Disclaimer: I do not own [Star Vs. the Forces of Evil] or any of its corresponding properties. This is a work of fan fiction, produced without sale or profit. All characters mentioned herein have taken eternal youth potions, have aged a thousand years, and have been brought back in time, by choice, to their regular lives, suffering mental whiplash amnesia from the entire ordeal.

Act I:

Escape from Mewni Castle

Chapter 1:

Long Live the Wash

"Run!" Sir Lavabo yelled to all the ladies as he and Marco pressed their backs as hard as they could against the door. With every pounding strike that the force of mutinous knights on the other side of the door gave, the fibers that composed the mighty yet ultimately destructible beams of solid wood cracked and splintered. They pounded, again and again and again, slow, constant, and strong. The breaching of the door encroached upon them with a heartbeat-skipping, thunderous rhythm.

Eclipsa was running with Meteora screaming in her arms, along with Angie who ran right next to her. To Eclipsa's left was Lady Whosits, one of the few, remaining guardians who protected her, along with Higgs, who ran with Angie at the right flank of this small gathering of women. They ran to the deepest recesses of the washroom where a thick, giant, iron bound door stood partially open. It served as a sort of last resort in moments such as these. The gate closed off the entrance to a large cavern, leading deep into Mount Mewni and ending in a cistern with a spring of blessed water. There was one way in and one way out...and it was the queen's last chance for survival.

"Marco!" Lady Whosits screamed before they got beyond earshot of her best yelling voice. "Get your butt over here!"

"Go, Sir Marco." Sir Lavabo grumbled through gritting teeth. "Protect the queen. I shall hold this rabble as long as I can."

"Youhh...ughhh! You can't do this alone!" Marco replied, sweat stinging his eyes as he jammed his feet into the floor and pressed his aching back with all his might into the door behind them. "I'm not leaving yuh..."

Sir Lavabo suddenly reached over and grabbed Marco off his feet. "The wash...she is MY responsibility, not yours. The queen...she will need all the help she can get...and that is you. I am jouust a ummbol waschman, sworn to defend cleanliness and the sanctity of this waschroom. I can do littel by hcher side. Jou...jou have werrked to save Mewni before...jou can do it again...jou must." His stare was intense as hell itself and his mighty grip communicated how much stronger he was physically to Marco. "Sir Marco...go. They will need you."

Marco nearly teared up. He knew what this man was saying, even though he wasn't telling it to him outright. "...You'll die."

"...Knowing that I have lived in peace and end in service...to the honor of my brethren in arms, who came before me, my knightly order, and to the safety of the queen. Jes...I will die, but, I will die well. A good death...is its own reward."

...

Marco pursed his lips together with deep, dark, heavy emotion as a tiny ridge of tears formed at the lower edge of his eyes.

"I am prepared, Sir Marco. My duuty is complete. Now go. See to jours."

Marco nodded in reply...with a sniffle...and a gentle sob.

Sir Lavabo let him down quickly and returned his back fully to the door. Marco ran to the door's right side where his blade, 'El Choppo', rested besides the frame. He then turned to the door's left side, where Sir Lavabo's weapon stood, leaning against the wall. It was a mighty greatsword, possibly five feet and more in total height, with a fearsome blade, wide with a pronounced blood groove running down its length. He tucked El Choppo beneath his arm and then grabbed Sir Lavabo's sword and pressed it against the old knight's chest.

"We...I'll never forget you." Marco said as the mighty, old knight took his sword in his arms.

"Nor shall I jou, Sir Diaz." he replied.

Marco gripped his sword and turned to start running towards the cistern. "Oh...you know I'm not a 'Sir', right?" Marco turned back and asked, smiling gently though the tears were running down his cheeks.

"...Today...to me...jou most cehhrrtainly are." Sir Lavabo replied, his own broad smile crossing his weathered face.

Marco stood up straight and saluted.

Sir Lavabo saluted back, madly ending the gesture with a firm cut downward.

Marco did the same.

The boy lingered, walking backward and staring into Sir Lovabo's struggle filled face, reluctant to do what he had to do. He lingered, holding back a great scream of heartfelt anguish, as the image of this noble man became smaller and smaller and the wood around him seemed to crack and explode a little more, every time he took a step.

'...Go.' Sir Lavabo mouthed, one more time, urging the boy to speed his way.

Marco's fists shook with fear and anger while he witnessed this warrior's last act, whose fate was sealed for the sake of the queen, her guard, Marco's mother, and Marco himself. At this last moment, he swallowed his heart into silence and did his best to stiffen his resolve, just as a few tears fell from his eyes. He turned and ran, running as hard as he could, past archways and through a short length of tunnel before he slipped through the narrow opening of the cistern door that was just wide enough for him to squeeze through. He wanted to turn back, all the while that he ran, even fighting the urge to command the queen's guard to go on without him so he could make sure that his friend wouldn't die alone...but he didn't. He let the old man do his job, while he did his own.

