The Next Morning, Olivier was still asleep in the Basement of the Plantar House.
when an unfamiliar scent in the air slowly awoke the Witch Boy.
Opening his Heterochromia eyes, he slowly rose up and inhaled deeply.
Something smelled...Pretty Good.
Olivier got up out of bed, and quickly put his old Hexside School Uniform on
(It had seen better days, though...and his time here in this "Frog Land" hadn't done him any favors.)
Olivier then climbed up the ladder leading to the ground floor of the small cottage,
and after noting some motion going on in the Kitchen/Dining Room, walked towards it.
Upon entering the Kitchen, he found the Plantars gathered at a table,
while Anne was busy cooking something for them to eat.
"Oh HEY, Oliver...Glad to see you awake!" said Hop Pop.
"I would've woken you up, but Anne wanted you to git some more sleep in."
Olivier glanced over at Anne...who smiled at him.
"Good Morning. I hope you don't mind, but I decided to fix breakfast." said Anne.
Olivier walked up to Anne. "It smells...Different."
"It should, It's one of my family's famous Thai Recipes." said Anne.
Olivier looked at Anne. "Famous?"
Anne had a forlorn look on her face. "back home, my family owns a Thai Restaurant.
Once, I helped improve the local diner here in town using the skills my parents taught me."
Olivier looked down at the pot that Anne was stirring.
"Almost reminds me of when my mother would mix potions in her cauldron."
Olivier then grabbed a spare spoon, and scooped up some of what was in the pot.
He then took a taste...which caused his facial features to contort.
"Not good?" asked Anne.
"Define "Good." answered Olivier.
"sorry...I do what I can with what I have here in Wartwood." said Anne, disappointed.
"Maybe I can help..." said Olivier.
Anne glanced at Olivier. "You...know how to cook?"
"Well, the ingredients here aren't THAT different from what my mother uses back home." began Olivier.
"And, she taught me a few things about mixing Herbs and Spices to make potions of all kinds."
Anne stared at her bubbling pot. "I suppose this could use better seasoning..."
Olivier took that as a 'Yes', and proceeded to grab a spare pot.
Anne watched as the boy grabbed random ingredients, and proceeded to mix them up.
At that moment...Anne froze as a memory from her childhood came back to her.
One of watching her parents cooking together in their kitchen.
Her Mother did most of the cooking, while her father applied the seasonings.
They made a good team. Which was a big part why the family restaurant was such a success.
Anne smiled warmly...feeling nostalgic as she and Olivier worked together in the kitchen.
"Okay, let's try this..." spoke Olivier, as he poured some liquid in measuring cup.
Anne stepped aside as Olivier poured the contents of the cup into the pot.
Both she and Olivier took a taste...and they both grimaced in response.
"b-better..." spoke Olivier.
"but, it could use a TAD more." said Anne.
Olivier poured in a few more drops of seasoning into the pot.
The pair tasted it again...only this time, their reactions were more positive.
"oh, yeah...This is Good." spoke Anne. "Better than Good, actually...It tastes GREAT!"
"Best let the food continue to Marinate, then." said Olivier.
Anne looked at Olivier...and smiled once more.
"What is it?" asked Olivier, curious.
"oh...n-nothing." stuttered Anne. "This just reminds me of my mom and dad, is all."
Olivier eventually smiled along with Anne.
"yeah...funny how the little things can remind you of home." said Olivier.
[Later]
At the 'Flour & Daughters Bakery' in Wartwood Village,
a burly looking blue frog dressed in Baker attire was cleaning an oven.
When just then, a voice rang out: "oh, DAAAAAAAAD!"
Mr. Flour banged his head as he stood, and turned to see who it was.
He sighed softly at seeing Maddie, his sole eldest daughter.
"What is it, pumpkin pie?" spoke Mr. Flour.
"I finished my chores!" spoke Maddie. "So, can I go outside and play now?"
"Did you take out the garbage?" asked Mr. Flour.
"Yes."
"Did you sort the inventory?"
"First thing I did."
"Did you remember to play with your baby sisters so they'll quit bugging me?"
Maddie sighed sharply. "YES, DAD...they're Asleep now."
Mr. Flour breathed out. "OKAY, go on and have fun...BUT STAY AWAY FROM THE TOWN CEMETARY."
Maddie scowled. "I raise the dead just ONE. TIME, and you can't let it go, can you?!"
"MADELINE..." said Mr. Flour, in a warning tone.
"I heard you, dad." said Maddie. "I won't go there...Promise."
Mr. Flour smiled, and patted Maddie's mop-like hair. "that's my good baby girl."
Maddie smiled like a Gremlin as she ran out the door.
Mr. Flour then sighed, once again hoping that Maddie would grow out of her 'Dark Phase',
and go back to the pretty flower child that she used to be so long ago.
...Back before his wife 'passed.'
