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Skylar's P.O.V

It's been a few weeks since me and Sasha first started training. Sasha has become extremely skilled with a sword, owning her own special sword while I have stuck to using a shield. Sasha thought I was being silly when I chose a shield as my weapon but I explained that a shield to the face is just as damaging as a sword, I still have a sword, just don't use it. Going back to training, Grime had told us to meet in the boardroom instead of the courtyard, and that's where the two of us were heading.

'Ahh lieutenants, good thing you're here' Grime greets.

'Hey Grimesy, what's up?'

'I brought the two of you here because a town up North has come up short on their taxes, you two will be responsible for retrieving the missing goods and making sure it doesn't happen again, do you think you can handle that?'

'So what kind of retrieval are we talking about here? Do we just remind them how much they owe or...'

'Take whatever you want until their debt has been filled' Grime explains.

'Isn't that a little harsh-'

'We can handle it Grime' Sasha cuts me off.

'Good, you leave as soon as possible, dismissed!'

I walk out of the room a little nervous about this mission, not only is it the first mission but it doesn't seem right to just take the town's belongings. I notice that Sasha stays behind to talk to Grime but it's probably just to discuss more of the mission so I don't think twice about it, I trust that Sasha will fill me in later.

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'I am NOT getting on that!' I freak, noticing that a giant spider is what pulls the cart.

'C'mon Skylar, Grime said that that spiders are the fastest when it comes to pulling carriages, taking a snail could take almost twice as long'

'No, no way, not happening'

'Urg fine we'll take a snail' Sasha gives up. 'The things I do for you' she mumbles going to find another cart with a snail.

We got a new cart and Sasha sat in the drivers seat, it was only now that we remembered one crucial detail.

'You got any clue how to drive a snail?' Sasha asks me.

'Not the slightest idea' I admit, I lean forward to the snail. 'Hey snail buddy, you got any clue how to get to Lily Paddingten?' The snail does a small chirp in response and then starts sliding forward, faster than any snail I've seen.

'Self driving, nice' Sasha comments.

About an hour into the drive I finally mention what's been on my mind.

'Hey Sash'

'Hmm?'

'Do you... do you think that it's the right thing to do?'

'What do you mean?'

'Going and just taking the towns stuff, isn't there a more civil way to deal with it?'

'Sky... look around, Amphibia isn't exactly a civil place, the sooner we finish this crummy mission the sooner we can use Grime and the toad army to find a way home'

'I guess but, are you seriously just 'using' the toad army? I've gotten to know a good number of them and they're all great people, and what about Grime? Don't you have some loyalty to him?'

'Skylar I already told you, the only thing I care about is keeping you safe, finding Anne and Marcy and finding a way home. Stop getting attached to this gross world'

'But-'

'Skylar' she cuts me off. 'It'll only make it harder for you to say goodbye' she says with complete sincerity.

'Yeah, you're right, you're right. You know me though, I can't help but look for look in the best of people' I softly chuckle.

'As I've said many times and I'll probably say many more times, your heart is too big for this world but you need to try and think with your head'

'Y-yeah, I guess I can try that'

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'This place smells worse than the tower, woof' I complain as we arrive at the town.

Our arrival was met with empty streets. I look around and notice a young looking, pink frog hiding behind a market stand. I step off of our carriage and move towards them.

'Umm, where are you going?'

'Just gimme a minute' I respond and continue towards the frog. 'Hey buddy, where is everyone?' He didn't respond, he only backed further away, trembling slightly. 'I'm not going to hurt you' I smile at them.

'T-then why do you have a sword?' He squeaks.

'It's only for protection, you never know what kind of monsters you could run into in Amphibia'

'O-ok then, w-what are you creatures doing here?'

'We're here to collect the missing taxes' Sasha explains from behind me.

'T-then you probably want the mayor'

'Yeah that would be a good start, would you mind showing us the way?' I ask.

'Sure!' He hops up, showing no sign of the fear he had before.

Me and Sasha follow the young frog till it seems like we are heading out of the town.

'Hey frog kid, where are you taking us, looks like your leading us away from town'

'It's uhh, i-it's cause our mayor lives on the far outskirts of town!' He explains.

'Alright little frog man, keep on leading' He nods at me and hops further along, turning a corner and going out of sight.

'Hey Sky, something doesn't feel right'

'How so?'

'What kind of mayor wouldn't live IN the town, I can't help but think this is some kind of trap' she explains.

'I'm sure it's fine Sash, he's just a kid'

'Yeah bu-'

The two of us were cut off by the sound of a terrifying screech followed by a scream. I rush towards the sound, worried for the young frog.

'Skylar!' I hear Sasha yell from behind me but I still go to protect the boy.

When I round the corner I see the kid standing there, but no monster of any kind in sight.

'What's the big idea kid?' But as soon as I said that I was surrounded by frogs, all armed with farming tools. 'YOU SET ME UP!' I yell at the kid.

'Toad tower has ruled over us frogs for far too long, we'll use you two as an example to show that we won't be pushed around anymore! IN THE NAME OF HOPADIAH PLANTAR!' A larger frog who I assume to be the mayor announced.

Frogs charged at me from every direction. I begin blocking their attacks, they are nowhere near as strong as the toads so they are hardly a challenge but they still outnumber me. 'Where's Sasha?' I panic a small amount as more and more frogs surround me. Im blocking the pitchfork of one of the frogs when I'm suddenly pushed from behind. My shield is kicked away from me so I go to reach for it only for my hand to be crushed by someone's foot and when I went to draw my sword I was completely winded by a boot to the stomach. Filled with pain, all I can do is close my eyes, clutch my stomach with my good hand and hope for the best.

'GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM MY SISTER!'

I'm still unable to move but I can hear Sasha fighting the frogs above me. The frog standing on my hand moves, giving me a slight amount of relief but I'm still in excruciating pain. After a few minutes the sounds of fighting die down and I can only hear a few groans from the other frogs. I feel my head get lifted up and moved to resting on someone's lap. I open my eyes and smile up at my sister.

'Hey Sash' I softly say.

'Thank god you're ok' she sighs, smiling back down at me.

'Told you I still needed you' I chuckle.

'You're such a dork, now let's get you back to the tower, can you stand?'

'Y-yeah just gimme a minute, I'm still a bit winded' I groan in my attempt to sit up. I manage to stand up with Sasha's help and the two of us head back to our carriage. 'Don't we need to still need to collect the taxes?'

'That's not important right now, I'll take any heat we get from Grime, you just need to rest'

'Yeah ok'

I ended up falling asleep on the ride back to the tower with a few thoughts on my mind.

'Grime told us that the frogs had always been scared of the toads so where did that attack come from?'

'Who the frog is Hopadiah Plantar?'

'And how did I get so lucky to have a sister like Sasha?'

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