May 23, 2022
So motivation hit me like a truck and now I wanna share four screenshot edits I made for the Wild Soul AU
These are all from Fight At The Museum specifically, but I’ll make more as new chapters come out!
seen from United States
seen from Armenia
seen from United States
seen from Ukraine
seen from Japan
seen from Germany
seen from United States
seen from Japan
seen from United States
seen from Japan
seen from T1
seen from United States
seen from Laos
seen from Malaysia
seen from United States
seen from Türkiye
seen from Malaysia
seen from Japan
seen from Malaysia
seen from South Africa
So motivation hit me like a truck and now I wanna share four screenshot edits I made for the Wild Soul AU
These are all from Fight At The Museum specifically, but I’ll make more as new chapters come out!
More screenshots bc I have been brainrotting so hard-
So with the release of Fight At The Museum, I figured it was appropriate to make a reference of Caroline's outfit from the heist. Girl can pull a whole ninja outfit together and still wears her damn converse shoes-
(Tap/Click for better quality)
Made some standalones of the four self-inserts I have featured in my header art. Figured I'd share them here!
Original art with character descriptions is linked right here!
Mr. X
Summary: Anne and the Plantars go to the movies, while Caroline and the Boonchuys try to avoid being found.
Fandom: Amphibia (The Wild Soul AU)
Pairing: None
Features: Self-Insert Character
Word Count: 4,616
Warnings: None
[A/N: There are two points in this fic where Thai is spoken and I did my best with Google translate, but I am not a native speaker so I apologize if it’s not formatted correctly. I also left translations in brackets next to the sentences so those who also don’t know Thai can understand it.]
—————————————————————
It was a sunny afternoon at Thai Go, the Boonchuys working hard with the assistance of Caroline and the Plantars. It was only yesterday that they had been in a high speed chase with a killer frog robot, but Mr. and Mrs. Boonchuy were in surprisingly high spirits. The Plantars kept busy refilling sauce cups while Caroline mixed some ingredients, but Mr. and Mrs. Boonchuy seemed a bit more distracted.
“Is it just me, or is anyone feeling amped up since we fought the robot?” Mrs. Boonchuy said.
“Kicked that robot’s butt, you mean!” Mr. Boonchuy piped up excitedly. “Remember I was all ‘wha-pow!’ and you were like ‘choo, choo!’” Caroline and the Plantars exchanged glances, all of them understanding just what Anne’s parents were talking about.
“Sounds like you’ve caught a case of post-battle euphoria.” Hop Pop said, a knowing smile on his face.
“Nothing like a brush with death to make you feel alive!” Sprig added.
“I’ll say.” Caroline chimed in. “When I fought that robot toe-to-toe at the museum, I felt like a warrior. Until he almost crushed my ribs, that is.” Neither of Anne’s parents seemed bothered by her statement, the two of them still hyped up on their own energy.
“So what’s next?” Mrs. Boonchuy asked. “I’m ready to fight!”
“Hopefully nothing.” Anne suddenly spoke up, stepping into the kitchen from the front counter. “Unless Andrias sends another robot, we’re safe for now. So, I’m taking the Plantars to their first movie!” Mrs. Boonchuy’s expression changed to slight disappointment, but she was quick to shake it off.
“Ooh, fun.” Caroline piped up again. “What’cha gonna see?”
“Fumigator 5.” Anne replied proudly. “You wanna come?” Caroline’s face quickly turned sour.
“Ugh, pass.” She said flatly. “My mom’s in that one, which sucks because I really did like the other Fumigators.” Anne’s face went blank for a moment as she processed the young woman’s sentence.
“Still not used to the fact your parents are famous.” She said.
“Well, while you guys enjoy the movie, we’ll be ready if anything comes up!” Mr. Boonchuy spoke, drawing their attention. “I even broke out the old pull-up bar! Look!” He moved over to the bar and grabbed it, straining as he tried to pull himself up. He managed to get about halfway before the bar broke, causing him to fall back-first to the ground.
“Ahh, my back!” He exclaimed.
“Honey, be careful!” Mrs. Boonchuy said, moving to his side. Anne looked at both of them with a deadpan expression, but before she could speak, she felt someone nudge her shoulder and turned her gaze to Caroline.
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on them.” The young woman told her. “You guys enjoy the movie, okay?” Anne gained a small smile at this, nodding in response. Caroline returned the smile before setting the bowl in her hands on the counter.
“Okay Mr. B,” she said, walking over to him, “let’s get you some ice.” There was a small groan from Anne’s dad in response, to which Anne gained a slightly concerned look. She quickly shook it off, however, knowing her parents would be fine with Caroline watching them.
“Alright gang,” the teen said, turning her attention to the Plantars, “it’s movie time!” The Plantars let out excited cheers in response, following Anne out the back of the restaurant where her bike was. They each hopped on as Anne kicked off, pedalling out of the lot and heading for the theatre.
——————
It had been about thirty minutes since Anne and the Plantars had left, and in that time, Caroline helped Mr. Boonchuy get back on his feet and assisted with the cooking. Mrs. Boonchuy manned the front counter, but the day was proving to be rather slow, so she hung out in the kitchen with the others while she waited for customers.
Ding-ding!
The sound of the front door’s bell caught the trio’s attention, and Mrs. Boonchuy headed out to the front to greet the arrival.
“Hello, welcome to Thai Go.” She said politely. The customer was a bald man in a plum-coloured suit, sporting black-rimmed glasses, a hi-tech earpiece, white pants, and tan shoes. The shoes turned out to be rollers as well, as he kicked his heels and gracefully glided up to the front counter.
“สวัสดีคุณผู้หญิง.” (Greetings, ma’am.) He said casually. Mrs. Boonchuy’s eyebrows raised in surprise.
“โอ้ คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม?” (Oh, you speak Thai?) She asked.
“เพียงเล็กน้อยที่นี่และที่นั่น.” (Just a little, here and there.) He replied, switching to English after. “I was stationed in Phuket for a bit.” Mrs. Boonchuy nodded politely as he pulled out a menu, looking back over the options for his order. At this point, the conversation had caught Caroline’s attention, and she moved closer to the doorway to better hear what was going on.
“We’ll take one Pad See Ew.” The man said. “And while we’re at it,” he pulled a photo from his jacket and set it on the counter, “have you seen any odd creatures walking around? Probably disguised as humans?” Mrs. Boonchuy’s eyes widened as she saw the photo was of the Plantars, and Caroline quietly gasped.
“Hehe, what strange shapes they are!” Mrs. Boonchuy managed, laughing awkwardly. “Haven’t seen them; who’s asking?” The man’s eyes gained a darker gleam, and he pulled a small black wallet out of his jacket.
“Oh, just your friendly neighbourhood federal government.” He replied, flipping the wallet open. It turned out the wallet was actually his badge, showing his photo and the name ‘Special Agent Mr. X’ underneath. The second Caroline heard that, she pulled her phone out, leaning into the doorway as discreetly as she could. She managed to snap a clear enough photo of Mr. X without him noticing, and with it, she pocketed her phone and ran out the back door.
“Yes, very nice. Hooray government!” Mrs. Boonchuy said, keeping up the innocent act. “พ่อเร็วเข้า!” (DAD HURRY UP!) Mr. Boonchuy was quick to emerge from the back at her call, sporting a confused expression as he held the bag of food in his hand.
“Jeez, where’s the fire?” He asked. Before anyone else could speak, the front door opened again and a blonde person with round glasses holding a laptop walked in. The laptop was beeping an alert that read ‘STRING BEAN SIGHTED’ before showing footage of Anne on her bike with the Plantars. Both Mr. and Mrs. Boonchuy froze at the sight of it, while Mr. X quickly gained a look of excitement.
“Gotta go.” He said, slamming a handful of cash onto the counter and taking the bag. “Is your stun gun charged, Jenny? Tell me it’s charged!” The two were quick to head out the door after, leaving Anne’s parents at the counter in shock.
“Uhh-” Mr. Boonchuy started, but his wife cut him off.
“We have to go now!” She told him, pushing him towards the back door. “I’ll explain on the way!” Mr. Boonchuy quickly moved to follow her lead, heading through the doorway back into the kitchen.
“Caroline!” Mrs. Boonchuy called. “We need to leave!” She paused as there was no response or sign of the young woman, causing both of them to worry.
“Caroline?” Mr. Boonchuy tried. Still no reply. “Where’d she go?” Just then, Mrs. Boonchuy’s phone went off in her pocket and she pulled it out, seeing a text message from Caroline herself.
{Saw the shady dude, already going to warn Anne. Meet u guys at the theatre}
“She’s already left.” Mrs. Boonchuy said, pocketing her phone and grabbing her husband’s arm. “Come on, let’s go!” The two got in the family van as fast as they could, and Mrs. Boonchuy was quick to floor it out of the back lot and down the street.
——————
Meanwhile, Anne and the Plantars had taken their seats in the theatre, snacks and drinks ready as the trailers played.
“And now, for what you’ve all been waiting for…” the movie announcer spoke, “…another trailer!” The screen lit up again as a trailer for the movie ‘Cheerleader Musical 7’ began to play, accompanied by air horns and upbeat music.
