Chapter 24: Part 2: Chapter 1: Ruins of Despair

"There you are, sonny, just as you've requested. What do you think?" Mrs. Croaker asked as she stood beside her pet spider, Archie. She was in her living room, finishing her newest sewing project. She stepped back to allow Frank to see her handiwork.

Turning to her body mirror, Frank marveled at his newest article of clothing. Per his request, Mrs. Croaker had sewn him a dark green poncho for his journal to Newtopia. Adorning the poncho was Amphibia's frog foot symbol. "I love it!" Frank said, reaching back and pinching the hood of the poncho. "Thank you, Mrs. Croaker."

"No need to thank me, sonny. I'll have this fixed up by the time you five come back," she said, holding Frank's torn-up jacket. When Frank came to her, he asked if she could fix his grandfather's m65 field jacket, and the old frog was happy to help. Not only did she agree, but she also made the garment for the Hispanic boy to wear while on his travels. 

"Alright, I'd better be going. We're leaving today, so bye, Mrs. Croaker," Frank said, walking over to the door and opening it.

"Don't go dying on us," Mrs. Croaker said jokingly as the door closed before Frank. 

Walking down the road toward the Plantar home, Frank took out his journal to write down some new notes and his thoughts. As he wrote, he occasionally looked up and smiled at the world that he was in. Amphibia was a savage death trap, but it had some of the most beautiful sights the Hispanic boy had seen. Helping to put a smile on Frank's face after the fight five days ago. 

It had been nearly a week since Frank battled Sasha and learned the truth. How she was the shoe thief that framed him and got him arrested for her crime. Thinking about her filled Frank with resentful bitterness, as her actions ruined his life. However, seeing her falling and nearly dying had given him moments of pause whenever Frank thought about it. He wanted Sasha to pay for what she did to him, but he didn't want her to be killed. 

The situation with her was confusing. There was no doubting it. Frank wanted justice for what his former friend did to him. He wanted her to suffer the same injustice he had to go through. Yet, at the same time, he didn't know if he could ever forgive her. Anne, his best friend and crush, wanted to believe there was still good in Sasha. And a small part of Frank did too. However, for him to think about forgiving the blonde girl was out of the question. The blonde girl had burnt him in a way no one could have, and the idea of forgiveness was far too soon to consider. The wound she left in his soul was still fresh, and he needed time to contemplate his decision.

As he wrote all of this in his journal, Frank saw that he was coming up on the Plantar's house. And parked in front of the farmhouse and hooked up to Bessie, the snail was a caravan wagon the family would use to go to Newtopia.

Hop Pop called it a "Fwagon."

As a miniature version of the farm, it contained everything they would need, from rooms, windows, and the Plantar emblem hanging on a branch protruding from the back of the wagon. On the front, it possessed a green seat where the driver sat to control and steer Bessie. It had a set of two enormous wooden doors on the back with silver engravings and a sign above it with "Pondskipper" displayed. Two main doors on either side of the wagon featured a small carving of Hop Pop and were kept lit by a translucent metal globe that contained fireflies to provide light. Glowing red mushrooms served as taillights, and a wooden barrel was placed between them. On the front, a few plants are located under a window, surrounded by two yellow bioluminescent mushrooms.

It was terrific that Hop Pop was able to get such a wagon that's a low price. However, that could be because the previous owners were murdered in it, which didn't sit well with the Hispanic boy.

Meanwhile, Anne and Sprig were sitting up on the house's roof. Together, the two friends watched the surrounding nature with peaceful smiles. The dragonflies were out and buzzing in the sky, and the flowers were as bright as possible. However, Fall was upon Amphibia, and soon the leaves of the trees turned colors. 

Sprig sighed as he then said, "Fall's almost here."

"All right, Sprig. New season, new possibilities. I'm ready to blossom into my best self," Anne said, excited for what this trip will bring for her. The Thai girl and Frank have been stuck inside the valley for three months. But now it was time to finally venture out into the world to find a way to get home and find Marcy. 

"So, you're feeling better about the whole Sasha incident?" Sprig asked the girl. 

In that instance, Anne's face morphed into a haunted expression. Her mind briefly flashed back to Frank's duel with Sasha, how Frank lost control of whatever anime powers he had inside him and nearly killed her other best friend. Then she remembered the look on Sasha's unconscious face before she was carried off. The fight had most certainly had a significant effect on her, and she's been holding it in since it happened. 

"Yep. Totally fine."

"Oh, cool. 'Cause if I had to see two of my best friends fight like that, I'd be devastated ," Sprig said, not noticing the annoyed expression on Anne's face. "And if I discovered that one ruined the other friend's life, I would never speak to that friend again! Cut them out of my life! Heck, I'd be upset just hearing someone talk about it."

"Oh, look! Frank's back!" Anne pointed to Frank. 

Frank waved up to both of them with a smile. "Hey, guys! What do you think?" He asked, holding out his arms to the side. Presenting his new poncho to his two best friends. Excited to show off his new clothing. 

Sprig quickly jumped down from the roof while Anne tried to slide down. However, she slipped and fell off the roof. She screamed as she fell, only to feel herself being caught in the arms of someone strong. Opening her eyes, Anne saw that Frank had caught her. 

"Oh! Frank!" Anne blushed and, in a panic, quickly pushed herself out of Frank's arms. Resulting in her falling on her butt. She quickly stood back up and dusted herself off. "Hey, you caught me!" She exclaimed before awkwardly rambling on, making their interaction even more embarrassing. "I mean, of course, you would. You're my best friend. And I'm your best friend…with you…."

Frank raised an eyebrow. 

"...I've been walking too much."

"So, uh, where's Hop Pop?" Frank asked, hoping to make the conversation less awkward. Looking around for the old frog, Frank saw Hop Pop and Polly approaching with Chuck beside them. He was a short, mint-green frog with a white underbelly. He'll care for the Plantar house while the family travels with the two humans. Anne had tried fortifying the house and even brought the vegetables to life to protect it. 

