Unlimited Eldritch Blade Works

By: Bubbajack

Beta: IcySnowSage

Disclaimer: I don't own Star vs. Type-Moon or anything else in this fic.

Ch.3: Dragons, Duplicity, and Diplomacy... sort of.

Star and Marco quickly explained the situation to Angie and Rafael. Who, just as the two predicted, were absolutely thrilled to have more guests in their home. They did want to know where they all came from though, "And Mio, what… how do you have a mustache?" Angie asked, perplexed.

"And what a fine mustache it is son," Rafael complimented while giving his son a thumbs up.

"Thanks dad," Marco replied sitting down on the couch with Star. "How do I even begin to explain? Do you remember yesterday when I was doing all the stuff with the portals?"

"Yeah I found your hand groping around in the fridge. That was strange… stranger than usual, I mean. No offense Estrella," Rafael commented.

"None taken Rafael. I totally get it," Star added, waving away his apology knowing he meant well.

"Well," Marco continued, "I got pulled into another dimension by a… demigoddess whose job is to regulate Dimensional Scissor usage. Her name is Hekapoo."

Star picked up where Marco left off, "Yeah turns out, the Dimensional Scissors Marco and I got from my friend Ponyhead? They were stolen… from Hekapoo herself."

The two adults gasped, leading Marco to continued, "Yeah and when I found that out, well… I offered to take her challenge and win back Star's Dimensional Scissors."

"What kind of challenge?" Rafael asked.

"It seemed pretty simple. She had this little flame above her head," Marco pointed just an inch or so above his head as he continued explaining, "All I had to do was blow it out… there was only one problelm…"

"Which was?" Rafael was hanging onto the edge of his seat now totally engrossed into the story. Angie just rolled her eyes.

"She can clone herself," Marco stated bluntly making both his parents surprised.

No!" Rafael said gasping as he did so

"Yes, and she can create portals to wherever she wants to go. So it took me sixteen years to track all the clones down."

"But… this all just happened yesterday," Angie pointed out.

Marco nodded, "Yes, but Hekapoo's dimension is extremely time dilated meaning time moves extremely quickly there… to be exact for every minute that passes here, two years pass there."

Marco watched as his parent's jaws dropped. No one said anything for a moment. Marco and Star gave them the time they needed for it to sink in. Angie was the first to recover and respond, "So even though you were gone for sixteen years over there, here, you were only gone for…

"Eight minutes give or take a few nanoseconds," Marco affirmed for his mother. "Starting out was hard. I had to resort to thievery at first, just to get by. I got really good at picking people's pockets, especially in the City of Ziz. After awhile, I signed on with a mercenary band to get some actual combat experience. They called themselves the Band of the Raptor."

"Like the dinosaur?" Rafael asked.

"No like a bird," Marco replied. "Anyway, I wasn't used to being around… people by then so I was a bit of a loner. I stuck to myself for the most part but did what I was told. We had this grumpy old man in the group who was a bit of a hedge mage and more often than not, I'd end up helping him out gathering plants for potions and junk stuff like that. In return he taught me some basic spellcraft."

"You know magic?" Rafael asked intrigued.

In response Marco waved his hand in front of himself and summoned up three blue-white spheres of light that formed a semi-circle around his head before he looked around for a suitable target. Rafael motioned for him to wait and he ran into the kitchen only to come back with a rather unfortunate looking bust of his mother that was missing a nose.

Marco raised an eyebrow in askance prompting his father to sheepishly admit, "One bad hit with a mallet was all it took to ruin the bust of your mother I was going to surprise her with I'm afraid."

"That's so sweet of you dear," Angie told her husband.

"I dunno feels a little weird shooting an image of mom…" Marco admitted.

Angie beamed at her son for his honesty, "Thank you Mio, but I really don't mind, go ahead."

"Would it help if I changed it to a bust of my mom instead?" Star offered showing the menace she had for her mother..

"No, because your not the one shooting," Marco quipped.

"True," Star admitted, "What then?"

Marco snapped his fingers "I've got it!" He looked to Star, "Permission to borrow the Wand?"

Star almost casually tossed it his way, causing the bow-like weapon to transform into a red-tinged katana like sword when Marco caught it. Its grip was like living flesh and bone and a live moving eye for a pommel.

"Woah, that's new," Star said as she examined the form the Wand took when in Marco's hand.

"It is," Marco agreed before he pointed the tip of his blade at the bust and said, "Presto Chango."

A beam of black and red tinged energy shot out and hit the bust transforming it into the image of an elderly man with a long beard.

"Whose that?" Star asked.

"That is Persapius XIII, the current leader of Avalon. I really, really hate that guy," Marco said by way of explanation before he said, "Soul arrow."

The three dots above Marco's head shot out like lasers, turning the bust into dust. Rafael clapped at the display. Marco gave a short bow, and carried on, "Anyway, the Band of the Raptor got completely thrashed during their first foray into the battlefield. Because the other side had something we didn't."

"What's that?" Star asked taking his hand to comfort him.

"Archfiends," Marco replied, "Monsters that were once men or women who sacrificed their humanity to become something more than human and less than men. Something… unchained by morality, or care for human life."

Marco uninstalled his Class Card and placed it on the coffee table in front of him. Holding up his bandaged right arm to forestall any questions, "I'll get to that in a minute, just hold on," Seeing his audience had gone silent, Marco continued. "After the battle, what remained of the Band of the Raptor was approached by a man in black robes. I never did learn his name, but what I did learn is that he worked for a group named Avalon and that he and this group's goal was to destroy all Archfiends. After seeing men die like they were nothing… I signed up without question."

Marco began to slowly unravel the holy talisman cloth around his right arm, slowly revealing his twisted and deformed right arm, his charred black flesh and red glowing veins pulsing on his arm. Angie covered her mouth with her hands and Rafael's mouth dropped open at the sight. He couldn't blame his parents for their shock, it was to be expected really. Yet what concerned him most, was Star's reaction.

Slowly he turned to look at her. She was staring at his arm not in revulsion, disgust, or fear, but sadness mixed with anger. She ran her hand down his blackened arm not taking her eyes off the deformed flesh she asked in an upset tone, "Who did this to you?"

"I did. I chose to do this Star," Marco told her trying to convey his sins to her.

Star shook her head in denial that her Marco could ever do such a thing, "No, no I don't believe that. Someone gave you the knowledge, but said nothing of the consequences. This," She gripped Marco's arm and held it up, "Is a curse, and it's rotting your arm Marco! So I'll ask again, who did this to you?"

"I was taught, that the only way to defeat Archfiends was to first weaken them, then absorb their souls into oneself… Fifteen times I sacrificed Archfiends… until I realized something entirely on accident… they were once people too."

"You mean what you said in the beginning about them being people who gave up their humanity… you didn't know at the time?" Star asked.

Marco shook his head, "I didn't. No one in Avalon bothered to tell us, if they even knew in the first place… but they must've because… because saving the occasional Archfiend was allowed but it was a three strike system… do it more than twice, and they'd send hunters after you. So they must've known…" Marco was talking more to himself than anyone else now.

Star wrapped her Marco in a comforting hug, "Shh, shh, it'll be okay Marco, they can't make you hurt anyone anymore," All the while, Star thought to herself, 'I'm gonna get these Avalon bastards! They are going to pay for hurting my Marco!'

"An-anyway like I was saying, I eventually saved one of them and realized that Archfiends were human. I quit Avalon after that. I went back to hunting Hekapoo Clones, and moonlighting as a Gladiator if I needed money."

"Gladiator? Is that how you got so buff?" Star asked.

"Partly, it is how I got the scar over my eye though. In one of the matches they thought it would be fun to have chained Lyger's at the edges of the arena, while I fought the local champ. One of them clipped me in the face with its claws."

"What's a Lyger?" Angie asked.

"Think of a Tiger mixed with a Lion and Hyena. Real nasty fuckers. Anyhow, I was about four years into my Quest, when I got my jacket. Killed a dragon in the weirdest way possible to do it too."

"How did Mar-kun kill a black dragon? Francesca has been meaning to ask," Francesca called from the kitchen cluing him in that all the others in the house were listening.

Marco rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "I kinda… dropped a stalactite on its head?"

"Marco says what now?" Star asked sounding incredulous.

"Yeah, this dragon, who usually live in swamps, had made its home in a sort of marshy cave. While just trying to get down to where it was napping I went the only way tI could. Which was to super mario jump from stalactite to stalactite… and of course wouldn't you know my luck? The moment I try jumping from from one to another they start collapsing under my weight."

"Oh corn, no!" Star, Angie, and Rafael all covered their mouths.

"Oh yes! So there I am jumping like a madman from stone shard to stone shard, and I had to leap of faith it over to the ledge I was trying to get to in the first place. I made it obviously. So once I got my heart rate under control, I look down and what do I see? A bunch of blood staining the water and the head of an adult black dragon floating in the water. Stone dead."

"Stone dead? Really Marco?" Star sighed.

"Seemed appropriate," Marco replied with a shrug before his eyes suddenly widened and he took to his feet, "I just realized! We left Natchios in Hekapoo's dimension!"

"You can make Nachos anytime Marco," Star reminded him.

Marco shook his head. "Not Nachos Natchios, my Dragon."

Star's jaw dropped, "You have a dragon?!"

"Yeah we kinda… left her at Hekapoo's place for about… a thousand years or so now give or take?"

Star slapped him upside the head, "Well what are you waiting for?! Go get her!"

"Hey Fresca, wanna go pick up our daughter?" Marco called into the kitchen teasingly but there was a serious undercurrent in his tone.

Francesca waltzed into the living room, thankfully fully dressed with parasol in hand. "Let's go Mar-kun, and hope she isn't mad at us."

"Dragon with abandonment issues? Scary thought," Marco said to himself as he cut open a portal to Hekapoo's dimension. Neither knowing what exactly they would run into on the other side.

The two stepped out into Hekapoo's forge which doubled as her home. The place didn't look any different despite the millenium or so that had passed in this place already. Marco waited for Francesca to walk through the portal before he made his way towards the entrance. "So, how big do you think she's gotten by now?" Marco asked Francesca.

"Provided she's even alive? Very big. Dragon's of the Millennial rank are unheard of in the current era Mar-kun. In fact, if one really thinks about it, the time dilation of this dimension has much in the way of potential for the creation of Mystic Codes. As one such as Mar-kun could create one, put it somewhere safe in this dimension, then come back half a day later and have a very powerful weapon ready to use as whatever mystery he imbued into the object would have increased manifold by then."

Marco was only half paying attention to Francesa as she thought aloud, he was already surveying the surrounding area, and he didn't see hide nor scale of his wayward dragon. "Test that later, focus on finding our psudeo-daughter now Fresca."

"Yes, yes, your right of course," Francesca replied as she followed him out into the desolate flat plain that surrounded Hekapoo's hut. She did feel a small bit of worry in her deck for finding Natchios. After all she was there for her birth.

Or, it was desolate. Now it was surrounded by an endless field of flowers, which were every color of the rainbow, as far as the eye could see. "Wow, this is pretty," Marco said to himself. "I see Snapdragons, Blue Dragon Roses, Red Dragon Begonias, and other plants too."

"How does Mar-kun… oh the Hedge-mage," Francesca said to herself.

"Yeah, I guess you could say I have a passing interest in botany now… but you noticed the theme too right?"

The Eldritch Witch nodded, "All the plants they are related to dragons."

"So we're in the right place at least," Marco affirmed. "But where is our dragon?"

Francesca looked around, "A good question, have you tried looking up?"

"Right, dragons, wings, flight," Marco cast his gaze to the heavens, he didn't see a giant flying dragon anywhere. Marco scanned the flowerfield… he saw a person tending the flowers… a teenage girl in a white sundress with a lively tan and long green hair that was currently pooled around her feet as she was bent over tilling the earth.

Marco made his way forwards hailing the girl, "Excuse me miss?"

The girl sat up and turned around revealing she had completely brown eyes with golden rings around them, "Yes?"

"You haven't happened to see a dragon, big, and green hereabouts have you?"

The girl looked up at him then slowly took to her feet standing at 5'3 and shaking her head, her hair trailing down in a long verdant cascade to her knees. "No sir I haven't. No dragon around here. Just me and the flowers."

Marco sighed, "I see, well that's unfortunate. I don't suppose you know of any legends of green dragons in these parts do you?"

Again, the girl shook her head. "No, I'm afraid… Mama?" The girl was looking past him, at Francesca. She looked like she had seen a ghost.

Francesca pointed at herself in confusion and replied, "Me?!... Natchios?"

The girl smiled with tears welling up in her eyes. "Mama! You came back!" She launched herself at Francesca with enough force to knock her over and sent them both tumbling into the flowers. Francesa fell back with an indigent squawk while the girl, now Identified as Natchios laughed happily and snuggled against her. "Mama, Mama! You came back! I always knew you would if I waited long enough!"

Slowly, Francesca raised her hand and ran it through Natchios' hair, "Natchios dear, sit up and let Mummy get a good look at you yes?"

Natchios shook her head vigorously, "Nuh-uh. If I let you go, you may disappear again!"

Francesca ran her hands soothingly through Natchios' mane of hair, it was rough and course like that of a wild beast. "Now, now, none of that. Your father and I came all this way to get you. Since we felt very bad leaving you all by yourself for so long."

Natchios' head popped up, "Papa?! Where!" Natchios sniffed the air. Her nose led her around and right back to Marco. "You!" She said pointing at him like an exuberant child… "You smell like Papa, but you don't look like Papa… your too short. And you don't have Papas dangly face hair."

"It's me Natchios," Marco assured her, "I don't have my Class Card installed at the moment, and it allows me to swap between the 'me' before and after I did Hekapoo's quest. Does that make sense?"

Natchios nodded, "So Papa is Papa, even when he doesn't look like Papa?"

"Yes."

"Okay!" Natchios said before she barreled into him too, and started peppering his face with kisses, "Natchios missed Papa! She really missed Papa riding her! Can he ride Natchios again soon?"

"Um Natchios dear? Can you not talk about it like that in this form when we're in public? People might get the wrong idea and Papa could end up in jail."

"The worst you would get is public indecency and public exposure Mar-kun," Francesca quipped smirking evilly at the thought of him 'breeding' more dragons. Although she felt and odd pang in her stomach when she thought of him doing it with natchios of all people.

"I am a lot of things Fresca, but I don't believe in incest," Marco said in a deadpan flat monotone.

"Is it really incest though Mar-kun, is it really?" Francesca asked him, an evil smile on her face with an eyebrow raised with her gut turing even further as she continued to suggest. Maybe she ate something bad

"Technically yes?"

"Completely no and we both know it, but we could argue semantics all day and get nowhere." Francesca replied airily to end the pains in her gut, "Anyway we got what we came for, let's go."

"But Natchios' flowers!" the dragonette complained.

"You grew all of these?" Marco asked sitting up and motioning at the vast field of color around him.

Natchios nodded, "She learned from watching Papa. She has a green claw… I mean thumb." She said while giving him a thumbs up.

Marco patted Natchios' head, "Yes you do, and Papa is very proud of you… how about this? How about we take some of the flowers home with us hmm, then you can look after them there?"

"Okay!" Natchios cheered… before looking out at the field and humming to herself, "But which ones should Natchios bring with her?"

"Some of each?" Marco offered, "A little variety never hurt anyone right?"

Marco received a million watt smile in response, "Mmhm!"

In what basically passed as a few nanoseconds Francesca and Marco returned, with Natchios in her human form in tow, shocking everyone. Marco stood behind her with his hands on her shoulders. "Everyone, this is Natchios Prelati Diaz. She's my dragon and daughter. Natchios… this is my mom and dad Angie and Rafael."

"Rafael, do you know what this means?! Angie said excitedly as she looked at her husband.

"We have a granddaughter to spoil!" Rafael cheered.

Star was looking at Marco, and pouting, "Et tu, Marco?"

"Star, Shakespeare, when?" Marco asked surprised at her knowledge in Earth literature.

"That Shakingspear guy wasn't so bad, a little bit too flowery for my taste but, eh. Anyway. A kid Marco, you wound me."

"Auntie Star, Auntie Star!" Natchios all but launched herself into Star's lap and smiled at her in a way that melted the princess of Mewni's heart in her previous angered state, "What is it sweetpea?"

"Can you help me move my flower garden? Daddy mentioned how good you were with growing things like his beard and even grew a tree from a seed," Natchios asked with a sugary infectious grin.

"Please?" Marco reminded her.

