Hi! I'm back! Told you I would be :)
Thanks to the second half of the season, I have to change some things about this plot. I had anticipated something about Eclipsa be released and stopping Alec herself, but I don't want my plot to sound like I'm copying the original. So yeah, I've got some planning to do.
I'll end this on a warning so this A/N won't be too long: This may be one of the darkest thing I've written… Ever. Toward the end of this chapter, things get a little bad and maybe I went too much into detail? Maybe I got carried away with the idea of the Underworld? Just be weary of that toward the end here. It's only a few paragraphs, but still.
Anyways! Hope you enjoy :)
There was something about crab cakes cooked in the depths of the Underworld that really made Janna's mouth water. It must've been the added spice that would send any normal person running just at the sight. Janna's always had a thing for spicy, though.
She stood at the end of a long table decorated with exotic foods. There was a half empty platter of crab cakes in her hand and bits of crab clinging to the corner of her lip. She and two giards at the door were the only lifeforms in the small room. Janna was sure Abaddon was only keeping her busy so she didn't disturb the fitting or whatever, and Janna totally didn't mind. Free food? In the heart of the Underworld? Janna was in heaven. Or, well, you know.
Still though, she was curious. "Say," she said, turning to the guards, "what's Prince Tom doing?"
"We are not permitted to say," the one of the left answered. They looked exactly the same with pointed chins, ashy skin, and dark red eyes. Janna settled on calling them Lefty and Righty because they were so identical. She had to wonder, was cloning a thing on Mewni?
"Would a few crab cakes change your mind?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow as she waved a cake in front of her face.
At the same time Lefty shook his head and said, "Of course not," Righty grinned and said, "Yes!"
Lefty glared at Righty. Righty defended, "What? I'm hungry!"
"They're so good, too," Janna moaned, shoving the cake in her mouth.
"Humans are gross," Lefty mumbled.
"And demons are jerks," she argued. "Except Righty, though. He's alright."
Righty frowned. "My name is Dean."
Janna's mouth fell open. For a moment, she stared at Demon Dean. Then, she ate another crab cake whole and whispered, "I love this place."
•••••
"Owww!" Tom hissed, ducking his head and leaning out of reach. He glared at Abaddon and the hellish thing in her hands.
"It doesn't hurt that bad," Abaddon declared, rolling her eyes.
"It pulled my hair!"
"Oh, man up!"
Tom scowled. He had always hated the Underworld's choice of headwear. The crown was a band of igneous rock charred to the darkest shade by the Underworld's hottest volcano. Two rows of teeth as long as Tom's pinkie layered the rock, the ends filed into daggers. From the sides are large black horns that arch and curve like those of a ram. The whole thing was heavy and dug into his scalp like knives. He'd only worn it a few times and he never enjoyed it.
"It's only for a few minutes," Abaddon reassured. "Just until you walk back down the isle."
Tom grumbled under his breath. He watched Abaddon carry the crown to its pedestal. Meanwhile, the servants were readying his cape.
"So, what's the deal with the human?" Abaddon asked. She turned back to the prince as the cape—a blood red cloak with black jeweled shoulders and a long train—was draped over his shoulder.
"There's no deal," Tom explained. "She's Star's friend. Star suggested we split up and she sent Janna with me."
"Are you other humans on Mewni?"
Tom met her gaze through the mirror. "Yeah," he answered, "Marco's girlfriend is with Pony Head and Marco's with Star."
"Star's with Marco again?"
"Did you miss the part about Marco's girlfriend?"
"No, but if the rumors are true, those two are quite the pair. Are you worried?"
"I'm not dating Star. I don't even like her anymore."
Abaddon smiled. "One thing you'll have to learn when you're king for real is lying."
Tom rolled his eyes. The door creaked open and one of the guards rushed in. She was troubled and out of breath. Tom frowned, watching the girl and Abaddon exchange words.
"What?" Tom demanded.
Abaddon pinched the bridge of her nose. "King Pony Head is dead."
