6. Ch 6 - Grit and Grime

Hello everyone!

Again, thank you all for favorite-ing, following and reviewing this story! I'm so glad you like it! I was going to wait another week to post this, but I figured I would post it now. I wanted to explore the time between the 'Prison Break' episode and the 'Reunion' episode by showing the training that Ethan would go through during that two month period.

This story is more PG-13 than the PG show it is based on, and giving that Ann and Sasha are both in Wartwood while Ethan's at Toad Tower, there's going to be a few changes that differ from the show. One of them already happened but I never explicitly mentioned it: Anne never lost her shoe because Sasha helped her find it, so the first time Grime learned about other humans being in Amphibia was from Bog when he came back after the 'Toad Tax' episode. There are no major changes to the story besides that so far, and most of what I write will be stories I come up with in my head, using my OC and the show's characters. I just wanted to make sure that you all knew this.

Enjoy the chapter!

Grit and Grime

The residents of Toad Tower rested the day after the heron attack, their victory boosting their self-esteem and bringing them closer together. But the next day, it was back to business, which included training and rebuilding the Tower for everyone, including the newest human soldier-in-training.

Of course, going from prisoner to soldier was not an easy transition for Ethan, mainly because he was a different species from everyone else. Most of the toads, while impressed with his fighting during the heron attack, were still wary of the strange creature with long, gangly legs and an unruly mop of hair on his head. Some simply disliked him, giving him dark looks from across the mess hall.

At least he had a lumpy bed to sleep in, which felt like a cloud compared to the stone floor he had spent the last month sleeping on. He also got changes of clothes, which included tunics and pants made of some rough leather material, and even a pair of boots; they tried to throw out his tennis shoes, but he insisted on keeping them.

Naturally, Ethan still had his worries. Going from prisoner to soldier in one day was not something he was prepared for, especially since he had no formal combat training. It was intimidating, knowing the training he was about to go through would probably be difficult. He had read enough books and seen enough movies to know that training would not be easy, but he was determined to not mess up. One bad screw up, and he was probably back to sitting in a cell. Now, he would do whatever it took to become the best soldier this army ever saw.

[][][]

Captain Grime called him into the briefing room on Ethan's first official day of being a soldier. He hesitated outside the door, knowing that there was no going back from here on out, and steeling himself, he knocked on the door.

"Enter," the toad said gruffly, and he walked into the circular war room he had found his backpack in during his escape attempt weeks prior. Grime sat at the desk, looking through several scout reports.

"Captain Grime," the teen said, standing in front of his desk and hoping he was correctly standing at attention.

"Captain Grime, sir," he corrected, not looking up from his work.

Ethan winced, knowing he had forgotten something. "Sorry… Sir."

"That's better," he said graciously, looking up at the human before him. "Ah, our newest soldier. I wanted to discuss your training with you."

"Yes, sir," Ethan said. "Are... you going to be training me?"

Grime glared at him for interrupting, then snorted with laughter, soon laughing out loud at his stupidity. The teen felt his cheeks flush, and it took all his self-control to not get annoyed, though he was secretly relieved to not have to spend every waking moment with the toad.

"No, I'm far to busy to oversee your training all the time," Captain Grime said. "And I doubt either of us have the patience for that. Every other evening, however, I will teach you how to use a sword; you can choose whatever weapon you use in battle, but sword fighting is a skill every soldier should know. And you will shadow me once a week until I deem you fit to command. The rest of your day-to-day training and work rebuilding the tower will be overseen by one of our best soldiers."

"Who?"

There was a knock at the door, and the captain called whoever it was inside. A red toad with a war hammer strapped to his back walked in; he looked as tough as Grime did, and the frown on his face when he saw the teen only made him more intimidating.

"Captain Grime, sir," the toad said, giving the captain a quick salute. "You asked to see me?"

"Yes. Come in, Bog." The toad walked into the room, purposefully standing as far away from the teen as he could while still standing in front of Grime's desk. "I believe you've heard of our newest soldier?"

Bog gave Ethan a disdainful look, making it clear that he was one of the toads that disliked the human. "Yes, sir."

"Bog's been in the Southern part of the Valley, collecting taxes from the various farming communities," Captain Grime explained to the teen. "He's one of our best soldiers, and a skilled fighter."

Oh no, Ethan thought, realizing what the toad was about to say.

"So he'll be overseeing your training every day," Grime said. "You will listen to what he says and learn from it."

Bog looked surprised by this news, his frown momentarily replaced with a shocked expression. "Captain Grime, I must protest," he started to say.

