Fable Seekers#1

Start!

A/N: Welcome old and new readers :) I've taken a small break from my active stories 'Keeping Your Promise' and Mr Black Cat's 'Legacy Of Loneliness' to try something new. This is a story I wrote from start to finish and posted all at once! It could have a sequel depending on the response and If/When I finish KYP. Have a read and let me know what you think. If you have any questions feel free to PM me and I'll try to get back to you ASAP!

"Man, Star. I'm sorry. I feel like I just crash landed into your life-" Star cut him off not wanting to hear his excuses. She was aware he probably wouldn't even realise what he had done that had annoyed her so much that she was leading him down to the sub-basement of the castle.

She answered his questions with short replies never really taking in what he was saying. Something about Jackie leaving him and now he wanted to know about her and Tom. It almost annoyed her that Tom had been so excited to see the teenage boy. He hadn't even bothered to stay in touch with Tom either but the demon was ready to drop their Burrito date in a heartbeat for Marco. She reached the bottom of the stairs, already planning on not walking back up them.

After a brief introduction and a few more reasons to be angry she slammed the door leaving him to his 'quest'. She pulled her phone from her pocket and dialled up her true BFF.

"Hey Pony! You are never going to believe what just happened!".

Marco heard his friend walk further and further away realising quickly that she was not going to come back anytime soon. He turned the Spanish sounding Knight in front of him and decided if Star had chosen this for him then it must be because she believed he could do the job well.

"Ermm.." Marco fidgeted as he suddenly became aware he hadn't quite heard the knight's name the first time it was said.

"The name is Sir Lavabo, I am the Knight of the Wash. The man responsible for washing the clothes of everyone in the Butterfly Castle. Now, I know of your origin young Marco, I just did not want to antagonise the Princess anymore than I believe necessary. Keep it brief as one could say. I am sure you find no pleasure in being down here with me and are also unaware of the duties one might find here? May I presume that everything I have said to be true?" Lavabo asked with a smile. Marco noticed that the Knight seemed more relaxed and a lot less uptight now that Star had left.

"Yes Sir. I was told by King River that I could be a Knight of Mewni only to find out it was a lie.. So now I'm trying to work my way there through the proper way." Marco answered.

"Sir seems too formal, if you are going to be spending any amount of time here. Just call me Lavabo or if you would like some people even call me 'wet blanket'. I am sure it is in reference to my cleaning duties but I'm still unsure of the correct meaning, Alas I'm sure it will come to me someday. Anyway about your situation, I emphasise with your situation, however I would like to tell you some hard truths and ask a few questions. If you wouldn't mind, of course?" Lavabo waited for the boy to agree before leading him to the kitchen area of the Wash. Lavabo couldn't help but notice the boy stifle a laugh during his talk and added a mental note to ask about it.

Marco followed him into the kitchen and was amazed by how clean and organised it was. After living with Star and spending more time with River, Marco had begun to believe that mess was the real order of Mewni. Lavabo directed him to take a seat and then got them both a cup of tea. Sitting opposite Marco now, he took a small sip and seemed to revel in the taste. Marco followed suit only to burn his tongue. He put down his tea and decided he'd wait a little bit before trying again.

"So Mr Diaz. Firstly lets affirm our respect to one another. Scissors forward." Lavabo reached into his pocket and placed his Dimensional Scissors on the table. They were almost pure white except for an eloquent L that seemed to be hand written on the left hilt. His name was written neatly down the blades making Marco almost bemused by how different his own scissors were.

Marco copied his new Knight and placed his own scissors on the table.

"A small act you may think young Marco, however, we have affirmed that both of us have completed the Trial of Heckapoo. I was informed your challenge was issued in a fashion similar to mine." Lavabo chuckled at his words while Marco looked up in confusion.

"What do you mean?" Marco managed to ask.

"Well I believe you received your trial after being found to be abusing stolen scissors. Your trial was done half jest and as a punishment for arrogance. Yet, beneath the bravado and the ego rose a champion and a warrior. Much like myself, I received my trials the day before my ascension to Knighthood. You see I was planning on abandoning the Wash and joining the normal rabble upon the higher ground." Marco looked at him surprised as Lavabo stroked his beard.

