'Never, never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society's punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.'

Martin Luther King Jr.

(Chapter 17)

"I thank you all for attending this banquet." Queen Solaria, standing tall before her people, raised her goblet in the air. "Here's to the prosperity of Mewni, the strength of the Mewnian people, and the decimation of the Monsters who plague our lands."

All of the Mewmans, Demons, Pony Heads, Waterfolk, Pigeons, and Jaggy People occupying the ballroom cheered to their Queen. The warmonger monarch smiled triumphantly as she sat back down on her throne.

"Everyone enjoy yourselves," Solaria announced before taking a deep drink from her cup.

Music played as the denizens of Mewni went about drinking and chatting and dancing. To either side of the room, a few long tables were packed with food and beverages. Just about everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, stuffing food and drink into their face and laughing amongst themselves.

Princess Eclipsa stood by one of the banquet tables, frowning and making an attempt to be invisible. With the wand that hung by its handle on her arm, she might've been able to do just that. But her mother had forbidden her from using any magic during the banquet. In addition, Queen Solaria had chosen for her daughter a red, frilly dress decorated with black butterflies. Along with the snow-white gloves and ruby high heels, Eclipsa found herself hating the outfit her mother had chosen for her. At least she had been able to wear her hair the way she liked to, fitted with her tiara nestled into her pine-green hair. Eclipsa floated around the tables in an attempt to not have to talk to anyone, occasionally grabbing a cup of wine to guzzle down.

"Ah, Eclipsa."

Eclipsa froze and repressed a disgusted shudder. She reluctantly turned around to face a pudgy, pale boy wearing a pale blue ruffled shirt, a Persian-blue overcoat with gold epaulets, dark blue slacks, white knee-length boots, and a long purple cape. His fat cheeks were decorated with blush and a mole Eclipsa was sure had to fake sat on his left cheek.

Prince Shastacan smiled. "There you are, my betrothed."

"Don't call me that," Eclipsa replied coldly.

"Well, I am to be your husband upon your coronation." Shastacan made a smug gesture with his hand. "Am I not?"

"I don't need to be reminded of my misfortune," Eclipsa said. "I continue to try and figure out why you were not promised to the Lucitor family so that you could spend your life down below in the fields of sulfur and fire where you belong."

Shastacan, who didn't like it when anyone talked down to him, suppressed an angry remark and recomposed himself. He tried for a smile, but his eyes shone with annoyance.

"You and I are to be husband and wife one day. Perhaps it would be best for us to become more acquainted." Shastacan offered Eclipsa his hand. "Come. Dance with me like we did at the Silver Bell Ball."

"No, I don't think I will." Eclipsa turned around and walked away, grabbing another cup of wine on her way. Shastacan followed after her, hurrying his pace to keep up with her.

"Come now, my dear, the Kingdom expects us to display our unity."

"There is no unity between us."

"There will be."

Eclipsa stopped in her tracks and closed her eyes, gritting her teeth in frustration.

"Leave me be. You intolerable swine."

Shastican narrowed his eyes at the princess. "Do you truly think yourself to be the victim of this betrothal? I, at least, am actually willing to marry you. Many of the other princes would object to your hand, you know. Everyone here wishes you could be a little more like your mother. She has cured these lands of hundreds of those horrid Monsters and she keeps the Kingdom of Mewni well and good. It would do you well to contribute more to the Kingdom."

Eclipsa turned around to face Shastacan, glaring right at him. "My idea of a 'contribution' to this Kingdom would be feeding you to the spiders that fill your forests. Not that you would know about them, since you're too lazy and cowardly to set foot in any forest."

"Why are you like this?" Shastacan demanded. "Just accept that my place is by your side, you stupid girl!"

Eclipsa's eyes suddenly glowed a deadly shade of purple, like a powerful poison. Shastacan fearfully backed away from her, eyes wide with fright.

"Your place will be where I say it is." Princess Eclipsa rested her hands atop her parasol-wand. "Do not forget who I am, or what I am capable of. Now leave me be, before I lose my nerve and reduce you to dust right here and now."

Shastacan took out a handkerchief to wipe away the sweat on his forehead before making a hasty retreat away from the princess. The argument had apparently gotten a few onlookers, who immediately looked away when Eclipsa looked at them in challenge. They all moved away from Eclipsa, muttering to each other.

"I do not envy you."

Eclipsa turned around to see a thin man with short purple hair curled upward at the front, green eyes, and purple four-leaf clover-shaped marks on his cheeks, marking him as a Butterfly of the royal line. The man wore a large feathered hat with a ruby on the front, a red fur coat with a diamond-studded cravat, gray pants, red shoes, a large diamond ring on his left hand's middle finger, and a gold watch on his right wrist.

Eclipsa smiled at the man. "He was just a boy, but he could dream."

"So goes the sad tale of Jushtin the un-queen." The man let out a dramatic sigh. "Oh, how unflattering that limerick is. Just don't give me one if that is going to be the case."

Eclipsa walked up and gave the man a hug. "Hello, Uncle Jushtin."

"Hello, my dear," Jushtin replied warmly, returning the hug. "I'm sorry it's been so long."

The two of them ended the hug and Jushtin looked past Eclipsa, into the crowd. "I see you and Shastacan had a chance to talk things out." Jushtin chuckled. "Oh, the look on the little piggy's face was just grand. Grand, I say."

Eclipsa frowned at the floor bitterly. "I hate him."

"I'm sure you do," Jushtin replied. "Believe me, my dear, I know your pain. I was not any more happy with my intended than you are with yours. Recluza is a simply…" he looked around to make sure no one was listening. "...dreadful woman."

"My intended Spiderbite royal is far worse than yours," Eclipsa said.

"That boy is indeed no winning prize," Jushtin agreed. "But, I wouldn't say he would be worse than being married to that boy's aunt."

"Well…" Eclipsa gave her uncle a playful look. "We do have to take into account that additional fact that you simply," she brought her hand up to whisper. "are not attracted to women."

Jushtin lit up with a blush, looking in every direction to make sure no one had overheard that. "Oh, th-that was an unfair blow and you know it!"

Eclipsa laughed at her uncle's flustered state. "You should be proud of who you are. That's what you always taught me."

"And you should, dear niece, but," Jushtin sighed. "...We both know how narrow-minded Mewni can be."

Eclipsa nodded sadly and looked over at where her mother was seated on her throne, chatting with that Mina woman. Mina Loveberry was Solaria's most loyal soldier, and Eclipsa had always been disturbed by her very presence.

"Do you…do you think you could talk to her?" Eclipsa asked. "Try to convince her not to do this to me?"

"She wouldn't listen to me," Jushtin said gently. "She doesn't listen to anyone but herself."

Eclipsa looked to the floor again. Jushtin saw tears on their way and acted to prevent them.

"You know, I was actually looking for you." Jushtin smiled. "I have something for you."

Eclipsa looked up at her uncle as he dug into his pocket to pull out a small parchment of paper. Eclipsa's eyes lit up with excitement as she snatched it out of Jushtin's hand.

"I found that in my shoe this morning," Jushtin complained. "With another note that said 'bring this to Eclipsa. Tell no one.'"

Eclipsa barely even heard him as she read the note. Once she finished reading it, she grinned and her eyes sparkled.

Jushtin, studying his niece's face, smirked at the young girl. "A secret admirer of yours, hmm?"

Eclipsa blushed and quickly shoved the paper into her mouth and ate it, washing it down with some wine.

"Okay, then. Don't tell me."

"I have to go," Eclipsa said quietly. "If my mother asks, cover for me."

"Oh, don't worry. I know how to lie to my little sister." Jushtin chuckled. "Been doing it since we were little."

"Thank you, Uncle Jushtin." Eclipsa gave her uncle a quick hug before hurrying away.

