If the situation wasn't so dire, she would've laughed.
What else was she expecting?
When put on a balance against his parents, of course she would lose.
Despite her best efforts to be rational about it, she couldn't help but think that he didn't choose them, he chose her.
That explained the emotions storming in her mind and the bitter taste on her soul.
She knew it…she knew it…
She knew from the day she gave her heart to him that that was the biggest mistake she had ever made in her entire life.
The biggest mistake she will ever make.
Cowering in the corner and curled up to herself, Star tried desperately to silence the demons in her mind, stop the hurricane in her head and drown out the thoughts about him. He—he didn't deserve it anymore.
Why are you making excuses for him still? A female voice snapped at her and she shook violently, He chose Jackie. He didn't choose you, despite your best efforts to be the one for him. You naive idiot; you kept trying to appease him; look at where it got you, The girl laughed maliciously, He will always choose her. Admit it. You're nothing but a second choice.
You're worthless. You're nothing but a burden.
You're replaceable.
"Stop—" she begged, shaking her head profusely, "Please just stop—he's not like that—"
Really? The unnamed girl mocked, Don't lie to yourself, Star Butterfly. You know what he did. You know how horrible it is. He ruined you. But you kept turning the other cheek because you're afraid, aren't you? You're scared he would leave you. Abandon you. Well, guess what? He already did, you stupid girl.
"Stop!" she screamed, "Please, I beg you—"
Pleading won't get you anywhere, Butterfly, The girl rolled her eyes, Look at what's left of you. Weak. Helpless. Pathetic. A mere shell of your former glory; the independent, rebel Princess. The girl snickered.
What a disappointment.
"I'm not—weak," she broke into a coughing fit, her blood splattered the cold stone floor. She could feel invisible insects crawling on her skin, biting marks into her flesh, "I'm strong. I—I don't need him," she sputtered.
The girl stared at her for a few moments before breaking out into laughter, You're serious? She asked, wiping tears from her fully black eyes, That must've been the funniest thing I've ever heard.
You can't even keep him by your side. What's there for you to boast about? Face it. He's gone. He's not yours anymore.
Star sobbed heartbrokenly, her cries echoing through the mostly empty prison.
Ah, aren't you miserable, She cooed sarcastically, Come on, what's your problem? Quit your crying; you're just going to let that bitch takes what was meant to be yours?
"What do you—mean?"
So he chose her this time, She rolled her eyes, Big deal. He was meant to be yours; the Blood Moon bonded you two. He belongs to you. And don't you remember the time when it was you? Who was making him happy? Who was making him smile? Who he chose? Star averted her eyes from the creature in front of her, Doesn't it hurt?
"Yes!" she screamed, "Yes it does! It hurts—it fucking hurts! Just end it already—"
Tsk, tsk, that's not how you deal with problems now, is it? The girl paced around the tiny cell, Don't you love him?
"I—I do. More than anything."
Still? She nodded, Well then, that settles it. No matter what you think, Star, I'm here to help you.
"What do you mean?" she said, more sober and serious this time.
He's Jackie's now, isn't he? Well, that simply won't do.
We should fix that.
"S—Star?" he croaked, crawling to her side. She was deathly silent, her empty eyes staring into the void. A small smile was plastered on her face, and there was something disturbing in the way she slouched, her back turning to him.
"Star, are you okay?" he forced a smile. She turned back as if broken from a trance and offered him a wide smile, the kind that made shivers crawl on his spine.
"Of course, Marco," she said his name, endearing as ever, but he couldn't help but fear, even when he knew she would never hurt him.
He tried to tell himself that he did the right thing. His parents' life depended on his choice, and he couldn't let them die. As much as he loves Star, his innocent parents cannot be imprisoned because of him! This was his trouble; he has to take care of it by himself.
But the way she was looking at him made him break.
"I'm sorry!" he cried, heartbroken, "I'm sorry—I'm so sorry; please, you don't have to forgive me but at least say something—"
"It's okay, Marco," The honey drenched her tone again, and he shuddered. "I understand; you have to do it for your family. I know how hard it is to make that choice, and I don't blame you, Marco." She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. Other people wouldn't be able to see that, but again, he wasn't some other people.
But he wanted to convince himself that she meant it, if only to ease his guilty conscience.
"Really? You really understand why I had to do it?" he asked, hope filled his voice and she pulled him into a hug.
"Of course," whispered Star against the side of his head, "Of course I understand. And I don't blame you, Marco. I don't blame you."
God, he needed to hear that.
And it's scary how quick he was to believe her when he wanted to believe, even though he knew it's not true.
What he did was inexcusable.
But for a moment, for just a fragile moment, he wanted to drown himself in the illusion that he did the right thing, and everything's okay. Everything is going to be okay again.
He fell asleep in her arms, still sobbing and spilling with apologies for his broken promise.
Star Butterfly smiled.
"Wake up, Marco," someone called out for him, and he groggily opened his eyes. It was so bright, why was it so bright?
"S—Star?" he muttered, "Where are we?"
"Home," she smiled, that same one that left her eyes as cold as ever. But he was too distracted by what she said to pay any attention.
