All parties disband. Ludo is just left with his dad and a few siblings, mainly a few of his jockish older and younger brothers. Dennis decides to stay with Lady Avarius to take care of her. Lord Brudo spends weeks with Ludo and the other kids. In this period of time, Brudo can feel hopelessness settle in. He doesn't shave or bathe or anything. He just sits there, barely saying anything while Ludo and the others take care of themselves and the younger siblings.
Eventually, the others just leave. Judo goes back with his mom after getting sick of the garbage planet. One by one, they all dissipate until only Ludo and Lord Brudo are left. Ludo does not let his siblings' abandonment of them get to him; all it makes him do is want to take care of his dad even more. Day after day, Ludo gets him out of bed and gets him moving a little more than the last. Ludo would talk to Brudo but he mostly just responds in grunts. He doesn't even want to talk to Ludo despite, Ludo taking care of him. Still, Ludo refuses to stop chipping away at his father's sour demeanor. If there's one thing Ludo learned from his father, it was to never give up.
Ludo: Come on father! Time to get up! It's a beautiful day outside!
Ludo points towards the window but all you can see is blackness. It's all either of them ever saw there.
Lord Brudo: Myeh.
He shuffles outside, where Ludo shows his father more and more things every day. One day, he takes his father to this old jalopy that somehow made it into space. It's a total wreck, a complete hunk of junk, but Ludo thinks it's cool. He found old paint and tried to make the car look good again (very ineffectively but hey, he tried).
Lord Brudo: I remember when cars used to look like this. Now they're all fancy-pantsy with built in smart phones and doodads like that.
Ludo: Do you think I could make it look good again?
Lord Brudo: *Mumbling* I dunno, I guess.
Lord Brudo shuffles back into the house where Ludo asks him what he'd like for dinner. He always tells Ludo he doesn't care. Ludo brings his father whatever he can find, giving it to him to eat since his father had started losing weight due to his lack of appetite. Brudo was just miserable, depressed even. He had given up hope. One day, Ludo comes home after scrounging for food all day to present his dad with a meal he stole from Mewni, a bowl of fruit from some picnicking Mewnans, an utter jackpot in his eyes. Ludo takes an apple, cracks it open and pulls a worm out of it, dropping it into his mouth and eating it, swallowing it whole.
Ludo: It looks like all this fruit has bugs in it, father! On top of apples and bananas, we get desert on top of it! Dig in!
Ludo's bright and chipper smile fades as his dad just stares into the fruit basket with a thousand yard stare.
Ludo: Come on dad, eat up! You're wasting away! You need to be strong dad come on! Tell you what, just eat one fruit and I won't bother you for the rest of the day.
Brudo looks at him.
Lord Brudo: You promise?
Ludo nods his head.
Lord Brudo: Fine.
Brudo eats the fruit so Ludo will go away. More days go by. Brudo gets worse and worse. He eats less and less, and has lost nearly 40 pounds. One day, Ludo comes up to his father, being silly. He holds up a book in front of his father.
Ludo: *In a silly voice*. Hey look at me! I'm Book-ey the book! Want me to read to you?
Lord Brudo just stares, completely disinterested.
Ludo: Surprise! It was me dad! Did you see me. I sure fooled you didn't I?
Brudo says nothing.
Ludo: You know what? I'm gonna read to you. That's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna read.
Lord Brudo: *Sarcastically* Oh great. That's just perfect.
Ludo opens the book, clears his throat and starts to read. It's very evident that Ludo's reading skills are far below where he should be, as he reads one word at a time in a very slow way, making sure he get all of the words right. He reads them in a monotone to his father, who just looks at him with a judgmental scowl on his face.
Ludo: One day... there was a gru, grumpy old man... The man had a lawn. He liked to sit out in front of the lawn... and look at the ho-ho-horses. The horses liked to run very fast. One day a bunch of kids came by, and lagg-laughed... at the horses. The horses... um, dad, what's that word?
Lord Brudo: Whinnied.
