Epilogue
Mr. Boonchuy woke when he heard the tears. He had grown used to them over the past month. At first, he had always comforted her but recently It was getting harder.
I have been a month since their daughter had vanished. He was terrified that he wasn't able to comfort his wife anymore. What else could he do? The only thing they could do now was hope and that was starting to fade.
"Another Dream about Anne?"
"Yes." his wife replied.
He moved closer and hugged from behind. "I'm sorry."
"No, It wasn't like that."
"What?"
"I dreamed that she was happy, that she was safe. I know it's stupid but... I just believe that she's fine for now"
He looked at his wife. A part of him wanted to scream, but the part that still had hope won out. "What was the dream?"
They spoke the rest of the night. About their daughter talking about how brave and wonderful she was and how they knew somehow she was safe.
…
Busaba Boonchuy was tried, After a long day of giving Tours to American tourists she had every right to be annoyed.
She knew that Americans were for the most part nice people but there were other times they made her wonder why the country hadn't imploded due to stupidity.
As she got out of the Tuk Tuk and paid the driver she entered her home. She checked her phone again, the e-mails the name alerts. still, nothing.
It had been a month now and still nothing. She knew that it might have been time to give up on Anne. But she still had hope that there were some answers.
She thought back to when she was younger when Anne Boonchuy had been her weird younger cousin who spoke weird. How that feeling of curiosity had turned to annoyance as time went on. How Anne saved her brother from falling into the canal and how her cousin Anne had the kindness to forgive her.
Tears filled her eyes.
"Busaba"
She turned to See Anuman standing there, Only five years old, and somehow he knew when she was sad, He always tried to make sure she was fine.
"Are you crying?"
Busaba wiped her tears. "Sorry, I was thinking about your cousin, Anne."
"You mean the one that went missing."
Busaba breathed in, "Yes, But she was, also the one who saved your life."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Wow, What else did she do?"
Busaba smiled, Maybe she could do Anne a greater honor. By telling the boy she saved about how much she meant to them. The Legacy of the weird American Girl who was one of the bravest people she had ever met.
"The first time she came here we showed her a Monitor lizard, We didn't expect her to touch with the stick but Anne decided that it was boring...
…
Sasha Waybright had been in the middle of surviving middle school, that place was a psychological war zone. This dungeon was a piece of cake in comparison.
She looked at her chains and wondered if she could slip free.
She had been in this cell a month. Being interrogated by Grimsey. She smiled. She knew she was going to break him soon. He thought he had her, but she had caused numerous guards to quit in her time here.
The thing that bothered her was that she was away from her friends, they were out there alone in the world without her to protect them they wouldn't stand a chance. She briefly thought of Anne and sighed, if she wasn't there to look after her Anne would probably be dead by now.
Deep down a little voice blamed herself for all of this. For not being stronger, part of her remembered the look on Anne's face as she stole the box, she felt a little guilty over that.
She swallowed her sadness. She would get out of here, and she would find her friends. But right now she had another guard to break.
"Hey, What's your name?" she asked the new guard. He looked nice, Not like attractive, but Just nice, the perfect clay for her to manipulate
"I'm sorry I can't tell you my name's Percy." Said Percy.
"Oh okay then. So, any interests, Gardening, decorating, Comedy?"
The guard's eye lit up.
…
Marcy Wu stood at the gates of Newtopia. On the other side of those gates laid Adventure. She had to help the great General Yunnan get these supplies to a distant town. It would take a few days but they were ready.
She had no idea where her friends were, but she hoped they were fine. There was a part of her that knew maybe she should have been looking for her best friends. She thought about Anne, Maybe she should have told them...
Marcy shook her head. She knew that Anne would already be making friends where ever she was. But for now, this was her story.
She smiled, She would find them. Eventually, But right now she needed to do something.
Wu, are you ready" called the general.
Yunnan didn't want her on this trip but the king had ordered her to. Marcy was ready. Whatever lay ahead for her she would face. This was her adventure.
…
Hop Pop had to admit to himself. Anne scared him.
He was currently sitting in his study, researching more about the box and trying to find any information on humans.
The month that Anne had here resulted in one of the most terrifying months in his life. She had come to this world with a box that could cause the end of the world. She had pretty much endangered have the town and constantly created more trouble for him and his family.
He knew deep down she would lead to their ruin.
