Fleeting Moments
Ch. 6
Friendly Faces
stiff.
That was the first thought that came to Marco's mind as he drifted back into consciousness, his body immediately alerting him that his discomfort would not be ignored for a single second. A cold, hard surface beneath was the prime suspect, but sleeping in a rag doll pose could also have been the reason his body was so sore.
Blank.
That was the second thought that overtook the first, as Marco struggled to remember where he was, or what had been on his mind as he slept. It had been a while, but he quickly realized there were no dreams in his memory, just a blissful black, and then the aforementioned stiffness. That and of course, a tiny fish for whatever reason.
Deeming both of these thoughts less important than knowing where he was, or what events had gotten him here, Marco opened his eyes to the dim darkness of the room and found his immediate answer. He was in the 'bandits' cave, in his allotted room, and he was sleeping on the floor. That explained the stiffness of his back, but as to why he was sleeping on the floor, that became quickly apparent when a loud snore echoed through the tiny room, drawing his attention to the sleeping woman four feet away from him.
He sat upright, slowly as to not jostle his tired muscles, and looked at Star, finding her in a mass of limbs among a wool blanket, profusely drooling onto what he then decided was her pillow, not his. Out cold, she was oblivious to his derisive snort at her position and state, and remained asleep as he commented to himself, "So that's how royalty sleeps, huh?"
As the ridiculousness of the idea that Star resembled anything closely related to royalty mulled around in his head, however, Marco quickly found himself staring at her a bit more closely. Her shirt was pulled lower than normal, and what caught his eye was nothing pervasive or offensive, but rather, a small pendant shaped like a butterfly, made of glimmering solid gold.
Before he could convince himself to look away out of modesty or reflect on the fact that carrying that solid gold pendant was a risk in and of itself, he found himself caught red handed when Star's eyes fluttered open, landing squarely on his. She must have noticed immediately that he was staring just below her neck, because after a quick self inspection she clambered upright and pulled up her shirt, shooting him an incredulous look.
Not wanting to be made a pervert, purely out of defense Marco muttered, "Sorry, I wasn't looking at anything, I just saw your necklace… I just woke up too."
She held her glare at him and narrowed her eyes in deep accusation. "If you saw my necklace, then you were looking at something, Marco," she mumbled, "am I not safe around you either?"
Marcos eyes widened just enough for her to see how seriously he took that statement, before she cracked a smile and broke into a fit of giggles. "Ohh my corn, your face is priceless! Hahaha, settle down, Marco, I'm just messing with you."
His face fell into disbelief and kept falling until it hit annoyance as Star continued to roll with laughter. He didn't find it nearly as funny, but he did find himself cracking a light grin at the sight of Star in such a good mood. A vast improvement from where she had been just last night, he noted. "Yeah, yeah whatever. Just keep your goods locked up, weirdo. All of them."
She nodded as her laughter wilted down into a light chuckle, her face rosey with a blush. Marco stood and pulled his hoodie over his head, reluctant to find that it still smelled as bad as the day prior. "We should get ready. We have a big day today, and if things go as well as I hope…?"
The open-ended thought was caught by Star as she quickly answered, "we might even get to go home." Her tune was a little more optimistic than what it had been last night, though Marco could tell she wasn't quite as confident in the prospect as he was. Which wasn't to say he was overly confident in that happening either, but when you found yourself at the lowest possible wrung, the only thing you can do is climb.
He was about to suggest that they find a shower, or perhaps another river to bathe in when a knock sounded against the door in a quick rap, followed by Alwens suspiciously nervous voice. "Boy, open up. Your friend is missing from her chambers, have you seen any-"
Marco opened the door with as little regard for consequences as possible, shooting Alwen a quick nod before noting, "she's in here. Are we ready to get moving or what?"
Like the calm before the storm, Alwen gave pause for only a moment, glancing between the two disheveled teenagers before drawing breath, likely to beret them to within an inch of their lives. But before he could utter a word with his index finger pointed, Star stepped up to the door and shot him a confident, shit-eating grin before asking coyly, "are we having some breakfast before we go? Because I'm just, starving."
No one said a word. Alwen merely tilted his head and cocked an eyebrow above his tight, vexed expression, his eyes darting back and forth in contemplative analysis. "Down. The hall," he spat through gritted teeth before asking, "And why, pray tell, is she here?"
His clear show of anger was, however, quickly and easily matched by Star's pleasant grin. Marco said nothing as Star gave a shrug and answered politely, "I go, where he goes. Exceptions or not. That's just how it's gonna be."
Marco had been watching the exchange with more than his fair share of amusement, happy to see Star back to some semblance of her old self. He was ready to step in and save anyone from the trouble of a fight, when Alwen smoothed himself over, and turned his attention to the boy. "Noted," he growled, glaring as if it was by Marcos hand that Star was here and challenging him, "Come along, children. We have much to do, and not much time to do it."
It was a bit of a short walk down the cavernous hallways to what Alwen generously referred to as, 'The mess hall'. And when they arrived, Star and Marco were less than impressed with the dirty room and crowded wooden tables, but they were both far more eager to eat and leave than to complain. There were four rows of five round, wooden tables each made from a slice of a massive tree, and to the far end was a clanging stir of cooks and rustic cookware, the smell of surprisingly edible food permeating the room.
Immediately after pointing out the food and a quick suggestion to avoid the eggs, Alwen excused himself to meet with Duwen to discuss the mission, leaving the two to their devices. Star was the first to go, weaving through tables and people alike to get to the food, closely followed by Marco. Plates were, of course, slices of wood with rusty utensils on the side, but to their credit the drinks were served in glass, Alwen having mentioned something about resources being far better spent on gear and bribes than fine china.
