Chapter 31: Camping Trip

The Diaz family had decided to go camping in a certain national park. Of course since Star lived with them she was invited, Marco also decided to invite Luffy since by this point it made sense and considering what part of the plan it made it even more special.

He also through the ride driven home no hunting for Luffy… it was very illegal where they were going and it was better not to have Luffy be a criminal before he became a Pirate.

Also he bought a lot of Jerky for Luffy.

"Stupid mosquitos!" said Star slapping a bunch.

"Wow… I was half expecting you not to not knew what mosquitos were." Laughed Marco.

"Why?" asked Luffy.

"You know what… I should have known they would exist in your dimension." Said Marco, "So anyways from what I can tell Nature's way nicer than Mewni and a lot nicer than the blue dimension. Like for example the wolves here are way smaller."

"What about the bears?" asked Luffy.

"Anyways!" said Marco changing the subject, "I got plans! We'll do some fishing, a little hiking and then!"

He pulled out a map.

"Treasure!" cheered Star and Luffy.

Marco sighed he really showed up known that both of them would jump to that conclusion.

"No… it's a map to old' Youthful, it's one of the oldest geysers on earth." Said Marco, "And guess when it's erupting."

"Today?" asked Luffy.

"That's right!" said Marco taking out some fishing polls, "But first let's relax with some fishing."

"What about your parents?" asked Star.

"You know how most parents show slide shows of their camping trips. Mine shows paintings." Said Marco.

They looked to see Mrs. Diaz building a tent, and Mr. Diaz painting her doing so.

Star and Luffy stared at the site.

However something that seemed to be a meteor crashed nearby and they went to check what it was.

It was someone wearing only a loincloth, looking like he came back in time to kill Sarah Conner.

Thankfully it wasn't though… it was King River.

"Camping!" yelled King River.

"Dad!" said Star surprised but happy.

"River!" cheered Luffy.

Later they were in a rowboat with Marco, Star and Luffy wearing life vests (thankfully was explained what a life vest was). River was also doing sit ups.

"So dad, I'm glad you're here… but what are you doing here?" asked Star.

"What I can't go camping with my own daughter?" asked King River, "I taught you how to camp."

"Yeah but Marco's teaching us how to go camping the earth way." Said Star.

"Is going to teach you how to stalk a Narinthian tar beast for 11 days with no food, no water, no sleep and no clothes?" asked King River.

"No natures nice here." Said Star.

Then she smacked a mosquito.

"Well… nicer…"grumbled Star, "Come on Marco… show dad how to human fish.'

"Wait… don't mean earth fish?" asked Marco.

"No human fish." Said Star pointing to Luffy has already started fishing and looked like he already knew hat he was doing.

"I do it if I'm too injured to go hunting." Explained Luffy.

"Huh… neat." Said Marco.

He handed King River a fishing pole.

"So what do I do?" asked King River, then the hook fell into the water, "Amazing, now what?"

"You're already doing it." Said Marco.

"It's really easy." Said Luffy.

"Now we just sit and wait." Said Marco.

"So you just wait for the fish to come to you." Said King River.

"Yep!" laughed Luffy.

"Just relax and take it all in." said Marco he breathed in a relaxing way, "You smell that."

Then they noticed King River wasn't on the boat any more.

"Where did he go?" asked Marco.

He came out of the water ad began fighting one of his feet. Including biting it.

"Is this how fishing is on Mewni?" asked Marco.

Star just sighed.

Sometime later they were hiking to old' Youthful.

"It says here Old' Youthful got it's name from early settlers who thought it had rejuvenating powers." Said Marco.

"That sound really…" said Star.

"Boring!" yelled King River, "Why is this taking so slow."

"We were taking it slow because of your foot." Said Marco.

"It's really messed up." Said Luffy.

It was covered in wounds and bruises after he attacked it.

"But I don't even feel it." Said King River.

"I can magic you up some boots." Said Star creating a really adorable pair of boots.

"I don't need that! I don't even need a feet!" said King River.

