This chapter is gonna be a bit long, but I will try my best to throw in a little humor.
"Solis I have come to deliver my report about Marco," Glenn said kneeling in front of the solar eclipse god, who was busy writing something on his desk.
Solis took a glance at Glenn and sighed. " How many times have I told you that there is no need to prostrate yourself? Even I have lost count."
Glenn shook his head, " You saved my kin from extinction, not only that you gave us a place to call home, even after all that you didn't even ask for anything in return. The title God doesn't even do you the justice... "
"So stubborn... anyway take a seat." Glenn sat at the chair opposite of Solis "what can you report regarding Marco," Solis said.
" I can only speak of the 8 days that I have had spent with him. I'll start with his abilities. His combat senses are second to none, he thinks of the best course of action and carries it out, he's also quite flexible when overcoming obstacles. Ironically he's more lethal when fighting unarmed than when he is armed. He has incredible strength when compared to his size and unsurprisingly quite agile, but what really impresses me is his endurance both physically and mentally. But his behavior underwent a drastic change after his incident..." Glenn reported.
Now that picked Solis interest.
Glenn continued with his report. " Before he was unnaturally kind and gentle, so much so he never could go all out during his sparing, when confronted he plays dumb, but when I persistently asked in private he says he would rather lose than accidentally injure someone. And so I put that conviction to a test and had some of my disciples treat him horrible and when they sparred he still held back and it ended in draws or his losses like all the others. I began to think he didn't know how to win, especially when he let himself get beat up. But when we went hunting a griffen. He changed, I almost thought he was a different person. He proceded like he was a veteran hunter and his usual fighting style which involves tiring an opponent was nowhere to be seen. It was straight forward. He charged straight in and with his spear he thrust it through the griffens neck and then twisting the spear, pinning it to the ground and then killing it with a dagger, piercing its head."
Solis closed his eyes taking in the information he was getting. Marco's combat prowess did not concern him, it was his mentality and his personality. Marco had a dead horse as his aureole sign and that could shed some light, but they are more like guidelines and not completely reliable. If his character wasn't right the training will be fruitless no matter how strong he got.
"I asked him how he became so good at hunting, he just said by earning my scissors whatever that means. If I were to guess-"
"Just tell me what about his character traits that changed," Solis said a tad bit impatient.
"As you wish. He's still kind, but its no longer... unnatural? It is hard to explain. Remember my experiment, my disciples who were involved. They sparred with him and let us just say, he didn't show them any mercy. To everyone else he still is as the first day I meet him. I guess that's all." Glenn finished his long report.
"Thank you, Glenn, but I also want your opinion on him." Solis looked at Glenn's face and he could see that Glenn had a bit of trouble to answer. "It can be vague, you have after all only known him for 8 days."
Glenn looked relived and opened his mouth. " I find him strange, I can't understand him. But I'm certain that he will be a great soldier, however, I think he has lost a couple of his marbles. I have seen him talking to himself several times, not like give remarks to something to oneself or loud thinking, but having full-on conversations with himself. My final estimation of him will have to be, he has great potential but also very risky as a candidate. That is my opinion. "
"I see, thank you. You may leave now," Glenn stood up and bowed quickly before he left.
"Great potential, but risky, just like Toffee... that idiot", Solis sadly thought.
Marco sat in the corner of the dojo. "That's so stupid, just like Beard Dear, I get its a dear with a beard, but that's not a name."
"Marco everybody is looking at you", Monster Arm said in Marco's head.
Marco looked around and saw everybody staring at him, Marco grew redfaced and awkwardly smiled, "Sorry, just thinking out loud again, haha."
"Nobody is buying that, you know. Look at them."
"I don't need you to point out the obvious" Marco thought.
"Tell me when you are done with your period, Turddina" Monster Arm sneered.
"And you better tell me a proper name that I can call you." Marco thought annoyed.
"I'm off now, great training today," Marco shouted as he waved to everyone, they waved back and shouted their goodbye.
"Now I have to say a proper goodbye to my family and Lavabo before I start my transformation." Marco thought happily.
Marco went to the exit and equipped his shoes and took his duffel bag. Marco opened a portal and went into it. He now stood in front of his house.
Marco slowly went to the front door of his former residence. He now stood in front of the door and grabbed the handle, but he couldn't turn it. His palms are sweaty, knees weak and arms are heavy. He thought he just could hug them and say goodbye, but right now it seems so hard. What if-.
"This will not be the last time you see them, I won't let you die" Monster Arm annoyedly reassured Marco.
"Thanks," Marco thought.
