Previously on Calamitous Intervention
Wartwood had gathered around in excitement for a rare event called the Julecoming, where the sun and moon align and darken the sky, signaling the supposed return of a mythical frog named Julius. Despite Luz's skepticism as she knew this was just a solar eclipse, everyone eagerly donated precious offerings to this mysterious deity, who indeed showed up during the eclipse.
Faced with a dilemma, Luz offered one of her potions to the being, but realized too late that it was a fire potion, burning his mouth in the process. Out of retaliation, he angrily cursed her, turning her into a frog the following morning. Humiliated by her new look, she and the Plantar children went to Maddie's house, where after some investigating, they learned that the "Julius" everyone saw was actually a random ordinary frog named Sandler.
After pressing him a bit further, they learned that the mayor made him go out and pretend to be the mythical deity to cash in on this event and steal even more from Wartwood's poor citizens, and had somebody else curse Luz on his behalf. Filled with vengeance, the group followed a trail to a dingy shack, where they discovered notorious entertainer Barry was the mastermind behind the curse. Following some tense fighting and dodging dangerous spells, they succeeded in undoing the curse.
Chapter Twenty-Seven - Hop Popular
It had been weeks since the eclipse, and the air was starting to cool down. Amphibia's weather was pretty unusual to Luz's eyes and was unlike anything she had known back on Earth. Even though it felt like spring or summer most of the time, there would be a small part of the year that felt like autumn before abruptly shifting to winter. Luz was baffled at how this world even worked, but she wasn't exactly a meteorologist. Just when she had finally started to figure it out, something new sprung up and surprised her.
As usual, it was time to open their stand for yet another afternoon to stay afloat. Luz was excited about selling some of her potions to the town, as it had been a while. Demand for them was quite high, judging by the many requests the Plantars had received through the mail.
"Alright, seems like we've got all we need," Hop Pop said, wheeling a cart filled with produce and tomatoes toward the stand. That tomato monster still tried to bite them from time to time, but it had mellowed out for the most part. It wasn't pleasant, but certainly better than dealing with a giant raging beast.
Tomatoes were by far their most popular good, thanks to their rarity. Unfortunately, despite their demand, they still weren't enough to save Stumpy's Diner, which had been shut down after it was given a bad review by Albus Duckweed. It was a real shame, considering how convenient it was.
With the stand all ready, they began unloading produce and setting things up. After cleaning out the cauldron stationed there, Luz fired it up, ready to brew some fresh potions. The Plantars were expecting a smooth, busy day… except the market was quiet. Too quiet, in fact, with much fewer people wandering about than normal.
Luz was initially confused, but quickly heard some distant noise and realized everyone was off observing some kind of event.
"Wait… guys, let's check it out," she suggested, her own suspicions quickly brewing. "Sprig, you watch the stand."
"You got it!" Sprig agreed. He hopped onto the top of the counter while brandishing his slingshot, as he sprouted a serious expression on his face. Hop Pop and Polly followed Luz away from the stand and outside the market where everybody else was going. They quickly reached the town square, where none other than Mayor Toadstool himself and Toadie were standing in the middle of the crowd.
"What's all this rabble?" Hop Pop asked, glaring at the toad with disdain.
"I kinda forgot to tell you about it, but today's the start of the Wartwood mayor election," Luz replied, much to the surprise of the old frog. "That jerk's probably rigged the votes every year."
Mayor Toadstool slipped a piece of paper into a flashy nomination box resting on a stand, waving to the crowd, with a fake smile on his face. "Vote Mayor Toadstool! If re-elected, I will always look out for the little guy." He chuckled half-heartedly with a bored expression on his face as he was preparing to leave. He proceeded to stomp on Toadie as a makeshift stool to reach the cushioned seat awaiting him on top of his massive snail.
Despite this, Toadie didn't seem phased in the slightest. "Toadstool always looks out for us little guys!" he agreed, despite the irony.
As Toadstool revved up the automobile-like snail with a smug smile, he kicked up a toxic cloud of dust as he sped away, the motor revving all the while. Luz wasn't surprised at the least about his behavior. He treated this whole election like an errand he had to run, and his smug attitude all but suggested he cheated or lied his way into power. Then again, who would stop him?
Luz just shook her head, ready to turn around and head back, but Hop Pop remained put, scoffing. "Some mayor. That guy keeps raising our taxes, and what do we have to show for it? Our snail-ways are a mess." He gestured toward a sloppily covered-up pothole in the road, where a guy driving a snail promptly fell into, presumably to his doom. "Our buildings are falling apart!" Behind him, the entire front side of a house broke loose and crashed toward the ground, revealing an embarrassed bathing frog.
"Heck, we ain't even replaced the schoolhouse after last year's millipede incident!" he concluded as the townspeople gradually heard his speech and were gathering around him in interest.
Luz was surprised about Hop Pop's speech, but she agreed with his points. Even though she hadn't been here for long, she could already tell Toadstool was not the kind of person she would trust with running her town.
"Am I crazy, or is he making sense?" Felicia Sundew muttered, unsure of where the old frog was going with his speech.
Hop Pop was tired of how this town was being run, and he felt Toadstool finally crossed the line when he bullied Luz and made someone curse her. No more. He begrudgingly tolerated the mayor for far too long, but now it was time to put his foot down. "Maybe we need a mayor who looks out for the people he's mayorin'!" he continued. "'Cause ours, well…" He chuckled bitterly. "He's only looking out for himself. That's why I, Hopediah Plantar, will be runnin' for mayor!"
Before Luz had a chance to process his words, many of the surrounding residents shouted out, agreeing with him completely. "I nominate Hopediah Plantar for mayor!" Wally exclaimed.
"I second that!" Felicia added. "Hop Pop for mayor, everyone!"
"I third it!"
"Let's hear it for Hopediah!"
One by one, all the residents in the town square wrote Hopediah's name down on pieces of paper, slipping them into the nomination box to vote for him. Watching this, Hop Pop felt an unexpected but welcome burst of motivation and determination. He was going to become the new mayor, and nothing would stop him.
"Ugh, politics," Polly groaned loudly. "Luz, you've given him too much confidence!" she complained.
Luz grinned slyly and playfully poked Polly, making the tadpole lose balance and face plant in the water. "Hop Pop, that was sooo cool! I mean, you, running for mayor?"
"Well, I figured that if anybody would step up, it should be me," Hop Pop replied with a smile, regrouping with them. "What Toadstool did to ya was too far, Luz. If I become mayor, he ain't gonna be part of this community no more."
Luz placed a hand over her heart, touched by his words. "Hop Pop, you didn't have to do that just for—"
"It was a long time coming anyway," the old frog cut in, smiling up at her. "Nobody messes with the Plantars. Besides, being mayor is a good idea. Corrupt toads have ruled over this town for far too long, neglectin' the people out of greed, all just to feel superior. And heck, from what I read, Toadstool ain't even the worst mayor in Wartwood's history!"
