So two shout-outs to give for this one-shot. Firstly I'd like to thank Pinecones4Dinner, he made an image from "The Battle of Tadpole Pond" for me. It's the scene where Luz uses her powers to blow Sasha away with wind. It's pretty cool, you can see it on my DA page but I wanted to thank him for his work in making it for me.
Secondly very big shout-out to Marzek for making a Discord for the fic! Yes, that's right "The Owl and the Frog" now has a Discord! You can hop onto Discord and chat with me, other fanfic writers, and fans about either the fic or anything else you want to talk about, so feel free to check it out. There's a link to the Discord on my DA page, but it's the name of the fic (The Owl and the Frog) if you want to look it up yourself. I'm still a bit new to this whole Discord thing, but I hope to see some of you there!
So here we go!
This one-shot was requested by R-Doll, he's made a lot of art for my fic and has become a very dear friend. I asked him if there was a one-shot he'd like to see and this is the one he requested. I had an interesting time writing it, and in the end, I think it turned out great! Thanks for the suggestion R-Doll and thank you for all the amazing art you've made for me. Hope you enjoy this!
Amara's Upbringing
Five Years Ago
"Get up, Amara!" said Alister firmly.
Amara didn't immediately rise and gave her father a look that seemed to wish for a more tender response, but her father would not give it to her.
"I said get up!" he said again in an even firmer voice. He looked over to the young newt who was with them, his look asking her to say the same thing.
"It's alright, Amara," the other newt said in a more compassionate voice. "We can try again."
The ten-year-old Amara finally picked herself up from the floor and dusted herself off.
"That was sloppy form," said her father harshly. "You've been training for weeks now. I expected better from you!"
"Her form wasn't so bad," said the other newt, trying to be a voice of reason. "I think she was just a little slow in blocking."
"Are you making excuses for her, Yunan?" asked Alister to the other newt.
"No, of course not, sire!" said Yunan, bowing her head to Alister.
"Then enough talking! Let's go again and see if she can do better this time!" barked Alister.
Amara nodded and got herself into a fighting stance. Yunan reciprocated and brought up her arms, too. After a second, the two charged at each other. Yunan threw punches at Amara, who brought up her fists to defend herself before she began to strike back. A few blows managed to find their marks, and Yunan switched up her routine, instead trying to kick Amara. Amara focused and blocked the incoming kicks before using her tail to grab Yunan's foot and spin her around. Yunan recovered and connected with a punch, staggering Amara. Yunan jumped forward with a kick, but Amara dodged out of the way. She grabbed Yunan in the air and slammed her into the ground. Amara brought a fist to Yunan's face, causing the newt to put up her hands in surrender.
"Hmph, I suppose that is passable," said Alister to his daughter in the same stern voice. He took out his pocket watch and looked at it.
"Well, your training session for today is over. You have the rest of the day free," he said to Amara.
"Thank you, Father," said Amara respectfully. She reached out her hand to help Yunan up from the mat as her father left.
"Well, is there anything in particular you want to do?" asked Yunan.
"Anything that lets us get out of here," said Amara desperately. Yunan looked into her eyes and nodded.
"So are you absolutely sure about this?" asked Amara, as she and Yunan shared drinks together at Kaldi's Coffee Shop.
"Yes, I'm sure," replied Yunan with confidence in her voice.
"But you're not even eighteen yet," said Amara.
"They accepted me a year earlier because of my scores and my battle prowess, and newts younger than that have gone to Newtopia University," said Yunan. "You know about that business with my father. I have to do this to restore my family's honor."
"It's just… Once you start at the Military Academy, you're not allowed to leave until you finish, right?" asked Amara. "That means I won't get to see you at all for at least four years."
"Yes, I know," said Yunan in a heavy voice. "But hey, by the time you see me again, maybe I'll be known as Lieutenant Yunan! The Star Student of the great Newtopian Academy!" She raised her hands in the air in a grand gesture, trying to cheer Amara up, but Amara continued to frown.
"I didn't realize you'd miss me this much, Amara," said Yunan in surprise.
"You're like a sister to me," said Amara, reaching over to take Yunan's hand, causing the older newt to smile. "I always enjoyed getting to hang out with you. It was a nice break from how strict my parents are." She said that last part with bitterness in her voice.
"Your parents are just trying to raise you to be a respectable newt," said Yunan. "Remember, we are the superior species in Amphibia. We have a lot to live up to!"
"Yeah, yeah, I know," said Amara in a sarcastic voice. "Mom says it all the time, which reminds me, she wants me to go with her to that rally next week."
"Rally?" asked Yunan. "What's this rally about?"
"She's trying to convince other newts about how great getting an education is," said Amara. "She wants to convince them to go to Newtopia University."
"Well, that's good," said Yunan. "That university was made for newts. Why shouldn't we go there? And hey, if it's too expensive, they can always join up with the army and get their education paid for that way."
Amara was going to say something in response to that but decided not to.
"Listen, I don't start at the academy for another three months, so we still have some time together," said Yunan, trying to assuage the younger newts' fears.
"Still, I'm gonna miss you," said Amara with a pout.
