Chapter 2-Redrawn maps, Redrawn Plans.

Sasha sat down on the old barrel with an “oomph”. She wiped her forehead with the towel she had draped across her shoulder; she had been training all afternoon, trying to get her skills back up to where they were before her fall, and she felt a twinge of pride in her chest at how far she had come, she winced as the twinge took a sharp turn, her tender ribs none too happy at the rigorous exercise she had undergone.

She looked out at the training yard before her, dozens of toad soldiers went through their drills, some had paired off to spar and practice new styles, others had retreated to the shaded edges of the yard to escape the harsh noonday sun for a breather, much like herself. Grime and the other Captains weren't going to let them lose their skills in peacetime, not after how easily Andreas had crushed them during the invasion.

Sasha looked behind her to the hallways leading back to the main garrison, she knew that Grime would be welcoming General Yunaan and Lady Olivia as he walked with them to the war room, she also knew she was expected to join them when they arrived, Sasha huffed, she hated those droll meetings they had, the only thing they seemed to talk about was moving platoons around to twiddle their thumbs until something actually happened, but Grime had said that they had some new orders and that this was too important to miss, so she got up from her barrel and started down the hallway.

Sasha observed Lady Olivia and General Yunaan as they seated themselves at the table, Yunaan was flexing her fingers in her gauntlets and Olivia was twirling a strand of her hair. They were anxious, whatever they'd learned had rattled them pretty bad. She looked at the manilla folder Olivia was carrying, it was bulging with photos and loose papers, the only thing keeping it from bursting was a thin rubber band, Sasha gave it five minutes before it broke. Grime cleared his throat “so, Lady Olivia, General Yunaan” he straightened his back as he addressed them, his expression hardening, “you have told me that there is something of great importance we must discuss” Olivia gulped as his eyes landed on the folder she was clutching.

She took a moment to steel herself “yes, Captain Grime” she began politely, “the problem lies with our navy on the Eastern shore” she took out a small laser pointer and directed the beam to the eastern part of the map laid out on the table.

“Ah, I see” Grime muttered “sea monsters attacking ships again?” he questioned, Sasha was aware of the sea monsters he spoke of, colossal beasts that prevented any of Amphibia’s ships from leaving shore, they were filter feeders and non-territorial.The only reason people could come up with as to why they attacked the ships was that they had nests all along the coastline.

Lady Olivia stared at the map for a moment “no” she said “the opposite in fact, they've stopped attacking us entirely”. She moved the laser over to a blank spot of ocean just beyond Newtopia “we've had at least three encounters reported where they ignored our ships entirely and simply swam around them”

“What!” Grime balked “but they've been sinking our ships for centuries!, why would they just stop?”

Yunnan reached into her cloak and pulled out a large object and placed it on the table. “Because we have evidence suggesting that they never wanted to fight us in the first place”. Sasha gasped as she saw what Yuunan had placed on the table, it was a piece of one of the mind control collard Andreas had used to capture most of Amphibia during the invasion. She looked to Yunnan as she continued to speak “my soldiers have been finding pieces of these collars washing up on the beach ever since the moon exploded” she said, her voice steely, “which just so happens to coincide with the sea monsters losing all interest with our ships”.

“So you're saying Andreas was controlling them?” Sasha asked, perplexed, “but why?, what could he have to gain from that?” She was almost mystified by the information, making those collars was incredibly expensive, even when the war was in full swing, to fund making enough for every single sea monster that lived on the coast would have taken the entire contents of the royal coffers and then some, and for what?.

“I have an idea as to why” said General Yunaan, she stood up onto her chair, placing her clenched fist over her chest. “I believe it is because of the ghost ships”

“Yunaan!” Olivia turned to her “you can't honestly believe that old toad's tale has anything to do with this!”

“Oh but I do!” Yunaan snapped back “reports of ghost ships have quintupled since the sea monsters stopped attacking, and several of them have been close enough that our men can see their crew milling about on deck” she looked at the map of Amphibia, her eyes determined. “Think about it, Andrias lied to us about everything, including the sea monsters, who's to say he didn't lie about the ships as well?”

