29. The Moss Man

Disclaimer I don't own Amphibia. Also if anyone would like to help me beta this that be great. But if not I'll try my best. I try to get chapter out as I can.

Thanks to all the all follower and favorite so far. And thanks to Jss2141, redflare5000, Smoking Wrecker, drake wind, Alquimistaarcano77, Kaiju, Nopeknight, TALOS X, Stryker, Mr. Hardcor3, Gojirafan1954, Tearnon, Jason, brentdyedragon, gregorian12, PizzaGuest, Morticon, jjafo2014, schweenieboy, snake screamer, Rodimus973, Pushistaya ten, Shadowcat1083, Liko, Killerbull55858, QuackityFiction, Hamza9236, MarMarFaAnne, Notthenightslayer, Valenthyne, DragonEmperor999, RandomWriter197, AutoHunterJ49, GerardiHistory, wacky620, OtaconandhisJapneseAnimes, Guests for the comment.

The Plantar family were out in the forest, doing a little foraging, searching for berries, mushrooms and herbs.

"Now remember, kids." Hop Pop was picking up some berries from a bush placing them in a basket. The old farmer had all these little rhyming couplets to keep track of which ones are safe to eat and which ones will kill you in horrific ways. Just other reminder of how dangerous this would truly was. "Green and red, be well fed. Blue and red, instantly dead." Sprig happily ate berries from a bush.

"Oh, wait." Hop Pop scratched his forehead, "Or was that, Green and red, instantly dead?"

"Huh?" Sprig gasped, and immediately spit out the remaining berries.

"Hmm. Anne was looking for mushrooms, "Yup, that's a mushroom." trying to remember Hop Pop's rules for them. Something like red and white, itchy all night? "Yo, Marcy. You remember HP rules about mushroom again? I can't any of his silly phases."

"Hmmm... let's see," Marcy's pulls out her notebook, skimming through the pages. "Bugs: Poison or not, No. History of Wartwood, No. Live cycle of Amphibians Earth vs Amphibia, No. Man I need to label things better." She skips through some pages. "Oh here it is. Hop Pop rules to vegetables, berries and more. Blue and Yellow, you'll go blind. Green and purple, burns inside. Hmm. Looks like this one is safe."

"Wait..." Anne slushed her, "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Just listen."

"I don't hear anything."

"I think I saw something," At first, it was just a movement, out of the corner of her eye. They checked to see if anyone else had seen it, but the Plantars were too occupied with berry picking. So, they followed the movement, and there it was. In a misty glade, surrounded by butterflies. It had to be at least fifteen feet tall. It looked like some kind of man, entirely made of moss. Two little bushes were sticking out of the side of it head, covered with flowers. They didn't know why, but this strange creature had sense of calm wash over them as they watched it move.

Anne would've snapped a picture of it with her phone, but a stray butterfly flew down her throat and she started choking on it, while, Marcy jumped up running throws the creature, tripping on her feet. "Hey, you!" This frightened the creature away, Marcy picked herself up, trying to reach out. "No, wait. Come back. I won't hurt you."

"You're so cool." Anne called out as the Plantars joined them. "There you are. You guys just missed it."

"What," Polly smirked, "you barfing up a butterfly? Naw, we totally saw that."

"No, no, no, no. There was this magical creature made of moss. It was beautiful."

"It was least fifteen feet tall, and surrounded by butterflies." Marcy added, "And it feel like were at peace like if all our worries and anxienties were wash away. Like a reverse version of from Gloomadooms Cythina Coven."

The Plantars turned to earn other and began laughing, almost falling over in the position.

"Good one," Sprig picked himself off the ground. "Saw the ol' "Moss Man," huh?"

"Yeah, that sounds about right."

"Girls," Hop Pop signed, "the Moss Man's a myth. Only crazy people and gullible tadpoles believe in it."

"Wait." Anne felt hurt, hoping her family will believe her. She pulled out her phone, showing off pictures. "You're telling me you guys have giant fire-breathing beavers and mutant centipedes, but you don't believe in this?"

