Summary:
Being more than one is often better than none of anything...
A Human & A Half
Routine and repetition. That was the clear secret of achieving mastery over a field. It was a lesson that Randy had long learned as he was put through the fierce training that came to becoming a mystic warrior. So, every day he went through his training regiment over and over to push his limits. His body needed to be as strong as it could be for whatever threat came to the valley, as well as a way to achieve his own mystic powers. That's why he ran up and down his family hill while carrying heavy logs on his back. His last few run ins with yokai had been tough and was now trying to grow even stronger.
First off, maintaining constant Full Concentration breathing, and having his body adapting to it to go even further.
Breathing with that technique had been the best way for Randy to keep up with everyone around him, but it wasn't enough. The speed of blood flowing through his body spread to every muscle in his body and helped him keep up and grow ever stronger. It made his attacks faster and stronger. So to make it something he could do in his sleep was something he could not pass up on. The breath went in, filling his lungs before his heart took all the oxygen and pumped it through his body. Repeating the same action over and over as he ran was a Herculean task, but it was worth it. He ran to the top with his body getting used to the roaring fire that coursed through his veins. He climbed up to the top with the added weight before standing at the top of the hill.
His body was covered with sweat as he took in deep breaths of air. The bitter work that he was putting himself through was hellish, but he remembered the words of his grandfather just as he was about to complain.
"A warrior is fierce in battle because their training is fierce," Randy said.
His grandfather's wisdom was a light in his path, and there wasn't a day that he didn't appreciate his guidance. He dropped down his weighted logs before heading to the Norushi family altar. Kneeling down before it, he bowed in respect before smiling.
"Hey, grandpa, it's been an eventful couple of days with Anne and the Plantars," Randy spoke, still trying to catch up his breath. "You won't believe who was being haunted by a pair of yokai, Stumpy. But don't worry, he's doing better, started fixing up his restaurant and getting back in the groove of things, and even got a five star review from Duckweed. I think it's in part with Anne's dishes and ideas. Though don't ask if preparing raw kraken is a good idea. Or how she makes her dishes super spicy.
"Though, not everything has been sunshines and rainbows, she is pretty much a pain because she can be super lazy. Literally, the last one to get up and the first one to go to bed. I had to stop her from breaking Hop Pop's old family cane and keep her from getting taken away by giant hornets when she fell asleep outside. Man, was I that much of a pain growing up? I also still don't know how she got here in the first place. Maybe it's connected to this thing?" Randy pulled out the music key that had brought him to Amphibia years ago. "Maybe I'm being too paranoid or intrusive? She's the first human that I've ever met in a long time, and I wanna know more about her. But I don't wanna sound like I'm creepy or anything. Any advice you can give me?"
He was only met with silence.
Randy sighed, knowing that it was now up to him to figure out how to get through to Anne his own way. Now he had to take up all the knowledge and wisdom his grandpa had passed on to him and use it to make his own choices.
Besides, it wasn't like he was trying to get anything too extreme or weird. All he had to do was talk to a young girl his age despite the most contact and interactions with females were amphibious girls and Yunan. How hard could it possibly be, right?
Back at the farm, Anne and Sprig were playing some adaptation of baseball with some moldy turnips and a mantis arm-scythe made to cut wheat.
"Alright, the crowd is listening and they are waiting to see how Anne, the star player, sends upstart Sprig Plantar back to the little leagues." She prepared to swing her makeshift bat as Sprig prepared to throw the turnip.
"Get ready Anne, this is a fast one!" Sprig hopped high in his place, throwing the turnip at Anne with ease.
Anne swung the scythe, slicing the turnip in two with ease. Sprig tossed more turnips her way and she sliced them all with ease. It wasn't the same as baseball but she enjoyed some physical games as much as the next gal. Plus Hop Pop had told her to get rid of the turnips, so she wasn't disobeying him in any way shape or form.
"Okay, one more!" Anne dared. "I bet I can send it through a home run!"
"I have no idea what that is, but here's a special one!" Sprig pulled out his slingshot, putting the turnip inside it. "Get ready, Anne Boonchuy! Here's my special shot!"
Sprig pulled back the turnip with all his might before letting it fly through the air. The moldy vegetable spun in the air like a bullet as Anne dug her heels against the ground. Her sweating hands tightened their hold as she looked at the spinning turnip. Time slowed down as it got closer and closer towards her. Releasing a deep breath, she swung her whole body hitting the turnip with all her might, sending it flying.
Anne jumped with gusto and adrenaline pumping through her body, forgetting that the tool she was playing with was quite lethal.
"Heck yeah!" Anne threw the scythe in celebration, only to realize it too late. "Sprig!"
Sprig screamed as the scythe came towards him, spinning like a buzzsaw of death. He ducked, closing his eyes for the worst. But it never came. Sprig hesitantly opened one eye to see the scythe stopping inches from his head.
The young frog's eyes spotted Randy holding on to the scythe with an angry look in his eyes.
"What were you two knuckleheads thinking?!" Randy pulled up the scythe away from Sprig's head. "Anne, you could've killed Sprig!"
"Sorry, sorry, sorry, I wasn't thinking and the game was so fun that I really couldn't control it," Anne tried to clear the mess up. "So, um how was training?"
Randy sighed, being angry with Anne wasn't going to get him anywhere. He wanted this friendship to work and come to an understanding with her. The culture barrier was so different along with the different ideals that they were raised with. So, he would have to try to have some patience with her just like how his grandpa had with him.
That thought sparked an idea inside Randy's mind. He'd spent a day as a human, then it was only fair that Anne spent a day as a ninja. A smile crept into his face as he looked at Anne.
"Actually very nice, and since you have a lot of energy, why don't you join me?" Randy asked.
"Say what?" Anne blinked. "I think I misheard you."
"You taught me about normal teenage life on Earth, so it is only fair that I teach you some of my ninja skills." Randy swung the scythe over his shoulders. "I mean, you could learn a little stuff to defend yourself as a bonus."
"Whoa, Anne, are you gonna become a warrior too?" Sprig looked at her with sparkles in his eyes.
Anne looked down at the ground, scratching her chin. The proposal of being a badass anime warrior with a sword was all too awesome to pass up on. She might not have been an anime nerd like Marcy but she was more than sure even Sasha would go for the possibility of becoming a badass if the opportunity presented itself. She'd seen Randy's skills firsthand, so the chance to do something as amazing as those killed sword strikes was not something she'd pass up on. But she had to play it cool. She didn't want to sound too desperate or stare too long at Randy's muscular and sweaty body that radiated-What was she doing again?
