Chapter 5: Star 63 part 1
There once were gods.
But before there were gods, there were stars.
Shining luminously and infinitely in the distant skies. So many I could never count them all, believe me, I tried. The stars looked over us, blessed us with its light, I thanked them for their sheltering sparks. The sparks of magic that gave me power, protect me from the forces of Evil.
But now all of it must come to an end, the good and the bad. I must thank them one last time then let them rest. For I shall rest with them, too. Here in the magic dimension, in our last moments in each other's arms, the one I truly love – Marco Diaz.
"Because with or without magic," I said, holding him tight.
"We belong together," he embraced me, letting me feel the warmth of his heart.
But the spark of his warmth and the glow of the cheek marks were completely snuffed out by something unexpected. A shift in the density of the air, flowing along the crashing waves of the dead liquid magic, the atmosphere started to become harder to breathe. There in the distant sky beyond the waterfalls, a crackle burst open a massive hole. A portal? But how? The magic dimension was dying, it should not be possible. I had the black goo of dead magic right here in the palm of my hands. We were sitting in the thing, too, all falling apart.
But from the portal came a giant, more specifically – a Giant Unicorn.
A mighty unicorn who looked entirely different from the First Born and the purple unicorn. Standing on two legs, he stood tall, strong as a mountain. His body held together by muscle fibers made of stones, infused by boiling magma veins, then further scarred by carvings of some kind. Cave carvings? It wasn't entirely clear from where I was.
I sat there, beholding the strength in his belly and the toughness of the iron horn. Horn of a beast who stared down with its shimmering eyes, marked by scars of impossible shapes over his face, as if placed there as tattoos, marks of his divine strength.
The Giant was big, bigger than a Solarian warrior by far, twice as big perhaps. The single pauldron he wore could easily dwarf a small building, and the golden belt strapped around his waist was heavy, perhaps impossible for even ten men to wrap their arms around.
And there was his voice, a voice of angelic mighty sound. Or perhaps it was that of a demonic force from on high. A shining echoing voice, but it forced the realm trembling, shaking the fabric of the black goo themselves.
"TREMBLE BEFORE ME!" He roared, "FOR THIS DAY, I SHALL BE YOUR JUDGE AND EXECUTIONER."
"Star? What's going on?"
"I… I don't know!"
"MEWNI AND EARTH, FOR YOUR INNUMERABLE SINS AGAINST THE COSMOS, I SENTENCE YOU TO DEATH OF INFINTE PROPORTION. THIS UNIVERSE IS OUT OF BALANCE, THINGS THAT SHOULD NOT BE HAS BEEN SO. THINGS THAT NEED CORRECTING SHALL BE CORRECTED. YOUR RECKONING IS UPON YOU. NOW FEEL THE WRATH OF MY MAGIC BLADE!"
Another crackle! Bursting open with bright blinding sparkle from afar, the color of golden living magic in a space of dying ones – another portal.
I sat there in the midst of the goo expecting another Giant to step out from the void, for what purpose I dared not guess. To battle this beast and deliver us from his sentence? To perhaps be a witness to this court that came to be without notice? Or worse, to join him in the blade, to deliver us to the death they deemed us deserving?
But no.
Instead of Giants, I saw wings.
Wings of angels eternally flapping in the glory of the light. They blinded me, I could not make out the details, but they seemed familiar.
Three shadows stepped down from this light. I thought them agents of gods, but I was wrong.
They were gods themselves.
Mighty celestial bodies, all three of them, in their hands mighty war swords, sharp steel ready to strike through the darkness of any kind, be it physical or otherwise. The swords glowed bright of emerald flashes and azure glitter, flashing me with this view of titans the legends and myths of old once told. The sky was their home, and now they would descend unto this mortal plane.
Except…
They weren't titans. When the light of the swords cleared, I could see them clearer than ever. To my eternal shock they were no older than I was. A cosmic truth which revealed to me why they seemed so familiar.
They WERE me.
One with long blond hair tied together with a neat red bow. Another with long silver hair and skin of a monster. And one wearing a peculiar space helmet of spatial blue.
Sure, some of their facial features and what they were wearing were different. But there was no doubt about it. The molds that made them who they were, the basic structures and atoms, it was like looking right into a mirror, three mirrors.