"Can you help me move my flower garden please?" Natchois rephrased.

Star got up and cracked her knuckles, "Sure thing, lead the way."

Star stared at the seemingly endless field of flowers as she walked through the portal, "You grew all of this?"

Marco's parents stared in awe at the beauty before them. "Dios mio," Angie breathed out.

"It's beautiful," Rafael said wiping away a tear.

"It's canvas worthy, nay several canvases," Oei said painting the natural beauty with all due haste.

"It's my garden," Natchios said simply… "But I can't take it all with me so I need your help to move as much of it as we can."

Star was prepared to levitate the entire garden and push it through the portal if she had to. Something this beautiful deserved to be preserved.

"Hey, hey missie," Orion piped up from Star's shoulder.

"Hmm, oh it's you," Star scowled in annoyance, "What do you want Pedo Bear?"

"I resent that remark missie!" the mascot said while swinging his club around angrily, "Anyway, I was going to tell you how you could preserve all this, but if your going to just call me names."

Star sighed, "I'm sorry, this is weird for the both of us, isn't it?"

"You can say that again, I'm a one foot nothing teddy bear and the girl I love is stuck in your body!" Orion sighed, "But I know she wouldn't want this place to be destroyed. She's a goddess of nature and all. Which brings us to my original point. You can use some of her divine Authority to bless this place. Make it… untouchable by time I guess would be the right way to put it."

Star nodded, sounded like something a goddess could do, there was just one problem, "How do I do that?"

"I… do not know!" Orion lamented, "Is there some newfangled bit of technology that can freeze an image in time? Something that you can use as a basis for the spell?"

"Yeah there's… that's it! Your actually pretty cool Orion," Star praised.

"Thanks… what'd I do?" The teddy bear asked, "No seriously what'd I do?"

"You gave me just the idea I needed," Star exclaimed happily

Star took up the wand and held it above her head, "Authority of Artemis Polaroid Capture!"

A burst of golden light shot out from Star's wand, shot into the air like a firework before exploding and raining down over the field of flowers like a drizzle of silver sparks. Where the sparks landed everything stilled for just a moment, before an ethereal silver glow settled over the entire field.

"Ooh, I think you did it missie! You managed to turn this place into a sacred grove!" Orion cheered, "These flowers will likely never wither now."

"Wooh! Great. That took a bit outta me, I gotta say," Star said, wiping the sweat from her brow and felt as if she just ran a marathon around Mewni twice.

Orion nodded, "A human no matter how powerful magically really isn't supposed to tap directly into the divinity of a god. Best be careful with how you handle that from now on missie."

"Right, got it. How do you know all this anyway? Thought you were just a hunter?" Star asked.

"I… don't rightly know how I know. I just do," Orion replied with a shrug, "Could be my girl is telling me things in her own way."

Star gave her own shrug, "Makes about as much sense as anything else." She called out to the others, "I think I got the problem with the plants handled guys!"

"We noticed!" Marco called back, "How about a bit of a warning next time?"

"Sorry! Oof!" Star had the wind knocked out of her by Natchios who might be trying to kill her via strangulation as Star couldn't seem to get any air in her lungs with how hard she was squeezing her at the moment even with her enhanced body from the class card she still needed to breathe.

"Thank you so much Auntie Star! Now I can come and see my garden whenever I want!"

"Your welcome sweetpea, but Auntie Star can't breathe!" Star said, while blue in the face literally and metaphorically.

"Sorry, sorry!" Natchios apologized while Star gasped for breath.

Star gave her a weak thumbs up, "It's okay, don't worry about it."

A shadow loomed over the two and they looked up to see Marco grinning down on them. "Having fun you two?"

"A gut busting good time Marco," Star dryly retorted before giving him her hand so he could help her up.

Pulling Natchios off of Star and helping her to her feet gently, Marco said, "You did something amazing… but you do that all the time, so I really shouldn't be all that surprised now should I?"

Star flushed before lightly slapping Marco on the arm, "Oh stop it you."

Marco looked at Natchios, "So now that you can visit your garden whenever you want, how about we go back home? I was in the middle of telling Abuela and Abuleo about my adventures when I remembered I needed to come get you."

"Story time with Papa?! Of course I always loved how you told me stories by the fire when I was a hatchling," Natchios grabbed Marco by the arm and dragged him towards Hekapoo's hut.

As he was pulled half tripping and falling over his own two feet over his psuedo-daughter's strength he called out to the others, "I guess we're leaving chop, chop!"

The girls laughed at his predicament and even his parents chuckled as they, at a much more sedate pace.

Marco and the others passed through the portal, he heard a knocking coming from the front door. Marco motioned for Natchios to take a seat on the couch while he went to answer the door.

Marco pulled it open, surprised to find Moon and Hekapoo standing on his doorstep. What made the boy stare though was the outfit Hekapoo was wearing. She was in a frilly french maid outfit, it even came complete with a tiara bonnet thing on top of her head, and her long auburn hair was tied into two long twintails, which were held in place by two black bows.

"What the hell is this?" Marco couldn't find a better way to describe the scene in front of him.

"Star didn't tell you, did she?" Moon questioned.

Marco sighed, "Star?! Why is your mother here with Hekapoo in a maid outfit?!"

Star was by his side in moments grinning from ear-to-ear when she laid eyes on Hekapoo. "So they went for it?!" She asked giddily.

Moon smiled, "They did. Rhombulus couldn't quit laughing and Lekmet… well I think he was ok with it. Might we come in?"

Marco stepped aside allowing the two into the house. "Would someone like to tell me what's going on?"

"Star, this was your idea dear. I believe it is it your place to fill Marco in" Moon replied primly.

Star nodded, before turning to Marco and decided to explain, "I suggested the other day that since Hekapoo cost you sixteen years of your life, she should trade you sixteen years of hers in exchange. It's only fair right?"

"By working here as a maid?" Marco asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Yep," Star said popping the 'p'. "And it looks like they went for it."

Marco slowly nodded, "I see, and you planned all this yesterday?"

"Yep," Star replied popping the p again, before drawing closer to Marco and whispering, "Don't deny there isn't something there between you and her Marco you all but admitted as such to me yesterday. I've got her here, now the rest is up to you."

Marco blinked then smiled and shook his head, "Your evil you know that? Doing this just to get back at H-poo."

"That's… part of it. Star admitted, "But I'm also a teenage girl with a goddess whose in love with love stuck inside of her Marco, and like I already told you, I intend to treat you like the king you deserve to be treated like."

"The fact that you have another pretty girl to play with has nothing to do with it right?" Marco asked giving Star a pointed look, causing her to flush.

"That might be part of it too. Hehe," Star chuckled nervously.

"Auntie Hekapoo!" Natchios hugged Hekapoo for all she was worth, "It's been awhile."

"Marco, why's this kid calling me Auntie!?"

"It's me, Natchios. Don't you remember me?" The girl asked having to look down slightly into Hekapoo's face as she was a couple inches taller than her.

The Creation Goddess blinked, "The dragon-cycle? You… became a little girl? How?"

"Well Daddy and mommy left me in your dimension when they went to rescue Auntie Star so…"

Realization hit Hekpoo like a mack truck, "Oh, oh that would make you about… 1458 years old wouldn't it?"

Natchios nodded, "Sounds about right, yes."

Hekapoo turned to Marco, "Do you have any idea how powerful she is?"

"No, but I've got a feeling your about to tell me," Marco replied.

Hekpoo put her hands on her hips and glared at her new master, "Marco, dragons get more powerful as they age. With Natchios being as old as she is, she's probably be considered a Great Wyrm by now at her age."

"Cool? My kid's a badass," Marco cheered before giving Natchios a high-five.

"Marco, in her true form she's a hundred-twenty-eight foot tall, hundred-twenty-five ton, green flying lizard."

"Natchios isn't making fun of your height Auntie, so don't bring up her weight!" the dragonette said glaring at Hekapoo a bit while blushing, she snorted and a bit of acidic gas burst from her nostrils.

Hekapoo blinked and replied apologetically, "Uh, sorry?"

Marco put his hands on Natchios shoulders getting her attention, "Auntie Hekpoo wasn't trying to be mean, she was just trying to show me how awesome you are… are you a big girl in your real form?"

Natchios hesitantly nodded, "Mmhm, but I don't like using it."

"Why's that sweetheart?" Marco asked.

"People always look at me like I'm scary and run away from me. Or they'd send men in armor after me to try and try to hurt me. So I usually just stay like this and tend to my flowers," Natchios admitted.

Marco pulled Natchios into a hug, "Did any of them ever hurt you sweetie?"

Natchios shook her head, "No but they wouldn't leave me alone either, they were mean Daddy. Always forcing me to move from place to place. Finally I just decided to stay at Auntie Hekapoo's place and tend to my flower garden there. Waiting for you and Mommy to come back."

"Flower garden?" Hekapoo asked.

"Go have a look for yourself," Marco said thumbing behind him at the still open portal.

Hekapoo did just that disappearing through the portal just as Angie and Rafael came through it.

"Son, was that who I think it was?" Angie asked before seeing Moon. "Oh hello Moon, how are you doing?"

"Well thank you Angie. However, I'm here on official Magic High Commision business today," Moon stated.

"Oh, so you don't have time for a cup of tea then? I was about to put the kettle on," Angie replied.

Moon smiled this woman knew her weakness. "I suppose one cup wouldn't hurt while I explained what's going on."

"I'll be right back, Marco was just telling us how he killed a black dragon on accident."

Moon looked to Marco with an eyebrow raised looking a bit stunned, "How exactly did you pull that off?"

"I kinda dropped the ceiling of its half flooded cave on it. Stalactites speared it to death while it was asleep and partially submerged in water. I wasn't trying to do that mind you, I just wanted to talk to the thing and hopefully convince it to stop attacking the nearby fishing town."

"That wouldn't have worked," Hekapoo spoke up from behind him having come back through the portal her arms crossed and fangs showing. She looked impressed, "Black dragons are mean sons a bitches and you probably would've gotten killed just for daring to set foot into its lair. So it's probably for the best you had that happy little accident."

"Ohh, ohh Mar-kun! Francesca wants to know! Did you bathe in the dragon's blood or happen to eat its heart?" The Eldritch Witch asked excitedly.

Marco rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, "Umm, it's funny you should ask that actually. The village alderman insisted I bring back the dragon's heart as proof that I'd killed it. So it took me a day and a half to get the stalactites out of its corpse. Then I had to drag it onto a sandbar and spend another six or so hours digging my way into its chest cavity to get to its heart. I was covered in blood just about everywhere. Why do you ask?"

Angie came back into the room carrying a tea try, "She probably thinks you have an invincible body now much like Seigfried dear. He killed a dragon and bathed in its blood and it made him untouchable except for one spot on his back where a leaf stuck to his skin… What? I also cover classic literature in my poetry class at the local college," Angie said by way of explanation at everyone's astonishment at what she said, "Since most of it is written in prose, it makes sense."

Francesca nodded rapidly, "Yes, yes, now when Mar-kun says just about everywhere what exactly does he mean?" She suddenly covered his mouth as he was about to answer. "Actually wait! Don't answer that!" Francesca looked to Moon and frowned, "Certain people might take advantage."

"You don't trust me," Moon stated.

"Only a fool would trust one with their weakness when it's known that person blatantly opposes their agenda," Francesca replied evenly, her black and gold rimmed eyes narrowing at Moon suspiciously.

Moon sighed, then smiled a little, "I cannot entirely blame you. While I'm still against turning Earth into a trading hub… I was outvoted there as well."

Star and Marco looked to one another as they grinned, "Really?" Star asked.

"Yes, the confirmation of magic in this dimension, while exceedingly weak, has lifted the ban on this dimension… I'm half tempted to simply return you to Mewni at this point and have you continue your studies under me directly Star."

"Not gonna happen!" Star said defiantly standing up to her mother.

"You're refusing to come back?" Moon questioned, "Star, what do you have here that you don't have back on Mewni?"

"Hmm, let's see… the man I love, friends who like me for who I am, a loving family."

"Star!" Moon said affronted, "Your father and I love you very much."

"I know you do mom… however you've never made it a secret that I have a duty to uphold. Here, I don't have that weighing me down. I'm not Star Butterfly Princess of Mewni. No one expects me to be anymore or less than I am. Here, I'm just Star Butterfly. The girl whose in love with Marco Diaz, the girl who puts sugar on her burritos, the girl who does weird things with magic on a regular basis that I'm gonna have to tone down from now on, and has a ton of friends who likes her for who she is not who she's going to become."

"A perfect kingdom once fell to ruin because it's king was too perfect," Marco said, his gaze was focused on his cup of tea. "The knights and peasants turned on their king because that king did everything right. No decision was wrong, and every judgement handed out was made as fair as possible. Yet the kingdom crumbled Moon. Do you know why?"

Moon shook her head in confusion how something like that could happen, "Why?"

"One knight put it best. The King does not understand human emotions. The king had spent so long being a perfect king for their people. The people began to fear the king for their perfection. Fear became mistrust, and mistrust led to betrayal, which in turn led to civil war that tore the country apart," Marco looked up from his tea and directly at Moon, "That is what would happen if you take Star back to the palace with you. She would become a 'perfect queen' under your guidance, no doubt. But would she truly understand the people?"

"Are you implying I don't?" Moon challenged.

"I'm implying being locked in a castle she will learn only what you think makes a good queen. That may be what you want, but it might not be what Star needs to grow into the role you've set out for her," Marco replied evenly.

Moon took a long sip of her tea as she pondered Marco's words. Finally she spoke, "Yes, I see what you mean, Marco. Perhaps I worry for my only daughter a bit too much. I suppose it stems from me losing my own mother when I was her age."

"Grandma Comet died?! You told me she went to a grandma farm to live with other… of course you lied to me," Star said slowly rolling a hand down her face.

"Not intentionally dear," Moon soothed… "It's just talking about my mother is… difficult for me."

Star nodded, "Okay, so what really happened to Grandma?"

"She was murdered by a Septarian during peace negotiations with monsters… by a Septarian who went by the name of Toffee."

Both Marco and Star looked at one another, "The same Toffee who made me blow up the Wand?"

"The very same dear," Moon admitted with a sigh.

"Oh yes, in fact, I dated him, briefly. It didn't end well," Eclipsa added coming in from the kitchen with her own cup of tea. "He found out I was developing an immortal killing spell and thought I was going to use it on him."

"Were you?" Star asked.

"Heavens no… his father Seth on the other hand… most certainly," Eclipsa replied with a borderline evil grin.

"I think I'm starting to get why people called you the Queen of Darkness now," Marco commented.

"And I'm not sure whether I should be flattered or offended by that remark," Eclipsa shot back. "I'm leaning towards flattered though."

"Your… welcome?" Marco replied unsure.

Eclipsa giggled, "He's just adorable when he's all confused isn't he?"

"He is," Star cooed kissing Marco on the cheek, causing him to flush.

"Daddy, you said you were going to talk more about your adventures!" Natchios complained. "What happened after the mean dragon?"

Marco picked Natchios up and placed her on his lap, "Well after the dragon whose heart I delivered to the alderman, I kept tracking down Hekapoo clones. Eventually that led me to a certain farming village where I paid the bar tab of a particular Wizard."

"Which is where Francesca comes into the story," The Eldritch witch butted in taking control of the narrative. "Mar-kun freed Francesca from her imprisonment in her own Mystic Code turned Noble Phantasm, the R'lyeh Text. She took him on as a sort of apprentice in magic. He gives excellent foot rubs."

"Does he now?" Star asked quirking an eyebrow, "I may have to… avail myself of his services soon. Try this out for myself."

"And back rubs and shoulder rubs," Francesca listed off, "And anything else that might need rubbing, right Mar-kun?" Francesca asked while grinning at him salaciously.

"Fresca, please stop," Marco asked while rubbing his eyes. "Our kinda sorta daughter is present."

"Why would Natchios be uncomfortable talking about sex?" Natchios asked innocently tilting her head up to look into her father's face.

"Natchios…" Marco said in a serious tone, "How do you know about sex?"

"Silly Daddy," Natchios giggled. "Natchios is 1458, not eight. She's laid many clutches of eggs over the centuries and had lots of sex in the time Mommy and Daddy has been gone."

Marco blinked. It took him a moment to process that, "How… how can you still be so innocent but still know about sex?"

"How can Daddy have so many women flirt with him but still blush so easily?" Natchios countered.

"Point," Marco admitted.

"Angie, do you know what this means?!" Rafael said excitedly.

