I know that chapter was short, but here it is! Please review and enjoy reading
Marcy and the Frogs
Chapter 16: Marcy vs The Wild
During that day at the Plantars house, Marcy was in the basement when digging through her bag that she brought it with her like her journal, notebook, game switch, phone charger, and school supplies for schoolwork. That's when she felt something like a paper bag.
"Hey, what's this?"
She picks up and unwraps the tissues until she realized what she was holding.
"(gasp) Oh, my gosh! Anne's birthday gift!"
Marcy excitedly runs upstairs and then rushed outside as the girl holds a bath bomb with bright pink, purple and blue colors in her hand.
"Guys! Look! I accidentally brought a bath soap that I was gonna give Anne for her birthday!" Marcy chimes that she's holding the sparkling bath bomb with a "Peony Princess" label on it. "Oh, man! I have no idea how I forgot about…uh, what are you doing?"
She looked to see when Sprig, Polly, and Hop Pop were packing their camping supplies and loaded onto Bessie's wagon. Once Sprig, finishes loading his stuff, he sees Marcy standing.
"Oh, hey Marce. The three of us are going to Camp Phlegmington. Gonna rough it outdoors and get filthy!" said Sprig.
"Camp Phleg-what?" Marcy confused.
"Camp Phlegmington. It's where all frogs go on their camping trip. Peace and quiet. When we Plantars camp, we camp hard. No sense in you coming with us and being miserable." said Hop Pop.
"You're soft like a baby." Polly added.
"Hey, I'm not a baby!" Marcy felt offended.
"Now, Polly, let's not make a scene." Hop Pop wiggled his finger.
"Look, just because I'm not a Plantar doesn't mean I can't have a good time with you guys. Take me with you. Pretty, please?" Marcy pleaded.
"Are you sure? I wasn't kiddin' when I said "rough."" Hop Pop looks uncertain.
"And I wasn't kidding when I said you were soft." Polly added.
"Guys, I would love to go on a camp with you. I'm not afraid of anything, well except when it's get too dark. But adventure is my life! Take me with you! TAKE MY BLOOD!" Marcy begged him when fell to her knees.
"Um, gross." Hop Pop cringed.
"No, it's just an expression. You know how it is."
"Oh, okay. You can come, but don't say I didn't warn ya."
"Woo hoo!" Marcy cheers when climbing on Bessie and then Sprig hops on next to her.
"Psst. Hey, since you're coming with us, we gotta lather you up with this gunk." said Sprig holds up a large honey dipper.
"What's with the honey?" Marcy puzzled.
"Only way to keep the ticks away. Here we go." He started to spread some honey all around her face. "Ahh. And back around. Ooh. Looks like I missed a spot."
Once he's done with it, she has some honey on her face until she smiles.
"Alright, let's do it!"
Meanwhile, it didn't take too long by the time they have arrived at a place called Camp Phlegmington, a place where all frogs having their best time to visit. For example, there was a frog riding a carnivorous fish as a jet ski on a lake, then two frogs roasting live worms on a campfire, and a frog throwing an axe at a target board.
"Here we are, Camp Phlegmington." Hop Pop announces.
"Wow! It's like the Fireside Camp." Marcy smiles.
"Ahh. I can't wait to tell scary stories. The more teen frogs running from deranged psychopaths, the better. Ha-ha!" said Sprig when hops down with his blanket as a scary cloak.
"I'm just happy to get off the farm. So much fresh air, and it's all mine." said Polly when inhales a large amount of air and deflates like a balloon in mid-air. Then she bumps into Hop Pop's hands.
"I personally love the peace and quiet. A frog can really hear themselves think out here." Hop Pop closes his eyes until he hear his thoughts.
"Did you leave the stove on? The front door unlocked? WILL YOU DIE ALONE?!"
"Well, that was a mistake."
After Marcy got off from Bessie, a pink butterfly was near her fa
ce as the Taiwan girl raised her finger to let it land on her and lets out a soft giggle. Sprig looked at his human friend giggling. It made him smile that she's getting used to it.
Later on, Marcy and the Plantars were fishing altogether at the lake, but until her fishing rod just pulled when Marcy looked so eager to catch one. Once she pulls the rod very fast, but then a huge fish comes out and shoved right onto her head. They could hear her muffling when she's inside of the fish that's wiggling.
After fishing, Sprig made a sort of palace-like tent, complete with a front porch rug and a flag with the letter "S" on it. Marcy set up a tent, then places a porch rug in front, and then a flag of herself with only a face like emoji. She thumbs like it was perfect.
