Star walked into Marco's room, hoping to see what they'll do today, but she was greeted by him writing something down in a book. "What's that you're doing?"
Marco didn't even bother to remove his eyes from his book as he responded, "Homework. I haven't even touched it since Friday, and it's due tomorrow."
Star raised an eyebrow at the new term. "What's homework?"
"It's work we have to do at home that teachers give out," Marco replied, sighing in boredom. "It's pretty boring, to be honest."
"Oh." That was all Star replied.
Out of nowhere, Star noticed Marco's face brightened up. "Why don't you go to school with me?!"
There comes the word: School. The only word that Star fears as traumatic scenarios play inside her head from the past. Once again, she could feel several hands caressing her body.
"...School?" Star muttered out the same as before. The girl took a couple of steps away from Marco as she wrapped her arms around her body, trying to calm herself down.
Marco noticed the bizarre behaviour of Star. He remembered a couple of days ago. This exact moment happened when Marco mentioned school. He knew that if something was going to happen again, she shouldn't touch her as she would react violently. This time, Marco needed another way to approach her. He can't just leave his friend in this kind of state.
Standing up from his desk, Marco slowly approached Star with a worried expression, but with every step he took, the further she steps away from him. "Star, it's fine. Calm down. I'm here."
Star looked away from the boy as she strokes her arms furiously as if it was itchy. Red marks from her fingers nails started appearing on her arm. If Marco doesn't stop her anytime soon, blood will leak out, possibly leaving a scar which was the last thing Marco wanted.
"...I can feel their touch, Marco." Star gasped out. She was on the verge of tears. "It won't go away. Why won't it?"
"Star, just try to listen to my voice." Marco noticed that he backed Star to the end of his room. The position their in didn't help Star at all, more or less making it worse. "There's no one touching you, Star. Believe me. They're all in your head. Just try and breathe for me."
Star followed what Marco did and breathed in and breathed out. Slowly but surely, Star's erratic behaviour slowly calms down. The only results of it were tears rolling down the girl's face. Marco was glad he managed to stop Star from generating scars on her arms. What was left were dark patches of lines all around her arms, but that was better than having blood leaking out from her skin.
With Star's breathing returning to normal, Marco asked, "Star. Are you okay now?"
Star didn't bother to look at Marco as she continued to stare at the ground below her. "I don't know."
"That's okay," Marco replied, still worried for Star. "If you like, you can stay in my room while I'll do my... Work."
"I would very much like that."
Marco leaned into his chair when he sighed satisfyingly. He managed to finish the last of his homework. It might've taken him a couple of hours and a lot of brain power to concentrate, but it was all worth it in the end. He was disappointed at the fact that it was already midday, meaning that there were only a couple of hours of sunlight left, restricting him from going outside now.
Turning to his friend, who lay on his bed, Marco thought that Star might have fallen asleep due to her unresponsiveness. She hadn't moved since he finished his history homework, but he was more than happy that she did. That meant that she was able to take a rest after what he thought was a panic attack. Just the way she acted made him realise that all she needed was someone to comfort her, and he was the solution.
Putting his books and stationaries inside his school bag, Marco walked to Star and sat down next to Star. Gently placing his hand on her shoulder, Marco gently shook Star awake. "Star, wake up. You might not be able to sleep tonight."
Star's eyes slowly opened. "...Marco?"
"Yep, it's me," Marco replied with a smile.
"What time is it?" Star asked. Her voice was raspy from fatigue. "It felt like I've slept for hours."
"Well, you kinda did. While you were sleeping, I managed to finish my homework." A small chuckle escaped his mouth. "How are you now."
A small smile appeared on her tired face. "I'm good now. Thanks for asking."
Suddenly, Marco's smile dropped as he became worried again. "You scared me again there, Star."
"I'm sorry, Marco." Star looked away from Marco as her expression saddens. "It's just... It's just my history."
"From the way you acted, it must've been bad."
"It... It is..." Star grimaced at the memories from a while back.
"Well, the thing is, as teenagers, we have to attend... You know?"
Star immediately raised from the bed and grabbed his arm in horror. "You what?! Marco! Why didn't you tell me sooner?! I could-"
Marco laughed as if it wasn't a severe problem. Star looked at him weirdly as he replied, "Star! It's fine!"
Star slowly lets go of Marco's arm. "Wha...?"
