Amphibia: Calamity Warriors
Chapter Forty-Three: Ballroom Blues
Everyone got dressed in their usual attires before arriving together and entering the throne room, still tired from last night's escapades, with the exception of Hop Pop and Cody, the older adults having slept soundly. Olivia stood at the door, grouchy and marker still all over her face, snatching a handkerchief that was offered to her by Hemlock.
"Wonderful to see you all again." Andrias declared with his usual joyful tone.
Everyone greeted him back, with the exception of Shadow, who only kept careful eyes on the king. Anne and Kaemon noticed, but chose to say nothing.
"So, ask me if I found out anything about the box." Andrias said, rocking on his heels.
"Did you..." Anne was about to ask.
"BINGO!" Andrias bellowed, nearly knocking everyone off their feet. He let out a laugh before pulling out a large book the size of his foot. "Ta-da! Take a gander."
He opened the book and held it in front of the group, everyone looking at the page showing temples with a blue heart, a red fist, a green brain, and a black and white yin-yang symbol. Above those symbols was a picture of the music box, making almost everyone gasp.
"It's the music box!" Sprig exclaimed.
"According to this book, it's a magical artifact that is thousands of years old." Andrias explained. "Apparently, my ancestors used it to visit entirely different worlds. They were peaceful explorers, scientists, if you will."
'Liar,' Shadow thought bitterly to himself.
"These five stones are the key to getting it working again." Andrias went on, pointing at the picture of the music box. "They need to be recharged."
"Recharged? How?" Anne asked.
"The book mentions four different temples, each channeling a different kind of energy." Apollo told her.
"Yes, and once the stones are recharged..." Andrias began.
"We'll have a way home?!" Anne interrupted with arms raised and sparkling eyes.
"Steal my thunder, why don't you?" Andrias replied with a frown before going right back to being joyful. "But yes! Boom!" He flipped the page back and forth, showing the gems before and after they're charged. "Eh, eh?"
Shadow remained silent the whole time, his suspicions of Andrias still festering within.
"Wait, I'm confused." Kaemon spoke up. "There are five stones but only four temples? How does that make any sense?"
"Perhaps it's due to light and darkness being so intertwined, ya know?" Hop Pop suggested. "They're polar opposites to each other, a balance in the universe."
There was silence before Polly said, "Maybe the architect got lazy and didn't feel like building one more."
Everyone seemed to chime in agreement.
"This is it, Anne." Ina said, wrapping an arm around the Thai girl's shoulder. "A real chance to get you and your friends' home!"
"Right?" Marcy said aloud. "Now let's get out there and conquer these bad boys!"
"Whoo-hoo!" Anne cheered.
"Whoa-ho. Let's rein those snails in for a sec." Andrias said, holding a hand up. "The book only gives the location of one temple. Besides, you still have a lot of preparing to do before you set off."
"A fair point. You need to be properly equipped for such an important task." Cody said. "Armor, maps, weapons, the whole nine yards."
"Yup, and it'll take a few days." Valor nodded.
"Few days, huh?" Hop Pop said, setting Polly down on the book. "Well, I hate to say it, but we really need to get back to Wartwood. The harvest is coming up and we can't miss it."
"Okay, Marce, here's the plan; me and the gang will head back to Wartwood," Anne said. "And when you're ready, we can just meet up."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. It doesn't really make sense for you to go back to Wartwood." Marcy said, earning confused looks. "The last thing we should do is separate again, now that we're so close to finding our way home." She then looked to Shadow. "Plus, you don't necessarily have to leave, now that you're back home."
"Actually, I can't stay." Shadow answered.
"Why not?" Ina asked. "You came all this way."
"Only to help Anne." Shadow replied. "I'm simply not ready to come back."
Both Valor and Ina sported sad looks, Apollo's eye shifting o the side, slightly downcast.
"Well, that's understandable." Marcy said. "Still, no need for Anne to leave."
"I guess that's true, but, uh, I, uh," Anne said, unsure before thinking of something. "I need to go to Wartwood to get the music box. Right, Shadow?"
"Yes, actually." Shadow said with a frown. "Besides, someone needs to look after the Plantars and make sure they stay out of trouble."
"You say it like it's a bad thing." Sprig said, slightly offended.
"Nonsense, you and Kaemon are more than enough." Marcy waved it off. "Once Shadow gets the box back, we'll just send a servant to pick it up. More efficient that way."
