Note: Any references that this story makes aside from the universe that this takes place in belongs to their respective owners and should be as such.

Warning: Mild Language, Violence

Ch.10: Star the Underestimated

Upon seeing what was the dead corpse of Moon Marco put a hand over his mouth. He really wanted to throw up right there and now. But right now the sickness in his stomach and the despair he feels along with his bestie was replaced by hatred and rage.

Sprinting past Star Marco made his way towards the bastard who killed her with clenched fist as the rain started to pour from the darkened sky. Meanwhile Star was gently nudging her mother while stroking her face in great disbelief. The body didn't respond.

"Mom?...Mom wake up, you're not dead right?"

She nudged her again...No response.

"Mom, w-we promised to beat Dark Nebula together didn't we? You promised that we would learn more martial arts when we lived to see the next day right?!"

Star laughed a little to try and make herself feel better yet the tears came down more and more. Her voice started to choke up badly as she pulled her mother's head towards her chest.

"Momma?...Momma?"

Star couldn't hold it back. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't stop the inevitability of her screaming her lungs out. It came out as a silent wheezed up scream at first until it came out full force.

--

Omnitraxus clenched his eyes, trying to be strong and struggle through this sudden tragedy. To think a monster like Dark Nebula would go through with this? He really did lose his Mewmanity.

This situation would get worse since Eclipsa, Meteora, and especially River saw the whole thing as well. Meteora cried hysterically from this.

"Omnitraxus!"

River's voice startled Omnitraxus a bit.

"Yes your majes- River?"

"Let...me...out...please?"

"...River you know I can-"

River punched a nearby wall, causing large cracks to it.

"LET ME THE F*K OUT NOOOW!!"

Good thing Eclipsa covered Meteora's ears before they were tainted by cursing.

"River I understand your pain? Your wife was just killed by the inmewman fiend but if you die who wi-"

"SHUT UP! I SWEAR IF YOU DON'T LET ME OUT RIGHT NOW I'LL TEAR THIS BLOODY CASTLE APART!!"

"NO!!"

Eclipsa's booming voice brought silence to the room. She then walked over to River and handed him Meteora, who was teary eyed.

"River...listen to me. I want you to look after Meteora for me, is that understood?"

"But Eclip- mmph!"

Eclipsa put a hand over River's mouth.

"Shhhhhh, It's not a request...it's an order. Omnitraxus, I'm leaving."

"Are you insane?! The entire reason I covered the castle was to protect you!"

Eclipsa was stone faced as she opened up her umbrella wand.

"You misunderstand me...I'm leaving whether you let me or not? So either move or I'm going to have to rip through you? The choice is yours?"

--

"YOU-"

Marco threw a punch with tears in his eyes at Dark Nebula, he deflected it.

"-HORRID-"

Marco threw another punch with everything he had. Dark Nebula blocked it with his right arm. He felt a little resistance from the hit as Marco tried an uppercut, blocking the swing but the heaviness knocked back his arms.

"-SOULLESS DEMON!! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO HER?!!"

With the rush of punches connecting to Dark Nebula's body he'd think that they would bounce off of him? He could've sworn that he felt a tiny crack in his ribs...but he's an ordinary human when he looked into the princess's eyes before he regained himself.

"SHE NEVER DID ANYTHING TO YOU!! NONE OF US DID ANYTHING TO YOU YET EVEN NOW YOU WANT TO KILL US ALL?!! YOU HOMICIDAL MANIAC!!"

Dark Nebula felt another presense behind him, a huge one. Globgor was able to silently get the drop on Dark Nebula, attempting to swipe at him with his claws but he jumped off to the side.

The look in the eyes of Marco and Globgor intensified as they stood side by side.

"To think that I thought you had an honorable bone in your monster body like I do?...But I was wrong, you took away someone that I considered a friend not too long ago. Not only that, you made a daughter cry to her mother...UNFORGIVABLE!"

"We won't let you get away. No, we can't let you get away with this?! Even if you get away no matter how many years has to go by, we will hunt you down for the rest of our lives until you are taken down!"

"...I'm not here for you two."

Dark Nebula's eye flashed, instantly appearing in front of Marco and backhanded him, closed fist, causing Marco to roll and tumble. Before Globgor could move his body to defend himself Dark Nebula lifted his leg and kicked him on the back of his head, knocking him to the ground.

While Globgor was in a daze Dark Nebula grabbed his tail and jumped into the air with him. He spun whilst in midair til he became a blur, still having a hold of Globgor's tail. As Dark Nebula obtained the amount of speed he needed he let go of Globgor's tail, throwing him downward outside the castle, crashing into the town's fountain.

