We open on a stage with a big red curtain in the front. A spotlight shines on a young man wearing blue jeans and a black hoodie with the Assassin's Creed Logo on the back. The hoodie partially obscures his face, but if you look closely, you can make out blue eyes and dirty blonde hair.

Hello there. I'm your friendly beta-editor, RJ Writing Ink, with an important message.

Why am I here? It's simple: ROTHEM was having a hard time trying to get this chapter done, and since I'm stuck at home due to the Coronavirus shutting down everything in the US, I needed stuff to do. So we decided to make a bet to see who could do this chapter better, with the winner's getting published. If you're reading this, it means we went with mine.

This next chapter is going to be adapting one of the pivotal moments in the series, the Blood Moon Ball. ROTHEM had always planned to have Star learn about Marco's true nature, and he thought that one of the big Starco moments in the show would be ideal. As a result, expect some heavy things to go down in this chapter that are going to affect the story going forward. And it's going to be awesome!.

By the way, this chapter was so long, we had to split it into two so you could guys could digest it. Now, on with the story.


It was late afternoon at Echo Creek Academy, and the school parking lot was filled with the sound of Oskar's keytar. The young man had already gotten out of class for the day, so he had decided to spend that time working on his music; though truth be told, he had only managed to remix Twinkle Twinkle Little Star into a rock song.

"Maybe I should come up with a song for Star to thank her for getting me this golden girl. What do you think, Betty White?" (yes, he named his keytar Betty White). And to let her know that there were no hard feelings about the Mewberty thing.

It had been a while since Star had gone through Mewberty, but it had already made its mark on the school's history. The day after, Star had made it a point to apologize to everyone in the school for what happened, even using her magic to repair the damage she had caused. However, she made it a point to pull Oskar aside and say sorry to him in private. Even though Oskar knew it wasn't her fault, he could tell she still felt a little guilty. Hopefully, this song will convince her that it's water under the bridge.

At that moment, though, Oskar's thoughts were interrupted by what sounded like an explosion, followed by an intense burst of heat. Taking his unseen eyes off his keytar, Oskar saw that the Earth had opened its fiery maw in front of him. After the geyser of fire subsided, a dark and ominous looking carriage appeared, pulled by a flaming unicorn skeleton. Moments later, he could hear the door open and saw a young man in dress clothes and shades calmly making his way to the school's entrance, each step leaving a trail of fire in his wake.

"Hey, man, that's a handicapped spot," Oskar said to the visitor. The stranger either didn't hear him, though or didn't care as he kept on walking.

"Man, the nerve of some people," Oskar remarked before looking at the carriage again. Hmmm. Oskar got off the hood of his car and walked over to the carriage with his phone out. "Hey, do you mind if I use you like an album cover? You're like a Victorian version of the Ghost Rider." Oskar casually asked.

With every step the young man calmly took inside the school halls, he seemed to exude confidence. Onlookers could do nothing but stare with a mixture of awe and fear at this new visitor, whispering in hushed voices.

"whoa, who is that?"

"lookit."

"oh my gosh, he's gorgeous."

"*gasp* he's hot."

Even Jackie couldn't help but gawk as she passed him by on her hoverboard (she likes girls, but this guy's just that hot), with Janna openly drooling.

The stranger was flattered by all the compliments, but he wasn't in this place to show off; no, he was here on a mission, and his target was in the room up ahead.

Opening the door to the now silent classroom, everybody could only stare at the visitor as his eyes fell on his target, a young girl with long blonde hair and blue eyes, an adorable devil headband, and pink hearts on her cheeks. Star Butterfly, the Princess of Mewni, the prettiest troublemaker he'd ever met, and if things went well that night, his soulmate.

Using his powers to move anyone out of his way, he lifted himself into the air until he was floating right in front of the Princess, before taking off his shades. Floating in front of Star, with his horns, three eyes, and purple skin, was Tom Lucitor, Prince of the Underworld. And the last person she wanted to see.

"Hey Star, I'm here to take you to the Blood Moon Ball," Tom said as he held out his hand, using his fire to decorate it with a red crescent moon.

If it had been any other girl, they would have jumped at the chance to go to a party with the handsome young man. Fortunately, Star wasn't going to fall for such a cheap trick. After processing what he had just said, Star got up from her desk and grabbed the unwanted visitor by the wrist before dragging him to the parking lot.