"We're Great Grandparents!" Angie cheered. "And not even in our golden years yet!"

Natchios gave a sad smile, "Natchios' children aren't… smart like her. She tried to raise them to be smart like her but it never took, so after a while, she just gave up."

"Dragons gain sentience over time dear. You gained yours unusually early due to being reared by humans from the beginning," Francesca explained while patting her knee trying to do something she hasn't done before meeting Marco. Offering comfort, "Truth of the matter is, humans and dragons for the most part are incompatible with one another. Dragons exist as an extension of the planet to wipe out humanity, and claim the surface of it back from humanity by destroying civilization and allowing nature to reclaim it."

"But Natchios doesn't want to hurt humans. She loves Mommy and Daddy!" Natchios exclaimed.

Francesca's face screwed up into something indiscernible, "I… we care about you alot too sweetheart. Excuse me," Francesca got up and made her way into the kitchen.

"Did Natchios say something wrong daddy?" She asked looking up into Marco's face.

"No dear, wait right here, I'll be right back," Marco picked Natchios up and placed her on Hekapoo's lap, surprising her as he made his way to the kitchen.

Marco found Francesca facing the sink looking out the window. Marco slowly reached out and put a hand on her shoulder calling, "Fresca, Francesca what was all that about?"

The moment his hand touched her shoulder, Francesca spun around, kitchen knife in hand and stabbed him in the stomach…

Only for the blade to snap in half when it met his skin. Marco looked at the broken knife, then at the victoriously smiling Eldritch Witch and asked flatly, "Okay, what was all that about?"

"Just as Francesca thought, Mar-kun intentionally or not has gained some dragonic attributes," Francesca said as she bent over and examined his stomach seeing no wound present.

"Francesca," Marco began.

"Francesca is amazed really for Mar-kun to gain a skin hardness akin to steel and without him noticing to boot. Francesca wonders what the limits of this are, and if it can be strengthened in some way..."

"Fresca!" Marco said raising his voice an octave, and causing her to look up at him. "You know that's not why I'm out here. Let's stow the theory for now and talk."

Francesca stood up turned around with her arms crossed, "Francesca doesn't want to talk to Mar-kun right now! Not about this!"

Marco had enough he forcibly spun her around, pinning her against the counter with his arms on either side of her, blocking any escape. "Now, your going to listen to me, whether you like it or not."

"Fine," Francesca groused.

"Why is it so hard for you to accept that Natchios loves you?"

Seeing her squirm when the world 'love' was mentioned he pressed, "Well?"

"Francesca is supposed to be the bad guy Mar-kun! She's supposed to be evil and vile and hated!" She threw her arms around his neck. "She isn't supposed to l-love or be l-l-loved. That isn't allowed for villains like Francesca. Love and happy endings are for heroes. Francesca isn't. She's the one who gets killed for kidnapping the princess by the prince and is forgotten about. She is no saint of the people would love but the vile witch who deserves to die for tarnishing of human decency."

"Who fucking says villians can't have happy endings?" Marco rebutted. "This isn't a fairytale Francesca, this is real life… and even if this was a fairytale, I'd change it to make sure you get your happy ending because Natchios isn't the only one who loves you, you know? I love you too."

"Mar-kun is the Prince and he has his Princess… yet he wants this Witch too? My, my, how greedy you are," Francesca mused with a small sad yet wicked smile on her face.

Marco shrugged, "I'm a greedy selfish bastard, so sue me," Marco took Francesca's hands in his own. "We can make our own happy ending Fresca, we just have to want it hard enough, and be willing to fight for it. Are you willing to do that?"

"Will… will Marco be with me?" Francesca asked sounding timid and unsure for the first time since he'd met her. It made her sound human. Humans are weak and need to stay together and right now Francesca needed him. It was also the first time she'd used his actual name as far as he could recall.

"Right next to you fighting every step of the way. Me, Star, and everyone else," Marco promised.

Francesca nodded. "Okay, then. If Mar-kun is going to try and reach for the harem ending, then Francesca better try hard just to make sure she isn't regulated to a side character."

"We were having a moment and you went and ruined it," Marco sighed only for said sigh to be abruptly cut off when Franceca pressed her lips to his. She pulled away her black and gold eyes only an inch from his own, as she whispered, "Thank you for believing in Francesca, even when Francesca didn't believe in herself. She will try very hard to live up to your expectations of her."

"Just keep being, you Fresca, that's all I ask," Marco replied with an ernest smile. "Now, you ready to get back out there? They're probably wondering what we're doing in here by now."

In response, Francesca kissed him again, and this kiss lasted a bit longer than the first. When she pulled away, Francesca replied, "Now Francesca is."

'These women,' Marco thought to himself as Francesca led him back out to the living room, 'Will be the death of me.'

"Ok, so what were we talking about?" Marco asked as he sat back down next to Star, Francesca taking her seat on the arm of the couch on Marco's left.

"I was about to explain what Hekapoo's going to be doing while here and what her punishment will be actually," Moon said.

"Go for it Moon, but before that… about Star going back to Mewni?"

Moon sighed, "She can stay for now." Moon added sharply to stop her daughter's premature cheering. "But onto other matters. Hekapoo broke a lot of rules by sending you on that unsanctioned quest Marco. Upon Star's suggestion and the High Commissions approval it has been decided that she shall pay back the sixteen years you lost in her dimension with sixteen years of indentured servitude here on Earth to you."

"As a maid?" Marco asked for clarification.

"As whatever function you wish her to fulfill," Moon corrected, "She has been given a magical slave brand ensuring she follows your orders or she suffers for disobedience."

Star's eyes widened and she held up her hands and went, "Woah, woah, woah! Full stop! Isn't that going a bit… far?"

"It was either that or they let Rhombulus turn me into a Hekapopsicle," Hekapoo replied with a shrug, "All in all, I don't mind. I don't think Marco's gonna ask me to murder babies or anything."

"No," Marco rapidly shook his head, "No baby killing will be happening while your with me, unless we run into evil baby gods or something. That would be the sole exception," He looked to Moon, "Was this brand even really necessary?"

"It's merely something to prevent her from creating a portal and escaping her punishment whenever she wants," Moon explained, "It will trigger should she ever go to another dimension without your express permission to do so, or if she refuses to follow a given order."

"Ok… so if I told Hekapoo to come over here and act like a footstool." Marco was shocked when she actually did it, "I was being facetious!"

"I'm not taking that chance… also, there's like a lot of what I think passes for human currency under this couch," Hekapoo commented from her current position.

"Hekapoo, please get…" Marco's mouth was covered by Star who took the liberty of resting her feet on Hekapoo's back, "Can I enjoy this for just a moment please, my little mulberry?"

"I'll remember this Butterfly!" Hekapoo commented, adding, "Seriously guys keep ahold of your change there's like… I dunno how much money down here."

Natchios lifted up the couch and started collecting the coins. "Natchios, sweetie, what are you doing?" Marco asked, having removed Star's hand from his mouth.

"Adding to my treasure hoard Daddy."

"Ah… you have a treasure hoard?" Marco asked once the couch and all its occupants were put upright. "Also Hekapoo, please get up."

The goddess turned subservient maid got up off her knees, glaring at Star as she did so, "I'm watching you Butterfly."

"Good, I want you to know exactly who's planning your comeuppance," Star replied with a devious grin of her own.

"Seriously though about this treasure hoard?" Marco said ignoring the bickering girls, "Where is this hoard of yours?"

Natchios promptly replied, "I buried it daddy, it's all underneath my garden."

"Buried… underneath… Natchios, sweetie do you know what a bank is?" Marco asked.

The dragonette cocked her head to the side, "Bank? Is it food, can I eat it?"

"No, it's a place where people store their money, and other valuables."

The young girl was mulling over the idea, "Hmm… So Natchios could keep her hoard in this bank then?"

"Yes… but first we'd have to dig it all up, which means messing up your flowers," Marco said with a frown.

"Natchios has it covered Daddy," The girl assured him.

"We'll see about moving your hoard over here and getting it put in a bank after a couple of days ok?" Marco said while patting his daughter's head.

"Natchios thinks it'll take a long time to get it all over here, but if Daddy thinks moving it into this bank would be for the best, then she won't argue," Natchios commented.

"Ok, so is there anything else that needs to be covered Moon?" Marco asked.

"No, that, that just about does it," She suddenly produced a scroll, "I do need your signature at the bottom of this geas contract and Heakpoo will officially be in your custody for the foreseeable future."

Marco took the contract and began reading it, "One Marco Ubaldo Diaz hereby known as the possessee, shall henceforth be taking control of the property-" Marco paused to say "Property? Hekapoo is a person thank you very much," He continued, "Shall henceforth be taking control of the property known as Hekapoo for the total duration of 5844 days. (16 standard Earth years). The possessee is entitled to do whatever he desires with the property short of total destruction."

Marco frowned, "Ok who wrote this shit, its barbaric!"

Moon frowned, "It's a standard slaver agreement. I'd suggest signing it and be done with it."

The former Questor shook his head, "Never sign anything without reading the contract first. The devil's in the details as they say. Also, I would like to point out you are letting me enslave a demigoddess! Do you realize how stupid this sounds?!"

"Marco," Moon smiled at the boy, "We both know you aren't going to do anything… untoward to Hekapoo."

"Of course not! It's just the idea… Ugh, whatever. Moving on. The property is to follow any order given upon pain of slaver brand activating… yada, yada, yada… feed your slave three square meals a day for best results, not responsible for death by extreme exsanguination… Properties secondary objective besides following orders is to foil any potential attempts to foster goodwill with the rest of the multiverse?" Marco looked to Moon, "Explain. Now."

"Mom," Star said in a dangerous tone as her eyes started to sparkle a little.

"Star… do you realize how much Mewni relies on trade with other dimensions?" Moon began. "Using the magic of the wand we have bartered with foreign powers for centuries just to keep the monsters at bay for as long as we have. If Earth becomes the superpower in the multiverse Marco seeks to turn it into, we could very well be consumed by the monster hoards within a year."

Marco ran a hand down his face, "Moon, did it ever cross your mind that I didn't intend to do this openly?"

"What?"

"Yes, I intended to do this covertly via selling goods from across the Multiverse on the internet. Hell, Amazon is a thing after all."

"I see…" Moon had no idea what an internet was but it seemed to be an anonymous way to buy and purchase goods.

"That was before you pissed me off by trying to pull this bullshit!" Marco threw the contract down on the coffee table between the two of them. Before glaring at the Mewman Queen, "I was willing to be covert, to simply build myself a fortune and be done with it but now? Now you pissed me off! Now, now I'm going to do things the overt way! Also, I would like to point out, what would happen if I gave Hekapoo an order that went against the orders you gave her in this contract? Were you just going to let her be tortured for the next sixteen years? Were you okay with that Moon? Cause I'm not, your daughter isn't and Hekapoo sure as hell wouldn't have been!"

"Here, here!" The enslaved demigoddess chimed in.

Marco traced Rule Breaker and stabbed the paragraph that had to do with corporate espionage. With it gone, he looked through the Geas Scroll with a fine toothed comb, looking for anything else that could or would turn Hekapoo on him against her will.

"Ok, whose idea was it for her to try and kill me during sex?" Marco asked as he erased that line with Rule Breaker.

"What?!" Hekapoo screamed out while her face turned the same shade of red as her hair at the thought of something enjoyable turning deadly.

Moon flushed a little herself, "Rhombulus I believe, or that could've been Mina, I'm not entirely sure."

"Mina, as in Mina Loveberry? She was in on this?" Star asked, her voice coming out in a near hiss.

"Yes…

"Get out," Marco opened up a portal and pointed at it.

"But the scroll needs to be signed fir-" Marco cut the queen off.

"I'll sign it only after I've gone over every scrap of it to make sure you haven't found some way to mindfuck Hekapoo into becoming your assassin! My goodwill with you has long since disappeared Queen Moon, now I suggest you leave on your own two feet before I toss you through the portal. The only thing preventing me from doing so already, is the fact that you are Star's mother!"

"Don't hold back on my account dear. Would you like help heaving her through, or can you manage by yourself?" Star asked her face a mask of wrath as she glared at her own mother.

Moon promptly stood, and with as much dignity as she could muster, which was still a lot walked through the portal. She didn't look back once.

Once it closed, Marco flopped onto the couch and held his face in his hands, "When did the world get so fucked up?"

"It's always been a mess Mar-kun," Francesca said running a hand through his hair. "You thought it was just Hekapoo's dimension that was a dark twisted tragic mess? No, this world is just as dark. You just never saw it before because… well, parents shield their children from the darkness of the world for as long as they can."

Marco nodded then took to his feet, "I need to clear my head, I'll be back in a little while," He promised everyone as he left the house, all but slamming the front door shut behind him.

Marco walked with his hands in his pockets. He wasn't going in any particular direction, he just let his feet go where they wanted. Not only was He too lost in his rage filled thoughts to care about where he was headed at the moment, he actually doesn't really remember much about his town, 'I can't believe Moon and the rest of the MHC tried to pull that shit! I mean, kill me during sex? Really? Like how degrading towards Hekapoo can they get? The fact they even 'assumed' we'd get that close in the first place was a bit of a jump, but the idea that they'd use our feelings to try and kill me is just… just so underhanded that I can't even…'

"Marco dude that you? Wait up!" Marco turned when he heard his name called, and noticed Jackie Lynne Thomas skating towards him on her board. 'I really don't need this right now. But when has the universe ever cared about what I wanted?' Marco thought to himself as he plastered a smile on his face. "Hey Jackie, how're you?"

Jackie stopped her board right in front of Marco and stepped on the end making it stand on two wheels. She peered at Marco's face. "Okay dude, what's eating you?"

"Nothing," Marco denied instantly. "I'm fine Jackie."

"Your a horrible liar," Jackie told him flat out. "C'mon." She dragged him by the arm and into a nearby park before forcing him down on a bench. "So, what's bugging you Marco?"

Marco sighed. From what he recalled of her Jackie was a nice person. He felt like trash for essentially cheating on her with Star and Francesca behind her back. But how was he to know he was in a time dilated dimension? 'Maybe if I explain things? But how could I even begin to 'do that' without the Class Card which I left at home.'

As if in response to his thoughts there was a flash of light accompanied by a small pop and Marco's class card was floating there in front of Marco.

Jackie stared at the card in wonder, "Woah what is that thing?"

Marco smiled a bit. "Something of mine," Marco said as he reached out and took the class card in hand. He looked to Jackie, "Jackie I need to tell you something, and need you to believe I'm telling the truth ok?"

Jackie nodded she knew when a situation was serious, "Ok Marco. What do you have to tell me?"

Marco took a breath. 'It's now or never Diaz.' He thought before he began his explanation. "Yesterday, I was pulled into a different dimension. See I borrowed Star's Dimensional Scissors and got really lazy and got pulled into another dimension by the demigoddess whose job it is to regulate portal use."

"Are you okay?" Jackie asked worriedly. "Like you don't have to pay a fine or something do you?"

Marco chuckled and shook his head, "No, no, nothing like that. She confiscated Star's scissors citing them as her personal stolen property. Then I offered to take her challenge in order to win them back for her. Cause Star having too much pent up energy sounded like a bad idea."

"Ain't that the truth?" Jackie said with a smile. "So, then what happened?"

Marco cleared his throat, "I took her challenge which consisted of me blowing out the flame of a demigoddess who can create clones of herself."

Jackie's eyes widened in revelation, "Just how long did this take you Marco?"

"Sixteen years," Marco admitted.

Jackie looked him up and down, "You don't look any different."

Marco pressed his Class Card to his chest and said tenderly, "Install." as whisp of golden light came from the card as it broke apart and fused with his form illuminating his body.

When the burst of magical energy faded away, an older and much more muscular Marco was sitting next to Jackie. He raised an eyebrow asking, "You were saying?"

Jackie gave him a once over. "Woah… you got buff… and tall… and you grew a mustache," She giggled before she fiddled with it for a bit, causing him to chuckle a little.

"Yes, I grew a mustache, why is that so amazing to everyone?" Marco wondered aloud.

Jackie who had one end twirled around her finger smirked at him, "Well it does make you come off as a certain evil chinese overlord, Fu manchu much?"

"My age doesn't bother you?" Marco asked she was surprised at how well she was taking this.

Jackie fixed him with a deadpan stare. "Marco, our teacher is an Ogre or an Orc. You being older is nothing compared to you being a different species altogether! And even that wouldn't be a dealbreaker to me if I'm being honest."