"(Is this really how this is suppossed to be?...Did you just lie to delay the inevitable?)"

Dark Nebula cooled himself down with a sharp exhale so he wouldn't be angry nor impatient. He then turned towards Star, who was still crying her eyes out.

"(You couldn't have lied? You vere dying so there's no vay that...no I haven't even started so I shouldn't end vith that conclusion just yet?)"

Dark Nebula took a couple of steps until he heard a whizzing sound..Instinctively he dodge rolled out of the way, just barely evading a purple wave of magic that left a clean slice imprint in the ground.

Another of the purple waves came towards him, causing him to twist his body to avoid it by a hair but it left a cut to his right side. Eclipsa, who was flying in the air aimed her umbrella wand directly at Dark Nebula, intending not to miss again.

"Midnight...Shriek."

A dark shadow shaped like a skulled butterfly split itself apart as a big purple beam erupted from it, engulfing Dark Nebula in it. As the blast settled his body was smoldering...at least that what he thought happened?

"(Hmm?)"

Dark Nebula realised that he was still standing, unharmed. Instead of feeling damaged however he felt like something regrew on the top of his head. Out of curiosity he touched the spot and felt that the horn that was broken off along with some of his injuries healed.

"(Black magic?...!)"

The sudden realization gave Dark Nebula a creeping smile. Seeing him still standing Eclipsa prepared another spell.

"Of cour-"

"Insidious Sprite!"

Eclipsa lifted her opened umbrella wand upward as a torrent of black insect like creatures spilled from the tip of the wand and formed into a giant clawed hand. Aiming her umbrella wand at Dark Nebula the giant clawed hand slammed down on him.

The moment it covered him underneath the hand unleashed rapid consecutive explosions of black magic. Eclipsa knew that he didn't die so easily so she quickly swung her umbrella wand horizontally, unleashing rapid waves of steel slicing dark magic.

Finally without letting up Eclipsa closes her umbrella wand, wielding it like was a sword.

"Carnage Zweihander."

The umbrella wand's appearance changed into a large thick black as night blade. It was heavy but to kill him Eclipsa had to unleash everything she had. Though she had to be quick since that spell enhances her violent tendencies every two minutes. Yet her head was already swirling with perverted thoughts of what a sadistic murderer would think of?

So she quickly swung the blade, releasing a grand slashing wave that screamed of agonizing torment, slicing through the thick, dark smoke like butter. Eclipsa started to breath heavily, slowly descending to the ground below.

"That haah haah took alot out of me than I expected? Haah haah doesn't matter haah he's dead now."

The hope she had in her mind was tarnished when she heard sinister laughing.

"Hahahahaha now I understand? Vhy Moon specifically vas protecting you so much though you could fight so well?"

The smoke settled revealing Dark Nebula fully healed of his previous injuries of any kind.

"That's...impossible."

"Oh it is very possible. You see as the ahem 'Son of the Dark Star' I get some great benefits liiiike for example hmhmhmhm Black magic absorption...vhat? Did you actually think Venganza was my only ability that allows me to absorb magic?"

Shock was all over Eclipsa's face, having no idea that this could happen? To think that Dark Nebula was fully capable of using that kind of ability? She noticed a shadow looming over her.

Dark Nebula was in front of her when she looked up. He grabbed Eclipsa by the collar and lifted her off the ground so they coyld see eye to eye.

"And you know vhat the good news is? I don't need to kill you, I already got vhat I vanted on the first half, all I need left is a monster's soul. But..."

Dark Nebula's eyes shifted to the left prompting Eclipsa to look where he was staring at...and that was Star who stopped crying but was in a tranced state.

"I've got a personal vendetta vith your 'kinda granddaughter.' This feeling of uneasiness von't go away unless I can make her snap the right way."

"You bastard! Haven't you done enough? You broke her already!"

"Ohnonononono that kind of talk von't vaver me. Consider this a last chance before I kill your husba-"

Eclipsa stabbed Dark Nebula's dilated eye with a jagged piece of rock. Blood was pouring from his wound yet he didn't yell out in pain. Instead he gripped Eclipsa's whole hand that had the rock, slowly moving it out from his eye. When it was fully out he opened it after a few seconds...it was unharmed.

"You're not the only one who has gone for the eye and failed...Make sure that vhen you see Moon you blame her for vhat happens next?"

