A/N: And here, we have the 10th chapter of "Secrets of Newtopia"! Sorry for the delay. I just got the very first Sega Genesis Model recently along with "Disney's Aladdin" (I am aware that Gilbert Gottfried has passed away, so my first fanfic for Aladdin will pay tribute to the late actor for Iago in the future), "Sonic the Hedgehog 3", and "Sonic 3D Blast". Turns out that not all of them worked immediately at first, but a week after that, they all started working. All I need to get now for the Sega Genesis is Sonic & Knuckles (and maybe even the Model 2 Sega Genesis console, which was the console I was aiming for earlier). :) Anyway, back to the story, this time with a couple of guest stars as well as a surprise enemy in "A Day at the Aquarium". If you wanna know who those are, you'll just have to read on.
Amphibia: Secrets of Newtopia
Chapter 10
Act I: The Sleepover to End All Sleepovers
One night in a tower of Newtopia Castle, Marcy, in her pajamas, was watering a potted flytrap.
"Watering the plants, watering the plants.", Marcy sang.
But the plant suddenly snarled and tried to take a bite out of Marcy, but missed as Marcy yelped, pulling her hand away.
"Branson! No, bad boy.", Marcy scolded.
"Oh, I can't wait for the others to come here.", Alexis said excitedly.
"I know! It's gonna be awesome!", Max agreed before Olivia knocked on the door.
"Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. They're here!", Marcy squealed before opening the door.
"Good evening, Master Marcy. Anne Boonchuy, Sasha Waybright, the Plantars, the Sundews, and the toads have arrived for your...",Olivia began before everyone burst in past Olivia.
"Sleepover!", the gang shouted.
"Sleepover, sleepover!", Anne, Rose, Pat, Alexis, and Sprig shouted as they hopped on the bed while Polly tore a pillow in half.
"Sleepover!", Polly shouted in slow motion.
"Sleepover. If anyone needs me, I'll be in the kitchen drinking... juice.", Olivia sighed before walking away.
Then, Anne and Sasha squealed as they hugged Marcy.
"This is gonna be...", Anne began.
"Awesome!", Sasha and Marcy added.
"It's the perfect way to spend the night before we hear from the king.", Sprig grinned.
"Yeah! And we get to show you how awesome sleepovers are.", Rose beamed.
"I just wish I could be part of that sleepover.", Grime groaned a bit.
"No kidding? So do we.", Percy responded.
"Sorry, guys. I wish I could let you hang with us, but that's not how sleepovers work.", Allison explained, adding to his disappointment as Percy and Braddock groaned.
"I wonder what he learned about that music box, anyway.", Sasha puzzled.
"I don't wanna give anything away, but it's gonna be pretty cool.", Marcy replied.
"Really?", Rose asked before Marcy nodded.
"Okay, kids, we'll be back in the morning for our meeting with the king. You enjoy yourselves.", Sylvia grinned.
"We're off to spend a little much needed us time. And by us time, I mean a full body...", Hop Pop began before Ivy, Sprig, and Hop Pop hurriedly closed the doors.
"Okay, bye, H.P.!", Polly shouted.
"Later, Hop Pop.", Sprig exclaimed.
"See you in the morning, Grandma!", Ivy shouted.
"Whoo-hoo! Our first sleepover.", Polly beamed.
"Better make it a good one. These will be formative memories.", Sprig whispered.
"So, how do sleepovers work?", Ivy asked.
"You know, the usual.", Sasha began before Anne and Marcy joined her as they spoke in unison.
"Pajamas, junk food and gossip galore. Pillow fights, movies and tearing up the dance floor. And listen up 'cause this I won't repeat, never ever go to sleep.", the trio spoke before they laughed together.
"Sensing some missing context here.", Sprig said.
"Okay. How this works is, falling asleep early means total failure. A true sleepover goes till sunrise.", Sasha explained.
"Under normal circumstances, I'm out. But given everything that's happened so far, why not? What about you, Ally?", Jackie grinned.
"Well...", Allison began.
"Well, what?", Sasha puzzled.
"I get that having a sleepover is fun and all, but I don't want to get in Olivia's bad side tonight if I can avoid it.", Allison responded.
"Enough setup. Let's get our sleepover on, baby.", Anne said.
"Whoo-hoo! Let's do it!", Polly cheered as everyone else just "whoo-hoo'd".
First, they sled down the stairs on a mattress, careening past Olivia, much to her chagrin.
"Cowabunga!", Sprig and Pat shouted with a giggle.
Next, the gang were trying on all sorts of apparel with Anne and Sasha laughing as they got into large socks like sleeping bags and hopping off while Olivia walke dup to who she thought was Andrias.
"Excuse me, sire.", Olivia spoke before "Andrias" turned to her, revealing that it was Pat, whose mouth was puffed up.
"Yes, peon?", Pat asked in an authentic voice similar to Andrias, making Olivia gasp before Pat laughed in his normal voice.
"Sorry, I just couldn't help myself!", pat laughed as Olivia grunted while her face turned red.
Then, as Oliva was later reading, Anne, Sasha, Marcy, Rose, Pat, Alexis, Sprig, Polly, and Ivy all burst in, spraying silly string on her, much to her severe annoyance.
"Oh, for frog's sake!", Olivia said in frustration before quickly karate-chopping them away, leaving them exclaiming before they landed.
"While I'm glad you kids are having fun, let me remind you that some castle rooms are off-limits, namely the basement, which is...", Olivia began before she got sprayed with silly string again.
"Aha! Montage is back on, baby.", Anne shouted before the gang already retreated to their room and played pillow fight with Anne laughing.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow.", Sprig and Ivy said in unison.
Then, everyone rushed past the kitchen doors with Polly the only one behind, albeit somewhat swollen and wide, as she burped. After that, the gang took up painting mustaches on the paintings, although only Jackie, Allison, and Max avoided doing so out of fear of getting any ire, while the triplets giggled at the mustaches on the paintings. Soon, the gang was cooped up back in their room again.
"That was awesome.", Polly yawned.
