Like Father, Like Daughter
Disclaimer: I don't own any elements of Star Vs.
Special Thanks to my beta APraeda.
Chapter 15: Love Bites
Star and Marco were helping Seraph practice her aiming skills after school.
Marco and Star set up some targets and all Seraph had to do was hit them - it was pretty simple training.
Seraph let a ball of fire form in her hand and hurled it at the target. She missed and the ball flopped onto the ground, with Marco quickly getting the fire extinguisher to put it out.
Seraph whimpered "I missed again."
"Don't worry," Star consoled her, "aiming things is hard and you're trying to keep a ball of fire together at the same time."
"Yeah," Marco agreed. "You've come a long way already. I'm sure if you keep practicing, you'll get it sooner or later."
"Thanks dad." Seraph said softly, unsure if that was true.
"You want to keep trying?" Marco asked. "Or do you want to take a break?"
Before anyone could say another word a red portal formed before them and Hekapoo stepped out. Her hair was a mess, her dress had some tears and she looked ticked off.
"Hekapoo?"
"Mom?"
"Hey," Hekapoo spoke, "Marco, I need you."
"Need!" Star turned red.
"What? Me?" Marco pointed to himself.
"Yeah, I got these pair of hydras attacking the forge. They look like they've gone rabid or something and they want to make the Forge into their nest. Me and my clones have been fighting them and we can only slow them down. We got to cut off their heads but they keep coming." Hekapoo huffed, "I need your help. You cut off their heads and I'll fry the necks so they can't grow back."
Marco pulled out his scissors and quickly transformed them into his sword.
Star spoke up "I'll go too."
"Nope!" Hekapoo held a hand before her. "This is gonna be tricky and we have to move in sync. Me and Marco have some experience there. Besides, your magic isn't gonna be of much help. Hydra skin is resistant to magic. You might be able to knock back a normal hydra a bit, but these two are nuts and alphas, five time bigger than any you got on Mewni. You're more likely to get yourself hurt."
Marco told her "Just stay here, Star. We will be back in seconds."
"Yeah, can we hurry this up?" Hekapoo said impatiently. "I just lost another clone, I'm down to twenty fighting them. They keep snuffing my girls out."
"We'll be right back." Marco told them as he and Hekapoo stepped into the portal.
It quickly closed behind them.
Star started to nibble on her wand. She didn't like the idea of leaving them alone together in Hekapoo's dimension. Considering what went on the last time they were alone together…. Star tried to be reasonable. Time ran faster over there, it shouldn't take them too long. Any second now, any second now they should be back.
Any second.
WHY AREN'T THEY BACK YET?!
Star started to panic. What if something happened? Marco took the scissor, so she couldn't hop over to check.
"Who wants lemonade?" Angie walked over, carrying a tray of drinks.
Marco's dad was right besides her with some snacks. "You've been working hard, we thought you might want a treat."
Seraph started to cheer up at the prospect. Her grandparents placed the trays on a table.
"Where's Marco?" Rafael asked.
Suddenly a portal opened up and Hekapoo and Marco stepped out.
"That took longer than expected." Star couldn't help but let out.
"What happened?" Angie questioned.
"Sorry about that," Hekapoo smirked, "I had a bit of a pest problem back home and had to borrow Marco."
"Took us a little longer than we thought." Marco smiled, scratching the back of his head. "It was a tough fight - it went on for a few days actually and then we got carried away rebuilding and stuff for a few months."
Both his parents raised an eyebrow at that comment.
Hekapoo continued, "After that we rested and healed up a bit. Luckily I still had some healing potions. I mean, we didn't get hurt seriously, but it's always nice to have them around. Plus afterwards Marco helped me patch up the damage to the Forge."
"And we needed time to make you these." Marco held out a pair of cloaks he had brought with him and quickly gave them to his parents.
They gladly took them.
"Oh, stylish! Is this leather?" Rafael studied the material. It was an odd pattern and color, but felt like leather.
"Hydra skin." Hekapoo quickly told them. "I tell you, it's hard to work with. Most of it went to waste. They are light but strong, can really cushion a blow and are magic-resistant. Though if you're gonna take a magic blast, remember that it's only gonna protect what you got covered. It might weaken wider-range magic."
"Thank you for the lovely gift." Angie said to the fiery girl. "They're very nice."
Hekapoo kicked at the ground shyly. "Actually… It's not so much as a gift as it is a dowery."
"Dowery?" Rafael asked.
Marco took Hekapoo's hand. "We had some time in the other dimension. Days really, lot of time just to talk. So we did and started to figure something together and well…."
"We decided to get married." Hekapoo finished.
"Yeah, " Marco beamed them a smile, "we just decided to stop playing around and face the situation and realized that what we really wanted was to be together."
