19. S1: Toad Tax

This was supposed to be chapter 20 :( But hey, I tried and I couldn't figure out what ch.19 was going to be. So yeah, early Christmas present. Anyway, it's gonna be a ride so you better hold on tight, haha :D Thanks for the reviews btw. Really appreciate it.

Wartwood, a swamp-based town consisting of farmers, townies and an oddly large number of senior citizens. With a population of 116 consisting of 88 adults and 28 children, Wartwood was one of the smaller towns in Frog Valley and this was reflected by the sheer number of disasters the populace faced. It's honestly surprising how it lasted for over 1,000 years like some kind of stubborn grandma.

But it was home to a lot of folks and, begrudgingly, even to one Sasha Waybright, the town's latest and weirdest addition. Even weirder than One-Eyed Wally, a title he held since he first came a couple of years back.

Now, personality-wise, Sasha wasn't any different than most people. The town just so happened to have 'Slow to Accept, even Slower to Respect' as its motto. It didn't help that first impressions were questionable, followed by a series of bad decisions.

Also the whole thing about her being a completely different species. That was left unsaid.

"Look! There's a spot!" Sprig Plantar, the boy frog, exclaimed, pointing at the narrow space between rows of snails.

"Good find, Sprig!" Hopadiah 'Hop Pop' Plantar, the old man, replied.

"I don't know. Seems kinda tight." Polly Plantar, the youngest, noted.

"Nonsense! Bessie can fit. She's been working out." Argued Hop Pop, patting the snail's shell lovingly. "Now scoot a bit. I need to see."

As Hop Pop steered the snail in reverse, Bessie's shell scratched the other snails' with a painful screech, startling Sasha. "Hey, do you mind?!"

Hop Pop did not respond. Instead, he gazed at the nearby silent sheriff who, despite shaking his hand disapprovingly, the old man did not care. Sasha rolled her eyes. "Really? You couldn't have parked anywhere else?"

Again, he did not respond.

Once parked snugly, the Plantars and Sasha climbed off the snail, their shopping bags slung around their arms. "Alright, kids! We meet up back in here in an hour. Except you, Sasha. You're staying with me."

"Why? Because I can't protect myself?"

"Oh no, I'm actually more worried about everyone else." He clarified. "You know how these are folks are like."

Sasha sighed. "Yeah, yeah. No need to remind me."

The teenager was a capable person but if at least one of the Plantars weren't there, there's a slim chance that a lot of things could go wrong. It wasn't sure why she was a magnet for trouble, considering how careful she was, but she just was. This brought a lot of resentment against her from the townsfolk, just waiting to blow over.

While Sprig and Polly went elsewhere, Sasha followed alongside Hop Pop to the nearby Grub & Go. It's weird how often they go for groceries nowadays. A human being ate a lot more than an amphibian, even when scaled up. Something about being warm-blooded.

"Alright, let's look at the list." Hop Pop mumbled out loud, pulling out a comically long shopping list. The paper rolled onto the floor, folding by his feet. "I'll go grab the first half. You get the second half. And remember, Sasha; no matter what, don't stray off."

She shrugged. "Yeah, I heard ya."

Grabbing her own cart, the two separated. Sasha had visited this same store several times and thus, it didn't take long for her to find what was on her list. Most of them were basic supplies such as giant mint leaves and morning dew. Occasionally, there'd be the weirder options like cricket hair and pre-peeled garlic.

Once her list was complete — and that took two shopping carts to fill — Sasha scoured the store for whatever fit her fancy. It wasn't like the Plantars had money problems anymore, not since their smart investments with the treasures and old relics. But the Plantars were humble folk and despite being incredibly rich, they still managed the cart at the farmer's market.

She kinda missed the cart.

As she looked through the aisle of preserved snacks, one particular item stood out. "Oh hey, the last bag of beetle jerky," Sasha said to herself. Grabbing the bag, she began reading the details. "Made with 100% real beetle... What did it mean by 'real'?"

Suddenly from behind, a shopping cart slammed into her thigh, causing her to cry out in pain. "Ow! Watch it!"

"You watch it, Plantar monster! Can't you see I'm trying to get to the cookies?" The perpetrator, an old lady by the name of Mrs Croaker, spat back. She then slammed the cart repeatedly into Sasha, much to her irritation. "Get! GET!"

Sasha took a deep breath. "Can't you just… push your cart around?"

"I could but it's much easier for you to move. Now, GET!"

No matter the universe, old ladies were on another level of stubborn. Too tired to deal with this, Sasha rubbed between eyes and stepped aside, allowing the frog to pass with a victorious cackle. Really, had it not been the laws of this land, she would not hesitate to trade fists with an old lady.

"Pfft, whatever." grumbled the teen with a huff. Her thoughts messed up, Sasha didn't notice the wet floor as she walked away, causing her to slip and fell. "W-WOAH! OOF!"

"Hey, didn't you see the sign?" A cleaner frog sneered.

Sasha didn't get to retort as slowly, a small crowd formed around her, staring and judging. Even a child began pointing at her. "Look! The Plantar monster fell into that puddle!"

"Maybe it can't read. Typical monsters, all uncivilized and like."

Growling, Sasha stood back up, her frustration building. "Ggh, will you stop calling me that?! I have a name!"

One of the bystanders gasped. "Dear frog, it has a name! Didn't think the Plantars would name it. They must've gone crazy from all the exposure."

Oh. Oh, that was the wrong line. Sasha's fist clenched.

"Oh, so that's how it is? Why I ought to—"

"SASHA!"

Before she could do anything, Hop Pop called out her name from the corner, his cart stacked up high. "Come on, I got what we came for."

"But—!"

"No buts. You're making a scene."

It didn't take much for her to notice that. Surrounding her was a small crowd, all waiting impatiently to see what she'd do next — as if she was some kind of zoo animal. Sasha closed her eyes and breathed in and out, her restless heart calming.

She wasn't going to fall for this.

"… Fine."

Outside, the human teenager and the old frogman briskly headed straight back to their snail. While they managed to avoid a worst-case scenario, they still garnered quite an attention and not the good kind. It was best that they left early.

Sasha, with several bags worth of groceries in her hands, sulked. "Sorry about what happened."

