WATCH THE SERIES FINALE OF STAR VS. BEFORE READING THIS STORY!
Chapter 27: Lost
"You're-...you're...Skywynne Butterfly!" Ludo exclaimed. "And that's the-...the w-...w-..." Ludo couldn't even say the word. Thoughts flooded through his mind. He couldn't think straight. Star knew since the start that Ludo still had some things to work on, especially straying away from his evil side. Seeing Skywynne and the wand might've just brought those evil urges right back. Ludo quickly jumped out of his seat, snatching the wand from Skywynne's hands.
"Hey!" Skywynne exclaimed in surprise.
"Star!" Marco called out. Star turned her head, seeing Skywynne's wand in Ludo's hands.
"Ludo!" Star yelled. She threw her hands in front of her. "Colossal Coconut Confinement!" Star spoke loudly. Her hands glowed, shooting a magical beam out from them, making a giant coconut appear near the doorway of the room. Ludo dodged it, jumping away from it. Skywynne popped her head out from behind the coconut.
"Smells...tropical!" Skywynne said. Ludo suddenly ran outside, proceeding for everyone to quickly follow him. They made it out of the house, revealing a troubled Ludo standing there. Star spread her arms out wide, halting the group behind her. Ludo began to stare at the wand he was holding as everyone else's concern grew.
"I demand you give my wand back to me!" Skywynne spoke, stomping her foot.
"No!" Ludo said, sounding like a child.
"Hold on." Star said to Skywynne. She brought a hand up and powered it with magic, just in case she had to take precautionary measures. She really didn't want to but if it meant the safety of her friends, she was ready to do whatever it takes.. She continued keeping a close eye on Ludo. "Ludo? You don't want to do this." Star told him, calmly, keeping her aim.
"To think...all those times I attempted to steal the wand before; coming up with schemes and plans...only to be defeated by the likes of you two." Ludo said, sneering at Star and Marco. He looked at the wand with a sigh. "I've missed what it feels like to have a grasp at victory." Ludo said as he made his free hand in a fist, looking determined. Star looked at Ludo in anger. She couldn't change him now. Ludo was back to his old self. It's exactly what she feared would happen. The wand was a trigger, making that switch in his brain go from good to how he was in the past; evil. Star could only wonder what happened to the Ludo that was standing in that house just a bit earlier.
"Ludo? Look around you! The world's changed and you're not realizing the full extent of that!" Star told him.
"She's right! You might think that everything that worked back on Mewni will work here but it won't!" Marco added.
"How would either of you know? You've been here just as long as I have!" Ludo fired back, grasping the wand tightly. Glossaryk suddenly came to Star's side, whispering something in her ear as everyone else waited for what was going to happen. Star's eyes grew wide. She took a look at the wand. Then, back at Ludo. Her face suddenly shed a slight bit of confidence.
"...well then, use the wand." Star said. Everyone gasped.
"What?!" They all exclaimed, except for Ludo.
"You must be joking." Ludo added.
"Star! Are you crazy!?" Marco asked. "Have you forgotten everything that happened back on Mewni the last time he had a wand in his possession?!" Star held her free hand up in the air, silencing him as her other hand still was ready to summon any magical spell necessary.
"No, no, Marco. If he thinks he can conquer this world like he did on Mewni, I want to see him try it." Star told him. Marco could only wonder what Glossaryk just whispered in her ear that would make her want to risk the safety of Earthni by letting him use the wand. None of the others understood either. Has Star lost it? "Well, Ludo? Amaze me." Star said, putting her free hand on her hip.
"Wow. I didn't think that-...why would you just let me use the-...eh, oh well. Your loss." Ludo shrugged before holding the wand in the air, ready to use its unlimited magic power.
"Hah!" Ludo exclaimed as he tried using the wand.
…..but nothing happened.
Star smirked. The others were still confused. What just happened? Ludo looked at the wand with a raised eyebrow. He brought the wand back in front of him. He shook it with his free hand.
"What the…" Marco spoke.
"Your wand's broken!" Ludo said. "Shouldn't it have...you know...changed and...you know! What about the swirly, glowy thing and the-..." Ludo babbled on, confused as he made a swirling motion with his hand around the wand.
