The Once and Future Queen
Chapter 4
Open to New Experiences
The entire M.R.C. was buzzing as Mewmans hurried through the busy streets towards Butterfly Castle. It was still rather early in the morning with the early dew fresh against the rooftops, and the sun's light a freshly minted orange against a violet streaked sky, but nearly everyone in the village was awake regardless. Today was a day unlike any other, and as such, it required the attendance of everyone available. To include the newly appointed 'Guides of Earth'.
As Marco and Jackie, both dressed in their vastly different work attire, made their way through the village, the small settlement seemed to come to life before them. People began pushing and shoving for the fastest means of getting to the Castle's entrance, while others seemed to stroll their way through the busy streets. Marco, being human, wasn't exactly allowed unrestricted access to the settlement before two days ago, so this was still a fairly new experience for him.
Though, in spite of his lack of familiarity with the Center, he knew well that all of the commotion, anxiety, and excitement buzzing from everyone around wasn't a common occurrence. Rather, today was actually the day that Princess Star Butterfly received the royal magic wand from her predecessor, Queen Moon. An honor unsurpassed during any reign, and one of the rarest ceremonies to bear witness to by the Mewman populous.
This was all, of course, explained to Marco in great elation and exasperation by none other than Star herself. How something so grand and rare could be boring and tedious was beyond him, but from her point of view, the ceremony was little more than a hindrance in getting the greatest gift of her lifetime.
Jackie nudged Marco's arm as they walked through the M.R.C., drawing his attention from the jostling and murmuring crowd. "Hey, sooo, did you call Penelope yet?" she asked, a wide grin beaming on her face. Marco gave her a sheepish shrug and continued walking as he muttered "Not yet. I was going to call her this morning and ask if she'd be at the ceremony, but then I found out that I would have to be a part of it, so I figured I'd see her if I see her," he said with another resigned shrug. Jackie looked at him, beside herself with such a dispirited response.
"Dudeee. I practically gift-wrapped a cute, nice, intelligent, funny girl for you to get to know, and you don't even call her the night after she gives you her number?" she demanded. He could only fumble for a response as they skirted around a fruit stand.
"What? Is that bad or something? I just didn't want to bother her with dumb conversation." Jackie merely shook her head at the blatant clueless nature of one of her best friends. "Dude, you gotta let her know you're interested. You should totally bother her with dumb questions and junk. Show her she's on your mind, that you're seeking her company, and that she's important to your day to day life," she explained.
"Well, I mean it's not that serious yet, Jackie," Marco returned, "But you might have a point. If I don't see her at the ceremony, I'll call her right after… and maybe set up a date."
"Yeah, you friggin better," Jackie jested, playfully slugging Marco on the arm. The two walked in silence for another moment, but once more Jackie spoke up, tossing him a sideways glance. "What does Star think of all this, by the way?"
She couldn't tell much by Marco's expression, which remained somewhat stoic in the morning light as they weaved through the crowd, but his answer seemed to tell her enough. "I don't know, I didn't ask her. Though I feel like she wouldn't care too much if I date a different princess."
"Is that her demon boyfriend talking, or what?" Jackie asked with a cocked brow. Marco laughed at that and shook his head before he finally answered. "No no, she's actually genuinely nice, and she's a really good friend of mine, so I feel like she'd just be happy that I'm happy, you know?"
Jackie smirked at him and shrugged slowly, resting her hands in her pockets. "Remember what I said about a girl always knowing what another girl is thinking, Diaz," she chided, "I don't think much has changed in the last twenty-four hours, regardless of mister demon prince."
"Uh-huh," Marco answered, pursing his lips and giving her an exaggerated nod, "Well, I'll definitely keep that in mind, but for now, I think I'll just worry about the princess from another dimension that isn't dating someone."
"Just saying, pretty unfair they all chase after you, and you're too clueless to chase back" Jackie mused aloud as they neared their destination. "C'est la vie, mon ami," he sighed back to her with a mock grin.
The streets were getting more and more congested, with villagers and carriages blocking every available path. Although this type of traffic was to be expected, it wasn't something Marco had planned on dealing with when in a settlement lacking cars.
Finally, after several minutes of weaving through crowds, Marco and Jackie emerged into the busy, bustling Capitol Square to find many of the royals and nobles from the Selection waiting among the castle steps. In much the same manner, they had specific seating lining the walkway, with members of the royal families seated at the top, all leading up to the massive, looming wooden doors of castle butterfly.
"Woah," was all Jackie could manage, looking around them at the hundreds of people gathering around to watch, "looks like you and I are supposed to be up there," she stated, pointing up at the top. Marco craned his neck to look and found himself making eye contact with a very excited noble waving his arms for them to hurry.
"Do you think he sees us?" Marco asked in a whisper as they began making their way towards the stairs. Jackie stifled a laugh and shook her head, whispering back "I think it's a safe bet he does. I'd be more concerned about her, though, if I were you." Marco made to ask what she was talking about, but one look up at the looming castle doors told him everything. Though they were only open a crack, he could easily make out Star's ecstatic grin and sparkling eyes, even from the lower levels of the square. He couldn't help but smile as they climbed the stairs, approached excitedly by Reynard while Star quickly rushed back inside the castle.
"Marco! Jackie! It's truly a thrill to see you both here for Stars' Wand Receiving Ceremony!" Reynard exclaimed, pulling the two in for a hug before ushering them towards the seats. "Of course!" Marco answered, taking his seat between the two, "we wouldn't miss it for the world."
"Plus, it's kind of our job to be here anyway," Jackie admitted, nodding her head to the fanfare in front of them. The show was nearing its start and many of the surrounding Mewmans and nobles were beginning to organize themselves.
"Oh pish posh," Reynard whispered to them, a small grin evident on his face, "I'd sooner believe Marcos answer, Miss Thomas, but good effort! I know too well how fondly Star holds the two of you. I know she's thrilled that you could make it and... liven things up, even if only slightly."
Marco tore himself from the showy presentation before them for only a moment to catch that last line from Reynard. 'liven things up… what does he mean by that?' he thought to himself, before quickly being interrupted by the regal and very formal voice of Queen Moon Butterfly. Marco, as well as everyone within eyesight, immediately turned to look at the speaker of the land, who was standing front and center, with King River to her left.
"People of Mewni, and esteemed Guides of Earth," Moon began, holding out a hand for silence, "I know many of you were not expecting to be called to this ceremony on such short notice, but in contrast, I am very pleased to have the privilege and ability to host such a ceremony despite the circumstances."
Marco heard the crowd around him whispering uneasily, but Moon continued despite the unsure words. "We have had to endure much, as a people, for these last few years. And it is because of those hardships, that I have chosen to postpone my daughter's inheritance of the wand. But no longer will she, nor you, people of Mewni, have to wait!" she exclaimed, suddenly thrusting her hands upward as the crowd erupted in applause and fanfare.
Marco felt a small nudge to his left and turned to see Reynard giving him wide eyes, a massive grin, and a pair of thumbs high in the air. That was his oh-so-subtle cue to get moving. Without a word, Marco rose from his chair and began making his way to his predetermined spot, all eyes on him as he did so.
"My fellow Mewmans, although I am excited to usher in the next age of our future reigning queen," Moon announced, taking a step forward and producing the Royal Magic Wand with a ripple of purple magic, "I have ultimately decided upon a gesture of good faith towards our human neighbors. Marco Diaz, please step forward."
Marco did as he was told, walking somewhat stiffly up to her majesty and kneeling before her. "Princess Star Butterfly," Moon announced, turning to face Marco, and the castle behind him, "please step forward." All eyes turned towards the oak doors of Castle Butterfly, and from the gap between them walked Star, dressed in her favorite blue Victorian-era dress, and looking extremely pained with the simple process of walking.
Each step she took, Marco figured, was like a nail in the coffin for the princess. He knew better than just about anyone that this entire event was basically torture for Star, for a number of reasons, but the two of them knew that this was something they had to endure for the sake of the people. So for now, it was grin and bear it, or no wand.
After a solid minute of uncomfortable walking, Star arrived at the center of the stage and stood behind a kneeling Marco. Moon smiled at her daughter, along with River, nearly getting lost in the moment, if not for Marcos reminding cough. "Right, of course," she whispered, "As we find ourselves in a new land, shown to us by new people that we bring into our homes, I have decided that it would only be right for one of Earths finest to deliver the wand to its new wielder."
Marco could hear words of unease from all around them being whispered, from thoughts of a downgrade in their queen to the idea that the kingdom was no longer in safe hands now that Star held the wand. He had no choice but to ignore them as he was certain many others were. "Rise, Guide Marco Diaz, and help carry our kingdom forward," Moon commanded.
Without a word, Marco stood up slowly, taking gentle hold of the wand from the queen. The entire M.R.C. became as silent as a graveyard as her highness released her grip, allowing Marco to fully grasp the sacred heirloom. He could feel its power through his gloves, and without missing a beat, slowly turned to face Star.
To his surprise, she was completely still and was wearing a face similar to the Mona Lisa, despite the circumstances and her usual nature. Calm, confident, and patient were all qualities she had somehow adopted within the past twelve hours, and Marco felt a contagious wave of serenity spreading from his new friend. "Are you ready?" he whispered to her.
Moon watched carefully, looking for any cracks in her daughter's facade, but none could be seen. Star merely smiled with all the regality of a princess and nodded slowly. "I am, Marco. Let's get this pony show over with, shall we?" she asked in a singsong voice, never breaking character
"There it is," Marco mused, holding the wand out to her with a smile, "I'm surprised you haven't exploded yet."
