Stars of Calamity (Amphibia AU)

Chapter 23: Saga of Sasha

Sasha then turned around to see Grime walking over...with The Plantars, Frobo, Marcy...and Anne.

Anne narrowed her eyes. "Sasha..."

Sasha's heart broke before she took a deep breath. "A-Anne, I-"

"Why did you help us?" Anne suddenly asked. "You said you wanted to stay here and you fought me! With that giant hammer!"

Grime stood beside Sasha, now more as emotional support. Sasha took another deep breath before nodding. "...yeah. I'm a horrible person."

"OH, DON'T EVEN- Wait, what?" Anne asked, blinking.

Sprig grabbed his slingshot, aiming it at Sasha. "Give us one reason why we should trust you!"

"You don't have too." Sasha said before walking over and handing out the Pink Gem. "I...I was being SO stupid. Look, I like it here! I'm a QUEEN for crying out loud, but...but I tried to kill an old man who was just talking to me for being a bad friend!"

Hop Pop's eyes...suddenly softened a bit. He didn't want to trust her, but...he had a feeling she wasn't lying.

"I'm obsessed with control." Sasha said. "I shouldn't have made you do all those things on your BIRTHDAY, Anne! I've even made Marcy do things she doesn't wanna do all because I want control of something in my life! That's...that's not how a good friend should act..."

Marcy was...a little shocked. She hadn't seen Sasha be this sincere in a long time.

"My parents divorced, and I took out my anger and depression on all of you." Sasha sighed. "That's a horrible excuse. In fact? There is NO excuse for what I did! I don't even blame you if you don't want to be my friend anymore."

Anne slowly stepped forward. "S...Sasha, I...I don't NOT wanna be your friend. I mean, you got me through some tough times! And you gave me some confidence! But...what you did back there was wrong."

"I know. I know...I'll NEVER do it again." Sasha then carefully placed The Pink Gem into the Calamity Box. "Here."

Marcy smiled a bit. "We're glad you're at least in the right head, Sasha. Giving up your power and risking your life...for us."

Sasha smiled. "I'd do it again if I had too...I missed you, Marcy. I'd hug you right now, but I'm not sure how you feel about me."

Anne and Marcy looked at each other before turning to Sasha. Anne sighed. "...you're serious? You...you really won't try to do any of that stuff again? Even after we get back home?"

Sasha nodded. "I promise. I meant EVERY word...and if your frog family will even accept my apology, then I'll be lucky."

Polly seemed a bit hesitant as well, and Sprig was still VERY untrusting of her. But Hop Pop? He stepped forward.

"You're saying you acted like this because you lost someone who meant a lot to ya?" Hop Pop asked. "Your parents?"

Sasha nodded. "Y...Yeah...my mom did something bad after a lot of shouting, and then everything went downhill. I...I'm so sorry for what I tried to do to you-"

"I get it." Hop Pop said. "My folks once told me that anger can blind ANYONE. My grandparents told them that. And I told my children that. And I know for a fact that they told Polly and Sprig that." He looked up at her. "It wasn't right of ya, Sasha. But...you're not lying. An old frog like me can see that."

Sasha's eyes softened. "Are...you...forgiving me? Even after all I did?"

Hop Pop suddenly...nodded. "You may be a queen, but you're still a child. Someone who just doesn't know any better. More fighting is not going to help that. You've earned my forgiveness, but you still gotta make things right."