Mama Odie resided in a boat. But not just any boat. It was on top of a tree, so one had to climb in order to get up. She had to carry the frogs up while Louis struggled, Ray casually flying after them.

"We're so glad we found you, Mama Odie," Tyler said once she placed them down. They jumped on top of an arm of one of the chairs. "Ray and Louis here have been tellin' us all about you. We traveled quite a long way. And you can't imagine what we've been through. And we -"

"JUJU!"

A snake popped up near Mama Odie. Chuckling, she grabbed him. "Come 'ere, you bad boy. Give us a little sugar, now." She kissed him, making everyone else gag, Louis the most dramatic of them all. "Y'all just love your mama, don't you?" Done with cuddling her snake, she turned to speak to Ray. "Good to see you again, Ray. How's your grandmama?"

"She's fine. Go' in a lil trouble fo' flashin' the neighbors again."

"Ooh, I like that gal's spunk!" She sat in her chair.

"Mama Odie, we don't wanna take up too much of your time -"

"Y'all want some candy?" She shoved a bowl of old, hard candy towards them. [SHE'S SUCH AN OLD LADY I LOVE HER ❤️]

"Not really."

"No, thank you."

"I just ate."

She fingered it. "Now, that's too bad. It's a special candy. Woulda turned y'all human." She tossed it into her mouth, crunching it loudly.

Their tune changed quickly.

"Wait! Don't! Please don't take it!"

"No! Please!"

"It's fine! I can just throw up whatever I ate!"

She let out a good-natured, old lady cackle. "I'm just messin' with y'all."

Tyler began, "How on Earth did you know that we wanted to turn back -", but was interrupted by Mama Odie passing out and snoring loudly.

Leaning towards her, Naveen tried to wake her. "Mama Odie?"

"JUJU!" She was up, startling the frogs. "Why didn't you tell me my gumbo was burnin'?!" [Like I said. Such💅An old💅Lady💅]

"Good lord, what's wrong with her?" Y/n asked to nobody in particular.

"Can't believe this. Gotta do everythin' 'round here." She stirred the gumbo in the pot.

"Mama Odie, if you -"

"Taste this!" She shoved the spoon into Tyler's mouth. "Well?"

He swallowed, then said honestly, "Hit it hard with a couple of shots of Tabasco, and it's the bees' knees. Now, can we -"

"JUJU!"

"Somebody help that poor snake..."

Up came Juju with the bottle of Tabasco. He shook it over a few times, then disappeared again. Mama Odie took a sip of it again and chuckled. "Whoo! That's got some za-ng to it! That's just what it needed. Now." She turned her full attention back to the frogs, earrings wobbling. "Y'all figure out what you need?"

Glancing at each other, Tyler spoke up. "It's just like you said, Mama Odie. We need to be human."

She, surprisingly, scoffed. "Y'all ain't got the sense you was born with." She wagged her finger at them. "Y'all want to be human. But you're blind to what you need."

"Is that a blind joke?" Y/n asked, t then shook her head. "Sorry, but...what's the difference?"

"What's the difference?! Well, let me tell y'all."

The music started up and she began dancing. "You listen to your mama, now!"

Mama Odie:
Don't matter whatcha look like
Don't matter watcha wear

She took Juju and did that weird butt-towel-floss thing with him.

Mama Odie:
How many ra-ngs ya got in your fa-nger
We don't care!

She fished her hand at them, showing a single teal ring.

Choir:
[No, we don't care!]

Mama Odie:
Don't matter where ya come from
Don't even matter watcha are
A dog, a pig, a cow, a goat

She changed Juju into each animal. On the goat one, he let out a confused snake hiss, then was allowed to be a snake again.

Mama Odie:
Had em all in here!

Choir:
[We had em all in here!]

Mama Odie:
And they knew what they wanted
What they wanted me to do
I told them what they needed
Just like I be tellin' you

Random flamingos started dancing, along with Mama Odie, who was front and center.

Mama Odie:
You gotta dig a little deeper
Find out who you are
You gotta dig a little deeper
It really ain't that far

She showed them a big pearl to use as a mirror. Y/n looked in it, eyes wide, Tyler and Naveen looking at her, one blushing, one just smiling.

Mama Odie:
When you find out who you are,
You find out whatcha need

When she turned back, they quickly turned away.

Mama Odie:
Blue skies and sunshine guaranteed

She used one of the flamingos as a shovel.

Mama Odie:
You gotta dig

Choir:
[Dig!]

On a fake podium, she started preaching.

Mama Odie:
Prince Froggy is a rich lil boy
You wanna be rich again?

Naveen nodded with a big smile.