Star internally fumed at his jab, but a small cough from Moon reminded her of her situation. She returned Marcos smile with one of her own, and slowly took hold of the Royal Magic Wand. Once her fingers laced around its hilt, Marco released the powerful artifact and rose, stepping back and allowing Queen Moon to speak.
"People of Mewni and Earth alike," she began, turning to face the masses that now looked on in excitement, "I present to you, the future Queen of Mewni and our guiding light in a sea of darkness, Star Butterfly!"
As if on cue, the wand began to light up a brilliant white in Stars hands, filling the entire square and blanketing everything around it in its magnificent radiance, but her expression wasn't the cordial excitement it had been moments ago. Now, Star looked at the beaming artifact in her hands as if it were her own headstone. 'Guiding…light?' she thought to herself.
Marco and everyone around him shielded their eyes from the blazing sight as Star could only watch in mute surprise. Before her very eyes, the wand took on a new shape, changing from a simple golden rod capped in a blue heart, to a purple shaft with a large, star-studded bulb at the end.
Now freed from her prior trance, Star screeched and brought the artifact closer to her face as two small wings sprouted from either side of the bulb, flapping several times before spreading wide around the star-shaped gem. She beamed Marco a smile, one which he eagerly returned before attempting to return to his seat.
"And where might you be off to young lad?" River asked in a voice almost quiet enough to go unnoticed. Marco turned about to answer, but Moon waved to the hundreds of Mewmans gathered around the castle entrance, announcing "This marks the end of the ceremony, and the beginning of a new, brighter era, under our shining Star."
Before he could even react, River had both Marco and Star in a tight hug as the crowds around them began to mingle and disperse. "My word! To see the two of you before our entire populous, and not even breaking a sweat! I knew you made a good choice, Star! This man suits you well!" He announced with a wide grin. Star couldn't help but return the enthusiastic attitude, but Marco blushed madly at the comment, wriggling away from the Bear King as he struggled to explain the situation.
"It's not like that y-your majesty, I swear I would never-" he began before River stopped him with a hard pat on the back. "Not to worry, dear boy, you already have my blessing, I wouldn't dream of-"
"River! You unhand those two at once, we're standing before the entire M.R.C. you know," Moon scolded, as she sent hot glares his way. River gave her a sheepish grin and stepped aside, gesturing to Star and Marco. "But Moonpie, I was just congratulating the two of them for-" he began, but once again Moon cut him off with a terse whisper as she shuffled him away from the teens.
"Darling right now isn't the time for any of that. Star has bigger things to focus on than boys, especially given the circumstances of her most recent…suitor," she explained in a hushed tone. River stroked his beard and nodded, tossing Marco a subtle glance. "I suppose you're right, dearest. But I'm putting thirty crowns on the young lad in red."
Opposite the stage to the royal wagers, Star eyed her wand with the excitement of a mad scientist, eager to experiment no matter the side effects. As she ran her fingers along its wings, she smiled at Marco, practically brimming with ideas. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Star asked in a voice as smooth as silk, betraying her frenzied expression.
Marco swallowed hard and held up two hands in defense. "I'm not thinking about blowing up the city, or creating an army of mutant tacos, so...probably not," he answered as he took a few steps back, bumping into Reynard and Jackie.
"Star! How does it feel to hold the most powerful weapon in the multiverse?" Reynard asked, "Our enemy's greatest fear now rests comfortably in your hands."
There it was again, the expectations that came with the gift. Star merely grinned wickedly at him and rubbed the bulb of her wand. "It feels reeeaaally good," she cackled, giving Marco and Jackie goosebumps, "I uhh, can't wait to lead Mewni to a brighter future!"
"So long as you don't burn it down," Reynard quipped with an entertained smirk.
"Welp that sounds like our cue to get to safety," Jackie prompted, taking hold of Marcos collar and quickly pulling him towards the lower stands. But Marco was almost immediately surprised to feel another set of hands grabbing his own and fighting Jackie's pull. Star was holding him in place without much struggle, and she didn't look happy at all.
"Where are you guys going?" she asked, somewhat disconcerted by her best friend's early departure, and his apparent willingness to comply with it. "I was hoping we could test this baby out, ya know, see what it can really do." Marco made to think of an excuse, some reason at all to get out of it. He had seen the kind of reckless, destructive power Star was capable of on her own twice now. The thought of it being turbocharged by a magic wand? That was the stuff of nightmares.
"Well… I was thinking," Marco began, shifting his gaze from Star, to Reynard, to Jackie, and back. He sighed, defeated, and completely void of ideas. "I have to make a phone call first, but… I'd love to test it out with you, Star."
Grinning wickedly, she could barely hold her excitement at the prospect of getting to show her guide something in return for all he had shown her. In short, she was going to blow. His. Mind.
Reynard gave him a thumbs up and a wide grin before stealing Star away to 'prepare' for a short excursion, giving the two humans a moment alone to finish their business. "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Jackie asked, her eyes overselling her worry, but Marco simply shook his head and took out his cell phone.
"Trust me, Jackie, if this goes how I think it will, you'll thank me later. You'll probably see me on the news, alongside the rest of her...aftermath."
"Point taken," the surfer mumbled before both of them took a seat. Marco didn't like the idea of leaving Jackie behind, but Star could be rash, reckless, and naive at the best of times. He just didn't have the capacity to keep an eye on both of them when things inevitably got out of control, which wasn't a mark against his bestie, just the simple truth.
Without another word on the subject, Marco dialed the number from a small slip of paper into his phone and waited while it rang. Jackie immediately perked up upon hearing the chimes beep, fully aware of what was potentially happening next.
"Hey! Penelope!" Marco exclaimed, surprising Jackie before she began leaning closer to hear the conversation better. "Yeah! Yeah, it's me! Sorry, I didn't call earlier, I wasn't sure if I'd see you at… ohhhh, that makes sense."
Jackie frowned at him and tapped her ear, hinting that she couldn't hear what her assigned Princess was saying. Marco grinned and rolled his eyes before tapping the speaker button, allowing Penelope's voice to break through for her to hear, continuing as if nothing had happened.
"So what's up on your side of the Center?" Penelope asked in a soft voice, making Marco's cheeks blush in response to his audience's wide grin. "Ahem, ahh, not much. Just watched Star get her wand, so now her and I are gonna go test it out somewhere."
"That sounds like fun. I wish I could go with you guys. I've been soooo bored today."
Jackie raised an eyebrow at him as if to ask where she had been that morning, to which Marco mouthed back "family." He made to offer some gesture of goodwill towards her absence, but before he could, Jackie seemed to egg him on further towards his original goal.
"Hey, um, listen," he began, his voice straining to get the words out through his nervous smile, "I was wondering, are you...free tonight?" The phone remained silent for a moment, both Marco and Jackie holding their breath in wait. But just as Marco began to worry that he might be making a mistake, Penelope finally spoke, her voice as smooth as silk.
"Are you asking me that to make small talk, or are you asking this lovely princess if she'd be willing to spend her night with you?"
Marco's cheeks burned at the question, with Jackie eyeing him attentively as he struggled to find an answer to Penelope's more direct question. "Well I was just- I was thinking-" he sighed and smiled behind closed eyes, his blush never fading, "Yes...do you want to go on a date tonight?"
Jackie held her breath, much the same as Marco before the Penelope giggled from the other end of the line. "Well I might have to move around my super busy schedule, maybe cancel some other dates, but I might, probably, perhaps, ABSOLUTELY LOVE THAT!" she finished with a yell, scaring Marco into dropping his phone with alarmed eyes. Fumbling to recover it as Jackie pumped her fists in the air, he managed to answer, desperate to keep his train of thought.
"A-Awesome! I-I can c-come by this evening and pick you up," he answered with a grin, "Would you be alright with dinner? Maybe some dancing?"
"I'd love that. I'll be in the square at seven, and Marco?" she asked, drawing every ounce of his attention to her, "Don't keep your princess waiting."
"Wouldn't dream of it, Penelope," Marco chuckled back, his cheeks ablaze with redness. However, before any further remarks could be shared, Jackie tapped her wrist and pointed a thumb toward an approaching Reynard and Star. "Hey, Star and I are about to head out, but I'll see you tonight, okay?" he offered as the two stood up to greet their returning friends.
"Haha, okay Marco, I'll see you tonight. Tell Star I said hi!" Penelope answered before the two ended their call. As Marco hung up his phone, he glanced at Jackie, who wore the smuggest grin he'd ever seen in the years he'd known her.
"What?" he asked, shooting her an amused smirk, "I said I'd do it, and now your buddy Marco has a date tonight."
"That he does. You can thank me at any time, really," Jackie shot back, rolling her eyes, "I always knew you had it in you though."
"Do my own ears deceive me now," Reynard suddenly asked from between them, looking quite shocked at Marco, "Have you found a romantic partner to share the evening with?" Star appeared by his side, now dressed in her usual green and rainbow sleeveless dress, and looking extremely invested in the conversation.
"I uhhhh," Marco's eyes darted from Reynard to Jackie, and finally fell on Star, whose expression was completely blank. "Yeah, I have a date with Penelope tonight. I hope that's not breaking any rules."
"Nonsense, Marco. I can assure you that dating a princess, is not off-limits," Reynard announced with a surpressed grin directed at the group. "In fact, congratulations are well within order," he finished with a small clap shared with Jackie.
"I ACTUALLY HAVE A DATE TONIGHT TOO," Star blurted out loudly, before quickly covering her mouth, her eyes wide in surprise at her own words. She wasn't sure exactly where the outburst had come from, but hearing of Marco and Penelope having a date made her chest tight in the oddest of ways.
