"STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!"
Another potted plant sailed across the living room, shattering into a ball of shrapnel and dirt just inches from Darc's head.
"What's your deal!?" He called out from behind the flipped recliner, "what did I ever do to you!?" Star grabbed the fire poker beside the fireplace and wielded it like a baton before poking her head from behind the couch, glaring daggers in Darc's direction. "YOU POSSESSED MY BOYFRIEND?! A LOT?!" she screamed back, "you're a part of Vartek, and you almost killed Marco!"
"Noo?" Darc answered, dodging a hurtled T.V. remote, "you almost killed him- or rather, you did kill him, and weeee saved him!"
"We didn't do jack squat!" Star spat, diving from the couch in search of more protection as Darc stalked around the room, following her at a distance, "I gave him half my soul, and you keep trying to take over his-" she didn't finish. Darc stepped from behind the turned ottoman and held up his hands defensively when she gripped her weapon. "Wait wait! Hear me out, and then you can kill me, okay?"
She stopped for a moment, either out of confusion or intent to listen, he couldn't tell. "I was there, and if I hadn't been keeping him alive long enough for you to give him a part of your soul, he'd have died for good. I wasn't in control when Vartek made you two fight, and I'm sorry for how I was when I'd come out."
More silence from Star, her mind clearly racing as she processed his side of the story, so Darc took a deep breath and stepped closer. "I share a conscience with both Marco, and Vartek. And that conscience can be triggered by anything, pulling me to the surface and driving me insane," he explained carefully, gently easing his way closer, close enough to hear her breathing, "I've been trying to control myself, and to keep Marco from triggering the change. I don't want to hurt you, Star, I've just been trying to find a way out, and a way to stop Vartek. I swear."
Stars eyes darted about the room before she bellowed in a rage and swung her poker madly, desperate to incapacitate the imposter, and not jostle her partially broken ribs. "Like hell! Bring Marco back RIGHT NOW!"
"I CAN'T!" Darc answered, grabbing her poker with an armored hand and securing her free wrist with his other. She stopped, her eyes widening for only a second before he took her confusion as an opportunity to clarify. "I can't bring him out. He surrendered control over to me- willingly I might add -in exchange for your protection. 'Keep Star safe' were his exact words. You left your boy-toy on Earth with twenty pounds of desperation, and should I deliver on my end of the deal, I get to stay."
"Then you better kill me," Star growled without hesitation, "because I'd rather be dead than see you parading around behind his face. You're a product of Vartek's corruption, a shadow cast by the darkness of a murderer. You don't deserve a life."
Darc hesitated, which was all the opening Star needed. She swept the heel of her foot under his legs and forced him to the ground, aiming the tip of her poker to his throat amidst the muddy water. "Wait wait wait! We can work sHuMtoNg EWT!" he choked his last words out as Star pressed the heel of her boot to his neck, her eyes remorseless as she had him pinned.
"Let Marco out. Or I'll make you surrender," she spat with venom. But Darc did neither, instead opting to grab the tip of her poker and pull it to his chest. Though garbled, and half-choked, he managed to utter: "try...kill me...Marco...dies…".
"Sounds like you wanna do this the hard way," Star growled, pressing her boot down harder, "Two broken fingers and asphyxiation, Alex what is, 'the hard way'?" A sickening crunch later and Darc was hissing air as he clutched his hand to his chest, but Star refused to let up. "Ten seconds on the clock, I'll take 'Marco', for five hundred, Alex!"
"yEr...cRaZy!" Darc choked before another crunch echoed in the living room. But still he remained, glaring up at Star in terrified surprise. It was no wonder Vartek kept his distance from these two, they were insane. But Star's methods would yield nothing from the man who had nothing to give. "Can't...BrIng...mArCo...oUt!" He choked in desperation, his eyes bulging out of his head to meet her piercing, wild glare.
He felt Star boot press down harder, and though he couldn't actually die from oxygen deprivation, it still hurt like hell. So with one last ditch in mind, Darc pushed against her heel as best he could sucked in a gasp of air, enough to get one last word in before she crushed his windpipe.
"Sur...ren...der…" he gasped desperately.
Star started for a moment, that one word echoing in her subconscious as a Visage flashed through her mind. Merina, standing over her in the dark of the forest. Helpless and broken, and given one word as an offer of help. Surrender.
