Previously on Calamitous Intervention

After the portal door sucked her in, Luz ended up in a strange world called Amphibia. Unlike Anne, she doesn't have any athletic abilities and is too weak to defend herself against the dangers in the wild. How will she survive in this strange new environment? Find out now.

Chapter Three - Luz or Beast?/Best Fronds

In front of an old, rundown restaurant named Stumpy's Diner, a turquoise frog exited the diner. He has a dark blue hat, black shorts, and an old scarf with stitches. "Goodnight, you frogs!" He hopped on a nearby rock and walked away, waving to two frogs sitting down with drinks, sitting by a worn-down wooden patio table.

The turquoise frog's name is Wally. He didn't watch where he was going and bumped into some barrels, falling over. The two frogs at the table saw this and burst out laughing at his misfortune.

Ignoring this, he got up and walked across the forest, while playing his accordion and humming to himself. He suddenly stopped when he heard rustling and cracking next to him. He looked around, getting nervous. "Hello?"

Behind him, a shadowy figure approached and he gasped, turning around. "What's that?!" He took a step back as the figure approached him, trying to speak to him. "No! No, no, no, no!" He took a step back.

The figure grinned, looking terrifying in the dark, and he cried out. "NOOO!"

After that horrifying night, it was now daytime when the inhabitants of the village known as Wartwood went about their daily business. One of the butchers sliced a centipede-looking creature in half, expecting this to kill it, but the top half screeched and quickly scurried away, nearly tripping a frog carrying a wooden bucket as it climbed up the nearest house and broke into it through the window.

Sitting on the ledge of the fountain in the center of the town, a couple was about to kiss when a massive dragonfly came out of nowhere and snatched the man, carrying the screaming frog away.

A couple of kids hopped around, laughing while playing with each other. As that was happening, a rental snail pulled up, trying to eat a leaf on a pole that an old, orange frog was carrying. His name is Hopediah "Hop Pop" Plantar. Next to him was a short, pink frog with a dark forest-green hat with goggles, a sleeveless jacket, and black shorts. His name is Sprig Plantar.

Also in the cart was a pink tadpole in a wooden bucket filled with water, with a yellow bowtie. Her name is Polly Plantar, the youngest in the family. Hop Pop stopped the cart and turned toward the two frog children. "All right, kids. I'm gonna do a little shoppin'. You watch the cart."

Sprig leaped up and backflipped onto the edge of the cart. "You got it, Hop Pop! I'll defend this cart with my LIIIFEEE!" He dragged the last word out while pounding his chest.

"Sprig, I was talkin' to Polly," Hop Pop corrected, and this shocked the boy. "What? Polly's a baby!"

In response, Polly pointed at him angrily. "You're a baby!"

"Polly's got more responsibility in her little flipper than you have in your entire body," Hop Pop explained.

"Ridiculous!" Sprig protested. "What makes you think I'm irresponsible?"

"Oh, gee," Hop Pop replied sarcastically. "Let me think." He reminded Sprig of the time he put something in the pot while he was cooking dinner, causing it to explode everywhere, the time he crashed through Hop Pop's room while riding a Cowapillar, and the time Sprig forgot to turn the lights off, resulting in massive fireflies ramming into the house.

Sprig smiled sheepishly at this. "Okay, so yesterday was a bad day."

"Mm-hm," Hop Pop replied, hopping off the cart and landing in front of the store entrance. "Polly, make sure Sprig stays in the cart." He walked into the store, smiling and waving at somebody. "Well, how do you do, Mrs. Jonkins?"

The frog boy sighed, leaning on the side of the cart. "Wish there was a way to prove I'm not such a goof-up." Polly frowned at this, feeling bad for her older brother.

Out of nowhere, Wally emerged from the forest, screaming with his mouth wide open. He frantically waved his arms around, trying to warn everybody. "Monster! Th-there's a monster in the woods! I seen it! I-I seen it!"

Some of the village folks walked over to see what the deal was, including the toad mayor of the town: Mayor Toadstool. Said mayor walked up to defuse the situation. "Now, simmer down Wally. Just tell us what you saw."