For a moment, Tom just stared. He didn't know what to say. Tom only saw the king at royal events and parties. He and Pony Head weren't the greatest of friends, so Tom didn't know the family well. Still, he knew he should have felt bad about the king's death. After all, the Cloud Kingdom was an ally to the Underworld, so the kings met and talked a lot. But Tom couldn't find the remorse.
Instead, fear bubbled in his stomach. There was a very good chance that the king was killed by Alec or one of his followers. That only made Tom shudder. He met his gaze in the mirror.
It didn't feel real knowing King Pony Head was dead. That was the father of a friend, a teammate in this plan. And this plan revolved around going after the killer, a dangerous man nobody knew much about. It frightened Tom, though he'd never admit it.
"Tom," Abaddon said, jolting him back to reality. He met her eyes. "I strongly advise against continuing with the ceremony. The one who killed King Pony Head could target you next."
"I need to talk to Star," he decided. He wanted to carry on with the coronation, though. If anyone tried attacking, he'd unleash Helen and Devilla. However, Star's been getting better at plans and royal stuff, and this was her family they were dealing with. Maybe the news would postpone Star's coronation, too.
"Star?" Abaddon repeated. "No, you need to talk to your council, not your girlfriend."
"My girl-Er, no, she's not my girlfriend. Star is also being crowned queen today. This is her plan."
"Okay, but this is your kingdom. You need to make decisions for the Underworld, not for this little group of friends you're worried about. Rule number one about being king: Your people come before your friends. And besides, I'm sure the Magical High Commission is guiding her as well."
Tom turned to her and crossed his arms over his chest. "Guiding her or ordering her?"
Abaddon rolled her eyes. "You two are teenagers. You're too young to make decisions that could put the whole kingdom in danger!" She looked away. As an afterthought, "You're not even in power. When your parents wake up, everything goes back to normal."
Tom grit his teeth. He hated being told what to do. He could tolerate it from his parents, but there was no reason he had to take it from an advisor like Abaddon.
The seamstresses glanced at each other. Sensing something was about to happen, they gingerly peeled the cape off the prince's shoulders. They scrambled away from the two, eyes wide.
"I'm talking to Star," he declared. His eyes began to glow a dark shade and fire fanned over his fingertips. "And like it or not, we teenagers are in control. I am next in line for the throne, not you."
Abaddon grit her teeth. She dug her nails into her palms as she bowed in front of the prince. "Yes, Your Royal Highness."
The seamstresses bowed frantically as the prince exited the room. They glanced at each other and to Abaddon, too nervous to move.
The angel of death waited until the door slammed shut. She glowered at the door, seething in his wake.
•••••
Star heard the news an hour earlier from Pony Head herself. The other princess was a blubbering mess, tears streaming down her face. Star could hardly understand her, but she caught the drift.
"After the coronation, she locked herself in her room," Jackie explained. She and Star were on a split screen on Tom's mirror. Behind Jackie was a green floating pony head, stern and glaring.
"Are you okay?" Marco asked. He shoved himself into the frame, eyes wide with worry. "Is the kingdom okay?"
Star rolled her eyes. She shoved him away so they both fit in the frame.
"Quit shoving!" Star complained.
"You quit shoving!"
"Children, please," Janna teased, rolling her eyes.
Jackie looked away, fingers playing with the seashell around her neck. "There haven't been anymore attacks here. Everybody's kinda just stuck in a trance, probably still in shock."
Tom looked at Star. "That's good, right? Maybe it'll end there. Alec's already made his point, and we can continue with the plan… Right?"
Star's eyes jumped from one face to another. She opened her mouth and closed it again. She looked to Marco for help.
"You almost sound like you want to be king," Marco teased, a desperate attempt to lighten the mood.
Tom scoffed. "No way. I just know my dad will kill me if I let some freak sit on his throne." There may have been a hint of satisfaction at the idea of having so much power, but Tom suppressed the feeling.
"If we continue with the plan, Alec will probably target us next," Star reasoned. "But if we don't, our kingdoms are vulnerable."
