The Wrecker

by SpongeGuy

10 Years Before Amphibia... A Frog Learns There's Still Hope... An Amphibia Prequel... (The Final Chapter is out! Epilogue coming soon!)

4. A Reason

31 Years Ago…

"WRECKER!", Mystique Meringue screeched, and Wrecker, who was with the rest of the actors in the dressing room, jumped to attention, saluting. His clown get up, complete with colorful wig, red nose, and white cheeks, was appropriately silly, but Mystique Meringue still found fault in it (for understandable reasons though).

"Wrecker, take off that RIDICULOUS costume and get moving! We are on in 5 and I need you!", Mystique ennounciated, and the whole troupe, Wrecker included, stared around in surprise and confusion. Cardboard swords and fake props were all over the place, and half dressed people with a lot of makeup were frantically preparing, but a spanner had been put in the works thanks to Mystique's words.

Wrecker, the only one brave enough to question Mystique, raised his hand. "Um… Madam? The clown only enters in Act 3, Scene 17, "The Great Circus Con"?"

Wrecker's scene partners, The Ringmaster, The Mantis Tamer, and The Trapeze Artist, all nodded in agreement.

Mystique sighed dramatically and began to weep uncontrollably, and the actors, used to these outbursts, passed umbrellas. "Dah-ling I KNOW! But… But…"

The rain came down as she screamed "MY TRITONIO LEFT!"

A frenzy fell on the actors, and they all gasped in shock, some even fainting. Wrecker looked even paler now. "WHAT THE? WHAT HAPPENED TO MATT?"

"MATT IS DEAD…", Mystique started, and everyone let out gasps and screams.

"…Tired. Dead tired. Sorry, I had a frog in my throat.", Mytique explains, and the technician Larry emerged from her mouth.

"Sorry Ms. I was just checkin' the vocal chords. Fit as a fiddle!"

"Very good. Now, where was I? Ah, yes! WRECKER PUT THIS ON!", She shouted and a vintage red jacket from Marsh Pond with white puffy sleeves, a brown belt, long black boots and grey pants were thrown onto Wrecker, his make up artist face palming and immediately beginning to wipe his face.

Wrecker was aghast, and his buggy eyes showed it. "Wh…What?! I can't be Tritonio! I'm… I'm just the clown!"

"You trained Matt so many times, I bet you know the whole play by heart!", Mystique "encouraged" as she whacked him with her fan.

Wrecker, who already began to slip on the pants, begged for a different person. "Madam, please! I… I'm not dependable I'll probably fuck it up!"

Mystique turned around slightly and pretended to care. "You once told me you live for acting, right?"

"…Yes. Yes I do.", Wrecker said, remembering his vow to help others with his skills.

"Then if don't want to rot in a landfill, you better get acting! CHOP CHOP!", She threatened, and Wrecker, letting out a yipe, put on his costume in a hurry.

One minute from the opening, and Wrecker was nervously shivering in the backstage, praying that his retention of the lines was still intact. "Oh Frog, oh Frog, oh Frog…", he whispered, his heart pounding in his chest.

Wrecker quickly took a peek as the stage was being set in darkness and Mystique asked everyone to shut up for the play, and suddenly it felt like there were so many more people than usual. Wrecker had been in countless plays, but never had he actually played an important part, and the pressure was getting to him. What if he failed? What if he flubbed? All these people would be let down, and their lives would be forever stained because he wasn't good enough and then the apocalypse would happen and…

"GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF MAN!", Wrecker shouted inwardly, and he closed his eyes and opened them again. What was he going to do? He was no Matt Chapman, he was no Tritonio, he was just The Clown in Act 3, Scene 17!

But as he stared out one last time, with 20 seconds on the clock and Mystique kicking him to get to his place in the shooting squad execution wall, Wrecker caught in his eye a 4 year old salamander boy.

Salamanders didn't frequent Frog cities: They kept to themselves high in the mountains, where no one could disturb their ancient ways. It was rare to see one, even rarer for it to be a child. But there he was, and he was staring, seemingly into Wrecker's soul.

Wide, curious eyes bated him, and the boy seemed transfixed before a single scene had occurred. Wrecker started around but no one seemed to be related to him. The boy was alone, that was for sure. No frog would take in a salamander, and this one was sitting not in front but on the ground, cut off from the rest.

He seemed so alone…

Wrecker, without a moment's hesitation, closed his eyes, got into position, and tightened his resolve. This boy was going to have the time of his life, no matter what.

The lights slowly went on, the orchestra played the drums as if they were all in a real military execution, and his fellow actor friends, who sent him encouraging thumbs ups just a moment ago, now lifted their "crossbows" and ordered his "execution".

A hush fell across the crowd, and the Salamander boy stared, wondering where this was going to go, if this would make it worth it.

The main executioner lifted a blank piece of paper and read the charges. "I am Captain Yuck of the Toad Army!"

Cue the audience laughter. Any chance one could get to make fun of the toad army was taken with pleasure.

"Captain Yuck" continued, his purposefully ugly mask and blublous belly bouncing as he spoke. "I serve my great and honorable people well, for we are the master race! I wake up every morning with duties and finish every night with a satisfied grin, for Amphibia is safer with me in charge! I live to serve, and I serve to live! However, standing before me is not a toad, not a newt, but a lowly, stinking frog!"

Boos from the audience of course, who rarely got to sound such thoughts.

The Salamander stared on in interest, not used to such open criticism of the toads, though he found the omission of Salamanders insulting but not surprising.

"Captain Yuck" neared the end of his speech, as the spotlight didn't cast yet on Wrecker, who breathed slowly, refusing to relent to his fears. "You wake up every morning, and Toad knows why you get to! You go to sleep at night in a bed made with lies and deception! I serve the line, but tell me, filthy frog…"

"Captain Yuck" shot an "arrow" that just sailed over Wrecker's head. "WHAT DO YOU SERVE?"

The light slowly but surely lit on Wrecker, who was still breathing. His eyes closed, as the "arrow" dropped wood splinters into his face. He saw nothing in his thoughts but the boy. And, with fear aboundent but not affecting…

He opened his eyes.

"My name…", he let it dangle, waiting for the crowd's gasp of anticipation and smiling. "…Is The Terrible Train Thief Tritonio!"

Despite being tied to a wall, "Tritonio" (thanks to countless practice with Matt that thankfully paid off) knocked his head back, allowing the arrow head to drop just in the right way to "free" his hands. Then he ducked as the arrows shot, slid, knocked down a soldier, grabbed his "crossbow", "killed" the other toads, and, grabbing his "sword" from behind the ear of "Captain Yuck", announced his mission.

Wrecker, as he began to say it, stared right into the eyes of the Salamander boy and declared with genuine assurance, as if he were covering him with a blanket of hope, "And I serve those in need, so send a thousand toads! I will live so they can too!"

He winked at the boy. "Give me your best shot."

And for the next 5 hours, Wrecker lived so the boy could live too.

31 Years Later…

And Wrecker, arriving to shore with Annie, had a startling realization, as she excitedly helped him out and embraced him before running off to the ticket station at the train station:

What if he wanted to live for her...

Forever?

(The Mandalorian Theme Song – Ludwig Gorranson – The Mandalorian)

The Wrecker

CHAPTER 4:

A Reason

"I don't know… Is "Marsh" really a word?", Annie asked, an eyebrow raised and a hand scratching her chin, "deep" in thought. A half eaten sandwich lay strawn on a white paper plate, and a few too many candy wrappers were also lying around.

"What do you mean? You LITERALLY lived in a marsh!", Wrecker, in disbelief but mostly laughing, pointed an accusatory finger, eyes filled with tears of mirth as he wiped them with his free hand. His swamp slushie was half empty, and he was sort of stuck in his seat, thanks to reality.

Annie feigned innocence and whistled. "I think you should check the rule book!"

Wrecker decided to humor her and "checked", and while he did Annie giggled and placed her letters to form a word that in another world would have been categorized as a "pro gamer move".

Wrecker looked back and was genuinely surprised, though it was all in good humor. "Qats? NOW THAT'S NOT A REAL WORD!"

"Oh it so is! And with all those bonus squares, the game is in the bag! Yay-yeah!", Annie laughed back, and Wrecker, elbow under his head, smirked.

"Place it in a sentence.", he playfully challenged.

"I won the scrabble game with Qats".", Annie smirked, a kitty cat esque smile on her face. Wrecker feigned outrage and said "I'll have you put in scrabble jail for this!"

The duo laughed loudly, smiling fondly at each other, when suddenly the ticket station owner passed them, a thin, stick like Newt with curly ginger hair and black overalls, a phased expression contrasting with his "I Choo-Choo-Choose to smile!" stitching on said overalls.

"I wish you would. Newtdamn delays!"

This interruption sent reality crashing back down on both frogs. Annie tapped her fingers sadly on the table now, and Wrecker stared out anxiously outside. Their train had been delayed for a day, so they had had to "camp in", so to speak, at the ticket station. And while the hours that they had passed had been wonderful and fun, full of games, and good food, and safety and warmth, they were coming to an end. The train would be here any minute, and while the ride would take a while, it would also mean…

Wrecker stared back at Annie, who was averting his glance now and staring at the bag of Scrabble letters.

She took the letters out, the clinking spill of the pieces echoing across the establishment, and she tried to spell a word, or a sentence, or a thought out, but for some reason she stopped short and packed them all in.

"…It was fun.", Annie said, smiling appreciateively but sadly at Wrecker.

"…The most fun I've ever had.", Wrecker said, and he offered his hand.

Annie sighed and offered hers in return.

"Good game.", they both said at the same time, but inside they both dreaded the sound they would hear any second now.

And for a moment, they both prayed for another delay, but it was 10:00 AM Sharp, and sharp it was, the click clacking of the train tracks signaling the arrival of the train that would take them to where they'd been headed from the beginning.

Annie and Wrecker stared at each other, an unspoken desire remained silent, and the duo left the ticket station, tickets weighing heavily in Wrecker's bag, two days ago weighing heavy in Annie's heart.

Wrecker had nearly died twice. And what had Annie really done? Sure, she had delayed the first death by digging up the rule book, but when it truly mattered, she had been too late, and Wrecker hadn't needed her. She was glad, no, elated that he was alive, but…

But what was her purpose? What did she give? She was just Annie Lilypad…

And she couldn't even save her hero.

Sighing and dragging her feet, Annie decided to look around to distract herself, but instead all she saw were families walking together, chatting, laughing, pointing at the long, and visually impressive train. THAT did momentarily distract Annie and she let out an impressed gasp. For most, a train was a simple sight, but the black and red coats of pain, making each train car from the beautiful engine with it's steaming pipe that reached to the sky to the lowly but ever important caboose look like a painting she had only now been able to step into.

"…I didn't know they were so beautiful.", she grinned, her eyes sparkling like stars Wrecker had never seen.

He frowned in pain. Would that be the last he saw them twinkle? It had to be the last time, he wouldn't even see normal stars where he was going when this was over.

But a small part of him wished he could see them twinkle more. And it scared him. This… This wasn't normal. This…

What was this?

Wrecker had to shake the feeling off of his head though, he had to focus. Get on the train, get her a safe home, and finish his one. Good. Thing.

Annie was still admiring and appreciating the train and the hustle and bustle of people. So many suitcases, so many bags and dropped hats and hurried goodbyes. Some were slower, and sadder though. Annie spied with her eye a couple kissing each other as they parted, tears visible even from afar. Annie craned her neck to listen, her heart beating slowly.

"I'm sorry… I would get off I could.", the blonde woman said.

"It's all right. You have business to attend to back home.", the brunette replied, wiping her tear.

"You're my home."

"…We will meet again. Stay safe."

Annie twiddled her thumbs as she mulled the conversation over. She began to realize something: She really was about to reach safety. But where? And was it truly safer, or… Better… Than where she was now?

"…I'm not used to moving house.", she said, not daring to look at Wrecker, as they stood in a long long line, waiting for their tickets to be taken and their seats to be granted passage too. Sandwiched with a yawning business newt from The Urban Jungle City and a Swamp City fish monger/tourist who was excited to see Toad Town, Wrecker had to speak just loud enough for Annie to hear over the noise.

"You'll never have to again. I'm taking you to a safe place, by route of Toad Tower."

Annie frightfully jumped, eyes widening in terror, hand on her sword already. "Toad Tower? Are you crazy?"

"May I remind you I served their army? Or do I have to show you my back scars? It makes for a pretty thrilling light show with the right source!", Wrecker joked, and the fish monger behind them enthusiastically joined in.

"Yer gotsa be kiddin' me, what a coinki dink! Small pond, am I roight? I'm 'eaded to Toad Town too!", he nodded with a smile, sketching a drawing of the train in a jiffy and showing it off. "Makin' a gallery of me trip, as you can see!"

"Ugh, tourists.", the business man grumbled and sighed, and he withdrew a newspaper.

Wrecker and Annie nodded at the tourist, Annie advising him to bolden the lines to really bring out the size of the engine, and then the two resumed their conversation. "A vetren like you is safe, but those toads want me killed!"

"The only toads who want you killed are the ones like Swampbeard. It's not in their nature to want to kill you, it's in their system, and the ones who are willing to exploit it."

"Explain.", Annie asked, eying a passing Toad with suspicion and anger. "Unless I read incorrectly, frogs have been called an inferior species."

"By bad people who just so happened to be toads. If all frogs were good, Swampbeard would have let us through in a second. And Grime wouldn't have tried to stop your father and save him."

"Whose Grime?", Annie asked, raising an eyebrow, startled at this discovery. She hadn't really noticed back then, and it sounded unlikely, but Wrecker wouldn't lie.

"…A fellow soldier who tried to help me when I gave him nothing. He tried to stop all the senseless killing in your village because of what was beating inside of him and not because of the color of his scales. It's that simple, darling. There are no evil species, just bad people and the systems they use to keep us all afraid.", Wrecker said, and Annie nodded her head slowly. She had never really thought of it…

"…So where am I staying?", she asked, a small voice in a large world.

"Wartwood. My folk's house is large, and welcoming, and far off from any trouble. And I know a good woman there, she'll look out for you.", Wrecker said soothingly, squeezing her hand.

"…It sounds nice. Not so different from what I have now, though.", Annie said, before regretting it and biting her lip.

Wrecker didn't know what to say. He already knew that Annie cared for him, and slowly he had learned that it wasn't without merit. But death was his fate, and he couldn't run away from it any longer. Her hand felt warm, and the grave would be cold, but it would be right… Right?

"Just ignore it.", Wrecker said, but Annie's hand still left an imprint on his, even when she suddenly left his and lifted her sword.

"WHAT?", Wrecker asked, snapped out of his thoughts as Annie sword blocked a cane being held by an elderly salamander with a grey hat and greyer hair, his wrinkled face crinkling with bewilderment.

"Wrecker, he was gonna hit you with that cane! I saw it!", Annie cried, a mad look in her eyes. She was visibly shaking, and Wrecker recognized the look as one he had seen before, in battle, in bloodshed.

…What had he done to her?