It didn't go so well.

"Oh, there you are, Frank. Looking sharp." Hop Pop said, admiring the poncho.

"Thanks, so we're ready?" Frank asked. 

"Yep, I just gave Chuck the keys to the house, and everything is packed in the fwagon," the old frog said with a smile on his face.

"Still not calling it that."

Anne then turned to Chuck. "Hey, sorry I doubted you, dude," she said. Her plan had trashed the house, and it would have set the trip back for months if it wasn't for Chuck. Like a one-frog construction crew, the unsuspecting farmer repaired the house after her mistake in under a minute. 

"I grow tulips!" Chuck said, tilting his hat. Frank was sure that was the only thing he could say, like Groot in the MCU.

"You certainly do," Hop Pop said, chuckling. The orange frog then rushed over to the wagon door and opened it. "Frank, go grab your things. It's a two-week journey to Newtopia, so we better get going."

"Whoo-hoo! Yeah!" Sprig cheered as he ran into the wagon.

"Let's a-go!" Polly excitedly did a flip and landed inside the wagon. 

Frank turned to go inside when Anne stopped him. "Need any help?" She asked.

"I don't have a lot of stuff. Just save me a spot," he said, nodding to the fwagon. 

Anne chuckled and walked off. "Alright. Don't take too long."

Turning back to the house, Frank opened the door and walked inside. He then took a left and looked down at the handle to the basement door. Reaching and grabbing it, Frank pulled it open and descended the stairs. Anne had already cleared the basement of her things, leaving only what little Frank had. 

Walking over to his bed, Frank grabbed his sword as it leaned against the post. He stabbed it to his waist as the blade rested inside the sheath. His grandfather's knife was still on him already. The Hispanic boy then picked up his baseball bat and placed it on his shoulder. 

And finally, there was Hellcat's Claw. The legendary weapon of the Frog King and the scythe that could unify Amphibia. Letting out a sigh, Frank reached out and grabbed the mighty weapon. Frank reached around his back and attached the scythe to the hook on his back, which was protruding from a cut out in his poncho. 

Walking up the stairs, Frank turned to go to the door….

And caught a glimpse of a glowing frog.

He quickly turned around to see who it was. However, the frog vanished. Frank looked around but saw no one in the room with him. He was utterly alone in the house. Thinking that he was losing his mind, the Hispanic boy shook his head, electing to forget the matter.

A second later, he left the house with his bat in hand and jogged over to the fwagon. He passed Hop Pop and was about to walk inside when he paused momentarily. Turning back to the old frog, he said, "Hey, Hop Pop. So, I was thinking... wouldn't it be a good idea to bring the music box with us on the trip?"

"Oh, uh…" Averting his eyes, Hop Pop nervously looked at the tree near the house. 

More specifically, he looked at where he buried the Calamity Box. The same place he hid it on that dreaded night.

Quickly turning back to Frank, he shook his head with a smile. "No, no, no. Uh, it'll be safe with my contacts for the time being."

For a moment, Frank thought about it. But then he smiled and nodded. "All right, HP. I trust you," he said before climbing inside the fwagon. 

As he did so, however, Hop Pop's smile disappeared. That was what probably hurt him the most about keeping the box away from Frank and Anne. They trusted him so much that they were willing to give him the music box, the one device capable of returning them home. Those two were like his grandkids, and he's betraying them. However, he remembered that he did it for his real grandkids. Hop Pop was only protecting Sprig and Polly. And if it meant betraying Frank and Anne so that the frog kids could live…then he'll have to live with that. 

After that reassurance, Hop Pop smiled again and slammed the door shut. "Well, let's get this fwagon on the road!" He exclaimed, hopping up onto the driver's seat. Grabbing the reins, he gave them a whip. Bessie started crawling, making the wagon jolt as it started being pulled. "No turnin' back now!"

"Wait, I think I left my phone in the bathroom!" Anne said.

"We're turning back now!" 

"No, wait! Here it is."

Everyone groaned.

A minute later, Frank, Anne, Sprig, and Polly climbed up onto the roof of the wagon to sit with Hop Pop. As they made their way through town, the frog villagers quickly came out to wave goodbye to their saviors. Frank and Anne waved and said their goodbyes, though they knew they'd return once they had the needed answers. Ivy then ran over and threw a flower at Sprig, which the little pink frog caught.

Exiting Wartwood, the fwagon made its way down the road towards the mountain pass. Passing many of the familiar landmarks Frank and Anne have seen and visited in their adventures. It wasn't long until they made it to the pass. Soon, they arrived and were happy to see that the ice had melted completely. Bessie pulled the wagon through the pass.

Soon, they came across a sign posted on the road.

Now leaving the Valley.

And after that was another sign. 

May Frog help you.

"Well, that's…certainly not ominous," Frank said, raising an eyebrow as they passed it. 

"Did you see that sign? We've officially left the valley!" Sprig yelled, super excited about crossing the border between his home and the outside world. "This is the most exciting thing that's ever happened to anyone! Aren't you excited? I'm excited. You should be more excited."

"We're excited," Anne said, looping her arm around Frank's neck. "You know, it's just, a lot is riding on this trip for us, and we wanna keep our expectations in check.

"That's right. So until we get to Newtopia, we've got to be…be…... What?" Frank asked as his eyes widened and sparkled, and his jaw dropped at the magnificent sight before him. "Whoa!"

What he saw was the lands beyond Wartwood. And they were more majestic than he could have ever imagined. The swamp lands were gone and replaced with open fields of farmland with small villages, giant mushrooms, and lilypads. Glistening rivers flowed through the land, bringing life to all that drank from them. And off in the distance was an active volcano. Beautiful butterflies flew past the wagon as Bessie came to a stop. 