"Here on Earth, I'm pretty sure it's different than the one you attended."
"Is... Is it really?"
"Well, from what I understand, I'm pretty sure it's different," Marco replied, slightly quiet.
"W-What do they teach you?" Star asked hesitantly.
"They teach us several different subjects." Marco started. "For example, they teach science, math, history, and physical education. I know there's more, but I just listed the most common ones."
Star was stunned, to say the least, that her friend didn't have to go through what she did. She would never wish anyone to go through what she had when she attended school. That's equivalent to wishing someone to die. But knowing that school here on Earth is different from the one she attended comforted her slightly.
"Look, why don't you come with me to school?" Marco asked. "I'll show you that it's not all that scary. I mean, look at me. I look fine, right?"
"Marco, I don't want to," Star begged as she looked away from Marco.
"I know, but believe me when I say it's different from what school attended. The people there are nice as well as the teachers. Maybe I could be wrong about that part." Marco replied as he rubs the back of his head.
Star continued to look down at his bed.
Not getting a response, Marco sighed as he continued. "Star, sometimes we have to face our fears to get over them. You're not gonna get anywhere if you stay inside the circle of your comfort zone, right? And it's not going to go away by itself."
Star sighed, hating that Marco was right. She still hasn't gotten over her fear of that reformatory school she went to a while back.
"I know that attending my school won't get over what you went through, but maybe it'll help you understand that not all schools are what you think it is. At least it's a small step in the right direction." Marco replied with a small smile.
"I... I guess." Star muttered out.
"How 'bout this? You don't have to attend. You can just visit and take a look around." Marco said. "Not only will you see the school, but you'll get to see my friends as well! I bet they'll be happy to see a new face!"
Knowing that she'll see Marco's new friends slightly excited her. She hasn't met new people around her age for a while, so meeting teenagers will be new to her. In other words, meeting them will be outside her comfort zone.
"I think that'll be nice," Star replied looking back at Marco.
"So, are you down to do it tomorrow?" Marco asked.
"I guess..."
Tomorrow has unfortunately arrived for Star, the exact day when she has to visit a school. But at least she was accompanied by Marco, who agreed to be by her side. He was there to comfort her.
Today's plan was for Marco to show her around his school and to prove to her that not all schools are what she thinks they are. Hopefully, by doing this, it'll help Star finally get over her fear and hope to make her attend school. He can't just let her stay inside the house all the time. Star needed to come out more.
Marco remembered that Star mentioned that Star hasn't made a friend for a long while. Maybe if he introduced Star to his friends, Star could start talking more, maybe even change the way she behaves. He could bring out the Star that was meant to show, the real Star.
Marco waited downstairs for Star. They've eaten breakfast already and were just waiting to depart. He was already dressed in his usual outfit consisting of a red hoodie, skinny black jeans and his shoes. Marco knew that he's been wearing the same type of clothing every day, but can he blame him? He looked so damn good in it!
Suddenly, Marco heard footsteps coming from the stairs above, telling him that Star was finally ready.
Looking at the wooden stairs, he saw Star walking down rather nervous as she rubs her arms. She was wearing a blue sweater and regular pants. She also had white shoes with it completing her outfit. With her hair down, for some reason, Marco thought she looked much more mature than she already is.
"You look like a mom," Marco commented as he laughed at his joke.
Star looked offended as she stepped down the stairs. "I do not! I don't have a sense of style yet!"
"Haha! I was joking!" Marco replied as she laughed away at the frowning Star.
Crossing her arms, Star said, "Anyway, how are we going to get to your school?"
"I'll be taking you, kids, to school!" Rafael replied, coming out of the couch. Pulling out keys from his pockets, he said, "I'll drive you two there."
"Drive?" Star raised an eyebrow at the new word.
"We have this car outside. It'll help take us to school quickly." Marco answered, picking up his bag from the ground. "It'll answer all your questions if you come with us."
Turning off the television, Rafael stood up from the couch and asked the kids, "Are we all ready?"
Marco nodded, but Star didn't. She just realised now that someone was missing.
"Wait, where's Mrs Diaz?" Star looked everywhere for the mother. She loved having Angie around her.
"Oh, she's currently working," Rafael replied. "She's a Poetry Teacher at Echo Creek Community College."
"Oh, okay," Star replied, feeling a little deflated.
