Forgotten Ventures

by Ronald reagan

If you could go back two years in your life, and you could remember everything, what would you change? When Marco Diaz wakes up in his old bedroom, with memories of events that haven't come to pass, he finds out that some things should stay the same. And that some things will change on their own. Rated M for language, violent scenes, and some spicy stuff.

30. Sleeping Truths

Star walked down a long narrow hallway, its walls adorned with pictures she recognized, but couldn't remember. The floor was polished marble, and given the intricate designs on the space around her, she could tell that she was in her home. But the memory of how she had gotten there, why it was different, or what she had come for, had been long forgotten.

'Something seems off. What's going on here? ' she thought as she ran her hand along the wall, which seemingly went on forever. She eyed the pattern repetitive pictures on it, trying her best to denominate where in her home she could be, but noticed one, in particular, seem to stand out. A large painted mural of a sailor.

She approached it, finding it to be an exact reflection of the one in her room. Only inverted to face the other direction. 'How did you get here?' Star reached out to touch it, but a voice from behind startled her. "Look aroun'. There be more to your story in these halls."

She spun around and backed to the wall in surprise, as there wasn't a soul around. "What? What do you mean?" she asked. There was no reply, only the sound of wind through the many slitted windows down the hall. Star took a tentative step forward and looked at the next painting, fully expecting it to be another family portrait or landscape, but "woah" -ed out loud upon seeing it.

It was an exact painting of the day she and Marco met. Star was standing over him, pointing a wand at his chest, and not looking friendly. Though she could remember him being calm and disarming, his expression in this painting was one of complete terror. She stared at the memory of meeting her favorite person in the world, not at all put off by his expression, and continued down the hallway.

The next painting was a rendition of when the two had to deal with Mewberty. Star visibly shuddered at the creepy form she had taken, but more at the green-eyed assassin known as Vartek, who was trying to kill her. Though this time, Marco showed a face of worry, with his gleaming daggers pointed right at the man. Star once again took small notice of the detail and continued walking

Further down the hallway, Star found paintings that detailed every major detail of her life in chronological order. She walked and marveled at it all, forgetting time itself as the hallway spanned forever. Though after smiling to herself at the Blood Moon Ball, despite Marco looking more skeletal there, she turned around and noticed that there were paintings on the other side of the hallway.

These were also slightly off-putting, in that they were mirrored moments from the other side. This Ball had the two dancing under a red light, however, and Mewberty in another painting depicted Star pining after multiple boys with no signs of Vartek. 'So, that's my other past, huh? Honestly, don't know what I saw in Oskar." She thought to herself, continuing down the hall.

Stopping at a picture of her and Marco celebrating their 'Almost Victory' at the Butterfly picnic, she finally took some notice of both of their expressions, being ones of clear uncertainty instead of joy. She shrugged it off and thought quietly to herself, "Such a fun day. Looks like that's all of them. So what do I do now?" The hallway was quiet, save for a small voice that again whispered from behind. "Yer story dont end there. Dangerous waters are ahead of ya."

Not bothering to turn around this time, Star walked further to the next group of paintings. The walls seemed to be getting more decrepit and worn the further she walked, but now, the windows stopped going further, making it somewhat harder to see through the dark. The paintings had a thin layer of dust to them, and the air turned musty as she pressed on, eying the first picture.

She saw herself, standing proudly at the top of a hill next to what appeared to be a battlefield, with Marco in hand. Though it was clear that he was wounded, and trying his best to hide the bleeding injury. Stars frown deepened as she walked. Next, she observed a painting of her and Marco fighting an army of monsters, backed by an army of mewmans. This time, his expression was fear, and sadness, as the two charged into battle. Across the hallway, she could see herself decimating Toffee in a firey blast of magic, except she was standing before him in butterfly form. Not floating over the crater. The next few painting were badly damaged by what looked like..."Claw marks?" she guessed. She stepped over numerous piles of moss and wood as the darkening hallway continued.

The next painting was her and Marco facing a glowing, flaming green Vartek in front of a badly destroyed castle of Mewni. The ground was littered with scorch marks and blast holes, and she could almost smell the rotting flesh in the air from the bodies that seemed to surround the two. This time, however, Marco wore an expression of stoic certainty. He held both blades aloft and she could feel the heat from here as he seemed ready to charge, ready to die. She took a step back in surprise and raced to find the next picture, stepping over a larger pile of moss and avoiding a section of collapsed ceiling. The next picture was small, and had an informal wooden frame. An older, crowned Star stood on a balcony alone, overlooking the most beautiful sunset she had ever seen.

The skies radiated with every color from blue to pink, with light stars beginning to twinkle before her eyes at the top of the picture. She could feel the cool breeze even here, and smell the crisp sweetness of twilight in her kingdom. Her first thought was how amazing it would be to stare at the sky for hours with Marco. But, he wasnt in the picture.

Star frowned, remembering that she and Marco were present in every single picture, and it started on the day they met. What was different about this one? Was he busy when it was made? It was a simple idea, but she knew Marco wouldn't miss spending that time with her for the world. Why wasn't he there? Was he, with someone else instead, and she was now left alone to rule her saved kingdom? 'No, he wouldn't just walk away from me like that.' she reasoned.

"Vartek". A voice echoed almost silently down the hallway, snapping Star out of her daze. She shook her head, anger filling her mind and a deep frown beginning to form. " No," she yelled out defiantly. "There's no way he died! I would have kept him safe! We would have stopped him!" Her voice rung out through the empty hallway and before she could utter another word, a blast of warm air hit her, knocking her to the floor. A soft, but oddly garbled woman's voice whispered right next to her ear.

„¿ɓuıʌɐs ɟo pəəu uı əuo əɥʇ əq p,əɥ pıɐs oɥʍ„

The stationary torches lit up around her, illuminating the dark hallway, and showing Star the grim reality of her surroundings. It wasn't piles of moss and vines she had been stepping over, but moss covered bodies, littered and strewn throughout the hall in various stages of decay. Some as fresh as death, and some as old as yellowed bones in their armor. Star screamed and struggled to get up as a bright, and very distant white light shined from down the hall where she came.

It seemed to be approaching and Star, still mortified by her surroundings, took off running further down the hallway, jumping over piles of bodies and bones. She could see the end, there was a lone wooden door that would almost certainly mean freedom from this horror. The light was fast approaching and when Star was within yards of the door, she tripped on a skeletal hand that seemed to want to grab her.

She sprawled onto the floor and rolled, coming to a stop just feet from the door. Shaking the dust and flora from her head, she looked up and was met with the white, lifeless eyes of-

"MARCO!" she screamed. She scrambled closer, but stopped when she noticed his condition fully. A sword lodged into his chest, and several arrows in his arms, pinning him to the wall. She reached out to touch him, ignoring the rumble of the approaching light, but stopped when his cold and rotting hand grabbed her arm.

She screamed, but he coughed dust and slowly looked up at her. "You...I...Needed...to...keep...you...safe..." He breathed one last raspy breath as Star sobbed, clutching for any sign of him to survive. "No, Marco, please! You didn't have to do this! I'm sorry! Please come back!" She hugged his corpse, not caring anymore, only wanting to have her love back. To see the light in his eyes. To save him from this-

„əɹɐɯʇɥɓıN„ The woman's voice spoke coldly as the light reached her, blinding her in its radiant white before everything went black. Everything faded to nothing. And nothing faded to her dark, quiet room.

Star began breathing deeply, hyperventilating as the stillness of the night calmed her down. It was just a nightmare. She was safe, in bed, and at home. 'So why did it feel so real' she wondered. She looked down at her hands to find them shaking, and sighed reluctantly. She had been having nightmares for the past week, but this was unlike any before it. The bodies, the voices, the light, everything felt so real.