"Oh, it was horrifying!" Wally explained, grabbing a leaf and some sticks, and putting them together in a way that sort of resembled Luz. "It had a round head, A weird, stubby bump right in the middle of its face, and long spindly limbs!"

Seeing this, the townsfolk gasped in horror. Toadstool stepped in. "We better catch this beast before it hurts somebody. Because, for Mayor Toadstool, your safety comes first." Behind him, two frogs held up a flag with the word "Mayor" and a bunch of stars covering it. The crowd applauded him.

"Well, it's the responsible thing to do," Wally said, and the others murmured in agreement. Sprig and Polly watched this go down, and the frog boy had an idea. "Polly, I just had a great idea. I am going to catch that beast and save the town!"

Right before he was about to hop off, Polly glared at him, holding a hand out to stop him. "Stop right there! Hop Pop said that you had to stay in this cart. You know you can't take me!" She flexed her muscles to scare him.

Sprig groaned, before realizing he had the perfect distraction. "Oh, oh, Polly! Candy!" He pulled out candy, blowing a raspberry as he tossed it on the floor. Polly's eyes widened and she immediately took the offer. "Bribe accepted!"

She hopped down from her bucket and immediately chowed down on the candy, similar to a certain arcade game on Earth. Sprig grinned, knowing he was in the clear. "Let the monster hunt begin!" He leaped down from the cart, running off into the forest.

"Don't die!" Polly yelled after him. Sprig maneuvered across the trees, searching around every nook and cranny of his surroundings in hopes to find this supposed monster. On the way, he ate a centipede and prepared his slingshot in case of an attack.

He noticed something below him and gasped to see a strange footprint below him. "Seems like the beast roams these parts. Probably a good place for a trap."

Immediately, the grass rustled behind him and he turned to see Luz approaching him, panting. She had scrapes all over her and a big cut on her left arm. She'd had it rough in this world so far, only able to survive out of dumb luck. She was also very fatigued, scared of falling asleep for even a moment in case something tried to kill her. "Are... are you friendly? I need help..."

Sprig gasped, taking a couple of steps back. "Round head! Spindly limbs! Face bump! THE BEAST!"

Luz sat down, sweating all over. She hardly had the energy to move. "I'm not a beast, frog thing. I don't think I can last for much longer here... I could eat anything right now..."

Sprig paused, confused as to why she was acting so calmly. "Well, if you plan to eat me, then I have bad news for you, beast! I taste terrible!"

"Last thing on my mind right now is to add a frog to my diet," Luz replied, trying to stop the bleeding from her arm. "Why didn't I take gym class more seriously...?"

"But you tried to eat Wally," Sprig argued, and Luz raised an eyebrow. "You mean that frog who ran off screaming after I tried to introduce myself and ask for help?"

"That does sound like Wally," Sprig replied. Suddenly, they heard a roar behind them as foliage got knocked down, getting closer and closer. Luz's eyes widened and she began to panic. "No, no! I thought I lost it! I'm a goner!"

"Lost what?" Sprig asked, but Luz summoned her remaining energy to grab him and run over, ducking under a log. She covered his mouth as they heard a giant footstep close to the hiding spot, but luckily the unknown creature went past.

The two of them sighed in relief as Sprig looked up at her. "You... you saved me! You're not a beast at all! You're a hero! An ugly, ugly, ugly hero!"

Luz nodded slowly, not replying. Seeing this, Sprig snapped his finger. "Oh, right. Maybe we can get you back to Wartwood and we can patch you up there."

"I would if I could even move," Luz said, holding her arm. She teared up a bit at the pain. "I'm losing too much blood. It hurts."

"Let's save the introductions for later," Sprig told her, hopping to his feet. "I'll go get help. Just don't go anywhere, well, if you can."

He leaped up and hopped across the trees, hurrying to get help for this creature before she ended up passing out, or worse. Back in the town, Hop Pop left the store with groceries, before noticing something was off. "Huh?"

A mob of frogs with pitchforks, knives, and torches had formed in front of him. Mayor Toadstool raised his torch. "Now, when I say 'kill,' you say 'it.' Kill!"