It was too fast for the naked eye but Dark Nebula flicked Eclipsa's forehead, knocking her out instantly. He dropped her body to the ground while looking around, making sure that no one interfered...well except Omnitraxus knew that he wouldn't be able to damage him so that was the smartest thing anyone could do.

"(Except you're not gonna die, oh vell.)"

Dark Nebula then took a deep breath.

"STAARRR BUTTERFLYYYYY!!!"

From Dark Nebula's voice Star snapped out of her trance, regaining her steady breathing.

"Is this how you vant everything to end?! Vith you losing the vill to fight back? You vanted to stop me, even now yet look at you?"

Star literally had nothing left to stop him. He was too strong, too monstrous, too...much for anyone to handle by themselves. Her mom sacrificed herself for nothing...there was no option left to turn this around.

"Why Dark Nebula? Why do we have to do this? Why all this carnage and destruction?"

Star tried to force a smile but her fear made her lips quivery.

"We could've...we could've talked like regular people? All this is...is?"

"Shut up! You are still just a little girl after all and that's vhat caused your mother's death?!"

"What?"

"During that self finding journey you and your mother had she tried to teach you how there vould be some enemies that vill be deaf to mercy. Even now you try the pacifist route to stop the violence as a last resort. But vhat if they can't be swayed? Are you just gonna sit there and accept defeat vhen you're back is against the vall?"

As he spoke more and more Dark Nebula even questioned himself to all the time he's wasting, why is he lecturing a little girl about something basic in war?

"Aren't you mad that I'm hurting your friends? Doesn't it vell you up with hatred that someone like me killed your mother? Don't you vant to stop me before anyone else is killed?"

Star wants to, she really does but what the hell can she do with almost no magic and her mom dead in front of her eyes. It's like her soul was ripped out of her and her strength taken away.

"...Looks like your mom lied to me then?"

"Wha...What are you talking about?"

"She told me that you have the potential to stop me."

--

A couple of minutes earlier

Dark Nebula was still standing at a very damaged battlefield, breathing heavily from his bleeding wounds that Moon was able to inflict on him. She was so fast and so strong, he felt that she was slightly stronger than him for a sec there?

Speaking of Moon she was on her knees, remnants of a jagged light disintergrated from her body into her regular self. She struggled to stand while trying to throw a punch but ended up plopping up against Dark Nebula's body weakily. A weak laugh escaped Moon's lips.

"I nngh understand you now?...You're *hack* huuuu too strong. No wonder th-they feared you back to the times of nngh old."

"And you vere...very strong to say the least. It's been awhile since I vas pushed this far. You even broke a horn from my head."

Dark Nebula wrapped his arm around Moon's waist to keep her from falling to the ground.

"Heheh well it won't be your last either."

(!) What did she just say?

"Vhat did you just say?"

"I'm not sure if what I haah said was out of disrespect b-but what you are feeling right now won't be the last time you feel this?...You will be defeated, I know it too well."

Dark Nebula couldn't help but laugh from the remark Moon just made?

"Vhat makes you say that your former highness? It's like your speaking out of your own ass to save vhatever spark of hope you got left?"

"No...If that was the case nngh then I would've trusted Glossaryck?"

"But he's too much of a lazy asshole to stop me correct?"

"Your words *cough* n-not mine. I'm talking about my daughter, Star."

"...Vhat about her?"

"Listen, haah we both know what's going on? She's the reincarnation of your lover though I didn't notice it at first unt-til I tried to name her. The words 'Star' leaked from my lips when I was asked about what to name by baby girl? It felt strange yet I paid no mind to it."

"So since her birth you had this nagging feeling in your skull? Is that vhat you vant me to get out of this?"

Moon grasped Dark Nebula's fur.

"Believe what you please b-but understand that those years of soul searching with her allowed me to reconnect and bear witness to a power she has locked inside her in which she tried to get out, The same power I was able to surface on my own."

"And the one you just used on me? So your daughter has the potential to use that power...and it can possibly be even stronger than yours?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. Dark Nebula...I want you to kill me and put me in front of Star."

That was unexpected? To think someone would be willing to ask him for death so...easily?

"You see Star is nngh still trying to be a pacifist ever since she killed someone she cared about alot so no one would have to suffer through the neverending circle of violence."

Moon spat out more blood. She thought that she would lose conciousness yet she held on strongly despite her life draining from her eyes.

"Sh-she still fights but she has forgotten those that are reluctant to hear the words of mercy and peace offering. In the case that it doesn't work, Marco is Star's most beloved."

