Anne Boonchuy.
Wartwood Market had seen a lot over the years. From the Termite invasion that had almost ruined Loggle's business (Though why he kept them as pets afterward's was still unanswered.) to the day Wally declared it no pants Tuesday. (A situation thankfully put to an end by a well-placed Knee from Ms. Croaker.) The market had seen a lot over the years but never really changed. Almost everyone in town had a stall to sell their wares. Mrs. Croaker sold Milk and Cheese. Felicia Sundew sold various teas throughout Amphibia and Wally sold songs he had written which no one brought.
Just like the town. The market was stubborn and was slow to accept change
This is why the Planters stall stood out.
The Plantars were an old family who had lived in Wartwood for many years, They were frogs, Hopediah Plantar was the eldest, the two children were Sprig, and the small Pollywog, Polly. They had been running a somewhat successful vegetable stall for generations. Recently, however, they had taken in something strange.
Something hideous. A monster who many of the townsfolk still believed would eat them if given the chance. Parents told their children she would chase them down with her abnormally long legs, Wally had written a song that talked about how she would grab any frog that she caught with her lengthy bony arms and devour with her sharp teeth, Felecia Sundew had a nightmare where her daughter Ivy was Smothered then with that dirty leaf infested hair, Ivy didn't really care herself. The creature was from the unknown and like with everything that was different the frogs of Wartwood had reacted to it with hostility.
The creature said its species was Human and its name was Anne Boonchuy.
Right now the beast was annoyed.
"Come on People. I know you love vegetables, it's either this or eating bugs," Said Anne doing her best to attract customers to the Plantars vegetable stall.
"Still not come to terms with the fact that we eat bugs, huh." Said Polly.
"Nope," said Anne.
"Maybe you should try being a bit friendlier?" Asked Sprig.
Anne thought about it for a second and nodded
"Sure. I can try that." Anne coughed a little "Excuse me, sir," She said in a Faux British accent to a well-dressed newt "Would you like to buy some Beats."
The newt turned around. As it turns out he was very interested in beats, he was making Beat casserole tonight for his family and friends. He would have brought the Plantar's entire stock making the Plantars rich beyond their wildest dreams.
That's when he saw her. He heard of the beast but never thought it would look like that. He shuddered and quickly turned away and walked.
Anne sighed, she had been here for over a month now, and she was still getting these reactions from everyone who lived here. She had frightened off a lot of customers from the Plantars stall in that time.
She didn't know what annoyed her more. The ones that decided to try to look at the freak in the distance. Currently, there was a frog and a toad looking at her from across the market. The Frog was watching her while hiding behind a newspaper, Occasionally peeking above it to look at her, the Toad didn't even bother with the pretense. She felt like she was being observed at the zoo.
Then there were the ones that pretended to be customers, those that walked up to the stall looked at the vegetables talked to the Plantars, or for those particularly brave asked her and then walked away.
Those were the worst, only because she could never really be sure that they were just uninterested, but also because it meant the Plantars would not make a sale. She had been made aware of how important a sale was when her parents had given her a part-time job at the restaurant.
She sighed, Maybe it was better if stayed away from the Plantars.
She was brought out of her depression with a cough, Anne jumped and saw a newt standing there, He was tall a wore purple robes and one of those silly hats, His skin was red and covered with black spots. Anne looked at him and was reminded of one of those Teachers she had read about in the book about a school for magic.
She hadn't met that many newts and sadly her experiences with them were not the best, Duckweed had said good morning to her, mostly because of her cooking skills but that was it. this guy on the other hand was watching her with eyes that looked like they were analyzing every part of her body, he creeped her out.
Sprig and Polly were talking to different customers (well threatening the customer in the case of Polly). So she has to deal with him herself.
"Hey there, Can I help you?"
"Yes you can, you the beast of Wartwood am I right?"
"Yeah that's me," she said sighing, It was another brave one.
"Ah wonderful, I happen to be Professor Scumdrop from Newtopia university."
"I'm sorry," Anne said trying to hold back the laughter, the names in Amphibia were strange but this guy took the cake.
