Anne and T'Challa left the farm with the Plantar family to find another festive decoration display all across the marketplace. Frogs everywhere were putting up orange and yellow leaves, giant corn, and funny-looking gourds. There was a sign hung up at the center that read "HARVEST DAY".

"Ah, Harvest Day." Sprig said. "My favorite holiday."

"I'm hungry just thinking about it." Polly said bouncing in excitement.

"I get it. Frog Thanksgiving." Anne said. "You even have a turkey." She gestured at a monster turkey who roared at her. She shuddered before shrugging the worry off. "Eh, who am I kidding? I'll eat it."

"You know, so would I." T'Challa said. "So are there any life-threatening surprises we should be worried about?"

"Not today." Hop Pop said wheeling in a wagon full of turnips. "Today's a wholesome holiday for all kinds of folks. So how about you and Anne put these turnips in our display?"

"No problem." T'Challa said taking the wagon. Anne walked beside him and grabbed turnips to put in the stand.

The two of them stopped when they heard the sound of hammer and nail. They turned and saw a sign being posted up, which Anne read aloud.

"'Go farmers'? What's that all about?"

"The big bugball game, of course." Sprig said.

"Bugball?" T'Challa asked. "Oh. Is this the sport you play in celebration of the holiday?"

"That's right." Hop Pop nodded. "Every year, Wartwood plays a friendly game of bugball. Farmers—that's us—versus the Townies."

"And every year, the Townies DESTROY US!" Polly cried out in frustration. "It's humiliating."

"And to top it off, the losers have to wear these ridiculous costumes for a whole week." Sprig pulled out a drawing of a frog wearing a turkey costume.

"Didn't you say this was supposed to be a 'friendly' game?" T'Challa asked.

"To a certain extent, it is." Hop Pop said. "But the Townies can be pretty rotten winners."

"Whew. Tough break, you guys." Anne said taking a turnip from the wagon. "Hey, do you think I can make this?"

Without another word, Anne threw one turnip after another right into the stand. Each time, they were thrown wonderfully. The last one, she tossed like a basketball backwards having it land in a harvest basket. Everyone had their mouths open agape at the sight of it.

"Three for three, baby!" Anne celebrated with a pose.

"Anne, where'd you learn to shoot like that?" Hop Pop asked.

"Learn?" Anne asked. "I don't know if you noticed, but I have natural athletic ability."

"You're seriously surprised?" T'Challa asked. "She's good at tennis, and she told me once that she took Muay Thai classes."

"Muay what?" Sprig asked.

"It's a martial art." T'Challa explained.

"Anne, with those skills, you'd be perfect for bugball!" Hop Pop said.

"If you join our team, we might actually win." Sprig said.

"WIN?!" an obnoxious voice laughed from behind. Everyone turned and saw Toadstool in athletic clothes along with four other people in similar clothes. "Not in a million years! Hello, farmers!"

"Toadstool?" T'Challa asked. "Makes sense for an obnoxious jerk like you to be responsible for making everyone else feel inferior."

"Well, if the turkey costume fits." Toadstool mocked. "Anyway, allow me to introduce this year's townie team. First, we got Lydia, four time frog-lympian. Olaf, who transferred from state. Frog Jordan, who I literally bribed to join. And last, but not least, Toadie, who is surprisingly good at this. Yes, scary stuff, huh? Be careful you farmers don't soil yourselves on the field." He urged the rest of his team to laugh at his bad joke.

"Sorry, Toadstool." Anne said with determination. "Farmers are gonna win this year, because they've got me. We're gonna beat you and your fancy townie team."

"Well, I'll certainly enjoy watching you try." Toadstool said with a cocky tone. "Townies, move out." Once he snapped his fingers, he and his team took a few steps back into the shadow behind them, but they were still visible.

"Uh, we can still see you." T'Challa said.

"No, you can't!" Toadstool said running off with the rest of his team.

"So do you know how to play bugball, Anne?" T'Challa asked.

"Nope. Guess I should start learning." Anne answered.

"Hey, T'Challa, why don't you play too?" Sprig suggested.

"Hmm. Me?" T'Challa asked.

"Yeah. With your super panther skills, we'd be guaranteed a win." Sprig said.