Oh right!
"Well, I guess some training and some moves here and there wouldn't be such a bad thing." Anne smirked, leaning forward. "Just, don't be too surprised if I ace anything you throw at me."
"We'll see what you got," Randy replied. "Tell me, do you have any experience fighting? Training of any kind?" He needed to know what he was working with.
"Well, I got some Muay Thai under my belt and you can ask my badass tennis racket how good my swings are." Anne pulled out her racket, twirling it in the air.
Randy wasn't sure what to expect from the tennis racket or the martial art. The way Anne spoke of them showed him that she was very proud of them but how far she'd mastered them was yet to be seen. Best thing to do was to spar and see what they needed to work on. With a slice of the scythe, Randy snatched two sticks from a nearby tree. He tossed one on to Anne before he swung his stick a couple of times.
"Um, what are we gonna do with this, dude?" Anne asked.
"Well, I can't tell if you're a good fighter with what you've told me." Randy swung his stick with the intensity he'd use on his sword. "So, I think a sparring match should clear up anything I'm still figuring out." Randy curled his toes, cracking them like knuckles.
"With sticks?" Anne scoffed. "No offense, Randy, but this is kid's stuff. Try using a real weapon against me and I'll show you what I can do?" Anne held out both her tennis racket and stick in both arms.
But before she could say anything else, her racket was smacked out of her hand by an invisible force. Anne watched as her racket fell away from her hand and Randy stood out, holding his stick like a sword. It was like looking into the eyes of a wild warrior in one of those samurai movies, knowing they meant business. If she had been holding her racket a little tighter, she could've ended up with broken fingers.
"Your hold on your weapon needs to be stronger, lesson one. Lesson two, never underestimate your opponent." Randy stood up. "In here, one mistake can be deadly. Be it monsters, raiders, wild animals, oni or yokai, a true warrior has to take things seriously and learn how to be ready for a fight at any second." Randy looked into Anne's eyes hoping to cement his words.
Anne could only feel her cheeks heating up as her nose picked up the smell of his morning training. But remembering Sasha's words, she pushed back, and acted as tough as she could against Randy. No showing weakness against an opponent no matter what.
"I'm ready when you are, Randy!" Anne pushed back, pressing herself against him. "Just maybe get something stronger than these sticks. They might break against my awesomeness."
"Glad to see you're in the spirit of it Anne," Randy smiled. "But don't expect me to hold back."
Anne wasn't sure if it was a good idea to challenge someone that was straight out of an anime or not. But she was not going down without a fight. And maybe she could get even closer to Randy's sweaty body-Calm down teenage hormones!
Randy and Anne stood across from one another with Sprig watching them from the sidelines. They were both now carrying proper wooden swords instead of sticks in their hands. Which didn't do much to Anne's demeanor.
"What the heck, dude? I asked for a weapon, not a carved stick," Anne pouted. "Come on, come at me with the best you've got!"
"I gotta give you props for wanting me to go all out, and normally I would," Randy said. "But this is to see how good you are in a fight. The Norushi Style of sword fighting is all about being fluid in combat like a flowing stream. You must have an idea of what your next move will be before you execute it." Randy stepped forward, slicing at the air before spinning on the tip of his foot before striking downwards and spinning to land one last strike.
Anne took a step back before scoffing.
"Yeah, yeah, Randy, I get it. I know martial arts too, plus tennis is like the exact same thing." Anne swung her wooden sword before dropping it. "Easy peasy."
"Yeah, I don't think they're the same thing," Sprig said. "There was this one time that old frog Nobu sliced a giant centipede ten times before its body fell down to the ground. It was awesome."
"Oh yeah, Norushi Style, Fifth Form, Flowing Cut was grandpa's signature move." Randy recalled the first time his grandfather used that move to save his skin. "He said his limit was ten to twelve consecutive strikes. I can only do eight at most."
Anne couldn't help but feel like maybe she bit more than she should have. But backing out now was not an option. She had to show Randy that she was as tough a warrior as him.
"Hey that may sound pretty cool, but are we doing this or what?" Anne asked.
"Right, right, sorry, let's do this." Randy held his wooden sword tightly, getting into a fighting stance.
Anne did the same, though it was more akin to a tennis player than a sword fighter.
"Let it rip, Sprig!" Anne smirked.
Sprig shot his tongue at the bell they had to start the fight.
Anne charged at Randy while he did the same. But while Anne shouted like a madwoman in a war film, Randy kept himself collected and focused. His breathing remained consistent, making his burst of speed all the more surprising for Anne. It was like he disappeared and reappeared before her eyes. Getting over her slight surprise, Anne swung the wooden sword like a tennis racket, only for Randy to duck under it before swinging his wooden sword behind her legs, sending her spinning to the floor.
"You got lucky!" Anne got back up with a growl.
"You charged like a school fight, if this were a real fight, you'd be minus both legs." Randy and Anne circled each other.
Anne charged again, swinging wildly, only for Randy to block the attacks with ease. His wooden sword seemed to move as fast as he did, cutting Anne's moves mid swing and forcing her to step back and tire herself out.
"Are you sure this tennis is a proper comparison to ancient ninjutsu sword fighting?" Randy asked.
"Okay, maybe, maybe there is a bit of a difference." Anne panted. "But there's one more thing to-SNEAK ATTACK!" Anne jumped at Randy, hoping to catch him off guard.
Randy spun in place, letting Anne pass by him like a leaf in the wind. He then lightly hit her in the head.
"Ow!" Anne rubbed her head.
"And that's your head." Randy put away his sword. "So, still thinking I should've used a normal sword with you?"
"Okay, maybe the sticks would've hurt less." Anne got up. "Seriously dude, how did you pull all that stuff off? You were like all over the dang place."
"What can I say, years of training and practicing have made me the wonking cheese." Randy crossed his hands behind his head with a smirk.
"Pff, ha ha ha ha ha! Y-y-you really need better slang, Randy." Anne laughed. "I really have to teach you some more modern stuff. Though please, continue."
