Editor's Note: I did this on the phone and wanted to do it right away. Thanks for the encouraging reviews!
Marco slowly turned around, his face filled with utter shame and blushing redder than a cayenne pepper. Before he could manage to speak a word, Star asked again, this time confused.
"Marco...what were you doing in my room," Star said, squinting her eyes. She looked dazed, having been awoken too soon at only 1:45 in the morning.
Marco could not help but be touched by her homely appearance with her frizzy hair all over the place. Finally, he began explaining himself, hoping his words could disarm Star's suspicions and neutralize this entire embarrassing moment.
"I...I was checking if you were still awake because I...uh, well see," Marco muttered, hating himself because he really had no real valid reason or excuse. "...I was here because I...just wanted to?"
No! That was stupid! Marco angrily thought, giving himself a mental slap to the head for such a horribly executed response.
Star was not amused in the least bit and hissed, "Marco–get out and go to bed you weirdo! No one just comes into people's room like that!" She flung her pillow at him, hitting straight on his chest. Marco caught it, and it felt warm, all cozy and snug thanks to Star.
"Er—give it back!" Star cried, realizing she needed it to go back to sleep comfortably. In the dimly lit room, Marco could see she was also blushing, her heart-toted cheeks entirely flushed with a subtly red hue.
Marco tossed the pillow back at Star and sighed, "I'm sorry Star. I just, I dunno–wanted to make sure my best friend was doing fine and not like, in danger or something..."
Star laughed and said, "Oh Marco Diaz, you're such a 'safe kid'–Marco you know I can handle myself! C'mon, I'm safe here and I think I can kick some monster butt any hour of the day." She gave a small smile, and tilted her head at Marco with reassurance.
"Trust me," she said softly, looking down at her pillow. "Remember what I said last week too? How I needed a friend and not a–"
"Hero," Marco finished.
"Right," Star nodded, still staring at her pillow. "Well you have to believe me when I meant that and I know you did." She looked up and pointed to her wand.
"This baby here's all I got to have no worries," she said, picking it up. It suddenly lit up, glowing and bringing light to the room. "Without it then, I'll still be able to protect myself. My daddy and the guards–they taught me how to fight and kill monsters without magic!" She looked at Marco, and laughed again. "Here, if you feel so worried about me, give me a hug to let you know I'm fine."
Marco felt overwhelmed when she offered the hug, and bear hugged sooner before she could extend her arms.
"OOF!" Star heaved, pushing Marco away. "Easy on those hugs. Excited much?"
"Sorry!" Marco gasped, releasing himself from her. "I didn't mean to hug that hard!" He was lucid, adrenaline was coursing through every inch of his body.
"Marco, Marco–what'd I do without ya?" Star giggled, teasingly pushing away. "Now go to sleep." She let out a hearty yawn and kicked her feet up, and shooed Marco off of her bed.
"We can talk more tomorrow. We have a test tomorrow too anyways," she said, turning her back from him.
Marco stared down at her long hair and looked at it longingly. She looks charming.
Marco stood up from her bed, and walked out but not without bidding Star a simple, "G'nite Star."
"Night," Star mumbled.
"Oooh when will we just get back there and take that waaand?!" shrieked Ludo, pounding the table. He threw a fit, as would a toddler would if his mother refused to give him ice cream. Ludo frustratingly toyed with his skeleton mantle, and let out a forced sigh.
"In due time my friend," Toffee said, sipping a cup of swampy water. "We will when the time perchance calls it."
"But it has to happen one of these days! GAH, I thought you were an evil efficiency expert! Let's put these idiots into shape now!" Ludo cried, pointing at his hopeless crew.
"That hurt feelings very much," Buff Frog said disappointingly, on the verge on tearing up.
"Yeah, Ludo, that was uncalled for," said Spike Balls.
"Oh shut up! You're all failures and without me, you'd have NOTHING! I give you everything and all I ask in return is to defeat a teenager girl and—GET—THAT—WAND!" He fumed, jumping up the table and kicking off plates and utensils, unleashing his fury upon his helpless army.
"Ludo, I advise you to take a seat and cool down," Toffee said, offering a hand to Ludo.
"BUT THE WAND! I NEED IT!" Ludo foamed, gritting his beak.
"And believe me, we will have it soon. Give it time and it shall be yours," Toffee consoled, stroking his chin.
