Attack of the Giant Maddie

by birby6

Maddie never wanted to experience something like that day again. When a painful migraine leads to a full on bodily surge, she immediately finds herself back in a stature she desired to forget...but on a grander scale. Now it's a mad scramble to find a cure for her titanic growth before she has to live as a colossal giant forever, but something doesn't seem right...

8. Chapter 8

Flint and Ivy made extra sure that they silently escaped Maddie while she set her attention over to the other unfortunate frogs. Ivy held the Spudley in her arms so it wouldn't squeak too much and give away their positions. As much as they wished they could have helped out, if Maddie found them they likely never stood a chance at their current rates. Unlike Anne's choice of action, they pretty much acted immediately while Maddie reigned havoc on Wartwood. They made their leave out of the back door of the tea shop while they watched in terror at Maddie's huge form while she swallowed anyone that went against her. The fact she salivated after every time she devoured someone told them everything about how the Maddie they knew completely disappeared, and only one specific method possibly kept any sort of chance to bring her back. It hurt to willingly avoid someone they cared about, but they saw someone completely different in her visible eye and not the charming girl known around town. She needed their help more than anything even though she never actively said it.

After a few minutes of careful navigation, Flint and Ivy silently arrived at the magical barrier. Flint put a finger on his lips before he reached inside his bag and rummaged through it until he felt something very specific. Ivy tilted her head in confusion at first as the Spudley started to squeak, which ended when Ivy held it tightly to shut it up. Even when Flint brought out what seemed like a vial of green liquid from his bag she still understood next to nothing.

"We'll only have about five seconds, so book it the moment the hole appears."

Ivy sort of comprehended what Flint wanted out of her, but as to how he'd pull it off still eluded her. Even the Spudley tilted itself in Ivy's grasp as if nothing Flint said got through to it, although nobody quite read the small potato creature like a book. They wouldn't have to wait too long though, because soon after, as quick as a wink, Flint emptied out the vial in one instant splash that drenched part of the barrier. Soon after they watched as it fizzled and crackled while it showered some harmless sparks, which corroded parts away like some type of liquid toxic. Ivy, Flint, and the Spudley kept their eyes on the potion of the barrier until the right possible moment, and the instant they witnessed a large enough hole for all of them they bolted. Flint ran through first while Ivy followed suit as she carried the Spudley, and true to what Flint stated earlier shortly after the opening filled back in. For such a quick time action, it relieved a lot of pressure to the point where they wiped some nervous sweat from their brows. They could still hear Maddie's rampage behind them, and yet they only went through the easy part. They escaped captivity from the giant frog girl's personal sandbox, but their troubles only started.

They ran a decent distance away from the wrecked ruins of Wartwood before they plopped down for a few seconds. They still saw the monstrous form of Maddie's huge body even from far away, where luckily her attention stayed on her tiny playthings across the ground. After a few moments to herself, Ivy finally released the Spudley where it swiveled around and squeaked as it moved like usual. It soon sat down like the others next to them and uttered a long worn squeak while it gazed its endearing eyes toward them. It kicked small teaspoons of dirt into the air while squeaking in the process, and yet Ivy nor Flint questioned it. They acted differently than anyone else which left heads scratching.

"Well…we got out." Ivy said between breaths.

"Yeah. Definitely a plus there." Flint responded. "We still have a long way to go though."

"I expected as much." Ivy replied. "Where to?"

Flint set his sights forward toward the harsh wild lands Amphibia had to offer. He closed his eyes for a few moments before he deeply sighed and shook his head.

"Somewhere out there." Flint answered. "Any specifics have basically went nonexistent a long time ago. If the stars align the little Spudley fellow will possibly coax one of the rare reptiles out of hiding. They'd do anything to finally chomp on some sweet nectar."

The Spudley briefly squeaked and jumped upwards before it ran straight into Ivy's chest. It ran off a long series of whispering squeaks while Ivy got taken by surprise. Despite only knowing the small potato for a short while, it seemed to have taken some trust in her, at least from her own guesses, which made her smile a bit. She never kept any restrictions when it came to new friends, and even though her personality stayed pretty outgoing, contrary to the Spudley, she couldn't find any reason to reject such a creature from her friend circle. In her eyes, the Spudley considered her close enough to trust.

"Whoa! Easy there little guy!" Ivy stated as the Spudley kept its eyes in her chest. "I would never let one of those giant turtles consume you! Just calm down, okay?"

A series of squeaks soon followed before the Spudley brought its eyes up toward her. As quick as it started, the Spudley instantly pushed itself away and spun around on its behind for several seconds. The other two stood dumbfounded at what they just saw, but to save the brainpower they left the incident to the side. They had a bigger creature to track down after all, and the more they dawdled the more Maddie laid waste to Wartwood. As much as they wanted to take it slow, due to the emergencies everywhere they had no time to lose. Either they found the Meteor Snap or Amphibia becomes a ruined wasteland. They wouldn't let Maddie win.

"Come, you two. We have treacherous paths ahead of us." Flint said as he headed off.

Since their only guide obtained a head start, Ivy and the Spudley ran off after him under the darkness of the endless sea of trees. The Spudley squeaked as it moved like always, which helped determine where it ended up in case they lost it, but it also painted a target across its body. It served as their only ticket to possibly find the large turtle, and if it goes…Amphibia goes. A lot rested on their shoulders, and the entire continent depended on their success.

Their trip went on for more than just a couple of minutes. Since the scarcity and rarity of the Meteor Snaps existed far above most creatures, their chances remained slim. Even with the low percentages though, they took their chances and just winged it. No other options remained after all, and as the hours passed they soon waltzed into territory none of them recognized. The Spudley shuddered and squirmed but the other two stayed optimistic as they moved forward As the trekked through the marshlands and swamps of their world, they inexplicably encountered some rather dangerous scenarios. The Spudley fell into some quicksand which required Flint and Ivy to fish it out, they ended up chased down by a giant mantis with something akin to buzz saws for arms, and they almost ran into some toxic sludge that took them by surprise. The world around them always seemed to have fought back when any adventurer decided to take their first steps into danger, and while many, like Ivy, embraced the danger many clearly wanted some grace periods far beyond normal comprehension. Not everyone desired the adrenaline rush of death down their necks, and yet when it came to the world of Amphibia such dangers pretty much always ran their course even in the quietest of communities. Even Newtopia couldn't avoid the stray giant worms and locusts on occasion, although the place always became equipped for the job…unlike smaller communities. Either they won or faced decimation, and many never maintained such luxuries like the more prosperous places. While Wartwood lingered around the border between safe and dangerous, Ivy knew her luck compared to worse areas. Suffice to say, location served as a major point if one relied on surviving as long as possible.

She often wondered how Flint managed from all of his travels.

Dusk began to settle over the treetops as the three slogged through one of the thickest marshes they've ever walked through. The bog ran up to their waste while their legs felt like they traveled through lead or muck. It required a great amount of strength just to force one leg forward, and even Ivy found it rather troublesome as her midsection sank below. The Spudley went along with the others at its worst since it lacked any arms, which almost sent it forward face down at many points. None of them underestimated the dire troubles one would face in the thickness of such a hazard, yet they needed to muster through.

Ivy gritted her teeth as she used all of her leg muscles to force her right leg forward. If it somehow gained two large barbels across both sides underneath the pure brown she wouldn't know the difference.

"I can…barely move through this." Ivy stated as almost tired herself out. "You sure…you know…where to go?"

As she received the heavy workout of her young life, the Spudley lost its footing from the incredible weights below and tripped right across Ivy's back. It landed face down and began to squeak loudly from down under as Ivy turned straight around. Flint temporarily stopped in his tracks while Ivy sluggishly moved her hips and snatched the small potato creature from its murky fate. She then plopped it back onto its feet where she received an earful of high pitched squeaks in her direction. The Spudley winced for a split second before it wiggled in the bog around it, but it appeared not too stricken from its fall.

"There you go, little guy. Don't want to leave you behind after all of this traveling!" Ivy stated as she smiled.

The Spudley ran off a series of squeaks while it seemed to try for some maneuvers with its body, but the harsh swamped weighed it down. Ivy took such a response as a positive one anyway and lightly patted the living potato on its head.

"Even in the presence of a potential end…you really know how to lighten the mood." Flint said. "It doesn't sound like much, but I appreciate your upbeat attitude Ivy."

