I don't often speak to my readers, but I wanted to apologize for the long wait for such a meager chapter. Work has been a slog and drained a bit of creative energy out of me. I'll try to get back into a writing groove to match my new busy schedule. Also wanted to give credit to The Literary Lord and their friend for making a TV Tropes page for my works. Thanks for reading!
The peaceful town of Wartwood was in an uproar with the sounds of excitement and merriment, a fry cry of the usual screams of terror or spite. Days have passed since the tax collectors from Toad Tower were forced out of the town. Their savior, Anne, and her plucky close friend, Sprig, and his sister, Polly, were exploring the wondrous sights before them. The vacant grounds just outside of Wartwood have been filled up with stands, not for produce but games of skill and chance. Cooked and fried foods of all kinds could be found, even frozen treats for the frog children running about. What would amaze Anne the most were the testament to frog engineering, the thrill rides that consisted of complex systems of pulleys, ropes, and wood to make them function.
"So, what exactly is all of this for again?" Asked Anne as she and the Plantar siblings explored the fair grounds. It felt nice being able to explore the outside world without the hard stares of paranoia from the frogs.
"It's Grubhog Day, Anne!" Exclaims Polly, the magenta pollywog having grown close enough to Anne to use her leaf filled hair as a seat. "It's the one day a year where no one works and the whole swamp cuts loose!" Just as she described, every citizen of Wartwood was enjoying the fair. "And it all leads up to the big ceremony where the Grubhog comes out of it's official stump!" The three of them pass by the stage set up with a small stump with two doors and a banner letting everyone know where the creature would emerge.
"What does the Grubhog do, predict the weather?" The Rogue Trader asked, half joking.
"How'd you know?" Polly was shocked at her friend's foresight.
"Wait, I was right?"
"Who cares about all that Grabhog stuff? Not this frog!" Sprig shouts. "The best thing about this holiday is the vomit inducing, death defying, unforgettable-" The youth hops in front of a roller coaster made of wood and python bones. "Rides! Something you need the most, Anne." Even Polly agreed with Sprig's statement with a nod.
Anne was only further confused. "I need to go on big wooden death traps?"
"No, Anne! You need a day of fun! So far since you've gotten here you've either been working on the farm with us or trying to solve our problems. Also a lot of beast attacks."
"It's true, girl. You need a day off too." Polly adds.
It was true, Anne had been at a constant motion since she arrived on Amphibia. Observing what she can, helping out at the farm and the stand while it was still around. Oddly enough, a lot of that ended up with a monster or beast attacking them. Just a few days ago her ribs had been used as target practice for a toad. The Ecclesiarchy would tell her that idle hands and minds lead to heresy. But, she has been working hard. "I guess you're right."
"That's the spirit, Anne! Let see who can vomit first!" Sprig charges off with the girls following him. All of them eager to try out the many attractions at the fair.
They would have, if a voice didn't call out from a nearby bush. "Not so fast, kids!" Jumping out of the bushes was none other than Hop Pop himself. Startling the trio into halting just before colliding with the elder frog.
Anne was the first to shake off the mild heart attack from the ambush. "Hop Pop! What were you doing hiding in the bushes?" Had he been in there since they arrived into town?
"Uh, I'm not so sure myself, Anne." Hop Pop looked just as confused as his kids and house guest. "Never mind that!" His demeanor shifting to one of excitement in a flash. "Good news! Ralphie Underbrook has the plague!" A smile still on Hop Pop's face as he gives the grave news.
Anne could only gasp. Was it going to spread to the rest of the town until they're nothing but a mindless horde of zombies? The stories she heard from her extended family were not very detailed, but they explained enough to give a child Anne some nightmares.
"That's horrible!" Polly cries out from atop Anne's head, voicing the Rogue Trader's thoughts for her.
Hop Pop waves off their concern. "Oh he'll be fine. But now, someone has to take care of the grubhog, and I volunteered you, Sprig!" The smile on the old frog's face growing as he shakes his grandson in excitement.
Sprig didn't share Hop Pop's energy. "You did what?"
"This is a big deal! The last Plantar to do it botched the job so bad, we shunned him for life!" Just to drive home the point, Hop Pop had pulled out a picture of said Plantar and ripped it in half.
