Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Okay Marco, you've nailed riding on flat ground and the flow at the skatepark. Now it's time for the vert ramp." Jackie's face glowed with excitement as she gestured to the halfpipe that spread out before the trio of teens. "Now remember, it's very important when you drop in, you have to commit. Stomp your foot down and lean into it. You're going to be going pretty fast, but it's nothing you haven't done before… just more vertical, that's all."

Marco wiped his face, nodding nervously at her as he tightened the straps on his helmet. "Okay Jackie, I think I got it."

"Hey Marco, did you have an emergency room preference, or should I just go with what's closest?" asked Janna, smirking at the nervous teen.

"Janna!" Jackie shot her an annoyed look before turning back to a noticeably more nervous Marco.

"Don't listen to her Marco, you'll be fine. And if you have to bail, no biggie. You're wearing knee pads, elbow pads, and a helmet," said Jackie, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

Swallowing hard, he set the tail of his board on the coping of the ramp before stepping out onto it. He knew the drop was only ten feet, but from his precarious position on a thin strip of plywood with some wheels bolted onto it felt like a hundred. Scolding himself for the tenth time as to why he had ever agreed to let Jackie teach him how to skateboard, he could only blame himself for listening to her. "Come on Marco it'll be fun! Plus, this is California! Girls here love a guy who can shred on a board!" The memory of that conversation made him almost as queasy as the yawning abyss below his feet.

Blowing out a long breath, he stomped his lead foot down on the board and felt it tip into the void. His stomach went weightless as he leaned forward just like Jackie had instructed him. Hearing Jackie cheering wildly behind him, he grinned as gravity accelerated him like arocket down the vertical wall of the ramp.

"I did it!" he shouted, throwing his arms up in the air as the drop flattened out. Feeling himself shoot across the short space between the curved floor of the ramp he panicked as his momentum carried him vertically up the opposite side. Leaning back he felt himself falling as the board shot out from under him, rocketing high into the afternoon sky.

"Godspeed little guy." Janna saluted the errant skateboard, now tracking a ballistic trajectory through the sky as it arced over the fence of the skatepark to smash into the windshield of a parked car. "And that sound Jackie, is our cue to leave."

"See you tomorrow at school Marco!" Jackie called over her shoulder as the two girls hustled away from the scene of the accident.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking," he groaned to himself, slowly rolling over onto his stomach before pushing his aching body up to stand.

"Hey Kid!" an angry voice shouted.

"What now…" Looking up, Marco paled as a large angry man slammed open the gate to the skatepark before stalking up to him.

"You smashed my windshield you little punk. I should smash your goddamn teeth out," the man snarled, grabbing a fistful of Marco's red hoodie while cocking back a calloused fist.

"Whoa, whoa, no need to get violent here, man. Let me pay for the damage to your windshield. It was an accident and I apologize." Marco reached into his pocket to pull out a wad of cash, only for the man to bat it out of his hand.

"How about this you little shit? How about I beat your ass raw, and then take the money." The furious man pulled his fist back once more before throwing a powerful haymaker at him.

Years of martial arts training had honed Marco's reflexes and at the sight of the man's fist swinging forward, he sprang into action instantly. Grabbing the man's wrist, he pinned it to his chest and rotated, dragging him off balance. Blocking the awkward punch the man threw with a raised forearm, he lashed out with two quick strikes to the man's nose, dropping him to his knees instantly.

"Fuck, you broke my nose man!" he said through clenched fingers dripping with blood.

"Sorry dude. I didn't want to have to hurt you, but you attacked me. Now keep the money for the windshield and make sure to keep pressure on that nose, the bleeding will stop in a bit."

Quickly stepping away from the injured man, Marco slipped out of the skatepark and hurried down the street. Even if breaking that guy's nose was self-defense, it was probably better to be somewhere else right now. He hurried along, head down, for several blocks before the sound of screams and crashing made him stop and look up in a panic.

"Is that a horse?" a man next to him on the sidewalk asked, pointing down the street.

Turning to look, Marco was startled to see what he could only describe as an enormous candy pink unicorn charging down the sidewalk walk at him. Astride the giant animal was a girl about his age, dressed in an elegant powder blue ball gown. She had long blonde hair that fanned out behind her as she rode and as he looked closer, still too dumbstruck at the sight to move, he noticed she seemed to be wearing a small golden tiara and was waving some kind of glowing stick above her head as she cheered and yelled, urging the beast to go faster.

"Yeeee Haw! Gang way people!" she yelled.

Pedestrians were screaming and diving out of the way of the charging animal. Marco could only watch in horror as the unicorn almost ran down a mother pushing a stroller. However, at the last second the girl nudged the reins she held, and it slid to the left, knocking a car onto its side before bouncing back into the line of the sidewalk.

Seeing the unicorn and rider a moment away from hitting him, he pushed the man at his side into an open door and crouched down just as the giant animal leapt over his low form. "That thing must have jumped twenty feet" he thought, as it gracefully landed and continued its rampaging charge. Just as it turned the corner of the sidewalk, he noticed the blonde rider had turned her head and was staring at him. Even at this distance, her piercing blue eyes seemed to pin him in place as a small smile played on her lips.

"What the heck was that?" he said, shaking his head in disbelief.

Dusting himself off and racing around the corner, he only caught a flash of pink as the unicorn turned up an alley and disappeared entirely. Shaking his head, he turned the opposite direction and began the walk home. An assault and nearly being run down by a mythical creature were more than enough fun for him for one day. It was time to get home, slide into his favorite pair of ballerina slippers and call it a weekend.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

Not even two blocks later, Marco found himself standing in the middle of the sidewalk, staring at the second most peculiar sight that day. A man, not much older than himself, maybe 19 or 20 by the looks of him, was standing in the middle of the sidewalk stopping passersby and asking them questions. Normally in Echo Creek this wasn't altogether unusual, however, this time the man's appearance was, to put it plainly, startling.

He was slightly taller than Marco and wore a dark blue velvet doublet studded with small gemstones and embroidered with silver thread. He seemed to have matching pants that tucked neatly into polished black leather boots. At his hip hung a longsword in a silver scabbard, and across his chest lay an elegantly worked silver chain containing several cut and polished sapphires. His hair was a pale blue, cut short and neatly styled, but it was his eyes that caught Marco's attention more than anything. They were the same piercing blue as that girl on that crazy pink unicorn, and that couldn't just be a coincidence. The man, noticing Marco's unblinking stare, quickly waved away a girl who was trying to catch his eye before hurrying over.

"Excuse me young man, could I have a moment of your time to answer some questions?" he asked.

Noticing the man's rather posh accent, Marco could only assume he was foreign as he nodded dumbly, still too shocked at the day's events to respond verbally.

"Excellent. Everyone here seems so friendly and they have been very helpful indeed. Am I to understand this is the village of Echo Creek? In the Earth Dimension?"

"Earth Dimension? You mean planet Earth? And yes this is Echo Creek. The City. I don't think villages have populations of over 50,000 people." Marco was feeling incredibly confused at the stranger's questions. A foreigner not knowing what the name of the town he was in was one thing, but to not know what planet he was on was another matter entirely. Tilting his head he asked the only question that sprung to mind, "Where… Are you from… Exactly?"

"Oh yes, how terribly rude of me, I didn't even introduce myself. My name is Viscount Reynard Butterfly, and I am from a place called Mewni."

"Well, my name is Marco Diaz and I'm from here. Also, Mewni? I've never heard of it. Is it in Europe?"

"I don't know what a 'Europe' is."

"It's a continent on Earth…" Marco was eyeing the man now, feeling a suspicious tingle running up his spine.

"Oh yeah, Europe. Of course. Yes Marco, Mewni is in Europe." Reynard gave an awkward chuckle and looked away, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Riiiigghhhtt," Marco said, narrowing his eyes at him. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about a crazy blonde girl riding a pink unicorn around town, would you? Normally, I wouldn't ask, but the two of you have the same eyes and she was dressed in an outfit that looked like something out of a renaissance fair, just like you. I don't think that's a coincidence."

"What have you done now Star…" Marco distinctly heard the older man mutter into his hand as he dragged his palm down his face in frustration. "Marco could I impose upon your generosity just a little while longer?"

"You want me to help you find this girl?"

"Yes… I, umm... do not know my way around this area well and perhaps with your help we could locate the prince-, err Star, much faster than if I set out on my own."

"Sure Reynard, I'll help you. That girl looked like she was causing some serious trouble and I think it's better that we find her before the police do."

Together the two set off down the sidewalk at a brisk walk, keeping an eye out for any sign of the rampaging girl. After a minute of walking in silence, however, Marco felt his curiosity beginning get the better of him. "Sooo, Reynard, tell me a bit about Mewni? Why do you guys dress like it's the 17th century and who is that crazy girl that almost killed me earlier on a mythical creature that shouldn't exist on Earth?"

Reynard was silent for a moment as if deciding whether to answer the teen's questions. However, he seemed to come to the conclusion that Marco was worth a modicum of trust as he began to answer him as they walked. "Well to answer your last question first, that girl is named Star Butterfly and she is my cousin, as well as the heir to the throne of Mewni. She is also in very big trouble as I explicitly forbade her from following me here. But as usual she did whatever she wanted, regardless of my efforts to keep her safe. I mean for corn's sake, if Toffee had found out she was here unprotected he wouldn't hesitate to…" Reynard trailed off looking nervous at the look Marco was giving him. "I apologize for rambling Mr. Diaz; this is really rather personal, and I believe I may have said too much."

"It's fine Reynard, and call me Marco, I'm not old enough to be 'Mr. Diaz' yet. So you're related to royalty? That's cool, there aren't a whole lot of monarchies left on Earth."

"Uh, yes... On Earth. So to answer your earlier questions, Mewni is my homeland. It has been ruled by the Butterfly Dynasty for over 300 years. I am in the line of succession somewhere myself, though I am not 100 percent certain where. We are mostly a kingdom of farmers and we grow the best corn in the entire universe. I should know [,] I've tried at least 200 different varieties myself and nothing beats Mewni corn. It is a wondrous land full of creatures not found anywhere else. That 'Unicorn' you saw her riding is actually called a 'Warnicorn' and it is native to my home. Star loves to ride and tame them as a hobby even though I have reminded her countless times that they are dangerous beasts that should be handled with caution."

Marco opened his mouth to ask another question, but just then a series of screams and crashing sounds could be heard from around the corner. The two took off at a dead sprint, running for nearly a minute before they could cut over to the side street. Before them was scene of utter chaos. Several hydrants were broken off from their base shooting fountains of water high into the air, while people crawled out of their overturned vehicles in the street. A faint scream made him squint up at the sun where he could swear he saw a giant butterfly carrying a struggling person.

"Hey, did you see a blonde girl riding a giant pink horse come through this way!" Marco shouted over the din and confusion to a shell-shocked pedestrian standing on the corner.

"It was horrible… I though the one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse were upon us!" he shouted, before running off screaming.

"Well, I think that answers that question," Reynard said, chuckling before pressing on down the destroyed street. "By the looks of it, we're on the trail."

After 30 minutes of walking however, the trail seemed to have gone cold and the two found themselves standing on outskirts of the Britta's Tacos.

"Pegasus Feathers… What is that divine smell?" Reynard could feel himself salivating at the multitude of savory smells now wafting under his nose.

"That smell, Reynard, is Britta's Tacos." Marco answered, grinning ear to ear. "It may not look like much, but it's the best Mexican restaurant in Echo Creek. We've been walking for a while now, you wanna grab lunch? My treat."

"A Gentleman never turns down the hospitality of his host, Marco."

"Okay, well take a seat over there, and I'll be back with some food for us. You said Mewni grows a lot of corn, right?"

"Yes, it's our main food crop."

"I think I know just the thing. You'll love them."

Minutes later, Marco set down two trays at the covered metal table. "Reynard, allow me to present to you the humble Tamale. It's made mostly out of corn and has pork and tomatillo salsa. It's even wrapped in a corn husk. See?"

"How clever you Earthlings are!" Reynard slapped his hand over his mouth at that statement.

Marco's expression however, remained unchanged. "Look dude, it was obvious from the beginning you weren't from Europe. So maybe you want to tell me where you're really from? If you and that girl are aliens here to conquer the planet, I'm going to have to try to stop you."

The two stared at one another for a few moments, Marco tensing in his seat and preparing to strike the blue haired man before he could react, when Reynard tipped his head back and began to laugh heartily.

"HAHAHAHA, oh Marco that was hilarious." Reynard slapped the table with his palm as he continued to laugh. Wiping a tear from his eye, he leaned in close and Marco did the same. "Marco, you have treated me with respect and hospitality. You have also volunteered yourself to help me find my wayward cousin, and for that. I will tell you the truth. But I must ask you for your silence in the matter, if word got out about my true intentions here there could be very serious consequences." Marco only nodded to the man, before taking a bite of his burrito.

"I am indeed from a place called Mewni. However, Mewni is not in Europe. It is in another dimension, and I am here on a scouting mission for the Butterfly Royal Family. You see Marco, there is a terrible war going on in my homeland. Mewni is populated by people that look like you and I, known as mewmans. As well as a great variety of monsters who we have been at war with for over six years now. I am saddened to tell you the war does not go well for us. The monsters are led by an evil tyrant known as Toffee. A terrible creature who is nigh immortal, and who's cruelty towards Mewmans knows no bounds. He seeks to destroy the Butterfly family, for above all else he hates magic and those who practice it. If things continue the way they have been, the Butterfly Kingdom will fall, and all of us will be killed."

Marco shook his head at the revelation he was now hearing. It seemed too fantastical to be true, like something out of a fantasy novel or a D&D campaign he would play with his friends. But the serious tone in Reynard's voice and the grave look on his face told him the man was telling the truth. "Soo...you're what? Looking for a new home?"

"Something like that Marco. We need a place to regroup, a place where we can consolidate and recover our strength. But mainly we need a safe place for the Butterfly Royal Family to evacuate to. My Grandmother Etheria would never admit it, but Mewni is lost. We are falling back every day and it is only a matter of time before we're overrun. So far, from what I have seen, Earth appears perfect. Mewmans and humans appear identical to one another, and this place is stable with no major wars or monsters to threaten us."

Reynard paused to unwrap his tamale and cut a piece before popping into his mouth. Instantly, the look of grave worry on his face fell away to be replaced with one of pure joy. "This is so good, truly a masterpiece of cuisine," he said, moaning with pleasure at the taste of the corn-based dish in his mouth.

"I'm glad you like it. I figured something corn based wouldn't feel too foreign to your palate, and looks like I was right."

Marco took another bite of his burrito, using the time he had his mouth full to mull over his options. Reynard appeared to be on the level, at least his story didn't seem too outrageous considering what Marco had seen that day. And while there was always the option that this guy and his weird cousin were both insane, somewhere deep-down Marco knew he was telling the truth. So, he could excuse himself and walk home and forget all about today's odd encounter, or he could stop playing it safe and help this guy out however he could. Putting down the burrito, he made his decision as he looked his lunch companion in the eye.

"I want to help you out Reynard, anyway I can. Sensei Brantley has always stressed that a warrior of Tang Soo Do must always fight on the side of justice. And I would be a coward to walk away from someone in need."

Reynard beamed at him, "I knew you were a man of honor Marco Diaz of Earth, but a warrior as well? I had a feeling about you, perhaps something greater than mere chance brought you across my path today. Fate possibly? Only time may tell. Tell me, have you much experience in combat? Have you slain many foes?"

"Slain many foes?" Marco looked stricken, "Dude I'm just 14, and this is Earth. There really aren't many life or death struggles in Echo Creek. I'm just a dorky high school kid with his red belt, not some battle-hardened warrior. My life is actually pretty boring. Nothing ever happens in this town."

Reynard chuckled and put a hand on Marco's shoulder. "Marco, you may not have bested foes in the crucible of combat, but I can tell you possess the heart of a warrior. You helped me today, asking for nothing in return and have shown courage in the face of the unknown. Kindness, Bravery, and Charity are some of the key tenets of knightly virtue on Mewni and you have demonstrated them admirably."

Marco couldn't help but blush slightly at the praise. He had only known Reynard for an hour or so, but to be told he had the makings of a knight was something that tantalized his imagination and stirred his blood. Life was so boring in Echo Creek, the thought of something more, some real danger to test his skills was alluring, to say the least.

"Marco, tell me something. Do you ever feel… Unsatisfied? Like you were made for greater things than your mundane existence? I can offer you the chance to be more Marco. To be more than what you are now."

"What? What do you mean?" Marco gave him a confused look, but inside he felt his heartbeat quicken. He had no idea where Reynard was going with this, but even the hint of some kind of adventure made the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

"What I mean, Marco, is that Echo Creek may be in for some major changes soon. And when those changes come, will you be ready? If you could surround yourself with adventure, excitement, and even danger, would you?" said Reynard, his grave face making Marco sit up straight in his seat.

"I… I would," Marco said, his own face now mirroring the serious expression on Reynard's.

"Well, Marco, I have a feeling before long you will get your wish."

The two finished their lunch in near silence, with Reynard occasionally asking another question about Echo Creek or Earth and more about his own life. Marco got the distinct impression that Reynard was assessing him. His questions frequently strayed towards the personal, often asking Marco to recall times he had been in positions of leadership at school or in the dojo as well as questions about his martial arts training.

"You sure are awfully interested in me Reynard, what's with all the questions?"

"Let's just say I see potential in you Marco. I would like to ask you fo-" but Reynard never got to finish his sentence. At that moment, the pounding of hooves filled the courtyard as a giant pink warnicorn burst through the bushes and leapt over a scared couple. Instantly Reynard shot to his feet and began running after the laughing blonde as she hooted and swung her arm above her head, fireworks seeming to materialize out of nowhere. Marco's eyes went wide at the impossible sight and he could only stare as Reynard chased the girl through the courtyard of Britta's.

"Star Butterfly! You come back here this instant!" Reynard shouted.

Marco just stood there watching the most absurd chase of his life. He felt torn between the urge to chase after his new friend and the strange girl or to give in to the voice in his head telling him that he should "just head home." He was cautious by nature, always looking both ways before crossing the street, and taking precautions such as carrying around first aid supplies in a fanny pack whenever his family went on vacation. Janna had found that fact so amusing she had begun calling him "Safe Kid," a nickname that, much to Marco's frustration had caught on like wildfire.

"I'm gonna regret this…" he muttered before taking off at a run after the two bizarre figures.

Marco made sure to keep his distance as he followed Reynard. He didn't want to get explicitly caught up in the chase, but what he had told Marco that afternoon was so fantastical he couldn't help but try to see what was next. It's not like he didn't believe him, but the thought of extra dimensional visitors was almost so damn outrageous he needed more proof. It seemed the girl had slowed down on the rampaging animal just enough to keep several dozen feet in front of Reynard as he called for the girl to stop.

"Star Butterfly, if you do not stop this instant, I will tell Queen Moon about this!" Reynard shouted.

The girl merely looked back over her shoulder and laughed before calling back, "You wouldn't do that to your favorite cousin, Reynard!"

"You're rapidly losing that status Star! Don't make me take Rock with me instead of you next time I go out for Goblin Dogs!"

*THBPBPTHPT* the girl blew a huge raspberry as she slapped the pink beast's haunch to urge it to speed back up.

"Oh that is enough!"

Marco saw Reynard reach down to his belt and pull out a pair of what he could only describe as scissors before swiping in front of him as he ran. Instantly he disappeared into a swirling blue portal and Marco skidded to a stop in shock at the sight of his disappearance, his mouth hanging open. "What theeeee," he mouthed. Quickly, he hid in the entrance way of a business and continued to stare in amazement.

The sound of ripping fabric filled the air as an identical portal appeared in front of the charging warnicorn. Reynard quickly stepped out of it just in time to throw an arm around the neck of galloping beast, using its momentum to swing him up and onto its back right in front of the girl. He quickly took control of the warnicorn and brought it around, cantering to a gentle stop only ten feet from Marco's hiding place.

"Ow, ow, ow ow," Star said as Reynard grabbed her around the arm and pulled her down off the animal. Looking around quickly to see if they were alone, he scowled at the blonde girl who was wilting under his stern glare.

"Star Butterfly! What are you doing in this dimension when I explicitly told you to remain in the castle? No one from Mewni has been to Earth in over a hundred years. We had no idea what we'd find here and yet you snuck here anyways with no protection, rampaging around on a pink warnicorn like it was the village outside the castle. You terrified corn knows how many earthlings, caused some serious damage, and brought a lot of unneeded attention to us!"

"I'm sorryyyyy," she said, twisting a foot into the asphalt and not meeting Reynard's glare. "I just wanted to have a little fun. You know how my mom is. It's always 'Star don't do this, don't do that, that's not how a proper princess behaves Star.' I just wanted to have a good time for once without being surrounded by knights or trapped in the castle."

At her words, Marco saw the expression on Reynard's face soften and he bent down to tip up the blonde's chin so he could look in her eyes. "I know Star, but it's dangerous. You know as well as I do that we are losing this war. Toffee has spies everywhere and I would never forgive myself if something happened to you. You and your parents are the closest family I have left, and I need to know you're being serious about being safe. After all, you are the future Queen of Mewni."

Marco couldn't help but stare at the odd duo as they spoke. He felt his cheeks heating up slightly as he examined the blonde girl more closely. The girl was, for lack of a better term, stunningly pretty. She looked to be about his age, slightly shorter than him, with extremely long blonde hair that reached below her knees. Even when she wasn't looking at him, he still found his eyes drawn to her sky-blue eyes. They were captivating in a way he had never experienced before and quickened his heartbeat just thinking about those eyes gazing at him like they had been earlier. She also seemed to possess pink heart shaped marks on her cheeks, which Marco initially found odd, but now felt suited her the more he studied the teen girl. It seemed like the more he looked, the more he felt like he couldn't look away.

"Ugh, don't remind me Reynard," Star said, grimacing at the thought.

Reynard merely chuckled before pulling out his scissors. "Let's go home Star, I bet Queen Moon has half the palace guard looking for you."

"What about that cute boy in the red jacket you were talking to earlier?"

"Marco Diaz? I will come back tomorrow and say my farewells. He was very helpful during my time scouting this place, but right now I just want to get you back to the castle before Queen Moon has a fit."

Cutting another portal, the two stepped through closely followed by the pink warnicorn before it sealed itself shut with a small pop.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

Marco didn't remember his walk back home that afternoon. His mind was too busy spinning from the information Reynard had told him. One minute he was a boring kid on Earth with no knowledge outside of the mundane, and the next, he was part of something so much larger. Other dimensions were real. Magic was real. Hell, even Unicorns existed. He should have been in a tailspin right now, panicking at the thought of so much more danger in his life, but he wasn't. Reynard's words seemed to lay over his shoulders like a cloak, stilling his naturally cautious mind and instead filling it with thoughts of excitement and adventure.

"I can offer you the chance to be more, Marco, to be more than what you are now."

To be more. More what exactly? Brave? Stronger? More popular? Reynard hadn't elaborated on what he had told him, but the more Marco thought about what he had said, the surer he was that he was ready for a change.

"I want to be more," he whispered to himself, clenching his fists hard.

"Mijo? Are you feeling okay?" The voice of his Father snapped him out of his reverie, and he looked up to see the concerned face of his father Raphael. He was standing in the living room, the front door wide open behind him, apparently so caught up in his own thoughts he didn't even realize he had walked right into his own home.

"Sorry Dad, just a lot on my mind right now. It's been an… interesting afternoon to say the least."

"Why don't you tell us about it honey?" The words of his mother Angie rang out from the kitchen as she stepped back from the open fridge.

And so Marco sat down with his parents and explained his weird afternoon. He left out any mention of Mewni, dimensional travel, and magic, but he did manage to tell them about the strangely dressed foreigners he had seen and all of the odd questions he had been asked about Echo Creek. He changed the animal the blonde girl had been riding on to a horse as well to keep any awkward questions to a minimum.

"So Mijo, this girl on the horse. Was she pretty?"

"Daaad, I didn't even get to meet her, I told you she was riding that crazy horse around town and her and Reynard left before we could say anything to each other. But yeah, she was really pretty." Marco could feel the heat rising in his cheeks at this admission to his Father.

"Marco, don't be embarrassed, your Father and I think it's a great thing that you have a new crush." His Mother was grinning and shooting his Father knowing looks.

"Mom, I already said we didn't meet, I just saw her a few times while she was riding that huge horse around the middle of town."

"And all we're saying honey is that we're glad you're putting yourself back out there. I know it took a lot for you to ask Jackie out. We're just happy you're ready to give love another chance."

"Oh for the love of… Mom, Jackie and I were never going to work out because she doesn't like guys. I only found out after I asked her out. And besides, we're great friends now. There's no pressure from me trying to go out with her."

"I didn't know that Mijo, why didn't you tell us this when we asked how asking her out went?"

Marco looked between the faces of his smiling parents before letting his gaze drop to the table. He had always had a very honest and open relationship with his parents. Where some teens might be secretive and introverted at home, Marco's parents always gave him his privacy and so he never felt any desire to be untruthful towards them

Not looking up he answered, "I… I didn't feel like it was my place to tell you then. Jackie hadn't come out yet and I wanted to respect her privacy. I'm sorry I lied at the time."

Feeling two hands on his shoulders, he looked up to see both his parents giving him warm smiles. His Dad even wiped a tear out of his eye before speaking.

"Oh Mijo, I am so proud of you. That was a very grown up thing to do."

"Honey, sometimes a lie to protect someone is the right thing to do. You should never feel bad for protecting Jackie like that," his mother added.

Standing and giving both of his parents a hug, Marco spent the remainder of his eventful Sunday afternoon up in his room. He tried to distract himself by playing video games and watching television. He even spent a fruitless hour in the backyard practicing his Tang Soo Do forms to take his mind off the events of earlier that day, but nothing seemed to work. Eventually giving in to his restless thoughts, he wasted the entire evening fruitlessly searching the internet for any mention of Mewni, or any reputable story about of interdimensional travel.

Deciding to call it a night after finding nothing online, he laid down in bed and pulled the covers up. Closing his eyes, he saw the image of a very pretty blonde girl with heart shaped cheek marks smiling at him. Her name was Star, he remembered, and she had thought he was cute. Smiling to himself as he rolled over, he could only hope he would meet that girl someday.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

School on Monday was as mundane and dull as ever. He received another A+ in math from Ms. Skullnick, endured Janna's ribbing at his continued excellent grades, and spent an exciting lunch with Jackie and Janna recounting the crazy events of his Sunday after they abandoned him in the skate park.

"Wait, wait, so you're telling me that these two were from another dimension?" Jackie had asked, a look of confusion and disbelief on her face.

"Jackie, I've been studying the occult for the last 7 years, it was almost a certainty that there were other dimensions out there. Where else do you think demons and spirits live?" interrupted Janna to answer her question.

Jackie didn't respond. Instead she just took a bite of her fish stick and sank lower in her chair, clearly thinking hard.

"So Marco, you think you're gonna see tall, dark, and cyan again?" said Janna.

"I don't know actually. He said he was scouting out this dimension, but he sorta hinted that he may be back again."

"Well Marco, introduce him to us next time. I'd love to meet someone not from this dimension, they could help me with my occult studies."

"I'll be sure to pass your request on, Janna."

Yawning as he stepped off the bus outside his home, Marco was startled to see Reynard leaning up against the stop sign on the corner with a purple sack over his shoulder.

"Greetings, Marco Diaz of Earth," he said as he stood up and offered a hand for Marco to take.

Grinning awkwardly, Marco took the offered hand and shook it, "Hi Reynard, it's good to see you again. In truth, I didn't think you'd be back."

"We never got to finish our conversation yesterday Marco. Tell me, do you remember what I asked you?"

"You asked me if I wanted to be more than I am now…" He fixed the blue-haired man with an intense stare, "And I answered yes."

Pulling two wooden practice swords from the satchel, he grinned. "Excellent Marco. Come with me then, your training begins now."

"Uh, actually, if we could take this to the park? If my mom sees me sword fighting some stranger in the backyard, I'm going to have to answer more than a few uncomfortable questions."

"Of course, lead the way."

A short walk later found the two standing in the park with Reynard instructing Marco on the proper grip for a long sword as well as the four basic stances. They spent several hours working through the basics, and by the time they broke for dinner, Marco was sporting several dozen bruises under his hoodie and jeans. Collecting the wooden practice sword back from the teen, Reynard clapped him on the shoulder and grinned.

"For a first timer you did excellent. You should have seen my first time; I was so scared my father had to tie the sword in my hand with a rag so I wouldn't drop it in fear. You have the makings of a fine swordsman Marco, and that's not all I can train you in. How would you like to learn how to ride a warnicorn? Or to fight in armor? Or joust with a real lance?"

"Oh man, I am so in! This is going to be awesome!" Marco pumped a fist in the air and gave his blue haired friend a grin. "So tell me more about yourself, Reynard. Mewni sounds pretty awesome, but here you are offering to teach me all these amazing things, and I barely know anything about you outside of your name. What do you do for fun? What's life like being a noble? It's all so different I have a hundred questions."

Gesturing for Marco to walk with him, Reynard was silent for several moments as they ambled down the sidewalk towards Marco's house. "Well, I can tell you some things Marco. For one, being a noble has its moments. I have servants, retainers, and a small number of knights under my command which can be fun. It's quite nice getting to spar with people whenever you want. But mostly, being a noble is boredom. Continual, unrelenting, boredom. I am constantly being pulled into meetings with petitioners or attending court at the Butterfly Castle where my aunt is Queen. It's a lot of standing around in stuffy outfits and pretending we're better than everyone just because we were lucky enough to be born to nobility."

Laughing at this, Marco continued his line of questions. "What about your parents? Shouldn't they be the ones doing most of that stuff?"

Looking away, Reynard sighed. "My parents are dead, Marco, killed alongside my older brother when Toffee and his monster army sacked my family castle. Only I escaped with my Great Aunt Etheria and a small number of our household. So now, as the only remaining scion of our branch of the Butterfly family, the responsibility falls on my shoulders to 'acquit myself in a fashion worthy of my illustrious name' or something like that. Great Aunt Etheria is always blathering on about something or another. I can't be bothered to listen to every word, or I'd never have time for anything else."

"I'm so sorry about your family Reynard, I had no idea."

"How could you have known? It's not information I volunteer often," said Reynard, quickly changing the subject, a distinct bitter tone now staining his voice. "But hobbies, you asked. I enjoy warnicorn races, In fact I am the current reigning champion of the Butterfly Derby. I routinely like to enter tournaments, and most recently I won the melee and came third in joust!"

"Soooo cool…" Marco's eyes were huge as he listened to the heroic things his companion was describing as his mere hobbies.

"Oh and I spend a fair amount of time with my favorite cousin Star. She is always getting up to some kind of mischief, and I routinely get roped in as an accomplice."

"Star? Isn't that the crazy blonde girl who was rampaging around town yesterday?"

"The one and only. As I told you, she's the Crown Princess of the Butterfly Kingdom and she's about as far from a proper noble as you can get. She loves fun, and she always reminds me that I'm only 19 and I need to make sure I still have some fun myself. She's my favorite cousin by far. I'll introduce you some day."

Blushing at the thought of getting to meet the pretty girl who smiled at him, he merely nodded and said nothing. The two continued to walk in comfortable silence until they reached the walkway in front of Marco's house.

"Well Marco, this is where I leave you. You proved quite the adept student today. How does two days from now sound for our next meeting? We will continue your training with the sword." Reynard opened his purple satchel and extracted one of the wooden practice swords they used earlier and handed it to him. "Practice with this in the meantime, especially the four basic forms I taught you. They are the foundation of everything further I will teach you in the coming weeks."

"You're a good friend Reynard, thanks for teaching me all this stuff, it's really cool. Let's grab some food at Britta's next time as well."

Smiling, Reynard nodded to him, "Friend? Yes, I like that Marco. You are a friend to me as well and I would love to eat more of that delicious corn-based food."

Waving to Marco as he entered his house, he opened a portal back to Mewni. "Star is going to be fast friends with that one," he said, chuckling to himself before stepping through.

Chapter Text

As the final bell rang, teachers throughout the building shared an unprecedented collective sigh of relief with nearly all of their students. The school year had finally drawn to a close, and the first blissful moments of summer vacation were finally upon them. No more tests, studying, grading or early morning duties. Just eleven weeks of freedom, no responsibilities, and waking up whenever you feel like it.

Unless you're Marco Diaz, that is. At sixteen years old, he had more important things to do than what many of his classmates were considering. As he finished cleaning his locker of months of school supplies, his mind began to wander, thinking back to the three months of preparations he'd been enduring for the coming week. But before it could wander too far, a familiar face made itself known.

"Marco!" Janna shouted, jumping from his blind spot and slapping her hand against a steel locker door. Marco nearly shrieked in surprise, but instead merely jumped back and assumed a ready position for combat. Something that had been well-ingrained into his head by none other than Reynard himself. When he noticed who it was, he let his body relax and began collecting his scattered books from the floor.

"Janna, how many times do I have to tell you not to sneak up on me?" he asked, annoyed at the recurring introduction.

"I'd say at least another dozen times, but my gut tells me more" she answered, giving him a slight grin. Marco rolled his eyes before closing his locker and slinging a heavy backpack over his shoulder. "Can we knock that down to five, or is your gut closed to negotiations?"

Before she could answer, Jackie called out to them from down the hall, weaving her skateboard through a crowd of students desperate to escape. "Hey! There you guys are!" she yelled, skidding her board to a stop beside them. "I was wondering if we were gonna be able to meet up after our classes let out. You two still on for Panucci's Pizza tonight?"

"Absolutely," Janna answered as she collected her things from her own locker, her voice echoing from within, "Marcos treat."

"Oh man, that's awesome! Thanks a ton, Marco!" Jackie yelled, pulling him into a hug before he could protest. "Yeah uhh… no problem," he answered. Pulling her head from her locker, Janna shot her a quick wink as Jackie stepped back and smiled at the two.

"So Marco, you ready to end sophomore year with a bang? I know you've been working extra hard for this since Christmas," said Jackie as the three began heading for the exit. Marco gave her a quick nod, smiling excitedly for tomorrow.

"It's been a tough time, but yeah, I'm ready. How about you? I heard you spent a month in New York for your training session." Jackie let her collected demeanor falter if only slightly, shuddering at the thought. "It was… also pretty rough. When my parents heard I applied, they were thrilled, but they really wanted me to learn more about proper etiquette and stuff, so they sent me to my Aunt Holly's upstate. There's like, no waves up there, man."

"Jeez," Marco said under his breath, "And I thought I had it bad. Reynard's been running me ragged on combat drills and exercise plans, but at least I'm always home. Crazy how different everyone's training has been. I barely had enough time to get my black belt last week."

"How is Reynard by the way? I haven't seen him all week," Jackie asked. Marco shrugged as the three stepped into the fresh warm air of summer, finally free of their academic confines. "He's been doing alright, a lot better than when we started training though. You know how hard that time was for him."

Jackie nodded but tried to remain optimistic. "I know things keep getting worse for them, but I'm really glad they decided to let us do this. It's a step in the right direction." That note hit home for Marco, who remembered well how groundbreaking the news was. For the bad and the good.

Janna nudged his shoulder, smirking at him before adding, "Well, sounds like you guys are raring for some hard work this summer."

Jackie smiled and rolled her eyes as the trio continued walking, asking "And what does the mighty Janna Ordonia have planned? You gonna go back to working at Britta's?"

"Not a chance in the multiverse," Janna returned, pulling a small, badly worn book from her satchel and showing it to the other two proudly. "Not to shamelessly brag about myself, but I'm doing my own thing this summer. No stuffy, uptight tour guides, just me, the dark arts, and some reeaal creepy people."

Jackie and Marco shared an uneasy look before the trio burst into laughter just outside the school. Marco patted Jannas shoulder and wiped an imaginary tear from his eye, jesting, "no-no, you'd never brag. But that all sounds right up your alley. Lemme know if you need us to come over and slay a mutant pot of frog toes or something, alright?"

"Yeah yeah, laugh now Diaz, some of these ingredients need joy to work the way I want 'em to."

Unsure on whether or not she was joking, Jackie set down her board and placed a leg on it, giving the other two a small wave. "On that note, I'll be seeing you guys later. Don't forget, Marco, seven o'clock sharp!"

"Sounds great, I'll be there!" he returned, waving her goodbye. "And you," he began, turning to face Janna with a smirk adorning his face, "You can give back my wallet if you want me to actually pay tonight."

Janna returned with a shrug and handed him a small leather parcel before folding her arms. "It's no fun when you notice, Diaz."

"Hard not to, these days. Maybe you're just getting cocky," he quipped before beginning his trek home. He waved goodbye to Janna as she called out after him, "Don't push your luck, Diaz! I have a whole book of curses I could use on you! And I know where you live!"

O - O - O - O - O - O - O - O

When Marco arrived home, he unceremoniously emptied his backpack into the garbage before stuffing it with his plate armor, his wooden longsword, a few bottles of water, his first aid kit, and some sunscreen. While some aspects of his routine life had changed drastically, old habits die hard. He was about to make his way over to the park when Angie and Raphael stepped into the kitchen, both brandishing a small cake and waving purple flags.

"Ohhh, Marco!" Angie began, setting the cake down and pulling him into a bone-crushing hug, "your final day of training! Are you excited about tomorrow? Do you feel ready?" After finally being released, Marco rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Well, I'm pretty nervous about this whole 'selection' thing, but yeah. I feel like I'm ready for it."

Raphael stepped over to him and patted his back so hard, Marco had to fight to keep from falling over. "Look at my son! Only sixteen years old, and already going to work so he can change the world! We are so proud of you, mijo!"

Marco couldn't help but smile at that. He knew his job was important, and it was a major stepping stone for the entire city, maybe even the world someday, but seeing how proud and excited his family was, was really something else. "Thanks, dad. Hopefully the hours aren't crazy though. I mean, they haven't exactly told us much. I've kinda been relying on Reynard to fill me in on the major things."

"Well no matter what, we're so proud of you for deciding to do this, Marco," Angie began, taking his hands in hers, "you've really grown so much since you started high school. I hardly recognize you, my little man."

"Si, by the time you are thirty, you might even be as big as me!" Raphael toted, giving off a small flex to prove his point. Marco gave off a small blush and slung his backpack over his shoulders, slowly shuffling towards the door. "Haha, yeah, I doubt that, but all this training definitely helps," he chuckled. Raphael was about to comment, but Angie quickly pushed Marco towards the door. "Okay Okay, go enjoy your last day, and be careful, sweetheart!" she yelled as he took off running down the sidewalk.

"I will mom!" he called out behind him, jumping towards the sidewalk and breaking into a run. As he ran along the streets, the once alien sights of Echo Creek seemed just as homey as they always did. Lucky Lucy's artisan corn shed, Henry's blacksmith, Charlies Arcade, and of course, the ever illustrious Britta's Tacos. As the sights passed him by, he felt a warmth building in his chest at the progress that had been made over the last four months. It almost seemed to drown out the negatives that came with them.

After about fifteen minutes, he finally walked through the gated entrance of the park, instinctively taking winding paths towards a more wooded area. After one final bend, he rounded the corner to see a familiar face leaning against a tree.

"Reynard! Hey!" he called out excitedly, jogged the remainder of the way. Reynard looked up and acknowledged Marcos presence, but something seemed off about him. It wasn't the blue jacket or fashionably ripped jeans, Marco had gotten used to those after a while. But Reynards expression was somewhat downcast, despite the beautiful day. "Hey, you alright?" Marco asked him.

"Yes, I suppose I've just been rather caught up in my own head lately. Nothing to be concerned about, I assure you."

Marco tilted his head, not believing that for a moment, and pressed further. "Reynard, you're usually in a great mood, what's on your mind?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. Reynard let out a brief sigh and flopped down on the grass, looking up at the gently swaying limbs of the tree giving them shade. "I can't help but be brought back to the beginning of all of this, Marco. I'm aware that it's not healthy to dwell too much on the past, but what of the future?"

Marco sat down beside him, taking off his backpack and handing Reynard a bottle of water. "It's going to be good, I promise. I know coming here was hard, and things aren't looking good back home, but we can make this place feel just as real a home for you. That's why we're doing this, you know?" Marco gave Reynard a sincere smile, but it was answered with a dejected nod. The two sat in silence for a moment, listening to the birds chirp.

"Do you think you'll ever be able to go back?" Marco asked, laying down himself. Reynard shook his head softly. "You know better than anyone how much hope I hold for such a proposal, but I fear that for the time being, it isn't a possibility."

"Oh, right. Sorry, I forgot. But hey, it's not forever right?" Marco asked. Reynard finally shed some of his morose demeanor and sat upright, smiling back. "I'm afraid I don't know the answer to that. But for now, employing individuals such as yourself seems to be a far better use of my peoples time. How do you feel?"

Marco sat upright, folding his arms over his knees and sinking slightly at the question. "I feel… nervous. Tomorrow's the big day, you know? I don't even know who I'll be working for, or what they'll want me to do. I feel ready, but the 'selection' part gets me worked up just thinking about it."

Reynard stood up, pulling Marco to his feet and giving him a joyful pat on the back. "Nonsense, Marco, you have nothing to be worried about. I know that whoever chooses you, they will be making a wise choice indeed." He smiled at Marco but was met with an expression of uncertainty. He went on, saying, "And think of all the good you'll be doing for my people. This is the first step towards healthier relations, and letting go of the past."

Marco actually smiled at that, thinking instead to the outcome of his work, rather than the initial process. "Yeah, when I made you that promise at Britta's two years ago, I wasn't really sure what I'd be getting into, but I'm glad we're doing this. It's a chance to make a real difference in everyone."

"That's the spirit, lad!" Reynard shouted, resting his hands on his hips, "Meet the uncertainty of the future with nothing but optimism, and its outcomes will do nothing but match you." Marco nodded before looking towards his backpack, jerking his head in that direction. "So, you ready for our last day of training? What do ya have in store for me?" he asked.

But Reynard merely pulled his scissors from his pocket, flashing Marco an ecstatic smile. "I'm afraid I've taught you everything I can for now, Marco. Today I merely present you with a gift to mark the end of your training, and the beginning of a bright future." Marco made to ask what any of that even meant, but Reynard quickly cut open an indigo portal big enough for his arm and thrust it in up to the shoulder.

He rummaged around inside for a moment, deep in concentration before pulling it back out, carrying a large, skinny wooden box adorned with intricate carvings. After closing the portal, he held it gingerly, as if enjoying its beauty for the last time. "Forgive all the grandeur, I had just forgotten it at home. I hope you like it," he said softly before holding it out to his trainee.

"What is it?" Marco asked curiously as he took it in his hands, running his fingers over the carvings until he found the latching mechanism on the front. "Hmmm, I haven't the foggiest idea," Reynard answered as he grinned at the boy, "Perhaps you could open it and enlighten us both?"

Marco gave him a deadpan expression before unlatching the top and opening it wide. He stood there for a moment, his eyes wide as he took in the contents. Inside, nestled in a red velvet cloth, was a longsword unlike any he'd seen before. It was polished well, the sheen of its blade overtaking the many scruffs that adorned it. It had a royal blue hilt made of crisscrossing leather, leading down to a golden, hexagonal pommel decorated with an intricate butterfly. Above the hilt were two golden cross-guards, angled up, and barbed at the tip. And at the center of the sword was a single, golden butterfly trailing a stem of gold to the tip of the blade.

"Wha- Reynard, what is this?" Marco asked as he let his gaze shift between the contents of the box to his mentor, "This isn't something you give to a buddy, this is something a dying king gives to a prince!" He looked to Reynard, but found his expression once again somber against the sunlight. "Too true of words, Marco. This sword was given to me by my father before he set off to war. He never came back, and it's been with me ever since. It's been handed down for generations in my family, but I find that I cannot bear to keep it any longer."

Marco stammered unintelligibly for a moment before pushing the box towards Reynard. "I can't take this, man. This is waaaay too important. You should keep it." But Reynard held up his hands in refusal. "I say again, I have no use for it, Marco. It will do far more good in your capable hands, than collecting dust above my mantle. Please, accept it."

Marco gave him an unsure look, reluctantly holding the box closer to himself before setting it down in the grass. He gripped the sword by the hilt, making to pull it from the box, but he found that it gave almost no resistance. He held it in his hands for a moment, testing its weight before turning to Reynard confused. "Reynard, is this sword… made of plastic or something? I can't even feel it," he asked.

Reynard let a proud smile creep across his lips as he stepped closer to the sword, tapping on its blade. "I can assure you, Marco, this sword is made of the finest star-tempered steel in Mewni. It's a simple weight nullification spell embedded in the pommel that makes it virtually weightless when held, and extremely hard to damage. Marco looked at him, dumbfounded before giving the sword a few trial swings. He found there was no resistance in the swing, and the swords follow through was only what he gave it with his hands.

"Dude, that is so cool," he breathed. Reynard nodded excitedly before pulling the sheath from the box. "Yes, it is extremely 'really cool', frankly I'm almost too eager to see you use it. But a time and place, I suppose."

"Well, thank you, Reynard. This means a lot," Marco said sincerely, smiling at the noble before him, but Reynard held up his hands submissively. "Nonsense, it's the least I can do after all that you've done for me. Now, let's enjoy the afternoon properly, shall we?"

The two spent the next few hours enjoying the warm sun and the cool breeze that gave the park such a homey feel, and talked about some things Reynard missed about home. He wasn't completely heartbroken, the future wasn't set in stone as he would say, but it was still extremely difficult to adjust so quickly. Marco could only nod, never having seen it himself, but just as sure that there was a time and place for everything.

There was also talk about how all of this came to fruition, stemming from a small idea and rolling into a full blown plan. Reynard had made the suggestion, and to his surprise he was met with nothing but enthusiasm and acceptance. When Marco had helped him chase a cute blonde wreaking havoc on the city, he had no idea it would lead to such a proposal down the road, but he was glad to finally be able to make good on his answer.

After the sun began to set lower against the rolling hills of the park, the two finally collected their things and began making their way to their respective homes. Sure, Reynard could just portal home, but the two found that spending some time just walking together was the most agreeable option.

But as the two rounded the block just outside the entrance of the park, they were met with an unsettling sight, and a great deal of shouting. They ran up to a group of people who were clearly arguing and stepped in, Reynard asking what was to blame for such an outbreak.

A woman dressed in a substantial, poofy green dress pointed her finger at an irritated couple across from them, yelling, "They won't let us park our carriage here! They keep yelling at us to go somewhere else!"

One of the men in question let his arms unfold, pointing right back. "Well, this is a 'no carriage' parking space! It's for cars only, and I don't see you driving, lady!" he shouted back, his wife looking just as insulted. Marco made to step in, but a man wearing clearly out-of-the-times byzantine clothing stepped forward and shoved the arguing man back. "You'll watch your tongue when speaking to my wife! We were here first, and this is the closest we can park without walking a mile!"

"Enough!" Reynard shouted, stepping between the bickering adults and giving the oddly dressed individuals a hostile stare, "This parking is not designated for automobiles only, but we are on borrowed land. You should plan better in the future to avoid such a hassle with our neighbors." Marco stepped behind him and glared at the husband and wife in question, pointing to the carriage.

"If they were here first, which I'm assuming they were, you don't have a right to tell them to beat it if they're following the rules. We're all just people here, treat everyone with the respect you want out of them. Got it?" he snapped, glaring at them. The man slowly nodded, turning to leave before muttering under his breath "Buncha goddamn invaders is what they are."

Marco was about to chase after him, but Reynard grabbed his shoulder, shaking his head stiffly. "A time and place, but the time this is not. I'd hate for you to ruin your chances tomorrow trying to fix once person, rather than everyone."

Marco nodded slowly, folding his arms as they continued walking down the street. "It's not fair that they treat you guys like that just because you're different. You guys work and pay taxes like everyone else."

"That may be true, but our differences are what people like them seek to detest. While we didn't ask to be forced here, we also didn't ask to be permitted here. Until we can show them all of our similarities, their behavior is the price we pay for a home," said Reynard. Marco frowned and looked across the street at two kids playing hopscotch. One seemed to be outfitted in medieval clothing, and other wore casual shorts and a bright yellow shirt.

"I wish more people could ignore it and just get along though. You guys have been through enough," Marco added, "Here's hoping my job helps at least a little."

Reynard gave him a nod, letting out a sliver of a smile as he patted Marco on the back. "I'm sure it will make a world of difference. Have you given any thought as to whose favor you might try to win during the selection?"

Marco shrugged. He honestly hadn't, and by now it was too late to try and decide. "Whoever picks me, I guess. I don't even know who all is involved." Reynard's smile only grew wider at the admission. "Who knows, you may be surprised. After all, I did put in a good word with the Queen," he added under his breath. Before Marco could ask what he meant by that, his watch beeped, signaling it was seven o'clock.

"Aww man! I'm late for dinner with Jackie and Janna! Sorry, Reynard! I gotta split. I'll see you at the selection tomorrow?" he asked as he began making his way across the street. "I wouldn't miss it for the world, Marco!" Reynard called out after him. He watched as Marco ran around the corner, disappearing from view before muttering under his breath, "And what a ceremony it will be."

O - O - O - O - O - O - O - O

Marco burst through the door of Panucci's Pizza, scanning around the restaurant for a telltale green beanie, and a short head of blonde hair streaked with aqua. When he finally found them, he rushed over to the table, sliding in across from Janna and Jackie.

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late. Reynard and I got a little caught up in an argument downtown," he panted. Jackie leaned forward, setting down her menu carefully. "What happened? Another 'incident'?" she asked quietly. Marco nodded, plucking a menu from the tables display and looking it over as he answered.

"Yeah, but we helped them hash it out. Sorta. Two couples were arguing over some parking, the two from here saying it wasn't 'carriage parking' to get 'em to leave." Jackie shook her head, frowning at the idea. "I can't believe some people, you know? Like, they already have it bad enough, why bother making things worse for them?" Janna shrugged and leaned back in her seat, a faraway look in her eyes becoming more apparent. "That's why we have curses. A little silencing spell here, a little necromancy there, viola! No more divides."

Marco rolled his eyes and smiled, setting his menu down and waving to one of the employees. "I feel like making them shut their mouths might be a bit too literal, Janna." She merely shrugged again and shot him a knowing look, commenting, "Hey, you two have your methods, I've got mine."

After the three had ordered and received their fair shares of pizza and sufficiently began munching away, Janna jerked her chin towards Marco. "By the way, what's with the sword?" she mumbled between bites.

"Yeah, I was gonna ask about that," added Jackie. "Did you win it in a contest or something?"

Marco sheepishly looked down at his hip, realizing the butterfly sword was still tucked in its sheath by his side. "Oh, right. Reynard gave it to me as a gift for finishing training. And I guess as a thank you for signing up for the job."

"Pfft, never gives me any presents," Janna muttered with a smile, giving Marco a sideways glance. He shot her a deadpan expression right back and without missing a beat, added "I'll be sure to put in a good word for you," before reaching for another slice. "Same here, Marco," Jackie threw in, "See if he's got any cool knick-knacks from the merpeople."

"Guys, cmon, he's not Santa Claus," Marco laughed as the other two went into hysterics. Janna leaned forward and pointed her slice of pizza at him, looking more inquisitive than normal. "Okay, so riddle me this: What happens if you get picked by a farmer?"

Marco let his smile falter a bit as she continued, his expression sinking. "Or what about a squire? Or-"

"Janna!" Jackie cut in, nudging her arm, "Leave him alone, you know he's getting picked by a knight in shining armor." Marco rolled his eyes at that and slumped a bit in his chair. "No, with my luck I feel like Jannas probably right. Three months of training just so I can be picked by some guy that polishes boots all day."

Jackie shook her head and gave him a small smile, hoping to ease his nerves. "Marco, I know you. And even if I didn't, I'm sure a lot of really high up people are gonna be fighting for the chance to have you. You've worked too hard to be glanced over by everyone there. Trust me." Marco looked up, smiling slightly at the idea as he puffed out his chest proudly.

"Maybe you're right. I mean, Reynard said he put in a good word for me, so there's still a chance I get to do something important, right?"

"That's the spirit," Jackie mused as she finished her slice of pizza, "I'm just trying to get someone who's not too uptight, y'know? But I'm also not too afraid to get my hands dirty." Janna blew a raspberry at that, grinning at the seaside girl in question. "You're totally getting picked by a princess. No doubt about it. The stuffiest one around."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Jackie shot back, leaning back with a contented smirk. "But seriously, whoever we get, I'm sure it'll be a blast."

Janna raised her hands defensively, looking between the two with a satisfied smile. "Alright alright, maybe you guys deserve someone a little better than a boot polisher. But don't let your heads get too big, alright?"

Marco nodded to that as the three stood up to leave, leaving some bills on the table and giving both of them a sincere smile. "Goodluck tomorrow, Jackie. And Janna?" he began, shooting her an apprehensive smirk, "don't curse anyone until you know how to fix it."

"Duh, that's beginner stuff, Marco," she tossed back as the three departed the restaurant. "But since you were nice enough to cover the bill tonight, I'll be rooting for you to get someone good."

O - O - O - O - O - O - O - O

When Marco awoke the next morning, he quickly sped through his morning routine. A shower, a quick shave, brushing his hair and teeth, all were done before the sun had even graced the city. And by the time it had finally risen, he was already wearing his uniform.

The dress code for the event was formal, with some deciding to wear casual clothes regardless, but Marco saw fit to seize this opportunity by showing what he was made of. Reynard had been kind enough to loan him some light armor, but adding his own flair was what could make or break the deal.

He wore his usual red hoodie under a set of shined plate armor, with hip-secured side armor to match. It didn't offer as much in the way of protection as a full suit of armor, but what it lacked in security, it made up for with mobility. Marco had chosen it earlier in the year, deciding it best to mix both styles of fighting he had spent so long perfecting. A decision that did not go unnoticed, or applauded by Reynard. Marco also had a comfortable and flexible pair of boots to add to his speed, some polished shinguards, and some fingerless gloves for both armed, and unarmed combat. Suffice to say, he felt ready for anything.

When he rushed downstairs, he found his mom and dad already waiting for him, both gussied up in a more formal attire and both very eager to start the day. However, when Marco rounded the banister to greet them, their enthusiasm shifted to a more anxious stance.

"Oh, Marco… you're wearing your armor?" his mother asked softly, taking in his more battle ready appearance. In truth, he had shown them the ensemble before, but something about wearing it on the day of the selection seemed to really bring home the line of work their son was preparing for. Marco rubbed the back of his neck nervously, smiling at them as he spoke.

"Well, yeah. I've been training a lot for this kinda stuff, so it makes sense to dress for the job you want, you know?" His father gave Angie a reassuring, yet nervous nod, stepping forward and resting his hands on Marcos armored shoulders. "Mi amor, we both knew that this was what our son would be doing, we cannot act surprised, no?"

Angie gave in to a small smile, feeling their confidence chip away at her motherly instincts. "I know. It's just so… real now. It's only been three months and now your training is over, and you're about to step out into the real world." She walked over to him and gave him a small hug, Raphael joining in as well.

"I guess I should be happy you're protected, at the very least. We're very proud of you, my little man," she added softly, a few tears threatening to form. Marco hugged his parents back before the three separated, moving outside to begin walking towards the new community. "Well what about you guys?" he asked quickly, smiling elatedly at them as the walked, "You two have put in just as much training as I have, are you nervous?"

"Well, we have not been practicing Karate, or training with the sword, Mijo, but si, we are...pretty nervous," Raphael answered sheepishly. As the odd looking trio passed Britta's Tacos, Marco couldn't help but smile. A little over two years ago, this was the place where he had cemented his friendship with Reynard, and begun the long journey to where he was now. So much had happened since then, yet it still only felt like yesterday.

"It's been a long time coming, dad," Marco began, giving his father a reassuring smile, "but I know you guys are ready. Just be as helpful and amazing as you've always been." Raphael bit his quivering lip before draping his arms over his son, bawling at such an admission. "Si, Mijo! Thank you so mu-hu-hu-huch!"

After that small outburst, the three spent the rest of the walk fantasizing over who'd they'd be working for, and what kind of changes they could make happen in turn. After about half an hour of walking, they finally arrived at the Mewman Refugee Community, or M.R.C. for short. Passing through the massive stone entrance, they were greeted with a sight seen for miles around.

There were many sprawling homes, businesses, and landmarks to fill the circular community, but at its center was the crown jewel of their relocation: Castle Butterfly. Or at least, a recreation of it. When the Mewmans first arrived, it had been erected seemingly overnight, along with the surrounding buildings that gave the community such a homely feel. Most humans in town claimed they must have built it while no one was looking, but Marco knew magic was most likely the culprit.

The replica Castle Butterfly stood higher than most buildings in town, but to Marcos surprise, Reynard said it had been scaled down considerably to avoid imposing on their new neighbors. The castle was nearly the tallest building in the city, it's massive onion domes looming over everything below. Marco always enjoyed taking in its commanding stature, and the way the rooftops seemed to twinkle at night as the aircraft warning lights did their job. But today wasn't the day to take it all in. Rather, it was more about change than anything else. As the three snaked their way through town, steering towards the center of the village, they passed by hundreds of Mewmans who had stopped what they were doing to stare.

In truth, it made Marcos anxiety shoot through the roof , but he knew it wasn't going to get better. He would just have to get used to people coming out to gawk at the humans for the remainder of the morning.

He and his family finally rounded the last block, strolling into the spacious town square at the foot of the castle, and seeing more humans gathered together in a group near the massive steps. As they approached, many of the Mewmans that had gathered around parted ways, letting them regroup with the other humans. There were ecstatic smiles, conflicted stares, and some curious glances, but no one seemed to resent their presence, so that was a plus.

When they had finally made it, Marco scanned the crowd for Jackie, finding her talking to an older woman casually and both dressed well for the occasion. He weaved his way through the crowd, stepping on more than his fair share of toes until they were face to face before the looming castle.

"Hey, Jackie. You look nice," he offered, gesturing to her seafoam green dress and neatly bunned hair. She gave him a genuine smile and motioned back at his armor and sword enthusiastically. "Well look at you! You look like you're about to charge headfirst into war, man. Are you ready?"

Marco nodded eagerly, turning to face the stairs that led to a makeshift podium and stage before the castle. "Yeah, I kinda just want to get it over with already. Do you know when we're supposed to start?" he asked. Jackie shrugged and pointed up at the stage, seeing a few well dressed individuals taking their seats and scanning the crowd of humans eagerly. "Probably right now?" she asked as everyone around them began taking their places. Marco nodded and began stepping back to his family, waving at her as she stood in a line next to the woman she had been talking to earlier.

"Goodluck!" he whispered, earning a quick thumbs up from her as he stood beside his excited parents. Up on stage, he could see Reynard also giving him a thumbs up from his more elevated seat, the nobles around him not sharing quite as much enthusiasm, but still looking rather delighted. After all of the humans finished lining up in a double row before the stage, and the upper class of Mewni had taken their places on stage, three individuals stepped through the castle doors.

The first was a taller woman wearing a blue gown adorned with winged shoulders, her hair done up in a massive bun topped with a golden crown. She looked less than excited, but still somewhat eager to finally begin. The second was a man. He was much shorter than the woman who was obviously Queen Moon, with a long blonde beard split at the end to match his curled mustache. He too wore a large gilded crown, clearly being King River.

The third came as more of a shock to Marco, having only ever seen her once before, over two years ago and terrorizing Echo Creek. She was clearly the Crowned Princess, her hair fanning out below her knees and her dress a stylish, poofy, blue ball gown very similar to the one he had seen when he first saw her. However, much like him, she had grown quite a bit over the last two years, making an old blush christen Marcos cheeks. She was Princess Star Butterfly, and she looked even less excited than Queen Moon to be partaking in 'the selection'.

The crowd of Mewmans in the square immediately began cheering and clapping, with the two lines of humans taking a deep bow. Such a display would have been seen as overkill for people on Earth but here? It was the norm. Queen Moon held up a small golden rod, adorned with a blue heart-shaped jewel at its tip, letting a small ripple of blue, glittering energy flow out over the crown. The cheering stopped, and the humans raised their heads to listen to what she had to say.

"People of Mewni," she began, her voice both regal and commanding as it echoed throughout the square, "It is with great pleasure that I present to you, your applicants for the first ever Selection Process."

The crowd murmured excitedly for a bit, some light applause beginning before Moon raised her hand again. "After the closure of portals to Mewni, I know many of you feel as though this change... may be permanent. Regardless of the situation back home, I think it would be wise for us to stray from our roots for the time being, and experience more of what this new world has to offer. However, there are some that we share this new land with that are less than open to such an idea."

Some members of the crowd whispered quietly among themselves, their words and expressions turning less than excited at the admission given to them. But Moon continued, gesturing to the two rows of humans before her. So, to help build a stronger relationship with the Humans, I have gathered a group of trained individuals meant to introduce us to new ideas, and show us more of their home themselves. Anyone can request a 'guide', but they are on a strict, first come, first serve basis for now. Starting with members of the royal family, members of esteemed social standing, and those who helped in making this possible in the first place."