Ivy's face lit up the moment she heard the complement from Flint. As a local celebrity in the eyes of many at Wartwood, it became a big deal when he exchanged something positive in a particular direction. If it just so happened to fall directly in someone's lap jealousy stirred, especially to the ones more invested in his whereabouts. He gave one to Anne when he first came across her, so when Ivy received the same treatment she felt elated. Her heart instantly lurched forward as if it also wanted a piece of the Flint pie, and yet she wanted more. While far from his biggest fan, she still looked up to him due to his feats as he traveled everywhere selling his rare objects. She wanted to grow up and become an explorer more than anyone else.

…and she received one of her first tests rather quickly.

Nobody saw it coming until they literally launched straight into the air. Flint yelped before Ivy and the Spudley followed, where wind blew through their faces until they found themselves upside down snared at the leg. Ivy's hat would have fallen off if not for the fact that her bushy hair underneath kept it snagged from multiple points. The Spudley lacked any sort of legs, but that never stopped it from suffering the same fate as it dangled from a space between its body and round foot. All three of them immediately saw burly long vines as they snagged them by the ankle, except for the Spudley, which left them hanging for dear life. It occurred so quickly they never fully figured out if they accidentally stepped on a trap or not, but the cause never mattered. High above the stinky swamp below, the group ended up tangled with blood going to their heads from deep jungle scenery.

"Yikes! What the heck?!" Ivy exclaimed as she tried to untie herself but failed.

"I'm just as freaked out and befuddled as you!" Flint replied as the vine scraped his foot. "While I've encountered plenty of dangers, this just so happens to stand out as a first!"

Ivy shot Flint a rather dumbfounded gaze.

"You've gone…throughout the entire continent…and NEVER ran into something like this?!"

"Hey! Everyone has their firsts, okay?! Even I'm still encountering new occurrences around these freaky lands!"

He kept a firm grip of his bag as he stuck his head inside for anything to possibly cut them down, although the Spudley's loud squeaks made searching more irritating. It attempted to wiggle free multiple times, but its stubby feet remained stuck in the long green.

"Hey, little guy! You could at least keep quiet and not freak out as much while…we…"

The swampland below ceased Ivy's speech to a screeching halt. From all of their time as they trekked through the thickness of the smelly marsh they thought they wandered alone the entire time. However, upon the surface of the murky waters existed a couple of what appeared as logs at first, but on closer inspection revealed rather vile entities. Their red eyes glittered multiple screens akin to some of the most grotesque of insects and their antennae twitched to the low audible bubbles of the bog water around them. They hissed through their long sturdy snouts as their rugged scaly outer shells helped them blend in to their surroundings. Their most defining feature appeared as very long sharp maws that seemed like they could snap in an instant…across some very scrumptious frogs tangled in vines. They groaned and snorted while their large bug eyes aimed straight up toward the trapped three, and they desired a rather tasty meal. One wrong move and any of them easily became monster food.

Color drained from Ivy's face as the creatures opened their jaws and snapped them shut as if to send an example in case any of them screwed up.

"Flint? Ummmm, Flint? We've got company!"

Both Flint and the Spudley followed her eyes downward and instantly noticed the danger.

"Awwww, shoot." Flint stated. "As if staying trapped in a bathroom for a week didn't freak me out enough!"

The Spudley probably took the news the hardest as it instantly ran off entire sequences of squeaks as it flailed its feet around. While it never managed to break free in its struggles, its motions caused it to sway left and right like a steady pendulum. Due to the direction, it inadvertently slammed itself into Ivy and Flint over and over as its loud squeaking continued, which seemed to have amused the creatures below. They opened their jaws and snapped them shut while the vines prepared their upcoming meal. They anticipated the group's "delicious" end.

"Hey! You'll make us panic even more if you keep that up!" Ivy said to the worried Spudley.

The Spudley didn't answer and continued to ram against them from its swaying motions. Eventually everyone heard one loud creak and as it occurred the Spudley suddenly dropped down an entire head's length away. The vine kept it bobbed down as if it ended up attached to a bungee cord, but the fact it lowered toward the monsters within the marsh only increased the frequency of the Spudley's squeaking. Soon enough, even Flint and Ivy reached their limits on the cacophony next to them, and yet they couldn't do much as they hung upside down. The blood rushing to their heads left massive headaches, and the Spudley's screeches made them even worse. They needed a way out of their binds and fast.

The two attempted to concentrate and calm themselves down despite their predicament. They required a few moments, but they also needed a way out. Flint and Ivy scanned the surrounding area for any potential leads, although they only managed to notice more vines close to them with the same type. If they saw any bones still attached they likely would have thought that they had a high chance to suffer the same fate, although from the lack of slipperiness such a final resting place appeared as the more favorable compared to the other "colorful" option below them. If they connected the dots and added two and two together such an escape plan may have a higher percentage than they-

Flint and Ivy abruptly shot a gaze at each other for a split second.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Ivy asked while she smirked.

"Oh, definitely." Flint replied as he smirked back. "We'll have to act fast yet also careful. Just don't look down, okay?"

"As if I needed any more reminders, heheheh." Ivy stated as she lightly chuckled.

The two exchanged nods while they ignored the constant loud squeaks from the Spudley. The monsters below snapped their jaws again anxiously for one above to mess up as Flint instantly stuck his head inside his mysterious bag once more. While somewhat difficult due to the vine and the fact it held him upside down, he only searched through the inside for a few seconds until his movements stopped. As quick as a wink, Flint brought out a rather standard appearing knife. With the tool in hand, he swayed over to both Ivy and the Spudley and tried to steady himself. As much as all three of them had buckets of blood that flowed into their heads, they still maintained some level of control over their drained bodies. They didn't want to wait around and figure out how long they could potentially stay upside down ensnared by marsh foliage.

"Can you hoist yourself up and grab the vine while I slice through?" Flint asked.

"Got it." Ivy responded.

The young frog girl swung herself left and right while she summoned every ounce of strength left in her to pull herself up. She gritted her teeth and winced a few times until she eventually got a good motion in place. As all of the juice ran its course and emptied her dry, Ivy finally stiffened her back before she took hold of the vine as a last resort. In one final tug, she brought herself upright and cooled off for a few seconds. Her head no longer felt like it gained two hundred tons, although her foot stayed stuck within the binds of the vine. She at least alleviated some stress and placed herself into a more favorable position before their idea commenced into the next step.

Once Flint saw his companion as she gripped the vine tightly, he made the next move. He inhaled deeply to better compose himself before he narrowed his eyes toward Ivy's trapped foot. The girl herself shuddered as Flint drew the knife close and brought it toward a small section above her ankle. It left a wide enough gap so the knife could cut Ivy free, but anything that involved sharp objects carried some type of risk despite the conditions. With safety first, Flint angled the knife away from Ivy's leg and went a bit easy into the green at first. Once he made extra sure nothing serious happened, he provided one more glance up at Ivy before the girl provided the crucial nod. With that, he went to work and carefully sliced into the vine a little bit more before he went at it one more time. In one clean motion, he completely separated the vine from Ivy's foot. Just so she wouldn't immediately tumble down to her demise, she firmly grasped the upper part before she raised her legs up. Flint freed her.

As Ivy felt relieved, but not fully due to a terrible fall if she let go, she then watched as Flint reached out with the knife in hand toward her.

"You know what you have to do now, right?"

"Yup. I'm not sure if I'll accidentally-"

"Don't worry about that. I know you'll do fine."

The uncertainty around it spooked Ivy to a degree as she really wanted to stay away from potentially messing up. Too bad she really didn't have a choice as she set the sharp knife toward the vine that snagged Flint. She kept one hand on her own vine so she wouldn't fall to the monsters below while her legs bound together for even more grip. Once she made sure she remained sturdy, she finally commenced and moved the knife slowly like a saw. All of the precautions she put in place while she refused to aim her sight downward paid off once she made it about halfway through. After what seemed like an eternity to her, even though she only proceeded to cut a short time ago, she finally reached the end and released Flint. He hastily grabbed his vine with one hand while he held his bag in the other before any kind of fall. Two down, one to go.

The Spudley swiveled in the air as the vine that kept it twisted and unraveled which turned the living potato's eyes into spinning wheels. For the most part it stopped its loud squeaking, so it eased the other two's headaches a bit. Even with its mellowed out mood, Ivy and Flint knew its freedom relied on something different compared to them.