Ludo: Whinnied, (whispers thanks), at the kids. "Hey, you kids" the grumpy old man ye-yelled, and the kids, just laughed at him too. The grumpy old man got very angry. He walked off the porch and... what's this word?
Lord Brudo: Stretched.
Ludo: Stretched... his hand out, in a fist. The kids threw, to-ma-toes, tomatoes, at the old man and the old man went back into his house. He came back out, with a...
Lord Brudo: Shotgun.
Ludo: With a shotgun and... oh my. I don't think I should read the rest of it.
Lord Brudo: Why? It was just starting to get interesting.
Ludo: Well, maybe tomorrow then. It's sleepy-time dad. Time to go to beddy-bye!
Lord Brudo: Good. Best news I heard all day.
Ludo goes upstairs to his room. He stops at the top of the stairs. He wants to say something but he just can't bring himself to do it. So he goes to lay down until he falls asleep. Ludo wakes up the next day and tells his dad something he doesn't want to hear.
Ludo: You know dad, you've been wearing the same things now for over a week now. Maybe you should get changed.
Lord Brudo: Into what? We don't have extra clothes here!
Ludo: Oh, don't you worry. I'll find something.
Lord Brudo: Yeah, whatever.
Ludo: Well, you gonna get up and come with me?
Lord Brudo: Not today.
Ludo: Oh come on dad, you said that yesterday. What are you gonna do, just sit on that couch and rot?
Lord Brudo: Maybe.
Ludo gets mad. He climbs on top of the couch and starts pushing at his dad's dead weight body. Lord Brudo doesn't even respond. He barely feels his tiny, puny son pushing with all of his force to get his obese father out of his chair. Ludo barely causes Lord Brudo to move even so much as a muscle.
Ludo: Fine! If you're gonna be that way, then stay there! I'll take care of you whether you want me to or not! I won't give up! You hear me! I won't give up, no matter what! That's what you taught me, to never give up!
More time passes. Ludo tries various activities with Lord Brudo, only for his father to mostly sit there, motionless. One time, he tries to play Checkers with him, but he just stares off into space, so Ludo takes his turn for him. Despite his best efforts, Ludo never manages to once beat his dad, even though he could easily give himself the victory without much of a resistance or argument. Lord Brudo does not care for his false victories. One Saturday morning, Ludo comes down to the living room, only to find his dad in the same old spot.
Ludo: You know, I kinda wanna rearrange the furniture. What do you think?
Brudo doesn't respond. Ludo starts moving all the tables and chairs and trash around, ignoring the sofa until it is the last thing that hasn't been moved.
Ludo: Well dad? It's time to get up so I can move the couch. How about some help?
Brudo doesn't react.
Ludo: Come on, it'll look so much better in here once we move this big old couch.
Brudo doesn't react once again.
Ludo: Well, fine! I'll move it myself then!
Ludo pushes at the cumbersome couch, and it doesn't budge. He keeps pushing and pushing until he breaks out into a sweat. Making no progress, he just gives up. However, instead of admitting defeat, he simply remarks that it's just where he wants it.
Ludo: Just right!
Ludo has a look of pride on his face, and he playfully sticks his tongue out at his dad, who just sits there, ignoring him. Every day Ludo comes to his dad and brings him different things: fruits, vegetables, usually stolen off of farms or picked from the wild. For nearly a month Ludo brings things to his father as he barely moves a muscle. His beard is ragged and unkempt and he just continues to mope. Ludo comes into the house one day with a bag of groceries. He took it from a convenience store.
Lord Brudo: Get that with MY money?
Ludo: No, I took it.
Lord Brudo: Just like you did with my money when you kicked your mother and I to the curb!
Ludo: Oh come on dad! How many times do I have to say "I'm sorry I formed an army and kicked you and mom out the castle"?
Lord Brudo: You say that like its something normal kids do to their parents! And how about blowing our house up?
Ludo: I didn't blow the house up. That was Toffee.
Lord Brudo: You can't even accept responsibility! You're blaming your actions on some rigid piece of candy made from sugar and butter!
Ludo: Toffee is a lizard, dad.
Lord Brudo: A lizard with a sissy name.