"Wait, what?" he bolted upright and rubbed his eyes, trying to see what was happening. There it was; the sun, shining as bright and lovely as he had always remembered it. The air wasn't stale anymore; it was fresh, and he could smell the dirt and trees and—
They were…
On Earth.
On the hill they used to watch a sunset together. Just a few hundred meters from his house.
"But how—"
"I dipped down to break us out of prison," she explained, pulling him up with her right hand, "And since there was a portal open already, all we had to do was walk through it. And before we left, I dismantled the crystals, so it's locked and we're untraceable."
"Dipped down? But why—" He stopped dead in his track when he saw the blood trickling down her forehead, oozing from the markings that were carving their way into her flesh. "Your head! I—"
"Don't worry about it," she smiled yet again, wiping the blood off with her eyes shut painfully this time. "I'm fine. Don't you want to go home?"
"I—I…" He never thought he'd see Echo Creek ever again. "Let's get you to the hospital first—"
"I said I'm fine," The honey in her voice took a plunge and turned into something stern and icy, and he knew better than to argue. Her face softened at his slightly scared expression, and she patted his hair, "I'll go after you reunite with your family," Another smile lingered at the corner of her lips, and—
She wouldn't stop smiling.
Was she really that happy to get him back home?
Star pulled up the hood of her dirty jacket to cover the blood as they walked home, their ragged appearance attracting attention. But with just a glance from her, no one dared to question them; even the police officer looked the other way when they passed him.
They were standing at his porch again, her fingers curling around his wrist protectively, but not enough to be possessive.
The doorbell rang and his mother's familiar 'Coming!' almost brought him to tears.
"Hey! How can I help y—" Angie dropped the mug she was holding, and the thing shattered on the ground, "M—Mijo?" she whispered shakily, and when he nodded, Star let him go for a few seconds and his mother enveloped him in a crushing and tearful embrace. "Raphael!" she bellowed, tears falling down her face and her voice cracking, but there was the undeniable joy in her voice. His father tumbled down the stairs, and they stared at each other in shocked, pure bliss before the man gathered his family into his arms, crying in relief.
Star stood outside in a hidden corner, alone, but she still couldn't wipe that smile off her face. It seemed a little more genuine now, at least. But she let them have this little moment to each other, despite the voices in her head screaming at her to pull Marco out and take him away, because he was hers—
No, stop. His happiness comes first. And it's not like he's leaving you; it's his family. There's nothing to be afraid of.
"Oh, mijo, Jackie has to know this!" Angie exclaimed, and a shadow passed the Princess's face. She tried to keep a neutral expression, but the hatred was evident in her eyes. "The poor girl had been worried about you for weeks; she'd be ecstatic when she sees that you're safe!"
"R—Really?" stuttered Marco, "She's still worried about me?"
"Of course!" Raphael laughed, "She's a keeper, son. You're lucky you have a girlfriend like that!"
"Why are you alone?" his mother asked, "Did—Did Star decide to stay in Mewni? After—" she hesitated, the words seemingly escaping her, "After what happened?"
"No! She's—" he turned around and gently pulled her out from the shadows, "She's actually the reason I'm here after everything."
"She—She let you go home?" his father asked, and when he nodded, the man pulled Star in for a hug.
"Thank you, Star," he whispered, "I know how hard it must've been for you. I—I'm sorry."
"It's nothing, Mr. Diaz," Everyone could still hear the smile in her voice, but it was slightly pained, "But can you—let me go?"
Hurt passed his father's face, "Of course," he hastily released the girl, "I get it that you might still be upset at us, and—Wait, is that blood?"
"She's injured?" Angie yelled at her son, "Mijo, why didn't you say anything about this?"
"I, um, she insisted to go home first and—"
"We need to get her to a hospital!" the woman grabbed her wallet, phone and keys, "Raphael, Marco, what are you two waiting for?" she scolded, carefully wrapping one of her arm around Star's shoulders and already walking to her car with the girl in tow.
"Uh, right! Right, I'll just get my things and—"
"Hurry!"
It's been two days and the rush had died out a little.
The Diazes were more happy than ever, but they were fearful when Marco told them what happened in the weeks they were gone. Of course, he was mindful enough to not mention how she murdered her uncle in cold blood and all the other fights they had, but he didn't mention how he had confessed that one night that he was in love with her either. To them, to the audience, their relationship remains the same; close, but completely platonic.
Star wondered bitterly why he did that.
He's making it really hard not to use Option 2, The girl in her mind grumbled, He's yours, why aren't you claiming him?
"We made a deal, Eris," she told the voice she named, sternly, "We're putting his happiness first. You're helping me, and I'll let you stay, but we're doing things my way."
Eris merely pouted and went back to her corner.
She let out a sigh. This was quite tiring to put up with; having to keep Eris at bay and remember what were her own thoughts and what weren't. But the girl did offer some rather…interesting solutions, and she was confident that it would solve all of Star's problems.
At this point, she was willing to give it a try.
"Marco!" An irritating voice screamed and she immediately frowned, "Marco, oh God, you're okay!"
Not that annoying leech again.
"Jackie!" His overjoyed tone replied, and she resisted the urge to roll her eye, "Babe, I'm so sorry for leaving—"
…Really?
Was that all they've shared was? A mistake? Something he regretted? Something in the past that he tries to forget?
Was going after her really something so terrible that it was worth apologizing for?
