Deadly High Society

It was the start of a new day in Newtopia, capital city of Amphibia, and in the Royal Castle where King Andrias and his most loyal retinues lived, Jacob and James were currently getting ready for the day, wearing the clothes that lady Olivia had sent to them. For Jacob, it was a deep blue coat with golden shoulder straps and decorations, and a lace bank undershirt; his pants were deep blue as well and lined in gold on the side and he was wearing tall black shoes, a uniform fitting his current rank as an officer of the Newtopia Army. Not only that, but his hair was also all greased and pulled together, he had a dried green flower as boutonniere and white gloves over his hands. All in all, he started looking too close to the image of 'Prince Charming' for his own comfort.

"Jacob, are you ok?" His 'bro' and roommate James asked from the bed he was sitting on. He too, like Jacob, was dressed in a shiny luxurious uniform, with a red jacket and white undershirt, an orange tie around his neck, brown pants and high-class black shoes. Over his head, his Newtopia Navy hat fit perfectly with the rest of the dress, as did the other 'elements' of the uniform he had managed to sneak in. "I understand you don't want to accidentally ruin your clothes, but I don't know how much time we have left to get ready."

"Huh? Oh, sorry, bro," the former prankster replied, checking once again in the mirror and grimacing at the sight. "I was just… thinking."

"About what? The Gala? Lady Olivia said-"

"No, it's not about the gala." Jacob replied with a sigh. "Rather, is about the thing Mars explained us, yesterday-"

(…)

"So, let me get this straight," Sasha raised an eyebrow. "You went extra-kind and depleted all your energy by trying to make the others comfortable?"

From the spot where she was currently lying down, barely able to raise her head and speak, Amelia groaned. "Yes. I don't know what got into me: it felt strange, like I needed to be super-kind and helpful. At first, I just wanted to apologize to people I thought I acted disrespectfully to, but then the whole sensation started feel better and better, and I needed more, I needed to help out others and assist them as best as I could-"

"-to the point she ended up servicing us for four days straight." Hop Pop finished, holding Polly on his lap while Sprig sat next to him; Ivy and Maddie instead surrounding Felicia, the former adventurer nodding silently. "We don't know what may have caused it, but-"

"I may have a couple of ideas."

"Marcy/Mar-Mar/Mars?" Jacob, Anne and Sasha all asked at the same time, looking at their friend as she took out a small board and began to write on it.

"You said that Amelia was being super-kind and generous, right?"

"Right." Felicia nodded.

"And Amelia, you said that during that, you felt like you were 'pushed'? Like you needed to do all of that, even as the fatigue began to take a toll on your body?"

"Yes." The young samurai nodded. "I knew it was happening, yet I didn't want to take a rest or even stop doing that, like my own well-being wasn't important."

"So, in other words, you were being respectful with everyone…but with yourself."

"Respectful?" James piped in, having realized the connection that Marcy was hinting at to. "You mean-"

"Yes." The dark-haired nerd replied, looking at the rest of her friends before continuing her explanation. "You remember back when we hypothesized there could be some side effects or consequences related to our Calamity Powers? I think we have found one."

"THAT was related to her Calamity powers?" Ivy asked with a curious expression. "But how? And why?!"

"It's just a hypothesis, of course, but ever since Jacob and I awakened our own powers, I've theorized that our powers are tied to the element they're supposed to represent. Amelia's Respect, so her power forced her to become super-respectful and kind to the people around her, possibly to counterbalance something that happened prior. Amelia, before that, what did you do?"

"I was with King Andrias. He said he wanted to talk with me, but then he invited me to play a game of Flipwart with him."

"He asked you too?" Marcy momentarily cheered with unfiltered enthusiasm. "How did it go?"

"I won."

"You won?!" Hop Pop, Felicia, Maddie, Ivy and Maddie gasped at once.

"Yuuup!" The brown hair girl nodded with a smug expression, only for Sasha to approach her, an interrogative look in her eyes.

"Really?" the blond teen asked, before she raised an inquisitorial eyebrow and continued. "And while you were playing… You didn't do anything that may be tied to what happened to you after that, right?"

Amelia smug expression immediately melted from her face, her eyes widening as she remembered about the 'tricks' she had used to secure the victory. The young girl realized that her little cheating may have been what had pushed her own powers to overcompensate.

"Well…" she murmured, trying to think of a good excuse to cover her doing. She already had to serve her whole family for the rest of the day, she didn't want Sasha or Anne to call her out too. "I may have … gloated a little too much?"

"Amelia!" Felicia called her out. "You can't be a sore winner, especially when your opponent is the king!"

"Anyway, I think that acting disrespectfully toward your opponent is what had triggered your powers and pushed them to make you compensate." Marcy nodded. "That's logic, from a certain point of view: like in that cartoon-"

"Wait, but if that happened to Amelia… it could happen to all of us?" Sasha interjected, the other four humans all coming to the same realization as well. Even James (the only human of the group who hadn't unlocked his Calamity abilities yet) couldn't help but wonder about the implications of such a thing: his element was imagination. If he acted against it, what would have happened to him?

"I guess that's a worrying thought." Marcy nodded. "That said, we'll need more tests to discern what could cause such reactions, and how to counter them. Guys, if you're willing to help me-"

"Sure we can, but not right now." Anne nodded. "We're all tired for today, some more than others," she looked at Amelia, "plus, in the next few days we have the gala."

"Wait, what?" Marcy yelled in shock

(…)

"I have to admit, I never thought I would see that look on Marcy's face before." James nodded with a dry smirk. "Why was she so scared? It's just a gala, we already experienced things like did, in Wartwood, or at the mansion of Wally's father-"

"Marcy's always been uneasy at large gathering events, especially if there is a code and formalities to upheld," Jacob answered. "Even back at Saint James, she was always with Anne and Sasha, using them as shields. Beside, this is supposed to be a big event, there will be nobles and high-level newts coming from all over Amphibia, thus-"

"Boys!" Marcy's voice suddenly echoed from outside. "Boys, do you hear me?"

"Marcy, what happens?"

"Mars, do you need help?"

"I'm in the lab! Come, quick!"

"Do you need help?"

"Come to the lab."

Miffed, the two teens rushed outside their own room and into the magi-lab of Maddie and Marcy (previously Amelia's room). As they walked inside however, to their surprise, they found that Marcy was nowhere to be seen, and the lab was empty.

"Marcy, where are you?"

"On the workstation." The still-unseen girl replied, yet her voice clearly showed she was there.

"Are you invisible?" Jacob asked. "Did you found a magic to turn you invisible? Are you wearing your clothes?"

"Or perhaps you found a way to shrink yourself?" James looked around. "If so, please warn me before I end up stepping on you!"

"Flip the pickle over." The girl replied, both boys' attention turning to the bright green vegetable that was lying on the workstation.

"Is that a pickle?" Jacob wondered. "Do you need it for some spell? Are you sure this isn't yet another predator plant?"

"Marcy, I think it would be better if you simply told us instead of trying to build the drama." James took a step back cautiously.

"Come on, flip the pickle, boys!" Marcy said once again. "You won't regret it, I promise."

While still a bit worried, Jacob decided to trust his friend, turning the pickle on its side… to reveal that it spotted the very familiar face of a certain girl.

"I turned myself into a pickle, guys!" Marcy cheered in her new vegetable form. "Boom! Big reveal... I'm a pickle. Pickle Marcy! What do you think about that? I turned myself into a pickle!" She paused for a second, as she saw that Jacob and James were watching her silently, immobile, not even saying a word. "W-what are you just staring at me for? I turned myself into a pickle, guys! Aren't you going to say anything?"

The two boys looked at each other, a deadpan expression on both their faces. "You think-"

"Yeah, I'm not surprised, it had to happen at some point." Jacob rolled his eyes. "I guess this is what happens when her powers overcompensate-"

"Hey! Are you suggesting I'm getting dumb?!" Marcy yelled, a bit offended by the insinuation. "I just turned myself into a pickle, something no one ever did before! Magic is so awesome!"

"But why would you do that?" James argued, raising an eyebrow. "From where I am standing, what possible reason could you have to turn into a vegetable, leaving yourself helpless and unable to even move of your own volition?"

"Huh, well, you see…"

"Guys, you're here!" Felicia said as she walked into the room, accompanied by Hop Pop and Sprig. "Come on, lady Olivia's expecting us, we can't be late." She looked around. "Where's Marcy?"

"Right here, Felicia!" The transformed human replied, once again drawing the attention of everyone on herself. "Look at me, I'm a pickle!"

"What?!" The tea expert yelled, "How? When? Why?!"

"That's what we were both asking her to clarify." Jacob replied as Hop Pop crossed his arms.

"Young lady, did you fiddle with the notes left by Great Uncle Skip Plantar again?"

"I didn't 'fiddle'," Marcy replied. "I just… skimmed through them?"

"Anyway, you were supposed to be all ready to go by now!" Felicia replied. "We were supposed to go meet with Lady Olivia so we can all be briefed about our part in today's gala, before the guests start to arrive. Do you remember? This is something that we all, and by 'all' I mean including you, agreed on."