A minute later, both Star and Marco were seated at a table with three others, both trying to keep their enthusiasm about the quality of food to a minimum. Marco noted as he ate that around the room, there were more types of these bandits than he had previously guessed, seeing warriors, smiths, reclusive people in robes, and well dressed 'commanders' alike eating at various tables. He was about to comment on the menagerie of classes when Star crunched loudly through an ear of corn, and began on her fourth.
"You're uhhh, not eating anything else?" He asked politely, pulling his attention from the hulking commandos two tables over, "you know they have meat and bread, right?"
Through a mouthful of corn, Star grinned and nodded, clearly thrilled at what she was eating already. "I shee that, bhut I haven't had corn in daysh," she remarked, "itsh our favret food on mooni."
Wondering how Star had gotten half as strong as she was on a diet consisting of mainly corn, Marco turned back to his pork, bread, and eggs, content with letting her be, rather than seeing another mouthful of chewed corn. The eggs were well and fine, the pork was astounding, and the bread, while a bit stale, was as good as anything he could get back home, so who cared anyway, right?
It was as this thought rolled through his mind that one of the largest of the other bandits at the table spoke up, a brutish man carrying a well-worn longsword and brandishing a scar over his left eye. He leaned forward as he chewed, his scar rippling along with his tightened jaw before he asked, "So where oh where did Alwen dig you two up? Didn't think the lad much cared for fawns, when he has the Elder elk."
Before Marco could assess the words or the implications they carried, Star set down her half-eaten cob and grinned, asking in return, "Are those guys supposed to be your little club? Is your 'club' full of big old dudes like you?"
Without another word, Star stood slowly and swiped the dagger from a woman to her right. But she didn't use it or wield it with unhinged moxy. She simply held it upright, and proceeded to fold its blade until it resembled a W. "Because ever since I left home, I've noticed that I don't like bullies."
"Do you like breathing, girl?" The man quickly asked back, taking a bite of his bread and a sip from his cup, "talk is cheap when you can't draw a breath anymore."
Star stared at him, but was quickly pulled back into her seat by a collectedly calm Marco, the boy meeting the man's gaze. "Keep it to yourself, buddy. The last seven of your guys that wanted a fight? Got one."
Glaring at the both of them with equal parts malice and amusement, the big guy stood and leaned closer, his good eye narrowing. "You wanna take this outside, or do you two wanna do this here?" He growled, teeth stained yellow flashing behind a sneer, "you took out two of my guys, so I'm gonna enjoy it either way."
Initially, Marco had every intention of just ignoring the man and trying to get breakfast over with, so they could get their job over with. But the moment Star rushed headlong into meeting the man's words with a heedless charge, he found himself caring less himself. "What I want is to enjoy the morning in some peace and quiet, and do what I've been asked to do. But I kinda feel like you're not all about letting that happen."
Seconds ticked by and just when it seemed like the tension at the table was at its breaking point, Star glaring as she had been for the last day, and Marco staring in a challenging manner, the man cracked a smile. Through his stained teeth he laughed a guttural laugh and slammed his hands on the table before leaning forward to meet the two confused teens eyes. "That, is exactly the response I'd expect from two kids hand picked by Alwen himself. Color me impressed, cubs."
Both Marco and Star exchanged a wildly confused, and a little annoyed glance before turning back to the mountain of a man. "What?" Was all Marco could ask in his confused stupor, as Star went back to happily munching on fresh corn.
"If Alwen brought you two in and presented you to Lady Duwen the same day? I ain't gonna mess with 'em," the man noted before tearing off a chunk of bread and eating it, "Even if they turned one of my guys into a cripple."
"Partolus," a sudden, commanding voice sounded behind them, "I've already assumed responsibility for that. I led them into a situation we were wildly unprepared for, and they paid my price."
Turning around, Star and Marco found themselves looking up at Alwen himself, their superior choosing to continue his prolonged grimace at 'Partolus'. "Best to let them be, they have a very….busy day today, I'm afraid." Alwen sounded more than his fair share of dismayed at the prospect, but Partolus simply nodded and continued eating his fill.
"Aye, then. You owe me two fresh recruits. And I'm lookin at 'em," Partolus suggested, but Alwen shook his head, gesturing to Star and Marco that it was time to get moving. "I'm afraid not. They are, as of this moment, under Lady Duwen's direct supervision and order. Whether that's good or bad is entirely up to them."
"Two recruits then, Alwen," Partolus repeated as Marco stood and cleared his plate, Star tossing her many cobs away, "maybe ones that don't die so easily?"
"Noted," Alwen found himself answering for the second time that morning. With far less grievance than the last, "come along, children."
Grumbling about being called a child, yet again, the two followed Alwen out of the Mess Hall and back down a winding string of caverns that led deeper into the cave. But what they quickly took notice to was just how miserably Alwen walked, his feet practically dragging against the stone.
"What's eating you, big fella?" Star asked with just a touch of smarm, more than happy to see him so clearly upset about something. But she quickly learned that it was at all of their expense why he was so miserable. "I cannot believe I'm saying this," he began with a groan, stopping just outside an iron-banded wooden door, "but you two are either very lucky, or very unlucky. We will soon see for ourselves."
The two exchanged a quick glance before Star asked, "Annnnd what exactly is that supposed to mean?" She watched as Alwen unlocked the massive wooden door and pulled it open slowly, his grimace not fading. "It means, girl, that we are going on a sort of intelligence mission. One I feel you may be unsuited for, in particular."
Before she could even scoff Alwen was already ducking into the room, gesturing for them to follow before he added, "It's somewhat of a fitting test to judge both the adequacy of your skills in combat, and the precision with which you can secure information on precious cargo without being detected or captured."