"Botched?" Anne asks with a raised eyebrow.
Luckily she has Polly to fill her in. "Let's just say he got a little hungry. And he ate it."
"Which is why this is so important! Sure you'll have to miss the fair, but it's for a good cause! You can help restore the Plantar family name! Whadda say, boy?" The old frog's eyes light up with hope and pride.
But Sprig looks about nervously. Unable to lay his gaze directly at Hop Pop before finally letting out a sigh. "Of course I will, Hop Pop. There's nothing more important to me than family."
"That's my Sprig, I knew I could count on you!" Hop Pop wraps up Sprig in a hug, but the young frog doesn't seem as thrilled. "Come on, we need to get you into the Grubhog costume right away!" In a flash, Hop Pop is leading Sprig to a tent for, what the sign reads, official Grubhog business.
"You wanna see how stupid he looks in that costume?" Polly asks, looking down at Anne.
"Oh you know it."
Inside the tent, Sprig is busy putting on his handler outfit behind a changing screen with a proud Hop Pop standing by to assist if needed. What drew Anne's attention however, was the straw lined cage sitting at the end with a creature that looks like a mix between a swine and a grub. The brown faced, white bodied bug letting out oinks occasionally. "Out of all the horrible beasts on this planet." Anne takes a seat on a chair next to the cage. "This is probably the most adorable one I've seen." It even let out a few happy oinks when she pokes it's nose through the cage.
"Careful," Hop Pop warns. "It spits acid." Right on cue, the grubhog vomits out a blob of acid through the bars and onto the ground. Eating a hole through the dirt.
Anne had the reflexes to dodge the acid spit, but it still disturbed her that nothing on this planet is what they seemed.
"You got that costume on yet, boy?" Hop Pop shouts, summoning the pink frog as he steps out of view of his family and friend. Sprig donned a tall and wide brimmed hat with flowers tucked into it. A embroidered neck band holding together the patchy coat that was slightly too big for his small frame. The tails of it trailing behind him as he presents himself to his grandfather.
"So proud of you, Sprig." Hop Pop could barely keep the tears of joy from leaking out.
Sprig lets out a, best to get this over with as quickly as possible. He pulls out a scroll that had came with the costume and read it aloud. "Congratulations, lucky child, keep and eye on the grubhog." The text droning on about his various duties and how it was an esteemed honor to be chosen to look after the weather predicting bug. He skips to the bottom with bright red letters spelling out a warning. "And don't pull a Plantar. Ouch." The family shame wasn't easy to shake off.
"Come on, Polly! Let's go spread the good news." The old frog plucks his granddaughter off the human's head and into his arms. "I just know Herbert Deinkmire will be jealous." Hop Pop snickers to himself as he starts to leave the tent. "Oh! Remember, Sprig." He turns around. "The family name is in your hands." He walks backwards, not taking an eye off Sprig.
"In your haaaands." Polly adds, only increasing the ominous sensation washing over her brother.
Sprig waves goodbye with a smile, but Anne can tell it's as forced and fake whenever she has to speak to upper spire nobles. "Sprig, everything okay?" She asks once Hop Pop and Polly are gone.
He sighs loudly. "Yeah I guess. It's just, this year I was finally big enough to get on all of the fun rides! But, I can't let Hop Pop down. Did you see how proud he was of me for doing this? I've only seen him like that maybe twice in my life! Just enjoy the fair without me, Anne." Sprig attempts to push his human friend out of the tent, but Anne is four times his size and three times his age. She doesn't budge.
Instead, Anne picks up Sprig and sets him down on her lap. "Think I'll stay here and keep you company."
"Thanks." Sprig smiles.
"Don't mention it. I had to do all sorts of stuff myself to keep my parents happy and not sully the family name." Anne stared off into the distance, being the child of a Rogue Trader linage was no easy task. She was just glad her parents weren't here to see their daughter in such a sorry state.
"Oh, got a childhood story to share? It's so hard to imagine you as as a kid." Sprigs eyes light up, he was always eager to learn more about the adventurer from the stars. It was hard for Anne to tell him no when he got like this.
