A few days later, Anne decided to introduce the Plantars to some human culture. Thus, she took them to the L.A. Museum of Natural History.
"Did you guys really have to bring him?" Anne asked, walking beside Jeep Frobo as Polly was driving AGAIN.
"And why am I in the back seat?" Hop Pop asked as Sprig was in the passenger seat.
"I go by my own rules!" Polly said.
Anne sighed.
"You know the museum might not let him in, right?" She said, pointing to Frobo.
"I hope they do. I could get used to this "Jeep" thing." Sprig said.
Anne just led them there.
"Four tickets, please." Anne said once they got to the museum.
"Do you have any children with you?" The man at admissions asked.
"Two and one senior citizen." Anne said.
"Okay. Then that will be $16." He said.
She paid and they went in. And they for some reason, let Polly drive in while driving Jeep Frobo.
"Polly, don't leave skid marks please." Anne said.
"Fine." Polly groaned.
"You know, let's just focus on the culture and not speeding through the museum." Hop Pop said.
"I agree." Anne said, "Maybe this place can teach us how to get back to Amphibia."
"Maybe but I don't know. How rare and cool would it be to find something from Amphibia right here in L.A.?" Sprig asked, excited.
"Rare, but, we've done more rare before." Hop Pop said.
"Let's just enjoy the museum and see if we get lucky." Anne said.
And in they went. They walked through about three exhibits before stumbling upon something that looked EXACTLY like something from Amphibia. A vase or pot of some sort with frog hieroglyphs and the royal symbol on it.
'Oh you have got to be shitting me!' Anne thought.
You know, she wasn't going to argue, after everything she's done for others, it's nice to get a lucky break.
"Hot dog! We found it!" Hop Pop said in surprise.
"Yeah!" Sprig said before jumping towards it.
Anne quickly grabbed him by the shirt and held him in the air!
"Sprig, read this sign." Anne said, holding him out to a sigh.
"Do not touch the art." Sprig read.
"Exactly." Anne said.
"So what? We can just-" Anne cut Polly off.
"Find the curator and ask questions about! Good idea, Polly." Anne said, putting Sprig back on Jeep Frobo. "All of you just stay here, DO NOT touch the art, and I'll be back."
She left, but not before putting a finger to her eye and then giving the "I'm watching you" motion with her hand. If they knew what was good for them, they would obey her as their pack leader... But, when did they ever do that?
"I better hurry." Anne said, speed walking to find the curator before an alarm goes off.
Anne found the curator office.
"Hello? Curator?" Anne asked as she knocked on the door.
"Come in."
Anne opened the door and walked inside, seeing a dark skinned woman with glasses and a colorful shirt at her desk writing on some papers.
"You're the Curator?" Anne asked.
"Sure am, names Dr. Jan, how can I help?" She asked.
"I just came to ask about one of your exhibits. One that looks like a frog vase." Anne said.
"Oh! You like it?!" Dr. Jan said, grinning widely at the mention of it, "I've studied it a lot, and can't seem to find anything like it anywhere else!"
""Really? Can you tell me where you found it? My friends and I are really interested in it." Anne said.
"That's the thing, it was found long ago, before the United States existed, possibly before the New World was discovered." Dr. Jan said, "It's possibly close to a thousand years old."
"That old?" Anne said in surprise.
"YES! Let me show you!" Dr. Jan said, grabbing Anne and dragging her out of her office.
'I know nothing about her, and yet I like her just because of her optimism.' Anne thought.
Dr. Jan brought them back to the exhibit, where Jeep Frobo was left ALONE.
'Oh shit, where did they go?' Anne thought.
Anne growled.
"Is there a problem?" Dr. Jan asked before pointing at Frobo. "And why is that in the museum?"
"My friend was driving it and didn't want to leave it outside. But she left it here." Anne said, looking around, "And they can get into a lot of trouble when not being watched."
"Oh I'm sure they aren't that bad. I'm assuming they are kids, right?" Dr. Jan asked.
"Two kids and an elderly." Anne said, "It's... I need to find them before they break something."
"Don't you think you're worrying too much?" Dr. Jan asked.
"You don't know them like I do." Anne said before shifting into her wolf self and walking to Frobo.
She sniffed, picking up the scent.
"Um, Anne, was it? I'm sorry but spirit animal transformations sort of aren't-" Dr. Jan didn't finish as Anne ran off after the scent.
Dr. Jan ran after her to make sure nothing went wrong.
'Where are you guys?' Anne thought with a growl.
She followed the scent all the way to the other side of the museum.
'I was only gone a few minutes! How did they get this far away?!' Anne thought.
Something was heard behind her as Anne looked back to see Jeep Frobo was following her and Dr. Jan.
'Great.'
Anne went back to sniffing out the Plantars before she reached the end of the trail and turned back to human.
"They're here." Anne said.