“Twenty minutes of trailers?!” Hop Pop exclaimed. “And you people call yourselves civilized!” After the trailer had ended, the movie began featuring a T-Rex roaring in front of an erupting volcano. The booming sound made Sprig recoil in his seat, gripping onto the arm rests anxiously.
“Does anyone else feel like this audio-video experience is a little…overwhelming?” He asked, his body shaking.
“Entertainment that makes your ears bleed?” Polly piped up. “I’m here for it, baby!”
“There you are!”
A familiar voice caught Anne and the Plantar’s attentions, and all four looked to the end of the aisle to see a panicked Caroline approaching them. She was keeping low as to not block the screen, but in the light, the group could see her eyes were wide and frantic.
“Caroline?” Anne said in surprise. “Wait, I thought you didn’t want to see this movie.”
“I’m not here for the movie!” Caroline snapped, taking the seat next to Anne. “Some whack job government agent showed up at the restaurant and he’s after you guys!” She pulled out her phone and showed them the picture, causing all four to gain looks of panic.
“Oh crud.” Anne muttered.
“What do we do?” Hop Pop asked.
“We get you out of here, that’s what.” Caroline told them. “Come on, we should have time to sneak out before he shows up.” Anne nodded and the gang quickly got up from their seats, keeping their heads down as they went for the stairs and out the door. Caroline kept glancing about as they headed for the lobby, but Anne was the one to stop dead as the front doors opened and Mr. X rolled in.
“He’s here!” The teen blurted. In a panic, she shoved Caroline and the Plantars behind the concession stand, diving in after them before Mr. X could see.
“Do you think he saw us?” Sprig whispered. Before anyone could respond, the sound of footsteps caught their attention and all five looked up to see an employee staring down at them.
“Hey, you’re not supposed to be back here.” She told them. There was a brief pause before Caroline reached into her sweater pocket and snagged her wallet, pulling out a $50 bill.
“All yours if you let us hide here.” She said. The employee glanced between the bill and the group, seeming hesitant before she shrugged.
“Eh, this job doesn’t pay me enough anyways.” She said, taking the bill and walking away. The five of them breathed a sigh of relief before Anne sat up, peering over the counter to look for Mr. X.
“He’s right in the middle of the lobby!” She whispered. “There’s no way we can get by him without being seen!” The Plantars exchanged looks of worry, meanwhile Caroline paused to think before she got an idea.
“You could if there was a distraction.” She said quietly. “You guys keep an eye on him, I’ve got an idea.” Before anyone could respond, the young woman slipped out and disappeared into the theatre, leaving the four of them alone behind the stand. They all glanced at each other in confusion, not sure what Caroline was planning, but not having any better ideas themselves.
“Sir? Excuse me, sir!”
The louder voice caught Anne and the Plantars by surprise, and all four peered over the stand to see someone running up to Mr. X. They had a dark purple collared button-up with their hair slicked back, five o’clock shadow, and black jeans on. They looked like just a nice young man at a glance, but Anne recognized that purple hair and those converse sneakers anywhere; it was Caroline.
“Sir, I’m so sorry to bother you,” Caroline said, pitching her voice to sound more masculine, “but I just have to know where you got that suit, it is stunning.” Mr. X looked at her with confusion, but there was a look in his eyes that gave away he was somewhat flattered.
“Oh, this?” He asked, gesturing to his jacket. “Why do you want to know?” Caroline didn’t miss a beat.
“Okay, I don’t want to spread drama,” she started, lowering her voice slightly, “but you see, my older sister’s having her wedding next month. She’s such a sweetheart, love her to bits. But our younger brother, the “golden child,” is insisting that he has to be the best dressed one there.” Mr. X’s eyes widened.
“At her wedding?” He said in surprise.
“Yes.” Caroline replied, a serious edge in her voice. “And what’s worse; he refuses to get a tux if it’s over $100.”
“No!” Mr. X gasped in disbelief.
“I know!” Caroline exclaimed. At that point, Mr. X was fully engaged in the conversation, and Anne was quick to realize this was their opportunity.
“She’s got him distracted.” She whispered to the Plantars. “Come on, let’s go!” The Plantars followed Anne as she slipped out from behind the concession stand, carefully making their way to the door without getting Mr. X’s attention.
“We’re almost there!” Anne quietly called. “Don’t stop-wait stop!” She skidded to a halt and caused the Plantars to run into her, but she hardly noticed as she ducked behind the theatre’s front desk. The Plantars followed, and looking over Anne’s shoulder, they saw Jenny, Mr. X’s associate, standing at the exit doors. They were scanning people as they left with a hi-tech device, and it was clear they were checking to see who was really human. Anne could feel her panic rising when her phone buzzed, and picking it up, she saw it was her dad calling.
“Dad?” She spoke quietly, holding the phone to her ear.
“Anne!” Mr. Boonchuy exclaimed. “Are you guys okay? Did Caroline get there in time? What’s going on?”
“Whoa, slow down.” Anne told him, still keeping her voice down. “Caroline’s here, but she’s busy distracting one of the agents. There’s another one watching the exit, so we’ll need to find another way out.”
“We’re coming in to help.” Her dad said.
“No!” Anne exclaimed. “I don’t want you getting in trouble. We can handle it.” Mrs. Boonchuy wound up overhearing this, an offended expression crossing her face.
“Tell her we are adults, and we know what we’re doing!” She said sternly.
“Anne, your mother says-” Mr. Boonchuy started, only to pull the phone away, “-hang on, I’m putting you on speaker.” He tapped a few buttons on the screen, only for the phone to start ringing again.
“คุณรู้ไหมเวลาเท่าไหร่แล้ว?” (Do you know what time it is?) An elderly woman’s voice spoke angrily over the phone. Anne’s expression quickly changed to confusion.
“What?” She said, pulling the phone from her ear. She noticed the call was now a video call, her dad taking up one half of the screen while her grandmother took up the other.
“Oh, whoops!” Mr. Boonchuy piped up. “I think I accidentally-”
“แอนน์? นั่นคือคุณ?” (Anne? Is that you?) Anne’s grandma cut him off. “ฉันไม่ได้เจอคุณมานานแล้ว! คุณดูผอม! คุณกินข้าวหรือยัง?” (I haven’t seen you in ages! You look skinny! Have you been eating?)
“Oh hi, grandma!” Anne said, faking a cheerful tone. “Yeah, I just had a sandwich.” As she refocused on her parents, her tone grew more stern.
“Mom, dad, just stay in the car where it’s safe. We’ll meet you outside.” She told them, switching back to cheerful as she talked to her grandmother. “Okay bye grandma, love you!” Before they could respond, Anne quickly hung up, putting her phone back in her pocket.
“Okay, so you call this number, tell them Mr. X sent you, and they’ll hook you right up, dear.” Mr. X’s voice reached the teen’s ears, and she turned to see Caroline’s distraction had reached its’ end. The young woman still remained committed to the bit, however, taking the card with a grateful smile.
“Oh thank you sir, thank you so much.” She told him. “This will be perfect.”
“Happy to help.” Mr. X replied, turning and walking away. While he wasn’t looking, Caroline glanced over and noticed Anne and the Plantars, her expression quickly changing to panic. Much to their dismay, Mr. X noticed them as well, gaining a malicious grin and pulling out a stun gun.
“Hide!” Anne shouted. She and the Plantars quickly booked it back into the theatre, and Mr. X watched them go with a sinister gleam in his eyes.
“Oh, how I love a good chase.” He said. Anne didn’t dare to look back as she led the Plantars down the hall, finding a door that wasn’t a viewing room and heading through it. Just as they all got inside, she realized that they had walked into a rather small supply closet that had no other way out.
“Oh crud, it’s a dead end.” She muttered. Shortly after, the door handle began to move, causing a wave of panic in all four of them.
“Everyone hide!” Hop Pop said quickly. The group scattered throughout the closet space, everyone managing to duck into a hiding spot just as the door opened and Mr. X walked in. He looked around the space before his eyes settled on a silhouette, noticing it looked very much like Hop Pop and gaining a wicked smirk.
“Now what could this be?” He said, feigning innocence. He approached the silhouette and quickly smacked it, causing it to spin around and reveal itself to be a cardboard cutout of a strange-looking farmer character.
“What the-?!” He blurted.
“Now, guys!” Anne shouted, leaping from her hiding spot. The Plantars quickly jumped out as well, the group rushing for the door, but Mr. X was quick to react.
“Oh no you don’t!” He cried, turning to give chase. As he moved, Polly grabbed a roll of film and threw it, causing it to wrap around Mr. X’s ankles and trip him up. He barely managed to stop himself from face-planting, and in one quick movement, he shot a hand out and snagged Hop Pop by the ankle.
“Ow!” Hop Pop exclaimed as he was pulled back, losing his balance and falling over. The force wound up knocking off his disguise, and with the light from the door’s square window, Mr. X was able to see his real face.
“What even are you?!” He exclaimed, letting go of his ankle with a slight grimace. “And why are you so slimy? Ugh!”