"You will not protest," the toad captain interrupted, turning to glare at him. "This is a direct order. You will be responsible for helping the human here become proficient in hand-to-hand combat. He will also be a part of your group that's rebuilding the south wall." The soldier opened his mouth to protest but Captain Grime stood up. "Am I making myself clear, Soldier," he demanded.

Bog stared at the captain, then at Ethan, then back at the captain. "Yes, sir," he said, though he did o't sound happy about it.

You and me both, Ethan thought.

"Good." Grime turned to the teenager. "You may leave; Bog will come for you in the morning."

"Yes, sir," the human said, not needing to be told twice as he quickly left the room, closing the door behind him.

"Sir," the red toad soldier said as soon as he was sure the creature was out of earshot. "Is this some sort of punishment for what happened in Wartwood? I wasn't expecting those two creatures to-"

"It's not a punishment," the captain said, walking around the desk and towards the map of Amphibia. "It's an assignment."

The captain's tone made Bog pause, a confused expression on his face. "Sir?"

"Did you know that the human thinks he is the only one here," Grime asked, looking at the map of the Valley. "He seems unaware that the two other humans you saw are also in Amphibia."

The soldier's eyes widened a little. "He thinks he's the only one of his kind here," he asked.

"Yes, and we are going to keep it that way... for now."

"But... why, sir?"

"This human has potential; I can't have him running off to find his own kind now that we have the ability to mold him into whatever we want." He smiled, taking out his dagger and marking an 'X' on the part of the map called 'Wartwood.' "By the time we march on the Valley, he must show little regard for anyone and anything else outside our cause; he must think that our world is a cruel place that will show him no mercy, so he must show no mercy in return... even towards his own kind. Your job is to lead him in that direction... Do you think you can handle that, Soldier?"

Bog could not help but smile at the genius of the idea.

"Yes, sir," he said. "And I won't utter a word to him about his kind being here, and make sure the other toads do the same."

"Excellent. And Bog," he added, turning back to face the soldier. "You are going to teach him how to fight, but I will leave how you choose to do so up to you, so long as it doesn't hinder him from rebuilding the Tower or any other training." He grinned. "You remember the old saying, 'To find the best in us, we must first be broken?'"

Bog was now smiling like a kid on Christmas Eve, already thinking of ways to make the human suffer.

"Yes, sir," he said enthusiastically.

"Good. Dismissed."

As the toad left, Grime turned back to the map, the gears turning in his head. There was also another part of his plan he hadn't told Bog, but one that would work out nonetheless. Ethan will clearly dislike Bog's rough approach to learning, and, being the only human in the Tower, would seek a friend elsewhere. Sure, he had Percy and Braddock at the moment, but an easy reassignment would ensure the teen rarely saw them. That was where he, Captain Grime, would step in, making the human believe he had his best interests at heart as he slowly molded him into the perfect pawn for his army.

"I hope you're ready for us, girls," the captain said evilly, finally taking his knife and stabbing Wartwood. "Because when we arrive, he will show you no mercy."

[][][]

Ethan's new 'friend' woke him up before daybreak, dumping a bucket of water on him. The teen gasped, sitting up and falling out of his bed, wondering why it was raining inside. He looked up to find Bog standing over him, a cruel grin on his face.

"Thought you deserved a special wake up," the red toad said, setting the bucket upside down on the human's pillow so dirty water dripped onto it. "Meet me in the courtyard in five minutes, no armor, and make sure your bed is made before you leave." He walked out of the barracks as Ethan got to his feet, glaring after him.

"Yeah… this is gonna be fun," the teen muttered to himself, setting the bucket on the ground and making his bed as best he could.

Bog was waiting for him by the entrance to the courtyard, a smirk still on his face. Rubble from the destroyed fortifications was still scattered around, and some toads were already up, cleaning the debris. The toad did not wear any armor himself, and was also wearing a tunic and rough leather pants, but he still had his weapon strapped to his back.

"Do you creatures even wake up this early," the toad asked.

"I've been up earlier than this for gymnastic practices and meets," Ethan answered, frowning at him. "And I'm a human."

"Didn't ask, don't care," the guard said, walking across the courtyard. "Hurry up, Creature, I don't have all morning!"

The teen walked after him, already dreading whatever training he was about to go through. They walked past the other toads, some giving the human a double take before returning to their work, separating the usable bricks from the ones broken beyond repair.

"I know it's pointless to ask," Bog said, "but do you have any prior fighting experience?"

"Not really," Ethan said, glaring at the back of the toad's head as the soldier made disapproving 'tsk' noises.

