The Plantar Sisters

by jawmax

When beings outside of time change the past the Calamity Trio are sent to Amphibia as babies. Raised by the Planter family the girls grow up not knowing what they are or where they come from. The adventure begins again with the stakes raised as time itself in the balance.

18. Treasure Hunt & Combat Camp

Chapter 18: Treasure Hunt/ Combat Camp

AN: Treasure Hunt is a Side B story to Cursed!

Treasure Hunt

Marcy rubbed a red sheet of paper with a paint brush with a clear liquid. "Nothing."

"Marcy, it's late." Anne moaned and rubbed her eyes.

"I know this sheet of paper I found in the tunnels under the house means something and Sprig agrees with me. I just need to figure out how to read it."

"But Hop Pop volunteered to search one of the roads for us in exchange for me running the stand tomorrow, so I need sleep. You've had that thing for months now. It will still be there in the morning."

"Alright, it's just so frustrating! I rarely come across something I can't figure out even with my brain boost! But if I don't sleep then I won't be in any shape to solve it. Goodnight Anne." Marcy turned off their mushroom light.

"I thought her powers would let teen me figure it out by now." Ghost Marcy sighed.

"She said it herself, even with her brain boost young Marcy can't know what she doesn't know." Ghost Anne said.

The next morning the family gathered in the front yard. "Alright kids, I'll be taking Polly for today's search." Hop Pop said. "I want the three of you to behave yourselves while I'm gone."

"Yes, Hop Pop and if you find Sasha bring her home." Anne said.

"Of course, we will. Marcy what are you doing?"

Marcy was holding the sheet of paper up to the sun. "Maybe I need to find another kind of light source."

"You can work on that later Marcy. You need to help your siblings at the stand."

Later at the market Marcy sighed. "Still thinking about the piece of paper?" Anne asked.

"I'm surprised you're not." Sprig said ducking into the vegetables so not to be seen by Maddie. "Who knows what secrets it's hiding?"

"Exactly." Marcy said. "This is like the hardest puzzle I've ever come cross!"

"Maybe what you need to solve it is to step back. Take a break and relax." Mrs. Croaker said coming up to the stand. "Sorry, couldn't help but overhear. Whenever I can't figure something out sometimes the answer comes to me when I'm not thinking about the problem."

"Now that sounds good." Anne said as Mrs. Croaker got some carrots. "You're not doing us any good here right now, so maybe you should have some soothing tea at Felicia's."

"Okay, it won't hurt at least. I be back later then." Marcy said.

As she left, she heard Sadie say. "Hear you go deary."

"Catch you later Mrs. Croaker." Anne said.

"Oh, they'll never catch me."

Marcy smiled. "Yeah, this is what I need. To refresh myself. Hello Barry!" she waved at the candy vendor.

"Hello my dear." He said as he passed, carrying a pot full of blue shinning berries.

At the tea shop Marcy just finished taking a sip. "Thanks Felicia. The tea and scones were delicious as always. I am feeling much better."

"Something got you down?" Felicia asked.

"Just a puzzle I can't seem to solve."

Both Felicia and Sylvia groaned. "Oh, we Sundews know about not being able to solve a puzzle." Sylvia said.

"Especially Ivy right now. She's up in her room working on puzzle that both mom and I gave up on years ago." Felicia added.

"Maybe I can help?" Marcy asked. "Working on a different puzzle might even give me the insight I need."

"You're welcome to try Marcy but if I couldn't solve it after decades of trying, I'm not sure if it can even be solved." Sylvia sighed.

Marcy went upstairs and saw Ivy was over an old brown piece of paper while holding up a book. "No that's not it either!" Ivy groaned.

"Hey Ivy need help?"

Ivy almost hit the ceiling. "Marcy! You scared me! What do you mean help?"

"Your mom and grandma told me you guys were having trouble with a puzzle."

"They, they told you!? But… of course, they don't think the treasure's real anymore."

