"You know she wouldn't want you to do this don't you? She would want you to continue living…"
"Funny, I haven't felt alive for three hundred years…"
"Toffee…"
Happily, the red head nuzzles her cheek into the snow-white unicorn's body, smiling pleasantly. Slowly, she awakens her hues shining brightly with multiple stars in her glittering glowing shaking sea green. She sluggishly arises stretching her arms out.
"Thank you…um what's your name?" Curious, she reaches out patting the unicorn before her.
"Pony…" Elegantly, the voice whispers.
"Oh yeah! Thanks uh…Tony. Heheh…..hm? Where are the other Tonies? Ooh what's going on over there?" Giggling, the redhead jolts up, her ears hearing the faint slush of bright yellow gold flowing from beneath her steel boots. The long-haired woman giggles as the unicorn she once slept upon stands as she turns to face the snow-white pony with a mark of a star on its snow coat. The breeze of the realm brushes through the long-dishevelled hair of red on the woman and the pony, the woman's braid having long been discarded and sunken into the bright golden waters beneath them. The woman wears a tailcoat of sorts or what once was one, alongside a loose blouse and corset with a pair of navy-blue trousers as she takes off her shoes. Giggling, she reaches out her bare hands cleansed reach up to pet the unicorn, nuzzling the unicorn's head as it comes back happy for the praise and attention gifted by her creator.
"Oooh what's that?" Curious, she points to the greenish olive gooey liquid seeping in alarming the creation as her creator reaches out to touch it.
"Don't go near it!" Urgently, the creation grabs her creators by her collar making the woman furrow her brow.
"…What?" Confused, the woman looks up at the creature.
"Don't go near it." Sternly, her creation informs her master.
"Why not?" Perplexed, she quirks her head to the side like some sort of child wanting to poke the dead rabbit almost, a morbid curiosity.
"It's dangerous." Scared, the unicorn exclaims to her.
"Now I want to see it." She whispers eagerly.
"Please stop…" Pleadingly, she begs her creator, but it falls to deaf ears.
"Hm? Who are you? Hey slimy guy what are you?" Loudly, the red head calls out to the sludge monster waving her arms about fanatically. Slowly, the creature turns to her as she quirks her head to the side when seeing him simply staring at her as he turns, his yellow hues gazing at the redhead almost in awe, in relief, in shock.
"What?" The slime creature blurts out staring in stunned silence at her.
"Slimy guy!" Annoyed, she calls out pouting at his silence.
"…Why is he staring at me?" Curious, she quirks her head to look up at the unicorn, leaning back fascinated.
"Don't go!" Desperate, she begs as giggling, the redhead smiles as a few ponies come out prancing over making the red head beam, outstretching her arms to cuddle with the little ones, nuzzling into her side, each one with the cutie mark of a star with some sort of alternations to show which one is which.
"Huh? Tony why not?" Intrigued, the redhead questions the pony.
"It's evil! Dangerous!" Panicked, the pony tells her.
"Huh seems it's coming over to us." Interested, the red head points to the mysterious sludge like figure.
"No, we have to go! We have to go!" Scared, the pony tugs at her creators' collar, desperately trying to pull her back.
"Wait! Hold on! Huh? Oh hi." Flabbergasted, the redhead gasps thrashing as the pony drags her back only then for both of them to turn to face the creature, having finally noticed them and staring at the animated struggle between creator and creature.
"…Hi." Blanky, the male sludge creature calls out to her.
"You're slimy." Giggling, the starry-eyed girl points out.
"Uh…yes." Frowning, he confirms his voice indifferent as he approaches, staring down at her, his yellow eyes shaking, a storm of emotions within his yellow hues.
"What are you doing here? Hey, want to see a Tony? They are pretty cool!" Eagerly, the girl redhead offers.
"Don't…don't you recognise me?" Pained, the male calls out confusing the redhead.
"Nope am I meant to?" Bluntly, she answers smiling sweetly as he flinches from her cruel words.
"Please. It's me." Surprisingly, he begs almost his voice pleading for her to recognise unaware of his sludge slowly reaching out to her, tainting the golden waters below them. Pained, the redhead groans, cradling her head as her sparkly sea green begin to dimmer down, beginning to return to their normal sea green.