"Oh, my! I-I completely forgot about that!" Marcy apologized, yet it was plainly clear, both by her tone of voice, and by her bad acting, that she wasn't sincere. "Hop Pop, Felicia, boys, yes I forgot. I'm sorry but I can't go right now. Since I have no legs nor limbs, and it may take some time to figure out how to reverse this, since Maddie's already dolled up, and I don't want her to be forced to redo all that-"

"Marcy, did you do this on purpose to get out of the gala?" James piped in, only for Hop Pop to call him out.

"James!"

"It's ok Hop Pop. Look, I can see why you would be suspicious, since this looks just like the kind of crazy plan I would do. But believe me, I would never, never try to skip the gala…if I could. That said, of course, you can't bring me to the briefing like this: lady Olivia would be so freaked out to see a talking vegetable, it may be quite a disturbing image to behold. Plus, I do not think my presence is going to affect the gala too much, so I guess there is no other choice but letting you go… without me."

"But then, why there is a vial of what look suspiciously like the Universal Anti-Magic Spell Remover that Maddie prepared yesterday with our Calamity Blood, hanging directly over you and with a string attached to its cap?" Sprig asked, pointing to a medium-sized vial of bright blue liquid with pink and violet patches, attached to the room's ceiling and hanging at a ninety-degrees turn. "Also, why is the string tied to a large weight tied with a rope, and why is the rope passing over a lighted-up candle, and the candle's going to burn the rope and release the weight in a few minutes from now, when we would have gone to the meeting and left you here?"

A pregnant pause laid onto the room, Felicia and Hop Pop silently stared at Marcy, the transformed girl trying (and utterly failing) to come up with a good excuse on the spot, James tapping the floor with his foot while Jacob's smirked in amusement.

"W-well, you see, the thing is, how can I say it-"

"I think the word you're looking for is 'busted', Mars." Jacob walked to the mechanism and quickly disassembled it, taking the glass of liquid and holding it just above Marcy, the girl-turned-pickle looking at him with an embarrassed expression. "Nice try, but you're not going to escape your duties this easily."

"Ugh, fine." Marcy grunted, admitting her defeat. "However, in my defense, I didn't want to wear that dress lady Olivia sent me yesterday. Have you seen it? It's hideous!"

"Oh, you don't know?" James replied. "Apparently, you were not the only one to think that: even Sash and Anne shared their own opinion on the previous batch of clothes, and lady Olivia complied and sent you something better. Anne and Sasha are all dressed up, and so is Amelia and us. You're the only one left."

"And, as much as it may look scary, we need you." Jacob nodded in a reassuring, heartwarming voice. "The king needs us, you remember? While the gala goes in full swing, we must meddle among those nobles and investigate them without any of them realizing it. And we need you and your skills for that."

"Yes, we will be there too, and Maddie and Ivy as well!" Sprig added on. "What would they say if you end up not coming at all?"

"Alright, fine, I guess you got me. Only one last thing," she looked at Jacob, "can you, please, pass the vial to Felicia and wait outside? I don't feel confident about… changing back into my human form in front of you."

"Why, weren't you dressed when you-"

"No, I wasn't."

A red blush appeared on Jacob's face as he realized the implication, the boy silently passing the liquid vial to Felicia before walking outside, James, Hop Pop and Sprig following him.

"We… we'll be waiting for you… with the others."

(…)

"Lady Marcy, so generous of you to finally join us." The Royal Advisor Lady Olivia greeted as the dark-haired nerd human girl-turned-pickle-returned human walked into the room, smiling awkwardly as the attention of everyone focused on her.

She too, like her friends and companions, had been dressed into the new gala dress that the Royal government had specifically commissioned for her: A dress made of light and colorful fabric in shades of blue and teal, which was very reminiscent of sea waves, with long wide sleeves whose gradation became increasingly transparent. A dark green sash was tied around her waist, held in place by a platinum buckle in the shape of a seashell, and with golden decorations. Brilliant crystal earrings, carved in the shape of coral, hung from both her ears, and around her neck she wore a luminescent silver necklace, 'borrowed' from the Royal Treasury, with a large emerald in the center. Not only that: an ornate fiery red hair clip, carved from fine coral, held her hair fixed in a style that was both simple and refined at the same time while several shiny decorations had been applied to the rest of her hair, lighting up and looking, in her black hair, like stars in a night sky.

It was a very beautiful and bright dress, classical in style but refined all the same, which at the same time enhanced the girl's natural beauty and highlighted her graceful and harmonious features.

Like her, the other five humans and their friends were now dressed for the event: Anne, true to her reputation as a 'socialite queen,' wore a dress of sinuous semi-transparent blue silk, with a dragonfly decoration on the back, from which several silk 'wings' started just below her arms, and which formed a sort of cape. A round skirt decorated with dried flowers covered her legs down to her feet, to which she wore elegant white slippers, and white gloves covered her hands and arms down to her elbows. She had dragonfly earrings on her ears, a diamond necklace with the symbol of Amphibia and the House of Leviathan imprinted on it hanging from her neck, and a small tiara of rare white coral that held her hair fixed by making it fall over the sides. A dress that was just as luxurious and magnificent as the other, and which also conveyed an idea of purity and calm, like the clear water of a freshly gushed spring.

Sasha's dress was of a different vein, the former cheerleader dressed in a ruby red gown with a long bell-shaped skirt that left her shoulders and neck uncovered, but had thick sleeves covering her arms. To keep her hair tied back, she was wearing a small tiara made of ruby. Thanks to Sprig's gift with makeup, her face was superbly decorated, accentuating her eyes and other features. And hanging from the edge of her dress above her chest, a small silver metal object (identical to the one Jacob was also carrying) with the symbol of the army of Newtopia imprinted on it, delineating her current membership and rank.

Then there was Amelia, the younger girl wearing a bright purple dress with a wide collar, a ribbon tying it with Amphibia's symbol impressed on it, without sleeves but with a dropped waist and cluster of shimmering jewels at one side. Like Marcy, she too had shiny decorations applied to her hair and a clip, decorated with feathers on one side; and one shiny pendant, ending in a bright purple gem, around her neck and covering the point where her neck connected to her chest.

"I-I apologize for being late. Felicia was… helping me dress up." The girl nodded as the experienced frog entered behind her, she too dressed in a bright yellow dress specifically made for the occasion. "And I recall that it's better to take some more time than rush your work and risk ruining the look."

"Indeed, you're absolutely right on this affirmation." Lady Olivia nodded, internally happy that the girl had 'passed' her little test. "All right everyone, I understand some of you may feel 'constrained', due to the nature of the event you're going to take part of, as well as from the clothes you're wearing right now-"

"That's one way to put it." Maddie grimaced, looking at the dress she was wearing and feeling her hair tingle due to the unnatural hairstyle they had been forced into, both her eyes now plainly visible. "I can't believe, of all people, I'm wearing a dress! At least my sisters can't see me now, or they'll tease me till' the end of the time!"

Thanks for the info, Polly smugly smiled internally as she made a note of take a picture of the spellcaster before the day was over.

"Come on, Mads, is not that bad!" Ivy tried to cheer her up. "I admit it's hard the first time, but you get used to it after a while!"

"But I don't want to get used to it! I feel like when you and Sprig were forced to go on a date back at the Firefly Formal!"

"A-hem!" Lady Olivia fake-coughed, tapping the floor with her foot and quickly regaining everyone's attention. "Like I was saying, I understand the uneasiness you're feeling, as well as if any of you feel nervous about today. I know because on the first time I got to participate in the Gala, it sucked all my enthusiasm dry and a good chunk of my work happiness, leaving behind only an empty shell. That said, you don't have to like it by force: your role is simple, you must draw attention to yourselves and interact with as many attendees as possible, gathering info and giving openings for our agents, disguised among the partygoers, to do their job.

"Huh, question." Sprig raised his hand. "If they're among them, how can we know who they are? I ask because, if we end up stumbling on them, or even hindering their effort-"

"Precautions have been taken just to avoid this specific scenario." the royal Advisor countered, almost hissing as she thought how much work she had to went through to make sure nothing could go wrong. "And to guarantee the success of the operation, we cannot disclose the identity of our people until success has been achieved or unless there's some emergency. Now, before I go on explaining what kind of factions and people you'll probably end up meeting, if someone has any question-"

"I have one," Amelia raised her hand. "As someone who already experienced this kind of stuff, what are some of the greater risks we may end up running into? Just asking so we can probably recognize them… and avoid getting ourselves into bigger messes."

"That's a good question, and one that I was hoping any of you would ask." Lady Olivia cheered. "You see, among the various nobles that will be present at the party, there will indubitably be a lot of them who are either young, penniless or who are just trying to use their looks and family names to build connections… or who have siblings or children who they can use for the same purpose. And anyone who rises quickly in the eyes of such people, especially if they are close to the King or have some other kind of connection that looks desirable to their eyes."

