Like Father, Like Daughter
Disclaimer: I don't own Star Vs the Forces of Evil or any of its elements.
Chapter 12: First
Hekapoo was visiting Seraph, as busy as she was she tried to find time for her daughter. It would have been easier if they could spend time in her dimension, time moved faster there they could as much time as they wanted.
Hekapoo could spend days with her before having to go back to her work and Seraph had to go to school.
Still, with how things were Hekapoo was unwilling to risk Seraph's life just to spend a few moments with her.
This would do.
Hekapoo and Seraph sat at the dinner table, Seraph working on her school work while Hekapoo combed her hair. It was a small thing, but something that Hekapoo had enjoyed doing. Her daughter had a lot of hair that tended to bunch up. Hekapoo fondly remembered having to clean out twigs that had gotten caught in the girl's hair when she ran off to play. Seraph could do it on her now but being able to take care of her daughter even a small way made her feel better.
The pair talked as they both worked. The house was pretty quiet. Marco had left to go to the Quest Buy, apparently, a joy sucking magician had stolen his wallet and Marco had gone to complain that it should not be possible for anyone but him to open it much less steal it. Hekapoo wished him luck, customer service at Quest Buy was a nightmare.
Star had gone off to hang out with her friends.
Seraph's grandfather had gone out to get supplies for his next big art project.
Angie was making herself busy in the kitchen preparing dinner.
Hekapoo was a bit uneasy about being close to Angie without Marco. Angie wasn't rude or anything but Hekapoo always felt this distance between them. It felt a little strange for Hekapoo since Angie looked so much like her own daughter, Hekapoo naturally felt she wanted to close that gap between them. The idea of someone looking like her daughter being distant felt wrong. Though she didn't know how to go about it, still Angie was a good grandmother so Hekapoo tried not to focus on it.
Seraph looked up from one of her books, "Hey mom, can I ask you something?"
"Sure thing," Hekapoo smiled at her.
Seraph had been curious about things and thought this was the best opportunity to ask. "I wanted to ask you about dating?"
"Dating?" Hekapoo raised an eyebrow. Hekapoo chuckled at this. "Oh, did someone ask you out?"
Hekapoo was delighted her daughter would come to her to ask her about this subject. In all fairness to Marco, he wasn't an expert on dating, Hekapoo's own experience was somewhat limited but she was her mom she should at least talk to her mom about it.
On the other hand, Hekapoo should not be surprised something like this, her daughter was beautiful most of the school should be at war with each other just to have a chance to talk to her.
"Actually no," Seraph answered her. "I overheard some people talking at school about dating and I had some questions."
Hekapoo mused, "Okay, well, I'm your mom if you have any questions I'll be happy to answer."
Seraph gave her a nod, "What were your dates with dad like?"
"Ah-" Hekapoo actually flinched. "Ah, yeah-about that- We- we-"
Hekapoo didn't really know how to answer. They were never any sort of official couple, they just had some fun together. It was not something easy to explain much less to her own daughter.
"Yeah, like how about that one? The one in that picture you gave me."
Hekapoo recalled the picture, "Yeah, I guess that was a date."
"Yeah, tell me about that one."
"Okay, I guess I can tell you about that one." Hekapoo took a deep breath as she began.
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It started a long time ago, by then Marco was in his twenties. He'd been doing the trial in Hekapoo's dimension for years. He'd put on some muscle by then and gotten taller.
One day Hekapoo noticed he hadn't been trying anything. Usually, he woke up exercised and got something to eat before he set off to find her or one of the clones. But that day he just forged for some food and stayed in his camp making marks on the dirt.
That had gotten Hekapoo's attention and she went to him.
A shot of fire lit up the dark sky and Marco turned up only to see Hekapoo stepping out of the woods. He sat on the cliff lit up by the moon and looked down at a forest filled valley below.
"Time out." She told him.
"It's been some time, Hekapoo." Marco quickly turned his eyes back to the dirt
"I've had some stuff to do, flesh-wad." Hekapoo moved and sat by him. "So, you're not going to do anything today?"
"No, I'm taking the day off."