The nobles around her and the crowd of Mewmans in the square all began applauding for the applicants before them, their excitement returning with gusto as Moon once again held up her hand for silence.

"I am honored that you all have stepped forward so willingly to help aid my people in our time of need. You will be compensated well for your efforts, and your names will forever go down in history as the first Guides of Earth'. While I do hope this change is not a permanent one, I thank you all for everything you have done in preparation, and everything you will do for the future of Mewni. Now, the Selection begin!"

The crowd around them exploded into cheers and applause as the nobles and royals stood, making their way down the castle steps towards the rows of humans. Marco steadied his nerves at the approaching groups, watching as one by one, they made their way closer. He didn't know which of them would be selecting who, but he gave himself a small nod that whoever it was, he would give nothing but one hundred percent.

A tall man beside him was approached by an older gentleman wearing knightly armor, his beard grey and long, but his clothes remarkably clean. "My good sir, I am known as Sir Lavabo of the Wash. I would be honored if you would be my guide, and introduce me to more of your world."

The human beside Marco gave a large smile and shook the knights hand, eagerly answering with, "It would be my genuine pleasure, Sir Lavabo of the Wash."

A woman behind Marco was approached by an older lady who wore an unforgiving frown between her star-marked cheeks. She introduced herself as Lady Etheria Butterfly, who's name Marco recognized as Reynard's grandmother, and asked the woman to be her guide in a tone that was far more hospitable than her expression. The woman happily accepted, and that was that.

One by one, people around Marco were approached, requested, and employed within minutes. There were some nobles who circled the group before asking, but eventually they all began selecting their new guides. Even Jackie was approached by a regal-looking family with enthusiasm.

A young girl, who was clearly their daughter, stepped forward and introduced herself as Princess Penelope Spiderbite. Marco silently wondered why they had such a strange name, but as he began to notice the assortment of red marks and boils on their skin, he came to understand it. Jackie stood confused for a moment, but happily accepted their request, and the four began further introducing themselves in detail.

Marco made to ask his parents how they were holding up, but before he could utter a word, a large, heavily built man stepped up to him. He wore slightly singed clothing with a singed beard to match, both in stark contrast to his eager smile.

"Boy, mah name is Sir Vitruvius Blackard," he began in a heavily Scottish accent, "blacksmith fer the Butterfly family. Ah see yer already armed with such a beaut-ful weapon, so would ya do meh the honor of bein' mah guide?" he asked in a deep, scratchy voice.

Marco was somewhat intimidated by the blacksmith, but given his training, and the status of the man before him, he saw no reason to refuse. "I acce-" he began before a regal voice cut him off.

"Oh, Vitruvius, I'm afraid I must step in," Moon began as she approached the two, accompanied by her husband River, "You see, this young man has already been chosen." Vitruvius gave her an unsure look but nodded nonetheless, bowing slightly before her.

"Of course, yer majesty. May ah ask who selected the lad?" he asked sincerely. Moon waved for him to rise before smiling cordially at Marco and gesturing towards the stage. "We have chosen for him to be Stars guide, actually. I hope you're not offended by our intrusion," she added, resting a hand on the blacksmiths shoulder.

"Not at all, yer majesteh. If the Princess needs a guide, I see none better for such a duteh than this fellow 'ere," Vitruvius jested before bowing respectfully and departing. Once he had moved on, Moon turned back to Marco and smiled at him, calming his screaming nerves slightly.

Remembering his training, he bowed respectfully to Moon and spoke as calmly as he could. "Queen Moon Butterfly, I'm truly honored. My name is Marco Diaz." She nodded slightly, recognizing his introduction, and the lack of a need for her own.

"Marco Diaz," she began, looking him over carefully, "I've heard quite a bit about you from Reynard, and I'm very pleased to see that not all of it was an exaggeration." Marco glanced over her shoulder to see a very excited-looking Reynard giving him a wide grin and two thumbs high in the air. Turning back to Moon, Marco swallowed nervously and nodded.

"Thank you, your majesty, but are you sure you want me?" he asked, holding her gaze. Moon waved it off and smiled, stepping back beside River. "Quite. Given what we've heard, you seem more than capable to… erm, handle our daughter. Star!" she called out to the stage, drawing the attention of a very displeased-looking blonde, "Come down here and meet your guide."

Star rolled her eyes, but when she got a good look at the individual in question, her expression seemed to lift as she made her way down. 'Oh hey, it's that cute boy from before,' she thought to herself. She stepped up to the group and stood beside her mother, looking over Marco in a less than formal way. Marco felt his cheeks burn as he stood at attention before them, remembering their first encounter well. 'What did she mean by handle the princess? Like, put up with the insanity and clean up after her?' he mentally questioned.

Star finally gave him a short smile and met his brown eyes. "My name's Star Butterfly. It's nice to meet you, but despite what my mom says, I don't need a 'guide'," she said with a confident smirk, earning an impatient glare from Moon. The Queen made to comment on her attitude, but Marco stepped in first.

"Actually, we've met before," he began, gesturing up to Reynard, "Remember? When you-"

"ACTUALLY MOM YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK I'LL TAKE HIM, THANKS!" Star cut in, silencing Marco and drawing the eyes of both his family and her own. He gave her a confused look but her eyes immediately seemed to scream 'Please don't say another word', so he kept it to himself. Moon tossed Star a questioning glance, but let it shift into a satisfied smile as she then approached Marcos parents.

Smiling at Angie and Raphael, she bowed cordially and gestured to Marco. "And I've been told that you both are this young man's parents, correct?" Marcos parents nodded, wide-eyed as they returned the bow and introduced themselves. After a formal introduction, River stepped forward and put an arm around both their shoulders.

"Excellent! Would you be so kind as to be our guides? It's only fitting, you know, keep things organized and what not?" he asked with a wide grin. Angie and Raphael shared a quick glance before two beaming smile spread between their cheeks. "OF COURSE!" they returned in unison, matched in their excitement by River.

"Wonderful!" he shouted, pulling them closer into a hug, "Then it's settled, my family and your family, ready to unionize humans and Mewmans!" Moon sighed and pulled River off of the two thrilled humans before stepping back. "Thank you all for your contributions. I look forward to working with you and, erm, 'seeing the sights', as they say. We shall meet tomorrow morning to begin our first day."

Angie and Raphael nodded excitedly as Marco merely stood there, unable to take his eyes off of the blonde princess before him. It had been over two years, but up close he really took notice of how much she had changed. Which sufficed to say, Star shared in the daunting revelation. The skinny boy she had terrorized back when she snuck to Earth had certainly grown, both in stature and physique. 'And look at that sword,' she thought to herself, 'how'd he get his hands on an Butterfly heirloom like that? It looks a lot like... No way Reynard gave it to him.' But before either of them could stare for too long, Moon and River bowed cordially and began making their way towards the castle.

With one final smirk, Star grinned at Marco and turned on her heels to follow, skipping happily as she went. Marco blushed profusely, but luckily it went unnoticed by his parents. "Mijo!" his father shouted excitedly, pulling him into a bone crushing hug despite his plate armor, "Look at us! Chosen by the very top of the community! Can you believe it?"

"I uh…" Marco stammered before his mother cut in, joining them in the hug. "Oh my stars this is amazing! We get to show the King and Queen of Mewni around, and you!" she shouted excitedly as she ruffled Marcos hair, "you get to guide the Princess! How amazing is that?"

Marco looked back up to the stage as Reynard took his seat among the nobles, with Queen Moon concluding the ceremony. "Again, I thank you all for what you're doing for us. Words alone can't repay this kindness. Tomorrow, we will begin as you see fit, and hopefully, we can all take our first steps towards the future of a better Earth and Mewni!"

The crowds around her all cheered excitedly as the 'selection' drew to a close, groups of humans making their way back home and groups of Mewmans stepping aside to thank and congratulate them. Marco watched as the royal family headed through the looming castle doors, a satisfied grin among a wreath of blonde hair catching his eye.

"I guess we'll see," he finally said, hugging his family back. Tomorrow showed promise, and a reasonable chance for mayhem. How bad could it be?

Chapter Text

Stepping through the white stucco arch to knock on the Lynn Thomas house's front door, Marco nodded as Jackie opened it almost immediately.

"Someone's ready for their first day, were you standing by the door waiting for me to get here?" he joked.

"Look who's talking dude, you're 15 minutes early to my house," laughed Jackie, elbowing him lightly in the ribs as they headed up the street towards the M.R.C and Butterfly Castle.

As they walked in silence for several minutes, each was absorbed in their own thoughts about how their first day would go as guides for the mewnian royalty. Jackie had been lucky enough to be able to spend some time with Princess Spiderbite the previous day, and while she seemed friendly enough, there were still a million things that could go wrong.

'I really hope she isn't super stuck up,' thought Jackie, as dealing with a pompous and uptight noble who was the complete opposite of her was almost too terrifying to contemplate.

Marco on the other hand couldn't stop thinking about his planned day with Princess Star. Reynard had given him a few insights into what the Princess was like, especially her love of fun and general lack of respect for tradition and rules. Even in the short minute he had been face to face with her yesterday, he had sensed a hunger for adventure in the blonde girl that both intrigued and intimidated him. Shakespeare had written the line "Come what may," and Marco felt that it was never more applicable than now, as he walked towards an uncertain future as guide to the Crown Princess.

"So are you nervous Jackie? Because I definitely feel nervous," said Marco after a few more blocks of silent contemplation.

"Nervous? A little, but I'm way more excited about what we're going to be doing with our new friends from Mewni! Think about it Marco, they've only been on earth a few months, they're completely uninitiated in our culture and we get to be the ones to teach them! How cool is that!' Jackie went for a celebratory high five which Marco reluctantly slapped.

"I mean, yeah it's exciting and all, I'm just a bit worried. I feel like a lot of the people in Echo Creek aren't dealing well with having to share the town with the mewmans. Just yesterday I had to break up an argument that almost turned into a fight over a parking space… I mean come on, a freaking parking space! Things are going to get worse before they get better Jackie, you mark my words. I just hope I can do my best to make sure it doesn't get too bad." He looked down at his shuffling feet at those words, thinking of all the mewmans who had been forced from their homes only to now have to deal with a hostile human population even though they looked identical.

"Hey, Marco, my man, you always do your best for people. It's why Reynard took such a shine to you and look how that turned out! You two are best buds, and he even gave you a sick sword! Things will work out for the best, trust me. It's just going to take people like you and I, working hard to show everyone in town that the mewmans are just like the rest of us, just trying to catch that next gnarly wave without bailing."

Laughing at her surfer lingo, he threw an arm around her shoulder and gave it a slight squeeze, "Thanks for the pick-me-up Jackie, I was starting to get in my own head for a minute there."

"Oh I'm more than familiar with your 'Marco Moments,' dude. Plus, Star is like, super cute. I saw her totally checking you out yesterday when she first walked up to you."

Blushing madly, Marco shook his head vigorously at her revelation, "Get out of town, there's no way a literal princess from another dimension who can also do magic might I add, be interested in a nobody from Echo Creek…"

"Believe me or don't dude, I know what I saw. A girl knows when another girl is interested, it's like our secret superpower!"

"Pfft, I thought your secret superpower was always knowing when the tastiest waves were going to hit…"

Laughing, Jackie ducked out from under his arm before jumping in front of him and placing her hands on his shoulders and staring intently into his eyes. "Read my mind Marco, Princess Star was definitely interested in you. I wouldn't tease you about something like this, I know what it takes for you to work up nerve to ask a girl out. All I'm saying is don't close yourself off to an amazing opportunity without seeing where it might lead dude."

Taken aback by her sudden intensity, Marco blinked and nodded silently before Jackie finally relented and released him from her grip. Grinning, she winked at him, "Besides Marco, if I liked guys, like at all, we'd already have been an item by now. You're a total hottie dude, you've done a lot of growing up in the two years since she last saw you. No wonder she was checking you out on the sly like that."

Rolling his eyes, he fidgeted with the grip of the sword before answering her, "Alright, alright, you win. I won't dismiss any opportunities out of hand ok? Now let's get moving, I want to get there early, it makes for a good impression."

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"Star you need to hurry, Marco will be here in less than 15 minutes and I know you haven't even gotten out of bed yet!" shouted Reynard as he pounded on Star's door.

"Urhhhhgh, Reynard I'm getting up, I'm getting up." Groaning, Star pushed the covers off herself and stood. Trudging over to her wardrobe, she changed quickly into her teal dress with the pink octopus on the front. A quick brush out later, and she met an impatient Reynard as he leaned up against the wall outside of her room.

"Not bad Star, ready in under 10 minutes. I'm impressed. Now come on, Marco was here 15 minutes ago. If that guy's ever been late in his life, I'll eat my boots."

Laughing, Star took off at a run down the castle corridor dodging servants and courtiers on her way to the grand entrance of the castle. Looking behind, she saw Reynard chasing her at a run. He too was laughing as he dodged under a butler carrying a large tea set and spun to the side to avoid a trio of guards as they clomped up the steps.

Ahead of him, Star had just jumped on the bannister and begun to slide down the giant sweeping curve towards the great wooden doors that marked the entrance to the castle. "Not going to lose to you Cousin!" shouted Reynard, as he leapt up and pushed off the railing of the banister, soaring into the open air over the entrance hall. Gripping hard at a pastel blue banner that hung from the ceiling, Reynard heard the rings suspending the banner snapping one after, lowering him to the ground quickly but without injury. Moments later, Star hit the end of the railing at high speed before shooting off the end onto the highly polished marble floor.

"Marco! Watch out!" Reynard's warning came too late as the sliding princess slid hard into his legs, knocking him to the ground in a tangled heap with Star.

"Hi," said Star, grinning as she found herself facing a wincing Marco as he picked himself off the floor.

"Hey…" Reaching down he extended a hand for her to grasp and helped pull her back to her feet. "Well I'll give you this, you certainly know how to make an entrance, Star."

"Marco, I'm so sorry. I don't usually go so fast down that railing… It's just Reynard and I were racing… and uh, you aren't hurt, are you?" she looked at him in concern as she rubbed her hands together sheepishly.

Slowly, the corners of Marco's mouth began to curve upwards as he looked at her. What began as a small chuckle gradually grew into a great belly laugh as he bent over, clutching himself as he laughed. Soon, Jackie and Reynard joined in on the laughter while Star looked on confused. "Star," Marco said, still half-laughing, "It's totally fine. The last time we met like this, you almost trampled me to death with a warnicorn, so, all in all, this is an improvement."

Now it was Star's turn to smile, "Huggggsss," she cooed as she wrapped him up in a much more powerful hug than he was expecting from the slim girl. "This is going to be a lot more fun than I thought!"

It was another 25 minutes before Princess Spiderbite showed up, yawning as she walked down the stairs. The assembled group passed the time with Star asking question after question about Marco's training with Reynard. The more Reynard spoke about Marco, the more excited Star became about the prospect of spending time with the teen. In her estimation, he was fun, cute, friendly, and seemed more than capable of dealing with the kind of trouble Star routinely got into if Reynard was to be believed.

"Sorry I'm late Jackie, I had some issues with my make up that required a couple of extra servants this morning," said Princess Spiderbite as she walked up to the small crowd near the entrance doors.

"No problem Penelope," said Jackie, waving to the newcomer.

"Oh hello. Who are you?" asked Princess Spiderbite.

"Me?" asked Marco, "my name is Marco Diaz, I'm Princess Star's guide."

*Ahem* Star cleared her throat loudly and arched an eyebrow at him.

"Uh, sorry, Star. I am Star's guide and friend."

"Much better!" she said before clapping her hands together excitedly.

"A pleasure to meet you Marco, my name is Princess Penelope Spiderbite, but you can call me Penelope." The princess held out a dainty hand for him to take with a large smile on her face.

"Likewise," replied Marco, taking her hand and using the introduction to study her. She was around the same height as Star, but with brunette hair and green eyes. Aside from a prominent red carbuncle perched high on the right side of her forehead, she was quite cute, though, not quite in the same league as Star if he was honest with himself. She wore a simple green dress with brown leather boots and a tiara that appeared to be made out of wood.

Reaching down he pulled up the hem of his hoodie and quickly unzipped the small red fanny pack he had stashed there. Rooting around for several moments, he pulled out a small white tube which he handed out for Penelope to take. "Here Penelope, take this. I don't mean to be too forward, but I noticed you have a very inflamed bite on your forehead. This is a topical steroid cream I have to treat insect bites and skin irritation. I learned all about it in my first aid courses I took last summer. Apply this twice a day and that bite should clear up in a week or less."

Hesitating for a moment before taking the tube, she quickly applied a small dab to the top of the inflamed bite before stashing the tube in a hidden pocket of her dress. "Thank you, Marco. I wouldn't normally accept medicine from an almost total stranger, but this bite has been driving me insane this morning and frankly, I'd do anything to get rid of it at this point."

"Well then," interrupted Reynard, clapping his hands together excitedly, "it appears all parties have arrived, I'll just take my leave then. You four have a good time, and Star? You're going to have to get just a little bit faster if you want to beat the great Reynard Butterfly next time we have one of our little footraces."

"Just you wait, I'll get you next time!" she shouted after him as he let himself through a side door.

"Sooo, should we get going?" asked Jackie.

"Ooo, where to?" piped up an excited Star.

"Jackie and I talked about that, and we think one of our first stops should be the Echo Creek Mall. It's summer break from school, so there will be tons of teens our age there and will give you two a chance to look at current earth fashion, earth social customs, our monetary system, and we can get lunch as well."

"Some shopping sound fantastic," said Penelope, "do you think they take gold crowns?"

"Uhhh," Jackie was unsure if any of the stores at the mall would take anything other than cash or credit cards.

"Maybe a quick stop at the bank first is in order, I know they've been exchanging gold for dollars since shortly after you guys got here," Marco explained.

The four of them, their destination selected, left the castle and headed back in the direction of Echo Creek's downtown. Here and there as they walked, Marco spotted other guides escorting mewmans around town. Most of them were smiling, clearly still impressed with the many strange sights and new technology. However, some, along with a sizeable percentage of humans, now that he looked closer, appeared annoyed or outright hostile towards their new surroundings.

"What's that?" asked Jackie, pointing to a commotion across the street. Several carriages were pulled up onto the sidewalk with their occupants engaged in a heated argument with several store managers.

"Those idiots!" growled Penelope, "you two! Cease your squabbling at once!" commanded Penelope as she turned and made a bee line straight for the now staring mewmans.

It happened in seconds, with Marco noticing a speeding car just as the Princess stepped off the curb into the road without looking. 'That car is going to hit her if I don't act now,' he thought in panic.

"Watch out Penelope!" warned Jackie as Marco sprang forward.

In a bounding step he was behind her, and just had time to wrap his arms around a startled Princess before throwing himself back with every ounce of his strength. Flying through the air, he pulled her hard against his chest before slamming into the concrete sidewalk and skidding to a stop. In the tumble, she had turned and now as they lay on the ground, she found herself straddling his lap with her head inches from his own.

Blushing madly, Penelope smiled at a red-faced Marco, "T-T-Thank you, Marco Diaz, I didn't realize the traffic here doesn't yield to Royalty… How silly of me to forget."

"I-I-It was nothing," said Marco, stumbling through his words, "but please remember to look both ways crossing the road from now on, better safe than sorry.

"Let me help you up Penelope," said Star, holding out her hand.

"Oh, yes of course. Thank you, Star."

Helping the Princess to her feet, Star looked at a smiling Marco and felt a strange pang in her chest. Ignoring it for the moment, she bent down and helped him to his feet before throwing an arm around his shoulders.

"Look at this guy, been less than an hour and he already saved someone, Reynard was right about you!" she said, pointing at his chest and smirking.

"Haha, thanks Star, I just noticed that car wasn't going to stop, that's all. Nothing major."

"Nonsense Marco, I would have been seriously injured if not for your intervention, Star is right."

"Alright, alright," said a still red-faced Marco as he gently extricated himself from Star's overlong hug, "Let's hurry up and get to the bank."

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

Pulling the last set of curtains closed, Janna smiled as the light level in her room dropped to midnight levels. Now, her only illumination was a circle of candles arranged in a pentagram on the floor. All around her, objects and books on the occult lined the room and shelves. While long a habit of hers, in the past four months with the arrival of the mewman's from another dimension, her interest had redoubled as their appearance had proven what she had long suspected; Magic was real.

She hummed lightly to herself as she stepped over to her desk and checked the yellowed pages on the antique leather-bound book laying open. "Alright, so I have the candles arranged correctly, and let's see," she double checked the design in salt on the hardwood floor, comparing it with the faded diagram in the book. Nodding in satisfaction, she bent low over the symbol and lit several sticks of incense.

Kneeling just outside the chalk circle, Janna closed her eyes and spread her arms in a beseeching gesture. "Powers of shadow and darkness hear my call. I come before your shade to cast your pall. Grant your humble servant, these powers small. So I may see my enemies fall!" with the words said, Janna drew a short silver blade from her jacket pocket and dragged the edge across her palm. Wincing, she jumped from the unexpected intensity of the pain before clenching her first and letting crimson droplets of blood drip onto the folded-up list in front of her in the circle.

Janna waited several seconds for a response before sighing heavily. "Another failure… I need to stop buying this garbage on ebay…" Just as she was about to get up and attend to the cut on her hand, a cold wind gently blew across the back of her neck, causing the hairs there to stand up. As one after the other, the candles began to gutter out and die, leaving Janna frozen in place.

Something was there, she could feel it. Just barely visible, in the near total darkness, a dark mass of utterly pitch-black smoke hung in the air. 'It had worked! Years of attempts, hundreds of rituals with nothing to show, but now it had worked! I wonder what I contacted; the book wasn't very clear…' she thought as a wicked smile curved her lips. She wanted to scream and shout and jump for joy, but she knew now came the dangerous time, she had to keep her cool.

"Why have you summoned me?" came a breathy sibilant voice from inside the roiling mask of smoke.

"To control a spirt, duh. I thought you guys were supposed to be all knowing…" she said to the mass of smoke hanging in front of her.

"You cannot control the darkness, foolish child… Now speak your desire, fulfill the contract with me, and see the pact sealed" it replied, a note of mockery in its low sinister voice.

"My Desire huh, I don't think we've known each other long enough for that. Tell you what, let me take you out to dinner, maybe a little dancing, you can even help me prank Marco. Then we can talk about my desires," said Janna positively beaming with the joy of her success.

"It isn't wise to toy with powers far beyond your own girl… Now sign the pact, give yourself over to darkness," hissed the smoke as two sickly yellow eyes appeared on it's surface.

Janna narrowed her own at the being now staring at her. Its eyes were unsettling to say the least, bright, nearly white pinpoints stared out at her, surrounded by a softly glowing dirty yellow that was hard to look at for some reason. "What… No please?" she teased.

The yellow eyes narrowed as the temperature in the room seemed to drop precipitously. Slowly they raised up, as more smoke began fill the space increasing the stature of the creature to nearly 7 feet. "Foolish little witch, you dare mock me. I will make you suffer before I destroy you!" boomed the voice now as the smoke pushed forward towards Janna.

She only smiled as the entity seemed to bounce off an invisible wall at the edge of the salt circle. "Foolish, am I? I'm not the one trapped in a magic circle right now…"

"You cannot hope to contain me forever girl… and when I am free, I will make your life a living nightmare," roared the voice so loud it rattled the shelves around her.

"Forever, no, but long enough for me to find a working banishing ritual? Yes," answered Janna as she stood up and began to walk to her desk. "Honestly, this was more to see if I could actually summon something, than to actually gain anything. I-"

*Knock Knock* "Janna Ordonia, you open this door right now!" came the commanding voice of her mother.

"Shit, shit," she muttered as she hurried over to the door. Pulling it open just enough for her to poke head out to see her Mother's annoyed face.

"Janna, what is all this racket you're making. You know I'm having the girls over this afternoon for cards, I wa-" *sniff* Her Mother took a deep inhale through her nose and glared at her. "Janna Ordonia! You open this door right now or so help me," she shouted as she pushed past Janna's protesting head and stormed into the room.

"Janna yo- Ouch!" her Mother cried out having stumbled over something and nearly falling in the darkness. "Open a blind Janna, it's a beautiful Saturday, you should be outside having fun with Jackie and Marco."

The blinding light flooded into the room when her Mother threw open her heavy black curtains. Blinking hard in the sudden glare, Janna felt a thrill run up and down her spine. The salt circle on the floor was broken. It must have happened when her mother stumbled as she walked in the room, and with that circle of protection broken, whatever she had summoned could escape its confinement.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHhahahahah," a low voice laughed as a flash of yellow streaked past Janna and out of her room's door.

"Mom, I was doing an important ritual!" said Janna staring daggers at her Mother.

"Don't you laugh at me Janna Ordonia! I smell drugs! You are in huge trouble Missy," her Mother admonished as she whirled around from the opened window.

"It's just incense Mom, look," she knelt down and picked up her incense holder to waft it under her Mom's nose.

"Oh," she said after smelling the incense. "Sorry... about barging in honey, I just throught… Well, never mind."

She made to leave before turning back to Janna, who was oddly looking all around her room. "Janna, please try to keep it to a dull roar while I have guests over."

Following close behind, Janna nodded, "Yes Mom," before closing the door and leaning back against it panting. "I gotta call Marco and Jackie, this could be bad…"

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

After a short stop at the bank to change their money and a 10-minute bus ride, the four teens found themselves passing through the double glass doors to the Echo Creek Mall.

"Welcome ladies and dudes, to the Echo Creek Mall," said Jackie as she gave a deep flourish in the direction of the main concourse.

Laughing, Marco led a giggling Star through the door before turning to Jackie with a mock bow. "Too kind Madam, your hospitality is truly stunning."

Walking through the mall as a group, Marco and Jackie took turns explaining the various stores. They spent an energetic 20 minutes in the Candy Coliseum with Marco trying to keep up with a frenetic Star as she sampled almost every candy offered for sale before buying several pounds of the ones she had particularly liked.

"Marco, Earth is amazing! You have so many kinds of sweets! On Mewni, we only had a few, and all of them are corn based…" she trailed off as she bit a huge chunk out of the large gummy bear she had purchased. "Not that they weren't good, but having so many choices, it's amazing!"

Noticing her pink cheek marks glow with happiness as she happily munched on her candy, Marco smiled to himself. 'I'm so glad Star is down to earth, it already feels like we've known each other for a month, he thought. "Oh, thank you very much," he said as he took a small handful of candy out of Star's offered bag.

"Did you know Marco, that on Mewni we didn't have anything like this place. In the Spiderbite Kingdom, we had huge open-air markets with every vendor having a stall. I think this place is amazing. Thank you for taking us here," said Penelope as she smiled at Marco. Behind her, Jackie waggled her eyebrows at him before winking.

Initially confused as to why Jackie was looking at him like that, he was at a loss until he remembered their talk before collecting the princesses. 'She likes me? Maybe. She has been pretty friendly considering I'm not her guide. And she is quite pretty…' his thoughts trailed off as star poked him gently.

"Marco let's go over there," Star said, pointing at the glass fronted arcade. In bright neon letters above a multicolored arch read "Joyopolis Game Center." Suddenly, he felt her soft hand grab his and instantly the two were sprinting down the hall towards the lit up façade. Despite being yanked rather roughly towards the arcade, Marco couldn't help but grin at her infectious enthusiasm. Once inside, her jaw dropped. All around were lights and sounds, kids and teens their age mingled together, traveling from machine to machine. "Ooo Marco, this is amazing! What do we do first!" she squealed.

"Let me get some tokens and we'll get started."

Chuckling as the bubbly blonde princess dragged Marco into the loud arcade, Jackie turned to a bemused looking Penelope before asking, "So Penelope, do you want to go to the arcade?"

"No, not really my scene. I'm a bit more into relaxation, than loud bangs and flashing lights. Although… Maybe you could tell me more about that Marco fellow… He seems capable and handsome, both attractive qualities…"

Noticing the slightly wolfish look on Penelope's face, Jackie motioned for her to follow, "Come with me and I'll tell you everything you want to know."

A short walk across the mall later, and Jackie and Penelope were both seated in cushy soft chairs enjoying a relaxing pedicure, while Penelope bombarded Jackie with questions about Marco. "So wait, you're telling me he's a warrior as well as a charming guide? And what is a blackbelt anyways?"

"I don't know all that much about Tang Soo Do, but it's one of the highest qualifications you can get. I've seen him at more than a couple tournaments, he can kick serious butt when he needs to," explained Jackie to a now blushing Penelope.

"Wait, if he is such a charming man, and a skillful warrior, why have you not made a move on him yourself?" in a flash, her look of admiration had been replaced with one of skepticism.

"Oh, he did ask me out, a couple of years ago now actually…" Jackie trailed off as she remembered that day. She knew exactly how much effort it had taken the normally cautious Marco to pluck up the courage to ask her out, and even now, with their friendship stronger than ever she felt slightly bad that she couldn't give him the answer he had so hoped for.

"He did? And you turned him down? Why?" asked Penelope.

Jackie shifted in her seat, slightly uncomfortable with the deeply personal nature of the question. However, she had spent several hours yesterday at Butterfly Castle talking and joking with Penelope and, despite her somewhat imperious nature that reared up here and there, she was a genuinely caring and fun person to be around. "Penelope, I don't like guys in that way. Like in a romantic way… At all."

"Ooo I see. Yeah, we have something like that on Mewni as well. Live and let live as we've always said in the Spiderbite Kingdom." She smiled at Jackie, who felt relief at the subject of her sexuality not being an issue at all between them. "Do you know if he's single then?"

"Finish strong Star!" Marco shouted over the pulsing music as they danced in sync with one another.

"This game is awesome!" shouted Star back to him as they finished out the song.

"High Score! You Win!" the announcer called out, the notification flashing on Star's side of the screen.

"Not bad, for a first timer. You sure you didn't have anything like this on Mewni? I feel like I just went up against a pro…"

"Nope, I just used to dance all the time at the bounce lounge with Pony Head, and I've had years of formal dance training, since formal balls are such a big thing on Mewni."

"Bounce Lounge? Pony Head?" he arched an eye at her.

"Oh sorry, I forgot to tell you. The Bounce Lounge is the best dance club in the universe! It's in another dimension, and I used to borrow Manfred's Dimensional Scissors to go there. And Princess Pony Head is my best bestie from Mewni! She's a blue flying pony head and we used to go on fun adventures all the time," explained Star, her face falling slightly at the thought of her friend trapped back on Mewni.

Noticing her mood souring, Marco stepped up and threw an arm around her shoulders, "I like adventures Star. Before I met Reynard, I used to be the 'Safe Kid' and was always worried about taking risks. But, with Reynard's training, and the mewman's coming to earth I've really embraced a wilder side I didn't know I had."

"Spoken like a true best bestie," nodded Star sagely.

"Come on, let's go find Jackie and Penelope, I think it's lunch time."

Leaving the flashing lights and sounds behind, the two searched for several minutes before spotting Jackie and Penelope leaving the salon. Star waved frantically to get their attention as Marco called out, "Jackie! Penelope! Over here!"

The two girls began walking over until they both stopped and stared, wide-eyed. Penelope raised a hand and began to point as several people began to scream at once. Marco turned to look at what she was pointing at and was greeted with an intimidating sight. Seven hulking figures were standing behind him looking menacing, and in front stood a small bird like creature with yellow eyes, a skull for a helmet, and carrying a black staff with a winged eyeball on top.

"Something tells me these aren't friends of yours are they Star?" asked Marco, chancing a quick glance over at her.

Star was staring hard at the small bird like creature, her sky-blue eyes narrowed, and her fists clenched and trembling slightly. "Ludo… How did you find me here?"

"A little birdie told me," he cackled as the monsters behind him erupted into sycophantic laughter. "Now, Star Butterfly, hand over the wand and nobody gets hurt."

"Joke's on you Ludo, I don't even have the wand."

"What! Where is it then! You're lying!" Ludo appeared to be panicking slightly at the smug look now on the Princess's face.

"I'll just have to settle for kidnapping you then! The Queen will have to give up the wand if she ever wants to see her precious baby Butterflyagain! Get her!"

With a roar, the monsters charged as one towards Star. She crouched to spring into action, but before she could throw a single punch, a streak of red flew in from the side and kicked a red two-headed monster hard in the side of the head, knocking one into the other before it crashed to the ground and slid to a stop at her feet unconscious.

"Whoa, Marco, Reynard wasn't kidding! Pegasus feathers can you fight!" she shouted as he stepped forward to chop a large fly like monster out of the air.

"It's called Tang Soo Do!" he shouted, dodging a heavy blow from a bear like monster wielding a double-bladed axe.

Star grinned as charged forward to land a furious hay maker square on the jaw of a red lobster-like creature. It staggered and groaned under her ferocious blow, its carapace cracked and starred where her fist had impacted. "My fucking shell," it whined as it rolled around in pain on the ground. Dusting off her hands, she ducked low under a snapping pair of jaws before backhanding the offending monster, causing it to grip its snout and howl in agony, her slim frame belying her prodigious Johansen strength.

Facing the growling bear monster, Marco gave ground as it continued its unrelenting onslaught of swings. In his mind, he clocked the bear monster's swings, timing them for an opportunity to counterattack. After a particularly heavy swing he dodged with ease, he crouched back and leapt forward, unleashing a graceful typhoon kick. Feeling his foot connect squarely with the bear's snout, he physically flinched as a loud crunch rang out indicating broken bones. Immediately, the bear dropped to its knees and pawed at its shattered nose before he finished it off with a straight punch directly to the forehead.

Seeing two of his monsters lying motionless on the ground, and a third about to be finished off by that meddlesome princess, Ludo balled his fists in frustration. How, were his best monsters being defeated so easily. A wandless Princess Star and an Earth boy were embarrassing him even though he and his men outnumbered them three to one!

"Buff Frog! Destroy the boy!" screeched Ludo.

"Da, Master!" he responded before stalking towards a crouched and ready Marco.

"Marco give me a boost!" shouted Star as she ran at him. Instinctively, he wove his fingers into a basket as she jumped and pushed off, soaring high into the air. Mesmerized, he watched her tumble end over end before delivering an axekick to the top of Buff Frog's head, the force of the blow driving the green frog monster to his knees before his yellow eyes rolled back and he toppled to the ground unconscious.

Seeing his top lieutenant defeated so easily, Ludo slapped his hand to his face and dragged it down in exasperation. "Beard Deer! Three-Eyed Potato Baby! Attack them at the same time! Overwhelm them! You guys are like three times their size!"

Laughing now, Star bounded forward to throw a punch at the dopey looking three-eyed monster only to be punched hard in the stomach by the blue-skinned deer.

*Oof* Star stumbled back, clutching her stomach as Marco moved to cushion her fall. She was panting with pain as he checked on her quickly, before standing and assuming a fighting stance. Rocked back on his right leg, with his left heel slightly raised off the tile, he waited for the two laughing monsters to walk towards him and a kneeling Star.

"We're gonna tear you two apart," laughed Bear Deer.

"Agabayarhub, hue hue hue," babbled the dopey looking three-eyed monster.

Just as the Beard Deer crossed into range, he sprung forward, landing a lightning-quick front kick under its chin. As it stumbled back, momentarily out of the fight, he blocked a hard punch from the three-eyed monster before hitting it with a vicious five punch combo, culminating in a spear-hand strike to its throat. Choking, it fell back gasping and sputtering gibberish as Beard Deer surprised a momentarily distracted Marco with a strong punch to the side of the mouth.

Wiping the blood from his split lip as he fell back several feet, Marco started as he bumped into a hunched over Star. "You okay?" he asked.

"Think that deer guy broke a couple ribs," she said while wincing in pain.

Checking quickly that Jackie and Penelope were safe, he was relieved to see them both well out of harm's way, with Jackie running crowd control to give them space to fight without endangering anyone else. Turning his attention back to a now grinning Beard Deer who was advancing on him with murder in his eyes, he paled slightly as he was joined by the lobster and crocodile monsters Star had injured earlier. 'Three on one, it's time to get serious. I can't let them take Star, who knows what they'd do to her,' he thought as his hand drifted towards the sword on his hip. Gripping it, he felt the soft leather in his palm like a reassuring hand on his shoulder and in a flash, he drew it before gracefully shifting into a guard stance.

"It's time for you and your goons to leave," he snarled at the trio of monsters, freezing them in their tracks. Uncertain, they looked to a furious Ludo who seemed to be thinking very hard.

Star, for her part couldn't keep her eyes of the red hoodie-clad teen. He looked magnificent standing there, holding that exquisite sword which glinted beautifully in the light. Now that it was out of its scabbard, the finely wrought details she could make out left no doubt in her mind that it was Reynard's family sword, Silverlight. A blade that had earned a reputation on Mewni as one wielded by prodigious swordsmen for generations. And Marco, standing there, defiant in the face of things he had never seen before. She had only known him for two days, and yet here he was risking his very life for her. "Woww" she silently mouthed as she drank in the sight before her.

"Last warning Ludo. Call of your dogs, or this isn't going to end well for you. I won't let you take her." Marco narrowed his eyes at the small bird monster, doing his best to convey every ounce of his anger.

After several tense seconds, Ludo broke. Kicking the ground in frustration, he pulled out a jagged pair of scissors before slicing open a portal. "You three, grab these four babies and let's get out of here!" Grumbling, the three monsters still on their feet collected their unconscious companions before trudging glumly through the swirling portal. Just before stepping through himself, Ludo turned and shook his fist at Marco, "Be warned meddling boy! We'll be back, and next time you won't be so lucky!"

As the portal closed with a small *pop* Marco sheathed his longsword before checking on Star. Her eyes were as big as saucers and he had just opened his mouth when she crashed into him and wrapped him in the tightest hug he'd ever been in. "Marco you were amazing, I've never seen anyone fight like that on Mewni. You were like if violence could dance!"

"I was amazing? Star your fists were like hammers out there! I bet you could knock me out in one punch!"

"Oh my God, are you guys okay? That was crazy!" shouted Jackie as she ran over to check on them.

"That was absolutely amazing Marco. Those moves and that sword! Where did you learn to fight like that!" Penelope couldn't keep her eyes off him as heexplained to her the basics of Tang Soo Do and the story of how Reynard had gifted him his family sword.

"Amazing, so you can sword fight and you beat up all those monsters bare handed!" gushed Penelope.

"Hey, I helped!", added Star in a huff. Unconsciously, she noticed how close she had begun standing next to Marco and felt the heat rise in her cheeks.

"Star you were awesome out there! I couldn't have handled all of them on my own without having to use the sword. Thanks for the help, you've got some serious moves," said Marco as he turned to face a blushing Star.

'why am I so nervous when he's talking to me', she thought, as she rubbed her bruised ribs gently. "Haha, anytime Marco. Just wait until I get my magic wand, you havent seen anything yet," she laughed. 'He's cute, he's kind and fun, he can fight monsters, and he's my guide! Calm down Star, don't want to come on too strong here. Gotta play it coooool, yeah just like that that," she thought.

"Why are you making that weird face all of the sudden?" asked Jackie, looking concerned.

"What face? I don't make face," Star shifted uncomfortably under the inquisitive looks of her three companions.

"You look constipated. Are you feeling okay Star?" asked Penelope.

"What! NO no no nonononononoooo. I'm fine, my ribs hurt is all," answered Star in a panic as she glared at Penelope. Turning away from the brunette, she caught Marco's eye and opened her mouth to ask, "Marco, can we stop by this nice looking restau-"

"Star!" shouted a familiar voice from behind her.

"Tom?" Star whipped her head around to face the newcomer so fast she pulled something in her neck.

"Star it's so good to see you! I was so worried about you! It's been over four months!" Tom ran forward and embraced a still stunned looking Star before tipping her head up and kissing her passionately. Gently, she extricated herself from his arms and stepped back.

"Tom, not that I'm not happy to see you, but it's been four months. I tried calling your like a million times and you never picked up, I thought you had broken up with me…"

"What? No! I tried to call you too, but it always went to voicemail, didn't you ever get any of my messages?"

"No, that's really weird though, and how did you find me? I thought all the portals to Mewni were closed." She asked.

"Oh, I used an ancient demon ritual to find you. The normal ones wouldn't work for some reason. I was so desperate, I actually had to ask my grandpa Relicor, and you know how cranky he is. But he finally located the book we needed. As to how I got here," Tom laughed before snapping his fingers to create a dancing flame in his palm. "Star, remember that demon magic doesn't work like normal magic, the same rules don't apply."

"Oh yeahhh," Star nodded.

"Listen, I'm sorry I couldn't find you for so long, things are crazy in the Underworld right now with my Father trying to normalize relations with the new regime on Mewni."

"Your Father is talking to that monster! Tom, he forced my family and most of the other noble families on Mewni to flee for our lives!"

Holding up his hands pleadingly, Tom took a step back in the face of her fury. "Star, its politics, I don't have anything to do with it I swear. I told Dad he was making a huge mistake trying to open relations with Toffee… I'm sorry Star, I shouldn't have said anything. Please believe that I had nothing to do with it. I know what a monster he is…"

Star narrowed her eyes and studied him. She had known Tom for years and had dated him on and off since she was thirteen. Before she had been uprooted from Mewni along with the rest of her family to flee to Earth, she had been on a solid six-month streak with him with only moderate issues. He could be arrogant at times, and his temper was always bubbling just beneath the surface, but he was never a liar, at least to her.

"Okay Tom, I believe you," she said, smiling at a relieved looking Tom. "Look, it's great to see you again, but it's been over four months. Just give me a little time to get used to having you back in my life again okay?"

"Sure Starship, whatever you need."

Marco felt like he was watching the world's strangest ping-pong match as his head swiveled back and forth between Star and the strange three-eyed demon named Tom. 'So they're an item… Crap. I really thought we might have had something going on here… Oh well, at least we can still be great friends. There's something off about her though… I just can't put my finger on it, he thought as a frown creased his face.

"Marco? Marco you in there buddy?" asked Star.

"Huh? What?" he asked startled out of his own thoughts.

"Marco, I was trying to introduce you to my…" a very pregnant pause followed as Star seemed to decide something, "boyfriend Tom."

"Hi Tom," Marco offered his hand to the now beaming demon.

"Hey," he said, an air of indifference in his tone as he noticed Penelope. "Princess Penelope, I haven't seen you since the last Silver Bell Ball. I hope you're doing well?"

"Hi Tom, well I've been stuck on Earth for four months after Toffee's armies overran the Spiderbite Kingdom, soooo I guess you could say I've been better." Glancing at Marco, she managed a bit of a laugh, "Although, In the past couple of days I've met some really cool people, so there are some upsides."

A shrill screech rang out from Tom's pocket "Listen Star, I have to go, Father is expecting me for lunch any minute, I'll be back as soon as I can get away okay?"

"Okay Tom, but don't you disappear on me again!" Star leaned in to plant a quick kiss on his cheek.

"Of course not Starship, I'll see you in a few days I promise," said Tom as he stepped back into a column of orange flames before vanishing.

"Well that's Tom everyone…" Star chuckled. "Hey Marco, could we head back to the Castle now? We need to tell my mom about the monsters we just fought. If Toffee knows where we are, that won't be the last we see of those guys, I'm sure of it."

"Okay Star," he nodded. "Jackie, Penelope, are you guys going to hang at the mall a little while longer?"

"Yeah, I want to show Penelope some of the better clothing stores."

"Well you two have fun! Great to meet you Penelope!"

"Bye Jackie! Bye Penelope!" Star called out as she waved cheerfully at the duo.

Turning to leave with Star, he had only gone a few steps before he heard Penelope call out his name, "Hey Marco, wait up a second!"

Stopping and turning to face a blushing Penelope, he looked down and saw her holding out a small slip of paper to him, "Here take this. It's my number, I was thinking maybe we could go out and get dinner sometime, if you're not too busy that is…" she asked, trailing off in a small quiet voice.

"That would be… great actually," he said, as he took the paper from her hand and giving her his best "cool guy" smile. Giggling, Penelope turned and hurriedly walked back to a laughing Jackie who quickly flashed two thumbs up to him.

"Come on Marco, we gotta go!" called Star as she grabbed him by the hand and yanked him once again at a full run out of the mall.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

"And that's why I always make sure to look both ways before I cross the road," explained Rafael as he and River shared a laugh while the later continued to bandage up his legs.

"Really dear, you must be more careful," scolded Moon as she and Angie looked on. "Traffic laws on Earth are much different than Mewni, they don't yield to royals here. I told you that a month ago when you got hit by that bus."

"Yes Moonpie…"

"Well at least no one was hurt too badly, though I think that poor man's car may be totaled," said Angie.

"I've dispatched a scribe to compensate the man for any damages River may have inflicted on his vehicle, I'm sure he'll be just fine," added Moon as she turned to scribble another note in her ledger.

*BANG* The carved wooden door to Moon's office burst open to slam hard into the opposite wall as a disheveled and dirty Star and Marco walked in.

"Mijo!" shouted Rafael, standing up quickly and rushing over to his still bloodied son.

"Star! What is the meaning of this! Have you two been fighting?" asked Moon, barely able to contain her disbelief that her daughter and guide had gotten into a fight.

"No, Mom, we were attacked by Ludo and his goons! Marco was amazing though! He fought off four of them barehanded!" She mimed punches and kicks, adding sound effects where appropriate. "And when I was injured, he took them on three on one, and when he pulled out Reynard's sword they ran like cowards!" she finished before beaming at her companion.

"Star, come on, it's not like you didn't help out a ton. That axe kick you gave Buff Frog was probably the most amazing thing I've ever seen!" he gushed as all four of their parents listened, mouths agape.

"Star, this is very serious. You said you fought Ludo and his monsters. That means he knows where we are and it's only a matter of time until Toffee knows where we are as well," Moon said, sharing a meaningful look with the King, who nodded silently. Turning her attention back to Star, she was silent for a moment before coming to a decision. "Star, the appearance of monsters on Earth is not a good sign. There should be no way for them to travel here without Heckapoo's authorization, and she has assured me she has closed all portals to Earth."

"You mean that monster from Mewni is back?" asked Angie, concern etched on her face as she looked at her roughed up son and his new friend.

"I'm… afraid so…" answered River, a solemn look on his face. "We were prepared for that eventuality of course, but I didn't think it would be so soon."

"Well what can we do to keep our children safe?" asked Raphael

"I will be taking a number of steps, rest assured. First of all, Star, the time has come for me to pass the Royal Magic Wand on to you. I would have done this two years ago, however, with the dire situation we found ourselves in, I felt it needed to be kept in more experienced hands. Now that we have made our new home on Earth, I can no longer put off your training as future Queen, and foremost among that is your magical education. Tomorrow we will have a small ceremony where I will formally present you with the Royal Magic Wand and you will begin your training with Glossaryck. You've always been quite… exuberant, so I have no doubt that your enthusiasm will aid you in defending yourself should Ludo return. Second," she reached into her dress and pulled out a pair of baby blue scissors with a butterfly insignia etched into their blades and handed them to a now ecstatic Star. "Take these scissors Star, they will work on Earth and allow you to flee from danger if the need should arise. Do not attempt to travel back to Mewni to see Pony Head or Tom, as they will not work and I will know if you attempt to do so, are we clear?"

"Yes, Mom."

"Marco, I am counting on you to temper my daughter's rather impetuous nature. She gets it from her Father. Can I trust that you will continue to put my Daughter's welfare ahead of her flightier tendencies?"

"Of course, Queen Moon, I'll do my utmost to protect your daughter from any harm and continue to be her friend and guide on Earth."

*Ahem* Star cleared her throat, earning a surprised look from everyone present.

"Ah, sorry Star. I'll continue to be her guide and Best Bestie," Marco said, earning an approving nod from the Princess.

"Much better Marco," she said in a singsong voice.

Smiling broadly, River clapped both teens on hard on the back. "Excellent, I see you two are becoming fast friends! Marco here is already proving an excellent choice for you my dear! Only time will tell if he suits you," laughed River as the Queen cocked an eyebrow at his joke.

"Star, please be careful, and until tomorrow, I would prefer it if you remained on the castle grounds," said Moon.

"Yes Mom." Grabbing Marco's hand once more, she took off back out the double doors, Marco close behind in order to not be dragged, "I'll show you my room, I have a ton cool stuff up there, you'll see!" was the last thing the four adults heard as their children's' crashing footsteps faded into a tense silence.

Chapter Text

The entire M.R.C. was buzzing as Mewmans hurried through the busy streets towards Butterfly Castle. It was still rather early in the morning with the early dew fresh against the rooftops, and the sun's light a freshly minted orange against a violet streaked sky, but nearly everyone in the village was awake regardless. Today was a day unlike any other, and as such, it required the attendance of everyone available. To include the newly appointed 'Guides of Earth'.

As Marco and Jackie, both dressed in their vastly different work attire, made their way through the village, the small settlement seemed to come to life before them. People began pushing and shoving for the fastest means of getting to the Castle's entrance, while others seemed to stroll their way through the busy streets. Marco, being human, wasn't exactly allowed unrestricted access to the settlement before two days ago, so this was still a fairly new experience for him.

Though, in spite of his lack of familiarity with the Center, he knew well that all of the commotion, anxiety, and excitement buzzing from everyone around wasn't a common occurrence. Rather, today was actually the day that Princess Star Butterfly received the royal magic wand from her predecessor, Queen Moon. An honor unsurpassed during any reign, and one of the rarest ceremonies to bear witness to by the Mewman populous.

This was all, of course, explained to Marco in great elation and exasperation by none other than Star herself. How something so grand and rare could be boring and tedious was beyond him, but from her point of view, the ceremony was little more than a hindrance in getting the greatest gift of her lifetime.

Jackie nudged Marco's arm as they walked through the M.R.C., drawing his attention from the jostling and murmuring crowd. "Hey, sooo, did you call Penelope yet?" she asked, a wide grin beaming on her face. Marco gave her a sheepish shrug and continued walking as he muttered "Not yet. I was going to call her this morning and ask if she'd be at the ceremony, but then I found out that I would have to be a part of it, so I figured I'd see her if I see her," he said with another resigned shrug. Jackie looked at him, beside herself with such a dispirited response.

"Dudeee. I practically gift-wrapped a cute, nice, intelligent, funny girl for you to get to know, and you don't even call her the night after she gives you her number?" she demanded. He could only fumble for a response as they skirted around a fruit stand.

"What? Is that bad or something? I just didn't want to bother her with dumb conversation." Jackie merely shook her head at the blatant clueless nature of one of her best friends. "Dude, you gotta let her know you're interested. You should totally bother her with dumb questions and junk. Show her she's on your mind, that you're seeking her company, and that she's important to your day to day life," she explained.

"Well, I mean it's not that serious yet, Jackie," Marco returned, "But you might have a point. If I don't see her at the ceremony, I'll call her right after… and maybe set up a date."

"Yeah, you friggin better," Jackie jested, playfully slugging Marco on the arm. The two walked in silence for another moment, but once more Jackie spoke up, tossing him a sideways glance. "What does Star think of all this, by the way?"

She couldn't tell much by Marco's expression, which remained somewhat stoic in the morning light as they weaved through the crowd, but his answer seemed to tell her enough. "I don't know, I didn't ask her. Though I feel like she wouldn't care too much if I date a different princess."

"Is that her demon boyfriend talking, or what?" Jackie asked with a cocked brow. Marco laughed at that and shook his head before he finally answered. "No no, she's actually genuinely nice, and she's a really good friend of mine, so I feel like she'd just be happy that I'm happy, you know?"

Jackie smirked at him and shrugged slowly, resting her hands in her pockets. "Remember what I said about a girl always knowing what another girl is thinking, Diaz," she chided, "I don't think much has changed in the last twenty-four hours, regardless of mister demon prince."

"Uh-huh," Marco answered, pursing his lips and giving her an exaggerated nod, "Well, I'll definitely keep that in mind, but for now, I think I'll just worry about the princess from another dimension that isn't dating someone."

"Just saying, pretty unfair they all chase after you, and you're too clueless to chase back" Jackie mused aloud as they neared their destination. "C'est la vie, mon ami," he sighed back to her with a mock grin.

The streets were getting more and more congested, with villagers and carriages blocking every available path. Although this type of traffic was to be expected, it wasn't something Marco had planned on dealing with when in a settlement lacking cars.

Finally, after several minutes of weaving through crowds, Marco and Jackie emerged into the busy, bustling Capitol Square to find many of the royals and nobles from the Selection waiting among the castle steps. In much the same manner, they had specific seating lining the walkway, with members of the royal families seated at the top, all leading up to the massive, looming wooden doors of castle butterfly.

"Woah," was all Jackie could manage, looking around them at the hundreds of people gathering around to watch, "looks like you and I are supposed to be up there," she stated, pointing up at the top. Marco craned his neck to look and found himself making eye contact with a very excited noble waving his arms for them to hurry.

"Do you think he sees us?" Marco asked in a whisper as they began making their way towards the stairs. Jackie stifled a laugh and shook her head, whispering back "I think it's a safe bet he does. I'd be more concerned about her, though, if I were you." Marco made to ask what she was talking about, but one look up at the looming castle doors told him everything. Though they were only open a crack, he could easily make out Star's ecstatic grin and sparkling eyes, even from the lower levels of the square. He couldn't help but smile as they climbed the stairs, approached excitedly by Reynard while Star quickly rushed back inside the castle.

"Marco! Jackie! It's truly a thrill to see you both here for Stars' Wand Receiving Ceremony!" Reynard exclaimed, pulling the two in for a hug before ushering them towards the seats. "Of course!" Marco answered, taking his seat between the two, "we wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Plus, it's kind of our job to be here anyway," Jackie admitted, nodding her head to the fanfare in front of them. The show was nearing its start and many of the surrounding Mewmans and nobles were beginning to organize themselves.

"Oh pish posh," Reynard whispered to them, a small grin evident on his face, "I'd sooner believe Marcos answer, Miss Thomas, but good effort! I know too well how fondly Star holds the two of you. I know she's thrilled that you could make it and... liven things up, even if only slightly."

Marco tore himself from the showy presentation before them for only a moment to catch that last line from Reynard. 'liven things up… what does he mean by that?' he thought to himself, before quickly being interrupted by the regal and very formal voice of Queen Moon Butterfly. Marco, as well as everyone within eyesight, immediately turned to look at the speaker of the land, who was standing front and center, with King River to her left.

"People of Mewni, and esteemed Guides of Earth," Moon began, holding out a hand for silence, "I know many of you were not expecting to be called to this ceremony on such short notice, but in contrast, I am very pleased to have the privilege and ability to host such a ceremony despite the circumstances."

Marco heard the crowd around him whispering uneasily, but Moon continued despite the unsure words. "We have had to endure much, as a people, for these last few years. And it is because of those hardships, that I have chosen to postpone my daughter's inheritance of the wand. But no longer will she, nor you, people of Mewni, have to wait!" she exclaimed, suddenly thrusting her hands upward as the crowd erupted in applause and fanfare.

Marco felt a small nudge to his left and turned to see Reynard giving him wide eyes, a massive grin, and a pair of thumbs high in the air. That was his oh-so-subtle cue to get moving. Without a word, Marco rose from his chair and began making his way to his predetermined spot, all eyes on him as he did so.

"My fellow Mewmans, although I am excited to usher in the next age of our future reigning queen," Moon announced, taking a step forward and producing the Royal Magic Wand with a ripple of purple magic, "I have ultimately decided upon a gesture of good faith towards our human neighbors. Marco Diaz, please step forward."

Marco did as he was told, walking somewhat stiffly up to her majesty and kneeling before her. "Princess Star Butterfly," Moon announced, turning to face Marco, and the castle behind him, "please step forward." All eyes turned towards the oak doors of Castle Butterfly, and from the gap between them walked Star, dressed in her favorite blue Victorian-era dress, and looking extremely pained with the simple process of walking.

Each step she took, Marco figured, was like a nail in the coffin for the princess. He knew better than just about anyone that this entire event was basically torture for Star, for a number of reasons, but the two of them knew that this was something they had to endure for the sake of the people. So for now, it was grin and bear it, or no wand.

After a solid minute of uncomfortable walking, Star arrived at the center of the stage and stood behind a kneeling Marco. Moon smiled at her daughter, along with River, nearly getting lost in the moment, if not for Marcos reminding cough. "Right, of course," she whispered, "As we find ourselves in a new land, shown to us by new people that we bring into our homes, I have decided that it would only be right for one of Earths finest to deliver the wand to its new wielder."

Marco could hear words of unease from all around them being whispered, from thoughts of a downgrade in their queen to the idea that the kingdom was no longer in safe hands now that Star held the wand. He had no choice but to ignore them as he was certain many others were. "Rise, Guide Marco Diaz, and help carry our kingdom forward," Moon commanded.

Without a word, Marco stood up slowly, taking gentle hold of the wand from the queen. The entire M.R.C. became as silent as a graveyard as her highness released her grip, allowing Marco to fully grasp the sacred heirloom. He could feel its power through his gloves, and without missing a beat, slowly turned to face Star.

To his surprise, she was completely still and was wearing a face similar to the Mona Lisa, despite the circumstances and her usual nature. Calm, confident, and patient were all qualities she had somehow adopted within the past twelve hours, and Marco felt a contagious wave of serenity spreading from his new friend. "Are you ready?" he whispered to her.

Moon watched carefully, looking for any cracks in her daughter's facade, but none could be seen. Star merely smiled with all the regality of a princess and nodded slowly. "I am, Marco. Let's get this pony show over with, shall we?" she asked in a singsong voice, never breaking character

"There it is," Marco mused, holding the wand out to her with a smile, "I'm surprised you haven't exploded yet."

Star internally fumed at his jab, but a small cough from Moon reminded her of her situation. She returned Marcos smile with one of her own, and slowly took hold of the Royal Magic Wand. Once her fingers laced around its hilt, Marco released the powerful artifact and rose, stepping back and allowing Queen Moon to speak.

"People of Mewni and Earth alike," she began, turning to face the masses that now looked on in excitement, "I present to you, the future Queen of Mewni and our guiding light in a sea of darkness, Star Butterfly!"

As if on cue, the wand began to light up a brilliant white in Stars hands, filling the entire square and blanketing everything around it in its magnificent radiance, but her expression wasn't the cordial excitement it had been moments ago. Now, Star looked at the beaming artifact in her hands as if it were her own headstone. 'Guiding…light?' she thought to herself.

Marco and everyone around him shielded their eyes from the blazing sight as Star could only watch in mute surprise. Before her very eyes, the wand took on a new shape, changing from a simple golden rod capped in a blue heart, to a purple shaft with a large, star-studded bulb at the end.

Now freed from her prior trance, Star screeched and brought the artifact closer to her face as two small wings sprouted from either side of the bulb, flapping several times before spreading wide around the star-shaped gem. She beamed Marco a smile, one which he eagerly returned before attempting to return to his seat.

"And where might you be off to young lad?" River asked in a voice almost quiet enough to go unnoticed. Marco turned about to answer, but Moon waved to the hundreds of Mewmans gathered around the castle entrance, announcing "This marks the end of the ceremony, and the beginning of a new, brighter era, under our shining Star."

Before he could even react, River had both Marco and Star in a tight hug as the crowds around them began to mingle and disperse. "My word! To see the two of you before our entire populous, and not even breaking a sweat! I knew you made a good choice, Star! This man suits you well!" He announced with a wide grin. Star couldn't help but return the enthusiastic attitude, but Marco blushed madly at the comment, wriggling away from the Bear King as he struggled to explain the situation.

"It's not like that y-your majesty, I swear I would never-" he began before River stopped him with a hard pat on the back. "Not to worry, dear boy, you already have my blessing, I wouldn't dream of-"

"River! You unhand those two at once, we're standing before the entire M.R.C. you know," Moon scolded, as she sent hot glares his way. River gave her a sheepish grin and stepped aside, gesturing to Star and Marco. "But Moonpie, I was just congratulating the two of them for-" he began, but once again Moon cut him off with a terse whisper as she shuffled him away from the teens.

"Darling right now isn't the time for any of that. Star has bigger things to focus on than boys, especially given the circumstances of her most recent…suitor," she explained in a hushed tone. River stroked his beard and nodded, tossing Marco a subtle glance. "I suppose you're right, dearest. But I'm putting thirty crowns on the young lad in red."

Opposite the stage to the royal wagers, Star eyed her wand with the excitement of a mad scientist, eager to experiment no matter the side effects. As she ran her fingers along its wings, she smiled at Marco, practically brimming with ideas. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Star asked in a voice as smooth as silk, betraying her frenzied expression.

Marco swallowed hard and held up two hands in defense. "I'm not thinking about blowing up the city, or creating an army of mutant tacos, so...probably not," he answered as he took a few steps back, bumping into Reynard and Jackie.

"Star! How does it feel to hold the most powerful weapon in the multiverse?" Reynard asked, "Our enemy's greatest fear now rests comfortably in your hands."

