It was dark outside as the gang was seen traveling through the forest on the fwagon. Anne and Sprig were outside with a map and lantern, Y/N was guarding the rear while polishing his broken sword, and Polly and Hop Pop were inside the fwagon.
Polly peeked outside the window. "Oh. Sure is spooky out there." She then saw a figure in the fog.
Polly: "Oh, hey! Is that Mrs. Croaker?" The fog cleared up revealing that it was some kind of bark form.
Polly: "Ah, false alarm. It's just some kinda-" The bark form began to move before some kind of insect launched itself to the window of the fwagon and screeched. Polly pulled down the blind.
Outside, Y/N peered his head over and saw the insect before he grabbed it by its tail and stabbed it with his sword. He threw the body away before going to wipe the blood off his sword but saw there was none. He shrugged it off before going back to polishing it.
Back inside the fwagon, Polly looked at the map on the wall.
Polly: "Wow, look at how far we are from home. It's a big scary world out there. Kinda makes a little tadpole like me feel small and scared. Well, hey! Maybe some story time will help me take my mind off it!" She hopped over to a small shelf and looked through some books before picking one out titled, "Fergus Frog Finds A Friend!"
Polly landed on Hop Pop's stomach while he was sleeping, waking him up.
Hop Pop: "Oh!"
Polly: "Hop Pop!"
Hop Pop: "What's wrong? We driving off a cliff? I knew I shouldn't have left Anne drive."
Polly: "No, Hop Pop. Everything's fine. I was just thinking it's a perfect time for story time!"
Hop Pop yawned before rubbing his eyes. "Sorry, Polly, but no. I was up all night driving and I really need to sleep."
Polly looked mad before using Baby Doll Eyes. "Please, Hop Pop?"
Hop Pop gave in before smiling. "I guess one story couldn't hurt. Hop on up, little camper."
Polly got closer to Hop Pop. "Aw."
Hop Pop: "Here we go. Fergus Frog finds a-zzzzz."
Polly: "Hop Pop!" She pulled on his tongue and slapped him with it.
Polly: "Hop Pop!" She gave up and hopped away.
Sprig and Anne were still driving Bessie.
Anne: "Man, this road is treacherous. Thank goodness I got you, Sprig."
Sprig: "Hey, don't mention it. Now, let's see here..." He looked through his binoculars. "Looks like there's a sharp turn coming up on the-"
Polly emerged from the hatch behind them. "Sprig! Guess what time it is? Story time!"
Sprig: "Not now, Polly. This stretch of road is dangerous and-"
Polly: "But it's a pop-up book!" She opened up a page as a big pop-up showed up knocking Sprig's binoculars and map out of his hands.
Sprig: "Wh-Whoa! Hey!"
Anne: "Sprig, which way? Left or right?"
Sprig quickly looked at the map before making a split second decision.
Sprig: "Uh-Uh, right. No left."
Anne steered Bessie uncontrollably before hitting a pothole. Making Polly let go of her Boom as it landed on Anne's face.
Y/N noticed the eradicate steering as he looked forward and saw the reason why. Anne removed the book from her face and pulling on the reigns making Bessie stop before crashing into a spikes tree.
The gang sighed in relief before Hop Pop emerged from the roof hatch.
Hop Pop: "What in tarnation? This is what I get for letting you kids drive!"
Anne: "Wait, no! This wasn't our fault."
Hop Pop: "Yeah, yeah, whatever. You three, inventory duty. I'm driving from now on."
Anne and Sprig entered the fwagon as Hop Pop took control of the reigns again.
Polly: "So much for story time. Well, there's always bath time. Hugs and scrubs at the same time. Whoo!" She entered the fwagon as it was revealed Hop Pop fell asleep.
Hop Pop *asleep*: "Now remember kids, safety first."
Y/N sat next to Hop Pop and took over the reigns. While inside the fwagon, Anne and Sprig were doing inventory.
Anne: "All right, how many mushroom bars do we got left?"
Sprig: "Uh, 28, 29..." Polly hopped through the bars while carrying a bucket of water and soap over her head.
Polly: "Boom! I'm filthy!"
Anne: "What the heck, dude?"
Sprig: "Hey, I was counting those!"
Polly: "Who wants to give me a bubble bath?" She hopped up in the air to cannonball inside the bucket.