Anne pulls the ridiculous hat off the frog and tousles his hair. "Alright, fine. Since we're stuck in here looking after a grub." Said grubhog letting out an oink from it's cage.
The planet of Uthai, home to the hive city Khon Karden and many others that dotted the landscape. Whatever land is not dominated by the ancient structures was filled with dense, hot jungles. The perfect proving ground for the Uthai two-hundred-and-fifth Regiment, or the young spire born children birthed into their ranks as officers. At the moment, the one the jungles were testing was the young heir of the planet, Annelisa Boonchuy.
The task was simple, lead her squad of recruits through the jungle and bring most of them back alive. Anne wasn't too worried, the thirteen year old had her life long friend Sasha by her side. Luckily she had been among the chosen to join Anne on this rite of passage.
"And you're sure it's this way?" The blonde whispered to Anne. It wasn't a boon to morale to question your leaders decisions, but Sasha had to be sure her friend knew what she was doing. So their conversation would remain private from the other eight cadets. All of them dressed up in dark green uniforms.
"Yes I'm sure." Anne rolled her eyes as she stepped under a low hanging branch. "I've spent months studying the area. There isn't much in the 'Hell Strip' we need to worry about." Besides the uneven ground that attempted to sweep the young Uthai princess off her feet. Luckily, dependable Sasha had stopped her from falling with a strong grip on her shoulders.
Sasha righted her friend before adjusting the strap of the autogun slung over her shoulder. "What's the stuff we should be worried about?"
"The Ringshei Tigers." Anne spoke. The planet's dominant predator and what adorned the regimental standard of the Uthai Emerald Tigers. "But their territory is way off to the Western part of the jungle." A low animal growl rolls through the area, freezing Anne, Sasha, and the cadets in their tracks.
"Then what was that?" Sasha unslung the autogun and pointed the barrel through the thick green of the jungle. Leaves and vines rustling with movement from an unseen beast.
"Uh, run!" The large green furred tiger leapt from the bushes and pounced on a boy before he could even let out a scream. The crunching of bones and tearing of flesh the only sound behind Anne as she and the squad flee. "Okay, I may be off by a few miles!"
"Ya think?" Sasha shouts, a bit distraught after seeing a wild animal maul one of them.
Sprig was completely engrossed by the story weaved by his friend. How she braved the jungles as a teen and managed to reach the other side, but had nearly lost half of her squad.
"I didn't think I passed, but I guess it still counts as long as I survived." Anne pats the sword resting against her hip. "Don't think I deserve it still, but they gifted me this when I finished. Though apparently dad was the only one to make it when he took the trial."
"Think your parents would ever let me take a death filled trial too?."
"One day, but we do that on a near weekly basis." The grubhog had been oddly quiet through the short story, Anne peeked over to check on it. Peering at the cage that housed the bug, an acid hole had been burned through the bars. "Uh, Sprig." She taps his shoulder to get his attention.
"Huh?" It took a moment, but Sprigs eyes nearly bulge out of his skull before he suffers a shouting fit. "Where did it go? This was suppose to be easy!"
"Clam down, it couldn't have gotten far! Lets grab it and bring it back before Hop Pop or anyone else finds out."
"You're right, Anne. Time to go Grubhog hunting." Sprig tore the costume off his body, still wearing his normal green vest under it, and slaps his goggled cap on. "It's go time." Taking a long look at the remains of the cage, Sprig follows the acid pocked trail out the back of the tent. The prints of the grub hog leading the duo into the woods.
Knowing the dangers of Amphibia well, Anne was already brandishing her sword and laspistol. "Why does everything run into the woods?" As if her story was just a prelude to another beastly altercation. This time though, she was older and well versed in combat.
It didn't take Sprig long to track down grubhog, cute stumpy legs can only get you so far. It was standing in a clearing, oinking and eating leaves off the forest floor. "Alright, approach slowly, we don't wanna spook him off now." Nodding to each other, they took careful steps closer and closer to the oinking grubhog. An earth shuddering rumble rocked the area, making the bug squeal in fear.
As if the universe was constantly spitting out new challenges for the pair to overcome, a fleshy hand with long nails broke through the earth closest to the grubhog before being joined by another. Pulling itself out of the ground was a black furred mole, about the size of an Imperial Guard Chimera. It's long snout sniffing about before catching a whiff of the grubhog, which had landed on it's back in the piles of uprooted dirt.