"...Vhy are you telling me this?"

"To draw it out...if you do see her tell her this?"

Moon drew her lips to Dark Nebula's ear and whispered something.

"The strong earns my respect, the veak that gain strength earns my respect. For you Moon Butterfly, I'll give you a quick and painless death as a sign of respect from me."

Dark Nebula stabbed a sharp edged shard into Moon's back. As the rest of her strength left she only thought of one regret she can think of aside from her promise she made to Star? She wished that her pride didn't prevent her from being Eclipsa's best friend who is a girl.

Out of respect and courtesy Dark Nebula gently removed the shard, at the pointed end held a bluish sphere. Carefully putting Moon's lifeless body onto the ground he turned to the shadowy castle, the shard with the bluish sphere clutched in hand.

"Dark Moon..."

Dark Nebula clutched hand shook.

"USE YOUR POWER AS I OFFER YOU THE FIRST SACRIFICE!"

Throwing the shard at the castle the sharp stuck itself onto it's surface. Slowly it began to sink into the darkness as if it was alive. As soon as the castle absorbed the shard an intense rumbling occured for a few seconds until it spat out an object at high speed.

Dark Nebula dodged it though he was heavily injured compared to that giant ball of magic that imploded on him before. The object that came out was a writhing, red fleshed, curved bladed object.

--

"She told me to tell you that she vas sorry for betraying your trust all those years ago...Not like it'll matter vhen you are about to lose everything."

Dark Nebula walked over to Marco, who was still knocked down to the ground, grabbing him by the hood.

"Marco!"

Star called out while Marco was trying to struggle out of Dark Nebula's grip on the back of his head. He grit his teeth from the vice like clutch.

"Star! Don't worry about me, run away as far as you can!"

"If she could she vould've done that by now. But she knows that no matter vhere she vent, she could never escape. So Star Butterfly I'm gonna give you a simple choice?"

Dark Nebula forced Marco onto his stomach.

"Either you stop me vith your true power, or I'm gonna break your lover's bones starting vith the arms."

"Don't listen to him Star! Just run, save yourself!"

In that instant with his hoofed foot Dark Nebula slammed it down on Marco's left arm, shattering its bones in seconds. His pain filled scream pierced the sound of the heavy pouring rain.

"NOOO, LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

Dark Nebula instantly felt a surge a magical energy well from inside Star. By the feeling of it he's doing something right in his standards?

"That's it, that's it. Don't let me hurt your boyfriend anymore."

Star let her mother go, standing on her own two feet. Her gold aura was showing.

"If that is what you want? THEN EAT THIS THEN?!"

Star fired a gold beam from both her hands at him only to be swatted aside, dispersing into light particles The look of anger and disappointment on Dark Nebula's face really showed.

"...Okay...F*k these games."

In a fit of silent rage Dark Nebula lifted Marco up and wrapped his forearm around his neck. Both Star and Marco knew what was gonna happen next.

"NEBULA DON'T YOU DARE DO THAT!"

"Then stop me."

Star took off into a sprint while Dark Nebula's hold became tighter and tighter, cutting off alot of Marco's air supply.

"Sta-ack huu nngh...ruuun."

"MARCOOOO!!"

*Snap*...Dark Nebula dropped Marco's body after he snapped his neck. Star's muscles stopped all at once, locking her into a statue-like state. He could see her soulless look in her eyes.

"Hmhmhmhmhm...hmhmhmhm."

It's been too long since Dark Nebula did this kind of psychological warfare like this to his enemies. But this is the first time that someone literally became a statue from a possible brain shutdown.

"Hahahahahahahahahahaha!! Haaah yet another loved one you could've saved."

"..."

It was so dark...so dark. No feeling whatsoever...your world completely discarded in front of your eyes and you couldn't do a damn thing about it...That's not true and Star knew it?

It's because she wanted to stop the bloody cycle of violence with pacifism instead of making herself even more stronger than before, especially that mysterious power that almost burst out from deep within.

It was too much when she had to kill one of her former besties Mina Loveberry bit now she is letting people die by sitting by and letting Dark Nebula do as he pleases.

"Psst uh Star? Staaar?"

Within this darkness someone's voice managed to reach her ears, a familiar one to be precise.

"Ahem listen I...I uh understand what you are going through right now and I'm sorry I can't do much but...I have my own reasons for not stepping in? I just can't bring myself to do it...what I can tell you is...is?"

