ALEX OR BEAST? (ARC 1 CHAPTER 1)
A turquoise bipedal frog—One-Eyed Wally—hopped down the steps of Stumpy's Diner into the nighttime of the town, waving to the frogs dining outside.
"G'night, you frogs," said Wally. "See you in the 'morrow!"
Wally, as he was not looking in front of himself, crashed into nearby barrels.
"Oi!"
The frogs laughed at the sight.
Wally roamed through the midnight forest, humming a tune and playing his accordion when he heard a rustle in a shrub behind him. He stopped.
"Whassat?" Wally inquired.
Another rustle.
He whimpered in fear. Suddenly, a louder rustle, and a lanky figure rose from the bush.
"No, no, no!" He shrieked in terror. "NO!"
[SIBLINGPHIBIA INTRO]
The opening sequence plays out, showing Alex opening a magical music box with two other human males by her sides, the three being flashing by a flare of orange, golden, and lavender light, blinding them.
Alex shoots up and resurfaces from a large puddle of muddy ground, glancing around to see the marshy rural land of Amphibia - the new world she was transported to. She looks around in complete awe with a huge grin and a slightly bemused glint in her eyes.
The scene cuts to a rural, country-side landscape of the village called Wartwood, dragonflies buzzing around as the bipedal, sentient frogs go about their day.
Alex steps out the petite door of the Plantar Farm enthusiastically, her hands on her hips as she looks around with a broad, giddy smile. She looks in astonishment as the dragonflies swing above her.
Sprig peeks out of a window on the side of the house, stepping out like an adventurer as he glances around the sun-rising landscape through a handheld telescope. He suddenly loses his balance and flails, Hop Pop glancing out the window of his study to see him falling straight onto an unsuspecting Polly and her bucket.
Polly simply swings a punch at him, kicking him out of the bucket as she smiles, her eyes fluttering innocently. Sprig lands on Alex's bushy head, the girl in question laughing at the sight as she looks up at Sprig, Sprig returning her gaze and pointing to the unknown as the two friends run out of the shot.
The scene changes to the two jumping on mushrooms through the murky marshland, the mushrooms glowing a luminescent bright blue as their feet made contact with the shrooms. The two hop out of the shot.
The scene once again shifts to Alex and Sprig fleeing in panic from a giant beast that fairly resembles a freakish, rabid chicken. Alex stops every now and then to take a picture of the monster on her phone.
In the following scene, Alex, Sprig, Polly and Hop Pop are fishing in a swampy clear lake, until the large lily pad that they were sitting atop lifts and reveals itself to be a large sea beast's head. The beast swims around rapidly, attempting to swing the family off. Sprig clutches onto Alex like a lifeline and Alex is in a fit of panicked laughter as Hop Pop and Polly scream their heads off.
The scene cuts to Sprig attempting to decipher a message in foreign language on the walls of a ruined, murky cave, Alex running from a fast approaching boulder with a wide smile as she scoops up Sprig hurriedly under her arm and continues running from the rolling boulder.
Cutting to another scene, in a dark red murky area, a menagerie of mud monsters surround Alex as she retreats to be back to back with Sprig, her own fencing sword in her fierce grasp as Sprig yelps in fear.
In the continuing scene, Sprig and Alex hop out from the shrub and give each other a reciprocating high-five - only to be interrupted and scared by a raptor-like serpent that hops out of the bushes, roaring and shrieking. The two immediately flee, Alex looking back in astonishment as usually as Sprig leads her away.
The next scene depicts a rainy, perilous setting with a photo of the three siblings from the first scene in a group shot, the picture tangled and waving in the branches as the thunder flashes to barely reveal a faint shadow of a beastly tower.
In the final scene, Alex plucks a leaf from her hair and examines it curiously, Sprig hopping over and slinging an arm around the girl's neck, Alex leaning down from the sudden weight with a giddy grin as the leaf flutters to the ground. Hop Pop walks over with a smile and Polly rolls to the rest of the family in her bucket. The other civilians surround the family, everyone ultimately flashing the camera with joyful expressions.
The scene ends with a fade into a barely perceptible green mural lined by a golden ornamented border, the Siblingphibia logo flashing in the torchlight as the music fades and the soothing sound of crickets fills the background.