She took another deep breath and released it slowly, reminding herself to stay grounded in this moment of reality. That this was real, and the nightmare wasn't. She was no stranger to pictures predicting the future, as she kept one such photo on the fridge in the kitchen, but this was too much. She got out of bed and made her way to the door, doing her best to steady her nerves and keep quiet.

Stepping silently across the hallway and not bothering to knock, she slowly opened Marcos bedroom door and peered in. He was sleeping soundly, sprawled on the bed like a dead seal, and snoring in the cutest way. Despite her dreams, a smile crept back up to Stars face as she tip-toed closer to his bed. He knew about her nightmares, but she never went to discuss them with him immediately after. This time was a bit of an exception, given how prominent he had been in them. Hoping he wouldn't mind, she poked his face and stood bashfully beside his bed as he stirred.

Marco groaned and turned slightly, squeezing his eyes shut and burying his face into a pillow. Star pouted and poked his ear, getting slightly frustrated. He always was a deep sleeper. This time, he rolled onto his back and slowly opened his eyes, adjusting to the pale moonlight that crept in through the window. Turning to look at Star, he sat up and rubbed his face. "Star? What time is it?" he asked groggily.

Star peered over his shoulder at his alarm clock and frowned. "Uh, it's three sixteen...in the morning." Marco nodded, his eyes lidded with sleep as he spoke warmly. "Are you okay? Did you have another nightmare?" Star nodded and looked down. While it was embarrassing, to say the least, she was more embarrassed about waking him up for it.

"Do you want to talk about it?" His voice was soft and nurturing. Marco was always a caring person and Star was never an exception to that. After receiving another nod, he patted the spot next to him and scooted over. She sat next to him and hugged her knees to her chest. Marco put on his mock glasses and smiled at her to begin. "This dream was super real. I was in a long hallway in the castle with pictures I didn't recognize. But they turned into paintings of days you and I were together, even in my other timeline. All of them were you and me, on specific important days. They went on for like, ever, but when I got to the Butterfly picnic last week, they stopped."

Marco nodded and held his chin, pursing his lips for added effect. "Seems normal, dreams are often about things you remember or events that you feel strongly about." Star looked at him and shook her head, continuing. "But it got weird, Marco. Some old guy told me that there was danger ahead. I kept walking and I saw paintings of stuff that hasn't happened yet. Battles, and war, and victory. Some of the paintings were destroyed, but right before the end, you and I were fighting Vartek. People were dead and the kingdom was in ruins. I wanted to just ignore it, but it was like, I dont know. Like it was my fault."

She paused and leaned back, looking up at the ceiling. After taking a deep breath, she went on. "After Vartek, there were some more ruined paintings. But the last one was me, alone on a balcony. I was queen and I was looking out over Mewni during a beautiful sunset." Marco nodded again and looked at Star. "Isn't that good? That would mean we beat Vartek and-" Star cut him off and glared angrily at the foot of his bed. "No, Marco! That's just it. It was just me. Alone. You were in every other picture. After that, a woman told me... told me you weren't the one who needed saving. I ran away from a bright light and the hallway was filled with dead people. I saw a door at the end, and next to it was...you. You were dead, Marco. And you told me...y-you told me you needed to keep me safe..."

Marco took a moment to process this, keeping his eyes from wandering the room. Star, however, kept her eyes glues to him, waiting for any response that may calm her nerves. Marco rubbed the back of his head before turning back to Star, his eyes now without the distinct glow she loved. "Star, are you alright?" She looked at him curiously and nodded, speaking softly. "Yeah, I'm pretty okay I guess. Why?"

Marco put his hands together and eyed her somewhat skeptically. "Star, this is kinda like that one time you were casting sleep spells. I feel like you're overly worried about the future, the dangers of what we've faced before, and keeping me safe from future dangers. Maybe your fears are manifesting into surreal dreams, and the horrifying sights are just your minds way of telling you that you're afraid of failing."

Star frowned and hugged her knees to her chest again, staring across the room. "I dont know. This felt real. Really real Marco. What if it's a warning? I mean cmon, youre from the future!"

Marco nodded and hugged her, surprising Star, but she slowly hugged him back. He held her close as she rested her chin on his shoulder. "I know, Star. But right now, I'm here with you. When we face Vartek, I know you'll keep me safe, and I'll do the same for you. Dont worry so much. I promise I'll see that sunset with you, and we can go on all kinds of crazy adventures until we're old and creepy."

"But, what if I can't do it, Marco? What if, when things go crazy, I let something bad happen to you? What if you take the fall because I wasn't enough?" Star could practically feel him thinking of a response, and held him close as she waited. "Star, you're the toughest girl I know. I'm sure you can do it, and I know you'll keep me safe. Trust me."

She still felt uneasy, but let his calming words comfort her for now, squeezing him tighter. "Thank you, Marco." He nodded and separated, kissing her nose lightly. "Don't worry about the future, Star. I'm with you through anything. I'm your lifeline, and I'm not going anywhere just because some creep wants to fight." The two giggled for a moment before Star yawned and rested her head against his shoulder. Marco was somewhat surprised but relished at the moment, running his hand through her soft golden hair.

"I don't want to go back to bed. Can I sleep with you tonight?" She asked quietly. Marco was clearly nervous about the prospect, as it went without saying that it was strictly forbidden. But despite the implications, he nodded and brought her closer, kissing her forehead gently. She looked up at him and smiled. He looked as handsome as ever, with his bedridden hair and his soft features that she adored. But regardless, a frown crept its way up to her face.

Marco noticed her souring expression and spoke up. "What's on your mind?" She lulled her head against him and shrugged. "I'm scared. What if I keep having nightmares?" Marco thought about that for a moment before an idea sprung into his head. He beamed Star a smile and lifted her chin up. "How about we have a sleepover? We invite all our friends and we pull an all-nighter. It could help take your mind off things, and help you sleep better after."

She smiled at the idea and nodded, clearly getting excited. "That's an awesome idea, Marco! We can stay up late, play games, pig out, and after..." She cuddled closer and wrapped her arms around him, enjoying the warmth his body so generously gave away. "We can get some more of this."

Even though the dark of the room, she could see Marcos' deep blush, and his stammering, incoherent response fell on deaf ears. She pulled him into a deep kiss, and held his face, silencing an argument. "Now cmon, let's get some sleep," she began, snuggling closer, "We have a lot of work to do."

O - O - O - O - O - O

As Star set up some light decorations, Marco began making his signature nachos. They had spent their Friday inviting friends over and deciding on what exactly to do during the party. Marco suggested a few movies to watch and some games, but Star suggested they watch one movie at most to keep people from getting bored, then move on to other activities.

When Marco suggested the get together to his parents, they were oddly quick to agree. Mr. and Mrs. Diaz had a previous engagement that night, and would be out of town until Sunday morning. So that left the two plenty of time to party and clean up before they returned. "Marco!" Star shouted from across the living room, "Do we have brownie mix?! I want to make some for everyone later."

He rubbed the back of his head and gave Star an apologetic look before stepping away from his nachos. "Star, I love you. A lot. But...maybe you should...not... make brownies?" She looked at him with a bewildered expression that slowly shifted to one of suspicion. "And why is that, Marco Diaz?" He held his hands together and pointed them towards her, biting the insides of his cheeks before continuing.

