Hey, yall.

I know all you were asking questions to yourself, like where I've been since August 1st when I last updated my profile. I said that I'm suffering Writer's Block and the next chapter will come later than expected. Well, now that this chapter's been posted, I hope you enjoy it.


Chapter 9

The Talk

Flashback

3 years ago, some toads of the West Tower entered Aaron's hometown, and went to his house. They were here on important business.

They approached a small house in the middle of the town and banged on the door. The one who answered was a middle-aged male blue frog with a small goatee.

"What's going on here?" he asked.

The toad soldier quickly brought his sword and impaled the frog. The frog's son, Aaron Ro'Meave, saw this happen.

"DAD!" Aaron shouted.

Aaron's mom, a female blue frog with short blonde hair, grabbed Aaron.

"You must run my son," was all she said before pushing him out an open window.

The next thing Aaron knew, the toads left the town. He went back into the house to see both his parents lying on the floor dead.

Aaron teared up at the site of his dead parents. He then felt nothing but unrelenting anger for the toads that killed them, hell, whoever may have orchestrated the attack.

From then on, Aaron would hate all toads, no matter if they had to do with his parents' deaths, or not.

End of Flashback


Ever since Matt and Aaron painted the wall, Aaron took full responsibility for what happened, as he didn't want his friend to get in trouble for something he didn't want to do. That didn't mean Dareth let Matt off the hook. Both Matt and Aaron were given chores. Matt had to do the dishes for a week, while Aaron had to do many other chores for a month.

It's been a couple weeks since then, and while Matt doesn't have to do chores anymore, Aaron does. Matt wants to help him, because he feels bad for what happened, but whenever he offers to help, Dareth wouldn't allow it.

One day, Catherine went shopping, and Matt accompanied her because the others were busy.

After Matt and Catherine left, Aaron finished cleaning the floor. He was about to move on to another chore when Dareth approached him.

"We need to talk," he said.

"What's there to talk about?" Aaron asked.

"Oh, there's a lot to talk about," Dareth replied.

The two sat down in the Living room to talk.

"What's your deal?" asked Dareth. "What do you have against toads?"

"What do I have against them?" Aaron reacted. "Everything. Throughout my life, I've seen toads for what they really are. They're manipulative, controlling, and will not hesitate to kill anyone who stands in their way."

"And do I seem to be that kind of person?" asked Dareth.

Aaron was caught off guard by that statement. Yes, Dareth seemed to be a very nice person, though he was strict, but he didn't seem like an evil person. Aaron then thought back to that night when those toads killed his parents. He would then say, "You may not seem like that, but that doesn't change anything."

"And how do you know that?" asked Dareth. "Are you saying that because of what happened to your parents?"

Aaron felt his heart stop at the mention of his parents. He never really opened up to Dareth or Catherine about what happened.

"How do you know that?" he asked.

"I learned about them being sentenced to execution for saying that the political system was messed up," Dareth replied. "That's why I left the army."

Aaron sat there, processing what he heard. He thinks about how Dareth never once tried to kill him no matter what he said about toads. Aaron sits silently with his thoughts for a while before he decides, he may never forgive the toads that killed his parents, but he shouldn't take it out on all toads. He looks Dareth in the eyes.

"I can't say I'll stop hating other toads, but this is a start," he said, bringing out his hand.

Dareth took Aaron's hand and pulled him in for a hug. Aaron was shocked at first, but he hugged Dareth back.

Matt and Catherine returned from the store and saw Aaron and Dareth hugging.

"What did we miss?" asked Matt.

Aaron and Dareth were shocked and they pulled out of their hug. They saw Matt and Catherine standing there.

"This is nothing much," said Aaron. "All you need to know is that Dareth has gained my trust."

"Finally," Catherine remarked.

"So, that means you were wrong about the toads," said Matt.

"Pretty much," Aaron replied.

Matt stands there for a second before heading into the basement. He lays on his sleeping bag as he thinks about what Aaron said. He thinks, if Aaron was wrong and not all toads are evil, then that must mean that what he believes about Christians is wrong. He then thinks about what he heard his dad say. He starts to sweat over the thought that what he heard may have been a misunderstanding, but then he brushes it off, thinking he shouldn't stress himself out with these thoughts.


A.N.

Well, this is the end of the first half of New World, New Me. Not my best work.

I have something to say. I used to post once every other day to either this story, or my Security Breach Rewrite. I went out of my way to post these chapters as quickly as I can, but I fear that if I keep doing that, I'll lose my motivation and stop writing entirely. Because of that, I'm officially putting this story on hiatus for 2 weeks at least. I'll be spending those weeks working on my Security Breach Rewrite and possibly some Owl House one-shots.

I hope you understand, and please, don't be a butt and spam "When's the next chapter?" because I'm just a normal person just like all of you and I need to take time with, well, everything that I do.