Hi everyone! This is a little one-shot I fancied writing set after Monster Bash. Enjoy!
He blinked. Looking around, he could only see… grey… and sand… It was silent, though it was like a storm was blasting around him, only the wind was muted and the air dead. He looked at his hands, they were pale, and he couldn't feel them, not even as they brushed against the sleeves of his grey hoodie. Nor could he feel his… 'somethings' moving as he walked, they brushed into the fine sand and dust dunes he was stood on.
He looked down. There was something next to his… feet. He chuckled. That was a funny word, fe… something. Whatever it was it wasn't grey, it was… not grey and it looked like his hands only… different. It moved and then hit his foot (foot! That was the word). It hesitated and then grabbed him. With one end the thing held his foot and the other was going through some kind of hole, a… portal?
Another hand appeared in front of him, through another por… hole. It moved behind him and then Marco forgot it had ever been there.
Then, there was a burning pain on the back of his head. "Owww, my bald spot," he said, rubbing it. "Wait…"
"Oh good, it's you," the hand said, spinning around in front of him. "Come on."
Marco frowned at it. Then, it lunged at him, grabbing a fistful of his hoodie and yanking him through the hole which had grown to the size of his entire body. A brief flashing of lights later and Marco whacked his face into the carpet.
"Owwww…" he groaned, pushing himself to his feet. "Wha…?"
He looked around, seeing the inside of Star's room. The Mewni sky shone through the window and in front of him stood a very angry looking Hekapoo.
Marco dusted some strange grey powder from himself. "Hekapoo? What are you doing here?"
Hekapoo glared at him. "Me? What were you doing in there? And how about a thank you for pulling you out?" Her foot rapped on the floor, leaving little bursts of flame.
"Huh?" Marco rubbed his eyes. He blinked and looked up. Next to Hekapoo was a portal, but it looked ill. It was a burnt black colour and the swirl pattern seemed fractured, the edges guttering like a television with poor signal.
He leaned towards it. "What's wrong with it?" he asked, before Hekapoo pulled him back.
"That's what I'd like to know. How did you open this?"
"Me? I didn't open thi…"
Marco's head flared. His eyes seared as a rush of images assaulted his brain, flashing through his mind. Wincing, he gritted his teeth and ignored the pulsing in his ears. Eventually the flashes slowed to a readable pace.
Marco's arm was being torn off. He almost tripped on the stairs as Star dragged him up the tower to her room. As she pulled him through the door she slammed it shut behind them.
"Ok, what the heck was that?!" Star shouted. "Miss Heinous is Eclipsa's daughter? And a Butterfly!?"
"Star, calm down."
Star paced around her room, wand being gnawed in her mouth. "Why did her arm change like that? How old is she? What does this mean!?"
"Star!" Marco yelled.
Star stopped pacing and looked at him. "Was I rambling again?"
"Uh-hu." He sighed. "A lot has happened and I don't understand any of it. But this is big. What's our first move?"
"Well, I think we should look for her. Are you coming, squire?" Star held her hand out towards him. Marco smiled and placed his hand in hers.
Star pulled out his pair of dimensional scissors from his hoodie pocket and confidently sliced the air in front of her. A green and orange portal opened in front of her, hovering.
"See, we just need to track that lizard of hers and she should be there too. I know a guy who can find anything in over eighy dimens…"
Star paused. The portal was juddering and making a spluttering sound. Suddenly, the green and orange was washed over with a film of black.
"What the…" Star moved her hand towards the new portal.
"Star," Marco said, "I don't think-hyuk!"
With a lurch, Marco was yanked forward as Star's entire body vanished into the portal, her clenched fist on the sleeve of his hoodie pulling him in as well.
Marco's eyes shot open and he looked at the confused Hekapoo. "We got sucked in! There's something seriously wrong with that portal." He looked at it accusingly.
"You're telling me. There was a seriously powerful spell sealing these dimensions shut. Wonder what broke it. Wait, we?" Hekapoo's eyes widened. "You're not saying…"
"Star's still in there!"
Hekapoo threw her arms in the air. "Argh, this is bad. I only found you because we spent all that time together and I knew how to find you. I barely know Star!" She started pacing back and forth across the rug.
"Yeah, you two should hang out more, you might get along."