"The point is, you're not a bad fighter, some of those swings were good, but you still need some proper swordsmanship and training to get even close to a proper warrior." Randy made Anne stand in a fighting stance, arranging her to be more prepared for a fight than she was. "See how this stance is much better for combat than the pose you were going for earlier? Now, try to copy the moves I make to give you an idea, and remember to breathe."
"Breathing? Seriously?" Anne scoffed. "Is drinking water important too?"
Randy gave Anne a serious look, telling her to shut up.
"Okay, let me put it to you like this, by mastering your breathing, and more specifically Full Concentration Breathing, your body is capable of going even faster and stronger than normal." Randy took in a deep breath before taking off, running around Anne at surprising speeds. "Your body is taken to its limits and it needs a lot of energy to help you move and fight against any and all threats Amphia hosts. With this kind of skill and training, you can do wonders. So, still wanna train?"
Anne and Sprig were awestruck at what they'd just seen. Even after seeing Randy do some crazy things during their time together, they had never expected something so simple to be the source of it all. And yet, Randy was jumping and swinging around like gravity and physics had been turned off for him alone.
"And if you still think I'm down playing it, check this out." Randy pulled out a gorge.
"Um, I was joking about the hydration part, Randy." Anne tapped at the gorge. "Plus, it's empty.
Randy smirked before putting his lips on the gorge. He took in a deep breath before blowing into the gorge in his hand.
They kept on watching as Randy kept on blowing into the gorge. Time passed as they wondered what the whole point of it all was.
Sprig decided he had to ask.
"So, is something supposed to-"
Crack!
The gorge shattered from the inside as Randy stopped blowing.
"That's how much air was in my lungs, and I still have more than enough to talk," Randy said.
"Holy frog!" Anne and Sprig both gasped.
"That was so cool! How many times can you do that?!" Sprig asked.
"Well, my grandpa used to be able to break a few of these easily." Randy tossed the remains of the gorge away. "So, you interested in learning some tricks?"
"Heck yeah, man! I am all for it!" Anne's eyes sparkled at the idea of being super awesome.
"I'm also in!" Sprig jumped high like he was on a sugar rush.
Randy smiled, he figured that Anne would've been onboard with the idea of training to become a better fighter but Sprig was a good bonus. He just had to lay down the rules to keep them from doing anything too dangerous. After all, the last thing he wanted was to have his friends try to pull off some of his moves without fully understanding them. But first, he needed to get them ready before they even considered swinging a sword.
"Alright, before we begin, you need to agree to certain rules, if not then the exercise is over." Randy sat down with his legs bent. "Number one, what I say goes. Which basically means that you got to listen to me. Number two, the exercises we're about to do are important and are crucial for the mastery of the shinobi arts. Number three, no, I'm not gonna give you real swords on the first day."
Anne and Sprig groaned, cursing their baby steps to becoming badasses.
"Guys, the first rule about being a ninja is do no harm, unless you mean to do harm then do lots of harm." Randy punched his palm.
"What if we want to do harm unto everyone that we see?" Sprig asked.
"Yeah, yeah, rules and stuff, when do we start punching through boards and kicking butt left and right?" Anne asked. "Wait, we're not going to be doing a bunch of chores to learn how to kick butt right? I mean, I love that classic movie, but I'm not cleaning your house to learn how to throw a kick punch combo."
"Life isn't fair, Anne. In Amphibia it's either eat or be eaten and to keep yourself from the latter, you gotta listen to what I'm trying to teach you." Randy got back up. "You've proven to have strength in you, but you need to get better in some of your rougher edges. Keep in mind that I won't go easy on you."
Anne narrowed her eyes as she smirked.
"Bring it on!" Anne claimed.
"Yeah, Sprannedy against the world!" Sprig joined in.
"Okay then, take deep breaths both of you," Randy instructed.
"Huh?" Anne asked.
"Assume the same position as me and breathe in the same manner as I am." Randy lowered his stance, spreading his legs.
Anne and Sprig imitated Randy breathing in as deeply as they could. They waited as Randy watched them repeat the same action over and over again. They could feel the air rushing through their lungs before being released back into the wilds of Amphibia. The air around them cooled their bodies and wrapped around them like a blanket as they continued breathing. It was a tranquil exercise but eventually, Anne broke the silence.
"Urgh! How long are we going to be doing this?" Anne asked.
"You need to strengthen your core through these breathing exercises, Anne. You can't just pull off what I do without something backing you. Look at Sprig, he's so into it that his eyes are closed." Randy pointed to Sprig.
"I think he's actually asleep." Anne poked Sprig, causing him to fall.
Sprig snored before waking up.
"What was that?! Am I a ninja now?" Sprig asked.
"Okay, Randy, I know you have your system but come on, give me something tough to do." Anne pleaded with him. "I breathe just fine."
Randy raised his eyebrow at that. A memory jumped up at him about how his grandpa proved him wrong by the same statement. Though he felt like Anne would not appreciate it.
"Okay, we'll move on to the next step, if you can knock the air out of me." Randy challenged.
Anne wondered what he meant by that, but a cunning smile curled on her face. The idea was underhanded and not really her style, but part of her had to admit that she wanted to see Randy's face. She'd seen her mom pull this trick more than a few times, so it was bound to work.
"You know, Randy, you look so hot in that suit of yours," Anne said in a flirty tone. "But you know what's hotter? How tight are a few items under my uniform~."
Randy raised an eyebrow, admitting his curiosity.
"All this working out and playing outside with such humidity has really made me sweat a lot~." Anne pulled on her collar. "Maybe you could give me some water~?" She leaned a little forward, showing off a bit more skin to Randy's eyes.
Randy's face flushed as Anne got ever closer to his face. His breathing grew warmer as he tried to maintain his composure. He tried to look up at Anne's face instead of her breasts, but he was met with her giving him eyes that sent shivers down his spine. They told him of things he'd never imagined, about the wonders of what romance could bring him, about what he had missed out on Earth. His dad often joked about how he would one day find girls to be less icky, even his grandfather often told him such things. But this was the first time experiencing those feelings.
He lost his balance and fell back on his butt.
"Ha ha! I did it!" Anne cheered herself up. "Quite breathtaking, aren't I?"
"Nice one, Anne." Sprig and Anne high-fived.
"That's not what I meant when I said that." Randy pouted, looking away as his face still sported the crimson streak. "But a deal is a deal. We'll try some more advanced stuff. Though that was a rotten way of doing things."