Fighting back the feeling that he was betraying and abandoning a great and loyal friend, Marco joined Lady Whosits and began working to shove the enormous door closed. His ears then recognized the loud crack of bursting...failing wooden beams and the emboldened sound of savage battlecries filling the air. He could see, in his mind's eye, the onslaught of enemy knights that would soon be spilling into the breach, just as he and Whosits beat their shoulders into the giant door to snugly fit it into its frame. Marco and Whosits then both struggled to slide an enormously thick, metal rod across the width of the door, through its guiding braces, and into its locks. The gate was finally secure and they, Eclipsa in particular, were safe...for now.

Marco and Lady Whosits then slumped back against the timbers, taking a moment to catch their breaths and rest. The welcomed silence was soon invaded by muffled, frightful sounds spilling in through the tiny gaps of the door. There was more pounding...more cracking...and then a final shattering of wood. The roar of blood-thirsty warriors nearly shook the ground and door behind them. Then, a single voice, mighty and firm, was heard above the hoard. "LONG LIVE THE WASH!" he screamed and the hot, chilling sound of steel on steel ensued. Marco banged his head against the iron-bound wood behind him and then let it collapse forward into his cupped hands. Marco knew he wouldn't last long. In fact, it was quite possible that he was dead already.

"...Oh god..." he groaned into his hands, "...I'm sorry..." Everyone witnessing Marco's despair suddenly realized what was going on and began their own shifting and shuffling in regret and mourning.

Lady Whosits, sitting next to Marco, furrowed her brow and rested her hand upon the boy's shoulder. "...I'm sorry, kiddo." was all she could say.

Marco relieved himself of one of his hands and rested it upon Whosits's large digits. He then looked up at her and asked, "Did you know him well?"

"Nah. Sorry. Can't say I did." she replied. "The wash is kindofa...lonely place, you know?"

Marco looked forward and nodded. "Yeah...I know." he answered, and then gave some room for regret, wishing he had kept Star's original assignment as Sir Lavabo's squire.

A few minutes passed, mulling over the royal guard's recent loss, before Higgs decided to break the silence. "So...I don't mean to be a pessimist, but, how long until they try to break THIS monster of a door down?" she asked, pulling Marco, thankfully, into the here and now.

"I dunno." he replied. "Not long. And it'll probably take, maybe, a day for them to break...or maybe burn through and break this one, unless we block..."

...

Marco's eyes suddenly shot wide open. The reason that the late Sir Lavabo urged him to carry on and take his place by the queen's side was about to come into fruition. In a moment of clarity and his signature tactical thinking, Marco looked up at the small gathering of souls before him. "...Run." he commanded. "I'm gonna block the door."

"With...what?" Lady Whosits asked, puzzled, as she saw the boy get up from his previous state of pity and then dynamically spring to action.

They all began running down the dark, dimly lit cavern with him, and, they also nearly slid to a stop, just as he did, when Marco picked a certain distance away from the entrance to halt and turn around.

Marco then demonstrated, having a reasonable range away from the door now, and took his sword firmly with both hands, in a reverse grip, pointing it downward toward the ground. "RUN." he ordered, more firmly this time. "...LANDSLIDE." he said, with a fiery look in his eyes, before he turned and kneeled.

Whosits's eyes streamed wide open when she realized what he was about to do. It didn't look like there was any stopping him either. "RUN." she repeated to the rest. They did just that.

After they all were a good distance away, Marco raised the sword above his head, and then, with a mighty blow, swung it down like a pickaxe. El Choppo stabbed into the ground with great fury and began channeling its enchanted might into the rock beneath his knees. Slowly, a great rumbling began building all around, increasing in magnitude with every moment that passed. Marco rolled backward, onto the heels of his feet and used his momentum to turn and rocket into a hard, crazy sprint. "GO! GO! GOOOOOHHHH!" He screamed to the distant group before him as he ran as fast as he could, getting out of the affected area as the monstrous roar of crushing rocks threatened to swallow him alive. They all ran and ran, Marco soon catching up with the rest and pressing them to run faster. Soon, as she was able to do so, Lady Whosits picked up Angie and Eclipsa, whose best efforts left them lacking and falling behind. She carried them in her mighty arms, while Higgs and Marco, whose youthful legs were able to psychotically hold their own, ran like the wind. They all ran until the sounds trickled to a halt and only the sound of loose pebbles falling and shifting was heard. They all then slowed their steps, feeling that the worst was over. Also, their legs were fixing to drop off their bodies if they were pushed any more.