The young princess snuck away from the crowd and out of the ballroom. She walked down the halls until she came to a certain spot. In between a big painting and one of the decorative vases, Eclipsa looked around to make sure no one was looking before she pressed her hand against one of the stones in the walls and pushed it in. A section of the wall opened up, revealing a secret corridor. Eclipsa struck her wand against the ground like a match and the tip of the parasol ignited with a purple flame. She walked into the hidden corridor and closed the hidden door on her way, the fire on her wand illuminating the darkness.

Eclipsa walked down the corridor until she came to a flight of stairs. She walked down the stairs until she reached a tiny harbor hidden within the underbelly of the castle. The only boat in the harbor was a single, wooden rowboat tied to the dock. The Princess got into the boat and untied it from the dock.

The water underneath the boat began to bubble and froth. Eclipsa grabbed a hold of the sides of the boat to steady herself as she and her boat rose into the air, lifted up by a massive, maroon-colored, four-eyed head.

"Ha-ha! Scared ya!"

"You most certainly did not." Eclipsa leaned her head over the side of the boat to look at Globgor. "Do I look scared to you?"

"Well, I mean, it's a little hard to tell since you're upside down right now," Globgor shrugged, causing the boat to go up and down. "But, I'm pretty sure you were scared."

"I am the Shadow Queen," Eclipsa remarked dramatically. "I fear no man nor monster."

"Oh, so it's the 'Shadow Queen' now?" Globgor grinned teasingly. "Still trying to come up with your own name, huh?"

"I doubt I can count on anyone else to give me a good title," Eclipsa argued. "I want mine to sound good."

"I'm sure yours is going to sound great." Globgor shrunk back down, letting the boat plop back down into the water. A moment later, a two-foot tall Globgor hopped out of the water and into the boat. "I bet it'll be the…Queen of…Shadows. Yeah, something like that."

Eclipsa smiled joyfully at Globgor. "I was really happy to get your letter. We barely ever get to see each other."

"Uh, well, yeah, there might be a reason for that." Globgor inflated to his regular size. "I mean, you know, your people hate my people, your mother has murdered a bunch of us Monsters, and then there are those out-of-their-minds super-soldiers Solaria cooked up."

Eclipsa sighed and frowned. "Yeah… Good old Mewni."

Globgor smiled supportively. "So, how's the party upstairs?"

"Look what I'm wearing." Eclipsa gestured angrily at her outfit. "What do you think?"

Globgor flinched at her tone. "I think…you might've talked with that Shastacan guy."

Eclipsa groaned and rubbed her temples. "Row me."

Globgor grabbed the oars and rowed the boat away from the dock, taking the princess on a boat ride through the cavern. Eclipsa found it to be incredibly soothing. She took calm breaths as she listened to the sound of the rowing echo throughout the cavern.

"Shastacan, he is just…" Eclipsa sighed in frustration. "It's obvious he grew up getting whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted it. He just doesn't care about anyone but himself. He just waddles his way through life, expecting everyone to just give him what he wants." The princess laughed bitterly. "He keeps expecting me to just give him what he wants. But he's not getting it, and it continues to frustrate him."

"What, exactly, does he want from you?" Globgor blushed and coughed into his fist. "Aside from…uh…what a marriage usually requires?"

"He wants what any nobleman wants," Eclipsa said. "He wants an obedient wife who won't argue with him and agrees with him."

Globgor snickered. "He's not gonna get that from you."

"He most certainly is not," Eclipsa agreed. "By the way, how's the whole 'future Monster King' thing going on?"

"It's going good." Globgor sucked through his teeth. "And, that's bad. Meaning, everyone is still talking about how I'm gonna be the next Monster King, and everyone is still in full support of that. But…well, that is just utterly terrifying."

"You're too hard on yourself," Eclipsa said. "You're going to make an excellent Monster King. All of the other Monsters obviously think so too. They trust you enough for the role."

"Oh, please," Globgor waved his hand. That's only because of what I am."

"What do you mean?" Eclipsa asked.

"I'm a Size-Shifter. One of the only ones left," Globgor explained. "My people are an ancient and respected race of Monster. Even the Septarians respect us. We're the most powerful race of Monster that Mewni has ever known, but our reputation doesn't come from fighting or killing. You know that old Monster Temple that the Mewmans avoid like a plague? It was built by my ancestors, where they practiced ceremonial rituals and spiritual exercises."

"You're telling me that the mighty Size-Shifters, who can grow to the size of mountains, who my mother considers to be the ultimate prize in Monster Hunting, are monks?" Eclipsa asked in disbelief.

"Our rule is to only fight when provoked or threatened, and to protect those we love, of course." Globgor sighed. "Which only makes me seem even more worthy of being the Monster King. Hooray."

"Will you accept it?" Eclipsa asked.

"Of course I will. I have to," said Globgor. "For my ancestors, and for my people."

"Well, at least you have something worth protecting," Eclipsa said woefully. "When I become Queen, what will I be protecting? The same, close-minded, bigoted ignorance that has been going on for centuries, that's what."

"Well, maybe you'll be the one to turn things around in this Kingdom," Globgor offered. "You'll have the support of the Monster King, I can promise you that."

"Globgor, I…I can't think of a more life-draining experience than being Queen of Mewni with Shastacan, of all people, as my King." Eclipsa buried her hands into her face. "The very idea of it is…it's just too much."

"Woah, hey, come on." Globgor set the oars down and reached his hand across the boat, placing it gently on her shoulder. "You're one of the strongest people I know. You're incredibly resourceful, you love your tricks, there's nothing you can't handle."

"So, misery is to be my unavoidable burden to bear?" Eclipsa asked.

Globgor sighed. "Sometimes…we just gotta roll with the punches," he said. "It's not ideal, but…it is what it is."

"Not the most encouraging piece of advice," Eclipsa grumbled.

"Look, all I'm saying is," Globgor moved his hands as he spoke. Eclipsa loved it when he did that, it was adorable. "Those who are strong enough to do it, can pull through just about anything. And, you're the strongest person I know. Our lives, I don't think, are destined to be great. I'm a Monster who has to fight just to survive in a world run by those who want my people gone. And, you're the heir to the throne of a Kingdom that wants you to be everything you're not."

Globgor smiled. "But, you can still have a good life. You can be happy, Eclipsa, I promise. Don't ask me how, I don't know, all right?"

Globgor took Eclipsa's hands. "But you deserve a happy life, and you're capable enough to get it."

Eclipsa stared into Globgor's eyes. A single tear made its way down the princess's cheek.

"Oh, I-I'm sorry." Globgor let go of Eclipsa's hands, rubbing his wrist in embarrassment. "I didn't mean to upset you, I just-"

Eclipsa rushed up and grabbed Globgor's face, pulling him in for a kiss.

Globgor's four eyes widened with shock as Eclipsa kissed him. When she finally pulled away, she kept her hands on Globgor's face, staring into his eyes.

"I was…" Globgor blushed. "...not expecting that to happen."

"I'm sorry," Eclipsa said, her eyes wide with surprise at what she had done.

"No, no! It's fine!" Globgor quickly replied. "Uh…you, uh, gonna let go of my cheeks?"

"No."

Eclipsa pulled him back in for another kiss, standing up to get a better angle. Globgor's eyes widened in shock again, but this time, they slowly closed after. He decided that he was brave enough to place his hands on Eclipsa's waist, and she let him.

In the silence of the cavern, aboard that little rowboat, the two in-love teens continued to kiss, not caring anymore about the future.

The morning sun shone through the window, right into Eclipsa's eyes as it did each morning. She blinked her eyes open and let out a yawn, smacking her lips and rubbing her eyes.

Stupid sun," Eclipsa grumbled. "I can never escape it, no matter where I go."

The former Queen tossed her blanket aside and got out of bed. She walked over to her boudoir dresser and sat down to look in the mirror. She wore makeup to bed these days, just to make sure no one saw her cheek marks. The makeup got smeared every night, though, so she had to reapply it every single morning.