'Wow, ok, Jackie is very open minded. Maybe this will turn out well? Nah, I have terrible luck.' Marco reminded himself. He prepared himself to bite the bullet. "I have something else I need to tell you," Marco began hesitantly.

"Is it about how, during your sixteen year journey, you finally realized you were in love with Star?" Jackie asked pointblank.

Marco felt his jaw drop but didn't bother correcting the issue. His brain was too busy playing catch up with what Jackie had just said.

The blonde tomboy just giggled and closed his mouth for him, "Your gonna catch flies like that dude."

Marco swallowed, "So you know then?"

"It wasn't too hard to figure out once you said you went on a sixteen year quest. Plus, Janna called me last night and filled me in on Star getting kidnapped by mages? I was on my way to see her to see what's going on when I bumped into you."

Marco nodded, "She was abducted yes, but I sorted it all out."

"So there are mages in our world then? Jackie asked.

"There are. They seem to practice in secret and would very much like it if Star did the same."

Jackie nodded, "She's bad press in other words."

Marco nodded, "Exactly, Star will be toning down the magic from now on or else…"

Jackie raised an eyebrow, "Or else?"

Marco scratched the back of his neck, "They'll strap her to a table and dissect her, find out what makes her, and her magic, tick."

Jackie turned a little green at that, "I see…"

The two were silent for a time and Marco finally asked, "So, if you know about Star, where does that leave us?"

"Good question," Jackie replied while she stretched her arms above her head, fingers folded. "As I'm not willing to give you up just because Star decided she wants you, and you had an epiphany."

Marco blinked and shook his head, "Uh what?"

"You heard me Diaz, I like you, it may've been sixteen years for you, but for me, it was just the other day dude. I'm not willing to give up my claim so easily. Not after it took you forever to go from simply nodding at me to asking me out," Jackie bluntly told him while some hesitation flavored her tone.

"Oh, oh wow… I-I'm gonna be honest, I wasn't expecting this," Marco admitted.

"What were you expecting? Me to tear up and slap you? Jackie questioned. "Dude the chemistry between you and Star is obvious! Plus your living in the same house with a girl your age. What did anyone really expect to happen?" Jackie asked, "Plus you were basically asked to be her chaperone and prevent her from causing too much chaos."

"You've got a good point there actually," Marco asked rubbing his chin. "Huh, well now you got me wondering if Star and I fell for each other simply due to our close proximity."

Jackie held out her hands, cutting off that line of thought, "Well, I'm sure that's part of it, but not all of it. I mean, Star has he charms I'm sure."

"Yeah," Marco said with a laugh, "She certainly does… We're on the outs with her mom at the moment."

Jackie quirked an eyebrow, "What happened?"

"Well remember that quest I took?" Jackie nodded. "It was unsanctioned. In the end, though I got the reward, the demigoddess in charge ended up getting in hot water as I was never supposed to be allowed to take it in the first place."

"What's gonna happen to her? Do you know?"

"She… is going to be my live-in maid for the next sixteen years."

"How on earth did that… it was Star's idea wasn't it?" Jackie asked.

Marco nodded, "How'd you know?"

Jackie shrugged, "Just seems like something she'd do over someone like you Diaz."

"Yeah, here's the rub though… the reward I got, are a pair of scissors that let me cut a hole to any dimension I want… they also act as a sort of beacon," Marco, on a hunch and with a thought materialized his Dimensional Scissors. He held them out for Jackie's inspection.

Jackie took them reverently, "Wow, beacon for what?"

"To let the rest of the multiverse know, that Earth is now ready for multiverse level trade."

"Seriously?" Seeing Marco nod, Jackie looked at the Dimensional Scissors with even more respect than before, "So are we going to be seeing Grey Men or whatever else soon?"

"I… don't know," Marco replied honestly. "I don't know what happens beyond this point. All I know is that the Scissors act as a beacon. I don't really know anymore than that. Like, am I supposed to act as Earth's envoy to other dimensions or what?" Marco asked himself while turning his gaze to the sky, "I never actually considered this before."

"Sounds heavy," Jackie said while putting her hand on his arm sympathetically. "You gonna be ok?"

"I can just pick Hekapoo's brain about it later, I guess," Marco said to her.

"Hekapoo? That's the name of the goddess you've got as a maid?"

"Mmhm, short lil spitfire too," Marco reached into his pants pocket and held up a second class card. "Here, I was gonna give this to Janna but it feels wrong that Star has one of these and you don't."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Jackie asked, "Your just handing out superpowers?"

"Kinda?" Marco replied. "I was told to be careful who I gave them to, because if the person in question didn't have a strong enough ego, their mind could get overrun by that of the Class Card."

Jackie closed her eyes and took a breath, "Ok, explain what a Class Card does first please?"

"Think about all the famous people in history and legend. Christoper Columbus, Thomas Edision, Nikola Tesla, Francis Drake, King Arthur and the like… now imagine their legends being turned into feasible power you can use for yourself. That is what a class Card does. It actualizes legends of Heroes and lets a person utilize their power."

"Wow… what did Star get when she used the one you gave her?" Jackie asked, staring at the Class Card.

Marco sent his sort of girlfriend an odd look, "Is there some kind of secret competition going on between you and Star now that I'm not aware of?" Marco asked.

Jackie shook her head and replied, "No it's just… it's a girl thing Marco, you wouldn't understand."

"Pretty sure jealously is a unisex trait Jackie," Marco quipped.

"I'm not jealous… I… okay maybe I'm a little jealous, but I'd also like to know what to expect." Jackie replied before crossing her arms and giving Marco the stink eye, "When did you get so snarky?"

"Sixteen years can change a person, Jackie. To answer your question though Star got Artemis I think," Marco replied while thinking to himself. 'Along with something else. I need to talk to her about that.'

Jackie let out a low whistle, "As in the Greek Goddess of the hunt?"

Marco nodded. "The very same," He offered her the Class Card again, "Do you want it? If not I understand and will just give it to Janna like I'd originally intended."

Jackie was quietly contemplative for a moment and Marco didn't try to rush or persuade her in anyway. This was her decision to make. Finally she sighed and said, "Thanks Marco, but for now, I'm gonna pass ok? Maybe if you manage to get a few more in the future I'll have changed my mind by then but for right now it just feels kinda… heavy ya know?"

Marco nodded understandingly, "Yes, I understand completely Jackie… Class Cards are a big deal, and shouldn't be taken lightly I guess."

"Thanks for understanding Marco… you never did explain why you and Star are mad at her mom by the way," Jackie pointed out.

Marco laughed a little. "I didn't, did I? I got so caught up in explaining everything going on that I didn't actually get to the point. Okay, well here it is. They wanted me to sign a magically binding contract so Hekapoo could stay with me right?" Jackie nodded. "Well there were a bunch of clauses in the contract that would've forced Hekapoo to covertly screw up any trade deals I tried to make between other dimensions."

"Dude, that's messed up."

It gets worse, Marco quipped, "Apparently they were going to try and force her to seduce me and then kill me during… you know…"

"What the hell is their problem?!" Jackie exploded.

Marco shrugged, "I wish I knew, the best I could gather, Moon is afraid that if Earth becomes a trading hub, Mewni will lose the manpower it needs to keep their 'monster problem' at bay."

"Tsk, they wouldn't have a monster problem if they just talked to them I bet," Jackie replied as she folded her arms and talked under her breath. "Please tell me you kicked her out of your house when you found that out?"

"I threatened to throw her through a portal back to Mewni," Marco boasted with pride.

Jackie frowned, "How'd Star take it?"

"She offered to help," Marco added with both love and pride in his tone.

"Atta girl Star," Jackie praised before holding her hand up for a high-five, which Marco happily gave. "So, whaddya say we go fill Janna in on what's been going on? If anyone could think of a way to outfox royalty, it would be her. You wanted to give her that Class Card anyway right?"

"Your as devious as Star is aren't you?" Marco asked looking at Jackie in a new light.

Jackie just smirked, "There's a reason Janna is my best friend Diaz, now c'mon, let's ride!" Jackie said offering him a place on her board.

"Ok, so let me see if I got this straight," Janna asked as she laid back on her bed, a large block engine dominating her desk and posters of punk rock bands dominating her walls. She sat up and pointed at Marco, "Your like, thirty now, but only when you wanna be?"

"Do you require a demonstration?" Marco asked, prepared to reinstall his Class Card. He'd uninstalled it so as to not have Janna's parents asking questions.

Janna shook her head. "Nah, I saw you yesterday, remember? You were so buff it made me wish I had a wedge of cheese."

Marco looked at her puzzled, "Why?"

"Just to see how hard those abs really were," Janna replied as she wiggled her eyebrows at him. "They looked hard enough to grate cheese on."

"Janna!" Both Marco, who was blushing, and Jackie who sounded more amused than anything said at the same time.

Janna shrugged, "Just sayin' man… cheese grater level abs. Janna likey."

Marco ran a hand down his face,"I could probably grate a cheese grater with my abs now but that's not the point. Let's stay on task please."

"Do you have any idea how hot that sounds?" Janna purred.

"Janna focus!" Marco said snapping his fingers in front of her face.

The occultist punk goth pouted, "Fine, ruin all my fun why don't you? So Moon's got it out for ya huh? Are you really planning on turning Earth into the next Multiversal Flea Market?"

"Through places like Amazon and Ebay, yeah," Marco affirmed.

Janna winked at him, "Doing it covertly through the internet? Respect Diaz."

"Thanks, also," Marco rooted around in his pants pocket and tossed her the Class Card. "This is for you."

"Isn't this the same thing that lets you become a superhero?" Janna asked.

"Basically, I want you to have it Star has one too."

"Shouldn't you offer the other one to your other girlfriend?" Janna asked slyly while smirking at Jackie. "Can't have 'em fighting now."

"I did, she turned it down," Marco replied cool as a cucumber.

Janna sent Marco a mock frown, "Oh, I see how it is, I'm secondhand choice."

"Janna," Marco said in a serious tone getting her to look at him head on. When he spoke, each word was measured and even, "I don't want you to get hurt again. You almost bled out on Hekapoo's couch because of circumstances outside of both Star's and my control. That said, I do not want to lose my friend. This isn't because your my secondhand choice, this is a choice I made to keep my friend safe from harm. Understand?"

Janna turned around so Marco couldn't see the tears collecting in her eyes, 'He called me his friend! He actually considers me his friend despite all the jokes and the stealing and crap. Okay Ordonia, keep it together!' She turned around and gave Marco a light punch in the shoulder, "When did you get so soft Diaz?"

In response, Marco pulled Janna into a gentle hug, "Did you think we weren't friends or something Janna?"

"I… what're you…?" Janna had trouble finding her words with him this close.

"Just answer the question, please," Marco's voice was calm, like he hugged Janna all the time.

"Sometimes," Janna admitted. "I don't have a lot of friends and I know I pick on you a lot and I'm always afraid one day I'm gonna go too far and then you'll just get sick and tired of me."

"Then why do it at all? Janna?" Marco asked when Janna wasn't forthcoming with an answer.

Janna mumbled something about a, "Defense mechanism."

"You teasing me is a defense mechanism? For what?" Marco's voice didn't rise at all it was the same steady tone.

"I…" She looked between him and Jackie, "Can't say."

Marco just smiled at her warmly, "Can't or won't?"

"Won't." Janna said after a moment, biting her lower lip.

Marco just nodded, "You don't mind if I guess do you?"

Janna's eyes were conflicted for a moment then she shook her head, allowing Marco to proceed, "You wouldn't happen to… I dunno… have a crush on me would you?"

Janna stiffening like a board in his arms was all the answer Marco really needed. He felt it would be best for herself if she came out and said it though, "Janna? Do you…"

"Yes," Janna squeaked out. "I-I do," She stared at the floor and refused to meet his gaze, "And I hate myself for it."

"Hey, hey hey," Marco lifted her chin up so she was forced to look at him. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. If anything, I should feel flattered, honored really that so many amazing women seem to want to spend their time with me."

"But you like J-Jackie, and she likes you, and then there's Star…"

Jackie piped up then not showing a hint of anger or jealousy in her tone, "Janna, I've known since like, ever that you liked Marco. I was kinda hoping that as your best friend you'd tell me so that way I'd have a clear sign to back off, but you never said anything so… I just decided to go for it!" Jackie motioned towards Marco with both arms, "I mean, can you blame me? He's a totally hottie!"

"Thank you?" Marco replied while quirking an eyebrow.

"Your welcome… but hottie doesn't do your older form justice… stud maybe?" Jackie opined.

"I'm starting to see why you two are best friends, your as bad as Janna is," Marco remarked.

Jackie slapped him on the arm, "It's a compliment you dork, besides guys do to us girls all the time. Calling us hot chicks and all but undressing us with their eyes every time we walk by, Turnabout is fair play."

"I've never undressed you with my eyes or called you a hot chick. Your beautiful obvious, you and Janna both but I'd never be so… crude."

Both girls flushed as he casually complimented them, "We know Marco and that's what makes you special."

"Is it really ok?" Janna asked unsure, "For me to like you too, I mean?"

Marco nodded, "It's fine Janna I don't have a problem with it and I doubt Star will either."

"Star?" Janna questioned. "What's she got in this?"

"She's kinda in charge of this whole harem situation I find myself in?" Marco admitted.

Janna poked him in the stomach, "You picked up other girls while you were in that other dimension didn't you Diaz?"

"Marco?"Jackie asked sending him a look that demanded answers and only the truth or death.

Marco awkwardly cleared his throat, "I… might've picked up a couple of traveling companions, yes."

"How many is a couple? Just two or…" Jackie trailed off.

"Like three?" He amended, "Four if I count my dragon who can turn into little girl."

Janna and Jackie gave him weirded out looks, "So your into little girls and beastality huh Marco… I think I just dodged a bullet," Janna stage whispered to Jackie.

"She's like my daughter you idiots!" Marco snapped at the two.

Both girls let out sighs of relief, "Oh, oh thank god for that." Jackie said before giving an awkward little laugh. "I can accept Star liking you too Marco, and I've long accepted the fact that Janna had a thing for you, but I draw the line at little kids and beastaility."

"Well I'll have you know that even I have standards Jackie, strange as they are," Marco reassured her.

"Standards, do tell," Janna egged him on.

"Well, one of the girls I came back with is kinda… sorta… a cannibal? Well, maybe I should rephrase that," He quickly amended again upon seeing the horrified look on the girls faces. "She was kinda turned into a monster and now has to eat human flesh. I would like to put emphasis on has to."

"Wow, ok… well, you traveled with her for eight years so I'm assuming you solved this somehow?" Jackie asked.

"Yep, I fed her people who don't count to me or her as human anymore. Murderers, serial rapists, human traffickers, drug dealers, you know, the typical scum found on the dark underbelly of society."

"Okay that's still kinda messed up," Janna began, "Don't get me wrong, I totally get it," She held up her hands to forestall any protests on Marco's part, "Rapists, murderer,s and child traffickers have it coming if no one else does. But still… damn."

"Agreed," Jackie added a little freaked out by Marco bluntly admitting to feeding people to a person.

Marco shrugged, not really caring about the loss of those kinds of lives, "It was them or watch her starve to death, which I wasn't about to do."

Janna shrugged, "As long as she doesn't try to eat us, we're good I guess."

Jackie gave a hesitant nod, "Yeah, yet that begs the question where are you going to get food for her?"

Marco rubbed his chin in thought for a bit, "That depends, how far away is the Pelican Bay supermax prison in regards to Echo Creek?"

"It's like… two hours away by car," Janna affirmed after a quick phone search.

"I can make it there and back in under thirty minutes probably if I go all out," Marco estimated.

Janna quirked an eyebrow, "In what, your rocket car?"

"Nonono!" Marco replied with a little laugh, "It's just with a bit of effort when I run, I can casually break the sound barrier."

Janna and Jackie looked at him like he was crazy, only for him to hold up his Class Card and grin in response. Jackie was the first to find her voice, "Your not kidding are you?"

Marco shook his head. "I am not," Janna looked to her own Class Card, and started grinning evilly, only for Marco to rebuff her, "Remember Janna you need to be responsible with that."

"Yeah, yeah, I still wanna know who I'd end up with first of all," Janna exclaimed, a bit annoyed at Marco for ruining her moment.

"Go ahead and install it then," Marco motioned for her to use the card. "Just hold it to your chest and say install."

She gave Marco a sideways glance. "You just wanna know how big my boobs are dontcha? Well for your information, I'm a 34-B Marco."