Not one to stand on ceremony or give Alwen the benefit of his confusion, Marco nodded quickly and followed into the torch-lit room. "Then let's hurry up and get moving. The sooner we help you, the sooner you can help us," he noted, stopping next to Alwen in the midst of a room that was, frankly, armed to the teeth. Weapons, armor, scrolls, potions, explosives, and rudimentary traps littered the shelves and aisles of the room they found themselves in.
"A sentiment I could not agree more with, boy," Alwen commented, taking a seat and pulling out a dusty scroll from the nearest stand, "the two of you, get suited and armed, and then we can mobilize."
"Copy that, sir," Marco stressed, moving to gather what he felt was necessary, closely followed by Star. She shot Alwen a piercing glare, one he met rather well, before she too began to assess and select her weapons and armament of choice. Discretion was key, right?
Ten minutes later, the two of them strolled down their respective aisles in style, their gear chosen to not only reflect their skills, but to enhance them in combat. They stopped in front of Alwen, trying to look menacing, the both of them, but a quiet cough into his hand wasn't the reaction they were expecting. "You two look ridiculous."
"Wha- bologna, you just hate how cool we look right now, because you suck," Star growled, her eyes narrowed in accusation, but Marco merely folded his arms and met Alwen's look. "Think of it this way, we look like idiots, so no one will think we're a threat. Couple of kids, just got our inheritance, so we bought some weapons and shit and now we think we own the place."
At this, after a moment of silence, Alwen actually managed a smile. "I find that prospect as stupid as it is brilliant. And, frankly that scares me a little. Let's see what you've got, then," he suggested, gesturing for them to present their chosen weapons so he could log it in the scroll.
It wasn't much, that far was clear, but Marco wore a studded leather set of torso armor, banded with two sheathes for daggers. His forearms were braced with tempered steel guards etched with twin inlays of rising suns, and hanging at his hips, ready for action were two rudimentary steel knuckles. He didn't much know how to swordfight or shoot arrows, but he could fight just fine, so punch first, slash questions later.
Star on the other hand was just a touch more overkill in her selection. Much like Marco she had a studded leather chest and shoulder combo, only she also sported a scaled skirt that hung into studded leather straps. She had happily chosen to adopt a set of steel hammers, both hanging at her waist, since her strength wouldn't do much good if she was punching metal. And of course, a bow and quiver across her back, should she find herself outside of closing distance. Oh, and Marco, in a shocking turn of events, had actually braided Star's hair into a far more manageable wide, loose braid. Why or how he knew, he wouldn't say.
"My, how you can make a prize horse out of even the lowest of donkeys," Alwen commented, earning an eyeroll frim Star and a polite, 'fuck you' from Marco. When all the paperwork was said and done, he led them to the entrance of the cave system, its massive, heavy mound door grinding open to reveal three horses already prepared and waiting. The morning itself was less than ideal, a fog having rolled in and made everything a bit dreary, but other than that, the air was cool, crisp, and fresher than anything in that cave.
"We're heading to a large settlement today, one that our scouts say is protected by a moderate regiment of soldiers," Alwen listed as he mounted his horse, gesturing for Star and Marco to do the same, "Your job is to get in, find our informant, collect his intel, and get out. All of this undetected, of course."
Marco nodded to that as he, with difficulty apparent to all those present, mounted his horse. Star mounted hers with far less difficulty and glared at Alwen with deep scrutiny. "You said something about precious cargo. An artifact or something. What is it you're looking for?"
After a short debate on whether he would even bother answering the question, and a quick thought on how best to answer said question, Alwen shrugged. "My assessment? A religious artifact of sorts, but nonetheless something that could be used against the crown as a viable weapon."
"What kind of weapon?" Marco was quick to ask, now properly seated on his stead. His first, gut reaction was whether or not he could trust these people with a weapon that would be viable against a corrupt government. The second, however, was whether or not that same weapon could be used against Hekapoo, and bring them closer to home.
"Of that, I'm not sure," he answered with dismay, kicking his horse to a trot with the two quick to follow, "But Duwen seems to believe that it could turn the tide, and turn our little rebellion into a revolution."
With his horse swaying uncomfortably back and forth as it walked, Marco asked, "So, how are we getting in, who's the informant we're supposed to meet, and why are we doing this if it's so important?"
"Because he knows we'll get it done?" Star asked, shooting a gloating glance Alwen's way. But the man in question ignored her, choosing to address Marco specifically with his response.
"Excellent questions, Boy. To answer two of these questions, you two have been chosen for this task because you are- bluntly, an unknown." Met with blank stares and quiet confusion, Alwen shook his head and continued, hoping to clarify only once this time. "You are both blank slates. You can walk among the soldiers without issue, and you can move about the settlement far easier than myself."
"Right, right," Star chimed, rolling her neck to overemphasize her boredom, or just to simply stick it to Alwen, "And who are we finding? Someone as bright and fun as you?"
Alwen turned back and glared at her.
"Yeah, I guess not?"
He rolled his eyes and turned to face forward, finding the girls comments worth less than the breath spent on them. 'God save me, they're going to be my death,' he muttered before turning to Marco, choosing to answer him, if either of them. "The man you're meeting is a courier for the battery located on the north side of the city. You have to get in, find him, and secure the documents regarding the artifact's delivery."
"And how do-" Marco began, but his horse was practically hell-bent on bumping into Star's, eliciting a welcoming laugh from her at least. Marco found it far less endearing and pulled his horse away, only for it to bump right back next to hers like a magnet.
Deeming it a non issue at the moment he sighed with resignation and turned his attention back too Alwen. "And how do we know we can trust the…'courier'? He works for the crown, right? So how do we know we're not walking into a trap?"
"The short answer?" Came Alwens immediate response, his gaze turned lazily toward Marco and his brow cocked, "you don't. So, despite it not being either of your prerogatives, you're going to have to trust me."
