"I think it's a really bad idea to do this first thing in the morning," Marco said.
His parents, Rafael and Angie sat on the couch in the living room while he paced nervously back and forth in front of them. Mariposa sat on Angie's lap, slowly moving her head back and forth watching her older brother. Blissfully unaware of what was going on around her. His parents, meanwhile, shared a look of guilt with their unsettled son.
"I know it's not…the best situation," admitted Angie, "But, she's been sitting around the house in her PJs for three days now."
"We promised Moon and River we would talk to her," added Rafael. "We can't continue to delay."
"Not to mention, it is what's best for her," continued Angie causing Marco to stop pacing and give a small nod to her. "She spent months cooped up in the house and now that she finally has the strength to leave it, she's afraid she'll be sent to jail. Simply because of who she happens to be."
"I know, Mom," said Marco as he went back to pacing.
"Remember what I told you about when I was your age?" Rafael asked his son. "About how scary it was?"
"I know, Dad," said Marco without looking at either of them.
"She's like a daughter to us," said Angie, "Your father and I, we love her like a daughter."
"Mooooom," protested Marco, "That's really weird to say…ya know, with our…relationship status?"
"Oh, grow up," replied Angie, "You know what I meant."
Marco stopped pacing and looked up the stairs, having heard something from above. When nothing further happened, he turned to his parents. "You guys are still okay with me going with her?"
Rafael and Angie gave pained expressions to one another before Rafael answered. "Of course, mij́o."
"But," interjected Angie, "We want to hear from you every day and come to dinner at least once a week." She wrapped her hands around Mariposa. "We can't have this one forgetting who her big brother is."
"Okay, Mom," said Marco, taking another glance at the staircase.
"I can't believe I'm allowing my sixteen year old son to move out of the house and in with his girlfriend," said Angie.
"Mooooom," cried Marco as Rafael snickered.
It was at that moment, everyone's attention was drawn to the staircase as Star slid down the banister. Still dressed in her nightgown with thick knee-high socks on. "Morning, everyone!" she cheerfully exclaimed as she landed in the living room.
"Good morning, sweetheart," said Angie with as much cheer as she could muster. "How is your hand doing?"
"It's okay," said Star with a smile as she walked up to Marco, "Doesn't hurt so much now."
"Morning, Star," said Marco giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"Morning," she replied.
"You shouldn't be sliding down the banister like that," he said to her. "At least until your fingers are out of those splints."
"Aww," she cooed as she gave him a hug, "Always my 'safe kid.' What are you guys talking about so early in the morning?"
"Early in the morning?" said Angie confused, "It's almost ten."
"We were just talking about…breakfast," Marco responded, thinking on his feet. "We're going to make a special breakfast for you."
"Oh, yes," confirmed Rafael, following his son's lead. "I'm going to make my famous Huevos Rancheros."
"Oooooh, that sounds good," replied Star before a look of confusion hit her face. "Wait, a special breakfast? For me? Why?"
"After breakfast," continued Marco without answering her question, "I thought we would take a trip out to the Yurt Village and see your parents."
"Aaaaand the special breakfast makes sense," said Star.
"Why don't you go upstairs and get cleaned up?" suggested Angie.
"Yeah, all right," Star said dejected as she looked down at her state of dress. "Guess I can't see my parents in my PJs."
"Well," said Marco, rolling his eyes to the ceiling, "You know your Mom better than I do. But I doubt she'd want you to arrive in your PJs…no matter how cute they are."
"Awwwww, Marco," cooed Star, "You're such a [censored]."
All three literate Diaz's went pale with mouths agape hearing Star's language while Mariposa babbled with a giggle. "What…what did you just call me?" Marco asked softly, breaking the stunned silence.
"A [censored]?" repeated Star.
"Dios mío," whispered Rafael.
"Where did you learn language like that?" Angie asked.
"From Janna," replied Star.
"Could have seen that coming," muttered Marco, "What did Janna tell you it means?"
"It's a cute Earth compliment!" explained Star, "Like saying you're sweet or wonderful or amazing!"
"Star," said Marco, shaking his head and placing a hand on her shoulder. "What that word actually means is…" He leaned in and whispered into her ear, causing her eyes to go wide and her face to turn purple.
"Ahhh! No! No! No! Marco, I didn't mean to call you…that! I'm so so so sorry! Please don't be mad! Uhh…I love you! I'm sorry Mr. and Mrs. Diaz! I'm sorry Mariposa! Please don't hate me! I would have never…"
"Star!" Marco exclaimed, now grabbing her by both shoulders. "It's okay, I know you didn't know what that word actually meant. I…we forgive you."
