
"And us," Sprig said, running up beside Anne and getting his slingshot ready in his hands. "'til the end."
"The FLA fights for you, hon," said Myra, coming up next to Frank, drawing her rapier.
Frank turned to Sasha. "And you?"
Shocked at first, Sasha grinned and held out her hands. "I've got your back," she said. Frank nodded and cut the chains of her cuffs, freeing her hands.
"And I've got yours," Grime said, snapping his shackles' chains. "Ha! No chains can hold me!"
Frobo, who was holding Sasha and Grime's weapons, threw them to the two. They caught the swords and the hammer. With all their weapons in hand, the frogs and humans prepared for the fight against the mad king.
"Anne, you and the others take out these bots," Frank said, glaring at Andrias.
"What? What are you going to do?" Anne asked, looking worried.
"I'm going to take that box back from Andrias, and then…Take off his head!"
Andrias chuckled and stood up from the throne. "You guys are serious," said the King incredulously. "Okay…"
He pulled out and ignited his laser sword as the frobots aimed their laser arms at them.
"...let's have some fun!"
Frank and his friends stared intensely at Andrias and his army of robots. Then, Andrias pointed at them, sending his robots to attack. As they charged, Frank, Anne, and Sasha also charged forward. The girls quickly cut into two robots, giving Frank the chance to run at Andrias.
The King grinned and swung at him, but Frank slid underneath the hot blade with a baseball slide. He ran toward Andrias' left leg and sliced across it. Andrias yelled in pain and dropped to his knee. As the King hunched over, Frank ran up his tail, onto his back, and jumped into the air; the scythe was raised high above his head.
But before he could kill the tyrant, Andrias used his hand to block the Hellcat. Yelling as the blade dug into his palm, then throwing Frank away. The boy landed on his feet, sliding across the floor.
Looking at his bloodied hand, Andrias laughed. "Hahaha! I love your fire, Frank," he said, standing up. "But you're going to die in this world."
"I can't think of a better place to bury you!" Frank charged at him again.
Meanwhile, Anne and Sasha fought side by side, wielding their swords to take down three robots. They stood back-to-back, exchanged a glance, and nodded before diving back into the fight, cutting down any robots that approached.
Hop Pop punched a frobot, knocking it on its back, but then suffered a cramp. Another robot approached him, ready to shoot him down, but Grime leapt behind it and brought down the Hammer of Dawn on its head, destroying it in one hit. Another frobot attacked them, but Myra rushed in and quickly pierced it in five places.
Lady Olivia was terrified by all the chaos and fighting. She wasn't a fighter and had no reason to get involved in this. That's why, when a drone flew toward her, she could only brace herself for death.
But General Yunan saved her by slicing the robot in two. "Are you alright, milady?" she asked, looking back at her.
Olivia blushed and nodded with wide eyes.. "Uh-huh…"
Determined to make up for the huge mistake she made, Marcy wiped her tears away and shot an arrow at one robot, while Frobo fired a laser at another. A third was about to shoot them, but Sprig slingshotted a rock at the back of its head.
The robot counterattacked him, but Sprig dodged the beams, launching himself into the air and firing his slingshot with mud. When the robot tried to shoot, it ended up exploding.
Frank was thrown back by Andrias again. When he landed, he was joined by the others.
Panting, Andrias started to grow frustrated. This shouldn't be happening. Although the humans lacked the power of the stones, Frank managed to bring him to his knees and cause him to bleed.
"Enough!" the King yelled, stabbing his laser sword to the ground, causing a shockwave that scattered the group.
Most of the group was pushed back away from Andrias, but Frank got pushed away toward a window. Groaning in pain, he looked up and gasped.
Polly got launched toward the King.
Seeing the little polywog, Andrias grinned and moved towards her.
"No!" Frank yelled. Aiming at his head, the Hispanic boy threw the Hellcat's Claw with all his might like a hatchet. Turning his eyes towards it, Andrias…
SLASH!
...cuts it in two.
Everyone in that throne room watched in shock and horror as the tyrant's laser sword sliced through the scythe's blade like a hot knife through butter, destroying the ancient weapon as if it were nothing. Frank saw the Hellcat's Claw, the symbol of the Frog Kings—true rulers of Amphibias, named after the Harpy itself—fall to the ground in two pieces. One piece was the blade, the other the handle, and the rest fell apart.
