The days after the Grubhog incident were hard on the Plantar family. Though it had become expected of them at this point, and the town moved on as normal. Despite Hop Pop admitting the pressure he put on Sprig, his grandson, the old family shame brought back other past mistakes. Such as the loss of the family vegetable stand just a few weeks prior. Sending the elder Plantar into another spiral of trying to keep his spirits up in such trying times. Sprig, Polly, and even Anne tried their best to keep Hop Pop focused on the now. A town dance, which the citizens of Wartwood just loved to hold, had brought back an old flame of Hop Pop's. Sylvia Sundew, mother of Felicia Sundew and grandmother of Ivy Sundew.
It was a tad strange that both men of the farming family would fall in love with a woman of the tea shop family, but Anne was never one to question romance. Such fleeting emotions were hard to come by in the Imperium of Man, and it's best to hold onto the people you do care about as tightly as you can when you can. Now she just had another to tease about their flustered jabbering and nervous looks whenever said love interest was around. Along with Hop Pop's horrendous dance moves.
Just a shame the two had to meet in a back alley where the Plantar vegetables had to be sold to make end's meet. Money was never a problem for Anne before, being not only from a noble family, but of a Rogue Trader dynasty. It had given her a newfound appreciation of the menials and agri farmers that had to suffer twice as much to keep the Emperor's domain in working order. All play a part in his vision after all, as a priest would say.
Even with the return of Sylvia, Hop Pop was back into one of his moods again, fused into the couch on a molecular level. With no coppers flowing into the home, Hop Pop was feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders. This time Anne and the children took action and confront their Hop Pop as he wallows in his depression.
"Hey, Hop Pop, doing good?" Sprig asks, taking the more delicate approach to dealing with his grandfather.
Hop Pop wore nothing but one of his undershirts, boxers, and slippers. Not having bathed or groomed for the past few days only made the flies gather around him. "Hey, kiddo. I'm tryin' my best." A framed picture of the stand along with a well put together Hop Pop rested on his lap. "Just feelin' a tad lost at the moment."
"Then do we have news for you!" Polly was more upbeat, her rough and tumble attitude always cried for action rather than words. Looking to see her Hop Pop get back onto his webbed feet, the tadpole holds up a flier for the local general store, the Grub-n-Go. "We grabbed this when we went shopping. They're hiring greeters!"
Sprig nods. "Yeah and all you need to do is smile and be friendly!"
The old frog was the picture of the most unfriendly being in the galaxy. Anne had seen Militarum veterans look more approachable. "Just another job for me to lose." He gripes out loud. Now it was time for the Rogue Trader to step in.
"Hop Pop," Anne was there to administer the tough love, grabbing Hop Pop by the shoulders and psychically peeling him off the couch like an old sticker. "I know what it's like to doubt yourself, but sometimes you gotta power through it because your grandchildren look up to you for guidance." She sets him back down, the look of shame he wore even more evident. "At least clean up and go talk to them."
"Alright, alright. Just, don't get your hopes up."
"That's the spirit, Hop Pop!" The kids gave an enthusiastic cheer to see their grandfather take a step in the right direction. It had taken him a bit longer than usual to scrub the days of grime and mucus built up, but a fresh Hop Pop with hair combed made his way into town for his job interview.
It had only taken a few days for the renovations on the bridge to finish. King Andrias had commission a team of architects and artisans, along with Marcy, to redesign the old thing. Ten thousand frog laborers and their beasts of burden from the surrounding lands, all payed well enough with the Royal Credit Card, and the new bridge was completed ahead of schedule. Andrias suspected the speed was due to Marcy's diligent, near robotic, constant hard work. She had the urge to correct the others, offering new innovative ways to either move the stone, set it, and even attempted to create a special new building material called "rockcrete" with small success. Amphibia simply lacked the resources to ever produce such a thing.
He had made a big show of it, letting Marcy feel the praise of the people on her task to improve the city. Heck, Andrias even got a statue of the robed young woman to be placed at the center of the bridge, and named it in her honor! Either the tech-priest was one of few words or was just shy when presented to all of the amphibians in front of her. A simple thanks for the honor of allowing her to perform her duty to the Machine God before she walks off the stage. The King didn't care, he cut the ribbon and the people cheered. It was so nice to see all their happy faces, he needed to leave the castle more often.
The real work was trying to get Marcy into the Night Guard, his personal task force. Though they reported directly to him, there's a lot of red tape and paper work that keep him from simply putting Marcy into their ranks. No, she would have to simply join them as a new recruit and pass their trials to become a full fledged member of the Night Guard. He was confident in her abilities, but the human does seem a bit scatterbrained at times. The tripping and flailing metal limbs were starting to endanger the servants.
Oh well, best to just have Lady Olivia escort their semi-metal friend to the Night Guard's headquarters and see how it all plays out.
"Thank you, Mr. Plantar. Don't call us, we'll call you." The owner of the Grub & Go, Mr. Jonkins, was a nice frog. Hop Pop had tried his best to work up the enthusiasm to get the greeter job, but it fell short. Though finally cleaned and well dressed in his suit and ascot, the constant frown didn't do him any favors.
"Of course. Thank you, Mr. Jonkins. Say hi to the missus for me." Just because the frog wouldn't give him a job doesn't mean Hopediah has to stop being friendly. Hanging his head in even more shame, the old frog lets out a dejected sigh and walks out of the store. Hop Pop was about to start his long sad drive back home on Bessie, but group of frogs in the square had caught his attention. Not many things could gather the townsfolk of Wartwood in such a manner unless it was important. "What's all this rabble?"
"It's the sign ups for the election!" One-eyed Wally had nearly appeared out of nowhere, or was just a very good sneaker. Nearly startling Hop Pop to death when he showed up behind the farm frog. "Have you been living under a rock? Because I have and even I knew that!"
Hop Pop was about to defend himself, but Wally was already joining the others in the crowd. "The elections are this week?" Despite Toadstool's constant schemes to secure his campaign and continue his reign as mayor of the town, it had completely slipped Hop Pop's mind! Course, he had been dealing with the founding of an interstellar trailblazer, the loss of his family stand, and the discovery of an old flame.
"Hoppy!" Speaking of, right in the crowd was Sylvia! He'd recognize the beautifully aged green frog anywhere. Though their dance session had quelled most of the nervous shakes out of him, he still felt his heart beat faster. Moving through the crowd, he stands with her. Felicia on the other side of her mother, giving Hop Pop a polite nod.
Despite the butterflies in his stomach from breakfast, he strikes up conversation. "Guess Toadstool is running again this year?"
"I thought he'd be ran out of town by now, he wasn't exactly the best mayor before I moved away." Sylvia responds, trying not to speak too loud as said toad walks into the middle of the crowd. His assistant, Toadie, close behind like always. Hop Pop had to agree with Sylvia, Toadstool always had less than generous motives when it came to being mayor of Wartwood. But, frogs around here grew too accustomed to the status quo to even think about change. Unwilling to go against the order set up in the Kingdom of Amphibia and just let things be.
Sitting on a stump was a chest, locked up tight with a small slot on top where Toadstool feeds his nomination into. Some frogs were clapping, mostly Toadie. "Vote Mayor Toadstool! If reelected, I'll always watch out for the little guy! Don't forget all of the great things I've done for this fine town." Toadstool doesn't even stick around that long, he climbs up onto his large fancy snail after using Toadie as a stool to carry his bulk onto the shell. The lackey frog hopping into the driver's seat and zooming off with his boss in a cloud of dirt.
