A couple days later, Star started school.
It was in a central wooden structure, one which seemed to serve a few other purposes besides the educational-currently, it held long tables, where Star sat alongside fellow students of all ages, ranging from preteens to full grown adults.
To Star, New Septarsis, and particularly the tiny village of Bogmire, seemed very out of the way- Week's travel from the Butterfly kingdom proper, outside the lands ruled by the Avarious, perhaps laying within the lands ruled by Globgor, the mewmen-eating monster who had, according to her tutors, been the king of monsters in the time of Solaria.
So, it was naturally a massive shock when she saw Buff Frog, casually sitting at a table nearby.
"Buff Frog!" she nearly shouted, grinning as she ran up next to him, "Oh, it is so good to see you, what are you doing out here?"
"Star, you are alive!" Buff Frog cried, getting up and spreading his arms for a hug that Star readily accepted.
He seemed near tears as she pulled away, face split into a grin, "How did you survive Toffee?"
"Well" Star started, "you'll never believe this, but Toffee saved me! I've been sleeping in his yard for-"
Buff Frog raised a hand, cutting her off "wait, Toffee is here?" he said, suddenly looking disturbed.
"Well... Yeah, for the past few days"
Buff Frog muttered something in a language Star didn't know. "I cannot stay here" he said, "I have to protect my children. This is no longer a safe place"
"I get that you don't trust Toffee" said Star, frowning, "He didn't exactly give either of us much reason too, but... He did save me. He introduced me to his family. I don't know why he'd do that."
Buff Frog regarded her skeptically, "I do not distrust you. But Toffee is a clever man- you cannot take his word as truth"
Star huffed, "I mean, he's kept his word so far" she said. Then, she frowned, "Unless... He said he didn't hurt my mom. And Rasticore said that she left of her own accord, is that true?"
"Well" said Buff Frog, "Yes. Toffee's men did not hurt Moon. But" he raised his hand, "It is still unwise to trust him"
"What even happened between you that you're so suspicious of him, anyways?" Star asked.
"I warned Ludo he was dangerous, so he took my home" said Buff Frog.
"Oh, I didn't know that. I just assumed… Wait!" Star cocked her head to one side, "but Ludo WAS off!"
"Da? No, I was trying to warn Ludo about Toffee."
"Why?" asked Star "How was Toffee any different from Ludo?"
Buff Frog settled back against the table. "Look, I know there were… tensions, between you and Ludo. Obviously. He was never a very… conventional sort of person, you know? But life has been very unfair to him, very cruel. And Ludo gave me a job and a place to stay. He put a roof over my head for years out of the kindness of his own heart, and he's a prickly sort of guy, but-"
"And loud." Star cut in.
"Loud, but-"
"And smelly. And skittery."
"Star!"
"What?! He loved to scramble around and he smelled like rotten sandals! That could be half the people in Dolphinia Springs!" Her shoulders dropped. "But, it's cool that he took care of you. I tried to live outside for a bit when I was on the run from the law…" Star shuddered, remembering. "It wasn't easy."
"When were you—" Buff Frog started, then seemed to think better of it. "Nevermind."
"I'm sorry Toffee ruined your friendship with Ludo," Star said, hopping onto the edge of their table to sit. "Maybe now that he's back you can talk to him about it."
"Do not sit on table." Buff Frog rubbed the back of his neck. "I do not think that is good idea."
"Whoa, dad magic," Star muttered to herself as she got up from the table.
Buff Frog set his jaw, a dangerous look passing over his face. "I do not want him to know where my babies are."
"Yeah, I get that." Star said, settling back onto the hard wooden bench as she started her story "Things can be pretty heated with babies. One time, when I was a baby? My cousin Daylilah put yadda-yadda juice in like, my little… cute little baby cup?" Star paused to mime out a small cup with a straw in the lid held in her palm. "Y'know, little baby cup? Anyway. We only found out because I was sharing with one of the garden crows, and it turned to stone right on my arm! Mom had her executed for high treason!"
Buff Frog seemed taken aback, "... Uhhh, Star...? I do not think-" he stopped, "That... Is not normal."