"Really?" she asked, nearly in tears.
"Of course," Marco replied giving her a hug in reassurance. "Just…don't use that word again…ever. Seriously, it's like a nightmare hearing you talk like that."
"Okay," confirmed Star, "And the next time I learn a new word, I'll check it with you."
"Now, why don't you go get ready?" suggested Angie.
Star looked down at her outfit that she had been wearing since coming home from Echo Creek's jail days earlier. "Yeah, okay," she said as she turned and headed back up the stairs.
Janna sat in a large armchair in the middle of the ancient library belonging to Tom's grandfather, Relicor. In her right hand, a leather bound book of several hundred pages bearing a Pentagram on it's cover. A pair of reading glasses was perched on her nose with a smoking pipe in her left hand. A she turned the page, she placed the pipe in her mouth.
"The pipe makes you look ridiculous," Tom said from the desk chair he was watching her from.
"The pipe makes me look like I belong," she said, her eyes never leaving the book's pages. "Besides, I'm not taking fashion advice from you, the way you dress."
"What's wrong with the way I dress?" replied Tom, raising an eyebrow.
"You're trying too hard, Horns," she said, flipping to the next page. "Like, the rips along the sleeves and your midriff? And don't get me started on the cargo shorts."
"Wasn't gonna," he coldly replied when he noticed his compact vibrating on the desk and picked it up. "Hello?" He listened to the other end before saying, "Hey Marco, you want to talk to Janna?"
"I'm not here," she flatly said.
Tom put the phone back down and announced. "You're on speaker-mirror, buddy. Janna is here with me."
"I said I wasn't here," she complained.
"Oh, I'm sorry," replied Tom, "I'm must be too busy re-evaluating my wardrobe to have heard you."
Janna smirked at her demon boyfriend, oddly proud of the comeback. "Fine, what do you want, Diaz?"
"I want to know where you get off teaching Star how to cuss," came the reply from the compact.
Janna began laughing maniacally. "Don't tell me she finally called you a…"
"Yeah, she did," snapped Marco, "In front of my parents too."
Janna's laughter only intensified. "That is too perfect!" she exclaimed joyously, "I couldn't have asked for a better result."
"It's not funny!" shouted Marco, "It was like…nails on a chalkboard!"
"What exactly is…'cuss?'" Tom asked confused.
"It's these words we had on Earth you don't use in polite company," explained Janna, fighting back her continued laughter. "All people on Mewni have is 'corn' and 'Pegasus feathers.' Thought Star should know some big girl language."
"Oh yeah, how thoughtful."
"So, what exactly did she call you?" Tom asked, curiosity piqued.
"Yeah, Diaz," added Janna, "Which one did she go with?"
"You taught her more than one?!"
Buff Frog couldn't help being uneasy as he took a seat in the well appointed room he was brought to. Since being evicted from Castle Avarius years ago, large structures like the Monster Temple had become intimidating. Who could use so much empty space? He would wonder to himself.
"Can I get you anything?" asked Archibald as he hovered attentively before Buff Frog. "Water? Tea? Her Majesty has even secured this new beverage the humans have called Hot Cocoa. It's very tasty."
"No," said Buff Frog, "I is good. No need for beverage."
Archibald nodded and headed toward the door. "They will be here momentarily. But feel free to let me know if there is anything I can get you in the meantime."
Buff Frog now found himself alone in the room that was the same size as the hut he grew up in. Unable to relax, he got up and began walking around, looking at the various decorations on the walls. Portraits of famous Mewmans and Monsters and shelves filled with trinkets. He stopped at an item that was most peculiar mounted on the well.
It was a small wooden model of a house with a large clock face on it. While the windows of the house were clearly fake, their was a single door above the hands of the clock the appeared real. His curiosity getting the best of him, Buff Frog gently poked the door to see what laid inside.
Suddenly a wooden bird spring from the door and began shouting at the now panicked frog monster. "Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!"
"Isn't that a riot?" asked Eclipsa from behind him, further startling him. "It's called a cuckoo clock. Star and Marco gave it to me."
"Yes, very interesting," he replied as he tried to steady his heartbeat.
"Please, take a seat, Buff Frog," she said as she sat herself. "I'm sorry Globgor couldn't join us, but he is very busy elsewhere."
"Where would that be?" he asked, returning to his chair.
"Comet's Hollow," she replied.
He raised an eyebrow in surprise. "That is Mewman village, it was destroyed two days ago by…"
"Yes," she confirmed before he finished. "And we need your help before another village befalls the same fate."
Marco joined his mother and younger sister at the dining table as his father laid out plates, glasses and utensils for everyone. His attention was called to the stairs as he heard Star hop down them. "You're so lucky you're a boy, Marco," she said as descended, "You'll never know the pain of pantyhose."