"Yeah, I did hear about that," Luz replied. "Well, if you want to become mayor, we'll need to learn all about how these elections work. I don't want you to fail."
Hop Pop half-heartedly glared at her, but sighed, knowing they were right. He didn't want this process to be so complicated, but he knew he couldn't let everyone's hopes down, especially after the town's newfound support. He was their best chance to escape the toad's greedy oppression.
Suddenly, he heard a familiar, playful voice approaching him from behind. "What's this I've heard about you becoming mayor, Hoppy?"
Hop Pop froze in place, immediately knowing who it was. He spun around, a wide smile breaking out on his face, his cheeks turning pink. "Sylvia! It's been a while."
Sylvia chuckled at his response, planting a kiss on his head. "Sorry, I've just been so busy helping my daughter with the tea shop. I felt bad for hurtin' their business all this time, so I've been workin' hard to make up for it."
Luz cooed at their display of affection while Polly gagged.
"I understand," Hop Pop said with a soft smile. "We've all been busy lately. I'm going to run for mayor, and we'll be busy for a while, so… I'm not sure about the stand."
"My man's running for mayor," Sylvia cooed teasingly, making Hop Pop's face heat up. "Well, as for your stand…" She pondered for a moment and came up with an idea, snapping her fingers. "Ah! Maybe I could help run the stand while you're campaignin'."
Hop Pop sputtered for a moment, surprised. "Sylvia, I can't ask that of you. You gotta harvest vegetables and run the stand for six hours a day. I can't put that kind of responsibility on you."
Sylvia was initially taken aback by his concern but then burst into laughter. "Hoppy, you're such a sweetheart, but I can handle things until you're done. I am not one to be underestimated."
"I… Well, if you did, I'll give 70 percent of the profits to you," Hop Pop insisted. "You're doin' all the work, after all. But what about the tea shop?"
Sylvia smiled. "I appreciate your generosity. Well, of course, I could instead use those funds to help my family..."
"Thank you, Sylvia," Hop Pop replied, appreciating the help of his girlfriend. "I owe you one. I'll help you get started before we leave for the archives."
As Sylvia left, Hop Pop turned back toward the Plantars and Luz. "Alright, back to that election stuff. Even with all my books, there's barely anything about the elections! We have to go to the archives."
"But Wartwood has a library," Luz reminded him.
"That's true, but I've been there for years, and I ain't seen nothin' bout elections," Hop Pop explained. "Pretty sure Toadstool or someone else burnt those books because they fear we might stand up to them or realize they're a buncha stinkin' con artists. Most frogs aren't brave enough to stand up against those toads, and they won't get far even if they try. They want us to be oblivious and drink the flavor-aid, hoping we never wake up. I guess I was one of them."
Luz had done some research about Amphibia's politics, but she didn't know it was this bad. While the rest of this world was still a mystery, it saddened her to think about just how flawed Wartwood's system was. From what she had heard, the king of Amphibia—King Andrias—was a really kind and forgiving person, but he was indirectly enabling this kind of behavior.
"Hmmm, well, how about we shift our gears from doom thinking and head over to the Archives?" Luz agreed. "I've been wanting to go there for a while now. They might even have some stuff about magic!"
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Polly cut in. "Let's grab Sprig and get this over with." On that note, the Plantars headed back to the stand, where they found Sprig and Sylvia having a nice chat while selling produce to the occasional customer.
"Well, if it's fine with them, then it's fine with me," Sprig said after Sylvia had filled him in about her plans for the upcoming weeks. "Thanks, Sylvia."
"It's no problem, sweetie," the elder frogess assured him with a smile, patting his back. "I can handle things on my own. Oh, I see your family has returned."
Sprig spun around, noticing the other Plantars approaching the stand. "Oh, hey, you're back!" He leapt down, walking up to Luz. "How'd it go?"
"Hop Pop's running for mayor!" Luz exclaimed proudly, much to the surprise of the young frog. "And we're heading for the archives!"
Sprig blinked in surprise, then shrugged. "Fine by me. Let's go get Bessie!" While he would've normally hated that idea, he couldn't deny the atmosphere felt different this time, almost as if Luz's nerdiness had rubbed off on him.
"Wait just a moment," Hop Pop cut him off, approaching his girlfriend with a slip of paper. "Here, Sylvia, I've written down some instructions for ya. We'll be back before the election ends."
"Safe travels!" Sylvia replied, kissing the top of his head. "Now go get goin'! You only have so much time to spare."
"You heard her, kids," Hop Pop said, blushing after the kiss. He wasn't sure if he would ever get over them. "Now let's head on over to the Archives!"
The four of them headed back home, entrusting the stand to Sylvia for the time being. After picking up Bessie and getting the snail all ready for the long trip ahead, they began to plan their route toward the archives. While the Plantars had already gone there just a couple months back, it was naturally all brand new for Luz.
As they left Wartwood, they approached a path surrounded by open fields. The location was surprisingly peaceful and mostly untouched. "Now, remember, gang, the mountain pass will clear up in the near future," Hop Pop spoke up. "Meaning, it's almost time to leave this valley and find Luz a way home."
"I could finally get the chance to see Mama again," Luz said with a longing expression on her face. She didn't really like her life back home, or the dreaded summer camp, but she still loved her mom and knew she must've been worried sick all these months. On the other hand, she shuddered, imagining what her mom would say or do once they reunited. Would she ever let her out of her room again?
Deciding to ignore her dark thoughts, Luz took her mind off of the moment by offering to control Bessie for the rest of the ride. Hop Pop was already clearly aching and tired from how long he was driving. He wasn't getting any younger, after all.
The old frog was grateful and accepted without any hesitation. For the rest of the trip, Luz blissfully distracted herself by focusing on the road ahead and what they could find up there, shoving any worries about her mom or her home into the deep, dark chasms of her mind. It had been a while since she'd ridden Bessie, but she knew to keep a strong bond with the creature by practicing occasionally.
After what felt like forever, Luz spotted a small stone structure up ahead. She thought it was some random statue or a memorial, but as she signaled Bessie to stop in order to get a closer glimpse, she was surprised to read the sign perched just to its right. The Historic Wartwood Town Archives. "Huh, I was expecting some huge, grand building," Luz commented as the four promptly hopped off of the snail, approaching the entrance.
"Well, from what I remember, this place used to be some poor frog's home," Hop Pop explained as they walked toward the tunnel-like opening. Installed just above was a statue of a frog holding a book, which, to Luz's eyes, looked like some random dealer of cheap mystery goods. "I believe they died and someone turned their home into the archives."