"Sorry, but I'm not using the sacred powers of the Black Panther to win a sports competition." T'Challa said. "That'd be unfair."

"Who cares? We don't want to be wearing turkey costumes!" Polly shouted.

"Sorry, but I can't disrespect my heritage like that over a game." T'Challa said.

"Is there a way for you to turn off your panther skills?" Hop Pop asked.

"Yes, but it requires a powder from the Heart-Shaped Herb, which is only found in Wakanda." T'Challa answered.

"It's okay, guys." Anne said. "I mean, you still have me, right?"

"Oh, yeah." Sprig said. "Come on. We'll show you how to play."

The humans were brought to a sports field joining Hop Pop, Mrs. Croaker, Sprig, and a small frog with a hat covering his eyes. Polly sat at the side with Archie, Mrs. Croaker's pet spider. Each end of the field had a tall pole with an open skull on the top.

"Welcome to Team Farmers." Sprig welcomed. "This is the playing field."

"Those skulls are the goals." Mrs. Croaker explained.

"And this is the bugball." Hop Pop said holding out a golden bug.

"Aw. How cute. It's shaped like a real… AAH!" Anne said before the bugball opened its wings in her hands.

"Well, I saw that coming." T'Challa commented.

"So we just put the bug in the goal, right?" Anne asked. "Seems pretty simple."

"Oh, there's more to it than that." Hop Pop said. He pulled out a diagram of the game and showed it off. "Now, see here. You got your shooters—that's you and Croaker. And you got your passers, me and Chuck. That's Chuck by the way."

"I grow tulips." said the frog in the hat.

"Good to know." T'Challa said.

"And lastly, on defense, there's Sprig, 'cause he's not really great at the shooting part. Never scored a point in his life."

"That's 'cause you never give me a chance!" Sprig defended.

"Mm-hmm." Hop Pop nodded. "Anyway, Anne, it says here the most important thing about bugball is teamwork."

"Ububububub." Anne interrupted. "Toss that playbook away, 'cause all we need is the 'pass it to Anne' play."

Anne demonstrated her skills by tossing the bugball into one of the skull goals. It tried to fly off, but Mrs. Croaker caught it with her tongue and pulled it in.

"I don't know, Anne." Croaker said. "You're good, but the Towners are hardcore."

"They're probably right, Anne." T'Challa said. "This is a team sport, you know."

"Look, I don't usually do 'team sports'." Anne said. "I do 'me sports', like tennis. Me sports, I win."

"Anne, there's no 'I' in 'team'." T'Challa said. "If you go against Toadstool and his team of elites, they're all going to gang up on you, and none of your plays are going to work."

"I appreciate the advice, T'Challa," Anne said, "But it's me. What else do we need?" She then turned to the Farmers. "Okay, guys. Let's practice passing the bugball to me."

Reluctantly, the Farmers agreed to help Anne. But while they practiced, T'Challa gave a judging stare before leaving the field.

An hour later, the Farmers were practicing maneuvers that all ended with the bugball being passed to Anne, who made perfect throws to the goals. After one last goal, Anne cheered to herself.

"Whoo! See, guys? With me taking the lead, we'll win for sure."

"You think so, do you, Anne?" T'Challa asked as she returned to the field.

"T'Challa? Where have you been, dude?" Anne asked.

"Anne, I wanna make something clear." T'Challa said. "You think that just because you know you're talented, you think all everyone has to do is pass you the bugball and victory is guaranteed, right?"

"Uh, yeah." Anne answered like it was obvious. "Just need me, baby."

"Well, I intend to prove you wrong in a friendly little game." T'Challa said.

"You're going to compete?" Anne chuckled. "Didn't you just say earlier that you didn't want to use your powers for the game?"

"That's why I'm going to be on defense." T'Challa said standing under the opposite goal. "If things go as I predict, I won't even have to do anything. I just let my team handle everything."

As if on cue, four Wartwood citizens jumped out from nowhere and took their places on the field in between Anne and T'Challa. From left to right, Anne recognized Ivy, Loggle, Stumpy, and Maddie.

"What's going on?" Anne asked.

