Chapter 2: Best Fronds

Hey everyone I'm back with a new chapter. Wow over 50 followers and favorites after just one chapter. I'm impressed you all enjoy my story so far. Now that the series is over I have a clear understanding of it all so I can figure things out. I hope you like what I have planned.

We find ourselves in the human world about a week before this whole mess started.

At a nice family home in a small neighborhood, we see an adult woman with black hair making breakfast while her husband a man with short brown hair was preparing lunches.

These were Lynn and Todd Norton. Allen's parents.

"You wanna wake the kids up?" Lynn asks.

"Sure thing sweetie." Todd said making his way to the rooms.

Opening two doors we see a young boy around 5 years old with messy brown hair sleeping and in the other was a young girl with short brown hair in a bob cut around 8. These were Noah and Emily, Allen's younger brother and sister.

"Rise and shine kids." Todd calls out making them groan. "Come on breakfast is on the table."

As the two kids made their way to the kitchen Todd knocks on the final room.

"Allen, rise and shine." Todd said opening the door only to see the room was empty.

Suddenly the hall bathroom door opens revealing Allen all dressed and ready to go.

"Morning everybody have a great day." Allen said trying to get to the front door.

"Hey." Stepping out of the kitchen Lynn calls out to him. "Where are you going this early?

"Oh you know I got stuff to do." Allen said avoiding the answer.

"Stuff?" Todd asks as they walked up to him.

"Yeah just doing a few things around town." Allen said.

"Be careful out there." Lynn said.

"Of course." Allen said.

"Be back for dinner." Todd said.

"I'll try." Allen said.

"Warm enough?" Todd asks.

"Toasty." Allen said getting annoyed by all this.

"Do you need money?" Lynn asks.

"Mom, Dad. I love you both but I got this." Allen said heading out. "I love you all."

Frowning both his parents didn't like this one bit.

"Mom, dad does Allen not like us anymore?" Noah asks.

"Of course not sweetie. He's just…keeping himself busy." Lynn sighs.

"Just like every other day." Emily rolls her eyes. "What do you think he does all day?"

Soon Allen was walking a bunch of dogs on leashes down the streets.

"Whoa! Come on guys give me a break!" Allen said as the pugs ran in all directions.

Heading back to their house, Allen brings them back to an elderly woman who was their owner.

"Oh my babies." She smiles before handing the money to Allen. "Same time next week?"

"If anything comes up I'll let you now." Allen said taking the money.

The next one was a babysitting job.

"We'll be back in a few hours." The parents said leaving.

"Hey little guy." Allen said turning around only to be hit in the face with a cupcake.

"You're not my dad!" The kid screams.

Grumbling Allen pulled the cupcake off.

"No wonder they couldn't get another babysitter." Allen realized.

A few hours later, Allen got paid but had quite a few stains on his clothes.

"The day Noah and Emily start acting like that brat is the day I go Scary Big Brother on them." Allen vows.

Finally, Allen was helping at a fish market where he took discarded fish heads and bones to the dumpster.

Opening up the dumpster, Allen struggled to lift the trash in but slipped and fish spilled all over him.

Groaning in disgust, Allen picks the trash up and throws it away.

But when he brought it back the owner gestured to 10 more cans filled with fish much to his annoyance.

Later that day, Anne, Sasha and Marcy were hanging out together near Anne's place when Allen walks by covered in stains with flies swarming over his head.

"Oh yeah! I win again!" Marcy said playing her newest video game.

"Careful Marcy you don't want to get too into it." Sasha laughs when Allen walks by and they caught a whiff of him.

"Ugh what's that smell?" Anne asks

Looking up from her game, Marcy and the other girls cringed.

"Ugh he looks like he slept in a dumpster." Marcy said.

Spotting a water fountain, Allen turns it on and uses it to wipe some grime off his face to make him look slightly more presentable.

"How the mighty have fallen. I can't believe I used to cheer for him." Sasha said.

"You know I heard a rumor that the reason he takes all these jobs is because his mom got sued for a hit and run and but she blamed it on him." Marcy said.