"Urgh my head what the…? H-huh? Wha…what are you doing here?" Stunned, the woman's sea green dilates in horror at the sight of him as he smiles softly down at the woman's disturbed features.
"Been a while…" Gently, he begins only for his yellows to narrow. Swiftly, she places her palm out, her palm glowing and firing a beam at him, pushing him back as he grimaces, cradling his torso as his shaping hole of sludge begins to fill in on itself.
"Get away from me you bastard!" Seething, she snarls at him, disgust and poison etched into her tone.
"And I see you remember that much." Bitterly, he sighs shaking his head.
"What the hell are you doing here!? Where is he!? What is…what happened!?" Confused, the redhead questions looking up at the once bright perky realm now slowly being contaminated and infected almost, noting the bright colours beginning to drain turning a sludge black and olive.
"I can explain…" Calmly, he begins as angrily, she screams at him, her hands blaring a navy blue light as she waves her arm into a curve in front of her, creating meteors out of nowhere to come crashing down on the sludge creature, quickly dispersing into a puddle of sludge much to the woman's disgust as it begins to reform back into the male.
"No. Not you, I don't…keep away from me you traitor!" Roaring, she snarls at him, her eyes screaming bloody murder, poison etched into her tone as he calmly watches the crazed firecracker burst.
"I can…" Patiently, he begins calling out to her, his voice surprisingly gentle only to flinch back from her sharp glare.
"You betrayed me! You lied to me!" Seething, she screams at him pain etched into her tone, tears threatening to fall as she glares darkly at him.
"I did what I had to…" Stoically, he reaffirms no inch of regret etched into his aloof tone.
"And that includes lying to me. You turned your back on me, you betrayed me!" Screaming, she glares at him firing wave after wave of magic, oblivious of the sludge creature slowly approaching unfazed by the magic. Smirking smugly, he dodges each one as she attempts to fire, again and again until shocked her eyes widen when her hands glowing begin to flicker.
"That isn't it…please if you could just let me explain." Tiredly, he begs to her placing his hands on her shoulders as she brushes him off.
"There's nothing that needs to be said. Now tell me why are you here?" Icily, she demands from him, brushing him off, turning her back to him disgust laced in her tone.
"To find you." Sternly, he reveals.
"What?" Shocked, she turns to face him flabbergasted.
"Please if you just let me explain I can…" Pleadingly, he begs.
"No. How can I even trust you anymore!? I don't even know you." Angrily, she glares outstretching her arms focusing as she tries to open a portal only for her eyes to widen as it easily flickers out.
"Looks like you're stuck here seems we have plenty of time to talk now." Lowly, he chuckles as sharply, the girl reels her hand back, sludge splatters to the side. He staggers back cradling his cheek as his hurt yellow turn to look into a pair of rageful sea blue, a look he's only seen on one person alone making his eyes widen when seeing briefly her. Silently, he watches on as she leaves, darting away fleeing. Smirking, he watches on as she leaves a smug smirk on his lips, having no idea how futile her efforts are as the realm of magic slowly begins to be tainted…
"Ash could you come down here?" Frowning, I groan as I make my way down the stairs Mrs Diaz calling out to me as I make my way down.
"Whatever it is I swear those firecrackers were…oh if it isn't the old hag…" Annoyed, my eyes narrow at Miss Heinous.
"You…! You're the reason my laundry room was set on fire!" Angrily, she growls at me.
"Dude you had pantyhose's in there no one wears them anymore except old hags…" Bluntly, I deadpan.
"How dare you…I…you dare call me an Old hag how dare you!? I am not…!" Furiously, she scowls at me.
"An old hag yes. Yes, you are." Smirking, I confirm.
"Young lady we respect elderly people in our household." Sternly, Rafael informs me making me roll my eyes.
"And I do to those that are kind and deserve respect this self-entitled…" Growling, I begin.
"Young lady we do not condone that language in this house as your mo-!" Scowling, Mrs Diaz begins.
"Well it's fortunate you are NOT my mother." Snippily, I fire back making her eyes narrow at me as I take a seat on the table, my feet planted on the chair while Vesper is on the other side of me calmly reading, probably some weird love story.
"Young lady!" Rafael begins making me roll my eyes.
"As polite as ever I see." Slyly, I hear a familiar voice making my eyes widen as I look down at Vesper, reading some old book.