Hop Pop sighed. "Not your fault. I did warn ya and you did mighty well keeping it together."

"I've been here for almost two months and they still insist on calling me 'the Plantar monster'. Like, seriously! The only people here that use my name can be counted in one hand!" She complained loudly. "And I know they all know my name! They just don't care!"

"I get that it's been tough but I'm sure in a while, it'll all get better. Promise!" Hop Pop assured with a hopeful smile.

Though, the effect was minor, leaving Sasha to growl frustratedly. "Don't keep promises you can't keep, old man."

As they reached Bessie the snail, Sprig and Polly arrived a few seconds later, the former carrying a paper bag full of baked goods. Maddie really went all-out on these breads.

"We're back!" Sprig exclaimed. Upon arrival, however, he noticed his friend's foul mood. Concerned, he went to her side and asked. "Hey, you okay?"

"I'm fine. Let's just go back." Sasha responded snappily. Silently, they began loading up the items onto their carriage and headed back home.

As per usual, they passed through the town centre, the mayor's office taking up the spotlight. But then, out of nowhere, Bessie began chirping in distress, stopping right before the office's stairs.

"Hey, Bessie, you okay?" Sasha asked the snail, patting her shell softly. Looking forward, that's when she saw it.

Coming from outside of town, an ominous rumbling appeared. From the billowing dust, a carriage unlike anything she'd seen ran into view. The wheels and chassis had spikes protruding out aggressively and the whole carriage was pulled by a monstrous tarantula. However, the biggest surprise was the drivers, consisting entirely of toads.

Very aggressive-looking toads.

"Huh? Who are they?" Sasha asked.

Hop Pop frowned as he watched the newcomers parked outside of town hall. Instantly after, the hall's doors burst open and Mayor Toadstool walked out to greet.

"Don't look at them! That them are toads from Toad Tower." Hop Pop hissed.

That didn't clarify anything. Thankfully, Sprig began explaining. "The toads there rule over the entire valley, protecting towns and roads from great threats. It's basically where the valley's fiercest warriors live!"

Ah, so they're knights.

Sasha shrugged. "Never heard of them."

"I'm not surprised. They only visit town once every year. It must be tax season." Hop Pop added. "That reminds me; I should teach you how to do your taxes."

"I don't think I'm going to stay here that long." She replied bluntly. "Also, these toads kinda sound like chumps. 'Protecting towns from great threats'? Well, they haven't done jack since I got here."

Not like Wartwood needed any. To be fair, the last time something town-threatening occurred — that she may or may not have caused — also happened to be the only time since she got here. It's probably a once-in-a-blue-moon scenario. But again, she hadn't seen them do anything and her only close hand experience with them was… questionable.

One did not casually reminisce about the cannibal inn.

Back at the town centre, Hop Pop noticed some bickering between Toadstool and the warrior toads. Considering that the mayor was also a toad, that's definitely a big red flag.

"Seems like there's a disagreement of sorts." He said. "Better stay clear. We don't want to get ourselves involved. These toads bring nothing but trouble."

"Eh, Hop Pop? You're a bit late on that." Polly remarked. There, already halfway, Sasha and Sprig were strolling to the outsiders.

"Gosh darnit!"

A couple of minutes earlier, Mayor Toadstool, proud mayor of Wartwood, had left his office building to greet the tax collectors. Being the mayor of this historical town, it was his responsibility to gather the town's taxes and later, hand it over to the tower. Despite the name, he'd never personally visited the place and preferably, never would. It probably smelled disgusting.

Usually, the collection of taxes were of no issue. He'd give out the earnings and hand the collectors a list of miscreants who refused or underpaid their share. Wartwood's tax rate was also slightly higher than most other towns in the valley which, even when embezzled, left enough to pay the annual toad tax.

All in all, it was a pretty good gig.

This year, he had planned on taking in just a tad more to fund his luxurious lifestyle to the next level. Despite being mayor, he was nowhere as rich as the hoity-toity folks in Ribbitvale but that was about to change soon. Maybe he'd even get his own gold-plated carriage.

At least, that was the plan. Instead, he had to use most of the gathered money to do town-wide repairs, all because of a single girl.

Never in his life did he envision himself actually mayoring. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

"Morning, fellow toads! A pleasure to see you! Might I say, you're all looking fine today." Toadstool greeted.

The leader of the group, a red-horned toad named Bog, rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Now, the taxes."

Snapping his fingers, his assistant Toady walked out of the front door, carrying a large sum of copper and silver coins, perfectly stuffed in a large burlap sack, easily the size of a single toad or 4 frogs if one wanted a more accurate measurement.

It did not impress the toad warrior though, looking peeved. "That's it? I thought we told you about the increased rates this season."

The mayor gulped nervously. "Y-yeah, well… I did send a letter stating of our current… predicament. Temporarily, we are unable to provide the required compensation."

"We did get that letter, Bog." The female toad next to him, Fens, whispered.

Bog growled. "We did but too bad for you. Captain Grime gave us specific orders to collect, regardless of your little problem. Toad Tower needs repairs from the last invasion and until that's done, the whole valley is jeopardized."

"We can't protect the valley if you don't pay us!" Fens added.

"Hehehe…" Toadstool laughed in an attempt to lighten the mood. It did not work. "Well, I just don't have the money yet! That policy change is too recent and I've barely had time to even issue the new tax rates. Plus, I've got projects set up to fix our damages."

"Well, there are other ways to pay…"

Now caught up to the present, Sasha and Sprig arrived on-scene, curiously attracted to the commotion.

"Hey! What's going on here?" Sasha questioned. Upon seeing her, the three outsider toads all jumped back in surprise.

"Whoa! What is that?! It's some kind of gangly new critter I've never seen before!" Bog exclaimed, looking up and down over her non-amphibian form.

"I wonder what it tastes like!"

Hearing that, Sasha glared. "You take one step and it'll be your last."

"Ohoho, is that a challenge?" Fens asked with glee. Without hesitation, she pulled out her mace — one with a spiky and square heavy tip — and charged at her target with a cry. Had it been anyone else, they would've panicked and fumbled around. But Sasha was no stranger to violence. She dealt with her fair share of bullies before.

As Fens swung her mace forward, Sasha calmly took a step back, just inches from being hit. With every swing and throw, the girl retreated with ease, each strike missing its mark by a hair's breadth.

