Amphibia: Calamity Warriors
Chapter Fifty-Seven: An Unexpected Invitation
After returning to Wartwood, and preventing the mob from running the new guests out of town, the Calamity Group retired for the night. They also decided to take a break from the search for the final temple in order to try and ease the tension between themselves and Sasha and her team. Marcy's suggestion, of course, as she wanted the friendship to go back to the way it was.
Sadly, things are never that simple.
Inside Swampview Manor, the Calamity group was getting everything ready for the special dinner; one half was setting the table while the other half was moving furniture in the main entrance of the house.
"I can't believe the trio's finally back together!" Marcy declared, setting up the plates. She was wearing a teal long-sleeve dress with a golden belt around the waist, a small light blue cape going halfway down the back, and light pink seashell dress shoes.
"Yup! We've almost got all the stones recharged, and Sasha's turning over a new leaf." Anne agreed, setting up the utensils. "Things are really looking up."
In the kitchen, Hop Pop was cooking the food, Frobo serving as the grill while Echo was preparing other side dishes.
"That's all great, but did you have to invite Grime?" Hop Pop asked with concern, Frobo lifting his head to reveal the grill, revealing the steaks and radishes cooked to perfection.
"And then there's Damien." Polly added. "I mean, he seems pretty chill, but…"
"I can't really say much about Milo." Ina added, wearing a strapless blue dress with light blue armlets. "And while he seems honorable, I'm not sure."
"Sasha trusts them." Anne said. "That means they're okay with us."
"Why do we want to trust her again?" Sprig asked, demanded more like, with a skeptical gaze.
"She did try to off us." Polly added.
"Okay, sure. She's had some bad moments, but she's not a bad person." Anne told them.
"Plus, she never tried to kill anyone back home." Marcy added.
"That YOU know of." Sprig exclaimed, jumping on a chair and pointing accusingly to Anne.
Anne groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Sprig, please try and be on your best behavior tonight." She implored her froggy friend. "This dinner party's an important step for us and has to go well. Marcy and I have changed so much in Amphibia." She turned to Marcy with a smile, the Taiwanese girl returning with her own smile. "I really think Sasha's finally changing too."
"Is it really so simple?" Clarissa asked flatly as she entered the kitchen.
"Clarissa, how come you aren't dressed up?" Hop Pop asked with a frown.
"I do not believe in 'dressing up'." The mage-warrior shrugged. "Besides, I've been living in the woods for the majority of my life, in case you didn't know."
"Well, we could always find you some dresses." Marcy suggested. "You look like you'd look great in velvet; dark, red velvet. It'd go well with your purple skin."
Clarissa gave her a flat look, but deep down, she found it interesting. "An interesting assessment."
"Maybe we should keep it low in the front." Anne suggested with a grin. "We wouldn't want to hide your features."
Her face turning a lighter shade of purple from how the two human girls looked at her, she backed away. "Stop looking at me like that. Tis most disturbing!" She hissed, her arms covering her chest.
"And we can't forget the makeup!" Marcy declared.
"Oh my gosh, yes!" Anne gasped. "We could have Sprig handle that!"
"You are insane!" Clarissa sneered. "I'd sooner let the Black Wolf dress me!"
"Someone mention me?"
Everyone turned to see Shadow and the other boys exit Shadow's bedroom, all dressed for the formal occasion. Shadow was dressed in a black tuxedo with silver embroidery and a blue necktie. Apollo was dressed in white with golden embroidery, while wearing white gloves, and his feet were still barefoot. Kaemon wore a light green yukata with a yellow obi tied around the waist, along with dark green wooden sandals. Valor wore a dark red tuxedo with hot rod flames around the cuffs of the arms and legs of the suit.
"The boys are in the house!" Valor declared with an epic pose, Ina turning around to hide her blushing face.
"But we were already in the house." Kaemon said with a quizzical look.
"It's a metaphor, Four Sword." Apollo rolled his eye, adjusting the mask over the right side of his face before turning to Marcy. "You look lovely tonight."
"Aw, thanks, Appa." Marcy giggled with a blush. "You look dapper yourself. Vary handsome."
Apollo smiled at this, a blush of his own on his face.
"You're looking striking too, Shady." Anne commented on her boyfriend's attire. "All you're missing is the fur coat and you'll be the Wolf King!"
Shadow chuckled. "Thank you, Kedan. And I can't wait to see you in the outfit I picked out for you."
"You're too kind." Anne chuckled, blushing.
Clarissa only stared at Shadow with venom before stating, "You look hideous."
"Really, Clarissa? Really?" Anne frowned, fists on her hips.
"Nah, it's alright, Anne." Shadow told her, a calming hand on her shoulder. "In fact, coming from her, hideous is quite the compliment. So thanks."
The salamander glared at him, annoyed by his good-natured attitude, and turned her head away.
"At any rate, we're almost ready." Shadow declared before turning to Clarissa. "Would you mind fetching Sasha and her group?"
Not giving a reply, Clarissa turned and left the manor.
"I still think it's a bad idea." Sprig mumbled under his breath.
"Don't worry so much, Sprig." Anne assured. "I'm sure Sasha's changed."
At Felicia's house, the Tea Shop owner was seen removing a sign that said 'Room to Let'. Inside, an extremely aggravated and sulky Sasha was seated on a sofa chair.
"I. Haven't. Changed!" She growled with a sour pout on her face.
Right across from her, Grime was putting on a suit and tie in front of a mirror. Meanwhile, Milo was standing near a window, leaning against the wall.
"Well, your friends need to think you have." He told her. "If you don't stay chummy with them, our plans are shot. So please, be on your best behavior tonight."
"Yeah, we don't need any wrenches in the operation, kid." Milo added.
Sasha scoffed at this. "Pfft. I had them eating out of the palm of my hand at the Third Temple, and this is just a dinner party." Her tone and expression turned dark. "And once we rule Amphibia, I'll get this friendship back under control." She then bared her teeth. "And the Wolf will be dealt with."
"Can you at least try to control your murderous intent?" Damien called from the bathroom.
"Damien, are you almost finished?" Grime asked.
"Just promise you won't laugh." Damien requested.
"Yes, we promise." Grime said with a roll of his eye.
The door opened and out stepped Damien, and if there was a word that Sasha would use to describe her newt friend, she'd cheat and use three.