"Yeah, but..." Anne looked at the frogs and newt, all sporting sad looks, especially Shadow, the boy who had given her so much, who she had fallen in love with.
"Anne, right now you have to follow your head, not your heart." Marcy said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "These guys got you here, to me. It's time to let them get back to their lives. Why don't you guys take the day to say goodbye?"
The group's faces collapsed with sadness, along with Ina and Valor. They'd have to say goodbye to their new friends by the end of the day.
Watching this, Andrias blinked before asking, "You folks want a giant tissue? Seriously, you would not believe the size of these tissues." He offered with a chuckle, but no one chuckled back. "I'll get you one."
Upon returning to the hotel, Anne, Shadow, the Plantars, Ivy, Maddie and Kaemon were as depressed as ever, wiping away their tears with the giant tissue. Shadow was especially depressed, the idea of returning to Wartwood without Anne made his heart ache.
"Hey, guys, come on." Anne spoke up, hoping to cheer everyone up. "It's not like this is goodbye forever."
"Anne's right, everyone." Shadow said, wiping the tears away and straightening himself. "The least we can do is have a fun last day together."
"Shadow's right. Now come on, let's pick an activity." Hop Pop declared, holding up the map. "There's the opera house, the coliseum, the aquarium."
Before they could explore more options, there was a knock at the door. Maddie got up and answered, revealing Cody, Valor and Ina on the other side.
"Hey guys!" The blue haired girl greeted. "You guys feeling any better?"
"Not really." Ivy sighed, slumping in her seat on the couch while Sprig patted her hand.
"Well, we found something that should hopefully put a smile on your faces, if only for a little while." Cody said, offering a gentle smile.
"Boom!" Valor declared before flashing a poster. "Andrias is throwing a big ballroom party celebrating Azazel's return, Siwang's defeat, as well as wishing Azazel the best of luck on the road."
"That sounds like a great idea." Hop Pop agreed. "Music, dancing, party food and fancy outfits!"
"I don't know, guys. I'm not really in the mood for partying." Anne said, uncertain.
"I understand, Anne, but this would be a good distraction, even for a little while." Shadow said. "Even if we're parting ways, we should at least make this a memorable last night."
Anne considered it, thinking over before nodding, "Alright, I could go with one last dance."
Sprig jumped up. "Yeah! Let's go have fun and not think about our crippling sadness."
Everyone's faces fell, the depression setting in once again.
"Nice one." Polly snarked.
And so, the group set off for outfits for the ball, the boys going off for one shop while the girls went off for the other. While inside, the boys were looking for suitable ballroom outfits, although Kaemon had found a suitable kimono already, Sprig and Valor struggled to find something that would suit them.
"Come on, Valor, you must pick something." Cody said.
"I know, but it needs to be just right." Valor mumbled, browsing the clothing, before spotting what interested him. "Score!" He declared before grabbing the clothing.
"This is gonna be our last day with Anne." Sprig said. "So we have to look our best!"
"Sprig, don't mention that so casually." Hop Pop scolded his grandson. "We're trying to have a sadness free day today!"
"Right, my bad." Sprig cringed, feeling the sadness well up inside.
"Sprig?" Shadow called, looking at the frog boy look at something before looking in that direction, seeing a portrait of a giant red mantis.
"Doesn't that look like the red mantis you killed when you first met Anne?" Sprig asked, pointing a finger at the portrait.
"Now that you mention it, yeah, it does." Shadow nodded. "Those were good times, weren't they?"
"Yeah, it's too bad that they're over." Sprig said with a whimper, his eyes watering up.
"No! No, Sprig. Fight the sadness. Fight it." Shadow said, shaking his head to get the sadness out of his mind. "Come on, buddy. Come here." He then scooped the frog boy in his arms and held him in a hug. "It's gonna be fine. Everything's gonna be fine."
But it didn't help none, both boys were on the verge of tears.
"Okay, we've got everything, let's go." Cody said, dragging the two depressed boys away, with Hop Pop, Valor and Kaemon following behind.
Meanwhile, the girls were shopping in a completely separate clothing store, all looking for ballroom outfits for the dance.
"Okay, gotta find some good clothing for the dance." Ina said, browsing around. "Something to impress the boys."
"Kaemon's gonna love this." Maddie said with a grin, holding up a black and purple dress.