"Best sleepover ever.", Sprig said.
"Hold on. Mar-Mar, what time is it?", Sasha asked before Marcy got out her phone only to notice something quite troubling.
"Uh, only 9:00 p.m.?!", Marcy exclaimed.
"What?", Anne and Sasha said in shock.
"That early?", Sprig chuckled.
"But I'm so tired.", Polly added.
"No! Must... stay... awake!", Ivy exclaimed, trying to get back up.
"That's right, Ivy! Stay awake!", Anne urged as she helped Ivy by shaking her awake with one hand while shaking Sprig and Polly with another (as best she could for the other hand).
"Girls, it's time.", Sasha said.
"Really? Are you sure they're ready?", Allison asked.
"Is anyone ever really ready, Ally?", Sasha asked.
"Ready?", Sprig puzzled.
"Ready for what?", Polly puzzled before the lights were turned off.
"The Scare-Dare challenge. Oooh.", Sasha spoke before Marcy added to that.
"The rules. One of us comes up with a scary dare, and we all have to do it.", Marcy explained.
But whoever bails first gets their name added to...", Anne began as Marcy got out said book.
"The Book of Losers.", Marcy said before everyone gasped.
"Yeah, and once your name is in the Book of Losers, it'll be there forever.", Sasha stated.
"Forever.", Marcy added in a deep voice.
"Well, I'm sold.", Polly grinned.
"Me, too.", Ivy beamed.
"Let's do this.", Sprig said in excitement.
"I don't know if we like this.", Rose responded.
"Uh-uh.", the rest of the group, save for Anne, Sasha, Marcy, Sprig, Polly, and Ivy, shook in agreement.
"You don't have to take part in this if you don't want to, guys.", Anne assured.
"Anyway, all we need now is a scary dare.", Marcy said.
"Anyone got any ideas?", Sasha asked before everyone thought as hard as they could.
"Yeah, I got nada.", Sprig said.
"All right, what have we got to work with here?", Anne pondered before going over to the picture of the castle with her phone in hand and then shone a flashlight on it before seeing the bottom of it, which was torn.
"Oh, what about the basement? Ow, paper cut.", Anne said, inadvertently cutting herself.
"Really? That's what I was going to suggest.", Sasha said, surprised.
"Anne, that place is probably off-limits for a reason.", Marcy said.
"Yeah, this is a super, crazy bad idea. Accent on the 'super, crazy bad' part. Have I mentioned it's also a really terrible idea?", Max added.
"Come on, guys. It's what I would do.", Sasha said.
"Well, that is true. I hereby accept this Scare-Dare challenge.", Marcy responded.
"We also accept this Scare-Dare challenge!", Sprig, Polly, and Ivy said in unison.
The rest of the gang, however, were hesitant for a moment before Allison groaned.
"All right. We're in. But on one condition.", Allison added.
"If we're going to do this, we need to leave our triplets out of this and leave them with Olivia for the night. She'll keep them safe.", Max added.
"Yeah. We don't want a repeat of what happened at Hop Pop's camping trip.", Jackie agreed.
"What did happen back there?", Sasha puzzled.
"Yeah, we weren't here for that.", Marcy added.
"Well, should we tell them, Anne?", Rose asked.
"Yeah. I think we should.", Anne said.
9 Minutes Later...
"Wow! You've been through all that just because you didn't want to get left behind?", Sasha asked.
"Yep. But all this basically traumatized the poor things. That's why we're being careful about this.", Anne responded.
"Okay. Condition accepted.", Marcy accepted.
"It is done! This Scare-Dare challenge is now...", Sasha began before everyone else joined her while speaking in deep voices.
"...official.", the gang finished.
"That's right. No matter what spooky things or creepy ghosts lurk, no backing out.", Sasha reminded.
"Heh. Ghosts. Speaking of ghosts, I wonder if our mom's been floating by me and Polly the whole time.", Sprig said, giving Alexis an idea.
"Well, there is a way to find out.", Alexis said.
"And what way is there?", Rose asked.
"Simple. With those.", Alexis said, getting out a sort of Ouija board, an array of candles, and some paint with a paint brush, much to everyone's puzzlement.
"A Ouija board? And some candles?", Anne asked.
"You actually brought those with you?", Jackie asked.
"Uh-huh. You never know when you need one.", Alexis replied.
Later, the gang snuck past Olivia quietly, but not before placing the triplets on and/or around her as the 9 slept soundly with cute snores before going downstairs. Only Polly stayed behind to get a marker ready to draw on Olivia's face. A moment afterward, they arrived at a door on the floor and opened it up, releasing a bunch of dust before it cleared with everyone noticing a set of stairs down below.
"Whoa.", the gang said.
"So, who wants to go first?", Sprig asked.
"I vote Anne.", Polly stated.
"What? Why?", Anne reacted.
"Well, it was your idea.", Marcy explained.
"She's got a point there.", Sasha agreed before Anne gulped and led the way downstairs.
But as they went downstairs, the door closed. Not long after, trails of black mist collectively floated over to one spot above the ground before it adopted glowing orange eyes and growled ominously.
As for the gang, while they were walking downstairs, Marcy suddenly tripped and fell down numerous stairs, much to Anne, Sasha, Jackie, Allison, and Max's worry.
"Marcy!", the five shouted as everyone else looked aghast in worry.
"Oh, no. Why am I going...?", Marcy spoke while falling down before landing on the ground.
When she looked, though, she saw something that spooked her: a butterfly with wings that resembled fangs, making her exclaim before popping back up and screaming, making everyone else scream as well.
"Okay, that's enough.", Anne said.
"Oh. Yeah. We don't want to wake the triplets up.", Jackie said a bit nervously with a giggle.
"Whoa, that's a lot of mirrors.", Sasha said.
"You could say that again, sis.", Pat agreed.
"Yeah. It's practically like a fashion show waiting to happen, right?", Allison concurred.
"So, anyone wanna turn back and go into the Book of Losers?", Anne asked with a nervous chuckle.
"You kidding me?", Sprig refused.
