#especially because she lost her friendship with Marcy and Sasha and her found frog family

[detentiontrack]

Do you guys think that Anne would ever wish that the guardian had never brought her back during times of depression and guilt from amphibia after she got back home

[ordinaryschmuck]

What I Thought About the Climax of "Reunion" from Amphibia

Salutations, random people on the internet who are already scrolling right past this. I am an Ordinary Schmuck. I write stories and reviews and draw comics and cartoons.

So, Season Three of Amphibia is coming pretty soon. And I am...excited, but not as much as most people.

If you've seen my reviews, you'll know that while I do like Amphibia, I wouldn't go so far as to say it grabbed me as well as a series like The Owl House. With a show like that, it took me until Episode Five before I realized The Owl House was something special that was worth remembering. For Amphibia? It took me until the Season One finale before I had a similar reaction. But, to be fair, that's because this series is really good at making an ending. "Reunion," for example, takes a lot of the small things the first season has been building up, taking plots from episodes I considered filler and tying it all together in a pretty satisfying ending. I know people are still reeling over the epicness of "True Colors," and all for a good reason, but I want to start the new season on the right foot by discussing a moment that made me consider giving the series a chance.

But it also contains spoilers, so if you haven't seen Amphibia yet, now might be a good time to check it out. It may not have grabbed me and might not even grab you, but trust me when I say that it's worth it just to get to that final scene.

Now, let's review, shall we?

Grime Explaining Flipwart and Bogjump: One thing I will always defend about this series is its humor. More often than not, it succeeds in getting a chuckle out of me with perfect timing and solid comedic delivery. And stuff like this? Where Grime takes a break from his evilness to explain how two board games work to two teenagers? Only to then give up and stick with a simple answer? Yeah, I'm sorry, but that's funny to me. A good thing, too, given how this show relies more on humor than anything else. It may have an overarching plot and its fair share of grim moments (I give you Marcy's maybe death), but Amphibia knows when to keep things light amongst the darkness, which I always appreciate.

Anne Pleading with Sasha: Here, the scene showcases Anne's own personal struggle with Sasha. We know Sasha's a bad friend, primarily because we have eyes. But Anne still needs convincing. Because while she speaks up, she still doesn't assert herself. Anne doesn't yell at Sasha or tell her she's going too far. Instead, she just begs and pleads, hoping to seek the bit of humanity of this girl that Anne sees as a friend. Only for Grime to cut things short in demanding Hop Pop.

Anne Grabbing a Sword to Defend Hop Pop: This, on the other hand, was a defining moment for Anne. She spent so much time with the Plantars, risking life and limb for their own personal health and safety in multiple episodes before this one. So in desperation and due to being backed into a corner, she yanks out one of the guards' swords and orders people to back up, including her "best friend." This moment is when Anne is right on the edge of standing up against Sasha, ready to do all she can to help a person, er, frog that treats her right.

Sasha Talking Anne Down: But she isn't fully ready to fight back yet. Sasha sees the panic and desperation and uses that to her advantage and takes control. She speaks calmly, attracting Anne with talks of going home and pointing out the ridiculousness of standing up for Hop Pop. And my blood boils with how easily she does it. It was like a light switch, turning off her intensity just so Sasha appears to be empathetic. Even though she isn't. You can tell just how cold hearted she can be with the way she says the line "End of discussion." Does the way she say that really sound like a person who has Anne's best interests at heart. I wouldn't think so.

Sprig’s Reaction to Anne Lowering the Sword: And neither does Sprig. I mean, look at Sprig's expressions when he sees Anne lower the sword:

First, there's shock and empathy in seeing Anne crumble to Sasha's will. And unlike the fake empathy Sasha offered, you can see that it's real.

Almost as real as the look of pure disgust he gives Sasha afterward. Personally, I can't blame him. Sprig cares deeply for Anne, as the two of them have the most real friendship out of everyone else in the main cast, one built on mutual trust, respect, and willingness to have the other's best interests at heart.

Sprig Standing Up for Anne: This only proves my point. By slingshotting mud (was that mud?) into Sasha's face and praising how incredible Anne is, Sprig proved he really is the true friend that Sasha can only wish to be. And it's just the boost Anne needed to snap out of her stupor and do, in her words, "something that [she] should have done a long time ago."