"Ahem," grunted Marco, "Princess Turdina knows." Star came up to the table and was hopping up and down as she put on her shoes. For once, not one of her trademark pairs of boots, but much more formal footwear to go with the semi-formal light pink dress she had decided to wear. "Wow, you look…great," he said.
Star finally got her foot into the shoe and looked at him with a slight blush. "Thanks, Marco," she said.
"But, why so formal?" he asked.
"Because," she said, "I've only seen my parents twice the past few months. The first time, it was with my head dipped in a vat of cheese and the second I was being bailed out of jail. Got to make a decent impression this time."
"Fair enough," he replied.
"Can you do me a favor?" Star asked as she turned around. "Can you zip me up?"
Marco immediately turned his head away quickly as his face turned beat red. "Mom? Can you please help Star?"
Angie turned away from fussing with Mariposa to see Star's long hair impossibly tangled with the rear zipper of her dress. "Oh, my," she gasped. "How did that happen?"
"What? What's wrong?" Star asked in a panic as Marco turned his head to see that state she was in.
"Oh, wow," he said, "Your hair is all…caught up in your zipper."
"Oh, Pegasus feathers," she replied.
"We can fix this," said Angie with confidence as she knelt down and began the process of untangling the long blonde hair.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Diaz," said Star sheepishly, "This is so embarrassing, it's just a little hard to get dressed with this…thing on my hand.
"Star, after everything you and I have been through, this is the least embarrassing thing I've had to do," said Angie as she freed Star's hair and pulled it out from the back of the dress before zipping her up. "Marco, go upstairs and grab her hairbrush. You've got a ton of knots back here."
Marco trotted up the stairs with haste to retrieve the needed item. "Hey, Star!" he called from above, "Which hairbrush should I bring down?"
"The big turquoise one!" she shouted in response. "Also, stay out of my bottom drawer!"
"Why do you have so many?!"
"Hey!" she shouted, "Do I comment on all of your different colognes?!"
Marco flew down the stairs and handed his mom the hairbrush. "Seriously," continued Angie with a small laugh as she began working out the knots. "If your mother was still Queen, I would probably demand a barony in exchange for my services."
"Oh, you don't want to be a Baroness," said Star as she felt her hair being pulled by the vigorous brushing. "Those women are cuh-razy."
"I suppose it's all good practice for when Mariposa is your age," said as she finished. "There, much better."
"Thank you, Mrs. Diaz," said Star as she turned around and gave her a hug.
"You're welcome, Star," replied Angie.
Rafael brought the completed breakfast into the room with a smile. "It's all ready, let's eat!" he declared as the others took their seats.
"So," began Marco as he helped himself to some huevos, "I talked to Janna and she told me she taught you another word."
"Really?" replied Star through a mouthful of food, "Which one?"
"I don't know," said Marco, "She wouldn't tell me."
"Oh, do you mean [censored]?"
The clatter of metal utensils on porcelain rang out as Rafael dropped his fork and knife. "Star Butterfly!" yelled Angie before she calmed herself. "Sorry, sorry, I forgot what we're doing here."
Marco couldn't help but chuckle at the situation. "After the past two years, I'm pretty sure that's our family motto."
"It's at the very least a proverb for us," agreed Rafael as he returned to his food.
"Star, don't let me ever hear that word come from your mouth again," said Angie.
"Okay, Mrs. Diaz," said Star before holding a finger up with her uninjured hand. "There's just…one problem though."
"What's that?" the three verbal Diaz's asked in unison.
"I sort of…taught that word…to my Dad," Star replied with an uneasy smile.
Angie and Rafael looked down at the table and shook their heads as Marco smacked his forehead in frustration. "I forgot what we're doing here," he said without irony.
"Your Majesty, what can I possibly do to stop Septarian?" Buff Frog asked of the monarch.
"Your skillset, of course," replied Eclipsa, "As a spy and someone who has dabbled in more…adversarial aspects of Monster-Mewman relations."
"Yes, is true," he confirmed.
"I'm sure you would have no issue spying on them and reporting back."
"How can I do this?" he countered, "Everyone knows I is friends with Star girl and karate boy…"
"I'm aware," she said confidently.
"Then how I am supposed to be spying?" he asked, "I is no longer bad guy, does not make sense."
"It will all become clear in due time, Yvgeny," she said emphasizing his real first name. "How are your little ones?"
"Not so little anymore, Majesty," he answered. "They are all suddenly teenagers, suddenly interested in growing up. I miss them being small."
"I can certainly relate," she empathized.