"But, don't you worry, Star! She'll come back later this afternoon!"
Stepping out into the bright outside world, the two teenagers were greeted with the wind blowing against their faces. Star felt the pleasantly warm sun against her face, making the girl smile. She can't over the fact that she finally escaped her imprisonment in Mewni. She can finally have a change in life with Marco being her guide to freedom.
Walking on the footpath, Marco pointed at the weird yellow-looking vehicle on the road. "That over there is a car. That's the thing that'll transport us to school."
"Oh, okay!" Star replied.
Rafael locked the door behind him. Walking to the car, he pressed a button on the car keys, causing the car to light up, telling them that it was unlocked.
"Let's go!" Rafel said, walking to the car.
Star sat in the backseat as she looked at the window next to her, watching anyone or anything pass. Marco sat in the front talking and laughing with his dad, with the radio adding more energy inside the car. Star noticed that Marco and Rafael bonded so well, almost as if they were the same person, but that's how it is when you're related. Could it be possible for her to do the same with Angie?
Through the car window, Star noticed that they had left the residential area and into a busy location with buildings and people everywhere, but she knew they haven't gone that far with the palm trees and hills still visible.
Suddenly, Star felt the car slow down as it turned to the side. Rafael parked the car on the side of the road, allowing the two teenagers to step out safely.
As Rafael turned off the engine, Star and Marco stepped out of the car and into the footpath in front of Marco's school. In front of them was a staircase that directed them to the entrance of the school. Above them was a sign that said 'ECHO CREEK ACADEMY'.
From the outside, the building was built out of bricks and had large windows allowing her access to see the inside of the school. Star can vividly see people her age walking and talking to each other happily, which calmed her nerves slightly.
To her left was a yellow sign that had the name of the school, while underneath it was a message that yelled, 'GO OPOSSUMS!'. Star didn't know what it meant and knew what an 'Opossum' is, but she left it for another time. She thought it must be an animal they honour.
Over to her right, the was what she thinks is a statue of some creature she didn't know. Behind was a flag pole, showing a flag Star wasn't familiar with.
Overall, Star was surprised that school was a lot different than she anticipated. She expected the school to appear dark and ominous, with windows with bars on them, giant walls surrounding a building with barb wires above it to prevent students from escaping, and tall buff security guards watching the premises. She was glad it wasn't what she thought it was
"I'll wait here for you, Star!" Rafael yelled out from the car. "Have fun!"
"Okay! Thank you, Mr Diaz!" Star replied. Stepping next to Marco, Star asked, "So, this is your school?"
"You got that right! A lot of stuff happens inside this school." Marco replied. "A lot of good and bad, but mostly good. I'll make sure to change your mind about school."
"Well, that's good to hear," Star replied softly. There was still a bit of regret in her eyes that Marco noticed when looking at her.
"You're still afraid, aren't you?" Marco asked solemnly. "Don't worry. Just stick by me and everything will be fine, okay?"
Star nodded in reply.
"Alright. Let's head inside."
Star stuck close to Marco just in case.
The girl noticed a lot of glances from the other students as they wander down the hallway. She felt as if the entire world was watching her with how many eyes gazing at her. Star could hear whispering all around her, sensing they were judging her.
"Marco, why are they all looking at me like that?" Star asked, feeling overwhelmed. She tried her best to ignore the people around her, but it wasn't working.
"They just haven't seen a new student for a while. Of course, they're going to be surprised." Marco replied enthusiastically. "I get that it makes you feel nervous. I was the same when I first came to this school."
"But, I'm not even attending, remember?" Star replied, looking at Marco as if it was clear.
"You're right! I forgot you're just visiting" Marco would've smacked his head if he wasn't at school. Then he looked at her with hope inside his eyes. "But maybe this tour can change your mind?"
Star crossed her arms as she looked down at the ground, trying her best to ignore the people around her. "I don't know, Maco. I just..."
"I know. You don't have to say anything," Marco replied warmly. "You're here to see what's my life like inside school."
"That's right."
"Well, according to the time on the wall," Marco pointed at the clock above them. "We're early. I still have enough time to show around and introduce you to my friends."
Star looked nervous at the mention of 'Friends'. "M-Maybe you could show me around the sch-"
"There you are!"
A new voice came from the crowd of students, causing Star and Marco to turn around at the source. Behind them, the two teenagers were met with a familiar female face walking toward them.