"I wasn't wondering but thanks for the info… I guess?"

"Right so I press it to my chest," Janna pressed it between her boobs just to tease Marco, and said, "Install."

There was a burst of magical energy and when it cleared, Janna was wearing a beret on her head a corset covering her chest with white disconnected sleeves on her arms and a sinfully short micro skirt, thigh high black stockings with hiking boots on her feet. She wore a black coat on her shoulders like a cape.

Floating in front of her was a tome of equal size to Star's Book of Magic, embossed with gold and red diamonds on both the front and back covers.

"Janna?" Marco called out hesitantly, "You ok?"

Janna opened her eyes and grinned, "I feel great!"

"Do you know who you ended up getting?" Marco asked.

Janna nodded, "Helena Blavatsky. She's an amazing mage."

Marco nods hesitantly, "Just her? No one else?"

Janna cocks her head to the side. "Whadaya mean Diaz? Do these things come with more than one?"

Marco shook his head, "They aren't supposed to, but weird things happen around me when magic is involved if you'll recall?"

Janna nodded. "Point," Janna wracked her brain trying to find another presence in her mind besides Helena… for a moment she felt something but she couldn't get a bead on it, it was good at hiding, whatever it was. "There's something there, but it's being… elusive? Like it doesn't wanna talk or whatever."

Marco nodded, "I see. Well let's hope, whatever it is, it isn't dangerous."

"It could be dangerous?" Jackie asked sounding conflicted.

"Not all heroes are necessarily heroic by definition," Marco admitted, "Anyone in history or legend could be summoned as a Heroic Spirit. Semiramis of Assyria for example is the world's first known poisoner but she could technically count as a Heroic Spirit simply because she's a legendary figure."

Janna felt a twinge in the back of her mind from the elusive figure,'Ohh, so that's who I'm dealing with is it?' Janna thought to herself.

She didn't expect a reply. The voice that replied to her thoughts sounded like steel wrapped in silk, seductive and dangerous at the same time, "Indeed child, why should I, the great Semiramis, lend my power to a love sick child?"

'Hmm, well if I recall your legend correctly, you fell in love with a certain Ara the Beautiful? So much so, you actually tried to bring him back as a zombie. So who's calling who lovesick here?'

"You're sharp tongued and quick witted, I'll grant you that girl." Semiramis praised albeit grudgingly. "Very well I'll let you have a taste of my power should you require it, but I don't think you need it right now do you?"

Janna shook her head, 'Nah, I'm good, I'll let you know if I need to poison something though.'

"Fufufu, I can do more than just poison things dear girl, though that is a specialty of mine. We can discuss that later however, your companions are wondering why you've gone so quiet. Best you get back to them."

Janna sighed and focused her gaze on Marco and Jackie who were staring at her worriedly. "Are you alright Janna?" Marco asked.

Janna rubbed her eyes, "I'm… I'd like to say I'm good but that was weird even for me Marco."

Marco nodded and guided her to her bed, "Sit down sit down, I'm going to teach you a trick to help you with this ok?"

Janna nodded. She'd take any and all the help she could get right now.

Marco sat cross legged on the bed with her, "Okay, this something Francesca taught me. First have you ever meditated before?"

Janna held her hand out and wiggled it back and forth. "Eh, kinda sorta," Janna replied, "One must be in tune with their dark side to use it to maximum effectiveness."

"Of course you would say that," Marco replied releasing a sigh. "Ok, can you at least find your center?"

"You mean that state where you are not awake or asleep either?" When Marco nodded, Janna slowly nodded, "I've managed it once or twice. Gimme some time."

Janna took up a lotus position, put her hands on her knees and breathed in through her mouth and out through her mouth. She tried emptying her mind, but as usual, she had a hard time of it. She just got stuck on one thought or another. 'Is Marco really ok with a girl like me?'

"My my, you can do better than this, certainly? Fight! Fight!" A sophisticated but peppy voice chidded her.

'You must be Helena, I'm guessing?' Janna thought.

"Indeed young Theosophist, It is I the great Helena Blatvatsky! Come to share my wisdom of the Mathatama's with you."

'If that's your way of saying you're going to show me how to meditate, have at it sister!' Janna fired back.

"Such a dedicated disciple I find myself with, fufufu!" Helena seemed pleased. "Alrighty then, let us begin young Theosophist. What you are doing wrong is quite simple and an easy trap to fall into during meditation. Do not linger upon your thoughts. Let them flow through your mind like water through a river. Acknowledge them, then let them pass on. Think of all, and nothing at once. That is how one reaches their center."

'So… be bored out of my mind basically? I do that all the time in class, so this should be easy. I just gotta imagine Skullnick is giving another dumb lecture.' Janna replied.

"Fufufufufu!" Helena laughed. "If that is how you seek to clear your mind young Theosophist, I shall not stop you. All magi need a mental trigger to activate their magic circuits, mine of which you have inherited, so perhaps the image of your teacher could be yours?" Helena suggested coyly.

'Maybe,' Janna allowed. 'First things first though, gotta find my center.' Janna imagined Skullnick yammering on and on about something or other, and Janna soon found herself becoming listless her thoughts jumped from one thing to another randomly and she quickly found herself half asleep.

"Janna," Marco's voice called to her, "Can you hear me?"

"Sure can stud muffin," Janna replied tonelessly.

"Good to know, now what I need you to do is build as many rooms as you can in your head ok? As many as you can."

"Oh, he's teaching you Thought Partition, likely trying to cordon off myself and Semiramis-san to certain parts of your mind as well as help you remember my various spells. Clever boy, I approve. It must be the will of the Matahamas that we were to meet like this."

'Should I be doing what he says? I'm kinda cool with you popping up whenever,' Janna replied.

"Yes, yes, do as young Marco says we can still remain in contact. Besides it will be easier for me to teach you properly if I have my own space to work in," Helena urged her on.

'Semi? You cool with this?'

"I am," The former Queen of Assyria sighed. "But who gave you permission to give me such a ridiculous nickname?" The queen huffed sounding affonted.

'Semiramis is a bit of a mouthful, so I shortened it,' Janna said uncaring of the former Queen's status.

"Children in the modern era have no respect for their betters, it seems," Semiramis mused, "But yes, I agree with the modern mage. Do as your told."

'Fine fine,' Janna made one room, then two, then with some effort she made a third… with sweat beading her brow, she managed a fourth. "Done, Janna gasped out.

"Good, good, now put all the memories of one Servant into one room, and all the memories of the other Servant into the other."

"No need," Helena said, "I've already moved in myself."

"Same, though the place could do with some… redecorating," Semiramis replied dryly.

Janna smiled. "Done," She told Marco. "Now what?"

"Now your done," Marco said sounding happy, pleased even. "I do have one question though?"

Janna opened her eyes to see him looking at her curiously, "Yeah?"

"How many rooms did you manage to make in your head?"

"Four why?" Janna inquired.

Marco clapped, "That's one more than average, good job Janna."

Janna flushed a little. She was unused to praise. Especially from Marco of all people. Not that she didn't like it of course. "Thanks? How many do you got?"

Marco rubbed the back of his head, "I'd rather not say."

Janna grinned, she saw a chance for teasing, "Oh, did I actually do better than you at something for once? It's ok to admit your only average at something for once Mr. Teacher's Pet."

Marco sighed, "Firstly, this isn't a competition Janna. For all I know you're Class Card could know more Magecraft than I ever could hope to learn. If that happens to be the case, then hey, that's great! I'm happy for you."

Janna just shook her head. Marco was always like this. Non Confrontational, non hostile, always happy to help, and keep others out of trouble. He just got annoyed with her antics sometimes but she never pushed too far, or so it seemed. 'And he wonders why we all call him the safe kid,' Janna thought before she slapped him playfully on the arm. "I know that you kung fu dork. I was just messin with ya. Though now you got me curious."

"Do you really wanna know?" Marco asked. Seeing Janna nod he asked, "Promise not to get mad? I know 'witchy stuff' is kinda your thing and I'd hate to steal your gimmick."

That earned Marco another two slaps to the arm. One of which came from Jackie who said, "There you go being insecure again, I thought you would've gotten over that by now! It's been sixteen years for you."

"I am, for the most part," Marco admitted. "I still don't want to hurt my friends though."

Janna's heart soared as he once again affirmed that they were in fact friends, "Dude, it's cool! All you're doing is making me want to know even more, now tell me!" She took him by the shoulders and playfully shook him.

"Okay, okay, alright! I get it," Marco said holding up his arms, "I have thirteen rooms in my head."

"Dude… If I'm above average then you blew the record outta the water," Janna smirked.

Marco nodded, "Yes actually. The highest number ever recorded was eight and it's held by the Director of an alchemy organization called Atlas."

"Nice one dude, blow those chumps outta the water," Janna held a hand up for a high-five which Marco shyly returned.

"Good on you Marco," Jackie praised her boyfriend(?).

"You should find it easier to remember things now, so that's a plus… your grades should improve."

Janna just rolled her eyes, 'Typical Marco, finds out about magic and thinks about how he can use it to complete school work.' Janna just couldn't resist needling him a bit, "Sure will brainiac."

Marco just shrugged in response, "Or don't up to you really. Also in case you want to uninstall the Class Card just put your hand to your chest and say, uninstall."

"Why would I ever take this thing out?" Janna questioned while looking at Marco like he was crazy.

"Well, if you want to walk around in a corset all the time, be my guest. I certainly won't be complaining," Marco upon realizing what he just said and upon seeing Janna's grin backpedaled holding his hands out, "Sorry! I just said I didn't do things like that and then I went and did it."

Janna just shook her head and hugged him, "It's fine you dork. It's one thing when random guys do it. It's another entirely when it's the guy I… like."

Marco flushed when he heard Janna of all people say that, "I… see. Well as to why you don't want to keep the Card in all the time, well… I can't think of a legitimate reason other than you might forget about your own strength and accidently hurt someone? Or you will suffer the dream cycle and relive each heroic spirits life?"

"He's got a point," Jackie commented, before she played devil's advocate. "Janna's right too though Marco, it's fine when it's the guy we like. It shows that your… interested."

Marco nodded allowing at least some of his worries to eek away, "That's reassuring."

Janna smirked at him, "So, corset, yes or no?" She pulled open her jacket so he could get a full view.

Marco sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Part of me wants to say God YES to the corset…"

"But?" Jackie said while putting a hand on his shoulder.

"The idea of some other guy looking at you like I am right now… kinda pisses me off," Marco shook his head, "I know I have no right to feel that way and your perfectly capable of defending yourself, but still."

Janna rolled her eyes, "I may not be the type to promote gender stereotypes Marco, but even I don't have a problem with a guy 'defending a woman's honor.' Especially if that guy happens to be my boyfriend."

Marco nodded, "This relationship stuff is harder than I thought."

Jackie hugged him from behind, "Your doing fine dude, better than most guys actually as your asking questions about things your not sure of, making sure everyone's happy, and doing your best to juggle your time between multiple girls. If anything we're asking a lot of you, sorry."

Marco turned his head and smiled at her, "Don't apologize, it's fine."

"So I'll ask again, corset or no Marco?" Janna reiterated.

Marco gave it a moment's genuine thought, 'Well, it's not like anyone can actually harm her while she's like that. She's at least ten times stronger than a normal person, and just as fast. So who cares if she's in a corset? No one should be able to see her if she moves quick enough.' His mind made up, Marco gave his decision, "I'm fine with it."

Janna blinked, "Really? I thought for sure you'd ask me to keep it to fight… or for in the bedroom." She finished with a suggestive eye wiggle.

"When you take on the powers of a Servant Janna, you become, bare minimum, ten times stronger, faster, and more durable. If you tried, I bet you could out speed bullets now, not that they would do anything if they hit you."

"Sweet!" Janna said pumping her fist.

Marco cleared his throat, "As to the whole boyfriend thing, you'd need to get vetted by Star," Marco shrugged, "But c'mon it's Star, she loves everyone."

"True," Janna agreed. "Plus we've got an easy in, Star and the two of us are buds... I mean I'd hope we are considering we saved her from getting sucked into space just the other day and all."

Jackie rubbed her arm uncertainty, "Maybe more you than me Jan. I am Marco's girlfriend still. She might hold a grudge."

In response, Marco cut open a portal back to his house, "You'll never know if you don't ask her."

Jackie looked at the portal uncertainty for a moment, then she glared at it, with a determined frown setting itself on her face, "Let's do this."

Marco stepped through the portal first and was promptly slammed into by a blonde missile in the form of Star. "Marco! Are you alright? You've been gone for hours and you had me worried sick."

Marco gently returned her embrace, "Sorry Star, I didn't mean to worry you. I ended up bumping into Jackie we talked…"

Star frowned, she loved Marco but she knows how much he loved Jackie. How much of that remained after 16 years is the main question, "Did she take it well? I mean I consider her a friend and I don't want to hurt her, but at the same time I love you Marco, and I'm not going to apologize for that, and I'm done hiding it."

"Umm, she took it rather well all things considered? Maybe you should ask her yourself?" Marco stepped away from the portal allowing Janna, and Jackie to step through.

"Janna Banana!" Star greeted with her usual enthusiasm, before laying eyes on Jackie and becoming hesitant and unsure, "Jackie."

"Star," Jackie greeted with a smile, "I think we need to have a talk."

Star winced when she heard that, "Good talk or bad talk?"

Jackie sat down on the couch and motioned for Star to join her by patting a couch cushion, "Neither, just talk."

Star hesitantly looked to Marco who encouraged her to go sit. Star did so, but she sat as far away from Jackie as she could. All but leaning against the arm of the couch as she turned and smiled at her nervously, "Soo, what did you wanna talk about Jackie?"

Jackie just shook her head, "Star, I'm not gonna bite you or hit you, or anything. I've just come to declare a few things."

Star sighed in relief, temporarily forgetting she had installed a Class Card. Something Janna couldn't help but comment on, "Hey Star, like your new outfit, it really shows off the new girls your packing."

"Hmm?" Star looked down. "Oh yeah, thanks Janna. I see you got a Class Card too. I love the corset and that micro skirt. Gurl you are looking good."

"Thanks," Janna replied, "I'm fond of the jacket myself though."

Star nodded, "The jacket and hat combo is pretty wicked." Star turned to Jackie, "I'm surprised Marco didn't give you his other Class Card, considering your his… official girlfriend and all."

"He offered, I turned it down for now," Jackie replied, "Look Star, Marco told me that you and he finally stopped dancing around each other and confessed, is that right?"

Star looked down at the floor and nodded, "Are you mad?"

Jackie shook her head, "Of course not, it was inevitable really. You two have each others backs when you fight monsters, go on adventures together all the time, and you both live in the same house and are hormonal teenagers even though you are in no way related. An attraction was bound to happen eventually. I may be a little bitter about it but nothing I cannot take some time to think over myself okay"

Star took a moment to digest Jackie's words. She nodded at every point she made. 'In hindsight, she's absolutely right,' Star realized, 'Marco and I have been depending on each other a lot. Not just for the fighting and adventuring, though that's a big part of it. Even more than what she stated. I depend on Marco to keep me out of trouble here on Earth, and Marco expects the same of me when we're out there adventuring. Like I told him up in his bedroom, the two of us together, can do anything.'

So thinking Star looked up and faced Jackie, "You're absolutely right Jackie, which is why I'm not giving Marco up. Not to you, or anyone else."

Jackie shook her head and answered slightly hesitant, "I wasn't going to ask you to… I just want in."

"You want in?" Star echoed dumbfounded.

"On the harem thing. Marco said your the one in charge… you are the one in charge right?" Jackie questioned.

"Yes, in fact I totally am!" Star said smiling as widely as she could before suddenly frowning. "Why would you share Marco though?"

"Simple, you're not the only one who has a hard time saying she likes a certain someone… isn't that right Janna?" Jackie said as she sent her friend a pointed look, a sly grin on her face.

Star looked to Janna practically borderline giddy, "Really?"

"Yeah… so if your cool with it… can Jackie and I… you know?" Janna didn't want to say 'Join the harem' out loud. She really didn't.

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes yes! Group hug!" Star pulled Jackie into a one armed hug before motioning to Janna with her other arm, "C'mon Janna group hug!"

"I'm goo… Marco?!" Janna asked upon being pushed towards Star from behind.

Still shoving Janna against her will, Marco replied, "When Star says group hug, she means group hug," Marco leaned in close and whispered into Janna's ear, "Did you honestly think you'd get away scot free for all those times you pickpocketed me?"