The wings I thought of as angel wings weren't wings at all. Instead, they were capes, purple capes shining of pink sparkling dots. They looked similar to the cape I had with Marco. But here they felt different, I could not put my finger on what it was.
"Halt your blade, rogue Giant," the blonde demanded. To my absolute shock – in her hand she wielded a royal magic wand. But how?
"WHO ARE YOU, STRANGERS?" Said the Unicorn as he materialized his massive blade out of thin air. A blade of crystal, bright as suns, hard as diamonds.
"We are…" said the Star with the helmet, "The Interdimensional Space Company."
"I never agreed to that name!" Cried the blonde.
With a massive swing of his blade, the Giant managed to cut through a gash that tore the atmosphere in half, halting the flow of the dead magic goo in a single stroke. The liquid magic rumbled, prompting both me and Marco to run for cover behind one of the crumbling dying crystals. How could these three Stars even hope to defeat something so massive?
But the three magic Stars never backed down, not one bit. Instead, they soared through the air down towards where the Giant laid his heavy blade. They flew fast, faster than meteors, and when they rammed their cosmic fire into the Giant, it burned with hellish celestial flames of will. The blade was strong, but their blast too had strength to equal his crystal.
Too engulfed in the battle taking place before my eyes, I didn't even think to look back to check on Marco until he tapped my shoulder. I looked back and was horrified.
"Star? What's happening to me?"
Slowly but surely, his finger began to crumble into pieces. Decaying skin cells withering away like a dying tree beyond its time, trying to find its final rest. Gradually, the speed was picking up, disintegrating faster and faster by the second, working its way down his palm, then his forearm.
"Marco! No, no, no, what's going on?" I scrambled to where he sat, desperately trying to hold him together, collecting the pieces that were flying away.
"Star, I… don't…" Marco glanced at his other hand, now noticing it disintegrating as well.
"No, stop… wait…" I glanced down Marco's abdomen, and clear as day, there were purple markings staining his hoodie. I grabbed onto his zipper, pulled it down, and lifted his shirt to find a clear wound, infected by the purple magic.
"What happened here?" I cried. "How did… did you get stabbed?"
"I… it's… it's nothing…" Marco stammered, noticing his right arm had been completely reduced to dust. He looked me in the eyes, oh, those beautiful brown eyes.
He took one deep breath, and uttered his sweet voice… one last time:
"I love you, Star."
"No, no, you're not going anywhere," I cried out loud with great anguish, "I won't allow it!"
But Marco tried to reassure me by reaching over for a kiss on my lips. His warmth was still there, maybe I could still hold onto it somehow, put it in a bottle.
But the way he looked at me, that smile trying to comfort my tears. It was too bitter to swallow.
"Goodbye, Star. I love you."
And just like that. He was gone.
Not even a shadow remained. There was nothing left for me to hold onto, nothing left to even bury. His clothes, his shoes – nothing.
All that remained was me and my pain, leaving me broken in this haunting puddle of dying magic. He was gone, but I was still here. I wanted to join him, go wherever he went. We belong together. That was our promise to each other. Why was I still here? Why take him and not me? I prayed to whoever was listening then, whispering to my aching heart, to bring him back to the land of the living so that I could take his place.
But no one listened. Only agony remained.
"You there, Star of Universe SVT63," the blond Star approached me, descending from above with her capes flapping about. "What happened to the magic here? Who killed its life force?"
Choking on my own overwhelming grief, I answered with a whisper:
"I did."
"What did you say?"
"I SAID I DID IT!" I cried. "I'm the one responsible. I'm the one to blame. Now will you let me mourn in peace?"
The blond looked at me, her face unmoving, unblinking. I wasn't sure what she was thinking. But what she said to me then was something I could never expect:
"I'm sorry. My condolences. I know – it is not easy. I know."
"Princess, look out!"
The monster girl shouted from above.
And there the Giant forced his way through the other two Stars and their energy blasts. Puffing his chest, he raised his crystal blade once more. This time with divine conviction. His sword glowed bright, and the strike was swift, clean and forceful. It pushed itself through space at unimaginable speed. I did not even get a chance to process what happened before the splash of liquid magic blinded my field of vision.
"I told you we weren't ready," Quasar shouted. "If I hadn't made that portal to yank us all out, we would've been ripped apart."
Gone.
"What would you have us do instead?" Said Princess Star, "Sit here while that universe falls into oblivion?"