"I've never been one for dresses." Ivy said, sticking her tongue out as she held up a pink dress.
"Trust me, it's all about finding the right one that speaks to you." Anne said, holding one that piqued her interest. "The right colors, the design, the whole nine yards."
"You grown folk and your dresses." Polly scoffed, waving her flipper.
After finding the outfits that suited them, they paid for their items before walking out.
"Okay, hopefully we're gonna have a sadness-free day." Anne said.
"Which means we need to avoid anything that might trigger our very delicate emotional states." Ivy said.
Just as they started walking, they saw a wagon being pulled by several snails, carrying a large ice sculptor of a kraken.
"Ha! A kraken!" Polly exclaimed with a pointed flipper. "Anne, it's shaped like the one you tried to cook up at Stumpy's." She slowed down at the last part, the sadness setting in once again.
"Who knew fish sauce and fear of death went so well together?" Ivy said.
Soon enough, the sadness took over, making the girls cry before Anne straightened herself up with what strength she could muster.
"Okay, that's enough. Time to find the boys, everybody." She said before dragging them away.
Eventually, the boys and girls regrouped at a café, feeling exhausted from trying to avoid anything that could trigger their sadness.
"So, we've got everything for the ballroom party?" Hop Pop asked to make sure.
"Yup!" Everyone declared, holding up their outfits.
"Okay, can't wait to get my party on!" Valor exclaimed.
"I can't wait to see Marcy and Apollo's opening dance." Ina declared with excitement.
"Still, I can't believe that actually happened." Anne said. "Did they really click that well?"
"Oh, frog no." Cody laughed and waved his hand. "When Marcy was first brought to us, he hated her!"
"But over time, they bonded and got closer and before you know it, the blossoms of love bloomed!" Ina declared.
"Goes to show that our stern prince has a big heart." Valor exclaimed.
Shadow was silent at this before speaking. "Did he really change that much after I left?" He dared to ask.
The older humans were silent, Valor and Ina looking away with sadness.
"Azazel, your brother went through a lot, after you left." Cody told the boy in black. "For five years, he held that resentment for so long. The fact that he wanted to bury the hatchet comes off surprising."
Shadow averted his eyes, shame on his face before they noticed more newts carrying displays with coral inside them.
"Oh, cool. A marine geology exhibit." Valor said. "Looks like Andrias is going for a 'Mystery of the Deep' theme for the ballroom."
"Even better, nothing to remind us of our adventures." Anne added.
"Wow, the coral looks so neat." Sprig declared in awe before pointing at one of the displays. "Oh, look, that stalk looks exactly like..."
The Plantars, Shadow and Anne gasped when the display Sprig pointed at looked like…
"Hop Pop's cane!"
"The cane Shadow got me!" Hop Pop gasped.
Anne gasped when she pointed at another display. "Oh, no. That one looks like..."
"Domino 2!" They all gasped at the sight of a coral shaped like the killapillar.
"That cannibal couple from the inn!" Sprig gasped, pointing at coral oddly shaped like said cannibal couple.
Ivy gasped, "Mud Men!" She exclaimed, pointing a flipper at the coral.
"Grubhog!"
"Zapapedes!"
"Basilisk!"
Anne's eyes started watering, the Thai girl sobbing. "Who knew coral came in such variety?"
At that moment, they couldn't handle the sadness and started bawling their eyes out like babies, hugging each other, even Shadow bawled his eyes out as he and his girlfriend hug each other, all the while Cody watched with empathy.
"This is heart wrenching." He said, almost to himself, before seeing his students crying while hugging each other. "Oh, not you guys too."
Finally managing to stop crying, Anne sighed. "I'm sorry, guys. This was supposed to be a sadness-free day, but it looks like a total bust."
"Hey, it can be better." Cody assures. "Besides, we get to see Apollo and Marcy dance."
Anne blinked at this. "Marcy? Dancing?"
"Yeah, you have to see it to believe it." Valor nodded.
Anne gave it some thought before smiling. "Alright, then let's get our groove on, baby!"
Everyone cheered. There was still a chance to make it a depression-free day!
Soon, the sun was starting to set, and a large number of citizens of Newtopia had already arrived at the castle ballroom for the dance. Inside the ballroom, there were tables lined with exotic food and drinks, chairs pushed against the walls, and lighting of a deep ocean blue color. Finally, above the ballroom was a disco ball that shined a variety of the color blue, and soothing music played throughout the ballroom. There were also several water constructs of amphibians dancing together around the room, curtesy of Ina.