Sharp. Dressed. Newt.
Right now, the toad-raised newt was dressed in a black, double-breasted suit with golden buttons and a tie together with a blue, long-sleeved shirt and black dress shoes. His hair was cut short, reaching his jawline and brushed to the left side of his face.
Sasha felt her heart beat fast and her cheeks turned red. At first, she didn't even want to entertain the idea of her newt comrade looking good, but now? After all they had been through, after how much he stayed by her side, she was slowly starting to feel something more.
"Wow, look at you, Damien." She smirked. "Looking dapper.~"
Damien smiled at Sasha's compliment before walking over and pulling her into a hug.
"Dapper buddies!" He declared with a toothy smile.
For a moment, Sasha rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but smile, making a little cat-like smile.
"Aren't you two so precious." Milo teased with a smirk.
Blushing heavily, Sasha quickly pulled away. "Anyways, don't worry too much." She said, turning to Grime.
"Mm-hm. Just watch that temper of yours." Grime said.
"Yeah, no offense, Sasha, but you tend to lose your cool when you get angry." Damien added.
"Guys, I got this." Sasha assured. "Everyone will find me vulnerable, unguarded, and totally sweet." She emphasized her point with a twirl and curtsy.
"Could you at least remove the sword?" Damien suggested.
Frowning, Sasha relented to her companion's request and removed the sword plus the scabbard and placed it on the sofa chair.
"And the hidden daggers?" Grime added.
"But what if we need them?!" Sasha protested.
Grime looked at her with furrowed brows, making her moan as she relented. She removed one from her pauldron, then one from her hair. She then removed her right boot and held it upside down, and several more daggers fell out.
"How did you even walk?" Damien asked.
"Nothing wrong with being prepared." Milo shrugged. "Still, it's a dinner, not another battle."
Just then, there was a knock at the door to their room. Curious, Sasha had put her boot bat on and approached, opening the door to reveal Clarissa, staff in hand and a scowl on her face.
"Oh, it's you, uh... Clari, right?" She asked, only to be met with silence from the salamander. It was awkward for Sasha, to have it be this quiet. "So... can we help you, or-"
"Anne and Shadow are about ready with the dinner." Clarissa said flatly. "So if you wanna come over, do so."
Sasha blinked at this before smiling. "Well, better than never." She turned her head over to the boys. "Shall we, boys?"
But before she could set foot out the door, Clarissa pressed the head of her staff against Sasha's chest. The blond looked up at her, the salamander staring into her eyes with a deadly glare.
"You may have those fools buying your little act, but I can see right through you." Clarissa said with venom. "And I know what your intentions are. So allow me to say this once; the Black Wolf is mine. His blood is to be shed by my sword and mine alone. So, if you try anything, give me one good reason to think that you'll take away my vengeance, and you won't have to worry about your two friends anymore. Because I will take their lives, and yours, right then and there, permanently!" The purple salamander then left the tea shop, leaving the four in shock.
"Well, that was another dark turn." Grime said.
Sasha stared at the direction the salamander went, her thoughts on her words.
"Vengeance? What did she mean by that?" She wondered silently.
Back at the manor, the group was putting the finishing touches to the dinner. After setting the long table in the dining room, they were moving furniture to make room for games near the main interior entrance of the house.
While this was going on, Anne had changed into a fancy purple dress, with pink dress shoes and a golden amulet, her hair held up in a ponytail. Meanwhile, the Plantars were dressed up, Sprig and Hop Pop's hair was combed back while Polly wore a blue bow with white polka dots.
"Alright, looks good." Shadow remarked. "Anne, looking stunning, in case I haven't said it already."
"Aw, thanks, boo." Anne chuckled with a blush.
Just then, Clarissa entered, shutting the door behind her.
"Your guests will be here shortly." She remarked flatly, sitting on the sofa Hop Pop and Sprig had just moved.
Just as she said that, there was a knock on the door.
"Okay, here they are." Anne said, approaching the door. "Now please, be cool. Remember, this isn't the same Sasha who tried to kill you and take over Amphibia."
"Plantars don't hold grudges."
"No problem."
"Have a little faith, Anne."
"I promise nothing, but I'll try."
"Valor, Ina, I trust you two will behave?" Shadow asked the red and blue duo.
"Won't be a problem for us." Valor gave a thumbs up.
"No problem at all!" Ina declared with a smile.
Nodding, Shadow pulled the door open, revealing Sasha and her group, all appearing intimidating, Grime letting out a growling chuckle.
It didn't take long for the amphibians to go to red alert.
"Don't kill me!" Hop Pop scream, immediately jumping back.
"I dare you!" Kaemon yelled, drawing his swords. Where he kept them, no one knew.
"Back off, scum!" Sprig yelled, readying his slingshot.
"Take Hop Pop! He's old!" Polly exclaimed.
A sharp cough from both Anne and Shadow was enough to remind them to behave, the Plantars and Kaemon relaxing, Sprig and Kaemon putting their weapons away, all trying to play it cool.
"I mean, hey, how's it going?"
Grime was the first to enter, pulling in something on a cart covered by a tarp.
"My sincere thanks to you all for the kind invitation." Grime said, looking up at Anne and Shadow before turning his head to look about the manor. "Your home is... quite something, actually."
"I had a lot of help." Shadow shrugged before point at the cart. "And what might that be?"
"Damien and I baked a Volcakeno." Grime told him. "It needs a little more time to rise, but it's sure to end the night with a devastating explosion...of chocolaty goodness."
"Uh, thanks. I'll just put it over here." Hop Pop said before moving it to the other side of the room.
Milo was the second to enter, looking about the place before giving a sharp whistle.
"Nice place." He commented.
Suddenly, Sprig jumped on his shoulder. "So tell me, Milo! What sort of adventures have you been up to?! Did you kill another great beast?!" The frog boy asked excitedly.
Milo chuckled in response. "Let me tell you about this one bandit gang."
Next was Damien, who walked in with a swagger in his step and hands in his pockets, while wearing sunglasses.
"Sup." He said casually.
"Alright there, Orange Cassidy." Anne remarked with a grin. "Or in this case, Blue."
Chuckling, Damien stepped forward, standing face to face with Kaemon, the two newts staring the other down, Kaemon giving a stern glare while Damien had a chilled expression.
