The intro opens with Anne's hands on the Calamity Box, opening it. Light from inside the box shines brightly before it switches to a scene that shows Kenji, Anne, Sasha, and Marcy, looking inside. Suddenly there was a white light and everything when blank.
Kenji was on the ground when the light faded, covered in mud with Anne next to him. When he woke up, he looked shocked to see he was in Amphibia with Anne. The two friends stood up and looked at their surroundings in awe.
The camera then zoomed out and showed the entire world of Amphibia.
Tenohira ni kizama re teru
Tsugihagi no yona sono sen ni furete
The scene then changed to the town of Wartwood as the frog inhabitants go about their daily lives. As a pair of dragonflies fly past the camera, it followed them until stopping at the Plantar farmhouse while the sun was starting to rise in the sky.
When the camera changed to show the house's front door, Kenji and Anne stepped out from inside and out into the world. Ready to take on the day. But first, they ducked their heads under some dragonflies that passed them.
Hibiware sona atama to
Gurasu ga sasata kokoro de mae hashiru
The camera moves up to a window on the side of the house. Sprig opened the window with a telescope in hand. He looked through it at the horizon before slipping off the windowsill and started falling. Inside the house, Hop Pop was reading one of his books in his study when Sprig's falling and screaming made him look at his window. Down on the ground, Sprig had landed in Polly's bucket. His little sister responded by punching her brother in the butt. Sending him flying out of the bucket. She then dove back into her bucket of water.
Sprig landed on Anne's head, and the three of them smiled at one another. Then Sprig pointed at something. Kenji pulled out one of his Class Cards, and the friends rushed off into the unknown.
The scene changed to show Kenji, Anne, and Sprig hopping across multiple mushrooms that lit up when one of them landed on it.
Koware kake no sekai
Kuzure so o de memai
The next scene showed Anne, Sprig, and Kenji running for their lives from a giant chicken monster. Kenji summons a black steed from his Rider Card then gets the others on and gallops away faster from the giant poultry. The scene begins to break apart as red line spread across the screen.
The next scene showed Sprig, Anne, Kenji, Polly, and Hop Pop fishing together on a lily pad before it suddenly rose into the air. Underneath it was a giant fish that started swimming around as everyone started screaming. Kenji, however, started stabbing it with a white curved short sword. The scene to break apart like the scene before.
Another scene showed Sprig in a temple looking at something before Kenji and Anne came rushing down the stairs beside him. Anne picked him up as they ran away from a giant boulder that came crashing into the temple. And just like the last two scenes, it begins to break apart in red lines.
Karappo na karada de
Ibtsuna shikai
The next scene showed a red, dark area. Anne and Kenji had their backs together, and both having looks of determination. Anne raised her tennis racket, and Kenji raised his cards: Saber as it begins to glow.
Still, in the same scene, the viewer is suddenly pulled back to reveal that they were surrounded by dozens of twisted frog/toad/newt-like creatures and a giant snake crawling up from behind them. Towering over them and hissing.
Zokkuri to myako o utsu inochi no sen
Naifu de nazotte nobashite shimaetara
ne dareka oshiete Tsuki ga mierunara
The amphibian-like abominations started attacking as Kenji now armed with Balmung/Gram and Anne rushed towards the viewer. Smashing, slicing, and killing any twisted being that came at them. Just as the viewer watched them go past the camera on both sides, the Giant Snake lunged at the fleeing kids. Its mouth opens as it comes towards the camera before the viewer is in the blackness of the snake's mouth, but it didn't last long as Kenji swung his sword and cuts down the snake with one strike.
Kesenai de
mada kesenai de
The scene changed again to a split screen with the left side show Anne's photo of herself, Kenji, Sasha, and Marcy together being held in a gloved hand and on the right is an older man in his fifties with a grin on his face. A flash of light showed the man's face more and the infamous Toad Tower in the background.
Kienaide mada Kienaide
The final scene of the intro showed Kenji standing in the middle of a road looking at the Class Cards he has. He looked to his left and saw Anne walking over to him with a smile. Then Sprig came over to his right and jumped on Kenji's shoulders. Hop Pop and Polly walked/hopped over and joined the trio. The screen begins to pan downwards as it shows reflections not of the group but of legendary heroes of Earth's history.
The intro ends with the title of the story.
FATE / CALAMITY
Book 1: Amphibia
Chapter 4: Fated Hop Luck
It was another beautiful day in the magical, froggy world known as Amphibia. The sun in the slightly greenish-blue sky. The trees, grass, and lilypads of the marshlands were green and healthy. And a random frog was being carried away by a flock of dragonflies. "Aah! Help! Somebody help me!"
BANG!
A loud noise rang out as the head of the dragonfly that was carrying the frog exploded causing the frog to fall into the pond below and the other dragonflies scattered from the area so that they don't share the same fate as its brethren.
The frog raises to the top of the pond as he takes deep breaths at what just happened and swims back to shore. As he reached the edge of pond, a hand reaches out and pulls him out. The frog looks up and sees that its one of the creatures, the male one, that lives with the Plantar family. The creature had a look on concern on his face, but the frog was looking at the object that is in his right hand. It's a white L-shaped device that has a short blade attached at the end of long part of the L and a hole at the end where smoke was escaping from. That would explain the dead dragonfly.
"Are you alright?" The creature said to him in a calm voice, causing the frog to look at him and nod slowly not to upset this guy as the creature smiled. "Good. You better head home before something else get you, Ok?" The frog nodded as he stood up and heads back home at a fast pace to be anywhere but here.
Kenji only looked towards the fleeing frog as he sighed as looked at the gun at his hand as he pulls out another one that he has holstered. It was the same as the white bayonet handgun but was black with a red hexagon pattern on the blade. It was about a couple of days ago when Anne and Kenji's bedroom gets flooded by a leak. So, while Hop Pop tries to fix the leak, Anne bunks with Sprig in his room while Kenji took the couch even though the two wanted him to bunk with them. Eleven nights later however, both Anne and Sprig soon discover that they can't stand each other as roommates and try to fix the leak with Kenji's help who rightfully reprimand them on their current attitude towards each other.
However, they soon battled a couple of giant lampreys, with only a few escaping after the rest were killed off by Kenji who pulled the dual bayoneted guns out from the Archer Card instead of the dual swords, causing the water to drain to ankle level. Anne, Kenji, and Sprig later find that being honest with each other has made them even better friends.
After fixing up the leak from spewing more and completely draining out the basement of water, Kenji and Anne decided to get some sleep after the whole ordeal that happened. However, while Anne was able to sleep like a baby, Kenji was about enter another dream-like state to his inner world with new tenets within.
(Flashback)
(Kenji's Inner World)
'Back here again, huh?' Kenji thought as he was staring at the familiar like setting that he saw before: silver grass that reaches to his shins, trees with the same coloring as the grass, the wide blue skies with some clouds, a church bell tolling from afar, and the same statues and giant gemstone at the center of a clearing. When Kenji begins to look around to see if anything was different, he notices a round table with chairs was recently placed nearby as he notices Sigurd and Siegfried were sitting at said table, but they were not alone as Kenji notice two more people sitting at the table as well and the teenager was able to put two and two together and know that these two new additions were from the Archer statue.
