I sat below deck, staring blankly at the IDC. If only Bezu could see me now; he'd be able to tell me what to do. I had discovered I still had some of my powers as the Chosen One. As Rita and Roddy slept up above, I was trying to decide which power to use to try and contact Le Frog without messing up the movie's entire plot. I could teleport, which proved useful preventing Spike and Whitey's surprise attack from succeeding.

I decided against contacting Le Frog, but instead to teleport to a nearby location so I could simply check in on my husband. I closed my eyes and mentally pictured Le Frog as I thought about teleportation. The next thing I knew, I was right outside Toad's hideout. "What did I do wrong?" I asked myself aloud. I climbed up the wall and peered through the windows.

" I never should have sent a rodent to do an amphibian's job!" Toad was saying. He glanced up at the clock angrily. "Where is he? Why is he always late?"

A small fly landed gracefully on the face of the clock, and Toad licked his lips hungrily. Even my tongue twitched in temptation to reach out for the delectable morsel, but my fear of being discovered overrode my hunger.

Toad flicked out his tongue to catch the fly, but another tongue stretched out and blocked him. "En garde!" The tongue battle raged on but the mysterious amphibian came out victorious, catching and eating the fly before laughing at Toad in quite a gloating manner.

"Le Frog," Toad said simply, sucking his tongue into his over-sized mouth and watching his cousin hop out of the shadows and acrobatically flip head-over-heels down the clear window.

Le Frog stopped when he was facing Toad at eye level. "Bonjour."

"You're late," Toad informed him angrily.

Still sticking to the window, Le Frog crossed one leg comfortably over the other and leaned back against the glass. "Fashionably late, my annoying English cousin. I know no other way."

I turned out for most of their conversation. I was too busy watching Le Frog. After all the time I had spent in this dimension, it was almost unbelievable he was sitting right in front of me. He looked every bit the way I remembered him; tan trench coat hiding the sleek black kung-fu outfit he always wore, rude to even his family, and very flexible.

I smiled a little, but it was short-lived. A sudden wave of nausea swept over me and in an unladylike fashion, I belched quite loudly. It was something I had never done unintentionally, so it came as an unexpected involuntary action.

"What was that horrendous noise?" asked Toad.

I moved away from the window and under the ledge where no one could see me as Le Frog replied, "I'm pretty sure it came from outside." I heard the window open and I held my breath.

Several silent moments passed and I fearedI would be discovered when my lungs gave out. I held my breath as long as possible as they watched for the source of the belch. Finally, Le Frog said, "It must have been one of the rats down below." Then, the window was shut.

I sighed a breath of relief and climbed up just enough to see into the room. Toad was saying, "When the poor boy's back was turned, I was flushed into the depths of despair." He surprised me by crying a little.

Le Frog poured himself a glass of wine. "You were flushed down the loo, right?" He tried to down the wine, but spat it out and when he read the label - discovering it was British Bliss wine - he tossed the glass and the bottle over his shoulder. "It is so dark . . . so cold . . . so terrible. Heh, heh."

"You find my pain . . . funny?"

"I find everyone's pain funny but my own." He looked up at his cousin and shrugged. "I'm French," he explained simply, chuckling.

Toad grew furious and stood up, knocked over his footstool, and shouted, "Just get me my master cable!"

Le Frog swallowed hard, somewhat frightened by his cousin's angry and sudden outburst. He regained his composure, however, and called out, "Henchfrogs!" snapping his fingers.

In a little more than a second, his seven henchfrogs appeared out of nowhere and stood behind Le Frog, posing in a different kung-fu position.

"We have a mission," Le Frog stated, holding up his index finger as some sort of gesture. "Let nothing stand in our way. We leave immediately." He walked toward the door.

"What about dinner?" asked Bezu before returning to his kung-fu stance.

Le Frog walked back and faced away from his men, something I still did not understand about him. "We leave . . . in five hours."

At least I have some time to think. I turned away from the window and sat on the ledge. My stomach was bothering me again and now my head was starting to hurt. As I watched the street lights dim, a massive second wave of nausea swept over me and I could not move before I preceded to vomit over the side. After I was sure I had finished retching out all my inner organs, I sat back and tried to relax.

