Meanwhile,
the Court Jester unexplainably goes into the stable and scares the
animals, causing them to run amok and cause a few brief moments of
chaos as Teddy, Grubby Aruzia and Arin try to round them up.
While
all hell is breaking loose in the courtyard, Gimmick and Eunice are
talking about old times. It's apparently been years and years since
they had last seen each other (at what sounds like a University) Eunice
marvels at how their dreams have come true- she is a doctor and
Gimmick, a , eh, brilliant inventor. Gimmick says he felt the earth
move when he met her... and remarks that he's feeling it move again
just as Teddy and Aruzia and two runaway mules run through
Eunice's lab.
Eventually
the foursome get all the animals back into the barn, Grubby is quite
upset about the Jester's scaring the animals. Arin says he will speak
to him about it.
After
the chaos has quieted down, the foursome overhear some upset Illipers a
ways off. The Gutangs have landed and are trying to steal a farmer's
food. He begs them to stop and says it's the only food he's got to feed
his family. The foursome storm the scene on some mules and the Gutangs
retreat.
Arin and Aruzia discuss the recent surge in attacks by the Gutangs.
Arin believes there is a spy in their midst, as every time they attack
the Gutangs seem to know exactly where the soldiers are and avoid them.
The banquet begins, and the Trio are given a warm round of applause for
their heroic actions in saving the Prince and Princess. Grubby asks if
he can have seconds before he's had his firsts, as the servings are
rather paltry. Teddy reminds Grubby of the shortage of food. Grubby
decides a batch of Root Stew is in order and gives the roots and the
recipe to the royal cooks.
The
Queen is quite interested in what this "Root Stew" is... and Grubby
says it's actually the "Root" of his friendship with Teddy. The Queen
asks Teddy how they met and he says it happened long ago in their
homeland of Rillonia. The King requests that Teddy tell them the story.
Back when Teddy was younger, he
lived in a little house in Rillonia. He and his mother were attempting
to grow potatoes. The day after they planted the potatoes, they were
dug up in the middle of the night. Grubby interjects, requesting to
tell "his side" of the story. He says sometimes Octopedes are
Nocturnal, and that he was only looking for more "roots".
The
second night Illana, Teddy's mother, set a trap and Grubby was caught.
After some brief confusion about what exactly he was- (Teddy wondered
if he might be a Potato Bug) all became friendly and they invited him
in for breakfast. Grubby then helped Teddy replant the potatoes.
Outside, the Court Jester is finally revealed (to the audience) as the
spy (although this was definitely hinted to earlier) when he goes to
the top of the castle and signals the Gutangs for an attack.
Back inside, the cooks bring Grubby his root stew. When he sees Grubby
consume it, one cook remarks that he thought they were making some kind
of glue, not food. The King, who politely declined Grubby's request to
try some stew, instead calls for a toast. Moments before he is to
drink. the jester sneakily spikes the goblet with an unknown substance,
and the King falls instantly gravely ill when he drinks, right as the
gutangs attack.
