A/N: And here, we have the 5th chapter of "Amphibia: Secrets of Newtopia"! This time, instead of Wax Museum, we have an original episode called "Mysteries of Dol Guldur", following after Swamp and Sensibility. which would mostly be the same. Just one episode away from the biggest surprise of the story...! :)
Amphibia: Secrets of Newtopia
Chapter 5
Act I: Swamp and Sensibility
The fwagon, driven by Hop Pop, and Stumpy, driven by Percy and Braddock, were passing through a valley while Sprig, Anne, Grime, Sasha, Jackie, and the triplets were inside watching a movie on Anne's cell phone.
"Don't you get it, Mother? I know you want me to be a ballerina, but my heart belongs to hip‐hop.", a girl named Mariah said as she performed a brief breakdance.
"Are you disappointed?", Mariah asked.
"No, I'm proud of you. All that hipping and hopping was breathtaking.", her mother assured, impressed while Anne lip-synced the quotes.
"Oh, Mother.", Mariah said as she hugged her mother, who returned the gesture.
"Oh, Mariah.", Mariah's mother said before the movie ended with Anne starting to cry as are Sasha and Grime while Jackie clapped and the triplets cheered.
"And that is the masterpiece, From Pointe to Poppin.", Anne stated.
"Talk about an emotional roller coaster‐‐", Sprig commented.
Suddenly, though, the fwagon stopped abruptly and Sprig fell.
"Whoa!", Sprig exclaimed.
"Sprig! You all right, buddy?", Anne asked.
"What the heck is going on out there?", Sasha asked.
"Come on, Bessie. Come on. Almost there.", Hop Pop urged to Bessie, who chirped.
Then, all of a sudden, the reins broke apart. Fortunately, they stopped just past the hill.
"Oh, dang it! The ding‐dang reins snapped.", Hop Pop groaned.
"So? What's wrong with that? We made it past the hill.", Sasha puzzled.
"Trust me. You have no idea what happens with Bessie's reins broken.", Jackie responded just before a sheepbug bleated, attracting Bessie's attention to the point that the snail chased after the sheepbug, who ran.
"After that runaway snail!", Percy shouted before Stumpy zoomed in after Bessie.
"We gotta get these reins fixed or we can't control Bessie!", Hop Pop urged.
"Don't worry, Hop Pop. There's a town right down the road. See? Ribbitvale.", Sprig assured.
"Ribbitvale? The most expensive town in all Amphibia? No way!", Hop Pop exclaimed before the fwagon stopped.
"Looks like we don't have a choice, HP.", Anne stated as Bessie purred while nuzzling against the sheepbug.
"You're right. But when we get there, don't get sucked in by the fancy.", Hop Pop sighed.
Then, they all took the fwagon to the entrance of the city with Percy and Braddock helping while riding on Stumpy with everyone sighing in exhaustion.
"Finally...! Sweet relief...!", Jackie sighed.
"Guys, look.", Polly said, pointing to a lot of fancy buildings around them, much to everyone's amazement, more so for Polly's.
"So shiny. So sparkly.", Polly spoke, entranced, before Hop Pop snapped her out of it.
"Hey! Hey! I said look away from the fancy.", Hop Pop urged.
"It's like nothing I've ever seen before. A ten‐tier fountain. A solid gold snail carriage. There's even a One‐Eyed Wally. Wait. What?", Sprig puzzled as he saw the one familiar face he never thought he'd see.
"One‐Eyed Wally?", everyone exclaimed in surprise.
"We didn't know you'd be here.", Rose said with a grin.
"Oh, um‐‐", Wally began before a frog named Wigbert spoke to his son.
"Walliam, you know these pungent common folk, do you?", Wigbert asked.
"Uh, yes, Father. I met them on my business travels.", Wally responded.
"These must be your servants from Wartwood then.", Wigbert responded.
"Servants?", Hop Pop and Felicia exclaimed in unison.
"Yes. That's right, Father. These are my servants.", Wally responded before groaning.
"Well, then. A pleasure to meet you all. I am Wigbert Ribbiton.", Wigbert greeted.
"Ribbiton? As in Ribbiton's Ribbons?", Hop Pop asked.
"The finest web crusty floss in all of Amphibia?", Sylvia added.
"THAT Ribbiton?!", Felicia asked.
"That's us. And when I retire, Walliam here will be head of the Ribbiton family empire. Right, Walliam?", Wigbert asked.
"Right, Father. Can't wait for that.", Wally said before sighing as Rose grew worried for him from looking at him.
"Hello. Looks like someone needs repairs. My mechanics will make her right as rain in no time.", Wigbert offered.
"Hup, hup, hup, hup.", the mechanics chanted as they lifted the fwagon and marched all the way out.
"What strength.", Grime said, astonished.
"But how...? Did they even have training?", Bombina asked.
"Oh. Why, that's mighty kind of ya.", Sylvia grinned.
"You'll be joining us back at the mansion, of course?", Wigbert requested.
"Mansion?", everyone asked in unison.