"It's not broken." Star said. "You just can't use it." She grinned.
"What? What does that mean!?" Ludo asked.
"I'm still confused." Marco spoke.
"I am as well." Skywynne said.
"Ah, ah, ah. Give it a second. It'll come to" Star said to him.
"Oh. Okay then." Marco spoke. Everyone stood there for about ten seconds until they realized what Star was talking about.
"...oooooooooohhhhhh!" They all sounded.
"There you go." Star said.
"You have to go through the magical...uh...thing! You know the whole glowy, floaty...thing...right?" Marco asked. "Sorry, I forgot the name of it."
"Magical regeneration." Glossaryk reminded everyone, pointing in the air. Marco snapped his fingers.
"Thank you." Marco spoke. "Seriously, how could I forget about that so fast." He wondered. The gang looked back at Ludo, who was suffering from a bit of confusion. Everyone could tell that Ludo was lost. He didn't know what to think anymore.
"Well...so! You forgot that I know you have the magic those men are looking for! If I find that, ohohohohooooo just you wait! You won't see me coming! Kapowie!" Ludo exclaimed. Marco raised an eyebrow.
"Kapowie?" Marco said, unsure of how that word sounded coming out of Ludo's mouth.
"What? A lot of people say that word!" Ludo shouted.
"Uh...no they don't." Marco replied.
"Silence!" Ludo yelled. Star really wanted to get Ludo back to how he was earlier. She could tell that he was having a battle between himself; whether he wanted to remain good or take this chance and use the magic that Star and Marco possessed to rule Earthni. All his hesitations clearly showed it. Ludo felt lost. Star tried to think of anything to get his mind back to how it was not that long ago. She came up with an idea.
"Do you remember what happened the last time you got too involved with magic?" Star asked.
"You think I would forget how I took over your kingdom and became all-powerful? Ha! No!" Ludo replied loudly.
"Uh-huh, uh-huh, okay. Well, how about Toffee?" Star asked. Ludo's eyes widened.
"Wh-...Wha?" Ludo stuttered.
"You forgot, didn't you? You forgot how it felt to have Toffee in full control of you! You forgot how Toffee used you for his own schemes!" Marco spoke. Flashbacks suddenly came to Ludo's mind; ones that he hasn't remembered for a good while. Although at that time, he thought he was working with Toffee instead of Toffee using his body as a vessel to get what he wanted, he still never liked the chilling moments of being under Toffee's control. He remembered being in a black abyss, not being able to move his arms or legs. He recalled trying to move and become free, but not being able to in any way whatsoever. Ludo remembered some moments where he would be in that abyss, screaming out of fear and panic, wanting to be free. It was like being frozen in ice or encased in Rhombulus' crystal rock. However, you remember everything that happened. You're aware of every minute of every second that goes by.
"Seriously, Ludo! You think that after all that, you would understand that getting involved with magic again is a bad idea! Really think about this!" Marco said.
Ludo started to remember the consequences that came out of using magic. He recalled how he felt after realizing Toffee was just using him for his own purposes. He felt off-course and disoriented. He didn't know what to do with himself after being treated the way Toffee treated him. After that moment in time, Ludo remembered how he wanted to find himself and set a new path for him to walk.
Have I found myself yet?
That's what went through Ludo's mind that very second. He looked at his hands grasping that wand he stole from Skywynne. He vowed to stray away from magic ever since that day he was freed from Toffee's control. He never wanted to be entangled in any of that ever again. He immediately threw the wand away from him in fear, coming to a harsh realization of what was happening. Everyone else watched as he parted himself from it.
"I had forgotten..." Ludo said to himself anxiously. "I just wonder how I was able to forget something like that. I thought I finally found myself but...apparently I have to work on that a little more." Ludo nervously chuckled. He looked at his left hand, remembering how he had half of Star's wand crystal encased in his palm for so long; how he kept hearing voices and how he held so much power in it, only to have it scar him for the rest of his life. Ludo took his left hand and put it in a fist, trying his hardest to combat those terrifying memories. He looked up at Star and the gang, embarrassed from his actions.
