CHAPTER TWELVE:

BACK TO NORMAL

IT WAS ALMOST OVER.

Dr. Facilier had been beaten. Tian and Y/n had defeated him. Y/n had broken his talisman before he was taken away by the voodoo spirits he called his friends. Now, only a stone could be seen with Dr. Facilier's scared face carved on it, the word 'Facilier' printed just beneath in all stone. The loud sound of the bell tower filled the air of New Orleans.

It was only about two minutes or so until midnight was to come. The stars and moon were still shining high in the sky as they shined down on the people of New Orleans. The Mardi Gras parade had ended and Charlotte and Naveen weren't married like they had seen.

Tian and Y/n could be seen hopping around and towards where the Mardi Gras parade was, catching sight of Y/n and Charlotte's father as he ordered the police to take an old man away. The old man had tried to protest, saying the Shadow Man tricked him, but he had been thrown inside the carriage, the cage door closed behind him.

Hearing a familiar accented voice, their heads snap over to see Charlotte sitting on the stairs, speaking to... a frog! It was Naveen! Quickly, they begin to hop closer as they listened in closely.

"Goodness gracious. This is so much to absorb. Let me see if I got this right. If I kiss you before midnight, you, Y/n and Tian will turn human again? And then we're gonna get ourselves married and live happily ever after, the end!" Charlotte concludes with a smile.

Naveen nods, shrugging. "Yeah, more or less. But remember, you must give help Tian with his restaurant and Y/n with her book writing. Because Tian and Y/n, they are my friends."

"Anything you want, sugar." Charlotte replies, applying lipstick. "Pucker up, buttercup."

The two best friends watch as Charlotte leans closer. Before that could happen, the two best friends stepped out, encouraging him. With a smile, Naveen couldn't help but hug them when they got closer before he turned back to Charlotte, letting her pick him up just as the bell dinged.

Realizing she didn't have much time left, the blonde leans in and kisses Naveen right on the lips, leaving a lipstick print on him. Seeing he didn't turn back, she tried a few more times but it still wasn't working.

"I'm so sorry." Charlotte apologizes, gently placing him down.

"Tian! Y/n! Naveen!" A familiar voice calls out.

At the sound of the voice, their heads snap to the sound, seeing Louis rushing in their direction, his hands facing upwards as it looked like he was holding something. Sharing looks of concern, the three frogs were quick to hop over, meeting their alligator friend halfway, hearing him pant heavily as he seemed out of breath, making them wonder how long he had been running to find them for.

"Louis, what is it?" Naveen asks.

"Shadow Man done laid poor Ray low. He's hurting awful bad." Louis tells them.

They could hear in his voice that he was trying to hold back tears as he opened up his hands slowly, revealing a very weak looking Ray laying against his palms, his light flickering a bit.

This only causes the three to gasp as Louis gently lays his small friend down a leaf. Before the gator could fully pull his hands away, Ray softly and weakly pats Louis' finger with a tired smile. Seeing his head lull to the side, hoping it wasn't time yet, Y/n gently brings his head forward so he could see them.

Ray smiles tiredly. "Hey, chere, how come you're still--"

"I think we're staying frogs, Ray." Y/n admits, glancing at Tian and Naveen.

"Together." Tian adds, softly grabbing her hand.

With a sad smile, Naveen glances at them before he places his hand on top of their clasped ones, giving them a small squeeze. If he had to stay a frog, he was glad it was with them. The people he called his friends.

"I like that very much. Evangeline likes that, too." Ray croaks out, staring up at Evangeline.

And with that, tired smile still evident on his face, Ray's eyes slowly close, his breathing coming to a stop, followed by his light slowly going out. Tears fill Louis, Y/n, Tian and Naveen's eyes at the loss of their friend. Tian holds Y/n in his arms as she quietly cried while Naveen slowly and quietly hopped to Louis, who was standing by himself. The prince gently places his hand on the gator's tail, softly patting it as they held frowns on their faces.

🐸

The bayou was quiet as fireflies could be seen slowly flying in the air, frowns holding their faces as they grieved over the sudden loss of their family member. Louis could be seen floating on his stomach in the water with Naveen, Tian and Y/n sitting on his snout as they held flowers, sadly looking down.

Three fireflies held a large leaf, Ray's lifeless body laying peacefully inside. It was quiet between all the animals as they were all grieving over the firefly that was known to be fun and loved all people he had seen and was nice to him and his family and his Evangeline as well.

Ray was friends with everybody, which made it even harder for all of them to lose him. As they got to shore, Louis started softly playing his trumpet in a sad tune as the three fireflies placed the leaf with Ray on it on the water before the three frogs placed the flowers inside with him. After that, one of the fireflies gently pushed the leaf forward, all of them watching as it floated away from them on the water, disappearing in the fog.

