Family Cruise
It was another sunny day in Amphibia, and the Plantars were preparing for their annual family-fishing trip. On the back of the farm, a medium-sized blue ship was tied to the small private pier of the house. The ship had orange mushrooms growing on its stern and on the lower part of its hull, with a high mast and a frog mermaid as its figurehead. And on the ship's deck…
"James, please remind me: How did we end up as deckhands again?"
"Well, you did tell Hop Pop that we owed him for the mess that happened during the switched drinks incident, and he-"
"Ok, ok! I get it! It was just a rhetorical question, James..."
"And that was just a rhetorical answer, bro!"
The boy grumbled, running a hand through his hair. The hard work under the sun made the idea of a swim more and more appealing. Even if it means swimming in Amphibia's dangerous and predator-filled water.
"Well, look on the bright side, at least we didn't have to go to Wartwood and apologize to everyone-"
A buzzing sound, anticipated by a powerful movement of air, like an unexpected gust of wind, announced the arrival of Amelia, the youngest girl of the group riding on the back of Akitsu. With her katana on her side she landed on the ship's deck. Of the two, James was the first to notice the paleness on her face, the bruises on her hands, and the remorse in her eyes. Looks like Hop Pop wasn't the only one still angry for their latest misadventure.
"Let me guess," Jacob mused with a smirk. "Mrs. Croaker is still angry that you took Archie with you."
"I don't understand!" Amelia replied, "I brought him back, and he was fine, plus he had fun... Why is she still refusing our apologies?"
"I'll…talk with her, next time." James patted her shoulder, trying to comfort her. "Don't worry, she's not the kind of frog to hold grudges. Besides, almost all of Wartwood had forgiven us already."
"Almost?" Jacob raised his eyebrow. "Who's left still?"
"Huh, Toadstool, Duckweed, another one…and Leatherleaf. I guess he's still not over the surprise we left him, the one we didn't remember at all."
"The foam bomb?"
"The foam bomb."
"Well, that would be quite an amazing prank for future occasions…if I hadn't forgotten how we made it in the first place!"
"I suspect that would go against every anti-warfare convention."
"Oh, come on! Even the Geneva one?"
"Especially the Geneva one!"
"Dang!"
It was then that the farm's backdoor opened, Sprig, Polly, Anne, Sasha, and Marcy came out. Sasha was holding a foldable deckchair and a large towel under her arm, while Sprig had a fishing rod and a small bucket.
"Ah, the annual Plantar fishing trip." Sprig sighed happily, "I can't wait to cast off."
"It was nice for Hop Pop to invite us," Marcy smiled. "Too bad I don't know how to fish."
"Neither do I, but I don't plan to fish." Sasha smiled, putting on some sunglasses, "I, for one, want to relax on the deck and work on my tan."
"And I don't plan to go fishing either, Sasha. I have… let's say, a different plan in mind." Anne replied, showing off a homemade hang glider she and Marcy had worked on the previous days. "I'm parasailing, baby!"
"Wow!" Polly gasped. "Flying? What a great way to spy on my enemies." She laughed evilly, earning a worried expression from the three humans already on board.
"Oh, please!" Amelia retorted. "You call that flying? You can barely control where you're going, and you have no independent flying power. That's not flying, that's falling with style, at best!"
"Bru-bru-bra!" Akitsu nodded.
"Tsk!" Anne replied with a superior look. "We'll see who has the last laugh! Hey Sprig, what do you say? Why fish when you can fly?"
"Ooh, tempting." The young frog admitted. "But nope. I would rather fish. It's what Hop Pop and I have done on this trip every year since I was a pollywog."
"Awww!" Marcy gleamed, as she mentally imagined how Sprig should have looked when he was a pollywog, the resulting image spot in her mind causing her to suffer cuteness overload.
"First," Sprig continued to narrate, "We'd get the bait ready, then he would let me steer the boat, and finally, we'd spend the rest of the day fishing together. This is a day I look forward to the whole year. It's our special time, and that's something I never want to change."
"I guess I can't disagree with that," Marcy said, looking at him with a gaze full of empathy. As the daughter of a family whose parents were always too busy with their work and career to pay attention to her, the idea of a very special day, every year, where to have a special time together with someone else looked…poetic to her. A part of her wished her parents dedicated at least one day a year to spending time with her.
"Hello, children." Another voice called from behind them. The kids turned to see Sylvia, wearing a yellow dress with white pants, standing on the backdoor. "I'm so glad I was able to join you all on this boat trip."
"Sylvia?" Sasha gasped, walking toward her adoptive grandmother and sharing a familiar hug, "You're coming with us?"
"Of course, Sash! We had been invited, after all."
"We?" Anne raised her eyebrow before a small figure with a tortoise hat and yellow skin jumped onto them.
"Ambush!" The latest arrival yelled, jumping on Sprig and trapping him on the pier's boards.
"Ivy?" Polly, Anne, and Marcy gasped at the same time.
"Ivy!" Sprig replied as well, blushing for a second. "W-what are you doing here?"
"Your grandfather invited us, of course," Felicia announced, appearing right behind Sylvia. Like her, she was wearing comfortable light clothes, a light blue dress with a white sash around her waist, and a small ivory brooch in her hair. "I guess you didn't know?"
"No, we weren't informed." Anne replied, "Have you seen Hop Pop?"
"Morning, kids. Ready for the brisk open waters?" Hop Pop finally appeared, wearing a white skipper dress with a navy hat and an aquamarine scarf. "Ahoy, there."
"I can't believe it!" Jacob gasped, seeing that. "Hop Pop, you're awesome!"
"Dang, HP. Looking good."
"I know, isn't he dreamy?" Sylvia chuckled, while her daughter looked aside.
"Mom, please…"
"Oh, hey. Well-" the old frog giggled, clearly enjoying the attention he was receiving from her. "Now come on, my dear. I'll show you around the boat."
"Oh, how lovely!"
"What the frog?" Sprig protested, as soon as Hop Pop and Sylvia walked onboard, "He can't fish in that ridiculous outfit."
"It looks like Hop Pop's fishing for…something else." Anne shared a knowing look with Sasha and Marcy, the three girls chuckling as they got the implication.
"Ew. Gross!" Polly protested.
"Give yourself a couple of years, Polly," Felicia replied with a smirk. "You'll change your mind."
"Even more gross!"
"So…" Sprig turned to face Ivy once again. "He invited you all, right?"
"Yup. And grandma told me how good of a fisher you are. Actually…I wished you could teach me a bit about it?"
"W-what?" Sprig gasped, his previous outrage disappearing as its place was taken by embarrassment. "Me? Teaching you about fishing? Just us?"