"No, no, no, no, nope. You need to leave right now! So take your fire, your smooth pickup lines, and your dead horse and go back to the Underworld!" Star said as she finally got to the parking lot, leaving a trail of fire in the process.

"Wait, I'm dead?" The horse in question asked.

"Well, yeah, man. You're a skeleton. What did you expect?" Oskar said, still taking pictures with his phone. However, Star was too frustrated even to notice her crush's presence, wanting to get as far away from Tom as possible.

Tom couldn't take the hint. Instead, he just used his fire to lay the girl in his arms gently. "Aww, come on, Starship. It's the Blood Moon Ball! It only happens once every 667 years!"

Not skipping a beat, Star flipped out of his arms and landed in the parking lot, more annoyed than ever. "Read my lips, Tom. We BROKE UP. Period. Now just get lost!" Star then turned to leave once more, waving hi to Oskar as she went back inside.

Okay, smooth-talking's not working. Time for Plan B, Tom thought as he prepared to change tactics. In hindsight, he should have known that Star wouldn't fall with for the smooth guy act, so he decided to go for the sincerity route.

"Wait, wait, wait, Star, hold up, and hear me out. I know we ended on a bad note." Tom anxiously said, grabbing her wrist to try and keep her from leaving

"Understatement of the century," Star remarked as she put her hands to her hips.

"But I want to let you know that I'm a changed man!" Tom continued. "I've got a new life coach, Brian." The Prince then pointed to his carriage, where a fat guy in a green shirt popped out and said, "Hey," before darting back inside. "He's awesome. A happy bunny, and, and I have been anger-free for fifty-three days!" Tom said as he proudly held up a pink bunny and showed off his anger-free button.

"F-fifty-three," Star said in shock. She had to admit, that was pretty impressive, more so given that this was Tom they were talking about.

"Don't you want to pet my little bunny?" Tom said, holding out the fluffy creature that seemed content to sit in the demon's hands in the warm sun.

"Well, he is adorable.." Star said as she, without meaning to, started to reach for the bunny.

The moment was broken, though, by the sounds of a familiar voice going "hi-ya!" Before anyone could process what was happening, Marco jumped out of nowhere and managed to karate-chop Tom's hand off, sending it and the bunny, falling to the ground (that is so cool!)


"Back off, Demon!" Marco shouted, taking a defensive stance as he got between the stranger and Star. "Marco, what the heck are you doing here!"


Marco had been coming back from the bathroom earlier as he was heading back to class, though he didn't have to use it. In truth, he had been trying to figure out what the deal was with the mysterious crack on his arm. He hadn't noticed until the day after the Mewberty Incident when he went to take a shower. He figured that he had gotten it from fighting Star in her Mewberty form, but that it would go away in a few days. It didn't; instead, the injury seemed to have grown, slowly but surely spreading its way across his arm. He had been hiding in the bathroom to use his powers to heal himself, to no avail. The best that he could do was make some cover-up to hide it under his hoodie before heading back to the class.

That's when he saw Star dragging off someone who looked like a demon, and any thoughts about the injury got replaced by his concern for Star. Which now leads us here, with him just chopping the Prince of the Underworld's hand off, not realizing who he may have made an enemy out of.

Tom looked at his hand for a moment before his mind registered what had just happened, then he started to growl in a mixture of pain and anger. Oh, crud. This isn't good. Star thought. Brian must have thought so, as well, as he ran to Tom's side and started walking him around in circles, trying desperately to keep him from blowing his top. "Walk it out, and talk it out, my friend. Walk it out." Tom obeyed his life coach, but he never took his eyes off the Latino boy who had interrupted him and chopped off his hand.

Seeing this, and thinking of how bad things were about to get, Star grabbed her best friend by the shoulder. "Um, Marco, I know you can take care of yourself, but you're gonna want to run, like, right now!"

"Wait, no, no, no, no, no! It's all good. We're all good!" Tom desperately got out as the pain subsided and used his powers to grab his arm and bunny. The arm then floated to his body, tied to it by an ethereal tendril as it began to reattach itself. Tom immediately used it to pet his bunny. "Got the angry's out! It's why I have my support system! *sigh* everything is under control.