"I thought... I thought you were like super serious about your job? I mean.. Why would you still be here if you planned to abandon it?"

"To be a Knight of the Wash is to give yourself to the wash. Never leaving and never abandoning your duty. For while the Kingdom still runs the Wash must run too. I never wanted the responsibility or duty that came with it. Nor the under appreciation." Lavabo muttered the last part under his breath but it was loud enough for Marco to hear.

"I don't get it. You're completely different from how you acted in front of Star? And why are you here if you hated it so much." Marco felt a bit annoyed by how the elder was dismissing a responsibility that Marco was about to uptake.

"Marco, she is the future ruler of this Kingdom. She needs to have full confidence that I will perform my duty without a hitch. The Princess will one day have to think of war, famine and much more painful problems. I, as a proud warrior of the Butterfly Kingdom, will not add to the worries of such a girl that the guy downstairs didn't exactly want the job originally." Lavabo reasoned to Marco. He had to admit the Knight made a lot of sense. He had often heard adults grumbling about how much they hated their jobs and wondered why they didn't just quit. Suddenly he felt rather childish for having such thoughts.

"As for why I became the Knight of the Wash... Well like I said I started my quest for the scissors the day before my knighthood and during those 16 years I changed as a person."

"Hey.. I took 16 years too!"

"Then you should be proud of yourself young Marco, I, As a fully qualified Squire of this kingdom was able to complete the trials in such a time that you mirrored. Whatever anyone says it is a good time, not the best mind, but a good time nonetheless. Some have been known to die of old age or just stop trying to get the scissors after many years. Anyway I feel I should explain my story now." Marco felt guilty for interrupting but Lavabo merely smiled and waved his hand to Marco's tea. He was hesitant to drink given the pain he received last time but he took the leap regardless and found out that it was indeed delightful. Marco felt his fatigue fading away, he hadn't quite expected climbing into a castle to one of its tallest towers to take it out of him so much.

"As I was saying, the day before my Knighthood I happened to be cleaning some of the clothes that the guests had requested to be washed. Now guests from royal events were always usually magically gifted and that meant a harder challenge." Lavabo noticed Marco's confused expressions and explained further.

"When one has a strong magical presence they can sometimes release that magic into nearby possessions. For you who has spent a lot of time with the Princess I'm sure you can imagine the horrors that her magic unchecked and allowed to be set free would be like." Marco pictured all the bad and strange things that Star's and Ludo's wands had produced and shuddered at the thought.

"Exactly, it is enough to give one goose bumps. Anyhow a particular article of clothing came down rather fast as if it was weighted more than it was suppose to be. Inside I happened to find a pair of scissors belonging to a certain special Lady. I knew what they were and I knew the implications of using them however I also knew of Dimensions where time moved slower. I thought that I could have some fun for once. Away from the Wash and the shadow that it cast over me.

So I did what any young man who had just birthed a bad idea would do... I did just that. Jumping through I had a marvellous time avoiding my duties and spent a whole 6 weeks just enjoying myself, training both mind and body. Unfortunately I had forgotten, due to my inexperience with such an item, to close the portal I arrived in. The Lady easily tracked me down and recovered her scissors. Demanding an explanation as to why I would use an item that did not belong to me and that I had not earned.

Thinking now, back then I was more of an idiot than I care to even believe. I told her that she didn't know what it was like to be given a duty she didn't want. To have expectations thrown upon you and receive no gratitude for your actions. I told her that being born above others just meant she would never understand what it was like for us small folk." Lavabo paused to laugh at his own memories.

"Now, I dare not even describe the anger she felt and showed that day. She grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and threw me into her dimension. She said that if I wanted to talk about duty and hardship then maybe I should experience some. To meet the expectations of those around me and to earn that gratitude. She told me that if I wanted to prove myself right then I better get a move on and earn the very thing I thought I was above." Lavabo's head fell a little in shame as he remembered his past. He looked up to see Marco listening almost spellbound. He was enjoying the story and gave the Knight his full attention. Lavabo let his head rise and smiled. He had missed company.

