Previously on Calamitous Intervention
Previously, Luz found a Coastal Kill-a-pillar and named it Stringbean. Everything went well at first until her pet entered its next stage in life and tried to eat the Plantars. She stopped it and would've perished if it weren't for Stringbean saving her, before leaving. Four days later, she met Felicia and Ivy, and then Hop Pop basically forced Sprig into marrying Ivy for greedy purposes, but Luz set things right and Sprig now has his eye on somebody else.
Chapter Eleven - Bessie The Snail / Breakout Star
Like most other days, it was beautiful outside in Wartwood. Luz, Sprig, Polly, and Hop Pop rode on Bessie, their transport snail. Hop Pop sighed contentedly. "A leisurely outing with Bessie. Why, we could really go anywhere. Do anything."
This excited Sprig, who chimed in. "Ooh, ooh! Can we get Swamp Slushies? They have new flavors."
Hop Pop chuckled, which sounded like a confirmation, but instead, he said, "Nope." Sprig's smile faded as he rested his hand on his face, realizing this trip wasn't going to be exciting in the least.
"Can we go off-road?" Polly asked hopefully, pulling the old frog's eyelids back. "Do some crazy stunts?"
"Double no!" Hop Pop replied, and Polly, just like Sprig, was disappointed. Luz noticed this and nudged him with her arm. "What's so bad about having a little fun with your family?"
"This is fun," the old frog told her. "Nothin' better than enjoying a nice day out with good ol' Bessie."
"You talk about Bessie a lot," Luz noted. "How long have you had her?"
"I've had her for a very long time," Hop Pop explained. "Too bad I'm the only one who can drive her. I've been tryin' to teach this guy for years." He pointed his thumb toward Sprig.
"It's true," the frog boy confirmed, not really interested in the topic. Luz tapped her chin, getting an idea. "Maybe I could learn to drive her. She's so adorable!"
The snail chirped in response, and as soon as they got back to the farm, the old frog tossed an enormous book onto a tree stump in front of Luz and Sprig. "Not before reading this, you ain't. This is Bessie's History. Before touching a snail's reins, you gotta know them. Feel their heartbeat next to yours and become one."
"That is a really big book," Luz muttered. "Well, I guess it's one way to pass the time."
Hop Pop raised an eyebrow, having expected some sort of resistance. "Just like that?" Luz nodded. "It can't be that bad. I've been wanting to learn more about this world. I've already read all of Maddie's spell books."
The old frog smiled. "Well, the sooner you get through it, the better." He walked toward Polly, who was playing in a puddle of mud and giggling. "Now if you'll excuse me, Polly's due for a wash." He picked up Polly, who was surprised. "No, no. Wait. No! I'll just get dirty again! You can't stop me! Do something, Luz!"
Hop Pop carried her into the house, closing the front door behind him. Luz picked up the book, finding it heavier than she expected it to be. Next to her was Sprig, who was lying on his stomach, studying a fly that's landed on his finger. "Well, good luck with that. Page five is as far as I got. Too much description, not enough plot."
"Maybe sometime I should introduce you to Monster Slayer Academia fanfiction," Luz told him, opening the book to the first page. "Wow, that is a lot of words."
"Told ya," the frog boy said, and she shrugged. "Well, then I'd better get started!" She opened the book to the first page and began reading, "It was an especially cold morning the day Bessie was brought into this world. The leaves had just changed color, and now I shall describe those leaves to you in great detail."
"Like I said, too much description," Sprig said, losing interest and walking off back into the house. Despite the aggravatingly long descriptions, she continued reading, starting to gain an interest in the story. Shortly after, she got to the bit where Hop Pop bought Bessie from an auction, addicted to the long and descriptive writing.
And it was at that moment I realized Bessie was no ordinary snail, but a kind, clear soul who would help others at a drop of a hat. I raised my bid to four hundred copper pieces, winning the auction, and in the process, saving Bessie from the nefarious Jim Snapes.
She pumped her fist in the air, laughing. "Yes! Bessie really dodged a bullet there." And then, what felt like hours later, she got to her favorite part of the whole novel. She teared up as she read the bit where they were stranded, never having expected to get emotional over a book like this.
Before she could go any further, the front door of the house opened and Sprig walked out, yawning. "Come on, Luz. Can't we do something fun? You've been reading that for nearly an hour."
"But it's so good!" Luz protested. The noise got Hop Pop's attention, and he walked out in frustration, holding a spoon. "What is all this yellin'? I'm trying to cook!"
He noticed Luz reading the manual and his eyes lit up, walking over to look at the page. "You're already there? I'm impressed! How is it so far?"
"So far, it's much better than expected," Luz replied, not taking her eyes off the page.
"Why are you so interested in Bessie, anyway?" Sprig asked her. "I don't think you need to read an entire novel to learn to drive a snail."
"I want to explore this amazing world," Luz explained. "That's why I want to learn to drive her. I want to see more, and maybe even find Stringbean along the way. I've missed her for days now."
"Well, you heard her, Sprig," Hop Pop said. "Once you read all about Bessie, you'll need experience. It takes practice to get into the rhythm. But isn't it a bit too dangerous for you to explore further than Wartwood?"
"I know how to get out of a dangerous situation, and I'll be back before nightfall when I do drive her," Luz assured the old frog. "Even if Bessie can't get away, I have potions."