There it was again, the expectations that came with the gift. Star merely grinned wickedly at him and rubbed the bulb of her wand. "It feels reeeaaally good," she cackled, giving Marco and Jackie goosebumps, "I uhh, can't wait to lead Mewni to a brighter future!"

"So long as you don't burn it down," Reynard quipped with an entertained smirk.

"Welp that sounds like our cue to get to safety," Jackie prompted, taking hold of Marcos collar and quickly pulling him towards the lower stands. But Marco was almost immediately surprised to feel another set of hands grabbing his own and fighting Jackie's pull. Star was holding him in place without much struggle, and she didn't look happy at all.

"Where are you guys going?" she asked, somewhat disconcerted by her best friend's early departure, and his apparent willingness to comply with it. "I was hoping we could test this baby out, ya know, see what it can really do." Marco made to think of an excuse, some reason at all to get out of it. He had seen the kind of reckless, destructive power Star was capable of on her own twice now. The thought of it being turbocharged by a magic wand? That was the stuff of nightmares.

"Well… I was thinking," Marco began, shifting his gaze from Star, to Reynard, to Jackie, and back. He sighed, defeated, and completely void of ideas. "I have to make a phone call first, but… I'd love to test it out with you, Star."

Grinning wickedly, she could barely hold her excitement at the prospect of getting to show her guide something in return for all he had shown her. In short, she was going to blow. His. Mind.

Reynard gave him a thumbs up and a wide grin before stealing Star away to 'prepare' for a short excursion, giving the two humans a moment alone to finish their business. "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Jackie asked, her eyes overselling her worry, but Marco simply shook his head and took out his cell phone.

"Trust me, Jackie, if this goes how I think it will, you'll thank me later. You'll probably see me on the news, alongside the rest of her...aftermath."

"Point taken," the surfer mumbled before both of them took a seat. Marco didn't like the idea of leaving Jackie behind, but Star could be rash, reckless, and naive at the best of times. He just didn't have the capacity to keep an eye on both of them when things inevitably got out of control, which wasn't a mark against his bestie, just the simple truth.

Without another word on the subject, Marco dialed the number from a small slip of paper into his phone and waited while it rang. Jackie immediately perked up upon hearing the chimes beep, fully aware of what was potentially happening next.

"Hey! Penelope!" Marco exclaimed, surprising Jackie before she began leaning closer to hear the conversation better. "Yeah! Yeah, it's me! Sorry, I didn't call earlier, I wasn't sure if I'd see you at… ohhhh, that makes sense."

Jackie frowned at him and tapped her ear, hinting that she couldn't hear what her assigned Princess was saying. Marco grinned and rolled his eyes before tapping the speaker button, allowing Penelope's voice to break through for her to hear, continuing as if nothing had happened.

"So what's up on your side of the Center?" Penelope asked in a soft voice, making Marco's cheeks blush in response to his audience's wide grin. "Ahem, ahh, not much. Just watched Star get her wand, so now her and I are gonna go test it out somewhere."

"That sounds like fun. I wish I could go with you guys. I've been soooo bored today."

Jackie raised an eyebrow at him as if to ask where she had been that morning, to which Marco mouthed back "family." He made to offer some gesture of goodwill towards her absence, but before he could, Jackie seemed to egg him on further towards his original goal.

"Hey, um, listen," he began, his voice straining to get the words out through his nervous smile, "I was wondering, are you...free tonight?" The phone remained silent for a moment, both Marco and Jackie holding their breath in wait. But just as Marco began to worry that he might be making a mistake, Penelope finally spoke, her voice as smooth as silk.

"Are you asking me that to make small talk, or are you asking this lovely princess if she'd be willing to spend her night with you?"

Marco's cheeks burned at the question, with Jackie eyeing him attentively as he struggled to find an answer to Penelope's more direct question. "Well I was just- I was thinking-" he sighed and smiled behind closed eyes, his blush never fading, "Yes...do you want to go on a date tonight?"

Jackie held her breath, much the same as Marco before the Penelope giggled from the other end of the line. "Well I might have to move around my super busy schedule, maybe cancel some other dates, but I might, probably, perhaps, ABSOLUTELY LOVE THAT!" she finished with a yell, scaring Marco into dropping his phone with alarmed eyes. Fumbling to recover it as Jackie pumped her fists in the air, he managed to answer, desperate to keep his train of thought.

"A-Awesome! I-I can c-come by this evening and pick you up," he answered with a grin, "Would you be alright with dinner? Maybe some dancing?"

"I'd love that. I'll be in the square at seven, and Marco?" she asked, drawing every ounce of his attention to her, "Don't keep your princess waiting."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Penelope," Marco chuckled back, his cheeks ablaze with redness. However, before any further remarks could be shared, Jackie tapped her wrist and pointed a thumb toward an approaching Reynard and Star. "Hey, Star and I are about to head out, but I'll see you tonight, okay?" he offered as the two stood up to greet their returning friends.

"Haha, okay Marco, I'll see you tonight. Tell Star I said hi!" Penelope answered before the two ended their call. As Marco hung up his phone, he glanced at Jackie, who wore the smuggest grin he'd ever seen in the years he'd known her.

"What?" he asked, shooting her an amused smirk, "I said I'd do it, and now your buddy Marco has a date tonight."

"That he does. You can thank me at any time, really," Jackie shot back, rolling her eyes, "I always knew you had it in you though."

"Do my own ears deceive me now," Reynard suddenly asked from between them, looking quite shocked at Marco, "Have you found a romantic partner to share the evening with?" Star appeared by his side, now dressed in her usual green and rainbow sleeveless dress, and looking extremely invested in the conversation.

"I uhhhh," Marco's eyes darted from Reynard to Jackie, and finally fell on Star, whose expression was completely blank. "Yeah, I have a date with Penelope tonight. I hope that's not breaking any rules."

"Nonsense, Marco. I can assure you that dating a princess, is not off-limits," Reynard announced with a surpressed grin directed at the group. "In fact, congratulations are well within order," he finished with a small clap shared with Jackie.

"I ACTUALLY HAVE A DATE TONIGHT TOO," Star blurted out loudly, before quickly covering her mouth, her eyes wide in surprise at her own words. She wasn't sure exactly where the outburst had come from, but hearing of Marco and Penelope having a date made her chest tight in the oddest of ways.

"Really?" Jackie asked, breaking the short awkward silence, "You guys should totally do a double date or something! It could be fun!"

With everyone's attention, Star began to fumble for words as she ran her fingers through her hair. "Well, I mean...maybe not a double date, Toms not really a people person..."

"That's alright, Star. Maybe we can all meet in the square at seven and judge each other's outfits," Marco joked, "Or at the very least have a fun little sendoff."

"Yeah, that sounds great, I'll have to let Tom know," Star answered with a wide, cracked grin. Jackie and Reynard exchanged a knowing glance before giving their companions a hearty goodbye, and promptly excusing themselves for the morning.

"Sooo, where exactly are we going?" Marco asked, adjusting his sword and giving Star an inquisitive glance. In response, she merely flashed him a wicked grin and produced her pair of dimensional scissors, promptly cutting open a portal and taking a step back. "Someplace super duper cool, but out of the way so I can practice a bit."

Marco gave her an uneasy look and glanced around at the M.R.C. town square. It seemed like everyone had gone off to do something else with their time, leaving him and the now magically charged princess alone. "Your mom mentioned someone named Glossaryck yesterday, shouldn't we go get him? I feel like he's kinda important in terms of training."

"He's…" Star struggled to find the right word to describe her eccentric instructor without seeming too harsh or dismissive. "He's a lot to handle all at once. I'd rather my first go around with the wand be on my own. With my trusted guide too though," she quickly added, drawing an inquisitive glance from the boy in question.

After a few seconds of silence, Marco let his shoulders sag under the impregnable smile he was besieged by. "Okay, but promise me this won't be like your first visit to Earth, okay? I don't want this spiraling out of control the first time we get to go someplace new."

"Don't worrrrryyyy, Marco," Star assured as she ushered him through the swirling teal portal, "I promise it'll be fun."

With that, she stood to the side, and let Marco gasp at the new surroundings they were met with. "Oh...my...God," Marco whispered, letting his jaw drop.

From where the portal had left them, they now stood on a small plateau dotted with stone hills and covered with grass in the midst of some sort of canyon. It was unnaturally vast, rivaling even the Grand Canyon to the east of California. He'd never been, but as he gazed at his surroundings, enraptured by its raw natural beauty, he was sure this place had it beat. The small plateau they stood upon was at least two thousand feet up, the edge beneath them having a jagged rock face of varying minerals and towers of purple amethyst jutting out from various outcroppings.

Far, far below, there was a winding river of orange liquid carving its way through the rocks, but looking up bestowed him with a sight unlike anything on Earth. There were other flat-topped rock formations varying in size from mountainous to several acres large and tied together by thick vines, hovering in the air. He could make out glowing purple crystals at the bottom that hung down like stalactites, looming dangerously like jagged chandeliers.

"Star… what-"

"Pretty cool place, huh?" She asked with a confident grin as she twirled her scissors and put them away. "It's called The Platform Canyon. Totally deserted, nothing crazy, and the coolest place to practice a few spells."

Marco rubbed his eyes and looked back out to ensure he was actually seeing the landscape correctly, and when his vision held true, he turned to Star in shock. "Star this place is amazing! I've never seen anything like this!"

"Told ya I'd show you something awesome," she quipped. Star immediately skipped along the edge of their private field as she turned back with a wild grin. "C'mon, I'll give you a quick tour of the place and we can find a good spot to practice." Marco seemed hesitant about the odd scenario and the seemingly precarious mountains hovering above him, but nonetheless, followed Star along the ledge.

"So, you're probably wondering, 'Star? How do those rocks float like that?' right?" she asked in a mocking tone. "Well, you see the purple glowy ones at the bottom? Those are called Gravity Crystals. They used to be underground in this giant canyon. But since they're magic, gravity works the opposite for them. All these floating mountains used to be in the ground, but eventually, they broke free thanks to the stones. People like using them to make flying boats and stuff, but I think they make awesome upside-down jewelry."

Marco dared a nervous peek over the edge, and immediately found himself regretting it as he lurched back in a mad crab-walk. "Star, we're really, really high up," he muttered uneasily.

She gave him a quick glance, eager to keep the tour going, but upon seeing him so uncomfortable, directed his attention toward a rock formation fifty yards away. "It's no problem, we can practice over there," she announced as they began making their way over. The grass seemed taller the closer they got toward the middle, but Marco was just happy to ignore the height they now resided at. "I think this'll be a good spot to try some spells out."

Marco gawked at the gravity-defying stones chained together with roots and plants all around them, as Star knelt down and poked a red lily, causing it to retract into its own stem.

"Okay," she announced, standing up quickly and dusting off her dress, "let's start with something simple." Marco took several preemptive steps back and sat down on a mossy boulder as Star pointed her wand forward and recited her first spell.

"Sparkling kitten cluster bomb!" She yelled, twirling with all the grace of a dancer and pointing her wand skyward. But nothing happened. The quiet, serene wind continued to blow across the small plateau of the rock as Star slowly examined her stance.

"What's wrong?" Marco asked from his perch, "did you say it wrong or something?" Star gave her wand a couple of knocks before readying herself once more, answering with, "I don't know, I thought I did it right. Maybe my stance was wrong?"

Trying once more, Star spread her feet a little wider upon finishing her twirl and extended her arm further. But again, there was no magic. "What the heck, I just got this thing" Star grumbled. Marco rubbed his neck and stood, giving her a sympathetic shrug. "Well, while you figure out why the magic trans-dimensional artifact is on the fritz, I'm gonna go have a look around."

Star frowned and let her shoulders sag. "Okay, well, don't go too far okay? I'd hate for you to miss something amazing!" As Marco walked away, Star tried once more to cast a spell, even something simple. "Spider with a top hat blast!"

She expected at least the entertaining little spider to appear, but nothing. Not even a little poof of an attempt. "The heck is wrong with this thing," she grumbled. Her plan of impressing Marco was fading fast. "Strawberry shake quake!" she yelled, getting ever more irritated by the moment, "Warnicorn stampede!"

"Dusty Tumbleweed Hurricane!"

"Crystal Dagger Heart Attack!"

After several failed attempts to even conjure so much as a speck of glitter, Star groaned in contempt and flopped on her back among the red lilies. As the flowers promptly shrunk into themselves, she puffed a stray strand of blonde hair out of her face and glared at the sky.

"I finally get the wand, and a chance to blow Marco's mind, and the stupid thing doesn't want to work," she mumbled sourly as the breeze washing over the plateau seemed to mock her with its tranquility. "So much for an equal exchange for being queen." As she lay there, her mind began to wander to the high expectations her people held for her, and more importantly, what they would resort to if she was powerless against the enemy.

Mewni didn't need a Queen that couldn't use the wand. And it certainly didn't need a Queen like her if that was the case. Without bothering to speak the incantation, Star waved the wand once more only to earn nothing in the form of magic.

"UGHH!" she groaned aloud, rubbing her temples in frustration. "How does my mom use this stupid thing?" After a short moment of no response, Star closed her eyes and pointed the wand straight up, focusing on her breathing and clearing her thoughts. Only the sound of the wind and the steady thump-thump of her heartbeat ringing in her ears could be heard.

"Honeybee Tornado…" she began to whisper, but her heartbeat seemed to reign supreme in her ears. It was now so prominent she could feel the thump-thump in her chest and head.

Star quickly opened her eyes, glaring at the sky before sitting up rapidly. The thumping continued, and it seemed to only get louder. "What the…" Star wondered aloud before Marco came roaring through the flowers, only stopping to grab her wrist and yank her to her feet. "We gotta run, now!" he yelled, not bothering to wait for an answer.

The thumping was now so loud, it shook the ground as the two took off running. Daring a quick glance back, Star saw a giant hand attached to an arm as thick as an Ironwood tree and covered in mossy white hair that hung in clumps slam hard into the ground, throwing up dirt and flora as it pulled the rest of its body over the steep hill and into view.

It was massive, at least four stories tall, and ripping into the rock beneath it in an attempt to move faster. The thing was covered in long, white hair that obscured them from making out its exact shape, all except for it's beady, bloodshot red eyes that poked through the mop-like fur in rage.

"What the hell is that thing?!" Star yelled over the thunderous sound of it's massive body as she and Marco neared the edge of the Plateau. "You mean you don't know?!" Marco shouted back, "I thought you said this place had 'nothing crazy', and was 'totally deserted!'"

They both skidded to a stop at the edge of the floating mountain, daring a look over their shoulders at the beast and deciding it best to find a way down. "It's supposed to be," Star yelled in frustration as the two began climbing down a thick ladder of vines and rock, "What did you do to piss it off?"

Marco made to answer, but small boulders began to rain down around them as the beast met the ledge of the plateau and began angrily roaring at their escape. "I was just grabbing some of the floating rocks! Apparently, it didn't like that!" Marco yelled as they scrambled onto a lower plain and made a run for it. "Can't you just use the wand and blow it up? Like a small spell to make it disappear or something?"

"I'm not a magician Marco it doesn't work like that!" She answered as they ran, "And no, I can't get the wand to work! The stupid thing's broken!" Marco made to press further but the ground beneath them jolted violently, knocking them to the ground in a tangle of limbs. Rising first and turning around, Marco saw the beast had jumped from the higher platform and landed hard on theirs, already beginning its stampede.

Looking around, Marco spotted a small cave opening in a rocky hillside close to them and pulled Star with him as he bolted for it. "The wand literally worked half an hour ago when you got it! How is it already broken?!" Marco yelled above the noise.

"I don't know, okay! I just got it, and it doesn't cast any of the spells I know about!" Star yelled back in ragged response.

The roaring and stomping were so loud now, Marco couldn't even hear her over the massive creature's thundering movement. Just when he was sure it was right on top of them, they dove through the small opening and into a dimly lit hole in the rocks barely larger than a garage.

Marco pushed Star to the farthest corner and drew his sword, standing at the ready as the noise increased just outside the cave. The space suddenly shook violently, throwing him and Star to the ground as he assumed the beast had tried breaking through the cliff, but the rocks held firm to their relief. He watched with rigid nerves as the entrance to the cave suddenly grew dim, and the giant's arms snaked its way through the hole.

"Keep away from the opening!" He yelled to Star as he drove his sword down into the massive hand, the polished steel suddenly drawing a sputtering of blue blood as it bit through thick flesh. The beast roared so loud it shook the walls of the cave as Marco drew back with his sword and covered his ears.

The two watched as the hand withdrew rapidly and the beasts thundering footsteps seemed to retreat a short distance. After a nerve-racking, silent few moments, Marco assumed it had wandered off and dared a slow glance around the corner of the entrance, only to see the monstrous creature nursing its hand a hundred yards away, its eyes locked with his.

"Well, now would be a good time to portal back home," Marco suggested, sheathing his sword and walking unsteadily back to Star. But he noticed her face had gone pale, and her eyes were now as wide as silver dollars. "What?" He asked shortly.

"Remember how we used to have dimensional scissors?" Star asked in a meek voice, daring a broken smile at her guide.

"No…" The word slithered through Marco's lips as an icy chill ran up his spine. "No way. You did not."

"I might've dropped them when that thing jumped from the higher mountain," she stated, her voice barely above a whisper.

Marco stared at her for a moment before approaching slowly, his expression never wavering. "Marco?" Star asked, now getting worried. This was usually the part when her mother would explode and reprimand her for hours over her failures. But to her releif, it didn't come. And to Marcos deteiment, it was time to show off his patience.

He plopped down in the dirt beside her and shook his head, staring up at the ceiling. "It's alright. We still have the wand, and we can try to summon something to outrun it. Let's just not lose our heads, okay?"

"But, the wand is broken," Star mumbled. Marco leaned back, resting on the rocks. "Right, forgot about that," he chuckled with an absent-minded smirk, "well, it's either the wand, or we can wait it out. Either way, we aren't going anywhere for awhile, I guess."

A few muted moments rolled by with the beast outside occasionally strolling to a new vantage point to watch the cave before Star looked over at Marco. He looked like he was sleeping with his legs crossed and his eyes closed as his hands rested on his knees.

"Marco?" She whispered, poking his arm.

"Yeah?" He answered immediately, not moving a muscle. Star gave him a perplexed look and asked, "What uh...what are you doing?"

"I'm meditating. It's good for the body and mind when you're stressed. You should try it," Marco answered back, his tone calm and steady, as soft as velvet. Star looked him up and down, figuring she didn't have anything better to do and decided what the heck. Folding her legs Indian-style and resting her hands on her knees, Star closed her eyes and did her best to calm down.

"Focus your breathing, and concentrate on the flow of energy within you," Marco added softly, "What do you normally do when you're stressed?"

"Go out for drinks, party with my friends, fight monsters. That kinda thing."

Marco paused for a moment, cracking one eye open to chance a look at Star and seeing her smiling blissfully. "Oookay, tell me about Mewni. What's home like for you?"

Star giggled softly and shook her head. "My home's Earth, Marco. But Mewni...Mewni was different. What humans say is ancient history is what we lived in." Star thought on that for a moment, deciding it wasn't quite right. "Okay well, we could go to other dimensions with better technology, but for the most part, we lived without it. It was nice."

Marco opened his eyes and looked over at Star. He expected her to be much calmer and blissful after talking about home, but he found only a frown adorning her usually cheerful face. "I never really heard the full story about what happened there. Do you want to talk about it?"

Star leaned back and frowned at the ceiling of the cave as if it guarded the answers to all her problems. "Not really. I mean, there's not much to say. Monsters, those guys that fought us yesterday, they've been getting the short stick for hundreds and hundreds of years. They finally decided they'd had enough, so they declared war. We fought a good fight, but...somehow they were always a step ahead of us." Stars glare seemed to intensify as she went on, captivating Marcos undivided attention.

"They moved around every blockade, knew about every spy, every scouting camp. They knew about raids we hadn't even finished planning yet. We tried to keep up, to get the upper hand… but they overwhelmed us. Their leader, Toffee, I heard he was a force of nature. Everywhere he went, people died. No prisoners, no mercy. And then he would disappear until the next battle. Even my mom couldn't stop them."

Star took a shaky breath and steadied herself somewhat. "We had no choice but to leave, and that's where you met Reynard and I. He was a scout for a new home, and we decided that Earth was the best bet."

Marco leaned back and rested his head on the rocks, staring up at the ceiling with Star. "Star, I'm so sorry. I knew things were bad but...man."

"It's alright," she answered sullenly, "I feel like things worked out okay in the end. After all, I got to meet you, and Jackie, and you got to meet Penelope." Marco could swear her voice got dryer as she finished that sentiment, but decided to ignore it.

"Still," he whispered. "That's a lot to go through."

"Tell me about it. And my people think I'm supposed to be the next queen to lead us to a 'brighter future', and 'restore Mewni to its rightful place', but… Marco, I can't even use the wand. My mom wants me to start training now and start learning to be the perfect queen and do things better than her but, honestly? I don't know if I can do any of that."

In truth, the grim reality of her future had been eating at her since they had fled to Earth. But saying it out loud, to her best friend, it made things a little better. Marco reached out and gently took hold of Star's hand before resuming his meditating. Star chanced a look at him and decided to follow suit, closing her eyes and breathing slowly.

"I know things might seem overwhelming, Star," Marco began, giving her hand a squeeze, "like the whole world is weighing you down, making it hard to breathe. Your family, your people, they have high expectations for you as a ruler, a leader, a magic-user. But what you're forgetting is that when the time comes, you'll be in charge. You'll be queen, and you can do your job however you want. You can take your time, and do things your way, and everyone who doesn't like it can screw off."

"Well, I might still need you to be my guide, even then," Star admitted with a sly grin, chancing a quick glimpse with one eye at his reaction to her words.

Marco couldn't help but smile and laugh at that. "You got it, Star. But remember, you have time to learn how to use the wand. More importantly, you have time to become someone bigger than the person you are today. That's just growing up, you know? Don't let it scare the one and only Star Butterfly."

"Thank you, Marco," she offered quietly.

"For what?" He asked, the both of them ignoring the shifting creature outside. She smiled at nothing and let out a blissful sigh. "For being my friend. When my mom first told me about the whole 'guide' thing, I thought to myself, 'whoever my mom picks is gonna be some stiff slimeball who just cares about the job'. But you're nothing like that. You're like, amazing."

Star withheld any mention of her tight-chested feelings towards him any time Penelope was involved, and any notion of what her father boasted about that morning, but she truly meant every word. Marco was a boy she'd met all of three days ago, and already he was her closest friend.

"Anyways, enough about me," Star announced nudging Marco's arm playfully, "What about you? What's your future like? Besides being my best friend."

Once again Marco couldn't help but laugh out loud. "You know, before I met you two years ago-" Marco began, but was promptly interrupted by Star. "Sorry about that by the way, I got a little carried away, I'd never been to Earth before, and I was like, suuuper excited."

Marco waved it off with a chuckle and continued, smiling to himself as they meditated. "Before I met you two years ago, I wasn't at all like I am now. I would have answered with a number of things, like a Karate instructor, or a therapist. But Reynard pushed me to be something more, to step out of my comfort zone, to make something of myself I could only have dreamed of when I was little. Don't take this the wrong way, but… I'm kinda glad you came to Earth."

"Me too," Star answered softly before realizing she was still holding Marco's hand. "Sorry I got us into this mess. I kinda just wanted to show you something cool, since you've shown me a lot of cool things already."

Marco withdrew his hand and leaned back, enjoying the momentary silence the beast seemed to be giving them. "Don't worry. You're like the coolest girl I know, so you don't have to do much."

Star felt her cheeks flush at his admission and made to return one of her own, but a loud boom from outside the cave shattered the magic of the moment, and dragged them both back to the present. Looking outside, they saw the beast had smashed its perch to pebbles and was now lurching closer to the cave, tearing apart the ground beneath it.

"Okay, Star, not to pressure you or anything, but now would be a good time to figure out what's wrong with the wand," Marco suggested before the creature collided with the outside rock face, sending a torrent of dirt and small rocks down upon them. Star looked uneasily toward the entrance before raising her wand, aiming it at the outside disturbance.

"Crystal Dagger Heart Attack!" She yelled aloud, hoping upon hope that the wand would come to her rescue. But no magic came forth. Grunting is frustration, Star seethed at the wand's latest failure as Marco came forth and patted her shoulder.

"It's alright, Star. Try to focus. You can feel the magic inside the wand, you just have to bring it out." Star glared at him and shook her head. "I can't feel any magic, Marco. It's like I'm just holding a fancy stick!"

The cave rocked again as more debris fell, the beast's claws now digging their way through the outside rock face. Marco stared at the wand, then up to Star in surprise. "You can't feel it?" He asked quietly. Star shook her head in annoyance. Marco looked at the wand, then up to her, and guided her into a braced summoning stance.

"What are you-"

"Just breathe Star. Focus on what's in the wand, instead of what you want to come out of it," he suggested in a calm voice, "It's like meditating, focus your energy and look for a foothold in it. I know you can find it." Star could feel the warmth of his hands on her bare shoulders and remembered Marcos meditation from earlier, closing her eyes and focusing on things that made her happy.

'Partying in the bounce lounge with pony, fighting Monsters on Mewni,' Star internally repeated. She felt Marcos warm hands resting on her shoulders as a light blush rose to her cheeks. 'Hanging out with Marco. 'You're like the coolest girl I know-''

Star felt a warmth rising in her chest, and like an answered call, she felt a weighted tingle in her hands. She looked at the wand in front of her, instead of the beast outside the cave, and felt a new weight beyond the ornate object she now held. Closing her eyes, Star whispered a spell as she imagined forcing the warmth in her chest to the wand in her hands.

"Pulverizing Energy Cataclysm."

Marco felt heat from all around, as the wand took on a halo of yellow light. The beast outside grew still as if it sensed the disturbance before the wand cackled with yellow sparks. Without so much as a warning, the air was displaced around the two of them as the wand forced a torrent of yellow magic forward from its crest. It was as loud as a jet engine, making Marco wince at the brilliant light and churning dust storms within the cave.

He could feel the heat of the sun all over his body as it cracked his lips and seared his face, but the noise persisted for only a moment longer. Star was tense as he did his best to brace her, but suddenly, the magic stopped, and the two opened their eyes to see the aftermath.

There was no beast, and there was no cave. The two now stood in a small cove against the cliff side, immediately beside a deep, sizzling trench that led all the way across the plateau and through a nearby floating mountain. As the air rushed back into the space around them, they could smell remnants of burnt hair, and seared flesh, but they were now alone. Star slowly turned to Marco with a grin wider than any he'd ever seen on her before

"Did...you SEEE THAAT!?" she yelled ecstatically, "I did it, Marco! I used the wand! That thing totally just got destroyed! Oh, my corn!"

Marco could only nod and fix his windblown hair back into place, his eyes as wide as dinner plates. "Y-yeah, that was...amazing Star," he breathed, "we s-should, go and find those...scissors now, though."

Star stopped mid celebration and looked at him before nodding with a determined glare. Without another word regarding the stillmolten tench before them, they set out into the field to search for their ticket home.

"Soo, that's the uh… power of the wand?" Marco asked uneasily. Star, still occupied with analyzing every facet of the wands crystal, regarded him with a shrug. "I mean, Maybe? Mom always said it could destroy the entire universe, but I've never seen or heard of anything that would back that up."

Marco let his mind wander to the prospect that what he had just seen wasn't even a fraction of what the wand was capable of, and decided it best not to ask. "Well, I'm just glad you're on my side. I feel bad for any monster that gets in your way," he mused with a chuckle.

Star made to agree, but something inside her had captivated her attention. If that was a spell even a newbie like her could use...what was her mom capable of? And what did the enemy have that made them turn tail and hide in another dimension?

O - O - O - O - O - O - O

As a scarlet portal opened in the town square, Marco and Star stepped through, looking more than bedraggled after their journey. The sun was now beginning to set, casting an orange glow across the city as they stood silently, assessing the situation.

"So it's five-thirty now," Marco began, sliding his phone back into his pocket, "that means I have an hour and a half before I need to meet with Penelope. You alright with me heading home early today?"

Star stopped cold, not having considered that she had an hour and a half to make a date with Tom happen, or risk her being caught in a lie. With a wide grin, she nodded, taking an uneasy step back. "Yeah, go right ahead, broooo ...not a problem here."

Marco glanced at her with a suspicious look, but decided not to question. Star could be an enigma in and of itself on a good day. "Alright well, I'll see you and Tom later," he offered before taking off into a run, disappearing around a nearby street corner. Star let her smile wilt as she watched him go, and after a moment, pulled her compact from her purse. Dialing a number, she glanced up toward Castle Butterfly.

"Hey… Tom. It's me. Yeah, I know, I forgot. But i was wondering…"

O - O - O - O - O - O - O

It was almost seven as Marco stood at the base of the steps leading to Castle Butterfly. The Mewman guards stood on either side of the heavy Oak doors, and had instructed him to wait outside, so wait he did. Looking down to check his outfit for the seventh time since arriving, Marco removed a few specks of dust purely out of instinct.

He wore black slacks over shined dress shoes, and he had tucked in a forest green shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Smiling, Marco looked down and checked his father's watch, a gold faced piece strung over his wrist with black leather, and felt relief in that he only had about six minutes left to wait. Provided his date was punctual, that is.

Marco looked around at the now crisp, summer evening sky and smiled at the days events, having helped Star use her wand, and escape his first life threatening instance. And, knowing who his best friend was, probably not the last, knowing Star. It had been an exciting day, and of course, it wasn't even over yet.

He made to look around for a clean place to sit, but without any warning, an orange glow lit up the ground beneath his feet. As he stepped back, eyes wide in surprise, he watched as a thin circle formed before giving birth to a flaming pentagram. Then, before he could step back any further to safety, a pillar of fire erupted, singing more than a few hairs hanging free above his forehead. As the fire grew, the ground seemed to split apart angrily, making way for a lone figure to float up through the crevice, and out of the pillar.

Marco, now thoroughly singed and nearly thrown back to the ground, gawked as Tom stepped to the ground, and dusted himself off casually while the torrent died down. After the crevice had closed, leaving a scorched mark on the ground, Tom opened his eyes and regarded Marco with an annoyed disinterest.

"Star said you had a date too, but I would have figured you'd have cleaned up first," he grumbled. Marco was about to ask what he meant by that, but found a single, glowing hair on his head sending bits of ash down onto his now-singed clothes.

"Well, I was clean, until you almost burned me alive," he shot back, dusting himself off. Tom rolled his eyes and pushed Marco out of the way as he approached the stairs, wisely choosing not to climb them. "Whatever, Mango. Just stay out of our way, yeah? Star doesn't need you bothering her any more tonight than you alreadyhave all day."

"Excuse me?" Marco asked, stepping in front of Tom and glaring at him in mock surprise, "we almost got killed today in some other dimension. I'm surprised she was even still fine with going out tonight." Tom inhaled slowly and took a step closer to Marco, now inches from his face. Marco could almost feel a heat radiating from the Demon Prince.

"What did you say?" he asked slowly and deliberately, his eyes glaring daggers into Marcos, "You went somewhere with my girlfriend, and you almost got her killed?"

Marco did a double take at the backhanded and disingenuous question, before taking a step back. "She got her wand today and wanted to try it out somewhere safe. And I didn't 'almost do' anything. We got trapped in a cave by some crazy Mon- ...thing, and I helped her figure out how to use the wand to get us out of there." He watched as Toms resolve seemed to flicker for a split-second, mimicked by the heat he felt against his face, before the demon furrowed his brows and stiffly gripped Marcos shirt.

"Listen here, Mango. I don't care what you think you're supposed to be doing as her 'guide' or whatever, but if you like being alive, you'll mind your place, and stop messing around with my girlfriend."

Marcos brain seemed to stop working for a moment before he returned Toms fierce glare, taking a hold of the demons wrists. "I think, I'm doing my job of keeping her safe, and being a bridge between our very different worlds. My only intention with Star is to be her friend, and do my job. So you're going to let go of me," he began, as he twisted Tom's wrists nearly to the point of breaking them, "or I'm going to have to hurt you."

Tom yelped and withdrew his hands, rubbing his wrists as a thin black smoke began to rise from them. He glared at Marco with a new, reddish hue in his eyes, and made to speak, but Marco turned around sharply and addressed him one final time.

"And my names not Mango. It's Marco. Star's best friend."

He heard a low growl, and felt a rising heat growing behind him, but at that exact moment, the massive oak doors of the castle were blasted open by a ball of pink light, throwing both guards asunder and revealing two young women smiling confidently at the top of the stairs.

Star and Penelope stood proudly for a short moment, letting the glitter and magic rush around them before taking the first steps toward their respective dates.

Marco marveled for a moment at the ostentatiousdisplay the two girls were putting off, but more importantly, their attire for the evening. Penelope wore a deep green dress, styled to resemble thick leaves fanning downward around her legs, and a water lily fanning around her chest. Her crown, while simple, was a small piece of braided twigs adorned with blood-red maple leaves, and just below her neck sat a small pendant in the shape of a spider. And amazingly, even the large spider bite above her right eye was far less noticeable. Not that it had ever been a problem anyway.

Star on the other hand, wore a bright, pastel pink dress that fanned out near the heels and split halfway up her right leg, leading up to an intricately sewn bust of white and reds. She had neglected to wear any crown, however, and instead opted to wear her trademark devil horns, now shaded a matching pink.

When the two had reached the base of the stairs, they shared a mutual look of amusement before breaking out into laughter at the over exaggerated approach. Tom and Marco, frozen in place, stood speechless as they were approached by their respective dates, now given a chance to comment on their dazzling appearance.

"You look amazing," Marco remarked, purely awestruck by Penelope's decorum, which more than dwarfed his own. "Thanks, Marco," she giggled before stopping abruptly, frowning at him and inhaling sharply through the nose. "Do you smell that? It's like someones got a bonfire going or something," she remarked.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Marco replied, "Yeah, that's me. I kinda got a little scorched when Star's boyfriend showed up. I can go clean up real fast if you like…" he offered.

Penelope shook her head and smiled at him, closing the distance between them to stand much closer than ettoquite would allow. "Nah, it's alright. I like the smell of campfires, actually. And yours is reeeaaally goood." Marco felt his cheeks burn with heat as he took a small step back, holding up his hands politely. "Haha, well you know meee, just… happy to please."

"And please your princess, you will," Penelope purred as she once again closed the gap.

Star and Tom did their best to ignore the display, sharing a quick glance before distancing themselves from the other two teens. Tom fanned his hair back and smiled at Star, taking her hand gingerly. "Well, Star, where shall we go for a good time? Someplace private? Maybe back to-"

"Actually I was thinking we could go to the bounce lounge," star offered in a hurried voice, "It's been a crazy day and I think Marco had a point when we talked about it earlier." She quickly noticed Toms growing dissatisfaction at the mention of her bestie's name and let her nervous smile slip. "Or...we could just go somewhere else, if that makes you upse-"

Tom turned rapidly to face her, like she had just told him the secret to everlasting happiness. "No no, no. It's okay, we can go to the bounce lounge. I'm fine with that, I'm not mad, why would I be mad? Nope, super cool about it," he finished with a wide grin, showing off his fangs. Star immediately perked up and took his hand, producing a pair of scissors as she pulled him into a tight side hug.

"Great! Then let's get to partying, Boo! Woohoooo!" She yelled aloud, earning a curious glance from the awkwardly flirting couple behind her. Tom waved two halfhearted hands in the air as Star cut a lavender portal before them. "Woo," he mumbled.

After they had disappeared, Marco turned to Penelope and held out a hand she gingerly took. "Shall we be off, Princess?" He asked in his best rendition of regality. Penelope burst into a fit of laughter as they walked, wiping a tear from her eye. "Who are you supposed to be? Star's cousin?" She giggled, "Marco, even though you're not royalty, you don't have to act like that around me. Just treat me like one of your normal friends."

"Rightttt," Marco replied, donning a cheerful smile, "I can uh... Do that. No prob bob."

"It's Princess Penelope Spiderbite actually," she replied quickly before jabbing Marcos chest at his expression, "Oh my gods, Marco," she laughed, "I'm kidding, jeez. You should loosen up, lover boy."

"Sorry, sorry. I'm just a bit nervous," Marco returned, taking her hand in his once more, "I've never actually been on a date before." He didn't hear a reply, and when he looked over at Penelope, he found her seemingly deep in thought. Then, with a smile, she shrugged and replied, "It's no big deal, Marco. I've never dated a commoner before, so I guess we're both a little out of our comfort zone. But let's just try to have fun. No worries if we stumble a bit, okay?"

Marco couldn't help but smile at that as they rounded the gate leading to Echo Creek. Giving her hand a squeeze, he replied, "Right. Just two people having fun." His mind wandered to what fun for a Mewman might pertain to, and found himself thinking of Star. But somehow, Marco figured Penelope's idea of fun would be vastly different if they were on Mewni.

"So where are we going?" Penelope asked, practically reading his mind. Marco returned with a grin and shook his head. "It's a surprise. But I tried to keep in mind what you're used to."

"Mmkay," Penelope hummed, kicking a pebble across the sidewalk and into Marco's path, "so in the meantime, tell me about what you do for fun."

Marco kicked the pebble back to her side and shrugged as they walked. "I mean, nothing too crazy. I practice martial arts, swordsmanship, Ballet, I tried to learn piano but-"

"Ballet? Really?" Penelope asked, kicking the pebble back his way, "You gotta show me some of your moves, I did ballet for a few years when I was little."

"Well, I didn't learn a whole lot. I did a few months, and then I discovered Karate, so I kinda dropped it," he admitted. In truth, he still had his slippers and would occasionally practice in secret, but that would go to his grave. Kicking the pebble back, he continued. "So, what about you? What do you typically do?"

Penelope thought on that for a moment, shrugging in resignation. "Mostly just meetings, classes on ruling, city council hearings, boring royalty stuff." She kicked the pebble back to Marco's side and watched as it tumbled down an adjacent storm drain. "Dang It. But yeah, that's kinda it, we royals don't exactly get to have a whole lot of fun. It's mostly just boring politics, and impressing people." She lowered her gaze and pursed her lips, the discontentment in her voice clear to the world.

"Hey," Marco stopped abruptly, turning to face her, "tonight I promise, lots of fun and no boring royal stuff! Just two people having fun." He gave her a bright smile, happy to see her light up at his promise.

"That sounds like just what I need tonight Marco. You know, some days, you're not even allowed to be yourself. It's nice to be out of all that, and seeing your world firsthand, instead of in reports. Everything out here is like fine wine, and I want to taste it all." Marco squeezed her hand as they walked and gestured to a neon-lit building in front of them.

Penelope followed his gaze, and when her eyes fell on their destination, she couldn't help but smile in anticipation. "Scratch that, Marco. Maybe a tiny bit of Mewni couldn't hurt, right?"

O - O - O - O - O - O - O

As Tom and Star entered the bounce lounge, the young prince of hell could already feel the loud music, crowded floors, and endless conversation chipping away at his resolve. He tossed a nervous glance at Star, and found her practically jumping with the music already.

"Star, do we really have to be here?" He asked, his voice a near moan, "I hate how crowded this place is, and I hate-"

"Tom," Star interrupted, grabbing his hands and pulling him towards the buzzing dance floor, "I get that you don't like it here, but come on. At least try to have a little fun for once!" Her plea was met with a stiff grimace as tom folded his arms. "If you knew I didn't like this place, why did you drag me here?" he asked, not waiting for a response. "Just, go have fun and dance or something. If you want to have a moment of quiet, I'll be at the bar."

Without another word, Tom turned on his heels and walked away, leaving Star amidst the churning crowd of demi-humans rocking with the vibrant beat. Star fumed to herself before turning away as well and trying to focus more on the fun things about the lounge, rather than the negative people. 'Like Marco said, focus on what makes you happy.'

There was a particularly interesting group of people around her age tearing up the dance floor, and Star let out a contented sigh. She had found her people.

A short while later, Tom found himself alone at the bar, already a drink and a half in before he felt any buzz. It wasn't just the fact that Star clearly didn't consider his preferences when she picked the venue, but rather, she still hadn't even mentioned that she was almost killed earlier that same day! "I mean, what do I have to do to get her to open up with me? Should I carry a sword like Marco? Or 'save her life' like him too? I said yes to a last-minute date even though my father strictly forbade coming here. And it's like she isn't even happy to see me!"

The bartender, which was some sort of moth-creature, pursed its proboscis and rolled its 700 eyes. "Look, pal, I'm not a therapist, and you can't tip for shit. You want my advice? Go be honest with her, compromise, and speak with your soul, not your dick." Tom downed the remnants of his flaming beverage and shook his head. "I have like, thousands of souls. And thanks to all of them, I am a dick. It's not as easy as just 'being honest'."

Refusing another drink, Tom stood from the bar and rationalized it would be better to just call this whole thing off, rather than waste a night and get caught by his father sneaking out again. He scanned the crowd, looking for Star, but when he saw her, his blood boiled.

Star was enjoying herself dancing alongside a young guy dressed in a red t-shirt and baggy black pants. For what it was worth, he was at least halfway decent himself. She felt like the two had a good rhythm, despite her strawberry banana cocktail making her head swim, and he seemed pretty cool. Star rarely ever left the bounce lounge without making a new friend, but before she could introduce herself, she felt a familiar certain, warm hand take hold of her own.

Turning around in surprise she found Tom, pulling her off the dance floor in what was probably another one of his jealous rages. She made to begin calming him down, but rather than anger and rage, all she could see in his eyes was sadness. Tom held both of her hands as though he was saying goodbye to her, and just loud enough to hear, he said, "Star, I'm really sorry for how I reacted to you wanting to come here. I was more focused on what I wanted, than what makes you happy."

Star stood there, speechless, a multitude of responses rushing through her head. 'Did Tom just apologize?' She thought to herself. There was no way she'd heard that correctly. She expected anger, or jealousy, or some kind of irritating rant to come her way at the very least. But this, she didn't know what to say. It was uncharted territory.

"I...I thought I lost you," Tom began, a new sheen beginning to well under his eyes. "I heard about the Monsters attacking Mewni, and their raid on the capitol, I heard they captured it, and I didn't hear from you for four months...I didn't know what to do. Then my father said you were on Earth...I tried everything. But I couldn't get to you. I was scared, Star. I was so scared. And then I hear from Marco that you almost died today?" She stiffened slightly at that. She hadn't expected him to have heard about it already.

Tom took a deep breath and steadied himself before her. "I don't want to lose you again. So, I'm sorry for how we started tonight. Can we...try again?"

After a near minute of silence, Star reached forward and held Toms cheek, pulling him closer and into a soft kiss. It was warm, and the longer it lasted, the hotter the room felt around her. After the two separated, she smiled at him in a way that promised care, and comfort. "I was scared too, Tom. But we found each other again. Even if it took ten years, we'd find each other again."

"I love you Star," he said, pulling her into a hug. He meant it, from the bottom of his black heart.

"Then, will you dance with me?" She asked, pulling him gently towards the dance floor.

"I-... I don't know, I don't even know how to dance." She glared at him with silent contempt as she folded her arms. "You know that's a lie. I still remember the silver bell ball," she said softly, singing the last three words, "Remember how we met...Thomas?"

His cheeks flushed purple and he allowed himself to be pulled into the crowded, rushing mass of bodies all fighting for room to dance. Here, the beat of the music was pounding so loud, he could feel it rattling his horns. He looked at Star quizzically, as though he needed instructions on the subject of the crowd dancing.

"Just let loose, Tom!" She yelled over the music, "Just focus on what makes you happy!"

"LADIES AMD GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE TWO SPECIAL GUESTS TONIIIGHT! GIVE IT UP FOR THE PRINCE OF THE UNDERWORLD, AND THE PRINCESS OF MEWNI! TOM LUCITOR, AND STAR BUTTERFLYYYY!

As the crowd began to back away from the couple, Tom whipped around to face Star with an amused grin on his face. " Are we doing this?" He asked, removing his coal-black jacket to reveal a frost-white vest underneath. "Oh we're doing this," Star answered with a sanguine grin of her own.

A hard beat began to sound as the lights around them shifted colors in cadence. Tom and Star stepped in a wide arc, circling on another with their hands held in a point above them. As the final beat before the drop sounded, the two pulled closer, slamming into one another with magic and fire, and beginning a show that would go down in history.

O - O - O - O - O - O - O

"And will that be all for you? We have excellent options of deserts," suggested their waitress, dressed in a medieval bar wench's outfit. Marco and Penelope traded an enervated glance, looking around the piles of sampled food before them. Leaning back and patting her stomach, Penelope burped and smiled at the ceiling. "I think we're good, peasant. Many thanks to you, fair wench! You're excused," she barked. "Have a great evening, my lady," the waitress mumbled before stepping casually away.

The restaurant the two were now enjoying, was none other than Medieval Ages, a new food chain opened in Echo creek, with the idea of pandering to a more medieval crowd. Marco had to give them props for accuracy, but the novelty of it was lost on those who lived in these conditions daily.

Marco belched into his hand and leaned back, too full to move. "Did you call that girl a peasant?" He asked with a chuckle, "you know she's just an actor right?"

Penelope answered with a shrug and a grin, daintily wiping her face with a fresh cloth. "Eh, potato, pot-ah-to. She might as well be one, living out here and working such an odd job." She noticed Marcos' 'what?' expression, and waved it off haphazardly. "Not like you though, Marco. You're out and about, working with royalty, making a name for yourself, it's really something actually. As far as you should be concerned, there's no one else like you."

Marco forced himself to not overthink the remark and instead managed to lift himself from the booth, extending an open hand towards Penelope. "Well, I'm gonna go dance. Care to join me, Princess?"

Penelope looked at his hand, then up to him as though she was expecting more of a grandiose request. "You know, you should really step out of your comfort zone, Marco. Timidness is unbecoming of a warrior," she purred, taking his hand and allowing him to lead her to the empty space at the center of the castle-themed restaurant. Marco waved it off and stood at the center of the hall, taking her hand in his as a lively guitar, fiddle, drum and flute band began to play an energetic tune similar to that of an Irish pub.

[Glenn Morgan - Kesh Jig/Kid on a mountain/ Swallowtail Jig(if ya want some atmosphere)]

Marco stepped around Penelope, leading her about before changing his step and circling her in the other direction. Penelope couldn't help but clap to the beat and follow his stepping performance as the fiddle sung a lively tune. "You asked for the moves, right?" he asked, taking her hands and stomping in time with the beat as they danced, an accented singer joining the fold.

"As the mountain sings with song and poise,

I drink with all me fellow boys,

War she gives, and war she takes,

Whaddya say we raise the stakes?

I'll return, my love don't fear,

I'll take yer hand to dance mah dear.

Without yer love mah heart, it aches,

Whaddya say we raise the stakes?

Since I'm off at war, what will you do?

Without me there to 'stir yer stew'!

Will you still, love me true?

It'll only be a day or two!

Do I have yer faith for mercy sakes,

Whaddya say we raise the stakes!?"

Penelope took the lead, pulling Marco around the room as they stepped in cadence with the music and circled him around other dancing couples. She raised his hand above her head and twirled about before leaning in close and guiding him to step backward and about with her held close. "That I did, Marco. But I haven't seen 'em just yet!" She reached out and clasped his hand with hers, the two rounding each other before exchanging hands and circling the other way as a crowd of clapping humans joined in.

Marco took the challenge and guided her around him, dipping her low before pulling her above him and placing her back on her feet. Penelope had little time to react though, as Marco pulled her hand along with him, jerking her his way and crossing her arms over her head. Penelope found herself facing away from him with his front pressed against her back, the two of them swaying with the fast, pounding music of the tavern.

"When I return on the morrow, June,

Will ya dance with me to drum and tune?

Will ya find me likewise still sublime?

Will ya love me just as in me prime?

There's a man I know who loves ya too,

But I swear he's not gonna love ya true.

Just wait for me, I'll be on time,

Love me just as in me prime!"

Marco turned her about once more, pulling her closer to him as the two danced around each other, their steps pounding against the polished wood floor. A sizable crowd had now circled the two who were so desperately trying to outdo one another, they didn't even notice.

Marco led Penelope around, both of them bouncing in time, and couldn't help but laugh. "I think you just might be as good a dancer as me!" he yelled above the roaring crowd and thundering music of the tavern. Penelope gave him a sultry grin as they danced, yelling back to him, "That's more like it, Marco! Don't be shy with a princess! Let's see if you can handle one!" The two livened their steps and quickened their pace as the music picked up again.

"So ya went and found another man,

And no less he was in a band!

It hurts me so, to be apart, but

that's fine, my dear, just please yer heart.

I was late I know, to return to you,

I don't know what I thought you'd do!

Don't cry my love, don't even start,

I just want you to please yer heart!

Go with him and love him more,

At least until he goes to war!

I'll meet him here and make a friend,

As you'll have been off with other men!

But I'll love ya still, dear, even then,

From my grave on the mountain.

The war she gave the war she stole,

And left my body stiff and cold.

But I'll be here till we meet again,

And here I'll rest on the mountaaaiiin.

As the music died down, Marco pulled Penelope close and dipped her low before bringing her back up sharply as the music swelled once more, to lift her in a half moon arc as the last words of the chorus ended. and twirling her about in one last chorus. She smiled at him as he let her down, and when the last of the beats rang out, leaned in and kissed him softly, holding the sides of his face as the crowd roared with excitement.

After a few moments of cheering and clapping, Marco slowly drew back, the two of them only now noticing the flurry of cheering around them. Sheepishly rubbing the back of his head, Marco gently led her back to their table, leaving the bill and a decent tip for the poor waitress she had been chastising. "It's getting pretty late," he admitted, taking her hand, "We should probably head back now."

Penelope gave him a sultry grin as she let herself be led out of the restaurant and towards Castle Butterfly. "I can agree with half of that, Marco. But I think the nights just getting started."

O - O - O - O - O - O - O

As Tom and Star finished a dance that would be talked about for years to come, the two of them stole away to the edge of the Bounce Lounge, both panting heavily at the copious effort they had just exerted. Wiping a bead of sweat from his brow, Tom leaned back on the newly installed railing and sighed, content. "That was awesome, Star. I know it's been a while, but...wow."

Star flipped her hair back and beamed a smile at her demonic boyfriend, pulling him into a bone-crushing hug. "I know, right? We were awesome, Babe! We still got it!" She yelled over the music. Tom took both of her hands and pulled her along with him, grinning excitedly at the upcoming prospect. Gesturing over his shoulder at a photo booth, Tom gave her an eager smile and waited for her answer.

Star, never one to back down from a good time, nodded her head and produced five earth dollars, whispering, "You know I love photo booths, Boo. But I feel like you just want a little...privacy."

"Maybe I do, that's not a problem for the big bad princess is it?" Tom answered, his voice as smooth as silk. Star shook her head and giggled as the two stole away into the unoccupied photo booth of her youth. Once inside, the two took their respective seats and began the photography session with their arms around each other. "I'm glad you're having a good time," Star admitted, taking his hands in hers.

After the first flash, Tom chanced pulling Star closer and kissed her cheek. "I don't usually go for wild and...ridiculous places like this," Star gave him a suspicious glance before he continued. "Buut, when it's with you, I'll do whatever makes you happy."

The second flash illuminated the small space as Star pulled Toms face closer and locked lips with him, the two kissing with passion until the third flash reminded them of their place. Quietly, she returned, "You make me happy. And I loooove that you could make it tonight."

Tom pulled her into another passionate kiss, running his sharp fingers through her hair as the two reminded one another of their feelings. Star held his shoulders and with each passing second, her grip on him tightened with fervor. As the air in booth became hotter, mainly due to one of the two occupants, Tom held the back of Stars neck and let his tongue dance with hers.

Star wanted this moment to continue forever, but after feeling a certain, clawed hand exploring lower down her back than she'd like, and a sudden flash of a less than anticipated camera shutter, the two slowly parted with all the grace of a sputtering engine. "Tom!" She remarked, pushing him off with a laugh.

"Sorry, sorry, I got a little carried away, Starship," he answered with a purplish blush. Star wasn't buying it but decided to let him off the hook. For now. "Alright, lover boy, how about we call it a night? Despite being the ruler of a kingdom, it does in fact still have a curfew."

Tom made to argue, but Star was already leaving the booth. After fixing his disheveled hair and shirt, he followed suit, stepping out of the booth and glancing down at the small string of photos ejecting from the machine. He plucked it from its tray and held it out to Star, a confused look on his face. "You don't want the photos?"

"What, of us kissing? C'mon Tom, I think I'll pass. I've never really been about keeping those," she answered with a smirk. Tom nodded and threw the photos into a nearby bin and followed his girlfriend for a last call at the bar. The two sat down and each ordered a Sailors Grave, a mix of pineapples, oranges, coconut rum, and little gummy sharks.

"So, be honest," Tom started, after taking a big sip of his drink, "did you have more fun tonight than earlier today?"

Star nearly choked on her drink and shot Tom an amused grin. "Tom, what kind of question is that? You're comparing a dance club to me almost getting mauled by a building? Yes, I had more fun tonight!" She answered, slugging his arm. He rubbed his shoulder and took another drink, tilting his glass as he thought about that. The icy, orange and yellow liquid seemed to boil at his touch.

"But I mean, would you say you prefer my company over Marcos?" He asked in a quiet tone. Star looked at him as though she wasn't entirely sure if he was serious this time. "Tom, you and Marco are completely different people. I don't compare you guys, and neither should you. I had a lot of fun tonight, so don't think I'd rather have spent it with someone else, ya goof."

Tom seemed to accept that and slung an arm around her, pulling her closer. "Sorry, Starship. Thanks for inviting me. It's been really nice hanging out with you again, like old times."

"You too, hothead," she returned, pulling him closer for a quick smooch. "Now c'mon, let's get one more dance in before this place closes."

O - O - O - O - O - O - O

Marco and Penelope finished their long walk home and now stood at the base of Castle Butterfly, each of them not sure what to do. They were home relatively early, with two hours until Mewman curfew, so they hadn't been in a rush, but with most shops closed up, there wasn't much to do.

"Well, I had a lot of fun tonight, Penelope," he offered, extending a warm handshake for her, "Thanks for coming out with me." She looked down at his hand, then back up to him with a somewhat displeased look upon her face. "A handshake Marco? You really think that's all we're doing tonight?" She asked in a voice so smooth, he felt tingles run up his spine in anticipation of her as yet, unknown, intentions.

Retracting his hand and rubbing the back of his neck, Marco looked around the dark town square, unsure of what she would want to do in a closed up town at night. "That was sorta all I had planned, yeah. Why do you ask?" Penelope held her forehead and turned around abruptly, beginning to walk toward the rose gardens of the castle. "Just, follow me, would ya?"

"Am I allowed on the castle grounds at night?" He asked, remaining firmly planted where he stood. Penelope whirled about and stomped over to him, dragging him by force to a more secluded spot of the town center. "Forget the castle, just kiss me already," she breathed, grabbing his chin and pulling him into a deep kiss. From the shadows, Marco's eyes shot open, his face turning four shades of red before landing on scarlet. But when his mind finally caught up to what was happening, the pieces falling in place with a loud clunk, he began to kiss her back, pushing Penelope against the wall and slipping a hand around her waist and one up into her soft brown hair. "Thats more fucking like it," she breathed.

As her tongue explored his mouth, and her hands explored the deep ridges of Marco's well-toned stomach, Penelope found his eagerness to play along intoxicating, a well earned reward for her subtle efforts to entice him all night. So, daring a chance at moving things along, she reached lower down his washboard of an abdomen, finding his buckle waiting.

Marco wasn't sure what he was expecting from the kiss, but what he experienced was well beyond anything he was prepared for. He reached up and held Penelope's chin, guiding her as the two felt the outside world seem to disappear. It was nearly enlightening, the sensations that washed over him, but it was all suddenly jerked away when he felt his belt buckle beginning to come undone.

Ripping himself from Penelope's embrace, he hurriedly re-fastened it, taking a step back and looking at her incredulously. "What are you doing?" He asked, "I thought you wanted to kiss not...that!"

Penelope cocked an eyebrow at him and smirked at the newfound tightness of his slacks. "It doesn't seem like your friend there minds Marco... What did you think would happen after some good kissing like that?" She was met with a conflicted stare as he finished adjusting his trousers. "Not that, Penelope! I don't feel comfortable doing that kinda stuff yet, okay? And you should ask permission before you… roam around like that."

Penelope caught her breath for a moment and could only stare at the boy before her. Was he actually refusing an opportunity to… with a princess no less? "Well...I thought you and I dueling with our tongues was permission enough. But I guess I understand," she finished with a resigned sigh stepping forward, "I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable, Marco. Can we try to forget what just happened? Please?"

Marco could tell by the moonlight she was blushing, maybe even as hard as he was. He sighed in relief and nodded, holding out his hand for her to take. "It's alright. There were just some mixed signals there, so it's okay. C' mon, I'll walk you home."

After taking his hand and beginning the short wall towards the castle steps, Penelope glanced up at Marco and nudged his elbow. "So, not even a little bit interested? You know, my room is-"

"Penelope, too soon," he answered gently, doing his best not to seem uninterested. "It's not that I don't want to, but we're only sixteen. Don't you think we should wait? Play it safer?"

"What kinda warrior plays things safe?" She asked with a chuckle, "I thought you were mister man, down to live wild and take no prisoners."

Marco shrugged as they arrived, giving her a small peck on the cheek. "That's just not who I am. I love adventure, and having fun, but I like keeping my friends safe, more."

Penelope smiled and ruffled his now messy hair before shaking his hand "You're a gentleman more than a warrior, Marco Diaz. But I think it's cute. Will I see you tomorrow?"

"Depends on what Star has planned. I'm her guide first, after all. Maybe we could all do something together again like yesterday?" he offered, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Sounds fun, safe kid," Penelope giggled. Marco stopped for a moment and made to ask where that came from, before a teal portal opened between them, allowing an inebriated couple to stumble through. Closing it, Star giggled at Marco and poked his nose as Tom struggled to keep his legs from collapsing. "Looka yewww, mister big ole warrior over here, mah best bestie! M-*burp* Marcaz Dioooo!" She mumbled happily.

Penelope took hold of Stars shoulders, leading her towards the stairs before blowing Marco a kiss. "You know where to find me if you change your mind, lover boy. And call me tomorrow!" she shouted over her shoulder as she led Star safely into the Castle. His cheeks burned, as did the left side of his face as Tom opened a column of flame. Turning to Marco, Tom shook his head.

"Nice. See you- *burp* -in hell, Mango," he offered with a lopsided grin before sinking into the ground and disappearing from view. Marco raised a defensive finger at the remark, but merely let out a resigned sigh and turned on his heels. It had been an excruciatingly long day, and after everything that had transpired, he just felt drained.

Traveling to a new world, nearly getting killed, a date that ended in an awkward standoff, 'where did that even come from?' He wondered. 'We only went on one date, and it wasn't even over yet!' Marco felt himself blush at the remembered feelings that were passed between them. It was overwhelming to think about, yet, he couldn't think of a time he had been more exhilarated. Except of course earlier that same day, running from a giant monster with Star.

He smiled just thinking about it, the adventure to an indescribable world, a glimpse at the most powerful weapon on the planet. All with his best friend. "And who knows what she has planned for tomorrow," he mused aloud, too wrapped up to notice the floating eyeball watching his every move from sixty feet in the air.

Far away, on the outskirts of Echo Creek, deep within the woods lay forces of evil, plotting their next move in unspeakable ways. Their cruelty knew no-"

"Bearicorn shut it! No one likes a narrator!" Ludo barked, glaring at his minion as the light of the fire danced around them. "Sorry boss," the massive horned bear mumbled, fiddling with his ax. Ludo rubbed his temples and sighed, clearly displeased with his current situation.

"To be clear, you insufferable ingrates, we have no magic wand, we have no Butterfly hostage, and we have no progress whatsoever, to report to Lord Toffee. Do you think he'd be pleased with our work?"

Bearicorn and Three-Eyed Potato Baby exchanged an uneasy glance with Beard Deer and Giant chicken, murmuring, "no?"

"OF COURSE NOT, YOU PATHETIC WORMS!" You're lucky Toffee hasn't gotten wind of your failures, otherwise, he'd send-"

"Boss," Buffrog announced suddenly, pounding his chest and kneeling before his leader, "Star Butterfly, she has received wand. This morning, entire M.R.C. was there to watch. Made it easy to slip in." Ludo took a moment to soak that in before grinning wickedly at the prospect. He jumped to his feet and stood high above his minions, letting his voice be carried over the trees.

"Just as I planned! Attacking the Butterfly girl made the queen worry for her safety! Now the brat has the wand, and we can take it by force!" Ludo held his fist high in the air, but he heard nothing from his entourage. Turning about, he found them finding any and all means of looking busy to avoid his gaze.

"What?" Ludo asked, cocking an eyebrow at them. Buffrog came forward once more and knelt. "Boss, we lose to Star Butterfly and Karate boy, even without the wand. What could make you think we can steal wand now?"