"Sir, if you may, please! I do not have the heart for such frivolity!", the old salamander asked, breathing heavily, hand to his chest. He was now shaking with his cane, and he was turning pale too. Wrecker was very apologetic and he supported his shoulder while Annie kept looking around wildly, sure that she had just defended her defender.

"I am SO sorry, sir! She's been through a lot, it was an innocent mistake!", Wrecker leapt to Annie's defense, but Annie was still convinced.

"Da… Wrecker, I'm telling you! He was gonna hit your head with that!"

The old man harrumphed and gave Annie a frustrated look. "Listen here, child! I was merely gonna tap him on the head and ask him of the time! It is of great importance! I cannot be late!"

Annie felt crushed. OF COURSE she had hit an innocent (albeit jerky) old man! "Stupid Annie! Think!"

She crossed her arms angrily. Of course. Of course.

"Always.", she muttered, and she averted her eyes as Wrecker continued to apologize.

"Sadly, I don't have the time, I don't own a watch. I was lucky enough to arrive on time.", he sheepishly apologized, as the business man showed his watch.

"10:05. Sodding train is taking it's time loading us in.", he complained, before returning to his newspaper.

The old Salamander thanked Wrecker, before rolling his eyes at Annie and returning to his place in line.

Annie sighed, kicking her feet. Her sword was limp by her body now, heavier than usual.

"It was just a mistake.", Wrecker encouraged, but Annie frowned sadly.

"It's always just a mistake."

Wrecker shook his head sadly, knowing that it would take time for Annie to return to her usual jolly self, and not wanting to make things worse by trying to fix it. Instead, the two stayed silent, a rustle in the crowd the only sound they heard. The line progressively moved forwards (taking more time than usual due to the massive amount of people leaving and going for once) until finally Wrecker and Annie were by the ticket man, who had just let the business man in.

"Finally! First class!", he said with a groan, before the ticket master corrected him.

His eyes went wide with disgust. "Coach? This must be a mistake! I bought a first class ticket!"

"Station's orders. Those are reserved for real heroes.", the ticket frog man said, as a Toad Soldier skipped the line and entered from the side into the car. The Newt began to sputter in disagreement, but, knowing better, he silenced himself and walked in with a huge, pathetic sob.

"See what I mean?", Wrecker whispered, and Annie half nodded. She was still bummed out, but the point did seem more logical now; why would a newt train station give toads the leeway if it wasn't for the pre-existing system?

"Doesn't make it any less annoying.", Annie whispered back, and Wrecker ruffled her hair, making her smile for a second.

"No it doesn't.", he agreed, and the two went up to the ticket Frog.

"Tickets, please."

"Of course.", Wrecker said, and he gladly reached for his bag, only to find nothing.

"WHAT THE?!", Wrecker shouted and he and Annie panickingly realized the bag was gone.

"The tickets and our food are in there! We can't lose it!", Annie said, and Wrecker, while still unsure of its importance, was also thinking of the strange box he had seen that day when he had first met Annie.

The two quickly got to the ground, searching, the line behind them getting impatient. Annie accidentally grabbed onto a Swamp City resident's foot, and he grunted at her while she smiled sheepishly and sighed, and Wrecker was kneed in the face before looking up to see a very plainly dressed Salamander.

"My good sir! What ARE you doing on the floor? Here, let me help you up!", the salamander said, smiling politely as he lifted him up to almost equal footing.

Wrecker dusted himself off, and quickly held onto Annie's hand, who was still looking down with shame. "My fault completely. Wouldn't be much of a change!", Wrecker joked, despite a bite of guilt.

The Salamander chuckled and asked "If I may ask, why were you there?"

"Oh, looking for our bag before the line kicks us out.", Wrecker informed, and a "Hurry up!" shout could be heard.

"I'll hurry your ass up!", Annie shouted, lifting her sword again, and Wrecker gently patted her hand down, which unfortunately only made her feel worse.

The Salamander, with a gleam in his eyes, suddenly lifted a bag. "Oh my Salamander, do you mean this one? I found it lying in the middle of the line!"

"Frog's sake, it is! Thank you! I owe you one!", he said, shaking the salamander's hand and then patting Annie's shoulder. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be able to get this little one to safety!"

"I'm not little and I'm… Plenty safe.", Annie said, biting her lip even harder as her desire to be with Wrecker floated up again and made her feel guilty.

Wrecker tried to ignore his inner voice screaming to him to listen to Annie, and instead he listened to the Salamander who winked and said "Well, do be careful! You never know who could be lurking about!".

Annie nodded, suddenly spying the old salamander from before stare at them and turn around suddenly. She narrowed her eyes.

"Will do! Safe travels!", Wrecker greeted, and he and Annie finally handed in their tickets and embarked on the train, the two frogs hating and enjoying how much they wanted to stay together.

The friendly salamander, seeing that the line was still quite long, and thus there was time for a conference, snuck quickly to the side where he quickly met…

"WELL? DO YOU HAVE IT?", Swampbeard shouted, and the salamander shushed him with a glazed expression.

"For a pirate, you're not very discreate."

"And for a terrible train thief, you're not much of a thief! Where's the box?!", a harsh whisper emitted from Swampbeard, and Tritonio rolled his eyes.

"Swampbeard, my ginormous employee, listen! The box is only a third of the prize! I had to make sure he even had it! You can't just kill him here in the open!"

"Watch me.", Swampbeard said, and Tritonio quickly stopped him.

"Ah, ah, ah! I was promised the riches this train had to offer as well, remember?", he smirked devilishly, and Swampbeard grumbled.

"Yes, I remember. So what's the plan, yer annoyin' git?"

Tritonio lazily leaned back on the wall of the train car and closed his eyes. "Simple: I lull the Wrecker and his daughter into a false sense of security, maybe even send them on the wrong track of suspicion, we get ourselves familiar with the train's structure and makeup, and tomorrow morning the toad army gets the box, you get revenge, and I get the gold."

He opened one eye and smirked again, filing his nails. "Got it… Memorized?"

"I'm not a moron, Tritonio. I'm just angry. This better work.", he threatened, sword to Tritonio's throat, the thief lightly removing the sword and, hands in his pockets, walking towards the line without a care in the world.

"Captain, you ARE talking to The Terrible Train Thief Tritonio himself! It's what I do!"

17 Years Ago…

"Boy! Fill up them coals!", the engineer shouted out, as he did every morning before they set off from The Urban Jungle towards Toad Town and back again. Tedius and monotonous, like the wheels of a train, or the chores of an 18 year old Salamander boy who trudged down towards the coal room to shovel more in. He had been working there for 14 years, and for 14 years he had managed to gain zero upwards trajectory. And if things were to stay the way they did, he would keep doing this for what? 70-80 years?

Slippy Salamander sighed and shook his head. He was covered from head to toe in soot, and his already disgusting rags were going to dissolve into dust soon for sure. His eyes blinked rapidly from the dirt, and he sat down in a totally black and empty room, the coals raging harder and faster as the train set off.

He had been saving money for years, but the pay was so measley, he doubted it would amount to much travel wise.

…He really was stuck here, wasn't he?

There was no way out…

Was there?

"…Some life.", Slippy muttered, hands on his head. "I bet Tritonio would have found a way out of this by now."

But Slippy was no Tritonio. He was just…

"TRITONIO?!", A voice shouted in alarm, and Slippy, shooting up like a bullet, heard the sound that had accompanied his ever dreaming moment: Swords striking with swords and a swashbuckling laugh that made Slippy feel 10 times the Salamander he was.

A moment's hesitation…

And Slippy ran off to see. "It couldn't be! He's just a myth!", Slippy said, replaying every scene of that famous play. But behold…

It was.

There he stood, hair greying but not quite enough yet, sword stance a little defensive for his taste but instantly recognizable as the Tritonio Tease, the laugh iconic in its own right. His vest, his belt, his goatee… They were all there!

"I thought you never show your face!", a train attendant cried in fear and alarm, shakingly raising a sword. He and two more attendants were supposed to defend the recent toad army supply of stolen gold from the mines, but they all seemed so small next to him.

"Well, consider it a treat from your favorite thief!", Tritonio shouted, and he laughed once more as he disarmed them all and bowed to the stunned but impressed audience, some of whom clapped.

Slippy hid behind a passenger's seat as he witnessed his hero live more in 5 seconds then he had ever done in 18 years.

It was a little slower perhaps in real life, but it was still exhilarating! Tritonio played the guardsl like fiddles, the crowd almost laughing along as he cut their belts to drop their trousers, used a lady's flowers to tickle one of them and make them sneeze, and distracted them with his trademark non-lethal mushroom bombs that splattered them with pain. Bowing once more to the crowd, the Salamander leapt to the other car to catch his breath and recalculate, the guards and unbeknowest to any of them, Slippy, following him there.

Tritonio, leaning on his left leg, the bags of gold bouncing in his shaking hand, smiled in relief. "Not too shabby.", he whispered, as he turned around to face his pursueors.

"He never plays with his prey this long! What are you gonna do to us? Eat us?", a guard asked, and Tritonio laughed that merry laugh. Slippy wondered how could one laugh in the face of danger.

"My friend, I've had my fill. I'm just taking some dessert.", he quipped, and he continued to sword fight them, barely looking as he acknowleged the boy there. "Hello, young chap! What brings you here to the scene of the crime?"

Slippy was so in awe at the very notion that his hero, the one he spent nights dreaming of being, the one he spent work days imagining their conversations, the one that made him hope he could be more than just a salamander, was actually talking to him, that he just gaped and said nothing, failing to find words.

"Back to the coal room with you, salamander! We'll handle this!", the guards said, but Tritonio, not even paying attention to them, inquired further.

"I understand what this looks like, but I have a VERY important meeting in Toad Town, so if you could let this slide, I would REALLY owe you one!", Tritonio said with a wink, and he disarmed two of the guards, though he was beginning to pant a bit.

"…Owe… Owe YOU one?", Slippy asked, amazed, and he narrowly avoided being sliced by the final guard's sword, who began to truly challenge Tritonio.

The guard had noticed his unusual slowness, and he began to attack quicker and deadlier, each lash making Tritonio actually step back, which was blasphemy according to Tritonio himself in Act 4 Scene 20, The Giant of Gaunt Island.

"Tritonio! Hit him with the Triple Lutz Trick!", Slippy cheered on, but the guard was having the upper hand, and Tritonio was beginning to feel the pain in his arm and leg, almost crouching down now from fatigue.

"I was expecting more of a challenge! But now, Captain Muck will receive the resources he needs to keep us safe!", the guard shouted, lifting his sword for a finishing strike. Tritonio, truly feeling lost, closed his eyes. "Forgive me, Maria…"

CRASH!

The two fighters stared to the side to see Slippy's bleeding knuckles but brilliant smile next to a broken window. "Whoops!", he called, and Tritonio, smirking, dashed out, saluting the guard who cursed him as he left.

"You are in serious trouble, boy! I'll make you work there for life!", the guard screamed, reaching for the salamander, who instead, after a moment's thought, cheekily ran out and jumped.

"No need! I found one!", he called, and he found himself sailing through the wind before being caught by none other than Tritonio himself.

The salamander kid was placed gently down on the ground, and while Slippy just smiled eagerly, Tritonio looked down at him curiously.

A hint of gratitude was in his voice, though he tried to remain aloof. "I thought I was out for the count there for a second. Why did you follow me?", he continued, quizzicly viewing the boy.

Slippy, frowning, replied. "All my life I've stolen air. I'd like to steal something a little more valuable."

Tritonio nodded. "So you think one kind act is enough to get me to take you on as a partner?"

"…Yes?", Slippy asked, hopeful.

Tritonio froze for a moment, before laughing loudly and merrily, slapping his knee before flinching from the pain. "Ha! I like you, kid! You've got spunk!"

He pointed his sword to the distance. "I have an important meeting in Toad Town, but why don't you go that inn over there, and I'll join up tomorrow?"

"Wait…", Slippy could hardly believe it. "You're saying yes?"

"I could use a helping hand, so that no one can… Take me by surprise.", Tritonio half lied, and he scratched his chin.

"I had been planning to retire soon anyway… Perhaps training a replacement wouldn't be a bad idea. He has potential, quick thinking, the desire…"

Tritonio turned around and offered his hand.

"What do you say, kid? Ready to go under the Terrible Train Thief Tritonio's wings?"

Slippy, a mischevious smile, shook whole heartedly. "Wouldn't miss it!"

Back in the present, that same old train began to depart the same old station, the steam rising up through the air and the click clacking of the tracks echoing across the plains as it dashed past prairies and hills and cliff sides and jungles.

Car after car full of passengers watched in awe (despite trains not being a new thing at all) as the windows displayed wondrous sights and pleasant skies. Their seats were comfortable, their tables clean and dusted and soon everyone settled into the rythmn of the locomotive, rocking gently and some even falling asleep despite it being day time.

Everyone had a smiling face to keep them company… Everyone, that is, but one.

In the last car, having just barely arrived in time, and having not said a single word in days, was none other than Lieutenant Grime.

Or was he? Was he not something else now?

He sure felt that way, ever since…

His hands curled up, his palms facing upwards. They felt wet, rather than dry.

He had tried to wash them in the river he had travelled on over and over again, but to no avail.

All he saw was red.

Grime tried to adjust himself, but he found it impossible. His seat felt neither comfy nor hard. His legs kicked the table but no pain was to be found. He looked outside and saw not light, not darkness, but endless grey.

It was like he was not inside his body. As if a spectre of sorts had possessed him, and he couldn't see or hear. Or feel.

Which was a relief, in a way. Perhaps that's why the tears had not yet burst, perhaps that's why he hadn't screamed yet.

He was still processing what he had done.

Had he done wrong?

His society said otherwise…

But his heart continued to weep.

Grime felt himself curl up into a ball.

Perhaps if he closed his eyes…

He would never wake.

Like…

Houdini…

"…He… He killed my mother.", he whispered, begging for one corner…

Before moving to the other.

"…So?"

Grime shut his eyes tight, and fell asleep.

He had always thought there would be a huge outburst, a roaring chorus of damnation if he had ever crossed the line.

But no.

Instead there was something much scarier.

Complete and utter silence.

He was alone.

As he deserved.

The wooden brown table shook gently, rocking the mugs on top of it. Hot cocoa bubbled and its alluring scent wafted across the room. The windows displayed lush green forests and meadows, but unlike the pall forest these ones were calm, peaceful, and serene. Even the seats were comfy; rumor had it that they were made of pure honeycomb, and that they would taste great even if a million butts sat on them.

Unfortunately, Annie couldn't enjoy all this comfort and leisure. You would have a hard time too, if you felt this guilty over being saved and wanting to stay with your savior, and, thus, be a burden.

"This stinks.", Annie thought, sadly, as big eyes were thankfully hidden by curly hair. Looking up at Wrecker, he seemed a little odd as well, and Annie assumed it had to do with her. "Why wouldn't it? He's probably feeling guilty over me wanting him to stay. Great!", she grumbled, disappointed in herself. Everything had been fine up until now; she and Wrecker had managed to enjoy each other's company, even care for each other. What had gone wrong?