"Not the point here, Diaz!"
"Right, gotcha. Well," Marco said, "I know Star maybe better than anyone. Could I find her?"
Hekapoo frowned. She started pacing in a circle, muttering to herself and drawing diagrams in the air with her fingers. Suddenly, she stopped and clicked at him.
"Give me your scissors."
"What? Why?"
"Just do it."
Marco handed her his scissors and in a sweep Hekapoo opened a portal and jumped through. It zipped shut behind her. Marco was left in the room alone, but a few seconds later the portal reappeared and Hekapoo was in the room once more.
"Here," she said, thrusting his scissors back at him.
"That was quick," he said.
Hekapoo looked at him like he was an idiot. "I was gone for three days." She turned back to the portal.
"Oh, right. Time difference." Marco looked down at the scissors in his hand. They were his scissors alright, but the blades were slightly longer, the handles thinner and more curved. His name glowed on the metal and he could feel heat rising from them. "So, what did you…" Marco stopped speaking. He'd opened the scissors to see, on the inner blade in glowing letters, the word 'Star' written in his best friend's curved, looping handwriting. Etched into the metal were even a few hearts and a butterfly, floating over the letters.
"When I made those scissors, I made them for you." Hekapoo spoke without looking back at him, engrossed as she was with the corrupted portal. "Now they're different. They're still yours, just yours plural. Yours and hers. Is that ok?"
Marco closed the blades and held his scissors in his hand. He lowered them to his side. "That's just fine," he said.
"Good, because it's the only way I can think of to save her. You've got to go back in there."
"If it'll get Star back, I'll do it," he said.
"Where you're going is a place that I shut off from everyone millenia ago. Some dimensions work and some, well, they just don't. They get corrupted and somehow you opened a portal to one of them. Know of anything that could have caused that?"
Perhaps the reawakening of 'the most powerful monster there ever was'? Marco sighed. "I might know of something."
"I figured you would but keep it to yourself. We'll sort it out later. Now, this place, it drains you. Energy, life, soul. But it starts with your memories. You were fine, I got to you in time. But Star-" Hekapoo hesitated. She coughed. "Just find her as quick as you can. Take this."
Hekapoo reached into the flame above her head and slowly pulled out a thin chain, the links hot and looking newly-forged. When it was fully out she flicked it and the ends connected. She lowered it over Marco's head and it hung around his neck, cool to the touch.
"This should protect you a little bit from the effects of that dimension. Not permanently but for long enough. Hopefully."
Marco looked at Hekapoo. "Can't you come with me?"
"Only you can use those scissors to find her. Plus, you need someone to pull you back to this side and I'm a lot better at that than you are. If I went in and got lost, who'd rescue the rescue party?"
"Fine. Send me in."
"Portal's right here, Diaz. Use your legs."
"Gotcha," Marco said. He tightened his grip on his dimensional scissors. He was about to bring his best friend home. To Mewni. Was this his home now? Was it hers? She did spend a lot of time on Earth, maybe she preferred it? Did it mean-
"Clock's ticking."
"Right," he said, mentally kicking himself and jumping through the broken-looking portal.
He landed heavily. A puff of dust rose up around him and he coughed, covering his mouth with a red hoodied hand. As he pushed himself upright the dust beneath him gave way and he had to fight to keep his balance. When he was steady he looked around to see the barren and lifeless world he had left, complete with swirling dust storms. He could feel a slight drain on his energy, but it was something he could stand. Hekapoo's chain glowed softly around his neck.
His head flashed again. He winced, and the images returned, only this time he saw himself wandering lost in this greyness. Then he saw Star disappear into the gloom and cursed as he remembered himself just watching her wander off, wondering who she was.
Marco's eyes opened again. He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted: "Star! Star! Can you hear me?!"
There was no reply, only the enshrouding silence of the storm. He shouted again to much the same result. Then a tinny voice came from below him.
"Use the scissors!"
Marco spun around. "Hekapoo? What? Where are you?"
"It's the necklace, genius. A little communication magic."
"Great, well, how do I use the scissors to find her?"
"Just think of Star, the scissors should lead you."