"What the hell does that mean? JUST- let- UGH!" She lessened the pressure on Darc's throat, only to bring him up and pin him against the hut's wall. Her body was bruised, broken, and more than a little revealed between the bandages, but she knew Marco- Darc, was just as messed up. And in no condition to struggle for too long. "Let me talk to Marco. Please."
She saw Darc flash her a glance, before he sighed deeply, rolling his shoulders against her cast-iron grip. "I can't, girl-power. I took control after like, a whole forever of learning what the hell I even am," he explained begrudgingly. "Your buckaroo gave me the wheel for- well I already explained that part. But now, since he's stuck in there, and I'm out here, I don't exactly know...how to...bring him out?"
"..."
He chanced another glance her way, expecting anger and a harsh repercussion in the form of another crunch. But Darc was taken aback to find Star completely blank, her mind running a million miles per second and in twelve different directions, all leading back to him. "Look, I really wouldn't mind giving him the wheel, I swear," Darc confirmed desperately, "Vartek...kicked my ass six ways from Sunday, and he didn't even break a sweat."
"..."
Another worried look around the destroyed living room of the abandoned hut. "And if we're being honest? This is actually kinda your fault too," he noted, finally earning a reaction from his captor, "if you hadn't left sad-guy back on Earth, I would have never been asked to sneak him out here and get my ass- GAK!"
A sharp punch to the ribs, and Star dropped him to the floor, sickened by the sight of him as she carefully made her way back to the couch. She sat down carefully, so as not to expose anything to the damp swamp air, nor jostle her mending bones. But like a different kind of pain, Darc stood as well, puffing his scarred chest and glaring at her. "You ditched him on Earth because you were scared. And look where that got us. We both got our shit kicked in and you want to blame me? Again?"
"YES, again!" Star yelled, glaring at him, "you've been a pain in the ass for the both of us ever since Vartek corrupted my Marco! I left him behind because I know just how messed up Vartek is, and what could happen if I let him get- ...and you went and brought him here anyway!"
Darc struggled in vain to flip the recliner back over, now that their little tussle was...mostly over, and when he found his new body couldn't quite cut it, opted to just sit propped against it. "I brought him, because I was asked to. You left him, because you were scared."
"Scared of him dying! A pretty justifiable fear, don't you think?" Star countered with gusto, "You had to go and nearly get him killed, steal his body, lie about- wait…" she stopped cold. Narrowing her eyes at him, she asked in a low murder, "how did I get here, and where's Buffrog?"
"Who-? Oh, right. That guy, probably somehow still sleeping," Darc answered, gesturing to the implied emptiness of the hut in the swamp. "Found you sleeping in the swamp, took you here and did what I could to patch us-" *SMACK*
A wet piece of driftwood stuck to his face, Darc eyed Star angrily, but he had to give her this much. Waking up barely clothed with a plethora of bandages and a...questionable guy smiling at you? Probably not the best good morning she'd ever received. "And how did you find me?" She asked, "are you some kind of spy for Vartek trying to-" *SMACK*
The wet driftwood was returned in the same fashion it was given. "I DONT, work for Vartek," Darc growled, "I escaped from that insane, maniacal, murderous monster. I thought I could- I hoped, that I could handle him on my own. But I was wrong. He's beyond anything we could muster on our own."
Star let her shoulders relax a little, and let them fall along with her glare. She softened at his grim outlook and chose to look at the decisions that had brought her here. Choosing to leave Marco behind, choosing to fight Vartek instead of running. What she ultimately realized was that Darc had a point.
"Of all the people that could have come to help me, it just had to be you, huh?" She mumbled, arching an irascible brow.
She expected another jab, deflection, or excuse from the imposter, but he surprised her with an impatient sigh. The jumbled living room grew quiet above the chirping crickets out in the evening air, and two broken teens sat, staring at one another as the mood grew cold.
"Look I get that I'm no summer peach, or an answered prayer like your knight in red armor, but I'm kinda working with what I got," Darc offered in defense, "Vartek just juiced up like a 'roided beefcake and everything he needs to complete the spell, is sitting in this very room. Marco's K.O.-ed for now, and I can't bring any of your other friends here without some more juice. So...yeah. It had to be me. You saw to it that nobody else could help, right?"
