A/N: I live, beaches!
Alright, on a more serious note, I am back with the intention to stay. Long story short: I had no intentions of abandoning this story or my account, but when the whole pandemic happened, a lot of stuff just went wrong in my life. Like, a lot. I'm not gonna go into the details, but between finishing college, my part-time job and attempting to get my novel finished and published (it's still not been accepted and I need to do some rewriting, but I am on good track, which is nice) I just had a major case of burnout and needed a long break, so I took one to get stuff in order. This is in no way an excuse for leaving you guys in the dark for, what, a year and a half? All I can say is that I will do my best to deliver the ending you guys deserve!
I'm gonna be honest, I'm not entirely sure where exactly I left certain arcs at. I've already re-read the whole thing, and I'll try to recall some plot-elements from memory (my previous PC died along with about 30 pages of notes, yay!) so if some things become a bit, erm, messy, apologies in advance... ^^'
Also, I know that most of my OG readers are not gonna care about this story, but if you happen to be one of those, I ask you to put your trust in me anew and stick 'till the end, I won't disappoint!
-jolleIQ
Disclaimer: I do not claim the rights to Star vs. the Forces of Evil or any of the characters that appear in the show. They are the property of Daron Nefcy and Disney. I do, however, claim the rights to any original characters that may appear in this story as well as the plot, and would kindly ask for a permission request should you want to include any of the story elements in your own works.
Star vs. the Forces of Evil: Staring it up!
Chapter 12
Moon
The throneroom of Castle Butterfly was silent as a grave as the blue-haired Queen of Mewni and her lookalike finished the tale. Moon stared at the ground, her fists clenched and shaking, but she uttered not a word more.
Around her, the gathered audience could only stare in shock and horror. Most apparent was that of her daughter, who could only shake her head. "...mom?" Star said, her voice distant and confused. She attempted to take a step back but stumbled, her legs wobbling unsteadily and her face one of pure shock and confusion as she stared at the person who'd served as her role model; the person admired throughout the kingdoms for her wisdom and compassion; the person who's smiling face she remembered from the days of her early youth; the person whom she called mother. "Mom... what... how..." She tried, of how desperately she tried, but the words would not come forth.
"Star..." Marco said as he helped her upright with Zora's aid. He dared not let her go for fear that she would stumble to the ground again. Honestly, he couldn't blame her since he himself felt like throwing up right then, but he couldn't. He had to be strong.
"...I... I remember now!" River exclaimed suddenly, and the gazes of the attendees swept to him. Gazing at his much taller wife with gaping eyes and a bewildered expression, River spoke, "Moon, I remember everything! That day! That night! You used magic on me, didn't you!" The proud Mewman queen was still as a statue, so the diminutive king continued, "Moon, why did you do that! We made a promise, didn't we!? So why-"
"Enough, River. Just. Enough." the Mewman queen declared sternly, her voice weak and tired, and with narrowed eyes she stared ahead at the figure resembling her to a tee, smirking maliciously as if she were a cat having appetizing fantasies while staring at a cornered mouse. "Satisfied, Diana?"
"Quite," Diana replied, her melodious voice filled with amusement. "It was quite the tale, was it not? Love, hope, betrayal, arrogance; I wonder if the history books will one day include such lovely details. It would be a true shame to leave them out. Wouldn't you agree, Mona?"
"Enough, Diana!" Moon exclaimed, her voice a booming echo in the grand chamber. "Have you come here to gloat? To hang me by my feet and giggle at me while I dangle? Or are you here for another purpose?"
"My. So harsh. You used to have more manners," Diana said casually as though she were making small talk with an old friend. When no reply came, she tsked and crossed her arms before her chest. "Anyhow, I'm here to settle a debt long overdue, or to be more specific, I'm here to see a debt settled."
"Debt?" Star said from the side, her legs still shaky, but thankfully she had Marco at her side supporting her. When the Mewman princess spoke again, her voice was faint and shaky, "Mom? Is that story... true?"