The group had arrived, everyone wearing a ballroom tuxedo or dress. Anne wore a sky-blue round neck lace ballroom dress along with light blue dress shoes, and her hair tied back in a short ponytail. Shadow wore his usual black suit with a silver vest, Kaemon had on his green and yellow kimono, Sprig and Hop Pop wore well-fitting tuxedo's, Maddie was dressed in yellow and black, while Ivy wore green and yellow.
Looking at the environment of the ballroom, Shadow felt his heart beat along with the music. "I see Andrias spared no expense." He remarked.
"Man, this place is far out." Anne said in awe. "Look at all these folks! It's almost like the entire city is in one room!"
"So glad you guys could make it!"
They saw Marcy and Apollo approach, the Taiwanese dressed in a beautiful green dress that showed her shoulders, along with golden bracelets on her wrists and a black choker around her neck with a green gemstone. Apollo was dressed in a more regal outfit that gave off steampunk vibes, a white and golden jacket with a tailcoat and white gloves, along with white pants with yellow suns on the ankles of the jeans, his hear slicked back neatly and his plating applied, like usual.
"Isn't this the best?" Marcy asked with excitement. "Bright lights, dance floor, good eats, so many party goers! Andrias spared no expense!"
"That's what I said." Shadow chuckled.
"Just wait." Apollo said. "Father is about to give a speech."
Just then, the king stepped out and took his place before his throne, dressed in regal clothing and his crown on his head.
"Family, friends, thank you for coming on such a grand occasion!" He bellowed, the large crowd giving him their undivided attention. "Recently, a beautiful event happened for this beautiful city. Recently," He gestured to Shadow. "My son, Azazel, had returned home from his five-year pilgrimage!"
The crowd cheered and clapped, all turning to Shadow's direction, the boy in black looking back at the king, who gave a thumbs up and a wink, the boy only nodding in response, while giving a stern stare.
"Sadly, he will not be staying with us, as he has other duties outside the city that demand his attention." The king went on, earning a sad reply from the crowd. "But fear not; as we still have our Protectors, and my son Apollo and Marcy, to protect us from any and all threats."
Stepping out from behind the king, Cody and his two students waved, the crowd cheering loudly at the sight. Cody and Valor were dressed sharply, the teacher wearing mostly yellow, while Valor wore red, and Ina wore a beautiful blue, solid hollow out crisscross dress.
"And let's not forget the deed of ensuring that a terrible barbarian wouldn't succeed in an invasion." Andrias went on, as one of his servants presented a serrated sword. "Behold, the sword of Siwang!"
The crowd cheered, happy to hear news of the defeat of the barbarian.
"Now, enjoy yourselves, my friends!" The king bellowed. "Eat, drink, dance and be merry!"
The party officially began, some dancing, some going to the buffet table and indulging in the food and drinks, and others just sat off to the side and mingled.
"Alright kids, remember to have fun and make it worth remembering." Hop Pop told the kids. "In the meantime, I'm hitting the buffet table. Maybe they'll have crab legs…"
As the old frog left for the food, Sprig turned to Ivy. "Ivy Sundew, may I have this dance?" Sprig asked with a bow.
"I'd be honored, Sprig Plantar." Ivy replied, taking his hand before the two departed for the dance floor.
"To think I was engaged to him at one point." Maddie remarked.
"Yeah, but you gotta admit, he and Ivy make quite the pair." Kaemon said with a smile. "And speaking of pairings," He then turned to her, bowing as he offered his hand. "Can you honor me with a dance?"
Maddie smiled, blushing as she took the swordnewts hand, the two making for the dance floor, leaving the three humans and newt prince alone.
"Isn't this amazing?" Marcy asked with sparkling eyes. "Nothing like an epic ballroom dance to cap off the night!"
"I admit, it's beautiful." Shadow nodded.
"Yeah, and nothing wrong with a big dance party." Anne chimed in.
Soon enough, Winter Games by David Foster began to play through the loudspeakers, the spotlights shining on the prince and Taiwanese girl.
"Looks like it's time for our dance." Apollo said, holding a hand out hand. "Shall we, Kedan?"
