General Problems

"You want me to come with you?" Maddie gasped, a part of her still unable to believe what she just heard.

"Of course!" Marcy nodded, her face as usual full of cheerfulness and enthusiasm, "Hop Pop and Felicia already went to look out for a coach that can carry all of us on our trip to Newtopia, and I would be delighted if you would join us!"

"I…admit it is quite a tempting offer…" the young blue frog thought about it. Ever since she had been a tadpole, one of her greatest desires was to see the world beyond the Valley, to be able to explore it at her whims, and now Marcy and her friends were heading to Newtopia. The Capital city of Amphibia, from where King Andrias Leviathan, the wisest of the Newts, ruled. The beating heart of Amphibia, where wonders and prodigies that would have looked like miracles elsewhere were parts of everyday life. A bustling metropolis full of ancient knowledge, with its libraries and archives, and its university where the most bright and distinguished minds of all Amphibia were carefully nurtured and refined.

And, the best chance any adept of magic arts could ever hope to find any more scrolls and knowledge about magic theory and applications, to better understand the nature of magic and how their spells could be further enhanced and adapted. To reach a level of wisdom and magical prowess no frog, newt, or any other Amphibian had ever reached in the last 1000 years.

And yet-

"It's just…I'm not sure if it's a good thing to leave home currently. Dad is still healing, and without me to help around-"

"Don't worry about me!" Farine said as he walked right at that moment, his broken arm now held together into a cast, some small patches covering the bruises where the last glass wounds were healing. "I may not be a youngster anymore, but I can still take care of myself. Plus, the doctor told me that my arm should be fine in one month."

"But that's a whole month where you cannot work, Dad! Are you sure we can't try anything to try and speed up your healing? I am sure Marcy and I-"

"Maddie," the baker frog smiled to her daughter, patting on her shoulder, "I am fine. And like I said, we have more than enough coppers not to worry about working for a while. To tell the truth, it's been a long time since I got so much free time, it's quite pleasant all considered."

"Marcy!" three young voices shouted at the same time, as Rosemary, Ginger, and Lavender joined them. "It's true? You're leaving the Valley?"

"And you're going to Newtopia?!"

"Huh, yeah?" Marcy chuckled nervously. "Hop Pop and Felicia say it's the best chance we must find a way to get us back home, and besides, I really want to see what it looks like. And since we don't know what kind of adventures we may went through, they said I can invite Maddie to come with us, and to bring all-"

"Will there be monsters?"

"Or bandits!"

"Bandit monsters!"

"Please, can we go with you?!"

"Nuh-uh!" Farine shook his head, "You three are too reckless to go on such an adventure, and you're too young too!"

"But Polly is going!" Rosemary pointed out, "And she's barely older than us! How is that fair?"

"Polly is Hopediah's granddaughter, so she is his responsibility." Farine replied, "And I need your help for a bit, at least until I can use both hands once again."

"Awwww…" The tadpole triplets looked down, prompting Maddie to say something to cheer them up.

"Look girls, let's make a promise, shall we? If you promise to behave well while I'm far from home and to help Dad, I'll get one souvenir for each of you from Newtopia, ok?"

"Will you?" Ginger looked at her older sister, her eyes now shining in happiness.

"Sure, we can do that!" Marcy nodded as well. "Plus, we can tell you all about it, we can take photos, so it will be like you went with us."

"As long as you do your chores," Farine grumbled, "and prepare yourself for your…other things. Since the town's school is operational once again, next year you'll have to go as well."

Marcy didn't notice, but as soon as the baker frog pronounced the word 'school', Maddie trembled for a second. She still remembered when she used to go to the old one before it was destroyed.

"OK then, I guess I could use some help to prepare my things. Marcy, can you help me?"

"Sure thing, Maddie! What do I need to do?"

"Well, first I'll need to bring some spells ready for use, as well as the ingredients and the items we need to make more. That means we'll have to go gather ingredients and make some supplies; then, we'll need to prepare all our books about magic that we can use as reference or to make remedies should something happen on the road; then, I'll need to prepare some spare clothes; and then-"

(…)

"Yoo-hoo!" Hop Pop pulled the reins, Bessie and Liptea obeying the command and stopping right in front of the Plantar Farm with the large two-wagon caravan attached behind them, Felicia jumping down.

"So, this is the vehicle we will use to travel to Newtopia?" Jacob asked with a puzzled look. "It's very…"

"Impressive, huh?" Hop Pop chuckled as he came down as well, "This here's an all-terrain, custom-modeled family wagon. Calling it…the fwagon."

"Fwagon?" Jacob repeated with a snarky tone, even as he looked over the remarkable carriage. Somehow, it reminded him of those carriages that pioneers used to move as they traveled in search of prosperity and fortune, in the days of the Wild West. "Pun intended?"

"It's one of the most reliable and adaptable carriages for families or traveling groups." Felicia nodded, "Even if a bit expensive. I was quite surprised we managed to get two for such a price."

"One of them had its previous owners dyinginside," Polly revealed with a mischievous grin.

"And even if they didn't, we would've been able to afford it!" Hop Pop smiled smugly, unable to further hide his inner happiness. "Do you have any idea how many coppers we got from the giant vegetables?! We are rich!"

"So, I guess you are no longer afraid of the Box and the powers connected to them, huh?" The human boy prompted, earning a guilty look from Hop Pop and a disapproving glare from Felicia.

"Young man, that wasn't very polite-"

"Felicia, you don't have to get angry on my behalf," the old frog replied, before turning to face Jacob. "It's true, I made a grave mistake. I let paranoia decide my actions, and they ended up hurting everyone. However, I accepted my responsibility, and I promised to take care of you for as long as I can. You'll go back to your world, no matter how many challenges we'll have to face!"

Jacob chuckled, lowering himself so now he and Hop Pop were almost face-to-face. "I know, and we really appreciate that. Sorry if my words sounded a bit rude, just…do you realize that, if you had known then what you know now, you could have had a whole month of such giant crops?"

Hop Pop shut up, his mind freezing as he realized how he almost missed a fortune, while the human boy turned toward the Fwagon.

"Looks not bad at all!" He commented, "I'm sure James and the girls will like it too!"

"In that regard," Felicia pinched him on the side, the human yelping as he realized the teashop owner was speaking to him in her 'mom voice', "Where are Sasha, Anne, and my daughter?"

"Huh…"

(…)

"Well," Sprig said as he sat on his spot at Stumpy's, he and Ivy standing on the sides of Anne and Sasha respectively, the two humans looking like they had just been drained of all the strength in their bodies. "It seems like those powers of yours use a lot of your energy."

"Y-yes, it does. Yep!" Anne grumbled with a tired voice, so tired she could barely keep her eyes open. "You can see how tired we are after they made us cast it over and over…"

"Sorry, Sash!" Ivy massaged her adoptive sister's shoulder, the human blonde barely able to notice it. "I guess I was a little overexcited when I saw you do that-"

"You really had to shout it in the middle of the teashop, with all those gossiping frogs listening?!" Sasha lamented, "Every frog farmer of Wartwood came to ask us to use our powers on their crops!"