"Really?" he asked, dumbfounded. "Your child was big when you reunite, now she's small again."
"Oh, Meteora?" she said before clarifying, "I was thinking about someone else, actually."
"Ah, okay."
"I'm sure, like any good father, you want them to enter adulthood in a world better than one you had," she lightly suggested.
"Da, is true."
"A world where Mewmans and Monsters are at peace?" she asked, "Even the Septarians and Solarians living in harmony?"
"You speak of fantasy world, Queen," he dismissed.
"Maybe," she confirmed, "But don't you owe it to your children to do what you can to deliver that for them?"
Buff Frog shifted uncomfortably in his seat. While he had enjoyed the simple life he and his family had adopted over the past few months, it was built on uncertainty for him. His greatest fear was that some new faction would rise up and try to wipe away Monsters once again.
"Are you seeing anyone?" Eclipsa interrupted his thought process.
"Seeing?" he asked.
"You know," she clarified, "A romantic partner? Surely now that your children are growing up, you have time for a real relationship."
"What is it with you Mewmans and yous needing everyone to be paired together?" he asked mockingly.
"I was just curious," she said, "I've always been a little nosy." For a moment, they sat across from one another in silence until she decided to speak again. "Would you like to hear what the first step will be?"
He looked to the ground, then back at her, then to the ground once more. "Da," was his answer.
"Seriously, Marco?!" Star angrily said, "The first time you let me ride Nachos with you, and you won't go any faster?!"
Star was seated behind Marco on the dragoncycle, both wearing helmets with her arms wrapped around his torso. Their velocity could hardly be described as velocity. She scowled as she watched a group of middle-aged joggers overtake them with ease.
"We're not going any faster," said Marco as they continued down the suburban streets of Echo Creek towards the city limits.
"Nachos!" she shouted, "Go faster! I can handle it!" Nachos growled at the command. She wasn't going to counter Marco's strict order to take the ride easy. "Couldn't we at least fly?" she begged, "We can still go slow, let's get this beauty in the air."
"You already have a broken hand," he replied. "I'm not adding a leg and a neck to that list."
The pair passed by a gas station to see one of Echo Creek's human residents filling up a motorcycle. Nachos couldn't help watching as the man stuck the filler into the top of the motorcycle and began pumping. A shiver went down her spine as she shook her head and focused on maintaining their steady pace.
"At this rate, we might get to the Yurt Village by my seventeenth birthday," Star snidely remarked.
They rounded the final corner onto to the road that led to the outskirts of town and towards the Yurt Village. They were stopped almost immediately when they found a large chainlink fence covered with razor wire in their path.
"Whoa," breathed Star as she looked up at the sharp jagged barrier.
"What the?" exhaled Marco, "This wasn't here the other day."
"They must have put it up after you brought Eclipsa to the jail," she suggested.
"Stupid City Manager Candle," he muttered.
"Randall," she corrected.
"Right, yeah, Randall," he confirmed. "What do we do now?"
"Marco," she said, exasperated at having to remind him. "We're…on…a…draaaaagoncyyyyycle." Marco looked down at his hands firmly gripping Nachos' horns and then at the arms wrapped around him. He stared far too long at the hand wrapped in a brace and the fingers in splints resting on his stomach. "I'll be fine," she whispered.
Marco twisted at the horn causing the dragoncycle's engine to roar. "Okay," he said feigning confidence, "You know what to do, Nachos." Nachos rolled back a few dozen feet and and extended her wings out. Her tires squealed as she accelerated forward and gave her wings several thrusting flaps. She became airborne and easily cleared the fence.
"Whoohoohoohoo!" screamed Star in delight as Nachos came in for a landing. "Ya see? Everything worked out!"
As Nachos came to complete stop, Marco readjusted his helmet and felt how much more tightly Star's arms were around him. "Yeah, yeah," he said mockingly. "I'm too safe, never want to have any fun. Blah, blah, blah," he blew a raspberry to finish his point. With that, Nachos accelerated forward at a much faster pace than previously as they headed down the river valley.
Through the Forest of Certain Death was one lone road. Constructed by the Butterfly Kingdom more than a hundred years ago, it was the only safe passage through an otherwise, dangerous environment. Well, relatively safe, that is. It was on that road that Buff Frog found himself walking. With no warnicorn or dragoncycle or whatever those wheeled boxes the humans use to his name, it was his only option.
Up ahead, around a bend in the road, he saw a large horse drawn wagon filled with lumber. A Mewman was on the front bench driving the team of two warnicorns. "Good morrow, frog monster!" he called out in a pretentious accent. "Pre tell, how much farther is it to Butterfly Village?"
