Hemisphere Hotel

"Have you seen Marcy lately?" Johan asked Olivia as he polished his gunblade, taking note how she was back in her formal attire.

She looked at her letters. "She and King Andrias are still in the library."

"Still? Do they even have time to go to the bathroom? What about Anne and the Plantars?

"I believe they were going for a walk in the park, but it looked like they were heading for the direction of Newtopia University."

Johan raised an eyebrow as he sat down in a chair. "Newtopia University? Aren't the kids a bit too young to be going to some fancy college?"

"You're never too young for more knowledge. Anyway, I didn't come here to talk about education," said Olivia as she looked at her notes again. "We found the blackjack dealer who was supposed to help us in the casino heist a day ago. What's left of him anyway. He was found floating in the sewer, partially eaten by the alligator."

Johan made a disgusted noise. "Marcy was pretty upset when she found out the Bearded Dragons are using her sewer cleaning solution as a way to get rid of bodies. So, any news on the traitor?"

"Sadly, no. I interrogated all the guards, but no one came forward. This traitor is pretty sneaky."

"So, we're back to square one." Johan rubbed his temples. "I need one of those beetle expressos."

"By the way," said Olivia. "I noticed the hotel's casino's business is booming, as you humans say. I take it this is your doing?"

Johan smirked. "Of course. With the Bearded Dragons' casino getting a bad rap, Passione is now cornering the gambling business thanks to me putting the hotel's casino in my gang's pocket. Now the Dragons will lose more of their income."

"And you don't think the hotel will end up paying the price should they find out?"

"They don't know yet. However, I am going to have to hire the best security I can find if we want to keep the Dragons off our turf."

Olivia narrowed her eyes. "'Your turf'?"

"No. 'Our'. After that little stunt with the casino," Johan said with a smirk. "I think it's safe to say you've got what it takes to be a part of the gang. As long as we can trust each other, of course."

Olivia was stunned at first, then she said, "I will not be a part of some criminal organization! I come from a long line protectors that have watched over this city for generations! To become part of a gang is unbecoming of someone of my lineage!"

Johan dented his fingers together. "I've read about the Zeppelis in this world. They're something like the Sheikah from The Legend of Zelda. Uh, that's a video game series that Marcy likes, by the way. They too protected a kingdom, even resorting to dark means to do so. Is it any different from being in Passione." He exhaled. "But, if you don't want to do it, I can always hire your friend Billie. She seemed quite excited."

"You said Passione is built around trust and skill. How can you trust me? What makes you think I'm not the traitor?"

"Well, for starters, your loyalty to protecting this kingdom is unwavering. You'd never hurt your own people. And two, Marcy trusts and likes you, so for now, I'll do the same."

Olivia thought it over, then said, "You may be a friend of Marcy's and your words may speak true, but I don't trust you entirely. You lied about your real name to Marcy, and Anne and the Plantars. Is there anything else you might be lying about?"

Before Johan could respond, the door suddenly crashed open and a newt wearing a gold Bearded Dragon jacket was flung in. "Who is this?!" exclaimed Olivia as she stood up, already preparing her Spin on the shell necklace.

"I found this one snooping around the hotel," said Diego Brando as he walked casually in. "I thought you should know, my lady."

Once again, Johan felt uncomfortable when in Diego's presence, but he ignored it and interrogated the newt. "Got something you want to say?"

The newt slapped him in the face with his tongue. "Screw you."

"That wasn't very nice." Johan grabbed the newt and threw him across the room and into a dresser.

"Hey! That was an antique!" shouted Olivia.

Johan waved it off. "Put it on our tab, we'll pay for it with the royal credit card." He grabbed the newt by the collar of his jacket and brought him up to eye level. But the newt just growled, "Whatever you do to me, it's nothing compared to what Mr. Hellbender will do when he arrives!"

Olivia's eyes widened. "Gozaburo? When is he coming," she asked the goon.

"I'll die before I tell you-"

BANG!

Johan let out a yelp as the goon's brains splattered all over him. Diego blew the smoke out of his pistol and said, "Wish granted."

"Captain," Olivia shouted at him. "He could have given us more information!"

"No, he couldn't," said Diego as he holstered his gun. Johan began dry heaving, then he fled to the bathroom to puke. Diego scoffed. "He claims to be a gangster and yet he can't stand the sight of gore?"

"Marcy did mention something about a rabbit in a butcher shop..." said Olivia.

A few minutes later, Johan stepped out of the bathroom, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "So..." He said, pausing to burp. "...who's Gozaburo?"

Olivia said, "Gozaburo Hellbender is the father of Bishop Hellbender, the newt who's running the Bearded Dragons."

Johan threw the napkin away and asked, "So, Bishop's dear sweet daddy, or rather, the guy who gives Bishop his money, is coming to Newtopia? You think he talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk?" Olivia gave him a strange look. "It's an expression. It means, you think he's a bluffer?"