"Drink up, swe… Drink, it's gonna get cold.", Wrecker encouraged, but Annie turned her face away and sighed. Wrecker was puzzled. "Did I get the order wrong? I understood you wanted it "Tongue meltingly" hot, but we can order again, I don't mind!"

Annie was still silent.

Wrecker frowned and scolded himself. He was over worrying, wasn't he? It was hard to remember that Annie was 20, she was so fragile and young sometimes. But he was treating her like a baby. "If that were me, I'd want to make my own decisions. Besides, the more I worry, the more I want to be besides her, and we can't have that."

Wrecker turned away, apologetically, and said "Sorry, I won't nag you.", in a very genuine and well meaning voice.

Sadly, that went wrong too. Annie winced and stared at Wrecker from her seat. "Oh crap! Now I made him apologize for no reason! Come on, Annie, can't you earn his love for a second?!"

Annie thought that maybe she should drink the cocoa and solve the problem like that, but it suddenly seemed less enticing. She pushed it away and crossed her arms, upset. Wrecker noticed this and sighed too.

"Wow, Annie! In one hour you managed to almost hurt some old man (who I still have my suspicions of) AND insult your da… Wrecker. He was just asking politely, why did you have to hurt his feelings?! Some daughter.", she complained at herself, not even noticing the slip. It was bad enough leaving Wrecker, now she was ending things horribly! She had taken so much from him; he had saved her, protected her, cared for her!

Regret coated her words and suffocated her breath. "Why can't I do the same for him?"

Suddenly, a shout could be heard and a porter was running from one car past their car and onto the next as the old salamander Annie had almost hurt walked in and yelled gruffly.

"Listen here, you imbecilic buffoon! I tangled with men 100 times your brain power and they were goldfish! I don't care if your telegram service is on the fritz! I have to deliver this message instantly, or your ass is on the line!"

Everyone turned to look at the ranting salamander, who breathed heavily, straightened his hat, and left back to his seat in a huff. The car was quiet for a moment, while Tritonio climbed out of his seat and lifted the porter back up, who stuttered a nervous "Thank you" before returning to his post.

Annie's brain, however, was loud and calculating: "That guy is up to something! He's mean to everyone, and he gave me an odd look before! And why is he in such a hurry?"

Annie wasn't sure, but she smelled trouble. Oh, and beetle jerky! Her stomach grumbled, but she shushed it. Wrecker, however, heard.

"Oh, you must be hungry! No wonder you didn't want your cocoa! Here, why don't I…"

Wrecker than stopped himself. "No, wait, I can't buy for her, she'll think I'm imposing! And again, you're not her father!"

He tried to ignore the wonderful possibility of it and instead gave Annie a few golden coins. "Why don't you buy yourself something nice? If you want to, that is! I'm not trying to choose for you, I'm just here for you until I'm dead in like a day!"

"DID THAT REALLY SOUND BETTER IN MY HEAD?!", Wrecker complained at himself, while Annie, now feeling even guiltier for wanting him to live, but now also determined to give back, decided to take the money as an excuse to spy on the salamander man.

"Why, sure, Wrecker! I'll be back in a jiffy!", Annie said, and, using her tongue, she stuck herself to the roof and scattered about, looking for her prey.

Wrecker chuckled quietly to himself before resuming his mope, glancing sadly outside. A graveyard passed by so fittingly, Wrecker almost rolled his eyes. "Rest In Peace."

He wondered if that was true at all; right now, just the idea of resting made him restless!

"Troubled, friend?", Tritonio asked, and Wrecker, startled for a moment, relaxed and greeted Tritonio in a friendly manner.

"Oh, it's fine! I wouldn't want to trouble you! I do it to myself enough as it is!", Wrecker deflected the pain with a joke, but somehow it only stung more now.

"Oh, I understand! Daughters are not easy to raise, especially in such tumultuous times!"

Wrecker turned crimson and shook his head, fighting every fiber of his being to say no instead of yes. "Well, uh, she's not really my daughter. I had to take her in for a while because…"

He roused his strength and clenched his jaw and knuckles. "Her REAL father died. I'm just taking her to a safe place, and then I'm gonna close my eyes and sleep for a long, long time."

Wrecker stared down at his hands, scars and marks from previous battles adorning his palms. "…It's what she needs."

"I see. Well, good luck, my friend! I hope you find peace!", Tritonio "wished", and he stepped out, saying he had to find the "Little Salamander's room".

Wrecker thought of the only times he had felt peace in about 31 years. He put his palms together in near prayer. "…I hope so. For her sake."

Meanwhile, Tritonio sneaked out to "the bathroom", and discreetly kicked a potted plant, which turned around and cursed. "Make me camoflague as a plant again and I SWEAR…"

"Captain, captain, CALM down! I obtained some crucial information!", Tritonio relaxed, never once flinching as Swampbeard grabbed him by the throat.

Swampbeard laughed mockingly and squeezed harder, soil falling out of his pot. "What, that the Wrecker loves his "daughter"? What's next, the world is flat?"

"It's actually round, but that's beside the point."

Tritonio dropped from the hold and dusted himself. "What I now know is that he is torn. And like all torn things, he can be stretched till he breaks. The key, Captain, is his heart!"

Tritonio laughed cockily and tripped the porter from before, who had just returned from the bathroom. "That's how I got to the top instead of becoming like him."

"Ow! I have fallen and I can't get up!", the porter shouted, and Tritonio "helped" him up and smiled "warmly".

"A thousand thank you's, sir! I have weak knees! How may I ever repay you?", the porter asked, and Tritonio smiled and said, in a completely pleasant voice:

"How about a tour of the train?"

"Pa pa da pa pa da pa pa da, Super Spy Annie! Pa pa da pa pa da pa pa da, What's Grumpy Up To? Pa pa da pa pa da pa pa da, I should totally buy beetle jerky later my stomach is growling!", Annie sang to herself as she crawled on the wall and made unnecessary jumps and flips from one side of the car to the next, from table to table, from one large fruit salad hat to one smallish beanie hat. Her eyes were fixed primarily on the old man, who was still complaining about EVERYTHING, as they walked from coach all the way to first class, passing simple folk and business man and seeing pompous fancy rich folk instead.

Grumpy Old Man was in a real mood: He was bashing every corner with his walking stick, complaining loudly about the sucking noises of tadpoles and the smallest clinks of tea cups. Annie was pretty sure he had even told off a frog who was signing!

He was so grouchy, what with his foot stomps that illicited grumbles from him and his nose that seemed to be emitting steam, that his arm was shaking!

"Jeez, what a jerk! What could possibly have made him so mad?", she wondered, and she continued to follow him into first class, which was like entering another world: Gone were the rags and tattered clothes, now Annie saw powdered wigs and floofy clothes. Fat, stuffy folk with monocles and top hats chuckled and gossiped over some subject or other, and everyone seemed to be really self important. Annie stifled a giggle at how silly they all were, and re focused on the old man, who was now looking around him, almost paranoid like, his eyes turning around like moths to a light, his breathing slowing down, but still heavy.

Annie noticed him lick his lips for a second. She was formulating a theory, but she needed conclusive evidence. Crawling a little closer, she tried to bend her ear, but suddenly, she found herself blocked by the largest wig she had ever seen.

A jungle of fake white "hair" was parted by her fingers, and Annie wondered if she could sit on it, it was so big. "Kind of comfy", she thought, and, settling herself in, she watched by making "goggles" with her hands. A fly passed by and she instinctually caught it with her tongue and munched.

The Grumpy Old Man was sure acting strange: He was no longer direct and poised (if a little shaky) with his movements, but he was now VERY accident prone! It was sort of funny, and Annie again giggled, but it was very suspicious. Little bumps and "Pardon me's" were being thrown every which way, but Annie narrowed her eyes to detect the truth in the wind. For a few minutes this occurred, and Annie kept finding more and more suspicious activities: Even if this WAS the old man's car, he was taking an awful lot of time to get to his seat, and Annie couldn't spot a single free one. Add to that the suspicious lack of any fancy items on his person, excepting the suit, she guessed, and his suspicious paranoia, and things were highly suspect!

And then, it happened: What started as a confused old lady remarking that she couldn't find her wallet, and an aristocratic "gentleman" snapping at his card playing friend and demanding to see his golden watch turned into a game of "Where's my ludicrously expensive item?". Annie saw it all happen in real time, and things were getting truly chaotic, but not in Annie's mind.

She was now sure of it, as the old man disappeared from the car and looked back at her and winked: HE WAS A THIEF!

"Also, did he know I was there the entire time?", she thought, but there was no time to wonder about facts when there was a mission to be done! By stopping the thief, she would give back to Wrecker and even some pompous rich people!

"That last part sucks, but at least Wrecker won't be robbed!", she thought with pride and glee, and, trumpeting with her fingers, she leapt down and gave chase, accidentally ripping off the old lady's wig she was sitting on.

The old lady's scream followed Annie as she landed, made a mini victory dance at her super cool landing, and then bolted off towards the next car, but what she didn't notice was that she was in a heap of trouble.

"THAT… THING RIPPED MY WIG OFF!", The shrieking Toad lady cried, tears ruining her mascara.

"That wretched girl is small and fast! That automatically makes her suspicious, on account of her being a small and fast girl!", the rich bull frog with the top hat decreed, and everyone else nodded accordingly.

"Hold on… Women are greedy little things! And Frogs are dirt poor! She must be trying to survive or some bullshit like that!", the newt industrialist screamed.

A salamander politician took control of the situation. "Now, gentleman, ladies, let's settle this like civilized people…"

He withdrew a pitchfork, a burning torch, and a servant.

"And let's kill the poor, defenseless child with these assorted tools!"

"Better than washing your body!", a small toadie said.

"You got that right, Toadie! I am disgusting! Now, onwards!", the salamander cried, and the mob of rich people stormed after Annie, who was still bounding after The Old Man, who had noticed her and began to run too.

"I KNOW YOU'RE A THIEF, GRUMPY OLD MAN WHOSE NAME I DON'T KNOW!", Annie cried, dodging food carts and ducking under tables, something the mob wasn't good at.

"How many first class cars DOES this place have?", Annie asked out loud, as she dodged yet ANOTHER bathtub full of gold.

"27.", The Old Man answered.

"Son of a slug!", Annie cursed, leaping over a table and tasting a cake. She smacked her lips. "MY COMPLIMENTS TO THE CHEF!", she cried to the carrier of the cart before resuming her chase.

"GET THE FROG!", the mob called, throwing pitchforks and torches at her.

Annie narrowly avoided them. "Jeez! Thank goodness for mob escape rooms back home! Who knew they'd come in handy?"

Annie continued to pursue the shockingly fast (but gradually slowing down) old man, though she did stop at one point to sketch an "Eat the rich" bubble on the side of the train ("Easy target, but it was fitting!"). However, the train was reaching an end, and Annie knew that someone was gonna give. She just hoped it wouldn't be her.

"It's over, Old Man.", Annie said, pointing her sword. "I'm a really good athlete, and an amateur swordsman, so… I'm probably gonna hurt someone here!"

The corridor leading to the engine driver's part of the car was just a carpeted hall, with a window or two. It was barely containing Annie and the Old Man, since the mob was trapped in the entrance, struggling to breath thanks to their weight.

"COME HERE, GIRL!", they screamed, but Annie ignored them and burned a hole with her eyes into the Old Man's head.

The Old Man, barely staying up thanks to his breathlessness, leaned on the wall, but he was still smiling confidentially. "Little girl… I know you think you know who I am… But you don't."

"You're a thief. And you won't steal from my dad… I MEAN WRECKER.", Annie shouted, feeling guilty again.

The Old Man smiled softly, genuinely trying to convince Annie of the truth. "Little girl, I swear! You are making a mistake!"

"NOT AGAIN!", Annie screamed, and she stomped her foot. "UNLIKE YOU, YOU GREEDY PIG, I'M GIVING BACK TO MY DAD, AND YOU CAN'T STOP ME!"

The Old Man seemed hurt from this statement, and he stomped his foot too, before calming down. "YOU DON'T… …You are an honorable girl. But you are wrong." He was looking at her, but she couldn't see his hand reaching the window.

"How am I wrong?!", Annie shouted, the mob getting closer.

The Old Man smirked. "Well, for one, you don't have to give back anything. And on the other…"

He smashed the window and laughed, sounding 14 years younger. "YOU CAN'T STOP ME! TA TA!"

And dashing out faster than an instant, he vanished, and Annie, knowing she couldn't follow him, turned around and saw…

The mob. Freely moving inside the room and ready to kill.

"…Uh oh…"

Annie ran like her life depended on it (because it did), dodging and narrowly avoiding the maniacal rich people chasing her, screaming out profanities and vile threats.

"Isn't it a shocking thing that a frog died a week ago? How is this coming so easily to you?!", Annie wondered aloud, but it was to no avail, the mob still in pursuit, cake trays and tables and porters all pushed aside by the madness.

Wrecker, who had been sleeping, suddenly got stirred up by the sound, and, turning around, saw Annie dash straight to him, a look of utter panic and terror in her eyes. "LOOK OUT DA… WRECKER, FROGDAMN IT!"

Wrecker immediately grabbed Annie, while the mob that was approaching them was suddenly flung back into their car by a loose wooden plank. Annie would have laughed, but she felt like crying as well, so she just sort of hiccupped and sat down embarrassed while Wrecker scratched his head. "Not sure what that was about.", he muttered in confusion, before turning around to Annie, who looked a little shell shocked.

The Old Man salamander stepped in and sat down by a seat beside them, seemingly listening, staring at Annie, which made her even more angry and scared and mixed up and so many different emotions.

She twiddled her thumbs and took deep breaths and tried to calm down but it was borderline impossible. Especially because…

"Annie, are you… All right?", Wrecker didn't think that asking such a simple and general question was him being a burden to Annie, after all it would take a true monster to make that into a problem to anyone! But he still wanted to tread carefully, so he added "If it's ok to ask, of course, I don't want to snoop!"

Annie pinched the bridge of her nose. Just when she thought she couldn't feel worse! Was this how Wrecker felt all the time? How could anyone live with making another person suffer all the time, even by accident? "Wrecker, no, it's ok! You didn't do anything wrong! I did!"

"Oh… How?", he asked, and Annie, so fervently ashamed and embarrassed, a just hung her head low and placed the money on the table.

"I… Never mind. Can you… Um, can you please buy me something to eat?"

Annie just wanted to burry her troubles and forget them, and she hoped some beetle jerky would do the trick, but she felt guilty for asking Wrecker to do this. It was too late though, as Wrecker obliged hesitantly.

"A…Are you sure? I mean, I don't want to make things worse."

"You won't, ok? I know you won't, stop talking like that all the time!", Annie snapped a bit, regretting the slight anger in her response.

Wrecker gulped. His concerns for Annie and his fear of ruining her life butted heads once more, but he finally convinced himself to get a move on and walk out, telling himself that anyone would buy food for her, and he just happened to be the only adult male in the vicinity, and he wasn't her dad.