Eclipsa let out a sad sigh. She hated having to lie to Angie and Raphael, but he hated the idea of them getting into trouble on her own account. So she took out her makeup and got to work.

After changing out of her nightgown and into her regular attire, minus the hat, but as always, with the gloves, Eclipsa left her bedroom and made her way downstairs. She stopped halfway down the stairs when she saw Marco and Jackie on the couch, in their pajamas and cuddled up next to each other. They had fallen asleep last night watching an old movie, Jackie's head was nestled in the crook of Marco's neck.

Eclipsa grinned at the adorable display. "Awwwww."

Marco's phone rang in his pocket, waking up the both of them. Marco blinked his eyes open and Jackie yawned herself awake, but she didn't move her head away from Marco's shoulder. Marco reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. "Oh, man. It's the Queen."

"Can't you tell her you're busy?" Jackie asked, nuzzling Marco's neck.

Marco blushed before answering the call on his compact mirror. "Hello, Queen Moon… Well, no, I'm back in Echo Creek… Yes… Yes… Yes, Queen Moon, I'll be right over." He sighed as he put his phone away.

"Duty calls?" Jackie asked.

"There's a big social event going on later at the castle, and Queen Moon wants me to get Star's tutoring out of the way before then," Marco explained.

"Can't she ever cut you a break?" Jackie asked. "I feel like our date nights are getting less and less frequent."

"I know, and I'm sorry," Marco apologized. "But between tutoring Star and training Higgs, it's hard to make time."

"Please don't remind me that there are two other girls now that my boyfriend is seeing."

Marco blushed. "Wha-I mean. Jackie, you know that-"

"I know. I'm just teasing." Jackie kissed Marco's cheek. "You try your best, and I love that."

Marco's face reddened a little more. "I should…probably change out of my pajamas and head out."

"Yeah, me too." Jackie smiled as she inched her face a little closer to Marco. "Maybe we could go upstairs and change together?"

Marco's face was now beet-red. "…I-"

"Ahem."

Marco and Jackie both looked up to see Eclipsa grinning down at them from the staircase. They immediately scooted away from each other, both of them now looking flustered, not just Marco.

"Uh, I-I'll go upstairs and change. Then I'll head out." Jackie gave Marco a kiss. "I'll see you soon?"

"Yeah, of course," said Marco.

Jackie gave him a sweet smile before grabbing her duffle bag and heading upstairs. "Hi, Eclisse," she greeted on her way up the stairs.

"Hello, Jackie dear. My sincerest apologies for interrupting." Eclipsa came down the stairs and grinned at Marco. "You may very well be upset with me for ruining such an opportune moment, but perhaps I just saved you from becoming a teen father, hmm?"

Marco let out an embarrassed groan. "Th-that wouldn't have happened."

"Oh, please, sweetheart. I was a teenager once too, you know." Eclipsa tilted her head. "Getting called into work so early? Moon should really give you more free time."

"Well, in addition to having to be Star's chaperone and tutor, which is an entire ordeal, I have to tutor my squire, keep clear of the Knights who want to beat me up, and I'm constantly having to put up with Rhombulus following me around and trying to prove I'm evil. Also," Marco pointed to his cheeks and let his crescent moons show for a second. "I gotta keep this hidden from everybody."

Eclipsa shrugged. "Keeps you busy."

Marco blew a frustrated raspberry. "This gig is worse than Brita's Tacos ever was. I mean, I'm happy to have met Star and discovered a whole new world, but…it's a lot weighing down on me, you know? The work, the secrets, the irritation…the fear."

"Yeah, that's Mewni for you," Eclipsa muttered. "For what it's worth, I'm impressed by your integrity and stoicism."

"Yeah, well…" Marco sighed. "Sometimes…we just gotta roll with the punches," he said. "It's not ideal, but…it is what it is."

Eclipsa stared at Marco with wide eyes. She turned her gaze to the floor, as if remembering a moment in life. And then she started to tear up and snivel.

"Woah, hey, what's wrong?" Marco asked gently. "What is something I said?"

"You're fine, dear, you're fine." Eclipsa wiped away her tears and smiled. "Listen, Marco…I know you never asked to have me in your life or to ever even discover Mewni. But, I…well…"

Eclipsa gently cupped Marco's cheek in her hand. "I've had two daughters, but watching over you all these years, watching you grow and learn, becoming a part of your family…I can't help but wonder if this is what it's like to have a son."

Marco blinked in surprise. "Eclipsa…"

He smiled and wrapped the nanny in a warm hug. Eclipsa smiled happily and returned the hug, tearing up a little again.

"I should get going," Marco said after the hug ended. He pulled out his scissors and cut open a portal to his room in Mewni. "See you later, Eclipsa."

Marco walked through the portal and it blinked away. Eclipsa smiled at the spot where Marco had portal-ed away.

"You would like him, Globby," Eclipsa muttered to herself. "Him and Star both."

"Um?"

Eclipsa looked up to see Jackie watching her curiously from the staircase. The embarrassed girl, now back in her usual outfit, made her way down the stairs.

"Eavesdropping, Miss Thomas?" Eclipsa asked. "Shame, shame. Of course, I used to do it all the time when I was your age."

"I wasn't eavesdropping, I swear," Jackie said. "But, I think I might've heard Marco call you 'Eclipsa' or something? I thought your name was Eclisse?"

Eclipsa tilted her head.

"Is it, like, a nickname, or an English translation, or something like that?" Jackie asked.

Eclipsa sighed. "I like you, Jackie. I really do. You and Janna are both a delight, and you mean a lot to Marco."

The Queen of Darkness stepped closer to Jackie. "Which is why I am telling you to forget you ever heard that name."

Jackie blinked. "Are…are you threatening me?"

"Of course not, my dear. I would never do that," said Eclipsa. "What I am doing is warning you. For your own safety, Jackie, forget you ever heard that name. I. Am. Eclisse."

Eclipsa walked upstairs, leaving a confused and somewhat startled Jackie alone in the living room.

After a change of clothes, Marco made his way to Star's room. He knocked on the door and waited for the princess to answer.

Star opened the door. "Oh, hey, Marco!"

"Hey, Star," Marco greeted back. "Your mom wanted me to get your tutoring out of the way before that social event later."

"Oh, corn, please don't remind me about that," Star whined. "Come on in. Let's just get this out of the way."

Marco walked inside and Star closed the door. "What exactly's going on later?"

"Nothing important, just a formal banquet," Star replied. "Family members from the royalty of every Kingdom of Mewni gather together to basically just enjoy being royalty. Celebrating harvests, hunts, profit, and politics. Discussing the future and whatnot."

"Is that so bad?" Marco asked. "All your royal friends will be there, right? Pony Head, Kelly, your cousin Rock?"

"Well, I have to invite Kelly as a plus one, but yeah, they'll all be there." Star let out a groan. "And so will my entire family–the Butterflies and the Johansens."

"Is it that bad?" Marco asked.

"The family feud is only half the horror," Star complained. "The other half is everyone asking me about my dating life. 'Star, who are you seeing?' 'Star, why aren't you seeing anybody?' 'Star, let me introduce you to blah, blah, blah.' It's all they ever talk about around me. At least dad's side of the family isn't so stuck up and nosey."

"Aren't hookups what those Silver Bell Ball things are all about?" Marco asked. "Pushing kids to get to know each other and make, ahem, 'alliances?'"

"They use every opportunity they can to convince us to make a baby. It's freaking ridiculous." Star let out a bitter laugh. "I just know Aunt Etheria is gonna give me crap about how I dumped Tom. Everyone was looking forward to such an air-tight union between the Butterflies and the Lucitors. A bonding of Mewman magic and Demon sorcery."

Marco shook his head in bewilderment. "I never thought I'd feel sorry for rich kids."

Star snorted. "Heh. Yeah."