"It's okay, it's okay—" Jackie breathed in happiness, "You're okay now, and that's all that matters, Marco. I love you—God, I love you so much."
Heh. Like she was the one who loves him the most.
Star twitched in barely restrained anger, her fists clenching and releasing, her entire body shaking, but the smile never once left her face.
Jackie dared to say that? As if love was some childish thing? As if she was ever worthy of saying the L-word to her precious Marco. Was she prepared to die for him? Was she prepared to kill for him?
The Princess's face darkened and she shut the door to her room, trying not to lose control.
You see? Eris told her, That irritating girl will never leave your man. He's yours, and a Butterfly protects her own, so why are you letting Jackie take him like he was hers?
"Shut up," she gritted her teeth, "I told you, his happiness—"
Comes first, She rolled her eyes, I know. But think about it. You've always put him first, and he hadn't even considered how you might feel. You killed for him and you died for him and for what? Just so he could be happy with another girl? We both know you're not that noble, Butterfly.
"I didn't die for him—"
Don't lie, Butterfly, Eris hissed, You know how much that wound carved on your fucking forehead hurts, and I do, too. Don't you think I have to feel the pain you're feeling as well? You could've killed yourself, recklessly trying to dip down like that, and you brushed it off like it was nothing. And for what? Just because you love him?
Laughter and murmured words of devotion echoed from downstairs, making her blood boil before it froze over.
He's yours, Star Butterfly. You've done more than enough for him; and he owes you. His love, his life, his soul…It's all yours.
"He's mine," she whispered, the words barely escaping her mouth but a rush of power had already filled her entire being.
That's right, The girl laughed, Yours.
"Mine." she repeated, and the realization cleared up the fog in her mind.
"But wait," she froze, "I don't have magic anymore. How am I going to make him love me?"
You might be wrong about that, sweetheart, Eris cooed, But sometimes, some good old physical intervention is more than enough. And about how to make him love you…
Don't you think he'd turn to you if his girlfriend somehow mysteriously got out of your way? The nasty, maniacal grin on her face was enough to know what she meant, and Star's gaze landed on the wooden door. Of course.
You know what you have to do.
She stood up and walked over to his room, cracking the wooden door open.
The sword was propped against the wall, glowing a dull green slightly despite the fact that he wasn't in the room. Taking this thing back from Toffee had been easy enough; he didn't expect them to escape the prison that easily.
Her finger touched the blade gently, soft skin brushing on cold metal. The wand gleamed brighter, humming softly as if it was happy to see its lawful owner back.
She hoisted the sword up, and the inky magic running through her veins was so powerful that the door slammed shut, wind picked up and swirled around her floating figure, her eyes blackened and wide, dangerous.
The smile was still plastered on her lips.
The wand started to shift in her grip, rays of dark light wrapping themselves around the broken star, a black, slimy substance covered what was left of the crystal. Her short hair flowed in the air, and every pore on her body seemed to radiate with an aura of pure magic, overflowing with unlimited power.
The lights died out and she was left with a brand new wand in her palm.
A sharp, medium length dagger. Black as the night and cold as steel.
Hmm.
How strangely fitting.
"Hey, Star," Jackie greeted, "How's your head healing? You okay?" Her eyes drifted towards the Princess's tattoo covered body, incredibly curious, but she knew better than to ask. Marco told her it was a private thing after all.
"Yes, yes I am," she replied, but there was no warmth in her voice. "What about you, Jackie? Did anything interesting happen when we were away?"
The girl looked taken aback, "What? No, unless you count being deadly worried for your boyfriend as something interesting," she laughed, but there was something challenging in her eyes. Star could see the way she stressed out the word boyfriend, and it was definitely bothering her, but she didn't show it.
"Fascinating," she offered the girl a smile, the same one drenched in honey and sweetened words, "I am sorry about making you worried, though," she looked away, putting on her guilty mask, "I—I shouldn't have let him follow me. You were worried, and that's my fault." She stared at the ground, "I'm sorry."
Jackie's face softened a little at her display of regret. She laughed, taking Star's hand in her owns, ignoring it when the other girl flinched, "It's okay; I don't blame you," she patted the spot next to her on the couch, "Come on, sit down. You have to tell me more about your adventures; Marco's version lacks a ridiculously large amount of details."
"Really?" she mused, trying her best to keep the bitterness out of her voice. "Well, I'd love to indulge you, but I feel like I have to make it up to you somehow," she lowered her head, "I did make a huge mistake after all."
"You don't have to," Jackie smiled warmly, "It's alright, I understand—"
"Hey, how about this?" she said, allowing some of her signature perkiness to seep in her tone, "You're one of the few friends I have who hadn't been to another dimension. How about I take you to this skatepark? It's on top of an ocean with clear glass and I swear, it's really cool," Her smile was bright and her face was genuine. The other girl hesitated, but skatepark? Ocean? She couldn't resist.
Plus, what reason is there for her to doubt the girl brimming with genuinity in front of her?
"But how are you going to take us there? You don't have those…scissors thing anymore, no?"
"Eh, I grabbed one when we escaped," she winked, and pulled a pair of dimensional scissor out from her pocket. It was a dull gray, completely foreign to her, but it'll serve its purpose perfectly fine.