Sprig: "No, not inside!"
Pollys's cannonball was so big that the water ended up splashing outside, waking up Hop Pop and making Y/N turn his head in curiosity. Inside the fwagon everything, including the food bars got wet.
Sprig: "Ah, cremany! All our mushroom bars are mush."
Hop Pop: "Stop the fwagon Y/N."
Y/N: "You got it Hop Pop." He stopped Bessie and took out his rifle and got on lookout again.
Hop Pop opened up the roof hatch and peeked his head through. "What's all the ruckus?"
Sprig: "It's Polly. She made a huge mess."
Hop Pop fell through the hatch and landed on a pile of mush.
Hop Pop: "C'mon, kids. I'm too tired for this."
Polly: "If you're tired, Hop Pop, I know what'll wake you up. Zap-tag! Just got to build up a charge, and..." She rubbed her body in the carpet charging up static electricity and hopped towards Hop Pop.
Hop Pop: "Polly, no. It's wet in here."
Polly zapped Hop Pop, shocking him.
Polly: "You're it!"
The electricity traveled throughout the fwagon and shocked everyone.
Anne, Sprig, and Hop Pop: "Polly!"
Polly: "But you guys loved zap-tag back home."
Hop Pop: "Yeah, but we're not at home."
Polly sighed. "Don't have to tell me twice."
Hop Pop: "Look, there's a truck stop ahead. We'll pull in and clean this mess up. Also, I'm gonna need about 30 cups of coffee." He banged on the wall signaling Y/N to move again.
After a few minutes, they pulled into the truck stop. Y/N stopped Bessie next to a nectar pump and pet her.
Y/N: "You're doing great girl. Just a little while longer."
Hop Pop walked up to Y/N and Bessie.
Hop Pop: "Sprig, Anne. You two start cleaning out the fwagon. Polly, go get some paper towels." He put the nectar pump in Bessie's mouth.
Hop Pop: "Okay, Hop Pop." She hopped off the fwagon and looked at Diner before heading inside.
Polly: "Whoa! A new friend!"
She stopped at the entrance where she saw a small smooth and round purple rock.
Polly: "Twinsies! And I'm talking to a rock." She hopped inside and grabbed a ton of paper towels before heading out.
Polly: "All right fam, got your paper towels right here."
The gang didn't hear her since she was away from their hearing.
Sprig: "Man, what's with Polly today?"
Polly: "Huh?" She sneaked closer and hid beside a crate.
Sprig: "Is it just me or is she being extra annoying?"
Anne: "I know Zapt-tag? More like zap-pest."
Sprig and Hop Pop cringed at the bad pun.
Anne: "They can't all be winners, okay?"
Sprig: "Maybe she's not just cut out for this."
Hop Pop: "It's time like these when I wonder whether I should've left her with Mrs. Croaker back home in Wartwood."
Y/N was seen walking out of some bushes and pulling up his zipper.
Anne: "Uh, did you just go to the bathroom in the forest when there's a Diner over there?"
Y/N: "The forest was cleaner than the bathroom." He kicked up a canteen towards Sprig as he caught it.
Sprig opened it and poured some out as Y/N washed his hands.
Y/N: "I heard what y'all were saying in the forest."
Sprig: "And you agree with us right?"
Y/N: "Wrong. Polly's just home sick."
Hop Pop: "Of course she is. She's a Pollywog."
Y/N: "Right... I'm going to take a nap. Call if you need me. Please dont need me. And take it easy on Polly. Not like anyone else here, is feeling homesick."
Polly heard everything and was teary eyed before hopping away.
Anne: "Y/N's right. You don't mean that. You're just a little frustrated."
Sprig: "Yeah, I'm sure she's got her reasons."
Hop Pop: "You're right. You're right. I'm just so hoppin' tired!"
Anne: "Here, Hop Pop. Have some coffee."
Hop Pop grabbed the cup and drank some of it before getting back to getting to his old self.
Hop Pop: "Whoa, nelly! Whoo-hoo! Now, let's get this show on the road."
Polly hopped back to the entrance of the Diner clearly peeved.
Polly: "Should've left me back in Wartwood, huh?" She looked at the purple rock as she got an idea.
