The titter-patter of rain softly hits the window of Buff Frog's hut. Below that window, a weak Ludo sleeps in Buff Frog's massive bed. Ludo churns in his soft covers. He feels horrible, tired. He barely remembers getting shot. Ludo opens his eyes and finds that he's in an unfamiliar room. His vision slowly clears. On the table next to him is a dart. He picks it up and looks at it. It has engravements of snakes, one around the chamber eating its own tail. Very strange he thought. He then realizes and remembers being chased by the Septarians. He throws the sheets to one side and climbs out of bed, jumping to his feet, he's shocked when he becomes lightheaded and his tiny legs give in to his weight. Buff Frog walks in to find Ludo on the floor, where he picks him up and puts him back on the bed.
Ludo: Buff Frog? This is your house?
Buff Frog: You are sick. You should sleep.
Ludo: I feel awful. My head is pounding.
Buff Frog: You should be glad you are not dead. I have been lowering your fever.
Ludo: What happened?
Buff Frog: You should be telling me. I found you outside with dart in leg. Looks like one of those reptiles' darts.
Ludo: I don't get it. What's their beef with me, or my family?
Buff Frog: I fear our Lady may have overstepped her boundaries when it comes to monster/Mewnan relations.
Ludo: What do you mean?
Buff Frog: The Lizards, they do not want peace. Their lust for war has been boiling for years. They have been trying to dismantle the balance of Mewnan monster relations for years, and your mother stepping in to be mantle for peace for both sides, well... it does not make them happy. It is being dangerous out there Ludo. You really should not be out and about while they are stirring things up in the forest.
Ludo: Well... we could always band up and stop them.
Buff Frog:... No... those days are over.
Ludo: Come on... lets do it. You, me, the boys, a little family reunion.
Buff Frog: No...
Ludo: Imagine it, the family, the army, we could overthrow them together.
Buff Frog: Ludo...
Ludo: Then maybe we'd even be strong enough to take the wand! And then they'd never bother us again!
Buff Frog gets mad, goes right up in Ludo's face and stares him right in the eyes.
Buff Frog: I SAID NO!
Ludo: Nobody's ever told me no before. You really grew some guts. Since the last time we ran together.
Buff Frog: Times change. This MY castle, MY rules. No like it! You leave!
Ludo recedes back into bed, defeated, and still in pain and dizzy. He starts coughing in fits.
Buff Frog: You lay down in bed. You are not well. I am being cooking something that will make you better.
Buff Frog walks back into the kitchen, where Ludo notices as he walks away that he's wearing an apron. Buff Frog has changed quite a bit since the last time he's been in Ludo's company. Ludo feels bad about giving Buff Frog such a hard time considering that he may have died without him. They may not see eye to eye all the time, but Buff Frog is an honest and true friend, who has always been there for Ludo when he needs him. A particularly bad smell starts to emanate from the kitchen, where Buff Frog has been standing over an iron pit with grayish-green liquid, the same color as Ludo's feathers, that has been boiling and bubbling and making rather disgusting noises. Buff Frog takes a small spoonful of the putrid broth. Needless to say, the taste is awful, and Buff Frog's eyes start to water.
Buff Frog: Oh yeah. This is strong. The good stuff.
Ludo can't imagine what is taking him so long. His stomach feels like there is a circus going on inside him. He is sweaty and cold at the same time. Whatever vile toxin has been introduced to him, it's really beating him up.
Buff Frog: Is finished. Yeah yeah.
Buff Frog pours the nasty broth into a ceramic bowl and brings it in to the next room to present to Ludo.
Buff Frog: Is very hot, Ludo. You must blow or you burn beak.
Ludo looks at it. It's easily the worst thing he's smelled ever, like a skunk that had died and released its bowels all over. He takes the spoon and lowers his trembling hand towards the soup, picking up the green liquid. Its viscous fluidity makes Ludo cringe. He raises the spoon into his mouth and sips it. He finds the concoction to be so repulsive that he spits it out.
Ludo: This is nasty!
Buff Frog: You must consume if you want to get better. Is best.
Ludo: Are you sure I won't feel worse after taking this in?