Ludo thought on that for a moment, holding his chin deep in thought. "Very well. We'll figure something out. For now, just continue reconnaissance, and find out more about this 'Karate Boy.' I want to know how he almost single-handedly defeated my army!"

"Da boss. I go," Buffrog announced before bounding away, presumably to continue spying. Ludo looked at his other comrades, who were all suddenly invested in him again, and found them eagerly looking to him for guidance. "Soon. Very, very, very soon," he promised. He would return to his king with success, and reap every bountiful reward that came with it. "Mark. My. Words."

Chapter Text

"Now remember Janna, no guests over while your father and I are in Manilla. We're trusting you to behave and look after the house, so please don't make us regret putting our faith in you Dear," her Mother explained from the front entryway as her Father loaded bags into a waiting taxi.

"I know Mom. No guests, and I promise I'll remember to water the Sampaguita flowers. Don't worry," Janna answered, fighting hard not to roll her eyes at her parent's instructions. They had already told her all this at least three times in the preceding week as they prepared for their month-long trip to visit her Grandmother.

"We're all set Hon, time to get moving if we want to make it through security in time for our flight," her father said as he joined them at the front door. Leaning down, he pulled Janna into a tight hug before straightening and smiling at her. "I'm sure your Mother has read you the riot act Janna, so I won't repeat it. We'll call when we get settled in at Grandma's place okay?"

"Sounds great Dad, have a safe flight and tell Grandma I say hi," she grinned as her Mother swooped in for her hug before they both jogged down the front path to the waiting taxi.

Waving one last time as the cab pulled away, Janna shut the door quickly before turning and leaning against it. 'Whew, I can't believe that worked,' she thought as she wiped a small bead of sweat off her forehead. It had taken a week of finesse and all the guile she could muster, but Janna had managed to plant the idea of a visit into both of her Parents' minds. She needed them both out of the house for an extended period after she had read further into her copy of Moste Malevlolente Patrones for all the evidence she could gather pointed to the presence of a summoned demon now loose in her home.

Initially, after the salt circle was broken, Janna thought that the spirit, or demon, had left her home to roam Echo Creek. However, as the week dragged on, she had noticed that her usually warm home had taken on a much more sinister aspect. Shadows in the corners of rooms had seemed to deepen and grow, the temperature too, seemed to drop several degrees below whatever the air-conditioning had been set to, and every night, Janna felt like she was being watched in her room. Thankfully, her parents seemed oblivious to the ominous signs all around them, but Janna was 110% sure that there was something inhabiting her house beyond herself and her parents, and it was finally time to do something about it.

"Alright Asshole, it's time for an eviction," Janna said, her voice carrying in the empty house like thunder.

"You seek to remove me? Hahaha," the voice asked, before laughing darkly, "surely you should know by now… I. Am. Eternal!" The room seemed to darken despite the clear California morning outside. "I am here for you Janna Ordonia…" the disembodied voice hissed in a low, dangerous tone. "Payment must be made for services rendered…"

"You haven't given me anything besides a headache," she said before jogging up to her room.

In the two weeks since her botched summoning of what now appeared to be a demon of dubious power, Janna had been working feverishly to try and put the proverbial genie back in the bottle. Several ancient rituals she had memorized from her various occult books had failed to dislodge her visitor, as she only had the space to perform them in her room. It had been frustrating for her to see her most promising spells fail, but after several days of study she felt like she had narrowed down and solved the issue.

Gathering up a handful of white candles and a small bottle of holy water, she began her next attempt to remove the demon by placing a single candle in the center of each room and lighting it before sprinkling holy water in various spots around the house including doorways.

"What's this now?" asked the voice, "another pathetic attempt to rid yourself of me?"

Ignoring the voice, Janna continued to sprinkle the blessed water around the living room before pocketing the small bottle and taking a deep breath.

"Spirit! I command you to leave this house!" she spoke loudly and clearly, repeating herself several times before stopping.

A small noise could be heard from the stairs forcing Janna to poke her head out into the hall to check. There, on the wall, pictures of her and her family were bouncing and rattling, each one going from a small tremor, to bouncing themselves off the wall to smash onto the stairs with a tinkle of broken glass.

"Dude, I've seen scarier stuff on cartoons ," she scoffed before resuming her work.

"Just an aperitif," it answered back, laughing as several more items began to fall from the wall.

Passing into her Father's study, Janna was beginning to feel frustrated at the lack of results the ritual was getting. 'It doesn't even seem to be making it uncomfortable… Maybe this isn't a garden variety demon after all,' she thought, as items continued to fall and smash to the floor. Suddenly, a loud creak made her turn around and leap back in startled surprise as the large walnut bookshelf her father used to store his medical reference texts tipped towards her. Just dodging the massive bookshelf as it smashed into the floor with a tremendous crash, Janna resolved then and there to call in a little backup. Pulling out her phone, she quickly dialed Jackie, who picked up after only a ring.

"Hey Dude, haven't heard from you in a few days, what's up?" asked Jackie.

"Jackie, I need a favor. Can you come over my house? Like now?" asked Janna, her voice uncharacteristically strained.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, but I'm in a bit of trouble here Jackie, and I think I need another pair of hands to help me out of it. You aren't too busy with Penelope today, are you?"

"No, she has a date with Marco this afternoon, so I'm free all day today."

"What's it been? Two weeks? I've barely talked to the kid since then. He's so damn busy with Star and Penelope. I feel like he never has time for anybody else…" muttered Janna, looking over her shoulder nervously at a suspiciously dark shadow in the corner of the kitchen.

"What can I say? Marco's in high demand right now. I'm lucky I get to hang out with him when Star and Penelope do stuff together, otherwise I'd probably never see him either. It'll calm down once the shine wears off a little."

"Yeah… Well it'd still be nice for the Safe Kid to stop by. I miss the three of us going out for pizza at Panucci's."

Jackie was silent for a moment on the other end of the line. It was uncharacteristic for Janna to be so serious, especially when it came to Marco. She would bet her favorite surfboard that Janna couldn't go two hours without harassing him if he was around. "Next time I see him, I'll gently remind him of his Earth friends. I'm sure it isn't intentional Janna."

"Yeah yeah, well,hurry over will you, this is kind of a time sensitive issue I have on my hands over here," she said before hanging up.

Shaking her head at just what kind of madness she was about to be roped into, Jackie pocketed her phone and grabbed her skateboard before sprinting out the front door.

O - O - O - O - O - O - O

Frowning slightly as he finished buttoning up his shirt, Marco took several moments to study his appearance in the bathroom mirror. 'Green is just not my color,' he thought to himself as he ran a comb through his brown hair. Stepping back from the counter to judge his outfit in its entirety, he noticed that at least the pair of brown slacks he wore looked great with his new shoes. Penelope had bought the outfit for him yesterday, and while he had tried to talk her out of it, uncomfortable with the magnitude of her generosity, she wouldn't hear anything to the contrary.

Spritzing himself with his favorite cologne, Aroma de Hombre, he did a final spot check before strapping his sword to his hip and leaving the bathroom. He had just reached the bottom of the stairs before his mother called to from the kitchen.

"Marco, you look so handsome!" squealed his mother Angie, clapping excitedly for her son.

"Si, Mijo. You look muy guapo," added his father Raphael, beaming at him.

"Thanks, Dad. Though I really don't think green is my color, butPenelope likes it though, so…" Marco trailed off as he began examining his outfit once more.

"Speaking of Penelope…" said Angie, eyeing him, "when are you going to bring this girl by the house so we can meet her? It's not every day that your son gets a girlfriend, and a princess to boot!"

"I'll asked her today if she'd like to come to dinner later this week. Maybe I'll make tortas ahogadas for all of us, I did learn the recipe from the best cook in Echo Creek after all," said Marco, now blushing at the thought of bringing Penelope over.

"Excellent Mijo! Your Mother and I are most excited to meet her," said Raphael, nodding proudly.

"And I promise that the two of us won't embarrass you too much Honey. No baby pictures, no stories from when you were 8, and we'll keep the questions for her to a respectable minimum," Angie said, with a pointed look at her Husband.

"Si, mi Amor. No baby pictures," agreed Raphael, looking downcast.

"Thanks Mom," he said as he gave both his parents a quick hug before heading out for the afternoon.

"Space unicorn, soaring through the stars, delivering the rainbows all around the world," blared his phone as he turned and began walking down the sidewalk.

"Hey Reynard, what's up?" he asked.

"Marco, my friend! I'm on my way to your house to collect you! Several nobles are throwing together an impromptu warnicorn race around the M.R.C. and I require your support! It won't do to not have anyone cheering at the finish line when I remind these pompous idiots why I am the Mewni Derby champion."

"Ah… well I kind of had plans with Penelope this afternoon…" he began, before being cut off by Reynard.

"Marco, I happen to know for a fact that Penelope loves the races! She would, I'm sure, be more than happy to cheer alongside you. Besides, afterwards I would be pleased to treat you two to dinner. I met a lovely girl in Echo Creek earlier this week who just so happens to love warnicorns. Why not make it a double date?"

"Um, yeah… I mean sure. If you say Penelope likes to watch the races, that's fine with me. Plus, a double date sounds like fun. Every time I ask Star if she and Tom want to come out with Penelope and I, she always makes some kind of excuse about how Tom isn't a 'people person' or whatever… I think he's just kind of a dick, but, if she's happy, I'm not going to say anything," said Marco, frowning at the several encounters he'd had with Tom now, none of them enjoyable in the least.

"Trust me Marco, I've known Tom for almost three years. He is most certainly a 'dick.' But to his credit, he is much friendlier than most demons are and I know that he does try his best to make Star happy, so I have tolerated his presence for now," laughed Reynard as he strolled into view at the end of the block. "Oh, there you are Marco!" he waved as he hung up and jogged over to the teen.

"Hey Reynard," greeted Marco, bumping fists with the him, "So shall we get moving to the M.R.C.? I don't want to be late getting Penelope. I told her I'd be there by one."

"Plenty of time if we hurry then!"

O - O - O - O - O - O – O

*Knock Knock* No sooner had Jackie finished knocking on Janna's front door when it swept open, Janna quickly stepping out and closing it behind her.

"Hi… Jannaaaa," said Jackie, eyeing the unusually serious look on her usually mischievous friend.

"Hey. So before I let you in Jackie, I have a couple things you should know since you agreed to help me." Janna explained.

Jackie was silent for a moment, gazing at her friend as she tried to decide whether or not she was being serious. "Soooo, is this the regular level of Jannanigans or something more? Because I'm not afraid to pull a 'Marco' and leave my helmet on..."

"I'd put things at about a six, with potential for more if we don't act quickly."

"Alright, well you know I'm in. So spill, what's got you so worried you have to call me in for backup?" Jackie asked.

"I did it," said Janna, her face now splitting into a large grin, "I summoned a demon! All my hard work finally paid off!"

"An actual demon?" Now alarmed, Jackie unconsciously stepped back from the stoop. She was used to Janna's perpetual weirdness and obsession with the occult, but this was something more. "Um, Dude? What can I do? I don't know anything about this stuff."

"It'll be a piece of cake actually, Jackie. I just need you to hold the smudging stick and wave it while I hold my book and recite the cleansing ritual."

"That's it? No blood sacrifices or anything gross like that?"

"That's it," nodded Janna.

"Alright, I'm in. But I don't like this Janna… Extradimensional monsters are one thing, but spirits and demons? Those are scary dude."

"They're mostly harmless once you know how to deal with them," reassured Janna as she turned and opened the door. "Oh! One last thing Jackie. Whatever you do, do not show fear. Demons draw strength from mortals' fear, so try to stay calm."

Nodding wordlessly, Jackie followed Janna into the darkened and cold house, closing the door behind her. Jackie had only been in Janna's house infrequently over the last decade, but she knew immediately that something was very wrong. Long shadows seemed to hang from every corner, and the temperature…

"Cold…" muttered Jackie, drawing her arms around herself as she continued to eye the deepening shadows.

"Yeahhhh… he's trying to make it spooky in here. Don't pay any attention to his parlor tricks."

"W-Who's he?" she asked.

"If I knew Jackie, we wouldn't be in this mess," answered Janna, lighting a large bundle of bound herbs. "Knowing the true name of a demon gives you great power over it."

"What's that?"

Handing Jackie the smoldering stick, she spoke, "It's a bundle of white sage and sweetgrass. It will help purify the room as I perform the ritual. You just need to wave it gently in front of you as we walk around my house and I read. Yeah, just like that," she nodded in approval as Jackie took a few practice swings.

*CRASH* Several more picture frames smashed to the ground causing Jackie to jump in the air.

"What the hell was that!" Jackie shrieked.

"Just the demon trying to scare us, typical…" she blew a raspberry, "Very! Unoriginal!" she shouted.

Swallowing hard, Jackie began to wave the smudge stick around again as they headed upstairs to Janna's room. Once inside, she waited by the door as Janna began to scan the shelves. "Not this one, no, no, Yes! Here it is," she said, snatching the leather-bound tome off the shelf and opening it up to the ribbon-marked page.

Suddenly, Jackie's blood ran cold. A shadow figure, roughly the same size as a tall person had stepped between rooms down the hall. It's eyes, or at least the places where eyes would roughly be on a tall human being flashed in her direction in the instant it was in the hallway. They were softly glowing a sickly yellowish light and seemed to be boring right into her.

"Jannaaa," she said, drawing out her friend's name as she continued to stare at the spot where the figure had passed.

"Just a second, I marked the wrong section with my bookmark, damnit…" Janna mumbled from behind the nervous blonde.

"Jackie." Whispered a low voice in Jackie's ear causing her to jump back from the door frame.

"Did you hear that?" she asked Janna, her voice trembling slightly.

"Hear what?" Janna answered absentmindedly as she continued to flip through the book.

But Jackie didn't answer, she was too busy staring back into the hallway where a figure made of shadow stood watching her. It took a step forward, moving in a strange, almost unnatural way. Goosebumps raised themselves all along her body as the darkness began to come closer and closer. She couldn't move, feeling as if her feet were glued in place as those yellow eyes continued stare into her own.

"Jackie Lynn Thomas… Come to help your pathetic friend force me back to the pit?" it spoke, its voice near a whisper.

In a white puff, Jackie's breath had begun condensing as the temperature in the room instantly dropped twenty degrees. She made to move her mouth, to scream, to make any sound at all… But fear had seized her voice.

"Jackie, are you still wa-" Janna's words died in her throat as she looked up from her book, finally finding the correct ritual. "Jackie get back!" was all she could shout before her room's door slammed shut, pushing Jackie into the hallway and trapping Janna in her room.

"Damn it!" Janna shouted as she ran to the door, pulling on the handle before pulling her hand back sharply. The door knob had felt red hot under her touch. "Ow! Fuck! Hold on Jackie, I'm coming!"

In the hall, Jackie was picking herself up off the floor after the door had slammed into her and knocked her to the carpet. She could hear a muffled pounding coming from the other side of Janna's door. "Janna, I gotta say this is really uncool, dude. I thought you said this was going to be a piece of cake!" she yelled through the door.

"It should be working! I don't know what's wrong!" yelled Janna from the other side of the door, frantically flipping through pages. 'I don't understand why nothing is working!' she thought as her mind raced through various rituals, each as unlikely to work as the last.

"Come now Jackie… Don't be scared… This isn't like that time with Adam..." the voice whispered again as Jackie kept beating frantically on the door, "I'm only here for the Ordonia girl's soul… Run along and you may live to see another sunrise."

"H-H-How could you possibly know..." she stammered.

"Your soul is as an open book to me Jackie Lynn Thomas... Your secrets laid bare..."

Its voice made her skin crawl as she pressed herself hard against the cold wood of Janna's bedroom door. Cold, cruel, and otherworldly, she flinched away from the source of the voice as it circled around her in the hallway, advancing slowly and deliberately, those glowing eyes never blinking or waving from their infernal gaze.

"I won't abandon my friend, not this time!" shouted Jackie, her voice shaky with fear as she continued giving ground to the shadow figure, holding the smudge stick in front of her like a shield.

"Bravery… Oh yes, I do so love when they get brave in the end," it chuckled as it's eyes flared a pale yellow "I gave you a chance to save yourself, but you've chosen to die with your friend it seems. Two souls are always preferable to one… After all..."

Jackie attempted to back up further, to create any distance between herself and the obscene thing in front of her in an effort to buy time for Janna to find a ritual that worked, but her foot met only air. Toppling backwards, she let out a strangled cry of alarm before slamming into the hard stairs, tumbling end over end. Her world spun as she crashed down the stairs, clutching for a railing to check her fall, before slamming onto the hardwood. An explosion of pain was the last thing she felt as she lay, sprawled out at the bottom, a tickle of blood pooling under her temple.

O - O - O - O - O - O – O

"Hey Penelope. Yeah, I'm just walking into the M.R.C. now. I should be at the castle in about ten minutes and then we can head over to see the start of Reynard's race. Can't wait to see you either," Marco said into his phone, before hanging up.

"Sooo," began Reynard, shooting Marco a sideways look, "how has dating a princess been going?"

"Fine," answered Marco as they crossed over the threshold of the main gate to the M.R.C.

"Oh, come on!" shouted Reynard, startling several peasants who were hanging up their wash. "You have to tell me more than that! I've seen the smile Penelope has been walking around with for the past two weeks. You simply must tell me some details!"

"Well…" Marco began, taking a deep breath before continuing, "she's a lot of fun actually. I was worried when I first took her out that she would be super stuck up, or only want to eat at the fanciest places. But she's actually super nice and pretty down to Earth."

"Oh? Down to Earth? Rather... interesting choice of words, Marco. Well my friend, I've barely seen you outside the company of either Star or Penelope for two solid weeks. So you must be enjoying both of their company it seems…" he finished with a chuckle.

"It's not like that Reynard! Star's just really awesome is all. I know it's my job to be her guide on Earth, but in the past two weeks… It feels like I've known her my whole life," said Marco, blushing hard.

"Princess Star has an uncanny ability to make friends Marco. It has always been one of her most endearing qualities. But I don't think that is it…" said Reynard, tapping his chin with his thumb as they walked. "You and Star fit so naturally well together I would have sworn you had shared the same wet-nurse. You complement each other in all the best ways two people can, and from what Star has told me of your teamwork in… tight situations, it would appear that you two mesh well in a scrap as well."

Smiling, Marco found that he couldn't disagree with the older Butterfly. He had felt immediately at ease around Star once they had been properly introduced, and he looked forward to everyday that he got share in a new adventure even with her even if it was simple mundane Earth stuff, like walking around Echo Creek looking at the sights. "She's something alright," he muttered.

"Penelope?" asked Reynard.

"No, Star. Penelope is different for sure. I mean!" he corrected in a panic, "don't get me wrong, she's a lot of fun and I've had an amazing time with her these last two weeks."

"I'm sensing a 'but' coming…"

"No, no buts. It's just Penelope is much different from Star. Great! But different. If you know what I mean."

"Well you can kiss Penelope for starters…" grinned Reynard, "Apparently Star and Penelope have been comparing notes. Did you know that Marco?"

"Umm," was all he could get out as he envisioned all the horribly embarrassing things Penelope and Star could share.

"Relax Marco. All I've heard is that Penelope thinks you're an amazing kisser, nothing embarrassing. In fact, I'd be proud. I happen to know that Penelope is quite particular about whom she fancies, an endorsement from her is high praise indeed."

"Alright alright, that's enough talking about my love life Reynard."

"If you say so," laughed Reynard as they passed onto a narrow street.

*SHHHRRP* The familiar sound of reality being torn by dimensional scissors caused both of them to stop and turn towards the sound. Spilling out of the swirling portal was Ludo who had apparently tripped on his own robe causing the large group of monsters behind him to fall on top of him in a clatter of dropped weapons.

"Get off of me you imbeciles!" screeched Ludo, pulling himself free from the dogpile of monsters.

"Sorry, Boss," said Buff Frog, standing up and dusting off his uniform.

"Uh Boss?" nudged Beard Deer, pointing at Reynard, "Karate Boy is not alone like you planned."

"Shut up! Don't you think I can see that!" shouted Ludo. "Just get them!"

With a shout, the seven monsters accompanying him charged towards Marco and Reynard, weapons held high. In a flash, both of them had drawn their swords and fallen into a guard stance, ready to fend off the onslaught.

"Remember your training Marco!" shouted Reynard as he blocked a vicious slice at his midsection by a red two-headed monster.

"On it!" he shouted back as he sidestepped an overhand chop from Buff Frog's axe that buried itself in the cobblestone street, holding fast as he strained to pull it out. Seeing his opening, Marco delivered a hard side kick to the Frog monster's head that knocked him backwards in a stunned daze.

"I'm going to pound you flat, Mewman scum!" roared a hulking hairy monster as he swung a large wooden mallet at Reynard's head. Knowing a block would likely break his arm, or at the very least disarm him, he ducked under the powerful but clumsy blow, and neatly drove his blade through his attacker's chest.

"My blade missed bathing in your foul blood you foul beast," Reynard hissed as he twisted the blade hard and pulled it free with a sickening gurgle. Immediately, the monster collapsed into an unmoving heap as he spun to face another attacker.

Facing two monsters himself, Marco was feeling hard pressed as he blocked a flurry of savage blows from his attackers. Both seemed armed with ugly black swords which looked crude, but Marco had no doubt they would easily kill if given the chance. One monster he recognized as "Beard Deer" from their fight earlier at the mall, while the second was unknown to him but looked like what he imagined a real-life werewolf would look like.

Parrying Beard Deer, Marco stuck like lighting, punching him between the eyes as he blocked an attack from the werewolf. Eyes watering, Beer Deer fell back several steps, giving Marco a moment to focus all of his attention on his other opponent. Their swords clashed several more times as he searched for an opening. Marco could still hardly believe how effortless it was to swing Silverlight compared to the wooden practice swords he had trained with for so long. It enabled him to rapidly overwhelm the werewolf with a quick serious of slashes that pressed his foe back under the weight of his attacks, until finally, Marco drew blood, catching the werewolf across the chest and sending him to the cobbles to writhe in agony.

"Well struck Marco!" shouted Reynard, now battling the two headed monster that was swinging at him with a pair of rusty short swords.

"Finish them now!" commanded Ludo, screaming at his subordinates from a safe distance.

Beard Deer, now recovered from his punch, motioned for backup, and a crocodile monster stepped up to join him in their combined assault on Marco. Blades continued to flash as he did his best to block, parry, and dodge both foes, but before long, he winced in pain as the tip of Bear Deer's sword slipped past his guard to dig a shallow trench up his left bicep.

"Fuck," he hissed in pain as he felt warm blood run down his arm, soaking his sleeve.

Marco knew he had to cut down on the number of his opponents if he wanted to get out of this encounter alive and so in his desperation, immediately sprang forward to attack. Slipping under Beard Deer's swing, he kicked out with every ounce of his strength, driving his foot into the side of the monster's knee. His efforts were rewarded with an audible pop and scream from the Deer monster as he collapsed to the road, clutching his knee in pain. Whirling to face the croc, he swung hard, catching the monster on the wrist with his blade.

In a gleaming flash, Silverlight cleaved straight through the monster's wrist, severing it as neatly as if he were cutting paper, before biting into its unprotected neck. For a second, Marco was stunned to see his polished blade buried in his opponent's throat, a torrent of red blood already running down its length to drip to the stone street. Wordlessly, the crocodile monster grabbed weakly at the sword before collapsing to the ground, a large red puddle forming from the gaping wound in its neck.

Marco was numb, staring at the lifeless body on the ground in front of him as the circle of red expanded slowly. It took Reynard's shout to snap his attention back to the battle.

"Marco watch out!" Reynard shouted, just in time to allow Marco to jump away from Three-Eyed Potato Baby's lunge. Satisfied he had brought Marco back to reality; he turned his attention back to the two-headed monster he was still battling. The monster seemed none too skilled with a blade, and Reynard took his time parrying and blocking the monster's clumsy attacks, enjoying his opponents growing frustration.

"Die Mewman!" it spat as it overextended in a desperate attempt to drive its blade through Reynard's stomach.

Laughing, Reynard stepped to the side and swung his blade hard with both hands at the surprised monster's two heads, neatly severing both with ease. With a small fountain of blood from the twin stumps, the corpse dropped to the ground as Reynard faced a now alarmed looking Ludo.

"Give it up Ludo. Half your monsters are dead, and only the idiots are still up," he said, looking at a still struggling Buff Frog as he pulled fruitlessly on the stuck axe and Three-Eyed Potato Baby clumsily swinging at a dodging Marco.

His eye twitching in rage, Ludo dragged a small clawed hand down his face. 'How could this happen again!' he thought, his frustration reaching dangerous levels. 'I had planned so carefully to catch that Karate Boy alone, and without that infernal princess he's always with! Another perfect failure due to bad luck, though this time I'm down a significant number of monsters…' Pulling out his scissors he cut a hole behind him before barking an order, "Buff Frog! Leave the axe you fool! Grab Beard Deer and get back here!"

Muttering something about how that axe was his favorite, Buff Frog dutifully complied, rushing over and picking up a stricken Beard Deer before retreating along with a sulking Three-Eyed Potato Baby carrying the bleeding werewolf monster back through the portal. "You haven't seen the last of us Karate Boy! You as well, Reynard! You are both now my mortal enemies!" he screamed as he stepped back into the portal just as it closed.

Marco stood there, his hand still tight around the supple blue leather of Silverlight's grip, his chest heaving from the exertion. He kept looking from where the portal had just closed after Ludo, to the three still forms sprawled on the stone paved street. His face was blank, its calm appearance belying the storm of thoughts inside his head as he replayed the short lethal encounter over and over. 'I just killed that monster…' he thought as he stepped back to avoid the still expanding pool of blood at his feet.

Only the touch of Reynard's hand on his shoulder seemed to pull Marco from his thoughts as he rapidly turned to look at the smiling man. "Marco that was excellent! You fought like a true warrior against those monsters. Incredible work dispatching this one in particular," he said as he nudged the dead crocodile monster with the side of his foot. Before Marco could respond, however, the thunder of footsteps filled the street as a group of heavily armed and armored knights rounded the corner, swords drawn.

"Halt, and surren- Oh Viscount Reynard!" shouted the Captain in surprise, "what happened here?"

"We were ambushed by Ludo and his monsters, though we did manage to drive them away without too much bother," answered Reynard, nodding to the Captain.

The Captain looked at the three corpses and spat in disgust, "More than these disgusting creatures deserve…"

"I'll leave the clean up to you then?" asked Reynard, "I need to escort Marco the rest of the way to Butterfly Castle."

"Of Course, my Lord," nodded the Captain.

O - O - O - O - O - O – O

Janna heard the loud thumps and bangs of Jackie's tumble down the stairs just as she managed to find a ritual that may work. Reaching into her desk, she grabbed a handful of holy symbols of various religions and wrapped them quickly around her forearm before sprinting towards her door. Leaping, she planted her foot squarely next to the handle, and felt the frame splinter and fail as the door slammed open.

Before her, floating at the top of the stairs, the shadow figure turned and fixed her with a baleful stare. 'I have to make this quick, it's been feeding off Jackie's fear and becoming more corporeal by the second,' thought Janna, as her own anxiety levels began to spike. Flipping open her book to the correct spot, she began reading aloud, her voice taking on a strange lilting tone as if singing while she ready the strange language in her book.

"Id consectetur purus et fautius. Sed viverrum nuc aliquet didenum emni fatucta!" she shouted in the most authoritarian voice she could muster.

"The language of the old ones," it said, appearing to slow its advance on her. "You dare speak it with your unworthy tongue, you impudent worm!"

"Molestie at elementum eu facilisis sed malevolentia expulso!" she finished, slamming her palm onto the hardwood floor in the final gesture of the ritual. In that moment, several things seemed to happen at once; the first, and Janna's intention, was that the shadow creature seemed to vanish in a puff of darkness. The second, was the subsequent shattering of every single window in her house. They exploded outward in a shower of glittering shards as the force of Janna's purification ritual pulverized them.

Sprinting downstairs, Janna slid to a stop next to Jackie's prone form and gently placed her fingers on the blonde's throat. A strong pulse helped steady her frayed nerves as she pulled her phone out of her jacket with shaking hands. After a quick 911 call, she smiled as Jackie's eyes finally fluttered open and she stared groggily at her.

"Dude… my head," she murmured as she tried to get up.

"Don't move Jackie, you took a hell of a fall down the stairs and you're bleeding pretty bad," said Janna, pressing Jackie back to the floor as she tipped Jackie's head to the side and applied some pressure to the large gash. "Picked this up from Marco, heh, guess the safe kid knows his stuff after all," she laughed.

"Did we win at least?" asked Jackie, wincing from the pressure on her wound.

"No, but I bought us some time."

"Time for what?"

"Time to ask Marco for an introduction. I think we may need to bring in the heavy artillery here, and I can't think of anyone that fits that description better than Princess Star," grimaced Janna, the thought needing to call in backup chafing her ego.

O - O - O - O - O - O – O

"Marco!" shouted Penelope as she ran down the stairs, taking them three at a time in her effort to reach him faster. She had been anxious since he had called her after the battle to ask her to get Queen Moon and explain that he had been attacked. As soon as they had arrived at the Castle, he and Reynard were hustled off to her office to report on what happened, while she could only wait impatiently. Twenty minutes later, they had both appeared in the castle entryway, and Penelope had rushed down the grand staircase to check on him.

"Hi Penelope," he answered, bracing himself as she crashed into him and kissed him passionately.

"You doing okay, my brave warrior?" she cooed in his ear, running her hand across his chest.

"I'm…" he paused, as the image of the werewolf's still body flashed into his mind, "...fine," he lied. 'No use worrying her any more than I already have,' he thought as he pulled her into a tight hug.

"Marco was magnificent, Penelope!" Reynard shouted, slapping the teen on the back hard enough to make him cough, "he took those monsters on two-on-one and prevailed with only a flesh wound for his trouble."

"You were injured? You didn't say anything about being injured when you called me," said Penelope, quickly stepping back and giving his body a quick once over.

"It's fine. Queen Moon patched me up with magic once we got into her office. She even fixed the shirt," he said, pointing to the spot on his arm where a deep cut had been only minutes before and sounding slightly less than enthusiastic about that last part.

"Just as long as you're not hurt," said Penelope, her face softening as she cupped his cheek. "I need my warrior in tip top shape if he's going to protect his princess from evil monsters."

Only half-listening, Marco nodded to her as he continued to be absorbed by his thoughts. 'I killed someone today…' he thought, his mind still reeling from the experience like a ship with no keel. Thinking back, Marco remembered the many lectures Sensei Brantley would give before each day's training. "Karate is an aid to justice," he had said more than once. But... was this Justice? Was killing another sapient creature ever justice? The answer seemed elusive in the face of harsh reality now, as he stood there.

"Marco, you in there, buddy?" asked Reynard, a slight look of concern creasing his normally smiling face.

"Huh? Oh, yeah sorry. I was having just thinking…" he said, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck at the curious look his girlfriend was giving him, and doing his best to shelve his dark thoughts for a moment.

"Well, shall we head to the grounds? I was just telling Penelope that the smart money is on me to win first place again, although Baron Piedmont is no slouch in the saddle," explained Reynard as the trio left the castle for the short walk to the Butterfly fairgrounds.

"Ugh, Baron Piedmont is a boorish oaf," said Penelope, her hand snaking down to take Marco's as she smiled at him.

"A what?" asked Marco, giving her hand a slight squeeze as they walked together.

"An asshole," clarified Reynard, eliciting a laugh from Penelope and even managing to make Marco grin.

They walked in silence for several minutes as they picked their way through the streets to just outside the M.R.C.'s wall. Joining the modest sized crowd of mixed mewmans and humans, they both bid farewell to Reynard as he left to prepare for the race.

"Marco, I'll put ten crowns on myself to win for you!" shouted Reynard over the crowd as he disappeared into the stables.

"Are you ok?" asked Penelope, turning to study her boyfriend now that they were alone, "you're sweating quite a bit."

"I'm…" he began, planning on telling her the same lie he had said previously, when something inside him seemed to nudge the truth out of him, "I don't know if I'm okay…"

"Is this about the monster attack earlier? I thought Reynard said you did great?" she asked a genuine look of concern on her face. "If you're worried that you weren't as good as Reynard…"

Taking both of her hands in his, he turned to face her, his brow furrowed as he struggled to put words to the swirling maelstrom that was his thoughts. "Penelope, I… I killed someone today," he said, finally giving voice to the troubling thought clouding his conscience.

"Marco, you killed a monster today. An evil, Mewman-murdering monster, who would have happily gutted you if you hadn't defended yourself," she said.

"What if he had a wife, or kids… what was his name…" Marco muttered to himself quietly, not even acknowledging his girlfriend as she held his hands.

"Marco…" Penelope said, alarmed at his behavior. "Marco!" she fairly shouted at him before he seemed to snap out of whatever state he was in.

He raised his head and looked into her pretty green eyes, finding the affection they reflected back calmed him as she continued to hold his hands. A quick look at her forehead revealed that the medicine he had given her the first day they met had done the trick, and he was satisfied to see her forehead smooth and unblemished. Pushing down his dark and conflicted thoughts for a moment, he leaned in and planted a soft gentle kiss on her lips, which she quickly reciprocated. In the last two weeks, he had quickly shed his bashfulness at kissing Penelope. It seemed like she was always up for making out whenever they had a moment alone together, a fact he quickly learned to love.

Finally breaking apart after nearly a minute of soft kissing, Marco apologized, "Sorry Penelope, sometimes I get lost in my own thoughts… My Earth friends call it a 'Marco Moment.' I'm just dealing with a lot of different emotions right now. I mean I know it was self-defense, and that he would have killed me if I didn't defend myself, but still… I killed him, ya know?"

"Marco, you killed a monster…" she said, a scornful tone not escaping his noticed as she continued, "this is the second time in two weeks they've attacked you. If Reynard wasn't there…" she trailed off, afraid to give voice to what might have happened if her boyfriend had been attacked alone. "And just like you said, it was self-defense. You're a warrior Marco, not a little boy anymore, and sometimes warriors must kill in battle. I'm just happy you weren't hurt badly."

"I guess so," said Marco, feeling his unease settle a bit at her words.

"Trust me Marco, I know it may sound harsh now, but you'll see. Those monsters deserve neither your pity, nor your mercy. Corn knows I've lost enough friends to those savages…"

"I'm sorry… I-I didn't know," he began.

"Marco look around you! Everyone here has lost someone! Fuck, that's why we're here on Earth in the first place!" immediately she looked stricken at her own harsh words and the slightly hurt expression on her boyfriend's face. "I'm sorry Marco, I didn't mean to get short with you. Bad memories is all."

"It's okay Penelope, I know it was really rough on Mewni during the war… I'll be okay, just needed to vent is all" he said, hoping hard that he was right. Just then, a flurry of movement caught his eye. Behind her, five warnicorn riders were going through the final checks of their mounts, ensuring saddles and other tack was securely fastened before the start of the race. Marco cheered as Reynard took his position in the saddle, sitting proudly, a white trimmed cape draped across his horse's haunches.

"My Lords and Ladies," began a stuffy looking servant in a poofy feathered hat whom Marco remembered was named Manfred. "We are gathered here today on this fine afternoon to witness a test of daring and skill. I present to you, your riders today; Baron Piedmont!" a smattering of applause for a stuffy looking noble who had a face like a weasel. "Baron Winthrope!" a louder round of applause this time. "Viscount Rivertry!" more polite applause. "Earl Blackburn!" several whoops rang out with the applause the mention of this noble. "Annddddd the reigning Mewni Derby champion! Viscount Reynard Butterfly!"

Both Marco and Penelope cheered loudly along with most of the crowd at Reynard's introduction. Clearly, he was a popular figure with the Mewman nobility, and if Marco was any judge of the crowd's reaction, the ladies in particular. "Think he'll win?" Marco asked Penelope as the riders got into final position.

"No doubt in my mind Marco."

"I ask that all wagers be submitted at this time, and riders on my sig-" Manfred began.

"Sorry! Sorry everyone! Sorry I'm late!" came the very familiar voice of Star Butterfly as she navigated her warnicorn through the murmuring crowd. Marco noticed she was riding bareback as she pulled even with the other five riders.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, it appears we have a late entry from none other than the Princess Star Butterfly," announced Manfred, sounding completely unruffled, "betting will now reopen for five minutes if anyone wishes to adjust their wagers."

"Marco!" called out Star, as she spotted him at the front of the crowd by the railing of the racetrack. Trotting over to them, she grinned at the couple, "How are you two? Did I surprise you? Bet you didn't know this, but I'm no slow poke when it comes to warnicorn racing myself."

Before Marco could respond, he felt Penelope slip even closer to him, her arm sliding around his shoulder and her hand resting almost lazily on his chest to run her fingers up and down the smooth fabric there. If he didn't know any better, he would have sworn he saw a momentary shadow cross Star's face as she smiled at them.

"Hi Star," said Penelope, her tone a little cold as she gripped Marco tighter.

"Hey Star," nodded Marco, chuckling at her admission, "oh, I knew you were a skilled rider since the day I first saw you, remember? You almost ran me over on that sidewalk but did that amazing jump at the last second."

"Oohhhh yeahhhhh," she smiled at him, the two laughing at the memory of her crazed rampage through Echo Creek two years ago. "Are you two going to root for me to win this thang?"

"Sure St-" began Marco.

"Actually we have ten crowns on Reynard to win!" Penelope quickly said, interrupting Marco. He squirmed slightly in her grip as he felt her lips plant several light kisses up and down his neck.

"Oh," Star's face fell momentarily, before brightening up. "Hey Marco, after the race do you want to go to the mall?"

"Sorry Star, I promised Penelope we'd go on a double date with Reynard and this girl he met in Echo Creek. You could come along I'm sure, maybe call Tom?" he suggested.

Feeling Penelope shift behind him, he felt his cheeks burning with embarrassment as she wrapped her arms around his chest and laid her chin on his shoulder, pulling him tight to nuzzle his neck. "I don't know if she could get ahold of Tom so quickly. He's not even supposed to be coming to Earth, and I'm sure you wouldn't want to feel like a fifth wheel, Star," Penelope explained as she let one of her hands slip down to caress his abs through his shirt.

Star's face fell once more as she contemplated what Penelope had said. While it was true that it would be next to impossible to get Tom to agree to a triple date on next to no notice, and going alone would be intensely awkward with two other couples, she couldn't help but feel a little put off. 'It's like Penelope doesn't like us hanging out…' she thought to herself. Before should could dwell on her thoughts however, Manfred's voice rang out once more. "All riders to the starting line, betting is now closed!"

"I'll see you two after I win this thing," Star grinned, as she turned her mount and joined the other riders on the starting line.

"Penelope, that was a little harsh don't you think?" asked Marco, feeling slightly annoyed with her behavior.

"Marco, you spend almost every day with Star going off on one adventure or another. Can you blame a princess for wanting some alone time with her man?" Penelope said into his ear, before punctuating her words with a quick nibble on his earlobe that sent shivers of pleasure up and down his back.

"No, no I cannot," he half moaned as she continued to run her teeth along the curve of his ear, now pressing her chest against his back.

The crack of a starter pistol signaled the beginning of the race, and with a loud cheer, the six riders urged their mounts forward with shouts. Hooves thundered, and Marco felt the thoughts that had been troubling him momentarily fall away as he was swept up in the excitement of the race.

"Go Reynard! Go Star!" he shouted at the top of his lungs as Penelope whooped and hollered beside him.

After the first 700 yards or so, the skill of both riders and mounts began to tell. Reynard, Star, and Piedmont were significantly ahead of the other three riders, with Star and Reynard exchanging the lead as they raced neck and neck. The two of them looked heroic on their mounts, Reynard's white trimmed cape fluttering behind him in the horse's slipstream, while Star, without any saddle, was kneeling on her warnicorn's back, hunched low over its powerful neck her hand slapping it's flank to urge just a bit more speed.

Continuing to cheer and scream, Marco felt his heart in his throat as the Reynard and Star rounded the second to last curve, the tension making his pulse race with excitement. "I can't believe how good they are!" he yelled to Penelope as Reynard and Star began to pull away from Piedmont in the final sprint to the finish line.

"Reynard's been champion of the Derby two years running!" she yelled back to him as she jumped up and down with excitement.

"Does Star usually race?" he asked loudly, over the roar of the crowd.

"No! Queen Moon usually forbids it in case she was to ever fall off her mount. Especially since she rides bareback!"

"Do people get hurt a lot?" he asked, now leaning in so close his lips were almost brushing her ear.

"Not that often!" she shouted, grinning at the contact his lips were making with her ear, "but people have been killed in the past!"

Continuing to cheer for both of his friends as they roared down the straight away at full gallop, Marco let out one final loud shout as the two riders seemed to pass simultaneously over the finish line.

"Who won?" he yelled.

"I'm not sure Marco, we'll have to wait for the Manfred to announce it. Shouldn't be more than a few minutes though."

"Marco, Penelope!" called Reynard as he joined them by the railing, followed momentarily by a grinning Star.

"Marco did you see that race! That was incredible, I was all like 'gwarrrrr' and Reynard was all like 'wharrrrrr,'" she mimed riding her warnicorn as Marco and Reynard laughed, the imitation even eliciting a small smile from Penelope.

"You two were amazing, really. I'm new to this whole 'warnicorn racing' thing, and even I was on the edge of my seat! Penelope you're a big fan, right?"

"Oh definitely, I haven't missed a Derby since I was eight, and I try to catch the smaller races when I can. It's just thrilling!" she said as she leaned into Marco's ear, "just like you babe."

"And the winner, by a nose, is Star Butterfly!" Announced Manfred before Marco could do anything more than deepen his already rosy cheeks.

"EEEEEEEEEEEE!" squealed Star as she ran forward, throwing her arms around him, almost breaking a rib she squeezed so hard.

"Congratulations Star," he gasped as the crushing pressure of her hug continued.

Releasing the wheezing teen, she gave Reynard a quick hug before stepping back and grinning at her cousin. He nodded at her before returning her goofy smile, "Star, well raced. This is the first time you've managed to beat me in the warnicorn races. Looks like I'll have to take things a lot more seriously from now on if you're going to be gracing the paddock with your presence."

"Better watch your back cousin, because Star Butterfly is in. it. to. win. it." she finished, over enunciating each word of her taunt.

"Yes, well we'll see about that won't we," Reynard chuckled before noticing a rather stern glare from Penelope. "Ah, ahem, well I hate to lose and run Star, but Marco, Penelope, and I have a prior engagement, so I'm afraid it is farewell for now,"

Marco noticed Star's face lost a little of its earlier vivacity at his words, but she seemed to still manage a cheery wave, "Have fun you three." She half turned, before whipping back, "Oh and Marco, I'll see you tomorrow at 9? There's this thing called 'skate bordering' and I really want to try it."

"Skateboarding, Star, and I'm really an amateur with that kind of stuff. We should totally ask Jackie and Penelope to come though! I know Jackie's an expert. Is that cool with you Penelope?"

Worried that Penelope would be annoyed with him for making plans with Star right in front of her, he was surprised to see her smiling now. "That sounds great to me Marco, we can all walk over together."

"Awesome Possum," laughed Star, waving as she took off back in the direction of the castle.

"Well, I'm off to go collect Amanda at her home for our date. Meet me at the Winter's Grasp Tavern in 5 minutes? It's only a couple minutes away from here. You know the way right Penelope?" he asked.

"Sure do! Come on Marco, we'll meet Reynard there."

"Sounds good, see you in a few," said Reynard, disappearing into a freshly cut portal.

"Lead the way my Princess," Marco gave her a short bow, allowing her to take his hand and stroll off down the street. "I'm glad you're not upset,"

"Upset? What would I be upset about?" she asked, an overly airy tone to her voice.

"That Star wanted to do something tomorrow. Don't think I didn't notice you getting a little protective of me earlier before the race," he said, giving her hand a small reassuring squeeze.

Penelope quickly led him down a small alley and stopped before turning to face him. She was staring at him intently, a burning look that bored into him, sharper than any blade could. As he continued to hold her hand, pinned in place with the intensity of her gaze, he couldn't help but return her verdant stare as she spoke to him. "Marco, I really like you," she smiled widely at those words, her teeth a dazzling white, "I know it's only been two weeks, but I feel like I really connect with you in a way I never did with other nobles. I'm sorry if I sounded jealous… or petty earlier… I just really want to enjoy some time with you that also doesn't involve Star. After all… you are my boyfriend."

"I really like you too Penelope," he said, noticing suddenly just how close she was standing.

"And don't think I didn't notice how you spun your plans with Star tomorrow to involve me too." She was leaning in towards him now, her hands on his shoulders pressing him up against the cool stone wall. "That was very thoughtful of you, making it so we got to spend time together even during your job," she whispered, just as their lips touched.

"You know me…" he chuckled, "always thinking."

He closed his eyes as her soft lips pressed against his. The light taste of cinnamon, Penelope's favorite lip gloss, tingling as he felt her step into him. "Penel-" his short protest dying on his occupied lips as she slipped a hand up to run though the hair at the back of his head as her other hand threaded some fingers through his belt loop. Like a great eraser, her kiss wiped his mind blank, all thoughts of the stressful events of the day vanishing as they began their familiar passionate dance together. Soon, his surroundings shrank to just the two of them, their bodies pressed together, and tongues dancing as he returned her enthusiasm with his own.

"M-marco," she panted into his mouth as his hand slipped to her waist, gripping her hip and pulling her body hard against his as the heat between them intensified.

"Penelope," he breathed back, before diving deeply into another long French kiss, tongues sliding against one another.

While Penelope may have been Marco's first girlfriend, he always considered himself a quick study, and kissing was no different. It had become apparent that she was a fan of displays of physical affection, always finding an excuse to touch him or kiss him whenever decorum permitted. It had only taken him a few dates to get used to her particular brand, and now he welcomed her advances within reason. He still hadn't let her get his pants off yet, but he felt those reservations eroding quickly as they continued their fiery escapades.

He felt almost drunk now, his nerves on fire as her hungry mouth left his to kiss up his jawline. He arched his back off the stone wall, eager to press against her further, losing himself in the moment. "God you're beautiful," he heard himself say as her hot breath tickled his ear.

"Mmm, and I'm all yours Marco," she whispered.

Feeling a touch of hormone fueled recklessness seize him, he let his hand slide off her hip and down to grab her firm backside, squeezing it hard as she let out a low moan. "Don't start something you can't finish Diaz," she purred into his ear, as he kept squeezing her behind.

He could feel the swell of her breasts pressed against his chest through his dress shirt, and at her words, he ran his unengaged hand up the back of her neck into her soft brown hair. Pulling her mouth back to his, he felt her lips engulf him with another fiery kiss that made his head go light and seemed to pull all the strength out of his knees.

"Marco," she breathed, pressing her rear hard against his hand. "If you want me, take me," she giggled, smiling as they continued hungrily kissing.

It was the second time she had invited him to her bed in as many weeks, and unlike their first date, his growing comfort with her and the roaring bonfire of desire burning inside of him were making the decision difficult. Every hormone in his body was screaming at him to ditch Reynard and take Penelope up on her offer, but something inside still held firm against the tide of desire threatening to drown him.

"I-" was all he got out before his phone blared to life in his pocket. Pulling it out, he felt a slight pang of embarrassment at the odd look Penelope gave him for his choice of ringtone before answering it.

"Hey, where are you guys? Amanda and I got here 5 minutes ago, I thought you two would be waiting," came the impatient sounding voice of Reynard though the speaker.

"Oh, uh…" said Marco, thinking fast, "Penelope and I got sidetracked seeing the sights."

In front of him, Penelope had broken out in a fit of silent giggles as she buried her face against his chest.

"Uh-huh," laughed Reynard, "Tell Penelope whenever you two are done making out, we're hungry and we'd like to order soon."

She must have heard his remark, because at his words she broke out in gales of laughter. Shaking, she clutched at the front of his shirt as he tried to shush her the best he could. "Well now that my girlfriend has been kind enough to help me sell that lie… We'll be there in a minute," he deadpanned.

"Alright Casanova… See you two soon."

As soon as Marco had hung up, he began to laugh with Penelope. He might have been mortified a month ago at even the thought of being caught doing anything "naughty," but the events of his life since becoming Star's guide and Penelope's girlfriend made such concerns laughable now.

"Should we get going?" he eventually managed to choke out once their shared laughter had abated.

"Sure," Penelope said, still giggling slightly as the began to walk out of the alley together. "Marco?" she asked.

"Hrm?"

"Are you going to walk with me all the way there with your hand still on my butt?" she winked, as he pulled his hand back as if scalded.

Five minutes later, Penelope and Marco were seated across from Reynard and his date, all four sipping from drinks as they shared light conversation after their mutual introduction. Always a bit of a lady's man, Marco had found himself unsurprised that Amanda was very attractive. Likely in her very early 20's, she had on a floral-patterned sundress and her hair pulled back in a beautiful waterfall braid. She also surprised Marco the first time she spoke, as she spoke with a charming southern accent that was rare to hear in SoCal. 'She seems friendly enough,' he thought to himself after they had shaken hands, 'but I doubt she'll last even a month.'

After sitting down, Reynard had insisted Marco order a mug of corn ale to celebrate their victory as taverns in the M.R.C. did not "hold to that tosh California drinking age law," as he put it. Although not a complete stranger to alcohol, the corn ale tasted harsh on his tongue, and he felt a single mug would likely make him drunk enough that his parents might notice. So, after their shared toast and a single sip, he left it untouched and ordered a glass of water instead.

"Sooo Amanda, has Reynard regaled you with the daring tale of his and Marco's monster attack this morning?" asked Penelope, eyeing both men before sipping her wine.

Groaning internally at the broaching of this topic, Marco felt all the dark thoughts that had been weighing on his mind begin to creep back. 'This is the last fucking thing I want to talk about right now' he thought, as he glared at Reynard.

"Monster attack? Y'all mean those evil creatures that drove you out of your home dimension?" asked Amanda, her face looking shocked.

"The very same, Amanda," nodded Reynard, completely oblivious to Marco's signals, "I suspect Ludo intended to ambush Marco and catch him alone. Thankfully, providence provides, and I just so happened to be with him on his way to meet with the Princess here."

"Ludo?" Amanda cocked an eyebrow.

"A self-important fool and the leader of this sorry band of monsters," said Reynard, his voice taking on a harder edge to it as he recounted their battle of earlier.

"Don't worry Amanda. Reynard here is a first-class swordsman, and Marco," she slipped her arm through her still glaring boyfriend's arm, "studied under him for two years. They sent those foul monster scum packing with hardly a scratch."

"Indeed Penelope," said Reynard, draining his mug of corn ale and signaling to the bar wench for another. "We even managed to slay three of his minions in the struggle. Quick deaths, more than they deserved…"

Images unbidden came into Marco's mind as Reynard continued to explain, giving both Penelope and Amanda a graphic blow by blow of the battle. Near misses that would have opened him up from hip to collarbone had he not nimbly dodged, a werewolf monster falling to the street, a foot-long slash across his chest, his face a tableau of agony. Worst of all however, was the one he had killed.

Here and now, in the moment, it didn't matter that he had been fighting for his life against an enemy who would have killed him in an instant. What mattered to him was the feel of his blade trembling as the monster futilely tried to push it out of its ruined throat. What mattered was the feeling of warm red blood running down his fingers and over the back of his hand, hot and sticky with a smell like hot iron that seemed to stick to his tongue as he breathed. Fighting down his rising gorge, he pressed his hands into his lap to keep them from trembling as Penelope leaned close.

"Are you feeling alright Marco? You're looking awfully flushed," she whispered in his ear.

"I-I'm fine," he stammered slightly, "still just a little worked up from earlier is all."

"No, that's not it," she murmured as she reached into his lap to take his hand in hers. "Marco you're clammy…"

"It's alright," he gasped, feeling like an iron band was beginning to tighten itself around his chest, "I'll be fine."

Just then, the waitress came to their table carrying a large serving tray laden with dishes, before placing plates of food in front of all four of them. Barely holding on, Marco looked down at what they had just been served and his eyes fell on Reynard's dish. There, on a wooden plate, sat a very large, very rare steak that was sitting in a pool of red liquid that looked remarkably like blood. The same blood he had last seen as an expanding puddle seeping from the rent in his opponents' neck.

Heart racing, Marco shakily sprang to his feet, knocking into a startled waitress as he fought to leave the tavern. Pushing through the crowd, he didn't even register Penelope and Reynard's voice calling out to him, before finally bursting out into the late afternoon sun and promptly vomiting. Arms shaking, he wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve just as Penelope slid to a stop beside him.

"Macro! Are you okay? Do you need the healer?" she asked, taking him by the shoulder and attempting to steady his trembling form.

"Penelope, I'll be okay," he said, between gasping breaths.

"You are not okay Marco Diaz," said Penelope, pressing her hand to his forehead, feeling it slick with sweat.

Closing his eyes, he took a series of deep rhythmic breaths. An exercise he borrowed from his karate training, the deliberate rhythmic breaths helped slow his racing heart and calm his frazzled nerves. Finally opening his eyes, he was pleased to find himself staring into Penelope's emerald ones as she leaned in to check on his pulse.

"Marco, I really think you should see a healer," she said, a nervous edge to her voice.

"I just need a little rest…" he said, as he grabbed her should and stood up, albeit shakily. "Walk me home?"

"Marco…" she pleaded.

"Please, Penelope."

Looking into his pleading eyes, it took every bit of the trust she possessed for him, but finally she relented, nodding silently as she took his hand in hers.

"Marco are you feeling okay?" The cool voice of Reynard called out from behind them.

"He's not feeling well Reynard. I'm going to walk him home," said Penelope.

"Sorry about ruining our double date Reynard…" Marco said, looking absolutely miserable, "tell Amanda it was a pleasure to meet her."

"Think nothing of it! Feel better Marco. We shall 'rain-check it' as you say," he said, beaming with pride at having successfully used an Earth phrase.

O - O - O - O - O - O – O

Fifteen minutes later Marco and Penelope found themselves standing on the stoop of the Diaz household. A quick stop at the Stop & Slurp for a bottle of water and a pack of gum, and he was fairly certain he had removed all traces of the taste of vomit from his mouth.

"Sorry again… about today," apologized Marco, feeling heat rising in his cheeks. He was feeling much better after their walk home together, Penelope's hand in his serving as an anchor for his fragile emotional state, it had helped return his heart rate to normal and he felt much less clammy than before.

"Marco you have nothing to apologize for. Everyone gets sick now and again," she smiled at him before kissing him on the cheek. "One time, at a royal dinner in the Spiderbite Kingdom, I puked on the Ambassador to the Underworld. I had been fighting off a bad case of arachnid pox, all while trying to play host to several different diplomatic delegations. After a formal dinner, we opened the ball with a dance, and as I was dancing with Ambassador Vazrox I just barfed up my entire meal all down his finest dinner jacket."

"Oh man… suddenly puking outside a restaurant in the M.R.C. doesn't sound so embarrassing anymore," Marco chuckled.

"Oh it was mortifying Marco. Tom teased me about it relentlessly for over a year at every social function. I still owe him for that…" she giggled.

"Hey, thanks for walking me home and… cheering me up,"

"A princess must always be kind to those in need," she quoted to him with a grin, "plus what kind of shitty girlfriend would just leave her boyfriend to suffer. I was going to walk you home whether you wanted me to or not, Diaz."

"Well then, Princess Spiderbite," Marco swept into a half bow again before kissing her on the hand, "I thank you for your kindness and assistance today. The kingdom of Echo creek thanks you as well for your charitable aid to one of its citizens."

"You are most welcome," she curtsied, grinning at him.

"And Penelope?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks for a great day together, even if it didn't end exactly how it should have."

Surprising him, she stepped close and planted a quick kiss right on his lips. "Hmm, only just a tiny hint of puke," she teased as she stepped back, caressing his cheek with her thumb. "Get some rest my brave warrior. I'll see you tomorrow."

As she turned to leave, he reached forward quickly and caught her by the hand before blurting out, "Penelope would you come over Sunday night and have dinner with me and my parents?"

"Are you asking me to come over and meet you parents Marco?" she asked, eyeing him intensely, "I don't knowwwww, that's a pretty big step."

"I mean… if you're not comfortable… Forget I even as-"

"Marco of course!" she shouted, "I was just teasing you! I'd love to come have dinner with you and your parents. I simply must meet the two responsible for my brave, sexy, warrior boyfriend who just so happens to also be a perfect gentleman."

"Until tomorrow then?" he asked.

"Tomorrow then," she nodded, before blowing him a kiss.

O - O - O - O - O - O – O

Star was seriously starting to worry. She had tried calling Marco almost twenty times, all of which had gone to voice mail. Earlier that evening, she had spied Penelope entering the castle alone which meant that wherever Marco was, he wasn't with his girlfriend. A quick call to Reynard confirmed that he wasn't with him either, as Reynard had told her that he wasn't feeling well and that he and Penelope had left shortly after getting there.

Now, leaving Marco's house after having spoken to his parents, who also didn't know where he had gone, she wracked her brain trying to think of where he could be. 'He's all alone, and not feeling well. What if Ludo came back to finish what he'd started?' She thought before scolding herself. "Relax, Star, he's fine. Just have to think… If I were Marco... what would I be doing right now," she muttered to herself. Instantly, thoughts of him punching monsters, and smashing through several boards on cinder blocks sprang to mind. "Not helpful!" she said to no one in particular, blowing a strand of blonde hair out of her face in annoyance.

Just then, the image of a location sprang into her mind. It was a place he had shown her several days earlier. A place he went "to sit and think whenever I'm stressed out about life or school," he had told her. 'Hold on Diaz, Star's comin for ya!' she thought excitedly as she pulled her scissors from her purse.

Laying on his back on the grass atop the tallest hill in Echo Creek Park, Marco felt numb at the events of the day as he let the last of the dying light of the day bath him. As he tipped his head up to look at the setting sun, he noticed it framed the ever present Butterfly Castle beautifully. It was a bitter sweet reminder of all the gifts that his new life had given him and also the costs it demanded in return. Laying his head back down on the grass he sighed to himself. The extreme intensity of his earlier panic attack had faded to an unpleasant memory, and now he just felt empty, cold, and drained. Nearby, Silverlight was laying carelessly on the grass where he had tossed it in frustration and disgust. He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts, he didn't even notice the telltale sound of a portal tearing open behind him.

Stepping through the portal, it only took a moment for Star to spot Marco laying on the grass, still in his clothes from earlier. His eyes were closed, but he otherwise looked unhurt. Several feet away, as if it had been tossed aside, lay Silverlight, its blade still caked in dark dried blood.

"Marco?" she asked, a note of hesitation to her voice as she called out his name.

"Hi Star," he said without opening his eyes, "I see you found me."

"You weren't answering my calls, so I came to look for you," she explained as she walked over to pick up his discarded sword.

"Sorry about that… I was feeling a little sick and I needed some air."

Plopping down next to his prone form, she laid Silverlight across her lap and promptly pulled out her wand, spending several moments restoring it to its normal gleaming brilliance with several passes of magic. "That's what Reynard said. He told me you probably ate something funny that didn't agree with you."

"Yeah, I had this pig goat fo-"

"But my nose is pretty great at sniffing out bullshit... so what's really bothering you?" She quickly cut him off from whatever lame lie he was trying to tell her. "Marco you and I are best besties! That means we help each other out when one of us is hurting… And most of all, it means we always tell each other the truth, even when the truth is something... ugly."

Marco didn't answer her, but he didn't need to. Star could tell just by the way his shoulder slumped slightly that her words had reached him. "I think I know what's going on here. You're upset about earlier, with Reynard," she said.

He opened his eyes at her words, turning his head to look up at her and feeling his breath catch in his throat. Her familiar easy smile looked slightly strained as their eyes met, but even that could do little to dull her beauty. She was bathed in the golden glow of the setting California sun, its light catching in her straw-colored hair, reflecting and refracting to frame her head in a beautiful amber corona. 'She looks like an angel…' he thought to himself as he continued to stare at her.

"It's never easy… Marco. Taking a life, that is," she said, as she watched the sunset. It was something she had done since she was a little girl and she always found that it eased her mind whenever she was worried about something.

"How?" he began to ask.

"From Reynard, and my Mom… I know you probably didn't want me to worry about you Marco, but you should have told me. Best besties don't keep secrets, especially not when they're attacked by Ludo and his flunkies." She emphasized her point by punching him lightly on the shoulder.

"Sorry."

"So what's up? You know you can tell me anything. I won't judge you no matter what."