"Not me.", Marcy added.
"As if.", Polly added.
"We're not going there, either.", Rose, Pat, and Alexis whispered as Jackie, Allison, and Max shook their heads before they all continued down further.
"You know, some cultures believe mirrors can ward off malevolent spirits, or summon them.", Marcy said before doing a sinister laugh in front of a mirror.
But then, all of a sudden, the same black mist appeared in the mirror and opened his eyes with a roar, making Marcy shout in panic while moving away before bumping into another mirror behind her, prompting her to turn around, this time to see her reflection. Although, she was still worried before she went on her face etched with a look of fear with the rest of the gang just as worried. After that, they all stopped near a sort of door with a wooden bar with red, unreadable letters on it.
"What does this say, Marcy?", Rose asked.
"My command of Newtopian linguistics is limited, but what it says should be fairly obvious.", Marcy said before everyone spoke in unison.
"Keep out.", the gang said.
Then, a door suddenly creaked, making the group scream.
"Okay, somebody's gotta wanna go back by now.", Sasha stated.
"I ain't going in no Book of Losers.", Sprig shivered.
"Me n-neither.", Polly shivered.
"Yeah... N-n-n-no way..., n-n-n-no how.", Ivy agreed.
"Guess we'll go a bit further then.", Marcy said nervously.
"Uh-huh. Living my best life right now.", Anne agreed, just as nervous before prying the bar off and opening the door to notice some kind of flooded area with coffins.
"What the heck?", Sasha puzzled.
"It looks like some kind of creepy crypt.", Allison guessed.
"Whoa-ho. You mean like with dead bodies? Cool.", Polly said before jumping in.
"Guys, we shouldn't be here.", Marcy warned.
"Marcy's right. Book of Losers or not, this feels all sorts of wrong.", Alexis agreed.
"Guys, I, uh, think Mar-Mar and Lexy are right. We should head back upstairs.", Sasha stated, starting to get nervous herself.
"Sis, are you okay?", Pat asked.
"Yeah. You look scared.", Rose added.
"What? Pfft. We don't wanna go back 'cause we're scared. This place just isn't our style.", Sasha retorted.
"Okay, prove it.", Ivy dared.
"Oh, you'll bet I'll do it. Uh..., how do you want me to do it exactly?", Sasha asked a bit nervously.
"Take a selfie by that coffin.", Sprig said, pointing toward a coffin crawling with at least a couple of glowing centipedes.
"Ew!", everyone shouted in disgust.
"Ah, creepy bugs!", Rose exclaimed, hopping toward Anne, who cradled her.
"Wait. Don't we eat bugs?", Anne asked.
"Yeah. But what if they're poisonous?", Rose asked.
"Oh. Yeah.", Anne realized as she widened her eyes.
"Would you do this?", Marcy asked before Sasha gulped nervously.
"Oh, yeah.", Sasha said, sweating in fear.
Then, Anne, Sasha, and Marcy cautiously walked up toward the coffin.
"I have to admit...", Sprig began.
"It is pretty creepy.", Polly added.
"Yeah, no kidding.", Ivy agreed.
Then, the trio made it to the coffin, nervous as they are, before Anne got out her phone.
"All right, say desecration.", Anne said hesitantly.
"Desecration.", Anne, Sasha, and Marcy said in nervous unison before the first of the three took the picture.
"Ha! Nailed it. Oh, wait. This photo's kinda jank.", Anne spoke as she saw one of her eyes glowing red.
However, it turned out that something ghost-like emerged with a big orange eye, although the photo was still present, nevertheless making Anne, Marcy, and even Sasha scream while swatting at it before it flew away. But before anyone knew it, several more like it in all shapes and sizes emerged from the water.
"What the heck are these things?", Anne asked before another emerged from behind them, making them scream before moving back.
"Hey, they're actually kinda cute.", Sprig grinned.
"Yeah.", Rose agreed.
"Aw...", Ivy said at the same time.
"Everyone, don't touch it!", Marcy shouted.
"Look!", Anne added, pointing toward one of the creatures, which had frog bones in it, which dissolved away, making Polly scream.
"They're gonna eat our bones!", Polly shouted.
"Okay...! Guess we just needed the visual!", Ivy whimpered.
"I don't get it. Are they aliens? Ghosts?", Anne asked.
"Does it even matter?!", Sasha exclaimed.
"Let's get outta here, Scoob.", Marcy urged.
"Roger that. Wait, what did you just call me?", Anne asked before Marcy moved her away on account of the fact that another creature emerged from the way they came in.
"Guys, this way!", Jackie shouted.
"We found another exit!", Allison added before everyone dashed for Jackie, Allison, Max, Sprig, Ivy, and Polly with the creatures following in pursuit just prior to arriving near a hall of mirrors.
"Man, someone really loves mirrors.", Sprig commented before he and the others screamed upon noticing that the creatures are coming for them and took off faster.
Only Sasha turned back around and saw the creatures stopping near the first two mirrors and going back down.
"Huh? Why'd they just stop?", Sasha puzzled.
As soon as Sasha caught up, Marcy noticed something else as well.
"What the... A garden? But how are these plants growing so well without sunlight?", Marcy asked.
"Mar-Mar, as much as we want to know this, we'll try to find out some other time. Right now, we need to find another way to get back upstairs before daybreak. So, come on!", Alexis urged just as an apparent moss man in chains stood up, looked around, and left.
Meanwhile, the gang eventually came across a sort of old, scratched up painting of a familiar newt, a frog with orange hair, a toad, and a figure half as tall as the newt, the painting of which had three marks, before stopping.
"What the...?", Marcy puzzled.
"Whoa, someone really hated this painting.", Sprig said, inspecting the painting.
"Hold up... Is that... King Andrias?", Marcy puzzled.
"And those must be his friends.", Allison said.
But what was really surprising was a long, pink tail looking very familiar.
"Wait. I recognize that tail.", Rose said before going over to the painting.
"Rose, what are you doing?", Jackie asked before she inspected the tail, saw two, long, split parts of the painting and folded them back to the frame, revealing the tail's owner, much to the gang's shock and awe.