Mama Odie:
That ain't gonna make you happy now
Did it make you happy then?

He shrugged, annoying her. She got right in his face. "No!"

Getting back up, she threw down a bunch of gold coins until he was practically drowning in it.

Mama Odie:
Money ain't got no soul
Money ain't got no heart

She picked him up so that he could breath again.

Mama Odie:
All you need is some self-control
Make yourself a brand-new start

You gotta dig a little deeper
Don't have far to go
You gotta dig a little deeper
Tell the people Mama told ya so!

On a small barrel, Tyler and Y/n were dancing, both fluid in movements. Naveen focused in on his little sister and smiled at her.

Mama Odie:
Can't tell ya what you'll find
Maybe love will grant you peace of mind
Dig a little deeper and you'll know

She bent next to Tyler, hands on her hips. "Mr. Froggy?"

He stopped suddenly and looked up at her. "Ma'am?"

"Might I have a word?"

"Yes, ma'am."

She picked him up and brought him to the gumbo pot. "You's a hard one, that's what I heard."

In the pot, she conjoined up a memory of Tyler as a little boy, James holding him with his other arm around Eudora, all laughing and hugging.

Mama Odie:
Yo' daddy was a lovin' man
Family through and through

He put his hand on his chest and smiled upon seeing his late father.

Mama Odie:
You your daddy's little boy
What he had in him, you got in you

Onto her shoulder he and Y/n went as she danced her way through the room.

Mama Odie:
You gotta dig a little deeper
For you, it's gonna be tough
You gotta dig a little deeper
You ain't dug far enough

Dig down deep inside yourself
You'll find out what you need
Blue skies and sunshine guaranteed

She went onto her top floor and danced around inside her room, yelling at her animals. "Open up the windows!" Hands flying left and right, "Let in the light, children!"

Choir:
Blue skies and sunshine...
Blue skies and sunshine...

Y/n hopped on top of Mama Odie's head.

Y/n:
Blue skies and sunshine

She went as high as her range would let her, Tyler and Naveen still grinning at her, Mama Odie's arms wiggling wildly.

Mama Odie:
Guaranteed

Choir:
[Ahhh...]

"Well, Mr. Froggy?" Mama Odie asked, turning to look at him. "Do you understand what you need now, child?"

"Yes, I do, Mama Odie! I need to dig a little deeper and work even harder to get my restaurant!"

Facepalming, she moaned, "No, no, no...", making Y/n topple off.

"Ow."

Ray, meanwhile, was having the time of his life. "Alright, y'all. One mo' time. It don' matter whatcha look like... "

The flamingos began to walk away.

"It don'... Nobody go'a sing wi' Raaay... Okay."

"Well." Mama Odie went back over to her pot as Y/n jumped back up onto her should with Naveen. "If y'all are set on bein' human, there's only one way." She leaned over and stirred it. "Gumbo, gumbo in the pot...we need some royalty...WATCHA GOT?"

It swirled around before showing Charlie in bed, asleep.

"Charlie?" Tyler asked in confusion. "But he's not a prince."

"Hush up and look at the gumbo."

Eli opened the door, waking his son, dressed in robes. He leaned over and put a crown on the blond's head, making him squeal with excitement.

"That's right...Big Daddy's King of the Mardi Gras. So that makes Charlie..."

He reached up and hugged his father.

"A prince."

"Does that count?" Y/n asked.

"Yes, it does. But only 'till midnight when Mardi Gras is over. Miss Froggy, you only got 'till then to get that prince to kiss you. Once he does...boom! Y'all turn human!"

She showed an image of the two kissing and the three becoming human again, Y/n with Charlie while one of the figures looked dejectedly at the two as they hugged.

"Midnight? That doesn't give us much time at all!" Tyler hopped off of her shoulder.

"What about me, Big Mama?" Louis asked excitedly. "I want to be human, too, so I can play jazz with the big boys. I want fingers and toes and a bellybutton. Not the kind that sticks out, but the kind that goes in."

"Jabber Jaws, you dig a little deeper, you'll find everythin' you need," Mama Odie said, then pushed him out towards the door. "Come on, come on, come on. There's a lot of river between here and New Orleans. Y'all best get to swimmin'."

When he got up the door, he put out his hands, stopping himself from going through. "Wait!" He turned back to the old woman with a grin. "I got a better idea."

-

Louis hopped onto one of the boats, everyone else just underneath it, holding their breaths in anticipation. A group of men came walking down, talking over each other. Louis only saw their shadows and the shadows of whatever they were holding.

"THEY GOT GUNS!" He stiffened up, trying to make himself invisible by hiding behind his tail.

