March 27, 2098
Los Angeles, California, Earth
Anne knew this day was coming. Granted, she didn't know the exact date, but once she turned 91 she knew her days were limited.
She had lived a happy life. There were plenty of struggles along the way, especially when she was 13, but she persevered. She never forgot her family and friends in Amphibia but managed to have a renewed life on Earth, and had two beautiful wives to share her life with.
And here they were in a hospital room: Anne lying on the bed on her last minutes of life, Sasha and Marcy by her side holding her hands, and their adopted children standing nearby looking on sadly.
"I'm gonna miss you so much Anne," said Marcy in between sobs.
"I know Mar-Mar," said Anne.
Sasha was full-on ugly crying. "Don't go, Anne."
"I don't want to, Sash. But it's my time." Anne squeezed her wives' hands. "We'll be together again soon, girls. I'll make sure of it."
Sasha and Marcy weren't quite sure what Anne meant. She had vaguely mentioned becoming some sort of multiversal guardian after death, but didn't really dwell on it. Their thoughts were interrupted when Anne gestured over to their son and daughter, named after her adopted frog siblings. "Kids?"
Sprig and Polly Boonchuy-Waybright-Wu approached their mother and hugged her. Sasha and Marcy stepped back to give them space.
"We'll miss you mom," said Sprig.
"And we'll take good care of Thai Go and Domino 9," said Polly.
"I know you will," said Anne. "I'm so proud of you two."
Suddenly Anne's breathing slowed down. Her heart monitor was close to flatlining.
Anne sighed a staggered breath. "It looks like this is it. I love you all so much."
Everyone started sobbing even harder.
"Hey, don't cry," said Anne, before she started singing softly. "It's no big deal… it's no big deal…"
She didn't get to finish her song, as her breathing and heart finally stopped. For the second time, Anne Savisa Boonchuy was dead.
Multiversal Rift Outside of Time and Space
Anne woke up in a familiar location: a grassy floating island in space with a small house on it.
As she got up she immediately felt younger, and just by looking at her wrinkle-free hands she realized she actually was younger. She looked at her reflection in the house's window. She looked roughly how she did when she was 30.
Anne walked into the house and looked around. It appeared mostly the same, but the pictures on the wall were different. Sasha and Marcy looked roughly 30 years old as well and so did the pictures of Sprig and Polly Plantar. It warmed Anne's heart to see her little siblings all grown up. She also noticed that there were now pictures of her children and grandchildren. Hop Pop looked the same, though he was now by himself since Polly had her own picture, and the picture of her parents was completely unchanged.
"Welcome back."
Anne looked down and saw that the Guardian suddenly appeared, once again taking the form of her long deceased pet cat. Anne shed a tear seeing the original Domino again.
"Hello," said Anne. She wasn't really sure how to feel right now. Part of her was panicking, full of anxiety, yet another part of her was completely calm. She supposed no one would truly know how to feel when they were about to become a god. "It's been a while."
The Guardian smiled. "I suppose it has, but to me 78 years isn't particularly long."
Anne chuckled a bit. "I guess it isn't."
"Are you ready to succeed me as the next Guardian?"
Anne had a determined look on her face. "I'll never be ready, but this time around I have the maturity to handle the job… probably." Anne decided now was the best time to make her request. "Can I have my wives here with me? I mean, when they die, can they become co-guardians?"
The Guardian looked up at Anne, intrigued. "Go on."
"Well, I work my best when I'm with them, you know? The three of us all have our own strengths, but when we're together we reach our fullest potential. It'll be nice to have the company." Anne paused for a second. "Also, Sasha and Marcy only got to have powers for like 5 minutes and I want them to experience it again."
The Guardian puts its paw on its chin. "Well, this is unprecedented, but it's not unexpected."
Anne blinked. "It's not?"
"Nope," said the Guardian fondly. "You three were made for each other."
Anne blushed, slightly embarrassed.
The Guardian continued. "Once I pass on guardianship to you, all the important cosmic decisions will be yours to make. If you want co-guardians, then you can have them. Now sit down so I can properly perform the ritual."
Anne sat down in front of the Guardian, who placed its paw on her forehead. A few seconds passed and suddenly Anne was flooded with power. Her senses were overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information she was receiving. Knowledge about how to be a Guardian, how to teleport to other worlds, how to grant power to others, and more. Anne could see the entire multiverse, she could feel the entire multiverse. She was one with the multiverse.
As suddenly as it started, the sensation stopped. Anne felt powerful, infinitely stronger than when she used her old Calamity powers.
"I understand everything now… but at the same time I don't get any of it."
The Guardian was sympathetic to Anne's plight. "Things will make more sense over time. Being a Guardian is actually more intuitive than it seems."
Anne wasn't sure if she agreed with that, but just nodded for now. "So you're leaving now."
The Guardian nodded. "Yes. I may be retiring, but you can call on me for guidance when you need it. Farewell, Anne Boonchuy." The cosmic entity quickly bowed its head before fading away.
Anne wasn't sure where to start, but the first thing she did was summon a picture of her, Sasha, and Marcy. It was their wedding photo.
"Hold on for a little longer, girls."
Author's Notes: A little self-indulgent plot bunny I had after watching The Hardest Thing that eventually expanded into a series.
Also in case you missed it, Anne's last line is one of Sasha's quotes from Prison Break.