"Marco, don't karate him. This is... Tom." Star said, sighing heavily on the last part.

"Wait, demon ex-boyfriend Tom?" Marco asked, his eyes darting back and forth between his bestie and the demon. Star had told him all about her ex, his anger issues, and how she had dumped him not long after getting the Wand. Her trying to blow off steam from the breakup was what led to her getting sent to Earth in the first place.

"Nice to meet you, Marco," the demon prince said, spitting out the last word as he shook his hand.

"Um, Star, I know I'm a little late, but why is your ex here?" Marco asked.

"Um, he wants to take me to the Blood Moon Ball," Star said nervously while trying not to look at either of the two boys (or Oskar, who was just watching the whole thing from the sidelines).

Red flag! Marco thought to himself. "Star, I know you can handle anything, but as your best friend, I feel obligated to tell you this: never go with a predator to a second location." Indeed, Marco's Creep-Sense was going off like crazy, telling him that this guy didn't have the best intentions.

"Okay, look, I get it. You think I'm a total jerk, Star. But I'm just asking you to give me a chance. After all, I'm not the only one with horns." Tom said, pointing to Star's signature headband, causing her to smile and blush. Tom had gotten her the headband on one of their first dates, and despite the breakup, it remained one of her happiest memories.

"Why didn't you tell me that I was dead?" his horse asked, ruining the moment. "Look, no pressure or anything, Starship. But if you want to come, just ring this bell." Tom said, handing her a small, black bell with a diamond moon on it. "I hope to see you there," Tom said as he got into the carriage, which then ignited with fire once more

"Whoops, I almost forgot the little hammer," Tom said as he stuck his head out the window to plop the object in question into her hands. That done, the carriage was then covered in flames as it sank back to the depths of the Underworld.

Oskar then walked up to his two friends and just asked Star, "So, that guy's your ex-boyfriend?"


As soon as they got back to the Underworld, Brian could tell that Tom was struggling to keep his temper under control. Once they got to their destination, the demon prince slammed the door to the carriage open.

"Brian, cancel all my appointments tomorrow. I've got a hoodie-wearing pest to take care of."

Tom was using every ounce of willpower to keep himself from losing it over this monkey-wrench in his plans to win Star back. Everything was going well, despite the rough start. Another minute and he was confident that she would say yes. Then that little human had to step in, mess things up, and to top it off, managed to cut his arm off! To make matters worse, that boy, Marco, seemed unusually close to Star. Close enough to know that he was Star's ex. Just who does that little punk think he is? He can't actually like Star like that, can he?!? Tom's mind was racing a mile a minute as he thought everything through.

"Um, sir, I don't think that's a good idea." Brian nervously said. "Even if your plans tonight follow through, trying to get rid of that kid could ruin everything. Again. And you want to show Star that you've changed, right?"

Calming down, Tom sighed. "You're right, Brian. But just to make sure, tell the guards to be on the lookout that Marco boy. There's a chance he may try and come to the Ball and interfere again. If they catch him, they know what to do." Tom said.

"On it, sir."

"Now, I'm going to go to my room and get ready. Call me when the guests start to arrive."

"Yes, sir.

With that, Tom Lucitor stepped into his room and doused his face in the water in his bathroom.

"Alright, Tom, you've already come this far. Don't trip when you're at the finish line. Once Star comes to this dance and realizes that we're soulmates, she'll be all hers and forget all about meddling punk."

Tom then grinned at his reflection in the mirror, thinking of what he'd do to Marco if he tried to mess with him again, before going to get changed for the upcoming dance.


After Tom had left, Star spent the next few minutes explaining to Oskar who the demon was, how they used to date, and how she dumped him when he couldn't control his anger. After that, she and Marco decided against returning to class and used her scissors to take them home. (good thing, too. Tom's footsteps had set off the fire alarms, so school was let out early.)

"You know, I thought that you were exaggerating when you said your ex had anger issues, but you weren't kidding. He looked ready to burn me alive! And the school!" Marco said as they stepped out of the portal onto the doorstep of the Diaz house.

"Yeah, he can get pretty bad. Honestly, though, I'm impressed that he didn't end up doing just that." Star remarked, trying to make an effort to stay focused. Marco knew Star well enough, though, to see that she was still thinking about what had Tom had said.