The snail admired the sight before her, just like her riders. "This… was outside Wartwood this whole time?" Frank asked, staring out at the land in astonishment. "It's amazing."

"It's majestic. It's... hurting my eyes," Anne said as she rubbed them.

"It's even better than I could've dreamed." Sprig said, filled to the brim with much more excitement than ever. He hopped onto Bessie's shell and placed his hand over his brow as he scanned the horizon. "Full speed ahead, Hop Pop! Keep driving and never look back!"

However, Hop Pop had other ideas. "Hold on, Sprig. Look back here for a second," he said, interrupting the moment. "Now that we're out of the valley, things can get dangerous fast. So…"

Bringing the kids back inside the wagon, Hop Pop slammed a large book down on the table. "From now on, we're gonna follow Hop Pop's Rules of the Road. By me, Hop Pop." He said as he proudly presented his self-published book to the kids. 

Frank, Anne, Sprig, and Polly groaned together. "Another huge book? Seriously?" asked the Thai girl. The last time she had to read a humongous book was when she was trying to figure out how to drive Bessie. It was a surprisingly good book with a fantastic story that allowed Anne to appreciate the snail much more. 

"You kids got a problem with books?" Hop Pop asked.

"No, we've got a problem because it's your book!" Frank said. 

"That shouldn't matter. Why, without books…."

"'...our civilization would crumble to nothingness.'" The kids finished for him, already having heard that same line repeatedly. 

"The only way we'll get to Newtopia in one piece is if we follow these rules," he said with a smile as he picked up his book. Opening one of the pages, Hop Pop started to read from it. "Like this one here. Rule number 98: 'Never strike a heroic pose on the fwagon.' It's a sign of hubris that invites disaster." 

The old frog lowered his book to see Sprig doing the very thing that he was warning the kids not to do. Hop Pop then pulled out coloring and puzzle books and placed them on the table, along with a cup of crayons. Next, he pulled down the curtains so that the kids didn't get any ideas of wanting to explore the outside world. Finally, he grabbed Sprig, threw him into a booster seat, and strapped him in. 

"That should keep your sense of adventure in check." He said, all while his grandson looked very uncomfortable. Hop Pop then opened the hatch to the top and climbed out, all while the kids looked at him, annoyed. "All right, kids, let's stick to the rules, and we should have a safe and completely uneventful trip. Okay, thanks. Byeee!"

Without waiting for a response, he closed the hatch and drove Bessie down the road.

"Man, this stinks," Sprig said before shooting out his tongue and the blinds and pulling them up. He looked out the window, longing for adventure. "All those adventures out there, and we're stuck inside here with these dumb rules."

"Not much we can do. My dad was the same way back home," Anne told him. "One time, we drove to the Grand Canyon and didn't stop once."

Frank looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "How do you go to the Grand Canyon and not stop to see it?" 

"That's what I said!"

"Well, if anyone can figure out how to have fun with these rules, it's us," Frank said, trying to cheer the others up. 

"Newtopia, here we come!" He and the others in the fwagon cheered together. 

However, the moment was ruined by Hop Pop once again. "Road rule number 29: 'No shouting.' Marauders will follow the sound and steal your skin," he said, making all of them sigh. 

This trip was going to be a very, very long road trip.

About an hour later, the wagon was seen traveling down the road and passed by a windmill. That's when Sprig asked, "Are we there yet?"

"No," Frank said.

Sprig groaned and leaned out the open window, bitter and miserable. However, he then saw something that made him gasp in wonder. Across the road was a majestic-looking waterfall with multi-colored and a rainbow arching over it. 

 "A rainbow waterfall! Oh, we got to pull over," Sprig exclaimed, ready to scramble for the door. 

But, of course, his grandfather ruined the moment. "Hub bup bup. Road rule number 243: 'All natural phenomena lead to an unnatural death,'" Hop Pop said, showing him the page, then closing the book. And thus, they continued down the road, passing the waterfall.

An hour later, Frank and Anne sat at the table together, playing a card game called Card Wars. The game's rules are super complicated, so the two kept the rule book out to help them as they played. 

 Sprig asked again, "Are we there yet."

"Not yet," Anne said, not looking up from her cards. 

The hatch to the roof opened, and Polly looked down with an excited smile. "You guys have got to see this!" She called down to them. Curious, Frank and Anne put their game on pause and went up the ladder with Sprig.

They popped out and saw they were parked in front of a dune set up like a race track. "Zoom Dunes?" Sprig exclaimed, reading from the sign set at the edge of the dunes. 

A second later, the family and humans heard the sound of snails revving their engines behind them. They turned around, only to see three racing snails zooming past them. Each snail was tricked out with rad colors and big exhaust pipes. The kids watched in awe as the racers zoomed down the track, jumping hills and coming to a skidding stop at the finish line.

"Whoa!" Frank and Anne exclaimed in astonishment.

"Awesome!" Sprig and Polly said together. 

Full of excitement, Polly patted Bessie's shell. "All right, Bessie. It's time to show the world how fast you can go."

Bessie revved herself, ready to race against the other snails. However, Hop Pop once again interjected. "Uh-uh. Rule number 149: 'Never drive faster than a Junebug can fly,'" he said, pointing out the rule in the book. 

"Okay, well, how fast can they fly?" Frank asked. 

A second later, a Junebug appeared. It got the attention of everyone on the wagon as the cute little bug flew exceptionally slowly. However, Frank and the kids watched as it slowly flew down to the ground. Then it yawned, pulled out a tiny pillow, and laid down on it. Snoring as it fell asleep.

Hop Pop chuckled at the sight of the cute bug sleeping. "Good thinking, little guy."

"Don't you fucking—" Frank couldn't even finish his threat when the old frog yawned and fell asleep. "Of course."

Knowing they would be there for a while, Frank and Anne returned to the wagon and sat back at the table to resume their game. They picked up their cards, and not even a minute later, Anne's eyes lit up when she saw one of her cards and placed it down. "I floop the pig!"