They were over in the evolution of amphibians area.
"Anne, why didn't you show us this first?!" Hop Pop asked loudly.
"Because we found the vase near the entrance." Anne said, "What did I say about staying by the vase!?"
"I had to go to the bathroom but I didn't know where it was." Polly said.
"Plus, Hop Pop said she couldn't go alone. But we didn't touch any exhibit, so that's good." Sprig said with a thumbs up.
Anne closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. She took a deep breath and exhaled loudly.
"I guess that's fine, and you didn't break anything, so that's better. Now, let's get back to the vase and see what ELSE Dr. Jan can tell us about it." Anne said before gesturing to Dr. Jan.
"Hello!" Dr. Jan said.
"Hi, names Sprig!" Sprig said, extending a hand.
"Hello, Sprig." Dr. Jan said before shaking his hand, feeling how SLIMY it was.
'That's a strange feeling for a young boy.' She thought.
Anne led them back to the vase.
"Here it is. The vase older than the US itself!" Dr. Jan said with a smile, gesturing to the vase.
"So, what do you know about it?" Polly asked.
"Well, as I told Anne before, this vase is theoretically older than the United States. And its markings and hieroglyphics are like nothing ever previously recorded before." Dr. Jan said, "Perhaps the frog person is some kind of deity."
"Not any deity I've seen before." Hop Pop said, adjusting his disguise glasses to look closer.
"Well, many different civilizations have different gods." Dr. Jan said, "There is a good chance there are ones we've never heard of before."
'Yeah, she's right there.' Anne thought as she recalled the "gods" she heard of in Amphibia.
They just went by "Frog" or "Toad" or even "Newt." Literally the three main species of Amphibians.
But Anne knew this was the key to getting back to amphibia.
"Did you find any clues on it? Like using a black light to find hidden writing?" Polly asked.
"Hiding writings? Like in Spy movies?" Dr. Jan asked with a chuckle.
"Hey, you never know."
"She does bring up a point. Maybe someone wrote a message or something in the vase." Sprig said while trying not to touch it.
Dr. Jan Chuckled.
"Maybe I'll do that later. But I'm glad you're so interested in the vase, it really makes my job worth it." She said to the group.
"Yeah, it's just... really amazing." Anne said.
"Yeah, it is. It's the only one of its kind in the whole world. I've tried looking for anything like it but nothing comes up." Dr. Jan said.
'Okay, that might make things a bit harder.' Anne thought.
This meant that this is the only clue/artifact from Amphibia on Earth. If this couldn't get them back home, nothing could.
'We need it.'
"Dr. Jan, I know this seems random, but if you find ANYTHING new with this vase, please call me." Anne said, quickly giving Dr. Jan her number.
Dr. Jan was a bit confused, but took the number.
'This vase must be really important to her for some reason, even if it is the first time she's seen it.' Dr. Jan thought as Anne guided her friends away.
Though, as she watched them leave, Dr. Jan could've sworn she saw some sort of TAIL poking out from Polly's raincoat.
'Huh, that's strange.'
Dr. Jan continued to watch as Polly, Sprig, and Hop Pop got back into Jeep Frobo before driving behind Anne.
'Something tells me that I should keep an eye on them.' Dr. Jan thought.
She liked challenges, and this would be the greatest.
An hour passed before the Plantars and Anne headed towards the exit.
"That was awesome!" Sprig said.
"Yeah, but... what do we do now? We need that vase."
"We can wait, Hop Pop. Dr. Jan might actually find something and call me." Anne said.
"Or we could just steal if and find the answers ourselves." Polly said.
"We are not robbing the museum." Anne and Hop Pop said.
"But Anne!" Sprig and Polly whined.
"No buts!" Anne said.
'I know they respect my authority as a pack leader but I hate that I have to reinforce it sometimes.' Anne thought as they exited the museum.
Especially when they suggest completely illegal like breaking into a museum.
'If Anne doesn't want to break in, that doesn't mean we can't.' Polly thought, glancing down at Jeep Frobo. 'Frobo's got just what we need to get that vase.'
And so, a plan began to form.
-11:36pm-
Everyone in the Boonchuy household was asleep, enjoying their time in the land of dreams before the next day. Well, almost everyone. Sprig and Polly were getting ready for the heist. Both of them wearing dark/black clothing to blend with the night while also disguising themselves.
"Okay, you got everything?" Sprig whispered.
"Yeah, it's all inside Frobo." Polly whispered back.
"Great, let's go."
Sprig and Polly went to the backyard, where Frobo was waiting for them in his new robot form. He even had a special silent mode that muted his heavy movements. The trio began to move. Inside, Anne's nose started twitching, and she opened her eyes, one revealed to be a wolf's.
'Someone has left without permission!' Anne thought, her instincts screaming at her to punish the one who went against the pack leader's orders.