"We don't have enough arms to hold that potato." Flint said.

"Yeah, I figured that out the moment I realized its lack of limbs." Ivy responded. "Any bright ideas?"

"Well…only one." Flint said. "Have it land in my bag when you cut it loose."

Ivy's eyes opened wider than usual. With the seemingly endless amount of objects stored in his special bag, it sounded somewhat counterproductive over a more useful option. Besides, the Spudley could likely never find a way out once inside which might end up as a fate worse than the end. However, a silver lining came in the form of when anyone else used the bag it always appeared empty. If Flint triggered such a mechanism remotely suddenly the idea sounded genius, although nobody other than him understood how it worked exactly. Even so, no other option stirred in their heads other than a dangerous fall to the monsters that waited which they wanted no part of. She still required a few insights before her definitive answer.

"Uhhhhh, I'm not quite sure about that." Ivy said warily. "If it never manages to find a way out…"

"Trust me on this. I know what I'm doing." Flint replied.

She couldn't deny him after such an answer, especially with the dangers below. Anything that potentially carried even the slightest possibility to escape served as a blessing in disguise. After they agreed on the plan, Flint cautiously swung from a few vines, all with only one hand, until he set himself closer to the trapped Spudley. The Spudley ran itself off of many squeaks while it flailed about much to the displeasure of the other two. Flint made sure to lower his special bag underneath the hanging potato creature while Ivy positioned the knife near its stubby foot. She breathed deeply a few times before she went to work again, but she quickened the pace so she could possibly shut up the Spudley faster. The final cut occurred a lot quicker than the last two times, and as the vine let go of the Spudley it fell downward. It ran one final loud squeak before it landed safely into Flint's large sack where it sank to the bottom. A short time later, unlike what Ivy may have thought, it poked its small body out of the opening and tapped its foot a few times. One large shake of its body later and it hastily ran up the frog girl's body until it sat dormant atop of her head like a close pet. It uttered one long low audible squeak before it then slumped in a heap. The vines no longer kept multiple travelers tangled within its tight binds.

"There you go little guy! Feel better?" Ivy asked.

The Spudley glanced toward the other two before it squeaked again. Because such speech fell on deaf ears outside of its species, Flint and Ivy took it at face value and assumed the best.

"Uhhhhh…me too." Flint responded as the uncertainty kicked in. "Let's just get down from here to safety before I receive more nightmares from the monsters."

"Agreed!" Ivy replied in an upbeat tone.

With that said, Ivy placed the knife back into Flint's bag as the two made like tree swingers and traveled across the long vines above the monsters. They constantly heard loud hissing from below, but for the most part they knew the worst already ended. The Spudley shut its eyes multiple times and shuffled its round feet across Ivy's head a few times, but for the most part it never impeded her too much. She learned from her times outside and played around with nature enough to understand how to travel across hazardous terrains, which included vines swinging. All in all, they got away from their premature ends with only a few scrapes across their ankles.

The noises of the monsters still resonated in their heads.

---

The blanket of night shined above after a few more miles. Once it began to impede on their travels both Flint and Ivy concluded that settling down became their best option. Flint gathered some firewood while Ivy gather some leaves, not poisonous, to use as a makeshift bed. The Spudley even joined in and attempted a few times to help, but it either hit its head too many times against trees or found itself stuck in a rather cramped space. Despite its intentions, even though nobody understood it for certain, Flint and Ivy handled their own jobs well without assistance. Before long, the two settled in around a campfire and kept themselves a decent distance away for warmth. The Spudley initially didn't arrive back with them and would have set some alarms since they needed it for their mission. However, after only a few minutes away it lightly trotted onto the premises, squeaking as it moved, and kept something special atop of its small head. Flint's and Ivy's jaws nearly dropped the moment their eyes prodded all over them, as they only received tidbits about the special dish only Spudlies knew how to create. While they knew Anne and company went to their secret habitat, they never fully understood the process and only managed to taste it. No matter what the Spudley performed behind the scenes, the facts remained the same. One single bite would fill them up for an entire day, and with tomorrow just as likely to up the ante they deserved a fully belly. For a night out in the dangerous wilds, they set themselves well even with all of the risks.

After they already filled themselves up from a single bite of their special potatoes, Ivy held her feet out to warm her toes more quickly. Because she spent most of her years in Wartwood, she never fully experienced a life completely outdoors, including camping. As a rambunctious and defiant young frog she desired more independence than most around her age. She learned the hard way however that she still had plenty to understand until she could fully embrace her own destiny. Of course her rebelliousness over authority lead her into dozens of incidents that usually resulted in destruction of property or two. They served as minor casualties in Ivy's eyes though, for she still lacked a lot of maturity. Sometimes she wished her puberty would speed up so the chance to explore the wilderness arrived quicker, but for now she still lived under the authority of her cautious mother. As much as she wanted the outdoor lifestyle, her inexperience held her back.

"Ahhhhhh! Nothing like a cozy fire to warm me up after all of the dangers today." Ivy stated.

Flint lightly chuckled from the other side of the fire.

"Heheh. Nice to hear someone like you who enjoys near death experiences. The sensations sort of wore off over time for me."

The Spudley wandered about for a bit until it squeaked and walked over next to Ivy. She smiled as the small potato creature sat close by and warmed itself up, although it kept a longer distance away. It required no massive brainpower to figure out why, as they knew any sort of "baked potato" wouldn't sit well with them.

Ivy still wouldn't leave Flint statement unanswered.

"Really? You lost your sense of adventure? I don't quite understand what you mean."

"Well, when you sort of already explored basically everywhere it becomes somewhat…trivial to say the least." Flint responded. "I haven't really seen anything spectacular these last few years as I sold parts of my collection."

Ivy couldn't believe what she heard. Flint ran over the entire continent so much that he practically saw every single inch of the land. Of course she knew he never set foot in some places, especially the secret Spudley habitat where Anne and company went to, but the fact he lost a lot of his traveling luster spoke volumes about how much he willingly trekked for his business. In some cases she felt increasingly jealous over all of the unknowns his eyes witnessed as she wanted to become a well known traveler when she finally reached maturity.

"What? You seriously have seen everything?" Ivy said while she frowned and shook her head. "I'm gonna have to hard disagree with your opinion."

"You haven't traveled the continent like I have." Flint replied. "When you get to the same level as me, then you'll understand."

"I don't need your eagle eyes to see a load of dragonfly dung when it shows up." Ivy retorted. "You might think that you've seen everything, but there's always something out there if you look hard enough. You can't pinpoint precisely the amount this world has to offer. It might not instantly stand out in the most obvious fashion, and if anything it should ENCOURAGE exploration for the extraordinary! Why do you think I want to explore the world more than anything? Sometimes you have to think outside the box…and it excites me when I finally receive that golden privilege."

Flint and the Spudley gazed at Ivy with bigger eyes than normal. The Spudley even scooted a little bit away from her while it uttered some low audible squeaks. Ivy really cared about her interests, and when someone went against them it instantly triggered the blowback effect. Her mind still lingered in kid intricacies and she wanted to see as much as her young eyes could handle plus more. If adults didn't see eye to eye she likely would have felt irked yet subversive under the mask, but when someone she cherished over many claimed to go against her she went no holds barred. Flint may have not felt the same at the time, but she would change that beyond just a simple sentence.

The Spudley curled up while squeaking while Ivy stared intently at Flint. At first he didn't react, but as the seconds passed she finally picked up a smirk across his face. Her eyes opened a bit further as she heard him speak.

"Heheheheh. I really am talking to my younger self, huh? I gotta say, you know how to tickle the nostalgia dial up a few cranks. You have all of the right ingredients of a fine explorer, and I appreciate it."

Even after given only a subtle response, Ivy could tell she reached something underneath all of the bogged down statements. No wonder Flint decided her over more reliable options. Everyone else had their hands full with Maddie shenanigans and if he kept his mood down he would have likely never kept going for days on end. He may not have stated it outright, but Ivy determined he chose her specifically for other reasons than her thirst for adventure. Options wore thin after all, and her kept all of the right qualities for a perfect explorer's assistant. With many years under his belt he couldn't hold his own so much and needed some help. Underneath her adolescent valor and straightforward thinking, Ivy actually felt needed for the little excursion with the traveling celebrity.

