A/N: Starting with this chapter onward I'm going to put notes above and below my chapters. I know that this is common practice but it's new to me. I didn't do so before because my AO3 account was basically my main account while my account was more to back up in case Ao3 ever exploded or something of that nature. Though I realized that most people who read here don't also read on Ao3 and while I can PM folks who review my fics, this doesn't work for those who review anonymously.
So here we go.
Kiden: I always saw a stable auspistice as kind of a ego-id-superego deal if you're familiar with the trope, where the id and ego have opposing tactics and the superego generally has to council and choose who's ideas are the strongest at any given point. In the end the resulting teamwork benefits all parties involved. Also you could be right about where I'm going with the pairings, you'll have to read this chapter.
not-a-cop: Just want to know since you're not a cop if you would like to buy a snes classic which fell off the back of a used truck, but in all seriousness. Ya I want all four of the quad to benefit from their relationship in some way. What good would the quadrant be if they didn't grow as a result?
Jackie tapped a few keys on her phone. With a quick click the phone's screen was put to sleep before it was shoved into her bag. She stared in front of her at a plain white door.
"Jan. Hey Janna." There was the soft beating of her knuckles on the wood. After a second of no response Jackie resorted to tapping out a rhyme on the surface. She was eventually rewarded for her effort.
"What is it Thomas?" The door cracked open and there was a sharp metal sound that filled the air. The chain that kept Ordonia's door close snagged. Jackie could only see her friend's hair and the corner of her eye, glaring at her, "And who let you in?"
"Your mom did." Jackie shrugged. It was an obvious answer.
"Why does she do this to me." Janna grumbled, much to Jackie's amusement. She shifted and Jackie hear a pound on the other side of the door. Janna sighed, "Can't hang out today. I'm not feeling good. Coming down with something"
"Janna. It's not nice to keep your friend waiting my dear." A voice cried out from down the hall. It didn't really sound angry, just scolding.
For a moment Jackie didn't see or hear her friend, though she knew she was taking the time to roll her eyes. Eventually she heard a overly dramatic sign, "Fine."
The door snapped close and the rustling of chains filled the air as the security of the door was undone.
Jackie tapped her foot as she waited for entry. She adjusted her bag which she had hung over her shoulder. It was a bit heavy but she could manage. She wasn't prepared for when her arm was suddenly yanked. Janna was fast but this was a bit intense. She didn't even caught a glimpse before she was pulled into the room.
The poorly poorly lit room.
"Janna?" Jackie didn't know why she ask. Who else could it be, but the blinds were close and the lights off. If her friend was standing in front of her she couldn't tell. That is if she was even still facing the other person in the room. The sudden force left her just a little bit dizzy. "Why are the lights off."
"Oh, are they? Didn't notice." Only Janna could say an obvious lie with such a straight and even voice. Jackie could've almost believed her. It didn't help that she couldn't make out any visual cues in the dark.
Jackie jiggled her bag. There was the obvious shuffling of the contents within. "Well I was planning to show you some books and we don't exactly have night vision goggles handy so-" Jackie traced her fingers against the wall.
"Wait Thomas, no." Janna raised her voice ever so slightly, which meant minor annoyance coming from most people, but from Janna it meant that she was freaking out.
Jackie could almost smirk when she felt a finger poke a light switch. She heard a violent crash behind her, prompting her to quickly flick the lights on.
She turned around and saw Janna on her bed, wrestling with her covers. She absorbed into them until she was a big lump that covered everything but her face, specifically her eyes, nose and mouth.
Jackie tilted her head. She stared at the girl, "Jeez girl, what's going on?"
"I don't know what you mean." Janna said plainly. Though her poker face scattered as the blonde raised an eyebrow. "I'm not saying that I was trying to jump up so I could claw out the light bulb." She stared at the ceiling as if she was cursing the inanimate object that rested above them. Janna shifted and pulled the blanket inwards more. "Neither am I telling you that I ended up face planting on my bed and burrowed my way into my sheets."
"Janna." Jackie said, "Why?"
