A/N: 1st one to leave a review gets 3 'anything goes' questions they can ask me, to which I'll reply either publicly (next Chapter's notes) or privately, depending on their mercy. Why am I doing this? No idea.
Moving on!
A little answer to a PM, which I've already answered privately but decided it was worth discussing publicly.
I'm gonna keep it short. I got asked about the length of a Chapter and whether I stick to any specific rules.
Yes and no.
I follow the principle 'write as much as you need to to tell your story, whether it's 100 words or 10k words'. However, I also try to keep a standard of around 2k-3k words per chapter so you guys don't get overwhelmed or underwhelmed. But the latter only applies to Fanfiction. In the novel I'm writing, the currently longest Chapter is nearly 25 pages long while the shortest one is 3 pages. So, yeah, don't limit yourself to the number of words or pages.
Replies to the latest reviews:
RedHood001: He will not be a comedic relief. His role will be something... very unpleasant...
Rock Raider: Oh, he is! You'll see why!
ElleFreak: The Jackie subplot will be something dark and key to the story!
RobLebron: Why would she be mad at Star? She's at peace with their relationship, as mentioned in 'My Star'. And I haven't gone into any details yet, but lets just say that Moon wronged her horribly... You'll find out soon enough, but be prepared for some dark and twisted stuff...
Disclaimer: All characters from Star vs. The Forces of Evil belong to the creators of the show. The plot of this story and any original characters that may appear in it, however, do belong to me and I would kindly ask you to inform me should you want to use anything from this story in your own fanfic.
Beta read by ElleFreak.
Story cover by Luzz015. Be sure to check her out on DeviantArt!
Star vs. The Forces of Evil: Staring it up!
Chapter 7
The Royal Wimps
A&B
"Sit properly!" Moon Butterfly, present Queen of Mewni and mother of the rebellious princess and Marco's girlfriend, Star Butterfly, yelled at Marco, who promptly straightened his posture on the throne. Narrow-eyed, she shook her head, and said, "To be a King you must first look the part. Remember: Proper posture is key to being a ruler!"
"Yes, ma'am!" said Marco in response, much to the Queen's delight, as showed her smile.
"Good," she said. "Now, sit like that for the next 2-3 hours. I'll be back later today and we'll move on to the next part. Good?"
Marco nodded, and Moon departed.
He signed wearily.
Honestly speaking, he didn't even remember how or why he was even in the present situation. The day had started off normally, then took a sudden and, above all unexpected turn...
Earth, some time Earlier
As usual, Marco was sitting at the breakfast table after having showered and dressed, waiting for Angie to finish preparing breakfast and Star and Zora to join him. At the other end of the table was Rafael, who'd returned home two days ago and was now busy reading the news and enjoying a fresh cup of black coffee, a bitter taste which Marco wasn't really a fan of.
Today was Saturday, meaning that Marco was in no hurry to catch the bus and could let Star snooze a bit longer, along with her 'snuggle-buddy', Zora, who was excused to more sleep, given her young age. Star was definitely exploiting this, but such was the mischevious princess.
When she finally did come down the stairs, she was still in her purple nightgown and alone.
"Morning, Marco," she greeted her soon-to-be king and casually stole a quick good morning kiss, then greeted his parents. "Morning, Mr. and Mrs. Diaz!"
"Good morning, Star," the two replied in unison, Angie busy at work on squeezing out fresh orange juice and Rafael engrossed in his newspaper.
"Where's Zora?" asked Marco, suspecting what the answer would be. Soon enough, his suspicion was confirmed.
"She's still out like a log!" said Star with a cheery smile. "Friday family movie night really took a toll on her."
The three had been up late into the morning hours watching movies, as Zora had requested upon learning of their existence. Star and Marco were both happy to watch her bask wide-eyed and in fascination at the moving pictures. Naturally, and putting her young age into consideration, they'd gone with a more or less G-rated selection of movies, such as animated films or comedies.
In the end, they'd watched 4 movies and were half-way into the 5th one when Zora fell asleep on Star's lap and they were 'forced' to call it a night. Marco found it sweet that Star found so much joy in sharing a room and even a bed with Zora, in spite of the availability of the guest room; Star simply loved having her as company. Then again, so did he. Perhaps some of Zora's good behaviour would rub off on her, who knows?
"Did you hear that?" Marco asked suddenly.
"I didn't hear anything," said Star.
Marco arched an eyebrow. He could have sworn that he'd heard a trumpet or similar instrument just now.
The noise came again, this time much louder, reaching the ears of the other three family members.
"There it is again!" said Marco.
"Yeah, I heard it, too!" replied Star.
From the stairs, the family of for heard a yawning sound and turned to see Zora coming down, rubbing one eye tiredly and hugging one of Star's stuffed animals to her chest.
"What's going on...?" she said groggily and yawned.
The noise became increasingly louder, then stopped. Star and Marco both exchanged a curious look.
"What was-" Marco began but never finished as the doorbell rang.