The voice Star recognised was Glossaryck's voice. He definetely sounded distressed and uneasy like he really wants to tell someone an important secret yet they can't seem to you know...bring it out in the open.

"I-I understand that you don't want to kill anyone. That's why you were trying so hard to knock Dark Nebula out for the count and chain him up...it doesn't work that way Star and you knew that didn't you?"

Glossaryck was right...Star did knew this entire time yet she didn't go through with defeating Dark Nebula completely.

"Star...You have to believe in yourself like you have been before. People like Toffee who destroyed your kingdom and Mina who tried to kill your entire family and the ones that were recently added won't give you that mercy you thought they would. You stopped them and you can stop this once again?"

Star felt a heartbeat that had a glint of light with each beat.

"So please Star, don't hold back anymore? That's what your mother and everyone else would've wanted...I know you can do it but you need to know if you can do it?...Let it go and stop this freak of nature alright?...Alright so uh I'll just go now."

Glossaryck's final sentence echoed. Star's heart beat increased it's tempo while the light intensified more and more until the final beat, the light flooding her entire body all at once.

"HEY!"

Dark Nebula was gonna take another step over to Monster Castle until heard Star's voice.

"Where do you think you are going?"

"Isn't it obvious princess? I'm done playing games so once I rip Omnitaxus aside and get rid of anyone who dares to stand against me, Globgor will be the second sacrifice I'll need to complete my goal."

Trying to take yet another step Dark Nebula felt like his entire body not budging at all except for his head. Out of confusion he turned to his left shoulder, seeing that Star was grasping onto that shoulder.

"You're not taking another step, do you hear me?"

"Oh ho really? Then-"

Dark Nebula turned his body to Star, flexing his right arm while clenching his fist.

"-I'll just have to beat you to death."

Dark Nebula struck the center of Star's chest with a powerful punch, she spat out blood from the massive hit...yet she still stood her ground, looking up at Dark Nebula with a cold stare and blood caking her chin.

"(What? That was an 100% health punch...whatever how about another!)"

Star got struck across the cheek with a fast cross punch...she still stood with a small bruise. Dark Nebula started to become baffled until-

"(Wait...why is her power rising more and more with each hit? Wait her magic is rising rapidly anyway, but how?)"

"What's wrong?"

Star was now smiling at him. Just where did this boost of confidence come from?

"Weren't you gonna kill me? I mean it can't be that hard since you managed to hurt everyone else...especially my mom."

For some reason how Star talked really pissed Dark Nebula off. A nerve was struck.

"What are you waiting for? Are you just gonna sit there and accept defeat?"

"Grrrrgh...RRAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!"

Dark Nebula lost his last nerve and let out punch after punch rapidly, precisely targeting areas on Star's face and body. Shockingly despite the heavy hits that were connecting, Star was still standing. She closed her eyes for a few moments.

--

At first Star thought there would be great pain from this rapid assault while she was diving deeper into the dark depths but there wasn't as much as she expected. Shutting off the world for a few seconds was all the time she needed to do this.

Star recalled the feeling the first time when she almost unleashed that power. The frustration she had when she experimented with another spell that would possibly be considered her own Ultimate Spell.

When she tried to push herself to pass the limit of her magic, a few second instant surge of overflowing magic bubbled from her gut and then vanished like it was never there? It was pretty scary and Star never felt it again...until now.

Star figured out that the power was acting like a guide, a guide to a deep feeling within her subconcious. She was able to pinpoint a warm spot in the darkness and psychically grasped it.

It was so similiar to dipping down except it's like swimming even deeper. Star was able to reach it and when she opened her eyes a giant flaming core beating lightly like a heart.

"(This is it...This is what I'm suppossed to do. Now I can use it.)"

--

Back in reality Dark Nebula winded up for an all out punch to wrap things up for good this time but when he threw the punch it stopped at Star's forehead. He noticed that his fist wasn't budging and the reason was Star, who caught his punch with ease.

"Let go."

Dark Nebula tried to move his arm back yet it was straight and stiff.

"I said let go!"

Struggling to escape Star's grasp Dark Nebula released his aura and after a few powerful tugs he was released. He then noticed what seemed like 5 fingered burn marks.

"What is this? Ah...how is her power still rising?! This is...making my body shake? Who is she?...Is this what you meant Moon?...IS THIS WHAT YOU MEANT?!"

Star opened her eyes,which emmited a golden glow along with the heart marks on her cheeks. Letting out a calming breath she levitated up to the sky while thunder and lightning crackled from the heavens.

"...Dip..Down."

End of Ch.