Star


On a distant, calm, and secluded beach away from Echo Creek, was a group of tired teenagers resting upon the sand. Marco sat next to Janna, his best friend—newly-turned girlfriend, who was letting an unconscious Star rest her head on her legs. Janna looked into her boyfriend's eyes, he was looking away toward the moonlit ocean, his face and body weary but his eyes satisfied. Marco felt Janna's hand lock with his before feeling her head rested on his shoulder.

Behind them, slightly to the right, was their two good long-time friends, Ferguson and Alfonso. The boy with the glasses was on his phone, disappointed he didn't record the battle. Not only that, the smell of blood was giving him a headache.

"Fergy," he called to Ferguson in frustration, "you reek of blood. Go wash off in the ocean."

"And attract sharks?" The redhead boy responded, looking down at his stained shirt.

"Heh.. It'd be a big meal for them."

"You can eat my ass for a big meal." The two boys playfully smack each other's arms. Janna laughs at Ferguson's retort as she rests on Marco.

"Glad the kids are getting along." She says happily. Behind Marco and slightly to the left, was Jackie and Oskar. Brittney was away from the group, calling Serena for a ride home.

"My dad is gonna kill me when I tell him about the car.." Oskar laments, getting a sympathetic smile from Jackie. She puts a hand on his shoulder for comfort.

"If it makes up for it, that was pretty hardcore, dude." She compliments. "I'm gonna tell Hope about you. I think you guys would hit it off."

"Hope? The brunette?" Oskar recalls in his downed spirits. "I think she hates me."

"She does." Jackie assures with an upbeat tone. "But that's 'cause she thought you were just a slut taking advantage of girls." She laughs, making Oskar frown. "You're a slut with a heart, though."

"..Aw, thanks!" Oskar says his gratitude, ignoring the "slut" part. At this moment, Brittney finishes the call with her maid and sits next to Jackie, right behind Janna and Marco.

"Serena should be here in like, an hour." Brittney informs the group, getting a subtle fist pump of excitement from Ferguson. She inspects her phone, seeing the fractured screen. "My phone's all freakin' cracked.." She complained with her usual pampered demeanor.

"It probably cracked like that when you got hit by that magic crap." Janna told her, looking back at the cheerleader.

"Yeah!" Alfonso looked at her with enthusiasm. "D-Did it hurt? Did it leave like, a.. scar?!" The part of her body that Brittney got hit in was exposed. Her clothes was torn.

"Kinda looks like you got shot by a big-ass gun." Ferguson comments with a chuckle. "I love a woman with scars.."

"You're my hero, Brit." Jackie smiled and softly shoulder bumped the cheerleader a few times, making her blush. "Oh, Marco, been meaning to ask ya, what's with that white spot on your hair?" She asks, playing with it a bit.

"Oh,.. uh.." Marco reaches back and touches it. "I uh.. I don't know." He tells her with a carefree smile, not wanting to worry anyone. Janna looked down, knowing the reason.

"Looks like a bird shit on you." Ferguson gives another self-humorous comment. "You should get rid of it."

"Oh, shut the fuck up." Janna snaps nonchalantly. "I think it looks hot."

"Yeah." Oskar agrees. "If I was chick, Marco, I'd do disgusting things for ya."

"Oskar, thanks, but your compliments make me worried to be alone with you." Marco informed with a tired voice.

"Haha! 'Nice cock'." Alfonso quotes with a snicker, making the boys laugh.

"Wait, what?" Janna asks, confused about his choice of words.

The group kept exchanging words like this as time passed. The sound of their laughs filled the beach air around them as surely and often as the waves. Even though they get along great, they would be one of the stranger and more diverse groups of friends in school. The circumstances around Star is what brought them all together. They didn't know if the group as a whole would continue to talk at school.