"That's a bit unusual for you,"
"I guess," Marco said only half paying attention.
"Is something wrong?" The forger asked him, despite everything Hekapoo had started to think of him as a friend and wanted to know what was wrong.
"I decided to count the days, and it looks like I've been here for about seven years. Today is actually my birthday, my twenty-first birthday."
"Congrats!" Hekapoo half shrugged, honestly she had a hard time to keep track of such things not even keeping track of her own birthday.
"It just hit me how long I've been here and how much I've left behind."
"Oh," it had been a while since she made this offer, "If you want we can end this right now and I can send you home."
"No," He shook his head, "I'm not giving up. I'm gonna earn those scissors. It's just a hit. I don't know exactly when but I started to forget what my home looked like. I vaguely remember people and their faces. I don't know how I'm gonna explain it to them when I finally get those scissors. I'm not sure if I can, they've probably all long since moved on. Still, I'm gonna get those scissors and go back one day. Tell them I'm sorry, give my parents a big hug and give those scissors to Star like promised."
"Determined as ever, I see."
"I'm not giving up I just feeling a bit melancholy today." Marco looked up at the stars that started to appear in the night sky. "I guess I'm just missing home a little."
Hekapoo looked at him thoughtfully, she'd never seen him like this and didn't like it.
"Okay, let me do something about that, birthday boy." Hekapoo got up onto on her feet. "I'm gonna bring you a piece of home for you. Tell me what you want to eat and I'll go grab some of it."
Marco looked at me surprised, "Really?"
"Yeah, I can be nice. Pick something so I can bring it."
"Ah, nachos, no pizza, a bacon cheeseburger, tacos, horchata, ramen, chocolate-"
Hekapoo just huffed, "Fine, I'll get you some stuff give me a second."
She quickly pulled out her scissors and with a few quick slashed in the air a few portals opened up and food started to slip out.
Marco had to question it, "Did you just steal that?"
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"No, I didn't. I made sure to pay for them." Hekapoo paused her story to set that straight for her daughter. "I left them some money."
"Okay, got it." Seraph agreed.
"Stealing is bad." Hekapoo wagged her finger at her daughter to emphasis her point.
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Marco and Hekapoo started to eat, though Marco would have probably loved to have a chance to make his own nachos, but at the moment he was overjoyed to have a chance to eat food from his home.
They ate as there was really too much food there for one person to eat.
"Oh my god!" That is when Hekapoo discovered something wonderful. "Bacon is amazing!"
"It is!" Marco agreed.
"I would have this every day if I could."
"Some people do, it's just not great for your heart."
"Oh, I'd risk it." She took another bite of that burger.
Marco was eating some nachos, "If you want the pizza has bacon too."
Hekapoo quickly reached for the pizza.
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"Wait-" Seraph stopped the story, "Are you going to tell me that you fell in love with dad because he introduced you to bacon?"
"No, of course not."
"So how did you fall for dad?"
Hekapoo shifted in her chair, "…Just gonna go back to telling my story."
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After they finished eating they just sorta laid there on the ground and looked up at the sky and talked. At some point, they had gotten back to his life on Earth and about him missing it.
"I just sort of just missed doing all the normal stuff people my age have gotten to do."
"Oh, yeah your people at this age accrue debt, start vices, and have existential crisis."
"There are other stuff, learning to drive a car, going to college, getting your own place, going on dates-"
"I thought you've said you went on dates."
"Well, yeah, years ago. But like grown updates, the kind of stuff you see in those movies. Two people go out to have fun, go dancing or something and just hang out all night enjoying their company without worrying about curfews or anything."
Hekapoo couldn't help but smirk at him, "Well, aren't you a romantic."
"I mean-"
"No, I get what you mean. Since it's your birthday why don't I treat you a little bit more."
"What do you mean?"
"Marco Diaz, let's go out on a date." Hekapoo turned to look him right in the eyes.
"What?!" Marco practically choked on his own spit. "Are you saying- do you- ah?"
"Calm down, we can just go out and just have some fun tonight. It doesn't have to mean anything other than that. What do you say, Diaz?"