Marco's parents stared in shock, Star actually dropped her wand and Seraph let out a loud ear-shattering squeal before jumping on her parents for a hug.
"Oh my god!" She gave them a great big hug. "Congratulations!"
0000
Moments later the group found themselves in the living room. Marco's parents looked at the pair curiously. This all seemed like some sort of strange dream, though in fairness much of their life had seemed like a dream as of late.
It didn't help that Hekapoo had decided to sit on Marco's lap as they cuddled together.
"So, I just looked in her eyes and I knew I wanted to look into her eyes every day. That I wanted to wake up seeing her the first thing everyday and to go to sleep knowing she was the last I saw." Marco explained the situation to them.
"He got on his knees and asked me to marry him." Hekapoo smiled, scooting closer to Marco. "I said yes, and here we are."
Star's eyes twitched. This couldn't be real. Why were they saying that? It didn't matter anyway, Marco's parents wouldn't allow it to happen. Marco was too young and still in school.
"Oh my god," Angie let out, "That sounds so nice!"
"Congratulations you two." Rafael smiled broadly.
"It means so much that you are so supportive." Hekapoo looked at the couple, happy for their encouragement.
"Think nothing of it." Angie put her hand on her shoulder, "you're family now - we will always be there for you." She paused for a moment then. "You can call me mom."
"Thanks…. mom." Hekapoo smiled a little sheepishly at saying that. Never in all her time had she ever had the chance to call someone that.
"When are you planning on getting married?" Rafael asked them.
"As soon as possible!" Marco didn't hesitate to answer. "We want to get married this weekend."
"What?!" Star spat out.
"It might be hard to find a good location at such short notice." Angie pondered it. "Wait, let's have it in our backyard!"
"That's great!" Marco answered. "What do you think, H-Poo?"
"That sounds great…" Hekapoo thought for a moment. "Mar-cutie." She blinked at the name. "That wasn't great."
"You tried, Heka-cutie, my Heka-beauty."
"Oh, stop that or you will make me blush."
"Well, if I wanted to do that, I'd do this." Marco kissed her cheek and then started to plant a trail of kisses down to her neck.
Hekapoo started to blush and let out small whimpers at his kisses. "Marco~"
Three blasts broke the silence as Star fired three green blasts of magic right into the ceiling. "Wait! Stop!" Star yelled lowering her wand. "You- you just can't do that!"
"She's right." Marco agreed. "We don't have time, we have a lot to do before the wedding day. Let's start with the guest list."
"To the kitchen! I'll get my address book and a notepad. We have to start by deciding who we are inviting." Angie practically giggled. "We have to make a seating plan."
With that thought in mind the group left to the kitchen to get started, leaving a stunned Star behind.
She just stared, dumbfounded. "Whaaaaat?"
0000
A bit later Marco was in Star's room using her mirror. "Mirror, mirror, call Pony Head."
A short moment later, "Hey guuurl!" Pony head pouted, realizing Star wasn't the one to call her. "Ugh, what do you want Earth Turd." She was barely paying attention as she continued reading a magazine. "What do you want?"
"I wanted to tell you I'm getting married."
"Wait, what?" Pony head looked up, "Who are you getting married to?"
"Hekapoo."
"….Uh, congrats?" Pony Head thought about it. She was unsure how to feel about this.
"We wanted to ask for your help in arranging the wedding."
"I'm no wedding planner." Pony Head scoffed.
A portal opened up behind her and a pale hand grabbed her, pulling her in.
Grabbed by the horn, Pony Head found herself transported into Star's room by Hekapoo.
"Hello." She told the young princess. "So, Marco told me that you were the one who stole my scissors."
"I foun-" Pony head didn't even finish the line as Hekapoo stared daggers at her.
"Stealing a pair of dimensional scissors is a major offense." Hekapoo explained it to her. "Even for a princess that is a serious offense and it falls to me to punish you."
Pony Head gulped, "But-"
"Yeah, even your folks wouldn't be able to stop me. So, I'll make you an offer. You throw our wedding for this weekend or I'll toss you into the Nightmare Realm."
"This weekend?! I can't do that! I can arrange a party but not that fast!"
"Nightmare Realm it is then."
"No!" PH yelled. "I mean, it's that to arrange so fast, everything would cost a serious amount of coin."
Pulling out her scissors once more Hekapoo created a portal and a large pile of gold and jewels spilled onto the floor.
"Is that enough?" Hekapoo asked her.
"Ah, I can probably work with that."
"You'd better make this good, Pony Head." Marco told her. "It's our magical day, and if not…"
"It's gonna be your nightmare." Hekapoo finished.
Pony Head looked at the pair and the look in her eyes sent chills down to her very soul. She knew Hekapoo could be crazy, but didn't think Marco could match her.
Pony Head couldn't help but think they might actually make a good couple.