"Blue Blur."
"Four Sword."
There was a moment of silence before Damien offered a handshake. Staring at the offered hand for a bit, Kaemon looked up before accepting, taking hold of the offered hand and shaking sharply.
A sharp cough drew Anne's attention to Sasha, the blonde being the last to enter, the blonde sporting narrowed eyes.
"Well, girls, looks like…" Sasha started to say before her mood brightened up. "we're all finally back together again!"
Anne and Marcy squealed with joy before Sasha joined in, all three girls embracing each other and jumping up and down, while the others plugged their ears.
"Human friendships are loud!" Polly exclaimed.
Shadow, on the other hand, was still suspicious. While he was happy that the trio of girls was reunited, he remembered the later he received about Sasha and her intentions. Right now, things are fine, but he needed to remain vigilant.
Suddenly, Valor approached Sasha with a bow.
"Welcome, Sasha, to Shadow's humble abode." He said in a mannered tone. "If there's anything to make you visit more pleasant, please, feel free to ask." He gave he a wink, making the blonde girl smile and blush.
"Oh, well thank you, Val. You're very kind."
"Allow me to take your cape for you."
Watching this, Damien glared at the red-headed boy with jealousy.
'This is going to be a long night.' He thought to himself with a sigh.
Meanwhile, outside of town in the forest, Wally walked along the path, playing his accordion as usual. He decided to try a change in scenery, something to play his accordion to.
As he walked past a crumbling heap, however, he noticed something about the ruins. There were blue sparks of energy emitting from it.
"Just gonna mind me own business, I will."
With that, the town kook turned and walked right back to town, paying no mind to the ruins suddenly rising up and forming what looked like a door-shaped gateway, the stone forming the archway while the wood formed the door.
Just then, the door swung open, allowing Elijah and Raidon to step out. The brothers looked around and saw the sign pointing towards Wartwood, informing them that they had arrived.
"Good thing the old Rift Portals still work around here." Elijah remarked.
The two brothers began their walk towards Wartwood, aiming to find the Wolf.
Back at the manor, everyone was taking their seat at the dining hall table, both Frobo and Echo stood off to the side holding bottles of juice. As everyone took their spot, Sasha went to take a seat next to Anne, only to see Sprig having already claimed it.
"Sorry, this seat's taken." He said with a cute look on his face, swinging his legs back and forth.
Sasha glared at him before clearing her throat, telling him to move.
"Uh, excuse me, Sasha." Valor said, pulling out a chair that was across from Anne and Marcy. "But I believe this seat will be more accommodating. It'll allow you to be close to your friends, and you don't have to bend your back as much to talk to Anne."
Sasha blinked at this, then smiled. "I guess that can work, thank you Val." She said. "At least, 'somebody' here's a gentleman." She added with a quick glare to Sprig, before going to the offered seat.
"Of course, you are our guest." The red-haired boy said, pushing her closer to the table. "Oh, would you look at that, an empty chair next to you. Guess I'll have to take it, if you don't mind the company." Valor took the spot and gave her a charming smile.
Seeing what he was doing, Sasha made the same look. "Not at all, just as long as you don't mind me." She chuckled.
Seeing this, Marcy whispered to Anne. "Am I crazy, or are they being flirty?" She asked.
"Very flirty." Anne whispered back.
Damien saw this with shocked eyes, growling with anger and lifting a leg to kick the fire-powered boy off, before hearing Grime clear his throat.
"Be nice..." He warned.
The newt took a calming breath, before taking a spot next to Milo.
"Welp, enjoy everyone."
Everyone began to eat. Grime took a bite out of the grilled steak, humming at the taste.
"Mmm. It tastes so fresh." He said. "You must tell me which frogs you extort for produce."
"Um, we are frogs." Sprig stated flatly.
"Oh, right. Yes, of course."
There was an awkward silence, the only sound heard was that of a chirping cricket that was seen off to the side.
Just then, Hop Pop decided to try and lighten the mood. "So, anyone wanna hear a joke?"
"Oh Frog, please no." Shadow said in horror, knowing which one he was going to say.
"How many toads, does it take to screw in a mushroom light?"
"How many...?" Grime asked, almost threateningly.
"Yes, how many...?" Milo asked in a similar tone.
"None! They prefer utter darkness, and the smell of blood!"
This caused a shocked silence at the table, with Anne being so horrified, that she unintentionally dropped her fork.
"Wow... that is racist." Damien said, voicing what everyone was no doubt thinking.
For a moment, both toads raised their hands, claws out as if they were about to slash the old, only to slap him on the back, playfully, laughing out loud.
"Oh man, Hopadiah! Ha! You always tell the best jokes!" Milo told him.
"Oh, indeed! Especially when they're so true! Ha! Good one, small frog!" Grime added.
Everyone joined in nervous laughter. Crisis averted, for now.
"Seriously, this food is good." Sasha complimented.
"Gotta give it to Hop Pop." Polly declared. "He knows his way around the kitchen."
"It's working, Sprig. We're getting along." Anne whispered to Sprig.
"Say, I thought Shadow cooked this." Damien spoke up.
"I volunteered, of course, but Hop Pop insisted on doing the cooking this time." Shadow said. "I might have become a good cook, but Hop Pop knows how to cook too. Where do you think I got my cooking from?"
"Nice." Damien smiled.
"You know, Kaemon, I find your sword style unique." Milo addressed the swordnewt. "I've been all over Amphibia and I've never come across a style like that."
"It's something I learned from my ancestor." Kaemon declared with pride. "Malikai was one of the greatest swordnewts to walk Amphibia, and I aim to follow in his footsteps!"
"As you keep saying, Kay." Polly rolled her eyes.
"Man, Sash. I can't get over your armor. It totally suits you." Marcy said.
"I know, right? Way better than that dorky, medieval school play we were in." Sasha said, raising a fork. "Remember how I convinced you guys to skip rehearsal and hang out on the roof?"
"And we had the loudest dance party?" Anne added.
"And no doubt got into trouble because of it?" Apollo spoke up.
"Oh, right." Marcy frowned. "We got caught, Anne took the blame and said it was her idea."
"My parents grounded me for a month." Anne nodded, a frown on her face.