"They still let me write while I'm training," said Yunan. "I promise to write you whenever I can."
Amara perked up a bit at hearing this.
"There we go, there's that smile," continued Yunan. "Four years will pass by before you know it. And then, who knows? I may climb up the ranks so fast that one day… I'll be the youngest newt to ever obtain the rank of general in the great Newtopian army!"
"That will definitely be something worth bragging about," said Amara as she finished her drink. She looked around, wanting to get a refill.
"Hey, waiter," she called in an authoritative voice. A frog waiter came up to her.
"Yes? May I help you?" she said in a sweet voice.
"I need a refill," demanded Amara. The frog refilled her drink with a smile.
"Anything else, miss?" asked the frog with a smile.
"Yes, quicker service next time," said Amara in a huff. The frog smiled at her before moving away.
"Honestly, you'd think those frogs would be faster," said Yunan, "considering how fast they can hop about."
Two Years Later
"I must say, this is an amazing gathering of newts that I see," said Odalys to the crowd. "Why, I see newts of all different colors here, but it doesn't matter what color you are. What matters is how you use those wonderful brains of yours, and why is that?"
"Because we are the smartest species!" cheered the crowd.
"Correct," answered Odalys. "And as the smartest species in Amphibia, it is your duty and birthright to use that to expand your mind, and the only way to do that is at Newtopia University."
The crowd cheered again.
"Now, I know what you're thinking," began Odalys. "Newtopia University is very expensive, so I'm not sure I can afford to go there or send my kids there, but don't worry. I and other newts have a solution to that problem."
Odalys clapped her hands, and four other newts joined her on the stage, all from upper-class families and dressed in the finest clothes. They looked down from the stage at the crowd gathered there.
"Myself and several other members of the most prestigious newt families have come together to offer you an opportunity. We will loan you the money to attend university," said Odalys.
The crowd of newts looked at each other, a bit puzzled.
"Now, of course, these loans are not cheap," began Odalys, "and we do charge interest on them, but I assure you the cost of attending will be well worth it. Once you graduate and get a good job, why, that new job will practically pay for the loan itself."
The newts still looked puzzled.
"Uh, I don't know," said one, addressing Odalys. "If we take out a loan to go to school, how long will it take us to pay them back?"
"You aren't fully understanding," said Odalys. "Think of this as an investment in your future. You don't need to worry about the interest, how long it will take you to repay it, or any of those other concerns. You see, this is about investing in yourself and making a future for you and your children."
The crowd of newts still mused about this. Odalys decided to change tactics.
"I should also inform you," she began, "that due to a new ruling, other species are now allowed at Newtopia University."
That seemed to get the crowd's attention.
"Quite right," said one of the other newts on stage, a blue one. "It's been going on for at least a year, but now frogs and toads have been allowed to enroll at this prestigious university that before was only exclusively for newts."
More murmuring among the newts.
"If frogs and toads are now permitted here, why, they might try to take over," began the blue newt. "They may take your place as the new superior species, and you don't want that, do you?"
"No, of course not!" said the crowd.
"Then you must all pay to go to university so that you can continue to be the superior species!" said the blue newt to the crowd. "I attended Newtopia University, and after graduation, I became a genius of unparalleled brilliance! The same can happen for you if you attend this prestigious university, no matter the cost."
The crowd cheered!
"Excellent!" said the blue newt. "Now, we have set up stations where you can talk with us about what kind of loan is best for you or your children to attend. Please make sure and talk with a loan consultant before you leave today."
"And remember," said Odalys, "you can always trust the Light family. Our Light will shine the way forward for other newts!"
With that, the crowd dispersed to the various stations. The elite newts walked offstage to have their own conversation, and the blue newt talked with Odalys.
"Quite a wonderous speech, Lord Musk," said Odalys to the blue newt.
"It always helps to reinforce the belief that newts are superior," answered Lord Musk.
"It also helps to make them afraid that other species will take over their jobs and places if they don't do what we tell them," said another newt, an old yellow one.
"Quite right, Lord McConnel," answered Odalys. "Making them afraid and telling them how to cure that fear is the best way to get them to listen to us."
"I just hope that a lot of them sign up with me," said another newt, a female one with dyed blonde hair. "I need more money for my mansion's expansion. Four rooms are just not enough."
"I'm sure you'll get plenty, Lady Green," said Odalys to the newt. "You must invite me over for tea when your expansion is finished. I expect you to fashion it with nothing but the best."
"You needn't worry, Lady Odalys," replied Lady Green. "You will no doubt be the first one on my invite list."
"Very well. I must go check on young Amara then," said Odalys as she headed back to the other side of the stage. She made her way back to the entrance of the rally, where twelve-year-old Amara stood in a formal dress, handing out flyers.
"Find the best loan and payment plan that works for you!" she said as she handed out another flyer.
"Ah, there you are, dear," said Odalys, coming up to her. "How many of those have you given out?"
"I don't know; I lost count," said Amara innocently, "but I know it's quite a lot. People have been taking them and reading them over."