Marcy smiled, a blush on her cheeks as she took the prince's hand, allowing him to guide her to the center of the dance floor, Apollo bowing while Marcy curtsied, the two holding hands, Apollo's hand on Marcy's waist while her hand was on his shoulder, and started dancing to the music, Anne watching in amazement, watching her best friend match the prince's movements flawlessly and in perfect synchronization.
"Oh. My gosh." She said, almost speechless. "Marcy's not even tripping over herself or being clumsy. She's…absolutely perfect in this moment."
"She's certainly come into her own." Shadow nodded. "No more clumsy, accident prone Marcy."
The dance went on, the couple danced on before ending it with Apollo dipping Marcy, then kissing her on the lips and holding it as the music ended, the crowd cheering, the Plantars, the kids, Kaemon, Anne and Shadow joining with claps.
Suddenly, as Apollo and Marcy left the dance floor, the spotlight shifted to Shadow and Anne, making the two teens light up red in the face. The two looked at each other before smiling, Shadow offering his hand and Anne taking it, the two stepping out onto the dance floor. The boy bowed, the girl curtsied, before holding hands, Shadow's hand on Anne's hip and her hand on his shoulder as the orchestra began.
Seeing her cue, Ina stepped forward and began dancing to the music, spinning and moving with the rhythm as she sang.
You are the oceans grey waves destined to seek life beyond the shore, just out of reach. Yet the waters ever change, flowing like time, the path is yours to climb.
As the couple danced, the environment seemed to change around them, the two completely unaware of it, both entranced in each other as though they were analyzing each others faces as though it would be the last time they'll see it. The environment changed into something straight out of a Japanese setting, cherry blossoms falling from the sky and the land similar to Sengoku Period Japan.
In the white light, a hand reaches through, a double-edged blade cuts your heart in two. Waking dreams fade away. Embrace the brand new day
Sing with me a song of birthrights and love. The light scatters to the sky above. Dawn breaks through the gloom, white as a bone, lost in thoughts all alone
As Ina continued singing, the couple danced in true bliss, gazing into the eyes of the other, the crowd watching in amazement, before the environment changed once more. This time, it looked like the setting of the European kingdoms mixed with Roman and Greek empires, along with French etymologies and Morse mythologies.
Embrace the dark, you call a home, gaze upon an empty white throne. A legacy of lies. A familiar disguise
Sing with me a song of conquest and fate. The black pillar cracks beneath its weight. Night breaks through the day, hard as a stone, lost in thoughts all alone
The song and dance continued, before the scene changed once more, depicting a strange geography, the land and sky seeming to be rent in pieces, floating about aimlessly, and at the center was a mountain that pierced the heavens. It seemed to be a mixture of Norse, Greek and Indian culture.
The path you walk on belongs to destiny, just let it flow
All of your joy and your pain will fall like the tide, let it flow
Life is not just filled with happiness, nor sorrow
Even the thorn in your heart, in time it may become a rose
A burdened heart, sinks into the ground. A veil falls away without a sound. Not day nor night, wrong nor right, for truth and peace you'll fight
Sing with me a song of silence and blood. The rain fall, but can't wash away the mud. Within my ancient heart dwells madness and pride. Can no one hear my cry?
Finally, the scenery changed once more, this time, a near empty void save for several asteroids, the two dancing on one of the space rocks, the only notable thing would be a pale gravestone with a name engraved on it, reading 'Robert Taylor'.
Once Ina stopped singing, it was Valor's turn.
In endless dreams,
Countless realms collide,
Hope falls only to rise like the
Changing tide,
But all dreams come,
To an end,
Just whispers in the wind.
Soon, the environment shifted back to the ballroom, the two ending the dance with Shadow dipping Anne, before they passionately kissed, as Ina and Valor sang the last verse together.
You are the oceans grey waves destined to seek life beyond the shore, just out of reach. Yet the waters ever change, flowing like time, the path is yours to climb
You are the oceans grey waves
Finally, the song ended, the crowd cheering and clapping, the Plantars, Ivy, Maddie, and Kaemon cheering loudly, Valor, Ina and Marcy cheering while jumping up and down, Cody keeping a calm stance as he clapped with a smile, Apollo also keeping calm as he clapped with a small smile on his face.
The lovers soon parted from the kiss, their foreheads pressing against each other as they looked into each others eyes lovingly.
"I love you, Anne."
"I love you too, Shadow."