I got to get her mind off that, Marco thought as they opened the front door to head inside. Marco didn't like to judge people that he barely knew, but from what Star had told him and what he had seen, he felt like Tom was terrible news.

"Dad, we're home!"

"Mijo! What are you two doing home so soon? School shouldn't be out for a while, right?" Mr. Diaz shouted from the backyard as he was working on a new sculpture. This time, he was trying to get the laser puppies stacked into a tower and copy their likeness into stone.

"Something came up at school, and the day's almost done, so we just decided to head home. We'll be up in Star's room!"

"Alright, Marco. You know where to find me if you need me!"

Smiling to himself, Marco then followed Star up the stairs. "So, Star, talk to me. You're not considering going with that creep to his dance, are you?"

Star couldn't help but silently chuckle when she heard Marco call Tom a "creep." "I don't know, Marco. I mean, I've known him for years and seen what it's like when his anger gets out of control. But did you see how he kept himself under control back there? If he's changed for the better, shouldn't I give him a second chance?"

Yeah, but said second chance could mean him trying to date you again, Marco thought. Before he could say what he was thinking, though, he suddenly felt the arm with the crack twitch in pain. Despite trying to stifle it, the Celestial hybrid let out a small grunt of discomfort. He was so distracted that he came close to tripping on the stairs. Fortunately, he was able to grab onto the railing.

Unfortunately for him, Star heard him. Turning around, she saw the look of discomfort he had, which concerned her greatly. "Marco? Are you all right? Please don't tell me Tom cursed you or something when you shook hands!"

"Star, you're overreacting. I doubt he could curse me like that. I probably just pulled a muscle practicing." Marco said, hoping she'd buy it. The last thing he needed was for her to see the crack on his arm. She'll probably think she did that to me while in Mewberty. Or worse, she may think something's up.

"Marco, you don't need to act tough for me. Just let me see your-" before she could finish her sentence, she heard a familiar voice in her head.

Let go, Star!

This sudden shout caused Star to pull back. What was that? Was that...another flashback, Star thought as she recalls more of her time in Mewberty. It was of the same mysterious boy, only this time, she swore he had what looked like metal wings coming out of his back. Okay, this is getting weird. Before she could ponder it any further, Marco spoke up.

"Uh, Star, are you alright? You kind of zoned out for a second, and not like how you normally do."

"Oh, uh, yeah. I just remembered something. What were we doing?"

"Well, you were worried that Tom cursed me, but I'm pretty sure I'm fine. Ever since the Monster Arm, I think I built up an immunity to curses or something." Marco said, moving his arm around to alleviate Star's feelings further.

"Whatever you say, Diaz," Star remarked while playfully rolling her eyes.

"So, are you seriously considering Tom's invitation?"

"Maybe. I feel like I should at least give Tom a second chance. Tell you what, give me a little bit, and I'll get back to you on it.

"All right, then. I'll be in my room if you need me." Marco said, heading to the door to his room.

"All right, I'll come to get you in a little bit," Star said, walking quickly to her room.

"All right, Star, it should be somewhere around here," Star said as she kept rummaging through her room. And for once, she was wondering why she chose to recreate her place in the castle. She loved all the space, but it made finding things harder than it already was. After a few minutes of searching, she finally found what she was looking for in her room.

"Ah-ha! Here it is!" Star shouted as she held up her prize: a book labeled "Mewberty and You". Her mother had given it to her when she turned 13 so she could better prepare herself for when Mewberty struck. She had read through it already, but after everything that happened during Mewberty, she thought a refresher couldn't hurt.

It's too bad I don't have Glossaryck with me right now. He probably saw everything that happened, Star thought as she made her way to her bed. She had loaned Janna the Book of Spells after losing a bet with her, but she had meant to get it back today. If Tom hadn't interrupted everything, she'd have Glossaryck with her to explain everything. Or just annoy her with his dumb riddles.

On second thought, I don't wish he was here. How my Mom put up with him, I will never know.

Star dismissed those thoughts as she got settled on her bed before opening the book. She quickly began to skim through it until she found what she needed: the chapter on the Mewberty

"Now, let's see what you can tell me," the young girl said as she began reading.

