AN: Merry Christmas, everyone and a Happy New Years :)
12 Must-See Places that You Have to Break Into In Your Lifetime (and NOT GET CAUGHT)!
No. 5: Skypass Lake Plateau
If you're from Newtopia, then you've probably heard of this place. The sacred Skypass Lake Plateau – located north-west of Newtopia, this ancient lake has existed for at least 10 thousands years, said to have been formed by a major volcanic eruption or a meteorite that crashed into the mountains. Regardless of how it was formed, this lake stands hundreds of metres above sea level, up in the tallest and coldest heights in all of Amphibia. It's so cold up there that without the sufficiently warm and protective gear, you'll wind up being frozen to the bone before you can say "Oh Andrias, it's so bloody cold up here!".
But what exactly is the Skypass Lake Plateau, and why is so sacred to Newtopian culture? Well, it's the water that's important. Long ago, our ancestors, a tribe of nomadic newts, were attacked by barbarians. Forced to flee, they attempted to cross over through the mountains to lose them but got lost halfway. As they climbed up these ranges, they discovered a lake wedged in-between the summits, hidden from view. Although the place was terribly cold, these snowy peaks ended up shielding them from the harsh winds, protecting them from most of the dangerous climate, all while freezing their pursuers in their tracks. This became the perfect place to camp.
Parched from their long escape, these tired and injured newts drank from the waters of the lake, unbeknownst to what was to come. Their scars and wounds began to heal magically, their missing limbs regrew and they gained an incredible vigour. Eventually, the barbarians managed to catch up to them but while they expected a bunch of frail, scared and hungry weaklings, what they found were reenergised, perfectly healthy warriors. Although outnumbered 10 to 1, the nomadic newts successfully fought back and with the aid of the lake's waters, brought the fight back to the barbarian hordes and crushed them to dust.
Since then, the Skypass Lake Plateau has been a place of worship, an important landmark and symbol of newt heritage. It's customary for newly-ordained priests of the various Newtopian religions, as well as the top 100 graduates of Newtopia University, to perform a pilgrimage up to this very lake and drink its water, a act of prayer for a long and fulfilling life. Some other groups also do the same, all for similar reasons. Though, nowadays, common belief has found that the climb itself was tedious and unnecessary, and instead, prefer to purchase the water to be delivered to them. It's still heavily debated and intensely argued on whether this simplification should be allowed, as it 'devalues the entire tradition'.
Water exports from the Skypass Lake Plateau make up 7.8% of the entire Newtopian GDP. It is now considered a high-value luxury health product, though it is very common for scalpers and dubious businessnewts to dilute the water with ordinary tap water, increasing its volume at the expense of its healing effects, and marketing it as 'pure', 'raw' and 'unrefined'. If you find someone selling it in an open stall, it's most definitely not the original.
— Sir Michael Ballin; actor, comedian and travel documentary maker, excerpt from his best-selling travel guide "How to Dance with the Locals". 3 years after publication, he was arrested and charged for cannibalism but not murder, as the item had given written consent.
"Full name and place of origin."
"Hopadiah Plantar, from Wartwood."
SCRIT, SCRIT, SCRIT.
At the very centre of Amphibia, stood a city.
At the very heart of Amphibia, stood the city.
Long ago in the land of Amphibia, there were countless nations ruled by countless lords, dukes and chieftains. Due to their demographics, culture and geography, these nations all behaved differently; some were prosperous, some were troubled; some peaceful, some aggressive; and many more in between. And because of these many differences, the nature of politics was more apparent; wars and skirmishes were a common occurrence, as were raids and pillages, coups and revolutions, and so on.
But then, five powerful families emerged and proposed a truce, united under a single banner. This was all thanks to the King of Amphibia, the one man who deserved to hold than banner. To cement this newfound unity, at the centre of the continent, they build a city; taller than the clouds, stronger than the mountains, adorned with precious coral and shimmering gold enough to make even the very Gods jealous, and surrounded by a wall so impregnable, that not even the end of the world could scratch it. This was home to the greatest minds in history, the headquarters of Amphibia's most powerful armies and the birthplace of a king who ruled for a millennium.
This was Newtopia. And to enter, you needed to sign up.
Just outside of Newtopia's golden gates, was a boat and on that boat was a red tent. Inside that tent was a counter and behind that counter stood an underpaid social worker. Essentially, you could summarize it as an underpaid social worker behind a counter in a red tent on a boat outside Newtopia's golden gates, if you wanted to annoy someone. Like the worker himself.
With his unkempt government uniform and slightly misaligned government-issued hat, this 20-something-year-old newt seemed like he'd rather be anywhere else. Because he did. He would rather be anywhere else.
"Your family registry is… Plantar, correct?" The newt social worker asked, bags under his eyes and a dipped quill in hand.
"Yep, that's right." The frog on the other side confirmed. This was Hopadiah Plantar, also known as Hop Pop.
"Number of co-dependents?"
"Three kids, and a snail if you count that."
"Three children and a snail…" The newt muttered, writing it down. "What is the purpose of your visit?"
"Visiting a family friend. Oh, and I guess also vacationing." Hop Pop replied.
"Are you a trader or perhaps looking to do business in Newtopia?"
"Eh, no. I mean, yes, I am technically a trader since I sell my own crops but that's not why we're visiting. As I said, it's vacationing."
SCRIT, SCRIT, SCRIT.
The newt continued to write. "Do you have anything to declare?"
"Does the fwagon count?"
The newt raised a brow. "Does your… fwagon… possess any illegal items? Unlicensed weapons, addictive substances, banned propaganda and explosive materials, for example?"
Hop Pop shrugged. "None that I know of."
"…"
"I mean, no."
SCRIT, SCRIT, SCRIT.
After a few more questions, such as his employment status and monthly income, the newt passed the paper and quill to Hop Pop who then proceeded to sign above the line at the bottom of the page. He then placed the paper on a stack of others labelled 'IN' and from his desk, the social worker pulled out 5 wooden tags, passing them to Hop Pop.
"Here are your city visitation passes. Please carry them with you at all times as proof of legal entry, and deposit them here upon exiting. Brochures are on the left. Have a newt-tascular time." He said boredly.
And so, the sign-up phase was completed. With the passes in hand, Hop Pop walked out and jumped off the boat and into the pristine shallow water outside.
No matter the season, Newtopia was always surrounded by shallow clean water, having built in a rather large basin. It flowed from the mountain lakes up north-west, around and through the city itself and all the way to the ocean down south. There were myths and legends regarding this water due to the religious significance of the mountain lake above, thus breeding a culture of boats on the outskirts of Newtopia.
There were a lot of traders on boats surrounding the city, some to do business in the city and some just loitering outside, hoping to catch a rich, naive tourist or to do less-than-legal dealings just outside the city's jurisdiction. This was exactly why Hop Pop ordered his grandkids to stay in the fwagon, for who could tell what useless doohickeys they would buy? He would know; he already bought 3 while you were reading the last couple of paragraphs.
"Kids, I'm back and I got the passes!" Hop Pop said as he reached the fwagon, now sporting a polished-stone bracelet, a bead necklace and a brass monocle. "Sasha, get down from the roof. You're making a scene."
On the roof, stood Sasha Waybright, teenage self-proclaimed superhero, self-proclaimed butt-kicker. With her sunglasses on and her fists on her waist, she was standing and that particular detail was important. Yes, she was on the roof, the place you shouldn't be standing. Yes, she was making a scene, all by standing on that roof.
But she didn't care. She was Sasha Waybright. The world deserved to know.
A trader and his boat were passing by. Sasha looked at him and nodded. "Hey there, I'm Sasha Waybright. I'm the chosen one."
"Uh… okay…?"
Now, why was she doing all of this? Who knows! The mind of a teenager was a mystery. If you asked another teenager, they'd probably say something like 'She's enacting revenge over being grounded' but that's just poppycock.
Once they had their passes, entry was simple; just drive up to the entrance, show the pass and that's that. Personal vehicles such as snails required an additional pass (which meant additional costs) but were still permitted inside. After all, this was a city with well-paved city roads. Unlike those disgusting unpaved dirty village roads in – pick a random town – Wartwood.
The first place they visited? A small burger shop.