Polly: "Hmm. Well, if they don't want me on the trip, maybe I won't go on the trip anymore." She grabbed the rock before heading back to the fwagon and putting the rock in her bucket and putting an eye cover and bow on it. She chuckled while hopping away.
Anne and Sprig popped their heads inside from the roof hatch.
Anne: "Hey, Polly, we just wanted to say we understand-" Sprig put his finger to her mouth to shush her.
Sprig: "Shh, she's napping. You never bother Polly while she's snapping."
Anne: "Yeah, same thing with Y/N. We'll just talk to her when she wakes up then." She peeked her head back up.
Sprig *whisper*: "Never."
Back outside, Polly was seen hiding behind a log.
Polly: "When they see that's not me, they're gonna freak out and then they're gonna come crawling back. Serves them right."
Hop Pop got back in place before taking the reigns. "All right, gang. Let's get going!" They left the truck stop.
Polly: "Did they just leave without me?" She screamed for a while.
Polly: "Okay, got that out of my system. I guess I live here now. Starting over from scratch. I don't know no one, and no one knows me." Soggy Joe walked by her.
Soggy Joe: "How's it hanging, Polly."
Polly: "Sup, Soggy Joe?"
Inside the Diner, frogs were casually listening to music, eating food, and drinking drinks. Polly and Soggy Joe were at the stools where the bartender made Polly a drink.
Polly: "Ah! Now where was I? Oh, yeah! I just wanted to have some fun, like we did back home, but all except one of them were all like, "Cut it out, Polly!" So frustrating, right?"
Soggy Joe: "Hmm. Sounds to me like you were homesick, and trying to compensate by recreating a homelike environment through familiar activities."
Frog Trucker 1: "Without taking into consideration the inability of your family to provide comfort at this juncture."
Frog Trucker 2: "Also sounds like you have a problem revealing vulnerability, even those closest to you."
Soggy Joe: "Oh, yeah."
Frog Trucker 1: "Totally."
Polly: "What the hey hey? I thought you truckers would be all grumpy and agree with me. What's with all this maturity and biz?"
Frog Trucker 2: "Well, when you spend a lot of time on the road alone, there's not much to do other than better yourself."
Frog Trucker 1: "I just got my PhD."
Frog Trucker 2: "Up top, sister!"
The two high fived each other with their tongues.
Suddenly the door burst open revealing a distraught looking frog.
Frog Trucker 3: "Hey! Did any of y'all take the big, purple stone that was by the door here?"
Polly: "Uh, maybe. Why?"
Frog Trucker 3: "Cause it weren't no stone. It was the egg of a Roc, a giant, flesh-eating, ravenous bird. Was about to sell the bugger to the circus down the way. Someone must've pinched it. Too back for them, though, 'cause that bird's gonna devour the first frog it sees once it hatches. Which should be in about five minutes now."
Polly: "Oh, no. Who cares if they left me behind. I gotta do something or the family's toast!" She frantically looked around until she spotted the monster truck outside.
Polly: "Soggy Joe, how fast can that thing go?"
Soggy Joe quickly removed his hat reading, "Speedy Joe."
Speedy Joe: "From now on, call me Speedy Joe."
Polly: "Do I have to?"
Speedy Joe: "It'll help, yeah."
Back at the fwagon Anne walked to "Polly." Y/N could be napping on the floor in his Neko form with a blanket, earbuds in, and purring.
Anne *whisper*: "Psst! Polly. I know Sprig said not to wake you, but I thought you might like a little story time." When she didn't get a response she tapped the egg. It jumped in the air before making cracking noises.
She removed the sleeping mask and bow off it.
Anne: "What the-Sprig! Hop Pop! Code purple!"
Hop Pop and Sprig peeked their head through the roof of the fwagon.
Hop Pop: "What?"
Anne: "Uh, uh!" She said while pointing at the egg.
Hop Pop: "She must be at the truck stop. We gotta go back!"
Y/N was heard grunting in his sleep with his claws slowly drawing out and everyone immediately quieted down as Anne started petting his head and increasing the volume of his music as he calmed down.
The egg began to crack as a piece fell off and an eye saw Anne.
Anne: "Well, that's mildly concerning."
A few clicks away, Speedy Joe and Polly were speeding on the road, looking out for them.
Speedy Joe: "Anything?"
Polly: "Not yet. Wait up. I think I see them. Looks like they're totally fine. And not only that, they came back for me. Hey, fam! I'm right here!"