"It's very simple, Anne." T'Challa said. "If you can prove that your method can score at least one point over my team, then I'll concede to your solo playstyle."

"Pfft! That should be easy." Anne scoffed. "I mean, you've got a couple of kids, a skinny carpenter, and a guy who's missing a hand. No offense, you guys."

"It's cool." Stumpy said.

"I don't get offended." Ivy said. "I get even."

"Well, then, you should have no problem." T'Challa said with a daring grin.

"You're on, panther boy!" Anne said.

The teams all took their positions as Polly took the center of the field. She blew her whistle and called for the start of the game.

"Hop Pop, gimme!" Anne ordered.

"Oh, okay, Anne." Hop Pop said throwing the bugball to her.

Anne caught the ball only to get grouped up by Stumpy and Loggle. Anne tried to throw the ball to the goal, but Ivy jumped over her to intercept it. She then tossed it to Maddie who didn't have any trouble with throwing it back to the goal. Sprig tried to stop it, but he was too late.

"Okay." Anne said slightly surprised. "Let's try that again."

She tried it again and again, but it always ended up the same way. Anne takes the ball to herself, but T'Challa's team overwhelms her before taking the bugball and scoring a goal. This went on frustrating Anne with each new point until…

"AGAIN!" Anne yelled.

"Yeah, no. The game's all over." Polly informed.

"WHAT?!" Anne cried out.

"I gotta say," Loggle said to the rest of his teammates, "This really helped my self-esteem."

"Aye." Stumpy admitted.

"I'm not normally a sports girl," Maddie said, "But it was an interesting experience."

"See you later, Sprig." Ivy said waving to Sprig as she and the others left the field.

"B-Bye, Ivy." Sprig returned with a blush on his face.

Anne growled in frustration stomping across the field. She confronted T'Challa who was laying on the ground resting his head on the goal post.

"You know, I gotta say, I never saw those four so energetic," T'Challa said, "Except for Ivy, I suppose."

"Dude, what's the big deal?" Anne asked.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Don't play dumb. I wanna know why you put me through all that." Anne said. "I got totally crushed out there."

"I did that to prove a point." T'Challa said. "Anne, do you know what your problem was?"

"Yeah. I was outnumbered."

"No, actually, you weren't. It was five on five. Your team actually had the advantage, but the odds were against you because you were hogging the bugball. If a team of inexperienced and random bugball players could come up with a simple strategy of overwhelming your solo play, then Toadstool's team of professional athletes will be guaranteed a win."

"He's right, Anne." Sprig said. "Look around you. You have an entire team to back you up."

"You're not the only one who can shoot." Mrs. Croaker reminded.

"I grow tulips." Chuck said.

Anne sighed before sitting beside T'Challa. "In tennis, if I'm losing, I just play harder. But this is different. I don't know how to win this."

"Not you, Anne. We." Sprig said.

"The only way we win is to work as a team." Hop Pop said.

"So how about you work on your team-building?" T'Challa asked.

Anne groaned. "I guess I'll give it a shot."

Anne and the rest of the Farmers began working on team tricks. Although it was hard for Anne to even pass the bugball to one of the teammates, she managed to do it, and it got easier every time she proceeded to trust them. Their final exercise involved Anne being blindfolded and listening to her teammates instructing her across the field.

During the practice, T'Challa sat at the bleachers fixing his eyes on Anne. He smiled proud that she was stepping out of her comfort zone and having faith in her teammates. As he watched, Polly sat beside him.

"That was some trick you pulled." Polly said.

"Well, Anne needed a wake-up call." T'Challa said. "And I didn't want her to lose to Toadstool of all people."

"But how did you know that would work?" Polly asked.

T'Challa took a breath before answering. "Well, I suppose it's because I know what Anne's going through. When I was ten years old, I had a bit of a bratty personality because I was a prince. Then, my little sister, Shuri, wanted to change me, so she introduced me to chess."

"Chess?" Polly asked.

"It's… an intellectual board game. Very popular on Earth." T'Challa answered. "And admittedly, I lost."

Polly almost laughed, but stopped herself. "Wait! You lost to your little sister?"