"That's Cotton!", Anne, Jackie, Rose, Marcy, Max, Alexis, Sasha, Allison, and Pat shouted.
"And she looks exactly the same as she did back then, too.", Jackie added.
"Just keep holding it, Rose.", Marcy said before taking a picture.
"There. That should do it. If those were King Andrias' friends, I wonder what could've happened to 'em.", Marcy said before, unfortunately, a creature popped up again, this time from Marcy's phone.
"Ah, no, not again!", Marcy exclaimed.
"Aaah! Hurry up!", Polly shouted before everyone fled from the creatures.
In the commotion, they all rushed downstairs to avoid the creatures as the path down there, too, had mirrors with Sasha noticing the creatures just going away again, albeit this time, by going up.
"Again? What the heck's up with that?", Sasha said.
"Uh, Sash?", Anne asked before Sasha turned around and caught up, this time, seeing before her and the others, a massive gate with two torches in front of it.
Play Marco Beltrami Music: "Get Shriek" (0:18/2:41)
"What is THAT thing?!", Rose said in surprise.
"I think that's a massive gate. We don't know what's on the other side of it.", Max said.
"Maybe the Ouija board can help us figure that out.", Alexis said as she set the Ouija board down and started drawing a circle with Amphibia's symbols on the ground before lighting the candles up.
"I guess now may be as good a time as any to give the Ouija board a try.", Alexis said before she and her friends placed their hands on the triangle with the little glass piece on it.
"Is anyone there with us?", Marcy asked.
Just then, the eyepiece suddenly moved to the following letters one at a time: "B", "A", "R", "R", "E", and "L".
"Barrel? Do you have a message for us, Barrel?", Anne asked before the eyepiece moved again, this time, toward the following letters: "B", "E", "W", "A", "R", and "E".
"Beware? Of what?", Sasha asked.
Then, the eyepiece moved by itself again, this time, toward the letters, "C", "O", "R", and "E".
"Core?", the gang puzzled before looking toward the gate.
"You think that may be the core?", Alexis asked.
"Well, why don't we try finding out?", Sasha suggested, going to the left side of the gate and trying to push it forwards.
But in so doing, this caused the central eye on the gate, along with 8 others to become active and focus on Sasha, who was trying to pry the gate open, not to mention her friends as well. After that, said eyes started flashing four dots in Red, Yellow, Green, and Blue. Not long after, black mists started to surround her and the others before then fading away to show the dark territory with a horrifying sight: the weakened, despairing, almost dead bodies of Jackie, Allison, and Max along with the bones of Sprig, Polly, Ivy, Grime, Percy, Braddock, Felicia, Hop Pop, and Sylvia.
Skip Marco Beltrami Music: "Get Shriek" (1:08/2:41)
"Oh, no...! This is horrible!", Rose whimpered.
But that wasn't all. The next terrifying sight was the next to be seen: a sort of being in metallic, spiked armor with his helmet sporting three spikes, accompanied by one being with a black cape with red underneath and an extensive cord connected to her helmet with four branched gill-like horns and ten eyes, making Anne, Marcy, and even Sasha gasp. And worst of all, they even saw someone with stars and a moon on the cape with white hair, red eyes, and a skin color of orange-yellow on the left and blue on the right as the being chuckled, although the face is nigh unrecognizable due to the shadow being cast down on it.
"Is that supposed to be Luz...? And for that matter...", Anne began.
"Is THAT supposed to be ME?!", Anne, Sasha, and Marcy puzzled in shock as while Anne saw her dark self, Sasha saw hers and Marcy saw her own, all in one place.
"But...how?! The likeness is uncanny.", Marcy said in worry just as Alexis looked up and saw something above was glitching.
"Right now, I'm really glad this isn't real.", Alexis said.
"Yeah, but do they even know that?", Allison asked, pointing to Anne, Sasha, and Marcy, who were too horrified by what they're seeing to notice.
"You brought this all on yourselves...", the first being with a distorted version of Marcy's voice spoke in Marcy's point of view.
"You all had your chance to save your precious little brothers and sisters...", the second being, this time, with Anne's distorted voice, added, according to Anne.
"But all of you have failed.", the third, with Sasha's distorted voice said, finished, making Sasha gasp.
"No...!", Sasha whimpered.
"Now, all realms will fall and return to the shadows as they are destined to be!", Melkor spoke before the being then drew her scythe, which appeared to be a long black rod with a queue that resembled a spiral shell, and a twin-sided red-yellow energy blade as she marched toward the "broken figures" and then raised it up while the being that may or may not be Luz only chuckled, which turned more and more into laughter by the second.
"No! You can't! Please, don't do this!", Sasha shouted, snapping Anne and Marcy out of their stupor before they turned to Sasha.
"Just calm down, Sasha!", Marcy shouted.
"Yeah, I'm literally right here! That's not me, Sash!", Anne shouted.
However, the being only swung it at the broken figures, making everyone widen their eyes and gasp.
"Fool, you can never escape your fate.", Melkor discouraged while Sasha's eyes briefly glowed pink with her then letting out a loud shrill of a scream of pain, anguish, fear, and above all, rage, while drawing her own sword and then tossing it toward Melkor only for it to pass through him, although managing to hit the central eye, causing it, along with several other eyes to malfunction and cause the illusions to blip out, popping out of existence before the whole illusion was dropped and they were now back at the gate as everyone else stood, mouths agape in horror, neither one knowing that the flash from the disruption had started attracting more creatures from earlier.
"THAT'S IT! If this is what it takes to pass that goshdarned scare dare challenge, then I don't care anymore! I QUIIIIIIIIIIIT!", Sasha screamed as she took off.
"Sasha's right! Forget this! We're losers! We lose! AAAAAAAH!", Sprig agreed as he, too took off with everyone else fleeing away from the gate, this time going back up the stairs all the way just as the creatures started following them again before everyone got to the top of the cellar door.
"Come on, put your backs into it!", Anne shouted before they all burst out into none other than...