The Old Salamander man suddenly took off too, walking behind Wrecker, his face looking back at Annie one last time before moving on. Annie was flabbergasted: He was gonna rob Wrecker! But while her heart wanted to run, her brain froze her legs. She was stuck to her seat, and she flailed wildly but nothing worked. She wasn't sure why at first, but after she calmed down she did:

"…I'll just fuck up again if I go. He'll be fine. He…"

She sniffled, a tear running down her face.

"He doesn't need me."

Meanwhile, Wrecker found himself near the dining areas, and he let out a little gasp: The place was just as fancy as he always imagined, but he couldn't help and appreciate it. Strong and sturdy tables were covered by delicate white cloth, steaming plates and dishes of good warm food filled his nostrils with delight and quiet, polite conversation tickled his ears. It looked like a wonderful place, and he couldn't help but wonder if Annie would like it. "A good young lady deserves a place like this.", he thought, before shaking his head and sighing. "Frog's sake, Wrecker… Let her go. Before she joins the list of people you've hurt."

Taking a deep breath, Wrecker walked up to a free waiter and asked "Pardon me, good sir: May I order a plate of beetle jerky?"

The waiter nodded, but Wrecker suddenly pulled him back. "Oh, right, she likes it satisfyingly crunchy!"

"Of course, sir."

Wrecker fidgeted and added "And please make sure it's savory AND salty!"

"Right away, sir."

"OOH! And the ends have to be JUST slightly too hot so it chars your tongue but in a pleasant way! VERY important!"

"…Will that be all…"

"And I must emphasize the crunchy sound that's her favorite part…"

The waiter schlepped out a crossbow and yelled "WILL THAT BE ALL?!"

"YES! YES! I PROMISE!", Wrecker said, panicking and flailing his arms. That did NOT go well.

The waiter scoffed. "I saw you before all doting with the cocoa. Fathers! I never had one, and look how well I came out!"

As he walked off and Wrecker one again felt guilty for doting, he heard a voice behind him. "His dad abandoned him, but he's a prick so I don't care."

Turning around, Wrecker saw the Old Grumpy Salamander tip his hat to him. "I believe we started on the wrong foot. Mind if I borrow a coin? I need to send an urgent telegraph."

Wrecker was a little taken aback, but his order would take time, and besides the man needed help, he wouldn't refuse him with no good reason to. He handed him a coin and waited by the counter, the telegraph machine right next to it. Placing his nearly broken and very old suitcase on the table, The Old Salamander began to remove a long letter he had written on an ancient scroll, placing It carefully on the desk. Wrecker found himself peeking for a moment, and saw a curious amount of money. He didn't mean to complain, but he did find it funny that he had to give him a coin, and he said so.

"Awful lot of money for someone who didn't have a coin. Not that I mind.", Wrecker spoke his mind, but in a normal and soft tone.

The Salamander sighed as the line fell down the moment he began typing. "Salamander have mercy, I will KILL…"

He took a deep breath and slowly let it out, before looking back at Wrecker, trying to say enough without saying too much. "…This is going somewhere… Special, so I can't misuse it. You understand what I mean, sonny?"

Wrecker nodded with a small smile, sitting on the stool and resting his head on his hand. "More than you might think."

The Old Man wasn't sure for a moment, but he pressed on as he waited for the line to pick up. "She's… She's a fine young lady. I'm sure you're proud."

Wrecker's smile turned upside down and he felt cold. "She is… That's why I'm scared."

The Old Man bit his lip. "I have a… Less glowing view of children, so pardon me for not quite understanding."

Wrecker turned towards him and ignored the thumping of his heart. It was getting easier to tell people these things but it didn't make it any less scary. "To put it mildly… I've done things. Things that… Were bad… Or I thought they were… I don't know anymore."

"All I know is… I want her to be safe. And… I also want her to be with me. And those are two things that don't correlate."

"Whatever you did… It doesn't necessarily condemn you, you know? Fifty shades of grey and all that?", The Old man encouraged, looking down at the floor rather than at Wrecker.

"Black and White is easier. I was bad, I wasn't good. Like the flick of a switch, I knew."

Eyes watered up, and he looked at the Salamander. "…All my life… I just wanted… To get out of the way. To stop being a burden. To… To sleep."

Wrecker sighed. "But I can't sleep if my dreams are full of her. I can't rest if I miss her. I can't go if…"

He choked. "If it feels so right to see her smile."

Wrecker was not used to public displays of weakness, but the tears streaked down slowly, and there he was again, open to the world, open to pain.

"I'm sorry to overload. I don't mean to be a burden."

The Old Salamander took a long breath, nodding in sympathy, before snatching a coin from the mean waiter's pockets as he passed by. Twirling it in his hands, seeing both sides, he said "…Have you ever heard of… The Terrible Train Thief…"

He whispered the last word, like it was a secret between him and The Wrecker. "…Tritonio?"

Wrecker found himself smiling softly and he chuckled. "Heh! Heard of him? I played 'im once for a play!"

The Old Salamander raised his eyebrows. "What, with that ugly mug?", he joked, and Wrecker barbed back.

"When I wasn't the clown.", he grinned, and Old Salamander laughed, before continuing.

"Well… There are many legends about him. Where he went… Why he did it… My favorite is this one. You see, for a long time, Tritonio stole for himself. And only for himself."

Wrecker was surprised, considering the play's claims to the opposite, but he still listened intently as the Old Salamander looked only at the coin, it's shine glinting and twirling, so simply yet so beautifully. "And for a while… That was all that kept him going. But life is so much more than what's in our pockets, or in our heads."

The Salamander smiled at Wrecker. "We tend to forget our hearts in the process."

The coin was rested on the tails side. "And… One day, they say… He considered stopping the beating of said heart."

The coin turned, and a fond smile grew on the Salamander. "And then came the great love of his life…"

He said the name as if it were a prayer. "Maria…"

"Huh. Our play had Josephine.", Wrecker commented, still very absorved in the tale, and The Salamander laughed. "Yes, I remember tales of her! And they were close…"

"But not like Maria…", he muttered, and he continued. His words were so real, so meaningful, that Wrecker didn't hear anything else but the story, and the pointless noises were drowned out by a truth so genuine he almost wanted to believe it.

"Maria was different. She saw past the cocky grin and the haughty laugh, past the disguises and the great capers… She saw that in the end, Tritonio… Wanted love."

The Salamander let a pained laugh and a sigh. "He could steal anything… But she stole his heart."

"…And then what happened? Is that why he disappeared?", Wrecker asked, a tinge of sadness in his voice. "…Must be nice to have that."

"All love is nice. But he didn't disappear; the opposite! He felt more alive with her, than he had ever had!"

The Salamander turned to Wrecker and patted his back in a friendly way, the two broken old men exchanging an understanding glance. "…He had Maria… And you have that girl. I heard of what you did… You saved that toad."

"…I still killed a frog."

"You did… But life is complicated. You were in a war situation. And more importantly… You did it to save another. Wrecker…"

Wrecker looked up, not knowing what to think. "…Yes?"

"…Do you wanna know why you feel the way you feel? About her?"

Wrecker nodded, and The Salamander stood up and comforted his shoulder, sighing knowingly. "Just like Tritonio, you found a reason."

"…To what?", Wrecker asked, the Beetle Jerky plate placed on the counter.

The Salamander winked. "To live."

17 years ago…

"So, you're telling me that you are two fetching young ladies and you want to take me and the boys on a night on the town?", the guard toad asked, a little nervous.

Two very "fetching young ladies" fanned themselves and tittered. "Oh, such a strong and smart boy!", the first "lady", adorned with a kimono and a black hair do said, feeling the toad's muscled and toned arm. He blushed and chuckled shyly.

"And what a pleasant pungent order!", the other "lady" joked and the first one had to try and not laugh as the toad kept getting flustered.

"Aww, you are too sweet, ladies! I… I'll go inside and tell them to get ready!"

He began to turn away from them and walk into the tower, but the first one suddenly pulled him back and giggled again. "Oh, handsome, before we go out, we have a little… "Show", in mind, if you know what I mean.", the "lady" wiggled her eyebrows, and the toad nodded firmly and excitedly.

"How much time do you need?"

"Oh, about 10 minutes, give or take.", the first "lady" said, the second one, hating this plan, mouthing "no" and "more time!".

The toad thought it was excellent timing. "I'll tell 'em right away, miss! Oh, and don't feel too bad if one of our men doesn't want to come. The Wrecker is sort of a party pooper, ya know?", he explained, before dashing into the tower.

A few moments passed, and the "ladies" snuck inside and looked for a secret entrance to the treasury room, their voices back to normal.

"Show?! Tritonio, are you for real?", Slippy asked, his voice harder and firmer now, his posture better. He was still learning, though, as he searched more erratically for the secret book or lever or something that would gain them entrance.

"Come now, Slippy! You're an "enchanting" lady, I bet they'd go wild for you!", Tritonio joked, searching far more calmly. "Stop throwing books by the way, Captain Muck will be here soon and I do NOT want to arouse suspicion until we're far away, and even then!"

Slippy scoffed, albeit with a smile. "This better be worth it. Spending time with my hero is one thing, but dying with him is quite another."

Tritonio had a knowing smile as he found the right lever and threw away his wig and fan. "Dying is not in the agenda today. Not anymore."

The painting of Muck and his family hid a long, dark, grey cavern, and after placing the painting back in place, Tritonio and Slippy made their way down the cavern that turned into a dungeon. It was wet, it was dark, only dimly lit, and it was foreboding, skeletons hanging all over the place, warnings etched in blood on the walls.

"Quite homely. Add a potted plant there, maybe a few drapes, and it would be a reap peach of a place.", Slippy joked, but his voice quivered with fear. Tritonio tried to encourage his ward. "It's a quick in and out. You have NO idea the money that the Toad Army has possession too."

"I have an idea of how many torture tools the toad army has possession too.", Slippy replied, gulping at a bunch of Iron Maidens that suspiciously oozed red.

"Just stay calm and stick with me."

"I'll be calm when I have some treasure in my hands!"

Finally, after some walking, a golden aura gleamed from a door beyond them. Another door had a red aura, and strange chanting sounds. Tritoinio did NOT like the implications of that. He put a finger to Slippy's lips. "Not. A. Sound."

Slippy nodded, staring with doubt at the red room before he and Tritonio tip toed towards the golden room. What they saw made their eyes widen and their frowns reverse. Mountains and mountains of golden coins made the floor seem non existent. Lamps and chalices shined so brightly it nearly blinded them. Jewels and gems twinkled like stars, and in the center of it all was a golden statue, behemoth sized, of Captain Muck himself. There was so much gold and treasure that it took a moment for Tritonio to realize that the room had no light source, but the contents themselves.

Slippy scooped up some treasure, and it almost all cascaded down like sand but there was still a fortune in his hands.

He looked at Tritonio with a huge smile. "…I didn't realize this was even an option."

"It is… If you are greedy enough.", Tritonio said with disgust, and he scooped up a few coins, making sure to pick just the right amount. Slippy meanwhile circled the room, not knowing where to begin!

He stared with wonder at the gems. "Perhaps we should start with the diamonds, they are easy to carry!"

He then spied the chalices. "Ah, but we must drink like kings as well, Tritonio! Maybe if we carry the diamonds in our pockets, we can take the chalices in our hands!"

Turning around once more, his heart pounded wildly at the statue. "But who needs diamonds or chalices when we can just take the statue? I'm sure we could figure it out, maybe if we cut it into pieces but with what?"

"With nothing. We're not taking any of those things.", Tritonio declared, and Slippy's jaw reached the jewels he couldn't take.

"What? What are you talking about?", Slippy said, dumbfounded. He stared at the treasure with zero understanding. "I… I don't get it."

Tritonio hesitated: he couldn't reveal yet his true reason, he had to make sure Slippy was on board. He would have to find a different way to express his order. "If we take too much, they will notice us, and we will be dead."

"We may never have another chance like this, Tritonio! We could sit pretty for life!"

Tritonio started getting a little grumpy. He hated it when people didn't listen. "I've broken in here before, next time I'll get you a gem!"

"If we survive this!", Slippy shouted, getting frustrated. "Why can't you listen to me?"

"I AM NOT GOING TO RISK IT ALL WITH THE TOADS!", Tritonio bellowed, and the two salamanders stared at each other enraged, only to hear a horrible sound: The voice of Captain Muck.

"Follow me to the treasury room, gentlemen: There is trouble afoot."

Tritonio and Slippy stared at the entrance to the room and back to each other. Nodding immediately, they dove into the treasure, hoping that the aboundence of gold will hide them.

The duo held their breaths as clear, direct footsteps sounded across the room, an air of terror and fear following Captain Muck as he entered, a group of old and powerful toads behind him, all laid out in golden armor, holding sharp and deadly swords.

Muck didn't move, but his eyes circled the room, searching for the intruders. His breathing was slow and steady, unlike the more panicky Tritonio and Slippy, who could feel their lives flash past with every second that passed. Muck stood there for a while, not saying a single word…

And then he began to walk around the gold, narrowly missing the areas Tritonio and Slippy were under. His walking was random to an onlooker but direct and defined by him; he stepped around with every intent to search every single area of the room. "Come out, come out, wherever you are…", he whispered, foreboding horrors seeping from his voice, his warning more of a threat than anything else.

"I do NOT like intruders, and I DESPISE thieves, so if you want a lightly less painful death I would advise standing up immediately."

He then chuckled, which sent shivers down their spines. "Unless you actually think you could escape me."

While Slippy kept freaking out (and also quietly put a ring in his mouth), Tritonio knew he had to come up with a plan: Muck wouldn't just leave them be. He would search for them and kill them.

What he needed… Was a distraction.

But what could he use? His sword wouldn't be enough, there was no way he could jump out, he needed something big, something…

"…I've got it!", he suddenly thought, and as slowly as possible he began to move towards the statue, his hand reaching out to carry a surprised Slippy with him.

"What are you doing?", Slippy mouthed, and Tritonio pulled him as quietly as possible behind the golden statue, as Muck finally stopped walking and stood in front of the statue, deep in thought. "Looks like we need that statue of yours after all.", Tritonio whispered.

He motioned towards one of the old toads. "Fetch me some guards, they can stick their swords in here until they hear a squelch of sorts.", was his cold order.

"Right away, your highness!", the old toad said, but he would never reach the guards.

"1…", Tritonio mouthed, as he and Slippy began to push.

"This is madness.", complained Slippy.

Muck's sensitive ears seemed to capture a sound and he began to walk pensively towards it. "Do spare me the trouble and just come out so I can end your sordid lives."

"2…", Tritonio said again, a wobble indicating progress from the statue.

"We are going to die! And we'll be dirt poor too!", Slippy whined, his hands getting tired, and he stopped for a second, leaving Tritonio on his own to push.

Muck drew his sword and began to walk towards the statue. "By order of your king, and the true savior of Amphibia I COMMAND you to…"

"3!", Tritonio suddenly yelled, and his leap made the statue finally begin to descend, Muck dodging just in time but two old toads not quite managing too.