"If that's not an issue," The yellow-skinned frog replied. "Of course, if you have a problem with it…"
"No problem at all!" Sprig jumped, "Come on, Ivy, let me show you what equipment we use."
"Looks like there are two fishers already." Sasha giggled, amused by the scene. "And we haven't left the pier yet."
"Come on, girls." James and Jacob called from the ship's deck "Get onboard!"
"Boys, are you sure everything's ready?" Sasha asked.
"Absolutely, Sash. We found and fixed all the leaks underwater, we loaded all the provisions we could need, we took care of Monroe…"
(…)
"Mhhh!" The aforementioned blue-skinned frog struggled, as he tried (and failed) to get free in order to stop Sylvia from joining Hopediah's fishing trip.
(…)
"Wait," Felicia asked with a puzzled look, "You took care of him?"
"Couldn't risk him trying to stop or sabotage the cruise because he is jealous that Hop Pop and Sylvia are getting closer, can we?" Jacob smirked, earning an approving look from Ivy.
"Ok, kids!" Hop Pop announced, playing the ship's siren "Anchors away: here we go!"
"Whoo!"
"Boat trip!"
"Set the sail!"
"Adventure calls!"
However, apparently, no one remembered to untie the boat from the pier, as they suddenly heard a cracking sound as the rope ripped away one of the pier's supporting pillars.
"Frog!" Jacob grumbled as he saw it. "I knew we had forgotten something."
"Oh, don't worry my boy," Hop Pop replied, apparently unbothered by the event, "We'll fix it when we get back. To the sea!" He turned back.
Nevertheless, that small, apparently unimportant pillar was much more important than it appeared at first, as barely a second after Hop Pop turned its back, the whole farm collapsed on itself, the roof and upper floor leaning on the side.
"Huh…" James tried to call for attention again, "Hop Pop-"
"He clearly said we'll fix it when we get back, James!" Jacob hurried to shut him up.
The boat traveled forth down the river; the shore covered by giant reeds. Hop Pop and Sylvia were steering the ship together; Sasha had placed her deckchair on the foredeck, and was now trying to work on her tan dressed in a swimsuit and sunglasses; Felicia was in the side, watching with pleasure the green nature around them; Amelia was on the roof with Akitsu, the large dragonfly resting her wings as she enjoyed the warm kiss of the Sun's light and the ship's pitching; and the others…
"Parasailing is easy." Anne announced to Polly and Marcy, the boys securing the rope to tie her to the boat just behind her, "The wind does all the work."
"Where did you learn all this again?" Polly asked, looking at her with an interrogative look.
"Hours and hours of extensive research." She replied as memories from home returned to her.
(…)
Anne was slouching on the sofa in her family's house, watching videos on her mobile, her shoes, phone, and schoolbag lying around her. "Sweet. Mom! Can I try parasailing?"
"Mị̀ tæ̀ khuṇ s̄āmārt̄h phạbp̄ĥā dị̂ h̄āk t̂xngkār (No, but you can fold your laundry if you want)." Her mom's voice replied from the kitchen, in Thai.
"Ugh. Never mind!" The teenage girl replied, unpausing her video just to see a whale jumping on the parasailer and sinking it. "I'm sure he's fine." She said, to reassure herself.
(…)
"Extensive research?" Jacob raised an eyebrow. He knew what Anne meant when she claimed she did research "Anne, you just watched some videos you found on Doogle, weren't you?"
"Hey!" The girl dropped her bravado as she tried to regain her composure. "They were very well-made videos!"
"And then I'm the one who learns things from the Internet." Amelia chuckled, and Akitsu chuckled with her.
"Don't worry, Jacob!" Marcy in her support. "I personally studied how to build it to make it as safe and easy to use as the real ones. Plus, I'm sure Anna-Banana knows enough to use it."
"Yes, I do!" Anne grinned, preparing herself for her first flight. "Whoo-hoo! It's time to prove my mom was wrong- Ah!"
"Anne!" The three humans gasped as a sudden gust of wind pushed the girl out of the ship and into the air, her friend desperately holding on to her hang-glider, as she had absolutely no control over its movement.
"Well," Jacob chuckled, "I have to give her this: she's got strong arms."
"Anne, are you ok?" Marcy called from down.
"Tsk, newbie…" Amelia struggled not to laugh, as Akitsu and she witnessed Anne's poor first flight.
"Looking good, Anne." Polly chuckled.
James rolled his eyes, and it was then that he noticed Sprig, struggling as he tried to get the bait tenderized on his own, Ivy nearby him.
"Hey, Sprig, are you ok?" The British boy walked up to them; the young pink frog ensnared by one of the giant worms like it was a constrictor snake. "Do you and Ivy need a hand?"
"It's ok, James." Sprig politely declined, "I can do this."
"Huh, Sprig?" Ivy asked, "Um, don't you and Hop Pop usually do it together? It's not something you're supposed to do alone."
"He said to start without him. And I wanted to show you how it is done…"
"Oh, you do?" Ivy cooed. "Then, how about I give you a hand, so you can teach me while I help you?"
"Huh," Sprig replied, blushing a little. "I'd love- I mean, I'd like for you to help. I mean, not that this changes anything: Hop Pop and I are still-He's fishing together with Sylvia?" He turned around, still entrapped by the anaconda-sized worm. Indeed, there it was: his grandfather and the grandmother of his love friend, fishing together like they used to do once.
"Now, follow through on your- Oh! You're a natural." Hop Pop complimented Sylvia, the Sundew's matron chuckling.
"Well, I have a great teacher."
"Oh!" Both started to giggle.
"Wow, I don't know what's weirder," Ivy commented. "That old frogs can still act as young lovers, or that my grandmother is the one your grandfather is after."
"James!" Hop Pop's voice called for him "Why aren't you doing anything? You and Jacob, go mop the bridge!"
"What?" The boy protested. "But we have already done it!"
"Once is not enough, my boy. You must do it routinely, to keep the deck clean."
"But then, why just the two of us? Why not Sasha? She's not doing anything!"
"Sasha's a girl; you can't expect a girl to do hard work, can you?" The old frog continued, trying to play it like a gentleman. "Besides, both you and Jacob are strong and young, don't tell me you can't do it."
James' eye twitched while Sasha struggled to not show her smirk. Then, he walked away, struggling to keep silent in order not to say words neither Sprig, Ivy nor Polly were bound to learn (yet).
"I-I can't believe this." Sprig said in shock, "He's ditching me?"
"He's not ditching you." Sasha sternly replied, getting up on her deckchair and removing her sunglasses to look at Sprig. "Believe me, I know what it looks like when your family forgets about you."
"Sasha?" Ivy asked, in a worried tone.