"Janna!" Marco yelled out.
"Good morning to you too," Janna replied in such a relaxed tone that Star wished she could do. "We normally walk together to school. What happened? I walked to your house, and no one was there."
"Oh yeah! I had to school early to show Star around the school. Show her what's life like inside these walls."
"Really?" That was the first time Star saw Janna surprised, and she barely knew Janna. "Are you gonna join us in school?"
"N-No! Marco just wants me to give a glance at school." Star replied with a chuckle.
"Aww, really? It'll be cool to have a new face around here. It's kinda getting boring seeing the same people every day. I'm surprised I'm still alive after all these years being here..." Janna sighed as she looked at the people around them. "Except you, Marco, of course. You pretty fun to tease every once and a while."
"Shut up!" Marco exclaimed as he blushes slightly. Crossing his arms, he said, "It gets annoying sometimes!"
"Is little Marco getting mad~?" Janna asked, pinching one of Marco's cheeks.
Smacking her hand away, Janna laughed as Marco started to turn redder. "Janna, stop it!"
"Okay, okay! Chill, dude!" Janna started to laugh even louder. Even Star couldn't hold in her laughter. "It's just a joke, man!"
"What's so funny, Janna?" Another new voice came into the group.
The sound of rumbling coming from the floor caused Star to turn behind her to be met by another girl with pale blue hair with a stripe of blue on one side. Star thought she looked absolutely beautiful with her green and white long sleeves and blue shorts. She had white socks that reached her knee, blue shoes that matched her shorts, and a green backpack. The girl blonde girl was holding what looked like a board with wheels. Star thought it looked cool.
"Wassup, Jackie." Janna greeted.
"What's good, Janna?" The girl then turned to Star. She then reached her hand out with a cool smile. "Hey! It's nice to meet you. My name's Jacqueline Thomas, but you can call me Jackie. What's yours?"
Star returned the handshake. "M-My name's Star. Star Butterfly."
"Cool name! I wanted a name like yours when I was younger, you know that?" Jackie replied, pulling her hand back.
"Really? I thought my name was kind of bland." Star said, shrugging.
"Nah, I like it. It's unique." Jackie then noticed two heart shapes on Star's cheeks. "Nice hearts. I think they look cute on you."
Star blushed as she tries to conceal her face from the others. "Thanks, hehe. They're natural, by the way."
All three of them had their eyes widen upon hearing that the hearts on Star's face were natural. How is that possible? It shouldn't be a surprise to Marco since he knows her a lot more now, but she doesn't fail to surprise the Latino teen. Every day, he learns so much from her. What else could the blonde girl be hiding from him that he doesn't know?
"Really?!" Janna yelled out in surprise. That was the second time all three of them saw Janna shocked. "You were born with those hearts on your cheeks?! That's so cool!"
"Are you being serious?!" Marco yelled out. He thought it was strange seeing hearts on a human-like person, but he didn't want to make Star uncomfortable, so he didn't push it.
"Y-Yeah..." Star muttered in shyness. She wasn't used to this much attention. The only attention she's received was from her mother and they don't usually go too well. Star rarely gets attention from other people, but she hopes that changes.
"That's so cool!" Jackie commented. Pointing to the blue strand on her hair, she said, "Believe it or not, this blue strand on my hair is natural as well!"
"IS IT REALLY?!" Marco yelled, feeling even more surprised. How many surprised are there today?!
"Yeah, a couple of years ago, I noticed this blue strand slowly become larger," Jackie replied. "And now, it's just there. I kinda like it."
"I thought you dyed it," Marco added.
"A lot of people thought of that, but it's somehow natural," Jackie replied with a smile. "Makes feel different than the people around here, makes me special."
'You truly are...' Marco muttered out quietly. Unknown to him, Star turned to him, confused about the comment. Star noticed that Marco was looking at Jackie dreamily. She was going to ask Marco if he was okay later.
"Anyways, I gotta head to my locker. I'm tired of carrying my bag." Jackie dropped her board on the ground and rolled away to her locker.
"Same here," Janna added. "My back's killing from my bag. I'll see you two around."
Janna walked away from the Star and Marco and into the densely packed hallway to find her locker. Without a second wasted, the two teenagers lost their friend.
"Well, I guess we'll have to go to my locker," Marco said. "Let's go!"
