Here's another chapter I feel could have gone better.

The group, after recovering from Scarlet Valentine's attack and Hot Pants' sacrifice, continued down the train, only to be stopped by Johan, who said, "There he is!" Jones gasped and tried to hide behind one of the pews, only to be caught by him. "I want to know what Scarlet meant when she said you were supposed to keep us away from our friends!" Jones didn't respond and looked away in shame.

"Isn't it obvious," said Joan Jett. "It's because he's the conductor of the train. He's the Stand user."

"I knew it," said Hop Pop. "No one is that nice unless they've got something to hide!"

Polly frowned while Sprig made a look that said, "Why?"

"Actually, I'm not the Stand user," said Jones. He shuffled his feet and said, "The user died years ago. I'm just here to keep it running."

"Wait," said Joan Jett. "A Stand without a user? That kind of thing exists?!"

"Unfortunately, it does," said Johan. "My dad once told me the story of the time he and his friends fought Notorious B.I.G., an invincible Stand that could only be activated once its user was killed. And Signor Polnareff told me the story of the time he and my cousin Jotaro fought Anubis, a sword-based Stand that didn't have a user, but possessed anyone who had the misfortune of touching it while it was unsheathed. But I'm getting off-topic. Jones, what do you mean you're just here to run it?"

"It's like you said, Crazy Train is a Stand without a user," said Jones. "It has a life of its own. All it needs is a soul."

"What?"

"For ten years, it had my soul, keeping me alive, slowing down my age, providing me with everything I need, except a little company. They don't always stay around. They just come on and come off."

"Ten years," asked Grime. "How old are you?"

"I knew it," said Joan Jett. "I knew there was a reason you looked so familiar."

"What do you mean," asked Hop Pop.

"When I was a little girl, there was an article in the newspaper about a boy who disappeared after stepping on board a 'ghost train'. Apparently, his friends dared him to go on board, and later regretted it when it disappeared. Nobody believed them, not even the boy's parents. But every so often, people around Amphibia would report boarding and leaving a train that resembles a cathedral on wheels, with its only inhabitant being a small frog boy wearing overalls."

"So you're the one keeping us here," said Johan. "Why?"

"Yeah," said Sprig. "After our moment of bonding with each other! I let you in on my secret collection of rare action figures."

"First of all, it wasn't so much bonding and more like having a brief conversation," said Polly. "And second, that's not a secret."

"What?"

Jones said, "Valentine said you guys will stay with me if I kept you away from those three girls. I won't have to be alone anymore and I can have friends to play with."

"Jones," said Joan Jett. "You can't keep us here forever. Anne, Sasha, Marcy, and I have to get back home to our world. And the rest of us have homes to go to."

Jones started to get angry. "But it's not fair! I've been stuck here for years and I've never been able to go home! Why should you do the same?" Then he chuckled, "Heh, heh. Besides, I can go home now that you're here. I can go back with almost everyone."

"'Almost'? What do you mean," asked Grime.

"Only one person must stay on the train for it to run," Jones chuckled again. "One soul must be bound with this train forever. The rest of you can leave."

"What?!" exclaimed everyone.

"You mean for us to go, one of us has to stay," said Sprig.

"There's no way any of us is staying on this creepy train," said Hop Pop.

"Yeah," said Polly as she took out her flail. "If you want us to stay, you're going to have to-" Before she could finish her sentence, the chandelier swung down and hit her, sending her flying into Hop Pop. "Polly, are you okay," he asked.

"What hit me," she muttered in a daze.

Jones chuckled. "I told you, the train provides me with everything, a way to defend myself!" Suddenly, the pews came to life and pulled the group into their seats with the arm rests holding them down. They struggled to get out, but couldn't.

"Hold on," Grime said. He summoned Toxic Avenger, who sprayed acid on the furniture, melting them and freeing everyone. More of the pews charged at them.

"You messed with the wrong gang," said Hop Pop as he used his Ripple on the pews, making them explode. Polly used her flail while Sprig used his slingshot.

The chandelier swung down and tried to smash into the group, but Joan Jett summoned Cherry Bomb, who proceeded to grab it and yank it out of its socket.

Jones laughed. "Don't break the furniture too much, because you're going to be living in it now that it's your new home! As for me, I'm out of here!" He opened the door, revealing the open landscape. "It's been nice knowing you, especially you, Sprig. Maybe we'll meet again, trade action figures." He turned to leave, only to come face to face with the barrel of Johan's gunblade.