As Randy walked away, Anne kept an eye on him. She waited for him to be far enough away from her before curling up into a ball. Her face lit up like a match as she came to realise what she had done. Sweat covered her face as she took in breath after breath in a panic. One would've assumed a girl as in charge and as outgoing as Anne would've been used to flirting with others and getting it on at parties. But that was not the truth. Sure, some flirty comments here and there amongst friends were one thing, but to say those things to a boy she barely knew and one that was her only other friend was just too much.
"Why did I do that?! Why did I do that?! Why did I do that?!" Anne repeated to herself, covering her face from the shame. "I can't believe I did that. Oh man, Randy was so close and the way he looked at me… I want the earth to swallow me whole right now!"
"Um, is this normal for humans?" Sprig asked.
"A little… I thought I could pull off the same kind of flirting my mom uses with my dad but man, I was not ready for it." Anne rubbed her face. "I bet Randy doesn't even want to talk to me. Not that I blame him."
"He looked a little flustered, but I think he'll be cool with it." Sprig shrugged. "Besides, we get some awesome ninja training in exchange. Sounds like a pretty sweet deal to me."
"Yeah, I mean, how bad could it be." Anne got up, trying to keep some semblance of confidence. "So what if me and Randy got a little flustered, we can do this!"
"Yeah!" Sprig cheered with Anne. "We can do anything we want!"
"We can't do this!" Sprig screamed in utter pain. "What kind of monster goes through this willingly?!"
Anne and Sprig were carrying baskets filled with rocks on their hands as they hopped from one stump to the next, following Randy's lead. They jumped from one stump to the next, making sure to maintain both their balance as well as all the rocks inside their respective baskets. Something that wasn't so bad had it not been that they were already on their tenth lap around the stumps. Each hop was a struggle for both of them but it seemed to barely be a walk in the park for Randy.
"Every part of your body must be in the best shape possible, Sprig. If one part is weaker than the others, then you'll have a glaring weakness at the moment of a fight," Randy explained. "This exercise is already half way, so come on. One more push."
"You're enjoying this." Anne hopped to the next stump. "Aren't you?"
"You wanted tough, and I answered." Randy shrugged, keeping his baskets perfectly leveled. "This is also a way to master one of the forms of the Norushi Style, so, yeah, mastering and passing this test is a must."
Randy jumped ahead of them, making them catch up to him as fast as they could. Only to then fall due to all the weight.
The next exercise had Anne and Sprig standing still, maintaining the breathing as much as they could. Their stances were monitored by Randy at all times, waiting for them to change or falter in any way. He approached them, moving their bodies and spreading their stances to keep them from slouching. Not that bad but it was still tiring for the two inexperienced friends.
"So, what's the point of this one?" Anne asked. "I can't feel my arms."
"The stance is a critical point in a warrior's combat style. If it's too relaxed, you won't be able to move the way you want. If it's too rigid, you won't be able to react," Randy explained. "And if you don't know how to stand…"
Randy grabbed Anne's hands turning her around, flipping her into the air as the whole world went upside down. She felt weightless before falling on her back with Randy standing over her with a smirk on his face. She wanted to snap at him, but she couldn't help but feel like she deserved it.
"...You won't be able to keep your feet on the ground." Randy helped Anne back to her feet.
"Twenty-one…"
"Twenty-two…"
"Twenty-three…!"
Randy, Anne, and Sprig were doing push ups with weights on their backs. It was pretty straight forward compared to the last two other exercises that they had been put through, but that didn't mean it wasn't any easier. The weights on their backs were jars full of dirt and water, making each lift harder. Anne and Sprig felt like their lungs were on fire as they tried to keep up with Randy's push ups, who was leaving them in the dust.
"Fifty-one…"
"Fifty-two…"
"Fifty-three…"
"Fifty-four… Come on guys, we're almost there!"
"I hate that you're more fit than me," Anne gasped.
Anne and Sprig fell to the ground, panting hard. Their bodies ached, pulsing with all their muscles tearing and regrowing stronger than before. They couldn't get enough air into their lungs as they tried to get back to their feet. But even pushing themselves back up was a task that tested them beyond their limits.
"Is this what dying feels like?" Sprig asked.
"I don't think dying could feel like this, Sprig," Anne said. "If I don't make it, tell Domino I love her."
"Okay."
"This is why you need to get your breathing to the point of mine," Randy said. "Now you're exhausted for all the intense training. Here's some water."
"I bet you're loving this aren't you?" Anne asked, narrowing her eyes to the point of making her eyes into daggers. "You'll pay."
"I did warn you that the training was not something to shoob about with." Randy sat down next to them. "You can't expect to be as cool as me without some years of training and practicing and discipline."
"Ugh, you just said one of my least favorite words," Anne moaned. "Whenever I felt this beaten up, I would often feel Domino curl up on top of me and comfort me. She was amazing."
"Right, your mat?" Sprig asked.
"Cat, but yeah." Anne drank some water. "If I focus real hard, I can still hear her cries and meows."
"MEOW!"
"Wow, that really works, Anne." Sprig hopped back to his feet. "Ow, hopping hurts. I could've sworn I heard your cat just now."
"MEOW!"
"I don't think that was just you, Sprig." Randy looked around for the source of the noise. "That noise is coming from somewhere."
"MEOW!"
"It's a cat calling in distress!" Anne jumped to her feet and started chasing after the cries. "I'm coming, baby!"
"Wait, is it a baby or an actual cat we're looking for? I'm confused." Sprig hopped after Anne as Randy grabbed his sword, joining after them.
Amphibia was no stranger to many creatures and beasts of all kinds, from insects to birds, to lizards to mammals that were larger and more volatile than their Earth counterparts, and that wasn't counting what the yokai could do if they were feeling mischievous. Randy's mind rushed through the many different creatures that could have been making those cries. There was a chance that it was a sand liger cub that had gotten lost from its mother. Another possibility was that someone had been foolish enough to capture a scorpio leo and now the beast was running wild. And the third thing that popped in his mind was the possibility of a yokai being drawn to Wartwood, sounding like a house cat or a pet to trick frogs into falling into its trap. None of the three were good. At least he was the one that heard it first.
"The cries are getting louder, it should be just up ahead." Anne cried out.
