Wind in the Willow Brooke Mall

As Anne Boonchuy, Olivier Clawthorne and the disguised Plantars walked off the transit bus,

Olivier stared at a building that was much larger than the Supermarket from days ago.

He was about to say something when Anne began to walk off with the Frogs.

So he ran to catch up with his girlfriend, and walk with her into the building.

Once inside, the group stood over a guard railing overlooking a lower level lobby

where dozens of people were gathered and entering side rooms with different names above them.

"Welcome to Willow Brooke Mall!" spoke Anne. "Where I learned life's most important skills."

Anne then looks at the Plantars. "And where you're gonna learn the lessons you need to survive in my world."

Olivier was still staring in awe at the interior of the building they were in.

"Survive? Your world is soft, Anne." scoffed Hop Hop.

"Yeah. I mean, the animals don't even try to disembowel you." said Sprig.

"Yeah!" said Polly. "We don't need no stinking-"

The Plantars then fall down an escalator, while Anne makes an "obvious" face

as she and Olivier go down the escalator like normal people would.

"(*deep sigh*) proceed." spoke Hop Pop, defeated.

Olivier wandered a little, his eyes unblinking. "wow...you weren't kidding about this 'Mall' thing, Anne."

Anne was briefly distracted from the Plantars as she looked at her awestruck boyfriend.

"I've never seen anything like this before..." continued Olivier. "Is this place some kind of Temple!?"

Anne chortled. "no, but it might as well for those who "worship their credit cards."

Anne then took out her cell phone as she turned back to the Plantars.

"OKAY. I've come up with a specific task for each of you." began Anne. "First up, Polly.

You need to control your temper. It's drawing too much attention, and we're trying to keep a low profile."

"I say what I want, WHEN I WANT!" exclaimed Polly (rudely.)

"That's a good way to get yourself killed." said Olivier, crossing his arms.

"And you ESPECIALLY can't do that here." said Anne.

"Your mission is to go into that store, and build a custom plushy without fighting anyone."

Anne pointed to a "Construct-A-Carnivore" store.

"Ha!, Child's play." said Polly.

"literally." snarked Olivier (grinning like his mother would.)

"Sprig." Spoke Anne. "you can't touch everything or you're gonna lose a limb."

"But there's so many new surfaces and textures!" exclaimed Sprig, desperately.

"So you didn't learn anything from that Poison Ivy incident, yesterday?" spoke Olivier.

"Sure I did!" exclaimed Sprig. "I know not to touch THOSE things again."

Olivier exhaled in aggravation.

"Your mission, Sprig. Is to walk through that Gallery of Art Installations without touching ANY of them." said Anne.

Sprig looked over at an art gallery (which had some pretty weird, and bizarre exhibits.)

"Heh, looked simple enough."

"and, Finally: Hop Pop." spoke Anne, turning to the old frog.

"You need to stop taking free stuff. In my world, Everything has a price."

Olivier couldn't suppress a snicker.

"What?" said Anne, wondering what was so funny about what she had said.

"oh, nothing...you are just starting to sound like my mom." said Olivier.

Anne paused...and then blushed. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"Don't worry, it is." said Olivier. "Anyway (looks at Hop Pop) Anne is right: *EVERYTHING* has a Price."

"Then why do they call it "free", Mmm?!" retorted Hop Pop. "Because they think I'm-

"-gullible, and easily scammed." finished Anne, bluntly.

(*kinda like most of everyone back in my own world, now that I think about it.*) muttered Olivier, quietly.

"Oh...well, That's actually pretty clever." said Hop Pop.

"Your mission is to make it through Kiosk Alley without falling for any free scams."

Anne then pointed to a 'Hall of Scammers' (who all eyed Hop Pop like hungry predators waiting for the kill.)

"I'll be watching all of you from the upper level." began Anne. "You got Twenty Minutes to complete your mission."

"And if one of us screws up?" asked Sprig.

Anne then cast an intimidating stare at the frogs.

"Then you can't be trusted to leave the house..."eeeeeeeeeeeveeeeeeeeeer."

Sprig Gasps.

"NO WAY!" exclaimed Polly

"Since when do you set the stakes?!" questioned Hop Pop

"SCATTER!" exclaimed Polly.

The Plantars run towards their assigned spots, but collide into each other.

"oh, boy..." muttered Anne.

Olivier looked at Anne. "You SURE this is a good idea?"

"I don't know...but they gotta learn SOMEHOW." said Anne.

The pair then paused for a moment.

"bet'cha five bucks they don't make past the first five minutes." said Olivier.

Anne grinned at Olivier. "bet'cha TEN bucks they at LEAST survive for ten minutes."

"you're on."

Anne and Olivier clapped their hands together like a High Five.

"Well, I'll go on up and watch the Plantars..." spoke Anne, as she began to walk away.

"You can go ahead and explore the mall if you want, Ollie. They do have an Awesome book store."

Olivier was just about to do just that...when he suddenly froze like a statue.

He bore an expression of terror as his recalled what happened the LAST TIME he left Anne alone in a store.