Marco paused for a moment thinking it over, obviously the idea of having even a friend date with Hekapoo blew his mind.
"Okay, sounds like fun."
"Okay, but we can't go out like this."
"Why not?"
"Cause you stink, when was the last time you had a bath?" She waved her hand in her face.
"I don't know, I guess it's been a while. It's not like I get too many chances, last time I tried to have a bath I almost got eaten."
"I don't care, its fine when you are out in the wild but if you're gonna take a girl out for some fun at least smell clean."
Hekapoo quickly opened up a portal tossed Marco's things into it before grabbing Marco himself and pulling him along.
Marco was a bit stunned to find himself in a large bathroom.
"Welcome to my bathroom," Hekapoo told him.
"This is your place? As in your home? As in the Forge?"
"My bathroom to exact."
Marco had never expected to ever actually be in her home, from what he could understand was that her home was in some sort of legendary forest that no one knew exactly where it was. Of course, they were on a timeout so it didn't matter much anyway.
"Okay, strip," Hekapoo ordered him.
"What?"
"How are you going to take a bath in your clothes? I should clean those up too. Just leave them outside the door."
"Where are you going?"
"I'm gonna get ready for a date," Hekapoo said with a wry smile.
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"So, you asked dad out on a date and then the first thing you did was have him take off his clothes?" Seraph gave her a mother a mocking gaze.
"Don't start, I don't know where you get that attitude from."
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Marco himself was enjoying the bath, he didn't know if he could actually call it a bath. It was the size of a large pool and took up most of the large room. He relaxed just taking in the room. It was the kind of bathroom he'd expect in a palace, all done up in marble with water that felt amazing against his skin he wouldn't be surprised if it was laced with magic.
The thing that threw him for a loop was that there were statues in the bath, statues of Hekapoo holding jars where water poured out.
It was a little odd for Marco, it felt almost like Hekapoo was there watching him take a bath. He tried not to think about it as he grabbed some of the soap he found there.
Something felt off as if he had forgotten something important.
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Hekapoo was finishing getting ready. She had already cleaned up Marco's clothes and left them for him outside the door along with a towel.
She looked herself in the mirror, her hair was styled and if she had to admit looked rather nice. She had picked out a new dress, something that showed off her figure. She wasn't much for using makeup but she was using a bit and the lipstick she used really made her lips pop.
Honestly, she looked hot if she did say so herself.
So what was the problem?
Marco was taking way too long in the bath. Yeah, baths were nice but he was seriously taking way too long.
Then a thought struck her, they were in her home the forge. The location where she made her scissors and she always had a few extra there. He could have snuck off after she left him and grabbed one. It's not like she had a lot of security at this place.
She made a note to get a couple of her clones to guard this place.
She was angry at herself, she trusted Marco she thought highly of him enough that she let down her guard.
She paused, she told herself Marco would not do something like that. She took a breath as she decided to check in on him.
That was when there was a knock on the front door.
"What?" Hekapoo wasn't expecting anyone, there were only so many people who could have reached her there.
She opened the door and to her surprise she found Marco standing there.
"What?"
"Yeah, sorry I snuck out," Marco told her.
"Yeah, I will repeat, what?"
"Well, if we are going on a date I thought I should get you something." He pulled out from his back a bouquet of flowers. "I snuck out and picked you some flowers. Took me longer than I thought, there weren't a lot of flowers around here. I hope you like them, I'm not sure what they're called."
Hekapoo smiled, "They're celosia, I do like them." Hekapoo took the flowers gladly.
She looked at the red flowers with flame-like heads.
"I gotta admit it, I didn't give you credit. You can be smooth when you try."
Hekapoo quickly used her speed and fetched a water-filled vase to put the flowers in. She quickly returned placing one of the flowers behind her ear leaving the vase on coffee table.
As she stepped closer to Marco she grabbed his arm and took out her scissors.
"Where are we going?" Marco asked her.
"Oh, don't you worry about that." Hekapoo boop-ed his nose. "You just leave that to me, Muscles."