"At first I was angry, I hunted down the clones with vigour. Never stopping to look at the world around me and what was happening beside me. I thought I was above the people whose life fleeted by the minute in normal time. It wasn't until I had a near death moment by the Exploding Plains of Flendar did I finally wake up to my actions." Marco smiled recognising the name of a place he, himself, had travelled to in his time in Heckapoo's dimension.

"In my rage and anger, the obsession to succeed and prove myself, I let myself fall in a little trap of the Demi-Goddess' design. I blew out her flame but as I did I found myself over an exploding pit. I was blasted far across the plains where the landing broke several bones across my body. I managed to crawl to the edge of the plains where the exploding agent was weaker. I couldn't move my legs and had a barely functioning arm. I let myself wonder how I even ended up there. If I had stayed in the Wash I'd already be a Knight and have left it, yet here I was trying to prove I deserved to be above it and failing. I was found two days later by a small boy, his father returned with him and dragged me to safety.

They nursed me back to health, no questions asked. I noticed their health was not great as their understanding of hygiene and cleanliness was abysmal. I decided to assist the mother of the family. Showing her how simple fat that was discarded from the animals they hunted could be used to keep the clothes they wore white and clean. How high temperatures and the right combination of herbs could lead to clothes being safer and smell nicer. I used all the knowledge I had gained in the wash to help the family recover from their simple illnesses. I realised something... People here didn't have a Knight of the Wash. An example to show everyone what it meant to smell fresh and wear the best everyday. A shallow epiphany i must admit but it was enough. I ran back to the towns I had rushed through and taught them all I knew. I helped them clean the slime from their shields, the rust from their swords. I removed the curses that plagued them for years in seconds and the monsters that rose from the clothes exposed to the magic of the very dimension they lived in were slaughtered with gusto.

I spent 6 whole years doing so before I was discovered by a rather curious clone. She was amused that I had gone off track for such a hypocritical reason. I sought to abandon the Wash for honour and on my quest for honour I abandoned it for the Wash. I taught her everything I knew that would help her dresses feel and smell the best it could. Turns out she had brought her whole wardrobe to the castle and always did in hopes that she would get the effect of the Wash. After blowing out the flame and taking note of her number in my cause I resumed the Trial, now aware of where I needed to be." Lavabo smiled as Marco's grin stretched wide.

"I sought escape from duty with arrogance. Now I fought to return to the duty with pride. I tracked each and every clone down before arriving at the forge. When I entered I was pulled into a hug. I was surprised to say the least. She was happy to see me. Apparently she rather enjoyed toying with me for the first 3 years. She worried when I disappeared, concerned that if she, a High Commission Member, had been the cause of the death of a Knight to be that she would be in trouble. Then upon hearing of my name and reputation she found me. I had abandoned glory for duty and was happy doing so. She told me then that I had always confused the main point. My duty was glory itself, the joy it brought me and others could never be a negative thing. I agreed with her and was presented with my scissors. I returned to the castle and surprised everyone when I declared that I refused any position except the Wash. My Knight was more surprised than most, she knew of my hate for the position but I was a man born new. I found my calling and I stuck to it." Marco clapped with glee having enjoyed the story. He found himself connecting with the Knight. No one else he was friends with had even done the trial, just inherited their scissors or stole them. It made him happy to finally sit opposite someone who didn't see his pride as a joke. Marco then found a question coming to him.

"I loved your story, I really did... But why are you telling me all this?" Marco was confused. He had liked the story but it dawned on him he hadn't told Marco why he should join the Wash.

"Perspective Marco. First we affirm our respect for one another. I told you the short story of my scissors as I'm sure time will allow us to both recount our full tales. Now we understand one another. We are men, warriors and those destined to rise above the expectations of others. Whether that means to surprise those who thought we'd run from duty or show those that dumped us down to be forgotten that we will forge a legend that will be told for millennia." Marco froze hearing the last sentence.

"You think I could be a real Knight... Don't you?"

