It had been tradition ever since queen Vesper, The Morning Star, expanded the trading routs when she reopened the gateways to Mewni Castle - which had been closed by her mother, Heaven. People have been celebrating this occasion with an extravagant festivity. It lasted for 5 days and was celebrated by both monsters and mewmns, although desperately.

This grand spectacle was held every 15 years. Which had been changed over time from every year, to every 5, then every 10 because of financial difficulties and finally to 15 for the same reason. These celebrations were quite extravagant and, as a courtesy and an expression of gratitude to mewman's new and old allies, nobles and royals from different dimensions were invited to participate.

There was much importance to it, even though the sentiment was mostly lost on people, and it was still seen as a way of strengthening ties with other kingdoms. Many queens lost or gained connections, trade agreements and some even husbands trough it. What occurred was, for reasons of privacy, omitted from any historic record.

Now in a month's time the Anarchy Ball, or better known to the simpler folk as the Chaos Week, was going to take place. It was going to be Star's first time attending. It was her first time ever hearing about it as well.

To Star any book that didn't have pictures or were about boring history she would not read, or destroy if she didn't particularly like it or was bored. Those that were interesting enough for her to read, like the history of queen Solaria,

Diana and Cosmica to name a few, she read with great gusto. No, the history of The Anarchy Ball was already scarcely mentioned and with Star's attempts at learning about history, or lack there of, she never found it.

Now she was ecstatic to learn about it , she wouldn't stop screaming about it and it was driving people up the wall, quite literary in Marcos case.

"Star put me down!" screamed Marco as star was holding him in the air, back pressed on the wall, with ungodly strength.

Star on the other hand was rambling on about her guest list " ...and Tom and Pony head, should I invite her sisters too? Probably. Oh yea Janna is a must." she continued on.

Marco stooped paying attention after the first 15 names, and after realizing that Star gained the strength of a bodybuilder he resigned himself to the fate of a wall ornament. That is until Star unceremoniously dropped him on his arse.

She gave him an apologetic smile "Sorry, you kind of spaced out there. You weren't responding when I called your name."

"You could have been gentler then!" Marco complained while rubbing his arse. Boy did it smart.

"Sorry, but I'm just so excited!"

" Not a valid excuse."

She huffed and rolled her eyes. "Ok, sorry I dropped you." she said and gave Marco a hand "Is that better?"

Marco took her hand and got up. "Much better."

"Ok, now who are you going to invite?" She said excitedly biting her lip.

Marco dusted himself off and gave her a perplexed look. "Invite who to where again?"

Now it was stars turn to be annoyed. "The big party ball. I've been telling you about it this whole time!"

Trying to take a step back, but finding that the wall was too close, Marco rubbed back of his head 'Damn it !' he thought in annoyance after rubbing his bald spot.

"Yeaaa, I sort of kind of wasn't listening to most of it. Can you give me the short version."

"Aargh!" Star put her hands in the air and screamed. "There's a big party soon, it's every 15 years! I was telling you how..."

"Why 15 years?" Marco cut her off.

"I don't know, I wasn't listening. Go ask mum." She sighed." Anyways, I was telling you about my plans for pranking the pony head sisters back. Ok so I was thinking we coul..."

"Wait can I even invite someone?" Marco mused out loud.

Star was about to tell him to stop interrupting her and help her prepare the feathers, but then she thought about his question. 'Could he invite? No, could he even attend?' She was sure if nothing else she could give him a royal invite. Even then, he was just a nobody. She wasn't trying to be mean, but by noble standards he had no status. That could be a problem.

She put her finger in the air, ready to answer "I think...", but she put it down quickly enough, her good mood dissipating slowly. "I think we need to ask mum a couple of things."

"Wait why can't you just...Aaaaaa." Marco was cut off as Star summoned her cloud and hopped on, taking Marco by the hand. They flew through the hallways, Star on her cloud and Marco flapping like a flag behind her, holding on for dear life.

They quickly arrived at the grand hall, where the main celebratory area was going to be. There King River was ordering servants and workers around. All the while the queen was walking behind him with a clipboard and a quill.

" No no no!" River bellowed exasperated, " The tables are supposed to go to either side of the room. Leave room for exits, so not too close." he explained, motioning with his hands, " Wait! Stop, too close to the wall. The guests need to be able to access them from front and back while not feeling too close to the wall."

Suffice to say both Star and Marco were confused. What was happening.

" Oh, hello Star. You really should be more patient and hear people out." Queen Moon greeted her daughter, not taking her eyes off of the papers in front of her.

