Forgotten Ventures

Ch. 3

Same Day, Different Story

~ EDIT ~

Star released Marco from the hug she still couldn't believe she was giving him. She felt a wave of emotions boiling at the back of her head, and an even bigger ocean of questions. But even with every fiber of her being telling her that something didn't seem right, she couldn't shake the indisputable feeling that she felt safe. Something about his warm smile and his adorable mole was familiar. And comforting.

The boy she only just met stood before her awkwardly, like even he wasn't sure if what was happening was the real deal. His brown eyes screamed nervous and worried, but past that, she could tell he was being sincere, and caring. There was a story he had to tell, one she felt like she already knew, but before that?

"Marco," Star almost whispered, her sapphire eyes locked with his. He shivered softly at the sound of his name in her voice and stared back at her. Something about it gave him goosebumps, but he found the strength to hold firm, sure that if he was honest, things would be alright.

"I'm not sure if I'm really, totally, one hundred percent on board with this," she admitted with noted difficulty, "I have some questions, and depending on your answers… I dunno. I might just head back to Mewni."

Marco met her tactful gaze and his shoulders dropped, as though the wind had been knocked from his sails. What happened to 'what can we do?' Where did her cooperation go? But regardless, he needed her to trust him if he wanted to figure out a way out of this. So without further prompt, he simply breathed, "Fire away."

"How can I trust you?" Star asked immediately. She stared at him, trying to read every detail about the boy she recognized, her nonchalant attitude almost completely erased in lieu of a serious and cautious air.

"Right to the point huh?" Marco chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck, "To be honest Star, I don't know. I could tell you plenty of things that would only make me seem more like a creep, but really I have no idea what's going on. One day I'm your squire, and we're trying to help Mewni put itself back together," He paused, the weight of his words dawning on him. "And the next, I'm here. Basically alone in my own life, trying to find a way to get my best friend back. To get home."

Star mulled over his words carefully. "Squire huh? Seems like I do pretty well for myself if I have a butt-kicking sidekick like you around," She noted with a snort. She was usually a decent judge of character, and she felt as though she could trust him, but something still didn't feel right. "I just want to know one other thing," she offered carefully, hoping he really was someone she could trust in this new and strange world. "Why are you so desperate to be my friend? If you're really from the future, what reason do you have to come find me again? What's in it for you?"

Marco was truthfully caught off guard. He was expecting her to ask about the future or quiz him about herself some more. He was sure he could just start with 'Chapter one, moms a poop head' and she'd believe him. But she would probably have been more creeped out than trusting. So he went with it.

"Before you came to earth, I was just some kid who was always too afraid to take on the world. Then you stepped in, and you brought out something in me I didn't know I had: A need for adventure." Marco looked down and felt himself blush, just a little as he pushed on. "I know that I'm 'just a human'. I can't do a fraction of what you can. But I still braved the dangers of a multiverse because you made every minute exciting. Every moment I spent with you, across dimensions and fighting bad guys and monsters, I felt like I could be more than just some 'Safe Kid' that was too afraid to have fun. You were fun! And I'm scared I'll lose that courage to be more than what I am. I'm scared that I'll lose... you."

Star blushed bright red at such an admission. She stared at him as she thought carefully about his words, his eyes avoiding her gaze. She felt like whatever happened, he needed her. And although she wasn't going to admit it, she was impressed by what she saw. He may have been a human- a species which her parents informed her were fragile, slow creatures- but given the moth incident, he seemed plenty capable. And she felt like somehow, she needed him by her side. He seemed reliable, not to mention that Hekapoo comment from earlier.

"Alright, Diaz. I can buy into what you're selling," she offered carefully, keeping her eyes on him. Marco perked up a bit and smiled at the opportunity, but it was gone in a flash. "But… I think I need some space. I just got here, you know? I don't need my parents thinking I'm already chasing boys around the 'Hi School'. So, if you're telling the truth, I'm sure things will work out." She flashed him a confident smile and turned to walk away, making Marco's smile drop into an anxious frown.

'So, she believes me... sorta, but now she's just gonna leave?'

"Where are you going?" he asked, a hint of worry in his voice as he called out to her.

"Well I think I'm gonna have a look around, maybe take in some Earth sights and see what's going on in your dimension. I'll see you around, though, okay?"

He stood, unmoving from his spot. His unwavering silence gave her pause, but thankfully he broke it by calling out after her. "Sure thing, Star, just be safe. I'll see you around, 'Your Majesty'!" he said with mock sarcasm, and a smile beaming across his face.

"Not if I see you first Diaz!" Star called back happily as she walked away, the image of the boy she'd only just met reserved in the back of her mind. "I'm sure he'll be fine. I mean, what does he want me to do?" She thought to herself.