"Cool," Jackie said, "Let me grab my skateboard real quick."
"Alright," Star smiled, "I'll wait."
I'll wait.
"Hey, before we go," Jackie pulled her arm and she turned around, bandages tight enough to not shuffle around, "I just want to say, thank you."
"Thank me?" she tilted her head, "For what?"
"For taking care of him," Star's face darkened, but she put up the mask so quickly that the other girl didn't notice it. Thank her? As if it was a favor, and she wouldn't have put his safety and happiness above her own life without Jackie being involved in this? She scoffed on the inside.
Jackie gave her a warm, grateful look, "I know it's—hard for you, considering what happened before you guys were trapped in that other dimension, and I just want you to know, I appreciate it, Star. I really do."
"It was the least I could do," she replied, turning away from the girl so she couldn't see her expression. And it was true. It was the least she could do for him, especially when he was her everything, her existence. Keeping him safe was like keeping herself alive; why would she ever take credit for that?
"Um, yes," Jackie stuttered, clearly baffled at the sense of duty and absolute devotion in her voice. She kept her mouth shut about it, but there was something bothering her about the Princess.
She didn't seem like the same Star Butterfly she knew. She seemed more cold, distant and somehow ruthless than before she left, with those smiles that sent chills down her back sometimes. The girl probably went through more than her fair share of traumatic experiences, but she could see something purposefully hidden in her, as if this was a side of her she had never seen before.
And those tattoos…Jackie knew it wasn't Star's choice to be completely covered in those, but the cracks and curves and ancient writings made her uneasy. It seemed like something incredibly dark, and she swore it was affecting the used-to-be-bubbly girl somehow. Jackie didn't like it one bit.
The Princess raised her scissors and a portal was ripped open in the fabric of reality. The human girl could never get over it; it was the most mysterious and majestic thing she had ever seen. The vortex swirled like an ethereal whirlpool, dazzling with a sea green color, tiny sparks popping and landing occasionally.
She stared at it for as long as she could before Star cleared her throat.
"Shall we go?" The honeyed smile was back on her face, and Jackie forced herself to reciprocate, dry and strained. Something was wrong with her demeanor, and the way she talked so formally didn't sit well with her.
But before Marco was her boyfriend, Star was her friend; she should at least have some form of trust in the girl, right?
…Right.
They stepped through the portal, and it wasn't like anything she expected. She wasn't sure what she was even expecting, to be honest. A little spin, a sense of disorientation? Maybe a little dizziness or a thick membrane like a curtain separating dimensions? Well, in truth, it wasn't that different from walking through a door.
Oh no, the only difference was what was on the other side of the portal.
"Star?" Jackie said fearfully, "Where are we?"
But the Princess ignored her question.
"Marco is mine," she stated simply, as if it was a fact as concrete as the world is round.
Jackie couldn't process what was happening, "…What?"
"I said," she repeated, "Marco. Is. Mine."
"What—What are you doing?"
"Oh, don't worry dear," The smile was back, and it was sickly sweeter than ever, "You're gonna like it here, I'm sure."
"Jackie?" Marco called out, "Babe? Where are you? I got the tickets for that show you wanted to…see…"
She had told him she'd rather wait here and not drag herself with him to the box office for that comedy show. He had rolled his eyes, kissed her chastely, in the loosest sense of the word, and left the house about half an hour ago.
But no one was in the living room.
"Star?" he tried again, "Are you here?"
No one answered.
Huh. They must be out for ice cream or something. He huffed; at least leave him a note or text him so he wouldn't get worried! They knew how ridiculously protective he got after that…adventure; he'd go out of his mind with concern if he couldn't find the two most important girls in his life!
Marco pulled out his phone and texted Star. She must knew where his girlfriend is, right? And she must be somewhere around here, since they lost his dimensional scissors already when they faced Toffee…
The painful memories of his decision resurfaced and he clenched his eyes shut, trying to ward off the poisonous thoughts. Stop it, Diaz, he told himself, Star said she understands; why are you still torturing yourself over that? You did what was right; anyone else would do the same in your situation.
But the look of betrayal on her face, etched with shock, hatred and utter heartbreak—
God, it still haunts him at night.
He paced around the living room, patches of carpet bunched up under his impatient footsteps. He flopped down the couch, irritated, only to get up again, feeling even worse than before. Where the hell were they?
Ding dong—
He ran like a madman to the door and slammed it open, only to find his best friend there, a look of genuine surprise on her face as she startled.
"Marco?" Her fingers brushed against his arm in a gesture of comfort and he flinched momentarily. Something was off, but he couldn't wrap his mind around it, and the way she stared at him in dejection made his gut churned guiltily.
"Are—Are you okay? Did I do something wrong?" There it was again, the undying fear in her voice, as if she had somehow made a mistake that could destroy the world they're living in. "I—I'm sorry; I didn't mean to—"
"No, no, it's fine," he sighed, "I'm just a little more on edge than usual."
"Did something happen?" She relaxed and stepped inside the house, a bag of groceries in her arms. Was that there all the time? He could've sworn her hands were empty before…
No, he shook his head slightly, She didn't have magic anymore; stop overthinking, Marco.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Concern was evident in her tone, and he dropped the thoughtful expression for her sake, "Yeah," he replied, "I'm alright; don't worry, Princess."
