Marco woke up, rubbing his eyes. He heard a scolding voice in a light English accent from across the hall. He got out of bed and peeked into Star's room. A lady with light blue hair and pink diamonds on her cheeks was in the mirror.
"What? No! You saw how it was!"
"Star, you're going. We're giving you a week to wrap up things on Earth. We told you this was a temporary solution."
"But-"
"Star, no buts. Now I'd hurry up if I were you."
"You're not me."
"Believe me, I know." The lady said, rubbing her temples. Star hung up and turned around.
"Uh, what's going on?"
"I'm leaving." Star said, an oddly dark tone in her voice.
"Wait, what? Who was that on the phone?"
"Queen Moon Butterfly the Undaunted."
"Who?"
"My Mom."
"Ok, so you're leaving?"
"Yep. For Prissy Princess boarding school."
"Alright, that can't be so bad."
"You wouldn't know. I was already stuck there, and now I'm getting put in again. Probably straight off the the solitary conforment chamber this time."
"Ok, can you fill me in here?"
"I'm being sent to brainwashing princess boarding school and I'll probably never be allowed back on Earth ever again."
"What? Can't you use your scissors?"
"Umm...There might be something I never told you...about the scissors...?"
"What?"
"I may or may not have stolen them from my Dad?"
"What? So we've been doing all this stuff with stolen scissors? Isn't there anyone in charge of this sort of thing?"
"Well there is. It's probably a good thing we haven't run into her yet."
"Oh my gosh Star. I really wish you had told me this sooner. You know, before the wellbeing of my best friend was in danger."
"I'm your best friend?"
"Do I look like I have a lot of friends?"
"I guess not."
"Hey!" Marco punched Star on the shoulder.
"Sorry."
"It's fine. Right now we should focus on getting you out of the boarding school."
"I was there before, I got suspended, so I guess the suspension is over now so I have to go back."
"So ok, here's the plan. Your Mom gave you a day, so you go to the boarding school, and I'll get in using the dimensional scissors-"
"You can't. There's a crystal that stops it. This is reform school, remember? There's security everywhere."
"Lucky for us I've seen every prison movie ever made that's not rated R. So here's the plan-" Marco said, picking up a bobby pin up from Star's vanity.
A week later, a portal opened in front of the Diaz house. Marco waved from the doorway, and Star waved back as she got in the carriage, which took her back through the portal and into St. Olga's. Miss Heinous greeted her with a sinister smile.
"Hello Princess! Gemini, take her bags. I'll escort her to the Solitary conforment chamber." Miss Heinous grabbed Star's arm and brought her into her private wing of the school, not at all near the solitary conforment chamber.
"Miss Hei-"
"I was like you once Dear." Miss Heinous said, a sincere smile on her face.
"What do you mean?"
"Be quiet for a moment please Dear, let me explain." Star shut her mouth, and Heinous opened her mouth.
"I was like you when I was young. A spunky, rebellious, individual who wanted nothing more than to be free of all responsibility." But my Mother had different plans. She was St. Olga, she founded this school. She put some sense into me, and I will put some sense into you."
"Excuse me Miss Heinous?"
"Yes?"
"Why are you bringing me here and not putting me into the solitary conforment chamber?"
"I want to help you Dear. I chose you because you're like me, and I'm not having any children. I need someone to run the school after I'm gone."
"Miss Heinous, Ihave to rule Mewni."
"Exactly Dear. I'm bringing you here to put some sense into you. You need to think of your kingdom, of your people. You'll be queen one day, and that's what I'm preparing you for. An irresponsible queen is no good. Take for an example, Eclipsa. She listened to her heart and not her head, and she ran off with a monster. They had a child you see? A half monster child. They said she couldn't be tamed. She's a spunky, rebellious individual. Her parents never got to see it, they were crystallized when she was a baby."
"What happened to her? I mean she must be dead, when was Eclipsa's reign?"
"Eclipsa reigned about 300 years ago Dear, but her daughter is alive."