As they headed through the entrance, they walked down a small flight of stairs in a stone corridor that headed underground. Its walls were overgrown with mushrooms, moss, and bits of grass. It made the place look abandoned and unmaintained, but when they passed through a golden gate at the bottom of the staircase, the mood instantly changed, intriguing Luz. The archives themselves resembled a huge library with two floors of bookshelves lined against the walls, and chairs and tables scattered throughout the library. The four stood near the corner of a giant center hall, with various other staircases and tunnels diverting from the golden-bathed hues lit by mushroom lamps.
"Wow, this place is awesome! I wonder if there are any books about magic," Luz wondered out loud. "Maybe ancient magic!"
"There could be, but we've gotta focus," Hop Pop reminded her. "If we stick here too long, we'll be locked in."
The human girl paused, suddenly getting nervous. "Wait, locked? As in permanently?"
Seeing the worry on her face, Hop Pop pointed to the ceiling, where Luz noticed a strange device. "Oh, no, no, just for the night. The door to this place is set on a sunlight timer. It opens when the sun rises and deadlocks when the sun sets."
Relieved, Luz nodded as she and Hop Pop headed toward some bookshelves on the other side of the first floor. As they approached a fireplace that had likely gathered dust for a long time, Luz noticed a small sign and knelt to read it. "Mycroft Newtback, archives founder. This structure, originally Newtback's home, became the public archives in his honor after he violently perished traveling beyond the valley."
She shuddered a bit, reading that. "Yikes… I'm guessing he was a big name if they chose his place to host the archives."
"We don't know much about him, but if he has books, not even Newtopia has, well…" Hop Pop added. He then shook his head, getting back on topic as he led Luz to a bookshelf, sifting through it. "Right, right, politics," he said after a short pause. "Uh…"
Luz looked at the next bookshelf to make things go faster. On the third shelf, she found a stack of four books related to Amphibia's politics, which was exactly what she was looking for. "Bingo! Time to get started."
"Actually, I'd like to look through those, if you don't mind," Hop Pop said, grabbing the four books for himself as Luz was slightly taken aback. "This stuff looks pretty complex. While I figure out how the whole system works, you should read about Wartwood and how the other mayors ran. This'll keep me busy for a while."
"Not a bad idea," Luz agreed. She dragged over a nearby recliner and stood on it to get a clearer view of the fourth shelf, which was crowded with an assortment of random books. Luz thought the archives would've been well organized, but this area was nothing but a mess. Thankfully, it didn't take long to find what she was looking for—a book covering the history of Frog Valley's elections. While she was at it, she also snagged a few more books about Amphibia's history. Even if she didn't get to them right away, she still needed to know everything.
Plopping down in one of the many table's seats, Luz opened up the first book about elections and quickly flipped to the section covering Wartwood. The book didn't have much information about Wartwood's first mayoral elections, but the first one covered in detail was about a toad named Mulch McCroakel. From what Luz read, Mulch won a surprise election against another frog, whose name was lost to time. He was famous for his sunken eyes and wide chin, freezing up during public speeches for minutes at a time, and harassing anybody who wasn't a toad.
Luz sighed as she read the last sentence, knowing all too well what that was like. As she kept reading on, she learned that he was also famous for his line of durable armor and backscratchers for some reason. She briefly chuckled at that last bit before groaning, realizing this wasn't going anywhere further. The book she was reading was clearly ancient, biased, and gave little help, merely spouting nonsense about how great the toads were as mayors.
Wanting a change of pace, Luz shut the book and set it aside, aiming her attention toward another book detailing Amphibia's past. The title did not mention anything about mayors, but she was still interested in learning other aspects of its history and perhaps a few extra takeaways.
For all she knew, maybe she could somehow find information about the Calamity Box and how to get home, as unlikely as it was. Maddie had no luck recharging it so far, and neither of them wanted to take the risk of vaporizing the box or its gems. If the box took even the slightest damage, Luz could be stuck here for the rest of her life and never see her mama again.
Realizing she was worrying too much at the moment, Luz shrugged her mind off and opened the book, flipping through its pages. Almost immediately, she found many references to the previous king of Amphibia—King Aldrich—whose name she'd heard somewhere a while back, but she wasn't exactly sure where exactly. As much as she wanted to research the Calamity Box, now wasn't the time to do that. She'd have to come back for that another time.
Disappointed that she couldn't find much about politics, Luz got up from her chair and walked over to Hop Pop, who was sitting across the room from her. Judging by the many books laid out to his side and a few sheets of paper hastily sprawled out, Luz knew he found something good. "Whatcha find, Hop Pop?" Luz spoke up in front of him, briefly startling the old frog out of his fixation.
"Oh! Uh, well, Luz, these books say that you must first register as an official candidate if you want to get your name onto those ballots," he explained. "A surprisingly convoluted system, but no surprise there…"
"Yep, that figures," Luz mumbled, already mentally exhausted. "How hard is the process?"
Hop Pop quieted her down as he kept studying the book's paragraphs. "To appear on the ballots across Frog Valley," he read aloud, "a qualified candidate must get… 1,000 votes!?" he suddenly shouted as he jolted back, startling both Luz and himself. "Why the heck do we need enough votes just to appear on the ballot? No wonder Toadstool has ruled for so long…" he muttered in slight frustration and hopelessness.
Luz felt like something wasn't adding up. Wartwood definitely didn't have 1,000 people that would clear the bar, unless the system was really that rigged. She asked Hop Pop if she could take a closer look at his book, hoping there was something else to explain things.
She suddenly had a moment of clarity as she read the last paragraphs on the page. "Wait, Hop Pop, it says here that candidates appeal to voters in Wartwood, Swamp Shiro, Bog Bottom," her confidence slightly waning, "and Lily Paddington. This means we'll have to reach voters outside of Wartwood too! That explains the thousand-vote thing!"
Hop Pop was about to say something, but then paused, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets. "W-Wait… The entire valley has to vote?! I didn't know that!"
"Wow, that's kinda embarrassing," Polly said, surprising the other two, who forgot she was there. "Running for mayor, yet you don't know what you're doing. Classic Hop Pop."
Hop Pop paused for a moment before shrugging things off. "Anyway, if we have to reach voters from other cities, we may need to travel there with Bessie and the fwagon. And it's gonna be a tight, tight race."
"Wait, what's the fwagon?" Luz asked as she raised an eyebrow, not knowing what he was referring to.
The old frog blinked in confusion before his eyes lit up. "Oh, right, I never told you 'bout that. It's an all-terrain, custom-modeled family wagon. I've bought a used one thanks to the funds you raised, just waiting for the perfect moment."
His face then dropped when he realized something. "Wait, I didn't bring it, did I?" Seeing the deadpan look Luz gave him, he groaned. "Okay, we'll go back to the farm and get it loaded up. We'll need to hurry, though."
With not much time left and still many questions unanswered, Luz knew she had to do something quick while they were still here in the archives. She ran back to the large table where the history books were still lying and sat down, opening the other book's section about Mulch McCroakel back up. Surely there was something she missed, and as it turned out, there was.