"Well, if you dont remember from last time, they were umm...kinda...bad?" He finished, leaving the room silent for a moment as Star held a frown and stared at him with wide eyes. The two held a gaze at each other for what felt like forever, before she took in a deep breath. "But, I...you didn't like them?"

Marco nodded apologetically, with Star taking a seat on the couch. Her eyes seemed to stare blankly across the room for a moment before she responded. "Okay. I'll just, do something else then." Marco walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder, but it was brushed off, along with an air of contempt. "Star, I'm sorry. They were pretty bad last time. But...maybe this time I could help you? We could make some amazing brownies and you can tell everyone you did it."

Stars eyes finally lit up and she jumped from the couch, wrapping her arms around Marco in a tight bear hug. "That would be perfect! Thank you, Marco!" He blushed for a moment and held her close, not wanting a tight hug to end. But he had to make good on his deal, so leading her into the kitchen, he began to finish his nachos as she collected the ingredients for brownies.

About half an hour later, once a tray full of gooey, chocolatey confections was put into the oven, Star and Marco were shaken from their culinary adventure by the soft knock on the door. She beamed a smile at him and darted for it, nearly ripping it off its hinges. Of course, her enthusiasm wilted slightly when she saw who it was.

"Hey, Star? Hows it going?" Jackie asked nicely. Star smiled and hugged her girlfriend before ushering her inside. "Pretty good, jackeh, just got done making some brownies...by myself." She forced an innocent smile which Jackie luckily didn't notice. "Bummer, I bet it woulda been easier with stud muffin over there helping you." She gestured to Marco, who was busy preparing a bowl of Pizza Bites, wearing a 'kiss the cook' apron and small chefs hat.

The boy blushed, which Star noticed and quickly defused. "Well he was busy making other snacks and setting up some decorations, so I didn't wanna work him out. You know how it is."

Jackie nodded and smiled before taking a seat on the couch and relaxing. "Yeah, I get that. Killer decorations though, and I can smell those brownies already, Star." Before Star could respond, another knock came to the door, which she happily busied herself attending to. Upon opening it, she was greeted by Janna, Alphonso, and Ferguson.

"What's up, Butterbutt? Have you guys already started or what?" Janna asked sarcastically. Alphonso smacked his face and groaned. "We agreed to use the nickname Mariposa. It's butterfly in Spanish and it sounds way cooler!" Janna shrugged and stepped inside, followed by the two boys who went straight to the kitchen to greet the chef. Star called out after them and closed the door, confused deeply by the exchange. "No, we're waiting on one more person. Feel free to have some snacks though! We can start a movie in a little bit once she gets here!"

Janna lounged across a sofa adjacent to Jackie and started texting on- 'Marcos phone?!' Star thought to herself. 'How did she even do that?' Janna looked up and found the princess staring at her and smiled. "Yo Star, what are we watching? It's not a rom-com, right? I can imagine how you and macho man would get."

Star hid her internal scream at the use of her pet name for Marco, and shook her head. "No, it's a kung fu movie Marco really likes. I hope that's alright?" Janna tried a nacho from the coffee table and her eyes lit up, throwing her gaze madly back up to Star. "You keep theesh bad boysh coming, ah dont care wut we watsh." Star nodded as the door once again knocked, this time slowly and with formality. Which was very unlike ponyhead.

Wearing an uneasy face, she got up and reached for the doorknob, only to be stopped by a hand grabbing her wrist. She looked up, surprised to see Marco standing beside her with a serious expression. Everyone else had made their way to the living room and had begun idle chatter, to which Marco spoke quietly over.

"Star, you love me right?" He asked, his eyes never leaving hers, and his expression showing nothing but worry. She nodded and returned his uneasy look before he continued. "Just, trust me, and be nice, okay? Just this once. Can you do that?"

She nodded once more, now feeling the eyes around the room resting on her, and the quiet conversation now slowing to a halt. Marco smiled innocently and reached for the door, opening it to reveal a very pleasant couple, and a rush of warm air. Tom smiled, holding Torriditys hand and gestured to the two before them. "How's it going, Marco? Star? You two ready for a crazy night of-" Star slammed the door in the boy's face and turned, bewildered, to face Marco.

"What the heck is he doing here!?" she silently screamed just below a whisper. She was now squeezing his hand so hard he nearly yelped from the pain, but fought to answer her. "Look, in my timeline, he and I are great friends. And, avoiding some unhappy events, I think it would be nice to bury the hatchet and start over."

"What makes you think I want to 'start over' with those two?"

He wrought his hand from her grasp and rubbed his wrist, looking at her with confused eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. But he's not that bad, Star. Just, please give it a chance. For me." She glared at him and kept a stern grimace for a moment until another quiet knock at the door brought her back to the present. "Fine," she muttered, crossing her arms and leaning closer to Marco. "But later, you owe me."

She turned on her heels and made her way to the kitchen to set the brownies up for baking, leaving Marco alone at the door. He opened it, smiling sheepishly and rubbing the back of his head. "I'm sorry about that, you guys. She's just...surprised to see you is all." Tom nodded solemnly but grinned as he stepped inside, though Torridity punched Marcos' shoulder as she passed.

It was weird for one, seeing as he had no relation with her, and also for the fact of 'What is it with girls being so strong on Mewni?!' Marco though as he rubbed his shoulder. Thankfully, Star didn't notice. Tom smiled and held his girlfriend's hand, shaking Marcos with his other. "Dont worry about it, dude. I'm honestly pretty surprised you invited us, but after what you said, I don't mind starting over."

He gestured to Torridity and smiled, introducing her as though they and Marco were complete strangers. "Marco, this is Princess Torridity. She's from the underworld, naturally, and is also a demon." The young, orange skinned girl smiled innocently enough and shook Marcos' hand, clearly attempting to hide her discomfort for the situation. Marco, however, noticed her expression shift and surprisingly bowed at the waist before her.

"Princess Torridity, I know we got off on the wrong foot, but please allow me to apologize. I'm sorry for my disrespectful actions towards you during the dance, and I hope we can all try to be friends once tonight is over. Thank you for coming, and thank you for your understanding."

When Marco stood back up, he was a little shocked to find her expression now one of surprise. She glanced at Tom and made to say something, but closed her mouth and turned back to Marco. This time, shocking everyone, she bowed back. "Thank you for the apology, Marco. I myself would like to apologize for my own actions as well. I was incredibly disrespectful towards you and your partner, and I too hope we can move forward as friends."

When she straightened out, Tom seemed to have a new gleam in his eye, thanking Marco once more, and the two making their way to the living room. The group of Earthlings seemed largely surprised by the visitor, Janna especially, but opened for small talk about what demons are like, if the underworld is hot, and if Tom was fire resistant.

As the conversation got moving, Star walked up to Marco and held his hand, albeit softer this time, and spoke just above a whisper. "I'm sorry I got mad. It's just, a bit too surprising." Marco nodded and rubbed his thumb over her hand as he enjoyed the moment. "Dont worry about it, Star. Thanks for trusting me." She grinned at him and kissed his cheek when no one was looking, whispering in his ear. "Dont worry about it, Macho man. I know you'll pay me back." Before he could respond, there was another, much louder and sperratic knocking at the door, before it swung wide open to reveal a grinning Ponyhead.

"Beeee Flyyyyyy! What is UP, girl?! You ready for a crazy night of-" "SSHHHHHH!" The entire room shushed her before continuing their discussion of how Earth wars worked. Ponyhead shut her mouth immediately and glanced around the room before locking eyes with Star. "Girl, what's up with this party? Everyones so, i don't know. Not partying." Star gave a forced smile and did her best to comfort her friend in her time of need. A need to party, of course.

