Summer's End - Is This Goodbye?

It was a long crazy couple of months and the school year was drawing to a close. Echo Creek Academy always held an end of the year bash to celebrate the end of the school year. Right now the party was being held at Marcia's house. The home was filled to the brim with partying students having a good time.

"Pretty crazy year, huh?"

"No more math."

"Trying to find someone to give me a ride to summer school."

Marcia stood in the middle of the chattering teens. "How...did this happen?"

"So, I was, like, "Look, Principal Skeeves, I'll start wearing pants when you start winning gold medals." Know what I mean?"

Marcia walked around the party with a dumbfounded expression on her face. She approached Jackie-Lynn, the other girl greeting her with a smile.

"Hey, Marcia. Whatcha doin'?"

"Jackie, can I ask you something? How is there a party in my house?" Marcia spoke gesturing around.

"You sent out invites and people came," Jackie-Lynn said

"But I did'n-"

Jackie-Lynn cuts off Marcia grabbing some nachos. "Mm, you should try those. They're delicious."

"I know I made them. Just...you go ahead and enjoy them," Marcia said

"Marcia Diaz turning down nachos? You okay? Is this all 'cause you're embarrassed of your parents?" Jackie-Lynn questioned, gesturing behind Marcia.

Marcia's parents were dancing rather awkwardly to some hip hop music.

Marcia shook her head waving a hand. "No, I've come to terms with that a long time ago. I've got a lot on my mind. Star and I had an odd experience. I didn't know her mother could raise her voice like that," She mumbled the last part.

"Ah, You're having a Marcia moment," Jackie-Lynn said

"Uh, yeah, I'm having a Marcia-wait Marcia moment? When did my name get turned into an adjective?" Marcia questioned

Watching the party from the upstairs railing was Star. The princess let out a sad sigh remembering Song Day. Star stood up straighter shaking her head.

"No! This is a party! Smile!" Star slides down the railing of the stairs landing next to Marcia and Jackie-Lynn. "Hello, friends!"

"What's up, Star? You having fun?" Jackie-Lynn asked

Star nodded, "Oh, yeah. Totally. Hmm."

Jackie-Lynn picked up the same vibe from Star and smiled back a bit awkwardly.

"Oh, are those little hot dogs I see!" Jackie-Lynn said before walking away.

Marcia let out a sigh. "Are we seriously the wet blankets at a party?"

"It appears so, Marcia. It appears so…" Star said

Marcia threw her head back with a groan. "This stinks! One of the biggest parties of the year, at my own home, and I can't even enjoy it!"

"I feel ya." Star held up her compact phone. "My parents have been calling nonstop. I don't know how much longer I can avoid them."

"I-" Marcia gasped looking behind Star. "No Justin! Get your head out of Liger's mouth!" She shouted before running off.

Star sighed until her phone started to buzz. She looked down to see her mother was trying to contact her again.

"Nope!"

Star tossed away her phone, the device landing in the punch bowl.

"Sup B-fly!"

"Pony Head!" Star gasped, turning around. "What are you doing here?"

Pony Head let out a scoff. "Like I'm gonna miss one of the biggest bashes. We all know it's not a real party until Pony Head is in the house! Now the real question is why you look so down in the dumps when there is like a totally awesome party happening around you."

"A lot has happened," Star said


"If I catch your head in that cat's mouth again Justin it won't end well," Marcia said

Marcia grumbled walking away.

"Nachos?"

"Huh?" Marcia pauses when a plate of nachos was placed before her. "Tom? What are you doing here?"

"I got your invite," Tom said

Marcia's brows furrowed. "I didn't invite-I mean not like you can't be here-but…" Marcia sighs rubbing her temples. "This is…"

"Hey, Marcia, what's with the gloomy air hanging around you?" Tom questioned

"I went to Star's Song Day and it did not end well," Marcia said

"Wanna talk-!"

Tom was cut off when someone bumped into him.

"Watch where you're going." A guy said to Tom.

Tom glares intently and the cheese from the plate nachos he was holding starts to bubble.

"Why-!"

"Why don't you watch where you're going." Marcia put her hands on her hips stepping between the two boys.

Both boys pause looking at Marcia. She had a strong stance as she gave the guy who bumped into Tom a stern glower.

"You bumped into him," Marcia said

The guy scoffs, "You-"

Marcia cuts the guy off steeping close getting in his face. "No, you listen up bud. I've been having a hard couple of days and dealing with some rude jerk is putting me at my boiling point." Marcia pokes the guy in the chest. "So you can either apologize-!" Her eyes contract and her necklace glows a bit. "-or get out of my party!" She hissed

Marcia's teeth briefly flashed and the guy took step back startled as it looked like for a brief second she had sharp canines.