"At least all that practice helped us to master it," Anne said, shivering as she felt yet another pain fit on her arm. "Not that I look forward to doing it again soon, of course…"

"You should be proud of yourself, Anne," Stumpy said, bringing food and beverages for everyone. "I knew you were special since you helped me save my restaurant, but…for you to have actual powers? Powers that allow you to do all those crazy things? If there wasn't so much competition already, I would try to adopt you!"

"Hey, she's my adoptive sister! Hands off!"

"Look Stumpy, I appreciate the gesture, but I'm already comfortable enough with you being my employer," Anne said while Sasha took a deep breath, hoping that the nice smell of the dish in front of her would be able to give her back enough strength to move her arms and hands. "Moreover, even if we had our ups and downs with Hop Pop, he ultimately cares for all of us. He just gets too fearful for his own good sometimes."

"And Felicia will gut you if you ever try to take me away." The blonde human spoke as well, looking at her frog sister. "If Ivy doesn't beat her to it."

"By frog, I would never dare! The one and only Felis the Red, the adventurer that they said she was lethal as she was beautiful? There are better ways to get killed than cross her path."

"My mom!" Ivy said with a prideful expression as Stumpy walked away, focusing again on her meal, "Sasha, do you need help?"

"I'm…fine, Ivy." The human said, as she felt her eyelids becoming heavier and heavier, "I just need to…rest my eyes a second-" and then she fell full frontal onto her dish, having used the last reserve of her energies and falling asleep out cold as soon as she closed her eyes!

"Sasha!" Ivy gasped, grabbing her, and moving her face out of the dish, to allow her to breathe.

"Wow, I guess she was tired, right Anne?" Sprig said, not noticing the lack of response from her friend and adoptive sister. "Anne?"

She snored in response.

(…)

"There you are, young fellow!" Sadie Croaker said, placing a large suitcase with a key lock in front of James, the boy blinking as he saw it.

"Huh, what is this supposed to be again?" He asked, raising one of his own eyebrows with an interrogative look.

"Just some of the gadgets I used on my old job, as well as some items you could end up needing. Camouflage binoculars to observe without being observed in turn; a codebreaker table to write coded messages; magnifying glass; an explosive cigar-"

"But what in frog's name do you think we will be doing on our journey?!"

"Well, I'm sure I don't know, darling. Luck favors the prepared. I had no idea what kind of danger or enemies you may end up facing, so I covered the basics. Oh, almost forgot, I included a small supply of Blank Berries, should you need it."

"You mean those berries that can make anyone forget things they want or need to forget?" The human gasped, his brain still feeling…mellow from the last time he used those. What did he ever have to forget, to eat so many of them at once?

"Yeah. Look, if what you told me about that Box of yours is true, there is no limit to people that might try to covet that. Back in my days, I ended up meeting too many of them. Corrupt governors, small-time tyrants with huge egos, criminal syndicates, underground bosses…so different, yet so similar in their goals and quest for richness and powers. Believe me when I say this kiddo, sometimes knowledge is dangerous when it falls in the wrong hands."

"Yes, even Hop Pop's book warned us against it." James looked aside, Archie jumping on his shoulder and then moving to his arms, the human starting to pet him as he used to do now. "Yet, we can't destroy the Box. Without it, we would be stuck in this world for the rest of our lives."

"Yes, and that I can agree." The old frog replied, "Yet, be careful to whoever you show that, and always keep an eye open for any kind of menace you may end up facing. That guy like you, Aiden…he may not be the only one after it."

The British boy grimaced, as his memory ran back to him. Those eyes…that voice… Every time he thought back to him, James felt the blood in his veins turn cold and shiver. Maybe because he remembered how messed up his words were.

"We'll be careful, I promise!" He finally said, looking again at her, "I did say I want to protect my friends, didn't I?"

"Yet, of the six, you're the only one who still hasn't got his own fancy weapon."

"That's because I haven't found what suits me best yet!" He scoffed, "Moreover, weren't you the one to teach me that not always the best weapon is not a material one?"

Mrs. Croaker chuckled, appreciating how he managed to use her own words against her, before continuing. Very well. Do you remember the Four Truths?"

"Hold your Tongue, for knowledge is power, and you must never give your enemies power over to you." The boy nodded, listing the words that he now knew by heart, "Always be Watchful, to avoid missing any hidden threat to the ones you protect. Show no Face nor Give no Name, for anonymity is your biggest shield and your best weapon. Last, Show no Mercy, for your enemies are entitled to destroy you as you are to destroy them."

To protect my friends, and the people of Wartwood, James thought in determination, May the Stars guide me.

(…)

"- must be swift as the coursing river, Be a man. With all the force of a great typhoon, Be a man. With all the strength of a raging fire, Mysterious as the dark side of the moon!" Amelia's phone played aloud, as the girl in a samurai outfit moved and mimicked several martial art moves, while all around her, the former garrison of Toad Tower did their best to replicate her movements as best as they could. Unfortunately, many soldiers had a hard time trying to replicate her movements, some of them even losing their balance and falling to the ground.

"B-Braddock!" Percy gasped and panted, as he did his best to follow the human's training moves. "How…how are you managing this?"

"It's not too different from the training we did already with Anne and with Sasha." His comrade in arms and amateur gardener replied, passing a hand over her forehead to remove the sweat dripping into her eyes. "Remember when we learned that Tai-Chi thing?"

"But-but this is way harder than Tai-Chi or Muay Thai!" The toad comedian and jester lamented, all the muscles in his body feeling sore. How I wish something would stop this…

"Hey, Amelia!" A voice called out from the side; the girl stopped as she recognized her cousin's voice.

"Jacob." The girl replied, turning to see him, the toads taking advantage of the distraction to rest their sore bodies, some even lying on the ground without shame. "What do you want? Can't you see I am holding a training session?"

"With a song taken from Mulan?" The human boy chuckled, "Sasha's right, you are a Disney nerd!"

"Coming from the guy who always uses Eye of the Tiger while doing heavy lifting. Anyway," the girl spoke again, "what do you want?"

"Since I already finished packing my bags at the farm," Jacob replied, a light note of smugness on his voice, "I wanted to do a last-minute check-up here at the Militia headquarter. Is Grimsey inside?"

"He is," Amelia nodded, before facing the toads once again. "Well, looks you are in luck today, my attention is requested elsewhere. Dismissed!"

The two humans walked inside, and as soon as they disappeared from their sight, many toads silently thanked Jacob for coming right then. While the training they were enduring now was nowhere as terrible as Aiden's, sometimes they had the impression the youngest human tended to forget that toads were nowhere near as agile nor flexible as humans or frogs were.

"So, wish granted huh?" Braddock mused as she and Percy left the training areas, taking the small path that would bring them back to Wartwood. "Well, that was a tiring, yet satisfying exercise."

"I'd say, it wasn't that bad, after all." Percy lied, before hearing a grumble coming from his stomach, "Though it did make me hungry."

"How about going to get us some lunch, then?" Braddock immediately proposed, "It's been a long time since we last went to Stumpy's, what do you think? My treat for today!"

"You took the words right from my mouth!"

"Percy, Braddock, welcome back!" Stumpy greeted them, as the two toads entered the restaurant, where many frogs were already sitting around and eating their Thai-inspired dishes "Hey, you arrived late: Sasha already left."