"My room?", Marcy puzzled.
"Don't question it!", Sprig shouted before hurriedly closing the cellar door.
End Marco Beltrami Music: "Get Shriek"
"Oh, thank goodness that's... Holy toot!", Anne shouted as more creatures appeared through the cellar door.
"Take this, you overgrown gummy worm!", Sasha shouted, tossing a book at one of them, only for it to phase through the creature.
"Quick! More books.", Sprig urged.
"You got it, Sprig!", Ivy shouted.
"Way ahead of you.", Polly agreed with everyone tossing every book at them, but nothing worked.
"This isn't working. Why are the books passing right through them?", Marcy asked.
"Maybe they prefer audiobooks!", Anne guessed before getting out a worm and spraying out silly string at it, although this failed before the string landed on the mirror Sprig was holding up.
"That's not how this works, Anne! That's not how ANY of this works!", Sasha shouted just before one of the creatures suddenly turned to the mirror and then got blinded in light.
"What the...", the trio puzzled before the creature turned physical and then landed on the ground.
"It's not all ghostly anymore...", Rose said in awe before hitting it with a pillow with a giggle.
"It's physical? But how?", Alexis puzzled before Sasha realized something.
"That's it! The mirrors. Every time we ran past those things, those things never bothered to cross any mirrors at all!", Sasha realized.
"Yeah. Both hallways to the crypt were filled with mirrors.", Anne realized.
"It looks like the refraction of their own light turns these creatures physical, which means...", Marcy began before Anne went for all available handheld mirrors.
"Quick, everyone, grab a mirror.", Anne urged before the gang each got one and shined on each creature, all except Anne, who saw her own reflection.
"Hey, was anyone gonna tell me I have leaves in my hair?", Anne asked.
"Not now, Anne!", everyone else shouted.
"Oh, right, sorry. Yah!", Anne shouted as she finally did the same thing to one of two creatures remaining while the other escaped outside while the rest were forced down and the cellar door was closed and boarded up by the mirror and the chair with everyone panting.
"So, anyone think they're going to be able to sleep after that terrifying experience?", Marcy asked.
"No. I don't even think I'll be able to go to sleep at all...", Sasha said sadly, starting to shed tears before Marcy and Anne sadly turned to Sasha.
"Sasha..., is your greatest fear of all... what we all saw happening back there?", Marcy asked.
"And so what if it was...?!", Sasha said, her voice starting to break.
"You know, all this time we wound up as losers in the book of losers, I'll admit. We wanted to get back at you and scare you for once. But now...? After what we all saw, I'm not even sure that's what we wanted anymore...", Marcy said.
"We had no idea that that's what you were so scared of, Sash. We're so sorry we ever thought about scaring you.", Anne apologized.
Then, Sasha, unable to restrain herself anymore, started sobbing loudly and hugged Anne and Marcy.
"I CAN'T LOSE ALL OF YOU GUYS! YOU ALL MEAN TOO MUCH!", Sasha sobbed.
"Aw, poor Sasha...", Marcy said genuinely.
"It's okay. We're all here for you.", Anne added as Jackie, Rose, Allison, Pat, Alexis, and Max joined in.
"Aw...", Sprig, Ivy, and Polly said in unison, touched by the scene, before Sasha calmed down just enough to sniff.
"So, what about you guys? Can you sleep?", Marcy asked.
"Nope.", Sprig refused.
"Nuh-uh.", Polly added.
"Oh, heck, nah.", Anne added.
"I just hope we didn't wake the triplets up...", Rose said before later, an alarm buzzed just as the sun rose up.
"Welp, we did it.", Sprig grinned.
"We stayed awake all night.", Polly added.
"Oh, I still have so many questions. What were those things? What's the deal with the basement? What's up with that illusion-making gate? And if those were really ghosts, is there actually an afterlife?", Marcy asked.
"I didn't even think about that.", Anne said in shock.
"And more importantly, what was Cotton doing in that painting?", Rose puzzled.
"Well, one thing's for sure. That sleepover was amazing.", Ivy grinned.
"It was the best.", Polly added before Anne, Sasha, and Marcy fist bumped each other while the rest just hugged each other.
"I just wish I didn't have to add my name to the Book of Losers.", Sprig sighed as he got out said book, opened it, and drew his name on it with Polly blowing a raspberry.
"Me either.", Polly responded before she wrote hers next.
"Hand me that pen. You're not the only losers. I was scared outta my mind.", Anne said as she drew her name as well.
"Me too.", Marcy chuckled as she drew her name.
"I think I speak for all of us when I say that we were all scared.", Max said as he drew his next before Sasha, Jackie, Rose, Allison, Pat, and Alexis drew theirs as well.
"It's not the first time, either.", Marcy added.
"For real?", Polly asked.
"Have a look.", Marcy said, showing previous pages with almost everyone having written their names on it.
"Whoa. Your names are in here a bunch of times.", Sprig said.
"Yep, up until now, the only one brave enough to never get in the book was Sasha.", Marcy said.
"Oh, that's right. I almost forgot. I still have to keep my promise.", Sasha said.
"Huh? What promise?", Jackie puzzled.
"THAT promise, remember? The one where you made me swear to destroy it if we hold one more scare dare challenge and never do any more of those again.", Sasha said, surprising her.
"Oh, yeah. I remember that.", Jackie realized.
"After tonight, not hard to see why I shouldn't do it.", Sasha said before getting the book of losers from Sprig.
"Hey!", Sprig said.
"I hope there's no hard feelings...", Sasha sighed before taking a deep breath and ripping the book in half.
"Whoa, Sash!", Anne exclaimed.
"What'd you do that for?", Marcy asked.
"Sorry, girls. A promise is a promise.", Sasha sighed.
"Oh. Okay.", Anne said.
"That makes sense.", Marcy said before Jackie grinned to Sasha, who grinned back at her just before someone knocked on the door, prompting the gang to all hide under the covers before the door burst open with a mustache and goatee drawn on her face as well as the words, "Polly wuz here" on the bottom of her eyelids with the triplets giggling in coos.