While all of this was going on, there was something that no one noticed. Above the ballroom, within the disco ball, there was a hidden camera inside, watching the partygoers, specifically Shadow since it started. Deep within the basements of the castle, there was an ominous being composed of machine and metal, its multiple eyes closed before the largest opened, letting out a low, mechanical hum.
It was only a matter of time before it got what it wanted.
The morning came, the party well behind them, and it was time for the Wartwood group to make their departure. Outside the castle at the bottom of the steps, the group was louding their belongings onto the wagons, with Cody, Ina and Valor helping.
"Have a safe trip back, everyone." Marcy said, after Anne passed another box to Shadow before stepping back to Marcy's side, the Thai girl having a sad look on her face. "Let us know when you get the music box, and we'll send someone to come get it."
"Thank you kindly, Marcy." Hop Pop said, packing more luggage into the side compartment of the fwagon before shutting it.
"It was good to meet you, Marcy." Shadow smiled. "Thank you, for everything."
"My pleasure, Shadow." Marcy nodded. "But are you sure you can't stay? I mean, this is your home."
Shadow thought about it before looking up, directly towards the castle tower, and sure enough, he saw the king standing at the window, looking down at him. For a moment, he could have sworn that the king had remorse in his eyes. The sight nearly made his heart ache, having lived under the king's roof, calling him father for ten years.
Pushing those thoughts to the back of his mind, he turned his gaze back to the Taiwanese girl. "I'm afraid not. Besides getting the box, I need to make sure the Plantars have a safe trip back." He said. "Besides, I'm not quite ready to stay in Newtopia again. Not yet."
"We will see you again though, right?" Valor asked, a sad look on his face, while Ina looked like she was about to cry again.
"Of course." Shadow nodded. "No matter how far apart we are, if you guys need me, I'll come running."
The red and blue duo nodded before embracing the boy in black, the boy reciprocating the embrace, wrapping his arms around them and holding them tightly before eventually releasing them. He then turned to Apollo, the prince standing with a look that was supposed to be a blank expression, but he couldn't help but frown, the idea of his adopted brother leaving still stung. Shadow then approached, that expression his brother wore cracking as he got closer.
"Apollo, words cannot express how sorry I am." He said. "Nor can they undo the pain you went through. But, despite everything, I hope we can rebuild the brotherhood we once had."
Apollo stared at him in silence, before a tear ran down his face. "As do I." He said, his voice cracking.
Shadow then pulled him into a hug, Apollo seeming apprehensive at first, before melting into the embrace, burying his face into his brother's shoulder, not wanting to let go.
Clearing his throat, Valor knelt down to Polly. "You stay safe, alright? Don't take crap from anyone." He told the young polliwog.
"You bet!" Polly exclaimed.
"And just to be safe," The red head said before pulling out a pocketknife with a hermit shell casing and a purple blade. "Keep this close. If anyone tests you, give 'em the business."
With big, sparkling eyes, Polly gladly accepted the knife. "You bet I will!" She declared.
"You get home safe, you two." Ina said to Sprig and Ivy, bending her knees and crouching down to their level. "And no crazy hijinks without parental supervision."
"No promises, but we'll try." Ivy nodded.
"I'm glad we met." Sprig said. "I feel a kindred spirit with you."
"And I with you, buddy." Ina smiled, before hugging the two.
"Thanks for everything, Cody." Hop Pop said to the older human. "I'm glad we met. I learned so much from you."
"I'm sure we'll find time for more lessons, Hopediah." Cody smiled. "And I'm glad we met too. And make sure the people in your town get those gifts that we worked hard to get."
"I hope to one day reach your level, Maelstrom." Kaemon said to the human. "I still wish to face you one day."
"I'm sure that day will come sooner than you think, my boy." Cody smiled. "Until then, keep training, and I'm sure you will be more than ready."
Kaemon then approached the Taiwanese girl. "Seriously, I apologize for being harsh before." He told her.
"Hey, like I said, we're good." Marcy waved it off.
Thinking for a moment, the swordnewt pulled the blue sheathed sword from his hip. "When we first met, you were curious about my swords." He said, holding it out to her. "Do you still want a quick look?"
Smiling, Marcy took the weapon and pulled the sword from its sheath, amazed by the quality of the blade, before noticing some writing along the blade, written in Amphibian language.