0000
Queen Moon Butterfly opened the doors to the Magical High Commission meeting room. She was a bit troubled by all this. There was no meeting planned and suddenly Hekapoo called everyone to meet at once. Has she discovered something about the Fritz?
Or, as Moon feared, has she discovered Glossaryck had been taken?
She needed a calm mind, so she took a breath and tried to be level-headed.
As she stepped into the room she found Lekmet fiddling with the crystal orb that allowed them to speak to Omnitraxus.
"Hello." Moon greeted. "Where is Hekapoo?"
Hekapoo was usually fairly early because of her abilities and as she was the one to call the meeting, it seemed strange for her not to be there already.
"Don't know." Rhombulus answered her.
Rhombulus was looking over a book of 'wanted' posters - when he got bored, he'd sometimes look over old wanted posters. He claimed it was so he wouldn't forget to keep an eye out for evil-doers that haven't popped up in a while. He looked over a poster of a young-looking woman with long, white hair who was a cruel galaxy conqueror. He flipped the book of posters. "Hey, did we ever find out what happened to Orgalorg?" Rhombulus looked over a poster of some sort of a vampire squid.
Moon shook her head and shivered at the thought - a cruel monster that was worshiped as a god on some worlds. Her mother spent a number of years trying to locate him.
She had always been eager to prevent tragedy if she could.
Moon sat down and waited. "Does anyone know what this meeting is about?"
Lekmet just shook his head, finally fixing the crystal.
"Sorry I'm late!" Hekapoo entered with a bit of a rush. "I had to stop by the printers, quadruple rush isn't cheap."
"Hekapoo, what is this all about?" Moon asked her.
Hekapoo took a deep breath and smiled. "I called you all here today to make an important announcement. I'm getting married."
The room went silent. The silence was quickly followed by Lekmet, Rhombulus and Omnitraxus squealing in excitement.
Moon stared. "Ah, excuse me, did you say you were getting married?"
"Yes, I did." Hekapoo tossed them all invites and opened a portal to Omnitraxus to send him his one as well. Already in the crystal ball they could see him getting it.
Omni looked over the invitation. "Wait, that's the same guy, right? The father of your daughter?"
"Yup, we talked things over and we just realized we wanted to be together." Hekapoo explained, a slight blush manifesting on her cheeks.
"Wait, you have a daughter?" Moon was shocked. How could she miss something like that?
"Yeah, for a couple of months now-" Hekapoo told her, "...yeah, might have forgotten to tell you. You know, been busy being a mom and all. You know what that's like."
Moon didn't know to react. She knew well that Hekapoo was much older than her, but she looked so young that at times Moon had a hard time not thinking of her like that. Not only did she have a daughter, but now was marrying the child's father. It was a lot to take in all at once.
"Uh, wait, are you inviting Glossaryck?" Rhombulus asked, worried.
Moon started to panic. Their secret could be exposed right there.
"Nah," Hekapoo waved them off, "he's not much for weddings, and if he wanted to come you know there is nothing I could do to stop him either way. I just won't bother and hope he doesn't decide to crash and ruin everything."
Moon sighed in relief, as did Rhombulus.
"I do have something to ask from you guys." Hekapoo turned to them. "Omni, I want to ask you to walk me down the aisle and give me away."
The giant whimpered, "I would be honored."
"Thank you." Hekapoo turned to the goat demon. "Lekmet, I wanna ask if you'd perform the ceremony."
"Baa baaa bawha, baa bah bah baawh."
Rhombulus translated, "He said he'd love to." Then an idea struck him, "Do you have rings yet?"
"No, we don't." Hekapoo admitted.
"Leave it to me, I'll make you guy's wedding rings."
"Thank you, you just became one of my maids of honor." Hekapoo gave the diamond head a hug. Rhombulus hugged her back, delighted.
"You'll have to excuse me, the wedding is this weekend and if I want everyone to get their invitations in time, I gotta hand-deliver all of them."
Hekapoo pulled out her scissors and opened another portal.
Moon stopped her. "Hekapoo, this all seems very quick to me, but you do seem happy."
"I am happy." Hekapoo admitted to the delight of the other members. She scratched the back of her head with a smile. It was a rare sight to see Hekapoo being so openly happy like this.
"Then I shall be there, congratulations." Moon smiled warmly at her.
"Thanks." Hekapoo stepped into the portal and vanished.
"Oh we have to got get some tuxes." Rhombulus picked up Lekmet and rushed out the door.
"Baa baa baw."
"Fine, but wear your fancy robes and a tie."
"I gotta find a present." Omni vanished as the screen went blank.
