Another Friend in Amphibia

Chapter 28: The Ballad of Hopediah Plantar

It was a bright, mostly clear day. Sprig was trying to pass the time by playing his fiddle, Drake was in the wagon checking their supplies, and Anne was flipping through pictures on her phone. She stopped at one in particular. It was the remains of Toad Tower.

"Huh, I don't remember taking this?" she said.

Polly spoke up. "That was me. Just wanted a reminder of how we messed those toads up!"

"Heh, sure did." Hop Pop answered.

"You know, I've actually been working on a song based on the battle." Sprig said.

Hop Pop looked back. "Oh, am I in it?"

"Maybe..." Sprig hinted as he prepared to play.

Drake emerged from the wagon. "Hey, Hop Pop. I just finished cleaning up the wagon."

"Hold that thought Drake." Hop Pop giggled, wanting to hear Sprig's song. "I'm in it." he whispered as Sprig began to sing.

There once was a little frog who stood for revolution

The toads didn't like that so they tried to execute him

But thankfully our Anne stepped up to the tower

And saved Hop Pop who...

Mostly hid and cowered

And cowered and cowered and cowered and cowered and cowered and cowered and cowered and cowered and cowered and cowered

"Alright that's enough!" Hop Pop yelled.

"Great song dude!" Anne applauded.

"Yeah, that was awesome." Polly added.

"What? Awesome? It was missing all the context. Like what about that time I courageously ran for mayor? Or that time I stood up to those nasty tax collectors?" Hop Pop protested.

"Eh! Boring." Polly and Anne said in unison.

"Audiences want clear stakes Hop Pop." Sprig explained. "And action."

"Action!" Polly and Anne repeated.

Hop Pop sighed, looking defeated. "Feels like just yesterday people thought I was a revolutionary hero." then he noticed something. "Heads up, gang! Looks like we're about to stop at our first town."

"My first town outside of Wartwood. I wonder what it'll be like. Hey Drake, didn't you visit other towns before you came to Wartwood?" Anne asked.

"Oh yeah, a bunch of places. There's Swampshire, I got into a bar fight there and had to run away, then there's Bog Bottom, I burnt that place to the ground after the revolutionaries tried to execute me, finally there's Lily Paddington. They had that crop convention where giant killer locusts tried to attack Hop Pop. Trouble has a tendency to follow me wherever I go so I'm not too thrilled about visiting another town." Drake explained.

"Don't get too worried Drake. This is just your average small town." Hop Pop said.

Anne scoffed. "How small could it be-? Wow!"

The frogs were about the size of Anne's foot. The buildings themselves were smaller than the humans. The frog's clothing, and the building designs reminded Drake of old midwestern cowboy movies.

When the wagon stopped, Anne was the first to climb down, eager to explore. "It's literally a small town." she walked to a saloon. "Just look at the 'wittle' buildings." Anne tore off the saloon's roof.

Drake decided to stay on the wagon. Due to his past experiences with towns, it's probably best if he stayed put. The last thing he wanted was to cause another fight. He watched Hop Pop feed Bessie. That when something caught their attention.