"Oh, no. They couldn't‐‐", Wally began before everyone practically shoved him back.
"Oh, yes, we could.", everyone said in unison.
Later, at the mansion, the gates opened.
"Here we are.", Wigbert greeted.
"This is your mansion? I've only heard tales about it until now.", Grime said, giddy, as he and the group walked toward the entrance of the mansion.
"Some of my prizewinning birds. Ever seen a frog torn in half by a peacock? Grizzly stuff.", Wigbert stated as one of the peacocks shrieked, unnerving Jackie as she shuddered.
"I'd rather not.", Jackie commented before everyone was now inside the mansion.
"It's, uh, one of our smaller rooms but please enjoy.", Wigbert offered before the Plantars, Sundews, frogs, and toads entered Wally's bedroom.
"What the heck, Wally?", Anne asked in surprise before everyone all gasped in awe.
"This place is magnificent.", Hop Pop exclaimed.
"Dang right.", Grime agreed.
"Whoa, there. Whatever happened to 'Look away from the fancy?'", Sasha smirked.
"It don't count if ya don't have to pay for it.", Hop Pop responded.
"Hey, let's go explore.", Ivy grinned.
"Well, okay.", Sylvia grinned before most of everyone laughed as they left until Jackie, Rose, and Anne were left.
"Walliam Ribbiton, you'd better have a darn good explanation for this.", Jackie glared.
"The truth is I live like a bum in Wartwood because... Well, it's what I love. This life may look nice but there's so many rules. And if my family knew the real me, well, they'd disown me for sure.", Wally responded in worry.
"Just be honest with them. Tell them the truth and I know they'll support you. Just like my favorite movie From Pointe to Poppin'.", Anne assured.
"Not everything is a movie, Anne.", Jackie glared before turning back to Wally.
"She does have a point, though. If your family really loves you, they'd accept you for who you are, corny as it sounds.", Jackie agreed before Wally pulled out his accordion from a hole in the floor.
"It's just too risky, guys. I have to hide these around the house, or I'd lose my mind.", Wally responded.
"But what about that time you told me not to care what people think about you?", Rose asked.
"This is different. This is my family we're talking about.", Wally responded.
"Well, we still think you should be honest with them. I mean, what do you have to lose?", Anne responded.
"Well, come with me and I'll show you.", Wally said as he walked before bumping into the wall.
"Meant to do that.", Wally said.
"Yeah, yeah. Of course.", Anne responded.
Meanwhile, everyone else was walking down the hallway.
"Welp, we're lost. Probably gonna be stuck here forever.", Polly discouraged.
"Oh, I know. Let's just open some doors at random. One of them's gotta be an exit.", Sprig suggested.
"At this point, what else can we do?", Ivy said.
The group opened a door and saw that in the room, there were several frogs taking a steam bath.
"Sorry, we're just‐‐ Carry on.", Hop Pop blushed before closing the door and opening another one.
In this room, there were some broken furniture and three frogs hitting a chair with bats.
"Hi‐ya!", a female frog shouted, kicking a chair into pieces, before the group closed the door.
"What about this one?", Grime asked before he opened another door, noticing on the other side, a room with several peacocks, one of which shrieked before another turned to the others, actually a frog in disguise, who shushed the others.
"Uh... Never mind.", Grime said before closing the door with everyone sighing in disappointment.
As for Anne, Jackie, and Rose, they and Wally entered a stable as a horse whinnied.
"So much of my past is here. It would break my heart to leave it all behind.", Wally said, opening one of the doors as a beetle chirped.
"Aw. Who's this?", Rose asked.
"Meet Fiddle Leaf. I've been riding her since I was a wee tadpole.", Wally intorduced.
"Aw.", Jackie said as Anne saw a picture of Wally and his beetle from years ago and then saw Wally with his Beetle.
"Ugh. Well, if you're not gonna tell 'em, what are you gonna do?", Anne asked.
"Maybe if they could see how happy I was living in Wartwood, they'd understand and accept me for who I am.", Wally responded before groaning.
"Who am I kidding. Well, I better go get ready for dinner.", Wally said as he left.
"Oh... Poor Wally.", Rose groaned.
"I know...", Jackie agreed.
"Right. Dinner.", Anne said.
Later, everyone came in toward the table.
"Hey, where you guys been?", Anne asked.
"Around.", Sprig and Hop Pop said in unison.
"Literally all around the mansion.", Grime added.
"Rich people are messed up.", Polly added.
"Hear, hear.", Ivy concurred.
"Guys, we spent the last hour talking with Wally and found out about how miserable he actually is.", Jackie stated.
"Well, tonight I'm gonna help him come clean.", Anne suggested,
"I don't know...", Rose said in worry.
"What do you mean?", Anne asked.
"I mean... it is nice to help him out. It's just...", Rose began.
"Are you sure meddling is a good idea?", Sprig asked.
"Pfft. It's not meddling. It's the right thing to do because it happened in a movie. And movies are never wrong.", Anne responded.