The first Archer has short white hair that is swept backwards, gray eyes and tanned skin color. He wears a black body armor made from a special material that has yet to be discovered by mankind as of the present time, which consisted of a black tight and sleeveless shirt with sliver accents which outlined his muscles and a metal plate on his collar, and black pants that had two black straps on his thighs, and another two strapped around his shins separate from each other. He wears black metal plated shoes, which appear to be attached to his trousers. His red coat is a unique type of shroud, which were two separate sleeves connected by a metal plate at the back which covered his arms and was cut off showing his upper torso and midriff and had a separate red open skirt which ended above his shins with the top fashioned and tied with an agemaki knot, covered by a silver metal plate.
The Second Archer contrasts with the first Archer, has a more shaven hairstyle, a duller skin tone, and golden eyes. His outfit consists of black sleeves with golden accents ending in thick metal manacles, black pants with a weave pattern, a black waistcoat with golden accents, and white boots, rather than the red overcoat of his counterpart. He also lacks his counterpart's torso armor. His back also shows a crimson "IV" tattoo.
As they were having a conversation, Kenji approaches the table as he takes a seat, causing the four Servants to stop talking and notices their Master joined them. The two Sabers and the red Archer smiled at their Masters presence while the Black Archer has a blank look on his face even though he looked like he was scowling, but he wasn't.
"Hello Master. It has been a while since you've been here." Sigurd said with a smirk as Kenji shrugged.
"Yeah, it's been a few days since I've been here. So, when did the table get made here? I don't seem to remember a table here." Kenji said with a raised brow as Siegfried decided to answer.
"After a while since you've last been here, we've decided to see of we can make additions within your mind. I hope you don't mind, Master." Siegfried said as Kenji waves his hand in front of him to signal to them that he doesn't mind.
"No, it's alright. Just make sure to not change too much of this place. I want to make sure my mind and soul remains the same as it was before." Kenji said as the two Sabers nodded at what he said. Then the teenager turns towards the two Archers that has been mostly silent when Kenji sat down. "So, I can guess that you two are from the Archer card, right?" The two Servants nodded as the red Archer decided to speak up first.
"That is correct Master. I am known as EMIYA, the Wrought Iron Hero, while our silent friend here is my Alter counterpart. You can call him Kuro so that you don't get us mixed up." The red Archer, now known as EMIYA, said with a small smile on his face as the black Archer, known as Kuro, just grunted.
"As he said, I am his counterpart, but he and I have differences so don't go lumping us together." Kuro said in a rough deep tone that was stark contrast towards EMIYA's smoother tone. Kenji only nodded as he now decided to ask a question.
"Ok now that we got introductions out of the way, I need to know about the cards that I'm using. I never got the chance to ask how to fully use them." Kenji said as the four servants looked towards each other to see if its alright to tell him the full use of the cards. After a few moments, they nodded as they turned towards the Kenji.
"Okay. Let's start with the first use of the card which is the Include: Limit Expand. It allows the user to temporarily materializes the weapon or Noble Phantasm of the hero by overwriting a Mystic Code. However, for your case Master, you don't need a Mystic Code to use this skill because we believe that the giant silver gem here is the reason why you're able to use the Include power." Sigurd explained as Kenji nodded as he begins to understand the first use of the cards as he turns towards the giant silver gemstone with a curious look on his face.
"Okay that explains how I was able to use the cards without this Mystic Code thing you're talking about, but are there other uses for the cards that I need to know of?" Kenji asked as EMIYA begins to talk.
"There is another ability of the Class Cards that you are not aware of, Master. The second and final ability of the Class Cards is Install: Phantasm Summon which the true usage of the Class Cards themselves. The cards will install directly into the user's body, granting the Noble Phantasms, Skills, and sometimes appearance of the Heroic Spirit of the card. The user obtains a "fraction of their power", their own existence "overwritten" by that of a hero's existence." EMIYA explains as Kenji look shocked at the explanation that he was given.
"Wait a moment. So, you mean to tell that this Install power allows me to fully access to the Heroic Spirits powers from the Class Cards? How come I have never heard about this till now." Kenji asked as Siegfried shook his head.
"Because while you are able to use the power Include without issue, the power of Install is entirely different." Siegfried said causing Kenji to look at him in confusion as Kuro steps up to explain what Siegfried is talking about.
"Much like the Servant system, seven cards are summoned during each Holy Grail War, corresponding to one of seven classes. The cards have a portion of the Heroic Spirits' power sealed inside them, and it can be said that they are the Heroic Spirits themselves. They draw out the power of Heroic Spirits, allowing either a Mystic Code or the user's own body to act as a medium for the Heroic Spirit's power. Overwritten by a fraction of the Heroic Spirit's power, they can fight others with that power. However, it does come with side effects." Kuro said as Kenji looked at him in confusion
"Side effects?" Kenji asked as the world begins to darken as he is about to wake up to the real world, but before he left, the four Servants answered Kenji's question before he fully disappears.
(End of Flashback)
"Experiencing the greatest achievements and downfalls of said Servants, huh?" Kenji said to himself as he lets go of the dual pistols as they both break down simultaneously in showers of light as it reforms to the Archer Card. He picks up the card and places it back into his coat pocket. "Sound like hell if you have to relive said experiences of both good and bad. I will save the Install power for a dire situation when it come to that."
Kenji then turns around and heads back towards the Plantar Farm. After a few minutes, Kenji meets up to Anne, Sprig, and Polly who were sitting on a nearby log. The Taiwanese-American girl is showing Sprig and Polly something on her phone. The two kids were wondering why she was always on it, so she decided that it was time to show that it could do. Now she was showing the kids a video of her cat Domino. She was a small black cat with white paws, huge black eyes, white fur on her chest. At the end of her tail, she had a splotch of white.
"This bad boy is my kitty Domino," she said, showing a video Domino clearing herself, before looking at the camera and meowing. "You guys would like her. She's got fire."
"Ooh!" Sprig awed as he took the phone from Anne and brought it closer to Polly for her to see.
"Aw, she's so tiny! I feel huge!" Yell the hyperactive tadpole.
Sprig turned to Kenji and asked, "Do you have any pets, Ken?"
"Yeah," Kenji said, pulling out his phone. He turned the phone to them and showed a picture of him standing next to an Irish Wolfhound. "His name's Kilo. He's a real pal that can get along with anyone. Even Domino."
"It's true. Domino doesn't like other animals getting near her, but whenever Kilo comes around, she seems pretty chill about him being close."
"Hmm. I see," Sprig said after looking at Anne's cat phone for a moment. He then reached behind his back. "I will..." he suddenly pulled out a hammer. "...set them free!"
Anne quickly swiped her phone away before Sprig could bring his hammer down on it. Smashing the ground instead. "Please stop doing that," she requested sternly. Her partner chuckling a little causing her to give him the stink-eye.
But just then, Kenji smelt something in the air. He sniffed the air, and after a few second, cringed when a very foul smell entered his nostrils. Causing him to cry out in disgust. "BLAUG! The hell!? What is that horrible stench?!"
