Marco woke up, he laid in an infirmary bed, he tried to sit up, but couldn't, he open his eyes looked toward his torso and he saw Star, she slept, her head bent over his stomach. A giant smile came across his face at the sight, the smile suddenly diminished to a guilty one, he could see she had been crying, her bags under her eyes. He felt guilty pleasure. Seems like Star still care about me, but why do I have to be at deaths doorstep before she treats- wait what was I thinking about... whatever.
Marco took his blanket off, now covering Stars head, he was bare-chested no shirt only bandages, blushes as he realizes she had been sleeping on his stomach. He blocks the thoughts before they get to adulty as he slitter careful not too awake Star, he had to get up it was as if he had been in a driving car for a week straight. He moves away from Star, supporting her head with his hand as he moves from the bed when he succeeded, he gently put her head on the bed and pads her head softly, as he silently whispers "I'm sorry for doing this to you, but you clearly deserve it". He sees a night table with a sealed note saying, Marco Ubaldo Diaz. He read the note.
Dear Marco, you have passed your final trial as a squire of the wash, come see me when you can as soon as possible, Lavabo the knight of the wash.
Marco took a quick look at Star, before turning around grunting as he felt smarting pain from his wounds, Marco ignored the pain and vent to a painting, looking around to make sure none was around, he pressed the painting in a certain way and it opened like a door. Marco had Eclipsa show him the layout design of the hidden passages, and now Marco was just as good if not better than Eclipsa in moving around the castle.
He quickly headed down the stairs to the subbasement and got out of a painting near the entrance of the laundry room. Marco walked in and was weirded out at the sight, 8 smelly men wearing knight armor different logos and have cleaning gloves in different colors having wild and insane expressions and then Lavabo who had a gentle smile. If Lavabo wasn't there Marco would have turned around and nope it so hard.
"Hey, you wanted to see me, sir" Marco was formal when castle staff was around, he didn't want to act like a big shot and anger the members of a castle, even if the 8 men were not from the Butterfly Kingdom.
"Yes, Marco as you have read, you have completed your trials as a squire of the wash, and we, us knights of the wash from all of Mewni, would give you a gift, this gift is proof that you have completed your training and are worthy of becoming a knight," Lavabo spoke slowly and very clear with a deep voice.
The Knights open a path and he could see a manakin wearing a red hoodie and over the hoodie was a shining chest armor and in the middle of the armor was the crystal from the magical monster. Marco looked at the proud knights "speechless, no matter, your expression tells everything lad" said one of the knights while they all laughed proudly, and a bit too passionate.
"Come, Marco, try it on, it is our gift to you."Marco nodded to Lavabo and walked towards the manakin, he was a bit embarrassed. As soon as he touches the armor the crystal lights up, it startled him and he falls on his ass by surprise and the crystal looked like glass again. He hears whispers from the shocked knights all have widened their eyes like they have seen a ghost.
"The crystal is golden" "What the corn" "Not to mention the size of it as well" The knights discussing with each other, the insane look returning to their faces. Marco looked at Lavabo and to his surprise, Lavaba began laughing, a nice laugh not a crazy one like some of the other men had begun.
"Hahaha, Marco you truly are more than worthy of becoming a knight of the wash. I've never seen a crystal that size or color, just how strong was the creature"
" Its body was as hard as steel, yet it was like treads, even my dimensional scissor couldn't leave a scratch. It had a human form with no arms or head, 2 tentacles from each of its shoulders, I'm gonna have nightmares of it" Marco sighted
"What could the creature do, besides being as hard as steel"
"Nothing else, why do you ask"
"Oh, it's just I thought and hoped it could do more because whatever it could do you can as well and in due time you can improve and invent spells similar to it, but it is strange if it was just hardening, it should rather be greyish, not golden."
Marco bit his under lip, gloomy that it was nothing special and even worse he betrayed Lavabos expected. I just wanna be someone special like Star, Tom, Kelly, Pony head, arh, maybe not Pony head. Lavabo noticed the change in Marcos facial expression, he looked just like when he couldn't complete an assignment. His was body sluggish, head hanging a little.
"I'm not disappointed, in fact, I'm really proud of you, you are the best squire I have ever had the pleasure of mentoring. Hardening is a very useful skill and I think that is not all, the crystal is very unique, I'm sure there are more to it."
