Chapter Text
It had been a rather long and tiring journey to get back to Newtopia. Certainly not as long as Anne’s journey on snail back a few weeks ago but still it took about two days at least.
Andrias had given Marcy the royal credit card as well as arranged for personal hotel suites for their journey back to the city. Which was very kind of him don’t get her wrong but still, the stops in between only provided a momentary pause of rest. Perhaps a few hours of sleep if she were lucky enough. The majority of the trip was spent with her navigating her bevolved bird Joe Sparrow as the loyal bird carried three humans, three frogs and a toad on his back and one giant robot in his talons. Definitely more passengers than he was use to carrying at one time.
By the time the group actually reached the Newtopian gates the poor thing was so exhausted from the weight that he’d practically face planted into the ocean surrounding the gates of the city. Frobo had (albeit with much strain) rescued them thank frog but Marcy silently promised herself to never do that to him again.
“Ok for Joe’s sake nobody else is allowed to join our party”
Marcy said as she coughed up a bit of water she’d accidentally inhaled from the sudden unprompted swim. The team around her nodded and made noises of agreeance as they all disembarked Joe in their own unique ways. Traits Marcy loved about them. The quirky little ways the did things.
Anne, accompanied by her honorary little siblings Sprig and Polly slid down one of Joe's wings like it was a slide at a festival. Screaming in excitement as they did. Anne laughing her infectious laugh that made Marcy quickly follow suit.
Sasha accompanied by Grime leapt down from the back of Joe with near perfect precision. It was amazing to see how much Sasha had grown as a person in Amphibia and seeing how protective she seemed made her heart trust her even more.
“Whoo! Back to Newtopia”.
Marcy squealed as she ran towards the gates of her temporary home. It was just as pretty as when she’d left it. Blue and green Newtopian Marble plastered on the gates and golden trimmings surrounding it. The walls a pretty aquamarine and polished to near perfection despite its cracks. She’d missed this place.
“Alright let’s go over the plan one more time!. First I’m gonna get us into the city”
She explained gesturing to herself in a very theatrical fashion. A common trait amongst theatre kids like herself. Next she gestured to Anne who was holding her old pink school bag containing the ever sought after music box.
“Anne’s got the music box ready to give to King Andrias”
“Yep”.
Anne pulled out the aforementioned item. The music box was wooden and painted a dark green. With intricately carved designs of frogs around its edges and three gems on top. One pink, one blue and one green. The third of which Marcy felt strangely drawn towards. Though she shrugged it off as a mere rush of nerves and turned her attention to Sasha and Grime.
“And finally Sasha and Grime. Hoods up until after we give the king the music box”
She ordered trying to protect her friend and Sasha’s uh. Father figure? Sure that seemed accurate. Her friend and her friend's father figure. Andrias would surely listen to her right?. She knew Andrias had gotten attached to her as the daughter he never had. Mostly because she had gotten attached to him as the father she wished she had. Luckily that came with its advantages. Advantages like being able to talk her way into a royal pardon for Sasha and Grime.
“Once I tell him how much you helped he’ll clear you for sure!!”.
Sasha and Grime pulled up the hoods of their custom made my Marcy cloaks to hide themselves and smiled at her.
“Copy that”.
“Will do”.
The group followed Marcy up to the gates of Newtopia where she waved up happily to the newt guard at the gate. Recognising her as Tippa, a girl she’d been on a couple of missions with in the night guard before.
“Marcy Wu and crew reporting to King Andrias”.
She proudly announced. Tippa looked at the crowd for a moment and seeing that Marcy had brought back with her the human and frogs she’d met a few weeks ago. A harmless little robot and what looked to be her bodyguards. Probably issued by King Andrias seeing as how protective he was over her. Nodded to her fellow guards as they began to open the gate for them.
The gates opened before them and the travelers entered the beautiful city. Stunning Buildings lined the streets in neat little rows. People haggled with each other at market stalls and others polished stone lined the pavement. Sasha was in absolute awe. That this would soon be all hers. Marcy’s and Anne's too, once she could make them see reason.