“Rude.” Hop Pop retorted. Mr. X ignored him as he wiped the slime off his hand, which Sprig quickly saw as an opportunity. Lowering his mask, he grabbed a film roll with his tongue and threw it, nailing Mr. X clean in the face. The agent let out a grunt of pain, and Anne took that chance to grab the Plantars and run. Mr. X stumbled as he tried to go after them, but he barely missed as the door closed, locking him in the supply closet. An irritated look crossed his face as he held up his wrist watch, pressing a button on it and activating a laser that melted the lock clean off. Once he was free, he kicked the door open, almost knocking over another cardboard cutout that was standing in the hall.
“Jenny, you’re not gonna believe this.” He said excitedly, talking into his earpiece. “They’re big, beautiful, talking frog monsters!” His eyes were shining as he spoke, but shortly after gained a much darker edge to them.
“Call in the troops.”
——————
After changing back into her normal outfit, Caroline quickly began to search the theatre, trying to find where Anne and the Plantars had run off to. She stopped to check each viewing room, scanning the seats for her friends, but she couldn’t see them anywhere.
“Come on,” she muttered as she stepped back into the hall, “where are you guys?” Just then, the sound of people running reached her ears and she looked up, barely catching sight of the group rushing into the women’s bathroom. She let out a gasp and moved to follow them, but stopped short as Mr. X rounded the corner at the end of the hall. In a flash, she dove behind a cardboard cutout, practically holding her breath as she waited for him to pass.
“Not good.” She whispered. “Not good, not good, not-” she cut off as her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she pulled it out to see it was Mr. Boonchuy calling.
“Mr. B!” She answered, keeping her voice down.
“Caroline!” He said, sounding relieved. “We need your help. We got a plan to get you guys out, but when we tried calling Anne, she hung up on us!”
“Oh for f-…of course she did.” Caroline hissed in frustration. “They’re hiding in the bathroom, but I’m pretty sure Mr. X knows that too. I’m not sure why he-” the young woman stopped mid-sentence as the sound of sirens reached her ears, her eyes widening in panic.
“Is that what I think it is?” She asked anxiously.
“A bunch more police cars just pulled up!” Mrs. Boonchuy said. “They’re blocking the whole lot!” Caroline felt her heart start to race, but she forced herself to take a breath and steady it.
“Okay, you guys said you had a plan, right?” She spoke, still keeping her voice down. “You guys do that, and I’ll find a way to get into that bathroom and help you.”
“Got it.” Anne’s parents replied. Caroline hung up the call after that and put her phone away, while Mr. and Mrs. Boonchuy watched the SWAT team make their way for the door.
“You ready, honey?” Mrs. Boonchuy asked.
“Born ready.” Mr. Boonchuy replied. Reaching into the back, they both grabbed some power tools, ready to put their plan in motion. The SWAT team was quick to storm the theatre, all of them following Jenny as they marched through the halls to where Mr. X was. The agent was waiting outside the bathroom, a calm expression on his face but an excited gleam in his eye.
“They’re in there.” He told them, pointing a thumb at the door. “Come on, everyone; show time!” In one quick movement, he stepped up and slammed the door open, several SWAT members following him and filing into the bathroom.
“Let’s grab ourselves some frog aliens.” Mr. X said, grinning. The agents quickly surrounded the one occupied stall where Anne and the Plantars were hiding, readying their weapons to capture the group.
“Okay, guys.” Anne whispered. “On three, go for the eyes.” The Plantars nodded and readied themselves, waiting anxiously for Anne’s signal.
“One…two…”
CLICK!
In an instant, the bathroom went dark.
“What’s going on?” One agent said.
“The power’s off!” Another cried. There was scuffling and shouting as the team tried to coordinate, but none of them seemed able to find their bearings in the blackout. The sound of power tools was briefly heard, but the chaos of agents shouting at each other overpowered it.
“On your toes!”
“They’re getting away!”
“Watch where you’re stepping!”
Amidst the chorus of yelling, one voice managed a whisper.
“Third stall from the left!”
A few seconds later, there was a click as Mr. X turned on a flashlight. He stood right in front of the now opened stall, and shining the light inside, he was greeted by two small frogs and a pollywog in a bag. The frogs let out small croaks, and Mr. X’s eyes widened as he stared at them in disbelief. The SWAT team stared for a moment as well before one agent started to laugh, which caused a chain reaction and got all of them laughing.
“Nice frog aliens, sir.” One joked.
“I’ve heard of little green men, but this is ridiculous.” Another quipped. Mr. X didn’t bother to listen as Jenny scooped up the frogs, holding them carefully in their arms.
“Looks like our little friends are smarter than I thought.” Mr. X said, a tinge of annoyance in his voice. “We’re gonna have fun with this one, Jenny. And we’ll have the last laugh!”
——————
Meanwhile, at the back of the theatre, shuffling was heard in the air ducts before a large vent grate swung open. Inside the vent was Mr. Boonchuy, who quickly climbed out and turned to help Anne and the Plantars. Mrs. Boonchuy was sitting in the car nearby, checking for any patrolling agents.
“I don’t believe it!” Anne said in awe as she got out of the vent. “Dad, mom, how did you-?”
“Well, parents have a special set of skills.” Anne’s mom replied. Her dad nodded in agreement, leaning back against the car.
“First, your mother bought us some time by distracting the agents.” He explained. “Did you know she used to study close-up magic?” Anne blinked in surprise, looking at her mom with wide eyes. Clearly, this was the first she’d heard of it.
“Then your father got the frogs at the pet store down the street.” Mrs. Boonchuy continued.
“The owner was your old tee-ball coach, Mr. Tram.” Mr. Boonchuy added. “Remember him? Nice guy.”
“And remember that one time we tried to fix the electricity?” Mrs. Boonchuy piped up.
“Yeah.” Anne replied, still somewhat in disbelief. “Wasn’t that a disaster?”
“Yup.” Mr. Boonchuy said. “So we knew exactly what not to do, and used that to cause the blackout.” The sound of sirens was heard briefly as some FBI cars passed on their way out, but no one really paid them any mind.
“That’s amazing!” Sprig chirped.
“Jealous!” Polly piped up.
“You guys seriously did all that?” Anne said, still awestruck. “I can’t believe it! I guess I… really misjudged you.” Her tone shifted to guilt as she muttered the words, but her parents still had smiles on their faces.
“That’s okay, sweetie.” Mr. Boonchuy reassured her.
“We forgive you.” Mrs. Boonchuy added. Anne smiled fondly at them before another question came to mind and her face turned confused.
“Wait, but how did you know which bathroom we were hiding in?” She asked. Mr. Boonchuy was the one to answer.
“Well, actually-”
“Nobody move!”
Everyone froze at the sudden shout, turning to see a lone SWAT agent standing in front of them. They had a staff with a rope loop on it in hand, staring the group down intensely. A rush of panic passed through all of them, but it soon turned to confusion as the SWAT agent lost their composure and started chuckling.
“Sorry, sorry.” They said, grabbing their helmet. “Couldn’t resist.” As they popped the helmet off, Anne saw a familiar mass of bright purple hair and gasped in shock.
“CAROLINE?!” She shouted. Caroline smiled brightly, pulling her glasses out of a pocket and putting them back on.
“Wait, are you a secret agent, too?!” Sprig asked, eyes wide.
“Nah.” Caroline replied, working to take off the SWAT armour. “I just borrowed it from an agent so I could blend in.”
“Ohh, so that’s how you were able to sneak in the bathroom!” Mr. Boonchuy said, putting the pieces together. “But how’d you put all that on that fast?”
“I was a theatre kid in high school.” Caroline explained. “Small roles mostly, but you learn how to change costumes quick.” At this point, she managed to get most of the armour off, revealing she had been wearing her regular outfit underneath. Anne was still stunned by all of it, but staring at the armour, she came to a realization.
“Hold on.” She spoke up. “If you took that armour from an agent, what happened to them?” Caroline froze for a second, her memory flashing back to the agent she left knocked out in the closet before she pulled herself back to reality.
“…He’ll be fine.”
Anne-sterminator
Summary: A dangerous enemy finally locates Anne, Caroline, and the Plantars.
Fandom: Amphibia (The Wild Soul AU)
Pairing: None
Features: Self-Insert Character
Word Count: 4,648
Warnings: Dismemberment (of a robot), mention of child neglect
—————————————————————
It was a warm evening at the Boonchuy’s house, and all had gathered for one of the family’s favourite events; movie night.
Mr. and Mrs. Boonchuy snuggled up on one end of the couch, while Hop Pop, Polly, and Frobo took the other. Caroline and Sprig had taken up the armchair, and all were watching the new Fumigator 4 with excitement. After the Plantars’ unintentional reveal at the Thai Temple, Caroline was frequenting the Boonchuy residence much more often, and movie night was one she never missed. There was another, however, who had chosen to skip out on movie night; Anne.
Much to everyone’s surprise, the teen had volunteered to do the housework while the others watched the film. She folded the laundry, took out the garbage, and even cleaned the entire kitchen by herself. Once she had finished, she returned to the living room just in time to slide a coaster underneath Hop Pop’s coffee mug.
