Chapter 9
Disclosure
"…and… that brings us to materializing in the middle of the 110," concluded Anne.
Maggie blinked slowly, processing Anne's long, detailed chronicle of her time in the realm of Ampibia. The Plantar children had long since fallen asleep, Sprig on his cot and Polly in her bucket; for this sleepover, Anne had decided to dispense with the "never ever go to sleep" rule. It didn't feel right without either Sasha or Marcy.
It had been two days since the incident at the skate park. Anne's parents seemed to have bought her excuse for why she'd come home instead of staying over at Maggie's; she suspected that they were trying to be less strict with her these days in any case. Perhaps there were still lingering thoughts that they'd driven her away, even after she had made it clear none of it was their fault.
Anyway, this was supposed to be the do-over for that sleepover. The night had started with dinner with Anne's parents (this was a rare night away from the restaurant), during which they peppered Anne's newest friend with questions while Maggie tried to pretend she could handle the heat level of her mom's cooking. Mom had offered her some less-spicy fare but Maggie insisted she could handle gaeng daeng, which proved to be a false promise. Polly found it particularly hilarious as the fiery red curry turned Maggie nearly as red as her hair.
After dinner, the four children sat down to a Mega Bash Gang tourney, then an epic pillow fight, before the frog half of the quartet retired. It was then that Anne, finally relaxed enough, broke down and told Maggie everything.
"You know, if I hadn't just seen you go super-Saiyan-"
"Super SaiyAnne," corrected Anne.
"-and punch the hell out of a giant frog robot, I would say you were crazy."
"Yeah… sometimes I think I'm crazy. I've been eaten by a giant tomato. I've been turned into a bird. I've been chased by a sewer gator. It's like the diary of a madwoman. Heck, if I had a nickel for every time I've nearly been devoured by cannibal frogs… I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but isn't it weird it's happened twice?"
Maggie looked thoughtful. "So you really think there's a chance that Sasha and Marcy are okay?" she asked.
"I… think it's what I need to think. To keep from losing it. Besides… it's kinda funny, but when I powered up the other day to fight that robot, I… for a moment, I thought I felt them." She shook her head. "Maybe I was imagining it…"
"Hey, I have no idea how weird frogworld magic works, but if you say you felt something, who am I to argue?" She turned over on her air mattress. "I'm… kinda thinking maybe you might wanna warn someone about this whole invasion thing."
Anne rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'll get right on that. I'll just go up to the nearest cop and say 'Excuse me, Officer, there's a fifteen-foot-tall salamander from another dimension that's trying to use his magical music box to open a portal to our world so he can send his army of giant frog robots through to conquer our planet. Can you take me to the president so I can warn him?' Yeah, I'm sure I'd get taken real seriously."
"…yeah, I guess when you say it all out loud it can sound like you're on some kind of secret camera prank show," admitted Maggie.
"Ugggh," the mop-topped teen groaned, "….I feel like a jerk. I'm stuck here while, even if Sasha and Marcy are okay somehow, they're still trapped and in danger. Along with a lot of other people that I've come to care a lot about. While here I am, in this cushy house, where, aside from having to deal with the one robot, I'm pretty much living it up. And I want to help them, I do, but… I have no idea how."
"Do… you wanna punch the wall?" Maggie suggested.
"Nah. Tried it. It didn't make me feel any better, really hurt and now there's a dent in my wall behind that poster I put up to hide it." She sighed. "I don't even like that band." She turned to Maggie. "I just… I feel like I'm a terrible friend."
"Uh-uh. No. You do not say that."
"But-"
"No. Okay… let's go over this. Sasha plotted to kill your frog grandpa and schemed behind your back on multiple occasions, and just in general has been a manipulative bitch who uses her friendship as a bargaining chip mostly to keep you in line…"
"Hey! I may have my issues with her, but-"
"Let me finish! And Marcy! She got you stuck in a death world because she wanted to live out some video game fantasy!"
Anne was boiling with anger now. "Okay, that's it! You are not going to lie there and judge my-"
Maggie held up her hand. "See? Right there. After all that, after everything – after you literally telling Sasha that your friendship was over – you still haven't given up on them! Heck, I've been picking on you for years and you still gave me a chance. I don't know about you, but from where I'm standing – lying – whatever – seems to me like you're actually a pretty awesome friend."