Angie walked over to open it and widened her eyes upon seeing a white and blue carriage parked in the driveway. Before it stood two men wearing blue clothes, accompanied by a small, familiar man with hair as blond as Star's and a well-groomed beard. He was smiling cheerfully at Angie.
"How do you do, Angie? Long time no see!" River greeted her with a smile.
"Oh, King River, what a surprise," said Angie, delighted at the sudden visit. She beckoned him to come in, which he gladly did.
"Hello, Rafael!" he greeted him in a chummy fashion and shared a man-hug with his muscular friend. He then turned to Star and Marco and greeted both of them with a smile. His smile soon turned into a curious look as his sight fell upon an unfamiliar figure.
"Dad, this is the girl Marco and I found. Her name is Zora," said Star, sparing her father the bother of having to inquire about her identity. There was no doubt that Moon had told him about her. Zora smiled meekly at the King and hid behind Star. The elder girl took her hand and said assuringly, "There's no need to be nervous. My Dad's pretty chill. Right, dad?"
"Like a Mewcumber!" the King responded with glee. Marco assumed that what he was referring to was the Mewman version of a Cucumber. "Your mother told me everything," he said, gaze focused on Star "Rest assured," he said, this time looking at Zora, "Justice will be served to whoever did the foul deed!"
Zora was unsure how to respond to his words, or even respond at all, so she remained silent, but stepped out from behind Star, no longer feeling the urge to seek cover behind her.
King River smiled, and spoke, his words directed at both his daughter and his soon-to-be son-in-law.
"It's nice to see you two fit and healthy as ever."
"It's good to see you, too, Dad. But what are you doing here? I'm not in trouble, am I?" said the princess, expecting the worst, given that he'd come personally to talk about whatever agenda needed to be discussed. He was cheerful, but that was just his nature. There was no telling what his intentions were. Fortunately, her worries proved to be obsolete.
"No no no! Not at all! I actually didn't come here for you," River said and looked past his daughter. "I came here for him!" He looked and pointed at Marco.
"Me?" asked the Latino, unsure why he was the object of interest. "Why me?"
"Do you remember some time ago when my wife informed you that you'd soon be put under a certain trial?"
"Yeah," said Marco, vaguely remembering the Queen's words from then.
"Well, the preparations have been made and you are to come to Mewni with me to begin the said test!" said River and walked over to Marco and patted him on the shoulder. He could see the confusion and anxiousness in Marco's eyes, and continued, "I know you're confused, but there's no need to be anxious. Everything will be explained once we get to Mewni."
"Hold on." River removed his hand from Marco's shoulder. "You're expecting me just give up on whatever plans I had for today and blindly follow you to Mewni to participate in some 'trial' whose meaning I don't even know of?"
"...Basically, yes."
"Well, why didn't anyone tell me about this beforehand? And I don't mean vaguely, I mean exactly, as in time and date!"
"The answer is quite simple!" exclaimed River, raising a finger in an explanatory fashion and straightening his posture. "The King of Mewni must always expect the unexpected and be prepared to face whatever lies around the corner! In short; My coming here is already a part of the trial. Should you refuse, you'll fail by default! So come along, now."
Marco didn't take River's warning seriously, and, as such, crossed his arms, and asked, "Ok. And what'll happen if I choose not to participate in this... whatever it is, and fail?"
"Then the people of Mewni will never acknowledge you as my successor and you can kiss my daughter goodbye! True love or not!" said River, his voice stern.
Marco felt tiny all of a sudden. He had no clever response, and neither did Star, likely aware of the situation better than he. Finally, Marco sighed defeatedly.
"Alright, alright! I get the message!" he sighed again. "How long will this 'trial' last?"
"From sunrise to sundown, if you're lucky. Mine lasted throughout the night," replied River, calm and composed. Fortunately for Marco, Moon and River had managed to pull a few strings and have the tasks suited for a human. While Marco was undoubtedly one of the stronger human's they'd come across, River doubted that he'd be a match for a pack of trolls or a tree giant. "So, I ask you again; Marco Diaz of Earth, do you accept the challenge, or do you forfeit?"
Marco looked at Star, obviously unsure what to say. She smiled affectionately and kissed his cheek, then said, "I know it's sudden, but it's something which has to be done. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll pass. Go."
Feeling reassured, Marco grinned confidently and proclaimed, "Ok. I accept."
"Splendid!" said River. The King beckoned Marco to step outside and climb into the carriage. Marco did so promptly and was soon joined by River himself.
"Good luck, Marco!" Star exclaimed, waving him off from the doorstep, along with his mother and father. Zora also waved shyly.
"Hya!" the carriage driver yelled and whipped the horses carrying the harness. They galloped toward an open dimensional rift that closed behind them.
They were gone.
Just as the four at the doorstep were about to head back inside to finish their breakfast, a second portal opened on the exact spot where the previous one had closed.
"Were you expecting someone?" asked Angie, looking at the Mewman princess beside her. Star shook her head and shrugged. They soon received an answer as a boy clad in familiar prestigious white clothing exited the portal. His smile was wide and his voice cheerful.