"Treasure?

"The treasure Rodrick Ribbiter."

"Wait, General Ribbiter? Of the Ribbiter Rebellion 500 years ago?"

"That's the one. According to legend he hid a fortune in the valley before his capture. My grandpa was his direct descendant and found this riddle map." Ivy held up the paper with odd markings on it. "Everyone in town laughed and called him crazy for believing in the legend. He tried to figure it out until he died trying to get research material out of the valley. Grandma then tried followed by Mom. Every time the town just laughs at us. So far, we've only figured out it's written in an old dialect, but all the translations come out as gibberish! It has to be a code but what kind?"

Marcy looked at Ivy's notes. "I can't be sure, but this looks like a variation on the Hopper cipher."

"You know how to decode it?" Ivy gasped. "Help me and the treasure is yours!"

"Woah Ivy! I'll help because were friends and a puzzle leading to a famous treasure sounds like a lot of fun. That and you and I haven't done anything just the two of us before. By all rights this treasure belongs to your family."

"I don't care about the money! I just want to prove grandpa wasn't crazy."

"I'll need to get somethings from home." Marcy raced back and when she got back began decoding the map in the restaurant, Felicia and Sylvia looked on while Ivy could barely contain her excitement. "Okay it says "By dawns light at the stone table your quest begins, with the next clue to my chest and the treasure within. But wha'st this mark in the corner?" Marcy pointed to a marking that had a circle, diamond, and triangle.

"We never could figure that out either." Sylvia said.

"Stone table, I know where that is! I'll meet there before sunrise!" Ivy shouted.

"Ivy dear be quiet. Who knows who is listening. This is our chance to restore my father reputation." Felicia whispered.

"But mom no one else even believes in the treasure."

Toadie overheard the conversation and went right to the mayor. "A treasure? Well, I say we follow those girls. That treasure might fund my next campaign." Toadstool said.

"Yes sir!" Toadie agreed.

That at the Plantar house dinner table. "So, we didn't find Sasha but with the help of Loggle and Simon Bullfrogmont we cleared out a nest of vampires!" hop Pop said.

"Called my Polly the Vampire Slayer now." Polly said twirling a wooden stake.

"Well, that was cool. So Marcy, how did relaxing go?" Anne asked.

"Good, I even found a puzzle I'm going to help Ivy with, but I'll be out before dawn tomorrow to do it." Marcy said.

"Ivy… Marcy can I help solve it?" Sprig asked.

"I want it to just be the two of us. But I'll talk you up little brother." Marcy gave a wink.

"Well, whatever this puzzle is just be back before sundown." Hop Pop said.

"Yes, Hop Pop."

"I wish I could have helped Ivy with this in our timeline." Ghost Marcy said.

"No need to worry." The Guardian answered. "It would be years later, but Sprig would help her figure it out. And don't feel like you stole this adventure from him either. They will share many together."

"This is so exciting!" Marcy whispered getting up. "See you later Anne." If the lights were on Marcy would have seen Anne had begun to grow feathers.

Ivy was waiting for her outside with a shovel and the map. "Follow me." At the rock formation that looked like a stone table surrounded by tall stone chairs, they waited for sunrise. "I can't wait to dig this thing and show it to town then I can do the Sundew family I was right dance!"

"I was right dance?"

"Grandma taught it to me. Let me show you." Ivy began to swing hips and pump her fists. "I was riiiight you were wrooong." She then shook her rear toward Marcy. "Oh yeah, oh yeah! Oh, yeah, oh yeah!"

"That was… interesting. The sun's coming up." The light of the sun shined through an old crystal in one of the chairs that made a beam pointing to a nearby stone. The girls rolled it back and under it was an old rusty metal scroll case. Marcy opened it and pulled out a scroll. "It has the same code. Hang on… second clue found here is your test, go to shake Quillby's hand to continue the quest."

"Who is Quillby?"