"Ugh!" Anne cried in pain, as she covered her eyes. When she removed her hands, she revealed them to be a little bloodshot. "It's burning my eyes! Did something crawl under the house and die?"
Sprig sniffed the air and the horrible truth hit him. "Worse, guys. Much worse. Hop Pop is cooking!"
The four kids walked back to the house, where the smell was coming from. Sprig walked ahead of them and grabbed the handle of the door.
"Brace yourselves," he said.
"Brace ourselves for what?" Anne asked as Sprig opened the door.
The moment he did, the horrible smell that had built up inside the house was immediately released into the world like a flood. Knocking Kenji and Anne to the ground while Anne held onto Polly in the bucket. Sprig was sent flying after he was unable to hold onto the door any longer.
"It's official: Hop Pop's cooking is capable of putting more people down than tear gas." Kenji said with a deadpan expression as he gagged from the strong odor that he just smelled.
The group entered the house and walked into the kitchen, where the smell was coming from. Hop Pop peered into a cookbook and was preparing something unholy with only the foulest of ingredients. All while humming to himself. He chopped up some grubs and poured them into a pot of boiling grossness. He steered it up with a wooden spoon, and then took a sip of it to check the flavor.
Sprig then popped up and asked, "What's the plan this year, Hop Pop? Poison the competition?"
That just earned him a bonk on the head by Hop Pop's spoon. "The plan is to win."
"Win?" Anne asked, while carrying Polly as she and Kenji walked over to the old frog.
"Win what? A cooking competition? " Kenji asked as the two of them pinched their noses.
Taking a moment from his cooking Hop Pop began explaining. "That's right Kenji. It's the annual village potluck. Every year we frogs gather for a great contest." With his spoon, he pointed at a set of pictures that show the potluck winners of the past. "The family who brings the best-tasting dish is showered with love and copper coins. The family with the worst-tasting dish spends the night in..."
Hop Pop pointed at an open window. Outside there was a masked toad pulling up a wooden cage that had the word SHAME on it. Thunder clapped in the sky as the cage was pulled up the tree as lighting strikes behind it.
"...the shame cage!"
"Brutal," Anne commented.
"Ok? Who's bright idea was it to come up with that kind of punishment? Seems pretty harsh." Kenji asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Don't know honestly. The potluck has been around for decades, so no knows really." Hop Pop said with a shrug.
"And guess which family ends up there every year," Sprig said sadly, before the three Plantars all collectively sighed. Kenji looked at the frog family and frown. It upset him whenever they were sad and miserable, especially after they took him and Anne in when no one else was willing to give them a chance. He'll be damned if he was going to let them spend another year being shamed.
"Well, not this year," Kenji said with determination. "This year's going to be different."
"It's okay, Ken. We've accepted that Hop Pop will never win the competition," Polly said, pointing at her grandpa who looked ticked off at her granddaughters' statement.
"Hey!" Hop Pop yelled.
"Besides, what's going to make this year any different?" Sprig asked.
"We will," Anne said, pointing to herself with Kenji standing next to her. Both smiling with confidence.
"What?" Exclaimed the three frogs.
"If you think we're going to let our favorite froggy family end up in a cage, you've got another thing coming. I know we're not technically Plantars, but maybe we can help."
"That's right! It's the least we can do for letting us stay here." Kenji said with a nod.
The Plantars looked at one another before turning back to the two humans. "Ken, Anne, we'd sure appreciate it," Sprig said.
Kenji and Anne walked over to the pot and looked down into it. "So, what are making over there, Hop Pop?" asked the girl. She raised her eyebrow, confused at what she was looking at. "Sock gumbo?"
"Sock Gumbo? I thought it was some vegetable soup that smells like spew."
"No, silly," Hop Pop said, closing his cookbook and showed it to the teenagers. "It's a traditional recipe from my family's cookbook. We've been using this baby since I was a pollywog."
Kenji placed a hand under his chin before pointing to the book. "Can I look at that?" Hop Pop handed him the book and Kenji a moment to flip through the pages. Looking at recipes after recipes. Each one led him to one grim answer. He closed the book and looked at the Plantars. "...Yeah, no. Hop Pop, has it ever occurred to you that maybe the reason you keep losing is because you keep using these old recipes that never worked in the first place?" He tossed it back to Hop Pop, who was quick enough to catch it with his tongue. However, his grandkids and Anne agreed with Kenji.
"Oh, that makes sense."
"Old things are dumb!" Anne said in realization.
"It's all so clear now," Sprig said.
Hop Pop is dusting off his cookbook with a frown. "But we Plantars have always cooked these recipes."
"And have any of them won the potluck?" Kenji asked with a raised eyebrow.
"W-Well...no that true," Hop Pop reluctantly admitted. "But what would my great-gam-gam say?" He pointed to a picture of an old female frog that was kitting a blanket that said 'TRADITION IS EVERYTHING' on it.
"She'd say 'Move on,'" Anne said with a stern look.
Hop Pop sighed in defeat. "She was a fierce woman."
"Look, if we're going to win this thing, we need something new..." Anne said, pacing around the room while trying to think of something. "Something revolutionary, something no one in the swamp has ever seen before."
Kenji's eyes widened when he thought of something as he snaps his fingers. "I've got it!" He exclaimed with a giant smile on his face. "We'll do pizza!"
Anne gasped in awe. Rushing over to Kenji's face, she grabbed him by his cheeks and squished them together. "Ken, that's brilliant!"
"Anne, A little to close for comfort." he said, before Anne's hands let him go with a blush on her face as she realizes what she did.
"What's pizza?" Sprig asked, before Anne pulled out her phone and pulled up a photo of a pizza and showed it to the family. Sprig and Polly both gazed in awe at the delicious food.
"Woah!"
"I don't know what it is, but I love it."
"Pizza is the ultimate dish," Anne said with a confident smile. "You haven't lived until you've shared one with your friends at the mall."
Hop Pop quickly interjected. "Now, now, hold on. Before we get carried away, what about this tried-and-true recipe? Swamp mold pot pie!" He said, trying to convince the kids to keep with tradition. However, Kenji sighs as he closed the book in his hands.
"More like tried and failed miserably. Look Hop Pop I know you want to stick with traditional recipes but perhaps a change every now and then would be good thing. Besides, your grandkids what to try this pizza dish out." he said as points towards the frog kids who were raising the phone while doing a little chant.
"Pizza! Pizza!" Sprig and Polly chanted.
"Okay, okay. Sheesh." Hop Pop sighed begrudgingly, but he had smile on his face at seeing the joy on his grandkids faces.
"We'll win for sure with this, Hop Pop," Sprig said encouragingly. "Now all we got to do is-" He pulled out the hammer again. Anne quickly took the phone away and cleared her throat.
"All we got to do is get four ingredients- dough, cheese, basil, and tomatoes. Are you guys ready to make our pizza dreams a pizza reality?" Anne said as she raises her hands to the air.
"Pizza dreams!" Sprig and Polly screamed doing the same thing as Anne as Kenji chuckles at the scene in front of him.