In the driver's seat by himself, Hop Pop turned to the now-dismounted kids. "I'm gonna go handle our accommodations in Newtopia. You kids are free for the day. Just make sure to meet back here in a couple of hours."
"BREEEEEEE!"
And just like that, he drove off, leaving three unattended children by themselves in a completely new environment with nothing but a bag of change. Don't worry about it.
Sprig, wearing a bead necklace, scratched his head and turned to the rest. "So, what should we do first? Visit the park and relax?"
"Visit the Colosseum and watch super-buff warriors fight to the death?" Polly Plantar, the other but significantly smaller child who lived in a bucket and for some reason wore a monocle, added.
"Just walk around and absorb the feeling?"
"Have lunch in a food stall that's so definitely not safe to eat but totally worth it?"
Sasha glanced at the brother-sister frogs and chuckled. She then lifted her bracelet-wearing hand and wagged her finger. "Nope! We are going to put up these posters."
CRASH!
On a nearby table, Sasha dropped a stack of brown posters, combined to be as thick as a leather-back book. There were probably a hundred or so copies, all personally hand-drawn and hand-written. It was honestly impressive, considering how much work was put into this by the B-grade student who copies her nerdy friend's homework on a regular basis.
Sprig grabbed a sheet from the top and examined the art. He blinked. "Uh… who is this?"
Sasha, with her nose up high, smiled proudly. "Marcy. You know, the other friend of mine that got sent here? From the photo? One of the few reasons we came here in the first place?"
"Who?"
Sasha showed the photo.
Sprig snapped his fingers. "Oh right, not Anne!"
"Exactly." She snapped her fingers back. "After I found out that Marcy was here, I drew these posters throughout the rest of the trip. And I have to say; I clearly have outdone myself."
Sprig inspected closer. "I don't remember her wearing a caterpillar for a hat."
"That's her hair."
Polly took a turn and looked. "Why does she have 3 eyes?"
"That's her nose."
"Are you sure?"
In a huff, Sasha snatched the poster back and slammed it onto the pile. "Hey! I didn't come here to have my artistic skills criticized! I think I drew great. I. Have. Talent." She snapped. Without waiting any further, she divided the stack into 3 rough stacks and handed 2 to the frog siblings. "Now, come on! Let's spread these around and maybe ask a few people. Someone's bound to have seen her before. I mean, how hard could that be?"
It should be illegal to end a conversation with 'How hard could that be'. How was it possible that, after all the hardship they've faced and the struggles they handled, they still fell for the oldest trick in the book? How many times have this occurred? How many more times will this occur in the future? Was this a curse bestowed onto the Plantar family or was it simply ignorance? And the whole thing started quite optimistically too.
To summarize, the trio decided to break up and hang the posters on whatever surface they felt best. Street lights, brick walls, other people's snails, the windows – if it was a surface, then it got a poster. But occasionally, instead of putting up posters, they'd show it to passers-by and ask if anyone had seen the drawn person.
They always looked disgusted when seeing the drawing. Sasha even got into a fight with someone about it. But alas, the results ended up being between abysmal and non-existent.
"AAAARRGH!"
Sitting on the sidewalk, Sasha screamed angrily. It caused nearby people to fidget and look away because that's what happens when you suddenly scream in public. "I DON'T GET IT! How can no one recognise Marcy from the poster? I spent hours drawing her!" She then grabbed a poster and shoved it into the frog siblings' faces. "Look at this! I made sure to keep all the details. It's perfect!"
Polly stared at her. "It looks like it was made by the cross-eyed."
Proceeding to ignore that, Sasha groaned defeatedly.
Next to her, Sprig hummed, stroking his chin inquisitively. "Well, without using the drawings – they're very good, by the way – what's something else that works?"
Something else that works? Sasha gave it a thought. "Hmm… I remember Javi and Kettle saying that she was their boss. I think they were 'Night Guards' or something."
"You mean those newts we met in Stony Gulch?" Sprig asked. "Didn't know you were that close."
Sasha waved. "Oh, we're not. They helped me beat up an old man and his house burned down."
Sprig stared at her.
"It wasn't me that burned the house."
He continued to stare.
Meanwhile, Polly scoffed. "What even is a Night Guard anyway?"
"The Night Guards are a special operations military group that protects Newtopia from the shadows. They answer directly to King Andrias and serve to do the harsher and dirtier work that the Newtopian Royal Guards won't do due to their public image."
… Wait, who said that?
All three Plantars turned to the new British-esque voice behind them. There, stood a blueish newt child with long, shaggy green hair and a bucktooth. He wore a shabby and partially torn denim overalls with a rough-looking shirt underneath, along with a worn newsboy cap. He was also cross-eyed: his left eye was looking straight forward while the right turned inward.
Sasha scratched her head. "Uh… Thanks, kid?"
The newt boy nodded. "No problem! I'm always happy to help!" He then took off his hat and bowed politely. "The name's Concord, at your service – Newtopia's No. 1 street urchin. May I perhaps see those posters of yours?"
For a street urchin, he was surprisingly eloquent. Sasha handed him a copy. "Sure, knock yourself out."
The newt boy, Concord, examined the poster closely. "Hmm, yes…" He hummed quietly. While he scanned the document, his two eyes rapidly moved independently from one another. It was rather disturbing. "This person… could it be…"
Sasha's brows perked. "You've seen her before?!"
"She's…" Concord breathed in. "She's kinda ugly, ain't she? Or maybe it's just the drawing. I could never tell, being cross-eyed and all."
Sasha blinked.
She then frowned. "Hey!"
"But I think I've seen this face before." Concord concluded. "Come on, follow me!"
Now, if a strange boy wearing less-than-appealing clothing appeared to you one day and told you to follow him, it was not recommended to heed his words and do exactly that. In fact, you should instead go to the nearest authorities and file a report. Being a clueless tourist in the biggest city in the world was a very dangerous prospect and it's even more so when you're a small child with zero adult supervision.
Thankfully, Sasha was there. She's also a child, mind you, but that's the least of your concerns.
Snaking their way through the alleys and open roads, the kids eventually reached an open plateau, one side fenced with a balcony. The area had a very Italian Renaissance design: roads paved with pastel ceramic tiles and polished gravel, large pieces of coral acting as public works of art with bits of greenery in between, and nearby walls and limestone fences painted in a secco art technique. It was a generally pleasant open area with a calming vibe.
Concord jogged to the balcony and waved. "Here we are!"
Following closely, Sasha raised a brow. "And where exactly are we?"
He pointed to the distance. "Just across the new bridge." He said, the said bridge in view. "See there? That's the architect that built it."
Sasha, Sprig and Polly leaned over the balcony's protective fence. Slowly, their eyes darted the bridge Concord pointed and to their surprise, that bridge had a golden statue erect in the midpoint.
Sasha's eyes widened. "No way…"
It was Marcy.
Not the real one but undeniably the same girl. Holding a pose and carrying a book and quill, symbolising intelligence and wisdom, the statue of hers sported a different look and some features were missing or not translated well. But it was, without a doubt, her.
BA-DUP!
Sprig puffed and smiled. "Welp, looks like we found her. I think? So, now all that's left is the real one."
"Just like last time…" Sasha whispered.
Sprig looked at her, confused. "Huh?"
Sasha shook her head. "I-it's nothing. I'm… happy to see her. Just surprised by the statue." Sasha replied, though with a slight tenseness. "Come on, let's go ask the locals. Maybe they'll know more about it."
Seeing the difficult response by the teenager, Polly turned to Concord and nodded. "Yep, it's definitely her." She said, then flipping a coin to him. "Thanks for the trip, kid."
Concord grabbed the coin greedily, only to frown. "A measly copper? Really?"
Polly shrugged. "We're poor. What did you expect?"
Concord grumbled, pocketing it anyway. "Bloody tourists… They're supposed to be rich. Why're ye poor?"
"Blame the economy."
Saying their goodbyes to Concord, they immediately headed straight to the bridge and upon reaching, began asking the locals. It's fair to assume that, considering the large golden statue, the girl was some kind of local celebrity. So, someone must have an answer.
For some reason, Sasha felt her chest tighten just thinking about it but decided to shove it aside. Unfortunately, this feeling would not dissipate and instead, grow with each new remark.