"I know that name. Studying Wartwoods history he was the mayor of the town fifty years before the rebellion. He would have been dead by then. Wait his grave site was marked with a statue of him! To the Wartwood cemetery!"

At the grave site Marcy put Ivy on her shoulders so they could reach the hand on the tall statue. "Come on! A little closer!" Ivy said.

"So, Ivy you and Sprig get along great. I beat you wish he was here." Marcy said trying to talk her brother up.

"Of course, he's fun, funny, cool, cute… Please don't tell him I said that!" Ivy yelled blushing.

"My lips are sealed." Marcy laughed.

"Marcy, I want to thank you. We're closer to the treasure than anyone in my family has been in ages. I can't tell you how many codes, reagents, or lens we've tried on that map."

"Lens?"

"Yeah, Grandpa learned some kinds of ink can only be seen through certain colored lens. We still have the special glasses he made that can change between these lenses."

"Can I borrow them?" Marcy jumped in place in excitement almost making them fall. "They might be the solution to my own puzzle!"

"After helping clear my grandpa's name you can keep them!"

"This is it!" Ghost Marcy cheered. "Teen me is going to read the note and know to give to Andrias!"

Ivy shook the statue's hand and a slot opened at the bottom of the grave with another scroll that Marcy decoded. "Your final clue, the iron one of renown, you will find my fortune in her woody crown." Marcy was confused. "Iron and wood?"

"Old Queen Iron!" Ivy gasped. "She's the oldest iron bark in the valley! Rodrick Ribbiter hid the treasure in her branches!"

"Then let's go!"

The two girls ran off Toadstool and Toadie followed. "We'll let them do all the work and take the treasure for me." Toadstool said.

"Brilliant sir!" Toadie agreed.

Old Queen Iron was a giant grey tree with shiny leaves. "It's beautiful." Marcy said as they climbed it. "I'm surprised no one comes here."

"Yeah, my teacher just said everyone is supposed admire it from a distance." Ivy said as a giant squirrel climbed out of a giant knothole. "Marcy, stay absolutely still!" Ivy whispered. "That is a mace squirrel. It's harmless as long as we don't spook it with sudden movements or loud noises."

"Oooow! Stupid roots!" Toadstool yelled stubbing his toe down below. The squirrel's tail sprouted long spikes as it roared.

"Of course." Marcy said dodging the tail in time.

"Hey over here!" Ivy yelled hopping to a branch. "Marcy! Find the treasure! I'll keep it distracted!" The squirrel leapt at her, but she hit it in the face with her shovel. "This thing came in handy after all."

Marcy looked around. "Come on! Where are you?" She then peaked inside the knothole, not only was it the squirrel's nest but the metal treasure chest with an odd-looking lock was inside with bite marks. "Those things must wear their teeth on it." Marcy then Ivy scream! The beast's tail broke her shovel. "Ivy!" Marcy took the chest and threw at the squirrel hitting it in the back of the head knocking it out as both it and the chest fell to the ground.

"Come on Toadie! Let's get this thing back to town!" Toadstool said as the pair ran off with the chest.

"No! there goes my proof!" Ivy cried.

"It's not over yet." Marcy said. I think "I know how to unlock it."

Toadstool called the town over to the square. "Alright, I want everyone to see this treasure Toadie and I found all on our own." Toadstool fiddled with the lock but couldn't get it to open.

As Ivy and Marcy ran through the crowd they bumped into Anne, Sprig, and Maddie. "Oh! Mar Mar, you would not believe the day Sprig and I had! We were cursed, I turned into a bird, and Barry turned out to be evil!"

"I hear all about it later." Marcy said.

"Mayor Toadstool!" Ivy shouted. "You stole that chest from me and Marcy!"

"Why I never!" Toadstool huffed.

"But Marcy can open it. You can have the treasure inside if you admit that's it's the same treasure my family has been looking for decades for!"