"At last, the last remnant of the Frog King is destroyed," Andrias said, grinning. "And now, it's your turn."
He lifted his left foot above Polly, attempting to crush her.
"POLLY, NOOOO!" Anne screamed. There was no chance she, Frank, or the others would get to her in time.
But before Andrias could end the little girl's life, he was stopped by a pair of robotic arms wrapping around him. He looked back and saw it was Frobo, doing his best to hold the King back and protect Polly.
"Polly," said Frobo in his synthesized voice, "I will save you."
"Oh, look at that," Andrias said, frustrated as he deactivated his laser sword. "One of my robots. Must be defective."
And with a single punch, King Andrias shattered Frobo into pieces. His head rolled away from his body toward Hop Pop and Sprig, who caught it.
When Andrias lifted his fist, Polly saw what he'd done.
"FROBO!" Polly cried for her best friend. Her grief turned to rage as she prepared to seek her revenge. "You... YOU MONSTER!"
King Andrias said, "Don't worry. You're up next."
Just like Frobo, he brought his fist down at Polly.
The group gasped as Andrias seemingly killed the young frog girl.
But when King Andrias raised his fist, eager to see her small, smashed, and bloodied body, he gasped. Inside the crater, there was nothing. No blood and no Polly. "What the…"
"Over here, you big bozo!"
Andrias turned around and saw a silhouette in the fog he created. When it finally cleared, everyone in the room was shocked.
Polly was standing on two brand new legs!
"Guess who just got her leg—WHOA!" Poly stumbles for a brief moment, not used to standing.
"MY LITTLE BABY'S GOT LEGS!" Hop Pop exclaimed excitedly.
"This is so weird," Sprig said.
"Polly!" Sasha yelled, pointing to the control pedestal. "Get the box! Get the box!"
"On it!" Polly said, running off towards the pedestal before Andrias could stop her.
"Stop that little brat!" yelled Andrias to the last remaining robots.
The frobots shot Polly, but she was too quick for them. She dodged the beams and closed the distance to the pedestal. Two of the drones blocked her way, but Polly wasn't stopping for anything. She slid under one and used the momentum to leap onto another. When the first robot turned and fired at her again, Polly jumped off just in time and hit the second one right in the chest. She landed on the head of the first one, then jumped off when it was destroyed.
Polly landed on the pedestal and lifted the Calamity Box in triumph.
"Got it!" she shouted to the others, before the castle started to shake. "Whoa…"
With nothing to power it, the engines started to lose power. The castle started coming down. But that didn't matter to the group. They cheered for Polly.
"Go. Polly, go!"
"You did it, girl."
"Not so fast," called the voice of Andrias. Everyone turned to him and gasped in terror.
"You've all got spunk, real chutzpah. But this ends now," he said, lifting his right hand, showing he was holding Frank in a tight grip, almost crushing the Hispanic boy. "Now, place that box back, will you?"
"Don't…do it!" Frank said, struggling to break free. "No matter…what happens…to me!"
"You're willing to die, Ramirez? Commendable. But what about your friends?"
Andrias extended his hand outside the broken window, holding Frank back from the edge. He looked down at the ground, and his eyes widened. The castle was incredibly high up. Without his powers, he couldn't fly or do anything. The fall from this height would be fatal.
"It's your choice. Put the box back, or your friend is history."
"NO!" Anne exclaimed, her heart sinking.
"DON'T...do it!" Frank said, before King Andrias squeezed him.
"Hey!" Andrias snapped when he saw Anne standing up. "I don't move. You don't move. Don't do anything you'll regret, girl."
"I regret many things," Anne growled, her worry for her boyfriend turning into anger towards Andrias for threatening him. "Killing you will not be one of them. Release my boyfriend!"
Andrias's eye twitched. "I have waited a THOUSAND years, sacrificed so much, to let my destiny slip through my fingers again! And I will not have a girl with a missing shoe and leaves in her hair, take it from me! Put the box down or Frank dies! NOW!"
Anne glared at the King, then shifted her gaze to Frank, and fear came back. With no other choice, she addressed the poliwog. "Polly, do what he says!"