This was not normal at all. Star was starting to get a bit scared at this point.

" Uh...Um, is everything alright?" she asked tentatively.

Moon took her eyes off of the clipboard and looked at her curiously. " Everything's alright dear. Why do you ask?"

" It's just that I've never seen dad so focused, commanding..." she bit her lip trying to think of a proper word to describe it. "So in charge."

" You!" she pointed a finger at her mother, " You are flowing him. And probably writing down what he's saying or something." Star shook her head. " That is so upside down."

" Star calm down." Moon said absently, writing something down. " If there's anything your father knows it's parties, and this is the biggest one. He is the main authority when it come to them, he even wrote a book."

" Quite so dear, it's a precise science of colours, pacing, space organization and much more." River said, " We're inviting the Frost queen right?"

" Yes dear, she's bringing her son and niece." Moon answered." The merchants guild, the True Ice family and the representatives from Blue Ice are also invited."

" Those names aren't very original." Marco interjected.

" Ancient families, they rarely are." Answered River. He then turned toward his wife. " That's good news. Arrange their rooms with the Polar bear tribe and the Penguin Empire. Do it penguin, frost, bear and for the rooms across of them bear, frost, penguin. That should keep them cool and familiar."

Queen Moon wrote all that down and handed her husband the clipboard. " There. You take care of the rest and I will get star acquainted with the rules and etiquets."

River nodded, took the clipboard and and went about his business. Moon motioned Star to follow, Marco did too.

" Tyle M345 needs to be replaced!" the king informed one of the workers from across the room. " Call for repares and tell them to look for at the plans! I don't want a repeat of the last time!"

They were walking in silence for a while, but Star couldn't take take it after a while.

" So where are we going? It's either your room or the kitchen this way."

" Were going to the royal bedroom, the book on Anarchy Ball's rules, law and etiquette is on one of my shelves. I know you wan't to ask some question, so go ahead."

"Ok, so I was wondering if Marco can invite people too."

"No, only the royal family and each head of house can invite one person. Besides Marco is you squire is he not?"

Star was a bit confused at the question. "Yea, he is. What's that got to do with anything?"

"Rule T623: Each attendant must bring their chosen champion as a precaution should there be an insult or a challenge to that participant, instigated by another, that would put in question their honour. Oh, we're here." Moon opened the doors to her room and motioned for them to follow." Star close the door."

"So what does the honour challenge thing have to do with me?" Marco asked.

"You are her squire, hence by default Star's champion. If Star were to be assaulted or humiliated in any way that would result in her honour getting tarnished you would have to battle the offenders champion to protect Stars honour." Queen Moon answered while sifting trough the books on her bookcase.

"Wait why?! Why should I fight if it's between Star and someone else!?" Marco protested, his voice cracking in the middle of it.

Moon finally finding what she was looking for pulled a average sized tome from her collection." Because during a certain queens reign one duel between then warring factions resulted in slew of challenges that would result in a blood bath. To mitigate this, and stop the ball becoming an arena, a new rule was introduced which stated that the participants wouldn't fight, instead it would be their champions. Most, if not all, conflicts stopped. The rulers are decent and don't wish harm to befall their subjects for no real reason."

"So what happens if someone slaps me or ,you know, does something to warrant a fight?" Marco asked.

"That is why champions aren't allowed to attend."

"WHAT!?" Star and Marco screamed in unison.

"That's not fair! Can I choose a different champion?!" Star asked, tears starting to well up. It was so unfair, she was going to be at this snooty ball for 5 days without Marco. It was going to be soooooo boring. She thought it was going to be epic, but they were inviting so many boring people. Some of them didn't even know what fun meant.

Moon shook her head and handed Star the book. "That would mean discharging him from rank of squire. Which wouldn't look good at all."

" Then can I have two squires?"

" A royal body or knight may only have one squire. As was the law set by Queen Etheria."

" Why do we have so may specific laws!?" Star growled tiredly. This was getting her nowhere, who came up these stupid laws.

" Some queens have bad experiences or face a certain problem which they believe should be made into a law. Most of them are too specific to influence everyday life or are under an asterisk next to an existing law."

"Can't you just change it?"

"I could, but I don't have time now. It needs to go trough the council, voted on and then passed. Which can take up to anywhere of a week to years."

Marco, trying to defuse the tension asked the queen something that was bothering him. "Does that mean I can do whatever or do I have to wait with the rest of the champion?"

" No, you are free to do whatever you wan't, but you are required to be available at any given time should the need arise. So it would be preferable to be in vicinity if nothing else." She gave him an apologetic look. "You are also forbidden from participating in any form of this holidays celebration. In order to stay vigilant at all times."