"For a good part of my life, all I wanted was that wand! It'll show all the boys back at Mewni High who the real monster is! And momma. Momma would be proud if only I conquered just ONE world. Is it too hard to ask?" Ludo lamented, sitting down and moping.
"Patience will be generously rewarded. Today, you sit here but tomorrow..." Toffee pulled open the curtains to reveal the distant royal palace. "Tomorrow there."
"Really! We'll be there tomorrow?!" Ludo cried with joy.
"I only meant figuratively really. Realistically speaking, it may take weeks or months, maybe years pragmatically."
"PRAGMA–I WANT RESULTS NOW! NOW! NOW!" Ludo screamed, howling with anger and shaking his tiny fists in the air.
"At this rate, we may never attain that wand," Toffee said gravely, staring down at Ludo with disapproval. "Your tantrums prove you are ill-fit for world domination at this present state."
Ludo glared at Toffee and yelled, "I HIRED YOU LIZARD FACE. I can–"
"What?" Toffee snorted, smiling wryly. "Fire me? Go ahead
and fire me."
"YOU'RE FIRE–"
"You can't possibly fire me because you and I know that without professional help such as myself to assist you–your hopes for ever getting that wand is next to zero my friend. Be careful now."
Ludo snarled and mumbled, "Be careful...BAH!"
"In the meantime, yes. We will whip your minions into shape. We have nothing but time at our side before we are able to defeat the girl and her friend."
"Then power?" Ludo asked, his face beaming.
"Then power," Toffee nodded solemnly.
"You hear that boys? Power!" The whole room nodded in agreement and shouted praises to Ludo.
"Ludo Master strong!" Buff Frog cried.
"Ludo you will be king!" Bearicorn cheered.
"We'll be unstoppable," Deer Beard cried, flexing his muscles.
"Can I go the restroom!" Lobster Claws shouted in the midst of the yelling. "I need to wee wee!"
The room grew dead silent.
"Dammit. Just go. Just go you absolute failure!" Ludo barked bitingly, sharply gesturing the poor lobster out of the room.
"I was holding it for a few hours," Lobster Claws watered up. As soon as he finished speaking, one of the monsters next to him shrieked in disgust.
"He's peeing right on the floor!"
"NO! GET HIM OUT NOW! You're like a baby! Out!" Ludo hissed, shocked and repulsed. "And I just paid for that new carpet."
"I am sure the contractors would be happy to oblige us a free new carpet. Covered through the warranty–I'll call them straight away."
"YES! YES! Please, please save me from this hell I call life!"
"Believe me," Toffee said, patting Ludo assuredly. "You know nothing the suffering I've been through. Be glad the worst of your troubles can be a soiled carpet."
Ludo was tempted to say another word, but judging Toffee's face, he decided to leave him be.
"We will be in the training room so be there when Beard Deer gets his antlers stuck between the dumbbells. Stupid stupid."
"I will," Toffee replied, looking back at the palace from the window.
After Ludo had left, Toffee walked down the Grand Hallway alone with the cup of swamp water still in his claws. Swishing the cockroach bit between his teeth, he gargled and spat out of the windows. He chucked the glass out, let out a sigh, and continued his way down the hallway.
He reached the stairway, which led up to his room. The wing of this castle was rarely used and so Ludo allowed Toffee to set up his quarters in one of its rooms. Alone, Toffee was able to rest in peace at night and keep to himself during his studies. Reaching towards the end of the second floor hallway, he got out his key and opened the door to his chamber.
He locked it again as soon as he came in and tossed it onto his heirloom desk. His room was bare, with the stone wall aging and riddled with mildew and gray smut. A simple cot laid on the ground without a pillow was all that served Toffee at night. There was no candle in the room but at the wall directly in front of door was a mirror. It had several cracks and was blurry, fogged with age as would eyes with cataracts. Toffee walked closer and blew the dust that settled along its frame.
"Mirror, mirror on the wall. Call the Great One," Toffee said. An image began to appear on the mirror before it finally manifested itself into a spectral apparition. Dark mists shrouded the figure from clear view but its eyes gleamed a dark red and seemed to reach beyond the glass film of the mirror. "M'lord."
"Toffee. Have you any news?"
"Not at the moment, no," Toffee said indifferently.
"Then why have you asked for me? I allowed this mode of correspondence to be used sparingly, " the figure hissed.
"I understand m'lord. But I want to talk about my–our client, Ludo."
"I am listening," the figure replied.