Quickly, Polly returned the Calamity Box to the pedestal, restoring power to the castle. A robot grabbed her and brought her back to the group.
"Frobo…" Polly said sadly, hugging the head of her dead friend.
"Ok, Andrias, you have what you want," Myra said. "Now, place the boy down."
"Yeah," said Andrias, smiling, "I'm not going to do that."
"But…" Anne's eyes widened in shock, her hands shaking. "But you said…"
"Oh, please, you really didn't think I was going to let him live," Andrias said in a mocking tone. "I need to make an example of him—to show what happens when you dare stand against me."
The more he spoke, the more terror filled Anne's heart. "No…please, I'm…I'm begging you," she pleaded. "Don't kill him. I love him so much. More than anything or anyone, on any world, I love him."
"Anne…" Frank said, a tear rolling down his face.
"Ah... that's very touching," Andrias said condescendingly and sarcastically. "From friends to strangers, from strangers to friends, from friends to lovers. But that's the painful beauty of love, Anne. The more you feel for someone, the more it hurts when they're gone. As you'll see, find out."
That line hit Anne like a ton of bricks. Her body completely froze, unable to move, think, or do anything except cry as she realized what Andrias was about to do. Like a prisoner in her own body. Forced to watch the inevitable.
Andrias turned back to Frank. "Any last words?"
This was it, Frank realized. He was about to die. Taking a deep breath, Frank closed his eyes. When he opened them, he stared into Andrias'. In his eyes, there was no fear—only conviction. He wasn't afraid, just defiant. If he was going to die, he was going to do so with his enemy looking him in the eyes.
"You mind humoring me for a moment?" he asked. Andrias raised an eyebrow. So Frank said what was likely his final words: "If you knew how you were going to die, how would you live your life differently?"
For a moment, Andrias was silent. How many regrets did he have? He looked away and actually thought about his answer. Considering what he should say.
Taking the little time he had left in this world, Frank took one last moment to look at Anne. The girl he'd loved for so long, whom he'd lost and found again, and because he was the best boyfriend he could be for her. The sight of her starting to cry, looking at him with devastation, broke him, but he wanted to make sure that when he goes into the afterlife, he does so with the memory of the only girl he'd ever loved.
In the end, Andrias said, "I would change nothing."
And just like that, King Andrias dropped Frank.
(Play Music: Steve Jablonsky: "Tessa")
The moment she saw the king open his hand, time slowed for Anne. She couldn't believe what was happening right in front of her, even as the boy closed his eyes and fell to his certain doom. As a gust of wind swept over him, his hat was carried back to the castle.
Sprig and Polly cried loudly for their big human brother. Marcy looked devastated, tears streaming down her face, and Sasha covered her mouth with her hands as she began to cry.
Anne wanted to believe this was all a bad dream, that none of this was really happening. But as she looked out the window, Frank's hat flew through the glass and landed in front of her. The world around her darkened as she gazed at it. She blinked and let the sadness flow from her eyes as she sank to her hands and knees, staring at the only thing left of her boyfriend.
As Frank fell closer to the ground, he kept his eyes closed. If this was how he was going to die, at least Anne would be the last thing he saw. It was almost comforting. Instead of growing old with loved ones around him, he would die young, with thoughts of Anne in his mind.
His mind brought back memories of Anne and the Plantars, recalling everything they've been through together.
Unimaginable grief crushed Anne's heart as she picked up his hat, soaked in her tears. The last thing she'll ever have to remember him by. Holding it, she recalled every single incredible moment she shared with Frank.
Neither of them realized they were thinking about the same moments. As they unknowingly remembered those moments together, Frank spoke softly to himself.
"Once more into the fray…"
"Do you still want anything to do with me?" Anne asked, closing her eyes and waiting for the unenviable rejection.
"Franne against the world, remember?"
"Into the last good fight I'll ever know…"
As Frank stared out at the glistening water, he felt something being placed around his torso. He looked down and was shocked to see it was Anne's Frog of the Year sash.
"Anne, this is yours," Frank said, confused. "You're Wartwood's Frog of the Year."