Tritonio hoped he could forget the sound of squelching bone, but he would never. Still, the escape was now very possible, though the fact that it could only be out the door they entered was very much on their minds.

"THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND DONATION WE'LL BE SURE TO COME AGAIN SPAY OR NEUTER YOUR SNAILS!", Tritonio clamored as he and Slippy raced for their lives, golden coins barely not spilling from their overflowing arms.

The other toads, old and slow, turned around in alarm and uncertainty. Muck, however, rose up with direction, and everyone turned silent as he spoke, words like wildfire.

"Time to rest your doubts about me, gentlemen…"

And with that, Muck suddenly bounded off in inhuman (or well, inamphibian) speed, it looking less like running and more like super fast hovering, like a specter on the hunt. Suits of armor, paintings, booby traps, they fell athunder to the floor in a crash as his pursuit turned more and more terrifying.

"Ha ha!", Tritonio laughed, kissing a coin and thinking of her. "This is one of my greatest jobs yet! A little lacking in panache, I will admit, but tales of the great statue upheaval will be spoken of for centuries to come!"

Slippy rolled his eyes and tried to make sure the diamond in his mouth wouldn't fall out. "Well, personally I always preferred the ones where you took on Captain Muck head on."

Suddenly Muck's roar echoed down the wet halls of the dungeon and his footsteps sounded like blaring alarms. Tritonio and Slippy froze as they realized what danger they were in, and their hearts stopped for a second before they let their legs do the thinking.

"BUT I MIGHT CHANGE MY PREFERENCE!", Slippy screamed, as they ran and ran and ran, their feet burning like hot coals from contact with the floor. Each pounding footstep, each growl and grunt, each threat upon their lives which approached their ears made frightened them more and more, and they were pale as ghosts as they finally reached the painting. But with seconds to spare, could they remove it in time?

Tritonio shoved the money down his pants ("I better wash those coins") and he lifted the painting, but it was heavy, and he found himself struggling. Slippy stared back and Muck was not only very clear in hearing, but nearly in sight, and his legs turned to jelly. "Tritonio! HURRY UP!"

"I'm trying! If I fall we're dead, so a delay is better than nothing!", he said, but suddenly the weight made him step back…

And there was Muck, sword seconds from bursting through Tritonio's chest and ending his long, illustrious and remarkable career.

Slippy looked back and forth, not knowing what to do: Escape was open for him, but if he left, Tritonio was done for! He didn't want to die, but was he so cold?

The ring poked him in the mouth, the coins jingled in his hands, and he knew what he had to do.

"HYAA!"

Tritonio didn't see what happened, but Muck was on the ground, screaming in pain and blinded for a moment, and Slippy was already outside, waving for him. "PUT IT DOWN AND LET'S BLOW THIS JOINT!"

Tritonio had a proud smile on his face as the two escaped the tower, the toad soldiers only now realizing that 10 minutes had passed and they were NOT getting entertained…

For a whole day he had sat quietly and stared. He had not eaten once, though his stomach begged, and he had not drunk once, though his throat pleaded for water. His mind was elsewhere, clouded by doubt, by judgment, and by the voices that he had tried to follow for so long, once more fraught in battle over his soul.

"That frog killed his mother. He had every right to do what he did.", his father said, words like steel. Hard and strong, they felt impenetrable. But his mother was adept at that as well.

"Did he? Why can he pass such judgment? Why does he get to choose if someone lives or not?"

He winced. Both words sounded true, but the other statement felt truer. His gut twisted as he felt Houdini's throat again in his hands, as he wrung the life out of him.

"That frog… That creature was a monster. The world is now murderer short."

Grime knew what the other voice would say before she said it, and he didn't disagree.

"No… No it isn't."

Grime stood up and looked out his window, the train passing by so quickly he could barely see the trees for the forest. He didn't know much about trains: All he knew was that there was an exit to the top next to his seat.

And that it would lead to another exit.

As soon as that thought entered he found himself on top, wind whistling at his cape.

The trees moved so fast… Their leaves floated in the breeze…

Wouldn't it be nice to float for a moment?

Wouldn't it be nice to stop for all the moments?

Grime could feel his heart pounding, its noise beginning to override the train's ambience. He took a step closer, feeling his balance shifting.

He closed his eyes. One step… One step towards…

One moment… One second…

And he would feel what Houdini felt. He would feel what he should feel too.

If an Eye For An Eye was truly the way to go, then surely so was this. Grime would cascade to the ground below and the world would be right once more.

Grime felt it; Grime felt the call. The chance to make up for his heinous crimes, of existing and of killing.

But hesitations crept in, his thoughts clouded with doubt once more: Surely, by ending his suffering, he would not suffer enough? Surely, by dying, he would be allowing himself rest?

Houdini would never rest; his soul was unjustly taken. Grime wasn't punishing himself, he was giving himself a break.

"…It wouldn't be right. I deserve far worse."

But what was far worse?

The guilt and pain were so strong… Perhaps this was the pain he needed. Perhaps it was necessary to live so that he could die.

Grime kept sitting and staring the rest of that night. He had nothing. He had no one.

Even if what he did was understandable, even if what he did could be forgiven…

Could he forgive himself?

Grime hugged his knees close to him, the pangs of pain becoming like ripples in a pond.

He closed his eyes, and begged. "Help… Please…"

Was he right? Was he wrong? Should he die? Should he not?

"Please…"

He sobbed, as the world turned into a dark vortex of nothingness.

"…I'm lost."

It was nighttime. But it was a restless and tiresome and gloomy night for Annie. She had not enjoyed her beetle jerky at all (despite noting and appreciating all her favorite touches), and currently she was sitting in her seat, knees up to her chest, shivering and quietly sobbing.

Wrecker wasn't there (for reasons unknown to her) so she allowed herself the delicacy of crying. But it wasn't liberating: it fact, she only felt more trapped in a cycle of pain.

All she had done was fail today, and make Wrecker guiltier and guiltier over leaving her. She couldn't do that to him, it was unfair! It was his business if he wanted to kill himself or not, she was just…

She just couldn't bare the idea of letting him go off and do that. She was the only one who could stop him…

But would a life with her be anything more than disappointing?

"Considering my failures today… No chance.", she muttered, her breathing heavy and pained. She buried her face in her hands. Once she had no future, now she had one.

But once she was content, if disappointed. Now she was just sad. Why did she get a life… And why did he not?

"Knock knock.", Wrecker asked, causing Annie to jump. She wiped her tears quickly and sniffed, hoping she could fool him, and a bright smile greeted Wrecker.

"Hey, Wrecker! Whatcha… Whatcha doin'? What's up, 'cept for the sky!", Annie joked, hoping the knee slapper would distract him, but Wrecker just smiled sympathetically.

"What's up is that you are down. You were so excited about the train.", he said, pity laced in his words.

Annie tried to play it off as nothing. "Oh, Wrecker, I'm fine! I'm good! I'm just chilling here, enjoying… My knees!"

She petted her knees, as if they were pets, cooing at them. "Who's a good boy or girl? Ah? Who? Who's a good knee? YOU ARE! YOU ARE!"

"THEY'LL BE BAD KNEES IF YA DON'T SHUT UP!", a groggy voice called out, and Annie remembered everyone was asleep and flushed furiously.

"Of course…", she muttered, and she sighed wearily.

Wrecker, knowing what he had to do, grabbed hold of her hand and squeezed gently. "Come… There's something I want you to see."

Annie removed her hand, fearing the repracussions of staying. "You need your space. Tomorrow is a big day for you. And the last one you will have."

Wrecker didn't have to look to know that tears were streaking her small face. He held her hand again. "…Then let's make the night truly special."

Annie hesitated, but if he had a last request, perhaps she could make it up for him. Just once, she could give back to him instead of take. So she gingerly held back and walked down the cars with him, towards the caboose, barely being able to see a thing but hearing his calming and reassuring voice as he kept saying that he was still there, and to stay close.

She did. She wanted to enjoy every last moment with her other father.

Tender footsteps finally stopped as Wrecker's did, a small bump into his back. He ruffled her hair in response and then opened the door he had reached, of which Annie could only see the shining brass door knob. It creaked, just for a moment, but it was soon quiet and Annie saw an odd room indeed: A round ovular room with nothing but two sleeping mats and a roof.

As Wrecker entered with a smile, Annie cocked an eyebrow, truly confused. "…No offense, but what's so special about two sleeping mats?"

Wrecker chuckled warmly and he pointed up. "You know, we spend so much time looking down we forget that sometimes there are reasons to look up."

Annie, still confused, obliged, and when she looked up she gasped: The roof was not there, instead it was open, revealing a star studded night sky. Brilliant dark blues and light blacks danced in a symphony of celestial color and care, twinkling bright, but not too brightly. The red moon, so often scary and fear provoking was now calm, almost relaxing in its place in the heavens. A wave of her dead parent's love washed over her, and Annie felt a smile coming on.

It solidified as Wrecker sat down besides her and smiled. "…Beautiful, ain't it?"

"Totally! I've never seen such a sky! I've never seen something this wonderful!", Annie said, the most brilliant and awe inspiring grin on her face. Her eyes widened with hope, and her soul soared.

Wrecker watched her as she felt happy. "…I have."

Annie looked back and smiled shyly. "Oh, stop!"

Wrecker laughed and he schooched up next to her. "No, I won't! You are a precious little bean, and that smile of yours is worth 10,000 night skies like that one!"

"Nuh uh!", she joked, giggling and blushing, and Wrecker, sensing a chance to keep her smiling, began to get closer, a mischevious smile on his lips.

"Then I guess I'll have to tickle you!", he said, suddenly, and he began to tickle her ears, making her laugh and laugh and laugh.

"Stop it, st… Stop it!", she said, but not in anger, in jest. "I'll do it to you!"

"Oh, no you won't! I'm too strong!", he said, and he began to throw her up into the air gently and into his arms, Annie still laughing like crazy.

"Ok, ok you win!", she cried, and he joked "Sorry, what was that?"

The two kept laughing and laughing, their worries melting for a moment.

"I said you win!", Annie guffowed, and Wrecker pretended to be deaf again. "You'll have to speak louder, my ears aren't what they used to be!"

"I said you win, Dad!"

And like that, they froze. Wrecker placed her down slowly, and his whole face twisted with shame. So did Annie's: She turned pale and she didn't dare look at him.

Moments passed, moments in complete silence. All there was were stars and two souls, wracked with guilt.

"…I'm sorry. It just… Slipped out."

"…I'm sorry. I…"

Wrecker cringed from the pain. "…I can't."

"I know. And I can't either."

Wrecker gently grabbed hold of Annie's hand. Annie caressed his fingers. The two still didn't look.

"...But… If you could…", she began, tears dropping down.

Wrecker opened an eye, unsure. "…Yes?"

"…Would you? Would I…"

She hiccupped. "Would I be good enough?"

"…"

Wrecker strengthened his resolve. She deserved to know.

"…Yes."

And for the next few hours, Wrecker embraced Annie, as she cried all her tears and felt safe and warm in his hug.

"You've been walking around for hours! When do we enact the plan?!", Swampbeard angrily complained as Tritonio quietly sneaked out of the front of the train and shushed his partner in crime.

"Quiet, you! I had to make sure nothing changed! Every important room has been checked!", he said, passing the coal room without a single glance.

"All right, you checked. Now, what's the plan? If I have to contain my senseless violence much longer I'll explode!"

Tritonio chuckled at the idea before turning around and leading Swampbeard to their car, the main stage of the operation.

"Here we shall start the robbery: The Wrecker is a guilty man. And guilt can make one desperate. While I make sure I am properly paid for this charitable act I bestow upon you…", Tritonio began, sitting lazily in his seat.

"Heh. I see what comes first in the iteniary.", Swampbeard commented, and Tritonio countered.

"I'm just doing what any normal person would; Making sure I don't come out of this with no sounds in my pocket or in my heart."

"Fair is fair. But when do I get my part of the deal?", Swampbeard asked, pounding the seat, and Tritonio answered.

"All right, all right, I'm getting to the senseless violence. Don't get your panties in a twist, my not really good man. Once I've financially secured myself, you grab the girl, and discuss terms with The Wrecker."

"This doesn't sound very violent to me."

"Patience, patience! Enjoy the fun, first!", Tritonio said, as he spun the rest of the act.

"You see, Wrecker would never want to feel guilty again. Which would mean he would be foolish enough as to not try and kill you. Which means you can hold him off as long as we need while I clear the escape route and nab the box from his bag."

Swampbeard nodded, beginning to like the plan. He grinned. "Then I get the box."

"Yes, and you use it to suck the life out of him or what not, and I'll run off with my cash and we'll part ways, like nothing ever happened. Though I do expect a portion of the money the toads will pay for purchasing the box.", Tritonio added matter of factly.

"Also… I want you to use the box to destroy the train."

Swampbeard had no problem with that, but he did venture a question. "Sure, but how come?"

Tritonio was silent for a moment, before adding "…So they can feel a fraction of what I felt every single day."

Suddenly, a sound was heard.

Annie woke up a few hours after she and Wrecker had looked at the stars, but she still felt restless. There was a sort of heaviness to her breathing, to her whole chest, that made moving seem so… Pointless. It was like she wanted to move, but…

For what reason?

Turning her head, she didn't have to see to feel the warm husk beside her; Wrecker's snores as well as his presence were more than felt. Annie began to eye him curiously, his chest was close to her ears.

He seemed almost like a beached whale, eyes closed, but clearly in pain. His heartbeat and breathing were fast… Too fast.

Annie didn't get it: How could someone so large and so strong look so weak?

What was worse was that it didn't seem to be solvable. Annie wasn't a doctor, and she definitely wasn't an expert on frog psychology.

She grabbed hold of his hand…

It would lie motionless tomorrow. Alongside the rest of him. A good frog, despite everything, one who cared, and loved, and protected…

Alone. In a ditch. Gone forever.

And the worst part?

There was NOTHING she could do.

The one thing that kept him happy…

And she couldn't help for a moment.

Annie looked down with shame. How ungrateful she was. No wonder he was still going to kill himself.

"I'm sorry, dad…", she whispered, blinking away tears.

"I'm sorry I wasted your time."

CREAK…

Annie shot up like a bullet and stared around wildly, but there was no one at the door, which was still closed. But Annie KNEW she heard something, her ears were twitching like crazy.

Was it a murderer? A criminal? A toad army soldier with a vengeance? Someone out to get Wrecker?

Annie's teeth chattered: She was physically proficient, but she would be dead meat if she went out there.

She looked back at Wrecker, nervous, and saw that he was beginning to soften his heartbeat.

Looking back without nervousness, Annie took a deep breath.

"Time to pay back."

She opened the door careful, causing a small and thankfully less noticeable creak. But every other noise thundered in her ears like a cacophony of sound: Footsteps were like earthquakes, her own breathing like a twisting tornado, even the soft clickity clacking of the train turned into a resounding reverberation of roaring rhythm. Annie kept freaking out, her face contorting in fear and alarm, as she made her way down the hall of red carpeting and red walls, of ticking clocks humming her inevitable doom.