As Star followed after Marco through the crowded hallway, the girl remembered seeing Marco acting weirdly around Jackie for some odd reason. Star would never have thought she would catch her friend's act so unnatural. She knew Marco was the type to behave and appear sensible, but when it came to Jackie, it was as if he changed drastically.
"Hey, Marco?" Star asked from behind him.
"Yeah?"
"Why were you acting so weird around Jackie?"
Marco abruptly stopped, causing Star to bump into his back. Stepping back a couple of steps, Star noticed a couple of sweat drops rolling down his head.
"Weird? I wasn't acting weird around Jackie, right?" Marco replied, nervously as he turned around to face Star. "W-Was I weird?"
Star almost thought this wasn't the Marco she knew. His behaviour is so foreign to her. What happened to his confidence?
"Honestly, you looked at her like she's a celebrity," Star replied with a slight chuckle at the end.
Marco's eyes went wide. He had been caught red-handed by his friend. He always tries his best to be calm around Jackie but knowing that her existence is so close to him, he couldn't help but feel too nervous around her.
"I don't!" Marco exclaimed, feeling warmth around his cheeks.
Star was a little shocked at the new Marco in front of her. "Oh! Um... I'm sorry, I guess..."
Marco sighed as he realised what he had done. He's never reacted like this towards Star before and proves how reckless he can become.
Rubbing his forehead to his disappointment, Marco said, "I-I'm so sorry for yelling for you. That was entirely my fault, and I won't do it again."
Star smiled as she was glad that Marco apologised. "It's alright, Marco."
"T-Thanks." Marco rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "Let me find my locker first so I can store my bag away, and I'll show you around the school."
Moon stomped down the castle hallways in rage, passing by the vast amount of guards around the castle as she left her husband struggling behind as he attempts his best to catch up with his wife. She couldn't believe that Star managed to sneak away under her reader. Who would've thought she managed to do that?
After ordering a lockdown in the castle, Moon demanded an emergency meeting with the rest of the other kingdoms. She gathered all the kings and queens into the meeting room in the hope they'll provide some answers about the whereabouts of her daughter. She even invited the Magical High Commission, also known as the MHC, just in case.
The Queen opened the two large doors to the meeting rooms, allowing all the chatters from all the royalties to escape out the door. The room was filled to the brim with all different royalties from all different kingdoms that she's familiar with or has a history with.
Sitting down on her designated seat, Moon cleared her throat, indicating that the meeting had commenced. "Thank you all for attending the meeting at such short notice. I deeply apologise if any of you had to cancel any important commitment, but an emergency had come up regarding my daughter's whereabouts."
Moon pointed to an empty seat next to her. The room was immediately filled with murmurs. "This morning, I was waiting for Star in the dining hall when I noticed she was later than usual. Regardless of being late, she would still arrive as per usual. But for some odd reason, she didn't, and that's when I noticed something was up."
Moon stood up from her seat. "Upon arriving in her room for questioning, I noticed her room appeared completely clean, indicating that she didn't sleep. Furthermore, her wardrobe was missing a significant amount of her clothing."
Silence filled the room as the queen hung her head, facing the wooden table below her with a massive frown across her face. With a sigh, Moon continued. "And it wasn't just her wardrobe that wasn't empty, mine as well. Returning to my room, that's when I noticed that my wand and book were missing. They were taken from me by my daughter."
Gasps and murmurs were coming in every part of the room as all the royalties were shocked to hear that Star managed to steal the wand from Moon. Never did they think that somebody was brave enough to steal such a remarkable item from someone like Moon.
"And I know this because Star's desperate to receive her wand. It's overdue to be handed over, but she lacks the skills and responsibility to handle it." Moon said calmly, not realising she was already insulting her missing daughter.
"So, what is our purpose here?" The king of the Pony Head kingdom asked from the table.
"I know my daughter was once friends with each of your kids. So you're all here for a reason, and you know why." Moon replied with a sinister voice. "It's very likely that Star could be residing in one of your kingdoms."
"We have no affiliation with your daughter!" The King Lucitor commented. "Our daughter hasn't seen Star in so long! What are the chances of Star remembering us?"
Moon turned to the two rulers of the Underworld. "Ahh. I do remember our children being quite fond of each other. Do you by any chance have seen a miserable blonde little girl pass by your kingdom?"