She looked up ahead at the two girls talking. Wondering just how much of their journey she’d missed out on.
“What an amazing adventure. Almost makes you wish it could last forever huh?
Marcy commented, smiling at Anne and practically bouncing in excitement on the way to the castle.
“Mmm not sure I’d go that far. But, yeah it was pretty cool“.
Anne replied looking back at her frog family. Happily talking away to each other about how cool the city was and how much stuff they were going to try and buy this time.
Sasha was lost in her thoughts about her upcoming rule. All the power she could ever want right there at her fingertips, her two best friends by her side. Marcy could have all the cool fancy fantasy dresses she desired and she’d even let Anne make her frog family nobels if she wished. Anything for her friends.
There was some kind of commotion up front involving the little pink pollywog. But she paid no mind to it, focusing on her mission, going over the plan again and again in her head.
Her attention was caught by a sentence Sprig uttered. One she hadn’t actually considered yet
“I can’t believe we did it. After all our adventures, this is the end”.
Oh… she hadn’t thought about that part. Not that it mattered now. Soon all of Amphibia would be under their control. Maybe if they could fix up the music box they could take over other worlds too. Maybe even Earth.
“Woah just because the adventures over dosnt mean we can’t see each other”.
Anne said, wrapping an arm around his shoulder and offering a comforting smile.
“As long as we’ve got that music box I’ll be able to visit wherever I want”
She assured him. And she had no idea just how right she was. With entire worlds including Amphibia in their control Anne could pay them a visit whenever she wanted. Marcy could visit Olivia, Yunan and Andrias if she so wished to.
“You guys can even come visit me in my world”
Anne gasped as she swung Sprig onto her back with intention to carry him the rest of the way.
“That’ll be awesome”
Sprig replied his eyes filling with joy.
‘It will, especially when we rule it’
Sasha added in her head.
“Right? I’ll take you to fast food”.
“I don’t know what that is but yayy”.
—————————————————————————-
Andrias awaited his (daughter) charge Marcy and her friends to arrive with the precious music box. Finally after 1000 years he’d fulfill his promise, atone for his mistakes. Stop being a screw-up like The Core said he was.
Lady Olivia, his most trusted advisor, who had also become Marcy’s nanny and governess for lack of better words stood loyally next to him. There were two guards to his side, spears and shields in their hands to protect him, Olivia and Marcy from any harm. Though he doubted that would be the case right now it’s not like there was a massive coup about to take place.
“My friends! Wonderful to see you. I trust you were successful”.
His booming voice echoed throughout the room.
His (daughters) charge’s friend pulled out the shining music box. All three gems now illuminated.
“Boom baby!”.
Finally he could make up for what he’d done. He heard The Core cheer in delight. Chatting about how happy they were and how long they’d waited.
“The charged music box. Well done. Well done!”
He exclaimed as the Core continued to cheer and clap in absolute delight.
“Now let’s finally send you girls home”
He didn’t want to part with Marcy; he didn't want her to get possessed by The Core either. But he had to, it's not like he got a choice. So he reached down to claim his prize. The thing that would finally allow him to be accepted into The Core one day. The thing that would prove he was not a failure.
The brunette girl, Anne lifted the glowing thing up to him and he felt his guilt slowly melt away. Perhaps they’d let him adopt Marcy as an heir. Possess one of the other humans, gain strength or heart. Then he would raise her as his own and when he joined The Core she would rule over the worlds they took over. He’d finally be a Leviathan again. He wouldn’t be disowned. He’d have a child of his own and he’d be accepted by his family.
His thoughts of that were crushed when a slimy purple tongue wrapped it around the music box and brought it straight over to the blonde hooded figure's grip. He hadn’t assigned Marcy any guards to go with her to Wartwood? Who was this?.
“Sasha what are you doing!?”