"...I wish I could help you with the men and-...and the um…you know...but I-..." Ludo couldn't find the right words, feeling extremely guilty for the way he acted. Star walked over to the wand, picking it up. The wand changed to hers in her hand as she made her way to Ludo.
"We know." Star said, sympathetically. "It's okay." She reassured him with a smile.
While Skywynne and Glossaryk stayed in the backyard, Star, Marco, and River stood with Ludo at the front door to say farewell.
"I'm sorry I'm leaving you all on your own. I just don't think I can handle anything involving...uh…" Ludo hesitated.
"You mean ma-" Marco was about to say before Star put her hand over his mouth.
"Ah, no no no no. Don't say the m word." Star told him. Marco took hold of her hand and removed it from his mouth. River came up to Ludo with a stern look on his face.
"So...I'm hoping the "you're done if you turn against me" deal doesn't still apply here...right? Right? Please tell me I'm right about that." Ludo asked nervously. River stayed silent for a minute, peering into his eyes, staring deep into his soul. Ludo watched River in complete and utter terror, scared of what his response would be.
"A true man would realize his mistake and try to fix it instead of disregarding it. I respect that." River said as he placed a hand on his shoulder. Ludo's eyes lit up.
"...you think I'm a true man? No one has ever seen me as a man! They've only seen me as an immature juvenile!" Ludo asked, about to tear up.
"Oh, for the love of-" Star spoke as she rolled her eyes. She then looked at Marco...who was tearing up a little bit too. "Marco?"
"I know how he feels." Marco said. Star made a straight face, face-palming.
"Well, safe travels, good fellow!" River told him.
"Yeah. I hope everything works out for you. I'm going to be honest. It really seems like you want to become a better person. I think you can do it." Star told him.
"I appreciate it, Star Butterfly." Ludo said as he nodded before walking away.
"Wait! So, you're going to walk back to your home all by yourself? Isn't that a long trip?" Star asked.
"Are you kidding? I called my brother!" Ludo told them.
"Your brother?" Star asked.
"Yes! Who would've thought Earth phones were easier than letters!" Ludo said.
"Um...everyone?" Star spoke.
"Besides, I'm glad I contacted him. He told me that he's making milkshakes!" Ludo said with joy.
"Ooo! What kind?" Marco asked.
"Worm and beetle delight!" Ludo said excitedly. Marco's face started turning green at the thought of it before he ran back into the house, feeling sick to his stomach.
A car horn sounded on the road. Star and River turned their heads, seeing a beat-up, rusted pick-up truck parked next to the sidewalk in front of the house. Dennis was at the wheel, waiting for Ludo to hop in the car.
"You said 8 PM, Ludo. 8 PM! That's what you told me yesterday night!" Dennis said. Ludo rolled his eyes.
"Have you forgotten that I am the older brother? Not you? I can easily take care of myself." Ludo replied as he walked towards the truck.
"Uh-huh. Sure. Hey, look. I can still worry about you, you know." Dennis replied. Ludo opened the passenger side door, jumping into the truck before closing it beside him. "Oh, by the way, I brought them with me." Dennis pointed down, revealing two worm and beetle milkshakes in the cupholders. "I didn't want them to turn into sludge by the time we got back." Dennis told him. Ludo picked up a milkshake, sipping the straw in it. A smile grew on his face. He sighed.
"Tastes like home." Ludo said. Marco came out from inside the house, holding his stomach as he stepped in front of Star and River.
"I uh...I feel better." Marco said. "Wait, where's-..." Marco looked straight ahead, seeing Ludo and his brother holding their worm and beetle milkshakes, drinking out of the cups.
"Bye Marco!" Ludo said as a worm was hanging out of his mouth.
"Ah! No! No no!" Marco said before turning green again, running into the house once more. The truck drove off, making its way to Ludo and Dennis' house in the woods. Ludo realized that he wasn't capable of being around magic yet. Every time it came to his mind, those painful memories would come back to him. He decided that he wasn't ready to jump into something like this yet. He had to work on healing and focusing on becoming a better self just a little longer.
Star and River walked back into the Diaz house. Star walked over to the couch in the living room, sighing as she face-planted into the sofa.