Star shrugged, "Yeah, it was pretty underhanded. But at least I got a cool bird statue to put my hats on." she said.
"Well... Keep in mind, Star. Septarians have long memories, and Toffee is not above murder. If you must stay with him... Please, be careful"
Star tried to shake off the nerves in her stomach. "So... What are you doing in New Septarsis?" she asked.
"Your kingdom was not a safe place for children, and Toffee's actions have not made it safer. New Septarsis still has laws" He sniffed, "Besides, I was not taught to read, and I do not want the same for my children. There are no schools in the Butterfly kingdom."
Indeed, the class they shared was focuses on reading and writing. Not mewnish, of course-she could read and write fine in mewnish-but Archosaurian, the official language of New Septarsis.
Star smiled, "Sounds like we'll be classmates, then" she said, "Oooh, maybe we can study together! And I can visit your kids! How's Katrina doing? Is she going to be here too?"
Buff Frog laughed, "Oh, no Star, not for a couple years, at least- the tadpoles are too young for school"
At that point, their conversation was cut short, as it was time for class to start.
Star pressed down her burning questions and forced herself to focus on work.
The castle was dreary, as castles tended to be.
River was useless, choosing to drown himself in drink until he could scarcely remember he'd had a daughter, but Moon... She couldn't forget.
Star had to be avenged. Toffee had to be destroyed.
She walked through carpeted halls, robe pulled around her shoulders to guard against the chill radiating off the gray stone walls.
In the grand hall, the Johansens had gathered along with her own family, united, for once, by the looming monster menace.
The eyes of her cousins, normally filled with jealous greed fixed on the powerful wand she wielded, were now fearful. They looked upon her as a savior.
She drew in a breath.
"I'm sure you all know what happened" she says, "But, not all of you know who was responsible"
Mutterings came from the crowd, "Ludo, it was Ludo, right?"
"The Avarious boy?"
"It was not Ludo" she said with a roll of her eyes, "Toffee has returned, and, sadly, he's gotten what he wanted. We are destitute. Our proud way of life has been obliterated by that monster- But, we'll only lose when we surrender. Toffee may have destroyed magic, but it was not magic that allowed us to prevail."
She cast her gaze across the crowd, smiling for the first time in days. "Monsters are cowardly, stupid creatures— they rely on brute strength, on simple tooth and claw," she said, enunciating the barbarism ascribed to each word: tooth, claw, brute, stupid, creatures, monsters. Striding across her impromptu stage, Moon raised her hand into a gnarled display of an open fist beside her head as she spoke, "But— there's no strategy behind their attacks!"
"When they know their outmatched, they will run like the beasts they are"Moon turned, looking directly at the Johansen patriarch, "And I know that many here understand how to outmatch a monster without the aid of magic"
Mountain Johansen stood, clapping enthusiastically, "Well done, well done, Moon! With you on our side, we'll have that filthy bird stuffed and mounted on my wall in no time!"
Moon rounded on him, "It wasn't Ludo you old fool!" she shouted,"That sniveling smear of chicken waste wouldn't have been allowed anywhere NEAR my daughter if I'd ever thought he posed any real threat to her! Star could have run circles around that sorry excuse for a prince from dusk until dawn!"
Glaring the old man down, she took a moment, drawing a breath in through her mouth and exhaling through her nose.
"Or do you mean to suggest, King Johansen, that I am the sort of mother to put her only daughter, and the future of the Butterfly Kingdom, in danger over a petty grudge?" Moon breathed, her eyes wide and livid though her tone had returned to composure.
"Of course I did not mean to suggest that," Mountain responded— a touch too petulant for her liking— but he would always be a touch too ungrateful for her taste. Her gaze flicked quickly to River, who even sodden drunk knew his place.
"I should think not," She said curtly, continuing,
She turned back to the crowd. "Toffee is smarter than a normal monster- but he is a monster, and so are the fools that follow him. On my mother's grave, we will crush him under our heels, we will drive the monsters back into the forest of death, and we will put a stop to this nonsense before they overrun all of Mewni"
A cheer went up from the crowd, wild and raucous, and Moon felt it stoke the fire in her blood.