"How did she survive 300 years?"
"Her Father was a soul sucker. It gave her energy, it kept her alive."
"Who was she?"
"I'm getting to that Dear."
"Oh ok."
"So she managed to survive for hundreds of years, to the point where she's still alive today."
"Wait...if she's still alive then...how am I the princess? Am I a monster?"
"Your Great-grandmother was half demon, half Lucitor, but they're respected. They're allies of Mewni. You're not related to Meteora."
"Meteora?"
"That's the name of the half monster princess. Meteora."
"You sure know a lot about this story. And about Meteora."
"Well, it really makes sense, Star."
"How's that?"
"Star, can I trust you?"
"Of course." Star said, and Miss Heinous grabbed onto her arm before grabbing a make-up wipe from a table and wiping her foundation off, to reveal 2 clovers on her cheeks.
"My name isn't Heinous. My name is Meteora."
"Cool...what's your title?"
"What?"
"I mean, Mom's Moon the Undaunted. There's Solaria the Monster carver, Celena the shy. You know?"
"I never got a tapestry, I never got a title. But I have a proposition."
"What?"
"We could rule together. I could finally get what belongs to me."
"Ok, but what do I get out of this?"
"You get full protection, and monsters will be accepted. No more inequality, everyone will be equal. And I'm a soul sucker and a size shifter. Think of the things I could do to invaders."
"Ok, I guess. But shouldn't we talk about this with Mom? Glossaryck maybe?"
"No Dear. They wouldn't approve of a monster, even if you're sharing the throne. Now let's make it official."
"Wait a minute...I'm not sure about this..."
"Think of it, Star. You'd only have half the responsibility. Think of all the things you could do if you only had to rule half the kingdom."
"Deal." Star held her hand out.
About 15 minutes Earlier...
"Oh come on Star..." Marco groaned when he saw the dress Star left him. The purple ball gown was draped on his bed. He changed into it and looked at himself in the mirror.
"This isn't going to work. She's going to be stuck there forever. At the very least she has her wand. Maybe she can...undo...the brainwashing." He said, thinking about the plan. Marco picked up the scissors, and saw a bundle on his bed, next to where the dress was. He picked it up and his eyes widened.
"Star you didn't." Marco stared at the wand, sitting on his bed. He picked it up with his fingertips, and he looked at it.
"That's weird. It's supposed to change...it's like our souls are bound-" Marco started, before the wand morphed into it's white and blue form, wings sticking out of the sides.
"Cool." He shoved it into one of the pockets, and opened a portal. He was right outside the gates of St. Olga's, with some other girls his age that looked either annoyed or scared. Gemini walked up and down the row of girls.
"Princesses, Miss Heinous is...busy, with one of the other girls. So I'll introduce you to the school." He led all of them into the school, and Marco ran around a corner, and heard Star's voice from upstairs. The walls of St. Olga's are thin, to avoid gossip and sneaking out. He ran towards the sound, until he heard her say, 'Deal.', and he kicked open the door. Star's cheekmarks were glowing, so were the cheekmarks of the lady she was with. Their arms were laced together with yellow and green coils.
"Marco, I'm sorry." Star whispered, and Miss Heinous grabbed Star by the arm.
"Now, off to the solitary conforment chamber with you, Princess Butterfly." Meteora led Star into another room, and Marco ran after them. Heinous grabbed his leg and glared at him.
"Looks like the Solitary conforment chamber would be a nice fit for this wayward princess as well."
"But then it won't be solitary. Kinda the point Heinous." Star said, and Marco relaxed a bit. She wasn't brainwashed yet.
"Then I'll throw one of you into a locked dorm with armed guards outside until the other is done. How about that?" Meteora rambled, and Marco reached into his pocket. He only had one option left.
"Narwhal Blast!" He screamed, pulling out the wand. A single narwhal popped out and started flopping on the ground.
"Warnicorn Stampede!" Again, a single warnicorn popped out.