"Where do you keep all of our tutoring notes? We can start on some math and then we'll end the session with some history. Sound good?"

Star nodded. "Yeah, my notes are under the bed."

Marco went over to Star's canopy bed and looked underneath. 'My God, it's a mess under here," he commented after he saw all of the junk underneath the bed. "How do you find anything in this mess?"

"Hey, I have a system going on." Star walked up next to Marco. "Don't mess anything up."

"I'm not sure how I could possibly make this any worse." Marco scrounged around under the bed. "A lot of sharp objects under here. I'm afraid I'll take my hand out and find a few fingers missing."

Star rolled her eyes and got down next to Marco to help him look under the bed. "I keep our study work in the boring section."

"Which section is that?" Marco asked as he looked through all of Star's stuff, moving towards Star.

"Well, I throw literally all of my boring stuff under the bed, so the pile is pretty big." Star moved toward Marco to gesture to the pile she was referring to.

"You mean pile or general area? It's like a dragon's hoard under here." Marco looked over in Star's direction. "Oh, hey, I think I see the notes over there."

"What's that?" Star looked at Marco as he moved toward the notes.

Star and Marco's noses were suddenly only a hair's breadth away from each other. The tips of their noses lightly brushed together. The two of them stared into each other's eyes and felt each other's breath on one another.

'Her eyes are a really pretty blue.'

'His eyes are really warm, like hot chocolate.'

'I love her golden hair.'

'I love that mole on his cheek.'

Marco's eyes quickly glanced down at Star's lips. Star blinked, a tiny gesture that almost seemed welcoming.

Marco and Star broke out of their trance and moved away from each other. Marco bonked his head on the bed frame and Star simply sat up to lean back against the bed. Marco took a moment to rub his sore head before following suit, leaning back against the bed, sitting on the floor next to Star.

"We have to stop doing this," said Marco.

"Stop doing what?" Star asked.

"This." Marco moved his hand between the two of them. "This whole…thing between us."

"What thing?" Star asked. She kept her eyes forward.

"You know what I'm talking about," Marco said.

"I wanna hear you say it." Star turned her head to look into Marco's eyes.

"There's nothing to say."

"Yes, there is." Star turned her body to face Marco more directly. "We can't keep ignoring this, Marco, we've been trying that and it's not working. Ever since you saved me at St. Olga's, we've both felt it, and you know it."

"I have a girl-"

"I know that. Don't you think I know that by now?" Star asked. "This is about me and you, Marco. Are we seriously just going to pretend that these feelings don't exist for the rest of our lives? They're not going to just go away, and I'm sick of waiting for them to."

"Well, what are we supposed to do?" Marco asked. "Star, I…I care about you. A lot. And, I want you to be happy."

"You make me happy, Marco!" Star said. "My life has gotten significantly better ever since you became a part of it!"

"And agreeing to be your tutor and becoming your friend was the best thing that ever happened to me," Marco said. "It wasn't the magic, it wasn't Nachos or the Knighthood, it was you that made it the best thing that ever happened to me."

Star smiled at Marco, but then frowned at the floor. "Marco…what are we going to do?"

"I don't know," Marco confessed. "I'd say 'move on' or 'get over it,' but…I don't think I could."

Star scooted closer to Marco. "Can we…can we just hug for a minute? That's not too much, is it?"

Marco blinked, but nodded his head.

Star closed the distance between them and laid her head down on Marco's shoulder. She wrapped her arms around Marco, pinning his arms and locking him in place. Marco let out a sigh as he leaned his head against Star's, doing his best not to enjoy it too much. The two of them just stayed like that for a minute.

"What do you like the most about me?" Star suddenly asked.

The question surprised Marco. "Well…I love that you're the most fearless person I know."

"Fearless?" Star asked.

"Yeah. You're not afraid to tackle things head-on. I mean, heck, you jumped right into your campaign to help the Monsters and put an end to a hatred that's been going on for centuries, and that's just the latest on the list. St. Olga's, Quest Buy, confronting Tom, that assassin in your bedroom. You're a fighter, right down to the core."

Star smiled. "What else?"

Marco closed his eyes. "You…you're like the sun. You radiate warmth and give off a kind of light that just keeps you feeling alive. But you can leave a guy feeling utterly exhausted after a hard day's work, and you can leave some pretty bad burns, depending on the day."

Star giggled into Marco's shoulder. "You were in pretty bad shape after our trip to Quest Buy."

"Why I kept following you around is beyond me," Marco grumbled good-naturedly. "What do you like about me?"

"I love your dorky side. I love your big softy, big brother side I get to see every time you have Mariposa cradled in your arms and she calls you 'Mawco.' I love seeing you go 'professor mode' whenever you're tutoring me; it's super adorable."

Star sighed through her nose. "And I love how everything is like a math problem to you. You see a problem, you consider the factors, you do the work, and you solve the problem. You're super smart, you're crazy capable, and no matter what gets thrown your way, you march through the storm and emerge on the other side in one piece.

"But, what I love the most about you is…well…there's no one in the world I trust more than you, Marco. Not my parents, not Glossaryck, not even Pony or Kelly. You're on the top of that list."

Marco smiled.

"And, let's be honest. As soon as you get those abs, I'm gonna have to have a serious talk with Jackie about sharing you."

Marco's face lit up like a stoplight.

"...Marco." Star's voice was soft as she looked up into his eyes. "Are we…really doomed to never be more than friends?"

Marco hesitated before answering, but he nodded his head.

"Well, I that's really the case, then…" Star tightened her hold on Marco. "I want you to know that you're the best friend I've ever had, or ever will have."

"You too, Star," Marco replied. "You too."

"We'll put the dessert table in the southwest corner, so we can all keep an eye on it," Moon instructed. "I don't want the children gathered around it, gorging themselves on sweets all night."

"Yes, Queen Moon," said the cooks and the caterers.

"The rest of the food and beverages can go in their usual places," Moon further instructed. "Make the proper preparations."

The staff bowed to Moon before they walked away to prepare for the party. Moon looked across the ballroom, seeing the Queen's grand seat in the back, where everyone would be able to see it.

"I remember the first time you sat in that chair."

Moon turned around to see River approach her, a warm smile on his face.

"It was only a couple of months after the whole mess with Toffee. Your first annual Butterfly Banquet as Queen. You hid it well, but I could see just how uncomfortable you were sitting in that seat." River shrugged. "You weren't as uncomfortable as you were sitting on the Butterfly Throne, but still, you were not enjoying yourself."

"The throne of the Butterfly Kingdom and the high seat of Mewnian authority is my responsibly," Moon said sternly, "As the descendent of Urania the First One, the founder of the Butterfly Kingdom, who was the great-granddaughter of Moe Butterfly, the first of the Butterfly magic users, all this, River, is my burden to bare, no matter how 'uncomfortable' it makes me feel."

"...Moonpie," River spread his arms. "Come on."

Moon tried to fight it, but she let out a sigh and walked up to River, lowering herself to hug her short husband. "By the Stump, when was the last time I was able to relax?"

"Relax?" River chuckled. "I wasn't sure you even knew the meaning of the word anymore."

"You are aware I can kill you with little to no effort, correct?"

"Yes, dear."

Moon smiled and stood back up, staring lovingly into River's eyes. "Marrying you was the best thing to ever happen to me. I honestly don't think I would still have my sanity if I didn't have you with me all these years."

"About that. Or, at least, pertaining to that." River bit his lip and fletched his fingers. "I…I've been thinking."

"About what?" Moon asked.

"About…well…about Star," said River. "And…who she'll end up marrying."

Moon blinked in surprise. "Are you…considering a suitor for Star? You've never really been involved by the matter before, what's changed?"

"I'm not considering a suitor for her, I just…" River sighed and shook his head. "I just think that we should come to an agreement that we should let Star marry whomever she chooses to marry. Regardless of who he might be, or what he might be, or…you know, where he might be from. If Star loves him, and if he treats her well and loves her back, then…why not?"

