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It was a fairly good deal. I… I loved Earth but I also loved adventuring and sword fighting and riding my dragon cycle. After spending so long doing it both with Star and fighting Hekapoo I couldn't see myself parking my life behind a desk on Earth.
Plus I wasn't sure how much of choice I had. Queen Moon had mentioned crystallizing me because she couldn't control me so I was sort of being forced into this but…
This compromise was the best I could hope for, with his situation. I just needed to tell my parents… and Jackie, too, I supposed. I could always come back and visit but I didn't belong on Earth. Not really, anymore. I was too different to fit in with the humans, I also wasn't sure how human I was, not with Typhon inside me.
I told Queen Moon as much and she agreed that I was to return to Earth before I would start my new job. The Magic High Commission was down a member, and they always needed people who could complete tasks regarding the regulation and management of magic in the universe. To work for the Bureaucracy of Magic but not at the Bureaucracy of Magic. With my experience with some members and my talents I was an ideal candidate.
I wasn't entirely sure what managing and regulating the magic of the universe meant. What sort of jobs I would be doing? But at the very least I wouldn't be bored in school trying to solve trigonometry problems. I had enjoyed school but I didn't remember too much of it, not after spending sixteen years fighting and learning other languages.
I stepped to Earth and exhaled. I walked into my house and braced himself for this conversation.
"Mom!? Dad!?" I called after I stepped through the threshold.
"Marco? Is that you?" My Mom came down the stairs followed by my Dad. "Did you bring Star back with you?"
I shook my head. "We need to talk Mom. I don't have a lot of time and I have a lot to tell you guys."
Mom paused. "Marco?"
I took a deep breath. "Mom, Dad, you know how I'm fourteen? Well I'm actually not. I'm thirty."
Dad gave him a confused look. "Mijo, what do you-"
"I spent sixteen years in another dimension." I told them. "I left that body there but… I'm older than I look and… I have this-"
"Marco what are you talking about?" Mom looked worried.
"I need to move out!" I said quickly getting it off my chest.
"You're just fourteen, we can't just let you leave!" My mother was looking angry and stiken and panicked. "You need school and you need-!" Dad put a hand on Mom's shoulder and she seemed to calm slightly.
"Whatever this is about you can tell us." Dad told him. "You can tell us anything Marco."
"I am telling you everything! Just-can we sit and talk?" I asked.
They exchanged some worried glances but sat with me in the living room regardless.
I told them everything. About my scissors, Attar, my soul, the Queen's ultimatum, everything. They were my parents. I was allowed.
"So… you have to leave because Star's mother?" Dad said slowly. My mother looked close to tears.
I nodded, then shook my head. "Kinda, but after Hekapoo I just… I like adventuring and sword fighting and all that. This is a win-win for me." I saw their resigned and shallow faces. "I'm still going to come back and visit, I also want to find a way to-"
"To win back your Soul? Marco…" Mom sobbed, his Mom, normally so strong looked so frail. "My sweet boy. Oh Marco…"
"I just… I don't belong on Earth, or not just on Earth." I told them. "After all this how can I just go back to school? Go back to a normal life?" I shook my head.
"Marco…" Dad was usually the more emotive of the two but he looked restrained, he wrapped an arm around Mom. "If what you told us true, we can't really stop you…" Dad swallowed some emotion trying to stay strong for Mom. "But is this what you really want?"
Inodded.
"You'll be safe? And visit?" My Dad asked. "I didn't think I would have to deal with this until you go off to college, but I suppose you're not interested in college, are you? Mijo?"
I nodded smiling sadly. I felt tears fall down my face. I stood up and ran over to his parents and embraced them.
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"Jackie? Are you free? We need to talk." I called her after I extracted himself from my parents.
"Sure what's up Marco?" She responded.
"I mean in person." I told her. "Can you meet?"
"Ah. This conversation. You are classy I suppose. Breaking up with me face to face?" Jackie said almost calmly but there was a warble in her voice. "Is it Star? I always kind of figured."
"No Jackie, I wasn't planning on breaking up with you," i told her sadly, "We should talk about something though. I'm leaving Earth, the Queen, Star's Mom offered my a job. It's something I need to do."
"Oh," Jackie was more confused. Whatever she had been expecting it wasn't this. "So you're not breaking up with me?"
"Jackie, I've had a crush on you since kindergarten. I'm finally dating you. I don't want to let that go. I-" I shook my head. "Can we meet in person? I have those teleporting scissors."
I could almost hear her nodding through the phone. "Yeah, I'm down on the skatepark, near main, do you know it?"
"I'll be there in a second." I hung up and stepped through.
"Hey Marco." She waved him over. "What's this job?" She looked me up and down. "Did you get taller? Is that a sword?"
I looked down at his waist. The sword I had pulled from somewhere hung at my belt. The blade was slightly curved in an eastern style shape and was the same grey color and material as the plates which sat beneath my skin. It was wicked sharp and three and a half feet long, It was smooth except at the handle where it had a ribbed grip. A purple line was etched into the spine of the blade, the same color as the tattoos on my skin.
I looked down at her next. Was I taller? I wasn't sure. I considered weighing himself to see how much I had changed but with what was inside of me, I had no idea how accurate any of that would be.
"Yeah, its a sword." I walked over. "Well, the Queen of Mewni offered me a job."
"With Star?" She asked. "Did she give you the sword."
I shook my head, moving past my sword. "No, not with Star. It's a pretty sweet gig, once in a lifetime really, and I-"
"You really want to do it?" She finished for him skateboard in hand. "It sounds like you've made your decision."
"Well I'll be spending a lot of time off Earth," I informed her, but when I saw her mint green eyes they caused my heart to beat faster. I got my words out in a rush. "But I'll still be coming back to visit."
"So…" She began.
"I thought you deserved to know." I told her.
"You're not breaking up with me, you just won't be around." She shook her head. "Fourteen is pretty young for a long distance relationship, Marco."
"What's distance?" I asked her snipping at the air with his scissors. "I can be here in moments."
"But you won't be around, you'll be working. What did you say you'll be doing?" She asked me. "You're not cleaning pools or flipping burgers in Mewni? Are you? You can do that here."
"No its, monster fighting and magic and stuff." I told her. I gestured at the sword.
"Do you have a schedule or something I can look at?" I shook my head and she sighed. "Marco you're cute and I like you a lot but you're leaving for who knows how long doing who knows what, but you really want to do this." She stepped closer. "I'm not sure how I fit into this."
I wasn't sure either. "I-"
"Marco, if you're just coming back here just to make me happy then we'll both be miserable."
"Jackie-"
"You do see that, right?"
"Jackie I'm not coming back just to make you happy," I grabbed her hand. "Spending time with you makes me happy too."
"But not as happy as exploring the universe." She sighed. "Now's a good time to give you an out."
"I want to make this work." I told her.
She shook her head. "You know that it won't. You including me in this was really sweet and meeting me was mature of you Marco. That's sort of something all girls want, but we both know that you'll either be pulled apart or forced to choose me or your work." She laughed lightly and it made my heart ache at the same time it beat faster; she did have a nice laugh, even if it was bitter sweet.
"I didn't think I'd break up with someone because of their career for at least another ten years." She leaned in and kissed me. It was fast but warm on my lips. "Goodbye Marco." She turned around and skated away.
There's been enough crying recently.
Damn it all
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WG
