A.N.: This is basically a dumping ground for any one-shots I get inspired to do. Most of them are going to be pretty light; this one kinda gets heavy, but that's how things go sometimes. It also features a couple of my guesses for the upcoming seasons (Anne's scooter being a birthday gift and her naming it after Bessie, and the identity of one of the new characters in the Season 3 intro), I'm probably WAY off, but that's half the fun, isn't it?
Frog Kids in a Human World!
Chapter 1: MUAY THAI! MUAY THAI!
"Ah, the modern L.A. strip mall. Where frozen yogurt rubs shoulders with carpet samples and reasonably-priced orthodontists." Anne exposited to her two young companions, as she brought Bessie Two to a stop. One on the rear of her seat, a helmet disguising his frog identity, the other taking up residence in her backpack. "Sorry about the accommodations, Polly."
"Eh, I kinda like it. It's like having my own pack animal," the tadpole replied.
"Ignoring that," Anne remarked as they got off the scooter. Bessie Two had been a belated birthday gift from her parents; Anne wondered just how long it had taken them to save up for it.
"Also I can't help but notice we're headed away from the yogurt shop." Polly added.
"We can do that later. Right now there's someone I want you guys to meet."
The three stopped in front of a storefront with the sign KAI MUAY. "What is this place?" Sprig asked.
"This is the gym where I learned Muay Thai."
"And we're just going in there? I thought we were supposed to be keeping a low profile."
"It's all right, Kru Song is cool. He's my Muay Thai master. I'm… kinda hoping he can help me master my Calamity Box powers. If King Andrais is coming, I'm going to need them."
"This is the guy who taught you to fight? Will he teach me? To KILL?" Polly requested with disturbing enthusiasm.
"Whoa, Polly, chill." Anne responded. "This is a martial arts school for middle school kids. I don't think killing is on the syllabus. Mostly I'm here to see if he can help me get a handle on this whole 'Super SaiyAnne' thing."
"I thought we were calling it 'Ultimate Annestinct?'" asked Sprig.
"I haven't settled yet," Anne explained. "Anyway, if I'm ever going to face Andrais again, I need to learn how to fully control it, or it'll just burn out on me again. So, that's the main reason we're here. But I'm sure if we ask nicely, Master Song'll give you a few pointers too." Anne assured Polly. "And then maybe yogurt."
They entered the gym, a large room filled with mats and training equipment of all types. A short, squat old man with thick glasses and tufts of white hair on the sides of an otherwise bald head looked up from where he was meditating. "Anne! It has been a long time. I am pleased to see you return."
"Sawa dee, master", Anne said, bowing her head. "It's been a crazy few months. That's kinda why 'm here. I've… let's say been on a long journey in a distant land."
"Sounds like the stuff of legends," mused Song.
"You don't even know the half of it. For starters… I'd like you to meet my brother and sister, Sprig and Polly." She nodded, allowing Sprig to remove his helmet and Polly to pop out of the backpack.
"I see you have found some rather unusual family, Anne," Song said, smiling. "I am pleased to meet you both."
"Whoa," Polly remarked. "This is freaky."
"What's freaky?" asked Anne.
"What, really? Am I the only one noticing?" Polly replied dubiously.
"Should we be noticing something?" Sprig questioned.
"Doesn't he look like someone we all know? Kind of disturbingly so?"
The two older children regarded the Muay Thai master.
"Nope, not seeing it," Anne replied.
"Yeah, I think you're imagining things," Sprig replied.
"Seriously? How am I the only one seeing that he looks exactly like Ho- ah, whatever." She hopped over to the old man. "So, you gonna teach me to kick or what? I wanna put these new tootsies of mine to work!"
Song chuckled. "You must be patient, little pollywog. There is much to learn before one can learn to fight."
"*groan* That's what Anne said!"
"Heh, I see. Then she has taken my lessons to heart. When she started, she was much like you, Full of energy, but lacking in patience."
"Speaking of energy, that's kind of what I'm here to talk about," Anne interrupted. "See, while I was in the other world, I sort of became connected to this strange power. At first, it would come in these brief surges. I thought it was just adrenaline or something at the time, but later I found out it was connected to the box that sent us to Amphibia in the first place. When the thing was activated, part of its power was somehow infused into me, and that was why I would get these sudden bursts of strength. Later on, we were supposed to return our powers to the box, but somehow I was still connected… so when we went up against the evil king of the realm, and he hurt someone very close to me," She looked sadly at Sprig, "I got another surge, only this time it was a hundred times stronger then anything before. It almost felt like I had become something else, something new. I… I think I was flying at one point."
"Indeed?" remarked Song, remarkably calm for one hearing his student relate the time she manifested superpowers.
"But I could also barely control it. It felt more like it was controlling me. And, almost as fast as it came on, it burned out and I was helpless again." She paused to collect herself; Polly and Sprig both were well aware of what had happened next. "When I was sent back here without the box, I assumed whatever connection there was was severed, but a couple of days ago something happened and… I could feel it again. So whatever this is, it's still within me."
She paused and took a deep breath for the next part. It was a long shot, but she felt like she could trust Song with this knowledge. "This king that I told you about; he seeks to conquer all worlds, including this one. He's already killed someone I… cared for a lot, and he's not going to stop there. He'll be coming. And I have to be ready to fight him." And finish him, she added to herself, her fist clenched. She knew Song wouldn't approve of those thoughts, but she really didn't care. It was simply fact. The sky was blue, water was wet, and she was going to bury Andrais in the deepest hole she could find.