Star let out an annoyed groan. "Riiight. So what I'm hearing from your moaning and crying, is that we're well and screwed, and even though Marco is right in front of me, I don't even get a goodbye before Vartek comes and kills us."
Her jab wasn't meant to be as barbed as it came across, but Darc let out a tight smile regardless, a sarcastic, hurt grin. Evidently, she'd struck a nerve, and without provocation, he intended to make one thing abundantly clear. "You know, funny thing about my existence as a 'parasite'. I share the memories of both my hosts," he offered slowly, his eyes locked with Star's, "I feel Vartek's pain from losing Merina, his madness, his agony, everything. But to add insult to injury, I also get to experience Marco's fear, his burdens, all of his regrets from a past life. They may not be my own experiences, but I didn't get goodbyes either, and I'm just as screwed as you are."
"What, does the baby want a medal?" Star spat indignantly, but Darc met her smarm with composure he didn't often frequent.
"I want the pain to stop."
Star locked eyes with him. Maybe she was imagining it, but for a moment he sounded just like Marco, albeit in a horrifying way. "I feel everything they do, Star. I want to stop feeling their pain, their heartbreak, their fear, their anger…" his counterpart shifted uncomfortably, but Darc remained still. "I've already lost Merina, and I can still feel Marco's resentment from losing you. I don't want to lose anyone else, so you're gonna have to help me out here, butter pecan. I was given my own life when I was created, so I want to be...something different, than the product of both their pain."
Neither said a word as minutes rolled by, and for the first time, Star actually began to see the parasite as more than just an impersonating leach. It had feelings, it had fears, ambitions, and yet? "Hey, Darc?" Star called out, reclining against the couch to ease her shoulders throbbing.
Darc took immediate notice of the intentional use of his taken name, before simply answering, "myeah-huh?"
"I hate you," the wounded princess groaned.
"Mmmmhmm. Survey says that was pretty obvious," Darc chuckled to himself, pleased with his small victory, before the atmosphere of bitter failure and hopelessness sunk back in.
"But, I wanna make a deal…."
Darc frowned, popping his neck into place where a fresh boot-print was beginning to form. "Ya know," he began, standing from the murky water, "I've gotten my ass kicked three times since I made my last deal, so you'll forgive me if I'm a little more hesitant this time around."
"I need you to- wait… me, Vartek, who's the third person to give you a whooping?"
With an uneasy tilt of his head toward the bedroom, Darc mumbled under his breath, "Buffrog, actually. When I brought you here, he thought I was one of those Turned guys. Which, he's half right, but it still hurts."
"Awww, poor baby got what he deserved," Star chided, cracking a grin met with an eye roll, "but anyways, about my offer. I want you to let Marco back out."
Once again, the atmosphere turned chilly as Darc made his way over to the impromptu kitchen, getting some water for the recovering idiot making dumb offers. "I thought I told you that I don't know how to get him out," Darc answered, handing Star the glass. She drank the entire thing in one go as he continued, "it took me months to get here, and I don't know the rules for the outside now that-"
"I know someone who can get him out here, don't worry about that," she interrupted, watching him carefully, "I just need your… cooperation."
"So I give up the life I'm trying to earn, and doom myself to obscurity in an empty void for the rest of Marco's life, in exchange for… what exactly?" Darc chided, "If I couldn't beat Vartek, Marco doesn't stand a chance. Neither of you do. So what could you have to offer in exchange for my life?"
"Well, I don't have much, but-"
"Yeah I noticed that, completely flat despite- GAK!"
"BUT, name something, and it's yours," Star continued, shaking off her knuckles and moving back to the couch after a bone-crunching punch, "If it gets me Marco, even if we're marching to death's door, I can get you what you want."
Darc thought on her offer for a long moment, heavily weighing the loss to gain ratio in his head. Here he stood to lose everything he had ever wanted, in exchange for, anything?
It wasn't as cut and dry as his deal with Marco, here he had no idea what he would get in return. And that was in the unlikely chance that Star could even get Marco to take control. Which, it didn't quite matter one way or the other; Vartek would find them, kill them, and that would be that. So all variables included, "You can take this meat sack back and die with him all you want," Darc noted dryly, "I'll die anyway, so I'd prefer to not be responsible for it in the end. But if I go back...into the dark...I want you to let me help."