Moon had a small smile on her face. She looked so young that it still stunned Moon a little to think of Hekapoo getting married. She couldn't help but associate her with Star and wondered about Star's own marriage. Moon had the idea that a certain Earthling might have caught her daughter's attention and heart. She wouldn't press the issue - Star would have to come to that conclusion on her own, in time. Moon did still wish Hekapoo all the happiness the world had for her. Though she and her husband did have their problems, she did truly love River and knew without a doubt that he loved her too. Moon wasn't much for displays of emotion but she did think love was a sacred thing, something beautiful that helped bring about her daughter, and something indescribably wonderful. To have such a companion for the rest of your days was something truly magical.
Moon looked at the invitation for a moment. No names were written, just that she was invited to the wedding of H + MUD, all written inside a heart.
"Who's Mud?"
0000
The following school day started off just like any other. The class got settled in, waiting for the day to start.
Brittney Wong got up in front of the class holding out some invitations. "Listen losers! I'm throwing a party this weekend. Those of you lucky enough to be invited-"
"Ah!" Seraph ran into classroom and, unable to stop in time, slammed into Brittney, knocking her right into Sabrina.
"Guys! We have huge news!" Seraph didn't even realize she just knocked down two cheerleaders.
A moment later Marco walked in, followed by Star who looked lost and confused.
"Dad, can I say it?" Seraph jumped on her toes.
Marco smiled and gave her a nod.
"My mom and dad are getting married!"
The class stared for a moment before turning to Marco who gave them a nod to confirm.
They broke out into cheers and applause then, everyone congratulating him. Even Skullnick was starting to tear up with joy.
Marco started to pull out the invitations and hand them out.
"Alfonzo, Ferguson, you two are up for being my groomsmen?"
Alfonzo replied "We would be honored."
"I need to a rent a tux." Ferguson looked at his friend with nothing but joy.
"It's this weekend, so I hope you can all make it." Marco rubbed the back of his head. "I know it's a bit of late notice but we wanted to get married as soon as possible."
The class smiled warmly, all of them happy for him.
The intercom went off and Skeeves was heard sniffling, "Attention, everyone! Our very own Marco Diaz is getting married this weekend. So in honor of that I'm cancelling classes! Everyone run home, buy wedding presents, get your best clothes ready! Enjoy life! Find the love of your lives and embrace every moment you have together! Whooo!"
"Maybe I shouldn't have given his invitation before everyone else's." Marco judged his reaction.
Soon the halls were filled with students rushing out and it looked like a riot about to start. Already the Janitor was starting a fire.
"Dad! Split the invitations with me. We will get them out to everyone!" Seraph told her father.
He gave her half the invites as they went out to get to everyone. "Here you go, also see if you can stop that fire."
The rest of the class quickly emptied out to get ready for the wedding, Sabrina being the last one to limp out.
Star was still dumbfounded. She looked around to see Jackie in utter shock, Janna looking confused and Brittney just getting up looking furious.
"Star?" Jackie spoke in a whisper, "What's going on?"
"Marco is getting married to Hekapoo." Star said with a hollow voice.
"You gotta be kidding me." Janna let out. "Marco! Marco Diaz! The guy who could barely talk to Jackie for years? He just decided to get hitched to his baby mama?" Janna paused to think just about the fact that he had a baby mama.
"Barfo Diaz!? He's the first one to get married?!" Brittney yelled. "First he's got to get all this attention because he got a girl knocked up. Then he's got to go steal my thunder for the party this weekend. Now I gotta get him a gift for it!"
Star then realized something, "Wait, you three don't think this is super great like everyone else?"
"No, this is crazy." Brittney told her.
"It's odd." Janna admitted. "If he wanted to make flame head into an honest woman I think he'd have to do that before she gives birth."
"…And this is all happening so fast. And he's so young." Jackie said softly.
Star broke into a smile. "Thank you! I thought I was going insane or something. Everyone has just been so happy and supportive about all this. I just can't-"
"What is going on?" Jackie questioned, "I mean, maybe I don't know Marco as good as I could have but I've known him for years. He's been very cautious and he's been fussing about taking care of Seraph and everything, but just jumping into marriage like this seems crazy."
"I know!" Star yelled out. "This- this- this…." A thought dawned on her. "Magic! Hekapoo took him to her dimension alone and then they came back all lovey dovey and ready to get married."
"Wait, what are you saying?" Jackie asked the wand-wielding girl.
"Hekapoo used a magic spell on Marco, something to make him agree to marry her. Some sort of love potion or something."
"So you're saying we got to stop this wedding?" Janna smiled wickedly.
Jackie was hesitant, but it didn't seem like Marco to do something like this. "I guess if it's going to help him."
The trio turned to Brittney. "What? I'm not gonna help with this. It's a dumb idea for them to get married but I'm not helping you. Good luck and everything but I'm not doing anything. If you are gonna stop it, try and do it soon so I don't have to go out and get them a present."
Brittney started to walk away.
"Wait," Janna stopped her, "Your gonna get them a present still even knowing this is all a spell."