Moon didn't answer, instead ignoring her daughter entirely for Diana. "I figured as much..." Moon sighed, and her gaze moved to Jackie, to Nerida, whose expression was one of perfect stoicism. Moon smiled a ghost of a smile, staring at the young girl, and said, "And unless I'm mistaken, the debt I've to square is with you, Nerida?"
"..." Jackie didn't answer and instead swept her gaze across the room and stopped at one of the pillars, then said, her voice level and emotionless, "I remember hiding back there, you know. I remember it all. In fact, I dream of it almost every night. The bloodshed; the violence; the screams of dying people; you brutally murdering my parents..." Jackie paused and met Moon's gaze. She continued, her voice icy and distant, "No matter what I do, no matter how hard I try, I can't forget that day. And you wanna know what happened to me afterwards?" She gave no time for replies. "Thanks to your lies and propaganda, my mom and dad were blamed for the chaos, and since I was the royal heir, I was exiled from the kingdom. Not before being brutally beaten, of course. They abandoned me, left me out there to die. They were probably hoping I would. Guess that would have been pretty convenient for you, wouldn't it?"
Moon opened her mouth to reply, but Jackie didn't allow a single word in from the Queen. "But Mother found me and saved me. And she promised me that I would get my revenge on the person who took everything from me. You hurt me, and I'm here to hurt you. A fair deal, wouldn't you agree, Moon?"
"Jackie, what are you saying!? You're not serious, right!?" Marco exclaimed, unable to maintain his composure and he heard Jackie Lynn-Thomas, chill skater girl, utter the words of a maniac. This couldn't be Jackie, it just couldn't. And yet the smile she flashed at him. Kind. Calm. Filled with so much pain. Marco could only shake his head. "Jackie..."
"I'm sorry, dude," Jackie said and reached into one of the pockets of the cloak she was wearing and from therein drew forth an all-too-familiar object.
"My wand!" Star yelled, immediately recognising the star-tipped wand. Jackie positioned the tip of the wand to her chest and clasped the handle with both hands, and the wand emitted a blinding azure light, like the surface of a shallow lagoon illuminated by the purest light. Before Marco could react, he found himself gasping for air, and each time he inhaled, water raged into his lungs. He swished his arms and felt a slight resistance; water. He was helpless as a newborn babe, his arms flaying wildly and his legs kicking willy-nilly, but no matter the effort, he wasn't anywhere nearer the surface. Just as he thought he was about to drown, the water disappeared and he inhaled a breath of pure, sweet, glorious air and coughed violently, emptying his lungs of the excess water. Upon opening his eyes, he found himself level with the floor, and as he tried standing up, his body refused to cooperate. He soon realised why; his arms, legs and torso were tied in coils of water, yet the water was like a chain of iron, refusing to bend or break or allow his body the freedom it desired.
"Let me go!" the familiar voice of a young girl, Zora, cried, and Marco instinctively whipped his head in the direction, and the sight made his heart sink; lying on the floor, tied down and helpless were both Zora and Star, both struggling to break free from the binds of magical water, and as he looked around himself more, he found that everyone was in a similar predicament, bound and lamed, unable to move an inch, and the guards and River even had those water coils over their mouths. Only Moon, Diana and Jackie were still standing, and the latter of the three was still holding the blazing wand that was likely functioning as an amplifier for her magic.
"Jackie! Stop this!" Marco screamed, but the girl he once called his friend - still called his friend - ignored him as though he were nothing but thin air. Again and again, he screamed her name, but she didn't spare him a glance. Instead, Jackie made her way over to Star and knelt beside her, and just for a moment, Marco saw her mask of stone crack.
"I'm sorry, Star," Jackie told the princess.
"S-sorry? Sorry for what?" Star asked, confused and scared. "Jackie? What's going on? What are you-"
"Leave my daughter out of this, Diana!" Moon's voice boomed, commanding and defiant despite the situation, and the Queen shot a vicious glare at Diana. "That was part of the deal!"
"Oh, calm down, Moon," Diana said offhandedly as though she were dismissing a child. "I remember our deal. Do have more faith in me, will you?" Moon clamped her lips shut and watched as Jackie placed the wand next to Star, and the azure glow faded.
