We've all been dreading it.

But it must be done.

I'm sorry.

she's so mean in this one :')

I'm going to split it up into two parts, though- I don't wanna dump it on you guys all at once. (maybe even three parts, we'll see how we go.)

On with the story.

-

There were screams of excitement filling the air as the group flew on Joe Sparrow straight to the gate of Newtopia, inevitably crashing into the water at the gates that surrounded the big city.

But he was quick to resurface, but that didn't mean everyone on board wasn't soaking wet.

"For Joe's sake, no one else is allowed to join our party." Marcy said as she put her hands to the side, emphasizing her point.

Valerie cringed at the feeling of both her undersuit and her armor being wet-- although, luckily enough, she wasn't wet under the armor, due to the fact it was expertly tailored and seemed to stop any from getting in, but she couldn't say the same for the rest of her body.

She squeezed some of the water out of her hair before noticing the group was all getting off their ride, some sliding down his wing and some jumping off-- but the brunette was quick to take Marcy's hand and slide down the bird's wing, just to be safe.

"Woo, back to Newtopia!" Marcy cheered out happily once everyone was on the ground, throwing her hands up in the air and heading towards the city gates, then she turned around. "Alright, let's go over the plan one more time. First, I'm going to get us into the city, Anne's got the music box ready to give King Andrias, Val-- stay close to me and keep your temper under control, finally, Sasha and Grime-- hoods up until after we give the King the music box. Once I tell him how much you've helped, he'll clear you for sure."

The girl got approving sounds and phrases as everybody did as told, Sasha and Grime putting their hoods up, Anne showing the music box, and Valerie walking right up to Marcy and linking their arms together.

"uh...Val-?"

"I'm staying close. Your call, not mine, cupcake."

Marcy playfully rolled her eyes at her lovers antics and just started walking the crew up to the gate guard, throwing her free arm up to make herself more visible. "Marcy Wu and crew, reporting to King Andrias!"

Within a few seconds, the gates opened and the group started to walk through Newtopia.

Valerie marveled in the modern style city around her, it looked a bit like Techadia, but fancier and less futuristic based. Like if traditional and modern had a baby and created this.

"What an amazing adventure!" Marcy said as she looked at Valerie and Anne who were both trailing directly behind her. "Makes you wish it could last forever, huh?"

"mmm, I'm not sure I'd go that far," Anne replied unsurely, seeming a little confused at the question. "but yeah, it was pretty cool."

"I have to agree with Anne on this one, it was nice being here-- it was like a vacation, but- I think I'm ready to go home and eat food without bugs in it." Valerie let out a sigh at the thought of being back home, her girlfriend in front of her giggling nervously and seeming to look away.

Polly then proceeded to complain that her butt was itchy, to which Hop-Pop showed her some stinky cream to help, and it ended with him chasing her around. The brunette chuckled at the stupidity of the situation.

-

Everyone entered the tower as they were supposed to-- whether that be with hoods up, staying close to someone or having the music box in possession.

"My friends," Andrias called out from his throne. Just from that first line of speech, Valerie felt anger creep up into her head, and yet she knew it wasn't her own-- it was Gold's. "wonderful to see you. and," he let out a gasp as his eyes landed on Valerie, who bowed out of respect.

"You must be Valerie. Marcy here's told me a lot about you-- it's nice to meet another one of her friends."

"oh, uh, actually," Marcy started kind of awkwardly as she brought up their hands, which were pressed together with fingers interlocked. "Valerie is my girlfriend."

The brunette nodded proudly, studying the blue newts face that seemed to darken and seem almost a mixture of sadness and anger for a second, before it lit up with a massive smile.

"Ohohoho, wonderful news! I'm so happy for the new couple, but I must ask-" He paused for a second, still keeping his smile big as he clasped his hands together. "Were you all successful in recharging the box's stones?"

"boom, baby!" Anne said enthusiastically as she whipped out the music box from her bag, the stones shining as bright as ever.

"the charged music box," the king seemed to say breathlessly as the light reflected in his eyes. Valerie already knew what that kind of reflection was, she'd had it in her own eyes many times before, she could already feel the chaos and possible destruction lurking in the room. "well done, well done! Now, let's finally send you girls home."