Johan paused, then said, "Screw it, I can't come up with a witty comeback right now." And he poked Jones with the tip of the gunblade. The frog boy took one look, then let out a scream as he fell to the ground, crying his eyes out.

"I'm dying! You killed me!"

"Oh, please," said Johan with no sympathy. "That's barely even a flesh wound. You can put a band aid on that."

All at once, the train stopped attacking the rest of the group. "Did we win?" asked Polly. "That was easy."

"What did you expect," said Johan. "The kid's been on this train for ten years with no fighting experience. Of course it was easy!"

Jones cried, "I just didn't want to be alone! I just wanted friends!"

"Friends don't keep people trapped," said Hop Pop. "I should know. I almost did it to Anne by hiding the music box when she desperately needed it."

"Look," said Sprig as he approached Jones cautiously. "I know we just met, but I can tell you're a good kid, just a little misguided. How about this: after all this is over, we can come and visit you any time we want, just so long as you promise not to trap anyone else on this train."

Jones sniffled and asked, "Promise?"

"Promise."

A box of band aids popped out of the floor next to Jones. "Seems like the train agrees with us," said Joan Jett. "Still, we have to find the girls."

As Jones applied the bandages, he said, "They should be reaching the train's engine room now. That's where Valentine is waiting."

"Well, guess this is it," said Johan. "The final battle."

"We have to be careful," said Grime. "Valentine's Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap outclasses all other Stands in every way. I don't know if we stand a chance."

"Can't hurt to try," said Polly. "And giving the way he summons alternate dimensional counterparts, that means I can bash his head multiple times! Fun for everyone!"

Jones whispered to Joan Jett, "She scares me."

"You have no idea how scary she can be," she replied.

As the group walked down the coaches, Polly stopped to scratch her butt. "Whoa, Polly, what's wrong?" asked Sprig.

"My butt is so itchy!"

Hop Pop took out a bottle of anti-itch lotion. "I've got some ointment that'll fix that right up."

"Hop Pop, no! It stinks!"

Stand: Crazy Train

User: None

Power: D

Speed: A

Range: A

Durability: A

Precision: A

Potential: E

Ability: Takes the form of a locomotive combined with a church cathedral. When a person boards the train, that person's soul powers the train, lets it keep running without having to stop for anything and provides its passengers with everything they need. When the train has its grip on a person's soul, it slows down the aging process down to a crawl. The downside is that that person cannot leave, unless someone takes their place.

When the girls entered the engine room's door, they found themselves in a massive room supported by two giant stone pillars, with giant pipes sticking in and out of the walls, and on one end of the room was the train's boiler, which resembled a monstrous skull breathing fire. "That's freaky," said Anne.

"Yet strangely beautiful," said Marcy. "Gothic architecture meets steampunk."

"I prefer heavy metal," said Sasha. "But we're still no closer to finding our friends."

"We're right here," said Johan's voice.

The girls turned around and almost immediately, Anne was tackled by the Plantars, all of them blubbering and crying.

"Anne, I never thought I'd see you again," said Sprig.

"You disappear on me like that again and I will kill you," cried Polly. "Okay, I won't!"

"I thought I lost my favorite granddaughter," wailed Hop Pop.

Polly got a little mad. "Hey, I thought I was your favorite granddaughter!"

"My favorite human granddaughter!"

Anne chuckled as tears fell down her face, "I'm your only human granddaughter."

"All the more reason I love you!"

Sasha and Grime ran up to each other, only to stop, and awkwardly fist bumped. After another awkward pause, Sasha gave Grime a quick hug. "I missed you," she said.

"You too, Sasha."

Johan and Marcy gave each other a quick hug then did that complex handshake Anne taught them. "Clap, pull it back, fist bump, flip it up, lock it in, twist it, twainst it, not against it, spank the baby, where's the baby, there's the baby, shake hands with the baby."

"You sure Passione doesn't have a secret handshake?" asked Marcy.

"No. I keep telling you," replied Johan.

Joan Jett watched the scene from a distance with a smile.

"What happened to you guys," said Marcy after the moment was done.

"We had a hairy experience," said Johan. "Fighting off Valentine's Stand using goons, as well as the fact that kid is the train's conductor."