BA-DUP!
"Oh, that? That's Marcy Wu, chief ranger of the Night Guards! She's the youngest newt to ever reach such a position."
"This bridge used to be breaking apart but then, that girl came and fixed it. We used to cross on another bridge like 4 blocks away!"
BA-DUP! BA-DUP!
"She's so smart. Despite her appearance, she was able to even argue with the bookworms in the university. Proved theories wrong and stuff."
"You don't know this but we had a food shortage recently but then, this crazy girl comes in, makes some brand-new fertilizer and what do you know; it works! We've got way more food than we can eat!"
BA-DUP! BA-DUP! BA-DUP!
"I heard that the chief ranger and the king are best buds. Could you believe that?"
"We used to have a pest problem coming from the sewers. And you know who had the bright idea of putting an alligator in there? She did."
BA-DUP! BA-DUP! BA-DUP! BA-DUP! BA-DU—
"Alright, we're done." Sasha said, walking away.
Behind her, Sprig and Polly were still interviewing a kindly old newt. She happened to be sitting by a bench, feeding the birds. These bug-bird hybrids seemed to enjoy it.
Sprig, with a look of concern, quickly hopped to her. "We're leaving? Just like that? We haven't even figured out where Marcy is."
"It's fine." Sasha dismissed. "We already know more than enough. We just need to find the right person now – someone with connections to the castle. That shouldn't be too hard."
It shouldn't be, yet Sprig grew more concerned. "Sasha, are you really okay?"
Sasha's jaws clenched. "I'm fine. Let's just go, okay?" She said—no, insisted. She wasn't sure why but she felt uneasy and she didn't want to hear any more of Marcy's escapades. She just wanted to go.
Although his feelings for her remained, he too chose to leave it at that for the time being. Deciding not to push any further, Sprig followed her closely behind, his thoughts focused on her and her alone.
Which was irresponsible, by the way. Meanwhile, still at the bench, Polly, his younger sister, yelled. "Hey, guys?! I'm still here, y'know! Don't forget about me!" She had no legs and so, was damned to her bucket.
Next to her, the old newt lady smiled. "You were a wonderful conversation partner. Would you like a biscuit?"
"Yes and thank you."
When Hop Pop said that he was handling accommodations, everyone assumed that he was searching for a cheap hotel with rooms they could bunk into. Much to the kids' surprise, that was not the case. Apparently, Hopadiah Plantar had 'connections'.
In the rather modest family home in the nicer district of Newtopia, the Plantars were enjoying dinner. With them was a frog named Sal, the founder and owner of Sauce Inc., one of the largest condiment suppliers in Newtopia, A.K.A a very, very rich frog.
"Thanks for letting us stay for a few days, Sal. We owe ya." Hop Pop said gratefully.
Sal 'The Sauce King' laughed. "Nonsense, Hopadiah! Friends always help friends. Why, I wouldn't even be here, had you not sponsored me."
Hop Pop chuckled. "Well, you always did want to open a sandwich shop in Newtopia. And you needed the cash, so…"
Suddenly, Sal became downtrodden. "Ah yes, the sandwich shop." He sighed. "It was a tough call, you know? I always imagined myself making sandwiches till the day I die but, well, the sandwich business just wasn't working out."
He then lifted his spoon, pointing at Hop Pop. "The sauce, though? People loved it! They'd eat it straight out of the jar! I now sauce all major events in Newtopia – sports, charities, you name it! I'm nouveau riche now!"
Not as rich as the Ribbitons but for a self-made frog, he was pretty loaded. At least there was no insidious emotional baggage sitting around for them to make worse.
Hop Pop scratched his head. "Not gonna lie; when I visited your shop and found it in disrepair, I got worried. I thought you were kidnapped and exploited for your sauce."
Sal nodded. "Yes, well, I've been a very busy frog these days that I haven't had the time to renovate. I plan on turning that old shack into a sauce emporium, selling all manner of flavours, including the original."
"Why'd you ditch your fedora though?"
"Dramatic effect, mostly."
Hop Pop completely understood; drama was the spice of life. "Well, when you do, make sure to invite me to the grand opening." He said. "Could you imagine what it'd be like if we didn't meet with one another by chance? I would've still thought you were a prisoner of some kind and I'd probably break into your sauce factory to save ya.
He then chuckled. "Heck, maybe even kill a man."
Sal laughed. "Haha! And you'd probably dump the poor floor manager into the sauce vat."
"Accidentally, of course." Hop Pop winked.
"That's right. Accidentally." Sal winked back.
The two
The two began to laugh. While it may seem as if it's just two old men sharing a moment, it seemed rather jarring considering they just talked about accidentally killing an innocent person. Polly and Spring stared at them as they continued to cackle.
"This is a weird conversation." Polly exclaimed. She then pushed her plate away. "I don't think I'm hungry anymore."
"Same." Sprig added, mimicking her. And it was a delicious meal too – a frittata, smothered with Sal's homemade sauce. 'Home-made' was the keyword, for this one differed greatly from the commercial version. As they say in the business: 'Don't use your own product'.
The only one who seemed unbothered was Sasha, poking her egg dish with a fork. Then again, it was only because she seemed bothered by something entirely different.
"Hey, Sasha? The story ruining your appetite too?" Sprig leaned in to ask.
She didn't respond, still poking her frittata. Sprig frowned.
DING-DING!
Sal perked. The doorbell had rung. "Hmm? Visitors, at this late of an hour? I wonder who that is." He wiped his lips with a folded napkin before standing up. "Excuse me, Hopadiah."
Hop Pop took another bite. "No worries! Your frittata is amazing, by the way."
"Thank you. I learned it from a one-armed salamander's dying bird."
Oddly specific but who's to judge?
Not wanting to let them wait any further, Sal briskly went to the front door. He opened the door, revealing an aquamarine newt wearing a yellow and purple taffeta dress. The dress had scale-like designs stitched into a pattern – a rather expensive addition to an already expensive dress. The newt also wore long white gloves, a brooch with a semi-transparent shawl, and her navy blue hair tied to a bun.
The newt bowed, though the armed guards behind her didn't even flinch. "Good evening, Mister Sal. My apologies for the sudden visit."
Sal's eyes widened. "L-L-Lady Olivia!" He stuttered in a panic. He quickly bowed in return, although clumsily. "It is an honour to be in your presence! I'm sorry for my ragged appearance. I am currently entertaining an old friend—"
The newt, Lady Olivia, raised a palm. "No need for pleasantries, Mister Sal. I am here on official Newtopian business." She glanced at the hallway. "May I come in?"
Nervously, Sal hastily moved to the side. "W-why, yes! Of course, you may! My home is always open for a dignified member of the Court."
Lady Olivia turned to her guards and nodded a wordless signal. After the guards nodded back, she accepted the invitation and walked in, leaving them outside. "I am to believe that you currently have guests, yes?"
Sal raised a brow. "Hopadiah? Y-yes, that's right. He's an old friend of mine from my hometown of Wartwood."
"Is he the only guest with you at the moment?"
"Well, he did bring his grandchildren with him." He answered. "I can bring you to him if you like."
Felicia nodded and swept her hand towards him. Sal did a quick bow and briskly jogged back to the dining room where the Plantars – well, one of them – were enjoying their dinners.
Hop Pop noticed his friend returned and waved. "Sal, you're back! I don't know what you did but your sauce tastes better than it was 20 years ago."
Sal, however, did not wait around and immediately grabbed Hop Pop by the shoulders. "Hopadiah, be honest with me; how did you become acquainted with the Lady Olivia?"
"Lady what now?"
Speaking of whom, the person in question suddenly appeared by the entrance of the dining room, much to Sal's surprise. "Lady Olivia!"
"Apologies for the insistence. I just needed to make sure." She exclaimed. She quickly scanned the room and at the table, noticed the singular oddity sitting at the other side. And it wasn't because of poor treatment of the egg dish.
"… What?" The oddity rudely asked.
"Are you perhaps Sasha Waybright?" Lady Olivia enquired.
The oddity, Sasha Waybright, raised a brow. She sliced herself a piece and gobbled it, lazily pointing her fork at the noble newt. "If you're here to arrest me, let it be known; I will send you—" She spun the silver utensil around. "—and your goons outside to the hospital."