…and adored having the cute little potato with her.

The Spudley scooted closer to Ivy a bit before it softly squeaked and cuddled up next to her. It actually took her by surprise and made her freeze for a split second as her eyes adjusted over to it. She felt the small potato lightly shiver as its endearing gaze aimed right at her which instantly captivated the young frog. She lightly petted it as they both sat back down.

"Awwww! I take it you trust me?"

While she only received a few more indescribable squeaks her way, she took it as a positive sign. The Spudley wiggled its round feet as Flint watched the two from across the fire.

"Not a lot of folks around here can say they've seen and befriended a creature like that. You must feel pretty lucky to have such a privilege."

"Oh, definitely." Ivy responded. "I can't imagine how much more I'll see once I'm finally ready to explore this huge continent! Who knows what strangeness lurks in places never set foot by frog kind? If this little one brought any indications, well, I'd say it increased my anticipation ten fold!

The two heard some more squeaks from the Spudley as it sat close by and looked into the fire. As much as they wanted to understand what it truly said and why it acted the way it did, part of them wanted it to stay enigmatic. Even though knowledge remained powerful, sometimes a good hypothesis or educated guess proved satisfactory when pressed for time. It likely would take a high amount of dedication to crack the code, but Flint and Ivy lacked the precious seconds when a rampaging Maddie ran over everyone's radars. Priorities dictated importance, and finding that large turtle creature became their number one over understanding Spudlies which stood out near the bottom.

Even as all of them lingered by the fire, they still received chills down their spines from the cold. As cold blooded creatures, they couldn't stand freezing temperatures too long which prompted the two frogs to reach down toward their sleeping bags. As for the Spudley, they had no idea if it also stayed in the same category but Ivy kept it close anyway. While they saw it shiver a few times, they couldn't fully claim it as a fact and only guessed based on the tidbits they learned earlier. A good night sleep near a warm fire brought all of the comforts of a good camping trip…even though Amphibia contained hundreds of deadly creatures that waited for the perfect frog meal. Even so, Flint and Ivy thought nothing of it as they tucked themselves in. If fortune smiled, their hunt for one of those giant turtles could end soon. For now though, it became time for some shut eye.

The Spudley still stood up as Ivy laid down a patted a spot in her sleeping bag.

"Here, potato guy! I got a spot with your name of it!"

The living potato tilted its body while it squeaked a rather elongated sound. Before long it shook itself and fumbled around with its feet before it tightly stood on the spot. It tapped the tips of its round feet into the dirt before it kicked dirt in the opposite direction and dug a small divot with them. Ivy raised her eyebrows as the Spudley then sat down and spun around until it dug itself deeper. After it wriggled around in its small hole, clumps of dirt fell on it until it completely covered itself other than a very faint stub of its top on the surface. It left Ivy with more questions than answers, yet she had her hunches just in case.

"Does it seriously sleep like that?" Ivy thought as her bewilderment knew no bounds.

She shook her head as she heard some rather low and steady squeaks underground. As she assumed the Spudley lulled itself to sleep, she then turned and faced Flint who just finished fluffing up the top of his sleeping bag as if he kept a pillow somewhere in it.

"Uhhhh, you okay there?" Ivy asked.

Flint immediately perked his head up before he glanced over to Ivy in her own sleeping bag.

"Oh, ummmm, just…dandy. I'm making myself comfortable."

"Really? Do you have a pillow somewhere?"

The two frogs locked eyes as Flint trembled for a few seconds. His typical red encrusted eyes then shut before he limped his head downward.

"Okay, okay. I sort of…have these personal habits I'd rather keep out of the public eye. Please keep it to yourself because I don't want everyone to consider me…too weird. Capiche?"

Ivy couldn't help herself and giggled from such ridiculousness. To think someone of his caliber kept some rather childish tendencies behind closed doors sounded incredibly stupid and idiotic. The more she thought about it though, the less she felt humored by it. Flint never revealed anything incredibly personal before and only did so because she accompanied him, and if the word got out his reputation easily tanked on repeat. Even she had some tendencies boxed in and never revealed to the public, such as her adoration toward a certain flabby smiling blob creature despite her tough exterior, so she respected his wishes about withholding the information. Just because someone revealed a secret doesn't mean it deserved a placement on a town billboard.

In response, Flint narrowed his eyes and glared in her direction.

"I mean it. Don't say anything."

His words jumbled Ivy back to reality, who in turn stared back at him.

"I promise." Ivy said while she nodded her head.

She watched as Flint lightly smiled before he turned back around and started sawing logs. Ivy held back the urge to playfully roll her eyes since he ended up as a deep snorer, but she dealt with much worse and didn't think too much about it. After she glanced over to the small stub next to her where the Spudley slept, she tucked herself in and snugly rested her eyes. Because of all the insanity she went through with Flint since they left, her excitement left most of her senses up. Her mind raced for what sort of crazy interaction she'll run into next, although she understood the urgency behind why they ventured out of Wartwood in the first place. No Meteor Snap meant no ingredient for a potential way to size Maddie down to her normal size, and her voracious tendencies for those who went against her gave Ivy chills. As much as wanted to go up against her, the others around her thought it best to play it safe which she also agreed with. Even so, she desired the outrageous situations and welcomed them with open arms which made it hard for her to sleep. The day may have passed, but tomorrow's wave of the unknown stirred Ivy fancy to the point where she basically threw a premature welcome party in her head.

Even with all of the anticipation built up though, eventually the rambunctious girl tuckered out and counted her forty winks. The warmth of the fire kept her nice and cozy from all of the nightly chills, which prompted some very happy thoughts in her sleep. While Maddie may have expanded to heights unheard of outside of the dark arts, a passing idea echoed to where it became impossible to ignore. She couldn't help but remember how tiny of a speck she saw Sprig as back in town, and for some reason it stuck to her. While she didn't quite understand what it meant, she never tried to ward such thoughts away either. Something about it lingered in the back of her mind and she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She appreciated the fact that Flint managed to conjure up something to at least counteract the speech issue, and yet…she wished she had more time with him. Of course Maddie basically had everyone tinier than her at her disposal, and Ivy never wanted to fall to such dark intentions. From there she sort of understood certain portion, but most of the details still eluded her. For now she let her mind wander into dreamland as the night went by. The sooner she fell asleep the sooner she could wake up for more crazy antics only possible in Amphibia.

The three ran by a couple of hours conked out with no disturbances. The fire waned over time but still kept the three of them warm. Their sleeping bags performed their jobs while the dirt basically served as the Spudley's form of it. Both Ivy and Flint stayed asleep for the most part which left them unaware of some "potatoey" movement. The light stub across the surface wiggled silently for a few minutes until it slowly moved up higher. A few low audible squeaks sounded out soon after followed by two innocent eyes and then the whole potato. From its small hole, the Spudley popped straight out and shook some excess dirt off it itself. It glanced over to the other sleeping two for a few seconds before it lightly wandered off. It uttered some of its trademark squeaks with each step and it vanished into the sea of trees around the fire. Even if Flint and Ivy knew the small potato creature walked away, they likely would have no idea why it would willingly do so. From its displays of cowardice, splitting from the two seemed like the last possible option. Despite what the signs implicated, the Spudley still acted the way it did away from the others.

It spent a few minutes waltzing around tree after tree and green shrubs, but it still scanned the premises thoroughly. Once it reached a spot it ran its round green feet into the ground and pivoted around a few times before it squeaked in a certain sequence. From there it ran in another direction and performed a similar but slightly different maneuver that involved coating its brown body in light dirt. A few higher squeaks later it went over to another spot and bent over for a little bit before it sat down. It scooted itself across the ground for a decent distance before it suddenly stood up firmly. Its body swayed and lightly turned from side to side before it shook. Its squeaks deepened for a few seconds until they went higher again before it went over to another spot. From there it instantly stood stiff again before it trembled and squeaked in spasms. It tilted its body downward toward the ground and refused to move for minutes on end before it slowly raised one of its feet. It closed its eyes as it performed a step before it winced and took a peek. After a few brief moments it shuddered again and took another. Its stiffness slowly wore off over time as its frequent squeaks slowed to a crawl, but after a few more seconds its round body loosened up. It puffed up then let loose one long deep squeak before it began to slowly make its way back where it came from. If anyone ever watched it from afar, they likely would have a better time solving the hardest of crossword puzzles than figuring out what a Spudley went through. Nothing too crazy happened even when a mythical creature left its safety net.