"You mean gold diggers?" Hop Pop scoffed, rolling his eyes. "What about those parasites? Surely you don't mean-"

"Oh yes I do." Lady Olivia continued, glancing upon the six humans and their friends. "Take this as a personal recommendation of mine: do not accept any gift from any unsolicited newt, especially if they say it is a 'pledge' or if there are red flowers tied to it. Such items can be considered as betrothal pledges, in the eyes of nobility, and if we appear too much leaning toward one house it may break the whole equilibrium we're working to achieve."

"But, why would they do that to us?" Sasha gasped, pointing at herself and her friends. "Last I recall, humans didn't look too pretty by Amphibian standards."

"That is true, but you're still the newest Knights the king personally invested, something that hasn't happened for almost a whole century. Plus, your recent achievements, either in Newtopia or before, have reached the ears of many. And I have seen too many betrothals and weddings done where personal attraction and love were never part of the equation…"

"I guess it is a good thing I still had my wedding ring to wear," Felicia nodded, looking at her own hand with a mix of reassurance and bitter sadness. "They won't try to court a married lady, would they?"

"Well…"

In the grand ballroom of the tall and mighty castle, the gala that always took place the day before the Kingdom Council began was in full swing. Hundreds of Amphibians, all dressed in swanky and very expensive attire and wearing jewelry of undoubted value, were already gathered in the hall. All the guests were conversing with each other, showing off their wealth (real or presumed as it may be) or gossiping behind the backs of their enemies or anyone who, at the moment, had some scandal to sully their reputation. Some were pretty intent on filling their mouths (and stomachs) with the delicious samplings from the buffet prepared for the event. An uninterrupted coming and going of servants and waiters from the kitchen took care to bring in, at regular intervals, new trays filled with fragrant and freshly cooked delicacies, while at the same time returning the empty trays and cups of drinks to the kitchen.

In the center of the room, far enough away from the buffet tables so as not to cause obstruction, was the actual ballroom. A small orchestra, made up of Newts in red uniforms and equipped with violins, clarinets, flutes and a white harpsichord with gold trim, was arranged on a side stage with a fine wooden floor and was already playing light accompanying music while some couples were already dancing to the notes of the melody. For now, the dancers were a minority, but before that day was over, almost everyone who was present would be dancing in turn.

And yet, the main guests of the gala still were not present.

"Announcing!" a Royal Guard, dressed in a shiny ceremonial uniform and shouting at the top of his lungs, announced while hitting the floor with his pike, the various nobles who had already joined the gala all turning their heads, the chatting quieting down. "His Royal Majesty King Andrias Leviathan; Lord of Amphibia; Peacekeeper of a Thousand Years and the First of his Name! May his reign be long and prosperous, and may his life be filled with limitless joy and happiness!"

The large newt king made a dramatic and triumphant-sounding entrance, two guards at his side held their weapons high and escorted him solemnly while the king, raising his hand, motioned the crowd to hush before he began to speak.

"Esteemed representatives of the kingdom, citizens and officials of Newtopia, it is with a warm greeting that I welcome each and every one of you today, on the eve of a date that will forever remain in the annals-"

As Lady Olivia and the six Calamity Kids listened from where they were standing, King Andrias made a very long speech, though predictable in every part: for many years, the king affirmed, he had led the nation with kindness and care toward each of his subjects, true to the promise he had made when he ascended the throne to watch over them. For centuries and centuries, the people of Amphibia had lived in peace and harmony under the gaze of their ruler, but in time things had changed and now new threats had arisen to threaten the lives and health of all the people. The destruction of the Night's Guard Headquarters, by the Order of the Olms, was just the latest warning that Amphibia was now at a crossroads, and if they failed to adapt and counterattack, their entire civilization and the prosperity they had known until now were in serious danger.

And to accomplish that, he had welcomed among them the representatives from another world, members of another race who had ended up in Amphibia 'by a twist of fate', supporting them in their task to restore order both within the walls of the city and beyond.

As he finished his speech, the king placed his left hand on one side, silently giving the signal for lady Olivia to proceed. General Yunan was at her side, the young general dressed in a shiny brand new uniform with all of her medals tied over her chest, with the guard announcing them like they had done with the King.

"Announcing, the Highly Esteemed Royal Advisor lady Olivia and her escort General Yunan, Scourge of the Sand Wars and Defeater of Ragnar the Wretched!"

The taller newt was standing in place, with a proud expression on her face, listening to her 'glorious' announcement that had now become quite famous (or infamous, depending on who you asked) within Newtopia. But as the silence dragged on, she started to lose her nerves.

"Hey!" Yunan hissed, looking at the guard like she wanted to punch him, with lady Olivia restraining her by holding on her arm. "What about myself being the youngest newt to reach the rank of General in the Newtopia Army?"

"Yun-bun, please, hush. It wouldn't be a good message if the escort of the Royal Advisor were to assault one of the King's personal guards out of a misunderstanding."

Yunan hisses, knowing well that it wasn't a misunderstanding, if the smirk or the Royal Guard was anything to say. Yet, she said nothing as lady Olivia dragged her further into the large ballroom, a small crowd of admirers and gossip-interested ladies surrounding them.

"Announcing!" The Royal guard shouted for the third time in a few minutes. "Ser Jacob Matthews, warrant cadet officer of the Newtopia Army, and his companion, Lady Marcy Regina Wu, Captain ranger of the Night Guard and assistant Royal Spellcaster; Lady Anne Savisa Boonchuy and her companion Sprig Plantar; Lady Sasha Elizabeth Waybright, warrant cadet officer of the Newtopia Army, and her sister Lady Ivy Hibiscus Matcha Sundew; Ser James-"

"Ugh, I hate when they use my middle name," Marcy groaned as she kept walking alongside Jacob, her hand held by his, careful where she put her feet in fear of tripping. "I can't stand it; it makes me feel snotty-"

"I love it, it's a graceful name." Jacob replied, taking deep breaths to avoid blushing, since he was holding his crush by her hand, and they were both walking into a large social event dressed as a prince and princess of a fairy tale. "Besides, it's a large event, one of the few occasions when you get to hear someone call your full name without having done something bad."

"I still can't believe you managed to rope me into this!" Bella protested, joining her 'boss' until she was a few steps behind him. She too wasn't wearing her usual uniform, instead being dressed in a lovely aquamarine dress with a large ribbon on her side and a small bow over her hair. "I mean, I'm wearing a dress worth six months of groceries for my whole extended family! And it wouldn't be this bad, if the reason for me to be here, in one of the most exclusive and spot-limited events of the city, wasn't just because I'm the assistant of one of the attendees."

"Hey, lady Olivia told me I had spot for a plus one, and I thought of inviting you." The boy replied. "I thought you would have appreciated it."

"And I do, I really do, but… I also feel so out of my element in here!" Bella looked around, trying to orientate herself. The large room was filled at the moment by strapping young newts around her age, many of them dressed in shiny suits, and she was feeling distracted for some reason. And judging by the glances some of them were giving back, it was clear they had noticed her too. "I mean, what if someone finds out that I'm not rich nor noble, but just a girl who used to be a bellhop until not long ago?"

"Would that make any difference?" The boy teased her. "King Andrias himself invited us, and if they don't like you, well, that's on them!"

"I'm still feeling unsure at being here," Marcy confessed. "I mean, I know that lady Olivia asked us to help, but this is still quite a large event, and I have no one to-"

"Captain Marcy, you're here!" A voice exclaimed, the dark-haired girl turning around to see a trio of young newts who she knew very well approach her, all dressed in shiny clothes and uniforms.

"Javi, Kettle, Femur!" The human Night Guard Ranger captain cheered, leaving Jacob's side and walking toward them in a heartwarming embrace, some of the on-lookers cooing as they witnessed the scene. "I'm so happy to see you here. How are you?"

"We're… fine." Kettle nodded. "Thanks to his family, Javi got an invitation, and he decided to take me as his plus one."

"Hey, my brother didn't want to come, and they needed someone to come here in his stead." The taller newt replied with a bittersweet smirk. "Plus, we needed some time off from the Corp after, after-"

"After what happened?" Marcy sighed with a sad tone, her mind trying not to think of the trauma that she had just begun to heal from. "Yeah, I think this is a wise choice."

"I personally can't wait for a chance to pay them back for all the pain they've inflicted on us!" Kettle hissed, anger once again surfacing on her face. "I lost so many friends and comrades at once, and-"

"We all lost friends, Kettle." Javi interrupted her, his hand grabbing her shoulder and starting to massage her, the smaller newt relaxing and calming down in response. "But the Night Guard is still standing. The headmaster's still alive, and he's already working to reorganize what we have left. We will avenge our friends and bring those guys to justice: that's a promise!"

Femur, of course, said nothing, yet his solemn expression and body movement hinted he was standing (metaphorically, as well as literally) with his friends, before lightening up, opening a case he had been carrying with him and revealing his violin, Javi and Kettle's smiling as they understood his intentions.

"Oh yeah, Femur got a gig to play his violin at the gala!" Kettle nodded. "He has some new music, all inspired by you, captain Marcy. Do you want to hear them?"

