refia hated frogs. she hated how they were slimy and wet, how every time they jumped they made a squishing noise, and how small they were. they could hide anywhere damp and wet. she hated them. the one thing she hated more was being turned into one. and she'd had to be turned into one to get through some of the obstacles on her journey with the other light warriors.

unfortunately for refia, all three of the other light warriors were male, and even saving the world boys will be boys. they teased her about her fear of frogs and her dislike of being turned into one. it would have been smarter for her not to tell them at all really.

first luneth began making croaking noises behind her back to see what would happen. arc joined in, and even ingus, supposed to be a mature, chivalrous noble knight of sasune, couldn't help but join in with a ribbit or two of his own.  that was harmless enough, she thought. she could ignore it.

then someone put a frog on her face once when she was sleeping. she had a feeling it was luneth, but all three of them were tight lipped on the matter, probably because after she had overcome the embarresment of running out into the middle of the town in her night dress screaming about the frog, she had become very angry indeed.

***

the jokes had stopped after that for a few days, but luneth pushed his luck again. the ribbits and croaks began again. refia kept turning her head to see arc or luneth with innocent expressions right after hearing a ribbit noise, only to hear poor efforts at the two not to burst out laughing. ingus wasn't joining in yet, she was sure, but he wasn't stopping them.

but she wasn't able to ignore it any more. sooner or later one croak or ribbit would break the camel's back.

'ribbit.'

'stop it now! it's not funny!' she shouted, turning around to see the innocent looks again.

'it's just a bit of fun.' luneth tried weakly.

'it's not fun for me! i hate frogs and you all know it!'

'what did frogs ever do to you?' arc asked.

'nothing! they're just so slimy and disgusting.' she said.

'but so are you.' arc said.

'what?' refia asked in fury.

arc then cast a spell.

'toad!'

refia froze in surprise as he did it, then felt it take effect with a puff of smoke around her. her skin turned clammy and she felt herself grow smaller. her hair and clothes were absorbed into her as part of the spell's effects, and she kept shrinking. her skin turned green and slimy, her blood turned cold, and still she kept shrinking down until the smoke vanished and she was a frog. a slimy frog. a wet squishy cold blooded amphibian. it had only taken a second to happen but every time she was turned into a frog it stretched out like a nightmare and she remembered it all.

'ribbit!' she tried to scream.

all three of the boys laughed. her fear went away and the anger she had came back as she looked at arc, laughing at this, laughing at the disgusting thing he had turned her into. she jumped up and kicked him in the face.


'ow! what was that for?' he asked the furious frog.

'i think maybe she's a little upset. turn her back.' luneth said.

arc nodded, then paused.

'um, i can't, that was the last of my mp...'

'well, don't we have a maiden's kiss?' ingus asked. the three boys checked. they did not.

'um, what do we do?' arc asked. refia knew what to do for now.

'agh, that hurts!'

'okay, i think before she kicks arc to death slowly we should head back to town.' ingus said.

'and hope that when she's back to normal she doesn't kill us.' luneth muttered.

***

as it was the nearest town did not have any maiden's kisses. they would have to go to the inn and let a night's sleep cure the effect of the spell, they reasoned. refia tried to protest with a hail of croaks and ribbits but all her three companions heard was croaking. not what she meant to say.

'i can't sleep if i'm a slimy frog!'

as it happened though, she did manage to sleep, as well as wake up early. she was relieved to find herself back to normal, and then she had a thought. she'd convince them why it wasn't fun to be a frog at all...

****

luneth awoke and croaked, annoyed it war morning so soo...

croaked?

he leapt up from bed in surprise. he had been turned into a frog overnight. he looked to the other two beds and didn't see the shapes of ingus and arc sleeping, but two frog shaped lumps. standing in the middle of the room was refia, smiling evily.

'i have a feeling when arc and ingus wake up they're not going to be making any more froggy jokes again, am i right? how about you, luneth?'

he croaked angrily.

'what was that? was that a no? because i can go and find a cat. see, cats like frogs. for breakfast.' she said.

luneth changed his mind and croaked again fearfully, hoping she got that he meant he was sorry for starting the froggy taunts.

***

arc and ingus woke up without ever learning about the event.

'ribbit.' arc said, hoping to see refia turn around angry again.

'meow.' she said, causing luneth to freeze in surprise.

'uh, arc, don't you think maybe we took the whole frog thing too far? refia really doesn't like frogs...'

refia didn't turn around to let them see her victrious grin. their little game had croaked.