Too bad it existed in the world of Amphibia.

Flint and Ivy never stirred in their sleep even as the fire nearby fizzled out. They still had a big day ahead of them and needed all of the extra sleep…if given the chance in the first place. One rolled a bit in their sleep when a tremor nearby made them mutter some drowsy nonsense. Their head slowly turned as another interrupting quake sent them briefly airborne, and once they fell back to the ground their eyes shuttered open. While they had a pain in their side, their body slowly whirred back to life as they pushed themselves back up. Whoever brought them awake better have a good excuse.

Ivy ruffled her bed hair back into a somewhat normal shape as her brain tried to catch up with the times. Even as she looked down at the small hole where the Spudley once slept, it took another quake and a few extra seconds for the wheels to start turning. The instant the wires connected her eyes shot wide open before she got out of her sleeping bag and rushed over to the sleeping Flint.

"Hey, Flint! We got a problem! Get up!"

"…mmmmmph…one more tasty…I'll have seconds…" Flint muttered in his sleep.

"FLINT! GET UP!" Ivy shouted. "WE HAVE TO-"

Before she could attempt any further to awaken the sleeping collector, all of their primary troubles came forth. Trees split close by as the Spudley squeaked like crazy while it arrived back onto the site, but the moment stayed short lived. One of the largest moving lumps of dirt raced behind it and instantly decimated everything it came into contact with. All forms of greenery went flying and took the two frogs and the Spudley with them. If Ivy's words failed to force Flint's eyes open, a short trip into the air certainly did the trick. Everyone's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets as dirt flew everywhere and careened everyone against multiple trees around them. Flint smacked into a leafy bush, Ivy landed on a large branch, and the Spudley splatted hard against the ground. The potato creature shattered on impact, but it regenerated a new intact body soon after due to its abilities. Their plans for a peaceful slumber came to a halt when an uninvited guest ruined their private time.

The huge lump set still upon the once silent enclosure as the dirt slowly fell down which uncovered the culprit behind such a sudden attack. Eventually, after a few extra moments, the others witnessed the huge beast in its full glory. Out of all of the details that stood out to the three, the massive round coating as sleek as a bowling ball came out on top. The primary color existed as a crimson red as large divots which gave off the appearance of craters dotted around the large globe. It reached as high as some of the tallest trees in the vicinity, and if Maddie still stood around she could have easily mistaken the large round object as a soccer ball. Some of the craters even seemed to shutter open on occasion as it moved, which provided indications that they may have a different purpose than just a fancy display. Near the bottom though set the one who carried the whole thing like nothing. A reptilian yet rather uncanny appearing yellow head extended from a large hole near the bottom which also showed a rather sharp beak near the upper jaw. As its two large circular eyes gazed down upon the three it kept itself upright with four large flat yellow flippers that seemed to also have tiny curved trowel claws near the tips. It gave off some rather confusing signs about whether it lived in the ocean or underground somewhere. Some could say it arrived on a shooting star or a separate planet altogether, as its appearance provided all of the "alien" vibes imaginable, but nobody knew for sure. All in all, it stuck out from all of the organic life and replaced them with invaders from another planet. It may have existed in the realm of Amphibia, but it definitely contrasted with it in more ways than one.

Everyone ended up taken aback by the massive monstrosity as it groaned in a deep pitch. It turned its head toward the Spudley who immediately squeaked highly and bolted before it lunged forward. Chunks of ground flew high into the air and sent Ivy and Flint airborne again as it chomped down on the old crushed body of the Spudley. It left behind a huge hole as it ate the remains and brought its head back up. Suffice to say, Ivy and Flint freaked out.

"Flint, I think we found a Meteor Snap!" Ivy exclaimed with her back against a tree.

"Oh, YA THINK?!" Flint responded loudly as he hid behind a bush. "WHAT IN THE FROGGIN WORLD HAPPENED?!"

"The Spudley must have wandered off somewhere and attracted one of these critically rare creatures…just like you wanted!" Ivy replied. "I never imagined…IT STOOD THAT BIG!"

The Meteor Snap completely ignored the two frogs and focused more heavily on the Spudley. Even as the small critter took shelter behind a tree, it only needed a few sniffs to figure out where to find it. As such, the Spudley squeaked loudly again right at the giant turtle lunged forward. The potato only had a split second to react and ran for cover as the Meteor Snap clamped it jaws on the spot which missed the intended target. The turtle waddled after it as the two frogs frantically glanced over at each other. Time to enact on their promise before they left Wartwood.

Because they needed to catch up immediately to the Spudley and Meteor Snap, Flint and Ivy instantly ran after them.

"I thought you said they acted incredibly lazy most of the time!" Ivy exclaimed. "This one moves like it just ingested a dozen cups of coffee!"

"Only when it detects its main source of food does it go crazy!" Flint responded. "I've stated before that ever since the Spudlies went into hiding they've pretty much secluded themselves and didn't need to move much! How would you feel if you saw your ONE source of food suddenly turn up after centuries of nothing?! Why do you think the Meteor Snaps have gone critically endangered without their main diet?!"

As Flint brought up a rather rushed explanation, Ivy slowly came to realize what he meant. It became their best bet if they brought the one Spudley they had with them to goad out such a rare creature. The fact that the royal families of Amphibia hoarded many away for their shells which maintained sturdiness beyond any sort of metals also contributed to their scarcity in the present. Because the Spudlies also remained rather rare and out of the public eye for so long they took the Meteor Snap population with them. In some ways she felt rather sorry for both parties of potato and giant space turtle, but not so much at the moment. She promised to get the Spudley away safely regardless if the Meteor Snap wanted it for a snack. They brought it to the surface for its sturdy asteroid appearing shell after all, even if they only needed a small chunk of it.

The Meteor Snap knocked down trees, bushes, logs, and even some large carnivorous plants and bugs as it chased after the tiny potato endlessly despite its flippers for legs. The Spudley also maintained somewhat of a good pace ahead even as it squeaked while it ran for the hills. Eventually though, one made a crucial mistake. As the small potato rushed forward it failed to notice a small tree root ahead of it until it literally snagged one of its round feet. The Spudley flipped and tumbled across the ground until it smacked against a tree. While it never splattered unlike last time, its lack of limbs served as a major disadvantage the moment it fell onto its back. It's stubby green feet flailed in the air while it squeaked over and over in a sequence as the Meteor Snap eyed it down and powerfully snorted. It prodded the Spudley first with its beak before it opened its jaws wide and lunged. At that point, it seemed inevitable that the predator would finally taste its prey after their centuries long absence.

…but something else caught them in place.

Right as the Spudley squeaked loudly one more time before the jaws connected, Flint came up right behind the large meteor shell and placed himself between the two. He actually held the Meteor Snap's mouth open pretty well with only his hands and feet, which the giant turtle didn't appreciate. The Spudley sat motionless for a few seconds as it watched the frog literally take on its major predator, but then it went back to struggling to get up. Luckily for it, another friendly frog followed behind Flint and made her way over to the downed potato.

"Down worry, for we got your back." Ivy stated.

The Spudley's eyes glistened for a split second before it let out another squeak as Ivy placed it back onto its feet. Its body shook while it fidgeted it feet before the two heard an outcry close by.

"GO! GET OUT OF HERE!" Flint exclaimed.

The Spudley got the message and bolted as the Meteor Snap kept watch on it. It tried to shake Flint off, but he kept his stance between both jaws. Eventually though, his muscles got the better of him and they forced him out of the gaping maw before the giant turtle snapped it shut. It tried to run after the escaping Spudley, but Flint acted again and plastered himself across the reptile's large face. While it tried to shake him off, Ivy acted fast. She used her frog legs and leapt into the air until she landed on the rigid and rough feeling asteroid shell. She attempted to pry a chunk off, but true to its nature, she barely made a dent in it. She pounded her fists but ended up nowhere, and she likely would have continued if the shell never flared up. Her arms and legs almost burned to a crisp from the increased temperature which knocked her off to the ground. From there the Meteor Snap finally had enough and eventually threw Flint off of its face. Their first attempt went down in smoke.