Marcy smiled.

(…)

"I'd say, I surely wasn't expecting to see you again this soon, Mr. Ribbiton." Felicia chuckled, looking at the Ribbitvale frogs. "Or you, Walliam."

"Please, call me Wigbert, miss Sundew. You clearly are close with my son in Wartwood, plus you and your friends helped us defend my mansion against those dastardly toads and their metal monsters. That is more than enough to consider you as my friend."

"When new came that the Council had been summoned, dad and I were chosen as Ribbitvale's representatives." Wally nodded, "and we took some others with us. We knew you may be in the city, so many were quite eager to meet you again."

"I know, I've noticed Maddie surrounded by a small crowd earlier." Felicia nodded, her gaze moving on the side for one second and looking for the blue spellcaster, relaxing as she recognized her pink hair in the distance. "I guess her magic did leave quite an impression. Huh?"

"You have no idea." Wigbert nodded with a smirk. "There are talks already among many families to establish a magic school in our city, and hire Maddie to teach in it. And the fact she got chosen by the King himself as Royal Spellcaster is indubitably going to galvanize them even more."

"On a related note, Miss Sundew," Wally piped in, "I heard from one of my contacts that you've met again with your former husband. I hope you're fine."

"I am, kind off." Felicia looked with a dry look at her own wedding band. "We both agreed our union is over and that we have our own paths and futures, but we were able to address some issues we had left hanging. And it did give my daughter a chance to meet her dad."

"And I am happy for you as well. To be honest, before I heard that, I half-believed Wally to be your daughter's father."

"Dad?!" Wally visibly blushed, a couple of other partygoers turning their head as he yelled.

"Hey, it could have been."

"Mister Ribbiton!" Felicia blushed as well. "Your son and me may be close, but not that kind of close!"

"Yeah, there is nothing between Felicia and me!"

"I was just saying, your daughter is such a cute and beautiful girl, I'd loved to be her grandpa. Plus, she would be entitled to a very generous allowance-"

(….)

"Mr. Plantar, it was so nice to meet you again!" Count Dulock welcomed the old farmer, Hop Pop holding Polly close as he walked among them. "And who is this cute nice young lady?"

"Gentlemen, this is my granddaughter, Polly Petunia Plantar." Hop Pop replied as everyone's focus moved on the tadpole, some female newts looking at her with cheer while Polly snorted, already knowing how they were going to treat her. "Polly, these are Count Geri Dulock of Kulipe Manor and his associates. Remember to behave yourself."

"Greetings," the tadpole nodded.

"Oh, she still has her flipper tail, so cute!"

"Please, don't come too close: she doesn't like to be touched."

"Indeed, I don't!"

"Oh, please allow to apologize Mr. Plantar." Count Dulock chuckled. "Anyway, me and my associates wanted to thank you for your precious knowledge and expertise."

"Without that, those nasty Burrowbugs would have ruined our fields forever!" One of them gasped in a dramatic overplay. "And yet now, not only we did manage to stop their infestation from spreading, but our fields are recovering, albeit slowly! You may have saved our family income, Mr. Plantar, and for this you have my friendship and those of my family."

"Oh, I just did what anyone in my position would have done," the old frog waved his hand, to emphasize how it was nothing to him.

"Allow me to disagree, what you did was quite something." Count Dulock nodded. "And from what we had heard, this is not the last thing you've been doing in our city. Tell me, it is true that one of your 'children'" he gazed on the humans, "found some kind of metallic thing and managed to tame them?"

"Hey!" Polly protested, unable to stay silent anymore. "That 'thing' has a name, and it's Frobo! Amelia and I found him in the wilderness, and while he may look scary, he's just like a big tadpole! The only reason why such mess happened in the first place is because that creep attacked us in the first place!"

"Baron Bunorffer, that was him, huh?" One of the count's friends smiled. "Yeah, he was quite a mess afterward, so much he refused to leave his home to this day! The rumor mill say ladies still laugh at him whenever he goes out, having heard of his 'courage'."

"Frogs, I would have paid to see such scene with my eyes!"

"And I would have doubled that!" Another noble nodded, looking at Polly. "That said, this Frobo, I am quite interested in him: is there perhaps any chance I could… ask you if we could meet him?"

"I'll have to check with him, but I do not think there are any issues." Polly nodded. "He's not here at the moment, but maybe, if there is time later on-"

"Hop Pop? Polly is that you?!" Another voice interrupted the happy chat, the old farmer and his tadpole granddaughter turning around to see an elderly frog with blue skin, dressed in a striped waistcoat over a white t-shirt accompanied with a bow and dress pants. His hair was slick and he had a French mustache just over his lips.

A frog that had come to Newtopia many years ago, looking for fame and fortune, but didn't find it until he stopped refusing to change.

A frog that had gone from a small sandwich shop with barely any clients to the owner of one of the most successful factories in the city, and he could now access where only news where mostly go.

An old friend of Hop Pop who he had met recently with Polly, and gave him a new perspective on life.

"SAL?"

"Oh, another friend of yours, Mr. Plantar?" Count Dulock smiled. "This day just keeps getting better and better."

(…)

"Your Majesty," another noble knelt in front of King Andrias, a platoon of Royal Guards standing on both sides while Lady Olivia did a mental count. "I greet you on this day and wish you endless joy and prosperity."

"Thank you, thank you Baron Xevren," the King replied, doing the best he could to hide his utter boredom. "Your respects are acknowledged."

The noble nodded, raising on his feet and retreating while his servant dropped yet another gift on the table, leaving space for the next noble to come and greet their sovereign. In theory, this 'greet and meet' was a mere formality that all nobles ought to do to show their devotion and loyalty to the crown, and for the noble houses to show off their wealth each by competing to give the most expensive gifts (something the Royal Treasurer was very grateful for).

But now, the stakes were much higher, for many nobles weren't truly loyal to their King and Newtopia. Sometimes, lady Olivia felt like she could smell them, literally. A smell that made her feel nauseous and kept getting stronger the more she looked at their fake smiles, empty facades of happiness under which grew ambition and corruption.

It was the stench of betrayal.

"Your Majesty." A new voice announced, as King Andrias and lady Olivia saw Duke Pyrforian walk toward them, accompanied by several smaller nobles of his faction and a couple of his own guards, dressed in a bright red dress, a frog servant following him with a silent expression and carrying a mysterious package on his hands. "I am happy to see you in good health, after the recent rumors of your supposed heir were disproved."

The King said nothing, yet lady Olivia could see his jaw tighten, as he looked to the duke in front of him with a gaze full of scowl. The duke had loudly reminded, to anyone who could hear him, the fact that the king was still heirless, one of his main critiques that had been aimed at him, and it had often led to wild gossip aimed to weaken his position.

"The king is healthy, as he had been for many years, and he's assisted by the best medical personal of Amphibia." Lady Olivia replied, quickly shifting in her 'veteran politician' personality, ready to block any lunge from her adversary and counterattack whenever possible. "And he has the hearts and minds of all his subjects with him."

"Indeed. His Majesty is most lucky to have so many faithful followers." Duke Pyrforian knelt even more before snapping his fingers, the frog servant nodding and walking to the table of the gifts. "Here, as a show of my loyalty and faith in your wise rule and the strength of the House of Leviathan, I too have brought a gift."

"A gift, you say?" King Andrias spoke to him directly for the first time, raising an eyebrow as he acknowledged him. "And tell me, Duke, what is it?"

"Oh, I believe images speak louder than words, Your Majesty." The duke nodded and the frog, obeying the order hidden in his words, began to open the package and showed what was hidden inside: a magnificent bejeweled sword, with a golden grip, a large bright diamond encased on its pommel, and words written on Ancient Amphibian engraved on the blade. It was shiny, flamboyant, and several onlookers gasped in surprise as they saw it, thinking deeply of the gesture.

"May your rule be as solid and strong as this sword, your majesty, so everyone in Amphibia will respect you accordingly."

"That's… quite an extravagant gift, Duke-"

"I am just doing my part as a noble of Newtopia, to preserve the strength of our kingdom and safeguard the peace of our beloved city. After that… terrible attack of the Order on the Night Guards' headquarter, I have heard that many of our citizen feel less safe even within our walls."

"The Night Guard had suffered a tragic attack, indeed, but is still standing. And with them, is the Newtopia Army, the Navy and the Royal Guards." Lady Olivia replied, giving to the duke a fake smile of her own. "And the Order shall be defeated. That's a promise His Majesty made."

"Indeed, and it would be of our interest to make sure the city is well defended. Me and my allies… are very concerned about recent events, and we will do anything in our power to guarantee that new security measures shall be available to reinforce our might." The Duke bowed once more as he left, his supporters and servants walking away with him, Lady Olivia glaring at him all the way until she was sure he wasn't on sight anymore, before rushing to the table of the gifts and checking the sword itself.

And as soon as she did, her lips twisted into a grimaced, realizing that the sword's blade was dull and too light, while the grip and pommel were too heavy. The gems and precious materials that made the sword were real, yet it was clear at the same time, thanks to what Yunan had taught her from time to time, that this sword was merely decorative, and if someone had ever attempted to use it, be into battle or a duel, that it would be next to useless.