"Okay, fine! We followed these two kids. They did all the work. Now open it!"

Marcy pulled out the first paper that started this hunt. "This mark in the corner is what you need to shift the lock to." She twisted and turned it and the chest popped open and Marcy smiled at what she saw inside. "Here you are mayor, it's all yours."

Toadstool was practically drooling. "Gold, gold, gold… what?" He pulled out a stack of paper. "What is this?"

"Rodrick Ribbiter's fortune, in Croakmarks." Marcy laughed. "He led one of the most successful rebellions against the crown. So successful his new nation printed a new currency called the croakmark. When the Newtopian army defeated the rebellion that currency became worthless. It's not worth the paper it's printed on!"

"What? Worthless?!" The whole town began to laugh.

"Still." Ivy said. "This proves my grandfather was right! Mom! Grandma! It's time for the Sundew family I was right dance!"

"I've been waiting to this for so many years." Sylvia said.

"A lady must be dignified at the proper times. But this is NOT one of those times." Felicia added.

"Come on Marcy we couldn't have done this without you!" Ivy waved her over.

"Eh, why not."

The four ladies began the dance. Sylvia sung first. "We were riiight! You all were wrooong!"

"Oh yeah, oh yeah! Oh, yeah, oh yeah!" They all sung together.

"My dad was not crazy! His mind was never hazy!" Felicia sang.

"Oh yeah, oh yeah! Oh, yeah, oh yeah!"

The treasure was reeeal! It's a big deeeal!" Ivy added.

"Oh yeah, oh yeah! Oh, yeah, oh yeah!"

"I did my part, cause I super smart!" Marcy sang lead to the big finish.

"Oh yeah, oh yeah! Oh, yeah, oh yeah!"

"Watching that makes me feel I'm the one who under a curse." Maddie said. Most of the towns people agreed.

That night Marcy put on the multi lensed glasses. First, she tried yellow, then blue, then finally red. "I knew it! It's a letter! My Dearest Andrias…" Marcy stopped. "Wait, Andrias the king of Amphibia Andrias?" She continued. "This message may never reach you, but I hope it does. I know you must hate me, but please hear me out." Marcy stopped again. "Woah this sounds super personal. I don't feel right invading his privacy like this."

"What? No! Don't stop! He needs this!" Ghost Marcy begged.

"But then again, we are probably going to Newtopia anyway… I'll just skipped to the end so when we get there and I deliver it, he'll know who it's from. With love always your Leif."

"Yes! Thank you, Ivy!"

Marcy then noticed Anne wasn't in the room with her and she heard something from upstairs. She peaked up as Sprig turned on the mushroom light to see Anne was pecking the floor like a bird. "What? You got a better way to eat ants off the floor? Sheesh!"

Combat Camp

Hop Pop was whistling as the Plantars rode down the road. "I still can't believe your bringing us to a daycare Hop Pop!" Sprig said.

"Especially Anne and me!" Marcy yelled. "We're thirteen!"

"Look I'm sorry, okay?" Hop Pop apologized. "But I have to go to the annual crop convention! It's a long ways away and I can't leave you kids on the farm alone for the weekend. Not without Sasha."

"What?" Sprig and Polly asked.

"Are you kidding?" Anne followed. "We could be looking for Sasha right now!"

"I'm sorry Anne, but the whole bizarre bazaar fiasco proves you kids need supervision!" Hop Pop said. "Why sometimes it feels like ever since you girls started heading out into the open, we have at least two wacky adventures a week!" They arrived at an old stone tower. "Here we are."

Out of the tower cam a green newt with a moustache and goatee, dressed like a teacher. "Greetings, I am Tritonio Espada, the instructor of this daycare."

"Huh. I thought Briar and Iris Bogwater ran this place."

"The Bogwaters retired last year and sold their business to me."

"Well in that case I'm Hopediah Plantar. This here is Sprig, Polly, Anne, and Marcy. The last two maybe gigantic but they are also children."