"Yeah..." Anne then looked down at Frank's hand and gently grabbed hold of it. She looked at him with a bright blush on her face. "...but you're my Frog of the Year."
"Live and die on this day…"
When they pulled away, Frank and Anne gazed lovingly at one another, both in awe at what transpired between them.
"Wow, sparkles," Anne said, looking at him with stars in her eyes.
Frank had the same stars. "Yeah…"
"Why is this still so scary?" she asked.
"I don't know," Frank said, and he didn't know why. Was it because this was everything he ever wanted? Or that he was afraid to lose her now that Anne was his girlfriend. "Do you still want this?"
"Absolutely," Anne said.
"Me too." Frank kissed her again as he caressed her cheek. "I love you, too, Anne Boonchuy. No matter what happens, one life with you is all I could wish for."
Anne shed some happy tears as they rested their foreheads on each other.
"…Live and die on this day."
Anne looked up at the window…
And there she was.
"Leif…" Anne whispered, staring at the ghostly frog in disbelief. Not only was she real, but she looked exactly as Frank described. Only she was blue. "Help, me…"
Leif smiled and said, "All you have to do is ask."
Anne closed her eyes. Her grief shifted to rage the moment she opened them. This time, they started to glow a bright blue.
On the Calamity Box, both the red and blue gems flickered. Streams of power emerged from them. The first was red. The aura flowed past Anne and the group, beyond Andrias, and descended toward Frank.
"No, it can't be," he said slowly, looking at Anne in surprise.
The second was blue and flowed into Anne, restoring the power she had released back into her. The power glowed brightly until it completely enveloped her.
"Hello again, Frank."
Frank gasped and opened his eyes. He was still falling, but in front of him was Leif in all her red glowing glory.
"Leif?"
"Do you give up?"
Frank said, before he, too, was refilled with the power of the stone. Feeling himself being filled with the power again, he glowed brightly, just like Anne.
"They're still connected to the stone! But that's impossible!"
"What's going on?!" Marcy asked, frozen in shock.
"I... think it's the same thing that happened at Toad Tower?!" Grime guessed.
Everyone, from Anne's friends to her enemies, watched in awe. Grime was right. What had happened at Toad Tower was happening again with Anne. As the Thai girl absorbed the power back into herself, she rose off the ground and stood tall. Her hair glowed blue, branches grew around her, and the leaves stayed intact, making her look like a blue flame of nature.
"Anne..." Sasha said, astonished.
"She's really doing it…" Marcy said, a smile appearing on her face.
"Give him back!" Anne shouted with a single tear, her face contorted with rage. "Give... back... FRANK!"
Completing her Calamity transformation, Anne used her newfound powers to propel herself into the air. The force of that jump destroyed the robots around her.
Andrias looked around, still in shock. "Where'd she go?"
Faster than the speed of sound, Anne charged at Andrias and punched him across the face with tears in her eyes, knocking his crown off.
Marcy, Sprig, Grime, Hop Pop, Polly, and Sasha gasped in awe.
Anne backflipped away and landed on the ground with enough force to shake the room. Recovering from the attack, Andrias tried to crush Anne, but she was too quick. Dodging his fist, she retreated upward to the ceiling.
Looking down, Anne powered herself up and launched herself at Andrias.
"FIRE!" the King yelled, and all of the robots fired their lasers towards Anne.
But Anne dodged and weaved through the laser beams, avoiding all of them. She let out a battle cry and cocked her fist back. Diving straight down onto Andrias, causing a huge explosion of power that destroyed the remaining robots. Everyone covered their eyes and braced themselves against the wave of energy.
Just before Anne could hit him, Andrias activated a shield of energy to protect himself. She powered up again and started pushing against the barrier, trying to break through it! Lightning shot from her, striking the columns and walls of the castle and destroying them.
Enraged, the king roared at her from behind the shield and tried to push her back. But Anne wouldn't be denied her revenge. Flicking her hand open, Anne let out a massive burst of energy that broke through the shield, knocking him away.
Anne slowly descended and landed on the floor, the power still emanating from her body, while still crying.
"Give him back," Anne repeated, before she suddenly started powering down. "Give...him...back…" She fell over, fatigued from using the power for the first time, like Frank.