"Really? Don't you remember the last time you tried parasailing because you watched someone do it?", Jackie scolded before it went to a flashback of when Anne was trying to parasail once.
"No! Stinkbugs! Bleh!", Anne screamed as several stink bugs swarmed her with one about to go toward her.
"Uh-oh!", Anne said before getting hit and bombarded by a few more stink bugs before it went back to the present.
"We had to wash you 10 times that day after we got back.", Jackie responded.
"That really happened?", Sasha asked.
"Don't remind me...!", Anne groaned.
"I'm gonna go out on a limb and say..., yes.", Grime responded.
"The point is, nothing good can come from meddling. For all we know, you might as well do more harm than good.", Jackie warned.
"Whatever. First off, that wasn't even a movie. This is a whole other thing. And secondly? It'll be better this time.", Anne assured.
"For Wally's sake and yours, you'd better be right.", Jackie responded.
Later, in the dining room, there was chattering amongst the rich.
"I hear the market has really taken off.", a frog stated before Wigbert cleared his throat.
"A toast to Walliam's valet.", Wigbert said before shrieking with everyone else doing the same as well before Anne cleared her throat.
"Great segue. To thank you Ribbitons for your hospitality, I have prepared a special presentation.", Anne offered.
"You'd better know what you're doing, Anne...", Jackie groaned.
"Gonna ignore that. Now, please enjoy this video of Wally's life in Wartwood. Edited by me.", Anne said before she then played a video on her cell phone.
"Wait. What?", Wally asked in worry before the video started with the Opening Titles, "VIDEO PHONE STUDIOS PRESENTS: WALLY IN WARTWOOD" first showed Wally playing the accordion.
"Oh, I'm a vagrant With a heart of gold Aw. Whoop.", Wally sang as he fell backwards, making Rose giggle a bit with a snicker before it then showed another video where Wally was in a chicken coop with some chickens.
"Wally. What are you doing in here?", Rose asked.
"What can I say? I sleep better with company.", Wally responded before it then showed another video where Wally was bathing in a pool, which turned out to be a fountain as a little frog was tossing coins in before a whistle blew.
"Ooh. Gotta go.", Wally said while starting to leave only to fall flat on his face with the cops closing in.
"Oy, oy, oy!", the cops shouted before they beat up Wally, thus ending the video with the ending titles, "THE END 3 o_O".
"Cue emotional acceptance.", Anne grinned.
"Anne Savisa Boonchuy! Do you have any idea what you've done?", Jackie said in worry.
"Uh... I think so?", Anne puzzled before Wigbert cleared his throat.
"Walliam! That is how you've been acting outside of Ribbitvale?! Unacceptable. You have brought shame onto the house of Ribbiton. Worse. You've been lying to us.", Wigbert scolded.
"I‐I only lied because I didn't think you'd accept the real me.", Wally responded.
"Well, you weren't wrong. We do not accept this. You are henceforth forbidden to leave this town.", Wigbert forbade, making Wally gasp.
"Then you leave me no choice.", Wally spoke before he took off his ribbon and rolled it up on a fork before spinning it around the table and tossing it at a gong.
"That must be a family challenge.", Rose guessed.
"How can you tell?", Anne asked.
"Come on, Anne. You've been here long enough.", Hop Pop stated.
"If my family won't accept me for who I truly am, then I don't want to be a Ribbiton anymore. I challenge you to a winner‐takes‐all duel.", Wally challenged.
"Very well. One‐on‐one Beast Polo. You win, you can leave Ribbitvale and live however you like. You lose, you take over the family business and stay in Ribbitvale forever.", Wigbert spoke before a butler gasped, dropping the tray.
"I accept.", Wally glared before Anne groaned.
"Kinda went off script there.", Anne groaned.
"Off-script?!", Jackie shouted before she, Rose, Anne, and Wally went to the hallways.
"Why did you do that?", Wally scolded.
"You told me this is what you wanted. You said, 'I wish they could see me in Wartwood.'", Anne responded.
"But I didn't actually mean it.", Wally responded.
"Look, I just wanted to help you be proud of who you are. A poppin' lockin' fresh don't stoppin' hip‐hop B‐girl.", Anne said.
"Help?! HELP?! You were warned what your meddling would bring, Anne! YOU WERE WARNED!", Jackie shouted, practically blowing Rose away with the force of her shouting as the little frog exclaimed.
"Okay, okay, I get it! I was wrong and you were right. Happy?", Anne sighed.
"Not even a little. And I think you've helped quite enough today!", Jackie scolded.
"She's right, Anne. You HAVE done enough already. I've got to face the music on my own.", Wally said before leaving, playing the accordion for what might as well be the last time with Jackie and Rose (who looked sadly back at Anne) leaving with him before Anne sighed sadly to herself.
At the polo field, a blue frog named Crumpet spoke up over the microphone.
"Hi‐ho, Crumpet the Frog here, and welcome to the official Ribbiton family challenge. A ribbiting game of Beast Polo. Hey, see what I did there? Ribbiting, riveting? Because we're frogs?", Crumpet spoke.