"We were not ready!" Quasar repeated. "These are Giants. Their powers are beyond anything we've ever known."
"Do not lecture me on whether I'm ready or not," the princess pointed her finger at Quasar. "You have not that right."
They argued on.
"We could've died," said Quasar. "You ever think of that? It does not matter I suppose. The result is the same. We lost our rogue Giant. So it's best we regroup and plan this out further."
"We do not have the time," said Princess Star. "He could not have gone far. He must be going to a neighboring universe of some sort. We need to follow him. There's a clear path."
"And you know what that path is?" Said Quasar.
"We've gone over this a hundred times already," Princess Star responded. "Did you not listen my presentation and calculations? It's obvious that he will land in Universe SVT49. The numbers don't lie."
Arguing on and on.
"The numbers show probability, not fact," Quasar rebutted. "We cannot take a chance. Too much collateral damage if we choose the wrong universe."
"I'll enter the Moonforce then," said Princess Star. "That'll grant me enough speed to catch up to him if we enter the wrong universe."
"And you can control this immeasurable power?" Quasar asked. "The same power that drove you mad the last time you used it?"
On and on. But in the end – it changed nothing; my world was gone. And so was Marco.
"You question my ability to stay sane?"
"Yes, I do. In fact, I question your so-called infinite power of the Moonforce. A wild claim I say, nothing more."
"Let's settle this with a demonstration then. Care to test me? Test my skills, my patience?"
"Believe me, I would love to flatten you like a bug."
"GUYS!" MonStar snapped, hissing intensely at the two bickering children.
It caught their attention, with the monster princess directing their attention towards where I was wallowing in my misery. MonStar was a nice girl, she offered me a drink, something to eat. Though I questioned where they would even get food in this magic dimension place thingy with all these Giants. Anything was possible with magic, I guess. But truth was I was in no mood to eat, and no magic could change that.
Princess Star composed herself, clearing her throat:
"I apologize, Star 63. I just… it's easy for me to get lost in this work. Believe me when I say I want to catch this rogue Giant as much as you do, to undo the damage he has done."
"I… I just don't get it…" I stuttered, struggling to put my thoughts together. "Taking Marco… why him? Why…"
MonStar stepped forth to where I sat, placing her gentle hand onto my shoulder.
"You can stay here for as long as you need," she smiled. "Metal will look after you. And we will go out there and restore your universe. That's a promise."
"What? No!" I cried, leaping off to my feet, "Screw that noise. Um, respectfully. Screw that. I'm coming with you guys. This jerk took away my home universe. I'm not going to sit back and let that slide."
"I'm not so sure that's a good idea," said Quasar. "You don't even have a wand."
"Well that may change momentarily," Metal the Giant Unicorn laughed, "here, catch!"
And wouldn't you know it? The Unicorn tossed a magic wand right towards my direction. A wand of purple color and white wings. No mistake about it. It landed in the palm of my hand, and the moment it touched my skin, a massive energy burst erupted from within. It was power unlike anything I had ever felt, even dipping down and my golden Butterfly form could not match this flood of magic. The wand transformed, and sure enough it morphed right into a rod of pure energy and purple light – my wand.
My wand had always been, how should I put it? Unique? It never really took a definitive shape like the previous queens of Mewni. It was always just a bolt of hard light and plasma, a bolt of lightning. A lot of people questioned my authority and even my very being itself, it wasn't enough that I was a boy, being different from the queens before, but my wand had to be formless as well. How could a prince be queen of Mewni? What authority could I have if my wand couldn't even form properly?
But this was my form. This was my power.
"I grant you this as a gift, my friend," Metal smiled. "A wand crafted by a Giant, dipped into the pool of infinite magic, with powers spanning the multiverse."
"I… I don't know what to say…" I stammered as I looked back up to the Unicorn, smiling, "I thought I had to give up magic forever."
"And there's more, too," Metal reached into the pocket on his leather apron, pulling out a mighty flapping purple cape, just like that of the other three Stars. "Behold, the Cape of Dreaming Heroes, woven out of the infinite fabric of the Gifts of the Sandman by our brother Silky Silk of the Majestic Weaving Weaver. A powerful garment granting you the gift of flight and invisibility."
"So I can't fly or turn invisible without it?" I asked. "Can't I just use my wand?"
"Sure you can, but it'll drain the battery real fast," said Metal. "You can recharge here in the Magic Source when the wand starts flashing red, indicating the battery running dry."