"We haven't seen Star in a very long time. Ever since their break-up, Tom has been quiet about her name." King David replied. "If we were to see her, we would've notified you of her presence."
Moon became quiet from their response. Of course, Star wouldn't go back to the Lucitors. They've broken up and they're teenagers, full of hormones and emotions. What are the chances of someone coming back to their ex's place?
After a full minute of silence, Moon replied, "Very well. How about you, Pony Head Kingdom? Have you seen my daughter?"
King Pony Head decided to reply with a growl. "Our daughter is still in St. Olga's to this day. We have no intentions with your daughter."
"Ahh. I completely forgot." Moon replied sarcastically. She intended to remind them that their daughter was still being reformed. "My apologies. I forgot that our daughters were sent to that school at the same time. But I got mine out first."
King Pony Head growled more furiously at the mockery towards them. He never wanted to send his daughter there in the first place, but he didn't have a choice. His Princess Pony Head wanted to accompany Star when she was sent there to make sure she was alright, and he was proud of her, but at the same time, worried for her safety.
But when Star was picked up early for some odd reason, Pony Head was left behind to rot and that made him furious. Why couldn't he pick up his daughter but Moon can? Where's the fair in that?
Queen Pony Head tried to calm the anger rising in his husband. "Calm down, honey... Please."
"Moon! That is enough!" River muttered out loudly to who was next to her. "You're going to cause mayhem in the meeting room!"
"Oh, alright," Moon replied dejectedly. Turning to look at the rest of the other people, she noticed the MHC sitting too comfortable while listing. Out of the five, her eyes landed on a white demon-like lady who was slouching on her chair, checking her fingernails.
Cleaning her throat, Moon turned to Hekapoo. "Excuse me, Hekapoo?"
Suddenly, Hekapoo's eyes widen at the question directed toward her. Standing up from her position, the white demon girl bowed as she replied, "Yes, your majesty?"
"You seem to be a little bit too relaxed at my daughter's disappearance," Moon said, almost in a teasing manner. "Do you by any chance if any information that could help solve this problem?"
"U-Umm... No. Unfortunately, we don't have any clues as all of this was sudden, your majesty."
Moon didn't remove her gaze off Hekapoo, feeling as if she was hiding. "Are you sure?"
"Of course, your majesty."
Moon remained silent as she continued to stare at Hekapoo. The queen noticed sweat started to roll down the lady's face. Stress and anxiety filled her body as the silent tension got worse every second. It wasn't just Hekapoo feeling the tension but other people as well.
"Execute her."
The whole room gasped as screams and yelling filled the entire meeting room begging to spare Hekapoo. A lot of the royalties stood up as they were about to protect the only person dimension who could control the dimensions they use daily. Without her, how will they visit other dimensions?
"WHAT?!" Hekapoo stumbled back in surprise hearing the words she never thought she hear from Moon. "B-BUT I'M TELLING THE TRUTH!"
"Guards! Quickly take her to the torture room, please." Moon ordered flatly as she made a gesture towards Hekapoo, who was trembling in fear.
Standing up from his seat, he yelled to his wife, "MOON! STOP THIS IMMEDIATELY! THIS IS SERIOUSLY UNNECESSARY!"
"River, please sit down." Moon calmly said.
"How can I calm down when you're about to execute a member of the Magical High Commission?!" Suddenly, Hekapoo screamed in frustration as the guards tied her hands behind her. River started to stress out seeing her wife do nothing about the situation. "Moon, please! Look what you're doing!"
"Shh! Watch this!" Moon replied as they both turned to face Hekapoo.
The guards started to pull the struggling Hekapoo out the door.
"OKAY, OKAY! I'LL ADMIT IT! RIVER AND I PLANNED THE WHOLE THING BEHIND YOUR BACK SO THAT WE COULD HELP STAR ESCAPE TO EARTH FROM YOUR CRAZY LIFESTYLE!" Hekapoo was on the verge of tears as she finally admits her secrets. "PLEASE! DON'T KILL ME!"
Moon merely laughed at the display in front of her. Never in her life has she seen Hekapoo so destroyed.
"Oh, Hekapoo! Seeing this side of you is hilarious!" Moon laughed historically. "You know what's even funnier?! I didn't know any of this until you broke! Thank you for telling me!"