Suddenly, a pair of hands grasped my shoulders and a voice whispered in my ear, "If you are finished, chere, I suggest you come with us."

Slowly, I rose to my feet and followed Franz into the lair. I was greeted with stares of both surprise and desire, which did not really matter all that much to me at the moment. My recent nausea episode had left me weak, which was why when Franz released me, I fell to the floor as I nearly passed out.

"Oh, mon Dieu!" I heard Phillipe shout. "What did you do to the poor woman, Franz?"

Some one over and gently patted my cheek. "Cherie, are you alright?"

I looked up and caught my breath as I met Le Frog's beautiful emerald eyes. "It was just . . . a bout with morning sickness. I will be alright." I smiled warmly as he helped me to my feet. "Merci beaucoupe, monsieur."

"My pleasure," he replied, flashing the amazing smile which captured my heart.

"So, Monique, you decided to return to me." Toad chuckled as he came closer. "Pretty brave move, my dear. Trying to save your new-found friends?"

"I'm desperate, Toad," I told him. "I've had to do quite a bit for you in order to protect my loved ones." I glanced over at Le Frog, then back at Toad. "I don't care if I'm bonded to you for the rest of eternity, but I can't allow you to kill those rodents."

Toad laughed in my face. "You said that the last time when some one else you once loved yet you still deserted me. No, I'm going to kill those miserable rodents, no matter what you do to prevent it."

I smiled devilishly. "Then, there is no point staying here, is there?" I hopped away from him and headed for the window.

There was a flash of movement and the next thing I knew, I was on the floor with the wind knocked out of me and Le Frog was standing in front of the window. "You'll have to get past me, chere."

I slowly rose to my feet, rubbing my derriere. "If you insist, Le Frog."

So began our kung-fu battle of wits. Le Frog pounced and I felt I was being forced into defensive mode. "I'm warning you, Le Frog. You better back off." I grabbed his arms and threw him across the room. "I learned my fighting techniques from the very best."

He bounced back and used his legs to cling to my back, wrapping them around my waist. He then snaked his arms around my neck and began to squeeze hard. I clawed and pried at his arms, but to no avail. Out of the recess of my mind, I remembered a manuver Le Frog taught me to escape this death grip. I reached back, grabbed his shoulders, and flipped him off of me.

"Impressive, mademoiselle." Le Frog quickly flipped back onto his feet and wrapped his tongue around my neck, lifting me off my feet. "I haven't seen fighting like that in almost three years."

I clung desperately to the slimy tongue, gasping for air. "As I said before, I learned from the very best," I wheezed.

His tongue grip loosened as his curiosity grew. "Those are the methods I used to teach my henchfrogs. Who taught you my methods?"

Coughing, I managed to blurt out the first thing which came to mind. "Mia Angelina Demone, mon petit chou."

I did not know what I did wrong, but whatever I did, it did not make Le Frog happy . . . at all. He dropped me on my back, knocking all the air out of me. He walked over and waited until I was standing before he pumched me in the nose. I had time to acknowledge the blood spurting out of my nose before Le Frog karate-kicked me in the chest. I grabbed it in pain, but he wasn't done with me yet. Le Frog picked me up with his tongue and threw me across the room. The entire top half of my torso - from the diaphram up - hit the wall full force.

As I fell to the floor, I heard Le Frog declare furiously, "Never call me ton petit chou!"

I rose to my knees, too weak to rise any higher, and when I reached up to touch my head, I felt warm blood dripping out of the small opening in my skin. "I'll keep that in mind, Le Frog." I gathered all my strength and slowly rose to my feet, my eyes firmly shut, and whispered, "Now you see me; now you don't." I teleported and the last thing I saw was the Jammy Dodger's cabin before I passed out.

I woke up to the sound of the ship's horn. I sat upright and glanced into the spoon to obtain an idea of the damage done. Other than my two black eyes, the goose egg on the back of my head, the blood stains all over my skin and clothes, the scratches all over the top half of my back, and my blood-clotted hair, I was somewhat presentable. I used the water in the small keg to wash off most of the blood, then removed the blood-stained button-up shirt - revealing my black kung-fu outfit underneath - before climbing shakily up the ladder, hoping no one would notice the difference.

