Archive of Our Own ^beta

The greatest thing was always talked about but never defined. Glorified and theorized, but that was the beauty about what constituted to be the greatest thing in anyone’s life and in existence. Something that couldn’t be fully described only felt. A feeling that only pervaded to linger and never truly disappeared.

For Sprig…it was what kept him going after the doorway between their worlds closed.

The unknown both welcoming yet terrifying.

Not knowing what would be waiting or whether one could return to normal.

But there was no returning to ‘normal’.

Not truly.

What was now would eventually become the new normal one had to adapt, and those of Amphibia had gotten pretty good at adapting.

In the time that went by since Anne, Sasha and Marcy arrived in Amphibia had a lot of profound changes. However for Amphibia, it wasn’t a matter of years like it had in the human world but rather nine months had gone. Time between both worlds differed drastically in ways after all.

Folks moving on but never forgot. Some made amends while others strengthened their resolve. But for a few, they never quite stopped looking for adventure—much like when the humans arrived with the calamity box in tow.

Granted, no adventure would be like what Anne Boonchuy and her friends brought, even still that desire to seek out adventure lingered. There was a lot of Amphibia that was left unsaid and unfounded. It was something that stirred in the hearts of those left behind and had grown since the war.

Sprig Plantar grew a few inches and his hair had gotten longer, no longer hidden under his hat. He now wore a bandana around his neck. In the nine months that had gone by, he had gone on several adventures. Recording them down either by taking pictures using Anne’s phone or spending time in Anne’s former room writing and drawing in various papers and journals. Adventuring much like Ivy did.

Polly Plantar eventually grew into her legs and the rest of herself nine months after Anne left Amphibia. She never lost her yellow polka dotted bow however. Like Sprig, Polly grew short orange hair as well. She lost her tail as a result. Now she wore a pair of stained mechanic overalls and spotted some bandages on her right arm and along her legs. Polly was never found without her wrench sticking out of one of her pockets nor her handy glove. She had long since rebuilt Frobo in Anne’s absence and had gained a name for herself.

Ivy Sundew had grown noticeably taller and slimmer, and her hair was no longer hidden under a hat. Wearing her orange hair freely gave her a hairstyle roughly reminiscent of Anne’s. Ivy still wore her t-shirt but now spotted a pair of blue jeans with a rope belt, and a teal cloak with a red shell tie. Things had improved for her since and had gone on her own adventures too.

Maddie Flour, still practiced her magic, had let her light pink hair grow out more. The dark pink spots amongst the light pink became darker and more prominent. She still tied some of her hair together on top. Her tunic had changed to a dark plum dress with floral designs all over it. The dress complimented her light blue skin. Over time the residents of Wartwood grew accustomed to her ways, allowing her to practice and brew potions. Rarely was Maddie found not happily doing what she loved and was interested in with a big smile.

Her triplet sisters, Rosemary, Lavender and Ginger Flour, had grown from pollwogs getting their legs into the beginnings of what they would look like. Each of their hair colour and styles matched after the other. Rosemary, whose skin was sea foam, grew a bushel of lavender hair. Lavender, whose skin was, well, lavender, grew blue curly hair. Finally Ginger, whose skin was blue, eventually grew a patch of sea foam coloured hair. Their personalities came out more vibrantly than before. The three would help their father and Maddie more so while running around in circles around the two. And from time to time they would help Polly out with her mechanical work, becoming fast friends.

Older the beloved residents of Wartwood would grow.

Even other Amphibians who were either no longer amongst them or had gone home to their respective places that they belonged to—change was inevitable.

But they would persevere all the same.

The statue of Anne Boonchuy was a bittersweet reminder in honouring her achievements, presence and existence in Amphibia. It was only natural they would after all. Other places where Sasha Waybright and Marcy Wu had been prevalent presences were also honoured with statues of their own—one at Frog Valley and one in Newtopia.

But the town of Wartwood happily welcomed the statue of Anne Boonchuy. Although it wasn’t the same, the statue in a way allowed them to believe her presence hadn’t left them. It was bittersweet all the same, bringing both smiles and tears to anyone who gazed upon the statue and its inherent meaning.

One of the greatest things to do in honouring those memories was by persevering. Keeping them alive with existing in ways that were reminders and not stopping. Adventuring was something that helped the matter.

The curiosity and inquisitiveness of both Plantar children was something Wortwood became well known for between Polly’s mechanical work alongside Sprig and Ivy’s adventures, and Maddie’s potion works. Seemed like such a silly thing how the community wasn’t truly a community until those events. Wartwood’s residents were even closer now.

Life went on in more ways than one.

Changes came and stayed, while other things lingered or went away.

Most of the residents stayed while there were a scattered few here and there that departed elsewhere. Whether it was on the basis of new adventure or to simply help restore matters in Amphibia ranged. One thing for sure the isolation all of Amphibia had undergone had been broken. No longer did they not keep to their places in life but stretched out their legs per say.

Lessons learnt from the war became more evident overtime.

At the beginning most still held onto the shock, grimance and what had to be done for the sake of Amphibia.

It wasn’t until later, especially after the trio disappeared, that piece by piece others realized they weren’t the same. Not that it was entirely a tragic thing but rather a testament of what was left behind. The pieces either discarded or refurbished and reassembled once more.

The greatest thing, as each inhabitant of Amphibia would discover, meant different things.

However for Sprig, he never felt able to be still. Then again he never could but now there was an inherent motive behind it. Almost as if hoping Anne would appear to tell him to calm down. Or even there was a indescribable sense of needing to keep going but not knowing exactly where to go…at least for the longest time.

Eventually Sprig realized it was the inherence of needing to travel once more. To go somewhere. Where that was, he still wasn’t exactly sure. At least not until he saw a whole and rather detailed map of the whole of Amphibia. At first it didn’t sink in but then it dawned on him after the statue reveal and Ivy’s invitation.

After the reveal of Anne’s statue, with Grime’s discovering of a whole new continent outside of Amphibia he joined Ivy. Exploring a new land untouched by Frog, Newt or Toad was something one could only dream of doing. Wasn’t until now that it would be an adventure taken together as she invited Sprig to explore the wild unknowns beyond Amphibia that Grime’s had discovered. Perhaps a few others would join them, only time would tell, but one thing for sure in the last nine months that their adventuring days were very much alive.

And it was in that moment that Sprig realized something as he took one last look upon Anne’s statue before taking off with Ivy.

Perhaps the greatest thing one could do was rediscover themselves after losing the things that mattered deeply to them, and keep going somehow, someway…

Fin.