Moon stared at her husband. "...You're talking about Marco, aren't you?"

"I didn't say Marco," River quickly replied. "I simply said-"

"River."

The King flinched and cleared his throat. "Moonpie, come now, even I can see the signs. And this is me we're talking about."

"Signs?" Moon asked.

"Of course. The way they talk to each other, the way they smile and look at each other, the fact that they spend so much time together, the way they just…click."

"So, Star has a crush," said Moon. "He's not the first boy she's fancied."

"This isn't just some crush, Moonpie." River placed his hand on Moon's arm. "Remember when we first became friends? We didn't seem like we had anything in common; you came from a family of sticklers, I came from a family of barbarians–may the Stump bless them, but it didn't take long before you and I started seeing more and more of each other. Until eventually…you know."

Moon closed her eyes and sighed, placing her hand over the hand River had on her arm. "No one in the entire world could bring me the joy you did. And still do. I probably would have forgotten how to smile if it weren't for you."

"Good thing, too. You always had such a pretty smile."

Moon showed River that very smile, but then frowned. "But, River, you were a prince. What we had may not have been agreed with by most of the Kingdom, but it was still allowed."

"So, we're going to let petty laws created by soft-bellied aristocrats deny Star the happiness she deserves?" River asked. "I've been putting up with your annoying, stuck-up family for decades just to stay by your side and give you my love and support. You don't think someone like Marco would be willing to put up with worse for the same with Star?"

"I am not having this argument," Moon stated. "Star can marry whomever she wants, provided that he is at the very least, a Baron. I won't put Star through the same ridicule my mother had to endure."

"Moon, please." River took a breath. "Imagine…imagine if you had to marry Mildrew instead of me. Imagine how different your life would have been."

Moon's eyes widened. "I…"

"Would you still be happy, do you think?" River asked. "Everyone else in your family would have been, probably."

"...I would not have been." Moon shook her head. "Having to see that pompous, arrogant ass every morning…it would have turned my heart into a block of stone."

"But I was there to make sure that didn't happen," said River. "And we need to make sure there's someone there to make sure it doesn't happen to Star."

Moon bowed her head and took a deep breath in and out of her nose, her eyes closed as she considered River's words.

"...Perhaps…if he is truly Star's choice then…we could grant him a title of nobility," Moon relented. "Nothing giving him any real authority, but enough to pass the legal qualifications."

"Thank you, Moon." River smiled.

"My family will not be happy with it."

"I know." River laughed. "By corn, I'm going to enjoy the look on Etheria's saggy face. Hopefully, it'll give that old hag a heart attack."

"River!"

"Sorry. Sorry." River coughed into his fist. "But, uh, refresh my memory…how old is your aunt now? Like, old enough for extreme surprises to give her a stroke, or…?"

Moon growled and her eyes began to glow.

"I'll go see to the preparations." River hurried away. "Love you, Moonpie! Glad we had this talk!"

Queen Moon let out a frustrated groan and rubbed her temples. "I need a vacation."

(Later that evening)

Star looked into the mirror one last time, fixing her hair and straightening out her dress. She was wearing a formal blue dress with white trim, with her blonde hair set in a big, messy bun. Formal, but still held a little rebellion against etiquette.

"You look good, Star. You look good," she said to herself in the mirror. "Don't be weird at the banquet. Just because of that talk you had with Marco, nothing has to be too awkward." The princess took a deep breath. "…Be classy."

There was a knock on the door. "Star? You ready to go?"

"One second, Marco!" Star tucked her wand away in her dress and made her way to the door. She opened the door, seeing a smiling Marco on the other side.

Marco's tuxedo was a lot more modest than his studded suit he wore to the Young Royal Rally, but the black suit, pants, tie, and shoes were well-tailored and ink-black, and the white shirt underneath was crisp and clean. Star caught a whiff of Marco's cologne and took a moment to enjoy it.

"You look good, Marco," said Star.

"You too, Star," Marco replied. "Listen, uh, about what we talked about-"

"It's fine." Star looked to the floor and smiled sadly. "You and I are…different. We can't deny that."

Marco blinked. "Star-"

"It's fine, Marco, really." Star smiled. "Come on, let's go."

Marco looked at her for a minute, then nodded. "Alright, let's go."

Star walked out of the room and closed the door. She and Marco walked down the hall side-by-side on their way to the banquet. They walked in silence, not sure of what to say to one another. They made it to the banquet somewhat fashionably late, entering the ballroom and seeing all of the people that were already there. Unlike the Young Royal Rally, The Butterfly Banquet appeared to be far more formal. Soft music was played by a Mewman band in the back corner, the whole room was illuminated by the lights and the big, crystal chandelier. Two long tables sat on either side of the room, covered in food and drink, with a dessert table in the opposite corner of the band. Servants walked about offering the guests drinks and hors d'oeuvres.

The Queen sat in the back on a throne where everyone could see her, accompanied by the entire Magic High Commission, sitting in seats at either side of her. Hekapoo and Omnitraxus Prime sat to Queen Moon's right, with Omnitraxus in his ball, set on the chair. Rhombulus and Lekmet sat to the Queen's right.

Marco took a wide look around the ballroom. "Okay. I see some Mewmans, some Demons. I think I see some fish people that I'm assuming are the Water Folk. The Jaggy People look pretty freaky. The Pony Heads, well that's just fantastic. And are those…are those pigeons?"

"Hey, B-Fly!"

Pony Head flew up to Star and Marco. She had gotten her pink hair braided and her horn polished.

"Hey, Pony Head!" Star greeted back. "How's it going?"

"Girl, these parties are so lame," Pony Head complained. "Every year, we get dragged to this banquet with, like, nothing to do."

"Food looks pretty good," Marco commented, looking at the buffet tables.

"Oh, hey Earth Turd," Pony Head greeted flatly. "You're here too?"

Marco raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?"

"Meaning!" Star butt in. "that we should introduce you to the gang!" She grabbed Marco's hand and pulled him through the crowd.

Pony Head looked around and saw a few people glance over at Star as she held Marco's hand and led him across the ballroom. They whispered among themselves at the sight of the Princess of Mewni with a boy most did not recognize.

"This should be good," Pony said to herself before floating after Star.

Star brought Marco to a group of kids their age hanging out at the end of one of the buffet tables, dressed in fancy and formal attire. Rock and Penelope were with them, and so was Tom.

"Hi, everyone!" Star greeted enthusiastically. "How the heck are ya!"

"Hey, Star!" Rock came up and gave his cousin a hug. He was wearing the same hide-cape outfit he wore at the Young Royal Rally. "Good to see you again."

Marco raised his hand in greeting. "Hey, Rock."

"Marco, my man! What's up?!" Rock offered a fist bump and Marco gave him one. "Haven't seen you since the Young Royal Rally. How ya been?"

Marco shrugged. "Pretty good. I got Knighted, and even got a squire."

"A Knight, huh? That's impressive!" One of the boys came up to Marco. He was tall, buff, and appeared amphibious, with green skin and scales, and a tail. He wore fancy, maroon and velvet clothes and a pair of matching boots. Despite his big size, he smiled kindly at Marco.

"Prince Lawrence Kelpbottom of the Royal Kelpbottom family, rulers of the Waterfolk Kingdom." The guy offered Marco a hand to shake. "Call me Larry."

Marco shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, Larry." He pulled his hand away and saw that it was covered in mint-green slime. "...Ew."

Larry grimaced and pulled out a handkerchief. "Yeah, that happens sometimes. Sorry."

"Nah, it's cool." Marco took the handkerchief and wiped his hand clean. "S'all good."

"Ah, so you're the famous Marco Diaz I've heard so much about."

Marco turned to the source of the voice and saw a truly, truly, bizarre sight before him. And, all things considered, that was saying a lot. It was a stool pigeon, wearing yellow, formal attire, a feathered, red hat, and the bird was standing on a pair of muscular, human legs, perched on the torso above the maroon pants and brown boots.