"Well, Pony, this isn't so much a crazy party as it is a get-together. We're all just sorta hanging out and having fun this time." Ponyhead clearly wasn't overly amused, and was considerably terrible at hiding her disappointment at times like these. "Girl, my idea of having fun is way cooler than a get-together. What are we even supposed to do?" Star explained the events she and Marco had planned for the evening, which consisted of a movie, junk food, makeovers for the girls, video game contests for the guys, and some games to wrap up the night.

Ponyhead seemed largely disappointed throughout the explanation, but a smirk began to form across her muzzle at the mention of games. "Okay, Star, like, I'll stay for this super, not lame sleepover, but I got a game for everyone to play later. Cool?"

"Cool," Star affirmed. She gave Ponyhead a quick hug and the two joined their friends in the living room. Star found a spot next to Marco, holding his hand, while pony made herself comfortable floating near Janna.

Tom waved his hands in front of him dismissively and spoke up, interrupting Fergusson. "No way. How could one 'bomb' destroy everything in a twenty-mile radius? Humans dont even have magic." Marco leaned over and patted Toms shoulder reassuringly as he explained a nuclear detonation.

"So it blasts two pieces of...well...I dont think you know what radiation is, but two powerful pieces of metal together. They...react with tiny, tiny, TINY bits of each other, and they create as much energy as a small portion of the sun. That much energy and power in one small space, it can do a lot with air pressure, heat, and this type of energy that kills things even decades after the explosion."

The off-world members of the party looked generally mortified but the Earthlings merely nodded along as though this was simply common knowledge. Tom glanced nervously around the room before shaking his head. "And how uh, how often do these get used?" Janna shrugged and took another bite of her nacho before answering. "We've only used it twice, like ever, against other humans. But we used them A LOT to perfect the process. Like thousands of times."

"Jeez," Torridity remarked, plucking a nacho to try after seeing Janna practically inhale them. "So what do you usually fight about here?... Oh, my gods, this is amazing..." Jackie laughed at her reaction but answered anyway. "Mostly just for land or political power. Y'know, the usual." All parties nodded as though that hit home for them, before Star jumped up to start the movie.

"'Hand to hand to hand 2'. The greatest movie of all time!" Marco exclaimed, answering everyones silent question of what would be watched. Tom audibly groaned, but within minutes, was clutching Torridity close as the movie started with an intense action sequence he was captivated by.

As it went on, Marco and Star took turns refilling snack bowls and bringing out fresh sodas for their guests. Janna was still texting on Marcos phone...somehow, with Alphonso and Fergusson just as captivated as Tom by the display of fighting skill. Jackie did her best to seem interested, but spent more time whispering to Ponyhead about events that took place on screen being impossible in real life, or just ridiculous.

After about half an hour, Marco made his way to the kitchen to grab another bag of chips, when Star pulled him into a hug from behind. "Hey, Stud. Enjoying yourself?" She cooed, eliciting a bent backward kiss from her man. He held her hands to his stomach and smiled softly, answering just above a whisper so the guests wouldn't hear.

"Yeah, I think things are going amazing. How about you though? Not thinking about crazy battles and dead stuff?" Star huffed and gave him a little squeeze before answering. "Well, I wasn't, until you brought it up. But, yeah, it's nice to take a load off of the crazy for once."

Marco turned around and kissed her cheek, keeping her in a warm embrace. "Sorry about bringing it up, heh. Just making sure you're doing alright." She held his face and kissed him deeply for a moment, earning a light blush from him as it went on. "I'm doing great, thanks to you, really. I love you, Marco." He made to reply but a shout from the living room interrupted him.

"Yo!" Ponyhead called. "Are you lovebirds done sucking face or are you gonna actually watch the movie?" Both teens blushed profusely, trying to make up some excuse along the lines of getting chips, but Janna came to their rescue. "Nah, at least they're doing it out of sight. Unlike some people!"

Tom and Torridity blushed, separating slightly as the couple returned to their seats to finish the movie. "Dont be jealous because you dont have a man, Janna," Fergusson called out. "I can only imagine what you of all people would try to do during a movie."

Everyone laughed with the exception of Janna, who simply shrugged in agreeance with a quite "yeah that's fair," as a response. The rest of the movie was largely uneventful, and after it was over, Star turned on the lights to begin their next activities. "Wow, Star sticking to a schedule? Marco, youre really rubbing off on her aren't you?" Jackie joked. Ponyhead nodded and prodded further as Star huffed and attempted to corral the ladies upstairs for makeovers. "Yeah, Earth turd! Reeaally rubbing off, on Star! And you didn't even have to go to another dimension!"

Marcos face lit up scarlet as everyone went to their separate activites, with Tom, Fergusson, and Alphonso laughing hysterically. "Okay okay," Tom began, "Im gonna need to hear the story behind that little chestnut later." Marco shook his head and started up a fighting game, keeping himself from hyperventilating. "Trust me, you don't want to know. C'mon, let's get this tournament started!"

The four took their respective controllers and began to duke it out, as the ladies crowded around a cluttered mirror to begin styling and painting. Jackie volunteered to go first, with Janna as the hair stylist and Torridity as the makeup artist. "You don't leave me with much to do, Jackie," Janna huffed, "Your hair's pretty short, and it's already curled."

"Well so is yours! Minus the curls I guess," Jackie protested. Star laughed and produced a magical tray of makeup supplies as Torridity went to work. A moment of quiet giggling went by over the subtle mixing of makeup supplies, before Toriddity spoke quietly. "Hey, uh...Star?" she asked. Her tone made the princess nervous but given how well things were going, she was hopeful something bad didn't happen to Jackie's face.

"Yeah? What happened?" she answered. Toriddity shook her head and continued. "Nothing happened or anything, I've just been wanting to ask you something since the ball. We got off on the wrong foot, and I didn't really care much at the time." Star nodded, remembering their harsh verbal catfight from the ceremony. "Don't worry about it, sister. Ask away!"

"Well, um. Do you think Tom has changed?"

That caught Star entirely off guard, given the nature of the sleepover, and the way the two had been getting along thus far. Janna took no time to throw in her two cents of course while Star thought about it. "Oh yeah, now we're getting to the good stuff. Took you ladies long enough!"

Star could hear the guys downstairs getting rowdy over their game, with Toms excited shrieks of victory being heard above the others. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, before carefully giving an answer.

"I'd like to think he has," she began. "When we dated, he was possessive in the worst way, angry, loud, and inconsiderate. But lately, he's been trying to make a change for the better. And with you, I don't see all the bad stuff that I used to. So yeah, I think maybe he has."

Torridity nodded and brushed a few strands of red hair behind her ear, but she didn't seem to smile much. She set down her mascara brush and stood back. "There you go, Jackie. That's about all I can do for someone like you." The surfer girl stood up and turned to face the mirror, clearly awestruck by the skill and care that went into her makeup, her seafoam green eyeshadow, and her teal lip gloss. "Woah..." she breathed, leaning in for a better look. "Where did you learn to do that so quickly?"

The half-demon blushed through her orange skin, making it a deep shade of red, and spoke with half the confidence she usually did. "Well, I dunno. I've always been pretty good at it, and I had a lot of practice on the chambermaids when I was a little girl.

" Well dayum, fire chick. I don't know how but you made her look even better. Which means..." Ponyhead roared for the now empty seat and hovered just above it. "My turn!" Everyone gave out a laugh before they went back to work, with Star joking about Ponyheads last makeover at St. O's.

As they got started, Star leaned over to Toriddity and whispered softly behind her. "Give him some time, but don't be afraid to show some claws either. He may be a dense idiot sometimes, but he'll never abandon you."