"Hop Pop, wake up!" Anne said.
"Aaaaaahh!" Hop Pop screamed as he jolts up. "Where's the fire?!"
"There's no fire yet, but I'm about to light one under someone's ass." Anne said.
"What does that mean?" Hop Pop asked before Anne picked him up.
"Sprig and Polly are gone. Most likely to steal the vase, after I ORDERED against it." Anne said, dragging Hop Pop outside of the house.
She shifted into her wolf form and made sure Hop Pop was on her back before running. The smell of Frobo's oil was still fresh, so it was easy for Anne to pick up even if she KNEW they where they are going. At the museum, Polly and Sprig looked at the entrance.
"Okay, so how are we gonna do this?" Sprig asked. "This door looks super locked up."
"Leave that to Frobo." Polly said, looking to Frobo. "Do your thing, Frobs."
A small buzzsaw came out of Frobo and sawed the lock off.
"Bingo!" Polly said with pride. "I helped put than in you know!"
Frobo retracted the saw and pushed the doors open, scanning the area for any kind of alarms in the area.
'This is easy.'
The trio walked inside of the museum after Frobo have the "okay" that it was safe. Outside, Anne arrived. Hop Pop nearly fell off as Anne growled at the open front door.
'I am going to TEAR THEM A NEW ONE!' Anne thought as Hop Pop got off her.
"W-Where are the kids?" Hop Pop asked, holding his head.
They walked inside... and they weren't the only ones. The recently repaired robot was following them. In the museum, Sprig and Polly arrived at the vase, completely surrounded by red lasers.
"Hmm, how should we do this?"
"Simple, just like in spy movies, we can deflect the lasers away and take the vase." Polly said before looking up to Frobo. "Bust out the mirrors, buddy."
Frobo let several mirrors out.
"Mirrors ready." Frobo said at a low volume.
They walked next to him as he reflected the lasers.
"Awesome! Now Sprig, use your tongue and grab the vase." Polly said, pointing towards it. "But be careful or you'll break it."
"No worried, watch and learn sis." Sprig said.
Before they could-
"WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING!?"
Polly and Sprig jumped from this as Frobo instantly pulled his mirrors back and turns around to aim a cannon at-
"ANNE?!" Sprig and Polly screamed, seeing their "pack leader" was glaring down at them.
Anne growled.
"What did I say about this vase?" She asked.
"Anne, we can explain." Sprig said, shaking in fear as he raised his hands.
"What did I said about this vase?" Anne repeated, growling louder as her eye shined in the darkness.
"Don't steal it."
"And why are you here now?" Anne asked, looking at Polly. "Well?"
"We….are here to steal it." Polly said, looking at the ground.
"Oh, words cannot describe how mad I am right now." Anne said, "Only positive is that this can't possibly get worse."
The robot from earlier crashed through the ceiling.
"HOLY FROG!" Hop Pop screamed, clinging to Anne as the robot landed before them.
"Hehehehehehe." It snickers as the group took in its appearance.
It was now made of random metals to make up for the parts it lost, most likely from the L.A. junkyard. It saw Anne and made a buzzsaw with its hand.
'Just fucking great. This might just went from bad to worse.' Anne thought as she transformed into a wolf.
"Frobo! Attack mode!" Polly shouted, pointing at the enemy robot.
Frobo complied. Frobo's hands popped open to reveal a sword covered in electricity from his right while a cannon blasted come out of his left hand.
"YAH!" Frobo said, rushing forward!
He took the robot on in combat. Saw and sword clashed as sparks flew, making a lot more noise than was needed.
"Come on, we gotta get out of here!" Hop Pop said.
"But the va-" Polly jumped back as Anne growled at her!
'WE LEAVE NOW, DISOBEDIENT PUP!' Anne "said" to her.
Polly didn't understand her, but she knew Anne was angry. So she simply gulped and nodded to her as Anne forced her and Sprig onto her back.
"Ugh, here we go again." Hop Pop muttered before jumping on himself.
Anne began to run, until she was hit in the side and knocked to the ground.
"Ugh!" The Plantars grunted as they rolled on the ground.
"YAAAAAH!" The enemy robot screamed, jumping to attack Anne again!
"Anne!" Sprig said, quickly pulling out a slingshot.
He launched a rock. It bounces off the face, making the robot hiss at Sprig before activating the saw again.
'Okay, not smart!' Sprig thought.
Anne quickly got up, limping a bit.
"Grrrr!" She growled, still up for a fight.
"Hehehehehehe." The enemy robot chuckled before it was hit with a laser!
"Don't forget me." Frobo said, his cannon aimed at the enemy.
He blasted it. The stealth Frobot hissed as it blocked the shots, slowly being pushed back.
'That's right. Distract him and I'll finish it.' Anne thought as her eyes flashed blue.