"It!" The mob yelled.

"Kill!"

"It!"

Hop Pop chuckled at this, climbing up onto the cart. "Another day, another mob. Come on, kids." He turned around. "It's time to- WHAT THE?!" He saw Polly laying there on the wood, with her bucket toppled over. Candy wrappers were all over the place.

She noticed him and got up, scowling at him. "I don't have a candy problem! You have a candy problem!"

"Polly, where's Sprig?!" Hop Pop asked, getting worried. Polly recalled some of what Sprig had said in her mind before running off. "Uh... something something monster, something something woods."

Wally heard this conversation and chimed in. "Oohhh, if your boy went into the woods, he's as good as eaten. That beast will devour everything in its path."

"Not on my watch!" Hop Pop yelled, picking up Polly, leaping up, and running off into the forest. "Hang on, boy! Hop Pop's a-"

Suddenly, Sprig leaped forward out of the trees in front of his grandfather, and the old frog skidded to a stop, surprised. "Sprig! You're okay! I thought I told you to stay-"

"We don't have time!" Sprig said and quickly began to recall the events that had just happened super quickly. "So what happened is I found the beast and it turns out she wasn't actually bad and she is very hurt and we need to help her because-"

"Slow down, boy," Hop Pop said. "What's that about the beast? It's almost like you were askin' us to help it. Must not be hearing things correctly."

"That's exactly what I said!" Sprig told him. "The beast actually saved my life! If it weren't for her, I could've been eaten by an even bigger monster! She needs help!"

"Are you out of your mind, boy?" Mayor Toadstool scolded him. "You want us to help that gangly thing?"

"Yeah," Wally agreed. "What if it goes nutty and starts eating people after it's back on its feet?

"Look, if none of you are going to help me, so be it," Sprig replied. "But I'm not about to let her suffer out here any longer." He ran toward the house and Hop Pop reluctantly followed.

In the forest, Luz passed out from exhaustion, blood loss, and hunger. Hours later, she opened her eyes and found herself in an unfamiliar house on the couch. After her brain cleared up, she looked at her arm to see that it was bandaged. "Who saved me?"

Hearing a voice in the living room, Sprig walked in and was happy to see her okay. "You're okay! When we found you, you were almost eaten by a giant mantis!"

Luz shivered at this. "Good thing I'm not."

"What's goin' on here?" A voice asked, and Hop Pop walked in, alongside Polly. "Oh, the creature's awake. Uh, is it rude if I ask what you are and who you are?"

"Nah, it's fine," Luz replied, feeling safe for the first time in what felt like forever. "The name's Luz. Luz Noceda. I'm a human."

"A hu-man?" Hop Pop scratched his chin. "I see. And you don't eat frogs?"

"Nope," Luz replied. "Thank you for taking me guys in. You didn't have to do that."

Polly nodded in agreement. "She's right. You didn't."

"Polly!" Sprig protested, before turning toward Luz and smiling. "My name's Sprig Plantar." He held out a hand. "Put 'er there!"

She smiled, shaking his hand and ignoring the slime on hers. "If you don't count the first week I've been here, this place looks amazing."

"How did you end up here anyway?" Hop Pop questioned her. "You're a so-called 'hu-man', but I've never heard of ya'll before."

"That's because I'm not from this world," Luz answered. "My mom was sending me to Summer Camp, and then I got sucked through a portal and now I'm here."

She saw her backpack next to her and opened it, pulling out something that visibly shocked Hop Pop. "I don't know what this is, but it appeared when I did."

The old frog remained silent, before clearing his throat. "Sprig, Polly, go to your rooms. Now." He looked at them with a deadly serious expression, and they decided to comply without any questions.

Luz looked confused as Hopediah left the room, before coming back with a book, and flipping through the pages. "So, you say you don't know what this box is, eh?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. I came here through a portal door, trying to find my..." Her face dropped, as she remembered losing her Azura book. She didn't have time to think to herself much. "My Good Witch Azura book... It's gone... It's..."