The turtle's eyes raced everywhere for its tasty potato snack, but by then it completely lost track of it. It smacked its flippers against the ground while its large asteroid shell displayed bright red. It let loose a low pitched groan before the craters on its shell opened up and dropped a rather hot crimson ooze that gave off thick smoke. Ivy and Flint horrifically watched as the Meteor Snap now had its eyes set on them. After a single attempt, the two found themselves in the center ring against a well armored foe.

"We may have messed a bit TOO much…with its Spudley meal." Ivy said as sweat dropped down her forehead. "Flint… If you have anything in your bag to pry a piece off…"

"I've pretty much concluded on the same thing." Flint responded as the Meteor Snap drew in closer. "I'll need a few moments…to search through it."

"WELL HURRY UP!" Ivy exclaimed.

The Meteor Snap angrily stared down the two frogs and prepared to attack, but in its haste it accidentally tripped over an open root. The turtle's flippers soared straight through the air as it inadvertently leaned forward which caused its shell to hover over them. Ivy and Flint caught all of it at the last second and ran right before the large steaming asteroid of a shell impacted right where they once stood. The area around its landing spot steamed and singed as the huge turtle attempted to hoist itself right side up, although the sight of its flailing flippers indicated numerous failed attempts. The steaming ooze shot out of its open craters over at Ivy and Flint in the meantime, which charred anything that came into contact with it. Even as the Meteor Snap remained out of commission, it still fought back to the detriment of the two frogs.

Ivy and Flint took cover behind countless trees and bushes but the fired ooze completely incinerated their hiding spots ever time. The Meteor Snap tilted back and forth for some extra leverage but still found it difficult to get back up. As the two hopped from spot to spot, Flint ran through his bag for anything to possibly knock a chunk of the hot meteor shell off for their personal use. He brought out nick knacks, doodads, and thingamajigs but nothing inherently useful for their cause. With the near impossible durability not just any object could potentially chip a piece off. Only something of absolute power could possibly do the job, which may have some significance to how the royal family in Newtopia performed such a feat centuries ago. Something of that caliber will do the trick.

After near countless ooze blasts, Flint's fingers ran across something that caught his interest. He smiled for a moment before he finally pulled out the object…and saw the panicked Spudley. Both Flint and Ivy's expressions went flat as they realized they set their expectations somewhere else completely.

"You seriously used the bag as a hiding spot, didn't ya?" Ivy said rather expressionlessly.

The Spudley squeaked and thrashed its feet in the air as the Meteor Snap finally managed to flip around, but landed onto its side. The tiny potato shook while it tried to move away from its number one predator, but Flint kept it bound in his arms. They didn't have too much time left, but they haven't found a useful object for the hard shell yet.

"Hey, hey, hey! STOP PANICKING! SHEESH, WE WANT TO HELP YOU OUT HERE!" Flint exclaimed.

As the Spudley continued to seemingly panic, at least from what Ivy gathered despite the enigma around it, Flint pivoted around while he held the creature in his arms for some sort of comfort. Normally such an action sounded rather mundane, but then Ivy noticed something rather unique embedded into the Spudley's backside. She heard about how Anne stuck a note into it which appeared to not harm it at all, so likewise it may have happened again possibly in its frantic rush, from how Ivy saw it, to find a hiding spot. However, the object of interest caught her attention more than anything else, and it gave her goosebumps. She heard about the concoction that started the whole catastrophe with Maddie, and because Flint worked in the dark arts she should have expected some loose curses stored in his bag somewhere. However, she saw not just a simple curse…but the growth spell that Maddie took in the first place. The fact that it never fell and shattered atop of the Spudley sounded like a serious stroke of luck, but then another idea lit up in her head. While some uncertainty as to whether Flint would agree echoed through her head, they needed something powerful to chip a piece of that gigantic meteor shell off. If he refused, they needed a different tactic.

Either go big or go home.

The Meteor Snap managed to ground one of its flippers as Ivy extracted the intact curse from the Spudley's back. It didn't go unnoticed as Flint and the Spudley instantly faced her soon after.

"Hey! I almost broke my back to make that!" Flint said.

The Spudley squeaked in a certain sequence that pretty much fell on deaf ears from the obvious language barrier.

"Good thing too." Ivy responded. "I think we found a way out of this mess."

Flint caught on rather quickly while the Spudley dropped to the ground and backed up while squeaking in the process.

"Oh no. Oh NONONONONONONO. I've clearly got my eyeful of a giant frog from Maddie alone! Just because we already have one doesn't mean we need another, and besides…that one only sizes up to around the Meteor Snap's height."

"Then that's all we need!" Ivy replied as she held the bag. "I'll use this and hopefully chip off-"

"Wait. YOU'LL use it?!" Flint interjected in disbelief. "Unh unh! No way! Absolutely not! Others pay top coinage for intricate curses like those! Besides, I might have another options somewhere-"

"We don't have time!" Ivy interrupted. "You already explained the urgency behind Maddie's growth and we can't dawdle too much! Just in case, you can toss out an antidote when I'm done and have the piece needed! Trust me on this, for I know what I'm doing!"

Flint couldn't believe his ears. She wanted to fight fire with fire even after Maddie grew to astronomical heights and went crazy. Because of what she went through he remained adamant about not allowing Ivy to go through the same process. Amphibia didn't deserve to have two rampaging frog girls run amok on a destruction spree. In fact, he dreaded what would happen if Ivy had her way. One misstep and he would lose her, which definitely wouldn't sit well with her mother. Even so, the seriousness in her eyes told him the contrary where stooping to Maddie's level may have never crossed her mind. If one swift powerful attack became the only requirement necessary she already thought one step ahead. Even underneath all of the serious tones though, a faint glimmer in her eyes left indications not so lethal. From the signs, he had to give it to her for her attempts to hide one particular emotion. If it never existed she likely would have not settled on such a solution, but after she witnessed Maddie it possibly stuck out to her like bright neon lights. While it sounded irresponsible and outright crazy, it still maintained some level of sense.

The Spudley shook and backed up, which caused a couple of squeaks, as Flint concluded on a final answer. He also took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment.

"I find this rather stupid and would have wanted something…less messy. However, if you think its for the best…then go for it. You'll owe me money for it though!"

The Meteor Snap just so happened to plant its final few flippers back on the ground as Ivy smiled toward Flint and the Spudley.

"Thanks for agreeing. I won't let you down. You'll have the antidote on standby when I'm done, okay?"

"Got it." Flint said. "You'll also have to pay me later for that too."

Ivy shot Flint a rather blank stare from the response before she took off the lid and the giant turtle flipped itself back up. The Spudley loudly squeaked as it ran behind Ivy as the Meteor Snap angrily stared down the three and snapped its jaws. It trotted on up to them and prepared to slap Ivy out of the way to reach its Spudley meal, but as it went up Ivy instantly doused herself in the elixir. Flint grabbed the little potato and headed for the hills before the first effects showed themselves while the younger frog stood her ground. The asteroid shell lit up bright red as more ooze dripped out of the crater holes but it didn't scare Ivy.

From there the process started.

Ivy tightened her fists as her perspective slowly inched upwards. Flint and the Spudley, from a safe distance, watched as the once small frog expanded higher and higher much to the Meteor Snap's surprise. It actually astonished her at first from how it started, for it almost appeared like she just stepped onto one of the fancy Newtopia elevators she heard about. Her arms stretched to the lengths of trees while her legs ran across entire bayous in seconds. Everything below her transformed into nothing but incomprehensible specks as she refused to move an inch for the safety of the others. As for the Meteor Snap, it appeared not so threatening anymore although still dangerous if not careful. She wiggled her huge toes in the murky water and lightly giggled at how small everything felt. She couldn't blame Maddie for suddenly losing it after days of no cure, but unlike her she had a clear goal in mind which kept her on track. As much as she wanted to go higher, she understood why such an option remained out of her reach. Any further likely attracted unwanted attention, especially from one titanic Maddie, and Flint desired to keep the situation under control. While she could have gone higher, her greed ended abruptly as she glared at the normal evenly matched Meteor Snap.

Ivy went from shrimp to whale thanks to a growth spell.