Ludo: Things were different then. I was different then. That's...not who I am anymore. I want to be a better me.
Lord Brudo: Better you? Ha!
Ludo: Here you go dad.
Lord Brudo: I don't want anything.
Ludo: But dad, you haven't eaten anything in 3 days. You have to eat. You can't just starve.
Lord Brudo: I ain't starvin'! I'm just not hungry! Now leave me alone!
Ludo: No, dad! You have to eat!
Lord Brudo: No!
Ludo takes a pear, shoving it towards his dad's beak. Brudo turns his head, Ludo keeps trying angrily to feed him, and he keeps dodging.
Ludo: Fine! If you won't eat, then at least have some water!
Lord Brudo: I ain't thirsty.
Ludo: Dad! You have to stay hydrated or you're going to_
Lord Brudo: What? Going to what? Die? Maybe I want to! Maybe I'm sick to death of being a king of nothing, in a castle of nothing in a family of nothing, and to a land that doesn't exist anymore! Why don't you go ahead and do yourself a favor kid and leave me here, and go live with your mother? You always liked her better anyway! Leave me be on this godforsaken rock and just go away!
Ludo just stands there. He bites his beak and clenches his fists and swallows.
Ludo: No! I'm not leaving! This is my home, and I'm not going anywhere! And I'm not giving up! No sir, I'm not giving up!
Lord Brudo: Where are you going?
Ludo: I just need some fresh air!
Ludo goes outside, walks off into the distance and sits, staring at the nothingness of space. Brudo gets curious, and feels guilty. He forces his body to get up and out of the chair and onto his stiff, weakened legs, holding himself up with his rigid cane. He goes outside to see Ludo sitting there. Brudo walks as quietly as he can until he's next to his son. Ludo doesn't see his father hovering over his shoulder. He sits there, crying into his arms. Lord Brudo listens, and doesn't say anything. Lord Brudo just waits for his son to tell him what a horrible father he is, just so he can hear it from his own beak, so he could finally have closure over how Ludo genuinely feels about him. Once he heard the truth, then he would leave, never to bother Ludo again. But what he hears, much to his surprise, is Ludo's condemning himself instead.
Ludo: Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why am I so stupid? Why did I kick them out? Why did I take the castle? Why did I take Star's wand, or her book, or Glossaryck? Why did I let myself get tricked by Toffee? Why am I so stupid? Why? Why can't I do anything right?!
Ludo kept hitting his head with his tiny hand.
Ludo: I can't do anything right! All I want to do is take care of dad and I can't even do that right! Someone, please help me! I can't take this anymore! I think I'm gonna snap!
Ludo keeps sobbing. Lord Brudo has seen enough. He doesn't lambast his son for being weak. He doesn't berate him for crying. He just goes in and acts like nothing happened. After about 10 minutes, Ludo comes in, rubbing his arms and acting like he's cold. He looks over to his dad, who, in return, just stares at him with a confused look on his face.
Ludo: It's just allergies, that's all. Good night dad... I luh, luh... never mind.
Ludo heads up to bed. Lord Brudo just sits there, conjuring thought. Looking around the room, he finally notices how much Ludo has cleaned and genuinely tried to make the house look somewhat presentable. He pulls the patchy comforter over himself and tries to sleep after all that drama, but has a bit of a hard time doing so with all he has on his mind. The next day, Lord Brudo decides that he's bored of the couch and goes looking around the house for something to do. He pulls his fragile and stiff body out of the chair once more, miraculously still having the muscle in his legs to continue to lift his big body up. He decides to climb the stairs to increase the strength in his legs.
Lord Brudo had never seen the upstairs before. He started snooping around, eventually stumbling onto the room where Ludo had previously kept the garbage replicates of the parents, before the real ones showed up, which had caused him to remove them. He goes into one room to find the beds where the others used to sleep. The next room he goes into is Ludo's. Lord Brudo is curious as to what his son's room is like. Inside, he finds the messiest room of all. There's garbage all over the floor. Wading through it, he sits on his son's very uncomfortable bed. It sinks in almost a foot deep and a spring pops through, stabbing Brudo in the butt.