"Killing tomato plants, giant snakes, Salamander can live to 4000." Marcy added, the young girl wasn't as nearly hurt as Anne. She spend a couple of years with no one really caring about her interests.

"Well," Polly rolled her eyes, "yeah, we've seen those."

"Look," Sprig smiled, "your world might have stuff like flying machines and magic memory boxes. But we don't have weird stuff like that is just a normal town."

"You're talking frogs!" Anne glared, "Never mind. I'm done talking about it."

The Plantars were laughing at them all the way home. To Anne it was Sprig that hurt the most, out of all the people she thought he, at least, he would have their back. Especially after everything we've seen and done together. What made a fifteen foot tall plant man so far outside the realm of possibility?

"I am not done talking about it. I'm tellin' you guys, We saw it, we saw it, we saw it."

"Why would we make up something like that?" Marcy asked, "What would we gain?"

"Careful, Anne." Polly smile. "You keep rantin' and ravin', you'll put One-Eyed Wally out of a job."

"Ha!" Sprig laughed, "She totally does sound like Wally."

"You take that back. We are not weirdos like Wally. We're a strong, sane woman who saw the Moss Man.

"So!" Oh shoot me Anne thought, as Wally just so happen to show up. "You've seen the Moss Man too, eh?"

As the Plantar laughed, at Wally. Anne felt even worse now. The ravings of local deranged drunken hobo, that'll vindicate her for sure.

"I seen it once. Deep in the moors where it makes its home and feeds on mist. Skin of moss, it had. Took me hand clean off, it did." Wally got in Anne's face.

"You have both your hands, Wally." She shoved him away.

Wally gasps, "Lefty! When did you get back?" The Plantars began giggling.

"Stop it." Anne sign, great ghe town finally accept her, stop seeing her as a monster, she can't be the town weirdo. "I know it sounds crazy when he says it. But we saw what we saw."

"Whatever you say..." Polly snickers, One-Shoed Anne."

"Huh?" Sprig raised eyebrow, "Oh, I get it. Like One-Eyed Wally." The Plantars laughed as they began to walk home, however Sprig stopped.

"Anne, actually, I believe you..."

"Thank you." Jeez."

"...dreamt it. I believe you dreamt it."

Anne kicked the ground in frustration "I can't believe only this guy believes us."

"I believe you." A voice behind them called out, making the two jump.

"AGGHH!" Anne scream and nearly tripped as they turned around and saw Maddie, with her cold emotionally glare. "Maddie you have to stop doing that?"

"No... And like I said I believe you.

"Great..." Anne mumbled under her breath, "Only the weirdo believe me."

"You know," Maddie fold her arms, "You humans come off weird to us you know. Small tongues, can't jump high, don't slim skin. "

"You really believe us," Marcy smiled lightly hoping that at least one person believe her. She then bite her thumb, "You really believe us, or is it pity."

"I do." Maddie nods, "As a practitioner of magic the concept of a moss man existing is not just a possibility but a fact."

Anne knew if she never wanted associated with these two again. She is going to have to bring back proof. And to do that, she is going to need the help of the only people that believe her. "Listen, you said you know where the Moss Man lives. Take me there so I can snap a pic of it, prove we normal, and never be associated with you ever again. No offense."

"Okay." Wally smiled.

"Please. I just got people to stop calling me the town monster. I can't become the town weirdo."

"I said okay." Wally smiled.

"Oh. Thanks."

"Do you want to help Maddie?" Marcy asked.

Maddie rubbed her chin in thought, "I'll help you find prove of the moss man in exchange for getting some of it's moss."

"Okay..." Anne raised an eyebrow, a little creepy out. "But why?"

"The moss from such a creature of mystical cryptid could be strong. I can only images the kinds of potions I can make with it."

"Yeah!" Marcy smiled, at her best friend from Earth and best friend in Amphibia having adventure together.

"But the journey," Wally gave a warning, "will be fraught with peril." He begins playing his accordion. "Oh, the Misty Moors, are dark and gray..."