Star's face tightened enough to cast a slight shadow in the dim light of the living room. "What do you mean 'help'?"
"What was it you said?" Came his sarcastic curiosity. Darc held his chin and thought for a moment before shooting her a grin, "oh yeah, 'don't worry about that, I just need your cooperation.' Do we have a deal?"
"I uh…," Star wasn't sure what to say, she imagined Marco must have felt the same way when…'when he had to give up his body, just to get to me.' His desperation, having driven him to make a deal with this...thing, with no hope of coming back. She left him behind, and Darc was absolutely right; her choice had been driven by fear. She abandoned Marco, and now she had a chance to make it right, all in exchange for one simple, vague thing. "Deal," she affirmed, struggling to stand as she extended an open hand out to the fake, "you let Marco have control, and you can help us."
Carefully, Darc took her hand and shook it, a wave of blue and teal fire meeting between them before dissipating into the air. "Glad to see your rational side for once, pettanko," he noted, earning another jab to the stomach, "GAK-...ugghh… but uh… how do you plan on switching us back?"
Shaking her hand off, Star frowned to herself and took a step back. "I told you not to worry about it, counterfeit. Just gonna see if I can get in touch with...a friend."
Darc just rolled his eyes. He'd already told her there was no way he could portal any of the other losers here, and even she had to know it would be suicidal to try and use the scissors to- "hey, Luna? Can you hear me?" Star asked aloud to the empty room, making Darc's blood run cold. No, no no "nooo, no way, you can not bring her into this!"
"Luna? Are you there?" Star asked aloud, ignoring the little parasite entirely, "I could kinda use some Blood Moon magic right about now! Can you help me out?"
Silence.
Until Darc drew closer, grabbing her shoulders with a sudden, terrified start about him. "Stop," he hissed with finality, "she. Will. Destroy me!"
Star let a crooked grin spread across her lips, content to see him so worked up over Luna of all people. "Who will? Someone like- ohh, do you mean LUNAAAAA! CAN YOU HEAR ME!" Star called out louder. Darc reacted as expected, shrinking in fear as he tried in vain to silence her, his eyes darting around the ceiling.
"Will you stop that! The last time she saw me she tried to p-p-p-purge me!" But Star wouldn't listen, even going so far as to laugh at his expense. For an evil, conniving, warped little reflection of Marco, it was amazing to see him so- *FWIIIP*
A thin tendril of red, glimmering energy snaked across the living room from a shimmering portal above, and latched firmly around Darc's throat. 'Can you animals stop...trying...TO KILL ME!" He gasped, struggling against the iron band of magic. Star's face lit up in surprise, and as her eyes followed the magic to the portal, she was amazed to see what else came through. And the state of the new arrival to the party.
Through the portal, out walked a woman of startling red, framed in wisps of smoky, scarlet hair, and a face twisted in unyielding rage. She surged down to the floor, her dress rippling the swamp water before she jerked the magic closer, pulling Darc closer along with it. "Uhhh...L-Luna?" Star stammered, watching as the Goddess dragged the imposter closer. Her eyes were puffy, and there were black stains under her eyes as she all but rumbled with fury.
"Yoouuuuu," she growled, clenching her teeth as her hair thrashed behind her. Luna evaporated into smoke before billowing around Darc, materializing in front of him with a deadly glare. "You deserve a thousand years of torment for what YOU'VE DONE!"
"A thousand years stuck with this broad? I'm already living that," Darc choked eying the peeved Goddess, "told you- she'd- be pissed!"
"LUNA!" Star shouted, drawing both parties attention to herself. Her fists were clenched tight, but she gave the Goddess and imploring look of determination. "Drop him."
Darc and the Blood Moon Goddess exchanged a quick glance, before the latter of the two loosened her magic. If only slightly. She didn't say anything, though, her face still tight with anger as Star carefully approached. "We need him," the princess offered with a steady calm to her voice, "I made a deal so he'll help us take down Vartek, and I need your help bringing Marco back."
Another traded glance between the impure imposter, and the Goddess herself. Star had never seen her look so...human before. So angry. Outside of the crystal rotunda, she could practically feel the power she radiated. It was unlike magic, a different kind of energy altogether, more ancient, more...divine.
Luna dropped Darc into a pile of coughing and gasping, her dress and hair flowing like ethereal vapor as she stared at the broken princess.
"What?"