"That's nothing I heard a rumor someone harvested his organs on the Black Market and he's trying to buy them back." Sasha said.

"Whoa that's nuts." Anne said.

Rolling his eyes in annoyance and mocking the way they talked Allen kept going revealing he lived only a street away.

Inside, Todd and Lynn were going through work papers occasionally looking at each other.

"I know we're both thinking it, but I'm just going to say it." Todd said looking at his wife. "He's never home anymore."

"Honey we've been over this." Lynn said annoyed.

"So what? We're just supposed to give up on him?" Todd asks.

"I never said that. We will never give up on any of our kids." Lynn assures.

"But I hate seeing him do this to himself. He has to know it's never gonna work." Todd said.

"Todd if Allen admits it, it would be like he's giving up on something he's wanted more than anything. We just have to hope that he'll eventually figure things out." Lynn said.

Little did both know Allen was on the other side of the door listening in on this with a sad look on his face.

"I can't stop…not yet." Allen said.

Suddenly a loud scream echoed snapping Allen out of it.

Flashback End:

Waking up, Allen saw Anne holding her head.

"Guys, guys, guys. I just had the craziest dream. I was trapped in a world of frog pe—" Turning to the side she saw Hop Pop, Spring, Polly and Allen looking at her.

"Yeah not a dream. Still very much real." Allen deadpans.

"Oh." Anne simply said.

"Hey guys, sleep well?" Sprig asks.

"Careful boy, they could be hungry!" Hop Pop panics.

"For your guts!" Holly said.

"Okay you guys need to drop this whole eating thing. Why would I eat the people who are putting a roof over my head?" Allen asks.

"And I am not gonna eat something that clearly doesn't bathe." Anne said gesturing to Hop Pop who had a fly flying over him until he ate.

"Fair points." Hop Pop admits.

"See, I told you they're harmless." Sprig said.

"Hmph. For now." Hop Pop said as he and Polly headed to the stairs.

"Just give me an excuse to use old Doris here." Polly said readying a rolling pin.

"I think the little one wants to kill us." Anne said.

"For once I agree with you." Allen nods.

"Yep. So you must be so excited to be trapped in another world. Very jealous. Oh?" Spring asks.

"Not really. I miss my home and my family." Allen said.

"Which ones?" Anne asks.

"Don't start." Allen glares.

"What about you Anne?" Sprig asks.

"It's not all that. I miss my home and my stuff and especially... my friends. Without them, I just feel kind of lost. You know?" Anne asks showing a picture of her, Sasha and Marcy.

"What about you Allen? You got any friends?" Sprig asks looking at the photo.

"I thought I did once, but no I'm on my own." Allen said.

"Well then…how about I become your new friend in the meantime?" Sprig said surprising them.

"What?" Allen asks.

"You?" Anne asks.

"Me." Sprig smiles.

"I don't know Sprig." Allen said.

"Come on. It'll be fun! What did you do together with your friends?" Sprig asks.

"Everything. Marathon dumb TV shows, drink boba till we vomited, hung out at the beach." Anne said.

"That actually doesn't sound so bad. Well except for the vomiting boba part." Allen cringed.

"Oh, we've got a lake. Would going there with me make you feel less homesick?" Sprig offers.

"Hmm." Both teens paused.

"Well I guess it beats sitting around doing nothing for 2 months. Plus it might be nice " Allen said

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. It'll be great." Sprig nods.

"I like your moxie, frog child. Let's do it!" Anne said.

"Yeah we're going to the lake!" Sprig said.

"Now both of you boys out of the room while I change!" Anne points.

Before they knew what happened later, Sprig and Allen were pushed out with Allen's swim trunks in his hands.

"What just happened?" Sprig asks.

"Girls." Allen rolls his eyes.

After changing into some blue swim trunks and a sleeveless black shirt Allen and Sprig saw Anne come out in sandals, purple swim bottoms and a black top.

"You ready to go?!" Sprig asks.

"Yeah!" Anne cheers while Allen just nods.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Anne and Sprig cheered when Hop Pop ran in front of the door stopping them.

