Amphibia Red (PART 1/3) An Amphibia AU

Ep. 1b: Lilypals

"There it is. Now how should we go about sneaking in..?"
"Hey Mar-Mar, I don't think you're gonna have to worry about that."
"Ha, no way! She fell asleep!"
"Now's your chance."

Marcy let herself in.

"Alright, Marcy, you can do this." Marcy eyed the music box carefully, before swiping it as quickly as she could. She checked to make sure nobody saw, flashed a thumbs up at Sasha through the window...

And let herself out.

"Got it! Isn't it pretty?"
"Oh, Anne's gonna love this."

**

"And... Open your eyes!" Anne did so.
"What do you think?"
"Whoa... This thing's amazing."
"And that's not all! Watch what happens...

... when you open it."

***

Marcy woke with a jolt.
"Sash! Anne! I just had the weirdest dream, I was trapped in a world of frog peo-..."
Marcy looked around at her makeshift room in the basement.
"It wasn't a dream! Yes!!"
From what Marcy could tell, it was very early in the morning, probably about 4:30. She decided to head upstairs and wait for the Plantars to wake up...

... and promptly tripped and fell on her way up the stairs.

***

Marcy had gone outside and was searching around the farm for something to do. She was absently taking notes on the plants she saw throughout the landscape and dodging the occasional giant bug when she saw a figure in the distance, over by the front door. Marcy wandered over to find Sprig doing some writing of his own. He didn't seem to hear her coming...
"Whatcha got there?"
"Oh, uh..." Sprig was startled. "Nothing! Just, uh... A journal."
"A journal, huh? Neat! What kinds of stuff do you write about?"
"Just, y'know, the average stuff. Plants, bugs, slingshots..."
"You sure? I get the feeling there's something you're not telling me..."
"Uh, well-"
"Sprig! Marcy! Inside, now!" Hop Pop's voice startled them both. Sprig quickly turned and hopped away into the house, Marcy following close behind.

***

"So why'd you call us inside, HP?" Marcy asked, sipping from a quaint ceramic mug. "Didja need something?"
"No, you-"
"Why then? We were just wandering around outside."
"See, that's the problem." Hop Pop turned to face Marcy. "Look Marcy, you may be used to just being able to walk around in your world without a second thought. But here in Amphibia, it's really different. I mean, you're a new, unsettling, strange, bizarre, gangly, HORRIFYING-"
"Got it."
"Point is, the frogs in this town can be pretty small-minded. What with a strange, tall monster like you in town, they won't exactly be willing to trust you." He turned to Sprig.
"And as for you, boy, just what were you thinking, staying outside with this dangerous creature on the loose?!"
"What? No! Marcy's not dangerous!"
"That you know of! You need to be more careful around this thing! It could be hungry. For your guts!"
"Why does everyone here think I'm gonna eat them? I'm not gonna eat you guys, I promise," said Marcy.
"Hmph. For now."
"Just give me an excuse to use old Doris here," Polly piped up, batting a rolling pin, apparently Doris, against her hand. "Word of advice, Sprig. Never trust anything that drinks from an empty cup." With this, Polly hopped away in her bucket, Hop Pop close behind.
"Wait," said Sprig, "Was that mug really empty the whole time?"
"Of course," answered Marcy. "I mean, I'm trapped in another world here. How am I supposed to know what's safe to drink?"
"Speaking of which... You must be so excited to be trapped in another world! Very jealous."
"Yeah! This place is so cool! I can't wait to explore the valley and meet the locals and discover ancient secrets! But..."
"Yeah?"
"I miss my friends."