"Way to make my job more difficult," the toad complained, leading him towards the front gate, the two guards letting them out. They walked across the drawbridge, heading for the nearby swamp, stopping near the edge on a level stretch of ground. "Guess I should figure out what you can do." He grabbed his hammer, turning to face him. "Ready?"

"Uh… you want me to fight you without a weapon," the teen asked, taking a nervous step back as he eyed the hammer.

"Why didn't you bring one?"

The human bristled angrily. "You said I didn't-"

"I said you didn't need to bring armor," the soldier interrupted, casually tossing and catching the heavy hammer. "Did you expect us to fight with our fists?"

"Yes," Ethan said exasperatedly. "I thought we would be starting slow with whatever self-defense basics you know. I don't even have a weapon!"

Bog gave him an incredulous look before shaking his head, snickering. He tossed the hammer aside, cracking his knuckles.

"Okay, then. Here's your first lesson."

The toad suddenly shot out his tongue, which wrapped itself around the teen's arm, pulling him forward. Caught off guard, the human flew across the clearing, and the soldier caught him when the teen got close enough, flipping him over his shoulder. Ethan landed on his back on the ground, the wind flying out of him. He tried to sit up, but the guard put a heavy boot on his chest, holding him down.

"So you're not good at dodging," Bog commented, removing his foot and stepping back, waiting for the human to catch his breath and get back up.

"A little warning... would've been nice," Ethan gasped, taking deep breaths as he mentally reminded himself to stop falling for that basic attack.

"An enemy's not going to warn you before killing you," the red toad said, frowning at him. "Do you think an enemy will wait for you to get ready to defeat them? It's a rough world out there; you need to toughen up before you can face it."

"I can be tough," the teen muttered with some annoyance, straightening up. "And if you're so 'tough,' you wouldn't be standing back and using your tongue; you'd come right for me."

Bog shrugged. "Your funeral."

The toad ran forward, swinging his fist at Ethan. The human yelped and fell backwards, the punch going over his head. Landing on the ground, he rolled away to get some breathing room, jumping to his feet. The soldier ran after him, trying to hit him again. Dodging it, the teen kicked at the toad, but it caught his foot, throwing him off balance. He fell down again, and before he could react, the toad's hammer suddenly landed right by his face, close enough that he could see his reflection in the hammer's metal head.

"It's almost pitiful how bad you are," the soldier informed him, picking up the hammer from the ground, tossing and catching it. "Emphasis on almost."

"Is this how training's always gonna be," the human complained. "The two of us fighting and me getting my butt kicked every time?"

The toad grinned. "I don't see a problem with that," he said.

"Well I do! Aren't you supposed to be teaching me how to defend myself from an attacker?"

"What better teacher than experience? You survived for about five seconds this time, versus the zero seconds the first time. Seems like I'm doing a great job."

Annoyed, Ethan took a handful of dirt and threw it at the toad, blinding him. The guard yelled with anger, dropping his hammer. Taking the opportunity, the teen jumped up, body slamming him and knocking him to the ground. He tried to punch him in the face, but the toad rolled out of the way, and the teen's fist hit the ground. Yelling, the teen looked up in time to see the toad's fist coming for his face, knocking him to the ground once again. He cradled the side of his face, wincing at the pain.

"Not bad, Creature," Bog said, getting to his feet, blinking his eyes a few times. "Using your environment as a tool to gain the upper hand; there may be hope for you yet."

"Do I get a medal," the human asked sarcastically.

"Nope," the toad answered without missing a beat. "Now back on your feet, soldier; we still have an hour before breakfast, and I'm not planning on being the last toad in line!"

[][][]

"Owww," Ethan muttered later that evening as he lay on his bed, feeling like he had gone ten rounds with a tornado and lost.

After a grueling training session with Bog [in which he was beaten no less than 19 times], he got a quick breakfast of pill-bug pancakes, and then spent the next four or five hours helping rebuild the tower. First, he was sorting bricks, but was soon reassigned to helping other toads rebuild the walls themselves, handing stones to a toad that used mortar to rebuild what the herons had destroyed. Then a quick lunch, a few more hours of manual labor, and right after dinner, another Beat-down Hour with Bog [patent pending], who at one point hit him in the stomach so hard that his dinner made a guest appearance. Add his upcoming sword fighting lesson with Grime, and the teen was ready to pass out from exhaustion.

"I should've become a vagabond," he complained, staring at the ceiling.

"Uh… C-Creature," a small blue toad soldier asked, standing several feet away and apparently too scared to approach him. "Captain Grime w-wants you to meet him in th-the courtyard in two m-minutes."