At the other side of the wall, you could hear the agitated clanking of armour pieces.
"Eee!" Sal shrieked, gripping Hop Pop tightly. He generously invited his old friend into his house and now, that old friend's weird-looking grandchild just started a fight with the second-most-powerful person in the city.
This was not how he planned to die. He thought it'd be due to food poisoning, not execution.
"Sasha!" Hop Pop chastised her. He didn't know who Lady Olivia was but she was clearly important. "Sorry about that, milady. She just has trust issues."
Lady Olivia raised a brow. "Quite…" She cleared her throat. "Anyway, that is not what I'm here for." She then pulled out a scroll from… somewhere and began reading.
"Sasha Waybright (and others), you are formally invited by the Eternal Lord of Amphibia, Peacekeeper of a Thousand Years, the Great Uniter, King Andrias Leviathan for an indefinite-long stay at the Hemisphere Hotel, all expenses paid. You will be given a Royal Suite, as well as access to the castle's private grounds. If you accept, you are required to present yourself to the king in the Royal Throne Room within 2 days time. An escort will be provided to you for your entire stay."
She rolled back the scroll, leaving the frogs with their mouths agape. Even Sasha, the individual explicitly stated in the message, was flabbergasted, her eyes bulging as if it was about to pop out.
There was no delay; Hop Pop jumped onto the table and grabbed the teenager's shoulders, shaking her frantically. "Sasha, what did you do?!"
"What do you mean 'what did I do'?! I didn't do anything!" Sasha replied just as frantic. She turned to the newt, who just finished re-rolling the scroll. "Yo, lady! Is this supposed to be some kind of a joke?"
"I assure you, Lady Sasha, that it is anything but that." Lady Olivia answered.
"How did you even know my name?"
"Our mutual acquaintance told me about you. We have been anticipating your arrival for months now."
Mutual acquaintance? There was only one person that fitted that description and that was—
BA-DUP!
"Marcy." Sasha whispered. It felt too soon. "How is she? Is she okay? Why didn't she come here and meet me in person?"
Lady Olivia raised her palm, quieting the teenager. "In due time, Lady Sasha. You are granted an audience with the king and it is there, that you will meet with Lady Marcy. She is a very busy person and is unable to meet you at the moment." She explained. "For now, do gather your belongings. Your suite awaits."
"Of course! Thank ya kindly, Miss Olivia." Hop Pop said.
"It's Lady Olivia, Sir…"
He bowed decorously, one arm extended back and the other folded under his chest. "Hopadiah. Hopadiah Plantar, at your service." He then delicately grabbed Lady Olivia's hand and kissed.
It was wet.
Lady Olivia shivered. "Charmed…" She replied, though somewhat averse. "I will be waiting outside. Do try not to take too long."
Lady Olivia then left afterwards, leaving the family to collect their luggage and their thoughts. Polly had to cough to break the tension and so, the Plantars moved quickly. Still in the dining room, Hop Pop turned to his old friend and scratched his head apologetically.
"Guess we're moving. Sorry about that, Sal." He exclaimed.
Sal, however, laughed and slapped the old man on the back. "Haha, no problem! Heck, you just put me on a name basis with the right-hand woman of the king of Newtopia! I couldn't be happier!"
Both Sprig and Polly began shoving their frittatas as quickly as possible. After a satisfied pair of burps, Sprig turned to Sasha with a sauce-plastered smile. "Welp, guess we finally found her."
"More like she found us." Sasha muttered. Was this luck or was everything predetermined? Sasha didn't care; she just needed to be mentally prepared by then.
Two days. That's how long she had.
Unbeknownst to her and other parties, on the other side of the terrace house, a lone figure watched the whole scene in the darkness from the opposing rooftops.
The illustrious and outstanding Hemisphere Hotel.
If you were someone who lived in Newtopia or had dreamt of visiting Newtopia, then you must've heard of the grand Hemisphere Hotel. Named due to the building's dome structure, the hotel featured an expansive indoor mall, a large casino, state-of-the-art healthcare facilities, several 5-star restaurants, open-stage performances and of course, the Hemisphere Eye – the largest indoor Ferris wheel ever built in Newtopia.
As exciting as all of that sounded, by the time the Plantars reached their room, courtesy of Lady Olivia, most of the attractions and facilities were closed for the night, barring a few exceptions. A condition for their stay was to be within the hotel's premises until the meeting, mostly for security reasons. So, no cityscape exploration until then. Plus, they were all extremely tired.
Thankfully with the room hosting 4 beds, enough for each, Sasha laid alone in her pyjamas, staring at the empty ceiling like watching the night sky. She could hear occasional honking from the roads outside and Hop Pop's old man snoring, but other than that, the rest of the night was peaceful and uneventful.
So, why was she having trouble sleeping?
"Two days…" She whispered to herself.
A couple of days was a rather short period and when you think about it, she should be ecstatic. Just Two days or less than 48 hours until she got to meet her missing best friend. Who wouldn't be excited? Who wouldn't be overjoyed? Something like this would be enough to keep a person awake for the night. That's how eager one should react to the news.
But that wasn't what she was feeling. Her heart beat at the same rate, her sweat poured in the same manner. In all aspects, her behaviour was no different to a positive impatience. Yet, she wouldn't describe it that way herself; she felt restless, anxious and nervous. Her heart did not beat out of excitement but out of fear and her sweat did not pour due to fervour but out of dread.
This has happened before. Not exactly the same way but the beats were clear. And if she didn't change her perspective and course of action, then history would repeat itself. Except now, on a grander scale.
Last time, she broke a tower in half. She didn't want to break a city.
The very next morning, the Plantars were having breakfast in the hotel buffet. Their residence at the hotel was all paid in full by the kingdom and generously, that included certain perks most would otherwise skip. And what kind of grateful guests would they be if they refused to take advantage of these perks?
CLICK-CLICK! Hop Pop test-clicked the tongs. It's important that you do.
"Complimentary breakfast: a gift that keeps on giving." The old frog exclaimed, grabbing a few Newtopian-style roasted baby potatoes and loading them up onto his already overfilled tray. "Eat up, kids! This will be the only free meal we get all day. So you better pack up those carbs!"
""Aye aye, captain!"" The two kids chanted.
While the frog part of the Plantars seemed rather jovial, the same could not be said with the Plantar's sole human. With an empty tray in her hands, Sasha looked terrible, enough to make Hop Pop cringe. "Sheesh, you look like you got run over by a snail."
Sasha sighed, pinching and rubbing between her eyes. "Sorry, sorry. I… I couldn't get enough sleep. I'm just—" She took a deep breath and wrung out the words through gritted teeth. "—so excited to see Marcy again! I mean, tomorrow's the day!"
Hop Pop did not look convinced. "Yeah…"
The frogs all shared a look; it was the look of worry. That's when Sprig had a brilliant idea. "Hey, how about we go have fun for the rest of the day? The hotel's pretty big. I'm sure it's got a lot of cool stuff."
Hop Pop quickly caught on. "Good idea, Sprig! Maybe we can visit the theatre. They probably have a bunch of interesting shows."
"I wanna watch the one about the toad gladiator! This Shellbreaker guy sounds super cool." Polly suggested.
The frogs then turned to Sasha, and Sprig asked. "What do you say, Sasha?"
Sasha contemplated for a brief moment. She had no reason to refuse, plus a well-meaning distraction might just be what she needed. Seeing no harm with the idea, Sasha shrugged. "Sure, why not?"
And that was how the Plantar family spent their day. Despite being secluded in the hotel, there were enough attractions to entertain them for days on end. The theatre was a good start; the plays were rather enticing, and Hop Pop even shed a tear. Newtopian actors were on a whole nother level.
After the play, they had lunch at one of the many restaurants. Unfortunately, these meals were not included with their rooms so they had to cough up their wallets. The good news was that they happened to have sufficient coppers on hand, so they were at least able to afford a few sandwiches.
They went window shopping next which, again, they weren't able to actually buy anything. But at least it used up a significant chunk of their time. And finally, they decided to visit the bumper cars rink. Yep, that's right; the hotel had bumper cars. It went without saying that Sasha dominated the entire round, enough so that she actually got banned for making a child cry.