"Rise and shine, kids. Because of you, I barely slept a wink last night. You're lucky those cute little triplets of yours slept through it all. Ugh, well, whatever. It's go time. Your audience with King Andrias is about to begin. Get ready!", Olivia shouted before closing the door, but not before dropping the triplets off on the bed with everyone laughing before sighing as Marcy looked back at the picture she took of the painting, which showed Cotton in it, making her worried.
"Oh... Whatever happened to King Andrias and his friends a long time ago..., I hope it doesn't happen with us...", Marcy sighed.
Play We Bare Bears Music: "Jean Jacket - Full End Sequence"
Little did anyone know that the stray shadowfish that escaped while avoiding as many mirrors as possible, fled to the ocean and went deep inside before its eyes started glowing as the screen went black before the glow ceased on the eyes as well.
End We Bare Bears Music: "Jean Jacket - Full End Sequence"
Act II: A Day at the Aquarium
One morning, the gang, most of which were tired, were walking down the hall. Only Hop Pop, Grime, Percy, Braddock, Felicia, and Sylvia weren't tired.
"Oh, boy.", Hop Pop spoke before a newt guard offered Olivia a wipe, which Olivia quickly took, still miffed.
"Wonderful to see you all again.", King Andrias grinned.
"Thanks, Your Majesty.", Hop Pop, Olivia, Felicia, and Sylvia thanked.
"'Sup, King Andrias?", Marcy and the rest greeted.
"So ask me if I found out anything about the box.", Andrias said.
"Did you...", Anne began before Andrias interrupted.
"Bingo!", Andrias shouted, practically blowing Anne and the others back before laughing while getting out a book.
"Ta-da! Take a gander.", Andrias said, setting the book down with everyone gasping.
"It's the music box.", Sprig said.
"Wow...", Ivy added.
"According to this book, it's a magical artifact that is thousands of years old. Apparently, my ancestors used it to visit entirely different worlds. They were peaceful explorers, scientists, if you will. These three stones are the key to getting it working again. They need to be recharged.", Andrias stated.
"Recharged? How?", Marcy asked.
"The book mentions three different temples, each channeling a different kind of energy. And once the stones are recharged...", Andrias began.
"We'll have a way home?", Rose asked.
"Steal my thunder, why don't you? But yes. Boom! Eh, eh?", Andrias grinned.
"I don't believe it.", Anne said.
"Yeah... A real chance to get home.", Jackie beamed.
"Right? Now let's get out there and conquer these bad boys.", Marcy grinned.
"Whoo-hoo.", Anne said excitedly before Andrias stopped them.
"Whoa-ho. Let's rein those snails in for a sec. The book only gives the location of one temple. Besides, you still have a lot of preparing to do before you set off.", Andrias said.
"Good point. Gotta get equipped for a mega-quest like this.", Marcy grinned.
"Armor to buy, maps to study, weapons to forge. This is gonna take a few days.", Alexis added.
"Few days, huh? Well, I hate to say it, but we really need to get back to Wartwood. The harvest is coming up and we can't miss it.", Hop Pop stated.
"Okay, Marce, me, Jackie, Rose, Sasha, and the others will head back to Wartwood, and when you're ready we can just meet up.", Anne said.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. It doesn't really make sense for you guys to go back to Wartwood.", Marcy said.
"Wait, what?", Jackie puzzled.
"Say what now?", Anne puzzled.
"What?", everyone else wondered in shock.
"The last thing we should do is separate again, now that we're so close to finding our way home.", Marcy explained.
"I guess that's true, but, uh...", Marcy began.
"We need to go to Wartwood to get the music box. Right, Hop Pop?", Rose asked.
"Technically, yes.", Hop Pop agreed.
"It is very important.", Grime added.
"Nonsense. Once Hop Pop gets the box back, we'll just send a servant to pick it up. More efficient that way.", Marcy said.
"Yeah, but...", Anne began, looking back at everyone's worried faces.
"Everyone's gonna be miserable without us...", Jackie said with a sigh.
"Anne, right now you have to follow your head, not your heart. The Plantars, Sundews, and Toads got you guys here, to us. It's time to let them get back to their lives. Why don't you guys take the day to say goodbye? I'll even help out with that if you guys want.", Marcy asked before everyone else (apart from Max and Alexis, sad for them as they are) groaned sadly.
"You folks want a giant tissue? Seriously, you would not believe the size of these tissues.", Andrias offered with a chuckle.
"Not in the mood right now...!", Jackie grumbled before Rose started whimpering at the thought of never being able to see the Plantars or the Sundews again.
"Actually, I think Rose could use one.", Jackie sighed.
"Right. I'll get her one.", Andrias said as he stomped off before Marcy, upon noticing this, was starting to feel sad for them.
Later, Marcy, her siblings, the Plantars, the toads, and the Sundews were visibly worried before Anne spoke up.
"Hey, guys, come on. It's not like this is goodbye forever.", Anne assured.
"You know what, gang? Anne's right. The least we can do is have a fun last day together.", Hop Pop said as he got out a map.
"That's right. And all we need to do now is pick an activity for all of us to make this last day count.", Marcy agreed.
"Yeah. There's the opera house, the coliseum, the aquarium, you name it.", Max added.
"There's an aquarium? That's perfect. Anytime I was feeling gloomy back home, the aquarium would always make me feel better.", Anne said.
"Yeah, I know what you mean. One visit there is enough for my head to be cleared of all the stress weighing me down.", Jackie agreed.
"There's nothing more peaceful than being surrounded by water and beautiful creatures of the sea.", Rose added.
"Oh, good thinking, fellas.", Sylvia beamed.
"Works for me.", Polly grinned.
"Ditto.", Ivy added.
"Yeah! Let's go have fun and not think about our crippling sadness.", Sprig said before he and the others wound up feeling sad again.
"Nice one.", Polly scolded.
Later, everyone was now at the aquarium, looking at beaver bugs as everyone else looked in awe, especially the children.