Frank opened the rule book to see if she won. A moment later, he swiped the gameboard off the table. 

An hour later and they were finally moving again. Once again, Sprig was sitting with his sister and grandfather in the driver's seat. Bored out of his mind. "Are we there yet?"

"No!" Polly yelled. 

Behind them, Frank and Anne popped out of the open door. "Ooh, what's that?" The Thai girl asked, pointing to something off in the distance. The place she was pointing to was a cozy-looking diner that was called Amphiba's Best Diner. And even if they didn't see the inside, the kids could just smell the delicious food being cooked inside. 

"Whoa! Amphibia's Best Diner? Okay, we have to stop here," Sprig said, looking for any excuse to get off the wagon. 

"I can go for a bite," Frank said, rubbing his belly. 

But once again, Hop Pop intervened. "Rule number 193: 'Don't stop anywhere claiming to be 'The Best.''"

"Okay. But can we just stop for some food or ice cream? There's no rule…." Frank trailed off when he saw Hop Pop turn his back to him and the others, pull out his book and start writing something. "What are you doing?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing. But you are wrong about that rule," Hop Pop said before turning around and presenting the entry in his book that he had just edited into the back. "Rule number 194: 'No ice cream in the fwagon.'"

"Seriously? You've got to be kidding me!" Polly yelled as she hopped on his head.

"Hey, hey. I just enforce the rules. I don't make 'em," Hop Pop said to the kids, picked Polly up gently, and placed her beside him on the seat. 

"You did make them! You literally wrote them!" Anne shouted, going crazy with all the crazy rules. "They're called Hop Pop's Road Rules!"

"Damn right. And I stand by 'em." Hop Pop said with conviction. Once again, Frank, Anne, Sprig, and Polly groaned, beyond frustrated with the old frog. 

It's now been three hours since they left the valley. The kids were already bored out of their minds. They've gone through all their games and coloring books and had nothing to do. Anne was playing on her phone while lying on the couch. Frank was sitting at the table, sharpening his knife, while Sprig stood on the table and looked out the window. Longing for the adventures that were just passing them by. Yet here he was, trapped inside the wagon because of his grandfather. Hop Pop had turned what was supposed to be their first trip outside the valley into a dreadful experience. The mobile home was like a prison, and they couldn't escape. All Sprig could do was ask the same question again.

"Are we there yet?" 

"Yes," Frank said with a smile.

Sprig gasped excitedly. "Really? 

"NO!" Frank shouted, startling Anne and Sprig. Frustrated with Sprig's whining and asking the same stupid question repeatedly. "Now stop asking!"

"But this is takin' forever, Frank, and I can't take it," Sprig exclaimed, pulling on his orange hair. The pink frog then gestured to the world outside of the wagon. "Look at all of these once-in-a-lifetime experiences that are literally passing us by."

"I know, and I really wanna complain about it," Anne said, jumping into the conversation with her own grievances with the rules. "But road rule 345, 'no complaining,' takes care of that."

"I swear if one more exciting thing passes us, I gonna lose it!" He exclaimed, throwing his arms up.

"Well, find a way to entertain yourself," Frank told him. 

Seeing that he wouldn't get any support from the boy, Sprig sighed and sat down in the seat, fidgeting with his fingers as he tried to think of a way to make the time go by faster. There was silence for a moment between the three of them. The only sound being made came from the knife grinding against the whetstone. That's when Sprig figured out what to do to entertain him. Sitting straight, the little pink frog popped his lips, making Frank and Anne wince. Seeing this, he popped his lips again. The Hispanic boy was growing more impatient, while Anne looked nervously at him, knowing that the boy would lose it. And he nearly did when Sprig popped his lips a third time.

"Oh! Por cinco minutos... Could you not be yourself?" Frank asked pleadingly before pulling the frog out of his seat by his shirt and getting in Sprig's face to yell loudly. "FOR FIVE MINUTES!!!"

He shoved him away, and Frank and Anne quickly returned to what they were doing. Another moment of silence came. However, something caught Anne's attention. Sprig was slowly peaking his head out from under the table, looking at Frank with mischievous eyes. Anne shook her head slowly, warning him not to do it. However, the frog slowly nodded and popped his lips one last time.

"AAAARGH! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" Frank pounced on Sprig and started beating him up, making the pink Frog yell in pain. 

"Red alert, kids." Frank stopped with Sprig's neck in his hands, looked up, and saw Hop Pop open the trapdoor. "We're coming up on the Ruins of Despair ."

Hearing that name, Frank, Anne, and Sprig quickly rushed over to the dutch door. The Thai girl opened the top half, and the three friends hung their heads outside to see what would have earned such a foreboding name. 

The two humans and frog gasped at the sight of Ruins of Despair. Seeming minuscule structures were shaped like frogs with two windows resembling eyes set above a set of bronze metal gates. The ruins seemed to stretch for miles, and each structure gave off the appearance that it hadn't been touched in forever, with grass and moss growing on them. 

"Whoa! What are those weird structures?" Anne asked. 

"No one knows, Anne. They've been here long before any written history," Hop Pop said, looking at the ruins with suspicion. "Just a mystery better left unsolved as far as I'm concerned. Now get back inside! That's how you get shot by bandits. 

Miffed, the three kids closed the top door. Once again, Sprig climbed on top of the table and looked outside. Groaning as he watched the ruins passing him. "This place is the coolest thing I've ever seen. If I don't get out and at least touch something, I'll regret it for the rest of my life," he said, whining like a baby.

"Yeah, well, get ready to have your wish granted," Frank said, walking up to the ladder. Anne and Sprig watched as he climbed the ladder and opened the trapdoor. "Hey, HP. Pull over. I've got to take a piss."

"Dang it, Frank. How do humans cope with such unreliable innards?" Hop Pop complained. 