"What are you doing here?" I question him.
"Job." He shrugs.
"Ah…" I trail off nodding my head.
"You know these people Ash!?" Surprised, Mrs Diaz raises a brow.
"Sort of…" I shrug.
"What did you do?" Frowning, Mrs Diaz demands.
"Why are you questioning me!?" Insulted, I scowl at her.
"Ash, we love you, but we know if anyone is in trouble its typically you." Tiredly, Mrs Diaz sighs.
"This is injustice I mean it wasn't just me…" Defensibly, I point out.
"You let me princesses out!" Heinous accuses.
"I didn't make the slogan…" Fairly, I defend myself.
"Hey!" Scowling, Maroc glares at me.
"What if I'm going down, you're going down with me! Now someone mind explaining to me why this whack job is here." I argue.
"We let her in. You are both being very rude." Unimpressed, Rafael crosses his arms.
"Star, put away your magical whale." Angie orders her.
"It's a narwhal." Annoyed, Star huffs and returns the narwhal to her wand.
"There is a difference, for once they don't have a horn." Grumpily, I point out.
"That doesn't matter right now Ash!" Snippily, Mrs Diaz argues making me roll my eyes.
"Do not roll your eyes at me young lady!" Mrs Diaz places her hands on her hips.
"Let Miss Heinous go." Rafael orders Marco having a hold on Miss Heinous.
"But she's evil." Frowning, Marco points out.
"Now!" Sternly, he orders making Marco grunt.
"Hmph. This is the princess who ruined my life. That's right, Princess Marco. I recognize you. Even with your super-cute new haircut! You too Princess Ashley you haven't changed much either well I suppose less goth…" Heinous huffs.
"It's rock punk! There is a difference! And it's Ash!" Insulted, I correct her, goths and rock punk are very different.
"What is going on here?" Lost, Mrs Diaz frowns.
"This lady tied me to a chair and tried to brainwash me!" Marco accuses.
"More like indoctrinate him which is illegal!" Sharply, I point out.
"In this dimension," Vesper hums out only to see my eyes narrowly glare at the devil's advocate.
"That's a gross exaggeration. Your child has terribly wronged me, and I'm not going anywhere until justice is served." Proudly, Heinous declares.
"But if she doesn't leave..." Scared, Rafael turns to his wife.
"...Then how are we gonna have dinner with the Morrison's?!" Worried, the couple turn to the fireplace photo of the Morrison's and their dog.
"Who?" Lost, Marco glances at me only to see me shrug.
"The Morrison's are so cool. We've been on the wait list to have them over for months." Earnestly, Mrs Diaz tells us.
"This dinner needs to be perfect. We can't mess it up." Worried, Rafael says to us.
"Wow. That sounds really tough, guys." Sarcastically, Marco rolls his eyes.
"You're gonna resolve whatever issue you have with Miss Heinous right now!" Sternly, Angie declares.
"Have fun with that." I huff.
"And where do you think you're going!" Stenrly, Angie frowns at me.
"Out." I shrug.
"You will apologise young lady," Rafael orders me making me scoff.
"I have nothing to apologise for!" Irritated, I snap back as Angie makes some cup of tea for Angie.
"Mmm. Thank you, your Highness." Angie places the warm tea down on the table as they all sit down.
"What exactly is your issue with Marco and Ash?" Angie questions her.
"Gemini." Frowning, she raises her hand as loyally, Gemini hands Miss Heinous a hand mirror, and she projects a slideshow of St. Olga's Reform School for Wayward Princesses on it.
"Once, I was the headmistress of St. Olga's, the most esteemed princess school in the multiverse. It was a wonderful place where delinquent princesses were taught manners and respect. Until one day, an insolent pair of princesses showed up and inspired all the students to rebel against their elders who knew better. Princess Marco and Ashley left, but the school was never the same. They made them both the faces of a revolution, even inspiring merchandise, influencing the next generation of young princesses with their devious ways." Furious, Miss Heinous declares making me smile proudly as she raises the mirror showing the slideshow and dolls of me and Marco making us fist bump proudly.
"Wait a minute. You two have merchandise?" Surprised, Star raises a brow at us.
"How do you think I get my stuff like fireworks?" I furrow my brow.
"Yeah. I get a $650 royalty check every month." Marco tells her.