"Because if you die I die, I have made your heart my home, you know," Monster Arm said.
"Yeah... that's what usually happens to parasites when their hosts die," Marco though.
Marco stood a few seconds and waited for a response, but nothing came from Monster Arm. Marco smiled a little, his nervousness easing up and took a deep breath. He opened the door and saw his mother and father sitting on the couch cuddling.
"Hi mom, hi dad," Marco said with a smile.
"Hi Marco" Mr and Mrs Diaz said in unision.
"Marco I have made your favorite for dinner after all this is the last day of your holiday. Sweety, go upstairs and take a shower, food will be ready in 30 min," Mrs. Diaz said.
"And I have made pizza nuggets, lots and lots of pizza nuggets," Mr Diaz said.
"Alright, mom and dad"
After Marco was done with his shower, he put on his red hoodie and black jeans and went downstairs. He sniffed the air and could detect the lovely fragrance of hot nachos and pizza nuggets, he then went into the living room.
Mr and Mrs Diaz were already at the dinner table and patiently waiting for Marco until they spot him, but it was weirdly dark.
"Come, hurry Marco, we are all hungry, isn't that right honey," Mr Diaz said, winking at his wife.
Mrs Diaz ignored her husband's playful remark "Marco tell us, what will you be doing after your vacation is over?"
Marco sat at the dinner table. He loved eating with his family, especially when he gets one of his father's and mother's specialties for dinner. But there was way too much food for just 3 people, "they have really gone all out," Marco thought.
Marco opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by loud voices that all said in unison " SURPRISE"
Glitter cannons were shot around and Ferguson, Alfonzo, Janna, and Sensei all jumped out from their hiding spots.
Marco looks around surprised. Everybody smiled at the confused Marco.
"you didn't think, you could leave without saying goodbye, did you? said Janna.
"What n-no, o-of course not, wouldn't dream of it," Marco said awkwardly.
"Woah, you are feeling a lot of emotions right now, not that I mind," Monster Arm said.
"She is one of my friends, who kinda makes my life worse than what it should be." Marco thought.
Soon after everybody joined the dinner table. They talked about what they were going to do in the future. Ferguson and Alfonzo were going to keep being in Echo Creek. Jackie was going on an international internship in France. Janna was just being mysterious and everyone just accepted it. Sensei has gotten a job besides being a karate instructor and perhaps he will move out from his mother's house.
It was Marco's turn to explain what he would be doing and what his goal for the future is. He couldn't tell them about how he may never see them again, he told them while leaving the spiciest of details out. Marco just had that awkward smile, he has when he is put in the spotlight all of a sudden. "Well... um, I'll just be training to become an elite knight... um, apparently its something which takes a long time and it's not all that interesting."
The topic changed to the coming baby, Mr and Mrs Diaz have chosen the name Marco jr. Since he has a mole just like Marco.
Everybody had eaten and it was now time for goodbyes.
Sensei was the first one to say goodbye, he was already emotional, tho less than the first time Marco left. "I'm gonna miss you," Sensei said in his coarse voice.
"Yeah, I'm gonna miss you too man," Marco said, trying to dodge the waterworks from sensei.
Ferguson and Alfonzo stepped up next, " we are also gonna miss you," Ferguson said.
"Yeah come back soon, we'll have a bunch more prank calls to make," Alfonzo said.
"haha, yeah... oh remember this" Marco said as he pulled out the lucky dice, but it had bite marks on it, and a corner was missing. "haha... its a bit beat up, I'm sorry, I didn't take better care of it. It almost got eaten, destroyed, stolen and-."
"Dude, don't worry." Alfonzo interrupted.
"Yeah, you still value it since you still have it and that's what counts. Keep it," Ferguson added, while Alfonzo nodded in agreement.
"I love you guys," Marco said getting a bit emotional.
Sensei cried even more, at the scene.
"That's so gay, you at least have to think no homo if you're not gonna say it," Monster Arm said.
"Quiet!" Marco yelled.
"w-what?" Sensei said confused. Not only him, everybody had a confused face, except Janna she had a smile that said: way to go Diaz.
"Uhm. Because if none of you stop being so emotional, I'm gonna actually cry," Marco said hoping they would buy it.
"Ooooh, Marco," Mrs Diaz said, embracing her son, Mr Diaz soon followed. It was a long, long hug. Marco knew the risk he would take and felt immensely guilty, for not being able to tell them.
That was the end of the goodbyes, almost the end. Marco had one more person to say goodbye to. He hoped it will be a lot less emotional or as Monster Arm would put it less gay.