McCroakel (obviously) had a big ego and plastered his image and speeches in newspapers and signs strewn all across the valley. Luz imagined a lightbulb going off above her head and shot up, nearly knocking her chair over as she hurried toward Hop Pop, startling him again. "Hop Pop, I have a perfect idea! I think our best bet at getting enough votes and winning is if we could buy out… ads or something! That way, more people will know who you are, and they'll spread the word."
Hop Pop's expression shifted from anger, to confusion, to a thoughtful look. "Mmmm, I don't know, Luz. That sounds pretty expensive, and you know I never take our funds for granted."
"Maybe, but think about the benefits! The people!" Luz pushed. "I'll even sell potions overtime if I have to; that's how much I care."
Seeing she wasn't backing down, Hop Pop let out a defeated sigh. "Alright, you're right. It's the best way to win the election. However, we best get going now."
"Aw well, but I still gotta read these books," Luz protested, despite knowing he was right.
"We'll come here another time," the old frog replied. "I'm gonna go find the kids. I need ya to go check on Bessie and make sure she didn't run off."
Luz nodded as she suddenly remembered they left Bessie outside. As Hop Pop left, she glanced around to make sure nobody was looking before rushing to a nearby bookshelf she knew was stashed with books about potions. With the books firmly in her sight, she stuffed a few of them into her backpack. "I'm sure Mycroft wouldn't mind me borrowing a few books," she muttered with a bit of guilt, silently promising to bring them back, eventually.
Once Luz and the Plantars were reunited, they headed back to Wartwood on Bessie to get the fwagon ready. Their trip wouldn't be pleasant if they didn't have any food, water, or shelter. The old frog silently chastised himself for forgetting to bring it in the first place as they headed to the family farm where their house awaited. At the back of it, the fwagon itself was stored.
As Luz and Hop Pop approached the back, she saw the fwagon in person for the first time, and she was very pleasantly surprised. The wagon was like a miniature version of the Plantar farmhouse, with a small front door on the side, two hinged windows on each side, and four sets of wheels attached. right below it. "Hop Pop, this is like a mini RV!" she geeked out as she opened the small front door to poke her head inside, two green steps protruding right below it.
"Now, now, kiddo," the frog piped her down, "we're in kind of a hurry. You can save your excitement for later. We gotta attach it to Bessie first because it's gonna be a long road ahead."
"Fair point," Luz agreed as she poked her head back outside before shutting the door, having never stepped into the interior yet. From what she saw, however, it housed a large room with a dining table, seats, books, and a blue couch perched on the side. She didn't wanna imagine how much it cost Hop Pop, but she was just happy to have a great place to relax during the trip. Time would fly inside!
As they both pushed the wagon out to where they could attach it to Bessie, Polly greeted them with a single question that unsettled Luz.
"Hey, Luz, did you know the previous owners died in it?" Polly asked.
"Huh—what?" Luz sputtered, not knowing if she was serious or not, but based on her blank expression, it was hard to tell. Quite frankly, the tadpole sometimes scared Luz. Whatever, it was time to load it up with supplies and kits they always used back home. It took them an hour, mostly because Hop Pop kept sifting through everything, going back and forth and making sure nothing was missing. It would be at least a week before they headed back, so it was best to pack everything up than to realize something was missing dozens of miles away from home. At least they had a room to lie around and relax in.
As they finally took off, Luz made sure the home's doors and windows were well-locked and sealed tight. The Plantars didn't believe in home security systems—not that they really needed it, but she was always the kind of paranoid person who was extra careful, just in case.
After heading out of Wartwood once again, they embarked on their journey through the valley. It took them an hour to pass the archives, but this was gonna be at least eight times as long. Now with a more comfortable seat, Hop Pop was fine with driving Bessie for longer periods, which gave the others time to do whatever they wanted. With the fwagon's mini-house, it was certainly gonna be an awesome ride.
Sitting down at the small table, Luz took the time to take in the sights and lights of the room. It's like she never left the house! Getting slightly bored, she pulled out a book covering potions. Curious, Sprig and Polly walked over to see what she was doing. "Wow, that looks old," Polly remarked. "Where'd you find this?"
"Please don't tell Hop Pop, but, uh… I might've borrowed it from the archives," Luz replied, and Polly and Sprig gasped out loud.
"Whoa, girl, I didn't know that was your style!" Polly exclaimed. "I almost have respect for you now!"
"Shhh!" Luz chided, putting a finger up to her lips as her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "Not so loud. I'll return it soon, but I just couldn't resist the temptation."
"Well, I guess if you're gonna return it…" Sprig murmured, a bit uncomfortable about her taking something so old and (likely) priceless.
Without another word, Luz opened the book and went through the first pages listing ingredients, getting to the good stuff. As she saw the first couple of potions, her eyes quickly widened as she saw powerful spells she knew would come in handy. She knew she would have to show them to Maddie.
Before Luz could continue, she heard Hop Pop calling for her to take a turn driving Bessie, so she did, but not before securing the books she borrowed in her backpack. The rest of the day went by in a blur as they got one trek closer to Swamp Shiro.
As she went to trade places with the old frog, she asked him a question she had on her mind for hours. "Hey, Hop Pop, are you sure we're gonna be able to make it to all three towns and get back in time for the election? The fwagon slows down Bessie a lot."
"Don't worry, I did some calculations before we left," the old frog explained. "I estimate it'll take us about three to five days to reach each town, so about twelve to fifteen days in total. That'll be cutting it pretty close, since the election's in two weeks, but if we don't make any unnecessary stops, we should hopefully make it."
"That's cutting it a bit too close, dontcha think?" Luz murmured as she sat down at the front, taking Bessie's reins. "If things get really tight, we could even give Bessie one of those berries that could speed her up!"
"That could work, but you best be careful," Hop Pop warned her. "Feeding too many berries to her could make her sick, and then she wouldn't be able to help us."
Luz nodded as he headed back into the fwagon to take advantage of his break and sleep for a while. While she could use a healing potion on Bessie if she wanted to, she didn't want to take the risk and overwork her, possibly losing her trust. Plus, she almost died to one of those potions, and that scared her off from using them anymore unless necessary.
Nightfall came quicker than expected, but then again, everyone had lost their sense of time from all those hours spent in the archives. Her rear end was sore from sitting in the same position for so long, but she didn't want to wake up Hop Pop yet, so she continued until around midnight. By that point, she finally couldn't take it any longer. It seemed that Bessie was faring no better than her, so they both decided to call it a night before they tripped into a pothole.
The next couple of days went about the same until they made it to Swamp Shiro. Based on the maps Luz had seen, it pretty much matched her expectations. Many buildings were tall and topped with mushroom roofs. In fact, upon closer inspection, she realized many of them were likely created by carving the trees themselves.