Hop Pop was still skeptical about this, but ultimately decided to shrug it off. "Eh, okay, but I won't save you if you get yourself into a pickle."
After they left, she continued reading, getting to a part that actually made her feel emotional.
The snow swirled around us, and I knew we were doomed. I could feel the strength leaving my body bit by bit. The sweet embrace of eternity crept closer and closer. Until suddenly I heard a sound pulling me back. Bessie... Bessie was singing!
She sniffed, wiping tears from her eyes. "I'm gonna give that big, slimy sweetie a hug when I see her again. I should read more of Hop Pop's books. He definitely has to know more about this world than he lets on, right?"
Later that night, she finally finished reading the novel, feeling tired and emotional after processing everything in her mind. She yawned and closed her eyes, leaning her head on the book as she quickly fell asleep outside, not having enough energy to go to bed.
The next morning, she woke up, feeling her face sticking to the dusty old book. She managed to pry it off, rubbing her cheek as she remembered everything from yesterday. She smiled, getting up and walking into the house to greet the Plantars. "Good morning!"
"It's noon, Luz," Hop Pop corrected her. "Have you been readin' all night long?"
"I definitely have," Luz confirmed, showing him the book. "I finished reading it last night. It was a beautiful story! You wrote all of this?"
The old frog chuckled. "Yep, it took me weeks to write it, or was it months? Anyway, I'm glad you read it. Now what you need is experience. Let's eat lunch and I can show you the basics."
"You know, maybe you should become a writer, Hop Pop," the human suggested. "You're pretty good at it. If I can't become a witch, I would definitely choose to do that instead."
"My passion doesn't lie in writin'," Hop Pop replied, stirring the pot while cooking them a meal. "I love actin'. I'm gettin' too old for it, though. I think my opportunity's long past."
"Don't say that," Luz told him. "You're never too old to pursue your passions! Just a thought. After I try out Bessie, could I read more of the books in your room?"
"I don't see why not," Hop Pop said, smiling. "I wish the kids were half as passionate as you about learning more about the world. I won't be around for them forever."
"They'll come around," the human assured him, as the old frog walked over, placing a bowl of mushroom soup with chopped-up bugs in it. Despite her initial dislike of this world's food, she was starting to get used to the bugs. This world's insects tasted surprisingly good; at least better than on Earth. She preferred not to talk about what happened when she was four.
After they finished their meal, they went outside and Hop Pop brought Bessie out, to whom Luz gave a big hug. She climbed on and took the reins, tugging them and signaling for the snail to move forward.
"Looks like you really did pay attention," Hop Pop said, placing his hands on his hips while watching. "I'd come with ya, but I have to give Polly another bath, since she can't stay out of the mud for one dang second."
"That's fine," Luz replied, getting further away, so she had to raise her voice. "I'll be back in an hour or two!" She looked forward as Bessie chirped, sliding along the path. "This is so cool! I never thought I'd be doing this in my dreams!" Though she initially felt nervous, she quickly got the hang of things and comfortably drove.
As she traveled through Wartwood, multiple residents gave her a dirty look. She felt uncomfortable but remained positive, waving at them while getting close to the town's exit gate. Before she left the town, she heard a familiar voice behind her.
"Wait up!" Ivy called out to her, and the human tugged on the reins to stop the snail from moving any further. "Huh? Oh, hi, Ivy!"
"Where are you goin'?" Ivy asked her curiously. "Don't tell me you're running away right after we met," she jokes.
"I've learned to drive a snail and now I can explore," Luz explained. "Wanna come along?"
"I'm not doing much today, so what the heck?" Ivy hopped on next to her and Bessie chirped, moving again. "Still trying to find that Kill-a-pillar?"
Luz nodded in confirmation, enjoying the view of the land beyond Wartwood. "Still no sign of Stringbean yet, but I will find her again. Can you imagine being able to fly?"
"That does sound pretty awesome," Ivy admitted. "You know, I've always wanted to explore what's outside home. Mom doesn't want me to leave, though. She's been annoying me about it forever..."
"I'm sure she has her reasons," Luz replied. As they strolled along the path, they checked out different places beyond Wartwood for hours. Ivy even treated the two of them to swamp slushies, which was just what Luz needed on this hot day.
After they enjoyed their drinks, Ivy got bored and then had an idea. "Hey, this snail can go faster, right? I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to have a little fun."
"I'm not sure about that, Ivy," Luz said with uncertainty in her voice.
"Don't worry, it's just more of an exercise for her," the young frog assured her, before whipping the reins a bit, allowing Bessie to pick up speed.
She glided along the path quickly, with Luz holding on tightly. When she saw Ivy laughing, she eased up a little, realizing this was actually pretty fun. Bessie chirped as she left a trail of slime on the path behind her.
"Woo-hoo!" Ivy cheered, before turning the reins and going toward a forest. "I've never been here before! This is so fun!"
They laughed as they glided along the forest path, seeing many creatures passing by them: giant mantises and bile birds. Luz even saw a vovocada scurrying around. They entered the clearing a little while later and they got a great view of the landscape. Luz's eyes lit up as she took it all in. "Wow... All this has been out here this entire time?"
"No kidding!" Ivy agreed, feeling the same way.