"Well, next time, I hope you'll pay more attention," said Odalys in a huff. "I'll need a more accurate count in the future."
"Yes, Mom," said Amara with a frown.
The two newts returned to the mansion. As they walked through the door, their frog butler handed something to Amara.
"A letter came for you, Master Amara," he said. "I think it was from Yunan."
"Oh, thank you, Jamack," said Amara, quickly grabbing the letter and about to head off to her room before her mother stopped her.
"Ahem," she said, bringing her hand to her mouth, "I'm having the other newts over for tea, Amara. I expect you to join us."
Amara frowned but said in a sullen voice, "Yes, Mother."
"Good, now help Jamack set up the living room for tea," ordered her mother. Amara went off with the butler and helped set up the room.
A short while later, the other elite newts arrived, and Amara poured the tea before sitting down next to her mother. She did her best to follow along with the conversation, though it was mostly about money.
"I got quite a few newts to sign up with me," said Lady Green in triumph. "I can already imagine the interest I'll make on the loans."
"And, of course, we've put in other arrangements in the fine print about interest," said Lord McConnel. "We can charge so much more if they're late with a payment by even a minute."
"And we can charge them interest on the total they owe us every year," said Lady Green with delight.
"Most of them won't even realize how much their loan amounts will increase over the years," said Lady Odalys.
"They'll be stuck paying us back forever, so we won't have to worry about them ever becoming elite," said Lord Musk.
"But I thought the whole reason for the rally was to help them rise above where they were? I thought all newts were superior?" asked Amara innocently. All eyes in the room turned towards her. Lady Green let out a laugh.
"Ha! Oh, are you serious there, Amara?" she said. "Oh, Lady Odalys, I forgot how young and naïve your daughter can be."
"Yes, my daughter seems to not understand certain things about how we operate," said Odalys in a flat tone, her head turning toward Amara. "Perhaps I shall excuse her from the conversation for now."
Odalys made a motion with her head to Amara to leave, and the young newt quickly obeyed as she was glad for any excuse to get away. She quickly but calmly made her way to her room. Once alone, she finally opened her letter from Yunan.
"Dear Amara,
I hope this correspondence finds you in good spirits. Life at the Academy has been tough, but not so tough for one such as me. Every morning, we wake up at 5 a.m. to go running and do an obstacle course. After that, we have a sparring session where we are paired off and made to fight each other to test our skills. I should say that I have managed to win 11 of my last twelve matches. I would have won the last one if I hadn't been tripped up by that other newt's tail. Let me take this opportunity to remind you, Amara, that your tail is a valuable weapon. Using it to trip up other species while they are distracted fighting you is a good tactic and one that I intend to work into my routine. Next time I was paired with that newt for sparring, I made sure to watch her tail, and she didn't surprise me like last time.
Another focus at the academy is weapon training. We are trained in a variety of weapons here: swords, axes, spears, clubs, maces, etc. I have to say, I think I prefer using knives. Their small size makes them easy to wield, and the light frame lets me be very creative with them. However, I think perhaps the knives would work better if I could attach them to my hands somehow. I was already starting to sketch up ideas for how that could work. I think if I converted some knives into claws, that would be more potent. It would allow me to keep my hands free. Given the light weight of the knives, I could swing them quickly and slash or strike at foes.
Oh, I must tell you of a recent incident when my company was off for a hike in the wilds. We got attacked by a giant snake! But I hope that as you read this, you are not worried in the least for either me or my comrades, for I fought off that snake and saved my companions. I did lose my tail in the process, but ha! That's why we are able to grow another! My sergeant was impressed by this feat and gave me an official recommendation on my record. I think by the time I am ready to graduate, I may move up a rank or two thanks to this display of heroism.
I should say the most boring class I have right now is tactics. I know it is important for an officer to know about tactics, but I find it so bland that I can hardly stay interested. Besides, why bother with tactics when you are the stronger fighter? If you are stronger, all you need to do is rush in and defeat your opponent quickly. I feel that will always be the best strategy!
Well, that's all I have for now. I'll send you another letter whenever I have time. Take care, Amara!
Your Friend,
Yunan"
As Amara finished reading the letter, she let out a sigh. While it had been great to hear from her, reading the letter also reminded her of how much she missed Yunan. Still, she was happy for her friend and hoped she continued to have a good experience. Amara couldn't wait until Yunan was finished at the Academy and she got the chance to see her again.
One Year Later
"And you lose again, Amara," said Alister as he flipped her wart on the board. Amara let out a sigh.
"I knew that one time you beat me was only a fluke," said her father. "You don't seem to have improved at all, or maybe you just aren't trying."
"Oh, I suppose it could be that you're just too good, Dad," said Amara in a sarcastic voice.
"Well, I know I am good," replied her father, "but you need to be as good or better than me in order to be a true Light!"
Amara sighed at this and got up to leave before her father stopped her.
"Where do you think you're going, young lady?"
"I thought we were done," said Amara to her father.
"Reset the board," commanded her father. "We're playing again."
"But you already won, Dad," protested Amara.
"I know I won, and you didn't. That's the problem," said Alister. "You have to do better! Set up the board, Amara. We're playing again."