Anne cried as she lifted her face into the light. That was Grimes lieutenant. Sasha was the other human? Not some stray newt Grime had joined forces with?
“Doing what I do best”
Sasha said, smiling smugly as she held the music box tight in her hand. as she flipped the hood off her head revealing an evil smirk and mischievous glint in her eyes as she did.
“Taking control. NOW GRIME!”
Grime flipped his own hood off which caused both Marcy and Andrias to gasp in horror. The night guard had been tracking him for months. Marcy, although she’d never admit it, was terrified of him. Anne quickly shot her look that seemed to say
‘Don’t worry I’ll protect you from them’
But not even that would calm her nerves. Grime lifted up a hammer. Barrels hammer much to Andriases sadness, and smashed it on the ground. The remaining group, including Andrias whose first name was quite literally the scientific name for the GIANT Chinese Salamander. All plummeted to the floor with a scream. Sasha felt a twinge of guilt as she saw Anne’s anger and how Marcy looked at her like she was terrified of her. But it was not enough to stop her plan.
A guard rushed to stop them but she was quickly defeated by both Sasha and Grime. Marcy screamed at that. It was probably someone she knew. They’d be fine though… probably.
“What the heck is going on here?”
Hop Pop demanded as the group looked on in fear and shock. Even the robot looked frightened of her.
“Cut it out you guys”
Anne added reaching out to her for no apparent reason. Perhaps an attempt to calm her down or something. She didn’t need to be calmed down. She was going to rule this dimension and the next.
Sasha’s response however was quickly silenced with a roar from Andrias as he bared his teeth at them snarling like a wild animal. Picking himself up off the floor he walked on all fours as a way to improve his speed and agility. A talent all newts had should they choose to utilise it. And charged towards what looked like a very frightened Grime.
With no hesitation he headbutted him into the wall and he crashed with a groan of pain. Andrias had two thoughts in his mind at that point and two only.
‘Protect The Music Box’.
‘Protect his adopted child’.
He started daggers at the little toad in front of him ready to attack him again if need be. It would be easy enough with his size and the rage currently circulating through him. Just as he was about to tell the toad in front of him to surrender the voice of the toad’s lieutenant piped up behind him.
“Stop!”
She ordered and he turned to face her. The child held the music box in her hand and was holding it over the balcony. The balcony on the highest floor of the castle. If she dropped it they were done for.
“Not another move or I smash it to pieces”
She threatened. The two other humans, his daughter and her friend rushed outside in a panic. He knew she was bluffing. They both did not.
“No! Sasha”
They both cried in worried unison. The blonde only ignored them for now keeping her gaze fixed on Andrias knowing just how much power she had at this moment.
“You wouldn't, that's your only way home!”.
He tried to reason. Keeping up his tough facade despite the fear churning in his stomach to the point he felt sick.
Sasha still holding the music box over the edge of the balcony merely stared at him with some sort of power crazed glee.
“Maybe I don’t want to go home and rule a school. Maybe I wanna stay here and rule a kingdom”
Both Marcy and Anne were holding back tears at this point. Both were terrified of what was going on. Andrias stood his ground however. Despite his legs shaking in fear he could not show it.
“You’re bluffing!”.
“Try me!”.
The teenager reached her hand and thus the music box further outward towards the ground below them. She only had to let go and he’d be disowned from his family forever. He needed to get that box. Now!
In a spur of the moment Grime hit Andrias’s leg with a hammer and he fell to the floor in pain yelping as he struggled to get back up.
“KING ANDRIAS”
Marcy yelled out to him in a voice filled with so much panic that alone nearly made him cry. He tried to turn to her to tell her he was alright. But he couldn’t move enough to do so.
“Both of you stop this”
Anne demanded in a much angrier tone. Fire in her words. Fear in her heart.
“Stop? But we’re just getting started”
Grime taunted. He let out a roar of some kind. A sound no earth toad any of the humans had encountered sounded like. and suddenly throughout Newtopia an army of hidden toads emerged.