Y/n looked down, tears falling from her eyes and down on her frog cheeks just as a bright light shined down on them. This made the girl close her eyes and look up, letting out a gasp at what she saw in the sky. Hearing her gasp, Tian and Naveen follow her gaze, their eyes widening.

Everyone else also followed their gazes, small smiles coming onto their faces as their eyes went wide at the sight of two bright stars sitting high in the sky with all the smaller ones. Y/n took notice that the tips of the stars were connected as if they were holding hands before the cheers of the fireflies could be heard, as the three frogs shared a smile before they shared a group hug.

Ray was with Evangeline.

His Evangeline.

🐸

Later on, in the bayou, the night was still dark out as the stars were high in the sky. Back at Mama Odie's, Louis and Naveen could be seen inside as they ate something Mama Odie had given to her. The boat was still in the tree like it usually was, the voice of Mama Odie speaking as earlier, she had been given the news of the loss of Ray, but also the news of him with Evangeline.

Outside, Y/n could be seen sitting on a large tree branch as she stared up at the sky. More specifically, at Ray and Evangeline as they shined down on her, their hands no doubt connected with each others.

"You alright?" A voice questions from behind her.

Glancing over her shoulder, the girl smiles at the sight of Tian and nods, patting the spot next to her, inviting him to sit down. With a smile, the frog does as she asked, sitting very close to her as he gently and slowly rests his hand on top of hers. The boy glanced at the girl he's loved ever since they were children, awe and love evident in his eyes as he stared right at her.

"I love you." Tian blurts out, making her look at him with a smile. "I've always loved you. Ever since we were kids. Well, I guess not since we were kids because I never really knew what romance was and I thought it was weird. But I love you. I'm in love with you. You're my Evangeline. You always were. And I understand if you don't feel the same, I just--"

"Tian." Y/n interrupts. "I love you, too. And Ray had told me everything."

"He did?" Tian asks, eyes widen.

Y/n nods with a chuckle. "Yes, he did. And I'm glad he did."

A bright smile grows on his face as he intertwines his fingers with hers before pulling her closer, the two lovers snuggling close to one another as as they stared up at the sky, smiling up at Evangeline and Ray. They couldn't only guess that from where he was with his Evangeline, Ray cheering that they were finally together while Evangeline was smiling happily.

🐸

Flower petals were slowly falling from the sky in the bayou as all the animals living in it could be seen surrounding a very beautiful part of the bayou, flowers being seen on shore. All animals held smiles on their faces, along with Louis as he rested in the water and Naveen sat on a rock next to him, smile also on his face.

Their two friends were getting married after loving each other for so long. Mama Odie stood in front of Y/n and Tian as the two frogs held each others hands, happy this moment was finally coming. The prince had a moth used as a bowtie, along with Tian as Naveen had convinced the waiter to wear one, even if it wasn't an actual suit. Louis, as well, had one after seeing Naveen and Tian with them.

Y/n had a makeshift veil on her head, a single flower in her frog hand. As they listened to Mama Odie, the two lovers glance at one another, staring into each others eyes with love in their eyes.

"And so by the power vested in me, I now pronounce y'all frog and wife." Mama Odie announces. "Get to it, hop along! Give your lovely bride some sugar!"

"Congratulations." The moth tells them as he flies away and off Tian's chest.

Smiling, the lovers look at one another as Tian reaches up and cups Y/n's cheek just as their lips meet in a passionate kiss. All of a sudden, magic flies around the couple and Naveen, making all the animals gasp while Mama Odie cheers as if she knows what's happening.

Next thing everyone knew, Tian and Y/n's lips were still attached together as they were now back to their normal selves. They were back as humans. Y/n wore a beautiful f/c dress, her crown and veil the same color as her dress as well.

Tian wore a nice green suit, a green-like cape piece of clothing added to his suit as his hair was neatly done and Y/n's hair was half up half down. Meanwhile, Naveen also back as a human as he wore a green-like suit, just not as fancy looking as Tian's.

His was a bit of a darker green than Tian's and his hair was neatly done, too. His eyes widen as he looked down at himself before looking at his two friends, watching as they slowly pulled away, opening their eyes.

At the sight of each other, their heads snapped back as their eyes widened upon seeing they weren't small and green anymore. Their eyes then cast over to Naveen, who smiles brightly at them as he jumps up and down, cheering before looking down at themselves. Y/n couldn't help but silently gush at the beautiful dress she was wearing before Mama Odie's laugh made them look over at her.

"Like I told y'all, kissing a princess breaks the spell." Mama Odie reminds.

"I knew it! Why didn't you listen to me when I said it?" Naveen calls, reminding them of when he said that Y/n was a princess.

Y/n chuckles, turning to her husband. "You just kissed yourself a princess."

"And I'm about to do it again." Tian tells her.

And with that, his hand cups her chin as their lips meet halfway again, moving in sync. Everyone in the bayou cheered loudly at their friends as they were finally together and back human like they had always wanted, even if they said they'd stay frogs.