As Andrias reached his hand out and Anne was mid-way in giving the king the music box, a long tongue came out of nowhere and stole it-- keeping both of them from having it.

The box handed in the hooded Sasha's hand, held up high.

"Sasha, what are you doing?" Anne asked in disbelief, confused at what her best friend was doing, and honestly really hoping that she wasn't betraying them. Again.

welp-

"What I do best," the blonde said in an arrogant tone as she brought her free hand up and dramatically flicked the hood off her head, revealing her face to those who didn't already know it. "taking control!"

There was tense silence in the air as Grime started to raise his hammer, before loud laughter broke him out of his focus streak.

All eyes turned to the source, which unsurprisingly, was Valerie. She let go of Marcy's hand and collapsed to her knees, practically crying laughing, before she stood up once again, looking back to the blonde she called her 'friend'. "sorry, sorry, I interrupted your little 'ViLlAiN sPeEcH', carry on."

"What's. so. funny?" Sasha asked in return, looking at the brunette with distaste as she wiped a happy tear from her eye.

"Oh, oh, nothing, it's just funny how you good at this little game you think you are." She made her eyes all big and sparkly, switching her voice to a mocking tone. "I'm sooooo sorry Anne, everything at Toad Tower was my fault! I'm always the bad guy! boo-hoo!" she came out of the tone with a snicker. "It's funny how you think your little pity act gets you anywhere. And it's even funnier that you actually succeed with these guys."

"ugh, enough of this!" Sasha yelled out, fed up with being insulted. "Grime, now!"

As the hammer hit the floor, everyone except Valerie fell down-- heck, even the King of Amphibia collapsed! She could feel the familiar tingling sensation in her body as she managed to stay up, smirking right in Sasha's face.

"nice try." Was all the brunette said as she lunged for the blonde, whipping out both of her daggers. Her eyes lit up with something sickening, something that may have been described as bloodlust-- with her pupils getting thinner. 

With the slashing and clanging of metal against metal-- the two fought until Valerie had the girl pinned at the balcony's edge. She was genuinely about to push her off and let her fall to her death, but before she could-

"Stop! or I drop the box."

That sentence left Sasha's mouth.

Valerie paused. That box was their only way home. That box was her only way to see everyone she knew again, and to be in a place where everything felt familiar. She paused, before starting to slowly back up to where the group was, sheathing her sword, despite looking very unhappy.

"No- Sasha!" Both Anne and Marcy chorused as they ran forward past the brunette.

"You wouldn't." The king beckoned, his eyes narrowing at the red armored girl. "That's your only way home!"

"Maybe I don't wanna go home and rule a school," Sasha said in an obvious tone. As if it was supposed to be common knowledge to everyone, of course. "Maybe I wanna stay here and rule a Kingdom!"

"you're bluffing." Andrias said in return.

"Try me!" The blonde pressed her hand with the box in it-- and she was only holding it by the lid, so it really could drop any minute onto the city below.

As the King seemed to have a moment of weakness, Grime used the hammer he had on hand to hit him in the leg, causing the big blue newt to fall to his knees.

"K-King Andrias!" Marcy said worriedly.

"Both of you, stop this!" Anne added in, trying to sound stern, but her fear betrayed her and managed to leak into her voice.

"Stop?" Grime asked in disbelief, a smirk coming across his lips. "But we're just getting started!" He then leaned over the balcony, letting out a loud roar-- that Valerie assumed to be some kind of signal for the undercover toads she'd seen earlier that day. These guys sucked at being slick-- to her, at least.

He then put out a threat to kill the King if they didn't surrender, which, they all did, of course, not wanting Andrias to die.

"Well, frogs, say hello to the new rulers of Amphibia!" Grime announced with pride, placing his hammer into the ground and smiling widely as the King was carried away by toads of his army. "pretty hot, right?"

"Sorry things got a little crazy back there." Sasha gave Valerie a strained smile before she looked to Marcy and Anne with concern, wrapping her arms around the both of them. "You guys good?"