The now giant girl frog's eyes lit up as she witnessed the now miniaturized world around her. She barely reached up above the trees, but such an outcome mostly came from the nerfed growth curse. She ran her fingers through the large bushes of green as she glanced up at the sky and felt every inch of the world above. Because of her newfound height it became rather difficult to see below her, especially with Flint and the Spudley on the line, although a part of her wanted to see what Sprig would have thought…at his regular size obviously. As much as she wanted to not squish him if given the chance, she knew such an outcome increased while she was huge. Her intrigue left her in a small daze despite her massive scope.

"Hey Ivy! You okay up there?!"

The voice came from below, so she tilted her huge head down and barely managed to witness the picture of both Flint and the Spudley. They already made a decent distance away from her feet while they kept watch, although the Spudley's eyes glistened for some reason as it looked at her.

She lightly waved down and smiled at them in response. Her voice underwent a deeper pitch due to her bigger stature similar to Maddie.

"Uhhhh, yeah! Still sort of queasy though."

"I understand!" Flint responded. "Perspective changes don't go over easy, but try to hold it in until we finish this!"

"Of course!" Ivy replied. "Just because I'm gigantic now doesn't mean-"

As if someone wanted her to shut up, the Meteor Snap had enough and charged forward before it rammed against Ivy in a charged rocket headbutt. The force sent Ivy tumbling and forced Flint and the Spudley to scatter before she left a deadly impact against the ground. Her body sent quakes against the ground and ruined trees in the bog water. Some helpless giant bugs who usually desired to have frog for dinner met their untimely ends as they disappeared under Ivy's huge body. She left nothing remaining under her despite her lesser scope compared to Maddie's titan size. The giant turtle cheaply struck her while she let her guard down.

Just because she took a hit didn't mean she laid down for the count. In fact, coals burned underneath her facade of a young face until she figuratively felt streams of fire burn from her nostrils. Her fists tightened as she pulled herself together and leered at the angry turtle like it poked her in the worst possible spot.

"Ohohohohoho! You really asked for it buster!" Ivy retorted. "How about I turn you into a BOWL OF SOUP?!"

The Meteor Snap snorted and deeply groaned while it planted its flippers firm. The two stared each other down intensely for a few seconds before they clashed at each other. For a reptile known for their slow proportions, the Meteor Snap kept a rather face pace as it bared its flaming hot asteroid of a shell right in Ivy's face and spewed burning ooze from its open craters. They even burned and charred smaller forms of greenery on contact which luckily never spread due to the swampy nature of the area. Even with all of the red flags though, Ivy never backed down. The giant turtle lunged and spun around in its impenetrable shell which plowed through everything in front of it and forced Ivy back a bit. She required a couple of moments to cool off her feet after some ooze fell on them, which inadvertently left many trees sunk into the marshes, but soon after she ran forward herself and tackled the turtle like a professional football player. The two wrestled for a few moments and tumbled around in their wake, which also caused more ruination down below, but eventually the Meteor Snap's asteroid shell heated up once again and forced Ivy off. She sent it onto its side temporarily which left it open, so she ran up and attempted to sock a large chunk off of its shell. Unfortunately, true to its legacy, even after impact it stayed completely spotless. It also left Ivy with an injured knuckle afterwards. Both sides exchanged blows, but neither left too big of an injury against the other in the opening round.

"Yeeeowch!" Ivy exclaimed in her deeper tone due to her expanded size. "You don't break easy, huh? I'll wipe that smirk right off of ya!"

The Meteor Snap brought itself back onto its feet and shook itself off before it deeply groaned. Steam leaked from its open craters while it stared Ivy down and snorted. It started to waddle a bit to her, but Ivy acted quicker. Flint and the Spudley rushed for the hills as Ivy ran forward and nearly planted one of her gigantic feet where they once stood, which displayed some her reckless mindset. Before long, she put her strong frog legs to use and leapt high into the air where the Meteor Snap temporarily lost track of her. Her massive body smacked into a couple of flying giant bugs on the way up, but on the way down she aimed her feet downward toward her intended target. In one powerful stomp, Ivy landed straight onto the giant turtle's meteor shell and dug it deep into the ground. She made sure to angle her descent to one side so when she finally made the deadly impact the Meteor Snap would flip over onto its backside. The force of her stomp sent everything around it flying from murky water, trees, logs, to even the occasional giant insect. Flint and the Spudley barely found the time to get away before Ivy eventually made her move. The whole area appeared like some sort of giant asteroid fell from space and left complete destruction where it crashed…which ended up somewhat ironic due to what the Meteor Snap's shell looked like. The giant Ivy quickly hopped off soon after and landed in one loud boom which echoed throughout the area like a bomb went off. The sturdy shell still maintained some level of intense heat after all, and the less time she spent on it the chance of third degree burns minimized. She left the Meteor Snap dazed and vulnerable after such a strike.

Even after it though, the creature still breathed and heavily disliked Ivy's attempt to disable it. It flailed its flippers it the air as it built some moments and its meteor shell lit up some intense temperatures. From there the ooze poured out into boatloads to the point where they filled up entire ponds instantly. It glared Ivy down once again before it twisted and turned while it maintained a perfect balance on its shell from the stars. Ooze sprayed everywhere and left no plant life alive as it spun and aimed for Ivy. The giant frog girl herself required some extra space to avoid burning to ashes which required another large hop and booming landing, but not before some droplets struck her multiple times.

"OWWWW! HOTHOTHOTHOTHOT!" Ivy screamed as she put herself across the ground and rolled.

For such a simple action one easily learned in elementary school, when it came to beings who towered over everything it spelled catastrophe to everyone below. Ivy became a literal massive steamroller as everything she rolled over flattened into strawberry pancakes. Any type of creature unfortunate enough to come across her vanished underneath her huge body, and plant life plastered all over her in green splotches before they too disappeared. As for Flint and the Spudley, while they made sure to keep a safe distance, Ivy's bottom half came up close and forced an instant retreat. The Spudley loudly squeaked as Flint held it in his arms and booked it as the giant frog girl's feet loomed in ever closer. Before he also changed into a pancake smothered in raspberry jam, he made one drastic attempt and leapt straight for the crevices between her toes. His accuracy stayed spot on as he effortlessly squirmed between her toes as the giant figure of Ivy rolled past him. He turned to his left to make sure he completely avoided her only to witness a completely different angle where he wished he could soak his eyes in bleach and get away with it. The Spudley flailed its feet, but like every other moment it reacted to a minimum where nobody quite understood it. The two escaped a frantically rolling Ivy…although one remained stained in the eyes.

Once Ivy felt like she extinguished most of the burning sensations off, her skin steamed light smoke but for the most part she still stood intact. She got back on her feet, which sent tremors across the ground in the process, as she looked at the spinning turtle. As much as she wanted to go up and bop the creature upside the cranium its current actions left any sort of approach very dangerous. She needed an easier way to get in close.

"Come on Ivy. Anything to potentially turn the tide…" Ivy thought as her eyes darted around the smaller area below.

While nothing of particular note stood out, she found a close enough substitute which may or may not work in her favor. She took one deep breath, which almost sucked in a swarm of giant locusts, before she reached down and tugged. Her huge fingers coiled around her target until she plucked it right out of the ground, and she gripped it tightly as the Meteor Snap made its rounds. While a large group of some of the oldest trees in Amphibia may not maintain a high level of sturdiness, she remembered one of the unique quirks from what her mother told her about. Once a tree reaches the near end of its life it increases in sturdiness until it matches levels akin to some common metals, which Ivy banked on to her advantage. If the trees she picked up were already on their last legs and if she timed it right, she could gain the advantage. All of it hinged on those particular factors as the spinning turtle drew in close.

She narrowed her eyes…took aim…threw caution to the wind…then threw.

The Meteor Snap's rotation left a split second to hit the correct spot, and the burning drops of ooze sprayed everywhere. Its flippers thrashed about in the air as it lay destruction around it after the group of three ticked it off, and it likely would have continued if it never saw some flying trees as it spun around. Before it even knew what hit it, and right between the eyes, the sturdy trees smacked right into the exotic turtle's head. It teetered and swayed as its spinning started to slow down which also slowed the spraying of its burning ooze. After so many extra twirls, the very dizzied Meteor Snap finally stopped upside down on its shell in a very heavy daze. Its shell cooled down as it teetered left and right while provided Ivy the opportunity she needed. As the reptile stayed down Ivy ran up to it and reared one of her feet back. The turtle's eyes stayed as rolling wheels as the frog girl grinned and uttered one final phrase.