Star looked to Marco and found him already staring, his eyes wider than usual in his silent appraisal. Truly, she didn't trust anyone in this dimension. Not anymore. Even trusting Marco was a gamble she had taken, so in her eyes, this very well could be a trap. But on the other hand, she had Marco, as real as she silently begged him to be, and she knew that if it came down to it again, this time he'd be right by her side.
"Fine. How do we know who he is?" She finally answered, her tone less barbed than it had been all morning. Alwen nodded to himself and mulled over what he had been told earlier. Which was safe to say, alot. "You'll find the lead courier there, and give him a code phrase," he noted, slowing his horse to speak more stilled, and more directly, "'I am lost in the darkness', or some variation of that, and if you have the right man he should answer, 'in the light I find my way.'"
"Or some variation of that?" Marco finished, his expression both bored and exasperated at the same time. Alwen nodded, eliciting a groan from the boy. "Super original,' he scoffed, "and when we pass your little ninja test, then what?"
"And how come you guys trust us with something this big, even if we are unknown?" Star interjected with more of her skeptical attitude poured on thick. Alwen pinched the bridge of his nose, but didn't give her the satisfaction of a direct address. "Because Lady Duwen thinks you can do it. Besides, if we didn't trust you, we'd have killed you in your sleep."
"Hence why I sleep with Marco," Star quickly returned with a gloating smirk. Alwen, wisely said nothing to the jab before answering her earlier, far more patient question, Marco shooting Star a stare to chill out for the time being. She thankfully shrugged and nodded before Alwen spoke. "This is a test of both your loyalty, and yes, your skill. Your innocence is a tool to be used against troops that have never known you, and your inconspicuousness is an added bonus."
Marco and Star alike both nodded to that comforting prospect as Alwen regained his earlier speed, his eyes trained forward. "And in response to your question, boy," he continued with a patient somewhat curious tone, "when this is over, you may decide to stay with us and continue working against the forces that bind our revolt to little more than a cave, or you may decide to take what information and payment we can give you, and go your separate way. I have no quarrel with you leaving after a job well done, but if you succeed in all aspects, we may have further use for you."
"Sounds fine," Marco answered, finding little solace in the potential freedom to just ditch this whole outfit in lieu of what else was out there. Frankly, this was as much as test for him, as it was a test for the bandits. If the work was fine, justified, and got him what he wanted, he had no issue staying, and he was sure that Star felt the same way. So kicking his horse to catch up with Alwens, he noted simply, "Let's hurry up and get there then. The sooner we get to work, the sooner you can piss off to whatever you're doing on the side."
Star found that sentiment more than agreeable, but much to their immediate surprise, so did Alwen. "Indeed, Boy. While you two are off galavanting on this little quest, I plan on waiting in a tavern just south of town, enjoying a drink among other...pleasantries, until you return."
The two stared at him for a moment before exchanging looks, both of them showing clear surprise at both his reluctance to doing anything important, and his bluntness at doing so little. "So you're not even going into the city, then," Marco asked with barely-hidden disbelief.
To his further surprise, and far out of the norm for Alwens behavior, the man actually laughed at the notion and shook his head, chuckling to himself, "not on your life, boy. My face is known well amongst the ranks stationed in that settlement. I would only get you both captured, so you two are on your own."
Where Star found a good opportunity to throw Alwen one of her trademark glares, Marco surprised both of them by answering, "That's fine," with little qualm. It wasn't hard to accept; of course Alwen wouldn't be joining them on their little ninja mission. And it bore little thought that that would have even been a possibility. "Then we'll meet you there when we have the documents."
"Good choice," Alwen grunted, the three stopping at a fork in the road. The path to the right had seen far more traffic than the one on the left, and Alwen seemed perfectly positioned to avoid it. "Go North down that road, at least four hours. There you'll find Primrose, and on the north side of town you'll find the battery with the informant. From there, head south from the city's gates for an hour, and I'll be waiting at a small establishment named Grend's."
Star rolled her eyes one last time for good measure, spurring her horse to take off down the road to the right. Marco nodded to Alwen and steered his horse right before calling out," We'll see you soon. And you better hope this isn't a trap."
"I wouldn't dream of it, boy," Alwen responded cordially, "your lives are now a reflection of my own. If you fail, everything we have stood for is put in jeopardy. So, don't disappoint us." And with that, he went left, Marco taking off right after Star towards the biggest mistake of his young life. Or so he thought.
O - O - O - O- O - O - O
Four and a half hours of horseback later, down dusty roads and occasionally passing scattered travelers, Star and Marco found themselves cresting a hilltop that overlooked a valley leading to a bay. To the north was a towering mountain range capped with snow, the valley leading back into further ranges, and to the west lay the ocean, an aquamarine sea that shone all the magnificence of the sun.
And nestled in the bottom of the valley, half-resting in the bay itself, sat a city like something straight out of a video game. Its buildings were medieval, but in its center sat a spire of glass and iron helixing to a point, at least ten stories tall and the most prominent feature of the town. The harbor, a large portion of the town itself, was a buzz of ships and men all clambering to deliver and receive shipments of various sizes and shapes.
This, was Primrose.
It was a city bustling with life, and as they looked on down from their cliffside, Marco looked to Star and nodded towards the valley, a worried look draped across his face. "Last chance to back out," he murmured to her, her own gaze meeting his skepticism, "say the word, and we can leave. We go down there, we go down to finish this."
After a moment of quiet deliberation, Star ultimately found herself turning back toward the city, its walls and buildings and people both thrilling, and terrifying. So many people, all of whom she knew couldn't be trusted even in mortal danger. But, on the reverse side of it, it was a city. A stark contrast to what she and Marco had experienced since they had arrived. It was daunting and overwhelming at the same time. And she wondered how Marco could possibly keep his cool here.
But in that same thought, she did have Marco this time. The one person she felt she could remotely trust in a world she had no experience in. So in light of everything she had to consider, she answered, "Let's do it."