"Lookie! It Kewmit the Fwog. Yay!", the 6 triplets grinned.
"Wow.", Sasha said in surprise.
"That's a face I never thought I'd see.", Jackie added.
"Yeah. I can see the resemblance.", Allison added.
"Well, this guy's quite the character.", Hop Pop commented.
"I second that.", Sylvia agreed.
"Okay. Here comes the ball now!", Crumpet spoke.
"I don't see any‐‐", Polly began before Wigbert took off his fake eye and put it on a pad, much to everyone's shock and disgust.
"And now the players will pick their beasts.", Crumpet spoke.
"I choose Andromeda.", Wigbert spoke before Andromeda grunted.
"And I choose Fiddle Leaf.", Wally spoke before Fiddle Leaf chirped.
"Not so fast. Fiddle Leaf is a Ribbiton family beast. Since you no longer wish to be a Ribbiton, you can't ride any of them.", Wigbert discouraged.
"Well, then what am I supposed to ride?", Wally asked before Anne popped up, this time, in human form.
"I'll be your beast!", Anne offered, much to Wigbert and everyone else's shock.
"What in heavens?!", Wigbert exclaimed as the rest gasped.
"Anne, what the heck?!", Jackie exclaimed.
"Anne?", Wally puzzled.
"Look. If you're gonna go down, you might as well go down fighting. Plus, I got you into this. At least let me try to get you out.", Anne offered.
"All right. You know how to do this?", Wally asked.
"No, but I'll figure it out.", Anne assured as she put the saddle on.
"Well, here. Put this bit in your mouth.", Wally said as he gave Anne a rein only for Anne to knock it aside.
"Not happening, bud.", Anne refused.
"Okay, fellas. Let's keep this game cool and friendly‐like. Three, two, one. Ee‐eee!", Crumpet shouted before the game started.
With that, Wigbert made the first move by charging Andromeda into battle and then knocking the ball to the other side of the goal Anne and Wally were on, leaving them speechless.
"Sir Ribbiton has scored the first goal.", Crumpet announced before the crowd cheered.
"Turns out Dad's still got it. We might be in trouble.", Wally worried.
"Well, then come on! Let's step up our game and demolish this old man!", Anne urged.
"Steady. He's still my dad.", Wally stated.
"Sorry, I'm just so competitive!", Anne exclaimed.
"Whatever you're doing, Anne, you better hope this works.", Jackie glared.
Later, the ball was put on the field.
"Ready?", Anne asked.
"Ready.", Wally responded before a whistle blew again.
This time, they were ready as Wally knocked the ball off the field first with Anne charging forward and leaping past Sir Ribbiton.
"That beast may be small, but it sure is agile. A goal for Walliam.", Crumpet announced as Wally got the ball past Wigbert's goal, much to his disgust as the crowd cheered.
"Keep it up, Anne! You can help Wally win this!", Rose shouted.
From then on, the game progressed as sometimes, Anne and Wally scored, and other times, Wigbert did up until the score is tied 9-9.
"All right, folks. This is it. Next goal wins.", Crumpet spoke.
Then, Anne with Wally and Wally's dad ran in the field toward each other, but unfortunately, Anne stumbled onto a hole and landed on her face, earning Wigbert's laughter.
"Oh, no!", Wally said in worry.
"Oh, no!", Rose shouted at the same time before Wigbert hit the ball toward the goal.
"Anne, you fool!", Jackie exclaimed.
However, surprisingly, the ball bounced off a goalpost.
"Wait, it missed?", Jackie said in surprise before the ball even went past Wigbert and Andromeda, the latter of which whinnied as Wigbert grunted.
"Ah. He missed.", Wally grinned.
"Second wind!", Anne exclaimed.
"Go get him, Anne!", Rose shouted.
"Yeah! Show him what Anne Boonchuy can do!", Jackie shouted.
"Come on, Anne. We're so close.", Wally urged as she ran.
"He's too fast. We'll never make it.", Anne worried.
"That's what you think.", Wally responded before pulling his accordion out of Anne's hair.
"Wally, how long has that been there?", Anne asked.
"A season at least.", Wally chuckled in response before using his accordion to hit the ball before his dad could get to it, causing an explosion from a giant boom shroom from behind, earning Wigbert's gasp before the explosion died down.
"Goal! Walliam wins.", Crumpet declared, earning the crowd's cheers, even Felicia's.
"Whoo! YEAH!", Felicia exclaimed.
"Ooh. They won!", Hop Pop grinned.
"You did it, Anne! You won!", Jackie grinned.
"We did it!", Anne and Wally said in unison.
"I can finally be myself.", Wally grinned.
"Yes, you can.", Rose grinned.
"Can't be yourself without your signature hat.", Hop Pop grinned, giving said hat to Wally.
"Anne, I owe you an apology. While not everything happens the way they do in movies, things still work out in the end. But next time, you won't meddle when it is unnecessary. Got it?", Jackie glared.
"Got it.", Anne said, her eyes a bit widened.
