The Fourth Friend (An Amphibia Story)

Part 12: The Ballad of Hopediah Plantar

Skylar's P.O.V

Anne, the Plantars and I were all sitting atop the Fwagon traveling through a desert landscape. Sprig was strumming on his fiddle and Anne was showing me pictures on her phone. Most of the photos were just of Domino but it was cool seeing some of the adventures she'd had while she was here.

'Geez, how many times have you almost died Anne?' I ask as she swipes through pictures of monster after monster.

'After the tenth I stopped counting' she answered.

I then pull her into a protective hug. 'I'm never letting you out of my sight again'

'Haha, relax dude it's fine' she laughs, pulling away from the hug.

We continue to laugh and look through Anne's phone until we come across a picture of Toad Tower. Suddenly I don't particularly feel like laughing.

'Huh, I don't remember taking this picture of Toad Tower' Anne says, showing the Plantars her phone.

'Oh, that was me. I wanted a little reminder of how we messed those toads up!' Polly explains.

'Heh, we sure did!' Hop Pop smiles.

'Y'know I've actually been working on a song based on the battle' Sprig says, grabbing his fiddle.

'Oh, am I in it?' Hop Pop asks.

'Maaaayyyyybbeeeee' Sprig answers.

'Hehehe, I'm in it' he giggles as he lies down with Anne, Polly and I.

'~there was a little frog who stood for revolution. The toads didn't like that so they tried to execute him. But thankfully our Anne stepped up to take the tower. And she saved Hop Pop, who.......... mostly hid and cowered. And cowered and cowered and cowered and cowered~'

'All right that's enough!' Hop Pop cut him off.

'Woohoo!' we all cheer and clap for Sprig.

'Great song dude' Anne comments.

'Honestly pretty accurate' I said.

'Yeah that was awesome!' Polly exclaims.

'What? Awesome? Accurate? It's missin all the context! Like what about the time I courageously ran for mayor? Or that time I stood up to those nasty tax collectors?' Hop Pop complains.

I'd almost forgotten about those tax collection missions.

'Eh, boring' Anne and Polly said.

'Audiences want cleat stakes Hop Pop. And action!' Sprig explains.

'Feels like just yesterday people thought I was a revolutionary hero' Hop Pop sighs. 'Whoop! Heads up gang! Looks like we're about to stop at our first town!' He says as he points at a sign that said Bittyburg.

'My first town outside of Wartwood! I wonder what it'll be like. Will the frogs be friendly? WILL THEY HAVE A BATHROOM? Hey Sky, did you visit any towns outside the Tower?'

'Uhhh yeah I did, I went to this place called Lily Paddingten but I wasn't there for long'

'Why's that?'

'The whole town may or may not have tried to kill me and Sash cause of their rebellion against the toads' I casually explained.

...

'Hey look we're here!' Sprig says, cutting through the awkward silence.