“Oooh!” The group chorused, giving her a polite round of applause. Anne gained a sheepish look, her cheeks turning pink as she rubbed the back of her neck.
“You know Anne,” her mother said, “it really is remarkable how much you have grown.”
“Aww, thanks mom.” Anne replied, still sheepish.
“We mean it.” Mr. Boonchuy chimed in. “I mean, you used to be so irresponsible! Like, change the grade on your report card irresponsible.” Anne’s expression quickly became panicked and she let out a nervous laugh.
“Didn’t think you guys knew about that.” She said, briefly glancing sideways.
“But you really changed.” Mrs. Boonchuy spoke again, getting up from the couch and walking over to the teen. “And you’ve been so upfront and honest with us this whole time.” Anne’s expression faltered again, and Caroline’s brow furrowed.
“Right…upfront and honest.” Anne managed. Neither of her parents seemed to notice her tone, still giving her fond smiles.
“We’re just so proud of you.” Her mom said, opening her arms. “Come here, sweetie.”
“Bring it in.” Her dad added. Before Anne could move, both her parents pulled her in for a hug, causing her face to twist in guilt.
“Hey!” She suddenly blurted, moving her parents off of her. “I’m uh, gonna go get some coffee ice cream! Anyone want any? Sprig?” She leaned closer to the small pink frog, who had yet to pick up on Anne’s feelings.
“Eh, I’m good-whoa!” He cried out in surprise as Anne picked him up, hauling him away and disappearing into the kitchen. There was a small moment of silence, but it didn’t last as Caroline abruptly got up from the armchair.
“Y’know what, I might grab some, too.” She said, heading out of the room. Mr. and Mrs. Boonchuy exchanged looks, but neither chose to say anything as they returned to the couch to watch the rest of the movie.
“Anne?” Caroline spoke as she came into the kitchen. “You doing okay, kiddo?” Anne quickly turned around to face the young woman, her expression a mix of guilt and panic.
“I can’t do this anymore!” She exclaimed. Sprig still looked confused, hopping up onto the counter.
“Do what? Eat coffee ice cream?” He asked. “I agree, it’s pretty risky after five-”
“No, my folks.” Anne interrupted, a saddened tone in her voice. “I never told them about Andrias, or the robot hunting us, or the hunking invasion!” She let out a groan and hung her head, prompting Caroline to move beside her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. Anne glanced up at her for a moment, a small frown still on her face before she returned her gaze to the floor.
“They think I’m being upfront and honest, but I’m not.” She muttered. Sprig frowned.
“But, you said this is the only way they’d be okay with any of this.” He reminded her. Anne looked up at him.
“I know.” She replied. “But it’s not right. I’m gonna tell them everything, right now.” Caroline couldn’t help but smile, taking her hand off of Anne’s shoulder.
“Your parents are right, kid.” She said, drawing her attention. “You really have grown.” Anne felt a small warmth of comfort form in her chest, smiling back at the young woman before focusing her eyes on the kitchen door. Taking a breath, she straightened herself up, heading back into the living room with Sprig and Caroline in tow.
“Mom, dad?” Anne spoke up, grabbing their attentions. “There’s something I have to tell you.”
“What is it, sweetie?” Mrs. Boonchuy asked. Anne hesitated for a moment, her gaze turning down to Sprig. The small frog gave her a thumbs up in reassurance, and she let out a small sigh.
“Well,” she started, “the thing is-”
BOOM!
A thunderous crash sounded from just outside the house, interrupting Anne and shaking everything in the living room. A chorus of panicked cries sounded in response, while Anne focused her gaze on the living room window.
“What the heck was that?!” She exclaimed. Without waiting for an answer, she rushed for the window and drew the curtains back, seeing the frog-bot itself standing right on the front lawn. Its’ left arm was replaced with an excavator’s arm, while its’ right leg now had a buzzsaw for a foot. The sight of it made Anne’s face pale in horror, and sure enough, it noticed her too.
“Anne?” Mrs. Boonchuy spoke up. “What’s going on-?”
“Get down!” Anne shouted, rushing back and throwing herself onto her parents. All three hit the floor just as the front window was smashed in, allowing the robot to climb into the house.
“Everyone upstairs!” Anne ordered, quickly getting to her feet. “Move!” No one argued as they all booked it up the steps, barely avoiding the sight of the frog-bot chasing them.
“Quick, we can hide in my workout room!” Mrs. Boonchuy told them. Again, no one argued as they flooded into the room, Anne being the last one in and shutting the door behind her.
“We can hide out here while we-…” Anne‘s words trailed off as she noticed the room, or more specifically what was in it. Several statues made out of various objects were scattered throughout, but all of them had some resemblance to Anne.
“Mom, this is not a workout room!” The teen exclaimed.
“Yes it is!” Her mother argued. “When I thought you ran away, it’s where I worked out all my stress.” Caroline’s eyes went wide as the realization struck her.
“Mrs. B, perhaps I should recommend you a therapist?” She suggested. Mrs. Boonchuy gave her a confused and mildly offended look, but Anne’s attention was drawn to one of the statues in particular.
“Wait, why is this one dressed like a doctor?” She asked.
“A mom can dream, can’t she?” Mrs. Boonchuy replied, a slightly annoyed tone in her voice. Anne’s expression turned angry.
“Why do I get the feeling I’m not living up to your expectations?” She snipped. Before anyone else could speak, the floor was suddenly torn through and the frog-bot leapt into the room. It glared around for a moment, only to gain a look of confusion as it noticed the statues.
“Multiple Anne Boonchuys confirmed.” It spoke.
“It’s after you?!” Mrs. Boonchuy blurted. Anne froze in place, hardly hearing her mom as her eyes remained locked on the robot.
“Eliminating.” The frog-bot said, reeling back its’ excavator arm and launching it forward. It collided with the doctor statue right next to Anne, the force sending it through the wall and down to the sidewalk outside. It was quick to follow to finish the job, pummelling the decoy into the ground.
“Okay, maaaybe there’s a couple of things I haven’t told you guys.” Anne admitted. Both her parents stared at her in horror, but the sound of the robot still destroying the statue made them decide now was not the time to talk. Instead, the group seized the opportunity and snuck back downstairs, quietly making their way outside and into the Boonchuy’s van. They watched as the robot grabbed and held up the decoy, ultimately causing the fake hair to fall off and reveal that it wasn’t the real Anne. The bot’s face once again turned to confusion, and as it picked up the mop to scan it, Mr. Boonchuy peeled out of the driveway and sped down the road. The frog-bot narrowed its’ eyes and quickly gave chase, leaping up and across the rooftops after them.
“Honey, why is there a robot chasing us?” Mrs. Boonchuy asked Anne in concern, turning to look at her daughter in the backseat.
“Well, the thing is,” Anne started, turning herself away from the rear window, “and I was totally gonna tell you, the king of Amphibia kind of has it out for us.”
“She punched him in the face.” Sprig added.
“You what?!” Both Mr. and Mrs. Boonchuy exclaimed at once, looking back at their daughter in disbelief.
“Eyes on the road! Eyes on the road!” Caroline shouted, pointing back out the front window. Mr. Boonchuy quickly turned forward again, seeing a teenage girl walking her dog and swerving to avoid them at the last second. The frog-bot was still chasing after them, now leaping off of the rooftops to pursue them on the street.
“Can’t this robo-snail go any faster?” Polly cried, waving her arms from the backseat.
“I’m sorry,” Mr. Boonchuy replied in a frantic tone, “I’m not used to running for my life from a crazy robot!”
“Then move over!” Caroline suddenly called, leaning forward from the backseat. In one move, she pulled the driver’s seat adjuster, slid Mr. Boonchuy back, and vaulted in front to take the wheel. With a determined gleam in her eyes, the young woman slammed on the gas, the engine roaring as it sped down the street and onto the freeway. She weaved through the cars and traffic with ease, hardly having to slow down as they raced across the city.
“Whoa, Caroline, where’d you learn this?” Anne exclaimed, sounding impressed.
“I might’ve done a bit of racing when I first got my license.” Caroline admitted, grinning excitedly as she kept her eyes on the road. “And besides, I’ve been wanting to put my driving skills up against this hunk of scrap!”
“Wait, does that mean this isn’t your first time seeing this robot?” Mrs. Boonchuy cut in. Caroline’s grin vanished instantly, and Anne shot her a glare.
“Caroline, you’re not helping!” She snapped. Before the young woman could respond, the sound of metal on stone was heard behind them and her eyes turned to look in the rearview mirror. The frog-bot was now racing down the freeway at high speeds, using its’ buzzsaw foot as a makeshift rollerblade to catch up to them faster. The Plantars let out screams of panic at the sight, while Anne quickly looked around the car for something to use. Her eyes fell on her bag of tennis supplies, and taking it in one hand, she hopped the backseat, popped the trunk open, and smacked a ball at the bot. It was quick to volley the shot back, which ultimately resulted in a high speed tennis match between it and Anne.