He smiled, and for what she had once seen as fragile and weak, his smile now brought her a bit of comfort. Without a word, he turned his horse and the two began making their way down the winding path to the valley below, the cold wind picking up the lower they went.
It took only a few minutes of riding until they finally, under intense scrutiny, entered the city. The scrutiny was in part to one factor that neither of them had actually noticed from up on the cliff face: the soldiers. Troops were garrisons along the road in, at the gates, and dotted everywhere inside the city without discretion. It made Marco unbelievably uneasy, but he only managed to steal his nerves by remembering that they were completely innocent, and had no justifiable reason to fear the soldiers.
They wore largely polished steel armor, etched with golden, Victorian inlays. The elms made it difficult to tell them apart, like an Aged Scrolls V video game Marco had played, but the men and women had different armor sets. The women's slimmer, but every bit as protecting. Professional, consistent, and daunting all at once, the soldiers showed little to no emotion in any interaction entering the city, but Star and Marco both found it unnerving nonetheless, especially with their glimmering swords.
When they had finally passed the brunt of the cities forward troop occupation, entering the cities market space just to the east of the harbor, Marco pulled Star aside, eliciting a sudden gasp as they tried to look inconspicuous. Tossing nervous glances around at any passing garrisons, Marco asked in a hushed tone, "So what's our move here? This place is crawling with soldiers, and I kinda feel like we might be in a little over our heads."
Star looked over his shoulder at a few passing soldiers, what she could see of their hidden expressions giving off an air of impatience, and hunger. Like they were itching for this town to blow up so they could finally have something to do. It reminded her all too clearly of the knights on Mewni who hadn't seen combat in over a decade, and would pick fights with...monsters, just to fill their empty schedules. Without thinking, she rubbed the handles of her hammers before slowly turning her complex gaze back to Marco, and letting out a quiet breath.
"We don't know what this town's like, or anything about the people who live here. Not that it matters, but we should do a little reconnaissance. This place...it feels like a powder keg, and I don't wanna rush into something we aren't prepared for."
After a moment of deliberation, Marco finally nodded, looking down the road toward the market proper and shooting Star an assented nod. "Wanna go shopping?"
Her determined gaze fell into one of glum defeat, her hands mockingly patting the scaled armor of her skirt. "Dunno if you've been in a coma for the last few days, Marco," she noted with a somewhat sarcastic tone, "but we aren't exactly rolling in it right now. And you kinda need money to-"
"Not literally," he groaned, rolling his eyes and leaning past her to watch a passing group of soldiers, "but the best place to learn some shit, is when people think you wanna buy something. C'mon, I'll show you." And with that, he led her toward the market, the two of them doing their best to look as touristy as possible, ohhing and ahhing at even the most mundane things.
At the first stall they reached, some type of fruit stand selling produce and goods Marco scarcely recognized as even edible, he stopped at the counter and feigned interest in some orange gourds as Star watched. Picking at a particularly fresh specimen, he asked the merchant, "these bad boys in season?"
The man behind the counter gruffly answered, "Always in season, sir. Finest fruits under her sun, you won't find a better batch of guntkins." The guy looked like your basic apron-clad salesman, so taking that response as a green light, Marco moved to lay it on heavy.
"I dunno. I saw some better guntkins down south a ways, and those guntkins probably don't come with the same tax, do they?" Marco asked, cocking an inquisitive eyebrow, "You think you could give us a bit of info, since we're paying extra?"
Star facepalmed. 'Seriously, this is what he had in mind? No mind games or tactics, just straight up asking the guy-'
"Yeah I can tell ya what you wanna know, minimums ten grutkins, and throw in two blanabas."
"Four gruntkins and a bunch of blanabas," Marco countered, fishing out a a few dinged coins Alwen had given them, "and you got yourself a deal."
Star, mouth agape and eyes narrowed in struggling comprehension, merely looked on as the seller stood there for a moment thinking it over, before ultimately nodding in assent. "Fuck it, kid. But keep it quick; I ain't a tour guide, and I got a business to run."
"Fine fine. I just wanna know a little about the troops stationed here," Marco noted, being casual and intentionally slow as he began to fill a bag with the haggled fruit, "we have a message for the northern battery, and we kinda have to keep it secret. You have any suggestions?"
"Maybe don't tell the guy about the 'secret mission'?" Star grumbled to Marco, elbowing him in the ribs, but the seller seemed to pay no heed to their display, moving quickly to accept the shody coin and get things over with. "North side of town, white building, lots of guards. You ain't one of em, you ain't getting in. Patrols are light by the docks, but the people are worse so take my advice with a grain of salt," the seller listed without so much as drawing a breath before adding, "and don't die. You idiots look like you're up to no good, but if you live, come back and buy more shit."
"Shit being the operative word, thanks," Marco noted, dropping his last silver coin on the counter and turning to leave, "you didn't see us, and we didn't talk to you." He left the bagged fruit on the counter and pulled Star along, the two quickly being lost in the sea of patrons and shoppers churning through the market.
When they were good and distanced, and well out of sight of the patrolling soldiers, Marco ducked into an alley with Star and leaned against the wall, shooting her a proud grin. "Easy shit. Now we plan step two, and hope it goes just as well as impromptu step one."
"Wha- excuse me but what the hell was that?" Star hissed, "now that guy knows we're super suspicious and probably up to no friggin good!" She expected Marco to concede her point and explain some form of misunderstanding, but he never even hesitated to shake it off with an eyeroll. "No, what he knows is that we know he can be paid for information. He wants money, and we need intel, so he won't say a word so long as we keep the coins rolling."