Well, Polly also made a child cry but she was far younger and presumably had nothing to do with speciesism.
Returning to their room, everyone was exhausted. Sasha, who was wearing a medal around her neck, was the first to jump on her bed, followed by Sprig and Polly, and finally Hop Pop. Collectively, they all had a sigh of relief.
While lying on his bed, Sprig's head turned. "So… How are you feeling?"
Sasha took a deep breath and smiled. "Honestly, Sprig? I feel great. I had a lot of fun today." She replied. "Thanks for helping me get my mind off of it. I guess I've just been so anxious about meeting her again."
"Don't worry about it, girl. If everything you told us about Marcy – which isn't a lot – is true, then tomorrow's meeting will definitely be great." Polly assured.
Still smiling, Sasha closed her eyes. "Yeah, you're right. Everything's gonna be great!"
She was sure of it.
Everything was not great.
Sitting in the corner with her legs tucked to her chest, Sasha did not look okay. In fact, she looked less than okay. There were bags under her eyes, her hair was messy and frayed, the aura around her was akin to a dark cloud and if you looked at the side, you could even see a brown mushroom growing out of her head.
They had no idea where it came from. That mushroom wasn't there yesterday but at least it didn't seem poisonous or parasitic. It was rather big though.
"Is it just me or is she looking worse than yesterday?" Sprig asked.
"She seemed to sleep well last night too. Wonder what happened…" Hop Pop mused.
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
"Sir Plantar, is Miss Sasha Waybright ready? We must leave immediately if we want to reach the castle in time. The king is a very busy person." A voice, definitely that of Lady Olivia, spoke from outside the room.
"J-just a second!" Hop Pop stuttered. With haste, he turned towards his grandchildren. "Alright kids, I need ideas! There are no bad ones!"
Polly raised her flipper. "We bribe the lady by making a hotpot with Sasha's head mushroom."
"There is 1 bad one."
Sprig followed. "I disguise myself as Sasha. All we need is some makeup, a blonde wig and her clothes."
"There are 2 bad ones."
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
"Sir Plantar? Do hurry up, please! We cannot delay the meeting any longer!" Lady Olivia called.
"She's still preparing!" Hop Pop called back.
Outside the locked door, Lady Olivia sighed. She has dealt with an innumerable amount of guests, both for the king and for herself. And of course, from time to time, there'd always be a few who were difficult in some way. This happened to be one of those, much to her chagrin.
Alas, she could not complain. A lady must always be polite, after all. A lady must also be assertive at times too, hence the guards following her at all times. She flicked her wrist at one and they stepped forward.
"Get me the room key." She whispered to them. The hooded guard nodded and quickly left, while her focus returned to the esteemed guests. "Sir Plantar, if you don't open this door right now, I will be forced to escort Miss Sasha in a manner unbecoming to a guest. I would rather not but you are leaving me with no choice!"
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
Back inside, the Plantars were panicking. "We're running out of time!" Hop Pop shrieked.
Sprig kneeled to face her and looked at her in the eyes. "Sasha, my BFF, I know you're not feeling good right now but we kinda really need you to be."
Polly pushed Sprig aside and grabbed Sasha by her clothes. She then raised her flipper.
SLAP!
"GET—"
SLAP!
"—IT—"
SLAP!
"—TOGETHER!"
Sprig quickly grabbed Polly, pulling her away from the depressed teenager. "Don't do that! What if her head mushroom falls off?!"
CLICK!
Time's up. The door clicked and swung open, and from it, Lady Olivia walked in. Although her appearance was immaculate like a beautiful pearl from an oyster, her mood was as sour as a lemon. Unlike herself, however, her guards stood outside, one of them carrying the acquired hotel key.
"Sir Plantar, we agreed to meet King Andrias today and we cannot continue to dilly-dally. Do you have any idea how hard it is to push in a time slot at such short notice? He doesn't grant an audience to just about anyone." Lady Olivia complained, much to their guilt.
Hop Pop shrunk. "We're sorry, Miss Olivia. It's just that Sasha's…" He glanced back at her. "She's not exactly mentally prepared for it."
The newt sighed. "It's Lady Olivia, and I understand that meeting the ruler of Amphibia can be nerve-wrecking at times but I assure you, King Andrias is but a normal person like you and I. Just because he is the absolute monarch, doesn't mean he's unreasonable."
"I don't think it's King Andrias she's worried about."
Lady Olivia raised a brow but chose not to dwell on it. She made a quick glance at the party, examining their appearance. "Well, at least you all seem prepared. As for Miss Sasha…" She looked at the girl in the corner.
She took a moment, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "… No worries. We can freshen her up on the way there. Now, come on then!"
Hop Pop, Sprig and Polly blinked. Huh… Well, seemed like they went crazy for nothing.
The old frog scratched his bald head. "Well, okay then." He exclaimed. "You heard her, Sasha. Time to get up."
BA-DUP!
She obliged almost instantly. From an outside perspective, that seemed good but the Plantars knew better, the dark presence blanketing her persisting. Sasha looked downwards, away from their piercing stares. "I'm not going."
…
…
Lady Olivia blinked. "What did you say?"
"I'm not going." Sasha repeated. "I can't see her. Not like this, not right now."
"Lady Sasha, please be reasonable—"
"I am being reasonable. I thought it through the whole night." Her fist clenched and her arms shook. "I-I'm not ready. I can't meet her like this. Like me. Everything's gonna fall apart like Toad Tower. I can't let that happen!"
Sprig, Polly and Hop Pop's eyes all widened, their eyes sharing a hue.
"Until I'm ready, until I'm better, I can't see her." She raised her head and stared back at them, her eyes now glowing a brilliant pink. "I'm not going. You'll have to drag me there otherwise."
For a moment, it was completely silent. For a moment, the room was incredibly tense. Outside, the guards felt their hands shake nervously, their heartbeats racing and their spears clacking against the floor. Inside, Lady Olivia stayed composed but one could imagine the dangerous pressure emanating from her.
Combined with her existing duties, she was already stressed. Now, she was just annoyed.
She sighed, pushing her fingers onto her forehead. "I wish you were being rhetorical." Without a moment of hesitation, she turned around and waved. "Guards, please escort Miss Sasha to the carriage. Do not harm her but try not to let her escape."
The Newtopian guards were quick to mobilize, entering the room like an army's diligent march. Unfortunately for them, Sasha was quicker.
SHATTER!
Like something out of a 1988 Christmas movie, Sasha leapt out of the room via the window, crashing through the glass as if it was paper mache. Under normal circumstances, this would be suicidal as not only would the sharp fragments injure her but jumping off a building from any floor but the ground floor would end with grievous harm.
Yet, somehow, Sasha had jumped through that window like a frog, easily reaching the other building's rooftop across the street. She rolled as she landed, cushioning her fall and leaving her completely unharmed. For a short second, Sasha stared at the room she escaped from before looking away, running away.
Back in the hotel room, Polly, both in awe and shock, puckered. "… Well, that just happened."
"Ugh! Why can't this just be a normal visitation?!" Lady Olivia yelled. She turned to her escorts with an angry snarl. "Guards, capture Miss Sasha! But do not let any harm befallen her! She is still a royal guest!"
The chase was on.
Do you know the game 'Assassin's Creed'?
Of course, you do. It's only one of the most popular game series in the world, redefining the open-world genre as a whole. While many of the features and elements of Assassin's Creed have been done in other games (sometimes, even better), what made it stand out was its traversal system, combining aspects of other games to create a seamless and unique 3-dimensional parkour experience. Despite the name, the assassinations weren't even the best part of the game. The best part happened to be its movement.
But creating an adaptive parkour feature wasn't easy. Walking and running animations were rather simple with only slight alterations based on the quality and angle of the surface. But climbing? Climbing was hard – very, very hard. Not only would you need to create special climbing animations based on the ledges and walls the character was clinging on but you'd also need to ensure the movements switch smoothly and that the player character would adjust their paths as they climbed. That's a lot of processing compared to just walking down a street.
Think of it this way; you have 4 limbs: 2 arms and 2 legs. Each limb was independent from one another but in order to run, jump and climb properly, each limb needed to work together in tandem. The hand could only reach a high ledge after the leg kicked the ground but the arm should not be stretched out before that due to potential energy transfer and momentum.