"Hey! No complaining! That's one of your own rules," Frank said, pointing his finger at the back of the frog's head. "Now, unless you want the fwagon to smell of piss, you'll pull over and let me have this one basic need!" 

Hop Pop sighed and pulled on Bessie's reins, stopping the wagon. He said, "Let me know when we can start moving again. Anne, Sprig, go with him. There's safety in numbers."

"Okay, thanks," Frank said, closing the door on him as he retreated into the fwagon. As Anne and Sprig looked at him in surprise, Frank walked to the back of the wagon and opened the back doors. "Let's go!" 

The three of them quickly rushed out and jumped the fence. Then they started running across the grassy plains of the Ruins of Despair. "This was your plan? Frank, you've done it again," Sprig said with a smile as he ran alongside the two humans. 

Meanwhile, Hop Pop and Polly sat together in silence. The orange frog was utterly oblivious to what the kids were up to or their plan. Polly, on the other hand, wasn't. "You do realize that they tricked you, right?" 

Hop Pop scoffed at that notion. "You're telling me that Frank, Anne, and Sprig lied to me to use the restroom just to leave the fwagon?" He asked, acting like it was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard of. However, after a moment to think, Hop Pop sighed as he grabbed the rule book and started climbing down from the driver's seat. "Polly, don't do anything till I get back."

Frank, Anne, and Sprig laughed as they jogged to one of the structures. Stopping in front of its mouth and the metal door. "Okay, pretty sure Hop Pop's onto us. So let's take some quick selfies and get out of here," the Thai girl said, pulling out her phone. 

"Alright, but first, I need the two of you to give me some privacy," Frank said, turning around to face the door and bunching up his poncho. 

"Whoa! What are you doing!" Anne exclaimed in disgust as she turned away from her best friend. 

"Hey, I said I needed to unload the tank, and I meant it. So if you don't want this to be weird, go around the corner," Frank said, shooing the two of them away with his hand. 

"Okay, but be quick," said Sprig as he and Anne walked away. 

With his best friend and crush out of sight behind the corner of the structure, Frank unzipped his pants and sighed, relieving himself. Afterward, he zipped up his pants and unrolled his poncho. The Hispanic boy was about to call back over his friends when he looked at the door before him. It was strange looking from the ordinary doors in the froggy world. 

Believing that he was just overthinking it, Frank turned around. "Alright, I'm—AAH!" 

Frank shouted in shock when he saw a glowing red frog behind him. The frog was a female reddish frog with pink under color and orange hair, wearing a light brown hoodie and a darker brown-red skirt, and a leaf pin in the middle of her shirt.

"Ghost!" So startled was Frank that he backed up into the door. Causing a beeping sound from the door.

Then, the doors suddenly slid open. 

Frank screamed as he fell back and landed on the smooth surface of a steep passage. He was helpless to stop his body as he slid down the wet passageway, passing pipes and funguses growing on the walls. Before long, Frank came to a stop when his body hit the bottom of the slide head-first. Making him yell in pain, and he held his head. 

Hearing his screaming, Anne and Sprig rushed back over to the door, only to be surprised that it was open. They looked down into the passage, and Anne called out to her best friend. "Frank, are you okay?!"

The boy groaned in pain, sitting up as he rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, I'm good." He stood up and opened his eyes. And his eyes widened in wonder. "Whoa…"

The chamber the Hispanic boy fell into was massive and advanced. Technologically advanced. Frank scanned the room and saw computers and technology leagues ahead of what was on earth and light-years ahead of what was on Amphibia. In the center was what looked like a frog-like computer with a lever sticking out of the head. There was a conveyer belt that led into a hole in the wall. Where it went to, Frank could only imagine. The only living things in the chamber were small creatures like insects and small critters. 

Frank stood still, his bare feet feeling the cold floor. "Guys…you've got to see this place."

Confused, Anne and Sprig slid down the passageway and landed on both sides of the young boy. They, too, were surprised by the technology underground. "What the heck? Are those computers?" Anne asked, looking at the pipes and wires connected to the walls and the computers. 

"How does that make sense? I thought you guys were like pastoral or whatever," Frank asked.

"I'm... gonna touch everything!" Sprig exclaimed with a giant smile on his face. He then started bouncing around and touching everything that he could get his hands on. He was a kid in a candy shop, finally able to touch the outside world and have a chance at an adventure for the first time outside the valley. 

Anne smiled cheekily as she watched Sprig enjoy himself. "We did a good thing," she told her best friend. However, she was quick to notice that he wasn't smiling the same as her. "What's up?"

"Anne, none of this makes any sense!" Frank spread his arms out as he looked around the room. "For the past three months, we thought we lived in a fantasy world like Middle-Earth. But now we're just finding out that the amphibians have advanced technology? Why hide all this? Why not use it?"

"Well, let's find out. There's no one to stop us," Anne said, shrugging her shoulders. 

However, before they could find the answers to the mystery, they were interrupted when Hop Pop came sliding down the passageway, screaming. He landed at the bottom and hit his butt, startling Frank and Anne. "Do you three realize how many rules you just broke? 17, 29, 36, 55!" Hop Pop yelled furiously as he marched over to Frank and Anne, with the latter clenching her fists, resisting to urge to strangle the elder frog. 

"It was an accident!" Frank said, trying to explain himself. "When I turned around, there was some frog I have never seen standing behind me—" 

Hearing that made Hop Pop gasp. "This is what I mean! A thief nearly robbed you because you wanted to go outside the fwagon, Frank!" 

"I had to use the bathroom!" 

"Well, consider that the last bathroom break outside the fwagon, until we get to Newtopia," Hop Pop told the kids. When the two human kids started protesting, he quickly shut them down. "No buts! If you just listen to the rules…."