"Sleep naked." The answer came easy to the filipina, "Not like I was expecting you to visit today. You know we all have phones for a reason."
Jackie looked like she was about to comment on the hypocrisy of Janna of all people complaining of a sudden arrival but held off on it, "Janna, you don't sleep naked."
"Hey seriously. I'm actually nude under here." A foot shot out from underneath the clump of cloth. She wiggled her toes.
"I could step out for a moment." Jackie let her nag slip to the floor, "Just grab something. I have a whole day planned and you're not going to want to miss it, trust me."
Before Jackie could even turn around to leave the room, she was stopped by a long high pitched whine. Janna clenched her teeth, before finally saying, "Wait."
Jackie paused.
"There is actually another reason I'm streaking under here." Janna offered an explanation.
Jackie waved her hand in the air, signalling for her friend to continue. Ordonia swallowed a pint of saliva. She scrunched up her face before reaching up to her face. She pushed back the sheets that covered her hair, revealing a bright pink beanie.
Jackie blinked, "Um Janna, what is it? Is it underneath the hat?"
"It is the hat." Janna admitted.
"Is that it?" Jackie giggled, "Come on. It looks good and I thought that pink was your favorite color?"
"Yes it is. I just don't want it on me."
Jackie looked at the hat which was literally on top of her.
"Shut up. I feel naked without something covering my hair."
Jackie looked at the blanket.
"Ya. I know I'm in the buff under here. Just- you know what I mean."
The blonde looked up at the ceiling and shook her head. She still smiled anyway, "Janna, I don't think it's a big deal and you look fine to me, but if this is really freaking you out so much just switch back to your old hat."
Janna groaned.
"What?" Jackie questioned.
"Check my clothes"
Jackie looked confused, but still obeyed the request. Across from Janna's bed was a short purple cabinet with two round knobs and two drawers underneath it. Jackie grabbed the two knobs and pulled. Pink. There was pink as far as the eyes could see. Wait, that wasn't entirely true. There was two denim jackets hung up too, one blue, one white.
They weren't Janna's favorite color but Jackie didn't believe that fact would do much to please Janna considering that both were still far brighter than her usual wardrobe. They would go well with the pink shirts at least.
Jackie checked the drawer underneath and just saw like fifty different copies of the same white skirt. Janna didn't have to go bottomless, though without a top that would be a bit risque, probably more so than if she went out in her birthday suit.
"I'm going to kill Diaz."
"Wait, you think Marco did this?" Jackie turned back around to Janna trying her hardest to set her cabinet on fire using her thoughts alone.
"I know Marco did this."
"How?"
"You just know. Trust me."
"The sneak." Jackie thought that she probably shouldn't look so amused at her boyfriend's actions, but she just felt happy that he felt bold enough to do something so daring.
"Wait a minute. When he was swapping your clothes did he-?" Jackie mouth opened wide like she was about to gasp.
"Nah, those he didn't go through those. The coward." Janna cursed. "Thomas, could you go to the mall and buy me some clothes?"
"You know I normally would Janna, but I have plans for us today and I kind of needed us to get started like fifthteen minutes ago." Jackie grabbed a bundle of clothes, shirt, skirt jacket, the unmentionables and threw them at her friend who reluctantly dragged them under her cover.
"I don't think I'd be up for anything looking like this."
"Don't say 'anything'." Jackie tossed up her bag and what she pulled out did caught Janna's eye.
"No way."
"Even the boots are pink." Janna had to watch her step as she skipped through the portal. That was a mistake. Looking down reminded her of the monstrosity on her feet.
"Janna." Jackie was ready to offer her friend a rare scolding. She stuffed Marco's scissors in her backpack and pulled out her cellphone, giving her messages a once over.
"Ya, I know. We're on a schedule. Least they're not fuzzy." Small miracles. Janna rotated her waist, allowing herself a greater degree of sight. "So this is Mewni. Looks like any old woods. Hey, is this the forest of certain death?"