“Oof, your backhand is looking pretty rusty.” Mr. Boonchuy commented, watching the match intently since Caroline had taken over driving.
“Dad!” Anne shot back, clearly out of patience. The ball was soon knocked away and lost, leading to the frog-bot drawing out a nail gun it had attached as a weapon. Anne slammed the trunk shut as it fired, nails stabbing through the back window and roof of the car. Sprig and Polly let out panicked screams at the sight, but Caroline had no tolerance for it. Without warning, she hit the brakes and swerved into position on the robot’s left, catching it by surprise. A brief moment of eye contact occurred between the bot and the young woman, to which she gave it a cocky grin and side slammed it, sending it skidding off of the freeway entirely.
“Yes!” Anne and the Plantars cried in excitement.
“Take that, you bucket of bolts!” Polly shouted after it. Caroline let out a laugh that was a mix of excited and relieved, soon focusing her attention back on the road.
“Uh, there’s a split coming up!” Mr. Boonchuy warned, tapping Caroline on the shoulder.
“I see it.” Caroline replied, still focusing on the road. “I’m taking the 210; the 405 is always jammed at this hour.” Without waiting for a response, she changed over and got onto the ramp, heading up and around the corner to the 210. Just as she reached the top, however, a figure erupted from the bushes below, revealing itself to be the frog-bot as it landed directly in their path. There was a chorus of panicked screams, but Caroline merely grinned and floored it, running right over the bot and continuing down the freeway.
“Heh, he really thought he was doing something.” She chuckled, shaking her head. Looking back at the road, she saw an exit and got off, turning and stopping under a bridge to hopefully keep out of sight.
“Did we lose it?” Mrs. Boonchuy asked.
“I hope so.” Mr. Boonchuy replied, glancing around nervously. There was a pause before the sound of slicing was heard just above them, and a hole was suddenly cut straight through the bridge. Chunks of concrete hit the car as the frog-bot dropped from above, landing in front of them and letting out a distorted laugh. Caroline was quick to switch the car into reverse, slamming on the gas and peeling away to avoid its’ swiping claws. She wound up ramming into the chainlink gate of a junkyard, the lock snapping and the doors flying open as the van raced through. She weaved through the piles of garbage until she found a spot to park, quickly pulling into it and turning the car off.
“Hurry, everyone! Hide!” Anne whisper-shouted as she opened the car door. Everyone else was quick to climb out as well, and Mr. Boonchuy locked the van after them before running to join the group. The frog-bot soon entered the junkyard after them, narrowing its’ eyes before walking in a different direction to begin its’ search. Anne and Caroline watched it carefully from behind a junk pile, neither daring to move until the bot was out of sight.
“Okay guys, I think we’re safe for now.” Anne said.
“Anne Savisa Boonchuy and Caroline Maria Hill!” Mrs. Boonchuy snapped, causing both of them to flinch. The two turned around with panicked expressions, but Caroline’s also held confusion.
“Wait, why was I full named?” She blurted.
“Because you’re clearly involved in this, too!” Mrs. Boonchuy replied crossly. “Now, what is going on?”
“What do you mean?” Anne asked, her voice wavering slightly. “There’s a giant robot trying to kill us. I thought that was clear.”
“Yes!” Mrs. Boonchuy replied in an increasingly frustrated tone. “But why, Anne? Why? Is there something you want to tell us?” Anne felt herself shrink under her mother’s cold stare.
“Mom, take it easy.” She managed, trying to keep her voice calm.
“Honey,” Mr. Boonchuy cut in, “maybe we should hear her out.”
“No!” Mrs. Boonchuy snapped. “She’s lying to us! You’ve done something, haven’t you? That’s why that thing is after us!”
“I-It’s complicated.” Anne replied, still trying to keep her voice down.
“Mrs. Boonchuy,” Caroline spoke up, stepping forward, “I know you’re upset, but you honestly don’t know what Anne’s been through-”
“And you do?!” Mrs. Boonchuy was on the verge of yelling now, startling the young woman. “She told you what was happening, but not her own parents? Why would she do that if she hadn’t done something wrong?” Caroline wound up blanking on a response, causing Mrs. Boonchuy to turn her gaze back to Anne.
“I knew it, we were wrong about you!” She exclaimed angrily. “You’re still the same irresponsible little girl who used to cut class! When are you going to grow up? When are you going to stop getting in trouble? When Anne, when?”
“I don’t know, okay?!”
The teen’s sudden outburst caused everyone to fall silent, all eyes watching her carefully. Anne kept her eyes focused on her mother momentarily, but soon turned away and dropped her gaze.
“I don’t know when I’ll be the daughter you want me to be.” She said quietly. “And I’m sorry. It’s true, I did lie. But I did it to protect the people I really care about.” Her gaze turned over to the Plantars as she spoke, prompting her parents and Caroline to look at them as well. The three frogs stayed quiet as they watched anxiously, not wanting to say anything in case it made things worse.
“I’ve learned so much from you two these past few weeks.” Anne continued, all attention returning to her. “I finally appreciate how much you’ve done for me. Now I’m asking for your help.” In a last effort attempt, Anne stepped forward and took hold of her mother’s hands, still maintaining eye contact.
“Please.” She pleaded. “I can’t do this without you.” Anne’s mother hesitated, but her dad stepped up and put a hand on his wife’s shoulder. Mrs. Boonchuy turned her gaze to him, seeing a comforting look in his eyes before he focused on Anne.
“We’re with you, Anne.” He told her. “Right, mom?” Mrs. Boonchuy hesitated again, causing Anne’s anxiety to build.
“I don’t know.” She managed at last. “Isn’t this all just too much?” Before Anne could respond, the sound of footsteps began to approach and she ducked behind the pile of junk. The rest of the group were quick to follow, and Anne peered out just in time to see the frog-bot pick up a scrapped car and toss it in their direction. It hit another trash pile before crashing to the ground, but it was close enough that everyone was immediately on edge.
“So, is there a plan?” Sprig asked nervously. “Really hoping for a plan.” Anne quickly started to look around, trying to spot anything useful when she noticed a basketball and broken mop head. An idea popped into her mind, and her gaze turned to her mother still hiding against the junk pile.
“Hey mom,” she spoke, “feel like putting your artistic skills to use?”
Meanwhile, the frog-bot continued to search the junkyard, pushing past and overturning heaps of garbage in search of Anne and the others. There was a pause as it checked something on itself, but its’ attention was soon drawn as it noticed a silhouette of what looked like Anne.
“Target confirmed.” It spoke, rushing forward and kicking the silhouette’s head. It came clean off, only to bounce away and reveal it had been a basketball with a mop head draped on top of it.
“Hey! Metal head!” Anne’s voice suddenly called from behind it. “Looking for me?” The bot turned around to find a mass of Anne-like statues, all of them having just enough resemblance to confuse it. Another one was quick to pop up as well, with Mrs. Boonchuy carefully hiding behind it to keep out of the robot’s sight.
“Whoa!” Polly exclaimed in awe. “Mama, you work fast!”
“It’s all about rhythm, baby!” Mrs. Boonchuy replied proudly. The frog-bot scanned over each Anne statue, but when it was unable to tell them apart, it drew its’ mounted nail gun and fired. A barrage of nails tore through each decoy, shredding and knocking them apart until none were left standing.
“Now, guys!” Anne shouted from a hidden position. At once, Sprig, Caroline, Hop Pop, and Mr. Boonchuy leapt out, each of them wielding metal pipes as makeshift weapons. They charged the bot and swung at it with all they had, but they weren’t able to do much damage. Anne quickly joined in wielding a wooden plank, but the frog-bot snagged it in its’ claw and snapped it in two. Finally getting fed up, the robot rapidly spun itself around, hitting everyone and sending them flying back. It then focused on Anne, leaping over to her and snagging her by the torso with its’ excavator claw.
“No no no no no!” Anne cried, frantically gripping at the dirt. Her attempt to escape wound up in vain as the frog-bot pulled her up, holding her high and pointing the nail gun right at her face.
“Target confirmed.” It said coldly. “Mission complete.”
“Hey robot!”
The sudden shout drew its’ attention, and it looked to see Mrs. Boonchuy charging at it with a sledgehammer in hand.
“Leave my daughter ALONE!” She shouted. With a powerful swing, she slammed the sledgehammer onto its’ head, caving in half of it. She kept swinging, landing blow after denting blow until it let go of Anne. The teen cried out as she hit the dirt, but was quick to recover and grabbed a nearby metal pole to fight. The frog-bot stumbled backwards in her direction, and thrusting forward, she stabbed the metal pole clean through its’ stomach. The bot screeched in response, falling back over to Mrs. Boonchuy, who swung again and took one of its’ legs clean off. Anne rejoined and smashed off an arm, and soon the robot collapsed with a pained scream onto a nearby pile of garbage.
“Wow, mom!” Anne exclaimed, working to catch her breath. “Good arm!” Mrs. Boonchuy let out a shaky laugh, tossing the sledgehammer aside as she walked over to her daughter.
“You too.” She replied.