[END SIBLINGPHIBIA INTRO]
The sun radiated in the Wartwood sky, the townspeople plodding around the countryside swampy village.
An elderly orange frog—Hopediah Plantar, or Hop Pop—drove around on a snail, who was pulling along a wagon with his grandchildren in it. One a young pink frog—Sprig Plantar—and the other a purple baby pollywog—Polly Plantar.
Hop Pop stopped the snail in front of the local Grub N' Go, and turned back to his grandkids.
"Alright kids," he began. "I'm gonna do a little shoppin', you watch the cart." Sprig nodded and hopped up.
"You got it, Hop Pop!" He assured. "I'll defend this cart with my LIFE!" Sprig finished while pounding his chest. Hop Pop grumbled.
"Sprig, I was talkin' to Polly." Sprig was shocked. "What? Polly's a baby," he commented, bemused. "You're a baby!" Polly spat out, pointing at him accusingly.
"Polly's got more responsibility in her little flipper than you have in your entire body," Hop Pop said.
"Ridiculous," Sprig argued. "What makes you think I'm irresponsible?" Hop Pop rubbed his chin in mock-thought.
"Oh, gee, let me think…"
He then recalled when Sprig exploded a brew of his gumbo, when he wrestled a cow-a-pillar in his bedroom, and when he left the lights on and fireflies attacked the house.
This embarrassed Sprig.
"Okay, so yesterday was a bad day," Sprig brushed off. Hop Pop nodded. "Mhm," he mumbled.
"Polly, make sure Sprig stays in the cart." He then hopped off into Grub N' Go. "Well, how do ya do, Mrs. Jonkins?" Sprig was disheartened.
"Wish there was a way to prove I'm not such a goof-up," he said morosely.
That's when One-Eyed Wally ran out from the forest screaming. "MONSTER!" He yelled, panting. "T-There's a monster in the woods, I-I seen it, I seen it!"
All the country folk in Wartwood came over to the distressed Wally whilst Polly and Sprig observed from the cart.
A mint toad—Mayor Toadstool—tried to calm Wally. "Simmer down, Wally," Toadstool said. "Just tell us what you saw."
Wally plucked a leaf from a nearby shrub. "Oh, it was horrifying!"
"It had a huge head," Wally used the leaf to represent the head.
"A weird stubby bump righ' in the middle of its face," a stick under the leaf for the face bump.
"And long, spindly legs!" A twindly branch as its limbs.
The villagers gasped at the depiction. "Obscene!" Mayor Toadstool's assistant—Toadie—yelled.
Mayor Toadstool pounded his fist in his palm. "We better catch this beast before it hurts somebody!" He directed. "Because, for Mayor Toadstool, your safety comes first!" He then promoted his campaign.
"Well, it's the responsible thing to do," mused Wally. Murmurs of agreement.
"Polly, I just had a great idea," Sprig said to his sister. "I am going to catch that beast and save the town!"
Before he could hop away, Polly raised a flipper. "Stop right there!" She commanded. "Hop Pop said you had to stay in the cart! You know you can't take me!" Polly flexed her muscles.
Sprig frowned.
"Oh, Polly, look," he pulled candy from his green coat. "Candy… Blep."
He dropped the pieces around the bucket Polly was in.
"Bribe accepted!" She allowed it before consuming the sugar.
"Let the monster hunt," Sprig said as he hopped to the woods. "Begin!"
Polly yelled to him. "DON'T DIE!"
Sprig traversed through the forest, looking around for the monster to prove his responsibility.
"Where's that darn beast- OOF-!"
He had bumped into something, falling on his bottom as he looked up and was met with Alex Teriok, who had lost one shoe and got leaves and twigs caught in her dirty-blonde bushy hair. She looked exhausted and malnourished, and a long stick spear was held in her starving grip.
"Giant head, spindly limbs, face bump! The BEAAAAST!" Sprig exclaimed.
Sprig screamed.
Alex screamed as well.
"FOOD!" Alex yelped before Sprig could flee, stabbing the spear in the ground near him. "WAIT! Please," Sprig pleaded.
Alex was pulled out of her hungry daze. "Huh? Oh, uh- sorry. Just really dizzy."
Sprig tilted his head. "So you won't eat me?"
Alex shook her head. "No no no… I'm not going to eat you—no matter how hungry I am," she reassured. "I'm just lost."