"S-Sorry dude." The guy apologized

He backed up, getting away from Marcia, feeling the girls heated eyes on his back.

"Whoa...Marcia," Tom said with wide impressed eyes.

"Give me those nachos. I need to eat out my anger," Marcia said


"Whoa girl that is like super crazy," Pony Head said

"Yup," Star said

Star and Pony Head were in Marcia's front yard, where more people were gathered. There was also a taco food truck parked on the side of the street.

"But you know what you need?" Pony Head asked

"What?" Star questioned

"To party! Come on girl, a party is just what you need to take your mind off!" Pony Head said

"I don't-"

Star is cut off by a guy running past her holding math homework with a large F written on it.

"See me after class"? See this after class, Mr. Kimball!"

He tossed the homework into a trash can fire.

"Ooh, burning homework! So dangerous! You love danger girl!" Pony Head said

"Is that legal?" Star questioned

A Firefighter Woman appears holding a fire extinguisher. "Don't worry. It's a controlled burn."

"This is pretty cool, right?" Pony Head said

Janna, laughing her head off, runs by holding a stack of books before throwing into the fire.

"Burn! Burn!"

"Oh, come on, B-Fly, you need to loosen up. Here." Pony Head gave Star some papers. "Throw this math quiz into the fire."

Star drops the papers into the fire. "Yeah, I don't feel anything. But I just don't think I'm in a party mood right now."

Star started to walk away but froze as someone called out her name.

"Star?"

"Huh?"

Star turns around and looks at the taco food truck. Sitting on the roof was Oskar, holding his keytar. He looked a bit different as he had a haircut so his eyes could finally be seen.

"Um...yeah. Maybe. Do I know you?" Star questioned

"It's me, Oskar. I got a haircut. Check it out. Mmm!" Oskar said

"Oskar?" Star gasped surprised

"You're not leaving already, are you?" Star questioned

"Uh…" Star looks behind her to an excited Pony Head.


"Oh-Oh okay when you step this way."

"Like this?"

"Haha, No, no like this."

Marcia's mood had greatly been lifted thanks to Tom. The two teens were now in the living room, Marcia showing the demon teen how to properly tango. Although it was typically the male's job to lead but with this dance, it was Marcia who was leading.

"Okay, now move your foot back. Then dip," Marcia instructed

Tom followed taking a step back before lowering Marcia in a low dip. When she was brought back up Marcia was giggling, causing Tom to chuckle.

"I never thought I'd ever say this, but you've made me feel better Tom," Marcia said

Tom shrugged his shoulders, "I am pretty understanding and compassionate."

Marcia let out a snort of laughter lightly punching Tom's shoulder. "Sure you are."

The two laughed some more, but then the chuckles died down as they stared at one another. Marcia suddenly felt awkward, and her cheeks felt warm.

She suddenly pulled away from Tom looking embarrassed.

"I uh...Oh, look at that the snack table is low on pizza nuggets. I better go get some more. I am the host of the party after all." Marcia let out an awkward laugh backing up from Tom.

She ends up tripping over an ottoman, stumbling but caught herself. She looked back at Tom, a blush clear on her cheeks now. Marcia let out another awkward laugh before she quickly turned around framing her face to hide herself as she rushed to the kitchen.

"What is wrong with me?" Marcia whispered as she entered the kitchen.

Rafael was in the kitchen as well, hunched over as he pulled some fresh pizza nuggets out of the oven.

"Hello. Welcome to the world. Oh, Marcia. How are you?" Rafael questions

"Fine!" Marcia, flustered, whipped around facing her father. "I'm fine! Nothing's wrong! I'm fine!"

Rafael gave his daughter a perplexed look before he smiled. "That's good! Hey, where's your partner in crime?"

"Star?" Marcia questioned

Rafael nodded his head. "I haven't heard any explosions or magic sounds. Is she okay?"

"Star's been feeling a bit-" Marcia stuck her tongue out and made a pfft noise.

"Ahh, I see," Rafael said

"Honestly I was feeling a bit pfft, too but a friend cheered me up," Marcia said

"Hmm now what are you going to do now that you feel better?" Rafael questions

"I don't…I should help Star feel better too! I'm Star's best friend, and through the good times and the bad times we should stick together and help one another," Marcia said

"Well said Marcia. Now, go. Get out," Rafael said

"What?" Marcia said

"I have to make more pizza nuggets," Rafael said

"Oh," Marcia said

"Leave!" Rafael said, shooing away his daughter.