"Our kingdoms are vulnerable anyways," Tom argued. "Abaddon thinks we're doomed with teenagers in charge. We may as well make things official."
She met his gaze. "This isn't going how we planned."
"Yeah, but how often does that happen?"
Star smiled and Tom returned it.
Marco scowled. Janna raised an eyebrow. Jackie was nervous.
"We'll carry on with the plan," Star decided. "We may not be the best for the job, but we're the only ones who can protect our kingdoms. Anticipate more attacks."
"Got it," Tom agreed.
"Uh," Jackie said. She chewed on her lip.
Star frowned. "What's up, Jackie?"
"I just need to talk to Marco… In private."
Tom nodded. "Sure, okay. We'll talk later. Be careful, Star!"
"I will," she promised. Tom savored her smile for a moment before ending the call.
Janna sat back on her heels as the mirror fell dark. "So," she grinned, "demon coronation?"
"After I talk to Abaddon and rub it in her face that- I mean, inform her of what's going on."
"Then demon coronation?"
Tom laughed. "Then demon coronation, yeah."
Janna cheered, throwing a fist in the air. "This is gonna be awesome!"
•••••
"Coronas coronabit te rex Thomam Lucitor inferos. Ut ipse regnabit long."
The High Priest lowered the crown onto Tom's head. The teen tilted his chin back in an attempt to both look like the king he was pretending to be and keep the crown from falling. It was a lot heavier than it looked.
After he was crowned, Tom was supposed to walk back down the isle. The royal guests remained standing, most holding their tongues until the king was gone. They were confused and wanted answers. Why the sudden coronation? Why did the kingdom just wake from a deep slumber? What was going on?
Janna was settled by front row between Helen and Devilla. The hounds weren't invisible like she had imagined. Seeing them was both incredible and terrifying. They were like great danes on steroids, tall creatures with muscular legs and hypnotic ruby eyes that watched everything that moved. Around the dogs' necks were red collars that stood out against their black fur. Janna won their trust with a plate of crab cakes. Helen was on Janna's right and really liked to snuggle. Devilla was on Janna's left, fast asleep.
Tom and Janna exchanged smiles as Tom passed. Janna wasn't allowed to follow, so he would find her later.
Shortly after Tom left and the silence dispersed to a quiet chatter, a band of monsters entered the church. Janna wouldn't have noticed if the leader hadn't approached her corner. Helen growled dangerously. The noise drifted throughout the room. Devilla woke from her slumber. A few guests glanced over curiously. Janna looked around, maybe a bit nervous. As of then, everything about the Underworld only fascinated her. However, these guys put her a bit on edge.
"Where's the king?" the demon asked. He was tall and purple skinned with three small horns growing from his forehead and teeth like knives.
"He's n-" Janna stumbled over her words. "He, uh…" In light of everything that had happened already, she couldn't just say Tom wasn't around. What if these guys were up to no good? "He'll be back any minute. Why?"
Instead of answering, the demon smiled. It was crooked and made Janna glad she was sitting between two hellhounds.
"Perfect," he hissed. "We only need a minute."
"Wait, what are you-"
The monster turned to his men. He spoke quietly, waving his hands in different direction. The followers fanned out, disappearing in the crowd and lining the walls.
Janna watched one of the monsters linger outside the crowd. She raised a finger to the neck of one of the guests. Her fingertip glowed a dark purple. When she touched the guest's neck, a web of black burst across the demon's skin like veins.
There was a faint scream. Then, the body dropped to the floor.
Janna jumped to her feet. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the victim. Was this another sleep spell? Was that guy okay? Was he dead? Janna ran a hand through her hair.
The leader threw his head back and cackled. "Take the castle!" he shouted.
All it took were three words for the entire room to fall into chaos.
•••••
"Nice work," Abaddon complimented when Tom exited his room. He had changed into his normal attire, a T shirt and jeans. She glared at the teen after glancing over his outfit.