Cautiously, they approached its entrance sign, where, unlike Wartwood, it had no catchy motto. This was uncharted territory for them, but they figured that regardless of how things went, they could learn from their mistakes for future rallies.
"So, are we just gonna find a random patch of dirt and set up our stand there?" Polly commented coldly.
"Now, now, I've heard Swamp Shiro has lots of public fields and stages that we could campaign at," Hop Pop reassured her. "At least, the book here says so… I'm gonna battle my stagefright and give the people the speech they deserve."
"A speech?" Luz pondered as she pulled the ropes to keep Bessie going. Sure, the speech Hop Pop had given in Wartwood gave him the chance to be a candidate, but would that work again? With that thought on Luz's mind, they finally entered Swamp Shiro proper. The streets were lined with tons of bystanders and other makeshift wagons piloted by amphibians of all ages.
Wanting to ease the nervousness of entering a new city, Luz held out her phone where she offered to play music to lighten up the crowds and inject some fun and excitement. The Topsify app opened, showing a long playlist of songs of all kinds. "Hey, once we get started, why not play some music? I got folk, dance, disco, pop bands, everything to keep the high going."
Hop Pop nodded in agreement with her idea and spotted something in the distance. "Look, kids, an empty stage!" He pointed to a small circular lake of swamp water. In the center was an empty raised circle with a narrow walkway leading to it. Surrounding the entire lake were a few rows of stadium seating risers—perfect to build up a potential audience.
Just a few minutes later, they approached the stage and set Bessie aside as they began preparing for their first major rally. Near the corner was a table with a couple of banners of Hop Pop strewn in front. It was more humble than they expected, but it would definitely serve its purpose well, at least for the moment.
Luz opened the music app on her phone and set up the feel-good playlist that she had conveniently downloaded long ago. Most of those songs were ripped from random download sites, as her mom wasn't too keen on paying for music. As she tapped the play button, Disco Girl by BABBA blared out of her phone's tiny speaker.
As the people of Swamp Shiro walked around the stage, casually going about their business, Hop Pop began speaking to lure some potential voters in. Most passersby ignored him, but as an hour passed, some curious onlookers sat in the audience, intrigued by his passionate speech, his energy and determination holding steadily high.
"I tell y'all, when these elections come to pass, vote like your life depends on it because it DOES!" Hop Pop dramatically pointed outward as Sprig looked on in the risers with the rest of the captivated audience, with Polly just hiding in her bucket indifferently. "We care about you, Swamp Shiro, and Frog bless you all! Don't forget to sign the booklet to get us on the ballot!"
Feeling validated and motivated by a few scattered echoing claps, the old frog finally felt exhausted as he dropped his act and bent his knees, looking down as he caught his breath. After a few sighs, he looked up at Luz, who really looked impressed by everything.
"You wanna do the QNA bit, Luz?" Hop Pop requested. "My dang voice almost blew out, and I think you'll do good taking their questions."
The human gave a nervous thumbs up as she propped her chair around to sit behind the table, almost as if she were to sign autographs. Seeing this, a few of the audience members approached the stage and filed up in a neat line. She proceeded to take their questions and encourage them to vote for her hero and future mayor. Most of them were pretty easy to answer, like how he would address inflation, how involved would Andrias or the regal rulers be (which is to say pretty much not), or even how he would fare against a giant feral mantis.
All the while, the members and citizens began filling out their signatures on the official election notebook. The first few pages had filled up completely, giving Luz a huge boost of motivation and hope that they could make it onto the ballot in time.
As the day ended and the blood-red moon rose, the Plantars headed back into the fwagon to catch some much-needed rest. The room was surprisingly spacious and was just what they needed to recharge. After all, the following days weren't gonna be any easier on them.
Hop Pop and his children were lying on the blue couch, clearly exhausted, while Luz was flipping through the booklet, counting how many signatures they'd received so far. "So after all that support we got today, that brings us to 206 votes. We really need to step up our game if we wanna stand a chance at the ballot."
The old frog paused for a moment as he pondered the results so far, but smiled as he reassured the others there wasn't much to worry about. "We still need to go to Lily Paddington and Bog Bottom, and those will take like four days just to get there. Still, I've heard they're pretty big cities, so we should hit the threshold in no time."
"So, do we leave town tomorrow, or should we do another rally here?" Luz asked inquisitively.
"Time is everything, and the sooner we get to Lily Paddington, the better. It's the closest stop to where we are right now, and while we trek there, you should prepare as much as you can. Anyway, goodnight, Luz. Sleep while you can. We may not get much these next two weeks."
Luz nodded as she stayed silent, her eyes only slowly blinking in horror and realization. This would be a long, unpredictable path toward the election with so many obstacles and gotchas, but if there was anyone who could pull it off, it was Hop Pop. Thinking too much about it (and perhaps she should listen to him), she set the booklet and books aside before crashing onto the wooden floor into a deep slumber.
The next morning, they planned their route and went on their way toward Lily Paddington with Bessie and the fwagon on their side. It took two whole days to arrive there, but Luz didn't waste a second of precious time as she kept studying the books and writing down ideas for their future rallies as she and the Plantar children crashed it out inside the fwagon.
Their next rally at Lily Paddington went very smoothly, and the audience even laughed, along with some jokes and speeches Hop Pop gave. The Q&A line easily snaked around the arena where they held their speech, and even Luz had to take some occasional drinks and bathroom breaks from the sheer stress of it all.
Four days later, they found themselves just wrapping up their Bog Bottom rally, which naturally came after yet another long day of traveling with the fwagon. Luz had tallied up every signature that filled out her notebook and was relieved to learn they had gathered 1,142 votes in total. And that number would surely go even higher once they counted the initial votes from Wartwood.
"Hop Pop, we made it! We got the votes!" she excitedly screamed as she held up the notebook in the air, presenting it to the happy but exhausted mayor-to-be, who was starting to put away all the banners and papers into a dingy silver crate.
"Yep," he quietly responded with a gurgly breath. Normally he would hop up and down all around the dirt at the news, but all this campaigning left him extremely tired. Still, he absolutely appreciated Luz and the others' hard work in bringing him so far. "After we put away all this decor and whatnot, it's finally time to head back to Wartwood."
It had been a long, arduous couple of weeks of campaigning throughout the valley for all the Plantars. They had cut it pretty close, but it was finally time to head back to Wartwood on Bessie, who, even with all her energy, was desperate to head back and take some much-needed rest.
"I think I actually have a chance at winning this election," Hop Pop said as Luz sat beside him on the snail, the two of them nearing the entrance of Wartwood. "Thanks for all your help, Luz. Would've been real embarrassing if I came in unprepared."
Luz smiled, and her cheeks flushed a bit from the praise. "Hey, if anybody wants Toadstool gone, it's me, and I know you'll make a great mayor."
