Far, far away from Wartwood, in the middle of a mountainous region, was the dark and foreboding Toad Tower, a fortress that housed the roughest, toughest toad soldiers. But instead of preparing for battle, these toads were partying in the main hall. Drinking, tongue wrestling, throwing darts at each other and beating each other in the head with big sticks.

But then all the partying ended the instant Captain Grime kicked the door down. All the toads stood up and saluted. He growled at them and said, "So, these are the valley's strongest warriors. Pathetic!" He stopped in front of a turquoise toad. "Wait, hold on. Is this guy seriously wearing his breastplate as pants?"

The poor guy started sweating nervously. "Uh, it won't happen again, sir."

"No, it won't. Take him to the pain room," Grime commanded with a snap of his fingers.

Two more toads wearing executioner hoods grabbed the poor cadet and dragged him away. "Not the pain room! I hate pain!"

Grime shouted at the other toads, "I'm sure you've all heard frogs in the valley are getting unruly. They're questioning our authority. Some towns have even stopped paying their taxes. And do you know why?"

A toad raised his hand and said, "Maybe they, I don't know, forgot?"

"NO, YOU IMBECILES!" he shouted as he punched a pillar. "You've all gotten soft! To get this valley under control, I need warriors who are fierce, cunning, and above all, ruthless!"

Sasha Waybright leaned against the wall of her prison cell. A bug crawled along her foot and tried to grab her plate only for it to get crushed by her instead. "Get your own food, you dumb bug."

The door to the dungeon opened and a young, light green toad wearing brown armor came in with a tray of food. "Hey, Sasha. Brought you dinner. Cricket Thursdays." Of all the toads here, Sasha got along best with Percy. Truth be told, Percy didn't want to be a prison guard, he wanted to be a broadway performer instead. It was kind of hard considering no one wanted to hire a toad soldier, but that didn't stop him from dreaming.

The girl smiled and greeted him with a cheerful, "Percy!"

"Hey, I've been working on my act. Do you wanna see it?"

"Totally! Bring it."

"Okay, stay right there!" Percy left, then came back as a one-man band. The tune he played reminded Sasha of "Step In Time" from Mary Poppins. When he was finished, he took a bow. "Ta-da!"

Sasha cheered and clapped her hand. "Whoo! Wow! Get it, toad! That was legit, Percy. Honestly, you're wasting your time here as a guard." There it was. That silver tongue of hers getting to work again.

"You know what? You're right." Percy took off his helmet and replaced it with a jester's hat. "Thanks, Sasha. I can't wait to see the look on Grime's face when I tell him that I'm-"

"Tell me what?" Oh, crap. Grime entered the room and glared at the young toad.

Percy nearly wet himself. Then he said, "Uh...That I quit and I've always hated this job. Bye!" And with that, he ran out of the dungeon. Grime groaned in annoyance.

Sasha chuckled. "Hey there, Grimesy! What's that, like, the fifth toad I've talked into leaving this week?"

Grime summoned Toxic Avenger as his anger grew and he said to her, "There's plenty more where that came from, and far more loyal than Percy."

Sasha chuckled again. "Are you sure about that? You're not exactly Mr. Popular around here."

"Enough! Now who-"

Slash appeared behind Sasha and made a "Bring it on!" gesture. "Down girl," Sasha said to her Stand before returning her attention to Grime. "Sent me? No one. How'd I get here? Don't know. What do I want? To find my friends and go home. Haven't we been through this enough?"

"It'll be enough once you start giving me real answers. Until then-"

"Captain Grime! Captain Grime! Sir!" A light purple female toad with blonde hair came in and made a salute. "Oh, hey, Sash." She gave the girl a friendly wave.

"Braddock! Hey, girlfriend. How's the garden coming along?"

"Oh, it's gorgeous. You should see the squash-"

Grime interrupted her and said, "Did you need something, soldier?"

"Oh! Right. Yes. We may have a small problem."

Braddock led Grime to the top of the tower and pointed forward. "There."

Off in the distance were two herons the size of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. "Kill the torches," Grime whispered. "Fast!"

"Sir," Braddock acknowledged before she ran down.

Sasha's window was just beneath Grime; she looked out and said, "A bird? You guys are scared of a bird?"

"Quiet," he hissed. "It's not just a bird. It's a heron, a murderous predator that happens to love the taste of flesh."

Sasha looked at the herons again and saw blood dripping down their beaks. "Cute," she said, a little afraid now.

"The most important thing right now is that we be very, very quiet."

At that moment, Percy, still wearing his one-man band instruments, left the tower. Grime, Sasha and Braddock silently called for him to come back. Percy saw them and called out, "Sorry, guys. But this toad's gotta follow his dreams!" A heron stomped its foot next to him and he finally realized why they were trying to call out to him. He screamed and tried to run only for the herons to pick him up by the large drum on his back. The drum snapped off his back and he ran back to the tower with the herons chasing after him.

"Don't lead them here, you fool!" Grime shouted. He took out his horn and blew loudly. "CLOSE THE GATE!"