"Star I don't know if I can do this…" he said as he rubbed his eyes to wipe away a gathering wetness, "be this great warrior with a life of adventure with a sword strapped to my hip I mean." He looked at her, still radiant in the sunset, and felt himself smile despite the weight of emotion on his mind. "Killing that monster today, even though it was self-defense isn't sitting well with my conscience. Your Kingdom is at war with the monsters and this is hardly going to be the last fight we get into. Can I really kill again? I don't want to be this bloodthirsty warrior Star, I'm just a teen from Echo Creek who's good at math and karate, not Conan the Barbarian… Maybe I've just been lying to myself for the past two years, a little boy playing pretend warrior…"

To his surprise, she scooched next to him on the grass and laid down, so they were shoulder to shoulder, both staring up at the cloudless sky as it faded from blue to indigo. He felt her take a deep breath before she spoke again, "I don't know who Conan is, but three years ago, just before the Monster-Mewman war began, Toffee sent assassins to kill me. I think his plan was to deprive the Butterfly Kingdom of its next Queen and break our morale before the war had officially even started. I was only 13 at the time, I hadn't gotten my wand yet and I was in our rose garden just relaxing when they burst out of the bushes and tried to stab me."

Marco felt himself go pale at the thought of his best friend facing three assassins unarmed and unprotected as she continued her story. "Well, Toffee must not have really known who my Father is, or else he would have sent more than three. I killed the first with a bird bath that was nearby, and the second with the knife I took off the first. The third one ran as soon as he was alone and was promptly captured by the castle guards. Marco if I hadn't defended myself that day, I'd be dead right now."

"And…" he began, swallowing hard as he took her hand that was lying next to his on the warm grass, "and how did that affect you."

"It messed me up for a long time Marco. My relationships suffered, poor Tom had to deal with a very grumpy Star, something I'm embarrassed to admit he is not particularly skilled at," she laughed. "Finally my father noticed how badly I'd been affected by the attack and sat me down to talk. At first, he just thought his sweet baby girl was traumatized from being attacked. But after we talked, he realized what was really bothering me and gave me some excellent advice, that I shall now pass on to you."

She rolled onto her side, still holding his hand, and looked at him. "Marco, killing something that can think and feel, something that can love and hate, something that has dreams and goals is never easy. Even if it's in self-defense, knowing that you had to kill in order to preserve your own life or the lives of the people you care about is tough. But can I ask you something?"

"Anything Star," he answered without hesitation.

"Why did you agree to Reynard's offer to train you and prepare you to be a guide for us mewmans when we came here?"

"That's easy, I wanted to be more than just another kid in the crowd, to live life to the fullest and experience some adventure. It's also partly why I took up karate in the first place, I wanted to be able to protect myself and people I cared about."

"Exactly. You didn't train with Reynard for two years to be a warrior so that you could kill monsters, right?"

"Of course not," he said, feeling almost sick at the thought.

"No, you trained to be a warrior, a protector. Of not only yourself, but your family, your friends, and me, now that you're my guide and best bestie," she said, squeezing his hand for emphasis at that last part. "Marco I've only known you for two amazing weeks, but I feel like we've known each other our whole lives. I know you have a good heart. You are no cold-blooded killer like some mewmans and monsters are. You only took that monster's life because they gave you no other choice. The fact that you feel remorse and conflicting emotions just goes to prove that you're not like them."

"But wh-" he began, but Star was on a roll, and continued on her speech.

"Being a warrior isn't about how many lives you can take, or how skilled you are with a sword. No, it's about how much of yourself you're willing to sacrifice to keep the people you care about safe. Two weeks ago, after knowing me for less than a day, I saw you face off against three monsters to protect me from Ludo. You showed more warrior spirit that day than half the knights on Mewni did during this whole war, Marco. I wish I'd had the sense to talk to my dad right after that incident in the rose garden because it really helped to put everything in perspective for me. I hope it helps you too, because you're an amazing person. You're kind, generous, fun, and an amazing best friend."

Marco said nothing for almost a full minute as he digested her words. 'I've never heard her sound so serious about anything,' he thought as she continued to squeeze his hand lightly. Thinking hard, he felt some of the ice that had seemed to have spread throughout his insides as the day wore on begin to thaw. Their shared experience of having to defend themselves with lethal force resonated with him much more powerfully than Penelope's insistence that it was kill or be killed.

"Thank you, Star. That was… beautiful actually," he managed to get out as he blinked back tears.

"You're welcome Marco. I know your heart is in the right place, and you should too. Now come on," she said as she sat up and made to tug him up to his feet.

"W-Where are we going?"

"Oh, this talk was only step one in my super awesome plan to cheer you up. The next step requires a pair of these," she winked, as she pulled out her pair of dimensional scissors.

Grinning as he let her pull him to his feet, he nodded his assent, "Lead the way!"

O - O - O - O - O - O – O

Moments later, the two stepped out of their portal and into what Marco could only describe as a club out of his wildest fever dreams. They appeared to be standing on a solid cloud with a massive dance floor in the middle, where a crowd jumped and swayed to the music. Everywhere he looked, he saw people lounging on what looked like solid clouds, even the bar seemed to be made of this stuff. Waves of thumping base rolled over and through him from a massive set of speakers flanking a pair of robots at the other end of the cloud from the bar.

"Star this place is amazing! Where are we?"

"The Bounce Lounge Marco, the best dance club in the entire universe!" she grabbed his hand once more and took off at a sprint towards the bar. "Let's get a drink!" he thought he heard her say, as he looked all around, his head on a swivel. Looking up, he noticed the they seemed to be floating in a beautiful night sky studded with twinkling stars.

Feeling a cold drink being pressed into his hand snapped his attention back to Star as she made to toast him. "What's this?" he asked, eyeing the fizzing, rainbow colored drink he was holding.

"It's a Rainbow Fizz! It's got lots of tasty stuff in it and it feels so refreshing going down. Try it!"

Deciding to trust her taste buds, he took a tentative slip and was pleasantly surprised at the lively taste and fizzy finish. It was sweet, but not overly so, with vaguely citrus overtones and… "Star is there alcohol in this?" he asked, panicking slightly.

"Oh yeah lots," she waved him off as she took a long sip from her own Rainbow Fizz.

Marco stared at the riotously colored beverage for a moment before making up his mind about something. "You know what? Fuck it. Let's party, Star," he said as he pounded the rest of his drink.

"YES! That's what I wanna hear, Marco! Woohoo!" she shouted as she downed her own drink and motioned for another two from the moth-like bartender. As she passed Marco his second Fizz, she held her drink aloft for a toast to which he happily raised his own and clinked. "To good health, long life, and a rocking good time for two best friends tonight!" she shouted.

"Amen," he agreed, giggling at her toast as he began to relax.

Thirty minutes later, two drinks had turned into three, and Marco found himself sitting at the bar alone as Star had excused herself to go to the bathroom. He was feeling more than a little buzzed, his head swimming pleasantly as the Rainbow Fizz's worked their magic on his fading sobriety.

"So, you the new boyfriend then?" asked the moth-like bartender.

"Excuse me what?" asked Marco, not immediately understanding the question.

"You and the Princess, right? You her new boyfriend? I gotta say, that girl works fast, and you seem like much less of an asshole than the demon kid," said the bartender, winking several hundred eyes at him.

"What? Who? Me? No-no-no-no, I'm just her friend." But even as he said it, a small part of him seemed to wish otherwise. 'Dude she understands you better than Penelope ever will,' whispered a seductive thought in his head. 'She's gorgeous, and you know she's totally into you!' it continued, as he did his best to push those drunken thoughts out of his head. 'I'm with Penelope, and she's a great girlfriend,' he thought, trying his best to push away those tempting thoughts, but not before his desires had one final say; 'Star could be better.'

"Hrmm," said the bartender, looking past Marco over his shoulder, interrupting his thoughts, "someone might want to tell her that then."

Turning in his stool, he saw Star walking towards him. She had either had a change of clothes on her, or had used magic to change her outfit, as instead of her green rainbow fronted dress, she now wore a knee length black cocktail dress with matching pumps.

"You look… amazing," he breathed to her as she reached the bar.

"Thanks Marco. You don't look too bad yourself. Though…" she tapped her chin with her wand before turning it on him and shouting "Radiant Shadow Transform." In a flash, his slacks became clean and pressed, his hair styled itself perfectly to match his best efforts from earlier this morning, and best of all, his shirt had changed color from a dark green to a deep burgundy red. "Green is just not your color Marco…" she said, nodding her approval at the change in color palette.

"I know right!" he shouted, looking himself up and down. "Star this is fantastic! I love magic!"

[C2C - The Cell if you want to jam along]

A new song kicked on, its initial opener sounding oddly out of place in such a high energy club. A mixture of flute and chimes playing in a whimsical opener as a fuzzy sounding bassline began to kick in. Immediately Star grabbed Marco's hand and ran for the dance floor shouting, "I love this song, C'mon, we're dancing!"

"Okay," was all he could manage before the two of them were deep in the crowd, surrounded on all sides by the swaying dancers.

With a choral sample and a huge breakbeat, the song began in earnest, and effortlessly the two found their rhythm together. Star had her eyes closed, head nodding to the swaggering bassline as she let her body move and undulate to the beat. Keen to not disappoint, Marco let his background in ballet and martial arts dictate his moves as the music flowed around him. Soon the two were dancing together, bodies close, as the music swelled and hit the drop.

Opening his eyes when he felt an arm on his shoulder, he grinned at the smiling face of Star as she stepped closer to him, matching the movements of his body perfectly so they could dance in sync. 'Wow she can really move,' he thought to himself as she closed her eyes again bobbing her head, their thighs grazing lightly.

For her part, Star's mind was blissfully blank save for the feel of the music and Marco in her arms. 'God he's so damn cute, I could kiss his gorgeous face,' she thought. 'Bad thought, bad thought,' screamed another part of her, 'you have a boyfriend and his name is Tom, keep it PG sister.' But Pegasus feathers did he feel good in her arms, his muscled shoulders flexing under the arm she had curled around the back of his neck, and when he slipped a hand around her slim waist to pull her just a little closer, she thought she might melt right there on the dance floor.

"You dance amazing!" he shouted over the crescendoing song.

"You too!" she called back to him, before turning around and pulling his arms around her waist to dance even closer to him now, her backside lightly pressed against the front of him as they rolled their bodies in sync with the music.

All around them, the crowd heaved and moved to the music as lights flashed and swept over them in time with beat. Palpable energy seemed to be running through the club like electricity as he danced with her, his chest thrumming in harmony with the beat of the song. Looking down, he smiled as he saw Star, eyes closed again, moving with him to the music. Her body felt like fire every time they came together, making his skin prickle with pleasure everywhere they had touched. Feeling her take one of his hands off of her hip to raise it high into the air, he could only laugh along with her as they continued to groove together.

"This is so much better than the arcade!" he said into her ear as she pressed her backside harder against him and leaned back into his chest.

"Definitely!" she giggled.

Eventually the song began to die down, its chimes and flute ending on an ethereal note and Marco sprinted off to the bar to get two more cocktails. He returned just in time for the next song to hit its stride, the heavy staccato base making his chest thump along as he passed Star another Rainbow Fizz.

They spent the next hour tearing up the dance floor together, never once leaving each other's orbit as they danced together to song after song. Marco felt extremely buzzed now, their fourth cocktail's alcohol worming its way through his veins nicely.

Dragging Star off the dance floor, they both collapsed into an empty booth sweaty and exhausted. "I'ma need a minute, Star, before we keep dancing. Those Rainbow Fizzles are shtronger than I thought."

"Hahaha, Marco your *hic* drunk!" she giggled, placing her hand atop his. "Hey, hey, hey bud I gotta queshtion for ya."

"A queshtion huh? Okay butterbutt, shoot,"

"Ahm not gonna shoot yew, yer my besht friend," she said, looking scandalized.

"Nooooo," he said, giggling almost uncontrollably, "it means ashk me the queshtion, shit, now you have me sayin it wonky tew," he said, causing them both to break out in fits of laughter.

After a minute of infectious giggling, the two had calmed down enough to where Star felt she could get her question in. "Marco, am ah a good girl? -Friend. Girlfriend! Am I ah a good wunna those?" she asked, fixing him with her best serious look, "to Tom I mean… Or you, ya know… if we was dating… Okay, sho two-part queshtion then."

Even in his drunken haze, Marco could feel her eyes on him as she eagerly awaited his answer. His brain seemed jammed; his thoughts slow in coming as if they were wading through molasses on the way to his mouth. "Shtar, I'm gonna answer the second pot of your queshtion first... if I may. If we was dating, I would say yer an amazin girlfriend. We have sho much fun togever, you alwaysh make me laff, your shuperrr pretty, and, and," he stumbled slightly over his words, "you really did such a great job cheering me oop tonight. I'm feeling mush better!" he gushed feeling embarrassed at the slur in his voice marring his words.

"Aww, thank yew Marco. I do try," she beamed.

"Ash to whether you're a good girlfriend to Tom… Well if you poot in anywhere near the effort with him that you wiff me, then he'd be a fool nodda think you're anythink less than exshellent," said Marco, shaking his head slightly as his head threatened to float off his shoulders. "Now you do me!" he yelled, causing several passing dancers to give him a strange look.

"What?" Star blushed heavily at his words.

"No, Star, the queshtion, God Damnit it, I'm still doon it!'

"Ohhhhhhh, yeah totally, totally. I thought," she began.

"Oh I noo what you thought ya pervert," he laughed, winking at her.

"Marcooo, Marco, Marco, Marco," she grinned, her cheeks flush from the alcohol and more than a little embarrassment. "Penelope ish a very lucky girl. Yer fun, and shweet, plush you kick monster butt shoooooo good," she giggled, leaning into him to lay her head on his shoulder before a mischievous grin spread across her face. "You should hear the thinks Penelope wants to do *hic* to you. That Princesh is gonna rock your world mah best bestie!"

"Didja know she wanted me to come back tuh her room the firsht night wes went out?" he whispered into her ear.

"Shounds like Penelope alright," giggled Star, "But ya know yah can't blame a girl fer tryin," she laughed back as she lifted her head to look him in his eyes.

"Waddaya mean?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow at her.

"Marco, yer like suuuper cute. What princesh wouldn't want to smooch yer cutie face?" she asked, as she booped his nose. Several long seconds passed before she sat up straight and covered her mouth in shock at what she had just said. 'Oh no, oh no, what did I just say,' she thought, panicking. Luckily for her, however, Marco didn't seem particularly interested in reading deeper into what she had said.

"Waitttt a minute," he said, narrowing his eyes at her as she nervously fidgeted, "yew think I'm cute?"

"Coursh I dooo, ya think I'm cute too right? Soo itsh only fair," she said, nodding at him sagely.

"Fair's fair, thas true," he mused, nodding back at her.

"Ladies and gentlemen. I, Jamtron 5000, require all your flesh sack bodies on the dance floor for maximum party amplitude immediately!" came the robotic voice of the DJ as the lights strobed and flashed.

"C'mon Marcus!" shouted Star, grabbing him by the hand before dragging him back out onto the dancefloor, "issa time to get dancey!"

O - O - O - O - O - O – O

Hours later the still, inky darkness of Marco's room was obliterated as a swirling portal burst into life. Stumbling out of it, Marco and Star crashed against the side of his bed before falling on top of the mattress in a tangle of limbs and laughter.

"Star, Star, wait a second," he laughed as he tried to free his arm from under the blonde princess. He was glad he'd stopped at four Rainbow Fizzes as he rolled to his knees, finally managing to pull his arm out from under a giggling Star.

Still laughing, she reached up and pulled him back down to lay next to her on top of his covers. "Look Marco! Look!" she said as she pointed to the ceiling where several small constellations of Glow-in-the-Dark star shaped stickers were glowing with a faint green light. "Now you have one more Star in your life Marco!" she giggled.

He couldn't help but laugh at the awful joke as he turned to face her on the bed, but no sooner had he looked down at her supine form than he felt his breath catch in his chest for the second time that day. She looked like a goddess come to life, laying on his bed in her beautiful black dress, and bathed in a shaft of pale moonlight that had suddenly appeared as the clouds shifted. The only colors he could even make out on her were her rosy heart-shaped cheek marks, and the palest hint of blue in her eyes. Behind her head, her long blonde hair lay fanned out on his bed like the train of some beautiful dress.

"Marco?" she had finished giggling, and was now looking at him, a warm smile on her face, "what is it?"

"It's nothing, don't worry about it," he said, as he continued to drink in the sight of her.

"No, tell me. If you're still bothered about what happened today, we can talk more about it if you want."

"No, it's nothing bad…" he paused, debating internally as to whether or not to tell her what he was truly thinking. 'Best besties don't keep secrets.' Star's words seemed to magically pop into his head in his moment of hesitancy, nudging the balance ever so slightly. "It's just… I've never seen someone look more beautiful than you do right now."

Star heart seemed to stop in that moment, the weight of his words cutting through the fog in her tipsy brain like a laser. Something was building in her as she looked into his chocolate colored eyes, a pressure in her chest that threatened to tear her apart unless she gave it some method of escape. The hours of dancing, bodies sliding against one another, the innocent touches, the way he held her in the cave and taught her to trust herself to utilize her magic…

"Star, if I said anything too forward I apo-" but he never got to finish his apology as she leaned forward and pressed her lips again his. Soft and warm, he instinctively reached up to cup her cheek as they held the kiss, lips working against one another in a passionate embrace. Her lips were silky smooth and tasted like bubblegum, a flavor he seemed to remember preferring to cinnamon in a half thought as they continued their kiss. He felt her place her hand over his on her cheek as her tongue slipped between his lips, asking permission to enter and immediately receiving it.

Whether they stayed like that for seconds or hours, it didn't matter. Concepts like time ceased to be relevant as everything around them became as meaningless noise, until it was just him and a beautiful princess from Mewni named Star. Finally opening his eyes as they reluctantly broke their kiss, he saw her staring at him, her blue eyes wide with shock.

"We," began Star.

"Kissed," finished Marco, as they stared at each now wordless with shock.

Chapter Text

The Once and Future Queen

Chapter Six

Some Things Are Best Kept Secret

As the morning began to take its first tentative steps toward daylight, and the first songs of the birds began to play for all those awake enough to listen, another first had already taken place. In the Diaz household, tucked away in the second-story bedroom of a boy whose life had changed, were two teens blissfully unaware of the encroaching hour.

As a lone shaft of sunlight crept its way into the room and illuminated a heart stamped cheek of ivory, Star took in a deep breath and stretched, sprawling on the unusually small bed she slept in. But as she smacked her lips and levered open her eyes at the early hour, she realized two things. One, this wasn't her bed; it was way too small. And two, it only seemed smaller because she was sharing it with someone else.

Under her sprawling form, she found another, muscular body beneath her, enjoying the warmth of the bed to his own degree. Star's eyes went wide, and a flush crept up her cheeks upon seeing Marco blissfully sleeping beneath her, not a shirt in sight, but she didn't move a muscle. Instead, she let her mind wander to the events of the night prior and what brought her to such a compromising position.

When the sun was still hidden from their side of the world, Star and Marcos' lips parted long enough for them both to utter only one word each.

"We…"

"...kissed."

Despite the cloudy haze his mind was still enraptured in, Marco's eyes went wide as he and Star stared at one another. This couldn't be real. Nothing about it fit with what his mind could comprehend at that moment, but there it was before him, as though it were waiting to be discovered.

"We...Star, do you have any idea what we just did?" he asked, still coming to terms with his situation.

Despite her own fuzzy thoughts and fleeting sense of reality, Star still managed a weak, lopsided grin. "We just agreed that we kissed, didn't we?" She asked, leaning a bit closer to read him. Marco instinctively leaned back and turned to face the foot of the bed. He wouldn't meet her eyes, either out of fear or out of confusion; she couldn't tell.

"I don't think I need to tell you why...why that's bad," he said in a flat monotone.

Stars' absent-minded grin began to fade, unlike her lingering buzz." Marco, why does it have to be bad?" she asked, still trying to give him a weak smile, but he wouldn't return it.

"I'm sorry, Star. We-" he began, but Star interrupted him.

"I'm pretty sure I kissed you first," she pointed out, turning his head to face her as she continued to try coaxing a smile out of him, "so why are you apologizing?"

"Because I didn't stop you," he answered quickly. "I just...let things get to this point. I shouldn't have been sending those kinds of signals. I should have been more professional as your guide, and not put our friendship in jeopardy with-" but Star interrupted him again with a tight hug, nearly crushing the life out of him.

"Marco. Something like this… could never ruin a friendship like ours. We're best besties! Nothing, not even a giant hairy monster tearing apart a mountain, could stop us!" She proudly announced. But when she saw the hesitation still present in his eyes, she continued, pushing her buzz aside for a moment to address him with more sincerity.

"One of the reasons I like you so much is that you don't treat me professionally. Everyone else always treats me like I'm just a princess. Like being queen is all there is to me..." She noticed Marco's confused expression and continued, "I mean, I know I am a princess, and I will be queen someday, but not to you. You treat me like a real person. And whenever I'm with you, I feel like I'm where I belong. And maybe I sound crazy, but I thought that was real."

"Of course it is, Star," Marco affirmed, taking both of her hands in his. God, she looked flawless in the pale moonlight, "But… this? This isn't something friends do."

"Why not?" she asked, cocking her head slightly.

The question caught him off guard, as he recalled what Reynard had mentioned about Star's tenacity to make friends. Rubbing the back of his neck with one hand and holding onto Stars with the other, he pressed his lips together as he tried to think of a good answer. "Star, I… I like you. A lot. More than I think I should. But… I don't want to hurt you. I care about you too much to see you hurting."

"Marco, you could never hurt me," she cooed, pulling him closer to meet his chocolate brown eyes with her own. By Corn, he looked so enticing. She wanted nothing more than to steal him away and hoard him to herself forever. "I feel the same way about you. And I know it's not perfect, or neat, but I don't want this moment to end just yet." Marco could feel the warmth radiating from her, reminding him of their first adventure together, how close they seemed to be when they only had each other.

'That wasn't a lie,' he thought to himself, 'none of it was.' For as long as he'd known her, which, albeit, wasn't that long, they had never lied to one another, and always'd had each other's backs. She was new in his life, a mere second on his clock face, but she understood him better than anyone else did. Maybe, just for this one moment, they could be something more than friends.

Steeling his nerves, Marco reached up and held the curve of Star's ivory cheek, marveling for a moment at its butter-smooth texture, and pulled her closer. Neither said a word as their lips met for the second time that night, and both entered a state of blissful satisfaction so deep that they felt as though they would drown in it. It wasn't some new experience for them, and it certainly wasn't either of their first kiss, but the sensation was otherworldly nonetheless.

Marco sighed a contented breath into her lips before deepening their kiss, his tongue rubbing gently against hers as they pressed their bodies close. Exploring one another's bodies in new and inventive ways, he marveled at how well she seemed to fit with him and how perfect it felt to hold her. Star found herself pushing against him, forcing him to lie back as she draped her petite frame over his, her hair falling around him like curtains on a stage.

She relished in every sensation he gave her, from his strong touch to his intoxicating smell; nothing could rival it as the two found themselves lost in one another. Moaning, she shuddered as Marco's teeth grazed the length of her tongue while his thigh slipped between hers. It was the best kiss of her life, and as much as she may have wished against it, the kiss had to end. When the two eventually had to come up for air, Marco pulled back for a moment, glancing up into her frenzied eyes, taking in for the first time that evening how perfectly they went together.

"What?" Star asked, catching her breath and analyzing him further, "Is there something on my face?" Marco laughed, holding her sides and pulling her closer as he met her expression. "Just me, if that's alright?" Star grinned at him and rested her hands on his shoulders, grinding against him ever so gently.

"It's more than alright. But I might need you to 'guide' me a little… to what you know I want," she offered back, leaning down and planting a soft kiss on his neck. Marco took that as a green light, letting a breath of pleasured air hiss from his lungs as he began rubbing her thighs and grinding against her oscillating form. "Mmmmphhh!" Star bit her lip and buried her face into his shoulder as the two began to melt into one another, each one softly panting as their hips rolled against each other. Like two halves of the same coin, they felt perfect together, and the world around them had long since faded to grey.

She was seconds from making another snappy remark to buy a few precious seconds of focus when she felt Marco gently bite into her neck. It was a soft bite, barely a pinch of the skin, but it mingled beautifully with the strong friction of Marco's thigh against her core. There was a split second of calm, and then there was nothing. Her mind went blank as all other thoughts aside from 'Marco' were immediately pushed away. It was like a jolt of electricity traveling down her body, nearly overwhelming the moaning princess.

"Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!" She screamed in a whisper as she curled around his form and dug her nails into his back. Marco held onto her rear, the fear of being caught growing by the second, and in a snap decision, pulled her into another tight kiss. Star let out a deep breath and melted into him as the two held each other for what seemed like a lifetime.

As the minutes rolled by and the two melded tongues in a deadlock of passion, Marco could feel his self-control eroding. His hands were continually kneading and squeezing her firm bottom, and he could feel the passion in his soul roaring at him to find the zipper of her dress. Using every ounce of remaining willpower, he ran his hands up her sides and gently pushed her back enough to catch her gaze.

"Star," he panted, reaching up to hold her face, "We should probably...slow down...a little…before-"

"Yeah," she answered quickly as she caught her breath, giving him a seductive grin, "maybe we should…"

Marco pulled her back in for another kiss, Star eagerly accepting and deepening it into another breathless transaction of promised feelings. As she gripped his shoulders, however, she began to notice a rising tension growing between them. After one last kiss, she slowly pulled away, giving him an exhausted smile.

"Mmmm, what's wrong, Diaz?" She asked, slowly bringing herself down to cuddle with him amidst a slew of blankets. Marco blushed at their precarious situation and, with a sleepy grin, rested his head atop hers. He didn't have the energy to think of much else. "What are we doing?" He asked, out of breath. Star only managed a shrug in response.

"Who even knows anymore? I'm with you, so I'm happy."

Marco nodded absentmindedly as he felt his eyes getting heavy and his breathing getting shallow. "Yeah…that's...good," he answered. Up until this point, the adrenaline had helped him forget his drink, but now that both of them could take a minute to breathe, they both could feel that sense of weightless bliss beginning to subside. "We should...sleep a little, yeah?" He asked, pulling Star closer. She simply nodded, smiling against his shoulder as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Goodnight, Marco."

"Goodnight, Star."

And after the morning sun began to rise, along with a sleepy, bed-headed princess, so did the memories as she lay back down atop her fearless warrior. 'This is probably gonna be a bit harder to explain than I thought,' she rationalized before gently nudging Marco until he stirred.

"Mmmm, six and a half more minutes," he mumbled, turning towards her and pulling her closer. Star felt her cheeks burn at his touch and tried once more to wake him, silently relishing in his warm embrace. 'Well, maybe not fearless warrior, more like cuddle buddy for life.'

She watched as Marco's eyes slowly opened to welcome him into the world, and with his slow rise to consciousness came the bullet-train realization as to what, and whom, he had been doing the night prior. As he took in his situation, Marco shot back like a drawn arrow and eyed Star with such dread that she feared he would drop dead on the spot.

"Hey, uh...good morning, sleepyhead," Star offered with little confidence. She smiled at him, trying to ease his nerves, but his frenzied expression showed her he was having none of it.

"Star! What are you doing in my bed?" he asked in a silent shout. She frantically tried to quiet him, but without much command, he steeled his nerves and eyed her with a shocked stare.

"Oh my god…we… I didn't…force you, did I?" was all he could whisper, his eyes wide with shock.

Star managed a weak grin and scooted back a bit to give him some breathing space. "Yeah, we did. And no, I wanted allll of it. H-how did you sleep? You had a lot of Rainbow Fizzes last night, so don't be surprised if you have a bit of a hangover." Marco seemed to take a moment from running the events of the prior evening through his mind to answer her with a chuckle.

"Nah, I learned after a few parties with Reynard to always match my alcohol with water. Keeps the hangover away, but somehow, I feel like that's the least of my worries."

Star met his eyes. Of all the thoughts going through her head, this was one she was hoping to avoid for the moment, so she steeled her nerves and pressed further, asking, "And what worries are those?" Marco could only shake his head at the grim prospect.

"I'm gonna go with being burned alive, and right after that? Ripped apart by a very angry Mewman girl."

A few seconds rolled by before Star matched his grim expression. "Oh. Right. That," she mumbled, unsuccessful in steering the conversation away from that topic.

Up until now, it had been easy to push the idea of their significant others aside, and she'd be lying to say she didn't feel a new weight of guilt for it, but she willed herself to move forward. "Maybe...maybe they don't have to know about it," she added quickly, gauging his reaction to the idea. He didn't seem to go for it.

"Star, we can't do that to her-...them. It's wrong for-" he began, but Star cut in, grabbing his shoulders.

"We can stop!" She cried out. He started to reject it further, but seeing her wide eyes match his, let her continue. "We...don't have to do that to them. We can stop…this." She let the words hang in the air, cringing internally as she hoped he would go for it.

"Can we?" he asked quietly, "can we stop? Can we just ignore what we did last night and forget about it?"

Star knew he had a point. There was something truly addictive about their exchange, and even now, locked in fear as she was, she still wanted more. Realizing she was holding her breath, she let it slip through her lips as a sigh. "I don't know. I mean, I know I don't want to stop. I don't want to forget. But I also know that right now, we might not have a choice."

Marco nodded. "We both have commitments to other people. We're happy with who we're with, and we owe it to them to give them a chance, too. We have a responsibility to be truthful and real to them."

Star knew he was right, to some degree, but at the same time, she couldn't ignore everything she had experienced in the last twelve hours. Something had shifted inside her since their first kiss, something important, and she wasn't sure she wanted to put it back. "You make it sound like it's our job to be with them," she mumbled, lying flat on her back in bed, staring at the ceiling. Marco watched her carefully and, after a moment, lay back.

"I know. Maybe I feel like it is, but we're happy with them, aren't we?"

"Yeah," Star whispered back. Marco pressed his lips together and thought of what to say, but Star saved him by continuing. "I guess right now isn't the time for any of… this… is it?" She shook her head, but widened her eyes as an idea popped into her head. "So let's make a deal, Marco. We hold off for now and come back to... this, when we're ready? I don't want to hurt to-them...either." Marco didn't answer right away. There was too much to think about at once.

"Are we bad people?" he asked suddenly.

That question caught Star off guard. After everything that went so well, she wasn't sure if it was the guilt telling her no, but she knew what the answer was. "Yeah. Yeah, we might be bad people."

"I was afraid of that," Marco whispered back, taking her hand into his. "But I don't want to forget about it. ...I like this. So, I can promise that we don't have to forget, if we can also promise that for now, we stay friends and make sure our other friends don't get hurt."

Star stared at the ceiling for a moment, thinking it over before she managed a weak grin. "I promise if you do." The two lay there for a few more moments before Star looked over at him and found him already staring at her. "What?" She asked.

Marco gave her a weak smile and squeezed her hand. "I know it's hard, pushing down what you want, for what you already have. Having to let something as amazing as this slip through your fingers because you can't bring yourself to keep it in your grasp, because you know it'll hurt in the best way. And I can't think of anyone else in the universe who fits me as well as you do, and carries me in the way that you do…" Marco stopped.

He had to force himself to think of Penelope and all that she had done for him without question. How much she cared for him without the promise of reward. He knew in his heart what he wanted at that moment, but what he had already promised to another was non-negotiable. "But I'm so glad we can be friends, despite the hard choices we have to make. I'm lucky to be your guide and your friend, Star."

"Me too, Marco. Thanks for letting me have... this. For now. Maybe in the future, there's something more for us, but for now, I think you're right. We should focus on what we have, instead of what we want."

He nodded before rising from the bed to get ready for the day. Despite all that they had just agreed to, it was easily the best night of his entire life. "Don't worry about it, Star. Let's just keep this between us, and try to be more careful next time, yeah?"

Star got out of bed and, using her wand, changed her clothing to her usual green dress and matching white boots. "Yeah, won't happen again. Not a chance," she added cheerfully before closing the distance between the two and planting a firm kiss on his lips. Marco recoiled slightly at the act, but soon found himself melting into her passionate kiss for several furious moments before pulling away breathless and grinning wildly.

"Star! What was that? We just agreed-" he laughed, breathing hard.

"Shuhsuhsushshhhhh shhhhhhhh," she hissed, pushing him back a little as she tried in vain to straighten her hair, "just one for the road. I already forgot about it. Right? Just two friends havin a sleepover, nothin weird, we're both taken, so why would we do somethin weird?"

Marco pressed his lips together, hampering a grin as Star pointedly avoided his gaze. "Fine. Only one for the road. Something between friends, but just that one, got it?" He asked.

Star nodded, letting her radiant smile burst through before sitting on his bed. "Got it." And all fronts aside, she meant it. And knew that that night was the best night of her entire life.

Getting up to give him some room to change, she was surprised when she felt his hand grab hers and pull her into another tight embrace. Immediately, she found his tongue back in her mouth to dance with hers as he held her close. One hand slipped up her neck into her soft blonde hair, as the other pinned her hips against his. Her mind blank once more, she felt a pang of need as he pulled away suddenly, a sheepish look on his face.

"Sorry about that... I just needed one for the road, too," he said to her in a low voice.

"I'm not complaining, Diaz," she could only pant back.

After Marco spent a minute trying to get his outfit together, she leaned over a bit and eyed him expectantly. "Soo, what's on the agenda for today? Are we gonna see some Earth stuff? Maybe-"

Before she could finish, Marcos' phone rang out into the room, and both teens' faces paled to the tune of space unicorn. Marco met her eyes and neither of them said a word. Star coughed into her hand, shriveling into herself slightly. "You uh, gonna answer that? It might be-"

"I know," he cut her off. He pulled his phone from his pocket and answered, straightening himself. "Hello?"

"Marco, it's Janna. Get to Echo Creek Freedom Hospital now. Floor A, room one hundred and thirteen. This is an emergency."

Marco let out a small sigh of relief and straightened up more, glancing at Star with a reassuring look. "I'm with Star right now, but we'll be there in five. What happened?" He asked. There was a short silence from the other end of the line before Janna answered, sounding less than sure for the first time since he'd known her.

"Jackie got hurt, and it's kinda my fault. Just...get here. Now, Diaz. And bring Star."

"We'll be there in five," he repeated, hanging up the phone.

O - O - O - O - O - O - O

On floor A of the Echo Creek Freedom Hospital, in room 113, Janna was seated beside Jackie's bedside, staring at the monitors beeping in solitude. As someone who took life by the horns every chance she got, planning was something she didn't normally do in her free time. But now, she found it was the one thing that eased her troubled mind amidst the blank room around her.

"Jeez, who died?" Jackie asked, turning to face her friend with a broken grin. Janna managed a fragile smile and shook her head.

"You almost did, Dumbass. Maybe next time, you'll think twice before helping me out." The two sat in silence for a moment, letting those words hang in the air.

"Shouldn't I be mad at you?" Jackie fired back with a curious glance. Her head was still tightly bandaged after her eight stitches, so to the rest of the world, she looked like a confused pirate with a white bandanna.

Janna did her best not to laugh and shook her head. "What for? I helped you fight your first demon-"

"It nearly killed me," Jackie grumbled.

Janna only shrugged and continued listing key points on her fingers. "Yeah, but you got to see some cool magic, learned some Latin, oh! And you got to wave around some sage!" Janna held up four fingers and grinned, but Jackie's sardonic expression conveyed that she wasn't having any of it.

"The sage smelled like burning feet, I still don't know any Latin, and if I wanted to see magic, I could talk to Star," Jackie listed back. Janna lost her smug grin for only a moment before Jackie let out a giggle and shook her head. "But, yeah, silly me for letting you drag me into Dante's Inferno."

"Oh, you wish, sister. If I hadn't pushed him outta there, you'd be very dead."

Jackie rolled her eyes with a smile and folded her arms. "Well, thanks, Janna. I'll be sure to send you the hospital bill as thanks for all your 'help'."

Janna sat back, suppressing a laugh as the two sat in silence for a moment. Jackie, straining a bit, turned to meet her eyes. "Thank you, Janna. I really mean it."

"Don't mention it. You can pay me back by getting better, and not 'almost dying' anymore," Janna said with a laugh. Jackie frowned and made to retort at her dismissive nature, when the doors of the room flung open with two very disorganized individuals rushing in and assessing the room around them.

"Hey Janna, we got here as fast as we could," Marco gasped, glancing around the room before his eyes fell on Jackie's injured form, the green-eyed blonde giving him a sarcastic wave of jazz hands.

"Jeez, Marco. Six minutes and fifty seconds later, how do you sleep at… night..." Janna let the words fall out of her mouth, taking in both his and Star's bedraggled appearance. "Or maybe you didn't sleep well at all, huh?" she grinned, giggling slightly at her own insinuation.

Jackie tossed Janna an inquisitive look before looking at Marco more closely. His hair was messy, his hoodie wrinkled, his pants stained with some multicolored liquid, and his eyes were highlighted by dark shadows under them. "You look pretty bailed, dude," was all Jackie could say to sum him up. He gave Star a nervous look, one she met with a cheery grin and a shrug, and decided it best not to argue.

"Yeah, I was up late last night trying to figure some stuff out. But I think I got it," he said, resting his idle hands in his pockets. Janna nodded slowly, eyeing them both down as Jackie squinted at the two. Maybe it was her recent concussion, but was Star's neck...bruised? "That explains you," Janna began, donning a new grin, "what about miss-"

Star raised her wand and poofed a thick blue choker around her neck, decorated with a jeweled heart, and covering her markings. "I also didn't sleep too well. My mom...she uh...kept me up late with lectures, and even later with wand practice. Just...flopped into bed and never looked back!"

Marco wouldn't meet Janna's eyes as the Filipino girl folded her arms and nodded slowly. "And you guys got here at the same time, how'd you coordinate that in seven-"

"We're here for Jackie," Marco cut in, deciding enough was enough. "Mind explaining what happened to her?"

Janna folded her arms and nodded slowly. Jerking her chin towards her friend, she merely muttered, "Demon attack in my house. I asked for her help, and things got pretty wicked fast." She stood up and extended a hand towards Star. "I'm Janna, by the way, in case you didn't catch that. I'm kinda the expert on all things weird around here. I asked for you to be here, too, because this thing might be too much, even for me. So I was hoping you'd be able to help us out, since you're magic, and you're dating a demon." Those last words hung in the air like a thick fog.

Star tossed a quick glance to Marco, who had moved to Jackie's bedside, no doubt to give her a barrage of questions about her condition. She turned back to face Janna and nodded. "Yeah, yeah, maybe, I can see what I can do, but no promises. This is definitely out of my comfort zone, you know?" She asked. Janna nodded quickly, looking back at Jackie.

"Yeah, no problem. I'm sorry I didn't get to meet Marco's best friend under better circumstances, but-"

"I wouldn't say best friend," Star cut in, giving her a frenzied grin, "but still, don't worry about it, it's nice to meet you. I've heard... a lot." She held her face, not realizing she was hoping for a distraction, and found that everyone in the room was staring at her. Janna shook her head and chuckled to herself.

"Well, I'm saying best friend, because that's the most real thing in this room, sister. But, either way, you guys might want to sit down for this. It's not pretty." Marco traded a nervous look with Star, both of them silently moving to the couch in the room and taking a seat. When all parties concerned were seated and sedated, Janna leaned on the foot of the hospital bed and nodded.

"So, frolicking aside, I unleashed a very powerful entity on the town, probably the world, and it's not happy. I tried getting rid of it myself," Janna stopped and pointed her gaze at Jackie. The fractured friend of hers who couldn't help but roll her eyes. "But we saw where that went. So I'm hoping you guys might be able to help us out."

Star nodded and made to speak first, but Marco beat her to the punch. He shot up from his chair and stared at Janna, wide-eyed and shocked, and the first thing he could say was, "Did you do this? Did that thing...do this to Jackie?" Janna had expected him to freak out, classic him, and shrugged.

"Yeah, it was a little stronger than I am, so we're kind of on the clock to get it under control," she quipped.

But Marco wasn't sold on her casual-as-always nature. "No. Janna, you acted without thinking and let something loose. And like always... You expect us to drop everything and help you fix it, but Jackie got hurt, and now you wanna get Star roped in-"

"I know, Diaz," Janna shot back. She met his stern gaze with one of her own and fought back the urge to say his sleeper phrase. Good first impressions and all. "I know Jackie got hurt 'cuz of me. And I know the risk that comes with asking you two for help. I know this thing is dangerous, and that's why we have to keep it on the down-low. People would seriously lose their shit if they heard about this, and right now, I need you to be cool about it. I fucked up, I know. Can you please just be a decent friend to me for the first time in two weeks and help me?"

She and Marco held each other's eyes for a solid minute before the boy in the red hood finally let out an exhausted sigh. He was too tired to fight it, and Janna knew it. "Fine, I'm in. But it's up to Star if she's in too. I don't want her getting hurt like Jackie trying to clean up your mess."

Janna stood in silence for a moment before nodding, turning to face the door. "Watch it, Diaz. That's as close to an apology as you're gonna get, so don't push it. Star?" She asked, turning to face the rumpled blonde. She wasn't expecting the question, and when it came, she found herself doing something she almost never did. Overthinking a decision.

"Are you in, or not?" Janna asked, pressing a bit harder. Marco stepped between the two and held up his hands gently. "Give her a minute. I'm her guide before anything else, and I don't want her being pushed into-"

"I'll do it," Star affirmed, nodding to Janna through Marco. She suddenly had a very serious expression on her face, something uncharacteristic for her on any other given day. She'd be lying to say it was due to her not-so-well thought-out decision-making, instead of an irrational thought about commitments and duties, but she nonetheless agreed."If there's something out there that might hurt people, I wanna help you stop it. So first, we should try to figure out where this thing might have gone."

Janna grinned and nodded, pleased to finally have some cooperation in the room. "Awesome. I say we should-" she began, but didn't get to finish.

At that moment, the doors to the room burst open once again, and an extremely irritated Princess stepped in with all the poise of an annoyed general. Penelope stopped at the center of the room and, before doing anything, assessed the condition of all parties concerned, starting with her guide, Jackie.

She was initially struck by how fragile the skater girl looked, but a quick wave diluted those worries remarkably quickly. Next, there was a young woman in a beanie standing at the foot of the bed, looking quite annoyed herself, but Penelope didn't know her and, for the moment, would continue her assessment.

Lastly were Star and Marco, the two who had been inseparable lately, corn knows she had tried. They both looked...well, like shit cobbled together to make a pie. It didn't elude Penelope that her boyfriend and his unusually close friend were already here together, both looking terrible, but like the girl in the beanie, she decided to address it at a later time. There were more important things to deal with.

"Hey there, Jackel. How are you?" She asked, leaning over her guide and expecting the worst news.

"You and Marco must be perfect for each other," Jackie began, giving her a smile, "because you guys looked the same level of terrified when you asked me that."

Penelope let out a quiet breath of relief and smiled back. "I feel like I should trust your judgment," she replied, tossing Marco a contented look. "Do you wanna talk about what happened? All I heard was that you fell or something silly like that."

"Ugh, yeah. I got pushed down the stairs, but I oughta let Janna explain the why of it all." Penelope let her smile break into a nervous frown. "Who's Janna? Did she push you down the stairs?"

Janna stepped around the bed and threw an arm over Penelope's shoulder. "Nahhh, not while she owes me money. Buuut, I know who did, and they are not pretty, lemme tell you." Penelope could only stare, trying to fix her brain around what the hell was going on at that exact moment.

She nodded slowly, her green eyes spelling curiosity and apprehension as she parted herself from this very different but confident girl beside her. "Who did this to her?" Penelope asked.

Janna grinned. "Not who, What. We're looking at a very powerful demon that, at the very least, wants to make everyone in Echo Creek a slave to his will, and it just got cut loose into the city yesterday." Marco groaned and lay back in his seat, eyeing the ceiling. "You make it sound like it wasn't you who set it loose."

"Does that matter? I'm trying to stop this thing, so if you don't want to help me, that's fine, Diaz. I know I'm partially responsible for Jackie getting hurt like this, but at least I'm gonna do something about it."

Marco gave her a sarcastic smirk and nodded understandingly as he folded his hands together in his lap. "Then I guess all is forgiven, right?"

"Marco, stop," Penelope sighed, surprising everyone in the room. No one should have been more upset than her, but now, even with Jackie injured and bedridden, she found it hard to see his reasoning for resentment. She turned back to Janna, looking for some kind of guidance. "What do you need? We can get all of Mewni behind us to make sure-"

"No, no, no, that's a bad idea," Janna interrupted, "people find out about this thing, they're gonna lose it. So we need to take it down quiet and quick. I'm taking Star and Marco to hunt for it at sundown when it's weakest, but now that you're here, I have an idea on how you can help."

"And how's that?" Penelope asked, meeting the new girl with piercing eyes and fighting back a very strong pang of jealousy at the obvious inclusion of only two individuals. She'd be having a word with her boyfriend before she left, to be sure.

Janna leaned on the bed, folding her arms and shooting the Princess her cockiest grin to date. "You're gonna keep the bigwigs in the M.R.C. from getting suspicious of something going bump in the night. Throw 'em off our trail so they don't lose their shit and get everyone riled up."

"You want me to lie to an entire city about a potential threat that could end all life inside it, and do so without raising any suspicion?" Penelope inquired, cocking an eyebrow.

"Yup," was all Janna responded with.

Penelope finally smiled at the new girl and extended an open hand to shake. "Piece of cake, girlfriend. I'll keep them off your backs. And you," she began, looking to Marco and pulling him to her with her eyes, "a word, please." He and Star both exchanged a quick look before he stood up and followed her into the hallway.

When the two were good and alone outside, she looked him up and down and folded her arms, a near glare on her face. "Spill it. I think you still look as dashing as ever, but you also kinda look like garbage this morning. You weren't answering any of my calls last night, you smell like Pony Heads' last sleepover, and you look like you barely slept last night." She stopped herself and looked around, making sure the hallway was still empty. "What happened last night? I was worried sick about you. Were you out with Star?"

"No!" Marco answered quickly, "I was just hanging out with some other guy friends of mine, and I had a few too many drinks, that's all. Nothing to worry about."

Penelope didn't seem to buy it, arching a disbelieving eyebrow as she continued to stare him down. "Marco, I like you. A lot. But you don't strike me as a 'party person', and I've only ever seen you hanging out with Reynard and the people in that room over there." She took a deep breath and leaned in closer, taking his hand. "If there's something going on with you, something bad, I think I deserve to know. What are you not telling me?"

His eyes dashed to the side once, then twice, before he finally let out the breath he had been holding. 'Maybe it's time for the truth,' he thought to himself. "Last night...I was trying to forget what happened. You know... with Reynard," he whispered to her, "I kept hearing things and seeing things, and I was trying to drown all of that out. I didn't want to tell you because you already have enough to worry about, without me being dramatic."

Penelope stared at him with wide eyes. "Is...is that it? You just...got hammered because of a fight, and didn't think you should tell me because I have 'enough to worry about'?" She wasn't sure if she simply didn't want to believe him, or if it just sounded too ridiculous to be true. Something wasn't adding up quite right, so she tried pressing further, leaning closer and meeting his eyes. "And how does Star fit into all this? You both look terrible."

"Sheee...had some training super late last night with her mom, some kind of hardcore wand training, so we met up in the morning for our usual business. We got the call to come here almost right away, and Janna said she needed Star's magic to help with the demon." Marco gave her a thin smile, but Penelope wasn't sold yet.

"So you go out and drink all night after bailing on our double date, to forget about some fight you had, and your first reaction when you're sober is to hang out with Star?" She seemed somewhat hurt at the idea she was proposing, but her voice spelled annoyed more than anything else.

"Well...I was just-" he began, but Penelope cut him off by holding up a finger and looking away. Marco pressed his lips together and waited for the inevitable storm. "You killed like two of those vermin, Marco. I know other warriors who have killed a hundred and haven't so much as sneezed about it."

Marco stared off to the side for a moment before turning to face Penelope with an angry glare, "Well, maybe I'm not cut out to be a warrior then, huh?" He asked, his tone harsh, getting rather impatient himself, "Maybe I'm too soft for what I do, but I agreed to be a guide, not a soldier! I've shown that I'll fight to protect myself and the people I care about, but I will never enjoy killing something. If you can't accept that-" He stopped himself.

Penelope turned to face him, her eyes getting wider, and nodded slowly before reaching out and taking his hand. They stood in awkward silence for a few tense seconds before she finally spoke up. "I'm sorry. It's just… really easy to forget that humans haven't been fighting these beasts as long as we have, given how similar we are. We get numb to it very quickly. I'm sorry, Marco. You're not too soft, you just have too big of a heart, more than those creatures deserve."

She started to pull away, but Marco placed a stronger grip on her hand and pulled her into an enveloping warm hug, resting his head on hers. "Please don't apologize to me. I'm the one who owes you a much bigger apology, Penelope."

"What for? I'm the one talking trash, and I'm the one who has kinda been treating Star like shit," she noted, accepting his hug. Marco felt those words like ice up his spine as a fresh wave of guilt washed over him.

"It's okay, you're just protective. I admit Star and I have been overstepping a bit lately, but you know how she gets with her friends." He felt Penelope nod against his chest, and an idea presented itself. "How about tonight, we have a double date with her and Tom? I won't leave early, and you can be as protective as you want. I won't say a word, and we can all just enjoy a nice night together, since I bailed yesterday."

A few moments of speculation rolled by before he felt Penelope nod again, this time pulling back and smiling up at him with a new gleam of excitement in her eyes. "That sounds fantastic, Marco. Deal. And I'll try to turn down the 'possessive girlfriend' dial, just a little bit."

"Alright then!" Marco exclaimed, maybe a little too excited, "after we're done with the weird 'Janna business', we can all meet up at Pannuci's Pizza for some dubble dayte akshuuun!" Penelope giggled at his over-the-top nature and gave him a playful shove. "Keep talking like that and you won't get any dessert, ya goofball."

Marcos's cheeks lit up like a stovetop, but he held his face and grinned, leaning in and giving her a soft kiss on the lips. 'Hmm, cinnamon,' he thought to himself before stepping back. "C'mon, let's head back in. The sooner we catch this thing, the sooner we can enjoy ourselves again."

"Except you 'enjoyed yourself' last night, huh? I'm sorry that I missed it. Next time you go out drinking...don't forget to call me, yeah?" she quipped, ruffling his hair as they walked back towards the room. But she noticed Marco get stiff, and not in a fun way. There was something painful about the way he moved, all the way back to the room. She was almost sure it was her imagination.

When they were all back in the hospital room, Penelope and Marco shared the couch while Star and Janna stood beside Jackie. Janna began going over everyone's role. She had a new, commanding air about her, and when she spoke, everyone listened.

"Penelope, you're on reconnaissance and control. Anyone says anything related to this thing, I wanna know, and you isolate the leak then and there." Penelope nodded, and Janna then turned to Marco.

"Marco, you're with me. This thing has a knack for throwing people around, so we may need someone agile and good with a weapon...just in case. You're also gonna be reconnaissance, so use what you know about the city, both of them, to find out where this baddie is hiding based on what Penelope tells us today." Marco nodded, and Janna continued on to Star, donning a wicked grin as she spoke.

"And you, Miss Firepower. You're gonna be our main point of attack. My knowledge of the occult, and your magic, we're gonna mash up together to make something very, very powerful. A new kind of magic that might be able to banish this thing for good, or better yet: destroy it. So you're with me and Marco, and when we make a move, you and your wand are by my side at all times."

Star matched Janna's grin and nodded eagerly, brandishing her wand with a hum of pink magic. "You got it, Janna Banana. You and me, dream team!"

Janna smiled and shook her head, wrapping a hand around her fist. "I like that. If we do code names, remember that one," she laughed.

Turning to Jackie last, Janna let her amused air fall flat, in lieu of a more somber address. "And you, 'Jackel', you're job is to get better, so I can properly slug you for losing your cool on me at my place."

Jackie rolled her eyes and grinned, making the bandages around her head flex. "When am I gonna learn?" she mumbled sarcastically, "with you, trouble always follows."

Janna seemed to stop at that, those words hanging heavier on her shoulders than she could have imagined, but continued with a confident smile nonetheless. "You all have your jobs, so we can move out when you're ready. I'll be at my house grabbing some...things, Star, Marco, you meet me there."

O - O - O - O - O - O - O

An hour after the group had dispersed around the neighboring cities, Star and Marco walked up the driveway to a house straight out of a magazine, and a horror movie. They stopped just before the walkway leading to the door began, taking in the colorful flower garden, the open front door, the lavender paint decorating the walls, and every window that was left in shards, glittering on the grass.

"Don't let your guard down," Marco warned, not turning to face her, "I know she seemed...okay, in the hospital. But Janna can be a lot of things if you don't know how to handle her."

Star wanted to think he was joking, but what she had seen so far, both at the hospital and here, was enough to shelf that idea. "I'll be careful. What do you think we're doing here?" She asked quietly as they stepped through the open door.

Marco made to answer, but the sound of the door slamming shut behind them made them jump in surprise as a voice boomed from the top of the staircase. "WHO STEPS THOUGH THE DOOR TO DESPAIR, UNDER THE ROOF OF THE ORDONIA HOUSEHOLD?!" Following the voice, the two found Janna, grinning down at them with a stack of books at her side and a backpack slung over one shoulder.

She made her way down the staircase and gestured toward the living room with her free hand as she chuckled to herself. "Jeez, you guys could stand to lighten up a bit. I doubt he's coming back here anytime soon."

Star and Marco exchanged an uneasy glance before following her into the den, each taking a seat beside the other across from the self-proclaimed governess of the occult. "Alright, Janna, we're here," he began, trying to decipher the language on the books and failing, " what's step two of your glorious plan?"

But she didn't answer. Janna simply examined the two in further detail, noticing they had since cleaned up and were both maintaining several inches of space between them. Cocking an eyebrow, she asked, "So what really went down last night? You guys see a ghost?"

She noticed them stiffen almost immediately, but it was Star who spoke up first. "Nothing out of the ordinary, I had wand practice, and Marco was dealing with the other kind of demon. What's in the bag?" Janna leaned back in her chair, using an arm to prop her head up. "That would be my bag of secrets. But since we're not in a sharing mood, you'll have to wait and see."

Marco didn't let the subtle accusation pass him by, instead opting to further the conversation of their target rather than their respective evenings. "Alright, so, what...exactly...are we dealing with here?" he asked, meeting Janna's eyes. She gave him a grin, shaking her head dismissively. "Something nasty, that's about all I know. It draws power from fear, it's a surefire demon, and it's reeeeeaaaaaally pissed that I kicked it out of my house."

"And does it know who you are? Is it intelligent enough to figure stuff out, like who your friends are?" he asked, eyeing her nervously. Janna slowly nodded and gave him a half-hearted grin. "Probably. But I doubt it knows what to do with that information... Yet. So for now, we wait and see what moves it might make."

It was another several hours before they realized that the mission might be more short-term. Star had excused herself to catch some Z's in the upstairs bedroom, while Janna and Marco continued to discuss the finer details of what they were up against. Despite the distinct feeling of unease in his stomach as he learned more and more about her plan, it took three more hours to hammer out a plan both of them could agree to. With the sun just starting to dip below the western horizon, Marco finally got the call they had been waiting for.

"Yeah, this things apparently making waves on social media, but people just think it's someone's publicity stunt," Penelope explained over the phone, "I think it's down at the Echo Creek Park? There are a lot of trees and junk, and people have been avoiding it all day, saying it's giving them a weird vibe or something. I hope that helps."

"That's perfect, we can use that, and we'll try to get it under control as soon as we can," Marco answered. Janna noticed his stern expression as he addressed his girlfriend over the phone, but decided it was just him being confident. "We'll let you know what happens, and we'll keep you posted. Try putting some stuff up on social media to make people believe it less; it could help us in the long run."

"Okay, Babe. Be safe out there, I want my dashing warrior back unharmed," Penelope replied before the two hung up, leaving Marco and Janna alone with the quiet room. She met his eyes and nodded, slinging her backpack over her shoulder before calling out to Star upstairs.

"Do you think it's gotten stronger? Like, too strong even for her?" He asked, but Janna only gave him a shrug.

"Maybe? I dunno. We're just gonna have to see. If your superpowered bed-buddy doesn't have enough juice to stop him, then I don't think much of anything will." Marco ignored her not-so-subtle jab, for the millionth time that day, and made his way to the stairs just as Star came bounding down.

"You guys ready for an adventure?" She asked excitedly.

Marco wanted to be grim about it, but Janna offered a high five and grinned at the prospect. "Hell yeah! But don't be surprised if things get messy, Star!"

Star stopped for a moment when she noticed the windows of the house and pulled out her wand. "Speaking of messy, Hyper Refraction Cleanup!" she shouted. At her words, the house began to shift around like a prism, and through every facet, a window's glass would self-repair until the entire property was cleaned and organized.

O - O - O - O - O - O - O

As the trio snuck through the gates of Echo Park, the sun was just beginning to dip into the horizon, casting a blaze of reds and oranges into the sky. It would have been absolutely stunning, if the venue around them wasn't so downright creepy. Marco subconsciously reached for his sword and looked to check on Star, his instincts telling him she was in danger, but he held fast, brushing it off as his nerves getting the best of him.

He decided the best way to put his worries aside was to come up with a plan of attack. "So, should we split up? Or do we wanna take it by sector? I can-"

Janna was on him in the blink of an eye, a single finger pressed against his lips. "First, shh. We're trying to surprise this thing. Second, why the fuck would we split up? Are you that high on ecstasy from yesterday that you wanna risk your life twice in one day? You'd so be the first to die in any horror movie..."

Marco caught his breath, her question catching him in a corner, but Star, bless her, came to his rescue with one of her own. "Hey, guys? When does the park close?"

Marco and Janna checked their phones before he met her eyes. "Not for another couple of hours, why?"

"Because there's no one here," Star answered. They had been walking for at least a minute, well into the park, but they hadn't seen a soul around. Not even a bird or a squirrel.

Marco looked around, but even down the hills and in the woods beside them, there was nothing. "That's...weird. Do you think it has something to do with-" he began, but Janna silenced him with a barrage of shushes.

"Don't acknowledge it. If it is our little friend, then it's trying to get us spooked. It's a dominance thing, and it makes them stronger. So just ignore it." Marco gave her an unsteady nod, and the trio continued walking. Star heard a twig snap in the woods beside them, and almost turned to look, but Marco put a reassuring hand on her shoulder and stared forward.

"Something doesn't feel right, Janna," he whispered to her, but she only shook her head and rolled her eyes. "It's just trying to mess with you. Ignore the distractions, and the bigger picture becomes clear." She stopped the group and took off her backpack, setting it on the ground and digging around inside until she found what she was looking for.

She pulled out two long, L-shaped stems of copper wire, capped with wooden knobs on the ends, letting them spin freely in her hands. Marco raised a curious eyebrow at the strange tools and waited for an explanation.

"They're called dowsing rods. They can help you find things with particular energy fields, and spirits can use em to answer questions." Wordlessly, she held both wires out in front of her by the handles on the smaller segments and let them rotate freely until they both pointed directly left, into the woods.

"Yeah, hard pass," Marco snorted, "We're not walking straight into the woods to get jumped."

He was ready to call this whole thing off when Star grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. He turned to look at her and found her already staring at him with nervous, unsteady blue eyes. "Marco, this thing could hurt people like it hurt Jackie. I'm right here next to you, okay? We got each other's backs."

"I'd say get a room, you two, but Star's right. No turning back now, Diaz," Janna offered as she took the first tentative steps into the trees. Marco met Star's gaze one more time before they too followed into the thick underbrush that evaded the sun's light.

Marco kept looking over his shoulder, sure he could hear something, either a twig snap or a rustle in the branches, but any time he looked, there was nothing. Star was guilty of hearing things as well, and the two found themselves subconsciously reaching for their respective weapons, just in case. Janna, however, continued her stride forward, both metal rods pointed exactly forward, her eyes following suit.

"What do we do when we find it?" Marco asked just above a whisper.

Janna shrugged to herself, careful not to disturb the rods. "We better hope it hasn't found us already. But if we're lucky, then we're gonna use everything I brought to banish it from this dimension."

Star perked up at that and took a step to match Janna's speed. "I can open a portal, if that might help. We can push it through and-"

But Janna interrupted her with a snort. "Doesn't work like that, sister. This thing doesn't have a body, so you can't push it. And even if we could push it out, it'll just come right back in the way it came."

Marco darted his eyes to the left, finding only a conspicuous tree stump, and moved closer to the other two. "You said this thing draws power from fear, right?" Janna nodded. "So, if we're just not afraid, it can't hurt us? What if it just runs?"

"I never said it wouldn't be able to hurt us, Diaz," Janna quipped, moving to the right to follow the point of the rods, "it'll just be harder for it to get inside your head. It's up to you to not die on me."

"Like Jackie almost did?" Marco asked. He knew the comment wasn't fair, and that Janna was truly sorry for what had happened to Jackie. But at the same time, his skin was crawling with anxiety, and lashing out helped him take his mind off the invisible threat looming over them all. Janna ignored him as they entered a small clearing in the woods. When they reached the center, the rods crossed paths, forming an X in front of her.