"I don't see why he's even mayor in the first place." With Toadstool gone, Hop Pop doesn't feel the need to hide his voice as he continues his conversation with Sylvia. "He's pulled all sorts of schemes on us in the past, the worse being the stealing of our taxes! We pay, but nothing is put to the town!" As his rant grow volume, so too do the number of frogs listening to Hop Pop. "Our road ways are a mess, the buildings have been shoddily rebuilt from all the animal attacks, and the school house hasn't even been replaced since last year's millipede incident!"
"You bring up a lot of good points, Hopediah." Felicia comments, now roped into the farmer's words of truth. Her daughter and the rest of the children of the swamp have gone too long without an education! Plus, the giant, ten story millipede was still on the loose.
"Thank you!" It was good for Hopediah to get some recognition. "I think we just need a mayor who can look out for our town, not one who just looks out for himself." He said with a firm nod, finally saying his piece.
Sylvia claps her hands together. "Very inspirational, Hoppy!"
"Oh, shucks." His face was already red in embarrassment. "Just speakin' my mind is all. Though, I best be off. Got a long trip back to the farm." Before Hop Pop could take his leave, Wally had grabbed hold of him.
"I nominate Hopediah Plantar for mayor!" The cry from the vagrant gaining quick support from the crowd.
"I second that!" Shouts Sylvia. "I third it!" Her daughter joins in. Others voicing their agreements as the tea shop owner takes a piece of parchment and writes Hop Pop's name on it with an ink bug and inserts it into the nomination box. The crowd, who were calm and quiet during Toadstool's announcement for his nomination, were in an uproar over Hop Pop's.
"I-I don't know what to say!" The old frog couldn't believe it, the people of the town were so eager to lend their support to Hop Pop and his cries of change. It almost brought tears to his eyes. But, a future mayor had to be strong for his people, so he held it in! "Thank you all, I'll make sure Wartwood isn't just fixed, but made even better!" Hop Pop could still hear the cheers from the townies even as he departed on Bessie. The pep in his step carrying all the way back to the farm.
Using that pep, he kicked the door open, the rest of the family sitting on the couch now that it had been washed. "Kids, you'll never believe what happened!"
"Did you get the job?" Anne asks, putting down her data-slate. She was glad, the old frog needed the win.
"Even better, I'm running for mayor!" He said with a smile. Their confused looks weren't enough to take the wind from his sails, so he explains it to them. "Don't you see kids? The town's been suffering for too long! I may not be able to get my stand back, but I can sure as heck help out the community! Even if it's not through finely grown vegetables and roots." He walks over to the mirror hanging on the wall, taking out a comb to brush through his gray hairs. Had to look good for the masses!
"This isn't good." Sprig leans in close to his sister and friend. "Hop Pop's way too invested in this."
"Yeah, if he doesn't win this he might spiral even harder." Anne whispers back.
"And we just cleaned the couch!" Polly knew the leather furniture couldn't survive another three day long sit fest from the old frog.
"Hop Pop!" Anne stands, dusting off her coat. "We're with you all the way!"
"Really?" Hop Pop shouts, oh boy those tears were back. "I won't let you down, kids!"
"So, how does one run for mayor, hm? Usually a governor of a planet is either chosen by the Adeptus Terra after a grueling game of internal politics, subterfuge, and assassinations. Then noble blood lines, along with the Adeptus Administratum, fill in the rest of the roles to run a planet."
"Yeah," Polly answers. "Nothing like that. We got monster fights!"
"Oh." It's not quite the same as Imperial politics, but it still held that note of danger fit for a feudal death world such as this. "Hop Pop, you sure you can do it?" The old frog's physique didn't exactly fill the Rogue Trader with confidence.
"Don't worry Anne, I may have the body of an old man, but I have the heart of an sand liger!" Hop Pop pounded on his chest, wincing a bit from the action. "I better rest up for tomorrow, gonna need it!" He waves to his family before retiring for the day. He was going to show the world that Hopediah Plantar can pick himself back up and return stronger than ever!
Marcy hadn't been this excited since she became marooned on the planet. Not for the act of meeting these Night Guards, though their militant order did help her piece together this strange amphibian society, but for their resources and freedom of movement about the kingdom. It would be good to get the prying eyes of the King off her back, as his questions have become more invasive as of late and the Cult Mechanicus was not eager to share their secrets with outsiders. No matter how important they assume themselves to be.
For now the Tech-priest was content on following Lady Olivia through the streets of Newtopia once more. "So, these Night Guards have their base of operations away from the castle?" She asks the noble newt, the rebreather giving Marcy a tinny voice through the built in vox.
"Yes, the Night Guard had been established long before King Andrias' reign. Their headquarters was chosen to keep out of the gaze of the public and work undisturbed. It also serves to aid them if the castle were to ever fall under siege from an enemy." The advisor talking and walking without losing poise in her step. This time the newt guards that would usually flank her were gone, not like they were needed in the first place.
They had entered the dock district of the city, and Marcy was aware of the blue hooded Night Guards tailing them. The incident in the market had made sure her auspex was finely tuned, their life signs always a constant twenty yards away on her retinal map. A good way for them to screen for such threats as her would-be assassins. Olivia and her traveled down from the docks onto the sandy shore, just ahead was the skeleton of a large sea creature half buried in the sand.
"This is where I must leave you, Master Marcy." Ever cordial, Olivia turns about on her heel and bows her head in a nod. "Good luck."
Marcy was going to explain to her that she didn't need luck and that her data and skills could easily earn her a place among the Night Guards, but it was more polite to simply return the nod in thanks. "Omnissiah watch over you." With goodbyes out of the way, Marcy approaches the skeleton. The skull faces the roaring waves, like the beast had gotten one last look at home before perishing on the shores. Within the skeleton's jaw, a sheet of fabric hangs, something one would never be able to see from the docks.
A hand breaches the tarp and out steps a hooded newt. Though not as tall as Marcy, he tried his best to intimidate with his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "Come, Headmaster Albert will see you."
The tech-priest follows the newt through the cramped, dug out tunnels of sand leading deeper into the skeleton. Marcy had the foresight to keep her mechadendrites hidden under her red robes, not only for the tight spaces but to put the nerves of the newts at ease. Thankfully it opened up as the ribs of the beast were used as support beams for the grand hall. Crumbling statues of long passed Night Guards watching over them like silent sentinels. The decorum was similar to that of the gothic structures of the Imperium. A mental note to file away for later. She continued to follow her escort to a pair of wide wooded doors he opened with a grunt. Motioning her to enter.
Inside, Marcy stands at the end of a long wooden table, rows of seats filled with newts, faces obscured by hoods, that lead to a high back throne at the end. Sitting in it was most likely the oldest newt Marcy had ever seen, besides the King. She wasn't sure how amphibians could have wrinkles, but this one had them in abundance on his face. Thick eye-correcting lenses sit high on his snout as he takes the tech-priest in. The ornate tunic, armor, and swooping helmet he wore made it easy for Marcy to come to the conclusion that he was Headmaster Albert.
It's so quiet, Marcy sputters out a startled binary curse when the door behind her is slammed shut. Not a good first impression to make for these battle hardened newts. "Greetings, I am-"
"We know who you are, Master Marcy." Albert interrupts with a raise of his hand, his voice as dry as the sand on the beach. "Do not think that just because you have the ear of the king you can join the ancient order of the Night Guard so easily. Or the fact you've already spilled newt blood within our city walls." He stands, slowly walking up to Marcy. "Like all initiates, you must take on the task of retrieving an egg." The old newt would probably be more intimidating if he wasn't just a head shorter than Marcy.
Marcy's head tilts in confusion. "Just an egg?"