"Really?" Jackie asked, breaking the short awkward silence, "You guys should totally do a double date or something! It could be fun!"
With everyone's attention, Star began to fumble for words as she ran her fingers through her hair. "Well, I mean...maybe not a double date, Toms not really a people person..."
"That's alright, Star. Maybe we can all meet in the square at seven and judge each other's outfits," Marco joked, "Or at the very least have a fun little sendoff."
"Yeah, that sounds great, I'll have to let Tom know," Star answered with a wide, cracked grin. Jackie and Reynard exchanged a knowing glance before giving their companions a hearty goodbye, and promptly excusing themselves for the morning.
"Sooo, where exactly are we going?" Marco asked, adjusting his sword and giving Star an inquisitive glance. In response, she merely flashed him a wicked grin and produced her pair of dimensional scissors, promptly cutting open a portal and taking a step back. "Someplace super duper cool, but out of the way so I can practice a bit."
Marco gave her an uneasy look and glanced around at the M.R.C. town square. It seemed like everyone had gone off to do something else with their time, leaving him and the now magically charged princess alone. "Your mom mentioned someone named Glossaryck yesterday, shouldn't we go get him? I feel like he's kinda important in terms of training."
"He's…" Star struggled to find the right word to describe her eccentric instructor without seeming too harsh or dismissive. "He's a lot to handle all at once. I'd rather my first go around with the wand be on my own. With my trusted guide too though," she quickly added, drawing an inquisitive glance from the boy in question.
After a few seconds of silence, Marco let his shoulders sag under the impregnable smile he was besieged by. "Okay, but promise me this won't be like your first visit to Earth, okay? I don't want this spiraling out of control the first time we get to go someplace new."
"Don't worrrrryyyy, Marco," Star assured as she ushered him through the swirling teal portal, "I promise it'll be fun."
With that, she stood to the side, and let Marco gasp at the new surroundings they were met with. "Oh...my...God," Marco whispered, letting his jaw drop.
From where the portal had left them, they now stood on a small plateau dotted with stone hills and covered with grass in the midst of some sort of canyon. It was unnaturally vast, rivaling even the Grand Canyon to the east of California. He'd never been, but as he gazed at his surroundings, enraptured by its raw natural beauty, he was sure this place had it beat. The small plateau they stood upon was at least two thousand feet up, the edge beneath them having a jagged rock face of varying minerals and towers of purple amethyst jutting out from various outcroppings.
Far, far below, there was a winding river of orange liquid carving its way through the rocks, but looking up bestowed him with a sight unlike anything on Earth. There were other flat-topped rock formations varying in size from mountainous to several acres large and tied together by thick vines, hovering in the air. He could make out glowing purple crystals at the bottom that hung down like stalactites, looming dangerously like jagged chandeliers.
"Star… what-"
"Pretty cool place, huh?" She asked with a confident grin as she twirled her scissors and put them away. "It's called The Platform Canyon. Totally deserted, nothing crazy, and the coolest place to practice a few spells."
Marco rubbed his eyes and looked back out to ensure he was actually seeing the landscape correctly, and when his vision held true, he turned to Star in shock. "Star this place is amazing! I've never seen anything like this!"
"Told ya I'd show you something awesome," she quipped. Star immediately skipped along the edge of their private field as she turned back with a wild grin. "C'mon, I'll give you a quick tour of the place and we can find a good spot to practice." Marco seemed hesitant about the odd scenario and the seemingly precarious mountains hovering above him, but nonetheless, followed Star along the ledge.
"So, you're probably wondering, 'Star? How do those rocks float like that?' right?" she asked in a mocking tone. "Well, you see the purple glowy ones at the bottom? Those are called Gravity Crystals. They used to be underground in this giant canyon. But since they're magic, gravity works the opposite for them. All these floating mountains used to be in the ground, but eventually, they broke free thanks to the stones. People like using them to make flying boats and stuff, but I think they make awesome upside-down jewelry."
Marco dared a nervous peek over the edge, and immediately found himself regretting it as he lurched back in a mad crab-walk. "Star, we're really, really high up," he muttered uneasily.
She gave him a quick glance, eager to keep the tour going, but upon seeing him so uncomfortable, directed his attention toward a rock formation fifty yards away. "It's no problem, we can practice over there," she announced as they began making their way over. The grass seemed taller the closer they got toward the middle, but Marco was just happy to ignore the height they now resided at. "I think this'll be a good spot to try some spells out."
Marco gawked at the gravity-defying stones chained together with roots and plants all around them, as Star knelt down and poked a red lily, causing it to retract into its own stem.
"Okay," she announced, standing up quickly and dusting off her dress, "let's start with something simple." Marco took several preemptive steps back and sat down on a mossy boulder as Star pointed her wand forward and recited her first spell.
"Sparkling kitten cluster bomb!" She yelled, twirling with all the grace of a dancer and pointing her wand skyward. But nothing happened. The quiet, serene wind continued to blow across the small plateau of the rock as Star slowly examined her stance.
"What's wrong?" Marco asked from his perch, "did you say it wrong or something?" Star gave her wand a couple of knocks before readying herself once more, answering with, "I don't know, I thought I did it right. Maybe my stance was wrong?"
Trying once more, Star spread her feet a little wider upon finishing her twirl and extended her arm further. But again, there was no magic. "What the heck, I just got this thing" Star grumbled. Marco rubbed his neck and stood, giving her a sympathetic shrug. "Well, while you figure out why the magic trans-dimensional artifact is on the fritz, I'm gonna go have a look around."
Star frowned and let her shoulders sag. "Okay, well, don't go too far okay? I'd hate for you to miss something amazing!" As Marco walked away, Star tried once more to cast a spell, even something simple. "Spider with a top hat blast!"
She expected at least the entertaining little spider to appear, but nothing. Not even a little poof of an attempt. "The heck is wrong with this thing," she grumbled. Her plan of impressing Marco was fading fast. "Strawberry shake quake!" she yelled, getting ever more irritated by the moment, "Warnicorn stampede!"
"Dusty Tumbleweed Hurricane!"
"Crystal Dagger Heart Attack!"
After several failed attempts to even conjure so much as a speck of glitter, Star groaned in contempt and flopped on her back among the red lilies. As the flowers promptly shrunk into themselves, she puffed a stray strand of blonde hair out of her face and glared at the sky.
"I finally get the wand, and a chance to blow Marco's mind, and the stupid thing doesn't want to work," she mumbled sourly as the breeze washing over the plateau seemed to mock her with its tranquility. "So much for an equal exchange for being queen." As she lay there, her mind began to wander to the high expectations her people held for her, and more importantly, what they would resort to if she was powerless against the enemy.
Mewni didn't need a Queen that couldn't use the wand. And it certainly didn't need a Queen like her if that was the case. Without bothering to speak the incantation, Star waved the wand once more only to earn nothing in the form of magic.
"UGHH!" she groaned aloud, rubbing her temples in frustration. "How does my mom use this stupid thing?" After a short moment of no response, Star closed her eyes and pointed the wand straight up, focusing on her breathing and clearing her thoughts. Only the sound of the wind and the steady thump-thump of her heartbeat ringing in her ears could be heard.
"Honeybee Tornado…" she began to whisper, but her heartbeat seemed to reign supreme in her ears. It was now so prominent she could feel the thump-thump in her chest and head.
Star quickly opened her eyes, glaring at the sky before sitting up rapidly. The thumping continued, and it seemed to only get louder. "What the…" Star wondered aloud before Marco came roaring through the flowers, only stopping to grab her wrist and yank her to her feet. "We gotta run, now!" he yelled, not bothering to wait for an answer.
The thumping was now so loud, it shook the ground as the two took off running. Daring a quick glance back, Star saw a giant hand attached to an arm as thick as an Ironwood tree and covered in mossy white hair that hung in clumps slam hard into the ground, throwing up dirt and flora as it pulled the rest of its body over the steep hill and into view.
It was massive, at least four stories tall, and ripping into the rock beneath it in an attempt to move faster. The thing was covered in long, white hair that obscured them from making out its exact shape, all except for it's beady, bloodshot red eyes that poked through the mop-like fur in rage.
"What the hell is that thing?!" Star yelled over the thunderous sound of it's massive body as she and Marco neared the edge of the Plateau. "You mean you don't know?!" Marco shouted back, "I thought you said this place had 'nothing crazy', and was 'totally deserted!'"
They both skidded to a stop at the edge of the floating mountain, daring a look over their shoulders at the beast and deciding it best to find a way down. "It's supposed to be," Star yelled in frustration as the two began climbing down a thick ladder of vines and rock, "What did you do to piss it off?"
Marco made to answer, but small boulders began to rain down around them as the beast met the ledge of the plateau and began angrily roaring at their escape. "I was just grabbing some of the floating rocks! Apparently, it didn't like that!" Marco yelled as they scrambled onto a lower plain and made a run for it. "Can't you just use the wand and blow it up? Like a small spell to make it disappear or something?"
"I'm not a magician Marco it doesn't work like that!" She answered as they ran, "And no, I can't get the wand to work! The stupid thing's broken!" Marco made to press further but the ground beneath them jolted violently, knocking them to the ground in a tangle of limbs. Rising first and turning around, Marco saw the beast had jumped from the higher platform and landed hard on theirs, already beginning its stampede.
Looking around, Marco spotted a small cave opening in a rocky hillside close to them and pulled Star with him as he bolted for it. "The wand literally worked half an hour ago when you got it! How is it already broken?!" Marco yelled above the noise.
"I don't know, okay! I just got it, and it doesn't cast any of the spells I know about!" Star yelled back in ragged response.