"And what happened to 'trust no one'?" Star continued to seeth, Marco finally taking notice to her stressed tone and tense body language. He gestured for her to slow down, inhaling and showing her to do the same. Eventually, she gave in and inhaled with him, holding it until he exhaled slowly, lowering his hands to do the same in a fashion he had deemed a 'slowdown moment', during their travels.
"That rule still stands," he finally affirmed, cooling her quenched nerves, if only slightly, "and we aren't trusting him. Just getting some info and paying him for it. Exchange is one thing, but trust is something I'm only giving to you."
She stared at him, the gravity of that sentiment not being lost on her, nor the sincerity with which it was given. Because in a world new to both of them, who else could they really trust? "R-right, yeah," she muttered back, suddenly feeling the tension and weight leaving her shoulders, "I trust you too."
Marco crossed eyes with her for a moment, though what he was thinking was anyone's guess. He nodded his head toward the western side of town and asked, "so, what do you think? We heading through the harbor area? Or do you wanna try to sneak through town?"
Although the market proper was a busy place. Likely the busiest part of town, Star felt uneasy as a legion of soldiers marched by, barking indiscreet orders and passing commands as they went. She felt like a sore thumb, sticking out for anyone to notice, despite how calm and collected Marco was acting. "I uh…." She floundered, watching the legion go by, pushing people aside and dispatching troops left and right. "Let's go through the harbor," she decided, rubbing her hammers like they gave her some semblance of grounding in the city, "worst case scenario? We run into some bandits that don't wanna employ us."
Casually, Marco actually laughed. And not even a little chuckle, and actual, bona-fide belly laugh. Frankly, it scared Star more than the soldiers, seeing him so jovial despite their situation. And that's when she realized, beyond the planning, the cooldowns, the wall-lean, the intel, all of that? He was just as nervous as she was, only he was better at hiding it, and better at finding peace in the storm.
"Alright then, Butterbutt, let's get moving," Marco called after her, already leaving the alley of their meeting, and her, behind.
"Stop calling me that!" She growled through gritted teeth, rushing to catch up with him, "it's undignified!"
Whether or not he heard her was anyone's guess, and before long the two were strolling through the market as if it were a sunny day in June, doing their best to look inconspicuous. The stalls they passed were little more than one-shot vendors looking to sell specificalities of any discretion, from fruit, seeds, spices, textiles, art, weapons, you name it. And in much the same fashion the people who were doing the selling looked every bit as mismatched, coming in all shapes and sizes, from all walks of life.
However, the larger, more luxurious stalls had sellers promoting bigger and better items, with fat or bejeweled clothes and bodies respectively. While the smaller, more under kept stalls boasted less ludicrous items and merchandise with far less lavishness to their owners. And of course, fitting in with everything else they had seen thus far, it was all seemingly medieval, though still colorful and clean.
"Is it like this on Mewni?" Marco asked, having to admit to himself that while this was his only extradimensional experience, it was odd that both this place and Star shared some similar qualities.
Star, on the other hand, noticed similarities in a far different light and aspect, watching a soldier shove past an older, poorer gentleman, and two more arguing with a seller over mishandled goods. They acted like these people were substandard to them, and it made her sick. "Yes...it is. But just, not for my people."
Marco followed her gaze to the soldiers harassing people in various areas of the market and found the sentiment all too easy to read. However, he still found the need to ask, "what do you mean, your people?"
The question wasn't meant to sound oppressive, but Star's eyes widened, immediately taking his reaction to reflect the differences they shared, such as skin tone or social class. And whether that was his intent, she still felt a need to cover her bases. "N-no, not like that, I don't mean like you and I are any different or… well- okay we are a little different, but that stuffs not what I-"
She found him staring at her with a deadpan look. "That's- I know what you meant Star. Your kingdom, your country, whatever. How's this place the same for other people?" He stressed, hoping to help her relocate her point. Finally. Star smoothed herself over and inhaled sharply, exhaling after a moment to finally meet his eyes again.
"On Mewni, we have people like me, we're the Mewmans," Star listed earning a quick 'ookaaay?' from Marco before she continued. "And then we have monsters. And no, not like big, scary, ugly….well... okay, they're pretty big and scary looking, but they're people just the same."
Marco nodded as if he was following that much, the mental image of a squid with legs, or a werewolf crossing his mind. "On Mewni, while they walk, talk and act like we do- for the most part, Monsters are treated like animals, less than Mewman. They live in shanty villages, eat rotten food because they can't afford corn, and they can't enter our lands without guides."
"Sounds like a pretty shitty way to live," Marco noted, finally grasping the picture of inequality Star was painting, "if they're not so bad, I mean."
"They're not," Star affirmed with determination growing across her face, "and I hate that that's how my mother runs things. When I'm Queen, if I survive this place, I'm gonna make sure no one on Mewni has to live like the Monsters do. They're Mewmans just as much as we are, and I'm gonna help them."
Marco received that sentiment well, looking back on both what he had witnessed of her personally, and the strength by which her virtues were executed. "I think you'll make a great Queen, then, Princess Star," he offered with succinct emphasis on her current title, before turning his expression down to stare at the dwindling market around them, "we used to have a problem like yours on Earth- we still do in some places. Treating people like...less than people, we mostly learned better, at least where I'm from, but we have a long way to go, and old habits die hard."
They were entering the harbor area now, both the smell of sea wrack and a growing presence of mildew filling their senses. The air was growing damp, and salt took precedence over dust as they wound down the steadily more vacant streets, Star asking Marco, "So, I never really asked but, who rules Earth? Don't they have a say in how people are treated? You're all mostly the same, so couldn't they just make everyone equal?"
Realizing he had never really explained Earth's system of rule or government, only giving Star the emphasis that there weren't fantastical creatures dotting the planet, Marco gave her questions careful consideration before answering. "I mean...no one person really rules it, it's kind of a lot of different….kingdoms? I guess?" He noted with skepticism and just a fair touch of distaste, "not everyone back home sees people that look different, as evenly as we do. And with so many different people in charge, it can be hard to get everyone on the same page of treating people equally."