"Yes, the egg of Caragula, the giant golden crab that dwells within the caves of Cragmarrow Cove." The hooded newts all whisper to each other. Recalling their tales with the test with one another. "It can spit acid that can melt the flesh from your bones from five hundred feet away. The claws can cleave through iron like it's nothing but wet paper." Albert grins up at Marcy. "Do you dare face this test?"
Though hard to tell under her rebreather, Marcy has a look of determination as she nods. "As a servant of the Omnissiah's Will, I shall complete this task before me." Eager to get started, she strides up to the door, but quickly turns around. Something slipped her mind! "Where exactly is Cragmarrow Cove?"
"All part of the test."
"Of course." Marcy pulls open the wooden door, but with her eyes focused on the old newt, she walks face first into the side of the door. More curses in binary escape her vox unit as she leaves the conference room.
"Is that all we had to do today?" The Headmaster turns to his fellow masters. All of them gathering their thoughts or looking over paperwork before nodding in agreement. "Alright, lunch break. Who wants beetle burgers?"
The next day the townsfolk of Wartwood were all gathered in the center of town. Banners and streamers decorated nearly every inch of the once peaceful town. All of them waving a color to represent their favorite candidate for mayor. Aquamarine for those who supported Hopediah Plantar and orange for anyone that favors Frodrick Toadstool, the current mayor. Standing on stage, a backdrop of their faces behind them, the candidates square off with their gathered campaign comity.
Of course, Toadstool stood tall and confident with his trusted advisor/assistant/lackey, Toadie. The mayor soaking up the cheers of the crowd as he waved. Hop Pop has his two grandchildren backing him up. Polly being held by Sprig as all three of the Plantars did their best to hide their nervousness. Usually when one of them had the whole town's attention, it was for a problem they caused but now it was for a brighter future. The old frog also had the alien that was living in his basement, but at this point she was starting to feel more like family than a stranger. Anne stood at her towering height in full regalia, though she had lost her sword the firearm at her side was no less intimidating.
"Anne, loosen up. No one is going to assassinate Hop Pop." Sprig whispered, just enough to be heard over the crowd.
"Yeah, people love him!" Polly added, the crowd cheering for the elder frog, who was doing his best not to sweat mucus through his suit.
The Rogue Trader wasn't convinced, however. "You never know, anyone here might be in Toadstool's coin purse." The toad was very eager to throw his copper coins around when needed. Movement occurred in her peripheral vision and Anne's hand moved instinctively. She was always a quick draw, and proved it when she drew the laspistol out of it's holster and blasted a burning hole through what she perceived to be a weapon. The weapon being a long horn held by a terrified farm frog. Luckily he was a Toadstool supporter.
Sprig glares up at his friend for her jumpiness as Anne laughs at the embarrassing mix up and holsters her weapon. "Alright, you may have a point."
"Good morning, ladies and gentlephibians!" Now standing between the candidates was a sharply dressed green newt with a tricorn hat. Anne had seen him plenty of times before announcing all sorts of events. A few times she caught him reviewing food around town as well. "Albus Duckweed here, you all know me. Of course, you also know our two candidates for the mayoral trials this year!" The human had to admit, Duckweed knew how to work a crowd as they applause and cheer.
"You know him, you love him, he's been our beloved mayor for years, Mayor Frodrick Toadstool!" At the newt's introduction, Toadstool blew kisses into the gathered masses.
"Though his challenger may be old, he's new on the scene! Our resident farmer, scholar, and all around good neighbor, Hopediah Plantar!" Hop Pop put on his best distinguished look and waved to his fellow frogs. Practicing it in the mirror was already paying off!
"Not since the Battle of Bog Bottom Gulch has a frog ever stood against a toad! This is one for the history books, folks! Now these two candidates will attempt to win your votes as their skills are tested in these grueling trials!" Taking a horn out, similar to the one Anne shot, Duckweed blows a loud, low note. "Lets begin!"
Hop Pop and Toadstool tear off their suits, revealing the leotards of their respective campaign color under it all. Anne prayed the God Emperor would grant her mercy and strike her blind, but she wasn't that fortunate.
The trials themselves were just as Polly had described them, pitting the two against some of the beasts and creatures of Amphibia in order to determine the new mayor. Anne wasn't sure if they were meant just for toads or for any amphibian, but Hop Pop faced the challenge with confidence. To test their strength and determination, their task was to mount the top of a large horned beetle the size of a Leman Russ tank that made it's home at the base of the mountains. Toadstool was confident in his natural toad physique to pull him through, unfortunately he hasn't been keeping up with any sort of training and was nearly flattened. Hop Pop won, much to the toad's displeasure, by tricking the beetle to ram into a sturdy stump and mounting it when it was dazed.
Toadstool's ego was bruised and fear crept in at such a major set back. He never had to do the trials since no one ran against him! Neglect was catching up to him, and there was only one way to set things right, cheating. "Toadie, we're gonna have to pull out some stops if we want to win this election!"
"Don't you want to try and win fairly?" Toadie questions.
"Toadie, do you want me to stop being mayor?"
"No sir!"
"Good, now lets see if Hopediah can achieve anymore wins after this." The toad grinned, rapping his nailed fingers together one after another in a menacing fashion.
The town of Wartwood followed Hop Pop and Toadstool to every event, unaware of the current mayor's devious plans. A challenge of speed and coordination was next, the two of them must chase and capture a particularly slippery spider. The creature looking like a chicken cross-bred with an arachnid to give it a beak and feathers. Scuttling legs and webs made it hard to capture, the perfect test.
Everyone was too busy watching Hop Pop chase the spider around, the perfect opportunity for Toadstool to enact his plan. Coating himself in a special spider pheromone, Toadstool managed to attract the spider long enough for him to catch it. Frogs cheered, but the one running against him never lost that look of determination.
"Best give up now, Hopediah. Toads have been running the valley for years. Aren't you the one to always follow tradition?" Toadstool taunted, the spider tucked under his arm.
"Tradition is good, but all the changes in my life these past few months has shown me that some things need to be different to be better." The farm frog's chest puffs out in defiance.
The toad frowned. "Have it your way, but don't say I didn't give you a chance to save face."
Anne watched the confrontation between Hop Pop and Toadstool. It was good to see him stand up against the big blowhard, but there was an odd occurrence. The spider Toadstool had captured hadn't left the toad's side the entire time. Even as they moved to the next trial, the spider was clinging to his back. Strange indeed.
To test the compassion and problem solving skills of the two, they must solve the reason behind a nest of three crying baby birds. The featherless avian would have been cute if they weren't the same size as Anne. Toadstool didn't even need to cheat for this, he instantly knew what the baby birds wanted. His attempts to calm their constant chirping with a toss of copper coins only made them peck and bite him. Hop Pop had taken care of infants in his long life, and he did what came natural. Finding some worms under a log, he chewed them up and fed the chicks directly from his mouth. The gathered frogs cheering for his success.
"That's how he fed us when we were young!" Sprig explained, but Anne wished she hadn't learned about the old frog's nurturing side.
After a quick escape from the protective mother of the birds, Hop Pop and Toadstool are tasked to show off their smarts by sorting through paperwork listing budgets, taxes, charities, everything a mayor has to look out for when running a town. Hop Pop was sure to win, he enjoyed the calming nature of putting his quill and ink to parchment and giving order to all of the numbers and words. Toadstool had Toadie, the little frog had swiped what was to be used for the trial and blazed through it all at breakneck speed. All it took was a distraction, simply pointing and shouting in a random direction drew everyone's attention, and Toadstool had finished his work first.