Sasha's eyes widened in realization, remembering that moment before shame started settling in.
"Oh, yeah. Forgot about that."
She felt the Black Wolf's eyes on her, a look of disappointment on his face. It reminded her of her mother, so many times she was disappointed in her.
"Try not to dwell on the past, Kedan." Shadow said, holding Anne's hand. "We've all changed so much; we're practically different people now."
"Or are we?" Sprig said under his breath, earning an elbow from Kaemon.
"Alright, dinner's good, time for games!" Ina declared, standing up. "Who's up for a game of Drawsidoodle?"
Almost as soon as the Water Witch mentioned it, Grime stood up, drawing the attention of the rest of the group.
"I love Drawsidoodle!" He exclaimed, slamming his fists onto the table, everyone barely able to get back with a collective yell of fright.
"That was my favorite table." Shadow lamented.
Everyone moved to the main hall of the manor where the game was to take place. While everyone took their seats, Grime was the first one to start the game.
Just then, the cake that Grime had brought seemed to rise a bit, something Polly and Kaemon took notice of before shrugging it off.
Taking a slip of paper from the bowl, Grime laughed before he got to work, drawing something on the drawing board. When he was done, he stepped aside, showing what looked like crudely drawn stick figures that were supposed to be frogs.
Everyone pondered for a moment before all started voicing their guesses.
"Bullfrog Ballet!"
"The Marshland Marathon!"
Anne chuckled. "You know what this looks like?" She asked.
Thinking Anne was talking to her, Sasha chimed in. "That pep rally where the band got trapped under the stage and…"
"A certain ant queen and her hive." Anne finished her statement.
"Oh, my gosh. Totally." Marcy chuckled.
"As well as a certain barbarian." Shadow added with a small laugh.
"Ah, I remember." Apollo nodded. "Quite the fight, I admit."
Taken aback, Sasha looked at her friends in confusion. "Uh, ant queen? Barbarian?"
"Oh, you had to be there."
"Inside joke."
"Oh, well, did you want to tell me or…" Sasha said, looking back and forth between the two.
Suddenly, Hop Pop jumped from his seat and exclaimed, "Sergeant Campbell Bilgewater and the Horsefly Rebellion of '48?"
Grime held up the slip of paper, revealing Hop Pop's guess to be right. "Yes! Wow! For a frog, you're actually pretty smart."
"Oh, well…thanks." Hop Pop said, clearing his throat before taking the slip of paper. "Guess it's my turn."
The toad sat on the sofa next to Sprig, his grin showing off his sharp teeth, making the small frog chuckle nervously.
Walking up to the drawing board, Hop Pop picked up a slip before drawing a serpentine creature with a sad face and tear drops. Everyone started guessing, none seemed to be the right answer.
Until Sasha voiced hers, "A weeping dirt snake?"
Sprig laughed out loud. "That doesn't look anything like a weeping dirt snake." He exclaimed loudly, repeatedly smacking Grime's side. "Bad guess, bad guess!"
Sasha's face turned sour from the pink frog's taunting.
"Wait, did someone say weeping dirt snake?" Hop Pop asked. "'Cause that's right."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" Sasha cheered, practically jumping up and rubbing it in Sprig's face. "In your face, twerp!"
Sprig nearly sank into the cushion from Sasha's intensity.
"Whoa, Sash! Take it easy." Anne said.
"Yes, it's just a game." Shadow added. "No need to get worked up over it."
"But… But… He… I…" Sasha stammered, as though trying to defend herself, only to let out a relenting sigh. "Whatever. My turn since I got it right."
She then walked up and pulled out a slip of paper, then drew what looked like a tree. Simple enough. But when she presented it, the room was dead silent, only the slight coughing of Polly was heard. Getting irritated from the lack of guessing, Sasha then drew a circle around her drawing, then made it a bit more detailed, drawing leaves on the branches and more details to the base of the tree then cleared her throat, trying to make it as clear as she could.
"Ooh! Ooh! It's Toad Tower exploding." Polly exclaimed. "When we blew it up? Toppled the toad army? Come on! You guys were there."
Grime growled in response, Damien facepalmed, while Milo coughed into his fist.
"Guys, I don't think that's…" Ina tried to interject, but was cut short by Hop Pop.
"No, I think Polly's right. That top bit's where Anne chose us. You know, over the friendship with Sasha."
Sasha growled in anger. She could not believe how these frogs could be so dense, even though she made it as clear as she did! It was like they were trying to antagonize her!
"Guys, seriously, it's actually…" Valor spoke up, trying to correct them, but Kaemon was quick to interject.
"And let's not forget Master and Anne completely wrecking Sasha and Damien in front of their own soldiers!"
"Oh, and there she is letting go of Anne's hand and plummeting to her possible death!" Sprig added.
Finally, Sasha couldn't hold it any longer. "It's a tree! You morons! A tree!" She yelled at the top of her lungs.
Not even bothered by Sasha's outburst, Hop Pop wagged his finger at the blonde human. "Hup-bup-bup. No talksies while you drawsies. Ten minutes in the shame corner."
He then pointed to said corner, where a stool and dunce hat waited, all the while Sprig, Polly and Kaemon cheered, almost mockingly.
"Geez, rub it in, why don't you?" Valor frowned.
Sasha growled with barely contained fury before picking up the art board and throwing it in the direction of the Plantars. The frogs let out a scream as they ducked, the art board shattering upon impact with the wall.
"Whoa, Sasha! What's your problem?!" Anne demanded, standing up.
"Stop this, now!" Shadow added, appalled by Sasha's outburst.
"Me?! Your weird frog family is ganging up on me!" Sasha snapped, pointing at said frogs.
"They're doing their best." Anne defended. "Which is pretty good considering you did try to kill them."
"One time! I tried to kill them one time!"
"That still does not excuse it!" Shadow countered.
A small laugh drew everyone's attention, seeing Clarissa laugh a bit.
"Sorry, it's just…that's rich coming from you." She said. "Especially after what you did."
Almost immediately, Anne knew what was the warrior-mage was implying and said in a warning tone, "Clarissa... don't..."
"Why not, Anne? Everybody else here knows, so why not share with our guests?" Clarissa said with a raised brow.
"I'm warning you..."
"What're you talking about?" Sasha demanded with a raised brow.