Afterwords, she took a seat next to her listless husband and picked at her lunch.
Her brother-in-law,Glen Johansen, hobbled over, taking the empty seat next to River.
Glen was younger than River by a couple years, and yet he stood a head taller. He had blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, much like the rest of his family, and he still walked with a crutch, both his legs having been broken on a hunt only a few weeks ago.
River, who'd been barely aware of himself all morning, so consumed with grief over his daughter's death, perked up a little when he saw him.
"Glen!" River greeted, taking his little brother into a bone-crushing hug, "Come here, you old scoundrel, now, what've you been up to these past few years?'
"Oh, the same old sort of things— galavanting, marauding, the life of a simple farmhand," Glen replied, eyes flashing. He hooked a forearm under River's armpit, turning the hug into a grapple. Moon rolled her eyes.
"As... nice as it is to see you again" said Moon, "We really do need your help"
"Oh yeah? The Butterflies, asking us for help? Well, things really have changed!" said Glen with a hearty laugh.
"You're the only ones I know who can hurt monsters without magic" she said. How like a man to frame her request for his help into her offer to help him. It would do him well to remember whose empire was allied and whose was leading— how endlessly dull to be stuck in a kingdom where men were considered rational enough to lead anything.
"It's not near as difficult as you Butterflies seem to think" said Glen, "Monsters are animals, just like any beast in the woods- it's as you said, they may be stronger than us, but we are smarter! Braver! Harder to shake! Why, with our know-how and your army? I'd bet we could have them back in their proper place by stump day!"
"Thats exactly the problem- I don't have an army" she said, "Toffee levitato'd most of our servants, and the rest either submitted to our monstrous invaders or were driven into the woods" she sniffed, "I shudder to think what's being done to them"
Something glimmered in the Johansen's eyes, "So, you're looking for an army" he said, smiling.
Moon nodded, "Yes" she said.
"I have mixed news, then. Unfortunately, you left quite a power vacuum in your wake- our former allies have been too busy fighting each other to worry about Toffee. They are... Completely ignorant to the monster menace, who are no doubt laughing at their foolishness, plotting to let them cut each other down and picking off the survivors" he sighed, "Such a shame, Moon, I fear we are seeing the end of our species"
"Not if I can help it" said Moon, setting her jaw.
"Ah, but all is not lost!" said Glen, raising a finger with a smug little smirk, "Once they know you're alive, once they know you have a plan? They'll fall in line"
Moon narrowed her eyes, "You're not wrong" she said, "But... I would rather keep... Quiet about our connection. I don't want Mewni to fall because some shortsighted fools couldn't look past your... Indiscretions"
Glen's expression turned sour, but he only closed his eyes. "Of course, Moon. Mewni is more important"
Gar was just feeding the babies when there was a knock on the door.
Seems a bit early, ain't it? She thought, heading towards the door with a baby still swaddled in her arms. Balancing their head in the crook of her elbow, she finagled the door open, unable to look up at first with a mutter of "m'busy here-"
And stopping, stunned, when she saw none other than Star Butterfly standing before her.
She stared at the princess, jaw slack. "Uhhh..." she said, before snapping her jaw shut.
"Hey, Gar! You know Buff Frog too?" said Star, practically vibrating with excitement.
Gar's brows furrowed, "Buff frog... You mean Yvgeny?" she asked, "And, no. He just got here"
She glanced between Star and Yvgeny, then down at the wriggling tadpole in her arms. "Uhh… Welcome back, I guess?" She pushed the door further open with her tail, stepping to the side for Yvengy to pass through. Am I still getting paid for the full time, she wondered dismally as Star butterflied past her, hitting into her shoulder so hard she nearly spun on her feet."Watch it, Butterfly!" she snapped, readjusting her hold on the now crying hatchling.
"Oh, sorry" said Star, hardly sounding like she cared.
"I see you have met my new babysitter" said Buff Frog.
"Yeah, I've been staying with his family since we got here" said Star.
"Wait" said Buff Frog, "I thought you were staying with Toffee."
Gar cocked her head, "Toffee? Toffee of Septarsis?" she laughed, "We've always thought his title was a bit silly. Us kid's just called him 'Uncle Odonte'"
Judging by Buff Frog's expression, Gar might as well have killed him dead.