"Look at the beaver bugs. They're so cute.", Polly said.
"Aw. I know, right?", Rose agreed.
"Way to build those dams, little beaver bugs!", Alexis added.
"What'd I tell you? The perfect place to relax and take our minds off...', Anne added just before a Water Lamprey jumped up, spooking the group, and then dove back into the water.
"Oh, hey. Check it out. It's the same kinda eel that attacked you kids when the basement flooded, remember?", Hop Pop asked.
"Wait, that actually happened?", Sasha puzzled.
"Of course, it did. Isn't that right, kids? Kids?", Hop Pop asked before noticing that Anne, Jackie, Rose, and Sprig were looking back at the picture of her, Jackie, Rose, and Sprig after fighting off the water lampreys back home.
"Those were good times, weren't they?", Jackie sighed.
"Yeah. It's too bad that they're over.", Sprig agreed before whimpering as Anne, Jackie, and Rose noticed.
"No!", Anne shouted.
"No, Sprig!", Jackie added.
"If you cry, I cry! Fight the sadness! Fight it, I say!", Rose shouted.
"Come on, buddy. Come here. It's gonna be fine. Everything's gonna be fine.", Anne said only for her, Rose, Sprig, and even Jackie to start whimpering sadly as well.
"Ah, heck, no! None of you are crying on my watch!", Sasha urged, pushing the group away with them sliding.
"Okay, River Room is a bust. Let's keep moving.", Hop Pop said as Marcy and her siblings noticed with Marcy starting to whimper sadly for them herself.
Later, the group was walking across a hall, surrounded by jellyfish.
"Okay, if we're gonna have a sadness-free day, we need to avoid anything that might trigger our very delicate emotional states.", Sylvia advised.
"Actually, this is pretty peaceful.", Polly grinned.
"Yeah.", Sprig said, calming down.
"So soothing.", Anne added, getting just as calm.
"Anne, I can definitely see what you mean by soothing.", Braddock grinned as everyone sighed.
However, that was when a Krakken showed up in the big tank.
"Hey, look, a krakken!", Sprig said.
"Wow, really?", Ivy asked in surprise.
"It is! Jackie, it's like the one you and Rose tried to cook up at Stumpy's.", Polly realized.
"What?! You did that, too?!", Grime said in surprise.
"Wow! Now, that is surprising!", Percy added.
"Who knew fish sauce and fear of death went so well together?", Hop Pop asked before he, Polly, Anne, Jackie, Rose, and Sprig all started to whimper before they cried for only one second.
"Okay, that's enough. Time to change rooms, everybody.", Anne urged, not knowing that Marcy's whimpering was starting to get worse with Alexis starting to whimper as well.
Then, they made it to a different room.
"Oh, cool. A marine geology exhibit. Nothing to remind us of our adventures in here.", Rose beamed with everyone then looking around at the coral.
"Wow, this coral is so neat.", Ivy grinned.
"Yeah. No kidding. Oh, look, that stalk looks exactly like...", Sprig said before almost everyone gasped.
"Hop Pop's cane!", the gang shouted.
"My cane.", Hop Pop shouted.
"What?", Ivy puzzled before Rose gasped next.
"Oh, no. That one looks like...", Rose whimpered.
"Domino 2.", everyone shouted before they turned to see various coral in many forms of their memories.
"The cannibal couple from the inn!", Sprig said.
"Zog!", the triplets shouted.
"Mud Men.", Polly gasped.
"Grubhog.", Anne and Jackie shouted.
"Zapapedes.", Felicia added.
"Even Veggie-robo!", Percy shouted before Anne started sobbing.
"Who knew coral came in such variety?", Anne said before almost all the gang started sobbing, attracting the bystanders' attention.
This time, instead of just whimpering, Marcy and Alexis both broke down into tears with loud sobs before hugging them as Max went over to the others and hugged them, trying to comfort them.
"Wh-why are you crying, Mar-mar?!", Anne sobbed.
"B-Because...! Y-You... You've all gotten to know each other for so long and...! I-I feel like I... I...! I'M TEARING YOUR FRIENDSHIP APART!", Marcy sobbed with everyone else calming down with Marcy sobbing.
"Oh, no...", Anne said in worry.
"It's okay, Marcy. You just didn't know.", Sasha assured.
"R-R...Really?', Marcy sniffled.
"Yeah. We just need to work out something out, that's all.", Sasha assured.
After Marcy pulled herself together, she sniffled and spoke.
"Right...! I'm gonna talk to Andrias when we get out of here about this.", Marcy decided.
"Marcy, are you really sure?", Max asked.
"Yes. I don't want to be the reason their friendship was torn apart.", Marcy responded.
"Oh. Well, when you put it that way, it kinda makes sense, actually.", Max realized.
"Excuse me, folks, but I'm gonna have to ask you to leave. Your misery is scaring the efts.", the security guard spoke as one of the efts cried for a bit before the apparent teacher scolded him.
"Hoop. No emotion.", the teacher scolded.
"Sorry about that, officer. We were jsut going through a rough patch right now, thinking of some memories.", Marcy responded.
"Yeah... Looks like my grand plan for a sadness-free day at the aquarium is a total bust.", Anne said sadly.
"Well, If you folks are feeling blue, you could try the Stingray Stage Show. Always cheers me up.", the guard said.
"Stage show? Of course! We've been there before.", Alexis realized.
"Ooh, a stage show? Those are the best.", Anne grinned.
"Yeah. A quick visit there should help take our minds off it.", Pat grinned.
"Wait. Did we have any run-ins with stingrays?", Jackie asked.
"Or anything even slightly resembling a stingray?", Rose asked.
"Nope. Don't think so.", the officer responded.
"Then let's go.", Marcy said.
"Whoo!", the gang cheered as most of them took off.
"Uh, guys? The show's that way.", Alexis pointed out.
"Oh. Yeah. Thanks, Lexy.", Allison thanked.
Later, the crowd cheered as the gang got to their vacant seats.