Jackie had many friends, in fact, she was arguably the most popular person at school. There wasn't a single person that didn't know her and she was on good terms with all of them. Brittney would spend most of her time hanging around a lot more rich kids. Kids that wouldn't be entirely open-minded to the company of people like Marco, Ferguson, Alfonso, and Janna. Oskar was more of a wanderer, being in the attention of whoever was interested in him. Would they all continue to see each other once everything with Star is resolved? Would they fall back into the norm of the social ladder that was High School? Or break it and do what their hearts want.

Before today, Janna and Brittney had never spoken friendly to each other. Would they go back to that? Would they be in a strange middle ground? Nobody knew. It would all be answered when school starts up again. The social ladder was strict and ruthless. Perhaps they'd cause a collapse. Perhaps not.

Janna felt Star twitch. It seemed the nightmare was getting worse. Marco looked down at her, remembering what she said about dreading this memory. Was this the last one? Would all of their questions be answered once she woke up?

"St—.. Stop.." Star muttered softly in her sleep. She writhed, her discomfort apparent. "Stop.. touching me.." This plead boiled the blood in Marco's veins. The thought of somebody forcing themselves on Star filled him with rage even though he almost did so during training. It made him feel like a hypocritical beast. Janna felt him tense up. She looked him in the eyes worryingly. Marco looked down at the sand, trying his best to not let his feelings out.

"Is Star talking?" Alfonso asked, leaning in toward his friends in front.

"Yeah.." Janna answered solemnly. The rest of the group closes in, trying to listen.

"Marco.. help.." Star's words shock the others. Marco looks down at her with wide eyes, frozen. Star called out for him even during one of her memories? How?

"Did.. she say Marco?" Jackie asked in surprise. "I thought when this happened to her, she was reliving a memory from Mewni. It wouldn't make sense to call out for one of us." This made the group momentarily silent until Janna spoke out.

"..She must really depend on you" She said to Marco, "..if she would think about you even during this." There was a sadness in Janna's voice, it was subtle but noticeable to Marco and Jackie. Janna grabs Marco's hand and places it on Star's, surprising the boy. Almost immediately, the nightmare-stricken girl became quieter. She still winced but seemed less scared. Janna gives a sad chuckle. "Look how much you calm her down.." Marco watched Janna frown. She knew Star was in love with him. He knew there was nothing he can say to make things better. All Janna could do is have faith and Marco didn't doubt her's.


The group of teenagers waited another thirty minutes, hoping for their ride home to show up or for Star to wake up. Their conversations have become scarcer and shorter. They were tired and worried about what would come next. All that hindered the complete silence was the rhythm of the waves in front of them.

After a long period of stillness from Star, the simmering princess began to wince and mutter again. She was breathing erratically, and started to twitch more violently. Marco and Janna exchange looks of worry, being nudged around by Star's convulsions. She began to gasp and howl more audibly.

"Come on, Star,.." Marco said softly, trying to soothe. "You can do this." His words didn't seem to reach her. Her cries and whimpers kept on, gradually becoming worse.

"What the hell is happening in that head of her's?" Jackie asked in worry. In a quick, alarming motion, Star sat up and screamed. Her wail was bone-chilling, unlike any sound the group of teenagers have heard her make. Her eyes were wide with shock as she felt her face and looked down at her arms.

"Star! You're awake already!" Marco came to from his surprise. "You're awake!.." Marco hugs Star but is immediately pushed away. The princess stands up and stumbles away. She turns to her friends with a look of a frightened animal.

"Star?.." Janna called out to her in concern.

"Stay back!!" Star begged, her eyes in shock. "Or I'll hurt you too.." The group looked on, daunted. "..It was me.. It was all me.. I'm the reason mother is dead.. the reason Danaus and maybe even Grosbeak fell.." Star grasped at her scalp, at a loss of her will. "I.. I am a monster.."

"Star, calm down." Jackie stood up and approached her slowly. "What—"

"Stop!!" Star yelled, backing further away with her feet in the shifting water. "A curse was never put on me. If anything,.. I cursed myself. Trying to forget everything I've done!"