"One doesn't acquire these scissors without the means to do so. I am a Knight who could get them in 16 years. You are a man who in 16 years completed the quest. Why would I assume you could not be a Knight?" Lavabo raised his eyebrows at his clear logic of 'If i could do it, why can't you.'

"So you think I really could become a Knight of the Wash?" Still not trusting the elders words.

"I do... But I don't think you should." Lavabo admitted confusing Marco to no degree.

"Allow me to explain. To me, the Wash is a blessing but to you, it could be a curse. I told you I know of your origin. I know who you are to the Princess and the situation based around it. I'm not basing this on the song day fiasco but what one hears when he collects washing. Gossip, when used correctly, can be an interesting way to get a full story. You are a hero, to Mewni and more. Yet you have been treated for the fool. Returned to earth believing to have the respect of this Kingdom. You returned for adventure and for the Princess' heart." Marco went to refute but stopped himself. Lying to a honest man would only lower his own worth.

"The Princess' heart is taken so what remains of your goal?"

"Adventure?" Marco questioned.

"Exactly! Now how would one experience true adventure inside the Wash? Sure there are beasts and battles that can last for days. There is a lot to experience but it's nothing for one who has already bested Heckapoo and seeks more. I do not want to bury you down here with the dirty clothes Marco..." Marco hung his head low. He thought he had found a guide and someone who he could respect, trust and believe in to turn him into a Knight. He found a strange pride and joy in the Knights faith in him. He was worth more than this place. It seemed strange for the man who found he belonged here to be sure he didn't.

"So, What do I do now?" Marco asked crestfallen.

"I believe I have a plan.. However, with those feelings inside you, those of doubt and anger, that I know you are suppressing you will never be able to come to the right conclusion with a clear heart. For now... How about I show you what a quest is like in the Wash. We will act together, follow my lead now." Lavabo smiled taking his cup to the sink only to find Marco had done the same. He had so much promise.

/

One Month had passed in the Wash. Marco dodged the lint's attacked with ease as he made sure the blindfold was properly secure. He didn't want it falling off and ruining his training. He felt the lint move around him, the flow of its magic shifted as it prepared to strike him. He jumped at the last moment, running up it's arm and then kicking it in it's smaller face. It screamed in anguish as it waved it's arms wildly. He slid down the arm before it swung again. It flung him across the Lint catcher straight to the fan which he gripped tightly feeling it shift from both his weight and force. The first time he had tried to defeat the beast without Sir Lavabo's aid or instruction he found his weight to be insufficient to move it. Now he some extra muscle to add to the weight but still needed more. He used what he knew, Physics. Gravity was a good ally to Marco in his Lint Quest as he heard the defeated beast be blown away. He walked from the catcher and removed his blindfold to see Lavabo smiling in front of him.

"Perfect my boy!" Lavabo hugged him tightly, Marco had grown numb to the pain that came with a hug from the chiselled man. Over their time together they had grown closer than Marco could ever have imagined. Lavabo was there to help him through any struggles he had and he knew the elder was sticking his neck out for him.

"So you think I'm ready?" Marco asked nervously.

"For that, Young Diaz, only you will have the answer but I can say that I doubt you'll find yourself in trouble out in the vast reaches of Mewni." Marco smiled at the comment before taking a formal stance.

"Marco Diaz, Squire of the Wash, recognises his mentor."

"Sir Lavabo, Knight of the Wash, recognises his protégé." Both men saluted to one another before laughing at their actions.

"It's time Marco.." Lavabo stated all of a sudden. Marco nodded in response before straightening up his clothes. Marco hadn't abandoned his red hoodie but his other clothes hadn't lasted too long. He decided to dress more like someone with a status and now wore a white shirt, black skinny jeans, black boots and a slim black tie. Over it he wore his red hoodie. Originally Lavabo had raised an eyebrow at Marco's sudden wish to dress more respectfully but had no complaints.

"Let's go kick butt.." Marco whispered under his breath.

"Well.. Metaphorical butts to say the least." Lavabo chimed in as they both walked through a portal and appeared before Queen Moon. They took a knee before her out of respect.

"Rise." Both men stood to face the Queen. Marco was surprised when he found she was beaming a smile at him.