Olivia opened her mouth to speak “well l”-

The conversation was interrupted by the doors groaning open, Sasha and the others turned to see Valerina in the entryway, her eyes were focused and cold. Sasha felt her body tense as the phantasmal Newt walked towards her, the gloved end of her tail raised to her chest clutching a small box, Valerina stopped just before the box hit Sasha's chest, neither of them moved for what felt like an eternity.

Sasha brought her hand up to the lid of the box, letting her fingers hover mere millimeters away from its surface.”What is this supposed to be?” Sasha flicked her gaze up to Valerina as she spoke “some sort of offering?” She looked back down to the ring box.

“No” Valerina answered, her voice was quiet and far away, barely a murmur “think of it rather as an apology” and the box flicked open and-

Sasha's breath stuttered in her throat.

Its surface was glassy and smooth, not a single sharp edge or corner to be seen, it was the same electric pink-red as the other gem, but the first one Sasha beheld was harsh and angular, with small flaws and scratches marking its surface in a way that could only be described as careless, this one seemed much more purposeful in its cut. Sasha’s fingers twitched towards it, not even brushing it surface before a bolt of pinkish lightning arched from the stone to her fingers and-

and-

and-

Sasha woke up with a mouthful of carpet assaulting her taste buds, she gagged as she spat them out, they tasted like dust. She brought herself up to her knees and surveyed the room she was in, it was small and homey, there was a table with a clunky looking old computer on it right in front of her. Sasha took a breath before moving to see the screen.

>Hello Sasha Waybright_

Sasha stared at the computer, the purple text almost taunting her in its casual formality, she looked down at the keyboard, then flicked her eyes back up to the screen before typing a message of her own.

>how the frog do you know my name_

>Ahaha, there is no need to be so alarmed Miss Waybright, I am a friend :)_

Sasha rankled at the little smiley face they added, just who the hell did this guy think they were? She typed again.

>that doesn't answer my question_

immediately after she hit ‘enter’ another message popped up

>You're right, I suppose it doesn't._

>to answer your question, Sasha Waybright, I am The Guardian and I was informed of your name by our mutual friend Anne Boonchuy_

>you're the guy Anne talked to after she died about sending us home?_

>Wait, are you here to send me back?_

>No, Miss Waybright, quite the opposite. I am here to tell you why I cannot._

>oh, ok, why can't you?_

>Because it would teach Anne a bad lesson._

>..._

>elaborate please?_

>Ah, yes, well you see I have decided that once Anne passes away she is to inherit my position as guardian._

>in doing so, she will be granted limitless power, which could have apocalyptic consequences if used incorrectly._

>like bringing me back?_

>like trying to make a permanent rift in your two worlds because I brought you back despite saying it was impossible for your worlds to cross again._

>if I just send you back, Anne would get it in her head that she could just send people wherever all willy-nilly, which would probably work for a few Eons, then reality would violently implode._

>oh._

>wait so if i can’t go back, then what's with your servant giving me a new Gem?_

>ah yes! Your apology gift._

>I had it delivered to you because I felt bad that circumstances prevented me from returning you to earth, although, you don't seem too upset by that :)._

Sasha dug her fingers into the wood of the table as she felt her face flush.

>and because you will need your old powers later._

Sasha suddenly felt very, very, cold.

>wait, what do you mean by that?_

>;)_

[The Guardian has left the chat]

>COME BACK HERE AND TELL ME WHAT YOU MEAN._

Sasha felt the rug fizzle away from beneath her, the entire room was dissolving before her eyes. She shouted as the floor disappeared and left her clinging to the table for dear life, no, she didn't want to fall, not again. She shuddered as the buzzing static of the void was replaced with crashing waves and breaking earth.

Once again, she was dangling on the edge of oblivion.

And once again she fell

“-eutenent? Lieutenant! Can you hear me! Sasha?”

Sasha opened her eyes to Grime, shaking her awake on the floor of the war room, General Yunaan and Lady Olivia hovering over them both. She winced as Grime helped her to her feet, she must have landed on her back, the tender flesh stinging as she rose.

She felt the familiar crackling energy humming in her veins, the warm rush of strength, she had missed this feeling. She snapped her finger and watched as pink energy sparked at her fingertips.

“I'm fine Captain”

She walked back over to the war table and sat back down in her seat before gesturing to the amphibians to join her. “Now let's get back to the meeting, shall we?” She smiled.

“I have a feeling the plans we put into motion here will be very important in the coming days”

End notes