The gang, except for Y/N, was racing at high speeds screaming until some kind of giant bird grew out of the fwagon. Meanwhile Y/N was still sleeping through the chaos on the couch.
The giant bird stopped in its tracks looking at its surroundings before eyeing Bessie and licked its beak.
Bessie screamed in horror before hiding away in her shell. The giant bird stomped on Bessie's shell and squacked.
Anne: "Oh, no, you don't!" She and Sprig jumped towards the bird's neck.
Hop Pop: "Hands off our snail!" He followed suit as they tackled the bird's neck.
The giant bird knocked Sprig off it as he landed in a hole on the roof. But he jumped up with Polly's bucket full of soap and water.
Sprig: "Eat suds!" He threw the bucket of suds at the bird's eyes making it squak in pain.
Polly looked around in the transportation to be useful until she paid closer attention to the seats.
Polly: "Joe, what is this? Wool?"
Speedy Joe: "Bee wool, actually. Thanks for noticing."
Polly began to charge up some static electricity.
Speedy Joe: "Hey! Those were expensive."
Polly: "Shut up and go faster!"
Speedy Joe: "Yes, ma'am!" He made the ride go faster.
Polly: "Now hit the brakes!"
Speedy Joe: "Wha-"
Polly: "Just do it!"
Speedy Joe pulled the reins getting his beetle to stop as Polly shot out of the ride. Static electricity was heavily coursing throughout her body.
Polly: "Zap-tag, anyone?" Everyone looked at Polly as she tapped the bird's beak as a massive thunder clap hit it as Bessie, Hop Pop, Sprig, and Anne landed on the ground.
Anne, Sprig, and Hop Pop: "Whoa!"
They looked back to see the fwagon tipped over and the bird was feather less before flying away.
Polly: "That's right! You better run! Nobody terrorizes my family, but me and Y/N!" She saw her bow on the ground and put it back on. She looked at the family.
Polly: "You're all okay!" She hugged Anne, Sprig, and Hop Pop. Accidentally shocking them in the process.
Polly: "Oh, and you're welcome. I'd also like to thank Speedy Joe for his help and-"
Hop Pop: "Polly Petunia Plantar!"
Polly: "Uh-oh, full name. Could you give us a minute, Speedy Joe?"
Speedy Joe: "You got it." He backed his ride away.
Polly: "So... sorry about the killer bird."
Hop Pop: "Forget the killer bird! Don't you ever run away from us again! You hear me? We were worried sick! What if something happened to you? What if you'd gotten hurt, or lost, or worse?"
Polly: "I really am just trouble, aren't I? You were right." She said teary eyed. "Maybe you should've left me back in Wartwood.
The gang were taken back a bit before feeling bad.
Hop Pop: "Heard all that did ya? Polly, I'd never leave you behind. Not ever."
Anne: "We shouldn't have been so harsh."
Sprig: "You're such a tough little tadpole, we forget you need a lil' loving occasionally."
Polly: "Thanks, guys." She and the rest of the fam hugged it out. Speedy Joe rode up to them in his ride.
Speedy Joe: "Sorry to interrupt, but do you guys need a tow to the next stop? Betcha they'll have everything ya need to fix up your wagon."
Anne, Sprig, Polly, and Hop Pop: "Fwagon."
Speedy Joe: "Is that a word?"
After a minute the gang got on Speedy Joe's ride.
Speedy Joe: "Hey. Shouldn't Y/N be with you guys?"
Sprig: "Yeah, but he's napping."
Speedy Joe: "Well, shouldn't you wake him?"
They all looked towards the fwagon as a predatory insect was on top of it making an annoying sound. As it peaked its head through a hole, a sword emerged from it and stabbed the bug to death. The sword crept back as the gang looked on calm.
Anne: "That's why we don't wake him."
Hop Pop: "Well, now that we got a breather, who's ready for story time?"
Sprig: "Yeah!"
Anne: "I'm 13, but okay."
Bessie and the fwagon were getting transported on the back.
Hop Pop: "All right, now where were we? "Rain poured from the sky as Fergus Frog faced his wife's killer on the deserted alleyway. 'Taking me out won't bring her back,' growled the assassin. 'Ain't that a shame,' said Fergus as he drew his knife!" A pop-up of a knife was seen in the book.