"We're here," she muttered. Marco and Star instinctively went back to back, their weapons drawn and ready as Janna rifled through her pack for a particularly thick book covered in animal parts, like key chains.

"What does it look like?" Marco asked as he scanned the surrounding tree line for any sign of their objective.

Janna simply gave him a shrug and began pawing through her book for pre-marked pages. "Dunno. I told you it doesn't have a body, so it could look like anything," she answered with a wave of her hand.

"That doesn't help us at all!" He shot back in a whisper.

"Hey, guys?" Star asked, still searching the air and ground around them. Janna and Marco took a moment to stop their search and squabbling. "Is it just me, or is this place quiet to you?" She watched as Marco and Janna exchanged an unsteady look before directing their senses to the forest around them. What they discovered was alarming, as it should have been so painfully obvious.

"I don't hear anything, not even a breeze," Janna noted.

Marco shook his head and held a cupped hand to his ears, listening, but all that came was the usual whine of blood rushing to his head. "This park is in the middle of the city, we should be able to hear something, but…" he let his words trail off. They had lived in the city their entire life, even Star having since gotten used to the hum, or the ambient noise of the town. But here, there was nothing.

All three members of the group were on high alert, listening for any sign of disturbance around them, when Star grabbed their attention. "Do the woods on Earth always do that?" She asked, pointing to the tree line in front of her. When Janna and Marco looked, it sent chills up their spines. From the grouped trees and through the shrubs below came a pouring, purple fog that rolled ever closer to slowly engulf everything it touched.

"No...no they do not," Marco answered, readying his sword and lowering into a defensive stance, but Janna placed a hand on his shoulder and shook her head.

"Swordplay won't work here, Prince Charming. Put these on; it'll help keep him from taking over if you go down." She produced three small necklaces, each adorned with an assortment of plants, bones, and rocks, which they took gladly and donned without question. "Now this is the tricky part," she began, "don't let it mess with your head, don't listen to it, and do not, show fear. Unless you wanna end up like Jackie."

"Thanks, Janna. Always telling me exactly what I want to hear," Marco growled, sheathing his sword as the fog finally surrounded them, and stopped several yards around them. Star made to say something, but before she could utter another word, all three of them felt their skin crawl, and the hairs on their arms stood up as a voice seemed to echo through the forest.

"More have come to play, it seems," it chuckled. "New faces, and one, so much more… familiar…" Marco wasn't sure if it was all in his head, but the ominous, deep voice seemed to resonate in his very bones. The sensation of being watched suddenly poured over him, and he knew the others could feel it too. They were no longer alone.

Janna immediately took charge, taking a step forward towards the fog and holding her book out in front of her. "Hic non receperint vos. Ad a quo factum est," she shouted, slamming her fist down on an open page. The sound of her hand echoed through the forest, and for a moment, the fog seemed to recede, but it was short-lived.

"Your pathetic parlor tricks hold no sway over me… girl. I have evolved, and now, I will gorge myself on your delicious fears."

"Well, worth a shot, I guess," Janna muttered. She flipped the pages of her book, searching for one in particular as the fog started inching closer to them, reducing the size of their visible island to little more than ten feet across as it forced them back towards one another.

"Janna, we're kind of on the clock here," Marco muttered, stepping towards the center and finding himself back to back with Star, " so if you have something with a bit more kick, now would be the time to use it."

He made a point to not show any fear and to hold an expressionless face, but he could feel the entity staring at him from all directions. It seemed to pull at his hidden thoughts, coaxing even the smallest bit of anxiety to the surface. He chanced a look at Star and found her struggling just as much.

"Yes, show me what you've learned. Strike me down, little witch, avenge the one I've broken," the voice laughed as the fog was nearly upon them. Marco looked nervously at Janna, breaking his face of neutral surprise, and found her setting the book down. On both open pages were identical pentagrams, circled with countless symbols and markings. Once it had been placed, she stepped forward, standing on both pages, and clasped both hands together, as if in prayer.

"You want vengeance?" She asked as the world seemed to slow around her, and she felt a thousand eyes lock with hers, "I got your vengeance, bitch." She let her hands fall to her sides to hang limply as she whispered incomprehensible words to herself. Marco felt an immense pressure from all sides, like an unseen force moving towards him from every direction, but it stopped just as quickly as it started when Janna's limp hands seemed to grip the air around her.

"You believe I will allow you to use such magic again? You. Will. Burn!" the voice commanded.

Lifting with all her might, Janna forced the air in her hands higher until they were above her shoulders, as the tomes in her book began to glow a brilliant blue. The pressure began to return, fighting against an invisible wall around them, and just when they felt like it would burst, Janna muttered the triggering phrase of her spell.

"Kutoka kwa giza ulilokuja, utarudi kwa utupu. Wacha nguvu ya taa irudishe nyuma, na roho yako iwe moto." As she finished, and the fog began to seep through their invisible barrier, Janna forced her hands down with a speed reminiscent of dropping weights, punching the open pages of the book as a brilliant wave of blue light burst in every direction, forcing the fog back into the woods and bending the trees against its power.

As the light began to recede, and the trees settled with a rush of leaves after the rolling wave of blue energy had dissipated, Janna slumped her shoulders, drained after such force. "What was THAT?" Star yelled, wide-eyed in amazement, "How did you do magic!? And without a wand!"

"Trick of the trade, sister, a lady never tells," Janna mumbled with a smile. Overhead, the usual hum of the city could be heard past the treetops, and a gentle breeze began to ruffle the leaves around them.

"You think it worked?" Marco asked, chancing a look deeper into the woods, seeing nothing out of the ordinary.

Janna rolled her eyes and struggled to stand, closing the book at her feet. "Star, smack him when you get the chance, but make sure he doesn't enjoy it." Star let out a giggle, turning to Marco to rib him a little as well, but found him glaring to the side. She met his eyes, to which he softened his gaze, but the two remained in silent agreement not to comment, as Janna finally got to her feet.

"Alright, I say we sprinkle some holy water around this place, maybe-" she stopped, her eyes wide as Star and Marco turned to look at her, their alarm quickly growing.

"What is it?" he asked, moving closer, "what happened?"

She didn't move. Despite the calm attitude they had adopted moments ago, and the confident air they had prior to that, she looked petrified, despite her earlier warning. "He's still here," was all she could say, her voice barely above a whisper.

Marco started, too shocked to move, but he found that he wouldn't have been given a chance. Before anyone else could speak, all sound in the forest and beyond simply stopped, leaving a cacophony of silence in their ears.

Star gripped the hilt of her wand, ready for anything as the rolling purple fog returned with a gale-force wind, bending the trees of the park all toward the center of the clearing where she stood. Marco steadied himself and squinted against it as Star gripped Janna's shoulders to keep her down. The fog was rolling now, and it was so thick that the dusk twilight could no longer be seen, leaving them all in a state of perpetual darkness.

"I will admit, that was something, even for a human. But you've no idea what you're up against," the voice boomed over the wind. It echoed inside each of their skulls, unwilling to be ignored. "Perhaps a brief lesson is in order…before I drink my fill."

The wind continued to roar, and the fog was so thick that they couldn't see their own hands in front of their faces. Their senses were on overload, and as Marco struggled to keep his footing, he found the world spinning around his feet as he stumbled to the ground. "Star!" he shouted, shielding his eyes from debris, "Star! Are you there?!"

He heard a muffled "yeah!" over the wind, but he couldn't tell from where. "Do you have Janna?!"

He waited, listening as best he could for an answer, but none came. The wind was just too much for him to focus, and soon he couldn't even think. "Staaaaar!" He shouted again, and this time, as his voice was entirely drowned by the wind, it suddenly stopped, clearing the fog back to reveal a lone, sole figure standing before him in the dead quiet.

"That's not...possible," he whispered, staring at the eviscerated form of the crocodile monster he had cut down just a day prior. Fresh blood still oozed from the trembling ruin of its neck, now cleaved in twain from the collar to the throat. The disembodied voice rang out again from all sides, echoing through the small pocket of clarity he resided in.

"The noble 'would be' warrior, reduced to a sniveling child. How valiant were your intentions, and now you stand, a shell, your fears staining the honor your weapon carries."

Marco fell to his knees, staring at the beast before him as hot tears fell down his face. It showed no emotion, not even blinking. The monster just let crimson blood trickle down its chest as it slowly reached a single hand forward, pointing at Marco with a red-stained finger. "I'm sorry," the boy whispered, ignoring his surroundings, "you wouldn't stop… I-I had to do it!"

The crocodile shifted, circling around him and raising its sword, but it wasn't raised for him. It lurched forward to his right, and Marco watched as Star, Janna, Jackie, Penelope, and Reynard were all struck down by its blade, as he was powerless to help.

"An ocean of your tears will not wash away the blood on your hands, boy, and you are far too weak to raise your sword to kill, even if it meant protecting those you love," it chanted into his ear as icy chills ran down his spine. "Surrender yourself to me, give me your soul, and I can release you from this fear, forever…"

Marco saw the monster shift and distort until it was nothing more than a mirror image of himself, adorned in the finest suit of armor he had ever seen, crested with purple diamonds on its chest and helmet. Aloft in its hand, Silverlight shone like a scarlet star, its blade stained a deep red along its jagged, almost torn edge.

"Serve me, and you will never know the fear of battle again. Your name will be known all across the universe, and the blood of your enemies will bathe the stars in between."

Marco felt weightless, like all the pressure on his body was lifted, and he no longer felt the cold chill in the air around him. It was warm and inviting, like sitting by a campfire, drunk at night, as all his worries began to wash away. Beside him, the fog began to clear, revealing a frenzied Star, and the two immediately went back to back as the world churned around them. She didn't seem to hear the voice as he did, but it continued speaking to him like nothing had changed.

"And my… what's this? That blossoming love within you, for a woman claimed by another... Oh, you wretched child. But through me, you may have her, and all else I have promised you. You will grow old in her arms, never again afraid to speak your heart."

Marco saw Star through the fog, several feet before him, instead of behind, as the armor dissipated into mist. She was happy and smiling, beckoning him closer with a silent promise to never let go of the love they would share.

Behind him, Star could neither see nor hear what he could, but instead, saw another Marco before her, glaring angrily with a toxic rage she had never seen before. He looked almost in pain, but as if that pain was in direct response to her presence. "Marco? What's wrong?" she asked, tempted to step forward and calm her best friend, but too terrified of his fierce expression to move.

"Your fear is as childish and naive as you are, but nonetheless, Princess: It feeds me. With all the power in the world, your greatest weakness is losing the one destined to lay down his life...in exchange for yours. Pathetic…"

"That's not possible, Marco wouldn't leave me!" She shouted in response, furious at the very idea.

But the boy before her disagreed, pointing towards her and bellowing in disgust, "You did this to me! You were never my friend, and if I could take back the last two weeks, I would."

Star made to retort, to say anything to deny this figure its validity, but it continued, silencing her where she stood as it brought up knowledge that was only hers to keep. "I will never, want to be with someone like you, especially after last night. You betrayed my trust, Tom's trust, and Penelope's trust. You're worse than a monster."

Star felt her heart slow as an icy dagger seemed to glide through her flesh, tearing it in two. "But… I thought-"

"You don't think, you never have. You're a little ball of destruction that ruins people's lives. I was happy before you came along, and now I'm a murderer," he returned with fury before slowing to a light snarl. "Just go back home where you belong. Your kind isn't welcome on Earth."

Star fell to her knees, desperate to reach out to him, to do or say anything to make him stay, but just as seamlessly as he had appeared, he vanished like smoke in the wind, leaving her alone with a shadowed figure behind her, resting its ethereal claws on her shoulder.

"Poor Butterfly, left behind by the one you thought you could trust. This future terrifies you, but through me, it doesn't have to come to pass." As its words floated into her ear, Star felt the warmth leaving her chest in lieu of a hollow throbbing that could not be sated. Heartbroken, she had no choice but to listen, swaying limply with the wind.

The two teens standing back to back watched as the remaining visions faded into nothing, leaving behind only a shadowed form they could both see and hear. It was skinny and deformed, with two glowing yellow eyes in the dark, and they could just barely make out a jagged smile through its honeyed words. As it spoke, the necklaces they wore crumbled to dust and ash, scattered in the wind.

"Surrender yourselves to me, and you will never know fear again. I can give you that which you truly desire, and that which you know you cannot have; each other…" At those words, those soft, beautiful, tempting words, both Star and Marco could feel the willpower draining from their body, as the color seemed to fade from their eyes. It gave way to a deep grey, and their bodies slumped as they listened.

Several feet away, isolated in her own clearing from the fog, Janna knelt over her pack, desperate to find something powerful enough to use against it, and to find a way to get out of this mess. She had been so prepared, but nothing she brought would be powerful enough for what this demon was now capable of.

"Ordonia, you feel it don't you?" the voice beckoned from behind, "that cold, deranged fear that one only faces when they have No. Way. Out. Your friends, have already given themselves to me, and you? You are alone. And you will die, alone," it repeated once more.

Janna watched as an image of Star and Marco glaring at her, followed by Jackie, her parents, and a few figures she didn't recognize. One after the other, they all silently screamed at her, but she knew what they were saying. She put them in danger, she was selfish, and she would die alone, with no one by her side.

"Your greatest fear is so well hidden, I'm almost impressed by your callous nature and your will to deny it," the voice admitted before a shadowed figure knelt before her, "but you don't have to be alone, Ordonia. I am here for you… surrender yourself to me, and you will die surrounded by those you hold dear."

"Coulda sworn… You wanted me dead…" Janna managed to whisper, despite her growing inebriation. The figure shook what was probably its head and extended a clawed, transparent hand towards her, beckoning her to give in. "Not when I see so much potential. So much… Fear.," Its voice resonated within her skull, like chains trying desperately to pull her out of her own body.

A little ways away, Star and Marco stood back to back, watching promised images flutter by as the shadowed figure swirled around them with the wind. Marco saw himself, standing above a parade in his honor, as he was weathered and old, worn from countless adventures, with Star by his side.

Star, on the other hand, was ever so slightly harder to break, and as images passed by of her and Marco dancing in red, kissing in private, sharing a bed, and ruling a freed Mewni, the figure lulled them closer, turning them both to stare its way.

"Surrender yourself to me, and you will both know peace and freedom. I can keep you both together," it cooed, extending two open hands towards them as images of last night came into view behind it. Star was cuddling up to Marco in a moonlit room, both teens smiling blissfully in the warmth of each other's arms. "I can give you to each other, and you will grow old in one another's arms. Every night can be a symphony of pleasure, my children. All you have to do is give in to me, and every night will be like last night.

Marco, in his clouded state, loved how that sounded. A lifetime with Star? His best friend? How could he pass that up? And as he watched the foggy version of himself with her, he knew in his heart that that was what he wanted.

But Star felt different. 'Every night will be like last night. ' Those words echoed in her mind on repeat as the ghastly figure strolled closer. Star had a brief moment of clarity, remembering how the night actually ended, and felt a new weight overtaking her. It wasn't just the visions of Marco that told her she betrayed his trust; she knew deep down that that was the truth.

'We both have commitments to other people. We're happy with who we're with, and we owe it to them to give them a chance too.' Marco's words seemed to echo in her head, reminding her of her promise. A promise to wait, and be patient for what you want, and to focus on what she has now: A best friend that would do anything for her, and had proven twice now that nothing could ever come between them.

"You can't give me what I really want," Star muttered under her breath, the color returning to her eyes as she felt the warmth leaving her chest. "What? You dare deny this glorious future under my rule?! Your fear will destroy you, but under me, you could have anything! " The figure snapped, but Star shook her head, turning to look at the boy beside her. "My best friend Marco is already everything I could ever need."

The demon could only watch as Star struggled to move, a brilliant white light beginning to glow from her cheek stamps and eyes, illuminating the dark clearing around her and pushing against the roiling purple fog. She felt an unbearable pressure start to weigh down on her as the wind began to pick up again, but she persisted, forcing her wand up to level the gem with the figure before her.

"Sunshine Clusterbomb!" She yelled, blasting several orbs of brilliant golden light from her wand, illuminating the grass at her feet and tearing through the dense fog around them. Marco immediately slumped, falling to his knees as he caught his breath, the brown hue returning to his eyes as Star quickly grabbed his arm and began pulling him towards Janna.

The witch herself was struggling against the wind, desperate to block the words of the demon from her ears, as Star and Marco slid to a halt beside her. Star blinked hard, the white light leaving her eyes as she gripped Janna's shoulders, forcing her to look up.

"Janna, it's us, we need you to snap out of it so we can get out of here!" Star yelled as the fog quickly began to return around them. Janna chanced a frantic look around, noticing the waning light beginning to fade, and nodded, hurriedly getting to her feet.

"Star, remember that spell I used earlier?" Janna asked, tearing open her book and flipping through the pages, "I'm gonna do it again, but this time, I'm gonna use your wand like a battery. It should be enough to banish this thing for good."

Star nodded, eager to do anything if it meant getting this thing away from them, and stood to Janna's right, each of them keeping one foot on the book. Janna gripped the wand with her right hand, and as the fog continued to roll closer and the wind began to pick up, she began whispering unknown words to herself. She let her free hand fall limp to her side, Star doing her best to mirror her as Marco felt that telltale pressure beginning to grow, pushing at them from every direction.

"YOU WILL NOT FORCE ME AWAY, YOU NAIVE LITTLE PUPPET! THIS IS MY WORLD NOW, AND I WILL SEE IT KNEEL AT MY FEET OR ELSE RAZE IT TO ASH ABOVE YOUR BONES!" Marco nearly stumbled under the weight those words carried in his head, but he persevered, waiting as Janna and Star both gripped an unseen force in their open hands.

"Woooaaahh," was all Star could whisper as she began to lift the air higher and higher with Janna until it was above their heads, and the sigils on the book began to glow a brilliant gold. The pressure pushing against them was so immense, they could feel the blackout drawing closer, tempting them to simply collapse. Janna grit her teeth, glaring at the visage of the demon before them, its sickly yellow eyes burning with hate.

"Kutoka kwa giza ulilokuja, utarudi kwa utupu. Wacha nguvu ya taa irudishe nyuma, na roho yako iwe moto," she struggled to mutter, and as one, she and Star both forced their free hands down, slamming their fists into the open pages of the book. Marco watched as the world seemed to stop for a moment, frozen in harsh relief as light burst all around him.

From Star's wand, the brilliant golden light returned, and as their hands fell, it too shot down like a radiant beam, crashing into the book with a force that ripped the pages apart. As its bindings were used as an epicenter, the book unleashed a raging maelstrom of power and golden light that burst in every direction like a shock wave, forcing back the fog, the wind, the darkness, and the trees. The demon struggled against the blast of wind that was tearing its form apart, rattling their minds with its screams of rage.

"I CANNOT BE BANISHED BY THE LIKES OF YOU, MORTALS! YOU WILL BURN, YOU WILL BREAK, AND I WILL BE THERE, STANDING ATOP YOUR WITHERED CORPSES AS I VIOLATE THIS WORLD IN AN OCEAN OF BLOOD!"

Star, Marco, and Janna nearly collapsed under the force of its will assaulting their minds, but as the golden blast continued, the demon's form evaporated into the light, taking the purple fog with it. With their enemy gone, little by little, the shimmering magic subsided until it was little more than a breeze. When it was finally over, Janna let out a gasp and fell to her knees, desperate to breathe after the released pressure.

Marco looked around, noticing the flattened trees and scorched Earth, and at the center of the clearing, a tattered, charred book crumbling to dust. He wasn't so surprised at the method, but rather, he was completely dumbfounded by the results. For the second time since he had known her, Marco had just witnessed Star's unbridled power in action.

"That was...really something," he managed to say, rubbing the back of his neck.

Janna looked up and grinned, chuckling to herself. "Yeah. You can say that again, Diaz. I really feel like we got him this time, what do you think?" They looked around them at the smoldering remains of the clearing and couldn't help but laugh. Star helped Janna to her feet, the black-haired girl pointing at the still glowing wand. "Star, you gotta let me take that for a spin sometime," she joked, prompting a frown from Marco, "I could reeaaally do some crazy magic with something like that behind me."

Star stifled a giggle and shook her head, the three beginning their journey out of the clearing and out of the forest. "You really could, but nah, the wand would tooootally kill you if you tried to use it." She noticed her friends horrified stares and explained the working of the wand further. "Only a Butterfly can use it, and if someone else tries, the wand will basically blow up, and you'll be dead."

"Well, thanks for the safety tip," Janna laughed back, still riding her euphoric high, "and thanks for helping me out, I'd probably be a mindless zombie or something if you hadn't been here." Star blushed and meant to wave it off, but Marco interjected.

"Janna, that thing was way more powerful than you made it seem. Are you sure it's actually gone?" She wouldn't meet his gaze, turning back to look at the scorched trees and the distant smoldering clearing. "I don't know. He's a lot stronger than anything I've ever read about. We just have to be on our guard and be ready in case he comes back."

Marco and Star both nodded in agreement, and before long, the small group was back on the open path of the park, the dusk sun long since having set over the horizon. Marco checked his watch and flinched, biting back a curse. "We were in there for two hours?!" He shouted as he grabbed Stars' wrist and pulled her with him, breaking into a sprint. "Sorry, Janna, we gotta go! If we see anything, we'll call you!"

As the two crested a hill, Janna called after them, "You're just gonna ditch me here?! How am I gonna get home?!" but they were already gone. "Fine then," she muttered, tightening the straps on her bag and breaking into a run herself, "see ya guys real soon."

O - O - O - O - O - O - O

Fifteen minutes later, Marco and Penelope stood just outside Panucci's Pizza, dressed for the occasion and waiting for their respective counterparts. "Sorry for the short notice, by the way. I'll tell you about what happened when they get here," he offered as he adjusted his red button-up shirt. Penelope simply shrugged it off and donned her spider earrings, her eyes still scanning the streets for Star and Tom.

"Don't worry about it, I was getting worried you were gonna...stand me up to hang out with Star. I got ready as fast as I could after you called." Marco could tell by her voice that she was still a little short about last night, so he pulled her closer and held her gaze, whispering, "Penelope, I need you to be nice to Star tonight, okay?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I am nice to Star, what do you mean?" Marco held a serious expression, taking her hands in his.

"We all went through a lot today, Star especially. So I think you should take extra care to dial the protectiveness down like we talked about. I just want to have a great date with you and not have to deal with any more drama today." He held her gaze for a moment, and finally, she let out a sigh.

"Alright," she mumbled, avoiding his eyes and folding her arms, "but I swear, if she gets too touchy with you, I'm pulling off the gloves and I'm going full bi-"

"Hey, guys!" Star yelled, nearly dragging Tom around a parked car to the front of the restaurant, "Nice to see you both again, I feel like we haven't all been in the same place in weeks!" Penelope watched carefully as Star approached them, waiting for her to go in full force for a hug, or something of that close nature, but she just stopped a few feet away and waited for them to respond.

"Thanks for agreeing to come to hang out," Marco offered after a short moment of awkward silence, giving Tom an uneasy look, "You guys ready to head in?"

Tom snorted and shoved his hands in the pockets of his jacket. "Let's get one thing straight, Mango; I didn't agree to 'hang out.' I agreed to eat and make Star happy. I'd much rather be doing anything but hanging out in some lame-ass Earth restaurant."

He made to head inside and get this evening over with, but Penelope cleared her throat. "His name's Marco, not Mango. And if you wanna 'make Star happy', maybe you should start by dropping the bullshit angsty teen act, yeah?" Marco looked petrified, given he was already nervous about being in such close proximity to Stars' significant other, as Tom simply stood there, speechless.

"Hoookay!" Star cut in, shoving Tom toward the door and pulling Marco with her, "Why don't you just head inside and get started!" Penelope bit her tongue, watching her drag her boyfriend along, and decided it best to stop at one outburst, for now.

When everyone was properly seated at a rounded table, Star was sitting across from Marco, and Penelope was sitting across from Tom, a waiter deposited their menus, smiling from ear to ear. As they began to skim them over, he began his usual routine.

"Welcome to Panucci's, can I start you off with something to drink?" he asked pleasantly. Tom pretended to read the pamphlet he was given before asking for some whiskey or even some rum splashed with hot sauce.

"Uhhh, we don't serve that, heeereee, perhaps I could get you a Pepsi?" the waiter offered. Tom met his eyes and simply shook his head, not bothering to argue on this one. "No. Lemonade will be fine. Idiot."

"Tom, you should be a little nicer to him, he's just telling you what they have," said Star, smiling apologetically to the waiter, "I'll have one of those 'Ginger Ale' sodas, I've heard they're pretty good."

"Oh man, thank corn you're not ordering one of those 'Rainbow Fizzes' you always get at the Bounce Lounge," Penelope chuckled, making both Star and Marco immediately tense beneath the table, "you always get so wild on those, right? Oh! Remember Ponyhead's 15th? I don't think I've ever laughed so hard when you got up on the bar and started doing the Butterfly Waltz with Prince Kelpbottom."

"You what?" asked Tom, narrowing his eyes at a squirming Star.

Star coughed uncomfortably, her eyes darting around the table. "We were on a break, Tom, relax. And yeaaah, but they're just soo amazing. Though I haven't been to the bounce lounge since Tom and I went," she answered.

The whole table sat in a silence lasting longer than would be comfortable, until Marco finally saved her. "I'm sorry, Rainbow what? Is the 'Bounce Lounge' some kind of trampoline park?"

Star met his gaze and broke into a smile, catching on almost immediately and deciding to play along. "It's such a good drink, it tastes like those little colorful candies you have… SKITTLES!" she shouted, startling the waiter, "and the Bounce Lounge isn't a park, it's like a dance club in the clouds, maybe I'll take you sometime."

Marco made to comment, but Penelope coughed into her hand, her voice getting serious. "Maybe you should tell the guy what you want to drink, Marco? He's probably super busy, like you when you're working."

"Sorry, sorry," he chuckled, missing her jab entirely, "Just a Pepsi for me, and, oh! Penelope, you gotta try the vanilla creme soda here, it's like liquid ice cream." Penelope pressed her lips together and double-checked the menu, only to find that she couldn't seem to locate any beverages.

"Okay, I'll try it, but if it's bad, I'm stealing your drink instead," she threatened with a smile.

"Deal," Marco returned, grinning at her before the waiter nodded and left to prepare their drinks. When the group was good and alone, Penelope took the opportunity to make conversation on the only topic she figured everyone knew about. "Sooo, Marco. How was the hunt today? You said something happened, but you never told me what."

Marco made to answer, but Tom cut in, leaning forward with a sneer to address the topic he could finally show interest in. "Wait, wait, wait, you hunt? On Earth? What were you chasing, some rabbits? A squirrel?" Again, Marco made to answer, but Penelope shot a burning look at the Prince and locked eyes with him, hidden aggression seeping through her words.

"Actually, yes. He was out hunting today, for a demon."

Before Marco could elaborate, and before Tom could form a cohesive response to the threatening insinuation, the waiter returned, placing four cups in front of their respective customers. Once everyone had their drink, he asked politely, "And does everyone know what they're having today, or should I give you some more time?"

"Yes!" Star shouted, eager to have something beneficial to add to the table that wasn't an underhanded jab. The date was going down in flames, fast, and she needed a good distraction. "Just like, I dunno, two pepperonis pizzas, please. I think everyone here likes those."

The table murmured in silent agreement as the waiter nodded politely and took off towards the kitchen, having unknowingly saved the restaurant from an accidental arsonist. Star let out a breath of relief, eager to keep the newly found peace from fading. "So, Tom! How's stuff in the Underworld? Have you heard anything about back home?"

Tom started to speak, but bit his tongue before any heated words could leave his mouth. He knew Mewni was a touchy subject for Star, so for now, he decided it was best to play it safe. "Sorry, Starship. We haven't heard anything from Mewni, good or bad. It's kind of a dead zone to us right now."

He noticed her shoulders slump at the expected lack of news, but continued, hoping to save her mood at least a little. "Look on the bright side, though, at least I can still come visit you, right?" Star only nodded glumly at his proposal, Marco looking to Penelope for some sort of comment, but none came.

"Sorry for asking, Tom," Star offered, forcing a smile and taking his hand, "We're just a little in the dark right now, and any news helps. But enough about home. Penelope, how's your guided tour of Echo Creek been?"

The brunette beside Marco seemed to tense at the question, but like any self-respecting member of a royal family, she was proficient at keeping face during a meeting. "It's been great, Jackie's shown me a lot of really cool places. But I gotta admit, I'm a little jealous of you, since your guide is just a bit more...enticing."

"Yeeaah," Star agreed before mentally slapping herself, hurriedly continuing as Marco shot her an alarmed look, "I mean, ya know, he can fight, which is super helpful… and he uhm… well, he's punctual! Never been late once!"

"Sounds pretty lame to me," Tom fired from across the table, sipping his drink, but Penelope beat the rest of them to the punch. "If by lame you mean honorable and respectful, then I suppose you'd be right. But somehow I feel like you're not well acquainted with those principles either."

Tom's right eye twitched with barely suppressed anger, but before any more needling blows could be delivered across the table, a new voice made itself heard beside the table.

"So after almost dying and having our souls harvested, this is what you ditched me for?" Janna asked, pulling a chair into place to sit between Star and Tom, "And here I was hoping the nightmare visions were over."

"Who the fuck are you?" Tom asked, still reeling from his shattered pride, as Penelope turned to look incredulously at Marco. "Almost died? What's she talking about?"

"Well, I wouldn't say almost died, more like turned into mindless zombies," Janna corrected, taking Tom's lemonade for a heavy sip.

Marco made to clarify, but Penelope leaned closer to him, her eyes wide in shock. "Zombies?! You guys were gone for an afternoon, Marco! What the hell happened out there?"

Star cut in, glancing nervously at Marco as she did. "Well, we were gonna tell you guys this evening, but it's really not-"

"I'll get to you next," Penelope fired from across the table, "Honestly, what happened to 'scope it out, don't get caught'?"

Marco bit his lip and stared into his lap as he gripped his knees, unsure how to respond. "Well, things got hairy, and we were ambushed. It wasn't by choice, you know."

"I thought you were 'gonna do your job, and keep her safe, '" Tom growled at him, not hiding his very clear contempt, "What the fuck, man?"

Marco blinked hard at the not-so-subtle accusation, looking from Penelope to Star, then back to Tom. "You can remember all that, but not my name?" he asked.

Janna cleared her throat, hoping to get things back on track, extending a hand for Tom to ignore. "Janna Ordonia, local witch, master of the dark arts, and liaison to the otherworldly, at your service. Can we ask you some questions about demons?"

Tom went from passively ignoring her to actively looking for a distraction before Star gave him a gentle kick under the table, forcing him to respond. "Gah! Damnit- Sure! Fine! What do you want to know?!"

Star leaned forward first, looking at Tom with newly curious eyes. "Do you know anything about demon illusion magic? We kinda had an incident with a particular demon today, and he was using this fog, to make us see...thiiiinnngsss,"

"What kinda things?" Penelope asked, not bothering to hide her disbelief. On Mewni, illusion magic was something only attainable by a massive quantity of magic, and nearly impossible for those without the aid of the wand.

Star gave her a crooked shrug and let her eyes wander around the room, avoiding Marco's date. "Ohhh, like. Demon stuff...future junk. It was weird."

Tom snorted, leaning back in his chair as the waiter returned with two large pizzas, setting them down quickly and departing from the tense air of the table. When the food was placed and they were alone, he merely grinned and shook his head. "Well, I dunno what you guys were smoking, but illusion magic isn't something demons have access to anymore. That's like some 'power of the ancients' type of bullshit."

"Sounds fun, tell us about that, would ya horns?" Janna shot back, grinning at him as he almost had to physically restrain himself from strangling her.

Instead, turning to Star, he answered in a tight, forced tone. "Unlike what your crazy friend here thinks, no. Ancients are not fun. We locked those freaks down in the Pit where they belong. But it doesn't matter," he began, turning back to Janna with a sarcastic grin of his own, "because the chances of it being literally anything else in this lame ass dimension are about as high as you must be, barging in on our date and asking for a history lesson!"

"Tom!" Star shouted, glaring at her boyfriend, "Be serious. We saw some really… messed up stuff today. She just wants answers. We all do." Marco made to ask a question of his own, but Penelope jumped in, eyeing Star with a raised brow. "I'm still waiting for an answer about how Marco almost got possessed while he was out frolicking with you all day."

Marco tried to point out that all of them were nearly possessed, but Star was ready for the blowback she had received. "We weren't 'frolicking', we were trying to catch this thing before it could hurt someone again," she offered, noticing Penelope's withering glare at the mention of someone else getting hurt, like her guide. "Luckily, we did find it, and we blew it into next year. So you're welcome!"

"Yeah, lemme thank you and Janna for putting Marco in danger, again," Penelope snapped, glaring at Star as Marco stammered to calm the boiling table, but Janna threw in, "Pretty sure your Boy Toy was fine with it when we met up this morning. Who bit your tits?"

"Must be the imaginary demon magic pissing her off," Tom laughed as he rolled his eyes, taking a bite of his pizza, "It'll do that, but hey, what do I know?"

Janna glared at the demon prince and muttered, "Less than us, since our 'gifted friend' here didn't bother showing up."

"Hey, I have better things to do than hang out in this shit-hole dimension with a bunch of nobodies since my girlfriend doesn't like the Underworld," Tom muttered as Star narrowed her eyes at him. But it was Marco's turn to speak.

"Maybe she'd wanna hang out there more if you weren't such an asshole," he spat, not sure where this sudden flare of contempt was coming from, "You should probably work on fixing that before she realizes she's tired of being stuck with you."

The entire table fell silent as Marco watched Tom's three eyes widen. "What. Did you just say?" the demon muttered as he slowly rose from his seat, the air in the restaurant quickly getting hotter. Rising to the challenge and keeping his eyes locked with Toms, Marco sneered back, "You heard me, Lucitor."

"Say it again and I'll fucking burn you to goddamn ash, human!" Tom bellowed, shaking the very walls of the restaurant.

"Tom just chill out, he was just jo-" Star began, but Janna shouted over her.

"Just try it, horns! I'll turn you inside out before you can light a candle!"

"Janna put that crystal down before-" Star tried again, but Penelope cut in, glaring daggers at her.

"How about you reel in your bull-headed boyfriend before I slap those stupid fucking hearts off your face!" she shouted louder as Tom and Janna bickered about demonic powers, the demon of the two setting the napkins ablaze to prove a point. Marco tried to calm Penelope down before she picked a fight she couldn't win, when Star stood up from her seat.

Done with the yelling and the anger, she leaned forward and dropped her fist like a two-ton boulder, smashing the oak table to splinters and sending the china in every direction. "ENOUGH!" she bellowed, glaring at everyone she could see, but when she caught Marco's gaze, she immediately settled.

He was looking at her, not in anger or fear, as the rest of the table was, but in disappointment at the display she had just put on. He was hunched over Penelope, protecting her from the wooden shrapnel that had rent long furrows along his jacket, gently helping her back to her feet as bits of burning wood and silverware trickled from his shoulders. "Are you guys-" Janna began, but Marco held up a hand for silence, and everyone listened.

"I'm sorry for our attitude tonight," he began, giving Penelope a scorching look all her own, "but I think it's time we left. We don't have super strength, magic, or demonic powers, so before the 'regulars' get hurt, I'm going to play the safe kid. Goodnight."

"Dude, no one's gonna-" Tom impatiently began, but Marco shot him a withering glare that made his words die on his lips, shutting him up immediately.

"I said goodnight. Star, I'll see you tomorrow. Janna, go home." He dropped several large bills on the floor before ushering Penelope around some smoldering bits of the table and out the front door.

When the two were gone, Tom brushed off his suit and moved for the exit as well, muttering, "Tell me fucking goodnight? 'Pathetic human can go to hell."

"Tom!" Star called out after him, but Janna patted her shoulder and shrugged.

"Sorry. I might have come in too hot on the wholeee  'Demon hunting trip' thing."

"Ya think?!" Star yelled, glaring at her before dropping several gold coins on the counter and leaving. Now alone in the aftermath of a double date from hell, Janna grabbed a particularly uncharred slice of pizza and took a bite. The visions from the park echoed through her mind like a hot breath on a cold day, forcing her to think about what she had seen.

"Way to go, Janna banana," she mumbled to herself, chuckling at the forced nickname, "three new friends in one day, and they all hate you. What other tricks do you have up your sleeve?" Pulling her beanie down, she dropped a couple of bills on the counter and left the building, pizza in hand.

O - O - O - O - O - O - O

On the other side of town, and inside the M.R.C. gates, however, things were just heating up between Marco and Penelope, the latter of whom was trailing slightly behind, staring at him with an inquisitive arch in her brow. "Can't you at least tell me what I did wrong?" she asked in desperation.

"Penelope… you should already know why what you did was wrong, but let's see; first, you were incredibly rude to Janna at dinner. I know she crashed our date, but she had a good reason. That demon was seriously bad news, and it's precisely because of Janna that I'm even able to go out on this date tonight. Next, you threatened to slap Star because she couldn't control that hotheaded asshole Tom… Like, anyone can put a leash on that jerk. And finally, the fact that you went nuts today about my mission is a problem in and of itself. I need you to trust me that I'll take care of myself," he grumbled, slowing to allow her to catch up. As she walked beside him, he turned to look at her, impatience written in his eyes.

"Like seriously, what is your problem with Star? She kept her distance, was nice, no hugs… You said you'd dial it down tonight." There was a clear note of exasperation in his voice, as if asking was physically demanding, but Penelope held her ground as they approached the castle grounds.

"I know. But you should have seen how she was looking at you all night, Marco. I think… I think she's sweet on you," she said with distaste.

Marco felt his heart skip a beat upon hearing her suspicions, knowing well in his heart the truth behind it. "Penelope, that's-" he began, stopping himself as a wave of guilt seemed to flood his head. He remembered his promise from the night prior and steeled his nerves. "Even if she was, it wouldn't matter. I'm yours, and only yours, Penelope, for as long as you'll have me."

"Yeah, but…" she stopped, relishing in how sweet those words of music were to her ears. God, he knew how to break her, but not so easily this time. "But you're hers too, Marco. What if she realizes that?"

"Penelope, she's dating Tom. Wouldn't it be a little crazy for her to try chasing me, too?"

"You seemed to think she doesn't belong with him; who's to say she doesn't feel the same way?" Penelope inquired as they walked through the gates of the rose garden, the tall bushes catching cascades of moonlight in the dark red petals. Marco tried to speak, but he knew she was right. He had made it very clear where he stood regarding Star and Tom's relationship.

He let the breath out of his lungs and stopped, turning to face her with a sincerity in his eyes she never took for granted. "What do you want me to say? I've seen bad relationships before, and I don't want her getting hurt," he sighed before taking another deep breath and sitting on a carved stone bench. Silent for almost a full minute as he held his face in his hands, he finally looked up into Penelope's concerned eyes and asked her the question that had been flitting through his mind for the entire walk since they left the restaurant, "Do you want me to quit?"

Penelope started at that, meeting his brown eyes with her own green ones before leaning closer. "What do you mean by 'quit'? Quit what?" she asked.

"Quit being her guide. It's… just a job," he answered, struggling to get the words out, "Say the word and I'll give them my resignation. No more Star, no more danger, no more Guide." Penelope let his words wash over her like a cool breeze on a hot day, the promise of no more competition, and more importantly, the promise of no more danger.

With just one word, she could have Marco all to herself, without any of the trouble of organizing his surrender. He was laid bare for her to steal, and a mighty treasure it was. She sighed and joined him on the stone bench under the willow tree, taking his hands in hers.

"Marco, I shouldn't have to explain why I could never let you do that. Being a guide means everything to you, and so does being Star's best friend." He tried to protest, but she pressed a finger to his lips, continuing to say, "I know being a warrior isn't your strongest point… yet. But I know how much it would kill you to have to give that up, even for me."

Her words, meant to be warm and inviting, only tightened the cold grip on his chest further. Even when he had offered to give himself to her completely, she still refused, more concerned about what would make him happy. "I really don't deserve you, Penelope," he whispered, trying to avoid her eyes, "You're the greatest princess in the universe, and I don't know what I'd do without you."

She giggled at that and pulled him closer, planting a soft kiss on his lips before draping her arms around his neck. "And you're a gentleman more than anything, so don't go dying on me at work, and you won't have to find out."

"I will give you everything that I am," he whispered back, "and I will do everything I can to keep you happy." He went in for another kiss, this time letting it deepen as Penelope sighed a contented moan into his mouth. She carefully let her hands slide down his collarbone to lightly graze his ribs, before resting at his hips for a moment. She played with his belt loop, winding a finger through a loop before looking him in the eyes and apologizing, "Marco, I...I really am sorry about tonight. I acted like a monster, and I ruined our make-up night."

She let her eyes fall, but Marco was quick to lift her chin and hold her gaze with one of sincerity and forgiveness. "You don't need to apologize, everyone had a hand in starting that fight," he offered before taking on a new gleam in his eye, "but I think we can make our own fun, maybe enjoy a make-out night instead?"

Penelope let herself smile at the idea and pulled him closer, locking lips once again and wordlessly asking permission to tangle her tongue with his. He immediately accepted, the two delving into a conversation of moans and heavy breathing as she carefully reached down towards his belt. Though this time, when he heard that familiar jingle of metal fastening being undone, he chose to ignore it, continuing in his eager enjoyment of his better half.

Penelope felt a thrill in her heart as she let herself be pushed against the willow tree, swooning under Marco's sudden effort to reciprocate, and let her hands continue to unfasten his jeans before slipping a warm, eager hand into his now unguarded boxers. Marco moved lower down her jaw, alternatively kissing and sucking on the skin of her neck before letting out a deep groan as she gripped his excitement gently. She bit her lip and began to stroke him, continued her stroking motions, whispering, "Maybe I should pick fights more often, I'm kinda digging the new attitude, my warrior prince."

As she rubbed his length slowly, Marco carefully ran a hand up her thigh and under her dress, fanning the flames of her desire as she fought not to cry out in pleasure the instant his fingertips brushed against her through her panties. After one final kiss to her neck, Marco pulled back, rubbing her between the legs as he growled: "Two can play at that game, Penny." She bit her lip in a smile, eager to meet his challenge as she increased the pace of her hand in his boxers. The rhythmic motion elicited a low moan from her flushed boyfriend as he gently began to bite her neck once more.

"You're so fucking hot when you're mad," she blurted between sharp gasps, pressing herself against him and rocking her hips in an effort to get more of his fingers to touch her.

Marco let wave after wave of pleasure roar through his body as they tangled themselves with one another before groaning into her ear, "And you're so cute when you think you're in charge." Penelope struggled to respond through the pink haze of pleasure that had settled over her mind, but when she felt him slip his hand under the edge of her panties and a finger rubbing her glistening entrance, she let an audible yelp escape her lips, burying her face into his shoulder.

Marco could feel her grip tightening with each passing second until she could no longer handle the pressure he was putting her under. Instead, she arched her back and shook against him, forcing her face deeper against his shoulder as he continued to push her toward the edge.

"Marco…" she breathed, "p-please, I w-want you soo bad right now." He couldn't see her expression as her muffled, desperate words seeped through his clothes, but he could easily imagine the look as her hips still rocked insistently against his fingers.

"I…," he began, fighting the urge to give in to her every desire, to give her what she clearly needed, "I don't think… now is a good time for… that." He waited for her to suddenly stop, to berate him for sticking to his 'safe-kid' instincts, but nothing changed. She continued her oscillating motions as he felt her nod against his collar, her hands rubbing his shoulders.

"Don't worry, I get it," she finally breathed, tearing herself away and meeting his eyes with a drunken grin, "but at least...d-don't stop." Marco nodded quickly, and before he could react, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed his face to her chest, no longer trying to hide her heavy breathing.

"Mmmmph! Yeah, rub the top, just like-" she started before biting her lip and squeezing his head, "Ohhhhh fffffffuuuuuuck, Marco!" She cried out. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her ever closer, continuing to please her as she began to shudder against him.

"You like it when I do that, huh?" He asked almost too pleasantly, staring up at her. She wordlessly nodded her head, her expression contorted into one of guttural pleasure. "I'm glad you're enjoying it then," he started before suddenly stopping, pulling back both hands and setting her down on his lap, "because this is your punishment for tonight."

Her mouth fell open, struggling for some kind of response before her face dropped into a pout. "Noooo, come on, Marcoooo! You can't leave me hanging like that!" She held his face and leaned down, meeting his eyes. "Plus, you said it was everyone's fault! How come I'm the only one being punished?"

He leaned forward and kissed her gently, latching onto her lip and giving it a gentle tug before resting his forehead against hers. "Don't worry, tomorrow, Star's getting a real solid talking to, Janna's gonna get an earful, and Tom...well, I don't know about him. Maybe I'll let Star deal with him."

"Marcoooo," she playfully whined as she slipped off his lap and pressed herself against him, "those things aren't comparable and you know it. Don't I get at least a little something for not killing anyone?"

He thought about that for a moment before reaching out and tapping the tip of her nose. "Boop. There ya go, Penny. Just for you."

She stared down at her nose and then back at him, her mouth now in a small frown. "I don't get it."

Marco laughed and pulled her into a tight hug, finally enjoying the sweet smell of roses in the air and the cool night breeze. "It means I love you. Very serious Earth tradition. Can't be undone. Ever."

"Hmm, sounds pretty serious," she added, lowering herself and curling up with him as the stars shimmered above them, "but I'll take it. So long as you never stop treating me like a princess."

Marco smiled and wrapped his arms around her, letting the breeze caress his face as the two sat under the willow tree. "Deal, Princess Spiderbite."

O - O - O - O - O - O - O

Across town, Star trudged up a deserted street, her eyes scanning left and right at the darkened storefronts that, in this late hour, no longer beamed for her attention. She had always admired the beauty and the simplicity of Earth's culture, from the stores to the people, the buildings, and even the art. Though she'd be lying by saying she had any inclination for interpreting it.

But now, at the ripe hour, she found herself walking down the street. It just looked hollow and annoying. And that could have just been the marvelous failure of her double date talking, who was she to say. But for now, all that mattered was finding the one most responsible for its subsequent crashing and burning. And what a bittersweet reunion it would be.

After about fifteen minutes of aimlessly walking in the direction of the M.R.C., she somehow miraculously found him. Sitting atop the roof of Randy's Donuts, two discarded boxes on the ground, and one chock full of pastries in his hands. His lavender cheeks were powdered with...well...powder, and when he spotted her casually approaching, he hurriedly scarfed down the remaining bite.

"Thomas Draconius Lucitor, get down here, now!" she demanded, glaring at him with a cross between impatience and disappointment, "I would like to have- ...are you seriously eating doughnuts right now?" Tom merely stared at her, wiping the remaining crumbs and sugar from his face before jumping from the roof and floating down to her level. "Yes, I eat when I get angry or stressed or upset. Brian says it can be healthy, look that doesn't matter. Star, I-"

"Do you have any friggen idea how embarrassing tonight was for me!" she screamed, swiping for his head with her purse, "You acted like a complete asshole the entire time, for no reason! What the hell!?"

"Star, look, I-" he began, but she ignored his response, continuing her rant as he subtly tried backing away, met with more furious swipes that he knew could crack stones.

"I almost died today, and your first gut reaction is to treat me and my friends like total shit?! Do you even understand what being a decent person is?! How do you pick a fight with three almost strangers over dinner?!"

"I know, and I was-" he tried to interrupt, but there was no stopping Star when she was on a tirade like this.

"We all get together for dinner to talk about it, we all join up to have a good time, and then talk about what happened. And then Tommy Boy swoops in and ruins dinner! This is EXACTLY why we broke up last time… Give me one good reason why I shouldn't dump you right now!"

Tom recoiled slightly at the idea, holding her eyes with his. "Because I'm sorry. You're right. I acted like a complete dick, and you'd have every right to walk away and never hear from me again," he paused, watching the gears in her head turning just as she had found a less than pleasurable looking stick to swat him with, "I like to think I've changed for you since you left. That somehow, I'm a better person because I had to live without you for so long. But the truth is, I haven't changed. I'm still that asshole demon, holding you back. And I'm sorry."

Star stared at him with what could have been interpreted as an appraisal written on her face. In the years she had spent harrowingly training to become a princess, she had gotten extremely good at reading people, specifically the nobles, and now, Tom knew she was reading him. After a moment, she softened her gaze and dropped her wooden weapon of choice, crossing her arms and choosing to look away, in fear of meeting his eyes and giving in completely.

"I'm sorry too. I wasn't exactly helping either. You're not an asshole, despite how you act sometimes. You're just...you," she muttered, walking a short distance away and plopping down on a run-down bus station seat. The Echo Creek Transpo line had long since been discontinued when manticores, flying carpets, and horses had been introduced, so they had no expectations of being met with a bus.

Tom watched her walk away, and though it was dark, save for the red-stained light of the nearby Randy's Donuts sign, he could tell she had been crying, and it wasn't anyone's guess as to why. He walked over to where she sat and stood behind the bend to her right, leaning against it and facing opposite the street. "Would you be happier if I wasn't a demon?" he asked suddenly.

"What?" That was all Star could finally manage, "Tom, what you are doesn't matter, you'd still be you. I'm not a racist, c'mon."

But an uncomfortable scoffing sound, he made it very clear he disagreed. "Star, as a demon, I have thousands, literally thousands, of demon souls inside of me. They're part of who I am and kinda why I'm… a dick. But I think some are pretty cool though."

"Wait, so if you weren't a demon, you wouldn't be-"

"A dick, yep. That's how it works. I'd be free to do my own thing without all these guys inside me telling me to 'ClEaNsE tHe WoRlD'," he mocked, chuckling to himself, "I wouldn't be controlling, aggressive, rageful; I'd just be me."

Star failed to suppress a laugh at that, trying to force it back down as she snickered to herself. Tom turned around and grinned at her, cocking an eyebrow as he leaned over the seat. "What? You think I'd still be a prick, Starship?"

"Nonono," she managed, forcing down more laughter and giving him a genuine smile, "that's just not you at all, Tom! You're committed, not controlling. And you're passionate, not aggressive."

Tom gave her a smirk and met her eyes. "You left out rageful, ya know." She nodded, sarcastically moving forward to her next point.

"Annnyyyways, my point is, while I do like what you are, it's not why I'm dating you, Tom." He gave her a confused look, but before he could ask what exactly it was that made her so infatuated with him, she reached out and grabbed his face, pulling him over the top of the bench. He began floating in midair, some kind of weird demon power, and she held his gaze as she teased his lavender lips with a kiss, brushing a hand through his rose-colored hair.

"I'm dating you because I genuinely like who you are, Tom. You might not think you've changed, and while it isn't your fault, some people probably totally agree with you. But I know that's not the real you. Like Penelope said, that's just your angsty teenager vibe popping off." She pulled him even closer, sliding a hand up to his neck and looping a thumb around the base of his horn, cupping his head. "You make me happy in your own way, when you're not being a complete prick. So keep being you, and I'll keep being yours. Deal?"

"Deal," Tom answered almost immediately, resting his knees on the bench and leaning over Star's waiting form. He reached out, caressing her cheek and taking a moment to appreciate the heavy blush that stained those otherwise pale cheeks around her pink heart-shaped stamps before kissing her. For him, it was like kissing silk that tasted like gingersnaps, and for her, it was like that first face full of sunshine you get at the start of every day; warm and fulfilling.

Within moments, the two had already begun their usual battle for oral supremacy, each one silently refusing to let the other win as their tongues thrashed and slid against one another. But Tom, who was usually the loser in these encounters, was making a good show of himself, much to her mock dismay. He seemed to meet every motion of hers with one of his own, and every time she moved to surprise him with something new, he would immediately fill the gap and give her a taste of something she hadn't yet tried.

She pulled back for air as he went lower, latching onto her neck and playfully biting it with his fangs. The blue choker sitting just below her nape was new, but he didn't ask. Star's fashion sense could turn anyone's head.

"When'd you get so good at kissin', hot stuff?" She asked, running her hands through his hair and massaging the base of his horns. She knew he loved that.

Tom looked up at her and ran a hand up her thigh to just below the hem of her green dress as he met her gaze, answering with a confident grin. "You bring out the best in me, what can I say?" She could feel her heart melting from the heat he could provide, and without any further prompting, pulled him into another marathon of deep, passionate kissing.

As Tom massaged the inside of her thigh, sliding his hand up her dress to a spot just shy of her sensitive areas, she let out a moan into his mouth, and not wanting to be outdone, reached for the inseam of his tight jeans. All was fair in love and war, and as far as she was concerned, this was war. Tom let out a quiet yelp in surprise, but not wanting to show weakness, wisely held his face and pressed against her further, the two never breaking contact.

But Star wasn't done; despite her gaining ground in their battle of tongues, she had to win him over decisively. After dislodging her mouth from his, she pushed him back onto the bench and, before he could utter a word of protest, straddled him and once again went back to war, furiously kissing him with a fire he had no chance of matching.

The air around them was getting hotter, the summer breeze unable to penetrate the slowly swirling hot wind that was now encircling the two lovers, was beginning to slow, and even the neon lights around them began to fade away as they melted into each other's arms like snow before the stove. Tom reached up and held her closer, furiously trying to match her passion and intensity. And then it happened.

With the unmistakable sound of fabric being torn and a blood-curdling shriek, Star recoiled from him like a snake as she quickly shot up, hissing through her teeth before assessing her assumed wounds. Tom almost immediately followed suit, reaching out tentatively to gauge her condition. "Star, what happened! What's wrong?! Are you okay?! Did I burn you again?" He blurted out several more suggestions as Stars' face slowly became less pain-driven and more surprised. She shook her head and turned, showing him her back.

"I dunno what happened, but it really hurts. How bad is it?" she asked quietly, lifting her hair up to reveal eight distinct claw marks, all converging towards the top of her back, thankfully avoiding her Mewberty wings, straight through her dress and into her flesh.

"Ehhh, noooot baaaaddd," Tom lied, trying to hide the growing fear in his body. River was going to kill him, in every way he knew Tom feared most.

"That doesn't sound 'not bad'," Star managed to mutter back, lowering her hair.

In truth, the cuts weren't deep enough to warrant medical attention, but they were probably going to leave a mark. Or eight. Tom leaned forward and showed her his hands, the tips of which were slightly more red than lavender. "I um… kinda scratched you. Pretty badly," he admitted sheepishly, giving her a sincere look of worry.

"How bad is pretty bad? Are my wings alright? Is it gonna leave a mark? "

Tom sucked in a bit of air and shook his head. "Your wings are fine," he said as he helped her stand before turning her around to double-check on his unfortunate handiwork. "And proooooobably not? They aren't that deep." Star didn't seem to buy it, but the damage had been done; no use trying to oversell it. Tom sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck and checked his watch, nearly choking when he saw the hour. "Ohhh boy, my Dad's gonna kill me if he sees I'm still gone. You don't mind if I skip out, right?"

Star let her expression of surprise fall into a glare. "So you're just gonna leave me here with my back looking like this? Nuh-uh, you're at least paying for dinner, smooth lips," she griped, holding out a hand and staring at him. He didn't even bother arguing. Instead, he pulled his wallet from a fire in his palm and he produced several hundred-dollar bills, or 'old dude papers' as he called them, and gave them to Star. When she had finished counting them, she nodded, pleased.

"All right, we're square. Just don't make me call you a dozen times to get you to go out with me again, though," she grumbled the last part. For all that Tom could and did provide, he was terrible at planning dates. And even worse, showing up to them on time.

"No worries, Star. I'll call you when I can, I promise. See you soon?"

"See you soon, Tom," she smiled. With a final wave, he summoned a column of blazing oranges and reds, letting it illuminate the street around him, and gently warm the front of Star's face as it pulled him into the ground. When the cracked sidewalk had closed at her feet, Star let her smile drop before turning on her heels, ignoring the stinging pain that dominated her back.

Why was it that every time they got together in private, she walked away with some kind of pain? She wondered that as she walked home, dreading being in the castle again, and in close proximity to Penelope, but the idea of aimlessly walking around the city that had just housed a demonic presence wasn't too inviting either. So home she went, with the welcoming and loving encounter of early that morning with Marco still fresh on her mind.

O - O - O - O - O - O - O

But far across the city, nestled just beyond its rolling hills and hidden among the trees, the dwindling group of monsters had a more painful, horrific encounter just beginning. The Moon and stars hung in the night sky, casting very little light down on the world below, where Ludo stood in nearly complete darkness in the center of a small clearing. He wore his very basic obsidian robe and sat on his calves as he waited very patiently for his message to arrive.

Sitting here, alone in the woods, this was as close to independence as he could truly get, but in his own mind, Ludo knew that he was strong, capable, and a leader. But truly alone, he was not. Up in the trees, a shadowed presence was waiting to make itself known, staring with intensity over his shoulder at the powerful magic hidden in the small, dormant campfire.

"Any time now, would be nice," Ludo muttered to himself as he sipped the remnants of that morning's milkshake. He was a very busy bird, and his time would have been better spent gathering his few remaining troops or raising their morale by ordering another pizza to be delivered to their neck of the woods. But instead, he ignored his duties and waited. For what, the powerful entity could only guess.

After it had been cast out of the city limits by that wretched witch, it had tried to flee. Tried to find another place to gather strength and grow its influence over the nearby mortals, but the farther it got from the summoning circle in that girl's bedroom, the more he could feel his form dissipating like smoke in the wind. Something was keeping it tethered to the city, and now that it had been forced out, with barely enough strength to hold its form together, it was stuck in limbo, with these pathetic creatures.

After another few minutes had rolled by, it decided it was best to get this over with, and draw the fear from the small bird and take every ounce of its spirit, but just before it could pounce, both he and Ludo were surprised to see the campfire erupt into hot, orange flames that licked at the trees above.

They quickly shifted into a deeper, green color, and once they had settled some, the image of a reptilian humanoid glared out from their base, long frills sprouting from the back of its head like a mane, and a single gem in his left eye. A purple shawl was drawn over his shoulders, and a snarl was drawn across his face.

"Rasticore," Ludo greeted him without any emotion, but his expression was oozing with contempt. If Ludo was Toffee's greatest general, and he knew he was, then Rasticore was Toffee's second in command. A message from him was bound to be important and fraught with problems. "I haven't heard from you in over a week. I was worried something bad might have happened."

The shifting figure up in the trees leaned closer to the fire. The energy keeping it steady, fueling it even, was something ancient and very familiar. The lizard in the fire seemed to scoff at Ludo's words and let out an overly audible chuckle. "You serious? I just forgot about you out here until Toffee reminded me to report your status on the Mewmans." Rasticore's image seemed to lean closer, suddenly growing deadly serious, "pray you don't disappoint him any further than you already have."

"I've been asking for reinforcements and supplies," Ludo growled, keeping his growing impatience with Rasticore in check, "I've been forced to send two of my troops to get jobs just to make ends meet."

The lizard only shook his head. "Your requests have been denied."

"Why can I not have more troops? And why are the ones I've been given so pathetic?" Ludo demanded, glaring at his superior with evident contempt.

"Because that's what your mission has been valued at. Now, your report."

"I have nothing new to report," Ludo lied, keeping his face opaque. Despite how highly he knew Toffee must have regarded him, reporting a slash in his troop's numbers with nothing to show for it was grounds for reprimand, as a start. Rasticore peered at Ludo more closely. "That's not what I've heard. Our scouts have reported failure after failure on your part. Are they wrong?"

Ludo hid his growing discomfort in the flickering green light, returning Rasticore's harsh glare. "I am your scouting unit. Why would I report that?"

"You really think we trust you enough to let you do this alone? We have several other groups of scouts hidden around the province." Rasticore said it so matter-of-factly, Ludo was genuinely taken aback by the information presented to him. He wasn't trusted? Did they send more after him? Why didn't he know about this? Amidst the whirlwind of questions making his head spin, he decided to go with the most prominent.

"Why were other groups sent? I'm doing my job out here and-" he began, but Rasticore held up a hand for silence, making the fire 'fwoom' up into the air for a brief moment, casting light deeper into the woods around them. "You aren't doing your job. If you were, we'd have taken the girl, or her wand, like you reported you could. Then, your unit was nearly decimated by a child! A child, Ludo! Consider yourself lucky it has taken me this long to get myself involved in this mission."

Ludo bristled at that, ready to unleash a barrage of questions, but Rasticore continued, once again donning his satisfied grin. "I will be there soon, and I will be taking full control of your operation, effective immediately. When I arrive, I will decide your fate, as you have clearly bungled this operation from the start. Maybe I'll send you back to Lord Toffee so you can explain your worthless failings in person. He well be fery interested to learn of the extent of your failure..." He leaned closer for dramatic effect, clearly showing off his ridiculous crystal eye implant. "See ya soon, Ludo."