Jackie tapped her cell against her palm, "Unfortunately no, but close. Marco sorta made me promise not to touch the place. This is near the outskirts of the forest on the opposite side of the capital." She gestured to a random direction. "We're far enough out that all the wildlife probably won't ambush us, but it's still not the best place to hang out for too long. Less Forest of Certain Death, and more Woods of Minor Annoyances." Jackie laughed at the small joke.
Janna didn't join her but could muster a bored expression.
Jackie frowned, dumping her phone before retrieving two books from her bag. The first tome seemed a little bit chewed up, like it been through it's share of things. "That what the locals call it, according to the guide."
The second book she tossed Janna's way. The troublemaker's reflexes kicked in and she caught whatever was thrown at her. It was a pocket sized book, like one someone would used for notes. "What's this?"
"Check it out. Picked it up just for you." It wasn't an answer, but Jackie believed that Jan would figure it out quickly enough.
Janna's thumb felt the light thumping of paper as she cracked through the pages. She must've saw something familiar because eventually Thomas heard the cry of "woah" that she had been expecting. She smiled and stuck her face into her own book. "You might need that," She absent mindlessly moved forward, "This isn't dangerous by alien standards, but we're still two Earth girls. Good thing one of us is a expert on the paranormal."
"Uh huh." Janna flicked through the booklet.
There was the light crackling of grass underneath their shoes as they traveled quietly along the forest. Jackie had her nose in her tome with Janna not too far behind. Ordonia kept her hands in her pocket, trying to act nonchalant as she attempted to caught a peek over her friend's shoulder.
Thomas by accident or by design made it difficult for the pink clad girl to caught a even a written word. Janna didn't know how long her patience held out. Could've been a few minutes but to her it could've been a few hours, but she eventually spoke as casually as she could manage, "So what exactly are we looking for anyway?"
"Who even knows." Jackie joked and Janna could've believed her if she hadn't been laser focused on what probably was the map.
"You do."
"Just relax, we're get there soon enough." The blonde waved it off, "It'll be worth it, promise."
For a second Jackie stopped, tilted her face up away from the text and scanned the horizon. She must've found something cause when her nose went back down she made a forty five degree turn to the left. Janna didn't have much of a choice but to follow her.
Eventually when they got to a river, they followed it. It lead downwards along a series of bumpy hills. With no foundation the trees parted away from the stream, creating a scar above where the two could see the mewmen sky. It was a nice sight, but not particularly eventful.
Jackie broke the silence, "So Janna, you figuring out that spellbook?"
Janna thumb the outline of the book in her jacket pocket. "Um," She thought, "Ya."
"Good," Jackie nodded, "Good." The blonde bit her lip. "Hey Janna, have you thought?"
Thought of what? "Huh?"
The girl shook her head and if anything dug herself deeper into the journal, "Never mind. It can wait."
Janna groaned. She spun once, not missing a step even as she narrowly avoided shoving a foot into the river, "Come on Thomas, we've been walking forever. We have the time."
"You know Marco and Star?" Jackie considered her words and hearing no immediate spot continued, "You know how close they are."
Janna smirked, "Feeling jealous?"
"Yup. Filled to the brim with envy." Jackie rolled her eyes, "but seriously," She tried to continue but whatever she was going to segway to was overpowered by a deep hollowing sound which filled the forest so greatly that the trees are sway as one.
She fought the initial gut reaction to dash away into random direction of the woods and instead peeked over the covers to look ahead. There was nothing,
"What was that?" Janna exchange looks with her friends.
"I don't know." Trying to keep her movement as minimum as she possibly could, Jackie waved a hand at Janna low near her hip. "The book." She suggested, "Just in case."
The little black book slipped out of Janna's pocket. The pink girl pressed her thumb in, turning into a random page. Her gaze scrambled across the words and diagrams. Jackie held her own book with both arms, above her head ready to swing horizontally at whatever could jump out. The two girls rotated away from each other holding for their visions to cover a greater radius.
They held their positions, held their breaths and nothing happened.
Jackie relaxed and Janna slowly followed her lead. The blonde's shoulders slumped. She almost looked embarrassed at having been startled.