"Jones," asked Sasha. "I knew it. That kid did give me bad vibes."

"It wasn't his fault," Sprig said. "He's been stuck on this train for ten years, and he was alone. If anyone were stuck in his position, they would go mad with loneliness too."

Marcy whispered, "I know how that would feel."

"At last, you're here," said Valentine as he stepped out from behind one of the pillars. "It's been a tedious journey, but it was worth it. Even though it cost me my wife." He glared at the group and clenched his fists, then relaxed. "But, I say Hot Pants' death makes us even, wouldn't you say?"

"Why you..." snarled Polly.

"Still, I can't help but wonder," continued Valentine, who was now eyeing Johan. "Why I feel some tension in the air. JoJo, do you have something to share with the class?"

All eyes turned to look at Johan, whose eyes were darkened. Then he looked up and glanced at Sasha. "Yeah. I do. Care to explain what THIS is, Sasha?!" He took out the newspaper Hot Pants gave him and unrolled it. The headline read, "Toads Invade Newtopia! King Andrias Captured!" Johan said, "Looking at the date, this was printed days ago!"

Everyone gasped. Then Anne turned to Sasha with anger, exclaiming, "Sasha, what are you doing?"

Sasha smiled. "What I do best, taking control. Now, Grime!"

Grime summoned Toxic Avenger, who then sprayed the door, keeping everyone from escaping. "You weren't supposed to know about this until AFTER we rescued you," he said.

Johan summoned DARE and charged at Sasha, only for her to summon Slash, who grabbed Johan's Stand and hold the sword up to its throat. "Don't even try, JoJo." Joan Jett summoned Cherry Bomb, but Slash poked the blade into DARE's throat, making it, along with Johan's throat, bleed. "Hey! I don't move, you don't move!"

"Sasha, what are you doing," Marcy asked, horrified.

"Maybe I don't wanna go home and rule a school," said Sasha with a smirk. "Maybe I wanna stay here and rule a kingdom."

Anne was outraged, "Are you serious?!"

"Sheesh, don't be a sore loser. I'm gonna stay and get this toad regime off the ground, but I can totally send you three home if you want." Anne's hair glowed brighter in response to her anger while Marcy worried. "Or... you can stick around and give me a hand. So what do you say?"

"What do I say?! After everything you've done?! I say you're clearly insane if you think I'm gonna let you bully me and everyone else just to get what you want!"

"Anne, I know you're upset, but just-"

"NO! I'm DONE listening to you. I'm DONE trusting you. You're a horrible person, and I AM DONE BEING FRIENDS WITH YOU!"

When Anne said that, a look of heartbreak appeared on Sasha's face. Marcy put a hand on Anne's shoulder. "Anne, you don't mean that. We can still fix this."

"No, Marcy. We can't."

Slash's grip loosened and DARE headbutted it. Both Slash and Sasha recoiled, freeing DARE and Johan. The boy grabbed his gunblade and pointed it at Sasha as he said, "Tell me, Sasha, did Percy and Braddock really not join you because they couldn't make it, or was it because you drove them away?" She did not respond.

"Lieutenant," said Grime. "I think we need to focus on one important detail here. We're outnumbered!"

"No, not outnumbered," said Valentine, who summoned his Stand. "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap." A dozen more Funny Valentines appeared out of the shadows, all of them armed with pistol knives. Grime gave him a confused look. "Let's just say I support your cause, Captain."

"Uh...okay," said Grime. Sasha didn't respond and instead took out her twin swords.

"You think you've got a secret weapon? We've got one too," said Polly. "Frobo!" For a moment, it was quiet, then suddenly, Frobo smashed through the ceiling and turned his arms into turrets.

"Don't hold back," said Johan. "We're going all out!"

"Now you're talking!" said Polly.

Joan Jett battled one Valentine, Cherry Bomb bombed him into a wall, then engaged two more Valentines. Sprig battled two other Valentines using his Ripple charged slingshot, one took him by surprise and kicked him into one of the pillars. Hop Pop and Polly slammed next to him. "Hey, are we beating them, or are they beating us," she asked.

Hop Pop gasped, grabbed his grandkids and ducked behind the pillar as the Valentines fired their pistol knives at them. They poked their heads out and Hop Pop said, "Ask again when we're winning, Polly."

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

Marcy fired arrows into the air, then used the Spin on her die and gave it a flick, making it fly at the arrows and change their directions and send them raining down at the remaining alternate Valentines.

