Convincing Star

With Star staying on Mewni for the summer, Moon felt it was best to start showing Star some of her future duties. She didn't want to pressure Star into resuming her role as Princess of Mewni, but at some point, she would have to. After a long discussion with River and Marco, Moon decided to have a "girl's day out" with Star the next day. Marco felt it was best if he told Star and say that it was his idea, which it was.

Later in Star's Room

"Marco, why would you say that? I love my mother, but I don't want to spend a whole day visiting other royals!" Star threw herself on her bed and screamed into her pillow. "Do you know what it's like to be me? I have to pretend that those boring meetings are fun, and I can't move or smile or…or be me!"

"I'm sorry Star, I just thought that you'd want to spend more time with your family after…you know…Toffee. I'm pretty sure your mother wants to get close to you because she doesn't want to lose you again." Marco sat on Star's bed and laid a comforting hand on her back. Sighing in defeat, Star rolled over and stared at Marco.

"I want to get closer to her, it's just that we're so different from each other."

"What? Star you act just like your mother," Marco pointed out.

"Oh no, it's finally happened! I've become an old, up-tight lady just like her." Star covered her face and loudly groaned in disgust.

"Star, that's not what I meant. You both are super cool girls that do whatever they feel like. The other day, I saw your mother taking one of the boxes of Captain Blanche's Sugar Seeds into her study. If that's not you, I don't know what is." Marco crossed his arms and gave Star a convince-me look.

"Hey, those are my cereal boxes. I can't believe she's eating them without my permission." Star sat up quickly and started to reach for her wand.

"Huh, I can weirdly relate. Anyways, will you go with your mother tomorrow, please?" Marco put on his best begging face and put his hands together. Star tried her best not to give in, but how could she not, this was Marco after all.

"Fine! But you have to get me five more boxes of cereal. Now get out, I've got some z's to catch." Star slapped Marco with her pillow and chased him out of her room.

The Next Morning

After Moon finished getting dressed, she headed to the throne room to wait for Star. She sat in silence for about an hour before she began to hear footsteps approaching. The door opened to reveal River and Marco who appeared to be deep in conversation. Marco stopped talking once he noticed the bored queen.

"Moon-pie, I hope you have a great day with Star. Call if you need us, Marco and I are going to plan a strategy for the next game of flags." River slapped Marco on the back before approaching your wife. "What time do you think you'll be back?"

"We should be back around dinner time, dear. Marco, have you seen Star?"

"Sorry Queen Moon, I'm afraid I haven't seen her since last night. She better show up or I'm not getting her more boxes of Captain Blanche's Sugar Seeds. Oh, and I may have told her that you ate some, sorry," he said as he rubbed the back of his head. The queen shrugged and stood from her spot.

"That's alright Marco, she was bound to notice. I guess I better see what's keeping her. Have a great day you two. No warnicorn races, River." She gave the young boy a hug and almost gave her husband a kiss before she remembered that Marco was there. She opted to hug him, but River grabbed his wife's right hand and planted a firm kiss to the knuckles.

Off to the side, the young boy found the gesture extremely romantic and fitting for the two. He didn't feel grossed out like he did when his parents flirted with one another and liked the change it brought. The queen smiled down to her king and decided 'what the heck' and blew him a kiss as she sauntered out. The two males resumed their conversation and chuckled as Moon exited the room to find Star.

First, Moon checked Star's room but found that it was vacant. She then checked the dining hall, then the study rooms, and then the vast garden. Finally, Moon asked numerous servants if they had seen her. One of Star's favorite guards said they saw her enter the Tapestry Room earlier in the morning and hadn't seen her since. The older woman was surprised to hear that her daughter was in the Tapestry Room. Of all the places the teen normally went, the Tapestry Room was the last place Star would think to use. The young girl had expressed a certain hatred for the room when she was younger, so the queen was genuinely shocked. Instead of bursting into the room angrily, Moon thought it best to knock first just to stay on Star's good side.

"Come in."

"Star, sweetie, what are you doing in here?" Moon opened the door and slowly walked up to her daughter. To her surprise, Star was staring up at her tapestry, which she still had issues looking at such a dark reminder of her early years. Rethinking her previous plans, Moon decided to do whatever Star felt like doing. The whole point of today was to help Star feel at home on Mewni again. She didn't want Star to grow up in a single day and lose her unique sparkle and charisma.

"Oh, hey mom. Is it time to go those meetings? I hoped I'm dressed appropriately for them." Star seemed distant, which began to worry Moon. She never turned to see her mother, keeping her eyes glued to the large 'wall rug', as the teen liked to call them.

"Star, we're not going to any meetings today. Today is a day for just you and me to do mother-daughter things. So…go change for some…fun." The anxious mother knew there was no going back now. Star quickly turned and looked at her mother excitedly like she had just told her she could partake in this year's game of flags.

"Really!? You mean I don't have to sit and act like an emotionless robot?" Moon smiled and nodded, though she was offended by the 'emotionless robot' remark. "Oh, thank you! Today's gonna be the best day EVER!" Star crushed Moon in bear hug like River would, bringing a smile to the happy mother's face.

"Now, Star, remember that it might take me a while to…relax. If something happens here, we'll have to come back immediately. I can't entirely abandon the kingdom like your father." Star began to jump around the room and whooped with joy.

"Okay, I'm gonna go change, you probably should too! I'll meet you in the entrance hall in like…five minutes." Star ran out of the Tapestry Room without another word, leaving her mother to her thoughts. With a second glance at her tapestry, Moon left to change. She decided to wear a pair of riding trousers and nice shirt in case Star wanted to traipse through the Forest of Certain Death or ride warnicorns. Most importantly, she decided that, just this once, she would wear her hair down like she used to. As promised, Star was waiting in the entrance hall when Moon finally reappeared. She wore her 'Edgar' dress and leggings with her favorite boots and horned headband, no surprise there.

"So, what're we gonna do? Fight monsters, tame wild warnicorns, go to Earth, eat burritos?" Star danced around as she listed off the various options she had previously considered.

"Well, what do you want to do sweetie?" Star's eyes light up at Moon's response. She pressed her face into her mother's as her eyes lit up like stars.

"You mean I get to decide!? But you never let me decide anything. Like…at all. Are you okay? Marco said this might be because of Toffee and me dying," Star stated bluntly. Moon was surprised at Star's reaction. She knew she was hard on the teen and demanded her best, but not to the point that Star felt she couldn't do what she wanted. Most of all, she was uncomfortable about the fact that Star could openly talk about Toffee and her short bout with death like she was describing a flower.

"Star, I know this is all a surprise to you, but I really do want to spend the day with you doing things you love. I've always wanted to, even before Toffee was a serious threat."

"Well in that case, I want to go to Earth and have a real girl's day with you." Star smiled as her mother handed her dimensional scissors to open a portal to Earth. "Come on Mom, I'll show you some cool Earth places to hang out at." Grabbing the queen's slender gloved hand, Star lead her through the portal and into large building packed with people.