Anne Standing Up to Sasha: If standing up for Hop Pop was a defining moment for Anne, defending Sprig from Sasha was a moment Anne could never go back on. It was one thing to fight for her found family against soldiers she's never met before. It's something else to do that against Sasha, Anne's best friend, who she pleaded with earlier and was so close to falling into submission for. But not anymore. At this moment, Anne decided to think for herself and do what needed to be done. Rather than let a bully tell her what to do instead.

Grime’s Words of Warning for Sasha: Grime’s little warning is similar to how a commander gives tips to a fellow commander in leading the troops. Because that's what Sasha really seems like. Not a friend, but someone who takes charge and orders what Anne and Marcy should do rather than listen to the opinions of the group. You see it more in "Battle of the Bands," and that's why I think she follows his advice to "stamp this out." Especially with how he finishes his warning: "Fail, and nothing will ever be the same."

There are two things to take away from that.

The fact that Grime was right. Sasha failed, and nothing was the same because of it. Anne now stood up to her and won't take her orders anymore. The thing is, that would have happened if Anne failed or not. Sasha winning may have stamped Anne's spirit a bit, but it still shows a dark side to her that wouldn't have been forgotten for long.

The fact that Sasha vocally admits that she won't let things change. It proves how twisted her mindset on friendship is that Sasha would willingly partake in a sword fight with her "best friend" because she refuses to have Anne standing up for herself. She likes being in charge and refuses to lose her power no matter what needs to be done to keep it.

If Anne defending Sprig is a moment where she crosses the line for the better, Sasha listening to Grime is a moment where she crosses the line for the worst.

“Anne, you don’t have to do this”: I love how Hop Pop tries to talk Anne out of the challenge. It's his life that's on the line, but he cares just as deeply for Anne as she does for him, that letting her duel Sasha, her supposed "best friend," is a choice he doesn't want her to make.

“Yes, I do.”: But Anne isn't about that. She now knows the type of person Sasha is, and letting her get away with more control is something no one should allow. And Anne won't. Not anymore.

The Fight: The fight isn't all that special compared to other action animation, and even to a certain fight scene we see in "True Colors." But as is, it is still pretty tense. I mean, for f**k's sake, it's two thirteen-year-olds fighting each other with swords! It's a miracle that only Sasha got a small scar at the end of it. Plus, while not the show's highest standard yet, there is a lot of effort and attention put into this battle. Anne is a lot more inexperienced and frantic with her attacks, where Sasha shows she was trained well in her time with the toads and is rotten given that she cheated by blinding Anne to force a victory. In a way, it illustrates the desperation the two of them have for winning, making Sasha's actions, in particular, easier to root for Anne.

Anne Wins: So when Anne is victorious, it's all the more satisfying. Primarily thanks to the look on Sasha's face. Look at it:

That is the definition of shock and anger, mostly shock. Sure, Sasha might be ticked that she lost, but it's Anne's words that I think really hit a specific soft spot: "You're not going to push me around anymore." That's probably the first time that Anne called Sasha out on her awful behavior. Saying that she's standing up to her huts, but pointing out how Sasha basically controlled Anne and how that's something she won't allow anymore, could be an eye-opening moment that Sasha needed.

Grime Goes Against the Deal: Ok, full disclosure, while this post is meant to shine a light on how great a scene is, there is one complaint I've got to get out of the way. You see, Grime going against his deal to let Hop Pop go free if Anne wins was way too predictable. Because why the f**k would he?!

I mean, does this seriously look like the face of a man you can trust? This scene may excel at everything else, but this one predictable moment is just a little off to forgive.

The Tower Blowing Up: This predictable moment, however, is done flawlessly. Because there's a difference between a twist and a payoff. Where a twist is meant to shock the audience, a payoff has to, well, pay off a setup brought up earlier in the story. And Wally's boom-shrooms going off at just the right time, transitioning to the most iconic moment of the series? Yeah, that's a payoff done right.

(Also, Wally cursing his one eye is hilarious)

“Lean On Me”: By the way, NOT joking when I say what follows is the most iconic moment of the series. All of which is aided by the inclusion of "Lean On Me" by Bill Withers. I'm not a music theory major and have no idea if the song itself is actually mildly appropriate to the scene, much like how "All Star" and "I Need a Hero" work perfectly for Shrek and Shrek 2, respectively. With that said, "Lean On Me" really does add an extra Umph! power to what follows. And as Matt Braley, series creator, describes, it is the coolest thing, but it will never happen again.