Annie's last encounter on the train nearly had her killed if it weren't for a stroke of luck; she hoped this time she would look out for her own skin with success.

At least the sound she was pursuing was still intelligible over the roar of the madding crowd. One would have to be deaf not to hear the winces of pain and the muttered curse words coming from the direction of the brown door near the front of the train.

Annie gulped as she reached it, dread in the air like a song of suspense, building and building slowly but surely in the basement of her mind until the whole house that occupied her headspace was in need of a fear fumigation. What was occurring in there? Floorboards squeaked and more muffled cries of pain could be heard.

But Annie was no scaredy frog. She was honorable and loyal to a fault, and she would pay back Wrecker for his love, even if it meant her end.

It sort of felt fitting, Annie thought, and she smiled. Her first father had died for her, her second had nearly done the same.

Whatever was there, whatever was waiting, it might smite her…

"But I would die for a reason. And dying for a reason is better than living for none."

Closing her eyes, her grasp on her sword tight and true, her steps now composed and clear, Annie opened the door and pointed her sword at the assailant.

And of course, it was the old grumpy Salamander, who turned around and gulped, his means given away by the mountains of gold and jewels behind him. They sparkled in the night, but not as much as the gleam in Annie's eye and the sheen of her sword as she held it aloft to his face, smirking.

Slowly, almost grandiosely, she stepped up to him until the sword in her hand was nearly through his face.

"Gotcha.", she bragged, feeling a little cocky. Now THAT was a good daughter!

The room was massive, and it carried an echo, which was annoying when you were still using your inside voice. The Grumpy Old Salamander was always confused at how years later he was still being heard, but with luck it would not happen this time.

"What are YOU doing here?!", he hissed, before a different kind of hiss was uttered thanks to his leg leaning the wrong way. He sat down and rubbed the pain off soothingly, his stick now placed down beside him.

Annie, still holding the sword and hoping to create the illusion of confidence, whispered back half angrily half victoriously. "You are a thief, my not so good man, and you are not escaping this time! You have been bested by Annie Lillypad, professional good daughter and asskicker!"

She then squeed excitedly, leaping up and down. "Wrecker will be SO happy!"

The Grumpy Old Salamander narrowed his eyes and grumbled, still feeling the pain of his leg. "First of all, you didn't best me, I fell down. So it doesn't count.", he stated with his eyes closed, nose in the air.

Annie rolled her eyes. "Yeesh, what a baby."

"And secondly, that is pretty ungrateful from someone whose life I saved!", The Grumpy Old Salamander said, heat rising to his cheeks as he huffed and puffed. He knew this was a bad idea, but he had to speak his mind.

Annie was outraged at this ridiculous statement, and she replied swiftly, lifting a few coins from the mound and juggling them, only for them to drop on her head. "Excuse me? If it weren't for that lucky coincidence, those rich people would have had me killed!"

"There is no such thing as coincidence. A floorboard was loose, has been for about 27 years. They don't fix it because it would require stopping for a moment to face the music of their faults.", he informed, standing up and dusting himself off.

Annie put two and two together, but she found the answer illogical, despite its inevitability. "Why would you help me?", doubt permeated her question, as she followed The Grumpy Old Salamander to a slightly further away part of the room, while he observed his bounty.

"I am many things, my dear: A thief, a gentleman, a charismatic legend, a myth, a fixture of folklore, a Sandwich name at Stumpy's inn over at Wartwood."

He removed his hat, rolled it on her shoulders, much to her unamusement, and took it back with a saucy grin. "A killer, however, I am not."

"You left me for dead!", Annie complained, voice rising, and The Grumpy Old Salamander sighed moreosly.

"Children… I didn't realize I'd left you for dead since I was sort of busy running for my life. The moment I realized I'd fucked up I ran right back in to the train and made sure they couldn't get you. I even returned some of my money to them, for Salamander's sake!"

Annie pursed her lips, and crossed her arms, but he didn't sound like he was lying. He was too angry about losing the money to be so. Still, she had to continue her interrogation.

"All right, then why are you stealing ALL THIS GOLD? I mean, I get you, it's a lot, and it looks super shiny…", she got distracted for a second, as she batted a hanging diamond like a cat, before returning to reality. "But that's not a good enough reason!"

The Grumpy Old Salamander groaned. He didn't want to reveal his true intentions, but he was in here longer than he needed to be, and his ego was hurt. He was better now. Arm shaking, he lifted a few coins, and tossed them into his pocket, before turning around to calculate his response. His eyes were looking at her, but his soul was with someone else. "Just like you, I'm trying to pay back a very important person. Only it's literal with me, since this is money and… Yeah."

He roused his strength and pleaded to Annie, knowing what was more important was his reason. "Please… I know this looks bad… But you have to believe me."

Annie tutted, raising an eyebrow. "And why should I believe you?"

"Oh, you should. Deep down, he's a real softie."

The two turned around, jumping at the sound of another voice. The source was an all too familiar one for the Grumpy Old Salamander, his red vest and saucy grin complimenting his finely combed moustache and his perfectly balanced sword. The mass of muscle next to him, all too familiar to Annie, was another blaring alarm to the fear glands in their brains. The door closed, leaving Annie and The Grumpy Old Salamander in the Lion's den.

With Tritonio.

Annie, exhaustion seeping from her guttural war cry, flung herself at Tritonio, but he deflected her sword away and knocked her down with a fist and his words. "What a sorry excuse for a fight."

He then turned to the other salamander in the room.

"We meet again… Old friend…", Tritonio stated, malice in his eyes…

CLINK!

Slippy downed another glass of the finest red wine in Toad Town, savoring the special glow of the night he was having. That ring he'd stolen for himself had been a viable purchase, and for the first time ever HE was the one sitting down and enjoying life's splendor.

He lifted his sword and cried, a little drunk, "13 more rounds, garcon! For the 13 other years I spent working on that blasted railroad!"

The whole bar cheered out of a lack of sobriety, and Slippy laughed merrily, his face a shade of pink as he swallowed a nearby fly.

The doors opened suddenly, and there was Tritonio, looking content, approaching his partner, who greeted him happily. "Look who it is, everyone! The salamander of the hour!"

Slippy shook his hero's hand heartily, and Tritonio struggled not to smile at his friend's enthusiasm. "Me and my greatest hero getting totally pissed; WHAT A CONCEPT!"

"All right, all right, calm down! You're lucky this is a safe place. Any other bar would have reported us to Captain Muck himself.", Tritonio whispered, as they sat down on the stools together. Tritonio ordered a simple water while Slippy gulped down his 4th glass and hiccupped.

The dull yellow glow of the bar, with the melodious croaking of the band from inside the room added to a laidback atmosphere, and Tritonio sighed in relief.

"…A good day to be alive."

"I sec-(HIC)-ond it!", Slippy exclaimed, pointing at Tritonio. "You, my friend… You… You did it. The greatest robbery ever!"

"I've been there multiple times, Slippy. Far from my greatest. Not even a proper challenge, really.", Tritonio couldn't help but boast, and Slippy pounded the table, roaring with laughter.

He turned to the bartender, who chuckled at the conversation. "Listen to him: Not a great robbery! HA!"

"I'm telling you, it's only an ink blot in an illustrious career such as mine.", Tritonio stated, and Slippy shook his head.

"Have it your way, Tritonio. But we did it!"

"Yes, we did…", Tritonio agreed, smiling thoughtfully, eyes towards the sky.

"We beat the odds, we aced our test…"

"Full marks, all the way to the finish line!", Tritonio added, lifting his glass.

"A toast: To the man who saved me from a life aboard a fucking train dishing out coal; To Slippy and Tritionio, The Terrible Train Thieves!", Slippy proposed, and their glasses clinked triumphantly.

The two laughed merrily once more, and Slippy rested on his chair. "Finally, after all those robberies we made, we are set for life.". He closed his eyes, not a care in the world.

Tritonio raised an eyebrow, a little worried. "…Set for life?"

Slippy nodded, still not looking. "That ring I stole just put us above 2.3 MILLION coins, my friend! We are officially in the money! Let the good times roll, all that jazz!"

Tritonio's face scrunched up in worry. Had Slippy really thought this all along? Truthfully, he hadn't said anything, but it was surely plain to see. "…Slippy… We don't have 2.3 million coins."

Slippy opened his eyes and laughed, pointing at Tritonio. "Have you had too much to drink already, my friend? I counted each and every coin since we started almost a year ago! We should be set for life! And that's not even including ALL the money you've acquiered in decades of thievery! I can't begin to imagine how wealthy you are!"

"I can. It's not. Not at all.", Tritonio replied, and Slippy wrinkled his nose, confused. "Um… What do you mean?"

Slippy was still smiling, but it began to slip away as Tritonio answered again, the rest of the bar getting a little agitated and nervous at the conversation. "Slippy… Do you not remember my famous catchphrase? I didn't say it today because I was running for my life, but still!"

"Ah, of course I know! I'm your biggest fan, remember?", Slippy replied, and he cleared his throat, before reciting in a grandiose tone "My name… Is the Terrible Train Thief Tritonio… And I serve those in need so send a thousand toads! I'll live so they can live! Give me your best shot!"

Tritonio waited for Slippy to finish and connect the dots, but Slippy didn't. "So? What are you trying to say?

"…Slippy, are you dense? I serve those in need?"

Slippy's pupils diluted and he quietly uttered his next question "…Where's all the money?"

Tritonio answered matter of factly, pride and genuine generosity bursting through his chest. "With the ones who need it most. The frogs, newts and salamanders presiding the slums of Toad Town. My people. Our people."

Slippy didn't show any emotion as he grabbed another drink and downed it. "…I see."

"I was sure it was obvious, I didn't realize you had misunderstood our intentions.", Tritonio replied, and Slippy nodded.

"Oh, no, I understand, Tritonio! I understand."

Tritonio smiled in relief as Slippy downed one last drink. "Ah, good!"

Tritonio lifted the menu. "So, what are you thinking of ordering? I like the sound of that Roasted Fly Soup…"

Slippy shook his head. "I have to attend to some important business first."

Tritonio curiously inquired. "Really? What kind?"

2 minutes later, and Tritonio, stripped naked save for his undergarments and battered and bruised, was chained to the side of the one and only train where he had first met Slippy, his former partner's words echoing in the halls of his mind: "All my life I was nothing but a tool. An object. But no longer. Now you are the salamander… And I am the legend."

Back near the bar, Slippy checked out his new look, and he grinned at the mirror, his metamorphosis complete. "Tritonio, The Terrible Train Thief… Now that's one hell of a reason."

And for the next 17 years, the original Tritonio who grew bitter but no less resolved in his mission found himself staring at the salamander who stole his life, cause his was stolen the moment he was born.

The Grumpy Old Salamander had only one word to say, but while he tried to say it anger, his voice broke at the sight of the boy he had once called his best friend. "…Slippy…"

Tritonio/Slippy walked up to Grumpy Old Salamander/Real Tritonio and chuckled evilly. "Well, well, well… How the mighty have fallen."

Annie stared in shock. "TRITONIO? FROM THE COOL PLAY I SAW?!"

She grinned starry eyed. "I gotta admit, it's sort of an honor being bound and gagged by you! Big fan!"

The two Tritonio's stared back with the same annoyance. "That play took a lot of liberties, ok?"

Annie stared at each one, trying to understand. "Ok, wait, so let me get this straight: The original Tritonio, the one from the play…"

"Sort of, it's a broad strokes adaptation…", Original Tritonio commented, but Annie interrupted him.

"Whatever. Original Tritonio, the gentleman thief/charity guy is you…"

"Yes. Yes I am.", Original Tritonio replied, a small smile of happiness at his past, at his reason.

Annie nodded, feeling a little bad for going so hard on him before. She couldn't move her arms (what with being bound) but if she could she would have offered her handshake as an apology. "Ok, so that means…"

She pointed at Tritonio/Slippy and Swampbeard, who was getting antsy, annoyed with how long this was taking. The sun was already rising, and people would be up and about. "…You're this asshole wannabe who steals only for himself."

"You forgot roguishly handsome, but whatever.", Tritonio/Slippy remarked offhandedly, not caring for a moment at how badly he was being portrayed.

He pointed his sword at the two of them. "Life is but a question looking for an answer. No one even wanted my question until I took on the mantle. Now I am the greatest thief to ever live, seemingly immortal, AND loaded so full of cash I can have this!"

He withdrew a bubble pipe and puffed a few out. "Pretty cool, eh?"

Original Tritonio stared dryly at him, while Annie admitted it was "Dope."

"All right, now where was I? Ah, yes! You're going to stay here and be good little hostages while Swampbeard and I "take care" of The Wrecker.

Annie's eyes went red and she began to scream threats. "LEAVE HIM OUT OF THIS! TAKE ME INSTEAD, YOU RATS! OR BETTER YET: LET ME BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF BOTH OF YOU!"

Annie began shouting out kung fu noises, and Tritonio/Slippy and Swampbeard laughed and shook their heads. "The innocence of youth…", Tritonio/Slippy remarked, and he lifted Annie's head, the frog girl trying to bite his nose.

"Don't you see? You tried to save your father over and over again, but you couldn't even chase the right thief. Why don't you just do me a favor and stop wasting all our air?"

"You leave her out of this! She tried to save her father over and over again despite thinking she was at a disadvantage! She has more justified reasons to exist in her pinkie than you do in your entire body!", Original Tritonio argued back, and Annie, who was fighting tears, smiled gratefully at the comment.

"Yes, that's very sad, I feel awful. Swampbeard, let's kill your arch-enemy or whatever and get out of here! I'm thinking we dine with Captain Muck himself when this is all over!", Tritonio ordered, and Swampbeard, who growled at the order but agreed with its content, left with him, as the two hostages struggled against their bonds.

Morning.

The sun came up, it's hue nearly blinding The Wrecker, who woke up to what he knew was his last day.

His last sunrise…

Muscles slowly stretching, eyes blinking away the dust and the sandman's gifts, he let out a yawn and looked out at the beacon of light.

And for a while, he just sat there. There weren't many thoughts, many feelings. He had been preparing for years for this moment.

Wrecker closed his eyes. His breathing was slow and steady. Memories flashed past. It was like he was frozen in time as his chest tightened. He felt it all. Helplessness. Disappointment. Resentment.

It was too late. No matter what his heart kept telling him, his mind was wracked with guilt. He had hit rock bottom, and he had nowhere to go but down.

"How I wish I could… Turn back the sands of time. Have another… Chance. To give something."

Words his father once said came back to haunt him, and he shut his eyes tight. He birth had been a miracle, and for a while it seemed like he would stay a tadpole forever.

Wrecker chuckled darkly. "Frogs of value die before their time. Me? I get lucky, and do nothing with it."

But Wrecker could still hear his heart argue. He could still hear it claim what it had been trying to convince him since Annie came: That there WAS good in him, that he could STILL redeem himself.