“Whoa!” Sprig said in awe, staring at the mangled mess that was the frog-bot. “That was crazy, you guys!”
“I like your style, Mrs. B!” Polly added.
“Were you surprised by that display of ferocity, Mr. Boonchuy?” Hop Pop asked, turning his gaze to the man. Mr. Boonchuy had a blank expression on his face as he stared at the robot.
“No.” He replied simply. Before anything else could be said, a distorted, menacing laugh came from the robot, drawing all eyes back to it.
“Self destruct in t-minus 10…9…” it said, its’ chest opening to show a built-in red countdown. All eyes went wide in horror.
“Oh no, that thing’s still loaded!” Mr. Boonchuy exclaimed. Everyone was quick to take a step back, still watching the flashing countdown.
“What do we do?!” Hop Pop asked frantically.
“All that, and we’re still toast?!” Polly cried.
“Not on my watch.”
Everyone turned as Anne spoke, watching as her eyes lit up with blue energy. Her body was soon surrounded in a bright blue glow, and pushing off of the ground, she ran at the bot at high speed. With a powerful kick, she launched it into the stratosphere, the force of it severing its’ last arm in the process. It flew straight up and out of sight, a few seconds passing before it detonated and caused a hole to form in the cloud cover. Anne’s power faded shortly after, leaving the teen weary and out of breath.
“Anne?” Her mother spoke, staring in shock.
“What was that?” Her father blurted.
“Gosh, guys.” Anne managed, her voice weak. “I have so much…to tell you…” shortly after the words left her mouth, the teen’s body reached its’ limit and she stumbled back. Both Sprig and Caroline were quick to run in and catch her, carefully supporting her as they helped her sit down.
“Easy there, kiddo.” Caroline said softly. Anne’s parents exchanged glances, but remained silent as everyone regrouped and headed back for the van. Caroline let Anne lean on her for the walk back, but Mrs. Boonchuy wound up getting in the backseat to stay with her daughter. The young woman ended up taking the passenger’s seat instead, and Mr. Boonchuy took the wheel to drive them all home. Anne barely managed to stay awake as they started back, which led to the Plantars explaining the full story of what happened in Amphibia.
“Honestly, Mrs. Boonchuy.” Hop Pop said. “Anne has just been trying to-”
“Protect you three.” Mrs. Boonchuy interrupted, but there was no anger in her tone. “I get it now. And whatever it is you guys need to do, we’ll do it together.” Without warning, Anne’s mom pulled all of them in for a hug, which earned a grunt of protest from Anne.
“Aww, the driver always gets left out of the group hug.” Mr. Boonchuy complained. Caroline chuckled, leaning over and giving him a careful hug.
“Don’t worry Mr. B, I got you.” She told him. Mr. Boonchuy smiled as she sat back, looking at her for a moment before focusing back on the road.
“Aw, thanks, Caroline.” He said.
“And thank you for looking after Anne.” Mrs. Boonchuy added. “Even if she didn’t tell us, I’m glad she had someone she could trust.” Caroline’s cheeks and ears turned a light pink, and she rubbed her neck sheepishly.
“Aw, it’s no problem.” She replied. “Besides, I could tell she was being honest. Anne knows better than to lie to me when it involves Marcy.” She glanced back at the teen behind her, seeing her leaning against her mom’s shoulder half asleep.
“She might have a habit of getting into trouble,” the young woman continued, “but she’s got good intentions.”
“Heh, yeah.” Mr. Boonchuy chuckled, his eyes falling on the dent in the van’s hood. “If only good intentions could pay for repairs.” Caroline blinked, her sheepish expression vanishing.
“Oh, I can cover that.” She said casually. Mr. and Mrs. Boonchuy both looked at her in surprise.
“You can?” Mrs. Boonchuy asked.
“Oh sure.” Caroline replied, smiling. “It’s no big deal. Consider it a thank you.”
“Okay, hold on.” Sprig suddenly piped up, drawing her attention. “This is like the third time that you’ve offered to pay for stuff like this. Where are you getting all that money?” Caroline blinked once.
“Oh, my parents are actually billionaire actors.” She explained. “I didn’t want to be a movie star, so they basically disowned me, but now they pay me 50k a month to keep my mouth shut about it.” There was a long pause that followed her words, prompting the young woman to turn around and notice everyone, including Anne, staring at her in shock.
“What?” She said.
“Wait, you’re not joking?” Mrs. Boonchuy asked. Caroline raised an eyebrow.
“Uh, no?” She replied, confused by their reaction. “Why would I joke about this?”
“So your parents are really celebrities?” Anne exclaimed. “Which ones?”
“Stephen and Mary Hill.” Caroline told her.
“Those two?” Mr. Boonchuy blurted. “I didn’t know they’d even had a kid!”
“Wait, I think Stephen was the guy who played Lord Frankerton in Primthistle Manor.” Polly chimed in.
“Say Caroline,” Hop Pop spoke up, leaning forward in his seat, “do you think there’s any chance your folks would help out a fellow thespian?” Caroline’s expression quickly turned sour.
“Okay, that’s it.” She said, clapping her hands together. “The discussion about my family is officially closed.” Anne and the Plantars began to protest, but Caroline was quick to shut it down.
“Nope, no complaints.” She told them. “Hop Pop ruined it by asking for help in the biz. Blame him.” Anne, Sprig, and Polly quickly shot glares at the older frog, who gained a guilty expression and chuckled awkwardly. Caroline couldn’t help but glance back at them, a small smile appearing on her face. She didn’t like her biological family, but the one she had with her now was really starting to grow on her.
——————
Meanwhile, hidden away at an undisclosed location, two officers once again looked over the traffic cam footage. There was no denying what sat in front of them; Anne, the frog-bot, and the Plantars in the back of the van, all speeding down the freeway.
“Get HQ on the line. This may be the real deal.” One said, zooming in on Sprig in the paused video. “It’s time to call Mr. X.”
Temple Frogs
Summary: The Boonchuys take the Plantars to the Thai Temple.
Fandom: Amphibia (The Wild Soul AU)
Pairing: None
Features: Self-Insert Character
Word Count: 3,811
Warnings: None
[A/N: This one is shorter and a bit more split since Caroline’s appearances are at different times in the episode. She’s not present for the full story like in the previous one, so I only wrote the parts that changed with her addition.]
—————————————————————
The next day after the museum heist, Anne woke up to an exciting text from Dr. Jan. She had found out something about the pot, and the teen was ecstatic to head over and see what it was about.
So much so that she forgot what day it was.
As soon as she saw her parents loading the van, her excitement vanished. It was market day at the Thai Temple, and Mr. and Mrs. Boonchuy were insistent on all of them going. While the Plantars had no problem tagging along, Anne wanted nothing more than to run to the museum to meet Dr. Jan. That was how the teen’s deal with her mother was set; all she had to do was stay at the temple for one hour, and then she’d be free to go. It wasn’t ideal, but Anne didn’t have much of a choice.
But now, it was that exact deal that landed her on sample duty for her family’s restaurant stand.
“Well, looks like we have some time to kill.” She said to the Plantars, adjusting the ‘Thai Go’ hat on her head. “You three are free explore if you want; just be careful to keep those disguises-…” her words trailed as she looked up, realizing all three Plantars had run off to explore.
“…on.” She finished, her brow furrowing slightly in concern. “Okay, that might’ve been a mistake.”
“Eh, I’m sure they’ll be fine.”
Anne jumped at the sudden voice, almost dropping the platter as she turned to see who had spoken. Standing next to her was Caroline, dressed in her usual attire and her bag from the museum slung over her shoulder.
“Wha-? Caroline?” The teen blurted in confusion. “Since when do you come to the Thai Temple?”
“Oh, I’ve actually been coming for a few months now.” Caroline replied. “I like to attend the Muay Thai classes; helps me burn off some energy, y’know?” Anne blinked, still wearing a look of confusion before her expression softened.
“Yeah, my mom had signed me up for the same reason.” She said. “Kind of funny to hear you’re taking them, though. I never expected you to be into martial arts.”
“Well, things can change when you disappear for five months.” Caroline replied, gaining a lopsided smile. “Oh! Speaking of; have you come up with an excuse for where you’ve been? A few people have been telling me you’re back, and I wanna make sure we don’t get our stories crossed.”
“Tennis camp.” Anne told her. Caroline grinned, giving her a thumbs up.
“Sweet, thanks.” She said. “I gotta bounce, but just hit up the dojo if you need me, okay?” Anne hesitated for a moment, her eyes drifting to her pocket before she straightened up and nodded.
“Yup, will do!” She replied, smiling. Caroline returned her smile happily, adjusting her bag strap before turning and walking off. Anne watched her go, her smile changing into an expression of guilt before she shook her head. Her attention went back to her phone, and she pulled it out of her pocket to check the time.
“Hold on, Dr. Jan.” She said. “Just one hour and I’ll be there.”
——————
After about fifteen minutes, Anne’s patience for being on sample duty ran out. She needed to know what Dr. Jan had found, but she knew if her parents caught her, she’d be in a lot of trouble. Thankfully, she had been able to get another teen around her age to play decoy, allowing her to sneak off to fetch the Plantars.