"Sasha was here?" Braddock raised an eyebrow, her voice betraying the delusion of having missed meeting her. Even if their relationship wasn't as strong as the one she had with the Captain, Sasha was one of the humans Braddock and many other former soldiers of Toad Tower were the closest to.

"Yeah, with Anne, Ivy and Sprig." The chef frog nodded, as he accompanied the duo to a table that had just been cleared, "Still, they left a little while ago, said something about some bags they had to finish preparing back at Hopediah's farm. Frog, I should prepare some meal-to-go for their trip: the Road to Newtopia is long!"

"Oh, right, they are leaving…" Percy commented, feeling sad hearing the news, as he took the menu and started to decide what some dish he felt like eating today.

But he had barely started to get an idea when, without warning, the restaurant's door slammed, and a tall, slender figure in armor with a long tail entered, everyone else inside falling silent as they watched the latest arrival. Even Stumpy, who was heading back to the kitchen a few seconds before, stood motionless and looked at the intruder, his eyes nervously eyeing the closest item he could use as a weapon.

The unknown newt walked further inside and toward Stumpy, the frog with the chef hat's noticing that she was dressed in a silver armor with two pauldrons patterned with swirling designs, a cape on her back, and several medals and military insignia pinned to her chest. Some of the patrons shivered, recognizing the Newtopia-issued armor the newt was wearing, and the rank of General that her medals indicated.

"You're the owner of this place?" The unknown newt said, glaring at Stumpy.

"Yes." Stumpy glared back at her, hoping to distract her long enough to switch the kitchen knife in her right hand with his battle hammer, "And you, who are you supposed to be?"

Before he could ever register her movement, the unknown newt took two long blades out of her right gauntlet, and with a quick movement of her hand, she cut his hammer's handle, disarming the frog instantly and shocking everyone who had witnessed it.

"Me?" The Newt spoke again, putting away her blades as fast as she took them out before, "My name is General Yunan," she made a pose, "Scourge of the Sand Wars," she made another pose, "Defeater of Ragnar the Wretched," she jumped on the counter, before making one last pose displaying a flag, "aaaaaand...the youngest newt to ever achieve the rank of General in the great Newtopian army!"

She surely runs her mouth a lot, Stumpy silently thought with a snarky voice. Some of the other patrons, however, were much more worried by the revelation: for Newtopia to send someone of such high rank to the Valley, it meant that Newtopia was very concerned about the events that were transpiring. Even if Wartwood had successfully managed to defend itself from the attack of the Toads, the night when Hop Pop had been crowned Frog of the Year, the Newtopian Army was a different story. And if this newt was the General Yunan…

More than one patron shivered in fear. While she wasn't known as much as she hoped outside of the large capital city of Amphibia, some of them had heard of the exploits of Newtopia's youngest general. How she put an end to the decades long Sand Wars by killing the infamous War Chief and scattered his followers, before turning back to Newtopia to deliver his foe's detached head at King Andrias' feet. How of all the soldiers who used to serve under her, many had died of exhaustion in long forced marches, or killed in one of the many bloody battles as they struggled to keep pace with their general, who thrived among violence and carnage like a frog in a pond.

Sitting at their table, Percy and Braddock exchanged one nervous glance: they had a feeling that the reason why she was here was closely tied to them, to the captain…and the six humans.

"And I am here on order of his Majesty, King Andrias Leviathan, to investigate the rumors about strange monsters dwelling among the locals, as well as the sudden disappearance of the whole Toad Garrison of the Southern Toad Tower, and that without talking about the destruction of the Tower itself. Tell me, people of Wartwood: what do you know?"

"Huh, nooooo." Some frog, who had been sitting uncomfortably too close to the Newt general, stuttered. "T-this is a peaceful town, nothing ever…happens here-"

"Really?" Yunan quickly turned head and faced him, the poor frog shivering as he felt Yunan's case over him. "Then tell me, why Mister…?" She looked at the cook.

"Stumpy, ma'am." The frog chef replied, still looking in disbelief at the cut Warhammer now laying at his feet.

"Then why did Mister Stumpy over there try to arm himself when I confronted him? Are you always this hostile to your patrons, or only toward Newtopian officials?" Yunan pressed on, Stumpy stuttering as he could read the implied accusation hidden in her words.

Percy and Braddock tried to make themselves as small as possible, struggling to come up with a plan to leave, but too late. As Yunan kept looking around, he noticed both, and with a few stomps of her boots, she was already looming over their table.

"You two, you are toads!" Yunan smirked, realizing she had just hit the mark, "Curious: there aren't many toads living in the Valley…except the ones that served in the Toad Army!"

"We were," Braddock said with a nervous voice, trying to make her words sound truthful, "but we were left off on our own a long time ago. The captain said we weren't good soldiers, and that we lacked discipline." That wasn't a lie, at least a month ago.

"You're talking about the latest commander of the Southern Tower, Captain Grime, right?" Yunan's smile grew, "He was the one that sent those messages informing us of those rumors in the first place. Perhaps you do know where he is at this moment?"

"Uh, nope. Sorry. We haven't heard from him for a long time."

"Oh, you know nothing about him?" Yunan raised an eyebrow, having caught on that the two of them were trying (and failing, badly) to lie on her face. "Then, what about Toad Tower? How was it when you left it?"

"It was…the same, I guess?" Percy looked aside, his trembling glare confirming to Yunan they were hiding something, "Tall, dark, intimidating-"

"And now it's gone!" Yunan shouted, a part of her feeling tired of this charade. "I have seen the wreckage, on my road here: the whole tower had collapsed, the whole structure is in ruin, and the whole garrison that was supposed to guard it is gone! There are still bodies left to rot in the ruins, at least when I passed through there!"

Braddock felt a sting hit her heart as Yunan mentioned that last piece of information. How many comrades have died due to Aiden's lie and deceptions, killed at once when the fortress they were supposed to garrison crumbled under their feet? How many friends had she lost because of the actions of one single human? How close had she and Percy come to being killed as well? No matter how much time had passed, she still felt unable to cope with all this pain.

"M-maybe it was some passing heron," Braddock struggled to hide her emotions, "Maybe-"

"Even a flock of herons wouldn't have been able to deal this much damage!" Yunan pointed out, "And I have seen what you have here in Wartwood: walls of solid rock, defense towers, ballista… It is quite strange that a village that's supposed to be so quiet and peaceful has so many defenses, don't you agree? Those rocks on the wall do look quite familiar…"

"We don't know anything, we swear!" Percy said in panic. "Like Braddock said, it has been a long time since we last saw the captain!"

"But you were soldiers serving under him."

"But we aren't soldiers anymore! I am a jester now, and she is a gardener!"

"A jester and a gardener, huh?" Yunan leaned closer, an idea forming in her mind. "Well, I guess I've done all I can here. I will continue my search…elsewhere…" She walked out of the door, the various patrons (and Stumpy) taking a couple of seconds before breathing in relief.

"If she's looking around, then Anne and the others are in trouble!" Stumpy said, his eyes filled with desire to protect, "We need to send someone to warn them, before she catches on to them!"

"And you should warn Captain Grime as well!" Another said, turning to Percy and Braddock. "How do you think she will react if she finds out the captain is now living among the people he was supposed to govern?"