The old frog nodded appreciatively. "The last thing to worry about now is the mayoral trials. Then I'm home free."
Luz was about to reply, but then paused with a bit of worry. "Trials? What kind of trials?"
"It's really a Wartwood tradition," Hop Pop elaborated as they headed to a nearby part of the wilderness. "Each election cycle, both candidates have to endure various difficult trials to prove to Wartwood that they are truly capable of being a leader. Then, the votes come flooding in."
"Huh, that's kinda like those debates I saw on TV, but much cooler," Luz commented, placing a hand on her chin. "Are you sure you'll be able to handle them?"
"I think I have a shot," Hop Pop replied, a bit of uncertainty leaking into his tone. "Toadstool's always done the bare minimum, but he always wins because of his obsessive cult, and maybe because no frog has stepped up until now. He's always been a coward. Take the reins for me, will ya? I've got to get dressed for the trials."
Luz nodded, taking over Bessie's reins while Hop Pop went out into the back of the fwagon to change his outfit, all while rigorously preparing himself for the trials. Minutes later, he emerged, wearing absolutely nothing but a tight swimsuit covering his whole torso.
Luz was slightly surprised at his new look but chose to say nothing as Hop Pop headed back inside the fwagon, wanting to rest as much as possible in these critical minutes. They were a few kilometers away from where the trials were to happen, but time was rapidly slipping away. Risking it all and cutting it close, she piloted Bessie and hastily sped away.
As the crowd gathered at the location where the first trial was taking place, Toadstool had a smirk on his face as Toadie massaged and loosened up his shoulders. He was also suited up with a full-body swimsuit, though with how obese he was, his floppy pecs were all too visible, which looked rather nauseating. "Well, looks like Hopediah won't be making it today. This election will be over before it even starts," he preemptively declared smugly, perhaps not even needing to lift a finger this year.
Unfortunately for him, his smile faded when he heard a familiar chirp. Turning around, he saw Bessie slowing to a stop right behind the crowd. As everyone noticed, their eyes and mood lit up with newfound hope. Hop Pop hopped down with a determined expression on his face as he walked forward, standing next to Toadstool while Luz, Sprig, and Polly went to watch from the sidelines.
Toadstool scowled at the sight of the old frog but kept his cool as he stretched his arms, unintentionally sending Toadie flying with his fist. "You've made a powerful enemy today, Hopediah. Toads have run uncontested for decades. This is a disgrace."
"The only disgrace is you as mayor," Hop Pop retorted, doing lunges to loosen his old bones.
"Ooh, I like this Hopediah," an impressed Mrs. Croaker commented from a distance, but the frog next to her didn't share her opinion.
"I don't know," the frog replied skeptically, raising his fist in the air. "Toadstool is tried and true!"
"Ahem!" Albus Duckweed raised his hand into the air to silence the crowd as he got in between Hop Pop and Toadstool, who were glaring at each other. "Welcome to the official mayoral trials, where the candidates try to win your vote."
"Go, Hop Pop!" Luz cheered, only fueling the old frog's confidence.
"Our first trial is all about strength," Albus revealed, pulling out an oddly shaped whistle. "The first candidate to mount the beetle wins!" He blew the whistle, and a large beetle came out of the cave in front of them, prompting everybody else to run away, leaving Hop Pop and Toadstool. The beetle roared at them, and both candidates started to panic and run away from it as it chased after them.
Toadstool's weight and fitness did not do him any favors as he tripped and tried to snatch the beetle himself, but Hop Pop's agility and quick thinking let him distract the beetle with his rear end, enraging it and crashing into a tree stump. Taking the chance, the old frog did a front flip and landed on top of the beetle, successfully mounting it and winning the first trial with relative ease. The crowd cheered, with the Plantars and Luz cheering the loudest, while Toadstool stomped his foot in anger, realizing he had to step things up.
Albus Duckweed led them to the nearby cliff for the next trial, where the test was all about sensitivity. Three giant baby birds were in their nest, chirping and crying out for attention. Toadstool confidently believed they needed money as he pulled out a bag of coins and blindly tossed them toward the nest.
Unsurprisingly, this didn't work, as Luz could only facepalm. This toad was so out of touch with the world, yet somehow, he was still treating the birds better than the citizens of Wartwood. Thankfully, Hop Pop used his paternal instincts as he found a packet of worms that he promptly gave to the birds, earning their respect and scoring another point for him. Unfortunately for everybody, the mother bird came back soon after to protect its babies, scaring them all off.
By the third trial, both candidates were sent out into the wilderness, in a solitary and intense test of self-survival and endurance. Whoever survived this could put up a fight against absolutely anything nature dared to throw at them.
Toadstool didn't know the first thing about surviving out in the wilderness—being born into a wealthy family. Hop Pop, on the other hand, had been doing this kind of thing for as long as he could remember. While he had no guide to get back to the others, he did manage to befriend a friendly group of beetles, knowing they likely knew the whole forest in and out. He even decided to name the leader Jeremy.
A tense half-hour had passed, with neither of the competitors in sight. Just then, the crowd heard rustling in the bushes and gasped to see none other than Hop Pop walking forward, caked in mud, while a group of beetles followed behind, with Jeremy resting on his arm. "Thanks for showing me the way, Jeremy," he said, placing a 'Vote Hop Pop!' badge on the beetle. Despite knowing his friend for only half an hour, the beetle's cheeks flushed, and it chirped, flying off with the rest while Hop Pop waved at them. "Safe travels!"
The crowd gathered around him and cheered him on, with Luz being the happiest out of all of them. They lifted him in the air, tossing him up and down in celebration. There was only one trial to go, and with how much Hop Pop had been curb-stomping Toadstool, it was looking great for him. Toadstool, meanwhile, was livid. Hop Pop had to find and help him get back, which made things even worse for him. He was caked in mud, naked, and had a tiny rat-like creature biting his behind.
"This is getting out of hand, Toadie," he muttered, now separated from the crowd as his assistant placed a warm towel over him. "I could actually… lose!" He spat that last word out with venom. He was desperately thinking of something, anything to defeat Hop Pop, but his frustrated and short-tempered mind was coming up empty.
As he sprung up one last, desperate idea while putting his clothes back on, he wanted to confront Hop Pop before they headed to the final trial. It took a moment, but he eventually found him next to that gangly freak he was housing. "Hopediah, a word, if you don't mind?" he said with a forced smile.
Hop Pop and the others were heading back to the fwagon, when they heard Toadstool. "I don't see why not. Luz, would you mind?"
Luz narrowed her eyes at Toadstool suspiciously, but shook her head. "No, go ahead. He better not do anything to you."
Once the two candidates headed a bit further away from the rest, Hop Pop turned to Toadstool. "Alright, what is it?" he asked, curious.
"I'll give it to you straight," Toadstool replied with a stern expression, rubbing his sore rear. "I want you to lose tomorrow's trial."