"Mewberty Form"

"The result of the metamorphosis that Mewman girls undergo in the initial stages of Mewberty, this form is meant to serve two purposes: to protect them, and to help them hunt for a potential partner. Due to the need for speed and mobility, the Mewberty Form endows the subject with additional limbs and a pair of translucent wings, allowing them to keep pace with potential targets. Besides, the Mewberty form can fire thin strands of a web-like substance to ensnare its targets. While it's unknown if this is the norm, there are some reported cases in which a Mewman is undergoing Mewberty releases a type of pheromone that places those of the opposite gender in a docile state while other females are rendered unconscious."

"Well, I guess that's what happened to me, given how everyone didn't seem to remember what happened," Star remarked before continuing.

"While these biological traits are thought to be enough to subdue any potential targets, there have been reported to be exceptions. Certain species are said to possess a high resistance or outright immunity to these pheromones, allowing them to resist capture. Should this happen, the person undergoing Mewberty may rely on their enhanced strength to subdue a target."

Star then saw a list of sentient beings that were capable of resisting the effects of Mewberty. As expected, few were capable, and Star concluded that most of them couldn't be the person she thought. The last few, though, were enough to worry. Near the top of the list, written in faded ink, was the word demon.

Wait, demons can resist someone in Mewberty? And I know that they can use some kind of magic. As a kid, Star had learned that Demons were some of the few beings in the universe capable of naturally wielding magic. While they were well known for demonic curses and pyromancy, they were also proficient in illusions.

Wait, the person that thought couldn't have been human. And Tom's a demon. Could he have- For a moment, an image flashed through Star's head, one of Tom disguising himself as Marco to trick her while she was in Mewberty. But it only lasted a moment, as Star shook her head in dismissal. I don't think it could have been Tom. If he had met Marco before today, he would have reacted differently in the Parking Lot today. Star looked at the next entry, and this one was enough to make her blood run cold: shapeshifters.

"Shapeshifters were a rare species that were not from Mewni; they were from another dimension altogether, one that few ever got to see. Fewer still even knew their true form: as the name suggests, they could change their physical appearance to match any person or animal. Because of this, they had a reputation for being deceptive and hard to read".

"Wait, I remember that guy I fought sprouting wings out his back. *gasp* could he have been a shapeshifter?! GROSS!" Star said, recoiling from the book, disgusted by the mere thought.

Star had remembered how her Mom had told her the purpose behind Mewberty once, how it was meant to help her search for a boy that fit specific qualifications.

A boy that she already had an emotional connection to

A boy who could take care of her while she was pregnant

A boy with genetics to help her have powerful children.

The revelation that she may have tried to hunt a shapeshifter did solve one mystery for Star, though: why she hadn't gone exclusively for Oskar. Oskar had been in a daze during the incident, but he vaguely recalled Star trying to go after him before being faced by that stranger. After that, she had kept her focus on the stranger until Mewberty ended. If it were a shapeshifter like she thought, then her instinctually driven mind would have compelled her to go after them. Something that made her want to vomit in disgust.

That disgust gave way to anger, though, at the idea that this enemy chose to disguise themselves to look like her bestie.

"I swear, if this winds up being another one of Ludo's stupid plans to get the Wand, I am going to, to, I don't know what I'll do!! THIS IS CROSSING THE LINE!!" As she said that, she failed to notice that list continued onto the next page, with one word partially obscured from her sight: -stial.

"Okay, worry about that later, Star. Right now, you've got bigger problems: do I give Tom another chance?" Star did feel like he had changed, or was at least trying to change for her. And while their breakup left a bitter taste in her mouth, she couldn't help but remember all the good times they had. Meeting at the Silver Bell Ball, going on their first date, drinking corn shakes on the beach and getting her trademark headband

Maybe I should give him another chance. And besides, going with him doesn't mean we're going to start dating again, right? With that, Star made her decision. But first, she decided to see what her best friend thought about it.

As she went to get her best friend, she noticed how the sun was already starting to set. "How long was I reading? I have to hurry!"


Okay, Diaz, you got this. Just use your powers and make this thing go away. Marco had been meditating in his room for the last hour or so, trying to get the crack on his arm healed. So far, though, his efforts seemed to have failed him. Also, he somehow managed to conjure up a red sombrero without even thinking. He wound up keeping it, for reasons that he had didn't fully understand. However, it would seem that making the sombrero had only made the situation worse: the crack grew!