The trio reached an open field with some muddy ponds scattered around. Randy kept his hands on his sword, looking for what was making those noises. But so far there was no sand liger and no scorpio leo. The field was clear enough that beasts that big would be impossible to hide in plain sight. His ears picked something else though, the buzzing of wings.
"Over there!" Sprig pointed.
Randy and Anne spotted what Sprig was pointing to. In the middle of one of those mud ponds, two large killer bees were trying to sting another creature. It looked small and furry and it was stuck in the mud as the bees dived down and around it trying to do it in.
"Oh no, she's in trouble!" Anne pulled out her racket. "We need to get them away from her!"
"Sprig, how good is your aim?" Randy asked.
"You tell me and I'll knock them down!" Sprig pulled out his trusty slingshot.
"On my signal, go for the eyes. Anne, you grab the creature and I'll take care of those insects." Randy unsheathed his sword, ready to fight.
Despite not knowing what that creature was, he knew better than to allow someone to get hurt when he had the strength to do something about it. He only planned to scare the bees and force them to retreat, keeping them from staying too close to Wartwood for too long.
"Aim for the eyes if you can, but keep them away from us and the creature." Randy's legs tensed up as he took in a deep breath.
Randy shot himself forward as fast as a flying arrow, leaving Anne and Sprig behind.
"You know, watching him like that makes me feel like that training and breathing are the real deal," Anne said before taking off after Randy. "I'm coming cutie!"
Randy sped up to the killer bees, swinging his sword at them to catch their attention. The light of the sun reflected on his sword hit them in the eyes, making them look his way as he landed on the trunk of a tree. They buzzed in rage as one of them flew at Randy, only for a ball of mud to strike them in the eye. The bees turned to see Sprig firing rocks and mud at their faces, keeping them moving and away from the little creature. Randy swung after the bees, using his red scarf to pull them away from the creature they were hunting.
The bees buzzed in anger, flying straight at Randy with their stingers ready to pierce him dead. With his sword, he parried the stinger away from him before jumping on top of the bee and kicking it behind the head. He jumped back to the tree as the second bee flew towards him with its stinger ready. Randy jumped down, spinning in the air as the stinger passed by him. And with a swift slice, the ninja of Wartwood sliced the bee in half.
Anne ran down to the creature, picking it up in her hands before taking off once more.
"I got her!" Anne called out.
"Time to go anyway!" Randy ran behind her as they picked up Sprig on their way.
As they left the area, the remaining bee buzzed awake before its eyes glowed a faint green glow. It flew back into the woods, following a will that was not its own.
Back with the trio, they stopped to catch their breath.
"We should be far away," Randy said.
"What a relief, Ran-" Anne gasped.
Randy and Sprig thought the worst, turning to Anne to see what was the gasp in need of.
"What happened?!" Randy asked.
"Did it bite or sting you?!" Sprig asked. "We're gonna have to amputate! Randy get the sword ready!"
"Look away Anne, you too Sprig!" Randy prepared to strike.
But instead, they both got a smack over their heads courtesy of Anne.
"I'm fine you dopes! But look at this cutie!" Anne held up the creature they had rescued.
It was a small furry caterpillar bug. Its fur was black with white spots with six tiny stub-like legs at the bottom, a cat-like face and yellow eyes that screamed adorable. It even meowed when it looked at Randy and Sprig.
"It looks just like my cat, Domino, back home." Anne held up her phone, showing a picture of her cat. "She's irreplaceable. And now, I have a replacement. Isn't she the cutest wittle thing?" She rubbed herself against the caterpillar's face.
"Wow, that does look like a cat from Earth." Randy put down his sword. "Weird how I've never come across one of these things. Looks like it would be a normal house pet."
"Old man Norushi never let you have a pet?" Sprig asked.
"I was too caught up in my training and surviving in a new world to consider asking for one anyway," Randy shrugged, putting his sword away. "Well, it was nice to save this little one, but it's time to let it go free and back into the wild." Randy reached for the caterpillar only for Anne to push him back with her foot.
"Whoa, hold up there bud. Back to the wild that almost ate her? Are you nuts?" Anne asked, holding onto the cat-like caterpillar like it was her own cat. "Are you trying to feed Domino 2 to those other jerk insects?"
"Anne, I get that-Domino 2, really?" Randy raised an eyebrow at the girl's unimaginative name.
"Yeah, she looks like Domino, therefore, she's Domino 2." Anne scratched the caterpillar, making it pur. "We're taking her with us."
"I don't know Anne, Hop Pop might not be all for it." Sprig pointed out.
"Not to mention that this is not a cat, Anne. This is a creature from Amphibia," Randy said. "For all we know it will turn monstrous."
"Calm down, my cat was once a stray before I adopted her, all she needs is some love and affection and she'll be okay." Anne placed Domino 2 on the floor before pulling out a mouse toy with a bell on it. "Here Domino 2, come here girl."
The cat-like caterpillar looked at the jiggling toy with wide eyes. It followed Anne like a domesticated cat wanting to get its treat. Its stubby legs moved adorably after the mouse toy in an attempt to catch it. Anne cooed and fawned over how adorable the little creature was. Even Randy and Sprig had to admit that it was pretty adorable.
"Okay, fine, but we ask Hop Pop first." Randy relented. "If he's okay with it, then she can stay. If not, she leaves."
Anne didn't answer him, she was a little too focused on playing with her new kitty.
"Is this something that happens with all humans and cute stuff?" Sprig asked.
"I think it's more of either an Anne thing or a female human thing." Randy sighed. "Well, at least those killer bees aren't gonna hurt anyone." Randy and Sprig followed behind Anne back to the house with their newest friend in tow.
Deep in a dark rotten hive inside a stump, the remaining killer bee flew into one of its many openings. Heading deeper and deeper into the hive, it passed other insects of different shapes and sizes until it arrived at the deepest part of the hive. But there was no queen bee there waiting for the bee's return, but something more sinister. That room housed a throne in which one creature sat, devouring its prey like an animal. The throne room was filled with carcasses of fallen monsters and creatures that had the misfortune of crossing the ruler of this hive.
The bee landed before the creature, buzzing in reverence to it. The creature sitting on top of the throne stopped eating before growling. It tossed away its meal before getting up from its throne. The light of a torch illuminated the creature's visage, revealing a tall four-armed yokai spider with large fangs, eight eyes, and the lower body of a spider. Its body was dark red covered in white tattoos that resembled the bones from head to the tips of its spiky spider feet. On his face, its green eyes glowed as the skull face tattoo moved along with its fangs and terribly sharp teeth while the remaining fluids of its meal dripped to the floor.