"What about dipping down? Surely that can't drain any battery, can it?" I asked.
"No three-dimensional mortal has ever been capable of such a feat," said Metal, "controlling sixth-dimensional magic from the Source. The most anyone's ever done is control the three-dimensional magic. Dipping down into three-dimensional magic is convenient but lacks the firepower a magic wand can provide. This wand is strong, it channels power from the very Source. I guarantee you it will not fail you on your mission to bring back your lost home. If you believe in it, it shall believe in you."
"I… this is…" I took in one deep breath, and let it all out, "thank you, Metal."
"It is my pleasure."
"The journey will be dangerous still," Quasar commented. "With or without our magic wands. Are you certain you still want to go through with it? This is a Giant so powerful one swing of his sword is enough to cut a universe apart."
I glanced around to all the Stars, meeting them deep in their gaze, only then did I finally realize that these guys weren't asking me that question because they thought me beneath them. Instead, what I saw were their individual determination, each and every single one of them, all longing for some personal goal they were pursuing. All prepared to travel to the edge of the multiverse, whatever it took.
I held up my wand, the bolt of energy sparked with strength I had never experienced before, strength I could somehow control, barely anyway. It overwhelmed me with knowledge and cosmic force. I nodded my head, not another word spoken. I doubted that even Quasar would doubt the power in the magic wand, for if she were to doubt me, she would doubt herself – the alternate Stars.
"METAL, METAL!" A voice suddenly called from afar, it was one of the other Unicorns, "come quick!"
"What is it brother Silk?"
"Mutiny, brother," said the Unicorn, "it's Proudful Pride of the Brilliant Bartering Merchant. He wishes to follow the rogue."
"What? That cannot be."
Metal pushed his way past his brother and into the other side of this massive land of magical light. Us four Stars followed after, with me staying briefly behind to put on my cape. It looked serious. I wanted to prepare myself. And the massive crowd of Giants gathering around just made it that much more tense. There in the middle of this gathering, a single Unicorn wearing a bright white suit with red tie. He dressed sharply and his mane was well groomed underneath the sharp golden horn on his forehead. He stood there delivering his speeches to his brethren.
"Fiery Fire of the Punishing Crystalized Executioner is right, my brothers," Pride echoed his deep voice to the sea of Unicorns. "Our father in heaven has abandoned us for a Freedom beyond the Magic Source. He cares for the Giants no longer. Leaving us trapped here behind the wall, this cage, this prison."
"Pride!" Metal shouted, "What is the meaning of this?"
"An awakening my dearest brother," said Pride. "You are our leader are you not? Then let us join Fire on his pilgrimage, join him on his quest to protect the multiverse, correcting them, watch over them and keep the order."
"And pray tell, brother, who watches the watchmen?" Metal questioned him. "You know full well the deal with the lizard is of demonic force, a force that lets us break the laws and leave our home. A force that lies to us, giving us a false sense of Freedom. You know full well we Giants are too big for these smaller universes."
"I shall not be made a fool by father," said Pride. "Molten Mold of the Unyielding Adamantine Chain agrees with me, so does Sparkling Spark of the Celestial Shining Anvil."
"The heat of the forge affects your thinking my brothers," Metal pointed towards the metal equipment that were being lit up by the stars. "You are thinking irrationally. Stop this foolish path at once."
"I WILL NOT FOLLOW OUR FATHER ANYMORE!" The Unicorn yanked out a mighty golden pistol from his shirt pocket. It was engraved with many exotic seals and runes. It was long, peculiar, eight barrels, and there where the hammer should be was a little fuse that had already been lit up by a miniature supernova.
"Put down your gun, Pride," Metal took a step back, prepared to defend himself. "You are not well, and you are not fit to be a watchman."
"I will not let anyone get in the way of cosmic righteousness," said Pride. "Not even you, Metal. This shall be a warning shot, for you to know not to meddle with my affairs."
"HALT!"
A booming voice exploded upon Pride and his two supporting brothers, Mold and Spark. And flying far above these Giants was she – Princess Star Butterfly. Her cape flew under great whirlwinds. And her wand formed an almighty greatsword of heavenly force. Her eyes glowed blue, and her blade was sharp.
"In the name of my mother, and her mother before, I – Princess Star Butterfly order you to step down from this rebellion."