"Why you talking like this?" Buff Frog asked with a wrinkled forehead.
"I say, for what reason does thou comment on my speech?" he asked for more lyrically than was necessary.
"You talk like you in a renaissance fair," said Buff Frog, "And fair is not for at least three months."
"Beg my forgiveness," the stranger offered, "'Tis merely a speech impediment."
"Ah, sorry for insensitivities," said Buff Frog, "Butterfly Village is still far, will take you many hours."
"Aww shucks," the man said, dropping his accent.
"Yes, unfortunate," continued Buff Frog. "Why you go there though? Place is still ruins from when new princess fight the old princess."
"It shall be ruins no more," he answered with accent returning, "The wheels of progress are turning and there is new life for the aforementioned metropolis." He patted his hand against the wood he was hauling. "I see no issue selling my wares forthwith!"
"What?" Buff Frog said.
"I'm going to make some quick cash selling this wood," he explained, accent-less. With that, he pleaded his warnicorns to move forward and they continued past Buff Frog. "Fare thee well!"
"Da, fare the too, I guess," Buff Frog replied with an awkward half-hearted wave before continuing onward. "These Mewmans," he muttered to himself, "Sometimes I wonder how they managed to repress us so long."
He soon came to a fork in the road. On one side, the path was well defined with ample light streaming down from the sky above. The other side was as dark as midnight, the road was narrow and twisty, bats flew between the low hanging trees and a wolf could be heard howling in the distance.
Like he had done hundreds of times before, Buff Frog went down the dark and twisty path.
River opened the door to his and his wife's yurt home to find his daughter and her boyfriend standing there. "My favorite child!" he declared as he gave her a bear hug. "How are you, my [censored]?"
Both Star and Marco cringed hearing the word coming from River's mouth. "Hi, Dad," managed Star as he released her from his embrace. Marco placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm gonna go get Nachos some water," he said, "You…you deal with this." Star scowled slightly as he walked way to attend to his dragoncycle.
"So, Dad," said Star, "You getting some new neighbors?" She pointed to the frame of a new yurt being erected next to her parents.
"Oh, ummm," grumbled River, "In a manner of speaking."
"That's cool," replied Star as she walked past her father and into the yurt. "Oh, you guys redecorated too!" Moon, who was seated at her desk, spun around in her chair to see her daughter.
"Star!" she exclaimed with a smile, "It's so nice to see you."
"Hi, Mom," Star said with a somewhat bashful wave. "What's uh…what's all of that?" she asked pointing to the piles of rolled up architectural plans sitting on the desk.
"Oh, it's…it's a project for Eclipsa," explained Moon as she got up from her chair. "She's ordered the restoration of Butterfly Castle, and put me in charge of overseeing it." Moon wrapped her arms around Star in a hug, which she hesitantly returned.
"Wow," said an uneasy Star, "Restoring Butterfly Castle…seems like a good idea." She broke off the hug and took a seat on the couch in the center of the space.
"Yes, I think so," said Moon as she took a seat opposite Star while River took one next to her. "As soon as we can figure out how to move the heavy stonework that was damaged, we can begin construction."
"You should talk to the humans about that," suggested Star to her parent's mutual surprise. "They have cranes, bulldozers, excavators, all that stuff that can do that, easy peasy lemon squeezy."
"Wait," said Moon, eyebrows raised, "They have…machines that can lift heavy stone? How do they work?"
"I'm not totally sure," admitted Star with shrugged shoulders, "Marco explained it to me once and as far as I can tell, they run off of a type of Earth magic called diesel." Star put a finger to her chin. "I'm not even sure I'm pronouncing that right."
"Well, I'm sure the castle isn't why you're here today," said River.
"Yes, we should talk about your new home," added Moon.
"My new home?" asked Star with squinted eyes. "What are you talking about?"
"You're moving here, of course!" declared River before feeling unsure of himself, "Aren't you?"
"No! Why would you think that?" Star protested.
"We spoke with the Diaz's after that incident with your…incarceration," said Moon cautiously. "I thought they would have discussed it with you." Star remained seated with her hands firmly planted in her lap and her eye twitching. "We discussed it while we were waiting for your release. Rafael, Angie…" she trailed off before concluding, "…and Marco, of course."
"That's why I'm building the second yurt," added River, "For you! So you have a nice place to stay with…" Before he could finish, Star rose from her seat and quickly headed out the door.
"If you'll just excuse me one moment!" she said with a breaking voice.
Marco stood outside the yurt with Nachos as she drank water from an old fashioned wash tub. He was gently brushing her scales, a task he had been neglecting for far too long. "How does that feel?" he asked the dragoncycle. Nachos lifted her head and purred before returning to the drink.