"What's happening between them," The blonde human girl continued, "is nothing more than Hop Pop trying to express to Sylvia the feelings he had bottled up inside of him for so long time. I guess that, after she chose him rather than Monroe, and all the moments they had together ever since she had returned to the Valley, he's feeling more self-confident and positive about his chances. And looking at how she's receptive to his advances…something tells me she may become your new grandmother." She chuckled, as a strange expression appeared on both the young frogs' faces.
"Ew! Sasha!" Ivy called her out. "Don't make me think about it!"
"Why?" The human smiled at her younger "sister", "Is Hop Pop that bad to have as a grandfather?"
"Well, no! But…"
"By the way, Sprig," Sasha moved her gaze back to him, "If you're bothered by the fact Hop Pop looks too busy with Sylvia, why don't you do it with someone else? Maybe…with a cute, beautiful girl that would be happy to spend some time with you doing something you like?"
"A-a cute girl?" Sprig pondered about it. "Well, that doesn't sound like a bad idea, but where I am going to find-"
Before he could finish his sentence, however, Sasha's hands grabbed him and turned the young frog around, so he was now looking at Ivy right on her face. It was then that he fully understood what she meant.
"Oh." Both of them said as Sasha smirked.
Ivy and Sprig stood for a couple of seconds, trying not to look at each other yet completely unable to do so. Then, Sprig managed to work up the courage to speak.
"Ivy," the young frog struggled to speak, his eyes closed, "Would you-would you like to go…spend a little more time with me?"
Ivy gasped, and then she smiled. "I…I'd love to."
As the two focused on tendering the bait, Ivy listened as Sprig went on explaining the crucial details, as Sasha heard a scream, and Anne landed a couple of feet from her.
"Ok, I think I'm getting the hang of this."
"Boonchuy," Sasha smiled as she helped her friend get back on her feet. "you're not going to believe this. Sprig and Ivy-"
"I know already, girlfriend." Anne smiled "I saw the whole thing from up top. I guess Sprivy is officially on the go, huh?"
"Yup!" Sasha smiled as well. "I guess that officially makes us sisters as well, right? Since your brother is getting all lovey-dovey with my sister."
"Hey!" Anne replied with an amused expression. "It's your sister that's getting all forward with my broth-eeeer!" She screamed as another gust of wind got caught in her hang-glider, sending back the girl up in the air.
"You have chosen…poorly," Sasha commented, leaning back on her deckchair and looking for some new song from her playlist to listen to…
After a few hours of travel through the swamp, the ship reached a large deep-water area, with only a couple of rocks emerging from the water. Noticing a natural shelter, Hop Pop dropped the anchor and stopped the ship.
"We're stopping here for a while," the old frog announced, "Ok kids, you can go for a swim if you want. But be-"
"Cannonball!" Jacob announced as he, James, Amelia, and Marcy dived into the water, the boys wearing Bermuda while Amelia had a swimsuit resembling Marcy's but with violet features.
"-careful." Hop Pop groaned, once again facing the fact they were paying no attention to his warnings.
"Don't worry too much, Hoppy" Sylvia tried to reassure him. "I'm sure they're responsible enough to pay attention and not get themselves in any danger."
"Let's hope so," Hop Pop replied, before noticing Felicia holding herself to the ship-side balustrade. "Are you ok?"
"I'm …fine Mister Plantar." Felicia groaned, struggling to maintain her composure even as her stomach was clearly not for it. "I guess I just need some…fresh air."
"Oh, Felicia." Sylvia came to help her own daughter, "Your boat sickness is hitting again? Didn't you bring your medicine for it?"
"I…I don't have any left."
"You stopped taking them?" Sylvia scolded. "Why?"
"I'm a teashop owner, I never have any reason to go on a boat!" Felicia protested, "Plus, the last time I felt like this has been so long time ago, I had forgotten about it."
"You…you suffer from boat-sickness?" Hop Pop asked, with a puzzled look.
"Yeah, Hoppy." Sylvia replied, "Usually it's not an issue, but when it happens… There was a time when she joined some other adventurers looking for some treasure on the Dawnblood Islands-"
"Mom, please! Have mercy!" Felicia groaned, the memories of the past (and of that humiliating, shameful day) replaying in her head.
"I'll…go check if there is something that we can give you to ease your suffering, young lady." Hop Pop offered, "Sylvia, after that, you want to have a snack? I have some sandwiches with mushrooms, pickles, and cheese."
"Do you have something I could add? Something more…spicy?"
"How about my death peppers? You remember them, so hot they make you wish you were dead?"
"You know how to make a woman happy, Hoppy."
"Ugh, please! Kill me now!" Felicia groaned again.
(…)
"Take this, Jacob!" James hit him with a strong splash of water, the other boy laughing as he raised his arms for the counterattack. After the long travel on board and the duties they had to do under the scorching sun, the chance for a swim and some fun had been well received by the two of them.
"And you take this! And this!"
"Try to do better, Briton: your Admiral Nelson would be ashamed!"
"Why don't you come closer, you pirate!"
"Try and catch me…if you can!"
"Hey!" James stopped, as he realized he and Jacob were the only ones in the water. "Where are Marcy and Amelia?"
"Here." A voice called from behind them, the two boys came to face a sight as they had never seen before. Both girls were now laying on a rock, their hair messy, some unknown kind of freshwater shell stuck in Amelia's hair. And both of their lower halves were now covered, or rather, replaced with two identical gray fishtails.
"W-what?" Jacob gasped, rubbing his eyes to be sure he was seeing correctly. "Girls, you turned into Mermaids? How is it even possible?!"
"It's not!" Amelia replied, moving a bit, and showing that her "tail" had eyes on the back. She punched both of their "tails" in the eyes, the hurt animals letting both girls go as they beat on a retreat, quickly diving underwater and disappearing.
"What kind of creature were those?" James asked, the boys joining the girls on the rock. "Wait, were they trying to eat you?"
"Well, they were trying," Marcy replied, apparently unfazed by the fact. "Fortunately, it appears that these fishes don't have teeth and are used to swallowing their prey whole before digesting them. And humans are too big to be eaten."
"So…you weren't in danger?"
"No, Jacob." Marcy smiled at him, "Don't worry: if we were, we would have called out for you."
The boy with the white streak on his hair smiled in turn, the words of the girl were…comforting to him. Of the Trio, Mar-Mar was the one most likely to get herself in dangerous situations, and in a world of birds as tall as AT-ATs and beetles resembling rhinos, the chances of her getting hurt were too high for anyone's comfort.
Still, the way she looked at him as she told him she would have called for him if she needed help…Jacob couldn't feel a little prideful in it.