Giant birds flew overhead as they continued to explore different areas of the terrain. Ivy gave her some tips about how to combat some dangerous amphibivores and insects around these parts. At some point, Luz showed Ivy her phone, and she was surprised, but immediately entranced by what she could do on it.
The human showed her pictures she took with the Plantars and Stringbean. After that, they took selfies together, having lots of fun. As Ivy ran off, Luz was mostly able to keep up with her thanks to the physical training she had since getting here.
Ivy tried to teach her how to fight like her, but it soon became clear that Luz wasn't great at physical combat. Instead, she asked Luz to show her what she was good at and the human took this opportunity to show her the potions she had made.
The young frog was impressed with this, wondering if she could learn it too someday. After a long day of driving, talking, and playing, they sat next to the forest, sitting on the edge of a cliff as they admired the sunset.
"Man, that was pretty cool," Ivy told her. "Haven't had that much fun in, well, forever."
"We should probably start heading back, though," Luz said. "I have to be back by nightfall."
"Yeah, I guess you're right," the young frog agreed, hopping up to her feet. Suddenly, they heard rustling behind them.
Luz turned around to see a familiar-looking creature approaching them. Her eyes widened as it approached them, growling. "It can't be..."
Big red eyes stared at her, and she placed her hands on her cheeks, gasping. "Is that you, Stringbean?"
She slowly approached the creature, raising her hand out. "It's me, Luz. Do you remember me, my little angel?"
The furry beast tilted its head before screeching and leaping toward her. She gasped as she jumped out of the way. Much to her shock, it wasn't Stringbean. Rather than its fur being white, it was an orange-brown color. It wasn't her Coastal Kill-a-pillar.
Ivy gasped, seeing it rushing up to her. She hopped into the air, narrowly avoiding it. "That's not your pet, isn't it?!"
"It's not!" Luz replied as it screeched at them. "But if it's here, maybe Stringbean's around here too. We have to find her!"
"And get eaten by this thing?!" the young frog yelled, as Bessie picked up on their panic and chirped, quickly going up to Luz.
The human quickly hopped on, with the kill-a-pillar quickly approaching them. "Uh, Bessie, things are gettin' messy!"
In response, the snail took off at surprising speed, with Luz and Ivy holding on for dear life as it quickly turned a corner, heading back toward the town.
Unfortunately, they weren't out of the woods yet (literally), because the kill-a-pillar screeched, following them from above. It clearly had no intention of letting its prey escape.
Luz gasped as it swooped down toward them, opening its mouth and heading for Ivy. She completely forgot they like to eat amphibians. She quickly turned Bessie, narrowly avoiding the creature.
"That thing's trying to eat me!" Ivy yelled. "How are we gonna get away from it?!"
"We might have to use force," the human replied, grabbing a potion and tossing it on the ground behind Bessie, creating a wall of green fire.
The kill-a-pillar halted, backing away from the wall as they gained some distance from it. "Phew, that was close," Luz says.
Unfortunately, the kill-a-pillar quickly flew over it, getting closer to them once again. "I just had to say something!" It landed in front of the snail, making her screech to a halt.
By this point, they were right by the town's entrance. Bessie chirped in a panic as the two sides were completely still for a moment.
Luz gulped, feeling sweat building up on her face. "Uh... Nice kitty?" It screeched and bounded toward them. Seeing this, Ivy braced herself, hopping into the air and onto the furry creature's back, wrestling with it.
The kill-a-pillar roared and tries to shake her off, but she held on for dear life. "Run, Luz!" Instead, the human watched in horror, completely frozen in place.
Once she regained her composure, she ran forward, grabbing her last potion. She had been busy the past week, so she hadn't had much time to replenish her stash. "Let her go!" She yelled as she threw it at the beast.
Ivy hopped off just in time for the potion to splash against the kill-a-pillar, sending a gust of wind that launched it flying into a nearby house. It got up, shaking the debris off of its head as it growled at the two.
It screeched once again before flying off into the forest, leaving the two of them in shock. This was quite an unexpected and dangerous experience for both of them–but a very pleasant one for Ivy. "That... was... AWESOME!" Ivy cheered. "That's the most fun I've had in months!"
"That was fun to you?" Luz replied, still staring off into the forest where the kill-a-pillar retreated.
"Honestly, I've survived worse," the frog said, hopping back onto Bessie, who was hiding in her shell. Luz walked up to the snail, feeding her a handful of mushrooms to calm her down. "Alright, let's go home before we run into any more killer kitties."
The ride back into Wartwood was smooth for the most part, other than some glares from other frogs at Luz, which she had tuned out at this point. They stopped at the tea shop, where Ivy hopped down. "I think I've had enough adventure for one day. Thanks for taking me with you, Luz."
The human smiled at this. "Other than my fourth or fifth near-death experience, or some number, 'cause I've lost count, it was pretty fun hanging out with you, Ivy."
The frog girl waved as she went back home, and Luz leaned back as Bessie took her back to the Plantar house. By the time they were back, the snail noticed she had already fallen asleep in the carrier. Seeing this, she spent the night out with the human, sleeping next to her to guard her against any predators that might've been lurking around.
It was broad daylight outside the Plantar house. Sprig, Hop Pop, and Polly were in the living room playing a card game, each of them helplessly immersed in the game as they each held a pack of cards in their hands. Hop Pop thought for a moment, before saying, "Got any threes?"