Wrecker wanted to believe it, but…

He stared out at the sun, trying to catch its rays with his heart.

Annie…

He knew he was bad, yet he wondered if he was good. He knew his time was up, but he hoped he read the clock wrong.

He wanted to die, but living still felt right somehow.

How? How could he both want to end it all, and still keep going? How?

Wrecker shook his head at himself, a wry smile on his lips as he felt a tinge of warmth. "Who am I kidding? I know why…"

That girl… The one person he had done good for…

How he wanted to keep her smile, even if it meant his chest would always tighten after every breath.

But it was worth it for her. It was worth it.

Did… Did he want to live?

The notion was so surprising, Wrecker had to shake his head and as he did, he realized he was wasting Annie's precious time to get ready to disembark.

"Sorry, kiddo, got lost in my thoug…", Wrecker apologized, before seeing he was apologizing to thin air.

At first, Wrecker wanted to quell his instant panic: Annie was probably just at their seat, or in the bathroom, or ordering breakfast. Yes, it had to be that.

But she was not in any of the 3 places (he of course had called out from outside the ladies room because that would just be weird).

So, like a rational frog, he went around panicking.

"HAS ANYONE SEEN MY DAUGHTER?!", He asked, raving, as he shook a frog passenger by the shirt. The frog weakly shook his head and Wrecker leapt onto the table opposite.

"OH GOD! ANNIE!", he screamed, before ingesting a large mug of coffee.

"FATHER'S ADRENALINE, KICKING IN!", he declared, muscles on overdrive and nerve endings firing like missiles as he ran through each train car, hollering for Annie, bumping into everything and anything, scratches and bruises and knocks coming in at supersonic speed without a moment's notice from Wrecker.

"ANNIE!", he screamed again, before popping out of a soup bowl. "I CAN SEE EVERY EQUATION!"

In the rich people's car, Wrecker leapt out of a rich woman's wallet. "EXCUSE ME, MA'AM, HAVE YOU SEEN MY DAUGHTER? SHE'S ABOUT THIS TALL, CLEARLY BI BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD THE TALK…"

Wrecker suddenly violently leapt away and tripped a person who looked like Bog but wasn't. "ANNIE ARE YOU IN HERE IN THE TRASH?"

"ANNIE!", He kept yelling and flailing his arms until he entered a hallway full of doors: Red doors, blue doors, large doors, small doors. Doors of every shape, color and size.

Wrecker was not a breaking and entering kind of frog, usually, but when his child was in danger, he was ready to do just about anything.

With zero remorse, he knocked the first locked door down, finding a room full of smokers. Coughing, he knocked down the second, which was full of pets in cages.

"Come on, Annie, come on…", he pleaded, as he knocked the third door down and…

"AAAAAARRGHHH!", a shrill voice called out.

"BEG YER PARDON, MA'AM!", Wrecker called out apologetically and shut the door. He grimaced. "I better leave an apology note."

After a well thought and genuinely made note of apology, with much deliberation put into it, and the rest of his money as compensation, Wrecker then slowly knocked on the other door, to make sure no one was there.

He heard hushed whispers, footsteps towards the door that were quiet, followed by footsteps away from the door that were not. "Peculiar…", Wrecker thought, but not wanting a repeat of last time, closed his eyes and whistled innocently. "I just wanted to know if an Annie Lilypad is in there, sorry if I interrupted anything…"

"Oh, no! Come on in, she's right here!", a voice called out, sort of familiar to Wrecker but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Still, Annie was here, and that was what was important!

Bright relieved smile on his face, Wrecker walked right in to the room, eyes now open, but what he saw was not Annie, but…

"Nice of you to join us, Wrecker.", Tritonio/Slippy greeted, stuffing gallons of coins and gems into his pockets and suitcase while Swampbeard laughed menacingly, eyeing his foe.

Wrecker's voice could have made buildings quake, but his arms shook like said buildings too. "…Where is she?", he demanded in hushed rage.

"She's safe… If you co-operate.", Tritonio/Slippy informed, and he lazily pointed at the backpack Wrecker had. "We have something you want… And you have something we want…"

Wrecker raised a confused eyebrow, while keeping the other eye on Swampbeard, the tension and electricity between them sharper than ever. "If only my body weren't battered from that last battle…", he thought, cursing himself for not being strong enough for her.

He protectively held the bag. "What could I possibly have that you want?"

"Think outside the box, my friend.", Swampbeard "encouraged", and Wrecker gulped. He had sort of forgotten about the box, but now it suddenly rose out of the primordial ooze of unimportance and into the realm of urgent value.

"A trade?", Wrecker asked, wanting all the information he could receive.

"Something like that.", Tritonio/Slippy replied, filing his fingernails with a gem stone.

"Surely you have enough to steal here. I mean, those manicure gemstones must be worth about a motherload of… Whatever it is you want to buy? Sorry, this would have worked if I knew you better.", Wrecker tried, backing off a bit but being blocked at the door by an angry Swampbeard.

"I like moustaches. Maybe I'll buy a few hundred. And call them all Ernie. But that's not what we're really talking about here… Is it?", Tritonio/Slippy snaked around to Wrecker and stroked his face.

"I don't think I like what we're talking about. I don't think you'll like the kick this baby has.", Wrecker warned, but Tritonio/Slippy shook his head.

"And clearly you don't like the girl as much as you say… Otherwise you would have given up on the box the moment I offered this deal…", Tritonio/Slippy guilt tripped, and Wrecker gulped, heart immediately pounding, as the thief's circling walk made him dizzy.

"I thought you'd changed, Wrecker. Isn't that why I deserved to lose to you?", Swampbeard squeezed the atmosphere with his growl.

"Clearly we had the wrong impression. Clearly you wouldn't live for her. Clearly there is no reason for a discussion with an unreasonable frog.", Tritonio/Slippy continued, and Wrecker kept sweating, shaking his head.

"No, wait… It's not like that!"

"Poor Annie… What kind of father sacrifices her for a measly possession?"

"It's dangerous! I'm not gonna kill anyone else!", Wrecker defended, red faced, but acid laced the response from Tritonio/Slippy.

"Except for Annie. She gets to rest like you… Unless you're ready to make the right decision…"

Wrecker felt his chest tighten. His fists clenched. He had promised to save her… But could he really take such a risk? But they would kill her… But… But…

"…Come on, Wrecker…", Tritonio/Slippy encouraged, grinning wildly. "This is your chance to be her hero."

Wrecker looked up, lost and unsure. There were no good choices… Were there?

Meanwhile…

Annie had tried and tried to break her restraints, but now they were leaving marks on her while the real Tritonio left teeth marks on his restraints.

"I've been in way more challenging traps than this. If it weren't for my weak legs and arms, we would have been out 5 minutes ago. But that just means we'll be out any moment.", Tritonio said, but Annie said nothing.

Tritonio kept biting, before taking a breather and saying "This Wrecker is supposed to be an accomplished fighter, right?"

Annie sighed.

Tritonio turned to her. "…You gonna finish your restraints?"

Annie finally turned to him. "What's the point? I'll just get in the way again, and then he'll be dead, and not even in the way he wants."

Tritonio sighed, and as he kept chewing at his ropes, he talked to Annie. "Listen, little girl…"

"I'm not little! Just useless!", Annie retorted, and Tritonio couldn't help but laugh.

"For someone with so much spunk and determination, you are not sounding very confident."

"Because as I told you, I failed to help Wrecker! First I nearly hurt you for no reason, then I spied on you when you weren't even the criminal, and now Wrecker is gonna die while I just stay here, pointless! What reason do I have to get out of these ropes?!", Annie shouted, and Tritonio stopped for a moment and turned to her, eyes fixated on her, on helping her, on showing her the truth.

"Annie, when Slippy tied me to that train, and stole my identity I was just about ready to give up. All my life, I was nothing but a simple criminal, getting away with it all because no one bothered to notice a Salamander. My honor had been dragged across the mud, and my life had been plundered by my closest ally. And I wouldn't be here telling you all this if it weren't for…"

Tritonio closed his eyes and opened them with tears, his heart leaking his truth. "…For Maria."

"Maria?", Annie asked, and Tritonio nodded with a wry smile.

"Maria. My love. My life. Maria, who challenged my original selfish purpose with her existence. Maria, who revealed to me that success was nice, money was fine, but life was more than that."

He shook his head. "She had torn herself apart in his blasted mines, all so she can support the slums of Toad Town. And soon enough she had my winnings to add to that total. I wouldn't be telling you to live if it weren't for her."

Tritonio locked eyes with Annie. "I know how you feel: You just keep making things worse. Why are you here if all you do is fail? But you don't need to prove yourself. And even then, well… Living for yourself and for others is the key. I can't force you to love yourself. I received all my life… But to give… To love someone else… To live, for their smile…"

Tritonio chuckled as he tore his ropes apart and using a gem stone, tore Annie's. "…Now that's a reason."

Annie's eyes widened with realization. She stared out the door, knowing Wrecker…

Knowing…

She closed her eyes.

She knew now… Even if she failed…

"My dad needs me. I've gotta at least try. I've gotta at least try."

She smiled at Tritonio, who winked at her. "Well, then… What are we waiting for?"

"So, I'll leave you two now to settle your differences! I'm sure it will be very messy and gory, and, well, this is a new vest, so yeah.", Tritonio/Slippy explained as he began to walk out the door, a lost Wrecker and a maniacal Swampbeard staring at each other in the treasury room, the glinting gold reflecting off Tritonio/Slippy's vest buttons.

He grinned saucily at them. "Swampbeard, make sure to get the box to the best pub at Toad Town, the one near the slums? Thank youuuu!", he greeted and strutted off to his exit.

Wrecker watched him leave with a frown and then stared back at Swampbeard. Time slowed to a crawl, and crawled to a halt. The heavy, primal breathing of Swampbeard, pungent of rage and madness, permeated the area. Wrecker didn't consider the options: they both were horrible.

He couldn't let anyone die, not again.

Not again…

Wrecker closed his eyes, as Swampbeard tasted the moment. "Well, well, well… Finally, just you and me. All these years… All this pain…"

Swampbeard lifted his sword, face shaking and the slightest smile appearing on it. "And I can finally kill you."

Wrecker couldn't move a muscle, but the gears in his head kept turning: How could he save Annie AND everyone else? He couldn't give the box, but he couldn't fight Swampbeard.

There was only one option. It was incredibly unlikely, but…

"And yet you won't.", he sounded, fully determined, fists clenched.

"And how come?", Swampbeard asked, barely containing himself.

Wrecker felt her in his heart. Wrecker felt the world in his soul. He opened his eyes, and the real Wrecker was finally out. "…Because I have a reason."

And with that he bolted off, hopping like a madman off walls and doorways.

Swampbeard took a moment to comprehend this…

And screaming with unbridled resentment, he pursued the frog, stomping like a giant across the cars.

It sounded like stampeding mantises, and the residents of every car screamed and shrieked as the two dodged tables, carriers of dishes and suitcases, sword strikes ruining all three types of items, while Wrecker kept shouting out apologies.

"Pardon! Sorry, ma'am! I am profoundly ashamed, sir!"

"I'LL MAKE YOU PROFOUNDLY DEAD!", Swampbeard shouted, and Wrecker noted that Swampbeard's banter took nosedives when he was angry.

Wrecker could feel the box jump up and down in his backpack like his heart pounding in his chest, and fear reverberated in his head as Swampbeard got more and more savage with every strike of his sword. Wrecker knew he would run (LEAP!) out of (HOP!) train soon (SKIP!) but he wouldn't give up, he'd find a way through this and save Annie, he would, he had to!

"IT'S TOO LATE FOR YOU, WRECKER! YOU'VE DONE ENOUGH DAMAGE! JUST LEAVE THE BOX TO SOMEONE WHO CAN HANDLE IT! JUST LET ME FINISH THIS MADNESS!", Swampbeard roared as he bounced and the train jumped in the air from the repracussions of that leap.

Wrecker stared him down, almost ready to remove his mask and mark his redemption. "Only one will die today!"

And with that he slid underneath Swampbeard's legs, feeling his aching bones as he kept running but in slower and slower speeds.

"I have to keep going… I have to…", Wrecker said, eyes blinking as his health finally began to catch up to him. He could only keep going like this for so long, and he could feel his right leg on fire as he kept running his life off, as Swampbeard took another leap.

"NO MORE, WRECKER! IT'S TIME YOU PAYED FOR YOUR CRIMES!", Swampbeard shouted, and with that, he shoved his sword in Wrecker's right leg.

Wrecker shouted out with pain as the bone broke, and never healed, and lying on a heap in the floor, barely able to keep his eyes open, Wrecker reached for a punch at Swampbeard, who easily dodged.

Another attempt at a punch, and then a kick with his left leg, then right.

Wrecker could barely move, could barely reach.

Swampbeard laughed once more, and lifted his sword. "Look at you… Finally, after all this time, your luck has run out. You're a Wrecker… And I'm gonna send you to hell, where you belong."

Swampbeard smiled like a madman, tasting blood.

Wrecker had no last words this time… Well, almost.

There was no escape. There was no way out. All Wrecker could do was pray.

And he refused to pray for himself.

"Save… Annie… To hell with me… But save… Save my daughter…", Wrecker whispered, tears running down, as the sword began to set down to it's intended target…

But instead of a blood curdling slash, Wrecker heard a sharp, metallic clang.

Wrecker looked up, and there, protecting him with a sword as he was down and defenseless…

Was Annie.

She smiled at him. "Hey."

Wrecker took a moment to digest it…

And he shed a tear as he smiled back. "Hey, kiddo."

Unfortunately, Swampbeard was still there, and, bellowing with indignation, he swiped his sword.

Annie, stopping him without even looking, picked Wrecker up from the ground, and despite his potentially broken leg, he picked up his sword and blocked him too.

And with zero dialogue since they didn't need it, the father and daughter fought back against the giant, the rest of the rain passengers still staring on with shocked and horrified faces.

Meanwhile, on top of the train, Tritonio/Slippy took a moment to admire his place. He looked down at the view, eyes sparkling like the gem stones in his pockets. The wind blowing his hair, he sighed contently. "So that's what it's like."

"Don't get used to it."

Tritonio/Slippy immediately turned around, for once caught by surprise. His sword immediately lifted as he looked upon the real Tritonio, whose eyes were stormy.

"…So… You've come to get your revenge.", Slippy stated, ready to survive as always.

Tritonio shook his head. "I'm here to do what's right."

Slippy began to get angry, years of injustice erupting from his soul as he lost his cool for the first time. "I was abused too, you know? I was nothing but dirt too!"

Tears began to burst out, as Slippy forgot about the money for just a moment, and screamed from deep down his shallow pool. "…WHERE'S MY HAPPINESS?! I'M AN AMPHIBIAN TOO!"

"Yes. You are. But you have been living pretty for a while now. And you're too blind to see it.", Tritonio said, sadness trapped in his throat. He looked away, failing to believe that it was…

"…You were my friend, Slippy. I loved you. You weren't dirt to me."