Unfortunately, the Plantars had no plans on leaving.
As she searched the temple for her frog family, she found each member was more wrapped up in their activities than the last. Sprig was kicking butt at Sepak Takraw, Hop Pop danced his heart out in the Khon Dance theatre, and Polly was telling an entire class jokes and stories in fluent Thai. Anne felt some annoyance at first, but seeing how happy the Plantars were made her soften up pretty quick.
“It is sorta neat to see all three of them connecting to Thai culture like this.” She said to herself as she walked away from the Thai class. “I’ll just update them after- huh?” Anne’s words cut off as she passed by another open door, seeing a familiar flash of purple in the room. She stopped and backtracked to get a better look, finding Caroline in a sparring match with one of the other students.
The young woman was quick, moving at a speed much faster than the other student could keep up with. Anne watched as Caroline dodged a jab, ducking under their arm and landing a hard punch to their ribs. The student recoiled from the blow, allowing the young woman to straighten up and hit them with a mean uppercut. Anne winced at the sound of the impact, watching as the other student actually went flying and fell back first on the mat behind them.
“Yikes.” Anne thought aloud. She didn’t notice how loudly she had spoken, but just as the word left her mouth, Caroline straightened up and turned to face her.
“Anne!” She exclaimed, rushing over to meet her. “Hey, I didn’t see you there.”
“Given how you were kicking that guy’s butt, I can see why.” Anne replied with a joking tone. Caroline’s gaze fell behind her for a moment, a small chuckle escaping her lips.
“Yeah, but Mak can take it.” She replied. “Trust me, I’ve kicked them in the face before. They’ll be alright.” Anne glanced back into the dojo, seeing that Mak was already back on their feet and taking a swig from a water bottle.
“Anyways, what brings you here?” Caroline’s voice drew her attention back, and she turned to meet the woman’s eyes.
“Huh? Oh!” Anne’s tone gained a nervous edge as she realized what had been asked. “I was just passing by, uh…looking for the Plantars! Yep!” Caroline’s smile dropped, her expression showing she was unconvinced.
“Anne,” she started, “you know you’re a horrible liar, right?” Anne’s false smile dropped at her words, quickly being replaced with a scowl.
“Oh, like you’re any better!” She argued. Caroline raised an eyebrow at the teen, straightening herself up slightly.
“Yes, because clearly your parents know that I’m aware who the Plantars really are.” She replied sarcastically, soon switching to a more serious tone. “Now come on, what’s really going on? Is something up?” Anne hesitated as she tried to think of a response, but her train of thought derailed as the rattling of dishes and tupperware reached her ears and she noticed her mom walking up the temple steps. Her eyes widened and she quickly tried to duck behind Caroline, but despite her attempts, Mrs. Boonchuy had already spotted her.
“Anne?” She blurted. Caroline turned around at the voice, a pleasantly surprised look on her face.
“Oh, Mrs. B!” She said. Mrs. Boonchuy glanced at her with an expression that read ‘not the time’ and Caroline quickly shut up and stepped aside.
“You’re supposed to be at the stand.” Mrs. Boonchuy spoke, her attention turning to focus on Anne. The teen felt her body stiffen and her gaze shifted to the side.
“Ohh, why yes.” She managed, a nervous smile on her face. “You see-”
“You were sneaking out to visit your museum friend, weren’t you?” Mrs. Boonchuy interrupted, already calling her daughter’s bluff. Caroline’s eyes widened as she looked over at Anne.
“Wait, Dr. Jan?” She blurted. Anne shot a glare at the young woman, but found her mother was still staring her down and shifted her focus.
“Okay, you got me.” She admitted. Caroline’s expression quickly shifted to one of disappointment while Mrs. Boonchuy pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.
“I don’t believe this.” She said, looking back up at her daughter. “You really couldn’t wait one hour?” Anne’s expression quickly turned angry and she let out a frustrated groan.
“Look, I already said hi to everyone.” She told her. “Now I have to get to the museum so I can get my inter-dimensional friends home. It’s super important!”
“So is this!” Mrs. Boonchuy retorted. “We owe so much to this community. Why do you think I’m returning all these dishes?”
“I don’t know.” Anne shrugged, still not convinced. “Cause you had a potluck party?”
“No!” Mrs. Boonchuy snapped. “Everyone here cooked us meals and took care of me and dad for all those months you were gone.” The statement made Anne’s eyes widen, and her expression changed to a look of guilt as she dropped her gaze.
“Oh.” She managed. “I…I had no idea. Wow, I feel like a jerk.” Mrs. Boonchuy’s expression softened and she put a hand on her daughter’s shoulder, drawing the teen’s attention back to her.
“They were worried about you.” She told her. “And us. The community ran our stall here and sent us the money. They even extended this kindness to another friend in need.” Mrs. Boonchuy turned her gaze to Caroline, prompting Anne to look at her as well.
“Wait, is that why you’re here?” Anne asked.
“Well, not entirely.” Caroline replied. She paused a moment, taking a breath and letting out a soft sigh.
“The Wu’s left the state a week after you three disappeared.” She explained. “Mr. Wu didn’t want to lose the job offer. I kept searching for any sign of you guys, but when nothing turned up…” her voice trailed off, and Mrs. Boonchuy moved to stand beside her in comfort. Caroline gave her a thankful smile, pausing for another breath before continuing.
“To make a long story short, I went to your parents for help.” She said. “Ended up showing up on a night when people from the temple were in to cook. When they learned about how the disappearance affected me, they suggested I come take Muay Thai classes to help. Been coming here twice a week ever since.” Anne glanced between Caroline and her mother with wide eyes, everything finally sinking in for her.
“That’s…really cool.” She managed at last. Mrs. Boonchuy smiled softly.
“It is pretty cool.” She replied. Before anything else could be said, a cluster of shadows passed above them and caused all three of them to look up. Large dragonfly-like drones swarmed over the temple, and Anne was quick to run under a roofed walkway to avoid them seeing her. Caroline and Mrs. Boonchuy were quick to follow, hearing the confused murmuring of other people around them as they noticed the bugs as well.
“What are those things?” Mrs. Boonchuy asked.
“Drones!” Anne exclaimed. “They must be from the-”
“From the school!” Caroline interrupted, catching both Anne and Mrs. Boonchuy by surprise. Caroline shot a look at Anne, which made her realize that she had almost slipped up.
“Uh, yeah!” Anne played along. “They got them upgraded to, uh, get better photos! It’s probably the blog people wanting more pictures of me.” Mrs. Boonchuy was still confused by the whole ordeal, prompting Anne to take her arm and pull her into a side room in the temple.
“Just tell everyone they have to take cover.” She told her mom. “I’ve got this.”
“Don’t forget me!” Caroline reminded her. The two made brief eye contact, sharing the same look of determination as they vaulted the railing and landed in the main courtyard. As soon as the two were visible, one of the drones shot a blast at them, barely missing Anne and blowing up a bench instead. The sound of the blast was loud enough to catch several people’s attentions, including the Plantars, who quickly ditched their activities to see what was going on.
“We heard a blast!” Sprig exclaimed. “What’s going on?”
“Looks like the robot sent some scouts after us.” Anne replied. “We have to protect the temple and everyone in it.”
“Right!” The Plantars agreed in unison, prepping themselves to fight.
“We’re right behind you!” A voice piped up, and all five looked up to see Mrs. Boonchuy standing by the railing with a few other people. There were several others as well, though they had spread out across the temple to rally more people.
“Mom!” Anne cried. “I told you to tell everyone to take cover!”
“This is our temple and our community.” Mrs. Boonchuy told her. “When one of us is under threat, we all are.”
“Yeah!” An elderly woman shouted, stepping up next to Mrs. Boonchuy and shaking a fist. “Begone, St. James Middle School paparazzi!” A chorus of cheers and shouts accompanied the woman, and soon enough, a group had gathered alongside Anne, Caroline, and the Plantars. The drones remained still for a moment before they suddenly scattered, firing off blasts at whatever they could hit around the temple. Polly was the first to move in retaliation, noticing a megaphone left on one of the market stalls and snatching it.
“Alright, everyone!” She called through it, grabbing a streetlamp for extra height. “CHARGE!” The people were quick to react, grabbing various foods and cooking items to throw at the attacking drones. Hop Pop ran over to join the Khan dancers, and one of them was quick to pick him up and stand him on his arm, allowing the old frog to leap into the air. In one movement, he took his dance mask off and swung, hitting one of the drones clean in the head and sending it crashing to the ground. Caroline was quick to jump the now destroyed bot, wielding a broom like a spear and chasing one of the drones through the marketplace.
“Hey Caroline!” A voice cried, drawing her attention. There, her Muay Thai teacher stood with her actual double-ended spear, which she grinned excitedly at the sight of. Without saying a word, the teacher tossed the spear, and Caroline leapt up to snag it midair. Seizing it with both hands, she landed on a food display, ricocheted off of it and cleanly sliced the drone in half. The pieces hit the ground beside her as she landed, and she twirled her spear with a gleeful grin.