"How many in this village call Toffee family?" he muttered.
Gar rolled her eyes, "only us" she said, "geez. Is it really that big a deal to you?"
Yvgeny looked at her seriously. "Gar, Queen Comet only sought peace, and Toffee killed her. If he had not acted, there would be peace between mewmens and monsters"
Gar let out a groan. "Oh. Let me guess, you're aMonster Kingloyalist" she said, letting her disdain drip from the word.
"Well- Yes." said Yvgeny, "Yes I am. There is no shame in that"
Gar put a hand to her face, "Yvgeny, there is nothing but shame in that"
"Uh, so, I'm a liiittle bit behind on... Some aspects of politics" said Star, "But... Who is the monster king?"
Yvgeny and Gar started speaking at the same time.
"Noble leader of-"
"Butterfly puppet-"
"Their job was to keep peace-"
"They kept monsters under-"
"The noble Batwin was the last-"
"-idiot tricked into it-"
"Before he was unjustly executed-"
"By the bigoted morons in the MHC when they couldn't catch my uncle" Gar finished with a prideful toss of her head.
Star just stared between them, slack jawed.
"Uhhh... I didn't quite get that" she said.
"Look" said Gar, "The King of Monsters was meant to govern monsters in accordance with Butterfly guidelines, but it's not a position that still exists."
"And I wonder who's at fault there" muttered Yvgeny.
"Gee I dunno, 'Buff Frog.' Star, your mom never told you about this? I'd have thought she'd be proud of it."" asked Gar.
Star looked embarrassed, "Uh, well... I..."
Yvgeny put a hand on her shoulder, "Do not be ashamed, Star, I did not know of the monster king when I first came to Mewni"
"Star's the princess, though. She should..." Gar waved a hand, "know stuff"
Star raised a hand, "Can we please stop talking about what I should or shouldn't know and focus on the babies?"
"Oh, THE BABIES!" Yvgeny rushed to check on the tadpoles, who were peacefully swimming in their little pool.
He picked up one that was slightly larger than the others, "Oh, Katrina, Daddy is so sorry he left you alone" he said, hugging Katrina to his chest.
Katrina, for her part, blinked up at him and chirped, kicking her tiny legs.
"Awww, Katrina!" said Star, as Gar leaned down to put away the tadpoles, "Look how you've grown!" she crooned, and Gar blinked, standing up, "wait, you know these kids?"
"Star has watched them before" said Yvgeny, "it is long story"
"Well, I'd sure love to hear it" said Gar, "No offence, but how would you know the princess? And" She narrowed her eyes, pointing to Star "how would she know the name 'Buff Frog'?"
Star shrugged, "Well, I gave him corn, so he helped me fight your... uncle"
A brief, awkward pause.
"So, why were you giving him corn?" asked Gar.
"Uh, felt bad for him" said Star, "It was Mewnipendence Day, and, uhh... Some stuff had happened that kind of made me think"
"Ah" said Gar, "Good to know you can think"
Yvgeny gasped, "Gar Disastervayne! You apologize!"
Gar scoffed, rolling her eyes, "You're not my mom" she said, a little more anger than intended entering her voice.
"No, but I am a father" said Yvgeny, "And I will not allow you to be mean to Star in my household. She has been very good to me"
"My uncle was right" said Gar, "you really don't know anything"
"Heeey" said Star, sliding between them, "Nice talk, buuut I think we should change the subject"
Gar glared over her shoulder at Yvgeny.
Yvgeny glared back.
"Soooo, the first day of school was... fun" she tried, "Ha, didn't know lizards had their own language"
Gar's stomach lurched, a chill washing over her "what the FUCK, Star?" she demanded, as Yvgeny's hand flew to his mouth.
Star blanched, "What'd I say, what'd I say?"
"Star" said Yvgeny, slowly shaking his head, "I would not say that in front of Gar" he said.
"You can't- You can't call us that!" Gar said, still in a state of shock, "Everyone knows that, do you seriously not know that?"