At this, Toriddity smiled and gave Star a quick hug, something both of them were surprised by, separating quickly thereafter. "Sorry...um. Thank you, really. By the way, you're next Janna!"

"Like hell I am!"

"That can be arranged, missy!"

"Over my dead body!"

"That can also be arranged!"

"I'd rather die!"

"Now you're just trying too hard!"

O - O - O - O - O - O

Downstairs, Tom, Marco, Fergusson, and Alphonso were each doing their best to win the final round of the session. Tom was keeping his distance, eying the competition from afar and sizing up a potential moment to strike, while Marco did his best to keep the other two frantic challengers from stealing his title. He had won the last three games, with Tom winning the first three, and he intended to take home the victory. Despite actually being home already.

"You better watch out, Diaz! I'm coming for that belt!" Fergusson called out as he made for a quick rush once Marcos back was turned. However, he didn't expect Tom to dive in from above and counter his strike so effortlessly. His character was sent to the sidelines and in a huff, he rolled back onto the couch and pretended to be dead. "Two things, Fergie!" Tom began in a taunting voice, his eyes glowing white hot. "First, nobody sneak attacks for a cheap win on my watch. And second, Diaz is mine."

Alphonso was quickly and effortlessly dispatched by Marcos sharp use of a combo breaking move, and was immediately thereafter sidelined along Fergusson. The two nodded in defeat and began tearing apart the snack table as Tom and Marco stared each other down.

"This is it, Marco. The final battle to determine who is the better man."

"Dude, it's a video game."

"The last breath you give will be the first breath of victory for me and my descendants for decades to come!"

"Youre gonna breathe my...breaths?"

"This battle was decided the moment you thought to challenge me! Prince Thomas Infernus Lucitor!"

"What?! You literally sat off to the side while I handled dingus and fingus the whole match! You have like twice my health!"

"You should have thought about that before you decided to challenge me, Mortal! Prepare to die!"

Toms character rushed forward in a flurry of fire and displaced air, giving Marco almost no time to react. Tom brought up his blade to strike, an attack that would easily drain half of Marcos health if placed successfully. But what he didn't account for, was Marcos ability to dodge.

Marco had seen the obvious blitz attack coming, and being as seasoned of a virtual warrior as he was, he knew that no enemy blinded by rage could resist it. He had been planning his dodging maneuver for the past two and a half minutes, a time that felt like a lifetime ago. Truly, in Toms own words, the battle had ended before it even began.

Toms character dashed forward as Marcos jumped into the air. Unable to stop, he rushed straight over the arena edge and died, giving Marco the victory. The words flashed Winner: Macho Man atop the screen, leaving everyone in a silent, anticlimactic stupor.

"Bullshit! How even?! What the Ffffrrghhfgrhgr!" Tom shouted in anger, his hands getting hot and his eyes glowing once more. Marco stepped over and patted his friend's shoulder, eliciting a hateful glare from Tom. "There there, young grasshopper. You have much to learn, but someday, after a lifetime of training, countless sacrifices, and endless suffering, you might just become half as strong as me."

"Pfffff! Damn dude! That's a low blow if I've ever heard one!" Tom shouted, doubling over in laughter as he set the controller down. Alphonso wiped up the last bit of cheese from the nachos and smiled at the two, shaking his head. "You two have waaay too much practice on your hands. I don't even know what to say."

Marco and Tom both turned to face him, glaring down with scorn and pointing fingers straight at the boy, speaking in unison. "You can start by saying your prayers, human. For gods such as ourselves, do not act kindly upon such disrespect."

Fergusson laughed and guzzled down a cup of soda before wiping his chin and grinning wildly. "Gods huh? Is that why Star still kicks both of your butts at this game?" Both Tom and Marco stammered sheepishly, searching for any excuse, but it fell upon deaf ears. "Hey Marco, when you're done wallowing in despair, can we get into those brownies? They smell amazing!"

Marco shook his head and smiled as he poured himself a glass of soda. "Sorry guys. Star made em, so we gotta wait until she's ready to serve them." Alphonso groaned and began digging into the pizza bites, quickly joined by Fergusson. "That...bites...man." This time, everyone else groaned out load as though they had just lost a close friend of theirs. And in a way, they were right.

Before anyone could berate him for it however, the girls began making their way downstairs, all now gussied and styled from the neck up. First was Jackie who tossed her further curled hair and smiled, showing off her sea green lip gloss and hibiscus adorning her hair, earning a loud clap from everyone. Next was Ponyhead, who floated down the stairs, pursing her lips and fluttering her eyes. Her hair was once again braided and she wore a fine white eyeshadow and pink lipstick. Mostly everyone gave a quiet golf clap for her, but she didn't seem to care.

Up next, Star strolled down the Stairs with her hair in a light bun, frilled at the sides, with winged eyeliner and cherry red lip gloss. Marco applauded the loudest overall, earning a snort from his girlfriend and a quick peck on the cheek. Toriddity came down next, her hair let down at full length while still retaining a bun at the back of her head, held in place by two braids. She wore a light yellow eyeshadow with matching lipstick, accenting her orange skin nicely. Tom summoned a gang of skeletons to clap alongside him, which mostly sounded like a bundle of sticks being thrown down wooden stairs, to which Toriddites eyes lit up as she ran to hug him.

Star stepped forward, poofing up a megaphone to speak with, and gestured at the stairs. "And now everyone, the moment you've all been waiting for...!" 'Pause for dramatic effect' she thought to herself. "Janna!"

She strolled down the steps, skipping two at a time, with no notable change whatsoever. Her orange beanie sat atop her head, as usual, and her hair merely had a small black lily placed behind her ear. Regardless of the minor change, everyone exploded into applause, with Fergusson and Alphonso swooning at the magnificence.

Janna broke out into laughter and leaned against the couch, wiping an imaginary tear from her eye. "You guys are such dorks." She commented. Fergusson sat up and shot her finger guns as he spoke in a mock 'cool guy' voice. "Yeah, but we're your dorks!"

Star made her way into the kitchen and pulled a hot tray of brownies from the oven, ten in total. The sound of clanging metal immediately stopped everyones conversation as they all scrambled into the kitchen as well, eager for a taste. Star backed up as Marco took his place in front of her, wielding a wooden spoon. "Back you savages! Back! You'll get your brownies in an orderly fashion!"

Tom stepped forward and pointed at the spoon, causing it to immediately catch fire. Marco took one look at it and tossed it into a soaking pot inside the sink. After a few moments of silence, Tom spoke in mock annoyance, eying him down. "Marco. I'm a demon. And as a demon, I need a certain amount of brownies each day to keep me from consuming souls."

Toriddity snorted behind him, but he paid it no mind. "If I don't get a brownie asap, I'm gonna have to eat your soul instead." This time, barely able to contain herself, Star broke into a fit of laughter, handing a brownie to everyone respectively. "There you go, Souleater. Enjoy!" Everyone took a moment to munch on their brownies and after a moment of collective "'mmms' and 'woahs', Jackie was the first to speak.

"Star, I'm usually not too crazy about sweet stuff, but these are amazing! How did you make these?" Star put on an uneasy smile and stammered for a moment, setting the now emptied tray down on the oven. "O-oh y-you k-know a little of this a little of that, and voila! Brownies!" Ponyhead was the only one who seemed to be eying her suspiciously, while the rest simply scarfed down what was left. Marco patted Stars back and gave her a knowing smile before making his way back to the living room to clean up.