Watching her fall, King Andrias snickered and rose to his feet. "Looks like she can't control it," he said, drawing his laser sword.
King Andrias advanced on Anne, who groaned in unconsciousness. Hop Pop, Sprig, and Polly rush to her side. "Come on! Get up, Anne!" pleaded the old frog.
Opening her eyes, Anne grunted as she tried to get up.
By the time she was sitting up, the King came up to where Anne and the Plantars were.
"I have to admit, even I'm surprised. Somehow, you still got the gift, kid. Which means..." Andrias said, raising his lightsaber. "I can't let you live." But just as Andrias is about to deliver the final blow...
"ANDRIAS!"
The mad king turned around, and…
POW!
…was kicked in the chest by Frank, who came rushing back into the throne room at full speed. Similar to Toad Tower, Frank's hair stood up and turned the same glowing red as his eyes. Then his scars started to glow all over his body. They transformed into marks that grew and spread across his body.
However, something new was on him.
Over his head, in place of his hat, was a glowing red halo.
Moving faster than ever, Frank followed up his kick with an uppercut and then a powerful punch that sent the tyrant Leviathan flying across the room and crashing through the wall of the throne room.
"Did you think you could kill me that easily?" Frank asked with a grin.
Panting, Frank reverted to his normal form and looked back at the stunned Plantars, especially at Anne.
"Anne!" He ran toward his girlfriend and held her in his arms.
"Frank? FRANK! You're, you're alive! Oh, thank God!" Anne cried joyfully as she hugged him tightly, and the frog family hugged him too.
"I've got you, Honey Buns," Frank said.
(End song here)
Suddenly, the castle shook as the power went out, leaving everyone confused. Just like before, the building started slowly descending.
King Andrias was pulling himself out of the rubble when the engines started losing power. "What?"
"What's going on?" asked Sprig.
Frank turned around and saw that Marcy had used the chaos to sneak over and take the box. Now, she was activating a portal back to Earth. "Please work, please work, please work."
"No! NO!" Andris yelled. His destiny was slipping away again! He pushed himself out of the rubble and ran toward Marcy to stop her. But then Grime, Sasha, and Myra jumped in front of him, blocking his way.
"Sasha!" Anne cried out.
"We'll hold him! Just go!" Sasha said, pointing her sword at the portal.
Frank and Anne nodded. The Hispanic boy quickly ran to the remains of the Hellcat's Claw and picked them up.
Together with the Plantars, they took the opportunity to head into the portal. As the group moved, Polly grabbed Anne's backpack and stuffed it with Frobo's head and a few parts. Then she dragged it across the floor, before Frank rushed in.
"Here! I got you!" he said, taking the bag from her and throwing it in the severed blade of the scythe. The handle, he placed on his back, on its hook.
"Quick!" Marcy yelled, pointing at the portal. "Into the portal, everyone, hurry!"
After attacking the three to stop him, Andrias tried to crush Sasha, but she rolled away. This allowed Grime to strike his left leg with the warhammer. He shouted in pain before Myra jumped in and tried to gouge his eye with her sword. But he swatted her away, knocked Grime off, and then smacked Sasha away with his tail. Looking back at the portal, Andrias saw Anne and the Plantars already starting to go through.
"The box!" he yelled, knowing he was too far away to stop them. He looked around and found something to stop them. And Andrias did, when he looked at the broken robots around him.
Frank was about to go through the portal when he turned around and saw that Marcy wasn't coming. Anne and the Plantars had their heads sticking out of the portal, watching what was happening.
"Marcy, hurry!" Frank yelled. If they were heading to Earth, they would go together with everyone.
Marcy looked down at the box. "I just need to—"
(Batman: Arkham Knight Soundtrack - "Inner Demon")
Suddenly, Frobo's severed arm whipped out like a lash, hitting Marcy in the back before grabbing her leg. They looked back and saw it was Andrias who threw the arm, and he grinned while pulling it back.
"AAAAAAH!" Marcy screamed as she was yanked back.
"MARCY!" Frank yelled, grabbing her right arm while his left arm held the box close to her chest. He tried pulling her back. He was able to reactivate his powers when four pairs of arms reached out from the other side and grabbed him.
"Hang on, Mar-Mar!" Anne yelled. "Everyone, pull!"