"Hey!" Anne said.

"We're thirteen!" Marcy repeated.

Tritonio looked them over. "Ah yes. I shall educate them. Teach them true discipline!"

"Oh! I like the cut of you gib Mr. Tritony… Did I say that right?" Hop Pop asked.

"Absolutely not."

"This isn't so bad, I guess." Sprig said. "There is a cool tower."

"I don't know guys I'm kinda nervous." Anne said. "Tritonio is a teacher. I was eager to go to a real school to meet other kids but… I heard Mom and Dad talk about their teachers and they had both good and bad ones. I hope he's one of the good ones."

"This could be bad." Ghost Anne said. "Tritonio did help me appreciate my teachers but as a first one, his using young Anne could have her not trusting them instead! What would that mean for her future?"

"Well kids, looks like you're in good hands here with Mr. Tritonio." Hop Pop snapped Bessie's reigns and rode off. "He yaw! Crop Con here I come!"

"Finally, it is just us now." Tritonio said. "So, let us cast aside these illusions, yes?" He ripped off his teachers robes and glasses, showing his flowing hair and open shirt with his cheat bare.

"Woah! The children gasped.

"And this is no mere daycare." Tritonio kicked his sign showing baby tadpole flipping it to a tadpole holding weapons. "This is a combat crash course, for kids!"

"Ye hoo!" Polly cheered.

"Cool!" Sprig said.

"Combat?" Marcy looked confused.

"Adults, they shelter their children." Tritonio explained picking up a stick. "I say no! Teach them to fight! For danger lurks around every corner of Amphibia. Stay on your toes. Trust no one. Ah! Look over there!" Tritonio pointed.

"What is it? Danger?" Sprig asked as Tritonio hit him in the head.

"I said trust no one! Now follow me and we'll begin the next lesson."

"Hit me again Tritonio!"

"This guy's awesome!" Polly said.

"We'll see." Anne answered.

"Only one way to find out." Marcy added.

Inside the tower Tritonio brought them his training which was full of weapons. "Your next is to pick your weapon. Find one that resonates with you."

Marcy wasn't the only one in awe. "I don't see any manuals on how to use these."

"Manuals? Ha! Fighting is not something you learn from books Marcy! You must learn by doing."

"Ooh! What are these?" Polly asked pointing to a bucket of blue mushrooms with skulls on them.

"Ah, the noble boomshroom. Small, unassuming, but in the right hands…" Tritonio pushed the stem on one and threw it high up. "…explosive! Perfect for you, I think. Who's next? No wrong answers!" Anne reached for a sword. "No! Wrong!"

"What? How so?" Anne asked.

"From what I've have seen, you do not have the dexterity to wield the sword. Pick something else!"

"Woah! These are big forks!" Sprig said holding up two Sai.

"Ah! Excellent choice Sprig."

Then there was an explosion and Polly slid over laughing. "So has Marcy picked her weapon? I want to know what the next lesson is."

They looked over to Marcy who after swinging an ax stumbled and dropped it into a pile of other weapons. "No not that one either! Maybe something long range." She then picked up a normal crossbow loaded a bolt and aimed at a set up target almost hitting the bullseye. "This is it!"

"Hold on." Tritonio said. "Let's see you draw it first." Marcy placed the bow at her side and reached for the handle but trying to draw it made her fall over again. "Hmm. A different model for you, I think." Tritonio gave Marcy a wrist mounted crossbow. She drew and fired hitting another target.

"I love it!"