Valerie felt her eyes roll for what felt like the thousandth time today, jeez, it felt like everyone out here was trying to get under her skin. And it was getting really hard to differentiate her anger between Gold's. 

 "Good?" Anne asked, smacking the blonde's hand off her shoulder and looking at her with disgust. "Are you serious?"

"Sheesh, don't be a sore loser," Sasha trotted her way up the steps to the giant throne at the front of the room and sitting on it casually, throwing the box next to her. "I'm gonna stay and get this toad regime off the ground. But I can totally send you three home if you want. Or you can stick around and give me a hand! So what do you say?"

Anne was practically fuming by now, cheeks red and eyebrows furrowed. Now, usually, Valerie would have stepped in and committed a federal crime right then and there, but she didn't, just standing off to the side and letting the girl have her moment.

She did, however, reach for Marcy's hand, who was also standing off to the side. Both of their hands made contact, both parties involved squeezing tightly, one being scared, the other holding in anger.

"what do I say?" Anne asked in disbelief that her friend would even suggest something like that. "After everything you've done? I say, you're clearly insane if you think I'm gonna let you bully me and everyone else, just to get what you want!"

"Anne, I know you're upset, but-"

"No! I'm done listening to you!" Anne said angrily, throwing her hand across herself. "I'm done trusting you! You're a horrible person, and I'm done. being. FRIENDS WITH YOU!"

"oh damn." Valerie said, her eyes widening as her friend finished the sentence, eyes widening as she looked between the two. She'd admit, it was about time. She was sure the readers/watchers thought so too.

Yes, I'm talking about you. I can see you reading this-- you know that, right? I'm not stupid-

"Anne, you don't mean that, we can still fix this," Marcy said, letting go of her girlfriend's hand and walking forward towards Anne, with her hands up and a worried look plastered across her face.

"No, Marcy," Anne was quick to reply, clearly angry. "we can't."

"Fine." Sasha said, narrowing her eyes at the group. "well since we're not friends anymore, I guess I'll just send you home. And you can say goodbye to your little frog family forever!"

Anne paused, taking in the words. "You wouldn't."

"My box, my rules."

My knife, your life.

That thought wasn't said, sadly.

"Sasha, wait!" Marcy was frantic now, which made Valerie next to her look to her with confusion. She already knew the attempt wouldn't work, after all, the box tended to work in different ways-- plus Sasha didn't even know how to use it. But why did Marcy have such a reaction?

"No!" Anne cried out, running to her frog family and holding them tight.

"Sorry Anne," Sasha said with a mixture of sarcasm and anger. "say hi to your parents for me!"

But as the box was opened, nothing happened.

Valerie scoffed quietly. There was literally a wind up to the music box on the side of it-- was this girl blind, or stupid? or both? did she not know how a music box works?

There were sounds of confusion from around the room on both sides of the argument as the blonde tried to find out how the box worked, but she was quick to give up.

"Well, that was embarrassing." Sasha said with a flick of her hair. "Until I can figure out how to use this, guards, take them to the dungeon."

They were all immediately surrounded by Toads and carried off.

-

But they didn't reach the dungeon.

Before they could, there was crawling along the roof and confusion spreading in the room as the slim figure dropped down, taking all of the guards down in one fowl swoop.

"woah, who the heck is that-" Valerie asked with wide, admiring eyes at the warrior. Even she hadn't mastered the one swipe method yet. Immediate respect from her.

There was chuckling from the pink newt as she arose, looking behind her dramatically as she seemed to start an introduction, spinning around. "I, am General Yunan-"

"Her name is Yunan, she's very important, blah blah blah," Lady Olivia said, rushing to her side and placing a finger on her lips. "We don't have time for this! Come on." She walked up to a wall, pressing in a brick that stood out which opened a secret doorway that lead into the city. "This way, everyone."

-

Everyone immediately darted through a series of dark alleys and places that they couldn't be seen by the Toads that were everywhere, eventually making it into some old abandoned shop for a hideout.

"Ah, the city's crawling with toads," Sprig sighed, closing a window shutter to not risk being spotted.

"And there's still a whole army coming?" Hop-Pop added onto his grandson's statement.