"What do you mean, you lost it?" It growled.
The bee buzzed an answer that the monster understood.
"Aided by a strange creature? Another yokai?" The creature scratched its chin. "What happened next?"
The bee recounted all to its master with what had happened. Its battle with Randy, Sprig's sneak attack and Anne sprinting away with their prey. None of it seemed to amuse the spider yokai.
It slammed its two right arms against the ground causing a crack to appear.
"These interlopers dare to take my prize away from me?" The large spider yokai snarled as its eyes glowed bright green. "I command all insects in this rotten territory of the valley, but I will not allow a single shred of rebellion to get in my way. I am Tsuchigumo! And I will conquer all that stands in my way. And right now, I hunger for more. Come to me, my servants. It is time to take this valley once and for all." Tsuchigumo looked up at the other insects, making their eyes shine green like his own.
Like a plague of madness, the insects crawled down to meet their savage master.
"Okay, let's try buttering up Hop Pop a bit and then we ask about Domino 2." Anne, Randy and Sprig arrived at the farm with Domino 2 right next to them.
"Well, you better have one heck of a sales pitch because he's been irritated with all the bugs popping out." Randy spotted some large insects heading towards the crops.
Randy picked up a shovel. Swinging it against the bugs, hitting them in their faces, he forced them to flee. He couldn't help but narrow his eyes at the strangeness of it all.
"Well, we got bigger things to do, aka get Hop Pop to agree to having Domino 2." Anne went up to the door about to knock on it when Sprig tugged at her shirt.
"Hey, Anne, is this normal?" Sprig lifted his arm to show Domino 2 biting into it.
"Aw, she's teething. They're like love bites, Sprig nothing to worry about." Anne shrugged off.
Randy however could only focus on how Domino 2 was licking Sprig's arm like a piece of meat.
"Yeah, that's gonna be a red flag for me." Randy pried Domino 2 off of Sprig's arm as Anne went inside of the house.
Randy watched the caterpillar while trying to figure out what its deal was. Something didn't seem to feel right about it. The way it looked at Sprig just reminded him too much about how some of the wild beasts would see their prey before pouncing on it. He moved and turned the little replacement cat hoping to learn something, but there just wasn't anything that stood out to him.
"Hop Pop says that it's okay to keep Domino 2." Anne came back, picking up the caterpillar. "Just not to let her near the kitchen or the living room. Let's take her to the basement and start having some fun!"
"Yay!" Sprig raised up his hands only for Domino 2 to bite one of them.
"Still totally normal." Anne and Sprig headed down to the basement with Randy keeping his suspicions about the caterpillar.
The next day, Randy was woken up by a yelp coming from the basement. He snatched his sword, making his way down with a single leap.
"What's wrong?! Is everyone-Ooh!" Randy winced at Anne's state.
"Morning Randy, what's up dude?" Anne yawned, looking like she'd slept next to a tiger cage.
"Did Domino 2 do that?! That's it, that thing has to go!" Randy searched for the caterpillar, ready to make a rug out of her.
"Hey, don't you dare hurt her! This was just her first night in the house," Anne said. "She'll settle down eventually. Look." Anne pointed to Domino 2 laying a dead fly on her bed. "See? She's sorry." Anne winced slightly at the dead fly.
Randy did not look convinced as he spotted all sorts of silk scattered around the room. He crossed his arms at Anne.
"Look, you can't expect her to settle in so quickly. You gotta give her time," Anne argued.
"Fine, I'll give her time, but you better have her trained and under control before-Where is she?" Randy didn't see Domino 2.
They turned to see the little behind of the caterpillar leave the basement for the living room. Running after it, they spotted it heading into the kitchen, where Hop Pop was making himself a morning sandwich. The three of them gasped as the caterpillar quickly made its way to the kitchen table where Hop Pop was in the middle of finishing his food.
"Oh, forgot the mustard." Hop Pop hummed, not knowing that Domino 2 ate his sandwich.
Anne snatched Domino 2 as Sprig covered for them before Hop Pop could see them. Without missing a beat, Anne snuck back into the basement before Hop Pop knew what happened.
"This is not gonna be easy, is it?" Randy asked.
The rest of the day did not improve the situation.
Randy helped out on the field, as Sprig got an earful from Hop Pop, only to find the tools all covered in silk threads from Domino 2 as it messed around inside the tool shed.
"Domino 2," Randy sighed.
Anne's makeshift cat playground wasn't faring any better. Anne jumped, climbed and moved around trying to find Domino 2 as it continued spinning its silk thread. Which made Anne laugh as it reminded her of all the times she'd played with her car.
She turned around only to find her bed covered with lots of dead insects and a Domino 2 that had a cute look on her face. It warmed her heart so much that she pulled out the mouse toy.
"I can't stay mad at you, Domino 2." Anne played with her new pet, not noticing that Domino 2 had a more predatory expression in her.
Randy sat cross legged on the floor about to meditate when he heard something slowly coming down from the ceiling. He opened his eyes to see Domino 2 heading down on a thread of silk. It was probably just stretching itself or something, he thought to himself.
Then he saw that it was heading down with its mouth wide open towards a sleeping Polly.
Randy's instincts triggered. Shooting his scarf at the little beast, he wrapped it tightly before pulling her away from Polly. He ran out of the room before Polly even noticed it.
"That's it, I don't care what Hop Pop says, you are leaving." Randy held Domino 2 tightly.
"What I say?" Hop Pop asked, making Randy flinch.
"Oh, um, sorry Hop Pop, but we gotta talk. I know you were cool with pets but-"
"A pet?! What are you talking about, Randy?" Hop Pop asked. "The last pet that was allowed in this house was Charlie Big Bottom, a troublesome tarantula that Sprig and Polly claimed to want to take care of but I ended up having to do all the work for!"
"So, what you're saying is…?"
"No pets in this house!" Hop Pop snapped.
Randy turned with a scowl to the basement.
"I'll be back." Randy stomped towards the basement, hidden pet in tow.
"Come on, where are you, baby precious?" Anne looked for Domino 2.
"Looking for something?" Randy dropped Domino 2 on Anne's bed as Anne turned around to see him.