Amara sighed as she put the pieces on the board back in their starting positions.
After three more games, Amara finally managed to win once against her father, but the victory didn't feel satisfying, as she had still lost the first two. Alister was only mildly impressed by Amara's tactics but felt there was still a lot of room for improvement. After winning the last game, Amara wanted to leave, but her father told her to report to her mother instead. Odalys wanted to see how well Amara had been keeping up with her studies and gave her a simulated test of the Newtopia University entrance exam. Amara passed the test but did not do as well as her mother had hoped.
"I see you've been slacking off on your studies, Amara," said Odalys in a disappointing tone.
"Mom, I passed the test," protested Amara.
"You passed with only a 90%," corrected Odalys. "That's not good enough!"
Amara bit back a retort about how it was still in the top percent but decided against it.
"Now, why don't you head to the library and brush up on your studies?" commanded Odalys. "I'll give you another test in a week and see if you've improved any."
"Yes, Mother," replied Amara. She left the room, happy for a chance to get away from her mother. She wandered outside and made her way toward the library. She was in such a hurry that she didn't look where she was going and ran straight into a frog who was walking down the street.
"Watch where you're going!" yelled Amara at the hapless frog.
"So sorry, miss," said the frog, a young, light blue female frog. "A thousand apologies."
"What are you even doing here?" continued Amara in a harsh tone. "Your kind don't belong in this part of Newtopia."
"I was working as a nanny for a family that lives here. Please don't make any sort of complaint against me, miss. I need this job," pleaded the frog. She put up her hands defensively.
"Fine, just stay out of my way and watch where you're going next time!" said Amara. "Now get out of here!"
The frog nodded her head and quickly turned before scampering away. As soon as she left, Amara felt conflicted. A part of her felt bad for how she had yelled at her and been so cruel to the frog. For a brief moment, Amara raised her hand and wanted to call out to that frog, wanting to apologize for what she had said. She honestly hadn't meant to be so dismissive, but Amara was angry and frustrated because of her parents. She had taken her frustration out on a random frog as a way to help her vent her frustration. While she did feel better for a brief second, now that the moment had passed, she honestly felt worse but didn't know why. Amara pushed these thoughts out of her head as she made her way to the library.
Mom says it's okay to treat the frogs like that, and I was having a rough day, thought Amara in her head. I didn't do anything wrong…
One Year Later
"Come on! Hurry!" called Amara excitedly to her parents.
"Slow down, Amara," said her father as he and Odalys struggled to catch up. "We aren't late, plus we have reserved seating."
"There's no need for us to rush like peasants, Amara," said Odalys, who didn't quicken her step at all and continued her slow pace.
Amara kept running until the Coliseum came into view, though strangely, there were no crowds outside it, nor any lines to get in. For a second, Amara wondered if she had gotten the date wrong. As she got closer to the Arena, she saw a newt in a formal gown standing at the entrance. Amara approached her, thinking she might have some information.
"Has the graduation ceremony been canceled?" asked Amara.
"I'm afraid so," replied the newt. "We only just found out about the change in plans yesterday."
"Why was it canceled?" asked Amara.
"The new class was needed urgently at the front," replied the newt. "The Sand Wars are fierce, and it was felt that these newts were needed to help turn the tide."
"They're already off to battle?" asked Amara, with some worry in her voice. "But they've only just graduated."
"Yes, sometimes that is how things go," answered the newt.
"What's going on?" asked Odalys as she finally came into view. "Why does the Arena look like it's closed?"
"The graduation ceremony has been canceled," answered the newt in the formal gown.
"Lady Olivia," said Odalys in surprise, "did they really need to send you to tell us that?"
"I volunteered," answered Olivia. "I was actually hoping I would run into you. I had a letter for your daughter."
Olivia pulled out a letter from her gown and handed it to Amara.
"It is from Captain Yunan. She asked me to make sure you got it," said Olivia.
"Wait, did you say… Captain Yunan?" asked Odalys with intrigue.
"Yes, Captain Yunan," repeated Olivia. "Your friend has been quite the go-getter here at the academy. She was at the top of her class in every subject except tactics. She was a top winner in the Academy sparring matches, and she saved the lives of her squamates during a training exercise when they encountered a giant snake. With all of those feats considered, it was decided to grant her the rank of Captain upon graduation."
"My, my, our little Yunan certainly is proving herself," said Alister with a smile. "I knew she could overcome the shame of her father."
"Ha! Quite a marvelous show!" exclaimed Odalys. "Captain at such a young age. I'm sure she'll only keep moving up."
"Yes, most impressive," said Alister. He turned to Amara before continuing, "I hope her accomplishments help spur you to do better, Amara."
Amara didn't reply to that, instead looking at the letter in her hand.
"While we had to cancel the public graduation ceremony, there was a small private one," said Lady Olivia. "I was there as the King's representative and met Yunan for the first time. She seemed very, uh, energetic. Rather eager to join the fighting, but still nice. I told her we'd be keeping an eye on her and her career. That's when she asked me if I could deliver a letter to a friend of hers, and I accepted."