"Oh! Oh! Maybe we should put pineapple on it," said Sprig. Kenji's eyes widened with fear and started shaking his head and waving his hands back and forth. Mouthing 'No!' repeatedly. Trying to get him to stop talking. "Seems like a natural fit-"
Anne suddenly grabbed Sprig by his shirt and slammed him against the wall. Glaring at him and nearly choking him, she whispered threateningly. "Don't you dare talk about pineapple on my pizza. Ever."
Hop Pop and Polly stared at Anne with wide eyes, shocked by her sudden aggressive reaction. Kenji himself was a little surprised too. He remembered that Anne hated pineapple, but not that much. He always assumed it was because she was allergic. So, he walked over, grabbed Anne's hand, and had her let Sprig go. "Okay. Let's go get those ingredients," he said.
"Pizza dreams!" He and Anne exclaimed, rushing out the door with the Plantars following behind them.
The first stop the family made was to the bakery to get the dough. It was run by Mr. Flour, a blue, short frog, with deep eyebrows and purple eyes. He had purple stripes and dots along his back and a light-sky-blue underbelly. He wore an apron, with several stains, and a baker's hat.
Mr. Flour threw a wad of fresh dough onto the table, before jumping up and started kneading it with his own two feet. While Kenji was not sure how sanitary that was, he was busy talking to the baker. "And so, we need some dough for our potluck dish," he said, finishing his explanation. "Do you have any that are still for sale."
Mr. Flour jumped off the table, grabbed the dough, and threw it into the oven, before closing it. He then turned towards the Plantars and teenagers and pointed at Sprig. "If you want the dough, the boy has to marry my daughter," he stated, pointing off to his left. Off in a dark corner of the shop stood a little frog girl with her back to Kenji, Anne, and the Plantars. Then she turned around to stare at them, and Kenji could almost feel his soul leaving his body.
Maddie Flour was close in age to Sprig and was roughly the same height as him. She was a light blue frog with a lighter shaded underbelly and had a red tongue. Just like the other frogs, she had four fingers per hand and two toes per foot. Her hair was a light pink with dark pink spots and bulbous in appearance with a small knot on her head, making it look like a mushroom cap. It covered one of her eyes, but the one that is visible was big and yellow with black, slit pupils like that of a snake. She wore very little; just a black sack dress with a brown rope for a belt and was barefoot.
In one hand she held a voodoo doll that looked a lot like Sprig and a mini wooden stake aimed down at it in her other hand. "Hi, Sprig," she said in a very creepy voice with a smile to match. Slowly stabbing the stake through the doll's heart.
"Ain't she adorable?" Mr. Flour asked, while Sprig looked at her in fear.
"Yeah, whatever you say, man," Kenji said, feeling a shiver go up his spine from just the little frog girls stare alone.
"Done," said Anne.
"What?!" Kenji exclaimed, coming to Sprig's defense. "Anne, you can't be serious!"
"Come on, Ken." Anne waved. "We get the dough and Sprig finds a wife. That's two wins in my book.
While he was standing aside at first, Hop Pop interjected. "You know, if we used a traditional recipe, we wouldn't have to sell Sprig," he said, holding up his cookbook.
"No! That old book is old. Sprig's eternal happiness is a small price to pay for pizza," Anne argued
"Agreed," Polly said.
"Now hold on!" Kenji held up his hands and walked up to the table to talk with Mr. Flour. "Can't we just buy the dough with money? Do we really have to get these two in an arranged marriage?"
"Sorry kid, but the price is final." The baker said with his arms crossed. "Either the kids agree, or no dough for you."
"Why you stubborn old-"
"Aw, it's not so bad, Ken," said Sprig with his fists on his hips. Kenji looked down at him, only for his eyes to widen when he saw Maddie right behind the little red frog. "Maybe we'll learn to love each other. Aah!" He screamed and jumped into Kenji's arms Scooby-Doo style when he turned around and saw the creepy girl.
"I've seen your death in my mind," she said
"I was kind of hoping it'd be a surprise," Sprig said nervously with a chuckled.
"It will be..." she whispered. Because Kenji was holding Sprig, he was close to the sounds of sinister chuckle slowing down in his head too.
"Congratulations on your new son. Now cough up the dough," Anne quickly said, not noticing just how creeped out Kenji and Sprig were.
"Yay!" Mr. Flour cheered in a monotone voice, before throwing her a ball of dough that Anne easily caught.
"Pleasure doing business with you," she said before turning around and leaving with Hop Pop following behind her. Kenji and Sprig remained in the shop, as Sprig wouldn't let go of the human boy and Kenji reached down and picked up Polly in her bucket.
"Well, looks like we got to go," Sprig said nervously, before Kenji booked it out of there as fast as he could. "See you later."
"I want to be the maid of honor!" Polly yelled as they left.
Maddie watched them leave and waved her little doll's arm at them. "See you soon, hubby."
The next ingredient on their list was cheese. Now, even though there were no cows in this world, cheese still existed. Only it came from caterpillars. Weird and unpleasant? Maybe, but right now, Kenji was running for his life.
"AHHHHH! RUN AWAY!" Kenji screamed as he, Anne, and the Plantar ran away from a giant bull caterpillar. Roaring as it chased after them while running pass Sadie Croaker, the old lady frog that owned the caterpillar. She was a dull purple frog with a light-dull-purple underside. She had a cataract in her left eye. She used a cane, like that of Hop Pop's. She wore ragged, patched clothing, with a white scarf. She had white hair on her head.
"Thanks again for helping me out! I know Brutus can be a handful," Mrs. Croaker exclaimed from where she stood from the sideline. The bull bellowed as it chased after its targets. Mrs. Croaker had asked them to give the giant caterpillar a good walk, before moving him to the pen. It seemed like an easy task five minutes along. But all notations of that went out the window when Brutus started trying to kill them.
"What are we here for again?" Sprig asked as he ran/hopped beside Anne and Kenji.
"Cheese!" Anne yelled.
Polly laughed as Hop Pop ran behind them. He opened the cookbook again and tried to convince them again. "You know, there's a recipe in here that doesn't need cheese."
"Not now, Hop Pop!" Kenji yelled at the old frog, before looking around. Trying to find a way to get Brutus back into his pen. Then his eyes landed on a plant that had large, bright red leaves. He gasped with a big smile as an idea popped into this head. "Anne! Get to the pen and open the gate!"
Anne nodded and two broke off from the group. Leaving Sprig, Hop Pop, and Polly to run away from the caterpillar. Kenji rushed over to the plant and ripped off a red leaf. He then turned to Brutus and whistled. "Hey, Brutus!" Brutus stopped and looked at him. Kenji stood tall and proud and wave the leaf. "¡Toro! ¡Toro!"
If Brutus had eyes, they would be seeing red. Red hot steam shot out of his nostrils before he roared and charged at Kenji at full speed. Kenji waved the leaf as the caterpillar charged at him, before stepping out of the wave at the last moment. Letting the bull rush past him. Brutus turned around in a wide circle and rushed at Kenji again. And again, the human boy dodged the bull like a professional bullfighter.
Olé!
"Ken! I'm ready!" Anne yelled and waved from the gate of the pen. Kenji nodded and ran towards the pen, while waving the leaf behind him. The caterpillar released a roar and rushed after him. Anne got out of the way as Kenji ran past her into the pen. Baiting Brutus in as well.