After a few more tries, tiredness began sweeping in and her arm slowed down. Sasha quickly noticed this and capitalized on the opportunity. Just as Fens delivered another swing, Sasha rushed forward, closing the distance between them and using the toad's own momentum, she struck Fens right in the chest, knocking the wind out of her.

Out of breath, the toad let go of her weapon before being elbowed in the chin, dropping her onto the ground. Before the mace could reach the dirt, Sasha grabbed it midair and raised it up high. The toad quickly raised her arms up to her face in an attempt to protect herself while the two others simultaneously unsheathed their weapons, ready to intervene...

Until Sasha stopped, the mace just a few inches from Fens' face. The toad opened her eyes, surprised that the blow did not come. Instead, Sasha twirled the mace around, turning the handle to the other end.

Though no blood was shed, this was her total victory.

Fens grinned, grabbing back her mace. The other two resheathed their own weapons and jogged towards them. Pulling his teammate up, Bog laughed. "Woah, creature! You've got skill! What was all that fancy moves?"

Sasha shrugged, carrying a smile of her own. "Tai Chi. Been practising it for years."

"Well, I can definitely sense the fire inside. Name's Bog. You've met Fens and the silent one at the back is Mire."

"Pleasure to meet you. I'm Sasha."

"And I'm Sprig." The boy frog added.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, runt." Bog replied dismissively before turning to Sasha. "Say, how would you like to come with us? We could use an insider to make the whole job smoother."

Sasha pouted. "Depends on the job."

"Ah, worry about the details, eh? I like that. It shows that you're careful." Bog praised. "Every year, we visit the towns to collect taxes and send to the tower. This year, however, this place came up short which means we got to offset the difference."

"And how do you do that?" She asked.

"Hehe, with a little 'repo' action, if you get what I mean." He said jokingly. On queue, Toadstool sighed, handing over a list, carrying the names of the guilty.

All in all, it was basically the same on Earth. Being a literal child, Sasha did not pay taxes. That didn't mean she wasn't aware of it. Taxes, when distributed properly, were used to provide public services. Ideally, a government would use it to improve the livelihoods of its citizens, either by providing amenities or security.

Sasha was not the kind of person to cheat the system. She'd manipulate it and use it for her own ends but never cheat. After all, you'd need to know the rules to be able to twist it and squeeze out as much profit as possible. So in an ironic sense, she was actually a law-abiding citizen most of the time.

"Hey, if people aren't going to pay their taxes, then they don't deserve the services those taxes give," she stated.

"Exactly! Now, you're getting it!"

"On the other hand, this town's been banged up a lot and I don't see any toads 'providing protection'. You know, your whole job."

In an instant, the air grew cold. Toadstool held his breath in shock while the other toads puckered up. The only person unaffected was Sprig who happened to be used to it but even he saw that metaphorical knife stabbing through them.

Bog coughed in his fist. "A-hem, we're... a bit understaffed at the moment." He replied. "But hey, if you don't want to help, that's fine. But if you ever change your mind, just come find us. We're in no rush."

Sasha rolled her eyes. As if she'd ever accept that deal.

"Yeah, whatever. Come on, Sprig. Let's go."

As the duo walked away, Bog grinned, turning back to his cohorts. Fens leaned towards him and whispered. "You really think the creature's gonna come back?"

"Of course she will. I can tell—" Bog's smiled confidently. "—she's more toad than frog and she doesn't even know it yet."

The ride back to the Plantar residence was a quiet one. While today hadn't been particularly eventful, Sasha couldn't help but play back the conversation that occurred in town. Those toads, despite their gruff exterior, was quick to treat her as an equal. There were only a few frogs that did that and one of them happened to be Wally.

The toads, though? They valued strength and she proved herself to them. Now alone with her thoughts, she wondered what it would take to prove to the frogs. But before she could find an answer, they finally arrived.

"Here we are! Home sweet home!" Hop Pop announced, parking Bessie right at the front door. As everyone got off with their bought good, Hop Pop shuffled through his pockets for his key. But to his horror, he realized a grave error had occurred. "Huh? HUH?! Oh no, I left my purse!"

"You carry a purse?"

"I'm an old man, Sasha!" Hop Pop huffed. "I must've left it back at the store. I'll be back in a jiffy."

"Let me come with." Sasha offered, climbing onto the driver's seat. "Gonna need someone to watch for you, old man."

"Hrmm…!" Hop Pop grumbled.

While Sprig and Polly waited at home, Hop Pop and Sasha travelled back to town — in particular, the Grub & Go. Sasha drove Bessie this time, having grown quite a bond with the snail. She even managed to parallel-park!

Once securely parked, Hop Pop hopped out of the passenger seat. "Alright, you stay here while I go grab it. It'll just be a minute."

"Take your time," Sasha said, pulling out a new magazine, one she hadn't read yet, from her pocket. "I'm not going anywhere."

Nodding, Hop Pop briskly walked into the shop and disappeared from view. Sasha, seeing she had nothing to do but wait, began reading.

She bought the magazine today, before the frogs began making fun of her. She thought she'd be able to move on from that, just as she always did, but the memories kept worming back. She wasn't bothered by the mocking before but sometimes, even she wished that this wasn't the norm. Like a stone in a flowing river, there was only so much she could take.

At some point, it'll just chip her away.

"Maybe it can't read. Typical monsters, all uncivilized and like."

"You horrible, horrible monster!"

"It's hideous!"

"The Plantars should never have taken you in! It was a mistake from the start!"

SPLOOSH! "AH!"

All of the sudden, from out of nowhere, a piece of rotten fruit exploded at the back of her head. Its spoilt insides spilt all over her, drenching the girl in a sticky sour mess. Horrified, Sasha tried to wipe the liquid off her but it was to no avail; the juices had sunk deep into her clothes and hair.

Behind her, 3 kids cheered in glee, high-fiving one another. "Toadseye! Alright!"

"Yeah! That's what you get, Plantar monster!"

What was once just a really off day to her, quickly turned into a complete nightmare. No matter how hard she tried to squeeze out the sticky fluid, it held onto her stubbornly. Not only that but even the innocent Bessie had bits of fruit on her shell, startling the poor girl slightly. And her new magazine? Completely ruined.