Okay, maybe I don't got this. Should I ask Dad for help? I need to be careful about this. Star's suspicious enough as it is. Marco couldn't help but notice how much her best friend had been thinking about what happened during Mewberty. So far, she had yet to figure out that it was him that she fought, and he still had no idea how he was going to tell Star that he was half-Celestial.

"HEY, MARCO!"

Marco was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard his door slam open, a result of Star kicking it down with her foot, as was a habit of hers. It also made him emit a startled scream as he almost fell on his back.

"Star!! How many times have I told you not to kick doors open?"

Star simply shrugged at this, and then pulled him to his feet. "Alright, Marco, I thought about it, and I've reached a decision."

"Oh, that's good. I'm delighted to know that you're not-"

"I'm going to the Ball, Marco."

"Wait; what?" Marco could only ask as Star continued to drag him back to her room.

"I said I'm going to the Blood Moon Ball and give Tom a second chance. And I need your opinion on what I'm going to wear."

"Um, Star, need I remind you that this is the guy that you dumped because he was like 'raging volcano,'" Marco remarked while making air quotes with his free hand.

"Yeah, but aren't you always telling me that I should give people second chances. And besides, I think he's really trying to change for me. So shouldn't I at least acknowledge that?"

"Okay, true, but I thought you weren't into him like that anymore. Weren't you into Oskar now?"

"I never said that I was still into Tom, Marco. Besides, just because I go to the dance with him doesn't mean I'm going to take him back."

By now, the two had made it back to Star's room, with Star rummaging through her clothes to find the right outfit, while Marco just stood there. At last, Star found a suitable outfit and went over to her mirror.

"Don't look, I'm gonna change," she said before moving behind her mirror and putting her dress on.

"I still don't know, Star. Maybe I should go with you, provide back up in case you need to bail."

"Marco, you weren't invited, and if you tried to sneak in, I'm pretty sure Tom might have you vaporized right then and there. Besides, you got to trust me to do the right thing for mySEEEELLLLLLLLFFF!" A sudden wave of magic energy bombarded Star's face, changing her hairstyle into something more formal.

"Um, are you okay?"

"Oh yeah. Totally, totally, totally. I just gotta stop using magic on my face."

"Look, all that I'm saying is that guys like Tom never really change," Marco said, hiding his face behind the sombrero to give Star privacy.

"Well, Marco, I'll never know unless I found out for myself," Star said as she put on the last piece of her outfit. "All done, Marco. Now come on, open your eyes. I still need your opinion on how I look."

Marco opened his eyes to look at Star but then felt like his heart skipped a beat. Her long blonde hair had been tied back into a formal bun, with two streaks of blonde framing her face while her signature headband rested on top. She was wearing a single-sleeved pink and red dress that, fittingly, had hearts decorating it. Her arms were covered with long, white gloves and her feet with matching boots (with little hearts on them as well). Wow, she looks like an angel, Marco thought to himself as he felt the heat rising to his cheeks in embarrassment.

Marco knew that Star was beautiful. Since he met her, he had often reminded himself of how adorable she was most of the time. Most of the boys his age at Echo Creek Academy seemed to think so, too. Since she started going to their school, many of the guys (and even some of the girls) had developed a crush on Star for her cute looks, energetic personality, and use of magic. Looking at her now, though, Marco realized that she looked breathtaking.

Wow. And I thought Jackie was pretty, Marco thought before realizing that she was still waiting on an answer.

"You look...amazing", Marco finally managed to get out of his mouth.

"Aw, thanks, Marco."

Marco then remembered why she was dressed like this. Somewhere deep inside of him, something was telling him don't let her go!

"Don't go," Marco whispered.

"I'm totally going," Star replied before ringing the little bell Tom had given her. Seconds later, the ground began to shake, and a pillar of fire burst out of the ground near the balcony of Star's room. Once the flames dissipated, some sort of Victorian style carriage/elevator hybrid appeared, held aloft by a winged demon chained to it.

As Star went to sit inside the carriage, the demon asked her "which floor, mortal?"

"Um, bottom floor, I guess?"

Marco, though, was not ready to let Star go to this yet. "Okay, Star, maybe I could at least ride with..." He didn't get a chance to finish that sentence, as Star gently kicked him out the door of the carriage.