"Star, please.." Marco stood as well. "Just tell us what happened." Star looked at him in fear. Her breath was shaky and her muscles were tensed. Out of nowhere, she sprouts her large, illuminating wings, causing a disturbance in the water and sand around her.

"I need some time.." She levitates above the water, looking at her friends. "Just.. leave me alone.." With that sad request, Star flies off toward the cliff overlooking the ocean. From afar, the teenagers see her sit on the edge. Everyone was silent, not sure what conspired to this.

"Has.. she done that before?" Oskar asked the others, confused beyond theories. Marco, Janna, and Jackie gave hesitant shakes of their heads.

"No.." Marco said to him. "But.. She did say this memory would be really bad. Maybe she discovered something that was too.. traumatizing to rest easy with.." This hypothesis made the group sympathetic for Star.

"We should talk to her." Jackie proposed. "We need to remind her that we're here for her. Jam it in her head that she's not alone."

"Look.." Alfonso said to everyone, making them look at what he was focused on. Star had a large bubble of light surrounding her like a shield. It was a radius of at least ten meters around her. "I really don't think any of us can approach her right now.." Jackie thought for a moment before looking at Marco.

"Marco can." She countered, getting the boy's attention. He gave her a knowing look, aware of his ability. "I bet you can get through that shield, no problem." Marco looked at the shield that surrounded Star with a strong determination. "Right?" Jackie's, question of assurance turned Marco toward her.

"I can." Upon answering, Marco looked at Janna, who had her arms crossed. Her face was a lot less excited than Jackie's. "With permission.." Janna sighs.

"Yeah, duh.." Janna tells him, uncrossing her arms. "No time to be jealous. Go help her." Marco nods at this and gives Janna a peck on the lips.

"I'll be back." Marco smiled at her, making his girlfriend chuckle. With that, he runs toward the base of the cliff at a high speed. Janna watches him go, exhaling at the emotional handful her boyfriend is.

"God, I hate him." Janna softly says aloud.


The loud crash of the waves at the bottom of the cliff echoed on. Their beating helped Star lose focus to her thoughts as she sat up near the edge, hugging her knees. She looked on to the dark horizon. It scared her, reminding her of the unknown that her life back on Mewni would be. Are the remnants of Danaus still surviving? Did Higgs reach the hidden valley within the Hazy Mountains? Did another unit of Grosbeak forces scout out for any survivors? Is Grosbeak even alive anymore? There's no way of knowing without going to find out herself.

Star's mother left a final request for her: "Protect your home." The princess was terrified and wanted to stay in the comfort of her new home, her friends on Earth. However, the thought of the citizens of Danaus suffering any longer, completely discarded that option. Star had a responsibility as a Butterfly, and she must see it through.

Far behind Star, past her field of magic, Marco walked up the hill, his legs getting more fatigued with each step.

"Agh.. Wish I could fly too.." He chuckled to himself as he continued his trek. He was almost to field. He wasn't too sure what he'd do to get past it though. Star's shape rose as Marco got to her elevation. He couldn't believe the journey he'd gone through because of this girl. From her dangerous and clumsy introduction to him, to her now more eloquent and wise form, the two adhered to each other like two sides of the same coin. From feelings of wary and hostility, to feelings of trust and even love. In just two short days, Marco felt he had an unbreakable bond with Star.

Marco approached the field of Light magic that widely surrounded Star. He knew if he touched it with his bare skin, he'd get burned. What if he used his Dark magic? After he focused his feelings and readied his hand with his force, he touched the field. It burnt but it wasn't unbearable. Star felt the disturbance in her magic and turned her head in surprise. She saw Marco, looking at her with the fingers of his Dark arm engulfed in her Light like flames.

"Marco?!" Star stood up and sped to him. "Stop!" She commanded, not having patience for his incrimination.

"Not until you let me in to talk!" His words made the princess stop and grit her teeth in frustration.