Star was now on the roof of the taco truck sitting next to Oskar.

"So I haven't seen you at school in a while," Star commented

"Yeah, I...dropped out to pursue my music," Oskar held up his keytar.

"Oh, you just gonna play that right now?" Star questioned

Oskar stands up and starts to play some techno-based rock music on his keytar. He gets a little too crazy spinning the instrument by its strap around his neck. The keytar rotates fast before the strap breaks and sends the keytar flying off high into the sky.

Oskar stares up at the disappearing instrument with wide fascinated eyes.

"You think maybe..it'll end up on Mars?" Oskar questioned

"Oh, I don't know. I mean," Star covered her mouth stifling a snort like laugh. "Heh, Mars is pretty far away."

"What are you saying?" Oskar questions turning to Star.

Star smiled, waving her hands. "Oh, no, no. I mean, yeah! Yeah, maybe. Maybe. Maybe it'll end up on Mars."

Oskar smiled, taking a seat next to Star. "You see, Star? That's what I like most about you. You always believed in me." He held a fist out to Star awaiting a fist bump.

"Oh, no, I...I always do that wrong. You know, that fist punchy thingy," Star said

"What are you talking about? You can't do it wrong. Just do what you feel," Oskar said

Star stared at Oskar's fist for a moment before she covered it with her hand, like an odd game of Rock, Paper, Scissors.

"Is this okay?" Star questioned

Oskar simply stares down at their joined hands with flushed cheeks.

Marcia, who had been searching for Star, watched the princess with Oskar from her vantage point on the front lawn. Marcia smiled as she watched the two before she slipped back inside the house.


"So you just say stuff and magic comes out?" Oskar questioned as he examined Star's wand.

"Yeah, pretty much. I've even been creating my own spells. Want to see?" Star asked, gesturing with her wand.

Oskar nodded his head. "Yeah, I'd be honored."

"Okay, I haven't practiced this one too much, so if your body explodes, whoopsie-doopsies! Heh. That's a little magic joke for you," Star smiled

"Oh," Oskar smiled too albeit a bit nervously.

"Okay." Star grips her wand taking a deep breath. "Sparkle Kitten Fireworks Shower!"

An array of colorful explosions erupts from Star's wand bathing the sky in fireworks. The fireworks sprinkle down turning into kittens.

"Whoa! It's beautiful," Oskar said

A guy gaped looking up at the sky of falling kittens. "Wow. What wonderful colors. Hey, what's that?"

A kitten falls on the guy's face screeching as it bit and scratched. More kittens start to rain down landing on people, throwing the front yard into a panic.

"Aw, geez, I gotta stop making cats," Star said

Oskar laughed. "Seriously, how have we not hung out before?"

"Well, I'm usually pretty busy fighting monsters and stuff. But we have...sometimes we hang out, cause of Marcia," Star said

"Oh, yeah," Oskar snaps his fingers. "Maraca!"

"Why do you call her Maraca anyway?" Star asked

"Call her what?" Oskar questioned in all seriousness.

"Maraca? You know like the instrument," Star said

"...Maraca's an instrument!" Oskar said

Star stared at Oskar blankly for a second before she burst out in laughter. The princess threw her head back holding her stomach.

Oskar was at first confused but Star's laughter seems to be infectious, as the boy started laughing too.

This continued until a cop car pulled up, it's sirens blaring loudly.

An officer stepped out of the car holding up a megaphone. "This is the police! We got a noise complaint about some excessive meowing and explosions!"

"You're an explosion!" A kid yelled back.

"That's it, I'm calling your parents!" The Officer said

"Everybody, run for it!"

The kids on the Diaz front lawn scatter, some running down the street, hopping over fences, and a good chunk just running back into the Diaz household.

"Whoa," Star said, seeing how fast the front lawn was cleared.

"Hey, Star? I had a great time tonight. I think we could have an awesome summer together," Oskar said

"Yeah, maybe we could," Star said

Oskar slid down the side of the taco truck. "Give me a call!" He called out before walking away.

"Good-bye!" Star waved as Oskar left.


"Okay, okay, okay! One more time," Marcia said

"You better not miss," Tom said

Marcia held up a pizza nugget and Tom opened his mouth, putting up his hands framing his face like a goal. Marcia closed one eye aiming before she flicked the food and it landed right into Tom's open mouth.

"Goal!" Marcia shouted, throwing her arms up.

"Goal!" Tom's muffled voice cheered as he threw up his arms like Marcia.