Meanwhile, Johan fought against Grime, both with their weapons and their Stands. Grime pressed Barrel's Warhammer into Johan's chest and growled, "I've been waiting for this. A little payback for what happened at Toad Tower!" DARE punched Grime in the face, but he had Toxic Avenger grab the Stand by the arm and burn it with acid, causing Johan to yell in pain.

Grime slammed the hammer into the ground, causing shockwaves to shake the ground. Johan fired the gunblade at Grime, but his armor deflected the bullets. So Johan decided to fight up close and personal and began slashing at Grime, chinking parts of his armor in the process. Grime countered by grabbing Johan's sword arm and slamming him into the ground.

Johan summoned DARE, who proceeded to punch Grime just once. The next time he got up, he realized he had gone completely blind and deaf, leaving him vulnerable against the next barrage of punches before he was slammed into a wall. Fortunately for Grime, his sense of smell was left untouched, so he had some idea where Johan was. He then activated the hammer and it flew out of his hands and into Johan's chest, sending him flying into a wall, making him cough blood.

Johan slowly got back up and commanded DARE to break the dome helmet, but Grime caught up with him and grabbed him by the neck. "Oh, no, you don't," he growled. "You're not going to use your special technique this time!" Johan choked as he felt the toad's grip tighten and DARE started to fade, making Grime's senses return to normal.

Anne and Sasha were in perhaps the most heated battle. Anne darted forward and locked her tennis racket with Sasha's swords. They struggled against each other, but as the tip of the swords moved towards Anne's face, Anne charged her Ripple into the racket, sending a shockwave that made Sasha lose her balance and give Anne the advantage needed to slam the racket into Sasha's gut, knocking the wind out of her. "Ripple Overdrive!" Anne charged the Ripple into her fist, only for Sasha to roll out of the way. The punch Anne made left a huge hole in the floor.

Sasha gasped at the sight of it as she realized Anne was actually trying to kill her. She got back up and blocked the racket with her swords. With no other option, she summoned Slash, who began to stab into Anne repeatedly and shout, "MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI, MURI!" Anne screamed as she felt herself being turned into a pincushion and fell to the ground. Sasha said with regret, "I'm sorry, Anne."

With venom in her voice and eyes, Anne replied, "I hate you, Sasha." Sasha could tell she meant it.

Suddenly, Valentine spoke out, "Everyone, drop your arms!" The fighters all turned to see Marcy being held at gunpoint. "Or her friend will lose her precious brain." At the sight of him holding a pistol knife to her head, everyone hesitated. Anne tried to activate her powers, only to stop at the sound of gunfire and Marcy's yelp.

Marcy was shaking like a leaf, but was unharmed. "Nobody try anything else, or I won't miss," Valentine warned. He then addressed to everyone, "I apologize for the drastic measures to gain your attention, but you wouldn't have listened otherwise."

"Why would we want to listen to you," shouted Sasha. "You kidnapped us and made us go through crappy trials!"

"If you think this changes anything, Valentine," snapped Anne. "You got another thing coming!"

Valentine exhaled. "Have you learned nothing from my trials? Everything I've done, I've done to ensure Amphibia's future. To ensure I am the one who takes the first napkin. You and Grime's toad invasion, Sasha, only treats the symptoms, not cures the virus."

"What are you talking about?" asked Marcy. "Does this have anything to do with that painting we found in your office?"

Sasha and Grime made confused looks. "Painting? What painting," asked the former.

"Valentine has an ancient painting that has you three girls on it," explained Johan. Sasha stared in shock. Grime didn't know what to say.

Valentine said, "To answer your question, Marcy, it does. Along with Amphibia's true history. The history Andrias doesn't want you to find out. Crazy Train, the case." A case popped out of the floor and Valentine opened it, revealing a projector and slides. He set the projector up, pointed it at one of the walls, and put the slides in. "What I'm about to show you is something the Newtopian Royal Family does not want anyone to know," he said. "When my father, a famous historian, found these slides and the painting, he was executed, but was smart enough to hide it under the floorboards of my childhood home. The Royal Family claimed that he committed an act of treason, but the truth is, he uncovered a conspiracy that no one in modern day Amphibia knows about, save for those who lived long enough."