"Oh don't worry, after this, I shall no longer be associated with that dreadful little place," said Scumdrop smiling. Anne instantly had an image of the time she saw a picture of an evil clown in a comic book.
"Miss Beast, I Would like to invite you to become part of Amphibian biological history"
"Mrs. Beast. That's a new one." Anne thought
"How?" she asked him.
"Well, as you know due to your monstrous nature. You are one of the greatest scientific curiosities known to Amphibia."
"Thanks, I've noticed.
"There are hundreds of highly intelligent scientists, Zoologists, and others who would love to study you."
Anne shuddered, "I have a feeling I won't like this."
"Trust me it's for the greater good. Many of my highly respected colleagues would like to study you, your body, your skin, everything. You will have to be vivisected but well we can fix you right up."
Anne just looked at him, she was only a middle school student who admittedly wasn't the brightest, But even she could tell this newt was an idiot.
"No," she replied simply.
"What?" said Scumdrop looking confused
"No, I don't like what you're selling, please go away."
The Newt sigh, that faux polite look left his face, in its place was a glare. "Mrs. Beast."
"Boonchuy."
"What?"
"Anne Boonchuy, It's my name."
Scumdrop looked at her and laughed under his breath, "Well if that's proof that you are from a less advanced species that's it."
Anne had decided she didn't just dislike Scumdrop. She outright despised him "What do you mean?" she said trying to hold her anger in check.
"Your species whatever it seems to use nonsense words."
Anne's fists tightened. She was angry but one of the first things Hop Pop made her promise the day she took this job was to not react to anyone who tried to push her. That would only lead to more trouble. Anne agreed to that, she owed it to him to not start trouble.
"It's Thai, It means..." Anne wanted to respond but then froze.
"Really What then?"Said Scumdrop a cruel smile appearing on his face.
Anne wanted to reply to Scumdrop's questions. But the horrible truth is that she herself had forgotten what it meant.
"Well. I'm waiting. Beast."
Anne was about to say something very unpleasant (She hoped that the people in Amphibia had the same swear words then earth) When a voice rang out.
"What's going on here, Anne is this fella going to buy something or not?"
It was Hop Pop.
Anne was about to say something when Scumdrop interrupted her.
"Ah, you must be the beast's owner. How much for her."
Anne closed her eyes at that, now he wasn't even pretending she was a person anymore, She wished she didn't get out of bed that morning.
Hop Pop looked at Scumdrop and then Anne. She had no idea what he was going to do. That's when he smiled and nodded, it was amazing the frog had a way of making her feel better when she was scared.
A couple of weeks back Anne had asked Hop Pop what she should do if anyone started to make her feel uncomfortable. She had expected him to tell her to move on. But he had another idea.
"Anne is their problem over here."
"Yeah, this professor seems to think I'm some sort of monster."
"Oh well, I guess I You can maul him."
Scumdrop looked startled at the old frog.
"What?" said the newt shocked.
improv was Hop Pop's idea. She still did not like acting (the dreams of fiery teeth had not yet stopped) but the idea was sound. Remind them of why getting on the beast's bad mood was a bad idea.
"Eh, I think Mauling is too good for this jerk. Devouring whole sounds more fun." Said Anne smiling.
"Eh, Him I mean I don't see the appeal of eating a guy. yew could do a little better for lunch."
"Well, It's less to do with the devouring and more to do with the squirming in fear as he goes down my throat."
Scumdrop looked at the two, "Your both mad," he said offended.
Anne was about to respond to him however that's when Sprig hopped over while carrying Polly.
"Hey, guys. What's going on?" asked Sprig.
"I'm deciding whether I should eat this guy and give you guys the remains," replied Anne nonchalantly.
"Oh," said Sprig.
"Can I have the brains, I mean he doesn't seem to have much. I mean he did go out in his bathrobe, but their usually fun to squish around" said Polly.
"These robes are a symbol of Newtopian authority. You little runt."
"Oh, Runt. Is that a scientific term?" Said Hop Pop with a smug grin on his face.