"Hhhahhh...hohhhh...that'll slow 'em down, for a while." Marco commented, laughing while they all smiled at him as they tried to grab hold of their breaths and slow their pounding hearts.

"Hyyeah! THAT sure will." Whosits agreed. "You...ya freaking knucklehead...you are one crazy, little, dick, you know that?!" she then commented, slapping Marco's head a little.

They all giggled and rested for a little while, feeling a good deal safer with several yards of solid rock set between them and the mutiny that pursued them. Yet, even with all that, Marco still felt the slight sting of impending doom crawl up his neck. The feeling of something far more powerful and threatening than a landslide was witnessed this night, though not so clearly seen, and, Marco knew that it was soon to be confronted. He knew that he would need more than his wits and El Choppo to get by, next time.

The ragtag group of outcasts and exiles began walking on down the pathway of the massive cavern. They were still able to see, even though they were already deep into the reaches of the mountain. Marco was wondering what the light sources were and looked around. Every few yards, there were iron torches resting against the cavern walls with unnatural looking flames silently burning in their cages. They were cool colored, as if a collection of moonbeams were trapped, dancing in place atop their wide, ring-bound claws, and they threw off sparks that lingered alive for a good, long while, even though they burned alone upon the floor. Meteora, who was squealing mercilessly, soon settled down after Marco took one of the torches and brought it close to her. Thankfully, as he soon discovered, its 'flames' were not dangerous. In fact, they were cool to the touch, and even more mesmerizing up close. He brought it over to the sweet, gentle, baby monster girl and was happy to make her giggle and coo when looking at it. It was a good thing, a very good thing at that, as it made everyone smile for a little while.

The cavern narrowed down to a large brick wall with another wooden door set into it, flanked by a torch on either side. Marco halted the procession with a silent hand gesture and carefully crept onward, opening the door and pointing their torch inside, expecting darkness...and possibly bad things. The chamber beyond the door was not dark and not dangerous. In fact...it was beautiful.

"Wooooahhh..." Marco mouthed with awe as he led them in.

They all stepped through the small doorway to find the cave finally ending with an enormous, bulbous chamber that surrounded a large pool of luminescent water. The shape of the chamber made Marco feel as if they were entering a giant, stone model of a human heart. The stone that composed the walls and ceiling of the room, although drab and grey, seemed to be sculpted magically for convenience. It cleaved horizontally and was scalloped in places, making lots of natural seats, benches, and tables. Everyone was grateful for that, as they all soon found personal nooks or crannies to rest in. The body of water before them was continuously fed by some underwater source, a spring, perhaps, that bubbled fresh water to the surface. The water itself was glowing, as if there were pool lights within, yet, the beautiful, soothing fluid seemed its own source of light, looking somewhat milky in its depths, although it could still be seen through. After a brief, quiet rest, everyone stepped forward, one by one, to come to the shore's edge to kneel and take a soothing handful of water to their lips. Some of their anxieties and aches cooled and they felt invigorated, calmer, and collected. That is, everyone who was able to. Eclipsa simply found some place within the slopes of the cave that she could sit down and rock Meteora back and forth to keep her from fidgeting and crying.

Marco remained at the water's edge, kneeling and staring at the queen and her baby, anxious, to say the least. After all, this had been most stressful upon the pair of mother and daughter, having been the victims of the coup that just chased them into the bowels of Mewni Castle. Eclipsa was distressed and very distracted, looking out into nowhere, as she held Meteora in her arms. This left Marco beside himself as to what he, or anyone for the matter, could do to show them a bit of kindness, especially after seeing a single tear roll down Eclipsa's cheek.

"Marco?" Mrs. Diaz suddenly broke his thoughts. She came to a perching squat next to him, as he kneeled at the shore of the pool. "Are you alright?" she asked, sweetly and warm with concern, healing him a bit as only a mother could, along with a gentle hand that settled on his shoulder.

He looked back at her. "I guess. As good as I can be, right now." he replied. His hand joined hers, atop his shoulder, as a concerned yet joking smile crossed his lips. "Sorry your vacation had to get so...interesting, all of a sudden, heheh."

Angie giggled gently in reply. "It's not your fault, dear. None of this is. I just wish...well...I can't exactly say that I wish any this would happen at all, heh." she fumbled with her thoughts and words, making them both giggle. "I guess I just wish it could've happened under better circumstances, but, I don't exactly know what those would be. You guys always seem to be handling some sort of world-ending trouble, don't you?"