Anne immediately closed the gate, before Kenji ran over and jumped over the fence. The two friends panted from exhaustion and adrenaline of being chased. Then they looked at one another before laughing together as they did a fist bump. Suddenly Brutus roared angrily as he slammed against the wooden fence behind them, making the two friends yell and crawl away from the pen.
Mr. Croaker walked over and held out a generously sized cheese wheel towards them. "Here you go, dearies," she said as Anne grabbed the cheese. "A hunk of cheese-" Mr. Croaker pointed to another pen of angry caterpillars. "-made fresh from the milk of those ca-"
"Please don't tell us where it comes from," Kenji interrupted with Anne nodding her head.
About an hour later, Kenji was walking back to the group with Anne his mantis hand-scythe. He was covered in insect blood from a hard-fought battle against giant aphids. When they caught up with Hop Pop, Polly, and Sprig, Anne sat down on the ground and placed down the basils that they were able to get. Kenji just collapsed on the ground, exhausted from the fight.
Sprig took basils and started stuffing them into the backpack. "Hey, careful with that basil, dude," Anne told him. "We had to fight off like ten giant aphids to get it."
"I. I had to fight off ten giant aphids," Kenji said with a frown.
"I helped."
"Yeah, well, I then killed them, so I get the glory," he said with a joking smirk as Anne blew a raspberry at him causing him to laugh.
"Who knew ultimate flavor could be so painful?" Sprig replied, looking beaten up from the fight.
"Almost lost my behind to those things," Hop Pop added, showing had the insects had bitten off the bottom of his pants.
"This is the price of progress, Hop Pop," Sprig exclaimed, slamming his fist on the ground.
"Exactly. And we've only got one ingredient left. Tomatoes," Anne said as she waves her hand in front of her to make it sound important, which it is by the way.
You can't a pizza without tomato sauce, no matter what people say.
Kenji sat up and pulled out a map from his pocket. "According to this, they should be up ahead," he said, pointing in the direction the map led them.
"Still can't believe I traded my favorite dentures for that map," Hop Pop said, pulling the side of his mouth to show that he was without teeth. He then pulled out another pair and slapped them into his mouth.
"You know, I've never actually tasted a tomato," Sprig said.
"Really, how come?" asked Kenji, rolling up the map.
"No one in town really sells them."
"There's actually a good reason for that," Hop Pop said, opening his cookbook again and started flipping the pages. "They're in the 'dangerous vegetables' section. It suggests we go for prunes instead. Can't go wrong with prunes!" He turned the book and showed them a page that had prunes.
"Whoa-whoa. 'Dangerous vegetables'?" Anne scoffed lightly. "Come on! How bad can a bunch of tomatoes be?"
Kenji and Anne's eyes were widened as they stared at the roaring creature in front of them. It was a giant, sentient, carnivorous tomato plant that resembled a Venus-Flytrap like plant with three heads atop long red stems joined at the base of the plant, where bunches of tomato were located. Each head possessed a large mouth and rows of sharp, white teeth and a green flower-like stalk.
A dragonfly flew close to it and was immediately chomped on by one of the plant's jaws. The sound of its exoskeleton being crushed and slapped as it was eaten was heard by the humans and frog, making their stomachs turn as they cringed. Some pieces of the dragonfly's wings and a leg landed in front of them.
"Ho-" Hop Pop started.
"Ly-" Sprig continued.
"Tomato." Polly finished.
"I hate my stupid mouth," Anne said with a slight frown.
"Hey Anne? How's that foot taste?" Kenji added as Anne gave him a crossed look for his question. He looked at the tomatoes of that base of the plant. One of the heads lowered down to their level and roared at them. He held his scythe in right hand to prepare for the worst to happen.
Hop Pop patted his book under his armpit and nervously smiled. "You know, this baby got some great substitutes, all of which are delightfully harmless," he whispered. The Plantars and Kenji all simultaneously stepped back slowly from the plant.
"Couldn't hurt to hear a few options." Sprig whispered back.
"Yeah, this isn't worth us getting eaten for. Let's head back." Kenji said.
However, Anne ran behind them and blocked their attempts from leaving. "Hold on!" She exclaimed before lowering her voice. "Guys, the shame cage isn't just in the town square. It's up here. You're not going to change the world without taking a few risks. We need to be bold, groundbreaking, brave!"
"Anne, there's a big difference between courage and stupidity!" Hop Pop yelled angrily, having had enough of Anne's stubbornness. However, as he was yelling at her, Kenji turned around and looked at the plant.
"LOOK OUT!" He screamed, moving behind the family and with a swing of his scythe, cuts an elongated red tendril that tried to grab the old frog. "I'll grab the tomatoes. You guys stay far away from the tendrils." he told them, glaring at the monster plant. With scythe in hand, he ran straight for the fresh tomatoes.
The tomato monster's heads roared as it shot its tendrils at him. Kenji saw one coming at him, but he ducked and sliced it with his scythe. Another one swung at his feet, but he jumped over it, before cutting the tendril two times. A few more came at him, but Kenji baseball slide across the ground. Having been a member of his school's baseball team, he was one of the fastest kids on the team and used that speed to his advantage.
As he got closer, one of the heads lunged forward to kill him. Kenji stopped when he saw it and jumped back, making the head crash into the ground. He took the moment to swing his scythe in a wide arc, cutting deep across its head. Killing the head.
Kenji looked up and his eyes widened. He ducked behind the dead head as another head came down to bite at him. However, this one didn't crash into the ground, and followed him as Kenji ran for the tomatoes. Finally, he had reached the fresh tomatoes at the base of the monster.
"KEN, LOOK OUT!" Anne screamed from afar.
Kenji looked back and saw the head coming closer. Jaws open to eat him. Grabbing some of the tomatoes and pulling them out from the base, Kenji jumped and rolled out of the way. Causing the head to slam into its own stem. The sheer force of the impact caused the stem to snap off and fall onto the ground lifelessly.
Taking the moment, Kenji ran back to the others with one arm having the tomatoes in it. The Plantars and Anne were all in awe by what Kenji did, before they started cheering loud. Anne ran over to him and hugged him, which to Kenji by surprise. "Dude, that was totally awesome!" She yelled with a big beaming smile.
"Yeah, it was!" Sprig yelled, hopping all around Kenji as he smiled and turned his body right to left to just look at the excited frog. "That was so cool!"
"THAT WAS THE GREAT THING I'VE EVER SEE!" Polly cheered louder than anyone else. Hop Pop stared at him with a slacked jaw. Too shocked to form a sentence.
Kenji looked a little embarrassed as he smiled. "Thanks. It was nothing really," he said as he placed the tomatoes into the backpack they were using. When he was done, he handed it back to Sprig. "Now let's get out of here before-"
Suddenly, his ankle was grabbed by one of the tendrils.
"Oh crap." Kenji said as he was suddenly and violently pulled into the air as the last and largest head of the tomato monster roared in anger.
"KENJI!" Everyone screamed.