A sword that was flashy and expensive, yet useless for its intended scope.

That meant that, by gifting it to the king and wishing for his rule to be 'as strong and solid' as this sword was…

-Duke Pyrforian wants King Andrias' rule to be weak and devoid of any strength, like this sword that would break at the first clash. A mere puppet to act as bait and figurehead while the real power lies elsewhere.

Had this come by anyone else, lady Olivia would have seen this as a major faux pas, the kind of etiquette errors that nobles often used against each other to insult and demean their rivals while appearing as they were praising them. However, coming from Duke Pyrforian of all people, this sword and the words he had used, as well as the glances she had caught from the other nobles of his entourage, could mean only one thing.

It was a frogging declaration of war.

(…)

"Lady Amelia!" A new, unknown voice called out, the girl led away by the silverware filled with exciting treats, "How lucky it is for to be able to meet you, here."

"Do we know each other?" The young samurai asked, mentally trying to remember if the dandy newt in extravagant clothes in front of her was someone she had already met.

"No, lady Amelia, we didn't have a chance to meet… yet." The newt suppressed a smirk before pressing on. "I was quite surprised to see you middling in this area all alone; attracted by the treats? I heard the sea ants of Ivory coast are quite snappy, for those who aren't used to their taste yet."

"I was just curious, that's all," replied Amelia, internally wondering why the word 'remora' kept appearing in her mind every time he looked at the newt's face. "Besides, is not like I have much to talk with any of the guests present."

"I agree that's quite a noisy environment; how about let me escort you somewhere more… private. Would you like to hear about my family's accomplishments?"

"Thanks, but I'm not interested-"

"Or perhaps, would you allow me to get something strong to drink? Something spiced maybe?"

"No, actually-"

"Alternatively-"

"The lady just said no." another voice interjected, as the taller, larger figure belonging to one of the human boys approached the newt from behind before putting himself between him and Amelia, his smooth, honeyed words and gentle manners only an empty facade that didn't stop the Amphibian to notice the threatening tone and glances aimed at him. "A proper gentleman should respect her wishes. And before you keep trying to court her, let me tell you one important detail – she's eleven!"

The newt, his eyes widening in shock as he realized he had been trying to seduce an underage girl (a child) and noticing the shameful look the onlookers were giving him, decided to cut his losses and rushed away, as fast as his legs and clothing allowed him, leaving Amelia alone with her 'savior'.

"Thanks for the help, James," the young samurai nodded as the boy dressed in a Navy uniform turned toward her. "Frog, I can't believe he was this insistent."

"My guess is that, since you were alone, he probably assumed you would be more vulnerable to his…" the teen, took a few seconds before finishing his sentence, disgust clearly visible on his face "charms. This gala surely is full of gold-diggers: I already had two newt ladies trying to get my attention too!"

"Oh, yeah? Were they bad?"

"A few exchanges of words and I could already tell they weren't interested in me personally, but only on the fact I am one of the King's newest knights and his supposed heir! I thought that would be over by now!"

"Well, you did look quite alike when you were transformed," Amelia chuckled. "By the way, how are my cousin and the others going so far?"

"Oh, Jacob is loving it. There is a small crowd around him who is eagerly listening to all his stories of the adventures we had ever since arriving in Amphibia. As for the girls… Marcy had to be rescued a few times already, but now Anne and Sasha are sticking to her close enough to deter any more wannabe noble suitors or people who try to take advantage of her social awkwardness. That, plus lady Olivia's authority, should suffice. At least for now."

"And what about the other nobles? The ones who hate the King and who never bothered to hide their disdain for us?" Amelia raised an eyebrow. "Did you notice them already?"

"Yeah, they're all being gathering around Duke Pyrforian on one side of the room. And they're busy receiving greetings by the nobles who have decided to join them. Don't approach them, if you still want to breath oxygen."

"Actually, I have a better idea," the girl pointed to something behind her, James noticing it was the door leading to one of the balconies. "How about we take a break from the event and go breath some fresh air? I heard tonight the sky's quite clear, and the stars are incredibly visible!"

"That's a nice idea! Make way, missy!"

"After you, you Hornblower!"

(…)

"Ivy, please… I can't breathe." Sprig murmured, his childhood friend (and recently girlfriend) releasing her grip on him as soon as they were far enough, the boy taking deep breath as he massaged his hurting arm. Around them, the gala was now on full swing: the small orchestra from before had changed and new, fresher musician had taken their place, bringing new notes and melodies as many nobles decided to join each other on the dance floor. That, however, meant that anyone who wanted to join the dance but didn't have a set partner already was getting more and more aggressive to find one.

"Who the heck did those girls think they are?" Ivy hissed, once again looking in the direction where those nasty spoiled newt brats had been teasing them non-stop with a never-ending charade of insults disguised as remarks. "Just because I am a frog, and they're newts, doesn't mean they can treat me like some sort of servant and even attempt to steal my boyfriend!"

"That's Newtopia for you, Ivy," Maddie interjected, still accompanied by half a dozen young frogs, all dressed in good-looking outfits and interested into learning magic from her. "If it wasn't for our species, they would belittle you because you belong a different social strata, or because you don't act and behave like them."

"Maddie!" Sprig happily announced. "So glad to see you again. Are they-"

"Yes." The spellcaster frog nodded, before moving to present each other. "Girls, these are Sprig Plantar, my long-time friend and current… boyfriend," she admitted with a blush, a couple of other frogs cooing as she said that, "and Ivy Sundew, another friend of mine and daughter of Felis the Red. We are in a polyamorous relationship. Ivy, Sprig, these girls are Jenna Zenhen, Alaria Dolis, Nopi Pitani, Salarii Crorken, Zephira Noddi and Cherii Tadole. They came here with Wally and his dad, and they are all quite eager to learn more about magic and how to practice it."

"I can't believe it, Felis the red, the legendary adventurer, had a daughter!" The one Maddie introduced as Salarii cheered. "And the fact you both managed to score the same boyfriend… it looks like an old classy romance story!"

"Thanks? I guess?" Ivy smiled awkwardly, yet feeling a lot more at ease with them than with the nobles from before.

"We knew that lady Maddie's friends had to be something amazing as well! Those spoiled newts really are stupid not to see it!"

"Yeah, even since we arrived, they've been belittling us, even if our families have much more money than them!"

"Nasty, stupid newts! No matter how rich you can be, they'll treat you all the same if you're a frog, a toad or an axolotl!"

"Girls, please, calm down!" Maddie tried to smooth things down, before their voices could be heard by any of the other newt nobles presents at the gala. "Let's try not to alienate anyone else. As nasty their behavior can be, King Andrias and the Royal Advisors need them to contrast the negative influence of Dyke Pyrforian and his cabal of oligarchs."

"Indeed, maybe it would be better to move someplace else?" Sprig proposed, "I heard from one of the servants that there's a small room close by, we could gather there and… have our own event?"

"That… would be a good idea!" Jenna nodded. "Lady Maddie, perhaps you could… give us some new lesson on magic? We'd all be eager to learn new things!"

"And even if we can't do any practice yet, we have all we need for the theory!" Alaria quickly agreed, revealing a sheet of paper and a couple of quills she had managed to snuck under her own dress.

"And we could hear about you two as well!" Nopi looked at Sprig and Ivy, "My preceptor often told me stories about Frog Valley, and how it is a lush region yet filled with many dangerous creatures: tell me, it is true."

"Yup, it is." Ivy nodded, before continuing. "And because of that we have learned how to be even tougher! Not that we had much choice on the matter, since we couldn't rely on the toads to protect us."

"Ugh, the toads!" A few Ribbitvale frogs grimaced with expression filled with disgust. "Those brutes won't even bother to do their job properly, unless it is for their own benefit! And all those rejects they end up dumping end up becoming bandits and criminals, fueling the unrest and threatening the security of our roads!"

"And that's not even the worst part!" Zephira intervened. "There is a rumor going around, seems like there is a new bandit warlord on the rise, his name is Rives or something like that. He had forced all bandit clans and criminal in Amphibia's central regions under his banner, and now seems like he has enough forces to put the whole kingdom in jeopardy."

"Let's hope not! What if he becomes worse than Ragnar the Wretched?"

"This is why Mr. Wigbert's initiative is vital for the security of Ribbitvale, just like our own initiative to promote magic and use it for good!"

(…)

Wow, these nobles sure do like hearing the sound of their own voices, Bella mentally scoffed as she walked over the -nth group of newts in fancy clothes and shining jewelry, talking either gossip about other partygoers who they didn't like or boasting about their wealth. The bellhop-turned cadet ignored them, instead looking for another refill of expensive appetizers; according to their appearance and the ingredients they were made of, she had already eaten three times her yearly paycheck as a bellhop, yet she had no reason to be bothered. As Mr. Plantar himself often said, it doesn't matter when you're not paying.