"Forget the rules!" Sprig exclaimed, interrupting Hop Pop after finally reacting his limit. Ignoring his grandfather's indignant and shocked expression, the pink frog gestured to the machines. "Look at this place, Hop Pop!" The pink frog started hopping up onto the large central computer. "It has everything. Cool atmosphere. Implied historical significance…." He looked up and saw the lever as the sun shone down on it through a hole in the roof. And it was too much for the young frog to resist. He smiled at his grandfather and pulled his arm down, mimicking how he would pull the lever. "Levers."

"Don't you dare!" Hop Pop warned Sprig. "Rule number 68: 'Never, ever pull a lever.'"

"Heh, clever," Frank said.

It became a Mexican standoff for both the young frog and his grandfather. Both of them glared at one another. However, Sprig was eager to show Hop Pop that some rules were meant to be broken. So, he jumped into the air and landed on the lever. He wrapped his toes around it and used his weight to push it down. 

Frank, Anne, and Hop Pop gasped and braced themselves. However, to their surprise, nothing happened. "Well, look at that. I broke rule number 68, and we're all still alive," he said smugly….

…only for the lever to be pulled from under his feet and retracted into the machine.

"Whoa!" Sprig fell to the ground and hit his head. 

That's when lines on the floor started glowing a bright blue color as the machines started powering up. "What the…" Frank said as more lights started turning on from behind a glass wall.

"Huh?" Sprig was startled when the machine opened up, revealing a keyboard and computer screen that lit up. Data and what appeared to be a muscular frog were on the blue screen. All the words on the console were in a language neither the humans nor the frogs understood.

"Start-up engaged." Said the machine.

"Whoa! The building can talk!" Sprig exclaimed with a giant grin. However, he backed away from the machine cautiously. "Not sure how I feel about that."

"Assembly line activated. Routine protocols engaged."

"Assembly line?" Frank and Anne asked together. A machine turned on behind them, and they turned around to see the conveyor belt behind the glass wall start rolling. They watched as machines stationed on both sides of the assembly line started up and made their product.

"Guys, I think this is a factory," Anne said. 

"But what the heck is it making?" Frank asked, walking up to the glass to see what it was that factoring was manufacturing.

"Wow. It is mighty impressive." Hop Pop said, looking at the machinery and technology at work.

"Additional materials required. Please place them on the glowing access point."

"Glowing what now?" Hop Pop asked. However, as he looked up, the ground below him started to glow brightly. That's when two restraints latched onto his feet, trapping him to the spot. "Help! It's got me!"

However, before the three kids could get to him, the circular floor under Hop Pop's feet sank into the floor. 

"Hop Pop!" The humans and Sprig yelled as the floor closed itself. 

However, to their confusion, they heard Hop Pop's laughter within the walls of the factory. "And it tickles." Not even a second later did he say that when the old frog reappeared. This time behind the glass wall and in the room that housed the assembly line. Frank, Anne, and Sprig rushed over to the glass, watching the conveyor belt move. Taking Hop Pip down the line as he criticized the kids. "See this right here, kids? This is why we follow the rules."

With his feet still trapped, he turned away from them with his arms crossed. However, he gasped when he saw the belt was taking him over to a vertical line of red lasers. Remembering what laser did to people in Star Wars, Hop Pop braced himself to be cut into thin slices. However, when the old frog passed through the laser, he was pleasantly surprised to see he was unharmed. 

"That wasn't so bad," he said to himself. That is, until his clothes fell apart, leaving him in only his underwear. Thankfully. He screamed and tried to cover himself. "I'm not beach-ready."

"Hop Pop!" the kids screamed. 

Frank turned to the other and said urgently, "Sprig, we've got to try and shut this madhouse down. Anne, get Hop Pop out of there if you can."

"Right!" Anne said, splitting up from Frank and Sprig as she rushed to find something to smash the glass with. 

Luckily, she found a broken piece of machinery on the ground. She grabbed it and rushed back to the window. With all her strength, the Thai girl chucked the part and smashed a hole in the glass large enough to jump through and land on the conveyor belt. 

"I'm coming, Hop Pop."

Hop Pop, however, was holding up his arms to allow two robot woes to spray him down. "Take your time, kids. Ooh!" He yelped in surprise when the water hit his back. Making him chuckle. "This ain't half bad."

Meanwhile, Frank and Sprig rushed over and jumped up onto the machine running the factory. Looking down at the keyboard, Frank's expression turned into a mixture of confusion and panic. The keyboard was nothing like he was used to back on earth. The console screen was no help either, as the Hispanic boy couldn't read the amphibian language. 

"Sprig, what does this say?" Frank asked.

"How should I know?" Sprig retorted. 

"If you wish to cancel the operation, please insert new disk," the machine said, opening a slot for the two to place said disk. 

"What the heck is a disk?" Sprig asked the human

"I don't know! Not even my grandma's shop had those!" Frank said, grabbing his head. "Okay, if this is like a keyboard, then I should be able to ask it to stop, right? That's how hackers do it."

Cautiously, he pressed one key. Whatever it did, it was enough to make the screen go red.

"Security violation detected."

"Uh oh," Frank said before he and Sprig were thrown off the machine when it violently started moving. They landed on the ground before sitting up, only to scream when they saw what was happening. 

With the console screen a bright red color, the machine opened its eyes and glared down at the two boys. Then it raised two giant arms into the air. Ready to kill the two intruders for triggering the security violation. 

Frank quickly jumped out of the way of one arm as Sprig jumped out of the way of the other. The pink frog laughed at the machine's inability to catch them, only for his spirits to drop when the lever he'd pulled to turn on the device came back out. Only this time, it had a giant buzzsaw on the end of it. Whirring angrily at high speeds.

"You gotta be kidding me." Sprig screamed as he and Frank jumped out of the way again. As the human boy pulled out his combat knife to fight, Sprig saw Hop Pop's book beside him on the ground.

"Hurry up, Anne! Things are getting dicey over here!" Frank yelled at his crush.