"I ain't telling you nothing, old man," Polly replied in her usual snarky fashion. Some knocks coming from the basement suddenly interrupted their gaming session. The basement door opened up from the ground to reveal Luz, but something looked very off about her. To them, she appeared to have her face covered in some strange-looking liquid that, underneath, seemed to be hiding something else.
The three frogs just stare at her blankly, before Polly finally spoke up. "Am I supposed to scream, or..."
Luz tried to brush this off to make things less awkward. "Oh, it's, um, nothing. I just like spreading honey on my face 'cause it, uh... stops aging?"
"That's a bunch of malarkey," the old frog told her. "I've already tried that six years ago." He walked over, examining her, but it was hard to see the problem with all that honey slathered on her face. "Hmm..."
"Is it because you're ugly?" Polly asked, and Luz sighed, giving up. There was no sense in hiding it since they already knew something was up. She wiped the honey off with her hands to reveal her face covered in pimples.
This was a frightening sight for the three frogs, who gasped at seeing Luz like this. Sprig screamed in his shrill youthful voice before concluding, "She's diseased!"
"We have to quarantine her," Hop Pop decided as the three pulled out weapons, including a rake, a curved sharp tool, and an axe, ready to do what it takes–even if they didn't have everything right. "Don't struggle, Luz," Polly said as she steadily held her sharp, small weapon.
Luz waved her hands frantically at this to stop them from doing something they'd regret. "Wait, wait! I'm fine! These are just pimples. They're harmless, but always pretty embarrassing. No need to go all over dramatic on me."
"Oh, false alarm, everyone," Hop Pop said, sighing in relief as they dropped their weapons. The weapons clattered to the ground as they happily walked away, all of their concerns and fears erased in a flash.
Luz walked over to the sofa as she slumped onto the soft cushions and began to wonder. "Will this make me more or less a freak in everybody's eyes? I wish the people here would just accept me. I've done nothing wrong... Yet..."
"Well, regardless, ya can't just slink around all day in here," Hop Pop interrupted. "I need help at the vegetable stand!" He grabbed the handle of a large bucket filled with small green pea-like strips, which he lifted with all his might and placed on the dining table. "We got a bumper crop of scream beans that need sellin'."
He grabbed one of those beans and squished it with his fingers, which made a small face appear on the bean, letting out a shrill, baby-like scream. Luz could only stare silently with a blank expression, amazed at how oddities like these even happen in this world.
Despite not being too pleased to have to tag along with them, Luz still agreed to help out Hop Pop at the vegetable stand. It wasn't like she could bargain her way outta this–but she would have to do the best she could to not stand out too much in the wrong way.
After traveling to a local fair nearby with lots of tents and frogs advertising their goods, such as worms and organic bugs, Hop Pop was proud of his stand. "Alright kids, get out there and sell like your lives depend on it!" he proudly yelled, standing in his booth with Sprig, Polly, and a hooded-up Luz, before reducing himself to a neutral blank tone. "Because... they do."
"We–we really need this," he said blankly as no customers approached his stand, a leaf blown by the wind being the only resemblance to attention the stand was getting.
Sprig excitedly hopped toward the center of the fair, carrying a basket with scream beans around his neck. "Come one, come all!" he began as he excitedly danced and hops around. "Try the beans everybody's screaming about!" he finished with an excited pose as he let one of the beans scream.
Luz had smeared her face with more honey in hopes of covering up the pimples since she didn't want to take the risk. Despite her nerves, she still did her best to sell the produce. "These little screaming... things... are absolutely nutritious if you get past all the... screaming..." She shuddered as a female frog passed by, disgusted at her appearance. "Oh, gracious!"
"Like I'd buy beans from a monster," another passerby said, and this made the human immediately lose any confidence she had left. Near the human, two small frog children were playing tag, as they happily ran without looking where they were going–which caused them to bump into Luz's leg, making her lose her balance, and face plant into the dirt. She grunted, wiping the dirt off, realizing her face was no longer covered by honey. "Uh oh..."
A large round frog turned around to see what had happened, as he saw a very interesting and unordinary sight on the human's face. "Leapin' larva, look!" he remarked as he pointed toward the human, which made the other frogs look and gasp at Luz's appearance.
Luz took a step back, having that same feeling she had back at school. She felt like a complete outcast. She watched in anticipation of how they would react, scared and nearly on the verge of tears.
"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" another frog remarked in astonishment, as he looked toward another frog who was also stunned at that strange sight. "Yeah, I think so."
A third frog wearing glasses was intensely focused on the girl, but what he was seeing wasn't anything horrifying or disgusting—it was astonishing. "They're warts," he said before pulling away his glasses, exposing his huge and allured eyes. "Beautiful ruby-red warts!"
The human stared, perplexed at their reactions. She expected to be ridiculed and trashed, but instead, they praised her looks—something she had never expected to hear, especially from the local townsfolk.
The frogs muttered to themselves. They all found her looks beautiful and extraordinary, before suddenly huddling up and surrounding the human, who got very uncomfortable by this point. She couldn't do anything though, as they completely covered her and left her nowhere to go.