Sasha bared her fangs as she turned to face the devilish children, her eyes glowed pink.

One of the kids blinked. "Oh heck."

"WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU—!"

"Run!"

As quickly as they appeared, the children ran off to the distance, splitting up into town. Sasha stood up, ready to give them the chase of their lives but then, perfectly timed, Hopadiah Plantar appeared and with him, his leather purse.

"I got my purse! Now let's head back." Hop Pop exclaimed happily, only to quickly turn the other way. Much to his shock, he found a gooey Sasha about to leap out of the seat, her eyes still pink. "Dear frogs, what happened to ya?! Wait for a minute, I got a towel here somewhere!"

Hastily, Hop Pop opened up one of Bessie's compartments and grabbed a dry towel. Starting from her hair, he began wiping the juices off of her, all while Sasha stayed frozen in place. "Here! Once we get back, you head straight to the showers, you hear me?"

"No."

Hop Pop blinked, his hands abruptly coming to a halt. Tensely, she stood up, climbed down from the snail and walked away, not a whisper from either of them.

"... I need some time alone," Sasha said, leaving the old man alone. Once out of view, Hop Pop blinked again, feeling his arms loosen. He wasn't sure why he stopped but he felt compelled to, even though he believed it was a mistake.

Hopadiah Plantar wanted to go and look for her but... it felt wrong. Sasha wasn't feeling right and he was sure of it, even though he had no idea why. It's as if he felt the weight of her emotions and it was heavy.

With an exasperated sigh and a sticky towel, he slowly shifted to the driver's seat and drove back home — alone. For now, he hoped that Sasha would come home okay.

If there was one thing Bog enjoyed, it was his job.

On his normal days, he'd be at one of the many toad outposts located all over Frog Valley. After all, the valley was a big place and so, it needed outposts to properly maintain the security of the populace and more importantly, the interests of Toad Tower.

Usually, his days were slow — protect a shipment, fix some roads, accept a few bribes, that sort of thing. But the past month, he was on cloud nine.

Bog took a deep breath and sighed, feeling grateful. There was no greater period than tax season. In that one breath, he could smell the fear amongst the frogs, their desperation and anxiety. Enabling his powerful position onto them was pure bliss.

Really, it should've been called Toad Valley. Why did the frogs get the right to name it when they're all so spineless?

Looking at his team, Bog crossed off another name from the list. At least that mayor was useful for something. "Well, that's 10. How are you doing, Mire?"

In response, Mire gave a thumbs up, his trademark creepy breathing echoing out of his helmet.

"Alright, good. We're making good time. Let's head to the next." He ordered. But before they took their leave, a familiar figure appeared behind them, her pinkish glare strong enough to kill a god. "Well, if it isn't Sasha the creature. You smell foul."

"He means that as a compliment," Fens added.

Bog shrugged. "Still, I doubt that's why you're here. You look pretty down and I have a feeling it's about your perfume."

Sasha looked down and closed her eyes.

"The offer." She whispered. "I'll do it."

Bog smiled in glee. This tax season was getting better and better. "Ha! Knew you'd come around. I could see that toad spirit inside of ya. You got guts and in our line of work, that's what matters."

Unpromptedly, he handed the list over to her, the names all clearly written in cursive. A few of them were already crossed out but there were many left — many names she recognized.

"Here. Lead the way." The red-horned toad said.

Sasha did not hesitate. "Gladly."

It was dark that day.

For the next few hours, Wartwood's citizens were in distress. One after another, Sasha and the toads would forcefully break into the homes of these folks and took what was owed. Even if it was nailed down, they'd tear it off the floor, now repossessed.

Each house, no matter rich nor poor, was targetted. And Sasha, adorning a full set of toad armour and proudly wearing its badge, pointed the way.

Some cried out, asking for help or begging for mercy but there was none. With just a glare, she forced them in place, unable to move or protest. The strength of her presence was dominating, so much so that they couldn't fight back. Only when she left were they free, left to wallow in their own tears.

She did not get involved in the collecting process. She simply didn't want to. Acting as a hunting dog, pointing out the guilty and watching those that belittled her wail helplessly... That was enough. It was more than enough.

On their own, the toads would've taken 2 or 3 days to finish. With Sasha's help, it was less than 1.

Bog laughed heartedly as he crossed off another name. "Haha, holy toads, we're almost done! Honestly, I was expecting us to stay overnight but you managed to help us finish up by sundown. Good job, Sasha."

Fens pumped her fist up. "Yeah! You go, girl!"

Next to them, Mire just breathed creepily, though with a small nod.

"See? Even Mire's giving his compliments! You don't see that often." He said and he meant it too. It wasn't easy to impress the guy.

Finally, a few minutes later, Bog tapped Mire on his shoulder, signalling him to stop the carriage. "Oop, here we are! The Foragers."

That was a name Sasha was unfamiliar with. She didn't know everyone in town — just most of them. At the very least, their last names. Wartwood was home to a few named families with long bloodlines, some dating back hundreds of years. This, however, was not as long as evident by their decor.

Climbing out of the carriage, Sasha and the toads stomped to the front door. Bog then took a step back, giving way to the human girl.

"After you." He politely said.

Sasha huffed and walked forward. Right in front of the door, she lifted her foot and kicked the whole entrance down, ripping the wood off its hinges. Without so much as a greeting, the toads all walked in, ready to take what belonged to the tower.

Inside, while washing the dishes, a dainty frog woman screamed. "WAAAHHH!"

"Good evening, ma'am. Due to recent events, Toad Tower has issued an increased tax rate for you and your household. Unfortunately, despite your previous payments, you simply didn't reach the bar." The red-horned toad explained with an ominous tone. "Because of that, we'll be repossessing your belongings as compensation. I hope you understand."

"N-now, hold on a minute! You can't just barge in and take things that don't belong to you!" she protested, dropping what she was doing.

Bog chuckled. "Actually, we can. It's kinda our job."

Nodding at the others, they quickly went to work. Fens and Mire charged in, pushing the lady aside and onto the ground. Sasha stared at her, not recognizing who she was, but did not move herself. If the lady knew any better, then she'd stay down.