On the jammed dresser before him is a book with a bunch of words and scribbles on it. Ludo had decided that while in the void, he would catalog some of the things he'd found. There isn't very many entries inside, but the book dates as far back as far as a month after Ludo was enters the void, presumably when he found the book. Brudo flips through pages upon pages of improperly spelled and grammatically incorrect passages, looking for anything about him. Lord Brudo, no matter how little he wanted to admit it, cares about how his son genuinely feels about him.
Pages are littered with little doodles of a big headed bird stick figure; some are delusional, others sad. One page has the bird stick figure jumping up in the air to catch a star, only for it to be far out of his reach. Lord Brudo looks at it, perplexingly, and turns to another page depicting a caricature of Ludo among other much bigger birds, their torsos cut off at the legs as he stands among them. Starting to read through Ludo's very difficult passages, he squints at the chicken scratch writing, trying to make sense of it.
Day 3, I found a book! Lookie, I found a bookie! Haha that rimes. I didn't have to rite that but I did. Any way. Little diary of mine, you are mine now, just as some how, the world will be mine too! Ill show her, Ill show all of them! Ill be the REAL star! Man this void is so boring. Glad I found you to talk to bookie. I miss my friends. Kinda feel stupid for letting bird and spider go. They were my best friends and they never talked back to me or anything. Anyway Ill get back to you when I find something cool.
Day 7, I Found something cool! Bookie! I found a big rock! It's a really big rock and it has trash on it! Where did all this trash come from? IDK. ANYWAY. I've decided Im gonna build my house there!
Day 10, House is coming along great! Walls only fell down twice. I cant find nails but I DID find some used glue, very cool!
Day 13, Outta glue! Very tired. Ill figure something out. This would be a lot easyer with a wand! Well, one that ISNT my hand! Never again!
Day 17, House looks great! Ill keep putting more stuff in it as I find it. For now, time to take a break. Feels great!
Day 19, Thinking about those trators! I admit. I kinda miss them. I miss Buff Frog and Beary Corn and even all the ones whose names I cant member! I miss them too! Don't tell them I said that though I wait there all dead except for Buff Frog I think IDK but dont any way! But you know what? I wanna be a better me so ILL be the bigger man and forgive them even though they dont deserve it cause Im just a super nice and mersy full guy like that!
Day 21, I plated some flowers I found on Mewni and brought back to make the house look nicer. So pretty!
Day 22, Flowers died :'{ How was I sposed to know that flowers needed sun and water! Nobody tells me these things! STUPID FLOWERS! Also I found mom and dad in the trash! There much more smelier than usually!
Day 23, I made the house very cool, just like home! Family is here and every thing now! Its all gonna be good from now on :)
Day 31, YOU WONT BELIVE THIS BOOKIE! My BROTHER Dennis came to visit! What a lovely suprise! He did some thing I never seen before. He defeneded me! What a great brother! He even said he loved me! I love him too! 3 Best day ever. Time to start over and really think about my life. He even bought the hat that daddy got me a long time ago! I both liked and missed that hat but now it's back! Its the bestest thing anyone every got me!
Day 33, I lost my hat again! I cant beleave it I just got it back too! And its GONE! I looked every wear! Well, guess Im a hatless nobody again!
Day 35, forgot what I was gonna say. Oh well Ill write a entry anyway! PS Toffee is a jerk and I'm glad hes a pan cake now! HAHA BUM! XP
Day 40, Do you know what its like trying to get grossries without money! ITS HARD! You gotta steal everything! Man I miss having money. I took all the money when I booted him out I guess and now its all gone. Bet they live in a WAY BIGGERER castle tho now! Not Fair!
Day 60, I know I didnt make a post in like forever, but this is really good! Dad and mom stopped over today! They were really mad and fighting and dad almost attacked but mom hit him over the head and he went sleepy! It was very scary! He wakes up later. Everyone was here! But now there not so yeah. Mom left and now Dad (real dad not trash dad) lives with me! This is so great!