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"Is that where my middle name came from?" Seraph sighed, she had never liked her middle name.
"It's a nice name and it means something. It was a nice moment between your dad and me. The thing about your dad… he's a huge dork."
"Yeah, I knew that but I like that."
"Yeah, so do I. It's odd, but your dad has this weird charm to him. Usually, when he tries to be charming or smooth he just comes off as a dork. I mean, it's not a bad thing he's cute when he does that or at least its funny. But when he doesn't try, that's where his true charm comes out. He's more natural, he's sweet, and you can just see that in all of those moments when he just is. Getting me those flowers was that he wasn't trying to charm me he just wanted to do something nice."
"And by not trying he charmed you."
Hekapoo played with her bangs, "Even your dad has his moments."
"You mean especially my dad?"
Hekapoo tried not to laugh.
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As for Hekapoo she preferred more active dates, she wasn't opposed to something like watching a movie or having dinner but given the choice, for a first date, she wanted to move.
"Ready to play?"
Hekapoo found herself on one end of the lake and Marco on the other side.
"Let me get this straight," Marco began, " You want us to jump on these stones all across the lake,"
"Yup,"
"The added pressure of our weight will gas to build up until eventually, they start jetting off like geysers."
"So far so good,"
"And whoever gets blasted loses this game."
"And people think you're just a pretty face."
"This just seems like a really weird game of Russian Roulette. Not something I'd think of for a date."
"Come on what fun would it be just to sit and talk, we do that already."
Marco looked at the lake, it looked placid and clear but as Hekapoo explained this lake sat on top of a weird gas pocket. Even animals tended to stay away from it because they disrupt the balance between the gas and the water too much chemicals and pressures would collide like an overdone model volcano.
"I'll go first." Hekapoo hoped on to a stone.
"Fine," Marco hoped on a nearby stone. He felt the stone rumble beneath him as he looked around.
"Better keep moving, boy-o. You stay on anyone too long and you're likely to get shot off." Hekapoo kept moving.
Marco started to hop around.
As they kept moving the stones started to rumble and Marco started to sniff something. He kept moving and moving hoping he wouldn't be the one blasted.
"Having fun?" Hekapoo asked.
"Yeah, actually it's kinda like hop-scotch but more potential of being blasted."
As they moved around the rumbling got a little bigger.
"Lets heat things up." Hekapoo stuck her hand in the water and it started to boil. Hekapoo started to jump around quickly.
Marco followed her lead and jumped around when he noticed the stones began to rumble much faster after stepping on them.
Then all at once, they stopped.
"Huh?" Hekapoo paused as all of the rumblings stopped. "I guess we both win."
Then the whole lake rumbled at once. "What?"
Marco gulped, over his time in the dimension he'd picked up a bit of chemistry from alchemists and the point was that you mix things together because and Hekapoo's heat might have been too much.
Marco leaped off the stone and grabbed Hekapoo pushing her out of the lake. They hit the shore and Marco used his body to cover her just in time for the whole lake to turn into a massive geyser. All the water and stones were shot into the air with a huge explosion.
"Are you okay?" Marco said as the hot water finished splashing on him. He held himself over Hekapoo making sure she didn't get scolded.
"Yeah, thanks for the save. You didn't have to do that."
"Force of habit I guess. I mean, it's not right to let you date get soaked like this."
"Ugh!" Hekapoo let out sniffing the air. "there must have been a sulfur pocket there."
"Oh, that smells like-"
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"A fart?" Seraph finished the thought. "Less than romantic,"
"I think its more like rotten eggs." Hekapoo groaned, "Yeah, that killed the mood."
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A tear formed in space and Marco and Hekapoo stepped out. They stepped out onto a tropical island, an island Hekapoo had discovered ages ago, it was an isolated paradise. The island was covered with fresh fruits and wonderfully smelling flowers. Really a nice change after the sulfur smell. The island was bathed in the late afternoon sun.
Marco wearing a pair of red trunks was carrying a bunch of beach stuff following Hekapoo who was wearing a yellow two-piece bikini.
