Amphibia insert AU

Grubhog Day

Grubhog day! Carnival food, rides, and fun!
"Iced flies! Hey your iced flies over here!" One of the men from the stands called.
"Carnival games? Fair food?" Anne questioned as they explored the carnival,
"Why can't it be like this all the time?" Yn asked.
"Welcome to Grubhog day! It's the one day a year that no one works and the whole swamp cuts loose. And it all leads to a big ceremony when the Grubhog pops out of his official stump!" Polly explained.
"And let me guess, predicts the weather?"
Polly gasped,
"How'd you know?"
"Believe it or not, we've got the same thing in our world."
"Grubhog-schmughog!" Sprig started, "the best part of this holiday is the vomit-inducing, death-defying, unforgettable.... RIDES!!!!" Sprig yelled dramatically. He seemed pretty excited.

"That's what I'm talking about!" Anne said as they started running over to the rides.
"Not so fast kids!" Hop pop said popping out of a bush.
"Hop pop, wha- what are you doing hiding in the bushes?" Yn asked. Slightly concerned.
"Uh, I'm not quite sure myself, yn." He said pausing for a moment, "but never mind that. Great news! Ralphie Underbrook has the plague!"
The kids gasped, "that's horrible!"
"Oh, hell be fine. But now, someone has to take care of the grubhog. And I volunteered you, sprig." He said wrapping his arm around his grandchild.
"What?"
"This is a big deal. The last planted to do it botched the job so bad, we shunned him for life."
"Botched it?" Anne questioned.
"Let's just say he got hungry.. and he ate it."
"Eeewww.."

"Isn't this exciting? You'll have to miss the fair, of course, but it's for a good cause. Come on boy, do it for the family. What do you say?"
"Well... I, uh..." he looked at hop pops pleading face, how could he say no? "Of course I will! There's nothing more important to me than family. Rides are for dum-dums anyway." He chuckled.
"That's my sprig! I knew I could count on you. This guy everyone! This guy!"

Then they were at the official tent where the grubhog was kept.
"Oh! He's so cute." The two girls cooed, "like a little sock puppet!"

"Careful. It spits acid." Hop pop warned, yn sto moved out of the way just in time as a spit glob hit the ground, burning a hole through the floor.

"Don't stare into the abyss kids, after all, it stares back... you got that costume on yet boy?" He yelled for sprig. Dang hop pop was one weird one. Sprig walked over, sighing.
"I'm so happy I lived to see this." Hop pop said with his eyes gleaming with tears. Sprig flicked open the message scroll he had in his hand,
"Congratulations, lucky child. Keep an eye on the grubhog and don't pull a planter." Sprig read, "ouch,"
"Polly, let's go spread the good news. The planters are back, baby! And just remember.. the family name is in your hands." Hop pop said walking out backwards.
"In your hands..." Polly called after they started walking away.

"All right, dude. What's going on? I know you don't want to do this."
Sprig sighed, "I don't. But I can't let hop pop down. He's counting on me. Sprig, buddy, just tell hop pop how you really feel. Drop that truth bomb!" Anne dramatically made the bomb effect.

"No way! Those eyes he gave me earlier, those were his 'I'm proud of you sprig' eyes. I've only seen them once, maybe twice. So..." sprig sighed, "you two just go enjoy those incredible rides without me." He said starting to shove them out the door. He gasped when he caught sight of one of the rides, "is that the spider spinner?!? I've heard it's the fastest ride ever made!"

Sprig sighed yet again and laid on the floor.
"But I guess I'll have to miss it this year..."
"Hmm.." yn thought for a moment, "hey, what did that scroll say your one job was?"
"To keep an eye on the grubhog."
"So, why not keep an eye on him as he's sitting next to us... on a ride!"
"Your a hopping genius yn!"
"As long as we're back here before the ceremony, what's the difference?"
"But... what if hop pop sees us out there?"
"He wont!" Anne answered for her
"This plan is flawless!"