Brittney scoffed, 'Well, yeah. I'm not gonna be tacky and not get a gift. There are things you don't do. But good luck derailing your friend's wedding."
The three girls ignored Brittney and looked at each other.
Jackie asked, "So what do we do? Like, we have to prove Hekapoo did something, right?"
"Yeah, not sure how to do that." Star admitted. "I don't have my book of spells anymore, so…"
"I might be able to help." Janna smirked.
They went to Marco's locker and after opening it up and pulling out the false back Janna pulled out some books on witchcraft. Finding the right page she asked, "How's this?"
"A witch-y spell." Star looked it over. "A potion to test if someone has been bewitched. It looks like it could work."
With that done they headed to the store to purchase the ingredients they needed, which wasn't much as it seemed that Janna already had most of what was needed.
They grabbed everything and headed towards the Diaz household.
When they arrived they found that Marco and Seraph had already arrived and Hekapoo met them there.
They found Marco in his nice suit and Seraph wearing a nice dress, both posing next to Hekapoo. Along with Nachos they seemed to be having a family portrait made. Seraph sat on a stool in front of her parents with the family dragon at her side.
"Hey!" Seraph greeted them.
"What's going on?" Star asked, holding bags of stuff.
"We're making a portrait for them." Angie said behind an easel.
Rafael was painting it himself. "We decided to give them a portrait as the wedding present."
They just couldn't pick who would make it so they both decided to make one.
"Ah, why isn't he wearing a shirt?" Jackie pointed to the shirtless Rafael.
"The muse has taken him!" Angie announced as her husband wildly painted.
"Okay, we'll be in the kitchen making … stuff, so continue." Star quickly hurried the other girls.
They got a large pot and started putting the things together, following the instructions the book laid out. After half an hour Star used her wand to stir the mix.
"Okay, I think that's about it." Star continued to stir.
Jackie looked over the book. "Okay, to test if someone has been touched by magic we need a sample from them. Like a bit of hair or spit or something."
"I got it! Give me a minute." Janna walked off.
Jackie and Star poured out a few cups of the silver-like liquid. Star picked up one of the Laser puppies that was running around and plucked a hair from it. She dropped the hair in the liquid.
"So if the book is right anything that magic has affected recently should cause the liquid to turn blue. I used a sleeping spell on the puppies yesterday when they got all excited after seeing a squirrel. So…" Star looked on as the liquid turned blue.
Jackie plucked a hair from her head and dropped it in the liquid. "Nothing, I haven't been zapped or anything."
"Yo!" Janna came back with some hair. "The brown hair is Marco's, the red hair is Hekapoo's, and the auburn is Seraph's."
"How did you get that?" Jackie questioned. "I snipped a little, told them some hair was out of place and they should trim it while taking the portrait. No one seemed to question it."
Star wasted no time in dipping Marco's hair in the potion.
All three girls leaned in, watching it as it changed color.
"YES!" Star cheered, "Hekapoo charmed Marco!"
Jackie thought up something. "Isn't Hekapoo acting weird too?"
"She's just going along with it." Star waved off her concerns.
Janna grabbed some of Hekapoo's hair and dropped it into one of the cups. It too changed.
"Uh, why would Hekapoo charm herself?"
Star didn't know how to explain that. If Hekapoo messed with her mind, she wouldn't be aware of it anymore than Marco. She wouldn't be able to enjoy it.
"So, someone charmed both of them?" Janna guessed.
"But why?" Jackie tossed out.
"Yeah, and Hekapoo said they were at her forge fighting a hydra. They even brought the pelt back as cloaks for Marco's parents."
"So no one could have snuck up on them?" Janna offered a question.
"No, most people don't run to hydras." Star told them, "And I've been to the Forge, there aren't that many people near there or places to hide."
"So did we just mess up the potion?" Jackie offered.
"Maybe, I don't make them that often. I had Glossaryck do them." Star blinked, "And Hekapoo said they used some healing potions before they got back. So either way this would say they've been exposed to magic."
"This doesn't tell us anything." Jackie looked at the potion.
"Maybe they grabbed a love potion instead of a healing one." Janna suggested. "No, you'd need a sample too. You'd have to make it fresh so you can't just mix them up."
Star looked at Janna wondering how she knew so much about love potions.
They decided to walk to Star's room. Her mom gave her a bunch books about magic so maybe there they could find something.
As they walked into the living room, they found Hekapoo making a portal as she and Seraph were getting ready to leave.
Hekapoo gave Marco a quick kiss and told him, "Okay, I'll see you later. Don't forget to tell Star."
"Bye dad!" Seraph told Marco and she and her mom stepped into the portal.
"Ah, ask me what?" Star questioned, "Where are they off to anyway?"