Day 63, Dad is one tuff cookie! His leg is all messed up but hes taking it like a champ! Wish hed eat tho. He dont talk much but thats probly for the best since he says mean things a lot. But its cool cause I wanna tell him hes a great dad anyway. Its cause of him that Im so strong and hand some! Even tho my auntie says I have moms eyes before she pinches my cheeks. OWW THAT HURTS! STOP DOING IT!
Day 70, I been so busy! Taking care of dad is ruff. I pushed the hole couch today! My back hurts. I know Im young but I feel like an old fart all ready!
Day 90, Dad's drinking and eating again, not much but he isnt talking to me any more and its just getting real sad. He's losing so much wait! But its okay cause he needed to lose it any way or hell have a heart attack some day! I don't think hell have one now cause hes getting skinnyer!
Day 100, Its been 100 days! Wow time flies. Nothing real new. Dad makes me sad cause he just sits there. He's getting dusty. I told him he needs to go get a bath but he dont listen! BAD DAD!
Dady 110, Same.
Day 120, Dad still not eating much. But guess what! He read me a book! A really big book with hard to read words! Hes so good at it! Its the first time he said things to me that arnt bad words. Its weird. I can read my writing but word writing is hard! Why is it so much harder to read than to write!? Any way. Good day!
Day 130, BAD DAY! Fited with dad! He dont listen no matter what. He dont eat, he dont drink he just sits there and it makes me so mad and sad! I wanna cry bookie. All the time. But I cant cause I have to be strong for dad! I no we didnt have a good bond but I really really want dad to like me, but he needs to eat and drink or hell die! I cant do this anymore I wish I was dead and for this nite mare to be over already! Being a little bird when all every one wants you to be a bird stinks! I wish I was big like a big rock so that they would all think Im cool and good and I wood not have to be sad all the time!
Lord Brudo closes the book at the last entry. He had no idea how Ludo felt, and reading the book was really hitting him hard in his heart. He gently puts the book back on the desk and gets up. As soon as he moves, Brudo finds himself tripping over the garbage on Ludo's floor. Lord Brudo falls over on his face. Turning his head. Brudo looks to his right, and he can see under the bed. Surprised by what he sees, he pulls out a dusty skull cap. The horns are yellowed and the holes are filled with cobwebs, like it hadn't been worn in a long time. Lord Brudo brushes the cap clean, rubbing off the dirt and takes it downstairs with him. He goes outside. Ludo is watering a pathetic gathering of weeds.
Lord Brudo: Ludo! Come here, boy!
Ludo runs over to his dad. Almost as if he had forgotten about the previous night, Ludo approaches his father with an innocent grin on his face.
Ludo: Yeah, dad?
He's out of breath from running, but excited that his dad wants to talk to him. He notices his father holding his skull cap.
Lord Brudo: You still have this?
Ludo: Yeah, its my favorite cap! I thought I'd lost it again. I couldn't find where it was in the house.
Lord Brudo: Didn't look very hard. It was in your room.
Ludo: What were you doing in my room?
Lord Brudo: I don't know, I was just wondering around upstairs and just was curious, so I went in there.
Lord Brudo stares into the face of the cap for an awkwardly uncomfortable amount of time while Ludo just stands there, antsy.
Lord Brudo: Come with me. I want to show you something. Got your scissors?
Ludo: Where Are we going? Are we gonna see mom and the family?
Lord Brudo: You'll see.
Lord Brudo cuts a whole in space before him, Ludo follows close behind. They arrive at an old castle far off from the main lands of Mewni. Lord Brudo has an idea .
Lord Brudo: Never thought I'd come back here. Never thought I'd want to.
Lord Brudo and Ludo stand before a massive castle. It is empty, silent, dark and filled dust. He goes up to the door.
Lord Brudo: Hmm. I wonder if he left it... no not here. Under the rug? No...
Ludo: Dad? What are you looking for?
Lord Brudo: The bloody key, boy. You see one anywhere?
Ludo: No.
Lord Brudo: Well, looks like I'll have to use a method I haven't used since the days at the military academy.