Sprig and Polly may be convinced foul play isn't at work, but Anne isn't quite so sure about it. Nothing as drastic as hired thugs strong arming the citizens to vote for Toadstool, but some of the trials came way too easy for the fat toad. She was glad the next one would give them even footing as they stood before Duckweed at the edge of the treeline.
"Being mayor is much like being dropped naked in the woods and forced to find your way home, so that's what we did for today's last challenge!" The newt announced loudly.
The Plantar siblings anxiously awaited for their grandfather to come out of the dense forest. They knew he was a capable outdoorsman from all of their camping trips, but he had packed supplies then. Now, he's unarmed and unclothed in some of the most deadly forests in the valley. The only one not watching the trees was Anne, her gaze was kept on Toadie. Making it her personal mission to keep the frog in her sight at all times. Though his fidgety demeanor has her think the mayor is in legit danger and can't slip his way out this time. Good.
It may have taken hours, but Hop Pop is the first to emerge! Not looking too worse for wear, he even has a makeshift loin cloth made of dried leaves in. It was a soul searching journey that would have taken many days just to catch a glimpse of the majesty he'd witnessed in those woods. But, it was a story Hop Pop would take to his grave, as he was sworn to secrecy by the great guardian of the forest, Jeremy the Beetle.
He turns to the forest, the foot tall blue beetle with the rest of his brown kin hiding just beyond sight. They share a nod, the respect between a frog and an insect. The solemn moment passed and Hop Pop is scooped up by the townsfolk of Wartwood.
"Hopediah wins this round! Don't worry folks, the last and most exciting challenge is tomorrow! Then you'll cast your votes and decide the next Mayor of Wartwood!"
Marcy had spent a good portion of the day combing the local librarium for any information about Cragmarrow Cove and it's occupant. The tech-priest had decided that simply asking the king or using the collection of ancient tomes at the castle would be cheating. She was going to succeed through her own wit and ingenuity, much like she did on Forge World Gavantha that earned her the augments she bore now. Though researching about a crab is child's play compared to calming the machine spirit of a kastelan automaton. Despite Newtopia's proximity to the water, the parchment they use for their literature withstood the test of time. Maps showed her the location, and a quick memorization into her data stacks made sure she could pull it up in her retinal display at will.
Cragmarrow Cove was not too far away from Newtopia, at least a day or so travel on foot. Marcy declined the offer to shorten her journey with the aid of a snail, insect, or crustacean. It would be a good opportunity to get a detailed observation on the local flora and fauna. Caragula, the giant crab she's been tasked to steal from, would be the real test of her abilities. A beast three times her size, rockcrete hard shell with acid spit. Marcy was confident her augments could possibly survive a bath in the acid, it was her unaugmented parts that worry her. She was running through simulations in her mind, comparing strategies on how to overcome said challenge when a noise caught her attention.
Following the sound of distressed chirping to it's source, Marcy is amazed by the sight. A giant avian was tangled in thorny vines that refused to release it. Ancient records would depict this bird as a sparrow, but this one was twenty times larger than it's Terran ancestor. It thrashed about, feathers tossed into the air nearly the size of her forearm. Marcy was never one to interfere with the course of nature, but something deep inside of her compelled her to aid the beast. Perhaps Anne was rubbing off on her, the Rogue Trader was a bit of a bleeding heart. Not Sasha, the rough military life she had been put through saw to that.
Freeing the sparrow is the tricky part, the erratic movements could cause her to harm the bird by mistake. The first step was to calm it, and auditory soothing works best. Marcy peels off her rebreather, the vox caster much too harsh to put anyone at ease, let alone a bird.
"Hey big fella, calm down." A word added to her lexicon from being around the eccentric Anne for too long. Her pure organic voice caught the attention of the bird, but it started to thrash harder as it perceived her as a threat. "Sshh" Marcy hushed the beast as she drew nearer. Somehow that was the correct response, and the super sized avian grew docile at her approach. The vines were wrapped right around it's body, suspending it three feet off the ground which is the perfect height for any predators that stalk these woods. No wonder it was in such a panicked state. "At ease, I shall free you soon." A few well calculated bolts with her welding las made short work of the plants holding it in place, dropping the bird to the dirt with a heavy thud. The vines around it's body were such a tangled web, it's as if Marcy was sorting out electrical wires from a careless laborer.
The sparrow needed another round of soft gestures for her mechadendrite to saw through the green with it's sample collecting tools. The whirling blade no doubt scaring the poor creature, but it stayed as still as a statue. Birds were rather intelligent and one this size must be if it's recognizing Marcy's actions as help despite the loud whining of the rotating blade. After cutting out the bigger knots, the sparrows ruffles it's feathers to shake off its prison. A mighty tweet to express its joy and appreciation to Marcy.
"It was no trouble at all, my fine feathered friend." Marcy gives the bird one last pat.
The sparrow unfurls it's wings and ascends through the canopy with a few powerful flaps. This time being mindful of anymore vines as it leaves it's savior behind. The tech-priest waves goodbye, picking through the discarded feathers on the ground for the perfect specimen to bring back. "The adepts back on the Stormheart are going to be so jealous." After all, who can say they had an encounter with such a large beast and not get eaten? Storing a fluffy brown feather in her robes, Marcy continues with her journey through the forests and farm lands. She still had a giant crab to steal from.
Rain had come to cleanse the swamp with its gentle downpour. Hop Pop was a tad superstitious in his old age, and rains were usually an omen. Good or bad was up to the frog being rained on. The rain pattered on the windows to the house as he read a book in his favorite chair by the fireplace. A good way to relax after the taxing day he had earning everyone's votes. His grandkids were supportive enough to make flyers, buttons, and all sorts of paraphernalia for the election. Anne was even writing him a speech!
"You nervous about tomorrow, Hop Pop?" Sprig asked. Handing his grandfather a cup of warm herbal tea.
Hop Pop took a sip of his tea before answering. "A bit. We're neck 'n' neck in the challenges. If I mess up this next trial, it could cost us the election."
"Pft, Toadstool's got nothin' on you, Hop Pop!" Cheered Polly from the kitchen where her and Anne sat at the table. "But when you become mayor I have a few laws that need to be made."
"Polly, I keep tellin' ya. I can't make the stores give you free candy!"
"Not with that attitude! Oh, and don't forget about mandatory Brawl Day!"
Everyone's attention is grabbed by the ominous rapping on their door. Everyone stands by the wooden portal, Hop Pop a bit nervous about opening it. Anne stands by with her laspistol, but a hand from Sprig forces it down. Working up the courage, Hop Pop opens the door to reveal a smaller than average frog in a cloak standing in the rain.
"Mr. Plantar. An anonymous associate would like to meet with you." If the size didn't give away the hooded frog's identity, his voice did. It was Toadie.
"You mean Toadstool?" Anne guesses.
"No comment." Toadie's answer was automatic and stern.
"You two are closer than a priest and his scriptures, who else can it be?"
"I said no comment!"
Hop Pop keeps Anne's hand from raising her gun again. "Alright, alright. I'll see what your 'associate' wants." He follows Toadie out into the rain and to the fancy snail parked in front of the house. The shell covered in a private howdah that Hop Pop steps into. A few fire flies bathe the small space in a warm light and seated on the maroon fabric of a seat is soon to be ex-mayor, Toadstool.
"Glad you could make it, Plantar. Have a seat." The toad motions to the spot next to him, which Hop Pop takes with mild discomfort. "Hungry?" He offers a gilded bowl filled with fried maggots.
"Uh, no thanks." Hop Pop pushes the maggots out of his face. "Alright, Toadstool, what do you really want?"