And despite that he loved her.
That was what scared him the most.
He saw Anne punch Scumdrop ten feet away into the air. He nothing about her species, but he could tell that couldn't be normal. But he saw the reason she punched him, to protect the only remaining members of his family.
Deep down he knew it was not a good idea to get attached to her. But everything she did from standing alongside him during the stakeout, Helping the family with the cookout, and always looking after the kids, he couldn't help but see her as the perfect addition to the family.
He looked at the book again and saw the box. He knew he needed to get rid of it. It was the worst thing he could do to her. He would spend the rest of his days trying to make up for what was going to do. All he needed was the right time to steal that box and the courage to hurt a member of his family.
But he could, he had lost two members already he wouldn't lose anymore.
He was brought out of his thoughts by a knock on the door
…
Polly Plantar was the bravest Polliwog in Wartwood, Maybe even in Amphibia. But right now she was staring down something far more terrifying than a monster, Her grandfather's door.
She raised her arm and lowered it.
She really did not want to do this.
What if was angry at her, What if he laughed at her.
She thought back to what Anne said and sighed.
Three knocks on the door and a voice came from the other side.
"Come In"
She pushed the door open, Hop Pop was sitting in his chair reading a book
"Polly is everything all right?"
Polly looked at him, swallowed, and said it.
"I'm sorry I ran away last night."
Hop Pop looked at her concerned for a second and then smiled "Don't worry about it dear, We've all done it."
The guilt was starting to crush Polly now. The fact that he was fine with her being safe just made her feel even worse.
"No, It's just... I didn't want to be a loser like you said."
"Oh, you heard that." Said Hop Pop sounding worried.
"Yeah," Said Polly who looked away from her grandfather.
Hop Pop Looked at his granddaughter and picked her up and put her on his lap.
"You don't have to carry me Hop Pop."
"I know but I want you to know something. Those people who think we're losers, Well the truth is I stopped caring about what they thought about us a long time ago"
"But you said..."
"I was worried about Anne taking her name because well she has it hard enough by being different. But the truth is I was kind of happy, Sprig was right, If we can get Anne to want to be a Plantar in a month then we have to doing something right. "
Polly smiled a little but it faded quickly
"Does that mean I'm not a loser?"
Hop Pop hugged his granddaughter
"Trust me, Polly. Anyone who thinks your a loser is probably an even bigger loser."
Polly hugged him back. She still didn't know if being Plantar was good, but she was happy to be with the people she loved.
…
Sprig entered The Tea shop. He would have loved to talk to Ivy but quite frankly he needed to talk to Felicia
He stood there waiting for Felicia to show up and try to seat him, If this went wrong he was going to make a complete fool of himself.
"Sprig? What are you doing here?"
Sprig turned to see Felicia standing there looking confused.
"Um hi. Felicia. I was wondering Can I help out around here?"
Felicia's eyes narrowed, "Well Sprig I've had to deal with your sister yesterday, and considering I'm still annoyed At the betrothal mishap. Why should I?"
"Please I'll work for free."
Felicia looked at him for a few seconds, and then shrugged "Okay"
"Really?"
"Yes Really. But one rule."
"What?"
Felicia's face darkened "Stay away from my daughter!"
Sprig stepped back.
Felicia then laughed "Kidding, Kidding, But seriously you're here to work. Not to flirt."
"Okay, Felicia Can I start tomorrow I need to meet Anne."
"Sure."
Sprig smiled gave her a hug and ran out the door. Anne's idea had worked. He could probably spend some time with Ivy. And hopefully, this would be a decent idea to cover his crush on Ivy.
…
"See you Stumpy," said Anne as she exited the diner.
"Thanks, Anne, These Ice Cream sandwiches are going to do great."
Anne laughed "No, that's a different thing these are Ideam Khanom Bung."
"Okay but they're Ice Cream sandwiched between two pieces of bread. So that makes it a...?"
Anne laughed "See you tomorrow Stumpy."
Anne closed the door. It was good to start cooking again, even if it was just Ice Cream in a roll, but she had decided to make it. It reminded her of home a little. She remembered making it with her parents, she remembered Sasha and Marcy Thinking it was the great thing ever when they were younger.
She smiled. Why she had ever wanted to forget any of that made no sense to her now, As she carried her backpack home, she smiled and whispered to herself.