"Wait, the scroll warned about this!" Sprig pulled out the long piece of paper that was given to him as caretaker. "It's gotta be a Soot Mole! They love grubhogs!" Said mole was about to snatch up Sprig's charge in it's powerful digging claw, but he was faster. A flash of yellow tongue and the hog was back in his safe hands. This only seemed to anger the mole.
"Why is it called a Soot Mole?" Anne asks, and the beast is happy to answer. A deep breath in and a deep exhale out. Fire bellowing out from it's nose in a fashion similar to a heavy flamer. Anne was quick to grab Sprig and the grubhog before taking cover behind a heavy rock. The fires only dying down once the mole has to take a breath. "Any chance we can outrun this thing?" Anne didn't want to end up a charred pile of human ash.
The young frog looks through the scroll, somehow he didn't lose it. "Says they can move through the ground like water. Think that's a no." Once Sprig finished his explanation, the hungry mole erupted from the dirt in front of them. Claws that could sheer through solid rock swiping out to tear them to ribbons if Anne didn't block it with her sword.
Gritting her teeth, Anne had to focus on parrying and dodging the claws being swung at her. Only sparing seconds to fire hot lasbolts into it's furry hide, but the heat did little to deter it. "Sprig, get out of here!" She shouts, the frog boy doing just that with the precious cargo in hand.
The sound of shattering metal drew Sprig's eyes back to the fight, the once shining blade of Anne's could no longer suffer the punishment of the animal and had snapped in two. It didn't slow Anne down for a second as she drives what remains of her weapon into the mole's abdomen. Earning her a roar of pain from the beast.
Leaving the sword lodged into her opponent, Anne snatches up Sprig once again and sprints out of the forest. One last angry gout of fire hot on her heels before it stops. The wound had given them enough time to escape, and taught the soot mole not to pursue even if they fled with the grubhog.
The carnival and tent were back in sight, and none of the other frogs of Wartwood had caught on anything was amiss. The human and frog nearly collapsing onto the floor of the tent after their near death experience.
Sprig had been the first to break through the exhausted silence "Anne, your sword, I'm so-" His apology stopped by a hand.
"It's okay Sprig, it's just a weapon." Even if it had been a gift from her parents, it had served her well up until now. She would get over the loss of it, but it was a sacrifice she was willing to make to keep Sprig safe. At least she still had her lasgun safely holstered away. "Lets just hope Hop Pop doesn't find out."
"Find out about what?" Turning to the tent flap, none of them had heard the old frog enter.
"Uh." Both of them struggled to piece together any kind of story.
"Oh good, you got the grubhog already! Come on now, it's time for the ceremony! And get your costume back on!" Hop Pop left the duo behind as they let out sighs of relief.
The sun had already started to set over the fair grounds, bathing the area in twilight. The stage for the grubhog was well lit with mushrooms and fireflies. Stumps and logs used for seats for the frogs all gathered. Anne, Hop Pop, and Polly being among them. Stepping out onto the stage was a familiar well dressed toad.
"Good evening, Wartwood!" Toadstool spoke into the microphone. Anne was still amazed about how a simple flower could mimic the properties of a vox. Almost as amazed when Toadstool was greeted with cheers. Either the few days spent locked up in the 'Cage of Shame' was enough for the town to forgive him or they were just that excited for the grubhog. Beside him stood a nervous looking Sprig Plantar.
"Welcome to the annual Grubhog Celebration!" More hoops and hollers bellow out from the crowd. "Alright, simmer down, folks. I'll hand it over to Sprig Plantar! Hopefully he didn't mess it up." The frogs of the crowd shared in the mayor's disdain as they grumbled when Sprig is presented.
"Hello!" The audience is silent, only making Sprig sweat mucus even more. Peering over to a proud family of his to help steel his nerves. "Fellow frogs, it is my honor to present to you the one, the only, grubhog!" Sprig opens the small doors to the stump, to everyone's shock the grubhog was there, unharmed. The gathered townsfolk cheering once again. Following the announcements of Mayor Toadstool, Sprig feed and cleans the grubhog as tradition demands.