Princess. She visibly froze when the bittersweet nickname escaped his mouth; he hadn't called her that since they were…together, for lack of a better word. Because even though neither of them mentioned anything upon their return, what they had shared was nothing less than a love story.
At least between them, that much was clear. They had been through so much together, loved each other more than anything for a few blessed moments, prepared to die for one another—
He loved her. He really did. And maybe he still loves her.
But what choice did he really have? There was nothing else he could've done, especially when their undefined relationship was pitted against his entire family; all that he had left in his life—
But he was lying and he knew it. For more than just a moment, she was his everything; the reason he pushed on and survived and didn't just kill himself when he turned blind. She calmed him down, she took care of him, she cured him—
Without her, he would've died a long time ago. Even during that sixteen years stranded in Hekapoo's realm, all that kept him going was the thought of her, of how much he wanted to see her smile again…
He chose his family because he owed them so much.
He chose Jackie because he owed her so much.
God, what had he done?
"I—" he choked on his own words, the apology desperately tried to crawl out of his throat but something in him wouldn't let it—
"Star, I—"
She held up a hand, and his mouth shut despite everything he wanted to say, "It's okay," she offered him a smile; the same one drenched in honey, "I told you I understand. Don't worry too much about it, Marco,"
He couldn't understand the twinkle in her eyes, but he chose to believe her anyway. She deserved trust, at least.
"Alright," he smiled, but the smile died on his lips when his mind wandered to his girlfriend again, "By the way, do you know where Jackie is?"
She didn't miss a beat, "I don't know; maybe she went home? Last I've seen her I was just heading out," Her hands were busy putting things in cabinets, but her eyes were on him, no avoidance. He knew it was horrible to suspect her out of all people, but…
Better safe than sorry.
"Oh," he muttered, "Why did you go to the store again? I didn't know we ran out of stuff."
"Marco," she turned over to him, disapproval in her voice, as if she knew what's up, "I was just getting some snacks. You know, the cereal you like? I just thought it's been forever since you had that, and the boxes in the house are expired, so I went out to get some more," She sounded disappointed, and maybe even exasperated, "I'm not going to kidnap your girlfriend, Marco," Star rolled her eyes.
"Right, right," he rubbed the back of his neck. She was just thinking about him; why was he suspecting her again? Ugh, paranoia. Get outta here.
"Sorry, I'll just—" he mumbled, and left the room, his face burning of embarrassment. What was he even thinking?
Whew, that was close, Eris let out a relieved breath, Damn, you're better at this than I thought, Butterfly.
"It's in my blood," she grinned, "Runs in the family, darling. Plus, Queen training didn't hurt either."
Yeah, yeah, we know how good you are, The girl rolled her eyes playfully, So, how are you going to deal with Jackie?
Star's face crunched up in disgust, "Don't say that name in front of me," she scolded, "You can't even believe how loud she could scream, ugh. No dignity at all; at least try to stay quiet when you're being tortured."
Believe me, I can, Eris groaned. The Lynn-Thomas girl had a pair of lungs in her, alright. They gained a sweet little reward though; the interrogation techniques the Princess knew left the human a mess of tears, blood and mangled flesh. Plus, that dimension is well-hidden; no one would even think about finding her there.
Star sighed, "She still wouldn't back down. I might have to up the treatment tonight."
Just be careful and don't break her yet, The girl yawned in boredom, A broken prisoner is no fun, and you still need her to get what you want, after all.
"Alright, alright," she waved dismissively, "I know what I have to do."
Good.
She woke up in a room with blank stone walls and cold floor. The golden lights trickled down a small vent near the ceiling, and…
Where the fuck was she?
Jackie struggled, only to find out she was still bound to a chair, chains and shackles rubbing her wrists raw. Dried blood clung to her skin, itching, and her body burned all over, setting her nerves on fire.
God, everything hurt.
She spat out blood from her mouth, the metallic taste staining her tongue. Eyes darting around relentlessly, she searched for any signs of the Princess.
That son of a bitch; how dare she—
Jackie took a deep breath. Now's not the time to panic or rage. She tried to look for an escape, but the prison was designed flawlessly; the fact that it's in another dimension didn't help her either.
She tried to wiggle in her bonds, poking around here and there to see if she can get these cuffs off of her. If she could then maybe she could plan an ambush; find some heavy objects around to smack the girl in the head and escape? Surely she would have a chance.
She grimaced. God, these things are hard. The cuts on her entire body were a distraction already; they stung like hell. That knife of hers is brutal; she'd tell you that.
"Tsk, tsk, is that how you should behave?" a voice rang and she snapped her head up, trying not to look like she's escaping. Sure enough, there was the Princess in all her demented glory; plaids of fluffy skirts stained red, eyes wild and merciless, the damned knife glowing in her long, dainty fingers. That cursed smile was plastered on her face as always, but for some reason all the honeyed sweetness had left, leaving nothing but a deranged, maniacal edge behind those perfect, white teeth. She had had half a mind left to change back to the clothes she wore yesterday, maybe for the crazed murderer look or simply just to intimidate Jackie. Hah, fat chance, now that she knew what the Princess was capable of already.