"Three cheers for the girl with the ruby red warts!" a frog chanted as the frogs repeatedly lifted Luz high up into the air and back down. Luz is speechless at this—for the very first time, she actually felt welcomed and in a very unexpected way too. She felt like she could start to open up to the surrounding creatures. She felt as if she was finally in a place she was accepted in.
Meanwhile, at City Hollow, Toadie, Mayor Toadstool's personal assistant, stood below a large graph labeled, "Polls". They resided in a large pink building with a roof supported by four logs with moss covering them, and blue amphibian statues displayed near the front door.
With an old red marker, he drew the graph going downward, indicating that the mayor had been getting fewer votes as time went on. This completely endangered his position as mayor and could've resulted in him losing the next election.
"Oh, this is bad, Toadie," the mayor muttered, sitting at his desk, unable to keep his mind off the matter. "People hate us!"
"With a passion, sir!" the short frog happily confirmed.
"It's as if embezzling money from the town makes you the bad guy!" Toadstool groaned, almost drowning in his delusional mindset. He rested his head on his hand, trying to think of a solution. Toadie climbed on his back, massaging his head to help relieve the stress he had. "If we don't fix things soon, we'll lose next month's election for sure. The only thing that can save us now is a miracle," the mayor concluded.
And that miracle immediately happened, as Toadstool could hear cheering outside the window. "Hmm?" He walked up and looked outside to see a crowd of frogs carrying Luz high in the air. The human was nervous at first, but then she felt pride.
An idea formed in the mayor's head as he sported an evil smile on his face, finally having found the perfect pawn to use. "Oh, my dear Toadie, I do believe our miracle has arrived."
Back at the Plantar house, Luz and the three frogs sat at the kitchen table, completely surrounded by gifts. There was even a banner hanging above them reading, "We Love Luz".
"This is awesome!" Sprig said, holding a present bigger than his small body. "Just look at all these gifts!"
Hop Pop was smiling before he noticed Luz tearing up. He immediately grew concerned for the teenager. "What's wrong, Luz?"
"Nothing's wrong," Luz replied, wiping a tear from her eye. "I've just never felt like this before. It's overwhelming. Even back home, I was treated as an outcast."
The old frog smiled, placing a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. "I'm glad you're doin' better here, then."
Polly tore open a small gift, revealing a box of Choco-Magg. She gasped, her eyes lighting up. She picked up the box to show it to the others. "Chocolate-covered maggots! Come to Momma." Without wasting a second longer, she began pouring them into her mouth. Where she had the room for all of those, Luz probably would never know.
Hop Pop nodded, who had also opened a box and was now wearing a crown on his head. "They really seem to like your human bumps, Luz."
"Yeah, that's true, but it won't last long," she realized, her smile fading. "Once they're gone, I'll just be back to being the town freak."
"Don't let that bring you down, Luz," Sprig told her. "Maybe we can... find some way to keep them!"
"That is true," Hop Pop agreed. "Uh, do you know what causes stuff like that to happen?"
Luz gasped, having had a realization. "Not washing your face causes them! Maybe if I make my face extra greasy, they'll never go away." She looked to her left to see a stick of butter and knew what she must do. She picked it up and closed her eyes, smearing it all over her face.
The Plantars cringed at this, and she realized how gross she was being and smiled sheepishly. Before she could say anything, they all heard a horn from outside. Luz opened the front door to see Mayor Toadstool holding a cane. "Luz, my dear. Care to join me for a joyride?" Behind him was a huge, old, dark navy-blue snail with a fancy cushioned seat strapped to the top of its shell. The snail let out a sound vaguely resembling that of a horse.
"We brought the fancy snail!" Toadie added, who was the one driving the snail. Luz's jaw dropped at this. "Wait, wait, I don't need all this! The gifts were more than enough."
Despite her reluctance, Sprig jumped forward, absolutely stunned, before speaking. "We all get to ride in that? Awesome!"
"Finally, the luxury I deserve," Hop Pop said, excitedly walking forward while carrying Polly in one hand. Suddenly, he was stopped in place by Toadstool's cane, who disapproved of them joining along. "Nope. I'm afraid only Luz is invited. Just look at those beautiful warts." He chuckled at Luz, who wasn't smiling back.
"Why can't they come on the ride, though?" Luz asked, getting suspicious of him.
"Because they're—how do I put it?—the Plantars," the mayor simply replied. "Trust me, you do not wanna be on the same level as those bumpkins. I think it's for the best that you not be seen with them."
This angered the human, but she managed to mostly keep her cool. "Those bumpkins saved my life, let me live in their house when everybody else was treating me like a freak, and have been nothing but kind to me. Now that I suddenly look different, that's when I'm accepted? Why can't you just acc-"
"Uh, Luz, as much as I support your statement, let's not make an enemy of Mayor Toadstool," Hop Pop advised. "We could lose the stand at any time if he wants."
The mayor rolled his eyes. "Smartest thing you've ever said, Hopediah. So, do you want to come or not, Luz?"
The human wanted to decline, but then he looked at the Plantars, who looked at her with pleading eyes. She didn't want to say no because the frogs seemed thrilled at the opportunity and she'd feel awful leaving them out after everything they'd done for her.
She sighed, giving in to their pleas. "Alright, I'll come with you, but only if they come along, too."