Lord Brudo rolls back his sleeve, plucking off a long, moss green covered feather off his wing. He sticks the shaft of the feather in the key hole, wiggling it around until he hears a click. He smiles, then turns the doorknob opening the doors. They walk into an unlit corridor. Lord Brudo takes a match out of his pocket, lights his tobacco pipe and a torch on the wall, which he proceeds to use to light all the other torches.
Lord Brudo: *Coughing. It's so dried out. Been a while since I last lit.
Ludo: Where are we?
Lord Brudo: Your grandfather's castle. My old "home".
Ludo: But grandpa's dead.
Lord Brudo: Exactly! I can't believe I didn't think of this sooner. There he is, son.
Lord Brudo points up to an old painting of a large, magnificent, mossy green bird with a perfect physique, a stern, unwavering look of confidence, and a crown as shiny as could be, a very proud and regal creature. Lord Brudo escorts his son over to a dining table, where he asks him to sit so he could tell a story.
Lord Brudo: Your grandfather, the great King Pludo, was a true war hero. He fought in the really big Mewni monster battles. They all feared him. This was the real deal, son. Your grandfather was the scariest man I ever met. He had eyes like balls of fire. Just by the mere look you, could feel your soul retreating from your body. Unlike you, I was his only son and he had special interest in me, for I would be his true successor to the throne. I had always admired him. He always expected the best from me, nothing less than perfection.
He said I would be the next great Mewnan destroyer, a hero for all the monsters to cherish and obey. Under his regime, I trained every day. I told him I'd be an even greater hero than he was. It made him smile, because he wanted me to surpass him. For me to be greater than he was, to surpass him, would honor him both as a leader and a parent. I was in great shape back then. In the military, I graduated with top honors. One day, I would be the one leading the charge in the great Mewnan war! Well, at least until the armistice that took place, ending the conflict.
It was around this time that I had met your mother. While on a diplomatic trip I saw her... the most beautiful bird I'd ever seen in my life. Lady Avarius of the house Avarius was on a diplomatic trip as well to settle disputes in her area. She approaches me, coming over to talk to me she, but it was all about politics. As a young man, all I could see was this beautiful woman that wanted to talk to me. It was your mother that made me feel something I never felt before, and that was a desire for freedom, and for a family. I wanted to be with your mother forever.
Time passed, I married your mother, and that future as a great warrior slowly begun to pass through my wings. We had you kids. I wanted you to be the very best of the best, and be the heroes I never got to be. My dad never looked the same at me again and eventually stopped talking to me altogether. But I never stopped wanting to make him proud. King Pludo came and passed and we never exchanged another word. I was a failure to him, the son that never realized his potential and squandered it.
Ludo: Is that what you think of me, dad? Am I just a failure to you too? I mean, if you want, I can be better. I'll do anything, dad! I just want to make you proud of me!
Lord Brudo looks at his son, his big yellow eyes filled with all the sadness of a million seas of tears and it hits him like a brick to the head. Lord Brudo had realized, that he, was just as bad as his father, if not worse. This revelation sticks with him as he stares into his distressed son's eyes. Ludo takes off his hat and puts it on the table and walks away in disappointment. Lord Brudo picks up the cap, staring into it once again and his heart sinks. Ludo is almost out the door, about to go back to Mewni when his father stops him.
Lord Brudo: Do you remember the day I gave you this cap?
Ludo: It's a bit fuzzy. Gosh, it was so long ago.
Lord Brudo: You were like a little pea, half the size you are now. I was training you to be a man, walking you up steep hills to get you strong, through rocky roads where your feet would hurt, and through hot and cold, carrying all the luggage whenever we'd take a trip. Most of the time, it weighed more than twice your own weight. You would follow me around all day long, imitating me and acting like a big, strong guy when a gust of wind could blow you over and I'd have to chase you for the threat of you being carried away to some wonderland.