She teared up and cried, letting out all of her pent-up emotions. She sobbed and Hop Pop went over to comfort her, wrapping an arm around her. "There, there. Let's wait til tomorrow to discuss this matter further. You must have gone through a lot since you got here."

Luz sniffled, wiping her eyes. "No, it's fine. It was just... very important to me. But... What about the music box?"

The old frog showed her a page with the words, "Calamity Box", alongside three colored gems behind it. There are other words written such as "Danger!", "Destroyed!", and "Beware!"

Luz read the page for a moment and nodded. "That does look dangerous. I wonder why I had it..."

"That's a good question we might find out later… Or preferably, never," Hop Pop said, picking up the box. "In the meantime, I'll go bury this where nobody can find it. It's too dangerous. Sprig!"

The frog boy peeked out curiously. "Yeah, Hop Pop?"

"I need you to get somethin' for Luz to eat and to show her to where she'll be stayin'," he told him. "Would you do that for me?"

"Sure," Sprig replied, gesturing her into the kitchen. "We got bugs, mushrooms..."

Before he even finished, Luz stuffed food into her mouth left and right, surprising him. "Wow, you must've been malnourished."

She nodded, before stuffing her face, disregarding any manners. After she finished, she felt a lot better. "Thanks, I needed that."

Sprig gave her a thumbs up. "Come on, I'll show you where you'll be sleeping from now on."

Luz proceeded to follow him down the ladder into the basement. "So, what happened while I was out?"

"A lot, actually," Sprig recalled the events. "A killer mantis attacked us, which I think was the monster that was chasing you, I proved to Hop Pop I'm responsible, and... I don't think the people in town like you being here."

Luz wasn't deterred by this. "Well, that's because they haven't seen who Luz Noceda is! They just saw her... unconscious self!"

"Oh, oh, oh, I'll be right back!" Sprig said, leaping up the ladder. Luz waited, curious, as he came down, holding a bunch of toys. "Brought some toys to keep you company. I'm too old for these."

His smile faded, as he grabbed what looked to be a blue bird plushie. "Oh, except for this one. Oh, and this one. Oops, this one too. Sorry, this one as well."

Luz giggled when watching him. "I'm not gonna judge whether you like toys or not. Back at home, nobody really accepted me for who I am. It's why my mom sent me to summer camp."

She looked down, saddened again. Sprig frowned at this and went up to comfort her. "I'm glad you're living with us, Luz."

She smiled at this. "Me too, Sprig. If it weren't for you, I'd probably be dead."

"Oh, for sure."

A brief period of awkward silence followed, and the frog took this chance to leave. "Well, good night. Sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs bite." He climbed up the ladder before peeking down again a moment later. "Seriously, they can drain a body in seconds."

Luz shuddered at this, making sure to check around the room for giant bugs, before laying down. She took out her phone and looked at pictures she took over the years, and saw that there was still no service. No way to contact her mother and let her know that she was okay.

"I don't know what to expect from this world, but I will find a way back to you, mama," she said, before laying down on her side and closing her eyes, drifting off.

The next morning, Luz woke up in the basement, rubbing her head. She looked around, and her thoughts cleared up. She smiled widely. "It wasn't a dream!" She hopped up, seeing Sprig and Polly watching her. "Oh, good morning, frog fam!"

"Hey, Luz," Sprig greeted, smiling. "Sleep good?"

She nodded, getting up and stretching. "Something tells me the little one doesn't share your optimism."

Polly pulled out a rolling bin, holding it threateningly. "If you try to eat us, I'll have an excuse to use old Doris here."

Luz decided to wave this off. "Where's Hop Pop?"

"He's making breakfast," Sprig replied. "I'm surprised he isn't more suspicious of you. Did you two talk last night?"

"Yeah, we did," Luz confirmed, thinking back to the conversation about the music box and her book. She decided not to dwell on it for now. "I like Hop Pop. Even when I'm different and stand out from the rest of you, he still comforted me at my weakest moment. Reminds me of my mom..."

"So, you must be so excited to be trapped in another world," Sprig said. "Very jealous."

"In fact, yes, I am excited!" Luz said, bouncing up and down. "I have so many questions! Are there frog witches? Magic?"