"Relax, she believed us, didn't she?" Percy answered, trying to minimize the seriousness of the situation, "And the Captain should be safe as long as he stays at our new barracks, at the edge of the town."

Unseen by everyone, hiding just outside of the door and carefully listening to everything the patrons were now saying without fear, General Yunan grinned.

(…)

Back at the building that hosted the new toad barracks, as well as the headquarter of the Wartwood's Militia, Amelia took a deep breath, tasting the warm kiss of the high noon's sun filtered through Amphibia's greenery, combined with the fresh air brought to her by the wind. Jacob was still inside, talking with Grimsey, and had asked her to wait for him before going back to the farm.

Thus, alone in front of the building, and with Akitsu nowhere to be seen, the young girl had decided to use the time she had to pursue the one goal that every honor-bound samurai should strive for when not busy fighting injustices and protecting innocents.

That is, meditating as she attempted to find her Inner Peace.

"Inner peace… Inner peace…" the girl kept repeating as a mantra, sitting with her legs crossed, her katana laying in front of her, as the wind brought a small quantity of pollen to her nostrils. "Itchy nose." She grimaced, struggling to contain her facade before sneezing suddenly. "Finally, inner peace-"

Suddenly, she heard boots stomping on the ground, and a strange whistling noise filling the air.

"Now what?" Amelia moaned with an annoyed voice, realizing her meditation mood was gone, the girl getting back on her feet and searching for the source of the noise. At first, she could see nothing but trees, but soon, a lone figure walked out of the trees, whistling with a grin on her face.

"Stop where you are, stranger!" Amelia spoke, the figure stopping on her tracks as it heard the human's voice and looked at her. "You're not allowed in this place!"

"Oh, the rumors were true!" The stranger, revealing herself to be a pinkish newt with white-blonde hair and a long tail, darker pink spots on her back, wearing silver armor with large pauldrons and several medals on her chest, said in a rare moment of stupor. "This is…unexpected."

"Oh, so you did hear about us?" Amelia grumbled, preparing herself to face the same prejudices she and the others had faced since they arrived in Wartwood, "Tell me, stranger, what is your name? You're a newt, and you're wearing armor: this tells me you're not a mere traveler."

"You're right on this presumption," Yunan smirked again, somewhat intrigued by the personality this new, strange creature was showing. "I am General Yunan," she started to monologue while doing poses once more, "Scourge of the Sand Wars, Defeater of Ragnar the Wretched, the youngest newt to ever achieve the rank of General in the great Newtopian army!"

Oh frog, she's doing a monologue, Amelia thought in amusement, and doing poses as well! Wait, she said she is a General in the Newtopian Army? She comes from Newtopia? Well, I won't pass on this occasion!

"A General, huh?" Amelia retorted, doing her best to look like a badass samurai soldier, "My name is Amelia Matthews, Ronin of Los Angeles, Samurai of Respect, Rider of dragonflies and Sword of the Valley!" She mimicked Yunan's own monologue, "If you wish to take one more step on this land, you must first get past me."

"As you wish," Yunan replied, before grabbing one rock from the ground with her tail, and throwing it at Amelia, the human quickly noticing and using her katana to deflect the attack, the rock smashing through a window to her right.

"Not bad, not bad at all!" Yunan clapped, genuinely impressed, "That rock wouldn't have killed you, but surely would have knocked you out long enough for me to proceed. I am quite surprised that you managed to notice my attack, let alone intercept it."

"I had a good master," Amelia smirked in turn, before hearing two loud footsteps and the door behind her open suddenly.

"Amelia!" Jacob rushed outside, Grime just behind him, "What was that? What did you-" his cousin stopped, as he noticed the armored newt standing right in front of them. "Oh!"

"Oh, crud." Grime grimaced as well, "That armor... She's Newtopian military for sure!"

"Another one?" Yunan commented, noticing Jacob. "Those rumors are getting more accurate every second."

"Who the frog are you?" Jacob shouted, his hands holding onto his hammer, causing Yunan to sigh loudly.

"All right. Third time today. Let's do it! I am General Yunan, Scourge of the Sand Wars, Defeater of Rag-WAIT!" She stopped as something in her brain clicked, pointing at Grime, "You're Captain Grime? The fiercest fighter of the colosseum?"

"Another fan of yours?" Amelia grinned, causing Jacob to roll his eyes.

"I guess so," Grime chuckled, "Yep, that's me. You're here for my autograph?"

"YES!" Yunan shouted excitedly, before correcting herself, "I mean, No! I mean- oh, forget it!" She passed a hand over her face, as she tried to reign in her emotions. "It doesn't matter: I have some questions for you, and I am not leaving until they are answered!"

Frog, is she for real? Jacob mused for a second, impressed by her personality and way of speaking, No! Jacob, focus! She's an envoy from a city of egoistic racists, so she must be as bad as the rest of them! Though her monologue was kind of cool, but frog, I never heard of someone with such a big ego since- he stopped, his eyes widening in realization. Oh!

"Now that I think about it," The boy in armor spoke again with a soft, yet poisonous voice, as he remembered some rumors he heard second-hand. "I have heard about you before, General Yunan."

"You have?" Yunan was stunned for a second by the unexpected response, "I mean, of course you have! Far and wide have Amphibians heard the tales of General Yunan, Scourge of the Sand Wars, Defeater of Ragnar the Wretched, the youngest newt to ever achieve the rank of General in the great Newtopian army!" She monologued once again.

"Yes, I have heard quite some tales about you," Jacob continued, his lips now twisting into a cruel smile, "You're the egomaniac narcissist whose obsessive hunt for personal glory almost turned one of the safest, risk-proof campaigns of Newtopia into the worst military disaster in all of Amphibia's history."

Yunan stood motionless, her jaw open wide in shock, while Amelia and Grime looked at him with wide eyes. The Toad couldn't help but wonder if he should admire Jacob's courage…or scold his foolishness.

"And that managed to cripple, exhaust and debilitate every soldier who ever served under her, with no care about them!"

"Ooooo, that cuts VERY deep!" Amelia snickered.

"At least, that's how Toadstool put it." The boy pushed on, failing to notice the popping veins in the newt's forehead. "When Hop Pop told us about you, he was much more polite, though he basically said the same thing."

"You-you-" Yunan trembled in anger, before the tone of her voice turned colder, "You know what? Change of plans: I'm taking you in!" She roared, jumping into an attack, only for her claws to clash with Jacob's hammer and Amelia's katana, unable to cut through both.

Wait, she has claws like Wolverine? Jacob's eyes filled with gleam, Awesome! I'm fighting Newt-Wolverine!

"Wait, is that a sword from the Eastern Tower?" Yunan gasped again, "How-how do you have one of those?!"

"The sword of a samurai is an extension of them," Amelia smiled, "Just like his companion!" She pushed on, the combined effort of herself and her cousin pushing Yunan back enough to give her the opening she needed. "By the power of Yamato! Akitsu, I summon you!"

Hearing the call of her companion, the giant white dragonfly arrived at once, Amelia jumping on its back while Yunan realized her enemies were much tougher than she assumed.