He jumped up, did a flip and was now walking on his hands.

"Can you do this! Can you! Can you?" he said kicking Marco, then he turned to Star, "Come on, let me give you a piggyback ride."

"Oh dad!" laughed Star then serious, "No…"

"Since when you too cool for Piggyback rides?" asked King River.

"I'm not too cool for a piggyback ride." Said Marco trying in his own way to the help the king.

"Don't be weird Marco." Said King River, "Race you to the water thing!"

"Is that the right way?" asked Star.

"No." said Marco, "Is your dad okay."

"He just really loves camping." Said Star.

"But never like this." Said Luffy becoming concerned.

Star used her wand as a heat seeker to find him and he was up a tree.

Luffy rocketed up there while Star created a magical flying umbrella where they found him staring at a bald eagle.

"That's a bald eagle! We are breaking a bunch of laws!" said Marco.

"It will be fine… once I break its sprit with my eyes." Said King River.

Everyone was concerned by this… and then it got worse when he started to rant what were clearly his thoughts.

"This guy's unbelievable! You can't let him beat you in front you own children. Both of them look up to you! But does Star? What's that supposed to mean? Luffy will always love you because he's Luffy, but Star is over your piggyback rides. She used to love those! And that Marco kid's probably her boyfriend. What! No way! My little girl isn't dating yet! Keep telling yourself old man! Old! I'm not old! Yes you are! Your oldest two have already flown the coop, and only Ace calls you sometimes. Sabo was always closer to Moon and he calls her. Okay I'll give you that… but the younger two are growing more distant…"

However his rant was cut off by a police siren. They looked down and saw the park ranger.

Thankfully King River had money on him… somehow and he paid the fine.

"Something definitely going on with my dad." Said Star.

"Everything's cool." Said River, "Turns out that feathered thing was some kind of sacred animal. Heads up would have been nice."

"You folks better get a move on if you want to see that old' geyser." Said the park ranger.

"Who you're calling an old geezer!" yelled King River.

Thankfully he understood once he was on the way there.

"Oh old Geyser!" said King River.

"Yes dad the thing Marco's been trying to see all day." Said Star.

"We should make it in time. This trail should take us right there." Said Marco.

Then they saw many trails.

"Okay… where' the map." Said Marco.

However King River crumpled it and ate it.

"Is he eating the map?" asked Marco.

"I'm hungry! Everything is food when you're struggling to survive." Said King River.

"But dad! We're not…" said Star .

"On Mewni… yes I know." Sighed King River.

"Also Marco's hoody is filled with jerky!" said Star.

"You could have just said something." Said Marco opening up revealing all of the jerky packed in.

Before King River could ask why Luffy's stomach rumbled. And he handed a packet to Luffy.

"Clever…" he said.

"Come on! Let's go see the Geyser!" said Luffy.

"Nope! I'll choose the path." Said Marco, "I'm sure the one I'll choose will be the right oath."

It wasn't as they found a sign saying it was 50 miles away.

"Nooo!" yelled Marco.

"That's not good." Said Luffy.

"Don't worry I'll score us a ride." Said King River.

"Awesome!" said Luffy.

"Oh man if he can get us a ride that would be…" said Marco.

However said "Ride" was riding a bear to the way.

And once again they got caught by the park rangers and King River had to pay up with his crown as it wasn't enough.

"You'll never make it to ol' Youthful now." Said the park ranger, "IT goes off in 10 minutes and it's a 10 mile hike."

"I'm so sorry Marco." Said Star.

"What's the big deal." Said King River.

"No Dad you've been acting really weird." Said Star, "And you ruined Marco's plans! He really wanted to see that Old Youthful."

"No Star, I wanted you two see it." Said Marco looking at Star and Luffy, "Both of you have shown all kinds of stuff I never knew existed and I wanted to pay you guys back. Show you something amazing on earth."

"Oh Marco!" said Star.

"You're a good frend." Said Luffy wrapping his arm around Marco.