The soldiers lead by Tippa raised their weapons to attack. A handful were quickly taken down by the toads but the others were ready to fight.
“Soldiers of Newtopia!”
A voice rang out from upon the castle balcony that overlooked the city as Tippa saw the sickening sight of General Grime of all toads standing upon the trembling king's back. Hammer in hand.
“Put down your arms this instant or the next thing I smash will be your kings head”
The soldiers turned to Tippa who gave a fearful nod and the guards dropped their spears and shields to the ground with a thud and a clink of metal as toads surrounded them.
“Excellent. OPEN THE GATE”
Grime ordered and two toads began to spin the contraption that opened the doors to Newtopia. Two more pushed a piece of metal against it to keep it still and Grime along with several other toad soldiers walked a now handcuffed Andrias back inside.
“So you think you’ve won do you?”
He asked trying to keep up his facade. Trying to convince himself he was going to be ok. That his daughter was going to be ok.
“Sure do”
Grime responded looking up at him smugly.
“And if you think things are bad now, in a couple of hours the rest of our army will be at your doorstep. Take him to the dungeon and find an extra large cell”
He demanded snatching the crown from his head as the toads led Andrias away in ropes and chains, making sure there was no possible way to escape them.
“You’ll never get away with this!”.
He said as he was led towards the dungeons. In a last desperate attempt he gave a nod to Marcy that seemed to tell her this was her fight now. She was In charge. He’d really hoped not to give the throne to her this only even just temporarily. But what choices did they have left?
To his relief she gave him a nod back. Clearly understanding what he was implying. He knew he should have told her about The Core sooner they could have helped her. Now this poor 13 year old child was left alone to deal with this mess.
“Well frogs say hello to the new rulers of Amphibia”
Grime announced as Sasha stood by his side proudly holding up the thankfully still intact music box. Placing the new crown on her head
“Pretty hot right?”
Trying not to laugh at how Grime had just used that teenage slang she had taught him, Sasha walked over to her friends coolly. As if she hadn’t just taken over an entire kingdom and imprisoned Marcy’s honorary father figure in the dungeons.
“Sorry things got a little crazy back there. You guys good?”.
She asked. Swinging her arms over their shoulders like how one would pose for a photo. Marcy was to stunned to move and let Sasha’s hand rest upon her shoulder. Almost paralysed in fear. Anne had a very different approach.
“Good? Are you serious!?”
She spat in anger as she smacked Sasha’s hand away from her. Eyebrows furrowing and eyes narrowing in raw pure fury. For a second both humans swore they saw her eyes flash blue.
“Sheesh don’t be a sore loser”
Sasha said as she gave the still very much freighted Marcy a friendly pat on the back before running up to HER new throne. Throwing the little music box next to her.
“I’m gonna stay and get this toad regime off the ground, but I can totally send you two home if you want”
She was of course lying through her teeth but hey if that fake promise got them to listen to her then.
Marcy was still absolutely frozen in fear. But Anne’s blood boiled with rage. She was so angry that her face turned red.
“Or you can stick around and give me a hand? So what do you say?”
‘Not like you get a choice’ she thought silently to herself
“What do I say?”
Anne repeated as anger swirled inside her mind and heart. She was done. She was done being friends with this manipulator!. Marcy and her were going home with or without her. But not until they’d freed Amphibia from her iron fist.
“After everything you’ve done!? I say your clearly insane if you think I’m going to let you bully me and everyone else just to get what you want”
Sasha kept her cool and looked down upon her friends. Poor Marcy still seemed terrified though she was calming down a faint green and orange glow surrounding her hair. Eh probably just a trick of the light. Anne was the main priority now. Marcy was far easier to coax to her side she could be dealt with later. Anne could not
“Anne I know you’re upset but just-“
“No I’m done listening to you, I’m done trusting you. You’re a horrible person and I’m done being friends with you”
She screamed. Not a hint of regret at her words behind her eyes. Sasha nearly burst into tears. But she stayed strong. One of the frogs said something. She did not register it.