"So, apart from those fishes," James interrupted Jacob's daydreaming, "Have you seen any other creatures here?"
"We saw some!" Amelia smirked, "There were some water striders and purple freshwater shrimp…"
"I'm a bit sad I couldn't take notes of them as I left my Journal onboard." Marcy moped down a little. "However, I'll add some more sketches and writing later."
"I'm wondering how many things you keep adding on that notepad of yours," Jacob asked. "Are you trying to write some kind of travelog like The Travels of Marco Polo?"
"Well, that was not my intention, however…I could think about it?"
"You should do it!" James approved. "Marco Polo explored China, but we are exploring a whole new world! The things we might be seeing these days are beyond what most people could see or even imagine!"
"Huh, I don't like the example." Amelia pouted. "I mean, he also remained in China for seventeen years! I don't want to stay here that long."
Both boys grimaced, as did Marcy at Amelia's words. However, while the boys' thoughts were filled with worry at most, Marcy's were also shaded in guilt and regret. Sometimes, she felt like someone was rubbing the harsh truth of her past actions on her, again and again.
"Hey, boys, look!" The dark-haired girl pointed out, finding the perfect way to change the subject. As everyone followed her gaze, the humans were positively surprised to see another rock, on the opposite side of the large deep-water lake. There, on the surface covered by moss and fallen logs carried by the current, some flowers resembling roses or geraniums, of a bright blue color, grew defenseless, almost waiting for someone to pick them up.
"Wow!" Amelia was the first to notice them, "What kind of flowers are those?"
"They must be some new species…" Marcy mused, "Guys, can you bring me one? I'd like to dry it out and add it to my Journal."
"You don't even have to ask for it." James thumbed up, "Hey Jacob, how about doing a little bet? Fifteen coppers on who reaches the rock-"
"Get out of the way!" Jacob didn't even wait for a proper reply, diving into the water and starting to swim furiously, as fast as his arms and feet allowed him to. "Don't worry, Marcy: I'll get you the most beautiful flower of them all! And James? Get ready to pay!"
"Not fair!" James protested, diving into the water as well and trying to regain the advantage, "You caught me off-guard! You are cheating, Jacob! Just like at the Plantar Family Challenge!"
"Hey, losers can't be complainers!"
"Get back here, you-"
"Oh," Amelia face-palmed, "A male brawl, perfect. Marcy, why is it that every time two males do something together, they end up turning it into a contest?"
"Sorry, I have no idea. This is a mystery Science has not explained yet."
"Testosterone-overloaded idiots…maybe we should follow them, to make sure they don't end up in trouble?"
"You first, Amelia."
(…)
"OK, Ivy," Sprig said, "Hold the fishing rod tightly, like this…"
"Huh, Sprig?" She raised an eyebrow "Your hand is touching mine."
"Eh?" The pink frog replied, before realizing it was true, withdrawing his hand with a blush "Oh, sorry! I hope I wasn't bothering you."
"You…you weren't." The yellow-skinned frog replied, turning around to hide her own blushing. Actually, I was kind of…liking it?
"Aaaah!" Anne screamed, once again landing on the ship's deck with a crash.
"Wow, Anne!" Polly jumped in, chuckling "You almost had that one!"
"Really?" The human asked with a hopeful expression.
"No."
"Whoo! Going to get back out there-" she stopped, as she noticed Sprig and Ivy just in front of her, fishing together, her adoptive little frog brother teaching to Sasha's adoptive little frog sister. "Oh, hi, Ivy. So, is Sprig a good teacher?"
"He's the best teacher I could ever ask for! He can tell me how to do it in the right way without making me feel bored."
"I know, right?" She gave them a devious smirk, "I am actually proud of you, Sprig: you managed to shake off the whole Hop Pop thing and have fun in your way- AAAGH!" She screamed, as once again the wind caught the hang glider and herself.
"So…" Polly asked, "You two are…you know…a thing?"
"Excuse me?" Sprig replied in embarrassment. "Y-you think that because we are fishing together, I'm giving up my special time with Hop Pop?"
"Hey, you can still have your special time. In fact, it looks like you are having it…already."
Ignoring his little sister's comment, Sprig focused again on teaching Ivy how to fish. "Ok, this is very important: when you go fishing, always check beforehand that your equipment is in an optimal state. Even if you are in the perfect place at the best time of the day, an old or deteriorating line can ruin your catch in an instant as it will break more easily and cost you a lure. For the same reason, you are to check the weather to-"
"So, it's like hunting bugs, right?" Ivy commented, earning a proud look from Sprig. Yes, her past experiences hunting rare bugs for her collection had given her a good basis for understanding fishing.
"A bit, but there are some key differences. The first one is that you cannot follow your prey: if the line breaks or you are not able to keep the fishing rod in your hands, the hunt is over. The same can happen if your bait is not tenderized enough."
"Did Hop Pop teach you all of this?" Ivy asked, only realizing a second later her tactical mistake.
"Yeah, he…did," Sprig replied with a sigh, as his eyes focused again on his grandfather, who was still busy spending time together with Sylvia, the two of them sharing sandwiches. He knew that Hop Pop was not actively neglecting him, thanks to Sasha's words, and yet… he couldn't help but still feel sad every time he saw them together on THIS day. If Sprig didn't know better, he would say that it felt like their bond had been dissolved. And yet...
"Sprig," Ivy's hand grabbed his shoulder. "I'm sorry for making you feel sad-"
"No, don't apologize Ivy!" He replied, shaking his head, "You don't have anything to apologize for. I mean, I am still a bit depressed, but as I get to spend the time with you, I feel happier now."
"Oh…" Polly teased them with a mischievous smirk, "So, you admit that she makes you feel happy?"
"Polly, of course she makes me feel happy! We are friends!"
"And nothing else?" The little tadpole smirked.
"Polly!" Ivy intervened, "I don't understand your sudden turnaround. Weren't you and Amelia the ones who told Hop Pop and Mom to give us space? What's the deal now?!"
"Indeed, but that was before you had proper feelings for each other." The mischievous tadpole replied with a smirk.
Do I have proper feelings for her/him? The two young frogs exchanged a glance, ignoring the performance they were giving to a very interested spectator.
(…)
This is life! Sasha thought, still lounging on her deckchair, I can chill while working on my tan, and I get to have the best show ever, two dorks working out their feelings for each other! And one of them is my little sister!
"Sasha?" Felicia's voice called out to her. The older, yellow-skinned frog was leaning on the side of the ship as she tried to fight off her boat-sickness "Can…can you help me, please?"
"Huh, sure?" The blonde human raised her sunglasses and stood up. "You need to lay down a little bit?"
"Huh, maybe?" The local tea and martial art expert replied as Sasha moved to her side. "You know, they do look together, don't you think?"