O - O - O - O - O - O - O

Marco began his long walk home shortly after Star disappeared from view. He had a lot to think about. There was a lot of history between the two and now he faced the daunting task of... letting it all go. Gone was the perception that this was just some prank. As he was interrogated by the Star of his past, he could tell with certainty that she was being entirely honest. There was no indication of trickery, and in every change of her expression, she never gave away a hint of falsehood.

This was really happening, and for now, he had to think of a way out, and how to move forward.

HIS Star- and all the memories that came with her- were gone. But maybe it wasn't all bad, at the very least he could start over. Hopefully avoid a few of the more embarrassing and troublesome moments that plagued his thoughts. There was a good chance after all that he was in this situation because Star had tried to do exactly that…

He stopped on the sidewalk and exhaled softly.

'Some of those moments are what made our friendship…' He thought to himself, 'I can't just pick and choose what I don't want to go through again. That wouldn't be fair to Star, to map out her life for her.'

He pocketed that philosophy closely as he continued walking. The orange sky almost reminded him of the twilight on Mewni. He hoped he got to see that again in the future.

His new future.

'But what about the Timeline? What about the dangers?' His frenzied mind tried desperately to keep up with his train of thought, which presently continued at warp speed in his head. "What about toffee... And Eclipsa? I could just warn Star now and keep her safe. I could save us so much trouble…' A sudden cold breeze blew through the street to remind him it was technically still winter. And in that chill he worried silently that if he chose to do nothing, he'd have to go through losing her again.

the feeling of bones breaking and blood dripping down his knuckles as he punched a hole through Toffees chest… he snapped, ready and willing to take a life in revenge for the life taken from him.

'I can't go through with losing her a second time,' he thought with finality, ' and I can't steer her through life without choice. So, I'll keep her safe from the sidelines then. I can't control her fate, but I can keep her out of harm's way as best I can."

He nodded at that with satisfaction, his mind made up that he'd try to do his best for her no matter their standing. He walked up to his home street and closer to his house, his mind occupied with what he would feel safe telling her. And as he walked through his front door, closing it behind him, his day truly began.

Though he was deep in thought, he set his bag down and froze in place as he faced his parents sitting on the couch in front of him. Between them was a very familiar girl with a face as bewildered as his, though for entirely different reasons.

Seconds rolled by without a word from anyone, with the tv softly blaring in the background.

"Ahem, um... Marco...This is Star butterfly. I believe you two may have already met? Seeing as you asked where she was this morning?" Raphael stated uncomfortably. His wife shot him a look of annoyed sarcasm, though she looked as uncomfortable as him.

"Umm, yeah dad. W-we um. Met today at school," Marco answered, his throat swelling with anxiety. This was all falling apart before his eyes, and damage control was teetering on impossible. " I uhh, I didn't think I'd see her here again."

"Again, mijo? What do you mean?" Raphael asked with a small smile curling, but a look of concerned curiosity nonetheless swept over his face. He decided to drop it for now so he didn't embarrass his son in front of their guest. Not after the last time that happened.

"Anyways, Marco... Star is the new foreign exchange student who's going to be living with us!" Angie shouted excitedly, her cracked smile giving away every desperate thought of moving the conversation forward. And thankfully, she wasn't alone.

"Marco Diaz!" Star suddenly broke the tension with an excited cry, "You live here too? I just thought everyone here had the last name Diaz!"

Marco looked at her, albeit a little shocked, but he calmed down once he remembered this wasn't his first rodeo. Though, she was the first guest to unintentionally return. Somehow?

He slid his hands into his pockets and stepped closer to the couch. "Yep, I live here. Always have," He sighed calmly. He remembered how he reacted the first time. He remembered how upset Star got when he didn't reciprocate her excitement to be roomies. He decided this time would be different, though he couldn't be too ecstatic. That'd just be sending out allll the wrong signals.

"Well, we figured we could use her excitement and high energy around the house!" Angie announced, her own excitement for the whole ordeal almost enough to spread around, Marco noted. He laughed along with her and smiled at the three of them. "Kind of like a litter of puppies right?" He asked with a grin, just daring Star to react.

But, instead of blasting the floor with a slew of laser puppies and effectively destroying her first room, she looked at him carefully. Assessing his every move. "I actually kinda hate puppies," she said warily. Marco gave her a genuinely shocked glance and looked at the floor before looking back at Star. "Really?" He asked, carefully evaluating his words in front of the group. He couldn't afford to slip now. "I woulda pegged you as a girl who absolutely LOVES PUPPIES," he said in a mocking tone. Her surprised look told him all he had already guessed.