Through the tears in her eyes, Hekapoo raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Wha-"
"You know what I did..."
A fire ignited in Hekapoo's eyes as anger started to flare up inside of her. "YOU LIED?!"
"Of course I did! I did all this so that I could finally get information." Moon replied with an evil smirk on her face. "It was from your body language that I knew you were lying to me. You know how I hate when people lie."
"It was to protect Star from you!" Hekapoo spat out. "All you do is have her under your control! Why can't you just let the innocent girl live her life?! She's been through so much because of you!"
"Oh, Hekapoo. You don't understand what it's like to be in power." Moon replied as she shook her head slowly to the member of MHC. She then turned her head to her husband. Her eyes looked dejected. "Why did you team up with Hekapoo?"
"She answered for me." River replied dangerously.
"I thought you'd back me up with this!" Moon replied, full of anger now. "You and I agreed that Star needed to learn to become a princess!"
"But I never agreed to abuse her!" River yelled back. "Yes, I want her to become a well-trained princess, but I want to see her happy and enjoying her youth while at it!"
"There's no time for 'happiness' when ruling a kingdom!" Moon exclaimed. Suddenly, her face showed betrayal as she looked down at the ground. "I can't believe I trusted you all these years together just to be betrayed like this. Why, River?"
River's face softens as he looks away from her face. "I care more about Star's life than being a king. Why can't you see that Star's life is precious?"
Moon sighed as River's words sunk into the queen's brain. Why won't anyone understand that the kingdom has to come first? When it comes to ruling a whole kingdom to ensure that everyone's satisfied, safe, and in order, of course, you want to make sure that your kingdom runs perfectly so that no one complains.
Not bothering to look at her husband, Moon ordered, "Guards, take River and Hekapoo into the interrogation room. I'll be talking to them right after this."
Another pair of guards roughly grabbed River's arms and pulled him away from the queen. "Moon?! What's the meaning of this?! MOON!"
All of River and Hekapoo's yelling became silenced as the four guards took away the people that betrayed her and their position in the kingdom.
"The meeting has reached its end. You all may leave."
Without a second, everyone who was a part of the meeting left swiftly, hoping that Moon won't do anything more to them. The whole session was not what they wall expected.
With the last person leaving, the door shut closed, leaving Moon inside the quiet meeting room. The queen didn't bother to move at the thought of River betraying her trust. It really hurt Moon knowing that her husband, also her childhood friend, planned something so blasphemous with a companion behind her back.
As Moon walked to the large window in the room, she watched her kingdom below her. From her position, she could see children running through the well-developed streets of Mewni, enjoying their time while they were young with their laughter proving her point.
Moon could remember when she and River were just teenagers. River promised that he'll always be there for her and that she could trust him, and he was right. As their friendship deepens through time, River helped her so much, even in the most challenging times, especially when her mother passed away. River was beside her, making sure she was always alright. That's what she loved the most about him.
But those don't matter anymore after today's event. After what River did, she doesn't know if she trusts her husband anymore.
'River, you stupid idiot!' Moon mentally yelled as she furiously wiped tears away from her eyes. 'I trusted you...'
"... And over here is my history classroom." Marco pointed to the classroom next to them. "That'll be my first subject for the day."
Star enjoyed every second of the tour, from meeting Marco's teachers and friends and seeing how the school system works. Seeing new people around her age caused her to feel nervous. Star hasn't seen this many people around her age for so long. Seeing them now is so foreign to her.
She learned so much about how schools operate on Earth, and Star was relieved to know that it's not what she thought it was. Maybe school isn't as bad as people say it is. Star can see the potential of making new friends here and learning about the many cultures Earth offers.
Marco turned to Star as he clasped his hands together. "And this concluded our tour for today. Any questions?"
"Haha! No, I think I know enough of school, thanks." Star couldn't help but giggle at Marco pretending to be an official tour guide. "Maybe you should be a tour guide instead, Marco. I liked the way you talk and describe things."
"Nah! There are better people out there who could do a better job than me." Marco laughed for a long with Star. "But thanks for the compliment. I'll think about it, seriously."
Suddenly, a loud ringing bounced against the walls throughout the hallways, catching everyone's attention.
"Aww! I guess this where we part." A sad smile appeared on Marco's face, knowing he'll have to endure seven hours of school work.
"What time will you finish?" Star asked.
