A noxious bog of smog covers the sky above what once was a verdant land of spectacular flora and fauna. Invaded by technology ancient and foreign to the denizens of this time, every corner has been occupied and hollowed out. A world stripped of life. In the blackness above floats a castle, illuminated only by markings surrounding its shell and red eyes of the robotic soldiers surrounding it. Little remains of the world of Amphibia.

In the grandest hall of this castle, where the music box shined brightly on a podium in the center, King Andrias overlooks his "work" on his kingdom through a window.

"Excellent! Things are moving even more smoothly than I expected." With a prudent smile he returned to his seat atop the throne.

"General Yunan reporting sir!"

"Ah, you weren't who I was expecting." He tried not to look too disappointed. "So, what news do you have for me?"

"Well, the ahem, frobot army has successful cleared territory to the north and south. We can prepare to move into the valley once the villages are evacuated."

As she spoke, another figure entered the room.

"Apologies your majesty for my lateness."

"Ah there's who I wanted to see!"

Yunan rolled her eyes as The King rose to greet the interloper.

"Evacuations won't be necessary; I'm sending Grime with a platoon of frobots to subjugate those frogs."

"With all due respect sir why haven't we thrown this rebel in the factories with the rest of those toads? I mean he LED the rebellion!"

"Co-led technically." Grime clarified.

"Don't get your armor in a twist Yunan, Grime knows his place now." Andrias returned his throne. "Besides, I can only trust this task with someone like him."

"WHAT? But I've been your best solider, he's just a failure of an anarchist. How can you trust him?"

"I'm hurt General Yoohoo! I'm more of a dictator."

"He's the most familiar with that lowly valley, if there's anyone in hiding, he'll know where to find them. I'll need you overlooking the toads in the factories, less they get too bold again."

"But sir he failed to protect his own tower against those valley frogs. I'm THE general Yunan. Scourge of the Sandwars, defeater of Ragnar the Wretched-"

"And the person who failed to defeat Grime at his weakest."

"It's true, I was really a mess back then and you totally lost."

"Only because of that stupid human!" Yunan took a swipe at Grime with her claws, barely missing as the captain leapt back.

"Enough of this!" Andrias rose once again stomping a massive foot. "You have your orders and time is of the essence. Begone!"

"As you wish." they said in unison as they bowed. There wasn't a more polarizing pair, Yunan hanging her head in dejection at a forlorn pace while Grime was practically hopping with the jaunt in his step.

"Oh." Grime had a thought. "Should they resist, sir?"

"Is it even a question? Eliminate them!"

"Now that's what I'm talking about!"

Yunan growled as she exited the throne room.

As the doors closed Andrias' expression shifted to one of surprise and perhaps even fear.

"I promise my lord things are still going according to plan."

"~ ~ ~ ~ "

"Yes, I understand, but I assure you, she's better to us-"

" ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ "

"Yes, if it comes to that it will be done, you have my word. We will succeed no matter the cost."


15 minutes earlier.

Deep within the castle walls lied the dungeon, heavily guarded by a legion of frobots. While many of its cells were empty or at most housing bones, three cells were warmed by the bodies and frustration of a familiar frog family.

"I can't believe I ever liked that guy! I finally get my legs and I immediately get thrown in prison?" Polly kicked a wall in frustration.

"Honestly Polly, even without the King being evil I was worried you'd wind up behind bars when you got your legs." Hop Pop in an adjacent cell remarked.

"SILENCE UNTIL MY RAGE IS SATIATED!" She launched herself at the bars attempting to bite them off. Almost immediately she was tasered by a nearby frobot.

"Polly! Please settle down, we're lucky to be alive don't give 'em a reason to use force!"

"That all you got?" She struggled to stand up. "Frobo was way stronger than all you stupid fakes!" A tear formed in her eye.

"Don't worry guys!" Sprig called out from the cell across. "I'm gonna get us out of here. Somehow."

"You better! As soon I see that scheming old geezer, I'm gonna rip his guts out and drag his body across this whole stupid city!"

"Ok first thing Polly, dark. Second this time I really think you kids need to just stay put."

"Come on Hop Pop, we've been in worse situations than this."

"No, we haven't! Even if we get out of this cell, you're talking about war with the King of Amphibia. You saw what that laser did to the towers. Wartwood would be wiped out in no time."

Sprig retreated to a corner in his cell to pout. "Anne wouldn't give up if she was here."

"Well, she's not, now for once in your frog dang life listen to your Hop Pop, Sprig!"

"You should listen to your grandfather little frog." A familiar voice chortled as he made his way down the halls.

"Great who invited this slimeball?"

"I just came by to personally deliver supper to my favorite family of degenerates." Grime sneered carrying three buckets of oozing slop.

"Just go away Grime! I don't know why they didn't throw your loser butt in a cell." Grime tossed the buckets of slop into each of their cells.

"The answer is simple." He placed the head of his hammer below and leaned on the hilt as he looked upon Sprig's sorry state in the cell "Unlike you frogs, I can see the bigger picture."

"Sounds to me like now that you're all alone, you're fine with being the kings errand boy!" Polly chided.

"Yea, way to backstab all your flunkies, you loser!"

"You mouthy little…" Grime almost readied his hammer, but collected himself. "The point is it doesn't matter how angry you are, if you lack power, you can change nothing."

"I'll show you who's powerless!" Sprig grabbed some of the slop and threw it triumphantly at Grime.

"Riveting." It slid of his scowling mug to the floor.

"Well while you all die mad in this cell; I'll be enjoying my freedom. Maybe if you believe hard enough your precious human will fall out of the sky on a white snail of justice. If you'll excuse me, I'm late for an appointment." He guffawed as he left them behind.

"He's as awful and shameless as ever, but he has a point." Hop Pop leaned on the gate to his cell. "No sense in stressing ourselves out on something we can't change."

"But we can change it Hop Pop. We may be the only ones who can."

Polly tried hard to believe in her brother, but Grimes words stung a bit more than she could let on. Hop Pop frowned as he let go of the bars and returned to a corner in his cell.

"Try to sleep tonight kids, if we're lucky maybe someone will come to their senses and let us out of here."

"I promise nothing! But I am tired." Polly reluctantly retired to a corner in her cell.

Sprig pulled from under his hat a crudely drawn picture of Anne as a soldier with him on top her soldiers. "Anne, I know you're having fun in your world; but I really wish you were here right now." He sighed as whatever strength he had left leave his legs as he sank to the ground.

"Some hero I turned out to be." He buried his head into his arms crying quietly.

A green bug scurried its way into his cell and started nipping at the slop.

"Go away you stupid bug!" he knocked the bucket over frustration. The bug got to its feet and hissed.

Sprig's anger subsided back into woe. "Sorry, guess you're a prisoner like I am huh?"

The creature changed its hiss to a mumble of clicks.

"Well, I guess if we're going to suffer in eternal darkness and soul crushing hopelessness we might as well get to know each other. I'm Sprig Plantar."

The bug stared in confusion at Sprigs hand. Then is suddenly coughed up some slop into his hand and scurried away.

"Yea, I should've seen that coming." Sprig stared dejectedly at his covered hand.

"Wait a minute..." He began studying his palm. He noticed there were blue chunks mixed into it. He looked into the slop that had poured over and noticed among the many things mashed into it were these blue bits throughout. Soon a determined smile formed on his face.

"I'm not giving up! I'll see you again soon Anne, I just know it."

Earth

5 Years Later