Maddie ran as fast as she could to the outskirts of the main village,
and down the dirt trail that led to the farmland where the Plantar Farm resided.
She usually took this route back when she used to stalk Sprig,
But she now had a Different reason for visiting the Plantars.
As the Plantar Farmstead came into view, Maddie approached the front porch
where she saw the elderly Hopediah Plantar in his rocking chair.
"Hello, Mr. Plantar." spoke Maddie.
Hop Pop looked at the Cyan Frogette. "oh...Hi-ya, Maddie. Sprig isn't here right no-"
"Oh, I'm not here about that." spoke Maddie. "I was wondering if Oliver was around.
You know, that boy that looks like Anne...Only he's Magic like ME."
"Oh, he just left with Anne an' Sprig to th' Wartwood Forest." spoke Hop Pop.
"Something 'bout buildin' himself his own house so he wouldn't be in th' way of anyone."
"Okay, Thanks!" with that, Maddie turned and left.
Hopediah then resumed rocking in his chair, Enjoying the Peace and Quiet.
Maddie sprinted towards the forest that surrounded Wartwood Village,
deciding to start from the Plantar Farm, since it was most likely where Olivier started from.
The young frog was rather anxious to meet up with him again,
hoping that today, she might learn something new about Magic from him.
Maddie smiled to herself as she recalled how she met Olivier yesterday.
...Hard to believe that it began with someone trying to kill her.
[***FLASHBACK***]
Somewhere deep in the woods, a young frog girl was crawling close to the ground.
She pulled out a small dagger, and cut pieces of certain flowers and fungus that interested her.
Maddie Flour smiled as she then scaled up a large tree, and climbed up a tall limb.
She then perched herself onto the limb like a literal Frog would, and surveyed the area.
"Drat. the fungus I need is still a long way from here." spoke Maddie to herself.
"Well, I won't get any closer just staying here. I'd better-"
Suddenly, the tree Maddie was perched on began to shake violently.
Alarmed, Maddie clung to the mast for dear life. "WA-WHAT THE FROG IS GOING-!?"
Maddie then gasped as she heard a creaking sound...followed by the tree starting to tilt.
"no-no-no-no-no-no-nooooo!" protested Maddie.
As the tree began to topple, Maddie quickly climbed up and around the tree.
Trying her best to keep from being on the *wrong* side of it once it did hit the ground.
((*KA-CRASH!*))
As the tree fell with a thunderous sound, Maddie was flung through the air by the violent shockwave.
The Frog Girl groaned as she tried to get up...only to get pinned down by something.
It felt like...Bird Feet?!
"well, well, well...Fancy meeting YOU here." spoke a voice.
Maddie turned her head...and gasped at seeing what loomed over her.
It was a hefty looking adult frog with avian features at random parts of his body.
At first glance, he resembled an 'Abomination of Nature.'
Maddie recognized 'him.'
"BARRY!?"
"Oh, good: You REMEMBER me." growled Barry, hate in his eyes. "because I CERTAINLY remember you, you little brat!"
Barry then grasped Maddie, and threw her into another tree.
Maddie exclaimed as her body impacted, bouncing before dropping to the ground again.
Maddie then growled as she got up yet again, her visible eye glaring at her attacker.
"I can't even tell you how much I've wanted to do that..." spoke Barry.
"Ever since you cursed me, I was run out of town and had to live in these frogforsaken wilds!"
"You deserved it for cursing my friends in the first place!" retorted Maddie.
"And last I checked, you didn't look THAT bad when I changed you."
"Yeah!, because I've been trying to UNDO what you did to me!" snapped Barry.
Maddie smirked at this, not having an ounce of sympathy. "Then you STILL have no one to blame but yourself."
"Do I look like I care!?"
"No...you look Ugly."
This REALLY got Barry angry. "you tiny bi-"
"If you expect me to reverse the curse, then you can just forget it." continued Maddie.
"Even if I wanted to, (WHICH I DON'T!), you've already corrupted the original spell that I cast.
I wouldn't even know where to start undoing the damage that you've done to yourself."
Barry then grinned wickedly. "That's fine...I wasn't going to ask you anyway.
Not when I have the much simpler solution of breaking the curse by SLAYING THE SPELLCASTER."
Maddie's smug expression quickly changed to one of shock.
She quickly reached for her belt where she kept her magic pouches...and found that it was gone.
"Looking for THESE?"
Maddie looked to see that Barry had her belt with every pouch that she had.
He then three the belt at the ground, causing all the pouches to detonate in a massive explosion.
"CRAP!" cursed Maddie, who was now powerless as Barry charged at her.
Maddie quickly performed a leap (which was pretty high due to being a Frog)
Narrowly evading Barry before he barreled right into her.
As Barry turned and glared at her, though...Maddie started to become scared.
Without her magic pouches, there was nothing she could do to defend herself.
As Barry charged again...Maddie spoke the name of her deceased mother, pleaded for help.