But then it happened. She started to sniff like something is burning until she realize that her tent was nearly on fire. She went panic and runs around in circle. Sprig gasps before digging up a dirt and tossing it at the fire just as quickly until Hop Pop arrived.
"Come on, kids! Throw some dirt on it! Get some water!"
After the fire incident, Marcy was writing down on her journal about how fascinating this place is. That is until when she felt a spider was on her back and then went froze. She slowly moves her arm to remove it, but the spider crawls onto her hair. She jumps up and start running around in panic until Sprig chases after with an axe.
Later that evening, everyone was sleeping including Marcy and the Plantars. Just then when the bush rustling when it awoke Marcy by perking up and see what's behind those bushes until there was a tiny jackalope. A baby jackalope that looked like a rabbit, but with small stump from its head.
She adored for a moment until three more jackalope babies pops up from the bush and then they crawl closer to sniff at her. She giggles while she is petting one of them until she stops and look over where the bush is rustling until two adults comes out. A male and a female jackalope, staring at her.
Marcy froze and looked awestruck like how big were the jackalopes like a size of a big rock. The babies walks back to their parents and then rushed off with a female, only for a male to look back at Marcy before he hops away to rejoin his family. She blinked her eyes twice until she zips up the tent.
The next morning, Marcy was writing down her journal after her first encounter with the jackalope that she has never seen on Earth, but here in Amphibia. When she's done doing her sketches, Sprig overlooked where the pages are.
"First time seeing this?" Sprig asked.
"You've seen this one before?" Marcy smiles.
"Yep, while I was pulling carrots, I notice that the jackalopes where eating our crops until Hop Pop fends them off."
"That's one time I let those vermin got away with my crops. One time!" Hop Pop jumps in.
"How bad was it?" Marcy asked.
"Well, not so much." Hop Pop rubbed his back head by his hand.
"So, are you sure you wouldn't be happier back home?" Sprig asked curious.
"Why would I?" Marcy puzzled.
"Well, you've been hanging with Maddie for magic training or talk about things with Ivy. You know…"
"I appreciate your concern, but I keep telling you guys, I've been camping with my family like a dozen times. I really like camping, honest. I like the nature, roasting marshmallow, telling scary story…"
"Okay, okay, we get it. As long as we don't go little extreme." said Polly before a sort of Australian frog with muscles and a vest popped out from the bush, surprising them.
"So, this place ain't extreme enough for ya?" He asked.
"Uh, no?" Marcy looked confused as the frog laughs hysterically.
"I can take you folks to a real campsite, one where there ain't none of this kiddie stuff, like shelter or potable water. Blech"
"Hmm… I'm not sure if this is a good idea, but…" Marcy paused and started to think twice about the deepest darkest place. She was brave enough to do anything back from her camping trip. She'll prove that she is not afraid and then she smiles at him. "Sure! Lead the way Mr. Um…."
"Name's Joe. Soggy Joe." He laughs.
"Uh, can you tone down the creepy one?" Hop Pop asked.
"No!"
Later that evening when the sunset has approached, Marcy and the Plantars were looking around at the disturbing sights around the forest. Hop Pop saw a skeleton of a frog holding a sign that says "Save Yourself!".Polly saw numerous empty buckets, making her weary. Marcy and Sprig turn their heads and saw a small snail purring on top of a tree stump.
"Aw." They cooed.
Then suddenly, a giant spider snuck out from behind it and then struck, putting it in its mouth before shaking it and jumping up with its prey inside.
"Toot!" The snail shouted as the spider fled with it.
"Poor snail." Marcy crept out a bit while Sprig cringed and shudder.
Soggy Joe led the gang to a vacant spot necessary until he stops and then picking up a piece of mud with his finger and licking it.
"We're here. We bunk here for the night. And in the morning, if we're still alive..." Soggy Joe continued, worrying the gang as they gasped in horror. "I'll take you all out for pancakes."
"Oh, that sounds great." Marcy drops her worries when she smiles.
"I do like pancakes." Hop Pop added.
"Want to hear a tale?" Soggy Joe asked.
"Uh, no thanks." Marcy kindly declined.
"I'm good." Hop Pop declined as well.
"Hard pass, old man." Polly added.
"Oh, me! I love scary stories." Sprig smiles as the others groaned while Soggy Joe looks extremely delighted.
