2. Best Fronds

Chapter 2: Best Fronds

This day started out pretty much like every day has since I got here; waking up from a dream where I relive stealing the music box, and being reminded that, yes, it really did happen. This time, by the faces of three giant frogs… well, two frogs and a tadpole.

The grandpa, Hop-Pop (get it? Like "Pop-pop", but with "hop" because frog puns?) and the baby, Polly (because again, frog puns) seem convinced that I can potentially eat them. Hmm… maybe I should keep the fact that my culture does consider frog meat a delicacy to myself. Not like the stuff ever appealed to me. Why would I want to eat something that tastes like chicken, when I could eat, well… chicken?

At least Sprig treats me with something other than fear and disgust. The kid's a natural born explorer, and seems to think I am too. I had to explain to him that I didn't exactly choose to be here. That I'm all alone… no home, no family… no friends.

That's when he offered to be my friend. Well… he's a bit young, but I don't exactly have a lot of options, do I? And… I gotta say, there's this infectious optimism about the guy that you can't hep but like. He is absolutely fascinated by everything. Well, I could definitely do worse, right? Like that accordion hobo guy.

You know what? I'm gonna give this a shot. Soon as I get ready, the two of us are gonna have ourselves an epic day at the beach. Or, well, the closest thing this place has to one.

Well, there was sort of a complication. Hop-Pop is convinced that the townsfolk would react badly to me showing my face outside (and considering that they introduced themselves to me by tackling me and tying me up, maybe he's right). So, he decided to put us in lockdown.

Sprig seemed pretty okay with quarantine and suggested a hot-pepper licking challenge. Now, as a person of the Thai persuasion, I usually never back down from a chance to prove my spicy superiority, but I can't stand being told I can't do something. Even when I probably shouldn't.

So, the decision was made. We were sneaking out. Sprig was a little reluctant, but then he was kinda new to the whole friend thing. So I laid down the facts; a friend is someone who has your back no matter what. If a friend wants something, you move mountains to make it happen. That's the rule.

Luckily, it was pretty easy to sneak the key off Hop-Pop. The guy actually managed to fall asleep with his eyes wide open. Can you believe that? Old people are hilarious. So… off to the lake we go!

Most of my experience with this place has reeked of mud, slime, and stink, lots and lots of stink. So wen we finally got to the lake, I couldn't believe how beautiful it was.

On the way, I introduced Sprig to the sacred art of the selfie. It took a while to explain to him that no, a phone can not steal your soul… it only feels like it sometimes. He's got a thing or two to learn about Earth tech, like he does about friendship. Apparently he doesn't mesh well with the kids around town. Dunno why, he seems pretty fun to be around. Maybe a little too enthusiastic, but honestly, anyone who has a problem with that is losing out.

But getting back to the lake… it was the single most beautiful thing I'd seen since I'd gotten to this crazy world. Wide open, pristine, sky full of butterflies, a noticeable lack of dead things lying around… There was even somehow a rainbow in the sky despite it not having rained in at least a day. Sprig was kind of apprehensive given that there was a big sign warning against swimming… and the last letter sorta trailed off as if someone had been dragged off while writing it.

But dangit, I had come all the way there and I wanted what I wanted, so I laid the pressure on Sprig. It took convincing… a lot of convincing… but eventually he gave in.

I should have listened.

Oh, it was fun at first, splashing around, riding water bugs, having cattail fights, but it soon became clear just why no one came here. The reason was the giant water snake that made its home in the lake. A snake that clearly had a taste for frog, and was pretty keen to be the first of its kind to taste human. So, in my push to get what I wanted, I had doomed us both to be snake food,

I told Sprig to get out of there. He was much better suited to getting away, and there was no reason he should suffer because of my selfishness.

But here's the thing. When it really mattered – just like before with the mantis – he wouldn't leave me. Even though it was all my fault, he wouldn't leave me.

Which still left us with a giant hungry snake to deal with. Sprig said he had a plan, but to my horror, the snake swallowed him before he had a chance. Just like that, my only friend in the world was gone. And the only thing I wanted at that point was revenge by making me some snake satay. But it shrugged off my attack like it was nothing, and it seemed like I was about to join Sprig in its stomach.

And then, the snake suddenly froze up and started spitting smoke and fire, before finally coughing up a slightly singed Sprig. Turns out he'd been carrying some of those super-hot peppers. You know the ones I casually mentioned earlier in this entry? Yeah, turns out a detail that seemed insignificant before was actually very important. Marcy calls that a Chekov's Gun, though what it has to do with the Russian guy from Star Trek I have no idea. I also have no idea why Sprig decided to bring peppers that were I quote, "so hot they'll make you wish you were dead" to the lake, but it's a good thing for us he did.

Hop-Pop was still asleep when we got back and locked the door behind us, so as far as I knew, he never even realized we were gone. Another plus, Polly seems to have finally accepted that I have no intention of eating her. For some reason, she was really disappointed. Did she want me to try to eat her? I guess it would give her the self-defense excuse, when she tried to kill me. I know it seems weird that I'm talking about a baby here, but this tadpole is scary.

Anyway, after a few games of Don't Wake the Sparrow, Sprig was pretty much all tuckered out, so I let him sack out with me. Little dude had a hard day.

As I watched hi drift off, I got to thinking. Sprig thinks that he's a newcomer to this whole friendship thing, but if you ask me, I think he knows a lot more about it than he thinks. And… maybe I don't know as much about it as I think.

Maybe friendship shouldn't just be about saying yes to everything they want. Maybe… maybe sometimes a friend needs to say no. Sprig tried, but I wouldn't listen, and we nearly wound up taking the scenic route through a snake's digestive tract.

I think I have a lot to learn…

Team Gophers: Thanks, hope yo enjoy what's to come!

Jose: Heavens, what have I done to deserve such pun-ishment?

Next: Cane Crazy