From framed photos to dented tankards, the toads took it all. And since value was subjective, they got to decide how much was enough to pay off the Foragers' debt. It didn't matter if a few chairs got broken. It was none of their concern.

As if on time, a frog boy appeared by the front door, shocked by the chaos. "W-what's going on?!" He yelled. Upon seeing the lady — his mother — on the ground and the toads taking their belongings, he instantly ran to her side, putting his fists up. "Hey! Back off, you bullies!"

Bog smiled at the act. "Aww, a little runt like you wants to play hero? Well, I do like a few games."

Sasha was going to ignore it as she had in the other houses. However, when she saw the boy's face, her eyes immediately widened.

"Wait a second, I know you! You're the kid that threw that rotten fruit at me!" She snarled.

Although nervous, the boy kept his fists up. "Y-yeah! You want seconds?!"

"Oh, it's personal? Man, I'll just give you two some space. Let you both work it out, hehe..." He coolly noted, backing off. "Mire, Fens! We're done! Let's go!"

With the toads out of the building, the only ones inside were 3 people; Sasha and its 2 inhabitants. Her arms tightening, she unsheathed her blade — a crude and chipped toad sword — and slowly walked over towards them.

"I told you that there'd be payback and I keep my promises." She hissed.

"I a-ain't scared of y-you."

"I don't care."

Sasha lifted her blade.

Her glare stayed on the child, so small and so weak compared to her. She wasn't going to harm him much. No, just a small cut, enough to leave a scar. A constant reminder never to mess with her, else face dire consequences. No matter where he went, the scar would follow. He'd never be free from what's coming.

Death was cheap. This, however, would last a lifetime.

"STOP!"

Before she could strike down her weapon, the mother dived in front of her son, shielding him from her. "Please, just take the stuff and go! I have a few family heirlooms in a small box underneath the bed. I-It'll suffice."

Sasha gawked at the mother, so selflessly protecting her child, and from that one act, her blood boiled.

"W-wha—?! I don't care about your jewellery! Your kid attacked me out of nowhere!" She yelled, enraged.

He then frowned. "Yeah, so what?! You're the reason my mom's hurt!"

...

...

In almost an instant, the flames were gone. Sasha's eyes slowly widened, stunned at the revelation. Her throat felt dry and her arms slumped weakly. In that moment, all that rage, all that anger, instantly extinguished.

"W-what?" Sasha stuttered, utterly shocked.

The frog lady turned to her son, caressing his cheek warmly. "Jeremy, I told you that I'm fine. It's... It's just a sprain."

"No! She sold you those stupid elixirs that don't work and you got attacked when you went foraging for berries! And now she's taking our stuff?! She can't just get away with these things! It's not fair!" He shouted, frustrated tears in his eyes.

Instantly, it all clicked.

Instinctively, Sasha glanced at the woman's feet. While not immediately obvious, the damage was clear; her right ankle joint was swollen. It was hard to tell since she was a different species but even she noticed.

Sasha had her fair share of sprains and bruises but she always had treatment and rest. This house was that of a single mother trying to make ends meet. She did not have the luxury Sasha had and when left untreated, would only turn worse.

This injury... she caused this. She could feel it — their pain and heartache. And she doubted they were the only ones.

Without a word, Sasha sheathed her sword back into its scabbard and kneeled down to the frog's level.

"Can I see your leg for a moment?" She asked.

The woman blinked, confused. "Um... sure..."

Drawing her leg forward, she winced in pain when Sasha grabbed it, pulling it closer. Looking at it now, Sasha noted how, other than the size and shape, there was no discolouration — just that one foot was bloated compared to the other.

Without hesitation, Sasha grabbed a part of her skirt and...

RIIIPPP

Gently, she wrapped the swollen feet along with a few broken pieces of wood, creating a makeshift splint. She took her time, carefully covering the swollen part with as much cloth as she could. She never made a splint before so she was trying.

Slowly, as she was wrapping, the pink in her eyes gradually faded away.

"There, that should do it. Just put some ice every hour or so and don't move too much, okay?"

The mother and son both stared at her, unsure as to what to say. Looking at the splint, they realised it wasn't much; it was very crudely made and it didn't look like it'd last very long. But her foot felt lighter as if it was finally able to heal properly.

Sasha didn't wait for a response. Standing back up, she turned around and walked away, not a word in between. Whether out of shame or guilt or even something else, she couldn't get anything out.

"Thank you." The woman said, just as Sasha reached the door.

She didn't reply but for a brief moment, the two frogs could see a small smile on her lips.

"Woo, what a rush! Today's been a blast! Can't wait to get back to Toad Tower with all this loot. It's been months since we last visited." Bog exclaimed, giddy at all the loot they 'repossessed'.

Having spent so long at the outposts, going back to Toad Tower was basically a vacation. That was, if one's idea of a relaxing weekend involved travelling to the ends of a deadly forest. Still, he had friends there so it'd be nice to see them again.

Fens nodded. "I heard we got ourselves a new lieutenant too! Some scrawny girl directly under the captain."

Big whistled, impressed. "Now that's a position. Her heart must be cold as ice if she can handle Captain Grime." He stated. Just after, he noticed their human walk out the front door, looking dejected. Not that he cared. "Oh hey, Sasha! How's the runt? Bet you whacked him pretty good."

Sasha got on the carriage and stared away, into the distance. "I... I didn't do anything. He's just a dumb kid."

Bog blinked, incredulous.

"Huh. Well, I can't say I'm surprised. Eh, you'll get another chance. I know handling kids is a bit on the uncomfortable side but you'll learn to get used to it."

"Yeah, whatever..."

"In any case, we're about to head over to the last house. Come on! The sun's setting!" He ordered. Turning to Mire, Bog patted him on his shoulder, signalling the driver. Holding the reins, Mire whipped their tarantula to move, heading straight to their final destination. To be honest, after all that's happened, Sasha just wanted to be done with it and go home.

Unfortunately for her, these two might be closer than she thought.

"Here it is. The last house on the list — the Plantars."

Straightaway, Sasha's eyes widened. She looked up to the distance and just as he said, it was the Plantars' residence — her residence.

"Wait, what?! No no no, that has to be a mistake!" Sasha protested.