With a violent swing, the tendril slammed Kenji into a tree. He screamed as he felt pain exploding from where his body collared with the tree as he coughs up blood. Then the monster slammed him into another tree. This time his head got hit on the impact, making him drop his scythe. Anne and the Plantars only watch in horror as the head roared and slammed Kenji's body onto the ground, before swinging him into another tree, and then the ground again. The boy groaned in agony as he struggled to stay conscious. His bruised body was dragged across the ground before the head finally stopped by throwing him towards its mouth.
The others were horrified as Anne clenched her fists with rage as she ran over and picked up Kenji's scythe. "You give me back Ken, you rotten fruit!" She yelled with anger as she charged at the monster. Hopping on to the head of the first head that died, she jumped into the air at the stem. Yelling a battle cry as she was about to slice it. But then her body was grabbed by one of the tendrils. Anne screamed and dropped the scythe as she was thrown into the mouth of the monster.
"Run, kids!" Hop Pop yelled as the remaining tendrils came at them. Sprig ran in front, held Polly over his head, and Hop Pop ran behind them. He was the first one to be grabbed. Then Polly was snatched from Sprig's hands. The little red frog looked back and screamed as the last tendril came at him. It grabbed his tongue and pulled towards the monster. Hop Pop clawed at the ground to stop himself, but the tendril was too strong. He and Polly were pulled up and dropped into the mouth. Then Sprig was lifted by the grinning monster as it held him over its open mouth. Its grasp on his tongue was released, and Sprig fell in screaming.
"MY FIANCÉE WAS RIGHT!"
Meanwhile, when Kenji was eaten, his body fell down the throat of the tomato head. As he fell, he pulled out his knife and stabbed it into the walls of the throat and then stomped his legs on the wall. Kenji slowly braked to a stop halfway down the throat. His back was against the slimy wall, his legs braced against the other side, his right hand holding onto the knife, and his left hand pushing against the wall.
He sighed in relief. Suddenly Anne came falling and the teens were sent falling down the throat again, until they were able to stop themselves. "Anne?"
Anne had landed on his lap and was holding onto the walls with her hands and feet. "Kenji? I thought we lost you!" She said with a big smile.
Kenji blushed slightly at the awkward position they were both in before smiled. Sprig's scream could be heard slightly above them. "Y-Yeah-"
The two of them were forced down again when Hop Pop, Polly, and Sprig landed on them. Causing the two teenagers to lose their grip entirely. Everyone screamed as they fell deeper into the tomato. Kenji tried to push himself against the wall. However, instead of the wall, he pushed against Anne's back, forcing her to put her legs on the wall.
Getting an idea, the two of them linked their arms together and pulled out all the breaks. Pushing against each other with all their might, they stopped just before the end of the throat. The frog family landed on them, but the backpack of ingredients slipped off Sprig's shoulder. Seeing it falling past her, Anne quickly one of her arms and shot it out, grabbing one of the shoulder straps.
Saving it from falling into a bright and bubbly pool of stomach acid.
"Holy smokes! Acid!" Hop Pop yelled, looking down at the acid.
"Oh crap…second time I just said that." Kenji said to no one in particular.
"Well, at least the ingredients are safe," Anne said with a smile. She tried to pull the backpack back up, but with it not closed properly, it flew open. Every ingredient that they had worked hard to get dropped down into the acid. Burning away with the backpack.
"NNNOOOOOOOOO!" Anne screamed in despair, before linking her arm back around Kenji's. "The ingredients! Everything we've worked for!"
"Chikushō…All that hard work…" Kenji said in Japanese.
"At least it'll be a quick, painless death," Sprig said.
"Why would this be painless?" Polly asked.
"Just let me have this lie!"
"Will you guys just calm the hell down?" Kenji looked around for a way to get out of the monster. "Anne, help me figure a way out of this mess." But when he didn't a response, he looked over his shoulder at her. He couldn't see it, but Anne had quite a grim expression. "Anne? What's wrong?"
Anne sighed sadly. "How can you not be upset, Ken?" She asked her friend before looking at the Plantars. "Our revolutionary ideas were supposed to save you guys, not get you killed. I shouldn't have been so stubborn. I just really wanted to share a pizza with you guys." She paused for a moment with a slight blush. "And…you too, Ken. For old times sake."
Kenji was a little surprised to hear her say that. But he smiled and said, "Hey, if we get out of here, how about we try again to make a pizza," he said to cheer her up. "It may not be for the potluck, but just to have fun. That's what pizzas with those we care for are important, right?"
Anne's expression turned from surprised to happy. "Anne, Kenji, I've got to be honest," Hop Pop said. "I didn't care about that pizza stuff anyway. I'm sorry I wasn't supportive of you two. You were really trying to help this family out, and that's worth something in my book."
Kenji and Anne smiled at him before an idea popped into the male teenager. "Your book? That's it! Does your family cookbook have anything that could get us out of here?" asked Kenji as the old frog looked at him in confusion.
"Well, I don't know?" the old frog said, pulling out the book and opening to the page that had information on tomatoes. "Nothing especially useful. Just that the throat of this giant tomato plant is absolutely delicious eaten raw."
That made all their eyes widened, before they glanced at one another and grin. All having the same idea. However, Kenji has one more idea…
"Hey guys." Kenji suddenly said as the others looked at him in confusion as he pulls out a Class Card: The Lancer. "You want to see something really amazing?"
On the outside, the main head of the giant tomato monster plant let out a satisfied burp. It had finally eaten those pesky frogs and weird-looking creatures. Suddenly, there was a gurgling sound that came from its throat.
A moment later, a golden spear with a large deep black blade with a red line going thought the center of the blade from the tip to the bottom of the blade pierced through its body from inside. Kenji then sliced the blade of the swordspear down, before his, Anne's, and the Plantars' heads popped out of the incision and started biting into the flesh of the tomato monster. Creating an even bigger hole caused them to spill out.
All five of them bounced off the fresh tomatoes, before landing on the ground. Completely cover in the juices from inside. The tomato monster let out one last roar before shooting forward to devour them one more time before it dies. However, Kenji simply swing his swordspear, the Vasavi Shakti: O' Sun, Abide to Death, towards the head as a wave of flame shot out from the weapon. The Tomato monster cries out in pain as the flames begins to burn it into a charred version of itself as it falls over and dies.
Polly spat on the charred remains of the head. "Know your place, plant!" She yelled at it, before Anne picked her up. Kenji dismisses the Vasavi Shakti as it turns back into the Lancer card with Sprig and Hop Pop standing up.
"Ken…That was…AWESOME!" Sprig said with a huge grin on his face.
"Yes, that was pretty amazing, but I got ask…HOW IN THE WORLD WERE YOU ABLE TO DO THAT?!" Hop Pop all but shouted as Kenji looked panicked as he now looked down for a moment before raising it up and was about to explain what just happened but couldn't as they all then heard a bell tolling in the distance.
Anne gasped as she realizes what that meant: the village potluck was going to start soon. "There isn't much time. Let's go home and make one of your old recipes, Hop Pop," she said.
"It wouldn't get us out of last place. But at least we'll have something," Hop Pop said, even though he wanted to know what just happened here, he can ask later after the village potluck. Kenji looked down and picked up a fresh tomato that wasn't burnt. Biting into it, he moaned with delight when it tasted just like the monster.