"I don't need your pity! I had my fair share of pain, and I'm not letting go of what I have! I've earned this!"

Tritonio extended his hand, the wind making their costumes flap in the wind, his sword by his side, his heart on his sleeve. "…It's not too late. You can still turn around."

"…Tritonio never gives up.", Slippy said, and he pointed his sword at Tritonio and prepared to charge.

"…No. No I won't.", Tritonio said, despite knowing how badly hurt he was. There was no other way, was there?

He held aloft his sword. He straightened his coat. He took a deep breath.

And he deflected Slippy's sword strike, the two locked in fierce battle.

"Toad Town is the next stop."

"…They'll be proud. That's how he is. That's how we're wired."

"Except for me."

"…If I could I would give back… But how? How can I ever make up for it?"

"I'm a killer. I'm a monster."

"I'm sorry Mom. I'm sorry."

"…I can't give up, but how can I do anything to make up for it if I can only do wrong?"

"…I hate paradoxes."

"…How do I know that this isn't who I am?"

"…How do I know that there is a reason for me?"

Grime was sure he was lost…

Grime was sure he was evil…

There was no way of proving he still had time…

Or was there?

As Grime walked down the car, he suddenly saw them.

They were struggling. The girl was barely deflecting the wild and ferocious sword strikes, and him…

He…

He was on one leg, barely alive, barely awake, sword about to be knocked out of the way.

Grime didn't think.

He had no time to digest this.

Because like a rocket, he suddenly found himself deflecting the potentially fatal sword strike to Wrecker.

"…Grime?!", Wrecker called out, as Annie rushed to his aid as he collapsed to the ground.

Grime had no time to say anything, except "Run!", as he and Swampbeard were locked in fierce battle, the latter so furious that he began to pound away at Grime like he would have had with Wrecker.

Wrecker extended a hand in vain, wishing he could do something, but he truly was hurt and drained of energy. Annie, hoisting him up and letting his arm rest over her shoulder, began to run to the conductor's room.

"If we're not arriving in like, a minute, we're jumping out of the door!", Annie ordered, and Wrecker nodded, before asking "But are you sure? The box will be safer in your hands, and… I don't know how much time I have left."

Wrecker began to reach towards the bag but Annie stopped his hand and smiled reassuringly at him. "I am sure. You trust me about this stuff, right?"

Wrecker didn't hesitate here. "I do."

"…So trust me. I want you to board off with me."

Wrecker looked at her as she galloped almost to the conductor's room, brave, defiant, confident, kind.

Annie looked back at him as he smiled. "What?"

"…Nothing."

As the two neared the conductor's room, Grime and Swampbeard kept fighting, the latter clearly dominating, each strike like a tsunami to Grime's head, the toad bleeding heavily now from a gash on the side of his head. Despite this, Grime was still with a leg in the fight, trying to use his anger at seeing his friend being almost killed to apply pressure to Swampbeard's legs (he could tell immediately thanks to his military training that the pirate's legs were his weak spots) but he was too afraid to go too far, and so wasn't giving enough pressure. His leg lock was ineffective, and Swampbeard unleashed a barrage of punches to Grime's head.

The battle was savage and brutal, both men bleeding from their mouths and struggling with black eyes, ferocity leading the fight, unlike the battle between Slippy and Tritonio, which was more refined, more tragic.

Slippy's technique was perfect and refined, to a terrifying degree: He had clearly been practicing for hours to copy and even improve upon Tritonio's original form. He was faster, especially on the defense, as if he could do this forever. If it wasn't for the nature of the fight and the motivations of his former protage, he would have complimented him.

Tritonio meanwhile had clear weaknesses, one's Slippy was long since aware and taking advantage of. The Salamandar was basically fighting on one knee, his sword hand deteriating by the minute, only his determination and belief in his cause keeping him going.

"Think, man, think! Slippy must have a weakness!", Tritonio thought, but he couldn't see it. Up until now, Slippy had shown no sign of impatience, no all encompassing rage, no nothing!

And he was too dumb to fall for a trick like throwing some of his gold off the train, he wouldn't jump after it!

Over confidence? Perhaps, but was he too clever for that?

Tritonio inwardly cursed as Slippy slashed his leg and he cried out in pain. Age had truly caught up to him, and all the running from yesterday had been too much for his ancient body.

Slippy drew blood, and his eyes were anticipating it. He drew closer with his blade, as Tritonio kept wincing in pain.

"…All my life… I was nothing…", Slippy mumbled out, feeling the moment. He looked up to the sky, and felt the light on him. He was blessed, finally.

Tritonio looked up at him. "…You weren't nothing to me. Only to them."

"Well, now they will see me. I am no longer a pretender to the throne.", Slippy said, adopting his old master's voice, and slicing the old man's hand off, making him scream.

"Slippy… Please… Maria and the others need me!", Tritonio called out, feeling helpless, but not caring. He had to do what was right, regardless of how he came off.

But it was too late.

Slippy smirked, and he picked up Tritonio by his throat, the old man seeing his life flash past.

"…I am The Terrible Train Thief Tritonio."

And with that, Tritonio got kicked off onto the ground below, dust and grass kicking up onto the air as his body disappeared. He closed his eyes, wishing he could have done more.

Slippy kept standing on the train, accepting his position with no more challengers. He was Tritonio. Finally.

Back on the train cars, Wrecker and Annie had already talked to the conductor, and time was running out: It would take 3 hours to reach Toad Town and Toad Tower. And that was by train!

Wrecker furrowed his brow as he and Annie approached the first car and the window that they would have to break through to leave. "This is gonna hurt, but we can't let him get you, or the box."

"The box?", Annie asked, having not seen it at all during this journey.

Wrecker face palmed. He hadn't told her, had he? "The box your father had! I found it beside me when we landed that day, so just in case it was dangerous I kept it for safekeeping. Swampbeard wants it."

"Then we better get outta here already!", Annie said, and the two prepared to jump out, but as they did, they got knocked into the side of the car, lying down on a hurting heap on the floor, Wrecker's leg screaming in pain.

"Thought you could escape so easily?", Swampbeard cackled, with a bloodied and bruised Grime vainly holding on to his neck. "I'll have that box now."

Grime's eyes widened. "No! You have no idea what it's capable of! I won't let more people die!", and he tried harder and harder to stop him, refusing to listen to the voice in his head that told him to kill the behemoth.

"No… No…", Wrecker voiced, but he couldn't move. And neither could Annie, as Swampbeard kept them under his legs.

Grime tried once more to stop him, but he easily swatted him aside, and as they all winced in pain, he took the box out of the backpack.

It shined and gleamed, and Swampbeard caressed it for a second. "…So long… I have searched for thee…"

Pure happiness on his face, his smile twisted evilly. "Finally… I can destroy The Wrecker…"

Wrecker knew it was too late… So he held onto Annie and embraced her as hard as he can. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry I failed ya! I just want you to know that I love you like you were my real daughter!"

Annie embraced back, tears streaking her cheeks. "I love you too, Dad!"

And as they hugged to protect each other, and as Grime stumbled to his feet and tried to jump towards the box, Swampbeard made his wish…

And opened the box.

Blinding hellish lights crawled out and the sky turned a dark red as the explosion didn't affect the train, but did throw Wrecker, Annie, Grime and Swampbeard to the forest floor. Wrecker found dirt in his mouth and he spat it out, Annie on top of him. "Is it morning?", Annie asked, hurt from the blast.

Wrecker was sure his leg was gone now; even if it healed, he would never walk the same way, now would he?

But more importantly was where were they. Wrecker and Annie looked around and saw nothing but grass and trees. The sun was shining. It was like nothing happened.

"…Where's Swampbeard?", Annie asked the question in the air, and Wrecker stood up, albeit in pain, and protectively lifted his sword. Annie did so as well, and they jumped when they heard a shout…

But it was just Grime, who had fallen from a tree branch. He winced in pain, and Wrecker leapt to his aid. "You ok, pal?"

"Yeah, I'm ok… Pal?", Grime asked, surprised. He had never heard Wrecker call him such names.

Wrecker smiled. "Good."

He steadied him and shook his hand heartily, confusing Grime even more. "Thank you. You… You really did us a solid."

"Us? Oh right, there's you.", Grime said, feeling ashamed for not noticing the bright young lady who reflected sunlight. She beamed and waved, grateful too for his actions.

"Thanks for the save! I guess Wrecker was right, you're one of the good guys!"

Grime wished he could prove that right. Even if he did do something good for them, that didn't necessarily mean he was good. He… He still killed Houdini…

Annie shook his hand, and he forgot all about that for a moment, as he shook back her soft hand. "Thank you. I… Um…"

Annie's smile was almost infectious, he almost wanted to smile back, but suddenly, an inamphibian sound could be heard across the forest floor.

Swords were unsheathed immediately, and nervous eyes scanned the whole place, looking for the threat, looking for Swampbeard.

But what they saw was not what they expected.

It, if it even could be described as such, was a red and black misty tentacled creature, with a mouth like a vortex, eyes that peered into your soul and a voice that send chills down your spine. It was massive and it was horrifying, and it held Swampbeard aloft, the pirate looking frozen solid, scared beyond belief.

It floated like a ghost, and it stared at you like it knew the darkness in your soul. The whole sky turned red and black as it judged them, but none of them were dark enough. None of them were the right bond.

And with that, it consumed Swampbeard like a spider, leaving his husk of a body, cold and unfeeling, on the ground, and like that, disappeared into the box, not that Wrecker, Grime or Annie saw that, they were too horrorstricken to understand anything.

Wrecker finally managed to move as he stared down at the dead body of his old enemy. He knelt down and, with sadness in his eyes, shut the pirate's eyelids. "…Safe sailing, old friend."

Standing up, Wrecker turned to Grime and Annie, and looked to the horizon the box suddenly in view. Picking it up, Wrecker, Grime and Annie all stared at each other. Whatever this was, whatever it did, if it led to the monster…

It would have to be answered.

But for now…

"…Let's go to the tower.", Wrecker said. The two others nodded, but they all felt foreboding in their hearts as they walked through the forest.

What would befall them?

"So… You're gonna go?"

Wrecker looked up, having been so sunk in his thoughts he took a while to return to the surface to notice Annie, still dressed like she always did but now in a room decorated with banners and weapons of the toad army. Brown wooden panels and walls surrounded them, but they didn't feel suffocated.

In fact, they felt… Safe.

Well, sort of.

They had arrived the day before at the tower to much hullabaloo: Grime had received a celebration in his honor for the "vanquish" of the killer of his mother (He would have to comfort his friend later), and when Muck ordered a bunch of workers to find the box, Wrecker and Grime knew they couldn't let this fall into anyone's hands.

So the night they arrived, with drinks being clinked for those who could not chug down a drop, Wrecker and Grime had agreed on two things: That Grime would stay back and keep watch on Annie, and…

"Back to Wartwood?", Annie asked. "What's in Wartwood?"

Wrecker flashed a colorful egg out of nowhere and in no time at all cracked it open and revealed a ticket.

"Our ticket to a safe life. For everyone in Amphibia."

Wrecker strapped on his boots and shakily held onto a walking stick Grime had lent him (the toad had given him a lot, he'd have to thank him as well). He stood up and looked at Annie, who was concerned. He smiled encouragingly. "Nothing will go wrong. It's a simple trip to the Bizarre Bazzar. Tomorrow night the bazzar starts, and there I will find an…"

He hesitated, stumbling over his words. "…An old co-worker, to put it mildly. She'll know how to deal with this."

Annie put her arms on her hips. "She'll deal with me if she doesn't."

Wrecker chuckled and leaning down, held her close. "…I'll be safe. I promise. I don't break those."

"…Why can't I come?"

"Because even if it's safe for me, it's not for you.", Wrecker replied, and Annie scowled, which made him laugh.

"I can take care of myself!", Annie said, sticking her tongue out.

"I know that, but I'd rather you stay out of trouble. It's just 3 days. Even you could do that!", he ribbed, nudging her, and she nudged back, grinning, before embracing him.

"…I'll be good."

Wrecker closed his eyes tight and let his tear slide. "I have no doubt of that."

Before they parted, Annie suddenly remarked sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. "…I know I called you Dad a few times. I know that that was a little weird, I hope that… Um… You see…"

She trailed off. And Wrecker, for once feeling worthy of it, leant down and kissed her forehead. "I love you too, daughter."

Annie sighed in relief and sunk into his love. It was ok.

She was ok.

As his stick shook wildly, Wrecker steadied it, and looked upon Grime, who was still a storm of emotions. He had done some good things, but he had still killed Houdini. He just couldn't decide what was right or wrong, if he had time or not.

All he had was Wrecker right now. If he could at least do him right once more…

"I hate to ask for favors, especially after all you did to save me.", Wrecker said, and Grime shook his head.

"You're my friend. It's the least I can do.", he muttered, averting his eyes.

Wrecker stared at him gratefully. "…Thank you, pal. Truly."

Grime looked back with surprise. "…I thought you…"

Wrecker looked at the sky and smiled. "…I don't know. But I do know that you saved my life. I know that you are my friend."

He looked back at Annie, who waved goodbye. He waved back. "And if you keep her safe, I will always be in your debt."

He extended a hand, and Grime, shocked, shook back. "…Thank you."

Wrecker smiled again, patted his back, and with that, the box safely in his bag, he began to leave.

"…Get rid of it. No one can have it. Right now, Wrecker…"

He saluted. "You are the line."

Wrecker shook his head. "No… WE are the line."

And thus, Wrecker left, Grime taking a deep breath and hoping he could handle this girl he had never met.

She beamed at him. He smiled shyly back. He really hoped he could.

As Wrecker walked past the jungle he trudged through so many times, but now for a heroic cause, he remembered how he had seen the original Tritonio's body earlier in the jungle, the dying salamander crying his final tears.

Wrecker had tried to save him, but it was too late. And as he left this world, Tritonio begged Wrecker to forgive himself and help those less fortunate in Amphibia.

"…I was The Terrible Train Thief Tritonio. I fought for others… Now please… Please… Do what is right. She believes in you. So do I."

Wrecker closed his eyes as he prayed to the noble thief.

"I will, Tritonio."

He looked to the horizon. "I am The Wrecker…"

He clenched his fist and walked off.

"…And I will protect."

He had a reason after all.

POST CREDITS SCENE:

A council of fire. A room of red. Hooded cloaks, paintings depicting the horrible beast in the forest.

In a circle they stand, chanting.

The box had activated yesterday…

The beast had been out, for a moment.

The beast they had created.

The key to ruling Amphibia…

Who had it?

"The one they call Wrecker… He left under mysterious circumstances. He must have the box.", One says.

"Send that thief. Send our best men. Send our secret weapons.", they chant.

"Gentlemen, we will. By tonight we will finally fix this land. We will rid of the dirt and create a better world. One ruled by the wise and the just.", a voice in the middle called out.

"May the beast share your body. May you harness his power.", they chanted.

He rose.

He removed his hood.

Captain Muck clenched his fist. "Amphibia…"

"…I am the way."

He grinned.

And laughed.

TO BE CONTINUED…