"I DIDN'T, I PROMISE I DIDN'T" said Star, covering her face.
"Seriously?" Gar continued, "Do they teach you Butterfly kids anything?"
"Now, Gar, I'm sure she didn't know-" said Yvgeny.
"Of course she didn't" Gar flopped onto the couch with a squelch, heaving a sigh. "That's probably all they call us up at the castle"
"It is" Star muttered, looking a bit pale. "I didn't even hear the term 'septarian' until I saw your uncles' wanted posters"
Gar glared at her, "you didn't have to confirm it"
Yvgeny glanced between them. "You two should go home" he said, "I do not want you arguing in front of the babies." He hesitated a moment, then added, "Do not tell Toffee I am here."
Pointedly avoiding Star's gaze, Gar gathered her things and, meekly, they left, walking back to the Disastorvaine household in a tense silence.
Gar's mom was laying across the porch when they got home, half asleep.
As the two returned, one of her eyes creaked open, lazily, before she seemed to take in her daughter's state and snapped awake, getting to her feet.
"What's happened, honey?" she asked, walking down the steps.
Gar curled her tail around her leg, rubbing her shoulder. "Nothing" she snapped, glaring at Star "Someone just said something stupid. It won't happen again"
To her surprise, Star stepped forward. "That was me" she said, "I- I said the stupid thing. I promise I didn't know"
"She used the... 'L' word" said Gar.
"Oh. I see" Ma's eyes narrowed, "Star, come with me."
She led Star a few feet away, but Gar could still hear her.
"Listen, Star" she said, tone low and stern, "That word is not a kind word, it is not a neutral word, there is a history behind it, and it's a fucking dark history, understand?"
Star nodded, "I do"
"I don't think you do" said Gar's mom, "But, I know you didn't know. This time, you aren't in trouble, but if I ever hear that word pass your lips again, you'd better be talking about an animal, otherwise you'll be looking for a new place to stay"
Face beet red, Star nods meekly, "I understand, it won't happen again" she said.
"It better not" said Gar's mom, "Okay?"
"Okay" said Star.
When she dragged her feet back to Gar, looking dead miserable, Gar said, "Got a real earful there, huh?" she said.
Star nodded, "Yeah"
Gar shook her head "Good. Gods above you need it"
Toffee slipped through the dense underbrush, cursing to himself.
Rasticore had dropped them somewhere near the southern border, where there'd been reported sightings of the Butterfly couple.
Around a week earlier.
Toffee sat on a fallen log and sighed.
"This is pointless" he muttered into his knees.
Rasticore, standing next to him, shrugged, "Hey, you said it" he said, examining his claws idly.
Toffee whipped around to glare at him, "Well, if you think it's pointless, why did you come?" he asked.
Rasticore rolled his eyes, "Eh, I'm used to going on wild goose chases" he laughed, shaking his head, "If you only knew the stupid shit people hired me for..." he paused, raising his hands, "Not that this is stupid"
"No, no, you're right" said Toffee, "It is stu-"
Hearing a rustling, he paused, then gestured for Rasticore to get down.
"What is it?" Rasticore muttered, massive jaws barely moving.
"Mewmens" said Toffee, "I think they're hunters"
Slowly, the two crept up to the source of the sound.
Indeed, it was a Johansen patrol, Toffee recognized them immediately by their blond hair and striking blue eyes.
"Recognize any of them?" he breathed to Rasticore.
"I don't accept work from Johansens" Rasticore breathed back, "too much risk of becoming their prey"
"Good call" said Toffee, "they look young, I don't see a face here over thirty."
"Probably not a raiding party, then" said Rasticore. He moved to get up, "There's a patrol coming around soon, they can handle it- lets go, Odonte"
Toffee grabbed his shoulder. "Wait- somethings off"
"What-" Rasticore's brow's furrowed, "you sure, Odonte? Their not even carrying proper weapons"
"Well' Toffee stared at them harder. Rasticore was right; they were lightly armed and lightly armored, clearly more prepared for hunting animals than prey of a higher nature. Still, he couldn't shake that horrible feeling in his gut... "We should deal with them" he said.