Janna looked around and noticed a stunning lack of snacks available, and promptly began raiding the cabinets for more chips. "Oi, Janna! You looking for these?" A coy voice asked from behind. She whirled around and found Fergusson holding a plate of nachos and wiggling his eyebrows seductively. She squinted her eyes and stared at him for a moment, but caved to a look of complete shock as he began eating them slowly.

"If you want thum, your gonna hafthoo come get-" He was never able to finish. Janna lunged forward and pinned his arm behind his back after effortlessly weaving the plate of nachos from his hand. He yelped as she twisted, and leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "You should know better than to tempt a girl with something she can't live without. Let this be a lesson."

She gave another twist, but rather than yelp once more, Fergusson smiled, biting back tears, and turned to look at her. "That's...sooo...cool!" He breathed before she let go, letting him fall to his knees. She stepped back, confused by his reaction and tried to say something to no avail. Ponyhead floated over and shook her head. "Alright so, disregarding whatever, that, was? Let's get sum gaaamez started!" Everyone seemed enthusiastic for the fun to start once more, with the exception of Star. Who looked on with mock excitement.

Ponyhead produced a blue pair of scissors and cut a small shimmering yellow portal, pulling a small green circuit board etched box from it, setting it on the counter. Marco, upon hearing the signature portal sound, turned to see what all the fuss was about. His eyes went wide when he noticed what was brought through.

"NO! No, no nope nope nope no way," he called out, rushing forward to dispose of the game. "Not playing that game again. No way." Tom looked from him to the game, with surprise evident on his face. "Diaz, you've played truth or punishment before?"

All eyes went to him, some with curiosity, with Ponies being one of suspicion. "Well, kinda. It's a long story. That game is insane and I don't want to deal with it again." Ponyhead floated over and grinned at him before gesturing to the box. "You know, Earth Turd, if you don't lie this time, you'll probably have more fun!" Star walked over and smiled at him with large eyes that tugged at his very soul. "C'mon Marco! Everyone else wants to play, and it could be super fun! I remember some crazy stuff from last time, but since we're dating, we don't have to worry!" There was some suspicion as to her words about 'last time', but she paid them no mind.

In truth, she had a point, Marco noted. Only the last question was a hard one, so it made sense that this time there wouldn't be a calamity after everyone. He let out a deep breath and slumped his shoulders. "Fine. But we're even now, okay?" She grinned at him coyly as she brought the box to the living room and set it on the coffee table. "Never said that, Diaz. Guess you'll just have to find another way."

He groaned, taking a seat beside her as everyone else filtered into the living room. Tom and Torridity shared a spot next to Ponyhead, Star and Marco sat beside Jackie, and Janna sat with Fergusson and Alphonso. The box sat perched between them all, as Pony floated over and pressed a button at the top, causing a small dragon face etched box to pop out with its mouth wide open. "Remember everyone, no lying!" she laughed as she took her seat.

The box glowed green and the circuit designs on its edges stood out more defined, as it spoke in an angry and excited voice.

TO ALL WHO SEEK THE PATH OF KNOWLEDGE,

LISTEN WELL TO THIS DECREE.

SURRENDER TO THE EYE OF JUSTICE.

SWEAR AN OATH OF TRUTH TO ME!"

Everyone placed a pinky into the maw of the box and pinky swore to tell the truth. Save for Ponyhead, who used her tongue. The top box sunk back into the main body of the game, and it hovered a few inches off of the table. It glowed a brighter green and began speaking once more.

UPON RECEIVING YOUR OATH OF TRUTH, WE MAY NOW BEGIN. FIRST QUESTION!"

Everyone nervously eyed the box, save for Marco and Star, who shared a smug glance before the box continued.

"WHAT IS...

YOUR...

GREATEST FEAR?"

The two now shared the collective look of confusion and worry that plagued the other party goers, as Janna looked over at Ponyhead. "Uh...What the heck kinda question is that?" Ponyhead did her best to imitate a shrug and looked around the room. "I dont know, maybe it's like, trying to psych us out or something. How about I go first." She cleared her throat and wore a steadfast look of determination before speaking. "My greatest fear, is people not liking me. Your turn, Banana girl!"

Janna nodded and leaned forward. "My greatest fear is people thinking I'm weird."

Tom leaned forward next, and spoke with anger. "My greatest fear is not being a good leader for the underworld."

"My greatest fear is spiders." Torridity shrugged.

"Mine are sharks," said Ferguson.

"Being left behind by my peers," Muttered Alphonso.

Marco nodded and spoke next. "My greatest fear is not being good enough," he said quietly.

"Mine is having to rule Mewni." Star said, disheartened.

Jackie smiled and went next, her voice wary but confident at the same time. "And I guess mine is people. You never know what they can do. My favorite wildlife expert once said that animals are easy because they'll try to eat you without a thought. But people will want to be friends first."

After a moment of silence, the box glowed bright red as the house was immediately encased in a similarly circuited box of metal.

BAD NEWS, EVEN THOUGH YOU TRIED.

SOME OF YOU WERE HONEST, AND SOME OF YOU LIED!"

Tendrils of electricity shot forth from it, as it zapped everyone with nearly harmless static shocks. Everyone doubled over laughing hysterically, trying their best to keep from kicking each other. "Whoever lied! Hurry up and tell the truth!" Star yelled through a crazed smile.

Ponyhead grimaced and shouted above the noise. "Okay okay! I'm actually afraid of becoming a ruler because it means I can't have fun anymore!"

Janna slowly spoke next, fighting the ever-increasing levels of electricity. "I actually don't care about being weird! I'm afraid people will someday realize I'm just doing it to hide the fact that I like a lot of girly things in secret! I'm actually super into makeovers!"

Tom gripped the edge of the coffee table and fought the urge to burn it to ashes as he laughed. "Okay! I dont care about being a ruler! I'm most afraid of people thinking I'm an asshole for the rest of my life!"

"THREE DOWN, AND ONE TO GO!

TELL THE TRUTH TO END THIS SHOW!"

Star grimaced through her laughter and struggled to form a breath. "My biggest fear is losing Marco!" She shouted. Upon her last word, the energy stopped, giving everyone a chance to catch their breath and rub their now aching sides.

"TRUTH!"

"What the hell was that?!" Janna shouted. "What kinda game is this?!"

Ponyhead huffed and laid back on the couch to catch her breath. "Why did you lie about something like that, Star? Thought you guys were close and junk!" Star frowned and gestured to her equine friend and yelled right back. "Says you! You can literally do whatever you want as queen!"

"Enough," Tom huffed, sitting back on the couch. "It's obvious we have some...stuff to work out later. From now on, no lies okay? Even if it's embarrassing, just spit it out. No judgment here." He hung his head a bit, but was shocked to feel Toriddity squeezing his hand. He looked over and found her smiling warmly at him, before she planted a soft kiss on his cheek.

"Okay, lets just, move on already. Whatchya got box guy?" Fergusson shouted.

SECOND QUESTION!"

It began, floating up slightly and over to several peoples faces.

WHO...

ACTUALLY MADE...

THE BROWNIES!"

"Oh c'mon!" Star shouted. She crossed her arms and huffed, glaring at the small box. "That's not even a question for everyone!"

"I DECIDE THE RULES HERE!

UNLESS YOU WANT ANOTHER ABOUT FEAR?!"

"Fine," Star muttered. She stood up and turned to face everyone. "Marco helped me make them because he's from the future, and he knows none of you liked them last time." She clapped her hands over her mouth and looked wide eyed around the room in surprise, not expecting to give out so much of the truth.

The room was silent for a moment before the box 'pinged' TRUTH!", glowing in another radiant green light. Still, no one spoke as Star stood with her hands over her mouth.