Soon Tritonio had the children running through doughnut shaped beanbags. "Wonderful Sprig! Polly, truly inspiring! No Anne! Knees Higher! Marcy, watch your step! Your stumbling is an embarrassment!" Next, he had them go on what humans would call monkey bars. "Sprig, Polly, nice work! Faster Marcy! No Anne, more nimble!" The bars Anne was holding onto broke, and she fell, making Marcy lose focus and fall too. After that he had them run through swinging dummies. "Polly great ducking! Sprig wonderful sidestep." Dummies hit the older siblings. "Marcy, Anne! Pay attention that could have been a beast coming from the trees or a guard climbing up to the roof of a train car!" Tritonio then had the Platars climb the outside of the tower. "That's it children! Feel the stone beneath your hands, the strong breeze in your hair. Much like the breeze on a fast moving train."

"Man, Tritonio is so encouraging!" Sprig said.

"Must be nice." Anne sighed.

"Anne! Marcy! Your hand placement is all wrong!" Tritonio yelled.

"Why is he picking on the two of us?

"I don't know about you, but he must think I'm a bad student!" Marcy said.

"Why don't you two ask him why he's doing it?" Sprig asked. "Tritonio says an honest dialogue is more powerful than any weapon."

"Sprig that is the corniest thing I've heard. Woah!" Anne slipped and hit Marcy making them both fall into the bushes below.

"Even your fall needs work girls." Tritonio said.

That night the sisters sat at the top of the tower. "I need to learn this!" Marcy said.

Anne sighed. "Yeah, imagine if we were taught how to fight before the dare. Sasha could be with us right now and I wouldn't have spent those months looking for her."

"You had us all worried there. Believe me I glad you didn't give up so we know Sasha's alive, but you got to admit it wasn't normal." Marcy took a breath. "Remember when Mom and Dad died and the three of us were crying for a week?"

Anne sighed. "Hop Pop took us told us the world wouldn't give us time for tears. We had to get back to work so we can still live and help our loved ones who are still alive. Grieve on the inside, that is what everyone does because death is always near. We can't live otherwise. I remember but I just… couldn't Marbles."

"Because you thought it was your fault."

"That's part of it but, maybe you're a better frog than me. Maybe our kind just aren't built to just bury our sadness and cry on the inside."

"I think get it. I wanted to cry all the time until Maddie used that spell. I even did it when I was sure no one was looking. We really are different from our family. Makes me wonder when we find our people will we be able to understand each other."

"Well at least we understand each other."

It was then Tritonio climbed holding up two macro bowls. "You must eat girls. Only a fool fights on an empty stomach."

Anne decided to take Sprig's advice. "Tritonio can I ask you something? Why don't you like us?"

"What? I like you."

"Oh, come on! Your always being super tough on us for no reason. The only thing I can think is… we look like monsters."

"Or it's because you're wasting time on a student who can't learn anything unless it's from a book." Marcy said.

Tritonio laughed. "Oh Anne, Marcy, if I seem tougher on the two of you, it's not because I think you're a monster or a bad student. It's because I see girls who are not living up to their full potential!"

"Really?" Anne asked.

"In both of you I sense someone with a little effort can achieve greatness. I heard what you said about you people, and I think they would agree with me." Tritonio turned to Marcy. "Marcy watching you today I think I have seen the root of one of your problems. You are often clumsy but I it might be because you can be too focused."

"Too focused?" Marcy asked.

"You can be oblivious sometimes especially when you're reading." Anne said. "More than once Sasha and I had to keep you from walking into quicksand."

Tritonio continued. "A warrior must be always aware of their surroundings. You must find a balance between what you are doing and what is going on around you." Tritonio balanced his sword on his finger to make his point. "Using your other senses can help. If you must look at something while moving, feel the ground below you or listen to what's around you. And now I believe you are ready for these." Tritonio held out a sword and bolts different things attached to them.

"Wow!" the girls said. Anne looked on the blue metal of the sword. Marcy noted that some kinds of bolts were rope, bolos, even some with containers for different chemicals.

"The bolts I won from one of my greatest opponents and this blade has been in my family for many years and now they are yours. Get some sleep girls, for tomorrow, the real training begins!"

The next day the children were working hard. Anne and Tritonio were sparing. "Parry! Swing! Imagine I'm a fearsome assassin or a meddlesome train conductor." Tritonio forced Anne down.

