Nightfall (Marcanne AU)

Chapter 4: Family is Forever

He accepted his new job without hesitation, because he wanted to give Marcy everything that he didn't have at her age; a good home, all of the toys and books she could have ever wanted, and only the best education. He barely scraped by when he was her age, and had vowed to make sure that Marcy would only have all of the things she'd need to succeed in life.

But it seemed, in thinking about giving her everything she needed to succeed in life...he completely ignored everything she needed to be happy. Her friends. The girls she loved with all her heart.

He was taking that away from her.

"Mr. Wu...?" Mr. X asked, walking over.

"Chen?" Oum called, looking very worried, now.

"...It's all my fault," he uttered, tears streaming down his cheeks, his voice cracking around his words.

Thomas stepped forward. "C-Chen-"

"I-I wanted to move...t-to give her a new home." Chen whispered with a small sob. "I-I forced her away instead...I-I couldn't...I-I'm a...!"

Mr. X took a step back, knowing he was most certainly not the type of person to help out. He was almost starting to wish they didn't know what happened and they had continued this operation in secret. But it was too late now.

Oum walked over. "Chen. Chen, look at me. You made a mistake, yes, but you can fix it. That's why we're here...!"

Bee nodded. "We're gonna save both Marcy and Sasha. We promise."

Chen doubted that. Not saving Marcy, just doubting that he could ever fix this kind of mistake...his own daughter must've hated him. He shook his head, wiping away his tears. "...I-I'll do anything to make sure Marcy is okay..."

Thomas stepped forward. "I'll do the same for Sasha..."

Mr. X took a small sigh of relief and chuckled. "Then, let's get to work, hmm?"

Meanwhile, in the Resistance Base...

Sprig held the telescope Anne had given him for his birthday while they were on Earth. He dragged his hand across where Anne's name was written and closed his eyes. "...whatever took you, Anne...I swear...I'm getting you back..."

He opened his eyes, tears beginning to fall down his face. "I-I promise..."

But then, Hop Pop walked over and sat beside his grandson. "We will, Sprig."

Sprig rested his head on Hop Pop's shoulder. "...how's Sasha?"

"Still healing up." Hop Pop sighed. "Leading the Resistance from her bed though."

Sprig gave a weak chuckle. "She'll never give up, will she...?"

Hop Pop laughed, shaking his head. "All good leaders never do."

But then, the ground shaking alerted every member in the Resistance. They quickly grabbed their weapons, raising them into the air...until suddenly? Someone poked their giant head right out of the dirt walls.

Mother Olm.

She looked terrified. Mortified even. "Where is Sasha?! This is urgent!!!"

Grime stepped over. "She's injured. She'll-"

"What?" Sasha suddenly asked as she stepped out, using a spear to keep her balance as she walked over. "Mother Olm, what's going on?"

Grime's eyes widened. "Sasha! You're supposed to be resting!"

"Not when I'm needed, Da- I mean. Grime." Sasha said, not wanting to admit Grime was her father figure during a time like this. She faced Mother Olm. "What's going on?"

"The Prophecy..." Mother Olm whispered. "It...it has changed. The original Prophecy was, well, a request for help from The Three Stars. The champions chosen by the stones...but now..."

Sasha stepped closer. "What...?"

"It's become a warning." Mother Olm said gravely. "Three stars burning bright have come to expel the Night. But, only in darkness, can a star burn bright. What is a star to do when she's lost her light?"

Sasha's eyes widened. "Wait...what...? What does that mean?"

"I can sense it...Marcy and Anne have been taken by a dark force that I can't make out. They can't shine, and The Prophecy requires all three of you...Sasha...the warning is that you may be the only one left."

Sasha's eyes widened, and she suddenly felt weak in the knees. "Wh... what?! That... that can't be!"

Mother Olm quickly spoke again. "N-Now, now! I'm not saying they're dead or gone! I'm just saying that a dark force has taken them and they need to be saved...and without them, The Prophecy cannot be completed."

"Dark force...?" Grime questioned. "Andrias?"

Mother Olm shook her head. "No. It's not Andrias. It definitely involves him, but it isn't him directly." She then looked at Sasha. "You and your Resistance can't waste your time with the king and his army at the moment. No matter when they're going to invade, your friends may be in even greater danger."

"But, we don't know enough about this dark force," Sasha told her. "We still can't get past Andrias' army, and we still don't have the Calamity Box to give me my powers. It'd be suicide to just face this thing head-on. We need a plan, and to prepare for any possible outcome. Anne and Marcy would want me to protect everyone as much as I can, and if you're right, then this dark force is more powerful and dangerous than Andrias himself."

Mother Olm sighed. "I'm aware, Sasha. To be honest, I don't have much of a plan myself and the last thing I want to do is make the threat you're facing greater."

Sprig then stood up. "Then we'll make a plan! Something! Anything! We'll even unite everyone in Amphibia if we have to!!" He declared. "We're saving our home and we're saving Anne and Marcy!!!"

Sasha's eyes widened, and then she looked at Sprig. "Easy, kid. We will save Anne and Marcy, but we'll need information about this dark force, first. If we rush into things, especially right now, people will get hurt, or worse. Anne would want you, your grandpa and sister to be safe. Don't forget that."

Sprig sighed and sat down. "I know, I know. I just...everything's gone from bad to worse...I'm getting desperate..."

Sasha's eyes softened and she sighed, sitting down next to him. "I know, Sprig... I know. I'm desperate, too... but we have to think carefully about this. That is very important right now, especially if we want to save Anne and Marcy."

Sprig nodded. "Yeah...you're right..."

Sasha smiled softly and then patted him on the back. "Just try and keep holding onto hope. Anne is going to be okay. No matter how hard, no matter how difficult, no matter what kind of state she and Marcy may be in when we get them back... we'll help them. No matter what."

Sprig smiled a bit at that. "T...Thanks, Sasha."

"Of course," Sasha said as she stood back up, and then turned to Grime. "Grime, send our best spies to the castle. I may not be able to go to the castle, but if Mother Olm is right about this dark force, then it's too risky to launch an attack. We need all of the information we can gather on this... thing."

Grime gave a quick salute. "Right, Commander."

"Good. For now, we watch and observe... and then we kill it."