"Who?" Sasha asked as she followed her gaze until she realized she was talking about Sprig and Ivy. "Oh, right. So…I guess our magazines were right in the end."
"Yeah, and they're quite relaxing to see." Felicia nodded, with a happy expression, "What an irony: we pushed so hard to get them together, and only when we gave up, their friendship blossomed into something even more beautiful. Sometimes, I wish Sally was here to witness it."
"Wh- Sally?" Sasha raised an eyebrow, as Felicia gasped, her eyes widening as she realized her tongue had slipped once again. "Who is Sally?"
"Huh, not anyone important." Felicia chuckled, trying to hide her embarrassment. "Just an old…friend of mine?"
Useless, as Sasha realized that her employer and adoptive mom was hiding the truth from her. As the Queen Bee of Saint James, Sasha had learned how to recognize fake when she saw it when someone was not telling you the whole truth, or dismissing something that would later be revealed to me much more important than assumed.
Yet, she could also notice something else in Felicia's eyes: fear, sadness, hinting that whatever she was keeping from her…could have been for a good reason?
At a different time, Sasha would have probably pressed Felicia for information, using her own words against her, all to crack her mental defense and "force" her to tell her everything she had tried to hide. Yet, that was the old Sasha, the Sasha who acted more like a bully than a protector, the Sasha that only cared for her own happiness rather than her friends.
The old Sasha that the new one wanted to leave behind.
"Ok," Sasha replied, willing to drop the matter. It was a good day, they were having fun, so why ruin it by potentially walking into a sad argument?
Moreover, she thought as she focused back on her tan, what is the worst that could have happened?
(…)
"Here is your flower, Lady Marcy," Jacob said as if he was a medieval knight.
"Oh, thank you, Jacob!" The dark-haired girl replied as she tried to get comfortable on the rock. "It's beautiful."
"Hey, I did promise to give you the most beautiful flower of them all, did I? And speaking of giving..." He turned to James, his face suddenly all smug "Didn't YOU have something for me, Jamy boy?"
"I don't have to give you anything!" The British boy replied, "You cheated, starting before I could even fish my offer."
"A bet is a bet!"
"Come on boys, there is no need to quarrel!" Amelia interjected, "There are funnier things to do or watch. Like- that!"
"No! Stinkbugs!" Anne yelled from above them, as her hang glider ended up in a swarm of bedbug-like insects, the smelly bugs impacting on her legs, body, and face.
"Anna-Banana," Marcy gasped, looking up with a worried expression, "everything ok?!"
"I don't think she can hear you from up there." James shrugged, "Don't worry, the worst thing that could happen is that she would need a bath."
"Hey, why don't we ask her to drop her paragliding and join us here?" Jacob proposed. "I mean, it's funnier, simpler, safer…"
Suddenly, the rock under them began to shake, the four humans grabbing as they struggled not to fall back into the water.
"Hey!" Amelia protested after it stopped shaking. "Is that an earthquake?"
The rock shook again, even more violently than before, and this time, neither Amelia nor James was able to hold on, the two of them falling into the water as the "rock" began to move, first revealing red eyes, and then, two menacingly claws.
"This-this is no rock!" Jacob shuttered, as the reality of the situation hit him. "It is some kind of giant crab!"
The crab shrieked, as both Jacob and Marcy held onto each other, trying not to fall. Then, it pointed at Amelia and James, beginning to chase them.
"Run!" James yelled, the two humans were trying to swim back to safety, neither of them daring to look back, while Jacob and Marcy struggled. If they let themselves fall into the water, the crab would have probably noticed, and attacked them as well. However, how long would it take before he noticed them, defenseless as they held on to its shell?
(…)
"Ahhh!" Anne screamed as she crashed once again on the deck of the ship, right in front of Sasha's deckchair.
"Still not giving up, Boonchuy?" The blonde girl said with a smirk, Felicia giving her a scolding glance.
"I…have not begun…to fly yet."
"I have to admit I am quite curious about this…device of yours, Anne." The teashop owner said, still feeling a bit messed up by her boat-sickness. "What was it called again?"
"Hang glider," Anne murmured, still feeling her body aching due to the numerous crashes she had experienced. "Sure, it looked easier to use on those videos…"
"How about taking a little pause to rest before trying again?" Sasha suggested, "Besides, there is a free show." She pointed out to Sprig and Ivy fishing together in the rear of the ship.
"Aww…" Anne said, her face twisting on an adoring expression. "They're so cute together."
"I know, right?" Sasha smiled, "You think I can convince them to name one of their children after me?"
"Sasha Waybright Sundew," Felicia interjected. "You can't try to decide the name of my future grandchildren before I do."
"Hey kids," Hop Pop announced, walking in with Sylvia. The two old frogs had somehow changed dresses and were now both wearing heavy boots and fishermen's clothes. "Have you seen Sprig and Ivy?"
"Why are you- wait, you want to go fish with them?" Anne raised an eyebrow.
"Well, yes." Sylvia chuckled, "You see, a little ago Hoppy was telling me how every year he and Sprig have fun fishing together, so I suggested spending quality time with them as well."
"I'll be honest, I hope Sprig didn't feel ignored by me before," Hop Pop scratched the back of his head, "I mean, this day is usually our special time together. So, have you seen him?"
"Actually, Mr. Plantar." Felicia pointed out, "Looks like your grandson and my daughter are already fishing together."
"Say what?" The old frog replied as he noticed them. "He's fishing without me?"
"Hey," Sasha jerked up, "You were having fun with Sylvia, didn't-"
"Ahhh!" A collective scream gathered everyone's attention.
"What was that?" Sprig asked, he and Ivy dropping their fishing rods and joining back the group. "Did Anne crash again? Oh, hi, Anne."
"Not me this time!"
"It's the kids!" Hop Pop gasped in horror, recognizing the voices "Did something happen to them? Are they in trouble?"
"Hop Pop, turn this boat around!" Sasha tugged him.
"We need to rescue them!"
"I can't see them!" Hop Pop lamented, "If only we had a bird's-eye view."
"Step aside, everyone!" Felicia nodded, grabbing Anne's hang glider. "I'll provide the recon you need!"
"I'm coming with you, Mrs. Sundew!" Sprig jumped on, holding onto the hang glider and Felicia's neck. "Let's go rescue them!"
"Be careful!" Anne tried to warn them, "It's not as easy as it looks-"
The wing caught the hang glider once again, but this time, it flew perfectly, Felicia and Sprig apparently having full control over it as everyone watched from the deck.
"How are they doing that?" Anne pouted with jealousy. She struggled to control it for a few seconds at most, yet now Sprig and Felicia were trying it for the first time, and already using it like experts?