"So why don't I feel like it?" Anne sighed.
Maggie shrugged. "Do I look like a psychiatrist?"
"…you might as well. Mine told me the same thing. I still don't believe it."
"I don't know what to tell you, Anne. I can tell you not to beat yourself up 'till I'm blue in the face, but I can't make you stop. That's a choice you need to make."
Anne smirked. "You sure you're not a psychiatrist?"
"Dude. I just got out of eighth grade. Don't make me think about careers."
Anne chuckled. "I hear you. Growing up sucks."
"That it does. *yawn* Welp, I'm calling it a night. See you in the morning," Maggie said, dozing off.
Anne continued to lie in her bed, now alone with her thoughts. Her least-favorite companion. This was how it often played out, waiting until exhaustion took her. After that, it was a toss-up whether sleep would be peaceful or fraught with nightmares. Sometimes, she would be there, at that moment when the sword pierced Marcy. Sometimes it would be Sasha or Sprig or mom or someone else she cared about. Sometimes it would even be herself.
Other dreams were more idyllic, her, Marcy, and Sasha together again as if nothing had happened, the cracks in their friendship sanded over. Sometimes they'd be off on adventures in Amphbia, others back on Earth living a mundane but peaceful existence, and still others set in some tangential world…
It was different this time. She found herself in an endless grey void. Bleak, yet peaceful in its own way. She wandered this empty plane for what may have been moments or years, it was impossible to tell which and she didn't really care. She was alone without her thoughts, and it was nice.
It was some time (from a subjective viewpoint, sine time was meaningless) before she became aware that she was no longer the only one here. A lanky, dark red frog in a duster and bowler hat was approaching. Anne seemed to recall a frog matching that description from one of Hop-Pop's stories. Now, which one was it…
…oh,
Oh.
"Hello, Anne Boonchuy," the frog said in a deep voice.
"…oh, crud, it's finally happened, hasn't it," Anne realized. "All this dread has finally caught up with me. I've literally worried myself to death."
"What? Oh, myyyyy, no. Nothing like that," corrected the Frog Reaper. "Actually, there's someone here who wants to see you." The frog led Anne to a table that she was sure wasn't there before. Atop it sat a Flipwart board in mid-game. "We were just in the middle of playing. A bit cliché, I know, but what can I say, I'm a Bergman fan."
There was one figure seated at the table, a slender figure in a hooded cloak, currently contemplating the position of one of her archers.
"Marcy," whispered Anne. The figure didn't even flinch at the sound. Typical Mar-Mar, so caught up in the moment that she tuned out everything around her. "So… I was wrong. She's really-"
"Well, yes… and no…" the dark red frog said. "Technically, yes, but actually, no. It's sort of a…"
"…grey area?" finished Anne, noting their surroundings. "You metaphysical types go heavy on the visual metaphors, don't you?" Dang. Why was she never this clever when there was someone around to impress?
"I suppose it's a hazard of the job, being essentially metaphors ourselves, in a sense. Anyhow… your friend was, in fact, dead. Physically, anyway. But before her soul could depart her body and move on, her body was revived." He turned to the figure at the Flipwart board. "Oh. Ms. Wu, do you mind if we put a pin in the game for now? There's someone here to see you…
Marcy looked up from the board. "Oh, sure, chicken out now when I'm six moves away fro- Anne? Y-you shouldn't be here…"
Anne could feel tears welling up in her eyes. Did that translate to her real eyes in the real world? Was she going to need concealer? These were legitimate questions. Oh, who cared? "Marcy, wait! It's okay, I'm just dreaming… I think…"
"No, that can't be possible. I'm the one who's dreaming. Well, technically, I suppose this is some kind of coma and you and Mr. Littlepot here are figments constructed by my subconscious to keep my mind occupied. *nervous chuckle* I mean, there's no way you'd really want to see me after what I did to you, so clearly this is my guilty conscience tormenting me-"
"Mar-Mar!" Anne shouted, gripping Marcy's shoulders. "It's really me!"