"Really?" Sprig asked. "So… you aren't an amphibivore-? There's plenty around here you can eat other than me."
"...No? Ew."
Sprig nodded. "Oh."
Suddenly, large footsteps echoed through the forest. Alex grew terrified at the thudding.
"What-? I thought I lost that mantis!" She yelled in frustration and fear.
"Mantis? Where?"
Alex didn't answer, instead sweeping Sprig over her shoulder and running away from the thudding, sliding into a mossy log as a secure hiding spot.
Alex panted as she and Sprig looked back to see a towering, red mantis roaming away. Sprig was baffled that this creature just saved him.
"Woah," Sprig gasped. "You saved me from being mantis-chow! You're not a beast at all! You're a hero! An ugly, ugly, UGLY hero!"
Alex frowned as she steadied her breathing, waving it off. "Don't call me ugly," she warned. "It was no big deal… Uhm."
"Sprig Plantar! Put 'er there!" Sprig stuck his hand out for the purpose of shaking hers. Alex took his hand carefully.
She let out a quiet 'cool' under her breath at the mucus that just covered her hand. "I'm Alex. Alex Teriok." Suddenly, a rumbling came from her stomach. Alex blushed in light embarrassment.
"Okay then. Got any grub?"
Sprig nodded and lifted a stray slack of bark in a log behind them. Bugs crawled out. "Yup!"
Alex cringed and shifted in slight distaste. "I didn't mean actual grub. Anything else?"
Sprig tilted his head and ate one. "No bugs, eh? We'll have to hunt around a bit." Sprig ran out from behind the mushrooms, waving his hand to coax Alex to follow him.
"C'mon! Chow time!" He shouted.
"Whoa, wait up!" Alex yelled and ran after him.
Hop Pop exited Grub 'N Go with groceries, humming to himself as he turned and saw the mob and Toadstool leading it.
"When I say 'kill', you say 'it'! KILL-"
"IT!"
"KILL-"
"IT!"
Hop Pop chuckled and continued to the wagon. "Ah, another day, another mob. C'mon, kids, time to- WHAT THE?"
Hop Pop looked into the wagon and only found a bloated Polly. Polly looked up at him and pointed. "I don't have a candy problem, YOU have a candy problem!"
"Polly, where's Sprig?" Hop Pop asked frantically
"Uh- something something monster, something something woods," Polly answered.
Wally perked up and turned to the wagon. "Oh, if your boy went into the woods, he's as good as eaten," Wally warned. "That beast will devour everything in its path."
Hop Pop scowled with tenacity. He picked up Polly, placing the pollywog on his head as he hopped off the seat of the wagon.
"Not on my watch! Hang in there, boy!" he shouted, jumping into the forest where Sprig ran off.
The mob screamed and ran after the grandpa. Wally yelled. "Harvest the toenails for medicinal purposes!"
Sprig poured out the bucket of edible mushrooms, branches, and other sources around the forest in front of Alex. Alex, without hesitation, picked up a small purplish twig and chomped off a side of it.
She chewed it for a moment before shrugging. "Not the worst thing I've ever tasted," Alex murmured.
Sprig nodded with a hum. "Glad you like it! Now, first question; who are you and where did you come from?!" Alex laughed for a moment before answering, shoving the rest of the branch in her mouth.
"I'm a human!" Alex answered cheerily. "And I'm from- er- uh, another world." Alex paused. "Or maybe I'm just going crazy.
Sprig nodded and let out a small 'woah'. "Cool! Do ya know how you got here?" He asked.
Alex shook her head morosely. "Nope," she muttered. "No idea. Los Angeles isn't exactly this frog-populated nor this swampy."
Sprig raised a bemused brow. "Los Angeles?"
Alex shook her head. "Nevermind that," she backtracks. "I dunno how to get home, or if I even can go home."
Alex looks up at Sprig. "So, yup, that's it, basically. Sprig, right? What are you doin' out here?"
Sprig grins and swings a tenacious arm. "Proving that I'm responsible!" Alex smiles widely.
"Really? That's cool. How you planning to do that, Spriggo?"
Sprig pauses awkwardly. "Uhhhh-"
"THERE THEY ARE!"
The mob suddenly ambushes Alex, the girl in question jolting up and scurrying around, away from the torches and pitchforks.