"Is that all you've got?" Meteora asked, and Marco opened his mouth before shutting it, before realizing both of his hands were empty. Meteora held the wand in her hands, holding Marco with her other arm.
"Give me that! It doesn't belong to you Meteora!" Star said, standing nearby.
"Oh, doesn't it? I believe you made a deal giving me equal use of the wand."
"Dang it."
"Star, why would you make a deal like that?"
"I...I don't-Marco it's complicated, ok?" Meteora let go of Marco and grabbed onto Star.
"Guards!" Meteora barked, and guards busted in.
"Take Princess Marco, and guard her dorm. By the time she's let out of the conforment chamber, Star will be a success story. Her Mother will be pleased."
"Let...go...of...me!" Star yelled, squirming in Meteora's grip. The guards grabbed Marco and dragged himt o a dorm, where he figured out quickly the window was barred shut and the door was locked.
"What did I do this time?" Marco asked himself, before sitting on the bed and looking around the room. He walked over to the dresser and picked up a bobby pin.
It took Marco more time than he expected to get the door open with the bobby pin, but he did it after about an hour of trying. By then, he blended into Gemini's group of new arrivals again, as he gave them a tour.
"Your bloodline won't have a worry about your rule when you leave- proved by our newest success story, Star Butterfly." Gemini gestured towards the door of a dorm, and Marco ducked around a corner, until he tried the bobby pin again. He'd figured out how to do it correctly so it took less time then the first attempt. He opened the door and slipped in before closing it behind him and using a door to keep it shut.
"Star?" Marco hissed behind the chair she was sitting on.
"Star? Come on!" Marco hissed, shaking her shoulder, and she jumped.
"Star, hurry up. We need to get out of here." Star death gripped the arms of the chair, and Marco tried to pull her out.
"Star, just cooperate...You can drag me to the bounce lounge afterwards if you just-"
"Partying is for the unrefined." Star said, still death gripping the chair. Marco managed to pull her fingers out and start to sprint, holding her arm.
"Escaping is inappropriate. Guards!" Star yelled, Marco trying to pull her out.
"Shh!"
"Guards, guards! Guards! Guards, guards?" Star yelled again, holding onto the doorframe.
"Star, do you want to get out of here or not?" He pulled her until she relented.
"At least you're still in there. That's good." He dragged her around St. Olga's trying to find an exit. He eventually stumbled into a room with girls sitting at tables with teacups.
"Keep your pinkies at 90 degrees, more tea please. Keep your pinkies at 90 degrees, more tea please. Keep your pinkies at 90 degrees-" Was being said in unison by every girl sitting at the table.
Marco stood there mesmerized for a few seconds, before he noticed the hem of a dress disappearing behind a wall. He ran across the room and around the corner. He chased the girl until there was a dead end. The girl had light blue hair, blue eyes, pale skin and was wearing a navy blue dress that was maybe an inch or so below her knees. A gold tiara was perched on top of her hair.
"What do you want?" She asked, holding something behind her back.
"Do you know a way out of here?"
"Don't you think that's what I'm trying to find?"
"Geez, you don't need to be rude."
They all heard the booming footsteps of guards coming their way. The blue haired girl opened a window and started to climb out.
"What are you doing?"
"Look, you can either come with me or you can be caught by the guards. Your choice." She shrugged and slammed the window shut.
"What? Why didn't you-" The girl grabbed Marco's arm and led him and Star through hallways and classrooms and into the tea room again.
"This room is a nightmare." She whispered, just loud enough for Marco to hear it.
"No kidding."
"I don't see why we can't be princesses and individuals. It's not illegal, it doesn't make us criminals. Miss Heinous seems to think so."
"That's it..."
"What's it? Wait, what are you doing?" She asked as Marco mounted a table and kicked around the teacups and saucers.
"It's not criminal to be an individual! It's not criminal to be an individual! Come on! It's not criminal to be an individual!" He started chanting, and everyone else followed, starting with one or two, eventually spreading to the whole room except Star, who stayed silent.