Marco did a slow blink. "...Did…did someone drug me? Is that what happened? Is Janna here, did she do it?"

Upon hearing Janna's name, Tom did a quick, nervous glance around the ballroom.

"Ah, I see introductions are in order." The pigeon did a bow, moving his big legs as he did so. "I am Rich Pigeon of the Pigeon Providence. Heir to my family's fortune, and the only Pigeon in two hundred years to learn the tongue of the Mewmans."

"...Call me Marco."

"And you, my friend, may call me Rich. For I am, you see." Rich did a pigeon-coo laugh. "Oh, how I amuse myself."

"Hi, Marco," Princess Penelope said with a wave. Like Rock, she wore the same outfit she wore at the Rally.

"Have we met?" Marco asked.

"I'm Princess Penelope Spiderbite. We, sort of, met at the Young Royal Rally."

Marco took a quick look at Penelope's noticeable spider bite. "Oh, right. I think I remember you now." He looked over at Tom, rocking it in his white tuxedo. "Hey, Tom. How's Janna been treating ya?"

"It's all the time with that demon-summoning maniac!" Tom complained. "That fact that I haven't already been teleported out of this ballroom is nothing short of a miracle!"

"What's up now?" Rock asked.

"I hooked Tom up with one of my friends from back home, and now he can't get rid of her," Marco explained.

"Always the freakin' demon boy," Rock grumbled as he pouted.

"Hey. You that Earth weirdo Lilacia's always complaining about?"

Marco turned to face…a bunch of Pony Heads. They looked like Star's Pony Head, aside from a few colors, accessories, and whatnot. Marco spotted one boy among the group. One of them had a skull where Pony Head had a heart on her neck. There was one that was small and utterly adorable.

"Yeah, this is him." Pony Head flew up next to Marco. "This is that Earth Turd guy I told you all about."

"It's Marco," said Marco. 'God give me strength, there's more of them.'

"So, word is you and our big sister ain't gettin' along." One of Pony Head's sisters, the midnight-blue one with a gold nose ring and electric-blue hair and horn, flew right up to Marco, looking him dead in the eyes. "Well, let me tell you something, Earth-boy."

She floated closer and whispered into Marco's ear. "If you ever wanna help us take her down, give us a call."

Marco blinked. "I'm sorry?"

"Oh, give it a rest, Azniss!" Pony Head flew in and pushed her sister away from Marco. "All of you are gettin' on my freakin' nerves with this 'dethrone big sis' crud!"

Marco gave Star a questioning look, who shrugged at him. "Oh, this happens all the time. They all want the throne, but Pony Head's gonna get it, so they try to make sure she doesn't. You know how it is."

"...I'm suddenly very grateful for being raised in a lower middle class family," Marco said.

"Sir Diaz?"

Marco turned around to see Higgs, standing at attention with her arms held behind her back.

"Higgs?" Marco asked in surprise. "You're…you're wearing a dress."

"Yes, I am. How very observant you are," Higgs replied with bitter sarcasm. She was sporting a simple green dress that matched the color of her eyes with a pair of matching slippers. Other than that, she wasn't wearing any makeup and her hair remained unchanged.

"Well, hello, red-head." Rock made an attempt at a smoldering look and moseyed toward Higgs. "How's about you and I-"

"Come any closer and I'll leave you on the floor choking on your own blood."

Rock backed away and refused to so much as look in Higgs' general direction.

"Wow," said Marco. "Don't get me wrong, I think you look nice, but, I gotta say, Higgs; wearing a dress…does not seem to suit you."

"I know it doesn't. I hate this thing," Higgs answered sourly, but a small, red tint appeared on her cheeks at Marco's comment of her looking nice. "This is my mom's old dress, she's the one who picked it out for me."

"Did she make you go to this banquet?" Marco asked.

"Well, no, I came here because…don't worry about it." Higgs tapped her foot and looked over at the people who were ballroom dancing to the music. She chewed on her lip before continuing. "I was…actually wondering…if…uh…if you would…like to-"

"Hey, everyone! Sorry I'm late!" Kelly interrupted Higgs as she joined the group. "I got held up at the front gate. I lost Star's invitation in my hair."

"Hi, Kelly!" Star greeted. "Glad you could make it!"

"Hey, Kelly," Marco said. "You look good."

Kelly blushed a little. The Woolett girl was wearing a frilly, cyan dress that complemented her hair quite well. "Thanks, Marco. You look good, too."

"What is this guy's secret?" Rock muttered to himself. "He's not even trying."

"Hey, Marco," Kelly blushed some more and walked up closer to Marco. "You…wanna dance with me? I heard you were a pretty good dancer. I wanted to see if you dance as good as you fight."

Marco blinked and blushed, smiling bashfully and pulling on his collar. "Oh, well, I-"

"Sir Diaz is occupied at the moment." Higgs stepped between Marco and Kelly. "Move along."

Kelly raised an eyebrow at Higgs, appearing unimpressed. "Care to repeat that?"

"I said move along," Higgs repeated. "You need me to say it one more time so it can get through that thick head of hair of yours?"

"...What's happening?" Marco asked.

"Oh don't worry about it, Marco." Kelly walked up to Higgs and stared her down. "Your squire's got moxie. I like that." The Woolett narrowed her eyes. "I'd like to see how long it takes to beat that moxie out of her. Just out of Woollett curiosity."

"Yeah?" Higgs sneered. "I'm not afraid of some chick in serious need of a haircut."

Kelly snorted. "And I'm not afraid of Marco's secretary."

"Why you little-"

"Marco! There you are!"

Kelly and Higgs moved away from each other as King River walked up to Marco. "I've been looking for you! Ya got a minute, lad? There are some people I want to introduce you to."

"Uh, sure," said Marco.

"Fantastic!" River grabbed Marco's arm and pulled him away from the group. "Come along, my boy!"

With Marco and King River gone, Kelly and Higgs glared at each other and snarled, like a pair of wolves about to attack.

"Uh, I should go with Marco and my dad." Star leaned in close to Pony Head's ear and whispered, "Please make sure those two behave."

Pony Head nodded. "You got it," she said, to which Star nodded gratefully before walking after Marco and King River.

King River led Marco through the crowd to a group of rough, tough, and buff Mewmans wearing fur skin outfits. They looked like a biker gang that wore the skin of every animal they ever ran over. Most of the men had big, fearsome beards and the women didn't look any less scary. Marco took one good look at them and gulped.

"Hail, everyone!" River greeted heartily.

"River!" The barbarians all cheered.

"Let me introduce you all to someone!" River gave Marco a powerful back pat, pushing him forward. "This is Marco! Fifteen-year survivor of the Neverzone, savior of St. Olga's, Knight of Mewni, and Star's tutor! Marco, this is my family. Meet the Johansens! The toughest bunch of Mewmans you'll ever meet!"

Marco raised a hand. "Sup?"

The Johansens took one look at Marco and they all guffawed until a few of them were on their sides laughing.

"This is the famous Marco?!" One of the Johansens pushed his through up to the front of the group and walked up to Marco and River. He was bigger and bulkier than River, with a big, bushy beard the color of dijon mustard that covered most of his chest. He wore a hunter-green tunic with brown bracers and boots. A red cape hung from the big man's shoulders.

"That's right, Bash. Meet Marco Diaz of Earth," King River said. "Marco, meet my older brother, Bash."

"I am King Bash Johansen of the Johansen Kingdom!" Bash bellowed proudly. "Slayer of beasts! Drinker of brew! Son of the mighty King Blocq!"

King Bash sneered at Marco. "And you're supposed to be the warrior I've heard so much about? The one who fought the Monsters away from St. Olga's? The one who survived long enough in the Neverzone to earn the favor of both Queen Moon and Lady Hekapoo? The one who saved our beloved Star from a Septarian assassin?"