Pride sneered at the girl floating above him, chuckling under his breath:
"And thus, the lower creatures speak. To let these lowlifes into our home is already enough of a travesty of heavenly laws. But to allow them a voice? You have gone too far, Metal."
"If you have something to say, then you shall address to me, Star Butterfly, daughter of Moon Allmother."
"And me as well."
I gasped in delight, shocked to see Quasar flying up high, taking her place beside Princess Star. Her bell rang loud the gold of her magic. What a beautiful majestic sound it was.
"I do not fully understand it yet…" said Quasar, "but us three, no, us four alternate versions of ourselves are brought here for a reason. And it seems more likely now than ever that the reason is for us to take up arms – and protect those who cannot themselves."
"That must be the reason," shouted MonStar, taking her place along the two, "the multiverse falls in peril. We must act, no matter how big or small we may be. Gods or mortals, it does not matter. I swear in the name of my people, in the name of my father, the name of my mother, I shall not let another universe crumble like the last."
And in that very moment, it became clear. My path, my new path, my new destiny. What must be done for things to be right once more. I could not sit by any longer. The bolt of plasma in my palm shook with violent force, for my heart became more restless as the seconds went by.
I raised the bolt up high, letting its power crackle as thunders echoed across this heavenly hall. The cape let me travel upwards, letting me join my fellow Stars, likeminded sisters. Powerful and determined. It felt different without my Butterfly wings, and yet somehow refreshing, the cape practically made me weightless.
I needed not speak another word, for the other Stars understood the willpower of my magic, the crackle of my bolt – thus they nodded their heads.
"FOOL!" Pride shouted, pointing his pistol towards the four of us, with the fuse of the gun nearly fully lit. "One blast of this gun shall deliver you all to oblivion. It will unmake you just as it shall unmake the wall, Freeing us all into the multiverse."
"Star Butterflys!" Princess Star commanded, raising her wand. The rest of us followed suit. "On my mark. Channel your magic – will the gun out of existence."
The wands lit up brilliantly in a rainbow of lightning, sparks of energy exploded from the devices. And there we beheld – the sight of four mighty greatswords of four mighty heavenly celestial bodies. To this day, it was still the most beautiful thing I had ever witnessed.
This was the full power of the magic wand. It gave us knowledge, magic flowing right into our blood, infusing us with enchantments. Boosting our strength, shielding our mortal bodies with hard lights of the Magic Source. It felt overwhelming and yet – Free. I had never had this much power before. I felt like I could do anything.
The blast of our blades fiercely pierced the gold of Pride's pistol, dismantling his weapon piece by piece as if it were a child's toys. It blinded him in ways even he himself could not expect. The energy was so intense it burst off into his entire body, even though we had only aimed for the pistol. Scratching and clawing at his skin, the energy knocked the Unicorn off his feet and wrestled him to the ground.
The flow of energy felt as infinity, blasting the Unicorn for what felt like days, if not months. And yet, once it was finished, logic dictated that only moments had passed through the great cosmic clock.
But how? It felt so easy, too easy. Three-dimensional mortals, overpowering and defeating a sixth-dimensional godly being? How could he have burned so easily? The Unicorn lied there unconscious, his fur scorched by our combined might. Was it over already? So quickly?
To have all the other Unicorns stare at us in awe, even Pride's two supporting brothers. They stood there helplessly, fearful to act, afraid to even budge an inch. And in the end – had fallen to their knees.
"That… was… something, alright," I said.
"I… I don't believe it," said Quasar. "I can't believe it."
"I feel so… alive," Princess Star glanced down her palm, still glowing with blue magic. "To fell a godly Giant."
"It can't be that easy," said Quasar. "Could the wands be more powerful than we first thought? Why couldn't we defeat that Giant called Fire then? But to defeat Pride here."
"It… may not be as illogical as it seems," said MonStar.
"What do you mean?" Princess Star asked.
"The wands," said MonStar, "they are powered by our will. If our will is strong, then it is strong. How powerful were we really when we faced Fire? Reckless and inexperienced with this new magic. But when united as a unit, the four of us, more focused, more determined."
"Are you saying we're actually capable of taking on Fire now?" Quasar asked. "And all we have to do is be 'more determined' or something?"
"Maybe…" said MonStar.
"What a load of nonsense," Quasar snapped. "The win loss record is data, and the data does not lie."