"You're too fast!" Anne panted.

"Indeed, but when you find yourself out matched, think outside the box." He let the sun gleam off his sword. Anne then used her sword to reflect the light into his eyes and used that chance to knock his sword out of his hands. "Ha, ha! Excellent!" Meanwhile Marcy stood next to a clockwork machine that would shoot out padded pistons at her while she fired at three moving targets. With each hiss of the machine Marcy would dodge and shoot, hitting all three bullseyes. "You've all improved so much, especially the two of you Anne and Marcy." The girls blushed. "Now come, it time for your final test." Tritonio lead them to the basement of the tower. "Tomorrow is our last day together. So, I've put together an exercise to test all the skills you've learned." He then unrolled a scroll. "I have rented a train, inside of which I've hidden a fake priceless ruby. Also, I have hired actors to portray guards, who will stop at nothing to keep the ruby safe. You must retrieve it using the wisdom and skills I have taught you. Now study these plans. Become one with these plans. Eat the plans." He tore a small piece off and ate it before going to the door. "We leave at dawn!"

"So, does anyone else thinks this looks like we're just robbing a real train?" Sprig asked.

"Yeah, could Tritonio be using us?" Polly added. Looking at a note saying not to listen the guards about "not being actors".

"That's ridiculous!" Anne said banging the table. "Tritonio is a good teacher who believes in me!"

"Not to mention his methods really work!" Marcy added. "Thanks to his advice I've only tripped one today. Once! We should do it."

"You two seem oddly invested." Sprig said.

"Yeah, what happened to the worried he's a bad teacher Anne?" Polly asked.

"That Anne is dead and buried!" Anne said.

"Now come one guys, we got plans to study." Marcy began looking the plans over.

"You guys got me convinced." Sprig agreed.

Polly pulled out her new favorite weapon. "As long as I get to use my boomshrooms, I'm good."

The time for test had come, the train pulled by a giant beetle was going all when the toad engineer saw two figures standing in the middle of the tracks. "Huh? What the!" He blew the whistle singling creature to stop.

Sprig wearing disguse turned and said, "Please govnar, I'm a wee orphan whose twisted his ankle on the here tracks, trying to get medicine for my sick older sister."

Marcy was a cloak with a hood. "Please help him. I'm cannot touch my dear little brother for he might catch my horribly disfiguring disease!" Marcy said pulling off the hood and began to cough.

"Poor kids, guards help me!" the engineer called.

Two toad guards came out of one of the cars. "Another day, another wounded orphan to move." The woman of the pair said as Anne and Polly snuck aboard and got the train moving again

"This ankle isn't twisted." The male guard said as the train pulled away.

"Hey! The train!" the engineer yelled. the three toads chased after the train, but Sprig tripped them with his tongue.

He then used it to get on the train followed by Marcy who used a rope bolt to zip on board. "I love thing!" she beamed.

"I want one for my birthday." Polly beamed.

"Acting is fun!" Sprig said as the engineer pulled himself aboard swinging a sword.

"I trusted you!"

"Oh my gosh!"

The toad and Anne briefly fought before she kicked him off. "Orphans!"

"Man, these guys are really good actors." Anne said.

"Never mind that! Let's get that ruby!" Polly said.

They ran atop the train to the locked hatch above the car with the prize. "Polly, you're up." The youngest Plantar blew the hatch and they jumped inside. "There it is!"

For a fake, it's beautiful." Marcy said.

"We did it guys, Big T is going to be so proud of us!" Anne beamed.

"Proud is an understatement." Tritonio said jumping in.

"Tritonio!" the children gasped.

"You've all done so well." The newt picked up the ruby. "Ah, here it is. The tiger moth's eye. Now I have one more question. What was the first lesson I taught you."

Anne and Marcy raised their hands. "Trust no one!"