"I say my boy, this ceremony has gone off without a hitch! Consider the Plantar name restored!" Toadstool announced with a firm pat on Sprig's back. "Now the moment we've all been waiting for." The toad pulls out a small sickle made of a small bug claw. "Cutting open the grubhog!"
Anne was a bit appalled that the backwater traditions of the farm town not only used an animal to predict the weather, but it's innards too. But she sat quietly in her seat, it was their planet after all.
"Remember, spots on the liver means?"
"Two more weeks of winter!" The frogs respond all at once. All of them chomping at the bit to see the grubhog splayed open for all to see. The only one looking apprehensive was Sprig up on the stage.
Just as the hand of the mayor dropped to slice open the grub, it was stopped! Holding Toadstool's arm up was the watcher of the Grubhog himself, Sprig. "What, has the gurbhog taken over your mind, son?" Some animals were known to have influence over the weak minded.
"I'm sorry, but I can't let you do it! Not after all we did to get him back!" The revelation of something being amiss had the whole town gasp in shock. "I lost the gurbhog and we got him back, but Anne lost something precious to her." Using his youthful energy, he shoves Toadstool aside and grabs the oinking grubhog. Standing on top of the stump with the bug raised up above his head. "Sanctuary!"
Anne thought the gesture was nice, it would make the sacrifice of her gifted blade worth it if the bug she saved lived on from this ordeal. But the uproar of the crowd and the shifting of traditions only made her worry for the frog boy once again. "Sprig, it's okay. Just let them cut open the damn thing!"
"But-" Sprig didn't even have a chance to respond, the animal in his hand was in the perfect position for a large bird to swoop down and snatch it up in his talons. It had happened so fast, everyone was stunned into silence as their weather prediction was whisked away to parts unknown to be eaten.
"I knew it, another Plantar mess up." Toadstool voicing what everyone was thinking. "Alright everyone, go home. Celebrations over." Frogs grumbled their disdain as they returned to their homes. The blood bath over before it could even begin. Just leaving the Plantars and Boonchuy behind.
"Hop Pop, I'm sorry. I let you down." Sprig looking down at his feet in shame.
His grandfather comforts the boy with a hand on his shoulder. "No boy, I'm sorry. I put too much pressure on you to do this. It's no wonder you snapped like that."
"I appreciated the gesture, Sprig." Anne adds. "But you didn't have to freak out over the ceremony. Though I am glad I didn't have to see it cut open in front of me."
"Just didn't want you to lose the one of the few things you had left of your parents for nothing." Unknown to Anne, Sprig was all too familiar with having so little to remember of your loved ones. "Plus, that grubhog and I totally had a bond going on."
"You only had it for an hour." Polly interjects.
Sprig either didn't hear the pollywog or just straight up ignored her. "A bond!"
"Alright you goofball, lets head back home." Hop Pop chuckling as the family leave the abandoned stage to return to the farm. None of them aware of the bird that had carried the grubhog away had let the bug mount it. The true bond between subject and lord as they rode off into the sunset. The smell of war wafting in on the spring breeze.
The red moon in orbit around Amphibia slowly crept into the night sky. Bathing the land below in it's red glow. To the inhabitants of the planet, all was right in the star filled void above their planet. But the light cruiser belonging to Annelisa, the Stormheart, lurked just beyond it. Onboard, Janaritaz had used what little data they could compile from the initial to fine tune the auspex of a single probe. One they managed to convince the ship master to let them launch it in the direction of the moon.
Nothing had a name, the Rogue Trader was usually the one to name planets and their celestial bodies, but theirs was currently missing in action. Janaritaz had decided to designate it AM-02. The anomalous moon had the unique disruptive properties that distorted any signal thrown at it. Luckily the Ommnissiah had blessed Janaritaz with the idea to attempt to retrieve a sample so they could scry a way through the veil of noise.
The probe was standard, made up of basic metals and loaded with servitors and instruments to run the complex calculations into usable data. Retrieval was simple, using the moon's gravity can easily slingshot the probe back to the Stormheart.
The secrets of this system were that much closer for the Magos to crack and bring back those lost on the swampy planet below.