She had just started filling her plate once again when she felt eyes upon her, her head turning to the left and crossing glance with an orange-skinned newt fellow around her age, dressed in an elegant brown tuxedo with a light-yellow undershirt, a half-empty glass in his right hand.

"Greetings."

"Hi-" Bella replied… hastily setting down her plate and covering her lips when she realized she had spoken with her mouth full. "Pardon."

"It's all right," the other newt replied with a light chuckle, "I acted the same way at my first social outing. I'd say, I have never seen your face before: did you come with your family for the Council?"

"No, I… I live in Newtopia, born and raised here." Bella countered. "But I'm not a noble, if that's what you're asking, so this is my first experience with this kind of events."

Hearing that, the male newt raised an eyebrow, his interest excited as he kept looking over the slender, yet firm figure of Bella and the dress she was wearing.

"You're not? But… your clothes…"

"They are a gift from Lady Olivia. I got this since my boss was one of the special guests of the gala, and he insisted to bring me along with him."

"A gift from the royal advisor? That's not something many people can boast about. Your patron must be some a really important dignitary then."

"He's the guy dressed in a shiny uniform and surrounded by nobles over there," Bella pointed with her eyes at Jacob, who alongside Sasha was dealing with the never-ending stream of newts who were fawning over their words.

"That- you mean Ser Jacob, one of those hummuses?!"

"It's humans, and anyway yes. I am his attendant, so I must follow him anywhere he goes, and partake in the same military trainings he undergoes. My name's Bella, by the way."

"Lizentine, and believe me, I know what it means to go through that. I spent six weeks of my life trough that pain, just because my family said so!"

"Your family?"

"We own a mine back north, we aren't part of Newtopia's aristocracy nor we are fancy rich, but we have more than enough to make ourselves comfortable. However, ever since grandpa died of Red Legs, Aunt Penelope took over the family business and she's been hellbent on her idea that the family should become 'respectable' so I am now forced to come here and 'play' friend with the nobles. Hopefully, if I keep doing this, our family's status will be elevated or something like that."

"I'm sorry for your loss." Bella nodded, a part of her positively impressed by him, now that she was sure he couldn't be a gold-digger. "Believe me, after today I have realized that Newtopia's high society is nothing worth desiring."

"A lesson harshly learned, yet I can't disobey my aunt. She told me I'll end up disowned if I don't produce results, and thus I am forced to bore myself to death again and again."

"Then, how about we make a deal?" Bella suggested, a mischievous smirk on her lips. "We could go someplace quieter, and you can tell your auntie that you were busy seducing some young cute girl in hope to secure support for your family. Of course, you're not to be blamed if you later find out she lied-"

(…)

"Oh la la!" Anne gasped, her eyes widening as she noticed something going. "Talk about something unexpected."

"What was unexpected, Anna-Banana?" Marcy asked instinctively, only for her friend to point at one side of the large room, where Bella was currently being led away by a quite handsome newt. "Oh, my!"

"I know! Looks like we do have one more ship to fawn about."

"Shouldn't we, you know, tell Jacob?" She pointed at their friend. "Bella is his subordinate after all."

"Thanks, but no thanks. After the disaster that was Sprig and Ivy's first arranged date, I'm not going to meddle into someone else love life ever again."

"I guess that's true. Still, it is nice to see how much Bella has grown since Jacob took her under his wing. Just like all of us, in a way." She stopped for a few seconds, taking a deep breath before resuming. "Frog, sometimes I can hardly believe it myself! We had so many adventures together, we visited to many places, we have made so many friends… I can barely believe I am the same girl who ended up causing all of this in the first place!"

"Come on, Mar-Mar, we told you already: stop blaming yourselves for the Box. What you did wasn't right...and it still stings a bit. But you realized your mistake, and you tried to fix it as best as you could. And even it took awhile, we did forgive you."

"Even Sash?"

"Yes, even Sash. She may not admit it yet, but I do see she has already forgiven you in her heart. And she does have a big heart."

"Hey-" Marcy began to protest, only to shut up as she once again looked at her friend, chuckling with happiness, dressed in the shiny clothes lady Olivia had given her, the translucent fabric making her face and figure stand out even more, the dark-haired nerd looking aside as she felt her heart starting to beat faster and faster.

As the crowd around them began to scatter, Jacob and Sasha moved to rejoin them, Anne hugging her while Jacob smiled at Marcy, once again making her heart flutter.

Not today, the Night Guard ranger captain repeated in her mind, I won't make this choice now, not today, not until we are back home-

"-and here!" Maddie proudly announced, the other frogs all gasping as they saw her spell generating a small globe of light, levitating in the air for a full minute before dissolving. "This spell, that I have developed with the help of my friend Marcy, is aimed to provide light and a little warmth for a limited time. It is useful if you need to lighten some close interior without other means to do so. Also, it's one of the easiest spells at my disposal. It has no side effect to be wary of and it can be done with ingredients you can gather anywhere, even inside your own home!"

"That looks so cool!" One of the frogs gasped, having taken detailed notes of the processing and spellcasting technique that Maddie had shown them. "And you, miss Ivy, you said your mom taught you and advanced fighting style of martial arts… hidden as tea-serving procedures?"

"In my defense, I didn't know it was a hidden training. And she never resolved to tell me until my own sister forced the issue." After I almost ended up running away from home, the yellow frog added in her mind. "I spent so much time being angry at how she kept nagging me, how I had to redo each move perfectly just as she said, again and again, every day, without even knowing-!" Ivy stopped herself to take a deep breath. "I am grateful for that, but that doesn't mean I would like to redo the whole experience."

"That could be very useful back home!" Jenna nodded. "My mom's always nagging me too because she says I am too unruly when it comes to tea-serving. Perhaps if I could learn it she would stop pestering me and I would learn a cool awesome skill to protect myself in case those toads ever return!"

"That sounds good, but I'm not the one you should ask for that." Ivy rolled her eyes. "It's my mom that developed it, and my sister is the one who's the most experienced with martial fighting styles. You should rather ask them. I can lend you a hand, but I'm not a teacher, at least, not yet."

"And while I appreciate your interest in magic, I can't possibly start teaching to all of you just yet." Maddie nodded in agreement. "Nothing personal, but I'm still more of a 'one teacher, one student' kind of frog, and I already have a student and apprentice."

"You mean lady Marcy's, the favorite newest knight of the King, right? The coolest of the six?"

"Hey!" Sprig, who until then had been lying down and watching over the 'lesson' jumped up, an angry scowl over his face "Marcy's cool, but is not the coolest! Anne is just as cool as her, if not more!"

"Oh yeah? What are her accomplishments?"

"Well, she did defeat two Herons on her own, by summoning those special powers of her that none of us even suspected they existed before." Sprig countered, and immediately, all the Ribbitvale frogs gasped.

"Herons?" Nopi's mouth was wide open. "She fought herons?!"

"Gave us a lot of meat to stock and use for months, as well as feathers we later sent to Newtopia!" Nodded Sprig, his arms crossed over his chest, a proud smile on his face. "She even led us into a quest to find a monstrous tomato! Just so we could use it as an ingredient for one of the best dishes ever!"

"Was it really that good?" Zephira asked with an interested look, making Maddie, Sprig and Ivy smile at the same time.

"The best dishes ever made." The fiddle player and reckless youngest male of the Plantar's bloodline nodded. "Maddie's dad liked it so much he began to sell it among other people in Wartwood, they made him rich!"

"Wow!"

"Hey, we aren't rich, at least, not at their level." Maddie looked at the Ribbitvale girl, before turning around and smiling at them once again. "But it did make our family a little more comfortable, and it started a good relationship with Sprig's family, since they were supplying us the tomatoes."

"You were raising tomatoes in your farm?" A couple kids gasped at Sprig, who couldn't help but smile smugly at being the center of the attention, even as Ivy gave him a pouted grunt. "How could you ever do that? Our father always told us tomatoes are large, carnivorous plants that eat anything that gets too close!"

"I know, we even saw how the throat of a tomato looks… from the inside." Sprig spoke nervously, Maddie, Ivy and the other girls stuttering in response. "Luckily, Hop Pop found out that not only are their throats edible, but also extremely delicious! And later, we gathered some seeds, and through trial and error, we found out tomatoes don't get too aggressive… as long as you can properly raise them."

"So, your family now is growing tomatoes… and selling them?" Zephira repeated, an inquisitive look on her face, her family's trademark business sense kicking in. "And your family," she pointed at Maddie, "uses them to make some new kind of ultra-delicious dishes no one ever heard of from before?"

"That's because those recipes came with our newest family members!" Ivy nodded cheerfully. "Mostly Anne, but Sasha and Marcy too had shared so many recipes for delicious stuff from their world, even taught us how to make them! Mom said that strudel that Sasha introduced brought us many new customers, and some even requested they could buy some to take away."

"And let's not forget about Stumpy!" Sprig nodded. "His place was run down and close to bankrupt before Anne got hired there. Now? It's the most popular place in Wartwood!"