Star marched past of the two of them, clearly fuming and headed off in the direction of the woods. "Star?" he said when his attention was called to her. "Star! Where are you going?!"
Star stopped her march, whipped herself around and pointed directly at him. "You could have told me I was being kicked out of your house, Marco Diaz!" she yelled. "And being sent to live with my parents! In a tent!" She turned back around and continued her vigorous walk into the woods.
"Star! That's not…where are you going?!" he called after her before she completely disappeared from view. Moon and River had exited the yurt and were now behind Marco watching her leave.
"I'm going to go punch a tree!" she yelled.
"But, but, please don't break your other hand!" Marco desperately replied.
"Fine!" she nearly screamed as she disappeared from view. "I'll just kick it then, you [censored]!
River gave a jovial laugh as he patted Marco on the back. "Oh well, I guess she's not that mad at you, my boy!" he said before seeing his wife's expression towards him. "Oh, uh, I'll just go after her then. Star! Wait for your dad, Pumpkin!" He quickly jogged in the direction she left in leaving Marco standing there dumbfounded with Moon and Nachos.
"Well, Marco," said Moon after a brief silence, "Would you like some tea?"
Standing before the set of large oak doors, Buff Frog considered his options. He wasn't sure if they was indeed the best course of action, or sure of any aspect of the plan, and it wasn't too late to reconsider. He looked up at the recently restored facade of the castle he had travelled to, sighed, and knocked on the doors.
He could hear the sound of scurrying from the other side followed by the scrape of wooden chair legs against stone floor. Seconds passed before a small port hole in the door swung open to reveal the odd blend of grey beard and green feathers.
"Butt Frog?!" Ludo Avarius exclaimed before quickly correcting himself, "I mean, Buff Frog?!"
"Hello, Ludo," he calmly greeted.
"I haven't seen you since," Ludo looked down and shook his head, "I can't even remember."
"It was when Star girl threw you into the void," answered Buff Frog.
"Was that the first or second time she did that?" Ludo asked.
"I is not sure," said an unsteady Buff Frog.
"It must have been the second time," said Ludo as he scratched his beard, "Because I recall you breaking into my underground corn mill…"
"Oh, yes," Buff Frog interrupted, "I remember, you with your rats."
"Hey, do you remember Meat Fork?" Ludo enthusiastically inquired. "I've always wondered what happened to that guy."
"Please, Ludo," said Buff Frog, "May I come in? I have important thing to discuss with you."
"Oh, of course," said Ludo before slamming the port hole shut. Buff Frog heard the sound of a mechanical lock disengage and the doors swung open. "Please, make yourself at home!"
"Spasibo," Buff Frog thanked him as he entered the restored Castle Avarius. "You've done much to fix castle, I see."
"Oh yes," Ludo replied as he closed the doors behind Buff Frog. "My siblings and I really put the work in and you've come at the best possible time!"
"Da?"
"Yes, duh," responded Ludo obliviously, "We finally got the milkshake machine working! Would you like a milkshake?"
"Surely, you mean a cornshake?"
"No, I do not," defended Ludo, "I meant a milkshake! Milkshake!"
"But," said Buff Frog, "Milkshake is human, Earth thing. This is Mewni. Mewni has cornshakes."
"It has always been milkshakes, Buff Frog," continued Ludo, "It has never been cornshakes. I'm not even sure what a cornshake is, sounds disgusting!"
"Fine," relented Buff Frog, "I would be lovings a milkshake."
"What flavor would you like?"
"Um, a strawberries, please."
"Strawberry?!" screeched Ludo, "Now you're just trying to make me angry!"
Marco and Moon sat opposite one another, each with a cup of tea in hand, dully staring the other. The sound of the pendulum of a mechanical clock in the corner swinging back and forth being the only sound in the room. Marco took a sip of his tea, allowing himself to become familiar with its flavor before swallowing it. "Lemon zinger?" he asked gingerly.
"Yes," confirmed Moon as she took a sip from his own cup. "Enough sugar?"
"Yes, thank you, your…" he began before trailing off, "What, what do I call you now?"
"Pardon?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, you used to be Queen Moon or your Majesty. Do I call you Mrs. Butterfly now?"
"Oh, um," she replied, surprised by the question. "You, you can call me Moon, Marco."
"Oh," he said, doubly surprised, "Well, thank you, Moon."
"You're quite welcome." Silence returned between the two as they awkwardly attempted to enjoy their tea mutually. "So," Moon broke the silence after a minute, "You and your parents didn't speak with her, did you?"