The roaring and stomping were so loud now, Marco couldn't even hear her over the massive creature's thundering movement. Just when he was sure it was right on top of them, they dove through the small opening and into a dimly lit hole in the rocks barely larger than a garage.
Marco pushed Star to the farthest corner and drew his sword, standing at the ready as the noise increased just outside the cave. The space suddenly shook violently, throwing him and Star to the ground as he assumed the beast had tried breaking through the cliff, but the rocks held firm to their relief. He watched with rigid nerves as the entrance to the cave suddenly grew dim, and the giant's arms snaked its way through the hole.
"Keep away from the opening!" He yelled to Star as he drove his sword down into the massive hand, the polished steel suddenly drawing a sputtering of blue blood as it bit through thick flesh. The beast roared so loud it shook the walls of the cave as Marco drew back with his sword and covered his ears.
The two watched as the hand withdrew rapidly and the beasts thundering footsteps seemed to retreat a short distance. After a nerve-racking, silent few moments, Marco assumed it had wandered off and dared a slow glance around the corner of the entrance, only to see the monstrous creature nursing its hand a hundred yards away, its eyes locked with his.
"Well, now would be a good time to portal back home," Marco suggested, sheathing his sword and walking unsteadily back to Star. But he noticed her face had gone pale, and her eyes were now as wide as silver dollars. "What?" He asked shortly.
"Remember how we used to have dimensional scissors?" Star asked in a meek voice, daring a broken smile at her guide.
"No…" The word slithered through Marco's lips as an icy chill ran up his spine. "No way. You did not."
"I might've dropped them when that thing jumped from the higher mountain," she stated, her voice barely above a whisper.
Marco stared at her for a moment before approaching slowly, his expression never wavering. "Marco?" Star asked, now getting worried. This was usually the part when her mother would explode and reprimand her for hours over her failures. But to her releif, it didn't come. And to Marcos deteiment, it was time to show off his patience.
He plopped down in the dirt beside her and shook his head, staring up at the ceiling. "It's alright. We still have the wand, and we can try to summon something to outrun it. Let's just not lose our heads, okay?"
"But, the wand is broken," Star mumbled. Marco leaned back, resting on the rocks. "Right, forgot about that," he chuckled with an absent-minded smirk, "well, it's either the wand, or we can wait it out. Either way, we aren't going anywhere for awhile, I guess."
A few muted moments rolled by with the beast outside occasionally strolling to a new vantage point to watch the cave before Star looked over at Marco. He looked like he was sleeping with his legs crossed and his eyes closed as his hands rested on his knees.
"Marco?" She whispered, poking his arm.
"Yeah?" He answered immediately, not moving a muscle. Star gave him a perplexed look and asked, "What uh...what are you doing?"
"I'm meditating. It's good for the body and mind when you're stressed. You should try it," Marco answered back, his tone calm and steady, as soft as velvet. Star looked him up and down, figuring she didn't have anything better to do and decided what the heck. Folding her legs Indian-style and resting her hands on her knees, Star closed her eyes and did her best to calm down.
"Focus your breathing, and concentrate on the flow of energy within you," Marco added softly, "What do you normally do when you're stressed?"
"Go out for drinks, party with my friends, fight monsters. That kinda thing."
Marco paused for a moment, cracking one eye open to chance a look at Star and seeing her smiling blissfully. "Oookay, tell me about Mewni. What's home like for you?"
Star giggled softly and shook her head. "My home's Earth, Marco. But Mewni...Mewni was different. What humans say is ancient history is what we lived in." Star thought on that for a moment, deciding it wasn't quite right. "Okay well, we could go to other dimensions with better technology, but for the most part, we lived without it. It was nice."
Marco opened his eyes and looked over at Star. He expected her to be much calmer and blissful after talking about home, but he found only a frown adorning her usually cheerful face. "I never really heard the full story about what happened there. Do you want to talk about it?"
Star leaned back and frowned at the ceiling of the cave as if it guarded the answers to all her problems. "Not really. I mean, there's not much to say. Monsters, those guys that fought us yesterday, they've been getting the short stick for hundreds and hundreds of years. They finally decided they'd had enough, so they declared war. We fought a good fight, but...somehow they were always a step ahead of us." Stars glare seemed to intensify as she went on, captivating Marcos undivided attention.
"They moved around every blockade, knew about every spy, every scouting camp. They knew about raids we hadn't even finished planning yet. We tried to keep up, to get the upper hand… but they overwhelmed us. Their leader, Toffee, I heard he was a force of nature. Everywhere he went, people died. No prisoners, no mercy. And then he would disappear until the next battle. Even my mom couldn't stop them."
Star took a shaky breath and steadied herself somewhat. "We had no choice but to leave, and that's where you met Reynard and I. He was a scout for a new home, and we decided that Earth was the best bet."
Marco leaned back and rested his head on the rocks, staring up at the ceiling with Star. "Star, I'm so sorry. I knew things were bad but...man."
"It's alright," she answered sullenly, "I feel like things worked out okay in the end. After all, I got to meet you, and Jackie, and you got to meet Penelope." Marco could swear her voice got dryer as she finished that sentiment, but decided to ignore it.
"Still," he whispered. "That's a lot to go through."
"Tell me about it. And my people think I'm supposed to be the next queen to lead us to a 'brighter future', and 'restore Mewni to its rightful place', but… Marco, I can't even use the wand. My mom wants me to start training now and start learning to be the perfect queen and do things better than her but, honestly? I don't know if I can do any of that."
In truth, the grim reality of her future had been eating at her since they had fled to Earth. But saying it out loud, to her best friend, it made things a little better. Marco reached out and gently took hold of Star's hand before resuming his meditating. Star chanced a look at him and decided to follow suit, closing her eyes and breathing slowly.
"I know things might seem overwhelming, Star," Marco began, giving her hand a squeeze, "like the whole world is weighing you down, making it hard to breathe. Your family, your people, they have high expectations for you as a ruler, a leader, a magic-user. But what you're forgetting is that when the time comes, you'll be in charge. You'll be queen, and you can do your job however you want. You can take your time, and do things your way, and everyone who doesn't like it can screw off."
"Well, I might still need you to be my guide, even then," Star admitted with a sly grin, chancing a quick glimpse with one eye at his reaction to her words.
Marco couldn't help but smile and laugh at that. "You got it, Star. But remember, you have time to learn how to use the wand. More importantly, you have time to become someone bigger than the person you are today. That's just growing up, you know? Don't let it scare the one and only Star Butterfly."
"Thank you, Marco," she offered quietly.
"For what?" He asked, the both of them ignoring the shifting creature outside. She smiled at nothing and let out a blissful sigh. "For being my friend. When my mom first told me about the whole 'guide' thing, I thought to myself, 'whoever my mom picks is gonna be some stiff slimeball who just cares about the job'. But you're nothing like that. You're like, amazing."
Star withheld any mention of her tight-chested feelings towards him any time Penelope was involved, and any notion of what her father boasted about that morning, but she truly meant every word. Marco was a boy she'd met all of three days ago, and already he was her closest friend.
"Anyways, enough about me," Star announced nudging Marco's arm playfully, "What about you? What's your future like? Besides being my best friend."
Once again Marco couldn't help but laugh out loud. "You know, before I met you two years ago-" Marco began, but was promptly interrupted by Star. "Sorry about that by the way, I got a little carried away, I'd never been to Earth before, and I was like, suuuper excited."
Marco waved it off with a chuckle and continued, smiling to himself as they meditated. "Before I met you two years ago, I wasn't at all like I am now. I would have answered with a number of things, like a Karate instructor, or a therapist. But Reynard pushed me to be something more, to step out of my comfort zone, to make something of myself I could only have dreamed of when I was little. Don't take this the wrong way, but… I'm kinda glad you came to Earth."
"Me too," Star answered softly before realizing she was still holding Marco's hand. "Sorry I got us into this mess. I kinda just wanted to show you something cool, since you've shown me a lot of cool things already."
Marco withdrew his hand and leaned back, enjoying the momentary silence the beast seemed to be giving them. "Don't worry. You're like the coolest girl I know, so you don't have to do much."
Star felt her cheeks flush at his admission and made to return one of her own, but a loud boom from outside the cave shattered the magic of the moment, and dragged them both back to the present. Looking outside, they saw the beast had smashed its perch to pebbles and was now lurching closer to the cave, tearing apart the ground beneath it.
"Okay, Star, not to pressure you or anything, but now would be a good time to figure out what's wrong with the wand," Marco suggested before the creature collided with the outside rock face, sending a torrent of dirt and small rocks down upon them. Star looked uneasily toward the entrance before raising her wand, aiming it at the outside disturbance.
"Crystal Dagger Heart Attack!" She yelled aloud, hoping upon hope that the wand would come to her rescue. But no magic came forth. Grunting is frustration, Star seethed at the wand's latest failure as Marco came forth and patted her shoulder.
"It's alright, Star. Try to focus. You can feel the magic inside the wand, you just have to bring it out." Star glared at him and shook her head. "I can't feel any magic, Marco. It's like I'm just holding a fancy stick!"
The cave rocked again as more debris fell, the beast's claws now digging their way through the outside rock face. Marco stared at the wand, then up to Star in surprise. "You can't feel it?" He asked quietly. Star shook her head in annoyance. Marco looked at the wand, then up to her, and guided her into a braced summoning stance.
"What are you-"
"Just breathe Star. Focus on what's in the wand, instead of what you want to come out of it," he suggested in a calm voice, "It's like meditating, focus your energy and look for a foothold in it. I know you can find it." Star could feel the warmth of his hands on her bare shoulders and remembered Marcos meditation from earlier, closing her eyes and focusing on things that made her happy.