"Heh. Good one. You're really convincing. This is the part where I start to actually believe that you're here, and then you tell me how much you hate me and how you never want to see me again. Not this time. Fool me forty-nine times, shame on you. Fool me fifty or more times, shame on-"
"Marcy!" Anne interrupted. "I'm not a figment! I'm really here!"
Marcy blinked, as if suddenly registering Anne's presence for the first time. "Anna-Banana? How are you here?"
"I don't know. Maybe… maybe it's some kind of side-effect of our collective link to the box."
Marcy shook her head. "No… my link to the box was broken."
"Maybe not as broken as you think," suggested Anne. "Mine still works."
"That's because your gem wasn't charged fully. You still retained some of its power. But I'm pretty sure I lost all of mine."
"Still… what if there was still some kind of connection? After all, you did use the box again. For all we know, our connections were reestablished in that moment."
Marcy chewed her lower lip in concentration. "I suppose that would be a logical consideration. There's still a great deal we don't know about the box or its creators. Like, was it the Newtopians who were responsible, or some sort of progenitor species from which they evolved, or was it left here by some sort of ancient race that died out long ago…"
"You're rambling, Mar-Mar," Anne warned.
"Oh, sorry," Marcy replied. "It's just, I don't really get to talk to anyone here, except when Mr. Littlepot visits or when I hallucinate someone to act as my sounding board out of sheer crippling loneliness…"
"Ohh… Marcy…" Anne moved in for a hug but was rebuffed.
"No, no, it's fine. It's karma, right? I put you all in mortal danger because I didn't want to be lonely, so my punishment is being stuck in this endless grey void for the rest of my life. Its no big deal. Just like the song, right?"
"No, Marcy! No one deserves to be alone."
"I do! What I did was unforgivable-"
"That's not for you to decide! It's my choice and I made it! I... I forgive you."
Marcy shook her head. "Anne… I don't de-"
"No. Look… I'm not sure if this is even happening or if it's just a dream… and that guy over there is making me question it…"
A zebra in a lounge chair sipping a cup of tea, which hadn't been there (the zebra or the chair) until a moment ago, suddenly took notice of his company. "Huh… you're not Kevin," he said, and vanished in a puff of logic.
"Hmm, that is a bit concerning, though perhaps it's simply indicative that what we inhabit is some manner of hypothetical dreamscape hosting our consciousnesses. A fascinating possibility to consider…"
"…the point is… Whether it's real or not… I want you to know I forgive you."
Marcy started to tear up. "Then that proves this can't be real. Because the logical thing would be for you to hate me."
"Yeah, but since when was I logical?" reasoned Anne.
"…"
"I… I was upset, I admit. Even a little angry. But… I never hated you. I can't speak for Sasha, but I don't think she hates you either."
"…right, Sasha. I, uh, was worried about that too…" Was she blushing?
"Okay, so… we cool? We on the same page now?"
"I guess… either that or this is the part of my subconscious that wants forgiveness…"
"Well… let's start from the premise that I'm real. If that's true… then this is me telling you, up front, that I forgive you. Really, I'm just happy that there's a you to forgive. I… I was starting to lose hope. But now… now that I know you're still alive, I promise I'm going to find a way to-"
"NO!" protested Marcy. "Don't try to save me! Stay where you are! You and the Plantars need to stay safe. As long as you're on Earth, Andrias can't-"
"Marcy, he already has."
"…what?"
"A couple of nights ago, he was able to send one of his robots across. Which means he can use the box even if it's not fully charged."
"Oh my gosh…"
"It's okay. I was able to beat it, but I don't doubt he's going to try again. So if you're worried about me staying safe, don't be."
Marcy hung her head. "Great. I couldn't even save you the right way."
"Oh, Marcy," Anne said, this time successfully managing a hug. "If you hadn't sent us back, Andrias would've probably finished us all off."
"Maybe not," Marcy replied. "He kept me alive for some reason… maybe he would've done the same for you."
Anne was suddenly snapped out of reassurance mode. "Marcy, is there something you need to tell me?"