Mayor Toadstool groaned, knowing he couldn't convince her otherwise. "Fine, I'll let the Plantars come along just this once, but I expect your cooperation in exchange."
Since there was only room for two seats for Luz and Mayor Toadstool, the Plantars had to sit on the hard part of the shell.
After Luz and the frogs climbed on, the snail neighed and dashed forward at a pace even faster than what Bessie was capable of. As they rode along the path, the frogs had an overjoyed expression on their faces, never having experienced this level of joy and luxury before. The human felt happy about this, knowing they'd earned this moment.
Despite his initial frustration about the frog family joining them, the mayor seemed to have gotten over it, smiling smugly as he sat next to the uncomfortable human. "Luz, we can help each other. I can make sure you stay popular, and in turn, you can help me improve my reputation. How does that sound?"
"Sure, I guess that doesn't sound too bad," she agreed. Sprig raised his hand. "Ooh! Ooh! Can I honk the horn?"
Toadstool's expression soured at this, but he acted nicer than usual. "Yeah, sure, whatever."
A while later, Luz found herself in a beautifully decorated booth, signing autographs for her fans. A big sign hung over her head labeled, "Meet Luz".
The human figured she would probably never get used to being famous. She had previously seen actors at conventions selling autographs and selfies, but never thought she'd be one of them. She looked at the long line of frogs gathered from all over town, even some from out of Wartwood. One of them held a sign saying, "Notice Me Luz!", and she even spotted a large homemade doll of herself, which she found strange but didn't really mind.
As she handed a short frog an autograph, she didn't know what else to do, so just high-fived them, making them gasp and faint. The Plantars watched from the side, interested to see where this went.
"It begins," the old frog said. "Luz is a sweet girl, but fame can change even the sweetest people, and not in a good way. Hopefully, she doesn't stray too far."
Another day, Luz stood in front of an orphanage, using a giant pair of scissors to cut the ribbon, commencing the grand opening. Not once did she really look happy to the frogs that knew her well, but she kept on a fake smile as she shook Mayor Toadstool's hand, gradually improving his reputation. All three of the Plantars noticed this and felt guilty knowing they started it.
As time went on, Luz helped the mayor open a community center, and even unveiled a statue of her and Toadstool shaking hands, which she found unnecessary but played along with it.
However, there was one good side to this, and it was that the Plantars had been getting a lot more attention and sales since Luz asked the people to support them, which the mayor didn't like but went along with, wanting to stay on Luz's good side.
After what felt like a long day, the mayor had finally allowed her to settle into her "new home", which was at the City Hollow. "Here we are," Toadstool said, opening two large golden doors as he introduced the human to her new living space. "From now on, Luz, this is your home."
Even she had to admit how cool the place looked. She had a full queen-sized bed, a chandelier, and a sculpture of herself holding a small frog's hand on top of a pedestal. There was also a fancy couch with a fully framed picture of her on the wall. But that wasn't the most eye-catching thing. The most noticeable thing was a fountain in the middle of the room with a sculpture of her spitting out water. Below it was a sign with the words, "Love you, Luz!"
"Well, this does look pretty cool," Luz replied, even though she actually found it mildly disturbing. She walked around the room to drink in her surroundings. The mayor chuckled at this. "Glad you're enjoying yourself. Stick with me and I'll make sure you never go out of style. Now take care of those warts." He pulled out a stick of butter, tossing it to the human. "Toodles."
She watched him leave before her expression sank and she sighed, about to take a much-needed nap. "This is my fault. I should've just said no."
She heard a knock on the window, startling her. "Hey, Luz!" Sprig said, opening the window as he, Hop Pop, and Polly hopped into the room. "Got time for a visit?"
The human had a reaction they definitely didn't expect. She gasped and ran over, hugging all three of them. "You have no idea how much I've missed you guys!"
"Should I be concerned?" Sprig asked, and she sighed, plopping down onto the bed. "I don't know how to feel about any of this. Sure, it's nice being accepted into some society, but it's only because of my looks. Why is being different so bad?"
Hop Pop walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Oh, that's just the way these frogs are. Slow to accept, and even slower to respect. It's actually our town motto."
"Still, I haven't done anything bad," Luz replied. "I don't know what to do to earn their real respect when I lose my pimples."
Suddenly, the clock chimed, and she got up, stretching her body. "Just go home. Maybe me being here is a good thing, because I've been able to help improve things around here."
"But Mayor Toadstool's just using you for his gain," Sprig told her. "You should know that by now."
"I do, but without me, he wouldn't be doing any of this in the first place," Luz said. "Well, I have to go sign autographs, kiss tadpoles, and do interviews all before dinner." She took a deep breath and put on a fake smile, guiding them to the window. "You'll get in trouble if somebody sees you. Bye, guys..." She closed the window, leaving the Plantars concerned.
"I feel awful," Sprig said, looking at the other two. "If we didn't guilt trip Luz into going on the trip, we'd probably all be home by now."
"No matter what, we will support her," Hop Pop told them. "At the end of the day, she just wants frogs to like her for who she truly is."
"I can respect that," Polly agreed. Luz walked toward the golden doors before Toadie popped up out of nowhere, scaring her. "Ma'am, I think I found you the perfect dress for tonight."