Bog, though, shook his head. "Nope, no mistake. The usual standard isn't going to cut it. Which means everyone's gotta pay up."

No...

As they got off their carriage and walked up to the front door, Bog lifted his leg, ready to kick the recently-replaced door down. However, he was stopped by Sasha, her arm in front of him.

"H-hey, let me do it." She offered, somewhat nervously.

A bit weird since she already did it before but eh, why not? "Sure, honour's all yours."

"Yeah, kick that door down!" Fens cheered. Sasha walked up to the door and, instead of the usual door-breaking scene, she simply tapped the wood open, closing it behind her. "Or just knock. That works too!"

With the front door closed, Sasha breathed a sigh of relief. They couldn't see what was happening. Looking around, she found Hop Pop exactly where she expected him to be — in his study, reading a book. Hearing the door open, Hop Pop turned around and gasped.

"Oh, Sasha! You're here!" He said happily. Immediately, he rushed towards her, grabbing her hand. "You have no idea how worried I was when you ran off! And you still reek of rotten fruit. Come on, let's get you washed up."

Sasha stopped herself. "W-wait, Hop Pop, this is urgent. I need to know; you paid your taxes, right?"

"Of course. Honesty is a Plantar's policy."

"Include the increased rates?"

Hop Pop tilted his head. "What increased rates?"

Sasha cursed under her breath.

That explained the mass repossessing. There was no way the entire town could be convicted, not unless there was some political corruption running amok in the background. Maybe that ol' Mayor Toadbutt had something to do with this but even he'd knew not to make it too obvious.

"Hopadiah Plantar! Come on out!"

Before she could let out another word, a shout from outside interrupted their little reunion. And when she was about to tell him to stay indoors, Hop Pop already walked out of the house, confused by the presence of toads on his property.

"What's all this?" he asked.

"In case you haven't heard, there's been a change in the annual tax rates heading towards Toad Tower. And you, frog, have to pay your dues."

"What?! That's nonsense! I paid my taxes already!" He argued.

"Maybe the old amount but time's changed. No hard feelings; we're just doing our job." Bog said, his smile betraying him. "Fens, Mire, Sasha; go collect his stuff."

Hop Pop gasped, turning to her with a horrified look. "S-Sasha?"

Against her will, the teenage girl was stuck at a crossroad. On one path, she'd help the toads and fulfil her need for control. All the pain and embarrassment she'd endured since coming here, now paid back in full. The stress and resentment built up over time had finally reached its limit and as helpful as the Plantars were, it'd be a lie if she claimed they were perfect.

On the other...

"No." She barked.

Suddenly, thunder boomed and rain began pouring down, dousing everyone out in the open.

Bog did a double-take. "What?"

"I said no." She emphasized. "This isn't right; all of this! You can't just go around taking people's property like this! It's not right and it's not fair."

"Who cares if it's right or fair? It's the law and the law demands its due!"

"Well, maybe the law's wrong."

At that moment, a crowd of discontented Wartwood citizen appeared from the horizons. With how much grief Sasha and the toads had caused them, they came one last time, either to voice out their disapproval like protestors or steal back what's theirs like a mob. Though, most came just to see their items one last time, too scared to act.

But to their genuine surprise, something else has occurred at the front of the Plantar home.

"All this happened because I decided to cheat this crummy town out of its pocket. I made a mistake and the townsfolk have every right to hate me for it."

Bog stared at her, dumbstruck. "Every right?! They treated you like trash and you're just going to accept that?!"

"No, I won't." She replied. "But doing back what they did to me is cruel. And I'm not going to hurt them out of petty revenge. Not anymore."

From her chest, Sasha ripped the toad badge off. Staring at the shiny medal, she took a deep breath and let go, the badge falling into the mud in a disrespectful action. What was once flawless and brand new, now stained by the mud of the frogs they once trampled on.

The crowd gasped.

"I'm done. If I'm going to earn their respect, then I'll do it my own Sasha way."

It was funny, really. The old her would've accepted the offer with glee. All that power and authority would've been a godsend, her worth as a person now acknowledged. Ever since she came here, she'd lose her footing over and over again and was helpless as she watched her life spiral out of control. Working with the toads gave her that opportunity again and she used it the only way she knew how.

But after everything, she was still Sasha. Different but the same.

Every failure brought up a lesson, both harsh and fair. And with each lesson, she grew as a person. Once selfish, now selfless. Once cruel, now caring. Once prideful, now humble. All she wanted was stability in her life, where everything worked as planned, where your worth determined your place in society.

Now, she realised... She never needed it. No, she had something better.

"How... disappointing."

Sasha stared at Bog, her hand already on her sword's hilt.

"To be honest, I was really hoping on you joining us." The red-horned toad said. "You could've been useful back in Toad Tower but I guess it's too good to be true. Now, though? Playtime's over."

Glancing at his fellow comrades, they all nodded and pulled out their weapons. Armed and ready, the toads slowly surrounded Sasha and Hop Pop, their backs against the wall. Hop Pop took a step back, feeling the pressure.

3 vs 1?

SCHWING!

Sasha unsheathed her blade. "Your funeral."

Grinning, Fens took the challenge and was the first to charge at her, mace in hand. Swinging left and right, Sasha carefully stepped away, deflecting any attack that got too close and keeping a distance from the house. With the rain pouring heavily, the ground became muddier than usual. If she took one wrong step, she'd slip and fall.

She wasn't going to let that happen. Using her sword, she deflected another one of Fens' swings, pushing the mace down and holding it in place. Unable to budge, Sasha then kicked the toad in the stomach, separating her from her weapon.

"WAH!" Fens yelled, falling backwards.

She didn't have time to celebrate however as Mire appeared from behind and hugged her tighter than a vice. With the increasing pressure, Sasha struggled against her restraints but it proved too much. She simply didn't have the strength to break free.

"GGHHH—!" Sasha growled with gritted teeth, her sword falling out of her hands. Mire continued to hug her tighter and tighter, squeezing her ribs. "GAAAHHH!"

Suddenly, at the second-floor window, Sprig's head popped out, rubbing his eyes drowsily. "Haaa, w-what's going on?"

"Some of us are TRYING TO SLEEP!" Polly screeched, also from the same window.