Rasticore laughed, uncomfortably, "Heh, uh, you sure? There's a lot of them there. We're only two people, Mortodonte"
Unconsciously, Toffee bared his teeth, "Raiding party or not, nothing good comes from a Johansen on New Septarian land"
"Well, look..." said Rasticore, "I have a good idea of where the patrol will come through. We can meet up with them and tell 'em to keep an eye out"
Toffee stared at the hunting party a moment more, but... Rasticore was right.
They had no chance against these people.
He sighed.
"Alright, Rasticore. Let's go"
The two turned and, silent as a cat, crept away from the Johansens, Rasticore leading the way.
Despite it all, it was still a beautiful day, Toffee thought to himself, once he judged them far enough away from the hunting party that they no longer needed to worry.
The breeze rustled gently in the leaves above, and the sun was warm against his scales. Rasticore, his Rasticore, walked beside him, the dance of light and shadow on his scales captivating.
"Rast?" he said quietly.
"Yeah?" said Rasticore, pausing in the forest path.
Toffee stopped too, looking lovingly up at the taller septarian.
"Even if we accomplish nothing, today won't have been a complete waste" he leaned forward, jaws parted, and nuzzled his face against Rasticore's, "I'll at least have gotten to spend it with you"
Rasticore stood there a moment, flustered, then laughed, rubbing the back of his neck, "Yeah, if I have to go on a ghost chase, I'd rather go with you than some paranoid noble"
They stood there a moment, basking in each other's presence. Toffee let himself relax, taking in the gentle rustling of the leaves, the sound of running water from a nearby river.
It was a beatiful day, but something nibbled at the back of his mind, some distant sense of wrongness about it all.
At the sound of a twig snapping under foot, it occurred to him that he hadn't heard any birds.
Toffee and Rasticore turned in tandem to look ahead.
Coming right at them was the same hunting party they'd spotted earlier, half the size and travelling with shocking stealth.
They were practically right on top of them.
Toffee turned- and there was the rest of them, coming up from behind.
He could still flee, but Rasticore was weighed down by the heavy metal of his prosthetic and the dimensional chainsaw- pieces of delicate technology that could not easily be replaced.
He turned to Rasticore, and they both nodded curtly.
"Well, well well" said Rasticore, grinning like a shark to hide his fear, "looks like someone took a wrong turn"
The Johansens stopped, fanning out to block the path. A few older looking individuals whispered amongst themselves, than a young man stepped forward.
"Stand down, lizard, we're only trying to hunt on our own land"
Toffee narrowed his eyes. "Odd" he said, "because you are standing in New Septarsis"
"Yeah" cut in Rasticore, raising his chainsaw, "And if you want to keep being able to stand, I'd suggest you scram!"
Toffee raised a hand, keeping his voice calm despite his pounding heart "Now, now, I'm sure you gentlemen had no intention of trespassing, so if you'll just turn around-"
He didn't get to finish.
There was a burst of burning pain in his thigh, and the thwap of a crossbow bolt piercing scales, and Toffee fell to his knees with a shout.
He caught a glimps of movement in the trees, the glint of sunlight reflecting off cold metal, and amoment later, Rasticore fell next to him, chainsaw dropping from his hands as he howled in agony.
Toffee rolled over when he heard it, reaching for his terrified husband, but before he could help he felt the weight of a mewmen's knee on his back, and a shot of pure, panic-fueled adrenaline burst through him, dulling the pain as it pushed him to lash out blindly.
Toffee was wounded, but his opponents were inexperienced- a sweep of his tail knocked over one, and snapping jaws met the flesh of another, sheering clean through to the bone with a powerful chomp.
With his body clear for the moment, Toffee got to his feet, calling for Rasticore- but a net came down upon him before he could get any further, and the Johansen hunting party pulled him to the ground.
Toffee cast around him with wild eyes. Through his panic, he noticed the party seemed to have doubled, and now counted among it's members a handful of older Johansens, mostly men. They sported crossbows and metal swords- weapons of war.
With a jolt, he realized exactly what had felt so wrong- the hunting party had been a distraction.
Uncomfortably warm mewmen hands wrapped around him, and the terror made him freeze as he was hoisted upon their shoulders, a pained whine leaving his lips as the arrow's shaft was driven deeper into his leg.