"Hope he doesn't play that thing the whole way."

The girls lead Wally and Maddie to where there first met the moss man, as Marcy explained."So this is where we first met it."

"Hmmm..." Maddie scanned the area, and pulled out a small bowl. Began crushing something up.

"What are you doing?" Anne asked.

"A scent spell, normal used for hunting. The spell will track anything that been in the area for about two hours time." Maddie explained while pouring something into the spell before drinking it. To no one but her she was able to pick up one footprints, and odors that were recently in the air. "This way." She ran off, while the three followed her close behind.

"So Maddie? What kind of magic do you think this creature moss can do?" Marcy asked, her mind racing with all the possibility.

"Depends? On one type of creature it is. Some animals have poison, some healing, it can be anything really."

Wally continuing playing his accordion, was they walked by cliff still following Maddie. Marcy was written notes about creatures that Maddie claim existed while, Wally was telling them his life story, which they're fairly sure is an amalgam of randon dream snippets, as many of stories conductance with a few of his stories. "...and with his dying words he told me, Wallace, take this accordion, find my killer and defeat him with the power of song. Anyway, enough about me. Tell me about yourself."

"Me...?" Maddie shrugged, "Not much to tell. Spent almost of my time in Wartwood."

"Earth is pretty boring next to this place," Marcy replied, "So not much to tell."

"I think I'll take a hard pass." Anne said defensively, not wanting to open to a unhinge hobo. "That's kind of personal and you're kinda basically an unstable stranger." Anne wasn't looking where she was going and fell off the cliff.

"ANNE!" Marcy screamed, as disappear from view, lucky for her Wally acted quickly, catching her with her tongue and pulled her up to safety. Marcy pulled her into a tight hug.

"I thought I lost you." Marcy said.

"Wally you save my PHONE!" Anne smiled, "Oh, and my life."

"Think nothing of it, I know how much this thing means to you."

"Oh. Thanks." Anne was beginning to think maybe she misjudged the guy. He's more aware than she gave him credit for.

Back at the small town of Wartwood Hop Pop was making his way over to the Sundew place, its had been nearly two week since he tried to bury the box. An action that had weighed on the old frog's mind ever since. Growing up he believe that his parents were flawless, and ever since the day Sally was hatch he found that he was ten times the amount of mistake he made as a kid. He stood by the door for a good ten minutes or so, still thought and fear of rejection. He had already lost a child once, to lose another voluntarily because of his own selfish action was overwhelmingly.

He took a view deep breaths before lightly knocking on the door, Ivy opened it, she first smiled, then she flashed with angry, and finally confusion. "Um... Hi. Mr. Plantar?"

"Good evening Ivy? Can I go in-" Hop Pop was cut off as Sasha stood behind Ivy. Her eyes were emotionless as they watch the old frog. "Can we talk... Please?"

Ivy looks up at Sasha, and she set aside, allowing Hop Pop to enter.

Meanwhile a few miles away from the village, the adventurous travelers were resting by fire, for the night, on top of the cliffside. Wally was cooking a pot of stew. Marcy sat on a log next to Maddie, who was looking at her stew deep in thought.

"Something on your mind?"

"Huh," Maddie was suddenly catch off by Marcy. "Okay, it's kinda silly, but..." She looks back at her stew, and looks up towards the night sky. Marcy did as well, back home, the sky wasn't so clear. "I was just thinking... The universe is unimaginably huge, right. Not only that, there are different worlds out there, each has there own universe. Heck, there are probably trillions and trillions of them. So... it really makes you feel small and insignificant. The odds of even meeting is."

This caught the two human girls off guard, as they look up towards the sky.

"So... It doesn't matter how we'll remember all that matter is just the moment." Wally smiled.

"Clap, pull it back, fist bump, flip it up, lock it in, twist it, twainst it, not against it, spank the baby, where's the baby? There's the baby. Shake hands with the baby."

Wow, that was incredible. I'll never shake hands the normal way again.

Anne laughes, " and other kids back home used to think my elaborate handshakes were silly."