"As I was saying, my students lost all respect for authority. Soon, they were cutting classes just to party, even inviting the boys from the neighbouring prince reform school. They threw me out! And now, I live in a car!" Horrified, Mr and Mrs Diaz gasp after Miss Heinous' ability.
"Oh..." Concerned, Gemini the troll thing places his hand on her shoulder.
"Don't touch me. And it's all thanks to Princess Marco and Ashley with their little sidekick, Princess Butterfly!" Bitterly, Miss Heinous sneers disgust laced in her tone.
"Marco, Ashley, is this all true?" Angie turns to face us.
"It was some sort of creepy cult! They indoctrinated people Angie Rafael!" Annoyed, I reason to them.
"Well... yeah, but that place was a prison! Those princesses were being oppressed! They're way happier now." Confidently, Marco assures them.
"And they blew up my bodyguard!" Offended, she points Rasticore's arm at us as I glance at the silent Vesper, looking on in disgust at the sight of her caressing the arm.
"Yeah, we were wondering what that was." Awkwardly, Angie glances to the side not sure what to make of the green reptile hand.
"He's my dear, sweet Rasticore. This is just his arm, but he's part lizard, so his whole body will grow back soon. And then he'll be a big boy, won't you, sweetie?" Tenderly, she kisses Rasticore's arm, making me grimace while Vesper chuckles noting the arm thrashing about, almost disgusted by Miss Heinous care for it. Jealous, the troll known as Gemini grumbles glancing to the side.
"So how shall we proceed, Miss Heinous?" Politely, Angie offers.
"With a punishment commensurate with the crime. How about we annihilate her and display her skeleton as a warning against any further insurrection? Agreed? Good. Now, Rasticore, bring me Princess Marco's bones!" Angrily, Miss Heinous throws Rasticore's arm at Marco, and it falls to the floor. Pathetically, the arm slowly crawls along the floor toward Marco. Tiredly, Vesper sighs disappointment or bored almost as he uses his tail tossing up the arm in the air, freaking out the others as he simply places the arm on the table.
"Gemini." Heinous orders.
"Oh, yes! Yes, milady!" He attempts to picks up Rasticore's arm, only to be shut down by Vesper glaring icily at Gemini whimpering back fearful of Vesper.
"Okay, enough of this." Fed up, Marco tackles Gemini, raising his hand for a karate chop and yells.
"Gemini, Rasticore, attack!" Miss Heinous orders as she watches from afar.
"Get ready to feel the pain-ous, Miss Heinous!" Smirking, Star raises her wand.
"No, Star!" Rafael calls out as I sigh at the two not caring about fighting as Vesper and I watch from the side, him engrossed into his book and me not so much.
"Excuse me. Is this 48-15 Avocado Terrace?" Surprised, we turn to the doorway at the police officer, oh great the cops they are so useful…
"The police! Yes, it is! You're here just in time. That lady is trying to destroy me. And that trollish-looking guy-man-thing is totally helping her. Uh, just ignore the girl pointing a magic wand. And it's probably a lesser charge, but this severed lizard arm is complicit, too." Calmly, Maroc guides the officer through all this.
"Well, that's something, all right. Now if you'll all stay calm, I'm sure we can clear this up right now. Okay, I got a call about a car double parked. But, uh, since the wheels of the top car ain't on the ground, that's not my jurisdiction." The office guides us outside, where Miss Heinous' car is parked on top of another crushing it beneath it with coal black oil oozing out. I sigh, glancing at Vesper noting the scissors spinning with his forefingers.
"What?! That's it?! You're gonna ignore all the evil going on? Evil! Evil! Evil!" Angrily, Marco snaps as I sigh at the guy, gentle placing my hands on his shoulders, trying to calm him down.
"Yes, they are." Gently, I assure him as his body slacks exhausted.
"That doesn't look dangerous. That's one of those animations, right?" The officer chuckles making me facepalm.
"You mean animatronics." Bored, Marco huffs.
"And even then animatronics have wires an exoskeleton, this hand has cartilage what animatronic has cartilage and bones!? And don't say…" I begin warningly my eyes narrowing as I grab the arm, pointing at the bottom of the thing, my brow furrowed at its familiar texture.
"Listen, kid, once there's a real crime, give me a call." The office leaves as we head back inside.