'Marco is vindictive now and can hold a grudge? That's kinda hot,' Janna thought to herself as she found her Servant enhanced ribs being crushed by just one of Star's arms.

"Yo!" Janna looked down to see a teddy bear in a loincloth with a club perched on his shoulder was looking right up her micro skirt.

"Piss… off… pervert bear! " Janna wheezed out before she kicked Orion as hard as she could sending him flying into a wall, where he impacted with a tiny audible squeak.

Star let both girls go upon hearing Janna's proclamation, "Pervert bear?"

Looking over and seeing Orion getting up from being kicked, Star felt her hackles rise, "What were you doing?"

"Nothing, nothing?! I was just saying hello!" Orion said sounding indignant.

"Right," Janna replied as she crossed her arms and her legs, "So you just came by to say hello, and just so happened to place yourself so you could look up my skirt huh?"

"O-RI-ON!" Star said drawing out his name in a way that promised pain.

"I didn't! I didn't I swear!" He looked to Marco to save him, "You believe me, right Marco?"

"You could've jumped on the couch in order to say hello, or the coffee table, so no I don't…" Marco took two wide steps to the side, "Discipline when ready Star!"

"Dagger Crystal Heart Attack!" Star called out sending little ruby shaped daggers at Orion.

Orion was skewered by three or so of them. He rolled around on the floor yelling, "Oh gods, oh gods! My heart, my heart feels like it's being stabbed… repeatedly! My very soul aches!"

Marco who watched as Orion got his just deserts asked Star, "Was that you or Artemis just then?"

Star moved her hand from side to side, "Eh sixty forty ratio to Artemis."

Marco nodded, "Fair enough," he clapped his hands and rubbed them together before looking at Jackie and Janna. "So, would you like to meet the others?" He looked to Star, "Who are where exactly?"

"They are decorating their new rooms," Star replied with a smile. "Your mom and dad are helping Natchios. They've really taken a shine to her."

That made Marco smile. He already knew his parents loved Natchios of course but hearing them spending quality time with her like this still warmed his heart. "Good I'm glad."

"Would you like me to let them know your back?" Star asked. "Sakura wanted to know when you returned so she could start on dinner. She's determined to be helpful."

"No, no, no need," Marco told her. "I can go tell them myself." He looked to Jackie and Janna, "Wanna come with, say hello to everyone?"

Jackie and Janna shared a look before nodding and Janna spoke for the two of them, "We'll chill down here dude, wait till dinner."

"Two more for dinner then, I'll let Sakura know," Marco said as he made his way up the stairs.

The first room Marco stopped in was Sakura's since she was cooking dinner apparently. He peeked inside her room before knocking on the doorframe. It was a very traditional Japanese style room. A futon was rolled up to one side, a dresser was pressed up against the wall next to the door there was a small table with what Marco thought was a heated blanket around it, and a full length vanity mirror was propped in one corner. If Marco recalled correctly, it was called a Kotatsu. Sakura was bent over it straightening up a vase of flowers.

Marco knocked on the doorframe, causing Sakura to jump and put a hand on her rapidly beating heart, "Oh, Marco-san, you scared me! Welcome home."

"Thank you Sakura-san," Marco said easily slipping into Japanese for her sake.

Sakura though shook her head, "I think it would be for the best if you spoke Engrish around me. Better to learn no?"

Marco smiled. "True, and your pretty good, all things considered."

"Thank you Marco," Sakura said smiling, before frowning a bit.

Marco immediately picked up on it, "Something wrong Sakura?"

Sakura took a breath and steeled her courage, "I would like to properly say goodbye to the few friends I have in Fuyuki Marco-san. Plus, easier to get my... " She switched to Japanese. "Transcripts if they know I'm actually alive."

Such a simple request. How could he not grant it, "True, and I'd hate for people to think your dead. We can go after dinner… wait what time is it over there right now?"

"There is a fourteen hour time difference I think, so…" Sakura looked at her newly acquired digital clock which read 5:30pm. "It'd be about seven-thirty in the morning at the moment Marco-san."

Marco's gears were already turning in his head. "This could be good for us. I can collect your transcripts from the front desk while you go around saying your goodbyes."

"Do you not want to meet my friends and teachers?" Sakura asked cocking her head to the side before holding her hands out shaking them and saying quickly while blushing a bit, "It's fine if you don't, of course, I completely understand."

'Your being thoughtless Marco, not everything is a trap and needs a foolproof plan to counter it.' The latino chastised himself, "No, no, it's not that one of the Servant's in the Class Card I got… he's extremely paranoid and is planning for everything. I do mean everything. It's a trait that has rubbed off on me I guess."

"You mean Archer-san yes?" Sakura gently inquired.

Marco blinked. "So you know about him huh? What am I saying of course you do… or you should anyway. Considering Shirou's reaction to our first meeting."

Sakura nodded, "You bear a striking resemblance to Archer-san… EMIYA. To think Shirou-san could one day become someone like him." Sakura shrugged, almost uncaringly, "Dreams can sometimes be terrible things I suppose, and them coming true can also be a bad thing."

Marco nodded, "Yeah, sometimes the difference between a dream and a nightmare is thin. I guess it just… depends on the dreamer?"

Sakura smiled and nodded, "Yes!"

Marco decided to ask, "What about you Sakura? What are your dreams?"

At that Sakura stepped forward before cupping Marco's head in her hands and placing a kiss on his forehead, causing him to blush. "Silly little kohai, you've already fulfilled my dreams. To be free of Zouken and his worms, and to live a normal life with the people I care about. Those are my dreams. I achieved one, and am living the other. All thanks to Marco-kun."

It took Marco a moment to find his voice, "I-I see. Glad I could help. So we can head to Homurahara after dinner then?"

Sakura pulled him into a gentle hug resting his head against her bosom, "That sounds lovely Marco-kun… do you hear it? My heartbeat?" Sakura asked softly.

"Yeah, it's strong," Marco said after a moment of silence, his voice was just as quiet.

"That's thanks to you," Sakura informed him. "You saved me when I was about ready to give up hope. Due to you… I've… I've never felt better. Not since… Not since I was six, right before Tokiomi Tohsaka gave me away to Zouken Matou."

For Sakura to talk about her father as if he were a stranger… part of Marco wanted to frown, but that's because he was so close with his own parents. "What they did to you, wasn't right."

"No, it wasn't," Sakura agreed as if commenting on the weather. "But the past is past, the present is now, and the future is what we make of it." She smiled down at Marco. "You know since your my kohai, it's my job to do my best to… teach you things you need to know."

Marco lifted his head off her chest and quirked an eyebrow at her, "Just what are you implying?"

Sakura just smiled at him. "Marco-kun has many women who like him," The 'myself included' went unsaid as she continued, "Yet I wonder if he has the… necessary endurance and stamina required to keep so many women happy? If he is unsure of this himself, and wishes to refine his technique, I would be more than happy to help."

Marco took a moment to digest was she was saying, "Let me see if I've got this straight… your offering me lessons… on sex?"

"Yes," Sakura didn't bother beating around the bush anymore.

"Maybe we should have Chiyo give you another once over," Marco said unsure. "Just to be on the safe side."

"It's not that!" Sakura said hurriedly, "She took care of the Crest Worms. I'm certain of it."

Marco turned back to Sakura looking worried. "Then why are you acting like this? Sakura I've got a pretty damn good idea of what was done to you. If you never wanted a man, even me, within fifty feet of you again I'd completely understand. What I don't get is you offering me… this."

Sakura took a breath and let it out. "Honestly?" When she saw Marco nod Sakura continued. "I need it Marco. Even without the Crest Worms, my body has been conditioned for over a decade to need, to desire, to crave sex like a fish does water. And if I was going to do it with anyone, I'd like it to be you."

The revelation struck Marco hard, what had happened much like what led Benjamin Franklin to flying a kite in a thunderstorm. "I see… the Crest Worms have inadvertently turned you into a nymphomaniac."

Sakura looked away ashamed, "Yes, I'm sorry."

Marco realized he just said something insensitive, "Don't apologize. I just said something stupid. I should be the one apologizing. I'm sorry."

Sakura just smiled at him serenely, "You didn't really say anything wrong though. You just said the truth. There's nothing wrong with that, no matter how… unsavory it is."

Marco cleared his throat. He couldn't believe he was about to ask this but since she was living with him now he felt it was his duty as her host to make her as comfortable as possible. He did it for Star, he was doing it for Francesca, and damn it, he'd do it for her too! "Do you… need release… right now?"

Sakura blinked twice then blushed. "Marco-kun really is too kind," She walked over to her bedroom door and gently shut it. Before turning around and smiling demurely. "I think I'll take you up on that offer."

Sakura stripped out of her clothes with practised ease. Soon she was down to nothing more than a peach bra and panties. She waltzed over to him practically exuding sex appeal and then she leaned over slightly and whispered into his ear, "Your a bit over dressed for this Marco-kun." She all but purred his name.

"I-I am," Marco admitted. "But… we c-can't do this here Sakura." Marco pointed down. "Not in my parents house. It would be disrespectful."

His rhetoric snapped Sakura out of her lust filled haze, "Ah, your right of course." Sakura bowed humbly giving Marco an excellent view of her cleavage. "I'm sorry I… lost myself for a moment."

"It's fine don't worry about it." Marco assured her. "Maybe… once you say your goodbyes in Japan… we can find a nice quiet place and I can… see to your needs?" Marco bashfully suggested.

Sakura rose from her bow and smiled, "I'd like that Marco-kun. In fact, I know just where we can go."

"Oh, okay… um also I came up here to tell you Jackie and Janna a couple of friends of mine will be staying over for dinner."

Sakura nodded as she collected her clothes, "It won't be a problem."

"Any idea on what you'll be making?" Marco asked as Sakura reclothed herself.

Sakura looked at him and licked her lips as she replied, "I'm thinking mexican sausage… big… plump… and filled with a thick… creamy… white sauce…"

"Really?" Marco deadpanned, "I mean you weren't even trying with that one."

"Sorry," Sakura replied, "It's just you went and got me in the mood and then… then you went and cunt blocked me!"

Marco was surprised Sakura could be so foul mouthed, but if anyone deserved to be crass it was her. "I'm sorry, but like I said, later."

Sakura narrowed her eyes at him and puffed out her cheeks like a chipmunk, 'She looks so cute!' Marco thought to himself.

"I'll be holding you to that Marco-kun," She opened her door and pointed him out, "Now out! You don't get to snoop and go through my drawers while I'm not here."

Marco smirked at her as he passed. "Like I would." Marco jumped when Sakura squeezed his buttocks as he passed. "What is with you women and grabbing my ass?"

"You've got a cute butt," Sakura replied, walking past him and heading downstairs to get dinner started.

Marco decided he needed to talk to his parents. With so many women in the house, some of whom wanted or in Sakura's case needed intimacy from him, Marco felt he needed to touch base with his folks on the subject. Despite the fact that he was mentally thirty, this was still their house and he would respect their judgement on the matter. If they said no, well, it's not like he didn't have dimensional scissors and couldn't go somewhere else for intimacy.

He found Natchios' room easily enough. There was a little wood plaque which hung by some twine on the door which read, 'Natchios Cave' on the door which was ajar. He looked inside to see his parents painting the walls to resemble the interior of a cave. Lots of greys, blacks, and dark greens mixed together and in such a way to give the room an odd depth of feel. Tucked in a corner was a mattress, not a bed, just a mattress. Natchios was a girl of simplicity it seemed the floor was wooden and bare. Marco even noticed some dresses hanging up in the closet.

He knocked on the doorframe getting everyone's attention.

"Daddy, daddy daddy!" Natchios raced up to him and hugged him her arms covered in paint. She had foregone the brush entirely it seemed.

Marco didn't care one whit. He wrapped his arms around Natchios happily. "Hey princess! Are you helping Abueltia and Abuelo paint your room?"

"I sure am!" she looked up at him and smiled happily, "We're making it look like a cave."

"A perfect place for a dragon like you to sleep huh?"

"Mmhm! Abulita said I should get a mattress instead of sleeping on some of my treasure hoard. She thought that would be more comfortable for me."

Marco nodded and tapped his head. "When in doubt Natchios, listen to Abulita and Abuelo. They know it all."

Natchios nodded seriously, taking her father's words to heart, "Right."

"Marco sweetie, stop that!" Angie said as she flushed a little. "Little Natchios is going to think we're all knowing gods if that keeps up."

"Rafael Diaz, Spanish God of the Arts!" Rafael struck a pose. "Has a nice ring to it, no?"

Angie giggled, "Your encourageable dear."

"And of course there is my sweet Angelina, my eternal Muse," Rafael took a knee and his wife's hand before kissing the back of it.

"I'd better see if Sakura needs ham as an ingredient for tonight's dinner because I just found a huge one," Marco quipped before he covered his mouth as both of his parents stared at him. "Sorry that just kinda… slipped out?"

Much to his surprise both his folks burst out laughing. "Hey that was great son!" Rafael praised. "When did you finally quit worrying so much and develop a sense of humor?"

Marco rolled his eyes, "Being on a quest and mentally thirty'll do that to you pops."

"Ha! He reminds me of my own dad, I love it!"

"Abuelo?" Marco questioned.

"Si, he was a hardworking cattle rancher, and bull rider. His snark was so thick you could cut it with a knife," Rafael praised. "He loved watching Lucha Libre on tv when he could, same with the bull fights they used to televise."

"You never mention Abuelo much, what happened to him?" Marco inquired.

"Nothing, as far as I know, he's still working his ranch down in New Mexico… it's just… Papi did not approve of my becoming an artist. He expected me and my brother to take over the ranch once we were old enough. I had other plans."

Marco frowned he didn't know his dad and his abuelo were estranged, "Did you ever try and get in contact with him?"

"Many times," Rafael admitted. "When I made my first sell, again when I became famous, I tried to call and invite him to your mother and I's wedding," Rafael shook his head. "No answer. Even the wedding invitation came back unopened." The Diaz patriarch sighed, his usual jovialness evaporating for just a moment and leaving him looking gloomy. "It took awhile but I got the hint. I was dead to him."

Marco frowned, "Are you sure that's it though? He could've moved or gotten a new phone number or any number of things."

"I suppose that's true, but if so I have no way of finding out I'm afraid. He has his life, and I have mine, and that it is enough. Was there something you needed son? Did you come looking for us?" Rafael asked.

Marco needed a second since he was suddenly put on the spot. "Natchios, could you step outside for a moment please? Daddy Abeulo and Abulita need to have a private talk?"

"But daddy, this is my room. Shouldn't you be the ones leaving instead of me?" The Dragonette innocently pointed out.

The two (or was it three?) adults looked at one another for a moment before they burst out laughing, "Your absolutely right sweetheart, excuse us."

Marco led the way to his room. His parents blinked at his bed for a moment before Angie asked, "Estrella?"

"Yep."

The two parents sat on the bed and waited for the son to speak. Marco shut the door first before he said anything. "Okay… how do I begin? While I was gone I was intimate with several people, some of whom are in this very house."

Angie and Rafael didn't flush or squeal or anything. They realized their son was opening up to them about adult issues and were taking the situation seriously, for once. Angie just nodded. "We figured as much, and I assume you're wondering if we're okay with you continuing being intimate with those ladies?

Marco nodded, "Yes. If your not that's fine, I have Dimensional Scissors that let me go wherever I want whenever, but I won't disrespect your house but doing that without asking you how you feel about it first."

Angie and Rafael nodded and shared a long look, silently having a conversation the likes of which only long married couples could have via glances like that. When they broke apart, Rafael spoke. "Son, we are very proud of you. Not just for all you accomplished in Hekapoo's dimension, but for being mature enough to even think about coming to us in the first place. Most boy's your age… wouldn't.

"I'm thirty here papi," Marco tapped his head. "Just fourteen everywhere else at the moment."

Rafael nodded, "Of course, of course, I keep forgetting. Lo siento, lo siento."

"De nada," Marco replied. "So is it a yay or nay? I'm fine with either honestly."

Angie took over from here, "We're fine with it honestly." Seeing her son's surprised look Angie just giggled. "Nino, we deal with Estrella flinging spells around on a regular basis. Did you honestly think we'd have a problem with this? I teach poetry and classical liturature in colledge which includes a lot of sex and nudity I'll have you know, and your father has had more than a few nude models in his day… that's how we met if I recall?"

"Yes, you were volunteering at the very college you work at now and I was in the arts program, I was smitten with you."