He turned on the projector and showed the first couple of slides. "This is Amphibia as it was a thousand years ago." What everyone saw was something they were not expecting. Rather than something out of a fantasy novel, what they saw was something out of a science-fiction television show. Buildings with holographic signs, robots marching down chrome streets, and soldiers armed with laser cannons.

Valentine narrated as he continued to show more slides, "Ours was not always an agricultural society. We were once one of the most technologically advanced civilizations. Machinery triumphed over the use of magic and Stands. People back then didn't have to fight for survival, or scavenge supplies as they do now. Factories produced everything a person could want by the millions. Walking into a store with a stack of money, they could buy as much food, ammo, or clothing as they could carry. In fact, the biggest 'problem' people faced was finding a place to keep it all. Highways and railroads stretched for thousands of miles from coast to coast with roadside diners selling rapidly prepared food and cool beverages.

"We Amphibians enjoyed our prosperity for generations. Secure in our belief that our way of life would never alter. That we would never be forced to evolve. Change came slowly at first and it was welcomed. People weren't satisfied with just having a house where fresh water came right out of a pipe in the wall, or had a lightbulb that turned on at the push of a button, or had an ice box that preserved their food. No, they wanted more, always more. They built robots to do their work for them, and they built electronic computers to do their thinking for them.

"Of course all of these new-fangled technological wonders needed to power to run. And somewhere along the line, the Royal Family realized that using our own planet's resources would mean our destruction. And so someone thought, 'Why waste our own resources when we can use another world's?' And thus, the planet crackers were created."

The next slide showed a ship armed with giant drills and injectors, surrounded by a fleet of robots that looked like Frobo, but with black armor and red eyes.

"Look, Frobo," said Polly. "You got brothers and sisters! Only bigger and meaner..." Frobo started quivering.

"An entire fleet of machines capable of draining a world dry, capturing its inhabitants and making them into slaves. But there was a problem: how to get to those worlds? That's when the Royal Family learned of a monk who had the solution: the Calamity Box." Valentine held up the music box. "Using the power of three stones that fell from the sky and musical vibrations to match those of the other worlds, it was the perfect tool for interdimensional exploration without the use of a Stand. The monk wanted to use it for peace, but the Royal Family had other ideas.

"For centuries, this was the norm of Amphibian society: invade worlds, drain them of their resources, and enslave their inhabitants. But then one day, the Calamity Box disappeared without a trace. And just like that, everything ground to a halt. The factories shut down, the machines stopped working, progress stagnated, we became the primitive medieval world you see today, and in time, the technology that we once used became forgotten. No one knew what happened to the box, but now we do. It somehow wound up on Earth, and then you four humans brought it back."

Everyone was silent. Hop Pop face palmed, inhaled, and said, "This is a lot to take in."

"That's why you destroyed the temples," realized Johan. "If we had charged up the music box and brought it back to King Andrias..."

"Then the whole thing starts all over over," finished Valentine.

"Hold on," said Joan Jett. "What does this have anything to do with the girls and JoJo?"

"The painting you saw in my office tells of a prophecy the olms foretold on the same day the box disappeared. 'Three stars burning bright, come from beyond to expel the night. Whether they fight or embrace the fall, their choice shall determine all.' I wish to help you make sure you don't 'embrace the fall'. The powers of the music box chose you three to fight the Royal Family, but it also has the power to send you girls home. If you had known that, you could have gone back to Earth the first day you arrived in Amphibia."

"But they didn't," said Johan. "They got separated."

"I know. And now the Royal Family knows about the box and where its powers are. Which is why I have to make drastic measures now."

Johan said with dread, "I knew it. I knew Andrias was hiding something when I found the Stone Mask, but..."

"Stone Mask," asked Anne. "What are you talking about?"

Johan exhaled. Well, it was time to make the big reveal. One of them anyway. "This is getting off topic, but, Sasha, do you remember our conversation we had about DIO? About how you didn't believe he was vampire unless you had proof? Well, I have that proof now." He reached into his bag and pulled out the Stone Mask. Everyone gasped at the sight of it.

"What is that," Valentine asked in genuine intrigue.

"This mask is how DIO became a vampire all the way back in the Victorian Era. Well, it didn't look like a frog, it looked more human. All it needs is a little blood sacrifice..." He pricked his finger with the gunblade. "...and..." He let a single drop of blood land on the mask and the spikes popped out of its interior, making everyone jump back. A few seconds later, the spikes retracted. He put the mask back in his bag.