"Well, she's very smart." T'Challa defended himself. "And, honestly, she helped me see the error of my ways. In chess, I always favored my king piece and didn't value the others as I should have, which lead to my numerous defeats. But when Shuri showed me how useful the other pieces were, I decided to change my playstyle and got better."

"So you finally won?" Polly asked.

"No. I just got a lot better, but she always kept winning. I already established the Shuri is very smart." T'Challa said. "So when Anne started valuing herself over all the others, I thought she would benefit from the same lesson I learned."

"You really think it'll work here?" Polly asked.

T'Challa looked back at Anne, who made it to the end of the field and launching the last practice bugball with the help of her teammates. They cheered celebrating that Anne was finally getting the hand of teamwork.

"I think she's gotten the hang of it." T'Challa answered. "Now, all that's left if for her to remember the value of teamwork in the bugball game."

When night fell, every citizen of Wartwood assembled in the bugball field. T'Challa sat in the Farmers' bench getting a very close seat to the game as the bleachers around him were full of fans of both the Farmers and the Townies.

The event began when the mayor stepped up with a referee shirt, cleared his throat, and made his announcement through a microphone. "Ladies and gentle frogs, as mayor of Wartwood, it is my pleasure to welcome you all to the annual big bugball game! Give it up for Team Townies and the Farmers!"

When he called out the team names, both teams ran out of the backstage area and took their places on the field. T'Challa exchanged a smile and a nod with Anne, who turned back to the Townies with competitive determination in her eyes.

"All right, everyone." Stan said. "Listen up. I want a good, clean game, okay? Now, let's play bugball!"

"Farmers, are we ready?" Anne asked her teammates. They nodded in agreement.

"Everybody, cover Anne." Toadstool advised his teammates. "That bugball hog is clearly going to play by herself, so we just make sure she can't get past us."

Stan blew his whistle and tossed his bugball into the air. Anne and Toadstool both reached for it, but the former caught it first. She quickly found herself surrounded by all the Townies, but with a cocky grin, she threw the ball past them passing it to Hop Pop. While the Townies were confused, Hop Pop tossed the bugball to Croaker, who then scored the first goal of the game.

"Well, looks like we got ourselves a challenge." Toadstool said.

The competition went on with both teams being neck-and-neck. Sometimes, the Farmers got a point. Sometimes, the Townies get a point. Soon, it came down to near the end of the game with both teams having nine points each. At that point, both teams were exhausted.

"This is it, true believers!" Stan announced. "With only one more minute left in the game, whoever scores the next point wins!"

"Come on, gang!" Hop Pop said. "We can win this thing!"

"Townies, huddle up!" Toadstool ordered. He and his teammates grouped up in a small circle. "Now, they may have good teamwork, but Anne is still the only reason those yokels have gotten this far. Looks like we may need to resort to drastic measures to win this game. Know what I mean?"

"By drastic measures," Frog Jordan said, "Do you mean switching our focus from the outcome to just having fun?"

"No, Frog Jordan! I mean cheat! Cheat!" Toadstool replied in frustration. "Initiate plan 'last resort'."

"All right, everyone." Stan said as the teams took their positions. "Let's keep it clean now." He blew his whistle to initiate the start of the final round.

Anne was the first to have the bugball, which she then tossed over to Sprig. However, as she did so, Toadie jumped right at her with a sack in his hand. Before she could react, he reached into the sack and pulled out a handful of purple dust, which he threw into Anne's face. She cried out in eyes feeling her eyes swell.

"AAH! MY PEEPERS!"

"WHAT?!" T'Challa asked standing back up. "Mayor Stan, I saw it! The Townies cheated!"

"Acknowledged." Stan said blowing his whistle at Toadie. "Toadie, you're disqualified for illegal use of blinding powder!"

"Thanks for taking one for the team, Toadie." Toadstool congratulated his underling as he passed by proudly. "By the time that powder wears off, we'll have won the game."

"Are you okay, Anne?" T'Challa asked running over to Anne alongside the rest of the farmers.

"I… I can't see." Anne said.

"Well, saute my legs and serve me for lunch." Hop Pop said in defeat. "We're done."

T'Challa took a good look at Anne's swollen eyes before glaring over at Toadstool. "Oh, no, we're not. Ref, can someone else take Anne's place?"