"Don't worry guys, I see you again. "
That's when she then noticed something.
It was her toad stalker.
Anne turned away from him and then decided otherwise.
She marched up to him. She was tired of looking like a freak to some jerk. This ended now.
The Toad noticed that she was walking towards him and he started to step back a little terrified, As he bumped into the wall she stopped walking.
"Okay Pal, I want to know what you find so fascinating?"
"Umm."
She noticed that he was kind of young for his age, his skin was a bit yellow, his face was covered with acne.
"IS it the color of my skin? Is it my nose? Is it the fact that I'm a freak? What is it?"
The toad was sweating now.
"I... I... I..."
"Well what then?" she demanded.
The Toad closed his eyes.
"Ithinkyourprettypleasegooutwithme," he said in one breath.
Anne stepped back, she expected something but not that.
"Wait... do you?"
"Ha." a voice shot out from behind Anne, "Looks like Tobias has a crush on the scarecrow,"
Anne turned around to see the Sprig sisters standing there.
"Makes sense that Freaks of a feather flock together." Said Ruby.
Anne turned back to the Toad she now discovered was called Tobias, she saw the look of shame on his face like he had done something wrong, Anne was not looking for a relationship. But she was not about to let this stand.
"Hey Tobias is it?" she said smiling.
Tobias looked up, he nodded.
"It's okay, their jerks. Could you hold my bag for a second?"
She handed the bag to him and as he held it she started to rummage around.
Ruby was not going to be ignored she started to walk up to the beast.
"Oh is the scarecrow going to give him a ring, after all, you two belong to..."
All of a sudden a tennis racket was pointed into Ruby's throat.
"So you think It's funny to pick on someone just because they're different huh."
Ruby saw her threat and laughed.
"Ha, that's just a tennis racket."
Anne smiled "Yeah In Amphibia it is. On earth, it's Frog decapitator."
Ruby heard this it had to be wrong. However, she saw the look in Anne's eye and stepped back.
"You can't do this." Ruby spluttered out.
"Can't I," replied Anne.
Sapphire and Emerald watched this and realized that they needed to help their sister. Sapphire stepped forward.
"I Wouldn't do that if I was you." can a voice to her left.
Standing there was a small pink frog with a catapult loaded with a mud shot. that would ruin her dress.
Emerald noticed Sapphire's predicament and was going to defend her that's when she heard a cough. She turned around to see a Polliwog sitting there giving her a stern look.
"Trust me I wouldn't either"
Sapphire stood there worried. The look in the Polliwog's eye. It scared her, it silently spoke of fire and chaos.
Ruby noticed her family's cowardice and swore under her breath.
"Who do you think you are?" demanded the rich frog.
Anne smiled. "I'm Anne Boonchuy." with this Anne started to walk, Ruby started to retreat backward.
"I'm the beast of Wartwood"
The two walked into the Snail lot.
"An official member of the Plantars."
They neared the dung bin which just so happened to be open.
"And I won't let you hurt my friends."
Ruby turned around she saw where she was standing, and then she tripped
She closed her eyes expecting a soft yet disgusting landing.
However, that's when someone grabbed her dress from behind.
She opened her eyes, the beast had caught her before she hit the filth.
"Don't worry, I've been there, and I don't want to see the same happen to anyone else. Even a bully like you."
She pulled Ruby up.
"Just remember, mess with my friends and I won't hold back."
Ruby stood there looking at her in fear.
"Got that?"
Ruby nodded and rushed off, sapphire and Emerald following her.
Anne walked back to Tobias who had watched the entire thing awestruck.
"Thanks for holding my things," She said before taking the bag back from Tobias, "We're getting lunch do you want to come?"
Tobias turned red, "You mean like a date?"
"No, Just lunch, I'll pay."
Tobias nodded and started to follow her. Sprig picked up Polly's bucket and followed.
"Hey, Anne, Who's this?" Asked Hop Pop joining his three grandchildren on their walk.
"This Tobias, Tobias, Hop Pop, He's joining us for lunch."
Hop Pop shrugged and continued walking with his family plus one extremely nervous toad.
Anne Boonchuy smiled. She might still be the town monster. But right now, she didn't feel as lonely anymore. She had three people who loved her and a potential friend in a way that was good enough.
She was glad to be Anne Boonchuy.