" Now that just unfair." Marco huffed and crossed his arms." Champions get to just do nothing while everyone else is having fun?"

" We know it is. That's why they get a medal each and a reward from their respective clients." Moon explained and sat down on her bead next to Star who was reading the book. " Look I'll ask Hekapoo to make you a pair dimensional scissors."

"Wow those aren't some lousy rewards are they?" Marco said in surprise, then added. "Thank by the way, but I already have my own."

"Now Star this whole things is the rule book, but most of them you can skip." Moon explained. " You only need to learn c, t and f. Read the asterisks for those as well, the rest you can skip. The x section I expect you to skip or there will be harsh words young lady."

" Why is t before f? Also why why just those three?" Star asked, the book made no sense and it was written so badly. Who knows how many different handwriting were in there.

"It was written by queens as the balls went on, the letters repeat lat..." She started to explain, but then she realized something. "Did Marco just say that he already had a pair of Hekapoo's scissors?"

"Yea, he's had them for a while now. Why?" Star said, turning the book upside down to read one of the entries.

Moon look worried. "Does Hekapoo know you have them?"

"She does, I mean she gave them to me."

"She just gave them to you?" Moon said skeptically.

Marco looked offended. "I earned them after completing her challenge. So she gave them to me." Then he took them out and of his huddys pocket and gave them to Moon to see.

Moon took them in her hand gently, as if handling something very dangerous. She looked them over, opened and closed them, ripped a portal and took an apple from the kitchens. She inspected them again and saw Marcos name on them, she sighed in relief.

"Oh good, I was worried it was going to be another Pony Head debacle." She said with a sigh."Congratulation, it's no small feat. Most queen never did it. I myself haven't."

"But don't we have like a few dozen of them?" Star asked, ditching the book and joining in on the conversation.

" We do, but as of now they are all from people who have passed on. Marco here is the first to earn his own in the last," she took a moment to calculate the time in her head, "oh lets say close to seventy years give-or-take."

Marco felt weak in the kneed so he walked to the work desk and sat on the chair. That was a lot to take in, he thought that it wasn't so uncommon for people to have them. Not common, but certainly not this long since someone got them. He also felt proud, he worked hard for them and they paid off. It was fun to flit trough universes, but now he also commanded some respect. 'Neat'

Star's jaw dropped. She never thought much of dimensional scissors growing up, but hearing that the last pair was from almost seventy years ago made her feel bad about playing with the ones Pony Head gave her. It was Marco who lost them in the end, but he also got a new pair, without stealing, so it was all fine. Still she wondered who was the last person to get a pair. "Mum, who got the last pair?"

" It was Sir. Guillemont, he was a knight in service of your great-grandmother and your grandmother. He passed away from natural causes, I'd have to look up he old he was, but it was more than twenty years ago that he passed on."

She remembered him fondly, a cooky old man that would tell the wildest of stories. Well he was old by child standards, she was probably close to his age when she first met him. Still he was a nice old man who loved to entertain children, yet quite stern when it came to her training. She would get reprimanded often enough for a improper stance, holding the sword too loosely and other such nonsense. Oh and that time she overheard that when the 'brave' explorers, her and her friends, we out adventuring in the mountain there were no monster because he fought them all off. Guillemont was probably using his scissors to go by unnoticed. It's funny to think they were so confident that they scared off the monsters.'Those were fun times.'

She got up from the bed and started walking towards the door.

" Star, take the book and read the section I told you. This is a very important event, you mustn't mess it up. For kingdoms sake and Marcos."

"But..."

"No but's, you will be tested. Now go and read up on it." Moon said sternly and pointed Star out the door. Begrudgingly Star took her book and left. Muttering something inaudible under her breath. She then turned to Marco and gave him his scissors she realized she still had in her hands. "Now Marco, I'll need you to go to the royal smith and seamstress. You will need clothes for the ceremony and ornamental armour. Then go to Sir. Amfridus for a course on how a champions should behave themselves, he's my champion so tell him I sent you."

Marco nodded. "Is there anything else, besides fighting for stars honour, that I should know about?" 'That felt weird to say.'

"No, nothing. You are free to do as you like after the welcoming ceremony." She took a bite of the apple. "Now if you'll excuse me I need to get back to the preparations."

With that Moon and Marco exited her room. It was right then that one of the servants, a cook, came running down the hall. he was bawling his eyes out, crying about how it was't raw or something similar.

"I better see what that is all about." Moon said with an exasperated sigh.