In real life, this was a challenging skill to master and video game developers had to emulate that despite having no experience themselves.
Sasha was not a gamer. She played games like any other girl her age but she wouldn't call it a hobby of hers. Even so, she played Assassin's Creed before, specifically the 4th iteration: 'Black Flag'. It's the game that had the least amount of parkour but it was pirate-themed and she was a sucker for that. But despite her mere 35 hours of playing AC4:BF, she did learn a few things.
For one, to hide from pursuers, you needed a cloak.
Climbing down from the rooftops via fire escapes, Sasha kept her head down to avoid being noticed. She purposely strolled down a busy market street, its residents acting as camouflage; the rooftops were far too open. Left and right, newts all were minding their own business, checking stalls and purchasing goods. Right now, she didn't know where she was going but all she knew was that she needed to get as far away from the hotel as possible.
At one point, she noticed a stall selling various cloaks and capes for travellers. The owner was a large heavily-moustached axolotl, far larger than the skinny Loggle she was used to. He was busy tending to existing customers, haggling for a price. As natural as breathing, Sasha walked passed the stall and swiped a white cloak from the display while the trader was occupied. By the time he noticed his missing ware, she was long gone.
As she walked calmly down the road, she noticed a squad of guards appearing suddenly in the crowd, their spears drawn and their eyes hidden under their blue cloaks. Not wanting to take any chances, Sasha quickly turned around and walked in the other direction. Unfortunately, that happened to be her biggest error.
See, the cloak was great at hiding her appearance but what it couldn't do was hide suspicious behaviour.
"There she is!" One guard shouted.
Sasha silently cursed and rapidly picked up the pace. She weaved through the crowd as best as she could, occasionally bumping into a newt or few. The guards, despite their bulk, had an easier time; people shifted away from them as they got near, opening up a path. Sometimes, they had to push newts to the side but the residents always tried to move out of the way themselves.
The crowd was hindering her, so she needed a change. Quickly, she ran into an alleyway, one devoid of people, and ran as fast as she could. Seconds later, the guards also reached the empty alley and Sasha, despite her speed, was only metres away.
"Deploy the net guns!" One guard shouted. The others nodded and pulled out a handheld launcher from under their cloaks. They quickly screwed on a canister of sorts and inserted a ball into the launcher's cavity. Positioned side by side, they knelt down and took aim. "Ready… Fire!"
FWOOP! FWOOP! FWOOP!
One by one, the balls came flying across the air and towards Sasha. Two-thirds of the way, the balls exploded, revealing nets, ready to catch any evildoer in its path. Sasha, having heard the balls flying towards her, reacted quickly and jumped, grabbing a metal ladder and flipping herself upwards. By a hair's breadth, the nets whooshed past her, benignly hitting the pavement.
Not waiting any further, she climbed a floor and sneaked through its window, unintentionally entering someone's apartment. A renter of that apartment, a lanky sweater-wearing messy-haired newt Bella, screamed. "AH! Burglar! We have a burglar!"
"DID SOMEBODY SAY BURGLAR?!" Glynda, a large pink-purple pony-tailed salamander, screamed gruffly as she smashed through her bedroom door.
The door next to it then slowly opened, revealing a raggedly-dressed mint-coloured newt Sweet Pea. Her eyes squinted as she massaged her forehead. "Ugh, can you guys please keep it down? I'm having a massive headache right now."
All three newts stared at the cloaked invader, and Sweet Pea was the first to talk. "Are we getting robbed?"
"NOT ON MY WATCH!" Glynda shouted, grabbing a coffee table.
Bella instantly became alarmed. "Wait, wait, WAIT! GLYNDA, NOOOO!"
It was too late.
Running on pure impulse, Glynda threw the coffee table at Sasha. Instead of hitting the teenager, the table hit the wall next to her, smashing into it. Sasha stared in horror at the now-broken brick wall; what if that actually hit her?!
She didn't ponder too long as before she knew it, her arm was suddenly grabbed from the window. She lurched towards it, turning to see a guard halfway through. "Got you!" The guard said, holding her wrist tightly.
Sasha struggled and pulled back, a tug-o-war between her and the guard. It was going nowhere but as she looked around, she noticed the wooden window rail latched above her. While restrained, she unhooked the rail and slammed it onto the guard's arm, causing a sickening crunch.
"AAAAIIIIEEEE!"
"WAAAHHH!" "MAMAMAMAAA!" Bella and Sweet Pea screamed.
Glynda, remarkably, was more composed. "Holy newt, this is intense."
Sasha didn't bother to wait around. She rushed to the other side of the apartment and climbed out its window. "Sorry, sorry!"
Dropping into an alleyway, Sasha continued to run. Everything was going horribly wrong, just like Toad Tower. In an attempt to avoid repeating fate, she unknowingly walked along its path. She hadn't met Marcy yet, so maybe things were different but after breaking that guy's arm, she still became an 'enemy' of Newtopia. If things continued this way, then in the end, she'd have to fight Marcy who, for the record, was the Chief Ranger of the Night Guards.
How hilarious. Regardless of what she did, she couldn't evade destiny. Was she doomed, no matter what?
Even with those thoughts, Sasha continued to run before eventually, she hit a dead end. There were no climbable walls, no fire escapes, no nothing. Just a large trash bin and the excess rainwater draining around her shoes.
"She's over there!" An unseen guard shouted. They were getting close.
Seconds later, they finally arrived, this time with their spears poised and their net guns armed. But the most unprecedented outcome occurred – Sasha was nowhere to be seen.
"What the—? Where did she go?!"
"Spread out and find her!"
As per orders, the remaining guards split up and left the premises. Had they stayed a bit longer, they might've noticed the nearby manhole cover nudging slightly.
As you already know, the city of Newtopia was built in an expansive yet shallow basin, constantly filled with clean flowing water from the northwest mountain lakes. All amphibians, whether newts, toads or frogs, liked being in humid environments and the water provided that. However, there were concerns regarding the management of water.
For one thing, as much as everyone liked water, nobody liked their houses being flooded. Plus, just because they liked water, didn't mean they wanted to constantly be submerged in it. There were also issues regarding plumbing, cleanliness and the handling of dry goods. So, how did Newtopia manage to tackle these problems?
By having an extensive underground sewer and open-air canal system.
The sewers of Newtopia were ancient, as old as the city itself. It was constructed as part of the city's very foundation during its creation and has remained relatively unchanged over the millennia. According to historians, it was said that when the sewers were just being drawn, it was already designed to handle 10 times its current population. However, the chief engineer told them to double its radius to accommodate future citizens, in case of a population boom.
This ended up being a wise decision as even 3,000 years later, the sewers were still fully functional with only biannual maintenance required. The only major change was the recent addition of an alligator.
Somewhere in Newtopia's walls, Sasha pushed a manhole cover, opening the sewers to the aboveground. Slowly and carefully, she climbed out, keeping her cloak near with a tug. Figuring that the coast was clear, she shoved the iron disc back into the hole and quickly bolted. The longer she stayed, the more likely she'd be found.
"Hmm, that is somehow less dirty than I thought." Sasha muttered to herself, examining herself as she strolled through an empty street. She then sighed. "Now, to find a place to hide. Sorry, Marbles. Guess I'll have to delay that meeting of ours."
As she walked through the eerily quiet street, she saw a massive concrete canal at the off-side, creating a straight artificial river. The canal, while acting as anti-flood measures, also separated sections of the city, creating individual districts connected only by its various bridges. It was no wonder why Marcy was celebrated for fixing the old bridge; it was how anyone got around.
Wordlessly, Sasha turned and took a detour, walking towards the canal. She had been running for hours now, the sun within her line of sight. What time was it? 2 PM, maybe 3 PM? It was clearly entering the evening period, seeing as the light was gently turning orange.
Sasha stared into the canal as she stood near its edge. Despite its width, the water was crystal clear and flowed tranquilly, all while reflecting the sunlight in a prism-like manner. It felt soothing to just stand there and watch, listening to the gushing stream and the occasional dialogues of nearby locals. Her heartbeat gradually relaxed, followed by her tense shoulders.
"… What am I even doing?" Sasha whispered.