"Hey! K-keep your pointy things to yourself, lizards- AH!" She yelps, being entangled in rope as the frogs celebrate. "Let me out-!"
Sprig protests. "No! You guys got it all wrong!" However, Sprig is simply pushed back, the mob cheery and triumphant.
Hop Pop cackled in his weathered tone, approaching Sprig with Polly still mounted on his head. "Ha ha, you caught the monster! Sprig, I'm impressed."
"What the weh?! You did this on purpose, Spriggo?" Alex asked, a bit bummed that her frog friend wasn't trustworthy and she pouted. "Bummer."
Sprig shook his head, stepping forward and flailing his arms. "No, no, no, no, this wasn't my plan-!" He attempted to assure Alex.
Suddenly, there's a loud rustling in the trees above and a large lime-green mantis collapses from the shrub, it's pinchers clipping in hunger.
Alex gasped and her eyes grew big in awe. "Woah."
Mayor Toadstool hurriedly commanded the villagers into a defense. "Hurry!" He shouted. "Everybody, mantis formation!"
The frogs hastily mounted atop each other, an albino one striking a few stances atop everyone before finishing with a 'hyah!' The mantis retreated into the vines and squeaked.
"We scared it off!" Hop Pop exclaimed victoriously. "We have power!" The other frogs cheered. Suddenly a larger red mantis hopped down, looming and casting a dark shadow over the townsfolk.
"Nope, that scared it off," Polly said. Hop Pop nodded. "Yeah, that makes more sense," he agreed.
The mantis let out a roaring cry, it's ravenous claws swinging around. Alex only stared in astonishment. "You're so big! And red! And murderous!"
Alex felt the tight ropes around her loosening, looking over to see Sprig quickly freeing her from her bindings.
Alex grinned widely and pulled Sprig into a tight embrace, Sprig squealing in response. "Oh, thanks, best bud!" Sprig simply shouted a 'too tight!'
Alex let go meekly. "Sorry!" She apologized, Sprig hurriedly standing and recovering as he stared up at the beastly praying mantis. "I'll distract that thing! You get out of here, Alex!"
Sprig lets out a war cry, running over to the mantis. As the mantis was currently clawing at helpless frogs, Sprig slingshotted the mantis in the eye with a nearby stone.
"Haha!" He laughed. As the mantis roared in fury, Sprig grew timid. "Oops." The mantis swung a claw, only to be stopped by Alex's spear which she wielded like a sword.
She grunted, her eyes briefly flashing orange as she turned back to Sprig with a struggling smile, still pushing back the mantis' claw with her spear.
"I gotcha, Spriggo!" Alex reassured, though her spear was quickly knocked aside, murmured a 'uh oh' and the mantis swung, pushing her back slightly. "Maybe help me out here?!"
Sprig grinned and hopped over, grabbing a rope. "Righto!" He shouted, bouncing around quickly and wrapping the rope around the mantis' body and limbs, muttering a string of steps to himself.
He finally entrapped the mantis, trying to pull heavily as the claw was barely above Alex's head.
Sprig wasn't that strong though, and Alex rolled out of the way in the nick of time to grab the other end of the rope and pull hard, a bead of sweat dripping down her forehead.
The mantis was no match for both of their strength, being tangled in the tight rope and falling, its limbs tucked to its body helplessly.
The frogs peeked out from the bushes they were hiding in. They shout a ton of cheers, Alex pulling Sprig in for a congratulatory embrace. "We did it, Sprig!"
Sprig could by now tell Alex was a lively and hugging person. He hugged back enthusiastically before being set down.
Mayor Toadstool approached with Wally by his side, glaring as the villagers followed behind. "Well, now that that's settled, what the heck are we gonna do with this thing?"
Mayor Toadstool tugged at his jacket garment, smirking. "Maybe we oughta run it out of town just to be safe. Let it be someone else's problem." The mob was clearly on board, beginning to circle and shout.
Alex backed up, raising up her hands in a unconvincing placating gesture. "Woah, woah, woah, I just saved you guys! Can't we work somethin' out, bumpkins?"
Sprig quickly came to Alex's defense, stepping in front of her with broad arms. "Stop right there!" He commanded. The mob obliged.
"She's not a monster!" He informed. "She's just lost and needs our help! We should take care of her." Mayor Toadstool deadpans.