"Good.", Jackie responded just as Wigbert got hit in the head by the helmet Wally tossed aside in favor of his usual hat.
"Well, son, I concede defeat. I suppose this means goodbye forever.", Wigbert sobbed.
"I don't want to leave forever. I just want to be able to be me, wherever I am.", Wally assured, hugging his father.
"You mean you still want to be a Ribbiton?", Wigbert asked.
"Of course, I do. But you have to accept me for who I am. Both Walliam and Wally.", Wally responded.
"I suppose we can do that. Ah, accordion, eh? You know, I used to love playing the jug, but I gave it up a long, long time ago. Oh, all right. You got me.", Wigbert saud before he pulled out part of the field to reveal a hole in the field where he was hiding jugs.
"You've been holding out on me.", Wally said in disbelief.
"Wait. You mean you play jugs?", Sasha asked.
"Used to. But now, I'm getting back into the swing of things.", Wigbert responded.
"Aw. Isn't this great? I just love happy endings. What do you say? How about a song? Always works for me.", Crumpet grinned.
"I don't see why not.", Wigbert agreed.
"Thanks, Anne, for everything. Well, not everything.", Wally responded.
"Yeah, maybe almost everything, at best. But still...", Jackie agreed.
"Don't mention it.", Anne grinned as she turned back into a blue frog.
"Hit it, Pops.", Wally said before he and his dad started playing.
But when they did, a peacock suddenly appeared with a shriek only for Sasha and Grime to leap up and attack, disorienting it to the point of unconsciousness before it went limp, much to everyone else's astonishment.
"What? You never see a couple of toads go up against a peacock before?", Sasha asked.
"The herons were extremely difficult when they invaded. This is nothing.", Grime added.
Act II: Mysteries of Dol Guldur
The group was already entering Stony Gulch, which had a banner below the town sign that says, "Travelers Welcome".
"New town! New town! New town!", the children chanted.
"Food.", Polly gasped.
"Shops.", Anne said in surprise.
"This place is so cool.", Sprig grinned.
"I agree. What should we do first?", Ivy asked.
"Let's see.", Hop Pop said before he opened his wallet only to discover inside...
"Nothing. All we can afford is window-shopping, kids.", Hop Pop said before everyone sighed.
"Hold on a minute. Is that...?", Grime puzzled as he saw the Curiosity Hut.
"You know this place, Grimesy?", Sasha asked.
"Yes. I do. Ever since you and your siblings joined our ranks, I've been to that oddity place more than once. I know a guy here who might have answers about how to defeat the orcs. But he can be quite quirky when it comes to his 'legendary merchandise'.", Grime responded.
"Are you sure?", Allison asked.
"I've been here enough times to know for sure we'll get our answers there. How else would we have been prepared for the orc attacks up til now.?", Grime responded.
"How about it?", Anne asked.
Well, as long as we get some answers.", Jackie responded.
"Mm-hmm.", Rose and Pat nodded.
"Let's do it.", Anne grinned.
Then, the group entered inside the hut, ominously creeped out by the atmosphere.
"Uh, I think this place is closed. So let's leave and never come back.", Polly suggested.
"Out of the question. don't get me wrong, I'm just as weirded out by this as you are. But right now, the one person who can give us answers about those orcs is him.", Grime retorted before everyone else, apart from Anne, Jackie, Sasha, and Allison, shuddered in fear while entering.
"Guys, it's all fake. They're trying to scare you.", Anne responded.
"She's right, guys. Take this hot mess for example.", Sasha spoke, gesturing to what appeared to be a statue of a frog.
"It may look pretty lifelike, but odds are, the sculptors went all out in this one.", Sasha said.
"Yeah, it even smells real.", Polly agreed before moving in to touch it only for the hand to move and slap her hand away.
"Hands off the merchandise.", the "statue" spoke before everyone except Grime screamed, even the "statue" for a bit before he chuckled.
"The ol' "mistaken for a grotesque lifeless being. Works every time.", the owner smirked as he moved his eye patch from one spot to another.
"You know, some of us here are getting sick and tired of that trick, Mr. Ponds.", Grime sneered.
"Hey! Grimothy, my man! Good to have you here, buddy. Say, I didn't know you were bringing friends along. Well, now that they're here, welcome to my Museum of Oddities. I go by many names, but you can call me 'The Curator.'", Mr. Ponds responded.
"Little on the nose, but okay.", Polly responded.
"And if you chuck some of that cash into this here sack, I'll give you a tour of the greatest museum these parts have to offer.", Mr. Ponds offered.
"We're not here for a tour.", Grime sneered.
"Aw, come on, Grime. That's just for the spirit of commerce.", Mr. Ponds responded before Jackie shrugged and then placed three coppers into the bag.
"Hmm. What's the matter, honey? Face too ugly for public? Ha!", Mr. Ponds joked.
"Wouldn't you like to know.", Jackie retorted with a bit of a glare.
"Oh. A mystery. I love it. But enough chitchat. Walk with me.", Mr. Ponds said, leading the others across the museum, much to Grime's chagrin as he growled.