Marco had noticed long ago that Hekapoo was rather attractive it was even more apparent with her wearing a revealing swimsuit. Playing Volleyball was especially grueling for Marco.
"The water looks cool. Let's go swimming." Marco insisted.
"Okay, sure."
They quickly got into the water and swam around. Marco was really enjoying the feeling of the cool water.
Marco sank into the water noting how Hekapoo was doing the backstroke.
Trying to take his mind off things, "Uh, hey, how's your flame staying lit?"
Hekapoo dipped into the water sinking underneath it until only the flame and her horns stuck out, the flame moved higher until she popped up. "My flame moves, it's a subconscious thing I barely notice it. Great when you don't want to set something on fire by accident."
Hekapoo swam closer to him, "Hey Marco this is getting a little boring. Let's go something a little more active."
Before Marco could say anything something pushed them out of the water. A Belsco, basically a giant whale sized bird fish, it raised its head out of the water.
Both of them were stunned by the creature's arrival.
It started to swim them across the ocean, as the sun started to set they got most perfect view.
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Seraph laughed, "You were teasing dad!"
"Maybe a little," Hekapoo admitted. "I mean, your dad and I had gotten closer by then so we did flirt every once in a while. But it was a date so I decided to up my game a little and get a reaction. Plus its fun to see your dad all blush-y."
"Yeah, Janna has mentioned that before."
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They had gone skiing across icy mountains, they ended up wrestling large crocodiles in swamps, they ended up sword fighting pirates, they rode giants bats across a desert night sky, they played a game with high rollers in a casino, they rode giant mudslides, they watched the alignment of planets that warped space so it looked like the stars were streaking across the sky, they had so many adventures.
They didn't even know how long they lasted, at first they had only planned for it to last a few hours but as they stopped to think it was probably more like days. They had stopped to eat and sleep a couple of times so it should have been obvious.
Hekapoo was having fun and decided she wanted to do one more thing.
They had stepped into a club with music ragging.
"Dancing!" Hekapoo told Marco. "One last thing, let's have some food, some drinks, party, and dance."
"Yeah, I never really got to do that." Marco said, "Well, maybe there was that time at the Bounce Longe but I was worried about … someone trying to throw me off a cloud."
"Oh, I haven't been at the bounce longe for so long." Hekapoo let out, "My friend actually runs it but someone stole my scissors." She poked him in the shoulder, "It had a bit of taint after that, that and it started to lose its luster. It had been going on for centuries and I think it's started to wrap up the party." Hekapoo admitted. "Still, it's nice to go out and just let loose."
The pair made their way to the bar, "Okay if memory serves, a tradition of your people is to drink an unhealthy amount of liquor when you become 21. So, my treat drinks all you want we will get a booth eat up and dance the night away."
Hekapoo put in for the first open booth and they sat down for drinks.
Hekapoo had come in often enough that they knew her typical drink.
They even saved her a bottle, "Pour me one."
"I'll take one too," Marco asked.
"Well, Marco that's a little strong for you. That's Cosmic Sand, that basically distilled time-space." Marco looked at the glass of sandy-liquid star stuff, "That's strong stuff, Omni can barely drink a few cups without passing out, Lekmet can barely take one, Rhombulus can't even drink one, Glossaryck never touches the stuff after he spilled his pudding and I've only known one Butterfly that could take one glass without falling to the ground and Festivia liked to drink but she knew to pace herself and this drink she always took extra care-"
Marco grabbed her glass and drank it all down at once. He licked his lips, "This is good, I've had it before."
It was sandy that acted like a liquid, Marco didn't know how to describe the taste. It was warm and cold at once, it was like tasting a star there was a spark in every drop like he was drinking the essence of life. It didn't really cloud his mind like liquor but it made him feel more of himself, and more comfortable and a bit energetic.
Hekapoo was surprised, "Oh, well, okay, you heard the man. We'll take the bottle."
The soon reached a booth and ordered some food and drank.
They ended up talking and sharing stories and jokes.
"So, do you do this a lot?" Marco asked.
Hekapoo shook her head, "Not really, I've never been much for spending time with people. It's just not something …I can do."