...she got it.
Maddie suddenly felt a strange pulse, followed by a flash.
Then...something rushed from the side, and struck at Barry with a tree limb.
Barry screamed as he was punted away and collided into a tree trunk.
Maddie looked up...and saw someone as tall as Anne Boonchuy tower over her.
They head said tree limb in their hand like a staff, and had their face concealed by a hood.
"are you okay, little one?" spoke the stranger, his voice soft.
"uhhh..." Maddie was at a loss for words.
"HEY!" exclaimed Barry, as he got up. "Whoever you are...YOU ARE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT!"
The stranger responded to this threat by gripping their walking stick, and surging blue energy through it.
Both Maddie and Barry watched as the stranger drew a circle of light into the ground and then stomped on it.
a plant formed from the circle and grew into something massive with a huge, toothy mouth.
The Carnivorous plant then lunged at Barry, snapping at the now screaming mutant.
As Barry did his best to not get eaten, the Stranger picked up Maddie and ran.
He then surged his body with gold energy, and warped himself and Maddie
from one location to the next until they were a good distance away from Barry.
BUT eventually the stranger collapsed, dropping Maddie.
Maddie looked and saw the Stranger on the ground, looking like he was dying.
"Mister?...MISTER!" Maddie quickly ran to her mysterious rescuer.
She pulled his hood back...revealing the stranger to bee a human teenager like Anne, and Sasha.
Only this human was clearly Male, with auburn red hair and eyes that were too different colors.
One Golden-Yellow, the other a dark shade of Blue.
Though what shocked Maddie most was scars on the sides of his head,
and a total lack of ant ears (which she KNEW humans were suppose to have.)
"you...You're HUMAN!" exclaimed Maddie, finally.
The human groaned as if in pain. "sss...ss-saaatch...eeeeell."
"what?"
"saaatchel..." groaned the human. "eh-eeeeee...lix...iiiirr."
Maddie quickly opened up a satchel draped over the human.
And upon looking inside...she had to raise up her moppy bangs
just to look with BOTH her eyes at a variety of arcane items that were in the bag.
Her yellow eyes widened at the assortment of magical artifacts that she would sell her own sisters for
(which she actually HAD tried to do once, which led to her being grounded by her father when he found out.)
Maddie soon found what she presumed the human was asking for: a glass bottle of glowing golden liquid.
"Is this it?!" asked Maddie, showing the object.
The human nodded, and reached for the bottle. He drank the contents,
and after a minute passed...he gasped, taking in a deep breath as he sat up.
"thanks, kid...that was a close one." spoke the human.
"you...You're human, right?" inquired Maddie.
"HALF, actually..." said the apparent Half-Human.
"My name is Olivier Clawthorne...and, please don't freak out. but...I'm a Witch."
Maddie gasped, her expression that of joy that she she couldn't suppress.
"I KNEW IT!" exclaimed Maddie. "YOU'RE A WITCH LIKE ME!, AND A SUPER-COOL ONE, TOO!"
This got Olivier's attention. "You're a witch?!"
"YES!" exclaimed Maddie (literally hopping up-and-down with joy.)
"well...Witch-in-Training, actually. I'm a Level One Spellcaster specializing in potions."
Olivier looked into his satchel...and frowned. "Given that was my last Elixir, I may need help mixing up a new one."
Olivier then looked at the Frog Girl. "Are there many other witches living around here?"
Maddie shook her head. "no. Just me...and that guy you saved me from.
Many in my hometown don't think much of magic, and think that I am creepy."
Olivier stared at the Frog Girl. "well...you do look rather odd. But, I wouldn't call you "Creepy."
Maddie smiled wide, happy to hear a compliment like that (and, from another Witch at that.)
"My name is Maddie...Maddie Flour."
"Nice to meet you, Maddie." said Olivier. "Now can you tell me where I am?,
I have a feeling this isn't the Boiling Isles...or the Demon Realm in general."
"Is THAT where you're from? sounds COOL!" said Maddie.
"Well, This is the Frog Valley. but to be more specific: This is Amphibia."
Olivier looked puzzled. "Amphibi-what?"
"Amphibia. That's the name of my world." explained Maddie.
Olivier grasped his forehead, a distressed look on his face.
"so, this really ISN'T the Demon Realm...OR the Human Realm, either.
BLAST that stupid old goat! HE TRICKED ME!, and now I'm in other realm with NO WAY TO GET BACK!"
Maddie grimaced, feeling bad for Olivier. He sounded like he was in the same situation as Anne-
"hey...I may not know all the specifics here, BUT I might know a way to help you return home." spoke Maddie.
Olivier looked at the Frog Girl. "Seeing as how I have no options left...I'm listening."
"You mentioned the Human Realm..." began Maddie. "Does the name: "Anne Boonchuy" mean anything to you?"
Olivier stared at Maddie. "no...why, who is that?"
[End of Part Six]