"Am I not the only squire you have mentored" Marco narrowing his eyes only to let up and smile an awkward smile "Thanks, I'm sure you are right, like always" Lavabo knew Marco had a bit of an insecurity about being useful and living up to expectations, the expectations were usually made by himself.
Marco was about to say more when he got jumped by the knights. They forcefully put the hoody and the armor on him, Marco tried to resist looking at Lavabo for help, but he just shrugged and put his hands in the air like there was nothing he could do.
They let him go, he almost had their gifts on. A shaken Marco had a violated look towards Lavabo, who hardly could contain his laughter. Marco frowned and open his mouth to say something when he got interrupted.
"Lavabo have you seen M-" Star saw Marco between the knight on the ground with his hoody and his golden light emitting armor, half on.
"Star this is not what it looks li-" He lost his breath by Stars tackle who then hugged him tightly on the floor, he hugged back as he could feel tears running down his back. The smarting pain on his back got worse, literally putting salt in the wounds, but he ignored it, the only feeling he focuses on was Stars touch.
"Marco, I'm so so sorry, it is all my fault, I should have never ever given you this job, but you came so sudden and I couldn't just turn you away after all you have done for me, still I should've known it could be so dangerous, I am sorry-" Star cried, she was a complete emotional mess, tears running down her cheek, her bags under her bloodshot eyes were slightly red and beginning to feel off from drying her tears away and her sour frowning facial expression made her extremely ugly, like Ludo almost looks prettier than her. (sorry couldn't resist)
Normally Marco would comfort a crying person without hesitation, he would give all the comfort he could, but what she said, for most people would have been heart-warming, a moment one could look back at, happy, but in reality, all it did was snapping something in him.
"You bitch, I thought I was made a squire because I was your best friend not because you owed it to me, but now I know, it was so you wouldn't feel bad. You didn't even feel worried that I was unconscious, no, you felt guilty." Marco shouted out in one breath, he had a livid expression on his face, as he pushed the shooked Star off him, glared at her.
He wanted to keep going but couldn't like there was a power that prevented him from saying any more, things that were not directly connected to this moment, how she had been treating him, things he never thought about before, but somehow still was familiar, like thoughts that had been kept hidden.
Star mind was racing 200 mph, never had Marco cursed at her, never had Marco showed so much anger, never had Marcos deep brown eyes frightened her, his eyes were of anger and hatred but behind it was hurt and disappointment, but what hit her the hardest was the use of the word "was" your best friend.
"I can't even remember that you have thanked me for all I have done, you just expect it out of me since I'm your royal squire, our relationship is not even that of friends anymore, we are more like master and servant."
She was at a loss of words, she opened her mouth to respond, but she couldn't, the more she thought about it, the lower her head got, she can't look him in the eyes, he was right. She recalled how he let her stay in his home, how he had helped her so many times it was hard to keep track off, while she also saved him it was always her fault that he was in that mess, in truth, there have only been about three times he made a mess that she helped clean up and he always let her know how appreciated he was, but she never did it back. But there was one thing she couldn't understand, she had always treated him like a friend, right? Their bonds haven't changed, have they?
Marco still staring at her, waited a few moments before taking her silence as an answer " I quit, I'm not a royal squire, I'm not your servant anymore, I'm just a stranger"
"Wait..." Star knew she couldn't let it end this way, but she doesn't know what to say, so she says the only thing she can say her feelings. "Marco, please, I'm sorry, don't leave I...I-I need y-"
"Don't...just don't." Marco interrupts,a sad, pained face overtook his livid expression, before taking on an emotionless face and an obvious, fake kind smile, like when you accidentally catch eye contact with a friend of a friend, who you don't really like, but don't wanna be rude. "I hope you can forgive me for my rudeness, your highness, but I will not listen or act upon your needs, I quit, that's not up for debate princesses Star." Marco bowed mockingly before stomping off, he needed to get away, he just needed to be alone right now.
Star felt her heart goes in her stomach, she couldn't stand to hear Marco being so formal it was not natural, it was not right, it was just plain wrong.
Lavabo who heard and saw it all unfold, was confused and shocked, he just couldn't understand, he tried to call after Marco, but could only manage a whisper, he knew he had to scold Marco, but after seeing Marco, even if Marco had insulted royalty, he couldn't bring himself to do anything.