"Greetings Lavabo, Have you been well?" She turned to the Knight first.

"Extremely, my Lady. These last few weeks have been a blessing to me."

"Wonderful, and Marco, how are you?"

"I am.. Thankful my Queen." Moon was intrigued by his choice in words.

"Thankful? Would you please explain Marco?"

"Yes my Queen. Ever since the first day Star introduced me to the Wash I have been working hard and training my body, mind and soul. Under the knowing gaze of Sir Lavabo I feel like I've grown more than I could ever have dreamed." Marco's face went a little red as he admitted this and didn't notice the warm smile his mentor graced him with.

"It sounds like you have found a true calling in the Wash Marco.. Or I would have liked to believe yet here we are." She smiled at the two. She told all the guards to leave then alone and then walked to greet the gentlemen properly.

"Oh Lavabo it has truly been too long. I tell you time and time again to at least come out of the Wash during parties and gatherings."

"My La- Moon I couldn't dare. I an oath bound to always guard the Wash. It is my duty." He changed how he went was going to address her when a sharp gaze had fallen onto him.

"You don't seem to be guarding it right now?" Moon asked playfully.

"Of course, for this is a duty of my own desire. I am here for my Squire and his future." Lavabo smiled down at Marco. Moon smiled at the man's joy before turning to Marco.

"I don't know how you did it but it's nice to see him smiling properly again. Anyway what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Well.. I wish to leave the Kingdom and go on an adventure!" Marco stated with enthusiasm. Moon looked from Marco to Lavabo with confusion.

"What? No." She immediately replied.

"My Lady Moon, before you decide please hear us both out." Lavabo interjected before Marco could question why.

"I'm sure you are confused as to why this what we are here for. Especially when we both have admitted to enjoying both our duty and the others company, however this is my personal wish.

Marco is a bright and promising young man, one rarely seen in his generation. He has earned the favour of both his peers and mine. He is capable of so much. He didn't just pass the first day like no other squire candidate could but excelled in everything I taught him. I, myself, found my calling in the Wash however I fear the boy's talents would only be wasted down there. I seek to allow him to grow, to experience life as a true man should. He beat Heckapoo's challenge and still seeks more. I believe as the guides to his life we ought to allow him this freedom." Lavabo ushered for Marco to continue.

"Plus if you are worried about my parents and me. I'll use my scissors to open a portal each night. It'll show you both my location and Ill send a letter regarding my well-being giving you constant updates." Marco finished. Moon thought over their words.

"You really completed Heckapoo's challenge?" Moon asked Marco. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his scissors to show her. Without a doubt it was a Heckapoo pair. Moon suddenly felt a little guilty for always underestimating the boy.

"And you really think this is what's best for him?" Lavabo gave a short nod with no hesitation.

"I will agree to this but I have some questions and some conditions." Lavabo and Marco turned to each other and smiled.

"Yes your majesty" Marco bowed quickly.

"Firstly, Does Star know about this?" Moon asked curious. She hadn't seen the pair together or heard Star mention him after the first day he had arrived. Marco sighed deeply before addressing Moon.

"No my Queen. I feel like I rather hurt her when I returned unannounced. We have had no contact this last month and I think even if I did leave, she wouldn't notice." Marco admitted.

"Come now Marco, I'm sure Star would notice you missing. I'm sure your friendship has not fallen to the degree?"

"Maybe you are right my Queen." Marco replied. Moon could tell he didn't believe her and felt a little annoyed that the boy doubted her daughter that much but chose to carry on.

"Moving on, What are your plans? Do you no longer wish to be a knight?"

"I'll travel, help where I can. I'll learn new skills and techniques and maybe join a guild. There's so much about this world I don't know and I'm honestly not sure I could ever learn them in the comfort of the castle. No offence intended. I do however still wish to be a Knight. I just need some time to discover myself." Moon listened attentively but didn't reply straight away.

A few minutes passed in silence as the two men stood watching the Queen. She thought carefully about their request. A bead of sweat fell down Marco's head as he felt the pressure before him. If the Queen refused his request he would happily continue his service for the Wash. He had discussed it with Lavabo who stated that he'd be happy to have him but he knew the Knight wanted him to find his own path. They stood waiting a minute more when Moon turned to them.