Sprig scratched his arm at this question. "Well, there is Maddie, but... She's kind of... Um, anyway, I also have a question. Did you have any friends at home?"

Luz's smile wavered. "No, I never really made any friends back in my hometown. Everybody thinks I'm weird and they try to avoid me 'cause I'm only being myself."

"Well, then, why don't I be your friend in the meantime?" Sprig requested and Luz's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Yeah! I don't know why those jerks don't like you," he said. "You and I have a lot in common. I... never was really able to make friends with the other kids either. I played way rougher than them. I eventually met Ivy Sundew, though."

Luz ran over and grabbed him in a tight hug, surprising him. "Too tight..." She finally let him go. "So, what do you like to do for fun, Luz?"

"I like reading Good Witch Azura, reading convoluted backstories..." Luz began listing off some of her hobbies. "Editing anime clips... Oh, I can also do this." She flipped her eyelids inside out and squished them. "Bleep bloop bleep!"

"Cool! Disgusting, but cool!" Sprig said, which was a response Luz didn't expect. "I don't really like reading, but... If you want to get out for a bit, there is a lake close by."

Luz thought about this, before smiling. "That sounds fun. It is pretty stuffy in here, but is Hop Pop okay with that?"

Sprig blew a raspberry, waving this off. "I'm sure he'll be fine with it.

A little later, Hop Pop crossed his arms. "I am not fine with this!"

"What?!" the two children replied, not having expected this response, especially Sprig since he was usually able to leave whenever he wanted.

Luz tried to think of a way to convince him. "We're just going to go swimming. You can come with us if you'd like."

Hop Pop scowled at this. "Absolutely not! Look, Luz. You're a new, unsettling, strange, bizarre, gangly, horrifying-"

"I think I got the picture," Luz cut in to stop him. The old frog cleared his throat and walked up to the blinds, peeking through them to look outside at the other frogs. "Point is, the frogs in this town can be pretty small-minded."

"Hey, Hopediah!" A frog outside greeted him after noticing him.

"And paranoid," Hop Pop continued, ignoring said frog. "We just need to give 'em time to get used to ya. Yesterday, you barely lasted out there. I think it's best you stay put." He took out a key and locked the front door.

"But-" Luz was about to protest, but Hop Pop shut her off. "No buts! Now, I'm gonna go into my study to get a little reading done. Sprig groaned at this. "Hop Pop..."

"Don't do anything stupid!" Hop Pop ordered, slamming the doors to his room. Luz sighed at this. "First he's like my mom then he's like my second-grade teacher. I want to meet Maddie and befriend her, not be stuck in here all day!"

"Yeah, looks like we're stuck here," Sprig agreed, before getting an idea. "Ooh! I know what'll be fun. Let's try some of Hop Pop's pain peppers!" He ran over to a barrel and opened it, revealing a red souplike liquid with peppers floating in it. "So hot, they'll make you wish you were dead."

He hummed to himself as picked one of them and simply touched it with his tongue. Instantly, he yelled and breathed fire, surprising Luz. He ran around the living room, screaming as his tongue was smoking. For some reason, he grabbed a vase to slam onto his tongue, as if that would've made it any better.

He tried to wash his mouth out with water, but that did nothing as well. He leaped to the ground, twitching in pain. "Someone just kill me, please! Bleh..." He fell down, pretending to be dead.

As if nothing had just happened, he got up a moment later and held one out for Luz. "Your turn!"

The human winced at this. "Uh, no thanks. Maybe we should sneak out."

Sprig was about to shove a whole lot of peppers into his mouth when he looked at her. "What? But Hop Pop said we have to stay here."

"We'll be back before he comes out," Luz told him. "It'll be just for a little while. Pleaaase?" She gave him puppy eyes and he smiled. "Well, can't argue with that face."

The two of them peeked through the door into Hop Pop's room, where he was sitting completely still. They saw the key hanging out of his shirt pocket. "So, how will we get it without him noticing?" Luz asked her new friend.

"Ooh! What if we use fishing line to lower me from the ceiling?" the frog suggested. "Then I grab the key right out of Hop Pop's pocket. I'll move like a shadow." He swung around and accidentally knocked down a nearby vase.