"Oh, nothing too major." Clarissa said, holding her hands up before her expression turned dark as she pointed at Shadow. "Only how the Black Wolf of Newtopia here slaughtered my people to near extinction, including my family."
Everything was dead silent, the only sound heard being the fancy cuckoo clock from Loggle. Sasha stared in shock, Shadow had an expression of dread on his face, the shame evident, the Plantars looking at him with worry. Even Damien, Grime, and Milo were shocked by this.
"He. Did. WHAT?!" Sasha exclaimed in shock.
As Shadow hung his head in shame, Anne stood up for him, pulling him behind her.
"It's not entirely like that!" She denied. "He wasn't himself and-"
"I don't believe this! You call out my mistakes, but sweep genocide under the rug?!" Sasha snapped, throwing her hands up. "Wow, Anne, must not be getting enough air, from that high horse of yours!"
"What's a horse?" Polly asked Sprig, who just shrugged his shoulders.
"Enough!" Apollo shouted, causing all to look to him. "This is supposed to be a time to forge and reform bonds, not for bringing up past sins."
"He's right, we're supposed to be friends for life." Marcy nodded. "We don't split up."
It was at this point Grime chimed in, hoping to reign things in. "I agree with… I want to say Marsha? This friendship is so important. Crucial even."
"Oh, yeah? Well…"
"ENOUGH!"
The room went quiet from the booming yell of Shadow, the boys eye turning black, almost on the verge of going berserk. But he quickly calmed himself, taking a few deep breaths before his eyes returned to normal.
"Grime's right; we're supposed to be friends for life, we don't split up." Shadow raised his hand. "You are correct, Anne. But Clarissa does provide a solid point, in her own way."
"She does?"
"I do?"
"Yes." Shadow responded as he turned to the Toad group, who were confused. "We're all supposed to be friends, if not allies of pure necessity." He continued. "And that means making sure that we are all brought up to speed and not having any secrets that could hinder our efforts or betray the hard-earned trust we've accumulated over these past few months."
Marcy flinched a bit at Shadow's statement, Apollo moving closer and squeezing her shoulder with reassurance.
"It is true. Anne may try to sugarcoat it as much as she wants, but I am still technically responsible for the destruction of Valhal and its people. Of course, words won't do me any justice. It must be experienced."
He closed his eyes for a moment, then suddenly flashed them open, his eyes pitch black and his face a harsh glare as he stared at Sasha's group. Suddenly, without warning, they were flooded with sights, sounds, smells, sensations all at once. They were powerless to do anything, paralyzed and staring in awe and fear at the infinite amount of information flooding into their brains.
"No, no, no, no, NO, NO, NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Sasha screamed as the images all stopped, falling to her knees and breathing heavily.
Anne and Marcy wanted to rush to them, but Shadow held his hand up again. "Give them a moment, let them process it."
"Did you just share the memories of that time to them just now?" Anne asked.
"That and more, Anne. Where the Plantars and Marcy's group experienced them by choice, they can also be forced onto the minds of another. Like being possessed by a spirit or hacked by a virus."
The boy in black towered over Sasha, the blonde girl looking up to see him staring her in the eyes, the same eyes that haunted her every night since Toad Tower.
"What... What was that?" Sasha stammered.
"Everything. Now you know." He stated coldly, crouching to her level. "Now let me put this in a way that you can understand, friend. You can call me anything you want, do anything to me, though I doubt you can do anything I find original that wasn't already done to me already by such pain and regret."
Valor tried to step in, only for Ina and Clarissa to hold him back. "Don't you dare, Val." The blue-haired girl said sternly.
"Is it wrong to say that I honestly want to see where this is going?" Clarissa asked aloud.
The Plantars and Kaemon all shook their heads.
"Do you know what it's like to have such sins be carved upon your very skin?" Shadow asked. "To be trapped inside your very body as your inner demons pull your strings from within like a puppet? To be haunted by every person you've ever killed or wronged? Forced back to the place of your greatest failure every time you close your eyes? Such a sin comes at a terrible price. Taste, smell, touch, color, emotion, I experienced none of those things when I awoke from that coma."
Sasha shook her head frantically.
"Use your imagination." He hinted, giving a warm look to Anne. "Thanks to your friend here, I began to experience life's simple pleasures once more. The feel of sunlight on my skin, the scent of favorite foods. The color of my first love's eyes. To feel that again would be worth almost anything. But if you even think of doing anything to my friends, my family. Then perhaps you would like to live here as I did."
Shadow leaned into her ear and whispered something only she could hear, something that filled her with dread. "You aren't the only mortal, let alone human, here on this planet that's been hearing voices and offered dark bargains by unseen hands. And comparing your torment to mine is comparing a pebble to a mountain." He stood back up, his gaze still fixed on her. "First lesson, Sasha. Don't turn your back on an enemy until you're sure he's stopped breathing. And don't turn your back on a Corruptant until their body has rotted in the sun and their armor's been scattered to the winds. End. Of. Discussion."
Everyone stood in silence, Sasha stared up at the boy in black, fear on her face clear as day, with a small hint of anger.
Before anyone could speak up, a loud rumbling and whistling sound was heard, prompting everyone to look at the source, the source being the Volcakeno. It rose up more, throwing off the tarp and reaching the ceiling as it reached a climax.
"Oh, right. The cake." Sprig stated.
Suddenly, the roof of the manor popped right off before slamming into the ground, the top of the Volcakeno standing tall as hot chocolate poured out like lava, covering the floor and forcing everyone to jump on the furniture to avoid the melting coco.
"Ooh, dessert. Yummy." Grime chuckled.
"I like hot chocolate, but this is ridiculous!" Anne yelled, standing on a couch with Shadow and Sasha.
"I allow you into my home and this is how you repay me?" Shadow said, glaring at Sasha.
"Master, I bet this was their plan all along!" Kaemon shouted in anger. "Pretend to be nice to get into our home to blow it up!"
"It's revenge for Toad Tower!" Sprig chimed in.
"'Cause we brought that sucker down!" Polly added.
The toad and toad-raised-newt looked at them in confusion.
"Whoa, guys, relax." Damien said. "The Volcakeno is a toad favorite."
"That's right. Every feast ends in a delicious dessert battle." Grime declared. "Do frogs not do that?"