"Straight to the point, huh?" Toadstool shovels a few maggots into his mouth. "I want you to lose tomorrow." He said while chewing.
"Yeah I figured."
"No you moron, I mean I want you to lose on purpose! Take a dive!"
"Now why would I do that?" Hop Pop sat up a bit straighter. He wasn't about to be intimidated into throwing the trial!
"Because if you do," Toadstool wraps an arm around Hop Pop's shoulder to ease the situation. "I'll give you your vegetable stand back! Even better, I'll put it in the center of the market, tax free! Think of the money you could make."
Hop Pop was stunned from the offer. A real chance to get back what he lost and more! "That's a hard offer to say no to."
"Well then don't." Toadstool gives his rival pat on the shoulder. "I'll let you sleep on it, but just think of how rich you'll be."
The old farm frog doesn't even reply to the mayor. Quietly leaving the snail and back into the rain. What took seconds felt like hours as he's trapped in his own mind. The children watching with concern as he enters without a word and sits back in his chair.
Sprig and Polly look at each other, an unspoken sibling conversation before the oldest speaks up. "So, what did the mayor want?"
The thoughts finally interrupted, Hop Pop lets out a sigh. "He offered to give us the stand back in exchange for throwing the election."
"What?" They both shout.
"Hop Pop, you can't! You're so close to winning!" Sprig pleads.
"But if I take this deal, we could be set for life."
"Oh, then take it." Polly's words earn her a glare from her brother. "What? We're all thinking it!"
"Listen kids, this- Wait, where's Anne?" Hop Pop hadn't even noticed the human was missing. Too focused on the dilemma in his head to realize her input on the situation wasn't there. Turning to his grandchildren, they both just shrug. How did they manage to lose an entire human woman?
Toadstool watched the frog leave. He had delivered his offer, now it was just up to the farmer to make the right choice. "C'mon Toadie, lets get out of here." Toadstool calls out from his howdah, but there's no answer from the frog. "Toadie?" He stands to leave, but a very large wet figure blocks his way. "What the- Boonchuy?"
The dim light cast a menacing shadow over the alien creature as she takes a seat. Her larger form blocking his only exit. Toadstool would have tried a mad dash past her, but the hand on the holster of her weapon made him change his mind.
"You trying to threaten Hop Pop?"
Anne's voice was so low, but it was filled with enough hidden malice to panic the toad. "Threaten him? Never! I just suggested he-" Toadstool had seen Anne's weapon in action before. On the large beasts of Amphibia, it has left burning holes through their tough hides and chitin. Now the cold barrel of the gun was pressed firmly against his chin. Clearly she wasn't a fan of his political jargon and cut to the chase. "I'm trying to bribe him!"
The barrel was drawn back some, giving the mayor much needed reprieve. Anne leans in, much like a predator inspecting its prey before attacking. "That better be all you're trying to pull, or you won't make it to see the next trial." She growled out.
Fear takes the words from Toadstool before he could release them. He could only answer with a nod.
"Good." As quickly as Anne had arrived, she left without a trace. The only sign that Toadie was still alive out there was the movement of the snail crawling on its way.
"Someone call for me?" Anne stepped out from the kitchen, her own mug of tea in hand. No one had even the faintest idea that she had slipped in and out of the side door. Though the droplets of water on her person did get a few curious glances from the frog family.
"What do you think I should do? Ya did say you had some experience with this sorta stuff. Take Toadstool's offer and be rich, or risk it all on trying to become mayor?" Hop Pop looks to Anne expecting some sort of otherworldly wisdom from the stars.
"Hop Pop," Anne joins the Plantars in the living room. "You should just do whatever you feel is best. Helping the town is a noble cause, but we are a bit short on funds. Just know that your grandchildren and I will back up whatever you pick."
"All the way." Sprig adds with a smile.
Polly hops onto the back of the chair. "We're with ya, Hop Pop!"
The old frog just can't help but smile at his family. "Thank, kids. Now lets get some rest, we all got a big day tomorrow!" Despite his words, Hop Pop was tossing and turning all night, his thoughts abuzz like gnats.
Nightfall was never an obstacle for Marcy due to her augments, the night-vision built into her eye helping to light the way through the tangled growth until she finally reached her destination. Cragmarrow Cove, which surprisingly looks similar to other coves around the southern gulf. This one was populated with hundred of silver shelled crustaceans. All of them no bigger than Marcy herself and all of them clustered around pools of water plucking out bioluminescent azure starfish to eat.
The real target scuttled out from a nearby cave, Caragula, the giant gold crab easily swatted away any of the silver crabs that strayed too close as it forages for food. There was no doubt in Marcy's mind that the golden crab was the female and the silver ones were competing males. The fresh clutch of eggs back in the cave confirmed her theory.
Caragula was just as the newts described her, twenty feet tall and just as wide counting the legs. The acidic spit frothing at its mouth parts making quick work of the starfish's tough skin. Something this large was going to need a plan of attack, and Marcy had plenty of new algorithms she needed to refine before attempting to steal the golden eggs.
Marcy pulled out her data-slate, rapidly tapping at the screen as she makes her observations. She often found speaking out loud helped keep track of her thoughts, but she kept it close to a whisper as she hid on the nearby rocky cliff. "Caragula appears to be a nocturnal feeder, her main food source being the glowing starfish around the cove." It didn't take long for the crab to eat it's fill, the giant crustacean taking it's position by the mouth of it's cave to guard it's growing brood. Rather than continue watching the still beast into the late hours of the night, Marcy slept out of sight within a bedroll provided by a lovely general shop back in Newtopia. Just her size too.
The next morning, Marcy is awoken to the sound of clashing chitin shells and is amazed at what she gets to witness. Data-slate back at the ready to jot down her notes.
"The silver crabs of the area compete for the attention of Caragula, the alpha female, through ritual combat." A pair of the crabs snap and raise their claws threatening, a bubbling geyser between them. "Their battleground is over one of the geysers deeper in the cove." The two struggle to grapple with each other, crabs weren't exactly the most dexterous creatures with their hard shells. The growing rumbling of the heated water below them spurred them on until one of the silver crabs is pinned over the geyser. "The loser," The form of the male is engulfed within the steaming waters by the other as the geyser erupts. "Is subject to boiling liquid. From what I researched at the local Newtopia library, Amphibia's crustaceans are thrown into a defensive hibernation when exposed to a sudden increase in temperatures." The loser crab was on the ground, bubbling at the mouth with a few limbs twitching to signify it's still alive. The winner had the honor of getting close enough to Caragula to mate. "Thanks to the size difference, she can still guard the eggs as the male mates with her. No way of using that as a distraction."
Marcy wasn't sure how the other Night Guard initiates ever managed to snatch an egg up themselves, the cave was closely guarded, except for the first few hours when night falls and Caragula forages for food. So far, it was her best bet to retrieve her objective and make a hasty retreat.
"I shall wait until night and enact my plan." With her trusty data-slate in hand, Marcy begins to sketch out the perfect dimensions of the cove to narrow down the best possible routes through the craggy cove.
The final trial for the honor of being Mayor of Wartwood was finally underway. The entire town had spent a good portion of the morning slowly filtering into City Hollow. Anne had been inside of the building before, but it had undergone a unique change just over night. The main gathering hall at the center had been cleared out of any furniture, and instead replaced with a stage with a line of rope creating a barrier around four posts at each corner. Frogs she recognized, and some she didn't, were loudly cheering and waving signs for who they wanted to win. Most of them slandering Toadstool.
"Ladies and gentlephibians!" Duckweed was in the center of the stage, a heavy beam of light drawing in the attention of the gathered frogs. "The candidates had shown their resolve by facing down yesterday's challenges. Now they face each other in the ring for their final trial!"