Marco smiled. "They're off to get Seraph a dress for the wedding." Marco sighed, "And as for what I wanted to ask…" Marco walked up to Star and took her hand, "Will you be my best man?"
"Uh, what?"
"Well, best person. You're my best friend, Star. There is no one else I want up there standing next to me as I get married."
Star's face froze in an awkward smile as her right eye twitched wildly. "I'd -ack- love to."
Marco hugged her immediately. "Thanks! There is some stuff I need you to do. I have a list." Marco patted his pockets, "It's in my room, I'll go get it for you. Sorry, I should have had this ready for you. I've just been busy with planning the wedding and the move."
"Move?" Jackie picked up on the word.
"Yeah, after me and Hekapoo get married and come back from the honeymoon, we plan to move together to another dimension."
"What!?" Janna shouted.
"Yeah, we're thinking of moving to the Battle Nexus Dimension. Wukong offered me a job last time so at the very least he can help me get set up, and with all the treasure I've collected lately we should be able to get a place there. Hekapoo is going to commute to her dimension." Marco looked excited, "We're going to start a life there together and give Seraph a new home."
"You're leaving?" Janna stared at him, unsure what to make of it.
"Yeah!" Marco smiled.
"What about school?" Jackie asked him in a state of near-panic.
"We'll find some place for Seraph to study but for me, I just won't need it in another dimension. Besides, I'm also thinking of maybe opening up a karate dojo, with the title I won it should be easy for me to get people interested. Like I said, Wukong was really happy that I helped him with the coup so he said if I ever needed anything I could ask. We even invited him to the wedding and he said he'd do anything to help."
"But-" Star began, "but- but what about your mom and dad? What about your friends? What about me? What about all of us?" Star was feeling a great sense of deja vu.
"I'll have H-poo and Seraph, and I'm sure everything will be alright after that. Mom and dad are happy about all this. And…" Marco's smile faded just a bit, "I'll try to visit as often as I can, but I'm not sure how often I'll be able to. It'll probably be a while before I can visit at first."
Marco kept talking before walking off to his room to get the list. He kept talking, but none of the words reached Star.
The girls stared blankly.
"Marco's leaving," Jackie said solemnly.
"He's going…" Janna stared blankly.
"We have to stop this wedding." Star said determined.
Omake: Time Alone
With one quick slash Marco cut off the Hydra's head, Hekapoo jumping forward with her hands aflame as a new head began to re-grow. The flames consumed the stub, boiling the flesh and searing it black.
The pair stood back-to-back, never letting their guard down. The severed heads of the hydras were scattered around them along with the scorched necks.
"It's over." Hekapoo sighed. All her clones had been snuffed out, but they managed it.
Marco collapsed to the ground, sword still in his hand. Hekapoo looked at him - he'd gotten bruises and cuts and few other wounds, the battle seemingly having taken a lot out of him.
She couldn't blame him though, they had been fighting for days straight. Hydras were fierce creature, but these ones had gone nuts. Regaining his older body helped but he was still just human.
They had tried to shoo the beasts away but they refused and attacked still.
Hekapoo was unwilling to give up the forge. This was her home, this is where she lived and where she had raised her daughter. She was not going to give it up.
In the end they had to chop every single head off to make sure they didn't come back.
Hekapoo herself was tired but in better shape because of her nature. She leaned down and helped carry Marco into the forge, or what was left of it.
Hekapoo settled him on the couch as she went to check one of the shelves, pulling out a pair of bottles - each filled with red liquid. She popped them both open before she gulped down one and poured the other's content down Marco's throat.
Slowly they both started to feel better as their wounds began to heal.
"Thank you." Marco said, exhausted. "I've never been so tired."
"Okay, let's get you to bed to sleep." Hekapoo helped him.
Hekapoo had a few guest rooms - sometimes the commission would come over to take a break from their duties, or for Rhombulus when Lekmet kicked him out after doing something stupid.
As Hekapoo took him to the end of the hall, they found a huge gaping hole. The guest rooms had been smashed by one of the hydras' attacks that tore the stone walls.
"Ugh, well, we still have Seraph's old room and mine." Hekapoo stated.
"I don't think I should use Seraph's room, it should be hers and hers alone…. and I mean, it's not like we haven't shared a bed before." Marco looked away.
"I mean, you can take it." Hekapoo quickly told him. "I don't need as much asleep as you do. I can just take a nap on the couch."
"It's not that restful to sleep on the couch, and this is your house. I'll take the couch."
"You need the rest, you looked ready to drop dead after the healing potion!"
0000
They ended up sharing the bed, yet didn't get sleep easily. They had both turned away from each other, finding it awkward to share a bed after everything that had happened. They didn't know how to react now and nothing they did seemed right.
Sleep eventually came for both of them.
Hekapoo was the first to wake. They fell asleep a fair distance away, but in their sleep they found their way back to each other. Hekapoo found herself with her head on his shoulder and Marco's arm around her.