Luz gasped, barely managing to catch it. The two looked up to see if the old frog had heard them, but he didn't move.

"Shadows knock things over sometimes," Sprig whispered, and Luz slowly approached Hop Pop, hearing something. "Is he..."

The old frog was snoring with his eyes open, a blank expression on his face. He had a book open titled, "So. You're a Failed Actor". Luz waved her hand in front of his face, but had no response. "He's asleep. And with his eyes open? I've got to learn how to do that."

"Happens all the time," Sprig told her. "He makes a great scarecrow."

Luz leaned down and slowly took the key in the pocket, pulling it out. The two quietly hurried out of there and closed the door behind them. Luz squeaked, barely able to contain her excitement. "A whole new world to explore. Let's go and have some fun!"

The two left the house and walked across the peaceful forest, enjoying the fresh air. Luz looked around curiously, seeing unfamiliar plants and creatures. "This world is so colorful! This is way better than summer camp. Here, let's take a picture together!"

She pulled out her phone and wrapped her arm around Sprig, taking a selfie. "Perfect!"

Sprig looked at the picture, surprised. "I don't know what's crazier, that you just stole my soul in a tiny box, or that we look so incredible." He handed the phone back to Luz, who put it in her pocket. "I gotta say, this friend business is amazing!"

"You mentioned you didn't have friends before other than Ivy, right?" Luz asked, and he awkwardly scratched his arm. "Uhhh..."

He explained back then when two kids were laying together, he decided to scare them by pretending he was being eaten by a giant snake fossil. Luz giggled at this. "That reminds me back in kindergarten when I found the skin of a garter snake and scared the other kids away... And... Well, I did call them their pajamas."

"I'm glad we have that in common," Sprig said, smiling. "Kids around here don't really get me."

Luz nodded. "Same case for me, but they are missing out." She placed a hand on Sprig's shoulder. "Let's keep going." After a little while, they finally arrived at a massive lake. The two cheered and were about to jump in, but they stopped when they saw a sign labeled, "DON'T SWIM".

"This was not here last week," Sprig stated and Luz tapped her chin. "It can't be that bad, can it? I don't see any monsters."

"Ah, I don't know, Luz," the frog muttered, uncertain. "Whoever wrote this wrote it in a hurry, like they were scared to be here."

"Alright, maybe we should play it safe and stay away since I've learned what to expect from this world," Luz considered. "But then what would we do if not that?"

Before Sprig could answer, she had an idea. "Ooh, let's go visit Maddie!" Sprig sweated at this but laughed nervously. "Ha ha... Yeah, what could... go wrong? Let's go visit her..."

They left the lake, not noticing a snakelike sea monster was watching them from below the depths of the water. They went to another part of the forest and they saw a light blue female frog with bulbous light pink hair with a knot on the top. She was collecting ingredients for her next potion attempt.

"I'll uh... stay behind and-" Before Sprig could finish, Luz took his arm and walked him over. "Hi, Maddie! I'm Luz Noc-"

"AAH!" Maddie grabbed a purple bag and threw it behind her, bursting up in green flames. Luz leaped forward away from the fire, screaming as well. Maddie then realized who it was. "Oh, oops. You're that new gangly creature, right?"

Luz got up, putting out the small fire burning on her clothes before jumping up and down in excitement. "Was that magic? Did I just witness real magic?!"

"Uh, yeah, 'real magic'," Maddie replied, before noticing Sprig and smiling creepily. "Hi, Sprig..." The frog boy instinctively took a step back at this. "H-Hi, Maddie."

She then turned toward Luz again, smiling. "You have an interest in magic?"

"Of course I do!" Luz replied eagerly. "I've read the Good Witch Azura books so many times, and I've always wondered what it'd be like to be a witch. I didn't think that was possible until now."

"Wow, no one's ever been interested in what I do," Maddie noted. "They usually run away screaming."

The human turned toward Sprig, frowning. "Is this true, Sprig? Why are you scared of her? She seems sweet."