"So ya, anyway." She moved on from the interruption, "Star," and got back on subject. Jackie went on as if nothing happened. Slowly opening the book and curling it back up straight so she could read it. "What do you think about Star?"
Janna paused to give her guide a look that made it clear that she was questioning her friend's priorities but still answered the question with a casual "She's cool."
"Just cool?" Jackie nearly missed a step. "The two of you have been spending a lot of time together."
Janna countered, "So have you two."
"We hung out like once to get you and Marco together and it wasn't the best. She got a little passive-aggressive," Jackie paused "and aggressive-aggressive. Like she kept implying that I'm dumb, and I'm like that's basically a blind guy telling someone they have bad eyesight."
"Really?"
"Ya, but I don't really see it as at much of a lost, cause the more I learn about Star the more-" Jackie hesitated as she tried to put her thoughts in the gentlest of terms, "The more I think she's kind of a brat."
She failed.
"Like I thought I was being pretty cool with all this-" Jackie waved her fingers around as if demonstrating a physical object, "-whole alien romance thing, I mean you and Marco really needed some to get your feelings sorted out and this sounded like the golden path, but I was the one dating Marco to begin with. You would think she be happy I'm one hundred percent into this, but the minute I took charge she just started being really snappy."
Janna than said-
Oh wait never mind, Jackie apparently wasn't quite done yet, "I'm giving her exactly what she wants but to the princess it's not good enough. Sorry I'm not sitting back and letting you run wild like everybody at school or the billion of servants you probably have."
"Um Jackie?" Oh it was Janna's turn now.
"Wait," Jackie blinked. She brought a hand to her temple as if she had a migraine, "Sorry, I'm over here ranting and this is suppose to be about you. I know that you are Star are cool and you probably aren't all for me bad mouthing her."
"No. Like I think Star is cool, but I'm more surprise that you think that Star isn't cool." Janna explained. "I didn't think it was possible for you not to be chill with anyone."
Janna let sit in the air before her mind caught up to the full extent of the conversation, "Wait Jackie, this trip is about me?"
Jackie whined. She had to think of something to tell her friend. She didn't have the time to improv. The forest was once again filled with a deep roar that shockwaved through their veins from the legs up.
Instinctively Jackie grabbed onto her friend's sleeve. She turned to her, "Whatever that is, its probably miles away."
"I'm not sure about that." Janna tried to mutter but it came out as more of a yelp. Jackie followed where she was looking and saw bright yellow irises underneath the light shadow of the trees.
"That's not gonna move if we don't, right?" Jackie hoped and was once again proven wrong. The form of the beast was revealed as the light draped itself from the head back.
It was feline in appearance, but green and not covered in something that definitely wasn't fur. If anything it was moss, roots and vines. It's ears were flowers and paws, mushrooms, but it's claws and teeth were claws and teeth. It showed them and the difference in color from the rest of it's form made them more prominent. Jackie couldn't stop looking at them.
It growled. Jackie felt a soft touch on her hand. Janna shouted "Come on." Before she knew it they were halfway to the top of a tree.
Jackie thought that between the two of them that she was the athletic one but Janna beat her to the top, even giving her a hand on the last stretch. "Okay" Jackie place her bottom down on a branch, "I got my book. You got your's?"
What might have slowed her down was her conscious decision to hold onto the guide. She didn't know what information would be useful but it was better than nothing.
Janna blinked before patting her jacket, revealing that yes she still had the small book on her. They looked down at the creature below. It circling the roots of the tree, peering at them. It didn't so much walk like a normal large cat would, instead the vines that made it's flesh uncoiled and coiled for each step making the core of it's body look very hollow and allowing them to catch a hint of a wooden skeleton underneath.
"Now what are you." Jackie flip the cover open and allowed the pages to dance from one side to the next. She scanned one block of text before the next was half way to covering it. "Got it" Jackie pressed the page flat. She read it and for a moment she adopted an amused smile "It's called a Tiger Lily."
"Lame." Janna groaned and then immediately regretted it because someone found offense to that as evidenced by a sudden growling.