"Are you crazy?" He asked rhetorically. Wally nods in agreement. "Yeah," he agrees. "What if it goes nutty tomorrow and starts eatin' people?"
Alex cringes. "Sounds unappetizing, actually. You look kinda gross," she mused aloud and bluntly.
Hop Pop huffed and approached his grandson and his friend, Polly still seated in his froggy head. "Don't worry yourselves silly. I'll keep an eye on 'em. Both of them," he assures.
Toadstool grumbles. "Hmph," he mutters. "Have it your way, Hopediah Plantar, but I don't like it." The villagers complain and murmur all around, one in particular stating the mantis tastes good with butter.
Sprig sighs, looking down at the ground. "Looks like I'm back to causing trouble for the family again, huh?"
Hop Pop nearly looked appalled as Alex watched in amusement, her fingers fidgeting gingerly. "Trouble?" He repeats.
"Sprig, standing up to that angry mob to help this creature out was some of the bravest and most responsible stuff I've ever seen."
Polly nodded. "That was pretty cool, Sprig. It was also really dumb," she chirped. Hop Pop agreed. "Yes, really, really dumb."
Sprig's eyes widened and his irises grew in happiness. "Wait! You guys think I'm responsible?"
Hop Pop nodded. "Well, I mean- just this one time," he assured. Sprig cheered and began performing a giddy victory dance. "Don't get carried away," Hop Pop said.
Sprig instead pumped a fist in the air. "Big win!" Alex came over and patted Sprig on the back, grinning widely. "Good one, Spriggo! Now, could you help a girl out here?"
Hop Pop and Sprig shared a look. "With what?" Hop Pop asked, sticking his hands in the pockets of his coat. Alex waved a hand.
"Getting out of this frog world, silly!" She informed. "Got a route I could follow, countryfolk?"
Hop Pop chuckled and pulled out a map from his coat, unrolling it and showing it to Alex.
"Afraid you won't be leavin' anytime soon," he said. "This here valley is surrounded by mountains that are impenetrable this time of year!" Sprig looks up to Alex. "It should clear up in a couple of months!"
"But until then," Hop Pop began, pulling out another scroll that depicted the skeleton of a frog. "You try to cross those mountains-" Polly finished eagerly. "You will die," she stated bluntly.
Alex murmured an 'oh'. "Dang, that's not good," she replied, looking at the drawn skull of the frog. She pointed to it. "Can I keep that?" She chirped. Hop Pop grumbled. "No."
"So where am I gonna stay?" She asked, uncertainty creeping in her cheery voice.
Hop Pop turned on the lamp of the Plantar Farm basement, looking up at Alex who had her satchel over her shoulder and a rolled up sleeping bag under her arm.
"Kitchen's upstairs," he informed hastily. "Breakfast at sunrise, sharp." He begins climbing up the ladder to the trapdoor, exiting the basement as Alex waved farewell enthusiastically.
"Bye bye, bumpkin grandpa!" Alex squeaked, looking around the basement curiously as she laid out the sleeping bag, humming faintly.
Then she heard another pattering of footsteps and Sprig popped his head through the trapdoor.
"Hey there! Gettin' comfy?" Sprig asked, hopping through and pouring down a menagerie of toys with him. "Brought you some toys to keep you company. I'm too old for these."
Sprig suddenly paused and knelt. "Oh, except this one," Sprig said, retrieving a plush. "Oh, and this one, sorry this one too."
Before Alex knew it, Sprig had all of the 'off limits' toys in his arms. She giggled. Sprig smiled in return.
"I'm glad you're living with us," Sprig said. "Monster." Alex paused, tapping her chin. "Same here, Spriggo. And stop calling me that," she commente.
"Okay!" Sprig smiled, hopping on the ladder with toys in broad arms. "Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite!"
Before Sprig left, he peeked his head through the trapdoor. "Seriously, they can drain a body in seconds," he warned hastily.
Alex murmured another string of words in interest, sitting down on her rolled out sleeping bag.
She dug through her yellow satchel, pulling out a sketchy music box. It was adorned with three striking gems - one orange, one golden, and one lavender.
She whispered with a tilt of her head.
"How'd this rusty box even work in the first place?" She inquired herself, slowly and warily peeking open the lid.
When nothing flashed she was left bemused, setting down the music box and laying back on the bed.
"Looks like I'm gonna be here for a while."