Suddenly, the doors opened.
"FREEZE! LAPD!" A policeman shouted.
He saw the robot, as did Dr. Jan, who had called when the silent alarm was tripped.
'Oh my.' She thought.
"RAAAAAH!" The robot screeched as its saw spun!
"WEAPON!" The officer shouted as he fired his gun at the robot!
A bullet broke its left eye, making the robot hiss and spark in pain as it covered its face! It used its cloaking tech and turned invisible.
"It's gone?!" Dr. Jan said in shock.
"It could still be here!" The police man said before aiming at the sprinklers. "Sorry about this!"
He shot the sprinklers, making it rain in the museum to try and reveal the invisible robot. Though they didn't do anything, as it did leave. Dr. Jan went over to Anne, who was very clearly injured.
"Anne, are you okay?" She asked gently.
"Grrrrr." Anne growled softly at her.
She had been through far worse, a fractured front limb (AKA her right arm) is pretty much nothing.
"Anne, please. Let me help you. I don't know what's fully going on but I want to help." Dr. Jan whispered to not alert the policeman.
Anne closed her eyes.
'Fine, do anything you can.' Anne thought before shifting back to human, ignoring the pain in her arm.
"Let's get you to my office so I can help you."
With the help of the Plantars, Dr. Jan briskly lead Anne to her office while the police officer was reporting the break in.
Dr. Jan sat Anne into a chair and got a first aid kit out.
"Now, explain to me what happened."
"Ask Polly. This was all HER plan." Anne said, casting a disappointing glare at the "pup."
"I mean... are you surprised I would do something like this at this point?" Polly asked.
"Well excuse me for thinking you'd learn to make a good choice and not a stupid one." Anne said bluntly, mostly from the pain. "Let me remind you that you are in my pack and as pack leader, my orders are ABSOLUTE. So how do you think I feel when you blatantly disobey when I told you to wait?"
"So, what exactly did you break in here for anyway?" Dr. Jan asked, "And what was that robot thing?"
"I don't know if you'd believe me if I told you." Anne said.
"Anne, I just watched a robot try and kill you... not much is out of the realm of possibility." Dr. Jan said.
"Well….you'd be surprised." Hop Pop said, scratching his head.
"So, are we going to tell her everything, Anne?" Sprig asked.
"Might as well. Just so Polly doesn't plan another heist." Anne said.
"I regret nothing!" Polly said.
"I regret some things." Sprig quickly said.
"Moving on, please explain?" Dr. Jan said as she began patching up Anne's arm.
"Well, it all started a few months ago." Anne said, going through her time in Amphibia.
The good times, the bad times, the weird times, and the VERY deadly times.
"Oh my." Dr. Jan said at the end of the story.
"Yeah, it's been a "tough" ride." Anne said as her arm was put in a sling.
"So that's why you were so interested in the vase. It could be a clue to get you back." Dr. Jan said as she turned to Polly and Frobo, who was back in Jeep mode. "That's why you were so adamant on stealing it."
"Which you WILL be getting punished for." Anne said, "And don't think I forgot about your involvement Sprig."
"I know." Sprig said, nervous and gulping.
"Well, I think you should head home and get some rest, it's been a bit of a night." Dr. Jan said.
"I agree. We all need our rest." Hop Pop said with a nod.
"But the vase! Did you check it for-"
"POLLY! Enough." Anne said with a glare at her.
"Actually, I was going to try that in the vase tomorrow morning but it looks like the museum is going to be closed for a while. So, I might as well do that now." Dr. Jan said as she got up.
Dr. Jan returned with the vase. She placed it on her desk before opening a drawer, pulling out a pen sized black light.
"Ready?"
"Ye-!" Polly was pick up and had her mouth covered by Sprig.
"That's enough for one night." He whispered.
"Go on, doc." Anne said to her.
She shined the light, revealing a message. Dr. Jan gasped in awe of the hidden writing, following by Polly cheering loudly in Sprig's arms.
"I KNEW IT!" Polly shouted.
Anne gave her a look.
"I've never seen a language like this before. It could take some time to translate." Dr. Jan said.
"Actually, I've got some notes from my friend before coming home. I'll translate it later." Anne said, pulling out her phone.
Anne took a picture of the words.
"Let's go home." Anne said, standing up.
"Please let me know what you find. This is VERY interesting." Dr. Jan said with a smile.
"Sure, don't worry." Anne said with a nod, "Come on, let's go home."
Anne got up and picked up Polly, holding her firmly as she walked ahead as Sprig and Hop Pop got in Jeep Frobo.
"I'm driving this time." Hop Pop said.
Dr. Jan watched as they walked away.
"Well... that's not how I thought today would go." She said, "I better call the janitor."
Don't usually post on weekends, but this has gone a while without an update. Sorry about that, life has been very hard. Follow, Favorite, and Review for more.