"You don't scare me," she spat, quite literally, and the other girl wiped something off of her face.
"I suggest you stop that if you know what's good for you," she smiled, with an annoyed undertone, almost as if she's trying to be patient, talking to a dog who had done something bad.
"Don't act like you're not an insane bitch, Star Butterfly," Jackie snarled, "I know what you are; and I don't care what you're going to do to me; I'm going back to Marco if it's the last thing I do."
The smile died out on the Princess's face and she frowned. Jackie tried to keep up a brave face; God knows she won't let the other girl have the pleasure of seeing her weak, but she couldn't help the fear slowly slithering into the depths of her soul.
"You are really irritating," Her eyes turned borderline murderous, and the knife rose from her hands threateningly.
The unsettling flash of iron broke her determination.
"No, no—" Jackie thrashed desperately, "No, please, not again!—"
The blade struck down and an earsplitting scream echoed against the stone walls.
Blood splattered the floor. A metallic scent floats in the air and the Princess scrunched up her nose momentarily before the smile returned to her face.
"Now, now, keep quiet; I'll ask again," she tapped her gloved fingers against the fresh wound and Jackie wailed, "Can you behave and never go near my Marco again?"
"—not yours—" the other girl choked out blood, "He'll never be yours!"
Silence.
Then the Princess's delicate laughter started to fill the room.
"I'm sorry but…" she giggled jovially, her nails flirting on the edges of the sharp blade.
"That wasn't a request."
That sure was tiring, Eris yawned, Didn't expect that girl to be so stubborn, huh?
"You're right," Star sighed, "What a waste of time. I don't even know what Marco saw in her? So unobedient. She can't even follow simple orders."
That's why you have to get rid of that pest, no? She smiled sweetly, She doesn't deserve him. No one does, because he's yours.
"Mine," she breathed, the word left a satisfied feeling fluttering in her soul, "All mine."
Why did you take that? Eris stared at the necklace in her hands, her eyes narrowed, I don't think that's smart, Star.
"What, have you never heard of spoils of war before?" the Princess chuckled, "I'm simply following a family tradition, darling."
"Star? Where are you?" a voice called, and she could feel herself froze.
Marco?! He wasn't supposed to be at home! Wasn't he with his friends?
Fuck; her clothes!—
"Star?" he clicked the door open without knocking, "Where have you…been…"
They met each other's eyes and his gaze slowly shifted down to her blood stained skirt—
"Oh my god—Are you hurt?" His first reaction was to fuss over her. She could feel her heart melt; drowning in the new waves of love and adoration for him. He's still Marco; her Marco; he still cares about her most and loves her more than anything in this world—
Then his hand brushed against the cold metal of the locket.
"What—" he began, but she silenced him with a kiss before he could see the necklace. First his cheeks, then the tip of his nose, and by the time she lifted his chin up with her finger, he had turned crimson red, shocked and abashed at her actions.
But he remained still in her embrace.
His lips met hers, and she practically purred in satisfaction. He was hers; finally hers now that she had made sure the temptress knew to stay out of her way. She hesitantly ran her tongue against his lower lip, and he yelped, but her hands kept him firmly in place and he opened up without further resistance. She greedily kissed him, exploring every corner of his mouth, and he whimpered under her touch. The sensations were too much, too fast, and his knees buckled. Their tongues danced clumsily, inexperienced but passionately, and when she pulled away, he sighed in absolute bliss.
"Damn," Marco breathed, his eyes hazy and slightly glazed over, "That was, uh—"
She giggled and pulled him in for another kiss.
He got lost in the way she felt, how soft and warm she was against him. How familiar her touch was, how beautiful and utterly perfect—
But then he stopped himself,
"W—Wait, Star. I can't—I love Jackie."
And the words came out so shameful and apologetic that he wasn't even sure why he'd said them.
She froze up.
"You—What did you just say?" Her words were barely above a whisper.
"I'm sorry, but I love—" his eyes caught the glimmer of golden metal in her hands, "—her…" His voice died out and he stared at her, disbelief evident in his face.
She was silent. Silent and…twitching?
"What are you holding?"
She smiled sweetly, "Isn't it obvious, Marco?"
…
He couldn't say anything for the longest time.
"Where is she?" he finally spat, his body shaking with barely contained fury. He knew it; he fucking knew it. "What did you do to her?" He shouldn't have trusted her; shouldn't have loved her—
"Why does it matter anymore, sweetheart? She doesn't deserve you." Her fingers touched his face and he jerked from her, "Stay the fuck away from me," he snarled, and she frowned a little. For some reason, she looked horrifying, and no matter how hard he searched, he couldn't find the glimmer of his bubbly, sunny best friend in there anymore.
"Don't be like that," she whined, "You know I love you."
"No you don't!" he backed away from her, but the door to her room shut behind him by itself and locked. M—Magic? But that wasn't possible—
"I just want you to be happy," she took a step forward, her hand reaching out for him, and his back hit the wall.
"My happiness to you didn't mean jack shit!" he cried, "If you cared then you would've left me with her! She loves me and I want to be with her; why are you doing this?!"
