Maddie Flour ran with Anne Boonchuy as the two girls backtracked
down the dirt path that led back to the Plantar Farm.
It wasn't long until they reached the hill that overlooked the Homestead.
Anne was running so quickly, that she tripped and tumbled down the hill like a hedgehog.
"OOF!" exclaimed Anne, as she collided with a stone barrier.
"You okay?" asked Maddie, as she hopped over to the downed teenager.
"ugh...yeah. I'll live." spoke Anne, as she sat up and rubbed her head.
Anne then rose up, and resumed sprinting to the Plantar House with Maddie close behind
Approaching the front porch, they found Hop Pop still in his rocking chair.
However, the old orange frog had apparently dozed and was 'sawing logs', as they say.
"we'd better not wake him." spoke Anne.
"Then how do we-"
"Oliver shares a room with me in the basement." explained Anne.
"And there is a side door around the house that leads straight into it."
"You and Oliver SHARE A ROOM!?" exclaimed Maddie, surprised.
Anne blushed as red as a Tomato Plant. "It isn't what you think!, It's only temporary."
"lucky." said Maddie, half-jealous.
"JUST...Follow me, alright."
Anne and Maddie began to walk around the Plantar house, and soon reached the side door.
The pair then knelt down and looked into the window, seeing Olivier was indeed in the basement room.
The two girls frowned at seeing that Olivier was on a bed mattress,
his body huddled in a rounded kinda shape as he stared at a wall.
"Oh...that isn't good." spoke Maddie. "curled into a ball, staring at oblivion...BEEN THERE."
Anne looked at Maddie. "Is it really that bad?"
"The last time I was like that, I didn't move for thirty hours." said Maddie.
"My sisters even started poking me with a stick, thinking I was dead."
Anne frowned. "maddie...I think you should wait out here for a moment."
Maddie scowled...but then shrugged. "yeah, okay."
Anne looked at Olivier through the window one final time...and exhaled sharply.
She then walked over to the wooden double doors, and gently opened them with a slight creak.
Peeking her head into the basement, she looked over at Olivier once again.
He hadn't moved an inch, nor gave any indication that he was aware of her presence.
Mustering some courage, Anne walked down the step ladder and into the room.
She kept her distance as she continued to stare at Olivier. Almost waiting for him to notice her.
When Olivier continued to do nothing, Anne began to clear her throat loudly.
"um..oh-oliver?" spoke Anne, softly. "are you...awake?"
Olivier still did not move...but Anne heard him breathe.
Anne finally sat down cross-legged on the floor just a foot away from Olivier's bed.
She stared at Olivier's motionless back for a minute before resuming speaking.
"I'm sorry about...what happened in town." spoke Anne, softly.
"I...expected them to not be friendly, but If I knew they would act like that, I-"
"Shouldn't you be running errands with Sprig?" spoke Olivier finally (still not looking at Anne.)
"I was...but I was worried about you."
"I'm fine." said Olivier, monotoned.
Anne frowned, not convinced. "no, you're not. I've been where you are before: I know you're not fine."
It was then that Olivier finally turned around and looked at Anne.
His expression unreadable, Anne continued to speak to him.
"I still remember what it was like when I first came here over three months ago.
They called me a 'Monster' (and, in the case of one particular frog: a Scarecrow.)
...and I hated it. I hated it so much, I did some...questionable things to get it to stop.
Things that when looking back, I am not proud of. But in time...they eventually accepted me."
Olivier scowled. "Well, that's the difference between you and me: I don't need their acceptance."
Olivier then sat up to face Anne properly, a stern look on his face.
"If they won't accept me for who I am...then HEX Them." said Olivier, an edge in his voice.
"I wasted my whole childhood trying to fit in, and be accepted in my own world...and it got me nothing but PAIN."
Anne grimaced as she got a glance of the scars behind Olivier's long sideburns.
"Is...that how that happened?" asked Anne, her voice shaky. "to you ears, I mean."
Olivier pulled his hood up over his head, concealing his 'ears.'
Anne frowned, feeling she still wasn't going to get an answer from him.
"look...I know it sucks, I know it isn't fair. But just give them time...I know they'll-"
"NO." said Olivier, sternly.
"If all I will get from those bug munchers is disrespect and rejection, Then I refuse to be ANYWHERE NEARthem.
Wherever I end up living in this realm while I am trapped here, It certainly WON'T be in that accursed Town!"
Anne frowned at this...and then another voice spoke. "You're not gonna leave, are you?"
Anne and Olivier looked to see Maddie Flour peering from the backdoor.
"Maddie?" spoke Olivier, surprised to see the frog girl.
Maddie then entered the room and approached Olivier.
"please don't leave Wartwood, Oliver...I'm really sorry for how everyone treated you." began Maddie.
Maddie then looked down, her feet twitching nervously.
"I...I know what it feels like to be an outcast." continued Maddie.
"Everyone thinks I'm weird...they are even afraid of me. But, I can't help who I am.
I like magic, and...I want to help people with it. but no one understand me...not even my own dad."
Olivier's stern expression slowly softened as he listened to Maddie's words.
Maddie then looked up at Olivier, and smiled. "but...you're like me.
You are also a witch who is misunderstood. you...are the only one who understands me."