"You're gonna hurt yourself!" Marco put the flames out of his fingers as a response to this.

"I will of you don't take this field down." His stubbornness made Star growl.

"Well, I'm not going to! So just.. go away!" Star turned away and started to walk toward the cliff again. "What part of 'leave me alone' don't you understand?.." Marco watched her go before stabbing both of his hands into the field. The light sizzled and sparked into fire as the darkness invaded it. Star once again turned toward Marco, worried for his well being. She watched him slowly make an opening with his hands, making it bigger and bigger. "Stop!" Star's beg was for naught, as with one final push, Marco created a large enough opening to walk through.

"Whew.. Got it." Marco sighed, stepping through the opening and putting out the magic fire on his hands. Star's shoulders relax before she scoffs and walks toward the cliff again. The field closes behind Marco before he follows his friend. Star sits down again in the same spot with a scowl and a light blush.

"You're so meddlesome." Star complained, hugging her knees. "Even confessing to you while you have girlfriend doesn't push you away. Janna's gonna kick your butt." Marco laughed, stopping behind her.

"I know.. but she cares about you too. We all do." Marco looked off to the dark water. "We're here for you, Star. I'm here for you. There's no need to isolate yourself." Star clenches her fists, exasperated.

"How can I not?" She asked vexed. "I just found out what a monster I am." Star stood up and looked Marco in the eyes with her own angry ones. "I've killed so many.. Two kingdoms may be extinct because of me.." Star's gaze fell to the floor. "Everything would've been so much better if I wasn't born. The relationship between Danaus and Grosbeak would be prosperous, you wouldn't be burdened with Dark magic,.. my mom would be alive.." Marco stared at her face, seeing all of the pain she's suffered and caused.

"Even if that might be true,.." Marco's honesty shocked Star, making her look up at him. ".. you're alive now.. and you can still make a difference. Right your wrongs and make sure they don't happen again." His words encouraged Star, made her feel valid again. "Do you really not know how Danaus is doing now?"

"..I—.. I don't.. The last act I issued as queen was a retreat. I left the caravan of survivors to my assistant. I trust her.. but I'm still scared."

"Then there's a chance that Danaus is still standing—it's people, at least." Marco put a hand on Star's shoulder. "You have them to protect. You can protect. You've definitely protected us.." A smile slowly formed on Star's face upon listening to Marco's soulful words. She blushed and flipped her hair behind her right ear.

"Ha.. Thanks.." She looked up at him with flirty eyes, making Marco redder as well. "I forgot how reliable you can be." Star's demeanor turned Marco a 180.

"Oh!.. Th—.. Thanks.. It's no big deal.." He tried his best to compose himself. "Look, as long as I could think for myself, I always doubted what I can do, the help I can give people.." A contented smile grew on his face. "..but then you came along. You helped me conquer my demons and I wanna do the same for you." Star gave him a sultry smile before turning away toward the cliff.

"..You know how I said I got cursed? That my memory loss was from that?" She asked facing away.

"Yeah.." Marco recalled.

"It was me.. It was no curse." Star sighed, feeling remorse. "I somehow manifested my darkest memories into shadows. Like guardians of my future."

"What's the last thing you remember?" He asked, getting closer. Star thought for a moment. Even though she didn't see it when she was unconscious, she remembered it, the last piece of the puzzle was found when all of the mess was cleared.

"I remember waking up in a gigantic crater.. There was nothing but ash around me. There was no sound. No wind. Nothing but silence and emptiness." Star gave a pained smile. "I couldn't cope with what I've done.. so I just.. flew. I flew as fast as I could through space. I didn't know where I was going. I don't even remember what was going through my mind.. I wanted to stop thinking.." Star looked at him, with the same suffered smile. "Hehe.. The only reason I was able to breath was because I kept a field around me. If that's the case, I guess I didn't wanna die yet.." Her smile fades and a subservient face replaces it. "I'm scared, Marco.. I've been away from my people for days.. and that's not even counting my space travel. What if.. what if they're dead?.."