Scumdrop snarled at them and walked away.
The sight made Anne smile. she turned to see the Plantars smiling as well.
"That'll teach him." Said Hop Pop.
"Thanks, guys, I owe you one," Anne said smiling at her frog friends.
"Eh, Don't worry about it Anne," said Polly.
"That guy seemed like a jerk." added Sprig
"You don't even know the half of it, the usual lookers are annoying, But this guy, Ugh," said Anne while shuddering.
"Well whatever Anne, He's gone now and you can start paying us back by bringing another box of carrots over."
Anne laughed "Yes sir." She said giving him a mock salute and making her way to Bessie.
She had to be honest despite the problems this town always gave her the Plantars were the ones who kept her going, they had protected her and were the reasons this town was almost worth living in, sure there were problems Hop Pop was cranky at times, Polly was psychotic and Sprig still thought Pineapples on Pizza was a good idea but she knew they had her back, and she would have theirs.
Bessie was currently sleeping in the snail pen near the back of the market. An area where Stallholders held their Snails while they sold things. despite being slimy there was something just adorable about the giant snails, they always seemed odd but somehow serine and gentle feeling especially Bessie, After hearing her story Anne had fallen in love with the old girl. It also helped despite being alien to the snail she liked the human.
"Hey Girl, Just picking up some carrots. Don't mind me"
Bessie responded to Anne with the odd little chirping sound and tried to nuzzle Anne.
"Easy girl," said Anne laughing at the Snail's gentle kisses.
She made her way to the back of the snail to the cart and then bent over to pick up the box of carrots. That's when something hit her.
She felt the impact on the side of her head, she went down, landing sideways in the dirt, When Anne finally got her senses back she felt something wet on the side of her head. Had someone thrown a rock at her? Had the town decided to finally kill her? She tried to hold the panic back. She the side of her head, it didn't feel like blood. No, it felt different. It felt sold but soft, she brought her hand to the front of her face, whatever had hit her was brown, she sniffed it.
She recoiled. It smelt disgusting, however, it was a smell she was well acquainted with. She turned her head to the center of the pen. She saw that the bin where the snail's dung she shoveled into, the lid was open. Someone had literally just thrown Dung in her face, they decided to attack her in the street, she looked around for who could have done it. but no one was there, she was not going to cry she needed to do something. Anne stood. She needed to get this mess off her face. There was only one place to do that from here.
Anne started to make her way to the town fountain.
The fountain was near the market, so she would have to wash it off in front of everyone, if that wasn't humiliating enough, the town thought she was some sort of beast from the wood, who knows what they would think with half her face covered in dung, as she neared fountain she was hoping that there would be no one there instead there was a small crowd drawn there, and at the head...
"See her come up. Ladies and Gentlemen, The Beast of Wartwood. The creature whose mysteries I have been forbidden to unravel"
Scumdrop was standing there in front pointing at her.
"See as she chooses to bathe herself in public without a care for the state for polite society, she chooses to befoul this grand fountain."
She saw him stand there with a grin on his face. She noticed his right hand was damp. The identity of the dung thrower was now obvious. However, what really made her angry was the way the crowd was looking at her. they believed everything Scumdrop was saying.
It was just another moment of being the outsider for Anne Boonchuy.
She wasn't going to give Scumdrop a victory. She turned around and started to walk away.
"Well, I guess my other theory is true. The Beast does not care about hygiene, Look at how it accepts the filth."
"Scumdrop you, cretin, What have you done?" came the voice of Hopediah Planter running up, he had seen Anne walking away and was going to talk to her but first he needed to give Scumdrop a piece of his mind.
"Oh good you showed up, Ladies and Gentlefrogs, This is Hopediah Planter, the one who seems to think the beast is the same as a frog, tell me how much has is corrupted you, will you assist it in monstrous ways and kill your neighbors?"
The crowd gasped.
"What on earth do you mean?"
" Did you forget how you planned to help the beast to try to devour me"
"That was a joke, You half-brained..."