'Partying in the bounce lounge with pony, fighting Monsters on Mewni,' Star internally repeated. She felt Marcos warm hands resting on her shoulders as a light blush rose to her cheeks. 'Hanging out with Marco. 'You're like the coolest girl I know-''
Star felt a warmth rising in her chest, and like an answered call, she felt a weighted tingle in her hands. She looked at the wand in front of her, instead of the beast outside the cave, and felt a new weight beyond the ornate object she now held. Closing her eyes, Star whispered a spell as she imagined forcing the warmth in her chest to the wand in her hands.
"Pulverizing Energy Cataclysm."
Marco felt heat from all around, as the wand took on a halo of yellow light. The beast outside grew still as if it sensed the disturbance before the wand cackled with yellow sparks. Without so much as a warning, the air was displaced around the two of them as the wand forced a torrent of yellow magic forward from its crest. It was as loud as a jet engine, making Marco wince at the brilliant light and churning dust storms within the cave.
He could feel the heat of the sun all over his body as it cracked his lips and seared his face, but the noise persisted for only a moment longer. Star was tense as he did his best to brace her, but suddenly, the magic stopped, and the two opened their eyes to see the aftermath.
There was no beast, and there was no cave. The two now stood in a small cove against the cliff side, immediately beside a deep, sizzling trench that led all the way across the plateau and through a nearby floating mountain. As the air rushed back into the space around them, they could smell remnants of burnt hair, and seared flesh, but they were now alone. Star slowly turned to Marco with a grin wider than any he'd ever seen on her before
"Did...you SEEE THAAT!?" she yelled ecstatically, "I did it, Marco! I used the wand! That thing totally just got destroyed! Oh, my corn!"
Marco could only nod and fix his windblown hair back into place, his eyes as wide as dinner plates. "Y-yeah, that was...amazing Star," he breathed, "we s-should, go and find those...scissors now, though."
Star stopped mid celebration and looked at him before nodding with a determined glare. Without another word regarding the stillmolten tench before them, they set out into the field to search for their ticket home.
"Soo, that's the uh… power of the wand?" Marco asked uneasily. Star, still occupied with analyzing every facet of the wands crystal, regarded him with a shrug. "I mean, Maybe? Mom always said it could destroy the entire universe, but I've never seen or heard of anything that would back that up."
Marco let his mind wander to the prospect that what he had just seen wasn't even a fraction of what the wand was capable of, and decided it best not to ask. "Well, I'm just glad you're on my side. I feel bad for any monster that gets in your way," he mused with a chuckle.
Star made to agree, but something inside her had captivated her attention. If that was a spell even a newbie like her could use...what was her mom capable of? And what did the enemy have that made them turn tail and hide in another dimension?
O - O - O - O - O - O - O
As a scarlet portal opened in the town square, Marco and Star stepped through, looking more than bedraggled after their journey. The sun was now beginning to set, casting an orange glow across the city as they stood silently, assessing the situation.
"So it's five-thirty now," Marco began, sliding his phone back into his pocket, "that means I have an hour and a half before I need to meet with Penelope. You alright with me heading home early today?"
Star stopped cold, not having considered that she had an hour and a half to make a date with Tom happen, or risk her being caught in a lie. With a wide grin, she nodded, taking an uneasy step back. "Yeah, go right ahead, broooo ...not a problem here."
Marco glanced at her with a suspicious look, but decided not to question. Star could be an enigma in and of itself on a good day. "Alright well, I'll see you and Tom later," he offered before taking off into a run, disappearing around a nearby street corner. Star let her smile wilt as she watched him go, and after a moment, pulled her compact from her purse. Dialing a number, she glanced up toward Castle Butterfly.
"Hey… Tom. It's me. Yeah, I know, I forgot. But i was wondering…"
O - O - O - O - O - O - O
It was almost seven as Marco stood at the base of the steps leading to Castle Butterfly. The Mewman guards stood on either side of the heavy Oak doors, and had instructed him to wait outside, so wait he did. Looking down to check his outfit for the seventh time since arriving, Marco removed a few specks of dust purely out of instinct.
He wore black slacks over shined dress shoes, and he had tucked in a forest green shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Smiling, Marco looked down and checked his father's watch, a gold faced piece strung over his wrist with black leather, and felt relief in that he only had about six minutes left to wait. Provided his date was punctual, that is.
Marco looked around at the now crisp, summer evening sky and smiled at the days events, having helped Star use her wand, and escape his first life threatening instance. And, knowing who his best friend was, probably not the last, knowing Star. It had been an exciting day, and of course, it wasn't even over yet.
He made to look around for a clean place to sit, but without any warning, an orange glow lit up the ground beneath his feet. As he stepped back, eyes wide in surprise, he watched as a thin circle formed before giving birth to a flaming pentagram. Then, before he could step back any further to safety, a pillar of fire erupted, singing more than a few hairs hanging free above his forehead. As the fire grew, the ground seemed to split apart angrily, making way for a lone figure to float up through the crevice, and out of the pillar.
Marco, now thoroughly singed and nearly thrown back to the ground, gawked as Tom stepped to the ground, and dusted himself off casually while the torrent died down. After the crevice had closed, leaving a scorched mark on the ground, Tom opened his eyes and regarded Marco with an annoyed disinterest.
"Star said you had a date too, but I would have figured you'd have cleaned up first," he grumbled. Marco was about to ask what he meant by that, but found a single, glowing hair on his head sending bits of ash down onto his now-singed clothes.
"Well, I was clean, until you almost burned me alive," he shot back, dusting himself off. Tom rolled his eyes and pushed Marco out of the way as he approached the stairs, wisely choosing not to climb them. "Whatever, Mango. Just stay out of our way, yeah? Star doesn't need you bothering her any more tonight than you alreadyhave all day."
"Excuse me?" Marco asked, stepping in front of Tom and glaring at him in mock surprise, "we almost got killed today in some other dimension. I'm surprised she was even still fine with going out tonight." Tom inhaled slowly and took a step closer to Marco, now inches from his face. Marco could almost feel a heat radiating from the Demon Prince.
"What did you say?" he asked slowly and deliberately, his eyes glaring daggers into Marcos, "You went somewhere with my girlfriend, and you almost got her killed?"
Marco did a double take at the backhanded and disingenuous question, before taking a step back. "She got her wand today and wanted to try it out somewhere safe. And I didn't 'almost do' anything. We got trapped in a cave by some crazy Mon- ...thing, and I helped her figure out how to use the wand to get us out of there." He watched as Toms resolve seemed to flicker for a split-second, mimicked by the heat he felt against his face, before the demon furrowed his brows and stiffly gripped Marcos shirt.
"Listen here, Mango. I don't care what you think you're supposed to be doing as her 'guide' or whatever, but if you like being alive, you'll mind your place, and stop messing around with my girlfriend."
Marcos brain seemed to stop working for a moment before he returned Toms fierce glare, taking a hold of the demons wrists. "I think, I'm doing my job of keeping her safe, and being a bridge between our very different worlds. My only intention with Star is to be her friend, and do my job. So you're going to let go of me," he began, as he twisted Tom's wrists nearly to the point of breaking them, "or I'm going to have to hurt you."
Tom yelped and withdrew his hands, rubbing his wrists as a thin black smoke began to rise from them. He glared at Marco with a new, reddish hue in his eyes, and made to speak, but Marco turned around sharply and addressed him one final time.
"And my names not Mango. It's Marco. Star's best friend."
He heard a low growl, and felt a rising heat growing behind him, but at that exact moment, the massive oak doors of the castle were blasted open by a ball of pink light, throwing both guards asunder and revealing two young women smiling confidently at the top of the stairs.
Star and Penelope stood proudly for a short moment, letting the glitter and magic rush around them before taking the first steps toward their respective dates.
Marco marveled for a moment at the ostentatiousdisplay the two girls were putting off, but more importantly, their attire for the evening. Penelope wore a deep green dress, styled to resemble thick leaves fanning downward around her legs, and a water lily fanning around her chest. Her crown, while simple, was a small piece of braided twigs adorned with blood-red maple leaves, and just below her neck sat a small pendant in the shape of a spider. And amazingly, even the large spider bite above her right eye was far less noticeable. Not that it had ever been a problem anyway.
Star on the other hand, wore a bright, pastel pink dress that fanned out near the heels and split halfway up her right leg, leading up to an intricately sewn bust of white and reds. She had neglected to wear any crown, however, and instead opted to wear her trademark devil horns, now shaded a matching pink.
When the two had reached the base of the stairs, they shared a mutual look of amusement before breaking out into laughter at the over exaggerated approach. Tom and Marco, frozen in place, stood speechless as they were approached by their respective dates, now given a chance to comment on their dazzling appearance.
"You look amazing," Marco remarked, purely awestruck by Penelope's decorum, which more than dwarfed his own. "Thanks, Marco," she giggled before stopping abruptly, frowning at him and inhaling sharply through the nose. "Do you smell that? It's like someones got a bonfire going or something," she remarked.
Rubbing the back of his neck, Marco replied, "Yeah, that's me. I kinda got a little scorched when Star's boyfriend showed up. I can go clean up real fast if you like…" he offered.
Penelope shook her head and smiled at him, closing the distance between them to stand much closer than ettoquite would allow. "Nah, it's alright. I like the smell of campfires, actually. And yours is reeeaaally goood." Marco felt his cheeks burn with heat as he took a small step back, holding up his hands politely. "Haha, well you know meee, just… happy to please."
"And please your princess, you will," Penelope purred as she once again closed the gap.