"JoJo, where did you get that?" asked Anne.

"Remember our little sleepover adventure? I found it in the castle's crypt. When I found it, I knew that Andrias was experimenting with vampires. And when Marcy said that there hasn't been any cases of vampires in Amphibia history, that means he must have gotten it quite recently."

Sasha was speechless, "This is...this is..."

"Shocking, I know. It gets worse. It wasn't just one. There were DOZENS of them hanging on the wall, enough to create a whole army of the undead."

"STOP IT!" shouted Marcy. "JoJo, Andrias is my friend, he would never keep secrets from me! Maybe he hid those masks in the crypt for a reason!"

Johan said, exasperated, "Wake up, Marcy! Between the Stone Mask, the robot factory, and the fact that he kept what he knew about the Calamity Box a secret, it's pretty obvious he's the bad guy!"

"But I...he...he promised no one would get hurt!"

Upon hearing this, Anne got confused, "Promised? What promise?"

Sasha's eyes narrowed, "What are you talking about, Marcy?"

Marcy started to get nervous. "He promised he'd take us with him to the new worlds, that we could have amazing adventures just like this one, forever and ever."

Johan couldn't believe it. "WHAT?! Why would you want that?"

Valentine smirked. "I see. It seems like Andrias is not the only one keeping secrets."

Johan turned to face him. "What do you mean?"

"Did it ever occur to you, JoJo, that maybe somebody knew more than they were letting on? That maybe somebody stranded you and your friends on Amphibia on purpose?"

All eyes fell upon Marcy, who at this point, looked like she wanted to run away. "You've got to be kidding me," said Sasha.

"No, it can't be," said Anne.

"Marcy, did you know what the box would do this whole time," asked an outraged Johan.

Marcy turned to face Anne and Sasha. "I did it for us," she said desperately. Anne's eyes widened. "The day we left, your birthday, they told me my dad got a new job out of state. They're making me move away, they were gonna tear us apart!"

"Marcy..." said Anne.

"I... I found the box. I had no idea it would actually work, but it did." Tears started to form in Marcy's eyes as she smiled nervously and took Anne and Sasha's hands. "It sent us to a place where we'd never have to grow apart, where the four of us could be friends forever together!"

Sasha slapped Marcy's hands away. Anne said with disgust, "How could you?! I've been missing my parents, my life!"

"But look at how much fun we've had. Look at how much you've both grown. Look at Sprig." Sprig backed away from Marcy. "I gave you this, I gave you everything!" Anne and Sasha backed away from her. She collapsed to her knees and whimpered, "I just didn't want to be alone."

Johan stared at her in disbelief. He wanted to shout at her about how she compromised his mission to retrieve the Stand arrow, about how she could think any of this was "fun" when they almost died or got lost. But instead, he asked, "Marcy, why didn't you say anything? We would have done something."

Hearing this, Marcy got angry, "Really? What could you all have done? Mom and Dad were already packing their bags, ready to go to the airport! There's nothing any of you could have done!"

"And trapping us in another world was the only solution you could think of," Johan replied harshly.

"If it meant keeping us together, yes," said Marcy.

Johan groaned, "Ugh. Come può qualcuno così intelligente fare qualcosa di così sfacciato?"

Valentine sighed. "I told Valeriana that these powers cannot be trusted with three emotional children. Anne Boonchuy, Sasha Waybright, Marcy Wu, for the sake of Amphibia, you must relinquish the powers of the stones to me."

"Why you?" asked Sasha suspiciously.

"Because I'm the only one who has the knowledge of interdimensional travel thanks to Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, but I can't pinpoint Earth's location unless I have the powers. Give me the powers and I will send you back home and I will stop Andrias."

Anne and Sasha looked at each other, then at Marcy. Then Anne asked, "What do we have to do?" Marcy gasped.

"The power of the stones is connected with your souls. The only way to activate them is to simply ask. The same can be said when you give them up willingly. Just ask them to move them into my body."

"Wait, please," said Marcy. "I admit it, I did something stupid, but..."

"Marcy," said Anne. "It's over. We're going home."

"But..."

"Anne's right," said Sasha. "It's over. For all of us."

Marcy tried to respond, but just gave up. "Yeah. It's over."