"Excuse me I need to go find the bleach and pour it into my ear canal so as to try and get the mental images out of my brain," Marco said in a traumatized deadpan tone.

Angie and Rafael just laughed, "Now, now son it's not that terrible. If your mama and I hadn't gotten together you wouldn't be here."

"I'll be sure to get you a shirt that says 'Best dad in the world, I fucked your mom' for Christmas." Marco replied. Seeing his parents shocked faces he asked, "Too far?"

Angie shook her head, "No, it's just… your so different now, it's a tad jarring darling. We have to keep reminding ourselves it was sixteen years for you and not just yesterday like it was for us."

Marco nodded he supposed it was hard for all of them, "It'll take some adjusting for everyone… but just to be clear, your ok with this, right?"

"Yes Marco we're ok with you having sex with your lady friends. As long as everyone is consenting and uses protection if they don't intend to become parents right now," Angie told her fourteen going on thirty-one son.

"Okay," Marco let out a sigh of relief. "That's good because some of them… well they would be upset if I told them no after all this time."

"Sounds like you during our honeymoon," Rafael commented, earning a slap on the arm from his blushing wife.

"I really gotta find that bleach!" Marco replied before adding, "Also, you already have a grandchild to spoil, be happy with her… for now."

Angie stood up and gave her son a hug. "We're very proud of you son, but please, don't be in too big of a hurry to grow up," Before Marco could comment that he was thirty, he was already grown up Angie shushed him. "I know, I know your thirty, but right now your fourteen! You have a chance to almost redo your childhood. I guess what I'm trying to say is maybe at least think about taking advantage of it?"

Marco returned his mother's embrace. "I hear you mom, I'll try not to grow up too fast, but people do need me now, and I can't let them down."

Angie kissed her son on the cheek, "I know baby, that just goes to show we raised you right."

"Mom!" Marco complained goodnaturedly as he wiped away her lipstick.

"Everyone," Sakura called, "Dinner is almost ready!"

"That girl," Angie said smiling, "I wish she would've told me she was cooking, I'd have helped her."

"Sakura just likes to be helpful. C'mon let's go eat."

Dinner was great. Sakura had somehow managed to figure out how to get the rice machine they got last Christmas to work and she cooked a traditional Japanese meal for everyone with what ingredients she had on hand.

"I managed to make Miso soup or a close substitute I think it's ok," Sakura said, fretting over the meal. "I also grilled the fish I found but it was cod instead of the usual tuna we use back home so I'm not sure how it will turn out. What do you all think?"

"It's delicious dear!" Angie praised,"You should be working at a restaurant or something with food this good!"

"Deliciosa!" Rafael praised, with tears in his eyes.

"It tastes like home," Oei said as she downed her bowl of rice.

"Indeed, indeed. Seconds please," Hokusai asked. Passing his bowl to the stunned girl who was amazed the octopus could talk much less eat her cooking.

"To-to, don't hog all the food!" Oei complained.

"Bah! I'm an old man! I need my strength!" Hokusai shot back. "Unlike you, all your weight goes to those udders of yours."

Oei smacked her octodad so hard for that, that he went flying into a wall, "They are not utters and I'll have you know Marco-sama likes them just fine!"

Jackie and Janna who'd been watching the spat turned to Marco one grinning like a fox and the other looking at him curiously, "Is that so, Marco?"

"Oei is very pretty," Marco said as he looked down and focused on his food.

Star who was having her first unofficial Japanese experience commented, "Oei has nice boobs, what's not to like?"

"Thank you Star-san, and you Marco-sama, for your compliments," Oei replied blushing slightly as she continued to eat.

Jackie and Janna both looked at Star then at Marco. Janna jabbed Jackie in the arm and then motioned to Marco, "Umm, Marco?"

"Yes?"

"Is um… how do I put this? Is Star? Into girls?" Jackie asked feeling even more awkward as the words came out of her mouth.

"Ask her yourself," Marco replied, "It's rude to talk about someone when there right here you know?"

Janna and Jackie turned to Star expectantly. The blonde nodded, "Yep. I like girls too but when it comes to guys I'm strictly Marco-sexual now."

"This food is great," Hekapoo complimented all of sudden reminding people she was there. Also still dressed as a maid. "So much better than corn. Also good on you for being yourself Butterfly."

"Um, Hekapoo… you know you don't have to stay dressed like that right? You can change into your normal outfit if you want."

Hekapoo leaned in close and smirked at him, "True… but you think I look hot in this outfit doncha?"

"Hekapoo, you look hot in anything you wear… your head is on fire!" Marco retorted.

The goddess chuckled, "Yeah that and the boobs you love so much tend to make anything I put on look good huh?"

"Your one hot babe Hekapoo… one might even call you a flaming idiot for getting yourself into this mess in the first place," Marco replied with a sigh. "Seriously what were you thinking when you gave me your Trial? I've always wondered."

"I thought at first that I'd teach this arrogant boy a lesson. Give him a taste of real danger and he'd be crying for home in a couple of days, a week tops. But that didn't happen. Over and over, time and time again, you proved me wrong. You bent, you twisted, you folded over, but you never broke Diaz. Not like I assumed you would. You… my dimension it was your crucible it removed all of your impurities leaving behind the best most perfect steel behind. Your travels shaped you, combat sharpened you, and your trials and tribulations polished you to a fine shine," Hekapoo paused before she smiled at him. "I have forged many scissor blades in my day, but you! You Marco Ublado Diaz, I consider my finest and greatest blade. My Magnum Opus."

Marco blinked as he tried to process her words. Had his time in Hekapoo's dimension changed him? Certainly some of it for the better, but not all of it. Certainly not, all of it. Yet Hekapoo had all but given him a love confession over dinner and declared him, not any of the scissors she'd ever made her greatest work as if all the pain, suffering, and triumphs he'd gone through not his but part of her forging process. Like he was just another weapon to her and not the friend he thought he was.

"Mortal," The one who spoke was Star but she sounded older even peppier if that was possible, and she looked at him with something akin to affection a mother would show a child and not her boyfriend. "Do not misunderstand, the forge mistress' feelings for you are genuine, but she is a demigoddess. Her divinity makes it… difficult to show her affection. We deities do not understand love as you mortals do, try as we might," At this point, Star or rather Artemis herself turned and smiled at Orion who was seated nearby at the table. "Be thankful she is only half god, and is at least capable of loving you in some fashion that you are able to fully understand. One of my greatest follies is not being able to truly love my dearest one."

Orion looked ready to burst out into tears, "Darling!"

"Orion, do not weep," Artemis told him gently. "I bid thee watch these two." Artemis reached out and took Marco's hand in Star's own, "They have overcome much, and will overcome much more in the name of love. Watch them, help them, guide them when and if you can. Can you do this for me dear?"

Orion slammed his fist against his chest, tears streaming down his cheeks, "I'll do it, anything for you dear!"

"I have one more favor to ask," Artemis begged of her old flame.

Orion didn't hesitate, "Name it!"

Artemis closed Star's eyes and smiled. "Will you stop chasing skirts?"

"... I'll do my best!" Orion promised after a moment's pause showing that he would try so hard to change for his love..

"Star-chan, I'll let you take it from here," Artemis said before turning to Marco and saying, "Please remember my words, Marco-kun I'll be rooting for you!"

Star went rigid for a moment before she relaxed. When her blue eyes snapped open she glared at Orion. "Dagger Crystal Heart Attack!"

"Gah, my heart! My soul!" The teddy bear screamed.

"The food is delightful dear," Eclipsa spoke over Orion's wails of anguish, "So much better than Mewni fair I tell you."

Sakura bowed overcome by all the praise her makeshift Japanese meal was receiving. "Thank you everyone, I'm glad you like it. Marco-sama and I were going to stop in my hometown after dinner to pick up my school transcripts. Perhaps while we're there we could go to the market and pick up some fresh ingredients? If you liked what I could do with what I have on hand, you'd me amazed at what I could pull off with the right things."

There was a round of agreement from everyone. "Francesca is all for it, as long as she gets to cook sometimes too," The Eldritch Witch complained. "She graduated from Cordon Bleu she might as well put it to good use yes?"

Angie could almost see sparks passing between the two girls eyes and looked to her son. Marco sighed, "We'll work out a schedule for who gets to cook when. I'm an old hand in the kitchen myself, as Star can attest."

"Marco's Super Special Nachos are the stuff. Of. Legends!" Star praised, even though she had just eaten, her mouth watered at the thought of them.

"Well, I know where I'm eating for the foreseeable future," Janna said not at all caring she was mooching off of her… boyfriend? She turned to Star. "Star, we can call Marco our boyfriend too right?"

"Sure can," The princess affirmed.

"Cool, I got a boyfriend who knows how to cook… Take that gender stereotypes!" Janna said while shaking her fist at the heavens. "And I bet he looks hot in an apron!" She gave Marco a lewd smile, "And nothing but an apron."

"Oh my," Eclipsa blushed as every girl who had even an inkling of affection for Marco looked at him expectantly.

"I am not going naked apron for you girls," Marco stated flatly, Before he grabbed Star's right hand, "And if you try and transform my clothes into one, you're sleeping in your room tonight Star."

"Yes dear," Star said sounding put out as she lowered her wand arm.

Angie gave a silent sigh of relief. She honestly thought her son had bit off more than he could chew with this harem situation, but by the looks of things he could handle himself just fine.

"Can we take turns sleeping in Marco-sama's room as well?" Oei asked.

Star almost gave a very sharp no to that before she realized it wouldn't be fair if she hogged 'snuggle time with Marco' as she called it, all to herself. So she decided to pass the buck, "It's up to Marco."

"I'm fine with it. I just want everyone to be happy and comfortable," Marco said honestly.

The girls all looked at each other and then…

"First dibs!" Sakura called out before anyone else could.

There were murmurs and groans of dissatisfaction but everyone relented in the end.

"Fufufu, seems like the little Sakura can be loud when she wants," Francesca noted with a sly smile on her face.

Sakura looked Francesca up and down and shot back, "Just what about me exactly is little Francesca-san?"

Rather than be upset, Francesca was amused, "Fufufu, so the cherry tree has some bark on it after all does it? Good, good, you would be so dull otherwise."

"Thanks for dinner Sakura, it was amazing," Marco complimented with a sincere smile. "We'll definitely be hitting up the market you mentioned on our way back home."

Sakura just smiled, "Thank you Marco-kun."

Once the dishes were cleared from the table, Hekapoo set to washing them, and Jackie and Janna seen off with a kiss each, Marco looked at his watch. It currently read 8:30pm, which meant it was 10:30am in Japan right now. He materialized his Dimensional Scissors and turned to Sakura, "You ready to go?"

Sakura smiled at him. "Yes, Marco-kun."

The sound of tearing fabric was heard as the Dimensional Scissors cut a hole in space-time. He took Sakura's hand and walked through the portal.

For the second time now, Marco found himself in front of the Emiya Estate, "I wonder why I keep ending up here? Is it because I have EMIYA's memories in my head or something?"

"It could be any number of things, but yours makes the most sense," Sakura rooted around on the stones lining the entrance before she came up holding a key. A key that looked to fit in the locked gate to the Emiya Estate.

"What are you planning to do with that?" Marco asked her suspicion in his tone.

"Right now? Nothing," Sakura replied demurely fluttering her eyelashes at him. "Later though… remember when I said I knew somewhere we could be alone?"

Marco just stared at her. Shocked at how bold she was being, "You want us… to have sex… in Shirou's house… when we both know he's not home?"

"Yes," Sakura stated simply.

Marco slowly nodded. "Your still pissed at him and Rin for leaving you in Fuyuki aren't you? Even though you know your going to become an Aunt?"

"I am, I am still livid with the both of them," Sakura's usually sweet voice was full of hatred and vitriol. "Which is why, once we get done at Homurahara, we are going to fuck like rabbits on every possible surface of this house. Then we are going to clean up, go shopping, and then go home, we are never going to mention this to Shirou or Rin, we just get to giggle everytime they eat at the table or cook on the counter knowing we had sex on that very spot," Sakura clapped her hands playfully, "Doesn't that sound fun Marco-kun?"

"Thrilling." Marco deadpanned while wondering just how close Sakura was to breaking completely before he rescued her. Marco has bad feeling nothing good would come from a mentally broken Sakura. Nothing good at all.

Homurahara looked even bigger in real life than it was in EMIYA's memories. The building seemed to tower over Marco and Sakura, an obelisk of stone, steel and glass. The gate was also currently blocked, due to it being school hours. In response to this, Marco picked Sakura up in a princess carry and jumped over the wall surrounding the school. Even without his Class Card installed, in terms of statistics he would be a seven if a E-ranked Servant would be a ten. He could thank his sixteen years worth of muscle memory for that. Landing on top of the wall, with Sakura in his arms, Marco quickly hopped down and set Sakura on her feet. Sakura gently patted him on the back, "Are you okay Marco-kun?"

"I'm fine," Marco assured her. "Just not used to doing that without the Class Card is all."

"Was Sakura too heavy?" She asked.

Marco gave her a deadpan look, "You are not fat in any sense of the word Sakura-san. The only big thing about you is you're boobs and I'm never going to be complaining about those… Sorry that was…"

Sakura shook her head and put a hand over his mouth, even as she flushed, "Don't apologize Marco-kun. I'm happy to know you find me… pretty."

Marco realized he had just had a repeat of what happened in Janna's room just a scant few hours ago. 'I guess they really 'don't mind' as long as it's me,' That gave his rather fragile ego a considerable boost. "Ready to head in?"

"Yes."

Marco switched into indoor slippers and followed Sakura as she walked the halls of Homurahara Garkuren. They stopped in the office first and after a quick talk with the principal, where Sakura introduced Marco as her long distance boyfriend who offered to move her in with him after her home burned down, they obtained her transcripts. He was sad to see her go, but understood why she didn't want to stay. He was just thankful she wasn't in her house when it burnt down unlike her brother and grandfather. Sakura stoically accepted his condolences. "If at all possible sir, could I go around and say goodbye to some of my friends and teachers? I know for a fact Fujimura-sensei would never forgive me if I left without saying goodbye."

The principal smiled at her, "Of course, of course. Taiga-chan, such a handful that woman. Go right ahead Sakura-chan. Oh and Marco-san?"

"Yes sir?" Marco said in flawless if spanish-flecked japanese.

"Do take good care of Matou-san won't you? She is one of our finer pupils here at Homurahara." The principal leaned forward in his seat and looked at Marco pointed.

"Yes sir," Marco all but saluted the man.

"Good, good, off you go then. Sakura-san, I wish you all the best in America," The Principal said earnestly.

Sakura bowed respectfully. "Thank you sir! We'll be going now." She took Marco by the hand and didn't run, but hurriedly walked out of the office.

Once they were out in the hall and out of sight, Sakura slumped against the wall, and let out a long sigh. Marco put a hand on her arm comfortingly. "You ok? I know it was hard, pretending you had to care about Shinji and Zouken like that."

Sakura just gave him a wan smile, "I'll be fine, as long as you're here, Marco-kun. Are you ready to meet Fujimura-sensei?"

"I've seen plenty of her in EMIYA's memories. I know she can be… eccentric. But Star tops her by far."

Sakura nodded, she hadn't been around the girl long but she was much, much more energized that even her English Teacher, "If you're sure then follow me."

Sakura led him to Class 3-C and knocked. This just so happened to be her English period and most if not all of her close friends were in this class. She could hit all birds with one stone.

"Come in, come in!" Taiga called in her usual exuberance.

The moment Sakura opened the door she didn't even get to finish saying the typical pardon the intrusion before she was all but glomped by her almost crying teacher. "Sakura-san! You're alive! We thought that when your house caught fire that you were… where have you been?!"

She went from worried to enraged at the drop of a hat. Marco decided to intervene by clearing his throat and stepping into the room, "Excuse me, but could you let go of my girlfriend please?"

"Girl… friend?" Taiga said looking at Marco before she turned to Sakura and asked, "Him?"

Sakura nodded. "Yes, for the last couple of years now Marco-kun and I have had a… long distance relationship. He flew to Japan yesterday and surprised me. That's why I wasn't at the house when it… you know…"

"Oh… Ohh!" Taiga said knowingly, before she turned and bowed to Marco like she was Sakura's mother or something, "Fujimura Taiga, nice to meet you, Marco-san."

"Diaz Marco, pleasure is all mine Fujimura-san… though I must say it feels weird giving my last name first. Doesn't have the same ring to it," Marco admitted in his flection toned japanese.