She looked up, a haunted look in her eyes. "I woke up, once. He has me in some kind of life-support tank. I couldn't realy make out anything, but I think I was still in the castle… and there was something else there. Some kind of primal abomination. Even now, I can hear it whispering… like it's alive, and yet somehow also… not… I can't explain it. And I don't like things I can't explain. All I know is it wants me for… something…" Her eyes glistened with tears of pleading. "Please don't come after me, Anne. I'm not sure you'll like what you find."
"I'm not giving up on you, Marcy!" Anne retorted. "I'll find my way to you… I don't care how…"
"Anne, please, just let me go. I… I don't think this story has a happy ending…"
"You're wrong," Anne insisted. "I'm going to make sure it does. I'll find a way. I-"
"ANNE!"
Anne's eyes snapped open to face not Marcy's, but Sprig's as he shook her.
"Wh-whaa…" she stammered incoherently as her senses re-synced with reality… and she fell back into bed.
"You went Super SaiyAnne in your sleep," a concerned Maggie explained. "You started floating… and you kept mumbling Marcy's name."
"It was kind of scary," added Polly in an unusually subdued tone.
"I saw her," Anne said.
"You what now?"
"I saw Marcy."
"You mean you dreamed you saw Marcy," attempted to correct Maggie.
"No," Anne replied. "It was definitely her. I don't know how I know, I just know."
Maggie nodded. "I'd keep arguing but I have seen some weird sh…" she glanced at the expectant polliwog, "..enanigans in the last couple of days, so, I'll take your word for it."
"I was gonna learn a human swear, wasn't I," Polly complained. "Disappointing…"
"So she really is alive?" asked Sprig.
Anne nodded. "The king has her on some kind of life support. She also said something about some kind of... evil presence…"
"Maybe Hop-Pop would know something about that?" wondered Sprig.
"He is pretty clued in on old Amphibian folklore."
"Emphasis on 'old,'" added Polly.
"Hmmm…" mused the elderly frog. "There are many tales of ancient evils. Demons, spirits, the Great Old Ones and such. The writer P.H. Frogcraft was known to write about them…"
"Heh heh heh," Maggie chuckled. "References."
"Beg pardon?"
"It's just, we had a similar writer. He wrote about madness and tentacle monsters and stuff…"
"Ain't that a weird coincidence. Anyhow… there was a story about how in ancient times, the Salamandria clan made a deal with an ancient evil for power… a lot of historians chalk that story up to propaganda from their rivals, but the stories persist to this day."
"After everything Andrias did, it wouldn't surprise me," Anne considered. "Did this thing have a name?"
"Many… but the most common one is simply… 'The Night.' The legends speak of it rising up to consume all that is… and of three stars appearing in the sky, uniting to defeat it."
"Three stars…" Anne repeated.
"Of course, it is just a legend…" Hop-Pop pointed out. "Those turn out to me complete nonsense a lot of the time."
"Yeah, but… it all adds up, doesn't it? The three stars… three girls… three gems… and this thing that Marcy's talking about…"
"Anne, we're talking about an ancient evil here…"
"Right, which means Marcy is in even more danger. Sasha too. Which means it's more important than ever that we find a way back to Amphibia."
"All right. We've got your back whatever your decision."
"That goes double for us," added Polly.
"I'm not sure what it's worth but… I'll do whatever I can to help too," pledged Maggie.
"Thanks, you guys," gushed Anne. "Well, I guess mom and dad'll be up soon… we'd better get ready. I'm still not sure how I'm going to explain everything to them… but I think I'm going to have to sooner than later. I don't know why… but it feels like things are about to come to a head."
A.N.: So… the premiere of Season 3 is a mere three weeks away as I write this, and it's probably going to shred everything I wrote. I'm going to keep this story going until then, which means maybe two chapters, three if I can manage it. After that, though, I'm gonna leave it to Braly and co. I've been neglecting "Body Issues II" anyway, and really should get back to that.
Jose: Glad I was able to clear that up, anyway, these are just my guesses.
Next: Well, probably Anne and the agents finally meeting, and a surprise I've been saving; since canon's gonna destroy this anyway, might as well pull out all the stops!