Marco conjured up the image of his best friend, a girl holding a wand and chewing on a water fountain. He held it in his mind and sliced the air with his open scissors. A portal appeared in the air in front of him, golden and strong. Then, twenty metres away through the grey gloom of the dust, he saw it open again, a golden light in the darkness. He headed towards it. When he reached the second portal, he again thought of the day he met her and sliced. The portal didn't appear. He tried again but nothing happened. And then he saw Star, sad and depressed over a phone call and remembered how much he wanted her to be happy. And as his arm fell, the portal opened in front of him and another twenty metres away, the golden light creating a path. He pushed on. Reaching the portal, he saw Star, in full mewberty form terrorising the boys of the school. She was so excited to have tiny wings and both their faces hurt after she tried to fly. Another twenty metres, another portal. Her hand in his and her face so close to his mask as they danced, bathed in the crimson light of the blood moon. Portal. Fighting Ludo's monsters together, karate and magic in perfect sync. Pushing through the dust. Watching her destroy her wand, just to keep him safe, alive. More golden light. Teaching her to ride a bike and letting go of the seat, Goblin dogs, Truth or dare that nearly killed them and a quest-buy gift card that nearly killed them. Choosing her over stopping Ludo steal the book. Seeing her after sixteen years of chasing Hekapoo. Songday. Watching Toffee crush his hope of ever seeing her again in his hand and then seeing her materialise like an angel and rain fury down on him. Leaving her on Mewni. Going back. Back to find her moved on.
Each portal took him where he needed to go. That's what he told himself as he pushed on, through the duststorms and over dunes of forgotten. All he could hear was his footsteps. Until a gentle patter came from behind him. He turned and saw two sets of tracks, one from his feet and one a trail of droplets soaked into the dark dust. Marco touched his face and felt the wetness on his cheeks and chin. With a wipe of a sleeve over his face and snotty nose, he slotted open a portal.
It opened in front of him but he couldn't see the other end of it. No other portal opened around him. He could feel the faintness creeping further into his eyesight. There was no way to tell where it would take him and fully aware of that, Marco jumped through it.
He landed with his feet kicking up clouds of dust around him. He had to hold his breath until it settled and when his vision was finally clear he saw her. She was as grey as stone, as if she was made of the dust she was stood in.
"Star!" Marco shouted as he ran over to her. His arms wrapped around her as he pulled her into a hug, only he felt how cold and fragile she felt and released her quickly. At his touch she collapsed, and he caught her, holding her semi-upright as she leant against him. He held her shoulders and looked at her. Her cheek marks had completely faded and her eyes were slate-grey and lifeless, he couldn't even see her pupils anymore, they were blank, like in her butterfly form only not beautiful but terrifying.
"We have to get you out of here! Hekapoo, I found her, we need to leave!"
Hekapoo's voice came through weak and fuzzy. "Can you get back to the portal?"
Marco looked to see that the golden portal he'd come from had vanished. Trying to hold Star up, he grabbed his scissors and thought of the corrupted portal. His scissors sparked and were almost wrenched from his grasp.
"I can't get back there!" The silence was seeping into his mind, and he started to panic as he saw his hoodie fading from the rich red it always was to a dimmer, pale shade. Hekapoo's necklace had dimmed to almost nothing.
"Ok, this is the only way I can think of doing it. Open a portal on your side coming here and I'll try to make one going there. Which shouldn't even be possible but what the heck. Ready?"
"Yes!" Marco slashed at the air, thinking of Star's room on Mewni. At first nothing happened but then a tiny tear opened in front of him. He slashed again and it widened. And again and again until finally, with a tearing sound, a portal forced its way open. It was juddering and slid in the air but it held.
"Ok, Star, time to get you home." Marco held her up and moved towards the portal. He leant through it, only to feel resistance. Looking down, he saw Star's arm flush against the portal wasn't entering at all. He pulled them both back, away from the portal.
"She isn't going through, the portal isn't working on her!" Marco yelled through to Hekapoo.
"Damn. That place must have affected her too much. She won't be able to leave unless you help her remember!" Hekapoo's voice was strained. "I'll try and keep this open, do what you can and quickly!"
Marco nodded. He knelt down in the dust and gently lowered Star so that she was in front of him. Her head lolled to the side, but he cupped her cheek with his palm and helped her to face him.