"You're from the future?" Tom asked, breaking the silence. "He can't be from the future. I've known him since elementary school." Fergusson chimed in. Janna shook her head and pointed at the Truth box which, conveniently enough, still had the word "TRUTHglowing on its face. "The box seems like it disagrees there, buddy."

"STARS WORDS WERE COMPLETELY TRUE.

SHE KNOWS HIM BETTER THAN ANY OF YOU."

The group once again fell into silence with most members staring particularly at Marco. "Did you...Change anything?" Jackie said in nearly a whisper. Marco seemed to ponder than for a momeny but shook his head. "Nothing major. I went out of my way to preserve everyones free will, and to keep events flowing like they did before."

Marco prayed silently that the box wasnt considering his responses, as explaining to Jackie why he changed their interactions would be incredibly painful. Tom leaned forward and next asked the question on everyones mind. "How did you time travel?"

Again, Marco seemed at a loss for words, but it was Star who jumped in to come to the rescue. "He didn't have a choice. A uh..." she took a nervous look at Tom. "Certain goddess, sent him back because someone was after me." Ponyhead was about to chime in but Star secretly glared daggers at her, making the princess nodd discreetly and resume her silence.

Star sat down, trying not to draw attention to herself. "How does that even work," Jackie asked. "Like, how far in the future are you from?" Marco shrugged and checked his phone calendar. "Like three and a half years into the future. It's a long story, so I'll get into it some other time. Not much has changed though. I'm still me, since nobody noticed, but just with more experience."

Fergusson stood up excitedly but Marco held up a hand. "No, I dont know lottery numbers, game shows, horse races, or what you're thinking right now. Star already asked," he managed through a chuckle. Fergusson shook his head and sat back down, clearly disappointed.

Jackie leaned forward once more and gestured to Marco with concern. "And, are you, alright with this? Is there some catch or monkeys paw to worry about?" Marco again shook his head. "From what I can tell, it's permanent, and I just have to help Star. But yeah, I'm pretty okay with it. It was really uncomfortable at first, but I grew to accept it. Now I only change small things, if I can help it. Like helping Star make her awesome brownies."

Everyone nodded and agreed as they all began reminiscing over the desert as though it were a lost loved one. Star perked up immediately and smiled from ear to ear, especially when she felt a familiar soft hand take a hold of hers.

"Yeah. They were soooo good." Jackie commented. Everyone agreed and began asking if she and Marco would make another batch, which she was completely caught off guard by. "Thanks, guys. I'm sorry I lied, I just really wanted to make something for everyone."

"Well don't worry too much, Butterbutt. You've got quite the cook in your clutches," Janna smirked. Star smiled at that as the Truth box hovered up once again.

FINALE QUESTION, TO WIN THE GAME.

TELLING A LIE WILL EARN MORE THAN SHAME."

It once more hovered from person to person, asking its third and final question.

"WHO DO YOU...HAVE A...CRUSH ON?"

There was a large sigh of relief from the group as everyone rested back in their chairs. "Nobody...Lie," Janna grumbled through grit teeth. "I have a crush on 18th-century poet John Keats."

Fergusson leaned forward next, looking clearly uncomfortable. "I have a crush...on Janna!" He closed his eyes and waited for a beating, but when he opened them, he found that she was staring at him with a shocked look. "Heh, ya know, because you're so cool, and...mysterious."

"I have a crush on Fergusson's mom," Alphonso admitted with a straight face. Though his friends slowly turned to face him. "What?" Alphonso shrugged. "Sorry man, gotta be honest."

"I have a crush on this cute guy I met at skate camp last summer," Jackie admitted casually, clearly proud of her answer.

Toridditty and Tom smiled at one another and both spoke the others name at the same time. "It's not much of a secret you guys."

Marco kissed Stars cheek and smiled warmly at her, clearly making her heart melt. "I love Star Butterfly. Always will." She kissed his nose and hugged him tight, not caring about the groups of eyes on them. "And I love you, Marco Diaz. Until you stop making me nachos of course." He frowned at that last remark but she merely stuck her tongue out at him.

Ponyhead was last to go and smiled slyly at everyone around her. " I have a crush on...Me! Obviously, I love myself, you guys!"

Everyone groaned at the outburst but eventually came around in agreeance. Smiling at the box, Marco called out at it. "Games over, dude, you can let us out now!" The box only continued to hum green, before it slowly changed to a deep shade of red.

"THAT WAS REALLY BEAUTIFUL...I ALMOST CRIED.

BUT THEN I NOTICED. THAT SOMEBODY LIED!!!"

The walls all changed to match the circuit based design of the cube, as the chairs too became nothing more than glowing boxes themselves. The box transformed into a diamond-shaped maw of circuity and eyes, with a glistening set of teeth at its center. Two yellow slitted eyes glowed on the top and bottom, while two sets of teeth roared from the left and right side. It hovered closer, eying the now terrified teens.

"Who the hell LIED?!" Janna shouted, staring down everyone in the group as they all began backing towards the kitchen. Star and Marco looked at each other, as did Tom and Toriddity, before nodding. All four of them pledged sincerity to their answers, leaving only five others who could have been dishonest.

"Why would I lie about liking Janna?! She's super awesome and I love how straightforward she is!" Fergusson yelled out. Alphonsos testimate was much the same, given that he'd have no reason to lie about his answer, so everyone turned to face the last three.

Ponyhead scowled at everyone else and shook her head. "Well, I OBVIOUSLY love myself! Anyone here thinks that's not true?!"

"YOUR LOVE IS HONEST, LIKE THE WEIRDOS AND COUPLES IN THE ROOM.

THAT BEING SAID, YOU ARN'T THE REASON YOU'LL BE SENT TO YOUR DOOM!"

Shards of circuity were flung out from its caps, and bright red lasers shot from its eyes, blasting apart furniture as it neared the group. Star turned to Janna and Jackie, remembering that both of their answers last time was the same. And if she remembered correctly, SHE was the one who actually had a crush on...'Marco,' she thought.

Glaring at both of them, she spoke with anger that rivaled the cube itself. "Which one of you two is lying? Jackie didn't even give a name, and Janna likes some dead guy!" The two girls looked at Star with surprised expressions, but then glanced at one another. "Star," Jackie began. "What are you-"

"Hey!" Marco called from behind them, stepping past Star and approaching the box. "Ask me what my greatest fear is." The box, though not very well, conveyed a look of skepticism at the boy before responding with two mouths on either side of its face.

"WHY WOULD I ASK IF I'VE DONE SO ALREADY?

YOUR FRIENDS ARE THE ONES WHO ANSWERED UNSTEADY."

Marco held his resolve as he stepped closer, eying down the flesh and circuitry comprised creature. "Ask me. The question. Because none of us are lying."

"VERY WELL, BOY. TRY TO SAVE YOUR PEER.

TELL ME, WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST FEAR?

"That Star might die because I wasn't there for her. Like last time," he answered defiantly, continuing to stare down the monster before him. He could hear confused murmurs behind him but he tuned it out. The wind and light around the box died down if only slightly, as it backed up a few feet.

"WHAT? HOW COULD YOU-"

"Because nobody knows completely how they feel at this exact moment. Your feelings, your fears, even your ambitions can change on a whim. Because sometimes your heart and your mind might not agree on what you want or what you're scared of. Like a close friend once made me realize." He turned to look back at Star who seemed conflicted between worry and a smile, before turning back to face the Truth box.

"None of us were lying, because we don't fully know how we feel about those around us. Now end the game, so I can clean up your mess."