"What in the world happened to you, Mia?" asked Rita instantly. "It looks like you where caught in the middle of a bear fight."

So much for not being noticed. "It's a long story . . ."

Suddenly, I heard Roddy yelp out and I turned to find the problem; henchfrogs were boarding the ship. I jumped inbetween Roddy and the frogs, attempting to shoo them away. "Who invited you on board? Hop it! Hop it!"

"Ah, the French maid girlie . . . she is so agressive."

I cringed at the sound, yet managed to look up at my husband. "Le Frog," I stated.

He stretched down from the pipe until he was standing beside me, delicately holding my right hand. "I like a woman with little fire." Tenderly, Le Frog kissed my hand and I almost ,elted at the gesture.

Almost. I took this opportunity to look down at Le Frog's green left hand, hoping to find his engagement ring snugly adorn on his ring finger. The ring finger was completely bare. Tears began to well up in my eyes as pain and fury swelled in my heart. I brought up my left hand and slapped him hard across the face.

He pulled back and gingerly held a hand to his stinging cheek. He pointed angrily at me and growled, "You will pay for that, my little chocolate croissant!" He paused and quickly regained his composure. "But first, a word from our sponsor. Marcelle!"

Marcelle, the only mime and non-active henchfrog of the entire crew, appeared out of nowhere and started performing mime tricks. However, the performance was interrupted when the cellular phone attached to his front started playing the French National Anthem. Marcelle stopped immediately and opened the flip phone, revealing the caller to be Toad.

"Oh," moaned Rita. "I should have known."

"Well done, Le Frog," said Toad, raising his hand in a salute. "I salute you, sir! Now, Rita, hand it over."

I edged away from the flirtatious Le Frog as Rita replied, "Hand what over?"

As Toad went into a lengthy detailed speech about 'this dance of deception', Le Frog scooted closer, wrapped an arm around my waist, and pulled me close enough our lips were almost close enough to touch. "I am sorry for my outburst last night, chere. Petit chou was my fiance's pet name for me, and when I heard you say it, Mon Dieu, you scared me." He traced the scar on my cheek with his pinky finger. "You remind me of Mia so much already, that sentimental remark gave me a heart attack." He leaned closer and attempted to kiss me.

"Le Frog!" I stopped him before we lost the G rating. "There is something very important you need to know about your cousin . . . about Toad."

It was then Toad began to cough and wheeze from the exceeding use of maniacal laughter. Le Frog pushed me away so he could aid his cousin. "Relax, cousin. Catch your breath. We'll get the girl and the cable, kill the rodents, and then my team and I can settle down for a decent breakfast." He and his henchfrogs chuckled and it was all I could do to not punch him in the face. "Alright, team . . . to action!"

I could not hold in my laughter as the henchfrogs threw up their arms and cried, "We surrender!"

Le Frog slapped himself in the face over his team's stupidity. "Not that one, you idiots! The kung-fu thing."

"Oh!" They all said in unison before breaking into what was quite obviously a routine.

As the routine commensed, Roddy leaned closer to me and Rita and whispered, "I have a plan, but I need Mia to hold her tongue."

Never taking my eyes off of the kung-fu frogs, I quietly replied, "Alright, Roddy. I trust you."

As soon as the routine was completely finished, Rita whispered, "Go for it!"

Roddy stomped on the handle of an old spoon, whirling something up into the air above the hencfrogs' heads. "Fly at twelve o' clock!"

I heard the fly mutter, "Oh, bother," and I held onto my tongue as the henchfrogs snapped out, entangling their tongues into the biggest knot I had ever seen. Rita climbed onto the top of the boat, grabbed a root, and stuck it in the tangled-up tongues. The frogs, including Marcelle, were pulled off the boat and stuck together on the root.

As Rita saluted them farewell, I laughed, "That must be what you British call 'tongue-tied'!"

Suddenly, Le Frog hopped out of hiding, kicking Rita to the floor. "Rita!" I shouted, running to her side. Her head was slightly bruised, but her breathing was normal. Le Frog had simply knocked the poor rodent unconscious.