"Ok, now let's get out of here." She was about to grab Marco again when he started running, so she took off too. She started to climb the tower.
"I'm deactivating that crystal. You guys got scissors?"
"Yeah. You?"
"Being the princess has some advantages. One of them, being able to swipe dimensional scissors."
"Where're you from anyway?"
"Well-" She started, when a massive swarm of Princesses barged out of the double doors, chanting 'It's not criminal to be an individual!' over and over.
"You just started a revolution. Miss Heinous will flip! My Mother's going to take me out of school."
"I can't believe I just did that! Now I just need to get her back to normal." Marco pointed to Star.
"I have an idea." The girl pulled out a navy and light blue parasol, a circle at the end, the circle with a golden heart on it. She pointed it at Star and turned to marco.
"Warning in advance, I can't use this thing very well. Have any idea which limb is her least favorite?"
"Wait what?"
"Never mind, just have to go for it I guess."
"That's a very bad idea-"
"Brainwashing undo!" She yelled, and nothing happened.
"Undo the brainwashing...?"
"What was supposed to happen?"
"Not exactly sure. Did I charge this thing?" She started to smack the charger at the end, before starting to shake it.
"Uhh..."
"Welp, I can't get this to work. Try reaching out to her...? Good luck."
"Yeah. Good luck to you too. What's your name?" He asked, before Meteora's voice boomed over the loudspeaker.
"St. Olga's is officially on lockdown! I can't believe this! An uprising? In my institution? Whichever of you free thinkers started this, you will be caught! And the solitary conforment chamber has your name on it for a long long time. Everyone back to your dorms before I put every last one of you into the solitary conforment chamber!" Most of the girls scurried back to their rooms, but the girl climbed up and snapped the crystal in half, and opened up a portal with her scissors.
"Bye whoever you are." She said, waving. Marco opened his own portal, but Meteora had a firm grip on him.
"Where do you think you're going Princess?"
"Nowhere."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. Now catch me if you can." Marco sprinted, dragging Star behind him, until they came to a laundry shoot. He shoved her through and slid down, landing on top of Star.
"Sorry." He stood up and took off the dress, wearing his hoodie and pants underneath.
"Ok, that girl said I just need to reach out to her."
Meteora tried to open the door, and Marco kept it closed with a chair propped against the doorknob.
"Star? You in there? It's Marco." He stared at her for a minute. She seemed to understand what he was saying.
"I'm really worried about you." He said, sitting on a crate across from her, sitting on another crate. Eventually he got up and picked up a stick and started to break a brochure from the school, a picture of Miss Heinous on the front. For that he spilled out a pack of permanent markers and started vandalizing the thing. He dragged his crate next to Star's, and a few minutes later he saw her hand pushing over, trying to make more room for her vandalism, drawing all sorts of junk on Miss Heinous/Meteora. At some point they both started laughing like maniacs, and Star was back.
"I guess I'll find some way to explain this mess to my Mom." Star said.
"Oh yeah. We didn't think this far ahead did we?"
"I don't think we were planning on a full on rebellion though. She'll hear about it soon enough. I don't know where I'll go then."
"You could go back to Earth."
"I'll probably be stuck on Mewni forever after this."
"I have a hunch this is my fault."
"No. I got myself into St. Olga's. If anything, I dragged you into this."
"That's up for debate."
"I'll probably get my scissors revoked and if I'm lucky I'll be allowed to leave the castle. Or my room, depending on Mom's mood when she decides my punishment."
"What happened to the girl who sent us over a cliff and told me that not knowing where you're going is part of the adventure?" Marco asked, and Star got up silently. She opened a portal and left Marco there, the portal glowing. He grabbed the dress and jumped through.
"Star, are you ok?"
"I'm fine."
"Ok..."
Marco could see a sliver of a moon out of the corner of his eye, he blinked, and saw it again, slowing an eerily red. He stopped in his tracks and rubbed his eyes and looked at the window again. It was a normal moon color. He took a deep breath and went back to his room.