"No!" Everyone else exclaimed in unison
"Not everyone is as hardcore as us toads." Milo shrugged.
The Volcakeno stopped rumbling and the lava-like chocolate stopped pouring out, although most of the group still remained cautious.
"Well, don't worry. It's delicious." Grime said. "Assuming you survive the hornets."
"The what now?" Marcy asked.
Just then, several hornets crawled out from the holes within the cake, and from the look of them, not too happy.
"They're the best part." Grime declared. "Oh, but beware, their stingers cause…" Before he could finish, a hornet stinger stuck him right in the butt, making him fall over, paralyzed. "…paralysis."
The hornets started to swarm them, the noncombatants starting to panic.
"Wha… What do we do?!" Marcy stammered.
"Isn't it obvious?! We must fight!" Apollo yelled, pulling out his spear.
"Glad we're on the same page!" Sasha shouted, pulling out a dagger hidden behind her ponytail.
One of the hornets zoomed right towards Sasha, the blonde girl retaliating with her dagger, only for the blade to bounce off the hardened shell.
"That's a tough shell."
Another charged towards them, but Shadow grappled with it before throwing it to the side.
"It will take too long to brute-force our way." Shadow said, his eyes widening upon seeing the Plantars in danger, while Kaemon was trying to defend them from the hostile hornets.
While Sasha wanted to argue, deep down, she knew better than to try and go against someone with more experience than her.
"Fine, you got a better idea?" She asked, putting her hair back in a ponytail.
"If I may propose something." Apollo spoke up, swatting another hornet away with his spear before turning to Marcy. "Mars, do you have your crossbow?"
"Only always." Marcy said, rolling up the sleeve of her dress to show the crossbow strapped to her arm.
"Take these!" The prince exclaimed, pulling out several crossbow bolts and throwing them to her. "Channel the Calamity Energy through them to pierce the shells! Everyone else, distract the hornets!"
"Now that I can do." Sasha smirked.
"Valor, help out!" Apollo commanded. "Throw your fireballs and knock them out of the sky! Ina, Milo, help Kaemon keep the Plantars and incapacitated safe!"
"You got it!" Ina saluted, conjuring up a water barrier.
"No need to tell me twice, young prince." Milo said under his breath, raising his Warhammer.
"Clarissa, help them keep the Plantars save!" Shadow ordered.
"Don't tell me what to do." Clarissa growled, but obeyed, conjuring a protective barrier around herself, Ina, Kaemon, Milo and the Plantars.
While the majority of the group running defense, Anne, Sasha and Shadow were distracting the hornets, provoking them, giving Valor, Apollo, and Marcy to shoot the insectoids down and into the choco-lava with fireballs, energy spears and Calamity-charged arrows.
Finally, Marcy shot the last one out of the air and into the molten choco.
"Hey, that actually worked." Sasha declared.
Once the hornets were dealt with, the hot chocolate started to turn solid. Kaemon tapped his foot against it to test, and seeing that it was safe to walk on, he jumped off the couch.
"The choclava is solid now!" He exclaimed.
The danger averted, everyone got off the furniture.
"Whoo!" Marcy laughed, hugging Anne and Sasha. "Now that's some ding-dang teamwork, right?" She frowned when she saw the unsure looks on her friends faces. "Right?"
Sasha sighed, backing up. "Anne, listen, I'm sorry I lost my cool and I…" She paused for a moment before continuing. "I know you want me to change who I am but I don't know if I can. I like who I am." She looked at Shadow, feeling her skin crawl, before looking back to Anne. "And after Toad Tower, I'm still not comfortable around him." She pointed at Shadow. "And after hearing about what he did? I don't think I can look past it, like you did."
Anne considered what she said before speaking, "Look, Sasha, I know you're afraid, but Shadow isn't the monster he was tricked into becoming before. He's a great guy who cares about these frogs and he's doing his best to be better." She took hold of Shadow's arm, still looking at Sasha. "All I ask is that you give him a chance to prove it.
Sasha gave it some thought before looking at Shadow. For a moment, she blocked out the Wolf that scarred her back at Toad Tower. Right now, she saw a young boy living with trauma and trying to better himself.
She wanted to ignore this, to remind herself of the plan. And yet…she was starting to have doubts.
"I get it, but I need time." Sasha finally said. "This needs some getting used to."
"I understand. Take all the time you need." Anne nodded. "And maybe what I'm asking for isn't for you to change. Maybe it's for you to recognize that I've changed."
Sasha scoffed. "Well, that's no problem. I mean look at you." She crossed her arms. "What happened to the shy little Anne who needed me to stick up for her all the time?"
Anne chuckled. "She's still here, Sash. She just needs a little less protecting. So how about it? Think this whole thing can work?"
"I think we can definitely give it a shot. Yeah." Sasha said with a smile.
The two girls hugged it out, Shadow watching with a small smile. While he was still cautious, he was glad to at least see them working things out.
Besides Shadow, Marcy also watched, tears in her eyes alongside Sprig, who was sat upon a still paralyzed Grime.
"Fine! Dang it. Fine. I'll allow it, I guess." The pink frog exclaimed before groaning, wiping the tears from his eyes.
"Allow it? Don't kid yourself, Spriggo." Polly said.
Groaning, Grime's paralysis wore off, the toad looking up in disappointment. "Oh, I missed the whole battle?"
"Yup, the whole shebang." Kaemon quipped. "Adrenaline rushing, emotional baggage and all."
"So, what happens now?" Hop Pop asked.
Just then, Anne saw a loose hornet sneak around the giant cake before charging at Shadow.
"Shadow, look out!"
"Huh?" Shadow said, turning to see the stinger being aimed at his chest. For a moment, time seemed to slow for everyone. Once again, Shadow made the mistake of letting his guard down and it seemed like he was going to pay for it…
Until an energy blast sent the hornet into a wall, disintegrating it. The group turned and saw Clarissa with her staff out.
She sighed before saying, "You've gotten too lax. There's always one hiding in the corner to strike." She then saw the others looking at her with shocked and amazed expressions. "What?"
"You just saved Shadow's life." Anne said, pointing at her.
Clarissa eyes widened, but she recomposed herself. "So?" She said, trying to pass it off like it was nothing.
"I knew it." Marcy said with a cheeky smirk.