"Thanks," the teen muttered, pushing himself into a sitting position as the toad scampered away with a frightened expression. Ethan could only imagine what kind of torture sword fighting would be, and made his way down to the courtyard with little enthusiasm. Grime was waiting by the door of the Tower, nonreactive to his tired demeanor, a long and wrapped package under his arm.

"Follow me," the toad said, leading him towards the front gate. The human followed a few steps behind, wishing he had a sugary soda to keep himself from falling over. They had some version of soda here called Bug Juice, but it tasted like death.

They left the fort, soldiers saluting their leader as they went, and headed towards the swamp. Like Bog, Captain Grime also stopped outside the edge of the forest, turning to face him.

"Stand at attention; you're a soldier now," he snapped, and Ethan immediately did so. "Now… sit down and rest for a few minutes."

The teen blinked at him in surprise. "W-What," he asked.

"You look like you're about to fall over," the toad informed him. "You can't train if you can't stand. Now sit, that's an order." The human did not need to be told twice, immediately sitting down, then laying down on the ground, sighing with relief. "Now don't get comfortable; we still have training to get to."

"I know," the teen sighed, looking up at the sky, which cast a beautiful red glow because of the setting sun. "Just had a long day, is all."

"It's a normal day for the rest of us," Grime said irritably. "Don't tell me rebuilding the Tower was that difficult."

"It wasn't that…" He looked at the captain with an angry expression. "You knew Bog didn't like me, didn't you? That's why you ordered him to train me?"

"Perhaps," the toad replied noncommittally, "but he's also one of the best fighters in the army; you're lucky to have him as a teacher."

"He's not a teacher," the human protested. "He's a bully, plain and simple, and one that seems to have a personal grudge against me for some reason."

"Don't flatter yourself."

"Flatter myself? He expects me to be able to beat him every time he attacks me! Occasionally, he gives a piece of advice, but not before I've hit the ground at least ten times!"

"We have a saying among us toads," Captain Grime informed him, giving him a serious look. "'Shut up and toughen up.' Overcome this obstacle; stop complaining and start fighting back! If you don't like being beaten, then work hard to make sure it doesn't happen." He unwrapped the package he had brought with him, revealing two sticks. He tossed one to the human. "Now on your feet, soldier. We toads work through blood, sweat, grit and tiredness. If you want to be one of us, you will do the same."

"... Yes, sir," the teen said, getting to his feet.

"Proper sword fighting starts with the stance," Grime began gruffly, standing with his legs slightly apart, left leg forward. "Your hips should always face your opponent, with your center of balance in between you two legs. Back straight, body open in a 45-degree angle."

"Okay," the human said, looking down to make sure he was in the correct stance. "Is this right?"

"Decent," the toad conceded with some reluctance. "Now you hold the sword like so." He held the stick up, showing Ethan his hands. "Dominant hand higher up, the other lower, closer to the end of the hilt. Keep your elbows bent and close to your body."

Captain Grime continued to instruct Ethan, correcting how he held his sword and teaching him a basic attack and block. Expecting the toad to attack with full force, the teen was surprised when they slowly started to practice the attacks. First in the air, then on one another, taking turns between the two. Giving how fierce and cruel and skilled Grime was, the human was surprised he was taking his time calmly answering his questions, acting like a regular teaching helping a student with homework. In fact, the toad captain gave him homework, telling him to practice his attacks and blocks before the next lesson.

Later that night, laying in his bunk while surrounded by snoring toads, Ethan thought about the day's events. It seemed like a lot of work after the relative comfort of sitting in a cell all day, but he would be lying if he said it was not interesting. While being attacked by Bog stunk, he had managed to get a few hits in himself. And rebuilding the tower was not that bad, since by the end of the day, most toads were not scared to approach him and some even called him by his actual name. Plus he was building muscle, carrying heavy bricks around all day. And sword training with Grime was not anything that he expected; he was not used to seeing the teaching side of the toad, though the captain was still his usual gruff and warty self.

"Well... at least I now know what to expect from now on," he muttered to himself, unconsciously rubbing the back of his still-scared hand. "There'll be no more surprises to deal with."

If only he knew how wrong he was.

That's it for this chapter! I wanted to set up how Ethan's training would take place [he isn't automatically a lieutenant because he is not as ruthless or strong as Sasha... yet], as well as introduce a new antagonist through Bog. Of course, Captain Grime has a clever plan, but only time will tell if it will succeed.

Again, thank you all for reading, and I will see you next chapter!

-aggiefrogger