"Cool," Luz simply replied, following Toadie to try it on. Later during the sunset, Luz was lying down in bed, finally having gotten at least a couple hours of nap time before a knock on the door jolted her awake. She got up and yawned, walking over to a short teal door with a small sign labeled, "Service" above it. Next to it was a bell she could ring at any time to get Toadie's immediate assistance.
She watched as an envelope slid over the door. She picked it up and opened it to reveal a piece of paper with an order in big, bold words taking up the entire page.
Be at the assembly at noon sharp!
She sighed, getting ready for another day of her usual chores. She walked into the bathroom to get ready and looked in the mirror. At first, she didn't realize what's happened, but then her eyes widened. Her pimples... were gone?!
A flood of emotions hit her all at once: happiness, confusion, shock, sadness, and more. On one hand, she was happy that she could finally go back to her real home in this world, and that was the Plantars. On the other hand, she wouldn't be able to help people, help open new businesses to improve the town, or help the Plantars get more sales...
Was her happiness really worth sacrificing all of that? People liked her now, or liked her once they found out, but it was just for her "warts". She didn't know what to do, or what she could do. Did she want to be happy, or want others to be happy? Back home, she was never been able to blend into society.
But the cheerful faces of all those frogs she had signed autographs for were unmistakable. She had made everyone, including the Plantars, happy. Making her decision, she walked over to a wooden table and wrote a letter to her frog family. She walked over to the short teal door and rang the bell next to it. "Toadie, can you come here?"
Immediately, the door opened to reveal the teal frog. "How may I be of service?" She squeaked and turned 180 degrees away from him so he couldn't see her face. "I'm right behind you, ma'am."
"Yeah, uh... I can't stop staring at that majestic fountain," she lied, handing the note to him from behind her. "I need you to deliver this to the Plantars. Can you do that?"
"Of course, ma'am," Toadie agreed, not questioning her reasoning. "But before I do, could I get an autograph? I'm a huge fan."
"If you deliver it quickly, I'll give you ten autographs," the human replied, not wanting to risk being seen. The frog gasped and hopped up and down in excitement. "I'll be back!" He slammed the door shut and dashed off as fast as he possibly could.
After that close encounter, Luz heard a knock on the golden doors and immediately opened it, revealing the frogs she'd been hoping to speak to.
"We got your note," Sprig told her, confirming Toadie did deliver the message.
"We came as fast as we could," Hop Pop said, carrying Polly, as the three of them ran into her bedroom, with the human quickly shutting the doors so they weren't caught.
"What's the emergency?" Sprig asked, and Luz sighed, pointing at her face. Just now, the three of them noticed what had happened, as they'd gotten used to her regular appearance.
They knew this would happen eventually, but so soon? Maybe cowapillar butter was secretly a cure for her condition rather than prolonging it.
"I'm sorry to hear about that, Luz," Sprig said, looking visibly concerned. "How do you feel?"
"I don't know what to feel," the human replied. "I've made my decision, though. I'm gonna stay here and keep helping you and the town, otherwise, I'll just be that freak in your basement."
"Luz, that's ridiculous," Sprig told her. "We don't want you to be miserable."
"Sprig's right," the old frog agreed. "You've been nothing but a positive influence on the kids. So what if you can't help the town? That's not your job, anyway. Your job is to be part of our lives... And farm... And do the chores... And help run the stand."
Luz teared up, sniffing at this. "Thanks, you guys. I still have to be at the assembly, though. I know what I must do. Do you have any way to fix the pimple issue?"
Sprig had a perfect idea, pulling a book out and pointing at a page. "What if we stuck some of these swamp berries to your face? They kinda look like pimples."
"That'll work," the human replied, "but what if people see me? That'd be catastrophic. I have Lu-fans everywhere."
"Lu-what?" Sprig replied and Luz scratched the back of her head. "Lu-fans. It's what people call my fans. Not exactly a creative name."
"... I don't want to live on this planet anymore," Polly simply stated with a blank expression.
"Don't worry about the crowds, Luz," Hop Pop assured her. "I have an idea that could prove to be Luze-ful"
Polly groaned loudly at his terrible pun. After making preparations, the Plantars pushed a wagon out of the room until they stopped in front of a crowd. The wagon was filled with bunches of towels, with Polly riding on top. "Make way! Plague towels, everyone! Plague towels!"
Hearing this, the crowd immediately parted, gasping and making disgusted faces at them. This opened up a clear path for them to leave without an issue.
As they wheeled by the crowd, Polly was making sure they stay out of the way. "If you don't wanna cough up your organs, stay back!"
Right as they were in the clear, the wagon bumped into a rock, and something fell out. It was Luz's Hecate figurine. Unfortunately for the Plantars, at least one frog was bound to notice. "Hey, everyone, that's Luz's weird plastic thing!"
Luz squeaked, quickly reaching her hand out to pick it up. "The jig is up. Run!" Sprig yelled, as he and Hop Pop pushed the wagon toward the entrance as quickly as possible. The frogs screamed and chased them.
"Luz, we love you!"
Others said unintelligible words as they quickly escaped the City Hollow. They rushed along the streets as the crowd got closer and closer to reaching them.
"They're gaining on us!" Luz yelled, and Hop Pop knew what he had to do. "Not without a diversion, we won't. Luz, give me your figurine."