"Knew what?"
"There is a heart of gold in you, after all."
"No."
"Admit it."
"No, wrong."
"Yes, there is."
"Nuh, uh."
"I think there is."
"Nuh uh!"
"Come on, Clari, you know it's true."
"What's the big deal! Nobody's that heartless!" Clarissa snapped, then quickly covered her mouth, hoping the words didn't come out.
But they did, and the ones who knew her longer gave her looks that showed she wasn't fooling anyone.
"Look, don't read too much into it!" She exclaimed, crossing her arms and turning her head away. "It was just ensuring our duel, that's all."
"Right, sure." Anne said with an appreciative smile, a smile shared with Shadow.
"So, shall we dig into some chocolate hornets?" The boy in black asked.
"YES, PLEASE!" Everyone declared.
Soon enough, everyone began to enjoy the feast of the dessert treat. Although Kaemon asked an important question.
"Master, where are we gonna live?"
With the manor out of commission, and the Frobot Brothers having to clean it up, the Calamity Warriors had to move to the Plantar house, Apollo and Marcy moving into the Plantar Wagon, while Valor and Ina stayed in the garrison wagon.
Sasha and her group were on their way back to Felicia's Tea Shoppe.
"Well, today was pretty interesting." Damien shrugged. "Plus, the Volcakeno turned out well!"
"Indeed it did, my boy!" Grime declared with a chuckle.
"I must say, this was quite the experience." Milo grinned.
As they walked, Sasha was lost in her thoughts, her mind going right back to Shadow. Not only was he the monster that scarred her and haunted her dreams, but he was also the one who drew an entire race to near extinction. This should enforce her desire to see him brought down.
And yet, she saw how he acted during the dinner, how he smiled and laughed along with the others. He seemed so different from how she remembered from Toad Tower. With this, she was starting to have doubts.
'No, this changes nothing!' She thought to herself, trying to strengthen her resolve. 'He's a monster and needs to die!'
"Hey, wait up!"
Snapping out of her thoughts, Sasha and her team saw Valor running up to them, specifically her.
"You forgot your cape." The red-headed boy said.
"Oh, right, thanks." Sasha said, allowing the red-head to tie it back on. "Sorry about all that."
"No worries, I've seen worse." Valor waved it off. "And, if it's any consolation, I think it's sweet that you're trying to make things right with your friends."
Sasha chuckled a bit. "Thanks, but you don't have to lie to make me feel better."
"Why would I lie to a beautiful powerhouse like you?" The red-haired boy asked, finishing tying the cape around her neck.
This made the blonde blush heavily, as she saw the sincere look on his face.
"O...kay, I gotta go!"
She speed-ran past the toads and Damien, the newt looking at Valor with a glare, and giving him an 'I'm watching you' gesture, before he and the others left. Valor smiled, watching them leave before walking back to the Plantar house.
"Well, I think that went well." He said, then his smile fell when he saw Ina glaring at him, before she went back to the garrison wagon, slamming the door behind her. "What?"
"Ooh, someone's sleeping on the couch tonight!" Polly remarked teasingly.
"Too bad, I already called it." Clarissa said with a glare. "Clearly, that's the best I'll get."
"So, until the manor gets fixed and cleaned up, we'll be staying here for a while." Shadow said before turning to Hop Pop. "Thank you again, HP."
"Think nothing of it, kid." The old frog said with a smile. "And don't worry about owing me; we're already square."
"I still can't wait to run the last temple!" Kaemon declared. "I can only imagine what awaits us!"
"That determines if we can find it." Shadow said. "Now, everyone, get some rest. We start searching bright and early in the morning."
It was midnight, and everyone had already gone to sleep. Although, Shadow seemed to be the only one awake, still struggling to sleep. His mind kept going back to the warning he had received before venturing to Death's Eye Mountain, the warning of Sasha taking the deal with a devil. He knew that he needed to tell the others, to plan on how to deal with Sasha and her team, but would they listen? Let alone keep a secret? Especially Marcy? Knowing her, she would never entertain the idea of Sasha going so far.
From what he had seen of the Taiwanese girl, she'd do anything to keep the friendship from completely shattering.
Anne stirred a bit before opening her eyes, noticing her beloved was still awake.
"You good?" She asked with concern.
"Honestly, it's hard to say." Shadow sighed, sitting up. "With everything going on, and my karmic state getting worse, I can't help but wonder…"
Anne raised an eyebrow at his pause. "Wonder what?" She asked.
"I'm fearful of what lies ahead." Shadow explained, the rare look of fear evident on his face. "No matter how prepared I think I am, the future seems so frightening."
"That seems normal for us kids." Anne shrugged, wrapping an arm around her beloved. "Sure, you might be a child soldier, one who's ready for anything, but you're still a kid, frightened of the future and still learning."
Shadow looked at her before smiling. "When did you get so wise?" He asked playfully.
"Since I met you.~" She smirked, kissing his cheek.
Boom!
Suddenly, there was a loud crack of thunder just outside the house, putting the pair on high alert. They swiftly retrieved their swords and ascended from the basement. Shortly thereafter, another thunderstrike breached the roof, revealing the turbulent thunderclouds above.
"Jumpin' Junebug's! What's happening?!" Hop Pop screamed, swinging open the doors of his room.
"Where did the storm come from?!" Polly yelled, held in Sprig's arms.
"It came outta nowhere!" Kaemon shouted.
Looking up through the hole in the ceiling, Clarissa saw the lightning cracking across the skies. Something that seemed familiar.
Approaching the door, Shadow swung it open to the storm, and standing in the front yard was a bulking, overweight salamander wearing a brown cloak and his one-handed hammer holstered at his side. Raidon stared at them from under the hood of his cloak, his red eyes staring at the group with a fierce look, or rather, specifically, at the boy in black.
The second wasn't nearly as large as his companion, but he still commanded authority. He wore a blue tunic with various hides as pants, along with a beige cloak. Elijah observed with an unusual calmness. As though he wasn't looking for a fight.
"WHO ARE YOU?!" Shadow yelled over the storm, a hand on his katana, ready for a fight.
Clarissa stared at the salamander in awe, recognizing who they were. "Raidon; the Mage of Thunder." She looked at the salamander leader. "Elijah; the Grand Mage."