"The data is incomplete," said Princess Star. "We had one loss against the Giant Fire, one! It is not enough to be conclusive."
"It was a devastating loss!" Quasar argued. "Fire didn't just overpower us, we were steamrolled! One swing of his sword could cut the space in the atmosphere itself. We weren't even in the same league. What exactly do we have now that we didn't before?"
And at that moment, I turned to face the Stars, speaking up from my silence:
"Well… you have me."
The three of them turned their heads, staring at me with mixed emotions. As if they had forgotten that I was here with them this whole time. It was a bit too abrupt to handle, all the attention now placed on me. But I took my deep breath and there my thoughts began to flow:
"When you first faced Fire the Giant, you were unfocused, uncoordinated, yes? You three had just met after all. How could you work together like that? Individually, we alone cannot fight the Giants. But what if we have more of us? Three, four, five… ten…"
"How much more?" Asked Quasar.
"Lots more," I said. "You said it yourself, didn't you, MonStar? The multiverse is in peril, and we are here for a reason. It is one big multiverse. And there are many, MANY Star Butterflys out there. In universes far away from here."
"Are you suggesting… we form a team?" Princess Star asked.
"I mean… why not? We're all here, aren't we?" I said. "The Giant took my home. He took my family… my boyfriend. I don't know how I can forgive myself if I didn't swear to go after him and undo the damage. I don't know how any Star can forgive themselves in the same circumstances. If the Giant continues to spread his chaos and destruction, who are we to stop the Stars of the multiverse from seeking retribution?"
"I understand your pain," said MonStar. "I too feel pain of my own. We all do. Right guys?"
Princess Star nodded her head, while Quasar fell unusually silent.
"We can help people," I said. "I want to help people. Maybe Fire is right. Maybe the multiverse really is out of balance. In that case I want to fix it."
"Helping people is fine," said Quasar. "But we must first help ourselves, help our people. I have my people to protect. I can't just abandon them."
"Maybe you don't have to."
Metal joined into our conversation, wearing a generous smile on his face, a thankful smile.
"Hey, Metal," Princess Star waved her hand. "How's the situation over there?"
"It's calmed down… for now," said the Unicorn. "You have my gratitude for what you have done. A revolt would have caused us much damage, both to the forge and to our family."
"What is this about not having to abandon our home?" Quasar asked the Giant.
"Ah yes, that, well you see," Metal pulled out from his leather apron a pair of glowing scissors. It grabbed my attention, for I thought it was a pair of dimensional scissors, but it seemed different somehow. The bright glow emitted from its steel felt almost radioactive, it was bright, blinding – even when I had gotten used to the brightness of this realm.
"We have many gifts from the gods," said Metal. "This one is a fragment of the broken but eternal Ancient Blade of Hecate. The blade is old, and unattended for, abandoned by its creator for what reason I do not know."
"Hekapoo," I muttered under my breath.
"This pair of scissors will allow you to hide your home universe from the multiverse," the Giant explained. "Keeping your home safe from cosmic harm, taking it off the map, thus allowing you to your work here outside the fifth-dimension."
"That's… great," Princess Star glanced at the blade with curious eyes.
"There is one drawback however."
"What's that?" I asked.
"In order to hide your universe, you must cut all ties from your home. You will not be allowed to return, nor will you be allowed to contact the loved ones waiting for you back there. If you disobey and return home, the cloak shall be broken and can never be cast again, leaving your home universe open to the cosmic danger."
Never… return home. This was the demand of this mission? The price we had to pay. But then again, I didn't have a home to go back to anyway. The three other Stars, however, were not like me. I couldn't imagine how difficult a decision this must be for them.
"It is a big sacrifice," said Metal. "You may think it over before…"
"I'll do it!" Princess Star spoke up without hesitation. Causing Metal to glare with confused eyes. "I will not return home until my enemy is destroyed. The longer he is out there in the cosmos, the longer people will suffer."
"I'll do it as well," MonStar raised her hand. "I shall volunteer myself. For my kingdom, for my people. Helping the multiverse shall give me fruits, the power and answers I seek."
Inspired by their courage, I too raised my hand:
"You already know I'm coming with you. I will not stop until my universe is restored, that is a promise."
The Princess and MonStar welcomed me with their smiles, patting me on my back. But what of Quasar I wondered. Who was still sitting there contemplating. She sat there, shaking her golden bell. Perhaps to let the sound soothe her mind?