"Okay deal. I will allow you to go on your adventure. I expect the messages to be detailed and truthful, I will of course be able to check if you are lying to me. If you ever need any help of any kind you will ask me. I expect you to turn to me when you need to Marco. I will give you two years to decide if you truly want to be a Knight of Mewni. However I expect you to return near the end of your first year to see how much you have grown in that time. I'll also be in touch with your parents, I won't tell them the full details but I'll update them where appropriate. Now if you agree with this as well then you can set off tonight." Moon smiled as Marco's mouth dropped open in surprise. Lavabo nudged his side gently and Marco was quick to bow to her.

"Many thanks Queen Moon, I graciously accept."

"Good, now why don't you start getting ready?" Marco bowed once more before cutting a portal back to his room to prepare. Moon turned to Lavabo who smiled brightly at her.

"You know this is going to cause problems down the line?"

"Worth it My lady, it is my duty as his mentor to make sure he gets the right training and experience."

"But you won't be with him?"

"I will be no more than a small tear in reality away. The boy respects the Wash, unlike many of our own kingdom, he knows of my responsibilities and when the time comes I know he will choose what is right for him."

"I hope you are right, you best be off. Tell him that he should leave during the night. It will be a good start for him to reach the next town by first light." Lavabo bowed to his Queen and rushed to join Marco.

/

Much Later That Day.

Marco stood with a satchel bag over his shoulder. His clothes were as he had worn earlier that day with the addition of a red hand knitted scarf his mentor had gifted him with. He turned to face his leaving party of three. The first guest stepped forward.

"Damn, I can't believe your actually doing this!" Higgs chuckled as she slapped his back.

"Yeah, thanks again for coming to see me off." Marco smiled at his friend.

"No problem. The others would have come but they actually covered my work so I would be able to make it."

"Well pass on my thanks to them too, I'll be back one day. Ya' know." Marco nudged her arm gently making her sway. She knocked her hand against his chest in response.

"Stay good Diaz. When you first turned up I was seriously pissed. I mean, I never wanted to be the squire of the Wash but when I found out you got your job because of your relationship with the Princess I thought 'This dude ain't lasting even a week' but you had to go and prove me wrong. You trained hard, worked harder and you didn't look down on us. I know we had a few... 'teething problems'.."

"Are you talking about the time you locked me in the cupboard or the other stuff?" Marco raised his eyebrow as he quizzed her.

"All of that junk. I was just angry that you got given what I worked for.. But when I learnt how hard it is in the Wash and that you planned to go on this journey to earn your place I guess you kind of grew on me." Marco could have sworn he saw her blush but couldn't be sure under the darkness of the night.

"Anyway I'm just saying you're a good friend and a better rival so you better not die out there!" Higgs punched his arm with an unnecessarily amount of force before running back to the castle. The pain in his arm a firm reminder of how strong his rival was and how much stronger they would become. He looked forward to comparing their skills when they would meet again.

"Quite a spirited young lady! I must say it was refreshing to see that side of her, it is good to know we have such reliable squires both inside the kingdom and those heading out." Marco looked up at the tall woman and noticed she held sorrow in her eyes.

"Is something wrong my lady?" He asked concerned. She was shocked that he saw through her emotions.

"I guess I've grown rather fond of you Marco. I may not have always seemed like it or spent a great deal of time with you but I have a soft spot for you. You protected my daughter, fought for my kingdom and punched a hole in that vile beast's heart, which I must say is a sight I rather enjoyed once we knew Star was safe." Moon chuckled. Marco remembered the moment with different feelings.

"Thank you your majesty. I'll take care of myself I promise."

"I know you will, however, I still worry. So take these with you." Moon passed two items to Marco. He looked at the first one and saw that it was a small dagger. He took it from it's sheath and noticed it glowed brightly in the moonlight. The other item was a fair bit heavier and contained gold.