Maddie then ran up, and hugged Olivier's leg. "please don't go away...I don't want you to go away."
Olivier froze, stunned at this sudden display of affection.
He wasn't sure how to respond to it...he couldn't even speak.
"That makes Two of us, Mads." said Anne, who then looked at Olivier again. "I don't want you to go away, either."
Olivier looked at Anne with a raised eyebrow. "Why?"
"Because...You are the only human here besides me." answered Anne.
"I'm only HALF Human." said Olivier.
"Half human is STILL human enough for me." countered Anne.
"look...only two other humans came with me when I was first transported to this frog world.
And I don't know if EITHER of them are still alive, and...well, You are all I have now."
Anne looked down, frowning sadly.
"I know we...barely know each other. But it can be so lonely being the only one like me here.
Sprig is my best bud, yeah. But there are things about me that he doesn't understand, and probably never will."
Anne looked at Olivier again.
"I need a friend, Olivier...a HUMAN friend. Someone who...I can talk to about human things.
I know you are half human, and from a completely different world. but..."
Anne paused, her eyes getting moist. "whenever you are around...I don't feel so alone."
Olivier let out a deep sigh. "sometimes it's better to be alone...No one can hurt you."
"No one can love you, either." said Maddie (frowning as she thought about her deceased mother.)
Olivier's duel colored eyes widened as Maddie's words somehow pierced through him.
He then looked back at Anne and Maddie...who BOTH looked at him with shiny, puppy dog eyes.
His resistance weakened...the witch boy let out a sharp sigh as he accepted defeat.
"Okay...Fine. I won't leave Wartwood." said Olivier.
"YES!/YAY!" exclaimed both Anne and Maddie.
"BUT...I refuse to live *IN* Wartwood, either." continued Olivier.
"If I can, I'll try to find a place near the town...or build one, if I can't find a vacancy."
"I can help look for a good place for you!" said Maddie. "Aaand, you can pay me back my teaching me magic...please?"
Olivier looked down at Maddie. "I'll...think about it."
"YAY!" exclaimed Maddie, jumping with joy.
"Oh, and...Sorry about the 'Bug Muncher' comment from before." said Olivier, embarrassed.
"It's okay. I know you weren't talking about me." said Maddie, smiling.
"All the same...Sorry." repeated Olivier.
Maddie continued to smile, and hugged Olivier's leg again. Olivier smiled...Until Anne approached, and also hugged him.
Feeling uneasy, Olivier wriggled out of Anne's embrace.
"Too much?" spoke Anne, blushing awkwardly.
"just a bit." said Olivier (also blushing, and trying to hide it.)
After a minute of silence, Anne spoke again. "How about we go do something fun to take our minds off of things?"
"Like what?" inquired Olivier.
"well...umm..." Anne took a moment to think...and then noted Olivier's still inactive phone.
"I GOT IT!" said Anne, snatching the device. "Let's go and get THIS baby charged up!"
"How?, Didn't you say it needs "Electricity?" spoke Olivier. "Because unless you plan on being struck by lightning,
I don't see how you'll do that when this realm is still in the MediEvil Era in terms of modern technology."
Anne stared at Olivier. "I think you mean "Medieval", right?"
"no." said Olivier, bluntly.
Anne stared blankly. "riiight...Well, there actually IS a way we can charge your phone up WITHOUT waiting for a thunderstorm."
"We can always conjure one with the right magic spell!" suggested Maddie.
"MADDIE..." spoke Anne through gritted teeth.
"sorry...Continue, please."
In another room, Anne dropped down a thick book and opened it up.
After flipping through pages, she found what she was looking for and pointed at an illustration.
"THIS is how we do it: a Zapapede!" said Anne. "It's a giant Centipede that generates electricity."
Olivier stared at the book with unblinking eyes.
"Look, I know this sounds beyond weird, but-"
"In my world, we have bees that are constantly on fire." spoke Olivier. "So this isn't really weird to me at all."
"Oh...Cool!" said Anne, as she continued pointing at the book.
"Anyway, they live in the Misty Peaks in the mountain regions of Amphibia.
When Hop Pop took me there to recharge *my* phone, it took half a day on foot."
Olivier gave Anne an unsure look. "I'm not sure this is worth the effort, Anne."
"COME ON, DUDE! You'll LOVE having your own phone!" exclaimed Anne.
"You can take all kinds of pictures, and I'll even transfer copies of my songs, Vids and Pics to yours!"
Olivier crossed his arms. "I don't know..."
Maddie then tugged at Olivier's legging. "I kinda want to go..." said Maddie.
"If only to try and gather some Zapapede Juice so to make some Zap-O-Rade."
"What's that?" asked Olivier.
"Oh, it's an Energy Drink that is rare, but really tasty." explained Anne.
Olivier pondered this.
"Okay, Fine. We'll go to these Misty Peaks." said Olivier.
"If only so we can make some of this 'Zap-O-Rade' to possibly sell and make some coin."
Anne and Maddie both smiled. "GREAT!, Let's get going!"
As Anne and Maddie ran all, their arms in the air...Olivier just grimaced.
Perhaps it was the passive Oracle Magic, but he had a bad feeling about outcome of this adventure.
[End of Part Eight]