Sometimes, the world was not fair.
"Ok, little Plantar," Felicia commented, the effect of her boat sickness wearing off fast once she was no longer on a boat. "I figured out how this thing works. You look for the others, I'll deal with the maneuvering."
"I see them! These are Amelia and James! And they are swimming away from…" he stopped talking, as his eyes laid on the enormous creature pursuing them.
"That's an Island Crab!" Felicia gasped, recognizing the beast. "They are huge, voracious monsters! The kids are in grave danger!"
"Wait, you have met one already?"
"Lost three companions and a set of perfectly matching silverware. One of the worst days of my life." A tear fell and ran down her cheek. "Sometimes, I still dream of that day, of such a terrible loss…"
"You're talking about your companions, right?" Sprig raised an eyebrow with a suspicious expression.
"What kind of question is that?" Felicia protested. "Do you even have an idea how difficult it is to find a set of perfectly matching silverware nowadays? And it was a Second Age one too!"
"Urgh!" Sprig facepalmed, "There is no time to lose! We must do something!"
"Indeed," the older frog replied, "Listen, I'm going to fly as close to that thing as possible, trying to get its attention. With a little luck, we can have it focus on us and give time for James and Amelia to reach the ship, and rescue Jacob and Marcy from its back."
"Got it!"
The two frogs on the hang glider began to fly right in front of the crab, their fast movement quick to irritate the colossal crustacean as it snapped its claws, trying (and failing) to catch it.
"Sprig! Felicia!" Marcy cried from the crab shell "Help!"
"Hang on, kids!" Felicia replied, moving the hang glider and diving toward them, she and Sprig offering a hand each "Grab our hands!"
Jacob nodded, grabbing Marcy with one of his arms, his other hand reaching for Felicia just as the crab once again swung one of its gigantic claws, the boy moving just in time to avoid being caught, the girl and him holding for their dear life to Sprig and Felicia.
"Felicia!" James almost cried in joy, "I was never this happy to see you!"
"I'm happy to see you too, Jacob. Though I do have the impression you have gained some weight since we last saw each other…"
"Hey, it's my muscles! You see-"
"How about we focus more on evading the giant crab of doom?" Sprig pointed out, the large monster roaring as he followed the hang glider, weighed down by the excessive number of passengers and thus slowed down.
(…)
"Help…help…" James panted, as Sasha, Anne, Ivy, Sylvia, and Hop Pop helped carry both of them out of the water and onto the ship's deck, the two humans panting and breathing heavily, their bodies trying to recuperate the oxygen they had burned as they tried to fast-swim away of danger.
"I-I feel like I just swam through the whole English Channel." Amelia panted, struggling to get back on her feet.
"Nah, that channel is 18 nautical miles long," James said, once he was able to speak again. "We barely swam 18 meters."
"With a crab monster running behind us!"
A couple of seconds later, a thunderous roar foreshadowed the arrival of the giant crab, still snapping its claws at the hang glider carrying Felicia, Sprig, Jacob, and Marcy to safety.
"This crab is making me very scared!" Anne yelled, fearing a strange mix of emotions running through her veins, "But also… very hungry."
"Boonchuy, this is not the time for seafood!" Sasha replied with fear. "Hop Pop! We must turn the ship around!"
"Aye-aye!" The old frog replied, steering the wheel as the crab moved behind it to attack them.
"Waah!" The hang glider crashed on the bridge, its four occupants crawling out of its remains as the others went into their assistance.
"Mar-Mar!" Anne gasped, she and Sasha helping their friend, "Are you ok?"
"Anna-Banana, you …you were right! Flying is fantastic! It's settled: the idea must be studied."
"Jacob, are you ok?" James moved to help his "bro".
"Nothing I couldn't handle, James." Jacob shrugged, sitting down. "I once went to a cowboy-themed fair with a mechanical bull. A giant crab is child's play by comparison."
"Don't worry about it anymore." Hop Pop announced, "This ship is much faster than it, so unless something happens and we are stopped long enough for it to catch up, we're safe!"
"Huh, Hop Pop?" Amelia raised his hand. "Look, not to spoil it, but…I may have a question."
"What is it, Amelia?" Sylvia looked at her.
"Well, I was just thinking…if we are here," she pointed at herself, her cousin, her friends, and Felicia, "and you are there," she pointed at Hop Pop and Sylvia, "…who is steering this ship?"
"I'm a sea pollywog, ahoy!" On the ship's control cabin, Polly sang as she steered (or rather, tried to steer) the wheel. However, she has no driving experience at all, she had her eyes closed as she sang, and her flippers were barely able to hold on the wheel, thus…
…the inevitable happened.
CRASH!
Everyone fell as the ship crashed right into one of the smaller islets, pulverizing its above-water area before stopping cold, the ship's hull trapped on the rocky bottom of the small island. The ship had not suffered serious damage (a couple of scratches on the keel), but now it was blocked, unable to move, defenseless as the gigantic crab noticed it, and pushed forward.
"Mr. Plantar," Felicia groaned, feeling her sickness as it started to calm down, "What happened?"
"Nothing good!" Was the reply of the self-appointed ship's captain, "Mud and plants have become entangled around the propeller. WE need at least an hour to clean them!"
"We don't have an hour!" Sasha pointed to the giant crab as it approached, the chance of running away now gone. That meant that, to save themselves and their friends, the humans had only one option left.
To fight back.
"Looks like we have no choice but to defend ourselves!" Sasha announced, showing off her pink heron sword. "Stand back, guys, I'll deal with the abnormal crustacean!"
"Sasha," Ivy gasped "you brought your sword?"
"Considering how our trips usually go, I decided to always bring it with me. And it looks like I was properly paranoid!"
"Hey!" Jacob commented, taking off his hammer from one crate, "You're not the only one who brought your weapon with you! Marcy, still have your crossbow?"
"Always!" She quickly reattached it to her arm, "However, I doubt my arrow can penetrate that armor!"
"There's no need for that!" Sasha replied immediately. "Aim for that thing's eyes and mouth! You don't have to hurt it; just need to keep it distracted and make it unable to focus on any of us. Jacob, is your hammer strong enough to break through its shell?"
"This hammer could break through Fort Knox if I ever needed to!"
"I'll take that as a yes. While Marcy distracts it, you and I will attack that thing on both sides. Try looking for some weak point and hit it until it stops moving!"
"What about us?" James asked, Anne just behind him.
"James, Anne, do you have something you could use as a weapon?"
"I could use this paddle!" James proposed. "Sure, it may not be much, but it looks quite hard!"
"It'll be fine." Sasha nodded, "Go with Jacob and cover for him. Anne, you're coming with me."