"Never give up. Never surrender." She read. "Keep your head held high and follow your heart." She looked up at the newt in surprise. "Is that your motto?"
"My friend followed this belief, same as me." Kaemon nodded. "This blade belonged to a friend who inspired me to become a swordnewt and told me stories about Malakai the Sword Master. Ever since his death, I swore to become a great swordnewt, in honor of him."
Marcy smiled in admiration. "Well, I hope you fulfill that dream." She said, returning the weapon.
Finally, Shadow pulled away from Apollo before approaching Anne, the lovers embracing each other before the Plantars joined in, followed by Kaemon, then Maddie, and finally Ivy. Marcy watched, seeming unsure about the idea of making Anne stay. Seeing how much the group had bonded, she felt bad about separating them.
"No more tears, y'all. We'll see each other again." Hop Pop said, not wanting another breakdown.
"Will we, though? When?" Anne asked with uncertainty.
"I'm not sure, but I know we will." Shadow assured her. "We're a team, a family."
"Shadow's right, and family always finds each other." Hop Pop nodded.
Anne knelt down to Sprig's level. "Spranne against the world!" The two declared together before doing their handshake, laughing before embracing, then Sprig hopped in the front seat with his sister and grandfather, her boyfriend stepping forward.
"I promise we'll see each other again." Shadow said. "In fact, I have something for you."
He then pulled out a small black box from his pocket, then opened the lid and showed Anne what was inside. It was a set of bracelets, one with blue beads and the other black, both connected with what looked like a large tooth that was split in two, connected with magnets built in.
"What's this?" Anne asked.
"A Scorpileo tooth split in two." Shadow told her, putting on the black bracelet. "So that way, no matter how far apart we are," He then put the blue one around Anne's wrist, their fingers interlocking and the magnets connecting the tooth. "We'll always be by each others side."
Anne smiled before the two leaned in and kiss, before parting as Shadow stepped away, his fingers slipping from Anne's as he got on the garrison wagon, with Kaemon, Ivy and Maddie following behind. As the Plantar wagon started forward, Shadow hesitated, looking back at Anne with an aching heart before whipping the reigns, Ironhide pulling the wagon, Anne, Marcy, Cody, Valor, Ina and Apollo watching the two wagons fade from sight.
Marcy waved the group goodbye, before looking at Anne, the Thai girl still sad about her boyfriend leaving, the Taiwanese girl sighing.
"I'm sorry, Anne. This just made the most sense." She said, hoping her best friend would understand.
"I know, I know." Anne said sadly, sniffing before wiping the tears away with her arm. "Logical thing to do."
Seeing the Thai teen sad, Cody thought it over before something came to mind.
"You know, Marcy, the more you think about it," The teacher said. "Azazel could still use some help on the trip back."
"He's right." Valor added, knowing what his teacher was doing. "Even with Kaemon, who knows what he'll run into."
"He'll need someone to watch his back, someone he trusts." Ina further pointed out.
Anne then turned to them with a questioning expression, mixed with surprise.
"Hmm... yeah you're right." Marcy said in agreement. "Plus, it'll be a lot easier just to pick them up, on the way to the first…" Anne suddenly hugged them all, with Marcy finishing her sentence. "…temple."
"Thanks, you guys." Anne said, hugging them and shedding happy tears.
The four then hugged her back. "Go, Anne. Follow your heart." Cody said, as the four let her go.
"Okay, later, bye!" She quickly said as she sped off to catch up to the others.
Anne ran down the street, running past several seagulls before dashing past Doris, who sat on a bench at a bus stop.
"You go get 'em, girl!" The old newt exclaimed with a wave.
"See you, Doris!"
Anne kept running, running over a manhole cover, the friendly gator popping his head out and giving a bellow. Anne kept running, stopping traffic as she ran past.
"Oh, so safety doesn't matter now?" One of the drivers yelled, honking his horn.
Anne ignored him and kept running, past Gertie's gnatcho stand.
"Wanna try my new gnatchos, Anne?" The axolotl called.
"Some other time, Gertie!" Anne replied, as she kept running to the main gate.
Outside the city, the two wagons had just left the city, slowly riding away, its riders still sad about leaving Anne behind. Shadow was especially depressed, the memories of the time he spent with the Thai girl resurfacing, which only made his heart ache more, the boy in black letting out a sad sigh.