"All right let the bargaining begin. I leave if you let me rip out Princess Marco's spine and wear it as a fancy scarf." Heinous offers.
"That wouldn't work as a scarf." Bluntly, I point out.
"And I'll take princess Ashley's bones as leggings!" She glares.
"You're not even making sense anymore," Dryly, I point out.
"Um, okay, that seems a little extreme." Weakly, Rafael smiles.
"Honey, we really don't have time for this. The Morrison's are gonna be here soon, and we haven't even picked out the placemats!" Angie panics.
"Um... what if we ground Marco for a week?" Scared, Rafael gasps.
"Or you let me grind her bones into a pulp!" Miss Heinous offers making Rafael stammer.
"Are they actually hesitating over this?" Disturbed, I whisper as Marco nods horrified.
"We won't let Marco play video games." Angie offers.
"Do you even know how bargaining works?" Miss Heinous demands.
"No pizza on Fridays!" Panicked, Rafael calls out.
"Or you can let me disembowel her." Heinous offers.
"We make him do the dishes." Rafael suggests.
"What if I just apologize?!" Irately, Marco shouts fed up.
"An apology. Yes. An apology will suffice... under certain conditions." Evilly, Miss Heinous cackles.
"Ash will you…?" Mr Diaz turns to me.
"Hell no!" Rebelliously, I refuse.
"Ashley! You will do so…!" Stenrly, Mrs Diaz tells me.
"Or what?" I scoff.
"I'll take away your phone!" She warns me.
"Fine go ahead." Smirking, I scoff, maybe then I cns have an excuse nto to talk to him…
"Your laptop…" Angie smirks making my eyes dilate.
"You wouldn't dare." Darkly, I glare my eyes narrowing.
"Watch me." Firmly, Mrs Diaz challenges me making me scowl glowering at her.
"Now, now be nice." Teasingly, Vesper snickers at me as I sharply glare at his smug smirk relishing my suffering.
"Marco, Ash you can't give up that easy!" Star tells Marco and I.
"I don't have a choice my laptop is my life Star MY LIFE!" Intensly, I hiss at her.
"Look I'll do anything to get Heinous out of here. Whatever you want, Miss Heinous, just name it." Tiredly, Maroc gives in as they get us changed back into our princess attire as we sit down on the sofa being recorded with on us both are signs with the slogan…it is criminal to be an individual.
"Why did I say whatever you want?" Marco questions Heinous but it falls to deaf ears. Giggling, Miss Heinous and Gemini stand across from us with a video camera.
"It's finally happening! Let's see what those princesses think of their idols now!" Proudly, Heinous declares.
"I can't believe our son and Ash led a revolution and we didn't even know." Hurt, Rafael furrows her brow.
"I'm not sure if I should be mad or proud." Torn, Angie confesses.
"You should be proud they made history…" Vesper informs the two glancing at him uneased by the sight of him as the recording is about to begin.
"Uh, hang on, hang on! A princess can't go on camera without blush." Nervously, Star smiles as she rushes over to us and applies blush to Marco's cheeks.
"Dudes don't do this. All those princesses, like, really look up to you two," Star whispers to us.
"I know. If I know a thing or two about princesses, it's gonna take a lot more than some dumb video to break their spirits." Proudly, Marco smiles.
"But is that a good thing? Marco maybe, me not so much." Honestly, I confess.
"Come on you're a good role model," Softly, Marco assures me as I shake my head at the clear lie.
"Yeah you're outgoing, rebellious and opinionated!" Star smiles.
"So how do I look?" Curious, Marco glances at me and Star.
"The same just two huge spots on you," I shrug.
"Wh-what!?" Scared, Marco mutters.
"Ignore her. You both look super pretty." Star assures us as the camera rolls, the two of us glancing at one another ready for our plan of rebellion wahahah!
"Enough dilly-dallying. Let's get on with it." Impatiently, Heinous demands.
"Just... be careful." Worried, she whispers to us.
"Gemini, are you ready yet?" Miss Heinous demands.
"Yes, milady. And... We're rolling." Gemini begins the recording.
"Uh, hey, princesses of the multiverse. It's your girls Marco and Ash. What up?" Weakly, she smiles at us.