"Love?" She cut him off, and the shift in her emotion was evident; her eyes turned cold and she laughed bitterly, "She knew nothing about love. Was she prepared to die for you? Was she prepared to kill for you? No one could love you more than I do, sweetheart,"
She kept approaching him and he was running out of options. He noticed the knife in her hands, that pitch black piece of metal that somehow glowed, and it scared him.
He didn't want to fight her; he really didn't, but if that's the only way…
He yanked her hand and twisted. Instead of screaming in pain like he had expected her to do, she simply scrunched her nose as if it was nothing more than a minor discomfort. But the look on her face; God, it'll haunt him for the rest of his life.
"Babe," Her gaze landed on his form sitting on the floor, and he cringed at the nickname Jackie used to call him, "Really, you're making this a lot harder than it has to be."
Something bumped against his head and he jolted awake.
Disorientation washed over him. Ugh, the splitting headache was bad enough, and now this?
A pair of hands pulled his feet and he realized someone was dragging his limp body to God knows where.
He tried to move, turn around or do anything, but his hands were tied and he couldn't crane his neck far enough.
Dizzy. It would be so easy and comfortable to just…close his eyes…
He passed out cold as soon as the doors opened.
She glanced at the unconscious form of the man she loves, adoration rushing through her veins. He looked so peaceful, so majestic, that she swore she would spend the rest of her life protecting him, do anything in her power to keep this look on his face forever.
He's all that she needs and she's all that he needs.
Just the two of them. Here, in this sealed dimension, where no one could find them.
Star raised her hand and frowned at the spark of black magic glitching between her fingers. Her magic is back, more powerful than ever, and she couldn't understand why. The use of magic before had come with such a costly price, but now that she had come to terms with it and accept the corruption as a part of her, it's cooperative and it allowed her to use magic whenever she wishes.
She knew what that meant.
She was the only being capable of wielding black magic in the entire universe.
But that didn't fool her. She knew the price she had to pay.
The old Star Butterfly is dead. She's not that bubbly, energetic girl anymore; she's cold, calculating, merciless—
Everything a Queen of Mewni should be.
But if that's the cost of having him by her side like this…She'd take that any day.
She bent down and gently picked him up, holding him in her arms. His head fell, limp against her shoulder and she couldn't help but smile; he was so adorable like this.
She set him down on the soft king-sized bed she created with the wand, pulling the blanket over his slumbering figure and quietly left the room. She trusted him and wanted to respect his privacy even just a little, but precautions were still needed to be taken. As soon as the wooden door closed, she locked it immediately, and slipped the key into the pocket of her dress.
Ugh, she needed a change of clothes.
The sunset outside rained rays of warm light through the glass pane windows, showering the halls of the castle in a gorgeous golden color. This place wasn't that hard to build once she had figured out how the wand worked with her new power, and the sheer power of black magic made it much faster and easier than using her old pink magic, to be honest. The dainty heels of her boots clicked against the marble floor as she made her way to her own room, and picked out a pastel blue dress, as soft as the sky, and threw her blood-stained skirt into a pile along with her other clothes, ready to be burned later. She didn't want any reminder of the time before this; she was determined to see that her life started with the fact that he was hers, finally and for all of eternity.
And in some ways, it did. This was a new timeline, one where she could live with him in peace and love, one where he could never leave her, even if he wanted to—
She laughed to herself. Now that he has hers; why would he ever want to leave? And this place is amazing; she could give him everything he had ever wanted in his entire life, and they could grow old together, maybe even have a child—
She swallowed at the thought. A child with him; that was more than her wildest dreams. A daughter, so beautiful and angelic, with his thick, brown hair and her blue eyes…
A child that would look like him and act like her. A child; the culmination of their love for each other—
It left a giddy feeling thumping in her soul.
A murderous scream broke her happy train of thoughts and she groaned. Not again; had the girl learned nothing? She put on a pair of sneakers and picked up her knife before walking down to the dungeon; well hidden enough that she was confident he would never find the girl imprisoned underneath.
Oh, right. Also remember to make the walls soundproof.
The next time he woke up, he was in an unfamiliar room.
"What the—" he pulled the sheets off of him and stared at the massive canopy bed he was lying in; this is obviously something Star-related. The decorations of the room reminded him of Mewni, with giant crystals and golden fleur-de-lis plastered on the pastel blue walls. The curtains, however, were a deep red, his favorite color.
Was he back in Mewni for some reason?
No—the dimension is sealed. Which means…
He wasn't dreaming when he saw a murderous Star? What is this—Where was he?!
He leaped from the bed and whoa—
"Fuck," he cursed, "I can't see anything, ugh," His body automatically flopped back down to the pillows. Corrections; he could still see things, but he was dizzy as all hell. His head was pounding; what the fuck did he drink last night?
Marco tried a different approach. He sat up for a while and cautiously stood up, victoriously laughed as the disorientation stayed away from him this time. Step by step, he tiptoed to the door and tried to open it, but the lock buckled in protest.
"Damn; what the hell? Why is the door locked?" he wondered out loud, "And where is she?"
Speak of the Devil; there she was. The lock clicked and he tripped on his own feet, trying not to seem like he just searched for a way to escape. The thick wooden door opened and—
God, she was beautiful.
Clad in a delicate red dress, she looked more like a goddess than ever. A tray of food was balanced on her hands, and a genuine smile bloomed across her cheeks, but he didn't miss that black knife she strapped onto her side and the tiny speck of blood on her face.