"I've traveled all over Amphibia, collecting its most rare and frightening creatures and/or artifacts from worlds besides our own. Like the two-headed love dove. There's... I dunno, probably some kinda marriage allegory in there. Oh, and over here, the bugball playing preying mantis. Airbug. There's nothing in the rule book that says a mantis can't play bugball. And even this thing. I call it 'the Looking Glass Illusion Orb'. Trust me. I looked all over and not once did I find anything else like it here. I got the weirdest stuff right here. Feel free to look around. But keep in mind, breathing in the dust will be extra.", Mr. Ponds warned as he showed said attractions before laughing and then using a smoke powder to "magically disappear" before running off with a pant.
Meanwhile, Polly looked at the statue, which held the nine, for a moment before dark whispers sounded as its eyes suddenly turned its gaze to Polly, making her scream before crawling back to the others as the triplets who were with her became frightened.
"Its eyes. They're watching us!", Polly shuddered in worry.
"Well, I had enough.", Hop Pop stated.
"Yep, me too.", Sprig agreed.
"Anne, this place is freaking us out. We're gonna wait outside.", Hop Pop responded.
"Okay, cool. See you guys...", Anne began before Grime shouted out.
"Hold on a moment! We came here for answers about the orcs and we're not leaving until we get some.", Grime urged as he stomped toward Mr. Ponds.
"Yeesh. Killjoy. All right. You'll get the info you need. But it's gonna cost ya a million coppers.", Mr. Ponds responded.
"WHAT?! That is highway robbery!", Sasha exclaimed.
"Yeah, man. We can't afford that.", Anne agreed.
"He always does this...", Grime sighed.
"I told you. The Spirit of Commerce. But since you don't feel like you're in the mood for it, how about we trade for it then? Got anything rare or vomit-inducing I could display in exchange?", Mr. Ponds asked.
"As a matter of fact, I do.", Jackie responded, holding out her hand to show a hexagonal mark on the palm of her hand with Rose getting out hers as well, which had the same mark before they both, much to Mr. Ponds' apparent shock, worked themselves all the way up from their arms to their heads with the black markings going over their eyes.
"Sweet tadpole Mary! You had THOSE marks on you?!", Mr. Ponds exclaimed.
"Wait. You know something about those marks?", Jackie asked.
"Know about them?! HA! I read about them!", Mr. Ponds responded.
"In that case, I'll make you a deal. You give us the info we need about those orcs and whenever you need us, one of us'll be your special attraction for one day only.", Jackie stated.
"Say no more, kid. One day of you for later in exchange for everything I know about the orcs. You got a deal.", Mr. Ponds responded.
"Seriously? This is hu-yuge. You won't be disappointed, dude.", Anne said as she shook hands with Mr. Ponds.
"But right now, what do you know about the orcs so far?", Grime asked.
"Well, I'll tell ya. There I was, searching around the ruins of some dark, creepy place known only as Dol Guldur."
"Dol Guldur?! But that fortress was abandoned.", Grime said in shock.
"Well, apparently not, because I was there, recently.", the Curator responded before it then showed a flashback of him arriving in the place.
"All I know was that something dark was dwelling in there, the likes of which I've never even seen before until now. I should've known right then that it was the shadow of some kind of ancient horror.", Mr. Ponds began as it then showed him exploring the ruins of the fortress, not knowing that the statue holding the sword started to move before Mr. Ponds looked toward the statue but did not see it moving.
"And here's the part that's really gonna grab you. This dark and mysterious force? It can summon the spirits of the dead!", Mr. Ponds added as in the flashback, a ghost appeared from above and behind him, his sword raised before dropping it down toward him, only for Mr. Ponds to stop the sword with his cane.
"Oh, no, you don't! You think you can sneak a sword on me, huh?", Mr. Ponds smirked before he then knocked the sword off just enough to free himself and then twist the 8-ball on the cane, revealing a sword inside it.
"En garde!", Mr. Ponds exclaimed before he then struck the sword twice, making the ghost disappear, leaving behind the sword.
"You're gonna have to do better than that, specter!", Mr. Ponds smirked.
"That would've been it, but then, I saw him. From out of the darkness, who should come but a Necromancer wrapped in a black mist!", Mr. Ponds added as he then noticed a black mist forming into the shape of a person from far away.
"Stay back, you dark creature! You'll never sway me with fear!", the Curator dared.
Unfortunately, he was proven wrong as the black mist opened his mouth with a shriek and then pulled him back before then tossing him aside from whence he was grabbed.
"You definitely scared me!", Mr. Ponds shouted before he ran from the Necromancer, leaving Dol Guldur altogether in fear.
"He showed me his growing orc army. Even things I should never have seen. Things that people say will haunt you to no end!", Mr. Ponds exclaimed as it then .
"But you don't seem to be terrified now.", Grime responded.
"Hey, I may be haunted by what I've seen, but I am not always a coward. And don't you forget it.", Mr. Ponds responded.