"Well, whenever Yunan, ah, I mean, Captain Yunan gets a break, we'll be sure and invite her over for tea," said Odalys.
"I really wanted to see her," said Amara as she hung her head hoping Yunan would be okay. She had hoped to get a chance to see her before she went off on her private magic training that her father had recently told her about. She would be leaving in a few months and likely wouldn't see her friend again until she was finished with her training.
"I'm sorry," replied Olivia. "Yunan expressed regret over not being able to see you as well, but I hope that letter offers some degree of comfort."
"Well, if there's not going to be a graduation ceremony, I suppose we should just head home," said Odalys. "I pray that our young new captain survives the Sand Wars and returns to us."
After the group got home, Amara retreated to her room and opened the letter that Yunan had left her.
Dear Amara,
I hope this letter finds you well. By the time you read it, you might have heard, but for my top marks at the Academy and my prowess in sparring matches, I was granted the rank of Captain upon my graduation! This is the highest rank that has ever been granted to a graduate! Why, I am quite certain I have made history with this accomplishment!
I am sorry that our graduation ceremony was canceled. Perhaps you've already heard the news, but the Sand Wars are not going well. Newtopia needs all the recruits it can muster in order to turn the tide. The enemy is being led by Ragnar the Wretched, one of the most fiendish toads if ever there was one. As I'm sure you know, he hoped to be anointed Lord of the West Tower, but Bufo was chosen instead. After that, he gathered up a force of his own and attempted to carve out a new fiefdom in the desert region. Now the forces of Newtopia fight him to regain control of the desert. This fight will not be easy, as the Amphibian Desert is an area of hot, unforgiving days and cold, frigid nights. Only the toughest of warriors could hope to survive in an environment such as that.
As a new captain, I was given command of my own squad, and I must say, they leave much to be desired. They are all a slow and weak bunch that I don't feel will contribute anything. I would be much faster fighting on my own without them holding me back. Still, I will see if I can whip them into shape and make them into a fighting force worthy of Captain Yunan!
I know I may be off to war, but do not worry about my safety! You know how fierce I am, and I've only grown even more proficient after my years at the Academy. I will return someday, and I can't wait to catch up with you.
Your Friend,
Captain Yunan
PS: Considering my accomplishments, I think when I introduce myself, I shall say that I am "Captain Yunan, the youngest graduate to ever obtain the rank of Captain at the great Newtopian Academy!"
Yes, I like the sound of that. I will make sure to use it!
A Few Months Later
"So, this is where Uodeela lives?" asked Amara as she and her father dismounted the sparrow. Amara brought both a suitcase and a backpack with her. She took in the sight before her. It was a quaint red house with a few black streaks that had engravings of salamanders all over it. At the front door was an ornate silver bell.
Alister and Amara walked up to the front door. Amara had worn a bright green formal dress and was smoothing it out in an effort to make herself presentable. Alister rang the bell, and a moment later, a red salamander answered the door. The salamander looked down at Amara, giving her a stare.
"So, this is your daughter?" asked Uodeela.
"Yes, this is Amara," said Alister. Amara stepped forward, and Alister prodded her to introduce herself.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Master Uodeela," said Amara, stepping forward and bowing her head. "In Newtopia, we still hear stories of your exploits. My father told me of your extensive knowledge of magic. It will be an honor learning under you."
"I'm sure whatever stories you've heard of me have been exaggerated," replied Uodeela. She gave Amara another look, eyeing the green dress she was wearing.
"So, how long will the training take?" asked Alister
"Three months, give or take," replied Uodeela. "You've already paid me, so if you have no other question, then I'd say our business is concluded." She gave Alister a curt nod to indicate she wanted him to leave.
Alister turned to his daughter, putting his arms on her shoulders in a rare show of affection.
"I expect the best from you, Amara," he said in a firm but gentle voice. "Magic is difficult, but you aren't just any ordinary amphibian. You are Amara Light, and you are a newt of one of the most prominent families. If anyone is able to learn magic, it will be you."
"I promise to give it my utmost effort, Father," said Amara in a sincere tone. Alister actually reached forward and hugged her, which caught Amara off guard. She honestly couldn't remember the last time her father had hugged her.
As they separated, Alister smiled at his daughter before walking back to the sparrow. "Remember, write us when you're done, and we'll send a sparrow to come get you."
Alister boarded the sparrow and took off into the sky. Amara looked up to where he had gone.
"Well, let's get you inside and set up," said Uodeela. "First things first, we need to get you some new clothes."
"What's wrong with my clothes?" asked Amara indignantly.
"Kid, we're gonna be mixing potion ingredients together and hiking through the woods," answered Uodeela. "This ain't a fancy ball."
"My parents have me wear dresses all the time," protested Amara. "That's all I packed for this trip."
"Hmm, well, I might have some work clothes that will better suit you in my basement," said Uodeela. "At the very least, let's get you set up in your room."
Uodeela led Amara inside the house. Amara saw the living room and felt it was small but cozy. As she walked in, she noticed they weren't alone. Two other figures approached, a toad and a frog.