Together, they all started pulling, struggling to draw Frank and Marcy into the portal. If they can do that, they can close the portal and still have a way to come back and get Sasha. With the box, they'll stop Andrias from invading Earth.
"NO!" Andrias yelled, pulling harder on the robot arm, playing tug of war with Marcy. Andrias was winning. "I'm not letting that box be taken from me! NOT AGAIN!"
Frank tried desperately to pull, but even with Anne and the Plantars, he was being pulled out of the portal. "Marcy, don't worry! I'm not letting you go!" Frank yelled.
Even as she was being pulled from both directions, feeling her spine being pulled, Marcy looked at Frank with flowing tears streaming down her eyes.
"Frank," she said in a soft voice. "You have to let me go."
"What?!" Anne looked at her best friend in shock. "Frank, don't do it!"
"Please, you have to let me go," Marcy pleaded with a very shocked Frank. "I don't know how long the portal will stay open! I'm not letting you be trapped in Amphibia again!"
"NO, GOD DAMNIT!" Anne yelled. "I'm not losing you again!"
Andrias tugged tighter, pulling Marcy ever so slightly closer toward him.
"Frank, I'm so sorry. For everything," she said through a mess of tears as she stared at her best friend. "Everything was my fault. I don't deserve a second chance or forgiveness. But please, for once in my life, let me do right by you."
Frank shook his head, tears streaming down his face. His soul tore in two. He said many hateful things, lots of things to hurt Marcy. But despite it all, she was still his best friend. He couldn't just let her go. Yet, the more Andrias tugged, the more pain Marcy endured, and the more he was pulled back into Amphibia. This was his one chance to go home, and Marcy was telling him to take it. His girlfriend and frog family were pulling him home. And he was leaving Marcy and Sasha to an uncertain fate.
He looked back at Anne and the Plantars. His girlfriend was completely devastated, shaking her head. She didn't want to let Marcy go, but she didn't know what else to do. The Plantars only struggled to help the two humans, just as they always did. They were good people; they didn't deserve any of this bad stuff.
As much as he didn't want to, Frank knew what he had to do.
"We'll come back," Frank said, giving Marcy a determined smile even as he cried. "I promise," he added, his voice trembling. "We'll find a way to make it back to you."
Marcy continued crying as she nodded. "I know you will."
With one last look at Marcy, his heart heavy with the weight of his decision, Frank released her.
As Anne and the Plantars pulled Frank through the portal, Frank watched as Marcy was sent flying backwards towards Andrias, who held out his hand to catch her.
Marcy slammed her hand down on the box, causing a bright flash to envelop Frank, as the portal closed.
(End song here)
Where was he? Was he still in the castle?
What was he lying on? It felt so soft, yet rough and hot to the touch. It felt like sand.
What was that smell? It smelt like freshly-cut grass.
What were those sounds in the distance? Frank groaned and rolled onto his back. No, it couldn't be. His mind must be playing tricks on him. Car horns? Hundreds of them?
When he looked up, he saw the blue sky and white clouds passing overhead.
…and a jet soaring.
"Huh?" Frank heard groaning, and his eyes widened. "Anne!" Sitting up, he saw her lying on the ground next to him. Frank shook Anne. "Anne, are you okay?"
Anne moaned and opened her eyes. Looking up at him, she smiled lovingly and placed a hand on his. "I'm alright," she said, pulling out his hat. "And I saved this for you…"
Frank smiled, helped her sit up, and kissed her. Anne happily returned the kiss and took the chance to place the hat back on his head. When she pulled away, she smiled and adjusted it.
"There you go," she said, smiling at his crooked hat. Frank smiled and adjusted it adequately. Her smile, however, faded. "Frank…Marcy…"
When she mentioned their friend, Frank looked down with guilt and shame. "I'm so sorry, Anne," he said. "I…"
"You did the right thing, Frank," Hop Pop said, sitting up and rubbing his head.
"Oh, guys?" Sprig said, looking around with wide eyes. "What is this place?"
Frank and Anne looked up, and the young boy gasped in shock and awe when he saw that they were in a huge stadium. Not just any stadium, but a baseball stadium specifically.
"I…I know this stadium," Frank said.