The large salamander pulled his cloak aside, revealing his hammer, his hand sparking with electricity.
"May we come in?" Raidon asked politely.
"We bring gifts." Elijah added. "And cider from our homeland."
Shadow considered their offer, studying them carefully. While Elijah seemed like the more reasonable one, Raidon looked like he was ready for a fight.
"I doubt you would find me good company." Shadow said.
"Oh, I assure you," Raidon declared. "We have plenty to talk about."
Thinking it over for a moment, Shadow turned his head to Anne and the others, gesturing them to go back inside. Once his friends and guests were back inside, Shadow gestured the two salamanders to enter. Elijah was the first to enter, stopping for a moment to bow respectfully to Shadow, with Raidon following behind, but not before stopping to stare down at Shadow, who kept a careful eye on them before closing the door behind him.
Stepping inside, Elijah surveyed the interior before looking at Shadow.
"A humble accommodation you have here." The leader of the salamander said. "The years have been kind to you."
"This is Hop Pop's home." Shadow said, gesturing to the old frog. "My manor is being fixed up, so in the meantime, we're staying here for a while."
"A manor, you say?" Elijah said with a hum. "Well, you've certainly made the most of those years."
Shadow then gestured towards the table in the dining room, gesturing them to have a seat. The salamanders accepted, taking a seat, with Shadow and Anne sitting across from them. For a moment, they sat in silence before Elijah removed his weapon from his back and laid it on the table. It was a large, ornate war scythe with a bladed pommel and a red blade. Raidon followed suit, pulling out his hammer and laying it next to his brother's weapon upon the table.
Seeing this as a sign of no hostility, Shadow pulled out Black Hope along with its scabbard and laid it on the table. Anne repeated the gesture, pulling out Azura's Tear and laying it next to the katana.
Kaemon placed four mugs on the table, watching Raidon pull out the bottle of cider and pouring the drink into the mugs before putting the bottle away in his cloak.
Once more, they sat in silence, the rest of the group watching in anticipation, before Elijah spoke.
"No need to be tense." He assured. "I assure you; we are not here for trouble. We only ask for civility." He held a hand to his chest. "I am Elijah, Grand Mage and leader of our people." He then gestured to his brother. "And this is my brother, Raidon; the Lightning Mage and Chief Leader of the Thunder Tribe."
"Why are you here then?" Anne asked.
"Just trying to be friendly." Raidon said before turning his attention to Shadow. "You seem like a calm, reasonable person." He then dipped his index finger into his mug, bringing his finger coated in cider to his face and giving a sniff, then ran said finger along the side of his hammer. "Are you? Calm? Reasonable?"
Shadow considered the question for a moment before answering, "If the moment calls for calm."
Humming softly, Elijah ran his finger around the rim of his given mug.
"It's been five years since we were last on this continent." The Grand Mage said. "Five years, since we once called this continent our home away from home." He looked up to Shadow, the boy in black, seeing bags under his eyes. "Five years since we were driven out from our city of Valhal."
Shadow felt his fists clench under the table, the memories of that day flashing in his mind.
"We know what you've been doing." Elijah went on. "You have been going to the temples, recharging the stones. If it's not too much trouble, may I see it?"
Anne seemed hesitant, but an assured look from Shadow calmed her nerves before she got up and went down into the basement and pulled the music box out of her backpack. She then walked back upstairs and showed it, the two older salamanders staring at the box with estranged looks.
"After so many years, it's returned." He said, staring at the box, almost reaching out, but stopped and regained his composure. "The final temple you seek is on our homeland; the home of our people, Izanagi."
"Iza-what now?" Sprig questioned.
"The homeland of the salamanders."
Everyone turned to see Apollo standing in the doorway before entering, followed by Marcy, Ina and Valor.
"Ah, the son of Andrias graces us with his presence." Elijah said blandly.
"Son of the monster who robbed us of our home." Raidon spat venomously.
"That was five years ago due to a horrible misunderstanding." The prince retorted. "You need to let the past go."
Elijah shook his head. "Even if I do, many others would not."
"Nor should they." Shadow commented, looking down in shame.
"Shadow…" Hop Pop placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Regardless, we extend this invitation to you and your group." Elijah went on. "Come to Izanagi, but there is a toll to be paid. You left a scar on our people, and it must be paid."
"How so?" Shadow asked.
Instead of answering, Elijah only stood up.
"We will discuss more, once you arrive." He said before pulling out a large sack of coins on the table. "Take this, to fix the roof, as well as your manor. When you're ready, journey to the west and atone for your crimes." Picking up his scythe, he turned to his brother. "We're finished here."
Grunting, Raidon stood up and picked up his hammer. "About time."
The two salamanders soon left the house, Shadow watching them until they faded from sight. The group remained silent, processing this information…
Until Marcy squealed loudly with glee.
"Oh my gosh, this keeps getting more interesting!" She declared, scribbling as fast as she could in her journal. "A whole race of salamanders and an off-land continent! This is so exciting!"
"When aren't you excited?" Valor asked with a raised eyebrow.
Shadow stared off to the distance, with Anne by his side, his mind set on one thing.
Their destination was going to take them beyond the land of Amphibia.
And there's the new chapter! Not much has changed, besides Clarissa revealing Shadow's actions and Sasha only holding her resentment for the boy in black. And despite Shadow's attempts to get Sasha to see reason, he may have only made it worse unintentionally. I hope you guys don't mind me putting Sasha through the wringer so much, but I wanted to show how Shadow still had an effect on her since Toad Tower.
And finally, we see Elijah and Raidon make their introductions to the Calamity Group, and we will soon journey to the land of the salamanders, where Shadow will further atone for his actions. This is something I've been looking forward to since I've started writing this story. Introducing a whole new continent full of salamanders, which is also home to the final temple. It's definitely gonna take some inspiration from God of War Valhalla, where Kratos goes through a gauntlet, facing his past, so Shadow will definitely be going through something similar. Thankfully, he won't be alone in these trails, while exploring Izanagi.
So, the next few chapters are gonna be original. How many, I don't know, but the first two will be covering the group's preparation and journey to the west. Then, after the Izanagi arc, we'll reach the end of season two once we reach Battle of the Bands and True Colors.
And with that, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and hope you look forward to more! And, as always, reviews are greatly appreciated!