I trained you to never show fear or any sign of weakness. I remember you bruised your leg one day when you fell. I chastised you. I told you, never to show pain or weakness, and you didn't. You bore strong and kept going. I trained all you kids to be that way. You know how it is, you fight to get your keep or get trampled underfoot. Times were particularly tough back then and it really hasn't gotten all that much better.
I remember one day you came to me, claiming that one of your older brothers had beaten you up. Judo had clocked you but good! You had a little black eye and you ran right to me while I was reading the news paper out on the lawn. You told me that you'd never be stronger than your brothers, and I saw it and I did something I never did before. I looked upon your face and you started to cry. I could see that it wasn't because Judo had beaten you up, but because you were just ready to give up.
I couldn't watch you go through that, so I looked around, on the ground and lo and behold that cow skull from some poor bovine that had met his match with nature. I took the skull out of the dirt, blew off the dust and placed it on your little noggin. It draped over your face and you pulled it up, confused. I told you that that was your crown, and that as long as you wore it, you were king, and that all the others were your servants and they had to do your bidding.
I told you that whenever you wore it, you would become regal and command authority like I do, and that others would have to listen. I told you the hat was magical and you believed it. I saw you wear that hat every day, commanding the others to order, and it put a smile on my face to see you somewhat happy for once. I guess that hat kinda went to your head because we all know what happened from there.
Lord Brudo sat there in silence continuing to stare at the hat.
Ludo: Dad, why do you always look so sad?
Lord Brudo: Because I am sad. I've always been sad, and I always will be. My wife hates me. My kids hate me. Everyone hates me.
Ludo: I don't hate you dad, and I don't want you to be sad.
Lord Brudo: In so many ways you're just like your mother. I used to think you were like me, but really, deep down, you're more like her than anyone else. She was so much different back then. I remember thinking "wow, she's far too good for a turkey like me". She had the brightest smile on her face, and a look that radiated happiness. It made me happy just to look at her, and at that point I was never happy otherwise. I never wanted that feeling to go away. But I had dreams as well. I wanted to one day rule Mewni, to overthrow the Butterfly family. Now that I think seriously about it, it was a rather silly idea, stupid actually, to overthrow the kingdom. She could have killed me!
Ludo: It's not that stupid of an idea. You should really stop beating yourself up. It's making you look weak.
This last comment hit Brudo hard, as he was really starting to think about the kind of character he had instilled in Ludo, to believe that self-reflection and realization was something weak.
Lord Brudo: I think your mother is right. I am a brute. I turned you against me. I thought I made you hate me. I failed you. And now, I just have one more thing to do.
Lord Brudo stands up, drops the hat on the floor and walks towards Ludo, who backs up in distress.
Ludo: Dad? What are you doing?
Lord Brudo: Something I should have done a long time ago.
Lord Brudo corners Ludo. He picks up the small bird and lifts him into the air, holding him in front of him so he could see Ludo eye-to-eye level. Ludo puts his hands over his face, impending abuse, and closes his eyes.
Lord Brudo then draws Ludo into his chest, gently caressing Ludo's head with his hand and holding him close from his backside like a baby.
Lord Brudo: I love you, son.
Ludo is taken aback. He'd never even heard his father use the word "love" in a sentence, let alone to be referred to him. Lord Brudo recalls how Lady Avarius treated Fludo that one night, hugging and kissing her and treating her with love. Brudo had acted like he didn't care, but what he saw that night was alien to him, and Fludo's little "I love you too daddy" comes rushing back to him. He didn't know what those words meant back then, but he understands their power here and now. Brudo has done much reflecting in his time away from Lady Avarius. That time away from that toxic household had given him breathing time, and a chance to see his son again. All has changed so quickly. Neither of them have been so mutually happy in their lives. Brudo kisses his son on the head, showing him affection for the first time in his life.
Lord Brudo: Ya know, I raised you the way my dad raised me, and how his dad raised him, and so on. I just come from this long line of hate and anger. But you, Ludo, my wonderful, sweet little boy, you showed me just how wrong my parents were. Hate, and anger, they're easy. It takes real strength to forgive those who have brought you nothing but pain. I hope Lady Avarius has the strength to forgive me for causing her so much pain.