Star and Tom did their best to ignore the display, sharing a quick glance before distancing themselves from the other two teens. Tom fanned his hair back and smiled at Star, taking her hand gingerly. "Well, Star, where shall we go for a good time? Someplace private? Maybe back to-"
"Actually I was thinking we could go to the bounce lounge," star offered in a hurried voice, "It's been a crazy day and I think Marco had a point when we talked about it earlier." She quickly noticed Toms growing dissatisfaction at the mention of her bestie's name and let her nervous smile slip. "Or...we could just go somewhere else, if that makes you upse-"
Tom turned rapidly to face her, like she had just told him the secret to everlasting happiness. "No no, no. It's okay, we can go to the bounce lounge. I'm fine with that, I'm not mad, why would I be mad? Nope, super cool about it," he finished with a wide grin, showing off his fangs. Star immediately perked up and took his hand, producing a pair of scissors as she pulled him into a tight side hug.
"Great! Then let's get to partying, Boo! Woohoooo!" She yelled aloud, earning a curious glance from the awkwardly flirting couple behind her. Tom waved two halfhearted hands in the air as Star cut a lavender portal before them. "Woo," he mumbled.
After they had disappeared, Marco turned to Penelope and held out a hand she gingerly took. "Shall we be off, Princess?" He asked in his best rendition of regality. Penelope burst into a fit of laughter as they walked, wiping a tear from her eye. "Who are you supposed to be? Star's cousin?" She giggled, "Marco, even though you're not royalty, you don't have to act like that around me. Just treat me like one of your normal friends."
"Rightttt," Marco replied, donning a cheerful smile, "I can uh... Do that. No prob bob."
"It's Princess Penelope Spiderbite actually," she replied quickly before jabbing Marcos chest at his expression, "Oh my gods, Marco," she laughed, "I'm kidding, jeez. You should loosen up, lover boy."
"Sorry, sorry. I'm just a bit nervous," Marco returned, taking her hand in his once more, "I've never actually been on a date before." He didn't hear a reply, and when he looked over at Penelope, he found her seemingly deep in thought. Then, with a smile, she shrugged and replied, "It's no big deal, Marco. I've never dated a commoner before, so I guess we're both a little out of our comfort zone. But let's just try to have fun. No worries if we stumble a bit, okay?"
Marco couldn't help but smile at that as they rounded the gate leading to Echo Creek. Giving her hand a squeeze, he replied, "Right. Just two people having fun." His mind wandered to what fun for a Mewman might pertain to, and found himself thinking of Star. But somehow, Marco figured Penelope's idea of fun would be vastly different if they were on Mewni.
"So where are we going?" Penelope asked, practically reading his mind. Marco returned with a grin and shook his head. "It's a surprise. But I tried to keep in mind what you're used to."
"Mmkay," Penelope hummed, kicking a pebble across the sidewalk and into Marco's path, "so in the meantime, tell me about what you do for fun."
Marco kicked the pebble back to her side and shrugged as they walked. "I mean, nothing too crazy. I practice martial arts, swordsmanship, Ballet, I tried to learn piano but-"
"Ballet? Really?" Penelope asked, kicking the pebble back his way, "You gotta show me some of your moves, I did ballet for a few years when I was little."
"Well, I didn't learn a whole lot. I did a few months, and then I discovered Karate, so I kinda dropped it," he admitted. In truth, he still had his slippers and would occasionally practice in secret, but that would go to his grave. Kicking the pebble back, he continued. "So, what about you? What do you typically do?"
Penelope thought on that for a moment, shrugging in resignation. "Mostly just meetings, classes on ruling, city council hearings, boring royalty stuff." She kicked the pebble back to Marco's side and watched as it tumbled down an adjacent storm drain. "Dang It. But yeah, that's kinda it, we royals don't exactly get to have a whole lot of fun. It's mostly just boring politics, and impressing people." She lowered her gaze and pursed her lips, the discontentment in her voice clear to the world.
"Hey," Marco stopped abruptly, turning to face her, "tonight I promise, lots of fun and no boring royal stuff! Just two people having fun." He gave her a bright smile, happy to see her light up at his promise.
"That sounds like just what I need tonight Marco. You know, some days, you're not even allowed to be yourself. It's nice to be out of all that, and seeing your world firsthand, instead of in reports. Everything out here is like fine wine, and I want to taste it all." Marco squeezed her hand as they walked and gestured to a neon-lit building in front of them.
Penelope followed his gaze, and when her eyes fell on their destination, she couldn't help but smile in anticipation. "Scratch that, Marco. Maybe a tiny bit of Mewni couldn't hurt, right?"
O - O - O - O - O - O - O
As Tom and Star entered the bounce lounge, the young prince of hell could already feel the loud music, crowded floors, and endless conversation chipping away at his resolve. He tossed a nervous glance at Star, and found her practically jumping with the music already.
"Star, do we really have to be here?" He asked, his voice a near moan, "I hate how crowded this place is, and I hate-"
"Tom," Star interrupted, grabbing his hands and pulling him towards the buzzing dance floor, "I get that you don't like it here, but come on. At least try to have a little fun for once!" Her plea was met with a stiff grimace as tom folded his arms. "If you knew I didn't like this place, why did you drag me here?" he asked, not waiting for a response. "Just, go have fun and dance or something. If you want to have a moment of quiet, I'll be at the bar."
Without another word, Tom turned on his heels and walked away, leaving Star amidst the churning crowd of demi-humans rocking with the vibrant beat. Star fumed to herself before turning away as well and trying to focus more on the fun things about the lounge, rather than the negative people. 'Like Marco said, focus on what makes you happy.'
There was a particularly interesting group of people around her age tearing up the dance floor, and Star let out a contented sigh. She had found her people.
A short while later, Tom found himself alone at the bar, already a drink and a half in before he felt any buzz. It wasn't just the fact that Star clearly didn't consider his preferences when she picked the venue, but rather, she still hadn't even mentioned that she was almost killed earlier that same day! "I mean, what do I have to do to get her to open up with me? Should I carry a sword like Marco? Or 'save her life' like him too? I said yes to a last-minute date even though my father strictly forbade coming here. And it's like she isn't even happy to see me!"
The bartender, which was some sort of moth-creature, pursed its proboscis and rolled its 700 eyes. "Look, pal, I'm not a therapist, and you can't tip for shit. You want my advice? Go be honest with her, compromise, and speak with your soul, not your dick." Tom downed the remnants of his flaming beverage and shook his head. "I have like, thousands of souls. And thanks to all of them, I am a dick. It's not as easy as just 'being honest'."
Refusing another drink, Tom stood from the bar and rationalized it would be better to just call this whole thing off, rather than waste a night and get caught by his father sneaking out again. He scanned the crowd, looking for Star, but when he saw her, his blood boiled.
Star was enjoying herself dancing alongside a young guy dressed in a red t-shirt and baggy black pants. For what it was worth, he was at least halfway decent himself. She felt like the two had a good rhythm, despite her strawberry banana cocktail making her head swim, and he seemed pretty cool. Star rarely ever left the bounce lounge without making a new friend, but before she could introduce herself, she felt a familiar certain, warm hand take hold of her own.
Turning around in surprise she found Tom, pulling her off the dance floor in what was probably another one of his jealous rages. She made to begin calming him down, but rather than anger and rage, all she could see in his eyes was sadness. Tom held both of her hands as though he was saying goodbye to her, and just loud enough to hear, he said, "Star, I'm really sorry for how I reacted to you wanting to come here. I was more focused on what I wanted, than what makes you happy."
Star stood there, speechless, a multitude of responses rushing through her head. 'Did Tom just apologize?' She thought to herself. There was no way she'd heard that correctly. She expected anger, or jealousy, or some kind of irritating rant to come her way at the very least. But this, she didn't know what to say. It was uncharted territory.
"I...I thought I lost you," Tom began, a new sheen beginning to well under his eyes. "I heard about the Monsters attacking Mewni, and their raid on the capitol, I heard they captured it, and I didn't hear from you for four months...I didn't know what to do. Then my father said you were on Earth...I tried everything. But I couldn't get to you. I was scared, Star. I was so scared. And then I hear from Marco that you almost died today?" She stiffened slightly at that. She hadn't expected him to have heard about it already.
Tom took a deep breath and steadied himself before her. "I don't want to lose you again. So, I'm sorry for how we started tonight. Can we...try again?"
After a near minute of silence, Star reached forward and held Toms cheek, pulling him closer and into a soft kiss. It was warm, and the longer it lasted, the hotter the room felt around her. After the two separated, she smiled at him in a way that promised care, and comfort. "I was scared too, Tom. But we found each other again. Even if it took ten years, we'd find each other again."
"I love you Star," he said, pulling her into a hug. He meant it, from the bottom of his black heart.
"Then, will you dance with me?" She asked, pulling him gently towards the dance floor.
"I-... I don't know, I don't even know how to dance." She glared at him with silent contempt as she folded her arms. "You know that's a lie. I still remember the silver bell ball," she said softly, singing the last three words, "Remember how we met...Thomas?"
His cheeks flushed purple and he allowed himself to be pulled into the crowded, rushing mass of bodies all fighting for room to dance. Here, the beat of the music was pounding so loud, he could feel it rattling his horns. He looked at Star quizzically, as though he needed instructions on the subject of crowd dancing.
"Just let loose, Tom!" She yelled over the music, "Just focus on what makes you happy!"
"LADIES AMD GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE TWO SPECIAL GUESTS TONIIIGHT! GIVE IT UP FOR THE PRINCE OF THE UNDERWORLD, AND THE PRINCESS OF MEWNI! TOM LUCITOR, AND STAR BUTTERFLYYYY!