"Hardly. I've heard stories about this guy from Billie. He used to come from a wealthy, prestigious family back in Ribbitvale, and he quickly got bored of it. On a whim, he tried his hand in a bit of piracy and found it to his liking. Gozaburo grew quickly addicted to crime and soon rose to become the boss of the Bearded Dragons, before he let his son take over."

"And?"

"From what Billie told me, he's a monster. If anyone owed him money and they didn't pay him back, he would swallow them alive."

Johan pretended to shudder. "I'm kinda looking forward to meeting him. Without this guy around for support, Bishop's confidence will fall apart and the Bearded Dragons will follow suit." He looked at the dead body on the ground and gagged. "Right after I clean up this mess."

"Leave that to me," said Olivia. "You've got more pressing matters to attend to."

"Eh?"

Diego, who was leaning against a wall, gestured out the window. "That newt I shot had friends."

Johan looked out, then immediately ducked back in when a bullet wizzed by. "Shit! Alright. Time for pest control. Diego..." He shuddered for real. "I can't believe I'm saying this, you're with me."

Diego snarled. "Don't think we're friends right now. I still despise you."

"Why? I've done nothing wrong!"

The blue newt scoffed as he left the room. "You didn't HAVE to do anything wrong."

Johan growled. "Don't feel bad," said Olivia. "He doesn't like anyone."

"So I've heard," he said as he picked up his gunblade.

When Diego and Johan stepped outside, the Bearded Dragons took one look and took off on their beetles. "Great, now they're going to tell Bishop where to find us."

Diego didn't respond. Instead, he placed his left index finger and thumb to his lips and gave out a whistle. Something zipped by and came to a stop in front of the two. It was the meanest looking snail Johan had ever seen. It was brown in color with a silver shell and there was a star-shaped mark on its head. "Silver Bullet is my racing snail," said Diego. "Has never lost a race and is the fastest snail in Newtopia." He hopped on the snail's shell and Johan was about to follow, only to get kicked in the gut. "Only room for one! You've got that old plough snail, right? What was her name? Basuty?"

Johan got up and dusted himself off. "It's Bessie and I would rather ride her than on some snooty snail with two assholes." He turned to leave to get Bessie when he suddenly was kicked square in the back and got flung into a wall. He looked back to see Diego snarling at him.

"Learn your place, boy! You're getting full of yourself just because the king takes a fancy to you. But make no mistake, it doesn't matter who you are, how powerful your Stand is or what world you've come from. You're still just an outsider here in Amphibia, just like Marcy, no matter how much the king likes her. Your father obviously didn't teach you your proper place, otherwise, you wouldn't be talking to me so casually."

A vein popped above Johan's forehead when he heard that. "What was that about my father?" he said softly, but Diego had already left. He walked to the stables and found Bessie sleeping in the corner. He gave her a nudge, making her pop out of her shell. "Sorry old girl, but we got some bad guys to catch." He hopped on top of her shell and gave her reins a crack. "Bessie, things are getting messy!" Bessie chirped twice and took off.

It didn't take long for the two of them to catch up with Diego and the retreating Bearded Dragons. Diego began firing his pistol at one of the Dragons' bugs, firing at its leg joints and underside. After a few more shots, the beetle caught fire, then exploded. Carapace shrapnel flew everywhere and a few pieces almost hit Bessie, much to Johan's shock. "ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL US?!" Well, two can play at this, he thought as he reached and picked up the gunblade, which he found difficult while riding on a snail.

He fired the gunblade, taking out one of the Dragons with a headshot. Then he caught up with another one and sliced off one of the rider's beetle's leg. It lost control, crashed into a building and exploded. "Oh mio! Cosa gli hanno dato da mangiare?" He didn't have time to think as he saw more beetle riders zooming off, but in a different direction. "Where are they going?"

Diego put a finger on his chin in thought. "It looks like they're heading for Newtopia University."

Johan raised an eyebrow. "What could they possibly want there? It's just an ordinary school." Suddenly, he remembered, "Oh, God! Anne and the Plantars are there!"

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go after them," Diego said as a bullet whizzed by his head. "I'll hold off these degenerates."

Johan nodded and gave Bessie a nudge. "Bessie, things are getting messy!" The old snail chirped and took off.

Now alone, Diego turned to the Dragons bearing down on him. "You know what to do," he whispered to Silver Bullet as he jumped off the snail's back. Silver Bullet tucked into his shell and allowed Diego to kick him at the Dragons, who only had enough time to let out a scream before the snail crushed them. He then popped out of his shell and slithered his way to Diego who gave him a pat. "Good boy."

Johan eventually caught up with the beetle riders and fired his gunblade at them, taking out all three. "Huh. That was surprisingly easy." Suddenly, an alarm blared out. When he saw it was coming from the college, his heart nearly sank. "No...did they already reach her?" He and Bessie zoomed toward the school, only to come to a stop just across the street from the school when he saw Hop Pop stuck in the front gate's fence. "What in the..."