"How are things? Burning stuff, I hope? Fighting back against those that are…and I am being told not to say that. Yeah hypocritical I know but uh family you know?" Weakly, I smile at the video.
"Psst. Morrison's!" Panicked, Angie hisses at us.
"Anyway, last time I was at St. Olga's school, I said and did some stuff that I shouldn't have. And that was... bad. And, uh, I just wanted to say, um...I just wanted to say that I'm, like... super sorry that I told you guys to resist your oppressors and stuff." Sarcastically, Maroc begins.
"Yeah jeez can't believe we even thought of this idea, we're so stupid I mean we girls don't have views at all. We just have to be super smart, beautiful and not deranged girls like Miss Heinous…" I groan staring intently into the camera. Fortunately, Star realizes what Marco is doing and smiles.
"As princesses, we should never think for ourselves and just, you know... give up on our dreams and our own individuality. Oh, I mean all this from the bottom of my heart. And I'm definitely not just saying that because Miss Heinous is threatening me and my family. Okay, was that good?" Marco winks as I note Heinous' eye twitch.
"It's not like you guys need to have to keep an eye out on your defences in the school either I mean it's not like Heinous has some weird reptile bodyguard out to get you guys!" Smirking, I point out sarcasm etched in my tone.
"Ohhh... Milady, I have notes." The troll finishes the recording.
"It's perfect. Perfect!" Laughing, Heinous takes out the tape oblivious of our sarcasm as they get the video and leave us well, Heinous uses the car with Gemini as I note the arm reaching out to the smug Vesper simply opening his portal and leaving.
"Well, this was a real eye-opener. What else have you two been hiding from us? Now is the time to own up to any other interdimensional chicanery." Sternly, Mrs Diaz demands from us.
"Oh, no-no-no-no! No chicanery here!" Nervously, Star lies.
"All good. Nothing to report." Marco states.
"Nothing magical but can't say the same for in this dimension." Honestly, I confess hands shoved in my pockets.
"I think we have some responsibility to accept, too. Maybe we haven't been around enough for the three of them. We can start fresh tonight. I say we cancel dinner with the Morrison's and instead have a family game night!" Brightly, Angie smiles as we all sit down.
"Whoo-hoo! Game night! Let's get goin'!" Star cheers.
"That's a very good idea!" Brightly, Rafael smiles.
"Yeah! Can I stay in this dress?" Marco asks.
"Do what you gotta do." Calmly, I shrug.
"Who needs to hang out with the Morrison's anyway?" Rafael waves it off.
"Then what was the point in us being sarcastic?" I grumble tiredly ignorant of the Morrison's entering, carrying food.
"But the Diaz's are so cool." Weakly, the parents bow their head at the missed chance leaving the family to have a family night…
Brightly, the ruby red starry sky and planets in the sky shines as Miss Heinous' car sits in the middle of a rocky crater. Calmly, Vesper lays on the roof of the car, hands behind head as he looks up admiring the stars as quietly, he takes out a familiar sketchpad and pencil, beginning to draw as Vesper watches silently as he who he calls Gremlin tends to his mistress.
"There you are, milady. Pillow is fluffed just the way you like it. Sweet dreams, milady." Gemini climbs into the car's trunk and takes out a Princess Marco doll, making Vesper shake his head in disgust, his eyes narrowing as the gremlin in Vesper's eyes takes out both a princess Marco and Ashley.
"And sweet dreams to you too, Princess Marco, the fairest in the land alongside princess Ashely, the beauty of the-ARGH!" Scared, Gemini squeaks back at the muscular arm harshly snapping and breaking the china like doll of princess Ashely in his hand. Fearful, Gemini looks up flinching back at the sight of the male on top of the car quickly being blinded by pure blackness. Harshly, he slams his tail down on the back, slamming it shut locking him in the tight constricting space.
"Soon, the multiverse will shiver in fear once I destroy Princess Marco and Princess Butterfly. With you at my side, Rasticore..." Lovingly, she dotes on the arm thrashing, clawing at the window noting a familiar loose tail lazily moving from side to side, wriggling.
"Why, Rasticore! You've grown an elbow! You'll be a big boy again soon. So very soon…" Lovingly, she promises the hand gushing after tending to her makeup, her cheeks bare for the world as she cuddles into the reptile hand, nuzzling into the arms side as she falls into the dark depths of her dreams…