"Seriously, take your time, kids," Hop Pop said, so far enjoying the ride. 

However, that changed when the panel behind him suddenly angeled and placed his back against it. The factory then secured his arms to the panel with braces. Hop Pop screamed as it spun around before lowering back onto the conveyor belt. On his back, with his limbs immobilized, the frog felt the line moving again. He looked down it to see where he was being taken to. 

To his horror, he was being taken to a hydraulic crusher. 

"I take it back! I was a fool!"

"Hold on, Hop Pop! I'm coming!" Anne yelled as she jumped over the clothes-slicing lasers. The water woes then blasted her, knocking her off balance and making Anne accidentally step on a robot arm. Forcing her to roll forward on it like a log. 

However, this worked in her favor in the end. When she reached Hop Pop, Anne tripped and fell off the arm. However, this made the arm stand up and brace itself against the crusher. Stopping it from killing Anne and Hop Pop while also stopping the assembly line. 

"How's it going over there, guys?!" Anne yelled. 

Bash!

"AH!" Frank yelled as he was backhanded by the machine. Spending him flying over to a wall and hitting it. 

Seeing his friend getting hurt, Sprig panicked as he opened Hop Pop's book and started frantically flipping through the pages. "Maybe there's something in the book that can help. That kind of thing's worked before."

"This is a little different!" Anne shouted on her back, using both hands and feet to push against the crusher. The robot arm was being compressed. It wouldn't last much longer. 

"Well, I've got nothing!" Sprig yelled. However, the machine grabbed him with one of its arms and pulled him into the air. Slowly bringing him toward the waiting buzzsaw.

"Help!" 

Sitting on the floor with his back against the wall, Frank groaned in pain as he shook his head. Hearing the screaming voices of his friends, he opened his eyes and saw they were all in mortal danger. Anne was about to crush along with Hop Pop, and Sprig was about to be sliced up. 

As the machine repeatedly ordered to have a new disk inserted, Frank's eyes widened as he glanced between his best friend and the girl he liked a lot, and the old frog. Knowing they were going to die unless he did something to save them. 

And he did.

Growling in furious anger, Frank stood up and let out a primal roar, his eyes glowing red. His powers had returned, but not in the same capacity as they had the first time on Toad Tower. 

Still holding his knife in a reverse grip, Frank's hand had a glowing red aura around it. 

The machine paused the factory to look at Frank, detecting the power radiating from him. "Power surge detected," it said, as its system quickly concluded that it was similar to, if not the power of the Calamity Stones. Protocol stated that it had to alert Newtopia. 

Just before it could send out its signal, Frank, with lightning-fast speed, rocketed towards the machine. 

His body smashed through the screen and came out the other side like a bullet!

Just as the machine erupted into a fiery explosion, Frank used his new powers to fly toward Sprig at supersonic speeds. Time seemed to slow down for Frank when he passed over the pink frog's head. Allowing him to pull his best friend out of the grip of the robot's arm. 

Bouncing off the wall, Frank went for Anne and Hop Pop. Smashing through the window and using his knife to cut the crusher off. Sending away as Anne and Hop Pop looked at their friend in awe. 

Feeling his arms no longer restrained, the orange frog proclaimed, "I'm free!"

Frank grabbed him and Anne. Holding them in his arms along with Sprig. He then zoomed to the base of the slide and then jumped all the way up the passage and out of the factory. Frank landed on the ground with a skid that kicked up dirt and grass as smoke bellowed from the factory's entrance.

Out of danger, Frank started groaning and placed the others down on the ground. He placed his hand on his head and sweating. The pain he was in went unnoticed by Anne and Sprig as they cheered together. 

"Yeah!"

And once again, Hop Pop was there to ruin the fun. "Hey! Road rule number 2: 'Don't celebrate till you're completely out of danger.'"

"Come on, Hop Pop. The danger's clearly…."

KA-BOOM!

The factory blew up in a massive explosion that sent the four of them flying away. When they landed on the ground, the four of them had burns and bruises covering their bodies. That's when the rule book's scorched remains fell in front of them. 

"Levers! Am I right?" Sprig joked nervously as he nudged Frank's arm. 

Groaning in pain, the Hispanic boy said, "I'm going to break your fingers, Sprig..." 

Frank fell backward and fainted on the ground. Much to the shock and alarm of the others. "Frank!"

Deathly worried for the boy, Anne rushed over to his side and lifted him up a bit. "Frank. Frank, wake up!" She said, desperately wanting him to open his eyes again. Anne then placed her head on his chest to hear his heartbeat. 

"Is she OK?" Hop Pop asked, worried.

Hearing his heart beating, Anne sighed and looked at the others. "He's OK. I think using those powers takes a lot out of him," she said, placing her hand on his cheek. 

"Well, we gotta do something," Sprig said.

"Don't worry. I've got an idea," Anne said confidently. She placed Frank on the ground and lowered her head closer to Frank's face. Her lips parted ever so slightly. With expressions of anticipation on their faces, Sprig and Hop Pop had their hands on their cheeks and watched with bated breaths. Waiting to see what was sure to be true love's first kiss. 

Instead, what they got was Anne slapping Frank. "WAKE UP!"

"OW! What the fuck, Anne?!" Frank yelled with bloodshot eyes, jumping awake. However, the Hispanic boy looked around in confusion after the initial shock and anger wore off. "Wha…Anne?"

"You're alive!" The Thai girl and male frogs cheerfully exclaimed as they hugged Frank while cooing.

"Oh, my God, dude! Don't you ever give me a scare like that again," Anne said in relief. 

Frank chuckled a little. "I will."

"Good," Hop Pop said, pulling away from the group hug. "Because you three are in so much trouble!" 

Sprig sighed and looked at the ground in shame. "I know. I know. We should've followed the rules."