Running away was a mistake. She had been so paranoid over what could've happened, that she ignored the possibility of what could've been. Maybe the meeting would've been okay. Maybe they would hang out or have fun in the city. Maybe they would discuss the whole 'trapped in another world' thing and figure out a way back.
So many 'maybes' and 'woulds'. The point was; she couldn't have known. Yet she acted as if she did and it was written in stone.
When was she the 'running away' type, anyway? She was Sasha 'God's Gift Onto Frogkind' Waybright. She always faced her problems head-on, pummelling bad guys and being the best. Nobody can stand in her way and those that did never succeeded. There was no question about it.
Yet, here she was, hiding at the edge of the city like a scaredy-cat. What an embarrassment.
While Sasha contemplated her life choices, a cloaked figure emerged behind her, dropping silently from the rooftops with the aid of a grappling hook. The figure had observed her from the days prior and now, it was time to make a move. Step by step, the mystery person walked to her and eventually, upon reaching within arm's reach, placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Sasha? Is that yo—"
Life pro tip: don't do that.
Without any hesitation, Sasha grabbed the figure's arm and threw the whole person over her, hurling into the canal with a splash. Sasha's blood pressure skyrocketed at the moment, her pink eyes flashing and giving her adrenaline to successfully lob the would-be assaulter quite a distance away. She wobbled and immediately planted her hands on her knees, having basically endured a minor heart attack.
"ARG! BLARGH! BLUB-BLUB-BLUB!" The assailant shrieked, flailing her arms uselessly in an attempt to stay afloat. "HELP—BLUGH! HEEEEELP!"
Sasha's ears perked. She knew that voice.
"HEEEEEEEELLLPP!"
"OH MY GOD!" Sasha screamed.
Like a madman, Sasha removed her cloak and jumped into the canal. She paddled her legs like no tomorrow, swimming as if her life – more precisely, her life – depended on it. It took her only seconds to reach her target where immediately, she grabbed her from underneath her arms and reeled herself backwards to shore.
It took her twice as long to finally reach dry land and promptly after, Sasha went to perform CPR. Now, she's never performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation before; her only knowledge of the procedure came from cop shows and hospital dramas. But she's seen it hundreds of times already, so it shouldn't be too hard.
First, she checked her breathing. When she found none, she went to chest compressions. Placing the heel of her hand on the drowned victim's chest, she straightened her arms and began pushing and pulling, pumping onto her like a sponge. After 20 or so pumps, Sasha lifted the victim's chin and laid her mouth onto hers, blowing as strongly as she felt safe. After 2 breaths, she repeated the process, starting with another 20 or so pumps.
She would've gone further, had the drowned victim not wake up.
"BLUGH-UGH-UGH!" She coughed, freshwater spitting from her mouth. Her entire body convulsed and she rolled to the side, coughing out even more water.
Sasha stared at her as the assailant slowly recovered. Her arms were tired. Her legs were tired. Her, well, everything was tired. She was so utterly and incomprehensibly exhausted. She started at the hotel as a mess and now, she looked like walking garbage. Heck, she felt like walking garbage.
"Hah… Hah…" The wet cloaked figure breathed raggedly. "Hah… I shouldn't have skipped those swimming lessons… Hah…"
She turned around to face her saviour and for the first time in a very, very long time, their eyes met.
Marcy Wu, in the soggy and pathetic flesh. Her outfit was nearly identical to that of the statue, the only difference being the brooch that held her cloak was an almond-shaped medallion instead of a pink shell. But other than that, it was really her, as wet as a fish and oddly holding a large mushroom.
"H-hey, Sasha…" Marcy greeted wearily.
SLAP!
Marcy recoiled, her hand rubbing on her now sore cheek. "Ow! What'd you do that for?!"
"WHY DID YOU ATTACK ME?!"
"I wasn't! I wasn't sure if it was actually you from afar, so I went to check!"
"AND YOU THOUGHT THE BEST WAY WAS TO SCARE ME?!"
"It wasn't on purpose! You've never been spooked before and I didn't know!" Marcy tried to defend herself. "I-I mean, I just got news about one of my two best friends being here and, well, I didn't want to wait…"
Sasha lifted her hand and Marcy swiftly shielded herself. "Ah! Please don't slap me again!"
Marcy braced for impact and shut her eyes. But, to her surprise, after several still seconds, nothing came. The Chief Ranger of the Night Guards reluctantly reopened her eyes and shockingly, what she saw was most unexpected.
Sasha, the strongest and boldest girl she knew, was crying.
"S-Sasha?"
Tears flowing freely, Sasha lowered her shaky hand. "W-why are you so… so… so s-stupid?"
She was so tired—too tired. Her face rapidly reddened, her limbs lost all their strength and her once-pink eyes returned to their natural blue. Sweet tears fell like a cascade, staining her soaked shirt. No matter what she did or how she felt, she couldn't hold back at all.
Panicked, Marcy straightened herself and rushed to her side. "H-hey, hey! Don't cry! I didn't mean to scare you! I'm sorry, okay?!"
Despite her assurances and soft words, Sasha continued to weep loudly, ugly and all.
"Please stop crying! Because if you d-don't stop," Marcy stuttered, her own eyes blossoming with tears. "t-then I'll start crying!"
She didn't stop. She couldn't stop. Marcy's lips quivered and finally, the dam burst and she too began crying her heart out. The two girls cried and howled, hugging each other tightly, the sunlight illuminating their outburst to the public in a glorious orange hue. Passer-bys watched as they wept, most briskly leaving the scene so as to not get involved.
The girls didn't care. It didn't matter how many people saw them; all they wanted to do was blow their hearts out.
"Mom, those two girls are crying."
"Don't point at them, Pearl. It's rude to point."
"So, let me get this straight; you met Anne who is now a lieutenant of a toad captain in Frog Valley's Toad Tower, she tried to kill your adopted family, you two had a shōnen anime fight, the tower got destroyed and you haven't heard from her since?"
"I didn't describe it as a 'shōnen anime fight' but yeah, that's the gist of it."
After a long and emotional crying session, the two girls finally calmed down. They took a pause to collect themselves and once they felt comfortable, began exchanging words. Talking or conversing, if you will. That itself took some time though, figuring out the best topic to start with. Eventually, they found their footing and it flowed naturally onward.
Sasha and Marcy both told their tales, their adventures and their wild stories. Marcy's were much more grand and exciting, having joined an elite task force dedicated to the protection of Amphibia's capital, fighting a band of cosplaying pirates who got too invested in their characters, and dealing with cultists led by the ex-captain of the same task force. Meanwhile, Sasha's side involved potion fraud, date nights and minimum-wage employment.
Both broke their legs though, which was a rather funny coincidence.
But inevitably, Sasha reached the story of Toad Tower and the events that occurred that tragic night. The pain, the betrayal, the arguments and the fall. How she was drugged, thrown in jail, forced to fight and then, flee.
The outcome of that duel was unclear but deep down, she knew: she lost. And only when it mattered the most.
It felt suffocating just telling that story.
"Whoa…" Marcy looked down, as if ashamed. "That genuinely sucks…"
Sasha sighed. "Hah… I know but what else was I supposed to do? Let her commit murder?" She argued. "Everything became so complicated. I've never seen her act like that before."
Sasha laid back on the ground, looking up to the sky. "I'm a terrible friend…"
Marcy looked at her bestie, her face sullen and apologetic. She scratched the back of her head and after glancing at Sasha, looked slightly to the side. "Is that why you were avoiding me? Because you don't want the same thing happening again?"
"Is it that obvious?" Sasha replied, almost sarcastically.
Marcy realised that then and there, Sasha had gone through a lot. It felt somewhat shameful in comparison; Marcy's time in Amphibia was more fantastical and enjoyable despite the ups and downs, but Sasha's was a lot more adverse. It seemed like she was playing in easy mode, something the Asian girl would never do.
It was no wonder why Sasha ended up being apprehensive and jittery; she was just anticipating the next calamity of her life.
Marcy shook her head and slapped both her cheeks in unison. "Well, I won't let history repeat itself!" She declared, like a challenge to the Gods themselves. "We're going to find Anne, we're going to fix your friendship and we're going to find a way home! So says Marcy-mothernewting-Wu!"