Buff Frog: Is Mama Bulgoyaboff's secret family remedy. I got sick once as tadpole. Mama give me same medicine, and I perk right up. Haven't been sick since. My body is miniature army, fighting sickness. I never get sick, ever.
Ludo looks at him unconvinced.
Buff Frog: Ehhh... Mama Bulgoyaboff could not cook edible meal to save her life... but she knew her remedies. So eat up.
Ludo stares at the liquid. Determined not to be defeated, he buckles down and consumes the awful liquid, never once does he grow accustomed to the taste, nor does each sip taste better than the last. But with perseverance, he finishes the nasty liquid. Picking up the bowl in triumph, he slides the last bit of it into his beak, shuddering as he finishes it before laying the bowl into his lap with a face of pure disgust.
Ludo: There. I did it.
Buff Frog smiles. He retrieves the bowl and turns towards the kitchen.
Buff Frog: You rest now. The remedy needs time to do its work.
He closes the door behind Ludo, who is once again left to his loneliness with only the accompaniment of the gentle rain splatters on the window. Ludo drifts into a state of purgatorial sleep. He sees blackness and nothing more. He's so weak he can't even open his eyes back up. He hears a faint knock at the door, followed by Buff Frog's voice.
Buff Frog: Hello? Oh, Princess Butterfly.
Ludo becomes alarmed, and wants to move out of bed, but is so weak he's basically paralyzed and cannot move.
Buff Frog: Come in. How may I be helping you.
Star: I brought some pie over. My mom still had some left over from the Bazaar the other day and its just sitting in the fridge so I thought I'd bring it to you. We're all so full of pie. I can't really eat another bite.
Buff Frog: Is lovely. I will put this somewhere. Thank you Princess for your generosity.
Ludo listens. He wants to get up and see what was going on, but he's stuck there, motionless in Buff Frog's bed overridden with a sickness that has rendered him powerless. Still, in semi-consciousness, his curiosity peaks. Why is Star there? Certainly it can't be for the sole purpose of bringing Buff Frog some leftover pie. What could she possibly want to see Buff Frog for?
Star: So how are my girls doing this week? Aw, they got little froggy legs now! That's so cute.
Buff Frog: Yes! My little darlings growing up so fast.
Star: You're telling me!
Buff Frog: Shh. I have... guest.
Star: Oh really? Who.
Buff Frog: Is sick. Maybe you should not see. You should be quiet though.
Star: Well, maybe I can help with a spell or something.
Buff Frog: I do not know if is good idea.
Star: Please?
Buff Frog: You may not like this.
He opens the door to show little Ludo laying helpless in bed.
Star: Oh my gosh. What's he doing here?
Buff Frog: I find him outside laying in puddle with dart in leg.
Star: Oh man, that's bad. The Septarians have really been stirring up trouble ever since Toffee's defeat.
Buff Frog: You think that's why they've been doing it as well?
Star: Yeah. I really feel bad, like I caused this to happen.
Buff Frog: You shouldn't.
Star looks over to Ludo.
Star: I feel like I sorta owe him. Are you sure he's out?
Buff Frog: Yeah, out like light. I gave him Mama's secret recipe. Is really strong. Knocks you right out. I sleep for two days when Mama gave me it when I was tyke. Bless her sweet soul.
Star: Okay. This gives me the chance to work this healing spell I've been studying from mom. It was one of Queen Crescenta's healing spells so it should be really good.
Ludo feels Star's warm hand placed right on his forehead.
Star: Water of light, sunlight's warm ray, bring out the light and the pure of the day. Banish the poison. Eradicate blight. Keep me protected from day unto night. Bring me the strength to hold binds that save. Protect me from pain and the untimely grave.
Ludo feels warmth overcome him. The chill in his bones vanishes immediately, as if he's been placed in front of a fireplace. The pain in his stomach and head dissipates. All that is left was fatigue. The sickness has left him so tired that even still, he cannot move.
Buff Frog: Did it work?
Star: I hope so. I should probably get going, ya know, before he wakes up.