"But this is a limited edition!" Luz whined, but Sprig cut in. "Luz, it's either that, or you never gain your freedom!"
She sighed, knowing he was right. She handed Hecate to Hop Pop, who stopped in place while Sprig continued pushing the wagon. "Hey, everyone! Lookie! I've got Luz's figurine!"
"Hop Pop, what are you doing?!" Luz yelled, concerned about his safety since her fans might've absolutely wailed on him.
"He's got Luz's doll!" one frog noticed.
"Get him!" another one yelled.
Hop Pop accepted his fate, smiling at his family and Luz. "Fly, you fools." The entire crowd pounced on him, creating a cloud of dust in the middle of the road.
"Eh, he'll be fine," Polly said, knowing he had gotten out of worse situations. They finally reached the swamp, going through some bushes. In the corner of his eye, Sprig finally found what they'd been looking for. "Look, over there!"
Luz walked over, relieved, and took a handful of the berries, sticking them to her face. "Does it look convincing at all?"
Sprig reached over, placing one more berry on her face. "That should do it!" Luz looked at her reflection in the water before her smile faded. "Thanks, you two. Now we can end this whole charade."
"That's what we're here for," Sprig replied, smiling proudly.
"Not me," Polly corrected, "I'm here for the drama."
Near the end of the day, a giant ladybug flew above as it carried a banner with the words: Vote Toadstool! He's marve-Luz!
In front of a stage, an entire crowd of frogs with signs and banners was gathered, waiting to see mainly Luz.
Toadstool peeked around the blue curtain, getting nervous as the crowd was cheering enthusiastically. "Where is she? I'm losing a point in the polls every minute she's late."
"Over here!" Luz said, making it just in time as she ran up the steps, panting a little. The mayor was overjoyed to see his asset- I mean- partner. "There you are, my dear. I was so worried."
"Uh, sorry, was just dealing with a crowd of insanity," Luz explained. "The Plantars helped though, and-"
"The Plantars?" He cut her off, disappointed and disgusted. "Luz, honey, I thought we talked about this."
"Yes, we did," Luz confirmed, "but you're not going to stop me from talking to them."
"Luz-"
"You need me to get you your votes, right?"
"Well, yes, but-"
"And that's what I'm going to do," she finished. "I'll get your reputation back, and I will be able to see the Plantars whenever I want."
The mayor took a deep breath, realizing he wouldn't be able to convince her otherwise. "Fine, all I demand is that you won't be seen with them. Now get out there. Your public awaits."
The curtains opened, and the crowd cheered as the human walked forward toward the podium, uncomfortably waving at the crowd. She tapped the microphone to silence them, before speaking, "I just want to thank each and every one of you for supporting me. Things have really changed around here since I got these warts." She closed her eyes. "But... this isn't what I want."
The crowd gasped, and she kept talking. "What I want is not to be treated as some kind of monster, say if I don't have these on my face. I'm a living, sentient creature like you. I'm weird compared to what you're used to, but being weird isn't a bad thing."
Without a second thought, she wiped the berries off of her face, dropping them and revealing her true identity once again. The frogs gasped as one of them covered the eyes of their child, and another fainted. "She's hideous again!"
"Luz, what are you doing?!" Toadstool said, panicking as he went up to her on stage. "You're throwing it all away?"
"Yes, Mayor Toadstool, I am," the human replied confidently, "because the life you gave me is not who I want to be. I like reading fanfictions, watching anime and editing clips, drawing, and I am a weirdo, like it or not."
Without realizing the crowd was in front of him, the mayor said something he would ultimately regret. "Now how am I supposed to convince these idiots to vote for me?!"
Toadie winced at this, trying to get his attention. "Uh, sir?"
"What is it, Toadie? I... Oh," the mayor noticed all the frogs in Wartwood glaring at him, crossing their arms. He realized he had made a terrible mistake and tried to backtrack. "Did I say 'idiots'? I meant lovely, lovely townspeople, eh?"
This didn't work as he had hoped, as all the residents in the crowd loaded up with fruit and vegetables. The mayor tried to defuse the situation, getting scared. "Uh, simmer down now. Simmer-" A melon landed in his mouth, shutting him up, followed by tons of other products that splattered against him. He had no other choice but to flee the stage. "This is an outrage! Stop that!"
After that whole fiasco ended, the crowd dispersed, not giving the human a second glance after seeing her old appearance was back. Luz sighed, standing next to the Plantars. She didn't know what to say or think.
"I guess you really did have a lot on your chest," Hop Pop said. "I'm glad you proved me wrong. You never let fame change ya, and I'm proud of that. I'll try to remember to do the same when I'm rich and famous."
"Never happening," Polly said.
"Yeah, wish my mom had the same mindset as you, Hop Pop," Luz muttered. "Well, I guess it's back to living as the monster in your basement."
"I'm sure they'll warm up to you eventually," the old frog assured her. "You spilled your guts out to everybody, and now they know you a bit better."
Sprig and Polly hopped up to her, hugging her legs. She smiled at this. "Well, let's go home. As in home home."
To Be Continued in Chapter Twelve
That was a long one. I hope you enjoyed this new chapter with Luz in Amphibia! My writing has already improved quite a bit since the prologue, and this is definitely my favorite chapter on the Amphibia side so far.
~ Scruffy