Oh, there's your first mistake," Wally help himself to another bowl, "love. I never care what other people think of me."

"Same," Maddie yawn as she finds a nice place to lay down. "If you waste your time seeking approving of what other thing of you, you'll just become bitter struck in state of trying to please people who don't care about you."

"Easy for you to say." Anne scoffes, she didn't know why she was letting her guard down. "Back home, your reputation is everything."

"Lucky for you, you're not back home."

"Huh?"

"Anne, the way I see it, you've got a great opportunity in front of you. Whole new world, new people, free to be whatever you want."

"Heck I'm ten," Maddie replied, "and even I know all that popular nonsense isn't going to matter in the future. My dad told me, its who you are as person as individual that will definitely you for the rest of your life. You kindness, the way you treat other. Those are the thing that will definitely you for the rest of you life. Not trying to fit in with some random club. Why should I care what other thing. I have my life and I'm living it my way. All those dumb things you do as a kid or in school. No one's going to remember, no one's gonna ever care."

"That's... kinda genius," Anne was starting to get Wally and Maddie now. They've got freedom, freedom to be without the worries of a quick to diss society. They're just out here, living there best life, not caring what anyone thinks Anne wish could be stronge enough to just ignored society's hangups, but she doesn't think she could. She kinda felt shame as she saw Wally as nothing but the drunken idiot but he's just guy having his best live.

"Yup, yup, yup, yup, yup." Wally snored.

"Hey, dude, you still awake?" Anne asked.

"Yup, yup, yup, yup, yup."

"Weirdo." Anne smiled and throw a blanket on him

Yup, yup, yup, yup, yup.

Marcy smiled as Maddie fell asleep.

"Theyre's right, Anne," Marcy smiled, as she sit by the fire, looking up at the night sky. "We don't have to worry about school, all of our problems. Were free to had a fresh start. To do whatever we like. How lucky is that?"

"I don't know Mar-Mar," Anne held her knee close to her chest and looked away. "I do think a part of me is liking this place. But its not home."

"I think part of me likes this place as well, it special." Marcy smiled fainted as she turned away from Anne. "Hey Anne. I'm... I'm happy were here together. That were not alone."

"There's no two people I know what to be trapped in another world more then you and Sasha." Anne said as she turned to her friend giving her a smile. "We find a way home together."

"Anne? If we don't find a way home we still be together right?"

"Or course." Anne said resurringly.

Sasha and Hop Pop sat across from each other, as Felicia pours them some tea. The old man pulled on the collar of his shirt. "Sasha... I would every much like it if you'll come back home."

"Why, so, you can lied to me again?" Sasha said, her tone was less hostility then usual.

"I deserve that, what I did was wrong. Just tell me what I can do to make this right?"

"Nothing. Look, this works better. You don't have to spend money on another burden."

"You're a no a burden Sasha. I screwed up okay. I'm not perfect, I did what I did because I believe it would keep you all safe. Even you. I care about you."

"But you care about Sprig and Polly more?"

"I don't play favorite Sasha. You're a much a Plantar as my own kin."

"I like it here better. I didn't like working on a farm."

"Will you think about it? Please. I know I hurt you. I'm not perfect, I made a mistake."

"I might." For now if that's all Hop Pop was going to get, he was grateful for it. He walked over wanting to hug her, but she refuse his offer. He nodded before taking his leave.

It was mornings when they finally made it to the Misty Moors, "We've finally made it." Anne wiped away some sweat as Marcy fell to the ground in exhaustion.

"Time for the Moss Man, summoning ritual." Wally began dancing around and shouting a bunch of gibberis.

"Uh... Are you sure this is gonna work?" Suddenly there it was. Anne, Marcy and Maddie tried to run after it, Anne tried to get a picture but her fingers were trembling too hard to get a proper grip on my phone, and when she finally did Wally tripped over her knocking out of her hands, and the noise spooked the Moss Man causing it to run off.

"Where'd it go?" Marcy scanned the around.

"Oh, dang mist!" Anne groaned.