The other knights were in disbelief , they couldn't even begin to think what it was like to be in Lavabo's shoes, they knew what Lavabo had told them, how highly Lavabo thought of him, how much Marco meant to him and now the very same boy had not only insulted the royal princess but left her in an emotional breakdown.
Star was still on her knees, staring into the air, where Marco once was, still crying, too shocked to do anything when suddenly a door was slammed and pulled her back to reality, instinctively she ran toward the door out of the laundry room, but he was nowhere to be seen, she ran up the stairs, it was the only way up from the subbasement, she thought.
Marco walked in the dark hidden passage only lit by a few light balls, he didn't know what they were and didn't care. He began crying, he didn't know why, he should only be angry, mad and spiteful but he just silently cried letting out all the frustration and pain he has been felling for the past month, feelings he didn't know he had been holding in.
Star really only let me stay because she owned me, I actually thought she would want me to be here, how naive I am, we aren't on Earth where she depends on me, I'm discardable, not of any use, not worthy of being friends with and so she discarded me.
"Marco" he could hear a voice, stopping his train of thoughts, he looked around trying to find the source, but it didn't come from anywhere and at the same time it was everywhere until he realized it was in his head, there was an unfamiliar voice in his head. He forced himself to stop crying, wiping away his tears.
"Come over here, my dancer" He looks fanatic around until his eyes lock on red colored light coming through an opening, the openings were meant so one could get out and in unnoticed, it was build so the royal family could flee if the castle were too fall, but were only used by a former assassin unit, at least that was what Eclipsa had told him.
The light was calming, made him feel safe, comforting, he walked straight to the light like a moth, no regards to what was in his head, if it was dangerous, right now he just needed salvation from it all.
He was a few feet away from the light, saw the red moon as he stretched his arm out to touch the moonlight on contact he couldn't help but close his eyes and feel the moonlight, it made his soul lighter. He looked like he was about to bust a nut. (hehe)
When he opened his eyes, there was a breathtakingly gorgeous woman in the moonlight, she wore a burning red dress revealing the sides of her legs and hips where you could see the strips of her crimson-colored panties. Having long, silky red hair with an almost doll-like face. Her curves were out of this world, only Hekapoos body could be justifiable compared to the woman before him. He blushes uncontrollably and needed a second to compose himself before taking a defensive fighting stance.
"W-who are you" Marco already had a pretty good guess of who was in front of him, but he just wanted to be sure.
"Still the safety kid i see," the woman chuckled." My name is Luna Sanguis and I am the Bloodmoon goddess." As she said proudly, the red moonlight got intense and began to sparkle a little.
"Hey, you gotta break the Bloodmoon curse" Marco shouted in an outburst, he didn't know what he said, he had a chance to break this curse, and he'll be damn if he didn't try.
Luna frowned "It's not a curse it's a blessing, don't let the demons overhaul fool you, only two souls with deep affection can be bonded, fated to be walking the path of life together, that can only be described as a blessing."
Marco could fell his blood boil. "You call what I've only have been suffered from all this time, a blessing, it's been nothing but a-"
"Shut your insolent mouth, I have graced you with my presence to answer your questions and help you undo the blessing." Her voice sharp and absolute. She made a hand gesture and a book landed in front of Marco, it's title simply Marco.
Marco hesitantly took the book and began to read, it was his handwriting, it was just like a diary, full of his thoughts that he never could finish or rather weren't allowed to finish. Written in there about how he felt about the butterfly kingdom, how he felt about Star and Tom, how selfish she was never having any regards for Marco and what caught his attention the most was the sentence I wanna leave or I should've never come here, they were there once every page all having a different reasoning.
"This book has been storing all the thoughts that would ultimately direct you to a new path void off Star." Marco's veins popping on his forehead, shaking with rage, never had he been so mad if she didn't have his answers he would kill her right where she stood.
"How dare you calling it a blessing, stealing Stars... stealing our choices, forcing us to be with each other, forcing me to chase after her."
Before Marco could say any more, Luna laughs heartwarmingly ignoring Marcos hostility "Not mad for your self but for Star, who you claim to be nothing more but a stranger, you humans sure are complicated creatures." Luna's voice sounding amused.
"Now to answer your questions, that are plaguing your mind, confused one."
Don't expect updates so rapidly, it's only because I'm about to go on vacation and wanted to finish this chapter so it could stop plaguing my mind.
Hope you enjoy.