"Watch out." Jackie yanked her arm and the two ducked out of the tree as another tiger lily dove over their heads. The two hit the ground, rolled and continue running.
"Janna, any luck?" Jackie panicked.
It took a moment for the girl to realize exactly what her friend meant. She dug the book out and flickered through it. "Um, Thomas. I don't think I can do this."
They bobbed past the trees, any direction they had been following before lost in the chase. Another body. There were three of them. They couldn't make it out but they had to assume it was yet another large cat. Jackie shielded herself with the guide and pushed, redirecting the tiger away from them but losing the book in the process. Pages flew in all directions behind them like a cloud.
"You have to." Jackie shouted. There was no telling how close they were to safety or even if there was a safe zone among the forest.
"Janna, you're the mystic expert here." Jackie pleaded, "Janna, hurry."
They made a sharp turn. When a claw slash through the bark of a tree they maneuvered around, Janna could swear that she felt the air pressure from the tiger's swipe. "I'm going to be a bit honest with you. Star is the magical expert and while I love the stuff, I am not."
"I really think you got that backwards." Jackie swerved.
They eventually found the end of the stream. The abrupt end. A shallow pond that met a waterfall of sorts on the the other side. It was clear of trees, though there were a combination of roots and beautiful pink and yellow flowers that littered the clearing.
That wasn't important at that moment. What mattered was the three tigers on they're heels and the large rocks around the pond made for the perfect hiding place as they tried to conserve their stamina. They dove over one boulder. The predator just missing the sight as they stuck flat to one side of the rock. Jackie peered just enough to see the wild cats stalk the area, not getting close to where they were exactly but seemingly patient enough to continue looking until they did.
Jackie turned to Janna and whispered, "So what are we working with?"
"Nothing." Janna hissed. It was sharp and she even paused, worried of accidentally bringing attention to them. "Like I normally would be all over this, but let's be honest here. It's not gonna work."
Janna brought her knees close to herself. If they had to hide out for however long, might as well get comfortable. "I can read spell books and rituals for hours but they don't work. Not really. We should just ride this out, hide and hope we don't get our faces chewed off"
"Janna. It'll work" Jackie smiled, but her friend didn't find it reassuring. Putting the immediate danger into the back of her mind, the blonde inched towards the other girl. "Remember what I said about Marco and Star? Well maybe I am a little bit jealous."
Before Janna could even think about interrupting Jackie amended her thought, "Not in the way you think I would." She gave a deep breath, "I just like watching them and how they act the way they do around each other.
She looked in the distance and for a moment it seemed less like they were hiding for their lives and more like they were just relaxing peacefully among themselves. "Pushing each other, making each other better. It just makes me think, why can I have that?
"Then I think about it." Jackie rocked to the side enough that her shoulder hit Janna's. "Think really hard and the only person I could have something like that is you."
"Jackie, why?" Why her?
"Cause you're you, Janna." There was nothing else that needed to be said about that.
"This sounds like a love confession." Janna laughed, but it wasn't a out of control laugh, more of a stay in control laugh. She didn't know what to do.
"It is." Than Jackie realized how that sounded and her cheeks grew red, "Just weird alien romance. The diamond."
"Star's mom." Janna suggested.
"Ya, we're Star's mom." Jackie agreed, before shifting. She rubbed the back of her neck with a spare hand. "Actually that would be weird considering well you know."
Janna tilted her head. "Know what?"
Jackie rolled her eyes and scoffed. "You know what I'm talking about."
"No I don't know, that's why I asked." Janna shook her head. The apprentice mage started to lift herself off her tush. "Actually, you know what? I'm gonna kick a weed's ass and then we're gonna get back to this."
"Get them girl." There was no other words needed from the blonde.
Janna stood up on the rock and Jackie didn't see any point in staying hidden either. They didn't know if the tiger lilies could be surprise, but they they did look cautious at first. All eyes were on the girl with the small black book in her hand, held open by it's spine.
The cats bared their teeth, one even took a step forward.
Janna cleared her throat.
From her lips came rhymes.