"Maybe it can," he said to the others, holding up the tomato with a big grin on his face. "We just have to spruce it up with something a little dangerous."
The sun was setting in Wartwood, and the annual potluck was about to begin. Frogs from all over the town had come out to participate with their dishes and recipes. All with the hope of winning chopper and praises from everyone else or be placed in the shame cage. On the long table, each contestant placed their food on the table to be presented. And at the very end of the table were our heroes. Hop Pop baked a gross looking pie, and now they placed the final ingredient. Together, Kenji and Anne placed a slice of tomato on it.
"Perfect," the humans and Hop Pop said simultaneously.
A small frog played a little trumpet to signal the beginning of the competition. Mayor Toadstool then slides in, pushing the frog to the ground as he said, "All right! Let the annual potluck begin! Let's get to tasting' those dishes." Kenji, Anne, and the Plantars waited together as Toadstool took advantage of the competition so that he could eat the various dishes for free. Beginning from the other end of the table and started working his way down.
"And last, but not least-" he said when he reached the final contestants. But when he opened his eyes, he let out a sigh. "The Plantars with the monsters. What filth have you cooked up this ti-Hmm?" he stopped talking when he saw the tomato slice on the pie. "Tomato? That's awfully dangerous."
He chuckled, before dipping his finger into the pie and scooping out a chunk. He then placed the chunk into his mouth and took the moment to taste it. All while Toadie stood next to him, playing a drumroll. The teenagers and Plantar family stared nervously at the mayor.
"Why, I do declare! This is the best dish the Plantar family has ever brought to a potluck!" Toadstool praised with sincerity.
"What?" Hop Pop gasped, as the other frogs gasped all around them.
"What? Did we actually do it?" Sprig asked, not believe his ears.
"We won!" Kenji cheered, throwing his fists up with a big grin. They all started cheering together, happy to have finally won.
But...
"Win?" Toadstool asked, before waving his hands. "No! No, no, no, no, no, no. Oh, it's better than usual, but it's still terrible. Last place, as usual." With more sympathy, Toadstool pulled out and slammed a ribbon on the pie that said 'Good Grief' on it. Toadie played a sad "wah-wah" theme on his trumpet. "You folks should know the way to the shame cage by now."
With sighs and expression of their disappointment, the Plantars, Anne, and Kenji walked towards the shame cage. "Hurry along. All right, boys, light it up," said Toadstool. A frog with a torch came over and burnt the pie.
As they walked towards the cage with long faces, Sprig was the only one whose mood wasn't dampened at all with their lose. "Cheer up, guys," he said with a smile, hoping up. "Sure, we came in last. Again. But thanks to Kenji and Anne's new ideas and Hop Pop's old ones, we've done the best we've ever done."
"You know, he's right," Hop Pop agreed.
"Yeah!" Polly said as they reached the cage. The masked frog held open the cage's door for them, and the Plantars turned to face Anne and Kenji.
"We did, didn't we?" Anne said with a smile. But as she and Kenji watched them climb into the cage and get cozy, they both glanced at one another.
"Hey, pal, can that thing hold two more?" Kenji asked the masked toad with a smile.
Hop Pop turned to the toad. "How 'bout it, Carl?"
"The more the merrier," Carl said in a gruff voice.
Hop Pop chuckled. "Hear that?"
"Get in here, you crazy kids!" Sprig exclaimed.
"Whoo-hoo!" The two teenagers cheered. Kenji stabbed his scythe into the ground before walking over to join Anne and the Plantars. Taking a seat next to his returning best friend. Carl closed the door to the cage, letting their legs dangle between the bars, before using his surprising strength to pull the rope. Hoisting the cage up with its inhabitants.
"Well, if we can't share a pizza, at least we can share this," Anne said.
"That's what friends do, Anne. Share the experience," Kenji said with a smile. Placing a hand on her shoulder. "And you know, this isn't so bad-" Suddenly he was hit in the face with a piece of gunk. He quickly wiped it off. "What the hell?! What was that for?"
"Ooh, I forgot to mention the shame nuggets," Sprig said with a wince as the teenagers looked at him in shock for not mentioning this detail.
"What? AW!" Anne yelled when she too was hit with a shame nugget. Down below, the frogs of Wartwood surrounded underneath the shame cage. They jeered at those in the cage and threw more shame nuggets, slime, and other grossness in their general direction while yelling how they should be ashamed.
"Hey! That's my son-in-law!" Stumpy Flour cheered as his daughter stood next to him, smiling, and waving in her usual creepy way.
Sprig nervously waved back was said through his teeth. "Hi..."
"Is that the best you got?!" Polly yelled down at the frogs down below.
Hop Pop, however, looked as satisfied he could be in the shame cage. With a sigh, he said, "Tradition is such a beautiful-" He got hit in the face with a shame nugget. "Son of a Slug!"
After staying the shame cage for a couple of hours, the Plantars and humans were let off early due to them making a better dish that what they would usually make, even though it still tasted like garbage. When the group return to the house, we see the group sitting at the kitchen with Kenji holding his backpack.
"Okay, so you want to know how I was able to kill that giant tomato monster right Hop Pop?" Kenji said as Hop Pop nodded, really wanted to know how Kenji was able to finish off that monstrosity. "Well, this is how I was able to do it." Kenji opens his backpack as he pulls out the golden oriental box that was given to him by that old man from his world. The Plantars were in awe at the box design with Sprig recognizes what this box is.
"Hey, that the box you showed me earlier! The one you didn't want me to open." Sprig as Kenji nodded at what the frog boy said.
"That's right. This box had the cards which allows me to do what you guys saw today. I'm sorry that I hid this from you guys. I didn't know if it was the right time to show it but after today I believe it would be best to show where I got the cards from." Kenji said as Hop Pop nodded as he points towards the oriental box with a concerned look on his face.
"May I see that box?" Hop Pop said as Kenji nodded as he passes the box to the old frog.
"Sure. The box's lid is closed tight ever since I pulled my cards. Good luck trying to open it." Kenji said as Hop Pop who begins to inspect the box thoroughly. As he places his webbed hand on the lid the box, it begins to glow a gentle light as the box made a clicking noise as it opens wide for Hop Pop. Kenji and the others have wide eyes as the old frog reaches inside the box and pulls out a single white card. As he fully pulls out the card, the Box snaps shuts and locks itself from being open.
"What in the world?" Hop Pop said as the white card turns into a Class Card: Archer Card. The card has silver accents compared to the ones that Kenji has which have gold accents.
"Those are my thoughts as well. Let's see if I can open it again." Kenji said as he takes the box back as tries to open it again, but it wouldn't budge. After a few more tries, Kenji passes the box towards Anne, Sprig, and Polly. "Care to try, you three?"
"ME FIRST!" Polly shouted as she hops to the box and places her hand on the lid. As what happened with Hop Pop, the box glow and opens for her as Polly reaches for the card before the lid closes. As she got her card, the Class Card is revealed to be a Lancer Card with a silver accent.
"I guess I'm next." Sprig said as he looked towards Kenji for permission, who nodded, and places hand on the lid. Like before with the others, the box glows and opens for him as Sprig reaches in and pulls out one card from the box as it closes when he retrieves it. When Sprig holds out his card, the white turned into the Saber Class Card with gold accents instead of silver. "Hey guys, I got a gold one!"