There, they finally witnessed the commotion and it did not look good. "Hop Pop? Sasha?!" Sprig yelled in a panic. "Hey, leave her alone!"

Grabbing his trusty hat and slingshot, Sprig hopped out from the window and onto the front yard, landing with a splash. Bog growled at the newcomer and charged in with his oversized war hammer. He slammed down at Sprig who hastily rolled away.

Scooping up some mud, he then shot the ball of dirt into Bog's eyes, causing him to cry out in pain. "ARRGH! YOU LITTLE—!"

"Hey! Pick on someone your own size!" Hop Pop called from the door. On queue, the female toad Fens walked in front of him with a grin, her sheer size towering over him. "W-well, uh, obviously I'm very small..."

"DON'T YOU DAAAARE!" Polly shrieked. Jumping out of the window like her big brother, she brandished a flail and landed directly on Fens, much to the toad's horror.

"AHHH, GET IT OFF OF ME!" Fens screamed. While Fens ran around in panic, Polly held on tight and slammed her weapon into Fens' eye, causing her to scream louder.

Now free, Hop Pop grabbed a pitchfork and charged in after them, yelling his best impression of a dying chicken.

Meanwhile, as the Plantars fought against the two toads, Sasha was slowly losing consciousness. Compared to the other two, Mire carried no weapon for he was strong enough without one. And right now, he was literally squeezing the life out of her. Sasha could feel her bones strain under the pressure.

"Gggg... GAH!" Sasha yelled, slamming the back of her head onto Mire's face. Unfortunately, he wore a helmet and so all she did was hurt herself.

But Sasha was no quitter. She began kicking her legs wildly in hopes that she'd be too much to handle. It almost worked too for Mire was slowly losing his grip. In the end, she managed to get one cheap shot and kicked Mire in the groin, destroying future generations from existing.

Weakened from the illegal blow, Sasha was ultimately released and after a quick breath, she grabbed Mire's arm and shoulder-threw him over her, landing with a painful thud. Now free, she quickly dived for her blade—

"That's enough!"

Her hand just inches away, Sasha looked up and to her horror, the worst-case scenario had occurred; Sprig was in Bog's hand, held up high by the scruff while Hop Pop and Polly were the same with Fens.

"You put up quite a fight but it ends now. So, surrender yourself to Toad Tower and we can all go home unharmed—"

If he thought Sasha was going to give up so easily, he thought wrong.

"RAAAH!"

Mid-sentence, Sasha leapt towards Bog, pushing him off the ground and letting Sprig go. The two tussled against one another, rolling across the muddy road. After several seconds, Bog managed to break free of Sasha's animalistic grapple and threw her to the cart. Her back hit hard on the wooden transport, breaking it and allowing several of the repossessed trinkets to spill out into the mud, among other things.

Bog snarled. He knew fighting her was going to be a hassle but he didn't expect it to be too much. Bringing her back to the tower was no longer worth it.

With his hammer in hand, Bog stomped forward with bloodshot eyes. "Okay, that's it! I've had enough of this! This time, you'll stay down permanently."

Sasha spat at his general direction. It didn't go far but the message was clear.

Releasing a murderous roar, Bog swung his hammer up, higher than its ever been. Sasha looked left and right — a weapon, an escape route, anything! But she was too late. Bog, with his full might and help from gravity, struck his hammer down. He didn't care if he'd hit the cart; she wasn't getting out of this in one piece.

Desperate, Sasha grabbed whatever she could and pushed it forward. And for the first time in a long time, she got lucky.

CLANG!

"Huh?!"

Right between them, in Sasha's arm, a piece of thick metal blocked the blow of Bog's heavy war hammer. It was no sword or mace or any other weapon. In fact, it was the opposite of a weapon.

A weapon was designed to do harm. This, though, was a rusted shield.

"Ggghh...!" Sasha growled, holding the weight of the force back. With what's left of her strength, she pushed back his hammer, leaving him disoriented. Taking no chances, she quickly followed with a blunt blow of the shield, sending him flying several meters away.

"Oof!" He huffed, dropping his hammer. Groaning, Bog hastily reached out for his weapon but then, Sasha's shield landed in-between the two, cutting deep into the earth.

Sasha walked calmly at her downed opponent. When he tried to stand back up, she placed her foot on his chest and forced him back down. Her eyes lacked the usual pink glow he saw but he could feel her glare piercing through him.

"You lose," Sasha exclaimed with lightning cracking behind her.

Bog looked panicked at first but then, he smiled. "Hehe, not quite."

Behind her, Mire wielded Bog's hammer and swung.

CRACK–THOOM!

As if it was fate, thunder roared loudly at that one moment, sudden and brief. Only one voice came out at that moment, deafened by the booming sky. No one heard it, not a single soul. Watching the act by itself was enough.

Sasha Waybright.

At age 13, she enrolled into the local Saint James Middle School. A month later, she joined the school's cheerleading squad. In two months, she became captain — the youngest in school history.

A gifted student, Sasha was the school's unofficial queen. She was not the smartest nor the most athletic; no, she was just stronger than most. Whenever there's a wall, Sasha would break it down with her bare hands just to prove that she can.

When leading a group of vicious teenagers, one needed to be strong. They must lead by example and constantly prove they had what it takes. That's the only way to keep everyone in line; by reminding them who the top dog was. Any sign of weakness was not acceptable.

Sasha Waybright did not cry. She did not beg for help. No matter what, she'd fight till bloodied knuckles and broken bones.

She never expected it to be the latter.

Lying on the wet ground, Sasha was in physical shock. Her left ankle, once fully straight, was bent sideways in two, marked unnaturally red. She was like any other human being and that meant she did not have an extra joint between her knee and foot.

In the beginning, the pain was intense, unlike anything she ever felt. But when she fell, it quickly subsided, replaced with a cold deathly numbness. Her heart rate elevated and her entire body twitching, she wanted nothing more than to push her ankle back to normal but even looking at it hurt.

She couldn't think straight, feeling nauseous and breathing raggedly. Yet, she bit her lip, just barely holding it in.

"SASHA!" Sprig exclaimed in worry, hopping to her side. "U-uh, human legs don't have a third joint, right?!"

"No, I don't think so." Behind him, Bog stepped in, a toothy grin on his face. He turned around to Fens who was still holding onto both Polly and Hop Pop. "Hey, Fens. How's the eye?"