"Is that…a White Skies Dragonfly?! You have a legendary bug as a mount?" The newt said, before smiling. "Finally, this is a battle worthy of its name!"

And she jumped into an assault.

(…)

"Boom!" Polly announced, carrying her luggage (her bucket) inside the Fwagon, "All done! Hop Pop, I'm bored!"

"Well, I could use some help with these ascots." The old farmer replied, making his own bags, "They require a very delicate fold."

"Pass!" She quickly replied, jumping outside on the farm's entrance, where the two Fwagons, connected to each other, were currently parked. All around it, Sprig and the Sundew were loading some of the smaller packages, while Sylvia and Felicia were sharing recommendations.

"Alright mom, since obviously no one can replace my tea-making skills while I'm away, the teashop must be closed for the meantime. Still, if someone is in search of a spare room to stay and can afford to pay for it, you can offer them the guest room. Be sure to lock both my room and Ivy's, be wary of stranger and take-"

"Felicia, I know how to take care of myself, I did it for many years already." The green frog chuckled, amused by her own daughter's protectiveness, "And shouldn't you worry more about yourself. From what I've heard, the road that leads to Newtopia becomes more and more dangerous with every passing year."

"Mom, I am a veteran adventurer and I already traveled from and to Newtopia several times in my life!" Felicia shrugged, "Anyway, I packed up everything we could end up needing on our journey: light and heavy armors, in case we came across a nasty surprise, spare clothes, emergency food rations, a kit of medical supplies, one to detoxify water, some emergency money…"

"Huh, Ivy?" Sprig raised an eyebrow, "Are you bringing your bug net?"

"Of course I am! It's my most cherished item after all! And I've always dreamt about living to see such an adventure and collecting strange new bugs from beyond the Valley! Plus, if worst comes to worst, it can even serve as a backup weapon!" The yellow frog said, mimicking some attacks with the stick, before looking at her boyfriend, "Speaking about most cherished items, did you finally choose which slingshot you want to take?"

"I can't! I mean…I'm still trying to figure out which slingshot to bring with us. I mean, Rocky's got the most launching power, but Slingerton's better for close-quarters combat. And Silver Bolt, he always has my back…"

"Then, maybe I can help you?" Ivy teased him, Sprig feeling his own face blush as she did.

"I…would appreciate that?"

"Here we are!" Anne and Sasha walked out of the farm, each girl carrying their respective backpacks filled with everything they had brought from Earth, plus some more luggage including spare clothes and items they felt the need to bring with them. 'We're done!"

"Remember to put all things together where they belong," Felicia quipped, "The weapons in the weapon storage, medicines and other treatments in the medical cabinet…"

"Is there some place where we can put our most precious things?" Anne asked, moving to her backpack and showing the one object that, to her and the other five humans, was much more worthy than anything else they could have brought from Earth, the one and only Calamity Box that brought them here in the first place and was the only option they had so far to return home.

"Anne!" Sprig gasped, seeing the Box in her hands, "You-you want to bring that with us?"

"I just think it's a good idea, Sprig. We don't know if we may end up finding hints on the road, plus I feel safer knowing it's here with us."

"Moreover," Sasha quipped, "if we do end up finding out how it works in Newtopia, we won't have to come back to retrieve it!"

"I suppose that's solid reasoning," Sylvia commented, looking around, "Are your friends coming to join us? I believed you were going to leave today."

"We're here! We're here!" Marcy announced happily as she, Maddie and James arrived, each one carrying a backpack and James holding the luggage Mrs. Croaker had prepared for him, while the two girls were pushing a small cart containing Maddie's travel cauldron and several other items that were either too big or heavy to fit in their backpacks.

"Frog, are you seriously going to bring all that stuff?" Ivy commented, earning a scolding glare from Maddie, "This is going to be an adventurous journey, not a relocation!"

"Ivy Sundew!"

"The art of crafting spells is a very complex and delicate one, Sundew," the local spellcaster replied, "the wrong ingredient or mistake made at the wrong time could jeopardize all of us. I need my books and proper instruments. And it's not like they are going to take more space than your things."

"Hey, I'm carrying jars to put all the bugs I'm going to catch. I need those!"

"And I need my magic equipment!

"Frog-fight, frog-fight!" Polly excitedly yelled, before someone put an end to her fun.

"Girls, girls!" Sprig moved between them, trying to play peacemaker, "There is no need to quarrel! I'm sure we can find a solution for everything if we look for it!"

"So, Mar-Mar, are you ready for this? To leave Wartwood and the whole Valley behind, and set off into the unexplored world beyond the mountains?"

"Sure I am, Sash!" The dark-haired nerd replied, fantasizing about what amazing new things she could see and note down on her Journal in the upcoming days, "I am so excited for the big journey in front of us. Just, what about Jacob-"

"Guys!" A frantic voice interrupted the idle moment, everyone turning heads to see Toadie running toward them with a distraught look on his face.

"Toadie, what's going on?" James looked at him in confusion, "Is there another…emergency?"

"Ugh, Toadstool once again got stuck in the bathroom?" Anne grumbled, "This time, we are not rescuing him!"

"No, worse!" The mayor's assistant said, the look in his eyes making James and Felicia realize this was a REAL emergency, "I was having lunch at Stumpy's and, well…someone came to Wartwood! Someone from Newtopia!"

"Newtopia?!" Everyone gasped at once, the humans suddenly alert. A visitor from Newtopia could mean either a great opportunity or a terrible danger, according to who and why they were here.

"She says she was THE General Yunan! And with the armor she wore, I believe it! She also said she was investigating the disappearance of Toad Tower and-"

"Oh, frog!" James gasped with wide eyes, a cold feel of dread flooding in his veins, "Jacob and Amelia, they're still at the Militia's Headquarter!"

"And Grimsey's there as well!" Sasha shouted too, Ivy gasping as she said so.

"Let's go and check out on them!" Anne shouted, grabbing her sword and beginning to run in the direction of the signal, Sasha, Marcy and the others joining them one by one, until no one was left in front of the farm.

"Ok kids!" Hop Pop announced, walking out of the farm's main door a few seconds after everyone had already left, "Sorry I took some time, but now we are ready. Let me give Chuck the keys and-"

He stopped, as he realized that, besides Liptea and Bessie, he was alone.

"Where is everyone?!"

(…)

Frog, they ARE good, Yunan thought as she kept pursuing her attack. She had so many advantages already: she could jump higher than those 'humans' could, and was more dexterous than them. And that without considering all the experience from all the fights and duels she fought before. Still, the adversaries she was facing were two, and they put their numerical advantage to good use, alternating between attacking and covering each other, giving the newt no chance of respite, nor any opening to exploit. Moreover, one of them had a White Skyes dragonfly as its mount, the flying bug making it impossible for Yunan to divide or even try to bypass them.

I didn't think they would be better than mere bandit brutes. I guess I underestimated these two by giving them a head start to keep things interesting. Because these creatures have talent, even if raw one, Yunan moved back a couple steps, moving her claws into a defensive stance, the two unknown creatures doing the same as well. Well, I guess it's time to up the challenge!

"Bri! Bru-bru-brunan!" The giant white dragonfly buzzed, its rider glaring at Yunan, the newt noticing the opening she was looking for.