"The dagger was blessed by a previous Queen of Mewni. She specialised in light magic and healing spells. It won't do much but I'd rather know you had something to protect yourself with since you refused the sword and armor I offered you. The bag contains 650 gold coins. It is enough to buy a rather decent sized estate and I hope it fairs you well over the duration of your journey." Marco looked down at the gifts in his hands and felt tears begin to swell in his eyes. He moved forward and hugged the monarch. She was surprised at first but let her arms envelop him.

After a minute or so, Marco took a step back and wiped his tears away.

"Thank you Queen Moon, I promise to put your gifts to great use." He bowed one last time to her and she nodded gently to him before disappearing into a portal back to the castle leaving Marco with Lavabo. Lavabo moved forward and helped him put the coin purse away and equip his dagger to his side.

"A rather precious gift this dagger is, an heirloom I would even say. The Queen, like myself, expects great things from you Marco Diaz. I await your return." Lavabo bowed to Marco who returned the gesture. No more words were needed, they had all been said. The two men looked each other in the eyes and smiled before turning to walk their separate directions. Marco waited until he was a few miles out before turning back to the castle. It's lights shone out into the darkness and he felt overwhelmed by how it had been for the last month. To chose to return to Mewni only to be shoved where he wouldn't be seen. Only to find where he was hidden was the best place he could have asked for and now he was setting out for his own adventure. He let himself look one last time at Star's tower and felt a little regret about not saying anything but didn't want to let it hold him back. He turned towards the direction Moon had told him to go.

"Let the adventure begin." He said one last time before disappearing into the dark path ahead.

/

Star lay in her bed clueless as to her former best friends actions. Her mother had tried to mention Marco earlier that day but she had just cut her off and rushed out to meet Tom. Star sat up and smiled as Pony Head, Kelly and Tom all stepped out of portals.

"Hey Peeps! About time I've been waiting for you!" Star jumped up and rushed to greet her friends. Pony and her did some sort of friendship pose before she ran to hug Kelly. Finally she rushed up to Tom only to feel a little shy as she kissed him on the cheek turning the demon red.

After the greet they all headed upstairs to Star's second floor. Here she had some sofas and a TV she had taken from earth. They all settled down and got some popcorn ready for movie night.

Tom looked around eagerly but then started to sulk. Star noticed his actions and wanted to know what was wrong.

"Tom what's the matter?" She asked concerned.

"Oh nothing Starship.. It's not important." Tom replied quickly. He mentally swore to himself that he'd been spotted.

"Oh come on, you can tell meeeee?" Star got close to him giving him puppy dog eyes. He felt his resistance fade with each eyelash flutter.

"I was just wondering if Marco was going to join us. It's been a month Star and I still haven't seen him." Star's smile faded as she jumped on the sofa beside him.

"I thought Marco went back to Earth? Can't we just invite him over though?" Kelly asked confused when Pony Head tried to signal for her to stop.

"No Kelly, Marco is actually a Squire here in the castle and has been for a month." Tom explained. Kelly's face was visibly full of shock which soon turned to confusion.

"Wait but.. We've hung out loads in the castle over the last month. Why have we not seen him? Plus if he's in the castle why isn't he here?" Kelly quizzed again much to Pony Head's annoyance.

"Because he's a Squire for the Wash." Tom answered quickly, only now noticing how annoyed Star had become.

"Ouch... Whose bright idea was that?" Kelly chuckled but soon stopped when Pony Head and Tom shook their heads at her.

"Mine! It was MY idea. He comes back here with no messages and no contact for ages and then just DEMANDS a job! HOW DARE HE! He just rocks up with no heads up and acts like nothings changed! HE DIDN'T EVEN APOLOGISE FOR IT! No! He's down in the Wash and he's going to stay there until he apologises for it." Star stated bitterly. Tom regretted bringing it up but was really missing his best guy friend. Pony Head, however, was much better with damage control.

"That's right! Earth turd got exactly what he wanted, a job. He should be on his knees thanking you... But the movies not going to watch itself so how about I just go ahead and press play." Before anyone could stop her Pony sapped the TV awake ending any further attempts at continuing the conversation. Kelly was bothered by how hypocritical Star was being and decided when she got the chance she'd try to visit Marco.