"Well," began Marco, "There was this thing with her hair and the dress and she called me a bad word and said another bad word and…no, we never got to it."
"Marco," she started, "I was under the impression that we were in agreement about her safety…"
"Whoa," he interrupted, "We are in complete agreement, I care about her safety more than anyone's, including my own."
"Then why is this all a big surprise to her now?"
"It's…it's complicated," he offered before explaining, "She's just fragile and we're a little afraid…"
"My daughter? Fragile?" Moon interjected with a smirk.
"I mean…" Marco started speaking only to be cut off.
"Look, I too have fallen into the trap of underestimating her," she said smugly, "And look what that has gotten us."
"Right, I see your point," he said before taking a final sip of tea and placing the cup down on the table. "I'm sure once we get the chance to explain the situation, she'll calm down."
"River will track her down," she said, "I understand why it is so frustrating though. We sent her to Earth, then forced her back to Mewni, then she lived at the Monster Temple and then ended up back on Earth. That's a lot of moving around in two years."
"I think," a cautious Marco began, "She still blames you for what happened…with Mina. I think she hasn't really had enough time to process it."
Moon looked down at the floor in an attempt to hide her disappointment and then back up at Marco. "Well, she's not wrong." Silence once again fell between the pair. Moon wondered where her husband was and if he had managed to track her daughter down. Marco wondered where his girlfriend and best friend was and if she was okay.
"You're still okay with me coming to live here?" he asked earnestly.
"Of course," she said, "You've always been more than welcome here."
"Couldn't help but notice there's only one new yurt being built."
"Yes," she said as lowered her eyes, "River talked me into just one for the two of you. It's big enough to be divided into two bedrooms with a common space. I assume we can trust you both with that arrangement."
"You can," he confirmed.
"Star!" River called out, "Pumpkin! It's your dad! Where have you gone to?!"
He had successfully tracked her footprints to the clearing he now stood in, but her trail went cold there. He looked around around, scratching his beard and pondering which way she must have gone. Up was the direction he immediately thought of. He looked at the various tree trunks and found one where a piece of bark was peeled away. As if someone had used it to support their weight while climbing the tree.
As luck would have it, it didn't take long for him to spot the splash of blonde hair seated on a branch above him. Far above him, he estimated around three stories at minimum. Regardless, he jumped for the nearest branch he could reach and began his ascent. He skillfully swung himself from branch to branch, climbing ever higher until he arrived. He took a seat on a branch just below hers.
"Star," he began, "Please talk to me."
"Nah," she replied.
"Will you at least let me explain what your mother and I are…" he attempted.
"Nope," she interrupted.
River looked down as he steadied himself on the his branch and then back up to her. He saw the stains of tears on her cheeks and suddenly found himself fighting back his own. "Do you remember," he said softly, "When you were four or maybe five years old, we went on a family camping trip."
She gave him a brief side glance as he continued. "I have no idea when you had wandered off or how long you were gone. But the knights and I scoured these very woods looking for you, calling out your name. And we found you…" She had heard the story being told by him many times before. "Standing in front of the largest bear I had ever seen."
She finally lifted her legs and repositioned herself on her branch to face him. "And you weren't scared in the slightest. You waved your little hand at the bear and said…"
"'Hi, my name is Star Butterfly, what's yours?'" she finished the story as they both started laughing.
"I had a full head of hair before that moment, young lady!" he jovially declared through his laughter. "Now, look at me!"
Star wiped a tear from her eye as her laughter died down. Internally, relieved to be wiping a tear away for something joyous rather than something upsetting. "I'm sorry, Dad. I just…I just can't believe Marco would be okay with me going away."
"He's concerned about your safety," he said, "So concerned, he's offered to come with you and stay with us."
"What?" she exclaimed, now slightly frustrated. "What about his family? His sister?"
"They won't be that far away," he explained.
"But, I just can't uproot him like that!" she complained as she felt her spirit drop once more. "He's already done so much. My guide on Earth, my squire on Mewni, my refuge when things got tough."
"He volunteered, Star," he said sternly. "He offered. If you have a problem with that, I'm sure he'd stay with his family."
"But I don't want to be separated," she meekly replied.
"Then we're in a bit of a pickle, Pumpkin," he said with a chuckle, "Pickled Pumpkin? Is that a thing?"
"I don't think so, Dad," she said as she held her injured hand in her good one. "He does so much for me, I don't think I can keep asking and taking from him."
"I don't see you asking for much," he said, "I see him giving. It reminds me of your mother and I at your age."
"He wouldn't have to give so much if I wasn't so helpless!" she cried out, feeling the tears return.
"Star," he said before taking a breath, "There is a big difference between being helpless…and needing help."