Buff Frog: Yeah, don't know how he'll react to you being here and all. Thank you, Star, for helping him. It takes true Queen to be compassionate even to those that hate her.
Star: Yeah. I mean, don't get me wrong. I don't like Ludo. I still think he's a jerk, but I don't want him to die.
Buff Frog: I understand. Once again, thank you.
Star: I gotta go. I got some of my own problems to deal with. Bye, Buff Frog.
Buff Frog: Bye, Star! Have wonderful day!
Star runs out the door, hopping aboard Cloudy and going back to her castle.
Ludo continues to lay there motionless. His mind wanders.
Ludo (Mind): It's unreal. I don't get it. I've gone out of my way to attack her, to take her wand, her book, her family, her castle, everything from her and yet even after all I've done to her she shows mercy towards me, knowing fully well I never once intended to do her the same. How can she do it? Is there something about her? Is there something I'm missing?
Ludo's mind becomes fuzz. He lapses into sleep where he continues to dream. A familiar voice calls his name.
Glossaryck: Ludo.
Ludo: Glossaryck?
Glossaryck: There you are. Are you feeling better?
Ludo: I think so. Are we in my mind again?
Glossaryck: Why yes. Yes we are.
Ludo: I never got to actually apologize, for what I did to you, burning the book and destroying you.
Glossaryck: It's okay Ludo. I am but a mere brick in the wall of this universe.
Ludo: What's that supposed to mean?
Glossaryck: In the long run, I'm not really worth a whole lot.
Ludo: That's not true, Glossaryck. You're one of the most important people I've ever met.
Glossaryck: You will see in due time, my friend.
Ludo: Glossaryck, I need some advice. I don't know how to feel about Star.
Glossaryck: Don't be silly. Of course you do. However, your mind may be at odds with other parts of you. The heart and the brain don't always see eye to eye.
Ludo looks at him.
Glossaryck: You've created this vendetta against Star, only you. It is a manifestation of even deeper problems within you.
Ludo: What do you mean?
Glossaryck: Why do you want the wand in the first place?
Ludo: I wanted to rule the universe. I wanted to take control. To be the big man, instead of the small man.
Glossaryck: It's up to you, Ludo, to figure out what you really want from this world.
Ludo: One more thing. If you're dead, does this mean that if I can see you, I am dead as well?
Glossaryck: Yes Ludo. You're dead.
Ludo: What!?
Glossaryck: Ha ha ha! Psyche! You're not dead silly. In fact. It's time for you to wake up.
Ludo's eyes shoot open. Glossaryck is gone. The visceral experience of Glossaryck being there shook Ludo to the core. It felt so real, like he was genuinely talking to him again. And he'll never be sure if it was just a dream, or if Glossaryck really spoke to him in his mind. But he feels better now, better than he'd felt in a long time, better than he EVER felt. He leaps out of bed onto the floor, this time his legs are strong, stiff from laying in bed, but strong.
He stretches his muscles to get them back into circulation. The birds are chirping outside and the rain has gone away, leaving god rays to blare through Buff Frog's window onto his bed. He opens the door that has been closed for the last day. Ludo finds that he had slept for an entire 24 hours. He finds Buff Frog sitting in his reclining chair, reading to his children (except for the fact that the book is upside down, and Buff Frog is making the whole thing up)
Buff Frog: The little toad struggled to get the biggest lily pad, for the other toads were much too fast and much too strong. But the little toad did not give up. Well well well, if it isn't our favorite uncle Ludo, kids. The little black orbs spin around. They all get up and start jumping excitedly around Ludo.
Ludo: Ha ha. Hi kids. I'm feeling much better now. Well Buff Frog. It's been great, but I really ought to be going.
Buff Frog: Aw really? But I was just reading the children their favorite story of The Littlest Toad. Won't you stick around?
Ludo: I, uh...
All the orbs look at him with really sad looks in their eyes.
Ludo: Oh, okay. I've always loved story time.
All the kids cheer. He doesn't have the heart to upset them, especially since Buff Frog went through so much just to take care of him. Ludo sits down on the carpet with all the kids surrounding him, and continues to listen as Buff Frog obfuscates literacy and make up his story off the top of his head.