"Gather 'round and hear ye the tale of the Mud Men. Born in the bowels of the bog itself, the mud creatures stalk the inky night, lusting to devour any frogs that might have wandered into their domain." Soggy Joe tells a tale before he sank beneath the mud.
"Ten bucks says he doesn't come back up." Polly commented.
"Just like us!" Soggy Joe shouted before laughing. "Ah, yes. The Mud Men only fear two things. Daylight and being clean. Holy honey thistle!"
"What? What is it, Joe?" Hop Pop asked in fear.
"Nature calls. Be right back." Soggy Joe said before he left.
"Is this extreme enough?" Sprig asked.
"Mmmmm…. nope! Never!" Marcy denied.
"You're not afraid of the dark, are you?" Polly looked skeptically.
Before she could she reply, but then they heard a groaned nearby as Soggy Joe returns.
"Oh, uh, hey Sog Man. Everything okay?" Sprig asked.
He groaned again until he flatly to the ground an axe embedded onto his back, making everyone freaked out before the fireplace blew out.
"Is he dead?" Polly shaken with fear.
"Don't worry. Good thing I brought my copper matches." Hop Pop assured as he lit said copper matches with green fire before, much to their horror, one of the mud men appeared moaning.
"It's the Mud Men!" Sprig shouted.
Then a few more appeared with one even holding a fork and a knife. Marcy stood up with her horrified reaction. It totally reminds her back when she used to watch scary movie with her friends, but luckily for her dad when he strictly forbids it.
"They're real!" Hop Pop exclaims before Polly jumped onto him.
"And they're here for our delicious souls!" Polly shouted.
"Quick! Get the torches!" Marcy urged when she and the Plantars grab their own sticks and torched it up.
"Back away!" Sprig yells.
"Stay back!" Marcy waved her torch against the mud men.
Polly yelled before the mud men flung their mud on all the torches, forcing the gang to back up toward the wall, frightfully. As the mud men walk closer to them, this will be their worst nightmare.
"Really wish we had some sunlight right about now." said Sprig, fearfully.
"Or heck, cleaning products." Hop Pop added.
"Cleaning products? (gasp) That's it!" Marcy realized something.
She pulls out a ball bathe soap that she just brought with her in case of emergency or give something to her childhood best friend in case she founds her, but sometimes sacrifice must be made in order to keep her friends safe.
"Everyone, take over!" Marcy shouts as the Plantars took cover and then take her last look at the soap. "Forgive me, Anne."
She tore off the tag and then tossed it into the mud, but nothing happened. The mud men looked confused and so were the Plantars.
"Well, guess we're dead." Hop Pop said.
"Uh-huh." Polly nodded.
"Wait for it." Marcy assured them.
As of cue, the bath bomb started to fizz right before it blew up, covering everything within its blast radius with the mud blasted off the mud men. once the fog lifted, the mud men turned out to be only frogs, which quickly grew frightened with embarrassment.
"The jig is up, boys!" One of them screams.
"Quickly, before she throws another one of those things!" Another exclaimed before they'r all screaming and they fled.
"Man, all I wanted to do today was get muddy and eat people." He exclaimed until Marcy and the Plantars cheers.
"I can see your butt!" Polly taunted.
"Nice work, kiddo! You saved us!" Hop Pop smiles.
However, Marcy didn't feel the same way and then she sighed.
"(sigh) Sorry, guys. The truth is that I was so scared in the middle of the night when the storm hits until my dad came in and sings to me when I was a kid."
"Well, why didn't tell us in the first place?" Hop Pop asked.
"If I did, then you'll never understand what it felt like to be scared. I'm not a Plantar. I wasn't even invited on this trip either. I really like you guys and wanted to be with you, like… like my family." Marcy finished her sentence until Sprig went tearfully.
"I don't know if it's the sweet-smelling toxins or the overwhelming emotions, but dang it, I'm a mess." said Sprig, let out his tears.
"Next time, we'll include you, Marcy. No matter what." said Hop Pop.
"Thanks guys." She gave the frogs a big warm hug, but the moment was ruined when Soggy Joe rose up, before he groaned with a yawn and a stretch. "AAHHH!"
"Ooh-wee! (laughs) Good thing I wore my axe-proof vest, eh?" Soggy Joe shows to them that he's wearing his axe-proof. "So, what'd I miss?""
"Well, it's a long story." Marcy shrugged.
"Really?" Soggy Joe asked.
"Oh, Joe, there were these crazy cannibals." said Sprig.
"Wow!"
"They tried to eat us." Hop Pop added.
"Oh, serious?"