"Domino 2! You found her!" Anne hugged Randy. "You're the best, Randy."
"Yeah, just like you're the best at lying. I know Hop Pop told you no pets in the house." Randy glared at Anne, making her take a step back with guilt written all over her face. "I can't believe you lied to me and went behind Hop Pop's back. How could you?!"
"Okay, I know this looks bad, but in my defense, she's adorable." Anne pointed to Domino 2 as it covered itself in a cocoon. "How can you turn that away?"
"Anne, this isn't your cat, it's a wild animal that just tried to eat Polly. Either you take it out or I will," Randy threatened.
"Why are you so against pets? They're all kids ever want. You just don't know how to have fun, I almost pity you." Anne glared at Randy.
"Oh yeah, because it sounds like you're living the life. This isn't a game, take something serious for a change." Randy returned the glare. "I have a responsibility to this town and its people and you openly try to get them in trouble! How can you be so irresponsible?!"
"At least I'm not clinging to some dumb old stuff because it's all I know!" Anne covered her mouth.
Randy felt like a dagger was lodged in his heart, but he didn't show it. He looked away scoffing at Anne's comment.
"Randy… I'm sorry… I didn't." Randy stopped her.
"Save it. I get the idea." He walked out of the basement with Anne rushing after him, pleading for him to stop.
However, what they both missed was Domino 2 finishing up its cocoon, beginning its incubation phase.
"Randy I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say it." Anne apologised as Randy did his best to ignore her.
"What's all this commotion on for?" Hop Pop asked.
"Are you guys having a fight?" Sprig asked.
"I didn't mean what I said, Randy, really." Anne grabbed Randy's hand.
"You know, I've tried to connect with you, Anne. I thought that if I shared some of what made my time in Amphibia special we could help each other," Randy said. "But I'm starting to see why you always go for the easy way and get into trouble. You don't wanna face risks, failure or try to live up to anyone's expectations. Maybe what I know is dumb and I won't ever become a Mystic Warrior but at least I'll try to live up to my duty." Randy yanked his hand free from Anne's before heading out.
Anne felt a pit in her stomach forming. His words cut deeply and reminded her of the many talks her parents had given her. She rushed out to talk to Randy.
"Randy please, talk to me-" Anne slammed against his back as he stood perfectly still. "Randy?"
"Anne, get back in the house." Randy reached for his sword.
She looked past Randy and spotted a horde of insects standing before the entrance of the Plantar home. Her eyes then focused on the largest of them, Tsuchigumo as it walked closer towards the light.
"Ah, so here's where my prey is hiding," Tsuchigumo chuckled. "A nice farm, filled with nutrition for my plans. I am so lucky."
"I take it you're a yokai that has some great hunger for conquest," Randy said.
"Indeed I am." Tsuchigumo snarled.
"Then you'll have to go through me." Randy took a deep breath.
"Kill the strange creature and find the queen killapilla!" Tsuchigumo commanded his insect army.
"Anne, get Domino 2 out of here. I'll hold them off." Randy unsheathed his sword.
"Randy are you out of your-" Randy kicked Anne inside before closing the door behind him.
Randy glared at the insects coming towards him, but his anger was aimed directly at the yokai controlling them. He sprang towards the horde of insects with his sword ready. He sliced the first insect with a swift slice, cutting it in two before doing the same to the next one and the next one in succession. His sword glistened in the light of the night as he made his way through the insects and towards their leader. But the insects came in quickly, trying to overwhelm him.
They jumped in groups before he could react. But Randy was used to these tactics. He jumped over an earth spider, stabbing into its back before jumping towards the killer bees that flew at him. With a flick of his wrist, his scarf wrapped around one of the bees, pulling him up into the air.
He sliced the bee's head off before spinning the rest of its body against one of the other bees. With his scarf, he pulled himself back onto another one of the bees before cutting off its head. Jumping from one bee to the next, his sword sliced and cut down the insects before landing once more on the ground. The blood of the fallen insects had done nothing but stir him to keep on fighting and attracted more of those insects to do so as well. His thoughts were cut short small ball-like insects jumped out of the ground before trying to wrap themselves around him.
"Norushi Style, Pond Whirlpool!" Randy spun his body in a perfect circle, slicing down the insects.
He stopped himself before being smacked away by one of Tsuchigumo's legs. Crashing against the fence, Randy dug his feet on the ground, stopping himself.
"You killed many of my servants tonight," Tsuchigumo said. "I'll enjoy devouring your innards for dinner!"
"Not before I take your head, you ugly shoob." Randy put on his mask, showing he was serious.
Back inside the Plantar home, Anne was freaking out.
"Anne, what happened?!" Sprig asked.
"A giant evil-looking monster and his bugs want to take over the farm and take Domino 2 for some reason!" Anne screamed. "Randy's out there, we need to help him!"
"Domino 2? Who's Domino 2?" Hop Pop asked.
"It's the caterpillar Anne brought," Sprig replied. "It's her pet now."
"A pet?! Seriously, Anne?!" Hop Pop screamed. "After I told you no pets?!"
"Be angry with me later, we gotta help Randy!" Anne picked up her racket and one of the wooden swords.
But just as she was about to rush off, a loud boom came from the basement. They rushed off to see what was going on, only to see the cocoon opened up like some alien egg.
"Domino 2! Where are you, baby precious?!" Anne called.
"What kind of creature did you kids bring in here?" Hop Pop asked, noticing all the silk.
"A small caterpillar with black fur and white spots-" Anne searched for Domino 2.
"Black fur and white spots?! That's no ordinary caterpillar! It is a Coastal Killapilla!" Hop Pop, Sprig and Anne heard something crawling around in the darkness, making them huddle up. "They are dangerous amphibiabors that grow spots before reaching their final form."
A large creature fell from the ceiling before them. It had large brown butterfly wings with six white legs and the white head of a large jungle cat. Its red bug eyes looked around the basement as it growled like a panther about to strike.
"Domino 2?" Anne whispered.
"Ssh, these critters don't have the best eyesight after fully growing up. Just slowly walk back and don't make-" Hop Pop instructed.
"HEY FAM THERE'S A LOT OF BUG OUT THERE!" Polly screamed, getting Domino 2's attention.
Domino 2 roared like a wild animal.
"Domino 2, it's me, Anne!" Anne tried to reach out to get through to the giant insect. "I gave you treats, you gave me dead things. Please, I know you're in there." Anne reached out to Domino 2, knowing that her little pet was still in there.