Noticing his mentor's sad state, Kaemon hoped to cheer his friend up. "It's not like she's gone forever, Master. We'll see her again." He said.
"I know." Shadow said, almost a whisper. "It's just…"
Suddenly, he saw someone jump out in front of the snails, making him pull his snail to a stop, Hop Pop doing the same, both looking in surprise, the others sharing the surprise as they saw who it was.
"What in the... Anne?!" Hop Pop gasped, the Thai girl standing in front of them with arms stretched out.
"I'm coming with you to Wartwood!" She declared, happy tears in her eyes.
Shadow was speechless, his eyes wide with surprise before his expression turned into pure joy.
"Yeah!" Sprig cheered, jumping in his seat.
"Glad to have you back, Anne." Hop Pop said.
"Hop on up here, sister!" Ivy said, as Anne climbed aboard the garrison.
"Heck yeah!" Polly declared.
"Bloody awesome!" Kaemon shouted with joy.
"I'm glad to hear that." Maddie said, surprisingly calm. "It'd be boring without you."
"Thank frog! I really didn't know how I was gonna make it without you!" Sprig said.
As Anne sat next to Shadow, the boy in black pulled her into a kiss, the Thai girl melting into the kiss before the two separated.
"Glad to have you back, Kedan." The boy said.
"Now let's go home." Anne said, leaning into her boyfriend.
With their favorite human on board, the group rode onward with newfound fire in their hearts. Besides having their favorite companion back, now the gang had a clue to get her home. Things seemed to really go their way, at this point.
From a distance, the two robots watched the city from the cliff, both having followed the group for the past few weeks and having remained outside, due to the bulky robot having gotten stuck, so the lanky one had to pull him out.
Just then, the lanky robot looked and saw the two wagons leaving the city, then tapped his companion on the shoulder. Bulky bot looked up and turned, the lanky bot pointing, Bulky following the gesture and seeing the two wagons, nodding before the two got up, both Lanky and Bulky followed after the wagons.
There was someone else following after the group, however. From a distance, standing atop a giant mushroom, there was the cloaked figure with the wide rimmed hat with the large feather, his hawk-like eyes staring down towards the wagons passing by, a wicked grin on his face. Ever since he took down his target and had him imprisoned, he hadn't expected him to get loose so quickly.
Now, after two years of chasing him down, he finally found his prey, and he intended to finish what he started.
"I finally found you…Demon of the Four Sword."
Back in the city, at the bottom of the castle steps, Marcy hadn't moved from her spot, Apollo standing next to her, Cody and his students still present.
"Well, time for us to start making preparations." Cody said. "Let's get to it!"
"Yes sir!" Both Valor and Ina said in unison and saluting.
With teacher and students left, Marcy stared a few more seconds before looking up, seeing the sad look on Apollo's face.
"You gonna be okay, Appa?" She asked, placing a hand on her beloved's cheek.
"I'm fine." He said calmly, wiping the tears from his face. "It's just that it's always sad to see someone go."
Marcy hugged him, the prince reciprocating before looking up at the tower, seeing his father still at the window, still staring down, no longer with sadness, but a dark seriousness he was all too familiar with, before nodding to him and stepping away from the window.
Deciding to put things in motion, he pulled away, his hands on Marcy's shoulder.
"Marcy, my father and I have been talking, and we have a proposition." He told her. "One we think you'll find it quite interesting."
Another chapter completed, and one that I had fun with! Hopefully, it was as emotional for you guys like the original episode. Yeah, I went with the guest's suggestion of a ballroom dance, which was certainly fun, and Unity had some ideas regarding the dance, specifically Shadanne's dance. The song used for it was Long In Thoughts, All Alone from Fire Emblem Fates, as suggested by Unity, due to the lyrics that fit in some aspects. I won't bore you with the details, but after hearing him out, I decided that this would fit best. Thanks, Unity! And thank you guest, you know who you are!
And then we have our favorite robot bro and his companion following behind. But they're not the only ones, as the other figure has malicious intent involving Kaemon.
And now, we move on to Night Riders, or as I call it, the Black Blade, which introduces someone from Kaemon's past, and after that, my take on Return to Wartwood. At first, I was gonna combine the two episodes, but then after some brainstorming, and asking for advice from DJ, I decided to do something else. Hope you guys look forward to them!
Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! As usual, I hope you look forward to more, and as always, reviews are greatly appreciated!