He didn't reply, but Maddie answered for him. "He's always like that around me. I don't know why, though."

"Maybe you should give her a chance," Luz said. "I'm a weirdo too that also likes magic. If you can befriend me, you can befriend her. Appearances aren't everything."

Sprig thought about this and realized she was right. "Sorry, Maddie. I'll give you a chance."

"Glad to hear it," Maddie responded, and the two shook hands.

"Anyway, could you please teach me how to use magic?" Luz begged her. "I will do anything!"

Maddie smiled creepily. "I feel like a beautiful friendship is about to start. Wanna be my apprentice?"

"Witch apprentice?!" Luz gasped. "Yes!"

"Not a witch," Maddie corrected, "just a magic user, but you never know. I could become one if I learn level-two spells. I'll teach you a basic fire spell."

Luz squealed, before looking at her friend. "Do you want to join us, Sprig?"

"Nah, no thanks. I'm not into magic. No offense, Maddie," Sprig declined. "Besides, somebody's got to be there if Hop Pop wakes up before you come back. I'll see you guys later."

He walked off, leaving the two alone. Luz sat down, smiling at her newest friend. "You're not like the others. You aren't judging me for who or what I am. I wish the others were as accepting."

"The others can be real jerks," Maddie agreed. "I usually just go off on my own. I do have three sisters that sometimes annoy me when I brew potions. It's been getting worse lately."

Later in the afternoon, Hop Pop mumbled to himself, finally waking up. "Wha- Um, I'm up! I'm awake!" He turned around to see that the key was gone from his shirt pocket and he got nervous. "The key... It's gone! Oh no, did they get out?"

He rushed over to the window, looking outside to try and find them. "Is the town rioting? Are they dead?! Has Luz eaten the kids?! THE WHOLE TOWN?!" Hop Pop ran over to the front door, trying to open it, but realized it wasn't locked. "Oh, what's this now? It's still locked."

The old frog peeked into the basement to see Luz and Sprig playing a new board game. The human rolled the dice, letting it roll across the board. "Come on... Come on..."

Hop Pop trudged over, watching them. "Eh, you guys been here all day, huh?"

"Yep," Luz replied. "Sprig's on a winning streak. I owe him my firstborn child. By the way, we found this on the floor." She pulled out the key, handing it to the old frog. "I think you dropped it on your way to the room."

Hop Pop put it into his pocket, shaking his head. "Dang shallow pockets. Well, you get what you pay for." He walked up the stairs, leaving them alone until Polly hopped down, holding her rolling pin. "Aha!"

Luz smiled at the tadpole. "Hi, Polly!"

Polly lowered her weapon, with a blank expression on her face. "You're not gonna eat us, are you? You're not even gonna try! Dis-a-ppointing." She hopped up the stairs, a bit irritated.

Luz and Sprig sighed in relief that they weren't caught. "So, how was your apprenticeship, Luz?"

"It was awesome," Luz replied, smiling widely. "I learned a basic fire spell, and it's actually pretty easy to make. Wonder why nobody else uses magic. It'd be really helpful for everybody."

"Thanks for earlier," Sprig said. "If you didn't intervene, I might've been scared of Maddie until the day I die. Turns out she's not that bad. But I'm feeling a little... sleepy..."

He was about to fall down the stairs, but Luz quickly caught him, laying him in her bed. She pulled out her phone and looked at a picture of her and her mom. "I'll find a way back to you, Mom, and tell you all about this place."

Thunder rumbled above Toad Tower, as a green, bulky toad stood in front of a dimly lit cell. "Take a look at this please, Sasha." He held up a figurine of the Good Witch Azura. "It was found far from here, in the South Forest. Now we know that you've been lying to us. Now we know that there are more of you."

Sasha sat there, looking miserable and malnourished. One chain was stuck to her leg, as thunder clapped, revealing her figure.

To Be Continued in Chapter Four

Luz's first time in Wartwood! I did my best to be as faithful to the original characters as possible. I'm still getting used to writing about them and I hope I did a good enough job. Please let me know if there are any grammatical errors or if something a character did that they normally wouldn't do. Criticism is appreciated.

~ Scruffy