"You think?!" Hop Pop yelled at not just his grandson, but the humans too. Wanting to give them the stern talking-to they deserved. "You know, you three should be more like Polly. I told her to stay put and look where she is!" 

He pointed to where Polly and Bessie should be. However, they were gone, and someone had smashed the fence. Knowing who could have done it, the old frog pinched the bridge of his nose. 

"Where's Polly?"

"Whoo!" The four of them heard the tadpole's unmistakable voice and turned in the direction it came from. 

Polly was driving Bessie like a mad woman. Using the factories as if they were ramps, jumping high into the air, and doing flips and spins. All while the snail was chirping happily. Polly and Bessie then landed beside their family and friends. 

"Boom, baby!" Polly yelled with the biggest grin on her face. However, that smile disappeared when she saw the others staring at her. Making her realize that the jig was up. "Bessie made me do it."

Hop Pop grunted as he gave her a suspicious look. 

"All right. I'm sorry, okay?" Polly said, looking upset and sad as she turned away with her flippers crossed. "That's the last time I break a rule, I swear."

"Yeah, us too, HP. It was wrong of us to trick you," Frank said, looking ashamed of his plan, even though he did need to go pee. "We'll follow all the rules for the rest of the trip. Now, can someone please help me walk? I'm trying to move my limbs, and nothing's happening."

Anne and Sprig pulled him up to his feet and helped him limp to the wagon. "Yeah. I guess we just won't experience anything special," the pink frog said. 

Hearing his grandson say that made the orange frog thing for a moment. He couldn't understand what he meant. They were outside of the valley. That was special in of itself, right? But when he saw the charred remains of the rule book, Hop Pop realized where he had been going about this trip all wrong. 

Yes, he wanted his family to be safe on their journey. Still, he wanted the trip to be a memorable experience. And Hop Pop was getting in their way with his rules and keeping them prisoner in the wagon. It wasn't far from them, and he now saw it. 

Hop Pop sighed and looked at the kids. Anne opened the wagon door with one arm around Frank's shoulder for support. "Hang on a sec, kids," he said, getting their attention. "Maybe this only happened because I was being too strict with you. We've never taken a trip like this, and I just wanted it to go smoothly. So what do you say we set aside the rules for a bit and make a stop or two?"

Frank: Anne, Sprig, and Polly gasped as they smiled excitedly. "Really?"

Sprig instantly held up his arm. "Oh, oh, oh! Can we stop at the Hills of Impalement? I've heard it will traumatize you for life."

Hop Pop, however, held up his finger to him. "Nope. I've got something else in mind."

A minute later, the family was passing through the factories again. This time with ice creams they've got from the diner from back down the road. "How's the crickets and cream ice cream, kids?" Hop Pop asked with a smile. 

"Amazing!" Sprig said. 

"So good!" Polly shouted before shoving the whole cone in her mouth and munching on the treat. 

Frank and Anne were enjoying their ice cream too. "You know, there was a time I'd pick out the bug bits. That time has passed," Anne said, taking another bite of her ice cream. 

Hop Pop chuckled and turned back to the road. "Glad you like it."

Sprig scooted closer to him. "Thanks, Hop Pop," he said before standing up and hugging him. 

However, when Anne turned to look at her best friend, she saw Frank looking at his ice cream, yet he wasn't eating it. He just stared at it with a troubled look in his eyes. "Frank, are you sure you're OK? You didn't look too good back there," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. 

Frank sighed and looked at his left hand. "Yeah, but I think I shouldn't use those powers anymore. Not if I can help it. I don't know how else to describe it, but I just have this…bad feeling when using them. I don't want to lose control and hurt you."

Hearing his concern for her made Anne blush a little. She understood his worries and said, "Well, we won't make you use them again."

"Thanks, Anne. I appreciate it," Frank said, turning away and looking at the factories. However, he gasped and dropped his crickets and cream ice cream. 

A few yards away was that same glowing frog. 

"Hey, what's up?" Anne asked.

Alarmed, Frank turned to the others and pointed in the direction the frog was. "Did you guys see that?!" 

"See what?" Polly asked. 

"That frog—" Frank turned back and was shocked. The frog had disappeared. He looked around to see where she had gone but couldn't find her amongst the ruins. His nerves wavered. It was as if she was a ghost. 

"Wow. You kids really did get cabin fever," Hop Pop commented. 

"No, I swear, there was another frog. She…almost looked like you, Sprig." Frank said, looking at his frog best friend. 

However, Sprig just shrugged and sat down in his seat. "Eh. Probably nothing." 

Thinking the same thing as Sprig, Anne turned her head and looked at the factory they'd destroyed. "Man, I'm kinda bummed we didn't find out what that factory was making," she said. 

"Yeah, me too. Guess we'll never know," Sprig said with a smile. He then placed a hand on Frank's arm. "Guess we'll never know…Guess…"

"Shut up," Frank said. 

Soon, the fwagon was out of the Ruins of Despair. After their adventure in the factory finished, Frank and Anne's quest to return home continued. Whatever they'll see on the road was a mystery, but one thing was for sure. It'll make their voyage even more memorable as the journey continues. 

However, not all was as it seemed. What the family didn't know was that before it was destroyed, the factory completed the construction of something. 

Bursting out of the rubble and debris of the factory was a large robotic frog. The same robot that had been displayed on the computer. 

The robot had elongated, gray metal arms ending in slender fingers. The main body consisted of overlapping metal sheets with a shiny frog foot sign along the middle. Placed upon the shoulders were brown, darkly shaded metal pauldrons with three metal studs. Its head was mounted atop his body via bar extensions. It featured two brightly glowing optics representing its eyes with darker yellow pupils capable of turning red based on his emotions. The mouth consisted of a crescent speaker incapable of moving but allowing minimum speech.

Free of the rubble, the robot looked around. That's when it spotted the wagon as it drove away down the road. With no other objectives and orders, it could do only one thing. The robot started following the wagon.