"Whoa, what's with the potty mouth there?! You never talked like that before on Earth!" Sasha asked, aghast.
Marcy raised her nose knowingly. "Then you've never heard how I speak during my online gaming sessions." She smirkingly said. "It's way worse."
Sasha blinked. This… this was different. Not in a bad way, mind you. Just different. When did the timid and socially awkward Marcy Wu become so assertive? Then again, she was always a lot more outspoken when talking to Anne and Sasha, but she was never the kind to take the wheel herself.
"You know, I like this new you." Sasha exclaimed with a soft smile. "You're a lot more bold, even becoming a big shot of the Night Guards. You don't strike me as Night Guard material."
Marcy gasped. "Whaaaaaat?! But I've been playing an artificer-rogue during our D&D campaigns! Haven't you been paying attention?"
"Nope."
"Figures."
After a brief moment of silence, the two started laughing. Just two teenage girls, laughing with one another next to an artificial river. Marcy wiped away her jolly tears when suddenly, an alarm latched on her belt began ringing. "Aw, jeez! Look at the time! I've got a tea date with King Andrias, so I've got to get going."
Sasha raised a brow, watching as Marcy stood up and patted herself. "A tea date? Really?"
"I know, I know but Lady Olivia insisted that I polish my 'noble lady' skills because I'm a political figure now." Marcy replied, followed by a shrug. "Can't really argue with her about that."
Placing her thumb and index finger on her lips, Marcy whistled loudly and from the orange-tinted skies, a giant sparrow swooped in, landing right in front of her. Sasha recalled; Javi and Kettle also had a giant bird when they arrested that scamming old man, albeit it looked different and was wearing a leather bycocket cap rather than a golden helmet. Did all Night Guards have birds?
Marcy climbed onto the bird's – aptly named Joe Sparrow – back and secured herself onto its saddle. Safety first. She then grabbed the saddle's steering handle: a stiff crescent-shaped bar at the base of the wings, above the bird's shoulder blades. You can't steer a bird with traditional reins and bridles after all.
Suddenly, she smacked herself on the head. "Oh, before I forget; I'll move the meeting with King Andrias tomorrow. You should spend the evening chillaxing."
Sasha's eyes widened. "You can do that?"
"Technically, no… But Andrias is a softie. I'm sure he'll understand." Marcy answered nonchalantly. "I'll see you again tomorrow!"
"See ya, Marbles!" Sasha shouted as she waved.
FWOOOSH!
In a single moment, the bird lifted off the ground with a powerful flap, blowing dust and dirt from the ground. Sasha watched as the bird flew away straight to the castle in the distance, carrying her best friend with it. With how fast that bird flew, she could probably travel from one end of Amphibia to the other in a week, maybe two. That's pretty convenient.
Sitting at the edge of the canal, Sasha sighed and stared at the sun as it slowly set.
…
…
Minutes later, she was surrounded by possibly 20-30 guards, followed by a clearly exasperated Lady Olivia. Sasha turned her head slightly to view and raised her hand to greet. "Oh, hey there, Lady Olivia."
"It's Miss Oli—" She paused, then shook her head. "Wait, no, never mind that! Do you have any idea how much trouble you put me through?!"
"A modest amount, probably."
"'Modest' doesn't even begin to describe it." She stressed, massaging her temples. "We've missed our timeslot for the day, after all the work I put into getting you one on Lady Marcy's behest."
Sasha brushed it off aloofly. "Don't worry about it. I was with Marcy just a few minutes ago. She told me she'll get us a spot tomorrow."
"And who do you think has to handle that, hmm?!" The newt hissed. But then, she stopped. "Pardon, you met Lady Marcy?"
Sasha gave her the 'okay' gesture. "Yep. She ambushed me, I threw her in the canal, then I saved her and slapped her, she cried like a baby and then we admired the view. You know, typical girl stuff."
Lady Olivia breathed in sharply. "I can tell you're omitting a few details but at this point, I don't really care." She exclaimed.
She turned around and clapped her hands, a path opening for her through the sea of guards. "If that's the case, then I believe our business is adjourned for the day. I'll be off trying to push you into a new timeslot." She said, followed by a tired sigh. "This is going to cause so many headaches…"
As she was about to leave, opening a path for herself ended up opening an opportunity for others – an analogy of real life. Old man Hoppy Pop, the amazing Sprigster and the baby cannonball Polly-Wallaby rushed through the path, forcing a startled Olivia to step aside as they charged past her. Apparently, they had been with the lady for the whole day after Sasha's prisoner escape situation, insisting that they follow. After all, the main guest was Sasha Waybright, so it wasn't like they could go meet the king without her.
"Sasha!" Sprig called, leaping onto her back like… well, like a frog. He climbed over her hair and Sasha snagged him off, flipping him over and placing him by her side. Polly, who was not in her bucket, jumped onto her shoulder.
"Hey there, you squirts." Sasha said affectionately. She saw Hop Pop walking up to her side and sheepishly chuckled. "Sorry about all of that, Hop Pop."
Hop Pop raised a hand, stopping her. "No need to apologise. I'm just happy to see you feeling better." He leaned towards her and whispered. "You are feeling better, right?"
Sasha smiled. "Never felt better."
The Newtopian Royal Gardens – possibly one of the most private areas in the castle. While the castle itself held many gardens and open areas, the Royal Gardens were tended specifically for the use of members of the Newtopian Royal Court. However, most did not live in the castle walls; it was a government building, technically. Thus, outside of the castle's hand-picked gardeners, the Royal Gardens would fall into a state of disuse.
But that wasn't the case at all. There was one particular newt that used these gardens frequently. Should he have the time to unwind and relax, this was the go-to area for him to enjoy a cup of delicious Lord Gray tea. And because of his frequent visits, the garden was tended lovingly by the staff to ensure this one newt has the best experience possible.
These gardens were special to him, once taken care of by a dear friend back in a time when things were simpler.
"And that's pretty much it." Marcy Wu finished, with her a cup of warm tea. She sat in a garden chair and table, both on top of a much larger chair and table, under a white gazebo. "It was a bit… emotional… but it all worked out!"
Sitting in the larger chair was none other than the Eternal Lord, Peacekeeper of a Thousand Years, the Great Uniter – King Andrias Leviathan. Standing at a whopping 30 feet tall, this blue-skinned white-bearded goliath of a salamander was the absolute monarch of Amphibia, his stature perfectly reflecting the titles under his befitting name.
Despite the relative safety of the castle, he wore a dark purple suit of armour for a uniform, over a lighter coloured shirt with frilly Victorian cuffs, alongside a purple and gold tunic held up by a snake-themed belt and buckle. His impressive armour had pauldrons shaped like elongated snail shells with his right one and his abdomen bearing X-shaped marks. Despite his kindly personality, this was a king who had seen battle and was always prepared for one.
King Andrias took a sip of his tea, the teacup being the size of a bathtub. "I gotta say, kid; that's one heck of a doozy story. Your friends sure are something else."
"Do you think you can deploy some guards into finding Anne? I know it's a bit much to ask."
The king laughed. "No worries! I've already got guards searching for the criminal Grime. When they find him, they'll find your friend Anne for sure."
Marcy gave him a thumbs up. "Thanks, Andrias! You're the best!" She happily said.
King Andrias chuckled. "That's what friends are for."
The two took another sip, their backs straightened and their pinkies out. No elbows on the table, no staring as you drink, their faces kept flat and their eyes closed. The social norms of Newtopian nobles weren't so different from the archaic practices of European monarchs, though they included details regarding tail gestures and posture. Marcy, lacking the appendage, obviously did not need that.
After a calm and tasteful sip, King Andrias stared at his cup, swirling the brown contents gently. He then lifted the cup to Marcy, its size dwarfing her entire being. "How about a toast? To old friendships and new ones."
Marcy beamed. She too lifted her own cup. "To friendships!"
"To friendships!"
CLINK!
Just as the king pulled his cup back briefly, he stopped. "Oh, and let's not forget to give a toast to our benefactor." He said, pushing the cup forward once more.
"A toast to the Core."
The bronze brooch, the same one that held Marcy's cape, then opened, revealing not an almond-shaped medallion but rather a singular orange eye. Marcy raised her cup, unfazed, and smiled.
"A toast to the Core."
CLINK!