What had she done?
"Hey, Marco," she greeted him with a kiss and he startled, "How was your sleep?"
"Did you drug me?" he shot back, disgusted, jerking himself away from her touch.
"Why, I would never!" Her eyes widened in mock surprise and he could see the unspoken challenge in those icy blue orbs. "What makes you think that, my Prince?"
He knew what would happen if he disobey her…
"Nothing," he grumbled, and she stared at him expectantly. "…Princess," he reluctantly added, and she beamed.
"There, it wasn't that difficult, was it?" she offered him a smile, "Here, eat up, and after you're done we can do something, okay?" She set the tray down and her lips met his again, wickedly passionate, and it was all he could do not to give in to her demands.
"I love you so, so much, Marco," she whispered to him with a giggle, and left the room.
His knees buckled and he fell down on the bed.
Dear God.
What had he gotten himself in?
"Marco~!"
"No, no no no no—"
A deep, exasperated sigh escaped the Princess, "Honestly Marco, I'm going to catch up to you. You're just wasting your energy."
He frantically looked around. The stone walls were tall, too tall to even consider climbing as an option. There's that tree that's close though; if he was reckless enough he could jump from the tree over the walls—
"Ah, see!" Her cheerful voice derailed his train of thoughts and he jolted, breathing hard, the bark from the tree giving his back splinters; he's leaning against it so hard, "This is the third time you've tried to run away, my Prince." The jovial tone changed into something spine-chilling, her eyebrows scrunched together in irritation, and the coldness in her eyes made him flinch. He could never get used to this version of his best friend; he didn't know this merciless, cruel girl…
But maybe that's because she was right. He didn't know her. He'd never known her. What if this was the real Star Butterfly?
"You sure are stubborn," she shook her head, "You know what's the punishment for disobedience, don't you, dear?"
"No, no no—" his voice quivered. Not that; anything but that! He couldn't stand watching the Princess torture his poor Jackie anymore; he'd lose his sanity—
She picked up his ankles and dragged him back effortlessly, the shackles on his wrists clanking noisily as he tried to claw the dirt, desperate to run away.
"No, no, please, someone, help!" he cried, "Help me! I'm here; I'm trapped, please help me!"
"Marco…" she sighed, and there was a sickening crunch of broken bones—
A bloodcurdling scream echoed across the courtyard—
He wailed in pain, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry—" he pleaded, his shaking voice riddled with hiccups.
"P—Please, Star, I'm—I'm sorry—sorry, I'm so sor—sorry—"
She stared down at him with another sigh deep from her lungs.
"S—Sorry—I'm sorry—"
"I'm sorry too, Marco," she picked him up bridal style and carried him back to their room inside the castle, "I didn't want to do that."
"But you had to learn a lesson."
The afternoon was stained by his cries of searing, numbing pain, the sounds of desperate apologies and broken hearts.
But the damage had been done.
It's a beautiful day outside.
Birds were singing, flowers were blooming.
The sunlight gently trickled through the large glass windows with delicate patterns of decorations, lighting up the throne room covered in golden flowers.
They look alive, but they were dead.
Just like the figure sitting on the enormous throne.
He wore an outfit worthy of a King, with a blood red cape settling comfortably behind him. An elaborated crown embedded with hundreds of glittering jewels adorned his ruffled, soft brown hair. His entire body was decked out in silky red cloths, embroidered with the insignia of the Butterfly Kingdom.
Golden shackles bound his wrists together.
His chained ankles dangled above ground, the high throne didn't even allow his toes to touch the floor.
It's not like it mattered anyway, he thought bitterly.
"My King!" a voice called, and his expression shifted from emotionless to a mask of fake happiness and joy.
A woman with flowing blonde hair and angelic blue eyes thundered into the throne room, her red heels clicking against the marble. The flowers parted to make way for her, and they covered the ground again as soon as the fluttering train of her royal robes left them.
"Queen Butterfly," he greeted her, "What an honour seeing you here."
"What are you talking about, my love?" she laughed sweetly, "I'm always here with you."
"You're right, your Majesty," Because when was she not right? He bowed his head, his eyes a void of chocolate brown crystals, broken and forlorn. "My apologies."
"No, no," she waved him off, "I'm sorry, love. I've been quite busy with the kingdom lately; I've been neglecting you," she pouted, "I'll make it up to you. How does a walk sound?"
"Delightful, my Queen," he replied dutifully.
"That settled it," she clapped her hands and guards came into the room. "Fetch me the palanquin."
They disappeared and there it was, a majestic palanquin carried by four men, all powerfully built and in immaculate robes of a deep red colour.
"Get my King on the chair, and be careful with him." she ordered, her voice cold and an aura of murderous authority came off her every syllable. "You harm him in anyway, and you lose not just your life, but your entire family as well."
"Yes, your Majesty."
He rolled his eyes mentally. What a hypocrite.
Whatever they'd do couldn't be worse than what she've done.
They lowered him from the massive throne and gently carried him to the palanquin, mindful of his useless feet.
Resentful bile rose in his throat but he forced it down.
It's hopeless; why should he even try?
He's hers.
Forever hers, even if he tried to escape.
He could never run away.
Hers.