Zephira listened carefully, as the three Wartwood frogs kept recalling the positive changes the six humans had brought to their hometown, and gradually, to the whole valley. Breakthrough concepts and ideas on how to make their own agriculture and harvest more efficient, new items and machinery (most of them built from blueprints Marcy had written down) that had de facto changed many things among those families who had welcomed the humans in their homes. And not only that, but the humans have also helped expose Wartwood's Mayor corruption and repelled the toads, an event that had let the whole Valley freeing itself from the chains of toad-imposed authority and blossom into a new economic miracle!

Two months, two months trapped into one of the most savage and less developed regions of Amphibia, and they managed to kickstart an economic upheaval, Zephira thought.

What if they had appeared… among us?

(…)

"Wow, the stars sure are beautiful today!" Amelia couldn't help but say aloud, while James pointed at each star and space body in sight, many of which he had personally observed, catalogued and 'christened' in the months ever since they ended up in Amphibia. Of course, since their gala clothes weren't heavy or padded enough to withstand the chilly air of early night, they were both carrying heavy scarf and blankets over them, kindly 'borrowed' from some servant gone to check on them earlier.

"I know, it's such beauty that conquered me too. The first time I went to see them with my mother-" The British teen nodded, before a shadow of sadness appeared on him. "Mom…"

"Don't say it; I'm sure she's okay." The samurai girl replied, patting her friend on the back. "Just as your father, or Marcy's parents, or Sasha's, Anne's, Jacob's and… mine." She stopped, taking a deep breath in turn. "Frog, to think that before the box and ending up here, I was fine with never seeing them ever again, but now… I'd gladly give Yamato, if only for a chance to see them once."

"There you are!" A loud voice yelled behind them, the two humans turning to see their friends (that is, the three girls plus Jacob) march toward them. The boy, however, in contrast with the happy, smiling expressions the three girls were showing, looked quite concerned and angry, his eyes focused on James as he walked forward, trying to put himself between the British boy and his cousin.

"I can't believe you would attempt something like that behind my back! We may be brother from different mothers, but to think-OW!"

"Would you keep your tone of voice down and let them speak?" Sasha scoffed, pulling the boy by one of his ears. "You spent the whole gala loudly bashing into the crowd, and now you try to play the overprotective bigger brother?"

"Overprotective- wait, what?!" Amelia gasped in realization, covering her mouth to hide her chuckle.

"Jacob, I was just showing off Amphibia's stars to Amelia." James nodded, still unsure why his friend had just tried to be aggressive to him. "Why are you so angry?"

"Because he believed you two were, you know," Anne tried to explain indirectly, making gestures with her hands, "a boy and a girl, all alone, together, on some large balcony with no one else bothering them…"

James' eyes grew three sizes that moment, realization striking him as it had done with Amelia, embarrassment and mortification present on his cheeks as he looked to Amelia, the girl doing the same.

"We… a couple?"

For a few seconds, no one said nothing, Sasha still holding onto Jacob, the former prankster desperately trying to get free (or at least, stop the blonde girl to pull him by the ear), Anne standing next to them with her arms crossed and an annoyed expression on her face, Marcy behind her friends and looking aside as James and Amelia blinked at the same, their lips moving and then-

"BWAWAWAWAH!" The boy in Navy uniform and the samurai girl began to laugh wildly, Amelia even holding on the banister to avoid falling onto the floor, while Jacob's expression became puzzled.

"Seriously, bro, you though I was trying to woo your sister? She's a bright and smart girl, and I'm honored to call her my friend… but she's not my type. No offense meant, Amelia."

"None taken, you're not my type too." Amelia agreed. "Frog, I can't believe this happened! Jacob, you're really my brother now!"

"Hey, that could have been possible! You're girl, he's a boy-"

And you're the one making such wild accusation, just out of circumstantial evidence? Both seemed to think at the same time, giving a knowing glance to Marcy, the dark-haired girl blushing in turn (unseen by her friends) and turning around.

"I told you were being an idiot!" Sasha finally spoke again, her lips twitching into a victorious smug. "Now, I guess you should apologize, don't you?"

"Right.," Jacob grunted, turning toward James and Amelia. "Look, I'm sorry I over-reacted. It's just that, when I noticed I couldn't see you anywhere, I asked one of the servants if they had seen you, and she told me you left quite early, and how you were talking about going someplace 'private'-"

"That's because we both couldn't stand those obnoxious nobles anymore!" His cousin and adoptive sister replied with a grimace. "Can you believe how many of those freaks attempted to woo me tonight? Five, and James stopped the last two!"

"After surviving four attempts on myself."

"Just five? Amateur!" Anne chuckled. "Sasha and I both faced ten wannabe suitors, and Jacob eight."

"Seven! The last one wasn't a gold-digger, just a petite newt asking if she could take the last of my drink-"

"Do you remember she placed her lips just over where you laid yours?"

"Oh right. Yeah, eight."

"Still, not as many as our little Mar-mar got!" Anne shivered. "Twenty-three nobles, all thinking they could get fame and prestige by getting closer to the newest bright Night Guard captain and King Andrias' favorite knight."

"I did try to tell them to leave me alone, but they were so pressing!" The aforementioned girl signed, Sasha and Anne comforting her while Jacob couldn't help but look hateful. He had met some of those sleazes: the glares he had sent them could have torched up Alderaan if he powered it with his Calamity powers.

"Calm down, mar-mar, it's all okay!"

"So… just to ask," James raised an eyebrow, "why did you all came here? I mean, you weren't only trying to stop Jacob from letting his 'big brother instinct' do something he would regret later?" Jacob in response looked down ashamed for his previous action.

"Ok, you caught us." Anne fake-confessed. "It's just the gala's entered on the final swing, and now everyone is either participating into the dance or looking for a partner to join with, and since we are all tired and drained after spending a whole day like this, we decided it was better to skip out on the dance and head here so we wouldn't be bothered."

"And what about the others?" Amelia asked. "Don't tell me you've abandoned them!"

"We didn't need to," Marcy happily nodded, her embarrassment from before forgotten already as she returned to her standard cheerful attitude. "Maddie, Sprig and Ivy left the main room already, there were some friends of them who had come with Wally and his dad, and they decided to go have some small thing on their own. Hop Pop and Felicia too are having a good time with Wigbert and some of their other friends, I heard they were discussing business, and they left Polly with the others. As for Bella-"

"-she's having a good time with lady Olivia, no one is daring to approach her since she's with the King!" Anne and Sasha interrupted Marcy's explanation, as the three girl reached a silent agreement. Considering how badly Jacob had reacted to the idea Amelia and James may be on something, they didn't want to risk revealing she had been 'busy' with a dashing male newt in turn.

"Well, they surely are having fun. How about we do our own private gathering too?" Amelia proposed. "I mean, the balcony's big and large enough, even if it's a bit chilly, and there's this amazing view all for us to enjoy!" She pointed to the sky and Newtopia, the city stretching around the castle in every direction before reaching its tall walls, with only a few lights dimming in the dark.

That was something that the six humans had to adjust in time: in Amphibia, nighttime illumination was something very rare. Even in Newtopia, the only place in the whole continent where electric energy was available, the number of buildings you could see illuminated all the time could be counted with fingers of just one hand.

"I agree with the idea!" Anne nodded, "But, what should we do? I don't feel like having another chitchat session. Already had too much back in there."

"And my feet could really use someplace to sit right now." Marcy hissed. "The gala was magnificent, of course, but after this long being forced to stand up, it feels like my talons are trying to eat my toes!"

"Oh, there is a bench back there!" James pointed, showing that, leaning against the castle's stony wall, was a large bench made from coral, with a small canopy covering it in case of rain. "It's a bit cold on touch, but once you warm it with your bodies, it shouldn't' be a problem."

"And I brought something from the drink's table!" Jacob announced, taking out several cups made of wood and a large glass bottle, filled with some unknown blue liquid with sparkles. "Here, I heard this is Senath's Blueberry juice, one of the most delicious non-alcoholic drinks in all of Amphibia. Worth five hundred golden coins for bottle!"

"Jacob, you stole it from the table?" Marcy pouted, looking at him. "What if someone else wanted it too?"

"Hey, I didn't steal anything! I just… 'borrowed' it, while not telling anyone and with no guarantee for when I'll bring it back."

"That sound a little too much like stealing." Anne pointed out, earning a groan from the boy.

"The party was in full swing, and no one was looking. Plus, there were at least five other bottles of this! And we're Royal Knights now, remember? Since the party's held by King Andrias himself, I thought it would be a non-issue to take one bottle so we could drink something together-" he stopped talking as Sasha's chuckle filled the atmosphere.

"Calm down, Jacob, we were just teasing you." The blonde girl smiled, Anne and Marcy both nodding with her. "And I have to admit, it was quite a nice thinking, even if we have some doubt in the realization. Besides, even if you were to break it, we can pay it back!"

"Yeah, we're rich now!" James nodded. "Between the coins we've made in our journey, the ones we have withdrawn with the Royal Credit Card and all our additional earnings, we have more than enough to life comfortably for at least a couple years, even with our current lifestyle."