Polly: "Ho, ho! Get 'em Fergus!"
Anne: "Man, this book is dark."
The next day the gang and Speedy Joe were in a Diner eating breakfast.
Polly: "And that's what happened."
Y/N: "Neat."
Anne: "Neat? That's all you can say?"
Y/N: "Ye."
Polly: "Thanks for speaking up for me yesterday."
Y/N: "No problem. I was in your position before."
Anne: "Huh? I thought you like LA when you first visited."
Y/N: "Pfft! No. I hated LA when I first got there. The buy my mix tapes scam, hustlers, train scammers, ugly mascots that'll charge $50 for a photo, and other stuff like that. And I almost got jumped on the first day I went there."
Flashback...
After the plane trip to LA, Y/N and his mother were seen at their new apartment but the key Y/N's mom was using wasn't working.
Mom: "Why isn't this thing working?" She took a closer look at the key. "404." She looked at the side of the door with their apartment number reading 405.
Y/N: "What's wrong?"
Mom: "They gave me the wrong key. I'll go get the right one. You can wait here or you can explore the city for a bit."
Y/N: "I won't." He said leaning against the wall while looking at his phone.
Mom: "Come on. Think of it as an adventure. Explore your new surroundings. I'll be back soon." She gave Y/N a kiss on the cheek before walking towards the stairs and down.
A door was heard opening a few doors down as a four male teen and two female teens were seen leaving the apartment room. They were laughing like a bunch of idiots as Y/N ignored them.
One of the male teens noticed Y/N and nudged their friend as they looked over at him. They smiled before walking next to Y/N.
Male Teen 1: "Hey, I don't think I've seen you here before. You new here?"
Y/N: "Yup."
Male Teen 1: "Huh. Would you look at that. We actually have a fee here. A hundred bucks for a moving in fee. But I can take that off your hands and pay it off for you."
Female Teen 1: "You're so nice babe."
Y/N let out a small snicker as the group of teens looked at him.
Male Teen 2: "What's so funny?"
Y/N: "Nothing. Just a quote I heard a while ago, "God makes them, and the Devil pairs them."
Male Teen 1: "You talking shit about my girlfriend?"
Female Teen 1: "Beat him up for me babe."
Male Teen 3: "Hold on, listen dude. We're part of a gang around here. You don't want to mess with us."
Male Teen 4: "Now fork over your cash."
Y/N: "Nah, I don't think I will."
The teens slowly reached into their pockets and flashed their switchblade as Y/N clicked his tongue in annoyance before running towards the stairs and quickly dismissing the idea before running full speed towards the railing on the end of the hall and leaping over the railing and landing on the third floor of the apartment next to them. He then ran down the stairs on that apartment before the Teens started chasing after him.
...
Y/N maneuvered his way through the busy streets and roads. He saw the mall in the distance and ran in there before going to the food court. He ordered a Stromboli and a water cup. Then sat down at a table before eating his food.
Y/N: "Mmm... that's good. What was I doing again?"
Male Teen 1: "He's over here!"
Y/N: "Oh, right." He got out of his seat with his food and drink in hand as the teen was running up to Y/N with his arm cocked back. He threw a punch to Y/N but he calmly dodged it, kneed him on the stomach, and finished the last bites of his stromboli.
The friend of the first guy showed up and tried to hit Y/N too but he back up and drank some water before splashing the rest of it in their face. Y/N took his phone out and took a quick selfie as the two teens were seen getting back up. He put his phone away and was about to book it to the escalators but he saw the rest of the teens running up them.
Y/N backed up and ran towards a random clothes store. He went to the back and jumped into a bargain bin.
The teens ran into the shop and began to look around the place while disturbing customers in the process. That's when the staff called in security to kick them out.
Y/N hid for five more minutes until someone removed a shirt from the bin, showing his face.
Anne: "Uh..."
Y/N: "Hi...?"
Back to the present...
Sprig spit out his drink and hit Y/N. "That's how you two met?"
Anne: "Yeah."
Y/N: "I'm not done yet." He said wiping the liquid off him.
Back to the story...
Y/N got out of the bin and looked patted the dust off of him. "When's the last time they cleaned those clothes?"
Anne: "What were you doing in there? You're not some kind of perve are you?"