"Oh, hey," said the frog excitedly, "you must be the third student."
She held out her hand to Amara. "I'm Lilly. Pleased to meet you."
"I'm Gustav," said the toad, also approaching Amara and holding out his hand.
Amara was in shock and didn't move to shake either hand. Instead, she whispered to Uodeela.
"Why are there other students here?" she asked in a hushed voice.
"Because I'm teaching all three of you at the same time," answered Uodeela flatly.
"Uh, my dad didn't mention anything about there being other students," said Amara, confused. "We were both under the impression that you were only going to teach me."
"Oh, I don't know what gave your father that idea," said Uodeela in a sardonic voice. "Perhaps he is not as clever as he imagines himself to be."
Amara didn't reply to that and looked back at the toad and frog, who were still holding their hands out, waiting for Amara to shake them. Amara kept looking into their faces, not sure what to do. After waiting a long time, she finally shook both their hands, though in a quick and awkward manner. She moved away from them and followed Uodeela upstairs as they exited the living room. Amara again whispered to the salamander.
"Are you sure they're even able to learn magic?" she asked. "I mean, you know frogs are nothing but peasants, and toads certainly don't have the brains for it."
Uodeela thought about retorting to Amara, but she didn't want the young newt to dismiss her advice this early. In her mind, Uodeela knew that it would be better to try to win Amara over rather than simply tell her she was wrong.
"Well, if they do struggle, then it's good that you're here so you can help them learn things faster," replied Uodeela.
"Why would I want to do that?" asked Amara in disgust.
"It will give you a way to show how much smarter you are," said Uodeela in a sweet voice.
Amara thought it over and eventually decided she liked that. After they arrived at her room, Uodeela left to go get some different clothes for Amara. She returned with some plain gray clothes that looked old and worn. Amara stared at the clothes apprehensively.
"Ugh, do I have to wear these?" she asked.
"Well, I suppose we could tear off some portions of your dress and slim it down a bit, so it's not so poofy," teased Uodeela. "Make it look more like mine."
Amara sighed, as she didn't want to ruin her clothes, and instead got dressed in the simple gray clothes. Though as she looked at herself in the mirror, she actually didn't mind how she looked with them on. In fact, they felt a lot more comfortable than many of the dresses she had worn in the past. As she thought about it, she wondered if the only reason she'd always worn dresses was because her parents had made her wear them.
Once she was changed, she went downstairs and saw that Uodeela, Lilly, and Gustav were waiting for her. They waved to her in an attempt to be friendly.
"Good! They fit!" said Uodeela. "Now that all three of you are here, let's go have some dinner. While we eat, I'll give you an outline of what we're going to be studying while you're here."
A Few More Months Later
"Announcing the arrival of the magnificent General Yunan!" said Jamack to the mostly empty hall, though Odalys was sitting patiently at a table.
"Ehum," growled Yunan before leaning down and whispering something into the frog's ear. Jamack let out a sigh, rolling his eyes before straightening up.
"What I meant to say was," he began, "Announcing the arrival of General Yunan! Scourge of the Sand Wars! Defeater of Ragnar the Wretched and the youngest newt to ever obtain the rank of General in the great Newtopian Army!"
"You need to say it with more flair!" commanded Yunan. She was about to protest some more before Odalys stood up.
"Oh, let it go for now, Yunan. Oh, I mean General Yunan," said Odalys in a sweet voice. "Come here, come here. Let me get a look at you!"
Yunan came forward, and Odalys brought her hands up and held Yunan's face in them in a rare show of affection.
"My dear, look at you! How long has it been since I've seen you last?" said Odalys.
"I think at least five years by now," answered Yunan.
"Five years! Time does seem to fly, doesn't it?" said Odalys. "But here you are again in Light Manor, and not only have you returned, but you return a General. In fact, the youngest newt to ever obtain the rank of general in the great Newtopian Army."
"Yes, it is quite an honor. I have, for certain, restored my family's name with this great accomplishment," said Yunan.
"For certain, you have," said Odalys. She was going to say more but was interrupted as Amara ran into the hall and jumped into Yunan's arms.
"I can't believe you're back!" exclaimed Amara as she hugged Yunan. "I got your last letter saying you were okay, but still, it's so good to see you, Yunan."
Odalys quickly made a noise to grab her daughter's attention. "It's not Yunan anymore, Amara. Perhaps you haven't been paying attention, but now it's General Yunan."
"Oh, that's quite alright," said Yunan, surprising Odalys. "To everyone else, I would ask that they use my full title, but Amara is practically family, so she gets a pass."
Yunan looked down at Amara's smiling face. "It's good to see you again, Amara. Can't wait to have a night out with you again. And I'd love to meet that new friend you told me about."
"New friend?" said Odalys with a hint of suspicion. "This is the first I've heard of it."
Yunan looked between Amara and Odalys, her face falling. Thinking quickly, she tried to change the subject.
"Uh, actually, Amara, why don't you wait outside for a bit? There's something I want to discuss with your mother in private," said Yunan quickly.
"Okay, don't be too long," said Amara, walking down the hall and out the front door, eager to get away from her mother.