Toadstool, back in his trial leotard, entered the ring with the help of Toadie, who he just stepped on with little regard as he blew kisses into the crowd. There were still a few amphibians holding out for the toad to win. But Toadstool was confident, the mayor already had his little talk with his opponent and how could anyone turn down such a tempting offer?
Hop Pop was wearing his own leotard, hopping into the ring with little problem thanks to his frog agility. Waving to the crowd and to his family with determination written all over his face. Toadie approached with a pair of bulbous red mushrooms for Hopediah to wear, Toadstool already sporting a pair of blue ones on his hands. Though the elder frog felt a bit safer with their equipment meant to soften their punches, his toad opponent was still twice his size. It was going to be a hard fight.
"Now, you two know the rules." Duckweed recited as the two combatants squared up in the center of the ring. "Fight starts as soon as the bell rings." He motions to the once sleeping frog sitting on a plank of wood by the bell. Mishearing the newt, the frog strikes the bell with his tongue before Duckweed could finish announcing the other rules. Instead, he had to dodge and slide out of the way as Toadstool took a swing at Hopediah. "And the fight's on!" He shouted as he slips out from under the rope and away from the danger.
Toadstool had his strength and size, but Hop Pop was quicker, weaving and dodging out of the way of the heavy handed blows before delivering his own quick jabs in retaliation. The toad easily shrugged them off, but Hop Pop could tell they were wearing him down. A quick step and Hop Pop felt his knee lock up, just the many problems with his old age. It left him open to a hard punch from Toadstool, launching him into the corner against the wooden post. He would have taken another to the chest if he didn't hoist himself up on top of the post, just above Toadstool's flabby arm. It made the perfect walkway to charge along to sock the greedy toad right in his cheek. Sending his opponent stumbling backward as the old frog flips back onto the hard mat below.
"Putting on quite the show, Plantar." The mayor rubbed at his jaw, the last punch having actually hurt him. "I like that, give the people something to cheer for!" Arms held wide apart, they come crashing forward to slam the blue mushroom gloves down on Hopediah's head. Instead, they only impact the air as the old frog slips behind him from between his legs. "What?" He shouts, turning around to face Hop Pop to receive a punch to his other cheek. Rattling around his brain for a split second for a rapid flurry of red gloves to dig away at his stomach. "Okay, now you're taking it too far!" Since little to no rules were established, Toadstool fights through the pain in his stomach to snatch the old frog up into a crushing bugbear hug. The crowd gasping in shock as Toadstool tosses Hop Pop high into the air and launches the frog to the edge of the ring with a swing of his round stomach. "Remember our bargain, Plantar. Stay down."
Time seemed to have slowed down, or Hop Pop took the hit harder than he thought. Eye's blinking slowly while he peels his face off the mat, looking up to see the faces of the townsfolk. Among them were the good people who believed in him like Sylvia, Felicia, Loggle, and Wally all cheering for him to get up. Anne, Polly, and Sprig's voices joining the muffled chanting as he tries to reorient himself. This was his chance, he could take the fall and live the rest of his life as a very happy and very rich farmer for the rest of his days. His body already made the decision for him, going with his gut instincts, Hop Pop slowly pulled himself back onto his feet by the rope. The surroundings becoming clearer and sharper as his senses return just in time to hear Toadstool's cries of frustration.
"How could you throw it all away?"
Hop Pop's face is introduced to one of Toadstool's gloves, but he doesn't budge.
"You could have had your stand back!"
Another punch, but he doesn't budge.
"You could have been rich!"
The collision with Hop Pop's face was softer, Toadstool was getting tired and Hop Pop still hasn't budged.
"Why?" The toad whimpers out between heavy inhales, his out of shape body finally catching up on him.
"Because this is about more than just me!" The words of wisdom from his opponent is followed up by a rising uppercut to the jaw. Smashing his chin upward and lifting Toadstool into the air before crashing down into a heap onto his back. The final thought of how he could lose to someone thinking about others running through his head before it all goes black.
Duckweed rushes into the ring, looking over the unconscious form of the mayor before raising his arms. "That's a knock out!" The twin rings of the bell signal the end of the final trial. "The winner is Hopediah Plantar!" Duckweed raises the arm of the frog into the air just as the crowd swarms the ring. Lifting and chanting Hop Pop's name as he beat the odds and put Toadstool in his place. "Voting will now commence! Please form an orderly line if you please!"
Voting seemed to go on for hours. It was odd for Anne, as Hop Pop's triumphant win was the final nail in the coffin of Toadstool's career. Every single amphibian in town was moved by his will and tenacity. The sun hung over head, beating it's rays down on those gathered in front of the Town Hollow. Another stage erected in short time, Anne had to admit that frogs could build quick when motivated, this time with a map in the middle showing the entirety of Amphibia. Duckweed stood in the center between a proud Hop Pop standing straight on one side, and a bruised Toadstool on the other.
"Alright folks, voting has concluded!" Duckweed shouted, the crowd waiting on bated breath as the newt unrolls a parchment. "With seventy votes, making up all of Wartwood, Hopediah Plantar!"
The townsfolk all cheered at the news. They had done it, all of their combined effort brought the change Wartwood needed to start being a better place.
"I won?" Hop Pop says in disbelief.
But, Duckweed had yet to finish his announcement. "And from the rest of the Valley, with twenty-two hundred votes, Frodrick Toadstool! Congratulations, sir!" The newt took a sash with the title of office sewn into it and placed it around Toadstool, who just smiled and waved to the people.
"Thank you, thank you! Democracy wins again!" He bellows, but the people don't cheer. Their happy faces turn to deep frowns as they disperse from the area, a sadness overtaking the town.
"Gave me a run for my coppers there, Plantar!" Toadstool gloated, giving the stunned old frog a pat on the back. "But hey, you gave it a good shot! Just be content that the whole town loved you. Not sure why the rest of the valley didn't."
Hop Pop threw his hands up in frustration. "How was I suppose to know the rest of the valley got a vote? I'm a theater major for Frog's sake!"
Off to the side, Anne shoved her palm into her face. Throne above, she knew she should have looked into this more.
"Wait." Now it was Toadstool's turn to look dumbstruck as the realization sets in. "You didn't know to campaign outside of Wartwood? Oh son, that's just sad. Almost takes the joy out of my victory."
Toadie leans over to the newly re-elected mayor. "Sir, your victory pinata is set up in the lobby."
"Well, I did say almost. Ha, a frog beating a toad, that'll be the day!" The mayor leaves to enjoy his victory, leaving Hop Pop to sulk on the steps of the Town Hollow.
The sun was close to finishing it's journey across the sky, casting a red glow into the heavens as the full red moon clawed it's way from behind the horizon. Anne, Sprig, and Polly didn't want to disturb their Hop Pop as he sits alone in quiet contemplation. But the day was nearing it's end, and it was time to go home and lick their wounds. They approach cautiously, praying he hadn't fallen back into his previous depression. "Hey Hop Pop, feeling alright?" Sprig speaks up, finally breaking Hop Pop out of his trance. Rather than the forlorn look of a frog who had lost everything, the old farmer's face held a prideful smile.
"I've never felt better!" His cheerful response was as jarring as a mag-train coming to a screeching halt.
Anne leans in close to Sprig with Polly in her arms. "He's either in shock or it's worse than we feared." She'd seen it before in lesser men and women during their first ever engagements with the horrors of the outer galaxy.
Hop Pop could only laugh and stand up. "No Anne, I'm not in shock. It was never about making me feel better for accomplishing something, it was about standing my ground for what I believe in and showing that bloated toad that sooner or later he'll be replaced if he doesn't shape up."