Marco and Angie laughed softly. It felt good...humanizing to do so. Even Higgs and Lady Whosits were affected by their warmth, as it made them smile to see such a thing in such a horrid time.

Then, looking back at Eclipsa, who wasn't quite feeling the same, he continued feeling quite troubled for her sake. "It's not going so well for them either." he commented, making Angie's smile melt away.

"...Yeah." she replied, feeling just as lost.

Then, a slight beam of hope overtook Marco's gloom. He recalled that he packed a collapsible plastic cup in his emergency fanny pack (or bum bag, for those of us living in the UK...). It may have been the tiniest gesture, but, it certainly would be most welcome to Eclipsa...maybe even the kindest gesture anyone had done for her in ages. "It could at least be a little better for them though." he said to his mom with a smile, puzzling her a bit, before he went into action. He retrieved his collapsible cup, extended it, and dipped it into the spring, before he got up and walked over to the queen.

Angie smiled and placed her hand over her heart. "...That's my boy." she said to herself, with a tear or two welling up in her eyes.

Marco approached Eclipsa, breaking her dark spiral of thought and making her wince in reaction. Marco halted a moment and waved at her to somewhat jokingly assure her that he meant her no harm. This made her smile, but, what he did next nearly made her cry happily. "Here..." he said, presenting the cup of lovely, magical water to her. She eagerly wanted to accept his gift, but, it quickly became obvious that she couldn't, as she was using both her arms to cradle Meteora "...Oh." Marco said, and brought the cup to her lips.

"...Mmmhh...thank you, sweetie." Eclipsa said, giving him the warmest smile and the sweetest stare, through a pair of timid, adoring eyes.

Marco smiled back. He then also proceeded to gently and carefully bring the cup to Meteora's lips so she could take the cutest sip. It made her clovers glow and made her giggle from the feeling it gave her. "...It's hard to believe this little bundle of joy had it in for me, a month or so ago." Marco commented.

"...Did she?" Eclipsa replied, the both of them watching adoringly as Marco gently gave her another sip.

"Heheh, yeah. This cute, little gal reeeeeally hated my guts, hahahah."

Eclipsa giggled in reply as well.

After a good, long, silent while, all sitting, resting, and contemplating to themselves about this and that, Lady Whosits finally decided to start the conversation over what the hell they were supposed to do next. "Uh, I hate to make some noise in here, but, I gotta ask...how long do we have until they get through that roadblock?" she calmly yet concernedly asked, mostly towards Marco.

"...I dunno." he began replying. "Days...weeks...hours? It's kinda hard to tell, since we don't know if Sir Stabby himself is tunneling through with the powers of the wand."

"Yeah, what was that all about anyways, huh? What and how the heck does he have anything to do with the wand?" Whosits asked, towards the room, but, most towards Marco and, particularly, Higgs.

"I've no idea." Eclipsa replied. "I've also no clue as to how he's gotten so adept at using magic. To my knowledge, he's never had the remotest interest in the arts."

"Mmmm...Higgs?" Marco called calmly to her. "Anything you could tell us?"

"...I...I can't." Higgs replied.

"Wha...why?" Whosits stepped in. "I mean, I know he's your master and all, but, now's not the time to protect that psycho."

"I know. That's not what I mean." Higgs replied, somewhat fearful of Whosits's semi-accusation. "What I meant is, I can't say, because, I just don't know. His change was crazy sudden to me too! It's almost like he was...possessed, or something. I mean...did you guys hear his creepy voice? I swear, it didn't sound anything like the noble, trumpety tone MY knight usually makes. And when he started beating and kicking me over to your guys' side, I..." Higgs stopped and choked back her tears at this betrayal...and trauma. The excitement caused by the chase and its adrenaline filled forgetfulness now crumbled away and made her relive a near sense of rape. Whosits, who was closest to her, came over and sat beside, placing an arm around her and lovingly rubbing her large palm into her hair. Higgs replied by desperately wrapping her arms around her. "...I swear...I swear that wasn't him. I mean, he's been mean, at times, but...he'd never do something like that!"

Marco stared at her, sorry for the sudden cliff she'd been pushed off. Sir Stabby was like a father figure to her, and now...

He wanted to say something, but, he had absolutely nothing to say. He only wagged his head, angered at all that was happening, wanting to blame this man for everything, yet, this sudden in change attitude was a symptom of something, possibly making Sir Stabby, in a certain light...innocent.