The group passed by, dressed up as different bayou animals. They stopped for a minute to consider Louis.

"Man, that is one killer costume!" one complimented loudly, then requested, "Hey, gator, can you blow that horn?"

Barely moving, he brought it to his mouth and blew a short tune.

They all cheered out their compliments.

"Come on. Sit with us. We're playin' at the Mardi Gras." They guided him away and to their reserved location on the boat before Tyler, Y/n, Naveen, and Ray came into sight.

"We can't miss dis!" Ray decided, flying all over. "Lil Louis goin' to fin'lly play wi' de big boys!" He flew towards them to watch them practice, Naveen hopping along excitedly. Tyler between to go along, but stopped when she Y/n was still behind.

"Y/n? You comin'?" he asked with a sweet smile.

Her head snapped up and she nodded. "Oh. I'll catch up with you later."

Shrugging, he followed his friends, leaving her to sigh by herself.

-

Nighttime had fallen. Y/n sat by herself, still conflicted. She was to marry Charles as soon as they were human, settle down, and have a family with him. After all that was what she wanted, right?

Right?

"Oh, Evangeline..." she heard herself saying, head in her hands. "Why can't I just look Tyler in the eye and say..." She looked up at the star now directly. " 'I will do whatever it takes to make all your dreams come true, because...because I love you.' "

Little did she know that Ray was watching her, getting the wrong idea, as he had only come partway through her speech. His eyes narrowed and light turned red as he reeled back. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, girl! You makin' goo-goo eyes at my girl?" He flew at her at a pace that only love could send you flying. "Da's it! Put 'em up! I ain't afraid to fight no girl!"

All he was doing was biting onto her finger.

"No, Ray!" she said quickly, trying to calm him down from the misunderstanding. "I'm not in love with Evangeline! I'm in love with Tyler!"

He stopped, light yellow once again, then began to fanboy. "Ooh! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! You come 'ere, you!"

"I...I can't marry Charles anymore," she decided. "I just can't, Ray, I don't even know who he is!"

"You're goin' to be happy together!"

"I mean, I know who he is, but it's not like we've ever met before, so..."

"You're goin' to have de cutest lil tadpoles!"

"Oh! And I could get a job! I mean, it's not too easy to find work as a woman, but I'll use my influence, if I have to. That should be enough to get them to pay me fairly...maybe more than fairly."

"I can't wait to tell cher!"

"No!" she said quickly, then recomposed herself. "I have to do it, Ray. Alone. I have to take responsibility for my love."

-

"Where are you takin' me?"

"Just keep your eyes closed, Tyler."

His eyes were blindfolded, Y/n guiding him along.

"It's just a little thank you for putting up with all of us."

Once they got there, she took the blindfold off, letting Tyler see a big covered dish set in the middle of a round table.

"Oh!" His hand went to his chest, eyes full of emotion. "All my years, no one's ever done anythin' like this for me..." The moment was cut short when he went into a fit of giggling, seeing a huge butterfly on the side of Y/n's head.

"It's too much, isn't it?" She cleared her throat, signaling for him to leave. "Thank you, Beaux."

He flapped his wings, flying off. "I thought it was a nice touch."

Once he was gone, she awkwardly giggled. "Pretend you didn't see that. Um, please." She held out a chair for him, letting him sit, then went to the other end of the table. Reaching over, she uncovered the dish, revealing lettuce and some mushrooms. "Ta-da! I had Naveen do this for us."

"He minced!" Tyler exclaimed I'm disbelief.

"He did! You've had quite an influence on him...moreso than I've had, that's for sure." She tried not to blush prematurely.

He smiled over at her, resting his head in his hand.

"Which is amazing, because we've had...so many years together..." She shook her head, smiling again. "And none of the women that he's dated have ever come close and...I'm rambling, aren't I?"

He giggled, then motioned for her to continue to say wherever it was that was really on her mind.

"And anyway, listen. You could not be more different than all of the other men who have hit on me before..."

His smile was gone, replaced with an annoyed look.

"N - not that you were trying to hit on me. I'm just saying that you're as easy to talk to as one of my girlfriends back in Maldonia..." Her eyes widened, realizing he might take offense to that. "No, no, no! You are not a girl!" Her face was as heated as the gumbo back at Mama Odie's. "Let me begin again. I'm not myself tonight." She tried again. "Tyler! Sorry, that was loud." She leaned on the table, which proceeded to flip over, dumping food on her as she fell to the ground, making her force out an awkward chuckle. "This is a disaster..."

Tyler bent next to her, taking a piece of lettuce off of her. "No," he reassured. "It's cute."