Anne would have done so with a simple lasbolt to the cranium, but she didn't feel like upsetting these simple farm folk after finally quelling their fears about her. Speaking of the amphibians of Wartwood, a handful had gathered in a group and approached the Plantars. The tea mistress with her mother and daughter, the baker with his eerie looking offspring, the local restaurant owner, the famed woodsmith, the oldest frog in town and of course the local loon. "Hopediah, may we have a moment?" Wally asks.
"Of course, I always have time for whatever this town needs, even if I'm not an elected official." Hop Pop, along with the rest of the Plantars, followed the gathered group to the town market. A place Hop Pop rarely visited after losing the stand to the rising rent prices. The spot where it once stood was now occupied by another stand, some local candy maker had decided to try his luck selling to the masses. Being led slightly closer to the center, he's shocked to see a freshly built stand with crates of vegetables arranged in neat rows for customers to browse. Bright yellow paint on the sign above the stand heralded who it belonged to, it was Hop Pop's family name! "What's all this now?"
"We all pitched in and built you a new stand." Felicia spoke up. "For giving us something better than produce."
"Hope." Wally finished.
The sentimental gift was already bringing tears to Hop Pop's eyes, but he held back. They didn't need to see him turn into a blubbering mess right now, he can save that for when he gets home.
Mrs. Croaker pats him on the shoulder. "You've made us all proud, Hopediah."
"But, the rent! I can't afford-" Hop Pop's ranting would have continued if didn't stop it with a swift bonk to his noggin with her cane.
"We got that covered too, at least until you're all back on your feet. And if Toadstool gives you any guff." The elderly woman punches the palm of her hand, the threat quite clear.
"Oh I like her." Anne whispers to Sprig and Polly.
Hop Pop approaches the stand, grazing the wood with his fingers as he wrestles with his emotions. "I may have lost the race, but I'm back in the market with all of you. That makes me feel like a winner."
Sylvia pulls Hop Pop into a hug. "Oh, it's just good to see you back in your element. I'll be sure to get all my vegetables from my favorite farmer." She teased, melting Hopediah into a flushed mess when she kisses his cheek. Despite the unlucky loss, Hop Pop felt luckier than ever to be living in such a great community.
Back in Cragmarrow Cove, the day had become dusk. As the stars in the sky start to shine through, so to did the star-shaped echinoderms in the shallow pools of salt water. Making them easy meals for the silver shelled crabs that foraged for them. The mighty matriarch, Caragula, crawled out of her cavern with every heavy thump of her legs to join in the feast with the smaller males. Unknown to the beasts that the red shape that had been seen on the cliffs high above them had slipped into the golden crab's lair.
It had taken a healthy dose of consecrated oil and prayers for Marcy to get the joints of her armor to quiet to a smooth hiss. Stealth wasn't her strongest aspect, but it was needed if she wanted to get the crab egg and escape in one piece. Creeping ever deeper into the cavern with careful steps, Marcy spots her prize amidst the darkness with her bionic eye. The clusters of eggs were nearly the size of her head and covered in a thin veil of a protective sticky coating. Nothing Marcy's welding las couldn't cut through with a few soft whispers of red to cut one of the eggs free. Making her escape, she nearly dropped it on the ground! Luckily her manipulator arms caught it at the last moment. Her paradoxical clumsiness wouldn't foil her this time!
Stepping out the mouth of the cave, Marcy's ceramite boot caught on one of the shallow pools of water that dotted the craggy stone floor. Causing her to tumble with an audible metal clank onto her front. The egg was still safe in her mechadendrites, but peeling her face off the ground she's met with every single crustacean in the cove looking at her.
"Uh, hi?" The probability that the crabs would go back to their business was low, but it wasn't an absolute zero.
Sadly the Omnissiah's sacred calculations are not in her favor, and the crabs scurry at her while she scrambled back to her feet. Cursing in binary.
"01001111 01101000 00100000 01110011 01101000 01101001 01110100!" The crabs are fast, but they were a hindrance to themselves by constantly trying to climb over each other. Causing Marcy to run around the cove with a literal wave of silver snapping limbs chasing after her. Activating the minor subroutines for her combat protocols, she's able to thin the tide of crabs with each lasbolt fired behind her from her welding las by small margins. The silver crabs have overpopulated the area for a while. Caragula had been watching from a distance and for good reason, she launched a stream of acid that burned at the hem of Marcy's robes.
"The newts were not exaggerating the distance of the acid spit!"
Not even the silver males were safe from the acid, melting through their hardened shells and liquefying their insides into a sloshing mess. Sending the few remaining scattering as the matriarch crustacean stomped forward now that her ranged attack was exhausted. Covering the ground quickly due to her size, a golden claw is raised high to crush the egg thief into paste. The intruder proving too fast, stepping out of the way at just the right calculated angle to dodge the attack.
Marcy wished she had brought a melee weapon with her, a power fist could easily reduce the claw in front of her into a shattered stump. Retreat was her only option, but the cove's sheer cliffs were impossible to climb with enough speed and Caragula was right on her tail. Though Marcy did always do her best thinking under pressure. The mechadendrites holding the egg safely, Marcy began to lead the massive crab around the cove. She hadn't just spent her time studying the crabs and their eating habits, but the entire ecosystem of the cove itself. A duck and leap over the snapping claws, Marcy looked back as she lead Caragula right where she wanted. All of the geysers in Cragmarrow Cove erupt at specific intervals, all of them were different but easy to track when you've catalogued them as extensively as Marcy has. Just as a snipping pair of pincers were prepared to bisect the tech-priest, the spout of boiling hot water erupted under Caragula. Sending her onto her back as her biology kicked in and she fell into stunned hibernating state.
"Just as planned." Sure it wasn't her original plan, but it had worked!
With the males scattered and Caragula incapacitated, Marcy was free to crawl up the side of the cove and make her escape. With the egg secured, she had completed the trial set before her by the Headmaster of the Night Guard and is one step closer to finding the rest of her companions and figure out a plan to make it back to the Stormheart.
The Omnissiah must have been watching over Marcy, the journey back to Newtopia was uneventful compared to her start. No poor animals tangled up in the local plant life to distract her this time. Though the stench from the egg might have been the cause of the lack of predators. Her rebreather pressed tightly to her face to drown out the smell of the sea at low tide emanating from the egg with holy incense. By the time she made it back to the Night Guard HQ in Newtopia, it was dawn. The guard posted at the entrance of the skeleton looked to be in utter shock at what he was witnessing. Marcy assumed it was because no one had ever completed the task at such speeds before, she was only gone for a few days at most.
Back down into the dark, musty corridors of the Night Guard's secret base with egg in tow, Marcy burst through the doors of the strategium from her last visit. All of the Night Guard Masters were sitting around the table, mugs of recaf in their hands as their casual conversations came to a screeching halt. Headmaster Albert's hand was frozen in place just as he was about to take a bite of a morning pastry. "M-master Marcy, you're back!" The surprise evident in his stutter.
"Indeed and I'm not empty handed either." They couldn't see the grin on her face, but it was wide when she gently set the crab egg she stole onto the table. She'd clean her manipulator arms later.
The once stunned newts started chattering to one another in hushed tones. It was quelled when Albert raised a hand. "I must admit, Master Marcy, this is an unexpected surprise."
"You assumed a human couldn't perform such a feat?"