"All right, give it up for our stingrays, Sugar Ray and Billy Ray. And now for the main event, I'll need a volunteer.", the exhibitionist stated like before with Sprig raising his hand.
"Oh, oh, me, me.", Sprig said, raising his hand.
"You, the pink frog over there! Come on down.", the exhibitionist said before Sprig came down as the crowd cheered, even whistling.
Little did anyone know that the creature underwater was starting to wake up with glowing eyes,
"What's your name, and where are you from?", the exhibitionist asked.
"Sprig Plantar from Wartwood.", Sprig responded.
"Wartwood represent!", Polly shouted.
"Well, Sprig Plantar, all you gotta do is put this fish in your hands and hold it out over the tank. And the stingray will jump out and eat it?", Sprig asked.
But before the exhibitionist could answer, the water started to rise up just outside of the aquarium, even beginning to take the shape of a powerful being, much to everyone's surprise.
"Wha...?", Sprig puzzled.
It wasn't long before the being finished forming into an aquatic Golem.
"Whoa. Didn't see that coming.", Ivy said before the golem started to smash through the wall, prompting everyone (well, almost everyone) to panic.
But as the golem went to the other side, Anne, Sasha, Marcy, Jackie, Allison, Max, Rose, Pat, Alexis, Sprig, Polly, and Ivy all gasped from noticing that inside the golem was one of those creatures from last night.
"That's terrib... Wait, what's wrong?", Hop Pop asked.
It looks exactly like one of those creatures we found in the castle...!", Anne sobbed.
"What? When?", Felicia asked.
"That was from the sleepover last night!", Ivy sobbed a bit.
"I knew it! You kids always disobeying and causing trouble.", Hop Pop said, starting to cry as well.
"Wait. That's it! If we can figure out how to get close enough to the golem, we should be able to turn it physical and knock it out of the water.", Marcy realized.
"Good thing I brought a pocket mirror with me.", Allison said, getting hers out.
"Well, we'd better do it quick! Sprig's about to...", Anne urged just as the golem got through and landed in the water on the other side.
However, at that moment, after whimpering, Sprig started crying out loud, causing the aquatic Golem to notice Sprig and raise its water-like fist.
"We've gotta get Sprig away from that golem!", Max urged.
"Leave that to me!", Anne smirked before she then hopped over toward him, barely managing to catch him before the golem struck the ground, just missing Sprig and Anne, the former of which was now slightly sobbing.
"Aw, poor guy...", Rose said.
"Hey, buddy. You know what to do with this mirror, right?", Anne asked as Allison showed her pocket mirror to Sprig, who gasped, his sobs ceasing, before becoming determined.
"As a matter of fact, I do.", Sprig said before hopping over to one of the vacant seats just near one of the Golem's sides.
"Hey!", Sprig shouted with the Aquatic Golem then turning to Sprig and then roaring as it tried to strike again only to miss, this time due to Sprig jumping up in the nick of time before he ran up its arm.
However, the Golem was quick to fire blasts of water from its mouth at Sprig, who got pelted and was forced off. Fortunately, Marcy swam up the currents of the blast and caught Sprig, making his face beam in relief with Marcy winking to him, though not before her eyes briefly glowed green.
From there, Marcy chucked Sprig up to the Golem's head, surprising it.
"Why don't you look in the mirror?!", Sprig shouted, holding the mirror up to the golem's face, causing the creature to turn physical, allowing Sprig to smack it off the water with his tongue, causing it to land on the ground, prompting everyone to cheer.
"Great job, Sprig!", Alexis cheered, running the side of an open jar smoothly across the creature, apparently collecting its ectoplasm before closing the lid.
The creature then slinked away like a slug, except it wasn't going slow and it was leaving a trail of water.
"Yeah!", the gang grinned.
However, everyone was kicked out promptly by the guard.
"And stay out.", the guard said before closing the doors.
"Oh, man. That was classic.", Sprig said.
"Yeah, you shone that light on the Golem like a boss!", Ivy added.
"Well, we didn't have a relaxing day at the aquarium.", Anne said as she helped Hop Pop up.
"But now we've got another perfectly us-memory to cherish.", Hop Pop said before everyone laughed.
Later, Marcy, Max, and Alexis, each holding one of their triplets (who giggled), were getting ready to leave with Anne and the others just as they've got the souvenirs from their recent trip inside.
"You know, the more I think about it, maybe sending a servant to get the music box isn't such a good idea, anyway. We need someone looking after that thing the second Hop Pop gets it back. Someone we trust.", Marcy said.
"And that's where we come in.", Alexis added.
"Just look at us. All together with our friends and families.", Sasha grinned.
"Just wait until we tell our parents about this when we get back.", Pat added.
"Well, probably not everything. Just the really good parts.", Allison added.
"Yep. Now let's go home. This time, with added company.", Anne grinned.
"Yeah.", Jackie and Rose agreed before the carriage started to leave.
"So, Marcy? How did Andrias handle your compromise?", Allison asked.
"Well, luckily, he's just as understanding as he is kind.", Marcy responded just as it showed Andrias looking over to see the carriage leave in sunset before he sighed, went to an apparent secret door, pulled an apparent lever, and went down the stairs while carrying a blue, spiked torch, passing by a few creatures before arriving downstairs just as a voice spoke up.
"Always sad to see someone go, isn't it?", Littlepot spoke as he stepped out from the shadows.
"Oh,. Mr. Littlepot. I didn't think you'd be out of prison that quickly.", Andrias said.
"Well, don't act so surprised. It's getting harder to escape every time. And don't even get me started on my methods of escape.", Littlepot responded.
"Enough. All of the pieces have finally fallen into place. Soon, every realm will be plunged into darkness. And I will rule all...", Melkor spoke as black mists formed in one collective spot before it turned into a being coated in fire while his eyes glowed.
A/N: Looks like Marcy and her siblings are coming with this time. Who knows what would happen now that they're coming to Wartwood early. Also, that moment in the end with "Danne" and "Darsha" is a bit of foreshadowing of future Amphibia AU stories soon to come. Can't say for sure when, though, but they are coming soon. :)