For a second it seemed to be working, only for the doors to the basement to be smashed through as Randy was tossed down.
Domino 2 roared as it took off, taking the Plantars with her and out through the busted door.
"Guys!" Anne ran to Randy's side, helping him up. "Randy, are you okay?"
"A bit dizzy, but I'll live." Randy jumped out of the basement with Anne in tow.
They watched as Tsuchigumo watched Domino 2 play with the Plantars like a cat would its prey.
"Ha, ha! Yes, you are now fully grown. With you by my side, the rest will follow and then the valley!" Tsuchigumo laughed. "Come to me, my slave!" Tsuchigumo's eyes glowed bright green, trying to put Domino 2 under his control.
"She's playing with them like a cat!" Anne said.
"The yokai is the bigger threat, we have to take it down!" Randy glared at the yokai.
Randy rushed to the yokai's legs, swinging his sword at it. But Tsuchigumo heard him coming, lifting his legs at the last second. The yokai stabbed his legs downward like blades coming to slice Randy's body into ribbons. Randy jumped and dodged back and around the sharp blade-like legs. He swung his sword cutting one of them before blocking another one. Biting down on his strength, he took in a deep breath as he moved around the yokai. He jumped high, trying to reach the Plantars, only for Tsuchigumo to grab his leg. And with a mighty pull, he was sent back down to the ground.
"Sit tight, creature, the killapilla goes first." Tsuchigumo laughed.
Domino 2's eyes started to glow green as her tongue drooled at the sight of the wrapped Plantars.
Anne didn't know what to do, Randy was down and Domino 2 was too far way. She rushed to Randy's side as the yokai tried to claim Domino 2 once more. Her mind was filled with regret about getting a wild animal into the house.
"I'm sorry, Randy, I should've known better than to think Amphibia was the same as with my home." Anne helped Randy get to his feet.
"Apologise later, we need to stop that jerk before he decides to stop toying with us." Randy held his side.
"Toying? That's it!" Anne pulled out Domino 2's mouse. "Hey girl! Here! Here girl!" She swung the mouse toy as loud as she could, getting Domino 2's attention.
Domino 2's eyes focused on the cat toy, gaining a smile.
"Follow me!" Anne ran under Tsuchigumo's legs.
"What?" Tsuchigumo looked at what was going on before Domino 2 pounced on him, biting and scratching his face. "AAAHHH! Get off me you beast!"
"Now, Randy!" Anne called.
Randy took his chance, with air filling his lungs, he charged. He ran at top speed at the yokai's legs. He reeled back his sword. His eyes scanned the best path to take, to take the head of his enemy.
"Norushi Style, Flowing cut!" Randy called out, striking the first leg with a swift strike.
Randy ran up to the next leg, turning to cut another leg. He continued on cutting the rest of the legs except the last one. Like a river cutting and building up strength, he flowed through the spider yokai until he was on top of it. He stepped on it, using it like a stepping stone to climb back up to where he was going to land his last strike.
Tsuchigumo pushed Domino 2 away from him at the last second. His eyes landed on Randy coming towards him like raging river about to swallow him. For the briefest of seconds the fear of death came upon the yokai, only to be replaced with a desire to kill the strange creature.
Tsuchigumo swung his clawed hands at Randy's head and chest.
Randy didn't have time to dodge the attack. His body moved on its own, leading to a headbutt on the highest of the two hands. It hurt like hell to knock the arm away with his head, slamming it against the other arm. Fighting through the pain, he knew he only had one chance but he was not gonna take this chance for granted. Using the arms as steps, he rushed forward. He swung his sword, cutting them as he was close enough to see the yokai's eyes.
"This ends here!" Randy swung his sword, cutting off the yokai spider's head with a final slaice.
Randy landed on the ground, digging his feet on the ground and sliding to a halt.
"Randy, are you okay?" Anna rushed to his side. "You're bleeding!"
"Oh, guess, I am." Randy touched his forehead, feeling the warm blood flowing. "Guess I now know not to headbutt without another option. Where's Domino 2?"
A growl caught their attention. They turned to see Domino 2 approaching them with a growl. Randy got ready to fight, but Anne got between them.
"This is my responsibility, Randy." Anne turned to Domino 2. "Domino 2, I'm sorry, I thought you were a pet and that I could tame you. I was wrong. You need to be in the wild. I'll miss you." Anne looked at Domino 2 as her expression softened.
Anne tossed the mouse toy as far as she could into the woods before Domino 2 chased after it.
"Good bye." Anne felt a tear roll down her cheek.
Anne patched up Randy's forehead as Hop Pop pulled off all the silf that had wrapped them.
"And look who has to clean up after the pet, again. No matter how much I miss Charlie Big Bottom," Hop Pop said. "I hope you learned your lesson, Anne."
"I know, I shouldn't have messed with a wild animal. I just missed my cat and my home too much to see past the similarities." Anne finished with Randy's bandages. "I'm sorry I lied to you too Randy. I should've been straight with you. All you've wanted was to help me. I shouldn't have said those things."
"Hey, I get it. You miss your home, I can't fault you for that." Randy touched his bandages. "I just never had something like that."
"What?" Anne asked.
"The day I came to Amphibia, it was the same day my parents… passed…" Randy's fingers felt cold. "I dove into my training and learning of Amphibia because, I had nothing to return to. But you do, Anne. I just wanted to share something with you since I'm alone, all over-"
Randy was cut off by Anne hugging him tightly.
"You don't have to apologise, Randy." Anne tried to hold back the tears. "You're not alone. I can't promise I'll be perfect, but friends stick together."
Anne's hug was joined in by Sprig, Hop Pop and Polly.
For the third time in his life, Randy felt like he was part of a family once more. He hugged them back.
"So, what you want to do tomorrow?" Anne asked. "Wanna keep training? Because I could use some of what you got."
"Well…"
Anne pulled herself up to the top of the hill, gasping for air.
"Dude, how do you survive all this stuff?" Anne panted.
"Years of training, Anne," Randy smirked. "Years of training. Maybe tomorrow I'll set the traps."
"Please don't!" Anne begged him.
"Okay, maybe use that for later." Randy shrugged. "Now let's head back down."
Anne swore she was gonna die.
End of the Strange Creature Like Me Arc