Fens, with one eye having a flail stuck in it, blinked. "Uh, good, I think?"

"We'll check on it later. As for you..." Bog said, switching his attention back to the two — Sasha especially. "You fought well, creature. I'll give you that. But it's nothing personal. It's just business."

SPLAT!

"What the—?!" Bog cursed as a handful of mud suddenly hit him in the back. Turning around, another hit him in the face. "RAH!"

As he wiped away the mud, he was introduced to a new sight; on the horizon, Wartwood residents, whether townies or farmers, surrounded the Plantar household and thus, the toads themselves. Each had some form of weapon, from rolling pins to blacksmith hammers to even a cast iron pan.

Bog stared at the crowd, confused and scared. Even though he and his crew barged into their homes and took their things, he couldn't remember a single face. But it didn't take a genius to guess why they were here.

SPLAT!

"GRAH!"

"Go away, you jerk!" yelled a frog in the crowd.

"Yeah! We don't need you stinkin' up the town!" Another added.

All at once, the citizens rallied and slowly moved forward, closing in on the toads. Fens, out of fear, released the Plantars who immediately rushed to their injured member while Mire dropped the hammer. The toads were pushed up against the wall, literally.

Bog glanced left and right, gritting his teeth. "You'll regret this. You know that, right? The captain isn't going to turn a blind eye over this! You're all just a bunch of farmers and townies.

"A small town like this isn't worth squat to the tower."

Despite that, the Wartwood citizens didn't care and readied their weapons, all while the toads began fearing for the lives. They may be strong but even they couldn't fight so many frogs at once.

"Everybody, stop!"

Everybody turned around, their attention shifted to the voice. To their surprise, it was none other than Hopadiah Plantar, his arms firmly placed on his hips. Hop Pop glanced at the curled up Sasha, her eyes shut tight and sweating profusely.

Hop Pop sighed. "You're right. We are just a bunch of farmers and townies." He said.

Unlike the others, he fully understood what Bog meant. A small town couldn't possibly fight against the entirety of Toad Tower. They were both outnumbered and untrained. Wartwood was just a normal town, not a fortress.

So realising this, he rummaged through his pocket and then, handed the toad a single key. "Here — take this instead."

Although wary and confused, the toads followed Hop Pop to his barn and in it, a storage room. Using the key, they opened the door where suddenly, a mountain of gold and treasure spilt out like an avalanche. Bog's eyes widened in shock, his mouth agape.

"How in the world did a farmer like you get so much gold?!" He asked loudly.

"We got lucky." Hop Pop answered, shrugging. "That should be enough to pay for everyone's debt! Now give back their stuff!"

Fens leaned at her comrade and whispered. "What do we do, Bog?"

The toad in question growled. The answer was obvious; he just didn't like it

"Hgg..." He grunted, before moving his hand forward. "Fine. You got yourself a deal."

Hopadiah Plantar did not hesitate and shook hands.

"Be careful, Sasha! There's a rock!"

"I can see it, Sprig."

"And look over there! An even bigger rock!"

"WE'RE—! ... Hah, we're not going in that direction."

One whole night passed since that event where a human child, in a surprising twist, fought against a group of toad soldiers after helping them with their tasks. In exchange for her betrayal, her leg paid the price, albeit hopefully temporary.

In order to completely stop the fighting, an old frog gave away most of his wealth and thus, returning the priceless belongings and saving the town. The toads accepted the offer but it was not done out of mercy. Everyone was sure of that.

After loading the cart with the new bag, Bog patted the dust off his hands and walked to the seat, passing the disabled Sasha. With her leg in a hard cast, she had to learn to walk using crutches. Still, it took some time to get used to.

"Hehe, it's been fun, creature—" Bog said with a chuckle, before immediately frowning. "—is what I would say if this was nothing short of a disaster. If it's respect you were looking for, you sure lost mine. We'll be back and then, you'll be sorry."

"Yeah, well you'll be sorry!" A little boy frog by the name of Jeremy shouted back.

Bog huffed and with his comrade holding the reins, the tarantula carriage and its cart full of gold started its journey once more. It took them the entire night to return what was taken back to its rightful owners and finally, now early in the morning, they get to leave this accursed town with the earnings Hop Pop graciously gave up. To think a boring farmer had so much gold; the town was crazier than they thought.

It left a sour taste in their mouths to leave like this but it's better than leaving with pikes up their butts. Although, they'd make sure to tell the captain about this and they'd enunciate every single detail. That was a promise.

Watching the carriage and its cart disappear into the distance, Sasha hummed. "Well... I guess that's the end of that."

"Uh-huh." Hop Pop nodded.

The two continued staring, the sun slowly rising from the hills.

"... I messed up again, didn't I?"

"This time?" Hop Pop said, chuckling silently. "I don't think so."

One hand holding hers, Hop Pop helped the girl turn around and to her disbelief, a crowd of frogs had formed right behind her. Each one held an item that was returned and for the first time, they were no animosity. From the crowd, Wally squeezed through and walked up to her.

"Here ya go, Sasha. You dropped this." Wally said, handing over the item that saved her life.

The badge-shaped shield that fell from the cart. Once rusted, it had been polished and cleaned to a silver mirror finish, where any engravings were lost in the process. As no one tried to claim it, it probably belonged to the toads but at this point, it was impossible to tell.

Sasha smiled, seeing her own reflection on the shield's surface.

"Free cheers for the Plantar monster!" A frog shouted.

"That ain't no monster. That's Sasha!" said the other next to them.

"Free cheers for Sasha!"

On queue, the crowd went wild. Not a single frog stayed quiet, giving their best cheer. Hearing her speech that night was enough to change their hearts and allowed them to see Sasha for what she truly was; not a monster, just a human, making mistakes along the way. While she was far from being a revered or even beloved town figure, she was, at the very least, accepted amongst them.

And that's all she wanted.

"Still, that was every last bit of gold we had. So, we're kinda poor again. Actually, we're even poorer than before, haha! I guess we'll be hunting our own food for the next few weeks. Goodbye, financial security!"

"... Hey, Hop Pop?"

"Yes, Sasha?"

"Please... Don't ruin the moment."