"Anne… before you can learn to control this power, you must understand what it is you need it for. A nakmuay does not seek power for its own sake. Power is merely means to accomplish a goal, whether for good or evil."
Anne raised an eyebrow. "You believe me?"
He nodded. "Understand, you are not the first to travel to other worlds. Legend tells of a monk who claims to have journeyed to a land of newts and frogs many, many centuries ago."
"Are you telling us Anne wasn't the first human in Amphibia?" Sprig asked.
"If the legends are true," replied Song. "But I get ahead of myself. We were talking about this power of yours, Anne. Can you recall what triggered these surges?
"Hmmm… I think the first time was when I was fighting this giant mantis. It was right after I had first met Sprig, and this thing was going right for him, so I stepped in front of it and grabbed its foreleg. The second time was when I was fighting Veggie Robo…"
"Veggie Robo?" questioned Song.
"Yeah, it was this giant robot made of cursed vegetables, You know how it is."
"You have had some very interesting adventures," the old man remarked.
"Tell me about it," Anne agreed. "Anyway, it had just crushed the Plantars' farmhouse, which I was trying to protect."
"I see."
"And, like I was saying, it went full blown when the King threw Sprig out the window of his palace. As you can see, he's fine now, but at the time, I thought he was lost, and all I wanted to do was make the King pay." The refrain Give him back echoed in her thoughts. She remembered repeating it, almost like a mantra, all through her fugue-like recollection of the fight.
"And can you remember what triggered the recent incident?"
"The neighbors' Doberman went after Polly. I jumped in front of it, and I could feel it kicking in again."
"I could've taken 'im" Polly protested.
"Yeah, probably, but I panicked."
"It seems to me that your powers are triggered by your desire to protect those you love."
"Huh. In retrospect, that seems like a pretty obvious conclusion," Anne mused.
"The obvious is not always obvious at first glance," noted Song.
"So, to control the Super-SaiyAnne state, I need to be able to put myself in that exact frame of mind." Anne concluded. "I need to be able to do that whenever I have to."
"I'm sure you'll figure it out," encouraged Sprig. "You always do, eventually."
But how to do that? Just… close her eyes and concentrate? It couldn't be that simple. To be honest, she didn't know how she was going to be able to master it in time. She was going to fail. Just like she had failed Marcy…
The image came again, of King Andrais running Marcy through with his flaming sword. Now look what you made me do, he had said mockingly. Then the image played again, only this time, it was Sasha impaled on his sword. Then Hop Pop. Polly. Wally. Mrs. Croaker. Stumpy. Ivy. Loggle. Felicia. Maddie. That tulip guy.
Her parents.
Sprig.
"No." she heard herself say. "Not again."
"Anne…" Sprig's voice intruded. "Anne, you're doing it!"
"Wha-?" Her eyes snapped open; she hadn't even realized she'd closed them. Everything had taken on a blue filter, and, she realized, her feet weren't touching the floor.
And with that sudden realization, the power left as quickly as it came. She dropped (luckily, she'd only been a couple of inches off the floor).
"That… was AWESOME!" Polly declared.
"See, I told you you'd figure out how you'd do it. How did you do it, anyway?"
"Same as last time," Anne said, a bit shellshocked. "I… saw you die in front of me."
"Well, there you go," replied Sprig cheerfully. "All you have to do to power up is to picture my horrible horrible death!" He trailed off, realizing exactly what he said. "…so… yeah…"
"There's... gotta be a less traumatizing way to do this," Anne told herself. "If the only way to access this power is to mentally watch you die, then I don't want it." I already watch one person die every time I close my eyes, she added internally. Don't need another.
"Hey, you said it yourself… you're not gonna be able to fight Andrais without that power," Polly pointed out. "You're gonna have to make with the dead Sprig! No offense, bro."
"We'll find another way," Anne said. "If there is one, we'll find it. All of us. Together."
"Of course you will, Anne," Sprig agreed.
"Family, togetherness, blah blah blah TEACH ME KICKING MASTER SONG!" Polly demanded, thrusting herself foot first at a hanging punching bag, knocking it an impressive distance. "Actually, I think I got i- WAGHH!" she shouted, caught unaware as the bag swung back and sent her flying into the window.
"Now you see the value of patience, little pollywog," Song advised "for our actions can have unforeseen consequences."
"This is karma for all the times I laughed at your slapstick, isn't it," Polly concluded, sliding slowly down the glass.
"At least it was funny," Sprig assured giving a thumbs up. "And it distracted from Anne's overwhelming fear that she won't be able to be able to protect us. Aaaaand I just reminded her of it again," Sprig realized. "Hop-Pop's right, I really need to learn to not say everything I think."
"It's okay," Anne replied, patting him on the head. "The fear's something I'm just going to have to live with. Maybe it'll motivate me."
Song nodded. "Fear can be an adversary, or it can be a companion. It is your choice."
Anne nodded. "Thank you, master," she said, bowing.
"Know that I am here if you need me. I may be old, but I'm still up for action."
"Thanks. I may have to take you up on that," Anne replied as the three made their departure.
"You really don't see it?" reiterated Polly. "You really don't see the resemblance?"
"Now that you mention it," Sprig mused, "…he does look a liiiiittle like…"
"…yes?..." Polly prompted.
"Dusty the dust merchant!" Sprig concluded.
"Oh, yeah, he kinda does!" agreed Anne.
"AUGGGH! Never mind!" Polly groaned, faceflippering.
A.N.: New chapters will come whenever I get inspired, but this is it for now.