"And where do you three think you're going?" Hop Pop asks.

"We're going to the lake." Sprig declares.

"You wanna come?" Anne asks.

"Absolutely not! Look Anne, Allen. You two are new, unsettling, strange, bizarre, gangly, horrifying—" Hop Pop lists.

"Thanks, we got it." Anne said.

"Please just get to the point Hop Pop. We've heard this plenty of times." Allen said.

"Point is, the frogs in this town can be pretty small-minded." Hop Pop said looking out the window.

"Hey Hopidaiah." A frog calls out.

"And paranoid. We just need to give 'em time to get used to ya. I think it's best you stay put." Hop Pop said locking the door.

"But—"

"No buts! Now I'm going to my study to get a little reading done." Hop Pop said putting the key in his pocket.

"Ugh Hop Pop." Sprig groans.

"Don't do anything stupid." Hop Pop said closing the door.

"Seriously? It's bad enough we're stuck here now we have stuck in this house?" Allen groans.

"Adults are all the same. Curfews. Rules. Old." Anne lists.

"Yeah, looks like we're stuck here. Ooh! I know what'll be fun. Let's try some of Hop Pop's pain peppers. So hot, they'll make you wish you were dead." Sprig said opening a barrel of scalding red peppers.

Taking one out he presses it against his tongue making him breathe fire and screams in agony.

As he poured water down his throat Sprig collapsed. "Someone just kill me please!" Sprig said before collapsing and then sitting up. "Your turn."

"I'm good." Allen said.

"No, thanks. I'd rather go to the lake." Anne said.

"But Hop Pop said." Sprig starts.

"Sprig, you wanna know the best thing about friendship? When you got your friends by your side, anything is possible. Whatever you want, a real friend will help you get. And you know what I want?" Anne asks.

"Lake!" Sprig cheers.

"Now let's go rob an old man!" Anne declares making Allen and Sprig cringe. "Yeah, that didn't sound as cool as I wanted it to."

"I knew it. You are a thief!" Allen accuses.

"What? No I'm not." Anne said defensively.

"Yes you are. You stole from me and now you plan on stealing from Hop Pop." Allen said.

"Wait what?" Sprig said.

"I have half a nerve to go in there and tell Hop Pop right now. Just so you don't ruin things for him as you did for me." Allen said turning to the door.

"No!" Allen opens the door and Anne and Sprig grab him tackling him to the ground.

"Get off me." Allen said when they heard snoring.

"No way." Anne said as they walked over to see Hop Pop's eyes were wide open but he was snoring.

"Is he sleeping with his eyes open?" Allen asks.

"This might be the creepiest thing I've ever seen." Anne said.

"Happens all the time. He makes a great scarecrow." Sprig points out.

As Allen cringed not sure what to make of this he noticed Anne take the key.

"Really?" Allen asks shooting her a glare.

"Come on Allen don't you think we deserve some relaxation after everything we've been through?" Anne asks.

Growling as much as he hated to admit it, Allen wanted an easy day. He was so tired of running and hiding.

"I've got my eye on you." Allen said.

Soon the three of them were off to the lake with Sprig leading the way.

"This is great. Three pals beatin' the odds to have some fun." Anne said taking out her phone. "Here. Smile!" Grabbing the boys Anne took a selfie of them. "Whoa. Hey, that turned out great."

"I don't know what's crazier, that you just stole my soul in a tiny box, or that we look so incredible." Sprig gasps looking at it.

"It's a phone Sprig. I got one too." Allen said taking out a red phone.

"I gotta say, this friend business is amazing!" Sprig smiles.

"Didn't you have friends before we showed up?" Anne asks.

"Uh…" Sprig pauses remembering an uncomfortable memory. "Kids around here don't really get me."

"Well I like hanging out with you." Allen smiles.

"Me too. Come on." Anne said playfully punching Sprig's shoulder.

"So, is punching part of friendship?" Sprig asks.

"Absolutely." Anne said.

"Eh somewhat." Allen shrugs.

Pushing past some bushes, the three of them arrive at the beautiful lake.