That brought back some of her good spirits. Laughing a little, she tried again. "Tyler, I..."

He cut her off, eyes lighting up. "There it is!" He jumped onto the railing.

Her e/c eyes flew to his direction. "Your reasturant?" she asked, joining him. I'm the distance was the old sugar mill, still as barren as ever.

"Can't you just picture it? All lit up the the Fourth of July!"

"What's the Fourth of July? Nevermind," she said quickly, shaking her head. "I'm uncultured. But music pouring out of every window...your town seems to be fond of jazz. I can practically hear it coming out."

He smiled at her, appreciative that she was so supportive of his dream. "It should be elegant," he decided.

"But not too stuffy. You know, like..." She looked down her nares at him and said in a posh, old lady British accent, "This soup is far beneath room temperature. The menu clearly states it should be at sentry degrees. It's at sixty nine."

He laughed at her until he doubled in half. "I don't think I've ever seen anyone do such a good rendition," he confessed, then looked at her with sparkling eyes. "How is it you always manage to make me laugh?"

She looked back for a few seconds, then looked away. Shyly, twiddling her thumbs, she said, "Hey, um...you got room for a performer?"

His eyebrows raised. "Performer? What do you mean?"

"Well..." She huffed, saying definitely, "I want to be known for something other than Princess of Maldonia. If I work at it here, I could be a really good singer."

Eyebrows raised even further. She thought he would call her stupid, being surprised when he said, "Respect. I'll talk to the owner." He looked the other way for a minute, then turned back with a grin. "Owner says yes. He also respects your willingness to put all your work into it."

She smiled up at him, working up the nerve to confess. He sighed, looking back out at the sugar mill. "Folks are goin' to be comin' together from all walks of life just to get a taste of our food."

Y/n blinked, unbelieving. "Our food?" The nerve was there. He had practically done it for her. All she had to do now was tell him how much she loved him.

Tyler looked back at her, then looked apologetic, as if he had said something wrong. "Huh? Oh, no, my daddy."

Well, crud. Bye-bye, nerve.

"He wanted to open this reasturant." He looked back at it sadly. "He died before he could see it happen..."

"Oh...I'm...sorry."

Perking up again, he looked at her cheerfully. "But tomorrow, with your and Naveen's help, our dream is finally comin' true."

"Tomorrow?" She was surprised that it was to be so soon.

He nodded solemnly. "If I don't deliver that money first thing tomorrow, I lose this place forever..."

That complicated things. A lot. Naveen was to inherit all of Charlie's fortune, hers included. She would be left with nothing. Up until then, she could have cared less, because she was to get her parents' fortune once they passed and she became queen. That was the deal. And she could not ask for it back, since a promise was a promise. And then Naveen would be the one left with nothing with no safety net.

Her brother...or a chance at true love?

"Tyler..." she began, sighing. "I love..."

He gave her his full attention, his brown eyes bigger than usual.

'I can't go through with this...'

"...the way you light up when you talk about your dream. It's a dream so wonderful, I..." She took his hands, face serious. "I promise I will do whatever it takes to make it come true."

"Port of New Orleans!" the captain hollered. "All ashore!"

Smiling at him, the princess said, "That's us. I'll go round up the boys."

Unable to handle being near him for much longer, she got up and hopped away. Tyler reached out for her, then covered his face with his hands. Sighing, he looked up at Evangeline. "Evangeline...I've always been so sure about what I wanted, but now..." He looked directly at her, pleading. "What do I do? Please tell me..."

-

"Princess Y/n, darlin'," Charlie called, dressed in a Southern wedding suit. "You better hurry up. Don't wanna be late for our Mardi Gras weddin'." His face was twisted into a forced smile.

Laura was still in her normal form, frantically trying to think up a plan. "Um...getting dressed. Just a few more minutes, my dearest heart."

"Okay, honey lamb. We'll be waitin' in the Packard." He turned his head back and screamed, "DADDY, START THE CAR!"

As he left, Laura continued to panic. The blood was completely drained now with not a drop left. Hands on her head, "Oh, my heavens, I'm doomed! Ow!"

Dr. Facilier had hit him from behind, coming with rage. "No, Lauri! I'm the one who's doomed. Unless we can get that frog's blood in..."

Before he could finish, his shadows came back with Y/n and Naveen, shrieking with a terrific scream.

The witch doctor beheld the two and cackled. "We are back in business, boys!"

Laura picked up Y/n, chuckling darkly.

"Laura! What are you doing? Laura!" She struggled to free herself as a flicker of regret crossed Laura's face, but she only brought her closer to the needle.

"Now, hold still. Your Eminence."