"Really? You seem like someone that gets along with people easily. Hell, we started off as rivals but I'd call you a friend now."
Hekapoo smiled, "Yeah, you are the rare exception. It's not that I haven't dated before just a few times I did try to get close to people like that it didn't work out. Time does seem to get in the way and when you're immortal it doesn't make things any easier. It gives you more time, once you get to know people and you have that time you get to really know people. You know people too well. You get to know things about them you'd rather never know or they just die. So, then I just sort of stop trying and it just never happened that I would run into someone I wanted to get to know."
"What about me?"
Hekapoo smiled, "Rare exception Marco, I started to get to know you before I realized it."
"And do you think you'll end up knowing me too well one day?"
Hekapoo shock her head, "Marco, I have yet to find something that makes me not want to know you. You might be one of those that just dies before that happens."
"Well, that's bleak."
Hekapoo just shrugged. "I speak the truth."
As they finished talking a girl with a camera walked up to them, "Do you want a picture?"
"Sure," Hekapoo smiled moving closer to Marco.
"Oh!" Marco blushed.
"Marco, the blushing thing is cute but if this is supposed to be a date then don't worry about making a little physical contact."
"Okay," Marco placed an arm around her.
Marco was Awkward but tried to pose for the picture.
The girl quickly gave each of them a copy of the picture.
Tucking that picture away Hekapoo pulled Marco up, "Okay, enough of the talk Diaz show me your moves!"
"Yeah, I'm not much of a dancer."
"I think that's a lie, Marco that's the beauty of music you just let the music move you!"
Hekapoo pulled him to dance floor, her body dance, swayed, and jumped to the music. Marco started to move to the music, letting his body do whatever felt right.
Neither knew how long they were there, one song became a dozen.
Then it stopped, they both found themselves looking at each other.
The leader of the band spoke into the mike, "Okay, one last song folks and we're off. We're going to leave you with something slow."
Marco followed Hekapoo's earlier advice and listened to his body and moved to the music. He put his arms around Hekapoo pulling her close, one of his hand resting on her hips.
Hekapoo listened to her heart beating ringing in her ears, her arms taking hold of Marco. Slowly they swayed to the music never breaking eye contact.
Hekapoo thought about how she had never gotten close to anyone, not like this. Her entire history with people told her this would end badly one way or another but she couldn't find the strength to stop. Her history told her it would end badly but her heart told her that she wasn't going to find out something horrible about Marco. That this wonderful human was worth getting to know.
Marco hadn't gotten close to anyone in years, his memories of his life on Earth had long since been tuck away and forgotten. He gave up his life on Earth and here there was this amazing woman, most of his new life focused on her and he didn't mind that fact. The woman he was chasing for years was right there with him and that felt so right.
The music had stopped but they were still dancing unaware.
They listened to their bodies and moved closer to each other, and before either one realized it they were kissing.
Neither one of them had ever had an experience like this, to share such a passionate embrace and they drowned in the emotion neither one to stop just yet.
They stopped and pulled away when they realized they had ended up pushing against a wall.
They stared at each other breathless, both realizing some other club goers staring.
Hekapoo pulled out her scissors and quickly created a rift right on the wall and the two had tumbled into and fell into her bedroom and onto her bed.
As the rift closed they began to kiss another again now in privacy. They tumbled onto the bed and pulled away realizing the situation and what it meant.
"Uh…" Hekapoo paused, "Do- do you want to? I mean, if you don't- we don't- we should-"
"Do you want to?" Marco blushed.
"Do you want to?"
Marco stared at her his hand gently stroking her cheek.
"Hekapoo…" Marco answered her question by kiss her again.
Hekapoo kissed him, she shivered at the kiss. Marco had lit a fire in her, the fire burned more intensely than any she could ever conjure. She didn't know when Marco had lit it, maybe it was during the dance when they swam, or maybe it was when they first met.
To think she had lived so long and never experience such emotion. To think just a few decades ago she would have laughed at the notion that a human could ever make her feel anything like this, but at the moment she wanted to feel everything he could give her and she wanted to give him everything.