Star sat at a desk with paper stacked so high it was taller than her.
Star bumped her head into the desk out of frustration.
"Princess Star that is no way to act as the princess of the Butterfly Kingdom. " Manfred said to Star.
"But it has been like 2 weeks straight of so many papers that need to be approved and disapproved. " Star said defeated, her head still in contact with the desk. Star shouted annoyed " Why do I even need to do this, they are also so stupid now. Like, of course, you aren't getting a loan to start a brothel or making a private lake!" Star holding up 2 papers before letting her arms slam into the desk.
Manfred ignored the shouting and asked, " this is training for when you become the queen of the Butterfly Kingdom and what do you mean by so many papers, there are in fact fewer than normal and they have always been absurd princess Star."
"No, when Marco... was my squire, there were usually about 15 now there's like 10 times that."
"I'm positive nothing has changed other than the fact, you are doing them at 10 o'clock rather than 6 o'clock," Manfred stated.
"No, I have always done them at 10 o'clock, almost right after breakfast," Star stated firmly, "and you better watch that passive-aggressive tone, Manfred!" Star threatened.
Manfred bowed instantly "I'm very sorry, I didn't intend to come across as such, please forgive me" Manfred didn't sound afraid, he sounded satisfied like: this is how a royal act.
Star didn't like how he sounded. But she knew it was an overreaction on her part. "I'm sorry Manfred, I shouldn't take my stress out on you," Star said apologetically.
"Oh no, Princess Star you are not in the wrong, it was all me," Manfred stated.
"If you say so, but what do you mean I did it at 6 o'clock," Star said not convinced.
"Well, the former royal squire asked for all of the minor requests to be ready at 6 o'clock every day and as such he receives them at your desired time..." Manfred tilted his head in thought and mumbled. " Begins at 10 o'clock... but received them at 6 o'clock... normally had about 15 requests." Manfreds face suddenly turned sour, "That leech used the authority of a princess without the permission of the queen, king or the princess herself. How dare he, such insolence, I-I I will report this immediately."
"Wait, you have the wrong idea!" Star shouted after Manfred, but he was to riled up to hear her. He ran out of the room, Star still shouting " Manfred come back here, Manfreeeeeed!"
Star tried to get up from her chair, but she was chained to the chair from her arms. It was so Star couldn't run from her training. But she needed to stop Manfred, at all cost. She tried to grab her wand, but it was just out off her reach.
"screw it!" Star shouted and turned to her butterfly form. She used one of her 4 free arms to shot glowworm bombs. It exploded and destroyed the desk, chair and all of the papers. Star reverted back and admired her work, she essentially just blew up all her homework and that felt great. However her bliss ended quickly after she remembered that she needed to stop Manfred, but first, she needed her wand and it was of course in all of the rubles. After finding her wand, she ran after him, but couldn't find him anywhere.
"Okay Star, time to use your brain," Star said loudly to no one in particular.
"Manfred wanted to report this, so it has to be my mom or dad", Star thought.
Star decided to head to her mother's office. When she reached the stairs, she heard footsteps leading downstairs. And she went after the sounds.
Star ran downstairs and saw a male humanoid figure on his way down to the foot of the stairs, she pointed her wand behind her and shot a magic beam to fly over him and landed perfectly in front of him.
"Stop Manfred, Marco didn't do any-" Star stopped mid-sentence. She was in front of Marco.
Star was frozen and so was the boy. Star's mind was racing, but that came to a halt when the boy shouted: "Zip it!"
"B-but I didn't say anything," Star said quietly and confused.
Marco began to stutter "Y-yeah, b-b-but... uuh." Marco took a deep breath. "You were about to, weren't you?" Star nodded as a response, her hands behind her back holding her wand. "Don't, there's nothing to say, save your breath, princess Star,"
"No, there's a lot to be said," Star corrected. "I need to say-"
"Star your wrong, I gave you a chance and you threw that out. You needed to read one book and apologize and we could have started over, but I guess our friendship was only half a book worth.
Star began to cry. "T-that's not true, I gave up my wand for our friendship," She desperately retorted.
"And I, my home, my life, my happiness, but not for our friendship but for you and soon I'll also give up my humanity, however, after that there's no more and I'm finally gonna be completely free," Marco said.
Star rubbed her eyes"W-what do you mea-" Star didn't finish as soon as she opened her eyes, he was gone. Star looked around and saw his red hoodie turn a corner. Star ran past the corner and there was no one, only paintings.
Star broke down, she began to cry loudly into her hands.
I wish everyone a Happy New Year.