Once again, the youngest general in Newtopia's army rushed forward, but this time she attempted a trick. First, she moved like she was going to attack the one human to the ground, then as he prepared to her attack, she suddenly jumped in the opposite direction and into the dragonfly, its raider barely having the time to react as she pointed her claws at her. She didn't know how long they could have kept fighting, but she had to close this clash as fast as possible, before-

The sudden strike of a sword broke her jump and pushed Yunan back to the ground, as she realized that someone else had joined her opponents.

"Please, General, stop this madness!" Grime said, as Jacob and Amelia rushed to his side, "We are not your enemies, we have no reason to fight!"

"No reason, Captain?" Yunan hissed, getting ready for another attack, "Toad Tower is in ruins, its army scattered, a village that was supposed to be peaceful now is more defended than a fortress, with strange creatures than no one has ever seen before! This, plus the fact that you seemingly failed to report all of this to Newtopia, is proof enough of your desertion!"

"Desertion?!" Now it was Grime getting angry at such an accusation, "Believe what you want, General, but I've always been loyal to Newtopia and our king! Ever since I was given command of the Toad Tower and its army, I've strived to shape them into soldiers worthy of such a name!"

"Then how is it that you've joined forces with the same creatures who destroyed it?!"

"WE DIDN'T!" Jacob and Amelia shouted at once, the boy shaking his fist.

"Buz-zumzum!" Akitsu buzzed angrily as well.

"They're not the guilty ones!" Grime hurried to speak, as once again he tried to defuse the situation, "The truth is-"

"What's going on here?!" Another voice intervened, Yunan turning around to see several individuals, all armed, gathering on her left. What's worse about that, while some of them were frogs, many were creatures just like the two she was facing right now.

"Let me guess," Yunan said in a bitter tone, realizing she was now surrounded, "Friends of yours?"

"And you must be Yunan!" A male human in a cowl, silver hair peeking from under it, shouted in response, "Youngest General of the Newtopian Army. Scourge of the Sand Wars, Defeater of Ragnar the Wretched!"

Yunan stood motionless with a stunned expression before her shock turned into enthusiasm.

"YES!" She shouted at full lungs, "Finally! Thank you! Almost makes me want to spare you!"

"How about instead you spare us the fight, and drop your weapons?" A female human in golden armor retorted, taking a fighting stance on the side of the first one. "You have nowhere to run!"

"Who's running? This should be fun…" Yunan challenged her, launching herself forward again. Anne noticed it and moved aside before moving to counterattack, the newt's claws clashing with her sword on one side and Felicia's weapon on the other. Yet, she had to move as Sasha and James moved to support their friends, while Jacob took advantage of the fact she had 'forgotten' about him to counterattack as well.

"Take this!" Maddie shouted as she threw a fire spell at Yunan, the newt moving just in time to avoid being hit.

"What in frogs' name- they have witches and black magic as well?!" The young general gasped before covering, a crossbow bolt passing where her head was.

"Sorry!" Marcy smiled nervously; her bolt had been shot more accidentally than anything.

Yunan was one of the best fighters in the whole of Amphibia, she knew it, but her enemies were many and relentless. They were forming a net around her, forcing the newt to move constantly to avoid their enemies attack without a chance of respite. Yet, she kept fighting, and held her ground, even as a part of her started to wish she still had her old army to back her up.

Currently, Yunan was facing the human with long blonde fur on her head, that the others called Sasha: not only was her swordsmanship much better than the ones that many recruits of the Newtopian Army displayed, but the sword she used was a pink Heron Sword, a weapon that was known to rival in durability and strength even the best weapons made in Amphibia's capital.

And less than a seconds later, that proved to be true as Sasha slashed forward, shattering the blades on her right gauntlet with a single swoop.

"Well, that can't be good."

"Nope, it isn't." Sasha smugly said before retreating suddenly, "Ready, Boonchuy?"

"As always, Sash."

Yunan had barely any time to see all her other opponents fall back before something happened to the two humans, the newt seeing their bodies beginning to glow, their eyes and fur becoming of blue and pinkish glamor, their feet detaching from the ground. And then, they raised their arms and the same light that was now enveloping them was fired on her, Yunan moving her remaining claws as she tried to reduce or deflect the upcoming blast.

In vain.

As the blast hit her, Yunan felt the air around her heating up and her skin dehydrate, as her body was rocketed backward by what felt like a powerful physical impact, her feet marking the ground. She could feel her own hair charring, the armor that she was wearing overwhelmed by the sheer amount of energy and starting to smolder, the claws on her remaining gauntlet ripped apart.

For a whole second, her entire world had gone white, and then gone black immediately after, the young general not even having the time to wonder what she went through as she fell on her knees, and then, she dropped face-forward, losing consciousness.

"She's waking up," James murmured, looking at his friends and companion, "Grimsey, are you sure?"

"I am," the toad commander replied, earning a puzzled look from Toadstool and wary glances from Sasha and Amelia, "Even if Toad Tower has fallen, I am still the Captain Commander of the South Toad Army. It was my responsibility to properly keep Newtopia informed on what was going on, it is my fault that this… 'incident' happened." He looked at the chair where the Newt General had been placed, sighing. "I just hope she will listen to me this time."

"Ugh… did a herd of rhino beetles run over me?" Yunan asked, opening her eyes and shaking her head, before realizing her current predicament. She was in a chair, in the middle of the barrack's courtyard, her hands tied just under her neck while her tail (charred, but still intact) was tied to the side. What's worse, she could now see the full effect that strange attack had on her armor and weaponry: her silver body armor, that looked so shiny when she arrived in Wartwood, was now badly scorched and scratched, permanently bent and deformed on several points, a large area on the chest area (where she had been hit) now charred where the metal had been deformed. And her gauntlets…Yunan could barely express her shock as she realized they had been damaged beyond repair.

Frog, I'll have to ask for new ones when I return to Newtopia…that is, if I will be able to return to Newtopia.

"Do your worst," the newt said, facing her jailers. "I am not going to tell you anything!"

"Good, because we are the ones who are going to talk," Grime walked forward. "General Yunan, it is my duty to inform you that this…unfortunate incident happened because of lack of understanding among us."

Yunan eyes widened as Grime continued his explanation, from time to time being helped by one of those 'humans' or another toad who affirmed to be Toadstool, mayor of the town. They told her how the six 'humans' had appeared in the forest surrounding Wartwood almost three months ago, and they were taken in by a local farmer. How their actions eventually helped Wartwood become more thriving and flourishing, and eventually to reject the taxation of Toad Tower. How Grime himself was manipulated and lied to by a certain 'Aiden', who would be later revealed to be another human. How both sides had come to a clash… and how Aiden betrayed the Toads, having set up everything so toads and frogs would massacre each other, and attempted to rally the other humans to his cause.

The general was shocked as Grime recalled the moment Aiden backstabbed him (literally) before turning his own brutes on his troops, leaving only a few of the large numbers that once comprised one of the four Toad Armies; as general, and even more so as a frontline soldier and officer, she was used to violence and cruelty in battle, yet there was something…unsettling in how this 'Aiden' had acted.

Unsettling, and horrifyingly familiar.

"So, you moved the garrison to Wartwood?" Yunan asked, glancing over Grime.