Le Frog stepped forward and, poised for attack. "It's just you and me, chere."

I turned to Roddy. "Take the wheel, Roddy. The rapids are coming!" Le Frog attempted to grab Roddy, but I prevented it by knocking Le Frog back. "Leave me and mes amis alone, Le Frog!"

He grabbed my wrists and pulled me close. "I'm afraid I cannot do that, chere."

"Then, I'm really sorry." I kicked him hard in the groin and hopped back over to Roddy to give him quick advice. "Remember, no matter what happens, do not let the boat turn left at the fork in the tunnel. Whoa!"

Le Frog had used his tongue to grab my neck and drag me closer. "You should not have done that, chere. I was actually growing fond of you." He squeezed harder and I struggled to breathe. "Any last words?"

"Yeah." I let my tongue lash out and pop him in the face, knocking myself free. "I can fight with my tongue as well." I shot my tongue out again and slapped him several times across the face. "How's that for hot action?"

He laughed, stepping confidently closer. "You're so hot, chere, you put the sun to shame. You make me sizzle all over." He drew closer, backing me into a corner as the Jammy Dodger headed for the waterfall. "Come with me, Monique. Let's leave England, my cousin, everything behind and return to our native land."

I could not move back any further, so he pressed his body against mine and whispered, "We can get married, start our own family, and forget this whole thing."

"I'm sorry, Le Frog," I told him. "I can't forget about my friends." I zipped his zipper all the way up and pushed him out of the way. Speedily, I helped Rita - who had just awakened - to her feet and the two of us rushed to Roddy's side, hoping we could assist him in time. Unfortunately, we were a moment too late.

We started going over the edge and I thought we were all going to die. Suddenly, Roddy grabbed the hand's joystick and used the mechanical hand to grab the pipe running across the way. The two rodents lost their balance and knocked into me, nearly costing all of us our lives anyway. Luckily, I grabbed hold of Rita's foot, Rita grabbed onto Roddy's hand, and Roddy managed to get ahold of the very edge of the boat. However, we had no idea as to how we were going to get out of this mess.

Le Frog - who apparently had remained on the boat the entire time - zipped his zipper back to its usual spot and laughed maniacally at the three of us. He climbed down and practically tore the cable off of Rita's jeans. He then reached down and grabbed my arm, pulling me off of Rita and lugging everythign up to the pipe on which the Jammy Dodger was clinging desperately. He threw me - who was now clutching the master cable in a death grip - onto the pipe and shouted, "You stupid English, with your Yorkshire pudding and your chips with fish! You thought you could defeat Le Frog? Un!" He held up a single finger as he kicked off one of the Jammy Dodger's mechanical fingers.

"Le Frog, no!" I shouted as the boat shifted uneasily. I put the cable on like belt and rose to my feet.

"Deux!" He brought up a second finger as he knocked off the second mechanical one.

"Le Frog, please, stop!" I ran over and grasped his arms. "Please, you don't have to do this. I'll do whatever you ask, cher, just don't do this to mes amis. I'll marry you, return with you to our native land, and forget this whole thing."

He pulled his arm from me and pushed me away. "You don't love me. You're only doing it for your friends. That's not what I want." He held up a third finger and quickly kicked off the last two fingers. "Trois!"

"NO!!!!!" I screamed as the Jammy Dodger and its two passengers plummetted into the darkness. I held my head and sobbed as Le Frog laughed and performed a dance similar to the can-can.

Suddenly, I remembered this part of the movie and Rita and Roddy did not die when the boat fell. I peered down into the darkness and watched as Rita and Roddy floated up on the grocery bag parachute. I stood up and glanced at Le Frog, who was too busy dancing to notice. As soon as they were within reaching distance, they held out their hands and I - who usually took my opportunities where they lay ( or in this case, float) - grabbed hold.

As soon as we were out of reach, Rita shouted, "My friend and my belt . . . I think."

"You rodents!" Le Frog shook his fist angrily at us, furious at being duped. "You may have taken Monique away from me, but just you wait . . . I will get her back!"

I sighed and closed my eyes as tears began forming in my eyes. If only you could have me back.