As the crowd began to back away from the couple, Tom whipped around to face Star with an amused grin on his face. " Are we doing this?" He asked, removing his coal- black jacket to reveal a frost-white vest underneath. "Oh we're doing this," Star answered with a sanguine grin of her own.
A hard beat began to sound as the lights around them shifted colors in cadence. Tom and Star stepped in a wide arc, circling on another with their hands held in a point above them. As the final beat before the drop sounded, the two pulled closer, slamming into one another with magic and fire, and beginning a show that would go down in history.
O - O - O - O - O - O - O
"And will that be all for you? We have excellent options of deserts," suggested their waitress, dressed in a medieval bar wench's outfit. Marco and Penelope traded an enervated glance, looking around the piles of sampled food before them. Leaning back and patting her stomach, Penelope burped and smiled at the ceiling. "I think we're good, peasant. Many thanks to you, fair wench! You're excused," she barked. "Have a great evening, my lady," the waitress mumbled before stepping casually away.
The restaurant the two were now enjoying, was none other than Medieval Ages, a new food chain opened in Echo creek, with the idea of pandering to a more medieval crowd. Marco had to give them props for accuracy, but the novelty of it was lost on those who lived in these conditions daily.
Marco belched into his hand and leaned back, too full to move. "Did you call that girl a peasant?" He asked with a chuckle, "you know she's just an actor right?"
Penelope answered with a shrug and a grin, daintily wiping her face with a fresh cloth. "Eh, potato, pot-ah-to. She might as well be one, living out here and working such an odd job." She noticed Marcos' 'what?' expression, and waved it off haphazardly. "Not like you though, Marco. You're out and about, working with royalty, making a name for yourself, it's really something actually. As far as you should be concerned, there's no one else like you."
Marco forced himself to not overthink the remark and instead managed to lift himself from the booth, extending an open hand towards Penelope. "Well, I'm gonna go dance. Care to join me, Princess?"
Penelope looked at his hand, then up to him as though she was expecting more of a grandiose request. "You know, you should really step out of your comfort zone, Marco. Timidness is unbecoming of a warrior," she purred, taking his hand and allowing him to lead her to the empty space at the center of the castle-themed restaurant. Marco waved it off and stood at the center of the hall, taking her hand in his as a lively guitar, fiddle, drum and flute band began to play an energetic tune similar to that of an Irish pub.
[Glenn Morgan - Kesh Jig/Kid on a mountain/ Swallowtail Jig(if ya want some atmosphere)]
Marco stepped around Penelope, leading her about before changing his step and circling her in the other direction. Penelope couldn't help but clap to the beat and follow his stepping performance as the fiddle sung a lively tune. "You asked for the moves, right?" he asked, taking her hands and stomping in time with the beat as they danced, an accented singer joining the fold.
"As the mountain sings with song and poise,
I drink with all me fellow boys,
War she gives, and war she takes,
Whaddya say we raise the stakes?
I'll return, my love don't fear,
I'll take yer hand to dance mah dear.
Without yer love mah heart, it aches,
Whaddya say we raise the stakes?
Since I'm off at war, what will you do?
Without me there to 'stir yer stew'!
Will you still, love me true?
It'll only be a day or two!
Do I have yer faith for mercy sakes,
Whaddya say we raise the stakes!?"
Penelope took the lead, pulling Marco around the room as they stepped in cadence with the music and circled him around other dancing couples. She raised his hand above her head and twirled about before leaning in close and guiding him to step backward and about with her held close. "That I did, Marco. But I haven't seen 'em just yet!" She reached out and clasped his hand with hers, the two rounding each other before exchanging hands and circling the other way as a crowd of clapping humans joined in.
Marco took the challenge and guided her around him, dipping her low before pulling her above him and placing her back on her feet. Penelope had little time to react though, as Marco pulled her hand along with him, jerking her his way and crossing her arms over her head. Penelope found herself facing away from him with his front pressed against her back, the two of them swaying with the fast, pounding music of the tavern.
"When I return on the morrow, June,
Will ya dance with me to drum and tune?
Will ya find me likewise still sublime?
Will ya love me just as in me prime?
There's a man I know who loves ya too,
But I swear he's not gonna love ya true.
Just wait for me, I'll be on time,
Love me just as in me prime!"
Marco turned her about once more, pulling her closer to him as the two danced around each other, their steps pounding against the polished wood floor. A sizable crowd had now circled the two who were so desperately trying to outdo one another, they didn't even notice.
Marco led Penelope around, both of them bouncing in time, and couldn't help but laugh. "I think you just might be as good a dancer as me!" he yelled above the roaring crowd and thundering music of the tavern. Penelope gave him a sultry grin as they danced, yelling back to him, "That's more like it, Marco! Don't be shy with a princess! Let's see if you can handle one!" The two livened their steps and quickened their pace as the music picked up again.
"So ya went and found another man,
And no less he was in a band!
It hurts me so, to be apart, but
that's fine, my dear, just please yer heart.
I was late I know, to return to you,
I don't know what I thought you'd do!
Don't cry my love, don't even start,
I just want you to please yer heart!
Go with him and love him more,
At least until he goes to war!
I'll meet him here and make a friend,
As you'll have been off with other men!
But I'll love ya still, dear, even then,
From my grave on the mountain.
The war she gave the war she stole,
And left my body stiff and cold.
But I'll be here till we meet again,
And here I'll rest on the mountaaaiiin.
As the music died down, Marco pulled Penelope close and dipped her low before bringing her back up sharply as the music swelled once more, to lift her in a half moon arc as the last words of the chorus ended. and twirling her about in one last chorus. She smiled at him as he let her down, and when the last of the beats rang out, leaned in and kissed him softly, holding the sides of his face as the crowd roared with excitement.
After a few moments of cheering and clapping, Marco slowly drew back, the two of them only now noticing the flurry of cheering around them. Sheepishly rubbing the back of his head, Marco gently led her back to their table, leaving the bill and a decent tip for the poor waitress she had been chastising. "It's getting pretty late," he admitted, taking her hand, "We should probably head back now."
Penelope gave him a sultry grin as she let herself be led out of the restaurant and towards Castle Butterfly. "I can agree with half of that, Marco. But I think the nights just getting started."
O - O - O - O - O - O - O
As Tom and Star finished a dance that would be talked about for years to come, the two of them stole away to the edge of the Bounce Lounge, both panting heavily at the copious effort they had just exerted. Wiping a bead of sweat from his brow, Tom leaned back on the newly installed railing and sighed, content. "That was awesome, Star. I know it's been a while, but...wow."
Star flipped her hair back and beamed a smile at her demonic boyfriend, pulling him into a bone-crushing hug. "I know, right? We were awesome, Babe! We still got it!" She yelled over the music. Tom took both of her hands and pulled her along with him, grinning excitedly at the upcoming prospect. Gesturing over his shoulder at a photo booth, Tom gave her an eager smile and waited for her answer.
Star, never one to back down from a good time, nodded her head and produced five earth dollars, whispering, "You know I love photo booths, Boo. But I feel like you just want a little...privacy."
"Maybe I do, that's not a problem for the big bad princess is it?" Tom answered, his voice as smooth as silk. Star shook her head and giggled as the two stole away into the unoccupied photo booth of her youth. Once inside, the two took their respective seats and began the photography session with their arms around each other. "I'm glad you're having a good time," Star admitted, taking his hands in hers.
After the first flash, Tom chanced pulling Star closer and kissed her cheek. "I don't usually go for wild and...ridiculous places like this," Star gave him a suspicious glance before he continued. "Buut, when it's with you, I'll do whatever makes you happy."
The second flash illuminated the small space as Star pulled Toms face closer and locked lips with him, the two kissing with passion until the third flash reminded them of their place. Quietly, she returned, "You make me happy. And I loooove that you could make it tonight."
Tom pulled her into another passionate kiss, running his sharp fingers through her hair as the two reminded one another of their feelings. Star held his shoulders and with each passing second, her grip on him tightened with fervor. As the air in booth became hotter, mainly due to one of the two occupants, Tom held the back of Stars neck and let his tongue dance with hers.
Star wanted this moment to continue forever, but after feeling a certain, clawed hand exploring lower down her back than she'd like, and a sudden flash of a less than anticipated camera shutter, the two slowly parted with all the grace of a sputtering engine. "Tom!" She remarked, pushing him off with a laugh.
"Sorry, sorry, I got a little carried away, Starship," he answered with a purplish blush. Star wasn't buying it but decided to let him off the hook. For now. "Alright, lover boy, how about we call it a night? Despite being the ruler of a kingdom, it does in fact still have a curfew."
Tom made to argue, but Star was already leaving the booth. After fixing his disheveled hair and shirt, he followed suit, stepping out of the booth and glancing down at the small string of photos ejecting from the machine. He plucked it from its tray and held it out to Star, a confused look on his face. "You don't want the photos?"
"What, of us kissing? C'mon Tom, I think I'll pass. I've never really been about keeping those," she answered with a smirk. Tom nodded and threw the photos into a nearby bin and followed his girlfriend for a last call at the bar. The two sat down and each ordered a Sailors Grave, a mix of pineapples, oranges, coconut rum, and little gummy sharks.
"So, be honest," Tom started, after taking a big sip of his drink, "did you have more fun tonight than earlier today?"
Star nearly choked on her drink and shot Tom an amused grin. "Tom, what kind of question is that? You're comparing a dance club to me almost getting mauled by a building? Yes, I had more fun tonight!" She answered, slugging his arm. He rubbed his shoulder and took another drink, tilting his glass as he thought about that. The icy, orange and yellow liquid seemed to boil at his touch.