Ludo's younger brother, Dennis, entered the room carrying a tray of tall paper cups with lids and straws. Ludo and Buff Frog were seated across from one another, Ludo in his old menacing horned swivel chair and Buff Frog in an armchair. He handed one to his older brother and then handed another to Buff Frog before taking a seat in a spare armchair.
"I told you we had strawberry," Dennis coldly told his older brother.
"Really?" replied Ludo, "I've never heard of a strawberry milkshake. Besides, there is only one flavor I go with."
"What flavor would that be?" asked Dennis.
"Rhubarb!" Ludo responded holding his drink up triumphantly.
"Rhubarb?" asked Buff Frog.
"Yes, what of it?" Ludo defensively said.
"Nothing," said Buff Frog as he watched Ludo take a long, obnoxious slurp of milkshake through his straw.
"So, Buff Frog," said Ludo as he wiped his mouth off, "What brings you here?"
"What?" asked Buff Frog as he took a sniff of his cup, "I can't drop in on old friend?"
"Old friend?" asked Dennis, "I've never even heard of you before now."
"Ludo," said Buff Frog, "You no tell your brother of your number one henchman from back in the day?"
"Number one?" asked Ludo with a raised eyebrow, "Um, no, I try not to talk about those days."
"No matter," said Buff Frog, "You and I have a chance to make up for those old days, together."
"What do you mean?" queried Ludo with suspicions.
"I met with Queen Butterfly this morning…"
"Which one?" asked Dennis, interrupting Buff Frog.
Buff Frog squinted his eyes at him. "The…current one…and she needs your help on a very important mission."
"Very important mission?" asked Ludo with rhubarb chunks settling in his beard. "For the Butterfly's? I would really rather not get entangled in their…"
"You know, Ludo," interjected Buff Frog, "You had me do many horrible things that I have kept to myself."
"What are you getting at?" asked Ludo as he squinted his eyes.
"Just that you have done some things," said Buff Frog, "I feel the knights would be very interested…"
Ludo began nervously laughing, interrupting Buff Frog. "I got you those tadpoles legally, Buff Frog! Completely above board."
"I am more," Buff Frog continued gesturing for Ludo to stop, "Referring to sending me to spy on fourteen year old princess for six months."
Ludo froze as he considered the ramifications of what Buff Frog was suggesting. "Very well," he said defeated.
There was a pause between everyone in the room while Buff Frog regathered his thoughts until it was broken by Dennis. "Nobody asked, but I like chocolate," he said, "It's a classic."
It was now twilight as Marco exited the yurt carrying a bowl filled with scraps of food. Nachos was curled up under a tree resting when she felt his presence and lifted her head. "Hey girl," he said to her, "Moon was able to conjure up some food for you." He laid the bowl down and she began munching away at it's contents and purring in satisfaction.
While his dragoncycle enjoyed her meal, he looked up to see his best friend and her father emerge from the woods. River was the first to speak. "Ah, my boy," he said as he walked up, "Is Moonpie inside?" Marco only nodded. "I should go check in with her then," he concluded as he patted his shoulder and made his way into the yurt.
He stood and stared at her for a moment as she avoided eye contact with him. Her eyes were red and puffy with cheeks still bearing streaks. He hated seeing her like this. She hated being seen like this.
"Hi," he finally said.
"Hey," she replied, "I'm sorry I called you a…you know."
"It's okay," he said, "I know you didn't mean it."
"I told my dad to stop using that word," she went on, "So, fixed that little mistake."
Marco chuckled to himself. "Good," he said.
"You really want to move out here with me?" she asked.
"Yeah," he confirmed, "If you want me to."
She stepped closer to him, still avoiding direct eye contact while his eyes never left her. "What about your parents or college? What about Mariposa?"
"I'll still see them," he explained, "I can still go to classes."
"What if," she began to muse, "You only moved out here for the days you don't have to be in Echo Creek?"
"You mean spend a few days here and a few days there?"
She took another step closer. "Uh huh, you can spend some days going to class and hanging out with your family. And other days here."
"Yeah, that makes sense."
She took one final step to only be half an arm's length away from him. She finally looked directly at him. "Okay, then it's agreed."
"In the meantime," he said as he brushed a wayward strand of hair from her face. "It's going to be a couple of weeks until the new yurt is finished. So, you have some time before you have to go."
"Well," she said placing a finger upon his chest. "I guess we got to be careful and make sure Crandall…"
"Randall," he corrected.
"Right…doesn't send me back to jail."
"You've made a number of Monster friends," he said, "I'm sure one of them will scare the pants off of him for next time."
She giggled at his idea before leaning forward and kissing him.