"Then you'll have us left.." Marco informed her. "No matter what you have to deal with, we'll be here to help." The two smile at each other, embracing their affection.

"..I'll hold you to that." A quietness passes them before Star's wings of light sprout in a flash. Marco feels a strong wind push him as he covers his eyes in surprise. "I should go.. Don't wanna keep my people waiting."

"H—..Hold on. I just thought about it, how are you going to find your planet?" Marco asked.

"I'll find it." Star assured confidently, looking toward the sky. "Mewni has a force unlike any other." She turns her head back to Marco. "I.. I owe you so much, Marco. If it wasn't for your kindness, I might've never gone home. Thank you."

"It was my pleasure." Marco's words give Star another sultry smile. She walks closer to him, face to face.

"And you know,.." she starts, putting her forearms on his shoulders. "I will be back." Star kisses him, much to the boy's surprise. Upon release, she puts a shushing index finger over her mouth, gesturing for Marco to keep it a secret. "Couldn't help It."

"Star, come on.." Marco rubs the back of his head in a fluster. Star pokes her tongue out at winks at him.

"..See you, Marco." Star's feet softly leave the ground as her body levitates.

"Goodbye.." The two give each other one more loving facial expression before Star turns toward the sky and flies off into the atmosphere. Her speed builds as she travels until she was just a glowing speck. Marco sighs as he looks up triumphantly. He accomplished his mission. He was able to help this one lonely girl.


Marco made his way back to the beach that his friends were on. He saw a large cream-colored SUV. He didn't recognize it. He didn't see his friends anywhere. Were they in the vehicle? Upon closer inspection, Marco saw Janna leaning against the back of it.

"Janna.." He said to himself. As if hearing him, Janna looked over and began walking up to him. Their distance closed and they sprung at each other for a hug.

"So it went alright?" Janna asked, holding him close.

"Yeah. It did." Marco responded. The two separated for a bit and looked into each other's eyes. Janna surprises him with a half-hearted punch to the gut. "Oof! Wh-What—"

"I saw you kiss her, idiot." She told him with a furrowed brow.

"..Well, she..kinda kissed me."

"Then you should've pushed her away." She put a hand on her hip and gave him a critical look. "And don't give me that 'in the moment' crap, you don't have to fall victim to a cliché like kissing the alien girl before her goodbye." Janna turned away and crossed her arms, making Marco sigh. "..How are you gonna make it up to me?" The boy smiled at this.

"..I'll make you a batch of snickerdoodles." He says softly, putting his hands on her shoulders from behind.

"Two batches." Janna proposed. "And you treat me to Pad See Ew from Rolls Haven." That particular dish was expensive and Marco felt the pain in his wallet. "Don't you think I deserve it?" Marco laughed, missing Janna's dagger-like words.

"..Yeah. You do." They smile at each other.

"You better be worth it, Marco Diaz."

"I am." Marco puts an arm around her and they begin to walk to the vehicle. "You'll see." Janna looked at him with loving smile before they kiss. One of the car windows in the back rolls down to reveal Ferguson sticking his head out.

"Hurry up!" He yells. "Stop making out!"

The group of teenagers go home, driven by Serena. Most of them were asleep, the emotional and physical stress of the day filled them with fatigue. The adventure with Star was over, for now, at least. With new relationships and new mindsets, the adolescents progress their day. This is not the end of their struggles. Not the end of their development.

.

.

.

.


.

.

.

.

There it is. That's the end.

You stuck through all of it!! Thank you so much!

What'd you think? Was it bad? Or kinda good? I think it was almost kinda good but pretty bad. ƪ(-.- )/

This story is over. I will not add to it. I'm satisfied with the ending.

So! In that case, onto the next one!

I have another one cookin'. One that has to do with another mystery! Murder! Mid-20s depression! The good stuff. Mmm..

Look out for my next one!

Byyyyyyyyeee!