"What?" Toadstool asked in shock before chuckling nervously. "Surely, you don't expect to take her place, right? 'Cause you can't do that."

"Actually, he can." Stan said. "Bugball rules state that a team can substitute another player in the case of injury. Blinding powder certainly qualifies. That is, unless Anne believes she's still able to play."

"What?" Anne asked. "T'Challa, wait. I thought you said you couldn't play because you didn't want to use your Black Panther skills to win a game."

"Anne, you're injured because of those cheaters." T'Challa said. "And although I'm conflicted, I can't let this go unpunished. Just let me take your place. I can live with it."

Anne thought for a moment considering her options. Finally, she gave her answer.

"No!"

"Anne, you…"

"I know, but I can't let you compromise just for me." Anne said. "So I'm still playing, and it'll be just like before!" She pulled out her blindfold from practice from behind her and wrapped it over her eyes.

"The trust exercise?" Sprig asked. "Uh, news flash: that didn't involve actual opponents."

"There's no way we can pull this off." Hop Pop said.

"Guys, you taught me that teamwork can make the impossible possible." Anne said as water began leaking from behind her blindfold. "Also, I'm not actually crying. My eyes just won't stop watering."

"Well, shoot." Chuck said with water coming from underneath his hat. "I'm crying because it's beautiful."

T'Challa found himself touched by Anne's persistence and smiled at her. He then turned and sat right back at the bench. "Knock them dead, Anne."

"What, you're gonna play blindfolded?!" Toadstool laughed. "Well, now, I've seen everything!" He laughed some more. "You should've tagged your boyfriend in when you had the chance!"

"Whoa! He's not my boyfriend!" Anne said with red in her cheeks. "Anyway, let's do this!"

At the sound of the whistle, Anne dribbled the bugball and ran ahead. She listened up to her teammate's instructions and ran across while avoiding the Townies' attempts to intercept her. She even did a cartwheel because Chuck told her to (even though she didn't really need to). At their command, Anne stopped when she was right in front of the Townies' goal. She shot her ball straight at it despite the Townies' attempts to stop her.

The ball was thrown right at the skull, but it bounced off at the lower jaw. It bounced right back over, but hope wasn't lost. Sprig leaped high into the air and caught the bugball in his hand. He then stayed in the air to fly over back to the goal. He slammed the ball into the goal so hard, the skull broke to pieces.

BZZZZ!

Everyone gasped at the final result. T'Challa was at the edge of his seat just as Anne was starting to recover from the blinding powder. The first thing she saw was Sprig feeling the rush of hi first ever point.

"That's the game!" Stan shouted. "The Farmers win!"

All the citizens who supported the Farmers cheered spectacularly while the Townies supporters frowned. However, they weren't nearly as miserable as Toadstool and his team, who were then given the turkey costume they had to wear.

"Dude, you did it! Your first goal!" Anne cheered for Sprig as she ran over to him along with the rest of the Farmers and T'Challa. "How's it feel?"

"Amazing! I feel like a living god!" Sprig cried out. "You did it, Anne. You did it."

"No. We did it." Anne said. "This wouldn't have happened without my teammates." She then turned to T'Challa. "And this certainly wouldn't have happened if you hadn't pushed me into seeing the value of teamwork. Thanks, T'Challa."

"No, Anne. Thank you for not letting me take your place." T'Challa smiled placing his hand on her shoulder. "You knew I didn't want to use my skills for a game, and you respected it. It was understandable for you to have let me take your place, but you didn't."

"Well, I knew how much it meant to you." Anne said. "And it turns out, we still won!"

"There's just one last thing to be done." Sprig said.

"Oh, what's that?" T'Challa asked.

All of a sudden, the rest of the Farmers poured a giant barrel of a yellow beverage on both the humans. The liquid was full of green, worm-like critters that crawled over them. The frogs laughed in celebration, but the humans were weirded out by the bugs.

"UGH! What are these?!" T'Challa asked in a grossed-out tone.

"Get them off me! Get them off me!" Anne panicked. The frogs proceeded to shoot out their tongues and grab each of the bugs picking them off the two's skins. "AH! This is worse!"