(Apparently, the song was too expensive).

Anne Goes to Save Sasha: Believe it or not, I actually do love this decision. Sasha may be a bad friend...Actually, no. Sasha is definitely a bad friend, but that doesn't mean Anne wants her to die. Not after all the good times that they had with each other. Anne might refuse to let Sasha push her around, but she's not ready to cut Sasha out of her life. Not yet.

Anne Holds Onto Sasha, the Plantars Hold Onto Anne: ...I mean...just f**king that! Through this moment, we get a perfect idea of how Anne's relationships work.

To put it simply, the Plantars raise Anne up and keep her safe, where Sasha just weighs her down and risks her safety. And the saddest part is that Sasha knows this.

“Anne. Maybe you’re better off without me…”: Some say that this could be Sasha trying to get in one last manipulation, using her own sacrifice to stick to Anne for choosing talking frogs over her. While I could see that perspective as a possibility, I personally take this moment as Sasha finally realizing the damage she causes for Anne and admits her faults. Sure, Sasha might have backpedaled in later episodes. What with refusing to change and even directing her anger towards Anne instead of towards herself. But that's because she had time to process these events and unfairly aim her negative feelings at Anne for wanting something better. So it doesn't seem implausible to me that Sasha admitting that Anne's better off without her is something she believed deep down and, for just a moment, allowed herself to accept this heavy truth. I won't deny the possibility that she's still trying to manipulate Anne, but to me, with the tone and expression Sasha has with her admission, you can't fake that. And you can't fake what she does next.

Sasha Lets Go: This...shocked me right down to my core.

I knew Grime would go back on his word, and I assumed the boom-shrooms would pay off somehow. But Sasha, willingly and unhesitantly, letting go of Anne's grip and falling to an expected demise? I...I couldn't have ever predicted that. Not with what we've seen from her before. When I hear how people see this as one last manipulation tactic, I just can't see it. Yes, there are monsters on this planet who would go this far, but I don't think Sasha is one of them. Later episodes like "Battle of the Bands" (despite a rough start) show signs of a person who could be better, and the Season Three trailer hints that she might actually learn from her mistakes. So her letting go, with no way of knowing her survival, could be the first sign that Sasha would one day make that first step. She might not be able to become Anne’s friend again, thanks to burning that bridge in "True Colors," but she'll at least try to become a better person. She just needs to do one good thing in her life first.

Plus, whenever I see this image:

I’m reminded why I could never say that I didn’t like this show.

Grime Saving Sasha: A lesser viewer would say this cheapens Sasha's sacrifice, but not to me. She had no way of knowing Grime would save her, so to her, so this is still a bid decision to go through with, even if she couldn't have gone all the way. In no way does it take away from the sacrifice, just as much as it doesn't strike a chord deep in Anne's heart.

Anne Breaks Down: Because what else would she do?

It's true, Sasha isn't a good friend, and Anne would likely be better off without her. But that's not what Anne's thinking at this moment.

She's thinking about the good fun she had with her best friend.

She was thinking about the person she could lean on.

And she was thinking about how she almost lost this person forever.

So when it all comes crashing down on Anne at once, there's nothing left to do but cry. It is such a real moment that proves one thing: There was effort put into this finale.

IN CONCLUSION

Would I say Amphibia draws me in as much as The Owl House does? No. But it still has my respect. A finale like this proves how hard the writers try to give a good experience. Even if a Schmuck like me thinks that all the pieces don't come together, they still do all they can to make a beloved series.

Season Three is on the way, and while I'm not as hyped as others, I still can't wait to see how it ends. Because if "Reunion" taught me anything, this series really nails an ending.

(And if you want me to do a scene breakdown of the finale in "True Colors," I'll tell you now: I won't...alright, maybe I'll do something for the mid-season premiere. But no promises!)

[sepublic]

Marcy at the Gates

           I very much concur with the common sentiment, that one would DIE for Marcy Wu! Oh, Marcy… Ides Marce, Lord have Marcy, Marcypalooza! The wait was long and hard, and we had to be SO patient… But it finally came, and the wait makes Anne’s sentiment about not knowing what to do next, all the more relatable!