"We made it." Sprig declares.

"Whoa." Allen said in awe.

"Bet you're glad you came now huh?" Anne teases.

"Okay maybe a little." Allen admits.

"Come on! Let's go!" Anne said as they ran to the water only to be stopped by a sign that said DON'T SWIM.

"This was not here last week." Sprig said.

"So the question is what changed in the last week to make someone put this sign up?" Allen asks.

"I know exactly what's going on here. Some jerk just wants this beautiful lake all to themselves. Well, forget that." Anne said walking ahead.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Allen said.

"Whoever wrote this wrote it in a hurry, like they were scared to be here." Sprig said.

"Or maybe they just had bad handwriting. Come on. Don't be a buzzkill." Anne said dipping her toe in the water. "Ooh, that's nice." But before she could go in Sprig launched his tongue grabbing her arm. "Hey, what are you doing?"

"Something's not right here. Let's just go back." Sprig said in a muffled tone.

"I'm with the frog Anne. We might be missing something." Allen said.

"I thought you guys were my friends." Anne said.

"I'm not your friend. I'm still mad at you." Allen points out.

"I am your friend." Sprig said.

"Well, this is what friends do. Remember? They help each other get the things they want." Anne said confusing them.

"Huh?" Both boys said.

"Look, if a friend likes a pencil case, you get it for them. If your friend likes your new shoes, you give them to her. And if a friend wants you to steal a crazy music box from a thrift store, even if you don't really want to, you do it, okay? Because if you don't, they might not want to be your friend anymore." Anne admits causing Allen to pause for a few seconds.

"Fine." Sprig said walking away.

"Is that really friendship? Sounds to me like you were their doormat." Allen said.

"Excuse me?" Anne asks.

"Anne you remember when I was popular? I had tons of friends in my life. They would do whatever I wanted, cheered for me the loudest, they even called me fun nicknames. But when I stopped doing all that popular boy stuff and started doing jobs around town you know how many stuck with me? None of them." Allen declares surprising her.

"Wait none? Not a single one stayed your friend?" Anne asks.

"They only wanted to hang with me because I was popular. The second I stopped being popular they started making all those rumors about me. I never had any real friends in school." Allen said.

"Allen I-I'm so sorry." Anne apologizes.

"Whatever. I've gotten over it." Allen said.

"Well what Spring wants to be your friend so what if I became your friend too?" Anne asks.

Allen was about to answer when suddenly Sprig ran past them.

"Cannonball!" Sprig yells jumping into the water. "Come on in!"

"Ah yeah that's what I'm talking about." Anne said.

"Wait Anne what are you—" Before Allen could finish Anne yanked him into the water with her.

Resurfacing Allen was splashed in the face by Anne and Sprig.

"Oh you want to go?" Recovering Allen splashes them back joining in the fun.

Soon the three of them were having tons of fun: relaxing on giant leaves, having underwater tea parties, riding giant water striders, and other fun things.

Taking out her phone Anne points it at Sprig who was standing on Allen's shoulders.

As she took the picture, Anne pauses looking at it in fear.

"Uh…" Anne pauses seeing something behind them in the picture.

"What are we blinking?" Sprig asks as a giant water snake rose out of the water and glared at them.

Pausing for a few seconds the three of them screamed in horror.

Swimming for their lives, Sprig swam ahead while Allen and Anne struggled to keep up.

"Why couldn't I have joined the swim team instead of soccer?" Allen pants.

"Stupid nonwebbed hands!" Anne said as the snake lunged at them only for Sprig to pull them onto a lily pad.

"Well that explains the sign." Sprig pants.

"Okay next time we see a warning sign we listen to it." Allen pants.

"I'm sorry. Allen you're right everything is all my fault. Take Sprig and get out of here." Anne apologizes.

"Friend punch." Sprig said hitting her.

"Ow! Hey!" Anne snaps when Allen bonks her on the head. "Quit it!"

"Never! I'm not about to let my first real friend get eaten. We're in this together." Sprig said.