"Yeah, actually, it turned out they were just frogs." Polly added as well.
"Oh, no way."
"Wimpy little frogs covered in mud."
"Unbelievable."
"And then we ran, we tried to use torches, but they took out our torches." Marcy jumps in.
"Yeah? Oh? Keep going."
"Marcy saved us with her bath bomb." Sprig added.
"Yeah, I smell it. It's great. Is that peony?
"Yep, that is peony." Marcy answered.
"Yeah, I have a nose for these things."
"Do you understand what we're saying?"
"Oh, great."
It was an awkward silence with crickets chirping until he speaks.
"So, you all want to get pancakes early?" Soggy Joe asked.
"Sure." replied Marcy.
"Let's get outta here." said Hop Pop.
"I've always been more of a waffle girl, myself." Polly added as they left the forest.
Several hours, they made it all the way back home from their camping trip. They went into Hop Pop's study room so that Marcy could show this old book to them since she has been reading. She set the book down on his desk and turn a few pages.
"Since we've been through a lot, there is something that I should have told you how I got here." said Marcy when she founds the page where it shows the music box.
"Calamity Box?" Sprig puzzled as they looked closer.
"That's right. When I went to the library, the book that just fell when I picked it up and what really interest is that there were some myths and legends like dragons or mermaids. When I turn a few pages, there was a box that travels to another world. That's how it brought us here." Marcy explains.
"Really? How does it work?" Polly asked.
"Well, I never wanted to believe this, but…" She paused for a moment when she remembers back then. She wanted to share her secret, but if she did, they would be furious. Instead, she continues. "When I got home, I took a picture just to show you this."
She pulls her phone out and show this photo to the Plantars. Once they looked closer, however when Hop Pop slowly come to realize that the music box she took picture was the same. He shifted his eyes between the book and the phone until he looks up at her.
"Marcy? You don't think it's a trick, is it?" Hop Pop asked.
"No, it's real. Why'd you ask?" Marcy puzzled.
"(exhaled) It's just as I feared." Hop Pop knew it's good to be true.
"What is it, Hop Pop?" Sprig tilted his head.
"This book has been in our family for as long as I can remember. That box you mentioned, too dangerous for all of us." Hop Pop explains.
"Was it that bad?" Marcy asked when concerns.
"See for yourself, I guess."
She looks closer to the page until it says "Danger!" with frog skulls and flames on it. She looks at him with her disbelief. If he's telling the truth, why telling her that the box is too dangerous. Not to her, it isn't or so she thoughts.
"Are you saying that the box is too dangerous for all of us?" Marcy disbelief.
"Yes, but we don't know why it's too dangerous. What ya' told me its true. If the box set loose, it'll destroy us." replied Hop Pop when looking concerns.
"That's not true. The box I discovered when my dad show this to me after he bought it eight years ago."
"Then where's the box?"
"Anne has the box when she opens it, but I don't know if we were separated by the time I got here."
"(groan) We're doomed." Hop Pop pinches his nose bridge.
"Hop Pop, I know you're scared, but I need the box to get back home. Home is where I come from. I miss my friends like the way you missed your daughter and your son-in-law. Please, I can't do this alone."
He looks at Marcy with her pleaded look. He was so scared that the box was too dangerous to him and the entire race. Without much of a choice, he let out his sighed. He doesn't want to let his family down, but he doesn't want to let Marcy down either.
"Alright, we'll help you." said Hop Pop.
"Really?" She asked hopefully.
"If your friends and family are far more important to ya', then my family is important to me too."
"So, you're gonna help her get her home?" Sprig asked.
"What do you think? Of course I can!"
"Thank you so much, Hop Pop. You won't be regretting this." said Marcy, when she's hugging him.
"All right, all right. Let's not get emotion here, but remember, it takes two months until the ice from the mountain has melted to clear the path until then."
"Don't worry, Marcy. We'll promise that we will get you home." said Sprig.
"World Hoppers for life?" Polly bounced on Marcy's arm.
"World Hoppers for life." She smiles warmly at them before she gave them another round of group hug.
Danger or no danger. The music box is her ticket to get back home along with her childhood friends. As much as she loves to go on her fantasy adventure with her friends, but what most important is her family. The ones who raised her and gave her some loves for what she needs the most.
Well, that went well after I started last night and now I finished it tonight. Christmas is coming in 25 days and I should be focusing on one of my fan story that's about to end until then. Hope you enjoy reading and stay tuned for the next chapter!
Amphibia (c) Disney