"Yes. The locals had been unexpectedly friendly all things considered, and we needed a place to stay while we tried to reorganize ourselves."

"And…this 'Militia' of yours?"

"We wanted to make sure Wartwood was protected," Sasha spoke, "as people here had apparently been left to their own devices for a very long time. True, I wasn't expecting Grimsey would join us, but-"

"You don't have to sweeten this bitter cup, Sash," Grime raised his hand, before turning his face to Yunan once again, "When Newtopia choose me to become the new leader of the Southern Tower, I wanted to prove they made the right choice by reshaping the troops I had been given command of. Making them into soldiers I could be proud of, but my obsession ended up giving Aiden a chance to infiltrate among our ranks. When I made him my lieutenant, he used that position to manipulate me into persecuting and maltreating my own toads, so we wouldn't be able to resist him. I learned my errors the hard way, and I don't want to repeat them!"

"Then, how about you start by untying me?" Yunan nodded, as she pointed at her constraints. "It's getting quite bothersome."

Jacob and Sasha nodded, moving toward Yunan and removing the chains that were restraining her, the newt taking a second to stretch herself before continuing.

"Now, since you already know who I am, would you please tell me who is who? I already heard your names during the fight, but I want to be sure. You're the one called…Amelia, right?"

"I am," the girl with the cone hat and samurai outfit replied, "and the guy who fought you alongside me is Jacob, my cousin!"

"Congratulations, you were a good adversary!" The boy thumbed up, "We had the numerical advantage, yet you were able to hold on for this long!"

"I am James, James Blueingham." The other human boy presented himself, "Jacob's shenanigans partner and all-time star enthusiast."

"Pleased to meet you?" Yunan raised an eyebrow, puzzled by the human's words. "And the others?"

"My name is Anne, and the blonde girl to my left is Sasha."

"You're the ones…who glowed." The newt's eyes widened in realization, "How did you do that?"

"It's a long story," Sasha looked aside, wondering how much would be safe to tell her.

"And you?" Yunan focused on the last human, a dark-haired female wearing what looked like a perfect copy of Newtopia's Night Guard, a belt filled with spell bags around her waist and a crossbow at her arms. She wasn't the most garish among them, yet the more she looked at, the more she felt captured by her appearance.

Why do I get the feeling that, when future historians look back to my life, they will pinpoint this exact moment as the most important event in my whole life?

"I'm Marcy!" The human replied, "So, you're from Newtopia? How is the place? What kind of social structure do you have? If the king lives there, where does he live? Does he have a castle? How is your government composed? Why-"

"Mar-Mar!" Anne moved in to temperate her usual over-enthusiasm, the cute nerd blushing as she realized that.

"Whoops! Sorry, Anna-Banana!"

"You are the strangest bunch of beings I've ever met," Yunan said in amusement, a part of her fascinated by their personalities and bizarre aspects, "Well, I guess I should see more with my own eyes. Mayor Toadstool?"

"Yes, General?!" The Toad mayor replied, trying to stand in attention only to do a poor figure of it.

"Would you gently show me the town? I am curious to see with my own eyes what you did in the last months…"

(…)

"No way!" Yunan shouted, her eyes laying over the box full of feathers and the giant, fleshless bones in front of her, "You fought herons?!"

"Two herons," Toadie immediately corrected her, "Yes, it was quite a surprise when Miss Boonchuy activated her powers for the first time. Yet, we can't be more grateful that she did, for if she didn't the damage would have been more severe."

"And no one died?"

"No one!" Toadstool proudly said, "So, as I was saying, after we dismantled the bodies, we were left with a large stock of heron meat, plus their feathers and bones. By now, much of the meat has been used up and a couple of minor bones have been ground to be used as fertilizer, but the rest is all here!"

"That's…astonishing," Yunan smiled nervously, searching for the humans, who were still, sitting behind in silence. She made a sign to Toadstool and his assistant to leave to let them speak in private, then, as soon as she was sure no one else was listening, she faced them once more.

"So, you did this?" She pointed at Anne in disbelief.

"Well, I wasn't actually expecting I could do that, but I did." The girl replied with embarrassed expression as she held Sasha's hands, the blonde girl looking aside as she did, "It took an emotional overload, but-"

"And you say that the item that brought you into this world…may be connected to it?"

"Well, we guess so," Marcy took over, her inner guilt pushing her not to stand on the sidelines anymore, "We still have doubts and unanswered questions. But from what we were able to figure out so far, when we arrived the gems were emptied of their power, due to some process we can't figure out, and imbued into our bodies. So far only Anna-Banana and Sash have been able to activate theirs. The best hypothesis we have, is that to activate them, it requires quite a powerful emotional meltdown."

"The point is," Jacob intervened, coming to Marcy's assistance, "we have reason to fear the Box, and the powers it grants, are the objectives of Aiden's madness. We don't know the full details yet, but our research strongly recommended keeping it a secret to everyone else. So, when you will return to Newtopia…could you keep this a secret, at least for a while? Please?"

Yunan thought about it, "At this point, I think it's inadvisable to spread information that this item could grant unimaginable powers, nor that the psycho responsible for the destruction of the Southern Toad Tower and the attempted destruction of Wartwood is after it. All it's going to do is create unnecessary panic. Moreover, while I'm not particularly enthusiastic about keeping this a secret to our king, I agree with you that the risk of a leak is too high."

"Agreed." The six humans nodded.

"However," Yunan quickly added, "I would be guilty of being derelict in my responsibilities if I try to keep this from the proper authorities for too long."

"That's not an issue," James gets back on his feet, "We were already planning to leave for Newtopia, where we hope to find answers about the Box. As soon as we arrive, we'll gladly share everything we know."

"Then I wish you the best of luck. The road had never been an easy one, but in the last few years it has gotten worse." Yunan sighed, "I guess I'll stop here for a couple of days, to get note of everything that's happened. Your mayor already promised me a fast mount and some token to prove the Valley's loyalty to the King. Once everything is settled, I'll hurry back to the capital. With some luck, I'll return before you so I can inform our sovereign of your existence and prepare your welcome."

"Then, I guess we'll see each other again, General." Sasha nodded, a smile forming on her lips. "See you in Newtopia!"

Yunan stood there, waiting, as she watched the humans walk out of the warehouse, Toadstool and his assistant still peeking as they were waiting for their chance to resume the conversation. When she arrived in this town, she expected to find only bumpkin farmers and civilian unrest; instead, she found a city now flourishing and prosperous beyond any wildest imagination, with defenses and soldiers equipped, trained, and motivated to defend it. All because, two months ago apparently, a portal opened, and such creatures appeared in the surrounding forest.

Two months, and this town (and the whole Valley with it), had changed more than it had ever done in the last century.

Would have this happened to Newtopia as well if they appeared there?

Shaking her head, Yunan made a sign to Toadstool to come back, giving one more glance to the large box where all the Herons' feathers had been collected. Surely, his Majesty would have liked such a rare gift…

(…)

"Ok, Chuck. Here's the farm's key," Hop Pop said, "There's a list of all the things you need to do to take care of the farm in our absence."

"I grow Tulips!"

"Pepo, we are going." Marcy petted one last time the giant pumpkin creature. "Do what Chuck tell you, take care of the fields and keep away all the pest bugs. Can you do that?"