           Seriously though; We’ve wondered if Marcy was a nerd, and she is a TOTAL NERD! I’m fairly certain she’s ADHD, but also potentially Autistic; Regardless this girl is NOT neurotypical and I am all for it! I love the characterization of her being intelligent in regards to learning stuff, but streetwise she can be oblivious and constantly has be taken care of…

           It really makes me wonder what her relationship with Sasha was like? Marcy mentions learning to make her own decisions alongside Anne, so maybe they also had some toxicity going on? That, or Sasha was just used to having to look out for Marcy, and being used to having to take care of a friend and ‘know better’ sprouted into her controlling nature over Anne? Either way the trio’s dynamic is FINALLY beginning to unfold, and I can’t wait to see how Marcy and Anne will react to Sasha instigating a Toad Rebellion, especially since…

           …Well, Marcy definitely seems to be living out her fantasy here, comparing it all with games, and I get the feeling she never got much of the chance to embrace as much as she’d like! Honestly she reminds a LOT of Luz Noceda from The Owl House, which only makes her incredibly endearing to me! There’s still some obvious differences though… 

          I have to wonder if Marcy low-key has an issue with recklessly doing stuff without considering how her friends might get involved, and isn’t good at self-care? Although it’s just as worth noting that she DOES need to be allowed to take care of herself, and not just infantilized either…

           (Which is ALSO a big neurodivergent mood, ngl)

           And obviously Marcy IS oblivious, but I also have to wonder if Anne’s concern is also because of what happened with Sasha? And how she doesn’t want to lose this one friendship from home, having lost the other one? That she wants to be on good terms with Marcy, while at the same time making sure she doesn’t lose her? It’s relatable.

           Back to Marcy though, I really love how she’s a nerd who IS legit interested in Amphibia’s culture, because I am too! It’s a big nerd-mood, and I love how Hop Pop, who is very traditional and likes to talk about that sort of thing, is elated! And I love how Marcy just name-drops Found Family Trope, and Hop Pop offers to adopt her… Freaking great, man!

           Marcy does allude to wanting to go back home… But I have to wonder if given the actual opportunity, she might reject it as others have speculated? Especially given how much fun she’s having, I can’t say I blame her all too much! Even if her home-life wasn’t bad per se, she still has a lot of interests that are being stimulated non-stop… Going back to what I said earlier, I wonder if Marcy doesn’t quite realize how much others care for her, in part because of her ND-coding… So she may feel like other people don’t appreciate her for her geekiness and nerd-stuff! So maybe if Sasha and Anne are like, “We need to go back home!” Marcy feels like they’re prioritizing what THEY want over her, and she’s never cared for fitting in like Anne, or being in the human world like Sasha; She wants to be a nerd on adventures! Maybe she’ll even feel resentment later down the line, over other people ‘stifling’ her… The fact that Sasha IS controlling definitely doesn’t help and blurs the line!

          Also, Marcy could also have an issue with distinguishing fantasy from reality, given the constant comparisons she makes to real-life and her games... That COULD be an issue later down the line, her only doing things that ‘excite’ her, so I have to wonder how she’ll react to Sasha’s Toad Rebellion? Regardless I already love Marcy and she’s SUCH a fascinating character! Just twenty-two minutes but already such a solid impression, somewhat supported by stuff that was already established, but still!

           On another note, I like the design of those newt guards, are they blind? I think some newts are eyeless, so THAT would be a neat reference! We have King Andrias gathering the girls as ‘pieces’ to his game… They likely have the Calamity Box’s power split amongst the three of them! Maybe he wants to use the Calamity Box’s energy to repower Amphibia’s long-lost industrial age? Who knows… Does Marcy know? If told, would she happily support Andrias because that sort of thing is just COOL to her, and her time in Amphibia is being treated more like a game than real life with actual consequences and stakes for people beside herself?

           Also, about Sprig…

           “I’ve never seen a frog your color.”

           Is he…

           NOT full-frog? Could he be part-newt…

           Is Yunnan his mother?

[toonsforkicks22]

Just a Couple of Weirdos (Amphibia one shot)

(”Wally and Anne” was an AMAZING episode! I just had to make this!)

The one-eyed frog was exactly where Anne hoped he would be. For a frog living in squalor, his residence wasn’t too shabby. Hoisting her backpack, the human girl made her way toward the small, familiar shack. The last time she came here had been when she joined the toad guards, breaking in without consent and raiding the place. She especially remembered how this had been the same place where she first acted in compassion, which slowly resulted in earning the town’s respect. 