Star was hoping to catch him in a lie, but he easily saw through it. She stared at him while his parents took to talking and she wondered just HOW much about her he really knew. She sighed, defeated and pushed it off. Maybe she could find out his true intentions later. For now, she had to get settled into her new home.

"Hey, Marco! Could you help me carry my stuff upstairs?" Star asked, hoping he didn't suspect anything too sketchy. Not that she was being sketchy, dropping by his house after school and all but inviting herself to live with him. Nahhhh.

"Yeah, no problemo", he grinned as he took to dragging her large, unwieldy trunk up the stairs. His parents shared a curious look but shrugged it off and enjoyed watching tv together as he lugged the box further up. How they never found anything about this situation off-putting, he would never know.

Star reached her new room without trouble and looked around, seeing all its hidden potential hidden in the floorboards. It wasn't much compared to the grand squalor of Castle Butterfly, but some adjustments could be made.

Marco, however, didn't fare so easily. Huffing her massive heavy trunk up the steps was hard enough. Then he dragged it all the way down the hall to her room, finding her staring aimlessly about without even so much as a thank you. Apparently her manners were inherited a little further down the line.

"Well, there you go, your majesty," he mumbled, not happy with carrying such a large suitcase, especially knowing Star could have easily levitatoed it herself if she knew how. "You're welc-"

"Okay Diaz, so if you're really from the future, what am I thinking right now?" Star asked in a mocking tone, but going by the smile on her face, she was having a good laugh at his expense.

"Star I'm pretty sure you know it doesn't work like that. But if I had to guess, I'd say you're about to Sparkle Glitter Bomb expand your room into a palace bedroom in the blink of an-" *BOOM*

Marco was cut off by Star as she recited the spell and converted her small room into one fit for a princess. Just like it had been on Mewni, the room brought a breath of relief to Marco. It was comforting to see a piece of normalcy brought back from the other side. "Not bad Marco, I don't know how you know my spells, but crowns off to you."

He started. She was… had she just been messing with him? Did she not believe a single word he said? He looked at her with a stunned and annoyed glare.

This was getting old. Sure, his story was pretty out there, even by her standards, but he was being honest! And what was up with her giving him the run around over and over again?!

"Seriously!?" He shouted at a volume that made Star flinch back, gripping her wand. She didn't expect him to blow up at her, especially over a joke. "After everything I've said, everything I've opened up to you about, you still don't believe me!?" Marco demanded. He was fed up with Star's disbelief of the dilemma he was in, and tired of her nonchalant attitude that was eating him to his core.

"Alright then, since It's such an inconvenience to you to put one bit of trust in me. I'll go stay somewhere else, since you can't be bothered to put yourself in MY shoes, but I'm expected to live with you at the drop of a hat!"

Star didn't know what to say. She trusted Marco, at least enough to sleep in the same building as him, and something in the back of her mind told her that he was… well, that he was someone she could rely on. But the idea that he was from the future? That he was her best friend after a day of knowing each other?

"Marco, I just-"

"No," he cut her off. He was frustrated past his breaking point, nevermind how desperate he was at being practically alone with everyone he loved. "You've always trusted me. I was always there for you no matter what. And now, you treat me like you-"

"-I don't even know you.." Star whispered. Marco stood shocked for a second before folding his arms and scoffing.

In a huff, he stormed out of the room and out of the house as Star watched him walk down the street. She didn't know what to say. She wanted to trust him, but she wasn't stupid. He could very well be an informed spy, sent to take her wand or worse. She thought for a moment before closing her eyes, finally letting that feeling in the back of her mind take root.

'He'd never try to hurt you... All he wants is to make you happy. You know him well enough to give him a chance,' Star thought to herself before suddenly snapping out of it as her eyes fluttered open.

She'd been keeping this strange feeling tucked down. Safely out of reach of her probing thoughts, but now she couldn't ignore it. She felt like she knew all of this like the back of her hand, every step laid out before her in an invisible waltz. But, it was all so alien and foreign, like she was trying to dance with two left feet and no partner. She was honestly scared of the new world around her, even though she had her guide on call.

"Well it's not like I wanted to be tossed out here and left behind anyway," she grumbled to herself, "Heck, the only time I really feel like I'm at home here is when I'm around..."

She stopped. This time they were her own thoughts that crept up on her and eased her nervous mind. "Marco.." She whispered to herself.

She stood up and went for the door, but she stopped short of it. Fixing her gaze on the floor, she blasted a white-hot bolt of magic at it, as a new litter of puppies emerged from nowhere, their eyes shooting multiple beams of red hot light as they yipped excitedly. "Love puppies." She stated with warm finality.

She smiled gleefully before opening her bedroom door and walking out of her room, braced for whatever would come next.