"Nice Sprig." Kenji said with a grin.
"Well done, Sprig. Must be very luck to draw a gold card." Hop Pop said with a wink.
"Yeah, real lucky…" Polly said with a grumble as she wanted a gold card too.
Anne takes the box as she was the last one. So, she takes a deep breath and place her hand on the box. However, unlike the time the Plantars open the box, Anne's eyes glowed blue for a moment as the box shines an azure light as it opens for her. She reaches in and pull out a set of cards as the lid closes once more.
Anne, Kenji, and the others were surprise at the number of Class Cards that was drawn. There ten in total, however while the first nine are known to Kenji: The Saber, Archer, Lancer, Rider, Caster, Assassin, Berserker, Ruler, & Avenger; the final card was different from the Shielder that Kenji has. It depicted the image of someone dressed in a jester outfit, a darkened version of them behind them and upside down.
"Never seen this one before." Kenji said as he picks up the card to inspect it. "Must be a unique Class Card." He finished as he hands the card back to Anne who takes it back.
"Yeah." Anne said as she looks at the golden accent card as it gave of a small shine. "Guess that box just like to give a unique class every now and then."
Hop pop suddenly yawns as he stood up from his chair. "Well, that's enough excitement for me today. I think I'm going to turn in." The patriarch of the Plantar Family said as the group wish him goodnight, as they turn in as well after what happened today.
After a few hours, Kenji woke up and headed towards the kitchen to get himself a glass of water to drink. After drinking a full cup, Kenji was about to head back to the basement bedroom but stops as he saw that Hop Pop's study has its lights on, so Kenji walks in quietly and sees that Hop Pop was looking through one of his books titled 'Ancient Legends of Amphibia' by Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg.
Kenji walks up behind him and says, "I guess you couldn't sleep either, huh?" Hop Pop jumps a little and turns in surprise that the young man was up as well as he pointed towards the book that Hop Pop was reading. "Does this book have something to do with the oriental box?"
"How did you know?"
"Call it a hunch." Kenji replied as he pulls up a chair to sit next to him. The two continue looking at the book Hop Pop opened with great focus to look for information. The next page was turned and the two now looked at information that they were looking for. The pages show the golden oriental box next to a familiar looking box, which Kenji seems to have seen it before, that was completely black as the darkest night that says 'The Card-Box of Heroes. The Counter Force against the Calamity of The Night.'
"Looks like this is your box. It says here that it's not a dangerous item and has been a great boon for Amphibia's survival, but I had to be sure for myself." Hop Pop said as Kenji begins to look over the contents as well. It says that the box can allow anyone to draw a card or cards that contains the souls of ancient heroes from other worlds, depending on the person status is and what their place is in the world they're in. so the stronger the importance of the drawer, the more powerful cards can be drawn from the box.
"Guess that explains the cards that I drew from the box the first time, but why does the title of this chapter has the words 'The Counter Force against the Calamity of the Night'? What does that even mean?" Kenji asked as Hop Pop reaches for another book, This one having a giant letter 'P' on the cover. This is the Plantar Family Journal that has been in the Plantar Family for centuries.
"I don't about this 'Calamity of The Night' business, but I believe that your Card-Box may have a connection to something like this." Hop Pop said as he opens the book and the two were now looking at the page that says, 'Calamity Box. Danger! Destroyed! Beware!' It shows the very frog music box with the four gems that brought Anne, Kenji, with the possibly of Sasha and Marcy to Amphibia and a frog skull symbolizing that this item is very dangerous. Hop pop glared at the page, while Kenji looked with surprise.
"It's just as I feared," said Hop Pop said in a grim tone as Kenji picks up the book to look at it further to see if his eyes were not playing tricks on him. After a few moments, Kenji confirmed that this is the real deal.
"The Calamity Box." said Kenji as he places the book back down and begins to think about the now named Calamity Box. 'Why is the music box given such an ominous title. There has to be a reason for such a damning title.'
"Listen Kenji," said Hop Pop causing Kenji to look towards the old frogman. "We can't tell the others about this right now. If they found out more about this Calamity Box that could be connected to your Card-Box, they'll be in danger wherever they go."
Kenji was unsure about this as he crosses his arms. "I don't know, Hop pop. Anne and I are partially in danger every single day were here. I don't know if anyone else knows about the Calamity Box at all, Hop Pop."
Hop pop was stern but from his gaze was a pleading old man who wanted to keep his loved ones safe. "That maybe true Kenji, but if my grandkids were to know more about this box, they'll be in more danger that they should. And so will Anne. We can't let anything happen to them, can we?" He said in a tone that begged Kenji to not tell the others what they just learned.
Kenji was at a crossroads. While it is true that keeping the others in the dark about the Calamity Box would keep them safe for the moment and from them wanting to learn more about its possibly dangerous capabilities. However, this very music box was the reason why he, Anne, and possibly Sasha and Marcy were sent to this world. So it could be very possible that the box can send them back home as well. So if Anne, Sprig, and Polly were to learn about the Calamity Box with Kenji and Hop Pop knowing beforehand, they more than likely to never trust them after this and Anne…She more than likely to never forgive them for hiding such information.
In the end however, Kenji agreed as he lets out a deep sigh. "Fine, we'll keep this quiet…for now. But if they somehow find out something else about the Calamity Box, I'm not going to keep them in the dark any longer." He said in a somber tone as he doesn't like the idea of hiding this from Anne and the others.
Hop Pop kept his eyes on the young man for a moment before he nodded. "I understand. They can't know any more about this box until the moment when they learn something else about it on their own terms. Agreed?"
Kenji gave a scowl look, but he nodded and said, "For now, Hopediah. For now..." The two parted ways and retire for the night, preparing themselves for tomorrow to learn about the cards that was recently drawn.
However, both of them know little of the things to come as the Wheels of Fate are now beginning to turn.
Anne Boonchuy:
Saber: 'An overlord who established a great empire in the 5th Century.'
Archer: 'The 3rd Century Queen of the Palmyrene Empire.'
Lancer: ' A Goddess of War from Scandinavia's Lore.'
Rider: 'A Saint of the 1st Century who suppressed the evil dragon: Tarasque. '
Caster: 'A Child of Prophecy chosen by the Staff of Selection rather than the Sword of Selection.'
Assassin: 'A tragic Egyptian Pharaoh who left her mark of beauty within history.'
Berserker: 'The Powerful Queen who rules over Faerie Britain.'
Ruler: 'The Holy Maiden of France who liberated Orléans in the Hundred Years' War.'
Alter Ego: 'The most powerful swordswoman of the Shinsengumi turned into a Counter Guardian.'
Avenger: 'A different aspect of the original Holy Maiden of France, born from the wrath and vengeance of her former comrade.'
Sprig Planter:
Saber: 'A reincarnated deity born as the imperial prince of Kosala.'
Polly Petunia Plantar:
Lancer: 'The youngest of the Gorgon Sisters that appears in Greek Mythology.'
Hopediah "Hop Pop" Planter:
Archer: 'He's a man with the courage to face the oppressors that make the people suffer.'