The pair sank into the bed and slowly began to shed their clothes.
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"Mom! Mom! Mom!" Seraph clapped her hands.
"Huh?" Hekapoo looked around confused.
"Mom, you were talking about your first kiss with dad and you started to trail off and got all quiet."
Hekapoo's flame sputtered and her cheeks were flushed, "Well, yeah, it was a good kiss. It was amazing."
A ringing interrupted her thoughts, Hekapoo in a panic reached into her sash pulling out a compact mirror, "Who is it?!"
"Uh, It's Rhombulus we are having a meeting with the rest of the commission. Ferrovax and some of his brood have woken up and started attacking worlds looking for gold. We could use your help dealing with them."
"Uh, yeah, okay, I'll be there soon." Hekapoo blinked before turning to her daughter, "I'm sorry it looks like work is calling."
"Don't worry, I get it, mom. Go and save people!"
"Seraph," Angie stepped out of the kitchen, "go get cleaned up and then help me set the table for dinner everyone else should be here soon."
"Right, Grandma." Seraph gave her mother a kiss, "Bye mom," before heading upstairs.
Hekapoo smiled at her daughter before she searched for her scissors.
"Would you like to stay for dinner?" Angie asked her.
"Oh, sorry, but thanks, I can't." Hekapoo was surprised Angie had offered. "I'm off to work." She created a rift and stuck her hand in it. "I do have something, can you please give it to Marco." She pulled out a photo album, "It's all the pictures I took of Seraph growing up. It took me a while to get everything put together. I got to spend all that time with her and watched her take all those first steps. I figured he'd at least like getting pictures of those moments."
Angie took the album with a smile, "I'll make sure he gets it."
"Thanks," With that Hekapoo entered the portal.
Angie sat down and opened the album. She found pictures of Hekapoo holding baby Seraph, her first steps, giving baby Seraph a bath in the sink, Seraph taking a nap next to Nachos, a young Seraph playing in the forge and holding up a pair of scissors, Hekapoo teaching her how to ride Nachos and so many precious memories.
Angie was happy, she had listened to Hekapoo's story from the kitchen and she read between the lines. She could tell that Hekapoo did truly care about her son and that her son did care for her. She knew they both loved their daughter but there was feeling that she was born of lust but now Angie was certain that Seraph was the product of something more than that.
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Hekapoo found herself back at the forge after a long and tiring day at work. She stepped out and head to the backyard intending to take up a new hobby of hers.
But her mind started to wander back to the end of the date she had with Marco.
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Hekapoo woke up, she didn't sleep often but she started to find herself taking naps sometimes with Marco, sleeping seemed to have become a habit.
As she yawned she realized she wasn't alone in her bed, that Marco was fast asleep next to her.
Hekapoo was speechless, she had sex with Marco. She had no idea of what to do next, it's not like she had done this before and she was sure Marco hadn't either. She noticed scratches and bite marks on Marco's body. Then she noticed she had her fair share too.
She wanted to run away but she found herself held close to Marco by his strong arm and just couldn't do it.
After a moment she found Marco's eyes fluttering.
He smacked his lips, "Morning," Marco stared at her, her beautiful messy red hair cascading around her. She looked like a dream. Then he remembered what they did the night before. "Oh god!"
"You said that a lot last night." Hekapoo buried her face in his chest, his really nice well-toned chest.
"We-"
"Yup!"
"We!"
"Yeah!"
"And we!"
"Right, about six times stud."
Marco's eyes went blank, "We didn't use any protection- And we- And I-" He motioned at her, "Six times!"
Hekapoo saw where this was going, "Don't worry, you won't get me pregnant."
"Are you sure?"
Hekapoo decided she trusted him, she let herself be vulnerable with him and she didn't regret it. She explained it to him how they wouldn't be able to have a child together and why. Their species just couldn't breed. She asked him to keep it a secret and he agreed without hesitation.
They stayed silent there for a moment.
"What now?" Marco asked.
"Marco, do you want your scissors?"
"What?"