"Did you actually have some business to discuss, General, or were you merely covering for Amara?" asked Odalys, giving Yunan a look.
"No, no, I did have something of a, uh… personal matter to discuss with you," said Yunan. She paused before quickly adding, "It's about a dowry."
Odalys's eyes lit up at that. "A dowry? Why, this is a bit sudden. You've only just been made a general, and you're already thinking of settling down."
"Well, not so much settling down and more like I found a newt I like," said Yunan, with a hint of shyness.
"And who is this lucky newt?" asked Odalys, motioning for the two to sit down at a nearby table. She snapped her fingers and made a signal to Jamack to bring them tea.
"It's… Lady Olivia," said Yunan. "I first met her during our rather rushed graduation, then again when I was promoted, and recently, my work with the King has brought me into more contact with her. I love her elegance and the way she carries herself. She is… quite refined."
"Indeed, she is," said Odalys, taking a sip of her tea, "but more important than that, she is well-connected and quite the eligible bachelorette. A marriage between you two would make a good match and be quite beneficial to your status as well."
Yunan thought about saying how she didn't care about the status, but she knew Odalys would not agree, so she said nothing regarding that. "The thing is, despite having been made general, I am, at the moment, quite poor. My family is still suffering the stigma of my father's actions. I know that once I've had some time to serve, I will be more than financially able to provide for Lady Olivia, but until such time, I don't think her family would approve of me. So I thought I could ask for your help in securing a dowry so that I may make a formal petition for marriage to her. You know, with my new rank, I shall be more than able to pay it back to you. I've known you and your daughter for years, so I figured you could help me."
"Oh, of course I can help you secure a dowry," began Odalys.
"I knew you would!" exclaimed Yunan in triumph. "Thank you so much for-"
"Though there is the matter of how much interest I should charge you," interrupted Odalys.
"Uh, interest?" said Yunan in surprise.
"Come now, Yunan," said Odalys in a mockingly caring voice. "Surely you must realize you can't get something for nothing. If I were to lend you the money for a dowry, I would also charge interest on it."
Yunan's smile faded as she heard that. She paused before continuing, "Well, it's just… like I said, we've known each other for so long. I just thought… maybe you would lend me the money without interest."
Odalys stared straight into Yunan's face before speaking in a sweet, honeyed tone, "Yunan, my dear, I know you've been away for a long time, but you haven't forgotten how things work around here, have you? When one wishes to take out a loan from an elite newt family, one must expect to pay interest on it, regardless of how well you might know the family in question."
Yunan didn't respond to that, trying to think of something to say. Odalys continued.
"And of course, we would need to work out a formal contract to make sure that I would still be paid in the event of your untimely demise."
Yunan laughed, trying to show confidence. "Ha ha! My demise! Surely you aren't suggesting that I, the Great General Yunan, will fall in battle!"
"Oh, not at all," said Odalys, "but I must be prepared for any possibility when money is involved. If you were to fall without having fully repaid your debt, then I would have to make arrangements with Lady Olivia and her family to collect it."
"Wait, are you saying Olivia would be on the hook for my debt if I were to die?" asked Yunan worriedly.
"Well, yes, of course," answered Odalys. "But come, let's not think too much on that. After all, you are the great General Yunan, the youngest newt to ever achieve the rank of general in the great Newtopian Army! Someone as tough as you would not fall so easily in battle, right?"
Yunan glanced around nervously as she remembered her recent encounter with Grime and that human girl. True, she hadn't died in that encounter, but she had still been pushed off a cliff. If it weren't for the water at the bottom, it was likely she could have died.
"Now, of course, you don't have to make your decision now," said Odalys. "You can have time to think about it and then get back to me. When you're ready to move forward in an official capacity, we can talk more then, but I wouldn't wait too long if I were you, General. Lady Olivia is quite the eligible bachelorette, so she is certain to have other suitors after her hand. I'll tell you what, if you agree to take out a loan from me, I'll even put in a good word for you with her family. I'm sorry if you weren't aware but the stigma of your father's actions is still talked about in many elite circles. I know you had nothing to do with that, but I think other newts are not so forgiving, and still view your family with a certain… disdain. But with my help, I'm sure we can overcome that and show how much better you are than the rest of your family.
Yunan didn't speak for a long time as she considered everything Odalys said. Despite having fought and defeated Ragnar the Wretched and laughing in the face of danger, somehow, when Odalys spoke to her, she felt… small, almost like a child again. Finally, she said, "I will consider your offer, Lady Odalys."
With that, Yunan turned and went out the door to join Amara. Amara immediately noticed the sullen look on Yunan's face.
"Hey, is everything alright?" she asked in a concerned voice.
"Yeah, I'm fine," replied Yunan unconvincingly.
"I'm so sorry about how my friend acted," said Amara as she and Bella walked toward her house. "She can be a little intense."
"You told me she joined the military because of some incident with her dad," replied Bella. "I get the sense that she's under a lot of pressure to succeed."
"Yeah… Honestly, I think I just realized that myself about her tonight," replied Amara. "It's funny… I've known her all this time, but never really understood why she is the way she is."