"Then, can we make a toast?" Amelia moved forward and snatched the cups from Jacob, quickly distributing them among the others but keeping two, for herself and her cousin. "To ourselves, our lucky adventurous few, who are now trapped into a world of talking amphibians, and who had come a long way since landing into that swamp, for good luck to keep blessing us and allow us to return home and return to our families…. Without losing the ones we have made in here!"

"Yeah, that's right!" Anne admitted. "Look, I do want to return home, more than anything else, but… I don't think how I would manage, if we were to never see our frog families ever again!"

"Likewise!" Sasha admitted. "Felicia may still be harsh on occasions, but she's grown onto me, just as Ivy and Sylvia. They weren't my birth family, but they were the family I needed, and the family I wanted. And nothing makes me prouder to consider myself a Sundew!"

"Maddie… she was just like me," Marcy spoke as well, "a lone soul looking for friends, and long before becoming my sister, she was my teacher, and my friend. Her sister, they're so energetic and full of enthusiasm, and her dad gave me words of wisdom, even when the sad story about his wife was revealed. If I hadn't met them I would have probably never grown as a person, I would have never realized my mistake, and I would have never told you. Perhaps, I would have never wanted to come back, and even now, as I plan to uphold my vow to reactivate the Box, I never, never want to lose any of them, like I'd never want to lose, any of you!"

"And no one shall have to do it!" Jacob roared, refusing to accept the idea they could have to say goodbye to anyone, after so much adventures they had. "The Box already brought us here once, and once we know how to recharge it, we could do it again in the future. Perhaps we could come back here, from time to time, and maybe bring other people with us! Besides, you did promise Hop Pop and the others you would show them how Earth looks like, don't you?"

"Yes, I promised!" Sasha smiled with a heartfelt vibe. "And what kind of cool older sister would I be, if I couldn't show Ivy how cool Earth is?"

"I wonder if I could bring Akitsu with me, once in a while." Amelia murmured with a bitter tone, "I know that her world is here, and we don't have the space at home to hide a giant dragonfly, but… I really would like to keep flying with her."

"That's something we'd have to see, maybe in the future." James tried to reassure her. "Perhaps, if we can open the portal someplace wild and faraway from unkempt eyes, you could bring her on Earth for a little time. That is, assuming she can live and fly under Earth's conditions: just because we had little issues in adapting to Amphibia, that doesn't mean the reverse is true-"

"If you were trying to reassure her," Sasha piped in, pointing at the expression Amelia was now doing, "you failed. Epically."

"Well, even if that happens, I'm sure I can find some equipment or idea to make that possible!" Marcy piped in. "If I'm smart enough to cure cancer as my teachers said, I'm smart enough to find a way to allow out own frog families to come to Earth!"

"Guys!" Anne raised her cup, filled up to the brink with tasty, sweet liquid, the others imitating her, "to our future. And to a day that we won't ever forget, for then rest of our lives! Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

(…)

Later that night, while the six humans and their families, tired of the long day and the great social event they had to participate, were soundly sleeping in their beds, a small assembly was taking place. On the side of the great castle of Newtopia, in one room that had once been used to host dignitaries of subordinate smaller kingdom and noble houses, King Andrias, last surviving member of the House of Leviathan and ruler of all Amphibia, was meeting with his own Royal Advisor, lady Olivia, as well with general Yunan, de facto commander of the Newtopia Army and one of the few military leaders that Andrias trusted completely.

The topic of the meeting was one: the actions and words of Duke Pyrforian and his faction during the gala, and their meaning in regard of the incoming start of the Kingdom's council.

"Your Majesty, the actions of the duke and his little cabal can't be explained as anything less but a declaration." The veteran Royal Advisor, lady Olivia, explained. "A declaration that they're going to push for their own agenda, and they won't negotiate like they often did in the past. That's sure is a worrying concern."

"Well, the sword he gifted you was surely like their words," Yunan nodded, having personally 'checked' the sword as soon as it was possible. "It looks flashy, yet it's worth nothing! I wouldn't even call it a sword, is more like a piece of metal put together and called a day!"

"I always knew the day would come, when the nobles' greed would grow so much that no more appeasement would be possible. Yet, I am surprised the Duke's been this straightforward: he had always been a schemer more than a straight-up adversary, and to reveal his intentions this soon is… uncharacteristic of him."

"I am not scared of him!" Yunan countered promptly. "Our own allies outnumber his own, and if he thinks that challenging the king is going to give him any result, he'll be sorely mistaken!"

"No, I have faced him for many years already, and he would never act this way…" lady Olivia thought about it, until she was hit by a sudden realization. "Unless, he has some ace up his sleeve he's planning to use during the Council."

"An ace upon his sleeve?" King Andrias wondered, being more used to see politics and diplomacy more as a game of Flipwart than as a card game. "And what could it be?"

"Well, he off-handily mentioned the destruction of the Night Guard's Headquarter to generate fear and confusion among the other presents at the gala, then he said how the Kingdom would need more security, citing the lack of manpower-"

A pregnant pause laid into the room as the King and his advisor gasped almost at the same time, the pieces connecting in their mind as they spoke the same exact sentence verbatim.

"The Expansion Militia Act."

"The Militia?!" Yuna gasped as well, though her voice was more filled with anger than surprise. "I thought that matter had been solved years ago!"

"The noble houses are stubborn, and one defeat isn't enough to stop their plans." The King replied with a sigh. "Plus, criticism toward the poor status of our armed forces had been aplenty even before the Sand Wars. While we managed to score a critical victory, thanks to your bravery General," Yunan nodded with a proud look, "the losses we suffered both in lives and material, some of which we still haven't fully recovered, have given our enemies plenty of fodder for their own political plans."

"A new bandit warlord outside of our walls, as well as the other human lady Marcy and her friends told us at the time of their arrival." Lady Olivia began to sum up. "The Order of the Olms sowing chaos and destruction on the inside. The Night Guard defeated, their own based of operation destroyed, so many rangers lost in a single strike. There is no doubt, the Oligarchy faction is going to use our current situation and the setbacks we have suffered to promote their own political agenda and make the Militia Act passed."

"And once the act will be law, all those militia and private armies they'd been recruiting and arming in secret won't be illegal anymore, and we will be forced to treat them as part of our own military force, while still being unable to directly control them." Yunan hissed, clearly opposed at the idea that such nobles would be allowed to have their own private armies and soldiers. "This could be very well led to a civil war, especially if the situation with the Order isn't solved soon enough."

"Then, it is imperative that such motion does not come to pass." The king nodded, determination surging trough him once again. "Lady Olivia?"

"I'll have our top Royal Analyst work on a list of solution to detain, or at least soften the blow, as well as work up as many counter-arguments we can use against the Militia Act. While we can't openly oppose the motion, we can still use bureaucracy to bog down and slow the procedure. It could give us valuable time to gain new successes or for the situation to change, pushing more undecided within our ranks."

"You're ready to stay awake all night working again, huh?" The King said with a sympathetic smile. "Have the castle's servant prepare some strong stuff to help you, then. General Yunan?"

"I'll meet with Headmaster Albert and with Admiral Blueocean and… together," she said after an initial hesitation, still unbelieving she was saying it, "We will prepare a plan to deploy what's left of our forces and secure key locations and strategic positions all over the city. This not only will help us when the Order will show itself once again, but in the event of a nobles' revolt, it will provide us with a key advantage to suppress it."

"Very well. You have my permission to proceed. I put my trust, and the kingdom's security in you."

"We won't disappoint you, Your Majesty!"

Hello, you beautiful people!

I begin this message by thanking you for your never-ending support for me and my stories, either just reading it, or by leaving kudos as 'token' of your appreciation, or leaving comments. When I started writing the story of the Calamity Six, a long time ago, I never thought it would become this popular, with over 20,000 readers confirmed from all over the world. Moreover, today a dear friend and fellow writer CherryParadox just started publishing their own story, who is an AU of this own fic of mine: I recommend you to go and check it if you want.

That said, I inform you officially that, after today's chapter, I am taking my usual Christmas break to recharge my creativity batteries, focus more on my family and closed ones for the Christmas period and spend more time with them. Thus, this will be my last update for December, and thus for the rest of 2024: I will restart updating this story in January, either by half-moth or later, depending on how much time to write I'll still be able to manage during the holidays, and how much my creativity will be.

I wish everyone a good time and happy celebration for whatever festivity you have (since I don't assume you all celebrate Christmas) and a wonderful New Year!

See you soon!

P.S: For those of you who have sent me messages asking me WHY I haven't published new artworks of my fic, I remind you that those artworks ARE NOT MY DOINGS, but rather COMMISSIONS I paid to experienced artists with MY OWN MONEY made through MY RL JOB. In this period I have other expenses coming (up and including the gifts I plan to make to my family and close ones) so I can't afford to commission new artworks; whenever I get some spare cash and opportunity, I will do so.

That said, if you want more artworks based off my story you can make your own, either by commissioning them as well or, if you already are artists and thus can make your own art, directly draw it. I would love to see more artwork of 'Our Second Chance is Called Amphibia'…