"What about us?" Sprig and Ivy said at the same time.
"You assist Marcy, trying to keep that beast unfocused and distracted, meanwhile, Amelia-"
"Don't worry about myself, Sash." The girl smirked, quickly finding her cone hat and wearing it. "I already know what to do!"
"Amelia?" Jacob asked, noticing her expression.
"By the power of Yamato!" Amelia suddenly shouted, unsheathing her sword, and raising it so everyone could see it, making it sparkle under the sunlight "Akitsu, I summon you!"
A loud buzz and the sound of a fast-flying, helicopter-like creature announced the return of Akitsu, the giant, white dragonfly lowering on the deck and allowing Amelia to jump on its back.
"…You sent Akitsu away earlier just so you could do that, aren't you?" asked Jacob with a deadpan expression.
"Don't spoil my fun, cousin! Come on, you two!" Amelia looked at Sprig and Ivy. "It's time to fly for real!"
"Hey!" Anne protested, only for both young frogs (and Polly) to join Amelia.
"Lead on, Akitsu!" Polly incited her. "To the sky!"
As the giant dragonfly and its passengers quickly blast off to the sky, a certain black-haired nerdy girl approached the Viking/Star wars enthusiast of the group.
"Jacob?" Marcy asked in a neutral tone. "Did your cousin… just summoned Akitsu with an anime reference?"
"Looks so, Mar-Mar."
"Oooooh! I'm sooooo doing the same thing when I found my flying mount!" the girl exclaim herself, the envy barely hidden in her voice.
The crab moved forward, getting ready to attack the ship, when he noticed something fast and buzzing, moving around it at great speed. Its claws moved fast, trying to grab and cut this flying thing, or maybe to bring whatever it was to its mouth. But it moved fast out of its reach, buzzing around, the crab's eyes striving as invisible slashes attacked them, the giant monster roaring in pain every time the dragonfly made another passage.
"Take this, you ugly monster!" Sprig yelled, shooting repeatedly with his slingshot, "And this! And this!"
As the crab focused on the aerial assault, it couldn't notice the sudden counterattack coming from the ship, until it felt smaller figures jumping on its shell and attacking it in close combat. Sasha attacked with her sword, creating an opening for Jacob to exploit, his hammer crashing and hitting the crab's shell with powerful blows, enlarging the damage already done by the blonde girl, while James and Anne supported them as close as they could. Meanwhile, from the deck of the ship, Marcy kept shooting bolts from her crossbow, aimed at the crab's eyes and mouth, equally focused on protecting her friends and creating chances for them to exploit.
The crab was larger than the humans, yet the humans were able to coordinate and avoid all the attacks. Over time the humans pushed the crab back, striking key weak points in its exoskeleton. Now they had it cornered and on the verge of defeat.
"Ah!" Anne shouted, as the crab, in another attempt to shake off its aggressors, clattered, spinning on itself at great speed, the girl unable to hold on and falling back on the ship's deck.
"Anna-Banana!" Marcy shouted, immediately coming to her rescue, "Are you ok?"
"I'm fine, Mar-Mar." The other girl replied, "Just…has the crab fallen already?"
"Not yet, young lady." Felicia replied, observing the battle with an expert eye, studying how the group was faring against the swamp monster, "Sure, your friends are managing quite well, yet such a beast cannot be defeated so quickly. They will need time to wear it down, to get the chance for the final blow."
"How…how much time are we talking?" Anne asked, her stomach pressing on the matter. How long, how long would she have to wait before finally having the chance to taste crab meat once again?
"It depends," Felicia replied, thinking back to her adventurer's days. "The one I fought in my youth took four hours before it got weakened enough, but it was smaller, and we were all seasoned fighters. For this, it could take even longer, probably six, or seven hours…"
"Seven hours?!" Anne roared, her sudden outburst, gaining the attention of everyone still on the ship, Sylvia and Hop Pop included. "I-I can't wait that long! I want to taste that meat…now!"
As she said those words, something changed into her. Marcy was the closest to her friend, and thus, she was the first to see the blue glowing light, filling Anne's eyes and hair, the leaves and sprigs in her hairs once again growing in full branches as the power that defeated the herons resurfaced once again.
Even the giant crab and her friends still fighting atop it realized that something had changed, everyone stopping mid-fight as their focus was suddenly grabbed elsewhere. To the girl glowing in blue light, on the ship's deck, the air vibrating around her like in a vacuum, and looking right at them.
"Wow…" Ivy gasped, seeing it with her own eyes for the first time. "Sprig, you…you weren't joking."
"No, I wasn't," the pink frog replied with a murmur, Akitsu looking with widened eyes at the sudden event.
"I-I can't wait anymore!" Anne shouted, setting gaze on the gigantic crab with a craving expression. "Today's special is crab!"
Instead of trying to run away, or prepare to defend itself, as it would have been smarter to do, the crab shivered. It was unable to think how to face the new, clearly powerful and dangerous adversary in front of it: for the first time, the Island Crab was terrified of facing an apex predator, something to which it was a mere prey. Meanwhile, Anne jumped off the ship and fly at hyper speed toward it, her fist connecting with its frontal shell and denting it with a first strike, the other humans barely managed to evade the impact by jumping into the water or reaching for Akitsu.
"Ok, I guess Anne ADORES Crab's meat." Marcy said with a pale expression, unable to look away as her friend, glowing in her newfound powers and hitting the gigantic crab with new, powerful punches. The crustacean's shell starting to break under the violent assault, its left claw already snapped, the right one barely trying to counter. "Maybe a little too much, though..."
"So, this is the glowing effect you were telling me about, Hoppy?" Sylvia said, her mouth wide open, "I…I never seen something like this."
"Believe me, I couldn't believe it too the first time it happened."
"Guys!" Sasha said, as herself and Jacob climbed back onboard. "Was that…"
"Anne going Super Say-Anne against the crab?" Amelia commented, "Yup, that's her."
"But… why?! We were winning already! Why would Anne-" the blond girl started to complain before being cut short by Jacob, the boy pronouncing two little words.
"Crab. Meat."
"Of frogging' course…" Sasha groan in response.
"I have to admit I'm feeling a bit jealous," Felicia nodded. "If some of my old companions had such power when we went adventuring together, many obstacles we had faced could have been won with much less effort."
BAM!
"Wow!" Jacob said, "Marcy, have you seen how Anne used that large rock to break the crab's remaining claw?"
"This sounds too good to not take notes!" The dark-haired girl hurried to look back for her Journal. "Could be useful for one of my roleplays, in the future."
SWING!
"And now she twisted his eyes together?" Amelia commented.