As she knocked on the door, nervousness crept into her mindset. It was like hanging out with a new friend for the first time; and if Anne recalled, that moment happened rarely back home. 

She forced down a lump in her throat as the door swung open. Two eyes, one closed, stared back at her with surprise and awe. 

“Annabelle?” Wally exclaimed.

“H-hey,” the human greeted somewhat shyly, not even bothering to correct him on the given nickname. She actually kind of liked it. “How’s it going, Wally?”

“Oh, well, I’m good,” the musical amphibian responded, still a bit taken by the unexpected visit. “What brings you here, love? Wait, don’t tell me those toads are back!” he expressed anxiously. 

“No, no! There’s no toads! Just me!” Anne assured, giving a gentle smile. 

Wally gazed at her momentarily. The look of amazement was not lost on his face. _______

Anne sat on an old wooden chair that had probably been discarded at some point. It still held well as Anne leaned against it. The tea cup provided to her may or may not have been from the remains of a broken family’s home; still, it was in good condition. The tea itself, Anne specifically remembered was from the Grub N’ Go, similar to the kind Hop Pop made. 

Wally sat next her in another old chair, sipping his own cup. 

“I got to admit, love, I never get visitors,” he explained. 

“Really?” Anne asked. “Why’s that?”

“Oh,  you know, seeing as the town’s local crazy person and all,” he expressed nonchalantly. “Coming here, you’d think it’ll be the nuthouse.”  

“That’s not true,” she insisted. “This place is really nice. It reminds me of the clubhouse I’ve always wanted to have back home. But the other kids thought it was pretty weird, and my friends told me it was kind of childish.”

“Nonsense!” Wally cackled. “Those kids probably don’t know real fun even if it stung them in the eye!”

Anne chuckled. “You know I wish there was someone like you back home. Always, optimistic, not caring what anyone else thinks...”

“And maybe someone who could make you feel you don’t need to impress everyone?” Wally suggested, glancing at her knowingly. 

“What?” she said with a forced laugh. “What makes you think that?”

“Love, I know it’s not any of my business,” he began, giving her a serious, worrisome look. It reminded Anne so much of the expressions Hop Pop would give her if she was ever in the midst of danger. “But I get the distinct feeling you had to pull yourself one way and not being able to do things your way.”

“What? Of course not!” she insisted. “I mean, the other kids-”

“Make you feel bad about yourself and you got to aim to please in order to fit in,” he cut in gently. “Am I right?”

Anne couldn’t say anything. How was it that this guy of all people could actually have the intelligence of a psychiatrist? Heck, he did a better job than any of the counselors at school could even accomplish! 

She never thought a conversation with the local looney person could ever be this serious. But if her adventure with him to find the mysterious moss man was any indication, she and Wally weren’t that different. 

A gentle hand made its way to Anne’s, and she looked over at Wally. The one-eyed frog gave her a sympathetic look, with a smile to match. Anne couldn’t help but smile back. A month ago, he along with the rest of Wartwood had seen her as a freak. The mean comments that would make an online message board look peaceful, the lack of respect, and not to mention how Wally called her and Sprig’s friendship as ‘disgusting’.

Anne remembered how much she just wanted to go home and leave these ill-mannered jerks behind. But then she saw how vulnerable they were during the toads’ visit. And despite how she had been treated, Anne still looked out for them. 

Oh, how things have changed since then. Wartwood saw her as one of their own. Anne felt closer to the town than she ever dared believe. 

To think she initially saw Wally as deadbeat, moronic, and above all too crazy to hang around. Spending this time with him made her realize what an artistic, sweet, passionate, caring, and selfless person he was. Not to mention he had great hair under that hat of his. If it wasn’t for the age and species difference, he would have made for an entertaining student at her school. Maybe Sasha and Marcie would have liked him. Or maybe they wouldn’t. If the latter, Anne wouldn’t have allowed their opinions get in the way of her friendship with him. 

All these thoughts made Anne realize that she never had a conversation this deep before. In fact, she had never opened up to Sprig like this, and he was her best friend!

Come to think of it, she didn’t even tell Sprig where she was going. She had been too set on visiting Wally, she forgot. 