As the cats grew impatience and started to unleash a low growl that seem to vibrate Jackie's inners, Janna's chants just kept on coming.
The creatures moved closer but forever reason. Jackie didn't know if it one of the tiger lilies moved too close to them or if it was random but there was smoke coming from within the vines that were it's muscles. Smoke that slowly grew thick until it became soft flames that demanded the cat's attention.
Any motion that might've originated in a need to pounce at the teen girl shifted into a panic roll as the beast tried to drown the flames in the shallow water. However the fire did not die. As one needle of heat was extinguish two more emerge where the water was not.
Even as the tiger thrashed and hissed the spell it was under proofed too strong until the most basic of instincts overwhelm, flight. Every vine loosened as it turned tail and ran. There was a trail of fire behind it which drew the attention of the other two cats who ran from the hexed animal, possibly thinking that the blaze might spread to them if they did not.
Even through the glow died down as the animals left the spellcaster's proximity they were proved and continued their return until the idea of them returning was impossible.
Janna's words began to die and a aura that Jackie hadn't even realize had been there had dissipated as her friend slide down off the rock. Janna's feet made small splashes in the water. "That was close."
"But you did it." Jackie's moments were restrained. If she had been honest she might've ran into a hug, but instead she settled for a wide grin.
"Ya I did." Whatever means of celebration that Janna was going to express ended with her nearly busting her face on the ground. She caught herself, pressing against the rock to just descended from and tried to play it off by casually leaning against it. "No big deal right."
"Now we can get to the hard part." Jackie moved.
Janna could only groan, "Thomas are you trying to kill me?" She usually enjoyed a bit of thrill but this was a little bit much.
Jackie moved swiftly her feet barely disturbing the water as she traveled to the edge of the pond, bent down a plucked a single yellow and purple flower. "What we came for."
She held the stem gently with one hand and with the other displayed it like a fine piece of jewelry. "I forgot what they're called, but to the mewman, it's a beautiful flower, representing love and respect. Like a rose, you're suppose to give it to someone you care deeply about."
She wiggled her eyebrows, immediately killing any mysticism that she had built up. Jackie slide across and passed it slowly to her best friend.
"Jackie, you really going all out." Janna didn't really know what to say. She just thought they were going to bum around for a couple hours. It was safe to assume she hadn't expected any of this. "Is this part of what diamonds do, give each other flowers?"
"No." Jackie mouth mimicked an O shape before she answered, "This isn't from me to you. It's from you to her." She clarified and before any questions about who 'she' was, the girl with green eyes slipped out her cellphone and leaned into it. "Hey Marco, we're ready."
The clearing was illuminated. Jackie used the dimensional scissors to cut a hole on the other side of herself. Janna didn't know who it was at first, but if she was being honest she didn't think it could be anyone but one particular person.
"Janna." Star smiled brightly. Janna would've given the blonde her own usual smirk, but her first reaction was to shove the flower behind her back. She took a step back, like was being corner all over again.
Star didn't even notice, she burst through the girl's personal bubble like a bullet. "I'm liking the new look." She said, her face about a centimeter away from Janna's.
"Right." Janna had almost forgot about her new look and having Star see her all bright and pink cause her cheeks to also glow bright and pink.
"So what are we doing?" Star tilted her head.
"I'm gonna be right back." Jackie excused herself, pointing to the still open gap in time and space.
"I just got to talk with Marco for a little bit."
"Ya ya." Star muttered and swatted the air in Jackie's general direction like you would a fly, "Take your time."
Jackie rolled her eyes before she stepped through. She wasn't going to complain, the two needed their alone time.
This was a woosh over Jackie's body signalling the melting of space washing over her as she entered the Diaz living room. She stopped when her chest collided with something soft.
"Whoops." Marco stood a bit closer to the portal than she had anticipated. He held her sides, steadying her. "So," he drew her attention "Everything went exactly as planned?"
"Well, Janna's new wardrobe was a surprise." Jackie saw the smile on Marco's face. It was hard not to imitate it.
"Oh did she freak." He grew excited, "She freaked didn't she? Marco one."