Several students broke protocol and got up from their seats, a trio of girls were the main ones and even a couple of boys. One of whom had brown hair, eyes and was glaring at him. Marco took his glare and responded with a quirked eyebrow, "Yes, can I help you?"

"Mitsuzuri Minori," The boy introduced him with no form of bow, his arms crossed. "Are you really Sakura-san's boyfriend?"

"Yes, why?" Marco politely inquired."Where do you think I learned Japanese? I had a great teacher," Marco lied through his teeth.

"And Marco-kun has been helping me with my Engrish, ah English," Sakura corrected.

Taiga clapped, "Oh, good job you two learning another language from each other," Taiga wiped away a fake tear, "I'm so proud!"

"I also speak French, and Spanish," Marco commented.

"He's a polyglot, speaking French and Spanish to boot... No wonder you fell for him, eh Sakura?" Taiga gave the younger girl a sly glance.

"Fujimura-sensei," Sakura whined all the while blushing.

"Oh I had her wrapped around my finger by the end of the first conversation," Marco admitted, "But she had done the same to me too so… meh," Marco shrugged.

"Marco-kun!" Sakura flushed even deeper, "You both are incorrigible!"

"We are!" Marco and Taiga said at the same time before they looked at each other and high-fived.

Sakura just shook her head at the silliness, "Anyway, I came here to say goodbye to everyone."

"Goodbye?" Yumichika Saeguesa one of the girls who got out of her seat asked, "Where are you going?"

"Back to America with Marco-kun."

Sakura's statement was met with an uproar. Marco let it go on for a moment, before he put two fingers in his mouth and released a shrill whistle, "BE QUIET!" When silence fell, Marco continued in a quieter tone, "Sakura wasn't finished speaking," He looked to her, "Floor is yours dear."

"Thank you Marco-kun," Sakura continued where she had left off, "As I was saying, I plan on leaving to America with Marco-kun since my house and… family are gone, I have no reason, or way to continue staying here…" Sakura bowed to her classmates. "I will miss and remember all of you!"

The entire class got up and surrounded the girl each person giving her a hug and wishing her well. Taiga tapped Marco on the shoulder. She had tears in her eyes but she fixed him with the scariest glare she could, and even wiggled the Tora Shiina which she got from somewhere in his face threateningly, "You best look after Sakura-chan got it?!"

Marco bowed respectfully, "You have my word Fujimura-sensei."

"Good, good!" Taiga nodded. "I used to be able to count on Shirou for this, but he went studying abroad in England with Tohsaka-san."

Marco cleared his throat, "I saw him recently actually."

"Ehh? Is he doing well… wait are you rich or something? How do you manage to fly all over?" Taiga asked.

Marco came up with a quick and believable lie "Frequent Flier Miles," Marco easily lied.

"Ah…" Taiga bought it hook, line, and sinker. "So how's Shirou doing?"

Marco smiled, he felt like being a bit of an even bigger dick to Shirou. Why? He blamed EMIYA if anyone asked and he was still salty about him forgetting about Sakura. He might be happy Shirou's dream changed but he still finds shirou annoying somewhat, "Well he's doing well physically… mentally he received quite a recent shock."

"Did he do bad on the tests?"

"You could say that yeah," Marco grinned. "He got a plus plus on a certain kind of test if you know what I mean?"

Taiga cocked her head to the side, "Uh?"

"He, Rin, and their blonde haired friend are all expecting a gift in about six months or so."

Taiga's eye twitched as the smile on her face seemed to freeze in place, "Y-You mean t-to tell me that he?"

"Both of them, yes," Marco nodded.

"I'm going to kill him," Taiga said in a dazed state, serene smile still etched on her face. "When I get my hands on him, I'll castrate him with my Tora Shinai."

"That… might be able to be arranged," Marco told her before adding, "I just need to contact a certain someone to make sure its ok first."

The look of tranquil fury never left Taiga's face, "Sure you go ahead and do that."

"Sakura, I'm going to step out for a moment." Macro told the girl who was still being mobbed by her classmates. She smiled and nodded his way to let him know she heard him.

Once out in the hall Marco quickly made a portal which he hoped would lead him to the man he wanted to see before he stepped through it.

Thankfully his Dimensional Scissors seemed to be able to teleport him to people as well as places he's already been as Marco found himself in an unfamiliar room with Zelretch seated behind a desk. He glanced up from the letter he was reading and smiled a bit, "Hello Marco have a seat and I'll be right with you."

The Dead Apostle Ancestor, motioned in front of his desk and moments later a second chair appeared in a flash of rainbow light. Marco sat down and patiently waited for the vampire to finish reading his missive. Once he was done Zelretch set it aside and folded his hands in front of him, "Now, I don't often get visitors here so this is a rare treat. And you got past all my defenses and right into my office too, " So, what can I do for you?"

"I need to know if its ok to bring Taiga Fujimura to the Clocktower."

"Absolutely not, that woman is chaos incarnate," Zelretch replied calmly before smiling like the devil. "Which is exactly why I think you should do it."

"You just love to shake things up over there don't you?" Marco smiled himself, his grin almost matching the Wizard Marshalls.

"Like you don't want to see Emiya Shirou suffer?"

"I won't lie, it warms the cockles of my glass heart," Marco replied. "Your coming to watch I assume?"

"Do Inuits club baby seals to death to prove their manhood?" Zelretch replied.

"I… don't know. I certainly hope not, their adorable," Marco replied sounding aghast at the thought.

"The answer is unfortunately for the baby seals and the Clocktower yes on both counts." Zelretch replied.

"Wanna just go and forget the last part of this conversation?" Marco asked after a moment's awkward pause.

"Yeah let's do that. Seeya there?" Zelretch ventured.

"Naturally, bring popcorn, a camcorder, and a towel because this is gonna be a bloodbath." Marco replied before getting up. And leaving through another portal.

Back at Homurahara Marco peeked his head back in Room 3-C. It was quiet, too quiet. Everyone was sitting in there seats as if too scared to move. 'Okay, if this was a horror movie, the black guy would die first. Thankfully I'm mexican so I'm safe, for the moment,' Marco caught Sakura's eye who was standing by the door and mouthed "What the fuck happened?"

"Fujimura-sensei," Sakura mouthed back, while point to said teacher.

She was staring out the window with a shinai that had tiger stripes running up its length in her hand… both it and Taiga herself were giving off a palpable aura of bloodlust.

'Okay… how the flying fuck is that Shinai cursed to draw blood?' Marco asked himself even after he read its history. He still didn't get how a training weapon could kill someone or suck out some of their soul or blood.

Marco audibly cleared his throat, "Fujimura-sensei, I got permission to take you to where Emiya-san is… studying in London."

Taiga turned around and she was now sporting a veritable slasher smile on her face, "Excellent Diaz-san! Take me to my little brother so that I can… discipline him properly."

Marco had seen much stranger things then a pissed off teacher in his day, so he saw fit to point out the obvious, "Fujimura-sensei, who's going to look after your students in your absence?"

"They are going to have a free study period and behave themselves correct?" Taiga turned to her students as she said this and they all took on the pale shade of ghosts and nodded rapidly shouting, "Yes Fujimura-sensei!"

Marco shrugged, not his problem if she got fired. "Okay then," He motined out the door, "If you'll please follow me?"

Taiga's eyes gleamed borderline demonically as she grinned and followed Marco. She watched as he literally cut a portal in thin air with a pair of scissors in the hallway. She briefly thought about commenting on it but decided to focus her efforts and anger, on the many, many ways she was going to maul her little brother as she marched through the portal… and they were legion.

Shirou Emiya's life had become both easier and more hectic in the last twenty-four hours. Now that he was officially declared property of the Canticle Brigade, Lorelei Barthomeloi's personal attack force, no one in their right mind would mess with him. On the other hand, he had two pregnant women to care for, Luvia seemed to be trying very hard to make that a trifecta since he kissed her, a snarky nun that wouldn't leave him alone, and for some reason an Executor that constantly wanted to spar with him. He felt archer would both pity him and laugh at his current situation

'This is all Marco-san's fault.' Shirou thought to himself. 'He showed up and then things got crazy. Then again, can I really blame him? According to Rin, he might well be possessed by Archer right now. This could be all his fault, Marco-san could just be another victim in another one of his schemes,' Shirou naturally wanted to think the best of everyone, as it was in his nature to be kind and helpful to everyone due to his origin of sword.

Too bad not everyone felt the same way towards him.

"ShiROOUU!"

"Fuji-nee?" Shirou blinked. Then turned around, then paled in shock, "FUJI-NEE?!"

"Shirou…" Taiga said as she walked towards him like a woman possessed dragging her Tora Shinai across the floor leaving a long gouges in the stone surface, "What is this I hear about you getting not one, but two girls pregnant?"

"I… I can explain?"

"UN… FOR… GIVABLE!" Taiga struck Shirou with enough force to send him flying across the lunch room, the rest of the people who were watching gave a collective "OOohh!" When Shiro smashed into a pillar face first.

"Excuse me," Someone said placing their hand on Taiga's shoulder, causing her to turn and glare at him. He had long dark hair and was wearing a black suit with red tie. "But for the second time in two days that young man is causing a scene. For once I would like to eat my meals in peace so if you could beat him to death outside, I'd appreciate it."

"Do I… know you from somewhere?" Taiga asked after a moment of looking at the man.

Lord El-Melloi II blinked, "No, I do not believe we've met Miss?"

"Taiga, Taiga Fujimura, and I never forget a face. I remember yours," Taiga snapped her fingers a couple of times before recognition popped in her eyes. 'Waver-san! I remember now! We met once, twelve years ago in Fuyuki! You were with your big muscular friend Alex!"

Waver thought back to the Fourth War. To the night he and his King stole a barrel of wine from a wine shop for the banquet of Three Kings. They ran into a girl who was trying to catch the 'thief' who stole a wine barrel from her friend's families store, never once suspecting him or his King. Then a puppy fell in a river and she like some kind of comic book hero dropped everything to jump in and save it. He'd thought that the girl was stupid and reckless yet bold and brave. His King thought it would be fun to try and play matchmaker before he hypnotized her to forget they'd ever met.

"You… shouldn't remember any of that," Waver said.

Taiga giggled at his shocked face, "Why not? Just because you did some hocus pocus and said you are getting sleepy very sleepy? Pff yeah right."

"You've known for over a decade and… oh dear. Who did you tell?" Waver replied as he reached for and casually lit a cigar to calm his nerves.

"Who would I tell that wouldn't think I was crazy? It's also the same reason I don't tell people what my grandfather really does for a living," Taiga replied honestly, "Smoking huh? It kinda makes you look cool if I'm being honest."

"I… thank you Taiga."

"Big Brother… who is this?" A blonde haired blue-eyed girl in a blue dress with a bonnet on her head who had a metal maid following her around approached the two of them. Her eyes were narrowed like a snakes at Taiga.

"She's your little sister?" Taiga looked between the two, "You look nothing alike."

"You bear no resemblance to Emiya either, yet you are related?" Waver retorted as he puffed on his cigar.

"Point, and thank you for for reminding me I need to turn Shirou's pelvis into powder Waver-san. I'll be right back and we can talk some more if your free, kay?" Taiga gave him a warm smile before her face turned murderous and she stomped towards her little brother who was trying to sneak away.

"SHIROU! Get back here and take your punishment like a man dammit!" Taiga roared at him.

Lord El-Melloi II glanced to his left where the infamous Spaniard was now standing, "This was your doing I take it, Spaniard?"

Marco nodded, "You are correct Master Velvet, last survivor of the Ioeion Heteroi."

Lord El-Melloi blinked, "How could you possibly…"

"A magician be they real or not, never reveals their secrets, don't you know?" Marco just smiled at him knowingly.

In response Waver just took a long drag off his cigar before stomping it out on the floor.

But Marco wasn't done. He leaned forward and spoke to Reines, "You really should lay down the law with Taiga, or a least let poor Waver here know what he's really in for little miss."

"Now what are you talking about?" Lord El-Melloi II asked pinching the bridge of his nose as Reines looked at Marco stunned.

"Not gonna tell him? No? Then I'll do it. She told you when you first met and I quote I recognize your deeds to the Archibald family, but since you were only making up for what you caused in the first place, you better serve me for your entire life, correct?"

"How can you know all this? Lord El-Melloi was getting both annoyed and unnerved with how much personal and private information this boy had.

"I have… eyes everywhere Waver. But ignore that, tell me what do those words sound like to you?"

"Sounds like I still owe a huge debt. Why, what do they seem to you?" The Lord of the Clocktower retorted.

Marco shook his head, "Stupid magi and their inability to recognize normal situations. Constant backstabbing syndrome… It sounded to me like a marriage proposal you dumbass."

"M-Marriage?!" El-Melloi the second was shocked. "Your joking," He looked to Reines. "Please tell me he's joking, that it's a cruel trick that he's lying."

"I was going to tell you," Reines replied shyly which was out of character for her, "Once I got older."

"You have got to be kidding me." The Lord sighed.

Marco just shook his head in exasperation, "C'mon Waver, did you honestly think they were going to just let you go, and what better way to tie you into their family forever than through marriage? Besides, she's only two or three years younger than you."

"I feel… like hitting my head against a wall right now." Lord El-Mello II said after completely missing the obvious for so long.

In response Marco traced a simple sword and carved an x at about Waver's forehead height. "Have at it."

"I don't know whether to thank you or hex you," Lord El-Melloi said after staring at Marco for a moment.

"Same," Reines replied giving him her own look. "On the one hand, you blurted out my plan, on the other Waver seems to be taking it well."

Marco shrugged, "I'm dating a girl whose in love with love. I figured I'd be remiss if I didn't at least try and get you two together sooner for her if nothing else. Besides, you survived a Grail War Waver, that pretty much automatically makes you a badass. You deserve the happy ending, cute girls and all."

"You say that, yet you torture Emiya-san?" El-Melloi noted. "How do you know about my experiences or his anyway?"

In response, Marco materialized however briefly the R'lyeh Text. "Remember this?"

Waver blanched, "That, that's the…"

Marco nodded before he allowed the book to dissipate into prana. "Yes, Caster of the Fourth War's Noble Phantasm. I possess it, along with the Noble Phantasm of the Archer of Miss Tohsaka. That is how I know what happened… for the most part. Their power is mine now."

"I see. I thought a magican didn't reveal their secrets though?" Waver replied smiling at him.

"When you're as badass as I am, I guess it doesn't matter if you tip your hand or not, I still win." Marco replied uncaringly.

"Watch your arrogance Spaniard, it may one day lead to your undoing," Reines warned him.

Marco just chuckled, "Funny little Archistorie, you think I revealed everything just now? You wish."

Both Waver and Reines gulped at the insinuation he was hiding even more than he'd already shown. Which was saying something since he claimed to have the power of TWO heroic spirits.

"I'm back!" Taiga called out to the trio as she left the recently "dead" corpse of Shirou Emiya, "What did I miss?"

Reines looked at her and grimaced before abruptly blurting out, "I'm the legal wife understand?!"

"Okay? Seriously what did I miss?" Taiga asked as she looked between the two men.

Marco slapped the Lord on the back, "I think you can take it from here Waver, good luck."

"Damn you straight to hell in the galleon you came in on Spaniard!" Lord El-Melloi shot back as Marco just laughed and walked away, making an exit via portal with Sakura tagging along.

Word Count: 26, 875 Number of Pages: 88 Date Completed: 12/20/2019

AN: Hello one and all, welcome to another chapter of Unlimited Eldritch Blade Works. Snowy and I are both working doubletime to bring you the gift of chapters for the holiday season. We do hope you all enjoy the Christmas gifts. Or whatever holiday you happen to celebrate around this time of year. Anyway gonna had the mic over to Snowy for a bit, take it away buddy.

Feliz Navidad my friends and compatriots. I the great and mysterious Icysnowsage have heard your prayers and decided to book it double time in getting ch.s edited and ready. Now remember folks me and Bubba have our own story rotation so it might not be what you like but its what we decided on. So who knows if your are extra lucky we may have another ch. Of a story churned out with some juicy bits. Send your hopes, prayers, and REVIEWS that we can burn on a fire as a sacrifice to the muses who are fickle. Send them off Bubba

Thanks Snowy, As always we hope you all enjoyed, be you Readers, Reviewers, or Patrons. Our thanks go out to you one and all. Till next time everyone; this has been a Bubbajack and IcySnowSage Production. Peace!