"I have returned!" Prince Shining yelled proudly, making his arrival known. Star was unsure how to react, but held no grudges again him, so she smiled and walked over to greet him.
Zora followed her, assuming that the strange boy was an acquaintance of Star.
The prince, as was the custom in the kingdom from which he hailed, Alwaysland, took Star's hand and kissed it slightly before releasing it. Star didn't seem to mind, although she was sure that Marco would anything but approve of the prince's greeting methods.
She hugged him briefly, and said, "Uh, I don't mean to sound rude, but what are you doing here?"
"A fair question," laughed Shining, smiling widely. "Shall we discuss it over a cup of tea?"
"I don't really like tea, but would some chocolate milk suffice?"
"Also good," he responded. He then saw the young girl standing next to Star, and spoke, "Ah, I see you've adopted. I had my suspicions about the compatibility between you and Marco but never considered the thought of looking for a hair at such a young age because of this obstacle. Nonetheless, I shall respect your decision!"
"What!? No no no no no!" Star spoke frantically, blushing madly and shaking her hands rapidly. Zora, too, was as ripe as a tomato. "Marco and I found Zora in the middle of the woods and she's just staying with us for the time being! We haven't tried doing... THAT!"
Shining giggled, despite himself. "Oh, my apologies." He had trouble containing his laughter while speaking. "I always have been rash when it comes to making conclusions." He apologised, probably. He then looked at Zora and gave a brief bow. "You carry a wonderful name."
"Thanks," replied Zora with a tiny voice, her face still beating read.
Star heard both Angie and Rafael's snickers from the doorway and whipped her head around. She shot them an angry glare. Both parents played dumb and retreated into the house, whistling casually as they did so.
"Anyway," Star began, turning her head toward the prince. "Come on inside," she beckoned him and led him into the house, closing the door behind them.
Mewni, Castle Butterfly
The greetings came and went like a spring shower. Marco had to shake the hands of several Mewmans who didn't look very pleased by his presence but said nothing. At first look, they looked like the representatives of social and working groups of Mewni. One looked to be a farmer, one like a nobleman, another like a common peon, and so forth.
Marco wanted to ask King River whether he should say anything special to them, but the small King remained silent and merely observed his actions. Marco guessed that this was also one of the impromptus he had to accomplish by himself, so he kept a straight face while greeting those representatives.
Once he'd shaken the hand of every representative and exchanged a few words with each one, Marco followed King River into the main castle hall that leads to the throne room. He was expecting it to be decorated for the occasion and additional guards to be posted, yet this was not the case. There were no special decorations or anything, just Queen Moon sitting casually high up on her throne and smiling at Marco once he came into sight.
"Hello, Marco. I'm glad you're here."
"The pleasure's all mine, your hig-" Marco was about to say 'your highness' but Moon frowned angrily and narrowed her eyes at him, expressing a mixture of anger and annoyance. It took Marco a few seconds to understand why she'd reacted in such a way. Once it finally dawned on him that it was his formal attitude towards her that had triggered such a reaction, he smiled sheepishly, and said, "Um, hi, Queen Moon. I, uh, can call you that, right?"
Moon sighed and shook her head playfully at the boy. While she did appreciate his polite attitude, he didn't seem comfortable with addressing royalty in such a casual fashion. He would get used to it in due time, she reminded herself.
"You're a smart lad. I'm sure you've figured out why you're here."
"Yeah." Marco nodded. "Something involving that 'trial' you were talking about, right?"
Moon nodded. "Correct. I presume you want to know a bit more about it?"
"That would be preferable."
"Not to worry. Everything will be explained as the day progresses. For now, come over here."
Marco acted obediently and walked up to the throne. What happened next took him off guard. The Queen stood up from her seat and pointed her hand at the throne. It looked like she was inviting him to sit down.
Marco looked at her for confirmation but received a deadpan stare in return. He then sat down on the seat, and asked, "Uh, what am I supposed to-"
"Sit Properly!" she exclaimed without warning, startling him into submission. "To be a King you must first look the part. Remember: Proper posture is key to being a ruler!"
"Yes, ma'am!" he responded swiftly and straightened his posture.
What the heck is going on!?
"Good," she said, a satisfied smile plastered on her face. "Now, sit like that for the next 2-3 hours. I'll be back later today and we'll move on to the next part. Good?"
He nodded without hesitation. Moon gave him a brief bow and departed along with her husband, leaving the Latino boy completely in the dark.
Something tells me that this day is gonna be interesting...
End of part 1!
Chapter end notes:
He's back, baby! By far the most annoying character I've ever made! Prince Shining!
Hopefully, you guys still remember him. If not, just read 'My Star' and you surely will!
This Chapter was short, but there's a good reason for it; I'm planning to make an A and a B version for this Chapter(on for the happenings on Mewni and one for Earth) and post them weekly! Hopefully, I'll succeed!
I'll likely start with Marco's 'trial' on Mewni.
Until then, C y'all next week(end)! (Probably...)
Expected update: Next Saturday/Sunday, possibly Monday.