"WAIT FOR ME!" Percy screamed as the gates began to close. He jumped inside just in time.

"Whoa, this is serious," said Sasha. One of the herons smashed its head through the window of her cell and let out a screech. "HOLY CRUD!"

The second heron reached in and swallowed one of the toads whole.

"Ah, this place is falling apart!" Grime shouted.

The poor soldiers were too terrified to fight back. Instead, they hid, trembling as they clutched onto their weapons in fright. One soldier muttered, "Find my happy place, find my happy place!"

Grime grabbed him by the neck and threw him. "Come on, you cowards! Fight back! Do something!"

"Bring it on, birdbrain!" shouted Sasha as she threw her food at the heron that poked a hole in her cell. "EAT THIS!" She threw her food at it, distracting it long enough for Slash to appear before Sasha and repeatedly stab the heron's face with its sword with lightning fast speed.

"MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI!"

The heron let out a shriek of pain as it drew its head back. Grime watched, impressed. "The creature and her Stand can fight. She could be worth something." The heron, fueled by anger instead of hunger, tried to attack Sasha again only for Grime to grab its beak. "Creature, fight with me. And together we'll-" Sasha ran off. "And she's gone." The heron shook him off its head and he landed on his back. "I'm not afraid of death!"

"HEY, UGLY CHICKEN!" Sasha came back and threw a barrel in the air. Slash appeared and thrusted its sword into the barrel, causing it to rocket forward and crash into the heron's face. It let out a shrill cry before it retreated.

Grime made an impressed laugh. "Where did you get moves like that?"

"Cheerleading, believe it or not," said Sasha. "Up top, girl," she said to Slash, who gave her a high five.

Grime gave her a confused look. "I'm sorry, cheer what?"

"Okay, listen up. If I help you get rid of these birds, you will give me provisions and release me. Deal?"

"Deal. Now grab every toad you can and head to the safe room." The herons let out a screech. They were coming back. "Quickly!"

Stand: Slash

User: Sasha Waybright

Power: A

Speed: A

Range: D

Durability: C

Precision: B

Potential: C

Ability: All its powers directly assist Slash in battle but have limited use anywhere else. It is an incredibly agile Stand, able to attack enemies with barrages of sword slashes and thrusts before the opponent can react. It can also use this agility, along with its sword, to defend and deflect attacks aimed at it or its user. The speed is also a weakness as Slash can sometimes move so fast, it can't see what it's doing, requiring it to slow down.

In the safe room, all the toads shuddered in fear while some barricaded the door with their bodies. "You know what would lighten this atmosphere a little bit?" asked Percy. "A joke! How many herons does it take to storm a castle?" Grime summoned Toxic Avenger, who proceeded to flick a bit of acid at Percy's hat, dissolving it. "Too soon?"

Toxic Avenger's steam intensified along with Grime's anger as he said, "You lot are, without a doubt, the most useless group of toads I have ever seen!" His "pep talk" disheartened them. "Maybe if any of you had a scrap of courage, we wouldn't be in here cowering like a bunch of-"

"Okay," Sasha said as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"What?"

"All right. Let's take five. Grimesy, a word in private, please?" She pulled him to the side and said, "Okay, if you keep yelling at them like that, they'll keep being useless, and we'll all die."

"What do you suggest, I congratulate them? Give them each an award?" Grime spat at the ground and the acid saliva ate through the floor.

"Not exactly," said Sasha. "Just try saying nice things for a change. Get them to love you, and they'll do anything for you."

"That actually works?"

"Oh, it works, all right. Trust me."

"Mmm. I don't know."

"Here, I'll give you a head start," Sasha said before she said out loud for all the toads to hear, "Whoa, Grime! So you think your guards are all amazing but you're afraid to tell them your true feelings?"

Grime was flabbergasted. "What? What are you-"

"What's that? You think Braddock is the toughest toad in the tower 'cause she doesn't take garbage from anyone?"

Grime looked at Braddock, who looked just as confused as he was. "Uh...Yes! Braddock is tough. Tough as beetle skin."

Hearing that, the toads complimented her. She blushed and said, "Oh, well, I do wash with a steel wool brush. It really hurts."

"And what were those nice things you said about Gary?" Sasha asked Grime as she gestured to to the blue toad who had just returned from the pain room.

"Oh, Gary. Gary, Gary. Um...Gary never missed a day, even when he was sick."

"What can I say," asked Gary. "I'm dedicated."

It was working. The toads' confidence and morale was increasing. They believed Grime truly did like them.

"And Percy?" Sasha gestured to the young toad.

"I don't wanna do Percy."

"And Percy?"

"PERCY IS A GRUBBING IDIOT!" snapped Grime. The toads gasped. Percy made a hurt look. Sasha face palmed. Realizing his mistake, Grime corrected himself. "Uh...But, when he makes a mistake, he owns it. And he doesn't stop until he makes things right. And because of that..." All the toads held their breath. Was he going to say what they thought he was going to say? "He has..."