The large pumpkin purred, moving his body as nodding.

"I'll miss you, Grandma! When we return, I'm going to tell you all what we've seen!"

"I don't doubt it, Ivy. Also, Felicia, did you remember to take a supply of medicine for your boat sickness?"

"Yes, mom!" The teashop owner grumbled, "We are going to Newtopia by fwagon, not searching for a new continent by sea. How do you expect me to get boat sickness?"

"Better be prepared in any case," Sylvia chuckled, before turning her attention to her adoptive granddaughter, "And you Sasha, keep an eye over Ivy, ok?"

"Don't worry, I'll protect her from whatever we may end up facing. After all," she looked at Ivy with a heartfelt expression, "that's what big sisters do, don't they?"

"Take care of yourself, Maddie," Farine hugged her birth daughter one last time, "And you too, Marcy."

"Hey, I'm not that bad." The dark-haired nerd replied, turning head just in time to trip on the fwagon's footstep and fall inside.

"Don't worry for us, dad. I've got my spell, my cauldron…and even the recipe to raise Marcy as a living dead, should that be necessary."

"Master, are you really going not to bring us with you?"

"I'm sorry, young apprentices," Amelia looked at the Flour triplets with a serene, almost teaching expression, "but the path before me is not a road you can take already, for it's full of dangers and unknown enemies. This is a walk I must undertake alone, to master it so I can teach you as well."

"You will teach us too?!" Their eyes, so filled with sadness at first, shined once again, "You promise?"

"Of course, I do. However, don't be impatient, for like half-baked bread taste bitter and can make you sick, so half-baked training can cripple your skills rather than enhance them."

"Enlightening words," Farine approved, understanding better than anyone the metaphor.

"Take care of yourself, Jacob, and remember all the tricks and lessons I gave you."

"I will, Soggy Joe!"

"You too James. You learned so much, but now, it's your moment to shine."

"I won't disappoint you, Mrs. Croaker."

"WAIT!" A voice shouted, everyone turning to see Grime, Percy and Braddock running toward them. Immediately Sasha's eyes widened in fear: had something else happened again?

"Grimsey, what's going on?" The blonde human said, the three toads stopping in front of her and breathing heavily for the run, "Did-"

"It's not an emergency, if that's what you're asking." Braddock pointed out, as he stopped panting. "It's just, the Captain has one gift for you."

"A gift?" Sasha, Ivy, Felicia and others shouted at the same time in surprise as the toad captain took something from his back before passing it into the blonde girl's hands, Sasha realizing it was a Heron sword identical to her pink one, but this time, silver.

"Grimsey, you…"

"I can't accompany you in your journey," the toad immediately began to say, almost in apologizing tone, "however I can surely provide you with the right equipment to face and deal with every danger or menace you may end up facing on the road. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, but…I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Also, he wasn't sure it would be ready by the time you would go," Percy pointed out, earning a slap in the back from Braddock and a nonplussed glare from Grime.

"Percy!"

"That's ok," Sasha chuckled, actually amused by the small gaffe of the past-time jester, "You don't have to apologize for that. Wow, it is quite a nice gift: now I can wield two swords at the same time. A two-swords fighter!"

"I'll make sure to change the training regime taking that into account," Felicia rolled her eyes, yet showing a happy smile on her lips.

"Wow, Grime is so cool!" Ivy jumped in excitement. "When you're marrying him, mom?"

"Ivy!"

"Wow, I don't know what to say but…thanks!" Sasha moved forward and hugged the rugger soldier and officer, Percy and Braddock joining as well.

"Just take care of yourself and keep you and your friends alive," Grimsey replied, his heart moved by the unexpected hug, memories of the pasts rushing into his mind as a lone tear ran down his cheek. "And thank you, for once again showing this old gladiator what it means to be a real leader."

"All right, kids." Hop Pop got on the driving coach, Felicia to his right, "It's a two-week journey to Newtopia so we better get going!"

"Whoo-hoo!"

"Yeah!"

Sasha smiled, walking over the fwagon and getting inside, the humans and their companions quickly gathering onboard, Grime and the others saluting as they did.

"To infinity and beyond, Akitsu!" Amelia jumped on her back, the white dragonfly buzzing as her wings once again started to flap faster and faster before getting on air, Hop Pop flicking the reins to give Liptea and Bessie the signal to move.

"Well, let's get this fwagon on the road." Hop Pop announced, "No turning back now!"

Little could he know that, as he pronounced those words, that his old romantic rival and his new master were looking at them from afar…

(…)

"So, my brethren are going to Newtopia," Prince Aiden said, looking at the whole situation with ill-disguised satisfaction. "Just as planned."

"Master, if a filthy, disgusting beast like me is allowed to ask," Monroe said, being careful to not raise his head and to use the right words, "shouldn't you be worried that your future Queen and Courtesans are going to Newtopia. If K- if Andrias knows…"

"Even if that lizard would find out about the Box right now, it is too late: I already did all the preparations I needed." The prince replied, his eyes instantly moving toward the mountains at the horizon. And I have new minions to bring to me what I need.

"D-does that mean we will return to your esteemed domain soon?" The blue frog said trembling in fear, he who once considered himself to be Wartwood's elite now reduced to beg and grovel for a creature like the ones he looked down for so long.

"Soon, but not immediately." Aiden's smile filled with evilness, as his gaze moved again, settling on the blue frog that was the town's baker, "I still have…one bone to pick in this place…"

Later that day, ignoring that his former lieutenant was still lurking in the countryside, Grime returned to his new 'office' at the Militia's Headquarters, to check the work he would have to do the next day. There were so many issues he would have to take care of, now that he once again was the captain: training sessions to schedule, patrols to organize, which missions had the priority, how to allocate the available resources…and that was without mentioning the report he would now have to write to explain his position to Newtopia and King Andrias: even if General Yunan was a supporting voice to him now, he knew he would have to carefully choose every word if he didn't want to look like a fool in front of the whole court, in the best of the cases.

He had just sat down on the chair that was his now, when he noticed the paper folder laying on the desk. And attached to it, a small note.

Just something I think it might help both Wartwood be more protected and defendable against large menaces like the Herons and promote your career as well. Marcy helped me a bit with the blueprints, I left the recipe for the black powder. Love, Jacob.

Captain Grime, former gladiator and commander of the Southern Toad Tower, now Captain of the Wartwood Militia, moved the note aside and carefully unrolled the papers, his eyes widening as he saw the blueprints in front of him.

A large barrel-

-either in a fixed position, or equipped with side wheels to be able to be moved, should that be necessary-

-new ammunition loaded by the rearward, on the breech end-

-rifling increases bullet speed and accuracy-

The Toad was left with his jaw hanging open, his hands trembling, as he realized that he was holding among them what could be summed up as a breakthrough technological revolution in the whole art of warfare.

A weapon strong enough to shoot large ammunition by virtue of the black powder Jacob had told him about, and whose explosive power was so great it could destroy the stone walls of a fortress or kill monstrous creatures like the herons in one precise shot.

"Cannons…artillery…field guns…" the toad read the words he had never heard before on the blueprints, his lips now twitching into a grin.