Hekapoo told him, "Marco, you've long since proved to me that deserve those scissors. You've done great things, helped people, and I'm sure you won't abuse their power. Even if you haven't blown out my flame you have earned them. If you want-"
"No, I want to earn them right. I don't want to end this trial early. I want to prove it to myself too. I want to earn these right and blow out that flame."
Hekapoo smiled to herself, "And how about last night? I thought it was fun."
"Yeah, it was really fun, you were amazing."
Hekapoo blushed a little, "You were amazing too."
"This going to make the trial a little weird."
"Does it? It was during a timeout. Everything that happens during the timeout doesn't count, right?"
"I guess."
"We can still hang out, and if another night we decide to have repeat performance of last night … I wouldn't mind."
"I wouldn't mind either." Marco smirked, "But are we something now?"
"I don't know, " Hekapoo admitted, no jokes or quips, "I've never had anything like this… for now how about we just take it as it comes. We get through the trial and timeouts and then when this is all over we can talk. Until then we just-"
"Take it day by day," Marco whispered to her.
They stayed cuddled in bed for a moment, "Marco, I can feel you."
Marco looked at her confused and then realized what he meant, and turned his hip away, "Sorry."
"I didn't say I minded. We're still on a time out and I don't have anywhere to be." She gave him a devilish grin.
They didn't leave the Forge for the next three days. In that time Marco realized that Hekapoo didn't really bother to keep a well-stocked kitchen. He found enough to make them breakfast and ended up showing Hekapoo how to make a good omelet. Despite her age, Marco couldn't believe she didn't know how to cook for herself. They both just hung out and had fun, isolated together in their own little world.
Eventually, the trial was back on. Hekapoo made him a portal right back to the spot she found him.
He stepped out, dress and all his things ready for the day.
Hekapoo stood behind him wearing a black robe. "So, this is where we part. Back to the trial, break officially over. But before you go let me give you some advice, go to that forest."
"That forest?" He looked to the valley where a thick forest stood.
"Yup, let's just say I think you might find something useful. So, until we-" Hekapoo stopped talking as Marco pulled her for one more kiss.
Marco smiled as he pulled away, "One last kiss for the road. See you soon H-poo!"
"H-Poo!" Hekapoo sputtered. "You are not calling me that!"
Marco chuckled, "Well, after what we did the last few days I think I can give you a cute pet name." He liked seeing Hekapoo flustered.
"Don't you think about it!" Hekapoo smiled slapping him in the back his head. "Now get going I'm waiting for you." Quickly she stepped into the portal letting it close.
Marco smiled as he walked into the forest, soon because of those words of advice he'd run into a very loyal friend, soon he'd find his Nachos. A constant companion that would keep him from getting lonely or melancholy while on his trial.
As he walked towards the forest he found a photo in his pocket, the one of him and Hekapoo and the club now with a message written on it. Marco read it to himself smiling as he did. With a renewed vigor he headed out to find the next clone.
0000
Hekapoo looked at her backyard, over the years she tended to her garden. There was a reason Seraph knew that a certain flower was her mother's favorite and that was because her backyard was with celosia. It was almost a red forest by itself.
Hekapoo saved the flowers that Marco had given her and planted their seeds and tended to them for years now. Over time more and more of those flowers bloomed and now it seemed to have become a forest itself.
Whenever she felt lonely she'd come to tend to the garden, when she missed her daughter she'd come here and just remembered the good times.
Author's Notes: Hey guys, I hope you guys liked a chapter focusing on a little on Marco's time on the trial. I wanted to address some concerns, first yes I still don't have a beta I am looking for one to help me out with my grammar. So if interested in helping let me know. Second off people have been concerned that the crustal clear chapter would be my only one for December. Don't get impatient people, i literally just gave you guys a mess of chapters over Thanksgiving weekend. So please be patient, I might not be able to post as often as I like but I have job and other stories and things to do. So please don't just tell me when the next update is coming because that irritating as hell and really turns me off from working on this story. And I won't update until I update my prince Marco story and I have to work on something else for a bit. So just please understand. Leave a review if you like and just know the next arc will be something fun.