"Well someone looks like they're in a better mood," Star said as she approached Marcia.

"I could say the same for you. Hey Star. I just wanted to say sorry," Marcia said

Star quirked a brow confused. "For what?"

"For not helping you feel better when you were all bleh," Marcia said

"Aww, it's okay Marcia. You were feeling all bleh too. But it's nice to know I've got such a great friend always looking out for me," Star said

"Me too. Hugs?" Marcia said

"Hugs!" Star smiled

The two girls wrapped their arms around one another giggling.

"Oh, quick question, what did Ruberiot mean by mean in that song?" Marcia asked

"I have no clue. Maybe it's because you kick awesome butt with your karate!" Star said

"Hmm...I do kick butt, but something tells that's not what he meant," Marcia said

"Strange things have been happening to you since you got that," Star pointed at Marcia's necklace.

"That is true. I never thought I'd own a Liger." Marcia gestures behind her to where Liger had his head in the punch bowl.

"Well, what weird stuff is happening I'll be there to help you out. We've got all summer!" Star said


Star had gone to her room to grab something but paused when she saw an open dimensional portal.

"Huh? Wha...? How did this get here?" Star questioned

"Star!"

"Aah! Demon!" Star jumped, turning around.

Something stepped out of the shadows, an extremely familiar person to Star.

"Mom? Wha-What are you doing here?" Star asked extremely confused

"I don't have time to explain, but suffice it to say, we are in danger. We must leave for Mewni immediately," Queen Moon said in a rather dire tone.

"What? Mom, no. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. No!" Star waved her hands stepping back from her mother.

"Yes, I'm afraid you have no choice in the matter," Queen Moon said

"You sent me here, and I didn't have a choice, and now you're just telling me to leave?" Star said

"Star, this is different," Queen Moon said

"Mom, I've learned that I get to make choices here," Star said

"Star."

"And apparently, there's this thing called "summer", where you just don't go to school," Star continued

"Star."

"So I'm choosing to stay here with my friend-"

"Star!"

"-and I'm not changing my mind!"

"Star!"

"WHAT?!" Star shouted

Queen Moon was silent, the air growing still. "...Toffee has returned."

Star's eyes go wide. "No. No, no, no, no, no." She gasped

Queen Moon knelt next to Star putting a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Star, but you need to leave."

Star sighs. "I need two minutes."

Star runs out her room to the upper railing looking down at the party.

"Marcia!" Star called out.

"Huh?"

Marcia turned just as Tom attempted to toss a pizza nugget in her mouth, so the snack just hit her cheek.

"Star?" Marcia questioned

Star ran down the stairs grabbing Marcia's wrist pulling her to the kitchen. "Marcia, we need to talk. Like right now!"

"Is everything okay? You shouted pretty loud," Marcia said

"Yeah, I know. But some stuff just came up, and I've only got a little time," Star said

"What stuff? You just went up to your room for like 10 seconds," Marcia said

"Marcia, I don't know how to tell you this but…" Star trailed off trying to find the right words.

"Star, you can tell me anything. We are best friends after all," Marcia said

"Marcia…" Star smiled sadly. "I have to leave Earth."

"Wha!?" Marcia exclaimed

"Probably forever," Star said

"Double what!? But why!" Marcia exclaimed

Star started to cry which in turn made Marcia tear up as well.

"Good-bye!" Star cried

"Star, just because you're going away...doesn't mean we can't be friends anymore," Marcia said

"Wha…?" Star said

"W-We can still call each other and chat. I can even use my dimensional scissors to stop by for a visit," Marcia said

"Y-Yeah," Star sniffled her crying slowing down.

"Just because we're far away doesn't mean the bond we made can't still be strong. No matter where you go or how far you are, you'll always be my best friend," Marcia said

"Me too Marcia!" Star said

Both girls were still crying but now they had smiles on their faces.

"Let's not say goodbye instead, how about 'See you later?'," Marcia said

"Yeah..see you later Marcia," Star said

The two girls wrap their arms around one another in a tight hug, laughing but crying too. The two friends were reluctant to let go, but they did and Star started to make her way back upstairs. She paused turning to look down at everyone.

"Good-bye, everyone!"

She disappeared upstairs leaving behind many confused faces and a waving tearful Marcia.

"Marcia? Everything okay?" Tom asked

"Tom…"

Marcia turned to Tom pulling the boy into a hug seeking some comfort. The demon teen was confused and not sure what to do. Jackie-Lynn who was watching gestured for the boy to comfort Marcia by patting her back. Tom did so, still looking rather confused.