"Star, I just want you to know that I don't have anything against you. You're an amazing friend, better than what someone like me deserves, and once all this is over, I just want you to know that... I genuinely never wanted to hurt you..."
"Hurt me? Jackie, wha-"
"Please, Star, let me finish because I have a feeling this is the last time we'll talk for a while," Jackie cut in, still knelt beside the Mewman princess. "What happened between your mom and I has nothing to do with you, I get that part, which makes what I'm about to do even harder. I'm sorry it has to be this way, and I resent your mother even more for forcing me to do this to you, but it has to be done. It just has to."
"Jackie! What are you planning to do to my mom!?" Star said, and all she got for it was silence. "Jackie...?"
"... I'm sorry," was all the former Merfolk princess said as she stood up and left Star on the floor, her wand just out of reach. Next Jackie went over to Zora and loomed over her, considering something. The small girl swallowed audibly, and to her relief, Jackie walked past her, heading straight for Marco. She stood there for a time, and as he gazed into her eyes, he could almost see a sense of shame within them. She said nothing to him and walked on, striding straight towards Moon, who was standing tall and proud. Jackie drew the mermaid-hilted dagger from her waist and twisted in between her fingers skillfully, but Moon did not so much as flinch. The Queen of Mewni maintained her regal posture, her hands clasped before her waist, one over the other.
"Not gonna fight back?" Jackie asked, her tone cold as ice.
"I..." Moon began, but the words died in her throat. The proud queen closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, and when her eyelids parted open, there was an odd softness to them, softness and acceptance. Moon's lips managed a gentle smile, and Marco noticed Jackie waver a single step, but she pushed on, steadily closing the gap between her and the Mewman Queen. "Nerida," Moon said, her voice steady and relaxed as though she were chit-chatting with Jackie over a cup of tea instead of having the girl coming at her with a drawn dagger. "The pain and sorrow I have caused you cannot be undone, no matter how hard I try."
"I know."
"I make no excuses. My actions have caused the deaths of thousands and the suffering of thousands more."
"I know."
"And the anguish you must have gone through because of me... I cannot imagine the magnitude of it. I'm sorry."
"Sorry?" Jackie asked almost mockingly, stopping in place, mere feet away from Moon. "What? You think that saying sorry now is gonna fix things?" Jackie scoffed.
"No," Moon said curtly, standing tall and proud. "What I did back then... I knew what the price would be. I knew that my sins would catch up to me sooner or later. Whatever you decide to do with me, it is your right, and even then I couldn't hope to repay you. But all I wish to ask, if I may, is for a favour, if I may dare?"
"A favour?" Jackie cocked an eyebrow.
"A small favour, really, nothing much." Moon laughed despite herself, and flashed Jackie a genuine smile. "When all this is over and once you've taken your revenge on me, leave the path you're on and never look back. You're a good girl, Nerida, and one of my daughter's most precious friends, so please, don't allow hatred to consume you." Jackie's hand quivered, and her face was one of shellshock. The girl stood still, blinking repeatedly at the tall queen. From the side, Diana stood with pursed lips, tapping the lower one with her left index finger. Jackie stepped closer, a distance of mere inches separating her from Moon, and their gazes remained locked. They just stood there, like two statues, the taller one calm, relaxed, poised; the smaller one with an unreadable expression.
Then the smaller one lunged forward, and blood splattered on the floor as the tip of the dagger pierced through the larger one's heart, eliciting a soundless grunt.
"MOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM!" Star's ear-piercing shriek shook the chamber, and Marco could only look on in horror as the limp body of the Mewman queen slid from the dagger and collapsed onto the floor like a ragdoll, and the crown tumbled from her head.
To be continued...
Chapter end notes:
Probably botched some stuff, but again, my notes are gone so I'm going off memory and what was written before. This was always the planned outcome, although some details got lost. I'm pretty sure that over the past year and a half I've forgotten how to write SVTFOE fanfiction, but I'll get the hang of it eventually.
Anyhow, I'm hoping you enjoyed the chapter, it was fun getting back into it after so long, and I hope to see you guys next time! And don't worry, it won't take one and a half years this time ^^"...
Ttyl!
-jolleIQ