"If what you say is true, then I think it's best we avoid going there until further notice.", Grime warned.
"What? But you heard what he said. He saw a growing orc army! We're totally unprepared! That means we all need to go there and find out what they're planning so that we can stop them before they start.", Sasha exclaimed.
"I understand that, Sasha. Really, I do, but the risks at Dol Guldur are too great if any of what Mr. Ponds says is anything to go by, in which case they usually are.
"We just need to be around long enough to see what they're planning. As soon as we know that, we'll just sneak out like we weren't there.", Pat stated.
"You know, I like the way you think, Pat.", Anne grinned.
For a moment, Grime was stern on the matter, but after a moment, he groaned.
"All right, fine. But only until we find out what they're planning. No more than that.", Grime responded.
"Well, if you're all going to go there, I won't stop you, but be careful and don't stay here too long. Seriously, though.", Mr. Ponds responded.
"Got it, sir. We'll try.", Jackie assured before she and the others left.
"May mercy be on their side.", Mr. Ponds stated.
"Doo doo doo. Say Mr. Ponds, do you get the feeling that we exist simultaneously in multiple parallel universes, completely unaware of the other's very existence?", Frog Soos asked.
"You've been licking yourself again, Frog Soos?", Mr. Ponds asked.
"Caught me again, Mr. Ponds.", Frog Soos responded before he then started licking his arm.
Meanwhile, the others gave a reluctant look as they were headed for the dark fortress.
"Dol Guldur... The Hill of Sorcery dead ahead.", Grime said.
"That's Dol Guldur? But it looks completely abandoned.", Bombina asked.
"As it's meant to. Obviously, a spell of concealment was in effect when Mr. Ponds saw the orc army inside.", Grime stated.
"Hey. So, that means that Melkor is not at full strength.", Ivy realized.
"Yes. But even so, he'll still be a force to be reckoned with.", Grime warned.
"Okey-dokey. So, avoid the head honcho. Got it. I mean, it's not like we're gonna be in here for long, right?", Anne responded before she and the others ventured into the castle cautiously.
THREE HOURS LATER
"Aaaagggghh! How long do we have to be here?! We haven't seen an orc in hours!", Polly groaned.
"Come on, Polly. We're totally not gonna see them if you...!", Anne began before she then yawned.
"Why do I feel so tired all of a sudden...?", Anne groaned.
"I think we're all feeling tired here...", Jackie concurred as everyone started to suffer the same ailment.
"Oh, no. Passing out.", Grime said before doing so.
With that, everyone practically fell limp almost all at once as they all yawned. At the same time, a wizard draped in a blue robe arrived, looking concerned for the group before raising his staff.
"The evil that is hidden here... I command it come forth! I command it reveal itself!", the wizard shouted in Quenya before pressing his staff on the ground, causing a white barrier to light up and spread all across the castle, shaking Anne and the others awake as their drowsiness went away, replacing it with surprise and awe.
"Huh? No way! A wizard?!", Anne exclaimed.
"Whoa... A Wizard?", Ivy asked in surprise.
"My, my. I never thought I'd see a gathering of frogs and toads together. Much less here of all places.", the wizard spoke.
"Who are you?", Allison asked.
"I am Grandmaster Mithril. Magistrate and Emissary of Emperor Belos from the Boiling Isles.", Mithril introduced.
"The Boiling Isles?", Sasha puzzled.
"Grandmaster?", Rose asked.
"Emperor Belos?", Pat added in awe.
"So cool!", Rose and Pat shouted in unison.
"Tell me. What business did you have to come here?", Mithril asked.
"Well, we were just looking for the orcs to spy on them so we could get some valuable intel on how to stop them before they can start.", Anne responded.
"But so far, we didn't find any sign of them.", Sasha added.
"Then it might be best to stay close.", Mithril suggested before turning to Rose and Pat.
"You two? What are your names?", Mithril asked.
"I'm Rose.", Rose greeted.
"And I'm Pat.", Pat added.
"Listen. I need you two to carry a message to Mr. Ponds back at the hut. Tell him we must force his hand.", Mithril said.
"But what about you?", Pat asked.
"I'm going it alone with them. On no account come after me.", Mithril said with Rose and Pat growing weary for him.
"Do I have your word?", Mithril asked.
"Yeah.", Rose and Pat responded before they left.
"The rest of you, with me. The orcs may seize an opportunity to strike when you least expect it.", Mithril warned before everyone nodded with them stepping forward as Mithril chanted in Quenya again, this time with Azog and his orcs overhearing this.
"The Wizard has come.", Azog said.
"He is lifting the spell... He will find us!", an orc worried.
"Yes... He will.", Azog smirked as the giant wolves were already starting to get restless.
Meanwhile, Mithril and the others were venturing down further into the castle.
"I got a bad feeling about this.", Percy said in worry.
"Me, too. For all we know, those orcs could be right on top of us.", Hop Pop worried.
"He might be right, We could be in a trap.", Felicia agreed.
"It's undoubtedly a trap.", Mithril said.