The boxes eyes twitched as it inched closer, ready to blast Marco to pieces, but it stopped. One eye to the left spoke to the other in a hushed voice.

"YOU KNOW, HE COULD BE RIGHT."IMPOSSIBLE! ONE OF THEM LIED! IM CERTAIN OF IT!"BUT HE JUST ANSWERED WITH A DIFFERENT QUESTION."THAT DOESN'T MATTER!"IT DOES! WE CANT PROVE THEY LIED!"OH YES, WE CAN!" NO, WE CANT" YES WE CAN!" "NO, WE CANT!" "YES WE CAN" "NO WE CANT"

With each passing argument, the room around them began to distort from circuitry to its usual appearance. The Truth box as well began fighting itself in a desperate attempt to find a solution, but ultimately it couldn't. In a final shout that made all parties concerned cover their ears, it slowly reverted back into its box shape, releasing the house from its prison, and reverting everything back to normal. Save for the destroyed furniture of course.

It fell to the ground as its lights dimmed, reverting once again to its standby mode. No one in the party said a word, as Marco stepped forward and rather unceremoniously, dumped it in the garbage. He then turned to face his friends with his arms crossed, glaring at two people in particular.

"Now I don't know how much of that I actually believe, but I didn't lie once tonight. I won't ask questions, but whoever you are, be more careful." He then turned around and started to clean up the damaged furniture as the rest of the group exchanged glances, slowly joining him.

After about half an hour of cleaning, everyone once again slumped onto the couch, exhausted by the events of the evening. Star glared at Ponyhead and spoke up first. "Pony, next time you have a deadly game that can only be beaten by paradox, don't bring it to a sleepover." Ponyhead shrugged at Star and took a bite of a nacho hovering near her face. "Sorry, gurl. I just didn't think we'd have such a crazy time with telling the truth."

Janna grinned and stared at Marco as she spoke in mock annoyance. "Well if Macho man over here didn't step in and admit that he's also afraid of losing his girlfriend, we'd be dead. So thanks, Safe kid."

"Dont push it," he muttered, resting his arm over his eyes as he leaned back. He heaved a tired sigh but was surprised to feel Star snuggling up to him. He lifted his arm and looked down at her, meeting her sapphire blue eyes with his. "You're really cute, you know that, Marco?" She cooed. He groaned and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug. "Thanks, Star. I think you're pretty cute too."

"Yeah but not as cute as Alphonso thinks Fergusson's mom is!" Janna called out. The olive-skinned boy groaned and hid his face in his hands as Tom and Toriddity stood. "Well, Marco. Star. It's been super fun. But now that it's morning, I think we're gonna head out. Thanks for having us though! We'll see you around!" Star and Marco nodded at the two, smiling and waving them off. "Thanks for coming, you two!" she called out. "And good luck with everything!"

With that, the two of them erupted into a harmless fountain of fire, disappearing from the room. Marco looked over at the window, noticing that it was actually beginning to brighten up with that orange morning sun. "I should probably get going too," said Janna. She stood slowly and eyed her two schoolmates who were beginning to doze on the couch. "Yo! Fergie! Fonz! Get up! It's morning already!" Fergusson mumbled something about sleeping here while Alphonso remained half asleep. Grumbling about how lazy the two were, she grinned and snapped her fingers. "Hippopotamus!" she shouted.

Both boys immediately stood up and began following Janna to the door as if they were zombies. She winked at those remaining, and proceeded to step outside, closing the door behind her. Jackie, now looking somewhat nervous, also stood up and looked around. "Yeah, I should probably go too. Sorry things got so crazy, you guys. But thanks for having me." Both Star and Marco nodded. "Anytime, Jackie," Star began. "And don't worry about it." Jackie made her way to the door and opened it, but stopped just before leaving. "And thanks for saving us, Marco Diaz."

As she stepped outside, however, a quiet, unnoticed voice 'pinged' from the trash can.

"Truth. Jackie Lyne Thomas has a crush on-"

"Well Marco, that was a great night. Even if we almost died," Star remarked, smiling up at her boyfriend with tired eyes. He nodded and hugged her closer, enjoying the soft, warm embrace. "Yeah, it turned out a lot better than last time, that's for sure." He let her go and began to stand up, but Star clung to him tightly and pressed her face to his chest. "Nooooo. Five more minuuuttess," she grumbled.

Marco smiled at her and leaned back onto the couch. "I thought you would have wanted some pancakes for breakfast." He smiled down at her but found that she was actually frowning. "I don't have much of an appetite right now," she mumbled against his hoodie. Marco put his arms around her, wearing a perplexed expression, and spoke softly.

"Is it about the fear thing? Did the sleepover not help?" She shook her head and sat up to better look at him. "No, its nothing. I feel a lot better about that actually, thanks to you. But I'm pretty tired right now."

Marco nodded and rotated himself to lay on the couch, surprising Star as she was moved to lie on top of him. "Then let's get some sleep, Princess. Later we can have a big meal at Rita's and enjoy the rest of our weekend."

She smiled and rested against his chest, but she couldn't shake the memory of someone lying from her head. And the fact that both Janna and Jackie had given the same answers as last time. 'Last time, I was lying about having feelings for Marco. And when I questioned Jackie about who she had a crush on, she said she didn't know,' Star thought to herself. 'They ended up dating last time...so, what if...?'

She stopped herself for a moment and looked down at Marco, who had already begun to snooze. Poking his nose to wake him up, she prodded him with a question of her own. "Marco, you wouldn't leave me if I couldn't keep you safe, right?" she asked, keeping her eyes locked with his. He sat up slightly and held her face, a new wave of concern washing over his.

"Star, no...of course not. I would never leave you for that. I know you can keep me safe, and I know you're strong enough to tackle anything that gets thrown your way." He kissed her nose, hoping to ease her worries, and laid back down, bringing her into a hug. "Don't worry about the dream Star. I know when the time comes, I'll be lucky to have you fighting with me."

She felt an uneasy sense of worry in the back of her mind, and despite how sincere he seemed, she wasn't entirely convinced. He had just gone on a rant to the box about people not being sure about what they really wanted, and peoples ideals changing with the day. So who's to say he wouldn't change his if she wasn't strong enough to protect him?

And who's to say he wouldn't fall back into his previous love interests if his other ideals changed with it?

"You're cute when you're thinking really hard, Star," Marco noted, not even opening his eyes. She blushed deeply and laid down against his chest, still unsure about what her future, and his, would hold. "Goodnight, Mi Amor," he whispered. She breathed a sigh of defeat and let the wave of sleep finally begin to wash over her, enjoying what she figured could be one of the last times she got to enjoy cuddling with Marco.

"Goodnight, Marco."

To be continued in: Fighting For Your Heart

AUTHORS NOTE

Oh my GAWD! Longest. Chapter. Ever! Seriously what the heck is wrong with me? I wanted to split this in two, but with work being hectic right now, I didn't want to make you wait for what comes next. I hope you all liked it, and if you have questions, feel free to ask away! Stars going through some biz right now, and as always, that doesn't make her the most rational thinker lol. Hopefully, Marco can put her worries to rest in the next chapter, and hopefully, Vartek hasn't been up to too much masty business! Sorry to those big fans of Jantom, but I really like the dynamic Toriddity has with Tom. Hopefully, not too many of yall are peeved about it. Next chapter, we see how Star handles her new fears, and what she plans to do to keep Marco from leaving! OH NO! Lmao anywho, leave a review with comments or questions, and if you're not a guest account, I'll respond as soon as I can. With that being said, see yall in the next chapter! BUH BYYYEEE!

~Mr. Ronald Reagan