"Marco…" said King River.

"I guess we can see Old Youthful some other time." Said Marco.

"Oh you poor boy." Said the park ranger, "Didn't nobody tell you?"

"What?" asked Marco.

"That's gonna be that there geyser's last eruption." Said the Park Ranger.

"What!" yelled Marco in shock.

"Those big city scientists showed up and did a look see. He's been fadin' away for years. He used to be impressive. King of the Geysers. But now he's just a sad shadow of his former glory. Aged and obsolete. Ready to retire and getting in everyone's way. Yes sir, to use clever word play, Old Youthful is plum out of youth." Explained the Park Ranger.

"We should just go." Said Marco.

"Yes will go!" said King River, "And see that geyser!"

"Didn't you hear what he said?" asked Marco, "It's impossible!"

"Is it?" asked King River.

"Tick tock." Said the Park Ranger.

"What do you say Star? One last piggyback ride from your old man?" asked King River.

And so he carried Star and Marco while Luffy rode on his back with his limbs tied around River. He ran through many things, mountains, glaciers, fell up a water fall, ran through multiple war reenactments…

He ran all the way to Old Youthful. However the eruption ended right when they got there.

He fell as the crowd left.

"Dad!" cried Star.

"I'm so sorry pumpkin! I let you down!" said King River.

"Are you kidding! That was amazing! You ran 10 miles in five minutes! That was like 150 miles an hour!"

"I used to be able to that in 4 minutes!" sighed River, "I'm not the dad I used to be. You need someone younger to take care of you, like your brother or your boyfriend Marco."

"I'm not her boyfriend." Said Marco.

"Come on River! You're still really awesome! You know that!" said Luffy.

"He's right! You fell up a waterfall!" said Marco.

"I' older too dad, but I still need you. No matter how I get you'll still be my hero." Said Star.

"Com here!" said River hugging his daughter.

"Come on! It's getting chilly, let's get you some pants." Said Marco slapping King River on the back.

However this made him fall into the crater. Which caused the Geyser to erupt.

It wasn't the last, it's just a lie that Park Ranger liked to tell tourists.

Star and Luffy looked at the Geyser in awe as it erupted going off a rainbow.

"Amazing!" cheered Luffy.

"Marco it's so beautiful!" said Star.

However as it went off a horrifying realization hit Marco.

And they saw his face.

"Marco… are you okay?" asked Luffy.

"If your dad is that strong… but Garp knocked him out with one punch… HOW STRONG IS GARP!" yelled Marco.

Star and Luffy looked at each other both of them going "Uh…"

Meanwhile in the Blue Dimension.

Garp was laughing hysterically while fighting a hapless pirate crew…

It was a very one sided fight as he threw cannon balls at the pirate ship at speed that would make any MLB pitcher go "DAMN!"

Back at Old Youthful, before Luffy or Star could say anything to get Marco out of his existential crisis there was a crash nearby.

They all remember that the Geyser had launched King River into the air and they ran over to check on him. His skin was bright red and shiny and his beard was gone.

"Star! Luffy! Look!" said King River.

"Whoa! The settlers were right!" said Luffy with his eyes sparkling.

"You look so young!" said Star.

"Yeah… like fresh out the womb!" said Marco.

Days later the Mr. and Mrs. Diaz showed them the paintings of their camping trip, including King River

"You know Marco" said King River, "I think maybe we should take you on one my camping trips soon!"

"All right! Cheered Luffy.

"Okay…" mumbled Marco.

"It will be okay." Said Star.

With that camping trip, King River and Star grew closer together… even if he was clearly undergoing a mid-life at the time, but still they got closer… though now Marco has to dared that upcoming camping trip… which hopefully won't be for a long, long time…

Next Time: Buff Frog has to do a job, so he has Star, Marco, Luffy and Koala (long story) baby sit his tadpoles. Will the four be able to handle baby sitting... especially when they go in their first stage of development? Find out next time!

A/N: River's future camping trip will be important to a future chapter... that's all I will say...