Y/N: "What? No, no, no, no. I was just running away from a group of teens that wanted to rob me."
Anne: "Rough."
Y/N: "I know. So much for my first day here."
Anne: "You just moved here?"
Y/N: "Yeah, I'm from Montana. Came here to attend public school." He looked at Anne's shirt. "That's the logo of the school. Guess we'll end up seeing each other again. Hey, do you know if there's an arcade around here? I'm down for some Ms. Pac-man."
Anne: "Ms. Pac-man? What about Super Dance Funtime Fusion?"
Y/N: "Super what now? We have classic arcade games back in Montana. Nothing can beat the classics."
Anne smirked before getting an idea to game for free. "Yeah right. That's stuff old people say. I guess that's something to expect from a kid from the country."
Y/N narrowed his eyes. "Show me the game."
In the arcade, Y/N was holding a gaming card still wrapping his head that the machines didn't take quarters.
Anne: "Just swipe the card right there and the game will start when we pick two players, the song, and the difficulty. Boom, just like that."
Y/N: "If you say so." He scanned the card against the device and chose La Mordidita difficulty normal. Or at least he was about to.
Anne: "Normal? This'll be easy."
Y/N changed it to hard before starting the game. The game started as Y/N got confused by the random colors, stances, and moving arrows. Anne was absolutely destroying him as a crowd was forming. Y/N was randomly tapping the platform until he finally understood how the game worked. He took off his jacket and threw it to the side before dancing to the song.
When it ended, Anne won because of the huge lead she had on the first minute and a half. She confidently smirked as Y/N brushed it off. Anne scrolled through the songs before picking Single Ladies.
Anne smiled confidentiality while Y/N did a quick stretch and got ready. As soon as the song came on, Anne was seen dancing to the song with her eyes closed expecting to win with ease but didn't hear Y/N getting any wrong notes. She opened her eyes and saw him dancing to the song perfectly.
Anne was taken aback to see a someone, especially a guy dancing to a girly song with ease. She was taken out of thought until she heard the wrong note sound effects on her end. She quickly got back to dancing but Y/N ended up winning that one.
Y/N winked and at Anne but she just blew raspberries at him. Y/N then chose another song, then Anne, Y/N, Anne, until it ended.
Back to the present...
Polly: "So who won?"
Y/N and Anne: "I did. No, I did. What!? Dance battle!" The two got out of their seats before breaking it down.
Sprig: "Wow, so that's how you two became friends."
Y/N: "There's still a bit more to the story."
Back to the story...
???: "Yo Anne. Marcy and I were wondering where you were. I didn't know you had a date."
Anne: "Hey Sasha. Hey Marcy, just get me a sec to take this guy down."
Y/N: "Down in history." He said confidently until someone wrapped their arm around his neck and pulled him away from the game.
Y/N: "What the!?"
Anne was then grabbed by the two female teens from earlier.
Y/N: "Don't hurt her!" He stomped on the person's foot behind him before grabbing their arm and slamming their body into the ground before punching their face.
Y/N punched in the back of his head as he quickly turned around and saw another punch heading towards him from another teen. Y/N grabbed their arm before kicking their leg out, grabbing their head, and kneeing them.
Before Y/N could get to Anne, the last two male teens got in between them. Y/N pulled his phone out and spiked it at one of the guys head before punching the other one. He grabbed both of their heads and hit their heads together before shoving them aside.
The two female teens freaked out before letting go of Anne and ran away. But before they could get far, Sasha and Marcy tripped them.
Before they could do anything else, security ran into the arcade as Anne, Sasha, Marcy, and Y/N booked out of the arcade and left the mall through the fire escape.
Soon they stopped running when they sat down at a bench at the park. Laughing at the fact that happened.
Sasha: "Dang dude. What was that back there? You a spy or something?"
Y/N: "Something like that. Just learned a lot of self defense and ass kicking in Montana."
Sasha: "Hmm... You're new here right?"
Y/N: "Mm-hmm."
Sasha: "Tell you what. How about we be your friends? You did protect Anne here. And we can show you around here."
Y/N: "Making friends with three cool gals on my first day. Maybe moving here won't be so bad."
Back to the present...
Y/N: "And that's it. So maybe it wasn't all so bad."
Hop Pop: "Finally. Anyways, as soon as we finish our grub we'll be going back on the road."