"Yeah, that's me," said Marco.

"Bah! You're just a skinny little weakling!" King Bash poked Marco in the chest, hard enough to push him back a bit. "What exactly are you supposed to be capable of?"

Marco met Bash's gaze coolly. "Try that again and you'll find out."

King Bash let out an amused laugh which the rest of the Johansens joined in on. "Oh, yeah, puny?" He raised his hand to poke Marco in the chest again. "What're you gonna do-"

Before Bash could push him again, Marco grabbed his hand, pressed his thumb down, and twisted.

King Bash let out a cry of agony as his hand made a crackling noise. Marco relentlessly continued to press down on the pressure point in Bash's hand and brought the King to his knees as he cried out in pain.

"Doesn't take much, does it? Huh, big guy?" Marco asked. "You had enough?"

Bash slapped his free hand against the floor. "Uncle! Uncle, I say!"

Marco let go of Bash. The King of the Johansens took a moment to examine his hand before rising back on his feet, glaring down at Marco with a murderous look in his eyes. Or, for all Marco knew, that could have been his regular look.

Bash let out a roar. However, it took Marco a moment to realize that that roar was, in fact, a loud, hearty laugh.

"That was awesome!" Bash declared. "Marco, my boy! Teach me how to do that hand thing!"

"Ah, no ya don't!" Another of the Johansens pushed Bash aside. "Teach me how to do that hand thing! I've heard your sword hand dance fighting style kicks ass!"

"No, he should teach me how to do that!"

"No, he should teach me!"

"No, me!"

"No, me!"

"Get out of my face!"

The Johansens suddenly all got into a violent fistfight, which the rest of the banquet attendants quickly steered away from. River, looking at the display like it was a completely normal situation, simply watched the fighting as he stood next to Marco, who stared at the display with a puzzled and slightly frightened look on his face.

The fighting came to stop and the Johansens recomposed themselves. King Bash came up and wrapped his arms around River and Marco, a crazy grin on his bearded face. "Come, little brother, come, friend Marco! This banquet is boring me to death! Let us enjoy food and drink like we do in the Johansen Kingdom!"

Marco rubbed the back of his head. "Um, I'm not sure-"

"Ah, don't be a square, Marco!" River gave the boy a playful punch to the shoulder that hurt more than the King probably intended. "Let's put some hairs on that chest of yours!"

Marco rubbed his sore shoulder. "Well, when in Rome, I guess."

"Dangit, where did they go?" Star asked as she made her way through the crowd, looking for Marco and her dad. "Come on, come, where are you two?"

"Star."

Star turned to see her Great Aunt Etheria approach her. The old woman had a huge head of hair that was one shade darker in hue than Moon's hair, set in a big, sideways egg-shape with two buns on the top. A tiara surrounded each of the buns and a velvet and white cloth was draped over her hair in between the two buns. Her pudgy face seemed to always be frowning and her tea-green shone with constant disapproval. She wore pearl and gold earrings and had small, pink, star-shaped cheek marks. She wore a maroon cloak over her mauve-colored dress and slippers.

"Hi, Great Aunt Etheria," Star greeted. "Here we go again.'

"I've been meaning to speak with you," Etheria said. "When are you going to continue relations with Prince Thomas?"

"I'm not going to, Great Aunt Etheria," Star replied, fighting to keep the irritation out of her voice.

"Why ever not?" Etheria demanded. "Such a union would be greatly beneficial for both the Butterflies and the Lucitors."

"So sorry for the inconvenience," Star replied bitterly.

"Well, if not Prince Thomas, then who do you plan to marry?" Etheria asked. "It's about time you found someone to one day rule by your side. From what I've seen, you are hardly suited to rule this Kingdom on your own. You need someone to help you rule this Mewni."

"Fun bumping into you, Great Aunt Etheria. See ya." Star moved past Etheria.

"Hold on, I am not done speaking with you," Etheria scolded, stopping Star in her tracks.

"Of course not." Star turned back around. "What's up?"

"I wanted to ask about your tutor. Mango, was it?" Etheria asked. "You've been spending an awful lot of time with him, correct?"

Star's cheek marks brightened a little. "The time I spend with my friends is none of your business."

"On the contrary, I consider it to be entirely my business." Etheria raised her head and looked down at Star along her nose. "From what I have learned, it is my understanding that this Mango boy is a commoner from a dimension unheard of until recently."

"He's from Earth, and Mom Knighted him," said Star. "And his name is Marco."

"What you decide to call him is hardly of any importance," Etheria said with an unconcerned wave of her hand.

"What exactly are you getting at?" Star asked.

"The point I am trying to make is that you should take care not to let that boy father you an illegitimate bastard."

Star's eyes widened in outrage. "Excuse me?"

"Your grandmother bore the Kingdom a bastard princess, sired by an unknown nobody," Etheria continued. "I love your mother, but she was born a bastard princess, and Comet refused to have another child or even get married, which is the only reason Moon inherited the throne. It is your responsibility as the future Queen of Mewni to wed a proper prince and bear the Kingdom a legitimate heir."

Star glared at Etheria. "Let me make this clear. I'm not going to sacrifice my own happiness just for everyone else's satisfaction. You want a King, you'll get what I choose."

Etheria's eyes widened in anger. "Well, it seems Comet's imprudence has been passed on to her irresponsible granddaughter."

"Yeah?" Star asked. "Maybe that's a good thing."

The two of them suddenly heard cheering and shouting. Etheria and Star looked over to the Johansens gathered around a small table, cheering on King River, King Bash, and to Star's surprise, Marco, as the three of them chugged down mugs of ale.

Star blinked. "What the…?"

"Is that your tutor?" Etheria asked. "The Mango Days I've heard so much about is that boy?"

Star walked up to her Johansen family and pushed her way through to the table, where River, Bash, and Marco were finishing off yet another mug. Marco drank at a much slower rate than River and Bash did.

"What the heck is this?" Star asked.

"Star, my darling little niece!" Bash slurred. "You, hic, you didn't tell me your friend here was so great! The boy, hic, the boy makes his ancestors proud!"

"I did tell-tell you, Bash." River let out a burp. "Marco's a real, hic, a real go-getter."

Star looked over at Marco. "...Uh…Marco? You…you okay?"

Marco swayed back and forth like a reed in the wind. His eyes didn't blink at the same time and his cheeks looked a little flushed.

"Hey, hiccup, he-hey, Star." Marco gave the princess a drunken smile. "How, how, h-how's it going?"

"Geez, Marco, how much did you drink?" Star asked.

"He was able to keep up behind the both of us!" Bash raised his mug in the air. "Here's to Marco the Arrow! Looks like a Butterfly! Stings like a Johansen!"

The Johansens all cheered and shouted. Marco raised his empty mug in the air and smiled, then fell out of his chair and onto the floor. The Johansens just cheered some more.

"Marco!" Star came over and helped the boy up to his feet, wrapping Marco's arm over her and supporting his weight. "For corn's sake, let's get some coffee in you or something."

"The beer tasted like corn," Marco muttered. "Why does, hiccup, why does everything in-in Mewni, taste like corn?"

Star led Marco away from the Johansens, taking him to the part of the buffet table that had the coffee. Marco had trouble walking on his own two feet, but Star was strong enough to hold him up and keep him moving.

"Marco the Arrow, huh?" Star asked. "You know, in Johansen culture, it's common enough to be named after a weapon, but being called 'The Arrow' usually means you're sharp, you shoot straight, you strike with power and accuracy, everything an arrow does. That, and it rhymes. Above all else, it's gotta sound good."

"Oliver…hiccup…Queen."

"Yeah, buddy, yeah. Let's get you that coffee." Star brought Marco to the coffee dispensers and propped him up on his own, making triple sure that Marco could stand up without falling over. Then, she poured Marco a cup of coffee and brought out her magic wand.