"Sprig," Sasha whispered to the pink frog. "Don't tell Anne, but I'm even more appreciative that there isn't any more issues between us."
"That's my big sister," he replied with a glow.
THUMP!
"Hop Pop, have you seen that punch?"
"Go Anne! I know her!" Polly shouted.
"She lives in my basement!" The old frog commented with pride.
CRUNCH!
"Uhh!" Felicia gasped, her hands moving to cover both Ivy's and Sprig's eyes, Hop Pop covering Polly's, everyone else assuming horrified expression. "That's going to hurt. Poor crab."
"Gosh!" Marcy covered her mouth in shock. "Such a thing would never pass censorship!"
"And now, it's time for the coup de grace!" Anne shouted, her eyes, hair and body glowing in blue energy, the large crab standing under her, its legs having failed already, its claws useless, its armor broken and shattered in more points, his only eye left working watching above at the floating girl, only able to wait for her final strike.
The wait wasn't long, as Anne pushed downward, both of her punches hitting the crab in the middle of its body, its long-strained armor finally giving up and breaking in two, the shockwave powerful enough to catapult back Anne toward the deck, the girl landing as she felt her powers shutting off once again.
"Uff! Uff!"
"Anne!" Sasha rushed to her, quickly followed by everyone else, "Are you ok?"
"I-I'm fine, Sash." The other girl smiled back, "Wow, I guess I'm…still getting used to this whole "superpower" thing."
"Are you kidding, Anne?" Jacob rushed to hug her, "You kicked its ass! We were barely able to fight that thing to a standstill, and yet, you manage to finish it off in a few minutes at most!"
"Anna-Banana, you're awesome!" Marcy chimed, as she joined the hug. "I drew some of your poses as you were fighting the crab! You looked so cool!"
"Aw, thanks Marbles. You were good too," Anne smiled, as her eyes focused back on her humongous prey. "Wow, look at that thing: probably had a ton of meat, what do you think?"
"If I have to guess, Anne," James replied, trying to calculate by eye, "I'd say more. Still, you have any idea about how to cook all that meat?"
The girl grinned.
(…)
"Ok, guys!" Anne announced, Marcy and Jacob pushing a small kart filled with lid-covered dishes. The deck of the ship was turned into an improvised outdoor dining area with the addition of a couple of tables and chairs for all. The Plantars and the Sundews, together with the other humans, were ready to taste whatever food they had prepared out of the meat of the giant crab. The empty shell lying on the muddy ground of the swamp as several smaller animals were contending for the leftover meat. "Help yourself!"
"Mmmh!" Sylvia smelled the tasteful scent coming form the dishes, "I can't wait to see what kind of dishes humans make with crabs."
"Here is the first," Anne smiled, taking the first lid and showing a plate full of red crab meat sauce, "This, is a Thai Chili Crab."
"If it tastes as good as it smells, I'm sure it will be delicious!" Hop Pop commented, "Sylvia, would you like…ahem, share a larger portion with me?"
"It would be my pleasure, Hoppy."
"Ugh," Polly grimaced, turning away. Her disgusted expression quickly converted to joy as soon as Anne served her as well, the small pollywog happily digging into the food.
"I have…made something as well," Marcy confessed, showing off another dish. This time, the whole plate was filled with-
"Chinese dumplings?" James and Sasha commented with ill-concealed enthusiasm.
"Mar-Mar, you surprise me. I didn't know you were able to make those as well."
"It's just…one old recipe of my mother," the dark-haired cute nerd replied. "I never have a good reason to make them, but I know how to make them!"
"I'm sure they will taste amazing," Jacob irked, sniffing them "Hey, should we leave some for our young lovebirds?"
At those words, the eyes of everyone present focused back on the two young frogs at the other end of the ship, still fishing together as the sun quietly started to set at the horizon, Felicia and Sylvia looking at them with heartfelt happiness while Hop Pop scolded with jealousy.
"To think we always shared this day with each other until now…"
"Come on, Hoppy," Sylvia chuckled, while with some melancholy in her voice. "Your grandson is no longer a tadpole. Let the young ones grow in peace."
"But, but I-I…"
"You're not ready to ready to let him go, right?" Sylvia nodded, her words hitting the mark as Hop Pop stopped talking. "You still see him as the young pollywog who you are supposed to look after, huh?"
"How do you know that Mrs. Sundew?"
"Please, James, call me Sylvia! And the reason I know that is because I already experienced that. Two times already."
"Mom!" Felicia protested, blushing a little.
"Still, I wouldn't be that worried for their portion," Sasha pointed out, "Even if everyone gets seconds, we will have more meat than we can handle, Boonchuy, I seriously hope you do not expect us to eat it all."
"Of course not!" Anne replied, stopping eating her portion and already getting more, "Actually, I was thinking about giving the rest to Stumpy. I may have a couple of ideas for new special dishes to serve for the next two weeks-"
"Let's not forget the rest!" Marcy piped in, looking back at the pieces of still-intact crab armor she had looted before. "We could use them for a couple of armor sets. Felicia, I don't know if you are interested…"
"I am," the former adventurer turned teashop owner replied with a smile. "I do have some armors from my glory days, but I don't think I can fit on them again. So much time has passed since then, and I'm a mother now, I don't think my shape is still the same from my adventurer days. Plus, I'm quite sure those armors had shrunk in the meantime."
Sure, it's the armors which have shrunk, Sasha thought with empathic, yet sarcastic mind.
"Then, how about working on a new one together?" Marcy offered. "I was already planning some new clothes for Maddie, but I'm sure we have enough materials for two armors, maybe even more. How about asking that friend of yours, Ezra?"
As the chat continued, and the sun finally disappeared in the horizon, the quiet, friendly atmosphere on the ship flourished as the humans and the frogs continued tasting the dishes made of the meat of the giant crab.
Yet, as everyone laughed and chatted between mouthfuls, Akitsu, peeked up from the roof where she was currently resting, and felt a chilly air in the wind.
Almost like a foreshadowing, of an incoming tempest …
Hello everyone, my readers.
First, I would like to apologize for last week's missed update, but due to events beyond my control, I ended up with too much work to do in too little time, and as a result, I ended up suffering what it's commonly known as a "creator's burnout". Having to write two fanfic chapters and several unrelated works every week can do that to you.
Yet, this small event led me to reconsider my writing timing: even if I was able several times to write and publish a 10000-words long chapter every week until last, I would like to have more time to properly plan and write every chapter to guarantee to my readers (you) quality works.
For this reason, I would like to ask you a question: are you ok if I slow down the update rhythmic, from a chapter weekly to one every 2 weeks? Or you would prefer to keep reading a new chapter every week?
Please reply in the comments and let me know!