"That sounds… really complicated," Star admitted reluctantly, the two passing by a few rowdy taverns and shops aimed towards the local sailing populace. She, in all honesty, didn't feel completely on board with the way Earth was run, finding a single ruling government far more organized and agreeable, and she took to wondering just how much inequality she had missed in her short time there. "I hope both of our homes can get better...if we make it back to see them," she admitted quietly.
Marco made to comment on both her reluctance at the prospect of getting home, and the clear divide between their ideals of government, when a commotion captured both of their attention from around the corner. A lot of yelling, smashing wood, and other profanities. He ushered Star against the wall behind him and set his jaw in focus, doing his best to listen in on what was happening just out of sight.
"What kind of fuckin idiots do you take us for?! You think we're blind or something?!" A man's voice, gruff but clear, and definitely more than a little pissed off about something, or at someone. Marco peeked around the corner, Star peeking just under him, and the two bore witness to an unsettling sight.
Two soldiers stood over another man, his old and withered body draped over a cracked barrel as his chest heaved with labored breath. The old man looked up at them through a drape of grey, clumped hair and answered hoarsely, "I...told you...I didn't-" *CRACK* The closest soldier delivered a powerful punch to the man's jaw, sending him to the ground with a smattering of fresh blood oozing from his lip.
"We've heard the lies already, so how about you give us THE TRUTH!" The soldier ordered, sending a heavy kick to his ribs as his comrade stood watch, "Who are you working with?! Who helped you steal the gold?! You lowlife, harbor scum think you can get away with stealing from the Crown?!"
As Star looked on in abject horror, Marco backed up and whispered to her, "let's keep moving," his face twisted with disgust and regret. "We have a mission, and we don't need the attention of getting involved." But whatever notion he hoped to use as a distraction to the event taking place was quickly drowned out as it got worse before Star's eyes.
The soldier dishing out the beating pulled the old man up and shot a powerful punch to his stomach before slugging him hard across the jaw, sending him to the ground. He then pulled at his hair to get his eyes open, asking again, "TELL ME! WHO HELPED YOU!?"
Through breaths as coarse as gravel, the old man sputtered blood from his nose and mouth, spitting the excess as he could. "P-...please...I would...never….steal…" was as far as he got, before the beating resumed.
Not wanting to watch the display any longer, Marco moved back and began to move around the alley opening, hoping to circumvent the soldiers just as Star dragged him back against the wall. She glared at him, nearly ordering his compliance as she gestured to the alley beside them. "We have to help him," she hissed, her eyes narrowing. "Come on."
Whatever mentality she entered the city with, whatever experiences she carried with her from the day prior, was washed away as the sounds around the corner got worse. She couldn't stand idly by and ignore the situation as well as Marco could, and every second that ticked by only served as a reminder of how the two had met in the first place: Star, listening to her gut, and stepping in to help someone who needed it.
Marco narrowed his eyes right back at her, moving to maintain their hidden position from the spectacle in the alleyway. "We don't have to do anything, except get what we came here for. This is not our fight," he hissed right back.
But Star received that sentiment about as well as she accepted the reality that she could do nothing. She pushed Marco back against the wall and leaned in closer, her eyes burning into his. "Seriously?" She demanded with cold inquiry, "what was all that crap about equality and junk? Does that look right to you?"
"NO! Please! Just let me-!" *CRACK* Marco winced as another punch was thrown, closing his eyes and turning a downcast look away from Star. Something she noticed was how aware he was trying not to be, of what was happening.
"I never said it was right," he returned, moving to match her glare and push off from the wall, "but we have something more important to do than getting fucked over because we wanted to help a possible thief!"
Star quickly met his glare with her own trademark glare before nodding slowly at his clear dismissal of her point of view. "Guess you only stick with me when it's your decisions," she spat, drawing her hammers, much to Marco's horror, "well, I don't abandon people when they need my help."
She shot him one last spiteful look, both daring him and begging him to follow her lead just once, and to her surprise, it worked. He drew in a long breath, removing his tempered knuckles and gripping them tight, before releasing it with one cool blow. "When this bites us in the ass…," he never bothered finishing the sentiment, finding it better to let her imagination run wild.
Star nodded once, and stepped around the corner with Marco quick to follow, her hammers drawn and hanging at her sides.
"Hey! How about you leave him alone, and pick one someone your own size?!" Star demanded, drawing the attention of everyone in the alley, save for Marco, who stood menacingly over her. The soldiers in question exchanged a quick, confused look before the apparent leader dropped the old man to the molded boards below, approaching Star with malice etched in his eyes.
"If you wanna keep your head and neck attached, walk the other way, girl. This doesn't concern you." The leader sounded just as controlled and collected as before, despite having beat the old man so severely. His helmet was up, so they could see his brilliant green, hateful eyes, but Star wasn't one to follow authority in the best of lights, much less in another dimension.
She flashed her dual hammers as Marco tightened his grip on his knuckles, the two of them taking a ready stance as Star barked, "I really think it does. So leave. Him. Alone."
The silence that followed was deadly, only interrupted by the distant calls of the gulls, and the crashing of the waves. As Star stared at the soldier, and the soldier stared back, slowly he lowered his helm until only his mouth and chin were visible, and drew his sword. "A pity, that such a pretty face went and got itself killed."
Without more provocation or warning, the soldier closest to them rushed for Star, the underestimated blonde raising her hammers to meet his advance with as much enthusiasm as always. As he readied his blade, however, she lunged forward and thrust the flat of her hammer outward and into the armor of his gut, doubling him over before she swiped for his head. But he was ready, and dodged it with ease, leaning back and leveling his blade for a charged thrust to her chest.