"We assumed no one could!" Albert answered, earning a confused mechanical garble from Marcy. "The trial was suppose to be impossible, to see how a future Night Guard might handle failure. Frustrating it may be to fail, it's an important way to learn. Many don't return due to tempers, inflated egos, or shame. But you, you've returned with victory! There is only one thing we can do." Albert looked to his fellow masters, the hooded newts nodding and voicing their agreement. "For completing the trial, you've proven you are experienced and capable beyond most initiates we recruit. For that, you shall instead be promoted to Chief Ranger and lead your own troop of fresh recruits."
Marcy needed a quick moment for the logic cogitator in her head to catch up. They had expected her to come back with her metaphorical tail between her legs in order to pass the trial? It was best not to look a gift grox in the mouth, she wanted this so she could explore the rest of Amphibia and find Anne and Sasha. But leading her own cohort? It was a big responsibility and much different from commanding combat servitors through her data-tether. Marcy had almost forgotten to speak to break the pregnant pause.
"I would be honored, thank you, Headmaster Albert." She bowed low. "What should I do with the egg then?"
"Keep it! It should be worth quite a lot of coppers to someone in the market. Oh, and be sure to visit Bernardo, the armorer. Your sky metal may be stronger than our iron, but we still have a uniform to uphold. You'll be meeting your squad tomorrow, afterall."
Marcy nodded, snatching the egg back up in her manipulator arms. "Though I wish not to alter my appearance too far, I shall see him for cosmetic changes." The tech-priest gave another cordial bow and left the chamber with her egg in tow. Though it stank worse than the waste purifier and algae farms combined, it would be good to not rely on the King's charity. With the first part of her plan accomplished, Marcy left for the market in high spirits.
One step closer to getting off this rock and back to her friends.
Lily Paddington.
As the name suggests, the entire swamp town is built upon the giant lily pads that not only grew on the water, but high into the air on their long stalks. Using the water lilies as homes and their elevated height to fish the lake below without too much incident. Just like every other dwelling in Frog Valley, Lily Paddington was subjugated by Toad Tower on orders from Newtopia. The constant mistreatment by the toads themselves have made the frogs there resentful as their payments never seem to be enough. The latest tax season had quite a few homes stormed and raided by the toads. Any who resisted were punished severely, only fanning the flames of wrath slowing burning in the town. One morning, that smoldering pit is ignited into a raging inferno as news traveled around the Valley. It was on every newspaper in every town, a frog had stood up to a toad. It wasn't a complete victory, no one in Lily Paddington or the other towns even knew there was another candidate. Just the simple act of standing up to the toad in charge, the people rallied behind the figure. No one knew his name or his face, but his beliefs and ideas caused a chain reaction.
Two toad guards stood guard at Lily Paddington's Town Hollow at the edge of the lake. Mayor Copernicus Amanita paid the tower extra for protection to keep him safe with the stationed guards. So Chadwick and Orlanda made sure to put on a tough face with their spears to make sure the frogs or anything else didn't try something funny.
"Sure is quiet." Chadwick spoke to his partner standing opposite of the stone staircase.
Orlanda nods. "It's strange right, the transcendent nature of silence? Free from the cacophony of egos and decadent violence, one can truly comprehend the nature of one's self within the galaxy."
Chadwick looks over with an eyebrow raised. "I didn't understand a word of that."
She simply shrugs. "Me neither."
The quiet previously mentioned is broken by a gathering of frogs and lesser known amphibians all approaching the Town Hollow. The pitchforks and torches in their hands didn't exactly convey they were hoping for a friendly chat with the mayor. The toads pointed their spears at the mob, fearful now that they were outnumbered ten to one. The angry shouting was enough to draw Mayor Amanita outside at the top of the steps with a huff. "I say, what are you amphibians doing?" The stretched out, buttoned waist coat and powered wig screamed aristocrat. "Return to your homes at once by order of the mayor!" After his declaration, he narrowly avoids a fish being thrown from the crowd. "Hey!"
"I don't think they're listening!" Shouted Orlanda over the frenzied mob.
"I knew this day would come!" It was why Copernicus hired the guards in the first place, but they did little to intimidate the townspeople of Lily Paddington. In fact, the two toads had dropped their spears and ran away! "Get back here!" With no threat in the way, the frogs stormed the building. Mayor Amanita made his quick escape through the hidden escape hatch he had installed for just such an occasion. Pocketing a few bags of coppers to live off as he was officially and physically kicked from office. The amphibians of Lily Paddington cheering in triumph and praising the unknown figure of their rebellion.
"And that's what happened, sir!"
Chadwick and Orlanda traveled for three straight days to make it back to Toad Tower. The deal Grime had with the mayor had them gone for months and were surprised to see the tower currently under repairs. They weren't permanent fixes, but sturdy enough until the proper materials and labor could be gathered. What had them confused the most was the tall figure standing next to Grime on the other side of the table. It was like nothing the toads had ever seen, dwarfing even Grime himself with it's sheer size. Black boots and navy blue pants of unknown materials with brass greaves around their shins and knees. A breastplate of brass scales wrapped firmly around their torso along with a pauldron on the right shoulder in a similar fashion to Captain Grime. Armed to the teeth with a sheathed sword with a heron shaped hilt and guard along with a knife of unseen make and size strapped to opposite sides of it's hips. The two toads grew nervous in it's presence as it stood there, watching them with it's gloved arms crossed.
Knocking them out of their fear was Captain Grime hitting the table with his fist, catching their attention. "Something about my new lieutenant disturbing you two?"
They couldn't even speak, only shake their heads rapidly from side to side.
"Good." Grime snorted. "Though you two abandoned your posts." The single green eye leering down at the two toads. Now dreading whatever torture they had to endure in the pain room, as was custom for the dread captain of Toad Tower. "I'm glad you made it back safely. Make sure you get a hot meal and rest up."
Oddities after oddities kept piling up for the two toads, now Captain Grime was acting more calmly than usual. Frog, you could even say he was being nice! Not looking to squander the stroke of good fortune, Chadwick and Orlanda nod and quickly left the war room.
"You're getting better at this." Sasha commented with a smirk.
Grime winded up his arm and punched the wall.
"Still need to work on that."
"This is no laughing matter, lieutenant! Do you know what this means?"
Sasha eyed the cracks growing on the cobblestone wall. "That we're going to need to fix that again?" As if the heron attack wasn't bad enough.
"No! Lily Paddington isn't just rioting, it's a full on rebellion! Only a matter of time until the rest of the valley falls into anarchy." Grime spreads out a map on the table of the entire valley and marking locations with wooden figures. A crouched toad placed upon Toad Tower and a crouched frog on the town marked Lily Paddington nestled in the Northwest of the Valley. "I'm sending you in with Percy and Braddock along with a contingent of soldiers. Make them submit, but try not to kill anyone. We can't tax empty towns."
"Whatever you say, captain." Sasha practically spit the title out as she went for her cloak hanging on the wall. Affixing it across her unarmored shoulder and walking to the door.
"Oh, and lieutenant?" She stops midstride as Grime addresses her. "Remember not to wander off."
Sasha scowled. "Acknowledged." She slams the wooden door as she stomps away. Having to be reminded of their deal left a foul taste in her mouth. Forced to act as the one-eyed toad's obedient subordinate and help train his troops and repair the damage from the herons. All so she could have a chance of making the search for Anne easier once Grime gives up the information he's keeping. For now, she'd continue to play along, but maybe an entire toad army could be useful? They'd be protected out in the vast wilderness of Amphibia and have more eyes to search for Marcy and the rest of the away team. Sasha's hand subconsciously wraps around the hilt of her knife, the only one of the trio not rendered unusable by crushing tower debris.
By the Emperor's Will, she'll find her girls and get them out of here.