"Yep, it's a full on toad rebellion. But don't worry!" Marcy said, clearly trying to hide her panic and how terrifying this situation was to her. "I've got a simple plan to solve this." She got out a telescope, looking onto the toad armies that were coming closer. "The toad army is less than an hour away, we have to close the front gate. Otherwise we'll be overrun."

She pulled herself up, counting the things they had to do on her fingers. "we also have to free the king, defeat Sasha and Grime, work through our baggage and redesign the current political system so that this never. happens. again." by when she'd finished talking, she was panting, bent over, arms spread out to the side and red in the face.

"Woah, sunshine," Valerie walked up behind her girlfriend, placing her hands on her shoulders, which made her immediately straighten up. The brunette then pressed into her shoulders with her thumbs. "Breathe."

A bit of a crack was heard as Marcy tensed, before she sighed and leaning back into the girl's embrace, more relaxed than she was before. "thanks, bunny."

"It isn't looking good," Polly said from on top of Frobo's head. There were then collective sighs around the room as they thought how to split up the roles.

"Come on, you guys, we can do this!" Anne said encouragingly, propping her foot and making a hero pose. "They may think we're a weak, little frog family, a clumsy nerd, a girl who can't control herself, a big metal baby and a goofy pushover, but they have no idea who they're dealing with!"

She then turned to Lady Olivia and Yunan who were at her side. "Except for you guys, I'm sure they think very highly of you."

"they do."

"just continue your speech."

"we've been through a lot together," Anne continued with a smile. "Cannibals, giant killer moths, combining vegtables-- you name it! We're gonna beat this too! Because when we're together, nothing can stand in our way! Now, who's ready to kick some toad butt?"

There were cheers before everyone huddled around Anne.

"Alright. Here's how we're gonna do it. Hop-Pop, you, Marcy and Lady Olivia are going to the dungeon to free the King. Time to put those acting skills to good use."

"Polly, attack the soldiers in the city head on. Keep them distracted. Oh, and take Yunan, Frobo and Valerie with you."

"Finally, Sprig and I will sneak into the guard tower and shut the city gates before the Toad army gets in."

-

(I'm going to skip ahead to when all of that is over and done with and they're back up in the castle because yes.)

Everyone ran to each other after the plan was over and done with when they were all gathered in the throne room. Anne, Valerie and Marcy shared a hug, happy that everything worked out-- before the couple out of the trio shared a hug just with each other, resting their foreheads against each other.

"we did it." Valerie whispered, smiling uncontrollably. A laugh was shared between the two of them, but this felt... too easy.

"Okay, let's do this," King Andrias said, putting his hands together cheerfully.

"Anne, please don't give into him!" Sasha cried out from behind them all, only to be silenced by General Yunan.

Anne handed over the box with no hesitation. As she did, the blonde and Valerie shared a glance. It was almost like Sasha was pleading her to believe her-- and the girl simply nodded, almost saying as if she knew something was off with this guy.

"alright, big guy, send us home." Anne said as she looked up to him with a smile.

"In good time, my dear." He said as he walked over to the side. "But first, I'm going to let you all in on a little secret. There was a time where Newtopia was truly great. But that greatness was stolen from us. Centuries of prosperity brought to an end because of me. I was weak, trusting those who said they were my friends, and because of that, the music box was taken under my watch. It cost us everything, and after a thousand years, no one even remembers our legacy."

King Andrias was smirking widely by now. "But now, at long last, the box is back! And with it's power, Newtopia will be returned to it's glory."

Valerie paused at the King's words. There was something off by the way he talked, that wasn't just any speech, that was a villain coded speech.

"For you see, my ancestors weren't frail explorers-- they were glorious conquerors!"

He touched a pad on the ground with his foot, which a stand then came up out of, and he was quick to put the box in it's rightful place.

As he did, electricity crackled through the air and the castle started to lift off the ground. At first, Valerie stumbled, nearly falling, before using her newfound super strength to keep herself stabilized.

As the castle got higher and higher in the sky, the brunette felt something in her ears crack. And suddenly, everything seemed just a little louder. She could hear sounds of some kind of robots flying closer, and she tensed, creeping into the middle of the room to escape it. She hoped it was just the altitude-- but something inside