"Sayonara sucker!"

She instantly let it rip as she swung her foot forward and sent the turtle soaring through the sky. Eventually she lost track of it, but she heard some loud impact sound over the horizon somewhere. She lightly chuckled afterwards since such a sound indicated that she left a mark on such a sturdy creature. For once such an impenetrable shell seemed not so impenetrable after all. In the end though, she came out on top. It required a growth elixir, but she triumphed over such an invincible foe. Ivy one, Meteor Snap zero.

She shuffled a feet a little when she heard some noises from below. Once she paid more attention she recognized some of them and looked down at the small world below. She smiled once she noticed the small dots of the others who accompanied her on the way here.

"You did good Ivy! I'll give you the antidote right away!" Flint exclaimed.

The Spudley squeaked up something to her soon after, but like the other times nobody understood it. Even so, her smile became a small frown once she heard the well known traveler. She got on her knees to better see him, which sent tremors across the ground, before she responded.

"Aww, do I have to? I sort of like seeing the world all tiny and whatnot! I could go anywhere in a snap!"

Flint shot Ivy a rather expressionless look.

"Do you want to end up like Maddie? We already lost one and I don't think we should lose another. Besides…you don't quite match up to her in size."

He spilled the facts out for her. Even though Flint drenched her with a growth spell she didn't quite match the titan size of Maddie. She only took the lesser elixir to go against the Meteor Snap after all, so with her job done it sounded reasonable to finally size herself down back to normal. Even so, she knew of the carnage Maddie performed on Wartwood and really desired to not stoop to such a heinous level. She didn't lose herself completely, but if she stayed huge the risk always lingered in the back of her head. As much as she wanted to not shrink back down yet, it still stood out as the best possible outcome for everyone involved.

Even though she still deeply frowned, Ivy understood his worry and nodded her head.

"…you're right. I don't want to put myself on the same level as Maddie…even though this growth doesn't even come close to hers. Make it quick though so I can get over this faster."

"On it." Flint replied as he walked up to her gigantic feet.

The Spudley shivered and squeaked while it stayed back as Flint undid the top of the antidote needed for Ivy. Both Ivy and Flint locked eyes one final time before he dumped the liquid on her foot. Even though it only covered a small portion, Ivy felt the effects pretty quickly. Before long the tops of the trees she barely grazed with her face extended upwards as the land below rushed in. The Newtopia elevator she inexplicably rode on the way up flipped so she could reach the bottom floor, and all of the sights on the way up reappeared on the way down. After a few extra seconds, the process wore off and Ivy stared into Flint's eyes once again from the land below. She kept the moments when she still towered over him in her head because she likely would never go through such an experience again. In retrospect, she envied Maddie for staying huge for days on end when she only lasted for a short period at best. Even with such thoughts though, she wanted to never stoop to her level. Maybe it was for the best she never lasted too long as the biggo of the group, and yet if the opportunity came up she wouldn't hesitate to do it again. Ivy may have her normal size again, but in the background her curiosity wanted another go at it.

Even so, she finally mustered up a smile for Flint and the Spudley.

"Glad to finally have my height back…mostly." Ivy said.

Flint chuckled.

"I can see it in your eyes that you still haven't got over it. You REALLY wanted to stay like that a bit longer, huh?"

"Of course I wanted to!" Ivy responded. "I thought you would have picked it up while I stood over the trees!"

"Actually, I did." Flint answered. "I just wanted you to personally admit it. Kids always want to become big and strong when they grow up and you, well, succeeded that dream. Not just anyone can say they've achieved their dream even if it sounds ridiculous…for adults anyway."

Ivy's eyes opened slightly wider while the Spudley uttered a rather elongated squeak as it tilted up and down on its feet. She never actually thought of such facts before. As someone who wanted to explore the world and face danger straight in the eyes naturally she desired to become big and strong for the job. When Flint gave her the growth elixir she acquired one of the traits she wanted for any top explorer, albeit temporarily, so by nature a method against it automatically rebounded back. Maddie took the news more angrily and sent Wartwood into a catastrophic downfall in the process which Ivy never considered. As much as she felt relieved to not fall under the same trap, she also realized that Maddie really needed their help more than ever. If an antidote won't normally do the job, even the one Marcy concocted which sent Maddie into an angry rampage, then maybe Flint's method will do the job. While one of a child's dreams bestowed its wish upon Maddie and Ivy, one understood the need to reverse it unlike the other.

"Wow! I…never really thought of that!" Ivy said. "I probably should call myself lucky then."

Before the conversation could progress further, the Spudley waddled up while squeaking in the process and looked at Ivy in the eyes. For some reason its eyes glistened as it stood on the tips of its feet before it lightly shook. Both Ivy and Flint understood absolutely nothing about its mood yet it still acted in a way only others of its kind truly understood. Even so, one could make an educated guess from its actions, yet they always carried a sense of incorrectness which may or may not bite them it the butt later. For now, they kept their hunches lite for their safety while the Spudley acted in its own unique methods.

"Uhhhhhh… You okay, little guy?" Ivy asked. "I just enlarged myself then reverted back, sooooooo…"

"Oh, right! I almost forgot why you grew in the first place!" Flint stated. "You gave that Meteor Snap the what for then…"

The smile on Flint's face faded once the realizations hit.

"You…kicked it into the distance. Well…shoot! I got so caught up in the moment that I-"

"Oh, that? You mean…something like this?"

As she expressed one of the most playful snarky attitudes fit for a young frog like her, from the corner of her back Ivy slowly brought up a single object that caught Flint by surprise. While one may have assumed she just smuggled an asteroid chunk from space, to the ones that knew better such a rarity appeared as something completely different in the lands of Amphibia. Not just a small chuck stayed in Ivy's hands though, but one which one could easily mistake for a medium sized rock. The curvature, texture, and scent all matched the one object the group wanted more than everything as Ivy performed her job like nothing. They finally pulled it together in the end. Ivy snatched a piece of the Meteor Snap's shell in the scuffle in no time flat.

"No way. You…actually obtained a piece?!" Flint said in astonishment.

"I managed to knock a piece off as it flew into the distance." Ivy answered while she smiled. "Just spit balling here, but I guess its shell got so hot that it became easier to chip at it. The archives may have to update their history books on that front if true."

"I'd probably guess the same thing." Flint responded. "I'll just store it in my bag until we get back then."

Ivy nodded and handed Flint the piece while the Spudley continued to stare at her. At first it sort of weirded her out as it barely squeaked at her in the process. Its body tilted and teetered a few times, but then it finally acted…and ran into Ivy's chest. It never left a huge impact and appeared more like a comforting snuggle than anything else. Flint stored the rare object for later as Ivy rubbed the top of the Spudley's head like a common house pet.

"Awwww! Did you worry for me, little guy?"

She received a few sequences of squeaks her way, which left what it said up to interpretation. Flint silently watched as the Spudley glanced up toward Ivy with sparkling eyes while it wiggled its feet in the ground, which amused the young frog.

"I'll…take that as a yes." Ivy said as she rubbed its back. "You know I would have never let that giant turtle eat you, right? I mean, even though you haven't stayed for long I can't go back on a friend. We stick together and help each other out when the time comes! I know you'd do the same for me and the others back in town if given the chance."

The Spudley's eyes gleamed before it tapped its feet in the dirt and squeaked more sequences to her like she understood it since the start. Unfortunately, such a fact ended up as fiction and left everyone completely blocked by the obvious language barrier. Even so, they've never seen the Spudley's eyes sparkle and shine in such a particular manner before, although in hindsight most of what it did became a first for everyone. It left more questions on the table for others to research and conclude on for themselves, which likely meant only Marcy if she ever escaped alive. Just one more for the record books when it came to everything Spudley related.

"Well, we finally achieved our goal." Flint said. "We'll need the material for something later."

Ivy looked over to Flint and tilted her head curiously at him. The Spudley also did so, but its blank face left most signs as to how it felt to the wayside.

"Uhhhhh… What exactly…do you mean by 'something'?"

Flint turned his back to her while he held his huge bag behind him before he sighed deeply.

"I'd…rather not speak about it yet. Anne wanted to risk it to save Maddie…so I'm just fulfilling that wish."