"Thanks. It wasn't as bad as I imagined." He had neither tripped nor fallen, so that was a win in his book.
Abaddon sighed, "I just hope this plan of yours works."
"It will. I know it will."
Just then, a muffled scream carried down the hall. Tom and Abaddon stopped, surprised. Another took place of the first. They located the source quickly, the grand doors at the end of the hall.
"You were saying?" Abaddon growled. She and Tom broke into a sprint. As they approached, the screams laced through a series of growls and snarls.
Tom's stomach dropped.
The doors didn't push open like he thought they would. So instead of bursting inside, Tom ran smack into the wood. He groaned, rubbing his nose.
"Why are these doors locked?" he whined.
Abaddon pressed against the wood, checking the top and bottom. "It locks from the inside."
Tom frowned. He was about to question when something came up behind the advisor. "Abaddon!" he cried.
The demon barely glanced over her shoulder. She caught the wrist of a hand trying to stab something into her neck. Abaddon snapped the attacker's wrist backward, ducked under his arm, and kicked in the back of his knee. He cried out in pain and dropped to the floor.
"Who sent you?!" Abaddon shouted.
"Alec!" the guy answered.
Tom knelt in front of the monster. He grabbed the guy's shirt collar and reeled his fist back. "He sent you to the wrong place," Tom growled. "You're not taking my kingdom."
Tom was about to strike when the guy smiled. The teen froze, eyes narrowing.
"He doesn't want your kingdom," he laughed. "He just wants you out of the way."
•••••
"You really think you can take on two hellhounds?!" Janna shouted. She scrambled behind the safety of the dogs, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Where's Tom?" she asked, needing a distraction.
"He's trying to get in touch with Princess Star."
"Why?"
"We think this attack may have been a distraction."
The attack. The room had fallen so silent that Janna had forgotten they'd even been ambushed. That was when she noticed the smell, iron and feces. It was strong enough to burn her nostrils when she inhaled. Janna covered her mouth and nose with her hand and gazed around, taking in the source of the aroma.
Janna had been so distracted by her own battle that she didn't notice the hounds had taken care of everyone else. Bodies littered the floor. Entrails lay scattered in puddles of dark red ooze bubbling from the monsters. Janna couldn't distinguish a noble from an enemy.
Helen, the house who had been cuddling with Janna only half an hour earlier, stood over a mess of shredded limbs. Crimson dripped from her stained fangs. Devilla was in the corner licking blood off her paws.
"I'm gonna puke," Janna announced.
"Wha-" Abaddon began to question. The teen was already hunched over, left arm hooked to the table for support. Her right hugged her stomach as she choked and gagged, emptying the food from breakfast. And the crab cakes, all those crab cakes… :(
Abaddon pursed her lips. She reached forward to comfort the girl and froze, remembering.
"Let's go find the pr-er, king."
She couldn't believe Tom would allow such an outsider into the castle, their lifestyle. This human looked about fifteen years old, much too young to be witnessing such things. Although, Tom was only a year older. He's been exposed to royal matters, but never to this degree.
Abaddon herded the girl into the hall. They didn't talk for most of the way back. The demon watched her, eyes narrowed in the slightest bit of concern. She hated that she was stuck babysitting the children, but she couldn't help worrying about this human. 'Janna' was the quietest she'd been since arriving.
"Are you… All right?" Abaddon asked tentatively.
Janna met the demon's eyes over her shoulder. "Yeah," she answered with a nod. She wiped her eyes. "Yeah, I just have a bad taste in my mouth."
"We can stop by the kitchen if you'd like."
"Okay."
Janna sighed. She flipped open her phone and scrolled through the messages. They were from Tom to the group chat. He was frantic, sending three texts in five seconds.
Janna stopped walking. She frowned, another sickly feeling in her stomach.
"What is it?" Abaddon demanded.
Janna dialed Star's phone and turned to Abaddon. "I think you were right about this being a distraction." She looked at her phone, at the CALL FAILED flashing across the screen. "Because something's wrong at Star's place."