"As much as I don't like you right now I'm not gonna let you die." Allen agrees when the snake pops out the water and spins around the lily pad trapping them..

"I don't suppose you have any weapons or ideas?" Anne asks.

"Uh I got this." Allen said taking off his arrowhead necklace.

"Oh great, he can use that to pick his teeth when he's done with us." Anne mocks.

"Well, at least I'm trying." Allen glares.

"Stop it both of you. I got an idea." Sprig said climbing on their heads.

"What are you doing?" Anne asks.

"I have a plan. Stand up." Sprig said as both stood up.

"Now what?" Anne asks.

"When I count to three, duck." Sprig orders.

"Are you crazy?" Anne asks.

"Trust me." Sprig pleads.

"Alright, Sprig." Allen said nervously.

"One two three!" Sprig said leaping up while both humans ducked making him get eaten by the snake.

"Sprig!" Allen screams in horror.

"Vengeance!" Anne yells.

Working together the two of them attacked the snake with sticks but were thrown into the water.

Resurfacing the Water Snake suddenly began breathing fire and spitting Sprig out.

Acting quickly Allen caught him in midair.

"You're alive!" Allen smiles.

Shrieking in agony the giant water snake slithered away.

"What did you do?" Anne asks.

"So hot, they'll make you wish you were dead." Sprig smiles pulling out a pain pepper.

"Well what do you know." Allen chuckles.

"You little genius, you." Anne smiles.

"And it looks like he couldn't take the heat." Sprig said as they all laughed until they heard a roaring noise.

"Race you guys back to the house?" Allen asks.

"You're on!" Anne said.

"Death approaches!" Sprig yells as they swam to shore as fast as they could.

Back at the house, Hop Pop slowly woke up. "I'm up! I'm awake!" Feeling his jacket, Hop Pop gasps seeing the key was missing. "The key. It's gone! Oh, no. Did they get out? Is the town rioting? Are they dead? Have they eaten the kids, the whole town?"

Running to the door Hop Pop is surprised to see it was locked.

"Huh?" Hop Pop said confused.

"Yes! I'm in the lead!" Allen calls out.

Making his way downstairs Hop Pop sees Allen, Anne and Sprig playing a board game.

"Come on. Mama needs a new pair of shoes. Seriously though, I do need new shoes." Anne said rolling the dice.

"You guys been here all day, huh?" Hop Pop asks.

"Yeah I've been on a winning streak." Anne said.

"I owe her my firstborn child." Sprig said.

"I'll get you this time." Allen said before reaching into his pocket and pulling out the key. "Oh, by the way, Hop Pop. We found this on the floor. You must have dropped it."

"Dang shallow pockets. Well you get what you pay for." Hop Pop said heading upstairs.

"Aha!" Polly said leaping in.

"Hey Polly." Sprig said as Polly sees them playing.

"You're not gonna eat us, are you? You're not even gonna try." Polly asks.

"Nope." Both humans said.

"Disappointing." Polly said leaving allowing the three of them to break character.

"That was way too close." Allen said.

"Hey, sorry I almost got us killed today." Anne apologizes.

"Are you kidding? That was the most exciting thing that's ever happened to me! My heart was beating faster than a dragonfly on a sugar rush. In fact, I'm feeling a little…sleepy." Sprig said falling asleep in front of them.

Seeing this Allen and Anne couldn't help but chuckle.

"So Allen about what I said earlier?" Anne asks getting his attention. "Maybe you and I could try to be friends?"

"Well I'll admit it was tiring holding onto all that anger." Allen admits.

"So does that mean you've forgiven me?" Anne asks hopeful.

"Don't push it." Allen growls.

"Sorry. Uh I'll take what I can get." Anne compromises.

"Much better. So you think your other friends are out there?" Allen asks.

"I hope so. And I hope they're okay." Anne said.

Meanwhile in an unknown location, in a dark tower.

We see Sasha chained up in a cage as a toad approached her holding Anne's other shoe.

"Take a look at this please, Sasha. It was found far from here, in the South Forest. Now we know that you've been lying to us. Now we know that there are more of you." He declares as thunder echoes.