Oh, well, maybe it wasn’t too bad.  _______

Sprig opened the door leading his best friend’s room, a wide grin on his face. 

“Hey, Anne!” he called excitedly. “Want to see some drawings I made? They’re all inspired by Suspicion Island! One of them is a character I made up who would totally fit into the variety of characters on the show. Also, spoiler alert, he’s a competitor for Chad.”

His only response was silence. 

“Anne?” he called again. He turned on the mushroom lamp, seeing an empty bed. 

“Anne went out, Sprig,” Hop Pop called from the kitchen, reading a book. “Had something to do, I think.”

“Oh, I guess that’s okay,” Sprig said nonchalantly. 

Five seconds passed and-

Sprig kicked the front door open with his foot before hopping off. 

“How could she go off without me?” he exclaimed frantically as he left the farm. “Maybe something bad happened and I was too occupied to notice! Anne! Anne! ANNE!”

“Clingy much?” Polly muttered while reading on the couch. _______

Meanwhile, Wally and Anne were taking a stroll through the woods. The former allowed his accordion to be used on account of how well Anne was doing with it. Not to mention the song she thought at the top of her head sounded wonderful. 

“Now I find myself in the wild unknown, with the frogs and toads, and I’m far from home,” the human sang aloud in rhythm with the accordion. “But there’s so much here to discover! One leap after another! Hop into the adventure! Gotta ribbit, ribbit, jump on it!”

”That was beautiful, love!” Wally encouraged. “Is that all you got?”

“Not really sure about the rest of the words,” she responded sheepishly. “I got to work on that. But, man, I never thought accordions could be so much fun. Back home my friends would think instruments like these were lame. I was too scared to sign up for a music club because of that.”

“Oy, you really got to stop listening to what they think, Anne,” Wally insisted. “Real friends wouldn’t drive their opinions into your brain like a nail on wood. Are you sure this Sasha and Marcie are your friends?”

A bit taken aback by such a question, Anne merely shrugged. “Well, yeah, of course. I mean, it’s not like they pressured me to do something stupid or whatever...” she added, swallowing a lump in her throat afterward.

“I’ll take your word for it,” he promised, although deep down he was certain that wasn’t the entire truth. But he wouldn’t press the kid. 

Soon the two were exploring the forest. They gathered berries, took pictures on Anne’s phone, and even ran for their lives from some giant predator. Wally never had this much fun before in his life!

When it was time for lunch, the two found a shady area under a tree. Wally was surprised Anne made him a special meal called an ‘omelette’. 

“No one’s ever cooked for me before,” he said as she placed the plate on his lap. “This ain’t pity because I live in squalor, is it?”

“Of course not,” she insisted. “Besides, sometimes friends cook for friends.”

Wally tasted her cooking, and his eyes immediately widened. “Goodness! This tastes better than whatever scraps I can get together and boil it in water!” He took another bite. “You cook for your friends back home too?”

Anne’s smile fell. “Well, not really. My friend’s don’t really trust my cooking abilities. And they don’t even eat Thai food either.”

“Don’t eat your foreign cuisines?” Wally gasped. “That’s rubbish! Why, if it weren’t for your culinary uniqueness, Stumpy’s would have been already closed!”

“Aww, thanks,” she said, touched. 

As they ate, Anne felt a drop on her head. She looked up and noticed that gray clouds were forming. 

“Shoot! It’s raining!” she exclaimed. 

Soon enough the duo were running out of the forest as the pouring began. With the Plantar house much farther than Wally’s, the one-eyed frog allowed her to stay for the night. 

Sitting on a clot laid out just for her, Anne glanced from her phone over at Wally. The older being stood in front of a chipped mirror nailed to the wall, then took off his hat. Anne couldn’t help but be amazed by how gorgeous his hair was. She was surprised he even had hair; she still remembered how surprised she had been when she found out Sprig had hair. 

Whistling a merry tune to himself, Wally began to comb his nightly blue locks. In some way, Anne had to admit that for a frog with one eye closed, he looked pretty handsome. 

“I really hope Sprig and the Plantars don’t freak out that I’m gone,” Anne said as Wally laid his cot next to hers.  _______

Meanwhile, back at the Plantar residence, Hop Pop had to carry a wet, muddy Sprig back inside the house. The kid had been practically terrorizing all of Wartwood trying to find Anne. “Dang it, Sprig!” the old frog sighed as he put him down. “I’m just as worried about Anne, but you didn’t have to tear the whole valley inside out!” 