Marco began wondering, confused, yet, he could swear he had his fingertips on the slightest hint as to why Sir Stabby was now the way he was. Marco pinched his chin with a thumb and forefinger and began pacing around in thought. Something wreaked heavily of greater evils at work than were seen on the surface...something dark...sticky...sinister...and familiar...and then, Marco inhaled sharply, understanding. In fact, the voice they were listening to, while Sir Stabby was holding Meteora and threatening to kill her unless Eclipsa surrendered the wand...it sounded a lot like...

"...Toffee."

Everyone looked back at Marco, into his stern, epiphanous stare, as he gazed off into the ether. He was so sure that it scared them all, even though some of them didn't know quite who he was talking about.

"...I don't know...I don't know how he got in there...into him, but...Sir Stabby is being controlled by Toffee."

"...You sure, kid?" Whosits asked, frightful of the conviction in Marco's eyes. "I mean, I don't mean to doubt, but...that can't be. Are you sure, sure?"

"...Damn sure." Marco spoke, frighteningly certain. "I'd know that deep, creaky voice anywhere. I just hadn't put it all together, 'till now."

A chill ran through Whosits's spine, the look in Marco's burning eyes shutting down any further doubt.

"Who's...Toffee?" Higgs asked, a frightful, wide-eyed stare shooting through her eyes as she sought the answers from Whosits.

"...You don't wanna know, kid. Trust me." was all she said and looked to Marco while covering Higgs's shoulders with her hands. "...What're we gonna do, Marco?"

Marco looked down and away, even while he felt the needy weight of their stares upon him, and shook his head. He huffed a hard, frustrated breath, before he answered, "I dunno. I dunno even if knowing any of this makes a difference, if we can't call outside for help."

"Eh, don't you have your own pair of dimensional scissors?" Eclipsa suggested.

"Sorry. Star has them." he replied. "We didn't think I'd need them before my mom's vacation on Mewni was up, and, she's still out there searching for Queen Moon. We can only check in through her mirror, and...yeah. Can't exactly get to that, right now. All I got is my emergency pack...some junk in my pockets...and my sword."

"Oh yeah! What about that? Can we tunnel our way outta here?" Whosits lit up with some misguided hope.

"I...no." Marco replied, disappointed. "Seeing how that landslide almost killed meee...I don't think it's a good idea to try that again, especially if we've got nowhere to run." the boy spoke, his tone rambling in thought.

Marco's reason seemed to deflate everyone. His disappointment was somewhat...contagious.

They all fell silent for a bit. There was little to say, after all, and, it seemed that they were all resigned to their fate.

"...If only Moon were here." Eclipsa commented. "She and her powers could...Oh." Eclipsa suddenly lit up with some hope...and distress at the same time. "Uhm...Marco...there miiight be a way for you to get us all out of here."

Everyone's eyes lit up then, hoping there was truth to what Eclipsa was saying.

"Y...Yeah? What is it?" Marco replied. "I'm open for anything, at this point."

"Well...if I recall correctly, from what Glossaryck told me, not too long ago, you'd become quite adept at my chapter, in The Book of Spells. Even to the point of being quite the prodigy...without the use of the wand."

Everyone's eyes shot wide open, shocked...everyone except Marco, who was confused and disbelieving as hell. "Me? Wah...nohh. No, I don't remember that. I mean, I tried out the 'All Seeing Eye' spell once, when Star was lost in the realm of magic...and yeah, that worked, but, that was WITH the wand, and, I don't remember reading your chapter...at all."

"Nn, that's because he sealed it away." Eclipsa quickly replied. "Some of the dark powers were able to get a hold of you, to the point of you getting somewhat lost within yourself, so...Glossaryck sort of...well, I can't say erased your memory, but, he more or less locked it up. It's all still sleeping within you. It just needs to be...woken up. If we do that, there's a large chance you might be able to portal us out of here."

Marco began smiling a bit. "Well...that's...great! I mean, it might not be...perfect, but...it sure beats waiting to see if...we die, or whatever, heh." Everyone giggled a bit at Marco's reassurance, despite his perfect lack of verbal wit. "So, how do we do this?"

"Well, first of all, we need to make a magical contract. I need to link my powers to yours so I can...in theory, try to reign you in, if you start going off the deep end." Eclipsa began.

"Yeaaah...okaaay...sounds reasonable." Marco said reassuringly, though his lack of trust was leaking through his words. Of course, Eclipsa's sudden sense of bashfulness didn't exactly help him either. "And...what else?"

"Well, to unseal you...I need to...um..." she paused and looked away, blushing. After a moment or so, trying to gather the bluntness to go ahead and say it, she spoke. "...I need to suck it out of you."

...To be Continued...

Demon Casket Presents:

M4: The Sands of Time Island

(Milfs, Maidens, Monsters...and Marco)

[Lemon warning.

Much sourness from here on in.]