"Come on, come on," Sasha insisted.

"He's earned my respect."

All the toads gasped. He said it. Percy asked, "I have?"

"Uh...yes?"

A happy tear dripped down Percy's cheek before he saluted. "Captain Grime, sir, we're taking this tower back, even if we have to fight through 20 herons. Now come on, you toads. No one wants to live forever!"

The toads cheered, then let out war cries as they ran outside. Sasha smiled with Grime.

The toads came to face to face with the herons, who let out a shriek. "For Grime!" shouted Percy. The toads fought back but the herons weren't giving them an easy fight. Percy attracted one of them with his noise maker. "Before we die, Braddock, I love you. I've always loved you." Braddock gasped, punched him in the gut, then kissed him.

"UP HERE, PEASANTS!" shouted Grime as he and Sasha jumped down from a pile of rubble and attacked the herons with their Stands. Toxic Avenger's fists dripped with a corrosive acid as it proceeded to punch one of the herons in the gut.

"GERO, GERO, GERO, GERO, GERO, GERO, GERO, GERO, GERO, GERO, GERO, GERO, GERO, GERO, GERO, GERO, GERO, GERO, GERO, GERO, GERO!"

Meanwhile, Sasha attacked the second with Slash as it stabbed it in the back with lightning fast reflexes.

"MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI!"

Both herons shrieked in pain as the Stands damaged their bodies, but they couldn't do anything because they couldn't see the Stands. Frightened and hurt, they flew away from Toad Tower and into the forest. When they were gone, Sasha and Grime dismissed their Stands.

The soldier toads gasped in awe. "Toads of Toad Tower, today was a great victory," shouted Grime. "If it weren't for your bravery, the fortress would be lost. You're all heroes!"

They couldn't believe what they heard. "Did Grime..."

"Just call us..."

"Heroes?"

Everyone cheered. Sasha nodded at Grime. "All right, troops, listen up."

"Sir, yes, sir!"

"Okay. Wow. Um..." Grime didn't know what to say at first. He never really had people respect him this much in a long time and it took him a while to find the right words. Then he found them. "Head down to the mess hall for some food and a round of beetle mead. You've earned it."

"Sir, yes, sir!" the toads shouted before they went downstairs.

Grime turned to Sasha. "Unbelievable. This compliment stuff is witchcraft."

"Uh-huh, yeah, okay. Anyways, I upheld my part of the deal. So give me some rations, a map, maybe a cool cloak or two, and I'll be on my way."

But before the girl could leave, Toxic Avenger appeared in front of her, blocking her way. "Not so fast," said Grime. "You're far too dangerous and manipulative to be left to roam free."

"You warty, little-" Sasha summoned Slash and it readied to cut both the toad and his Stand to ribbons.

"But," interrupted Grime. "We both know I can't stop you." Grime dismissed Toxic Avenger. "So go ahead, be a vagabond, wandering alone in the wilderness." Sasha looked behind her shoulder to see the forest, no doubt teeming with fierce monsters even worse than herons. "Or stay here. Help us rebuild the tower. Perhaps serve as my second-in-command. And when we're done here, you, me, and the entire garrison will march on the valley, restore order, and find your friends. Now, how does that sound?"

Hearing this, a feeling of ambition and a thirst for more power hit Sasha and she smirked. She dismissed Slash and said, "I think I can live with that."

"Then come, Lieutenant. We have much to discuss."

Sasha followed him toward the tower where she overheard another toad talk to him about Bog returning from Wartwood. She didn't really pay attention as she took out the photo of herself, Marcy, Anne and Johan. "Hold on for a little longer, kids. I'm coming for you. And when I find you, we're gonna get home." She stuffed it back into her pocket as she made a wicked smile. "But first, I think we're gonna have some fun with this place."

A day after the incident in Toad Tower, the mayor of Swamp Shiro was in his office, reading the newspaper when he came across an article regarding the heron attack. But what caught his attention the most was one little detail. "'Captain Grime says he cannot take all the credit. He wants to give thanks to Percy, Braddock, Gary and his new Lieutenant, Sasha Waybright.'" He eyed the photo of the toads and Sasha standing in front of the wrecked Toad Tower, smiling in triumph.

"So, now I know where the second of you girls are," he said as he glanced at the mural again. "So, where is the third?" He paused to drink his tea. "Is it a coincidence? No. Perhaps fate had a plan for you all this time. Anne Boonchuy is with the frogs, Sasha Waybright is with the toads and the third..." He reached down into his desk, took out a violin and played a tune on it. "If the third is with the newts, I shudder to think what would happen if she meets that king of theirs."

To Be Continued...

Stand: Toxic Avenger

User: Grime

Power: B

Speed: D

Range: C

Durability: B

Precision: C

Potential: C

Ability: Secretes a corrosive acid through its pores. In liquid form, it can be used as a projectile, or as a way to melt through or burn objects by simply touching them. Because of Toxic Avenger's gelatinous form, normal attacks go right through it and can even burn the opponent.