Fearful eyes met Rasticore's, and for a few terrible moments, he was faced with the prospect of losing it all here and now.
His mind burned blue, flashing between fury and horror and doubt— the disgusting smugness of his captors below, the few snippets of their conversation however gruesome he tried to force himself to focus on despite his pulse hammering in both ears; agony over Ven, over Gar, over Entropasaurousand Apocalypse and the rest of the family that had accepted him as their own, their lives would be upended and the little peace they'd been able to wrestle away for themselves destroyed by this. "it's not your fault," he grit out, netting mashed against his cheek, tears collecting hot and runny in his eyes when Rasticore whispered it back.
Their little family with two parents and two major providers gone, how he'd loved cooking in that house again, loved closing his eyes with his body submerged in the deep silken mud tucked underneath his Rasticore, loved seeing his Ven growing up, Gar combing the burrs out of her hair while she complained so swiftly her knuckles began to click and he had to step in and take over, teaching her as Seth had taught him how to slide the seeds down each strand in a way that didn't hurt, hell even watching Star chomp into her first properly seasoned crawfish— Star. Star. No, she was a terrible liar. One of the worst he'd ever seen, honestly. If Star had been involved in this, god, she would have probably thought she was trying to help. Stupid. Of course if she were involved it would be a play on her ignorance. Of course anything remotely good involving a Butterfly would have run its course sooner or later, and even his inability to hate the kid, even finding himself at a place where he could sincerely doubt she had done anything to cause this at all— stupid.
"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid," he repeated, unaware he had started speaking out loud, tears running down his snout..
"Aww, it's cryi-" the man's voice tore into a strangling gurgle, and a telltale thud: Toffee's eyes snapped open as there was a second rain of crossbow bolts, and his captors began to fall around him. Rasticore fell to the ground with a hearty oof, and Toffee followed soon after.
A frogman soldier dragged him to the side, cutting through the rope restraining him, and immediately Toffee joined the fight, turning three hundred years of battle experience onto his captors.
Faster than it had started, it was over.
The Johansen hunting party had been fearsome against two septarians, but against a heavily armed patrol? They hardly stood a chance.
Toffee just stood there at first, catching his breath. Rasticore came up next to him.
He was carrying his chainsaw, looking it over with heartbreak in his eyes.
A nasty crack ran down its side, leaking fuel, and the blade had been snapped in half.
Toffee reached a hand towards Rasticore, "Rast-" he started.
"Don't." said Rasticore. "Just-" he choked up and began to weep.
They collected the dead and captured the survivors, bringing both to the nearest base.
With the prisoners secured, the soldiers convened.
Toffee situated himself across from the patrol leader, rubbing his finger. It had started to ache that morning.
"So" he started.
"... An ambush" signed Lerna, a common slime from the Avarius puppet kingdom, based on their accent. They turned, tentacles drifting to face the cell where they'd placed the survivors "That much is clear."
"Yes" said Toffee. He thought back to that horrible moment when the elder Johansens had revealed themselves, silent as ghosts as they'd slipped from the underbrush and fired.
The wound in his hip was already gone, Toffee having decided he didn't want to deal with it the next few weeks, but he couldn't flash heal the lingering paranoia.
"I haven't set foot in New Septarsis for a while, I admit" said Toffee, "But I gather that this was not a normal attack"
"Very abnormal" Lerna agreed, "because the Johansens haven't set foot in New Septarsis much either, not since Marshbottom, at least"
Marshbottom. The name gave him chills- it'd been a small village near the border. Quiet. Peaceful. Defenseless.
Now, it was a pile of ash and scorched bones and a fading news story, slowly being reclaimed by the swamp.
It seemed to have a similar effect on the rest of the room, too, a blanket of silence settling over the gathered soldiers.
"So... They had withdrawn" said Toffee, the gears turning.
"Probably waiting for the heat to die down" said Lerna, "even mewmens were mad about- What happened"
"And now that magic's gone, their back..." Toffee muttered, more to himself than to Lerna. His eyes widened. "I know where the Butterflies are"