Valentine held out his hand. The girls reached out and placed their hands in his, ready to give their powers to him when Sprig suddenly shouted, "Hold on! You just said they could have gotten home with their powers on their own the first day they came here! Why do they have to give you their powers?"

"Because they could get lost in another world without proper guidance," replied Valentine.

"Sprig," said Anne. "I know you don't want me to go, but..."

"But nothing," said Joan Jett. "Anne, Sprig is right! He's not telling us everything!"

"You are right to be suspicious," said Valeriana as she stepped out of the shadows, startling everyone.

"Where did you come from?!" exclaimed Hop Pop.

"As I told JoJo in that letter," said Valeriana. "I would find a way to you all." She then said to Anne, Sasha, and Marcy, "The little frog is right! You must not give Funny Valentine your powers!"

"Valeriana, is what Valentine said true," asked Johan. "About how the Amphibians back in the day were alien invaders who destroy worlds and enslave people?"

Valeriana stared, then she nodded. "It's true. The Newtopia Royal Family did use the box to invade and destroy. But if you girls give your powers to Valentine, you'll just be replacing one tyrant for another!"

"Hold your tongue," Valentine hissed.

"I wanted you girls to save Amphibia to keep us from repeating the same mistakes we did before," Valeriana said. "He only wants to use the powers to kill Andrias and take over Amphibia!"

"She's exaggerating," Valentine shouted. "I want what's best for Amphibia and the worlds that the Royal Family would target!"

"Only your version of what is best," Veleriana argued, pointing with her only arm. "You wanted to dismantle the monarchy and replace it with a democracy, one that will allow you to make yourself ruler of Amphibia!"

"You make it sound like it's a bad thing. Look at Swamp Shiro. I've made it one of the most prosperous villages in Frog Valley. Crime rates are low, taxes are fair, our economy is thriving, all under my rule."

"A rule you unfairly earned! The previous mayor didn't die of a heart attack as the press was led to believe! You poisoned him with a rare toxin that was untraceable!"

"What did you expect? He made children work endlessly in factories, made laws that discriminated against amphibians that weren't toads, and was constantly hitting on my wife."

"You may think your actions make you a hero, but you're selfish!"

Valentine sneered, "And you think they're better than me?" He gestured to Anne, Sasha, and Marcy. "Three selfish little girls who take advantage of each other." The girls flinched. Deep down, they knew he was right. "The power of the Calamity Box is better off in the hands of a grown-up than three immature children. Just give me the powers," he said to the girls. "And return home with JoJo. Return to the normal lives you've lived, and I will see to it your friends won't have to face the tyranny of the Royal Family." He reached out to them. "You have my word."

For a while, Anne, Sasha, and Marcy did nothing. They just stared with blank expressions. They looked at their hands, then looked back at their friends. Then Sasha was the first to act. She moved her hand toward Valentine, making everyone gasp and Valentine smile.

And then the smile disappeared when she punched him square in the face and had Slash stab him, making him back off and grab his mouth. "To hell with your word!"

Valentine glared at the girls. "How dare you defy me!"

"You're right, we are selfish girls, who probably shouldn't even be friends in the first place," said Sasha. "But there's no way we'd ever put our trust in a man who tried to kill us!"

"Besides, you need to pay for everything you've done," said Anne. "Stealing the music box, kidnapping us, putting us through those trials, killing Hot Pants..."

"And my Uncle Rico," said Joan Jett as she summoned Cherry Bomb.

Valentine sneered. "Fine. There's more than one way to get those powers." Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap appeared and grabbed the girls and pressed them against the floor, beginning the teleportation effect.

"Back In Ti-" Valeriana was cut off by one of Valentine's bullets hitting her in the shoulder.

Valentine and the girls began to sink into the floor, but then Joan Jett and Johan grabbed onto them and they all disappeared.

"Wait," called out Hop Pop. "Come back!"

"They're gone," exclaimed Polly. "Where did they go?"

Jones appeared and said, "I can get Crazy Train to take you where they are! But it's going to be a bumpy ride."

"I don't care," said Sprig. "Valentine's got our friends! I'll take bumpy over smooth any day!"

"Same here," said Grime. "For now, I'm willing to put aside our differences to get them back."

"Agreed," said Hop Pop. "A truce. Until we get Sasha, her friends, JoJo, and Joan Jett back."

"We must hurry," said Valeriana. "They are in more grave danger than they realize."

To be continued ➟