"Will you join us… my friend," Princess Star extended her hand. A surprising motion, for these two had been bickering non-stop since they met. At least… until now.
Quasar looked at the Princess's gentle hand, then glanced back to her gaze, scanning her thoughts. Quasar shook her head and breathed a heavy sigh.
"You're all crazy, you know that?"
It almost crushed my heart to hear her say that. But then the unexpected arose, as the girl stood right up – and proceeded to shake the Princess's hand with her own firm grip. Looking into each other's gazes with the proudest of smiles.
"I guess I am, too."
I stood back to breathe a long sigh of relief myself. Thanking the forces on high for the decrease in tension. It was a nice change of pace. And I was glad the four of us were able to work things out in the end.
"So then," said Quasar, "what shall we call this little team of ours? I vote to keep the name I suggested. The Interdimensional Space Company."
"Come on now," Princess Star said, "that is a name as bland as eagle eggs with no salt or pepper."
"It's not a bad name," MonStar commented, "but I think we can do better."
"Agreed," I said.
"It needs a certain flair," said MonStar, tapping her chin. "We need to make ourselves known to the multiverse, so that the people may know of their new guardians."
"I think it's a fine enough name," said Quasar. "The people shall know of us from our actions. Not any title."
"Fair enough," said Princess Star, "all the same, though. It's good to get our names out there, be unique. A name friendly enough to ease the troubled minds of good folks, but fierce enough to strike fear in our enemies."
A sudden thought just popped into my mind, a bizarre idea:
"Hey, this might sound a bit weird. But… um… my boyfriend, Marco. He often listens to this one song on his phone. Even making it his ringtone – Space Unicorns."
"Huh, that's… a funny coincidence I must say," said MonStar, "in the presence of these Giant Unicorns among us."
"That's a weird name," said Quasar.
"Not to me," said Princess Star. "You may not have them on your home, Inwem. But from where I come from, Warnicorns are fierce beasts, powerful and only meant to be tamed by the mightiest warriors."
"One of our queens," said MonStar, "her name is Skywynne, Queen of Hours."
"I do not know this name," said Quasar. "Sounds vaguely familiar however."
"She may go by a different name in your timeline," MonStar replied. "But Skywynne was one of, if not the most powerful queen in history. Her names are made known across the lands through songs and poems, celebrating her good deeds and great strength. And one of her most powerful spells she had ever invented – was the Warnicorn Stampede. Invoking the name of these powerful beasts. To be named after these noble steeds would be an honor."
"So what?" Quasar shook her head, "We're just going to call ourselves the Space Warnicorns?"
"Why not?" I said. "And we can go even further with some word play. This team of ours, it shall be a great union, a great force that rivals that of the strongest military across the cosmos. We can recruit more Stars along the way to aid in our cause, we can be an army… we can be – a corps. A Space Warni-Corps."
"Really?" Quasar rolled her eyes.
"I kind of like it," Princess Star grinned, "got a nice ring to it."
"The unique flair," said MonStar.
"It is decided then," said Princess Star. "From this day forth we shall be known as the Space Warni-Corps."
"You're just saying that because you don't want to go with the name I came up with."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Princess Star laughed nervously, "I would never disrespect such a mundane boring name."
"I say we put it to a vote," said Quasar.
"Alright," the Princess nodded her head. "All in favor of the Space Warni-Corps, say aye."
"Aye."
"Aye."
"Curses!" Quasar cried, followed by the three of us bursting out with our laughter of childlike innocence.
"Let's join wands everyone," said Princess Star, as the four of us placed our wands against each other in this holy round table, the greatswords lit up bright as we the Stars. "We shall commemorate this momentous event with a message to the multiverse. The wands shall be our couriers."
"What's the message going to be?" I asked.
And she responded with a confident smile:
"Beware, beware the angels of the Source
The Warni-Corps of Space and there beyond
We Stars shall take up arms, and sacrifice
Our lives to shield the endless worlds from harm."
The magic wand was the most powerful weapon in the universe. But from here on out, we will face much more powerful foes. So we must be prepared to:
"Sacrifice!" I, the Boy announced my pledge.
"Sacrifice!" The Princess announced her pledge.
"Sacrifice!" The Monster announced her pledge.
"Sacrifice," the Scientist announced her pledge.