"Well, yeah. I figured…" Hop Pop muttered, raising an eyebrow.
"No, you dimwit, lose on purpose!" the toad said exasperatedly, as if he were stupid. "In return, I'll pay you handsomely for dropping out. I'll even move your stand to the center of the market, tax-free."
Hop Pop crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes at Toadstool's attempt to bribe him. "Look, I'm fine as I am. Maybe I would've considered it, but my duty and integrity are more important than any cheap bribes."
Toadstool began to panic inside, but his expression didn't change. "Okay, how about I also let her, uh, live in the City Hollow again?" he offered. "I'm sure she'll love living like royalty again."
In response, Hop Pop jabbed him in the chest with his finger, scowling at the toad. "Luz is already doing fine where she is, and I'm not letting you lay your grubby fingers on her again. The answer is no, Toadstool, and for the record, her name is Luz 'Plantar' Noceda!"
Without another word, Hop Pop stormed back toward the fwagon, as Toadstool's jaw completely sank. Why was he turning down so much fortune for some stupid twig-limbed creature that wasn't even from this world? The toad had been so generous—giving Luz a shot at royalty, splurging her with so much, and being so forgiving of her endless humiliation toward him. This was how they repaid him?! I mean, sure, he'd gotten that thing cursed, but she was asking for it!
Well, no matter, he thought. Toads are naturally stronger than frogs. Thinking this, he felt a new rush of cockiness. He had nothing to worry about, after all.
As Toadstool schemed by himself, the Plantars and everyone else were already heading back to Wartwood in preparation for the final trial. This fateful match would determine who would be the town's next mayor.
"Ladies and gentlephibians, you know the candidates!" Albus Duckweed announced, now in the middle of a boxing ring, with a tightly packed crowd of frogs and toads cheering loudly, holding up signs supporting both candidates. "You've seen 'em fight monsters, but for the final challenge, you'll see them fight… each other!" he revealed.
Luz felt nervous, despite how well Hop Pop had been doing. This was the final trial—all those weeks of campaigning led up to this. She just hoped Toadstool wouldn't get a lucky hit on him, as the toads' natural strength could instantly spell game over.
Toadie leaped onto a rope at the edge of the boxing ring to allow Toadstool an easy way in. Unfortunately for him, Toadstool didn't notice him and accidentally stepped on him, sending him flying by the rebounding rope. Of course, the toad didn't have a care in the world.
Hop Pop stepped onto the ring as well, having a determined expression on his face. This was now or never, and he wasn't going down without a fight. After both fighters were given boxing gloves, which looked more like bouncy balls than gloves, Albus, as the referee, prepared to begin the battle. "Now you both know the rules. Fight starts as soon as the bell rings," he repeated.
An elder frog, who'd been snoring from above, jolted awake, misinterpreting his words as a command. "Huh? Ring the bell?!" He quickly struck the bell with his tongue, signaling for the fight to begin.
As soon as the bell rang, Toadstool let out a yell and swung a punch down at Hop Pop full force, but the old frog jumped out of the way, while Albus barely escaped by the skin of his tail. Hop Pop's leap sent him flying into one of the boxing ring ropes, which bent back, sending him back toward Toadstool. Before the toad could react, Hop Pop had collided with him, knocking him down.
The crowd erupted at the strike, and even some of Toadstool's supporters couldn't help but get excited as Hop Pop chuckled, turning back around and facing the toad, who was now glaring at him with hatred. The old frog leaped down, striking Toadstool in the face with his fist, which made him flinch in pain. He tried to strike back, but Hop Pop leaped over his strike and front-flipped, nailing Toadstool on the head with another punch.
Seeing this, Luz's eyes lit up, her worry vanishing. "He can do this! Toadstool can't land a hit on him!"
Right as she said that, Hop Pop was confidently about to strike him again, but Toadstool finally caught on to his plan and snagged a hit on the old frog, sending him flying into one of the poles. He grunted in pain, but as the toad tried to punch him again, Hop Pop leaped over his fist and ran up his arm, barraging Toadstool's face with a flurry of punches.
Getting fed up with the battle, Toadstool growled in anger. "That's enough!" He threw the old frog up into the air, and as he was about to land, Toadstool yelled and slammed his belly into Hop Pop, knocking him down.
The crowd gasped in shock while Luz's heart sank. "No!"
Toadstool panted, sweat glistening on his face as he stumbled toward the old frog. "Stay down, Plantar," he muttered so that nobody but Hop Pop could hear him. "This is your last chance. The offer's still up if you give up now."
Hop Pop's vision was blurry as he could barely make out the encouraging muffled voices of everybody—the Wartwoodians, the Plantars, and Luz. Seeing as Hop Pop wasn't willing to listen, Toadstool was about to land the finishing blow. Hop Pop finally gathered himself at the last second as he rolled out of his way and slowly got up, grabbing onto the rope as support. He wasn't just fighting for himself, but he was fighting for everybody else in this town, especially his family.
"You stupid frog! Do you know what's going to happen if you beat me? Do you think the toads are just going to let this stand? Even if you win, the toads will come for you!" Toadstool growled and struck him in the face, but Hop Pop barely budged this time, having a smirk on his face as he was rapidly punched. Nothing would knock him down now, and the fight's end was long overdue. The old frog wound back his fist and let out a battle cry, landing a strong uppercut on Toadstool with all of his remaining strength. That blow alone sent Toadstool gasping into the air, and he landed back down, defeated.
"That's a knockout!" Albus Duckweed exclaimed. Once again, the elder frog in charge of the bell misinterpreted his words and promptly rang the bell with his tongue, calling the match. It was over, and Hop Pop had won the trials 4-0.
The crowd erupted, with many of them personally hopping up onto the ring to congratulate Hop Pop, who was struggling to contain his emotions, all while Luz stood watching from the crowd, a huge sense of relief and joy overflowing through her. It was finally over, and if this didn't convince the valley to vote for Hop Pop, then nothing would. All that was left now was waiting for the final votes to come in, and she prayed to whatever deity was watching over her that it'd go in their favor.
They had a couple of hours after the fight to recover, and Luz did her best to treat the bruises forming all over Hop Pop's body—especially his face, but he took it in stride. Luckily, Toadstool wasn't very strong, like the toads at Toad Tower, so the old frog had a much better chance of winning.
After a couple of hours, which felt like days, it was finally time to announce the results of the election. Once everybody had gathered at the City Hollow, an anxious Albus Duckweed hopped up onstage with a slip of paper, and everybody held their breaths.
"Well, folks, that wraps up the trials," Albus announced. "Now it's time to tally the votes! With 11,284 votes and 100% of Wartwood, Hopediah Plantar!"
A cheer went throughout the crowd until Duckweed raised his hand to silence them. "And… with 10,812 votes, Toadstool! Congratulations, Hopediah Plantar!"