"I'll be fine, Marco. Quit being such a worr..." Now it was Star's turn to leave her sentence incomplete, as something on Marco had caught her eye. There, on the arm that was hurting Marco earlier, was a small, glistening mark. At first glance, it looked like it was a simple cut or scratch. Scratch or not, it was enough to get Star out of the carriage and to her best friend's side.

"Oh my gosh, Marco, are you all right? I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to kick you that hard!"

"What are you talking about, Star? I feel fine. See?" Marco said as she sat up, confused as to why Star was so concerned right now.

"Oh really, Diaz? Then how do you explain this?" Star held up Marco's arm so he could see his injury. To his horror, the boy realized that he was looking at the same crack that he had been trying to hide from Star earlier. It had grown a bit larger since that afternoon, and you could see a faint, glowing light emanating from it.

Ah, crapbaskets! I had taken my hoodie off earlier, and didn't get a chance to put it back on! Marco mentally cursed himself for his absent-mindedness as he tried desperately to not let Star know he was freaking out.

"What, this? I told you, Star, it was from training earlier."

"Oh, really? Since when does training leave you with glowing scars on your body? How long has this been here, Marco! It could be serious!"

"Look, Star, I-"

"What if Tom did end up cursing you? This is horrible! Or wait, what if I did this to you and didn't even realize it. *gasp* or what if it's from the Monster Arm!"

"STAR, THIS WAS MY FAULT!" Marco yelled, trying to get her attention.

"What?" Star could only get out in confusion.

"It appeared on my arm the day after, after the Mewberty Incident."

"Oh, no," Star said dejectedly. "Then, that means I did this."

"Star, as I said, this was my fault. I'm the one who tried to stop you while you were going through Mewberty."

"Wait. What?" Star suddenly said. Marco suddenly realized that he said something he shouldn't have. "But that doesn't make sense. You said you were out cold while I was in Mewberty... Marco, did, did you lie to me?" Star said, her voice now filled with a twinge of hurt.

"I was! I mean, I tried to fight you at first, but then your pheromone thing took effect, and the rest was a huge blur!"

"If that's true, then why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't want to make you worry, Star. I can take of myself." Marco said, trying hard not to raise his voice.

Star looked at him and then at his arm again, before finally saying something. "I was right. You shouldn't go to this party."

"Star, come on, let me help you!

"Help me, Marco? I did this to you when I was in Mewberty, and you still want to go when Tom doesn't want you around?"

"Yes, because I can take of myself. I'm tougher than I look!" More than you know.

"This isn't up for debate, Marco. You're staying here where it's safe, and I'm going." Star said, with an unfamiliar sternness in her voice as she went to get back in the carriage.

"All right, let's get this show on the road. Marco, please don't follow me. We'll talk about this more when I get back." Star said as the door to the carriage closed as it made its descent.

"Star wait!" Before Marco could react, another pillar of flame appeared, and Star was gone

Why do I feel like I may have just lost Star's trust?


Marco's Celestial Codex

Celestial Crack-???????????????


Author's Note:Another young man with tan skin, messy black hair, and brown eyes can be seen sitting on a chair while absentmindedly reading a book. He can be seen wearing a blue t-shirt with the words undertale as well as black shorts with black slippers. He then turns his head in your direction before getting a look of realization on his face before hiding away the book.

Heh sorry about that I almost forgot to leave an author's note. Anyway like my friend RJ said from earlier this is his version of the blood moon ball, in case you're wondering where my version is don't bother since there isn't much difference between our two versions plot wise other than a few scenes.Also I would like to point out that I got a new cover art which was made by Murphey Stuffs, on tweeter you should go check out his account and other works he's really good. Thank you RJWritingInk for commissioning the cover art by the way.

Review Responses

Starco4everr- thanks you as always

Masked Freak- thank you so much. tbh I was afraid I wouldn't be able to pull it off even before RJWritingInk started helping me. To know that I'm doing a good job with it means a lot to me.

Cheshirek3t- nice name for the nachos. Yeah it's a jojo reference.

OMAC001- that itch will soon be scratched my friend.

OH and by the way since me and my friend RJ both leave messages with each chapter, to avoid confusion mine are in bold while his is not. Anyway see you in part 2 of blood moon ball.