Back To Amphibia

Chapter 5

Anne

I don't believe it. We might actually be going back. This is great! I can't wait to see Sprig again. Marcy and Sasha also look super excited. We all rush downstairs and get ready. The girls are going to go back to Sasha's place to pack, since Marcy left her stuff there, and I'm going to stay here and prepare. Then I remember something.

"Guys, shouldn't we call our parents to tell them where we're going? Last time we just disappeared for five months! We probably shouldn't worry them again. Me and Sash also have to tell our bosses that we are going on... I dunno, a holiday?"

"Right, right, right. How could I forget that? What would we do without you, Anne?" Marcy is already on her phone, while Sasha is digging through her bag looking for her car keys. They eventually leave and I call my parents.

They understand my decision and ask me to say hi to the Plantars for them. I accept and get a taxi to the lab where the new portal was built. I wait for Marcy and Sasha and when they eventually come, we head inside together.

Terri is already waving us over, and I spot Mr X behind her. He simply nods at us when we enter the portal chamber then walks up to us. "Ms Boonchuy, Ms Wu and Ms Waybright, hello! I hear Anne has gotten her powers back and we would be delighted to help you get back to Amphibia! Consider this both an early and a late birthday gift, as well as a thanks for helping us stop Frogvasion ten years ago."

He then steps back and Terri then explains everything she has done over the years and what we should do. After a quick glace back to the others, I step forward and get ready to power the portal.

I feel the familiar energy rise up to meet me and I direct it towards the portal. Sure enough, it opens, and I am left slightly out of breath. Marcy and Sasha run up to me and marvel at what just happened.

"Woah. I was not expecting that. Well done, Anne!" Sasha gives my shoulder a friendly punch and Marcy is writing things down in her journal. She still has it? It's probably almost full by now; I should know! I've written in it before! She probably has another one somewhere in her bag though. Leave it to Marcy to always have a plan.

We wave goodbye to Mr X and Terri, and we all agree to meet back to the spot we enter Amphibia from after a month. Holding hands, we all step through the portal, ready to come face-to-face with our home away from home.

As soon as we step through, the portal closes and I'm hit with the familiar humidity of the air. Before either of my companions can react, I'm running towards the sign that says 'Welcome to Wartwood!'.

Sprig

Hooray. I'm awake. Lucky me. I groan and slide out of bed, slowly making my way downstairs as the first rays of sunlight enter the room. It was a long day yesterday, I went all over Amphibia with Polly and Ivy, filling out the empty spaces in our map of Amphibia.

"Morning, Hop Pop. Morning, Polly." I stifle a yawn. How many hours was I asleep for? One? Two? It doesn't matter. Polly seems to be just as tired as me, though she has somehow woken up earlier. They both say, "Good morning, Sprig." before returning to their activities.

After I finish my breakfast, I decide to take a walk around town. Nothing new, it's just the same old routine I do every day, looking at what people are doing and greeting them. I make my way around the place, waving and saying hi to everybody when I see Grime, Yunan and Olivia next to the statue of Anne.

Grime must be visiting for the week. I don't see why else he would come here other than to pay his respects to the heroes of this place. Now that I think about it, I did see him around when I was doing my speech. If that's so, then he'll probably only stay for six more days.

I walk up to them, a grin on my face, and the old toad commander notices me. "Sprig! You frog, I haven't seen you since yesterday!" Yup. That's Grime for you. He acts tough (and is actually pretty tough - I know from experience), but deep inside he's just a softie. I'm confused for a minute. A day isn't that long. Is it? Then again we haven't talked for a month or two, so...

We walk around and I point out everything that has changed since he last came. Nothing too much, just the occasional redesign of something or a new stall in the market. We also catch up with each other. Turns out, Grime is helping homeless amphibians relocate to other places! He is still a major power in this world, but now mostly uses it to help others.

Maddie walks up to us and asks if Grime would like a potion or a curse of some sort. He declines the offer, only to regret it minutes after when he saw the effects of some of them. "You wait right here. I'm going to buy some... items." 

Before I can even reply, he has zoomed away to check out what Maddie has in stock. I just huff and shake my head, then sit down on a bench. I take out my notebook and start doodling in it. After a minute or two, Grime comes back with a potion and declares that he has the best one.

For someone much older than me, we get along great and, well, Grime acts like a child sometimes. I look at his arm stump and feel a pang of guilt. It wasn't my fault that it happened. Frog, I wasn't even there! But seeing reminders of the hard times we went through really just bursts my bubble. Bubbles? How does the saying go again?

I put my feelings aside and we head off. I'm planning on showing Grime the other half of the market while we still have time. I promised Ivy I would meet her at her place later this afternoon. 

As we near the centre of the town, I notice that there's a lot of commotion. Frogs are shouting and there is a very surprised and happy atmosphere. Grime also takes note of this and as we round the bend Grime is tackled by a familiar face.

Before I can check on him, I hear someone say, "Sprig?" I look around and see a much older (but in general, still the same) Anne looking at me. There are tears in her eyes and her mouth has the biggest smile I've ever seen.

"Anne?"

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