Marco snored gently and Hekapoo couldn't help but marvel how warm he felt and how nice his embrace was gentle, yet strong. That seemed to fit Marco so well - he was so gentle but so strong at the same time.
She closed her eyes and let herself sleep for a bit longer.
0000
After they woke up in an awkward position they decided to get something to eat.
They dug a pit and ripped off some of the flesh from the hydras.
"You can cook hydra meat?" Marco asked.
Hekapoo was looking over a cookbook. "Yeah, I learned to cook for Seraph. I even tried new dishes. I think I can cook the meat, it's all about getting the right parts, some of this might be poisoned."
Marco raised an eyebrow as he set up a foldable table and set the dishes.
Lucky for both of them, Hekapoo cooked out the poison and the meat was tasty.
As they rested they talked about many things, but soon found themselves directing the conversation to Seraph.
They overlooked a small lake. "So you actually added a lake here for Seraph?"
"Yeah, this place is a bit plain. I wanted it here to be a bit more lively for Seraph, so she had places to play in. I added some grass, a playground and a sandbox, and of course the lake. I did teach her to swim so she'd be safe playing in the water."
"I saw the pictures, she was wearing that cute little one piece and those floaties while splashing the water."
"You got the pictures?"
"Yes, thank you so much." Marco smiled, looking at the ruined forge. This had been the place of so many memories for Seraph.
"I want to help you rebuild this place." Marco said reassuringly.
"What? Marco, you can go home. I built this place, me and my clones can handle it."
"I know. It's just that this is Seraph's home, she grew up here, this is where she learned to swim, to walk, this is where she learned to say her first words. I hate the idea of leaving it like this, so please let me help with at least restoring it to how she remembers it."
Hekapoo gave him a sad smile. "Thats a nice thought but it's not like she will ever see this place again."
"I'm not sure about that." Marco told her with a hopeful tone entering his voice, "I'm not sure if it will help but … remember when we went to see that statue of me put up in the Hall of Champions?"
"Yeah, nice ceremony. Your parents kept hugging you, the party needed more of those little hot dog wieners."
"Yeah, I talked to Lord Wukong and asked him for something. I asked if he could look into helping Seraph's condition. He'd say he'd get his mages to study upon it - didn't promise anything, but he'd try and he said I was free to ask him for anything… so there is some hope."
Hekapoo smiled. She'd already asked some of the most powerful beings in the whole universe and they couldn't do anything - even Glossaryck couldn't do anything without fundamentally changing her, which was why she never bothered to ask. It would be wrong to change Seraph so much.
Still she smiled - Marco was so determined to do everything he could for their daughter.
He scratched the back of his head. "I just want to help Seraph come back here. It was her home, it's still her house and even in some ways this place is my home too. It just seems so wrong that Seraph can't come back. So, I'm going to try and find her a way back and when she does return, I want it to be just like how she remembers it."
Hekapoo sighed, "I suppose no one will miss you, even a few months here will be seconds there."
0000
It felt strange for things to be so awkward with Hekapoo when they shared the bed. Even before they did anything serious together they had often fallen asleep together in the past.
Even after they had gotten closer Marco still enjoyed just sleeping in the same bed with her. There was an expected intimacy to that, something even he didn't like to admit that he had longed for. It felt wrong to be so close and yet so far.
Maybe that was why they woke up holding each other. Maybe she felt something similar.
Marco almost felt like he was taken back to the past, to the time of his trial, when things were simpler. Part of him wanted to stay there forever, but he pushed the thought aside - he wouldn't go back. His daughter was waiting for him and he had to repair her home.
For the moment Marco smiled as Hekapoo nuzzled herself towards him and he closed his eyes, soon going back to sleep. He told himself he needed his rest as the next day there would be lots of work.
0000
It had been weeks by now. The hydras were big beasts and did a lot of damage and their bodies were not making it any easier to clean. The poison in their blood had started to soak into the dirt and the lake - if they wanted to save anything, they would have to replace those.
Hekapoo, who wouldn't get sick or die from the poison, took care of that and disposing the remains, making sure to remove the skin. Hydra pelt was hard to work with but it could be used to make some great things. Hekapoo decided to take a crack at making something with it, but didn't know what.
Marco took up repairing the walls of the forge, replacing every stone that the monsters had destroyed.
It was hard work - every day he'd find new blister forming and his muscles aching from lifting the heavy stones into place.
Never, not once did he complain though. He had a purpose and he wasn't going to stop until this was done.
0000
It wasn't too bad, even with all the work. He was getting a chance to talk with Hekapoo and just spend some time with her. They even stopped one day to swim in the now clean lake.
Marco found a pair of red trunks that fit him and Hekapoo was wearing a rather typical yellow one-piece mom swimsuit.