And with that, the flame simply puffed into nothing, plunging the surrounding forest into darkness. Ludo was left sitting there, staring at the fresh embers where the fire had been, as the shadowed figure decided it best to move. Without so much as a disturbance in the air, the demon wisped further into the woods until it found the remaining forces it had just overheard about.

There were only about eighteen of them, with two more hiding in a newly-dug cave a few yards from the camp, as the rest simply mulled around, cooked, sharpened weapons, or slept. It was a meager little gathering at best, but it was the perfect foundation on which to build.

As it wended its way ominously around the encampment, however, it felt something leaving. Something small and weak had been pulled from the forest, like it had lost all the strength it had left, and simply floated away. Formless and shapeless as it was, the demon smiled, as it knew before anyone else in the camp what had happened. Someone had just died.

It materialized itself lower down into the forest, weaving through the still living creatures that inhabited it, and found its way deep inside the artificial cave in the hillside. Once it was in, it saw what had happened. It knew from the boy's memories the history of the dead monster on the table in the cave, and from the stitched wounds on the werewolf's chest and neck, it looked like the boy really had done it in.

But this was no time to be reminiscent. There was work to do and fear to harvest. As the two living beings in the cave seemed to accept the loss of their friend, the demon had decided it was time for an immediate reunion, and promptly inhabited the still-warm corpse on the table. As the body twitched once, then twice, both monsters stopped their discussion and inched closer, eyeing the fresh corpse with wary scrutiny.

Then, before their eyes, the body lurched forward, sitting upright with its hollow, glassy eyes staring straight ahead. One monster drew its weapon and backed away, but the demon's plan was already working. Fear, both pungent and cold, was filling the space rapidly, and it drank up all it could get. The corpse turned its head sharply to the right with an audible series of snaps and lurched off the table, its movements loud and sickening.

As the giraffe monster ran away screaming, the arachnid-limbed monster holding a sword charged forward to finish the zombie off properly. This wouldn't do; a being with this little fear was as useful as spoiled milk. The werewolf monster ducked low under a swing, its bones snapping every step of the way, and gripped the arachnid-headed soldier's forearm, and forced its own blade straight through its face with a sickening crunch of breaking chitin.

Green blood poured from the wound, and the demon pulled the sword from the monster with more snapping bones, turning on its heels and struggling to force its body to exit the cave. Once it was outside, the werewolf grinned with great intensity, taking in the amassed monsters who had gathered around the entrance. 'Oh yes, the fear is strong,' it thought to itself as Buffrog stepped forward.

"You lay down your weapon now and crawl back into the cave. Die like good Baba Yaga." The werewolf intensified its grin so much that the skin around its cheeks began to tear as the demon's voice rasped through its many teeth. "You will all die. And as your bodies go to the worms, your souls will be mine."

The purple fog began to appear, flooding into the clearing like water, pouring over tents and filling every available space as the werewolf rushed forward like a macabre marionette, moving in unnatural fits and stops in a horrible parody of life. It rushed through several monsters, slicing flesh down to the bone and cutting down one soldier after another. It laughed as it did so, gorging itself on the rampant fear that flooded the forest like its fog.

And from his fog, every monster he slew was filled with it, before rising back to their feet and drawing their weapons against each other and going to war. As the remaining forces struggled to gain ground, however, they began to realize it was pointless, and that fear began to turn to despair.

Buffrog would cut down one still bleeding corpse, and another would take its place before it, too, would rise once again. The fog seemed to be growing thicker with each passing 'kill', and before anyone could voice their terror, they noticed that they were surrounded by dozens of monsters, all petrified, and all brandishing weapons of every type.

The werewolf monster never moved; it only stood there, watching with what seemed like genuine amusement as one after another, the army began to dwindle. The camp was burning, its flames illuminating the fog slightly, as the remaining living beings backed further and further into their corner.

"You see, this is more like it, " it mused, observing the fresh blood trickling down its sword as the visions intensified. "This is the fear I've been looking for, I can feel it. That smell, it's all I've ever wanted. I thank you all for your untimely...sacrifice. Maybe-" it began, but a sudden shrill cry echoed through the camp, turning every head, both real and ethereal.

Ludo charged through the mist, two short swords in hand as he screamed out, "Run! Get out of the camp now!" He ducked between the legs of a corpse, slicing at its heels, but he was met with zero resistance, his blades going right through. There was a silent moment of realization before he turned his stride and began motioning for his still petrified troops to move. "They're just mirages! Get out NOW!" Ludo screamed again.

The demon let its corpse shell's grin falter into a steeled glare as he watched the stunned troops left alive suddenly turn on their heels and ditch the camp, fanning out into the woods as Ludo stared back. The little bird was gripped with fear; he knew it well, but somehow, he was able to see through the illusion and force his troops to run. How?

Ludo stood there, watching as the zombies he figured were real seemed to observe him, but not engage. He hated whatever it was that was taking his brittle army apart, but more than that, he hated the idea of losing any more than he already had. And the demon knew it. To Ludo's horror, it addressed him by name, as dozens of eerily recognizable faces began to step out of the surrounding darkness.

"Ludo, can you really return to your armies, to your home, knowing how deeply your failure runs?" the monster asked, gesturing to the eviscerated bodies around it. "Is this what your perseverance and success have wrought? Your soldiers lie dying, your country mocks you, and the funniest part of it all? You let. It. Happen."

Ludo watched in abject horror as the bodies of his former comrades began to rip themselves apart before his very eyes. Blood and flesh rained down on the wet grass, staining it all red as Ludo felt a weight unlike any other begin to crush him down. "You feel that, littlest one? That is the weight of your overwhelming failure. And what I love most about it? It's also your greatest fear."

The werewolf made to charge forward to finish off the now petrified little man before it, but seemingly out of nowhere, a blade came forth from the fog and cut its head clean from its body. Ludo watched in a daze as it fell to the ground, and a shadow seemed to leave from the bleeding stump, as Buffrog scooped him up and sprinted towards the forest without a word.

The demon simply stood there, too stunned to move. Twice today, an individual he could read the entire life of, see all their shortcomings, and know their deepest fears, had turned away from his smoke and rejected him. 'How was this possible?'' he wondered. But it mattered not. He had all the fear he needed to move forward unabated. So with as much effort needed as taking off a sock, he abandoned his puppet bodies and let them fall to the ground with the rest.

Despite all that had happened, tonight was a beautiful night, he rationalized, for fear. As the bodies lay withered and decaying, his shadowed body couldn't help but smile. Revenge was going to be as sweet as the fear on her face.

Chapter Text

A/N: Quick song credit here for later in the chapter. This one is very martial arts inspired so I hope you enjoy it's pairing with the scene. Paul Hertzog, Stan Bush. "Fight to Survive." Bloodsport, 1985.

The Once and Future Queen

Chapter Seven

All's Fair in Love, War, and Sleepovers

"No, no, nono, nononono…"

Buff Frog tried his best to ignore the crazed babbling that was coming from under his arm as he continued to sprint along the forest floor as fast as the near-total blackness allowed. For the first few minutes of his flight from the encampment, Ludo had shrieked loudly between incoherent mumbles about "failure" as Buff Frog did his best to silence him. It had given their position away, and he had reluctantly stuffed Ludo's robe into his mouth to keep the noise to a minimum.

"Sorry Boss, is for own good," he apologized, "we need to be quiet now."

Ludo didn't even acknowledge him as he shoved the fabric in; apparently, beyond rational thought at this point. Buff Frog wasn't faring much better, stumbling and tripping in the dense underbrush as he did his best to create some distance between them and the waking nightmare he had just witnessed.

"Buff Frog…" a cold, quiet voice whispered in his ears, startling him so badly he lost his footing and crashed to the tangled roots under his feet. Quickly getting his feet under him, he sprang up and moved in front of Ludo to shield him.

Straining to see anything in the darkness, Buff Frog held his breath as the familiar sounds of the forest seemed to fade out to an unsettling silence; it was here.

Summoning as much of his remaining courage as he could, he raised his sword in front of him and called out to the creature he knew was lingering in the darkness just out of sight, " Go away, Zloy Dukh! I not scared of you!"

"Oh my brave, little Buff Frog… We both know that's not true, now don't we," it answered, this time sounding like a series of low guttural voices speaking over one another. "You may have resisted my… offer, but the stench of your fear betrays your brave face."

Before Buff Frog could move a muscle, a sickly pale-yellow light enveloped him as the demon stepped from the edge of his vision into view. During the attack on the encampment, he was a mass of billowing black shadow, but now it seemed as if he had become slightly more defined. Long thin arms ended in smoky jagged-fingered hands, but its face… its face was what truly made him shiver uncontrollably. Its yellow eyes fixed his own with an unblinking stare, the light they shed seeming to root him in place as its jaw creaked open to reveal a mouth full of splintered and ragged teeth.

"I could kill you and the pathetic little bird. It would be so… easy…" it whispered once more, reaching forward.

Buff Frog felt helpless to resist as its smoke-like fingers dipped into his chest. It felt like his heart had been dipped in ice water, and he fell to his knees with a soft grunt as the demon brought its other hand up to hold his face in a horrible parody of intimacy. With a sound like dry leaves in the wind, the demon inhaled deeply as it gently squeezed the Frog monster's heart.

"Ugh," grunted Buff Frog, his breath puffing white as the air around them became suddenly freezing.

"Shall I end you, Buff Frog? Shall I squeeze harder and snuff your miserable existence from the face of this world? Or would you serve to save your worthless life?" it asked. Lowering its face until it was inches from his own, it took another deep, almost loving breath.

The light from its eyes flared as it breathed in, the intensity blinding Buff Frog. He feebly reached up and attempted to seize the demon's arm at the wrist, where it disappeared into his chest, but he found he had no strength left in his arms to resist. Instead, he sucked in a lungful of air and spoke as forcefully as he could, "Da, demon. You will have to kill me. I no submit to abomination like you!"

Chuckling darkly, it twisted its mouth into a macabre smile as it pulled its arm from his chest, "Oh, Buff Frog… You will all serve me before long. Either in life, or death… It makes no difference to me."

Tenderly, the demon rested a single clawed finger against Buff Frog's temple and dragged it slowly, almost lovingly, down towards his jaw. Whimpering and grunting, he shook with agony as the ice-cold claw sliced his face from temple to jaw like a razor. Dropping a limp Buff Frog to curl up on the ground and clutch his bleeding face, it leaned over a still-mumbling and wide-eyed Ludo.

"I will see you soon, little one…" it hissed, breathing deeply just as it did to Buff Frog, though this time Ludo promptly lost consciousness. "Delicious…" it said as it swept back into the trees, eager to drink more succulent fear.

Several minutes later, a close scream seemed to break the paralyzing fear that had seized Buff Frog's body. The side of his face was a searing streak of fire, but even through the haze of pain, he recognized the owner of the shrill scream… it was Dimitri's, and he grimaced when the scream abruptly cut off. "Another one…" he whispered to himself under his breath as he shakily got to his feet and picked up an unconscious Ludo. After a quick check that his boss was alright, he took off at a run once more.

Cold tendrils of fear continued to coil around his heart as he ran, but as well as chilling his blood, he found it also drove him, focused his mind on a single purpose, and mercifully, allowed him not to think about what had just happened to his friend. Pausing momentarily to check on the position of the weakly shining moon, he adjusted his path and picked up speed as the underbrush thinned. If he kept heading in this rough direction, he would reach their regrouping position, and once there, he could snap Ludo out of it.

"Buff Frog!" a familiar voice whisper-shouted at him.

Dropping to a fighting position and brandishing his dagger, Buff Frog relaxed slightly as he saw Beard Dear emerging from a small clearing to his right. While initially relieved, he quickly balled a fist and moved back to keep his distance from the newcomer.

"Is really you, Beard Deer? Evil Spirit have many tricks up its sleeve."

"It's me, Buff Frog! I heard you running and…" he didn't finish his sentence as he saw the limp form of Ludo tucked under his comrade's arm. "Is the Boss…dead?" he croaked out.

"No, he only unconscious. Now prove it really you, or there will be other unconscious monster in second!"

Beard Deer paled slightly at the threat from his friend before thinking quickly. "Uh, well," he scratched his neck, "your real name is Yvgeny Bulgolyubov! Your favorite sport is Cornball. Ludo rescued you from the swamp and made you his second in command," he said, listing things on his fingers as Buff Frog narrowed his eyes.

"Fool a Bulgolyubov once…" he growled.

"All things Evil Spirit could know…" Buff Frog growled and narrowed his eyes as he set Ludo's unconscious form down on the ground and advanced towards a visibly trembling Beard Deer.

"I swear it's me, Buff Frog…" whimpered Beard Deer as his friend drew a long, serrated dagger from his belt.

"One more chance. Prove you not corpse puppet, or I send you back to underworld this time."

Beard Deer was near panic now, he had lost his weapons in the fight at the encampment and he knew he could never outrun Buff Frog. Thinking as hard as possible to try and dredge up any snippet of information that might prove he was who he said he was, he felt a glimmer of hope spark to life as he remembered a drunk conversation they had shared several weeks back, right before they had come to Earth.

Taking a tentative step forward, he held out his hands in a placating gesture, "Your greatest dream besides a Mewni completely free of mewman oppression, is to have a family of your own! You told me a few weeks ago when we were drinking that West Mewnian Swamp Water around the campfire! Buff Frog, please…I'm begging you…" he said, as the forest itself seemed to hold its breath in anticipation.

Stopping for a moment, Buff Frog merely nodded and sheathed his dagger, "Da, that is most intimate dream of mine. I believe you who you say you are. Demon only seem to know fears, not happy thought like family. Now quick, follow me to fallback location, we need to regroup before make next move."

Two hours later, Buff Frog wore a grim expression as he sat around the small fire they had built in the abandoned culvert they had designated their "fallback" position. 'Six… only six others made it out of eighteen…' Buff Frog shook his head at the pitiful number of survivors he saw huddling around their meager fire in the damp pipe. Silently, he took a quick headcount: Beard Deer, Three-Eyed Potato Baby, Spikeballs, Boo Fly, Bearicorn, and Giraffe. Just six others besides Ludo and himself.

The group had been mostly silent except for some sparse and hushed conversation as they all tried their best to stay warm on the unusually chilly summer night. Shock, fatigue, and grief over comrades lost, all working to subdue any effort he had made at raising their cratered morale. 'First, Princess Star gets wand along with fierce warrior bodyguard, and now Zloy Dukh decimates army…' he thought darkly as the fire cracked and popped.

"Wha, where am I?" asked Ludo, his voice weak as he stirred from unconsciousness, "you know I hate surprise parties."

Most of the encampment shared uneasy glances as he looked around in bleary confusion. "Master Ludo!" Buff Frog shouted before being shushed by the group.

Ludo didn't respond for a minute. Instead, he stood up shakily, brushing the pine needles and dirt from his robe as he took a moment to collect himself. "Buff Frog, where is the rest of my army?"

"Dead… It been hours, Ludo. If they survive, they would have joined by now."

Ludo said nothing; he simply nodded and sat down next to Buff Frog, too stunned for words. Buff Frog watched him silently, wary of provoking the panic he knew Ludo was barely suppressing. Suddenly, the small bird tipped his head back and laughed loudly. It rang out, shrill and disturbing as it bounced off the concrete walls of the culvert.

The rest of the monsters looked up from their own thoughts, each looking with concern at a cackling Ludo and a nervous Buff Frog. Finally, after nearly a minute of hysterical laughter, Ludo seemed to fall back to earth and the crushing reality of their situation as tears began streaming from his eyes.

"So Rasticore was right… my failure is finally complete," he bawled through his hands. "Poor little Ludo, never good enough for Mom and Dad… Never good enough to inherit the Avarius Crown… And now, not good enough for Toffee…" he managed to choke out between ragged sobs.

"Boss…" began Buff Frog, putting a placating hand on Ludo's heaving shoulder. "We know we expendable to Toffee…" he said, looking around the group sadly.

"What?" Ludo sniffled loudly as he rubbed his eyes and looked up at a frowning Buff Frog.

"Yeah, Boss, we're all screw ups," chimed in Beard Deer.

"Agabyub mharr byutha mgab agadror," added Three-Eyed Potato Baby, nodding vigorously.

"Toffee and Rasticore know we likely fail to seize wand, or Princess… No way he send best troops. Better, send castoffs and losers in first wave. See how strong Butterfly resistance is. Then, when knowing, he send Rasticore and more…competent troops to actually do job."

"He wouldn't dare… Not to his own people…" started Ludo, looking from monster to monster.

"He would," mumbled Buff Frog.

"THAT SON OF A… LAYWER LOOKING… TWO-TIMING… HOW COULD HE DO THIS TO ME! ME!" stormed Ludo as he stomped the ground and paced back and forth. "'You have a very important task, Ludo. I need you to scout the way for our forces to finish the Butterfly Dynasty once and for all.'" Ludo did his best to imitate the cool voice of their leader in a mocking tone before continuing to rage. "The double-dealing shit knew we were going to get beaten, and he still sent us! I'll show that conniving Lizard what happens when he betrays Ludo Avarius!"

"Bosssss?" the nervous voice of Boo Fly cut into his rant.

"What is it!" Ludo whipped around to face the nervous-looking fly monster.

"Mannn, this isss heavy stuff, but," buzzed Boofly, 'how do we deal with that… Thing in the woods?"

The question quelled Ludo, for as consumed as he was with righteous anger at being used by Toffee, he was at a complete loss with how to deal with their new enemy. It had scythed through their ranks, and they had only escaped because it had let them.

"Master, may I speak?" It was Buff Frog. Eager to grab for any way out he could think of, Ludo nodded and sat back down by the fire. Buff Frog stood up and walked to the center of the small circle as he gathered his thoughts, "Fellow Monsters, let me ask one question before we decide what do. Is life better under Toffee than mewmans? Like all of you, I believe in better life for all monsters, it why I fight. But now Mewni ours, and still we fight and die for Toffee. I say for what? He send us to Earth as expendable soldiers… I say leader who not appreciate lives of own troops no leader at all!"

"Yeah!" came a chorus of voices as the monsters agreed.

Turning to a still frowning Ludo, Buff Frog bowed low before kneeling, "Ludo, do you care about fate of monsters? Of us?"

"You're my monsters, Buff Frog, of course I care, you daft idiot!" Ludo shouted as he stood as tall as his diminutive frame would allow.

"Then I say, you worthy leader of monsters! I say we take wand and use it to destroy Zloy Dukh in woods and then take over. Toffee and Rasticore no better than monster murdering mewmans. I tired of risking life for self-serving tyrant! Who with me!"

"For LUDO!" shouted the other six monsters, each one kneeling in front of a now grinning Ludo.

"You guys…" Ludo blushed as he observed the loyal remnants of his scouting force. Putting his hands on his hips, he nodded to each of the kneeling monsters in turn. "I accept my position as supreme leader. Now bring it in, boys. I have…a plan."

O - O - O - O - O - O – O

"Space Unicorn, soaring through the stars…" Marco's ringtone rang out as he groggily rolled over and checked the caller ID with one bleary eye; it was Penelope, and he hit accept as he put the phone to his ear. "H-Hello?" he asked sleepily, noticing the digital alarm clock read 9:30 A.M.

"Morning, Marco," came the slightly strained-sounding voice of his girlfriend.

"Mmm, morning, Penny. How did you *yawn* sleep?" he asked.

"Penny, ehh? That going to be a permanent thing now?" asked Penelope, giggling on the other end of the line.

"Only if you want it to be," answered Marco, unable to suppress a smile at the sound of her laughter.

"Relax, Marco, I love it. But let's keep it for private moments like this, okay? I am a Princess after all, I've got to be somewhat respectable, at least in public," she teased.

"Haha, sure thing, Penny. So what's up? Did you want to do something this evening? I have stuff with Star in the afternoon, but my evening is wide op-" he started before being interrupted by a serious-sounding Penelope.

"Marco, I'm really sorry about last night. I know I promised to keep my cool with Star and Tom, and I failed spectacularly at that… I know we salvaged the night under that willow tree," she let out a sultry sigh, "but I still feel awful for some of the things I said. Let me make it up to you tonight. Please?"

"Yeah, well, I wasn't exactly a model of calm, either, was I. Look," he began, taking a second to collect his scattered thoughts, "I think everyone was just on edge last night after what happened in the park. I'm not holding any hard feelings towards anyone, but if you owe anyone an apology, it's Star, not me."

"Wellll, that's kind of what I have in mind, Marco. Star wanted to have a big sleepover tonight at Butterfly Castle! She invited me, and I'm sure you'll be getting a call any minute now." Sure enough, his phone buzzed with a new text message from Star, asking if he wanted to come to a group sleepover that evening. "I know she invited Jackie, Janna, and Tom as well."

"Ugh, Tom? Hard pass."

"No, no, I totally think we should go. You're her best friend, and I want to prove to you and her that I can play nice. Besides, Jackie already said she'd be there. She got discharged from the hospital last night, and I want to hang out with her. So you're totally coming."

"You promise it won't be another disaster like last night?"

"I promise, at least on my end… I want to show you I can behave myself around Star with you. I told you last night that I didn't want you to quit. That's not fair to you, and I would never try to stand between you and what makes you happy."

Marco felt himself shedding some of the grogginess at the intense sincerity in her voice. He had rarely heard her sound this serious, and he definitely appreciated the effort. Smiling for the first time that morning, he nodded into the phone. "Sure, Penny, I'm in."

Conceding with a short 'I'm in' to Star's text, he smiled at his girlfriend's excitement. "You're the best, babe. Star said 7 for a start, but you'll be with her doing your guide stuff this afternoon, so I guess it will start whenever you two get back to Butterfly Castle. Oh, and Marco?" She asked, a note of mischief now in her voice.

"Yes?"

"All the royal Families' parents are out of town this week except King River, and he's a total pushover. So get ready for the night of your life!" she laughed.

"Can't wait," he smirked, sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of his bed, "Does my fair Princess have any requests of her gentleman tonight?"

"Just bring those cute buns over and have those hot lips ready to kiss me, Diaz. You were mean last night and didn't finish something you should have… I've been thinking about you since you hung me out to dry, only… It's anything but," cooed Penelope.

Her words caused a deep red to spread across his cheeks as he remembered their shared tryst last night under the willow tree. Moreover, he remembered how much she had pouted when he didn't give her the release she had wanted. If her voice was any indication, he was in for quite the night. "Haha, well, both of those things are always with me wherever I go, so I'll be ready, Penny."

"Sounds Great. And… thanks for being so understanding. I know I can be difficult sometimes." The sudden shift to genuine timidness in her voice caught him off guard, but he appreciated her gratitude.

"Don't sweat it, we all have our moments. Let's just focus on having a fantastic night tonight and not on rude demons, or any Jannanigans that may be in store."

"Prefect. So until tonight, stay safe and don't miss me too much," she giggled.

"No promises," he said, "about the missing you part, I mean. Of course, I'll do my best to stay safe," he corrected.

"Byeeeee Marcooooooo," she sang into the phone.

"See you tonight, Penny," he rolled his eyes and hung up the phone. No sooner had he put it down and stood up to head to the shower than it buzzed noisily against his nightstand. Sighing as he picked it up, he saw Star's smiling face in his caller ID and, without hesitation, he pushed the accept button.

"Hey, Star, what's up?" he asked as he made his way into the bathroom.

"MarcoI'llbeatyourhouseinfiveminutes!" came her panting, near frantic voice from the speaker.

"Um, Okay. I was just about to step into the shower before heading over to the M.R.C. to see you, but if you're on your way here, that's fine too. Just knock, and one of my Parents will let you in. I'll be down in about ten, maybe 15 minutes."

"Soundsgoodbyeeeee," she shouted into the speaker as she hung up.

"That girl…" he chuckled as he tossed his phone on his bed and slipped into the bathroom.

Five minutes later, Marco, now feeling refreshed and clean, twisted the shower controls to off and grabbed the towel he had hung over the door. After a quick scrub down to dry off, he wrapped it around his waist and stepped into the steamy bathroom, not noticing a heavily blushing blonde who couldn't seem to take her eyes off his half-naked form still glistening slightly from the clinging drops of water.

"Hey Marco," she said, a bit of a grin now on her face. Guiltily, she had let her eyes rove over his toned body and light tan skin as he stepped from the shower. It was the second time in as many days she had seen him without a shirt on, and just like yesterday morning, it made her feel a flush run through her body. He was lean, but strong, with powerful-looking shoulders, leading down to a smooth chest sitting above a set of abs that, while not chiseled, were well-defined enough to make her shiver ever so slightly with want. Promise or no promise, they had spent an amazing night together just 24 hours ago, and she could vividly remember the feel of his body under her wandering hands and how much more she had wanted but been unable to explore.

"GAH!" he shouted, nearly jumping out of his towel with shock at seeing her standing before him in an otherwise empty and silent bathroom. Checking and refastening his towel, he was relieved to find that it hadn't slipped as he fixed her with an annoyed look, "Star! What are you doing in here! This is my bathroom, and in case you hadn't noticed, it's occupied! Couldn't you have just waited downstairs?"

"Sorry to barge in here, but Marco… This can't wait… " said Star, her smile fading to a frown as she looked into his eyes.

Her voice sounded strained, and when he looked closer, he could see tears still clinging to her pale eyelashes as well as a distinct, puffy redness. "Star? What's wrong?" he asked as he stepped forward and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I…" she started, before throwing her arms around a startled Marco, "…I'm so sorry about last night! I know you wanted everything to be perfect, and to patch things up between all of us, and it was just such a disaster! And I didn't help at all… I just lost my temper and I almost hurt you!" she wailed into his shoulder, squeezing him so tight he was starting to have trouble breathing.

"Star…" he wheezed, "last night was everyone's fault. I didn't have to be such a snarky asshole to Tom, but I was. I think last night was just destined for failure," he said, trying to comfort her while keeping his arms held awkwardly out to the side. Half-naked hugs with Star were definitely on the "more than a friend" side of the promise they made to each other only yesterday.

"Marco, you didn't start the trouble last night," she murmured into his shoulder as she managed to quiet her tears to a few small sniffs. "It was Tom… He started everything off on the wrong foot when he was so rude to you." She let off the pressure of her hug slightly as she began to unconsciously run her fingers up and down his back, "He knows your name isn't Mango…by the way. I keep telling him to call you, Marco. I'm so sorry…"

"Star, again, you don't have to apologize. I'm just writing off last night as a bad idea all around," he reassured her, finally feeling his resistance break as he brought his arms around the slender girl to pull her into a hug of his own. Half-naked or not, Star's hugs were the best he'd ever had, and he let the smell of her hair fill his nose with a satisfied and quiet "mmm."

"Hisssss," the sound of Star's sudden, pained expression made him release her immediately and jump back. "You okay? I didn't think I squeezed you that hard…"

"I'm fine," she said, her face beet red now as she played with her hair awkwardly, "just a few scratches is all."

"When did you get hurt? You were fine last night at din- Star, did Tom hurt you after dinner? I swear to God, I'll rip the fucking horns off his head if he-"

"Nonononono, Marco, it's okay. It was totally accidental, we got a little…" if it was possible, Star felt her blush deepen as she met his concerned eyes, "a little overenthusiastic… is all." While he didn't look entirely mollified, he seemed to accept her explanation without further comment. 'Whew,' she thought, finally feeling like something was going her way that morning. The last thing she wanted was for her boyfriend and best friend's relationship to get any worse. "I promise it's nothing serious, just some scratches."

"Well, did you at least treat it?" he asked, the anger now completely gone from his eyes.

"I, uh… I just kind of went home and tried to forget about last night, Marco. Sooo,"

"That's a no then. Alright, wait here, okay? I'll be back in just a second," he said as he hurried through the side door and into his room.

Star waited awkwardly in the still steamy bathroom, taking a moment to admire the almost supernatural neatness of all of Marco's toiletries. Each one seemed to have a specific spot marked out for it in the medicine cabinet, and even the things on the marble counter seemed to be grouped together by size and apparent function.

Hearing the door to the bathroom open once more, she turned to see Marco re-enter. Mercifully, he had thrown a t-shirt and some jeans on, and in his arms, he carried a small white case with a red cross symbol and a stool. "Sit please," he said after setting the stool down and gesturing to it.

"Marco, you really don't have to-"

"Star, I know I don't have to, but if you leave injuries untreated, they may get infected, and that's a whole other issue. I know it's awkward, but let me treat your wounds. Please?" he asked, giving her a soft smile as he opened up the first aid kit.

It was the smile that broke her resistance. Not once in the time she'd known him had it ever failed to cheer her up, and she nodded before turning around on the stool and pulling her hair over her shoulder. Gently, Marco pushed the straps of her dress off her shoulders so he could get at all the scratches, not missing the slight shiver in her body at the feel of his fingertips on her bare skin. "Alright, Safe Kid," she said, beaming at the look on his face at her words, "but be careful with my wings, they're very sensitive."

"Your whaaaaa," he trailed off as he caught a glimpse of the small, translucent, purple wings folded flat against her back. At first, he had thought they were a tattoo or some kind of jewelry, but now that he could get a closer look, he saw they were every bit as real as the fingers he had gently rested on them. They shimmered in the light of the bathroom, and he could see the musculature connected to their base just below the skin flex and twitch slightly. '…Beautiful,' he thought to himself. There was no other word he could think of that described the delicate-looking purple wings he couldn't seem to look away from. After a long few moments admiring, he asked the question that was burning on his mind, "Can you… fly with those?"

"It's… complicated. My Mom can sorta turn into this butterfly monster thing when she's mad or needs to deal with something tough. The wings help her fly then, but normally they don't do anything but get in the way of wearing a bra."

"Amazingggg." Marco breathed, nodding as he continued to stare at the small wings on her back. "Um, Star, there are like eight really long, pretty deep scratches here. They're still a little weepy, too, and it looks like there's a scratch under each of your wings on either side, " he noted how the dried blood had glued her wings to her back on each side.

"I knew it… Dammit, Tom, I knew he didn't tell me how bad it really was." She blew out a breath of frustration as Marco stepped close behind her.

"Star, this might sting a little. I'm going to disinfect the scratches that are still bleeding and put some little bandages over them, okay?"

"Okay…" she nodded, doing her best to keep the fearful hesitation in her voice to a minimum.

Marco spent the next fifteen minutes methodically cleaning and bandaging the scratches he could reach. Star proved to be an excellent patient, only whimpering a little when a particularly painful jolt from the disinfectant stung her. Finally, all that was left to bandage were the scratches and dried blood gluing her wings flat to her back.

"That looks uncomfortable. Didn't you feel them pulling when you ran over here?" he asked, noticing now for the first time the almost imperceptible vibration as she attempted to pull them free.

"Sorta… yeah," she muttered.

"Sooo, can I?" he asked as he laid his fingers gently on the pale skin next to her wing.

"Just be gentle, okay?"

He could hear the nervousness in her voice, and he pressed his warm palm against her back in an effort to reassure her before answering, "Of course, I will, Star."

Carefully, he grabbed a fresh washcloth and wet it with warm water. Returning to her, he gently began cleaning the skin around each wing, making sure that he wiped away the dried blood. Working slowly, he gently peeled up the edge of her wing to let the warm water run down between it and her back to break up the sticky dried blood. Here and there, Star would make short little gasps, and he noticed her breathing becoming noticeably heavier as he worked.

"Are you alright? I'm not hurting you, am I?" he asked, seeing her nod wordlessly and then shake her head. "Okay, just let me know if I do and I'll stop." Continuing, Marco noticed that each time his fingertips would touch her delicate-looking wings, she would recoil slightly, only to arch back into his touch almost immediately after.

After ten more minutes of meticulous work, he managed to free both of her wings and bandage the underlying scratches. He was in the process of gently patting them dry when she burst out in a low moan before slapping her hand over her mouth in shock. "Oh my Corn, I'm so sorry," she apologized.

"Uhh, what was that about?" he asked, pulling his hands away from her gently fluttering wings as if he had been scalded.

She didn't answer at first; instead, she merely turned around and looked at him. Her entire face was red, and he could swear he saw a bit of a hungry look in her sky-blue eyes as she worked on getting her labored breathing under control. "Umm, well, when I told you my wings were sensitive, I meant they were that kind of sensitive… You know…" she explained, giving him an exaggerated nod.

"Ohhhh. Oh my…" he breathed as she got up to inspect his handiwork in the mirror.

"Wow, Marco, you did a great job! Thank you so much!" she said after fixing her dress straps. Running over to a still stunned-looking Marco, she hugged him tightly once more and, in a flash, planted a short chaste kiss on his cheek. "Thank you for helping me with the scratches. Normally, I wouldn't let anyone else touch my wings… but I knew I could trust you," she practically cooed.

"Nobody?" he asked, shocked at her admission.

"Mhm," she intoned, laying her head on his shoulder.

Carefully, he returned her hug, the trust she had shown in allowing him to touch and clean her wings pushing any awkwardness out of his mind. He could have sworn he heard a happy murmur when his arms had pulled her closer. "Wow… I'm honored, actually," he finally managed to say after several blissful moments of holding her in his arms.

"I probably should have told you the effect touching my wings can have, but honestly, nobody but me has ever touched them before, and I didn't want to make it weird for you, " she whispered. "It felt really good."

Her words and the hot breath he felt on his ear caused chills to roll up and down his spine. Suddenly, the closeness they were sharing seemed overwhelming, and he guiltily thought of their promise, only a day old and already being tested. Reluctantly, he broke the hug and smiled, "Star, I got used to weird a long time ago… But, I'm really glad I got to share that with you. It was amazing."

Smiling at his reassuring words, she took a moment to fix her hair in the mirror before pulling her scissors out of her purse, "Ready for another great day being my guide and best bestie? I think a visit to the Echo Creek Mall is in order! Mama needs a new dress!"

"After you, then, M'lady," he said, bending low in a mock bow

"Don't ever call me that again…"

"Sorry."

O - O - O - O - O - O – O

Sitting quietly in a well-appointed hearing room in the California State Capitol, Queen Moon waited patiently along with several fellow Royals for their hosts. Looking around, she saw the Spiderbites nodding approvingly at the well-appointed room and fought to suppress a laugh as King and Queen Johansen examined a stuffed bear, each one taking turns sniffing and poking it before nodding approvingly to one another. 'I'm glad I didn't bring River. He has no patience for these kinds of things…' she thought, before a second, almost equally worrying though struck her, 'Although, leaving him as the sole responsible adult over a group of rowdy teenage princes and princesses might have been a mistake as well.'

She took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds before releasing it slowly, as her mother used to tell her to do during times of stress. "The guides are there. The guides are there. It'll be alright, I have River and the guides. Everything will be fine," she murmured to herself.

The door opened with a soft click, and the appearance of the Governor, Secretary of State, and their various aides filing into the room wiped away any thought of her wayward daughter.

"Your Majesties," Governor Williams nodded to the assembled VIPs, "This is Secretary of State Adam McArthur. I've brought him along at your request to hear your proposal in person."

Moon quickly shook hands with the newcomer and, after all parties had been introduced, sat once more with the representatives before speaking. "Thank you for taking the time to meet with us today. I know firsthand how busy it is running a government."

"It was our pleasure, Queen Butterfly. Now, how can the U.S. government help you today?"

"First, and I think I speak for all of us in this room when I say thank you for the generous conditions you offered to our people when we first came to this… erm, State. I will be forever grateful for your hospitality in letting us set up the M.R.C. and granting my people farming rights around Echo Creek. Recent events, however, have… changed the paradigm. It appears that Toffee has found us on Earth, and I feel it is only fair that I warn your government that he may attempt to follow us here to this dimension." Moon's face was stony as she explained the startling new developments to the representatives, but several other nobles looked worried.

"Toffee is the talking lizard monster that led a rebellion in your home dimension, correct?" asked Secretary McArthur, his eyebrows raised at the incredulity of his own words. He had read the briefing packet prepared by his aides and had even met Queen Moon before. But saying those words still sounded ludicrous.

Indeed, he is an incredibly dangerous creature who has proven capable of outmaneuvering us at every turn. I… suspect he had inside help, but that is an internal affair that I shall deal with in due course. No, the reason I called for this meeting today is because I would like to formally submit for your Government's approval, a petition for the formation of the Butterfly Protectorate State in the greater Echo Creek Area."

"A Protectorate?" McArthur raised his eyebrow at the notion.

"Something of the sort, yes. Obviously, there will need to be a more formal process, but in essence, I am proposing the reestablishment of the Butterfly Kingdom within the state of California. We would have complete rights to self-rule within our borders; however, the Kingdom would pay both Federal and State taxes, and our border would be completely open to all current and future American citizens in addition t-"

"Queen Moon…" the concerned voice of King Spiderbite interrupted. "We haven't discussed this at all. I would ask for a delay at the ver-"

"Alexander, I am speaking only on behalf of the Butterfly Kingdom. Your family and court are, of course, welcome to continue to maintain the Spiderbite Kingdom's government in exile, but please do not presume to tell me how I should run my Kingdom." Moon's harsh glare seemed to quell the Spiderbite Monarch, and he sat down looking humbled as his wife took his hand.

Looking over to the Johansens, Moon sighed and rubbed her temples in frustration, "I share all of your desires to return to Mewni, truly I do. But I cannot ignore reality. All of our Kingdom's armies were defeated by Toffee and his monsters, and I do not realistically see us returning to Mewni in my lifetime. We need to focus on securing the future of our people here and now. We will retake our homeland, but we need a solid base from which to rebuild. Foolish notions of warnicorn cavalry sweeping away the monster rabble are one of the reasons we are in this mess in the first place. It is time to secure our future in the short term so that we may retake Mewni in the long term."

Looking at the four other monarchs present in the room, Moon was relieved to see each of them slowly nod at her. 'So they finally understand,' she thought bitterly as she turned back to face Secretary McArthur. She was sure beyond any doubt that each of them had discussed this exact scenario with each other multiple times, and if they needed permission or absolution from her in order for their conscience to remain clear… then so be it. Moon could still remember the oath she swore the day she took the crown; an oath to protect the citizens of Mewni with her magic, indeed her very life if necessary, and she would be damned before she broke it.

"Now then," Queen Moon waved her hand over the desk, and several thick binders of parchment sealed with wax and blue ribbon appeared, "I have all the details of my proposal here. And of course, I will be happy to answer any questions you may have."

"W-Well then," stammered Secretary McArthur, looking startled at the magnitude of her proposal. "First, let me assure you that I have the deepest empathy for your situation. There have been similar incidents here on Earth that have been handled rather…poorly. However, something of this magnitude is well beyond my level of authority. But I will take all this," he nodded to the parchments, and an aide came and scooped them up, "to the President. She and Congress will have the ultimate say in the matter."

"Thank you, Secretary McArthur," said Queen Moon, bowing slightly to the flustered-looking bureaucrats.

"Uhm, there is one question I know the President will ask immediately when I take this to her, and if you'd indulge me, I'd like to have an answer ready. But, what of the American citizens already living in the area you propose to incorporate into this Protectorate?"

"I see two options: the first is that we offer anyone who wishes to retain dual citizenship and freedom from any taxes in the Butterfly Kingdom, the second is that we offer to purchase any land they may own at a very generous rate, tax-covered by The Kingdom, of course, and cover any relocation expenses. If your government wishes to make any suggestions on that issue, do not hesitate to contact me."

With that said, the meeting concluded. There were handshakes all around, with both Secretary McArthur and Governor Williams promising to help push for Moon's plan to come to fruition in any way they could. When they had finally said their farewells and left the Mewmans on their own, Moon sealed the door with a wave of her hand and turned to face the other four royals. Smiling for the first time since leaving Castle Butterfly that morning, she sat down and motioned for the Johansens and Spiderbites to join her; she had a future to secure.

O - O - O - O - O - O – O

"Arcade?" Star said, arching her eyebrow at a now grinning Marco as they finished depositing the clothing she had bought through a small portal to her room.

"Arcade," he answered, nodding sagely.

"Let's go!" she shouted as she took off running in the direction of the arcade, artfully dodging grumbling shoppers.

"What's the rush!" he called after her, jogging so as not to bump into anyone.

Once inside Joyopolis Arcade, Marco quickly got them a couple of game cards, and they immediately got down to business. The first thing, as far as Marco was concerned, was a rematch in Dance Dance Revolution Uprising Turbo Edition. She had beaten him by a whisker the last time they were here, and today he was determined to even the score. So after making their way to the machine and selecting a song, the two had hit it with a vengeance, each one furiously dancing in sync with one another as a series of "Perfects" flashed by on both screens.

"Give it up, Diaz! You can't beat me!" Star taunted him, laughing and grinning as she twirled and stomped the floor panels.

"We'll see about that Star!"

Both continued to dance as the high-octane beat of the music blared from the machine, each one feeling an overwhelming sense of synchronicity. Beside them, a small crowd had gathered around the machine, with several people clapping and cheering the two on as they pounded out the song. It was neck and neck down the stretch with the lead changing hands multiple times until Marco ripped off a series of perfects that put him over the top just as the song ended.

"WOOHOO! I'm the winnah!" he shouted, dancing a short little jig and waving to the whooping crowd. Turning to a pouting Star, he felt the smug smile slip off his face as she grabbed his hand and yanked him deeper into the arcade.

"It's 1-1, Marco, and ties aren't allowed! I pick next game!" she shouted as they skidded to a stop in front of a fighting game cabinet. "You. Me. Immortal Kombat 13. Now," she growled.

"Bring it on Buttbutt…" he said, his voice full of undeserved confidence. 'Shit, shit, shit, I don't play fighting games much,' he thought in a panic, 'guess it's time to go with the old standby… Button mashing.'

Less than a minute later, he stood blank-faced in front of the image of his fighter being brutally disemboweled with their own femur. "Well then," he said as a self-satisfied Star danced around him.

"2-1 Me, Marco. Looks like I brought a little more than you can handle, didn't I?" she said, leaning in and taunting him with his own words. "Ya know, even Tom can't beat me at Immortal Kombat…and I'm pretty sure all he does is play video games. You never really had a chance…"

Marco could feel the superiority radiating off her like an open flame. He was having fun, but it was time to take her down a peg. After all, he had the pride of Echo Creek to defend, and these were all Earth games. It was time to remind her whose dimension she was playing in.

"DOUBLE OR NOTHING!" he shouted, pointing a finger at a nearby Guitar Legend cabinet. "Best of 5! Winner take all…" he narrowed his eyes at her as she leaned against the wall, a confident smirk on her face.

"Alright, Marco, you're on. But we gotta up the stakes. I think the winner gets to make the loser do whatever they want," said Star, a mischievous smile now playing on her lips.

"Starrr," he warned, "remember our promise."

"Anything they want, within reason," she corrected.

"Hmmm." Marco held his chin. He was deep in thought so long that Star was beginning to feel bad for proposing the bet. Finally, he nodded, a telltale smirk forming on his lips.

When they had walked over to the next game, Star's eyes lit up when she saw the guitar-shaped controllers. 'I used to love listening to Mom play the guitar on Mewni,' she thought, smiling at the happy memories of her Mother playing her to sleep when she was little. Unfortunately, it had been several years since she had heard her mother play; the war demanded most, if not all, of her time outside of meals with Star and River.

"You alright?" asked Marco, looking concerned at how her smile had evaporated seemingly out of nowhere.

"Sorry, Marco, I'm fine. It's just that my Mom used to play guitar for me when I was younger. Before the war. This game reminded me just how much I missed it, I guess." She tried her best to put on a happy face, but Marco didn't go for it.

"Star, if you don't want to play this game, I totally understand. We can go play something el-"

"No, no, let's play. Just give me a couple practice runs, I've never played this game."

Five. He gave her five songs to get used to the controls, overriding her declaration that "she was ready" after three. With a nearly unlimited wish on the line, he wanted to make it as fair as possible so there would be no doubt when he won the bet.

"Alright, I'm ready. Let's do this." Star rolled shoulders and gripped the controller, fingers poised over the buttons and strum bar. She was feeling confident; her last two runs earned quite a high score on the leaderboards for the songs she had chosen. That assurance lasted until the moment Marco stepped forward and picked up his guitar controller.

With a flick of his wrist, he launched the controller in the air before deftly catching it and spinning it like a baton. In a move she couldn't quite describe, he had dipped his head and somehow slipped his torso into the strap, so it hung at perfect hip level. Noticing her wide-eyed stare, he winked and explained, "Yeahhh, I've been playing this series since I was 8. Ready?"

"D-Definitely," she managed to stammer out as he picked out a song.

Minutes later, when the final notes had faded and the digital crowd was busy cheering Marco's Rockstar, Star found herself grumbling at a smug-looking Marco as he hung up his controller. "2-2 Star. Next game is for all the marbles."

"No, it's for one order, but never mind that," she waved dismissively. "My dear, sweet, Marco… You may have tied it up. But, my best-bestie, now is the moment of your defeat. However, I, being the merciful Princess that I am, would like to offer you the chance to surrender now or else risk being utterly embarrassed by my magnificence."

She had used her best "Princess voice," but Marco could see the barely restrained smile she was forcing down, so he merely held out his arm for her to lead the way. Following her, he felt the confidence he had been feeling drain away as soon as they stopped.

"Oh ho hoo, yeah, this is it…" she grinned wickedly, stroking the side of the machine lovingly, "talk to Mama Star, baby…"

"Star," he laughed, "please, there are children around here. Also, a punch machine game? Hardly fair."

"That sounds like quitter talk to me, Marco."

"Fine, win the easy way. All I'm saying is I ho-" but he didn't finish his sentence as three large dudes walked up to the machine, sneering as they looked Star and Marco up and down.

"You midgets mind steppin' aside so me and my bros can play?" the largest one asked, flexing slightly as made to feed the machine.

"Wow, Rude much?" said Marco and Star simultaneously as the three bullies squared off with him. He couldn't help but smile as he felt Star step next to him. She hadn't said anything else, but somehow, he knew she was tensing for a possible fight; he could just… feel it.

"You pipsqueaks should leave the grown-up toys for us. Or…" the head goon trailed off, a lascivious grin spreading across his face as he eyed Star up and down, "how about we make it interesting. One hit each; us versus you two. If we win, your cute little girlfriend here leaves with us."

"She's not my-" but Marco was cut off by Star as she crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes, "And if we win?"

"Ahahahahaha," the three bullies burst out laughing. "If you win? Babe… you're what, 100 pounds, and your little boy toy over here is what? One hundred fifty pounds soaking wet," he chuckled to himself as he reached into his pocket to pull out two large bills, "100 bucks if you win. Each."

"No than-" began Marco.

"You're on," interrupted Star, a steely look in her blue eyes.

"Once we smoke your loser boyfriend here, I'm gonna show you what a real man is like, girly," laughed the head bully. "Chad, Tyler, show 'em how it's done."

His two friends took their turns, scoring a 7850 and 7900 respectively as their leader looked on smugly. "Alright, not bad at all. Now check this out!" He drew back his fist and punched hard against the bag, knocking it up with a loud *clunk*. The numbers on the readout spun and rose, finally stopping at 8100.

"Beat that, half pint!" he pointed at Marco, who looked thoroughly unimpressed.

Marco shared a knowing look with Star, who was giving him two enthusiastic thumbs up as he took several steps back away from the machine. Crouching slightly, he sprang forward, twisting his body gracefully in a tight spin. Leaving the ground, he spun once, then twice, bringing his leg around to slam the top of his foot into the bag in a bone-jarring tornado kick. With a sharp crack, the bag rocketed back, the red numbers spinning higher and higher until the last place ticked over: 9999, a perfect score.

"WOOHOO!" screamed Star, pulling Marco in for a ferocious hug and jumping up and down.

"For the record, I'm 175 pounds, and a blackbelt." He told the now stunned-looking would-be bully after breaking the hug with Star, "and I'll be taking that two hundred bucks now."

"T-That's not fair, man… You kicked it!" said the wide-eyed bully.

"Dude, you said hit, not punch," said Marco, trying his best to suppress a grin. "But if you think I cheated, fine. Star, your turn."

Still giggling at the stupid looks on the trio's faces, she got into position and cocked her fist back. 'I feel like I should probably tie with him, buuut, naaaaah,' she thought happily as she let her fist fly. *BANG* The bag slammed upwards so hard the machine jumped several inches. It let out a strangled electronic cry, the screen displaying an error message for a moment before going blank. A small tendril of smoke rose out of the back of the machine as Star walked over and took the two hundred dollar bills from the slack fingers of the dumbstruck bully before returning to Marco, who promptly bowed to her, "You win, Star, your wish is my command."

"Hrmm," she tapped her chin as she scrunched up her cheeks, apparently in deep thought, "I'll get back to you on that one. I gotta make it something good."

"Well, you think on that, but for now, I think it's time to do something else. I'm pretty sure that's the manager, and I don't wanna find out what he's gonna do when he gets over here."

"C'mon, Marco!" shouted Star as she grabbed his hand and pulled him around a row of machines. The manager was a taller, bald, African man wearing a Hawaiian shirt and a grin so wide it looked like it hurt. Just above his breast pocket read a nametag etched with 'H. Smiley'.

"Come back here! Someone's paying for that machine!" shouted the manager as he took off after them.

Weaving through the throng of teenagers and kids, Star kept a firm grip on Marco's hand as they raced towards the exit and the rest of the mall. "Wait, maybe we should pay the guy!" shouted Marco as he let himself be pulled along.

"Do you have $650 to pay him?" she exclaimed back over her shoulder as they burst into the bright, busy mall.

"Not on me!"

"Then keep running!"

Skidding after them as he sprinted into the hallway, the manager crashed into several teens before regaining his footing and resuming the chase, "You're not getting away this time! I've had it up to here with you kids breaking my machines!"

Star wasn't entirely sure where she was running. All she knew was that they had to get away from the crazy, yet surprisingly fast, arcade manager. Laughing wildly, she gave Marco's hand a reassuring squeeze as she headed directly for the packed escalator. "Rabbit Rocket Blast!" she shouted as an explosion of pink smoke and bunnies launched her and a screaming Marco over the escalator and onto the second floor.

Landing with a thud, they took off deeper into the mall as the manager pushed and shoved his way up the escalator, his wide smile never faltering below his furious glare. "Security!" he shouted, pointing at their fleeing backs when several mall cops jogged over.

"We got company, Star!" shouted Marco, now sprinting alongside her.

Looking back at two wheezing and huffing mall cops, Star felt some of her panic subside. They could easily outrun those two, and if necessary, she had her scissors for a quick exit. But for now, the thrill of the chase was fun, and she fully intended to enjoy a little action with her best bestie. "Faster, Marco, faster!" she exhorted, "I've seen Terror slugs move faster than these guys!"

Turning the corner, Marco spotted the glimmering marquee of the Echo Creek Megaplex and pulled Star into the lobby just as the huffing and puffing security guards rounded the corner. Running up to the counter, he found himself momentarily dumbstruck as he came face to face with a grinning Oskar.

"Sup," the fanged teenager nodded at the pair of panting fugitives.

"A vampire!" Star shouted, her hand already halfway into her purse to grab her wand, before Marco stopped her.

"Easy there, Star. Oskar's just got unusual taste in dental accessories. They aren't real."

"Yeah, see?" Oskar pulled his lip up to display where the prosthetic attached to his real teeth, "Bram Stoker's my favorite author. Soon as I moved out, I got these babies with my first gig check."

"Hey, Oskar. Can we get two tickets for literally anything that's starting now, please?"

"Hmm," said Oskar as he brushed the hair out of his eyes and checked the show times on the board behind him. "Blue-Eyed Girl started five minutes ago. It's probably still previews right now, so if you hurry, you won't miss the beginning."

"Sure, yeah, whatever," said Macro as he slapped $20 on the counter.

"Good Choice, Man," Oskar nodded approvingly, "you and your girlfriend are going to love it!"

But Marco was only half-listening as he checked the lobby to make sure there were no waiting security guards inside. Taking the tickets from Oskar, he barely noticed his innuendo-laden, "Have fun," as he and Star jogged over to the ticket taker and slipped into the darkness and safety of the theater.

Once they took their seats at the back, Marco felt himself finally begin to relax. It was unlikely that any of the mall cops would poke their heads into the various screenings to check for them, and they could just use Star's scissors to portal home once it was over.

"Hope they don't ban us from the mall for this," he whispered to Star as she settled into the seat right next to his.

"Pfft, I'll just have my dad pay for the damage. He used to do that all the time on Mewni."

"What!" Marco whisper-yelled at her, "you mean we could have just had your dad pay for it instead of running for our lives from the arcade?"

"Uhhh, yeah. But that wouldn't have been as fun," she giggled.

'She has a point…' he thought, for once he and Star had made it out of the arcade and she had rocketed them to the second floor with a spell, he'd been laughing and grinning ear to ear until they had skidded into the movie theater. It surprised him that he'd been anything other than a nervous wreck at the thought of fleeing from an authority figure. 'Guess I really am changing my outlook,' he smiled to himself.

"Alright, alright, I did have fun… But let's make sure we pay that guy for the damage. I don't want to be banned from the only good arcade in the city."

"Relaaax, buddy, I'll take care of it," she assured him, "now let's just enjoy the movie. What's it about anyway?"

"No idea, I think I remember my Mom telling my Dad she wanted him to take her to it though," he said as he looked around the theater. It couldn't have been more than a third full, but the only people he saw in the theater were paired off, and most of them seemed to be cuddled up against one another… The realization struck him like a thunderbolt. 'Oh crap. This is a romantic movie…' he thought, feeling a hot flush instantly crept up his neck. As stealthily as he could, he snuck a glance at Star's face to see if she had caught on as well, but thankfully she seemed blissfully unaware so far.

Despite not showing it, Star had come to the same conclusion as she looked around at all the happy couples sharing kisses and snuggles as the previews wound down. She could feel herself starting to sweat from nerves as her elbow brushed his on the armrest. 'Okay, Star, it's just a romantic movie, you can do this girl. Just sit back, keep your eyes on the screen and off his beautiful face, and we'll be just fine,' she thought, taking a deep breath to steady herself.

With that awkward thought, the previews finished, and the movie started. The first twenty minutes were innocent enough, with the pretty lead actress playing a successful fashion designer in New York City. Things took a turn for the awkward, however, when she came home to her apartment to catch her fiancé in bed with another woman. The scene was an uncomfortable one for both of them, and they exchanged a series of brief guilty looks as the lead actress spent the next twenty minutes commiserating with friends and trying to forget her failed relationship.

Star couldn't help it. It was like a reflex action. Something she did without thinking…like breathing. But looking down after the lead actress and her love interest had shared a romantic first meeting, she saw that her hand had somehow found its way into Marco's. 'When did that happen?' she thought, her heart fluttering at the contact. His touch carried her mind back to the other night. To their feel of his body, the softness of his lips against hers, and she marveled at just how perfectly his warm hand fit in her own.

When Marco made no move to pull his hand away, she felt herself relax, reveling in the warmth and comfort of just being close to him. With Tom, she was always slightly on edge. Always waiting for the next thing that may set off his fragile temper. But Marco, despite his sometimes-slavish devotion to rules and order, always made her feel safe and welcome, even in the direst of circumstances. She could feel her resolve to adhere to their promise to one another slowly crumbling by the minute as she continued to hold his hand.

This pleasant state of affairs continued, with Star becoming increasingly comfortable as the movie rolled by. Slowly and carefully, she inched closer until their shoulders grazed one another every time they moved. 'Just me and my best bestie cuddling during a movie… Nothing wrong with that at all. Not like we're kissing or anything…' she rationalized. It was a good thought; a reassuring thought, and it easily overpowered all objections to the contrary. Smiling contentedly to herself, she could hardly believe her own boldness when she tipped her head and laid it on his shoulder.

Marco had stiffened slightly when he felt the weight of her on his shoulder, before relaxing and scooching just a little closer. He hadn't pulled his hand away when she laid hers in his because the tingles of pleasure her touch elicited seemed innocent enough. 'After all, friends can hold hands, right?' he had thought. Now, twenty minutes later, he felt like he was melting into his seat as he relished in the feel of her body leaning against his and the sweet smell of her hair in his nose. They mixed in his brain, swirling and caressing him, a wave of pleasure that washed from head to toe to drive away any objections his more rational brain might have had.

"Comfortable?" he whispered.

"Mhm, very," she whispered back.

"Good."

They stayed like that for the remainder of the movie, each one silently enjoying their shared comfort and intimacy. When it finally ended, Star reluctantly sat up and stretched. Turning to Marco and giving him a wide smile, "Ready for my awesome sleepover?"

To her surprise, Marco looked slightly apprehensive as he answered her, "Yeahhh, sorta…"

"What do you mean! I talked to Penelope today, and she apologized for last night. I think she's really trying to be nicer to me. I want a do-over for last night, Marco. I can't have my best bestie, his girlfriend, and my boyfriend all at each other's throats all the time. We gotta figure this out!"

Marco just rolled his eyes before nodding to her. "You're right, you're right, I know. I promise to be nice to Tom tonight as long as he is. I'll even cut him a little slack because he's a demon, okay?"

"Spoken like a true gentleman and best bestie," she laughed, "now c'mon! It's party time!"

Whipping her scissors out of her purse, she cut a swirling portal for the two to step through. As he moved to follow her, he couldn't shake the thought that he had a bad feeling about tonight's festivities.

O - O - O - O - O - O – O

After a quick stop at Marco's house to pick up a few things he'd need for the sleepover, the two stepped out of the portal and into the grand entranceway of Butterfly Castle. It had been over a week since he was last actually in the castle, and he was glad to see they had managed to get the scorch marks off the marble from that time Star had tried to make a "Kitty-Glitter-Heartboard," for Jackie. The moment she had stepped on it, the damn thing had shot out from under her so fast it left a trail of fire on the marble.

"Took you guys long enough…" Janna's voice broke him out of his remembrance, and he turned to see the smirking girl, along with a much-improved-looking Jackie, waving to them from the door to the dining room.

"Janna! Jackie!" shouted Star as she bounded over to wrap both girls in a tight hug.

"Hey, guys," Marco waved before jogging over to give Jackie a light hug of his own. "So good to see you out of that hospital bed. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, dude, I've taken nastier spills on my board, but check this out." Jackie turned her head and lifted a section of her hair to reveal a nasty red line along her scalp held neatly closed with eight neat stitches. "Pretty rad, right?"

"Yeah… not the word I'd use for it," said Marco, eyeing the raw-looking wound.

"Chicks dig scars, man." Jackie winked.

"You keep saying that," he laughed.

"I'd like to keep my Marco beautiful and unscarred, thank you very much," came the sudden voice of Penelope from the top of the stairs. Grinning, she hurried down the steps as fast as she could to wrap him in a tight hug. "Missed you so much," she whispered in his ear before kissing him softly.

"Geeze, get a room," Jana mimed a gag as she turned away. "Star, I did a little more research after that awesome pizza party last night. Sad to say, no luck yet on finding out who our little demon pal could be."

*Pfft* "I wouldn't worry about it. We sent that creep packing back to the underworld with that sweet combo spell," scoffed Star, watching Marco and Penelope out of the corner of her eye.

"Even still, that asshole caused us all enough grief. If I ever find out his name, he's going to find out that it's not just the Underworld that's unpleasant," growled Janna.

"I still owe that jerk for these stitches," added Jackie, as all three girls broke out in a fit of giggles.

"So, Star, what's on the agenda for tonight?" asked Jackie after they had all finished laughing.

"One word, Janna, Fun!" Star yelled, just as the bright orange glare of Tom's fire column lit the front windows.

"Looks like Captain Asshole is here," whispered Penelope into a chuckling Marco's ear.

As a group, they all exited the castle doors to see a black carriage pulled by a single skeletal horse settling gently back onto its wheels as the gout of flame that had carried it up from the underworld died away.

"So fucking cool…" Marco turned his head at those words to see a wide-eyed Janna grinning ear to ear. He shared a quick, knowing glance with Jackie, who had also apparently heard her. Janna so rarely showed interest in anything that it never failed to surprise Marco when she did.

"Yeah…Tom always does like a flashy entrance…" said Star, looking distinctly uncomfortable now as they all watched the carriage door burst open.

However, instead of a grumpy teenage demon, a disembodied blue unicorn head, complete with flowing pink mane, floated out of the door. "Hellooo party people! Who's ready to get wild!"

"Flying Princess Pony Head!" squealed Star, running forward and throwing her arms around the floating equine head and squeezing so hard Marco thought the creature's eyes were going to pop out of her sockets.

"B-Fly! Ohmygosh, it's sooo good to see you again! How's this B-list dimension treating you, girl?"

"Pony Head!" called Penelope as she joined the pair and hugged the newcomer tight.

For their part, Marco and Jackie stood there, shocked at the display. Marco could only guess this was the very same Pony Head that was supposed to be trapped on Mewni. Star had mentioned her several times in their time together, but he had never really understood exactly what she meant by the name. He couldn't even begin to fathom how Pony Head got around, let alone breathed and ate. It took a hard nudge in the ribs from Janna to break him out of his shock-induced stupor. "C'mon, Marco, haven't you ever seen a floating unicorn head before? Jeez, I thought you were cool with all this weird Mewni stuff."