"Around three, I'm pretty sure," Marco replied. "But I'll be at home at half past three. Or four if I'm coming with Janna. You know how she is."
"Okay. Hopefully, you won't take too long to get home. I get bored when you're not around." Star replied as she crossed her arms playfully.
"There's my mum if she gets home early. Maybe you could talk to her while I'm out." Marco replied. An idea struck Marco. "Or maybe, you could attend school with me tomorrow? Did the tour help you change your mind?"
Star thought about attending school again. After seeing everything the school had to offer, maybe she could attend school again. She could hopefully befriend one of Marco's friends and understand what they teach in school.
"I'll see. I talk with your mum about it."
"Yessssss...!" Marco whispered out in excitement. "Let's get you back to the car. I bet my dad's waiting for you."
Rafael swung the door open as he unlocked the entrance to the house. The two heard sounds coming from the television.
Stepping into the living room, they saw Angie sitting on the couch watching the television. The mother turned her head to the two people standing, and with a surprised look on her face, Angie stood up and ran towards her husband, hugging him tightly.
"Rafael! You're back!" Angie squealed out.
"I should be saying that!" Rafael replied, returning the hug. "You're back early."
Coming out of the hug, Angie kept her hand on her man's chest. "I got off early today. There's nothing left I have to do anyway, so I left."
"That just means we have more time together!" Rafael and Angie giggle with each as they both touched each other's noses, excitement coursing through their veins.
Star giggled as well, but for a different reason. The blonde girl loved seeing the couple together. The way they connect so well, Star envied them. She wished to find someone so she could replicate Rafael and Angie's deep love for each other.
"You two are so cute!" Star commented as she laughed.
"Aww! Thanks, sweetie!" Angie replied, bringing Star into a hug, who returned it. To her husband, Angie said, "You know how much I love my Rafael. I can't resist him."
Rafael couldn't help but smirk as his cheeks started to blush. Brushing his hands on Angie's face Rafael replied in a deep accented voice, "I could say the same, my beautiful señorita..."
Angie bit her lips as she stared lovingly at her husband with half-lidded eyes. Star couldn't help but look away at the scene unfolding in front of her.
"Okay, okay. You guys can stop now..." Star commented.
"Alright," Angie said as she backed away from her Rafael.
"I'll be in the room. I'm just going to change real quick." Soon after, the Latino father walked up the stairs.
"Hey, Mrs Diaz?" Star asked before Angie could walk away.
"Yeah?" Angie turned around to face Star, her familiar gentle smile making Star feel a little at ease with the question she was going to ask.
"I just want to talk to you about school." Star looked a little nervous as she looked everywhere but Angie.
"What question do you have about it?"
"What if... What if I want to attend school?" Star's voice went quiet throughout the question.
Angie had a surprised look on her face. She knew that school seemed to be a sensitive topic to the new girl, but seeing as Maro showed her around Echo Creek, fortunately enough, her fear started to fade away slowly. This could be a start for Star adapting to her new life in Echo Creek.
"You want to go to school?" Angie asked again, making sure he heard Star correctly.
"Y-Yeah..." Star replied rather quietly. She couldn't bare to look at Angie right now.
A small smile appeared on Marco's mother. Somehow, Marco has managed to overcome the fear of schooling for Star.
"Of course! I'll let you go to school! Imagine how many friends you'll make!" Angie replied in excitement. "Did Marco help you overcome your fear of school?"
Star appeared shocked. How did she know about her fear of school? "How did you know?"
The blonde girl made sure that her problems stay in her, but somehow almost everyone in the Diaz household knew her fears. It's almost like they're reading her mind. Was she this bad at keeping her secrets? Or do they secretly have magic on Earth, and Marco's lying to her?
"Do you really want me to bring you back to the kitchen?" Angie asked teasingly.
"O-Oh... Right..." Star rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. "I'm sorry about that."
Angie brought Star into a hug, rubbing her back in comfort. "Don't worry about it, Star. What matters right now is that you're trying to change yourself for the better, and that's what I'm proud of."
"You're... You're proud of me?" Star muttered out in surprise.
"Of course I am! Shouldn't you be proud of yourself?" Angie replied as if it was clear. "And I bet Marco and Rafael are too."
"It's just... No one has told me that they're proud of me before." Star replied in a quiet and raspy voice.
"Well, that has finally changed."