"Something wrong, sweetie?" River asked.
"...I underestimated some things, dad." Star replied, muffled. Marco came into the living room, holding his stomach again. He noticed that Star was in a predicament.
"Everything okay?" Marco asked.
"Star has 'underestimated some things'." River told Marco. Star groaned as she laid there, face-down.
"Okay. Like what?" Marco asked. Star lifted her head.
"Well, I thought the magic would be the only thing that power-hungry evildoers would be after in this world but...I never took the time to consider that the wand could be something they would want to have too." Star told him.
"Uh...Star? Hasn't the wand always been a target of power-hungry evildoers?" Marco asked with an awkward smile. Star made a straight face.
"True." Star replied as she lifted her body, sitting straight up on the sofa. Marco came over to sit next to her.
"Well, your call, Star. What should we do?" Marco asked. Star sighed once more.
"Okay, we need to start taking more precautions. We need to hide the wand too. We have to make sure no one gets their hands on it, even if they aren't able to use it. Ludo might not have the ability to use it but you never know if there's someone else out there that might be able to use it." Star explained. Marco thought to himself for a minute.
"I think I got a place." Marco said.
Star and Marco went upstairs into Marco's room and walked over to his desk. Marco opened one of the large drawers within it. Star shook her head, somewhat disappointed in Marco's plan.
"Marco. Seriously? Who wouldn't look in a drawer? That's the most obvious place in the book." Star said as she crossed her arms. Marco shifted his gaze to her.
"Then you, Ms. Butterfly, read the wrong book." Marco said, winking at her. He looked back at the desk drawer, moving some papers and books out of it. Inside it laid a single no. 2 pencil. He took a grip of the pencil, lifting up. Much to Star's surprise, it was glued to the piece of wood at what she thought was the bottom of the desk drawer. Marco lifted it up, revealing a secret compartment underneath it.
"Well, well, Mr. Diaz. You had me fooled." Star told him, very pleased. "And you said making a secret compartment in the kitchen floor was bad."
"Star. You literally tore kitchen tiles off the floor." Marco told her.
"Point taken." Star said. "So...what have you hidden in here?" Star said as she dipped her head into the drawer.
"Well, some money, gifts for my parents…" Marco looked to his side. "...the song I wrote for you." He told her. Star lifted her head.
"Aww." Star smiled. She looked back at the drawer. "Well, I think this is the perfect place to hide it." Star said as she held her hand out. Marco looked at it, putting his hand in hers. Star made a straight face at him once again. "I meant the wand."
"Oh." Marco said before taking the wand in his other hand and giving it to her. She took the wand in her hands and placed it in the drawer. Marco took the wood piece and put it over top of the wand, hiding it in plain sight.
"Perfect." Marco said.
"Okay, let's hope no one knows it's there." Star said as they both stood up straight.
"Wait, what about Skywynne? It is her wand, after all." Marco spoke. Star wasn't sure if she actually wanted to tell her, especially after seeing the spell with no name written on a piece of paper in her shoulder bag. "Star...it is her wand. She has the right to know." Marco added. Star let out a breath.
"Yeah I'll uh...I'll tell her." She took her hands and rubbed her forehead. Marco noticed she was a bit tense.
"Hey." Marco spoke as he put a hand on her shoulder. Star looked at him as she lowered her hands. "We'll get through this." He said with a smile. Star smiled back as she placed her hand on his.
"Yeah." Star spoke. "Anyway, up for some nachos? I could use some with some extra cheese." Star smiled as Marco smiled back, putting his one arm around her.
"I wouldn't mind a few!" Marco said.
"Well, you better start making them." Star said, smirking.
"Right." Marco rolled his eyes with a grin as they walked out of their room.
CHAPTER 28 COMING SOON!
Good news guys! Chapter 28 will be released a week from now! I just have to do my usual grammar check and it should be all done! I was going to put both this chapter and the next one together almost like the show did with every episode buuuuut it would've ended up being almost 7k words. That's why this one is a little shorter than my other chapters. Anyway, hope you all enjoyed it! Keep a lookout for chapter 28 next week!