"HEY!" The group yelped and turned around to see a security guard in the stands.
A human security guard.
"What are you kids doing down there?" The guard yelled, making his way down the steps.
"Uh, sorry! We, uh, got lost! Social media and all!" Anne said, laughing nervously, before pushing everyone. "Let's get out of here!"
"Hey! Get back here, you...you..." The guard stopped and blinked. He pulled out his flask and poured it out. "Ugh, I've gotta get help with my alcohol problem. I'm starting to see frogs."
The group managed to slip past the guard, rushed through the stadium's entrance doors, and ran as fast as they could. They sprinted across the empty parking lot until they finally stopped. Now, they could get their bearings and take in the full scenery in front of them.
The California city of Los Angeles was unlike anything the Plantars had ever encountered. Instead of mud and swamp, there was asphalt and concrete. Instead of dirt roads, highways that lifted off the ground and were crowded with cars. They craned their necks to look up at the buildings and skyscrapers soaring high into the sky. Taller than any tree back in Amphibia, made of steel and glass.
"I don't believe it…" Frank said with a smile growing on his face. "We're back…I'm home!"
"This is your world? It's," Sprig said, covering his ears, "so... loud."
"Am I dreaming?" asked Anne in disbelief, looking to Frank. "There's only one way to be sure."
Both kids took out their phones and quickly looked at the top left corner of each.
At first, it said "No Service", then switched to 5G.
Immediate joy washed over Anne's face.
"I'M HOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMEEEEEE!" Anne yelled with pure joy to the sky. Laughing happily, she started jumping and dancing around.
(Play music: Brian Tyler - "I'm Sorry" from Far Cry 3)
Feeling the same joy, Frank was about to start jumping for joy with her. However, the moment he had service, Frank's phone pinged.
Seeing that he wasn't celebrating with her, Anne turned to Frank and said, "Frank, we made it! We're finally home!"
But Frank didn't respond. In fact, he didn't even look up from his phone. He just kept staring at the screen, which caused Anne and the Plantars to become worried.
Frank's eyes widened as his phone showed that he had thousands of missed calls and messages. All of them were from people he knew and didn't know—family members and friends. They all wanted to see if he was okay, where he was, and were praying for him. Frank looked at it all in a moment of total, paralyzing shock, as the others looked at him worriedly. These were all people who wanted to know where he was—people missing him, people hoping he would come back home.
Anne came over to him and put her hands on his shoulder. "Frank, are you okay?" she asked. She then looked down at what he was looking at. Shocked when she saw what he was looking at.
With a shaky thumb, Frank opened his messages app. He then pressed on two contacts. Over 150 missed calls and text messages from each of them.
Mom and Dad.
The noise and awkwardness of the world around him faded away. Nothing else mattered. Not at that moment. Not as he read through all of them and listened to each voice message. Frank couldn't take it anymore. His heart rate sped up. He felt so much pain, sadness, and anxiety. But most of all, he felt overwhelming, overflowing happiness.
His parents were incredibly worried about him and showed nothing but absolute remorse. In every message, whether voice or text, they expressed their love, concern, and deep sorrow. The more he listened to recordings of his parents breaking down in sobs, apologizing, and pleading for him to come home, the more he wished they would stop. He just wanted to tell them he was okay and that he was coming home. It became overwhelming. The mix of joy and sadness flooding his heart was too much for him to bear.
Frank didn't know when he started sobbing at the voices of his parents. He didn't care. He couldn't hold himself up anymore; he listened. He cried—cried harder than he did in the maze. Bailing his eyes out and collapsing on his knees. His heart ached so much he clutched his chest plate. He wanted to tear it off.
He was stopped, however, by Anne and Plantars. They were crying with him as they hugged him. Holding him tightly together as he fell apart, wailing louder than he could ever have imagined. His body was a wreck, his emotions were so intense, and he'd just lost a friend.
At long last, Frank and Anne were back home. They were no longer going to live in a frog world. True colors were shown, and Calamity had risen. One chapter had ended, the next one had begun. But that isn't where the story ends. There's still a threat on the horizon, and they are the only ones who can stand in the way of it.
Frank and Anne will go back to Amphibia...when Calamity Returns.
End of Part 2