A brief pause happened before the crowd collectively realized the outcome and cheered even louder. Hop Pop was in disbelief, but he couldn't help but join the cheering, finally happy to get rid of Toadstool. It was time to make Wartwood a better place for everybody, and this was just the first big step.
The toad, meanwhile, was fuming and trembling in unbridled rage. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. He was supposed to win this election, just as all toads—who were superior to frogs in every way—should. Finally having enough of the cheering, he stormed forward and shouted. "ENOUGH!"
Immediately, the cheering died down, and everybody glanced at him with blank expressions as Toadstool ground his teeth together. "This has to be a mistake, Duckweed! I won this election by a lot! Somebody rigged the votes!" he exclaimed, pointing at Hop Pop accusingly. "Nobody in their right mind would vote for a frog over a toad for mayor! That's blasphemy! Everybody here was in on it!"
Toadstool pointed an accusing finger at Luz, glaring at her with all the hatred he could muster. "I know it was you who rigged the votes! It was obvious ever since you cursed us with your presence!"
Nobody, not even Toadstool's supporters, took his side, and they all glared at him. Wartwood was tired of him running the town into the ground by only caring about himself and hogging up all the town's wealth. The silence was only broken by the sound of a cart rolling, and everybody turned to see none other than Sylvia with a carefree smile, pushing a cart overwrought with tomatoes.
Toadstool's face visibly paled as everybody rushed over to grab handfuls of tomatoes, all in the name of throwing and pelting them onto his poor face. He gasped as he and Toadie tried to dodge the oncoming tomatoes.
"Toadie, retreat!" he yelled as he tried to run away, but not before slipping on a tomato that had landed under his foot. He promptly face planted, giving the crowd even more of an easy target to throw their edible grenades onto. By the time they had finally run off, they were covered in tomato juice. Having no other choice since the entire town turned on him, Toadstool, followed by his assistant, clumsily ran through the entrance of Wartwood, leaving the town once and for all.
As he disappeared from the horizon, the crowd cheered once more, finally celebrating how Toadstool's reign had come to an end. Luz, Sprig, and Hop Pop, alongside the crowd, headed over to the victory piñata, which was in the shape of a vovocada, ready to celebrate their victory. Once the giant piñata broke open, tons of Choco-Maggs spilled out, and Luz didn't think she'd ever seen Polly as happy as she did at that moment. She was inhaling those things, like oxygen, and nobody knew where she was storing all of them.
As the celebration went on, Hop Pop walked over to a nearby bench and sat down with relief and exhaustion, finally feeling all the tension and wear on his muscles leave. It was time for a new chapter in his life, and he wasn't sure if he was ready for it, but with everybody's support, he'd find a way.
Sylvia Sundew walked over and sat next to him, crossing her legs. "You really did it. I'm so proud of you, Hoppy," she cooed, kissing him on the cheek, causing him to blush. "But what now? What will happen to your stand?"
Hop Pop paused, having forgotten completely about that. Now that he would be mayor, there was no way he would have time to run the family stand anymore. "I'm… not sure, Sylvia. I don't want to close it down since it's been here for generations, but I'm not sure if the kids are ready to run it alone."
Sylvia's smile softened as she gently patted his back. "Well, there's plenty of time to think 'bout it. How about you and I have a little celebratory dance?" she suggested playfully, taking his hand and getting up.
Hop Pop chuckled as he got back up onto his feet, smiling softly at his girlfriend. "I couldn't say no to that, Sylvie," he agreed.
"WHAT?!" yelled Captain Grime with enough fury that the entirety of Toad Tower could hear him. He was tightly clutching a newspaper, which went over how badly Toadstool had been humiliated in the mayoral trials and the fact that Hop Pop had won the election. "That pathetic, useless Toadstool failed when he had every resource at his disposal!"
Sasha, who was next to him, raised an eyebrow at his outburst. "So, what do we do now? Most of the valley voted for that frog."
Grime growled, ripping the newspaper in half and tossing its remains onto the ground. "This won't do. First, they refused to pay their taxes, and now one of them has become mayor of Wartwood. If we don't deal with it now, it could bloom into a full-blown rebellion."
Sasha didn't really care about amphibian politics, but she still wondered how this would go. "So what? Are you just gonna imprison him, or…"
"No. We're going to make an example out of him," Captain Grime replied with a sinister grin. "Show the rest of the valley what happens when you go against us… And if I ever see that Toadstool again—"
"Captain!" a familiar voice interrupted. Grime and Sasha paused and turned around to see none other than a heavily panting Toadstool covered in soil, dried tomato juice, and sweat. Toadie was next to him, shaking in fear upon seeing Grime. "You won't believe what those—"
Before he could continue, a fist struck Toadstool hard in the face, and he cried out in pain, falling to the ground. Terrified, he looked back up at the fuming Captain Grime.
"You've made a mistake coming back here, Toadstool," he said menacingly. "Give me one good reason I shouldn't have you fed into the fly trap!"
"W-Wait, I-I can explain!" Toadstool said frantically, scared of his superior. "Y-You see, there was this… this gangly creature! It had, uh, brown hair and tan skin! That thing is the one at fault, sir!"
Before Grime could reply, Sasha gasped, and her eyes widened in realization. Seeing this, Grime glanced at her suspiciously, narrowing his eyes. "Do you know something, Sasha?"
"I… Yeah, I do," Sasha said, her face becoming stoic again. "It's one of the others I told you about. Her name's Anne Boonchuy."
"Ah, that one," Grime muttered, the pieces slowly clicking in his head. He turned toward a terrified Toadstool and cracked his knuckles. "We'll be sure to pay her a visit when the time comes. In the meantime… I need to vent some frustration, and who better than this failure?"
He marched up to the former mayor and brought his fist back, striking him right in the face. Toadstool's vision went blurry as he fell over, and the last thing he saw was Grime standing over him with a twisted evil smile.
To Be Continued in Chapter Twenty-Eight
Hey, everyone! I apologize for the 5-month wait since Chapter 26. Rob and I have taken a long hiatus from writing to focus on other projects, but worry not. We are back, and chapter 28 is gonna come out a few days to a week after 27 to make up for the absence. As I'm writing this message, Chapter 28 is nearly done.
Chapter 27 has gone through some rewriting, and it became a complete mess since we had spaced out writing it over time. By removing tons of stuff and rewriting some sections of it, it's much better than it was before. As for why the boxing match doesn't happen the following day, like in Canon, it's because I found it that it made no sense to me. Everybody had already voted by then, so it would've made no difference.
For those who were wondering: Yes, Mayor Toadstool will not be getting a redemption arc in this story. I felt like his arc in the original was a bit forced. We could have gone a similar route as Canon, but we agreed it'd be more interesting to keep him the same and alter him a bit to be truly irredeemable and delusional.
~ Scruffy