Seemingly having snapped out of her fearful trance Marcy opted for the passive route. Though she was still terrified just slightly calmer than before. As if a voice had mixed with her own in her mind to sooth her. But she couldn’t focus on that right now.
“Anne, you don’t mean that. We can still fix this”.
“No Marcy. We can’t”.
“Fine Well since we’re not friends I guess I’ll just send Anne home”
She said attention drawn to only the brunette. Marcy was filled with a sense of dread and confusion. Was she not going home then? Just Anne?. And if not what did Sasha have planned for her?.
“And you can say goodbye to your little frog family forever. Don’t worry Mar-Mar you’re staying with me and with your newt maids Lady Olive and General Yu- something. But you Anne you’re leaving. Now!”
“You wouldn’t”
Anne said praying it was a bluff. It was not. Sasha only smirked at her.
“My Box. My Rules”.
“Sasha, wait!”.
Marcy cried but she only shushed her as she snapped at two toad guards who seized her.
“It’s for the best Marce I’ve always liked you better anyway.”
Anne gasped as she turned to the three frogs behind her. Hop Pop, Polly and Sprig.
“No”
She cried trying to run to the Plantars as Sasha opened the box and Marcy struggled against her restraints
“Sorry Anne, say hi to your parents for me!”.
She said as the box fully opened. Nothing happened.
“Wha?”
Sasha questioned as she looked out towards the guards.
“The Podium child”
A voice seemed to say in her mind. It spooked her a bit and she jumped. Having no idea where the voices were coming from.
“Calm down. We won’t bring you harm. We are The Core, a collection of Amphibias greatest minds. The crown you took from Andrias, that’s how we communicate with you. We can help eachother out. Here we’ll give you an example. See that circle in the middle of the floor. Go ahead and stand on that.. it should be enough strength to activate it”.
With seemingly no other option she did as she was told and stepped onto the circle. It began to glow around her. A podium arose from it glowing pink, green and blue.
“Perfect, now put the music box on it. The castle will fly up and then the box will be able to open up a portal for you”.
Hesitantly Sasha placed the thing down. A giant roar erupted as the castle floated up into the air. A wave of commotion swept through Newtopia as a rush of energy was sent through the streets and bits and pieces of the castle fell . Nothing that couldn’t be fixed though.
“If you open the box now a portal should appear. Keeping Marcy is wise. She’s smart , we can use her. But send Anne and those frogs through that portal. Get rid of all your enemies. You can always try to convince her to join us when we take over earth, yes?”
‘You’ll help me?’
She asked back in her mind. Confused but hopeful that this thing would guide her through her invasions.
“Of course we will. We want the same thing as you. Control. Now go ahead send that traitor home”
As if she were a clockwork doll without even thinking about it Sasha reached for the box and opened it. A blinding blue light erupted from it and through the distortion was California LA.
“Guards. Keep the raven haired girl. I have plans for her. As for the brunette and frogs, throw them in the portal now!.
Saluting to her the guards did as ordered and seized Anne and the Plantars throwing them through the portal back to Earth. Sasha shut the box with a snap. The blue vanished. Anne was gone. She and the Plantars were trapped in another dimension.
“ANNIE!?”
Marcy screamed, reaching for the box. Sasha walked over and placed an arm over her shoulder once more rubbing her upper back gently with the other in little circles.
“Hey now it’s ok Marcy. Look let’s get you up to your room ok? It’ll have to be locked since you don’t trust me yet but your newt maids can stay with you. I have some things to attend to but then we can paint eachothers nails or something. Whatever you want. Guards escort Crowned Princess Marcy and the pink and blue newt to her chambers please.”
Despite Marcy’s protests Sasha said nothing she walked back to the throne and sat lazily in it smiling triumphantly. For Sasha had won.