"Janna one billion," Jackie finished for him, much to his sudden disappointment. He whined and tried to put on his most hurt expression. It wasn't very effective. She ended finding it more adorable than anything. "Don't worry," she cooed "You're catch up."
She went in for a kiss. Her lips were about a thin sheet of paper away when she got the feeling she had been forgetting something. She realized what it was, "Oh right, me and Janna got attacked by some tigers. Well magic tigers, anyway."
"What?" Marco eyes looked like they were gonna fly out of their sockets and bean Jackie right in the forehead. "Are you okay?"
"Ya, we're fine." Jackie nodded.
"Why didn't you warp back here with the scissors?"
"Okay, well here's the thing." Jackie rummaged for an explanation. Her face was not too different than one would make while pulling off a bandage. "I kind of forgot that I could do that."
"You forgot?" Marco repeated.
Jackie playfully pushed him. "It's fine. Janna took care of them. You better watch out she some real fire power now. Literal." She smiled at the tiny joke.
"You know when I got that book for you I wasn't planning on you having to used it." He had been reluctant to grab it, but he thought better safe than sorry. It wasn't often he went to Quest Buy anyway.
"Ya, sorry." She said, putting on a tiny pout to let her boyfriend know she was really apologetic. She was surprised when he responded with giggles. "What?"
"You forgot." Marco repeated between laughs. It started to sound hysterical. "Like I should be panicking right now about how dangerous that was but also-" He didn't have it in him to continue to link coherent sentences.
"Marco." Jackie gave him a look.
He decided that he had to wrap it up. Wiping an imaginary tear from his eye, he said "I'm sorry, just never knew you could be forgetful."
"Nah, it's fine" Jackie relaxed, "but could you do me a favor and maybe not mention this to Star?"
"Why Star?" An eyebrow was raised, "Not like she would judge you or anything. She's forgotten a few things on a couple of adventures."
"I bet she has." Jackie muttered a bit too loudly to hide what she was saying to Marco. "But still, not a word to the princess."
Marco paused. It was like his mind had just hiccuped, "Hey Jackie, is everything cool between you and Star?"
"Ya, it's just." Jackie started, but she ultimately decided against it, "Everything is cool."
Marco looked like he wanted to say something, but whatever it had been he put that to the side. Instead when a third person entered or rather reentered the room, he greeted them "Star, you're back."
"I'm gonna be upstairs." She had made an exact right angle. She raced away with only a quick, "In my room" as an afterthought.
Jackie and Marco exchanged works and the hoodie wearing kid announced what both of them were thinking. "That was weird."
Another body dipped through the portal.
"Janna?" Jackie asked.
"Hey." Janna said and Jackie had to give it to her. Only Janna could've said that with such a straight and even voice while also looking like she was on the edge of tears.
"So how did it go?" Jackie than immediately cursed under her breath cause all evidence pointed at the opposite of what she hoped.
"It-" Janna began, "We just talk a bit. Things happened. It's cool." She slumped. The girl laughed bitterly. She turned away from the two, hands in her pocket. She to repeat herself either to convince her friend or convince herself. "It's cool. I'm gonna go home, if that's okay with you. My stomach doesn't feel so good."
"Janna, you want a ride back to your place? We still have the scissors." Jackie asked but that just caused the girl to hurry her pace and soon she was out the door.
"Marco." Jackie frown. She turned her head robotically towards the boy.
Diaz blinked. "Ya?"
"What did the princess do?"
A/N: I just gonna copy-paste my chapter end note from AO3:
So looking back might've bit myself in the butt. Originally I planned to writ a small scene in the end of the last chapter to foreshadow into this one where Jackie and Marco return to school and find Star and Janna, hanging out being cute.
Than I got lazy and didn't. Seeing that the conflict of the next chapter relies on the ending of this chapter I might end up gliding into "tell instead of showing" territory, which is bad.
Tried to balance it a little bit with Jackie's reaction at the end. Before I had her straight up pissed before dialing it back.
Anyway next chapter is Jackie/Star.