Marco felt conflicted about this, but he wasn't sure if he should say that out loud.
Indeed it was the right choice.
Marco swam a little as Hekapoo sat in an inflatable inner tube. She wore a pair of dark sunglasses and she was skimming through a magazine.
Marco did a few laps, enjoying the cold water's touch on his tired muscles.
"This is nice." Marco told her.
"Yeah, just a nice little break from everything." Hekapoo smiled, never removing her eyes from her read.
Marco smirked as a thought came to him. He dove under the water and before Hekapoo realized it she was pulled into the water.
After a moment she popped out of the water with a gasp, "Marco! What the hell?!"
Marco was just laughing, "Come on, H-Poo. Get a little wet!"
"Wet? Let me show you wet!" Hekapoo smirked as she started to splash him back.
Soon the lake was filled with their laughter as they continued to fool around.
He had fun, but he couldn't help but think it would have been nicer if Seraph had been there too.
0000
They were just about done repairing everything - at this point they were mostly fixing up everything inside. They had just finished taking all the hydra-hide into one of her repaired rooms.
Now they were fixing up Hekapoo's vault, the room she kept her magical artifacts in. Some of those items were dangerous and others weren't but Hekapoo wasn't in the habit of leaving them laying around her house, doubly so after Seraph was born.
Marco helped her put a glowing crystal eye on a shelf, making sure it didn't get too close to the golden spider statue.
As they finished up Hekapoo washed her hands, not realizing Marco was staring at a small ring on one of the shelves. It was a small band with a gem, the stone shifting colours.
As they started to walk out, Hekapoo locked the door behind them. "So, it's about time for lunch. What are you in the mood for? I'm kinda feeling like having a drap wrap."
Marco stopped, "Hekapoo…"
"Is something the matter?" Hekapoo looked back to find Marco nervously scratching the back of his neck.
Marco got down on his knees and took her hand in his, "Hekapoo…"
"Marco…. what are you doing?"
"Hekapoo, I love you. I want to spend everyday with you. The idea of us just going our own ways after this hurts me. I want us to be together, to make a life together, to make home for us and Seraph. Hekapoo, will you marry me?"
Hekapoo stared at the mortal before her, her eyes filling with tears as her free hand went to her mouth.
Her hand trembled as her mind went blank. Was this really happening?
Before she knew it her mouth began to move, "Yes, yes! I'll marry you Marco!"
Marco's face lit up and he jumped up, his heart beating faster than ever before as he wrapped his arms around Hekapoo and kissed her deeply. She eagerly returned the sentiment.
They held each other for a moment, just enjoying themselves, and then pulled away, both smiling.
"I love you Hekapoo."
"I love you Marco."
0000
Hekapoo fiddled with the cloaks, "Do you think they'll like them?"
"Yes," Marco told her, "You know you don't have to get them anything. You don't actually have to give them a dowry."
Marco had told her a number of times that she didn't have turn the hydra-hide into cloaks or get them anything - dowries weren't a thing they did.
"I know, it's just… well, I'm taking their son so I felt that I had to give them something."
"You're giving them a wonderful daughter in law." Marco leaned over and gave her a kiss.
Hekapoo blushed a little as he took the cloaks from her. Hekapoo opened a portal back to his backyard and they looked at each other once again before stepping through.
0000
They were at the kitchen table with the other Diazes as Angie searched through her address book, looking at who they would invite with Marco's dad taking notes and making a comprehensive list.
Marco was overjoyed to find his parents so accepting of the situation. His hand moved over to Hekapoo's and soon they intertwined. It was going to be hectic but after then they'd be married. Neither Marco nor Hekapoo could wait.
Third time's the charm or so they say, so I decided to finally introduce myself properly - APraeda here! So, umm, not sure what I should say about myself now - am pretty much a full-time uni student with a certain fondness for cartoons (anything to escape the crushing reality of life, haha!). I got into SvTFoE pretty much by binge-watching the entire thing over the course of a week or two after yt suggested I watch none other but the Marcapoo clips from the latest eps, so I was pretty much committed to the ship from the get-go. And that's how I landed here! Hopefully you will enjoy our combined effort in the future chapters.
Author's Notes: Okay, so everyone please be nice to my new beta. So we start the wedding arc. I don't have much to say here, I'm currently working on the next chapter, I had to start the chapter over again since I didn't like the pace. So I might take a bit longer. Also, this one took a bit longer since both me and my beta got sick during the time since the last update. I actually got sick twice.
Also look up on deviantart (marcoxhekapoo) fusion svtfoe its some fan art of my marcapoo fusion from the last chapter and looks awesome. Check it out and leave the artist some feedback.
Anyway, please leave a review and tell me what you think. What you think is going to happen and what you hope to see along with what you like. Until next time I'm off.