“Whoo! Now that’s more like it!” She cried.
“Heads up!” A voice suddenly shouted, and Caroline ducked as a ball went rocketing over her head. It was quickly followed by one of the Sepak Takraw players, who waved at the young woman as she passed her. The ball ended up being caught by a second player, who volleyed it with his chest and kicked it again. Sprig was the one to intercept it this time, and with a strong head-butt, the ball went flying and smacked right into another drone that had been heading their way.
“It’s good!” One of the players shouted, the other one cheering along with her. Their victory was cut short, however, as a food tray suddenly flew by them both, having been thrown like a frisbee by Anne. She had managed to grab another one in record time, and was quickly smacking down any drones that came near her.
“Sample this!” She shouted, slamming the tray into another drone. Its’ head broke from the impact, causing it to fall limply to the ground at her feet. She didn’t bother to check on it, instead rushing off to find another drone to smash.
“Alright, you evil bot-bugs!” Mr. Boonchuy called, grabbing a tray as well. “Sample this, too!” He threw the tray at one of the drones, but it wound up going over it instead of hitting it. The drone quickly locked its’ eyes on Mr. Boonchuy and dove, ready to blast him to bits.
“Anne’s dad!” Sprig cried in panic. Polly was quick to notice what was going on, getting an idea and jumping from the street lamp.
“Sprig! Kick me!” She yelled. Sprig reeled around just in time to see his sister falling, and not having any better ideas, he leapt up and kicked Polly with all he had. The small pollywog went rocketing at the drone, colliding with it hard enough that her disguise flew off. The bot went careening out of the way and crashed, exploding as it hit the ground. A silence followed shortly after, and Anne and the Plantars soon realized that all the drones had been destroyed. They jumped and cheered in excitement and relief, but it wound up being short-lived as Anne noticed something else.
“Guys!” She exclaimed. “Your disguises! They’ve fallen off!” A second later, the sound of shocked murmuring reached the teen’s ears, and she turned around to see a crowd had gathered and were staring at the Plantars warily.
“Uh, everyone, I-I can explain!” Anne tried, her voice wavering.
“No no no no.” One of her aunts suddenly spoke up, walking over and putting a hand on her shoulder. “No need to know. If they’re your friends…”
“Then they’re our friends, too.” Another woman chimed in.
“No matter how ugly they are.” A third woman added. Small amounts of laughter followed her words, but the Plantars kept stoic expressions.
“Ouch.” Hop Pop said.
“It’s funny, but it still stings.” Sprig added.
“They’re talking about you two.” Polly told them. Despite the comments, Anne kept her gaze on the people, a grateful smile donning her face.
“Wow, thanks you guys.” She said. “I don’t even know what to say.” Caroline soon walked over to the group alongside Mr. and Mrs. Boonchuy, and she had a look of shock on her face.
“Wait,” she spoke up, her tone matching her expression, “so this whole time, you guys have been anthropomorphic frogs?” The Plantars looked at her in confusion, but Mrs. Boonchuy merely folded her arms.
“Alright, spill.” She said. “How long have you known?”
“Since the grocery store.” Caroline blurted. Anne couldn’t help but laugh, but the Plantars were still somewhat confused. Mrs. Boonchuy simply shook her head, but there was a fond smile on her face.
Once all the commotion had settled, everyone quickly focused on cleaning up the mess that the drones had caused. Caroline had insisted on paying to fix any major damages, which led to a small argument, but the young woman ultimately got her way and covered it. Anne had grabbed a broom and started sweeping, and the Plantars assisted by gathering scrap parts from the drones and throwing them out. Mrs. Boonchuy helped alongside them, though she ended up looking over one of the drone heads with curiosity.
“Man, middle school equipment is really advanced these days.” She commented. Anne briefly froze for a moment, but her mother simply tossed the head out without a second thought.
“Well, hour’s up.” She said, turning her gaze to her daughter. “You’re probably itching to get out of here.” Anne hesitated on her words and looked over at the Plantars, who were back to socializing with the people of the temple. The sight of it brought a warmth to her chest, a smile donning her face.
“I…I think I’d like to stay a bit longer.” She replied at last. Mrs. Boonchuy raised an eyebrow, her expression changing to a knowing smile.
“I thought you had more important things to do.” She said, placing her hands on her hips.
“Mom!” Anne exclaimed, laughing slightly. Mrs. Boonchuy raised her arms in mock surrender.
“Just kidding, just kidding.” She said. Shortly after she spoke, however, a car horn beeped and drew both of their attentions to the parking lot. A real truck with the museum’s logo on the side had pulled in, and Dr. Jan was in the driver’s seat with an excited look on her face.
“Dr. Jan?” Anne said in confusion, putting the broom aside. Dr. Jan leaned out the window, her excitement only growing.
“Sorry guys, this couldn’t wait!” She chirped. “It’s just too dang exciting!” Without waiting for a response, she quickly climbed out of the car, and Anne signalled to the Plantars that they were needed. Caroline had overheard the commotion as well, and seeing Dr. Jan, she quickly ran over to join the group. The curator led all five of them over to the shade of a large tree, where she pulled out the pot and a small blacklight to reveal a secret message written in invisible ink. Gasps of shock and awe came from the group, but none of them knew what to say.
“It’s written in some kind of ancient language.” Dr. Jan said. “If only we could read it.”
“Wait.” Anne piped up, pulling a small journal from her pocket. “According to Marcy’s notes, it says ‘seek the mother of olms, she will guide you to your destiny.’” Another chorus of gasps came from the group, but soon after, there was an awkward silence.
“That doing anything for anyone?” Anne asked.
“Not especially.” Sprig replied.
“No siree.” Hop Pop said. Polly merely blew a raspberry in response.
“Say, Anne,” Caroline spoke up, “you said those were Marcy’s notes?” Anne nodded, seeing Caroline’s gaze focus on the book in her hands.
“Do…do you think I could borrow it?” She asked. Anne glanced down at the journal momentarily, a small smile making its’ way onto her face.
“Yeah, I don’t see why not.” She replied, handing the book over. Caroline took it with careful hands, staring at the cover with shining eyes.
“Thanks, kiddo.” She said, turning her gaze to the teen. “I promise I’ll keep it safe. As for the inscription, though, I got nothing. If I had to guess, it might have to do with something in Amphibia.”
“That does make sense.” Dr. Jan agreed. “Well, we’ll just have to mark it as another mystery yet to be solved!”
“Guess so.” Anne replied. “Until then, all we can do is keep trying to find a way back.”
“Yep.” Caroline agreed. “But, before that, I’m gonna grab the last of your mom’s chicken satay!” Without waiting for a response, Caroline ran off, prompting some uproar from the Plantars.
“Hey, I want some!” Sprig exclaimed, running after her.
“Me too!” Polly cried, jumping off of Hop Pop’s head to join the chase.
“Save a piece for me!” Hop Pop called, also running after Caroline. Anne rolled her eyes at their antics, glancing back at Dr. Jan.
“Did you want to come?” She offered.
“Oh, I have to get back to the museum, actually.” She replied. “But thanks for the offer! You kids enjoy your day now, you hear?” She waved goodbye as she headed back to the truck, and Anne returned it while watching her go. After Dr. Jan had left the lot, the teen headed back over to the stand, finding Caroline and the Plantars fighting over the last piece of chicken. She couldn’t help but smile fondly, sitting back and watching the chaos unfold. She knew they had a lot of work ahead of them, but that could wait. For now, time at the temple was more important.
The Artist and Her Sonas
(Tap/click image for better quality)
Here you are, folks! A complete image of me and all my sonas/self-inserts that will be featured on this blog! Descriptions of each can be found below!
Sonas/Self-Inserts (From Left to Right):
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Caroline Hill
Fandom: Amphibia
AU Title: The Wild Soul
Caroline is a 20-year-old who lives on her own, finding Anne and the Plantars in the supermarket while under attack from a frog-bot. After witnessing Anne’s powers in action, she becomes part of the team, helping them avoid danger and get back to Amphibia.
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Evelyn the Centaur
Fandom: The Owl House
AU Title: Star-Spotted Coat
Evelyn is a lone centaur who Luz encounters on the same day Eda had been tasked to watch some demon bat babies. After learning from a friend that centaurs don’t supposedly exist, Luz and Evelyn start to work together to find out just who exactly she is.
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Elizabeth Gray/Dragoness
Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug
AU Title: Zodiac Spark
Elizabeth is a 15-year-old who arrives in Paris for an exchange program, only to learn she possesses a special connection to a certain Miraculous. Joining the fight alongside Ladybug and Chat Noir, she takes on a whole new responsibility as well as dealing with all-new dangers.
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Olive (0-L1V3)
Fandom: Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts
AU Title: Beyond the Ocean
Olive is a 21-year-old on the run from a city of humans who are hellbent on overpowering the mutes on their side of the world. When Kipo and her friends arrive in the city, she helps them escape the authorities and makes them realize that other parts of the world are still very much at war.
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And that's all of them! I'll be working on the stories for all of them shortly, and if anyone has any questions, feel free to ask!