Flowers and Stars Chapter 0

The End

For Marco Diaz life had taken a strange turn over the last few years. He started to feel like he had seen all the universe had to offer. He had seen magic portals, war princess' and even started a revolution dressed as one. He had fought with demons and monsters from the deepest nightmares imaginable and grown stronger for it. Spent 16 years chasing a demi-goddess in a magical dimension where time flowed differently and even had seen time stand still. But for all that Marco had witnessed in his time he never thought the scene before him was possible.

His eyes scanned the horizon in front of him as the remains of the view was fading to the smoke filling the sky. He looked down at the kingdom below him being bathed in a wave of fire. Screams filled the air as did the war cries of armies waging war. He looked down at the people fleeing from the very kingdom they called home and then he looked up to the sky. The Blood moon shone down brighter than ever casting a red hue on an already bloody image. It took everything in him to not turn away from the images that flooded his mind.

"Was it worth it Marco?" Came a defeated voice from behind him. He looked down at his chest first to see a blade coming through it; causing his already red hoodie to turn a deeper red. He turned with a smile and looked at the person who had just signed off on his life.

Star Butterfly. The girl who for all he could muster he loved. She was his everything and it only made sense to him that the girl that he lived for was the one who had taken his life away. The war hadn't been kind to the girl. She was covered in a variety of wounds from cuts to burns to he couldn't quite image what the names for the rest were but one was glittery at least. Her hair was wild and covered in a mix of what appeared to be mud and blood. Her clothes torn and the remains of her once powerful wand sat in a small bag at her hip. It wasn't easy to keep smiling knowing how much she hurt but Marco endured.

"I said. WAS IT WORTH IT?" She screamed at him grabbing him by his hoodie and forcing him almost over the edge of the balcony. Her face may have led you to believe she wanted violence and to hurt him but he could tell, Just by looking deep into her eyes, all she wanted was the truth; answers to questions she'd never be able to ask.

"It was"

"Why... Why Marco?"

"Because I had to." For the first time in their exchange his smile faded and a somber look filled his face. One filled with guilt and regret.

"Why? I could have fixed it... fixed us and everything else?"

"I use to believed that to.. that you'd fix everything" He pushed her hands away gently with no resistance. "I was always hoping that it wouldn't come to this Star." Marco noticed that when he said her name she grew weaker at the knees. He lowered himself down till he was sitting there with her. With a wave of his hand the noise outside faded away and all that was left was himself and Star.

"Everything was meant to work out the way we wanted it to. We had defeated everyone that had tried to stop us. Ludo, Toffee and even Meteora.. we were the invincible mess-up twins. I was on my way to being your squire, not just in name but with the ability to have earn that title and you on your way to being the princess the Mewni of tomorrow deserves. Tom... well he's turned out to be a better man than i could ever be and everyone else.. they were amazing. But times change and so did we. I couldn't protect us.. not all of us anyway. So i made a choice Star. If something had to burn and die it would be at my hand." He finished meeting his eyes with hers.

Her bottom lip trembled as tears smashed to the ground. He took the sword out of him and held her close. She tried to fight back by hitting her fists against him but there was no strength to them.

"I still don't understand.."

"You weren't really meant to. But don't worry Star it'll all be okay" He smiled once more lifting her head to meet his. He pushed his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. He let his mind wander to an easier time.

-"I hereby declare that you, Marco Ubaldo Diaz, shall henceforth be my royal squire, to stay by my side in times of peace or danger, as my most trusted confidant and advisor.

As she speaks, Star touches her wand to each of Marco's shoulders.

"To go clubbing with me even when he's too tired, to share his late night nachos, but most importantly to be my very best friend so long as we both shall live. Amen. Do you accept?"- He thought of this oath and read between Star's childish requests. She had given him that position just so he had a place in her life and that's where everything went wrong. He could make that right now.

"What do you mean Marco?... How can you erase all of 'this'?" They both opened their eyes and he leant forward pressing his lips to hers. It only lasted a few seconds but for them it was eternity.