"But I mean, would you say you prefer my company over Marcos?" He asked in a quiet tone. Star looked at him as though she wasn't entirely sure if he was serious this time. "Tom, you and Marco are completely different people. I don't compare you guys, and neither should you. I had a lot of fun tonight, so don't think I'd rather have spent it with someone else, ya goof."
Tom seemed to accept that and slung an arm around her, pulling her closer. "Sorry, Starship. Thanks for inviting me. It's been really nice hanging out with you again, like old times."
"You too, hothead," she returned, pulling him closer for a quick smooch. "Now c'mon, let's get one more dance in before this place closes."
O - O - O - O - O - O - O
Marco and Penelope finished their long walk home and now stood at the base of Castle Butterfly, each of them not sure what to do. They were home relatively early, with two hours until Mewman curfew, so they hadn't been in a rush, but with most shops closed up, there wasn't much to do.
"Well, I had a lot of fun tonight, Penelope," he offered, extending a warm handshake for her, "Thanks for coming out with me." She looked down at his hand, then back up to him with a somewhat displeased look upon her face. "A handshake Marco? You really think that's all we're doing tonight?" She asked in a voice so smooth, he felt tingles run up his spine in anticipation of her as yet, unknown, intentions.
Retracting his hand and rubbing the back of his neck, Marco looked around the dark town square, unsure of what she would want to do in a closed up town at night. "That was sorta all I had planned, yeah. Why do you ask?" Penelope held her forehead and turned around abruptly, beginning to walk toward the rose gardens of the castle. "Just, follow me, would ya?"
"Am I allowed on the castle grounds at night?" He asked, remaining firmly planted where he stood. Penelope whirled about and stomped over to him, dragging him by force to a more secluded spot of the town center. "Forget the castle, just kiss me already," she breathed, grabbing his chin and pulling him into a deep kiss. From the shadows, Marco's eyes shot open, his face turning four shades of red before landing on scarlet. But when his mind finally caught up to what was happening, the pieces falling in place with a loud clunk, he began to kiss her back, pushing Penelope against the wall and slipping a hand around her waist and one up into her soft brown hair. "Thats more fucking like it," she breathed.
As her tongue explored his mouth, and her hands explored the deep ridges of Marco's well-toned stomach, Penelope found his eagerness to play along intoxicating, a well earned reward for her subtle efforts to entice him all night. So, daring a chance at moving things along, she reached lower down his washboard of an abdomen, finding his buckle waiting.
Marco wasn't sure what he was expecting from the kiss, but what he experienced was well beyond anything he was prepared for. He reached up and held Penelope's chin, guiding her as the two felt the outside world seem to disappear. It was nearly enlightening, the sensations that washed over him, but it was all suddenly jerked away when he felt his belt buckle beginning to come undone.
Ripping himself from Penelope's embrace, he hurriedly re-fastened it, taking a step back and looking at her incredulously. "What are you doing?" He asked, "I thought you wanted to kiss not...that!"
Penelope cocked an eyebrow at him and smirked at the newfound tightness of his slacks. "It doesn't seem like your friend there minds Marco... What did you think would happen after some good kissing like that?" She was met with a conflicted stare as he finished adjusting his trousers. "Not that, Penelope! I don't feel comfortable doing that kinda stuff yet, okay? And you should ask permission before you… roam around like that."
Penelope caught her breath for a moment and could only stare at the boy before her. Was he actually refusing an opportunity to… with a princess no less? "Well...I thought you and I dueling with our tongues was permission enough. But I guess I understand," she finished with a resigned sigh stepping forward, "I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable, Marco. Can we try to forget what just happened? Please?"
Marco could tell by the moonlight she was blushing, maybe even as hard as he was. He sighed in relief and nodded, holding out his hand for her to take. "It's alright. There were just some mixed signals there, so it's okay. C' mon, I'll walk you home."
After taking his hand and beginning the short wall towards the castle steps, Penelope glanced up at Marco and nudged his elbow. "So, not even a little bit interested? You know, my room is-"
"Penelope, too soon," he answered gently, doing his best not to seem uninterested. "It's not that I don't want to, but we're only sixteen. Don't you think we should wait? Play it safer?"
"What kinda warrior plays things safe?" She asked with a chuckle, "I thought you were mister man, down to live wild and take no prisoners."
Marco shrugged as they arrived, giving her a small peck on the cheek. "That's just not who I am. I love adventure, and having fun, but I like keeping my friends safe, more."
Penelope smiled and ruffled his now messy hair before shaking his hand "You're a gentleman more than a warrior, Marco Diaz. But I think it's cute. Will I see you tomorrow?"
"Depends on what Star has planned. I'm her guide first, after all. Maybe we could all do something together again like yesterday?" he offered, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.
"Sounds fun, safe kid," Penelope giggled. Marco stopped for a moment and made to ask where that came from, before a teal portal opened between them, allowing an inebriated couple to stumble through. Closing it, Star giggled at Marco and poked his nose as Tom struggled to keep his legs from collapsing. "Looka yewww, mister big ole warrior over here, mah best bestie! M-*burp* Marcaz Dioooo!" She mumbled happily.
Penelope took hold of Stars shoulders, leading her towards the stairs before blowing Marco a kiss. "You know where to find me if you change your mind, lover boy. And call me tomorrow!" she shouted over her shoulder as she led Star safely into the Castle. His cheeks burned, as did the left side of his face as Tom opened a column of flame. Turning to Marco, Tom shook his head.
"Nice. See you- *burp* -in hell, Mango," he offered with a lopsided grin before sinking into the ground and disappearing from view. Marco raised a defensive finger at the remark, but merely let out a resigned sigh and turned on his heels. It had been an excruciatingly long day, and after everything that had transpired, he just felt drained.
Traveling to a new world, nearly getting killed, a date that ended in an awkward standoff, 'where did that even come from?' He wondered. 'We only went on one date, and it wasn't even over yet!' Marco felt himself blush at the remembered feelings that were passed between them. It was overwhelming to think about, yet, he couldn't think of a time he had been more exhilarated. Except of course earlier that same day, running from a giant monster with Star.
He smiled just thinking about it, the adventure to an indescribable world, a glimpse at the most powerful weapon on the planet. All with his best friend. "And who knows what she has planned for tomorrow," he mused aloud, too wrapped up to notice the floating eyeball watching his every move from sixty feet in the air.
Far away, on the outskirts of Echo Creek, deep within the woods lay forces of evil, plotting their next move in unspeakable ways. Their cruelty knew no-"
"Bearicorn shut it! No one likes a narrator!" Ludo barked, glaring at his minion as the light of the fire danced around them. "Sorry boss," the massive horned bear mumbled, fiddling with his ax. Ludo rubbed his temples and sighed, clearly displeased with his current situation.
"To be clear, you insufferable ingrates, we have no magic wand, we have no Butterfly hostage, and we have no progress whatsoever, to report to Lord Toffee. Do you think he'd be pleased with our work?"
Bearicorn and Three-Eyed Potato Baby exchanged an uneasy glance with Beard Deer and Giant chicken, murmuring, "no?"
"OF COURSE NOT, YOU PATHETIC WORMS!" You're lucky Toffee hasn't gotten wind of your failures, otherwise, he'd send-"
"Boss," Buffrog announced suddenly, pounding his chest and kneeling before his leader, "Star Butterfly, she has received wand. This morning, entire M.R.C. was there to watch. Made it easy to slip in." Ludo took a moment to soak that in before grinning wickedly at the prospect. He jumped to his feet and stood high above his minions, letting his voice be carried over the trees.
"Just as I planned! Attacking the Butterfly girl made the queen worry for her safety! Now the brat has the wand, and we can take it by force!" Ludo held his fist high in the air, but he heard nothing from his entourage. Turning about, he found them finding any and all means of looking busy to avoid his gaze.
"What?" Ludo asked, cocking an eyebrow at them. Buffrog came forward once more and knelt. "Boss, we lose to Star Butterfly and Karate boy, even without the wand. What could make you think we can steal wand now?"
Ludo thought on that for a moment, holding his chin deep in thought. "Very well. We'll figure something out. For now, just continue reconnaissance, and find out more about this 'Karate Boy.' I want to know how he almost single-handedly defeated my army!"
"Da boss. I go," Buffrog announced before bounding away, presumably to continue spying. Ludo looked at his other comrades, who were all suddenly invested in him again, and found them eagerly looking to him for guidance. "Soon. Very, very, very soon," he promised. He would return to his king with success, and reap every bountiful reward that came with it. "Mark. My. Words."
AUTHORS NOTE
Howdy-doodle-doo everyone! Mr. Ronald Reagan here with your next big fix of SVTFOE shenanigans! There's something almost therapeutic about writing these things,(A/N obv.) as I only do it after I'm done with the chapter. It's like a neat little reward for being done with everything and finally getting to figure out what I should say. Lol for real though, Thank you guys for taking the time to read this story. It means the world to us that so many people are invested in the things our imaginations can create, and the worlds we can build. I hope you enjoyed our latest chapter, and I can't wait to see you next time around. Leave a review with thoughts, suggestions, or comments, and don't forget to Follow/Favorite to stay updated on all the action, the day it comes out! With that, y'all keep being awesome, and we'll see ya soon! BUH BYYYEEE!
p.s., please ignore any margin/Centering/ spacing issues. Fanfic is doing some weird biz lately and it tends to wig out on it's own. Everything is shofting far to the left, amd the song lyrics refuse to stay properly spaced. Sooooryyyy!
~Mr. Ronald Reagan
~Lord Cornwalis