"I was afraid you'd say that.", Hop Pop said before Mithril spoke a different chant in Quenya and pressed his staff down again, causing a white barrier to light up as well.
But this time, it revealed Azog, who was leaping toward Mithril with a mace.
"Incoming!", Braddock shouted to Mithril before Azog managed to land a hit on Mithril, knocking him back to the ground.
"Mithril!", Anne shouted before Azog chuckled.
"Azog...! We meet again.", Grime glared.
"There is only one thing I crave more than war... Revenge!", Azog snarled before turning to Mithril.
"As for you, Wizard, you have come too late! It is done.", Azog spoke before lifting his mace only for Mithril to get back up and freeze him in place with his staff.
"Where is your master?! Where is he?!", Mithril demanded.
But Azog still kept his smirk.
"He is everywhere... We are legion!", Azog responded before Mithril and the others and looked down, horrified at the multitude of orcs and giant wolves down below.
"No...!", Sasha said in shock and disbelief.
"That curator wasn't kidding.", Allison added.
"It is over.", Azog discouraged before Mithril then used his staff to create a blinding light, blinding the orcs with a bright light, allowing the group to escape as he noticed they were all gone.
"Run them down.", Azog ordered as Mithril and the others all ran from the pursuing orcs and giant wolves.
Of course, Mithril managed to use his staff to cause part of the fortress to collapse on the orcs and wolves, barring them from getting any closer, much to their relief.
"Whoa. I need to get one of these someday.", Anne said in surprise.
"We'll talk about this later after we get out of here!", Jackie urged before she and the gang ran off as Azog roared.
Unfortunately, the moment they came outside on a bridge, they were in the presence of a giant black mist, worrying the gang greatly, especially the black mist.
"There is no light, Wizard... that can defeat darkness.", Melkor discouraged.
"That voice... Could it be?!", Grime asked in shock before Mithril then created a big white barrier of light to prevent the black mist from attacking.
"Everyone, you must go! Leave me!", Mithril urged.
"What?! Are you crazy?!", Sasha exclaimed.
"There's no way we're doing that.", Allison agreed before the barrier weakened to the point it failed, although Mithril managed to erect a barrier again.
"Guys..., I don't think we have any choice.", Anne said in worry.
"From the looks of things, that barrier might not hold for much longer.", Sylvia agreed.
"But Anne...", Jackie said in worry before Mithril turned back to the gang.
"Fly, you fools.", Mithril urged.
After some hesitation, everyone hurried out away from the barrier.
"We'll be back for you, Mithril!", Anne shouted as she and the gang left.
Eventually, as predicted, Melkor won out and disrupted the barrier once again. But this time, a flame began to ignite from within the black smoke, which parted to show a figure draped in flames. Mithril held out as best he could only for his staff to crumple to dust on both bottom to top before it was destroyed completely. After that, Mithril was tossed to the ground and then flung to the wall by the black smoke with the ground crumbling beneath him. The figure in flames then stood still as said flames burst out from his body, revealing his dark shadow amidst the flame, giving off an appearance of a flaming eye from before.
"Melkor!", Mithril groaned before it seemed as though Melkor moved forward infinitely from the black slit-like center of the flames.
Meanwhile, everyone ran out of Dol Guldur and got back to the worried Bessie and Stumpy, relieving them.
"Let's get out of here, Bessie! Quick!", Hop Pop urged.
"Stumpy, you, too!", Percy urged.
Then, both animals revved away from the fortress.
"Mithril, we hardly knew you... Mainly, 'cause we just met you, so that's saying something.", Percy responded.
"We'll never forget your sacrifice!", Braddock shouted.
Later, back outside Stony Gulch, at sunset, everyone was bummed out. Well, almost everyone.
"Yeesh. So, all that crazy stuff happened? That's nuts.", Mr. Ponds spoke.
"I can't believe what happened...", Rose said sadly.
"Yeah. Poor Mithril...", Pat agreed in worry.
"Look, if it makes you feel any better, the apocalypse is coming soon. Bury your gold!", Mr. Ponds exclaimed, earning a sad look from Rose.
"You've been buyin' gold, right?", Mr. Ponds asked.
"You know, now is not a great time.", Pat scolded with a glare.
"Geez. I was just lettin' her know.", Mr. Ponds responded.
"Well, the important thing is, we're all okay. Well, most of us, probably. You know what it is a great time for, though? Us heading to Newtopia as fast as possible so we can get answers and stop those orcs!", Hop Pop urged.
"Yeah, kicking butt and taking names!", Polly agreed.
"Yeah, but if we're going to take them on, we need to be ready for next time.", Anne said.
"Well, it's a good thing we always have training, then. Don't we, Grime?", Sasha asked.
"Yes. Yes, we do.", Grime smirked.
"Onward family. To Newtopia.", Sprig shouted, pointing toward the setting sun.
A/N: Well, that takes care of this chapter. And now, to focus on the next 3 for "Coven of Rings and Darkness" to bring about a special surprise! :)