"By erasing myself from your life Star.. By never coming back. I thought that after everything we've achieved that me coming to Mewni and being your squire was for the best... but look outside Star... all I've done is ruin everything. Which is why I'm going to take it all back" Her iris' opened wide in shock at his comment but before she could move, respond or even challenge the comment a light appeared between them and she fell into his arms once more, this time unconscious. He lifted her up and laid her down on the bed, stroking her cheek he leant over and gave her one final kiss on the forehead.

Walking to the balcony again he watched as the scene unfolded. He noticed the presence of the ever mysterious genie beside him and smiled.

"With me to the end huh?"

"For you bo-.. For you Marco I would gladly join you for this. It's not the only wa-"

"-Lemme just interupt you there Gloss, I know theres other.. better ways but this is the best way I can think of. One with the least pain and heartache for Star."

"It's always about the Princess with you isn't it. You turned out to be a fine guide after all."

"Thanks Gloss. The memory spell worked and as far as Star's concerned. I'm still on earth enjoying my life. By the time she thinks of me it'll be too late I'll just be one of those kids that go missing and never get found."

"It's still going to hurt her Marco"

"I know, that's why it's everyone's job to fill her heart with so much joy and wonder that one little crack won't break it."

"You are worth more to her than that."

"I know.. I really do... I never thought it would all be possible.. for me to feel so much happiness but well everything has a price."

"That it does." Marco paused before asking his next question.

"Did you see that it would end this way?" Glosseraryck sighed.

"No... This is not what I foresaw. I thought honestly that you'd either fade away from each other each finding your own happiness or you'd end up being the best royal power couple the kingdom has ever seen. What was it River called it? Starco?" They both chuckled at the comment.

"Then it's okay, this is the one possibility that should never have happened so for her it's exactly what needed to happen."

"So what now then my boy?"

"Well.. Once the moonlight fades this dimension will collapse, this dark world and all of its horrors will cease to exist. You have to take Star and head back, she'll never even know this existed. Moon and River understand whats happened and they'll make the rest understand too. Tom will put up a fuss but he'll do what it takes for Star, he always does. My parents didn't take it to well... So i had to do something rather cruel. I took away their memories of me. They'll still know i existed and that i'm gone but they won't feel it. They will be too distracted with Marco Jr. to worry to be honest. They'll be happy again." Even saying these words cut deep into his heart but he knew it was for the best.

"I'm sorry Marco" Marco froze and turned to the little blue man.

"Why?"

"Because Mewni and the rest of the Universe. They deserved someone like you." He put his little hand on the boy's shoulder before floating over to the sleeping Princess. He made her hover and made a portal appear before them.

"Wait.. Glossaryck" The genie turned quickly his heart full of hope but then he found it empty again as he looked at the object Marco held out in front of him.

"Return these to H-Poo for me please, here they will only cause trouble and.. and I want her to have them back please. I don't deserve these anymore." He confessed. Glossaryck took the Scissors and placed them atop of Star. He looked back at the boy before disappearing into the portal leaving only his last words.

"You did deserve them Marco, you always will."

Marco watched the light from the portal fade. Suddenly feeling all the fatigue and pain he'd been putting off he was forced to lean against the wall. He used the wall to support him as he returned once more to the balcony. He turned to face the room before him. Taking the moment in he put his hands to his lips once more tracing where her lips were only moments ago. He put his arms out and let his fatigue take him. He fell backwards over the balcony towards the ground below. Closing his eyes as the wind picked up and only opening them to see the blood moon being eclipsed by darkness. He closed them for the final time.

"Well Marco, so much for being the safe kid." Last words that would never be heard as the darkness swallowed the land and the dimension collapsed.

A/N: And so ends the first chapter of this fic :) It's a preview of what is to come. I wanted to try my hand at writing a different Fanfiction as i feel stuck with my Adventure Time one. I will carry on writing both it's just to help me along. I'd love to know your thoughts and see what you think. This is not necessarily the end but its not.. not the end? I'll publish Chapter 1 Shortly hope you enjoy it :)