"Bingo." Tritonio climbed out and sealed the hatch trapping them inside.

"Tritonio! What are you doing?" Anne gasped.

"Sorry kids, but I never could have robbed this train by myself, and now that I have what I want I'll be going. Give my regards to the guards!" Tritonio began to leave.

"I can't believe this! He double crossed us!" Anne yelled. "Our first teacher and he was a fake. Well, he's not getting away with this!

"Polly have any more Boomshrooms?" Marcy asked.

"Ah, they were good kids." Tritonio said to himself. "Too bad they have to go to prison forever." That was when he heard the explosion.

"Tritonio!" Anne yelled.

"Return that ruby!" Marcy ordered.

"I have to say, even I'm impressed." Tritonio said.

"You really…." Anne remembered who she was talking to. "Guys now!"

Spring tried to us a combination of his tongue and Sai, but Tritonio sung him on Polly. "Oh, hi Sprig." Polly said just before impact.

"That hurt." Sprig moan as Polly's boonshrooms exploded in midair.

Marcy fired two bolts, the first Tritonio deflected back at Marcy as she was firing her second, but she dodged as he deflected the second into a tree they passed by. "Good Marcy, you're becoming more aware." Tritonio said.

"Too late for compliments lair!" Marcy yelled as Anne lunged at their former teacher.

He leapt onto her sword and kicked Anne in the face followed by using his tail to pull Marcy's les for under her. Anne stumbled back and was now hanging off the side of the train. "Trusting you was a mistake!" Anne said. "But you man a huge mistake too!"

"Oh yes? And what is that?" Tritonio asked as the sun shined behind him.

"You taught me how to fight!" Anne rised her sword and reflected the sun.

"Ah! Big T's eyes!" Anne disarmed the newt while her siblings restrained him. "School's out teach!"

They stopped the train and the toads caught up. After a brief explanation the engineer looked grateful. "Thanks kids. The tower's been trying to catch this slimeball for months! Been robbing trains with kids for quite some time know, the sicko."

"You do have to respect my creativity." Tritonio said as the guards dragged him into on of the cars.

"We respect nothing!" Polly yelled.

"Yeah! Get out of here! You fraud!" Sprig agreed.

"You should be ashamed of yourself!" Marcy added.

Tritonio looked to the humans. "See you around girls. I wasn't kidding when I said you had potential, you certainly bested me!"

"Save it you crook!" Anne snapped. "I just have one more question for you. Was the goatee even real?"

Tritonio pulled it off. "What do you think?"

The Plantar children made their way back to the tower beaten up and tired, knowing Hop Pop would be going there to pick them up. "I'm sorry your first teacher turned out to be a bad one guys." Sprig said.

"He wasn't our first teacher." Marcy answered. "Mom, Dad, and Hop Pop taught all kinds of things. You don't need a title to pass on what you know."

"Huh, thanks for saying that, Marcy. And even if he was a bad guy, he did teach us some important things." Anne said. "I guess I should focus more on what I learn and not who taught it to me. So, the good ones will the ones that will stick out in my memory."

"Okay." Poly said as Hop Pop rode up. He and Bessie looked just as beat up as the children.

"Hey kids." Hop Pop said.

"How was the convention Hop Pop?" Anne asked.

"Oh fine. Didn't get swarmed by killer locusts if that's what you mean. How was your weekend?"

"Good."

"Okay." Marcy said.

"We didn't rob a train." Sprig added.

"Nope, no crimes committed." Polly finished.

"Good, good." Hop Pop said. "Great to know we definitely didn't have two wacky adventures."

The next day at toad tower Grime unhappily read a report. "So, the escaped before you get him here?"

"We still don't know how he did it. We only turned our backs to him for a second!" the female guard said.

"Leave me." Grime ordered. "This Tritonio has already taught the Plantars how to fight. This could either make it easier to train them or make it harder to recruit them. It may come down to how much influence Sasha has over her sisters."