Faking a cough into his wrist to buy him some more time to come to grips with the unnatural sight in front of him, he responded, "I am, I am, …just caught me off guard is all." Shuddering lightly, he started walking over to the happy group just as his least favorite person stepped from the black carriage.

"Hey, Star, hope you don't mind me bringing a plus one to the sleepover," said Tom, smiling as he pulled off his sunglasses.

"Tom, this was so sweet of you! Thank you so much!" She pulled him into a bone-crushing hug as she planted several kisses on his cheek.

"I wanted to do something nice for your sleepover. I feel like I kinda owed you after how I acted last night. I was kind of-"

"An asshole?" finished Penelope for him, a smirk on her face at the demon's apparent contrition.

Blowing out a breath as if he was barely holding back a scathing retort for the Spiderbite Princess, Tom merely nodded, "Yeah, an asshole… Anyways… I'm sorry."

"Well, thank you, I appreciate the apology," grinned Star as she took his hand in hers, as the trio of Earth teens joined the circle. Marco's eyes found Penelope's, and together they both seemed to come to the same silent conclusion that while Tom may have been sorry to Star over his behavior the night before, no such apology was going to be offered to either of them.

"Yeah, girl, like, you should have seen him beg on the mirror," laughed Ponyhead, "'Oh Pony Head, I really think I screwed up this time. Please let me bring you to Earth as a surprise for Star.' Of course, you know me, always looking out for my bestie, so of course I had to come to see you and show your other friends how to really party it up."

Tom blushed at Pony Head's words, mumbling something that sounded an awful lot like "I didn't beg," but nobody seemed to be paying any attention at this point. Star had just released his hand and pulled Marco over into the center of the group.

"Pony Head, let me introduce you to Marco Diaz. He's been my guide on earth for the past few weeks and is also my best friend!" Marco felt almost embarrassed at how widely Star was smiling as she pumped Marco's hand up and down enthusiastically.

"Hi, Pony Head," he said, feeling distinctly awkward as Penelope glared at an oblivious Star and Tom narrowed his eyes at him.

Pony Head seemed to let Star's mention of "best friend" go unchallenged, though when she greeted him with a half-hearted, "Hey," there was a distinctly cold edge to her voice.

Stepping forward, Penelope took Marco's other hand and pulled him closer to her. "He's also my boyfriend Pony Head. So, try to be nice? For me?" Marco gave an unsure, yet genuine smile, hoping it would abate some of the rapidly thickening tension between the four.

Pony Head blew out a cloud of pink glitter before nodding, "Alright, fine. If both my besties think he's a cool guy, then… I guess he's a cool guy." This time Pony Head seemed to warm up to him slightly as she smiled at a still nervous Marco.

The group spent the next fifteen minutes in the courtyard introducing everyone, with Penelope, Star, and Pony Head catching up on the events of the past four months. After his initial burst of remorse, Tom seemed to quickly revert to his normal, gruff manner, while Jackie and Janna mostly spoke with each other over the fate of the demon. Marco played the dutiful boyfriend, standing next to Penelope as she shared in the animated conversation. 'At least she isn't at Star's throat, so that's an improvement,' he thought, feeling relieved that things hadn't devolved into chaos as quickly as last night.

The group was so engrossed in their various conversations that none of them seemed to notice the stealthy approach of Manfred, who announced his presence with the tinkle of a small bell he held in his hand. "Your Highness, ladies and gentlemen, dinner is now being served in the Great Hall. If you will all just follow me, King River is most enthusiastic to begin."

Ten minutes later, Marco found himself next to Penelope at the head of the table, chatting with King River about his Tang Soo Do as they happily dug into a delicious corn-based dinner. Between them on the table, something that vaguely resembled a four-legged roast turkey sat. Marco couldn't remember the name of the creature, but found that it was delicious.

Across from him, Star was listening intently, nodding when he recalled particularly interesting tidbits from tournaments he had won as Tom looked on, unimpressed. Next to Penelope sat Reynard and Amanda, who had met them in the dining hall for dinner before promptly being strong-armed by Star into participating in the evening's festivities with the group. Marco felt relieved that he would have another guy to talk to besides Tom, who was decidedly ignoring him up until this point. It was probably for the best, as their last exchange of words had almost resulted in Panucci's pizza being destroyed. Further down the table, Janna and Jackie were quizzing a thoroughly entranced-looking Amanda about Reynard, who seemed not to mind being completely embarrassed by his girlfriend in the slightest.

"So you're telling me that you enter these 'Karate Tournaments' for fun? And you've won how many? Five?" asked King River, his smile growing wider by the second as Marco continued to explain his martial art. From what he could gather, it was an entirely new form of combat previously unknown to mewmans, and it excited him immensely.

"Six, actually. But really, King River, it's not about winning or losing. It's about competing and testing yourself. The journey is the reward, not the result."

"As all warriors must do in the heat of battle!" shouted River, suddenly reaching over and clapping Marco on the shoulder so hard, he almost faceplanted into the table. "I knew you were the correct choice for my Daughter. She needs a steady hand, you see. It's that fiery Johansen blood in her."

"Uhhh," Marco began, before shutting up. Star's face seemed to be burning with embarrassment at her Father's words, and he could feel Penelope's eyes on him; so wisely, he decided that silence was the best answer, as anything he said in that moment could likely lead to some kind of argument between the two Princesses. Instead, he reached under the table and took his girlfriend's hand to give it a reassuring squeeze, which seemed to relieve the tension in her body.

Standing and clinking his glass loudly, River cleared his throat and spoke up, "I'd like to take this moment to thank all of you for coming to the castle this evening to share in a night of frivolity and fun! To that end, I've prepared a special surprise for after dinner, but first!" he clapped his hands and two servants wheeled out a giant oak cask on a cart, "a cask of the best ale on Mewni: Johansen Special Reserve!"

Marco had no idea what kind of beer this was, but it must have been good, judging from the impressed looks on everyone's faces from Mewni. "Marco, this is literally the best ale on Mewni. He wasn't kidding," came the excited voice of Penelope from his right as a large, foamy tankard of ale was placed in front of him. Carefully, he picked it up and took a sip, finding the taste very pleasant and light. Tipping the mug back farther, he drew a large sip, nodding his head in appreciation as he put it down.

"Good, right?" asked Penelope as she put her own mug down. "And that's just the first of many… pleasant surprises for you tonight, Marco," she purred into his ear as she squeezed his thigh under the table.

Starting at her brazen touch, he nearly spat up the mouthful of ale he had just swallowed as he felt her fingers grazing his inner thigh, high up on his jeans. "G-Great. *Cough* It's great, Penelope." Blushing madly now, he reached back under the table to put a hand on hers before she could get any further up his leg. A quick glance in his girlfriend's hungry eyes told him he was in for it tonight if he wasn't careful.

"So, Mango. You ever drink before? I know Earth doesn't let children drink until they're what, twenty-one? What kind of stupid, baby dimension is this anyway?" laughed Tom as he finished his first mug and signaled for another.

"Call him Mango again, Tom…I fucking dare you. It's Marco, and if you don't start showing my friend some goddamn respect, I might do the same thing to you as I did to that demon yesterday. Got it?" Janna said, a note of anger Marco had never heard before edging her voice. Where the sudden hostility for Tom had come from, he couldn't fathom, but he found himself somewhat relieved to avoid having to correct the demon himself.

"Oooooo," Pony Head said, eagerly looking between the two teens as the tension at the table skyrocketed and all other conversations ceased.

Marco could feel his heart breaking slightly as his and Star's eyes met. He knew she had extended the olive branch once more in an effort to finally get them to get along, and things were already starting to fray. She looked close to tears; her plan to bring them together was falling apart less than an hour after they had arrived. 'I can't let this devolve into another fight like last night… Someone almost got really hurt,' he thought, racking his brain for a way to calm everyone down.

Just as Tom opened his mouth, no doubt to hurl an angry retort at Janna, Marco jumped in to try to defuse the situation before it could escalate any further, "It is Marco, Tom. I know you know my name, so I'd appreciate just a little respect tonight, okay? Star worked really hard to bring us all together to work through our differences, so let's try to be just a little nicer to each other. Okay?"

Star smiled and mouthed a silent, "Thank you" to him as she felt Tom relax slightly. She had known he would be the unpredictable factor tonight, but was still annoyed at his behavior. "Tom, remember what we talked about yesterday? Can you please try to be chill? For me?" she whispered in his ear as he grumbled an unintelligible reply before nodding.

O - O - O - O - O - O - O

It was after eight by the time dinner had ended and the servants had cleared everything but the drinks away. Marco was pleasantly full and was feeling the ale creeping through his veins to leave him contented and warm. Thankfully, after Tom and Janna's little spat, the rest of dinner had proceeded smoothly, and now they found themselves being led by Star and River into a side room off the massive Great Hall.

Inside, there were seats lining two of the walls, with a large open space in the center on which a massive pink pad lay. At the far end, a small podium stood on a low stage, flanked on either side by what looked like speakers.

Walking out to the center of the room, River and Star turned to the dumbstruck group as River cleared his throat, "Now that we have feasted and reveled, I think it only fitting that we kick off the first inauguralevent of the evening to satiate the bloodlust my daughter has been raving about in your little group," he began with a knowing smile.

"Friendship Tournament!" Star announced excitedly, waving her wand to summon a large leaderboard with a blast of pink light.

"Quite right! Sweetheart," laughed River. "Now the rules are simple: we pair off and battle each other. No magic to keep it fair for our Earth friends, and the two people fighting decide by which means the contest will be decided!"

"I'm out," said Penelope, rolling her eyes as she walked to the chairs and took a seat, "but if you want to beat each other senseless in some dumb tournament, I'm more than happy to watch."

Jackie looked apologetic as she went over to sit next to Penelope, "Afraid I'll have to sit this one out too, dudes… There's only so much head trauma a girl should endure in a week, and I'm way over my quota."

"I'm full as a tick, y'all. Plus, I ain't never been much of a fighter, just don't have a violent bone in my body," chimed in Amanda as she hurried over to sit with the two girls.

Marco looked over at a dejected River staring sadly at an empty tournament bracket. 'I can't believe I'm doing this…' he thought to himself before stepping forward, "I'm in, King River."

"Excellent, Marco, there's that spirit of adventure I sensed in you two years ago!" said Reynard, stepping forward next to Marco and nodding to the King. "I'm in too. It's been a couple of weeks since I've been able to swing a sword at anything other than a training dummy. It will be good to get my blood pumping again."

"Me too," said Janna, smirking at Marco as she stepped forward. "You said we pick how we can battle, right? This is gonna be awesome," she laughed.

Marco felt a distinct feeling of unease settle over him at the thought of what Janna might have planned for whomever she faced. "Are you sure, Janna? You don't really know any self-defense against, you know, actual living creatures."

"Don't worry about me, Diaz, I can handle myself here." Tom just smirked as he stepped forward, "A chance to beat you down, Diaz? Oh, I am so in. You guys are going to get fucking destroyed." He cracked his knuckles threateningly, glaring at a frowning Marco.

"Now, now, Tom. I think our Earth hosts may surprise you," chided River as he turned to the last member of the party. "Lilacia? Shouldn't you be on Mewni? Does King Pony Head know you are here?" he asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at a now sweating Pony Head.

"Oh, um, as it were…" Pony Head mumbled, thinking quickly to try to come up with an answer.

"He did, Dad! King Pony Head also told Tom to send you his best wishes. But in all the excitement at dinner, he must have forgotten," said Star, jumping in to bail out her friend as she stood on Tom's foot.

"Ouch, Star. What the-" he began before catching on, "oh yeah, sorry about that, King River. I, uh, forgot to tell you that."

"Hrmm, well, Lilacia, in that case, will you be participating in the tournament? Nothing like a good scrap with your friends after not seeing them for months, I always say!"

"Umm, I'd really like to… But like," she glanced around the room nervously, mind working quickly, "I have this, um, really important date tomorrow, and if I show up with a black eye, there's no way I'm getting a second one, so I'll pass this time."

"Suit yourself. Now, counting Star and me, that makes six of us. So, Star, if you would help us get the festivities started!"

Nodding, Star waved her wand and the bracket lit up. It sparkled and whirred as their names spun until they settled to reveal the final pairings. "Excellent, now make way for the first match!" shouted River excitedly, as he hustled everyone off the mat and over to the chairs.

"I was hoping it would be Diaz I'd get to crush tonight," snarled Tom as he took his place on the mat, "but I'll settle for you."

"Funny, I was hoping I'd face you first, Demon Boy. I think someone needs to knock your ego down a few pegs," an unruffled-looking Janna answered as she dug around in her pocket for something. "So a one-on-one fight then?"

"Hahahahaha," Tom almost fell over, he was laughing so hard. Gasping for breath, he wiped away a tear from his eyes. "Janna, was it? Sure, why not? You were almost as annoying as Mango last night, so let's just get this over with, okay?" he answered in an amused chuckle. This was going to be fun.

"Don't count your souls before you collect them, Lucitor…" she said, as Tom eyed her with murderous intent.

"Begin!" shouted River from the sidelines.

Tom let out a loud cry and sprinted forward, his feet leaving a trail of fire as he closed the distance between himself and Janna in an instant. Marco was sure it was over, that Tom would simply land a punch that knocked the raven-haired girl out in a single blow, but what happened next seemed to defy all explanation. Just as Tom reached Janna, his fist cocked back in a punch that would have taken her head off, she held up a small red crystal and shouted "Somnum!"

A blinding burst of scarlet and a muffled thud were all Marco could see and hear as his eyes swam with spots. Rubbing his eyes until his vision cleared, he was shocked to see a snoring Tom lying in a heap at Janna's feet as the smug girl pocketed the crystal. Levering his Jaw shut, he simply stared in wide-eyed amazement as Janna was nearly tackled off her feet by a raucous Jackie and Penelope as they shouted themselves hoarse. Even Pony Head was smiling, happy to see the cocky demon Prince knocked off his perch.

"Janna, that was amazing!" Jackie said, hugging her as the crowd shouted with glee.

"So nice finally seeing that demonic dick get put in his place!" shouted Penelope.

"H-How…" Star and Marco said simultaneously, both too stunned to move. Meeting her eyes, Marco just shrugged at her inquisitive look before running over to the group.

"Unfortunately, Janna, you used magic, so I will have to disqualify you. But I have to admit," River chuckled as he shook her hand, "that was certainly very impressive."

Janna simply shrugged, "No big deal I wanted was to teach Tom here a lesson anyways. I would have dropped out even if you didn't disqualify me."

"Cheeky girl," laughed River before walking over to Reynard.

Running over to check on Tom, Star couldn't help but be impressed with Janna as she examined her handiwork. He didn't have a single scratch on him, but when she tried to rouse him with a light slap on the cheek, he merely muttered something in his sleep as a line of drool slipped between his lips. "Tom, wake up. It's Star," she said, shaking him harder.

"He's going to be out for probably half an hour or so, but he'll be fine otherwise," came the calm voice of Janna as she walked over to Star. "You know, he's actually kind of cute when he isn't running his mouth."

"Yeah…" but Star was only half listening. Her eyes kept flitting to the tournament bracket where her own name lay paired with the last person in the room she wanted to fight, Marco Diaz. She had found herself struggling today with their promise to one another; first, this morning in Marco's bathroom, where his hands had nearly driven her wild with desire as he cleaned up her wings, and then in the movies, where their prolonged contact had made her feel so safe and loved she could scarcely believe it. Now she was faced with the prospect of having to fight him, and it made her skin crawl with nerves.

"Here, let me help you with Sleeping Beauty," offered Janna, kneeling to pick up Tom's legs as the two carried him to a chair by the entrance. Setting him down to continue his involuntary nap, Janna waited for Star to walk back to the group before pulling a Sharpie out of her pocket and doodling a pencil-thin, curly mustache on his upper lip.

Marco laughed when he finally caught up with Janna as she rejoined the group. "Nice moustache work, Janna. Can't wait till he notices; Five bucks say he blames me."

"A douchey moustache to match the rest of him felt like the right move there. And you're on Diaz, though five bucks on him not noticing all night."

"Deal," Marco grinned as they shook hands.

The group took several minutes to refill their mugs as River and Reynard stepped into the center of the room, each now clutching a wooden sword. They had decided on a duel of swords, and Marco was keenly interested in seeing the outcome of this fight. He knew he could give Reynard a run for his money with a sword on a good day, so to see how he held up against the King would be an excellent yardstick of his own abilities.

Looking over at Star, who was busy laughing at something Pony Head had said to her, he nervously looked up at the tournament bracket, seeing his name right next to hers. Just over two weeks… It was but a few grains of sand through the hourglass of his life of over sixteen years, but to Marco, they were everything. He had been tossed upon a stormy sea of adventure with Star's arrival into his life, a life he wouldn't trade for anything now that he had lived it.

'Can I really fight Star?' he thought, feeling a knot of anxiety forming in the pit of his stomach. She was his best friend, his charge as her guide, and, if he was honest with himself, the girl of his dreams. Could he really bring himself to cause her any pain, even if they had both volunteered to fight? Standing there, among his happy friends, he wasn't so sure… Doing his best to push those tumultuous thoughts out of his mind, he turned to an equally nervous-looking Amanda and gave her a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, Amanda, Reynard is great with the sword; he'll be fine," Marco said as the two began to circle one another, their swords at the ready. "How'd you meet him anyway?"

"Reynard? Oh, I work downtown at The Daily Grind. He'd been coming in a couple times a week, and I'd always catch him smiling at me when I brought his coffee over. So I thought to myself, I thought, Amanda, 'can't never could.' So I marched right on over and asked him out." "That's adorable," added Penelope as she sidled up to them, slipping her fingers between Marco's and kissing him on the cheek, "I actually made the first move with Marco as well."

"And I reckon you two are one of the cutest couples I ever seen, " smiled Amanda just as the first *clack* of sword clashing rang out.

River and Reynard were going hard in their duel. Wooden longswords slashed and flew as they each attempted to take advantage of perceived openings in each other's defenses. Several times, Marco thought Reynard had River dead to rights as he backed the shorter but stockier King up against the wall, but every time, River would slip away, dodging and ducking under Reynard's determined blows to circle back around.

He cheered along with everyone else, making sure that Reynard got the majority of his support as the younger Butterfly deftly parried a sustained push from the King. Whirling in a flash of blue, Reynard clipped the king's shoulder with his sword, eliciting a pained grunt from the boulder-like King before jumping back out of the way of his counterattack. "Got to hand it to you, River," panted Reynard as he continued to press his momentary advantage, "you haven't lost a step at all!"

River raised the hilt of his blade and blocked a powerful strike from Reynard with little more than a grunt. Turning it aside, he followed through, sweeping his sword low to try to catch the younger royal's feet, but Reynard was ready and vaulted back several paces, the two eyeing each other with burning determination. "And you're even better than the last time we sparred, dear boy!" called back River as he blocked Reynard's powerful strikes one after another. "But do continue trying, you know how much I love a good challenge, ha!"

Sensing an opening, River ducked around a downward slash and rammed his shoulder into Reynard so hard that the crowd could hear an audible *oof* as the younger Butterfly stumbled back. Pushing his advantage, River rushed him and brought his sword around in a powerful chop aimed squarely for Reynard's ribs.

Reynard had a split second to react and parried the powerful strike away from his body enough to just barely graze his midsection. Capitalizing on the momentary opening as the momentum of River's swing carried his sword away from him, he turned on the ball of his foot, pivoting around River in a blur. As strong as the old man was, he hadn't a chance against the Viscount's speed, and when Reynard brought his own blade around to follow in an arc poised to strike, he knew it was all over.

Marco knew it an instant before it happened. His trained eye as a martial artist and his experience with the sword tipped him off to what River had planned. In the blink of an eye, as a laughing Reynard swept his blade up to try and catch River in the back of the neck, the King slipped under the blow, deftly smacking Reynard's wrists with his blade. With a yelp of pain, the sword went flying, and River spun, bringing his wooden sword around to crash into Reynard's back to send him stumbling to crash into the chairs in a heap of broken wood.

The room exploded into cheers as the fight ended, River walking over and helping a groaning Reynard to his feet as he dusted himself off. "Well fought, Reynard. A few more years of practice, and I believe you'll have me beat!"

"We'll see about that River," laughed Reynard, accepting a kiss from Amanda and a fresh tankard of ale from Marco as he walked over to congratulate the King.

After a round of handshakes, Marco excused himself with Reynard. Stepping out into the hallway, he quickly shed his shoes, socks, and jeans before he began rooting around in his bag for his karate gi pants. He could fight in a t-shirt, but skinny jeans were way too restrictive to properly kick in. "Hey, you okay, Marco?" asked a concerned-sounding Reynard.

"Me, okay? Why wouldn't I be okay?" he asked as he pulled up his white pants.

"Because your hands are shaking, quite the obvious sigh, really," pointed out Reynard.

Clenching his fists tightly, Marco swallowed hard as his friend and mentor smiled at him. "I… I'm just a little worried, is all. I don't want to hurt my best friend in some stupid, uh… She means a lot to me." Looking up, he saw Reynard's piercing blue eyes meet his own chocolate ones as a sly smile crept across the royal's face.

"Marco, I think there's more to it than that. Did you and Star…" Reynard never finished his question; he didn't have to. Marco knew exactly what he was implying and had given him the truth with his traitorous eyes.

He took a deep breath, resigned to give the answer he had been burning so desperately to share with someone since yesterday morning."Yeah… The other night after I left our double date at the tavern. And no it wasn't that bad Reynard," he said, reading the grin on his mentor's face, "we just made out and spent the night in my bed. No clothes came off. She took me out to cheer me up, and it just kind of happened after a night at the Bounce Lounge. I know it was stupid, Reynard, and I know I have Penny… but there's something about Star. I knew it the moment I first laid eyes on her two years ago. Being around her just feels…right. Ya know?" he quickly explained, still feeling a burning wave of guilt and shame climbing the back of his neck.

"It's not stupid, Marco… Quite the opposite in fact." When he didn't look any more cheerful, Reynard continued. "Did you know that for the two years I trained you before your appointment as Star's guide, there wasn't a week that went by when she didn't ask after you? She was constantly pestering me to tell her more about that 'cute boy in red' I was training so diligently. She's been fascinated with Earth from the day she spent rampaging around Echo Creek. I'm assuming she told you she cares about you much more than merely a friend?" He arched an eyebrow and smiled widely when Marco nodded slowly. "Look, I'm not going to applaud you for going behind Penelope's back with another woman. Corn knows I've done the same thing more than once… but what matters next is what you do with these feelings."

"Well, I-" Marco started to say before cocking his head at a smiling Reynard, "what do you mean you've done the same thing more than once?"

"Let's just say I had a bit of a reputation as quite the rake on Mewni. Many a young courtly maid and mistress caught my eye back then, and I'm a little ashamed to admit that I sampled many delicate flowers in my day, Marco."

"Reynard, you're like four years older than me, not forty…" said Marco, feeling a small smile tugging at his lips despite the maelstrom of feelings swirling in his chest.

"One can do a lot in four years. Ask Toffee if you don't believe me…" Reynard's face darkened momentarily at the mention of the hated monster leader, but almost immediately, he seemed to push it aside as he fixed Marco once more with a piercing look. "So tell me, what do you plan to do with our fair Princess Star?"

"Aside from kicking her butt in this fight?" he grinned, trying to break the overwhelming tension. "We've already sat down and talked about it, and we've decided to hold off on acting on our feelings for now, or until things are less… complicated." He couldn't quite read the look on Reynard's face; was it…disbelief? No, maybe more cautionary?

"Hrm, very well then. In that case, I have two pieces of advice for you. The first is to be careful. You're walking a very fine line here between friendship and love. Feelings this strong don't like to be caged, and I daresay you both will be struggling to keep your 'promise' sooner rather than later. The second, and I think more important piece, is to follow your heart. Penelope is a fine girl and a worthy match for you. But you and Star share something much deeper, much stronger if you ask me. Now, c'mon. We have a tournament for you to win."

Rarely had Reynard ever looked this serious around Marco. In fact, the only times he had ever seemed this intense were during the private and vulnerable moments he had opened up about his murdered family on Mewni, and it gave Marco pause. 'If you only knew the half of it,' thought Marco, laughing to himself in his head as he recalled Star's maddening closeness during the movie, and the feel of delicate wings under his fingertips that morning. Pushing those tantalizing images out of his head, he nodded to Reynard, "Alright, sounds good. Let's go."

Following Reynard, Marco felt the eyes of everyone in the room on him as he walked out onto the mat. A quick glance over at the spectators showed Jackie throwing two thumbs up, while Penelope blew him a good luck kiss. Janna, always a pillar of support for him, was miming a hanging gesture, her tongue lolling out comically, and Pony Head merely frowned at him as he stopped about five feet from Star.

"Sooo, how do you want to do this? Rock, Paper, Scissors?" asked Marco, his nerves still on edge as he looked at her.

She giggled at his words, the sound of it feeling like soothing music to his jangled nerves. "That would be great, but I kindaaa think they expect a fight."

"Kick his ass, B-Fly! Show this Earth Turd how we do things on Mewni!" Pony Head shouted.

"She actually really likes you. She just gets a little protective of me," whispered Star during a lull in the cheering.

"I think the jury's still out on that… So you ready? No pressure, and no hard feelings, right? No matter who wins. Let's just try to have fun, okay?"

Star's face burned scarlet at his words. 'Marcoooo, why do you always have to be so damn adorable all the time?' she thought as she nodded to him. "I always have fun with you, Marco. So let's give them a show they won't forget!" she said as she balled her fists and crouched slightly.

[Stan Bush – Fight to Survive for epic music accompaniment]

Bowing to his opponent, he dropped into a forward stance and readied himself for Star's inevitable charge when a sudden burst of music kicked in. A drum machine backing up a rollicking and bouncing '80s synthesizer riff blared from the large speakers on either side of the stage, and he couldn't help but smile to himself as he recognized the song instantly from Bloodsport. It was one of his favorite movies, and he played the song frequently while working on his kata at home or in the dojo with Sensei Brantley. Snapping his head to the side to look at the podium, he saw a mischievous-looking Janna, holding her smartphone and laughing.

"You should really secure your magical WiFi network, King River, otherwise anyone could use it! Now, who thinks this fight definitely needs a soundtrack?" she shouted to the cheering group. It was classic Janna, and Marco reminded himself to thank the perpetual prankster for the music later. It was a perfect way to cut the tension he felt at having to fight Star, and he could feel himself relaxing as he turned his attention back to her.

"Begin!" shouted River over the driving music.

Bounding forward, Star threw a straight punch directly at Marco's face, which he blocked with a sweep of his forearm before stepping back quickly. Not wanting to let him catch his breath, she followed up with a series of rapid-fire jabs and powerful hooks, each of which was deflected before she spun to deliver a turning kick aimed directly at his side, which found only air as he spun away. "Nice moves, you gonna fight me anytime soon?" she asked, smiling as she charged him down.

The crowd was screaming now as Marco continued to give ground to Star as she unleashed another unpredictable combo of hard punches. His forearms were aching slightly from the impact of her strong fists as he blocked and dodged each increasingly hard blow. 'Good, she's getting frustrated. That's when mistakes happen,' he thought, mentally timing her blows in his head as he waited for his opening. It came after a Star threw a powerful straight right that Marco barely managed to dodge. Stepping inside her reach, he felt a charge run through him as their bodies came together tightly, right before he turned to throw her in a textbook hip toss. Landing on her butt with an unceremonious *Whump*, she quickly rolled to her feet to face a smirking Marco.

"Nice move, Babe! Give it to her!" shouted Penelope as she jumped up and down.

"Show him your Johansen spirit, Sweetheart!" called King River as he clinked mugs with a thoroughly overexcited Reynard.

"Alright, Marco, I guess we're getting serious then," growled Star as she narrowed her eyes at her best friend.

"I thought you already got serious when you tried to knock my head off!" he taunted back as he rushed her. Throwing a series of lightning-fast knife hand chops, he pressed forward as Star dodged blow after blow by the barest of margins. Anticipating her next dodge, he dropped to the ground, bringing his leg around in a spinning back sweep kick that knocked her legs out from under her to once more drop her on her butt with a loud *Thud*.

Star grit her teeth in frustration as Marco took several steps back to allow her to stand up. 'He's even better at this than I thought. I need to catch him off guard if I want to land a good shot in.' Her thoughts raced as she formulated and discarded plan after plan until finally, she thought of something she felt might just work. Best friend or not, she was going to show him that she could hold her own in a fight as well.

"Kumite, Kumite, Kumite, Kumite, Kumite, Kumite, Kumite, Kumite," came the lyrics of the song as they faced off, their muscles tensed for the explosion both knew was coming.

In a flash, she took off. Ducking low, bent almost double, she sprinted straight at Marco, who dropped into a low stance as he tried to anticipate what her next move might be. However, instead of throwing a punch or kick like he had thought she would. She sprang up in the air to soar over him in a graceful arc, landing lightly behind him. As he twisted around to bring his hands up to block, she knew she had him and fired a straight push kick with all her strength that caught him square in the chest before launching him ten feet across the mat to crash into the wooden podium at the head of the room.

The impact splintered the podium, scattering the wood as Marco tumbled head over heels on the stage, his body rolling several times before coming to a stop on his stomach to lie unmoving. The cheering, which had been loud and constant for the entirety of their fight, died instantly as the spectators let out a collective gasp at the stunning violence of Star's kick. "Marco!" Star shouted, her mind racing with worry over what that kick may have done to her best friend.

She had just tensed her legs to sprint over to check on him when she saw him stir. Slowly, he got up on one knee, before standing and brushing the splinters off him as the crowd once more exploded with a thunderous cheer. His t-shirt was a wreck; holed in multiple places, there was a huge flap of fabric hanging down past his waist, leaving most of his bare chest exposed. Wordlessly, he ripped the tattered grey material from his body and tossed it aside, taking a moment to stretch his back and neck.

Star stared at his lithe, muscular body as he finished stretching out the kinks from his tumble through the podium. On his chest, an ugly, foot-sized red welt was beginning to form, and his left eye had a nasty bruise that was already blooming a spectacular purple. Inside her, she felt the hot wave of desire burning through her veins, battling with the strong impulse to run over and pull him into a comforting hug. Only the catcalls of the other female spectators seemed to snap her out of her abs-induced trance, and she shook her head to clear it of the lascivious thoughts still racing there.

"Looking good, Babe!" shouted Penelope, feeling her own need rising as she beheld his glistening muscles and flat-toned stomach.

"Woooo, take it all off, Diaz!" shouted Janna, throwing a handful of dollar bills at his feet.

"Look out, Tom, Earth Turd's a hottie!" added Pony Head, nodding appreciatively.

"Jeez, Dude, when did you get so damn hot?" shouted Jackie, pretending to fan herself.

"What a kick!" laughed Marco as he jumped down off the stage and once more fell into a strong forward stance. "You ready to keep going?" he asked, winking at the flustered Blonde.

"Take your best shot, Marco… Mama Star's gonna take you down!" she grinned as she cracked her neck and readied herself.

He took off like a bullet, feet pounding the mat as he raced towards her at a full sprint. Gracefully, he leapt up and extended his foot in a flying side kick that landed with a hammer blow as Star crossed her forearms in an attempt to block it. The kick knocked her back several steps, and she felt her forearms ring like a bell as he landed lightly to spin around once more. Turning quickly, he pivoted his hip before bringing his leg around in a snapping roundhouse that Star managed to only partially dodge, the top of his foot glancing off her head in an explosion of pain.

'This is it! Finish her!' his mind roared in triumph as he watched her stumble back off balance. To Marco, it didn't even feel like a conscious decision as he took two steps forward to close the distance, throwing his arm down towards the ground in a tight front flip. Like a sledgehammer, his heel came up and around, slamming into Star's face just above her left eye so hard that it spun her to the mat as if she had been thrown there. Rolling out of his kick, Marco sprang to his feet to celebrate just as he spotted the unmoving form of his best friend sprawled on the pink mat.

"Star!" he shouted, all the color in his face draining away as he kneeled next to her prone form. "Please be okay, please be okay," he muttered over and over to himself as he gently tilted her head and felt for her pulse. To his relief, it beat strong and steady, and a quick check revealed that other than an egg-shaped lump on her scalp and a hell of a black eye, she appeared otherwise unhurt.

"Holy shit, dude! What was that move!" Janna could scarcely believe what she had just witnessed as she ran over with the rest of the group.

"Outstanding move, Marco! I daresay you caught my daughter by surprise," beamed King River as he knelt by Star's head and wafted a small container under her nose.

Star's eyes seemed to flutter open at the powerful scent being emitted by the container. River was still waving under her nose, "Ugh, Dad! Nasty!" she coughed. Pushing it away and attempting to sit up, she found Marco's hand on her shoulder keeping her gently pinned to the ground.

"Star! Are you okay?" said Marco, feeling a wave of relief at her return to consciousness. "I'm so sorry I got carried away! I didn't mean to kick you so hard; it just sort of happened. There was the song and the crowd and I-"

"Hey, hey, heyyyy, Relax, Marco. I'm okay… I'm okay…" she reassured him as she saw the tears welling up in his beautiful eyes. Groaning slightly, she gingerly touched around her left eye, reflexively wincing as her fingers brushed at the angry welt there. "I feel like I just got kicked in the face by a warnicorn. Dude, what even was with that move? It was soooo awesome and I've never seen anything like that before!" Star gushed, pulling her relieved-looking bestie into a warm, reassuring hug.

In that shared moment, chests pressed tightly together, and the feel of her heart beating in rhythm with his, Marco felt all the tension and guilt over hurting her fall away. Part of him wished he could just hold her like that all night. Just the two of them communicating without words, basking in one another's company. 'Remember your promise…' a dutiful voice in his head reminded him. And so reluctantly, he ended the hug and helped her to her feet. "Star, it's called a Rolling Thunder Kick. I've, uh, been practicing it at home for the past couple of months. This is actually the first time I've ever used it in a fight."

"Dudeeee, it was so epic! I've been to every one of your major tournaments and I've never seen anything even close to that," said Jackie, an awed look still on her face.

"Improvisation is a key element of any warrior's arsenal. Well done to both of you, really. It was a fantastic fight and one day I hope we'll all get a rematch," added Reynard, nodding appreciatively as he passed Marco a full tankard of Johansen Special Reserve.

Marco only had time to nod in appreciation before a set of warm fingers curled under his chin. With gentle, but insistent pressure, they turned his face until a pair of soft lips pressed themselves against his own. The scent of Penelope's perfume filled his nostrils, enticing him to deepen their kiss as her eager tongue pressed up against his mouth, quickly gaining its entrance. They kissed for several sweet moments, only breaking apart with a quiet *chu*, to catch their breath as she smiled at his somewhat dazed expression.

"You were amazing out there," she purred. "I haven't seen you fight since that day in the mall, and I'd almost forgotten just how skilled you actually are." She let her finger trail up and down his smooth chest lightly, "Mmm, what is a Princess to do…"

Marco shivered at her touch, goosebumps spreading like wildfire up and down his body. Feeling flushed, he grinned at her as he took her hand. "I'm sure you've already thought of a few things," he whispered, earning himself a playful smirk. Leaning forward to capture her lips once more, he brushed her cheek with his thumb. "Thanks for being so nice to Star tonight. I just want us to all get along. It…means a lot to me."

"You're welcome. It's hard, but I'm really trying here for you. I saw that hug just now," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, just remember that I'm all yours."

"Come on, lovebirds, there'll be plenty of time for making out later," interrupted Janna, causing a startled Marco and Penelope to jump apart slightly.

Before he could respond, though, the door to the room opened and a messenger clutching a slip of parchment hurried in to lean into the King's ear. Nodding to the newcomer, Marco could make out a hushed, "Tell Queen Moon I'll be right there," as the messenger hurried back out of the room.

King River stepped forward, clearing his throat to catch the attention of the excitedly chatting teenagers. "It seems Duty calls, I'm afraid. I have an urgent appointment with the Queen and must leave you here. But I'd like to thank each of you for a lovely evening. Reynard? May I count on you to, *ahem*, chaperone in my stead?" he asked, arching an eyebrow at the younger Butterfly.

"Don't worry, River. I'll keep these hooligans under control. Rest assured, there shall still be a Butterfly Castle come morning," he declared, trying his best to keep a straight face.

Laughing, the King turned and headed out of the room, calling over his shoulder, "Then I leave it to you, Reynard, try to keep it to just a dull roar, please."

"No! Please don't take my donuts, Mommy!" shouted Tom, springing up from his slumber with a start and looking around in a panic.

Running over to him, Star sat next to him and laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Relax, Tom, nobody's going to take your donuts… You're at my sleepover, remember?"

Rubbing his eyes, he blinked several times before looking around the room, "That's… right. I was fighting Janna… Did… did I win?

"Wellll, about that…"

"So, Star, what say you to the next activity of the evening?" asked Reynard loudly, eager to change the subject.

"To my room!" she declared, her wand lit up like a torch as she grabbed Tom's hand and marched them out of the room.

They spent the next several hours in Star's room chatting and playing various games. Marco found it fascinating that drinking games on Mewni were, by and large, extremely similar to ones he had played at Jackie's house parties before. Easy enough to pick up, they provided an excellent distraction from Tom's continued gruff and rather gloomy personality. He seemed to resent having to share Star's attention with the rest of the party guests, and Marco caught him staring at him more than once as the night progressed.

"A toast! Ladies and gentlemen, a toast!" called Reynard as he stood and raised his mug. Mimicking him, the rest of the group raised their own mugs and waited for him to continue. "To my favorite Cousin and our most gracious hostess, Princess Star. Who has organized this wonderful event in an effort to bring us all together over the most common of causes: good ale and a good time!"

"Aww you guysss," gushed Star, her heart-stamped cheeks burning scarlet as she fanned herself.

Clinking mugs with everyone, Marco tipped his back to take another sip of the delicious beer. He had been pacing himself all night, wary of overindulging like he had with Star at the bounce lounge. All he needed was to get drunk and accidentally let something slip in front of Tom and Penelope. Even with all his precautions, however, he was still feeling a warm, pleasant buzz creeping up his neck to fog his mind. To his right, Penelope was staring at him hungrily over the rim of her mug, and he couldn't help but grin to himself. 'Tonight's going a lot better than I thought it would,' he thought as another figure stepped to the center of the room like a bitter wind to make his blood run cold.

"I have a game we can all play…" said Janna, her voice low and tinged with an air of conspiracy.

"Ooo, what is it?" asked Star, now staring intently at a wickedly grinning Janna.

"Just a little Earth game that's popular at parties for people our age…" she mused, turning this way and that to meet their eyes. Marco had a bad feeling about this. Janna seldom suggested anything that wasn't at least a little bit risky, and when she walked over to Star's desk and picked up an empty wine bottle, he knew exactly what was coming…

"It's called spin the bottle. And the rules are simple. We sit in a circle and take turns spinning the bottle. Whoever it lands on, well...better pucker up."

"Oooo, like for real? Cause you know I'm always down to smooch a hottie, isn't that right, Rey?" winked Pony Head.

"Okay, that was ONCE! And I was DRUNK!" shouted Reynard, burying his face in his hands as the entire group burst into raucous laughter.

"Aww, don't act so embarrassed, Reynard. You know this here mare is pretty as a peach, and as charmin' as a child that wants somethin' from ya," comforted Amanda as she gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"Oh, I like her," snickered Pony Head.

Star had perked up at Janna's words. Excitement and anxiety seemed to be running in equal measures through her body as she imagined the various scenarios that could arise. 'I might get to kiss Marco again…' The thought was as frightening as it was enticing. A kiss in front of everyone, though. Could she really do it if it landed on him?

"Why the hell not? I'm in." Star almost cricked her neck as she whipped around to see Tom smirking as he stepped up to Janna.

"Tom?" was all she could get out, too stunned for anything more.

"C'mon, Starship. We're all adults here, plus it'll be fun."

She could scarcely believe what he was saying. Her Tom wanted to play a game where she might be kissing other guys? "Alright, Tom, who are you and what have you done with my boyfriend?" she asked half-seriously as he turned and gave her a toothy smile.

"I'm taking your advice and trying to lighten up. So, who else is in?" he asked, looking around at the stunned faces of most of the room.

"That's the spirit, Demon Boy," chuckled Janna as Tom glared at her. "Maybe I should put you to sleep more often; it seems like a major attitude adjustment for you."

"If you're in, I'm in, Boo," said Star, stepping forward.

With Tom and Star agreeing to play, the reservations of the rest of them seemed to crumble. One by one, they stepped forward into the circle until just Marco remained. He had been extremely surprised when Penelope had volunteered to play, given her earlier jealousy issues with his and Star's burgeoning intimacy, but even her volunteering couldn't break his resolve to play it safe and sit this one out.

"Come play with us, Babe," coaxed Penelope, waving for him to sit next to her in the circle.

"No, that's alright, I think I'll pass, uh, this time around… Maybe next time. Yeah, next time…" said Marco, suddenly feeling very exposed.

"Marcoo, c'monnnnn. It'll be fun!" said Star, walking over to him and putting an arm around his shoulders.

"I-It's fine. I'll j-just watch if that's okay," stammered Marco, feeling a blooming panic in his gut as everyone stared at him.

"Oh Marco, Marco, Marco… I didn't want to have to do this," said Star as she steered Marco back to the circle, "but I'm calling in my order." She pushed him gently down next to Reynard and Penelope before skipping back to take her place in the circle.

"I hate you," he hissed at her as she flashed him a 1000-watt smile from across the circle. "Fine, I'll play! But I am NOT kissing Tom. I'll finish the rest of my drink or something if I land on him."

"Psh, as if anyone besides Penelope wants to kiss you always, Mango," scoffed Tom as a very uncomfortable-looking Star squirmed next to him.

"Alright, ladies and gents," cut in Janna, nodding at Marco, "if you're not comfortable kissing who the bottle lands on, you can pay a penalty and drink instead. Now, since you were so brave as to volunteer first, Tom, why don't you take the first spin?"

"Fine, I will." Tom leaned forward, grabbing the bottle before giving it a good spin. It whirled around, wobbling slightly before finally slowing and stopping with its narrow end pointed towards… "Janna…" he growled under his breath.

"Pucker up, Demon Boy," taunted Janna as Star tittered madly in the background.

Leaning forward, he closed his eyes as he pursed his lips in anticipation of a very awkward kiss. He wasn't disappointed, for as soon as his and Janna's lips met, they both broke apart, sputtering and spitting.

"Gross, dude, you taste like old donuts and beer!" she wheezed, wiping her lips with her shirt.

"Yeah, well, you taste like-" but he didn't finish his thought at a warning look from Star.

Reynard took the next spin, happily kissing Amanda when the bottle landed on her. "Well, that was anticlimactic," he laughed, as he passed the bottle to Marco.

Nervously, Marco leaned forward and spun the bottle, feeling his anxiety level rising by the second as it spun. Slowing, he prayed it didn't land on Janna or Ponyhead until finally it came to a stop, pointed directly at Jackie. 'Whew, got through this round without having to kiss anyone, it seems,' he thought happily, 'there's no way Jackie's going to want to kiss a guy.' Moving to pick up his beer, he stopped with it midway to his lips as his eyes met hers.

"C'mere, dude," she said, smiling coyly.

"It's fine, Jackie, I know you don't like guys. We can just drink instead."

"Just shut up and kiss me, Diaz," was all she said as she leaned forward to grab his shirt, pulling him into a kiss.

Her lips were soft and warm, the taste of the ale mingling with… 'Is that pineapple?' he thought as she deepened the kiss, turning her head slightly as her teeth grazed his bottom lip playfully. In the background, Marco could hear the onlookers cheering and wolf-whistling. When she finally pulled away and he opened his eyes, he found himself looking into her aqua colored ones, too stunned to speak.

"Why?" was all he could muster up.

"I figured you've been wondering what it would be like for the past 10 years. Now you know," she smiled at him as she returned to her seat.

Sitting back down, Marco could only touch his lips gingerly with his fingertips as his cheeks burned. To his left, Penelope was laughing as she laid a hand on his shoulder. "She told me she was going to do that if she ever got the chance. Did it satisfy your curiosity?"

He merely nodded as she burst out laughing once more, "God, you're so cute when you're flustered, Babe." Taking her turn, she spun the bottle hard, and the group watched it dance and spin.

Marco couldn't be sure, but for a moment it seemed to look like a small flicker of flame appeared at the end of Tom's finger as the Demon watched the bottle spin round and round. Almost too slowly, the narrow end of the bottle coasted to a stop, pointing squarely at Tom. "Looks like I'm up again," he sneered at Marco as he leaned in towards Penelope.

Marco watched dispassionately as his girlfriend leaned in, her lips meeting Tom's as they began their kiss. Again, the group ooh'd and ahh'd as they continued, and he only felt a mild twinge of anger as they tilted heads and shifted into a more passionate French kiss. He knew Tom was trying to get a rise out of him by making out with Penelope, but every time he felt a flare of anger or annoyance, the image of his ardent, writhing make-out session the other evening with Star seemed to intercede and check his anger.

Star, however, did not seem to share his calm demeanor. At the ten-second mark, with their lips still securely locked together, she felt a streak of annoyance at their clearly passionate kiss. At 15, she was feeling a hot streak of anger building in her and cleared her throat. At 20, she shouted. "Pegasus feathers Tom enough! It's Jackie's turn."

Slowly, they broke apart, a satisfied Tom sitting back while Star glared daggers at him, as Penelope returned to her spot next to Marco. "He's not bad, Star, but Marco's definitely a better kisser…" she said as casually as if she were telling her the weather.

"How'd her tonsils taste, Tom?" growled Star as all the swagger he had displayed earlier evaporated under her furious scowl.

"Oh, you are evil," Marco whispered in her ear as they both watched Star continue to give Tom an earful over his gratuitous kiss with her. 'So that was her plan all along,' he thought, finally realizing that she had pushed the envelope with a clearly tipsy Tom on purpose.

"There's a saying in the Spiderbite Kingdom Macro… 'Why get mad, when you can get even?' This was payback for him being a shit last night. I figure getting him in hot water with Star was appropriate punishment. Plus, it wasn't a half-bad kiss either," she teased.

"You know Star's gonna want payback, right?" he said, still laughing as Star stared determinedly in the other direction. He wasn't sure if her withering look was directed more at him or Penelope, but he had a fair guess.

"Oh, it's fine. I told you, I'm going to be a civil princess tonight and not get my panties in a bunch about Star's affection for you. Plus, it's only fair. So be my guest."

'Whatttt is happening here?' Marco's thoughts seemed to tangle themselves into a knot at her words. Where did the Penelope that threatened to slap the cheek marks off of Star go yesterday? He didn't trust that this still wasn't going to fall apart in spectacular fashion, but for now at least, things seemed to be going extremely well.

Just then, the clink of the spinning bottle caught his attention as Jackie finished her spin, with the end now pointing solidly at Amanda, who seemed to blush under the sudden attention. Jackie cocked an eyebrow and leaned forward, and after a moment, Amanda followed suit. They kissed slowly at first, Amanda starting out tentatively before returning Jackie's enthusiasm. When they finally broke apart, Amanda was smiling rather widely.

"I've never kissed a girl before," she murmured.

"How was it?" grinned Jackie.

"I feel finer than frog hair split four ways after that kiss," giggled Amanda alongside the group.

"What?" That was all Tom could mutter.

"Alright, my turn, let's see who the unlucky victim is," said Janna, spinning the bottle. When it spun to a stop facing Marco, she laughed with a malicious glee that made his blood curdle. "Looks like I'm not the only one who gets to see what kissing Marco's like tonight," she mused aloud, "pucker up, Safe Kid."

Tempted to just drink rather than give her the satisfaction, Marco reluctantly leaned forward and locked lips with the girl who had done her best to prank him into an early grave his entire life. To his great surprise, Janna hadn't coated her lips in ipecac, nor had she tried to suck his soul out. All in all, it was a pleasant kiss that he didn't have any complaints about. Pleasant that is, until, during a move on Janna's part to deepen the kiss, he felt something being passed into his mouth via her nimble tongue.

Breaking apart and gagging, he coughed up a small wad of chewed-up gum. "Ugh, Janna, that was disgusting!" he sputtered, wiping his tongue on the back of his pajama sleeve as everyone burst out laughing.

"Sorry, not sorry, Marco. I couldn't resist," she smirked as he glared at her. Shrugging, she held out her hands, "What can I say, Diaz, you're my huckleberry…"

He didn't feel the need to comment as Amanda, still snorting at Janna's words, spun the bottle. "I reckon a second bite at the apple never hurt nobody," she said as once more the bottle coasted to a stop in front of a now blushing Jackie. Their second kiss was much like the first, though this time, when they broke apart after a slightly longer kiss, both girls were beet red and breathing slightly hard.

"Alright, People! Time to watch a pro at work. Try not to get too jealous," declared Pony Head as she zapped the bottle with her horn.

Marco closed his eyes and braced himself as he prayed to whatever gods would listen to him in that desperate moment that the bottle wouldn't land on him. Chancing a quick peek when he heard the group let out a collective breath, he felt relief wash over him as the end of the bottle pointed at a squirming Reynard.

Reluctantly, Reynard leaned forward as Pony Head almost bowled him over with her enthusiasm. Loud, obscene slurping noises filled the room, and Marco tried his best to look at anything other than the two in the center of the circle in order to keep his dinner down. When they finally broke apart with a wet-sounding *pop*, a satisfied Pony Head floated back to her spot while a visibly shaken Reynard sat back down.

"I'd… I'd forgotten how long her tongue is…" he shuddered and closed his eyes.

"Oh, Rey, shut up. You loved it, you know you did," taunted Pony Head. "Anyway, B-fly, it's your turn! Give it a spin, girl!"

Star stared at the bottle for a moment before her eyes flicked to Marco. He was smiling at her, and it filled her stomach with butterflies as she gripped the cool glass. 'Time to get even…' she thought as her other hand slipped into her purse to grip her wand. Spinning the bottle hard, she concentrated on Marco's position in the circle as the wand glowed faintly.

The bottle careened around the circle, whipping by each participant in a fast, smooth arc, its tip a blur as it swept past everyone at least twice. Slowing, it finally lurched to a stop with its tip pointing directly at Marco, who seemed unsurprised at the outcome. Crawling forward in the circle before kneeling to face her best friend, she swallowed hard as she leaned in towards his face.

"Cheater…" he whispered, so low that no one else could hear.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Marco… I'm just getting even for Tom's little trick with Penelope," she breathed back.

"You okay with this? We don't have to if you aren't comfortable. Ya know, because of our promise."

"I…uh," she began, meeting his eyes and seeing nothing there but understanding and affection. "I want this more than anything right now." And as she leaned forward to meet his lips with her own, she could hear his faint whisper of a reply.

"Me too."

And she kissed him. She leaned forward those last, few, desperate inches and pressed her lips against his, melting as she felt him instantly return her pressure with that of his own as they continued their kiss. All around them, the crowd murmured its approval as Star parted her lips slightly to push her tongue into his waiting mouth, rubbing and sliding it against his. For a moment, it was bliss, the room shrinking to just her and Marco, bound together in their passionate embrace. And before Star could stop herself, she had slipped her hand up into his feather-soft brown hair to pull him even tighter against her hungry mouth.

"I get it, Star. You can stop now," came the annoyed-sounding voice of Tom, his grating tone seeming to break the spell she had been under with Marco.

Reluctantly… Unwillingly…  She broke contact with him, the two sharing a burning look before she shuffled back to her spot in the circle. Tom was sullen and cranky as he glared at Marco from across the circle. He looked like he wanted to hurl a furious diatribe at Star, but she knew that he knew he had no ground to stand on after his display with Penelope in an effort to get Marco jealous. 'Now that was a kiss,' she thought contentedly as Janna shot her a knowing look.

"Take that, Tom," laughed Penelope as soon as Marco had sat back down next to her. Turning to her still panting boyfriend she let her lips lightly kiss his ear before dropping her voice down to a sultry purr, "Mmm not bad. You got one of those for me later?" He could only nod as she giggled and gently bit his ear.

Standing quickly in a near panic, Marco shook his head, "Ooookay, I think that's enough spin the bottle for me. There's gonna be some hard feelings if we don't pump the brakes here."

"Don't be a stick in the mud, Diaz, we're just getting started," complained Janna.

"No, I think Marco's right. It's getting a bit late, and if we keep going… Bad things are going to happen," said Star, standing up and sitting on her bed.

"Psh, Fineee," grumbled Janna.

After the game broke up, the group spent the next hour chatting with one another as they continued to enjoy River's excellent family ale. Both Star and Marco caused a small scene when they realized they had matching black eyes, both exclaiming "Back-eye twinsies!" at the same time, much to Janna and Jackie's delight. Around one, Reynard and Amanda announced they were going to bed, Reynard reminding Star to "be good" as he closed her door with a snap. Soon after, Star conjured them each a pink sleeping bag and pillow around her bed for them to sleep in, and the group prepared to settle in for the night.

Kissing Penelope good night before he slipped into his sleeping bag next to hers, Marco couldn't help but smile to himself as he overheard the somewhat awkward conversation between Star and Tom not three feet away.

"But Starship, I was kind of hoping maybe? …We?" began Tom as he looked meaningfully between her and her large canopy bed where Pony Head was already settling in.

"Tom, if my dad caught us in bed together… I don't think there's anywhere in the universe you could hide from him," she giggled. However, when his disappointment persisted, she leaned in and kissed him lightly before brushing a few locks of his pink hair out of his face. "We'll get there, Tom. Just… not yet. Okay?"

"Okay, I understand. Sleep tight then, alright?" he said, laying his forehead against hers softly. "I'll be here when we get up, and we can have a great morning together."

"I'd love that, Tom.

"

O - O - O - O - O - O – O

"Marcoooo," a silky voice whispered, "you awake?"

Opening his eyes slowly, he saw the room was pitch black, and all around him, he could hear the soft, gentle breathing of his fellow guests as they slept. Turning slightly, he could barely make out Penelope's excited face in the darkness, with only the faint crimson glow of the moon to illuminate her features.

"I'm,*yawwnn*, awake now, Penelope. What's up?"

She reached down and took his hand in the sleeping bag and quietly helped him to his feet. "Come with me," she whispered, "and don't step on anyone."

Curious, he nodded to her and together they made their way out, careful not to tread on any of the sleeping guests. There was a close call when Marco almost walked into a sleeping Tom, now floating several feet off the floor, but soon they had quietly let themselves out of the darkened room and picked up their pace as they headed deeper into the castle. Penelope led the way, her hand never leaving Marco's as she guided him through the near deserted corridors. Once, they had to duck into a side passage to avoid a patrol of guards as they made their night rounds, but soon they were alone once more as they stopped in front of a carved wooden door.

Allowing Penelope to pull him inside, Marco's eyes widened as he looked around. He could only assume they were now in her bedroom, and he marveled at the charm of it as he looked around. The room looked nothing like the rest of the castle, which consisted mainly of stone, marble, and glass. Here, the floor and walls were a rustic-looking wood with matching carved wood furniture. A massive intricately carved canopy bed sat in the room with a canopy of green foliage and flowers of every color.

"Are those real?" he asked, pointing at the flowers and green leaves that made up the roof of Penelope's canopy bed.

He took a deep breath, letting the scent of her room fill his nose as he stood there staring. The pleasant, earthy smell of moss mingled with the sweet aroma of honeysuckle and jasmine. They combined in his nose, eliciting a warm, pleasant feeling, and he closed his eyes to let the comforting smells of the forest wash over him.

"Mhmm," she answered from behind him, "I needed a touch of home when we came to Earth. Butterfly Castle is impressive, no doubt, but I prefer a more… rustic touch."

"I can tell."

"Marco. Turn around."

Her voice was soft and friendly, but there was no mistaking the order there. Slowly, he turned to face her and felt his heart skip a beat. She was standing there, her dress already unzipped, hanging only by a single strap on her shoulder. Smiling, she let it slip off and fall to the floor as she stepped towards him, hips swaying side to side.

He swallowed hard, his mouth going dry as he stared at her. Even though they'd shared many passionate make-out sessions in the past and last night, he'd never seen her in anything less than fully clothed. And now that she walked towards him, her lacy, deep-green bra falling to the floor, he couldn't seem to remember why he had denied her on their first date.

Her willowy body was a vision, and he couldn't keep his eyes from roaming over every inch of her tan skin. She had a modest bosom, though it was extremely well proportioned to her body shape. A smooth, flat stomach dipped into lacy, green panties sitting on her slender hips. And finally, he couldn't keep his eyes off her beautiful, long legs as they slid past one another on her walk over.

"Marco… I don't want to wait anymore," she purred as she slid her hands against his chest through his pajama top. "I know you're a gentleman, but I want my warrior tonight."

One by one, he felt the buttons on his shirt being undone as her nimble fingers worked their way down. He felt like he couldn't breathe, Penelope's touch leaving hot trails of fire down his chest as desire roared in him like an open furnace. Soon, her lips joined her fingers as she planted kiss after kiss on his chest and neck while her fingers finished unbuttoning his shirt.

"Penny…" he murmured, his thoughts coming slow as his yearning continued to peak.

"I want it, Marco. I want you so bad… Take me to bed," she hissed in his ear after kissing her way up to his lips.

Marco's only answer was to smash his lips against hers in a hungry, longing kiss. He felt her smile against his lips as she pushed him back towards her bed, her hands working to push his white gi pants off his hips. Not wanting to be outdone, he slipped his own hands down her sides and over her hips, pushing her panties off before gripping her firm rear hard. He was rewarded with a moan from his Princess into his mouth as his pants and boxers joined her dress on the floor.

Falling to the sheets, he rolled onto his back as Penelope draped her body over his nude form. In an instant, her hand was wrapped around him, slowly stroking up and down. "P-Penny," he moaned, feeling his hips automatically rolling in time with her deliberate cadence.

"Mmm, payback for last night, Marco… You're going to finish what you started…" she cooed, pulling him into a hungry kiss as she squeezed him gently.

"I don't have any pro-" he began, once her lips had left his, but she had already laid a finger to his lips, eliciting silence.

"It's okay, you're safe. You're not my first… and I've always been careful," she purred.

"I-I want you…" he whispered as she released him and dragged her fingers back up his body to brush his lips.

"Then take me…" she whispered back, rolling onto her back as Marco got to his knees.

Nerves and lust battled each other fiercely in Marco as he looked down at Penelope's naked form under him. Bending down, he captured her lips once more, pushing his tongue deep into her mouth in a desperate kiss as his length ground against her wet core. He pinned her grinding hips down as he pushed against her sex, reveling in the mewling whimper that escaped her throat each time they came together.

After several minutes of writhing, naked kisses, it seemed Penelope couldn't take it anymore. She reached down and grasped his hardness, guiding it to her entrance and rubbing his head against her soft folds. "Give it to me, pleaseee," she moaned.

He couldn't deny her any longer; the lust that burned in his veins finally wiped away any lingering reservations. Slowly, he pushed into her, basking in the otherworldly sensations as he took his Princess, joining their bodies as one as she cried out.

"Yesss," Penelope hissed through gritted teeth as his hips began to move, "make me yours, Marco."

It was a pleasure beyond his wildest expectations. And the tight, warm sensation that surrounded his length as he worked it in and out of her was almost too much. "Penny, *pant*, God, this feels good," he breathed as he kept his steady pace.

Her eyes rolling up in her head slightly, Penelope placed a hand on his strong, sweaty chest. "Just, *pant* keep, *pant* going," she moaned as he picked up the pace.

Intense could hardly describe the feeling growing below Marco's stomach as the next few minutes of frenzied coupling continued. Over and over again, he drove himself into Penelope's moaning form, focusing only on the sensations he was sharing with her in that moment of passion. Sliding in and out of her, he knew he was nearing his limit as a familiar tightness seemed to spread in his loins. "I'm close," he hissed out as she wrapped her legs around his backside to pull him harder against her.

"Me too," she breathed, "just, *ah*, a little, *ungh*, fuuuuckkkk." Her curse was long and low as she fell over the roaring precipice of her climax to dig her nails into his forearms.

The blooming warmth and pressure of her orgasm were too much for him, and he felt his own pleasure crescendo before burying himself to the hilt inside as he came. He could only pant her name before they both moaned long and low, sharing in the culmination of their passionate lovemaking.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, he let himself slump to the bed next to her panting body, and she turned to plant a small kiss on his lips. "That was amazing," she grinned, "there's no way that was your first time."

"Swear on my blackbelt, Penny," he laughed, feeling a familiar blush heat his cheeks. Brushing a lock of sweaty hair out of her eyes, he kissed her once more and nuzzled closer, "That was…"

"Awesome? Amazing? Life-changing?" she offered.

"Mmm, all of the above, definitely," He nodded, pulling a blanket over them both as Penelope turned and settled her body into the curve of his.

Not missing a beat, Marco slipped an arm around her slender form and closed his eyes to let sleep claim him as above, a ruby moon burned angrily in the summer night sky.