"Okay, let's see if I remember my grandma's insta-sober spell," Star muttered to herself. "I've seen my mom use it for my dad a hundred times, I can do it."

"I think, hiccup, I think Bash's wife is-is missing a few teeth."

"Yeah, that's Aunt Bertha. She ran face-first into a boulder on a dare. Now be quiet." Star hovered her wand over the cup of coffee. "Let's see, how does it go… Give this drink a rush and a kick, to sober this fool who is drunk and is thick."

Star's wand glowed and shone a yellow light into the coffee. The drink shimmered and glistened, the glow dying down as the light of the wand faded away.

"There we go." Star offered Marco the coffee. "Drink this."

"You know, Star, I, hiccup, I don't tell you this as-as often as I should, but…" Marco did a slow, asynchronous blink. "You are…very pretty."

Star's eyes widened and her cheeks brightened, her hearts glowing like a pair of rubies. "Uh, M-Marco, maybe you should just drink the-"

"Your hair is like gold, your eyes are-are like the sky," Marco hiccuped. "And you have such…such kissable cheeks. I'd-I'd love to wrap my arms around your lithe body and just keep, keep, keep kissing your heart cheek marks over and over-"

Star, with a face as red as the hoodies Marco normally wore, grabbed his hair, tilted his head back, and poured the coffee down his throat.

Once the cup had been emptied, Star let go of Marco and took a step back. Marco shook his head like a dog and his eyes widened, his pupils becoming dilated from the powerful caffeine level.

"Hooooo-ly crap! Monster energy can go to hell!" Marco then grimaced in pain and pressed his hand against his scalp. "Uuuuuuuuuugh… My head…"

"That'll go away," Star promised. "You're just gonna have to walk it off."

"Owww… What happened?" Marco asked. "I remember drinking with your dad and your uncle, you came and took me away, and then…everything goes black."

Star blinked at Marco. "You mean…you mean you don't remember," Star blushed again. "...what you just said to me?"

"No. why?" Marco asked.

"Oh, well, uh," Star coughed into her fist. "You…you were just saying how cool it was that my dad's family named you Marco the Arrow."

"Huh…that is a cool name." Marco smiled. "Sir Marco 'The Arrow' Diaz. Yeah, that's pretty sweet–Ow, my head."

Star giggled. "Easy, big guy." She came up and placed her hands gently on Marco. "You'll be fine in a minute or two."

Marco groaned miserably and straightened up with Star's support. The two of them looked into each other's eyes, and suddenly couldn't look away from one another. Star's eyes brightened and she smiled sweetly at the boy with the hangover. Marco's eyes widened and he blushed at Star.

"Um…" Marco pulled away. "We should get back to-"

"No." Star grabbed Marco's hand and pulled him back. "We're not doing this anymore."

"What?" Marco blinked. "Star-"

"Enough, Marco." Star took both of Marco's hands. "I want you to tell me exactly how you feel about me."

"Star, we can't-"

"Tell me the truth, or so help me, I'll drown you in ale until I can get the truth out of you."

Marco gulped. "Star…I hate the fact that we can never be together."

"Because?" Star pressed.

"Because…" Marco looked away. "Because…I…I…"

Star leaned in closer.

Marco shook his head and pulled his hands away. "I'm sorry, I can't do this," he said before walking away.

"Marco!" Star followed after him. She caught up to Marco as he reached the middle of the ballroom and grabbed his arm. "I'm not letting this go!"

"What do you want from me?" Marco demanded. "Star. We. Can't. Be together."

"Even though we have feelings for each other?" Star demanded in return.

"Yes!" Marco cried. "For God's sake, Star, why can't we move past this!"

"You know why, you idiot," Star said angrily. "And I want to hear you say it."

"Star-"

"Say it, Marco!" Star commanded. "Tell me that you l-"

"May I have everyone's attention!"

The room went silent as everyone turned their attention to the short, hunchbacked, bald, one-eyed goblin at the ballroom entrance. He hobbled into the ballroom on his gimp leg, wearing a suit like something a warden might wear.

"Gemini!?" Star shouted. "What are you doing here?!"

Queen Moon stood up from her seat. "How did you get in here?!"

"Oh, I got thrown through a window to get past the guards. You're gonna have to get that fixed, sorry." The crowd parted as Gemini hobbled forward. "Anyway, I'm here with a message to Queen Butterfly."

"Speak. Then leave," Queen Moon ordered.

"Well, hold on." Gemini tapped his eye-goggle.

Nothing happened. Everyone just stared at Gemini in confusion.

"Give it a minute, I never got this thing upgraded." Gemini's eye began to glow. "Okay, here we go."

A hologram projected out of Gemini's eyes, showing the low-resolution image of none other than Miss Heinous. Everyone gasped at the image, but not because of the fact that it was Miss Heinous, but because of the way she looked. Her dress was torn, her tail swayed side to side like a cat about to pounce, her eyes her reptilian, and her sharp teeth were set in a sharp smile.

But what really got everyone's attention were the cheek marks on Heinous' cheeks. The turquoise clubs on her cheeks glowed bright, standing out in the hologram.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Queen Moon demanded.

"This is a message for all of Mewni," the former headmistress said in the hologram. "Most of you know me as Miss Heinous, the headmistress of St. Olga's Reform School for Wayward Princesses. However, that is not my name. My name, is Meteora Butterfly. Daughter of Eclipsa Butterfly and Globgor the Size-Shifter."

There was a collective gasp among the ballroom. The Magic High Commission stood from their seats, suddenly looking panicked.

"...Oh…my…God," Marco whispered. "...Welp…found her."

"Three hundred years ago, Mewni took everything from me," Meteroa continued. "My mother and my father were both crystalized, and I was put in that school and taught to hide my Monster heritage. But now, it is my turn to take."

Meteora's eyes glowed venom-green. "I am going to tear down Butterfly Castle, and burn that entire Kingdom to the ground. I am going to kill every Mewman that I can get my hands on, and every single one of my half-sister's descendants shall be destroyed! Vengeance will be mine!"

Meteora grinned evilly. "Oh, but I suppose it's only fair that I give you something. Can't simply leave you with nothing. After all, we're family.' She let out a condescending chuckle.

"Marco Diaz of Earth is a dark magic user!"

Everyone gasped. Marco suddenly looked terrified.

"Don't believe me? His cheek marks are red, crescent moons and he knows dark magic! So, yeah, it's probably best if you just kill him immediately."

Meteroa crossed her arms. "You have been warned of the inevitable. I am coming for you, Mewni. You will pay for your crimes. Mewni…will…fall."

Meteora stayed perfectly still for a moment before turning to the side like she was looking at something off-camera. "I think that was pretty good, what do you guys think? You know what, I don't really care what you guys think. Gemini, go and deliver it to the Butterfly Castle. Eh, take one of the Monsters, someone strong enough to toss you through a window if he needs to… Wait what…? What do you mean it's still rolling…? Well then, turn it off, you imbecile!"

The hologram powered down, and every set of eyes focused on Marco.

Star looked at Marco fearfully. Marco gulped and turned around. Queen Moon and the Magic High Commission were suddenly right there in front of him.

"Queen Moon, I-"

Moon raised her fingers and shot a blue beam of light at Marco. He flinched, but no visible damage was done. However, he felt a flow of energy in his body rise up to his cheeks.

There was a collective gasp. Marco didn't need a mirror to know that his cheek marks were showing.

"No," Hekapoo whispered.

"YES!" Rhombulus shouted. "I told you so! I freaking told you so!"

Marco took a good look around him, seeing all of the people staring at him. Kelly and Higgs both gaped at the sight before them. Tom and Pony Head stared wide-eyed at Marco's cheek marks. Everyone else has a similar expression on their faces, some looking more frightened than others.

…Well…" Marco let out a breath. "...This ain't good."

'Sooner or later we have all to pay for what we do.'

Oscar Wilde.