Sprig wiped the mud off his face. “How could Anne just go without me? Do I mean nothing to her?”

“Cling-yyyyyy...” Polly sang.  _______

“I’m sure they won’t get too upset that you’re gone for one night,” Wally assured. “Although I wonder how your family from wherever you came from must be feeling right now.”

It took a moment for Anne to realize he was referring to her actual home. “Oh, yeah, I hope my parents are doing okay. It’s been more than a month. Can’t imagine the trouble they’re going through just to find out where I’ve gone off.”

“Hey, I’d be fretting too if you were my kid,” Wally remarked. “Probably tear the whole valley inside out just to find you.”

Anne couldn’t help but blush at that. The more she gotten to know the oddball frog, the more she realized just how golden his heart was. 

“What about your parents?” she asked. “I remember, in the song, you promised your dad you would find the person who killed him or something and defeat with, I think, the sound of music or something?”

“Oy, you were actually listening?” Wally exclaimed in astonishment. 

“Yeah,” Anne said, giving him a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry about your dad. I can see just how important this accordion is to you.” She glanced over at said instrument, remembering how those toad warriors nearly took it away from him for good that day. 

“Oh, thanks, love,” he responded, touched. “Yeah, my parents were decent people. I admit our living situation was no better than this, put still, we pulled through. Lost my mum when I was no older than you. My dad, during my late teens. You know, if they were around today, he would have liked you. Even though you’re a human.”

“And I guess my parents would have definitely liked you too,” Anne said. “Even though you’re a talking frog.” 

Both laughed before calming down. 

“You now, Wally, after that adventure we had looking for the moss man...” she began carefully, looking at her phone, sliding through pictures of her life back home. “I can’t help but think about what you said. About being in a new place, meeting new people, being the person you want to be without letting judgment control you.” She lowered her phone. “That was really good advice, you know.”

“I got to admit that Wartwood has become something interesting since you arrived,” the one-eyed frog replied. “Can’t imagine what this place will be like once you leave.”

As soon as he said that, Anne’s heart felt heavy. All month she had been thinking about home, back to her old life and with humanity itself. But as she adjusted here, she could barely remember what she was even living at all back in her world. 

Here in this valley, she gotten to experience a whole new culture, meet new faces, and even admit that she loved the bug-based dishes. Not to mention just how colorful this world was compared to the dreary, grayish town she grew up in back home. 

She couldn’t imagine what her life will be once she left Wartwood. 

“Thing is, Wally,” she sighed. “That’s the issue I’ve been dealing with. Like...part of me doesn’t want to leave.”

The adult frog looked over her in surprise. 

“I mean, I do miss home, but this place has been like home! And I don’t want to leave Sprig, the Planters, Wartwood, especially you, Wally!”

“Well, that makes me want to tear up just a bit,” he expressed, although calmly. 

“I mean, look how much we’ve bonded in just two days,” Anne added. “I don’t want to leave that. Any of this. Sure, you guys were a bunch of jerks in the beginning, but look what we’ve all been through together. I’m not afraid to admit that you guys really mean a lot to me. And it kills me inside every time I think about the day I’ll have to leave.” 

Although Anne was breaking inside, she forced herself not to tear up. Wally sensed this and placed a hand on her shoulder. 

“Oh, Anne, I appreciate you feel that way about us,” he said gently. “And no doubt we’ll all be sad the day you go.” Then he gave her a warm smile. “But hey, if you managed to come here...who says you can’t come here again?”

She stared at him. “You really think that’s possible, Wally?”

“Well, why not?” he chuckled. “Who knows? Maybe you’ll be able to have the best of both worlds! Then that way we’ll always be together!”

Anne couldn’t help but smile at the thought. For as long as she had been in Wartwood, there were so many things she wanted to share about her world. Maybe if what Wally said was right, she could completely change this place for the better, make it more innovated with her 21st century knowledge. 

“The best of both worlds sounds amazing,” she said with a yawn. 

Wally watched as her eyes slowly closed, laying onto her cot. The phone slid out of her grasp right next to her waist.

He chuckled softly as he draped a blanket over her. 

“Nice kid,” he sighed before going to sleep himself.  ------------

So what do you think?  I hope for more episodes featuring Anne and Wally!