Marco smiled weakly. "Ok, Star, I'm going to need you to remember me. I'm Marco Diaz, Safe Kid. We're best friends and we've been through loads together. So many adventures. I need you to remember them now for me, please?"
There was no change in Star, but Marco could feel himself losing focus. He squeezed his eyes shut. "You're Star Butterfly, a magical princess from another dimension, remember? We beat Toffee! Is some dumb dimension going to beat my best friend, the most amazing girl in any dimension? Star, please!"
"Marco, I can't hold this much longer! Hurry up!"
Marco looked over his shoulder. The portal was a lot smaller now and fading. "I'm not leaving her here! If you can't keep it open, just let it close!" he shouted and turned back to his friend.
"Diaz!"
"Star," Marco said, "I am begging you to remember. I can't go back without you, I am not leaving you here." He reached up to his neck and snapped Hekapoo's chain. Binging it down he tied it around his wrist and one of hers. "Worst case, at least this will keep us together. But we need to go now. Please. Remember!"
Star turned, almost as if she was looking at him, then carried on until she was staring at the sand. Marco's tears flowed again and dropped into the ground by his knees.
His eyes burned, and he crushed them closed, but the tears found a way through. He opened them again, determined to see his best friend, the girl he left earth for and the one he was prepared to wander a dead and forgotten dimension with. But only at the end of his hope would he let someone so magical forget anything, least of all who she was. She was Star Butterfly.
"Dammit, Star!"
Marco grabbed her shoulders and pulled her towards him. Their lips locked as in a last desperate attempt Marco tried the only thing he could think of. He kissed her. He kissed her, and he cried anew, the tears carrying with him the thought that all the memories that had led him to her would remain just that and they'd never be joined by all the plans he'd had. That was the worst thing that could have ever happened to their adventures.
Her lips were as cold as ice, a fierce burning that Marco didn't know whether it came from the chill of her body or the love he'd had for her for months, secret from even himself. He held her body to his and tried to ignore the sound of the dying portal, their only escape route.
And then he felt a warmth. It came from Star in his arms and Marco opened his eyes to see some colour returning to her face, her cheek marks starting to glow, and her eyes opening to look up at him, not cold, not lifeless but a pale shade of the blue he loved so much. Those eyes widened as they saw his own, millimetres away.
Marco disengaged the kiss. "Star?" he said.
"Mar..co?" she blearily said, trying to steady herself and rubbing one temple.
"Yes!" he shouted. "Hekapoo, I think she remembers!"
"Great, now get back here!"
Marco jumped to his feet and pulled Star up off the ground. She was still unsteady and almost fell but he steadied her and, as they headed towards the portal, Marco had to almost carry her to the waist high dimensional tear. Star crawled through it and Marco breathed a sigh of relief as she passed through the colours without a problem. Looking back, he said a joyous farewell to the awful place and clambered through the portal himself.
On the other side, Marco found himself dropping to the floor. "Ow," he said, clambering to his feet.
Hekapoo looked at him, seeming mildly impressed, as she swung one of her scissors round on a finger. "Well done, muscles."
Star was there. She was really there, back in full colour and looking at him with happiness, surprise and a little confusion in her eyes. Whatever, Marco thought as he hugged her. She squeezed him back.
"I'm so glad you're back," he said.
"Me too, I think." Star smiled at him. They separated.
Then the door opened. In strode Tom, looking slightly dishevelled and still in his suit from the Monster party. "Star?" he said, rushing over to her. "I was worried, where did you go? I turned around and you'd just vanished!" He threw his arms around her.
She hugged him back and then leaned away. "Um, hi," she said. "What's your name?"
Tom recoiled in shock. He looked over at Hekapoo and then at Marco.
"Oh boy," Hekapoo said. She opened a portal behind her. "Enjoy fixing the rest of her memories, muscles." She stepped through and the portal vanished.
Star let go of Tom and began spinning around, looking at everything. "Is this your room? I love it!"
Tom's three eyes began to flare.
Marco could see the flames starting to flicker around his horns. "Oh boy," he muttered, reaching for his scissors.
"Wow!" Star said, leaning out of the window. "This view is amazing!"
Hi all, thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed! Please rate and review so I can improve my fan-fic game and feel free to look at my other stories as well, there's some more Star there Ciao!