Sprig, who was on the other side of the fence, came out of hiding and ran toward the old frog. "Hop Pop, what are you doing?"

"Coming to save you," said the old frog as he struggled to break free.

"Hold on." Sprig hopped over the fence and tried to pull him free, only to stop when an old purple newt, whom Johan could only assume was the headmaster, along with a group of campus security stopped them. The headmaster shouted, "All right, hold it right there." Then he saw who it was. "Sprig and Mr. Plantar? What's going on?"

"You're not frog-napping my boy," snapped Hop Pop.

"You were trying to make me a prisoner," said Sprig defiantly.

The headmaster looked confused. "I'm sorry, frog-nap? 'Prisoner'? Sprig isn't locked up. He can leave whenever he likes."

"Then what's with all the gate locking? The alarms, the guards?" asked Hop Pop.

"That's for the students' safety. We are in the city, after all. There are some dangerous oddballs out there."

At that moment, two guards showed up with Anne and Polly, both of them dressed up like burglars. "Hey, Professor, we found these two dangerous oddballs trying to sneak into the university."

"You can torture me all you want. I'll never talk," shouted Polly.

"Polly? Anne?" asked Sprig, confused.

From his hiding spot, Johan shook his head. "Perché non sono sorpreso?"

Anne sighed and confessed, "We were just looking for a rad college party."

"And I was trying to escape." Sprig hopped over the fence so he could speak with his grandfather face to face. "Sorry, Hop Pop, but I hate this place. It's boring and stuffy, and they don't let you wear hats. I know it's your dream. I'm sorry I couldn't make it come true."

"'Dream'? 'Dream'? Forget the ding-dang dream!" Hop Pop freed himself from the fence and held onto Sprig. "I ain't ready to let you go yet. Heck, I ain't letting you go ever! It's homeschooling for the rest of your life. Forget higher learning, or big opportunities. You belong at the bottom of the socioeconomic barrel with me."

"Yay!" cheered Sprig before asking, "Wait, is this a good thing? Oh, what the heck. Yay!"

The headmaster clapped his hands. "My boy, you continue to impress. No one has ever evaded campus security before. The offer of admission still stands."

"Thanks, Professor, but I don't think it's for me right now," said Sprig. "In a couple of years, who knows?"

"Well, we'll be here waiting for you when you're ready. Now, come on, everyone, let's get back to that crazy party." The headmaster and the rest of the guards cheered as they ran towards one of the frat houses, much to Anne's displeasure.

"I knew it."

The guard weevils barked at her and Polly, scaring them.

"Happy you're back, Sprig," said Hop Pop.

"Me too, Hop Pop," said Sprig as the two of them embraced.

"Hey, Sprig, go long!" Anne shouted as she tossed a pillbug.

"Okay!" he hopped up and grabbed it. "Yeah!"

Johan smiled. "I don't know what went on here, but I'm glad they're safe. Come on Bessie, let's get back to the hotel."

"So, how was the college life?" Johan asked mischievously as soon as the Plantars and Anne returned to their hotel room.

"Not quite as I thought it would be," said Sprig.

"Same here," said Anne before asking, "Wait, how do you know about that?"

"I saw the whole thing. How did Hop Pop get stuck in a fence, by the way?"

Hop Pop looked away. "I don't wanna talk about it. And besides, what were you doing there anyway?"

"Just...checking up on you, hoping you weren't getting into any mischief again. Apparently, I was too late to stop it." Johan decided not to worry them about the Bearded Dragons coming after them. He looked out the window and said nothing for a while before talking, "Hey, Anne. This whole college thing's got me wondering about our future. When we get back to Earth, what then? I mean, I can continue my search for the arrow in California, but where do we go from here? What will I do when I go back to Italy? Will we ever see each other again?"

Anne chuckled. "Dude. We're still kids. We got a LONG way to go before we have to start worrying about college. And don't worry," she said as she put a hand on his shoulder. "We can always see each other. That's what video chat is for!"

Johan smiled. "Yeah. I guess you're right. But still, what do we do next after we go home? Do we just go on with our daily lives? How can we after all this?" Anne didn't know how to respond to that.

Bishop was having a phone call with someone. "Father, don't worry about it, I'll get the money back."

"The money is not the issue, Bishop," said Gozaburo. "I'm more concerned about you."

The veins in Hellbender's forehead bulged with anger. "What was that?"

"Passione are the ones who destroyed Toad Tower in Frog Valley. I have a feeling you're..."

"WHAT exactly? That I can't hack it? That I can't take down three aliens and a family of slimy little frogs?! You were always like this! Always doubting me! Well, I'm the one running the gang now and I have the power! And I know how to take down Passione!"

"Explain."

Bishop held up a picture of Anne. "Strike where it hurts."

To be continued ➟