Star altered her stance to the side and leaned low as his blade sailed forward, first parrying its edge just off course before hooking the claw of her other hammer around the other side. She threw her weight into the soldiers midsection, and with a considerable amount of effort, pried his blade down to throw his weight over her body and into the ground.
Before the soldier had time to even grunt, Star used her hammers to snap the sword in two, flashing Marco a lopsided, maniacal grin before turning to the other armed soldier. "He's alllll yours Marco!" She shouted just barely out of breath as the soldier in question took to his feet, eying Marco carefully and drawing a new dagger. With as much warning as before he charged for him, sending mad slashes at any opening that could be found, but Marco wasn't new to this. His classes had covered knife defense, and he had everything he needed to keep this short and quiet.
Another wild slash for Marco's chest proved a mistake as the soldier found not skin, but a sideswipe of Marco's bracer, his blade hissing as it skated over the steel. The next thing the soldier knew, a powerful, steel-knuckled hook to his jaw sent him reeling back into a stack of crates, his advance all but shattered with his sword.
Star meanwhile was busy with her second soldier, this time a man of equal complexion as Marco, his helm still pulled up to show his face. He had his sword ready and looked to be making a move to thrust, but he never got the chance. Star was a blur, and before he knew what was happening, the wild lass practically threw one hammer into his gut, doubling him over, right into an uppercut with her other hammer. The crunch against bone was loud, but Star was fresh out of quarter today, and grabbed her second hammer to continue her frenzy.
As the soldier reeled and growled in pain, she wasted no time in sending another swipe to the man's helmet, this time her attack parried by a hair's breadth. He made for a wild slash that Star ducked low under, and this time she wouldn't miss, shooting an elbow right into his midsection before following with a double hammer uppercut. After the crack of bone, this time the man didn't get back up.
Marco however, was having more difficulty than his companion, finding his soldier just a tad bit more experienced in close combat. The man flipped his blade and made for a downward hook cut, which Marco barely had time to catch against his bracer. Steel sung, and seeing an opening, Marco sent a heavy kick to the soldier's gut, keeping the distance nominal. But just as fast as it was lengthened, Marco closed the gap and fired a barrage of jackhammer punches to the man's gut, his knuckles ringing against the armor like a chorus of bells.
The rapid hits seemed to keep the soldiers from attacking, shifting his focus instead to blocking his abdomen as Marco seized the opportunity to move up. A sudden left hook to the soldiers temple threw him back a step, but he just came right back up, dagger ready, and itching for more.
He charged back at Marco with a slash towards his neck, seeking to end the boy as he was catching his breath, but that proved to be another heavy mistake. Marco dodged, regaining his footing, then dodged another swipe as he fired two more jabs at the man's ribs. Then, Marco blocked a furious slash with his bracer and quickly twisted his wrist, disarming the soldier, before a wild kick was sent at the boys side. Marco let go of the wrist, diverted the kick into a stomp with his elbow, and as the soldier was left kneeling, Marco kept the momentum and twisted, rocketing a backwards heel kick that knocked the soldier out cold.
Star had watched the entire exchange with vested interest, silently admiring the calm coordination Marco could display even in the midst of a fight. His facial expression never swayed from bleak, and his motions were always calculated and direct. Never a wasted strike. But now, with both soldiers out cold for the count, she moved to attend to the fruit of her labor, Marco reluctantly moving to do the same.
The old man was still bleeding, clutching both his ribs and his jaw as Star approached, her expression one of nurturing care. "You're safe now, sir. They're not gonna hurt you any-" before she could finish the thought, the old man looked up at her with wild, terrified eyes, backing up against the pile of bloodied barrels to keep his distance. "You- you attacked the Crowned soldiers!" He shouted, scurrying to press himself against the wall, as far as possible as his voice rose.
Star took a quick step back, carefully inching closer and back again like a child afraid to touch a hot pan, a mortified look on her face. "No-no-no wait! We were just trying to-"
"GOD! TRAITORS! HELP! SOMEONE COME QUICK! TRAITORS THEY-" was all the old man got to say before Marco rushed in, delivering an unknuckled blow to his temple, knocking the old man out cold in a slump.
Immediately, Star turned her horrified look to Marco as he stepped back, rubbing his wrist and shaking his head. "Wha- you couldn't just-" she stumbled, looking down at the old man and then back to Marco, "you couldn't just push a pressure point or something?! Put him to sleep?" His reaction was less than subtle, opting to roll his eyes and begin gathering the unconscious men against the wall, and out of sight.
"You knocked out your soldier, this is honestly safer," Marco grumbled, checking the old man for anything incriminating, "besides, that's a load of bullshit. You can't just pinch someone and they fall asleep. You want him quiet, we gotta knock him out." And with that, he turned back to his work, checking the soldiers for goods and documents.
Star started to protest, but quickly realized that rather than barret her for choosing to pick the fight against his recommendations, Marco was quietly attending to the men, making sure they were comfortable and safe from view. Again, she messed up and had nearly gotten them caught, and he wasn't going to say a word about it.
Before she could say anything about their position, Marco threw one of the soldiers helmets at her and she found him staring with a more than pleased grin on his face. One she quickly came to not enjoy in any facet of imagination. "Bullshit aside, he began with a chuckle, inspecting the two male soldiers and taking a helmet for himself, "how much do you know about Joan of Arc?"
"When you find yourself in a dark place, surrounded only by those that see you as a tool, or a stepping stone, who can you truly call a friend? I'll tell you, it's not someone who follows your every move, agrees with every word, or even sees every decision the same way. A friend will push you to be better, challenge your every move, question every word, and reflect your ideals through a mirror of their own. And while a friend isn't your opposition, it is through their challenge that you become better, and with their company that you learn."
~Mr. Ronald Reagan
~H