"The mist is affecting my tracking spell." Maddie said as she was unable to pick up the creature anymore.

"We lost him again." Anne fell to her knee, punching the ground. "We were so close."

"I just can't believe it's actually real."

"I know, right? Wait, what?"

"I thought it was a myth. I mean, it's preposterous."

"But you- I don't- What? So you took us all the way out here based on a lie?"

"Yeah. I mean, we had fun, though, didn't we?"

"That's not the point. I could've easily gone back with no proof. And then everyone would think I was like you."

"What's so bad about being like me?"

"Anne?" Marcy spoke softly as Wally walked away.

"Wally..." Anne felt like huge jerk. "Oh, woof. Wally. I didn't..." She sighs and walks over to help. "It's cool don't care what people think of you. And I'm happy we came out here together."

"You mean it?"

"Totally."

"Yeah?"

"Now let's get a pic of that Moss Man. Together."

"Oh! Look!" Marcy pointed

"Huh?!" Anne saw the creature, "There it goes. We gotta hoof it." They were immediately back on its trail. A trail that led up rocky cliff.

"Good thing I did bouldering club in school." Anne smiled as she began climbing.

"Oh come up. Why would a plant creature go up a rocky cliff." Marcy groan, as physical strength was something she wasn't go at. She tried finding her footing but couldn't pull herself up. "Grrrh... Weak nerd arms. Maddie have anything that can help."

"Nope... Sorry," Maddie scanned the cliff, "There no good jumping points either."

"Anne I don't think we can do this." Marcy tried to grabbed on hold of a rock, but would immediately let go, trying to reach for another but couldn't get a good grip.

"Don't worry," Anne smiled, looking down below. "If it up there we'll find it. Right, Wally. Yo, Wally, you almost up here?

"Yep. And I think I'm really starting to get the hang of this... Arrgghh!" Wally lost his grip on the cliff, Marcy closed her eyes, Maddie gasped in shock as Wally was about to fall to his death. Almost because Anne managed to save him at the last minute.

"I got you, buddy."

"Oh thank Frog," Maddie took a breath of relief as she watched from below.

"Thanks." Wally smiled, "Did you get the picture?"

"Not yet. Come on. One, two, three." Anne tossed Wally up towards the cliff. "Upsy-daisy."

"It's gone." Wally sighed.

"The trail's gone too." Anne looked around

"You lost your one chance to get proof and it's all my fault. Now everyone's gonna think you're as loony as I am."

"You know what? I'm cool with that."

"Wait, really?"

"What a turnaround."

"We know what we saw. And a good friend once told me it doesn't matter what other people think of you."

"That's a good line. Would your friend mind if I used it? It was you, Wally."

"Yeah, I know. Or was it?

"You goofball."

"Sorry you came out here for nothing," Marcy looked away from Maddie as they were making there way back to Wartwood.

"That's alright," Maddie smiled, "I had fun."

Back in Wartwood, the group was telling their tale to anyone who would listen. "So there we were," Wally began as Anne was playing the according. "Our bodies ravaged. Hanging on the edgeof the cliff, the beastie staring down at us, lickin' its mossy chops.

"Any proof?" Loggie asked.

"Absolutely... not." Marcy smiled.

The frog left murmuring amongst themselves.

"They're four peas in a pod, these loons." Monroe glared.

"Eh, tough crowd." Maddie rolled her eyes.

"Can't please everyone." Anne smiled, honestly she was okay with this.

"Well, best be heading off." Wally smiled and walked back home. "Oh, there once was a lass Named Anne the Fair She put up a front And played her part But soon enough Touched this loon's heart."

Can't believe after good three years the series is over. Emotionally farewell to this great show and soon another great show The Owl House also finished up Season 2 and will be ending soon as well (Too soon. As the 3 season was cut short.). Here a list of show I've enjoyed that might fill the void. The Owl House, Gravity Falls, Ducktales, Hilda, Kipo, Carmen Sandiego, Arcane, Dragon Prince, Centaurworld, Invincible (This one is adult), Infinity Train.