"Crazy how that happens sometimes," said Bella. The two kept walking down the streets of Newtopia. The night sky overhead was beautiful, with the large red moon shining down on the city. As they walked, Amara tried to keep the conversation going.
"So, how's work at the hotel been?"
"A bit better after getting that raise," replied Bella. "Work can still be rough, but I can breathe a bit easier now. A few extra dollars mean a lot to me."
"Glad to hear it," said Amara.
"I've been trying to read some more books on business since that's what I got my degree in," said Bella. "I'd like to start my own business someday."
"What kind of business?" asked Amara.
"That's the thing. I don't really know," answered Bella. "Ideally, I'd like it to be something that helps people, but I don't really have any concrete ideas aside from that."
"I'm sure you'll think of something," said Amara.
"Yeah, I know I will," answered Bella. "Often, when I'm doing a boring task at work, like cleaning or taking up some bags, I let my mind wander a bit. Being able to think of other things while doing repetitive tasks can help me clear my mind."
"Huh, maybe I should try that," said Amara. "I think it could help me deal with my mother better if I could just ignore and block out the things she says."
"Have you thought about talking with your mom about some issues you're having with her?" asked Bella with concern in her voice.
"I've thought about it," answered Amara, "but trust me, my mom is not the kind of person who will admit she's wrong, and my dad isn't much better. Right now, it's just easier to pay lip service to her and pretend I care what she thinks."
"That doesn't sound healthy, though," said Bella, looking at Amara with concern. "Are you sure that's the best way to deal with her?"
"I don't really have any other choice, at least not now," said Amara. "Maybe once I get into Newtopia University and am not around her all the time, I'll be able to breathe a bit easier."
"Oh, right, you're looking to enroll at NU," said Bella. "How's the studying going?"
"It's fine," answered Amara. "I'm not too worried about it. I'll probably take the entrance exam at the end of the year. I've taken some practice ones before, and I did pretty good on them. So, got any advice on how to handle NU?"
"Well, on your first day, make sure you spend time acquainting yourself with the layout of the school," advised Bella. "Trust me, it will save you a lot of hassle later. Also, don't try sneaking out at night until you know all the secret paths."
"Secret paths?" asked Amara, intrigued.
"Oh, yeah, there are quite a few. It's kind of a badge of honor to learn where they are and how to get around campus," said Bella with a smile. "And of course, some newts would use them to sneak around after dark and attend parties and such."
"I imagine I'll be too busy studying to actually attend any parties," said Amara, "though I'm sure my parents would want me to go to ones being thrown by high-class newts."
"Well, just be careful if any newt invites you to a 'pool party,'" said Bella, her face turning red as she said that.
"A pool party?!" said Amara in surprise. She paused before continuing, "Uh, when you say 'pool party', do you mean-?"
"Yes," said Bella, firmly cutting her off, knowing what she was going to say. "I didn't realize what those were and accepted an invitation to one, then I showed up and realized what a 'pool party' really meant. I snuck away and went back to my dorm. I spent the rest of the night hiding my face in my pillow in embarrassment."
Amara didn't think it was possible, but she could have sworn Bella's face blushed even harder.
"Oh, uh, well, thanks for the warning," said Amara with an embarrassed chuckle. "I suppose you should take it as a compliment that the other newts wanted you to go."
"I think they just wanted more bodies there," said Bella. "Something tells me they aren't very picky about who they invite to those sorts of things."
They both let out an uneasy laugh.
"Has that concierge given you any trouble?" asked Amara, trying to change the subject.
"No, he's been fine," answered Bella, "though I wouldn't say no to another positive review if you wanted to give one, especially seeing as your family is so influential."
"Ha, no problem," said Amara with a laugh. "I'd be happy to."
At that moment, the two had arrived at Bella's house. Amara looked at Bella, trying to work up the courage to ask her something.
"So, hey, uh, Bella, I was wondering…" began Amara. She looked into her face, and her courage failed her.
"…. Was wondering if we're still on for our next get-together," finished Amara, a slight tone of defeat in her voice.
"Oh, sure, though I'll have to wait two weeks for the next one," replied Bella. Though, after a beat, she added, "You know, we can do something other than get coffee if you want."
"Oh… well, yeah. Maybe we can go to that new arcade," suggested Amara.
"Sounds fun. I'd love to check it out," said Bella.
With that, the two hugged, and Bella went inside her house. As soon as she was gone, Amara turned around and let out a growl of frustration.
"Arrgh! Dang it! Why didn't I just ask her out?!" Amara kicked at a small stone that was on the ground in frustration. She began to walk home with her hands in her pockets, feeling utterly dejected.
I think a part of it might be because, in the back of my mind, I know my parents won't approve of her, thought Amara to herself as she made the trek back to her house. But should I really let that determine my life?
Amara walked for a long time in silence, still trying to think of what to do. As she neared her house, she thought, Next time I see her, for sure! By then, I think Marcy, Luz, and Anne will have returned from their adventure and be ready to head home. Maybe I can ask Luz for advice. I wonder what she would say.