"Ah so the creature likes to joke about eating Newts, what else does she joke about murder?"
Hop Pop glared at Scumdrop and was about to say something when he heard the crowd muttering.
"She's corrupted them, Could we be next"
"She hasn't eaten anyone yet, but maybe she's biding her time"
"I hungry and tired"
Hop Pop sighed, they seemed to still be out of Anne, He wished he could say something to make them shut up. But fright now this mob could turn ugly, he looked at Scumdrop again, gave him a look that told him this wasn't over. And then walked back to Sprig and Polly. At the stall, Sprig was trying to get a glimpse of what happened.
"Hop Pop is everything okay?" said Sprig. the moment he saw Anne walk away he wanted to go and rescue her, but someone needed to stay by the stand.
"I don't know Sprig, Is Anne here."
"No, Why?"
Hopediah Plantar sighed he hoped Anne was okay.
…
Anne promised herself she would not cry, At least this time she was out of the town when she broke that promise.
The walk was long and lonely. Right now she wanted to be alone, After an hour of walking, with the disgusting filth on her face, she made it to the farm. Hop Pop had given her a key recently claiming that despite being a guest and Irresponsible young fool (his words). She was the one he trusted the most to look after the house. She spent an hour in the shower, trying to feel something akin to human again, after putting on a dressing gown she made her way to the basement.
She had tried to keep herself calm by watching some old shows on her phone. But she was starting to run out of things that she hadn't watched one hundred times before. Even the shows and movies she had really liked were starting to grow old.
She sighed to herself. She closed her favorite episode of Suspicion island (The episode where the T-Rex clone was in truth a Brontosaurus that had been genetically modified which caused the now newly reclassified dinosaur to forge an alliance with the hot young Adults.) and opened the photo App.
As Anne looked in the gallery for a few minutes looking at pictures of home, the restaurant, photos of her first day at school, her trips to Thailand, and more.
She couldn't help shake the feeling that she was looking at a different Anne, one who didn't know how cruel people could be.
But in truth. That Anne didn't really belong either.
She had to be honest with herself. She knew that most people weren't bigots, but racism had played a small part in her life. When someone said something about her race at school she had Sasha and Marcy to back her up. Still didn't mean it didn't happen, there were those that decided that just because they were in the mood for Thai food didn't mean they needed to treat her with respect. Once a boy made fun of her mom's accent at school, of course, he had gotten in trouble but Anne still felt embarrassed about it. For a while, she had grown to hate her parent's accent and had told them she hated that they didn't speak normally like her friends. She still felt guilty about that.
But the worst was the parts of her own family that seemed to think the same way.
When she had been younger visited them in Thailand, she had been a curiosity to her cousins. At first, she was a fun new friend. Her oldest cousin Busaba had been one of her closest friends. However, as time went on they started to see her as being different. Something that didn't fit with the rest of the family.
The night that hurt the most was when she heard Busaba talking about that American outsider and what a weirdo she was when she thought Anne wasn't there.
One of the people she trusted the most thought she was a freak, She had sept the rest of the trip in her room crying.
Anne sighed and stopped looking at the App.
Anne Boonchuy was an outsider on earth and Amphibia,
There were the other things Boonchuy had been. She had been a thief, she had gotten the frog family who had risked everything to look after her endangered time and time again, She had been a bad daughter, She had been a bad friend, she was pretty terrible all things considered.
She wanted to cry.
She had cried at the bullying, she had cried while her mother pleaded with her to come out of her room, she had cried in a lonely hotel room in Thailand. And she had cried as one jerk had pushed her yet again.
She was done crying.
That was something Anne Boonchuy had done.
Something needed to change, She needed to change, She was going to fit in with this place if it was the last thing she ever did.
She picked herself up and went to the attic. She looked around the place for clothes, took a bundle of them downstairs. Entering Hopediah Study she picked up his Sewing Kit. She wouldn't be that girl who everyone made an outsider. She didn't want to be Anne Boonchuy, Irresponsible, lazy, cowardly, outsider anymore. She would become something better.