And unlike the much smaller Supermarket, this mall was plenty large enough

for a mechanical assassin to hide, and Olivier fears that if Anne WERE attacked...

...he would never get to her in time to protect her.

"uhh...If it's all the same to you, Anne. I-I'd rather stay with you for the time being." stuttered Olivier.

"I can explore later. You m-may need some help keeping an eye on the frogs."

Anne stared at Olivier. "you sure?...because I can manage on my own."

Olivier paused as his imagination turned on him. Forcing him to see an gruesome image

of the Cloak-Bot firing it's laser weapon through Anne's chest, her death scream echoing in his ears.

"yes...I am sure." said Olivier, trying to hide his dread.

Anne smiled (oblivious to her boyfriend's anxiety.) "Okay...let's go, then." said Anne, offering her hand.

Olivier took Anne's hand, gripping it tight as he stepped upon the upwards staircase.

As the pair traveled up the escalator, Olivier glanced at Anne with a worried look.

For Olivier, Anne was like a beautiful flower (a Lotus Flower, if he was to be more accurate.)

a wonderful flower that calmed the storm that once raged within his soul.

But also a flower that could die...and replace his serenity with sorrow.

Olivier wished he had the power to protect her. to keep her safe from harm ALWAYS.

but, no. even HE knew better than to keep someone like Anne locked away in a box.

He had once tried that with himself...and it didn't fix anything.

No, he had to accept the harsh truth that despite being Half-Witch,

there were some things beyond even his power to control. that his Magic couldn't fix.

All he could do...was his best to keep Anne safe, and happy.

He was not ignorant to the fact that being half-witch, he would live far longer than any human.

Even if he protected Anne from ANY that would do her harm, he could not protect her from TIME itself.

She would grow old..and eventually die (as would he, but at a much slower rate.)

One way or another...he was going to lose her. Even flowers, no matter how beautiful.

no matter how much you care for them...eventually wither away, and die.

Olivier knew his time with Anne was finite...so he would treasure EVERY moment.

And when the day came when he would have to let her go, he would wait for his time to be with her again...

...be with her Forevermore, in whatever Afterworld awaited them.

"Ollie?...you okay?!"

Olivier broke from his deep thoughts and looked at Anne. "wha-what?"

"You looked like you were zoning out on me." said Anne.

Olivier's face turned red. "ss-sorry...I had my mind on something else."

"Well, stay focused." said Anne, her tone serious.

"We have to keep a close eye on the Plantars, and make sure they complete their tasks."

"r-right...of course. Sorry." repeated Olivier.

"ah, it's Okay dude. I get it..." began Anne. "I saw how excited you were being here.

It kinda makes me wish I showed you the Mall in Newtopia before...well, before everything went to hell in a handbasket."

Olivier smirked. "more like "Hell in a Music Box."

Anne chuckled at Olivier's joke. "heh-heh, Yeah. that is one way to put it."

"Anyway...after 'The Anne Boonchuy Trials' are over, we can browse the mall together. Just the two of us."

Olivier looked at Anne. "You mean like a...Date?"

Anne looked away, blushing. "ye-yeah...we haven't had one of those since we left Amphibia.

And there are SO MANY fun things we can do now that we are in my own world."

Olivier smiled. "okay. It's a...ahem: Date."

Both Anne and Olivier chortled lightly, both smiling at each other.

They then turned around, and proceeded to watch the Plantars down below.

Olivier then chortled again.

"What's so funny this time?" spoke Anne, curious.

"oh, nothing much...I just think the name of this place is funny." said Olivier.

"How is it funny?" asked Anne.

Olivier looked at Anne. "well...Imagine if it was called: "Willow Park Mall."

Anne paused to ponder this. "That...isn't a bad name for this place."

Anne then looked back at Olivier. "but, I don't get what's so funny about that."

"There is a "Willow Park" back in my world in the Boiling Isles." said Olivier.

"Really?!..." spoke Anne, now interested. "Is it an actual nature park?, what was it like?"

"Willow Park wasn't a place...she's a person." said Olivier...who then frowned. "we were...classmates."

Anne looked at Olivier. "was...she your friend?"

Olivier breathed out. "we were." spoke Olivier. "She and...Amity Blight, were already best friends when I met her.

And together, we became a Trio. Kinda like you were with Sasha and Marcy."

It was then that Anne then recalled Olivier telling her about Amity and Willow some time ago in Amphibia.

"oh..I remember now. Sorry, I guess I forgot."

"It's alright." said Olivier, suddenly speaking more pleasantly.

"a lot has happened to us, and we've had other things on our minds."

Anne maintained her soft expression. She wanted to say something comforting,

but couldn't think of what to say...so she kept silent as she and Olivier watched the Plantars down below.

Though, Anne made a mental promise to herself.

That apart from finding a way back to Amphibia to send the Plantars back home,

Stop King Andrias from invading her world, and making things right with Sasha and...Marcy.

Anne also promised herself that she would find a way for Olivier to return to his own world.

So he could see his amazing mother again, (as well as meet Olivier's own "Marcy.")

Afterall...Olivier had made a similar promise to her once.

And it was only right for her to uphold that same vow to him in turn.

[End of Part Twelve]